Natural rubber from Hevea brasiliensis is a high molecular mass polymer of isoprene units with cis-configuration. The enzyme responsible for the cis-1,4-polymerization of isoprene units has been idengified as a particle-bound rubber transferase, but no gene encoding this enzyme has been cloned from rubber-producing plants. By using sequence information from the conserved regions of cis-prenyl c...

The angiogenic properties of natural rubber were evaluated in this work. We have used the chick chorioallantoic membrane assay (CAM) as a model to investigate the influence of the heating on biological activity in rubber membranes and in non rubber fraction as well. Results showed that natural rubber membranes can induce vascularization. It was observed that angiogenesis activity was maximum wh...

Waste latex sludge from centrifuged residue, which is a null by-product of concentrated latex manufacturing, was digested to retrieve the rubber by using sulfuric acid. It was found that the acid concentration and digestion time have an effect on the amount and purity of the retrieved rubber. Sulfuric acid at concentrations of more than 10% by weight with a digestion time of 48 hours completely...

The object of this paper is to educate health care providers of the markedly increased incidence of natural rubber latex (NRL) allergy to epidemic proportions during the past 10 to 12 years. A review of latex allergy problems in health care providers as well as patients is presented. Also reported is a questionnaire survey of institutions listed with the Health Care Association of Hawaii.

Dental professionals are required to wear gloves for all treatments. Most wear natural rubber latex gloves. This may cause sensitization to latex proteins and subsequent allergic reactions (1). We report the case of a 21-year-old dental undergraduate student who, after the first time he had worn latex gloves during a practical session in the second year of his course, developed severe allergic ...

A recreational scuba diver wore a second scuba regulator against his face during a scuba dive, attached by an elastic rubber cord necklace. After surfacing, the diver's left face became swollen. Through a process of elimination all other items of scuba equipment were excluded as potential causes. A dive with the same equipment minus the necklace confirmed the involvement of the necklace in the ...

Environmental stress can lead to oxidative stress resulting from an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and involves redox adjustments. Natural rubber is synthesized in laticifers, which is a non-photosynthetic tissue particularly prone to oxidative stress. This paper reviews the current state of knowledge on the ROS production and ROS-scavenging systems in laticifers. These regulations h...

Sensors are essential to the fulfillment of every condition of haptic technology, and they need simultaneously to sense shear stress as well as normal force, and temperature. They also must have a strong and simple structure, softness, and large extension. To achieve these conditions simultaneously, we enhanced the sensitivity of sensors utilizing natural rubber (NR)-latex through the applicati...

The prevalence of specific IgE to natural rubber latex proteins in the general population remains uncertain.The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of sera containing specific IgE antibodies to latex proteins using immunoenzymatic methods. A population of 500 unselected adult voluntary blood donors was the source of the sera used in this study. Two different immunoenzymatic me...