Development of a 3D coculture system to study adipocyte and lymph node cell interactions

We have developed a long term 3-dimensional coculture system with adipocytes and lymph node cells for the purpose of investigating interactions between these cells in vitro. Present experimental work with the culture system is aimed at introducing lymph node cells, in proportions similar to those found in intact lymph nodes, among differentiated adipocytes and observing interactions and the establishment of a spatial relationship between them. Co-cultures will be used to investigate the lymph node adipocyte interactions following immune stimulation (lipopolysaccharide treatment) measuring production of inflammatory mediators (cytokines) and lipolytic activity

The Pinhole/Occulter Facility

A large occulting system in space can be used for high resolution X-ray observations and for large aperture coronagraphic observations in visible and UV light. The X-ray observations can combine high angular resolution in hand (10 keV) X-radiation with the high sensitivity of a multiple pinhole camera, and can permit sensitive observations of bremsstrahlung from nonthermal particles in the corona. The large aperture coronagraphs have two major advantages: high angular resolution and good photon collection. This will permit observations of small scale structures in the corona for the first time and will give sufficient counting rates above the coronal background rates for sensitive diagnostic analysis of intensities and line profiles for coronal structures in the solar wind acceleration region. The technical basis for performing observations with a large occulting system in these three wavelength ranges is described as well as a pinhole/occulter facility presently being considered for Spacelab. Some indications about future developments are included

Drawing on two methodological approaches: A collaborative approach to interview interpretation

Explicating interview approaches is significant for education research in understanding how the nuances of meaning from personal narratives uncover challenges and opportunities for investigating the lived experience across contexts. This paper considers interview approaches that focus on the reflexivity and meaning-making possible over a longitudinal timeframe for researcher and interviewee. Two methodological frameworks enabled a narrative oral history interview and a phenomenological lifeworld interview to establish variation in individual meaning-making, whilst eliciting understandings of shared social phenomena. We elucidate examples shared from the experience of teachers deemed as expert and interrogate the deliberations taken throughout a three-interview process. Reflexivity and the researcher's attendance to language, timing and open-ended prompting are some techniques considered for clarifying meaning in a small-scale Australian study. We argue that interrogating interview approaches for accessing deeper meaning-making of teacher professional learning further develops our understanding of interviewer-interviewee dynamics and the application of analytical frames

Comprehensive Analysis of Coronal Mass Ejection Mass and Energy Properties Over a Full Solar Cycle

The LASCO coronagraphs, in continuous operation since 1995, have observed the evolution of the solar corona and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) over a full solar cycle with high quality images and regular cadence. This is the first time that such a dataset becomes available and constitutes a unique resource for the study of CMEs. In this paper, we present a comprehensive investigation of the solar cycle dependence on the CME mass and energy over a full solar cycle (1996-2009) including the first in-depth discussion of the mass and energy analysis methods and their associated errors. Our analysis provides several results worthy of further studies. It demonstrates the possible existence of two event classes; 'normal' CMEs reaching constant mass for $>10$ R_{\sun} and 'pseudo' CMEs which disappear in the C3 FOV. It shows that the mass and energy properties of CME reach constant levels, and therefore should be measured, only above \sim 10 R_\sun. The mass density (g/R_\sun^2) of CMEs varies relatively little ($<$ order of magnitude) suggesting that the majority of the mass originates from a small range in coronal heights. We find a sudden reduction in the CME mass in mid-2003 which may be related to a change in the electron content of the large scale corona and we uncover the presence of a six-month periodicity in the ejected mass from 2003 onwards.Comment: 42 pages, 16 figures, To appear in Astrophysical Journa

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) urea cycle and polyamine synthesis gene families show dynamic expression responses to inflammation

The research was supported by a studentship to T. Clark funded between the University of Aberdeen and BioMar Ltd.Peer reviewedPostprin

A New Approach to Time Domain Classification of Broadband Noise in Gravitational Wave Data

Broadband noise in gravitational wave (GW) detectors, also known as triggers, can often be a deterrant to the efficiency with which astrophysical search pipelines detect sources. It is important to understand their instrumental or environmental origin so that they could be eliminated or accounted for in the data. Since the number of triggers is large, data mining approaches such as clustering and classification are useful tools for this task. Classification of triggers based on a handful of discrete properties has been done in the past. A rich information content is available in the waveform or 'shape' of the triggers that has had a rather restricted exploration so far. This paper presents a new way to classify triggers deriving information from both trigger waveforms as well as their discrete physical properties using a sequential combination of the Longest Common Sub-Sequence (LCSS) and LCSS coupled with Fast Time Series Evaluation (FTSE) for waveform classification and the multidimensional hierarchical classification (MHC) analysis for the grouping based on physical properties. A generalized k-means algorithm is used with the LCSS (and LCSS+FTSE) for clustering the triggers using a validity measure to determine the correct number of clusters in absence of any prior knowledge. The results have been demonstrated by simulations and by application to a segment of real LIGO data from the sixth science run.Comment: 16 pages, 16 figure

Qualitative Environmental Health Research: An Analysis of the Literature, 1991-2008

BACKGROUND. Recent articles have advocated for the use of qualitative methods in environmental health research. Qualitative research uses nonnumeric data to understand people's opinions, motives, understanding, and beliefs about events or phenomena. OBJECTIVE. In this analysis of the literature, I report the use of qualitative methods and data in the study of the relationship between environmental exposures and human health. DATA SOURCES. A primary search on ISI Web of Knowledge/Web of Science for peer-reviewed journal articles dated from 1991 through 2008 included the following three terms: qualitative, environ*, and health. Inclusion and exclusion criteria are described. DATA EXTRACTION. Searches resulted in 3,155 records. Data were extracted and findings of articles analyzed to determine where and by whom qualitative environmental health research is conducted and published, the types of methods and analyses used in qualitative studies of environmental health, and the types of information qualitative data contribute to environmental health. DATA SYNTHESIS. Ninety-one articles met inclusion criteria. These articles were published in 58 different journals, with a maximum of eight for a single journal. The results highlight a diversity of disciplines and techniques among researchers who used qualitative methods to study environmental health, with most studies relying on one-on-one interviews. Details of the analyses were absent from a large number of studies. Nearly all of the studies identified increased scientific understanding of lay perceptions of environmental health exposures. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. Qualitative data are published in traditionally quantitative environmental health studies to a limited extent. However, this analysis demonstrates the potential of qualitative data to improve understanding of complex exposure pathways, including the influence of social factors on environmental health, and health outcomes.National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (R25 ES012084, P42ES007381

Supplementation of arginine, ornithine and citrulline in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss):Effects on growth, amino acid levels in plasma and gene expression responses in liver tissue

This work was funded as a studentship between BioMar Ltd, UK and University of Aberdeen, UKPeer reviewedPostprin