Distinct properties of the atrial voltage-gated sodium channel

Sodium handling properties of left atria (LA) were compared to those of left ventricle (LV), with the aim to understand the atria’s susceptibility to arrhythmia and improve therapy. Mouse LA sodium channels displayed distinctive activation, inactivation and recovery kinetics compared to LV sodium channels. Distinctive voltage dependence of LA sodium channel inactivation was instrumental in reducing INa in LA compared to LV, when initiated from physiological holding potentials. Flecainide sodium channel inhibition was greater in LA than LV, likely also due to differences in kinetic properties of the sodium channels between chambers. Additionally, the greater inhibitory effect of flecainide at more positive membrane potentials could result in even greater LA sodium channel inhibition in vivo. Activation and inactivation distinctions observed between LA and LV sodium channels were conserved between chambers in the Plako+/- mouse. However, there was no difference in physiological INa density, sodium channel recovery or flecainide inhibition between Plako+/- LA and LV chambers. The novel Langendorff-free isolation method produced high yields of viable mouse cardiomyocytes comparable in morphology, signalling, calcium handling and sodium channel electrophysiology to cardiomyocytes isolated using the traditional Langendorff method. This maintained that injection isolation is a valuable method for obtaining cardiomyocytes for cardiac research

The development and evaluation of a ten-week program for improving reading in grade seven

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Developing appreciation of humor in literature

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University, 195

Self Matters

We argue that relating to myself as me provides, as such, a reason to care about myself: grasping that an event involves me, instead of another, makes it matter in a special way. Further, this self-concern is not simply a matter of seeing in myself some instrumental value for other ends. We use as our foil a recent skeptical challenge to this view offered in Setiya (2015). We think the case against self-concern is powered by unwarrantedly narrow construals of three key notions. One is the notion of a first-personal way of relating to oneself. A narrow account of the first person in terms of special epistemic relations to oneself makes it easy to overlook a source of non-instrumental reasons of self-concern, located in the special relation a subject has to herself as agent. Two is the notion of what it is to be a reason. And three is the notion of self-concern itself. We show that the skeptical case rests in part on a slide towards neighbouring but distinct notions of egoism and selfishness. We also argue that Setiya’s notion of self-love, offered to capture the pre-theoretical intuition of self-concern, cannot do it justice

The relationship between teachers' educational philosophies and the ability-achievement growth of their elementary school classes.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Machine translation as an academic writing aid for medical practitioners

In this paper we explore the utility of Machine Translation as a writing aid and its impact on the quality of the text produced. We focus on medical practitioners who are native speakers of Spanish and who need to publish their scientific work in English as a foreign language. After carrying out a general survey to determine whether Spanish-speaking medical practitioners already use MT as a writing aid, we engaged five participants in an experiment where we asked them to write a paper in Spanish that was subsequently machine translated. They were then asked to post-edit the MT output. We analyse their post-edits and further attempt to evaluate the overall quality of their texts by engaging a professional proofreader. Our results suggest that the texts produced with the help of MT+post-editing still require many edits in order to be considered of acceptable quality. In the conclusion, we identify several avenues worthy of future investigation and that could help achieve better quality

Chemical modification and characterisation of horseradish peroxidase and its derivatives for use in environmental applications

The biochemistry and molecular properties o f the widely-used horseradish peroxidase (HRP) are reviewed. The applications of HRP in diagnostics, sensors and waste treatment are also surveyed. The research aims were to stabilise HRP by chemical modification to ascertain the characteristics of stabilised derivatives and to explore the capabilities of these derivatives in waste treatment applications. Assay methods for HRP activity were compared and thermoinactivation experiments were undertaken using a variety of conditions in order to devise workable, reproducible protocols for routine use. Systematic chemical modification of the available reactive HRP amino residues (Arg, Tyr and Lys) were performed. Arginine and tyrosine modified derivatives yielded little gain in stability Modification of lysine residues with cyclic anhydrides of aromatic carboxylic acids was undertaken. Of the compounds used, only phthalic anhydride yielded a thermally stabilised HRP (PA HRP). The overall stability characteristics of this derivative were investigated fully together with previously reported crosslinked HRP modifications. The tolerances of these two derivatives towards heat, organic solvents, hydrogen peroxide, pH and dénaturants was enhanced. Both were immobilised on adipic acid dihydrazide-agarose (AADH-A). The stabilities of the immobilised, modified HRPs were compared with the modified-only counterparts. Unfolding of native and both modified HRPs were investigated using urea, guanidine chloride (GnCl), EDTA and heat. Unfolding over time was monitored using fluorescence and binding of the hydrophobic probe Nile Red. Results of the two methods agreed closely. Attempts were made to fragment the HRP polypeptide so as to demonstrate the presence of crosslinks and, possibly, to identify the modified Lys residues. Unfortunately these experiments proved inconclusive. It was shown that recombinant HRP which, lacks the carbohydrate moiety, could withstand a chemical modification and be stabilised in a similar manner to the plant HRP. A kinetic investigation of the HRP forms took place. Binding of the inhibitor BHA was found to be slightly less in the case of PA HRP. The pre-steady state and steady state kinetics of the HRPs using a variety of substrates were found to be in close agreement with each other. The significance of these results is discussed. The use of both modified HRPs in waste treatment was explored. Modified HRP was as effective as native in the precipitation of phenols at 37 °C. Modified HRPs were more effective than the native at higher temperature where the native is inactivated. In the bleaching of dyes, modified HRPs were as effective as the native. Thus, a new stabilised chemically modified form of HRP (PA HRP) has been described and the capabilities of this and the EG HRP in two distinct types of wastewater treatment have been characterised

GENRE AS RHETORICAL SITUATION: COMPETING RHETORICS IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROCESS

This study examines key genres within the Individualized Education Plan (IEP Process) as rhetorical processes that respond to, anticipate, enable, and in some cases, forecast and govern federally mandated parent participation within the IEP process. Specifically, I argue that the Notice of IEP team Meeting, IEP Meeting, and Prior Written Notice (PWN) are genres that technically meet legislative requirements but subvert the intended rhetorical context, challenging parent involvement rather than facilitating federally mandated parent participation

A comparison of sex offenders and other types of offenders referred to intellectual disability forensic services

This study compared 131 sex offenders with ID and 346 other types of offenders with ID using case file records. All the females in the study were non sexual offenders. Significantly more sexual offenders were referred from court and criminal justice services while significantly fewer were referred from secondary healthcare. A higher percentage of sex offenders had some form of legal status at time of referral. Greater proportions of non sexual offenders were referred for aggression, damage to property, substance abuse and fire setting while only the sex offenders had an index sex offence. For previous offending, the non sexual offenders had higher rates of aggression, cruelty and neglect of children, property damage and substance abuse while the sexual offenders had higher rates of previous sexual offending. For psychiatric disturbance and adversity in childhood, only ADHD showed a significant difference between groups with the non sexual offenders recording higher rates