The potential role of fruit and vegetables in aspects of psychological well-being: a review of the literature and future directions

The objective of the present paper was to review the literature investigating the potential relationship between fruit and vegetables (FV) and psychological well-being. The rising prevalence of mental ill health is causing considerable societal burden. Inexpensive and effective strategies are therefore required to improve the psychological well-being of the population, and to reduce the negative impact of mental health problems. A growing body of literature suggests that dietary intake may have the potential to influence psychological well-being. For example, studies have suggested that particular dietary constituents, including vitamins and minerals, might be beneficial to psychological health. However, in order to better reflect normal dietary intake, health-based research has increasingly begun to focus on whole foods and dietary patterns, rather than individual nutrients. One food group that has received increasing attention with regard to psychological health is FV. This is probably a result of the strong evidence base, which exists in relation to their protective association with a number of chronic diseases, as well as the fact that they are a rich source of some of the nutrients which have been linked to psychological health. While some promising findings exist with regards to FV intake and psychological well-being, overall, results are inconsistent. Possible reasons for this, such as methodological issues related to study design and the measurement of psychological well-being and FV intake, are discussed within this review. Based on the predominantly observational nature of existing literature, the present paper concludes that future well-designed randomised controlled trials are required to investigate the relationship further.

Metastatic melanoma:A regional review and future directions

Aims and background. The incidence of malignant melanoma has risen steadily over recent decades. NCI data from 2005-2007 have suggested that 1.93% of individuals born today in the US will develop melanoma at some stage. Approximately 15% of patients with MM either present with metastatic disease or develop metastases during the course of their illness. Unfortunately, metastatic MM remains a challenge with limited treatment options, and median overall survival is 6-9 months. Methods. We reviewed our data for the treatment of metastatic MM over a period of four years. Data from all patients with metastatic MM treated with systemic therapy without clinical trials from 2006 to 2009 were reviewed. Response rate was determined as per RECIST criteria. Results. Sixty four patients were treated with one or more lines of cytotoxic therapy. Median age was 62 years (range, 23-82) with 53% males. Primary site of the disease was the skin in 75%, mucosal in 12.5%, ocular in 9.4% and nodal with an occult primary in 3.1%. Visceral metastases were present in 75% of patients at the start of treatment, including pulmonary (39.6%) and hepatic (34.4%). All patients were screened for brain metastases, which were present in 26.5% of patients. ECOG performance status was 0 in 7.8%, 1 in 68.7%, 2 in 9.4% and undocumented in the remaining 14%. Patients without brain metastases received single agent DTIC as first line; those with brain metastases received temozolomide. Response rate was 7% for DTIC and 28% for temozolomide, with median progression-free survival of 2.4 and 3.2 months, respectively. Seven patients who received DTIC are alive on follow-up, 2 have ongoing stable disease post-DTIC at 41 months and 18 months. Second line therapy with vinblastine was given to 21 patients (32%), with a response rate of 9.5% and median progression-free survival of 3.4 months. Median overall survival from initiation of therapy was 7.7 months for DTIC and 3.6 months for patients with brain metastases receiving temozolomide. A performance status of 2 was associated with shorter median overall survival (2.0 months). Conclusions. Our results are comparable to published data. Malignant melanoma is a disease with rising incidence and limited treatment options. These patients are best treated in the context of clinical trials as new targeted therapies are promising as future strategies. © Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore.

Emotional speech: towards a new generation of databases

Research on speech and emotion is moving from a period of exploratory research into one where there is a prospect of substantial applications, notably in human-computer interaction. Progress in the area relies heavily on the development of appropriate databases. This paper addresses the issues that need to be considered in developing databases of emotional speech, and shows how the challenge of developing apropriate databases is being addressed in three major recent projects - the Belfast project, the Reading-Leeds project and the CREST-ESP project. From these and other studies the paper draws together the tools and methods that have been developed, addresses the problems that arise and indicates the future directions for the development of emotional speech databases.

Tight-binding simulation of current-carrying nanostructures

The tight-binding (TB) approach to the modelling of electrical conduction in small structures is introduced. Different equivalent forms of the TB expression for the electrical current in a nanoscale junction are derived. The use of the formalism to calculate the current density and local potential is illustrated by model examples. A first-principles time-dependent TB formalism for calculating current-induced forces and the dynamical response of atoms is presented. An earlier expression for current-induced forces under steady-state conditions is generalized beyond local charge neutrality and beyond orthogonal TB. Future directions in the modelling of power dissipation and local heating in nanoscale conductors are discussed.

Electron collisions with iron peak elements: a computational grand challenge

This paper discusses the calculation of electron impact collision strengths and effective collision strengths for iron peak elements of importance in the analysis of many astronomical and laboratory spectra. It commences with a brief overview of R-matrix theory which is the basis of computer programs which have been widely used to calculate the relevant atomic data used in this analysis. A summary is then given of calculations carried out over the last 20 y for electron collisions with Fe II. The grand challenge, represented by the calculation of accurate collision strengths and effective collision strengths for this ion, is then discussed. A new parallel R-matrix program PRMAT, which is being developed to meet this challenge, is then described and results of recent calculations, using this program to determine optically forbidden transitions in e- – Ni IV on a Cray T3E-1200 parallel supercomputer, are presented. The implications of this e- – Ni IV calculation for the determination of accurate data from an isoelectronic e- – Fe II calculation are discussed and finally some future directions of research are reviewed.

Electron-ion scattering

Recent advances in the elucidation of electron-ion scattering phenomena is reviewed, with particular emphasis on the new generation of experiments where scattered electrons are analysed and detected, The sensitivity of measurements as a probe of collision dynamics, application to plasma studies, and future directions are considered.

Emotional intelligence, personality and decoding non-verbal expressions of emotion

Previous research has highlighted theoretical and empirical links between measures of both personality and trait emotional intelligence (EI), and the ability to decode facial expressions of emotion. Research has also found that the posed, static characteristics of the photographic stimuli used to explore these links affects the decoding process and differentiates them from the natural expressions they represent. This undermines the ecological validity of established trait-emotion decoding relationships. This study addresses these methodological shortcomings by testing relationships between the reliability of participant ratings of dynamic, spontaneously elicited expressions of emotion with personality and trait EI. Fifty participants completed personality and self-report EI questionnaires, and used a computer-logging program to continuously rate change in emotional intensity expressed in video clips. Each clip was rated twice to obtain an intra-rater reliability score. The results provide limited support for links between both trait EI and personality variables and how reliably we decode natural expressions of emotion. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

COLLISION PUMPED SOFT-X-RAY LASERS - PROGRESS AT RAL

Recent developments and progress on collision pumped soft X-ray lasers using the VULCAN glass laser at Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory are presented. This includes saturated output operation of a double target germanium system within a low Fresnel number half-cavity, measurement of the spatial coherence of the output beam in the above and other geometries, use of the beam to demonstrate almost-equal-to 0.15 mum spatial resolution in a full-field microscope and initial studies of other Ne-like and Ni-like systems. Future directions, in the light of new developments of VULCAN facilities, are outlined.

Bone-targeting radiopharmaceuticals including radium-223

ABSTRACT: Bone-seeking radionuclides including samarium-153 ethylene diamine tetramethylene phosphonate and strontium-89 have been used for decades in the palliation of pain from bone metastases especially from prostate cancer. Emerging evidence of improved survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) with the first-in-class a-radionuclide, radium-223 (Ra) has rekindled interest in the role of bone-seeking radionuclide therapy.We review the literature for randomized controlled trials of bone-seeking radionuclides and explore some of the issues regarding the optimal use of these agents. In particular, we discuss dose, dose rate, radiobiology, and quality of radiation and postulate on potential future directions in particular combination schedules. ß-Emitting, bone-seeking radionuclides have proven ability to control pain in prostate cancer metastatic to bone with pain response rates in the order of 60% to 70% when used as single agents. Most of the published trials were underpowered to detect differences in survival; however, there is evidence of the potential for disease modification when these agents are used in combination with chemotherapy or in multiple cycles.Data from the recent phase III ALSYMPCA trial that compared Ra to placebo in symptomatic CRPC demonstrate a significant improvement in median overall survival of 3.6 months for patients with symptomatic CRPC metastatic to bone treated with 6 cycles of the a-emitting radionuclide Ra compared with placebo. The success of Ra in improving survival in CRPC will lead this agent to become part of the treatment paradigm for this disease, and with such an excellent safety profile, Ra has huge potential in combination strategies as well as for use earlier in the natural history of metastatic prostate cancer.

Clinical trials in cystic fibrosis

In patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), clinical trials are of paramount importance. Here, the current status of drug development in CF is discussed and future directions highlighted. Methods for pre-clinical testing of drugs with potential activity in CF patients including relevant animal models are described. Study design options for phase II and phase III studies involving CF patients are provided, including required patient numbers, safety issues and surrogate end point parameters for drugs, tested for different disease manifestations. Finally, regulatory issues for licensing new therapies for CF patients are discussed, including new directives of the European Union and the structure of a European clinical trial network for clinical studies involving CF patients is proposed.

DNA double strand break repair: a radiation perspective

SIGNIFICANCE:
Ionizing radiation (IR) can induce a wide range of unique deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) lesions due to the spatiotemporal correlation of the ionization produced. Of these, DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) play a key role. Complex mechanisms and sophisticated pathways are available within cells to restore the integrity and sequence of the damaged DNA molecules.
RECENT ADVANCES:
Here we review the main aspects of the DNA DSB repair mechanisms with emphasis on the molecular pathways, radiation-induced lesions, and their significance for cellular processes.
CRITICAL ISSUES:
Although the main characteristics and proteins involved in the two DNA DSB repair processes present in eukaryotic cells (homologous recombination and nonhomologous end-joining) are reasonably well established, there are still uncertainties regarding the primary sensing event and their dependency on the complexity, location, and time of the damage. Interactions and overlaps between the different pathways play a critical role in defining the repair efficiency and determining the cellular functional behavior due to unrepaired/miss-repaired DNA lesions. The repair pathways involved in repairing lesions induced by soluble factors released from directly irradiated cells may also differ from the established response mechanisms.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS:
An improved understanding of the molecular pathways involved in sensing and repairing damaged DNA molecules and the role of DSBs is crucial for the development of novel classes of drugs to treat human diseases and to exploit characteristics of IR and alterations in tumor cells for successful radiotherapy applications.