[1] In order to differentiate between boulder avalanche deposits triggered by temperature/climate controlled melting of ice or triggered by ground shaking produced by paleomarsquakes, spatial variation in boulder size populations has been measured from High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images along Cerberus Fossae, one of the youngest fracture/graben systems on the Martian surface. The boulders have fallen from less than $500 m high fault-controlled cliffs and rolled and bounced across relatively coarse-grained sediment, forming colluvial fans. The boulders have left trails in the dust in some cases, coming to rest on relatively fine-grained Aeolian sediment. The boulder size distribution varies along the graben contrary to what would be expected if boulder falls had been liberated by temperature/climate controlled melting of ice. Boulder size and boulder trail data peak close to the center of the fault system, decreasing along strike. Furthermore, evidence for relatively recent surface faulting of colluvial slopes along the fault-controlled cliffs is confined to the area with anomalously large boulder/trail size data. We interpret the above as consistent with observations of terrestrial earthquake-triggered boulder avalanches where boulder sizes decrease away from the epicenter and surface faulting. We discuss the implications of possible marsquakes along Cerberus Fossae in terms of active faulting associated with dike emplacement that is subradial to the Elysium Mons volcano.

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Since 1998 BUPA has used the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire to monitor changes in health status after adult elective surgery. Over 70 independent hospitals across the United Kingdom have collected data on over 100000 patient episodes. SF-36 is one of a number of tools that support clinical governance in the sector. Results are reported confidentially, putting the emphasis on supporting a learning culture. FORMULATION OF PROBLEMS APPARENT AT 3 YEARS: Feedback was sub-optimal: discussions with hospital staff and consultants revealed that the league tables were hard to interpret, and there was uncertainty about the definition of outlier results. The number of patients recruited to the survey was variable across the hospitals. No grouping of low-volume procedures met with agreement. ACTION PLAN FOR YEAR 4: Use 'Shewhart' control charts to distinguish common and special cause variation in results; substitute a condition-specific tool in one instance; adoption of an 'alert' process to prompt local audit of unusual results; use of a reminder letter to improve return rate of follow-up questionnaires; and focus programme on a list of 20 common procedures. Discuss these changes with the managerial and clinical leaders of each of BUPA's hospitals. CURRENT POSITION AT YEAR 5 : The use of Shewhart charts has been welcomed by managers and clinicians at BUPA's hospitals. The renewed confidence in the programme has encouraged constructive debate into allowing wider access to previously confidential results. Some changes in clinical practice have occurred.

Populations of the ground beetle Scaphinotus petersi are isolated in subalpine conifer forest habitats on mountain ranges or Sky Islands in southeastern Arizona. Previous work on this species has suggested these populations have been isolated since the last post-glacial maximum times as warming caused this cool adapted species to retreat to high elevations. To test this hypothesis, we inferred the phylogeny from mitochondrial DNA sequence data from several Arizona Sky Island populations of Scaphinotus petersi and estimated the divergence time of the currently isolated populations. We found two major clades of Scaphinotus petersi, an eastern clade and a western group. Our results indicated most mountain ranges form clades except the Huachucas, which are polyphyletic and the Santa Catalinas, which are paraphyletic. We estimated the Pinaleño population is much older than the last glacial maximum, but the Huachuca and Pinal populations may have been fragmented from the Santa Catalina population since the post-glacial maximum times.

SUMMARYThe objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of two nisin blend antimicrobial agents (Guardian NR 250, Novagard CBI) incorporated into a cellulose coating that was applied onto a barrier fi lm against Listeria monocytogenes. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the agents in solution against L. monocytogenes was found to be 2.74 mg/ml for the two nisin blends. The concentrations tested for both nisin blend treatments were 5.49, 10.9, 16.4 and 21.9 mg/ml. Guardian NR 250 resulted in wider zones of inhibition compared to the Novagard CBI at all levels tested. The MIC for Guardian NR 250 in the fi lm was 5.49 mg/ml. Films containing Novagard CBI did not show any antimicrobial activity. A food challenge study was conducted using the fi lm containing Guardian NR 250 at levels of 5.49 and 21.9 mg/ ml. Inoculated fresh beef cubes were individually packaged with pre-made barrier fi lm pouches that had an interior cellulose coating containing the antimicrobial agent and stored at 4°C for 36 days. Bacterial colonies were enumerated every 6 days on modifi ed Oxford agar. There was no signifi cant difference in the L. monocytogenes population between two levels of Guardian NR 250 throughout the study. There was statistically signifi cant inhibition of L. monocytogenes for both levels of Guardian NR 250 during 18-30 days of storage compared to a control fi lm without the antimicrobial agent.