Novel concepts for a planetary surface exploration rover

Purpose - This paper aims to address some of the needs of present and upcoming rover designs, and introduces novel concepts incorporated in a planetary surface exploration rover design that is currently under development. Design/methodology/approach - The Multitasking Rover (MTR) is a highly re-configurable system that aims to demonstrate functionality that will cover many of the current and future needs such as rough-terrain mobility, modularity and upgradeability. It comprises a surface mobility platform which is highly re-configurable, which offers centre of mass re-allocation and rough terrain stability, and also a set of science/tool packs - individual subsystems encapsulated in packs which the rover picks up, transports and deploys. Findings - Early testing of the suspension system suggests exceptional performance characteristics. Originality/value - Principles employed in the design of the MTR can be used in future rover systems to reduce associated mission costs and at the same time provide multiples the functionality.

Empirical mode decomposition: a novel technique for the study of tremor time series

Tremor is a clinical feature characterized by oscillations of a part of the body. The detection and study of tremor is an important step in investigations seeking to explain underlying control strategies of the central nervous system under natural (or physiological) and pathological conditions. It is well established that tremorous activity is composed of deterministic and stochastic components. For this reason, the use of digital signal processing techniques (DSP) which take into account the nonlinearity and nonstationarity of such signals may bring new information into the signal analysis which is often obscured by traditional linear techniques (e.g. Fourier analysis). In this context, this paper introduces the application of the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and Hilbert spectrum (HS), which are relatively new DSP techniques for the analysis of nonlinear and nonstationary time-series, for the study of tremor. Our results, obtained from the analysis of experimental signals collected from 31 patients with different neurological conditions, showed that the EMD could automatically decompose acquired signals into basic components, called intrinsic mode functions (IMFs), representing tremorous and voluntary activity. The identification of a physical meaning for IMFs in the context of tremor analysis suggests an alternative and new way of detecting tremorous activity. These results may be relevant for those applications requiring automatic detection of tremor. Furthermore, the energy of IMFs was visualized as a function of time and frequency by means of the HS. This analysis showed that the variation of energy of tremorous and voluntary activity could be distinguished and characterized on the HS. Such results may be relevant for those applications aiming to identify neurological disorders. In general, both the HS and EMD demonstrated to be very useful to perform objective analysis of any kind of tremor and can therefore be potentially used to perform functional assessment.

A novel approach to the detection of synchronisation in EEG based on empirical mode decomposition

Transient neural assemblies mediated by synchrony in particular frequency ranges are thought to underlie cognition. We propose a new approach to their detection, using empirical mode decomposition (EMD), a data-driven approach removing the need for arbitrary bandpass filter cut-offs. Phase locking is sought between modes. We explore the features of EMD, including making a quantitative assessment of its ability to preserve phase content of signals, and proceed to develop a statistical framework with which to assess synchrony episodes. Furthermore, we propose a new approach to ensure signal decomposition using EMD. We adapt the Hilbert spectrum to a time-frequency representation of phase locking and are able to locate synchrony successfully in time and frequency between synthetic signals reminiscent of EEG. We compare our approach, which we call EMD phase locking analysis (EMDPL) with existing methods and show it to offer improved time-frequency localisation of synchrony.

ms1, a novel stress-responsive, muscle-specific gene that is up-regulated in the early stages of pressure overload-induced left ventricular hypertrophy

We have identified and characterised a cDNA encoding a novel gene, designated myocyte stress 1 (ms1), that is up-regulated within 1 h in the left ventricle following the application of pressure overload by aortic banding in the rat. The deduced ms1 protein of 317 amino acids contains several putative functional motifs, including a region that is evolutionarily conserved. Distribution analysis indicates that rat ms1 mRNA expression is predominantly expressed in striated muscle and progressively increases in the left ventricle from embryo to adulthood. These findings suggest that rust may be important in striated muscle biology and the development of pressure-induced left ventricular hypertrophy. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

MARCKS functions as a novel growth/tumour suppressor in cells of melanocyte origin

Protein kinase C (PKC) plays a pivotal role in modulating the growth of melanocytic cells in culture. We have shown previously that a major physiological substrate of PKC, the 80 kDa myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate (MARCKS), can be phosphorylated in quiescent, non-tumorigenic melanocytes exposed transiently to a biologically active phorbol ester, but cannot be phosphorylated in phorbol ester-treated, syngeneic malignant melanoma cells. Despite its ubiquitous distribution, the function of MARCKS in cell growth and transformation remains to be demonstrated clearly. We report here that MARCKS mRNA and protein levels are down-regulated significantly in the spontaneously derived murine B16 melanoma cell line compared with syngeneic normal Mel-ab melanocytes. In contrast, the tumourigenic v-Ha-ras-transfonned melan-ocytic line, LTR Ras 2, showed a high basal level of MARCKS phosphorylation which was not enhanced by treatment of cells with phorbol ester. Furthermore, protein levels of MARCKS in LTR Ras 2 cells were similar to those expressed in Mel-ab melanocytes. However, in four out of six murine tumour cell lines investigated, levels of MARCKS protein were barely detectable. Transfection of B16 cells with a plasmid containing the MARCKS cDNA in the sense orientation produced two neomycin-resistant clones displaying reduced proliferative capacity and decreased anchorage-independent growth compared with control cells. In contrast, transfection with the antisense MARCKS construct produced many colonies which displayed enhanced growth and transforming potential compared with control cells. Thus, MARCKS appears to act as a novel growth suppressor in the spontaneous transformation of cells of melanocyte origin and may play a more general role in the tumour progression of other carcinomas.

William Clark Russell and Chambers's Journal: elopement and the Victorian nautical novel

This essay examines aspects of the serialisation of the novels of William Clark Russell, the greatest late Victorian nautical novelist. Focusing on the treatment of his work by the Edinburgh firm of Messrs Chambers, the article provides an illuminating perspective on market censorship in this period. Drawing on the archives of Chatto & Windus and the literary agent A.P. Watt, it traces the network of relations between author, agent, magazine editor and book publisher, showing how the various components of the serial market operated in the late 1880s and early 1890s.

Mono- and heterodimetallic FeII and RuII complexes based on a novel heteroditopic 4′-{bis(phosphanyl)aryl}-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine ligand

In the search for a versatile building block that allows the preparation of heteroditopic tpy-pincer bridging ligands, the synthon 14'-[C6H3(CH2Br)(2)-3,5]-2,2':6',2 ''-terpyridine was synthesized. Facile introduction of diphenylphosphanyl groups in this synthon gave the ligand 14'-[C6H3(CH2PPh2)2-3,5]-2,2':6',2"-terpyridine) ([tpyPC(H)Pj). The asymmetric mononuclear complex [Fe(tpy){tpyPC(H)P}](PF6)(2), prepared by selective coordination of [Fe(tpy)Cl-3] to the tpy moiety of [tpyPC(H)P], was used for the synthesis of the heterodimetallic complex [Fe(tpy)(tpyPCP)Ru(tpy)](PFC,)3, which applies the "complex as ligand" approach. Coordination of the ruthenium centre at the PC(H)P-pincer moiety of [Fe(tpy){tpyPC(H)P}](PF6)(2) has been achieved by applying a transcyclometallation procedure. The ground-state electronic properties of both complexes, investigated by cyclic and square-wave voltammetries and UV/Vis spectroscopy, are discussed and compared with those of [Fe(tPY)(2)](PF6)(2) and [Ru(PCP)(tpy)]Cl, which represent the mononuclear components of the heterodinuclear species. An in situ UV/Vis spectroelectrochemical study was performed in order to localize the oxidation and reduction steps and to gain information about the Fe-II-Ru-II communication in the heterodimetallic system [Fe(tpy)(tpyPCP)Ru(tpy)](PF6)(3) mediated by the bridging ligand [tpyPCP]. Both the voltammetric and spectroelectrochemical results point to only very limited electronic interaction between the metal centres in the ground state.

A novel heteroditopic terpyridine-pincer ligand as building block for mono- and heterometallic Pd(II) and Ru(II) complexes

A palladium-catalyzed Stille coupling reaction was employed as a versatile method for the synthesis of a novel terpyridine-pincer (3, TPBr) bridging ligand, 4'-{4-BrC6H2(CH2NMe2)(2)-3,5}-2,2':6',2 ''-terpyridine. Mononuclear species [PdX(TP)] (X = Br, Cl), [Ru(TPBr)(tpy)](PF6)(2), and [Ru(TPBr)(2)](PF6)(2), synthesized by selective metalation of the NCNBr-pincer moiety or complexation of the terpyridine of the bifunctional ligand TPBr, were used as building blocks for the preparation of heterodi- and trimetallic complexes [Ru(TPPdCl)(tpy)](PF6)(2) (7) and [Ru(TPPdCl)(2)]-(PF6)(2) (8). The molecular structures in the solid state of [PdBr(TP)] (4a) and [Ru(TPBr)(2)](PF6)(2) (6) have been determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. Electrochemical behavior and photophysical properties of the mono-and heterometallic complexes are described. All the above di- and trimetallic Ru complexes exhibit absorption bands attributable to (MLCT)-M-1 (Ru -> tpy) transitions. For the heteroleptic complexes, the transitions involving the unsubstituted tpy ligand are at a lower energy than the tpy moiety of the TPBr ligand. The absorption bands observed in the electronic spectra for TPBr and [PdCl(TP)] have been assigned with the aid of TD-DFT calculations. All complexes display weak emission both at room temperature and in a butyronitrile glass at 77 K. The considerable red shift of the emission maxima relative to the signal of the reference compound [Ru(tpy)(2)](2+) indicates stabilization of the luminescent (MLCT)-M-3 state. For the mono- and heterometallic complexes, electrochemical and spectroscopic studies (electronic absorption and emission spectra and luminescence lifetimes recorded at room temperature and 77 K in nitrile solvents), together with the information gained from IR spectroelectrochemical studies of the dimetallic complex [Ru(TPPdSCN)(tpy)](PF6)(2), are indicative of charge redistribution through the bridging ligand TPBr. The results are in line with a weak coupling between the {Ru(tpy)(2)} chromophoric unit and the (non)metalated NCN-pincer moiety.

Heterosite effects in novel heteronuclear clusters [OS2Ru(CO)(11)(PPh3)] and Os2Ru(CO)(10)(2-acetylpyridine-N-isopropylimine)]

A new synthetic route towards the mixed-metal cluster [OS2Ru(CO)(12)] is described together with the syntheses of its PPh3 and iPr-AcPy (iPr-AcPy = 2-acetylpyridine-N-isopropylimine) derivatives. The molecular structures of the novel clusters [Os2Ru(CO)(11)(PPh3)] and [Os2Ru(CO)(10)(iPr-AcPy)] were determined on the basis of crystalline solid solutions of the Os2Ru and corresponding Os-3 species. The structures reveal that coordination of the Lewis bases occurs exclusively at the ruthenium site of [Os2Ru(CO)(12)], which is in agreement with density functional theory (DFT) calculations on several structural isomers of these compounds. According to the time-dependent DFT results, the lowest optically accessible excited state of [Os2Ru(CO)(10)(iPr-AcPy)] has a prevailing sigma(Ru-Os-2)pi*(iPr-AcPy) character, with a partial sigma sigma*(Ru-Os-2) contribution. In weakly coordinating 2-chlorobutane, the excited state has a lifetime tau = 10.4 +/- 1.2 ps and produces biradicals considerably faster than observed for [Os-3(CO)10(iPr-AcPy) (tau = 25.3 +/- 0.7ps)]. In coordinating acetonitrile, the excited state of [Os2Ru(CO)(10)(iPr-AcPy)] decays mono-exponentially with a lifetime tau = 2.1 +/- 0.2 ps. In contrast to [Os-3(CO)(10)(iPr-AcPy)] that forms biradicals as the main primary photoproduct even in strongly coordinating solvents, zwitterion formation from the solvated lowest excited state is observed for the heterometallic cluster. This is concluded from time-resolved absorption studies in the microsecond time domain. Due to the lower tendency of the coordinatively unsaturated Ru+(CO)(2)(iPr-AcPy-/0) moiety to bind a Lewis base, the heteronuclear biradical and zwitterionic photoproducts live significantly shorter than their triosmium counterparts. The influence of the weaker Os-2-Ru(iPr-AcPy) bond on the redox reactivity is clearly reflected in very reactive radical anions formed upon electrochemical reduction of [Os2Ru(CO)(10)(iPr-AcPy)]. The dimer [-OS(CO)(4)-Os(CO)(4)-Ru(CO)(2)(iPr-AcPy)](2)(2-) is the only IR-detectable intermediate reduction product. The dinuclear complex [Os-2(CO)(8)](2-) and insoluble [Ru(CO)(2)(iPr-AcPy)](n), are the ultimate reduction products, proving fragmentation of the OS2Ru core.

Effects of a novel galactooligosaccharide on the faecal microbiota of healthy and inflammatory bowel disease cats during a randomized, double-blind, cross-over feeding study

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a common gastrointestinal disorder of cats with no known aetiological agent. Previous work has suggested that the faecal microbiota of IBD cats is significantly different from that of healthy cats, including significantly lower bifidobacteria, bacteroides and total counts in IBD cats and significantly lower levels of sulfate-reducing bacteria in healthy cats. Prebiotics, including galactooligosaccharides (GOS), have been shown to elicit a bifidogenic effect in humans and other animals. The purpose of the current study was to examine the impact of a novel GOS supplementation on the faecal microbiota of healthy and IBD cats during a randomized, double-blind, cross-over feeding study. Eight oligonucleotide probes targeting specific bacterial populations and DAPI stain (total bacteria) were used to monitor the feline faecal microbiota. Overall, inter-animal variation was high; while a trend of increased bifidobacterial levels was seen with GOS supplementation it was not statistically significant in either healthy or IBD cats. No significant differences were observed in the faecal microbiota of IBD cats and healthy cats fed the same diet. Members of the family Coriobacteriaceae (Atopobium cluster) were found to be the most abundant bacteria in the feline microbiota.

A novel shape feature for fast region-based pedestrian recognition

A new class of shape features for region classification and high-level recognition is introduced. The novel Randomised Region Ray (RRR) features can be used to train binary decision trees for object category classification using an abstract representation of the scene. In particular we address the problem of human detection using an over segmented input image. We therefore do not rely on pixel values for training, instead we design and train specialised classifiers on the sparse set of semantic regions which compose the image. Thanks to the abstract nature of the input, the trained classifier has the potential to be fast and applicable to extreme imagery conditions. We demonstrate and evaluate its performance in people detection using a pedestrian dataset.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized human study assessing the capacity of a novel galacto-oligosaccharide mixture in reducing travellers' diarrhoea.

Background/Objectives: Prebiotics have attracted interest for their ability to positively affect the colonic microbiota composition, thus increasing resistance to infection and diarrhoeal disease. This study assessed the effectiveness of a prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharide mixture (B-GOS) on the severity and/or incidence of travellers' diarrhoea (TD) in healthy subjects. Subjects/Methods: The study was a placebo-controlled, randomized, double blind of parallel design in 159 healthy volunteers, who travelled for minimum of 2 weeks to a country of low or high risk for TD. The investigational product was the B-GOS and the placebo was maltodextrin. Volunteers were randomized into groups with an equal probability of receiving either the prebiotic or placebo. The protocol comprised of a 1 week pre-holiday period recording bowel habit, while receiving intervention and the holiday period. Bowel habit included the number of bowel movements and average consistency of the stools as well as occurrence of abdominal discomfort, flatulence, bloating or vomiting. A clinical report was completed in the case of diarrhoeal incidence. A post-study questionnaire was also completed by all subjects on their return. Results: Results showed significant differences between the B-GOS and the placebo group in the incidence (P<0.05) and duration (P<0.05) of TD. Similar findings occurred on abdominal pain (P<0.05) and the overall quality of life assessment (P<0.05). Conclusions: Consumption of the tested galacto-oligosaccharide mixture showed significant potential in preventing the incidence and symptoms of TD.