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We recently demonstrated that human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC) constitutively express the CXC chemokine receptor CXCR3, which when activated, induces directed cell migration. The present study in HBEC examined the relative expression of the CXCR3 splice variants CXCR3-A and -B, cell cycle dependence of CXCR3 expression, and the effects of the CXCR3 ligand, the interferon-[gamma]-inducible CXC chemokine I-TAC/CXCL11, on DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. Both CXCR3-A and -B mRNA, assessed by real-time RT-PCR, were expressed in normal HBEC (NHBEC) and the HBEC line 16-HBE. However, CXCR3-B mRNA was 39- and 6-fold greater than CXCR3-A mRNA in NHBEC and 16-HBE, respectively. Although most HBEC (>80%) assessed by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence microscopy contained intracellular CXCR3, only a minority (75%) were in the S + [G.sub.2]/M phases of the cell cycle. Stimulation of CXCR3 with I-TAC enhanced thymidine incorporation and cell proliferation and increased p38 and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. These data indicate that 1) human airway epithelial cells primarily express CXCR3-B mRNA, 2) surface expression of CXCR3 is largely confined to the S + [G.sub.2/M phases of the cell cycle, and 3) activation of CXCR3 induces DNA synthesis, cell proliferation, and activation of MAPK pathways. We speculate that activation of CXCR3 exerts a mitogenic effect in HBEC, which may be important during airway mucosal injury in obstructive airway diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. inflammation; lung; mitosis; chronic obstructive puhnonary disease

The principal component analysis model is used to reduce feature space dimension in fuzzy rule bases.

The effects of interleukin-1beta on the function of beta-adrenergic receptor adenylyl cyclase activity in human airway epithelial cells were investigated. Cultured BEAS-2B cells were used in an experiment to determine whether interleukin-1beta treatment alters cell number or viability. Results revealed that the effects of interleukin-1beta on beta-adrenergic receptor expression depend on time and dose. Also, interleukin-1beta induces changes in the expression and function of the beta-adrenergic receptor-adenylyl cyclase system of human airway epithelial cells.

An improved nonequilibrium simulated annealing (I-NESA) technique was applied for the reliability optimization of complex systems. By using exponential cooling schedule and Glauber algorithm, the efficacy of I-NESA in addressing problems on nonlinear constrained optimization was determined and then was compared to the results of simulated annealing. The usefulness of I-NESA as an alternative for indirect optimization approaches or for random search methods was demonstrated.

The effects of prolonged isotoproterenol incubation of bronchial epithelial cells on the density of beta-adrenoceptors (betaAR) and betaAR protein degradation were analyzed in BEAS-2B cell lines. Maintained exposure of BEAS-2B cells to Iso, forskolin and dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate induced significant betaAR downregulation. However, incubation of BEAS-2B cells in Iso did not alter the basal levels of beta2AR messenger RNA.

Various special and case studies from local and mesoscale monitoring networks have aided in the creation of a versatile model for predicting poor visibility in the Denver area, CO. This quantitative model based on logistic regression, despite being inadequate in assessing the impacts of wood-burning and automotive emissions, is better than persistence forecasts and is almost equal in quality to meteorologists' forecasts on visibility.

Rice, grown on a wide range of soils with varying soil pH levels boron (B) availability, uptake and mobilization could be limiting hence may lead to lower productivity and rice yields has been tested at 11 locations on low yielding rice genotypes from, Initial Evaluation Trials (IET) of AICRIP viz.IET 20979, IET 21003, IET 21007, IET 21014, IET 21025 and Rasi as check variety. Active boron supplemented as foliar spray at anthesis stage at 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 ppm. Grains with 1.20 (High density), and 1.06 (normal density) specific gravity (sp. gr.) and unfilled grains were determined. The results showed that application of boron resulted in increase in grain number (25–45) and reduced the number of unfilled spikelets. At majority of the locations, application of 0.4 ppm boron had resulted in significant increase in grain yield (4–8%). Cultures, IET 20979, IET 21007, and IET 21014 showed a positive response with the 0.4 ppm application at the majority of locations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Examines the transcutaneous oxygen tension during exercise in patients with claudication. Use of the transcutaneous oxygen monitor in occlusive arterial disease; Arterial compression of the exercising muscle; Increase of intramuscular oxygen pressure with exercise.