Conditioned medium (CM) from lectin-stimulated human leukocytes contains factors that induce human promyelocytic cell lines to differentiate along the monocytic pathway. In this report, we show that human promyelocytic cell lines are also induced to differentiate along this pathway by immune interferon (IFN gamma). Various preparations of IFN alpha tested did not induce this differentiation. In...

Activated monocytes play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis. Blood monocytes which enter the inflamed joint become activated upon adherence to extracellular matrix and exposure to a complex inflammatory environment. We have analyzed the mechanism of monocyte activation by soluble factors present in inflammatory synovial fluid (SF). Greater than 75% of inflammatory S...

To investigate rate-limiting factors for glutathione and phytochelatin (PC) production and the importance of these compounds for heavy metal tolerance, Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) was genetically engineered to overexpress the Escherichia coli gshI gene encoding gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (gamma-ECS), targeted to the plastids. The gamma-ECS transgenic seedlings showed increased toler...

The EGS4 (Electron Gamma Shower, Version 4) Monte Carlo simulation code is used to calculate the conversion factors of the radon daughter quantity accumulated on the ground surface to the environmental gamma radiation dose rate with considering the actual geographical conditions. When the precipitation rate is low, the time variation of the environmental gamma radiation dose rate estimated from...

By considering similar observed properties of gamma ray bursts (GRB) and solar flares with the prevailing physical conditions in the cosmic environment, the following study suggests that most likely and promising energy source for the central engine which triggers GRB may be due to primordial flares, solar flare like phenomena, at the sites of inter galactic or inter galactic clusters in the ea...

We present the results of a systematical analysis of the intrinsic optical afterglow light curves for a complete sample of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) observed in the period from Feb. 1997 to Aug. 2005. These light curves are generally well-sampled, with at least four detections in the R band. The redshifts of all the bursts in the sample are available. We derive the intrinsic R band afterglow ligh...