Conifer cones represent natural, woody compliant structures which move their scales as passive responses to changes in environmental humidity. Here we report on water-driven opening and closing motions in coalified conifer cones from the Eemian Interglacial (approx. 126,000-113,000 years BP) and from the Middle Miocene (approx. 16.5 to 11.5 million years BP). These cones represent by far the ol...

The integrity of a graph G, I(G), is defined by I(G) = minS⊆V (G){|S| + m(G − S)} where m(G− S) is the maximum order of the components of G− S. In general the integrity of r-regular graph is not known [?]. We answer the following question for special regular graphs. For any given two integers p and r such that pr 2 is an integer, is there a r-regular graph, say G ∗, on p vertices having size q ...

Human lifespan is positively correlated with childhood intelligence, as measured by psychometric (IQ) tests. The strength of this correlation is similar to the negative effect that smoking has on the life course. This result suggests that people who perform well on psychometric tests in childhood may remain healthier and live longer. The correlation, however, is debated: is it caused exclusivel...

Metabolomic databases are useless without accurate description of the biological study design and accompanying metadata reporting on the laboratory workflow from sample preparation to data processing. Here we report on the implementation of a database system that enables investigators to detail and set up a biological experiment, and that also steers laboratory workflows by direct access to the...

The e-business ecosystem may be deviate from the equilibrium state in its development process. In this article the authors defined the e-business ecosystem health by combining ecological principles, and developed ecological indicators of e-business ecosystem health. The method of ecosystem health assessment (include biodiversity index method and index of biological integrity method) was introdu...

Several restorative alternatives for replacing a missing anterior tooth are now in use. The single implant-supported crown is one of the best restorative options, under certain biological and biomechanical conditions – such as sufficient bone quantity, condition and morphology of the periodontium, integrity of the natural and restored teeth. The long-term success of an implant depends upon the ...

Pain perception involves a complex, dynamic process. Research over the past several decades has indicated numerous factors that influence the modulation of pain perception in humans. Research also suggests that pain perception presents an intricate balance between a warning sign to protect the biological integrity of an organism and an adaptive process not to overtax the system. One such exampl...

There has been considerable interest in the neurocognitive functioning of subjects with mood disorders (Bcardcn ct al., 2001). I "'torn a theoretical viewpoint, the dysfunction provides insight (especially when monitored with fMlll) into the biological underpinnings, for example, structure and pathway integrity, of mood disorders. From a practical viewpoint, neurocognitive dysfunction underpins...

DNA replication is a fundamental biological process involving numerous enzymes that help to ensure the maintenance of genomic integrity. DNA polymerase enzymes are key components of this cellular replication machinery. Their primary function is to selectively incorporate correct nucleotide [i.e., a dNTP (where N1⁄4A, T, C or G), 20-deoxyribonucleoside 50-triphosphate] to pair with the template ...

Observational clinical studies link acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. The pathophysiological mechanisms that underlie this process are currently unknown but recently published papers suggest that tubular epithelial cells and interstitial mesenchymal cells emerge as a single unit, and their integrity alteration as a whole might lead to renal fibrosis and CKD. The p...