The Effects of Wheel Clamps in Central London: Result of the Before Survey

This report presents the results of a before study of some effects of the introduction of wheel clamps in Central London. Park and visit, vehicle following, registration number and business interview surveys were conducted in two areas of Central London: Mayfair in which wheel clamps were to be introduced, and Bloomsbury where they were not. The surveys were designed to determine the availability of parking spaces, the extent to which vehicles searched for parking spaces, the time spent doing so and gaining access to destinations, the level of through traffic, and the parking problems perceived by businesses. They were complementary to a series of surveys conducted by consultants for TRRL. The report describes the design and piloting of the surveys, presents the results of the surveys, identifies the levels of change which it will be possible statistically to detect and makes recommendations for the after surveys. In particular it recommends that the park and visit and vehicle following surveys be repeated, and also presents arguments in favour of repeating the business survey and conducting a survey on trade

The Presence of Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor (ghrelin receptor) in Metabolic Tissues of Beef Cattle with Differences in Composition of Gain

Beef steers (n = 72) of similar age, weight (651 ± 3.1 lb), and genetic (Angus crossbred) background were used to determine the effects of growing diet composition (high‐forage vs. high‐concentrate) on the abundance of growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS‐R or ghrelin receptor) in metabolically important tissues of beef cattle. At trial initiation (d 0), 8 steers were harvested for initial carcass composition. The remaining 64 steers were allotted, by weight, to pen and treatment was assigned randomly. Treatments were 1) a high‐forage diet fed during the growing period (116 d) followed by a high‐concentrate diet during the finishing period (117‐209 d; GRW‐FNSH) or 2) a high‐concentrate diet fed for the duration of the trial (0‐209 d; FNSH‐FNSH). Steers were allowed ad libitum consumption regardless of dietary treatment. Eight steers per treatment were harvested on d 88, 116, 165, and 209. Immediately following harvest, liver, muscle (sternomandibularis), and subcutaneous adipose tissue samples were collected from each steer and immersed in liquid nitrogen. Longissimus dorsi samples were collected following a 48 h chill to establish a preliminary analysis of GHS‐R abundance within an economically important muscle tissue. Protein separation and quantification was determined using SDSPAGE and Western blotting techniques. Protein abundance was detected using the LI‐COR® system and standardized to β‐Actin. Protein abundance data were analyzed statistically using the GLM procedure of SAS comparing diet, harvest date, and their interaction. Protein abundance of GHS‐R in longissimus dorsi tissue fluctuated relative to serial harvest date (P \u3c 0.001), and was highest on d 88 in both treatment groups. The FNSH‐FNSH steers had increased abundance of GHS‐R in longissimus dorsi on d 88 and 116 compared with the GRW‐FNSH steers. A dietary treatment by serial harvest day interaction (P \u3c 0.05) occurred for protein abundance of GHS‐R in subcutaneous adipose tissue. Abundance of GHS‐R in subcutaneous adipose tissue of the GRW‐FNSH was greatest on d 88, whereas abundance for the FNSHFNSH treatment was greatest at the end of the finishing period (d 209). An interaction of dietary treatment and serial harvest day resulted (P \u3c 0.05) for GHS‐R abundance in liver tissue. The GRW‐FNSH steers had increased liver GHS‐R abundance following realimentation compared with the FNSH‐FNSH steers which were on a continuous plane of nutrition. Protein abundance for liver GHS‐R in both dietary treatments increased quadraticly (P \u3c 0.001) throughout the feeding period. The GHS‐R was not detected in sternomandibularis tissue. Overall liver GHS‐R abundance increased in both dietary treatments following realimentation which is inconsistent with our hypothesis. Increased GHS‐R abundance in various tissues of beef cattle while ghrelin concentrations are high and excess fat deposition is occurring warrants further investigation

Investigation of Protease Activity in Early Postmortem MuscleSubjected to Alternative Chilling Conditions

The objective of this study was two-fold: 1) determine the conditions (temperature, pH) that exist in early postmortem muscle of normally-chilled and delay-chilled beef carcasses to provide a model for in vitro work, and 2) determine the mechanism by which specific early postmortem temperature/pH conditions found in normally-chilled and delay-chilled muscle influence the enzymes that regulate the aging process in vitro. For objective 1, seven market-ready calves (HCW 848 ± 17.5 lb) were harvested with the right sides subjected to normal chilling (2.3°C) and the left sides subjected to ambient temperature (delay chilling; 22.6°C) for an additional 4.75 h and then allowed to normally chill. Carcasses were monitored for longissimus dorsi muscle temperature, pH, postmortem proteolysis, and sarcomere length. Steaks aged for 1, 7 and 14 d were evaluated for tenderness using Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and carcasses were swabbed over the rump, flank, and brisket for total aerobic plate counts. Delay-chilled carcasses had a faster pH decline and a slower rate of carcass cooling (P\u3c0.05). No differences were seen in sarcomere length, total plate counts, or in postmortem proteolysis of troponin T (TnT)(P\u3e0.05). WBSF was not different at 1 and 7 d (P\u3e0.05), but was less in steaks from normally-chilled carcasses at 14 d (P=0.0144). Further data analysis indicated a strong, negative correlation between 14 d WBSF and the change in pH from 6 to 12 hr postmortem (Figure 3, r = -0.8105, P=0.0004). These results were utilized to design the methodology for objective 2, where isolated myofibrils were subjected to μ-calpain digestion at 4 or 22°C with either a fast or slow initial pH decline. Digests were evaluated for pH, μ-calpain activity, and intact TnT degradation. Digestions with a fast initial pH decline had lower pH values in the early time points of the incubation (P\u3c0.05). No differences were detected in μ-calpain activity or in the degradation of intact TnT (P\u3e0.05) between the fast and slow pH decline treatments. Meanwhile, a temperature x time interaction was revealed in μ-calpain activity and in the degradation of intact TnT (P\u3c0.05). Additionally, intact TnT and μ-calpain activity decreased over time (P\u3c0.05) while warmer digestions resulted in a tendency for reduced μ-calpain activity (P=0.0854) and a significant reduction in intact TnT (P=0.0105)

A global foliation of Einstein-Euler spacetimes with Gowdy-symmetry on T3

We investigate the initial value problem for the Einstein-Euler equations of general relativity under the assumption of Gowdy symmetry on T3, and we construct matter spacetimes with low regularity. These spacetimes admit, both, impulsive gravitational waves in the metric (for instance, Dirac mass curvature singularities propagating at light speed) and shock waves in the fluid (i.e., discontinuities propagating at about the sound speed). Given an initial data set, we establish the existence of a future development and we provide a global foliation in terms of a globally and geometrically defined time-function, closely related to the area of the orbits of the symmetry group. The main difficulty lies in the low regularity assumed on the initial data set which requires a distributional formulation of the Einstein-Euler equations.Comment: 24 page

The Influence of Maternal Energy Status During Mid‐gestationon Beef Offspring Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality

Research has suggested that maternal under‐nutrition may cause the development of a thrifty phenotype in the offspring, potentially resulting in greater adiposity and reduced muscle mass. These alterations in fat and muscle development could have lasting impacts on offspring growth, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the influence of maternal energy status during mid‐gestation on offspring carcass characteristics and meat quality. To alter maternal energy status, cows either grazed pasture or were fed in a dry‐lot at 80% of the energy requirements for body weight maintenance during a mean period of 109 to 207 d of gestation. Changes in body condition score (BCS), body weight, ribeye area (REA), and 12th rib backfat were measured throughout mid‐gestation and were used to determine cow energy status [Positive (PES) or Negative (NES)]. Cows in the NES group had a significantly greater reduction in BCS, body weight, REA, and 12th rib backfat during mid‐gestation. Maternal energy status had no influence on offspring hot carcass weight, dressing percent, REA, percent kidney, pelvic, and heart fat, marbling score, percent intramuscular fat, objective color, or Warner‐Bratzler shear force. A tendency was seen for NES calves to have improvements in 12th rib backfat and USDA Yield Grade. A greater MRatio and IRatio (calculations used to compare the ratio of marbling (MRatio) and percent intramuscular fat (IRatio) with 12th rib backfat) were discovered in calves from cows experiencing a negative energy status during midgestation. These results suggest that maternal energy status during mid‐gestation may impact fat deposition in intramuscular and subcutaneous fat depots without impacting muscle mass

The Influence of Caspase-3 on the Calpain Enzyme System During Meat Aging

Tenderness is a key component of palatability, which influences consumers’ perception of meat quality. There are a variety of factors that contribute to variations in tenderness, including postmortem proteolysis. A more complete understanding of this biological mechanism regulating tenderness is needed to ensure consistently tender beef. Numerous reports indicate μ-calpain is primarily responsible for the degradation of proteins postmortem. Additionally, it has been shown that caspase-3 can cleave calpastatin, the inhibitor of μ-calpain. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine if in vitro degradation of calpastatin by caspase-3 can enhance the postmortem breakdown of myofibrillar proteins by μ-calpain. Bovine semitendinosus muscles were excised from two carcasses 20 min postmortem. Muscle strips were dissected from the semitendinosus, restrained to maintain length, and placed in a neutral buffer containing protease inhibitors. Upon rigor completion, myofibrils were isolated from each strip and sarcomere length was determined. Samples with similar sarcomere lengths were selected to minimize the effect of sarcomere length on proteolysis. Myofibrils were then incubated at 22°C with μ-calpain, μ-calpain + calpastatin, caspase-3 + calpastatin, or μ-calpain + caspase-3 + calpastatin for 0.25, 1, 3, 24, 48, or 72 hr at a pH of 6.8. Proteolysis of troponin T and calpastatin was evaluated using SDS-PAGE and western blotting techniques. Analysis of western blots confirmed significant degradation of calpastatin by caspase-3. Additionally, western blots revealed intact calpastatin disappeared rapidly due to digestion by μ-calpain. While caspase-3 did not significantly degrade troponin T, all μ-calpain digestion treatments resulted in substantial troponin T breakdown. Degradation of troponin T did not differ between the μ-calpain + calpastatin and μ-calpain + caspase-3 + calpastatin digestions. Results of this study indicate caspase-3 cleavage of calpastatin does not enhance in vitro degradation of myofibrillar proteins by μ-calpain

Effect of Maternal Nutrition on Fetal Adipocyte Development

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of maternal nutrition on the expression of genes in fetal tissues. Genes of interest were selected because each has been demonstrated previously to influence body composition. Twenty‐two Angus‐cross bred heifers (BW = 1161 ± 19 lbs) randomly were assigned to three dietary treatments. Maternal dietary treatments were formulated and intake was controlled to provide 150% (HIGH), 100% (INT), and 80% (LOW) of maintenance energy requirements for growing pregnant Angus heifers (NRC, 2000). Heifers were on dietary treatment from d 85 to d 180 of gestation, at which point fetuses were removed via cesarean section and muscle, subcutaneous fat, and liver samples were collected. At trial initiation dam BW was similar between treatment groups. Dam BW differed (P = 0.002) at the end of the treatment period as a result of dietary treatment. Final BW was lowest for the LOW dams, intermediate for INT dams, and highest for HIGH dams. Both ribfat thickness and ribeye area were increased in the HIGH treatment group compared with LOW and INT dams (P \u3c 0.05). Thus, dam growth was influenced by diet during treatment period. Dietary treatment did not influence fetal weight, crown rump length, liver weight, or right hind leg weight of the fetus. Relative gene expression for preadipocyte factor‐1 was more highly expressed (P \u3c 0.05) in HIGH heifers as compared with INT and LOW heifers. These preliminary results suggest that fetal growth characteristics are not affected by manipulation of maternal nutrition during mid‐gestation in beef cows. However, gene expression differences could potentially lead to differences in composition of growth, and warrants further investigation

The impact of deep-sea fisheries and implementation of the UNGA Resolutions 61/105 and 64/72. Report of an international scientific workshop

The scientific workshop to review fisheries management, held in Lisbon in May 2011, brought together 22 scientists and fisheries experts from around the world to consider the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions on high seas bottom fisheries: what progress has been made and what the outstanding issues are. This report summarises the workshop conclusions, identifying examples of good practice and making recommendations in areas where it was agreed that the current management measures fall short of their target

Dynamics of Brane-World Cosmological Models

We show that generically the initial singularity is isotropic in spatially homogeneous cosmological models in the brane-world scenario. We then argue that it is plausible that the initial singularity is isotropic in typical brane world cosmological models. Therefore, brane cosmology naturally gives rise to a set of initial data that provide the conditions for inflation to subsequently take place, thereby solving the initial conditions problem and leading to a self--consistent and viable cosmology.Comment: Final version. To appear in Physical Revie