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Abstract Background French laypeople's views on living organ donation (LOD) were examined. Methods From 2010 to 2014, 327 adults (including 21 nurses) judged the acceptability of LOD in 60 realistic scenarios composed of all combinations of 5 factors: 1. type of organ; 2. whether it could have been obtained from a cadaver; 3. donor-recipient relationship; 4. donor's level of autonomy; 5. financial compensation; and 6. patients' level of responsibility for their illness. In all scenarios, the patients were in need of a kidney or liver transplantation. The ratings were subjected to cluster analysis and analyses of variance. Results Five qualitatively different positions were found that were termed Free Market (22%), Pragmatism (15%), Altruism (48%), Always Acceptable (7%), and Undetermined (8%). Nurses comprised the majority (90%) of the members of the altruism cluster. Younger and more-educated people were, more frequently than older and less-educated people, members either of the pragmatism or of the free market cluster. Conclusions Half of French adults support the altruism model of LOD. A substantial minority, however, mostly young and more educated people, support alternative models allowing the introduction of financial incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of the three isomers of aminobutyric acid, only the β isomer (BABA) was effective in inducing resistance against Peronospora parasitica , the causal agent of downy mildew, in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis ). A single foliar spray applied to 7-day-old seedlings protected the plants against Peronospora parasitica for at least 15 days. Of the enantiomers (R and S), only the R was effective. Resistance was accompanied by a hypersensitive-like reaction (necrotic spots) which was evident before inoculation. BABA was systemically effective when applied to the roots, but failed to protect cotyledons adjacent to treated ones. Unlike other chemical inducers, BABA was effective when applied several hours postinoculation. It had no effect on P. parasitica spore germination. In cauliflower seedlings, BABA did not induce the accumulation of the pathogenesis-related protein PR-1, PR-2, PR-3, PR-5 and PR-9. Only treated and challenged seedlings accumulated PR-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The animal olfactory system represents the gold standard of olfactory biosensors with its capability to identify and discriminate thousands of odorant compounds. In order to mimic the performances of natural olfactory sensors it is necessary to develop methods and techniques for the production, immobilization and electrical characterization of olfactory receptors. We review in this paper some of the advances we obtained in these fields. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]