Immunoaffinity purification of the lipid transfer protein complex directly from human plasma

The human cholesteryl ester (CE) and triglyceride (TG) exchange protein (denoted LTC or lipid transfer complex) was isolated in a single step from plasma using immunoaffinity batch extraction. Antibodies were raised against two preparations of conventionally purified LTC. LTC-I and LTC-II (purified 20,000-fold and 3500-fold, respectively) were used as immunogens. The antiLTC antibodies were isolated by anion-exchange chromatography and coupled to Affi-Gel 10. Chromatography of plasma on antiLTC Affi-Gel removed all of the CE and TG transfer activity. Moreover, LTC prepared from both antiLTC-I and antiLTC-II-Affi-Gel matrices were identical when analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel LTC electrophoresis. LTC exhibited two protein bands of Mr (apparent) 67,000 and 58,000 and a broad, faintly staining region at greater than 150,000. Analysis of LTC by immunoblotting indicated that both antiLTC-I and antiLTC-II antibodies recognized the same LTC proteins. Isoelectric focussing of LTC gave two pI values, 5.2 and 8.7. These data suggest that LTC is a complex of specific proteins and perhaps lipid. Specific CE and TG exchange activities of immunoaffinity-purified LTC were comparable, although the activities were low with respect to that of the antigen used to generate antiLTC-I. This is not due to contamination of LTC by albumin, lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase, or apolipoproteins AI, AII, B, CIII, D, or E.     

A new internal perfusion method for transport studies in squid giant axons

A new internal perfusion method has been developed which allows control of the internal solute composition in squid axons. The superiority of this technique compared to the old perfusion methods is shown by the experiments performed which have reproduced, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the Na+ and Ca2+ fluxes observed in intact and dialyzed axons. Compared with the internal dialysis, the perfusion method has the advantage that the permeability barrier give by the porous capillary has been eliminated. This allows the introduction into the axon of solutes with very high molecular weight, at the same time that a fast and reliable internal control can be achieved.     

What Do We Know About Metal Recycling Rates?

The recycling of metals is widely viewed as a fruitful sustainability strategy, but little information is available on the degree to which recycling is actually taking place. This article provides an overview on the current knowledge of recycling rates for 60 metals. We propose various recycling metrics, discuss relevant aspects of recycling processes, and present current estimates on global end‐of‐life recycling rates (EOL‐RR; i.e., the percentage of a metal in discards that is actually recycled), recycled content (RC), and old scrap ratios (OSRs; i.e., the share of old scrap in the total scrap flow). Because of increases in metal use over time and long metal in‐use lifetimes, many RC values are low and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Because of relatively low efficiencies in the collection and processing of most discarded products, inherent limitations in recycling processes, and the fact that primary material is often relatively abundant and low‐cost (which thereby keeps down the price of scrap), many EOL‐RRs are very low: Only for 18 metals (silver, aluminum, gold, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, niobium, nickel, lead, palladium, platinum, rhenium, rhodium, tin, titanium, and zinc) is the EOL‐RR above 50% at present. Only for niobium, lead, and ruthenium is the RC above 50%, although 16 metals are in the 25% to 50% range. Thirteen metals have an OSR greater than 50%. These estimates may be used in considerations of whether recycling efficiencies can be improved; which metric could best encourage improved effectiveness in recycling; and an improved understanding of the dependence of recycling on economics, technology, and other factors.     

Intramuscular loading dose of quinine for falciparum malaria: pharmacokinetics and toxicity.

In a study of intramuscular injection of quinine eight adults with moderately severe falciparum malaria resistant to chloroquine were treated with quinine dihydrochloride, being given a loading dose of 20 mg salt (16.7 mg base)/kg followed by three or four eight hourly maintenance doses of 10 mg salt (8.3 mg base)/kg injected into the anterior thigh. All patients responded to treatment. Fever and parasite clearance times (mean (SD) 60 (23) h and 53 (22) h respectively) were comparable with those obtained with intravenous quinine. The mean peak plasma quinine concentration of 11.0 mg/l (34.4 mu mol/l) [corrected] was reached a median of five hours after administration of the loading dose. In all patients plasma quinine concentrations exceeded the high minimum inhibitory concentration for Plasmodium falciparum malaria prevalent in Thailand within four hours of the start of treatment but did not cause toxicity other than mild cinchonism. When intravenous infusion is not possible an intramuscular quinine loading dose is an effective means of starting treatment in patients with moderately severe falciparum malaria who cannot swallow tablets.     

Growth of measles and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis viruses in human neural cell lines

Growth of cell-free subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) virus was compared with that of measles virus in three human neural cell lines; neuroblastoma, oligodendroglioma, and glioblastoma. The Edmonston strain of measles virus replicated in these neural cells as efficiently as in Vero cells. In contrast, the growth of the Mantooth strain of SSPE virus was suppressed moderately in neuroblastoma cells and markedly in oligodendroglioma and glioblastoma cells in spite of the induction of apparent cytopathic effects in these cells. Virus adsorption, defective interfering particles, interferon, and temperature sensitivity were not responsible for this low yield of SSPE virus in neural cell lines. Synthesis of viral proteins of SSPE virus was slower than that of measles virus in oligodendroglioma and glioblastoma cells. These results suggest that the slow rate of synthesis of viral proteins may be relevant to the low yield of SSPE virus in neural cells.     

Recombinant human insulin.

Insulin is a well-characterized peptide that can be produced by recombinant DNA technology for human therapeutic use. A brief overview of insulin production from both traditional mammalian pancreatic extraction and recombinant bacterial and yeast systems is presented, and detection techniques, including electrophoresis, are reviewed. Analytical systems for insulin separation are principally based on reversed-phase chromatography, which resolves the deamidation product(s) (desamido insulin) of insulin, proinsulin, and insulin. Process-scale separation is a multistep process and includes ion exchange, reversed-phase, and size exclusion chromatography. Advantages and/or disadvantages of various separation approaches, as described by the numerous literature references on insulin purification, are presented.     

A multigene family for the vasopressin-like hormones? Identification of mesotocin,lysipressin and phenypressin in Australian macropods

Mesotocin ([Ile8]-oxytocin), lysipressin ([ Lys8]-vasopressin) and phenypressin ([Phe8]-vasopressin) have been identified in the western gray kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus) as well as four other macropodids. Lysipressin and phenypressin, which differ by the amino acids in positions 2 (Tyr/Phe) and 8 (Lys/Arg) are likely products of two separate vasopressin-like genes. It is assumed that arginine vasopressin found in most mammals is the product of two identical genes which can be revealed in some species by differential mutations as seen usually in marsupials. The duality can also be revealed by differential mutations in another domain of the precursors, such as the neurophysin (MSEL-neurophysin), as observed in the ox.     

Leucostasis, an underestimated cause of death in leukaemia

Massive sludging of leukaemic cells in blood vessels is a frequent and often lethal complication of leukaemia. In a retrospective clinicopathological study on the causes of death in 52 patients with acute myeloid leukaemia and myeloproliferative disease, pulmonary leucostasis was found in 40% of the patients. In many of these patients the vessels of the heart, brain and testes were also involved. In search for signs and symptoms specific for leucostasis, the clinical records of the 21 patients with leucostasis (the study group) were compared to those of 20 patients without leucostasis (the control group). Dysfunction of the organs most affected by leucostasis, namely lungs, heart and brain, was found more often in the study group than in the controls, but the combination of unexplained fever with cardiopulmonary and/or central nervous system failure occurred almost exclusively and in half of the patients with leucostasis. Leucostasis occurs predominantly, but not exclusively, in patients with high leucocyte counts, and especially, but again not exclusively, when the leucocyte counts rise sharply.