Three degradation products (I–III) were formed during forced degradation study on paliperidone under different stress conditions. All the products were separated by gradient LC–DAD method and the method was validated in accordance with ICH guidelines. The method proved to be simple, accurate, precise, specific and robust. It was successfully employed for the analysis of marketed formulation stored for three months under accelerated conditions of temperature and humidity. All the products could be characterized

through LC–PDA analyses and study of mass fragmentation pattern in both +APCI and −APCI modes. The photolytic product I was proposed to be 3-(1-allyl-1, 4-dihydropyridin-4-yl)-5-fluorobenzo[d] isoxazole. The product II formed under acidic stress condition was characterized as known impurity, SAHA HDAC supplier 5-fluoro-3-(piperidin-4-yl) benzo[d] isoxazole. The product III under alkaline stress condition Selleck Pazopanib was characterized as a new degradation product, 5-(2-(4-(5-fluorobenzo[d]isoxazol-3-yl)piperidin-1-yl)ethyl)-6-methylpyrimidin-4-(3H)-one. All authors have none to declare. The authors acknowledge technical discussions

with Dr. S. Y. Gabhe, Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, BVU, Poona College of Pharmacy, Pune. Authors would like to thank Dr. Ashok V. Bhosale, Principal, PDEA’s S.G.R.S. College of Pharmacy, Saswad for providing necessary facilities. “
“A balanced and healthy diet is a prerequisite for good health. Fish and other seafood’s are an important part of a balanced diet and contribute to a good nutritional status. Children, young people, pregnant women and new mothers in particular eat little fish. A good nutritional status is especially important for these vulnerable groups. Seafood contains high levels of many important nutrients that are not commonly found in other foods. It is an excellent source of proteins, very long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and iodine. Fatty fish and certain fatty seafood products

are the most important sources of marine omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D in our diet. India is endowed with a long coastline and hence offers better scope for large exploitation of marine wealth. In the seventies fishermen started Dipeptidyl peptidase concentrating on fishing prawns due to high returns on account of their export value.1 Antimicrobial drugs are the greatest contribution of the 20th century to therapeutics. Their importance is magnified in the developing countries, where infective diseases predominate. As a class they are one of the most frequently used as well as misused drugs. Tetracyclines antibiotics having four cyclic rings, obtained from soil actinomycetes. E.g. Tetracycline, Oxytetracycline, Chlortetracyclin, Doxycycline etc.2 Antimicrobials are widely used as growth promoting agent and therapeutic agents against microbial infections.

e., procedure success) (4.6%).

And although 55% reported that they had received TRI training during fellowship, only 11% had primarily trained using radial access during fellowship (data not reported in table). The most prevalent ABT-737 clinical trial barriers (Table 3) interventional cardiologists cited were concerns about increased radiation exposure to the interventional cardiologist (60.0% of respondents cited as major or minor barrier) and to other cath team members (47.7% of respondents), and learning curve (43.1%). However even among these, most respondents rated them as minor rather than major barriers. Other barriers such as difficulty obtaining necessary equipment (24.6%), lack of support from cath lab staff (20.0%), and lack of training opportunities (18.5%), were cited less frequently by our survey respondents. Overall, few respondents rated any factor as a major barrier to performing TRI. Responses to the free text field, reinforced interview findings that suggested that interventional cardiologists find radial cases to be more challenging; feel less capable of dealing with

problems via radial access; and harbor doubts about the evidence supporting radial efficacy for specific subgroups of patients. Among the 48 cath labs represented in the survey data, the median PCI volume in 2013 was 199, with 7.4% of those trans-radial (Table 4). Cath labs in the Trametinib research buy top tertile for TRI rate conducted 51.7% of PCIs trans-radially, versus 7.8% and 2.7% for the middle and bottom tertile cath labs. Stratified responses were similar to the total respondents, with respondents favoring radial

access (Table 2) for ease of monitoring patients, allowing patients to go home sooner, fewer vascular access complications, comfort for patients, and fewer bleeding complications, with moderately less favorable views among the middle and bottom tertiles. The most prevalent barriers for the high-tertile respondents (Table 3) were the long learning curve (55.0%), increased radiation exposure to the operator (45.0%) and to the cath team (40.0%), whereas the most prevalent barriers for middle and low-tertile respondents included logistical issues other than lack of standard policies or difficulties Phosphoprotein phosphatase obtaining necessary equipment (53.8%), and minorities of low-tertile (46.2%) and middle-tertile (26.3%) respondents rated the long learning curve as a barrier. Open text responses exhibited a similar pattern with respondents at low-TRI sites reporting procedure time and technical difficulty as the major issues (Table 5). Lack of support in changing post-procedure policies, specifically related to removal of hemostasis band, was also cited. The US lags behind many other industrialized nations in the use of TRI [1], and to the best of our knowledge there has been little empirical study to understand why.

0 ppm] were mixed in the samples. The Ashokarista samples were

centrifuged at 10,000× g for 20 min at 4 °C to get rid of the residues and filtered through 0.22 μm membrane. The filtrates of S. asoca samples and the commercial drugs were used for metabolomic studies. All the samples were given abbreviated name as: bark water extract [BWE], bark hot water extract [BHWE], re-generated bark water extract [RBWE], regenerated bark hot water extract [RBHWE], leaves water extract [LWE], leaves hot water extract [LHWE], flower water extract [FWE], flower hot water extract [FHWE], Dabur Ashokarista [DA] and Baidhyanath Ashokarista [BA]. MS/MS experiments Y-27632 were performed on Agilent 1290 Infinity Series HPLC interfaced with an selleck products Agilent 6538 Accurate-Mass QTOFMS. The instrument was calibrated and tuned as recommended by the manufacturer to get accuracy less than 5 ppm. Each sample was injected thrice [20 μl every time] by auto-sampler into ZORBAX

300SB reversed phase column [C18, 4.5 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm particle size] in three conjunctive runs. The column temperature was maintained at 40 °C. Mobile phase comprising of solvent A [water containing 0.1% formic acid] and solvent B [acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid] were used in gradient mode concentration [%]/time 5/8; 10/15; 45/22; 65/30; 90/35; 5/40. Mobile phase flow of 0.2 ml/min was maintained. Q-TOFMS was operated in positive ion polarity mode and extended dynamic range [1700 m/z, 2 GHz]. Non-targeted MS/MS spectra were acquired in the range 100–1100 m/z with acquisition rate 3 spectra s−1. Initial processing of UPLC–Q-TOF-MS raw data i.e. baseline correction, noise reduction, removal of background contaminants and extraction of molecular features was carried out using MassHunter Qualitative Software, Version 3.1 [Agilent Technologies]. The parameters used for extraction of data were set as follows: mass range 100–1200 Da, mass tolerance 5 ppm, noise elimination level 10, 2.5% of minimum intensity to the base peak intensity, minimum threshold 5000 cps,

retention time tolerance 0.01 min. The ions with identical elution profile and related m/z during value were extracted as single molecular feature, within the algorithm employed for full MS/MS data. Molecular features were characterized by retention time, intensity in the apex chromatographic peak and accurate mass. Background subtracted data were converted into compound exchange [.cef] file for further use in Mass Profiler Professional [MPP]. MPP [Agilent, version B 02.02] was used for statistical evaluation of technical reproducibility and multivariate analysis. The retention time and m/z alignment across the sample sets was performed using a tolerance window of 0.2 min and 20 mDa. The MFs were reduced stepwise based on frequency of occurrence, abundance of respective molecular features in classes and one way analysis of variance [ANOVA].

Presence of impurities in drug substance can have significant impact on the quality, safety and efficacy. Hence it was felt necessary to develop an accurate, rapid, selective and sensitive method for the determination of EPM and its process impurities. The newly developed method was validated according to ICH guidelines13 and 14 considering four impurities to demonstrate specificity, precision, linearity and accuracy of the method. The investigated samples EPM and its Process impurities were supplied by Ogene Systems (I) Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad, India. The HPLC grade acetonitrile, methanol, ortho phosphoric acid and Ammonium acetate were purchased from Merck Specialty

Chemicals, India. Water used was obtained by Milli Q water purification system. EPM and its impurities were determined by Agilent 1200 series HPLC with PDA detector (Agilent Technologies, CCI 779 Deutschland, Waldron, Germany) instrument with EZ-Chrome elite software.

A phenomenex Gemini–C18 (250 mm × 4.6 mm × 5.0 μm, Phenomenex, Torrance, CA, USA) column was employed for the separation of impurities from EPM. Separation was achieved using a gradient mobile phase 10 mM ammonium acetate in water. pH is adjusted to 3.0 with acetic acid as solvent–A and Acetonitrile as solvent–B in gradient mode (Time/Sol-A: B) 0–5/80: 20, 9/60: 40, 17–28/15: 85, 32–35/80: 20 (v/v). The flow rate of the mobile phase was set to 1.0 mL/min with detected wavelength fixed at 250 nm. The injection volume was 10 μl. Methanol was used as JQ1 ic50 diluent. The LC–MS/MS analysis has performed on Quattro Micro™

API mass spectrophotometer (Waters, Seoul, Korea). The analysis was performed in the scan mode with electrospray ionization source (ES+) and triple Quadrapole mass analyzer. The analysis parameters for capillary, cone voltage were 3.50 kV and 25 V, respectively. Source, dessolvation gas temperatures were 95 °C and 350 °C, dessolvation gas flow fixed at 450 L/h. The mass spectrum data was processed by using Mass Lynx software. The 1H and 13C NMR experiments were performed in DMSO at 25 °C temperature using mercury plug 300 MHz FT NMR spectrometer, Bruker, Bio Spin Corporation, Billerica, MA, USA. The 1H and 13C chemical shifts Astemizole were reported on the δ scale in ppm relative to tetra methyl silane and DMSO, respectively. 1.0 mg/mL EPM was prepared by dissolving 10.0 mg in 10 mL of diluent for determination of purity. 0.15% impurities blend solution was spiked w.r.t. 1 mg/mL of EPM was prepared in diluent (Fig. 2) (Methanol was used as the diluent). The main target of the method is to identify the possible process impurities and get well resolutions between EPM and its process impurities. The blend solution of 0.15% EPM process impurities was prepared by spiking to 1.0 mg/mL EPM test solution and it was run through C18 column with phosphate buffer in the pH range of 3.0–6.0 along with acetonitrile. Best results were achieved using phenomenex Gemini–C18 (250 mm × 4.6 mm × 5.

Sepsis was clinically suspected in

the presence of previously described signs [14] and [15] GW 572016 and confirmed by culture or RT-PCR for N. meningitidis. All patients aged 0–18 years admitted with a diagnosis of meningitis or sepsis to the participating centers during the study period were included in the study. Data regarding age, sex, clinical presentation, blood tests, radiologic exams and vaccination status were collected. Biological samples were obtained as part of routine exams for etiologic definition. The study, partially funded by the Italian Center for Disease Control (CCM), was approved by the local institutional review board. Samples of blood and/or CSF, according to the clinical presentation, were obtained from all children included in the study as soon as possible after hospital admission and were used for molecular testing by RT-PCR and/or culture. All samples for cultural

tests were immediately sent to the local laboratory using the procedures established by each hospital for culture tests. All samples for molecular tests were sent to the central Laboratory (Immunology Laboratory, Anna Meyer Children Hospital, Florence, Italy) using a free-post carrier, delivered within the following day and tested within 2 h after delivery. All the samples for molecular tests were accompanied by a form collecting demographic and laboratory data and the main clinical findings of the patient. For culture purposes, 4–6 ml of blood samples (up to 3 sets) were used. All cases in which RT-PCR or culture demonstrated the presence of N. meningitidis were serogrouped using molecular Autophagy Compound Library techniques; in the central Laboratory 200 μl

of whole blood were used for both diagnosis and serogrouping by RT-PCR. Bacterial genomic DNA was extracted from 200 μl of biological samples using the QIAmp Dneasy Blood & Tissue kit (Qiagen), according to the manufacturer’s instructions. RT-PCR amplification was performed in 25 μl reaction volumes containing 2× TaqMan Universal Master Mix (Applied Biosystem, Foster City, CA, USA); primers were used at a concentration of 400 nM; FAM labeled probes at a concentration of 200 nM. Six μl of DNA extract was used for each reaction. All reactions were performed in triplicate. A negative control (no-template) and a positive control were included in every run. DNA was amplified in an ABI 7500 sequence detection system (Applied Biosystem, Foster these City, CA, USA) using, for all the primers couples, the same cycling parameters as follows: 50° for 2 min for UNG digestion 95 °C for 10 min followed by 45 cycles of a two-stage temperature profile of 95 °C for 15 s and 60 °C for 1 min. If no increase in fluorescent signal was observed after 40 cycles, the sample was assumed to be negative. All samples which were positive in Realtime-PCR for ctra gene were included in serogrouping analysis. The following serogroups were tested: A, B, C, W135, Y using primers and probes as described in Table 1. Data was processed with the SPSSX 11.

In this study, we developed HPV 16/18/58 trivalent L1 VLP vaccines and compared the type specific neutralizing antibody levels induced by the trivalent vaccine with those by corresponding monovalent vaccines. We found that the HPV 58 containing trivalent vaccine could induce high titers of HPV specific antibodies against all component types, and that the type specific neutralizing antibody levels were interfered by co-immunized antigens. HPV 16, 18, 58 L1 genes were codon optimized according to the codon usage bias of Sf9 cells. All modification was made according to Table 1. Optimized genes were synthesized by Sangon Corp. (Shanghai, China) and constructed into

pFastBac I (Invitrogen). Optimized genes were uploaded to Genbank, and the accession numbers are GU556964 (HPV 16 L1), GU556965 (HPV 18 L1) and GU556966 (HPV 58 L1), respectively. HPV 6 and 11 L1 genes were obtained by our lab previously Buparlisib mw [30], [31] and [32]. L1 genes were expressed in baculovirus expression system and purified by CsCl ultracentrifugation

as described previously [33]. The purity of L1 was evaluated by SDS-PAGE with Coomassie blue staining. VLPs were further verified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) [31]. We formulated pentavalent, trivalent, bivalent and monovalent vaccines with high and low dose of antigens, with or without Aluminium adjuvant according to Table 2. High dose vaccines contained 5 μg VLPs of each type, while low dose vaccines contained 0.1 μg VLPs of each type. selleck chemical The adjuvant we used here is Aluminium hydroxide (Sigma–Aldrich). All the vaccines were formulated in a total volume of 100 μl in PBS. The control vaccine

contained 100 μl PBS only. Balb/c mice were purchased from the Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and kept in the animal facility of the Institute of Basic Medical Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. All experimental protocols were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Experiment groups immunized with different vaccine formulations were listed in Table 2. Briefly, for the long-term experiments, mice (n = 4 per group) were immunized intramuscularly with Trivalent-1 vaccine, Mono 16, 18, 58 vaccines or PBS, respectively at week 0, 2, 4, and were given an extra boost at week 52. Serum samples were collected at 2 week’s interval for first 12 MycoClean Mycoplasma Removal Kit weeks and then at 10 week’s interval until week 52. Samples were also collected 2 weeks after the extra boost. All samples were analyzed by ELISA for type specific antibody responses [30]. Serum samples collected at week 4 and 6 were analyzed for neutralizing antibody level (pseudo-neutralization assay). For dose adjustment experiments, mice (n = 4 per group) were immunized intramuscularly with Trivalent-1, Trivalent-2, Mono 16, Mono 18 and Mono 58 vaccines, respectively at week 0, 2, 4. Serum samples collected at week 4 and 6 were analyzed by pseudo-neutralization assay.

The effectiveness of a vaccine could refer to the reduced risk the vaccinated individual benefits from in the real world, or the population level impact of the vaccine that goes beyond the vaccinated individual. The individual’s protection is enhanced by herd immunity at the population level [6] and [36], where immunization ZD6474 mw programs through reducing the prevalence of infection protect unvaccinated individuals. Vaccination against HPV in Australia and the US has generated rapid declines in the incidence of genital warts and the prevalence of high risk HPV infections,

including amongst those unvaccinated, which may be associated with herd protection [37] and [38]. This herd immunity adds to vaccine benefits and will be present to some extent regardless of coverage. In theory the greater the reduction in prevalence the greater

the protection remaining unvaccinated individuals will benefit from, until at a critical vaccination threshold infection is eliminated [6]. Fig. 1 illustrates the Trametinib ic50 difference between a vaccine providing herd immunity and one providing direct protection (this latter is achieved for illustration by assuming no change in exposure which is unreasonable). The critical vaccination threshold is 1 minus the inverse of the basic reproductive number – so the greater the basic reproductive number the greater the coverage needed to eliminate infection. The nature of herd immunity will depend upon another characteristic of vaccination that cannot easily be discerned in trials. This characteristic of the vaccine is whether the immunity it provides is an all or nothing effect (‘take’ type protection) or whether it protects against a fraction of challenges (‘degree’ type protection)[39]. The take and degree

categories are the two extremes of the frailty mixed models of vaccine efficacy described in the statistical literature [40] and [41] and have been explored in Thiamine-diphosphate kinase models of HIV vaccination where efficacy could be low [39], [42] and [43]. The effects of these properties are illustrated in Fig. 1 where degree type protection causes less herd protection until near the critical vaccination threshold. Fig. 2 illustrates a simulated trial of an STI vaccine with 60% efficacy comparing a vaccine with take and degree type protection. In a low incidence setting the difference in the impact of the two is indiscernible. In high incidence settings take type protection is maintained. This distinction is more of a concern for STIs than for other infections, because of the heterogeneity in risk and the potential for increased exposure and risk [44]. If vaccines are tested in populations with lower risk then the efficacy of the vaccine may be less in higher risk populations, or conversely if tested in higher risk populations more efficacious in lower risk populations.

Importantly during persistent infection, the adaptive immune response

is able to control, but not clear infection. The inability to clear the infection is thought to be due to the generation of antigenically variant surface proteins which escape detection and allow for a window of pathogen replication [17]. For example, repeated exposure to Plasmodium falciparum, one of the causative agents of malaria, results in the development of naturally acquired immunity. In both A. marginale and P. falciparum, control of persistent infection is thought to be due in part to antibody directed toward surface NVP-BEZ235 expressed variant antigens. In the case of A. marginale, a temporal relationship exists between clearance of an Msp2 variant and development of a variant-specific antibody response [8] and [9]. Similarly, P. falciparum parasites causing clinical disease express a PfEMP1 protein to which the patient has no pre-existing antibody; in response the immune system mounts an antibody response BIBW2992 with specificity for the expressed protein [18], [19], [20], [21] and [22]. Thus, it has been suggested that naturally acquired immunity to P. falciparum correlates with gradual acquisition of an entire repertoire of protective PfEMP1 antibody characterized by asymptomatic parasitemia, but does not result in sterile immunity or protection

against re-infection, and requires years to develop [22] and [23]. In contrast nearly to naturally acquired immunity, sterile immunity

can be induced by immunization with irradiated sporozoites in the case of P. falciparum, and outer membrane proteins, in the case of A. marginale [7], [10], [11] and [24]. The data presented in this paper indicate that there is no correlation between the prevention of infection due to immunization and the antibody response to the highly immunogenic hypervariable surface protein responsible for immune evasion. Thus, the difference between the evasion of immunity resulting in persistent infection and the immunization-induced complete clearance is likely due to induction of antibody to conserved proteins that occurs following immunization but does not occur during natural infection. Although antibody to Msp2 is abundantly produced in response to immunization, antibodies targeting a wide variety of conserved proteins have also been identified [25]. Thus, shifting the immune response toward conserved epitopes that are poorly recognized during infection may be the key to effective vaccine development. The excellent technical assistance of Bev Hunter is gratefully acknowledged. This research was supported by NIHR01 AI44005, USDA ARSCRIS5348-32000-027-00D, and USDA-ARS cooperative agreement 58-5348-3-0212. The research reported in this manuscript was supported by the Wellcome Trust (GR075800M). “
“The authors would like to apologies that the first column of the second line of the table should be “Varilrix”. Please see the correct Table 3. “
“Bordetella pertussis (B.

g. whether they had vaccinated their own child) – though professional experience, particularly

from a practitioner with a long career and a history of providing useful advice, moved some parents. If I’d have been against it, [GP saying he’d vaccinated his own child] would not have swayed me at all. I’d say, thank you very much but that might be for you. I’m not sure it’s for me. I’m not ready to make that decision yet. (P4, MMR1 on-time) MMR1-accepting parents used trust in their health professionals both to minimise the complexity of influences ON-01910 solubility dmso on their decision by reducing the need to seek and evaluate alternative sources of advice, and to minimise anticipated regret by ‘sharing’ the decision (therefore the blame for any negative outcomes) with an expert. If something went wrong with the vaccine at least I listened to, I read all the information, listened to someone that knows a lot more than I do and if that was meant to be then I feel that that was meant to be but I wouldn’t want to take all the responsibility Selleckchem AT13387 on myself by choosing not to vaccinate my children

(P12, MMR1 late) Most parents rejecting MMR1, and some opting for single vaccines, spoke of their health professional questioning their decision at most appointments, or their practice sending repeated MMR reminders. For some parents these interventions created trepidation around interaction with their clinician, whilst for others they were little

more than an irritation; parents in the latter group linked their ability to deflect these approaches to their confidence in their decision. I always get the speech no matter what I’ve gone in for so even if we’ve gone in for an ingrown toenail I get the speech… ‘Have we talked about his immunisations yet?’ (P19, no MMR1) Some parents identified a distinction between health professionals’ advice supported by provision of facts/information, and advice with no supporting evidence or rationale: until the latter was of no use to them during decision-making and in some cases damaged their relationship with their clinician. I did go to the doctor and ask them [for advice about egg allergy] and they just said yeah, you should definitely give them the MMR… that was their information they gave me… it was more ‘don’t be so stupid’ actually I would say (P18, no MMR1) Parents’ views on disease severity often appeared rooted in personal experience rather than population-level statistics. MMR rejectors talked about how these diseases can be treated and prevented through lifestyle measures, whilst these factors did not enter the narrative for most MMR acceptors. The benefits of natural immunity were felt more keenly by MMR rejectors than MMR acceptors, though parents across decision groups were aware of the natural immunity debate. Many parents across decision groups had experienced measles, mumps and rubella in themselves or their siblings as children.

, 2007 and Zlotnik et al., 2008). The neuroprotective effects of Pyr contrast with those observed following Oxa treatment since the neurological recovery of rats treated with Oxa after CHI was more complete and in markedly stronger correlation with the decrease of blood Glu levels. Thus, unlike Oxa that was suggested to exert its neuroprotective effects mainly via its blood Glu scavenging activity, Pyr is likely to use additional neuroprotective mechanisms particularly GSK2118436 when administered at high doses (Zlotnik et al., 2008). Although these conclusions were taken from a rat model of

CHI, some may be applied to our model of acute SE since both models involve Glu-mediated brain injury. Future investigations focused on long term behavioral outcome after SE may also include the monitoring for the occurrence of spontaneous

recurrent seizures which are the hallmark the chronic phase of the pilocarpine model of epilepsy Endocrinology antagonist (Arida et al., 2006 and Leite et al., 2006). As stated above, previous studies have demonstrated that systemic administration of Pyr and Oxa in rats produces blood Glu scavenging and increased brain-to-blood Glu efflux (Gottlieb et al., 2003, Zlotnik et al., 2007 and Zlotnik et al., 2008). In this context, an important issue to be addressed is the impact of Glu drop off on brain tissue, particularly neuronal cells. Preliminary results of our group indicate that naive animals (not subjected to SE) that received Pyr or Pyr + Oxa show neuronal damage in the hippocampus (unpublished data). Moreover, Gonzalez et al. (2005) showed that rapid injection

of large doses of Pyr (1–2 g/kg, i.v.) in naive rats produced a proconvulsive effect. These findings suggest that further experiments must be conducted in order to evaluate the possible deleterious effects of abnormal brain-to-blood Glu efflux on brain tissue. The acute neuronal cell loss in the hippocampus (CA1 subfield) induced by SE was completely prevented in rats treated with pyruvate plus oxaloacetate. Moreover, the late caspase-1 activation was significantly reduced when rats were treated with oxaloacetate or pyruvate plus oxaloacetate. These data support the idea that the treatment from with pyruvate and oxaloacetate causes a neuroprotective effect in rats subjected to pilocarpine-induced SE. This research was supported by CNPq, CAPES and FAPESP from Brazil. Andrezza S.R. Carvalho received a fellowship grant from CAPES. “
“In the CNS, ATP mediates a broad range of effects, varying from trophic to toxic effects, both in neurons and glial cells (for review, see Franke and Illes, 2006 and Verkhratsky et al., 2009). In the retina, it is also emerging as an important signaling molecule that can be released, through a calcium-dependent mechanism, by application of several depolarizing stimuli such as light, KCl and glutamate agonists (Newman, 2005, Perez et al., 1986 and Santos et al., 1999).