A new cold agglutinin from Achatina fulica snails

An electrophoretically homogeneous agglutinin was purified from the albumin gland of Achatina fulica snails using asialofetunin-Sepharose 4B as an affinity column. The agglutinin was found to be temperature sensitive; it agglutinated rabbit and human umbilical cord erythrocytes only at low temperature. It was found to be specific for methyl-β-d-galactoside, and the best inhibitor was N-acetyllactosamine.     

Liposomes in immunology

Liposomes, the artificial phospholipid vesicles, have the capacity of entrapping water soluble substances in their aqueous compartments. Of the many possible potentials of liposomes their application in immunology is most significant. Recent studies have shown an adjuvant and a carrier effect of liposomes to a number of antigens. Liposomes used in these studies are generally multilamellar vesicles with the antigen encapsulated in the aqueous phase. Some antigens may also be associated with the lipid lamellae covalently or noncovalently. The adjuvant property of liposomes is greatly affected by the surface charge of the vesicle as well as the site of association of the antigen. The other factors which may have a role in immunopotentiation by liposomes are the size and structure of the vesicles, the lipid composition, route of administration and their surface sugars. In addition, liposomes may function as carriers to haptens and other antigens. In association with liposomes the nature of the immune response may be modulated. For a further enhancement of the adjuvant activity of liposomes use has been made of immunomodulators.     

Optimization of physicochemical parameters for gallic acid production by evolutionary operation-factorial design technique

The interaction effects of five variable parameters on gallic acid yield by the application of Evolutionary Operation (EVOP)-factorial design technique is presented in this paper. The methodology combines the advantage of factorial techniques for designing experiments with five parameters and that of EVOP methodology for the systematic analysis of experimental results. It facilitates the selection of optimum conditions or directs the changes desired for individual parameters for the designing of subsequent experiments. Decision were taken according to the decision-making procedure available in the literature. Standard deviation and error limits based on 95% confidence were also calculated according to the relationship given in literature. The best combinations of the physicochemical parameters at optimal levels of 32 °C, 93% relative humidity, 4.5 pH, 72 h incubation period, 20 g substrate weight and 0.4:1 solid–liquid ratio resulted in gallic acid yield of 90.9% under modified solid-state fermentation (MSSF).