Reduced-impact logging (RIL) represents a viable option for sustainable use of Neotropical lowland forests while minimizing negative effects on local biodiversity. Many Neotropical bats of the family Phyllostomidae provide ecosystem services associated with pollination and seed dispersal that promote the regeneration of disturbed areas; therefore, effects of RIL on these species is of particula...

The REDD+ scheme of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is a carbon-based compensation for projects that resulted in reducing carbon emissions or enhancing carbon sinks or both in tropical forests. However, estimating such emissions and sinks remains challenging, and thus making it impossible to estimate carbon revenues from managing tropical forests. Here, we estimated th...

AIM Orbital inflammation is common, but the mechanisms underlying leucocytic infiltration of orbital tissue are poorly understood. Human orbital fibroblasts (OF) express chemokines, interleukin 8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), when exposed to proinflammatory cytokines. The effect of dexamethasone (DEX) and cyclosporin A (CSA) on OF IL-8 and MCP-1 were examined. METHODS Cul...

Abbreviations and Acronyms iv Acknowledgements v Summary vi 1. ar arv v v v vest est est est esting in the T ing in the T ing in the T ing in the T ing in the Tr r r r ro o o o opics pics pics pics pics 3 2. ar ariat iat iat iat iatio io io io ion in C n in C n in C n in C n in Costs and B osts and B osts and B osts and B osts and Be e e e ene ne ne ne nefits o fits o fits o fits o fits of f f ...

In this study, the prototype of a thermal roller imprint lithography (RIL) system was developed and applied to RIL tests to evaluate its feasibility for the large area replication of an optical micro device. The developed system adapts an automatic stamp releasing mechanism and has the capacity to replicate ultra-precision structures on an area of 100mm×100mm at the scanning speed range of 0.1–...

Recently, low-molecular-weight B-cell growth factor (LMW-BCGF) has been reported to stimulate growth of leukemic cells from B-cell precursor-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). We further investigated the effects of LMW-BCGF on proliferation of leukemic clonogenic (progenitor) and nonclonogenic (progeny) cells from children with BCP-ALL (28 patients) and B-cell ALL (two patients). Patients ...