Production of monoclonal antibodies to prostromelysin (ProMMP-3) and establishment of a quantitative prostromelysin ELISA assay

Human prostromelysin (59 kDa) was purified from the conditioned medium of IL-1-stimulated human dermal fibroblasts and anti-prostromelysin monoclonal antibodies were produced and identified by ELISA assay. Using prostromelysin, a C-terminally truncated recombinant form of prostromelysin consisting of amino acids 1-255, and their respective activated enzymes, we have begun mapping the epitopes recognized by these monoclonal antibodies. Various patterns of reactivity against the proenzymes and activated enzymes were observed. In further attempts to map the epitopes, we employed synthetic peptides representing hydrophilic regions of the primary amino acid sequence of prostromelysin. Our monoclonal antibodies did not recognize these peptides, suggesting that the antibodies may be recognizing conformational epitopes composed of non-linear portions of prostromelysin. Using these monoclonal antibodies, we have developed a quantitative prostromelysin sandwich ELISA assay.     

Concentration of pancreatic polypeptide, gastrin, and motilin in the plasma of dogs during the digestive process in pancreatic atrophy

Fasting and postprandial concentrations of pancreatic polypeptide, gastrin and motilin were measured during 2hrs after meat feeding. The byphasic rise of pancreatic polypeptide concentration occurred in 15 and 120 min and increase of gastrin concentration--in 15 min after feeding. Increase of motilin concentration occurred during the second hour. These findings complete our previous data and suggest that hormonal mechanisms involved in postprandial response are maintained even in pancreatic atrophy.     

Learning and the prediction of performance: Development of trainability testing in the United Kingdom.

Distinguishes between the work-sample approach to personnel selection and a trainability-testing approach. Trainability tests are characterized by the inclusion of a structured and controlled period of learning and are used to select personnel for training rather than to choose people who are already competent. Work conducted on trainability tests over the past decade shows that such tests can be successfully used for semiskilled manual tasks, including areas in which existing written, psychometric tests are poor at predicting trainability. Illustrative examples of parts of tests are provided, and design and validation procedures are discussed. This approach to selection is linked with theoretical ideas advocating point-to-point correspondence between predictor and criterion, in which the relevant aspects of training content, method, and environment are incorporated into the test to ensure correspondence between the training criterion and the selection test. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The structure of financial planning of public health in Ukraine during the transitional period

Based on the newly developed concept of multilevel functional system of primary health care which is to replace the current multicomponent system, the author discusses the computer-aided realization of the system for estimation and analysis of the integral model of outpatient and inpatient medical care of the population of the Ukraine. This system is intended to solve the problems associated with intensification of the resources of the public health system of the Republic (district).     

Long term transformation of neuronal activity in the superior colliculus isolated from corticofugal influences

Neuronal activity of the superior colliculus isolated from the corticofugal influences was studied in various periods of time (from 3 to 20 months) after unilateral dissection of cortico-subcortical projections. In 16 unanesthetized immobilized cats, after the surgery, spontaneous activity of collicular neurons became more regular and with less complex bursts during the postoperative period. Evoked activity was completely suppressed during early hours of the postoperative period. Only 31.5% of collicular cells were sensitive to light 3 months after the operation. Evoked responses to light of 90.4% cells reappeared in the isolated colliculus not earlier than 10-12 months after the isolation, while directional and movement sensitivity practically did not restore even within 20 months after the surgery. Corticocollicular influences are considered to be a necessary condition for effective visual information processing in the colliculi superiores.