High Voltage: The Molecular Properties of Redox-Active Dissolved Organic Matter in Northern High-Latitude Lakes.

Redox-active functional groups in dissolved organic matter (DOM) are crucial for microbial electron transfer and methane emissions. However, the extent of aquatic DOM redox properties across northern high-latitude lakes and their relationships with DOM composition have not been thoroughly described. We quantified electron donating capacity (EDC) and electron accepting capacity (EAC) in lake DOM from Canada to Alaska and assessed their relationships with parameters from absorbance, fluorescence, and ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) analyses.

Dissociation of spatial and object memory in the hippocampal formation of Japanese quail.

The mammalian temporal cortex can be functionally segregated into regions that encode spatial information and others that are predominantly responsible for object recognition. In the present study, we report comparable functional segregation in the avian brain. Using Japanese quail, we find that bilateral lesions of the hippocampus (Hp) produce robust deficits in performance in a foraging array (FA) spatial memory task, while sparing spontaneous object recognition (SOR).

Evacuation solutions for individuals with functional limitations in the built environment: a scoping review protocol.

Background: Whether due to aging, disability, injury, or other circumstances, an increasing number of Canadians experience functional limitations that reduce their ability to participate in activities of daily life. While the built environment has become increasingly accessible, existing Canadian evacuation guidelines lack comprehensive strategies for evacuating individuals with functional limitations from buildings during emergencies. To inform guideline revisions, a map of existing solutions for evacuating such individuals is required.

Mechanical Consequence of Induced Intervertebral Disc Degeneration in the SPARC-Null Mouse.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is associated with low back pain (LBP) and accompanied by mechanical changes to the spine. Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) is a protein that contributes to the functioning and maintenance of the extracellular matrix. SPARC-null mice display accelerated IVD degeneration and pain-associated behaviors.

Synthesis of Emissive Heteroacene Derivatives via Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution.

A synthetic approach for preparing a variety of heterocyclic tetrahydropentacene derivatives via nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions of bidentate nucleophiles and tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile was developed. X-ray crystallography of several products revealed that the compounds containing oxygen and nitrogen heteroatoms are highly planar and engage in π-stacking, while the compounds containing sulfur are bent and do not stack as effectively. The compounds were also highly emissive, and the heteroatom had a significant impact on the emission and electrochemical properties.

Contractive Annulation: A Strategy for the Synthesis of Small, Strained Cyclophanes and Its Application in the Synthesis of [2](6,1)Naphthaleno[1]paracyclophane.

A new synthetic strategy (contractive annulation) for the synthesis of highly strained cyclophanes has been conceived and its viability has been demonstrated through a nine-step synthesis of [2](6,1)naphthaleno[1]paracyclophane from [2.2]paracyclophane.

Gram-Scale Synthesis and Highly Regioselective Bromination of 1,1,9,9-Tetramethyl[9](2,11)teropyrenophane.

An improved synthetic pathway to the nanobelt-like 1,1,9,9-tetramethyl[9](2,11)teropyrenophane has been developed, and enables the synthesis of gram quantities of material. Key innovations are the development of a sequential chlorination/Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction, a sequential iodination/Wurtz coupling reaction, and a room-temperature teropyrene-forming reaction. The teropyrenophane was found to form a very stable radical cation and undergo a completely regioselective fourfold bromination reaction.

Effects of varying presentation time on long-term recognition memory for scenes: Verbatim and gist representations.

Konkle, Brady, Alvarez and Oliva (Psychological Science, 21, 1551-1556, 2010) showed that participants have an exceptional long-term memory (LTM) for photographs of scenes. We examined to what extent participants' exceptional LTM for scenes is determined by presentation time during encoding. In addition, at retrieval, we varied the nature of the lures in a forced-choice recognition task so that they resembled the target in gist (i.

Synthesis and sensing properties of D pentagonal silver star nanoparticles.

In this work, we use silver decahedral nanoparticle (AgDeNP) seeds to synthesize pentagonal silver stars (AgStDeNPs) and study the sensing properties of these nanoparticles. The regrowth process of AgStDeNPs is kinetically-controlled, so the purity of the seed NPs is critical to avoid secondary deposition in the highly non-equilibrium reduction. To control the regrowth process, surface blocking with sodium polyacrylate (PANa) was implemented.

Symmetry Breaking by Surface Blocking: Synthesis of Bimorphic Silver Nanoparticles, Nanoscale Fishes and Apples.

A powerful approach to augment the diversity of well-defined metal nanoparticle (MNP) morphologies, essential for MNP advanced applications, is symmetry breaking combined with seeded growth. Utilizing this approach enabled the formation of bimorphic silver nanoparticles (bi-AgNPs) consisting of two shapes linked by one regrowth point. Bi-AgNPs were formed by using an adsorbing polymer, poly(acrylic acid), PAA, to block the surface of a decahedral AgNP seed and restricting growth of new silver to a single nucleation point.

Mild leg length discrepancy affects lower limbs, pelvis and trunk biomechanics of individuals with knee osteoarthritis during gait.

Background: Leg length discrepancy greater than 1cm increases odds of progressive knee osteoarthritis in the shorter limb.

Methods: Biomechanical data of 15 knee osteoarthritis participants were collected while they walked under two conditions: (1) control - wearing thick sandals; (2) short limb - wearing a thin sandal on the osteoarthritic limb and a thick sandal on the contralateral limb. The thick and thin sandals had 1.

Biomechanical strategies implemented to compensate for mild leg length discrepancy during gait.

Although mild leg length discrepancy is related to lower limb injuries, there is no consensus regarding its effects on the biomechanics of the lower limbs during gait. Biomechanical data of 19 healthy participants were collected while they walked under different conditions as described: (1) control condition-wearing flat thick sandals; (2) short limb condition-wearing a flat thick sandal on the left and a flat thin sandal on the right foot; (3) long limb condition: wearing flat thin sandal on the left and flat thick sandal on the right foot. The thick and thin sandals had 1.

Ipsilateral and contralateral foot pronation affect lower limb and trunk biomechanics of individuals with knee osteoarthritis during gait.

Background: Lateral wedges have been suggested for the treatment of individuals with knee osteoarthritis, but it may have undesirable effects on the biomechanics of gait through increased foot pronation. This study investigated the effects of increased unilateral foot pronation on the biomechanics of individuals with knee osteoarthritis during gait.

Methods: Biomechanical data of twenty individuals with knee osteoarthritis were collected while they walked in three conditions: i) flat sandals; ii) wedged sandal on the knee osteoarthritis limb and flat sandal on the healthy limb; and iii) flat sandal on the osteoarthritis and wedged sandal on the healthy limb.

Stable ligand-free stellated polyhedral gold nanoparticles for sensitive plasmonic detection.

Ligand-free stellated gold nanoparticles (AuStNPs) with well-defined octahedral (O(h)) and icosahedral (I(h)) core symmetries were prepared using hydrogen peroxide as a reducing agent. Only three reagents: gold precursor (HAuCl4), H2O2 and NaOH were required to form colloidally and chemically stable AuStNPs with a zeta-potential between -55 and -40 mV indicative of excellent charge stabilization. The size and degree of stellation of AuStNPs can be controlled by several synthetic parameters so that the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) can be varied from ca.

E151 (sym15), a pleiotropic mutant of pea (Pisum sativum L.), displays low nodule number, enhanced mycorrhizae, delayed lateral root emergence, and high root cytokinin levels.

In legumes, the formation of rhizobial and mycorrhizal root symbioses is a highly regulated process which requires close communication between plant and microorganism. Plant mutants that have difficulties establishing symbioses are valuable tools for unravelling the mechanisms by which these symbioses are formed and regulated. Here E151, a mutant of Pisum sativum cv.

Increased unilateral foot pronation affects lower limbs and pelvic biomechanics during walking.

Background: Increased unilateral foot pronation may cause biomechanical changes on the lower limbs during gait. We investigated the effects of increased unilateral foot pronation on the biomechanics of lower limbs and pelvis during gait.

Methods: Kinematic and kinetic data of 22 participants were collected while they walked wearing flat and laterally wedged sandals.

Standardized mapping of nodulation patterns in legume roots.

Optimizing nodulation in legumes is a target for crop improvement, and the spatial control of nodulation is just beginning to be unravelled. However, there is currently no method for standard phenotyping of nodulation patterns. Here we present a method and software for the quantitative analysis of nodulation phenotypes.

Zn-stimulated mucus secretion in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) intestine inhibits Cd accumulation and Cd-induced lipid peroxidation.

Interest in the interactions between dietary constituents in the gut is increasing, but information remains sparse. In this study rainbow trout were fed non-enriched (186.7±19.

Multifaceted prismatic silver nanoparticles: synthesis by chloride-directed selective growth from thiolate-protected clusters and SERS properties.

We describe the synthetic preparation of well-defined symmetric multifaceted prismatic silver nanoparticles with chemically controlled faceting advantageous for strong and tunable surface-enhanced Raman scattering, SERS. These silver nanoparticles, that have been termed nanoflowers, AgNFls for their characteristic morphologies, have been prepared by a one-pot aqueous reaction under ambient conditions. AgNFl faceting is synthetically controlled by selective nanoparticle growth driven by chloride ions.

Are recessions really good for your health? Evidence from Canada.

This study investigates the relationship between business cycle fluctuations and health in the Canadian context, given that a procyclical relationship between mortality rates and unemployment rates has already been well established in the U.S. literature.

The dual moral self: moral centrality and internal moral motivation.

In this study, the relationship between two aspects of the moral self, moral centrality and internal moral motivation, was analyzed. It is argued that these 2 aspects are conceptually distinct but nonetheless empirically related. Based on a cross-sectional study of 205 adolescents (M age = 14.

Application of Biotic Ligand and Toxic Unit modeling approaches to predict improvements in zooplankton species richness in smelter-damaged lakes near Sudbury, Ontario.

Using a 30-year record of biological and water chemistry data collected from seven lakes near smelters in Sudbury (Ontario, Canada) we examined the link between reductions of Cu, Ni, and Zn concentrations and zooplankton species richness. The toxicity of the metal mixtures was assessed using an additive Toxic Unit (TU) approach. Four TU models were developed based on total metal concentrations (TM-TU); free ion concentrations (FI-TU); acute LC50s calculated from the Biotic Ligand Model (BLM-TU); and chronic LC50s (acute LC50s adjusted by metal-specific acute-to-chronic ratios, cBLM-TU).

Reproducible hairy root transformation and spot-inoculation methods to study root symbioses of pea.

Pea has lagged behind other model legumes in the molecular study of nodulation and mycorrhizae-formation because of the difficulty to transform its roots and its poor growth on agar plates. Here we describe for pea 1) a transformation technique which permits the complementation of two known non-nodulating pea mutants, 2) a rhizobial inoculation method which allows the study of early cellular events giving rise to nodule primordia, and 3) a targeted fungal inoculation method which allows us to study short segments of mycorrhizal roots assured to be infected. These tools are certain to advance our knowledge of pea root symbioses.

Higher-order nonlinear electromechanical effects in wurtzite GaN/AlN quantum dots.

As we demonstrated earlier, conventional mathematical models based on linear approximations may be inadequate in the analysis of properties of low-dimensional nanostructures and band structure calculations. In this work, a general three-dimensional axisymmetric coupled electromechanical model accounting for lattice mismatch, spontaneous polarization and higher-order nonlinear electrostriction effects has been applied to analyze properties of GaN/AlN quantum dots coupled with wetting layer. The generalized model that accounts for five independent electrostriction coefficients has been solved numerically via a finite-element implementation.

The lampricide 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) uncouples mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in both sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) and TFM-tolerant rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

The toxicity of 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) appears to be due to a mismatch between ATP supply and demand in lamprey, depleting glycogen stores and starving the nervous system of ATP. The cause of this TFM-induced ATP deficit is unclear. One possibility is that TFM uncouples mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, thus impairing ATP production.