341 research outputs found
Cetraria nivalis (L.) Ach. op het Kootwijkerzand
No full textThe author mentions a new Lichen for the Netherlands, Cetraria nivalis (L.) Ach., found in the Kootwijkerzand, Veluwe (prov. Gelderland)
The development of an assessment tool to gather evidence and evaluate the progress of performance skills of students in the Edgerton High School Band
No full textProject chair, Dr. Glenn C. Hayes.Because of the block schedule and the lack of certain basic music skills among the incoming band students at Edgerton High School, it is necessary to create a system to help students establish their basic performance skills. The purpose of this project is to design a set of assessment tools that will help students define and perform basic musical skills. A series of quarterly study sheets allows the student to study scales, rhythms, tone, and expression in a progressive manner through all grade levels. The student is required to master each form and the skill level demonstrated serves as a portion of his or her final grade. It is also necessary to have a way to assess the students’ skills. This project uses literature and methods from a variety of sources to develop a set of tools that will accomplish both of these objectives.
This project focuses on the four areas of skills basic to musical performance on a musical instrument including scales and arpeggios, rhythm, tone, and expression. The study of scales, arpeggios, and rhythm has been systematically designed to increase the technical skill of students on their instruments. Students will have studied the major, minor, and chromatic scales and arpeggios in a systematic method over a four-year course of study. Each term for four years (16 terms), the student will have studied one major scale, the relative minor scale, arpeggios, and the chromatic scale. In addition, the student will have studied a specific rhythm pattern each term. The chromatic scale study has been coordinated to the rhythm study for each term to help reinforce the rhythm pattern. The rhythm patterns began with the easiest whole rhythms (whole, half, and quarter notes) and get progressively more difficult with each term.
In addressing tone quality, the teacher will have assigned a phrase of music from the literature studied by the band. The student will have performed the phrase with the best tone quality he/she can produce. A rubric has been developed to assess the student’s level of tone production quality and to help the student begin to identify the qualities of an excellent tone.
Musical expression has been addressed in two manners. The first has been through a demonstration of expression during the same performance of the tone quality assignment. Students have been assessed on a rubric similar to the one designed for tone quality. In addition, the student has been presented with a blank phrase of music. The student then adds expression markings that they feel are appropriate and performs the excerpt. Again, a rubric has been designed to assess the work of the student
The Combination of Planting Media and Fungicide Immersion on the Growth of Moon Orchid (Phalaenopsis sp.) Acclimatization Stage
No full textAcclimatization is a critical stage in the propagation of tissue culture plants, because at this stage the plant must be able to develop and form strong tissue so that it can adapt to the new environment. The aim of this research was to determine the interaction of a combination of planting media and fungicide soaking on the growth of moon orchids (Phalaenopsis sp.) at the acclimatization stage. The method used was a factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and was repeated three times. The first factor is a combination of planting media consisting of 100% white moss, 50% white moss + 50% fern, 50% white moss + 50% wood charcoal, and 50% white moss + 25% fern + 25% wood charcoal. The second factor is the length of soaking in fungicide, namely without soaking, soaking 6 minutes and 10 minutes. The data obtained were analyzed using ANOVA and continued with the 5% DMRT test. The results of the research showed that the combination of planting media treatment of 50% white moss + 25% fern + 25% wood charcoal not significant on all observed parameters. These results show that the planting medium has a very important role in the growth of orchid plants, sterilization of explants at the acclimatization stage only needs to be done if the source of contaminants is in the planting material
Author response
No full textA great deal of interest has been focused recently on the habenula and its critical role in aversion, negative-reward and drug dependence. Using a conditional mouse model of the ACh-synthesizing enzyme choline acetyltransferase (Chat), we report that local elimination of acetylcholine (ACh) in medial habenula (MHb) neurons alters glutamate corelease and presynaptic facilitation. Electron microscopy and immuno-isolation analyses revealed colocalization of ACh and glutamate vesicular transporters in synaptic vesicles (SVs) in the central IPN. Glutamate reuptake in SVs prepared from the IPN was increased by ACh, indicating vesicular synergy. Mice lacking CHAT in habenular neurons were insensitive to nicotine-conditioned reward and withdrawal. These data demonstrate that ACh controls the quantal size and release frequency of glutamate at habenular synapses, and suggest that the synergistic functions of ACh and glutamate may be generally important for modulation of cholinergic circuit function and behavior
Le dieu de Râs ach-Chaq‘a-Théouprosopon
No full textخلاصة •بعد دراسة شناخ رأس الشقعة الذي عُرِف في العصور الكلاسيكيّة باسم شناخ وجه الله، وبعد استعراض النصوص التي جاءت على ذكره، منذ العصور القديمة حتّى الحديثة، يقترح المؤلف أنّ هذا الشناخ هو عينه الذي ورد اسمه في حوليّات شلمناصر الثالث تحت ومن خلال الاعتماد على المستندات الإيقونوغرافية، لا سيّما منها المنقوشات المسكوكاتيّة، يقترح المؤلّف أيضاً اعتبار. «
بعلي رأسي»
اسم إله البترون، وبالتالي إله رأس وجه الله، تجلّياً من تجلّيات إله الرعود والبروق والخصوبة الكونيّة العظيم. كما يقترح أن إيقونوغرافيّة هذا الإله وطقوس عبادته قد انتشرت في مناطق البقاع ولبنان الشمالي على إثر سيطرة العرب الإيطوريّين عليها.After a geographic description of the promontory of Râs ach-Chaq‘ a, the Theouprosopon of the Ancients, and an inventory of the texts that mention it under various appellations from the Antiquity to the contemporary period, the author proposes to recognize it as the Ba‘ li Ra’si of the Annals of Salmanasar III. Backing up on iconographic documents, particulary on coins, he proposes to recognize the god of Batrun, and therefore the god of the Theouprosopon, as an avatar of the great storm-god and cosmic fertility, whose iconography and cult had been propagated by the Itureans in the regions that they have controled in the north of the Beqa‘ and the north of Lebanon.Après une description géographique du promontoire de Râs ach-Chaq‘ a, le Théouprosopon des Anciens, et une recension des textes qui le mentionnent sous diverses appellations depuis l’Antiquité jusqu’à l’époque contemporaine, l’auteur propose d’y reconnaître le Ba‘ li Ra’si des Annales de Salmanasar III. S’appuyant sur des documents iconographiques, particulièrement des monnaies, il propose de reconnaître dans le dieu de Batroun, et partant le dieu du Théouprosopon, un avatar du grand dieu de l’orage et de la fécondité cosmique, dont l’iconographie et le culte ont dû être propagés par les Ituréens dans les régions qu’ils ont dominées dans le nord de la Béqa‘ et le nord du Liban.Salame-Sarkis Hassan. Le dieu de Râs ach-Chaq‘a-Théouprosopon. In: Syria. Tome 82, 2005. pp. 173-188
Influence of a short-term increase in intraluminal pressure, with and without recovery, on ACh-induced dilation in senescent skeletal muscle feed arteries.
No full textInfluence of a short-term increase in intraluminal pressure, with and without recovery, on ACh-induced dilation in senescent skeletal muscle feed arteries.
John W. Seawright1 and Christopher R. Woodman1,2
1. Vascular Biology Laboratory, Dept. of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843
2. Dept of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843
We tested the hypothesis that a short-term increase in intraluminal pressure, to mimic a 1 h bout of exercise, would attenuate or reverse age-induced impairments in acetylcholine (ACh)-induced dilation in soleus muscle feed arteries (SFA). In addition, we hypothesized that improved endothelial function would persist following a 2 h recovery period at normal pressure. SFA were isolated from young (4 mo) and old (24 mo) Fischer 344 rats. SFA were cannulated and pressurized at 90 (p90) or 130 (p130) cm H2O for 1 h. At the end of the 1-h treatment period, p130 SFA were lowered to 90 cm H2O and ACh-induced vasodilation was assessed. In a separate group of SFA, pressure was raised to 130 cm H2O for 1 h and subsequently lowered to 90 cm H2O for a 2 h recovery period. ACh-induced vasodilator responses were significantly blunted in old p90 SFA relative to young p90 SFA. Pre-treatment with increased pressure (p130) for 1 h improved ACh-induced dilation in old (not young) SFA. The beneficial effect of pressure in old SFA was not apparent after a 2 h recovery period. To determine the importance of nitric oxide in endothelium-dependent dilation in pressure treated vessels, old SFA were pressurized at 130 cm H2O for 1 h, reset to p90, and ACh-induced vasodilator responses were assessed in the absence or presence of a NOS Inhibitor (L-NNA). Results indicate that the beneficial effect of pressure treatment on ACh-induced dilation was eliminated in the presence of L-NNA. Collectively, these results indicate that a short-term (1 h) increase in intraluminal pressure improves endothelium-dependent dilation in old SFA due to enhanced nitric oxide bioavailability. Contrary to our hypothesis, the beneficial effect of pressure did not persist following a 2 h recovery period. Research supported by AHA grant 0765043Y (CRW), AHA grant 4150031 (CRW), and a Sydney and J.L. Huffines Institute of Sports Medicine Graduate Student Research Grant (JWS).
First author classification: Doctoral Studen
Separate submission of sales tax returns and ACH credit payments for the SC Department of Revenue's ESales system
No full textThe SC Department of Revenue needs to provide a more efficient process to reduce errors and manual intervention by SCDOR employees as well as reduce the tax compliance burden on the taxpayer by forcing them to purchase software to submit their return with an Automated Clearing House credit payment. The author proposes to
investigate the capability of taxpayers being able to submit a sales tax return to the
agency's ESales Internet application and an ACH credit payment through the agency's
Electronic Funds Transfer system
Designer synthetic media for studying microbial-catalyzed biofuel production
No full textBackground
The fermentation inhibition of yeast or bacteria by lignocellulose-derived degradation products, during hexose/pentose co-fermentation, is a major bottleneck for cost-effective lignocellulosic biorefineries. To engineer microbial strains for improved performance, it is critical to understand the mechanisms of inhibition that affect fermentative organisms in the presence of major components of a lignocellulosic hydrolysate. The development of a synthetic lignocellulosic hydrolysate (SH) media with a composition similar to the actual biomass hydrolysate will be an important advancement to facilitate these studies. In this work, we characterized the nutrients and plant-derived decomposition products present in AFEX™ pretreated corn stover hydrolysate (ACH). The SH was formulated based on the ACH composition and was further used to evaluate the inhibitory effects of various families of decomposition products during Saccharomyces cerevisiae 424A (LNH-ST) fermentation.
Results
The ACH contained high levels of nitrogenous compounds, notably amides, pyrazines, and imidazoles. In contrast, a relatively low content of furans and aromatic and aliphatic acids were found in the ACH. Though most of the families of decomposition products were inhibitory to xylose fermentation, due to their abundance, the nitrogenous compounds showed the most inhibition. From these compounds, amides (products of the ammonolysis reaction) contributed the most to the reduction of the fermentation performance. However, this result is associated to a concentration effect, as the corresponding carboxylic acids (products of hydrolysis) promoted greater inhibition when present at the same molar concentration as the amides.
Due to its complexity, the formulated SH did not perfectly match the fermentation profile of the actual hydrolysate, especially the growth curve. However, the SH formulation was effective for studying the inhibitory effect of various compounds on yeast fermentation.
Conclusions
The formulation of SHs is an important advancement for future multi-omics studies and for better understanding the mechanisms of fermentation inhibition in lignocellulosic hydrolysates. The SH formulated in this work was instrumental for defining the most important inhibitors in the ACH. Major AFEX decomposition products are less inhibitory to yeast fermentation than the products of dilute acid or steam explosion pretreatments; thus, ACH is readily fermentable by yeast without any detoxification.Peer reviewed
Genetic variation in GNB5 causes bradycardia by augmenting the cholinergic response via increased acetylcholine-activated potassium current (IK,ACh)
No full textMutations in GNB5, encoding the G-protein β5 subunit (Gβ5), have recently been linked to a multisystem disorder that includes severe bradycardia. Here, we investigated the mechanism underlying bradycardia caused by the recessive p.S81L Gβ5 variant. Using CRISPR/Cas9-based targeting, we generated an isogenic series of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) lines that were either wild type, heterozygous or homozygous for the GNB5 p.S81L variant. These were differentiated into cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) that robustly expressed the acetylcholine-activated potassium channel [I(KACh); also known as IK,ACh]. Baseline electrophysiological properties of the lines did not differ. Upon application of carbachol (CCh), homozygous p.S81L hiPSC-CMs displayed an increased acetylcholine-activated potassium current (IK,ACh) density and a more pronounced decrease of spontaneous activity as compared to wild-type and heterozygous p.S81L hiPSC-CMs, explaining the bradycardia in homozygous carriers. Application of the specific I(KACh) blocker XEN-R0703 resulted in near-complete reversal of the phenotype. Our results provide mechanistic insights and proof of principle for potential therapy in patients carrying GNB5 mutations.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper
- …
