Schedule of prices for Brown and McDonell, contractors, for sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Port Dalhousie Thorold Railway

Schedule of prices for Brown and McDonell, contractors, for sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Port Dalhousie Thorold Railway (1 page, handwritten), Sept. 24, 1856.

Metabolic requirements of boxing exercises

Face aux données conflictuelles de la littérature sur le VO2 requis d’exercices de boxe (sparring, palettes de frappe et sac de frappe), surtout pour le “vrai” sparring avec coups de poings au visage, une nouvelle méthode basée sur une mesure de VO2 “post-exercice” fut développée, validée (Annexe 1) et utilisée pour ré-évaluer le coût énergétique de ces exercices de boxe. Neufs boxeurs mâles expérimentés, de 22.0±3.5 ans et 71.4±10.9 kg avec un VO2pic de 62.2±4.1 ml·kg-1·min-1 (moyenne ± écart type) furent mesurés lors 1) d’un test progressif maximal sur tapis roulant en laboratoire 2) d’un entrainement standardisé de boxe en gymnase et 3) d’exercices de boxe standardisés en laboratoire. Des VO2 requis de 43.4±5.9, 41.1±5.1, 24.7±6.1, 30.4±5.8 et 38.3±6.5 ml·kg-1·min-1, respectivement obtenues pour le sparring, les palettes de frappe et le sac de frappe à 60, 120 et 180 coup·min-1, situe l’intensité de ces exercices autour de ~70 %VO2pic.

The BTB/POZ Transcription Factor Miz-1 Is Required To Regulate The Commitment, Survival And Differentiation Of Early B And T Cell Lineages

Les lymphocytes B et T sont issus de cellules progénitrices lymphoïdes de la moelle osseuse qui se différencient grâce à l’action de facteurs de transcription, cytokines et voies de signalisation, dont l’interleukine-7 (IL-7)/IL-7 récepteur (IL-7R). Le facteur de transcription c-Myc est exprimé par les cellules lymphoïdes et contrôle leur croissance et leur différenciation. Cette régulation transcriptionnelle peut être coordonnée par le complexe c-Myc/Myc-Interacting Zinc finger protein-1 (Miz-1). Le but de ce projet était de comprendre les mécanismes qui impliquent Miz-1 et le complexe c-Myc/Miz-1 dans le développement des lymphocytes B et T. Pour réaliser ce projet, des souris déficientes pour le domaine de transactivation de Miz-1 (Miz-1POZ) et des souris à allèles mutantes pour c-MycV394D, mutation qui empêche l’interaction avec Miz-1, ont été générées. La caractérisation des souris Miz 1POZ a démontré que l’inactivation de Miz-1 perturbe le développement des lymphocytes B et T aux stades précoces de leur différenciation qui dépend de l’IL-7. L’analyse de la cascade de signalisation IL-7/IL-7R a montré que ces cellules surexpriment la protéine inhibitrice SOCS1 qui empêche la phosphorylation de STAT5 et perturbe la régulation à la hausse de la protéine de survie Bcl-2. De plus, Miz-1 se lie directement au promoteur de SOCS1 et contrôle son activité. En plus de contrôler l’axe IL-7/IL-7R/STAT5/Bcl-2 spécifiquement aux stades précoces du développement afin d’assurer la survie des progéniteurs B et T, Miz-1 régule l’axe EBF/Pax-5/Rag-1/2 dans les cellules B afin de coordonner les signaux nécessaires pour la différenciation des cellules immatures. La caractérisation des souris c-MycV394D a montré, quant à elle, que les fonctions de Miz-1 dans les cellules B et T semblent indépendantes de c-Myc. Les cellules T des souris Miz-1POZ ont un défaut de différenciation additionnel au niveau de la -sélection, étape où les signaux initiés par le TCR remplacent ceux induits par IL-7 pour assurer la prolifération et la différenciation des thymocytes en stades plus matures. À cette étape du développement, une forme fonctionnelle de Miz-1 semble être requise pour contrôler le niveau d’activation de la voie p53, induite lors du processus de réarrangement V(D)J du TCR. L’expression de gènes pro-apoptotiques PUMA, NOXA, Bax et du régulateur de cycle cellulaire p21CIP1 est régulée à la hausse dans les cellules des souris Miz-1POZ. Ceci provoque un débalancement pro-apoptotique qui empêche la progression du cycle cellulaire des cellules TCR-positives. La survie des cellules peut être rétablie à ce stade de différenciation en assurant une coordination adéquate entre les signaux initiés par l’introduction d’un TCR transgénique et d’un transgène codant pour la protéine Bcl-2. En conclusion, ces études ont montré que Miz-1 intervient à deux niveaux du développement lymphoïde: l’un précoce en contrôlant la signalisation induite par l’IL-7 dans les cellules B et T, en plus de l’axe EBF/Pax-5/Rag-1/2 dans les cellules B; et l’autre tardif, en coordonnant les signaux de survie issus par le TCR et p53 dans les cellules T. Étant donné que les thymocytes et lymphocytes B immatures sont sujets à plusieurs rondes de prolifération, ces études serviront à mieux comprendre l’implication des régulateurs du cycle cellulaire comme c-Myc et Miz-1 dans la génération des signaux nécessaires à la différenciation non aberrante et à la survie des ces cellules. Enfin, les modèles expérimentaux, souris déficientes ou à allèles mutantes, utilisés pour ce travail permettront de mieux définir les bases moléculaires de la transformation maligne des lymphocytes B et T et de révéler les mécanismes conduisant au lymphome.

Role of the protein tyrosine phosphatase DEP-1 in Src activation and the mediation of biological cell functions of endothelial and breast cancer cells

L’implication des protéines tyrosines phosphatases (PTPs) dans la régulation de la signalisation et la médiation des fonctions cellulaires a été bien établie dans les dernières années. Cependant, les mécanismes moléculaires par lesquels les PTPs régulent les processus fondamentaux tels que l’angiogenèse demeurent méconnus. Il a été rapporté que l’expression de la PTP DEP-1 (Density-enhanced phosphatase 1) augmente avec la densité cellulaire et corrèle avec la déphosphorylation du récepteur VEGFR2. Cette déphosphorylation contribue à l’inhibition de contact dans les cellules endothéliales à confluence et diminue l’activité du VEGFR2 en déphosphorylant spécifiquement ses résidus catalytiques Y1054/1059. De plus, la plupart des voies de signalisation en aval du VEGFR2 sont diminuées sauf la voie Src-Gab1-AKT. DEP-1 déphosphoryle la Y529 de Src et contribue à la promotion de la survie dans les cellules endothéliales. L’objectif de cette thèse est de mieux définir le rôle de DEP-1 dans la régulation de l’activité de Src et les réponses biologiques dans les cellules endothéliales. Nous avons identifié les résidus Y1311 et Y1320 dans la queue C-terminale de DEP-1 comme sites majeurs de phosphorylation en réponse au VEGF. La phosphorylation de ces résidus est requise pour l’activation de Src et médie le remodelage des jonctions cellules-cellules dépendantes de Src. Ce remodelage induit la perméabilité, l’invasion et la formation de capillaires en réponse au VEGF. Nos résultats démontrent que la phosphorylation de DEP-1 sur résidu tyrosine est requise pour diriger la spécificité de DEP-1 vers son substrat Src. Les travaux révèlent pour la première fois un rôle positif de DEP-1 sur l’induction du programme angiogénique des cellules endothéliales. En plus de la phosphorylation sur tyrosine, DEP-1 est constitutivement phosphorylé sur la thréonine 1318 situé à proximité de la Y1320 en C-terminal. Cette localisation de la T1318 suggère que ce résidu pourrait être impliqué dans la régulation de la Y1320. En effet, nous avons observé que la T1318 de DEP-1 est phosphorylée potentiellement par CK2, et que cette phosphorylation régule la phosphorylation de DEP-1 sur tyrosine et sa capacité de lier et d’activer Src. En accord avec ces résultats, nos travaux révèlent que la surexpression du mutant DEP-1 T1318A diminue le remodelage des jonctions cellules-cellules et par conséquent la perméabilité. Nos résultats suggèrent donc que la T1318 de DEP-1 constitue un nouveau mécanisme de contrôle de la phosphorylation sur tyrosine et que ceci résulte en l’activation de Src et l’induction des fonctions biologiques des cellules endothéliales en réponse au VEGF. Suite à ces travaux dans les cellules endothéliales qui démontrent un rôle positif de DEP-1 dans la médiation des réponses angiogéniques, nous avons voulu approfondir nos connaissances sur l’implication potentielle de DEP-1 dans les cellules cancéreuses où l’activité de Src est requise pour la progression tumorale. Malgré le rôle connu de DEP-1 comme suppresseur tumoral dans différents types de cancer, nous avons émis l’hypothèse que DEP-1 pourrait promouvoir les fonctions biologiques dépendantes de Src telles que la migration et l’invasion dans les cellules cancéreuses. Ainsi, nous avons observé que l’expression de DEP-1 est plus élevée dans les lignées basales de cancer du sein qui sont plus invasives comparativement aux lignées luminales peu invasives. Dans les lignées basales, DEP-1 active Src, médie la motilité cellulaire dépendante de Src et régule la localisation des protéines impliquées dans l’organisation du cytosquelette. L’analyse d’un micro-étalage de tissu a révélé que l’expression de DEP-1 est associée avec une réduction tendencielle de survie des patients. Nos résultats proposent donc, un rôle de promoteur tumoral pour DEP-1 dans la progression du cancer du sein. Les travaux présentés dans cette thèse démontrent pour la première fois que DEP-1 peut agir comme promoteur des réponses angiogéniques et du phénotype pro-invasif des lignées basales du cancer du sein probablement du à sa capacité d’activer Src. Nos résultats suggèrent ainsi que l’expression de DEP-1 pourrait contribuer à la progression tumorale et la formation de métastases. Ces découvertes laissent donc entrevoir que DEP-1 représente une nouvelle cible thérapeutique potentielle pour contrer l’angiogenèse et le développement du cancer.

Determination of the laser-induced damage threshold of bulk polymer samples at 1.06 mu m using the pulsed photothermal deflection technique

A pulsed Nd-YAG laser beam is used to produce a transient refractive index gradient in air adjoining the plane surface of the sample material. This refractive index gradient is probed by a continuous He-Ne laser beam propagating parallel to the sample surface. The observed deflection signals produced by the probe beam exhibit drastic variations when the pump laser energy density crosses the damage threshold for the sample. The measurements are used to estimate the damage threshold for a few polymer samples. The present values are found to be in good agreement with those determined by other methods.

Nonparametric Estimation of the Average Availability

The average availability of a repairable system is the expected proportion of time that the system is operating in the interval [0, t]. The present article discusses the nonparametric estimation of the average availability when (i) the data on 'n' complete cycles of system operation are available, (ii) the data are subject to right censorship, and (iii) the process is observed upto a specified time 'T'. In each case, a nonparametric confidence interval for the average availability is also constructed. Simulations are conducted to assess the performance of the estimators.

Interacciones de género estudiante-profesor, deserción y rendimiento académico en Colombia

En este trabajo se estima el efecto del género del profesor sobre la deserción y el rendimiento educativo de los estudiantes en Colombia durante el periodo 2009-2012. La estrategia empírica se fundamenta en un modelo de regresión lineal que establece la relación entre la proporción de profesoras interactuada con el género del estudiante. Los resultados sugieren que existe un sesgo de selección debido a que las profesoras aumentan la probabilidad de que las niñas finalicen la educación media, lo que implica que la composición de habilidades entre hombres y mujeres no es la misma. Luego de corregir este sesgo de selección, se encuentra un resultado significativo en el género del profesor. Un aumento de una desviación estándar en la proporción de profesoras incrementa en 0.01 desviaciones estándar el puntaje de los niños en la prueba de matemáticas y el puntaje de las niñas en la prueba de lenguaje. Este trabajo utiliza información proveniente de la prueba Saber 11, la Resolución 166 y el concurso docente.

A case study of the radiative forcing of persistent contrails evolving into contrail-induced cirrus

The radiative forcing due to a distinct pattern of persistent contrails that form into contrail-induced cirrus near and over the UK is investigated in detail for a single case study during March 2009. The development of the contrail-induced cirrus is tracked using a number of high-resolution polar orbiting and lower-resolution geostationary satellite instruments and is found to persist for a period of around 18 h, and at its peak, it covers over 50,000 km2. The shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) radiative forcing of the contrail-induced cirrus is estimated using a combination of geostationary satellite instruments, numerical weather prediction models, and surface observation sites. As expected, the net radiative effect is a relatively small residual of the much stronger but opposing SW and LW effects, locally totaling around 10 W m−2 during daylight hours and 30 W m−2 during nighttime. A simple estimate indicates that this single localized event may have generated a global-mean radiative forcing of around 7% of recent estimates of the persistent contrail radiative forcing due to the entire global aircraft fleet on a diurnally averaged basis. A single aircraft operating in conditions favorable for persistent contrail formation appears to exert a contrail-induced radiative forcing some 5000 times greater (in W m−2 km−1) than recent estimates of the average persistent contrail radiative forcing from the entire civil aviation fleet. This study emphasizes the need to establish whether similar events are common or highly unusual for a confident assessment of the total climate effect of aviation to be made.

A case study of the radiative forcing of persistent contrails evolving into contrail-induced cirrus

The radiative forcing due to a distinct pattern of persistent contrails that form into contrail-induced cirrus near and over the UK is investigated in detail for a single case study during March 2009. The development of the contrail-induced cirrus is tracked using a number of high-resolution polar orbiting and lower-resolution geostationary satellite instruments and is found to persist for a period of around 18 h, and at its peak, it covers over 50,000 km2. The shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) radiative forcing of the contrail-induced cirrus is estimated using a combination of geostationary satellite instruments, numerical weather prediction models, and surface observation sites. As expected, the net radiative effect is a relatively small residual of the much stronger but opposing SW and LW effects, locally totaling around 10 W m−2 during daylight hours and 30 W m−2 during nighttime. A simple estimate indicates that this single localized event may have generated a global-mean radiative forcing of around 7% of recent estimates of the persistent contrail radiative forcing due to the entire global aircraft fleet on a diurnally averaged basis. A single aircraft operating in conditions favorable for persistent contrail formation appears to exert a contrail-induced radiative forcing some 5000 times greater (in W m−2 km−1) than recent estimates of the average persistent contrail radiative forcing from the entire civil aviation fleet. This study emphasizes the need to establish whether similar events are common or highly unusual for a confident assessment of the total climate effect of aviation to be made.

The magma budget of Volcan Arenal, Costa Rica from 1980 to 2004

Using topographic data collected by radar interferometry, stereo-photogrammetry, and field survey we have measured the changing surface of Volcan Arenal in Costa Rica over the period from 1980 to 2004. During this time this young volcano has mainly effused basaltic andesite lava, continuing the activity that began in 1968. Explosive products form only a few percent of the volumetric output. We have calculated digital elevation models for the years 1961, 1988 and 1997 and modified existing models for 2000 and 2004. From these we have estimated the volume of lava effused and coupled this with the data presented by an earlier study for 1968-1980. We find that a dense rock equivalent volume of 551 M m(3) was effused from 1968 to 2004. The dense rock equivalent effusion rate fell from about 2 m(3) s(-1) to about 0.1-0.2 m(3) s(-1) over the same period, with an average rate of about 0.5 m(3) s(-1). Between 1980 and 2004, the average effusion rate was 0.36 m(3) s(-1), a similar rate to that measured between 1974 and 1980. There have been two significant deviations from this long-term rate. The effusion rate increased from 1984 to 1991, at the same time as explosivity increased. After a period of moderate effusion rates in the 1990s, the rate fell to lower levels around 1999. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the evolution of the solar wind between 1 and 5 AU at the time of the Cassini Jupiter flyby: Multispacecraft observations of interplanetary coronal mass ejections including the formation of a merged interaction region

The Cassini flyby of Jupiter occurred at a time near solar maximum. Consequently, the pre-Jupiter data set reveals clear and numerous transient perturbations to the Parker Spiral solar wind structure. Limited plasma data are available at Cassini for this period due to pointing restrictions imposed on the instrument. This renders the identification of the nature of such structures ambiguous, as determinations based on the magnetic field data alone are unreliable. However, a fortuitous alignment of the planets during this encounter allowed us to trace these structures back to those observed previously by the Wind spacecraft near the Earth. Of the phenomena that we are satisfactorily able to trace back to their manifestation at 1 AU, two are identified as being due to interplanetary coronal mass ejections. One event at Cassini is shown to be a merged interaction region, which is formed from the compression of a magnetic cloud by two anomalously fast solar wind streams. The flux-rope structure associated with this magnetic cloud is not as apparent at Cassini and has most likely been compressed and deformed. Confirmation of the validity of the ballistic projections used here is provided by results obtained from a one-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic projection of solar wind parameters measured upstream near the Earth. It is found that when the Earth and Cassini are within a few tens of degrees in heliospheric longitude, the results of this one-dimensional model predict the actual conditions measured at 5 AU to an impressive degree. Finally, the validity of the use of such one-dimensional projections in obtaining quasi-solar wind parameters at the outer planets is discussed.

Developmental changes in the germinability, desiccation tolerance, hardseededness, and longevity of individual seeds of Trifolium ambiguum

Background and Aims: Using two parental clones of outcrossing Trifolium ambiguum as a potential model system, we examined how during seed development the maternal parent, number of seeds per pod, seed position within the pod, and pod position within the inflorescence influenced individual seed fresh weight, dry weight, water content, germinability, desiccation tolerance, hardseededness, and subsequent longevity of individual seeds. Methods: Near simultaneous, manual reciprocal crosses were carried out between clonal lines for two experiments. Infructescences were harvested at intervals during seed development. Each individual seed was weighed and then used to determine dry weight or one of the physiological behaviour traits. Key Results: Whilst population mass maturity was reached at 33–36 days after pollination (DAP), seed-to-seed variation in maximum seed dry weight, when it was achieved, and when maturation drying commenced, was considerable. Individual seeds acquired germinability between 14 and 44 DAP, desiccation tolerance between 30 and 40 DAP, and the capability to become hardseeded between 30 and 47 DAP. The time for viability to fall to 50 % (p50) at 60 % relative humidity and 45 °C increased between 36 and 56 DAP, when the seed coats of most individuals had become dark orange, but declined thereafter. Individual seed f. wt at harvest did not correlate with air-dry storage survival period. Analysing survival data for cohorts of seeds reduced the standard deviation of the normal distribution of seed deaths in time, but no sub-population showed complete uniformity of survival period. Conclusions: Variation in individual seed behaviours within a developing population is inherent and inevitable. In this outbreeder, there is significant variation in seed longevity which appears dependent on embryo genotype with little effect of maternal genotype or architectural factors.

Marker placement to describe the wrist movements during activities of daily living in cyclical tasks

Objective. To describe the wrist kinematics during movement through free range of motion and activities of daily living using a cyclical task. Design. The wrist angles were initially calculated in a calibration trial and then in two selected activities of daily living (jar opening and carton pouring). Background. Existing studies which describe the wrist movement do not address the specific application of daily activities. Moreover, the data presented from subject to subject may differ simply because of the non-cyclical nature of the upper limbs movements. Methods. The coordinates of external markers attached to bone references on the forearm and dorsal side of the hand were obtained using an optical motion capture system. The wrist angles were derived from free motion trials and successively calculated in four healthy subjects for two specific cyclical daily activities (opening a jar and pouring from a carton). Results. The free motions trial highlighted the interaction between the wrist angles. Both the jar opening and the carton pouring activity showed a repetitive pattern for the three angles within the cycle length. In the jar-opening task, the standard deviation for the whole population was 10.8degrees for flexion-extension, 5.3degrees for radial-ulnar deviation and 10.4degrees for pronation-supination. In the carton-pouring task, the standard deviation for the whole population was 16.0degrees for flexion-extension, 3.4degrees for radial-ulnar deviation and 10.7degrees for pro nation-supination. Conclusion. Wrist kinematics in healthy subjects can be successfully described by the rotations about the axes of marker-defined coordinates systems during free range of motion and daily activities using cyclical tasks.

Atmospheric conservation properties in ERA-Interim

We study the global atmospheric budgets of mass, moisture, energy and angular momentum in the latest reanalysis from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), ERA-Interim, for the period 1989–2008 and compare with ERA-40. Most of the measures we use indicate that the ERA-Interim reanalysis is superior in quality to ERA-40. In ERA-Interim the standard deviation of the monthly mean global dry mass of 0.7 kg m−2 (0.007%) is slightly worse than in ERA-40, and long time-scale variations in dry mass originate predominately in the surface pressure field. The divergent winds are improved in ERA-Interim: the global standard deviation of the time-averaged dry mass budget residual is 10 kg m−2 day−1 and the quality of the cross-equatorial mass fluxes is improved. The temporal variations in the global evaporation minus precipitation (E − P) are too large but the global moisture budget residual is 0.003 kg m−2 day−1 with a spatial standard deviation of 0.3 kg m−2 day−1. Both the E − P over ocean and P − E over land are about 15% larger than the 1.1 Tg s−1 transport of water from ocean to land. The top of atmosphere (TOA) net energy losses are improved, with a value of 1 W m−2, but the meridional gradient of the TOA net energy flux is smaller than that from the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data. At the surface the global energy losses are worse, with a value of 7 W m−2. Over land however, the energy loss is only 0.5 W m−2. The downwelling thermal radiation at the surface in ERA-Interim of 341 W m−2 is towards the higher end of previous estimates. The global mass-adjusted energy budget residual is 8 W m−2 with a spatial standard deviation of 11 W m−2, and the mass-adjusted atmospheric energy transport from low to high latitudes (the sum for the two hemispheres) is 9.5 PW

In vitro fermentation of linear and alpha-1,2-branched dextrans by the human fecal microbiota

The role of structure and molecular weight in fermentation selectivity in linear α-1,6 dextrans and dextrans with α-1,2 branching was investigated. Fermentation by gut bacteria was determined in anaerobic, pH-controlled fecal batch cultures after 36 h. Inulin (1%, wt/vol), which is a known prebiotic, was used as a control. Samples were obtained at 0, 10, 24, and 36 h of fermentation for bacterial enumeration by fluorescent in situ hybridization and short-chain fatty acid analyses. The gas production of the substrate fermentation was investigated in non-pH-controlled, fecal batch culture tubes after 36 h. Linear and branched 1-kDa dextrans produced significant increases in Bifidobacterium populations. The degree of α-1,2 branching did not influence the Bifidobacterium populations; however, α-1,2 branching increased the dietary fiber content, implying a decrease in digestibility. Other measured bacteria were unaffected by the test substrates except for the Bacteroides-Prevotella group, the growth levels of which were increased on inulin and 6- and 70-kDa dextrans, and the Faecalibacterium prausnitzii group, the growth levels of which were decreased on inulin and 1-kDa dextrans. A considerable increase in short-chain fatty acid concentration was measured following the fermentation of all dextrans and inulin. Gas production rates were similar among all dextrans tested but were significantly slower than that for inulin. The linear 1-kDa dextran produced lower total gas and shorter time to attain maximal gas production compared to those of the 70-kDa dextran (branched) and inulin. These findings indicate that dextrans induce a selective effect on the gut flora, short-chain fatty acids, and gas production depending on their length.