The politics of being Norman in the reign of Richard the Fearless, Duke of Normandy (r. 942–996)

In 966, by the end of the reign of its third duke, Richard I, Normandy had overcome the crises that had beset it in the middle of the century. Much of this success came from the coherence of its ruling group, which expressed itself partly in terms of ‘Norman’ identity. This article uses Dudo's history of the dukes and Richard's charters to argue that ‘Norman’ as a political identity was a deliberate creation of the court of Richard I in the 960s, following the perceived failure of his and his father's policies of assimilation into Frankish culture

A comet assay of DNA damage and repair in K562 cells after photodynamic therapy using haematoporphyrin derivative, methylene blue and meso-tetrahydroxyphenylchlorin.

Single-cell electrophoresis (comet assay) has been used to evaluate DNA damage and repair in the human myeloid leukaemia cell line K562 after low-dose (predominantly sub-lethal) treatments of hyperthermia and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Three different photosensitizers were examined: haematoporphyrin derivative (HpD), methylene blue (MB) and meso-tetrahydroxyphenylchlorin (mTHPC). None of the drugs in the absence of light, nor in light alone, resulted in detectable DNA damage. However, a significant amount of DNA damage was detected immediately after treatment with haematoporphyrin derivative or methylene blue PDT compared with drug-only or light-only treatments; no residual level of DNA damage was evident for either drug following a 4-h post-treatment incubation at 37 degrees C. No significant DNA damage was detected after meso-tetrahydroxyphenylchlorin PDT or hyperthermia either immediately or 4 h after treatment. We conclude that the alkaline comet assay can be applied as an effective screening assay for DNA damage induced by a range of laser therapies

Feeding-associated gene expression in sheep scab mites (Psoroptes ovis)

The mite Psoroptes ovis is the causative agent of sheep scab. Although not usually fatal, the disease can spread rapidly and is a serious animal welfare concern. Vaccine development against ectoparasites has primarily focussed on two sources of candidate vaccine antigens – “exposed” antigens that are secreted in saliva during feeding on a host and “concealed” antigens that are usually expressed in the parasite gut and may be involved in digestion. Here, we sought to identify genes encoding proteins important for mite feeding and digestion by a subtractive suppressive hybridisation approach comparing mRNA transcript abundance in “fed” and “starved” mites. The study identified a variety of genes which are up-regulated by feeding mites. These included group 1, 5, 7 and 13 allergens including the previously described cysteine protease Pso o 1. In addition, numerous novel genes were identified here including some encoding potential salivary gland proteins and others encoding proteins which may facilitate feeding such as a serum opacity factor. An olfactory receptor-like protein was identified in the starved mite population which may help the mite to identify a host

Molecular characterization, expression and localization of a peroxiredoxin from the sheep scab mite, Psoroptes ovis

The sheep scab mite, Psoroptes ovis, induces an intensely pruritic exudative dermatitis which is responsible for restlessness, loss of appetite and weight loss. Within the first 24 h of infection, there is a rapid inflammatory influx of eosinophils and apoptosis of the keratinocytes at the site of infection. The former cell type is capable of a sustained respiratory burst, toxic products of which may directly damage the mite and also contribute to lesion formation. Analysis of a P. ovis expressed sequence tag (EST) database identified a number of antioxidant enzyme-encoding sequences, including peroxiredoxin (thioredoxin peroxidase EC 1.11.1.15), all of which may help the mite endure the potentially toxic skin environment. A full length sequence encoding Po-TPx, a protein of 206 amino acids which showed high homology to a peroxiredoxin from the salivary gland of the tick Ixodes scapularis, was amplified from P. ovis cDNA. Recombinant Po-TPx was expressed in bacteria and antiserum to this protein was used to localize native Po-TPx in mite sections. Peroxiredoxin was localized, amongst other sites, to a subpharyngeal region in mite sections. The recombinant protein was recognized by sera from sheep infested with the mite suggesting that it may be secreted or excreted by the mite and interact with the host immune response

A randomized control trial evaluating fluorescent ink versus dark ink tattoos for breast radiotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this UK study was to evaluate interfraction reproducibility and body image score when using ultraviolet (UV) tattoos (not visible in ambient lighting) for external references during breast/chest wall radiotherapy and compare with conventional dark ink. METHODS: In this non-blinded, single-centre, parallel group, randomized control trial, patients were allocated to receive either conventional dark ink or UV ink tattoos using computer-generated random blocks. Participant assignment was not masked. Systematic (∑) and random (σ) setup errors were determined using electronic portal images. Body image questionnaires were completed at pre-treatment, 1 month and 6 months to determine the impact of tattoo type on body image. The primary end point was to determine that UV tattoo random error (σsetup) was no less accurate than with conventional dark ink tattoos, i.e. <2.8 mm. RESULTS: 46 patients were randomized to receive conventional dark or UV ink tattoos. 45 patients completed treatment (UV: n = 23, dark: n = 22). σsetup for the UV tattoo group was <2.8 mm in the u and v directions (p = 0.001 and p = 0.009, respectively). A larger proportion of patients reported improvement in body image score in the UV tattoo group compared with the dark ink group at 1 month [56% (13/23) vs 14% (3/22), respectively] and 6 months [52% (11/21) vs 38% (8/21), respectively]. CONCLUSION: UV tattoos were associated with interfraction setup reproducibility comparable with conventional dark ink. Patients reported a more favourable change in body image score up to 6 months following treatment. Advances in knowledge: This study is the first to evaluate UV tattoo external references in a randomized control trial

Mexico City and the biogeochemistry of global urbanization

Mexico City is far advanced in its urban evolution, and cities in currently developing nations may soon follow a similar course. This paper investigates the strengths and weaknesses of infrastructures for the emerging megacities. The major driving force for infrastructure change in Mexico City is concern over air quality. Air chemistry data from recent field campaigns have been used to calculate fluxes in the atmosphere of the Valley of Mexico, for compounds that are important to biogeochemistry including methane (CH4), carbon monoxide (CO), nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), ammonia (NH3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx and NOy), soot, and dust. Leakage of liquified petroleum gas approached 10% during sampling periods, and automotive pollutant sources in Mexico City were found to match those in developed cities, despite a lower vehicle-to-person ratio of 0.1. Ammonia is released primarily from residential areas, at levels sufficient to titrate pollutant acids into particles across the entire basin. Enhancements of reduced nitrogen and hydrocarbons in the vapor phase skew the distribution of NOy species towards lower average deposition velocities. Partly as a result, downwind nutrient deposition occurs on a similar scale as nitrogen fixation across Central America, and augments marine nitrate upwelling. Dust suspension from unpaved roads and from the bed of Lake Texcoco was found to be comparable to that occurring on the periphery of the Sahara, Arabian, and Gobi deserts. In addition, sodium chloride (NaCl) in the dust may support heterogeneous chlorine oxide (ClOx) chemistry. The insights from our Mexico City analysis have been tentatively applied to the upcoming urbanization of Asia