| 1. |
- Alvarez, José M
(författare)
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Stable Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation of Maritime Pine Based on Kanamycin Selection
- 2013
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Ingår i: Scientific World Journal. - : Hindawi Limited. - 2356-6140 .- 1537-744X.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- An efficient transformation protocol based on kanamycin selection was developed for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of maritime pine embryonal masses. The binary vector pBINUbiGUSint, which contained neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) as a selectable marker gene and beta-glucuronidase (uidA) as a reporter gene, was used for transformation studies. Different factors, such as embryogenic line, bacterial strain, bacterial concentration, and coculture duration, were examined and optimized. For selection of transformants, 15 mgL(-1) kanamycin was used. The highest transformation efficiency (11.4 events per gram of fresh mass) was achieved when a vigorously growing embryonal mass (embryogenic line L01) was cocultivated with Agrobacterium strain AGL1 at the optical density (OD600 nm) of 0.3 for 72 h. Evidence of the stable transgene integration was obtained by polymerase chain reaction for the nptII and uidA genes and expression of the uidA gene. Maturation capacity of the transgenic lines was negatively affected by the transformation process. Induction of axillary shoots by preculturing the embryos with benzyladenine allowed overcoming the low maturation rates of some transformed lines. The transgenic embryos were germinated and the axillar shoots were rooted. Transgenic plants were transferred to potting substrate showing normal growth.
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| 2. |
- Andersen, Lars L, et al.
(författare)
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Workplace Health Promotion and Wellbeing
- 2015
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Ingår i: The Scientific World Journal. - : Hindawi Limited. - 2356-6140 .- 1537-744X.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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| 3. |
- Apelfröjd, Senad, et al.
(författare)
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System Efficiency of a Tap Transformer Based Grid Connection Topology Applied on a Direct Driven Generator for Wind Power
- 2014
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Ingår i: Scientific World Journal. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1537-744X .- 2356-6140. ; , s. 784295-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Results from experiments on a tap transformer based grid connection system for a variable speed vertical axis wind turbine are presented. The tap transformer based system topology consists of a passive diode rectifier, DC-link, IGBT inverter, LCL-filter, and tap transformer. Full range variable speed operation is enabled by using the different step-up ratios of a tap transformer. Simulations using MATLAB/Simulink have been performed in order to study the behavior of the system. A full experimental set up of the system has been used in the laboratory study, where a clone of the on-site generator was driven by an induction motor and the system was connected to a resistive load to better evaluate the performance. Furthermore, the system is run and evaluated for realistic wind speeds and variable speed operation. For a more complete picture of the system performance, a case study using real site Weibull parameters is done, comparing different tap selection options. The results show high system efficiency at nominal power and an increase in overall power output for full tap operation in comparison with the base case, a standard transformer. In addition, the loss distribution at different wind speeds is shown, which highlights the dominant losses at low and high wind speeds. Finally, means for further increasing the overall system efficiency are proposed.
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| 4. |
- Asplund, Linnea, et al.
(författare)
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Allelic Variation at the Rht8 Locus in a 19th Century Wheat Collection
- 2012
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Ingår i: Scientific World Journal. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1537-744X .- 2356-6140. ; , s. 385610-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Wheat breeding during the 20th century has put large efforts into reducing straw length and increasing harvest index. In the 1920s an allele of Rht8 with dwarfing effects, found in the Japanese cultivar “Akakomugi,” was bred into European cultivars and subsequently spread over the world. Rht8 has not been cloned, but the microsatellite marker WMS261 has been shown to be closely linked to it and is commonly used for genotyping Rht8. The “Akakomugi” allele is strongly associated with WMS261-192bp. Numerous screens of wheat cultivars with different geographical origin have been performed to study the spread and influence of the WMS261-192bp during 20th century plant breeding. However, the allelic diversity of WMS261 in wheat cultivars before modern plant breeding and introduction of the Japanese dwarfing genes is largely unknown. Here, we report a study of WMS261 allelic diversity in a historical wheat collection from 1865 representing worldwide major wheats at the time. The majority carried the previously reported 164 bp or 174 bp allele, but with little geographical correlation. In a few lines, a rare 182 bp fragment was found. Although straw length was recognized as an important character already in the 19th century, Rht8 probably played a minor role for height variation. The use of WMS261 and other functional markers for analyses of historical specimens and characterization of historic crop traits is discussed.
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| 5. |
- Biswas, Animesh, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
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Rescue and emergency management of a man-made disaster : Lesson learnt from a collapse factory building, Bangladesh
- 2015
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Ingår i: Scientific World Journal. - New York, USA : Hindawi Publishing Corporation. - 2356-6140 .- 1537-744X. ; 2015
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A tragic disaster occurred on April 24, 2013, in Bangladesh, when a nine storied building in a suburban area collapsed and killed 1115 people and injured many more. The study describes the process of rescue operation and emergency management services provided in the event. Data were collected using qualitative methods including in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion with the involved medical students, doctors, volunteers, and local people. Immediately after the disaster, rescue teams came to the place from Bangladesh Armed Forces, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force, and Dhaka Metropolitan and local Police and doctors, medical students, and nurses from nearby medical college hospitals and private hospitals and students from colleges and universities including local civil people. Doctors and medical students provided 24-hour services at the disaster place and in hospitals. Minor injured patients were treated at health camps and major injured patients were immediately carried to nearby hospital. Despite the limitations of a low resource setting, Bangladesh faced a tremendous challenge to manage the man-made disaster and experienced enormous support from different sectors of society to manage the disaster carefully and saved thousands of lives. This effort could help to develop a standard emergency management system applicable to Bangladesh and other counties with similar settings. © 2015 Animesh Biswas et al.
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| 6. |
- Chen, Qingwen, et al.
(författare)
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Cigarette smoke extract promotes human vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and survival through ERK1/2- and NF-κB-dependent pathways.
- 2010
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Ingår i: The Scientific World Journal. - : Hindawi Limited. - 2356-6140 .- 1537-744X. ; 10, s. 2139-2156
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tobacco use is one of the major risk factors of cardiovascular disease. The underlying molecular mechanisms that link cigarette smoke to cardiovascular disease remain unclear. The present study was designed to examine the effects of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-soluble smoke particles (DSPs) on human aortic smooth muscle cell (HASMC) cultures, and to explore the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) signal mechanisms involved. Serum-starved HASMCs were treated with DSPs for up to 48 h. DSPs promoted cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner from 0.05 to 0.2 μl/ml. Activation of ERK1/2 and NF-κB was seen after exposure to DSPs. This occurred in parallel with the increase in cell population, bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, and cyclinD1/cyclin-dependent kinase 4 expression. Blocking phosphorylation of ERK1/2 by MAPK inhibitors U0126 and PD98059, and inhibiting activation of NF-κB by IkappaB (IκB) kinase inhibitors wedelolactone or IMD-0354, abolished the DSP effects. However, either a p38 inhibitor (SB203580) or an inhibitor of lipopolysaccharide (polymyxin B), or nicotinic receptor blockers (mecamylamine and alpha-bungarotoxin), did not inhibit a DSP-induced increase in the cell population. DSPs increased the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 and the release of interleukin-6 in HASMCs, both of which were inhibited by ERK1/2 or NF-κB pathway inhibitors. Furthermore, cell apoptosis and necrosis were found in serum-starved HASMCs. DSPs decreased cell death and increased B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 expression. Blocking phosphorylation of ERK1/2 or NF-κB attenuated DSP-induced cell death inhibition. Cigarette smoke particles stimulate HASMC proliferation and inhibit cell death. The intracellular signal mechanisms behind this involve activation of ERK1/2 and NF-κB pathways.
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| 7. |
- Chokrungvaranont, P., et al.
(författare)
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The Development of Sex Reassignment Surgery in Thailand: A Social Perspective
- 2014
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Ingår i: Scientific World Journal. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1537-744X .- 2356-6140.
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper reviews the development of gender reassignment in Thailand during the period of 1975-2012, in terms of social attitude, epidemiology, surgical patients' profile, law and regulation, religion, and patients' path from psychiatric assessment to surgery. Thailand healthcare for transsexual patients is described. Figures related to the number of sex reassignment surgeries performed in Thailand over the past 30 years are reported. Transsexual individuals are only apparently integrated within the Thail society: the law system of Thailand in fact, does not guarantee to transsexuals the same rights as in other Western countries; the governmental healthcare does not offer free treatments for transsexual patients. In favor of the transsexual healthcare, instead, the Medical Council of Thailand recently published a policy entitled "Criteria for the treatment of sex change, Census 2009." The goal of this policy was to improve the care of transsexual patients in Thailand, by implementing the Standards of Care of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health. Currently, in Thailand, there are 6 major private groups performing sex reassignment surgery, and mostly performing surgery to patients coming from abroad. Particularly, the largest of these (Preecha's group) has performed nearly 3000 vaginoplasties for male-to-female transsexuals in the last 30 years.
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| 8. |
- Cong, Ronggang, et al.
(författare)
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How to Develop Renewable Power in China? A Cost-Effective Perspective
- 2014
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Ingår i: The Scientific World Journal. - : Hindawi Limited. - 2356-6140 .- 1537-744X. ; 2014
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To address the problems of climate change and energy security, Chinese government strived to develop renewable power as an important alternative of conventional electricity. In this paper, the learning curve model is employed to describe the decreasing unit investment cost due to accumulated installed capacity; the technology diffusion model is used to analyze the potential of renewable power. Combined with the investment cost, the technology potential, and scenario analysis of China social development in the future, we develop the Renewable Power Optimization Model (RPOM) to analyze the optimal development paths of three sources of renewable power from 2009 to 2020 in a cost-effective way. Results show that (1) the optimal accumulated installed capacities of wind power, solar power, and biomass power will reach 169000, 20000, and 30000MWin 2020; (2) the developments of renewable power show the intermittent feature; (3) the unit investment costs of wind power, solar power, and biomass power will be 4500, 11500, and 5700 Yuan/KW in 2020; (4) the discounting effect dominates the learning curve effect for solar and biomass powers; (5) the rise of on-grid ratio of renewable power will first promote the development of wind power and then solar power and biomass power.
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| 9. |
- Cong, Ronggang, et al.
(författare)
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Relationships among Energy Price Shocks, Stock Market, and the Macroeconomy: Evidence from China
- 2013
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Ingår i: The Scientific World Journal. - : Hindawi Limited. - 2356-6140 .- 1537-744X.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper investigates the interactive relationships among China energy price shocks, stock market, and themacroeconomy using multivariate vector autoregression.The results indicate that there is a long cointegration among them. A 1% rise in the energy price index can depress the stock market index by 0.54% and the industrial value-adding growth by 0.037%. Energy price shocks also cause inflation and have a 5-month lag effect on stock market, which may result in the stock market “underreacting.” The energy price can explain stock market fluctuations better than the interest rate over a longer time period. Consequently, investors should pay greater attention to the long-term effect of energy on the stock market.
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| 10. |
- Cong, Ronggang, et al.
(författare)
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The Interdependence between Rainfall and Temperature: Copula Analyses
- 2012
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Ingår i: The Scientific World Journal. - : Hindawi Limited. - 2356-6140 .- 1537-744X.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Rainfall and temperature are important climatic inputs for agricultural production, especially in the context of climate change. However, accurate analysis and simulation of the joint distribution of rainfall and temperature are difficult due to possible interdependence between them. As one possible approach to this problem, five families of copula models are employed to model the interdependence between rainfall and temperature. Scania is a leading agricultural province in Sweden and is affected by a maritime climate. Historical climatic data for Scania is used to demonstrate the modeling process. Heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation of sample data are also considered to eliminate the possibility of observation error. The results indicate that for Scania there are negative correlations between rainfall and temperature for the months from April to July and September. The student copula is found to be most suitable to model the bivariate distribution of rainfall and temperature based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and Bayesian information criterion (BIC). Using the student copula, we simulate temperature and rainfall simultaneously. The resulting models can be integrated with research on agricultural production and planning to study the effects of changing climate on crop yields.
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