Alternagin-C, a disintegrin-like protein from the venom of Bothrops alternatus, modulates alpha2ß1 integrin-mediated cell adhesion, migration and proliferation

The alpha2ß1 integrin is a major collagen receptor that plays an essential role in the adhesion of normal and tumor cells to the extracellular matrix. Alternagin-C (ALT-C), a disintegrin-like protein purified from the venom of the Brazilian snake Bothrops alternatus, competitively interacts with the alpha2ß1 integrin, thereby inhibiting collagen binding. When immobilized in plate wells, ALT-C supports the adhesion of fibroblasts as well as of human vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and does not detach cells previously bound to collagen I. ALT-C is a strong inducer of HUVEC proliferation in vitro. Gene expression analysis was done using an Affimetrix HU-95A probe array with probe sets of ~10,000 human genes. In human fibroblasts growing on collagen-coated plates, ALT-C up-regulates the expression of several growth factors including vascular endothelial growth factor, as well as some cell cycle control genes. Up-regulation of the vascular endothelial growth factor gene and other growth factors could explain the positive effect on HUVEC proliferation. ALT-C also strongly activates protein kinase B phosphorylation, a signaling event involved in endothelial cell survival and angiogenesis. In human neutrophils, ALT-C has a potent chemotactic effect modulated by the intracellular signaling cascade characteristic of integrin-activated pathways. Thus, ALT-C acts as a survival factor, promoting adhesion, migration and endothelial cell proliferation after binding to alpha2ß1 integrin on the cell surface. The biological activities of ALT-C may be helpful as a therapeutic strategy in tissue regeneration as well as in the design of new therapeutic agents targeting alpha2ß1 integrin.

A new map of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, & Moscovy shewing their present general divisions, cheif, [!] cities or towns, rivers, mountains, &c.

[N. 1:8500000].

Using Tomato Analyzer software to determine embryo size in x-rayed seeds

A primary interest of image analysis of X-rayed seeds is to identify whether the extent of fill in the embryo cavity is associated with to seed physiological quality. The objective of this research was to verify the accuracy of the freely available Tomato Analyzer (TA) software developed at The Ohio State University to determine the ratio of embryo size over total seed area. Seeds of pumpkin, watermelon, cucumber and cotton were X-rayed and analyzed by the software which defines seed and embryo boundaries and automatically generates numerical values to quantify that ratio. Results showed that the TA has the sensitivity to evaluate the extent of embryo growth within the cucurbits and cotton seeds and is a promising alternative for this assessment in other seed species.

Between Dugin’s Eurasianism and Mahan’s Sea Power Concept: Russia’s Geopolitical Discourse within Foucault’s ‘Discursive Tree’ before and After the Incorporation of the Crimea

The fall of 2013 could be characterized as a crossroad in the geopolitics of Eastern Europe, namely Ukraine. Two rivalry geopolitical projects have been developing throughout the post-Cold War years, and it seems that they reached a collision point in Ukraine; a country whose authorities have been for long switching sides between the European Union and the Russian Federation in their foreign policy commitments. The refusal/postponing to sign the Association Agreement with Brussels, an expected event by a large category of the Ukrainian society, by Yanukovich’s government led to the outset of the latter; and brought a pro-Western, anti-Russian government in Kyiv. It seems that Ukraine, after those events, has embarked definitively on the path of integration into the West (European Union and possibly NATO). The Russian Federation, who has been throughout Putin’s years engaged into the re-integration of post-Soviet space, reacted to these developments in an assertive manner by violating borders, agreements and the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Thus, the incorporation of the Crimea into the Russian Federation is the first in its kind in the post-Soviet space, despite the existence of various other conflicts that broke out in the region after the Soviet Union broke up. I will investigate in this thesis the nature of what will be labelled, in this work, the Crimean issue. I argue that the incorporation of the Crimean peninsula into the Russian Federation marks a new era in Russian geopolitical thinking that shapes, to a far extent, Russian foreign policy. Discourse analysis will be the methodological basis for this study, with a special focus on Michel Foucault’s Archaeology of Knowledge. The innovation that this research brings is the fact that it discusses Russian geopolitical discourse within the scope of Foucault’s ‘discursive tree’, with a reference to the Crimean issue. A wide range of primary sources will be consulted in this study such as presidential addresses to the Federal Assembly (2000-2014), Foreign Policy Concepts of the Russian Federation (2000, 2008), Russian maritime doctrines, as wells as Dugin’s Osnovy Geopolitiki (Foundations of Geopolitics), Mahan’s (The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660–1783) and other Eurasianism related literature.

A new map of Denmark, Norway, Sweden & Moscovy, shewing their present general divisions, cheif, cities or towns, rivers, mountains, &c.: dedicated to his highness William Duke of Glocester

0-meridiaani Lontoo: Koordinaattiasteikko: W15°-E85°, N74°30'-48°.

Track and Field Team (1981-82)

Back Row: Al Pedler (Coach), Murray McEachern, John Popham, David Heyworth, Colin Harris, George Nixon Middle Row: Renee Traver, Wendy Wells Front Row: Maggie Swan, Debbie Belair, Katherine Coy

A hypothesis for the geochemical anomaly in the North Creek Watershed /

A regional geochemical reconnaissance by bottom stream sediment sampling, has delineated an area of high metal content in the north central sector of the North Creek Watershed. Development of a geochemical model, relating to the relative chemical concentrations derived from the chemical analyses of bottom sediments, suspended sediments, stream waters and well waters collected from the north central sector, was designed to discover the source of the anomaly. Samples of each type of material were analysed by the A.R.L. Direct Reading Multi-element Emission Spectrograph Q.A. 137 for elements: Na, K, Ca, Sr, Si, As, Pb, Zn, Cd, Ni, Ti, Ag, Mo, Be, Fe, AI, Mn, Cu, Cr, P and Y. Anomalous results led to the discovery of a spring, the waters of which carried high concentrations of Zn, Cd, Pb, As, Ni, Ti, Ag, Sr and Si. In addition, the spring waters had high concentrations of Na, Ca, Mg, 504 , alkalinity, N03' and low concentrations of K, Cl and NH3. Increased specific conductivity (up to 2500 ~mho/cm.) was noted in the spring waters as well as increased calculated total dissolved solids (up to 2047 mg/l) and increased ionic strength (up to 0.06). On the other hand, decreases were noted in water temperature (8°C), pH (pH 7.2) and Eh (+.154 volts). Piezometer nests were installed in the anomalous north central sector of the watershed. In accordance with the slope of the piezometric surface from wells cased down to the till/bedrock interface, groundwater flow is directed from the recharge area (northwest of the anomaly) towards the artesian spring via the highly fractured dolostone aquifer of the Upper Eramosa Member. The bedrock aquifer is confined by the overlying Halton till and the underlying Lower Eramosa Member (Vinemount Shale). The oxidation of sphalerite and galena and the dissolution of gypsum, celestite, calcite, and dolomite within the Eramosa Member, contributed its highly, dissolved constituents to the circulating groundwaters, the age of which is greater than 20 years as determined by tritium dating. Groundwater is assumed to flow along the Vinemount Shale and discharge as an artesian spring where the shale unit becomes discontinuous. The anomaly is located on a topographic low where bedrock is close to the surface. Thermodynamic evaluation of the major ion speciation from the anomalous spring and surface waters, showed gypsum to be supersaturated in these spring waters. Downstream from the spring, the loss of carbon dioxide from the spring waters resulted in the supersaturation with respect to calcite, aragonite, magnesite and dolomite. This corresponded with increases in Eh (+.304 volts) and pH (pH 8.5) in the anomalous surface waters. In conclusion, the interaction of groundwaters within the highly, mineralized carbonate source (Eramosa Member) resulted in the characteristic Ca*Mg*HC03*S04 spring water at the anomalous site, which appeared to be the principle effect upon controlling the anomalous surface water chemistry.

Paragenetic history of the Ordovician Trenton Group carbonates, Southwestern Ontario

Geochemical examination of the rock matrix and cements from core material extracted from four oil wells within southwestern Ontario suggest various stages of diagenetic alteration and preservation of the Trenton Group carbonates. The geochemical compositions of Middle Ordovician (LMC) brachiopods reflect the physicochemical water conditions of the ambient depositional environment. The sediments appear to have been altered in the presence of mixed waters during burial in a relatively open diagenetic microenvironment. Conodont CAl determination suggests that the maturation levels of the Trenton Group carbonates are low and proceeded at temperatures of about 30 - 50°C within the shallow burial environment. The Trenton Group carbonates are characterized by two distinct stages of dolomitization which proceeded at elevated temperatures. Preexisting fracture patterns, and block faulting controlled the initial dolomitization of the precursor carbonate matrix. Dolomitization progressed In the presence of warm fluids (60 75°C) with physicochemical conditions characteristic of a progressively depleted basinal water. The matrix is mostly Idiotopic-S and Idiotopic-E dolomite, with Xenotopic-A dolomite dominating the matrix where fractures occur. The second stage of dolomitization involved hydrothermal basinal fluid(s) with temperatures of about 60 - 70°C. These are the postulated source for the saddle dolomite and blocky calcite cements occurring in pore space and fractures. Rock porosity was partly occluded by Idiotopic-E type dolomite. Late stage saddle dolomite, calcite, anhydrite, pyrite, marcasite and minor sphalerite and celestite cements effectively fill any remaining porosity within specific horizons. Based on cathode luminescence, precipitation of the different diagenetic phases probably proceeded in open diagenetic systems from chemically homogeneous fluids. Ultraviolet fluorescence of 11 the matrix and cements demonstrated that hydrocarbons were present during the earliest formation of saddle dolomite. Oxygen isotope values of -7.6 to -8.5 %0 (PDB), and carbon isotope values of - 0.5 and -3.0 %0 (PDB) from the latest stage dog-tooth calcite cement suggest that meteoric water was introduced into the system during their formation. This is estimated to have occurred at temperatures of about 25 - 40°C. Specific facies associations within the Trenton Group carbonates exhibit good hydrocarbon generating potential based on organic carbon preservation (1-3.5%). Thermal maturation and Lopatin burial-history evaluations suggest that hydrocarbons were generated within the Trenton Group carbonates some time after 300 Ma . Progressively depleted vanadium trends measured from hydrocarbon samples within southwestern Ontario suggests its potential use as a hydrocarbon migration indicator on local (within an oilfield) and on regional scales.

Sedimentology and stratigraphy of the Lower Silurian Grimsby formation, in subsurface, Lake Erie and Southwestern Ontario

Since the first offshore Lake Erie well was drilled in 1941, the Grimsby and Thorold formations of the Cataract Group have been economically important to the oil and gas industry of Ontario. The Cataract Group provides a significant amount of Ontario's gas production primarily from wells located on Lake Erie. The Grimsby - Thorold formations are the result of nearshore estuarine processes influenced by tides on a prograding shelf and are composed of subtidal channel complexes, discrete tidal channels, mud flats and non-marine deposits. Deposition was related to a regressive - transgressive cycle associated with eustatic sea level changes caused by the melting and resurgence of continental glaciation centred in Africa in the Late Ordovician/Early Silurian. Grimsby deposition began during a regression with the deposition of subtidal channel complexes incised into the marine deposits of the Cabot Head Formation. The presence of mud drapes and mud couplets suggest that these deposits were influenced by tides. These deposits dominate the lower half of the Grimsby. Deposition continued with a change from these subtidal channel complexes to laterally migrating, discrete, shallow tidal channels and mud flats. These were in turn overlain by the non-marine deposits of the Thorold Formation. Grimsby - Thorold deposition ended with a major transgression replacing siliciclastic deposition with primarily carbonate deposition. Sediment was sourced from the east and southeast and associated with a continuation of the Taconic Orogeny into the Early Silurian. The fluvial head of the estuary prograded from a shoreline that was located in western New York and western Pennsylvania running NNE-SSW and then turning NW-SE and paralleling the present day Lake Erie shoreline. iii The facies attributed to the Grimsby - Thorold formations can be ascribed to the three zones within the tripartite zonation suggested by Dalrymple et ale (1992) for estuaries, that is, a marine-dominated facies, a mixed energy facies, and a facies that is dominated by fluvial processes. Also, sediments within the Grimsby - Thorold are commonly fining upwards sequences which are common in estuarine settings whereas deltaic deposits are normally composed of coarsening upwards sequences in a vertical wedge shape with coarser material near the head. The only coarsening observed was in the Thorold Formation and attributed to non-marine deposition by palynological evidence. The presence of a lag deposit at the base of the sediments of the Grimsby Thorold formations suggests that they were incised into the Cabot Head Formation. Further, the thickness of Early Silurian sediments located between the top of the Queenston Formation, where Early Silurian sedimentation began, to the top of the Reynales - Irondequoit formation are constant whether the Grimsby - Thorold formations are present or not. Also, cross-sections using a sand body located in the Cabot Head Formation for correlation further imply that the Grimsby Formation has been incised into the previous deposits of the Cabot Head.

Amacy Matthews Letters, 1918

The correspondence is dated October 19, 1918 and December 17, 1918. Amacy Matthews was the treasurer for the Township of Crowland. The correspondence is from J.W. [John Wells] Marshall, the county school inspector and relates to payments to be made to each teacher listed in the correspondence. Each letter includes the signature of the teacher acknowledging receipt of the funds. Teachers listed are Orlin McKenney, Edward Farr, Leonard Matthews, Charles Terreberry, Hiram Pratt, William VanAlstine, Grant Jenkinson and Harry Terreberry.

Peer-Led Team Learning as an Instructional Strategy for Secondary School Science

This study investigated the impact of an instructional learning strategy, peer-led team learning (PLTL), on secondary school students' conceptual understanding of biology concepts related to the topic of evolution. Using a mixed methods approach, data were gathered quantitatively through pre/posttesting using a repeated measures design and qualitatively through observations, questionnaires, and interviews. A repeated measures design was implemented to explore the impact of PLTL on students' understanding of concepts related to evolution and students' attitudes towards PLTL implementation. Results from quantitative data comparing pre/posttesting were not able to be compared through inferential statistics as a result of inconsistencies in the data due to a small sample size and design limitations; however, qualitative data identified positive attitudes towards the implementation of PLTL, with students reporting gains in conceptual understanding, academic achievement, and interdependent work ethic. Implications of these findings for learning, teaching, and the educational literature include understanding of student attitudes towards PLTL and insight into the role PLTL plays in improving conceptual understanding of biology concepts. Strategies are suggested to continue further research in the area of PLTL.

Tono-Bungay : novela

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El alimento de los dioses

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El amor y el señor Lewisham

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Cuando el dormido despierte...

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