The indole alkaloid geissoschizoline (1) and two new derivatives, geissoschizoline N(4)-oxide (2) and 1,2-dehydrogeissoschizoline (3), were obtained from the bark of Geissospermum sericeum together ...with the beta-carboline alkaloid flavopereirine (4). The in vitro antiplasmodial activity of these compounds was evaluated in chloroquine-resistant (K1) and chloroquine-sensitive (T9-96) Plasmodium falciparum. Their cytotoxicity was determined in a human (KB) cell line.
The impact of including a more detailed VOC oxidation scheme (CRI v2-R5) with a multi-generational approach for simulating tropospheric acetone is investigated using a 3-D global model, STOCHEM-CRI. ...The CRI v2-R5 mechanism contains photochemical production of acetone from monoterpenes which account for 64% (46.8 Tg/yr) of the global acetone sources in STOCHEM-CRI. Both photolysis and oxidation by OH in the troposphere contributes equally (42%, each) and dry deposition contributes 16% of the atmospheric sinks of acetone. The tropospheric life-time and the global burden of acetone are found to be 18 days and 3.5 Tg, respectively, these values being close to those reported in the study of Jacob et al. (2002). A dataset of aircraft campaign measurements are used to evaluate the inclusion of acetone formation from monoterpenes in the CRI v2-R5 mechanism used in STOCHEM-CRI. The overall comparison between measurements and models show that the parameterised approach in STOCHEM-NAM (no acetone formation from monoterpenes) underpredicts the mixing ratios of acetone in the atmosphere. However, using a detailed monoterpene oxidation mechanism forming acetone has brought the STOCHEM-CRI into closer agreement with measurements with an improvement in the vertical simulation of acetone. The annual mean surface distribution of acetone simulated by the STOCHEM-CRI shows a peak over forested regions where there are large biogenic emissions and high levels of photochemical activity. Year-long observations of acetone and methanol at the Mace Head research station in Ireland are compared with the simulated acetone and methanol produced by the STOCHEM-CRI and found to produce good overall agreement between model and measurements. The seasonal variation of model and measured acetone levels at Mace Head, California, New Hampshire and Minnesota show peaks in summer and dips in winter, suggesting that photochemical production may have the strongest effect on its seasonal trend.
•Photochemical production from monoterpenes gives 64% to the global acetone sources.•The tropospheric life-time of acetone is found to be 18 days.•Higher acetone is found over the forested regions throughout the summer.•Good agreement between model and measurement data for acetone is found.
Musculoskeletal problems are common reasons for seeking primary health care. It has been suggested that many people with 'everyday' non-inflammatory musculoskeletal problems may have undiagnosed ...joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS), a complex multi-systemic condition. JHS is characterized by joint laxity, pain, fatigue and a wide range of other symptoms. Physiotherapy is usually the preferred treatment option for JHS, although diagnosis can be difficult. The lived experience of those with JHS requires investigation.
The aim of the study was to examine patients' lived experience of JHS, their views and experiences of JHS diagnosis and management.
Focus groups in four locations in the UK were convened, involving 25 participants with a prior diagnosis of JHS. The focus groups were audio recorded, fully transcribed and analysed using the constant comparative method to inductively derive a thematic account of the data.
Pain, fatigue, proprioception difficulties and repeated cycles of injury were among the most challenging features of living with JHS. Participants perceived a lack of awareness of JHS from health professionals and more widely in society and described how diagnosis and access to appropriate health-care services was often slow and convoluted. Education for patients and health professionals was considered to be essential.
Timely diagnosis, raising awareness and access to health professionals who understand JHS may be particularly instrumental in helping to ameliorate symptoms and help patients to self-manage their condition. Physiotherapists and other health professionals should receive training to provide biopsychosocial support for people with this condition.
Atmospheric measurements show that emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons are now the primary drivers of the positive growth in synthetic greenhouse gas (SGHG) radiative ...forcing. We infer recent SGHG emissions and examine the impact of future emissions scenarios, with a particular focus on proposals to reduce HFC use under the Montreal Protocol. If these proposals are implemented, overall SGHG radiative forcing could peak at around 355 mW m−2 in 2020, before declining by approximately 26% by 2050, despite continued growth of fully fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions. Compared to “no HFC policy” projections, this amounts to a reduction in radiative forcing of between 50 and 240 mW m−2 by 2050 or a cumulative emissions saving equivalent to 0.5 to 2.8 years of CO2 emissions at current levels. However, more complete reporting of global HFC emissions is required, as less than half of global emissions are currently accounted for.
Key Points
Measurements of all the major synthetic greenhouse gases have been compiled
These measurements have been used to infer recent global emissions trends
Based on these trends, future emissions scenarios have been investigated
We present the organization, instrumentation, datasets, data interpretation, modeling, and accomplishments of the multinational global atmospheric measurement program AGAGE (Advanced Global ...Atmospheric Gases Experiment). AGAGE is distinguished by its capability to measure globally, at high frequency, and at multiple sites all the important species in the Montreal Protocol and all the important non-carbon-dioxide (non-CO2) gases assessed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (CO2 is also measured at several sites). The scientific objectives of AGAGE are important in furthering our understanding of global chemical and climatic phenomena. They are the following: (1) to accurately measure the temporal and spatial distributions of anthropogenic gases that contribute the majority of reactive halogen to the stratosphere and/or are strong infrared absorbers (chlorocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons – CFCs, bromocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons – HCFCs, hydrofluorocarbons – HFCs and polyfluorinated compounds (perfluorocarbons – PFCs), nitrogen trifluoride – NF3, sulfuryl fluoride – SO2F2, and sulfur hexafluoride – SF6) and use these measurements to determine the global rates of their emission and/or destruction (i.e., lifetimes); (2) to accurately measure the global distributions and temporal behaviors and determine the sources and sinks of non-CO2 biogenic–anthropogenic gases important to climate change and/or ozone depletion (methane – CH4, nitrous oxide – N2O, carbon monoxide – CO, molecular hydrogen – H2, methyl chloride – CH3Cl, and methyl bromide – CH3Br); (3) to identify new long-lived greenhouse and ozone-depleting gases (e.g., SO2F2, NF3, heavy PFCs (C4F10, C5F12, C6F14, C7F16, and C8F18) and hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs; e.g., CH2 = CFCF3) have been identified in AGAGE), initiate the real-time monitoring of these new gases, and reconstruct their past histories from AGAGE, air archive, and firn air measurements; (4) to determine the average concentrations and trends of tropospheric hydroxyl radicals (OH) from the rates of destruction of atmospheric trichloroethane (CH3CCl3), HFCs, and HCFCs and estimates of their emissions; (5) to determine from atmospheric observations and estimates of their destruction rates the magnitudes and distributions by region of surface sources and sinks of all measured gases; (6) to provide accurate data on the global accumulation of many of these trace gases that are used to test the synoptic-, regional-, and global-scale circulations predicted by three-dimensional models; and (7) to provide global and regional measurements of methane, carbon monoxide, and molecular hydrogen and estimates of hydroxyl levels to test primary atmospheric oxidation pathways at midlatitudes and the tropics. Network Information and Data Repository: http://agage.mit.edu/data or http://cdiac.ess-dive.lbl.gov/ndps/alegage.html (https://doi.org/10.3334/CDIAC/atg.db1001).
Analysis of fruit flavonoids of
Styphnolobium japonicum revealed two flavonol glycosides (a triglycoside
5 and a tetraglycoside
11) and two further tetraglycosides (
6 and
7) not previously reported ...from this species, of which
6 was the major flavonoid in mature seeds. Flavonoid analysis permitted the authentication of Fructus Sophorae and Flos Sophorae.
The dried fruits and seeds of
Styphnolobium japonicum (L.) Schott (syn.
Sophora japonica L.) are used in traditional Chinese medicine and known as Fructus Sophorae or Huai Jiao. The major flavonoids in these fruits and seeds were studied by LC–MS and other spectroscopic techniques to aid the chemical authentication of Fructus Sophorae. Among the flavonoids were two previously unreported kaempferol glycosides: kaempferol 3-
O-β-glucopyranosyl(1
→
2)-β-galactopyranoside-7-
O-α-rhamnopyranoside and kaempferol 3-
O-β-xylopyranosyl(1
→
3)-α-rhamnopyranosyl(1
→
6)β-glucopyranosyl(1
→
2)-β-glucopyranoside, the structures of which were determined by NMR. Two further tetraglycosides were identified for the first time in
S. japonicum as kaempferol 3-
O-β-glucopyranosyl(1
→
2)α-rhamnopyranosyl(1
→
6)-β-glucopyranoside-7-
O-α-rhamnopyranoside and kaempferol 3-
O-β-glucopyranosyl(1
→
2)α-rhamnopyranosyl(1
→
6)-β-galactopyranoside-7-
O-α-rhamnopyranoside; the latter was the main flavonoid in mature seeds. The chromatographic profiles of 27 recorded flavonoids were relatively consistent among fruits of similar ages collected from five trees of
S. japonicum, and those of maturing unripe and ripe fruits were similar to a market sample of Fructus Sophorae, and thus provide useful markers for authentication of this herbal ingredient. The flower buds (Huai Mi) and flowers (Huai Hua) of
S. japonicum (collectively Flos Sophorae) contained rutin as the main flavonoid and lacked the flavone glycosides that were present in flower buds and flowers of
Sophora flavescens Ait., reported to be occasional substitutes for Flos Sophorae. The single major flavonoid in fruits of
S. flavescens was determined as 3′-hydroxydaidzein.
Where individual participant data are available for every randomised trial in a meta-analysis of dichotomous event outcomes, “one-stage” random-effects logistic regression models have been proposed ...as a way to analyse these data. Such models can also be used even when individual participant data are not available and we have only summary contingency table data. One benefit of this one-stage regression model over conventional meta-analysis methods is that it maximises the correct binomial likelihood for the data and so does not require the common assumption that effect estimates are normally distributed. A second benefit of using this model is that it may be applied, with only minor modification, in a range of meta-analytic scenarios, including meta-regression, network meta-analyses and meta-analyses of diagnostic test accuracy. This single model can potentially replace the variety of often complex methods used in these areas. This paper considers, with a range of meta-analysis examples, how random-effects logistic regression models may be used in a number of different types of meta-analyses. This one-stage approach is compared with widely used meta-analysis methods including Bayesian network meta-analysis and the bivariate and hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (ROC) models for meta-analyses of diagnostic test accuracy.
In a closely integrated system, (sub-) littoral sandy sediments, sandy beaches, and sand dunes offer natural coastal protection for a host of environmentally and economically important areas and ...activities inland. Flooding and coastal erosion pose a serious threat to these environments, a situation likely to be exacerbated by factors associated with climate change. Despite their importance, these sandy ‘soft’ defences have been lost from many European coasts through the proliferation of coastal development and associated hard-engineering and face further losses due to sea-level rise, subsidence, storm surge events, and coastal squeeze. As part of the EU-funded THESEUS project we investigated the critical drivers that determine the persistence and maintenance of sandy coastal habitats around Europe's coastline, taking particular interest in their close link with the biological communities that inhabit them. The successful management of sandy beaches to restore and sustain sand budgets (e.g. via nourishment), depends on the kind of mitigation undertaken, local beach characteristics, and on the source of ‘borrowed’ sediment. We found that inter-tidal invertebrates were good indicators of changes linked to different mitigation options. For sand dunes, field observations and manipulative experiments investigated different approaches to create new dune systems, in addition to measures employed to improve dune stabilisation. THESEUS provides a ‘toolbox’ of management strategies to aid the management, restoration, and creation of sandy habitats along our coastlines, but we note that future management must consider the connectivity of sub-littoral and supra-littoral sandy habitats in order to use this natural shoreline defence more effectively.
•Beaches, sand bars and dunes are essential to future coastal defence.•Hard-engineering can be detrimental to sandy habitat integrity.•Sandy habitats are closely integrated systems and need to be managed as such.•Invertebrates are good indicators of beach response to coastal management.•Dune management and restoration are context specific.
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