Keele University

About: Keele University is a education organization based out in Newcastle-under-Lyme, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Stars. The organization has 11318 authors who have published 26323 publications receiving 894671 citations. The organization is also known as: Keele University.

Identification and Geographical Distribution of the Mosquitoes of North America, North of Mexico, 2nd Edition. By R. F. Darsie Jr. and R. A. Ward, pp. 416. University Press of Florida, USA, 2005. ISBN0 8130 2784 5. US$ 75.00.

Abstract: This comprehensive and thorough work of scholarship is dedicated to the memory of the great American mosquito systematist and biologist, John N. Belkin. Based on an original volume by Carpenter and La Casse, the new authors have added a further 31 species and have revised the original keys. The morphological terms used for adults are substantially revised and they have adopted the chaetotaxy for immature stages developed by Belkin and his colleagues. Species names identified in the keys are followed by a plate number that refers to distribution maps, some of which cover up to 4 species. Following an introduction, a 6-page section on systematics lists new species added to the fauna since 1955, those species resurrected from synonomy and, interestingly, 9 exotic species introduced including the notorious ‘Asian Tiger Mosquito’ Aedes albopictus. This invader was first detected in 1985 and, 20 years later, is now present in 26 states of the Eastern USA. Ochlerotatus, a new genus recently raised from subgeneric status, is discussed briefly, and the authors comment on siblings now recognized through molecular evaluation, for example in the Anopheles quadrimaculatus group. An encouragement for those wrestling with elucidating such complexes is found in the final commentary on this group which notes that, although molecular markers are available, the 5 siblings are now recognized morphologically in all life-stages. The section provides a useful systematic index in tabular form to the Culicidae of the region and their zoogeographic distribution.The main text begins with the morphology of adult female mosquitoes and is followed by illustrated keys to generic level and then detailed keys to the species of each genus. Similar treatment of the fourth instar larvae follows, again providing illustrated keys.An extensive bibliography to the topic is provided at the end of the book, with over 800 references.For the dedicated mosquito worshipper! This book is undoubtedly a must and with its beautifully illustrated keys sets a high standard to follow. It will also, no doubt, prove an attractive volume for more general medical entomologists and enthusiastic students of these irksome, dangerous and fascinating animals.

The R136 star cluster hosts several stars whose individual masses greatly exceed the accepted 150 Msun stellar mass limit

Abstract: Spectroscopic analyses of H-rich WN5-6 stars within the young star clusters NGC 3603 and R136 are presented, using archival HST & VLT spectroscopy, & high spatial resolution near-IR photometry. We derive high T* for the WN stars in NGC 3603 (T*~42+/-2 kK) & R136 (T*~53+/-3 kK) plus clumping-corrected dM/dt ~ 2-5x10^-5 Msun/yr which closely agree with theoretical predictions. These stars make a disproportionate contribution to the global budget of their host clusters. R136a1 alone supplies ~7% of N(LyC) of the entire 30 Dor region. Comparisons with stellar models calculated for the main-sequence evolution of 85-500 Msun suggest ages of ~1.5 Myr & M_init in the range 105 - 170 Msun for 3 systems in NGC 3603, plus 165-320 Msun for 4 stars in R136. Our high stellar masses are supported by dynamical mass determinations for the components of NGC 3603 A1. We consider the predicted L_X of the R136 stars if they were close, colliding wind binaries. R136c is consistent with a colliding wind binary system. However, short period, colliding wind systems are excluded for R136a WN stars if mass ratios are of order unity. Widely separated systems would have been expected to harden owing to early dynamical encounters with other massive stars in such a dense environment. From simulated star clusters, whose constituents are randomly sampled from the Kroupa IMF, both clusters are consistent with a tentative upper mass limit of ~300 Msun. The Arches cluster is either too old, exhibits a deficiency of very massive stars, or more likely stellar masses have been underestimated - M_init for the most luminous stars in the Arches cluster approach 200 Msun according to contemporary stellar & photometric results. The potential for stars greatly exceeding 150 Msun within metal-poor galaxies suggests that such pair-instability SNe could occur within the local universe, as has been claimed for SN 2007bi (abridged).

Evidence-based software engineering for practitioners

Abstract: Software managers and practitioners often must make decisions about what technologies to employ on their projects. They might be aware of problems with their current development practices (for example, production bottlenecks or numerous defect reports from customers) and want to resolve them. Or, they might have read about a new technology and want to take advantage of its promised benefits. However, practitioners can have difficulty making informed decisions about whether to adopt a new technology because there's little objective evidence to confirm its suitability, limits, qualities, costs, and inherent risks. This can lead to poor decisions about technology adoption. Software engineers might make incorrect decisions about adopting new techniques it they don't consider scientific evidence about the techniques' efficacy. They should consider using procedures similar to ones developed for evidence-based medicine. Software companies are often under pressure to adopt immature technologies because of market and management pressures. We suggest that practitioners consider evidence-based software engineering as a mechanism to support and improve their technology adoption decisions.

The Delphi technique

Abstract: The Delphi technique is a way of obtaining a collective view from individuals about issues where there is no or little definite evidence and where opinion is important. The process can engender group ownership and enable cohesion among individuals with diverse views. It is an iterative questionnaire exercise with controlled feedback to a group of panellists who are anonymous. The design avoids the often counterproductive group dynamics that can occur where individuals are swayed or intimidated by others but allows panellists to reappraise their views in the light of the responses of the group as a whole.

Drug-polymer conjugates: potential for improved chemotherapy.

Abstract: Use of polymeric drug delivery systems is rapidly becoming an established approach for improvement of cancer chemotherapy. Zoladex, a poly lactide-co-glycolide subcutaneous implant that delivers a luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analog over 28 days, is now the treatment of choice for prostate cancer, and a polyanhydride matrix containing BCNU is currently in phase III evaluation for treatment of glioma multiforme. Soluble polymers were first proposed as targetable drug carriers in the mid-1970s, and although the first conjugates are still at an early stage of development some, e.g. SMANCS (styrene maleic acid-neocarzinostatin) and monomethoxypolyethyleneglycolasparaginase, are now undergoing clinical evaluation and show considerable promise. Polymeric drug delivery systems are usually designed to produce an improved pharmacokinetic profile of an antitumor agent (controlled release) and in addition soluble carriers can achieve either first-order (organ specific) or second-order (tumor specific) drug targeting by virtue of the fact that they are usually administered intravenously and should theoretically access primary and secondary disease. Soluble polymeric carriers have the potential to improve the activity of conventional antitumor agents, peptide and protein drugs, and have recently been used in constructs for delivery of oligonucleotides. With increased awareness that the successful design of a polymeric drug delivery systems can only be achieved with prior consideration of the pathology and stage of the disease, tumor accessibility, biochemistry and cell biology of the target site, choice of appropriate therapeutic agent(s) and understanding of their fundamental mode of action, we have seen the emergence of a number of exciting and potentially more selective antitumor therapies based on polymer technologies. Here, the basic principles for design of soluble polymeric drug delivery systems are explained and illustrated using examples drawn from our studies on the development of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide copolymer conjugates for use in cancer chemotherapy. Those soluble polymeric carriers that are undergoing clinical evaluation are briefly reviewed.