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During operation of a wind turbine, wake flow occurs behind the wind turbine, reducing the amount of power generation and the life of the downwind wind turbine. To understand wind turbine wake flow, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted using 'RIAM-COMPACT' to reproduce wind turbine wake flow. There is no significant difference in the flow field of the wind turbine wake between upwind-type and downwind-type turbines. In the 5D downstream of the wind turbine, the vertical distribution of the mainstream velocity component is almost the same regardless of the power of the inflow profile in the swept area. When the inflow wind has a wind direction change of up to 10 degrees, the wind turbine wake is quite diffuse, and its vertical distribution is in good agreement with the field measurements made by the vertical profile lidar.

To identify novel biomarkers using the serological analysis of recombinant cDNA expression libraries (SEREX) method and to evaluate their clinical significance in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Serum of ALS patients were screened for autoantibodies using the SEREX method. The identified autoantibodies were validated by measuring their serum levels in 70 ALS patients, 60 normal controls (NC), and 62 Parkinson disease (PD) patients using the amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay-linked immunosorbent assay (AlphaLISA). The clinical relevance of these autoantibodies was investigated in ALS patients. SEREX identified 16 candidate antigens including β-actin (ACTB) in addition to proteasome subunit alpha type 7 (PSMA7) that we previously reported, and serum levels of antibodies against ACTB, were significantly higher in ALS patients than in NC (

OBJECTIVE To evaluate clinical parameters, markers of kidney function, and skeletal muscle damage in a group of sugarcane cutters during harvesting season. METHODS Seventeen volunteers were assessed for anthropometrics and cardiorespiratory fitness. Blood and urine samples were collected 48-hours after the last work session. Blood was analyzed for glucose, creatine kinase, cholesterol, and a complete hemogram. Urine and blood samples were also analyzed for markers related to kidney function. RESULTS Volunteers were young (26 ± 6 y), had low body fat (13 ± 5%), and good cardiorespiratory fitness (41 ± 6 mL/kg/min). Classical markers of kidney function (eGFR, creatinine, cystatin C) were within the normal range. However, ten volunteers presented elevated resting serum creatine kinase (221 ± 68 U/L). CONCLUSION Manual sugarcane harvesting is associated with sustained skeletal muscle damage which may increase the risk for kidney injury in Brazilian sugarcane cutters.

Background and purpose Cranial nerve palsy is occasionally present in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), but its prevalence, characteristics and relations with the CIDP subtypes have rarely been investigated. The aim of this study was to systematically assess cranial nerve involvement in typical and atypical CIDP. Methods Clinical data were reviewed in 132 consecutive patients with CIDP, including typical CIDP (n = 89), multifocal acquired demyelinating sensory and motor neuropathy (MADSAM) (n = 31), distal acquired demyelinating symmetric (DADS) (n = 9) and others (n = 3). Results The frequency of cranial nerve palsy was 11% in typical CIDP, 48% in MADSAM and 11% in DADS. Facial and bulbar palsy was most frequently present (9%), followed by ocular motor nerve palsy (5%). Bilateral involvement was seen in all typical CIDP and DADS patients, whereas 80% of MADSAM patients had unilateral palsy. The presence of cranial nerve involvement was associated with more severe limb muscle weakness in typical CIDP, but not in MADSAM. Cranial nerve palsy fully recovered in 90% of typical CIDP and in 67% of MADSAM patients. Conclusion Amongst the CIDP subtypes, cranial palsy is frequent and unilateral in MADSAM, and less frequent and bilateral in typical CIDP and DADS. In typical CIDP, facial and bulbar palsy reflects more severe and extensive inflammation.

Excitability properties at the motor point of the abductor digiti minimi (ADM) muscle were measured using an accelerometer placed on the little finger tip in 31 healthy subjects, and the results were compared with those at the wrist level of the ulnar nerve. ADM motor point stimulation allowed us to demonstrate a significantly shorter strength-duration time constant and smaller threshold changes in deporalizing and hyperpolarizing threshold electrotonus than those at wrist stimulation. At the wrist, hyperpolarizing threshold electrotonus correlated with age (smaller threshold changes), while other excitability indices did not show age-dependent changes at both sites. There were no significant gender differences at these sites. The differences between the wrist and ADM motor point suggest that there are smaller persistent sodium currents and greater inward and outward rectification at the ADM point compared with the wrist. Motor point excitability testing can provide new insights into the pathophysiology of distal motor axons in various peripheral neuropathies and motor disorders.

Megacities in Asia have been growing and showing dynamic ‘compressed’ changes. Tokyo, Bangkok and Shanghai are serving as the centre of finance, production and other functions of the region, while disparities within the city are widening to form multi-layered stratification. Besides, in the advancement of globalisation, they now experience uncertainty, insecurity, and more difficult new challenges – facing challenges of global cities in developed countries and of cities in developing countries simultaneously. In order to consider social environment where individual can live well in such Asian cities, this paper explores potential urban risks, risk responses, and actual condition of well-being of urban residents in three cities. The data from field survey show that Tokyo residents face to the work-related problems, while shanghai and Bangkok residents to the fundamental economic risks. As the responses to those risks, all three cities use some personal networks to ensure enough resources to overcome, even if what relationships they have developed and how to use those vary. An interesting but not surprising finding is that, despite a better living condition, Tokyo residents show the lowest level of life satisfaction among the surveyed cities. In reality, there is a limit in responding to the public needs due to the austerity, which results in a serious policy dilemma. Managing the urban risks in a creative way by multi-actors in local context, such as involving individuals’ personal networks, is one of the key challenges to be tackled for the future development and economic and social sustainability of the world.

To identify autoantibodies using sera from ALS patients and elucidate their roles in disease pathology.An immunological screening was performed with a phage expression library SEREX method using sera from 3 ALS patients to identify ALS-related autoantibodies. Levels of antibodies identified by SEREX were measured in 33 ALS patients and 30 normal controls (NCs) by AlphaLISA using recombinant non-full-length proteins. The results were then validated by ELISA using full-length proteins in 71 ALS patients, 30 NCs and 34 disease controls (DCs). The relationship between the titres and clinical profiles of ALS patients were examined.Four autoantibodies identified by SEREX were proteasome subunit alpha type 7 (PSMA7), vimentin, hydroxymethylbilane synthase and TBC1 domain family member 2 (TBC1D2). AlphaLISA revealed that only the anti-PSMA7 and anti-TBC1D2 levels were significantly different between the ALS and NCs groups. ELISA showed that only the levels of antibody against PSMA7, involved in protein degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP), were higher in the ALS group than both the NC (P .01) and DC (P = .034) groups. Anti-PSMA7 levels tended to be negatively correlated with the logarithm of disease duration (P = .052) and were significantly positively correlated with the logarithm of creatine kinase levels (P = .011). The anti-PSMA7 antibody levels were different between patients with and without dysphagia (P .01).Serum anti-PSMA7 antibody might be a disease-promoting factor in early-stage ALS and might be a biomarker of ALS. Anti-PSMA7 autoantibody might contribute to the pathogenesis of ALS, possibly via its role in the UPP.

We investigated a conspicuous mating behaviour of simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails, the so-called shooting of love-darts, whereby a snail pushes its love-dart(s) into its mating partner. It has been shown that a specific mucus coating the love-dart is transferred into the partner’s blood and it suppresses subsequent matings in the darted individual in Euhadra quaesita. However, how the dart mucus suppresses subsequent matings is still unclear. In the present study, we tested a hypothesis for the underlying mechanisms: sperm donors reduce physical vigour in mating partners through injection of the dart mucus. In observational experiments, we found that neither locomotion behaviour nor food consumption differed between snails artificially injected with the mucus and snails injected with a control solution. These findings show that the dart mucus can suppress subsequent matings in the partners without affecting physical condition.

A combined system comprising the TrueBeam linear accelerator and a new real‐time, tumor‐tracking radiotherapy system, SyncTraX, was installed in our institution. The goals of this study were to assess the capability of SyncTraX in measuring the position of a fiducial marker using color fluoroscopic images, and to evaluate the dosimetric and geometric accuracy of respiratory‐gated radiotherapy using this combined system for the simple geometry. For the fundamental evaluation of respiratory‐gated radiotherapy using SyncTraX, the following were performed: 1) determination of dosimetric and positional characteristics of sinusoidal patterns using a motor‐driven base for several gating windows; 2) measurement of time delay using an oscilloscope; 3) positional verification of sinusoidal patterns and the pattern in the case of a lung cancer patient; 4) measurement of the half‐value layer (HVL in mm AL), effective kVp, and air kerma, using a solid‐state detector for each fluoroscopic condition, to determine the patient dose. The dose profile in a moving phantom with gated radiotherapy having a gating window ≤4 mm was in good agreement with that under static conditions for each photon beam. The total time delay between TrueBeam and SyncTraX was

The use of herbal plants as traditional medicines has a century long history. Plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) is a perennial herb containing bioactive components with free radical scavenging activities. An isotope dilution technique using [U-13C]glucose was conducted to determine the effect of plantain on the responses of plasma glucose metabolism to exogenous insulin infusion in sheep. Six crossbred sheep (three wethers and three ewes; mean initial BW=40±2 kg) were fed either a mixed hay of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) and reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) (MH-diet) or mixed hay and fresh plantain (1 : 1 ratio, dry matter basis, PL-diet) and exposed to a thermoneutral (TN, 20°C; 70% relative humidity (RH)) environment or a heat exposure (HE, 30°C; 70% RH) for 5 days using a crossover design for two 23-day periods. The isotope dilution was conducted on days 18 and 23 of the experimental period during TN and HE, respectively. Plasma concentration of α-tocopherol was greater (P

The eyes of 2 male and 2 female GSP/pe chickens, the imperfect albino strain, were investigated at 52 weeks of age. Aged chickens of the GSP/pe colony became blind with bilateral ocular enlargement and opaque lenses. Affected eyes (bilateral in 2 males and unilateral in 2 females) were hard and difficult to section; histologic specimens were processed after decalcification. A large portion of the posterior chamber was occupied by cancellous bone containing fibrous and cartilaginous foci. Osseous tissues developed adjacent to the choroid, and no retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) was detected between osseous tissues and the choroid. Small segments of degenerate neuronal retina were scattered in the osseous tissue. The irises and ciliary bodies were deformed by osseous tissue, and the lenses had severe cataracts. These observations suggest that the intraocular osseous tissue may be derived from RPE in the hereditary incomplete-albino strain of chickens.

17th International Workshop on Inelastic Ion-Surface Collisions, Porquerolles, FRANCE, SEP 21-26, 2008; International audience; Charge exchange of medium energy H and He ions emerging from clean solid surfaces is studied extensively using a toroidal electrostatic analyzer with an excellent energy resolution. The charge distributions of He ions scattered from sub-monolayers near a surface are non-equilibrated, resulting in a surface peak even for poly-crystal solids. By solving simultaneous rate equations numerically, we derive electron capture and loss cross sections for Ni and Au surfaces. Based on a free electron gas model, non-equilibrated He(+) fractions dependent on emerging angle reveals uniform electronic surfaces for metals and corrugated surfaces for Si and graphite with covalent bonds. It is also found that equilibrium charge fractions of H(+) are independent of surface materials (Z(2)) and in contrast equilibrium He(+) fractions depend pronouncedly on Z(2). The data obtained are compared with semi-empirical formulas. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In order to reveal the anticlastogenic potency of aspirin, we evaluated the suppressive ability of aspirin on chromosome aberrations induced by X-ray. Aspirin at doses of 0.5, 5 and 50 mg/kg was administrated intraperitoneally or orally at 0.5 h after or before the X-ray irradiation. The anticlastogenic activity of aspirin on chromosome aberrations induced by X-ray was determined in the mouse micronucleus test and alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (SCG) assay in vivo. The frequency by polychromatic erythrocytes with micronuclei (MNPCEs) was decreased by about 19–61% at 0.5 h after and about 23–62% at 0.5 h before the X-ray irradiation. DNA damage by X-ray was significantly decreased by oral administration of aspirin at 0.5 h after or before the X-ray irradiation for the SCG assay. We consider aspirin can be used as preventive agents against exposure of X-ray.

High-resolution medium energy ion scattering (MEIS) spectroscopy has unveiled fine structures of surfaces and interfaces. However, problematic issues arise due to its excellent energy resolution. In particular, when one uses He + beams, the He + fraction η + ( 1 ) for the scattering component from top-layer atoms is frequently non-equilibrated owing to short exit path length. This leads to significant uncertainties of the absolute amount of atoms located on top of a surface. To overcome this difficulty, it is essential to acquire reliable data of equilibrium and non-equilibrium charge fractions and also to model the charge exchange process based on a simple picture. In this paper, we analyze the MEIS spectra from single and poly crystals of Si, Ni and Cu together with c-axis oriented graphite and derive electron capture ( σ 10 ) and loss ( σ 01 ) cross sections dependent on emerging ion velocity. Here, we assume that a He ion when arrives at a Maffin-tin sphere after a large angle collision takes the He + state and then undergoes many charge exchanging collisions with valence electrons until leaving an electronic surface. The velocity dependent σ10 and σ01 values derived well reproduce equilibrium and non-equilibrium charge fractions of He + except for graphite and poly-crystal Si at relatively large emerging angles. Such a deviation comes from the markedly anisotropic distributions of the valence electrons of Si and graphite with strong covalent bonds.

The main task of this work was to verify the existing differences in the elemental composition of samples seized in the main Brazilian regions of marijuana production, previously separated by their carbon and nitrogen stable isotope results, and to use these differences to classify the samples according to their geographical origins. The sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique (HR-ICP-MS) was the analytical technique applied and the data analysis was performed using hierarchical cluster and linear discriminant analysis. Results indicate that samples from different regions present different chemical profiles that appear in accordance to the geological characteristics of each region. The most relevant parameters were carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes, copper, cobalt, barium, lanthanum, zinc, iron, yttrium and manganese. An interesting product of this work was to demonstrate the possibility of using seized samples to create a national databank for monitoring the geographical origin of marijuana consumed in the country. Este trabalho teve como principal objetivo verificar as diferenças existentes na composição elementar de amostras de Cannabis, apreendidas em diferentes regiões produtoras do país, previamente separadas através da análise de isótopos estáveis de carbono e nitrogênio, e utilizar estas diferenças para classificar as amostras de acordo com sua origem geográfica. A técnica analítica empregada foi a de espectrometria de massas de dupla focalização com fonte de plasma acoplado indutivamente (HR-ICP-MS), e a avaliação dos dados foi realizada utilizando-se a análise de agrupamentos (hierarchical cluster analysis) e de discriminantes linear. Os resultados indicam que amostras provenientes de regiões diferentes apresentam perfis químicos diferentes e estes por sua vez parecem estar relacionadas com as características geológicas das regiões consideradas. Os parâmetros mais importantes nesta avaliação foram os isótopos estáveis de carbono e nitrogênio e os níveis de cobre, cobalto, bário, lantânio, zinco, ferro, ítrio e manganês. Este trabalho demonstrou a possibilidade de se utilizar amostras apreendidas nas ruas para a criação de um banco de dados para o monitoramento da maconha consumida no país.

Analytical-solution-controlled molecular dynamics that can simulate atomic-scale phenomena around a crack front has been extended so that it can also simulate phenomena caused dynamically by elastic/plastic waves. The result of the simulation for monocrystalline silicon shows that a quasi-statically opening crack creates voids around the crack front and leaves dimples on the fractured surfaces as in cases of ductile fracture. On the other hand, elastic/plastic waves emitted from around the crack front change the above phenomena such that various surfaces, from smooth to very rough ones, result. A smooth surface is created by a Rayleigh wave that travels along fractured surfaces, creating new surfaces at its wavefront, while a rough surface is made by a chain mechanism wherein a void is created by wave-driven cross slip and this void, in turn, emits new waves which cause voids.

Arrayed-waveguide gratings (AWG) are key devices in optical communication systems using wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), and it is essential that these AWGs are low-loss. In this paper, we propose low-loss segmented joint structures between the slab waveguide and the waveguide array in an AWG. The effectiveness of these structures is confirmed by the measurement results. In addition, improvements in the loss uniformity can be obtained by utilizing mode converting segmented structures between the waveguide array and the slab waveguide on the output side. Moreover, the passband can be flattened by employing such a structure between the input and slab waveguides. These structures were designed using the same simple calculation and optimization method. Using these optimized structures, the transmittance was improved by 17%, the largest difference in insertion loss was reduced by 1.93 dB, and the 1-dB bandwidth was extended by 20%. These structures can be fabricated with ordinary planar lightwave circuit (PLC) technologies without the need for special fabrication processes.

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based cohort studies of maternal body mass index (BMI) and risk of adverse birth and health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and the British Nursing Index were searched from inception to February 2014. Forty-two studies were included. Our study found that maternal underweight was significantly associated with higher risk of preterm birth (odds ratio [OR], 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.27), low birthweight (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.50-1.84) and small for gestational age (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.69-2.02). Compared with mothers with normal BMI, overweight or obese mothers were at increased odds of gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia, caesarean delivery and post-partum haemorrhage. The population-attributable risk (PAR) indicated that if women were entirely unexposed to overweight or obesity during the pre-pregnancy or early pregnancy period, 14% to 35% fewer women would develop gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia or pregnancy-induced hypertension in Brazil, China, India, Iran or Thailand. The highest PAR of low birthweight attributable to maternal underweight was found in Iran (20%), followed by India (18%), Thailand (10%) and China (8%). Treatment and prevention of maternal underweight, overweight or obesity may help reduce the burden on maternal and child health in developing countries.

Part 3: Knowledge Based Production Management; International audience; The beginning of the manufacturing of the flex fuel vehicles in 2003, gave a new dynamic to fuel demand in Brazil. As the flex-fuel vehicles can be supplied with gasoline, hydrated ethanol or the mixture of the both in any proportion, the decision on which fuel to use occurs at the moment of supply, according to the most advantageous price and the consumer’s preference. Considering this scenario, the objective of the present study was to obtain a calculation method to determine the fuel volume used by the flex-fuel vehicle fleet. For this purpose, the fuel conversion in energy units of oil barrels was used. The fuel demand by type of vehicle was obtained through the proportion of the number of vehicles and the distance traveled in the period. The results indicate that there was a behavioral change on fuel consumption by the users of the flex fuel fleet.

Part 5: Sustainability and Production Management; International audience; The ethanol industry in Brazil is going through a period of stagnation, resulting in the reduction of ethanol supply. The ethanol for automotive purposes may be anhydrous, which is used as an anti-detonating additive to gasoline; and hydrated ethanol, which can be used in the flex-fuel vehicles, which can use the biofuel, gasoline or a mixture of both in any proportion. This study is aimed to analyze the contribution that energy from the sugarcane bagasse could bring to the production of corn ethanol in plants adapted to operate with both sugarcane and the cereal. Therefore, it was considered, the surplus energy from sugarcane biomass and maize availability in the producing region. At the end of the article, the results are discussed by providing an analysis of the application of corn as alternative raw material for the production of ethanol in Brazil.

This article provides study of the 2012/2013 grain harvest of federal units of Brazil in relation to the following factors: planted areas, productivity, and production, which assist producers in agricultural planning. The research method used for data collection was the documentary and exploratory data analysis using the software Ucinet® for social networks. The findings indicate that the Midwest has the largest area planted in soybean per thousand/ha, demonstrating the opportunity for producers to develop new crops. In production in thousand/ton, the Midwest region also excelled in soybeans, showing the possibility for producers to seek new techniques for planting. The southern has the highest productivity of the rice grain per kg/ha, contributing to the producer having the best land use and resource optimization.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the adoption of social environmental qualification affects the environmental performance of companies operating or seeking careers in the oil and gas sector as suppliers or potential suppliers, through a survey of companies based in the ABC region in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The results showed strong agreement in relation to meeting social and environmental requirements for oil and gas operators. Another finding was that the certifications influence positively the environmental, economic and social performance of companies.

Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting (DTB) services were started in three major Japanese urban areas-Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya-in December 2003. These services will eventually be made available throughout the entire country before the termination of analog television broadcasting services scheduled in 2011. A large number of relay broadcast stations are required to deliver DTB signals throughout the country, and reducing the cost of these facilities is a matter of considerable importance. Signals can be delivered to relay stations by dedicated lines such as studio-to-transmitter link/transmitter-to-transmitter link (STL/TTL) or by performing relay broadcasts. Relaying is especially important because it does not require new frequency resources and keeps the facility costs low. However, since a relay receives, amplifies, and retransmits the broadcast signals from the upper station, there are various factors that cause the quality of the propagated signal to deteriorate. At NHK Science and Technical Research Laboratories (STRL), we are researching and developing techniques that will alleviate these adverse effects. This paper presents an overview of these techniques and introduces the results of field trials of prototype equipment.

Based on the discussion that there should be a micromechanism that causes a macroscopic slip of mono-crystal copper, molecular dynamics simulations with the analytical displacement feld around a crack tip have been carried out. The result of the simulation shows that macroscopic shear slip in an f.c.c. mono-crystal copper occurs as discrete time events. This is because cross-slips occur in many places in a material such that a macroscopic shear slip is blocked until some critical state of deformation. A macroscopic shear slip then occurs suddenly at the critical state in which the area of disordered atomic arrangement has stretched from one end of a crystal to the other end. The reason why macroscopic shear slips occur in the directions of the slip planes of a crystal is attributed to the fact that the areas of disordered atomic arrangement develop only along those directions.

The ATLAS level-1 muon endcap trigger system is divided into three parts; one off-detector part and two on-detector parts. Application specific ICs (ASICs) and anti-fuse Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGAs) are actively used in the on-detector parts. A Low-Voltage Data Signaling (LVDS) serial link is used for the data transfer between the two on-detector parts (15 m apart) and G-Link (Hewlett-Packard 1.4 Gbaud high speed data link) with optical transmission (90 m) is used from one of the on-detector parts to the off-detector part. These components will be exposed to a radiation of approximately 200 Gy (including safety factors) for ten years corresponding to a total ionizing dose (TID) and a hadron fluence of 2/spl times/10/sup 10/ hadrons/cm/sup 2/. We have investigated systematically the radiation susceptibility to both the total ionizing dose and the single event effects for ASIC, FPGA, and Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) serializer and deserializer chipsets for two types of LVDS serial link and one G-Link type. In this documentation we report the result of the irradiation tests for these devices and discuss their validity in the ATLAS system.

2-(p-amylcinnamoyl)amino-4-chlorobenzoic acid (PACA), pharmacological inhibitor of phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)), inhibits epinephrine-stimulated thromboxane production in human platelets. In this study, we investigated the effect of PACA on meiotic maturation individually in stages V and VI oocytes. PACA prevented the maturation in stage V but merely delayed the process in stage VI oocytes. This was associated with the strong inhibition of Mos synthesis at both stages. Besides, PACA-induced inhibition of MAPK activation was evident in stage V but not in stage VI oocytes. PACA also inhibited the activation of Cdc2 kinase (Cdc2) in stage V but merely delayed the process in stage VI oocytes. Furthermore, 5 microM and higher concentrations of PACA completely inhibited the activation of MAPK and Cdc2 only in stage V, not in stage VI, oocytes. Moreover, we propose PACA as a new tool for the study of Xenopus oocyte maturation, which can also play a unique role for the studies of the stage-specific activation of MAPK and Cdc2.

In unfertilized Xenopus eggs, the p42 mitogen activated protein kinase (p42MAPK) pathway is known to maintain cell cycle arrest at metaphase of meiosis II. However, constitutive activation of p42MAPK in post-meiotic, cycling Xenopus egg extracts can lead to either a G2 or M-phase arrest of the cell cycle, depending on the timing of p42MAPK activation. Here, we examined the molecular mechanism by which activation of the p42MAPK pathway during interphase leads to cell cycle arrest in G2. When either a recombinant wild type Cdc25C(WT) or a mutated form of Cdc25C, in which serine 287 was replaced by an alanine (S287A), was added to cycling egg extracts, S287A accelerated entry into M-phase. Furthermore, the addition of S287A overcame the G2 arrest caused by p42MAPK, driving the extract into M-phase. p90Rsk a kinase that is the target of p42MAPK, was phosphorylated and activated (pp90Rsk) in the G2-arrested egg extracts, and was able to phosphorylate WT but not S287A in vitro. 14-3-3 proteins were associated with endogenous Cdc25C in G2-arrested extracts. Cdc25C(WT) that had been phosphorylated by pp90(Rsk) bound 14-3-3zeta, whereas S287A could not. These data suggest that the link between the p42MAPK signaling pathway and Cdc25C involves the activation of pp90Rsk and its phosphorylation of Cdc25C at S287, causing the binding of 14-3-3 proteins. We propose that the binding of 14-3-3 proteins to pp90Rsk phosphorylated-Cdc25C results in a G2 arrest in a manner similar to the cell cycle delays induced by differentiation signals that occur later in embryonic development.