MYB transcription factors hold vital roles in the regulation of plant secondary metabolic pathways. Laticifers in rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) are of primary importance in natural rubber production because natural rubber is formed and stored within these structures. To understand the role of MYB transcription factors in the specialized cells, we identified 44 MYB genes (named HblMYB1 to Hb...

BACKGROUND Primary tracheal tumors occur infrequently, accounting for less than 0.1% of all tumors. Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is the second most common type of malignancy of the trachea after squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Little has been reported on the risk factors for tracheal ACC. The purpose of this study is to describe a case of tracheal ACC in a patient who had been exposed to rubbe...

Natural rubber is used as an important raw material by the pressure sensitive adhesives industry. However, the normal quality variation is relatively high compared to synthetic polymer alternatives. This paper discusses measurements of the magnitude and nature of this natural rubber quality variation using a special dynamic mechanical rheological tester. Also the paper discusses some of the cau...

Coring is reported to occur because rubber pieces are shaved off from a rubber stopper when a needle is inserted into the rubber stopper of transfusion liquid formulation. We verified whether coring really occurs in insulin vials of self-injecting patients. We collected insulin cartridges from 30 hospitalized patients and used the primary injection (trial injection), the secondary injection and...

Natural rubber biosynthesis in guayule (Parthenium argentatum Gray) is associated with moderately cold night temperatures. To begin to dissect the molecular events triggered by cold temperatures that govern rubber synthesis induction in guayule, the transcriptome of bark tissue, where rubber is produced, was investigated. A total of 11,748 quality expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were obtained. T...

Road distress results in high maintenance costs. However, increased understandings of asphalt behaviour and properties coupled with technological developments have allowed paving technologists to examine the benefits of introducing additives and modifiers. As a result, polymers have become extremely popular as modifiers to improve the performance of the asphalt mix. This study investigates the ...

BACKGROUND Allergic contact dermatitis from rubber chemicals is increasingly recognized. OBJECTIVE To review the results of patch testing with rubber allergens from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2007. METHODS Patients who underwent patch testing with a specialized series of rubber allergens were identified. RESULTS In total, 773 patients (64.2% female; mean age, 48.6 years) were p...

Rubber based forming process is a versatile metal fabrication process used in commercial aerospace, automotive and defence applications. It is well suited for prototyping and production of small quantities of sheet metal parts. Rubber based forming employs a rubber pad contained in the rigid chamber or flexible diaphragm as one tool half, requiring only one solid half to form a part to final sh...