Metacarpophalangeal pattern profile analysis of a sample drawn from a North Wales population

This is tha author's PDF version of an article published in Annals of human biology© 2001. The definitive version is available at http://www.tandf.co.uk/journalsSexual dimorphism and population differences were investigated using metacarpophalangeal pattern profile (MCPP) analysis. Although it is an anthropmetric technique, MCPP analysis is more frequently used in genetic syndrome analysis and has been under-used in the study of human groups. The present analysis used a series of hand radiographics from Gwynedd, North Wales, to make comparisons, first, between the sexes within the sample and then with previously reported data from Japan. The Welsh sexes showed MCPP analyses that indicated size and shape differences but certain similarities in shape were also evident. Differences with the Japanese data were more marked. MCPP anlysis is a potentially useful anthropmetric technique but requires further statistical development

Genomic instantiation of consciousness in neurons through a biophoton field theory

A theoretical framework is developed based on the premise that brains evolved into sufficiently complex adaptive systems capable of instantiating genomic consciousness through self-awareness and complex interactions that recognize qualitatively the controlling factors of biological processes. Furthermore, our hypothesis assumes that the collective interactions in neurons yield macroergic effects, which can produce sufficiently strong electric energy fields for electronic excitations to take place on the surface of endogenous structures via alpha-helical integral proteins as electro-solitons. Specifically the process of radiative relaxation of the electro-solitons allows for the transfer of energy via interactions with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules to induce conformational changes in DNA molecules producing an ultra weak non-thermal spontaneous emission of coherent biophotons through a quantum effect. The instantiation of coherent biophotons confined in spaces of DNA molecules guides the biophoton field to be instantaneously conducted along the axonal and neuronal arbors and in-between neurons and throughout the cerebral cortex (cortico-thalamic system) and subcortical areas (e.g., midbrain and hindbrain). Thus providing an informational character of the electric coherence of the brain — referred to as quantum coherence. The biophoton field is realized as a conscious field upon the re-absorption of biophotons by exciplex states of DNA molecules. Such quantum phenomenon brings about self-awareness and enables objectivity to have access to subjectivity in the unconscious. As such, subjective experiences can be recalled to consciousness as subjective conscious experiences or qualia through co-operative interactions between exciplex states of DNA molecules and biophotons leading to metabolic activity and energy transfer across proteins as a result of protein-ligand binding during protein-protein communication. The biophoton field as a conscious field is attributable to the resultant effect of specifying qualia from the metabolic energy field that is transported in macromolecular proteins throughout specific networks of neurons that are constantly transforming into more stable associable representations as molecular solitons. The metastability of subjective experiences based on resonant dynamics occurs when bottom-up patterns of neocortical excitatory activity are matched with top-down expectations as adaptive dynamic pressures. These dynamics of on-going activity patterns influenced by the environment and selected as the preferred subjective experience in terms of a functional field through functional interactions and biological laws are realized as subjectivity and actualized through functional integration as qualia. It is concluded that interactionism and not information processing is the key in understanding how consciousness bridges the explanatory gap between subjective experiences and their neural correlates in the transcendental brain

Morphological aspects of male and female hands

This is an electronic version of an article published in Annals of Human Biology, 1996, 23(6), 491-494. Annals of Human Biology is available online at informaworldTM http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a739339013~db=all~order=pageThis journal article discusses a series of hand radiographs from Gwynedd, North Wales, which were assessed for frequencies in digital and metacarpal formulae between the genders

Selection of a New Highly Resistant Strain for Malolactic Fermentation under Difficult Conditions

Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is a biological process that contributes to wine quality, but it is frequently affectedby various vinification conditions. Resistance to four wine-limiting factors was studied with respect to 10 Oenococcusoeni strains in order to select a suitable strain for performing reliable MLF in difficult wines. Resistance to lowfermentation temperature, high SO2 and/or ethanol concentration, and low pH were assayed in laboratory tests. Apool of the most resistant strains was used in a set of laboratory MLFs. At the end of fermentation, the dominantstrains were identified by RAPD-PCR. The PN4 strain was found to be dominant in the majority of cases and underthe most detrimental wine conditions, and it was therefore chosen as the single-strain inoculum for the subsequentMLF trials. The effectiveness of the PN4 strain was confirmed in a series of MLFs carried out in three differentcountries under experimental and industrial conditions. It accomplished MLF in wines with up to 15.8% ethanol,pH as low as 3.0, 60 mg/L of free SO2, and in fermentation temperatures below 17ºC. Our findings indicate that theO. oeni PN4 strain could be an effective starter, guaranteeing regular and reliable MLF fermentation

Supernovae in Low-Redshift Galaxy Clusters: Observations by the Wise Observatory Optical Transient Search (WOOTS)

We describe the Wise Observatory Optical Transient Search (WOOTS), a survey for supernovae (SNe) and other variable and transient objects in the fields of redshift 0.06-0.2 Abell galaxy clusters. We present the survey design and data-analysis procedures, and our object detection and follow-up strategies. We have obtained follow-up spectroscopy for all viable SN candidates, and present the resulting SN sample here. Out of the 12 SNe we have discovered, seven are associated with our target clusters while five are foreground or background field events. All but one of the SNe (a foreground field event) are Type Ia SNe. Our non-cluster SN sample is uniquely complete, since all SN candidates have been either spectroscopically confirmed or ruled out. This allows us to estimate that flux-limited surveys similar to WOOTS would be dominated (~80%) by SNe Ia. Our spectroscopic follow-up observations also elucidate the difficulty in distinguishing active galactic nuclei from SNe. In separate papers we use the WOOTS sample to derive the SN rate in clusters for this redshift range, and to measure the fraction of intergalactic cluster SNe. We also briefly report here on some quasars and asteroids discovered by WOOTS.Comment: Submitted to ApJ. Comments welcom

The Rate of Type Ia Supernovae at z~0.2 from SDSS-I Overlapping Fields

In the course of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-I), a large fraction of the surveyed area was observed more than once due to field tiling overlap, usually at different epochs. We utilize some of these data to perform a supernova (SN) survey at a mean redshift of z=0.2. Our archival search, in ~ 5% of the SDSS-I overlap area, produces 29 SN candidates clearly associated with host galaxies. Using the Bayesian photometric classification algorithm of Poznanski et al., and correcting for classification bias, we find 17 of the 29 candidates are likely Type Ia SNe. Accounting for the detection efficiency of the survey and for host extinction, this implies a Type Ia SN rate of R=14.0+(2.5,1.4}-(2.5,1.1}+/-2.5 10^-14 h(70)^2 yr^-1 L_sun^-1, where the errors are Poisson error, systematic detection efficiency error, and systematic classification error, respectively. The volumetric rate is R=1.89+(0.42,0.18)-(0.34,0.15)+/-0.42 10^-5 yr^-1 h(70)^3 Mpc^-3. Our measurement is consistent with other rate measurements at low redshift. An order of magnitude increase in the number of SNe is possible by analyzing the full SDSS-I database.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, Accepted by MNRA

On the fraction of intermediate-mass close binaries that explode as type-Ia supernovae

Type-Ia supernovae (SNe-Ia) are thought to result from a thermonuclear runaway in white dwarfs (WDs) that approach the Chandrasekhar limit, either through accretion from a companion or a merger with another WD. I compile observational estimates of the fraction eta of intermediate-mass stars that eventually explode as SNe-Ia, supplement them with several new estimates, and compare them self-consistently. The estimates are based on five different methods, each utilising some observable related to the SN-Ia rate, combined with assumptions regarding the IMF: the ratio of SN-Ia to core-collapse rates in star-forming galaxies; the SN-Ia rate per unit star-formation rate; the SN-Ia rate per unit stellar mass; the iron to stellar mass ratio in galaxy clusters; and the abundance ratios in galaxy clusters. The five methods indicate that a fraction in the range eta~2-40% of all stars with initial masses of 3-8 M_sun (the generally assumed SN-Ia progenitors) explode as SNe-Ia. A fraction of eta~15% is consistent with all five methods for a range of plausible IMFs. Considering also the binarity fraction among such stars, the mass ratio distribution, the separation distribution, and duplicity (every binary can produce only one SN-Ia explosion), this implies that nearly every intermediate mass close binary ends up as a SN-Ia, or possibly more SNe-Ia than progenitor systems. Theoretically expected fractions are generally one to two orders of magnitude lower. The problem could be solved: if all the observational estimates are in error; or with a ``middle-heavy'' IMF; or by some mechanism that strongly enhances the efficiency of binary evolution toward SN-Ia explosion; or by a non-binary origin for SNe-Ia.Comment: MNRAS, accepted versio

Role of transport performance on neuron cell morphology

The compartmental model is a basic tool for studying signal propagation in neurons, and, if the model parameters are adequately defined, it can also be of help in the study of electrical or fluid transport. Here we show that the input resistance, in different networks which simulate the passive properties of neurons, is the result of an interplay between the relevant conductances, morphology and size. These results suggest that neurons must grow in such a way that facilitates the current flow. We propose that power consumption is an important factor by which neurons attain their final morphological appearance.Comment: 9 pages with 3 figures, submitted to Neuroscience Letter