GHB614 × T304-40 × GHB119 × COT102 Cotton: Protein Expression Analyses of Field-Grown Samples.

Food and feed safety assessment is not enhanced by performing protein expression analysis on stacked trait products. The expression levels of six proteins in cotton matrices from four single cotton events and three conventionally stacked trait cotton products are reported. Three proteins were for insect control; two proteins confer herbicide tolerance; and one protein was a transformation-selectable marker. The cotton matrices were produced at three U.S., five Brazil, and two Argentina field trials. Similar protein expression was observed for all six proteins in the stacked trait products and the single events. However, when two copies of the bar gene were present in the stacked trait products, the expression level of phosphinothricin acetyl transferase herbicide tolerance was additive. Conventional breeding of genetically engineered traits does not alter the level or pattern of expression of the newly introduced proteins, except when multiple copies of the same transgene are present.

Pyomyositis: a diagnostic problem.

A case of a 45-year-old lady presenting with symptoms suggestive of pancreatitis is described. Initially the findings on Imaging were ambiguous while the enzyme studies were against the diagnosis of pancreatitis. Recurrence of symptoms and with Increased intensity prompted repeated imaging and further investigations. Finally, by a combination of CT scan, MR imaging and muscle biopsy the rare diagnosis of pyomyositis was established. The fact that this case was difficult to diagnose because of its rarity and its mimicking pencreatitis is discussed.

Syntheses, crystal structures, and magnetic properties of metal-organic hybrid materials of Cu(II): effect of a long chain dicarboxylate backbone, and counteranion in their structural diversity.

Eight new metal-organic hybrid materials of Cu(II) have been synthesized by using flexible glutarate/adipate as a bridging ligand, 2,2'-bipyridine/1,10-phenanthroline as a chelating ligand, and BF4-/ClO4-/Cl- as a counteranion. These materials are characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses and variable temperature magnetic measurements. Out of them, complexes 1, 3, 5, and 8 crystallize in the triclinic system with space group P. Complexes 2, 4, 6, and 7 crystallize in the monoclinic system with space group P21/n (2, 4), P21/c (6), and C2 (7). The structural analysis reveals that bridging glutarate gives rise to dinuclear and tetranuclear species, whereas the adipate dianion leads to octanuclear, one-dimensional and two-dimensional polymeric complexes, although they have been prepared under similar conditions. Supramolecular architectures of higher dimensionality have been achieved through H-bonding and pi-pi interaction. In all the complexes, the bridging and/or counteranions as well as chelating ligand have a vital role in directing the solid-state structure. A variable temperature (2-300 K) magnetic susceptibility study discloses the antiferromagnetic coupling for all of the complexes.

Rare azido-bridged manganese(II) systems: syntheses, crystal structures, and magnetic properties.

Two new polymeric azido-bridged manganese complexes of formulas [Mn(N3)2 (bpee)]n (1) and {[Mn(N3)(dpyo)Cl(H2O)2](H2O)}n (2) [bpee, trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene; dpyo, 4,4'-dipyridyl N,N'-dioxide] have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and low-temperature magnetic study. Both the complexes 1 and 2 crystallize in the triclinic system, space group P1, with a = 8.877(3) A, b = 11.036(3) A, c = 11.584(4) A, alpha = 72.62(2) degrees, beta = 71.06(2) degrees, gamma = 87.98(3) degrees, and Z = 1 and a = 7.060(3) A, b = 10.345(3) A, c = 11.697(4) A, alpha = 106.86(2) degrees, beta = 113.33(2) degrees, gamma = 96.39(3) degrees, and Z = 2, respectively. Complex 1 exhibits a 2D structure of [-Mn(N3)2-]n chains, connected by bpee ligands, whose pyridine rings undergo pi-pi and C-H...pi interactions. This facilitates the rare arrangement of doubly bridged azide ligands with one end-on and two end-to-end (EO-EE-EE) sequence. Complex 2 is a neutral 1D polymer built up by [Mn(N3)(dpyo)Cl(H2O)2] units and lattice water molecules. The metals are connected by single EE azide ligands, which are arranged in a cis position to the Mn(II) center. The 1D zipped chains are linked by H-bonds involving lattice water molecules and show pi-pi stacking of dpyo pyridine rings to form a supramolecular 2D layered structure. The magnetic studies were performed in 2-300 K temperature range, and the data were fitted by considering an alternating chain of exchange interactions with S = 5/2 (considered as classical spin) with the spin Hamiltonians H = -Ji sigma(S(3i)S(3i+1) + S(3i+1)S(3i+2)) - J2 sigmaS(3i-1)S(3i) and H = -Ji sigmaS(2i)S(2i+1) - J2 sigmaS(2i+1)S(2i+2) for complexes 1 and 2, respectively. Complex 2 exhibits small antiferromagnetic coupling between the metal centers, whereas 1 exhibits a new case of topological ferromagnetism, which is very unusual.

Carbon concentration mechanisms in photosynthetic microorganisms.

Unicellular green algae and cyanobacteria have mechanism to actively concentrate dissolved inorganic carbon into the cells, only if they are grown with air levels of CO2. The carbon concentration mechanisms are commonly known as "CCM" or "DIC-pumps". The DIC-pumps are environmental adaptation that function to actively transport and accumulate inorganic carbon (HCO3- and CO2; Ci) within the cell and then uses this Ci pool to actively increase the concentration of CO2 at the site of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco), the primary CO2-fixing enzyme. The current working model for dissolved inorganic carbon concentration mechanism in unicellular green algae includes several isoforms of carbonic anhydrase (CA), and ATPase driven active transporters at the plasmalemma and at the inner chloroplast envelopes. In the past fifteen years, significant progress has been made in isolating and characterizing the various isoforms of carbonic anhydrase at the biochemical and molecular level. However, we have an inadequate understanding of active transporters that are located on the plasmalemma and at the chloroplast envelopes. In this mini-review we focus on certain aspects of the induction, function and significance of the dissolved inorganic carbon concentration mechanisms in aquatic photosynthetic microorganisms.

Immunosuppressive effect of vestibulo-cerebellar lesion in rats.

Kainate lesion of the vestibulo cerebellum induces sympathetic hyperactivity, but the mechanism of immunosuppression observed as a result is not yet clarified. Here we report that vestibulo cerebellum lesioned (VCL) rats have depressed secretion of haematopoietic cytokines (bioimmunomodulator or BIM, a 12.7 kD peptide and thymosin FrV) in tissue cultures of bone marrow and thymus, respectively, compared with controls (P < 0.01). Peripheral blood leukocyte concentration, neutrophil myeloperoxydase response, T-SRBC rosette and antibody titre to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) are also significantly less, compared with control (P < 0.01). Injection of BIM (concentration 0.01 microg/g body weight) in VCL rats corrected the immunodeficiency. Partial restoration of immune competence is observed after injection of thymosin FrV (0.01 microg/g body weight) or after prolonged vestibular stimulation (18 rpm for 15 min/day for 21 days). The results indicate that the vestibular nodule (VN) through autonomic nerves (AN) can modulate the immune function of rats by regulating the secretion of cytokines from bone marrow and thymus.

Anti-implantation effect of a bone-marrow cytokine-BIM.

Successful implantation of blastocyst is dependent upon a cytokine induced localized immunosuppression at uterus. BIM, a bone marrow secreted bio-immunomodulator (BIM) has been observed to have positive immunomodulatory activity in immunosuppressed cases. As pregnancy is associated with immunosuppression upregulation of the suppressed immune system by injection of BIM (conc. 0.08 microg/g b.wt once in rats b.wt. <150 gm or 0.2 microg/g b.wt thrice in rats weighing > 160 gm) is believed to prevent implantation. The anti-implantation action of BIM is probably mediated via mononuclear cells at site of uterus, the effect is reversible and a single dose did not affect the estrous cycle. Multiple dose of BIM however, produce prolonged diestrous and this is probably an autonomic phenomena.

Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity of different regions of rat brain in response to immunization and bone marrow cytokine treatment.

The bone marrow cytokine (Bio-Immuno Modulator, BIM or BM-Fr1) has been suggested to correct immunoincompetence by modulating brain Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase. The brain region affected and mechanism of action of BM-Fr1 are unknown, however. Here we report that immunization of immunocompetent rats indirectly inhibited Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity (59%) in the left cerebral lobe (LC) and irrespective of BM-Fr1 treatment, stimulation of the enzyme was observed in the LC at the peak of immune response. BM-Fr1 treatment, which corrected immunoincompetence in malnourished rats, also modulated a different LC Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase profile to that seen in immunocompetent animals. Immunogen and BM-Fr1 seem to exert their influence in brain via a cytosolic inhibitor protein of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase. Thus we suggest that (1) BM-Fr1 plays an important role in immune homeostatasis by modulating Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity of LC and (2) Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase is not the receptor for either immunogen or BM-Fr1.

Improvement of liver function in rats subjected to hepatotoxin by a crude protein derived from leaves of Cajanus indicus.

Rats subjected to hepatotoxicity with CCl4 were treated with crude protein isolated from Cajanus indicus. It was observed that after treatment with the protein for seven days serum bilirubin and GPT were reduced significantly (P< 0.001) compared to CCl4 control. GOT, however, showed no appreciable change.

Differential effect of bone marrow protein on brain ATPase of immunized control and malnourished rats.

After sheep erythrocyte (SRBC) immunization in balanced-diet-fed (BDF) rats, the brain microsomal ATPase activity for the first 48 h was suppressed compared with preimmunization level, then stimulated at the peak of the immune response. In contrast, rats malnourished by deprivation of vitamin B complex and ascorbic acid and with significantly lower pre- and postimmunization enzyme activity than the BDF rats, had stimulated enzyme activity only on immunization, and their immune response was found to be suppressed. A bone marrow-derived bioimmunomodulator (BIM) revived the immunocompetence of the malnourished immunized animals, and brain ATPase activity in these animals after BIM injection followed a pattern similar to that of the immunized BDF rats. We suggest that, after SRBC immunization under the influence of BIM, suppression followed by stimulation of the brain microsomal ATPase might be related to immune response.

Immunomodulation of malnourished mice bearing Dalton's lymphoma.

The immunomodulatory effect of a mouse bone-barrow-derived cytokine (BIM), (mol wt<10 kd), was studied in mice bearing Dalton' s lymphoma. It was observed that this factor increased the life-span of mice malnourished with respect to vitamin B-complex and ascorbic acid and infected with Daltons' lymphoma, by 40±4 days when compared to malnourished lymphoma controls while in animals maintained on balanced diet (BDF) the increase in life-span was just over 11±2 days. In cultured bone marrow cells at different time intervals after introduction of lymphoma cells it was shown that introduction of lymphoma cells increased the secretion of BIM. While the lymphoma developed the secretion of BIM diminished much earlier in malnourished than in BDF mice. This observation further strengthens our previous findings that the BIM acted as an immunomodulator much more effectively in malnourished animals than in animals fed a balanced diet, where a feed-back inhibitory effect might be present.

Vaccine failure in malnourished animals: use of a bioimmunomodulator to improve immunocompetence.

Vaccine failure attributable to immunodeficiency is common in stressed individuals. During vitamin-B complex and ascorbic acid malnutrition in experimental animals, vaccine failure is accounted for by the atrophy of the immunocompetent organs. In an attempt to improve immunocompetence, a bioimmunomodulator obtained from the supernatant fluid from cultured normal bone-marrow cells was injected following immunization into young animals receiving a diet deficient in vitamins B and C. This treatment improved the immunosurveillence of mice and rats approximately 3 to 4 fold. Peculiarly, this factor failed to evoke immunostimulation in normal immunized animals, probably because of a suppressing mechanism.