Normal trachea during forced expiration: dynamic CT measurements

In order to understand the mechanism of acute renal failure frequently observed in severe acute pancreatitis, renal microcirculation and renal hemodynamics were investigated during experimental acute pancreatitis in dogs induced by autologous bile and trypsin mixture into the pancreatic duct. Renal tissue blood flow (hydrogen gas clearance method), renal arterial blood flow, and cardiac output (transonic blood flow meter) were each measured for 5 h after induction of pancreatitis. The effect on renal hemodynamics of a new synthesized protease inhibitor--E-3123; 4-(2-succinimidoethylthio)phenyl-4-quanidinobenzoate methane sulfonate--intravenously infused at the rate of 3 mg/kg/h was also investigated. The mean blood pressure and pulse pressure decreased after induction of pancreatitis. Renal microcirculation and renal artery blood flow decreased during the experiment. However, in dogs with treated by E-3123, renal microcirculation was preserved during the first hour of the experiment and decreased gradually afterward, but it was significantly higher than that of the dogs without E-3123 during 3-5 h. The mean blood pressure and pulse pressure were preserved nearly at preoperative levels during the experimental period. We concluded that renal microcirculation decreased concomitantly with a deterioration of acute pancreatitis, and that the new pancreatic protease inhibitor E-3123 may have some beneficial effect to improve renal hemodynamics in the early period of acute pancreatitis.     

Characterization and frequency distribution of species of lactic acid bacteria involved in the processing of mawè, a fermented maize dough from Benin

Lactic acid bacteria involved in the natural fermentation of both home-produced and commercial mawè were investigated during a 72 h fermentation period. Lactobacillus spp. constitute the majority (94%) of the strains of the lactic acid bacteria isolated, among which 89% represent the Betabacterium group. They include L. fermentum (biotype cellobiosus) (41%), L. fermentum or L. reuteri (19%), L. brevis (26%), L. confusus (less than 2%), L. curvatus (less than 1%) and L. buchneri (less than 1%). Other isolated lactic acid bacteria were L. salivarius, Lactococcus lactis, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Pediococcus acidilactici and Leuconostoc mesenteroides. Several species were detected at the early stage of fermentation, but the final stage was dominated by L. fermentum (biotype cellobiosus) and L. fermentum or L. reuteri totalling 90% of the isolated strains. The trend was the same for both home-produced and commercial mawè. No strains of L. plantarum, generally reported as dominating lactic acid bacteria at the final stage of fermentation of most plant foods, were isolated.     

Models of crossed categorization and intergroup relations

Two studies explored 6 models of crossed categorization. In Experiment 1, Muslims (majority) and Hindus (minority) in Bangladesh evaluated 1 of 4 target groups created by crossing religion (Hindu or Muslim) and nationality (Bangladeshi or Indian) and then rated the target group's perceived variability. Experiment 2 was an extension of the research, including new measures. Both studies showed additive effects of religion and nationality, as predicted by 3 models, a strong effect of category dominance for religion, and out-group homogeneity only when the religious in-group was the dominant and majority group in its country. Experiment 2 also showed a significant relationship between discrimination based on religion and self-esteem and marginal support for the hierarchical ordering model. When and how specific models of crossed categorization might operate in different intergroup contexts are discussed.     

A method for preparing chelate-cytokine conjugates with retention of protein structure, biological activity, and pharmacokinetic properties

The chelating agent diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) has been conjugated site-specifically to the N-terminus of recombinant human interleukin-2 (rhIL-2) by reaction with DTPA dianhydride at an initial pH of 6.0, thus demonstrating broader application of the conjugation method previously described for the structurally related cytokine rhG-CSF (Ralph et al., 1995). Purity of the DTPA-rhIL-2 conjugate, isolated by cation-exchange FPLC, and chelation of 111In were revealed by cation-exchange HPLC. Purity of the conjugate as well as chelation of radiometal were also demonstrated by SDS-PAGE and TLC, respectively. The stoichiometric molar ratio of DTPA to protein for the conjugate was approximately 1:1 as determined by TLC and mass spectrometry. Localization of the DTPA moiety was resolved by a peptide mapping procedure. The protein retained > 95% secondary structure (alpha helicity) following the conjugation. Addition of metal induced an approximate 22% loss of secondary structure for the conjugate. The in vitro biological activity of the protein was unaffected by the conjugated DTPA, even with chelated metal. Pharmacokinetic analysis of DTPA-conjugated cytokines, following chelated 111In, showed clearance and pharmacokinetic parameter values comparable to those of the corresponding unmodified cytokine. DTPA-conjugated cytokines may prove useful in cytokine research, and furthermore may represent a novel class of molecules for imaging, diagnosing, and/or treatment of malignancies where the cytokine receptor is overexpressed.