Purification of human immunoglobulin G: a new approach to plasma fractionation.

Background And Objectives: Currently, plasma fractionation involves multiple processing steps using established methods such as ethanol precipitation and column chromatography. The known limitations associated with conventional purification techniques, combined with strict regulations on safety and high demand for particular plasma proteins, have resulted in a shortage of plasma-derived therapeutics such as intravenous immunoglobulin G (IgG).

Materials And Methods: In this study, IgG was purified from human plasma using Gradiflow technology, an electrophoresis-based separation technology.

The flavonoid, quercetin, differentially regulates Th-1 (IFNgamma) and Th-2 (IL4) cytokine gene expression by normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Flavonoids are plant metabolites that are dietary antioxidants and exert significant anti-tumor, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral effects. It is generally accepted that Th-1 derived cytokines such as IL-2, IFNgamma and IL-12 promote cellular immunity while Th-2 derived cytokines such as IL-4, IL-5, IL-6 exert negative immunoregulatory effects on cellular immunity while upregulating humoral immunity. The molecular mechanisms underlying the biological activities of flavonoids have not been elucidated.

Application of adeno-associated viral vectors in behavioral research.

Viral vectors afford the capability of genetically manipulating the expression of neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, hormones, and their receptors in specific brain sites of adult animals of any species. Hence, they are a powerful tool for investigating the neurochemistry underlying complex cognitive processes and behaviors. Here we discuss how the recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) can be engineered for use in neurobehavioral studies, techniques for site-specific delivery of vector into the brain, characterization of expression profiles, and biosafety issues.

Lung volumes in swimmers performing different styles of swimming.

The alteration of lung volumes in swimmers performing different strokes was the theme of the present study. The study was carried out due to lack of knowledge regarding the lung volumes of different strokers. As the energy expenditure, O2 consumption rate, body movements, viz.

Acute ventricular reduction with the acorn cardiac support device: effect on progressive left ventricular dysfunction and dilation in dogs with chronic heart failure.

Background And Aim: Surgical resection of myocardium that acutely reduces left ventricular (LV) volume in patients with advanced heart failure (HF), the so-called "Batista Operation," remains controversial. We examined the effects of acute LV reduction with the Acorn Cardiac Support Device (CSD) in dogs with HF (LV ejection fraction < 30%).

Methods: HF was produced in 15 dogs by intracoronary microembolization.

Purification of fibrinogen and virus removal using preparative electrophoresis.

The Gradiflow is a novel, scalable preparative electrophoresis technique that uses the dual characteristics of size and charge to isolate target macro- and micromolecules from complex biological solutions. It does this with high resolution and in rapid time. The mild buffers are used to assist in retaining biological activity of the isolated protein.

Maturation of extinction behavior in infant rats: large-scale regional interactions with medial prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex.

The ability to express a behavior during the postnatal period may be related to developmental changes in the recruitment of particular neural systems. Here, we show that developmental changes in the functional interactions involving three cortical regions (the medial prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex) are associated with maturation of extinction behavior in infant rats. Postnatal day 17 (P17) and P12 pups were trained in a straight-alley runway on an alternating schedule of reward and nonreward [patterned single alternation (PSA)] or on a pseudorandom schedule of partial reinforcement (PRF); the pups were then injected with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and shifted to continuous nonreward (extinction).

Metabolic mapping of brain regions associated with behavioral extinction in preweanling rats.

Fluorodeoxyglucose autoradiography, quantitative image analysis, and a multivariate tool (partial least squares) were used to assess distributed patterns of brain activation in postnatal day 17 and day 12 rat pups engaged in extinction of instrumental behavior. Pups were trained in a straight alley runway on an alternating reward schedule, or on a pseudorandom reward schedule, injected with fluorodeoxyglucose, and then shifted to continuous nonreward (extinction). Another group at each age served as handled controls.

Postnatal development of cytochrome oxidase activity in fiber tracts of the rat brain.

This paper describes postnatal changes in cytochrome oxidase (C.O.) activity in developing fiber tracts.

Extinction of behavior in infant rats: development of functional coupling between septal, hippocampal, and ventral tegmental regions.

Learning of a behavior at a particular age during the postnatal period presumably occurs when the functional brain circuit mediating the behavior matures. The inability to express a learned behavior, such as inhibition, may be accounted for by the functional dissociation of brain regions comprising the circuit. In this study we tested this hypothesis by measuring brain metabolic activity, as revealed by fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) autoradiography, during behavioral extinction in 12- and 17-d-old rat pups.

Extinction after regular and irregular reward schedules in the infant rat: influence of age and training duration.

Greater persistence in extinction is observed following inconsistent reward compared to that observed following consistent reward, an effect termed the partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE). We report three experiments in which the extinction rates of random partially reinforced (PRF) or continuously reinforced (CRF) infant rat pups were compared to the extinction rate of pups trained with an alternative and regular schedule of partial reinforcement, known as patterned single alternation (PSA). In PSA, subjects learn to alternate speed of responding in anticipation of the regular alternation of reward and nonreward trials in the straight alley runway.

CO2 greenhouse in the early martian atmosphere: SO2 inhibits condensation.

Many investigators of the early martian climate have suggested that a dense carbon dioxide atmosphere was present and warmed the surface above the melting point of water (J.B. Pollack, J.

Neuro developmental sequelae of pyogenic meningitis in children.

97 children above one month of age with pyogenic meningitis were followed up after 6 and 12 months at the child development Center, S.A.T Hospital, Medical College, Trivandrum.

Effect of alkyl substitution at the amide nitrogen on amide bond cleavage: electrospray ionization/surface-induced dissociation fragmentation of substance P and two alkylated analogs.

Doubly protonated substance P and two analogs alkylated at the ninth position was studied to determine the effect of N-alkylation of the amide nitrogen on the electrospray ionization/surface-induced dissociation (ESI/SID) fragmentation pattern. Thermal decomposition experiments and ab initio calculations were also used in conjunction with the ESI/SID experiments. The increase in relative abundances of the product ions resulting from the cleavage of the amide bond at the alkylation site (relative to the corresponding cleavage for substance P) can be explained by the increased basicity of the amide nitrogen in the context of the 'mobile proton' model.

In vitro propagation of taro, with spermine, arginine and ornithine : II. Plantlet regeneration via callus.

Regeneration of plantlets from shoot apex-derived callus and "calloid" cultures of a local taro [Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum cv. Keladi Birah] cultivar, was expedited by treatment with high levels of spermine.

A photochemical model of the martian atmosphere.

The factors governing the amounts of CO, O2, and O3 in the martian atmosphere are investigated using a minimally constrained, one-dimensional photochemical model. We find that the incorporation of temperature-dependent CO2 absorption cross sections leads to an enhancement in the water photolysis rate, increasing the abundance of OH radicals to the point where the model CO abundance is smaller than observed. Good agreement between models and observations of CO, O2, O3, and the escape flux of atomic hydrogen can be achieved, using only gas-phase chemistry, by varying the recommended rate constants for the reactions CO + OH and OH + HO2 within their specified uncertainties.

Molecular recognition in acetylcholinesterase catalysis: free-energy correlations for substrate turnover and inhibition by trifluoro ketone transition-state analogs.

Ten meta-substituted aryl trifluoromethyl ketones (m-XC6H4COCF3; X = H, CH3, CF3, C2H5, isopropyl, t-butyl, NH2, NMe2, N+Me3, NO2) have been evaluated as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterases from Electrophorus electricus and Torpedo californica. Trifluoro ketones that have small meta substituents (X = H, CH3, CF3, C2H5, NH2, NO2) are rapid reversible inhibitors, whereas the remaining compounds in this study show time-dependent inhibition. Dissociation constants (Ki values) for these compounds span a range of approximately 10(7)-fold, with trifluoroacetophenone (X = H) being the least potent and m-(N,N,N-trimethylammonio)trifluoroacetophenone (X = Me3N+) being the most potent inhibitor.

Temporal and spatial regulation of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase in the pollination-induced senescence of orchid flowers.

Pollination of many flowers initiates a sequence of precisely regulated developmental events that include senescence of the perianth and development of the ovary. The plant hormone ethylene is known to play a key role in regulating the biochemical and anatomical changes that constitute the postpollination syndrome. For this reason, we have studied the pollination syndrome in Phalaenopsis orchids by examining the spatial and temporal location of ethylene biosynthesis within the orchid flower, and how this biosynthesis is regulated by factors that influence expression of genes that encode key enzymes in the ethylene biosynthetic pathway.

In vitro propagation of taro, with spermine, arginine, and ornithine : I. Plantlet regeneration from primary shoot apices and axillary buds.

In vitro growth and multiplication of taro [Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum cv. Keladi Birah] was improved considerably, when primary shoot apices were cultured on two modifications of Linsmaier and Skoog [1965] medium, containing 5.

Idiopathic retroperitoneal haematoma.

A case of asymptomatic idiopathic retroperitoneal haematoma presenting as an abdominal tumour, is described. A review of English literature has not revealed any description of this condition.

Metastatic renal carcinoma: rare cause of outflow obstruction (a case report).

A case of bladder tumour arising as a metastasis of renal carcinoma and presenting as obstruction to urinary outflow is described. The possible mechanism of spread to bladder is also suggested.

Idiopathic retroperitoneal haemorrhage.

Idiopathic retroperitoneal haemorrhage is a rare condition, affecting apparently histologically normal retroperitoneal blood vessels. It is important to search for the source of bleeding, as failure to identify the cause is associated with poor prognosis.