A Scanning Electron Microscope Study of Fiowers of Carambola, Durian and Rambutan

Fresh specimens of flowers of carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.), durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.) and rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) were examined using the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Whole flowers and floral parts were described and illustrated in the micrographs. Floral structures and their differences within species were highlighted, their relationship and functions are discussed with special reference to pollination mechanisms and pollen morphology

The use of the moss, Calymperes Delessertii besch., as a bioindicator to airborne heavy metals

A detailed study on the accumulation of aerial heavy metals by the moss, Calymperes delessertii Besch. was conducted. Heavy metals studied were Zn, Cd, Ni, Fe, Mn, Pb and Cu. The suitability of the moss as a bioindicatoT to these aerial metals was also discussed

High-speed, high-frequency ultrasound, \u3ci\u3ein utero\u3c/i\u3e vector-flow imaging of mouse embryos

Real-time imaging of the embryonic murine cardiovascular system is challenging due to the small size of the mouse embryo and rapid heart rate. High-frequency, linear-array ultrasound systems designed for small-animal imaging provide high-frame-rate and Doppler modes but are limited in regards to the field of view that can be imaged at fine-temporal and -spatial resolution. Here, a plane-wave imaging method was used to obtain high-speed image data from in utero mouse embryos and multi-angle, vector-flow algorithms were applied to the data to provide information on blood flow patterns in major organs. An 18-MHz linear array was used to acquire plane-wave data at absolute frame rates ≥10 kHz using a set of fixed transmission angles. After beamforming, vector-flow processing and image compounding, effective frame rates were on the order of 2 kHz. Data were acquired from the embryonic liver, heart and umbilical cord. Vector-flow results clearly revealed the complex nature of blood-flow patterns in the embryo with fine-temporal and -spatial resolution

ON THE ACCURACY OF IMAGE VELOCITY COMPUTATION USING DELAY LINES

This paper describes the accuracy and limitations of image velocity computational technique based on delay lines. The major computational e m r s encountered so far are due to image-area quantization, delay-line mismatches and signal refraction at the image boundary

Neutrophils infected with highly virulent influenza H3N2 virus exhibit augmented early cell death and rapid induction of type I interferon signaling pathways

AbstractWe developed a model of influenza virus infection of neutrophils by inducing differentiation of the MPRO promyelocytic cell line. After 5days of differentiation, about 20–30% of mature neutrophils could be detected. Only a fraction of neutrophils were infected by highly virulent influenza (HVI) virus, but were unable to support active viral replication compared with MDCK cells. HVI infection of neutrophils augmented early and late apoptosis as indicated by annexin V and TUNEL assays. Comparison between the global transcriptomic responses of neutrophils to HVI and low virulent influenza (LVI) revealed that the IFN regulatory factor and IFN signaling pathways were the most significantly overrepresented pathways, with activation of related genes in HVI as early as 3h. Relatively consistent results were obtained by real-time RT-PCR of selected genes associated with the type I IFN pathway. Early after HVI infection, comparatively enhanced expression of apoptosis-related genes was also elicited

The relationship of self-efficacy to catastrophizing and depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults with chronic pain: A moderated mediation model

Self-efficacy has been consistently found to be a protective factor against psychological distress and disorders in the literature. However, little research is done on the moderating effect of self-efficacy on depressive symptoms in the context of chronic pain. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine if pain self-efficacy attenuated the direct relationship between pain intensity and depressive symptoms, as well as their indirect relationship through reducing the extent of catastrophizing when feeling pain (moderated mediation). 664 community-dwelling Chinese older adults aged 60–95 years who reported chronic pain for at least three months were recruited from social centers. They completed a battery of questionnaires on chronic pain, pain self-efficacy, catastrophizing, and depressive symptoms in individual face-to-face interviews. Controlling for age, gender, education, self-rated health, number of chronic diseases, pain disability, and pain self-efficacy, pain catastrophizing was found to partially mediate the connection between pain intensity and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the relationship between pain intensity and depressive symptoms was moderated by pain self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was also found to moderate the relationship between pain intensity and catastrophizing and the moderated mediation effect was confirmed using bootstrap analysis. The results suggested that with increasing levels of self-efficacy, pain intensity’s direct effect on depressive symptoms and its indirect effect on depressive symptoms via catastrophizing were both reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that pain self-efficacy is a significant protective factor that contributes to psychological resilience in chronic pain patients by attenuating the relationship of pain intensity to both catastrophizing and depressive symptoms

Investing in hedge funds: Risks, returns and performance measurement

Edited by Greg N. Gregoriou, Georges Hübner, Nicolas Papageorgiou, Fabrice D. Rouah</p