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Showing papers by "University of Reading published in 2008"


Journal ArticleDOI
12 Sep 2008-Science
TL;DR: Observations reveal a distinct link between rainfall extremes and temperature, with heavy rain events increasing during warm periods and decreasing during cold periods, implying that projections of future changes in rainfall extremes in response to anthropogenic global warming may be underestimated.
Abstract: Climate models suggest that extreme precipitation events will become more common in an anthropogenically warmed climate. However, observational limitations have hindered a direct evaluation of model-projected changes in extreme precipitation. We used satellite observations and model simulations to examine the response of tropical precipitation events to naturally driven changes in surface temperature and atmospheric moisture content. These observations reveal a distinct link between rainfall extremes and temperature, with heavy rain events increasing during warm periods and decreasing during cold periods. Furthermore, the observed amplification of rainfall extremes is found to be larger than that predicted by models, implying that projections of future changes in rainfall extremes in response to anthropogenic global warming may be underestimated.

1,273 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
26 Mar 2008-PLOS ONE
TL;DR: Data indicate that the mental expertise to cultivate positive emotion alters the activation of circuitries previously linked to empathy and theory of mind in response to emotional stimuli.
Abstract: Recent brain imaging studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have implicated insula and anterior cingulate cortices in the empathic response to another's pain. However, virtually nothing is known about the impact of the voluntary generation of compassion on this network. To investigate these questions we assessed brain activity using fMRI while novice and expert meditation practitioners generated a loving-kindness-compassion meditation state. To probe affective reactivity, we presented emotional and neutral sounds during the meditation and comparison periods. Our main hypothesis was that the concern for others cultivated during this form of meditation enhances affective processing, in particular in response to sounds of distress, and that this response to emotional sounds is modulated by the degree of meditation training. The presentation of the emotional sounds was associated with increased pupil diameter and activation of limbic regions (insula and cingulate cortices) during meditation (versus rest). During meditation, activation in insula was greater during presentation of negative sounds than positive or neutral sounds in expert than it was in novice meditators. The strength of activation in insula was also associated with self-reported intensity of the meditation for both groups. These results support the role of the limbic circuitry in emotion sharing. The comparison between meditation vs. rest states between experts and novices also showed increased activation in amygdala, right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), and right posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) in response to all sounds, suggesting, greater detection of the emotional sounds, and enhanced mentation in response to emotional human vocalizations for experts than novices during meditation. Together these data indicate that the mental expertise to cultivate positive emotion alters the activation of circuitries previously linked to empathy and theory of mind in response to emotional stimuli.

803 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The implications of projected climate change for freshwater resources and their management are discussed in this article, where the authors present an analysis of the potential impacts of climate change on freshwater resources in terms of their management.
Abstract: (2008). The implications of projected climate change for freshwater resources and their management. Hydrological Sciences Journal: Vol. 53, No. 1, pp. 3-10.

782 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the quality of voluntary environmental disclosure made by around 450 large UK companies drawn from a diverse range of industrial sectors and found that high quality disclosure was primarily associated with larger firms and those in sectors most closely related to environmental concerns.
Abstract: Many firms choose to communicate their environmental strategies through voluntary environmental disclosures. This paper examines patterns in the quality of voluntary environmental disclosures made by a sample of around 450 large UK companies drawn from a diverse range of industrial sectors. The analysis distinguishes between five facets of quality, including the disclosure of group-wide environmental policies, environmental impact targets and an environmental audit. We examine how the decisions firms face regarding each facet of quality are determined by firm and industry characteristics, and find the quality of disclosure to be determined by a firm's size and the nature of its business activities. Specifically, we find high quality disclosure to be primarily associated with larger firms and those in sectors most closely related to environmental concerns. In contrast to several recent contributions, we find that the media exposure of companies plays no role in stimulating voluntary disclosures. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

738 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Key methods used in DIY ABC, a computer program for inference based on approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), in which scenarios can be customized by the user to fit many complex situations involving any number of populations and samples, are described.
Abstract: Summary: Genetic data obtained on population samples convey information about their evolutionary history. Inference methods can extract part of this information but they require sophisticated statistical techniques that have been made available to the biologist community (through computer programs) only for simple and standard situations typically involving a small number of samples. We propose here a computer program (DIY ABC) for inference based on approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), in which scenarios can be customized by the user to fit many complex situations involving any number of populations and samples. Such scenarios involve any combination of population divergences, admixtures and population size changes. DIY ABC can be used to compare competing scenarios, estimate parameters for one or more scenarios and compute bias and precision measures for a given scenario and known values of parameters (the current version applies to unlinked microsatellite data). This article describes key methods used in the program and provides its main features. The analysis of one simulated and one real dataset, both with complex evolutionary scenarios, illustrates the main possibilities of DIY ABC. Availability: The software DIY ABC is freely available at http://www.montpellier.inra.fr/CBGP/diyabc. Contact: j.cornuet@imperial.ac.uk Supplementary information: Supplementary data are also available at http://www.montpellier.inra.fr/CBGP/diyabc

716 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors evaluated the performance of six sampling methods (observation plots, pan traps, standardized and variable transect walks, trap nests with reed internodes or paper tubes) that are commonly used across a wide range of geographical regions in Europe and in two habitat types.
Abstract: Bee pollinators are currently recorded with many different sampling methods. However, the relative performances of these methods have not been systematically evaluated and compared. In response to the strong need to record ongoing shifts in pollinator diversity and abundance, global and regional pollinator initiatives must adopt standardized sampling protocols when developing large-scale and long-term monitoring schemes. We systematically evaluated the performance of six sampling methods (observation plots, pan traps, standardized and variable transect walks, trap nests with reed internodes or paper tubes) that are commonly used across a wide range of geographical regions in Europe and in two habitat types (agricultural and seminatural). We focused on bees since they represent the most important pollinator group worldwide. Several characteristics of the methods were considered in order to evaluate their performance in assessing bee diversity: sample coverage, observed species richness, species richness estimators, collector biases (identified by subunit-based rarefaction curves), species composition of the samples, and the indication of overall bee species richness (estimated from combined total samples). The most efficient method in all geographical regions, in both the agricultural and seminatural habitats, was the pan trap method. It had the highest sample coverage, collected the highest number of species, showed negligible collector bias, detected similar species as the transect methods, and was the best indicator of overall bee species richness. The transect methods were also relatively efficient, but they had a significant collector bias. The observation plots showed poor performance. As trap nests are restricted to cavity-nesting bee species, they had a naturally low sample coverage. However, both trap nest types detected additional species that were not recorded by any of the other methods. For large-scale and long-term monitoring schemes with surveyors with different experience levels, we recommend pan traps as the most efficient, unbiased, and cost-effective method for sampling bee diversity. Trap nests with reed internodes could be used as a complementary sampling method to maximize the numbers of collected species. Transect walks are the principal method for detailed studies focusing on plant-pollinator associations. Moreover, they can be used in monitoring schemes after training the surveyors to standardize their collection skills.

637 citations


Posted Content
TL;DR: In this paper, an institutional approach, that tries to bridge both the macro and micro levels of analysis, and that encompasses both formal and informal institutions, offers a promising way to advance our understanding of the different forms of the contemporary MNE.
Abstract: The prevailing ownership-based theories of the firm are increasingly being challenged by new forms of organising, as exemplified by the Asian network multinational enterprise (MNE). We believe that an institutional approach, that tries to bridge both the macro and micro levels of analysis, and that encompasses both formal and informal institutions, offers a promising way to advance our understanding of the different forms of the contemporary MNE. This paper introduces a theoretical framework which draws substantially on the work of Douglass North, and examines how an institutional dimension can be incorporated into the three components of the OLI paradigm.

628 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results provide evidence that broadly neutralizing antibodies to HCV protect against heterologous viral infection and suggest that a prophylactic vaccine against HCV may be achievable.
Abstract: A major problem in hepatitis C virus (HCV) immunotherapy or vaccine design is the extreme variability of the virus. We identified human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that neutralize genetically diverse HCV isolates and protect against heterologous HCV quasispecies challenge in a human liver-chimeric mouse model. The results provide evidence that broadly neutralizing antibodies to HCV protect against heterologous viral infection and suggest that a prophylactic vaccine against HCV may be achievable.

602 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: There is a need to carry out detailed evaluation of the potential for parabens, together with other oestrogenic and genotoxic co‐formulants of bodycare cosmetics, to increase female breast cancer incidence, to interfere with male reproductive functions and to influence development of malignant melanoma.
Abstract: This toxicology update reviews research over the past four years since publication in 2004 of the first measurement of intact esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens) in human breast cancer tissues, and the suggestion that their presence in the human body might originate from topical application of bodycare cosmetics. The presence of intact paraben esters in human body tissues has now been confirmed by independent measurements in human urine, and the ability of parabens to penetrate human skin intact without breakdown by esterases and to be absorbed systemically has been demonstrated through studies not only in vitro but also in vivo using healthy human subjects. Using a wide variety of assay systems in vitro and in vivo, the oestrogen agonist properties of parabens together with their common metabolite (p-hydroxybenzoic acid) have been extensively documented, and, in addition, the parabens have now also been shown to possess androgen antagonist activity, to act as inhibitors of sulfotransferase enzymes and to possess genotoxic activity. With the continued use of parabens in the majority of bodycare cosmetics, there is a need to carry out detailed evaluation of the potential for parabens, together with other oestrogenic and genotoxic co-formulants of bodycare cosmetics, to increase female breast cancer incidence, to interfere with male reproductive functions and to influence development of malignant melanoma which has also recently been shown to be influenced by oestrogenic stimulation.

595 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that electrostatic attraction forces between chitosan and gastric mucin can be suppressed in the presence of 0.2 mol/L sodium chloride; however, this does not prevent the aggregation of mucin particles in the absence of this biopolymer.

583 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, Wang et al. showed that atmospheric heating induced by the rising surface temperatures on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) can enhance East Asian subtropical frontal rainfall, and the mechanism of the linkage was found to be through two distinct Rossby wave trains and the isentropic uplift to the east of the TP.
Abstract: [1] Observational evidence presented here indicates that the surface temperatures on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) have increased by about 1.8°C over the past 50 years. The precipitation pattern that is projected as a result of this warming resembles the leading pattern of precipitation variations in East Asia (EA). Numerical experiments with atmospheric general circulation models show that atmospheric heating induced by the rising TP temperatures can enhance East Asian subtropical frontal rainfall. The mechanism of the linkage is found to be through two distinct Rossby wave trains and the isentropic uplift to the east of the TP, which deform the western Pacific Subtropical High and enhance moisture convergence toward the EA subtropical front. The model calculations suggest that the past changes in TP temperatures and EA summer rainfall may be linked, and that projected future increases in TP temperatures may lead to further enhanced summer frontal rainfall in EA region.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors introduce a theoretical framework that draws substantially on the work of Douglass North, and examine how an institutional dimension can be incorporated into the three components of the OLI paradigm.
Abstract: The prevailing ownership-based theories of the firm are increasingly being challenged by new forms of organising, as exemplified by the Asian network multinational enterprise (MNE). We believe that an institutional approach, that tries to bridge both the macro and micro levels of analysis, and that encompasses both formal and informal institutions, offers a promising way to advance our understanding of the different forms of the contemporary MNE. This paper introduces a theoretical framework that draws substantially on the work of Douglass North, and examines how an institutional dimension can be incorporated into the three components of the OLI paradigm.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article critically reviews the relevance of using different types of vesicles as a model for human skin in permeation enhancement studies, concentrating primarily on liposomes after briefly surveying older models.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a set of search tools and a limited number of comprehensive key words to identify the determinants of the valuation of GM foods and formulate some policy strategies to deal with public uncertainly regarding to GMOs and especially GM food.


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the concentrations of various catechins in 13 different kinds of infusion were determined by capillary electrophoresis, including green, white, green and red teas and rooibos infusion.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The kinetics, products and mechanisms of these reactions are examined, starting with a discussion of the original mechanism proposed by Criegee and following with a summary presentation of the complex, free radical-mediated reactions of carbonyl oxide (Criegee) intermediates.
Abstract: The gas-phase reactions of ozone with unsaturated hydrocarbons are significant sources of free radical species (including ˙OH) and particulate material in the Earth’s atmosphere. In this tutorial review, the kinetics, products and mechanisms of these reactions are examined, starting with a discussion of the original mechanism proposed by Criegee and following with a summary presentation of the complex, free radical-mediated reactions of carbonyl oxide (Criegee) intermediates. The contribution of ozone–terpene reactions to the atmospheric burden of secondary organic aerosol material is also discussed from the viewpoint of the formation of non-volatile organic acid products from the complex chemistry of ozone with α-pinene. Throughout the article, currently accepted understanding is supported through the presentation of key experimental results, and areas of persistent or new uncertainty are highlighted.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The intense interest in the development of drugs capable of enhancing brain function means that flavonoids may represent important precursor molecules in the quest to develop of a new generation of brain enhancing drugs.
Abstract: Flavonoids exert a multiplicity of neuroprotective actions within the brain, including a potential to protect neurons against injury induced by neurotoxins, an ability to suppress neuroinflammation, and the potential to promote memory, learning and cognitive function. These effects appear to be underpinned by two common processes. Firstly, they interact with critical protein and lipid kinase signalling cascades in the brain leading to an inhibition of apoptosis triggered by neurotoxic species and to a promotion of neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity. Secondly, they induce beneficial effects on the vascular system leading to changes in cerebrovascular blood flow capable of causing angiogenesis, neurogenesis and changes in neuronal morphology. Through these mechanisms, the consumption of flavonoid-rich foods throughout life holds the potential to limit neurodegeneration and to prevent or reverse age-dependent loses in cognitive performance. The intense interest in the development of drugs capable of enhancing brain function means that flavonoids may represent important precursor molecules in the quest to develop of a new generation of brain enhancing drugs.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is suggested that the development of biological biomarkers, measured in both blood and urine, are essential for making accurate estimates of polyphenol intake, but the relationship between dietary intakes and nutritional biomarkers are often highly complex.
Abstract: In order to establish firm evidence for the health effects of dietary polyphenol consumption, it is essential to have quantitative information regarding their dietary intake. The usefulness of the current methods, which rely mainly on the assessment of polyphenol intake using food records and food composition tables, is limited as they fail to assess total intake accurately. This review highlights the problems associated with such methods with regard to polyphenol-intake predictions. We suggest that the development of biological biomarkers, measured in both blood and urine, are essential for making accurate estimates of polyphenol intake. However, the relationship between dietary intakes and nutritional biomarkers are often highly complex. This review identifies the criteria that must be considered in the development of such biomarkers. In addition, we provide an assessment of the limited number of potential biomarkers of polyphenol intake currently available.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed the hypothesis that the low-frequency variability of the North Atlantic Oscillation arises as a result of variations in the occurrence of upper-level Rossby wave-breaking events over North Atlantic.
Abstract: This paper proposes the hypothesis that the low-frequency variability of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) arises as a result of variations in the occurrence of upper-level Rossby wave–breaking events over the North Atlantic. These events lead to synoptic situations similar to midlatitude blocking that are referred to as high-latitude blocking episodes. A positive NAO is envisaged as being a description of periods in which these episodes are infrequent and can be considered as a basic, unblocked situation. A negative NAO is a description of periods in which episodes occur frequently. A similar, but weaker, relationship exists between wave breaking over the Pacific and the west Pacific pattern. Evidence is given to support this hypothesis by using a two-dimensional potential-vorticity-based index to identify wave breaking at various latitudes. This is applied to Northern Hemisphere winter data from the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40), and the events identified are then related to the NAO. Certain dynamical precursors are identified that appear to increase the likelihood of wave breaking. These suggest mechanisms by which variability in the tropical Pacific, and in the stratosphere, could affect the NAO.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: B-GOS administration to healthy elderly persons resulted in positive effects on both the microflora composition and the immune response, and may be a useful dietary candidate for the enhancement of gastrointestinal health and immune function in elderly persons.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The measurement of anthocyanins and flavanols in the brain following blueberry supplementation may indicate that changes in spatial working memory in aged animals are linked to the effects of flavonoids on the ERK-CREB-BDNF pathway.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Data suggest that the consumption of flavanol-rich foods may support gut health through their ability to exert prebiotic actions, as both ( − )-epicatechin and (+)-catechin were converted to the same metabolites.
Abstract: We have investigated the bacterial-dependent metabolism of ( - )-epicatechin and (+)-catechin using a pH-controlled, stirred, batch-culture fermentation system reflective of the distal region of the human large intestine. Incubation of ( - )-epicatechin or (+)-catechin (150 mg/l or 1000 mg/l) with faecal bacteria, led to the generation of 5-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-gamma-valerolactone, 5-phenyl-gamma-valerolactone and phenylpropionic acid. However, the formation of these metabolites from (+)-catechin required its initial conversion to (+)-epicatechin. The metabolism of both flavanols occurred in the presence of favourable carbon sources, notably sucrose and the prebiotic fructo-oligosaccharides, indicating that bacterial utilisation of flavanols also occurs when preferential energy sources are available. (+)-Catechin incubation affected the growth of select microflora, resulting in a statistically significant increase in the growth of the Clostridium coccoides-Eubacterium rectale group, Bifidobacterium spp. and Escherichia coli, as well as a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of the C. histolyticum group. In contrast, the effect of ( - )-epicatechin was less profound, only significantly increasing the growth of the C. coccoides-Eubacterium rectale group. These potential prebiotic effects for both (+)-catechin and ( - )-epicatechin were most notable at the lower concentration of 150 mg/l. As both ( - )-epicatechin and (+)-catechin were converted to the same metabolites, the more dramatic change in the growth of distinct microfloral populations produced by (+)-catechin incubation may be linked to the bacterial conversion of (+)-catechin to (+)-epicatechin. Together these data suggest that the consumption of flavanol-rich foods may support gut health through their ability to exert prebiotic actions.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Daily consumption of WG wheat exerted a pronounced prebiotic effect on the human gut microbiota composition, which may contribute towards the beneficial physiological effects of whole-grain wheat.
Abstract: Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse association between dietary intake of whole grains and the risk of chronic disease. This may be related to the ability to mediate a prebiotic modulation of gut microbiota. However, no studies have been conducted on the microbiota modulatory capability of whole-grain (WG) cereals. In the present study, the impact of WG wheat on the human intestinal microbiota compared to wheat bran (WB) was determined. A double-blind, randomised, crossover study was carried out in thirty-one volunteers who were randomised into two groups and consumed daily 48 g breakfast cereals, either WG or WB, in two 3-week study periods, separated by a 2-week washout period. Numbers of faecal bifidobacteria and lactobacilli (the target genera for prebiotic intake), were significantly higher upon WG ingestion compared with WB. Ingestion of both breakfast cereals resulted in a significant increase in ferulic acid concentrations in blood but no discernible difference in faeces or urine. No significant differences in faecal SCFA, fasting blood glucose, insulin, total cholesterol (TC), TAG or HDL-cholesterol were observed upon ingestion of WG compared with WB. However, a significant reduction in TC was observed in volunteers in the top quartile of TC concentrations upon ingestion of either cereal. No adverse intestinal symptoms were reported and WB ingestion increased stool frequency. Daily consumption of WG wheat exerted a pronounced prebiotic effect on the human gut microbiota composition. This prebiotic activity may contribute towards the beneficial physiological effects of WG wheat.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper explored the career capital of expatriates, differentiating between self-initiated expat and company assigned expat, and found considerable similarities and some differences in the development of career capital.
Abstract: This article explores the career capital of expatriates, differentiating between self-initiated expatriates (SEs) and company assigned expatriates (AEs). Previous research has considered issues such as individual background variables, employer and task variables, motives, compensation, and repatriation. The present study adds new perspectives related to the development of career capital. The article uses a survey of more than 200 Finnish expatriates to explore these concepts in relation to international work experiences; finding considerable similarities and some differences in the development of career capital of those sent on an expatriate assignment by an organization, and those having a self-initiated expatriate experience.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A 41-year inventory of vegetation fire emissions constructed for the Reanalysis of the Tropospheric chemical composition over the past 40 years project (RETRO) is presented in this article.
Abstract: In many regions of the world, fires are an important and highly variable source of air pollutant emissions, and they thus constitute a significant if not dominant factor controlling the interannual variability of the atmospheric composition. This paper describes the 41-year inventory of vegetation fire emissions constructed for the Reanalysis of the Tropospheric chemical composition over the past 40 years project (RETRO), a global modeling study to investigate the trends and variability of tropospheric ozone and other air pollutants over the past decades. It is the first attempt to construct a global emissions data set with monthly time resolution over such a long period. The inventory is based on a literature review, on estimates from different satellite products, and on a numerical model with a semiphysical approach to simulate fire occurrence and fire spread. Burned areas, carbon consumption, and total carbon release are estimated for 13 continental-scale regions, including explicit treatment of some major burning events such as Indonesia in 1997 and 1998. Global carbon emissions from this inventory range from 1410 to 3140 Tg C/a with the minimum and maximum occurring in 1974 and 1992, respectively (mean of 2078 Tg C/a). Emissions of other species are also reported (mean CO of 330 Tg/a, NO x of 4.6 Tg N/a, CH 2 O of 3.9 Tg/a, CH 4 of 15.4 Tg/a, BC of 2.2 Tg/a, OC of 17.6 Tg/a, SO 2 of 2.2 Tg/a). The uncertainties of these estimates remain high even for later years where satellite data products are available. Future versions of this inventory may benefit from ongoing analysis of burned areas from satellite data going back to 1982.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A web‐based program, onesamp, is developed that uses approximate Bayesian computation to estimate effective population size from a sample of microsatellite genotypes and provides an estimate ofeffective population size, along with 95% credible limits.
Abstract: The estimation of effective population size from one sample of genotypes has been problematic because most estimators have been proven imprecise or biased. We developed a web-based program, onesamp that uses approximate Bayesian computation to estimate effective population size from a sample of microsatellite genotypes. onesamp requires an input file of sampled individuals' microsatellite genotypes along with information about several sampling and biological parameters. onesamp provides an estimate of effective population size, along with 95% credible limits. We illustrate the use of onesamp with an example data set from a re-introduced population of ibex Capra ibex.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Nov 2008-Geoforum
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore cross-scale dynamics in coping and adaptation response, drawing on qualitative data from a case study in Mozambique, and characterises the engagements across multiple institutional scales and the types of agents involved, providing insight into emergent conditions for adaptation to climate change in rural economies.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review explores the potential inhibitory or stimulatory actions of flavonoids within signalling pathways, and describes how such interactions are likely to underlie neurological effects through their ability to affect the activation state of target molecules and/or by modulating gene expression.
Abstract: Emerging evidence suggests that dietary phytochemicals, in particular flavonoids, may exert beneficial effects on the central nervous system by protecting neurons against stress-induced injury, by suppressing neuroinflammation and by improving cognitive function. It is likely that flavonoids exert such effects, through selective actions on different components of a number of protein kinase and lipid kinase signalling cascades, such as the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt, protein kinase C and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. This review explores the potential inhibitory or stimulatory actions of flavonoids within these pathways, and describes how such interactions are likely to underlie neurological effects through their ability to affect the activation state of target molecules and/or by modulating gene expression. Future research directions are outlined in relation to the precise site(s) of action of flavonoids within signalling pathways and the sequence of events that allow them to regulate neuronal function.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper relates thermal stability and minimum gelation concentration values of small-molecule gelation in terms of the solubility and cooperative self-assembly of gelator building blocks and reports that the critical concentration of gelators incorporated into the solid-phase sample-spanning network within the gel is invariant of Gelator structural design.
Abstract: This paper highlights the key role played by solubility in influencing gelation and demonstrates that many facets of the gelation process depend on this vital parameter. In particular, we relate thermal stability (Tgel) and minimum gelation concentration (MGC) values of small-molecule gelation in terms of the solubility and cooperative self-assembly of gelator building blocks. By employing a van’t Hoff analysis of solubility data, determined from simple NMR measurements, we are able to generate Tcalc values that reflect the calculated temperature for complete solubilization of the networked gelator. The concentration dependence of Tcalc allows the previously difficult to rationalize “plateau-region” thermal stability values to be elucidated in terms of gelator molecular design. This is demonstrated for a family of four gelators with lysine units attached to each end of an aliphatic diamine, with different peripheral groups (Z or Boc) in different locations on the periphery of the molecule. By tuning the p...