Papyri from the Groningen Collection I: Encomium Alexandreae

Papyrologie in contex

The incidence and make up of ability grouped sets in the UK primary school

The adoption of setting in the primary school (pupils ability grouped across classes for particular subjects) emerged during the 1990s as a means to raise standards. Recent research based on 8875 children in the Millennium Cohort Study showed that 25.8% of children in Year 2 were set for literacy and mathematics and a further 11.2% of children were set for mathematics or literacy alone. Logistic regression analysis showed that the best predictors of being in the top set for literacy or mathematics were whether the child was born in the Autumn or Winter and cognitive ability scores. Boys were significantly more likely than girls to be in the bottom literacy set. Family circumstances held less importance for setting placement compared with the child’s own characteristics, although they were more important in relation to bottom set placement. Children in bottom sets were significantly more likely to be part of a long-term single parent household, have experienced poverty, and not to have a mother with qualifications at NVQ3 or higher levels. The findings are discussed in relation to earlier research and the implications for schools are set out

Applications of scalar attractor solutions to Cosmology

We develop a framework to study the phase space of a system consisting of a scalar field rolling down an arbitrary potential with varying slope and a background fluid, in a cosmological setting. We give analytical approximate solutions of the field evolution and discuss applications of its features to the issues of quintessence, moduli stabilisation and quintessential inflation.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in PR

Toxoplasma and Plasmodium protein kinases: roles in invasion and host cell remodelling

Some apicomplexan parasites have evolved distinct protein kinase families to modulate host cell structure and function. Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry protein kinases and pseudokinases are involved in virulence and modulation of host cell signalling. The proteome of Plasmodium falciparum contains a family of putative kinases called FIKKs, some of which are exported to the host red blood cell and might play a role in erythrocyte remodelling. In this review we will discuss kinases known to be critical for host cell invasion, intracellular growth and egress, focusing on (i) calcium-dependent protein kinases and (ii) the secreted kinases that are unique to Toxoplasma (rhoptry protein kinases and pseudokinases) and Plasmodium (FIKKs)

Objectively measured physical activity, sedentary time and subclinical vascular disease: Cross-sectional study in older British men.

Low physical activity (PA) and high levels of sedentary time (ST) are associated with higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among older people. However, their independent contribution and importance of duration of PA and ST bouts remain unclear. We investigated associations between objectively measured PA, ST and non-invasive vascular measures, markers of CVD risk. Cross-sectional study of 1216 men from the British Regional Heart Study, mean age 78.5years, measured in 2010-2012. Carotid intima thickness (CIMT), distensibility coefficient (DC) and plaque presence were measured using ultrasound; pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and augmentation index (AIx) using a Vicorder. PA and ST were measured using hip-worn ActiGraph GT3X accelerometers. After adjusting for covariates, each additional 1000 steps per day was associated with a 0.038m/s lower cfPWV (95% CI=-0.076, 0.0003), 0.095 10(-3) kPa(-1) higher DC (95% CI=0.006, 0.185), 0.26% lower AIx (95% CI=-0.40, -0.12) and a 0.005mm lower CIMT (95% CI=-0.008, -0.001). Moderate and vigorous PA (MVPA) was associated with lower AIx and CIMT, light PA (LPA) with lower cfPWV and CIMT and ST with higher cfPWV, AIx and CIMT and lower DC. LPA and ST were highly correlated (r=-0.62). The independence of MVPA and ST or MVPA and LPA was inconsistent across vascular measures. Bout lengths for both PA and ST were not associated with vascular measures. In our cross-sectional study of older men, all PA regardless of intensity or bout duration was beneficially associated with vascular measures, as was lower ST. LPA was particularly relevant for cfPWV and CIMT

Prenatal Metal Exposure Alters the Placental Proteome in a Sex-Dependent Manner in Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborns: Links to Gestational Age

Prenatal exposure to toxic metals is associated with altered placental function and adverse infant and child health outcomes. Adverse outcomes include those that are observed at the time of birth, such as low birthweight, as well as those that arise later in life, such as neurological impairment. It is often the case that these adverse outcomes show sex-specific responses in relation to toxicant exposures. While the precise molecular mechanisms linking in utero toxic metal exposures with later-in-life health are unknown, placental inflammation is posited to play a critical role. Here, we sought to understand whether in utero metal exposure is associated with alterations in the expression of the placental proteome by identifying metal associated proteins (MAPs). Within the Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborns (ELGAN) cohort (n = 230), placental and umbilical cord tissue samples were collected at birth. Arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), and manganese (Mn) concentrations were measured in umbilical cord tissue samples via ICP-MS/MS. Protein expression was examined in placental samples using an LC-MS/MS-based, global, untargeted proteomics analysis measuring more than 3400 proteins. MAPs were then evaluated for associations with pregnancy and neonatal outcomes, including placental weight and gestational age. We hypothesized that metal levels would be positively associated with the altered expression of inflammation/immune-associated pathways and that sex-specific patterns of metal-associated placental protein expression would be observed. Sex-specific analyses identified 89 unique MAPs expressed in female placentas and 41 unique MAPs expressed in male placentas. Notably, many of the female-associated MAPs are known to be involved in immune-related processes, while the male-associated MAPs are associated with intracellular transport and cell localization. Further, several MAPs were significantly associated with gestational age in males and females and placental weight in males. These data highlight the linkage between prenatal metal exposure and an altered placental proteome, with implications for altering the trajectory of fetal development

Spectroscopic and photometric periods of six ultracompact accreting binaries

Ultracompact accreting binary systems each consist of a stellar remnant accreting helium-enriched material from a compact donor star. Such binaries include two related sub-classes, AM CVn-type binaries and helium cataclysmic variables, in both of which the central star is a white dwarf. We present a spectroscopic and photometric study of six accreting binaries with orbital periods in the range of 40--70 min, including phase-resolved VLT spectroscopy and high-speed ULTRACAM photometry. Four of these are AM CVn systems and two are helium cataclysmic variables. For four of these binaries we are able to identify orbital periods (of which three are spectroscopic). SDSS J1505+0659 has an orbital period of 67.8 min, significantly longer than previously believed, and longer than any other known AM CVn binary. We identify a WISE infrared excess in SDSS J1505+0659 that we believe to be the first direct detection of an AM CVn donor star in a non-direct impacting binary. The mass ratio of SDSS J1505+0659 is consistent with a white dwarf donor. CRTS J1028-0819 has an orbital period of 52.1 min, the shortest period of any helium cataclysmic variable. MOA 2010-BLG-087 is co-aligned with a K-class star that dominates its spectrum. ASASSN-14ei and ASASSN-14mv both show a remarkable number of echo outbursts following superoutbursts (13 and 10 echo outbursts respectively). ASASSN-14ei shows an increased outburst rate over the years following its superoutburst, perhaps resulting from an increased accretion rate

Objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour and ankle brachial index: Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations in older men

AbstractBackgroundAssociations between bouts of physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB) and cardiovascular disease, and their mutual independence are not well defined. A low ankle brachial index (ABI ≤0.9) indicates peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and is predictive of cardiovascular events and functional impairment. We investigated the independence of PA and SB and the importance of bout duration in relation to ABI using objective measures.Methods945 men from the British Regional Heart Study, mean age 78.4 y, had concurrent measurements of ABI (Vicorder) and physical activity (Actigraph GT3X accelerometer); 427 men also had accelerometer measurements one year previously and contributed data to longitudinal analyses.Results and conclusionIn cross-sectional analyses, after adjusting for covariates each extra 10 min of moderate and vigorous PA per day was associated with an OR of 0.81 (95% CI 0.72, 0.91) for a low ABI, a stronger association than for light PA (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.75, 0.98). Each extra 30 min of SB was associated with an OR of 1.19 (95% CI 1.07, 1.33) for a low ABI. Associations between moderate and vigorous PA and ABI persisted after adjustment for light PA or SB. Bout lengths for PA and SB were not associated with a low ABI. One year changes in PA or SB were not associated with low ABI.All physical activity and lower levels of SB, regardless of bout duration were inversely associated with ABI; more intense PA showed a stronger association. No associations between changes in PA and ABI were observed, but power may have been limited