Study of carbohydrates present in the cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica (fodder palm), according to age and season

Types and content of carbohydrates were evaluated by chemical (spectrophotometric assay) and physicochemical (Thin Layer Chromatography - TLC and High Performance Liquid Chromatography - HPLC) methods in some Opuntia ficus-indica varieties according to age and season. The samples comprised four varieties of palm (giant, copena F1, clone 20, and round palm). The results demonstrated that the four varieties of palm contain a good quantity of neutral and acid sugars in both summer and winter seasons. However, samples collected in the summer presented a higher content of carbohydrates specially glucose, fructose, galactose, xylose, and arabinose. The tertiary cladode (old cladode) presented almost the double content of sugar found in the quaternary cladodes (young cladodes). Pectic polysaccharides were sequentially extracted with water at 60 ºC, and EDTA at 60 ºC solution resulting in Water-Soluble Pectin (WSP) and a Chelating-Soluble Pectin (CSP) respectively. Galacturonic acid was detected in the fractions WSP and CSP. However, the fraction CSP presented the highest content of sugar acid.

Troponin I serum levels predict the need of dialysis in incident sepsis patients with acute kidney injury in the intensive care unit

Abstract Introduction: Sepsis, an extremely prevalent condition in the intensive care unit, is usually associated with organ dysfunction, which can affect heart and kidney. Objective: To determine whether the cardiac dysfunction and the Troponin I forecast the occurrence of acute renal failure in sepsis. Methods: Cardiac dysfunction was assessed by echocardiography and by the serum troponin I levels, and renal impairment by AKIN criteria and the need of dialysis. Twenty-nine patients with incident sepsis without previous cardiac or renal dysfunction were enrolled. Results and Discussion: Patients averaged 75.3 ± 17.3 years old and 55% were male. Median APACHE II severity score at ICU admission was 16 (9.7 - 24.2) and mortality rate in 30 days was 45%. On the fifth day, 59% had ventricular dysfunction. Troponin serum levels on day 1 in the affected patients were 1.02 ± 0.6 ng/mL compared with 0.23 ± 0.18 ng/mL in patients without heart dysfunction (p = 0.01). Eighteen out of 29 patients (62%) underwent renal replacement therapy (RRT) and the percent of patients with ventricular dysfunction who required dialysis was higher (94% vs. 16%, p = 0.0001). Values of troponin at day 1 were used to develop a ROC curve to determine their ability to predict the need of dialysis. The area under the curve was 0.89 and the cutoff value was 0.4 ng/mL. Conclusion: We found that an elevation in serum troponin levels, while guarding a relationship with ventricular dysfunction, can be a precious tool to predict the need for dialysis in sepsis patients.

Lolium multiflorum seeds in the soil: I. Soil seed bank dynamics in a no til system

The objective of the study was to characterize annual ryegrass seed population dynamics, managed for natural re-sowing, in no til systems in rotation with soybean, in different chronosequences An area was cultivated for two years with soybean, left as fallow land for the next two years and then cultivated again with soybean for the next two years. The four chronosequences represented different management periods, two with soybean (6 and 8 years old) and the other two resting (3 and 9 years old). Soil samples were taken every month during one year and divided into two depths (0-5 and 5-10 cm). Vegetation dynamics were also evaluated (number of plants, inflorescences and seedlings). Soil seed bank (SSB) dynamics showed structural patterns in time, with a "storage period" in summer, an "exhausting period" during autumn and a "transition period" in winter and spring. Pasture establishment by natural re-sowing was totally dependent on the annual recruitment of seeds from the soil. The influence of the management practices on the SSB was more important than the number of years that these practices had been implemented. Places where soybean was sown showed the largest SSBs. Most of the seeds overcame dormancy and germinated at the end of the summer and beginning of the autumn, showing a typically transitory SSB, but with a small proportion of persistent seeds

Force potentiation in the MDX mouse

Large forces are the primary mechanism of injury in muscular dystrophy, and muscular dystrophy is especially damaging to type IIB muscle fibers. It was hypothesized that post-tetanic potentiation (PTP) would be down-regulated to prevent damage in Xlinked muscular dystrophy (mdx) mice since PTP increases force and PTP effects are greatest in IIB fibers. PTP experiments were performed on the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) of 50 day old mdx (YM) and C57BL/10 (YC) mice and 10 month old mdx (OM) and C57B1710 (OC) mice. Twitch and tetanic forces were lower in mdx than controls and lower in younger than older mice. Contrary to the hypothesis, PTP was higher in both mdx groups compared to controls. OM potentiated more than any other condition (OM: 29.8%, OC: 23.2%, YM: 21.9%, YC: 17.2%). In accordance with literature PTP increased in the older groups. To explain PTP changes, fiber typing and Western blots for myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) were performed. YM and YC had similar fiber type profiles (2% I, 58% IIX/D and 40% IIB). In accordance with literature but contrary to expected conditions for elevated PTP, OM had a slower fiber type profile (1.7% I, 69% IIX/D and 29% IIB) than OC (0.4% I, 61% IIX/D and 38% IIB). No differences were found in MLCK expression. It seems that PTP is up-regulated to maintain muscle function rather than being down-regulated to prevent muscle damage. Ca""^ transient and myosin phosphorylation measurements would be beneficial in explaining increased PTP seen in this study.

An investigation of the nature and role of historicality in the thought of Dilthey and Heidegger

Introduction The question of the meaning, methods and philosophical manifestations of history is currently rife with contention. The problem that I will address in an exposition of the thought of Wilhelm Dilthey and Martin Heidegger, centers around the intersubjectivity of an historical world. Specifically, there are two interconnected issues. First, since all knowledge occurs to a person from within his or her historical age how can any person in any age make truth claims? In order to answer this concern we must understand the essence and role of history. Yet how can we come to an individual understanding ofwhat history is when the meanings that we use are themselves historically enveloped? But can we, we who are well aware of the knowledge that archaeology has dredged up from old texts or even from 'living' monuments of past ages, really neglect to notice these artifacts that exist within and enrich our world? Charges of wilful blindness would arise if any attempt were made to suggest that certain things of our world did not come down to us from the past. Thus it appears more important 2 to determine what this 'past' is and therefore how history operates than to simply derail the possibility for historical understanding. Wilhelm Dilthey, the great German historicist from the 19th century, did not question the existence of historical artifacts as from the past, but in treating knowledge as one such artifact placed the onus on knowledge to show itself as true, or meaningful, in light ofthe fact that other historical periods relied on different facts and generated different truths or meanings. The problem for him was not just determining what the role of history is, but moreover to discover how knowledge could make any claim as true knowledge. As he stated, there is a problem of "historical anarchy"!' Martin Heidegger picked up these two strands of Dilthey's thought and wanted to answer the problem of truth and meaning in order to solve the problem of historicism. This problem underscored, perhaps for the first time, that societal presuppositions about the past and present oftheir era are not immutable. Penetrating to the core of the raison d'etre of the age was an historical reflection about the past which was now conceived as separated both temporally and attitudinally from the present. But further than this, Heidegger's focus on asking the question of the meaning of Being meant that history must be ontologically explicated not merely ontically treated. Heidegger hopes to remove barriers to a genuine ontology by II 1 3 including history into an assessment ofprevious philosophical systems. He does this in order that the question of Being be more fully explicated, which necessarily for him includes the question of the Being of history. One approach to the question ofwhat history is, given the information that we get from historical knowledge, is whether such knowledge can be formalized into a science. Additionally, we can approach the question of what the essence and role of history is by revealing its underlying characteristics, that is, by focussing on historicality. Thus we will begin with an expository look at Dilthey's conception of history and historicality. We will then explore these issues first in Heidegger's Being and Time, then in the third chapter his middle and later works. Finally, we shall examine how Heidegger's conception may reflect a development in the conception of historicality over Dilthey's historicism, and what such a conception means for a contemporary historical understanding. The problem of existing in a common world which is perceived only individually has been philosophically addressed in many forms. Escaping a pure subjectivist interpretation of 'reality' has occupied Western thinkers not only in order to discover metaphysical truths, but also to provide a foundation for politics and ethics. Many thinkers accept a solipsistic view as inevitable and reject attempts at justifying truth in an intersubjective world. The problem ofhistoricality raises similar problems. We 4 -. - - - - exist in a common historical age, presumably, yet are only aware ofthe historicity of the age through our own individual thoughts. Thus the question arises, do we actually exist within a common history or do we merely individually interpret this as communal? What is the reality of history, individual or communal? Dilthey answers this question by asserting a 'reality' to the historical age thus overcoming solipsism by encasing individual human experience within the historical horizon of the age. This however does nothing to address the epistemological concern over the discoverablity of truth. Heidegger, on the other hand, rejects a metaphysical construel of history and seeks to ground history first within the ontology ofDasein, and second, within the so called "sending" of Being. Thus there can be no solipsism for Heidegger because Dasein's Being is necessarily "cohistorical", Being-with-Others, and furthermore, this historical-Being-in-the-worldwith- Others is the horizon of Being over which truth can appear. Heidegger's solution to the problem of solipsism appears to satisfy that the world is not just a subjective idealist creation and also that one need not appeal to any universal measures of truth or presumed eternal verities. Thus in elucidating Heidegger's notion of history I will also confront the issues ofDasein's Being-alongside-things as well as the Being of Dasein as Being-in-the-world so that Dasein's historicality is explicated vis-a-vis the "sending of Being" (die Schicken des S eins).

The effect of diet and parasite load on female phonotaxis in the Texas field cricket, Gryllus integer

Female crickets respond selectively to variations in species-specific male calling songs. This selectivity has been shown to be age-dependent; older females are less choosy. However, female quality should also affect female selectivity. The effect of female quality on mate choice was examined in Gryllus integer by comparing the phonotactic responses of females on different diets and with different parasite loads to various synthetic models of conspecific calling song. Test females were virgin, 11-14 days old, and had been maintained on one of five diets varying in protein and fat content. Phonotaxis was quantified using a non-compensating Kugel treadmill which generates vector scores incorporating the speed and direction of movement of each female. Test females were presented with four calling song models which differed in pulse rate, but were still within the natural range of the species for the experimental temperature. After testing, females were dissected and the number of gregarine parasites within the digestive tract counted. There were no significant effects of either diet or parasitism on female motivation to mate although the combined effects of these variables seem to have an effect with no apparent trend. Control females did not discriminate among song types, but there was a trend of female preferences for lower pulse rates which are closest to the mean pulse rate for the species. Heavily parasitized females did not discriminate among pulse rates altho~gh there was a similar trend of high vector scores for low pulse rates. Diet, however, affected selectivity with poorly-fed females showing significantly high vector scores for pulse rates near the species mean. Such findings raise interesting questions about energy allocation and costs and risks of phonotaxis and mate choice in acoustic Orthoptera. These results are discussed in terms of sexual selection and female mate choice.

The effect of gregarine parasite infections, age, and diet on calling song structure and mating behaviour in the Texas field cricket, Gryllus integer

In the past ten years, many researchers have focussed their attention on parasites regarding the role they may play in causing variations in male secondary sexual traits and subsequent effects on female choice. Male age has also been suggested to be an important factor in female choice if old age reflects superior genes. This study investigated the effects that gregarine gut parasites, age, and diet have on the calling and mating behaviour of the male Texas field cricket, Gryllus integer. Male calling songs were recorded in the laboratory using a Digital Signal Processing Network. The song parameters measured were: pulse rate, pulse width, burst duration, pulses per burst, interburst interval, and percent missing pulses. The effects of parasite load and age on the various calling song parameters was investigated in crickets that were fed two different diets varying in nutritional quality. None of the calling song parameters were affected by either parasite load or age in either diet grou p. Courtship behaviour was ob served and recorded using an Eventlog recorder on an IBM computer in the laboratory. Females mated equally with paras(tized and unparasitized males and with old and young males The total duration and proportion of time spent performing each of 9 courtship displays were recorded for males on each diet. Only one display was affected by parasite load. Highly parasitized males fed the nutritionally inferior diet juddered for a proportionately shorter time than males with low parasite loads. Also, older males performed juddering and shaking antennae proportionally longer and juddering and raising wings for longer durations than younger males. Males that successfully mated were observed for performance of 8 post-copulatory guarding behaviour displays. None of the guarding behaviours were affected by parasite load. However, one display was affected by age, with older males performing guard turning for shorter durations than younger males. Results are discuss,ed in terms of the influence of parasites and age on female choice.

The origins of exercise adherence in the Canadian seniors population

This research identified and examined the responses of 19 physically active seniors to determine why they were physically active. The participants were physically active seniors, from the Niagara region who participated in physical activity 2, or more times per week. The purpose to this research was to determine what specific experiences or characteristics those seniors' possessed which motivated them to follow an exercise regime in later life. Three focus group interviews were conducted and participants responded to a set of predetermined questions. Responses to the interview questions were transcribed and analysed by comparing words and participant responses. This method of analysis is known as ethnographic summary. Themes, concepts, and experiences that emerged from the focus group interviews were also recorded according to systematic coding by way of content analysis. From this study, factors that predispose, enable, reinforce and prevent seniors from participating in exercise have been identified. Nine recommendations for improving seniors quality of life have also emerged from the study. Additionally, the findings from the study illustrate that those responsible for planning programs for seniors need to consider senior's wants and needs. Finally, the study also has educational implications. All participants in the study experienced a positive introduction to daily phyiscal activity through their school setting. Participants of the study believed, that their positive experiences at school, directly influenced their lifelong involvement in exercise.

Lounge area of the old Student Union, Chapman College, Orange, California

Lounge area of the old Student Union, Chapman College, Orange, California. Originally the manual arts building and bus repair garage for Orange Union High School. Building annex additions through 1975 increased the size to 19,680 sq. ft. Used as a student union by Chapman College. In 1996 the building became the Cecil B. DeMille Hall, housing the Film and TV department.

Lounge area of the old Student Union, Chapman College, Orange, California

Lounge area of the old Student Union, Chapman College, Orange, California. Originally the manual arts building and bus repair garage for Orange Union High School. Building annex additions through 1975 increased the size to 19,680 sq. ft. Used as a student union by Chapman College. In 1996 the building became the Cecil B. DeMille Hall, housing the Film and TV department.

Outside the old student union, Chapman College, Orange, California

Old Student Union, Chapman College, Orange, California. Originally the manual arts building and bus repair garage for Orange Union High School. Building annex additions through 1975 increased the size to 19,680 sq. ft. Used as a student union by Chapman College. In 1996 the building became the Cecil B. DeMille Hall, housing the Film and TV department.

Snack bar inside the old Student Union, Chapman College, Orange, California

Snack bar inside the old Student Union, Chapman College, Orange, California in the 1970s. Originally the manual arts building and bus repair garage for Orange Union High School. Building annex additions through 1975 increased the size to 19,680 sq. ft. Used as a student union by Chapman College. In 1996 the building became the Cecil B. DeMille Hall, housing the Film and TV department.

Patio area of the old Student Union, Chapman College, Orange, California

Patio area of the old Student Union, Chapman College, Orange, California. Originally the manual arts building and bus repair garage for Orange Union High School. Building annex additions through 1975 increased the size to 19,680 sq. ft. Used as a student union by Chapman College. In 1996 the building became the Cecil B. DeMille Hall, housing the Film and TV department.

Hungrey Panther entrance at the old Student Union, Chapman College, Orange, California

Hungrey Panther entrance at the old Student Union, Chapman College, Orange, California. Originally the manual arts building and bus repair garage for Orange Union High School. Building annex additions through 1975 increased the size to 19,680 sq. ft. Used as a student union by Chapman College. In 1996 the building became the Cecil B. DeMille Hall, housing the Film and TV department.

Renovating the old Student Union patio, Chapman College, Orange, California

Renovating the old Student Union patio, Chapman College, Orange, California, 1973. The Australian tea trees were moved from the music building site. Originally the manual arts building and bus repair garage for Orange Union High School. Building annex additions through 1975 increased the size to 19,680 sq. ft. Used as a student union by Chapman College. In 1996 the building became the Cecil B. DeMille Hall, housing the Film and TV department.