Effects of prostaglandin PGE2 on the synthesis of placental proteins and human placental lactogen (HPL)

The biosynthesis of placental proteins and placental lactogen (HPL) was studied $\text{in vitro}$ in 10–12 week, 16–18 week and term human placenta in the presence and absence of PGE_2α. The highest ¹⁴C-leucine incorporation was detected in 10 to 12 weeks old placentas. Addition of PGE_2α to the induction medium depressed the rate of incorporation of ¹⁴C-leucine into placental proteins on a dose dependent manner. Placentas most sensitive to this action of PGE_2α were those obtained at 18 weeks gestation followed by placentas at term. $\text{In vivo}$ application of PGE_2α for tharapeutic induction of abortions resulted in the marked inhibition of placental protein synthesis $\text{in vitro}$.     

The Issues of Freedom and Happiness in Moral Bioenhancement: Continuing the Debate With a Reply to Harris Wiseman

During the previous years, Harris Wiseman has devoted substantial attention to my stance on voluntary moral bioenhancement. He argued that he has been influenced by that position, but nonetheless criticized it. I haven’t replied to his criticisms yet and wish to do so now. One of the reasons is to avoid my position being misrepresented. By replying to Wiseman’s criticisms, I also wish to clarify those issues in my standpoint that might have given rise to some of the misinterpretations. With the same purpose in mind, I will demarcate my concept of voluntary moral bioenhancement from related standpoints, in particular from Persson and Savulescu’s notion of compulsory moral bioenhancement that, as I argued, diminishes our freedom (of the will). Furthermore, I will consider the possibility of adding another essential element to my position—one that I have not discussed in my earlier publications. It is designed to propose a novel explanation of why humans would be motivated to opt for voluntary moral bioenhancement if its outcome is not a lowering of the likelihood of “Ultimate Harm” (as defined by Persson and Savulescu) or a milder form of self-destruction of humanity. This explanation will be based on the conception that an increase in happiness, rather than Ultimate Harm prevention, might be the grounding rationale for moral bioenhancement.     

The effect of low temperature and GA3 treatments on dormancy breaking and activity of antioxidant enzymes in Fritillaria meleagris bulblets cultured in vitro

We investigated the effect of low temperature and gibberellic acid (GA₃) treatment on dormancy in Fritillaria meleagris L. bulbs. Also, we studied the effect of dormancy breaking on the antioxidant enzymes activity. To overcome dormancy, bulbs require a period (4–8 weeks) of exposure to low temperature. Bulbs regenerated in vitro were grown in the dark on medium without growth regulators at the standard (24 °C) or at low temperatures (4 and 15 °C) for 4, 6, 8 and 10 weeks. Bulbs were collected after 3, 4 and 5 weeks of cooling at 4 °C. To investigate the influence of GA₃ on dormancy, bulbs were treated for 24 h with GA₃ solutions with 1, 2 and 3 mg l^?1 concentrations. During the period of growth of bulbs at 4 °C, regeneration of bulbs was very weak, while at 15 °C the number of regenerated bulbs increased significantly. Improved bulb sprouting was achieved by a short treatment with gibberellin. Low temperature also represents a kind of oxidative stress for the plant. The activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) in bulbs of F. meleagris L. grown in vitro and ex vitro increased with decreasing temperature in contrast to glutathione reductase. POX showed generally lower activity than CAT which indicates that major role in the breaking dormancy and preparing bulbs for sprouting have catalases.     

Quantification of arabinogalactan proteins during in vitro morphogenesis induced by β-d-glucosyl Yariv reagent in Centaurium erythraea root culture

Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) are a family of highly glycosylated cell surface proteins located at the plasma membrane and plant cell wall. AGPs play important roles in plant growth and development. Yariv phenylglycoside (βGlcY), synthetic red-brown dye that specifically binds and precipitates AGPs, has been used for detection and quantification of AGPs in plant tissue. Graded concentrations of βGlcY (0–75 μM) were used to investigate the effect of this synthetic dye on induction of in vitro morphogenesis in Centaurium erythraea root culture on two nutrient media: ½MS and ½MS + IBA 1.0 μM. Regeneration of C. erythraea shoots on root explants was stimulated on both media supplemented with 25 μM βGlcY after 8 weeks in culture. Quantification of AGPs in different tissues of C. erythraea was determinate with single radial diffusion method. This work emphasizes clear effect of βGlcY on induction of morphogenesis in vitro in C. erythraea root culture.     

European Electronic Personal Health Records initiatives and vulnerable migrants: A need for greater ethical,legal and social safeguards

The effective collection and management of personal data of rapidly migrating populations is important for ensuring adequate healthcare and monitoring of a displaced peoples’ health status. With developments in ICT data sharing capabilities, electronic personal health records (ePHRs) are increasingly replacing less transportable paper records. ePHRs offer further advantages of improving accuracy and completeness of information and seem tailored for rapidly displaced and mobile populations. Various emerging initiatives in Europe are seeking to develop migrant‐centric ePHR responses. This paper highlights their importance and benefits, but also identifies a number of significant ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) and challenges to their design and implementation, regarding (1) the kind of information that should be stored, (2) who should have access to information, and (3) potential misuse of information. These challenges need to be urgently addressed to make possible the beneficial use of ePHRs for vulnerable migrants in Europe.     

Development of c‐kit immunopositive interstitial cells of Cajal in the human stomach

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) include several types of specialized cells within the musculature of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Some types of ICC act as pacemakers in the GIT musculature, whereas others are implicated in the modulation of enteric neurotransmission. Kit immunohistochemistry reliably identifies the location of these cells and provides information on changes in ICC distribution and density. Human stomach specimens were obtained from 7 embryos and 28 foetuses without gastrointestinal disorders. The specimens were 7–27 weeks of gestational age, and both sexes are represented in the sample. The specimens were exposed to anti‐c‐kit antibodies to investigate ICC differentiation. Enteric plexuses were immunohistochemically examined by using anti‐neuron specific enolase and the differentiation of smooth muscle cells (SMC) was studied with anti‐α smooth muscle actin and anti‐desmin antibodies. By week 7, c‐kit‐immunopositive precursors formed a layer in the outer stomach wall around myenteric plexus elements. Between 9 and 11 weeks some of these precursors differentiated into ICC. ICC at the myenteric plexus level differentiated first, followed by those within the muscle layer: between SMC, at the circular and longitudinal layers, and within connective tissue septa enveloping muscle bundles. In the fourth month, all subtypes of c‐kit‐immunoreactivity ICC which are necessary for the generation of slow waves and their transfer to SMC have been developed. These results may help elucidate the origin of ICC and the aetiology and pathogenesis of stomach motility disorders in neonates and young children that are associated with absence or decreased number of these cells.     

Survival and recovery of cryopreserved rat platelets

Freezing studies were conducted using rat platelets to determine if electromagnetic thawing could be used to improve the survival time and recovery of platelets over that obtainable with conventional techniques. A total of 130 experiments were conducted. Seventy-four control experiments not involving freezing and 56 experimental freezings of rat platelets were performed. In most freezing experiments, ⁵¹Cr-labeled platelets were maintained in a mixture of RCD-20% plasma-6% Me₂SO. In this medium, the mean survival and recovery of unfrozen control platelets were 3.50 days and 67%, respectively. The results for frozen-thawed platelets were not encouraging. Using the same incubation mixture, the mean survival time was 1.18 days and the mean recovery was 7%, yielding a platelet viability index of 3.5%. Changing the thawing method (electromagnetic or waterbath), Me₂SO concentration (6 or 10%), buffer medium (RCD-20% plasma or plasma), or freezing or thawing rate did not improve the results. When these same methods were applied in humans, platelets could be successfully frozen and thawed. It would therefore appear that the rat model is an inappropriate one in which to develop improved techniques for freezing and thawing human platelets.     

Production of hairy root cultures of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Hairy root cultures of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) were obtained by inoculation of cotyledonary leaves of in vitro lettuce seedlings (cvs. Nansen and Ljubljanska ledenka) with Agrobacterium rhizogenes A4M70GUS. Approximately in 96.7% cvs. Nansen and in 91.2% Ljubljanska ledenka inoculated explants produced hairy root when they were incubated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) half-strength medium without plant growth regulators. A total of 54% of all hairy root cultures expressed GUS activity. Every hairy root represented an independent transformation event. Line Ljubljanska ledenka 18 showed the highest biomass (5.5 times the biomass of control root). A PCR analysis of the genomic DNA confirmed the presence of marker and target genes in 15 hairy roots examined.     

Overexpressing AtCKX1 in Potato Plants grown In Vitro: The Effects on Cytokinin Composition and Tuberization

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Over the last years, cytokinin deficiency has been studied in a variety of plant species, using transgenic expression of cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase genes...