The copying of bronze coins of Claudius I in Roman Britain

Contemporary imitations of Roman coins pose particular problems for both numismatists and archaeoloqists, not least of which is differentiating orthodox coins from copies. In making a study of contemporary imitations of bronze coins of Claudius I (AD 41-54) found in Britain, the problem of recognition and identification of 'Claudian copies' was tackled by inspection of a large corpus of comparative material and data. Studying the material first-hand was crucial: the depth of knowledge gained by handling and recording both orthodox and imitative coins could not have been achieved by a purely literary study. The empirical approach of this aspect of the research was followed by a similar 'hands-on', experimental investigation into the manufacture of these coins. Analysis of results of experiments in manufacturing technique provides explanations for certain characteristic aspects of the appearance of Claudian copies. A corpus of Claudian copies found in Britain was created by photographing and recording details of coins held in museum and other collections throughout the southern half of Britain and by an extensive literary search through archaeological and numismatic journals. The data was assembled initially in three formats: a database of measurements and details of coins inspected; a catalogue of Claudian coins compiled from the literary search and responses to a collection audit sent to museums and archaeological groups throughout Britain; and a photographic catalogue of coins which is representative of Claudian bronze coins found in Britain. Findings based on the scrutiny and manipulation of the data are given in chapters dealing with the distribution of finds, and the supply and circulation of Claudian copies in Roman Britain. These findings are complemented by the results of a die-study of the photographic collection and of available comparative material. In attempt to avoid too insular a view, similar material from continental sources was assembled and employed for comparative purposes

Association of Drowning Mortality with Preventive Interventions: A Quarter of a Million Deaths Evaluation in Brazil

In 2015, drowning in Brazil was responsible for 6,043 deaths and was the second leading cause of death in children. Although several prevention strategies have been promoted to reduce drowning, most are still based on low levels of evidence. This study evaluated the effectiveness of prevention and water safety interventions in reducing drowning mortality. Data obtained from the National Mortality System for 36 years were split in two time periods to allow the comparison of drowning mortality numbers before and after implementation of SOBRASA’s drowning prevention and water safety programs and to check for any positive effects attributable to such programs. To assess differences between the two periods, a “drowning water safety score” (DSS) was estimated and compared to mortality/100,000 of population. There were 258,834 drowning deaths over 36 years. A significant decrease of 27% in drowning rates (5.2 to 3.8/100,000;

Epigenetics in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease: influence of exercise and nutrition

Increasing evidence links changes in epigenetic systems, such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA expression, to the occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). These epigenetic modifications can change genetic function under influence of exogenous stimuli and can be transferred to next generations, providing a potential mechanism for inheritance of behavioural intervention effects. The benefits of exercise and nutritional interventions in the primary and secondary prevention of CVD are well established, but the mechanisms are not completely understood. In this review, we describe the acute and chronic epigenetic effects of physical activity and dietary changes. We propose exercise and nutrition as potential triggers of epigenetic signals, promoting the reshaping of transcriptional programmes with effects on CVD phenotypes. Finally, we highlight recent developments in epigenetic therapeutics with implications for primary and secondary CVD prevention

Elevated creatine kinase activity in primary hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Inconsistent findings have been reported on the occurrence and relevance of creatine kinase (CK) isoenzymes in mammalian liver cells. Part of this confusion might be due to induction of CK expression during metabolic and energetic stress. METHODS: The specific activities and isoenzyme patterns of CK and adenylate kinase (AdK) were analysed in pathological liver tissue of patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation. RESULTS: The brain-type, cytosolic BB-CK isoenzyme was detected in all liver specimens analysed. Conversely, CK activity was strongly increased and a mitochondrial CK (Mi-CK) isoenzyme was detected only in tissue samples of two primary hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). CONCLUSION: The findings do not support significant expression of CK in normal liver and most liver pathologies. Instead, many of the previous misconceptions in this field can be explained by interference from AdK isoenzymes. Moreover, the data suggest a possible interplay between p53 mutations, HCC, CK expression, and the growth-inhibitory effects of cyclocreatine in HCC. These results, if confirmed, could provide important hints at improved therapies and cures for HCC