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The European Commission Biocidal Products Directive 98/8/EC lays down rules and procedures concerning the placing of biocidal products on the EU market. Based on the Directive, a First Review Regulation was adopted for the review of existing biocidal active substances. These substances had to be either identified or notified (two different processes) to the European Chemicals Bureau (ECB) by 28 March 2002. More than 1000 companies took part in the review programme. In total 953 different existing active substances were identified and 372 different substances were notified. This article presents an analysis of the notified substances regarding the number of notifications per substance, notifiers per substance and per Member State and number of notified substances per product type. The results are compared with data from former statistics.

The post-depositional behavior of Cu in a gold-mining polishing pond (East Lake, Canada) was assessed after mine closure by examination of porewater chemistry and mineralogy. The near-surface (upper 1.5 cm) sediments are enriched in Cu, with values ranging from 0.4 to 2 wt %. Mineralogical examination revealed that the bulk of the Cu inventory is present as authigenic copper sulfides. Optical microscopy, energy-dispersion spectra, and X-ray data indicate that the main Cu sulfide is covellite (CuS). The formation of authigenic Cu-S phases is supported by the porewater data, which demonstrate that the sediments are serving as a sink for dissolved Cu below sub-bottom depths of 1-2 cm. The zone of Cu removal is consistent with the occurrence of detectable sulfide and the consumption of sulfate. The sediments can be viewed as a passive bioreactorthat permanently removes Cu as insoluble copper sulfides. This process is not unlike that which occurs in other forms of bioremediation, such as wetlands and permeable reactive barriers. Above the zone of Cu removal, dissolved Cu maxima in the interfacial porewaters range from 150 to 450 microg L(-1) and reflect the dissolution of a Cu-bearing phase in the surface sediments. The reactive phase is thought to be a component of treatment sludges delivered to the lake as part of cyanide treatment. Flux calculations indicate that the efflux of dissolved Cu from the sediments to the water column (14-51 microg cm(-2) yr(-1)) can account for the elevated levels of dissolved Cu in lake waters (approximately 50 microg L(-1)). Implications for lake recovery are discussed.

An increasing number of studies have used acoustic rhinometry (AR) for study of pharmacological interventions on nasal cavity dimensions in dogs and cats, but there have been no attempts to validate AR in these species. This is done in the present study. We compared area-distance relationships of nasal cavities from five decapitated dogs (3.5–41 kg) and cats (3.8–6 kg). AR was compared with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and a fluid-displacement method (FDM) using perfluorocarbon. AR measured 88% (98–79%) (mean and 95% confidence interval) of nasal cavity volume in dogs determined by FDM and 71% (83–59%) in cats. AR markedly underestimated nasal cavity dimensions when minimum areas were below 0.1 cm2 in dogs and 0.05 cm2 in cats. AR underestimation increased with the severity of the constriction and with distance. Cross-sectional areas in the deeper parts of the cavity measured 76% (99–54%) of FDM in dogs and 52% (66–39%) in cats. AR agreed well with MR, especially in the deeper part of the cavity. MR images showed that the nasal cavities had a very complex structure not expected to be reproduced by AR. MR could not be considered a “gold standard” because definition of the cross-sectional area of the lumen depended critically on subjective choices. FDM produced repeatable measurements and possibly offers the most adequate reference in future evaluation of AR. AR underestimated what we believed were the most correct cross-sectional areas determined by FDM, especially in the deeper part of the dog and cat nasal cavities. Despite these difficulties, AR has been shown to be useful to describe qualitative changes in cross-sectional area.

Background The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between feline nasal cavity geometry determined in vivo by acoustic rhinometry (ARinvivo) and by nasal cavity casts. Cast cross-sectional areas were measured by acoustic rhinometry (ARcast), a fluid-displacement method (FDM), and slicing. A volume comparison between ARinvivo and ARcast was studied in cats with varying degrees of nasal obstruction after application of phenylpropanolamine, saline, or compound 48/80. Method After measurements of ARinvivo, impression material was injected into the nasal cavity to produce casts. Subsequently, the cross-sectional areas of the nasal impressions were measured by ARcast and FDM using ethanol. All casts were weighed to determine exact volume. Six casts also were sliced into segments of equal thickness for determination of cross-sectional area. Results Cast volume determined by ARcast was consistent with results obtained using FDM and weight. Volumes of the first 3 cm determined by ARinvivo ranged between 78 ± 9% of cast volumes determined by ARcast for decongested cavities and 16 ± 15% for congested cavities. Conclusion ARinvivo does not reflect cast geometry, probably because of (1) underestimation by AR because of methodological problems caused by the cavity geometry, (2) deformation of compliant structures within the nasal passageways resulting from the casting procedure, and/or (3) the casting material reaches parts of the nasal cavity not accessible to sound, e.g., sinuses or recesses. Nevertheless, this study does not preclude the use of AR as a sensitive method suited to evaluate relative changes in nasal volume caused by experimental challenges of the nasal mucosa. Compared with ARinvivo, casts still may be of use but it is less sensitive to measure relative changes after experimental challenge.

A critical impediment to field testing and deployment of transgenic sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is the threat of gene flow to weedy relatives through pollen. A technique using sorghum with A 3 cytoplasmic male sterility to control transgene flow through pollen while using nontransgenic pollinators is described and an experiment was designed to evaluate the risk of viable pollen flow using A 3 hybrids under field conditions. Seed set under pollinating bags (an indicator of fertile pollen) was evaluated at the University of Nebraska Field Laboratory at Ithaca, NE, in 2001 and 2002 on selfed F 2 progeny grown from open pollinated seed of 12 F 1 hybrids produced in A 1 and A 3 cytoplasm. The F 2 seed was produced in hybrid yield trials in 1997 and 1998 at Ithaca, NE. In each evaluation year, the experimental design was a split-split plot with seed production year the main plot factor, hybrid as the subplot factor, and cytoplasm as the sub-subplot factor. Cytoplasm effects were highly significant, with percent seed set on A 1 F 2 individuals averaging 74%, and on A 3 F 2 individuals averaging 0.04%. Upper confidence limits (P = 0.05) for percent seed set were 132% or less for the progeny from all A 3 hybrids. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis confirmed that four male fertile individuals (from a population of 1007) were detected with A 3 cytoplasm. These results support the hypothesis that gene flow through pollen can be severely restricted but not eliminated in sorghum by the use of A, cytoplasmic male sterility.

In this report, we describe the cloning, cellular localization, and functional characteristics of Na+/H+exchanger 1 (NHE1) from red blood cells of the winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus (paNHE1). The paNHE1 protein localizes primarily to the marginal band and exhibits a 74% similarity to the trout β-NHE, and 65% to the human NHE1 (hNHE1). Functionally, paNHE1 shares characteristics of both β-NHE and hNHE1 in that it is activated both by manipulations that increase cAMP and by cell shrinkage, respectively. In accordance, the paNHE1 protein exhibits both protein kinase A consensus sites as in β-NHE and a region of high homology to that required for shrinkage-dependent activation of hNHE1. After shrinkage-dependent activation of paNHE1 and resulting activation of a Cl−/HCO[Formula: see text] exchanger, their parallel operation results in net uptake of NaCl and osmotically obliged water. Activation of paNHE1 by cAMP is at least additive to that elicited by osmotic shrinkage, suggesting that these stimuli regulate paNHE1 by distinct mechanisms. Finally, exposure to the serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor calyculin A potently activates paNHE1, and this activation is also additive to that induced by shrinkage or cAMP.

Brown-midrib genes increase digestibility due to reduced lignification in sudangrass, Sorghum bicolor subsp. drummondii (Nees ex Steud.) de Wet & Harlan. Brown-midrib lines are known to be low in forage yield potential, but this reduction in forage yield has not been previously quantified. The objectives of this study were to quantify the increase in forage quality and decrease in forage yield and to provide an economic assessment of this dichotomy. Piper and Greenleaf (normal leaves) were compared with their brown-midrib counterparts and to four highly selected brown-midrib (FG) lines at two locations for 2 yr. Brown-midrib lines averaged 9.0% lower in lignin and 7.2% higher in in vitro fiber digestibility than normal lines. The reduction in first-harvest forage yield was highly variable across germplasms and locations. Greenleaf and the FG lines showed severe forage yield reductions in Wisconsin but not in Nebraska, whereas forage yield of Piper was uniformly reduced across locations. Reduced tillering and plant height of the brown-midrib plants appeared to be mechanisms for reducing forage yield. The brown-midrib phenotype of sudangrass, caused by the homozygous condition of the bmr-6 allele, appears to be environmentally sensitive, particularly limiting production in cooler and shorter growing seasons. Conversely, uniform reductions in second-harvest forage yield suggested a fundamental limitation to regrowth potential associated with the brown-midrib phenotype. Predicted net returns from feeding sudangrass hay were similar for first-harvest normal and brown-midrib lines, but severely depressed for brown-midrib lines in second harvest, due to the severe yield reductions.

Panicle diseases are among the major constraints to sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) production in the northern Great Plains; host plant resistance is the primary management option. However, essentially all commercial sorghum hybrids contain A1 cytoplasm, which raises the concern about increased disease risk as a result of cytoplasmic genetic uniformity. To determine the influence of cytoplasmic background on the expression of susceptibility to panicle diseases, F1 hybrids with four nuclear genotypes in each of two cytoplasms (A1 and A2) were planted in three environmentally diverse geographic locations in Nebraska. Fusarium head blight ranged in incidence from 13 to 100% across locations. Grain mold, caused primarily by species of Alternaria, Fusarium, and Cladosporium, ranged in incidence from 5 to 100% across locations. There was a significant effect of nuclear genotype on the incidence and severity of both head blight and grain mold across the three locations. Cytoplasm had no effect on head blight incidence or severity, or on grain mold severity. Cytoplasm had a significant effect on grain mold incidence, with A1 exhibiting slightly lower incidence than A2 (64 versus 70%). Although the cytoplasm effect for grain mold incidence was statistically significant, most of the variation in grain mold incidence was attributable to nuclear genotype. The slight increase in grain mold incidence attributable to A2 cytoplasm should be overcome easily by selection of nuclear genotypes with grain mold resistance. The use of A2 cytoplasm to incorporate genetic diversity into grain sorghum hybrids should not increase the risk of head blight or grain mold in commercial grain production.

A factor frequently identified as a key to understanding sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench feed value to ruminant animals is rate of starch digestion. Recent research in corn (Zea mays L.) has established a strong ability to predict rumen starch degradation from grain physical and chemical parameters. It was therefore important to determine whether similar relationships could be established in sorghum. The objectives of this study were to determine: 1) range of variation for12-hour in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD), chemical, and physical grain quality parameters among 16sorghum conversion lines; and 2) to establish the strength of the relationships of these characters. Entries were grown at Ithaca, Nebraska in 1991 and 1992 in a randomized complete block with four replications. Line effects were significant for 12-hour IVMVD, crude protein, oil, starch, individual seed weight, and hardness. The only traits significantly correlated with 12-hour IVDMD were crude protein and hardness, with r≤–0.32 for testa and non-testa-containing lines. Stepwise regression similarly revealed poor predictive ability for any of the traits on12-hour IVDMD. Unlike corn, prediction of digestibility from simply measured physical parameters was not possible in this set of16 sorghum lines. However, the lack of strong relationships provides opportunity to select lines with unique combinations of traits for individual targeted needs or markets.

We present a case of anaphylaxis to suxamethonium and/or vecuronium in a patient who had previously suffered an anaphylactic reaction, presumably to rocuronium. The patient had not been referred for formal allergy testing after the first anaphylactic reaction. Subsequent formal allergy testing revealed sensitivities to suxamethonium, rocuronium and vecuronium. Her next anaesthetic, using cisatracurium, was uneventful. It is recommended that all patients with suspected perioperative anaphylaxis are referred for testing. This is the responsibility of the anaesthetist. Particular caution should be used with suspected neuromuscular blocking drug allergy as cross-reactivity is common and not predictable by drug structure.

Increased metabolism and insufficient blood supply cause acidic waste product accumulation in solid cancers. During carcinogenesis, cellular acid extrusion is upregulated but the underlying molecular mechanisms and their consequences for cancer growth and progression have not been established. Genome-wide association studies have indicated a possible link between the Na⁺, HCO₃⁻-cotransporter NBCn1 (SLC4A7) and breast cancer. We tested the functional consequences of NBCn1 knockout (KO) for breast cancer development. NBCn1 protein expression increased 2.5-fold during breast carcinogenesis and was responsible for the increased net acid extrusion and alkaline intracellular pH of breast cancer compared with normal breast tissue. Genetic disruption of NBCn1 delayed breast cancer development: tumor latency was ~50% increased while tumor growth rate was ~65% reduced in NBCn1 KO compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Breast cancer histopathology in NBCn1 KO mice differed from that in WT mice and included less aggressive tumor types. The extracellular tumor microenvironment in NBCn1 KO mice contained higher concentrations of glucose and lower concentrations of lactate than that in WT mice. Independently of NBCn1 genotype, the cleaved fraction of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-1 and expression of monocarboxylate transporter (MCT)1 increased while phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1 decreased as functions of tumor volume. Cell proliferation, evaluated from Ki-67 and phospho-histone H₃staining, was ~60% lower in breast cancer of NBCn1 KO than that of WT mice when corrected for variations in tumor size. We conclude that NBCn1 facilitates acid extrusion from breast cancer tissue, maintains the alkaline intracellular environment and promotes aggressive cancer development and growth.

Number of frequency bands that have to be covered by smart phones, are ever increasing. This broadband coverage can be obtained either by using a low-Q antenna or a high-Q tunable antenna. This study investigates high-Q antennas performance when placed in proximity of the user. This study is carried out through measurements, using Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) specified head and hand phantoms. The results of the high-Q antenna are, at low as well as high frequencies, compared to the results for a low-Q antenna. The results show that detuning of low-Q antennas is more severe compared to high-Q antennas. However, the drop in efficiency is comparable for both antennas in proximity of the user. Number of frequency bands that have to be covered by smart phones, are ever increasing. This broadband coverage can be obtained either by using a low-Q antenna or a high-Q tunable antenna. This study investigates high-Q antennas performance when placed in proximity of the user. This study is carried out through measurements, using Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) specified head and hand phantoms. The results of the high-Q antenna are, at low as well as high frequencies, compared to the results for a low-Q antenna. The results show that detuning of low-Q antennas is more severe compared to high-Q antennas. However, the drop in efficiency is comparable for both antennas in proximity of the user.

A central tenet of signal transduction in eukaryotic cells is that extra-cellular ligands activate specific cell surface receptors, which orchestrate downstream responses. This ‘’protein-centric” view is increasingly challenged by evidence for the involvement of specialized membrane domains in signal transduction. Here, we propose that membrane perturbation may serve as an alternative mechanism to activate a conserved cell-death program in cancer cells. This view emerges from the extraordinary manner in which HAMLET (Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made LEthal to Tumor cells) kills a wide range of tumor cells in vitro and demonstrates therapeutic efficacy and selectivity in cancer models and clinical studies. We identify a ‘’receptor independent” transformation of vesicular motifs in model membranes, which is paralleled by gross remodeling of tumor cell membranes. Furthermore, we find that HAMLET accumulates within these de novo membrane conformations and define membrane blebs as cellular compartments for direct interactions of HAMLET with essential target proteins such as the Ras family of GTPases. Finally, we demonstrate lower sensitivity of healthy cell membranes to HAMLET challenge. These features suggest that HAMLET-induced curvature-dependent membrane conformations serve as surrogate receptors for initiating signal transduction cascades, ultimately leading to cell death.

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer death globally and new biomarkers and treatments are severely needed. Methods Here, we employed HCT116 and LoVo human CRC cells made resistant to either SN38 or oxaliplatin, to investigate whether altered expression of the high affinity glutamate transporters Solute Carrier (SLC)-1A1 and -1A3 (EAAT3, EAAT1) is associated with the resistant phenotypes. Analyses included real-time quantitative PCR, immunoblotting and immunofluorescence analyses, radioactive tracer flux measurements, and biochemical analyses of cell viability and glutathione content. Results were evaluated using one- and two-way ANOVA and Students two-tailed t-test, as relevant. Results In SN38-resistant HCT116 and LoVo cells, SLC1A1 expression was down-regulated ~60 % and up-regulated ~4-fold, respectively, at both mRNA and protein level, whereas SLC1A3 protein was undetectable. The changes in SLC1A1 expression were accompanied by parallel changes in DL-Threo-β-Benzyloxyaspartic acid (TBOA)-sensitive, UCPH101-insensitive [3H]-D-Aspartate uptake, consistent with increased activity of SLC1A1 (or other family members), yet not of SLC1A3. DL-TBOA co-treatment concentration-dependently augmented loss of cell viability induced by SN38, while strongly counteracting that induced by oxaliplatin, in both HCT116 and LoVo cells. This reflected neither altered expression of the oxaliplatin transporter Cu2+-transporter-1 (CTR1), nor changes in cellular reduced glutathione (GSH), although HCT116 cell resistance per se correlated with increased cellular GSH. DL-TBOA did not significantly alter cellular levels of p21, cleaved PARP-1, or phospho-Retinoblastoma protein, yet altered SLC1A1 subcellular localization, and reduced chemotherapy-induced p53 induction. Conclusions SLC1A1 expression and glutamate transporter activity are altered in SN38-resistant CRC cells. Importantly, the non-selective glutamate transporter inhibitor DL-TBOA reduces chemotherapy-induced p53 induction and augments CRC cell death induced by SN38, while attenuating that induced by oxaliplatin. These findings may point to novel treatment options in treatment-resistant CRC. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1405-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Osmotic shrinkage of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells (EATC) elicited translocation of myosin II from the cytosol to the cortical region, and swelling elicits concentration of myosin II in the Golgi region. Rho kinase and p38 both appeared to be involved in shrinkage-induced myosin II reorganization. In contrast, the previously reported shrinkage-induced actin polymerization [Pedersen et al. (1999) Exp. Cell Res. 252, 63-74] was independent of Rho kinase, p38, myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), and protein kinase C (PKC), which thus do not exert their effects on the shrinkage-activated transporters via effects on F-actin. The subsequent F-actin depolymerization, however, appeared MLCK- and PKC-dependent, and the initial swelling-induced F-actin depolymerization was MLCK-dependent; both effects were apparently secondary to kinase-mediated effects on cell volume changes. NHE1 in EATC is activated both by osmotic shrinkage and by the serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor Calyculin A (CL-A). Both stimuli caused Rho kinase-dependent myosin II relocation to the cortical cytoplasm, but in contrast to the shrinkage-induced F-actin polymerization, CL-A treatment elicited a slight F-actin depolymerization. Moreover, Rho kinase inhibition did not significantly affect NHE1 activation, neither by shrinkage nor by CL-A. Implications for the possible interrelationship between changes in F-actin and myosin II, protein phosphorylation, and cell volume regulation are discussed.

Detailed examination of the water column, sediments, and interstitial waters was conducted in Balmer Lake, Ontario, Canada, in 1993-1994 and 1999 in order to assess the seasonal and interannual controls governing the behavior of As. High-resolution profiles of dissolved (

Analytic solutions for excitations in the anisotropic, multilayered high-Tc superconductor of the Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox-type are discussed. Understanding such excitations is important as a diagnostic tool for the experimental investigation of intrinsic materials properties, as well as being a basis for making devices. The linear plasma resonance is derived theoretically using the inductive coupling model. The eigenmodes of the plasma oscillation are discussed analytically. Further analysis is based on the plasma dispersion relation and the properties of lightly damped Josephson vortices known to exist in these layered superconductors. It is shown that symmetries from the plasma dispersion relation and the dynamic properties of the vortices are closely connected. This can be used to predict fluxon behaviour even in the absence of fluxon analytic solutions. The model assumes that vortices and an applied magnetic field are parallel to the planes. A semi-analytic derivation of a non-linear parametric excitation of certain of the plasma modes in Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox single crystals is mentioned.

Concentration and mass accumulation rate profiles from Southeastern Atlantic sediment cores located off Namibia show that an exceptional episode in benthic carbonate dissolution occurred during early glacial isotope stage 6 (substages 6.6 and 6.5) between about 186 000 and 170 000 yr BP. Although this episode is restricted to or is more pronounced in this region than in other areas of the Atlantic Ocean, its exceptional character with respect to older and younger climatic episodes at the same site cannot be fully explained by local factors alone, but requires a combination of local and global influences. The onset of the carbonate dissolution episode is related to a more efficient transfer of organic matter from surface eutrophic areas to the lower and is due to low sea level, while its termination relates to a change in either global ocean alkalinity or bottom water circulation. An evaluation of the magnitude of this local carbonate dissolution episode suggests that its contribution to a global alkalinity change may have been significant. Carbonate dissolution was probably amplified by stronger upwelling activity of the Benguela System linked to an exceptional northern excursion of the boreal summer ITCZ during early glacial isotope stage 6. This low latitude global linkage may explain how this carbonate dissolution event as well as other ‘anomalies’ observed for early stage 6, like an important Dole effect minimum or a ‘cold’ Mediterranean sapropel, are related.

Objectives: A cross sectional study of 54 furniture factories and three control factories was conducted to investigate the relation between subjective and objective nasal obstruction and exposure to wood dust. Methods: Acoustic rhinometry was performed on 161 woodworkers and 19 controls. For each person, four measuring rounds were performed: before work, after 4 hours of work, and after 7 hours of work before and after decongestion. Before the first and third measuring round, each person rated the current feeling of nasal obstruction in the left and right nostril separately, using a visual analogue scale. Personal passive dust measurements were performed on 140 woodworkers. Results: The mean (SD) of equivalent inhalable dust was relatively low, 1.17 (0.62) mg/m3, range 0.17–3.44 mg/m3. The exposure was divided into four levels: controls, low exposure, medium exposure, and high exposure. For the two highest concentrations of exposure, a significant increase in congestion—decreased nasal cavity volume and cross sectional areas—was found after 4 and 7 hours of work, compared with before work. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed positive correlations between concentration of dust and change in mucosal swelling. A significant increase in self rated nasal obstruction was found after work compared with before work for the two highest exposure groups. No correlation between objective nasal variables and self rated nasal obstruction was found. Conclusion: Exposure to wood dust was related in a dose dependent manner to acute nasal obstruction measured by acoustic rhinometry and self reported obstruction, but no correlation was found between measured and self reported obstruction.

Effects of kernel size on grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] quality were studied in an experiment designed to separate effects of kernel size from seedlot. The study utilized three sieve fractions of varying kernel diameter (>3.35, >2.80 and >2.36 mm) from six seedlots. Chemical composition, physical characteristics, milling characteristics, pasting properties, and cooking qualities were determined for each kernel size fraction. Large kernels lost less relative mass during 1 min of decortication, were higher in protein concentration, and lower in ash. Milling yields were higher from large kernels, and flour from large kernels had higher water absorbance, brighter white color, and larger particle size. Kernel size effects on Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) properties were not consistent. These results suggest that within the sorghum seedlots studied, an increase in kernel size is associated with an increase in sorghum quality as defined by the parameters measured in this study.

Summary Eight lines of grain sorghum and their F1 hybrids were evaluated for contents of crude protein (CP), fat (FAT), and starch (STA); protein digestibility (PD); and in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD). The effect of seed weight (SW) on these traits and the potential use of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) to predict them also were investigated. The male lines included three normal-seeded lines (TX2737, TX435, and P954063) and two largeseeded lines (PL-1 and Eastin1). The female lines included common U.S. seed parent lines (Wheatland, Redlan, and SA3042). The lines and their hybrids were grown under dryland conditions at Kansas State University experiment fields in Ashland and Belleville, Kansas, in 1999. The experiments were conducted using a randomized complete block design with four replications at each location. The effect of genotype was significant for all measured traits. The male parent lines were highly variable and expressed high levels of genetic variation in combining ability for CP, PD, STA, and SW. The female parents were genetically more uniform; however, significant general combining ability effects were noted for PD and SW. Significant negative correlations were noted between CP and STA and between SW and STA. Significant positive correlations were found between CP and SW and between FAT and IVDMD. Crude protein content was predicted accurately by NIRS. Fat content and IVDMD could not be predicted by NIRS. The NIRS equations based on ground samples were more accurate than those based on whole-seed samples.

The volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC) plays a pivotal role in cell volume regulation in essentially all cell types studied. Additionally, VRAC appears to contribute importantly to a wide range of other cellular functions and pathological events, including cell motility, cell proliferation, apoptosis and excitotoxic glutamate release in stroke. Although biophysically, pharmacologically and functionally thoroughly described, VRAC has until very recently remained a genetic orphan. The search for the molecular identity of VRAC has been long and has yielded multiple potential candidates, all of which eventually turned out to have properties not fully compatible with those of VRAC. Recently, two groups have independently identified the protein leucine-rich repeats containing 8A (LRRC8A), belonging to family of proteins (LRRC8A–E) distantly related to pannexins, as the likely pore-forming subunit of VRAC. In this brief review, we summarize the history of the discovery of VRAC, outline its basic biophysical and pharmacological properties, link these to several cellular functions in which VRAC appears to play important roles, and sketch the amazing search for the molecular identity of this channel. Finally, we describe properties of the LRRC8 proteins, highlight some features of the LRRC8A knockout mouse and discuss the impact of the discovery of LRRC8 as VRAC on future research.

The mechanisms linking cell volume sensing to volume regulation in mammalian cells remain incompletely understood. Here, we test the hypothesis that activation of nonreceptor tyrosine kinases Src, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and Janus kinase-2 (Jak2) occurs after osmotic shrinkage of NIH3T3 fibroblasts and contributes to volume regulation by activation of NKCC1. FAK phosphorylation at Tyr397, Tyr576/577, and Tyr861 was increased rapidly after exposure to hypertonic (575 mOsm) saline, peaking after 10 (Tyr397, Tyr576/577) and 10–30 min (Tyr861). Shrinkage-induced Src family kinase autophosphorylation (pTyr416-Src) was induced after 2–10 min, and immunoprecipitation indicated that this reflected phosphorylation of Src itself, rather than Fyn and Yes. Phosphorylated Src and FAK partly colocalized with vinculin, a focal adhesion marker, after hypertonic shrinkage. The Src inhibitor pyrazolopyrimidine-2 (PP2, 10 μM) essentially abolished shrinkage-induced FAK phosphorylation at Tyr576/577 and Tyr861, yet not at Tyr397, and inhibited shrinkage-induced NKCC1 activity by ∼50%. The FAK inhibitor PF-573,228 augmented shrinkage-induced Src phosphorylation, and inhibited shrinkage-induced NKCC1 activity by ∼15%. The apparent role of Src in NKCC1 activation did not reflect phosphorylation of myosin light chain kinase (MLC), which was unaffected by shrinkage and by PP2, but may involve Jak2, a known target of Src, which was rapidly activated by osmotic shrinkage and inhibited by PP2. Collectively, our findings suggest a major role for Src and possibly the Jak2 axis in shrinkage-activation of NKCC1 in NIH3T3 cells, whereas no evidence was found for major roles for FAK and MLC in this process.

The present disclosure relates to a wireless communication system configured to transforming the radiating mechanism of the antenna system in such a way to support different operating modes depending on the needs. In some examples, the wireless communication system comprises an antenna structure connected to a signal process unit. The antenna structure comprises a radiating mechanism configured to transmit or receive electromagnetic radiation. A switchable operating mode element is configured to receive a signal and to dynamically vary a quality factor of the radiating element by selectively routing the signal along one of a plurality of signal paths, which respectively provide different antenna parameters to the radiating mechanism, based upon a current operating mode of the wireless communication system. By dynamically varying a quality factor of the radiating element, the wireless communication system can effectively support different operating modes.

Despite the frequent expression of N-terminally truncated ErbB2 (ΔNErbB2/p95HER2) in breast cancer and its association with Herceptin resistance and poor prognosis, it remains poorly understood how ΔNErbB2 affects chemotherapy-induced cell death. Previously it was shown that ΔNErbB2 upregulates acid extrusion from MCF-7 breast cancer cells and that inhibition of the Na+/H+ exchanger (SLC9A1/NHE1) strongly sensitizes ΔNErbB2-expressing MCF-7 cells to cisplatin chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to identify the mechanism through which ΔNErbB2 regulates cisplatin-induced breast cancer cell death, and determine how NHE1 regulates this process. Cisplatin treatment elicited apoptosis, ATM phosphorylation, upregulation of p53, Noxa (PMAIP1), and PUMA (BBC3), and cleavage of caspase-9, -7, fodrin, and PARP-1 in MCF-7 cells. Inducible ΔNErbB2 expression strongly reduced cisplatin-induced ATM- and p53-phosphorylation, augmented Noxa upregulation and caspase-9 and -7 cleavage, doubled p21WAF1/Cip1 (CDKN1A) expression, and nearly abolished Bcl-2 expression. LC3-GFP analysis demonstrated that autophagic flux was reduced by cisplatin in a manner augmented by ΔNErbB2, yet did not contribute to cisplatin-induced death. Using knockdown approaches, it was shown that cisplatin-induced caspase-7 cleavage in ΔNErbB2-MCF-7 cells was Noxa- and caspase-9 dependent. This pathway was augmented by NHE1 inhibition, while the Na+/HCO3− cotransporter (SLC4A7/NBCn1) was internalized following cisplatin exposure. Implications: This work reveals that ΔNErbB2 strongly affects several major pro- and antiapoptotic pathways and provides mechanistic insight into the role of NHE1 in chemotherapy resistance. These findings have relevance for defining therapy regimens in breast cancers with ΔNErbB2 and/or NHE1 overexpression. Mol Cancer Res; 13(1); 63–77. ©2014 AACR.

Novel hybrid 18-fluoro-deoxy-D-glucose ((18)F-FDG) based positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown promise for characterization of atherosclerotic plaques clinically. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the method in a pre-clinical model of diet-induced atherosclerosis, based on the Göttingen minipig. Using (18)F-FDG PET/MRI the goal was to develop and create a new imaging method in an in vivo animal model for translational studies of atherosclerosis. We used a strategy of multisequence MRI for optimal anatomical imaging of the abdominal aortas of the pigs (n=4): T1-weighted turbo spin-echo (T1-TSE), T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (T2-TSE) and proton density imaging with and without fat saturation. (18)F-FDG PET emission data were collected from a single bed position of the abdominal aorta in 3D mode for either 10 (n=4) or 10 and 20 minutes (n=2) to measure glycolysis as given by standardized uptake values (SUV). Ex vivo en face evaluation of aortas from an atherosclerotic animal illustrated plaque distribution macroscopically, compared to a lean control animal. Although T2-TSE weighted imaging was most consistent, no one MRI sequence was preferable and superior to another for visualization and identification of the abdominal aorta. We found poor correlation between SUVs obtained from 10 and 20 minutes of reconstructed PET emission data. This can most likely be ascribed to intestinal movement. In conclusion multisequence MRI is recommended for optimal imaging of the abdominal aorta using MRI. Furthermore we found that 10 minutes of PET emission data seems adequate. This is the first study to demonstrate that the method of (18)F-FDG PET/MRI is feasible in minipig models of atherosclerosis, and therefore relevant in larger prospective studies. Perspectives of the method include correlation to e.g. aortic immunohistochemistry findings and a range of genomic and proteomic analyses.

We evaluated which equations best predicted the lung function of a cohort of nonagenarians based on which best accounted for subsequent survival.In 1998, we measured lung function, grip strength and dementia score (Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE)) in a population-based sample of 2262 Danes born in 1905. Mortality was registered to 2011 when only five (0.2%) subjects were alive. In half the cohort, we recorded forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1).Complete data were available in 592 subjects with results expressed as standardised residuals (SR) using various prediction equations. Cox proportional hazard regression found lower FEV1SR was a predictor of mortality having controlled for MMSE, grip strength and sex. The US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III (1999) equations gave a better spread of median survival by FEV1SR quartile: 3.94, 3.65, 3.51 and 2.61 years with a hazard ratio for death of 1, 1.16, 1.32 and 1.60 respectively, compared with equations derived with the inclusion of elderly subjects.We conclude that extrapolating from NHANES III equations to predict lung function in nonagenarians gave better survival predictions from spirometry than when employing equations derived using very elderly subjects with possible selection bias. These findings can help inform how future lung function equations for the elderly are derived. We evaluated which equations best predicted the lung function of a cohort of nonagenarians based on which best accounted for subsequent survival.In 1998, we measured lung function, grip strength and dementia score (Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE)) in a population-based sample of 2262 Danes born in 1905. Mortality was registered to 2011 when only five (0.2%) subjects were alive. In half the cohort, we recorded forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1).Complete data were available in 592 subjects with results expressed as standardised residuals (SR) using various prediction equations. Cox proportional hazard regression found lower FEV1SR was a predictor of mortality having controlled for MMSE, grip strength and sex. The US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III (1999) equations gave a better spread of median survival by FEV1SR quartile: 3.94, 3.65, 3.51 and 2.61 years with a hazard ratio for death of 1, 1.16, 1.32 and 1.60 respectively, compared with equations derived with the inclusion of elderly subjects.We conclude that extrapolating from NHANES III equations to predict lung function in nonagenarians gave better survival predictions from spirometry than when employing equations derived using very elderly subjects with possible selection bias. These findings can help inform how future lung function equations for the elderly are derived.

A unifying feature of solid tumors is a markedly altered pH profile compared to normal tissues. This reflects that solid tumors, despite completely different origins, often share several phenotypic properties with implications for intra- and extracellular pH. These include: a metabolic shift in most cancer cells toward more acid-producing pathways, reflecting both oncogenic signaling and the development of hypoxia in poorly perfused regions of the tumors; the poorly perfused and often highly dense tumor microenvironment, reducing the diffusive flux of acid equivalents compared to that in normal tissues; and the markedly altered regulation of the expression and activity of pH-regulatory transport proteins in cancer cells. While some of these properties of tumors have been well described in recent years, the great majority of the research in this clinically important area has focused on proton transport, in particular via the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger 1 (SLC9A1, NHE1) and various H(+) ATPases. We have, however, recently demonstrated that at least under some conditions, including in vitro models of HER2 positive breast cancer, and measurements obtained directly in freshly dissected human mammary carcinomas, bicarbonate transporters such as the electroneutral Na(+), HCO(-) 3 cotransporter (SLC4A7, NBCn1), are upregulated and play central roles in pH regulation. In this review, we summarize and discuss the current knowledge regarding the regulation and roles of bicarbonate transporters in cancer. Furthermore, we present new analyses of publicly available expression data demonstrating widely altered expression levels of SLC4- and SLC26 family transporters in breast-, lung-, and colon cancer patients, and we hypothesize that bicarbonate transporter dysregulation may have both diagnostic and therapeutic potential in cancer treatment.

The application relates to a stationary communication device (1) comprising a housing (12) and an antenna (11) and a transceiver unit (Rx/Tx) operationally coupled to the antenna, the housing being adapted for assuming a specific orientation relative to the surface of the earth when placed in an operational state. The application further relates to a communication system. The object of the present application is to provide a stationary communication device (1) with an antenna (11) that facilitates wireless communication to a portable communication device (2). The problem is solved in that the antenna is vertically polarized. An advantage of the disclosure is that a stationary wireless communication device (1) with a small height can be implemented. The invention may e.g. be used for the hearing aids, headsets, ear phones, active ear protection systems, handsfree telephone systems, mobile telephones, and accessories to such devices.

Lung volumes are subdivided into static and dynamic lung volumes. Static lung volumes are measured by methods which are based on the completeness of respiratory manoeuvres, so that the velocity of the manoeuvres should be adjusted accordingly. The measurements taken during fast breathing movements are described as dynamic lung volumes and as forced inspiratory and expiratory flows. ### 1.1 Static lung volumes and capacities The volume of gas in the lung and intrathoracic airways is determined by the properties of lung parenchyma and surrounding organs and tissues, surface tension, the force exerted by respiratory muscles, by lung reflexes and by the properties of airways. The gas volumes of thorax and lung are the same except in the case of a pneumothorax. If two or more subdivisions of the total lung capacity are taken together, the sum of the constituent volumes is described as a lung capacity. Lung volumes and capacities are described in more detail in § 2. #### 1.1.1 Determinants Factors which determine the size of the normal lung include stature, age, sex, body mass, posture, habitus, ethnic group, reflex factors and daily activity pattern. The level of maximal inspiration (total lung capacity, TLC) is influenced by the force developed by the inspiratory muscles (disorders include e.g. muscular dystrophy), the elastic recoil of the lung (disorders include e.g. pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema) and the elastic properties of the thorax and adjacent structures (disorders include e.g. ankylosis of joints). The level of maximal expiration (residual volume, RV) is determined by the force exerted by respiratory muscles (disorders include e.g. muscle paralysis), obstruction, occlusion and compression of small airways (disorders include e.g. emphysema) and by the mechanical properties of lung and thorax (disorders include diffuse fibrosis, kyphoscoliosis). Assessing the total lung capacity is indispensable in establishing a restrictive ventilatory defect or in diagnosing abnormal lung distensibility, as may occur in patients …

Although the precise mechanisms have yet to be elucidated, early events in osmotic signal transduction may involve the clustering of cell surface receptors, initiating downstream signaling events such as assembly of focal adhesion complexes, and activation of, e.g. Rho family GTPases, phospholipases, lipid kinases, and tyrosine- and serine/threonine protein kinases. In the present paper, we briefly review recent evidence regarding the possible relation between such signaling events, the F-actin cytoskeleton, and volume-regulatory membrane transporters, focusing primarily on our own work in Ehrlich ascites tumer cells (EATC). In EATC, cell shrinkage is associated with an increase, and cell swelling with a decrease in F-actin content, respectively. The role of the F-actin cytoskeleton in cell volume regulation in various cell types has largely been investigated using cytochalasins to disrupt F-actin and highly varying effects have been reported. Findings in EATC show that the effect of cytochalasin treatment cannot always be assumed to be F-actin depolymerization, and that, moreover, there is no well-defined correlation between effects of cytochalasins on F-actin content and their effects on F-actin organization and cell morphology. At a concentration verified to depolymerize F-actin, cytochalasin B (CB), but not cytochalasin D (CD), inhibited the regulatory volume decrease (RVD) and regulatory volume increase (RVI) processes in EATC. This suggests that the effect of CB is related to an effect other than F-actin depolymerization, possibly its F-actin severing activity.

The aim of this study was to ascertain whether a new ultrasound technique, namely pulse inversion imaging, could assess the arrival of a contrast agent in the hepatic veins, and to describe possible advantages of this procedure in determining transit time over a previously described method based upon spectral Doppler quantification. 15 subjects were scanned using pulse inversion imaging. A bolus injection of 2.5 g Levovist (Schering AG, Berlin, Germany) 300 mg x ml(-1) was given into an antecubital vein. Median transit times of 16 s (range 14-20 s) were found in patients with liver cirrhosis (n=4), 22 s (range 16-27 s) in patients with focal liver lesions (n=8) and 31 s (range 30-32 s) in control subjects (n=3). The maximum interobserver variation was 2 s and the maximum intraobserver variation was 3 s (n=10). Transit time was assessed by both pulse inversion imaging and spectral Doppler quantification in six patients. Comparison of the two methods showed transit times within 2 s apart in five patients and within 5 s apart in one patient. In conclusion, it is possible to assess transit time using pulse inversion imaging. This method is simpler than a previously described method requiring computer analysis. Moreover, several liver veins can be assessed simultaneously. Different transit times were observed in different liver veins in two patients with liver tumours. A short transit time (27 s) appears to be found only in patients with liver disease. After transit time assessment, it is possible to use the injected contrast agent for late phase imaging of the liver parenchyma.

Twenty-three entries of grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), including eight inbred lines (five males and three females) and 15 hybrids, were evaluated to determine the proportion of γ, αII, and β-αI-kafirins and their association with contents of crude protein, fat, and starch; protein digestibility; in vitro dry matter disappearance; and seed weight. The male lines included three normal-seeded lines (TX2737, TX435, and P954063) and two large-seeded lines (Eastin1 and PL-1). Female lines consisted of three common U.S. seed parent lines (Wheatland, Redlan, and SA3042). The lines and their hybrids were grown under dryland conditions at two locations in Kansas using a randomized complete block design. The effects of genotype, location, and males were significant for all kafirins. Wide variations in composition and general combining ability (GCA) for kafirin content were noted among parent lines and hybrids, with TX2737, Eastin1, and PL1 having the largest GCA values for γ (1.37), αII (1.99)...

BackgroundMajor depression is highly recurrent. Antidepressant maintenance treatment has proven efficacy against recurrent depression.AimsComparison of prophylactic efficacy of citalopram versus placebo in unipolar, recurrent depression.MethodsPatients 18–65 years of age with recurrent unipolar major depression (DSM–IV), a Montgomery–åsberg Depression Rating Scale score of ≥ 22 and two or more previous depressive episodes, one within the past 5 years, were treated openly with citalopram (20–60 mg) for 6–9 weeks and, if responding, continued for 16 weeks before being randomised to double-blind maintenance treatment with citalopram or placebo for 48–77 weeks.ResultsA total of 427 patients entered acute treatment and 269 were randomised to double-blind treatment. Time to recurrence was longer in patients taking citalopram than in patients taking placebo (P < 0.001). Prophylactic treatment was well tolerated.ConclusionsCitalopram (20, 40 and 60 mg) is effective in the prevention of depressive recurrences. Patients at risk should continue maintenance treatment at the dose necessary to resolve symptoms in the acute treatment phase.

We have measured bronchial responsiveness (BR) to histamine on two occasions between 5 and 24 h apart, to determine if conventional and new indices of BR are repeatable. A random sample of 29 healthy male subjects with a mean age of 19 (SD 3.44) years from a larger study repeated a Yan method test of BR, recording both partial and maximal expiratory flow volume (PEFV and MEFV) curves. From the MEFV curves log-dose slopes (LDS) for forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1), forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of forced vital capacity (FVC) (FEF(25-75%)), mean expiratory flow at 30% and 40% of FVC (MEF30, MEF40), and the first moment of the spirogram (alpha1) truncated at 75% and 90% of FVC were calculated, as well as the provocative dose that induces a 20% fall in FEV1 (PD20FEV1). From the PEFV curves LDS for alpha(1)75% and alpha(1)90%, and MEF30 and MEF40 were derived. Apart from MEF30 and alpha(1)90% the second test was significantly lower (P

Nonselective adrenergic α-agonists such as phenylpropanolamine and d-pseudoephedrine are widely used as decongestants to treat nasal congestion associated with a variety of nasal diseases. Although the activity of these drugs is well established in clinical studies, a direct comparison of their nasal decongestant effect as determined by changes in nasal cavity dimensions and nasal architecture has not been studied. Using acoustic rhinometry, we evaluated the effects of these drugs on nasal cavity volume, minimum cross-sectional area (Amin), and the distance from the nosepiece to the Amin (Dmin) in a feline, pharmacological model of nasal congestion. Administration of topical compound 48/80 (1%), a mast cell histamine liberator, into the left nasal passageway decreased nasal volume by 66%, reduced Amin by 51%, and increased Dmin by 116%. The congestive responses to compound 48/80 (1%) were reproducible through six weeks. In a subset of cats, the nasal cavity volume effect of repetitive exposure to compound 48/80, given once every two weeks for six weeks, was not different from the nasal responses after the initial exposure to compound 48/80. Pretreatment with oral phenylpropanolamine (10 mg/kg) or oral d-pseudoephedrine (10 mg/kg) attenuated the nasal effects of compound 48/80, but were associated with a pronounced increase in systolic blood pressure of +51 and +82 mmHg, respectively. A similar decongestant profile was observed with phenylpropanolamine (1%) and d-pseudoephedrine (1%) when given topically. Topical phenylpropanolamine (1%) and d-pseudoephedrine (1%) 45 minutes after dosing increased blood pressure +44 and +17 mmHg, respectively, over control animals. We conclude that oral and topical phenylpropanolamine and d-pseudoephedrine display equieffective nasal decongestant activity and produce similar cardiovascular profiles characterized by significant increases in blood pressure.

Changes in palaeoproduction in Saanich Inlet, British Columbia, were examined from sediments using total organic carbon contents and stable carbon isotope ratios. Sediments were obtained from Holes 1033B and 1034B of Ocean Drilling Program Leg 169S. These cores contain two distinct zones: (1) carbon poor (%Corg

Coring at site ODP 1033B in Saanich Inlet recovered 59.4 m of mainly laminated olive-grey diatom ooze and an underlying 55.15 m of massive grey to olive-grey silty clay. Based on AMS radiocarbon dating, the boundary between the two units is between 11,000 and 13,800 calibrated years BP, and represents the Holocene-Pleistocene boundary. The lower unit represents glaciomarine deposition, whereas deposition of the upper unit began when the modern semi-restricted physiography of the fjord was established following glacial rebound and highly productive marine conditions were established. The glaciomarine clay is almost entirely terrigenous, whereas the diatom ooze contains 2–3 wt.% organic C and 20–40 wt.% biogenous silica; CaCO 3 contributions are minor, but there are several peaks in carbonate abundance in the upper unit. The isotopic composition of organic C and total N suggests that organic matter in the glaciomarine clay is dominantly terrestrial ( δ 13 C organic δ 15 N total =ca. 3‰) and in the diatom oozes it is mainly marine ( δ 13 C organic >−22‰ and δ 15 N total =ca. 10‰). The heavy δ 15 N total values probably record a contribution of isotopically heavy nitrate to the surface waters of the inlet that is transported to British Columbia (BC) coastal waters from the eastern tropical Pacific by the California Undercurrent. Major and minor elemental data suggest that the composition of the terrigenous material and its grain-size has changed over the last 15 kyr, and there are marked enrichments in several redox-sensitive elements in the diatom oozes. Thus, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V and Zn have higher concentrations in the upper unit; Br and I are also enriched because of their association with organic matter. Mn is enriched in the anoxic diatom oozes due to the presence of manganoan carbonate (Mn peaks generally corresponding with carbonate peaks) formed in the sediment when deep water renewal caused precipitation of Mn oxyhydroxides, which dissolved in the anoxic sediment and was precipitated as a diagenetic phase. The remaining metals are enriched because of their removal to the sediment as sulphides (Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb and Zn) or as particle-reactive reduced species (V). Cr enrichment is obscured by the presence of Fe-rich chlorite. The lag in the enrichment of Mo with respect to organic C in the sediments indicates that anoxia developed some time after marine production increased following the semi-isolation of the fjord.

A palynological investigation was undertaken on the upper 29 m of sediment at Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 887, spanning the last 430 000 years (i.e., isotopic stages 12 to 1). Pollen and dinocyst assemblages reveal a major ecostratigraphical boundary at the Middle–Late Pleistocene transition. The Middle Pleistocene pollen data document the occurrence of a spruce forest vegetation in the source area, likely located on the adjacent Alaskan coast, whereas the Late Pleistocene is marked by higher inputs of pine, shrub, and herb taxa, suggesting predominant inputs from a more open landscape. The Middle Pleistocene is characterized by a low diversity in dinocyst assemblages, which are dominated by Operculodinium centrocarpum, whereas the Late Pleistocene is marked by the significant occurrence of Pentapharsodinium dalei, Pyxidinopsis reticulata, and by high percentages of Brigantedinium spp. Such assemblages suggest open oceanic and cool temperate conditions during the Middle Pleistocene, changing toward generally colder and less saline conditions during the Late Pleistocene. In addition, large fluctuations in the dinocyst assemblages during the Late Pleistocene are recorded in phase with the main shifts in the isotopic stratigraphy. A new dinocyst taxon, Spiniferites alaskensis sp. nov., exclusively recorded in sediments of the isotopic substage 5e, is described herein.

Although there is growing demand for sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] with white seed and tan plant color, there is limited information on the overall agronomic fitness of sorghum with these characters. A set of experiments was conducted to evaluate the combined effects of plant color and seed color on sorghum germination, emergence, and agronomic performance. Twenty near-isogenic lines with red seed/tan plant (RT), red seed/purple plant (RP), white seed/ tan plant (WT), white seed/purple plant (WP) phenotypes were tested under field and laboratory conditions. Plant color x seed color interactions were not significant. Purple plant color phenotypes had higher cold germination, higher germination after accelerated aging, and greater seedling elongation at 10 d than tan plant color phenotypes. Plant color did not influence standard warm germination. No differences in standard warm germination or seed vigor test results were attributable to seed color. Seedling emergence under field conditions was higher for the red seed than the white seed phenotype. Grain yield was higher for the white seed than the red seed phenotype, and higher for the purple plant color than the tan plant color phenotype. Grain test weights from purple plant color lines were higher than those from tan plant color lines. All four phenotypes included relatively high yielding lines. There was considerable overlap between WT, WP, RT, RP lines in yield and other indicators of agronomic performance leading to the conclusion that white seed and tan plant color lines with comparable performance to red seed and purple plant color lines can be selected from segregating breeding populations.

The development of a new piezoceramic material, Ferroperm Pz21, optimised for use in medical diagnostics applications is described. The requirements to such a material are very high permittivity, sensitivity and coupling factors, and at the same time a relatively high Curie temperature. The structure must furthermore be very dense and fine-grained, since dicing of small sub-elements for medical arrays must be performed without damaging the material. The developed material is a solid solution between a PZT phase and the relaxor phase Pb(Ni 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 . A comparison between different production processes is given, and a new solid state route for production of very dense and fine-grained materials is presented. Very positive characteristics are generally observed, and a stable behaviour even at elevated temperatures indicate that the material can find applications not only in the medical market, but also as a more general sensor/actuator.

Regularly increasing radiocarbon age–depth profiles and near-constant sediment composition with depth have demonstrated that sediment accumulation has been relatively constant during the late Holocene at two north-east Atlantic sites on Rockall Bank and Feni Drift (UK Benthic Boundary Layer Experiment sites). In such a quasi-steady state situation, the geochemical responses to early diagenesis of the redox-sensitive elements Cd, Mn, Mo, Re, Se and U are readily discerned through changes in element concentrations with depth. Collectively, a colour change in the sediments, surficial MnOx-enriched layers and 210Pbexcess profiles allow an estimate of the mean position of the oxic–post-oxic boundary in the sediments at both sites. This boundary is situated deeper than the 210Pbexcess surface mixed layer but shallower than the 14C surface mixed layer which represent mixing on 102 and 103 year time scales, respectively. This implies that the well-defined surface MnOx enrichment and its associated 226Ra and Mo fractions must have been efficiently recycled first by downwards mixing into anoxic conditions, and then by subsequent reduction and diffusive migration back up into oxic conditions. This occurs in

To the Editors: A few questions have been raised following the publication in 2005 of the joint American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS) series of documents on standardising lung function testing and these are answered below. The following questions and answers pertain to the standardisation document for spirometry 1. ### Start of test criteria Should blows be rejected solely on the basis of a poor back extrapolated volume (EV)? #### Reply Usually. The forced vital capacity (FVC) may be usable, but the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) is likely to be falsely high or low. #### Rationale The acceptability criteria for spirometry were designed to help technologists improve the subject’s technique in order to get the best and most reliable result. EV is important for determining that a fast start to the blow was achieved and this is crucial for getting the best values for FEV1 and peak expiratory flow (PEF). ### End of test criteria In the original document, there was an error in table 5. #### Reply In table 5, the within-manoeuvre criteria for a satisfactory completion of a blow should have read “Duration of ≥6 s (3 s for children) and a plateau in the volume–time curve, or if the subject cannot or should not continue to exhale.” The original table had “or” in twice, whereas the accompanying text was correct, as above. #### Rationale The end of test (EOT) criteria are applied in order to ensure that efforts are made to achieve the best estimate of FVC. When a subject cannot meet the plateau criterion (

Chronic inflammation and extracellular remodeling of the airway wall characterize asthma. The purpose of this study was to examine whether these features cause a change in airway mechanical properties. We examined 14 healthy and 10 young adults with long-lasting asthma, the latter treated with inhaled bronchodilators and corticosteroids. To obtain area-versus-transmural pressure (A-Ptm) curves during forced expiration (Pedersen, O. F., et al. J. Appl. Physiol. 1982;52:357-369), we used an esophageal balloon and a Pitot static probe positioned at five locations between the right lower lobe and midtrachea. Cross-sectional area (A), airway compliance (Caw = dA/dPtm), and specific airway compliance (sCaw = Caw/A) were obtained from the A-Ptm curves. Results showed that: (1) A was larger in males than in females; (2) Caw and sCaw decreased with a more downstream position; and (3) Caw and sCaw were significantly lower in the patients with asthma, with the differences between the asthmatic patients and the healthy subjects becoming smaller toward the trachea. The lower Caw and sCaw in the patients with long-lasting asthma support the concept that chronic inflammation and remodeling of the airway wall may result in stiffer dynamic elastic properties of the asthmatic airway.

A biogeochemical study of recent (multicores) sediments of the northwest African slope was undertaken to understand how the sediment composition varies with respect to the location of core sites relative to the centers of coastal upwelling, and how this has affected the palaeoceanographic record. Sedimentary organic carbon contents are inversely correlated with the nitrogen isotopic composition (δ 15 N), high C organic concentrations and low δ 15 N occurring at proximal (shallow) sites and the opposite at distal (deep) ones. These spatial differences are interpreted to result from higher relative nutrient utilization and a decrease in production as waters are advected offshore from the zone of upwelling. Highest C organic contents also correlate positively with highest concentrations of redox-sensitive elements (U, Mo and S) that are fixed diagenetically in the sediments. These results suggest that the sedimentary regime at a fixed position depends on the spatial location of the productive areas relatively to a given core site. Downcore records of Zr/Al, Ti/Al, mean grain size of the terrigenous fraction, δ 15 N, C organic , biogenic Ba, U, Mo and sulfur at a single site on the slope are interpreted to reflect glacial-interglacial changes in the core location relative to the coastline (sea-level effect), and hence changes in production as the area of coastal upwelling moved on- and offshore as sea-level changed, as well as undoubtedly changes in upwelling intensity through wind forcing. Further studies are needed to fully understand the interrelationships of all these processes, which are required for building more reliable paleoceanographic-paleoclimatic records.

The late Quaternary history of water-column denitrification of the eastern Pacific margins and the Arabian Sea is reconstructed using sedimentary delta(15)N measurements. The delta(15)N values in six piston cores raised from these regions show remarkably similar cyclic variations, being heavy (9-10.5 parts per thousand) during the interglacials and 2-3 parts per thousand lighter during the glacials. This implies that denitrification in these regions decreased substantially during the glacial periods. The glacial decline in denitrification is attributed to reduced upwelling and flux of organic material through the oxygen minimum zone. Since water-column denitrification in these areas accounts for about half of the fixed-nitrogen loss in the modern ocean, the inferred decrease in denitrification should have increased the oceanic nitrate inventory during glacial periods. Because nitrate is a limiting nutrient, oceanic productivity and attendant changes in CO(2) may therefore have been modulated on glacial-interglacial timescales by variations in the oceanic NO(3)(-) content.