In combination, LAI and canopy %N explain greater than 75 per cent of variation in above-ground net primary productivity among forests, expressed per year or per day of growing season. After accounting Selleckchem Nocodazole for growing season length and climate effects, less than 10 per cent of the variance remained unexplained. These results mirror similar

relations of leaf-scale and canopy-scale (eddy covariance) maximum photosynthetic rates to LAI and %N. Collectively, these findings indicate that canopy structure and chemistry translate from instantaneous physiology to annual carbon fluxes. Given the increasing capacity to remotely sense canopy LAI, %N and phenology, these results support the idea that physiologically based scaling relations can be useful tools for global modelling.”
“Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause Nutlin-3 molecular weight of acute hepatitis in humans, causing outbreaks and epidemics in regions with sub-optimal sanitary conditions, in many of which it is endemic. Nowadays there is no specific therapy or licensed vaccines against HEV infection. In this

study, we have analyzed in mice the immunogenicity of HEV open-reading frame 2 (ORF-2) protein, and a truncated form of it lacking the first 111 amino acids, efficiently expressed in an improved baculovirus-based technology using insects as living biofactories. Both recombinant proteins elicited high and long-lasting specific anti HEV antibodies. Passive transfer of immunity from immunized mothers to their offspring was demonstrated to occur both by transplacental and lactation routes. These results indicate click here that these insect-derived immunogens constitute low-cost

potential vaccine candidate to be further evaluated. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Obesity is becoming an increasingly prevalent problem among American children. Screening for obesity associated comorbid conditions has been shown to be inconsistent. The current study was undertaken to explore patterns of ordering screening tests among obese pediatric patients. We analyzed electronic medical records (EMR) from 69,901 patients ages 2-18 years between June 1999 and December 2008. Obese children who had documented diagnoses of obesity were identified based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Screening rates for glucose, liver, and lipid abnormalities were assessed. Regression analysis was used to examine impact of patient characteristics and temporal trends were analyzed. Of the 9,251 obese diagnosed patients identified, 22% were screened for all three included obesity-related conditions: diabetes, liver, and lipid abnormalities; 52% were screened for glucose abnormalities; 30% for liver abnormalities; and 41% for lipid abnormalities. Increasing BMI and age were associated with increased rates of screening. Females and Hispanic patients were more likely to be screened.