Nutritional influences over the life course on lean body mass of individuals in developing countries

The double burden of childhood undernutrition and adult-onset adiposity in transitioning societies poses a significant public health challenge. The development of suboptimal lean body mass (LBM) could partly explain the link between these two forms of malnutrition. This review examines the evidence on both the role of nutrition in “developmental programming” of LBM and the nutritional influences that affect LBM throughout the life course. Studies from developing countries assessing the relationship of early nutrition with later LBM provide important insights. Overall, the evidence is consistent in suggesting a positive association of early nutritional status (indicated by birth weight and growth during first 2 years) with LBM in later life. Evidence on the impact of maternal nutritional supplementation during pregnancy on later LBM is inconsistent. In addition, the role of nutrients (protein, zinc, calcium, vitamin D) that can affect LBM throughout the life course is described. Promoting optimal intakes of these important nutrients throughout the life course is important for reducing childhood undernutrition as well as for improving the LBM of adults.

Exploring sustainability themes in engineering accreditation and curricula

Purpose This paper aims to present key findings from an inquiry into engineering accreditation and curricula renewal. The research attempted to ascertain conceptions of requisite sustainability themes among engineering academics and professionals. The paper also reflects on the potential role of professional engineering institutions (PEIs) in embedding sustainability through their programme accreditation guidelines and wider implications in terms of rapid curricula renewal. Design/methodology/approach This research comprised an International Engineering Academic Workshop held during the 2010 International Symposium on Engineering Education in Ireland, on “accreditation and sustainable engineering”. This built on the findings of a literature review that was distributed prior to the workshop. Data collection included individual questionnaires administered during the workshop, and notes scribed by workshop participants. Findings The literature review highlighted a wide range of perspectives across and within engineering disciplines, regarding what sustainability/sustainable development (SD) themes should be incorporated into engineering curricula, and regarding language and terminology. This was also reflected in the workshop discussions. Notwithstanding this diversity, clusters of sustainability themes and priority considerations were distilled from the literature review and workshop. These related to resources, technology, values, ethics, inter- and intra-generational equity, transdisciplinarity, and systems and complex thinking. Themes related to environmental and economic knowledge and skills received less attention by workshop participants than represented in the literature. Originality/value This paper provides an appreciation of the diversity of opinion regarding priority sustainability themes for engineering curricula, among a group of self-selected engineering academics who have a common interest in education for SD. It also provides some insights and caveats on how these themes might be rapidly integrated into engineering curricula.

Chemiluminescence imaging in supersonic combustors operating in radical-farming mode

Emission spectroscopy was used to investigate ignition and combustion characteristics of supersonic combustion ramjet engines. Two-dimensional scramjet models with inlet injection, fuelled with hydrogen gas, were used in the study. The scramjet engines were configured to operate in radical farming mode, where combustion radicals are formed behind shock waves reflected at the walls. The chemiluminescence emission signals were recorded in a two-dimensional, time-integrated fashion to give information on the location and distribution of the radical farms in the combustors. High signal levels were detected in localised regions immediately downstream of shock reflections, an indication of localised hydroxyl formation supporting the concept of radical farming. Results are presented for a symmetric as well as an asymmetric scramjet geometry. These data represent the first successful visualisation of radical farms in the hot pockets of a supersonic combustor. Spectrally resolved measurements have been obtained in the ultraviolet wavelength range between 300 and 400 nm. This data shows that the OH! chemiluminescence signal around 306nm is not the most dominant source of radiation observed in the radical farms.

Engineering education for sustainable development : a review of international progress

Since the late 1980s there have been increasing calls around the world for embedding sustainability content throughout engineering curricula, particularly over the past decade. However in general there has been little by way of strategic or systematic integration within programs offered by higher education institutions(HEIs). Responding to a growing awareness towards the issues surrounding sustainability, a number of professional engineering institutions (PEIs) internationally have placed increasing emphasis on policies and initiatives relating to the role of engineering in addressing 21st Century challenges. This has resulted in some consideration towards integrating sustainable development into engineering curricula as envisaged by accreditation guidelines. This paper provides a global overview of such accreditation developments, highlighting emerging sustainability competencies (or ‘graduate attributes’) and places these in the context of relevant PEI declarations, initiatives, policies, codes of ethics and guideline publications. The paper concludes by calling for urgent action by PEIs, including strategic accreditation initiatives that promote timely curriculum renewal towards EESD.

‘Click’ functionalised polymer resins : a new approach to the synthesis of surface attached bipyridinium and naphthalene diimide [2]rotaxanes

Herein we describe the design and synthesis of a series of solid-tethered [2]rotaxanes utilising crown ether-naphthalene diimide or crown ether- bipyridinium host guest interactions. TentaGel polystyrene resins were initially modified in a two-stage procedure to azide functionalised beads before the target supramolecular architectures were attached using a copper catalysed “click” procedure. The final assembly was examined using IR spectroscopy and gel-phase 1H High Resolution Magic Angle Spinning (HR MAS) NMR spectroscopy. The HR MAS technique enabled a direct comparison between the solid-tethered architectures and the synthesis and characterisation of analogous solution-based [2]rotaxanes to be made.

Formal home health care, informal care, and family decision making

We use the 1993 wave of the Assets and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) data set to estimate a game-theoretic model of families' decisions concerning the provision of informal and formal care for elderly individuals. The outcome is the Nash equilibrium where each family member jointly determines her consumption, transfers for formal care, and allocation of time to informal care, market work, and leisure. We use the estimates to decompose the effects of adult children's opportunity costs, quality of care, and caregiving burden on their propensities to provide informal care. We also simulate the effects of a broad range of policies of current interest. © (2009) by the Economics Department of the University of Pennsylvania and the Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association.

Chemotherapeutic compounds targeting the DNA double-strand break repair pathways : the good, the bad, and the promising

The repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) is a critical cellular mechanism that exists to ensure genomic stability. DNA DSBs are the most deleterious type of insult to a cell’s genetic material and can lead to genomic instability, apoptosis, or senescence. Incorrectly repaired DNA DSBs have the potential to produce chromosomal translocations and genomic instability, potentially leading to cancer. The prevalence of DNA DSBs in cancer due to unregulated growth and errors in repair opens up a potential therapeutic window in the treatment of cancers. The cellular response to DNA DSBs is comprised of two pathways to ensure DNA breaks are repaired: homologous recombination and non-homologous end joining. Identifying chemotherapeutic compounds targeting proteins involved in these DNA repair pathways has shown promise as a cancer therapy for patients, either as a monotherapy or in combination with genotoxic drugs. From the beginning, there have been a number of chemotherapeutic compounds that have yielded successful responses in the clinic, a number that have failed (CGK-733 and iniparib), and a number of promising targets for future studies identified. This review looks in detail at how the cell responds to these DNA DSBs and investigates the chemotherapeutic avenues that have been and are currently being explored to target this repair process.

Assessment of body composition in Indian adults: comparison between dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and isotope dilution technique

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and isotope dilution technique have been used as reference methods to validate the estimates of body composition by simple field techniques; however, very few studies have compared these two methods. We compared the estimates of body composition by DXA and isotope dilution (18O) technique in apparently healthy Indian men and women (aged 19–70 years, n 152, 48 % men) with a wide range of BMI (14–40 kg/m2). Isotopic enrichment was assessed by isotope ratio mass spectroscopy. The agreement between the estimates of body composition measured by the two techniques was assessed by the Bland–Altman method. The mean age and BMI were 37 (SD 15) years and 23·3 (SD 5·1) kg/m2, respectively, for men and 37 (SD 14) years and 24·1 (SD 5·8) kg/m2, respectively, for women. The estimates of fat-free mass were higher by about 7 (95 % CI 6, 9) %, those of fat mass were lower by about 21 (95 % CI 218,223) %, and those of body fat percentage (BF%) were lower by about 7·4 (95 % CI 28·2, 26·6) % as obtained by DXA compared with the isotope dilution technique. The Bland–Altman analysis showed wide limits of agreement that indicated poor agreement between the methods. The bias in the estimates of BF% was higher at the lower values of BF%. Thus, the two commonly used reference methods showed substantial differences in the estimates of body composition with wide limits of agreement. As the estimates of body composition are method-dependent, the two methods cannot be used interchangeably

Current trends and challenges for sport and exercise psychology – What now for our discipline?

With an ever changing landscape including National Registration, endorsed areas of practice, establishment of Sport and Exercise Psychology coordinators within National Sporting Organisations, changes to the National and State Sporting Insitutions, this forum looks to explore through collegiate discussion the impacts, current and future implications for our profession across training, supervision, research and applied practice in Australia.

Noise is the outsider to be expelled

This was a catalogue essay for the emerging Brisbane artist Sarah Byrne's exhibition Trenchmouth at MetroArts from 31st October until 21st November 2009. The essay contextualised her practice in the history of experimental soundart and discussed her methods of practice and approach to sound from the postion of a multi-discplinary artist.The essay also discussed the way in which her practice engages with and recontextualises camp, trash, and lo-fi aspects of popular culture

Food and beverage intake in Australian children aged 12-16 months participating in the NOURISH and SAIDI studies

Objective To describe the quantity and diversity of food and beverage intake in Australian children aged 12–16 months and to determine if the amount and type of milk intake is associated with dietary diversity. Methods Mothers participating in the NOURISH and South Australian Infant Dietary Intake (SAIDI) studies completed a single 24-hour recall of their child's food intake, when children (n=551) were aged 12–16 months. The relationship between dietary diversity and intake of cow's milk, formula or breastmilk was examined using one-way ANOVA. Results Dairy and cereal were the most commonly consumed food groups and the greatest contributors to daily energy intake. Most children ate fruit (87%) and vegetables (77%) on the day of the 24-hour recall while 91% ate discretionary items. Half the sample ate less than 30 g of meat/alternatives. A quarter of the children were breastfeeding while formula was consumed by 32% of the sample, providing 29% of daily energy intake. Lower dietary diversity was associated with increased formula intake. Conclusions The quality of dietary intake in this group of young children is highly variable. Most toddlers were consuming a diverse diet, though almost all ate discretionary items. The amount and type of meat/alternatives consumed was poor. Implications Health professionals should advise parents to offer iron-rich foods, while limiting discretionary choices and use of formula at an age critical in the development of long-term food preferences.

Transcriptional pathway signatures predict MEK addiction and response to selumetinib (AZD6244)

Selumetinib (AZD6244, ARRY-142886) is a selective, non-ATP-competitive inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK)-1/2. The range of antitumor activity seen preclinically and in patients highlights the importance of identifying determinants of response to this drug. In large tumor cell panels of diverse lineage, we show that MEK inhibitor response does not have an absolute correlation with mutational or phospho-protein markers of BRAF/MEK, RAS, or phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activity. We aimed to enhance predictivity by measuring pathway output through coregulated gene networks displaying differential mRNA expression exclusive to resistant cell subsets and correlated to mutational or dynamic pathway activity. We discovered an 18-gene signature enabling measurement of MEK functional output independent of tumor genotype. Where the MEK pathway is activated but the cells remain resistant to selumetinib, we identified a 13-gene signature that implicates the existence of compensatory signaling from RAS effectors other than PI3K. The ability of these signatures to stratify samples according to functional activation of MEK and/or selumetinib sensitivity was shown in multiple independent melanoma, colon, breast, and lung tumor cell lines and in xenograft models. Furthermore, we were able to measure these signatures in fixed archival melanoma tumor samples using a single RT-qPCR-based test and found intergene correlations and associations with genetic markers of pathway activity to be preserved. These signatures offer useful tools for the study of MEK biology and clinical application of MEK inhibitors, and the novel approaches taken may benefit other targeted therapies.