Antibodies involved in homograft rejection

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston Universit

Creative tension: parliament and national security

Overview: This paper argues that enhancing parliament’s role in national security will reinforce executive accountability, improve the quality of public debate over national security and serve to strengthen the foundations of Australia’s parliamentary democracy. There are several measures that would materially improve parliament’s role in the conduct of national security:  enhance respect for parliament as the forum for consideration of national security issues by utilising the parliament’s existing procedures to more fully consider issues of foreign affairs, defence, intelligence and border security develop parliamentarians’ education in national security by providing a new members’ orientation program focussed on national security examine parliament’s exercise of war powers  encourage parliamentary diplomacy  a material improvement in parliament’s role demands more attention to increasing the human and financial resources available to key national security committees undertake an examination of national security committee mandates, particularly in intelligence oversigh

Aristelliger barbouri

Number of Pages: 1Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Individuals with Recurrent Low Back Pain Exhibit Significant Changes of Paraspinal Muscle Performance after Lumbar Multifidus Intramuscular Fine Wire Electrode Insertion

STUDY DESIGN: Case control study. BACKGROUND: Recurrent low back pain (RLBP) is associated with paraspinal muscle dysfunction. Intramuscular electromyography (EMG) is a common tool for studying activation of the deep lumbar paraspinal muscles such as multifidi muscles, but it is currently currently unclear how muscle performance and activation are affected by the pain and micro-injury associated with intramuscular fine-wire electrode (IFWE) insertion and how it interacts with the presence of RLBP. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine how IFWE insertion into the lumbar multifidus affects paraspinal muscle strength and endurance in subjects with and without RLBP. METHODS: Forty subjects aged 18 - 40 were recruited; 20 subjects with a history of RLBP were compared with a group of 20 age-matched controls with no RLBP. Paraspinal extensor strength and endurance were measured under three conditions over three testing days. On Day 1, the baseline condition (BL), we obtained preliminary measures of discomfort, force production, endurance, and muscle activation. On Days 2 and 3, the participants randomly alternated between the two experimental conditions: (i) a wire-in condition (WI) in which the IFWE was inserted and remained within the muscle and (ii) a wire-out condition (WO) in which the IFWE was inserted and immediately removed. Participants were blinded to the order of the fine-wire conditions. Subjective pain levels were recorded via the Visual Analog Scale at specific time points throughout the testing protocol. RESULTS: Individuals with RLBP showed a significant decrease in strength in both conditions that involved IFWE insertion. Controls showed no significant difference in strength across conditions. Both groups exhibited similar performance in the endurance test. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate IFWE insertion into lumbar multifidus may lead to reduced peak spinal extensor muscle force production in individuals with a history of RLBP compared to healthy controls

Aristelliger

Number of Pages: 4Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Thecadactylus, T. rapicauda

Number of Pages: 16Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Aristelliger georgeensis

Number of Pages: 2Integrative BiologyGeological Science

New tools for quantitative analysis of nuclear architecture

The cell nucleus houses a wide variety of macromolecular substructures including the cell’s genetic material. The spatial configuration of these substructures is thought to be fundamentally associated with nuclear function, yet the architectural organisation of the cell nucleus is only poorly understood. Advances in microscopy and associated fluorescence techniques have provided a wealth of nuclear image data. Such images offer the opportunity for both visualising nuclear substructures and quantitative investigation of the spatial configuration of these objects. In this thesis, we present new tools to study and explore the subtle principles behind nuclear architecture. We describe a novel method to segment fluorescent microscopy images of nuclear objects. The effectiveness of this segmentation algorithm is demonstrated using extensive simulation. Additionally, we show that the method performs as well as manual-thresholding, which is considered the gold standard. Next, randomisationbased tests from spatial point pattern analysis are employed to inspect spatial interactions of nuclear substructures. The results suggest new and interesting spatial relationships in the nucleus. However, this approach probes only relative nuclear organisation and cannot readily yield a description of absolute spatial preference, which may be a key component of nuclear architecture. To address this problem we have developed methodology based on techniques employed in statistical shape analysis and image registration. The approach proposes that the nuclear boundary can be used to align nuclei from replicate images into a common coordinate system. Each nucleus and its contents can therefore be registered to the sample mean shape using rigid and non-rigid deformations. This aggregated data allows inference regarding global nuclear spatial organisation. For example, the kernel smoothed intensity function is computed to return an estimate of the intensity function of the registered nuclear object. Simulation provides evidence that the registration procedure is sensible and the results accurate. Finally, we have investigated a large database of nuclear substructures using conventional methodology as well as our new tools. We have identified novel spatial relationships between nuclear objects that offer significant clues to their function. We have also examined the absolute spatial configuration of these substructures in registered data. The results reveal dramatic underlying spatial preferences and present new and clear insights into nuclear architecture

Anolis garmani

Number of Pages: 3Integrative BiologyGeological Science

On the Origin of Frictional Adhesion in Geckos: Small Morphological Changes Lead to a Major Biomechanical Transition in the Genus \u3cem\u3eGonatodes\u3c/em\u3e

The evolutionary history of vertebrate locomotion is punctuated by innovations that have permitted expansion into novel ecological niches. Frictional adhesion of geckos is an innovation renowned for enabling locomotion on vertical and inverted smooth surfaces. Much is known about the microstructure and function of the fully-expressed gekkotan adhesive apparatus, although how it originated is poorly understood. Therefore, identifying species that exhibit the earliest stages of expression of frictional adhesion will provide significant insights into the evolution of this trait. Our previous investigation of digital proportions, shape, scalation, skeletal form, and subdigital epidermal micro-ornamentation in the genus Gonatodes led us to hypothesize that Gonatodes humeralisexpresses incipient frictional adhesion. To test this, we first conducted a phylogenetic analysis of Gonatodes and related sphaerodactyl genera to clarify the historical context of the evolution of frictional adhesive capability in the genus. We then measured the ability of G. humeralis and its close relatives to generate frictional adhesive force, examined their locomotor capabilities on low-friction surfaces, and observed animals in their natural habitat. After accounting for body mass and phylogenetic relationships, we found that G. humeralis generates frictional adhesive force essentially equivalent to that of Anolis, and can scale vertical smooth surfaces. Gonatodes vittatus, a species that lacks elaborated epidermal setae, generates negligible frictional adhesive force and can only ascend smooth inclined surfaces with a pitch of ≤ 40°. We conclude that the ostensibly padless G. humeralis, with feet lacking the musculoskeletal, tendinous, and vascular modifications typical of pad-bearing geckos, nevertheless can employ frictional adhesive contact to assist locomotion. As in Anolis, the release of frictional adhesive contact occurs when the foot is plantar flexed after the heel has lifted from the surface. Our findings indicate that the origin of frictional adhesion was likely gradual but that, ultimately, this led to major shifts in ecology and function