Evaluation of Luteolin in the Prevention of N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Animal Model System

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the commonest tumors worldwide. The treatment of HCC is vital for disease diagnosis and prognosis, as the liver is the most important organ controlling metabolic functions. Now-a-days, western folklore medicines are largely dependent on the phyto compounds which are highly effective in therapy and with low side effects. Luteolin is a flavonoid (3,4,5,7-Tetrahydro flavones) possess anti-inflammatory, anticancer and anti allergic property. The present study evaluates the efficacy of luteolin against N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) induced HCC in albino rats. In the highlight of the above, luteolin was evaluated for its efficacy against DEN induced HCC in male Wistar albino rats. The Biochemical parameters such as tissue damaging enzymes viz., AST, ALP, LDH and γ-GT, enzymatic antioxidants viz., SOD, CAT, GSH and GPx and histopathological changes have been estimated. The tissue damaging enzymes were found to be high in DEN alone treated group whereas the enzymatic antioxidants decreased destructively. Severe lesions and cirrhosis were observed in the toxin (DEN alone) treated group. The luteolin treated DEN group altered the tissue damaging enzymes and the enzymatic antioxidants. The damaged lesion in the histoarchitecture of DEN treated rat liver was almost completely restored. Finally this study strongly demonstrates that luteolin has potent curative property against HCC in albino rats.     

An administrative mess: A case study from the officiating community

This case is written for instructors of classes focused on strategic management, organisational behaviour, human resource management, and/or an officiating course. The case highlights the numerous administrative processes a new employee in a sport organisation would face. Although the case is fictional it is based on the authors’ personal and professional experiences in athletics administration and officiating, and further draws upon the authors’ research in the area of officiating. Consequently, this case study was constructed based on first-hand observation, interviews and conversation with numerous officials and administrators, and through the examination of documents frequently used to manage officials. As a result, the case provides an opportunity for students to critically evaluate and address: (1) a sport organisation's policies and procedures; (2) issues related to human resource management within a sport setting; (3) the managerial response after an organisational failure.     

Modification of snowboard base material and its effect over the adhesion to epoxy/glass fibre core

In this work, the effect of different treatments over the adherence of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) to a composite material (epoxy/fibreglass), used as base and core of snowboards, respectively, was studied. The selected treatments were flame treatment, ultraviolet (UV) treatment and abrasion. Adhesion was assessed using lap shear tests. The results showed an increase in UHMWPE/composite adhesion of over six times with flame treatment, and a considerably lower increase with the abrasion. No increase in adhesion was detected with UV treatment. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry tests were performed to explain these changes.     

Comparison of heart rate monitoring with indirect calorimetry for energy expenditure evaluation

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to compare established methods with newly-developed methods for estimating the total energy expenditure (TEE).MethodsThe study subjects comprised 46 individuals, including 16 middle-aged men (mean age 51.4 years), 14 middle-aged women (mean age 49.9 years) and 16 young women (mean age 19.1 years). The TEE was estimated from 24-h heart rate (HR) data using newly-developed software (MoveSense HRAnalyzer 2011a, RC1, Suunto Oy, Vantaa, Finland), and was compared against the TEE determined using doubly labeled water (DLW). Agreement between the two methods was analyzed using Bland and Altman plots.ResultsThe HR method yielded similar TEE values as the DLW method at the group level, with an average of 8.6 kcal/day in the difference in the mean, but with large individual variations. Forty-four (96%) out of 46 subjects fell within ±2SD of the mean difference in TEE comparisons, and there was no tendency towards under- or over-estimation.ConclusionOur results indicate that the current software using HR analysis for the estimation of daily TEE needs further development for use with free-living individuals.     

Web文本情感分类研究综述

对用户发表在Web上的评论进行分析,能够识别出隐含在其中的情感信息,并发现用户情感的演变规律.为此,本文对Web文本情感分类的研究进行综述.将情感分类划分为三类任务:主客观分类、极性判别和强度判别,对各自的研究进展进行总结.其中将情感极性判别的方法分为基于情感词汇语义特性的识别和基于统计自然语言处理的识别方法.分析了情感分类中的语料库选择和研究难点.最后总结了情感分类的应用现状,并指出今后的研究方向.     

Write when hot — submit when not: seasonal bias in peer review or acceptance?

At a top psychology journal, Psychological Science (PS), submissions peak during the summer months. We tested whether this seasonal submission bias decreases the likelihood of a paper being accepted in that period. Month of submission data was obtained for all 575 publications in PS for the period 2003–2006. Whereas submissions to PS were higher in the summer, there was no evidence that most accepted publications were originally submitted in the summer. Thus, contributors submit to PS when the likelihood of acceptance is the lowest – creating their own entrance barrier. A similar seasonal pattern was not identified for Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, another top psychology journal. Using the Web of Knowledge database, we further assessed whether overcoming the seasonal entrance barrier influences the number of citations a paper receives in subsequent years. We discuss the possibility that the different rejections policies in the two journals, employing desk rejections or not, may explain this discrepancy, and explore a range of alternative hypotheses.     

A twin-study of sleep difficulties in school-aged children

This study examines frequency, overlap, and genetic and environmental influences on sleep difficulties, which are understudied in school-aged children. The Sleep Self Report and the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire were completed by 300 twin pairs (aged 8 years) and their parents. Child report suggested more frequent sleep problems than parent report (e.g., regular sleep onset delay was reported by 45% of children and 17% of parents). Associations between most of the sleep difficulties were small but significant (e.g., r(s)=.16 for parent report of bedtime resistance and sleep onset delay). Twin correlations based on parent reports suggest greater genetic influence (M=50%) than those based on child self-report (M=18%). Possible rater effects should be considered when evaluating children's sleep problems.     

English language learners who struggle with reading: language acquisition or LD?

We review empirical research on English language learners (ELLs) who struggle with reading and who may have learning disabilities (LD). We sought to determine research indicators that can help us better differentiate between ELLs who struggle to acquire literacy because of their limited proficiency in English and ELLs who have actual LD. We conclude that more research is warranted to further elucidate the strengths and learning needs of subgroups of underachieving ELLs, to help us determine who should qualify for special education, and to clarify why some ELLs who do not have LD still struggle with language and literacy acquisition. Future research should account for the complexities involved in becoming literate in another language and focus more on cultural and contextual factors that affect student achievement.     

‘From the formal to the innovative’: The use of case studies and sustainable projects in developing a design process model for educating product/industrial designers

The BSc in computer aided product design (CAPD) course at the University of Wolverhampton was conceived as a collaborative venture in 1989 between the School of Engineering and the School of Art and Design. The award was at the forefront of forging interdisciplinary collaboration at undergraduate level in the field of product design. It has integrated engineering design from the former with industrial design from the latter, developing a mixture of traditional, technical and design skills using the computer.

The current paper discusses the use of formal methods of delivery on the CAPD course together with the integration of industrial product design and engineering design from a case study and project approach. It progresses from a formal approach through a transitional stage to an innovative method of delivery and assessment.

In providing the framework to this innovative approach the paper utilizes examples of students’ case studies, projects and design competitions that rely upon the use of three-dimensional (3D modelling) and both traditional prototyping and rapid prototyping techniques in developing the product design artefact. Combined with this is the utilization of a design process model that combines both product design and industrial design methodologies.

The changing attitude of staff in the education of CAPD students, with respect to the integration of formal methods and innovative methods in case study and project scenarios, is also discussed.