Aptamer Antagonists of Myelin-Derived Inhibitors Promote Axon Growth

Myelin of the adult central nervous system (CNS) is one of the major sources of inhibitors of axon regeneration following injury. The three known myelin-derived inhibitors (Nogo, MAG, and OMgp) bind with high affinity to the Nogo-66 receptor (NgR) on axons and limit neurite outgrowth. Here we show that RNA aptamers can be generated that bind with high affinity to NgR, compete with myelin-derived inhibitors for binding to NgR, and promote axon elongation of neurons in vitro even in the presence of these inhibitors. Aptamers may have key advantages over protein antagonists, including low immunogenicity and the possibility of ready modification during chemical synthesis for stability, signaling, or immobilization. This first demonstration that aptamers can directly influence neuronal function suggests that aptamers may prove useful for not only healing spinal cord and other neuronal damage, but may be more generally useful as neuromodulators

Hybrid off-river augmentation system as an alternative raw water resource: the hydrogeochemistry of abandoned mining ponds

The use of water from abandoned mining ponds under a hybrid off-river augmentation system (HORAS) has been initiated as an alternative water resource for raw water. However, it raises the questions over the safety of the use of such waters. In this study, the hydrogeochemical analysis of the waters is presented to assess the degree to which the water has been contaminated. Comparisons were made between sampling sites, i.e. abandoned mining ponds, active sand mining ponds and the receiving streams within Bestari Jaya, Selangor River basin. The aqueous geochemistry analysis showed different hydrochemical signatures of major elements between sites, indicating different sources of minerals in the water. Discharges from the sand mining ponds were found to contain elevated availability of dissolved concentrations of iron, manganese, lead, copper and zinc, among others. However, the quality of the water (from the main river) that is supplied for potable water consumption is at a satisfactory level despite being partly sourced from the abandoned mining ponds. In fact, all the metal concentrations detected were well below the Malaysia Ministry of Health guideline limits for untreated raw water. In addition, the results of the geochemical index analysis (i.e. geoaccumulation index, enrichment factor and modified contamination factor) showed that the rivers and abandoned mining ponds were generally unpolluted with respect to the metals found in sediments

노달방법의 중성자속 분포 재생 문제에의 최대 엔트로피 원리에 의한 새로운 접근

This paper develops a new method for reconstructing neutron flux distribution, that is based on the maximum entropy Principle in information theory. The Probability distribution that maximizes the entropy Provides the most unbiased objective Probability distribution within the known partial information. The partial information are the assembly volume-averaged neutron flux, the surface-averaged neutron fluxes and the surface-averaged neutron currents, that are the results of the nodal calculation. The flux distribution on the boundary of a fuel assembly, which is the boundary condition for the neutron diffusion equation, is transformed into the probability distribution in the entropy expression. The most objective boundary flux distribution is deduced using the results of the nodal calculation by the maximum entropy method. This boundary flux distribution is then used as the boundary condition in a procedure of the imbedded heterogeneous assembly calculation to provide detailed flux distribution. The results of the new method applied to several PWR benchmark problem assemblies show that the reconstruction errors are comparable with those of the form function methods in inner region of the assembly while they are relatively large near the boundary of the assembly. The incorporation of the surface-averaged neutron currents in the constraint information (that is not done in the present study) should provide better results

Academic and recreational reading attitudes among primary students in a rural Malaysian village

Reading is crucial for development and educational outcomes, yet access to literacy resources and supportive environments is uneven, particularly in rural and low-income areas. Positive reading attitudes are linked to better reading achievement, but research on these attitudes among ESL speakers in non-Western, rural contexts remains limited. This study explores the attitudes of 4th and 5th graders towards recreational and academic reading in a rural Malaysian village, assessing students who participated in a reading program. Utilizing the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey, data were gathered from 74 of the 120 participants, achieving a 62% response rate. Analysis through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) revealed a nuanced relationship between children’s reading attitudes and their engagement with various reading contexts and activities. Findings underscore a pronounced preference for recreational over academic reading, with both types of reading attitudes significantly interrelated. This suggests the program’s environment and involvement of reading partners may significantly shape children’s reading perceptions. Moreover, the study highlights the pivotal role of the reading context, indicating a direct correlation between children’s positive perception of their reading environment and their engagement levels. While the study did not delve into the impact of socio-economic status on program effectiveness, it signals the need for further research across diverse cultural settings to fully understand the efficacy of reading programs. The research concludes that after-school reading initiatives are instrumental in enhancing children’s academic and recreational reading attitudes, providing valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers focused on literacy development