Highly sensitive C-reactive protein levels in Iranian patients with pulmonary complication of sulfur mustard poisoning and its correlation with severity of airway diseases

Background: Sulfur mustard (SM) is a chemical warfare agent that can cause serious pulmonary complications. This study was designed to determine serum highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and evaluate its correlation with lung function parameters in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to SM poisoning. Methods: Fifty consecutive SM patients with stable COPD and a mean age 46.3 + 9.18 years were enrolled in this cross sectional study. Thirty healthymen were selected as controls. Lung function parameters were evaluated. Serum hs-CRP by immunoturbidometry assay was measured in both the patients and controls. Results: In the case group, the mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was 2.14 + 0.76 L (58.98%+17.51% predicted). The mean serum hs-CRP was 9.4+6.78 SD and 3.9+1.92 SDmg/L in the cases and controls, respectively, with significant statistical differences (p < .001). There was negative correlation between the serum hs-CRP and FEV1 levels (p ¼ .01). The serum hs-CRP levels were also correlated with Global Initiative for ChronicObstructive Lung disease (GOLD) stages (r ¼ .45, p < .001). Conclusions:Our findings suggest that the serum hs-CRP level is increased in SM patients with COPD and may have a direct correlation with disease severity. It may then be used as a marker for the severity of COPD in patients with SM poisoning

Fish larval daily assemblage variations in coastal waters of the Chabahar Bay

The survey of fish larvae assemblage variation was done in 2013 seasonally at the coastal areas of Southeastern side of Chabahar Bay. Sampling was done in 3 stations at day and night periods by a Bongo-Net with 300µ of mesh size. 29 families were identified. Clupeidae, Gobiidae and Blenniidae were dominant with more than 50% relative abundance. The PCA result was shown there were two separated groups among day and night fish larval assemblages. Blenniidae ،Scombridae and Clupeidae in day times, Clupeidae ،Gobiidae and Sparidae in night times were more dominant among different families. Station 1 had more fish larvae abundance in autumn in nights and days (54.77 and 79.67 larvae per 10 meter). The average of Shannon index was (0.54 ±0.88 and 0.63± 0.97) in days and nights respectively.Significant increase of larval abundance at station 3 in nights could be due to reduced vessel traffic

Combatting Substandard and Falsified Medicines: A View from Rwanda

Agnes Binagwaho and colleagues describe Rwanda's experience of pharmacovigilance for malaria and tuberculosis, and call for a global treaty and leadership by the World Health Organization to address the global manufacture and trade in substandard and falsified medicines. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summar

A Dynamic Knowledge Management Framework for the High Value Manufacturing Industry

Dynamic Knowledge Management (KM) is a combination of cultural and technological factors, including the cultural factors of people and their motivations, technological factors of content and infrastructure and, where these both come together, interface factors. In this paper a Dynamic KM framework is described in the context of employees being motivated to create profit for their company through product development in high value manufacturing. It is reported how the framework was discussed during a meeting of the collaborating company’s (BAE Systems) project stakeholders. Participants agreed the framework would have most benefit at the start of the product lifecycle before key decisions were made. The framework has been designed to support organisational learning and to reward employees that improve the position of the company in the market place

A Compact Analytical Design of Dual-Loop 18 GHz Frequency Synthesizer to Enhance Signal Reliability in Digital Millimeter Radio Link System

In this paper a high resolution dual-loop 17.7�19.7 GHz frequency synthesizer is presented which is compatible with ITU-R (F.595-6) standards. The investigations of phase noise and spur frequency contents are discussed in detail. The simulated and measured phase noise and spur frequency contents are similar to one another. Phase noise of �81 dBc/Hz in 17.7 GHz at 10 KHz offset frequency is measured by (HP8560) series Spectrum analyzer and it matches with predicted measurements. This record was migrated from the OpenDepot repository service in June, 2017 before shutting down

Consumer Perceptions of Brand Mention in Magazines by Level of Involvement

Consumer perceptions of different methods of information delivery in magazines were studied. Three information delivery methods (advertisements, advertorials, editorials) and two types of consumer products (high involvement, low involvement) were used to evaluate reader perceptions of selling intent, source credibility, and purchase intention. Significant differences between high and low involvement products and between editorials, advertorials, and advertisements in perceived selling intent, perceived credibility, and purchase intention were found. Gender and prior knowledge of the product were also significant. Implications for marketers and policy-makers are also discusse

Fabricate An 8.35-GHz Frequency Synthesizer

The article presents information on designing a low-noise frequency synthesizer for achieving low-phase-noise outputs past 8 GHz for digital microwave radios (DMRs). These synthesizers can be used with the DMRs, depending on advanced digital modulation such as quadrature-amplitude-modulation (QAM) and quadrature-phase-shift-keying (QPSK) formats. This record was migrated from the OpenDepot repository service in June, 2017 before shutting down

Indole is an essential herbivore-induced volatile priming signal in maize

Herbivore-induced volatile organic compounds prime non-attacked plant tissues to respond more strongly to subsequent attacks. However, the key volatiles that trigger this primed state remain largely unidentified. In maize, the release of the aromatic compound indole is herbivore-specific and occurs earlier than other induced responses. We therefore hypothesized that indole may be involved in airborne priming. Using indole-deficient mutants and synthetic indole dispensers, we show that herbivore-induced indole enhances the induction of defensive volatiles in neighbouring maize plants in a species-specific manner. Furthermore, the release of indole is essential for priming of mono- and homoterpenes in systemic leaves of attacked plants. Indole exposure markedly increases the herbivore-induced production of the stress hormones jasmonate-isoleucine conjugate and abscisic acid, which represents a likely mechanism for indole-dependent priming. These results demonstrate that indole functions as a rapid and potent aerial priming agent that prepares systemic tissues and neighbouring plants for incoming attacks