Seed physiological performance of soybeans with altered saturated fatty acid contents

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) seeds with elevated or reduced percentages of palmitate and elevated percentages of stearate were compared with seeds of typical composition in tests for germination, seedling growth rate and leachate conductivity. In general, seeds with altered compositions did well in these physiological tests, but their vigour tended to be negatively correlated with the percentages of stearate and palmitate in various lipid classes

Comparison of Combat Gauze and TraumaStat in Two Severe Groin Injury Models

Background. Fabric-like hemostatic dressings offer promise for hemorrhage control in noncompressible areas, especially given their similarity in form to standard gauze currently in use. Recently, two such products, Combat Gauze (CBG) and TraumaStat (TMS), were introduced. Their performance is evaluated in two vascular injury models. Materials andMethods. The dressings were evaluated in anesthetized Yorkshire pigs, hemorrhaged by full transection of the femoral vasculature with 2 min free bleeding period (CBG = 6, TMS = 6) or by 4 mm femoral arterial puncture with 45 s free bleeding period (CBG = 8, TMS = 8). After injury, dressings were applied, followed by 5 min of manual compression and then 500 mL resuscitation fluid infused over 30 min. Vital signs, blood pressure, and blood loss were recorded throughout the 3-h experiment. Bleeding control was the primary outcome. Results. All animals had similar pretreatment mean arterial pressure (MAP) (~36.5 mmHg); pretreatment bloodloss followinginjurywas similar for bothdressing groups in the two models [24% ± 8% estimated blood volume (EBV) 2min after transectionand17% ± 4% EBV 45 s after puncture. Incidence of post-treatment bleeding, primarily occurring after release of manual compression or restoration of blood pressure, was more frequent in the puncture model (17% with both CBG and TMS) than the transection model (57% with CBG versus 75% with TMS). Post-treatment blood loss not controlled by the dressing was 19% ± 22% and 31% ± 17% EBV, for CBG and TMS, respectively. Survival rate was 100% for both dressings in the transection model, and was 88% for CBG and 50% for TMS in the puncture model. Conclusions. These findings indicated that CBG and TMS were similarly effective in improving hemostasis. These two fabric-like dressings showed easy application and removal, leaving a clean wound for surgical repair

Form of Supplemental Selenium in Vitamin-Mineral Premixes Differentially Affects Early Luteal and Gestational Concentrations of Progesterone, and Postpartum Concentrations of Prolactin in Beef Cows

Soils with marginal to deficient levels of selenium (Se) are widespread in the northwest, northeast, and southeast US. Supplementation to the diet of forage-grazing beef cattle with a vitamin-mineral mix containing additional Se is recommended in these geographic regions. We have reported that the form of supplemental Se provided to Angus-cross beef cows can affect circulating levels of progesterone (P4) on day 6 of the estrous cycle, a time when increased P4 is known to promote fertility. The objectives of this study were to (1) confirm and expand upon our initial report that the form of Se provided to cows affects early luteal-phase concentrations of systemic P4, (2) determine the effects of the form of Se on concentrations of P4 during gestation, and (3) determine the effects of the form of Se on concentrations of prolactin (PRL) during lactation. Throughout this study, Angus-cross beef cows had ad libitum access to a vitamin-mineral mix containing 35 ppm of Se in either an inorganic form (ISe) or a 1:1 mix of inorganic and organic forms (MIX). We observed a MIX-induced increase (p = 0.006) in systemic concentrations of P4 on day 7 but not on days 4 or 10 of the estrous cycle, consistent with our earlier report. We observed a MIX-induced increase (p = 0.02) in the systemic concentration of P4 at months 1, 3, 5, and 7 of gestation, and a MIX-induced decrease (p \u3c 0.05) in systemic concentrations of PRL at months 5 and 6 of lactation. In summary, the form of Se provided to cows can be manipulated to affect the early luteal phase and gestational concentrations of P4, and postpartum concentrations of PRL

A comparison of clinical pharmacodynamics of different administration schedules of oral topotecan (Hycamtin)

Prolonged exposure to topotecan in in vitro and in vivo experiments has yielded the highest antitumor efficacy. An oral formulation of topotecan with a bioavailability of 32-44% in humans enables convenient prolonged administration. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationships from four Phase I studies with different schedules of administration of oral topotecan in 99 adult patients with malignant solid tumors refractory to standard forms of chemotherapy were compared. Topotecan was administered as follows: (a) once daily (o.d.) for 5 days every 21 days (29 patients); (b) o.d. for 10 days every 21 days (19 patients); (c) twice daily (b.i.d.) for 10 days every 21 days (20 patients); and (d) b.i.d. for 21 days every 28 days (31 patients). Pharmacokinetic analysis was performed in 55 patients using a validated high-performance liquid chromatographic assay and noncompartmental pharmacokinetic me

Self-enrichment of Galactic halo globular clusters: stimulated star formation and consequences for the halo metallicity distribution

We explore the self-enrichment hypothesis for globular cluster formation with respect to the star formation aspect. Following this scenario, the massive stars of a first stellar generation chemically enrich the globular progenitor cloud up to Galactic halo metallicities and sweep it into an expanding spherical shell of gas. This paper investigates the ability of this swept proto-globular cloud to become gravitationally unstable and, therefore, to seed the formation of second generation stars which may later on form a globular cluster. We use a simple model based on a linear perturbation theory for transverse motions in a shell of gas to demonstrate that the pressures by which the progenitor clouds are bound and the supernova numbers required to achieve Galactic halo metallicities support the successful development of the shell transverse collapse. Interestingly, the two parameters controling the metallicity achieved through self-enrichment, namely the number of supernovae and the external pressure, also rule the surface density of the shell and thus its ability to undergo a transverse collapse. Such a supernova-induced origin for the globular cluster stars opens therefore the way to the understanding of the halo metallicity distributions. This model is also able to explain the lower limit of the halo globular cluster metallicity.Comment: 16 pages, 16 figures, MNRAS accepte

Antiinflammatory Therapy with Canakinumab for Atherosclerotic Disease

Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P = 0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P = 0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P = 0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P = 0.31). Conclusions: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. (Funded by Novartis; CANTOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01327846.