Faculty Bibliography

Intravenous immunoglobulin is used as a replacement therapy in primary immunodeficiency diseases as well as an immunomodulatory agent in a variety of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. The mechanisms of intravenous immunoglobulin action are complex and, for some disorders, not well understood. This paper reviews the recent literature and discusses approved, new, and controversial indications for intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, with special emphasis on its mechanism of action.

The paper determines the mechanism of a noxious effect of lead upon the organism of a child. The authors identify the environmental sources of lead and discuss its metabolism in human body. They also determine the mechanism of toxic lead effect with a special emphasis placed on its transport through the placenta and the resulting detrimental effects for the fetus. The paper also discusses the results of prospective studies indicating a correlation between the exposure of a pregnant woman to lead and the future mental development of her child.