Analytical and clinical performance characteristics of Tandem-MP Ostase, a new immunoassay for serum bone alkaline phosphatase

The performance characteristics of the Tandem-MP Ostase assay, a new microplate immunoassay for bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (bone ALP; EC 3.1.3.1) in human sera, are described. Bone ALP is bound to streptavidin-coated microwells by a single biotinylated anti-bone ALP monoclonal antibody. Antigen is detected by the addition of p-nitrophenyl phosphate. The assay is performed at room temperature in <90 min. Imprecision was 2.3-6.1% with a detection limit of 0.6 microg/L. Method comparison of bone ALP measurements with the Tandem-MP Ostase assay and the mass-based Tandem-R Ostase assay (n = 285) indicated regression statistics of Tandem-MP Ostase = 1.03 Tandem-R Ostase + 0.22 microg/L, S(y/x) = 4.0 microg/L, r = 0.97. Serum bone ALP values in apparently healthy men and in pre- and postmenopausal women were also similar between the two Ostase assay formats. Liver ALP reactivity determined using the slope and heat inactivation methods was similar in both Ostase assays. Liver ALP reactivity ranged from 3 microg/L (heat inactivation) to 6 microg/L (slope method) per 100 U/L of liver ALP activity, whereas bone ALP reactivity was 37 microg/L per 100 U/L of bone ALP activity, indicating a liver ALP relative reactivity of 8.1-16.2%. Similar results were obtained with the Alkphase-B bone ALP immunoassay. The Tandem-MP Ostase bone ALP assay demonstrated increased concentrations of serum bone ALP in conditions where bone metabolism is increased and showed a rapid, temporal decrease in serum bone ALP in Paget disease patients on bisphosphonate therapy. In conclusion, the Tandem-MP Ostase assay for serum bone ALP is a rapid, simple, robust nonisotopic alternative to the Tandem-R Ostase immunoradiometric assay that provides an accurate and sensitive assessment of bone turnover.     

Analysis of linearly tapered fiber Bragg grating for dispersion slope compensation

We demonstrate that linearly tapered fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) display nonlinear group delay under strain or stress. The nonlinear group delay of the tapered FBG is analyzed theoretically. Experimental results show a good agreement with the analysis. We are the first to find that linearly tapered FBGs can be used in dispersion slope compensation.     

Comparative effects of enteric-coated pancreatin microsphere therapy after conventional and pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND: A comparative study was performed between patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency after conventional pancreatoduodenectomy (Whipple's procedure) and pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (PPPD). In these patients the pharmacodynamics of 2-mm enteric-coated pancreatin microspheres (ECPMs) and their gastric transit time in relation to that of a solid meal were investigated. The efficacy of ECPM preparations may differ after Whipple's procedure compared with PPPD, because the latter procedure does not include gastrectomy. METHODS: Gastric transit was assessed by double-isotope scintigraphy. A pancake meal was labelled with 99mTc. ECPMs were cold-labelled with 170Er and neutron activated shortly before ingestion to enable imaging with a gamma camera. Intraluminal pancreatic enzyme activity was assessed during a 6-h period with two indirect tests: the cholesteryl [14C]octanoate breath test and the N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-p-aminobenzoic acid-p-aminosalicylic acid (NBT-PABA-PAS) test. RESULTS: In patients who had Whipple's procedure, the gastric transit time of ECPMs and of the pancake meal was not significantly different. The outcome of the indirect pancreatic function tests during enzyme supplementation was comparable, and not significantly different, from that in healthy volunteers. In patients who had PPPD, however, the gastric transit time of microspheres was greatly delayed compared with that of the pancake meal (P < 0.05). Improvement in the outcome of the indirect pancreatic function tests during enzyme supplementation was much less and remained well below that of healthy volunteers (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In cases of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency after Whipple's procedure, 2-mm ECPM treatment adequately restores pancreatic enzyme activity. Following PPPD, however, ECPM treatment is often ineffective because the microspheres are retained in the stomach. In these patients, use of conventional powdered pancreatin enzyme preparations may improve the efficacy of treatment.     

Petit mal status in a patient with chronic renal failure

A 39-year-old woman with traumatic spinal paraplegia and chronic renal failure had peritoneal dialysis for acute renal failure precipitated by a bout of urinary tract infection. Two weeks after the dialysis she lapsed into coma for a few days. An electroencephalogram indicated petit mal stupor as it showed generalized epileptic discharges during the initial period of her coma.     

A comparative study and performance characteristics of ion-implanted and heterojunction short-wave infrared HgCdTe focal-plane arrays

Short-wave infrared (SWIR) HgCdTe focal-plane arrays (FPAs) with a cutoff wavelength of 2.5 μm have been produced using both planar ion-implanted and heterojunction-mesa device structures. The two-dimesnional FPAs are comprised of a 320×256 format with 30-μm pixel pitch and are cooled by a multistage thermo-electric (TE) cooler. Measured R₀A values of the two types of device structures show similar results below about 130 K because of the performance-limiting effect of the surface passivation of the heterojunction. However, a substantial difference is seen above 130 K and up to 300 K between the two structures types, with the heterojunction-mesa p-on-n device having an order of magnitude higher R₀A value than the planar ion-implanted n-on-p configuration. The difference in the R₀A values is reflected in the FPA images of the two different device types, where at 200 K, both FPAs display a clear picture with the n-on-p implanted device having a somewhat lesser resolution. However, no image can be seen from the planar-implanted FPA at 300 K, whereas the heterojunction-mesa FPA still exhibits a notable image at this temperature. These differences are examined and are attributed largely to higher diffusion and generation-recombination (g-r) currents that are thought to be prevalent in the ion-implanted n-on-p device structure. Yet, baking studies carried out show the ion-implanted diodes to be slightly more robust, as experiments reveal that they tend to survive a 120°C heat treatment longer than the mesa devices, which tend to degrade after a certain period of time. The nature of n-type donors in ion-implanted diodes is discussed, and a new theory based on Te antisites is proposed to explain recent experimental findings.     

Adoptively transferred CD4+ lymphocytes from CD8 -/- mice are sufficient to mediate the rejection of MHC class II or class I disparate skin grafts

Recent studies revealed that CD4+ cells initiate allograft rejection through direct recognition of allogeneic MHC class II Ags and indirect recognition of MHC peptides processed by self APCs. Both pathways were shown to help CD8+ cells that eventually lysed allogeneic MHC class I-presenting targets. There was little evidence, however, that CD4+ cells are sufficient for graft rejection. We studied skin graft rejection by CD8-deficient (CD8 -/-) mice. We showed that BALB/cJ(H-2d) CD8 -/- mice could reject allogeneic skin from C57BL/6J(H-2b) mice deficient in MHC class I or in MHC class II Ags. To understand the role of CD4+ cells in this process, we isolated them from CD8 -/- mice and transferred them to BALB/cJ nude mice that had been grafted with allogeneic skin (H-2b) from animals deficient in MHC class I or MHC class II. Nude mice injected with CD4+ cells rejected MHC class II and, albeit more slowly, MHC class I disparate skins. We showed in vitro evidence that CD4+ cells were not cytotoxic toward MHC class I or MHC class II disparate targets and that they recognized MHC class I allogeneic targets through indirect recognition. CD4+ cells produced Th1 cytokines, but not IL-4, following stimulation with allogeneic cells. Furthermore, intragraft TNF-alpha was elevated in skin grafted onto nude mice reconstituted with CD4+ cells compared with nonreconstituted mice. This suggests that MHC class II- or MHC class I-guided CD4+ cells alone are sufficient to induce rejection by the generation of cytokine-induced lesions.     

A simplified system for generating recombinant adenoviruses

Recombinant adenoviruses provide a versatile system for gene expression studies and therapeutic applications. We report herein a strategy that simplifies the generation and production of such viruses. A recombinant adenoviral plasmid is generated with a minimum of enzymatic manipulations, using homologous recombination in bacteria rather than in eukaryotic cells. After transfections of such plasmids into a mammalian packaging cell line, viral production is conveniently followed with the aid of green fluorescent protein, encoded by a gene incorporated into the viral backbone. Homogeneous viruses can be obtained from this procedure without plaque purification. This system should expedite the process of generating and testing recombinant adenoviruses for a variety of purposes.     

Comparative evaluation of surfactant and hydrophobizing agent concentration in relation to the optimal particle size of metered-dose inhalers

The aim of the present study was to formulate stabilized suspension-type metered-dose inhalation aerosols, and to examine the connection between the stabilizing additives and the optimal particle size. For the stabilization of the suspended particles, hydrophilic- and hydrophobic-type additives were applied. Oleil oleate was selected as a hydrophilic anionic surfactant, and the hydrophobizing agent was dimethyl siloxane polymer. The effect of the amount of the applied hydrophilic and hydrophobic additives on the optimal particle size was modeled by a second-order polynomial equation fitted to the data gathered by a face-centered central composite statistical design. We found that if the proper type and amount of additives are selected, it is possible to acquire the therapeutically best composition.     

A continuous photocatalysis system in the degradation of herbicide

The performance of both batch and continuous photo-catalytic reactors was studied to evaluate their capabilities in removing the sulfonyl urea herbicide of metsulfuron methyl (MM). It was found in a batch reactor that the addition of a small amount of powder activated carbon (PAC) significantly increased the rate of degradation of MM. The continuous photo-catalytic system resulted in 57% of MM removal. When a small dose of activated carbon was added in the photo-catalytic system, MM removal increased to 78–86% MM removal for retention times between of 5.25–21 min (corresponding to withdrawal rates of 10–40 mLmin⁻¹). In this study, the pseudo first order rate constants of a continuous photo-catalytic system revealed that shorter retention times were associated with lower rate constants. Solid phase micro extraction/gas chromatography (SPME/GC) results showed that high concentrations of MM were broken down to small volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by photo-catalytic oxidation. PAC adsorbed the photo-products and increased the degradation of MM.