Development of enhancing agglutination reaction using gold nanoparticle for pre-transfusion testing.

PubMed

Choktaweesak, N; Krasathong, P; Ammaranond, P

2016-10-01

To explore an alternative way for antibody detection testing, the examination of gold nanoparticle solution for enhancing unexpected antibodies for pre-transfusion testing was investigated. Exposure of foreign antigens on red blood cells from transfusion can trigger the immune system to produce unexpected antibodies. This immunological response may cause the complication to future transfusion. For detection of unexpected antibodies, the antibody screening test is performed approximately 30-60 min. To reduce turnaround time, enhancing reagent, low-ionic strength solution (LISS), is widely used. However, cost of enhancing reagent is an issue which has concerned in resource limited countries. Gold nanoparticle solution can increase red blood cells agglutination reaction. To solve this issue, study of gold nanoparticle solution was investigated. Samples were performed comparing between LISS and gold nanoparticle solution at antiglobulin phase. After reading the agglutination reaction, supernatants were collected and measured at the optical density at 760 nm by spectrophotometer. The optical density in the tube of gold nanoparticle solution was higher than in the tube of 2-5% cell suspension and monoclonal antibody. It has been observed that gold nanoparticle solution enhanced the reaction of agglutination 98% while LISS enhanced the agglutination only 60·8%. Employing a commercially available enhancing reagent, parallel samples confirmed results providing validation of the assay. It approximately costs $1 US dollars compared to $30 for a commercially available reagent. The low cost and yet effective time-consuming test for antibody screening is a practical and viable solution alternative way for performing in antibody screening test in resource limited countries. © 2016 British Blood Transfusion Society.

Elemental X-ray mapping of agglutinated foraminifer tests: A non- destructive technique for determining compositional characteristics.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Commeau, R.F.; Reynolds, Leslie A.; Poag, C.W.

1985-01-01

The composition of agglutinated foraminiferal tests vary remarkably in response to local substrate characteristics, physiochemical properties of the water column and species- dependant selectivity of test components. We have employed a technique that combines a scanning electron microscope with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer system to identify major and minor elemental constituents of agglutinated foraminiferal walls. As a sample is bombarded with a beam of high energy electrons, X-rays are generated that are characteristic of the elements present. As a result, X- ray density maps can be produced for each of several elements present in the tests of agglutinated foraminifers. 

[Yes, we should keep ABO agglutination test within bedside transfusion checks].

PubMed

Daurat, G

2008-11-01

ABO incompatible transfusions are still a frequent cause of serious adverse transfusion reactions. Bedside check is intended to detect patient errors and prevent ABO mismatch. France is one of the few countries that includes ABO agglutination test for red blood cells in bedside checks. Evaluation of this ABO agglutination test, performed with a special card, shows that, on the field, despite frequent users' mishandling, it can detect up to 93% of ABO incompatibilities. This is not enough to rely on this sole test for bedside checks. But, linking it with an another test, currently, checks that the right blood is given to the right patient, rises the sensitivity of the whole bedside procedure up to an estimated 99.65%, for detection of ABO incompatibilities. This linkage has been introduced in the French regulation in 2003. Since then, the incidence of ABO incompatible transfusions has decreased dramatically and faster than in any other country, so France has now, probably, the lowest rate of ABO incompatible transfusions. The investigation of the few ABO accidents that still occur, shows that professionals have always bypassed this linkage. On the other hand, introducing bedside recipient and blood products barcode or radio-chip checks in all the 1500 French hospitals, though technically possible, would provide very little enhancement and lead to major difficulties and expenses. Linkage of ABO agglutination test to patient and blood checks within the bedside procedure has proved to be efficient and should be kept.

Latex agglutination inhibition card test for gentamicin assay: clinical evaluation and comparison with radioimmunoassay and bioassay.

PubMed Central

Standiford, H C; Bernstein, D; Nipper, H C; Caplan, E; Tatem, B; Hall, J S; Reynolds, J

1981-01-01

Gentamicin levels were determined in 100 serum specimens by a new latex agglutination inhibition card test, a radioimmunoassay (RIA), and a bioassay. Correlation coefficients determined by linear regression analysis demonstrated that the levels obtained by the latex agglutination inhibition card test had a high degree of correlation with the RIA and could be performed much faster and more economically when processing small numbers of specimens. The bioassay had a slightly lower degree of correlation with both the RIA and the latex test and was adversely influenced by concurrently administered antibiotics which could not be eliminated by beta-lactamase. When measuring gentamicin concentrations above 2 micrograms/ml, the coefficient of variation was less than 14% for the latex agglutination assay compared with 15% for the bioassay and 12% for RIA. The latex agglutination inhibition card test is a rapid, accurate, specific, and reproducible method for monitoring gentamicin levels in patients and is particularly applicable for laboratories processing small numbers of specimens. PMID:7247384

Efficacy of a chairside diagnostic test kit for estimation of C-reactive protein levels in periodontal disease.

PubMed

Nagarale, Girish; Ravindra, S; Thakur, Srinath; Setty, Swati

2010-10-01

C-reactive protein [CRP] levels increase to hundreds of mg/mL within hours following infection. Studies have shown that serum CRP levels were elevated in periodontal disease. However, in all the previous studies, CRP levels were measured by using high-sensitivity CRP assay kits with minimal detection limits of 0.1 to 3 mg/L, which was much below the normal value of 10 mg/L. These high-sensitivity CRP assays need a proper laboratory setup, and these methods cannot be used as a routine chair-side test in the dental office. The purpose of this study was to investigate the serum CRP levels in subjects with periodontal disease by using a rapid chair-side diagnostic test kit with a lower detection limit of 6 mg/L and to compare the CRP levels before and after periodontal therapy. A total of 45 systemically healthy subjects were selected for the study. Subjects were divided into three groups: group A: healthy controls, group B: gingivitis, group C: periodontitis. Serum levels of CRP were determined by using a latex slide agglutination method with commercially available kit with lower detection limit of 6 mg/L. CRP was negative in all the 15 subjects in groups A and B at baseline, 7th and 30th day. CRP was positive only in 2 subjects in Group C at baseline and 7th day. Estimation of serum CRP by using a rapid chair-side diagnostic test kit is not of any significance in subjects with periodontitis.

Efficacy of a chairside diagnostic test kit for estimation of C-reactive protein levels in periodontal disease

PubMed Central

Nagarale, Girish; Ravindra, S.; Thakur, Srinath; Setty, Swati

2010-01-01

Background: C-reactive protein [CRP] levels increase to hundreds of mg/mL within hours following infection. Studies have shown that serum CRP levels were elevated in periodontal disease. However, in all the previous studies, CRP levels were measured by using high-sensitivity CRP assay kits with minimal detection limits of 0.1 to 3 mg/L, which was much below the normal value of 10 mg/L. These high-sensitivity CRP assays need a proper laboratory setup, and these methods cannot be used as a routine chair-side test in the dental office. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the serum CRP levels in subjects with periodontal disease by using a rapid chair-side diagnostic test kit with a lower detection limit of 6 mg/L and to compare the CRP levels before and after periodontal therapy. Materials and Methods: A total of 45 systemically healthy subjects were selected for the study. Subjects were divided into three groups: group A: healthy controls, group B: gingivitis, group C: periodontitis. Serum levels of CRP were determined by using a latex slide agglutination method with commercially available kit with lower detection limit of 6 mg/L. Results: CRP was negative in all the 15 subjects in groups A and B at baseline, 7th and 30th day. CRP was positive only in 2 subjects in Group C at baseline and 7th day. Conclusion: Estimation of serum CRP by using a rapid chair-side diagnostic test kit is not of any significance in subjects with periodontitis. PMID:21731244

Agglutination reactions of human leucocytes

PubMed Central

Schulz, Jeanette; Muller, Helga

1963-01-01

Agglutination tests with various sera and leucocytes from 58 leukaemic patients and 61 patients without leukaemia are reported. The agglutination of white blood cells by guinea-pig serum is of limited value in the diagnosis of leukaemia, though the test may be helpful in distinguishing leukaemia from other lymphomatous disorders. Leuco-autoagglutinins were demonstrated more frequently than expected. Eleven leukaemic and six non-leukaemic sera agglutinated autologous leucocytes. White blood cell agglutinins showed no apparent relationship to maturity or numbers of circulating leucocytes or to previous blood transfusions, x-irradiation, or therapy with antimetabolites. PMID:14044034

Typhoid fever in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria: Another look at the Widal agglutination test as a preferred option for diagnosis.

PubMed

Enabulele, Osahon; Awunor, Simeon Nyemike

2016-01-01

Single Widal agglutination test rather than blood culture, is commonly employed to diagnose typhoid fever in Nigeria. We took another look at the Widal agglutination test as a preferred option for diagnosis of typhoid fever by determining the specificity and sensitivity of Widal agglutination test in febrile adult patients. Two hundred and seventy-one blood samples from consecutive adults (>18 years) with febrile illness attending the General Practice Clinic of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital were tested using the Widal agglutination test, blood culture, and malaria parasite test on each sample to establish the diagnosis of typhoid fever. Of the 271 blood samples 124 (45.76%) were positive following a Widal agglutination test, 60 (22.10%) blood samples grew Salmonella organisms on blood culture while 55 (20.29%) blood samples showed a co-infection of typhoid fever and malaria. A sensitivity of 35%, specificity of 51%, positive predictive value of 17%, and a negative predictive value of 73% were observed for Widal agglutination test as a diagnostic modality for typhoid fever infection. A single Widal agglutination test is not a valid diagnostic option for typhoid fever while co-infection with malaria parasite is the preponderant microbiological finding in typhoid fever infections. The severity of malaria parasitemia is associated with positive titers on Widal test.

The utility of direct agglutination (DAT) and fast agglutination screening (FAST) tests in serodiagnosis of experimental microsporidiosis.

PubMed

Abou El Naga, Iman F; Gaafar, Maha R; El-Zawawy, Lobna A; El-Said, Doaa; Mossallam, Sherin F

2008-12-01

The present study was designed to evaluate the efficiency of two serodiagnostic tests; the direct agglutination test (DAT) and the fast agglutination screening test (FAST) in the diagnosis of Microsporidia in experimentally infected mice and to differentiate between different species of the parasite. The swiss albino mice were divided into non infected control and infected experimental groups which were further subdivided into ten subgroups. Ten samples of microsporidial spores were isolated from ten human stools and each one was used to infect each subgroup of mice. Stool and sera were collected weekly from each subgroup from the 1st to the 4th week post infection (PI). DAT & FAST tests, using antigen prepared from the different species of microsporidial spores were used to detect antibodies in sera of different mice subgroups. The cross reactivity of microsporidial spores with the antibodies of Cyclospora cyatenensis and Cryptosporidium parvum was investigated by DAT & FAST. The results proved that DAT & FAST were effective in detecting microsporidial antibodies in sera of experimentally infected mice from the 2nd week PI till the end of the study, without cross reactivity with C. cyatenensis or C. parvum. They failed to differentiate between different Microspoiridia species used but, they gave good interpretation and they were specific and sensitive, and did not need sophisticated equipments.

40 CFR 745.88 - Recognized test kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Recognized test kits. 745.88 Section... Renovation § 745.88 Recognized test kits. (a) Effective June 23, 2008, EPA recognizes the test kits that have been determined by National Institute of Standards and Technology research to meet the negative...

40 CFR 745.88 - Recognized test kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Recognized test kits. 745.88 Section... Renovation § 745.88 Recognized test kits. (a) Effective June 23, 2008, EPA recognizes the test kits that have been determined by National Institute of Standards and Technology research to meet the negative...

40 CFR 745.88 - Recognized test kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Recognized test kits. 745.88 Section... Renovation § 745.88 Recognized test kits. (a) Effective June 23, 2008, EPA recognizes the test kits that have been determined by National Institute of Standards and Technology research to meet the negative...

40 CFR 745.88 - Recognized test kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Recognized test kits. 745.88 Section... Renovation § 745.88 Recognized test kits. (a) Effective June 23, 2008, EPA recognizes the test kits that have been determined by National Institute of Standards and Technology research to meet the negative...

Hybridoma cell agglutination as a novel test to detect circulating antigen of Schistosoma japonicum.

PubMed

Li, Yong-Long; Liu, Wenqi; Ruppel, Andreas

2003-01-01

We developed a serodiagnostic test which is based on the agglutination of hybridoma cells. In the presence of specific antigen, agglutination of the fixed and stained cells occurs and can be visualized in analogy to traditional erythrocyte agglutination. The procedures were developed with a murine cell line producing a monoclonal antibody against a schistosome gut protein and sera of patients and mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum. This test is capable of detecting circulating antigen during pre-patency in mice infected with 50 cercariae. Its sensitivity was high with acute schistosomiasis japonica (97%, n = 32) and moderate with chronic cases (75%, n = 57). No positive reactions were obtained with healthy persons (n = 78) or patients infected with other parasites (Chlonorchis sinensis, n = 20; Paragonimus westermani, n = 20; Plasmodium vivax, n = 10) or suffering from lupus erythomatodus (n = 5) or mononucleosis (n = 10).

Typhoid fever in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria: Another look at the Widal agglutination test as a preferred option for diagnosis

PubMed Central

Enabulele, Osahon; Awunor, Simeon Nyemike

2016-01-01

Background: Single Widal agglutination test rather than blood culture, is commonly employed to diagnose typhoid fever in Nigeria. We took another look at the Widal agglutination test as a preferred option for diagnosis of typhoid fever by determining the specificity and sensitivity of Widal agglutination test in febrile adult patients. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and seventy-one blood samples from consecutive adults (>18 years) with febrile illness attending the General Practice Clinic of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital were tested using the Widal agglutination test, blood culture, and malaria parasite test on each sample to establish the diagnosis of typhoid fever. Results: Of the 271 blood samples 124 (45.76%) were positive following a Widal agglutination test, 60 (22.10%) blood samples grew Salmonella organisms on blood culture while 55 (20.29%) blood samples showed a co-infection of typhoid fever and malaria. A sensitivity of 35%, specificity of 51%, positive predictive value of 17%, and a negative predictive value of 73% were observed for Widal agglutination test as a diagnostic modality for typhoid fever infection. Conclusion: A single Widal agglutination test is not a valid diagnostic option for typhoid fever while co-infection with malaria parasite is the preponderant microbiological finding in typhoid fever infections. The severity of malaria parasitemia is associated with positive titers on Widal test. PMID:27397952

Test/QA Plan for Verification of Microcystin Test Kits

EPA Science Inventory

Microcystin test kits are used to quantitatively measure total microcystin in recreational waters. These test kits are based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) with antibodies that bind specifically to microcystins or phosphate activity inhibition where the phosphatas...

Development of a blocking latex agglutination test for the detection of antibodies to chicken anemia virus.

PubMed

Trinh, Dai Quang; Ogawa, Haruko; Bui, Vuong Nghia; Nguyen, Tham Thi Hong; Gronsang, Dulyatad; Baatartsogt, Tugsbaatar; Kizito, Mugimba Kahoza; AboElkhair, Mohammed; Yamaguchi, Shigeo; Nguyen, Viet Khong; Imai, Kunitoshi

2015-09-01

A blocking latex agglutination test (b-LAT) developed in this study was evaluated for the detection of antibodies against chicken anemia virus (CAV) in chickens. Polystyrene latex beads were coupled with a neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) to CAV (mAb-beads). When mAb-beads were mixed with antigens prepared from the lysate of MDCC-MSB1 cells infected with CAV, agglutination occurred. A short pre-incubation of CAV antigens with CAV-specific antiserum inhibited the agglutination of mAb-beads. The test results were obtained within 5min. The specificity of b-LAT was evaluated using sera from specific pathogen-free chickens and sera containing antibodies to avian influenza virus, Newcastle disease virus, infectious bursal disease virus, and Marek's disease virus; nonspecific agglutination and cross-reactivity with antibodies to unrelated viruses were not observed. The examination of 94 serum samples collected from commercial breeder chickens of various ages (17-63 weeks) revealed good agreement (93.6%, Kappa value=0.82) between b-LAT and a virus neutralization test, known to be most sensitive and specific in the detection of antibodies to CAV. These results indicate that b-LAT, a simple and rapid test, is a useful and reliable tool in CAV serology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Evaluation of the usefulness of the agglutination test with Mangifera indica extract for the identification of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica strains].

PubMed

Kałuzewski, S; Gierczyński, R; Szych, J; Jagielski, M

1997-01-01

The study was performed on 137 Y. enterocolitica strains belonging to various serological groups, including 75 03 group strains isolated form human clinical material. The agglutination test on slides was carried out on this strains using Mangifera indica extract of own production. Agglutinating preparation obtained from the seeds of M. indica agglutinated Y. enterocolitica organisms possessing the pVY plasmid and CRMOX+ phenotype in dilutions to 1.56 micrograms/ml. In identification tests conducted parallelly agglutination solution was used in concentrations of 100 and 10 micrograms/ml. All clones of Y. enterocolitica from O3 group from cultures at 37 degrees C and with CRMOX+ phenotype possessing the pVY plasmid were agglutinated by the extract. Agglutination failed to develop in the cultures of these clones incubated at 25 degrees C. Yersinia clones not containing the pVY plasmid with CRMOX- phenotype were resistant to agglutination. The virulence plasmid was found in 44 out of 75 strains of Y. enterocolitica O3 and was identified by restriction analysis after plasmid DNA digestion with Eco RI enzyme. The obtained results agreed with those of Wauters et al. in 1995 and confirmed the opinion of these authors on the usefulness of the test with M. indica agglutinin for the identification of virulent Y. enterocolitica strains.

Comparison of presumptive blood test kits including hexagon OBTI.

PubMed

Johnston, Emma; Ames, Carole E; Dagnall, Kathryn E; Foster, John; Daniel, Barbara E

2008-05-01

Four presumptive blood tests, Hexagon OBTI, Hemastix(R), Leucomalachite green (LMG), and Kastle-Meyer (KM) were compared for their sensitivity in the identification of dried bloodstains. Stains of varying blood dilutions were subjected to each presumptive test and the results compared. The Hexagon OBTI buffer volume was also reduced to ascertain whether this increased the sensitivity of the kit. The study found that Hemastix(R) was the most sensitive test for trace blood detection. Only with the reduced buffer volume was the Hexagon OBTI kit as sensitive as the LMG and KM tests. However, the Hexagon OBTI kit has the advantage of being a primate specific blood detection kit. This study also investigated whether the OBTI buffer within the kit could be utilized for DNA profiling after presumptive testing. The results show that DNA profiles can be obtained from the Hexagon OBTI kit buffer directly.

Home Pregnancy Test Kits: How Readable Are the Instructions?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holcomb, Carol Ann

At the conclusion of their study on home pregnancy test kits, Valinas and Perlman (1982) suggested that the instructions accompanying the kits be revised to make them easier to read. A study was undertaken to determine the readability of the printed instructions accompanying five home pregnancy test kits (Daisy II, Answer, Acu-Test, Predictor, and…

Agglutination of Helicobacter pylori coccoids by lectins

PubMed Central

Khin, Mar Mar; Hua, Jie Song; Ng, Han Cong; Wadström, Torkel; Ho, Bow

2000-01-01

AIM: To study the agglutination pattern of Helicobacter pylori coccoid and spiral forms. METHODS: Assays of agglutination and agglutination inhibition were applied using fifteen commercial lectins. RESULTS: Strong agglutination was observed with mannose-specific Concanavalin A (Con A), fucose-specific Tetragonolobus purpureas (Lotus A) and N-acetyl glucosamine-specific Triticum vulgaris (WGA) lectins. Mannose and fucose specific lectins were reactive with all strains of H. pylori coccoids as compared to the spirals. Specific carbohydrates, glycoproteins and mucin were shown to inhibit H. pylori lectin-agglutination reactions. Pre-treatment of the bacterial cells with formalin and sulphuric acid did not alter the agglutination patterns with lectins. However, sodium periodate treatment of bacterial cells were shown to inhibit agglutination reaction with Con A, Lotus A and WGA lectins. On the contrary, enzymatic treatment of coccoids and spirals did not show marked inhibition of H. pylori lectin agglutination. Interes tingly, heating of H. pylori cells at 60 °C for 1 h was shown to augment the agglutination with all of the lectins tested. CONCLUSION: The considerable differences in lectin agglutination patterns seen among the two differentiated forms of H. pylori might be attributable to the structural changes during the events of morphological transformation, resulting in exposing or masking some of the sugar residues on the cell surface. Possibility of various sugar residues on the cell wall of the coccoids may allow them to bind to different carbohydrate receptors on gastric mucus and epithelial cells. The coccoids with adherence characteristics like the spirals could aid in the pathogenic process of Helicobacter infection. This may probably lead to different clinical outcome of H. pylori associated gastroduodenal disease. PMID:11819557

Statistical modeling of dental unit water bacterial test kit performance.

PubMed

Cohen, Mark E; Harte, Jennifer A; Stone, Mark E; O'Connor, Karen H; Coen, Michael L; Cullum, Malford E

2007-01-01

While it is important to monitor dental water quality, it is unclear whether in-office test kits provide bacterial counts comparable to the gold standard method (R2A). Studies were conducted on specimens with known bacterial concentrations, and from dental units, to evaluate test kit accuracy across a range of bacterial types and loads. Colony forming units (CFU) were counted for samples from each source, using R2A and two types of test kits, and conformity to Poisson distribution expectations was evaluated. Poisson regression was used to test for effects of source and device, and to estimate rate ratios for kits relative to R2A. For all devices, distributions were Poisson for low CFU/mL when only beige-pigmented bacteria were considered. For higher counts, R2A remained Poisson, but kits exhibited over-dispersion. Both kits undercounted relative to R2A, but the degree of undercounting was reasonably stable. Kits did not grow pink-pigmented bacteria from dental-unit water identified as Methylobacterium rhodesianum. Only one of the test kits provided results with adequate reliability at higher bacterial concentrations. Undercount bias could be estimated for this device and used to adjust test kit results. Insensitivity to methylobacteria spp. is problematic.

HNU-HANBY PCP IMMUNOASSAY TEST KIT - INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

The HNU-Hanby pentachlorophenol (PCP) test kit rapidly analyzes for PCP in soil samples. The test kit can only detect those PCP carriers that contain aromatic compounds. The test kit estimates PCP concentrations in soil samples indirectly by measuring petroleum hydrocarbon carrie...

Determination of immune status in dogs against CPV-2 by recombinant protein based latex agglutination test.

PubMed

Thomas, Jobin; Singh, Mithilesh; Goswami, T K; Glora, Philma; Chakravarti, Soumendu; Chander, Vishal; Upmanyu, Vikramaditya; Verma, Suman; Sharma, Chhavi; Mahendran, K

2017-09-01

Canine parvoviral enteritis is a highly contagious viral illness caused by canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2) which affects puppies of mainly 6-20 weeks of age. Vaccination is pivotal in preventing and controlling CPV-2 infection. Determination of antibody status is a critical determinant for successful vaccination. The hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test is 'gold standard' test for quantification of antibodies specific to CPV-2, although the execution of this test is not feasible under field conditions. The present study was undertaken to develop a point of care testing to determine immune status prior to CPV-2 vaccination or to detect seroconversion in immunized dogs by latex agglutination test (LAT) using recombinant antigen. Truncated portion of VP2 protein (tVP2) of CPV-2 was selected on the basis of antigenic indices, overexpressed the recombinant protein in E. coli system and was subsequently used in development of LAT. A total of 59 serum samples obtained from vaccinated (n = 54) and healthy unvaccinated (n = 5) dogs were tested. The positivity was observed in 85% (46/54) of these dogs with varying agglutination pattern. The overall sensitivity and specificity of latex agglutination test in comparison to HI test was recorded as 90% and 88% respectively with an agreement value of 90% (CI = 95%). Copyright © 2017 International Alliance for Biological Standardization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TQAP for Verification of Qualitative Lead Test Kits

EPA Science Inventory

There are lead-based paint test kits available to help home owners and contractors identify lead-based paint hazards before any Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) activities take place so that proper health and safety meaures can be enacted. However, many of these test kits ...

Serotyping of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 5 strains using a monoclonal-based polystyrene agglutination test.

PubMed Central

Dubreuil, J D; Letellier, A; Stenbaek, E; Gottschalk, M

1996-01-01

A polystyrene agglutination test has been developed for serotyping Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 5a and 5b strains. Protein A-coated polystyrene microparticles were sensitized with a murine monoclonal antibody recognizing an epitope on serotype 5 LPS-O chain as shown by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. A total of 205 A. pleuropneumoniae, strains including all 12 serotype reference strains and 13 strains representing 8 common bacterial species associated with swine or related to A. pleuropneumoniae, were tested by mixing 25 microL of polystyrene reagent with the same volume of a dense suspension of bacterial cells grown for 18 h. All A. pleuropneumoniae strains had been previously serotyped using standard procedures. The polystyrene agglutination test was rapid (less than 3 min) and easy to perform. Overall a very good correlation (97.3%) with the standard techniques was found. The sensitized polystyrene particles were stable for at least 6 mo. Images Figure 1. PMID:8825998

Johnny Horizon Environmental Test Kit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentley, Richard; Bentley, William

Derived from tests presently used by state and federal agencies involved with pollution detection, this Environmental Test Kit contains materials and instructions for ten experiments. Each experiment is designed to test a different aspect of air and water, to find out whether or not the air and water in the tester's immediate area has been…

Naturally occurring pepsin agglutinators in the serum of subhuman primates*

PubMed Central

Litwin, S. D.

1970-01-01

Antibodies directed against both human and infrahuman pepsin digested γ-globulin were present in a majority of the primate sera tested. The subhuman pepsin agglutinators paralleled previously described human pepsin agglutinators in respect to their wide distribution in normal sera, their specificity and cross-reactivity, and their immunochemical features. The pepsin agglutinators† at different primate levels appeared closely related. Among the subhuman pepsin agglutinators a subspecificity was described for a subhuman primate antigen. This finding suggested some limited differences between the subhuman pepsin agglutinators and the human pepsin agglutinators. Experimental immunization of four cynomologous monkeys failed to elicit or alter these serum reactants. PMID:4097824

DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: HNU-HANBY PCP IMMUNOASSAY TEST KIT - HNU - SYSTEMS, INC.

EPA Science Inventory

The HNU-Hanby test kit rapidly analyzes for petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and water samples. The test kit can be used to estimate pentachlorophenol (PCP) concentrations in samples when the carrier solvent is a petroleum hydrocarbon. The test kit estimates PCP concentrations in ...

Serodiagnosis of bovine leptospirosis by IgG-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and latex agglutination test.

PubMed

Senthilkumar, T M A; Subathra, M; Ramadass, P; Ramaswamy, V

2010-02-01

The efficacy of a recombinant leptospiral outer membrane protein LipL41 as an antigen for conducting IgG-Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and latex agglutination test (LAT) for serodiagnosis of bovine leptospirosis was evaluated. The recombinant LipL41 antigen developed and used for detecting the antibodies was specific in detection of the pathogenic serovars of Leptospira, as the expression of the LipL41 antigen is restricted only to pathogenic leptospires. A total of 430 bovine serum samples were subjected to IgG-ELISA and LAT, and the sensitivity and specificity were assessed in comparison with microscopic agglutination test (MAT). The sensitivity and specificity of IgG-ELISA and LAT were 86.84% and 93.16%, and 95.42% and 98.33% respectively. Both the tests are found to be sensitive, specific and concurred with the standard MAT. The study concluded that the rLipL41 protein could be used as a potential diagnostic antigen in different assay formats for bovine leptospirosis.

Production of latex agglutination reagents for pneumococcal serotyping

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The current ‘gold standard’ for serotyping pneumococci is the Quellung test. This technique is laborious and requires a certain level of training to correctly perform. Commercial pneumococcal latex agglutination serotyping reagents are available, but these are expensive. In-house production of latex agglutination reagents can be a cost-effective alternative to using commercially available reagents. This paper describes a method for the production and quality control (QC) of latex reagents, including problem solving recommendations, for pneumococcal serotyping. Results Here we describe a method for the production of latex agglutination reagents based on the passive adsorption of antibodies to latex particles. Sixty-five latex agglutination reagents were made using the PneuCarriage Project (PCP) method, of which 35 passed QC. The other 30 reagents failed QC due to auto-agglutination (n=2), no reactivity with target serotypes (n=8) or cross-reactivity with non-target serotypes (n=20). Dilution of antisera resulted in a further 27 reagents passing QC. The remaining three reagents passed QC when prepared without centrifugation and wash steps. Protein estimates indicated that latex reagents that failed QC when prepared using the PCP method passed when made with antiserum containing ≤ 500 μg/ml of protein. Sixty-one nasopharyngeal isolates were serotyped with our in-house latex agglutination reagents, with the results showing complete concordance with the Quellung reaction. Conclusions The method described here to produce latex agglutination reagents allows simple and efficient serotyping of pneumococci and may be applicable to latex agglutination reagents for typing or identification of other microorganisms. We recommend diluting antisera or removing centrifugation and wash steps for any latex reagents that fail QC. Our latex reagents are cost-effective, technically undemanding to prepare and remain stable for long periods of time, making them ideal for

Simulation of Mechanical Behavior of Agglutinates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakagawa, Masami; Moon, Tae-Hyun

2005-01-01

Due to lack of "real" lunar soil or even lunar simulant, it is difficult to characterize the interaction between lunar soil (or simulant) with different surfaces that are involved in excavation and processing machinery. One unique feature possessed by lunar soil is the agglutinates produced by repeated high-speed micrometeoroid impacts and subsequent pulverization[l and 2]. The large particles are impacted by micrometeoroids [Fig.l] and pulverized to produce finer particles. This process continues until there are no more "large" particles left on the surface of the moon. Due to high impact speed, the impact melting process fuses fines to make agglutinates such as shown in Fig. 2. We will present a series of simulation results and movies will be shown to indicate brittle behavior of each individual agglutinate and also similar compressibility charts shown by Carrier et al. [3]. Fig. 3 shows our preliminary result of the simulated oedometer tests.

Undeclared Formaldehyde Levels in Patient Consumer Products: Formaldehyde Test Kit Utility.

PubMed

Ham, Jason E; Siegel, Paul; Maibach, Howard

2018-05-03

Formaldehyde allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) may be due to products with free formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing agents, however, assessment of formaldehyde levels in such products is infrequently conducted. The present study quantifies total releasable formaldehyde from "in-use" products associated with formaldehyde ACD and tests the utility of commercially available formaldehyde spot test kits. Personal care products from 2 patients with ACD to formaldehyde were initially screened at the clinic for formaldehyde using a formaldehyde spot test kit. Formaldehyde positive products were sent to the laboratory for confirmation by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In addition, 4 formaldehyde spot test kits were evaluated for potential utility in a clinical setting. Nine of the 10 formaldehyde spot test kit positive products obtained from formaldehyde allergic patients had formaldehyde with total releasable formaldehyde levels ranging from 5.4 to 269.4 µg/g. Of these, only 2 shampoos tested listed a formaldehyde-releasing agent in the ingredients or product literature. Subsequently, commercially available formaldehyde spot test kits were evaluated in the laboratory for ability to identify formaldehyde in personal care products. Chemical based formaldehyde spot test were more reliable than the enzymatic based test in identifying product releasable formaldehyde content. It is concluded that product labeled ingredient lists and available information are often inadequate to confirm the potential for formaldehyde exposure and chemical based spot test kits may have utility for identification of potential formaldehyde exposure from personal care products.

A look at the purchase and use of home pregnancy-test kits.

PubMed

Coons, S J

1989-04-01

A study was conducted to obtain information regarding the purchase and use of home pregnancy-test kits. Questionnaires were distributed to 438 women entering a family-planning clinic in the fall of 1987. A total of 153 questionnaires were completed and returned, providing a response rate of 34.9%. Results indicated that nearly 40% of the respondents had used a home pregnancy-test kit at least once. Of those who had used a home pregnancy-test kit, the majority did so because of "the speed of obtaining results" or "convenience." Although nearly 87% of the pregnancy-test kits had been purchased in a pharmacy, pharmacists played only a minor role in the decision-making process concerning purchase and use. Some three-fourths of the subjects listed "information on the side of the package," "price," or "advertisements" as the most important factor in the selection of a specific brand of test kit. Only about 7% of the subjects selected "recommendation of the pharmacist" as the most important factor. The results suggest that pharmacists could be doing more to promote the appropriate use of self-testing products, specifically home pregnancy-test kits.

A cost effective hydrogel test kit for pre and post blast trinitrotoluene.

PubMed

Choodum, Aree; Malathong, Khanitta; NicDaeid, Niamh; Limsakul, Wadcharawadee; Wongniramaikul, Worawit

2016-09-01

A cost effective hydrogel test kit was successfully developed for the detection of pre- and post-blast trinitrotoluene (TNT). A polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel matrix was used to entrap the potassium hydroxide (KOH) colourimetric reagent. The easily portable test kit was fabricated in situ in a small tube to which the sample could be added directly. The test kit was used in conjunction with digital image colourimetry (DIC) to demonstrate the rapid quantitative analysis of TNT in a test soil sample. The built-in digital camera of an iPhone was used to capture digital images of the colourimetric products from the test kit. Red-Green-Blue (RGB) colour data from the digital images of TNT standard solutions were used to establish a calibration graph. The validation of the DIC method indicated excellent inter day precision (0.12-3.60%RSD) and accuracy (93-108% relative accuracy). Post-blast soil samples containing TNT were analysed using the test kit and were in good agreement with spectrophotometric analysis. The intensity of the RGB data from the TNT complex deviated by +6.3%, +5.1%, and -4.9% after storage of the test kits in a freezer for 3 months. The test kit was also reusable for up to 12 times with only -5.4%, +0.3%, and +4.0% deviations. The hydrogel test kit was applied in the detection of trace explosive residues at the scene of the recent Bangkok bombing at the Ratchaprasong intersection and produced positive results for TNT demonstrating its operational field application as a rapid and cost effective quantitative tool for explosive residue analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical aspects of agglutinate formation - Relationships between agglutinate composition and the composition of the bulk soil. [lunar surface composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Via, W. N.; Taylor, L. A.

1976-01-01

Attention is centered on the nature and intensity of geochemical fractionation accompanying agglutination of several size fractions of the immature Apollo-16 soil sample 67460, from North Ray Crater. The soil features coarse mean grain size about 150 microns, low (20 wt.%) magnetic agglutinate content, and a bimodal grain size distribution. The magnetic fraction included both agglutinates and magnetic non-agglutinates (glass-free microbreccias with 30-60 micron native FeNi grains hosted in a matrix of pyroxene, ilmenite, and olivine). The separation process residue contained nonmagnetic agglutinates with compositions near pure plagioclase. The magnetic agglutinate fraction appears selectively enriched in ferromagnesian elements to the partial exclusion of plagioclase elements. Agglutinate glass chemistry based solely on magnetic separation is deprecated on the basis of the results.

AN ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION (ETV) PERFORMANCE TESTING OF THE INDUSTRIAL TEST SYSTEM, INC. CYANIDE REAGENTSTRIP™ TEST KIT

EPA Science Inventory

Cyanide can be present in various forms in water. The cyanide test kit evaluated in this verification study (Industrial Test System, Inc. Cyanide Regent Strip ™ Test Kit) was designed to detect free cyanide in water. This is done by converting cyanide in water to cyanogen...

QUANTITATIVE ASPECTS OF THE RED BLOOD CELL AGGLUTINATION TEST FOR INFLUENZA VIRUS

PubMed Central

Miller, Gail Lorenz; Stanley, W. M.

1944-01-01

A detailed study has been made of the nature of the variables inherent in the chicken red cell agglutination test for influenza virus in an effort to obtain a method of measurement of biological activity of sufficient accuracy that it might be employed as a reliable index of chemical purity of preparations of the virus. It was found that the temperature at which the test is conducted has a marked effect on the titer, whereas within the range of pH 6–8 the pH has a negligible effect. It was also found that a variation in results may be encountered due to a variation in the specific behavior of red cells from different chickens and to an instability of the red cells themselves. Preparations of purified influenza virus held at 4°C., on the other hand, were found to be stable with respect to chicken red cell agglutinating activity for several months. This fact, together with the fact that in duplicate measurements upon different samples the accuracy was such that the chances were 19 out of 20 that differences of 8.4 per cent in the mean end points were significant, made it possible to establish a reproducible standard of CCA activity based on a unit weight of purified virus material. As a result, it was possible to devise a standardized procedure for carrying out with high accuracy quantitative measurements of influenza virus. PMID:19871362

Diagnosis of myocardial infarction based on lectin-induced erythrocyte agglutination: a feasibility study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bocsi, József; Nieschke, Kathleen; Mittag, Anja; Reichert, Thomas; Laffers, Wiebke; Marecka, Monika; Pierzchalski, Arkadiusz; Piltz, Joachim; Esche, Hans-Jürgen; Wolf, Günther; Dähnert, Ingo; Baumgartner, Adolf; Tarnok, Attila

2014-03-01

Myocardial infarction (MI) is an acute life-threatening disease with a high incidence worldwide. Aim of this study was to test lectin-carbohydrate binding-induced red blood cell (RBC) agglutination as an innovative tool for fast, precise and cost effective diagnosis of MI. Five lectins (Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA), Phaseolus vulgaris erythroagglutinin (PHA), Datura stramonium agglutinin (DSA), Artocarpus agglutinin (ArA), Triticum agglutinin (TA)) were tested for ability to differentiate between agglutination characteristics in patients with MI (n = 101) or angina pectoris without MI (AP) (n = 34) and healthy volunteers (HV) as control (n =68) . RBC agglutination was analyzed by light absorbance of a stirred RBC suspension in the green to red light spectrum in an agglutimeter (amtec, Leipzig, Germany) for 15 min after lectin addition. Mean cell count in aggregates was estimated from light absorbance by a mathematical model. Each lectin induced RBC agglutination. RCA led to the strongest RBC agglutination (~500 RBCs/aggregate), while the others induced substantially slower agglutination and lead to smaller aggregate sizes (5-150 RBCs/aggregate). For all analyzed lectins the lectin-induced RBC agglutination of MI or AP patients was generally higher than for HV. However, only PHA induced agglutination that clearly distinguished MI from HV. Variance analysis showed that aggregate size after 15 min. agglutination induced by PHA was significantly higher in the MI group (143 RBCs/ aggregate) than in the HV (29 RBC-s/aggregate, p = 0.000). We hypothesize that pathological changes during MI induce modification of the carbohydrate composition on the RBC membrane and thus modify RBC agglutination. Occurrence of carbohydrate-lectin binding sites on RBC membranes provides evidence about MI. Due to significant difference in the rate of agglutination between MI > HV the differentiation between these groups is possible based on PHA-induced RBC-agglutination. This novel assay

[Comparison of Dengue viral nonstructural protein 1 antigen testing kits].

PubMed

Wu, D; Zhao, L Z; Wu, Y H; Zhang, H; Zhang, M; Tan, Q Q; Zhou, H Q; Zhang, F C; He, J F

2018-02-06

Objective: To investigate the sensitivity and specificity of commercial nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) testing kits for Dengue fever diagnose, and provide the evidence for diagnostic criteria revision. Methods: 300 PCR or virus isolation positive blood samples for dengue virus were collected from sentinel hospitals for dengue surveillance in Guangzhou, Dongguang and Zhongshang from May 2015 to Nov. 2016. At the same time, 308 PCR negative samples for Dengue virus were collected as control group. The information of the sample was collected using questionnaires. These samples were tested using imported and domestic ELISA and the colloidal gold-labeled kits that were widely used for detecting dengue NS1. Sensitivity, specificity and coincidence were calculated and analyzed, and Z hongshan's result was regarded as the reslut of the third part. Results: The positive group includes 133 males and 167 females, average ages are 47.2±13.3, 179, 110 and 11 of them is Dengue Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ respectively. The negative group includes 154 males and 154 females, average ages are (40.1±11.6) years old. The sensitivity of domestic ELISA Kits (94.5%) is less than imported (99.5%), and the result has statistical significance (χ(2)=8.59, P= 0.030), the specificity is 99.7% and 97.7% respectively; The sensitivity of imported and domestic the colloidal gold-labeled Kits is 97.5% and 96.5% respectively, both of specificities are 100%. The sensitivity and specificity of Dengue Ⅰ for NS1 test are more than 97.0%. The sensitivity of domestic ELISA and gold-labeled Kits is 90.0% and 95.0%, and the specificity is 96.8% and 100% respectively for Dengue Ⅱ test. The sensitivity of imported ELISA and gold-labeled Kits is 100% and 98.0%, and the specificity is 99.4% and 100% respectively for Dengue Ⅱ test. The result of the third party show the sensitivity and specificity of domestic ELISA and gold-labeled Kits are 90.0% and 98.0%, the differences has statistical significance (χ(2

Antibodies to Coprococcus comes in sera of patients with Crohn's disease. Isolation and purification of the agglutinating antigen tested with an ELISA technique.

PubMed

Hazenberg, M P; van de Merwe, J P; Peña, A S; Pennock-Schröder, A M; van Lieshout, L M

1987-07-01

Previous studies showed that agglutinating antibodies to Coprococcus comes, an anaerobic Gram-positive coccoid rod isolated from the faecal flora of patients with Crohn's disease, are more frequently found in sera of Crohn patients than in ulcerative colitis patients and healthy subjects. Isolation of the antigen may be useful in developing a more sensitive and specific diagnostic test. The present study describes first a method to improve the presentation of the relevant agglutinating antigen by the bacterium and second, the purification by column chromatography of a relatively crude antigen extract of C. comes described previously by Hazenberg et al. (1). Comparative results with the agglutination reactions and ELISA technique of extensive series of patients with Crohn's disease and healthy subjects have shown that the agglutinating antigen of C. comes has been isolated. Although the present ELISA technique cannot replace the simple and reliable agglutination reaction for screening purposes, the purified antigen will allow further immunological studies and it is to be hoped that a deeper insight into pathogenesis of the disease will be gained.

Latex agglutination using the periplasmic proteins antigen of Brucella melitensis is a successful, rapid, and specific serodiagnostic test for ovine brucellosis

PubMed Central

Ismael, Alaa Bassuny; Swelum, Ayman Abdel-Aziz; Mostafa, Salama A-H; Alhumiany, Abdel-Rahman A

2016-01-01

Brucellosis, especially caused by Brucella melitensis, is considered the most-widespread zoonosis in the world, particularly in developing countries. This study was planned to develop an accurate test for diagnosis of ovine brucellosis using a specific hot saline extracted soluble Brucella melitensis periplasmic proteins (SBPPs). The efficacy of the latex agglutination test (LAT) using SBPPs compared to the Rose Bengal test (RBT), buffered plate agglutination test (BPAT), serum agglutination test (SAT), and an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA) was evaluated in the field diagnosis of ovine brucellosis. The test performance was evaluated by estimating sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), disease prevalence (DP), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) using test agreement and bacteriological culture in 1777 samples. The false-positive result was significantly (P ⩽0.05) lower in LAT than RBT, BPAT, SAT, and i-ELISA. With reference to test agreement, the Se, Sp, PPV, and PLR were highest (P ⩽0.05) in LAT 99.33%, 99.88%, 98.68%, and 827.25%, respectively. With reference to bacteriological culture, the LAT and i-ELISA tests showed a significant difference in Se with SAT. However, no significant difference in specificity was detected. The DP was 8.44% in the five tests. In conclusion, LAT using SBPPs of B. melitensis could be a suitable serodiagnostic field test for ovine brucellosis, with high sensitivity and specificity. PMID:27207442

Latex agglutination using the periplasmic proteins antigen of Brucella melitensis is a successful, rapid, and specific serodiagnostic test for ovine brucellosis.

PubMed

Ismael, Alaa Bassuny; Swelum, Ayman Abdel-Aziz; Mostafa, Salama A-H; Alhumiany, Abdel-Rahman A

2016-09-01

Brucellosis, especially caused by Brucella melitensis, is considered the most-widespread zoonosis in the world, particularly in developing countries. This study was planned to develop an accurate test for diagnosis of ovine brucellosis using a specific hot saline extracted soluble Brucella melitensis periplasmic proteins (SBPPs). The efficacy of the latex agglutination test (LAT) using SBPPs compared to the Rose Bengal test (RBT), buffered plate agglutination test (BPAT), serum agglutination test (SAT), and an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA) was evaluated in the field diagnosis of ovine brucellosis. The test performance was evaluated by estimating sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), disease prevalence (DP), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) using test agreement and bacteriological culture in 1777 samples. The false-positive result was significantly (P ⩽0.05) lower in LAT than RBT, BPAT, SAT, and i-ELISA. With reference to test agreement, the Se, Sp, PPV, and PLR were highest (P ⩽0.05) in LAT 99.33%, 99.88%, 98.68%, and 827.25%, respectively. With reference to bacteriological culture, the LAT and i-ELISA tests showed a significant difference in Se with SAT. However, no significant difference in specificity was detected. The DP was 8.44% in the five tests. In conclusion, LAT using SBPPs of B. melitensis could be a suitable serodiagnostic field test for ovine brucellosis, with high sensitivity and specificity. © The Author(s) 2016.

An influenza A virus agglutination test using antibody-like polymers.

PubMed

Sukjee, Wannisa; Thitithanyanont, Arunee; Wiboon-Ut, Suwimon; Lieberzeit, Peter A; Paul Gleeson, M; Navakul, Krongkaew; Sangma, Chak

2017-10-01

Antibodies are commonly used in diagnostic routines to identify pathogens. The testing protocols are relatively simple, requiring a certain amount of a specific antibody to detect its corresponding pathogen. Antibody functionality can be mimicked by synthesizing molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), i.e. polymers that can selectively recognize a given template structure. Thus, MIPs are sometimes termed 'plastic antibody (PA)'. In this study, we have synthesized new granular MIPs using influenza A virus templates by precipitation polymerization. The selective binding of influenza A to the MIP particles was assessed and subsequently contrasted with other viruses. The affinities of influenza A virus towards the MIP was estimated based on an agglutination test by measuring the amount of influenza subtypes absorbed onto the MIPs. The MIPs produced using the H1N1 template showed specific reactivity to H1N1 while those produced using H5N1 and H3N2 templates showed cross-reactivity.

Evaluation of an arsenic test kit for rapid well screening in Bangladesh.

PubMed

George, Christine Marie; Zheng, Yan; Graziano, Joseph H; Rasul, Shahriar Bin; Hossain, Zakir; Mey, Jacob L; van Geen, Alexander

2012-10-16

Exposure to arsenic in groundwater via drinking remains unabated for millions of villagers in Bangladesh. Since a blanket testing campaign using test kits almost a decade ago, millions of new wells have been installed but not tested; thus affordable testing is needed. The performance of the Arsenic Econo-Quick (EQ) kit was evaluated by blindly testing 123 wells in Bangladesh and comparing with laboratory measurements; 65 wells were tested twice. A subset of the same 123 wells was also tested using the Hach EZ kit in the field and the Digital Arsenator in the laboratory in Bangladesh. The EQ kit correctly determined the status of 110 (89%) and 113 (92%) out of 123 wells relative to the WHO guideline (10 μg/L) and the Bangladesh standard (50 μg/L), respectively. Relative to the WHO guideline, all misclassifications were underestimates for wells containing between >10 and 27 μg/L As. Relative to the Bangladesh As standard, over- and underestimates were evenly distributed. Given its short reaction time of 10 min relative to the Hach EZ and its lower cost compared to the Arsenator, the EQ kit appears to have several advantages for well testing in Bangladesh and elsewhere.

Evaluation of an Arsenic Test Kit for Rapid Well Screening in Bangladesh

PubMed Central

George, Christine Marie; Zheng, Yan; Graziano, Joseph H; Rasul, Shahriar Bin; Hossain, Zakir; Mey, Jacob L; van Geen, Alexander

2013-01-01

Exposure to arsenic in groundwater via drinking remains unabated for millions of villagers in Bangladesh. Since a blanket testing campaign using test kits almost a decade ago, millions of new wells have been installed but not tested, thus affordable testing is needed. The performance of the Arsenic Econo-Quick (EQ) kit was evaluated by blindly testing 123 wells in Bangladesh and comparing with laboratory measurements; 65 wells were tested twice. A subset of the same 123 wells was also tested using the Hach EZ kit in the field and the Digital Arsenator in the laboratory in Bangladesh. The EQ kit correctly determined the status of 110 (89%) and 113 (92%) out of 123 wells relative to the WHO guideline (10 μg/L) and the Bangladesh standard (50 μg/L), respectively. Relative to the WHO guideline, all misclassifications were underestimates for wells containing between >10 and 27 μg/L As. Relative to the Bangladesh As standard, over- and under-estimates were evenly distributed. Given its short reaction time of 10 min relative to the Hach EZ and its lower cost compared to the Arsenator, the EQ kit appears to have several advantages for well testing in Bangladesh and elsewhere. PMID:22866936

IDENTIFYING ESCHERICHIA SPECIES WITH BIOCHEMICAL TEST KITS AND STANDARD BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTS

EPA Science Inventory

Two commercially available biochemical test systems were evaluated for their ability to accurately identify speies of the genus Escherichia. Three laboratories participated in the study. The test kits did not always correctly identify species of Escherichia, but only once was a...

21 CFR 610.44 - Use of reference panels by manufacturers of test kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... kits. 610.44 Section 610.44 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... Disease Agents § 610.44 Use of reference panels by manufacturers of test kits. (a) When available and appropriate to verify acceptable sensitivity and specificity, you, a manufacturer of test kits, must use a...

21 CFR 610.44 - Use of reference panels by manufacturers of test kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... kits. 610.44 Section 610.44 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... Disease Agents § 610.44 Use of reference panels by manufacturers of test kits. (a) When available and appropriate to verify acceptable sensitivity and specificity, you, a manufacturer of test kits, must use a...

21 CFR 610.44 - Use of reference panels by manufacturers of test kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... kits. 610.44 Section 610.44 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... Disease Agents § 610.44 Use of reference panels by manufacturers of test kits. (a) When available and appropriate to verify acceptable sensitivity and specificity, you, a manufacturer of test kits, must use a...

21 CFR 610.44 - Use of reference panels by manufacturers of test kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... kits. 610.44 Section 610.44 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... Disease Agents § 610.44 Use of reference panels by manufacturers of test kits. (a) When available and appropriate to verify acceptable sensitivity and specificity, you, a manufacturer of test kits, must use a...

21 CFR 610.44 - Use of reference panels by manufacturers of test kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... kits. 610.44 Section 610.44 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... Disease Agents § 610.44 Use of reference panels by manufacturers of test kits. (a) When available and appropriate to verify acceptable sensitivity and specificity, you, a manufacturer of test kits, must use a...

Red cell surface changes in cold agglutination

PubMed Central

Salsbury, A. J.; Clarke, J. A.; Shand, W. S.

1968-01-01

Surface changes in red blood cells undergoing cold agglutination have been investigated using the Cambridge Stereoscan electron microscope. On incubation of red cells with a cold agglutinin of anti-I specificity at 4°C, circular shadows on the red cell membrane developed within 2 min. At the same time the membrane showed a granularity and processes began to develop on the surface. These processes increased in length, the processes of contiguous cells became interlinked and agglutination was complete after incubation of 1 hr. On warming an agglutinated specimen, the process was reversed with separation of red cells and retraction of the finger-like processes to yield discrete red cells of normal appearance. The addition of heparin in vivo prevented agglutination but did not inhibit surface changes completely. Complement appeared to play no part in the production of cold agglutination due to these antibodies or in the reversal of agglutination by warming. The significance of the surface changes described in relation to previous information on the mechanism of agglutination, has been discussed. ImagesFig. 1Fig. 2Fig. 3Fig. 4Fig. 5Fig. 6Fig. 7Fig. 8Fig. 9Fig. 10Fig. 11 PMID:5655472

Agglutination of Mouse Erythrocytes by Eperythrozoon coccoides

PubMed Central

Iralu, Vichazelhu; Ganong, Kevin D.

1983-01-01

Erythrocytes from blood of mice infected with Eperythrozoon coccoides for 3 or 4 days agglutinated spontaneously. Washed E. coccoides particles agglutinated washed erythrocytes of uninfected mice. E. coccoides-mediated agglutination of normal mouse erythrocytes would be an excellent system for studies of bacterial adhesion. Images PMID:6832825

DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: CLOR-N-SOIL PCB TEST KIT L2000 PCB/CHLORIDE ANALYZER - DEXSIL CORP.

EPA Science Inventory

DEXSIL CORP(Environmental Test Kits)The Dexsil Corporation (Dexsil) produces two test kits that detect polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in soil: the Dexsil Clor-N-Soil PCB Screening Kit, and the Dexsil L2000 PCB/Chloride Analyzer. The Dexsil Clor-N-Soil PCB Screening Kit extr...

DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: ENVIROGARD™ PCB TEST KIT - MILLIPORE, INC.

EPA Science Inventory

The EnviroGard™ polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) immunoassay test kit rapidly analyzes for PCB concentrations in soils. Soil sample extracts are added to test tubes coated with antibodies that bind PCB molecules. The excess soil extracts are washed out of the tubes after incubat...

EVALUATION OF A FIELD TEST KIT FOR MONITORING LEAD IN DRINKING WATER.

EPA Science Inventory

This article describes a conceptual framework for designing evaluation studies of test kits for the analysis of significant drinking water constituents. A commercial test kit for the analysis of lead in tap waters was evaluated and compared with a standard graphite furnace atomic...

THE INFLUENCE OF X-RAYS ON THE AGGLUTINATION REACTION IN ANIMALS VACCINATED AGAINST BRUCELLOSIS (in Russian)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhidovtsev, V.M.

1961-08-01

Tests on rabbits immunized with dry. live brucellosis vaccine and irradiated with 100, 200, and 400 r at the height of agglutination showed a drop in agglutin titer with increased x-ray dose. The higher the dose the faster is the drop n agglutin. (R.V.J.)

Light-scattering analysis of ultrasonic wave's influence on the RBC agglutination in vitro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doubrovski, Valeri A.; Dvoretski, Costanten N.

1999-04-01

Elastic light scattering is one of the most often used optical methods to analyze the cells agglutination reaction - the base of a great number of medical diagnostic test and biomedical investigations. The increase of the resolution of methods and apparatus towards the induced cells aggregation - the foundation of the reaction of agglutination, is quite an actual problem. The solution of this problem increases the reliability of the diagnostic test and gives an opportunity to achieve the diagnostic information in the cases when the traditional approaches do not lead to the diagnostic results. The attempt to increase the resolution of the immune reaction analyzer by means of ultrasonic waves action on the reagent mixture in vitro is taken in this paper. The RBC agglutination reaction which is usually used for the blood group type examination is chosen as an example of an object of the investigation. Different laser optical trains of the devices based on the turbidimetric and nephelometric methods and their combination are analyzed here. The influence of the ultrasonic wave time interval action and of the features of the sample preparation procedure on the resolution towards the agglutination process was investigated in this work. It is shown that the ultrasonic wave action on the reagent mixture leads to a large gain in the resolution of the device towards the RBC agglutination process. The experiments showed that the resolution of the device was enough to register the agglutination process even for the erythrocytes with weak agglutination ability when the reaction was invisible without ultrasonic action. It occurred that the diagnostic test time was more than by an order shortened due to the ultrasonic wave action. The optimal ultrasonic time interval action, the sample preparation technology and experimental technique were defined. The principle of the ultrasonic wave action on the cells agglutination process suggested here can be spread out on the immune

Low-cost field test kits for arsenic detection in water.

PubMed

Das, Joyati; Sarkar, Priyabrata; Panda, Jigisha; Pal, Priyabrata

2014-01-01

Arsenic, a common contaminant of groundwater, affects human health adversely. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the maximum recommended contamination level of arsenic in drinking water is 10 μg/L. The purpose of this research was to develop user-friendly kits for detection of arsenic to measure at least up to 10 μg/L in drinking water, so that a preventive measure could be taken. Two different kits for detection of total arsenic in water are reported here. First, the arsenic in drinking water was converted to arsine gas by a strong reducing agent. The arsine produced was then detected by paper strips via generation of color due to reaction with either mercuric bromide (KIT-1) or silver nitrate (KIT-2). These were previously immobilized on the detector strip. The first one gave a yellow color and the second one grey. Both of these kits could detect arsenic contamination within a range of 10 μg/L-250 μg/L. The detection time for both the kits was only 7 min. The kits exhibited excellent performance compared to other kits available in the market with respect to detection time, ease of operation, cost and could be easily handled by a layman. The field trials with these kits gave very satisfactory results. A study on interference revealed that these kits could be used in the presence of 24 common ions present in the arsenic contaminated water. Though the kits were meant for qualitative assay, the results with unknown concentrations of real samples, when compared with atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) were in good agreement as revealed by the t-test.

Lead Paint Test Kits Workshop: Summary Report

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) designed and conducted the Lead Paint Test Kits Workshop on October 19 and 20, 2006, at the Environmental Protection Agency's Research Triangle Park, NC campus. The workshop was conducted as...

AN ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION (ETV) TESTING OF THREE IMMUNOASSAY TEST KITS FOR ANTHRAX, BOTULINUM TOXIN AND RICIN

EPA Science Inventory

Immunoassay test kits are based on immunoassay methods, where specific antibodies are used to detect and measure the contaminants of interest. Immunoassay test kits rely on the reaction of a contaminant or antigen with a selective antibody to give a product that can be measures....

Self-Test Kit: Rapid Diagnosis of Urogenital Infections in Military Women

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-09-01

tract infections or asymptomatic bacteriuria and symptoms from their cervical/vaginal infection. In many cases treatment of their cervical/vaginal...during the second year. We have thus far tested the kit in 234 women with genital complaints. The self-test kit results suggested appropriate treatment in...evaluation, diagnosis and treatment . All of these factors may significantly impact the ability and readiness of military women to perform their assigned

Development and evaluation of a recombinant-glycoprotein-based latex agglutination test for rabies virus antibody assessment.

PubMed

Jemima, Ebenezer Angel; Manoharan, Seeralan; Kumanan, Kathaperumal

2014-08-01

The measurement of neutralizing antibodies induced by the glycoprotein of rabies virus is indispensable for assessing the level of neutralizing antibodies in animals or humans. A rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT) has been approved by WHO and is the most widely used method to measure the virus-neutralizing antibody content in serum, but a rapid test system would be of great value to screen large numbers of serum samples. To develop and evaluate a latex agglutination test (LAT) for measuring rabies virus antibodies, a recombinant glycoprotein was expressed in an insect cell system and purified, and the protein was coated onto latex beads at concentrations of 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 mg/ml to find out the optimal concentration for coating latex beads. It was found that 0.5 mg/ml of recombinant protein was optimal for coating latex beads, and this concentration was used to sensitize the latex beads for screening of dog serum samples. Grading of LAT results was done with standard reference serum with known antibody titers. A total of 228 serum samples were tested, out of which 145 samples were positive by both RFFIT and LAT, and the specificity was found to be 100 %. In RFFIT, 151 samples were positive, the sensitivity was found to be 96.03 %, and the accuracy/concordance was found to be 97.39 %. A rapid field test-a latex agglutination test (LAT)-was developed and evaluated for rabies virus antibody assessment using recombinant glycoprotein of rabies virus expressed in an insect cell system.

Standardization of a latex agglutination test for coproantigen detection of Fasciola sp. in bovine cattle stool.

PubMed

Orejarena Ávila, Lina Paola; Inguilan Benavides, Erika Marcela; Padilla Sanabria, Leonardo; Recalde-Reyes, Delia Piedad; Rodríguez-Salazar, Carlos Andrés; Castaño-Osorio, Jhon Carlos

2018-03-01

Fasciolosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease, which affects humans and animals; diagnosed through noncommercial immunoassay tests that cannot be used on the field. Thereby, establishing the optimal conditions to develop a latex agglutination technique with IgG and IgM antibodies directed against excretion/secretion antigens of Fasciola sp. is a priority. Latex particles were sensitized with IgG and IgM antibodies directed against excretion/secretion antigens of Fasciola sp. The specificity of the antibodies was determined against antigens of different helminths and protozoa; the sensitivity and specificity of the test was evaluated against a previously standardized direct ELISA. The coupling rates of the IgG and IgM antibodies were 85.77 and 100%, respectively. The minimum detectable concentration of Fasciola sp. excretion/secretion antigens, diluted in a phosphate-buffered saline, was 1.589 mg/mL(IgG) and 0.158 mg/mL(IgM) and for the antigens incorporated in the bovine cattle stool it was 3.178 mg/mL(IgG) and 1.589 mg/mL(IgM). The test showed crossed reaction against Giardia sp., and Cryptosporidium sp. antigens. Agreement of the IgG and IgM latex test against the ELISA test was of 78.78 and 96.96%, respectively; the specificity found was of 100% for both tests and sensitivity was 78.79% (IgG) and 96.97% (IgM). This work standardized the latex agglutination technique to detect Fasciola sp. antigens in bovine cattle stool.

Detection of acute childhood meningitis by PCR, culture and agglutination tests in Tabriz, Iran.

PubMed

Ghotaslou, Reza; Farajnia, Safar; Yeganeh, Fatemeh; Abdoli-Oskouei, Shahram; Ahangarzadeh Rezaee, Mohammad; Barzegar, Mohammad

2012-01-01

Meningitis is one of the hazardous and life threatening infections and is associated with mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study was to determine etiological agents of childhood bacterial meningitis. The culture, Gram staining, agglutination and PCR assays were used to examine CSF specimens from 277 patients with presumed bacterial meningitis for the occurrence of 4 most common infectious agents consist of N. meningitis, H. influnsae, S. pneumoniae and S. agalactiae between 2008 and 2009 at different wards of the Children Hospital of Tabriz. The mean age of patients was 35 ± 2 (Mean ± SEM) month, (minimum 11 days maximum 14 years), of all cases 59.6% male and 40.4% female. Overall the diagnosis was confirmed with a CSF culture in 11/277 (3.97%), by agglutination test in 14/277 (5.05%). The isolated bacteria included S. pneumoniae 5 cases, H. influnsae 2 cases, N. meningitis 3 cases and P. aeroginusae 1 case. A positive PCR assay allowed us to diagnose bacterial meningitis in 19 patients (6.8%). In the present study, we found PCR to be a useful and sensitive method for the detection of bacterial DNA in the CSF samples from suspected meningitis patients. Furthermore, to maximize management of meningitis cases, a combination of culture and PCR is necessary.

Galactosyltransferase and Concanavalin A Agglutination of Cells

PubMed Central

Podolsky, Daniel K.; Weiser, Milton M.; Mont, J. Thomas La; Isselbacher, Kurt J.

1974-01-01

A correlation has been observed between concanavalin A agglutination of various cell types and the presence of surface membrane galactosyltransferase (1-O-α-D-Galactosyl-myo-inositol:raffinose galactosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.67) activity. Moreover, a reduction to less than 50% of cell surface galactosyltransferase activity occurred after treatment with concanavalin A; other cell surface glycosyltransferase enzyme activities examined were unaffected by concanavalin A treatment. To confirm the participation of cell surface galactosyltransferase in concanavalin A-induced cell agglutination, the enzyme from rabbit erythrocytes was solubilized by sonication and purified by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It was possible to achieve a purified preparation of rabbit erythrocyte galactosyltransferase by separation on concanavalin A-Sepharose. The purified enzyme showed visible immunoprecipitation (Ouchterlony) with concanavalin A. Furthermore, human erythrocytes, which are not normally agglutinated by concanavalin A, became agglutinable by the lectin when the erythrocytes were preincubated with purified galactosyltransferase. These experiments suggest a direct and possible specific role of cell surface galactosyltransferase enzyme in the mechanism of concanavalin A agglutination of cells. Images PMID:4522801

Electronic vending machines for dispensing rapid HIV self-testing kits: a case study.

PubMed

Young, Sean D; Klausner, Jeffrey; Fynn, Risa; Bolan, Robert

2014-02-01

This short report evaluates the feasibility of using electronic vending machines for dispensing oral, fluid, rapid HIV self-testing kits in Los Angeles County. Feasibility criteria that needed to be addressed were defined as: (1) ability to find a manufacturer who would allow dispensing of HIV testing kits and could fit them to the dimensions of a vending machine, (2) ability to identify and address potential initial obstacles, trade-offs in choosing a machine location, and (3) ability to gain community approval for implementing this approach in a community setting. To address these issues, we contracted a vending machine company who could supply a customized, Internet-enabled machine that could dispense HIV kits and partnered with a local health center available to host the machine onsite and provide counseling to participants, if needed. Vending machines appear to be feasible technologies that can be used to distribute HIV testing kits.

Electronic vending machines for dispensing rapid HIV self-testing kits: A case study

PubMed Central

Young, Sean D.; Klausner, Jeffrey; Fynn, Risa; Bolan, Robert

2014-01-01

This short report evaluates the feasibility of using electronic vending machines for dispensing oral, fluid, rapid HIV-self testing kits in Los Angeles County. Feasibility criteria that needed to be addressed were defined as: 1) ability to find a manufacturer who would allow dispensing of HIV testing kits and could fit them to the dimensions of a vending machine, 2) ability to identify and address potential initial obstacles, trade-offs in choosing a machine location, and 3) ability to gain community approval for implementing this approach in a community setting. To address these issues, we contracted a vending machine company who could supply a customized, Internet-enabled machine that could dispense HIV kits and partnered with a local health center available to host the machine onsite and provide counseling to participants, if needed. Vending machines appear to be feasible technologies that can be used to distribute HIV testing kits. PMID:23777528

The Rapid Diagnosis of Leptospirosis: A Prospective Comparison of the Dot Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and the Genus-Specific Microscopic Agglutination Test at Different Stages of Illness

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

stages of illness. 12 09RSONAL AU’THORt(S) George WttT4y M . Aiquiza, Laurei P. Padre, Ma. Linda Tuazon, Lar,:y- W. awbi 13s. TYPE OF REPORT I ]b TIME...agglutination test at different stages of illness George Watt, Lily M , Alquiza, Laurena Padre, Ma. Linda Tuazon, and Larry W. Laughlin REPORT NO. TR...MICROSCOPIC AGGLUTINATION TEST AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF ILLNESS GLORGE WATT. LILY M . ALQUIZA, LAURENA P. PADRE. MAR! • LINDA TAUZON, and LARRY W

Bayesian estimation of sensitivity and specificity of the modified agglutination test and bioassay for detection of Toxoplasma gondii in free-range chickens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Toxoplasma gondii infects virtually all warm-blooded animals worldwide. Serological tests, including the modified agglutination test (MAT), are often used to determine exposure to the parasite. The MAT can be used for all hosts because it does not need species-specific reagents and has been shown to...

Evaluation of the usefulness of six commercial agglutination assays for serologic diagnosis of toxoplasmosis.

PubMed

Villard, Odile; Cimon, Bernard; Franck, Jacqueline; Fricker-Hidalgo, Hélène; Godineau, Nadine; Houze, Sandrine; Paris, Luc; Pelloux, Hervé; Villena, Isabelle; Candolfi, Ermanno

2012-07-01

Six agglutination tests for detecting Toxoplasma gondii-specific antibodies (immunoglobulin G or M) in serum were performed and compared. In total, 599 sera were examined using direct and indirect agglutination assays. Sensitivity varied from 93.7% to 100% and specificity from 97.1% to 99.2%. In a selected population with interfering diseases, the percentage of false positives ranged from 4.3% to 10.9%. Although an overall agreement of 100% was found for chronic toxoplasmosis, sensitivity for the detection of confirmed acute toxoplasmosis ranged from 86.4% to 97.3%. Regarding the large variability in terms of the performance of the 6 assays, tests based on the hemagglutination principle were found to be better than the other agglutination tests for all the panels evaluated, meaning that they could be used as qualitative or semiquantitative low-cost screening assays. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accuracy of user-friendly blood typing kits tested under simulated military field conditions.

PubMed

Bienek, Diane R; Charlton, David G

2011-04-01

Rapid user-friendly ABO-Rh blood typing kits (Eldon Home Kit 2511, ABO-Rh Combination Blood Typing Experiment Kit) were evaluated to determine their accuracy when used under simulated military field conditions and after long-term storage at various temperatures and humidities. Rates of positive tests between control groups, experimental groups, and industry standards were measured and analyzed using the Fisher's exact chi-square method to identify significant differences (p < or = 0.05). When Eldon Home Kits 2511 were used in various operational conditions, the results were comparable to those obtained with the control group and with the industry standard. The performance of the ABO-Rh Combination Blood Typing Experiment Kit was adversely affected by prolonged storage in temperatures above 37 degrees C. The diagnostic performance of commercial blood typing kits varies according to product and environmental storage conditions.

GridKit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peles, Slaven

2016-11-06

GridKit is a software development kit for interfacing power systems and power grid application software with high performance computing (HPC) libraries developed at National Labs and academia. It is also intended as interoperability layer between different numerical libraries. GridKit is not a standalone application, but comes with a suite of test examples illustrating possible usage.

Increasing HIV testing engagement through provision of home HIV self-testing kits for patients who decline testing in the emergency department: a pilot randomisation study.

PubMed

Patel, Anuj V; Abrams, Samuel M; Gaydos, Charlotte A; Jett-Goheen, Mary; Latkin, Carl A; Rothman, Richard E; Hsieh, Yu-Hsiang

2018-06-14

Up to 60% of patients decline routine HIV testing offer in US emergency departments (EDs). The objective of this study is to determine whether the provision of HIV self-testing (HIVST) kit would increase engagement of HIV testing among these HIV test 'Decliners'. Patients who declined a test offered in an ED-based triage nurse-driven HIV screening programme were enrolled and randomised to either the HIVST or the control group. The patients in the HIVST group received HIVST kits to take home, were encouraged to report test results to an established internet-based STI/HIV testing recruitment website 'I Want the Kit' (IWTK) and received five referral cards for their peers to request HIVST kits from IWTK. The control group received pamphlets about publicly available HIV testing sites. HIV testing from both groups after enrolment was determined via telephone follow-up at 1 month. Testing rate ratio (RR) was determined using χ 2 tests. Fifty-two patients were randomised to the HIVST group and 48 to the control group. Among all 64 patients completing any follow-up, 14/29 (48%) patients in the HIVST group tested themselves at home with the provided kit. Four of these had never had an HIV test. Only 2/35 (6%) in the control group reported having an HIV test after enrolment (RR: 8.45 (95% CI: 2.09 to 34.17)). 57% (8/14) in the HIVST group reported test results to IWTK. Provision of HIVST kits supplements ED-based screening programme and significantly improved engagement of HIV testing among those test 'Decliners' in the ED. NCT03021005, results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Evaluation of a new rapid kit, BD MGIT TBc identification test for confirmation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex.

PubMed

Kandhakumari, Gandhi; Stephen, Selvaraj

2017-01-01

At present, three rapid kits are available globally for the confirmation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in cultures by MPT64 antigen (MPT64 Ag) detection. These include Capilia TB, SD Bioline, and BD MGIT TBc Identification (TBcID). The third kit is yet to be validated in India. We have tested this kit and compared with SD Bioline using conventional tests as gold standard. Seventy-one MTBC (70 M. tuberculosis and one Mycobacterium bovis) and four nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) were isolated from 649 clinical specimens in MGIT 960 and/or Lowenstein-Jensen slants (LJ). MPT64 Ag was detected by both TBcID and SD Bioline kits in all the 71 clinical isolates and the reference strain M. tuberculosis H37Rv. All NTM species tested were negative by the two different kits. Thus, TBcID kit showed 100% concordance in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Rapid kits confirm MTBC cultures within 15 min in contrast to several weeks' time required by conventional techniques.

Commercial test kits for detection of Lyme borreliosis: a meta-analysis of test accuracy

PubMed Central

Cook, Michael J; Puri, Basant K

2016-01-01

The clinical diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis can be supported by various test methodologies; test kits are available from many manufacturers. Literature searches were carried out to identify studies that reported characteristics of the test kits. Of 50 searched studies, 18 were included where the tests were commercially available and samples were proven to be positive using serology testing, evidence of an erythema migrans rash, and/or culture. Additional requirements were a test specificity of ≥85% and publication in the last 20 years. The weighted mean sensitivity for all tests and for all samples was 59.5%. Individual study means varied from 30.6% to 86.2%. Sensitivity for each test technology varied from 62.4% for Western blot kits, and 62.3% for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests, to 53.9% for synthetic C6 peptide ELISA tests and 53.7% when the two-tier methodology was used. Test sensitivity increased as dissemination of the pathogen affected different organs; however, the absence of data on the time from infection to serological testing and the lack of standard definitions for “early” and “late” disease prevented analysis of test sensitivity versus time of infection. The lack of standardization of the definitions of disease stage and the possibility of retrospective selection bias prevented clear evaluation of test sensitivity by “stage”. The sensitivity for samples classified as acute disease was 35.4%, with a corresponding sensitivity of 64.5% for samples from patients defined as convalescent. Regression analysis demonstrated an improvement of 4% in test sensitivity over the 20-year study period. The studies did not provide data to indicate the sensitivity of tests used in a clinical setting since the effect of recent use of antibiotics or steroids or other factors affecting antibody response was not factored in. The tests were developed for only specific Borrelia species; sensitivities for other species could not be calculated. PMID

Nationwide study of factors associated with public's willingness to use home self-test kit for dengue fever in Malaysia.

PubMed

Wong, Li Ping; Atefi, Narges; AbuBakar, Sazaly

2016-08-12

As there is no specific treatment for dengue, early detection and access to proper treatment may lower dengue fatality. Therefore, having new techniques for the early detection of dengue fever, such as the use of dengue test kit, is vitally important. The aims of the study were: 1) identify factors associated with acceptance of a home self-test kit for dengue fever if the dengue test is available to the public and 2) find out the characteristics of the test kits that influence the use of the dengue test kit. A national telephone survey was carried out with 2,512 individuals of the Malaysian public aged 18-60 years old. Individuals were contacted by random digit dialling covering the whole of Malaysia from February 2012 to June 2013. From 2,512 participants, 6.1 % reported to have heard of the availability of the dengue home test kit and of these, 44.8 % expressed their intention to use the test kit if it was available. Multivariate logistic regressions indicated that participants with primary (OR: 0.65; 95 % CI: 0.43-0.89; p = 0.02, vs. tertiary educational level) and secondary educational levels (OR: 0.73; 95 % CI: 0.57-0.90; p = 0.01, vs. tertiary educational level) were less likely than participants with a tertiary educational level to use a home self-testing dengue kit for dengue if the kit was available. Participants with lower perceived barriers to dengue prevention (level of barriers 0-5) were less likely (OR: 0.67, 95 % CI: 0.53-0.85, p < 0.001, vs. higher perceived barriers) to use a home self-testing dengue kit for dengue if the kit was available compared to those with higher perceived barriers to dengue prevention (level of barriers 6-10). Participants with a lower total dengue fever knowledge score (range 0-22) were also less likely to use a home self-testing dengue kit for dengue if the kit was available (OR: 0.75; 95 % CI: 0.61-0.91, p = 0.001, vs. higher total dengue fever knowledge score) compared to those with a higher total

Antibody blocks acquisition of bacterial colonization through agglutination

PubMed Central

Roche, A. M.; Richard, A. L.; Rahkola, J. T.; Janoff, E. N.; Weiser, J. N.

2014-01-01

Invasive infection often begins with asymptomatic colonization of mucosal surfaces. A murine model of bacterial colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae was used to study the mechanism for mucosal protection by immunoglobulin. In previously colonized immune mice, bacteria were rapidly sequestered within large aggregates in the nasal lumen. To further examine the role of bacterial agglutination in protection by specific antibodies, mice were passively immunized with IgG purified from anti-pneumococcal sera or pneumococcal type-specific monoclonal human IgA (hIgA1 or hIgA2). Systemically-delivered IgG accessed the mucosal surface and blocked acquisition of colonization and transmission between littermates. Optimal protection by IgG was independent of Fc fragment and complement and, therefore, did not involve an opsonophagocytic mechanism. Enzymatic digestion or reduction of IgG prior to administration showed that protection required divalent binding that maintained its agglutinating effect. Divalent hIgA1 is cleaved by the pneumococcal member of a family of bacterial proteases that generate monovalent Fabα fragments. Thus, passive immunization with hIgA1 blocked colonization by an IgA1-protease deficient mutant (agglutinated), but not the protease-producing wild-type parent (not agglutinated), whereas protease-resistant hIgA2 agglutinated and blocked colonization by both. Our findings highlight the importance of agglutinating antibodies in mucosal defense and reveal how successful pathogens evade this effect. PMID:24962092

Telescience Resource Kit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, Michelle

2003-01-01

This viewgraph representation provides an overview of the Telescience Resource Kit. The Telescience Resource Kit is a pc-based telemetry and command system that will be used by scientists and engineers to monitor and control experiments located on-board the International Space Station (ISS). Topics covered include: ISS Payload Telemetry and Command Flow, kit computer applications, kit telemetry capabilities, command capabilities, and training/testing capabilities.

Inventions leading to the development of the diagnostic test kit industry--from the modern pregnancy test to the sandwich assays.

PubMed

Wide, Leif

2005-01-01

The universities are encouraged by the government nowadays to stimulate innovations and also to provide the proper machinery for assisting the protection and commercialisation of innovations. A better understanding of the innovation process may help to create an atmosphere suitable for inventions at the university. Examples can be taken from successful innovations previously made at the university. During the 1960's I made a series of inventions, which ultimately led to the development of the diagnostic test kit industry. The first, which I made as an undergraduate, was a simple and reliable test kit for diagnosis of pregnancy. This was followed by the solid phase radioimmunoassay and a solid phase assay for vitamin B12; next, the dual specific non-competitive sandwich assay and the in-vitro test for diagnosis of allergy, called RAST (Radioallergosorbent test). Organon in Holland with the pregnancy test kit, and Pharmacia in Sweden with test kits for radioimmunoassay, became pioneers among the diagnostic test kit industries. Pharmacia Diagnostics later became one of the leading diagnostic test kit companies in the world and has continued to be so in the field of allergy diagnosis. Each one of these inventions started with a few unique observations leading to a technical development. The pregnancy test as well as the allergy test emerged from the development of assay methods with unique qualities with the subsequent search for appropriate applications. The foreseeing of a commercial value on a future market was a very important step. This was followed by the search for a suitable industry interested to exploit the invention with its new business opportunity i.e. apply for a patent, produce and market the products, which in my case consisted of the necessary reagents and equipments for particular diagnostic tests. Finally, an agreement had to be settled between the entrepreneur and the inventors. This report describes these inventions and particularly discusses some

Red Blood Cell Agglutination for Blood Typing Within Passive Microfluidic Biochips.

PubMed

Huet, Maxime; Cubizolles, Myriam; Buhot, Arnaud

2018-04-19

Pre-transfusion bedside compatibility test is mandatory to check that the donor and the recipient present compatible groups before any transfusion is performed. Although blood typing devices are present on the market, they still suffer from various drawbacks, like results that are based on naked-eye observation or difficulties in blood handling and process automation. In this study, we addressed the development of a red blood cells (RBC) agglutination assay for point-of-care blood typing. An injection molded microfluidic chip that is designed to enhance capillary flow contained anti-A or anti-B dried reagents inside its microchannel. The only blood handling step in the assay protocol consisted in the deposit of a blood drop at the tip of the biochip, and imaging was then achieved. The embedded reagents were able to trigger RBC agglutination in situ, allowing for us to monitor in real time the whole process. An image processing algorithm was developed on diluted bloods to compute real-time agglutination indicator and was further validated on undiluted blood. Through this proof of concept, we achieved efficient, automated, real time, and quantitative measurement of agglutination inside a passive biochip for blood typing which could be further generalized to blood biomarker detection and quantification.

Simplified spectraphotometric method for the detection of red blood cell agglutination.

PubMed

Ramasubramanian, Melur; Anthony, Steven; Lambert, Jeremy

2008-08-01

Human error is the most significant factor attributed to incompatible blood transfusions. A spectrophotometric approach to blood typing has been developed by examining the spectral slopes of dilute red blood cell (RBC) suspensions in saline, in the presence and absence of various antibodies, offering a technique for the quantitative determination of agglutination intensity [Transfusion39, 1051, 1999TRANAT0041-113210.1046/j.1537-2995.1999.39101051.x]. We offer direct theoretical prediction of the observed change in slope in the 660-1000 nm range through the use of the T-matrix approach and Lorenz-Mie theory for light scattering by dilute RBC suspensions. Following a numerical simulation using the T-matrix code, we present a simplified sensing method for detecting agglutination. The sensor design has been prototyped, fully characterized, and evaluated through a complete set of tests with over 60 RBC samples and compared with the full spectrophotometric method. The LED and photodiode pairs are found to successfully reproduce the spectroscopic determination of red blood cell agglutination.

Samsung Salmonella Detection Kit. AOAC Performance Tested Method(SM) 021203.

PubMed

Li, Jun; Cheung, Win Den; Opdyke, Jason; Harvey, John; Chong, Songchun; Moon, Cheol Gon

2012-01-01

Salmonella, one of the most common causes of foodborne illness, is a significant public health concern worldwide. There is a need in the food industry for methods that are simple, rapid, and sensitive for the detection of foodborne pathogens. In this study, the Samsung Salmonella Detection Kit, a real-time PCR assay for the detection of Salmonella, was evaluated according to the current AOAC guidelines. The validation consisted of lot-to-lot consistency, stability, robustness, and inclusivity/exclusivity studies, as well as a method comparison of 10 different food matrixes. In the validation, the Samsung Salmonella Detection Kit was used in conjunction with the Applied Biosystems StepOnePlus PCR system and the Samsung Food Testing Software for the detection of Salmonella species. The performance of the assays was compared to the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Food Safety and Inspection Service-Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook (USDA/FSIS-MLG) 4.05: Isolation and Identification of Salmonella from Meat, Poultry, Pasteurized Egg, and Catfish and the and U.S. Food and Drug Administration/Bacteriological Analytical Manual (FDA/BAM) Chapter 5 Salmonella reference methods. The validation was conducted using an unpaired study design for detection of Salmonella spp. in raw ground beef, raw pork, raw ground pork, raw chicken wings, raw salmon, alfalfa sprouts, pasteurized orange juice, peanut butter, pasteurized whole milk, and shell eggs. The Samsung Salmonella Detection Kit demonstrated lot-to-lot consistency among three independent lots as well as ruggedness with minor modifications to changes in enrichment incubation time, enrichment incubation temperature, and DNA sample volume for PCR reaction. Stability was observed for 13 months at -20 degrees C and 3 months at 5 degrees C. For the inclusivity/exclusivity study, the Samsung Salmonella Detection Kit correctly identified 147 Salmonella species isolates out of 147 isolates tested from each of three different enrichment

Evaluation of latex agglutination test (KAtex) for early diagnosis of kala-azar.

PubMed

Ahsan, M M; Islam, M N; Mollah, A H; Hoque, M A; Hossain, M A; Begum, Z; Islam, M T

2010-07-01

Kala-azar is one of the major public health problem in Bangladesh. But the diagnosis of the problem often is difficult, unusual and time consuming, a simple, noninvasive, easy to perform, reliable and rapid diagnostic test has been a long-felt need of the clinicians. Therefore, the present study was conducted to see the sensitivity and specificity of Latex Agglutination test (KAtex) to detect leishmanial antigen from urine of kala-azar cases. The study was carried out in the department of Paediatrics, Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital, Bangladesh during July to December, 2008. A total of 100 urine samples were collected of which 50 were confirmed kala-azar cases and 50 were age and sex matched controls. Out of 50 kala-azar cases 47 showed positive result of KAtex. The test was also positive in 01 out of 30 healthy controls. None of the febrile controls was positive by KAtex. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the test using presence of LD bodies in splenic and/or bone marrow aspirate as gold standard were 94%, 98%, 97.91% and 94.23% respectively. KAtex is simple, noninvasive, easy to perform, rapid and reliable test for diagnosing kala-azar in endemic area and useful for small, less equipped laboratories as well as for the laboratories with better facilities.

Validation of spot-testing kits to determine iodine content in salt.

PubMed Central

Pandav, C. S.; Arora, N. K.; Krishnan, A.; Sankar, R.; Pandav, S.; Karmarkar, M. G.

2000-01-01

Iodine deficiency disorders are a major public health problem, and salt iodization is the most widely practised intervention for their elimination. For the intervention to be successful and sustainable, it is vital to monitor the iodine content of salt regularly. Iodometric titration, the traditional method for measuring iodine content, has problems related to accessibility and cost. The newer spot-testing kits are inexpensive, require minimal training, and provide immediate results. Using data from surveys to assess the availability of iodized salt in two states in India, Madhya Pradesh and the National Capital Territory of Delhi, we tested the suitability of such a kit in field situations. Salt samples from Delhi were collected from 30 schools, chosen using the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) cluster sampling technique. A single observer made the measurement for iodine content using the kit. Salt samples from Madhya Pradesh were from 30 rural and 30 urban clusters, identified by using census data and the EPI cluster sampling technique. In each cluster, salt samples were collected from 10 randomly selected households and all retailers. The 15 investigators performing the survey estimated the iodine content of salt samples in the field using the kit. All the samples were brought to the central laboratory in Delhi, where iodine content was estimated using iodometric titration as a reference method. The agreement between the kit and titration values decreased as the number of observers increased. Although sensitivity was not much affected by the increase in the number of observers (93.3% for a single observer and 93.9% for multiple observers), specificity decreased sharply (90.4% for a single observer and 40.4% for multiple observers). Due to the low specificity and resulting high numbers of false-positives for the kit when used by multiple observers ("real-life situations"), kits were likely to consistently overestimate the availability of iodized salt

Method modification of the Legipid® Legionella fast detection test kit.

PubMed

Albalat, Guillermo Rodríguez; Broch, Begoña Bedrina; Bono, Marisa Jiménez

2014-01-01

Legipid(®) Legionella Fast Detection is a test based on combined magnetic immunocapture and enzyme-immunoassay (CEIA) for the detection of Legionella in water. The test is based on the use of anti-Legionella antibodies immobilized on magnetic microspheres. Target microorganism is preconcentrated by filtration. Immunomagnetic analysis is applied on these preconcentrated water samples in a final test portion of 9 mL. The test kit was certified by the AOAC Research Institute as Performance Tested Method(SM) (PTM) No. 111101 in a PTM validation which certifies the performance claims of the test method in comparison to the ISO reference method 11731-1998 and the revision 11731-2004 "Water Quality: Detection and Enumeration of Legionella pneumophila" in potable water, industrial water, and waste water. The modification of this test kit has been approved. The modification includes increasing the target analyte from L. pneumophila to Legionella species and adding an optical reader to the test method. In this study, 71 strains of Legionella spp. other than L. pneumophila were tested to determine its reactivity with the kit based on CEIA. All the strains of Legionella spp. tested by the CEIA test were confirmed positive by reference standard method ISO 11731. This test (PTM 111101) has been modified to include a final optical reading. A methods comparison study was conducted to demonstrate the equivalence of this modification to the reference culture method. Two water matrixes were analyzed. Results show no statistically detectable difference between the test method and the reference culture method for the enumeration of Legionella spp. The relative level of detection was 93 CFU/volume examined (LOD50). For optical reading, the LOD was 40 CFU/volume examined and the LOQ was 60 CFU/volume examined. Results showed that the test Legipid Legionella Fast Detection is equivalent to the reference culture method for the enumeration of Legionella spp.

The value of automated gel column agglutination technology in the identification of true inherited D blood types in massively transfused patients.

PubMed

Summers, Thomas; Johnson, Viviana V; Stephan, John P; Johnson, Gloria J; Leonard, George

2009-08-01

Massive transfusion of D- trauma patients in the combat setting involves the use of D+ red blood cells (RBCs) or whole blood along with suboptimal pretransfusion test result documentation. This presents challenges to the transfusion service of tertiary care military hospitals who ultimately receive these casualties because initial D typing results may only reflect the transfused RBCs. After patients are stabilized, mixed-field reaction results on D typing indicate the patient's true inherited D phenotype. This case series illustrates the utility of automated gel column agglutination in detecting mixed-field reactions in these patients. The transfusion service test results, including the automated gel column agglutination D typing results, of four massively transfused D- patients transfused D+ RBCs is presented. To test the sensitivity of the automated gel column agglutination method in detecting mixed-field agglutination reactions, a comparative analysis of three automated technologies using predetermined mixtures of D+ and D- RBCs is also presented. The automated gel column agglutination method detected mixed-field agglutination in D typing in all four patients and in the three prepared control specimens. The automated microwell tube method identified one of the three prepared control specimens as indeterminate, which was subsequently manually confirmed as a mixed-field reaction. The automated solid-phase method was unable to detect any mixed fields. The automated gel column agglutination method provides a sensitive means for detecting mixed-field agglutination reactions in the determination of the true inherited D phenotype of combat casualties transfused massive amounts of D+ RBCs.

Acceptability of using electronic vending machines to deliver oral rapid HIV self-testing kits: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Young, Sean D; Daniels, Joseph; Chiu, ChingChe J; Bolan, Robert K; Flynn, Risa P; Kwok, Justin; Klausner, Jeffrey D

2014-01-01

Rates of unrecognized HIV infection are significantly higher among Latino and Black men who have sex with men (MSM). Policy makers have proposed that HIV self-testing kits and new methods for delivering self-testing could improve testing uptake among minority MSM. This study sought to conduct qualitative assessments with MSM of color to determine the acceptability of using electronic vending machines to dispense HIV self-testing kits. African American and Latino MSM were recruited using a participant pool from an existing HIV prevention trial on Facebook. If participants expressed interest in using a vending machine to receive an HIV self-testing kit, they were emailed a 4-digit personal identification number (PIN) code to retrieve the test from the machine. We followed up with those who had tested to assess their willingness to participate in an interview about their experience. Twelve kits were dispensed and 8 interviews were conducted. In general, participants expressed that the vending machine was an acceptable HIV test delivery method due to its novelty and convenience. Acceptability of this delivery model for HIV testing kits was closely associated with three main factors: credibility, confidentiality, and convenience. Future research is needed to address issues, such as user-induced errors and costs, before scaling up the dispensing method.

Measurement of RBC agglutination with microscopic cell image analysis in a microchannel chip.

PubMed

Cho, Chi Hyun; Kim, Ju Yeon; Nyeck, Agnes E; Lim, Chae Seung; Hur, Dae Sung; Chung, Chanil; Chang, Jun Keun; An, Seong Soo A; Shin, Sehyun

2014-01-01

Since Landsteiner's discovery of ABO blood groups, RBC agglutination has been one of the most important immunohematologic techniques for ABO and RhD blood groupings. The conventional RBC agglutination grading system for RhD blood typings relies on macroscopic reading, followed by the assignment of a grade ranging from (-) to (4+) to the degree of red blood cells clumping. However, with the new scoring method introduced in this report, microscopically captured cell images of agglutinated RBCs, placed in a microchannel chip, are used for analysis. Indeed, the cell images' pixel number first allows the differentiation of agglutinated and non-agglutinated red blood cells. Finally, the ratio of agglutinated RBCs per total RBC counts (CRAT) from 90 captured images is then calculated. During the trial, it was observed that the agglutinated group's CRAT was significantly higher (3.77-0.003) than that of the normal control (0). Based on these facts, it was established that the microchannel method was more suitable for the discrimination between agglutinated RBCs and non-agglutinated RhD negative, and thus more reliable for the grading of RBCs agglutination than the conventional method.

DETAIL VIEW OF ELECTRONICS TEST AREA, FLIGHT KITS FACILITY, ROOM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

DETAIL VIEW OF ELECTRONICS TEST AREA, FLIGHT KITS FACILITY, ROOM NO. 1N12, FACING WEST - Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Launch Complex 39, Vehicle Assembly Building, VAB Road, East of Kennedy Parkway North, Cape Canaveral, Brevard County, FL

Comparison of three feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) point-of-care antigen test kits using blood and saliva.

PubMed

Westman, Mark E; Malik, Richard; Hall, Evelyn; Sheehy, Paul A; Norris, Jacqueline M

2017-02-01

Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) can be a challenging infection to diagnose due to a complex feline host-pathogen relationship and occasionally unreliable test results. This study compared the accuracy of three point-of-care (PoC) FeLV p27 antigen test kits commonly used in Australia and available commercially worldwide (SNAP FIV/FeLV Combo, Witness FeLV/FIV and Anigen Rapid FIV/FeLV), using detection of FeLV provirus by an in-house real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay as the diagnostic gold standard. Blood (n=563) and saliva (n=419) specimens were collected from a population of cats determined to include 491 FeLV-uninfected and 72 FeLV-infected individuals (45 progressive infections [p27 and qPCR positive], 27 regressive infections [p27 negative, qPCR positive]). Sensitivity and specificity using whole blood was 63% and 94% for SNAP Combo, 57% and 98% for Witness, and 57% and 98% for Anigen Rapid, respectively. SNAP Combo had a significantly lower specificity using blood compared to the other two kits (P=0.004 compared to Witness, P=0.007 compared to Anigen Rapid). False-positive test results occurred with all three kits using blood, and although using any two kits in parallel increased specificity, no combination of kits completely eliminated the occurrence of false-positive results. We therefore recommend FeLV proviral PCR testing for any cat that tests positive with a PoC FeLV antigen kit, as well as for any cat that has been potentially exposed to FeLV but tests negative with a FeLV antigen kit, before final assignment of FeLV status can be made with confidence. For saliva testing, sensitivity and specificity was 54% and 100%, respectively, for all three test kits. The reduced sensitivity of saliva testing compared to blood testing, although not statistically significant, suggests saliva testing with the current generation of PoC FeLV antigen kits is unsuitable for screening large populations of cats, such as in shelters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier

Ultraviolet and visible light spectrophotometric approach to blood typing: objective analysis by agglutination index.

PubMed

Narayanan, S; Orton, S; Leparc, G F; Garcia-Rubio, L H; Potter, R L

1999-10-01

A new blood typing technology based on ultraviolet (UV) and visible light spectroscopy (UV/visible spectroscopy) has been developed. Blood groups and types are determined by quantifying reproducible changes in the UV and visible light spectra of blood in the presence of agglutinating antibodies. Samples of red cells in the presence and absence of agglutinating antibodies were examined by UV/visible spectroscopy. Blood groups and types were determined by comparing the optical density spectra obtained between 665 and 1000 nm. These comparisons generate numbers (agglutination index) ranging from 0 to 100, with smaller numbers corresponding to lack of agglutination and larger numbers corresponding to agglutination. The optical density of agglutinated blood is dramatically different from that of unagglutinated blood. The agglutination index derived from the relative slopes of the spectra is an objective indicator of agglutination strength. An agglutination index greater than 17 consistently and accurately established blood group- and type-specific agglutination. The method accurately predicted A, B, and O blood groups, and D type in over 275 samples. Scattering theory-based calculations of relative volumes of red cells before and after agglutination show a direct correlation with the agglutination index and provide the theoretical basis of the analysis. This quantitative technique is reproducible and has the potential for automation.

Acceptability of Using Electronic Vending Machines to Deliver Oral Rapid HIV Self-Testing Kits: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Young, Sean D.; Daniels, Joseph; Chiu, ChingChe J.; Bolan, Robert K.; Flynn, Risa P.; Kwok, Justin; Klausner, Jeffrey D.

2014-01-01

Introduction Rates of unrecognized HIV infection are significantly higher among Latino and Black men who have sex with men (MSM). Policy makers have proposed that HIV self-testing kits and new methods for delivering self-testing could improve testing uptake among minority MSM. This study sought to conduct qualitative assessments with MSM of color to determine the acceptability of using electronic vending machines to dispense HIV self-testing kits. Materials and Methods African American and Latino MSM were recruited using a participant pool from an existing HIV prevention trial on Facebook. If participants expressed interest in using a vending machine to receive an HIV self-testing kit, they were emailed a 4-digit personal identification number (PIN) code to retrieve the test from the machine. We followed up with those who had tested to assess their willingness to participate in an interview about their experience. Results Twelve kits were dispensed and 8 interviews were conducted. In general, participants expressed that the vending machine was an acceptable HIV test delivery method due to its novelty and convenience. Discussion Acceptability of this delivery model for HIV testing kits was closely associated with three main factors: credibility, confidentiality, and convenience. Future research is needed to address issues, such as user-induced errors and costs, before scaling up the dispensing method. PMID:25076208

Comparison of agglutinating and neutralizing antibodies to serovar hardjo in sows immunized with two commercial whole culture polivalent anti-leptospira bacterins

PubMed Central

Soto, Francisco Rafael Martins; Pinheiro, Sônia Regina; Morais, Zenaide Maria; Gonçales, Amane Paldês; de Azevedo, Sérgio Santos; Bernardi, Fernanda; Camargo, Sebastião Rodrigues; Vasconcellos, Silvio Arruda

2008-01-01

It was performed the comparison of the intensity and duration of agglutinating and neutralizing antibodies to serovar Hardjo in swines vaccinated with two commercial anti-leptospira bacterins. Sows no reactive to 24 Leptospira sp serovars in the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) were divided in three groups: Group A (n=08): received two vaccine A doses with 30 days interval, Group B (n=08) two vaccine B doses with 30 days interval and Group C (n=08): control no vaccinated against leptospirosis.Blood samples were collected each 30 days during six months following the first vaccination. The sera were tested by MAT and growth inhibition test (GIT) to serovar Hardjo in order to evaluate respectively agglutinating and neutralizing antibodies. It was found that neutralizing antibodies persisted for a longer time than the agglutinating ones and that the absence of agglutinating antibodies does not means in the absence of the neutralizing. The peaks of agglutinating antibodies was obtained at least 30 days earlier than that produced by neutralizing. The duration of both kinds of antibodies measured differed between the two bacterines tested. The period for inducing neutralizing antibodies against serovar Hardjo indicated that gilts must be immunized with two doses of whole culture anti-leptospira bacterines applied 30 days each other at least 90 days before the first mating. For the maintenance of hight levels of neutralizing antibodies the revaccinations must be performed every six months after the first vaccination. PMID:24031250

The relationship between fluorescent, agglutinating, and precipitating antibodies to Candida albicans and their immunoglobin classes

PubMed Central

Lehner, T.; Buckley, Helen R.; Murray, I. G.

1972-01-01

A parallel study of fluorescent, agglutinating, and precipitating antibodies to Candida albicans revealed that precipitating antibodies belong to the IgG class, whereas agglutinating antibodies reside in the IgG, IgM, and IgA classes. The three types as well as the three classes of antibodies were found in Candida endocarditis and mucocutaneous candidiasis. Immuno-absorption studies suggest that the three serological tests estimate antibodies to mannan determinants of Candida albicans. Images PMID:4555044

Rapid detection of methicillin resistance in coagulase-negative staphylococci by a penicillin-binding protein 2a-specific latex agglutination test.

PubMed

Horstkotte, M A; Knobloch, J K; Rohde, H; Mack, D

2001-10-01

The detection of PBP 2a by the MRSA-Screen latex agglutination test with 201 clinical coagulase-negative staphylococci had an initial sensitivity of 98% and a high degree of specificity for Staphylococcus epidermidis strains compared to PCR for mecA. Determination of oxacillin MICs evaluated according to the new breakpoint (0.5 microg/ml) of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards exhibited an extremely low specificity for this population.

Surgical management of vulvovaginal agglutination due to lichen planus.

PubMed

Fairchild, Pamela S; Haefner, Hope K

2016-02-01

Lichen planus is a rare dermatological disorder that is often associated with painful and disfiguring vulvovaginal effects. At the University of Michigan Center for Vulvar Diseases, we see many women with vulvovaginal lichen planus each year, with marked scarring and vulvovaginal agglutination that precludes vaginal intercourse and causes difficulty with urination. Through our experience, we developed a protocol for the operative management and postoperative care for severe vulvovaginal agglutination. Our objective is to share this protocol with a wider audience so that providers who see patients with these devastating effects of lichen planus can benefit from our experience to better serve this patient population. The figure represents a case of erosive lichen planus with early vaginal agglutination. The video reviews the pathophysiology and presentation of lichen planus. We then present a case of scarring and agglutination in a young woman, including our surgical management and postoperative care recommendations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of four slide test kits for the detection of human chorionic gonadotropin in urine

PubMed Central

Dietrich, Michael; French, J. A.

1974-01-01

Three “indirect-type” slide tests utilizing the principle of hemagglutination inhibition and one new “direct-type” slide test employing direct agglutination were evaluated for their sensitivity in detecting human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in urine. The results of positive tests in a group of woman in very early pregnancy were correlated with the “days after last menses”. In this series the direct slide test was the most accurate. A control must be used with each direct test to indicate interfering substances and when such are present a different test must be used. All tests were found to be of the relative sensitivity stated by the manufacturer. PMID:4851924

SAS molecular tests Escherichia coli O157 detection kit. Performance tested method 031203.

PubMed

Bapanpally, Chandra; Montier, Laura; Khan, Shah; Kasra, Akif; Brunelle, Sharon L

2014-01-01

The SAS Molecular tests Escherichia coli O157 Detection method, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification method, performed as well as or better than the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Bacteriological Analytical Manual reference methods for ground beef, beef trim, bagged mixed lettuce, and fresh spinach. Ground beef (30% fat, 25 g test portion) was validated for 7-8 h enrichment, leafy greens were validated in a 6-7 h enrichment, and ground beef (30% fat, 375 g composite test portion) and beef trim (375 g composite test portion) were validated in a 16-20 h enrichment. The method performance for meat and leafy green matrixes was also shown to be acceptable under conditions of co-enrichment with Salmonella. Thus, after a short co-enrichment step, ground beef, beef trim, lettuce, and spinach can be tested for both Salmonella and E. coli O157. The SAS Molecular tests Salmonella Detection Kit was validated using the same test portions as for the SAS Molecular tests E. coli O157 Detection Kit and those results are presented in a separate report. Inclusivity and exclusivity testing revealed no false negatives and no false positives among the 50 E. coli 0157 strains, including H7 and non-motile strains, and 30 non-E. coli O157 strains examined. Finally, the method was shown to be robust when variations to DNA extract hold time and DNA volume were varied. The method comparison and robustness data suggest a full 7 h enrichment time should be used for 25 g ground beef test portions.

Interfering lipoproteins in magnetic field-assisted agglutination of superparamagnetic particles immunoassay.

PubMed

Cauet, Gilles; Daynès, Aurélien; Temurok, Nevzat

2016-04-01

The technology of magnetic field-assisted immuno-agglutination of superparamagnetic particles allows sensitive detection of biomarkers in whole blood. However, we observed non-specific agglutination (NSA), due to interfering plasma proteins, that negatively affects C-reactive protein immunoassay. The objective of the study was to identify the plasma proteins involved and to eliminate these interferences. Plasma was fractionated by size exclusion HPLC and each fraction was tested for non-specific agglutination. In addition, plasma proteins bound to magnetic particles were analyzed by SDS-gel electrophoresis and identified by mass spectrometry. We found that NSA was due to the binding of some lipoproteins to the particles. NSA was observed in the presence of purified LDL and VLDL but not HDL. NSA was mediated by the binding of ApoB100 to magnetic particles through its heparin binding sites. These interferences could be eliminated by addition of heparin or other polyanions like dextran sulfate to the assay buffer. NSA results from the binding of some plasma lipoproteins to magnetic particles. The use of a polyanion to eliminate these interferences allows the formulation of a stable reagent.

Systems, devices, and methods for agglutination assays using sedimentation

DOEpatents

Schaff, Ulrich Y.; Sommer, Gregory J.; Singh, Anup K.

2016-01-26

Embodiments of the present invention include methods for conducting agglutination assays using sedimentation. Aggregates may be exposed to sedimentation forces and travel through a density medium to a detection area. Microfluidic devices, such as microfluidic disks, are described for conducting the agglutination assays, as are systems for conducting the assays.

MEMS reagent and sample handling procedure: Feasibility of viral antibody detection by passive immune agglutination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, G. D.; Tenoso, H. J.

1975-01-01

An attempt was made to develop a test requiring no preadsorption steps for the assessment of antibodies to rubella and mumps viruses using the passive immune agglutination (PIA) method. Both rubella and mumps antigens and antibodies were prepared. Direct PIA tests, using rubella antigen-coated beads, and indirect PIA tests, using rubella antibody-coated beads, were investigated. Attempts, using either method, were unsuccessful. Serum interference along with nonspecific agglutination of beads by the rubella antigen resulted in no specific response under the test conditions investigated. A new, highly sensitive approach, the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test system, is recommended to overcome the nonspecificity. This system is a logical outgrowth of some of the solid phase work done on MEMS and represents the next generation tests system that can be directly applied to early disease detection and monitoring.

[The incidence of agglutination and its influence on sperm quality and fertility of boar semen].

PubMed

Bollwein, Heinrich; Petschow, Karola; Weber, Frank; Leiding, Claus; Stolla, Rudolf

2004-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the incidence of sperm agglutinations and their relationships with sperm quality and fertility. Semen samples of 40 boars of an AI-station were investigated. Nineteen of the 40 investigated boars showed a constantly low (< 10% agglutinated sperm), 3 an intermediate (10-20%) and 6 boars a high level (> 20%) of agglutination in raw semen. The degree of agglutination in sperm samples of 12 boars varied distinctly during the investigation period. During summer more (P < 0.05) agglutinated sperm were observed (11.0 +/- 11.6%) than during winter (6.2 +/- 7.3%). There was no association between bacterial contamination and incidence of agglutinations (P > 0.05). After dilution in extender the percentage of agglutinated sperm decreased from 6.2 +/- 7.3% to 1.1 +/- 1.4% (P < 0.0001). Twenty-four hours after dilution the percentage of progressively motile sperm was 7.4% lower (P < 0.05) in ejaculates with an initially high degree of agglutination (> 20% agglutinated sperm) compared to samples with an initially low degree of agglutinated sperm (< 10%). Plasma membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, acrosome reaction and chromatin structure were independent (P > 0.05) from the level of agglutination. Fertility data did not differ (P > 0.05) between boars with low and high numbers of agglutinated sperm in raw semen. The results show that there are individual, ejaculatory and seasonal variations in the incidence and degree of agglutination. Agglutinations have a negative effect on motility of sperm and disappear to a large extent after dilution in sperm extender. They have no negative consequences on fertility.

Preliminary evaluation of a gel tube agglutination major cross-match method in dogs.

PubMed

Villarnovo, Dania; Burton, Shelley A; Horney, Barbara S; MacKenzie, Allan L; Vanderstichel, Raphaël

2016-09-01

A major cross-match gel tube test is available for use in dogs yet has not been clinically evaluated. This study compared cross-match results obtained using the gel tube and the standard tube methods for canine samples. Study 1 included 107 canine sample donor-recipient pairings cross-match tested with the RapidVet-H method gel tube test and compared results with the standard tube method. Additionally, 120 pairings using pooled sera containing anti-canine erythrocyte antibody at various concentrations were tested with leftover blood from a hospital population to assess sensitivity and specificity of the gel tube method in comparison with the standard method. The gel tube method had a good relative specificity of 96.1% in detecting lack of agglutination (compatibility) compared to the standard tube method. Agreement between the 2 methods was moderate. Nine of 107 pairings showed agglutination/incompatibility on either test, too few to allow reliable calculation of relative sensitivity. Fifty percent of the gel tube method results were difficult to interpret due to sample spreading in the reaction and/or negative control tubes. The RapidVet-H method agreed with the standard cross-match method on compatible samples, but detected incompatibility in some sample pairs that were compatible with the standard method. Evaluation using larger numbers of incompatible pairings is needed to assess diagnostic utility. The gel tube method results were difficult to categorize due to sample spreading. Weak agglutination reactions or other factors such as centrifuge model may be responsible. © 2016 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

Evaluation of the co-agglutination test in diagnosis of experimental microsporidiosis.

PubMed

Gaafar, Maha R

2011-05-01

Microsporidiosis is an emerging and opportunistic infection associated with wide range of clinical syndromes in humans. Confirmation of the presence of microsporidia in different samples is laborious, costly and often difficult. The present study was designed to evaluate the utility of the Co-agglutination test (Co-A test) for detection of urinary, fecal and circulating microsporidial antigens in experimentally infected mice. One hundred and twenty male Swiss albino mice were divided into non infected control and infected experimental groups which were further subdivided into two equal subgroups; immunosuppressed and immunocompetent. Microsporidial spores were isolated from human stools and identified to be Encephalitozoon intestinalis by the molecular methods. They were used to infect each subgroup of mice, then their urine, stools and sera were collected at the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th days post-infection (PI). Co-A test, using prepared hyperimmune serum, was used to detect antigens in all samples collected. The cross reactivity of microsporidial hyperimmune sera with antigens of Cyclospora cyatenensis and Cryptosporidium parvum was investigated by Co-A test. The results showed that Co-A test was effective in detecting microsporidial antigen in stool of immunosuppressed infected mice from the 1st day PI, and in urine and serum from the 3rd day PI till the end of the study. In the immunocompetent subgroup, Co-A test detected microsporidial antigens in stool, serum and urine of mice from the 1st day, 3rd day and the 5th day PI, respectively till the end of the study, without cross reactivity with C. cyatenensis or C. parvum in both subgroups. Co-A test proved to be simple and suitable tool for detecting microsporidial antigen in different specimens and did not need sophisticated equipment. It is very practical under field or rural conditions and in poorly equipped clinical laboratories. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Case report: false negative serum cryptococcal latex agglutination test in a patient with disseminated cryptococcal disease.

PubMed

Navabi, Nazlee; Montebatsi, Milton; Scott, Michelle; Gluckman, Stephen J; Reid, Michael J A

2015-01-01

A case of false-negative serum latex agglutination cryptococcal antigen (CRAG) test in a 45-year-old HIV-positive male with Cryptococcus-positive culture is described. The patient was presented to a hospital in Botswana, with breathlessness and a diffuse papular rash. His CD4 count was 25 cells/μL. Despite the suspicion for disseminated cryptococcal disease, an initial serum CRAG latex test was negative. Results of subsequent Indian ink staining, culture of cerebrospinal fluid and skin scrapings, and serum lateral flow immunoassay (LFA) were all positive for Cryptococcus neoformans. There are several possible explanations for the false-negative CRAG latex test. Given the positive LFA result, we speculate that disease may have been caused by Cryptococcus gattii, which is estimated to be responsible for between 15% and 30% of all cryptococcal diseases in Botswana. Reduced sensitivity of CRAG latex assays for detecting C gattii may lead to underdiagnosis of cryptococcal infection. © The Author(s) 2014.

Evaluation of HIV/AIDS diagnostics kits and formulation of a testing strategy for Pakistan.

PubMed

Waheed, Usman; Hayat, Khizar; Ahmad, Bashir; Waheed, Yasir; Zaheer, Hasan Abbas

2013-04-01

Rapid diagnosis of HIV/AIDS enables the development of prevention and treatment programmes but accurate, reliable and cost effective testing strategies should be used for testing of HIV/AIDS from a large population. To evaluate the performance and effectiveness of three assays for the diagnosis of HIV in comparison with Western blot and to formulate an alternative cost-effective confirmatory approach for HIV diagnosis. 472 specimens (serum) from a Pakistani population were evaluated. Two rapid HIV testing kits (Capillus, SD Bioline) and one ELISA (Vironostika Ag/Ab) kit were used to detect HIV. Results were compared with Western blot against which sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of all HIV assays were assessed. 280/472 (59.3%) of the samples were positive for antibodies against purified HIV-1 viral proteins. The sensitivity of SD Bioline and Vironostika ELISA was 100% (95% CI; 98-100) while that of anti-HIV Capillus™ kit was 94.6% (95% CI; 91-96.8). The specificity of the Vironostika ELISA and anti-HIV Capillus™ kit was 100% (95% CI; 97-100) while specificity of SD Bioline was 98.4% (95% CI; 95-99). PPV was 100% (95% CI; 98-100%) for the anti-HIV Capillus™ and Vironostika ELISA and 98.9% (95% CI; 96-99%) for SD Bioline. NPV for SD Bioline and Vironostika ELISA was 100% (95% CI; 98-100%) and 92.7% for anti-HIV Capillus™ (95% CI; 88-96%). The sensitivity and specificity of all three kits were satisfactory compared to Western blot and could be used for effective diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in Pakistani population. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of agglutination strength by a flow-induced cell movement assay based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique.

PubMed

Sudprasert, Krisda; Peungthum, Patjaree; Vongsakulyanon, Apirom; Amarit, Ratthasart; Somboonkaew, Armote; Sutapun, Boonsong; Kitpoka, Pimpun; Kunakorn, Mongkol; Srikhirin, Toemsak

2015-02-07

A flow-induced cell movement assay combined with a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique was developed to quantify the agglutination strength, derived from the standard tube-agglutination test. Red blood cells (RBCs), based on the ABO blood group system, were specifically captured by anti-A and/or anti-B antibodies immobilized on a sensor surface. The agglutination strength corresponds to the amount of antigen-antibody interactions or the strength of RBC adhesion. Under a shear flow, the adherent RBCs were forced to move out of the region of interest with different average cell velocities (vc) depending upon the adhesion strength and wall shear stress (WSS). That is, a higher adhesion strength (higher agglutination strength) or lower WSS represents a lower vc or vice versa. In this work, the agglutination strength was derived from the vc that was calculated from the time derivative of the relative SPR signal by using a simple model of cell movement response, whose validity was verified. The vc values of different samples were correlated with their agglutination strengths at a given WSS and antibody surface density. The vc decreased as the agglutination strength increased, which can be considered as a linear regression. The coefficient of variation of the calculated vc decreased to 0.1 as vc increased to 30 μm min(-1). The sensitivity of this assay can be controlled by optimizing the antibody surface density or the WSS. This assay has the capability to resolve the antigen density of A1 and B RBCs from that of A1B RBCs.

Factor Analysis of the WAIS and Twenty French-Kit Reference Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramsey, Philip H.

1979-01-01

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and 20 tests from the French Kit were administered to over 100 undergraduates. Analyses revealed ten factors: verbal comprehension, visualization, memory span, syllogistic reasoning, general reasoning, induction, mechanical knowledge, number facility, spatial orientation, and associative memory.…

Factors Associated with Returning At-Home Specimen Collection Kits for HIV Testing among Internet-Using Men Who Have Sex with Men.

PubMed

Ricca, Alexandra V; Hall, Eric W; Khosropour, Christine M; Sullivan, Patrick S

2016-11-01

In the United States, men who have sex with men (MSM) are known to disproportionately have HIV. The authors sought to describe the acceptability of providing at-home dried blood spot specimen collection kits for HIV testing among MSM. Between August 2010 and December 2010, the authors recruited Internet-using, HIV-negative or -unknown MSM to participate in a 12-month study of behavioral risks. Eligible participants were mailed an at-home HIV test. Of the 896 men who were sent a test kit, 735 (82%) returned the kit. Returning a test kit was significantly associated with race (P = .002), highest level of education (P = .012), and annual income (P = .026). The adjusted odds of black, non-Hispanic men returning a test kit were about half of the odds of white, non-Hispanic men returning a test kit (adjusted odds ratios: 0.49; 95% confidence intervals: 0.31-0.78). Men who have sex with men are willing to provide biological specimens as part of an Internet-based HIV prevention study. © The Author(s) 2016.

Evaluation of recombinant LigB antigen-based indirect ELISA and latex agglutination test for the serodiagnosis of bovine leptospirosis in India.

PubMed

Deneke, Yosef; Sabarinath, T; Gogia, Neha; Lalsiamthara, Jonathan; Viswas, K N; Chaudhuri, Pallab

2014-08-01

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira, causing febrile infection characterized by multi-organ failure in humans and animals. Leptospiral Ig-like protein B (LigB) is a surface-expressed antigen that mediates host cell invasion or attachment. In this study, N-terminal conserved region of LigB protein (46 kDa) was evaluated for its diagnostic potential to detect anti-leptospiral antibodies in the sera of various animal species. Dot blot analysis revealed immunoreactivity of Leptospira-positive sera of cattle, buffalo, dog, sheep and goat to purified LigB protein. We have analyzed 1126 bovine serum samples, collected from Northern and Eastern part of India, by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and recombinant LigB (rLigB) based ELISA and latex agglutination test (LAT). The sensitivity of rLigB based ELISA for 554 MAT positive sera was 96.9% and the specificity with 572 MAT negative sera was 91.08% whereas LAT showed sensitivity and specificity of 93.68% and 92.31%, respectively. Kappa values of 0.879 and 0.860 for recombinant antigen based ELISA and LAT indicate excellent agreement with the gold standard serological test, MAT, for the detection of anti-leptospiral antibodies in sera. Further, LAT based on rLigB antigen is a simple and rapid test, suitable for serodiagnosis of leptospirosis under field conditions, owing to its portability and longer shelf life. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differential Lectin Agglutination of Fetal, Dividing-Postnatal, and Malignant Hepatocytes

PubMed Central

Becker, F. F.

1974-01-01

Numerous studies have reported the capacity of the lectin, concanavalin A, to agglutinate selected cell-types. The finding that cells transformed in culture, embryonic cells, and malignant cells are all agglutinated by this substance, may contribute to our understanding of the oncogenic process. The present study compared the response to concanavalin A of rat hepatocytes derived from livers of differing developmental and mitotic-status as well as those derived from malignant liver tumors (hepatomas). Fetal hepatocytes and hepatoma cells were highly susceptible to agglutination while hepatocytes from post-natal livers, whether dividing or quiescent, were not. Treatment with protease(s) did not make the interphase hepatocyte agglutinable. These data emphasize the importance of examining a wide variety of cells in attempting to understand the interaction of lectins on cell surfaces, and further, demonstrate the value of obtaining cells directly from tissue(s) during differing physiologic and pathologic states. Images PMID:4373708

Comparative study of three screening tests, two microbiological tube tests, and a multi-sulphonamide ELISA kit for the detection of antimicrobial and sulphonamide residues in eggs.

PubMed

Gaudin, V; Hedou, C; Rault, A; Sanders, P; Verdon, E

2009-04-01

The screening of antimicrobial residues in eggs is an especially important subject. Three different commercial kits for the screening of sulphonamides and other antimicrobials in eggs were validated in accordance with Decision 2002/657/EC: one enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant assay (ELISA) kit multi-sulphonamides (from RAISIO Diagnostics) and two microbiological tests (a Premi test from DSM and an Explorer kit from Zeu-Inmunotec). The false-positive rates were lower than 2% for all kits. The detection capabilities (CCbeta) have to be as low as possible for banned substances and lower than the maximum residue limit (MRL) when MRLs have been set. The sensitivity of the Premi test was better than that of the Explorer test, probably because of the dilution of the eggs before the Explorer test was used. The CCbeta values towards most of the tested sulphonamides were satisfactory with the Premi test (< or = 100 microg kg(-1)). Performance in a proficiency test for the detection of sulphonamides in eggs with the Premi test confirmed these results. The detection capabilities of tetracycline and doxycycline were at the level of the MRL or twice the MRL maximum. The detection capabilities for chlortetracycline and oxytetracycline were higher (four to six times the MRL). The detection capabilities for amoxicillin, neomycin, tylosin and erythromycin were lower than their respective MRLs. Detection capabilities for sulphonamides were much lower for the ELISA kit than for microbiological tests. The ELISA kit could be recommended for the targeted screening of sulphonamides in eggs. On the other hand, the Explorer and Premi tests could be used as wide screening tests allowing the detection of most of the antimicrobial families.

Agglutination Assays of the Plasmodium falciparum-Infected Erythrocyte.

PubMed

Tan, Joshua; Bull, Peter C

2015-01-01

The agglutination assay is used to determine the ability of antibodies to recognize parasite variant antigens on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes. In this technique, infected erythrocytes are selectively labelled with a DNA-binding fluorescent dye and mixed with antibodies of interest to allow antibody-surface antigen binding. Recognition of surface antigens by the antibodies can result in the formation of agglutinates containing multiple parasite-infected erythrocytes. These can be viewed and quantified using a fluorescence microscope.

A novel flow cytometry-based assay for the quantification of antibody-dependent pneumococcal agglutination

PubMed Central

van der Gaast—de Jongh, Christa E.; Diavatopoulos, Dimitri A.; de Jonge, Marien I.

2017-01-01

The respiratory pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of diseases such as otitis media, pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis. The first step towards infection is colonization of the nasopharynx. Recently, it was shown that agglutinating antibodies play an important role in the prevention of mucosal colonization with S. pneumoniae. Here, we present a novel method to quantify antibody-dependent pneumococcal agglutination in a high-throughput manner using flow cytometry. We found that the concentration of agglutinating antibodies against pneumococcal capsule are directly correlated with changes in the size and complexity of bacterial aggregates, as measured by flow cytometry and confirmed by light microscopy. Using the increase in size, we determined the agglutination index. The cutoff value was set by measuring a series of non-agglutinating antibodies. With this method, we show that not only anti-polysaccharide capsule antibodies are able to induce agglutination but that also anti-PspA protein antibodies have agglutinating capabilities. In conclusion, we have described and validated a novel method to quantify pneumococcal agglutination, which can be used to screen sera from murine or human vaccination studies, in a high-throughput manner. PMID:28288168

Attitudes towards HIV testing via home-sampling kits ordered online (RUClear pilots 2011-12).

PubMed

Ahmed-Little, Y; Bothra, V; Cordwell, D; Freeman Powell, D; Ellis, D; Klapper, P; Scanlon, S; Higgins, S; Vivancos, R

2016-09-01

The burden of disease relating to undiagnosed HIV infection is significant in the UK. BHIVA (British HIV Association) recommends population screening in high prevalence areas, expanding outside traditional antenatal/GUM settings. RUClear 2011-12 piloted expanding HIV testing outside traditional settings using home-sampling kits (dry-blood-spot testing) ordered online. Greater Manchester residents (≥age 16) could request testing via an established, online chlamydia testing service (www.ruclear.co.uk). Participant attitudes towards this new service were assessed. Qualitative methods (thematic analysis) were used to analyse free-text data submitted by participants via hard copy questionnaires issued in all testing kits. 79.9% (2447/3062) participants completed questionnaires, of which 30.9% (756/2447) provided free-text data. Participants overwhelmingly supported the service, valuing particularly accessibility and convenience, allowing individuals to order tests any time of day and self-sample comfortably at home; avoiding the invasive nature of venipuncture and avoiding the need for face-to-face interaction with health services. The pilot was also clinically and cost-effective. Testing via home-sampling kits ordered online (dry-blood-spot testing) was felt to be an acceptable and convenient method for accessing a HIV test. Many individuals undertook HIV testing where they would otherwise not have been tested at all. Expansion of similar services may increase the uptake of HIV testing. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A comparison of sperm agglutination and immobilization assays with a quantitative ELISA for anti-sperm antibody in serum.

PubMed

Lynch, D M; Leali, B A; Howe, S E

1986-08-01

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that quantitates antisperm antibody in serum was compared with standard sperm agglutination and immobilization assays with the use of sera from 40 normal and 292 subfertile individuals. Quantitation of the assay was accomplished by standardizing assay parameters, including the incorporation of a standard reference curve, the number of whole target sperm, the optimal dilution of serum, the selection of microtiter plate, and the time and temperatures involved in the adsorption and incubation phases. With this method, the level of antisperm antibody binding to target sperm in 40 normal fertile individuals was found to be 2.3 (+/- 1.1 standard deviation [SD]) fg immunoglobulin (Ig)/sperm. An increased mean level of 7.4 +/- 3.7 fg Ig/sperm was determined in 84 infertile patients with positive agglutination and/or immobilization tests. In 208 individuals with negative agglutination and immobilization tests the mean concentration of antisperm antibody was 2.5 +/- 1.3 fg Ig/sperm. Postvasectomy patients assayed by this method had a mean Ig binding value of 7.1 +/- 2.4 fg Ig/sperm. The infertile group with positive agglutination and/or immobilization tests had a significantly higher mean antisperm antibody level than the normal fertile group, according to the Student's t-test for independent samples (P less than 0.001). This indirect serum-based assay reproducibly quantitates antisperm antibody binding to whole target sperm, suggests the normal and abnormal levels of antisperm antibody, and correlates with standard functional assays.

Agglutination of intravenously administered phosphatidylcholine-containing lipid emulsions with serum C-reactive protein.

PubMed

Tugirimana, Pierrot; Speeckaert, Marijn M; Fiers, Tom; De Buyzere, Marc L; Kint, Jos; Benoit, Dominique; Delanghe, Joris R

2013-04-01

C-reactive protein (CRP) is able to bind phospholipids in the presence of calcium. We wanted to investigate the reaction of CRP with various commercial fat emulsions and to explore the impact of CRP agglutination on serum CRP levels. Serum specimens were mixed with Intralipid 20% (soybean oil-based fat emulsion), Structolipid (structured oil-based fat emulsion), Omegaven (fish oil-based fat emulsion), or SMOFlipid (mixed soybean oil-, olive oil-, and fish oil-based emulsion) in Tris-calcium buffer (pH 7.5). After 30 minutes of incubation at 37°C, CRP-phospholipid complexes were turbidimetrically quantified and flow cytometric analysis was performed. Similarly, CRP complexes were monitored in vivo, following administration of fat emulsion. CRP was able to agglutinate phospholipid-containing lipid droplets present in the soybean oil-based fat emulsion and the structured oil-based fat emulsion. To a lesser extent, agglutination was observed for fish oil-containing fat emulsions, whereas no agglutination was noticed for the mixed soybean oil-, olive oil-, and fish oil-based emulsion. Results for propofol-containing emulsions were comparable. Agglutination correlated with phospholipid content of the emulsions. When in vivo agglutination occurred, plasma CRP values dropped due to consumption of CRP by phospholipid-induced agglutination. In this in vitro experiment, we demonstrated agglutination of CRP with phospholipids in various fat emulsions. Research studies are required in patients to determine which effects occur with various intravenous fat emulsions.

Benchmarking Tool Kit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canadian Health Libraries Association.

Nine Canadian health libraries participated in a pilot test of the Benchmarking Tool Kit between January and April, 1998. Although the Tool Kit was designed specifically for health libraries, the content and approach are useful to other types of libraries as well. Used to its full potential, benchmarking can provide a common measuring stick to…

Roche/BIOTECON Diagnostics LightCycler foodproof L. monocytogenes detection kit in combination with ShortPrep foodproof II Kit. Performance-Tested Method 070401.

PubMed

Junge, Benjamin; Berghof-Jäger, Kornelia

2006-01-01

A method was developed for the detection of L. monocytogenes in food based on real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This advanced PCR method was designed to reduce the time needed to achieve results from PCR reactions and to enable the user to monitor the amplification of the PCR product simultaneously, in real-time. After DNA isolation using the Roche/BIOTECON Diagnostics ShortPrep foodproof II Kit (formerly called Listeria ShortPrep Kit) designed for the rapid preparation of L. monocytogenes DNA for direct use in PCR, the real-time detection of L. monocytogenes DNA is performed by using the Roche/BIOTECON Diagnostics LightCycler foodproof L. monocytogenes Detection Kit. This kit provides primers and hybridization probes for sequence-specific detection, convenient premixed reagents, and different controls for reliable interpretation of results. For repeatability studies, 20 different foods, covering the 15 food groups recommended from the AOAC Research Institute (AOAC RI) for L. monocytogenes detection were analyzed: raw meats, fresh produce/vegetables, processed meats, seafood, egg and egg products, dairy (cultured/noncultured), spices, dry foods, fruit/juices, uncooked pasta, nuts, confectionery, pet food, food dyes and colorings, and miscellaneous. From each food 20, samples were inoculated with a low level (1-10 colony-forming units (CFU)/25 g) and 20 samples with a high level (10-50 CFU/25 g) of L. monocytogenes. Additionally, 5 uninoculated samples were prepared from each food. The food samples were examined with the test kits and in correlation with the cultural methods according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) or U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook. After 48 h of incubation, the PCR method in all cases showed equal or better results than the reference cultural FDA/BAM or USDA/FSIS methods. Fifteen out of 20 tested food types

Preventing Staphylococcus aureus Sepsis through the Inhibition of Its Agglutination in Blood

PubMed Central

McAdow, Molly; Kim, Hwan Keun; DeDent, Andrea C.; Hendrickx, Antoni P. A.; Schneewind, Olaf; Missiakas, Dominique M.

2011-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus infection is a frequent cause of sepsis in humans, a disease associated with high mortality and without specific intervention. When suspended in human or animal plasma, staphylococci are known to agglutinate, however the bacterial factors responsible for agglutination and their possible contribution to disease pathogenesis have not yet been revealed. Using a mouse model for S. aureus sepsis, we report here that staphylococcal agglutination in blood was associated with a lethal outcome of this disease. Three secreted products of staphylococci - coagulase (Coa), von Willebrand factor binding protein (vWbp) and clumping factor (ClfA) – were required for agglutination. Coa and vWbp activate prothrombin to cleave fibrinogen, whereas ClfA allowed staphylococci to associate with the resulting fibrin cables. All three virulence genes promoted the formation of thromboembolic lesions in heart tissues. S. aureus agglutination could be disrupted and the lethal outcome of sepsis could be prevented by combining dabigatran-etexilate treatment, which blocked Coa and vWbp activity, with antibodies specific for ClfA. Together these results suggest that the combined administration of direct thrombin inhibitors and ClfA-antibodies that block S. aureus agglutination with fibrin may be useful for the prevention of staphylococcal sepsis in humans. PMID:22028651

Preventing Staphylococcus aureus sepsis through the inhibition of its agglutination in blood.

PubMed

McAdow, Molly; Kim, Hwan Keun; Dedent, Andrea C; Hendrickx, Antoni P A; Schneewind, Olaf; Missiakas, Dominique M

2011-10-01

Staphylococcus aureus infection is a frequent cause of sepsis in humans, a disease associated with high mortality and without specific intervention. When suspended in human or animal plasma, staphylococci are known to agglutinate, however the bacterial factors responsible for agglutination and their possible contribution to disease pathogenesis have not yet been revealed. Using a mouse model for S. aureus sepsis, we report here that staphylococcal agglutination in blood was associated with a lethal outcome of this disease. Three secreted products of staphylococci--coagulase (Coa), von Willebrand factor binding protein (vWbp) and clumping factor (ClfA)--were required for agglutination. Coa and vWbp activate prothrombin to cleave fibrinogen, whereas ClfA allowed staphylococci to associate with the resulting fibrin cables. All three virulence genes promoted the formation of thromboembolic lesions in heart tissues. S. aureus agglutination could be disrupted and the lethal outcome of sepsis could be prevented by combining dabigatran-etexilate treatment, which blocked Coa and vWbp activity, with antibodies specific for ClfA. Together these results suggest that the combined administration of direct thrombin inhibitors and ClfA-antibodies that block S. aureus agglutination with fibrin may be useful for the prevention of staphylococcal sepsis in humans.

Latex agglutination test

MedlinePlus

... Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your ... saliva test. BLOOD TEST Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of ...

The latex agglutination test versus counterimmunoelectrophoresis for rapid diagnosis of bacterial meningitis

PubMed Central

Bortolussi, Robert; Wort, Arthur J.; Casey, Stephanie

1982-01-01

A modified latex agglutination (LA) test was compared with Gram-staining and counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) for the rapid detection in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of antigen to Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis groups A, B and C, Escherichia coli K1, Streptococcus pneumoniae and group B streptococci, seven frequent causes of bacterial meningitis in children. Of 50 CSF samples from patients with culture-proven bacterial meningitis 90% were correctly shown by the LA test to contain antigen of the responsible organism. Gram-staining revealed organisms in 80% of 45 of these samples. In 75% of the 40 samples that were of sufficient volume for CIE, positive results for the appropriate antigen were obtained. The concentration of antigen detected in the CSF by the LA test varied from undetectable to 800 000 ng/ml. Patients with a high concentration (more than 2000 ng/ml or a positive result at dilutions of CSF over 1/8) were significantly more likely to have a poor response to therapy (two died and two had persistent pleocytosis or bacteria in the CSF) than patients with a lower concentration (4/16 v. 0/18, P < 0.05). After appropriate therapy was begun the concentration of antigen fell dramatically, but measurable amounts of antigen persisted in the CSF for up to 6 days. The LA test detected bacterial antigen at concentrations 2 to 70 times below the lower limit detected by CIE. In seven additional patients who had received antibiotics before lumbar puncture was performed the LA test detected antigen from meningitis-causing bacteria even though cultures of the CSF were sterile. In another 145 patients who did not have meningitis the results of the LA test were negative. The LA test, done as described in this article, is easier to perform than CIE and should be a useful addition to the diagnostic tests carried out on the CSF of any patient suspected of having meningitis. PMID:6749272

Forgotten evidence: A mixed methods study of why sexual assault kits (SAKs) are not submitted for DNA forensic testing.

PubMed

Campbell, Rebecca; Fehler-Cabral, Giannina; Bybee, Deborah; Shaw, Jessica

2017-10-01

Throughout the United States, hundreds of thousands of sexual assault kits (SAKs) (also termed "rape kits") have not been submitted by the police for forensic DNA testing. DNA evidence can help sexual assault investigations and prosecutions by identifying offenders, revealing serial offenders through DNA matches across cases, and exonerating those who have been wrongly accused. In this article, we describe a 5-year action research project conducted with 1 city that had large numbers of untested SAKs-Detroit, Michigan-and our examination into why thousands of rape kits in this city were never submitted for forensic DNA testing. This mixed methods study combined ethnographic observations and qualitative interviews to identify stakeholders' perspectives as to why rape kits were not routinely submitted for testing. Then, we quantitatively examined whether these factors may have affected police practices regarding SAK testing, as evidenced by predictable changes in SAK submission rates over time. Chronic resource scarcity only partially explained why the organizations that serve rape victims-the police, crime lab, prosecution, and victim advocacy-could not test all rape kits, investigate all reported sexual assaults, and support all rape survivors. SAK submission rates significantly increased once criminal justice professionals in this city had full access to the FBI DNA forensic database Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), but even then, most SAKs were still not submitted for DNA testing. Building crime laboratories' capacities for DNA testing and training police on the utility of forensic evidence and best practices in sexual assault investigations can help remedy, and possibly prevent, the problem of untested rape kits. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Perceived Cost Advantages and Disadvantages of Purchasing HIV Self-Testing Kits among Urban Tanzanian Men: An Inductive Content Analysis.

PubMed

Jennings, Larissa; Conserve, Donaldson F; Merrill, Jamison; Kajula, Lusajo; Iwelunmor, Juliet; Linnemayr, Sebastian; Maman, Suzanne

2017-08-01

Impoverished men have lower rates of facility-based HIV counseling and testing and higher unknown HIV-positive status than women. Economic theory suggests that individuals will obtain an HIV test if anticipated benefits are greater than anticipated costs. Yet, few studies have investigated the range of financial preferences of HIV self-testing (HIVST) among poor men who decline testing or do not test regularly. Twenty-three interviews were conducted to qualitatively assess perceived costs saved and costs incurred from use of HIVST kits in infrequently- or never-tested Tanzanian men. All men were shown an HIVST kit and video. They were then asked about the costs associated with provider-led HIV testing, financial benefits and concerns of HIVST and willingness to pay for HIVST. Data were transcribed, coded and analyzed using inductive content analyses. We then grouped codes into perceived cost advantages and disadvantages and tabulated the range of prices men were willing to pay for a self-test kit. Perceived cost advantages of HIVST were avoidance of spending money to test in facilities, omission of follow-up fees, affordability relative to private clinics, and increased time for earning income and other activities. Men also discussed the imbalance of the financial benefit of accessing free, public HIV testing with the resources spent for transport, purchasing meals away from home and long wait lines. Perceived cost disadvantages of HIVST were prohibitive kit costs, required prior savings to purchase kits, expenditures relating to death and preferences for free provider-performed testing. Men were also concerned about the psychological costs of inaccurate results. HIVST willingness to pay varied among men. Men's decisions to self-test for HIV takes into account expected financial gains and losses. Demand generation for HIVST among men should consider use of low fees or free HIVST, while emphasizing potential savings from reduced travel, clinical costs, or time way

[EIA-IgG antibody measles prevention level estimated from measles neutralizing, particle agglutination and hemagglutination-inhibition antibody titer].

PubMed

Takayama, Naohide; Saika, Shizuko; Ichinohe, Sadato

2009-09-01

Measles hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titer, widely used in clinical practice to simply and easily determine the measles immunity level has, in recent years, been increasingly replaced by measles IgG-antibody titer determined by enzyme-immunoassay (EIA). HI antibody titer appears to reflect this protective level, because HI measures the antibody against H protein required for the measles virus to adhere to host cells. EIA-IgG antibody titer does not correlate with the protective level, similar to particle agglutination (PA) titer, because EIA measures different antibodies, including those unrelated to measles protection. After determining HI, PA, neutralizing test (NT) results, and EIA-IgG antibody titer for individual specimens, we compared EIA-IgG antibody titer obtained using an EIA-Kit (Denka Seiken) to HI, PA, and NT titer with the following results: (1) Subjects with EIA-IgG titer of > or = 12.0 may be protected against measles: (2) Subjects with EIA-IgG titer of 4.0 to 8.0 appear to be protected insufficiently requiring a booster dose against measles: (3) Subjects with EIA-IgG titer of 8.0 to 12.0 may benefit from booster vaccination.

A multisite trial comparing two cytomegalovirus (CMV) pp65 antigenemia test kits, biotest CMV brite and Bartels/Argene CMV antigenemia.

PubMed

St George, K; Boyd, M J; Lipson, S M; Ferguson, D; Cartmell, G F; Falk, L H; Rinaldo, C R; Landry, M L

2000-04-01

A total of 513 blood specimens, predominantly from organ transplant recipients, human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients, and bone marrow transplant recipients, were tested for cytomegalovirus (CMV) by culture and pp65 antigenemia across four test sites. Peripheral blood leukocytes were examined by using both the Biotest CMV Brite and the Bartels/Argene CMV Antigenemia kits. A total of 109 specimens were positive for CMV, 106 (97%) were positive by antigenemia, and 34 (31%) were positive by culture. According to the manufacturers' instructions, 150,000 cells were applied per slide for the Biotest kit and 200,000 cells per slide for the Bartels kit. A total of 93 specimens (88%) were positive by the Biotest kit, and 86 (81%) were positive by the Bartels kit. In specimens found to be positive by only one kit, the positive cell counts were low (median, 1; range, 1 to 7). When the data from all four sites were combined and analyzed, there was no statistical difference between the performance of the two kits; the Biotest and Bartels kits were found to be equivalent in sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for the detection of CMV pp65 antigenemia.

Evolution of Shock Melt Compositions in Lunar Agglutinates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vance, A. M.; Christoffersen, R.; Keller, L. P.

2015-01-01

Lunar agglutinates are aggregates of regolith grains fused together in a glassy matrix of shock melt produced during smaller-scale (mostly micrometeorite) impacts. Agglutinate formation is a key space weathering process under which the optically-active component of nanophase metallic Fe (npFe(sup 0)) is added to the lunar regolith. Here we have used energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) compositional spectrum imaging in the SEM to quantify the chemical homogeneity of agglutinitic glass, correlate its homogeneity to its parent soil maturity, and identify the principle chemical components contributing to the shock melt compositional variations.

Determination of degree of RBC agglutination for blood typing using a small quantity of blood sample in a microfluidic system.

PubMed

Chang, Yaw-Jen; Ho, Ching-Yuan; Zhou, Xin-Miao; Yen, Hsiu-Rong

2018-04-15

Blood typing assay is a critical test to ensure the serological compatibility of a donor and an intended recipient prior to a blood transfusion. This paper presents a microfluidic blood typing system using a small quantity of blood sample to determine the degree of agglutination of red blood cell (RBC). Two measuring methods were proposed: impedimetric measurement and electroanalytical measurement. The charge transfer resistance in the impedimetric measurement and the power parameter in the electroanalytical measurement were used for the analysis of agglutination level. From the experimental results, both measuring methods provide quantitative results, and the parameters are linearly and monotonically related to the degree of RBC agglutination. However, the electroanalytical measurement is more reliable than the impedimetric technique because the impedimetric measurement may suffer from many influencing factors, such as chip conditions. Five levels from non-agglutination (level 0) to strong agglutination (level 4+) can be discriminated in this study, conforming to the clinical requirement to prevent any risks in transfusion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tailgate test kit for determining appropriate sediment reducing chemicals and dose rates : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-07-01

This study develops a Tailgate Test Kit to be used in the field to test flocculants for reducing turbidity in construction stormwater discharge. Turbidity of stormwater runoff at construction sites varies depending on which site soils are exposed to ...

Agglutinates as recorders of regolith evolution - Application to the Apollo 17 drill core

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laul, J. C.; Smith, M. R.; Papike, J. J.; Simon, S. B.

1984-01-01

Chemical data are reported for agglutinates from 26 depth intervals of the Apollo 17 deep drill core, and the compositions of the agglutinates are compared with those of the soils in which they occur. The agglutinate sequence suggests a scenario in which several closely-spaced depositional events were involved in the formation of the drill core, rather than a continuous accumulation process.

Agglutinates as recorders of regolith evolution - Application to the Apollo 17 drill core

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Laul, J.C.; Smith, M.R.

1984-11-15

Chemical data are reported for agglutinates from 26 depth intervals of the Apollo 17 deep drill core, and the compositions of the agglutinates are compared with those of the soils in which they occur. The agglutinate sequence suggests a scenario in which several closely-spaced depositional events were involved in the formation of the drill core, rather than a continuous accumulation process.

Lack of chemical fractionation in major and minor elements during agglutinate formation. [in lunar soil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hu, H.-N.; Taylor, L. A.

1977-01-01

Rhodes et al. (1975, 1976) and Adams et al. (1975) have reported that the agglutinate fraction of the soils on the lunar surface displays a marked enrichment in Fe, Mg, Ti, K, and La, and a depletion in Ca, Na, Al, and Eu, relative to the bulk soils. The reported investigation is concerned with a testing of the theory of chemical fractionation involving magnetic separation which was developed in connection with these findings. Soils 64421 and 71501 were sieved and the magnetic fractions separated according to the method developed by Adams and McCord (1973). Analyses of agglutinitic glass did not indicate any appreciable chemical fractionation for the major and minor elements accompanying the agglutination process. It was found that most, if not all fractionations reported can be accounted for completely by the magnetic nonagglutinate impurities in the agglutinate fraction. It is, therefore, concluded that there appears to be no reason to make use of any chemical fractionation theory, whose validity remains to be demonstrated.

Techni-kits and Techni-kit Building Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callender, E. D.; Hartsough, C.; Morris, R. V.; Yamamoto, Y.

1985-01-01

Techni-kits consists of theories, methods, standards and computer based tools that assist in design of information-intensive systems. Techni-kit "building system" is techni-kit that builds techni-kits.

Typing of Haemophilus influenzae by Coagglutination and Conventional Slide Agglutination

PubMed Central

Shively, Roxanne G.; Shigel, Janet T.; Peterson, Ellena M.; De La Maza, Luis M.

1981-01-01

Coagglutination was compared with conventional slide agglutination for the typing of 297 clinical isolates of Haemophilus sp. A 100% correlation was found with the H. influenzae type b isolates. Coagglutination showed no false-positive reactions with the nontypable strains of H. influenzae and H. parainfluenzae isolates; however, conventional slide agglutination exhibited many false-positive and non-interpretable reactions. PMID:6977555

Development and testing of monoclonal antibody-based rapid immunodiagnostic test kits for direct detection of Vibrio cholerae O139 synonym Bengal.

PubMed

Hasan, J A; Huq, A; Nair, G B; Garg, S; Mukhopadhyay, A K; Loomis, L; Bernstein, D; Colwell, R R

1995-11-01

We report on the development and testing of two monoclonal antibody-based rapid immunodiagnostic test kits, BengalScreen, a coagglutination test, and Bengal DFA, a direct fluorescent-antibody test, for direct detection of Vibrio cholerae O139 synonym Bengal in clinical and environmental specimens. The BengalScreen test requires less than 5 min to complete and can be used in the field. Bengal DFA, being more sensitive than BengalScreen, requires only one reagent and less than 20 min for detection and enumeration of V. cholerae O139 synonym Bengal. In tests for specificity, all 40 strains of V. cholerae O139 reacted with both test kits, whereas 157 strains of heterologous species examined did not, yielding 100% specificity in this study. A field trial was conducted in with both BengalScreen and Bengal DFA, and the results were compared with those obtained by conventional culture methods. BengalScreen demonstrated a sensitivity of 95%, a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100%, and a negative predictive value of 94%. Results obtained by Bengal DFA, on the other hand, were 100% sensitive and 100% specific and yielded 100% positive and negative predictive values compared with culture methods. In a second evaluation, 93 stool specimens from Mexico that were negative for V. cholerae O139 by culture were also tested with both the BengalScreen and Bengal DFA kits. None of the 93 specimens were positive for V. cholerae O139 by both tests. A concentration method was optimized for screening of environmental water samples for V. cholerae O139 synonym Bengal with rapid test kits. BengalScreen results were unequivocally positive when water samples contained at least 2.0 x 10(3) CFU/ml, whereas Bengal DFA demonstrated an unequivocally positive reaction when the water sample contained at least 1.5 x 10(2) CFU/ml. When Bengal DFA was compared with conventional culture methods for enumeration of V. cholerae O139 synonym Bengal organisms, no difference was observed.

Perceived Cost Advantages and Disadvantages of Purchasing HIV Self-Testing Kits among Urban Tanzanian Men: An Inductive Content Analysis

PubMed Central

Jennings, Larissa; Conserve, Donaldson F; Merrill, Jamison; Kajula, Lusajo; Iwelunmor, Juliet; Linnemayr, Sebastian; Maman, Suzanne

2017-01-01

Impoverished men have lower rates of facility-based HIV counseling and testing and higher unknown HIV-positive status than women. Economic theory suggests that individuals will obtain an HIV test if anticipated benefits are greater than anticipated costs. Yet, few studies have investigated the range of financial preferences of HIV self-testing (HIVST) among poor men who decline testing or do not test regularly. Twenty-three interviews were conducted to qualitatively assess perceived costs saved and costs incurred from use of HIVST kits in infrequently- or never-tested Tanzanian men. All men were shown an HIVST kit and video. They were then asked about the costs associated with provider-led HIV testing, financial benefits and concerns of HIVST and willingness to pay for HIVST. Data were transcribed, coded and analyzed using inductive content analyses. We then grouped codes into perceived cost advantages and disadvantages and tabulated the range of prices men were willing to pay for a self-test kit. Perceived cost advantages of HIVST were avoidance of spending money to test in facilities, omission of follow-up fees, affordability relative to private clinics, and increased time for earning income and other activities. Men also discussed the imbalance of the financial benefit of accessing free, public HIV testing with the resources spent for transport, purchasing meals away from home and long wait lines. Perceived cost disadvantages of HIVST were prohibitive kit costs, required prior savings to purchase kits, expenditures relating to death and preferences for free provider-performed testing. Men were also concerned about the psychological costs of inaccurate results. HIVST willingness to pay varied among men. Men’s decisions to self-test for HIV takes into account expected financial gains and losses. Demand generation for HIVST among men should consider use of low fees or free HIVST, while emphasizing potential savings from reduced travel, clinical costs, or time way

Field kit and method for testing for the presence of gunshot residue

DOEpatents

Rodacy, Philip J.; Walker, Pamela K.

2003-09-02

A field test kit for gunshot residue comprises a container having at least compartments separated by a barrier. A surface is tested by wiping it with a swab and placing the swab in a first compartment. The barrier is then breached, permitting reagent in the second compartment to flow onto the swab. The first compartment is transparent, and a color change will be observed if the reagent reacts with gunshot residue.

Agglutination of human erythrocytes by the interaction of Zn(2+)ion with histidine-651 on the extracellular domain of band 3.

PubMed

Kiyotake, Kento; Ochiai, Hideharu; Yamaguchi, Takeo

2016-05-01

Clustering of band 3, chloride/bicarbonate exchanger, has been reported in Zn(2+)-treated human erythrocytes. However, the agglutination of human erythrocytes is also induced by the interaction of Zn(2+)ion with histidine on band 3. Identification of histidine that interacts with Zn(2+)ion remains to be determined. The Zn(2+)-induced agglutination of human erythrocytes was unaffected by chymotrypsin cleavage of the small loop region containing His-547 in the extracellular domain of band 3. On the other hand, papain digestion of the large loop region containing His-651 in band 3 inhibited such Zn(2+)-induced agglutination. Moreover, Zn(2+)-induced erythrocyte agglutination was inhibited by the peptide (ARGWVIHPLG) containing His-651, but not by the peptide such as ARGWVIRPLG, which His-651 was substituted by arginine. Among 10 kinds of animal erythrocytes tested, interestingly, no agglutination by Zn(2+)ions was observed in cow cells only that the forth amino acid in the upstream from His-669 on the large loop of cow band 3 is aspartate (Asp-665) instead of glycine. As expected, the agglutination of human erythrocytes by Zn(2+) ions was inhibited in the presence of aspartate. These data indicate that the interaction of Zn(2+) ion with His-651 residue of band 3 plays an important role in the Zn(2+)-induced agglutination of human erythrocytes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of an Immunocapture-Agglutination Test (Brucellacapt) for Serodiagnosis of Human Brucellosis

PubMed Central

Orduña, Antonio; Almaraz, Ana; Prado, Ana; Gutierrez, M. Purificación; Garcia-Pascual, Agustina; Dueñas, Ana; Cuervo, Milagros; Abad, Ramon; Hernández, Beatriz; Lorenzo, Belen; Bratos, Miguel A.; Torres, Antonio Rodriguez

2000-01-01

We evaluated the validity and the usefulness of a new test for the diagnosis of human brucellosis based on an immunocapture-agglutination technique. A total of 315 sera from 82 patients with a diagnosis of brucellosis, 157 sera from patients in whom brucellosis was suspected but not confirmed, and 412 sera from people living in rural areas with endemic brucellosis were studied. The seroagglutination test (SAT), Coombs anti-Brucella test, and Brucellacapt test were evaluated. All the initial sera from the 82 patients proved to be positive in Brucellacapt and Coombs tests, while only 75 (91.4%) were positive in the SAT. If a ≥1/160 diagnostic threshold titer was defined for the Brucellacapt test, Coombs test, and SAT, the sensitivities were 95.1, 91.5, and 65.8%, respectively. Taking the same diagnostic threshold titer for the 157 sera from the unconfirmed but suspected patients, the specificities of the Brucellacapt, Coombs, and SAT were 81.5, 96.2, and 100%, respectively; for the 412 control sera, the specificities were 99.0, 99.8, and 100%. The diagnostic efficiency (area below the receiver operating characteristic curve) of Brucellacapt was 0.987852 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.95109 to 0.99286), very similar to the diagnostic efficiency of the Coombs test (0.97611; 95% CI, 0.94781 to 0.99146) and higher than that of SAT (0.91013; 95% CI, 0.86649 to 0.94317). The results of the Brucellacapt test were compared with those of the Coombs test (correlation coefficient, 0.956; P = 0.000) and SAT (correlation coefficient, 0.866; P = 0.000). The study shows very good correlation between the Brucellacapt and Coombs tests, with a high concordance between titers obtained in the two tests. Nevertheless, lower correlation and concordance were found between the Brucellacapt and Coombs tests when the results for titers of ≥1/160 were compared (0.692; P = 0.000). In acute brucellosis, the Brucellacapt and Coombs tests render positive titers of ≥1/160. When the titers

InstantLabs Listeria monocytogenes food safety kit. Performance tested method 051304.

PubMed

Sharma, Neil; Bambusch, Lauren; Le, Thu; Morey, Amit

2014-01-01

The InstantLabs Listeria monocytogenes Food Safety Kit was validated against the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) reference method 11290-1 for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species. The matrixes (stainless steel, sealed concrete, ice cream, whole milk, cheddar cheese, raw shrimp, hot dogs, deli turkey, and lettuce) were inoculated with approximately 1 CFU/test portion of L. monocytogenes to generate fractional positives (5-15) in 20 inoculated samples. Enrichments were also fractionally inoculated with L. grayii for side-by-side testing of the Listeria Species Food Safety Kit. Stainless steel and sealed concrete samples were validated using 4 x 4" and 1 x 1 " test areas, respectively, and enriched in Buffered Listeria Enrichment Broth (BLEB) at 35 +/- 1degreesC for 22-28 h. All food samples were tested at 25 g and enriched in BLEB at 35 +/- 1 degreesC for 24-28 h. All samples were confirmed using the ISO reference method, regardless of initial screen result. The InstantLabs test method performed as well as or better than the reference method for the detection of L. monocytogenes on stainless steel and sealed concrete and in ice cream, whole milk, cheddar cheese, raw shrimp, hot dogs, deli turkey, and lettuce. Inclusivity and exclusivity testing revealed no false negatives and no false positives among the 50 L. monocytogenes serovars and 30 non-L. monocytogenes species examined. The method was shown to be robust when the enrichment times, volumes for DNA extraction, and heat block times were varied.

Passive immunization with Leptospira LPS-specific agglutinating but not non-agglutinating monoclonal antibodies protect guinea pigs from fatal pulmonary hemorrhages induced by serovar Copenhageni challenge.

PubMed

Challa, Sreerupa; Nally, Jarlath E; Jones, Carroll; Sheoran, Abhineet S

2011-06-15

Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni causes pulmonary hemorrhages with respiratory failure, a major cause of death in leptospirosis patients. Protective immunity to Leptospira is known to correlate with the production of leptospiral lipopolysaccharide (L-LPS)-specific agglutinating antibodies. We generated L-LPS-specific mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and investigated if these MAbs can protect guinea pigs against fatal pulmonary hemorrhages caused by serovar Copenhageni. The MAbs L8H4 and L9B11 against 22kDa L-LPS agglutinated leptospires and completely protected guinea pigs from the development of fatal pulmonary hemorrhages by serovar Copenhageni, whereas the MAb L4C1 against 8kDa L-LPS neither agglutinated the bacteria nor protected the animals against the fatal pulmonary hemorrhages. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An integrated fiberoptic-microfluidic device for agglutination detection and blood typing.

PubMed

Ramasubramanian, Melur K; Alexander, Stewart P

2009-02-01

In this paper, an integrated fiberoptic-microfluidic device for the detection of agglutination for blood type cross-matching has been described. The device consists of a straight microfluidic channel through with a reacted RBC suspension is pumped with the help of a syringe pump. The flow intersects an optical path created by an emitter-received fiber optic pair integrated into the microfluidic device. A 650 nm laser diode is used as the light source and a silicon photodiode is used to detect the light intensity. The spacing between the tips of the two optic fibers can be adjusted. When fiber spacing is large and the concentration of the suspension is high, scattering phenomenon becomes the dominant mechanism for agglutination detection while at low concentrations and small spacing, optointerruption becomes the dominant mechanism. An agglutination strength factor (ASF) is calculated from the data. Studies with a variety of blood types indicate that the sensing method correctly identifies the agglutination reaction in all cases. A disposable integrated device can be designed for future implementation of the method for near-bedside pre-transfusion check.

AN ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION (ETV) TESTING OF ENZYMATIC TEST KITS FOR WARFARE AGENTS AND PESTICIDES IN DRINKING WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Enzymatic test kits, generally designed to be handheld and portable, detect the presence of chemical agents, carbamate pesticides, and/or organophosphate pesticides by relying on the reaction of the cholinesterase enzyme. Under normal conditions, the enzyme reacts as expected wi...

Preappointment testing for BRAF/KIT mutation in advanced melanoma: a model in molecular data delivery for individualized medicine.

PubMed

Mounajjed, Taofic; Brown, Char L; Stern, Therese K; Bjorheim, Annette M; Bridgeman, Andrew J; Rumilla, Kandelaria M; McWilliams, Robert R; Flotte, Thomas J

2014-11-01

The emergence of individualized medicine is driven by developments in precision diagnostics, epitomized by molecular testing. Because treatment decisions are being made based on such molecular data, data management is gaining major importance. Among data management challenges, creating workflow solutions for timely delivery of molecular data has become pivotal. This study aims to design and implement a scalable process that permits preappointment BRAF/KIT mutation analysis in melanoma patients, allowing molecular results necessary for treatment plans to be available before the patient's appointment. Process implementation aims to provide a model for efficient molecular data delivery for individualized medicine. We examined the existing process of BRAF/KIT testing in melanoma patients visiting our institution for oncology consultation. We created 5 working groups, each designing a specific segment of an alternative process that would allow preappointment BRAF/KIT testing and delivery of results. Data were captured and analyzed to evaluate the success of the alternative process. For 1 year, 35 (59%) of 55 patients had prior BRAF/KIT testing. The remaining 20 patients went through the new process of preappointment testing; results were available at the time of appointment for 12 patients (overall preappointment results availability, 85.5%). The overall process averaged 13.4 ± 4.7 days. In conclusion, we describe the successful implementation of a scalable workflow solution that permits preappointment BRAF/KIT mutation analysis and result delivery in melanoma patients. This sets the stage for further applications of this model to other conditions, answering an increasing demand for robust delivery of molecular data for individualized medicine. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Report on the State of Development, Availability, Evaluation, and Future use of Test Kits for the Measurement of Lead in Paint

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this issue paper is to address the availability and performance characteristics of portable lead test kits especially suited for lead in paint, procedures for evaluating the performance of these test kits, and the availability of performance evaluation (PE) materia...

Community-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Rural Population: Who Returns Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) Kits?

PubMed

Crosby, Richard A; Stradtman, Lindsay; Collins, Tom; Vanderpool, Robin

2017-09-01

To determine the return rate of community-delivered fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kits in a rural population and to identify significant predictors of returning kits. Residents were recruited in 8 rural Kentucky counties to enroll in the study and receive an FIT kit. Of 345 recruited, 82.0% returned an FIT kit from the point of distribution. These participants were compared to the remainder relative to age, sex, marital status, having an annual income below $15,000, not graduating from high school, not having a regular health care provider, not having health care coverage, being a current smoker, indicating current overweight or obese status, and a scale measure of fatalism pertaining to colorectal cancer. Predictors achieving significance at the bivariate level were entered into a stepwise logistic regression model to calculate adjusted OR and 95% CI. The return rate was 82.0%. In adjusted analyses, those indicating an annual income of less than $15,000 were 2.85 times more likely to return their kits (95% CI: 1.56-5.24; P < .001). Also, those not perceiving themselves to be overweight/obese were 1.95 times more likely to return their kits (95% CI: 1.07-3.55; P = .029). An outreach-based colorectal cancer screening program in a rural population may yield high return rates. People with annual incomes below $15,000 and those not having perceptions of being overweight/obese may be particularly likely to return FIT kits. © 2016 National Rural Health Association.

49 CFR 173.161 - Chemical kits and first aid kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Chemical kits and first aid kits. 173.161 Section... Class 7 § 173.161 Chemical kits and first aid kits. (a) Chemical kits and First aid kits must conform to... 10 kg. (b) Chemical kits and First aid kits are excepted from the specification packaging...

Anejaculation following spinal cord injury does not induce sperm-agglutinating antibodies.

PubMed

Dahlberg, A; Hovatta, O

1989-02-01

Antisperm antibodies were tested for by the MAR-test and the tray agglutination test in 16 men with spinal cord injury. None of these men could ejaculate without artificial methods. Seven men ejaculated externally by vibrator stimulation or electroejaculation, while seven exhibited retrograde ejaculation; in two cases no semen was obtained. Sperm density in the external ejaculations was high (average = 405 x 10(6)/ml), with 10-45% motility. None of these 16 men had antisperm antibodies. This result indicates that anejaculation and sperm retention in men with spinal cord injury, even of 30 years duration, does not result in antisperm antibody formation.

49 CFR 173.161 - Chemical kits and first aid kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Chemical kits and first aid kits. 173.161 Section... Class 7 § 173.161 Chemical kits and first aid kits. (a) Applicability. Chemical kits and first aid kits... assigned to the chemical kit and first aid kit as a whole must be the most stringent packing group assigned...

Advantage of using a home-made ELISA kit for detection of Helicobacter pylori infection over commercially imported kits.

PubMed

Mohammadi, M; Talebkhan, Y; Khalili, G; Mahboudi, F; Massarrat, S; Zamaninia, L; Oghalaei, A

2008-01-01

To evaluate a home-made ELISA kit for detection of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and comparison of its immunologic criteria with those of foreign commercial kits. A home-made IgG ELISA kit was developed using soluble antigenic fractions of Hp proteins. Confirmed sera were tested and serological criteria were evaluated through assessment of 199 serum samples. The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity values of home-made kit were 92, 92 and 90.4%, respectively. These immunologic criteria for Trinity kit were 95.2, 95.2 and 95% in comparison with IBL kit (91.3, 92.2 and 88.5%), BIOHIT kit (72.4, 41.6 and 94.1%) and HelicoBlot2.1 (94.2, 93.4 and 100%). Kappa agreement assessment demonstrated that two of the imported ELISA kits had fair to moderate agreement with the home-made kit while the other one had a poor agreement value. Apart from comparable values between the home-made kit and the most efficient imported kit (Trinity) there was significant cost benefit. Therefore, we recommend the home-made kit as a suitable substitution for detection of Hp infection in the Iranian population.

10 CFR Appendix V to Subpart B of... - Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Ceiling Fan Light Kits

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... with ceiling fan light kits that have medium screw base sockets shall conform to the requirements... testing pin-based fluorescent lamps packaged with ceiling fan light kits that have pin-based sockets shall... base sockets, measure the efficacy, expressed in lumens per watt, in accordance with the test...

Evaluation of a latex agglutination assay for the identification of Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei.

PubMed

Duval, Brea D; Elrod, Mindy G; Gee, Jay E; Chantratita, Narisara; Tandhavanant, Sarunporn; Limmathurotsakul, Direk; Hoffmaster, Alex R

2014-06-01

Cases of melioidosis and glanders are rare in the United States, but the etiologic agents of each disease (Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei, respectively) are classified as Tier 1 select agents because of concerns about their potential use as bioterrorism agents. A rapid, highly sensitive, and portable assay for clinical laboratories and field use is required. Our laboratory has further evaluated a latex agglutination assay for its ability to identify B. pseudomallei and B. mallei isolates. This assay uses a monoclonal antibody that specifically recognizes the capsular polysaccharide produced by B. pseudomallei and B. mallei, but is absent in closely related Burkholderia species. A total of 110 B. pseudomallei and B. mallei were tested, and 36 closely related Burkholderia species. The latex agglutination assay was positive for 109 of 110 (99.1% sensitivity) B. pseudomallei and B. mallei isolates tested. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

STUDIES OF ANTIGENIC DIFFERENCES AMONG STRAINS OF INFLUENZA A BY MEANS OF RED CELL AGGLUTINATION

PubMed Central

Hirst, George K.

1943-01-01

A study of cross inhibition tests among strains of influenza A virus and their antisera showed that the results obtained were subject to a certain amount of variation due to the red cells, the virus suspensions, and the ferret antisera employed. Methods have been demonstrated for handling the data obtained from such tests, so that these variables were corrected or avoided, making it possible to use the agglutination technique for antigenic comparisons. The antigenic pattern of eighteen strains of influenza A virus, obtained from the 1940–41 epidemic in the United States, has been compared by means of agglutination inhibition tests with ferret antisera. No significant antigenic differences were found among sixteen of these strains (all isolated from throat washings by the inoculation of chick embryos) although they were obtained from individuals in widely separated regions of the country. Two strains, from cases occurring early in the epidemic and isolated from throat washings by ferret and mouse passage, showed a slight but significant strain difference from the other strains and from each other. One of the 1940–41 strains on cross test resembled the PR8 strain more closely than any other stock strain tested. PMID:19871338

Psychometric Properties of the Concept Assessment Kit-Conservation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehnert, Linda; And Others

1986-01-01

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Educational and Industrial Testing Service Concept Assessment Kit-Conservation (EITS Kit). Presented are an overview of the concept of conservation, a description of the EITS Kit, and results of the study. (MT)

Studying red blood cell agglutination by measuring membrane viscosity with optical tweezers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandes, Heloise P.; Fontes, Adriana; de Thomaz, André A.; Barbosa, Luiz C.; Barjas-Castro, Maria L.; Cesar, Carlos L.

2007-09-01

The red blood cell (RBC) viscoelastic membrane contains proteins and glycoproteins embedded in a fluid lipid bilayer that are responsible for cell agglutination. Manipulating RBCs rouleaux with a double optical tweezers, we observed that the cells slide easily one over the others but are strongly connected by their edges. An explanation for this behavior could be the fact that when the cells slide one over the others, proteins are dragged through the membrane. It confers to the movement a viscous characteristic that is dependent of the velocity between the RBCs and justifies why is so easy to slide them apart. Therefore, in a first step of this work, by measuring the force as a function of the relative velocity between two cells, we confirmed this assumption and used this viscous characteristic of the RBC rouleaux to determine the apparent membrane viscosity of the cell. As this behavior is related to the proteins interactions, we can use the apparent membrane viscosity to obtain a better understanding about cell agglutination. Methods related to cell agglutination induced by antigen-antibody interactions are the basis of most of tests used in transfusion centers. Then, in a second step of this work, we measured the apparent membrane viscosity using antibodies. We observed that this methodology is sensitive to different kinds of bindings between RBCs. Better comprehension of the forces and bindings between RBCs could improve the sensibility and specificity of the hemagglutination reactions and also guides the development of new potentiator substances.

Evaluation of a rapid immunodiagnostic test kit for rabies virus.

PubMed

Kang, BoKyu; Oh, JinSik; Lee, ChulSeung; Park, Bong-Kyun; Park, YoungNam; Hong, KyungSoo; Lee, KyungGi; Cho, ByungKi; Song, DaeSub

2007-10-01

A rapid immunodiagnostic test kit for rabies virus detection was evaluated using 51 clinical samples and 4 isolates of rabies virus. The quick detection of rabies virus under field conditions may be helpful in determining if post-exposure prophylaxis is needed, thereby avoiding unnecessary treatments, as well as undue economic burden. There are several widely used diagnostic methods for rabies, including fluorescent antibody tests, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and electron microscopy; however, these methods include time-consuming, intricate, and costly procedures. The rapid immunodiagnostic test was able to detect rabies virus in clinical samples, including brain tissue and saliva, in addition to 10(3.2) 50% lethal dose (LD(50))/mL cell-adapted rabies virus. The assay was not cross-reactive with non-rabies virus microbes. When the performance of the rapid immunodiagnostic test was compared to a fluorescent antibody test, the rapid immunodiagnostic test had a sensitivity of 91.7% and specificity of 100% (95.8% CI).

Developing Save Your Food Kit (Sayofu Kit) to Support Inquiry, Improve Student Learning Outcomes at SMP Plus Hidayatul Mubtadiin and Public Awareness on Food Additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astutik, J.

2017-02-01

Food additives are materials that can not be separated from the lives of students and the community. Based on the preliminary questionnaire, it indicates the lack of kit supporting material additives in some schools and communities. The research objectives of this development are (1) to develop Kit experiment (SAYOFU KIT) and supplementary books to improve student learning outcomes in the classroom and public awareness on food additives (2) to describe the feasibility and potential effectiveness of SAYOFU KIT developed (3) to analyze the practice of SAYOFU KIT and benefits for students and the community. This development study uses 4-D models Thiagarajan, et al (1974). Through some stages, they are: defining, designing, developing and disseminating which involes the students and community. The developed SAYOFU KIT includes additives sample kit, borax test kit, curcumin test kit, formaldehyde test kit, modification heater to the identification of dyes and dye test paper. The study is conducted at SMP Plus Hidayatul Mubtadiin, and TKIT Al Uswah. The products are validated by experts and education practitioners. Qualitative data processing uses descriptive method, whereas quantitative data by using the N-gain. The average yield of expert validation of SAYOFU KIT with supplementary books 76.50% teacher’s book and 76.30% student’s book are eligible. The average yield of 96.81% validation of educational practitioners criteria, piloting a small group of 83.15%, and 82.89% field trials are very decent. The average yield on the student questionnaire responses SAYOFU kit and supplementary book is 87.6% with the criteria very well worth it. N-Gain 0:56 cognitive achievement with the criteria enough. The results of the public poll showed 95% feel the benefits SAYOFU kits for testing food. Based from description indicates that SAYOFU Kit developed feasible, practical, useful to support inquiry learning and improve student learning outcomes as well as public awareness of

eTEST: Developing a Smart Home HIV Testing Kit that Enables Active, Real-Time Follow-Up and Referral After Testing.

PubMed

Wray, Tyler; Chan, Philip A; Simpanen, Erik; Operario, Don

2017-05-08

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are the group at highest risk for contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United States, but many do not test as frequently as recommended. Home-based self-testing (HBST) for HIV holds promise for promoting regular testing among these individuals, but currently available HBSTs have limited follow-up options, providing only a 1-800 number that participants can call. Failure to actively conduct follow-up counseling and referrals after HBST use could result in delays in seeking confirmatory testing and care among users receiving reactive (preliminary positive) test results. HBST also fails to connect users who test negative with other prevention services that can reduce their future risk for HIV. The aim of our study was to use qualitative research methods with high-risk MSM to inform development of a "smart" HBST kit. The kit utilizes existing Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies to monitor HBST use in real-time and enable delivery of timely, active follow-up counseling and referrals over the phone. In phase 1, individual interviews (n=10) explored how participants might use HBST and their views and preferences for conducting counseling and referral after HBST. Based on these perspectives, we developed a smartphone app (iOS, Android) that uses data from light sensors on Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacons to monitor when HBST kits are opened, facilitating timely follow-up phone contact with users. In phase 2, a usability study conducted among high-risk MSM (n=10) examined the acceptability and feasibility of this system and provided user perspectives after using the system along with HBST. Phase 1 themes suggested that MSM preferred HBST, that most thought active follow-up after HBST would be valuable, and that doing so over the phone within 24 h after testing was preferable. Phase 2 results showed that the eTEST system successfully detected HBST use in nearly all cases. Participant perspectives also suggested that the

eTEST: Developing a Smart Home HIV Testing Kit that Enables Active, Real-Time Follow-Up and Referral After Testing

PubMed Central

Chan, Philip A; Simpanen, Erik; Operario, Don

2017-01-01

Background Men who have sex with men (MSM) are the group at highest risk for contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United States, but many do not test as frequently as recommended. Home-based self-testing (HBST) for HIV holds promise for promoting regular testing among these individuals, but currently available HBSTs have limited follow-up options, providing only a 1-800 number that participants can call. Failure to actively conduct follow-up counseling and referrals after HBST use could result in delays in seeking confirmatory testing and care among users receiving reactive (preliminary positive) test results. HBST also fails to connect users who test negative with other prevention services that can reduce their future risk for HIV. Objective The aim of our study was to use qualitative research methods with high-risk MSM to inform development of a “smart” HBST kit. The kit utilizes existing Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies to monitor HBST use in real-time and enable delivery of timely, active follow-up counseling and referrals over the phone. Methods In phase 1, individual interviews (n=10) explored how participants might use HBST and their views and preferences for conducting counseling and referral after HBST. Based on these perspectives, we developed a smartphone app (iOS, Android) that uses data from light sensors on Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacons to monitor when HBST kits are opened, facilitating timely follow-up phone contact with users. In phase 2, a usability study conducted among high-risk MSM (n=10) examined the acceptability and feasibility of this system and provided user perspectives after using the system along with HBST. Results Phase 1 themes suggested that MSM preferred HBST, that most thought active follow-up after HBST would be valuable, and that doing so over the phone within 24 h after testing was preferable. Phase 2 results showed that the eTEST system successfully detected HBST use in nearly all cases

Evaluation of rapid HIV test kits on whole blood and development of rapid testing algorithm for voluntary testing and counseling centers in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Tegbaru, Belete; Messele, Tsehaynesh; Wolday, Dawit; Meles, PhD Hailu; Tesema, Desalegn; Birhanu, Hiwot; Tesfaye, Girma; Bond, Kyle B; Martin, Robert; Rayfield, Mark A; Wuhib, Tadesse; Fekadu, Makonnen

2004-10-01

Five simple and rapid HIV antibody detection assays viz. Determine, Capillus, Oraquick, Unigold and Hemastrip were evaluated to examine their performance and to develop an alternative rapid test based testing algorithm for voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) in Ethiopia. All the kits were tested on whole blood, plasma and serum. The evaluation had three phases: Primary lab review, piloting at point of service and implementation. This report includes the results of the first two phases. A total of 2,693 specimens (both whole blood and plasma) were included in the evaluation. Results were compared to double Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA) system. Discordant EIA results were resolved using Western Blot. The assays had very good sensitivities and specificities, 99-100%, at the two different phases of the evaluation. A 98-100% result agreement was obtained from those tested at VCT centers and National Referral Laboratory for AIDS (NRLA), in the quality control phase of the evaluation. A testing strategy yielding 100% [95% CI; 98.9-100.0] sensitivity was achieved by the sequential use of the three rapid test kits. Direct cost comparison showed serial testing algorithm reduces the cost of testing by over 30% compared to parallel testing in the current situation. Determine, Capillus/Oraquick (presence/absence of frefrigeration) and Unigold were recommended as screening, confirmation and tiebreaker tests, respectively.

Correlates of requesting home HIV self-testing kits on online social networks among African-American and Latino men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Chiu, ChingChe J; Young, Sean D

2016-01-01

High levels of HIV stigma are one of the main difficulties in engaging African-American and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) in HIV testing. The availability of home HIV test and the possibility of self-testing in private may improve uptake and counteract stigma. This paper sought to determine the correlates of requesting home HIV test kits among a sample of MSM social media users. The odds of participants requesting a test kit were significantly associated with using social networks to seek sexual partners (aOR: 2.47, 95% CI: 1.07-6.06) and thinking it is easier to use social networks for seeking sexual partners (1.87, 1.2-3.12), uncertain HIV status (4.29, 1.37-14.4), and having sex under the influence of alcohol (2.46, 1.06-5.77). Participants who had not been tested for more than 6 months were more likely to request a test kit than those who were tested in the past 6 months (2.53, 1.02-6.37). Participants who frequently talked to others about having sex with men online were less likely to request a test kit (0.73, 0.56-0.92). By reaching people over social media and offering them access to test kits, we were able to reach at-risk individuals who were uncertain about their HIV status and had not been regularly tested. The findings of the study will help to inform future HIV testing interventions.

[Consistency study of PowerPlex 21 kit and Goldeneye 20A kit and forensic application].

PubMed

Ren, He; Liu, Ying; Zhang, Qing-Xia; Jiao, Zhang-Ping

2014-06-01

To ensure the consistency of genotype results for PowerPlex 21 kit and Goldeneye 20A kit. The STR loci were amplified in DNA samples from 205 unrelated individuals in Beijing Han population. And consistency of 19 overlap STR loci typing were observed. The genetic polymorphism of D1S1656 locus was obtained. All 19 overlap loci typing showed consistent. The proportion of peak height of heterozygous loci in two kits showed no statistical difference (P > 0.05). The observed heterozygosis of D1S1656 was 0.878. The discrimination power was 0.949. The excluding probability of paternity of triplet was 0.751. The excluding probability of paternity of diploid was 0.506. The polymorphism information content was 0.810. PowerPlex 21 kit and Goldeneye 20A kit present a good consistency. The primer design is reasonable. The polymorphism of D1S1656 is good. The two kits can be used for human genetic analysis, paternity test, and individual identification in forensic practice.

Mutant botrocetin-2 inhibits von Willebrand factor-induced platelet agglutination.

PubMed

Matsui, T; Hori, A; Hamako, J; Matsushita, F; Ozeki, Y; Sakurai, Y; Hayakawa, M; Matsumoto, M; Fujimura, Y

2017-03-01

Essentials Botrocetin-2 (Bot2) binds to von Willebrand factor (VWF) and induces platelet agglutination. We identified Bot2 residues that are required for binding to VWF and glycoprotein (GP) Ib. We produced a mutant Bot2 that binds to VWF but inhibits platelet agglutination. Mutant Bot2 could be used as a potential anti-thrombotic reagent to block VWF-GPIb interaction. Background Botrocetin-2 (Bot2) is a botrocetin-like protein composed of α and β subunits that have been cloned from the snake Bothrops jararaca. Bot2 binds specifically to von Willebrand factor (VWF), and the complex induces glycoprotein (GP) Ib-dependent platelet agglutination. Objectives To exploit Bot2's VWF-binding capacity in order to attempt to create a mutant Bot2 that binds to VWF but inhibits platelet agglutination. Methods and Results Several point mutations were introduced into Bot2 cDNA, and the recombinant protein (recombinant Bot2 [rBot2]) was purified on an anti-botrocetin column. The mutant rBot2 with either Ala at Asp70 in the β subunit (Aspβ70Ala), or Argβ115Ala and Lysβ117Ala, showed reduced platelet agglutination-inducing activity. rBot2 with Aspβ70Ala showed little binding activity towards immobilized VWF on an ELISA plate, whereas rBot2 with Argβ115Ala/Lysβ117Ala showed reduced binding activity towards GPIb (glycocalicin) after forming a complex with VWF. rBot2 point-mutated to oppositely charged Glu at both Argβ115 and Lysβ117 showed normal binding activity towards VWF but no platelet-agglutinating activity. Furthermore, this doubly mutated protein inhibited ristocetin-induced or high shear stress-induced platelet aggregation, and restrained thrombus formation under flow conditions. Conclusions Asp70 in the β subunit of botrocetin is important for VWF binding, and Arg115 and Lys117 in the β subunit are essential for interaction with GPIb. Doubly mutated rBot2, with Argβ115Glu and Lysβ117Glu, repels GPIb and might have potential as an antithrombotic reagent that

Evaluation of Two rK39 Dipstick Tests, Direct Agglutination Test, and Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test for Diagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis in a New Epidemic Site in Highland Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Cañavate, Carmen; Herrero, Merce; Nieto, Javier; Cruz, Israel; Chicharro, Carmen; Aparicio, Pilar; Mulugeta, Abate; Argaw, Daniel; Blackstock, Anna J.; Alvar, Jorge; Bern, Caryn

2011-01-01

We assessed the performance characteristics of two rK39 immunochromatographic tests, a direct agglutination test (DAT), and an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) in the site of a new epidemic of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in northwestern Ethiopia. The study population was composed of 179 patients with suspected VL and 67 controls. The sensitivities of Kalazar Detect®, DiaMed-IT Leish®, DAT, and IFAT in 35 polymerase chain reaction–confirmed VL cases were 94.3%, 91.4%, 91.4%, and 100%, respectively, and the specificities were 98.5%, 94%, 98.5%, and 98.5%, respectively. In a Bayesian latent class analysis of all 246 specimens, the estimated sensitivities were 90.5%, 89%, 88.8%, and 96% for Kalazar Detect®, DiaMed-IT Leish®, DAT, and IFAT, respectively; DAT showed the highest estimated specificity (97.4%). Both rK39 immunochromatographic tests perform as well as DAT, and are suitable for VL diagnosis in first-level health centers in this area of Ethiopia. PMID:21212210

The Staphylococcus aureus ArlRS Two-Component System Is a Novel Regulator of Agglutination and Pathogenesis

PubMed Central

Walker, Jennifer N.; Crosby, Heidi A.; Spaulding, Adam R.; Salgado-Pabón, Wilmara; Malone, Cheryl L.; Rosenthal, Carolyn B.; Schlievert, Patrick M.; Boyd, Jeffrey M.; Horswill, Alexander R.

2013-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a prominent bacterial pathogen that is known to agglutinate in the presence of human plasma to form stable clumps. There is increasing evidence that agglutination aids S. aureus pathogenesis, but the mechanisms of this process remain to be fully elucidated. To better define this process, we developed both tube based and flow cytometry methods to monitor clumping in the presence of extracellular matrix proteins. We discovered that the ArlRS two-component system regulates the agglutination mechanism during exposure to human plasma or fibrinogen. Using divergent S. aureus strains, we demonstrated that arlRS mutants are unable to agglutinate, and this phenotype can be complemented. We found that the ebh gene, encoding the Giant Staphylococcal Surface Protein (GSSP), was up-regulated in an arlRS mutant. By introducing an ebh complete deletion into an arlRS mutant, agglutination was restored. To assess whether GSSP is the primary effector, a constitutive promoter was inserted upstream of the ebh gene on the chromosome in a wildtype strain, which prevented clump formation and demonstrated that GSSP has a negative impact on the agglutination mechanism. Due to the parallels of agglutination with infective endocarditis development, we assessed the phenotype of an arlRS mutant in a rabbit combined model of sepsis and endocarditis. In this model the arlRS mutant displayed a large defect in vegetation formation and pathogenesis, and this phenotype was partially restored by removing GSSP. Altogether, we have discovered that the ArlRS system controls a novel mechanism through which S. aureus regulates agglutination and pathogenesis. PMID:24367264

Agglutination by anti-capsular polysaccharide antibody is associated with protection against experimental human pneumococcal carriage

PubMed Central

Reiné, J; Zangari, T; Owugha, JT; Pennington, SH; Gritzfeld, JF; Wright, AD; Collins, AM; van Selm, S; de Jonge, MI; Gordon, SB; Weiser, JN; Ferreira, DM

2016-01-01

The ability of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) to decrease transmission by blocking the acquisition of colonization has been attributed to herd immunity. We describe the role of mucosal IgG to capsular polysaccharide (CPS) in mediating protection from carriage, translating our findings from a murine model to humans. We used a flow-cytometric assay to quantify antibody-mediated agglutination demonstrating that hyperimmune sera generated against an unencapsulated mutant was poorly agglutinating. Passive immunization with this antiserum was ineffective to block acquisition of colonization compared to agglutinating antisera raised against the encapsulated parent strain. In the human challenge model samples were collected from PCV and control vaccinated adults. In PCV-vaccinated subjects IgG levels to CPS were increased in serum and nasal wash (NW). IgG to the inoculated strain CPS dropped in NW samples after inoculation suggesting its sequestration by colonizing pneumococci. In post-vaccination NW samples pneumococci were heavily agglutinated compared to pre-vaccination samples in subjects protected against carriage. Our results indicate that pneumococcal agglutination mediated by CPS specific antibodies is a key mechanism of protection against acquisition of carriage. Capsule may be the only vaccine target that can elicit strong agglutinating antibody responses, leading to protection against carriage acquisition and generation of herd immunity. PMID:27579859

The ability of two commercially available quick test kits to detect drug-facilitated sexual assault drugs in beverages.

PubMed

Beynon, C M; Sumnall, H R; McVeigh, J; Cole, J C; Bellis, M A

2006-10-01

Assessment of the sensitivity and specificity of two commercially available 'drug-facilitated sexual assault' drug detector kits, Drink Guard and Drink Detective. Experimental. Laboratory. Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) sodium salt, ketamine hydrochloride, temazepam, flunitrazepam and diazepam were dissolved (Tween added to benzodiazepine solutions) as separate stock solutions and added to 330 ml samples of cola (Pepsi Max), beer (Stella Artois), 'alcopop' (Bacardi Breezer) and placebo (distilled water). The doses used are reported to be common in cases of intoxication. Each kit was tested 10 times for each drink/drug combination. Two blind, independent observers scored each test (presence/absence of drug) in accordance with kit instructions; chi 2 was used to compare the proportion of times raters scored tests correctly and incorrectly. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated overall, for each drink, and sensitivity was calculated for each drug. Inter-observer agreement was evaluated using the kappa statistic. While both raters were able to score significantly more tests correctly than incorrectly using Drink Detective, and one rater scored similarly using Drink Guard, the overall sensitivity of Drink Detective and Drink Guard was 69.0% (95% CI 64.2-73.5%) and 37.5% (95% CI 30.1-45.5%), respectively. Sensitivity was drink-dependent. Drink Detective was unable to detect our dose of GHB in water, with all tests scored negatively by both raters for this drink/drug combination (n = 20 negative scores). Overall, specificity was 76.6% (95% CI 71.5-81.0%) and 87.9% (95% CI 83.0-91.6%) for Drink Guard and Drink Detective, respectively, but was affected by the beverage. Inter-rater agreement was poor for Drink Guard (kappa = 0.278 +/- 0.069) but excellent for Drink Detective (kappa = 0.894 +/- 0.245). Inter-observer agreement was drug-dependent. Use of drug detector kits by the public in the night-time environment needs further investigation and may create a false sense

Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV) remote servicing kit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Norman S.

1988-01-01

With the design and development of the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV) progressing toward an early 1990 initial operating capability (IOC), a new era in remote space operations will evolve. The logical progression to OMV front end kits would make available in situ satellite servicing, repair, and consummables resupply to the satellite community. Several conceptual design study efforts are defining representative kits (propellant tanks, debris recovery, module servicers); additional focus must also be placed on an efficient combination module servicer and consummables resupply kit. A remote servicer kit of this type would be designed to perform many of the early maintenance/resupply tasks in both nominal and high inclination orbits. The kit would have the capability to exchange Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs), exchange propellant tanks, and/or connect fluid transfer umbilicals. Necessary transportation system functions/support could be provided by interfaces with the OMV, Shuttle (STS), or Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV). Specific remote servicer kit designs, as well as ground and flight demonstrations of servicer technology are necessary to prepare for the potential overwhelming need. Ground test plans should adhere to the component/system/breadboard test philosophy to assure maximum capability of one-g testing. The flight demonstration(s) would most likely be a short duration, Shuttle-bay experiment to validate servicer components requiring a micro-g environment.

EXPLORATION OF SCORE AGREEMENT ON A MODIFIED UPPER QUARTER Y-BALANCE TEST KIT AS COMPARED TO THE UPPER QUARTER Y-BALANCE TEST.

PubMed

Cramer, Josh; Quintero, Miguel; Rhinehart, Alex; Rutherford, Caitlin; Nasypany, Alan; May, James; Baker, Russell T

2017-02-01

Physical performance measures (PPMs) such as The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) and the Y-Balance Test (YBT) are functional movement tests used to assess participants' dynamic balance, which can be a vital component in physical exams to identify predisposing factors for risk of injury. The YBT is a functional assessment tool for the upper and lower body. It evolved from the SEBT, which has been previously used in research as a lower body functional assessment. It is comprised of fewer movement directions, which help limit fatigue. The YBT kit is a commercialized tool, which may pose barriers for clinicians with limited budgets and/or strict approval process for purchasing capital items in their clinics, especially healthcare providers in the secondary school setting. The cost may also pose a barrier for researchers with limited budgets. A less expensive, easy to make kit, may provide clinicians an opportunity to integrate functional testing into their evaluation or research. The purpose of this pilot study was to describe a cost efficient method to gather participant's upper quarter YBT (UQYBT) measurements and examine the inter- and intra-rater score agreement between this method and the commercial YBT measurements. A convenience sample of 20 physically active participants volunteered to participate in a comparison study of the of Upper Quarter Y-Balance Test (UQYBT) using the commercialized kit and the Modified Upper Quarter Y-Balance Test kit (mUQYBT) made with three cloth tape measures, athletic tape, a goniometer and three 2x4x8 wood blocks. A Pearson Product Moment correlation and Bland-Altman analyses were used to examine the relationship between intra-rater scores comparing the UQYBT and mUQYBT. Inter-rater scores were analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) (2,1) and Bland-Altman analyses. All Pearson Product Moment r-values for intra-rater scores were greater than .96 and statistically significant at p<0.05. Coefficients of

Soybean extracts facilitate bacterial agglutination and prevent biofilm formation on orthodontic wire.

PubMed

Lee, Heon-Jin; Kwon, Tae-Yub; Kim, Kyo-Han; Hong, Su-Hyung

2014-01-01

Soybean is an essential food ingredient that contains a class of organic compounds known as isoflavones. It is also well known that several plant agglutinins interfere with bacterial adherence to smooth surfaces. However, little is known about the effects of soybean extracts or genistein (a purified isoflavone from soybean) on bacterial biofilm formation. We evaluated the effects of soybean (Glycine max) extracts, including fermented soybean and genistein, on streptococcal agglutination and attachment onto stainless steel orthodontic wire. After cultivating streptococci in biofilm medium containing soybean extracts and orthodontic wire, the viable bacteria attached to the wire were counted. Phase-contrast microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were conducted to evaluate bacterial agglutination and attachment. Our study showed that soybean extracts induce agglutination between streptococci, which results in bacterial precipitation. Conversely, viable bacterial counting and SEM image analysis of Streptococcus mutans attached to the orthodontic wire show that bacterial attachment decreases significantly when soybean extracts were added. However, there was no significant change in pre-attached S. mutans biofilm in response to soybean. A possible explanation for these results is that increased agglutination of planktonic streptococci by soybean extracts results in inhibition of bacterial attachment onto the orthodontic wire.

Klebsiella pneumoniae type 3 fimbriae agglutinate yeast in a mannose-resistant manner.

PubMed

Stahlhut, Steen G; Struve, Carsten; Krogfelt, Karen A

2012-03-01

The ability of bacterial pathogens to express different fimbrial adhesins plays a significant role in virulence. Thus, specific detection of fimbrial expression is an important task in virulence characterization and epidemiological studies. Most clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates express type 1 and type 3 fimbriae, which are characterized by mediation of mannose-sensitive agglutination of yeast cells and agglutination of tannic acid-treated ox red blood cells (RBCs), respectively. It has been observed that K. pneumoniae isolates agglutinate yeast cells and commercially available sheep RBCs in a mannose-resistant manner. Thus, this study was initiated to identify the adhesin involved. Screening of a mutant library surprisingly revealed that the mannose-resistant agglutination of yeast and sheep RBCs was mediated by type 3 fimbriae. Specific detection of type 1 fimbriae expression in K. pneumoniae was feasible only by the use of guinea pig RBCs. This was further verified by the use of isogenic fimbriae mutants and by cloning and expressing K. pneumoniae fimbrial gene clusters in Escherichia coli. Yeast agglutination assays are commonly used to detect type 1 fimbriae expression but should not be used for bacterial species able to express type 3 fimbriae. For these species, the use of guinea pig blood for specific type 1 fimbriae detection is essential. The use of commercially available sheep RBCs or yeast is an easy alternative to traditional methods to detect type 3 fimbriae expression. Easy and specific detection of expression of type 1 and type 3 fimbriae is essential in the continuous characterization of these important adhesive virulence factors present in members of the Enterobacteriaceae.

Assessment of red blood cell parameters and peripheral smear at different temperatures in case of cold agglutination disease.

PubMed

Gupta, V

2014-03-01

Cold agglutination disease (CAD) is characterized by an auto-antibody which is able to agglutinate red blood cells (RBCs) at temperatures lower than that of the body, and subsequently to activate the complement system responsible for lysis of RBCs. Patients show hemolytic anemia of varying degrees of severity, which arise or worsen upon exposure to low temperatures. We describe a case who presented with fever and symptoms of asthenia. His investigations yielded bizarre RBC parameters which led to suspicion of a rare CAD, which was confirmed on reviewing RBC parameters, peripheral smear and direct Coomb's test at different temperatures. Hence, we suggest assessment of bizarre RBC parameters and peripheral smear can help in laboratory testing and diagnosis of CAD. It should also not pose embarrassment in laboratory testing to the pathologist for making an early and accurate diagnosis, thus emphasizing the need for an early treatment of CAD.

Comparison of the H7 latex agglutination test with a fliCh7 real-time PCR assay for confirmation of the H type of Escherichia coli O157:H7

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a food-borne pathogen that causes hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Positive identification of E. coli O157:H7 is made using biochemical tests and latex agglutination using specific antisera. However, under certain conditions, some E. coli O157:H7 isolate...

Comparison of the MUREX C. albicans, Albicans-Sure, and BactiCard Candida test kits with the germ tube test for presumptive identification of Candida albicans.

PubMed Central

Crist, A E; Dietz, T J; Kampschroer, K

1996-01-01

The MUREX C. albicans (MC)(Murex Diagnostics), Albicans-Sure (AS) (Clinical Standards Laboratories), and BactiCard Candida (BC) (Remel) test kits were compared with the germ tube (GT) test for the rapid, presumptive identification of Candida albicans. All three test kits detect the enzymes L-proline aminopeptidase and beta-galactosaminidase in yeast cells grown on culture media and are based on the principle that C. albicans produces both enzymes whereas other yeasts produce only one or neither of the enzymes. The organisms evaluated were fresh clinical isolates identified by methods routinely used in our laboratory (API 20C system and conventional methods) and included 303 C. albicans isolates, 153 Candida glabrata isolates, 70 Candida tropicalis isolates, 36 Candida parapsilosis isolates, 13 isolates of other Candida spp., 5 Cryptococcus neoformans isolates, and 3 Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolates. The MC, AS, BC, and GT tests detected 299 (98.7%), 300 (99.0%), 301 (99.3%), and 287 (94.7%) C. albicans isolates, respectively. There was one false-positive result with both the MC and BC kits and two false-positive results with the GT test. The enzymatic methods evaluated in this study provide rapid and accurate alternatives to the GT test for the presumptive identification of C. albicans. PMID:8880535

Are the Major Agglutinative Languages Genetically Related?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakola, H. P. A.

1989-01-01

Examination of accidental CVC and CV correspondences among languages representing 5 large families of agglutinative languages found that comparison pairs had much more similarity between basic 100-word vocabularies than would have been possible by mere chance, supporting the hypothesis that those 5 language families were mutually related.…

Isolation, in vitro culture, ultrastructure study, and characterization by lectin-agglutination tests of Phytomonas isolated from tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) and cherimoyas (Anona cherimolia) in southeastern Spain.

PubMed

Sanchez-Moreno, M; Fernandez-Becerra, C; Mascaro, C; Rosales, M J; Dollet, M; Osuna, A

1995-01-01

Plants of Lycopersicon esculentum (grown in greenhouses) and Anona cherimolia cultivated in southeastern Spain were examined for the presence of trypanosomatid flagellates. Kinetoplastid protozoa were found in the fruits but not in the phloem or other plant tissues. Parasites were detected from the onset of fruiting. Isolates were detected from the onset of fruiting. Isolates were adapted to in vitro culturing in monophase media. The form and the structural organization was studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The parasites showed an ultrastructural pattern similar to that of other species of the genus Phytomonas. In tomatoes experimentally inoculated with flagellates cultivated in vitro, we observed that the parasites did not lose their infectious capacity. Three strains of trypanosomatids of the genus Phytomonas, isolated from different species of Euphorbia (E. characias and E. hyssopifolia) and from Cocos nucifera, were compared with our isolates by lectin-agglutination tests. Our isolates were different from the two strains isolated from Euphorbia, but with this technique we could not differentiate our isolates from those of the coconut, nor could we differentiate between the isolates, their ultrastructural similarity together with their similar behavior in the lectin-agglutination test suggesting that these isolates have a common origin.

[Influence of S-nitrosoglutathione on agglutination and nitric oxide concentration in frozen platelets].

PubMed

Wu, Tao; Liu, Jing-Han; Li, Hui; Zhou, Wu; Wang, Shu-Ying

2012-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) on agglutination and nitric oxide (NO) concentration in frozen platelets. The agglutination of platelets was detected by using platelet agglutination apparatus, the level of NO in platelets was detected by the nitrate enzyme reduction method. The results showed that the rates of agglutination in freeze platelets and frozen platelets treated with GSNO were (35.47 ± 2.93) and (24.43 ± 3.07), which were significantly lower than that in fresh liquid platelets (63.44 ± 2.96). The level of NO concentration in frozen platelets was (22.16 ± 6.38), which was significantly lower than that in fresh liquid platelets (31.59 ± 16.88). The level of NO concentration in frozen platelets treated with GSNO was (45.64 ± 6.31), which was significantly higher than that in fresh liquid platelets (P < 0.01). It is concluded that GSNO increases the concentration of NO in frozen platelets, inhibits platelet activation and maintains platelet function, thus GSNO can be used as a frozen protective agent.

A systematic review on the microscopic agglutination test seroepidemiology of bovine leptospirosis in Latin America.

PubMed

Pinto, Priscila da Silva; Libonati, Hugo; Penna, Bruno; Lilenbaum, Walter

2016-02-01

The diagnosis of leptospirosis commonly relies on serology, which has three issues that are referred: the sampling, the antigen panel, and the cutoff point. We propose a systematic review of the bovine leptospirosis in Latin America, in order to provide a better understanding of the evolution of the research and of the seroepidemiology of bovine leptospirosis in that region. Internet databases were consulted over the year of 2014. Inclusion criteria for analysis included serosurvey using microscopic agglutination test (MAT), a relevant number of animals, the presence in the antigen panel of at least one representant of serogroup Sejroe, and a cutoff point of ≥100. A total of 242 articles that referred to cattle, leptospir*, and one region of Latin America was found. Only 105 articles regarding to serosurveys using MAT were found in several countries, and 61 (58.1 %) met all the inclusion criteria. In conclusion, this systematic review demonstrated a high prevalence of the infection (75.0 % at herd level and 44.2 % at animal level), with predominance of strains of serogroup Sejroe (80.3 %). It was evident that there is the necessity of more studies in several countries, as well as the need for greater standardization in studies, especially with regard to the adopted cutoff point at serological tests.

Long-lived immunity to canine core vaccine antigens in UK dogs as assessed by an in-practice test kit.

PubMed

Killey, R; Mynors, C; Pearce, R; Nell, A; Prentis, A; Day, M J

2018-01-01

To determine the utility of an in-practice test kit to detect protective serum antibody against canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus and canine parvovirus type 2 in a sample of the UK dog population. Serum samples from 486 dogs, last vaccinated between less than 1 month and 124 months previously, were tested with the VacciCheck™ test kit for protective antibodies against distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus type 2. A high proportion of the dogs tested (93·6%) had protective antibody against all three of the core vaccine antigens: 95·7% of the dogs were seropositive against canine distemper virus, 97·3% against canine adenovirus and 98·5% against canine parvovirus type 2. The small number of dogs that were seronegative for one or more of the antigens (n = 31) may have had waning of previous serum antibody or may have been rare genetic non-responders to that specific antigen. UK veterinarians can be reassured that triennial revaccination of adult dogs with core vaccines provides long-lived protective immunity. In-practice serological test kits are a valuable tool for informing decision-making about canine core revaccination. © 2017 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Single agglutinates: A comparative study of compositions of agglutinitic glass, whole-grain, bulk soil, and FMR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basu, A.; Robinson, R.; Mckay, D. S.; Blanchard, D. P.; Morris, R. V.; Wentworth, Susan J.

1994-01-01

Previous workers on single agglutinates have variously interpreted the composition of agglutinitic glass to represent impact melts of (1) bulk soil, (2) mixed components in finer sizes, and (3) microtargets. Separately, Papike has argued in favor of fusion of the finest fraction of bulk soils. Thirty-four single agglutinates were hand-picked from the mature Apollo 16 soil 61181 (I(sub s)/FeO = 82) and the FMR and chemical composition (INAA for Fe, Sc, Sm, Co, Ni, and Cr) of each agglutinate particle were measured. Thirteen of these single agglutinates were selected for electron beam microanalysis and imaging. Less than 1 micron spots were analyzed (for Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, and Ba) on pure glassy areas (approximately ten in each particle) selected on the basis of optical and BSE images (avoiding all clasts and inclusions) with an electron microprobe to obtain average glass compositions of each single agglutinate.

10 CFR 429.33 - Ceiling fan light kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Ceiling fan light kits. 429.33 Section 429.33 Energy... COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT Certification § 429.33 Ceiling fan light kits. (a) Sampling plan for selection of units for testing. (1) The requirements of § 429.11 are applicable to ceiling fan light kits...

10 CFR 429.33 - Ceiling fan light kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Ceiling fan light kits. 429.33 Section 429.33 Energy... COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT Certification § 429.33 Ceiling fan light kits. (a) Sampling plan for selection of units for testing. (1) The requirements of § 429.11 are applicable to ceiling fan light kits...

10 CFR 429.33 - Ceiling fan light kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Ceiling fan light kits. 429.33 Section 429.33 Energy... COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT Certification § 429.33 Ceiling fan light kits. (a) Sampling plan for selection of units for testing. (1) The requirements of § 429.11 are applicable to ceiling fan light kits...

Process to create simulated lunar agglutinate particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gustafson, Robert J. (Inventor); Gustafson, Marty A. (Inventor); White, Brant C. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A method of creating simulated agglutinate particles by applying a heat source sufficient to partially melt a raw material is provided. The raw material is preferably any lunar soil simulant, crushed mineral, mixture of crushed minerals, or similar material, and the heat source creates localized heating of the raw material.

Experimental shock metamorphism of terrestrial basalts: Agglutinate-like particle formation, petrology, and magnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badyukov, Dmitrii D.; Bezaeva, Natalia S.; Rochette, Pierre; Gattacceca, Jérôme; Feinberg, Joshua M.; Kars, Myriam; Egli, Ramon; Raitala, Jouko; Kuzina, Dilyara M.

2018-01-01

Hypervelocity impacts occur on bodies throughout our solar system, and play an important role in altering the mineralogy, texture, and magnetic properties in target rocks at nanometer to planetary scales. Here we present the results of hypervelocity impact experiments conducted using a two-stage light-gas gun with 5 mm spherical copper projectiles accelerated toward basalt targets with 6 km s-1 impact velocities. Four different types of magnetite- and titanomagnetite-bearing basalts were used as targets for seven independent experiments. These laboratory impacts resulted in the formation of agglutinate-like particles similar in texture to lunar agglutinates, which are an important fraction of lunar soil. Materials recovered from the impacts were examined using a suite of complementary techniques, including optical and scanning electron microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and high- and low-temperature magnetometry, to investigate the texture, chemistry, and magnetic properties of newly formed agglutinate-like particles and were compared to unshocked basaltic parent materials. The use of Cu-projectiles, rather than Fe- and Ni-projectiles, avoids magnetic contamination in the final shock products and enables a clearer view of the magnetic properties of impact-generated agglutinates. Agglutinate-like particles show shock features, such as melting and planar deformation features, and demonstrate shock-induced magnetic hardening (two- to seven-fold increases in the coercivity of remanence Bcr compared to the initial target materials) and decreases in low-field magnetic susceptibility and saturation magnetization.

Comparison of commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits with agar gel precipitation and hemagglutination-inhibition tests for detecting antibodies to avian influenza viruses.

PubMed

Shiraishi, Rikiya; Nishiguchi, Akiko; Tsukamoto, Kenji; Muramatsu, Masatake

2012-09-01

We evaluated the utility of 5 commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits for detecting antibodies to avian influenza viruses. The sensitivities and specificities of the ELISA kits were compared with those of the agar gel precipitation (AGP) and hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) tests. The results suggest that some ELISA kits might not be suitable for monitoring during the early stages of avian influenza virus infections. Therefore, ELISA kits should only be used in conjunction with a profound knowledge about monitoring of avian influenza.

Studies on a Factor in Sweet Potato Root Which Agglutinates Spores of Ceratocystis fimbriata, Black Rot Fungus 1

PubMed Central

Kojime, Mineo; Kawakita, Kazuhito; Uritani, Ikuzo

1982-01-01

A factor which agglutinated the spores of Ceratocystis fimbriata in the presence of Ca2+ was purified from sweet potato (Ipomea batatas Lam cv. Norin[1]) root. Element composition of the purified factor was as follows; analysis found: C (29.8%), H (3.97%), O (65.34%), N (0.81%): calculated for C43H69O70N1: C (30.02%), H (4.01%), O (65.15%), N (0.81%). The factor was mainly composed of galacturonic acid (53% of dry weight) and contained arabinose, fucose, and unidentified component as minor components. The factor also agglutinated A-, B-, AB-, and O types of human erythrocytes to almost the same degree in the presence of Ca2+. The differential spore-agglutinating activity of the factor depended on the pH of the assay medium; it agglutinated similarly the germinated spores of sweet potato and coffee strains at pH 7.5 and 5.5, whereas it displayed a distinct differential agglutinating activity at pH 6.5. The factor was assayed for spore-agglutinating activity at pH 6.5, using the germinated and ungerminated spores of seven strains of C. fimbriata; sweet potato, coffee, prune, cacao, oak, taro, and almond strains. The factor agglutinated ungerminated spores of all seven strains similarly, although small differences were observed among strains. On the other hand, a clear differential agglutination was observed among the germinated spores of various strains; sweet potato and almond strains were highly insensitive in comparison with other strains. The growth of the agglutinated spores of C. fimbriata was inhibited. These results are discussed in relation to host-parasite specificity. Images PMID:16662232

[Clinical evaluation of triage as drug-of-abuse test kit].

PubMed

Yoshioka, Toshiharu; Kohriyama, Kazuaki; Kondo, Rumiko; Goto, Kyoko; Yashiki, Mikio

2003-01-01

There are about 60,000 chemical substances which may cause poisoning. Identifying the cause substances is, therefore, very important for patient at emergency department. Triage is an immunoassay kit for the qualitative test for the metabolites of 8 major abuse drugs in urine. We assessed the usefullness of Triage on two patient groups. The first Group consists of the patients considered having not taken substances at initial diagnosis; the second Group consists of the patients considered having taken substances. The result are as follows. 1) The rate of Triage positive patients in the first Group were: attempt-suicide 23%, coma 24%, shock 10%, trauma 7%, respectively. Except for the habitually used medicine, narcotic and stimulant drugs were detected. In the first Group, negative result of Triage was effective in diagnosing the patients as not poisoned, excluding the possitivity of 8 major drugs usage. 2) The rate of Triage positive patients in the second Group were very high: attempt-suicide 77%, coma 51%, shock 57%, trauma 30%, respectively, showing mostly any of 8 major drugs were the cause of poisoning. In the second Group, positive result of Triage was effective in diagnosing the patient as poisoning or as coexisting poisoning with other diseases. 3) The specificity of Triage diagnosis in the first Group was 80% (113/142). The specificity and the sensitivity in the second Group were 64% (50/78) and 97% (74/76), respectively. These results means that Triage is very useful for diagnosis on 8 major drugs poisoning. 4) Triage is efficient for identifying the cause substances in drug poisoning and, therefore, can save medical expense. Triage is a very useful test kit at emergency department.

Quality and use of consumer information provided with home test kits: room for improvement.

PubMed

Grispen, Janaica E J; Ickenroth, Martine H P; de Vries, Nanne K; van der Weijden, Trudy; Ronda, Gaby

2014-10-01

Diagnostic self-tests (tests on body materials that are initiated by consumers with the aim of diagnosing a disorder or risk factor) are becoming increasingly available. Although the pros and cons of self-testing are currently not clear, it is an existing phenomenon that is likely to gain further popularity. To examine consumers' use of and needs for information about self-testing, and to assess the quality of consumer information provided with home test kits, as perceived by consumers and as assessed using a checklist of quality criteria. A cross-sectional Internet survey among 305 self-testers assessed their use of and needs for information and their perception of the quality of consumer information provided with self-test kits. A meta-search engine was used to identify Dutch and English consumer information for home diagnostic tests available online at the time of the study. The quality of this consumer information was evaluated using a checklist of quality criteria. The consumers' information needs were in line with the most frequently used information, and the information was perceived as being of moderate to good quality. The information was mostly in agreement with clinical practice guidelines, although information on reliability and follow-up behaviour was limited. Approximately half of the instruction leaflets did not include information on the target group of the test. Although generally of moderate to good quality, some aspects of the information provided were in many cases insufficient. European legislation concerning self-tests and accompanying information needs to be adapted and adhered to more closely. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Performances of Four Helicobacter pylori Serological Detection Kits Using Stool Antigen Test as Gold Standard.

PubMed

Biranjia-Hurdoyal, Susheela D; Seetulsingh-Goorah, Sharmila P

2016-01-01

The aim was to determine the performances of four Helicobacter pylori serological detection kits in different target groups, using Amplified IDEIA™ Hp StAR™ as gold standard. Kits studied were Rapid Immunochromatoghraphic Hexagon, Helicoblot 2.1, an EIA IgG kit and EIA IgA kit. Stool and blood samples were collected from 162 apparently healthy participants (control) and 60 Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. The performances of the four serological detection kits were found to be affected by gender, age, health status and ethnicity of the participants. In the control group, the Helicoblot 2.1 kit had the best performance (AUC = 0.85; p<0.05, accuracy = 86.4%), followed by EIA IgG (AUC = 0.75; p<0.05, accuracy = 75.2%). The Rapid Hexagon and EIA IgA kits had relatively poor performances. In the T2DM subgroup, the kits H2.1 and EIA IgG had best performances, with accuracies of 96.5% and 93.1% respectively. The performance of EIA IgG improved with adjustment of its cut-off value. The performances of the detection kits were affected by various factors which should be taken into consideration.

21 CFR 872.3600 - Partially fabricated denture kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... with the oral tissues. After the denture base is constructed, the connected preformed teeth are...: Evaluation and Testing,’ ” and (2) “OTC Denture Reliners, Repair Kits, and Partially Fabricated Denture Kits...

Dodecamer is required for agglutination of Litopenaeus vannamei hemocyanin with bacterial cells and red blood cells.

PubMed

Pan, Jian-yi; Zhang, Yue-ling; Wang, San-ying; Peng, Xuan-xian

2008-01-01

Hemocyanins are multi-functional proteins, although they are well known to be respiratory proteins of invertebrate to date. In the present study, the agglutination ability of two oligomers of hemocyanin, hexamer and dodecamer, with pathogenic bacteria and red blood cells (RBCs) is investigated in pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. Hexameric hemocyanin exhibits an extremely high stability even in the absence of Ca(2+) and in alkaline pH. Dodecamer (di-hexamer) is easily dissociated into hexamers in unphysiological conditions. Hexamer and dodecamer are interchanged reciprocally with environmental conditions. Both oligomers can bind to bacteria and RBCs, but agglutination is observed only using dodecamer but not using hexamer in agglutination assay. However, the agglutination is detected when hexamer is utilized in the presence of antiserum against hemocyanin. These results indicate that dodecamer of hemocyanin is required for agglutination with bacteria and RBCs. It can be logically inferred that there is only one carbohydrate-binding site to bacterial cells and RBCs in the hexamer, while at least two sites in the dodecamer. Our finding has provided new insights into structural-functional relationship of hemocyanin.

Effect of salivary agglutination on oral streptococcal clearance by human polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes

PubMed Central

Itzek, Andreas; Chen, Zhiyun; Merritt, Justin; Kreth, Jens

2016-01-01

Salivary agglutination is an important host defense mechanism to aggregate oral commensal bacteria as well as invading pathogens. Saliva flow and subsequent swallowing more easily clear aggregated bacteria compared to single cells. Phagocytic clearance of bacteria through polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes also seems to increase to a certain extent with the size of bacterial aggregates. To determine a connection between salivary agglutination and the host innate immune response by phagocytosis, an in vitro agglutination assay was developed reproducing the average size of salivary bacterial aggregates. Using the oral commensal Streptococcus gordonii as a model organism, the effect of salivary agglutination to the phagocytic clearance through polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes was investigated. Here we describe that salivary aggregates of S. gordonii are readily cleared through phagocytosis, while single bacterial cells showed a significant delay in being phagocytosed and killed. Furthermore, prior to phagocytosis the polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes were able to induce a specific de-aggregation, which was dependent on serine protease activity. The herein presented data suggest that salivary agglutination of bacterial cells leads to an ideal size for recognition by polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes. As a first line of defense, these phagocytic cells are able to recognize the aggregates and de-aggregate them via serine proteases to a more manageable size for efficient phagocytosis and subsequent killing in the phagolysosome. This observed mechanism not only prevents the rapid spreading of oral bacterial cells while entering the bloodstream but would also avoid degranulation of involved polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes thus preventing collateral damage to nearby tissue. PMID:27194631

Effect of salivary agglutination on oral streptococcal clearance by human polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes.

PubMed

Itzek, A; Chen, Z; Merritt, J; Kreth, J

2017-06-01

Salivary agglutination is an important host defense mechanism to aggregate oral commensal bacteria as well as invading pathogens. Saliva flow and subsequent swallowing more easily clear aggregated bacteria compared with single cells. Phagocytic clearance of bacteria through polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes also seems to increase to a certain extent with the size of bacterial aggregates. To determine a connection between salivary agglutination and the host innate immune response by phagocytosis, an in vitro agglutination assay was developed reproducing the average size of salivary bacterial aggregates. Using the oral commensal Streptococcus gordonii as a model organism, the effect of salivary agglutination on phagocytic clearance through polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes was investigated. Here we describe how salivary aggregates of S. gordonii are readily cleared through phagocytosis, whereas single bacterial cells showed a significant delay in being phagocytosed and killed. Furthermore, before phagocytosis the polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes were able to induce a specific de-aggregation, which was dependent on serine protease activity. The data presented suggest that salivary agglutination of bacterial cells leads to an ideal size for recognition by polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes. As a first line of defense, these phagocytic cells are able to recognize the aggregates and de-aggregate them via serine proteases to a more manageable size for efficient phagocytosis and subsequent killing in the phagolysosome. This observed mechanism not only prevents the rapid spreading of oral bacterial cells while entering the bloodstream but would also avoid degranulation of involved polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes, so preventing collateral damage to nearby tissue. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nested-PCR and a new ELISA-based NovaLisa test kit for malaria diagnosis in an endemic area of Thailand.

PubMed

Thongdee, Pimwan; Chaijaroenkul, Wanna; Kuesap, Jiraporn; Na-Bangchang, Kesara

2014-08-01

Microscopy is considered as the gold standard for malaria diagnosis although its wide application is limited by the requirement of highly experienced microscopists. PCR and serological tests provide efficient diagnostic performance and have been applied for malaria diagnosis and research. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic performance of nested PCR and a recently developed an ELISA-based new rapid diagnosis test (RDT), NovaLisa test kit, for diagnosis of malaria infection, using microscopic method as the gold standard. The performance of nested-PCR as a malaria diagnostic tool is excellent with respect to its high accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and ability to discriminate Plasmodium species. The sensitivity and specificity of nested-PCR compared with the microscopic method for detection of Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, and P. falciparum/P. vivax mixed infection were 71.4 vs 100%, 100 vs 98.7%, and 100 vs 95.0%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA-based NovaLisa test kit compared with the microscopic method for detection of Plasmodium genus were 89.0 vs 91.6%, respectively. NovaLisa test kit provided comparable diagnostic performance. Its relatively low cost, simplicity, and rapidity enables large scale field application.

Erythrocyte agglutination by wheat germ agglutinin: ionic strength dependence of the contact seam topology.

PubMed

Rolfe, M; Parmar, A; Hoy, T G; Coakley, W T

2001-01-01

The topology of the cell-cell contact seam formed when normal or pronase pre-treated (PPT) erythrocytes are exposed to wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) in isotonic media of different ionic strengths was examined here. Lectin uptake and cell agglutination were also quantified. Agglutination of normal cells was gradually and significantly inhibited as ionic strength (IS) was reduced from 0.15 (buffered 145 mm NaCl) to 0.105. Agglutination was less inhibited in PPT cells, even when IS was reduced to 0.09. Cell contact seams formed during agglutination showed patterns of localized contacts. The scale of the patterns, i.e. the average lateral separation distance of contact regions, was 0.62 microm for normal cells and was significantly shorter, at 0.44 microm, for PPT cells at an IS of 0.15. The scale increased significantly for both cell types when the IS was reduced to 0.09. Flow cytometry measurements showed that WGA uptake by normal cells increased slightly, whilst that for PPT cells was unchanged, as IS was decreased from 0.15 to 0.09. The results imply that, whilst ionic strength change does not exert a strong influence on intermolecular WGA-ligand binding, physico-chemical modification of the interaction between cells modulates not only the extent and progression of the biospecific lectin-induced cell-cell agglutination but also the topology of the contact seam. The IS dependence of contact separation in WGA-agglutinated cells is contrasted here with that reported for cells adhering in dextran solutions. The influence of IS change and pronase pre-treatment on contact pattern are consistent with predictions, from interfacial instability theory, of punctuate thinning of the aqueous layer separating bilayer membranes in close apposition.

Outbreak of uncommon O4 non-agglutinating Salmonella typhimurium linked to minced pork, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, January to April 2013.

PubMed

Alt, Katja; Simon, Sandra; Helmeke, Carina; Kohlstock, Claudia; Prager, Rita; Tietze, Erhard; Rabsch, Wolfgang; Karagiannis, Ioannis; Werber, Dirk; Frank, Christina; Fruth, Angelika

2015-01-01

In January 2013, the National Reference Centre for Salmonella (NRC) detected a salmonellosis cluster in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, caused by uncommon O4 non-agglutinating, monophasic Salmonella (S.) Typhimurium DT193. Circulating predominant monophasic S. Typhimurium DT193 clones typically display resistance phenotype ASSuT. We investigated common exposures to control the outbreak, and conducted microbiological investigations to assess the strains' phenotype. We conducted a case-control study defining cases as persons living or working in Saxony-Anhalt diagnosed with the O4 non-agglutinating strain between January and March 2013. We selected two controls contemporarily reported with norovirus infection, frequency-matched on residence and age group, per case. We interviewed regarding food consumption, especially pork and its place of purchase. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) using logistic regression. The NRC investigated human and food isolates by PCR, SDS-PAGE, MLST, PFGE, MLVA and susceptibility testing. Altogether, 68 O4 non-agglutinating human isolates were confirmed between January and April 2013. Of those, 61 were assigned to the outbreak (median age 57 years, 44% female); 83% cases ≥ 60 years were hospitalized. Eating raw minced pork from butcheries within 3 days was associated with disease (31 cases, 28 controls; OR adjusted for sex: 3.6; 95% CI: 1.0-13). Phage type DT193 and MLST ST34 were assigned, and isolates' lipopolysaccharide (LPS) matched control strains. Isolates linked to Saxony-Anhalt exhibited PFGE type 5. ASSuT- and ACSSuT phenotype proportions were 34 and 39% respectively; 54% were resistant to chloramphenicol. Three pork isolates matched the outbreak strain. Raw minced pork was the most likely infection vehicle in this first reported outbreak caused by O4 non-agglutinating, mostly chloramphenicol-resistant S. Typhimurium DT193. High hospitalization proportions demand awareness on the risk of consumption

The incomplete anti-Rh antibody agglutination mechanism of trypsinized ORh+ red cells.

PubMed Central

Margni, R A; Leoni, J; Bazzurro, M

1977-01-01

The capacity for binding to trypsinized and non-trypsinized ORh+ red cells, of the IgG incomplete anti-Rh antibody and its F(ab')2 and Fc fragments has been investigated. An analysis has also been made of the capacity of non-specific human IgG, aggregated non-specific human IgG, human IgM (19S) and IgM (7S), and of fragments Fcgamma, Fcmu and Fc5mu to inhibit the agglutination of trypsinized ORh+ red cells by the IgG incomplete anti-Rh antibody. The results obtained indicate that these antibodies behave in a similar manner to that of nonprecipitating antibodies, and that the agglutination of trypsinized red cells seems to be a mixed reaction due to the interaction of an Fab fragment with its Rh antigenic determinant present in the surface of a red cell and the Fc of the same molecule with a receptor for Fc present in adjacent red cells. The trypsin treatment apparently results in the liberation of occult Fc receptors. It has also been demonstrated that in the agglutination of ORh+ red cells by IgG incomplete anti-Rh antibody in the presence of albumin, interaction must occur in some manner between the albumin and the Fc fragment since the F(ab')2 fragment does not give rise to agglutination under such conditions. Images Figure 1 PMID:415968

Technology assessment and strategy for development of a Rapid Field Water Microbiology Test Kit. Technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Preston, D.R.; Schaub, S.A.

1991-09-01

A literature and market search of existing technology for the detection, identification, and quantification of microorganisms in water was conducted. Based upon the availability of technologies and their configurations, an assessment of the appropriate strategies to pursue for the near and long term development plans in development of the Rapid Field Bacteriology Test Kit was performed. Near term technologies to improve the Army's capability to detect microorganisms would appear to be essentially improvements in versatility and measurement of coliform indicator organisms. New chromogenic and fluorogenic indicator substances associated with new substrates appear to be best suited for test kit developmentmore » either for quantitative membrane filter tests or presence/absence and multiple fermentation tests. Test times, incubator requirements, and operator involvement appear to be similar to older technologies. Long term development would appear to favor such technologies as genetic probes with amplification of the hydridized nucleic acid materials of positive samples, and some immunological based systems such as enzyme linked, immuno-sorbent assays. In both cases, the major problems would appear to be sample preparation and development of signal strengths from the reactions which would allow the user to see results in 1 hour.« less

[Methicillin resistance detection in Staphylococcus aureus: comparison between conventional methods and MRSA-Screen latex agglutination technique].

PubMed

Soloaga, R; Corso, A; Gagetti, P; Faccone, D; Galas, M

2004-01-01

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant pathogen that has emerged over the last four decades, causing both nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Rapid and accurate detection of methicillin resistance in S. aureus is important for the use of appropriate antimicrobial therapy and for the control of nosocomial spread of MRSA strains. We evaluated the efficiency of conventional methods for detection of methicillin resistance such as the disk diffusion, agar dilution, oxacillin agar screen test, and the latex agglutination test MRSA-Screen latex, in 100 isolates of S. aureus, 79 mecA positive and 21 mecA negative. The MRSA-Screen latex (Denka Seiken, Niigata, Japón), is a latex agglutination method that detects the presence of PLP-2a, product of mecA gene in S. aureus. The PCR of the mecA gene was used as the "gold standard" for the evaluation of the different methods tested. The percentages of sensitivity and specificity were as follows: disk difusión 97 and 100%, agar dilution 97 and 95%, oxacillin agar screen test 100 and 100%, and MRSA-Screen latex, 100 and 100 %. All methods presented high sensitivity and specificity, but MRSA-Screen latex had the advantage of giving a reliable result, equivalent to PCR, in only 15 minutes.

Evaluation of rapid post-mortem test kits for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) screening in Japan: Their analytical sensitivity to atypical BSE prions.

PubMed

Hagiwara, Ken'ichi; Iwamaru, Yoshifumi; Tabeta, Naoko; Yokoyama, Takashi; Tobiume, Minoru

2017-03-04

A classical type of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (C-BSE), recognized in 1987, had a large impact on public health due to its zoonotic link to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease by the human consumption of dietary products contaminated with the C-BSE prion. Thus, a number of countries implemented BSE surveillance using rapid post-mortem test kits that were approved for detection of the C-BSE prion in the cattle brain. However, as atypical BSE (L- and H-BSE) cases emerged in subsequent years, the efficacy of the kits for the detection of atypical BSE prions became a matter of concern. In response to this, laboratories in the European Union and Canada evaluated the kits used in their countries. Here, we carried out an evaluation study of NippiBL®, a kit currently used for BSE screening in Japan. By applying the kit to cattle brains of field cases of C-BSE and L-BSE, and an experimental case of H-BSE, we showed its comparable sensitivities to C, L-, and H-BSE prions, and satisfactory performance required by the European Food Safety Authority. In addition to NippiBL®, two kits (TeSeE® and FRELISA®) formerly used in Japan were effective for detection of the L-BSE prion, although the two kits were unable to be tested for the H-BSE prion due to the discontinuation of domestic sales during this study. These results indicate that BSE screening in Japan is as effective as those in other countries, and it is unlikely that cases of atypical BSE have been overlooked.

Evaluation of a rapid agglutination method for detection of equine red cell surface antigens (Ca and Aa) as part of pretransfusion testing.

PubMed

Owens, Sean D; Snipes, Joy; Magdesian, K Gary; Christopher, Mary M

2008-03-01

Blood typing before transfusion minimizes the risk of transfusion reactions and prevents immunization of the recipient against incompatible RBC antigens. The major RBC antigens that warrant identification before packed RBC or whole blood transfusions in horses are Ca and Aa. Standard blood-typing protocols are time-consuming (2.5-3.0 hours) and impractical in emergency settings. The purpose of this study was to determine whether equine RBCs could be typed for Ca and Aa antigens using sera from horses with RBC antibodies in a modified rapid (15 minute) blood-typing protocol. Serum was obtained from a horse with anti-Ca antibodies and from another horse with anti-Aa antibodies. The presence of agglutinating antibodies was confirmed with antibody screening. Venous blood samples, collected in citrate-phosphate-dextrose, were obtained from 21 horses of various breeds. Samples were blood typed in the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital Hematology Laboratory using standard methodology. Washed RBCs from each of the 21 horses were incubated individually with anti-Ca and anti-Aa sera at dilutions of 1:4, 1:8, and 1:16 for 15 and 30 minutes at room temperature and 37 degrees C. Of the 21 horses, 13 were identified as Aa+/Ca+, four were Aa+/Ca-, two were Aa-/Ca+, and two were Aa-/Ca-. All 17 Aa-positive horses had a positive agglutination reaction at all dilutions of anti-Aa serum, incubation times, and temperatures, while all Aa-negative horses were negative. Each Ca-positive horse had a positive agglutination reaction at all incubation time points and temperatures up to the 1:16 dilution of the anti-Ca serum. All Ca-negative horses were negative at all times, temperatures, and dilutions of anti-Ca serum. Use of the modified protocol on 26 hospitalized horses resulted in accurate typing, based on complete antibody screens. These results support the hypothesis that equine RBCs can be blood typed using a rapid (15 minute) protocol, at room temperature, for the presence of Ca

Evaluation of the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST Kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl Test for Detecting Extensively Drug-resistant Tuberculosis Cases.

PubMed

Tekin, Kemal; Albay, Ali; Simsek, Hulya; Sig, Ali Korhan; Guney, Mustafa

2017-10-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the performances of the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl test for detecting second-line antituberculosis drug resistance in Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases. Forty-six MDR-TB strains were studied. Second-line antituberculosis drug resistances were detected using the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl test. The Middlebrook 7H10 agar proportion method was used as the reference test. The sensitivity and specificity values for the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit were both 100% for amikacin, kanamycin, capreomycin (4 µg/mL), and ofloxacin; 100% and 95.3%, respectively, for capreomycin (10 µg/mL); and 85.7% and 100%, respectively, for moxifloxacin (0.5 µg/mL). The sensitivity and specificity values for the GenoType MTBDRsl test to detect fluoroquinolone and aminoglycoside/cyclic peptide resistance were 88.9% and 100%, respectively, for ofloxacin and 85.7% and 94.9%, respectively, for moxifloxacin (0.5 µg/mL). The accuracy of the GenoType MTBDRsl assay for kanamycin, capreomycin, ofloxacin, and moxifloxacin was lower than that of the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST. The BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl were successful in detecting second-line antituberculosis drug resistance. Preliminary results of the GenoType MTBDRsl are very valuable for early treatment decisions, but we still recommend additional BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit usage in the routine evaluation of drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Evaluation of the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST Kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl Test for Detecting Extensively Drug-resistant Tuberculosis Cases

PubMed Central

Tekin, Kemal; Albay, Ali; Simsek, Hulya; Sig, Ali Korhan; Guney, Mustafa

2017-01-01

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the performances of the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl test for detecting second-line antituberculosis drug resistance in Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases. Materials and Methods: Forty-six MDR-TB strains were studied. Second-line antituberculosis drug resistances were detected using the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl test. The Middlebrook 7H10 agar proportion method was used as the reference test. Results: The sensitivity and specificity values for the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit were both 100% for amikacin, kanamycin, capreomycin (4 µg/mL), and ofloxacin; 100% and 95.3%, respectively, for capreomycin (10 µg/mL); and 85.7% and 100%, respectively, for moxifloxacin (0.5 µg/mL). The sensitivity and specificity values for the GenoType MTBDRsl test to detect fluoroquinolone and aminoglycoside/cyclic peptide resistance were 88.9% and 100%, respectively, for ofloxacin and 85.7% and 94.9%, respectively, for moxifloxacin (0.5 µg/mL). The accuracy of the GenoType MTBDRsl assay for kanamycin, capreomycin, ofloxacin, and moxifloxacin was lower than that of the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST. Conclusion: The BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl were successful in detecting second-line antituberculosis drug resistance. Preliminary results of the GenoType MTBDRsl are very valuable for early treatment decisions, but we still recommend additional BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit usage in the routine evaluation of drug-resistant tuberculosis. PMID:29123441

Usability testing of a Falls Prevention Tool Kit for an inpatient acute care setting.

PubMed

Goldsmith, Denise; Zuyev, Lyubov; Benoit, Angie; Chang, Frank Y; Horsky, Jan; Dykes, Patricia

2009-01-01

Efforts to prevent falls in the hospital setting involves identifying patients at risk of falling and implementing fall prevention strategies. This poster describes the method and results of Performance Usability Testing on a web-based Fall Prevention Tool Kit (FPTK) developed as part of a research study, (Falls TIPS-Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety) funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Comparison of a New and Rapid Method: Brucella Coombs Gel Test With Other Diagnostic Tests.

PubMed

Kalem, Fatma; Ergün, Ayşe Gül; Durmaz, Süleyman; Doğan, Metin; Ertuğrul, Ömür; Gündem, Seval

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to detect reliability of Brucella Coombs gel test (BCGT) by comparing with with ELISA (IgG + IgM), Standard agglutination test, and Brucella immunocapture agglutination methods in serological diagnosis of brucellosis. Brucella Coombs gel test (BCGT), Brucella ELISA (IgG + IgM), Standard agglutination test, and Brucella immunocapture agglutination tests of 78 patients with presumptive diagnosis of brucellosis which were sent to Microbiology Laboratory of Konya Numune Hospital from various regions of Konya were studied. Of 78 patients with ELISA IgG and IgM, STA, BICA and BCGT; 26, 21, 10, 12 and 12 were positive. When compared with BICA, the sensitivity and specifity of BCGT were 100% and 100%, respectively. According to results BCGT can be used as a diagnostic test in routine laboratories after more comprehensive studies in control groups and patients. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Forensic Application of HuaxiaTM Platinum Kit].

PubMed

Wang, Y L; Sheng, X; Li, M; Chen, Y L; Lin, Y; Chen, L Q

2017-04-01

To investigate the genetic polymorphism of 23 autosomal STR loci of Huaxia™ Platinum kit in Chinese Han population, and to evaluate the forensic efficiency of Huaxia™ Platinum kit. A total of 500 unrelated healthy individuals from Han population were genotyped with Huaxia™ Platinum kit. The frequency distribution and the parameter of population genetics of STR loci were analysed statistically. Huaxia™ Platinum kit was compared with other 7 commercial STR kits commonly seen at home and abroad in the number of STR loci, interior label, fluorescent mark, total number of alleles in Ladder and system effectiveness. All the 23 autosomal STR loci were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium （ P >0.05）. The discrimination power was 0.791 5-0.986 2. The polymorphism information content （PIC） was 0.559 0-0.914 0. The combined discrimination power （CDP） was 1-4.1×10⁻²⁸, while combined probability of paternity exclusion in trio （CPET） and in duo （CPED） were 1-4.1×10⁻¹⁰ and 1-8.4×10⁻⁷, respectively. Compared with other 7 kits, Huaxia™ Platinum kit contained the most number of alleles within the Ladder. All the 23 autosomal STR loci of Huaxia™ Platinum kit with highly polymorphic in Han population can be used for paternity testing and individual identification. Compared with other 7 kits, it appears that Huaxia™ Platinum kit can provide more genetic information. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine

21 CFR 864.1860 - Immunohistochemistry reagents and kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Immunohistochemistry reagents and kits. (a) Identification. Immunohistochemistry test systems (IHC's) are in vitro... performance claims, which may be packaged with ancillary reagents in kits. Their intended use is to identify, by immunological techniques, antigens in tissues or cytologic specimens. Similar devices intended for...

21 CFR 864.1860 - Immunohistochemistry reagents and kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Immunohistochemistry reagents and kits. (a) Identification. Immunohistochemistry test systems (IHC's) are in vitro... performance claims, which may be packaged with ancillary reagents in kits. Their intended use is to identify, by immunological techniques, antigens in tissues or cytologic specimens. Similar devices intended for...

Detection of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) Antibodies in Serum Using A Polystyrene Bead/SE Flagella Agglutination Assay

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Serologic screening of flocks can be an important method to detect Salmonella enteritidis (SE) infections but can be labor intensive or lack specificity. Our goal was to develop a rapid agglutination assay using SE flagella adsorbed to polystyrene beads as a simple, relatively specific test to dete...

The effect of test kit provision, and individual and family education on the uptake rates of fecal occult blood test in an Asian population: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Ha, Tam Cam; Yong, Sook Kwin; Yeoh, Kheng-Wei; Kamberakis, Kay; Yeo, Richard Ming Chert; Koh, Gerald Choon-Huat

2014-11-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether fecal occult blood test (FOBT) home-delivery and individual education or combined with family education increases FOBT uptake rates in Singapore. This is a randomized controlled intervention study of Singaporean residents aged 50 years and above, conducted in May 2012 till May 2013. Eligible individuals in randomly selected households were screened, and one member was randomly selected and allocated to one of the four arms: Group A (individual and family education, FOBT kits provided), Group B (individual education only, FOBT kits provided), Group C (no education, FOBT kits provided) and Group D (no education or FOBT kits provided). Overall response rate was 74.7 %. The FOBT return rates for groups A, B, C and D were 24.5 % [CI 16.2-34.4 %], 25.3 % [CI 16.4-36.0 %], 10.7 % [CI 4.7-19.9 %] and 2.2 % [CI 0.3-7.7 %], respectively. Respondents who were provided education and home-delivered FOBT kits were 15 times more likely to return FOBT kits [Group A: OR 15.0 (3.4-66.2); Group B: OR 15.5 (3.5-68.8)] and those provided with home-delivered FOBT without education were five times more likely to return FOBT kits [Group C: OR 5.8 (1.2-28.3)] than those without education and FOBT kits (Group D). There was no significant difference in return of FOBT kits whether education was provided to subject with or without a family member. Home delivery of FOBT kits increased FOBT return rates and individual education combined with home-delivered FOBT increased FOBT return rates even further. However, additional combination with family education did not increase FOBT rates further.

'Agglutination and flocculation' of stem cells collected by apheresis due to cryofibrinogen.

PubMed

Siegenthaler, M A; Vu, D-H; Ebnöther, M; Ketterer, N; Luthi, F; Schmid, P; Bargetzi, M; Gasparini, D; Tissot, J-D

2004-04-01

Collection of peripheral stem cells by apheresis is a well-described process. Here, investigations concerning 'agglutination and flocculation' of stem cells collected from two patients are described. In both cases, cryoproteins were observed and cryofibrinogen was identified using high-resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis. In one case, peripheral stem cells were collected after a second course of mobilization, and the cells were immediately washed at 37 degrees C before being frozen, allowing their use, despite the presence of cryofibrinogen. In the other case, 'agglutination' was reversed by warming the bag, and plasma was removed before freezing.

Real time observation and automated measurement of red blood cells agglutination inside a passive microfluidic biochip containing embedded reagents.

PubMed

Huet, Maxime; Cubizolles, Myriam; Buhot, Arnaud

2017-07-15

The process of agglutination is commonly used for the detection of biomarkers like proteins or viruses. The multiple bindings between micrometer sized particles, either latex beads or red blood cells (RBCs), create aggregates that are easily detectable and give qualitative information about the presence of the biomarkers. In most cases, the detection is made by simple naked-eye observation of agglutinates without any access to the kinetics of agglutination. In this study, we address the development of a real-time time observation of RBCs agglutination. Using ABO blood typing as a proof-of-concept, we developed i) an integrated biological protocol suitable for further use as point-of-care (POC) analysis and ii) two dedicated image processing algorithms for the real-time and quantitative measurement of agglutination. Anti-A or anti-B typing reagents were dried inside the microchannel of a passive microfluidic chip designed to enhance capillary flow. A blood drop deposit at the tip of the biochip established a simple biological protocol. In situ agglutination of autologous RBCs was achieved by means of embedded reagents and real time agglutination process was monitored by video recording. Using a training set of 24 experiments, two real-time indicators based on correlation and variance of gray levels were optimized and then further confirmed on a validation set. 100% correct discrimination between positive and negative agglutinations was performed within less than 2min by measuring real-time evolution of both correlation and variance indicators. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis: a comparative multicenter study of a standard scale through various actual tests and expression of the results in international units. Groupe de travail toxoplasmose du Contrôle national de qualité en parasotologie. Syndicat des fabricants de réactifs de laboratoire. Groupe de travail standardisation des tests sérologiques du Réseau européen de lutte contre la toxoplasmose congénitale].

PubMed

Petithory, J C; Ambroise-Thomas, P; De Loye, J; Pelloux, H; Goullier-Fleuret, A; Milgram, M; Buffard, C; Garin, J P

1996-01-01

Reported are the results of a multicentre study involving 40 laboratories that was carried out in France to assess all the currently available methods used for the serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis. For this purpose 10 batches of control sera were prepared with titres in the range 0-260 IU per ml. These sera were tested in nine laboratories using immunofluorescence methods; in three laboratories using dye tests; in forty laboratories using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; in four laboratories using direct agglutination and haemagglutination; in seven laboratories using the high-sensitivity IgG agglutination test; and in three laboratories using the latex agglutination test. In this way, 70 series of titrations were carried out using seven procedures and the results were compared with those obtained using the WHO reference serum in 15 cases, with the French national E6 serum in 16 other cases, and in 39 cases using 15 reference sera supplied by the reagent manufacturers. Rigorous comparison of the tests was not possible in all cases because one aim of the study was to ensure that the tests were carried out under the usual working conditions that prevailed in the participating laboratories. The results obtained indicate that the serological tests currently available for toxoplasmosis are acceptable for its serodiagnosis. Presentation of the titres in IU has advantages; however, caution is required since the definition of IU varies according to the test and reagents used. It is therefore essential that the conditions and limits for a positive reaction be carefully defined in each case, especially for commercially available kits.

A deep-sea agglutinated foraminifer tube constructed with planktonic foraminifer shells of a single species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearson, Paul N.; Expedition 363 Shipboard Scientific Party, IODP

2018-01-01

Agglutinated foraminifera are marine protists that show apparently complex behaviour in constructing their shells, involving selecting suitable sedimentary grains from their environment, manipulating them in three dimensions, and cementing them precisely into position. Here we illustrate a striking and previously undescribed example of complex organisation in fragments of a tube-like foraminifer (questionably assigned to Rhabdammina) from 1466 m water depth on the northwest Australian margin. The tube is constructed from well-cemented siliciclastic grains which form a matrix into which hundreds of planktonic foraminifer shells are regularly spaced in apparently helical bands. These shells are of a single species, Turborotalita clarkei, which has been selected to the exclusion of all other bioclasts. The majority of shells are set horizontally in the matrix with the umbilical side upward. This mode of construction, as is the case with other agglutinated tests, seems to require either an extraordinarily selective trial-and-error process at the site of cementation or an active sensory and decision-making system within the cell.

The Production of Nominal and Verbal Inflection in an Agglutinative Language: Evidence from Hungarian

PubMed Central

Peckham, Don; Szanka, Szilvia; Gazso, Dorottya; Lovassy, Noemi; Ullman, Michael T.

2015-01-01

The contrast between regular and irregular inflectional morphology has been useful in investigating the functional and neural architecture of language. However, most studies have examined the regular/irregular distinction in non-agglutinative Indo-European languages (primarily English) with relatively simple morphology. Additionally, the majority of research has focused on verbal rather than nominal inflectional morphology. The present study attempts to address these gaps by introducing both plural and past tense production tasks in Hungarian, an agglutinative non-Indo-European language with complex morphology. Here we report results on these tasks from healthy Hungarian native-speaking adults, in whom we examine regular and irregular nominal and verbal inflection in a within-subjects design. Regular and irregular nouns and verbs were stem on frequency, word length, and phonological structure, and both accuracy and response times were acquired. The results revealed that the regular/irregular contrast yields similar patterns in Hungarian, for both nominal and verbal inflection, as in previous studies of non-agglutinative Indo-European languages: the production of irregular inflected forms was both less accurate and slower than of regular forms, both for plural and past-tense inflection. The results replicate and extend previous findings to an agglutinative language with complex morphology. Together with previous studies, the evidence suggests that the regular/irregular distinction yields a basic behavioral pattern that holds across language families and linguistic typologies. Finally, the study sets the stage for further research examining the neurocognitive substrates of regular and irregular morphology in an agglutinative non-Indo-European language. PMID:25769039

Personal Computer-less (PC-less) Microcontroller Training Kit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somantri, Y.; Wahyudin, D.; Fushilat, I.

2018-02-01

The need of microcontroller training kit is necessary for practical work of students of electrical engineering education. However, to use available training kit not only costly but also does not meet the need of laboratory requirements. An affordable and portable microcontroller kit could answer such problem. This paper explains the design and development of Personal Computer Less (PC-Less) Microcontroller Training Kit. It was developed based on Lattepanda processor and Arduino microcontroller as target. The training kit equipped with advanced input-output interfaces that adopted the concept of low cost and low power system. The preliminary usability testing proved this device can be used as a tool for microcontroller programming and industrial automation training. By adopting the concept of portability, the device could be operated in the rural area which electricity and computer infrastructure are limited. Furthermore, the training kit is suitable for student of electrical engineering student from university and vocational high school.

'. . . if you bring the kit home, you [can] get time and test together with your partner': Pregnant women and male partners' perceptions regarding female partner-delivered HIV self-testing in Uganda - A qualitative study.

PubMed

Matovu, Joseph Kb; Buregyeya, Esther; Arinaitwe, Jim; Wanyenze, Rhoda K

2017-11-01

In 2015, the World Health Organization reported that more than 60 million people were tested for HIV in 122 low- and middle-income countries between 2010 and 2014. Despite this level of progress, over 40% of people living with HIV remain unaware of their HIV status. This calls for innovative approaches to improve uptake of HIV testing services, including use of HIV self-test (HIVST) kits. We conducted a cross-sectional, qualitative study to assess pregnant women and their male partners' perceptions regarding female partner-delivered HIVST kits. This study was conducted at two health facilities in Central Uganda between November and December 2015. Data were collected on pregnant women's willingness to take HIVST kits to their male partners and other household members using eight focus group discussions and 30 in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed following a thematic framework approach. Overall, pregnant women were willing to take HIVST kits to their partners and other household members, with the exception of their cowives. Male partners were willing to use HIVST kits brought by their female partners. Our findings suggest that secondary distribution of HIVST kits through female partners is acceptable and has the potential to improve male partner and household-member HIV testing.

Evaluation of microcystin contamination in blue-green algal dietary supplements using a protein phosphatase inhibition-based test kit.

PubMed

Marsan, David W; Conrad, Stephen M; Stutts, Whitney L; Parker, Christine H; Deeds, Jonathan R

2018-03-01

The cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA), from Upper-Klamath Lake, Oregon, are used to produce blue-green algal (BGA) dietary supplements. The periodic co-occurrence of hepatotoxin-producing contaminant species prompted the Oregon Health Division to establish a limit of 1 μg/g microcystin (MC) for products sold in Oregon in 1997. At the federal level, the current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) regulations for dietary supplements require manufacturers establish a specification, and test, for limits on contaminants that may adulterate finished products. Despite this, several previous international surveys reported MC in BGA supplements in excess of 1 μg/g. The objectives of this study were (1) identify a reliable, easy to use test kit for the detection of MC in dried BGA materials and (2) use this kit to assess the occurrence of MC contamination in AFA-BGA dietary supplements in the U.S. A commercial protein phosphatase inhibition assay (PPIA), based on the enzyme PP2A, was found to have acceptable relative enzyme inhibition and accuracy for the majority of MC variants tested, including those most commonly identified in commercial samples, making the kit fit for purpose. Using the PPIA kit, 51% (26 of 51) distinct AFA-BGA products had MC ≥0.25 μg/g (the detection limit of the kit), 10 products had MC concentrations between 0.5 and 1.0 μg/g, and 4 products exceeded the limit (1.1-2.8 μg/g). LC-MS/MS confirmed PPIA results ≥0.5 μg/g and determined that MC-LA and MC-LR were the main congeners present. PPIA is a reliable method for the detection of MC contamination in dried BGA dietary supplements produced in the U.S. While the majority of AFA-BGA products contained ≥0.25 μg/g MC, most were at or below 1.0 μg/g, suggesting that manufacturers have adopted this level as a specification in these products; however, variability in recommended serving sizes prevented further analysis of consumer exposure based on the concentrations of MC

Birth kits for safe motherhood in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Nessa, S; Arco, E S; Kabir, I A

1992-01-01

Tetanus infection remains the leading cause of high neonatal mortality in Bangladesh. Birth kits which instruct and assist in a clean, safe birth are seen as a key measure in reducing the high incidence of neonatal deaths. A multisectoral programme has developed a simple kit and tested its potential for distribution to pregnant women. Initial results are positive and development is continuing.

Agglutinates as recorders of fossil soil compositions. [of Apollo 17 lunar probes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, G. J.; Wentworth, S.; Warner, R. D.; Keil, K.

1978-01-01

The composition of agglutinates in polished sections of the Apollo 17 drill core was studied in an attempt to deduce the nature of the Taurus-Littrow valley regolith prior to the formation of the Camelot and Central Cluster craters. The agglutinate compositions in the soils differed from the host soil compositions except for samples from the North Massif. Local materials from the valley floor and the massifs appear to form the pre-Central Cluster regolith. It is also shown that chemical mixing models for bulk soil compositions can be misleading unless the petrologic characteristics of each soil are taken into account.

Synthesis for Lunar Simulants: Glass, Agglutinate, Plagioclase, Breccia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinstein, Michael; Wilson, Stephen A.; Rickman, Douglas L.; Stoeser, Douglas

2012-01-01

The video describes a process for making glass for lunar regolith simulants that was developed from a patented glass-producing technology. Glass composition can be matched to simulant design and specification. Production of glass, pseudo agglutinates, plagioclase, and breccias is demonstrated. The system is capable of producing hundreds of kilograms of high quality glass and simulants per day.

Development of a simple and rapid method for the specific identification of organism causing anthrax by slide latex agglutination.

PubMed

Sumithra, T G; Chaturvedi, V K; Gupta, P K; Sunita, S C; Rai, A K; Kutty, M V H; Laxmi, U; Murugan, M S

2014-05-01

A specific latex agglutination test (LAT) based on anti-PA (protective antigen) antibodies having detection limit of 5 × 10(4) formalin treated Bacillus anthracis cells or 110 ng of PA was optimized in this study. The optimized LAT could detect anthrax toxin in whole blood as well as in serum from the animal models of anthrax infection. The protocol is a simple and promising method for the specific detection of bacteria causing anthrax under routine laboratory, as well as in field, conditions without any special equipments or expertise. The article presents the first report of a latex agglutination test for the specific identification of the cultures of bacteria causing anthrax. As the test is targeting one of anthrax toxic protein (PA), this can also be used to determine virulence of suspected organisms. At the same time, the same LAT can be used directly on whole blood or sera samples under field conditions for the specific diagnosis of anthrax. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

The role of latex agglutination test for the etiological diagnosis of pleural effusion in children and adolescents.

PubMed

Camargos, Paulo; Fonseca, Ana Cristina; Amantéa, Sérgio; Oliveira, Elizabeth; Benfica, Maria das Graças; Chamone, Chequer

2017-05-01

The etiological diagnosis of pleural effusion is a difficult task because the diagnostic tools can only establish a definitive etiological diagnosis in at most 76% of cases. To verify the diagnostic accuracy of the latex agglutination test (LAT) for the etiological diagnosis of pleural effusions caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type b. After thoracocentesis, paired fresh samples of pleural fluid from 418 children and adolescents were included in this investigation. They were tested blindly and simultaneously through counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) and LAT for both bacteria. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and likelihood ratios (LR) were calculated taking CIE as a reference standard. The sensitivity and specificity of LAT was 100% (95% confidence interval, 94.4%-100%) and 83.3% (95% confidence interval, 79.0%-87.0%), respectively, whereas the positive (calculated from Bayes' theorem) and negative predictive values were, respectively, lower than 1% and 100% (95% confidence interval, 98.8%-100%). Positive and negative LR were 6.0 (95% confidence interval, 4.7-7.6) and zero, respectively. Our results suggest that LAT is a useful tool for the etiological diagnosis of pleural effusion. It is a reliable, rapid, simple to perform and shows an excellent yield in our studied population, helping to prescribe appropriate antibiotics for this clinical condition. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

LogiKit - assisting complex logic specification and implementation for embedded control systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diglio, A.; Nicolodi, B.

2002-07-01

LogiKit provides an overall lifecycle solution. LogiKit is a powerful software engineering case toolkit for requirements specification, simulation and documentation. LogiKit also provides an automatic ADA software design, code and unit test generator.

Dumpster Optics: teaching and learning optics without a kit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donnelly, Judy; Magnani, Nancy; Robinson, Kathleen

2016-09-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and renewed emphasis on STEM education in the U.S. have resulted in the development of many educational kits for teaching science in general and optics in particular. Many teachers do not have funding to purchase kits and practical experience has shown that even costly kits can have poorly written and misleading instructions and may include experiments that would not work in a classroom. Dumpster Optics lessons are designed to use inexpensive, commonly found materials. All lessons have been field-tested with students. We will describe the development of the lessons, provide examples of field testing experiences and outline possible future activities.

Differential actions of proteinases and neuraminidase on mammalian erythrocyte surface and its impact on erythrocyte agglutination by concanavalin A.

PubMed

Sharma, Savita; Gokhale, Sadashiv M

2012-12-01

Action of proteinases viz. trypsin and chymotrypsin, and neuraminidase on intact erythrocyte membrane proteins and glycophorins (sialoglycoproteins) exposed to cell surface and its impact on lectin (concanavalin A)-mediated agglutination were studied in Homo sapiens (human), Capra aegagrus hircus (goat) and Bubalus bubalis (buffalo). Membrane proteins and glycophorins analysis by SDS-PAGE as visualized by coomassie brilliant blue and periodic acid-schiff stains, respectively, and agglutination behaviour revealed marked differences: 1) there were prominent dissimilarities in the number and molecular weights of glycophorins in human, goat and buffalo erythrocyte membranes; 2) proteinase action(s) on human and buffalo erythrocyte surface membrane proteins and glycophorins showed similarity but was found different in goat; 3) significant differences in erythrocyte agglutinability with concanavalin A can be attributed to differences in membrane composition and alterations in the surface proteins after enzyme treatment; 4) a direct correlation was found between degradation of glycophorins and concanavalin A agglutinability; 5) action of neuraminidase specifically indicated the negative role of cell surface sialic acids in determining concanavalin A agglutinability of goat and buffalo erythrocytes, similar to human. Present studies clearly indicate that there are some basic differences in human, goat and buffalo erythrocyte membrane proteins, especially with respect to glycophorins, which determine the concanavalin A-mediated agglutination in enzyme treated erythrocytes.

[Microbiology--laboratory examinations for bacterias].

PubMed

Hen, Renjun; Imafuku, Yuji; Yoshida, Hiroshi

2002-11-01

As it has been required to identify pathogenic microbes in shorter times, simple and rapid methods have been developed and used. Here, we summarized the present situation of rapid diagnostic testing in clinical microbiology in Japan, and also presented our results on PBP2' detection. The rapid test kits available in Japan for E. coli, Helicobacter pylori, Salmonella, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus were described. Rapid examination methods are based mainly on immunologic reactions, which included slide agglutination using latex particle, immunochromatography and ELISA. Times required for the identification are 10 to 15 minutes. Moreover, rapid test kits employing PCR are also marketed. Further, we evaluated MRSA-LA "Seiken" which is a rapid detection kit for PBP2' produced by MRSA. The test was shown to be highly sensitive and specific. For the rapid identification of pathogenic microbes, simple and rapid test kits described here will be used more in clinical diagnosis.

Mechanisms of red blood cells agglutination in antibody-treated paper.

PubMed

Jarujamrus, Purim; Tian, Junfei; Li, Xu; Siripinyanond, Atitaya; Shiowatana, Juwadee; Shen, Wei

2012-05-07

Recent reports on using bio-active paper and bio-active thread to determine human blood type have shown a tremendous potential of using these low-cost materials to build bio-sensors for blood diagnosis. In this work we focus on understanding the mechanisms of red blood cell agglutination in the antibody-loaded paper. We semi-quantitatively evaluate the percentage of antibody molecules that are adsorbed on cellulose fibres and can potentially immobilize red blood cells on the fibre surface, and the percentage of the molecules that can desorb from the cellulose fibre surface into the blood sample and cause haemagglutination reaction in the bulk of a blood sample. Our results show that 34 to 42% of antibody molecules in the papers treated with commercial blood grouping antibodies can desorb from the fibre surface. When specific antibody molecules are released into the blood sample via desorption, haemagglutination reaction occurs in the blood sample. The reaction bridges the red cells in the blood sample bulk to the layer of red cells immobilized on the fibre surface by the adsorbed antibody molecules. The desorbed antibody also causes agglutinated lumps of red blood cells to form. These lumps cannot pass through the pores of the filter paper. The immobilization and filtration of agglutinated red cells give reproducible identification of positive haemagglutination reaction. Results from this study provide information for designing new bio-active paper-based devices for human blood typing with improved sensitivity and specificity.

Repeatability and validity of a field kit for estimation of cholinesterase in whole blood.

PubMed Central

London, L; Thompson, M L; Sacks, S; Fuller, B; Bachmann, O M; Myers, J E

1995-01-01

OBJECTIVES--To evaluate a spectrophotometric field kit (Test-Mate-OP) for repeatability and validity in comparison with reference laboratory methods and to model its anticipated sensitivity and specificity based on these findings. METHODS--76 farm workers between the age of 20 and 55, of whom 30 were pesticide applicators exposed to a range of organophosphates in the preceding 10 days, had blood taken for plasma cholinesterase (PCE) and erythrocyte cholinesterase (ECE) measurement by field kit or laboratory methods. Paired blinded duplicate samples were taken from subgroups in the sample to assess repeatability of laboratory and field kit methods. Field kits were also used to test venous blood in one subgroup. The variance obtained for the field kit tests was then applied to two hypothetical scenarios that used published action guidelines to model the kit's sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS--Repeatability for PCE was much poorer and for ECE slightly poorer than that of laboratory measures. A substantial upward bias for field kit ECE relative to laboratory measurements was found. Sensitivity of the kit to a 40% drop in PCE was 67%, whereas that for ECE was 89%. Specificity of the kit with no change in mean of the population was 100% for ECE and 91% for PCE. CONCLUSION--Field kit ECE estimation seems to be sufficiently repeatable for surveillance activities, whereas PCE does not. Repeatability of both tests seems to be too low for use in epidemiological dose-response investigations. Further research is indicated to characterise the upward bias in ECE estimation on the kit. PMID:7697143

Bioactive extracts of red seaweeds Pterocladiella capillacea and Osmundaria obtusiloba (Floridophyceae: Rhodophyta) with antioxidant and bacterial agglutination potential.

PubMed

de Alencar, Daniel Barroso; de Carvalho, Fátima Cristiane Teles; Rebouças, Rosa Helena; Dos Santos, Daniel Rodrigues; Dos Santos Pires-Cavalcante, Kelma Maria; de Lima, Rebeca Larangeira; Baracho, Bárbara Mendes; Bezerra, Rayssa Mendes; Viana, Francisco Arnaldo; Dos Fernandes Vieira, Regine Helena Silva; Sampaio, Alexandre Holanda; de Sousa, Oscarina Viana; Saker-Sampaio, Silvana

2016-04-01

To evaluate the antioxidant, antibacterial and bacterial cell agglutination activities of the hexane (Hex) and 70% ethanol (70% EtOH) extracts of two species of red seaweeds Pterocladiella capillacea (P. capillacea) and Osmundaria obtusiloba. In vitro antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH radical scavenging assay, ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay, ferrous ion chelating assay, β-carotene bleaching assay and total phenolic content quantification. Antimicrobial activity was tested using the method of disc diffusion on Mueller-Hinton medium. The ability of algal extracts to agglutinate bacterial cells was also tested. The 70% EtOH extract of the two algae showed the highest values of total phenolic content compared to the Hex extract. The results of DPPH for both extracts (Hex, 70% EtOH) of Osmundaria obtusiloba (43.46% and 99.47%) were higher than those of P. capillacea (33.04% and 40.81%) at a concentration of 1000 μg/mL. As for the ferrous ion chelating, there was an opposite behavior, extracts of P. capillacea had a higher activity. The extracts showed a low ferric-reducing antioxidant power, with optical density ranging from 0.054 to 0.180. Antioxidant activities of all extracts evaluated for β-carotene bleaching were above 40%. There was no antibacterial activity against bacterial strains tested. However, the extracts of both species were able to agglutinate bacterial Gram positive cells of Staphylococcus aureus and Gram negative cells of Escherichia coli, multidrug-resistant Salmonella and Vibrio harveyi. This is the first report of the interaction between these algal extracts, rich in natural compounds with antioxidant potential, and Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial cells. Copyright © 2016 Hainan Medical College. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using a Social Network Strategy to Distribute HIV Self-Test Kits to African American and Latino MSM.

PubMed

Lightfoot, Marguerita A; Campbell, Chadwick K; Moss, Nicholas; Treves-Kagan, Sarah; Agnew, Emily; Kang Dufour, Mi-Suk; Scott, Hyman; Sa'id, Aria M; Lippman, Sheri A

2018-05-04

Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be disproportionately impacted globally by the HIV epidemic. Studies suggest that HIV Self-testing (HIVST) is highly acceptable among MSM. Social network strategies to increase testing are effective in reaching MSM, particularly MSM of color, who may not otherwise test. We tested a social-network based strategy to distribute HIVST kits to African American and Latino MSM. This study was conducted in Alameda County, California a large, urban/suburban county with an HIV epidemic mirroring the national HIV epidemic. From January 2016 to March 2017, 30 AAMSM, LMSM, and Transgender women were trained as peer recruiters and asked to distribute five self-test kits to MSM social network members and support those who test positive in linking to care. Testers completed an online survey following their test. We compared peer-distributed HIVST testing outcomes to outcomes from Alameda County's targeted, community-based HIV testing programs using chi-squared tests. Peers distributed HIVST to 143 social and sexual network members, of whom 110 completed the online survey. Compared to MSM who utilized the County's sponsored testing programs, individuals reached through the peer-based self-testing strategy were significantly more likely to have never tested for HIV (3.51% vs. 0.41%, p<0.01) and to report a positive test result (6.14% vs 1.49%, p<0.01). Findings suggest that a network-based strategy for self-test distribution is a promising intervention to increase testing uptake and reduce undiagnosed infections among African American and Latino MSM.

Association of KIT exon 9 mutations with nongastric primary site and aggressive behavior: KIT mutation analysis and clinical correlates of 120 gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

PubMed

Antonescu, Cristina R; Sommer, Gunhild; Sarran, Lisa; Tschernyavsky, Sylvia J; Riedel, Elyn; Woodruff, James M; Robson, Mark; Maki, Robert; Brennan, Murray F; Ladanyi, Marc; DeMatteo, Ronald P; Besmer, Peter

2003-08-15

Activating mutations of the KIT juxtamembrane region are the most common genetic events in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and have been noted as independent prognostic factors. The impact of KIT mutation in other regions, such as the extracellular or kinase domains, is not well-defined and fewer than 30 cases have been published to date. One hundred twenty GISTs, confirmed by KIT immunoreactivity, were evaluated for the presence of KIT exon 9, 11, 13, and 17 mutations. The relation between the presence/type of KIT mutation and clinicopathological factors was analyzed using Fisher's exact test and log-rank test. Forty-four % of the tumors were located in the stomach, 47% in the small bowel, 6% in the rectum, and 3% in the retroperitoneum. Overall, KIT mutations were detected in 78% of patients as follows: 67% in exon 11, 11% in exon 9, and none in exon 13 or 17. The types of KIT exon 11 mutations were heterogeneous and clustered in the classic "hot spot" at the 5' end of exon 11. Seven % of cases showed internal tandem duplications (ITD) at the 3' end of exon 11, in a region that we designate as a second hot spot for KIT mutations. Interestingly, these cases were associated with: female predominance, stomach location, occurrence in older patients, and favorable outcome. There were significant associations between exon 9 mutations and large tumor size (P < 0.001) and extragastric location (P = 0.02). Ten of these 13 patients with more than 1-year follow-up have developed recurrent disease. Most KIT-expressing GISTs show KIT mutations that are preferentially located within the classic hot spot of exon 11. In addition, we found an association between a second hot spot at the 3'end of exon 11, characterized by ITDs, and a subgroup of clinically indolent gastric GISTs in older females. KIT exon 9 mutations seem to define a distinct subset of GISTs, located predominantly in the small bowel and associated with an unfavorable clinical course.

A simple nucleic acid hybridization/latex agglutination assay for the rapid detection of polymerase chain reaction amplicons.

PubMed

Vollenhofer-Schrumpf, Sabine; Buresch, Ronald; Schinkinger, Manfred

2007-03-01

We have developed a new method for the detection of nucleic acid hybridization, based on a simple latex agglutination test that can be evaluated by the unaided eye. Nucleic acid, e.g., a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product, is denatured and incubated with polystyrene beads carrying covalently bound complementary oligonucleotide sequences. Hybridization of the nucleic acids leads to aggregation of the latex particles, thereby verifying the presence of target sequence. The test is performed at room temperature, and results are available within 10 min. As a proof of principle, the hybridization/latex agglutination assay was applied to the detection of purified PCR fragments either specific for Salmonella spp. or a synthetic sequence, and to the detection of Salmonella enterica in artificially contaminated chicken samples. A few nanograms of purified PCR fragments were detectable. In artificially contaminated chicken samples, 3 colony-forming units (cfu)/25 g were detected in one of three replicates, and 30 cfu/25 g were detected in both of two replicates when samples for PCR were taken directly from primary enrichment, demonstrating the practical applicability of this test system. Even multiplex detection might be achievable. This novel kind of assay could be useful for a range of applications where hybridization of nucleic acids, e.g., PCR fragments, is to be detected.

Pathologic Stimulus Determines Lineage Commitment of Cardiac C-kit+ Cells.

PubMed

Chen, Zhongming; Zhu, Wuqiang; Bender, Ingrid; Gong, Wuming; Kwak, Il-Youp; Yellamilli, Amritha; Hodges, Thomas J; Nemoto, Natsumi; Zhang, Jianyi; Garry, Daniel J; van Berlo, Jop H

2017-12-12

Although cardiac c-kit + cells are being tested in clinical trials, the circumstances that determine lineage differentiation of c-kit + cells in vivo are unknown. Recent findings suggest that endogenous cardiac c-kit + cells rarely contribute cardiomyocytes to the adult heart. We assessed whether various pathological stimuli differentially affect the eventual cell fates of c-kit + cells. We used single-cell sequencing and genetic lineage tracing of c-kit + cells to determine whether various pathological stimuli would result in different fates of c-kit + cells. Single-cell sequencing of cardiac CD45 - c-kit + cells showed innate heterogeneity, indicative of the existence of vascular and mesenchymal c-kit + cells in normal hearts. Cardiac pressure overload resulted in a modest increase in c-kit-derived cardiomyocytes, with significant increases in the numbers of endothelial cells and fibroblasts. Doxorubicin-induced acute cardiotoxicity did not increase c-kit-derived endothelial cell fates but instead induced cardiomyocyte differentiation. Mechanistically, doxorubicin-induced DNA damage in c-kit + cells resulted in expression of p53. Inhibition of p53 blocked cardiomyocyte differentiation in response to doxorubicin, whereas stabilization of p53 was sufficient to increase c-kit-derived cardiomyocyte differentiation. These results demonstrate that different pathological stimuli induce different cell fates of c-kit + cells in vivo. Although the overall rate of cardiomyocyte formation from c-kit + cells is still below clinically relevant levels, we show that p53 is central to the ability of c-kit + cells to adopt cardiomyocyte fates, which could lead to the development of strategies to preferentially generate cardiomyocytes from c-kit + cells. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

ACER and University of Melbourne Music Evaluation Kit. Handbook and Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryce, Jennifer

The Melbourne Music Evaluation Kit (MEK) was designed to aid teachers of first-year secondary-school music classes to select appropriate curriculum materials related to the music backgrounds of class members, as indicated by scores on the kit. Tests included in the kit are criterion- referenced and are used as a diagnostic tool to measure…

Evaluation of commercial ELISA kits for the detection of antibodies against bluetongue virus.

PubMed

Niedbalski, W

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the diagnostic value of different commercially available ELISA kits for the detection of bluetongue virus (BTV) antibodies in infected and vaccinated animals. The relative specificity of ELISA kits was evaluated using a panel of sera originating from healthy cattle, never vaccinated nor exposed to BTV. All ELISA kits applied had a high relative specificity (99.3 - 100%). The relative sensitivity of ELISA kits assessed using a panel of sera collected from BTV infected cattle was also high and similar for all the kits (97.3 - 100%). However, the relative sensitivity evaluated on the basis of testing vaccinated animals was different: the highest sensitivity was found for Ingenasa, PrioCHECK and ID VET ELISAs (96.5 - 98.3%). Slightly lower sensitivity was calculated for Pourquier and LSI kits (82.8% and 85.4%, respectively) and much lower sensitivity was found for VMRD ELISA kit (69.5%). The repeatability of BTV ELISA kits was expressed as a coefficient of variation (CV) of results of sera tested 5 times in the same day and in different days by the period of 2 months, by the same person, in the same conditions, and by using the same equipment. The CVs of sera tested in all ELISA kits ranged from 6.1 to 9.8% and were below 10% threshold adopted as a maximum for the acceptable repeatability of the method. In conclusion, it can be stated that the applied ELISA kits can be a valuable diagnostic tool for the serological monitoring studies in the BTV contaminated premises. All the methods are very specific and sensitive when testing BTV infected animals. Nevertheless, the Ingenasa and PrioCHECK can be the most useful in sero-surveillance of livestock following vaccination.

The relationship of the lunar regolith less than 10 micrometer fraction and agglutinates. I - A model for agglutinate formation and some indirect supportive evidence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Papike, J. J.; Simon, S. B.; White, C.; Laul, J. C.

1982-01-01

The first part of a study of the 'less than 10 micrometer' soil fraction and agglutinates is concerned with the chemical systematics of the considered fraction of lunar soils, taking into account a model for agglutinate formation based on the fusion of the finest fraction (FFF). Attention is given to some evidence which supports the FFF model. The evidence is based on some indirect approaches to an estimation of the composition of the fused soil component. It is found that the 'less than 10 micrometer' soil fraction from all Apollo sites except Apollo 16 (which can be explained) is more feldspathic and enriched in incompatible elements (e.g., K and Th) than the bulk soil. It is concluded that these systematics result from simple comminution in which feldspar breaks down to finer sizes than pyroxene and olivine and the fine-grained incompatible-element-enriched mesostasis concentrates in the 'less than 10 micrometer' soil fraction.

Evaluation of six serological ELISA kits available in Italy as screening tests for equine infectious anaemia surveillance.

PubMed

Nardini, Roberto; Autorino, Gian Luca; Issel, Charles J; Cook, R Frank; Ricci, Ida; Frontoso, Raffaele; Rosone, Francesca; Scicluna, Maria Teresa

2017-04-14

ELISAs are known to have a higher diagnostic sensitivity than the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) when employed for serological diagnosis of equine infectious anaemia (EIA). For this purpose, an "in-house" and five commercial ELISAs available in Italy were assessed by the National Reference Centre for EIA for their analytic specificity (Sp); precocity, defined as capability of detecting first antibodies produced during a new infection; precision based on repeatability and reproducibility, estimated from the coefficient of variation (CV); accuracy, estimated from multiple K and relative Sp and sensitivity (Se). Two serum panels, positive for non-equine retroviruses and the most frequent equine viruses, were employed to measure analytic Sp. ELISA precocity was also compared to that of one "in-house" and three commercial AGID kits, employing a panel of sera, collected weekly from horses infected with modified EIA viruses. Precision and accuracy were defined using results of a panel containing positive and negative sera examined in an inter-laboratory trial with the participation of the ten Official Laboratories. Furthermore, a questionnaire was used to assess the appropriateness of each kit for routine use. Analytic Sp was 100%, while the 75th percentile of CVs for positive sera varied from 0.4% to 12.73% for repeatability and from 1.6% to 44.87% for reproducibility. Although CV of the negative serum was constantly high, its outcome was unaltered. Relative Se ranged from 98.2% to 100%, relative Sp was constantly 100% and multiple K ranged from 0.95 to 1. Precocity differed among the assays: three kits detected 4.8% and 42.9% positive samples on 21 days post infection (dpi), all assays detected positive samples on 28 dpi, between 47.6% and 95.2%. Precocity of ELISAs was superior to that of the AGIDs except for two assays. In view of the feedback obtained from the questionnaires, all kits were considered appropriate for routine use. All ELISAs having high Se and

Pheromone induction of agglutination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae a cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Terrance, K.; Lipke, P.N.

1987-10-01

a-Agglutinin, the cell surface sexual agglutinin of yeast a cells, was assayed by its ability to bind its complementary agglutinin, ..cap alpha..-agglutinin. The specific binding of /sup 125/I-..cap alpha..-agglutinin to a cells treated with the sex pheromone ..cap alpha..-factor was 2 to 2.5 times that of binding to a cells not treated with ..cap alpha..-factor. Competition with unlabeled ..cap alpha..-agglutinin revealed that the increased binding was due to increased cell surface expression of a-agglutinin, with no apparent change in the binding constant. The increase in site number was similar to the increase in cellular agglutinability. Increased expression of a-agglutinin followedmore » the same kinetics as the increase in cellular agglutinability, with a 10-min lag followed by a 15- to 20-min response time. Induction kinetics were similar in cells in phases G1 and G2 of the cell cycle. Maximal expression levels were similar in cells treated with excess pheromone and in cells exposed to pheromone after destruction of constitutively expressed a-agglutinin.« less

Avian P1 antigens inhibit agglutination mediated by P fimbriae of uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

PubMed Central

Johnson, J R; Swanson, J L; Neill, M A

1992-01-01

Whole egg white from pigeon, dove, and cockatiel eggs, as well as the ovomucoid fraction of pigeon egg white, exhibited strong P1 antigenic activities and inhibited agglutination of human P1 erythrocytes and of digalactoside-coated latex beads by P-fimbriated Escherichia coli strains. In contrast, chicken egg white exhibited only weak P1 antigenic activity and had little impact on P-fimbrial agglutination. These preparations did not affect hemagglutination by E. coli strains expressing mannose-resistant adhesins other than P fimbriae, i.e., Dr, F1845, and S adhesins. Human anti-P1 serum diminished the P-fimbrial inhibitory activities of pigeon egg white and pigeon ovomucoid. Pigeon ovomucoid was equipotent on a molar basis with globoside, and the pigeon, dove, and cockatiel egg white preparations were equipotent with each other in P-fimbrial inhibition. Incubation of p erythrocytes in whole egg whites or in pigeon ovomucoid did not render them agglutinable by P-fimbriated bacteria, whereas incubation in globoside did. These data demonstrate that whole egg whites (and their ovomucoid fraction) from members of the families Columbidae (pigeons and doves) and Psittacidae (parrots) specifically and potently inhibit P-fimbrial agglutination, probably by providing P1 antigen as a receptor for the P-fimbrial adhesin. Avian egg white preparations may facilitate adhesin characterization of wild-type uropathogenic strains and may useful in preventing upper urinary tract infections due to P-fimbriated E. coli. PMID:1346125

Seroprevalence of Mycoplasma gallisepticum antibody by ELISA and serum plate agglutination test of laying chicken

PubMed Central

Ali, Md. Zulfekar; Rahman, Md. Mostafizer; Sultana, Shirin

2015-01-01

Aim: Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is important avian pathogens responsible for chronic respiratory diseases of chicken and turkeys, which result in large economic loss for the poultry industry. The objectives of this study were determination of seroprevalence of MG antibody of commercial layer chicken at laying period in selected areas of Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: A total of 563 blood samples were collected randomly from selected commercial layer chickens at laying period during the period from July to December, 2013. Indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) and serum plate agglutination (SPA) test were performed to detect the presence of antibodies against MG. Results: Of 563 samples, 64.47% and 56.13% showed an overall prevalence of MG antibodies in iELISA and SPA test respectively. Prevalence of MG was recorded the highest (69.63%) at 50-55 weeks of age compared with lowest (53.26%) at 56-61 weeks of age (p<0.05). Significant (p<0.05) effect of breed were observed in the seroprevalence of MG infection in layer birds in the present study. The overall, 68.77%, 63.74% and 59.37% prevalence were found respectively in sonali, ISA Brown and White leg horn. The prevalence of MG antibodies was the highest (70.13%) in December followed by November (68%), October (65.67%), August (63.46%), September (58.54%) and July (51.78%) month. The seroprevalence of MG antibodies was higher (69.63%) in most of the large flocks and lower (56.82%) in small flocks. Conclusion: Therefore, might be suggested that the commercial layer farms should be routinely checked to monitor MG infection and the reactor birds should be culled since MG organism has the potential to transmit vertically. The correlation between MG antibody in month and flock size was not significant (p=0.359 and p=0.868, respectively). PMID:27046987

Pharmacists' views on and experiences with bowel cancer screening kits in Auckland, New Zealand.

PubMed

Martini, Nataly; Basdew, Kamlika; Kammona, Ala; Shen, Amy; Taylor, Caragh; McIntosh, Timothy R; Barnes, Joanne

2014-08-01

To explore the views of New Zealand pharmacists on bowel cancer screening, particularly with regards to faecal occult blood testing (FOBT) kits, self-perceived knowledge on FOBT kits and barriers, motivators and experiences with selling and counselling consumers with respect to FOBT kits. Semi-structured interviews were conducted face to face or by telephone with 20 community pharmacists in the Auckland region. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and data were coded and analysed using NVivo software to identify key themes. Participant pharmacists believed that they were well placed to provide advice on FOBT kits to consumers. Barriers to selling the kits included cost and perceived lack of test sensitivity of the kits, poor consumer demand, pharmacists' lack of training and information, and a belief that selling FOBT kits was outside the pharmacists' scope of practice. Motivators to selling the kits included customer convenience, ease of use, confidence in the kits and embracing new roles for pharmacists. Pharmacists were concerned that use of the kits may increase the burden on the public health system through customer anxiety over test results; however, they agreed that there was a need for bowel cancer screening and awareness and that people concerned about bowel cancer should make visiting their general practitioner a priority. Pharmacists' views were mixed. Pharmacists' training and competence with respect to the provision of bowel cancer kits, and how a bowel cancer screening service can be developed to optimise public health outcomes, need to be addressed. © 2013 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Cross-reactions of sera from dogs infected with Angiostrongylus vasorum in commercially available Dirofilaria immitis test kits.

PubMed

Schnyder, Manuela; Deplazes, Peter

2012-11-13

Dirofilaria immitis and Angiostrongylus vasorum are both important potentially fatal canine nematodes with overlapping endemic areas, especially in Europe. The preadult and adult stages of both species are living in the Arteria pulmonalis and the right heart, and diagnostically detectable circulating parasite antigens have been demonstrated for both species. For the detection of D. immitis infections, a variety of commercial tests have been developed, however, they have not been evaluated for cross-reactions against circulating antigens of A. vasorum. In this study, potential cross-reactions of sera from 16 dogs, which were experimentally infected with A. vasorum and which had circulating antigens as confirmed by a species-specific ELISA, were evaluated for the detection of A. vasorum antigen in six commercially available D. immitis test kits. In three fast tests (Witness® Dirofilaria, SensPERT® Canine Heartworm, SNAP® 4Dx® Plus), all sera were negative. One fast membrane ELISA (SNAP® HTWM RT Test) was positive with four sera (25%), and one serum delivered a non-valid result twice. In the PetChek® HTWM PF Test, depending on the interpretation protocol, 5 or 8 dogs (31.2 - 50%) were positive. With the DiroCHEK®-ELISA, a single A. vasorum-infected dog (6.2%) tested positive. Due to potential cross-reactions with A. vasorum in commercially available test kits for the detection of D. immitis antigen, the simultaneous use of highly specific diagnostic methods for the differentiation of these two canine heart worms is recommended.

A low cost and high throughput magnetic bead-based immuno-agglutination assay in confined droplets.

PubMed

Teste, Bruno; Ali-Cherif, Anaïs; Viovy, Jean Louis; Malaquin, Laurent

2013-06-21

Although passive immuno-agglutination assays consist of one step and simple procedures, they are usually not adapted for high throughput analyses and they require expensive and bulky equipment for quantitation steps. Here we demonstrate a low cost, multimodal and high throughput immuno-agglutination assay that relies on a combination of magnetic beads (MBs), droplets microfluidics and magnetic tweezers. Antibody coated MBs were used as a capture support in the homogeneous phase. Following the immune interaction, water in oil droplets containing MBs and analytes were generated and transported in Teflon tubing. When passing in between magnetic tweezers, the MBs contained in the droplets were magnetically confined in order to enhance the agglutination rate and kinetics. When releasing the magnetic field, the internal recirculation flows in the droplet induce shear forces that favor MBs redispersion. In the presence of the analyte, the system preserves specific interactions and MBs stay in the aggregated state while in the case of a non-specific analyte, redispersion of particles occurs. The analyte quantitation procedure relies on the MBs redispersion rate within the droplet. The influence of different parameters such as magnetic field intensity, flow rate and MBs concentration on the agglutination performances have been investigated and optimized. Although the immuno-agglutination assay described in this work may not compete with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in terms of sensitivity, it offers major advantages regarding the reagents consumption (analysis is performed in sub microliter droplet) and the platform cost that yields to very cheap analyses. Moreover the fully automated analysis procedure provides reproducible analyses with throughput well above those of existing technologies. We demonstrated the detection of biotinylated phosphatase alkaline in 100 nL sample volumes with an analysis rate of 300 assays per hour and a limit of detection of 100 pM.

Levitation Kits Demonstrate Superconductivity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worthy, Ward

1987-01-01

Describes the "Project 1-2-3" levitation kit used to demonstrate superconductivity. Summarizes the materials included in the kit. Discusses the effect demonstrated and gives details on how to obtain kits. Gives an overview of the documentation that is included. (CW)

Portable field kit for determining uranium in water

USGS Publications Warehouse

McHugh, John B.

1979-01-01

The pressing need for on-site field analyses of the uranium content of surface and ground waters has promoted the development of a simple, light-weight, relatively cheap, portable kit to make such determinations in the field. Forty to sixty water samples per day can be analyzed for uranium to less than 0.2 parts per billion. The kit was tested in the field with excellent results.

Urinary lithogenesis risk tests: comparison of a commercial kit and a laboratory prototype test.

PubMed

Grases, Félix; Costa-Bauzá, Antonia; Prieto, Rafel M; Arrabal, Miguel; De Haro, Tomás; Lancina, Juan A; Barbuzano, Carmen; Colom, Sergi; Riera, Joaquín; Perelló, Joan; Isern, Bernat; Sanchis, Pilar; Conte, Antonio; Barragan, Fernando; Gomila, Isabel

2011-11-01

Renal stone formation is a multifactorial process depending in part on urine composition. Other parameters relate to structural or pathological features of the kidney. To date, routine laboratory estimation of urolithiasis risk has been based on determination of urinary composition. This process requires collection of at least two 24 h urine samples, which is tedious for patients. The most important feature of urinary lithogenic risk is the balance between various urinary parameters, although unknown factors may be involved. The objective of this study was to compare data obtained using a commercial kit with those of a laboratory prototype, using a multicentre approach, to validate the utility of these methods in routine clinical practice. A simple new commercial test (NefroPlus®; Sarstedt AG & Co., Nümbrecht, Germany) evaluating the capacity of urine to crystallize calcium salts, and thus permitting detection of patients at risk for stone development, was compared with a prototype test previously described by this group. Urine of 64 volunteers produced during the night was used in these comparisons. The commercial test was also used to evaluate urine samples of 83 subjects in one of three hospitals. Both methods were essentially in complete agreement (98%) with respect to test results. The multicentre data were: sensitivity 94.7%; specificity 76.9%; positive predictive value (lithogenic urine) 90.0%; negative predictive value (non-lithogenic urine) 87.0%; test efficacy 89.2%. The new commercial NefroPlus test offers fast and cheap evaluation of the overall risk of development of urinary calcium-containing calculi.

A decrease in ubiquitination and resulting prolonged life-span of KIT underlies the KIT overexpression-mediated imatinib resistance of KIT mutation-driven canine mast cell tumor cells.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Masato; Kuroki, Shiori; Kurita, Sena; Miyamoto, Ryo; Tani, Hiroyuki; Tamura, Kyoichi; Bonkobara, Makoto

2017-10-01

Overexpression of KIT is one of the mechanisms that contributes to imatinib resistance in KIT mutation-driven tumors. Here, the mechanism underlying this overexpression of KIT was investigated using an imatinib-sensitive canine mast cell tumor (MCT) line CoMS, which has an activating mutation in KIT exon 11. A KIT-overexpressing imatinib-resistant subline, rCoMS1, was generated from CoMS cells by their continuous exposure to increasing concentrations of imatinib. Neither a secondary mutation nor upregulated transcription of KIT was detected in rCoMS1 cells. A decrease in KIT ubiquitination, a prolonged KIT life-span, and KIT overexpression were found in rCoMS1 cells. These events were suppressed by withdrawal of imatinib and were re-induced by re‑treatment with imatinib. These findings suggest that imatinib elicited overexpression of KIT via suppression of its ubiquitination. These results also indicated that imatinib-induced overexpression of KIT in rCoMS1 cells was not a permanently acquired feature but was a reversible response of the cells. Moreover, the pan deubiquitinating enzyme inhibitor PR619 prevented imatinib induction of KIT overexpression, suggesting that the imatinib-induced decrease in KIT ubiquitination could be mediated by upregulation and/or activation of deubiquitinating enzyme(s). It may be possible that a similar mechanism of KIT overexpression underlies the acquisition of imatinib resistance in some human tumors that are driven by KIT mutation.

Evaluation of new monoclonal antibody-based latex agglutination test for detection of cryptococcal polysaccharide antigen in serum and cerebrospinal fluid.

PubMed Central

Kiska, D L; Orkiszewski, D R; Howell, D; Gilligan, P H

1994-01-01

We evaluated the performance of CRYPTO-LEX (Trinity Laboratories, Inc., Raleigh, N. C.), a new mouse immunoglobulin M monoclonal antibody latex agglutination reagent which reacts with the capsular polysaccharide of the four serogroups of Cryptococcus neoformans. This test was compared with CALAS (Meridian Diagnostics, Cincinnati, Ohio) for the ability to detect cryptococcal antigen in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). A total of 580 clinical specimens (327 serum and 253 CSF samples), primarily from human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients, were tested in this study. Sixty-seven specimens (44 serum and 23 CSF samples) were positive for cryptococcal antigen with both tests, and 511 (282 serum and 229 CSF samples) were negative. The two latex reagents agreed for 326 of 327 serum specimens (44 positives and 282 negatives). One serum specimen with a titer of 1:2 was CALAS positive but CRYPTO-LEX negative. The titer correlation coefficient for the two tests was 0.884 when two highly discordant serum specimens were eliminated from analysis of the data. The two latex tests agreed for 252 of 253 CSF specimens (23 positives and 229 negatives). One specimen with a titer of 1:2 was positive with CALAS and negative by CRYPTO-LEX. The correlation coefficient of the two tests for CSF titers was 0.886. The sensitivity and specificity of CRYPTO-LEX were 97 and 100%, respectively, with a 99.6% correlation with CALAS. These data show that the performance of CRYPTO-LEX is comparable to that of CALAS for detection of cryptococcal antigen in serum and CSF. PMID:7814566

9 CFR 147.7 - Standard test procedures for mycoplasma. 5

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... plate agglutination test, the tube agglutination test, and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA... accurate however, and are useful in evaluating serum samples that react with the ELISA, plate, and/or tube...

9 CFR 147.7 - Standard test procedures for mycoplasma. 5

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... plate agglutination test, the tube agglutination test, and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA... accurate however, and are useful in evaluating serum samples that react with the ELISA, plate, and/or tube...

9 CFR 147.7 - Standard test procedures for mycoplasma. 5

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... plate agglutination test, the tube agglutination test, and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA... accurate however, and are useful in evaluating serum samples that react with the ELISA, plate, and/or tube...

9 CFR 147.7 - Standard test procedures for mycoplasma. 5

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... plate agglutination test, the tube agglutination test, and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA... accurate however, and are useful in evaluating serum samples that react with the ELISA, plate, and/or tube...

9 CFR 147.7 - Standard test procedures for mycoplasma. 5

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... plate agglutination test, the tube agglutination test, and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA... accurate however, and are useful in evaluating serum samples that react with the ELISA, plate, and/or tube...

Antimicrobial Action and Cell Agglutination by the Eosinophil Cationic Protein Are Modulated by the Cell Wall Lipopolysaccharide Structure

PubMed Central

Pulido, David; Moussaoui, Mohammed; Andreu, David; Nogués, M. Victòria

2012-01-01

Antimicrobial proteins and peptides (AMPs) are essential effectors of innate immunity, acting as a first line of defense against bacterial infections. Many AMPs exhibit high affinity for cell wall structures such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a potent endotoxin able to induce sepsis. Hence, understanding how AMPs can interact with and neutralize LPS endotoxin is of special relevance for human health. Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is an eosinophil secreted protein with high activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. ECP has a remarkable affinity for LPS and a distinctive agglutinating activity. By using a battery of LPS-truncated E. coli mutant strains, we demonstrate that the polysaccharide moiety of LPS is essential for ECP-mediated bacterial agglutination, thereby modulating its antimicrobial action. The mechanism of action of ECP at the bacterial surface is drastically affected by the LPS structure and in particular by its polysaccharide moiety. We have also analyzed an N-terminal fragment that retains the whole protein activity and displays similar cell agglutination behavior. Conversely, a fragment with further minimization of the antimicrobial domain, though retaining the antimicrobial capacity, significantly loses its agglutinating activity, exhibiting a different mechanism of action which is not dependent on the LPS composition. The results highlight the correlation between the protein's antimicrobial activity and its ability to interact with the LPS outer layer and promote bacterial agglutination. PMID:22330910

Antimicrobial action and cell agglutination by the eosinophil cationic protein are modulated by the cell wall lipopolysaccharide structure.

PubMed

Pulido, David; Moussaoui, Mohammed; Andreu, David; Nogués, M Victòria; Torrent, Marc; Boix, Ester

2012-05-01

Antimicrobial proteins and peptides (AMPs) are essential effectors of innate immunity, acting as a first line of defense against bacterial infections. Many AMPs exhibit high affinity for cell wall structures such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a potent endotoxin able to induce sepsis. Hence, understanding how AMPs can interact with and neutralize LPS endotoxin is of special relevance for human health. Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is an eosinophil secreted protein with high activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. ECP has a remarkable affinity for LPS and a distinctive agglutinating activity. By using a battery of LPS-truncated E. coli mutant strains, we demonstrate that the polysaccharide moiety of LPS is essential for ECP-mediated bacterial agglutination, thereby modulating its antimicrobial action. The mechanism of action of ECP at the bacterial surface is drastically affected by the LPS structure and in particular by its polysaccharide moiety. We have also analyzed an N-terminal fragment that retains the whole protein activity and displays similar cell agglutination behavior. Conversely, a fragment with further minimization of the antimicrobial domain, though retaining the antimicrobial capacity, significantly loses its agglutinating activity, exhibiting a different mechanism of action which is not dependent on the LPS composition. The results highlight the correlation between the protein's antimicrobial activity and its ability to interact with the LPS outer layer and promote bacterial agglutination.

Chemical Agent Detector Kits

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-04-28

camera, and document test events and recorder procedures Thermometer +20C Psychrometer +5% 4 April 1989 TOP 8-2-555 Rough handling test and As specifie...not covered in AMC Regulation 385-131 will be performed iAW p oposals made by the Chemical Laboratory Division and approved by the Safety ¶ffice. 4.3...the packaged detector kit to higher and lower temperatures than it is expected to experience in actual packaged storage. Coordination should be made

Knowledge, actual and potential use of HIV self-sampling testing kits among MSM recruited in eight European countries.

PubMed

Hoyos, J; Maté, T; Indave, B I; Agustí, C; Chanos, S; Pichon, F; Kuske, M; Cigan, B; Fuertes, R; Ooms, L; Stefanescu, R; Cabeza de Vaca, C; Arranz, B; de la Fuente, L; Belza, M J

2018-02-01

To describe the knowledge as well as current and potential use of self-sampling kits among men who have sex with men (MSM) and to analyse their preferred biological sample and result communication method. We analyse data of MSM of HIV negative or unknown serostatus from an online survey conducted in eight countries (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain) between April and December 2016. It was advertised mainly in gay dating websites. We conduct a descriptive analysis of the main characteristics of the participants, and present data on indicators of knowledge, use and potential use of HIV self-sampling as well as their preferences regarding blood or saliva sample and face or non-face-to-face result communication by country of residence. A total of 8.226 participants of HIV negative or unknown serostatus were included in the analysis. Overall, 25.5% of participants knew about self-sampling (range: 18.8-47.2%) and 1.1% had used it in the past (range: 0.3-8.9%). Potential use was high, with 66.6% of all participants reporting that they would have already used it if available in the past (range: 62.1-82.1%). Most (78.6%) reported that they would prefer using a blood-based kit, and receiving the result of the test through a non-face-to-face-method (70.8%), even in the case of receiving a reactive result. The high potential use reported by MSM recruited in eight different European countries suggests that self-sampling kits are a highly acceptable testing methodology that could contribute to the promotion of HIV testing in this population. © 2018 British HIV Association.

Kits in Motion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gee, Maureen

1975-01-01

Discusses three kits developed by museums in British Columbia for use in rural classrooms. The science kit on marine biology consists of modules which included specimens, books, audiovisual materials and student activities. (BR)

Immunogold-agglutination assay for direct detection of HPV-16 E6 and L1 proteins from clinical specimens.

PubMed

Bhattarakosol, Parvapan; Plaignam, Kamolwan; Sereemaspun, Amornpun

2018-05-01

HPV-16 infection is the most common cause of cervical cancer. As HPV-16 transforms the cell, E6 oncoprotein is over-expressed. Therefore, molecular detection of HPV-16 E6 mRNA is now being used for diagnosis and prediction of cancer development. Besides detecting E6 mRNA, a rapid lateral flow detecting the E6 protein using enzyme immunoassay is also now on market with a sensitivity of 53.5% for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)-3 or more severe (CIN-3+). Here, an immunogold-agglutination assay was developed to detect not only HPV-16 E6 protein but also L1, a major capsid protein found in the productive stage of the virus. Evaluation of this test using HPV-16 DNA positive cervical samples showed that the HPV-16 E6 immunogold-agglutination assay results correlated well with the progression of the cervical lesions, i.e., 10.34% of CIN-1, 68.75% of CIN-3 and 80% of cancer (CaCx) and none for healthy normal samples. Interestingly, the HPV-16 L1 protein was found in most of the cases with cancer indicating the possibility of virion production. Immunogold-agglutination assay for E6 protein is simpler, easier to be performed with a sensitivity of 73.1% for CIN-3+ suggesting a good method for laboratory diagnostic use. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cross-reactions of sera from dogs infected with Angiostrongylus vasorum in commercially available Dirofilaria immitis test kits

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Dirofilaria immitis and Angiostrongylus vasorum are both important potentially fatal canine nematodes with overlapping endemic areas, especially in Europe. The preadult and adult stages of both species are living in the Arteria pulmonalis and the right heart, and diagnostically detectable circulating parasite antigens have been demonstrated for both species. For the detection of D. immitis infections, a variety of commercial tests have been developed, however, they have not been evaluated for cross-reactions against circulating antigens of A. vasorum. Methods In this study, potential cross-reactions of sera from 16 dogs, which were experimentally infected with A. vasorum and which had circulating antigens as confirmed by a species-specific ELISA, were evaluated for the detection of A. vasorum antigen in six commercially available D. immitis test kits. Results In three fast tests (Witness® Dirofilaria, SensPERT® Canine Heartworm, SNAP® 4Dx® Plus), all sera were negative. One fast membrane ELISA (SNAP® HTWM RT Test) was positive with four sera (25%), and one serum delivered a non-valid result twice. In the PetChek® HTWM PF Test, depending on the interpretation protocol, 5 or 8 dogs (31.2 – 50%) were positive. With the DiroCHEK®-ELISA, a single A. vasorum-infected dog (6.2%) tested positive. Conclusions Due to potential cross-reactions with A. vasorum in commercially available test kits for the detection of D. immitis antigen, the simultaneous use of highly specific diagnostic methods for the differentiation of these two canine heart worms is recommended. PMID:23148786

Analysis of the 3D structure og agglutinated erythrocyte using CellScan and confocal microscopy: characterization by FLIM-FRET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riquelme, Bibiana D.; Dumas, Dominique; Valverde de Rasia, Juana; Rasia, Rodolfo J.; Stoltz, Jean Francois

2003-10-01

We report the adhesion of human erythrocyte membranes mediated by monoclonal antibodies anti-glycophorin. The distribution of the linked antibodies on membrane was identified with selective fluorescence labels. To analyze the antibody distribution on interfacial region between two cells agglutinated and on its surface, three types of fluorescence marked strategy were evaluated. The 3D images were obtained in a CellScan and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy CLSM. We considered the FRET signal to characterize the agglutination of Red Blood Cells (RBC) by specific monoclonal antibodies (anti-glycophorin A or B). The fluorescence labeling demonstrated that distribution of antibody on erythrocyte membranes is not homogeneous. The fluorescence intensity on contact region in the agglutinated is bigger than the intensity on exterior surface. Tentatively, we interpreted these intensity differences in terms of the mobility of antibody linked to the glycocalix on cell surface. Such mobility has a large consequence in the morphology of cellular agglutinated.

Use of commercial extenders and alternatives to prevent sperm agglutination for cryopreservation of brown bear semen.

PubMed

Gomes-Alves, S; Alvarez, M; Nicolas, M; Lopez-Urueña, E; Martínez-Rodríguez, C; Borragan, S; de Paz, P; Anel, L

2014-08-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate different bovine and canine commercial semen extenders for cryopreservation of brown bear ejaculates and the effect of semen collection directly into extender on sperm agglutination. Semen samples were obtained by electroejaculation from 13 adult males. In experiment 1, eleven ejaculates from eight bears were used to evaluate Bioxcell and Andromed as extenders, whereas in experiment 2, nine ejaculates from six bears were used to evaluate Triladyl canine, CaniPro, and Extender 2 as extenders. An extender specifically developed for brown bears (Test-Tris-fructose-egg yolk-glycerol, TTF-ULE/bear) served as a control extender in both experiments. After thawing, total and progressive sperm motility and sperm viability were greater (P < 0.05) for TTF-ULE/bear and Andromed extenders than for Bioxcell in experiment 1 and greater (P < 0.05) for TTF-ULE/bear extender than for Triladyl Canine, CaniPro, and Extender 2 in experiment 2. In experiment 3, addition of handling extender (TTF-H) to the semen collection tube for eight ejaculates from seven bears resulted in less (P < 0.05) sperm agglutination in fresh samples (score 0.5 ± 0.2 vs. 1.8 ± 0.4 in diluted and control samples, respectively) with no effect on pre-freeze and post-thawing semen quality. In conclusion, TTF-ULE/bear is the most suitable extender for brown bear semen cryopreservation, but comparable results can be obtained with the commercial extender Andromed. In addition, collection of ejaculates directly in TTF-H extender decreases sperm agglutination in fresh samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

First aid kit

MedlinePlus

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001958.htm First aid kit To use the sharing features on this ... ahead, you can create a well-stocked home first aid kit. Keep all of your supplies in one ...

Cross-reactions between alpha-streptococci and Omniserum, a polyvalent pneumococcal serum, demonstrated by direct immunofluorescence, immunoelectroosmophoresis, and latex agglutination.

PubMed Central

Holmberg, H; Danielsson, D; Hardie, J; Krook, A; Whiley, R

1985-01-01

In recent years several groups have used serological methods to demonstrate pneumococcal capsular antigens in sputum. In the present study 123 strains of alpha-hemolytic streptococci (including 97 strains from sputum or pharyngeal specimens) were tested for cross-reactions with a polyvalent antipneumococcal serum (Omniserum). Representatives of the following species were included: Streptococcus bovis, S. equinus, S. intermedius, S. lactis, S. milleri, S. mitis, S. mutans, S. sobrinus, S. salivarius, S. sanguis, S. suis, and Aerococcus viridans. Serological reactions were detected by direct immunofluorescence, immunoelectroosmophoresis, and latex agglutination. Fifteen (12%) of the strains gave positive reactions by all three methods. Positive reactions were also observed with another 32 strains (26%) with two of the methods, whereas 37 strains (30%) gave positive reactions by just one technique. Altogether 84 (68%) strains gave positive reactions with one or more of the methods. Latex agglutination gave positive reactions with 26 (21%) strains compared with 57 (46%) in immunofluorescence and 63 (51%) in immunoelectroosmophoresis. Absorption of the antiserum with one alpha-hemolytic strain reduced but did not entirely eliminate the cross-reactions with five tested strains. These findings indicate a potential risk of cross-reactions with polyvalent antipneumococcal serum in tests carried out on sputa or other specimens which may be contaminated with alpha-hemolytic streptococci. PMID:3889046

InstantLabs Listeria species food safety kit. Performance tested methods 041304.

PubMed

Sharma, Neil; Bambusch, Lauren; Le, Thu; Morey, Amit

2014-01-01

The InstantLabs Listeria Species Food SafetyKitwas validated against the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) reference method 11290-1 for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species. The matrixes (stainless steel, sealed concrete, cheddar cheese, raw shrimp, and hot dogs) were inoculated with approximately 1 CFU/test portion of various Listeria species to generate fractional positives (5-15) in 20 inoculated samples. Enrichments were also fractionally inoculated with L. monocytogenes for side-by-side testing of the InstantLabs Listeria monocytogenes Food Safety Kit. Stainless steel and sealed concrete samples were validated using 4 x 4" and 1 x 1" test areas, respectively, and enriched in Buffered Listeria Enrichment Broth (BLEB) at 35 +/- 1 degrees C for 22-28 h. All food samples were tested at 25 g or 25 mL and enriched in BLEB at 35 +/- 1 degrees C for 24-28 h. All samples were confirmed using the ISO reference method, regardless of initial screen result. The InstantLabs test method performed as well as or better than the reference method for the detection of Listeria species on stainless steel, sealed concrete, cheddar cheese, raw shrimp, and hot dogs. Inclusivity and exclusivity testing revealed no false negatives and no false positives among the 80 Listeria species and 30 non-Listeria species examined. The method was shown to be robust when variations were introduced to the enrichment time, the volume for DNA extraction, and the heat block time (data not shown).

Application of a spectrally filtered probing light beam and RGB decomposition of microphotographs for flow registration of ultrasonically enhanced agglutination of erythrocytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doubrovski, V. A.; Ganilova, Yu. A.; Zabenkov, I. V.

2013-08-01

We propose a development of the flow microscopy method to increase the resolving power upon registration of erythrocyte agglutination. We experimentally show that the action of a ultrasonic standing wave on an agglutinating mixture blood-serum leads to the formation of so large erythrocytic immune complexes that it seems possible to propose a new two-wave optical method of registration of the process of erythrocyte agglutination using the RGB decomposition of microphotographs of the flow of the mixture under study. This approach increases the reliability of registration of erythrocyte agglutination and, consequently, increases the reliability of blood typing. Our results can be used in the development of instruments for automatic human blood typing.

The value of molecular expression of KIT and KIT ligand analysed using real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry as a prognostic indicator for canine cutaneous mast cell tumours.

PubMed

Costa Casagrande, T A; de Oliveira Barros, L M; Fukumasu, H; Cogliati, B; Chaible, L M; Dagli, M L Z; Matera, J M

2015-03-01

This study investigated the correlation between KIT gene expression determined by immunohistochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the rate of tumour recurrence and tumour-related deaths in dogs affected with mast cell tumour (MCT). Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed to compare tumour recurrence and tumour-related death between patients. The log-rank test was used to check for significant differences between curves. KIT-I, KIT-II and KIT-III staining patterns were observed in 9 (11.11%), 50 (61.73%) and 22 (27.16%) tumours, respectively. Tumour recurrence rates and tumour-related deaths were not associated with KIT staining patterns (P = 0278, P > 0.05), KIT (P = 0.289, P > 0.05) or KIT ligand (P = 0.106, P > 0.05) gene expression. Despite the lack of association between KIT staining pattern and patient survival time, the results suggest a correlation between aberrant KIT localization and increased proliferative activity of MCTs. RT-PCR seems to be a sensible method for quantitative detection of KIT gene expression in canine MCT, although expressions levels are not correlated with prognosis. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Creation of learning kits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stow, D. A.; Estes, J. E.; Mertz, F. C.

1981-01-01

A learning kit is an essential part of any remote sensing workshop, course, or in-house training program to provide the "hands-on" experience of working with remotely sensed imagery. This is the objective of laboratory and field exercises as well as the reason behind the production of imagery/map kits. The way in which these learning kits (containing conventional remotely sensed and collateral data products) are put together is described and some concerns that influence the creation of learning kits are discussed. These include budgetary constraints, number of imagery types, and number of collateral data types.

A critical role for the regulation of Syk from agglutination to aggregation in human platelets.

PubMed

Shih, Chun-Ho; Chiang, Tin-Bin; Wang, Wen-Jeng

2014-01-10

Agglucetin, a tetrameric glycoprotein (GP) Ibα agonist from Formosan Agkistrodon acutus venom, has been characterized as an agglutination inducer in human washed platelets (WPs). In platelet-rich plasma (PRP), agglucetin dramatically elicits a biphasic response of agglutination and subsequent aggregation. For clarifying the intracellular signaling events from agglutination to aggregation in human platelets, we examined the essential signaling molecules involved through the detection of protein tyrosine phosphorylation (PTP). In WPs, an anti-GPIbα monoclonal antibody (mAb) AP1, but not a Src kinase inhibitor PP1, completely inhibited agglucetin-induced agglutination. However, PP1 but not AP1 had a potent suppression on platelet aggregation by a GPVI activator convulxin. The PTP analyses showed agglucetin alone can cause a weak pattern involving sequential phosphorylation of Lyn/Fyn, Syk, SLP-76 and phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCγ2). Furthermore, a Syk-selective kinase inhibitor, piceatannol, significantly suppressed the aggregating response in agglucetin-activated PRP. Analyzed by flow cytometry, the binding capacity of fluorophore-conjugated PAC-1, a mAb recognizing activated integrin αIIbβ3, was shown to increase in agglucetin-stimulated platelets. Again, piceatannol but not PP1 had a concentration-dependent suppression on agglucetin-induced αIIbβ3 exposure. Moreover, the formation of signalosome, including Syk, SLP-76, VAV, adhesion and degranulation promoting adapter protein (ADAP) and PLCγ2, are required for platelet aggregation in agglucetin/fibrinogen-activated platelets. In addition, GPIbα-ligation via agglucetin can substantially promote the interactions between αIIbβ3 and fibrinogen. Therefore, the signal pathway of Lyn/Fyn/Syk/SLP-76/ADAP/VAV/PLCγ2/PKC is sufficient to trigger platelet aggregation in agglucetin/fibrinogen-pretreated platelets. Importantly, Syk may function as a major regulator for the response from GPIbα-initiated agglutination to

Modification of the BAX Salmonella test kit to include a hot start functionality (modification of AOAC Official Method 2003.09).

PubMed

Wallace, F Morgan; DiCosimo, Deana; Farnum, Andrew; Tice, George; Andaloro, Bridget; Davis, Eugene; Burns, Frank R

2011-01-01

In 2010, the BAX System PCR assay for Salmonella was modified to include a hot start functionality designed to keep the reaction enzyme inactive until PCR begins. To validate the assay's Official Methods of Analysis status to include this procedure modification, an evaluation was conducted on four food types that were simultaneously analyzed with the BAX System and either the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Bacteriological Analytical Manual or the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Food Safety and Inspection Service Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook reference method for detecting Salmonella. Identical performance between the BAX System method and the reference methods was observed. Additionally, lysates were analyzed using both the BAX System Classic and BAX System Q7 instruments with identical results using both platforms for all samples tested. Of the 100 samples analyzed, 34 samples were positive for both the BAX System and reference methods, and 66 samples were negative by both the BAX System and reference methods, demonstrating 100% correlation. No instrument platform variation was observed. Additional inclusivity and exclusivity testing using the modified test kit demonstrated the test kit to be 100% accurate in evaluation of test panels of 352 Salmonella strains and 46 non-Salmonella strains.

The role of RhD agglutination for the detection of weak D red cells by anti-D flow cytometry.

PubMed

Grey, D E; Davies, J I; Connolly, M; Fong, E A; Erber, W N

2005-04-01

Anti-D flow cytometry is an accurate method for quantifying feto-maternal haemorrhage (FMH). However, weak D red cells with <1000 RhD sites are not detectable using this methodology but are immunogenic. As quantitation of RhD sites is not practical, an alternative approach is required to identify those weak D fetal red cells where anti-D flow cytometry is inappropriate. We describe a simple algorithm based on RhD agglutination and flow cytometry peak separation. All weak D (n = 34) gave weak agglutination with RUM-1 on immediate spin (grading agglutination (grading 3) was observed and the red cells were undetectable by flow cytometry. In the second subgroup, agglutination was strong (grading 4) and the red cells were detectable by anti-D flow cytometry. The accuracy of the quantitation was dependent on adequate separation of the weak D and RhD-negative peaks as in seven of 11 samples <1.11% of an expected 2% red cells were detectable. Monitoring RhD agglutination and flow cytometric peak separation are pivotal if anti-D flow cytometry is to be maintained as the primary technique for FMH quantitation in the routine laboratory.

Evaluation of surveillance case definition in the diagnosis of leptospirosis, using the Microscopic Agglutination Test: a validation study.

PubMed

Dassanayake, Dinesh L B; Wimalaratna, Harith; Agampodi, Suneth B; Liyanapathirana, Veranja C; Piyarathna, Thibbotumunuwe A C L; Goonapienuwala, Bimba L

2009-04-22

Leptospirosis is endemic in both urban and rural areas of Sri Lanka and there had been many out breaks in the recent past. This study was aimed at validating the leptospirosis surveillance case definition, using the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT). The study population consisted of patients with undiagnosed acute febrile illness who were admitted to the medical wards of the Teaching Hospital Kandy, from 1st July 2007 to 31st July 2008. The subjects were screened to diagnose leptospirosis according to the leptospirosis case definition. MAT was performed on blood samples taken from each patient on the 7th day of fever. Leptospirosis case definition was evaluated in regard to sensitivity, specificity and predictive values, using a MAT titre >or= 1:800 for confirming leptospirosis. A total of 123 patients were initially recruited of which 73 had clinical features compatible with the surveillance case definition. Out of the 73 only 57 had a positive MAT result (true positives) leaving 16 as false positives. Out of the 50 who didn't have clinical features compatible with the case definition 45 had a negative MAT as well (true negatives), therefore 5 were false negatives. Total number of MAT positives was 62 out of 123. According to these results the test sensitivity was 91.94%, specificity 73.77%, positive predictive value and negative predictive values were 78.08% and 90% respectively. Diagnostic accuracy of the test was 82.93%. This study confirms that the surveillance case definition has a very high sensitivity and negative predictive value with an average specificity in diagnosing leptospirosis, based on a MAT titre of >or= 1: 800.

[Examination of drinking water used in livestock production. Microbiological and physico-chemical methods. Ready to use test kits in field experiments].

PubMed

Sassen, J

2000-08-01

Livestock health care service is very much involved and interested in surveillance of the drinking water as well. However, in order to examine the water immediately "on the fly", test kits have to be provided, which offer results comparable to these obtained in the laboratories according to official prescription. The German Army was confronted with a similar situation during the secently performed mission in crisis regions. At the early state of a mission usually laboratory equipment is not yet established. Therefore a set of test kits was compiled suitable for mobile microbiological examination of drinking water. This set was excessively examined comparison with reference methods. In conclusion it is shown, that the mobile set gains equal or even better results compared to those obtained according to legally prescribed standard procedures.

A new paradigm for Aedes spp. surveillance using gravid ovipositing sticky trap and NS1 antigen test kit.

PubMed

Lau, Sai Ming; Chua, Tock H; Sulaiman, Wan-Yussof; Joanne, Sylvia; Lim, Yvonne Ai-Lian; Sekaran, Shamala Devi; Chinna, Karuthan; Venugopalan, Balan; Vythilingam, Indra

2017-03-21

Dengue remains a serious public health problem in Southeast Asia and has increased 37-fold in Malaysia compared to decades ago. New strategies are urgently needed for early detection and control of dengue epidemics. We conducted a two year study in a high human density dengue-endemic urban area in Selangor, where Gravid Ovipositing Sticky (GOS) traps were set up to capture adult Aedes spp. mosquitoes. All Aedes mosquitoes were tested using the NS1 dengue antigen test kit. All dengue cases from the study site notified to the State Health Department were recorded. Weekly microclimatic temperature, relative humidity (RH) and rainfall were monitored. Aedes aegypti was the predominant mosquito (95.6%) caught in GOS traps and 23% (43/187 pools of 5 mosquitoes each) were found to be positive for dengue using the NS1 antigen kit. Confirmed cases of dengue were observed with a lag of one week after positive Ae. aegypti were detected. Aedes aegypti density as analysed by distributed lag non-linear models, will increase lag of 2-3 weeks for temperature increase from 28 to 30 °C; and lag of three weeks for increased rainfall. Proactive strategy is needed for dengue vector surveillance programme. One method would be to use the GOS trap which is simple to setup, cost effective (below USD 1 per trap) and environmental friendly (i.e. use recyclable plastic materials) to capture Ae. aegypti followed by a rapid method of detecting of dengue virus using the NS1 dengue antigen kit. Control measures should be initiated when positive mosquitoes are detected.

Cross-reactions of reagents from streptococcal grouping kits with Streptococcus porcinus.

PubMed Central

Thompson, T; Facklam, R

1997-01-01

Streptococcus porcinus is usually associated with swine. Because we have received several isolates from human sources that had cross-reacted with commercial group B streptococcal reagents, we examined several commercial kits to determine the extent of this cross-reaction. Fifteen reference and 15 clinical strains of S. porcinus were tested for cross-reactions with group B streptococcal reagents from 12 different commercial kits. Cross-reactions were detected with all group B reagents, but the number of cross-reactions varied with each kit. We recommend that manufacturers of reagents designed to identify group B streptococci by serologic methods test their reagents for cross-reactions with selected S. porcinus cultures or antigens. PMID:9196216

Mononucleosis spot test

MedlinePlus

Monospot test; Heterophile antibody test; Heterophile agglutination test; Paul-Bunnell test; Forssman antibody test ... The mononucleosis spot test is done when symptoms of mononucleosis are ... Fatigue Fever Large spleen (possibly) Sore throat Tender ...

Evaluation of aftermarket LPG conversion kits in light-duty vehicle applications. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bass, E A

1993-06-01

SwRI was contracted by NREL to evaluate three LPG conversion kits on a Chevrolet Lumina. The objective of the project was to measure the Federal Test Procedure (FTP) emissions and fuel economy of these kits, and compare their performance to gasoline-fueled operation and to each other. Varying LPG fuel blends allowed a preliminary look at the potential for fuel system disturbance. The project required kit installation and adjustment according to manufacturer`s instructions. A limited amount of trouble diagnosis was also performed on the fuel systems. A simultaneous contract from the Texas Railroad Commission, in cooperation with NREL, provided funds formore » additional testing with market fuels (HD5 propane and industry average gasoline) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions speciation to determine the ozone-forming potential of LPG HC emissions. This report documents the procurement, installation, and testing of these LPG conversion kits.« less

Disruption of c-Kit Signaling in Kit(W-sh/W-sh) Growing Mice Increases Bone Turnover.

PubMed

Lotinun, Sutada; Krishnamra, Nateetip

2016-08-16

c-Kit tyrosine kinase receptor has been identified as a regulator of bone homeostasis. The c-Kit loss-of-function mutations in WBB6F1/J-Kit(W/W-v) mice result in low bone mass. However, these mice are sterile and it is unclear whether the observed skeletal phenotype is secondary to a sex hormone deficiency. In contrast, C57BL/6J-Kit(W-sh)/(W-sh) (W(sh)/W(sh)) mice, which carry an inversion mutation affecting the transcriptional regulatory elements of the c-Kit gene, are fertile. Here, we showed that W(sh)/W(sh) mice exhibited osteopenia with elevated bone resorption and bone formation at 6- and 9-week-old. The c-Kit W(sh) mutation increased osteoclast differentiation, the number of committed osteoprogenitors, alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralization. c-Kit was expressed in both osteoclasts and osteoblasts, and c-Kit expression was decreased in W(sh)/W(sh)osteoclasts, but not osteoblasts, suggesting an indirect effect of c-Kit on bone formation. Furthermore, the osteoclast-derived coupling factor Wnt10b mRNA was increased in W(sh)/W(sh) osteoclasts. Conditioned medium from W(sh)/W(sh) osteoclasts had elevated Wnt10b protein levels and induced increased alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralization in osteoblast cultures. Antagonizing Wnt10b signaling with DKK1 or Wnt10b antibody inhibited these effects. Our data suggest that c-Kit negatively regulates bone turnover, and disrupted c-Kit signaling couples increased bone resorption with bone formation through osteoclast-derived Wnt 10 b.

10 CFR Appendix V to Subpart B of... - Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Ceiling Fan Light Kits

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... of Ceiling Fan Light Kits V Appendix V to Subpart B of Part 430 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENERGY CONSERVATION ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM FOR CONSUMER PRODUCTS Test Procedures Pt. 430, Subpt. B, App. V Appendix V to Subpart B of Part 430—Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Ceiling Fan...

Exploration of the assessment practices of elementary teachers using science kits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scribner-Maclean, Michelle

The purpose of the study was to determine the assessment literacy levels of elementary teachers who are experienced science kit users compared to those who are novice users as well as to compare assessment literacy levels of kit users to non kit users. Further, the study explored how teachers used assessment instruments in a classroom setting during kit-based science lessons. The study consisted of two parts. The population for Part One of this study was 47 elementary teachers from four communities in Northeastern Massachusetts who used Science, Technology, and Children (STC) kits for their classroom science instruction. Part Two of this study was conducted with four elementary teachers, two experienced kit users and two novice kit users, who were selected by their administrators. Data were collected for Part One of this study by use of the Teacher Assessment Questionnaire (TAQ), developed by Plake and Impara (1990), which provided a description of the assessment literacy levels of teachers. The assessment literacy levels of experienced kit users were compared to novice kit users by the t-Test for independent means. The assessment literacy levels of kit users and non kit users were also compared by use of the t-Test for independent means. For Part Two, classroom observations and teacher interviews were audio taped and transcribed. Each of these four teachers were also given the TAQ. Data for Part Two of the study were categorized and coded by Whittington's (1990) assessment literacy skills which are based upon the Standards for Teacher Competency of Educational Assessment of Students (STCEAS). Instances in which these skills occurred during classroom observations and pre- and post-lesson interviews were tabulated to create an overall picture of assessment literacy for each of the four teachers. The findings for Parts One and Two of this study indicate that there were differences in the assessment literacy scores for kit users and non kit users only for Standard Two

Combined neutrophil and erythrocyte agglutination in a 7-year-old boy.

PubMed

Yenson, Paul R; Fleming, Adam; Kaikov, Yigal; Wadsworth, Louis D

2007-09-01

Leukoagglutination is a rare in vitro phenomenon, with demonstration of both temperature and/or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid dependence. We report a case of combined leukocyte and erythrocyte agglutination in a 7-year-old male with Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Epstein-Barr virus coinfection. To our knowledge, this morphologic finding has not previously been described.

47 CFR 15.25 - Kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Kits. 15.25 Section 15.25 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES General § 15.25 Kits. A TV interface device, including a cable system terminal device, which is marketed as a kit shall comply with the...

47 CFR 15.25 - Kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Kits. 15.25 Section 15.25 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES General § 15.25 Kits. A TV interface device, including a cable system terminal device, which is marketed as a kit shall comply with the...

47 CFR 15.25 - Kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Kits. 15.25 Section 15.25 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES General § 15.25 Kits. A TV interface device, including a cable system terminal device, which is marketed as a kit shall comply with the...

47 CFR 15.25 - Kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Kits. 15.25 Section 15.25 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES General § 15.25 Kits. A TV interface device, including a cable system terminal device, which is marketed as a kit shall comply with the...

47 CFR 15.25 - Kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Kits. 15.25 Section 15.25 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES General § 15.25 Kits. A TV interface device, including a cable system terminal device, which is marketed as a kit shall comply with the...

Direct detection of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus in blood culture broth by use of a penicillin binding protein 2a latex agglutination test.

PubMed

Qian, Qinfang; Venkataraman, Lata; Kirby, James E; Gold, Howard S; Yamazumi, Toshiaki

2010-04-01

We studied the utility of performing a penicillin binding protein 2a latex agglutination (PBP-LA) assay directly on Bactec blood culture broth samples containing Staphylococcus aureus to rapidly detect methicillin resistance. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of this method were 94.1%, 97.5%, 98%, and 92.9%, respectively.

Survival Kit - Food Kit

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-10-01

S62-08743 (1962) --- Food kit used by Mercury astronauts. Some is dehydrated and needs water, other packets are ready to eat. Size is measured relative to a ruler. Included are packets of mushroom soup, orange-grapefruit juice, cocoa beverage, pineapple juice, chicken with gravy, pears, strawberries, beef and vegetables and other assorted food containers. Photo credit: NASA

Survival Kit - Food Kit

NASA Image and Video Library

1962-10-01

S62-08742 (1962) --- Food kit used by Mercury astronauts. Some is dehydrated and needs water, other packets are ready to eat. Size is measured relative to a ruler. Included are packets of mushroom soup, orange-grapefruit juice, cocoa beverage, pineapple juice, chicken with gravy, pears, strawberries, beef and vegetables and other assorted food containers. Photo credit: NASA

Touch the comet! Testing of the "Rosetta's Comet Touchdown" educational kit in the Széchenyi István High School, Sopron, Hungary.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, A.; Wesely, N.; Soós, B.; Sléber, B.; Majnovics, Z.; Ettingshausen, M.; Bodnár, L.; Németh, A.; Roos, M.

2011-10-01

In our school works a course in robotics where students build and program robots from a LEGO MINDSTORMS kit. We took part in the Hunveyor- Husar project with a Mars rover based on a rover model kit, of which the operating arms are built out of LEGO and controlled by an MINDSTORMS NXT computer. We presented our rover on the EPSC in Rome last September 2010 We presented our rover on the EPSC in Rome in September 2010. At that same conference the "Rosetta's Comet Touchdown" educational kit was officially presented. We were very interested and in conversation with the people from the project, we agreed that our school in Sopron would also participate in testing the kit. . The kit comes with a set of Interdisciplinary Activity Sheets (IAS, downloadable from Vimeo channel1) and a great feature is that the proposed activities in the IAS cover three areas: science, art/history and engineering. The 31 students from our class divided up in groups and each group chose a different topic: History of comets in Hungarian culture; Designing a T-shirt; Research on comets; Hungary in the Rosetta mission; Animation of Rosetta's orbit in space; building a LEGO MINDSTORM model; a film was made of the activities . In this presentation we report in particular the activities of the LEGO building team.

Evaluation of a culture-based pathogen identification kit for bacterial causes of bovine mastitis.

PubMed

Viora, L; Graham, E M; Mellor, D J; Reynolds, K; Simoes, P B A; Geraghty, T E

2014-07-26

Accurate identification of mastitis-causing bacteria supports effective management and can be used to implement selective use of antimicrobials for treatment. The objectives of this study were to compare the results from a culture-based mastitis pathogen detection test kit ('VetoRapid', Vétoquinol) with standard laboratory culture and to evaluate the potential suitability of the test kit to inform a selective treatment programme. Overall 231 quarter milk samples from five UK dairy farms were collected. The sensitivity and specificity of the test kit for the identification of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, Streptococcus uberis and Enterococcus spp. ranged from 17 per cent to 84 per cent and 92 per cent to 98 per cent, respectively. In total, 23 of 68 clinical samples were assigned as meeting the requirement for antimicrobial treatment (Gram-positive organism cultured) according to standard culture results, with the test kit results having sensitivity and specificity of 91 per cent and 78 per cent, respectively. Several occurrences of misidentification are reported, including S. aureus being misidentified as coagulase-negative staphylococci and vice versa. The test kit provides rapid preliminary identification of five common causes of bovine mastitis under UK field conditions and is likely to be suitable for informing selective treatment of clinical mastitis caused by Gram-positive organisms. British Veterinary Association.

A critical review of published methods for analysis of red cell antigen-antibody reactions by flow cytometry, and approaches for resolving problems with red cell agglutination.

PubMed

Arndt, Patricia A; Garratty, George

2010-07-01

Flow cytometry operators often apply familiar white blood cell (WBC) methods when studying red blood cell (RBC) antigens and antibodies. Some WBC methods are not appropriate for RBCs, as the analysis of RBCs requires special considerations, for example, avoidance of agglutination. One hundred seventy-six published articles from 88 groups studying RBC interactions were reviewed. Three fourths of groups used at least one unnecessary WBC procedure for RBCs, and about one fourth did not use any method to prevent/disperse RBC agglutination. Flow cytometric studies were performed to determine the effect of RBC agglutination on results and compare different methods of preventing and/or dispersing agglutination. The presence of RBC agglutinates have been shown to be affected by the type of pipette tip used for mixing RBC suspensions, the number of antigen sites/RBC, the type and concentration of primary antibody, and the type of secondary antibody. For quantitation methods, for example, fetal maternal hemorrhage, the presence of agglutinates have been shown to adversely affect results (fewer fetal D+ RBCs detected). Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Studying red blood cell agglutination by measuring electrical and mechanical properties with a double optical tweezers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontes, Adriana; Fernandes, Heloise P.; de Thomaz, André A.; Barbosa, Luiz C.; Barjas-Castro, Maria L.; Cesar, Carlos L.

2007-07-01

The red blood cell (RBC) viscoelastic membrane contains proteins and glycolproteins embedded in, or attached, to a fluid lipid bilayer and are negatively charged, which creates a repulsive electric (zeta) potential between the cells and prevents their aggregation in the blood stream. The basis of the immunohematologic tests is the interaction between antigens and antibodies that causes hemagglutination. The identification of antibodies and antigens is of fundamental importance for the transfusional routine. This agglutination is induced by decreasing the zeta-potential through the introduction of artificial potential substances. This report proposes the use of the optical tweezers to measure the membrane viscosity, the cell adhesion, the zeta-potential and the size of the double layer of charges (CLC) formed around the cell in an electrolytic solution. The adhesion was quantified by slowly displacing two RBCs apart until the disagglutination. The CLC was measured using the force on the bead attached to a single RBC in response to an applied voltage. The zeta-potential was obtained by measuring the terminal velocity after releasing the RBC from the optical trap at the last applied voltage. For the membrane viscosity experiment, we trapped a bead attached to RBCs and measured the force to slide one RBC over the other as a function of the relative velocity. After we tested the methodology, we performed measurements using antibody and potential substances. We observed that this experiment can provide information about cell agglutination that helps to improve the tests usually performed in blood banks. We also believe that this methodology can be applied for measurements of zeta-potentials in other kind of samples.

Adaptation of commercial biomarker kits and proposal for 'drug development kits' to support bioanalysis: call for action.

PubMed

Islam, Rafiqul; Kar, Sumit; Islam, Clarinda; Farmen, Raymond

2018-06-01

There has been an increased use of commercial kits for biomarker measurement, commensurate with the increased demand for biomarkers in drug development. However, in most cases these kits do not meet the quality attributes for use in regulated environment. The process for adaptation of these kits can be frustrating, time consuming and resource intensive. In addition, a lack of harmonized guidance for the validation of biomarker poses a significant challenge in the adaptation of kits in a regulated environment. The purpose of this perspective is to propose a tiered approach to commercial drug development kits with clearly defined quality attributes and to demonstrate how these kits can be adapted to perform analytical validation in a regulated environment.

The specificity of the cross-reacting antibodies in blood group O sera which produce mixed agglutination

PubMed Central

Franks, D.; Liske, Rosemary

1968-01-01

γM cross-reacting antibodies in group O sera produce mixed agglutination with secretor buccal cells, but not with non-secretor cells. The mixed agglutination with sera which also contain immune anti-B is produced only with A buccal cells and B indicator red cells, and not with B buccal cells, and is inhibited by B secretor saliva or galactose, but not by A secretor saliva. Mixed agglutination with sera containing immune anti-A is produced only with B buccal cells and A indicator red cells, and is inhibited by A secretor saliva or 2-acetamido-2-deoxygalactose (N-acetyl-D-galactosamine), but not by B secretor saliva. If two sera, one containing immune anti-A and the other containing immune anti-B, are mixed together in equal volumes, mixed agglutination is no longer produced with either A buccal cells (and B indicator red cells) or B buccal cells (and A indicator red cells). These observations are thought to be most readily explicable by the hypothesis that the combining site on the cross-reacting antibody is smaller than on specific anti-A or anti-B, and that it reacts with that part of the antigenic determinant which is common to both A and B antigens. As a consequence of the restricted size of the combining site, it is suggested that cross-reacting antibody will have a lower affinity for A or B antigens than specific anti-A or anti-B does, and competes unsuccessfully with specific anti-A or anti-B for combination with antigen on buccal cells. PMID:5638582

Rapid detection of hepatitis B virus surface antigen by an agglutination assay mediated by a bispecific diabody against both human erythrocytes and hepatitis B virus surface antigen.

PubMed

Chen, Yu-Ping; Qiao, Yuan-Yuan; Zhao, Xiao-Hang; Chen, Hong-Song; Wang, Yan; Wang, Zhuozhi

2007-06-01

Bispecific antibodies have immense potential for use in clinical applications. In the present study, a bispecific diabody against human red blood cells (RBCs) and hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) was used to detect HBsAg in blood specimens. The bispecific diabody was constructed by crossing over the variable region of the heavy chains and the light chains of anti-RBC and anti-HBsAg antibodies with a short linker, SRGGGS. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, this bispecific diabody showed specific binding to both RBCs and HBsAg. When this bispecific diabody was mixed with human blood specimens in the presence of HBsAg, the dual binding sites of the diabody caused agglutination of human RBCs. This diabody-mediated agglutination assay was then used to test 712 clinical blood specimens and showed 97.7% sensitivity and 100% specificity when the results were compared with those of the conventional immunoassay, which was used as a reference. This autologous RBC agglutination assay provides a simple approach for rapid screening for HBsAg in blood specimens.

Rapid Detection of Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen by an Agglutination Assay Mediated by a Bispecific Diabody against Both Human Erythrocytes and Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen▿

PubMed Central

Chen, Yu-Ping; Qiao, Yuan-Yuan; Zhao, Xiao-Hang; Chen, Hong-Song; Wang, Yan; Wang, Zhuozhi

2007-01-01

Bispecific antibodies have immense potential for use in clinical applications. In the present study, a bispecific diabody against human red blood cells (RBCs) and hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) was used to detect HBsAg in blood specimens. The bispecific diabody was constructed by crossing over the variable region of the heavy chains and the light chains of anti-RBC and anti-HBsAg antibodies with a short linker, SRGGGS. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, this bispecific diabody showed specific binding to both RBCs and HBsAg. When this bispecific diabody was mixed with human blood specimens in the presence of HBsAg, the dual binding sites of the diabody caused agglutination of human RBCs. This diabody-mediated agglutination assay was then used to test 712 clinical blood specimens and showed 97.7% sensitivity and 100% specificity when the results were compared with those of the conventional immunoassay, which was used as a reference. This autologous RBC agglutination assay provides a simple approach for rapid screening for HBsAg in blood specimens. PMID:17442848

FlowGo: An Educational Kit for Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guri, Dominic; Portsmore, Merredith; Kemmerling, Erica

2015-11-01

The authors have designed and prototyped an educational toolkit that will help middle-school-aged students learn fundamental fluid mechanics and heat transfer concepts in a hands-on play environment. The kit allows kids to build arbitrary flow rigs to solve fluid mechanics and heat transfer challenge problems. Similar kits for other engineering fields, such as structural and electrical engineering, have resulted in pedagogical improvements, particularly in early engineering education, where visual demonstrations have a significant impact. Using the FlowGo kit, students will be able to conduct experiments and develop new design ideas to solve challenge problems such as building plant watering systems or modeling water and sewage reticulation. The toolkit consists of components such as tubes, junctions, and reservoirs that easily snap together via a modular, universal connector. Designed with the Massachusetts K-12 science standards in mind, this kit is intended to be affordable and suitable for classroom use. Results and user feedback from students conducting preliminary tests of the kit will be presented.

Hypocretin measurement: shelf age of radioimmunoassay kit, but not freezer time, influences assay variability.

PubMed

Keating, Glenda; Bliwise, Donald L; Saini, Prabhjyot; Rye, David B; Trotti, Lynn Marie

2017-09-01

The hypothalamic peptide hypocretin 1 (orexin A) may be assayed in cerebrospinal fluid to diagnose narcolepsy type 1. This testing is not commercially available, and factors contributing to assay variability have not previously been comprehensively explored. In the present study, cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin concentrations were determined in duplicate in 155 patient samples, across a range of sleep disorders. Intra-assay variability of these measures was analyzed. Inter-assay correlation between samples tested at Emory and at Stanford was high (r = 0.79, p < 0.0001). Intra-assay correlation between samples tested in duplicate in our center was also high (r = 0.88, p < 0.0001); intra-assay variability, expressed as the difference between values as a percentage of the higher value, was low at 9.4% (SD = 7.9%). Although both time the sample spent in the freezer (r = 0.16, p = 0.04) and age of the kit used for assay (t = 3.64, p = 0.0004) were significant predictors of intra-kit variability in univariate analyses, only age of kit was significant in multivariate linear regression (F = 4.93, p = 0.03). Age of radioimmunoassay kit affects intra-kit variability of measured hypocretin values, such that kits closer to expiration exhibit significantly more variability.

Effectiveness of a multimedia outreach kit for families of wounded veterans.

PubMed

Walker, David Ian; Cardin, Jean-François; Chawla, Neelu; Topp, David; Burton, Thomaseo; Macdermid Wadsworth, Shelley

2014-04-01

Young children in military families with a member who has a life changing injury can experience emotional difficulties and behavior changes. This study evaluated a Sesame Workshop multimedia kit called: Talk, Listen, Connect: Changes (TLC-II(C); 2008). The kit, which included video and print materials, aimed to help caregivers (i.e., at-home partner, at-home relative or family member of a current or discharged military member) assist young children as they adjusted to their parent's injury. We expected that the materials would be used and their quality evaluated. We hypothesized that use of the materials would produce improvements in caregiver and child outcomes as well as reductions in perceptions of disruption in the home. We also predicted that kit-use would have a positive impact on the family. One-hundred and fifty three families with children aged 2-8 years were randomly assigned to receive the kit being evaluated (TLC-II(C)) or a control kit (Healthy Habits for Life (HHL)), also developed by Sesame Workshop. Group outcomes were compared four weeks following receipt of the kits using multivariate analysis of variance. All materials were well used and highly rated. All caregivers reported less social isolation, less child aggression, and significantly less disruptive home environments after kit use. Test group caregivers reported significantly greater reductions in depressive symptoms and significant increases in children's social competence over time in comparison to the control group. These results signal important improvements among families as a consequence of using either test or control materials. As a preventative intervention designed for families with an injured member, TLC-II(C) was particularly effective at improving coping. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optimizing Medical Kits for Spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keenan, A. B,; Foy, Millennia; Myers, G.

2014-01-01

The Integrated Medical Model (IMM) is a probabilistic model that estimates medical event occurrences and mission outcomes for different mission profiles. IMM simulation outcomes describing the impact of medical events on the mission may be used to optimize the allocation of resources in medical kits. Efficient allocation of medical resources, subject to certain mass and volume constraints, is crucial to ensuring the best outcomes of in-flight medical events. We implement a new approach to this medical kit optimization problem. METHODS We frame medical kit optimization as a modified knapsack problem and implement an algorithm utilizing a dynamic programming technique. Using this algorithm, optimized medical kits were generated for 3 different mission scenarios with the goal of minimizing the probability of evacuation and maximizing the Crew Health Index (CHI) for each mission subject to mass and volume constraints. Simulation outcomes using these kits were also compared to outcomes using kits optimized..RESULTS The optimized medical kits generated by the algorithm described here resulted in predicted mission outcomes more closely approached the unlimited-resource scenario for Crew Health Index (CHI) than the implementation in under all optimization priorities. Furthermore, the approach described here improves upon in reducing evacuation when the optimization priority is minimizing the probability of evacuation. CONCLUSIONS This algorithm provides an efficient, effective means to objectively allocate medical resources for spaceflight missions using the Integrated Medical Model.

9 CFR 147.6 - Procedure for determining the status of flocks reacting to tests for Mycoplasma gallisepticum...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... agglutination test, enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay (ELISA), official molecular examination procedure, or... the tube agglutination, ELISA, or serum plate test is positive, the hemaglutination inhibition (HI...

9 CFR 147.6 - Procedure for determining the status of flocks reacting to tests for Mycoplasma gallisepticum...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... agglutination test, enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay (ELISA), official molecular examination procedure, or... the tube agglutination, ELISA, or serum plate test is positive, the hemaglutination inhibition (HI...

9 CFR 147.6 - Procedure for determining the status of flocks reacting to tests for Mycoplasma gallisepticum...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... agglutination test, enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay (ELISA), official molecular examination procedure, or... the tube agglutination, ELISA, or serum plate test is positive, the hemaglutination inhibition (HI...

Evaluation of tyrosine-kinase receptor c-KIT (c-KIT) mutations, mRNA and protein expression in canine leukemia: might c-KIT represent a therapeutic target?

PubMed

Giantin, M; Aresu, L; Aricò, A; Gelain, M E; Riondato, F; Martini, V; Comazzi, S; Dacasto, M

2013-04-15

The tyrosine-kinase receptor c-KIT (c-KIT) plays an important role in proliferation, survival and differentiation of progenitor cells in normal hematopoietic cells. In human hematological malignancies, c-KIT is mostly expressed by progenitor cell neoplasia and seldom by those involving mature cells. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are actually licensed for the first- and second-line treatment of human hematologic disorders. Aim of the present study was to evaluate c-KIT mRNA and protein expression and complementary DNA (cDNA) mutations in canine leukemia. Eleven acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute undifferentiated leukemia (AUL) and 12 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) were enrolled in this study. The amounts of c-KIT mRNA and protein were determined, in peripheral blood samples, by using quantitative real time RT-PCR, flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry, respectively. The presence of mutations on c-KIT exons 8-11 and 17 were investigated by cDNA sequencing. Higher amounts of c-KIT mRNA were found in ALL/AUL compared to CLL, and this latter showed a lower pattern of gene expression. Transcriptional data were confirmed at the protein level. No significant gain-of-function mutations were ever observed in both ALL/AUL and CLL. Among canine hematological malignancies, ALL/AUL typically show a very aggressive biological behavior, partly being attributable to the lack of efficacious therapeutic options. The high level of c-KIT expression found in canine ALL/AUL might represent the rationale for using TKIs in future clinical trials. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of commercial kits for dual extraction of DNA and RNA from human body fluids.

PubMed

Schweighardt, Andrew J; Tate, Courtney M; Scott, Kristina A; Harper, Kathryn A; Robertson, James M

2015-01-01

STR typing of DNA evidence can identify the donor with a high power of discrimination but cannot identify the tissue origin of a body-fluid stain. Using RNA to attribute a crime scene stain to a particular tissue may aid in reconstruction efforts. With blood from 10 donors, four DNA and RNA coextraction kits were evaluated by measuring yields and STR and mRNA profiles. T tests indicated some significant differences in kit performance. The Zymo Research ZR-Duet(™) kit performed best based on average DNA (41.4 ng) and mRNA (4.07 ng) yields and was the only kit to provide complete DNA/RNA profiles for all samples. The consistency of this kit was challenged by data from additional blood and saliva donors. Further testing is advised before a superior kit is unequivocally chosen. Stand-alone DNA or RNA purification generally offers higher yield, but coextraction may still allow successful STR profiling and tissue source identification. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Lead isotopic studies of lunar soils - Their bearing on the time scale of agglutinate formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Church, S. E.; Tilton, G. R.; Chen, J. H.

1976-01-01

Fines (smaller than 75 microns) and bulk soil were studied to analyze loss of volatile lead; losses of the order of 10% to 30% radiogenic lead during the production of agglutinates are assessed. Lead isotope data from fine-agglutinate pairs are analyzed for information on the time scale of micrometeorite bombardment, from the chords generated by the data in concordia diagrams. Resulting mean lead loss ages were compared to spallogenic gas exposure ages for all samples. Labile parentless radiogenic Pb residing preferentially on or in the fines is viewed as possibly responsible for aberrant lead loss ages. Bulk soils plot above the concordia curve (in a field of excess radiogenic Pb) for all samples with anomalous ages.

Agglutinated foraminifera from the Ludlow (Silurian) of Ireland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaminski, Michael; Ferretti, Annalisa; Messori, Fabio; Papazzoni, Cesare Andrea; Sevastopulo, George

2017-04-01

Agglutinated foraminifera are one of the most primitive groups of foraminifera, possibly already appearing in the Cryogenian but usually rare in lower Paleozoic rocks. Their mean standing diversity slowly increased during Cambrian and Ordovician times, reaching a stable value of about 50 genera in the mid-Silurian which remained fairly constant up to the Triassic. An assemblage of agglutinated foraminifera was unexpectedly found in conodont residue from material collected in the Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. This material comes from rare calcareous occurrences in volcanoclastics previously known for their rich trilobite and conodont assemblages. The limestones are trilobite-crinoidal silty wackestone to packstone, with local brachiopod concentrations, documenting brachiopod-trilobite-crinoidal dominated communities of shallow and well-ventilated water that might have periodically colonized the bottom intercalating with volcanic events and then successively redeposited in deeper waters. The conodont fauna indicates an early Ludlow (Gorstian-earliest Ludfordian) age (Kaminski et al., 2016). The foraminiferal assemblage has limited potential for stratigraphical correlation as long-range taxa are present, but it represents the first record from the Silurian of Ireland. The assemblage is dominated by tubothalamids (Rectoammodiscus and rare Sansabaina), with less abundant monothalamids (Psammosiphonella and Psammosphaera). The assemblage displays low diversity compared with other assemblages described from the British Isles (Kircher & Brasier, 1989). At the species level, this assemblage is identical to those described previously from the Silurian of North America but with lower diversity. Only Rectoammodiscus diai had apparently a wider geographic distribution, including not only the central USA (Oklahoma and Kansas) but also the Welsh Borderlands and Senegal. The affinities with the assemblages reported at several localities in the central

Gene expression in gastrointestinal stromal tumors is distinguished by KIT genotype and anatomic site.

PubMed

Antonescu, Cristina R; Viale, Agnes; Sarran, Lisa; Tschernyavsky, Sylvia J; Gonen, Mithat; Segal, Neil H; Maki, Robert G; Socci, Nicholas D; DeMatteo, Ronald P; Besmer, Peter

2004-05-15

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are specific KIT expressing and KIT-signaling driven mesenchymal tumors of the human digestive tract, many of which have KIT-activating mutations. Previous studies have found a relatively homogeneous gene expression profile in GIST, as compared with other histological types of sarcomas. Transcriptional heterogeneity within clinically or molecularly defined subsets of GISTs has not been previously reported. We tested the hypothesis that the gene expression profile in GISTs might be related to KIT genotype and possibly to other clinicopathological factors. An HG-U133A Affymetrix chip (22,000 genes) platform was used to determine the variability of gene expression in 28 KIT-expressing GIST samples from 24 patients. A control group of six intra-abdominal leiomyosarcomas was also included for comparison. Statistical analyses (t tests) were performed to identify discriminatory gene lists among various GIST subgroups. The levels of expression of various GIST subsets were also linked to a modified version of the growth factor/KIT signaling pathway to analyze differences at various steps in signal transduction. Genes involved in KIT signaling were differentially expressed among wild-type and mutant GISTs. High gene expression of potential drug targets, such as VEGF, MCSF, and BCL2 in the wild-type group, and Mesothelin in exon 9 GISTs were found. There was a striking difference in gene expression between stomach and small bowel GISTs. This finding was validated in four separate tumors, two gastric and two intestinal, from a patient with familial GIST with a germ-line KIT W557R substitution. GISTs have heterogeneous gene expression depending on KIT genotype and tumor location, which is seen at both the genomic level and the KIT signaling pathway in particular. These findings may explain their variable clinical behavior and response to therapy.

Education Payload Operation - Kit D

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keil, Matthew

2009-01-01

Education Payload Operation - Kit D (EPO-Kit D) includes education items that will be used to support the live International Space Station (ISS) education downlinks and Education Payload Operation (EPO) demonstrations onboard the ISS. The main objective of EPO-Kit D supports the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) goal of attracting students to study and seek careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Efficacy of a lead based paint XRF analyzer and a commercially available colorimetric lead test kit as qualitative field tools for determining presence of lead in religious powders.

PubMed

Shah, Manthan P; Shendell, Derek G; Meng, Qingyu; Ohman-Strickland, Pamela; Halperin, William

2018-04-23

The performances of a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) lead paint analyzer (RMD LPA-1, Protec Instrument Corp., Waltham, MA) and a commercially available colorimetric lead test kit (First Alert Lead Test Kit, eAccess Solutions, Inc., Palatine, IL) were evaluated for use by local or state health departments as potential cost-effective rapid analysis or "spot test" field techniques for tentative identification of lead content in sindoor powders. For both field-sampling methods, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values varied widely for samples containing <300,000 μg/g lead. For samples containing ≥300,000 μg/g lead, the aforementioned metrics were 100% (however, the CIs had a wide range). In addition, both field sampling methods showed clear, consistent positive readings only for samples containing ≥300,000 μg/g lead. Even samples with lead content as high as 5,110 μg/g were not positively identified by either field analysis technique. The results of this study suggest the XRF analyzer and colorimetric lead test kit cannot be used as a rapid field test for sindoor by health department inspectors.

Cardiac c-Kit Biology Revealed by Inducible Transgenesis.

PubMed

Gude, Natalie A; Firouzi, Fareheh; Broughton, Kathleen M; Ilves, Kelli; Nguyen, Kristine P; Payne, Christina R; Sacchi, Veronica; Monsanto, Megan M; Casillas, Alexandria R; Khalafalla, Farid G; Wang, Bingyan J; Ebeid, David E; Alvarez, Roberto; Dembitsky, Walter P; Bailey, Barbara A; van Berlo, Jop; Sussman, Mark A

2018-06-22

Biological significance of c-Kit as a cardiac stem cell marker and role(s) of c-Kit+ cells in myocardial development or response to pathological injury remain unresolved because of varied and discrepant findings. Alternative experimental models are required to contextualize and reconcile discordant published observations of cardiac c-Kit myocardial biology and provide meaningful insights regarding clinical relevance of c-Kit signaling for translational cell therapy. The main objectives of this study are as follows: demonstrating c-Kit myocardial biology through combined studies of both human and murine cardiac cells; advancing understanding of c-Kit myocardial biology through creation and characterization of a novel, inducible transgenic c-Kit reporter mouse model that overcomes limitations inherent to knock-in reporter models; and providing perspective to reconcile disparate viewpoints on c-Kit biology in the myocardium. In vitro studies confirm a critical role for c-Kit signaling in both cardiomyocytes and cardiac stem cells. Activation of c-Kit receptor promotes cell survival and proliferation in stem cells and cardiomyocytes of either human or murine origin. For creation of the mouse model, the cloned mouse c-Kit promoter drives Histone2B-EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein; H2BEGFP) expression in a doxycycline-inducible transgenic reporter line. The combination of c-Kit transgenesis coupled to H2BEGFP readout provides sensitive, specific, inducible, and persistent tracking of c-Kit promoter activation. Tagging efficiency for EGFP+/c-Kit+ cells is similar between our transgenic versus a c-Kit knock-in mouse line, but frequency of c-Kit+ cells in cardiac tissue from the knock-in model is 55% lower than that from our transgenic line. The c-Kit transgenic reporter model reveals intimate association of c-Kit expression with adult myocardial biology. Both cardiac stem cells and a subpopulation of cardiomyocytes express c-Kit in uninjured adult heart

[The mechanism of change in speed of agglutination of human erythrocytes under the influence of adrenaline].

PubMed

Volodchenko, A I; Tsirkin, V I; Kostiaev, A A

2014-01-01

In the study of red blood cells of 80 men found that adrenaline (10(-10) - 10(-6) g/mL) and phenylephrine (10-(10) - 10(-6) g/mL) dose-dependently increase the speed of agglutination of red blood cells, according to the decrease in agglutination of the start time and ginipral (10(-10) - 10(-7) g/mL), on the contrary, decreases it. The effect of adrenaline and phenylephrine is blocked by nicergoline (10(-6) g/mL), increased obzidan (10(-6) g/mL) and does not change under the action ofyohimbine (10(-6) g/mL) and atenolol (10(-6) g/mL). These data indicate that the speed of agglutination increases with activation alpha1-adrenergic receptor (AR) and decreases in the activation of beta2-AR, while the activation of alpha2- and beta1-AR does not affect it. Trifluoperazine (10(-6) g/mL) as the calmodulin antagonist, barium chloride (10(-6) g/mL) as a blocked of Ca(2+)-dependent K(+)-channels and indomethacine (10(-6) g/mL) as an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase and phospholipase A2 inhibit the ability of adrenaline to increases the speed of agglutination of red blood cells. This suggests that the effect of adrenaline caused an increase in erythrocyte entry of Ca2+, activation of calmodulin, cyclooxygenase, phospholipase A2 and the release of K+ from red blood cell through the Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels, which is regarded as a manifestation of eryptosis. Indirectly, this means that more efficient activation of alpha1-AR and beta2-AR, respectively, increases or, conversely, decreases the rate of eryptosis.

Stability of user-friendly blood typing kits stored under typical military field conditions.

PubMed

Bienek, Diane R; Chang, Cheow K; Charlton, David G

2009-10-01

To help preserve in-theater strength within deployed military units, commercially available, rapid, user-friendly ABO-Rh blood typing kits were evaluated to determine their stability in storage conditions commonly encountered by the warfighter. Methods for environmental exposure testing were based on MIL-STD-810F. When Eldon Home Kits 2511 were exposed to various temperature/relative humidity conditions, the results were comparable to those obtained with the control group and those obtained with industry-standard methods. For the ABO-Rh Combination Blood Typing Experiment Kits, 2 of the exposure treatments rendered them unusable. In addition, a third set of exposure treatments adversely affected the kits, resulting in approximately 30% blood type misclassifications. Collectively, this evaluation of commercial blood typing kits revealed that diagnostic performance can vary between products, lots, and environmental storage conditions.

Molecular Alterations of KIT Oncogene in Gliomas

PubMed Central

Gomes, Ana L.; Reis-Filho, Jorge S.; Lopes, José M.; Martinho, Olga; Lambros, Maryou B. K.; Martins, Albino; Schmitt, Fernando; Pardal, Fernando; Reis, Rui M.

2007-01-01

Gliomas are the most common and devastating primary brain tumours. Despite therapeutic advances, the majority of gliomas do not respond either to chemo or radiotherapy. KIT, a class III receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), is frequently involved in tumourigenic processes. Currently, KIT constitutes an attractive therapeutic target. In the present study we assessed the frequency of KIT overexpression in gliomas and investigated the genetic mechanisms underlying KIT overexpression. KIT (CD117) immunohistochemistry was performed in a series of 179 gliomas of various grades. KIT activating gene mutations (exons 9, 11, 13 and 17) and gene amplification analysis, as defined by chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) were performed in CD117 positive cases. Tumour cell immunopositivity was detected in 15.6% (28/179) of cases, namely in 25% (1/4) of pilocytic astrocytomas, 25% (5/20) of diffuse astrocytomas, 20% (1/5) of anaplastic astrocytomas, 19.5% (15/77) of glioblastomas and one third (3/9) of anaplastic oligoastrocytomas. Only 5.7% (2/35) of anaplastic oligodendrogliomas showed CD117 immunoreactivity. No association was found between tumour CD117 overexpression and patient survival. In addition, we also observed CD117 overexpression in endothelial cells, which varied from 0–22.2% of cases, being more frequent in high-grade lesions. No KIT activating mutations were identified. Interestingly, CISH and/or qRT-PCR analysis revealed the presence of KIT gene amplification in 6 glioblastomas and 2 anaplastic oligoastrocytomas, corresponding to 33% (8/24) of CD117 positive cases. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that KIT gene amplification rather than gene mutation is a common genetic mechanism underlying KIT expression in subset of malignant gliomas. Further studies are warranted to determine whether glioma patients exhibiting KIT overexpression and KIT gene amplification may benefit from therapy with anti-KIT RTK inhibitors. PMID

KIT Mutations Are Common in Testicular Seminomas

PubMed Central

Kemmer, Kathleen; Corless, Christopher L.; Fletcher, Jonathan A.; McGreevey, Laura; Haley, Andrea; Griffith, Diana; Cummings, Oscar W.; Wait, Cecily; Town, Ajia; Heinrich, Michael C.

2004-01-01

Expression of KIT tyrosine kinase is critical for normal germ cell development and is observed in the majority of seminomas. Activating mutations in KIT are common in gastrointestinal stromal tumors and mastocytosis. In this study we examined the frequency and spectrum of KIT mutations in 54 testicular seminomas, 1 ovarian dysgerminoma and 37 non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT). Fourteen seminomas (25.9%) contained exon 17 point mutations including D816V (6 cases), D816H (3 cases), Y823D (2 cases), and single examples of Y823C, N822K, and T801I. No KIT mutations were found in the ovarian dysgerminoma or the NSGCTs. In transient transfection assays, mutant isoforms D816V, D816H, Y823D, and N822K were constitutively phosphorylated in the absence of the natural ligand for KIT, stem cell factor (SCF). In contrast, activation of T801I and wild-type KIT required SCF. Mutants N822K and Y823D were inhibited by imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, previously STI571) whereas D816V and D816H were both resistant to imatinib mesylate. Biochemical evidence of KIT activation, as assessed by KIT phosphorylation and KIT association with phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase in tumor cell lysates, was largely confined to seminomas with a genomic KIT mutation. These findings suggest that activating KIT mutations may contribute to tumorigenesis in a subset of seminomas, but are not involved in NSGCT. PMID:14695343

The burden of the variability introduced by the HEp-2 assay kit and the CAD system in ANA indirect immunofluorescence test.

PubMed

Infantino, M; Meacci, F; Grossi, V; Manfredi, M; Benucci, M; Merone, M; Soda, P

2017-02-01

According to the recent recommendations of the American College of Rheumatology, ANA Task Force, IIF technique should be considered the gold standard in antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) testing. To overcome the lack of standardization, biomedical industries have developed several computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems. Two hundred and sixty-one consecutive samples with suspected autoimmune diseases were tested for ANA by means of IIF on routinely HEp-2 assay kit (Euroimmun AG). Assignment of result was made if consensus for positive/negative was reached by at least 2 out of 3 expert physicians. ANA-IIF was also carried out using 3 CAD systems: Zenit G-Sight (n = 84), Helios (n = 85) and NOVA View (n = 92); human evaluation was repeated on the same substrate of each CAD system (Immco, Aesku and Inova HEp-2 cells, respectively). To anonymize the results, we randomly named these three systems as A, B and C. We ran a statistical analysis computing several measures of agreement between the ratings, and we also improved the evaluation by using the Wilcoxon's test for nonparametric data. Agreement between the human readings on routinely HEp-2 assay kit and human readings on CAD HEp-2 assay was substantial for A (k = 0.82) and B (k = 0.72), and almost perfect for C (k = 0.89). Such readings were statistically different only in case A. Comparing experts' readings with the readings of CAD systems, when the samples were prepared using CAD HEp-2 assay kits, we found almost perfect agreement for B and C (k = 0.86; k = 0.82) and substantial agreement for A (k = 0.73). Again, human and CAD readings were statistically different only in A. When we compared the readings of medical experts on routinely HEp-2 assay kit with the output of the CAD systems that worked using their own slides, we found substantial agreement for all the systems (A: k = 0.62; B: k = 0.65; C: k = 0.71). Such readings were not statistically different. The change of the assay kit and/or the

Immunohistochemical study of C-kit expression in subtypes of renal cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Norouzinia, Farahnaz; Abbasi, Fariba; Dindarian, Sina; Mohammadi, Sedra; Meisami, Farid; Bagheri, Mahdi; Mohammadi, Hozan

2018-01-01

Renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) include about 2% of adult neoplasms and 90-95% of all renal tumors. Mostly, it is possible to distinguish RCC subtypes using hematoxylin-eosin staining. However, overlapping morphologic features cause some difficulties in making a precise diagnosis. In order to render an accurate diagnosis, additional methods such as immunohistochemical staining for c-kit have been recommended. In this study, we aimed to investigate c-kit gene expression in various subtypes of RCC. We reviewed 65 diagnosed RCC cases. Formalin- fixed, paraffin- embedded specimens were available for the cases. The expression of c-kit was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. The correlation between c-kit expression and clinicopathological parameters including patients' age and gender in addition to grade, stage, and size of the tumor were investigated. Six cases of 39 clear cell types (15.4%), 8 of 13 papillary types (61.5%), 11 of 12 chromophobe types (91.7%), and no sarcomatoid type were positive for c-kit expression. Based on chi-square test results, there was a significant relationship between RCC subtypes and c-kit expression (p=0.001). There was no significant correlation between age, sex, grade, stage, and size of the tumor and c-kit expression. The expression of c-kit in RCC may have diagnostic significance in subtypes of RCC especially papillary and chromophobe subtypes of RCC.

Design, Certification, and Deployment of the Colorimetric Water Quality Monitoring Kit (CWQMK)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gazda, Daniel B.; Nolan, Daniel J.; Rutz, Jeff A.; Schultz, John R.; Siperko, Lorraine M.; Porter, Marc D.; Lipert, Robert J.; Flint, Stephanie M.; McCoy, J. Torin

2010-01-01

In August 2009, an experimental water quality monitoring kit based on Colorimetric Solid Phase Extraction (CSPE) technology was delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard STS-128/17A. The kit, called the Colorimetric Water Quality Monitoring Kit (CWQMK), was flown and deployed as a Station Development Test Objective (SDTO) experiment on the ISS. The goal of the SDTO experiment is to evaluate the acceptability of CSPE technology for routine water quality monitoring on the ISS. This paper provides an overview of the SDTO experiment, as well as a detailed description of the CWQMK hardware and a summary of the testing and analysis conducted to certify the CWQMK for use on the ISS. The initial results obtained from the SDTO experiment are also reported and discussed in detail

Optics learning through affordable kit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

P, Anusha N, E-mail: anushnp@gmail.com, E-mail: chitrashaji@gmail.com, E-mail: aloksharan@gmail.com; Shaji, Chitra, E-mail: anushnp@gmail.com, E-mail: chitrashaji@gmail.com, E-mail: aloksharan@gmail.com; Sharan, Alok, E-mail: anushnp@gmail.com, E-mail: chitrashaji@gmail.com, E-mail: aloksharan@gmail.com

2014-10-15

An affordable kit which helps to understand some of the optical phenomena qualitatively and quantitatively is presented in this paper. It supplements optics taught in classes. The kit consists of equipments which are available in the market at nominal cost such as laser pointer, lenses, glass plates, razor blades, coins, ball bearing etc. Experiments which come under wave optics (interference and diffraction) and ray optics (reflection and refraction) are explained using this kit.

Clean birth kits to improve birth practices: development and testing of a country level decision support tool.

PubMed

Hundley, Vanora A; Avan, Bilal I; Ahmed, Haris; Graham, Wendy J

2012-12-19

Clean birth practices can prevent sepsis, one of the leading causes of both maternal and newborn mortality. Evidence suggests that clean birth kits (CBKs), as part of package that includes education, are associated with a reduction in newborn mortality, omphalitis, and puerperal sepsis. However, questions remain about how best to approach the introduction of CBKs in country. We set out to develop a practical decision support tool for programme managers of public health systems who are considering the potential role of CBKs in their strategy for care at birth. Development and testing of the decision support tool was a three-stage process involving an international expert group and country level testing. Stage 1, the development of the tool was undertaken by the Birth Kit Working Group and involved a review of the evidence, a consensus meeting, drafting of the proposed tool and expert review. In Stage 2 the tool was tested with users through interviews (9) and a focus group, with federal and provincial level decision makers in Pakistan. In Stage 3 the findings from the country level testing were reviewed by the expert group. The decision support tool comprised three separate algorithms to guide the policy maker or programme manager through the specific steps required in making the country level decision about whether to use CBKs. The algorithms were supported by a series of questions (that could be administered by interview, focus group or questionnaire) to help the decision maker identify the information needed. The country level testing revealed that the decision support tool was easy to follow and helpful in making decisions about the potential role of CBKs. Minor modifications were made and the final algorithms are presented. Testing of the tool with users in Pakistan suggests that the tool facilitates discussion and aids decision making. However, testing in other countries is needed to determine whether these results can be replicated and to identify how the

c-kit expression profile and regulatory factors during spermatogonial stem cell differentiation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background It has been proven that c-kit is crucial for proliferation, migration, survival and maturation of spermatogenic cells. A periodic expression of c-kit is observed from primordial germ cells (PGCs) to spermatogenetic stem cells (SSCs), However, the expression profile of c-kit during the entire spermatogenesis process is still unclear. This study aims to reveal and compare c-kit expression profiles in the SSCs before and after the anticipated differentiation, as well as to examine its relationship with retinoic acid (RA) stimulation. Results We have found that there are more than 4 transcripts of c-kit expressed in the cell lines and in the testes. The transcripts can be divided into short and long categories. The long transcripts include the full-length canonical c-kit transcript and the 3′ end short transcript. Short transcripts include the 3.4 kb short transcript and several truncated transcripts (1.9-3.2 kb). In addition, the 3.4 kb transcript (starting from intron 9 and covering exons 10 ~ 21) is discovered to be specifically expressed in the spermatogonia. The extracellular domain of Kit is obtained in the spermatogonia stage, but the intracellular domain (50 kDa) is constantly expressed in both SSCs and spermatogonia. The c-kit expression profiles in the testis and the spermatogonial stem cell lines vary after RA stimulation. The wave-like changes of the quantitative expression pattern of c-kit (increase initially and decrease afterwards) during the induction process are similar to that of the in vivo male germ cell development process. Conclusions There are dynamic transcription and translation changes of c-kit before and after SSCs’ anticipated differentiation and most importantly, RA is a significant upstream regulatory factor for c-kit expression. PMID:24161026

49 CFR 173.165 - Polyester resin kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Polyester resin kits. 173.165 Section 173.165... Polyester resin kits. (a) Except for transportation by aircraft, polyester resin kits consisting of a base... resin kits consisting of a base material component (Class 3, Packing Group II or III) and an activator...

Single-cell analysis of the fate of c-kit-positive bone marrow cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czarna, Anna; Sanada, Fumihiro; Matsuda, Alex; Kim, Junghyun; Signore, Sergio; Pereira, João D.; Sorrentino, Andrea; Kannappan, Ramaswamy; Cannatà, Antonio; Hosoda, Toru; Rota, Marcello; Crea, Filippo; Anversa, Piero; Leri, Annarosa

2017-10-01

The plasticity of c-kit-positive bone marrow cells (c-kit-BMCs) in tissues different from their organ of origin remains unclear. We tested the hypothesis that c-kit-BMCs are functionally heterogeneous and only a subgroup of these cells possesses cardiomyogenic potential. Population-based assays fall short of identifying the properties of individual stem cells, imposing on us the introduction of single cell-based approaches to track the fate of c-kit-BMCs in the injured heart; they included viral gene-tagging, multicolor clonal-marking and transcriptional profiling. Based on these strategies, we report that single mouse c-kit-BMCs expand clonally within the infarcted myocardium and differentiate into specialized cardiac cells. Newly-formed cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, fibroblasts and c-kit-BMCs showed in their genome common sites of viral integration, providing strong evidence in favor of the plasticity of a subset of BMCs expressing the c-kit receptor. Similarly, individual c-kit-BMCs, which were infected with multicolor reporters and injected in infarcted hearts, formed cardiomyocytes and vascular cells organized in clusters of similarly colored cells. The uniform distribution of fluorescent proteins in groups of specialized cells documented the polyclonal nature of myocardial regeneration. The transcriptional profile of myogenic c-kit-BMCs and whole c-kit-BMCs was defined by RNA sequencing. Genes relevant for engraftment, survival, migration, and differentiation were enriched in myogenic c-kit-BMCs, a cell subtype which could not be assigned to a specific hematopoietic lineage. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the bone marrow comprises a category of cardiomyogenic, vasculogenic and/or fibrogenic c-kit-positive cells and a category of c-kit-positive cells that retains an undifferentiated state within the damaged heart.

Single-cell analysis of the fate of c-kit-positive bone marrow cells.

PubMed

Czarna, Anna; Sanada, Fumihiro; Matsuda, Alex; Kim, Junghyun; Signore, Sergio; Pereira, João D; Sorrentino, Andrea; Kannappan, Ramaswamy; Cannatà, Antonio; Hosoda, Toru; Rota, Marcello; Crea, Filippo; Anversa, Piero; Leri, Annarosa

2017-01-01

The plasticity of c-kit-positive bone marrow cells (c-kit-BMCs) in tissues different from their organ of origin remains unclear. We tested the hypothesis that c-kit-BMCs are functionally heterogeneous and only a subgroup of these cells possesses cardiomyogenic potential. Population-based assays fall short of identifying the properties of individual stem cells, imposing on us the introduction of single cell-based approaches to track the fate of c-kit-BMCs in the injured heart; they included viral gene-tagging, multicolor clonal-marking and transcriptional profiling. Based on these strategies, we report that single mouse c-kit-BMCs expand clonally within the infarcted myocardium and differentiate into specialized cardiac cells. Newly-formed cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, fibroblasts and c-kit-BMCs showed in their genome common sites of viral integration, providing strong evidence in favor of the plasticity of a subset of BMCs expressing the c-kit receptor. Similarly, individual c-kit-BMCs, which were infected with multicolor reporters and injected in infarcted hearts, formed cardiomyocytes and vascular cells organized in clusters of similarly colored cells. The uniform distribution of fluorescent proteins in groups of specialized cells documented the polyclonal nature of myocardial regeneration. The transcriptional profile of myogenic c-kit-BMCs and whole c-kit-BMCs was defined by RNA sequencing. Genes relevant for engraftment, survival, migration, and differentiation were enriched in myogenic c-kit-BMCs, a cell subtype which could not be assigned to a specific hematopoietic lineage. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the bone marrow comprises a category of cardiomyogenic, vasculogenic and/or fibrogenic c-kit-positive cells and a category of c-kit-positive cells that retains an undifferentiated state within the damaged heart.

Prevalence of agglutinating antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in skunks (Mephitis Mephitis), raccoons (Procyon lotor), and opossums (Didelphis Virginiana) from Connecticut.

PubMed

Mitchell, Sheila M; Richardson, Dennis J; Cheadle, M Andy; Zajac, Anne M; Lindsay, David S

2002-10-01

Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis is the most important protozoan disease of horses in North America and is usually caused by Sarcocystis neurona. Natural cases of encephalitis caused by S. neurona have been reported in skunks (Mephitis mephitis) and raccoons (Procyon lotor). Opossums (Didelphis spp.) are the only known definitive host. Sera from 24 striped skunks, 12 raccoons, and 7 opossums (D. virginiana) from Connecticut were examined for agglutinating antibodies to S. neurona using the S. neurona agglutination test (SAT) employing formalin-fixed merozoites as antigen. The SAT was validated for skunk sera using pre- and postinfection serum samples from 2 experimentally infected skunks. Of the 24 (46%) skunks 11 were positive, and all 12 raccoons were positive for S. neurona antibodies. None of the 7 opossums was positive for antibodies to S. neurona. These results suggest that exposure to sporocysts of S. neurona by intermediate hosts is high in Connecticut. The absence of antibodies in opossums collected from the same areas is most likely because of the absence of systemic infection in the definitive host.

The development of the residential Fire H.E.L.P. tool kit: a resource to protect homebound older adults.

PubMed

Diekman, Shane; Huitric, Michele; Netterville, Linda

2010-01-01

This article describes the development of the Fire H.E.L.P. tool kit for training selected Meals On Wheels (MOW) staff in Texas to implement a fire safety program for homebound older adults. We used a formative evaluation approach during the tool kit's development, testing, and initial implementation stages. The tool kit includes instructional curricula on how to implement Fire H.E.L.P., a home assessment tool to determine a residence's smoke alarm needs, and fire safety educational materials. During the tool kit's pilot test, MOW participants showed enhanced fire safety knowledge and high levels of confidence about applying their newfound training skills. After the pilot test, MOW staff used the tool kit to conduct local training sessions, provide fire safety education, and install smoke alarms in the homes of older adults. We believe the approach used to develop this tool kit can be applied to education efforts for other, related healthy home topics.

High-Throughput Incubation and Quantification of Agglutination Assays in a Microfluidic System.

PubMed

Castro, David; Conchouso, David; Kodzius, Rimantas; Arevalo, Arpys; Foulds, Ian G

2018-06-04

In this paper, we present a two-phase microfluidic system capable of incubating and quantifying microbead-based agglutination assays. The microfluidic system is based on a simple fabrication solution, which requires only laboratory tubing filled with carrier oil, driven by negative pressure using a syringe pump. We provide a user-friendly interface, in which a pipette is used to insert single droplets of a 1.25-µL volume into a system that is continuously running and therefore works entirely on demand without the need for stopping, resetting or washing the system. These assays are incubated by highly efficient passive mixing with a sample-to-answer time of 2.5 min, a 5⁻10-fold improvement over traditional agglutination assays. We study system parameters such as channel length, incubation time and flow speed to select optimal assay conditions, using the streptavidin-biotin interaction as a model analyte quantified using optical image processing. We then investigate the effect of changing the concentration of both analyte and microbead concentrations, with a minimum detection limit of 100 ng/mL. The system can be both low- and high-throughput, depending on the rate at which assays are inserted. In our experiments, we were able to easily produce throughputs of 360 assays per hour by simple manual pipetting, which could be increased even further by automation and parallelization. Agglutination assays are a versatile tool, capable of detecting an ever-growing catalog of infectious diseases, proteins and metabolites. A system such as this one is a step towards being able to produce high-throughput microfluidic diagnostic solutions with widespread adoption. The development of analytical techniques in the microfluidic format, such as the one presented in this work, is an important step in being able to continuously monitor the performance and microfluidic outputs of organ-on-chip devices.

46 CFR 121.710 - First-aid kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false First-aid kits. 121.710 Section 121.710 Shipping COAST... SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous § 121.710 First-aid kits. A vessel must carry either a first-aid kit approved under approval series 160.041 or a kit with equivalent contents and instructions. For equivalent...

46 CFR 184.710 - First-aid kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false First-aid kits. 184.710 Section 184.710 Shipping COAST... CONTROL AND MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous § 184.710 First-aid kits. A vessel must carry either a first-aid kit approved under approval series 160.041 or a kit with equivalent contents...

46 CFR 184.710 - First-aid kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false First-aid kits. 184.710 Section 184.710 Shipping COAST... CONTROL AND MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous § 184.710 First-aid kits. A vessel must carry either a first-aid kit approved under approval series 160.041 or a kit with equivalent contents...

46 CFR 121.710 - First-aid kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false First-aid kits. 121.710 Section 121.710 Shipping COAST... SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous § 121.710 First-aid kits. A vessel must carry either a first-aid kit approved under approval series 160.041 or a kit with equivalent contents and instructions. For equivalent...

46 CFR 121.710 - First-aid kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false First-aid kits. 121.710 Section 121.710 Shipping COAST... SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous § 121.710 First-aid kits. A vessel must carry either a first-aid kit approved under approval series 160.041 or a kit with equivalent contents and instructions. For equivalent...

46 CFR 184.710 - First-aid kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false First-aid kits. 184.710 Section 184.710 Shipping COAST... CONTROL AND MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous § 184.710 First-aid kits. A vessel must carry either a first-aid kit approved under approval series 160.041 or a kit with equivalent contents...

46 CFR 121.710 - First-aid kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false First-aid kits. 121.710 Section 121.710 Shipping COAST... SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous § 121.710 First-aid kits. A vessel must carry either a first-aid kit approved under approval series 160.041 or a kit with equivalent contents and instructions. For equivalent...

46 CFR 184.710 - First-aid kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false First-aid kits. 184.710 Section 184.710 Shipping COAST... CONTROL AND MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous § 184.710 First-aid kits. A vessel must carry either a first-aid kit approved under approval series 160.041 or a kit with equivalent contents...

46 CFR 184.710 - First-aid kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false First-aid kits. 184.710 Section 184.710 Shipping COAST... CONTROL AND MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous § 184.710 First-aid kits. A vessel must carry either a first-aid kit approved under approval series 160.041 or a kit with equivalent contents...

An Integrin from Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei Mediated Microbial Agglutination and Cell Proliferation

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ying; Wang, Leilei; Wang, Lingling; Wu, Ning; Zhou, Zhi; Song, Linsheng

2012-01-01

Background Integrins are a family of adhesion receptors which regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, leukocyte migration, and complement receptor-dependent phagocytosis. In invertebrates, as a cell adhesion receptor, β integrins play an important role for the balanced activation of immune defense responses especially during the encounter of infections. The present study attempts to characterize the immune functions of shrimp integrin (LvIntegrin) to have better understanding on the immune system and its regulation mechanisms in shrimps. Methodology A shrimp integrin was identified from the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (designated as LvIntegrin). Its full-length cDNA was of 2621 bp with an open reading frame (ORF) of 2439 bp encoding a polypeptide of 812 amino acids. The mRNA expression of LvIntegrin was significantly up-regulated at 3, 6 and 12 h after Listonella anguillarum challenge. The cDNA fragment encoding β integrin domains (βA and hybrid domain) of LvIntegrin was recombined and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)-pLysS. The recombinant protein (rLvIntegrin) could significantly agglutinate the tested microbe including E. coli JM109, L. anguillarum, Micrococcus luteus and Candida dattiladattila in the presence of divalent cations. Moreover, when NIH3T3 cells were cultured with rLvIntegrin, the proliferation rate increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions LvIntegrin, a shrimp β integrin was identified from L. vannamei, shared several highly conserved features. LvIntegrin exhibited broad-spectrum agglutination activity towards both bacteria and fungi and could improve the proliferation of NIH3T3 cells, indicating that LvIntegrin is involved in the immune response against microbe challenge and regulation of cell proliferation as a cell adhesion receptor in shrimp. PMID:22792387

An integrin from shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei mediated microbial agglutination and cell proliferation.

PubMed

Zhang, Ying; Wang, Leilei; Wang, Lingling; Wu, Ning; Zhou, Zhi; Song, Linsheng

2012-01-01

Integrins are a family of adhesion receptors which regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, leukocyte migration, and complement receptor-dependent phagocytosis. In invertebrates, as a cell adhesion receptor, β integrins play an important role for the balanced activation of immune defense responses especially during the encounter of infections. The present study attempts to characterize the immune functions of shrimp integrin (LvIntegrin) to have better understanding on the immune system and its regulation mechanisms in shrimps. A shrimp integrin was identified from the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (designated as LvIntegrin). Its full-length cDNA was of 2621 bp with an open reading frame (ORF) of 2439 bp encoding a polypeptide of 812 amino acids. The mRNA expression of LvIntegrin was significantly up-regulated at 3, 6 and 12 h after Listonella anguillarum challenge. The cDNA fragment encoding β integrin domains (βA and hybrid domain) of LvIntegrin was recombined and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)-pLysS. The recombinant protein (rLvIntegrin) could significantly agglutinate the tested microbe including E. coli JM109, L. anguillarum, Micrococcus luteus and Candida dattiladattila in the presence of divalent cations. Moreover, when NIH3T3 cells were cultured with rLvIntegrin, the proliferation rate increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner. LvIntegrin, a shrimp β integrin was identified from L. vannamei, shared several highly conserved features. LvIntegrin exhibited broad-spectrum agglutination activity towards both bacteria and fungi and could improve the proliferation of NIH3T3 cells, indicating that LvIntegrin is involved in the immune response against microbe challenge and regulation of cell proliferation as a cell adhesion receptor in shrimp.

Development and evaluation of a PCR-based assay kit for authentication of Zaocys dhumnades in traditional Chinese medicine.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaomei; Zhou, Tingting; Yu, Wenjing; Ai, Jinxia; Wang, Xuesong; Gao, Lijun; Yuan, Guangxin; Li, Mingcheng

2018-01-01

We developed a kind of Zaocys dhumnades DNA test kit and it's indexes including specificity, sensitivity and stability were evaluated and compared with the method recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition). The bioinformatics technology was used to design primers, sequencing and blast, in conjunction with PCR technology based on the characteristics of Z. dhumnades cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene. The efficiency of nucleic acid extraction by the kit was done in accordance with Pharmacopoeia method. The kit stability results proved effective after repeated freezing and thawing 20 times. The sensitivity results indicated that the lowest amount detected by the kit was 0. 025 g of each specimen. The specificity test of the kit was 100% specific. All repeatability tests indicated the same results when conducted three times. Compared with the method recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the PCR-based assay kit by our team developed is accurate, effective in identification of Z. dhumnades, it is simple and fast, demonstrating a broad prospect in quality inspection of Z. dhumnades in the future.

46 CFR 121.710 - First-aid kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false First-aid kits. 121.710 Section 121.710 Shipping COAST... SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous § 121.710 First-aid kits. A vessel must carry either a first-aid kit... kits, the contents must be stowed in a suitable, watertight container that is marked “First-Aid Kit”. A...

Megakaryocytes compensate for Kit insufficiency in murine arthritis.

PubMed

Cunin, Pierre; Penke, Loka R; Thon, Jonathan N; Monach, Paul A; Jones, Tatiana; Chang, Margaret H; Chen, Mary M; Melki, Imene; Lacroix, Steve; Iwakura, Yoichiro; Ware, Jerry; Gurish, Michael F; Italiano, Joseph E; Boilard, Eric; Nigrovic, Peter A

2017-05-01

The growth factor receptor Kit is involved in hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic development. Mice bearing Kit defects lack mast cells; however, strains bearing different Kit alleles exhibit diverse phenotypes. Herein, we investigated factors underlying differential sensitivity to IgG-mediated arthritis in 2 mast cell-deficient murine lines: KitWsh/Wsh, which develops robust arthritis, and KitW/Wv, which does not. Reciprocal bone marrow transplantation between KitW/Wv and KitWsh/Wsh mice revealed that arthritis resistance reflects a hematopoietic defect in addition to mast cell deficiency. In KitW/Wv mice, restoration of susceptibility to IgG-mediated arthritis was neutrophil independent but required IL-1 and the platelet/megakaryocyte markers NF-E2 and glycoprotein VI. In KitW/Wv mice, platelets were present in numbers similar to those in WT animals and functionally intact, and transfer of WT platelets did not restore arthritis susceptibility. These data implicated a platelet-independent role for the megakaryocyte, a Kit-dependent lineage that is selectively deficient in KitW/Wv mice. Megakaryocytes secreted IL-1 directly and as a component of circulating microparticles, which activated synovial fibroblasts in an IL-1-dependent manner. Transfer of WT but not IL-1-deficient megakaryocytes restored arthritis susceptibility to KitW/Wv mice. These findings identify functional redundancy among Kit-dependent hematopoietic lineages and establish an unanticipated capacity of megakaryocytes to mediate IL-1-driven systemic inflammatory disease.

KIT amplification and gene mutations in acral/mucosal melanoma in Korea.

PubMed

Yun, Jina; Lee, Jeeyun; Jang, Jiryeon; Lee, Eui Jin; Jang, Kee Taek; Kim, Jung Han; Kim, Kyoung-Mee

2011-06-01

Mucosal and acral melanomas have demonstrated different genetic alterations and biological behavior compared with more common cutaneous melanomas. It was recently reported that gain-of-function KIT mutations and/or copy number increases are more common in mucosal and acral melanomas. Thus, we studied the frequency and pattern of KIT aberrations in mucosal and acral melanomas in Korea. We analyzed 97 patients who were pathologically confirmed with mucosal or acral melanoma between 1997 and 2010 at Samsung Medical Center. Of the 97 melanoma patients, 92 were screened for mutations in KIT exons 11, 13, 17, and 18, BRAF and NRAS genes. KIT copy number was assessed by quantitative, real-time PCR. Of the 97 patients, 55 (56.7%) were mucosal, 40 (41.2%) were acral melanoma, and two were of unknown primary origin. Among seven cases with KIT mutation, five (60.0%) occurred in exon 11, one (20.0%) in exon 17, and one (20.0%) in exon 13. Point mutations were the most common, resulting in substitutions in exon 11 (K558R, T574A, L576P, and V559A), exon 13 (N655K), and exon 17 (N822K). A novel Thr574Ala (c.1720A>G) KIT mutation, which has not been reported in melanoma or other tumor types, was identified in one genital melanoma case. Of the 97 mucosal or acral melanoma specimens, 49 were tested for KIT gene copy number changes using quantitative PCR. Increased KIT copy number was identified in 15 patients: seven (40%) of 20 acral melanomas and eight (31%) of 26 mucosal melanomas. Our study implicates that a significant proportion of acral and mucosal melanomas have KIT mutations in Asian population. © 2011 The Authors. APMIS © 2011 APMIS.

Modeling of Virion Collisions in Cervicovaginal Mucus Reveals Limits on Agglutination as the Protective Mechanism of Secretory Immunoglobulin A

PubMed Central

Chen, Alex; McKinley, Scott A.; Shi, Feng; Wang, Simi; Mucha, Peter J.; Harit, Dimple; Forest, M. Gregory; Lai, Samuel K.

2015-01-01

Secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), a dimeric antibody found in high quantities in the gastrointestinal mucosa, is broadly associated with mucosal immune protection. A distinguishing feature of sIgA is its ability to crosslink pathogens, thereby creating pathogen/sIgA aggregates that are too large to traverse the dense matrix of mucin fibers in mucus layers overlying epithelial cells and consequently reducing infectivity. Here, we use modeling to investigate this mechanism of “immune exclusion” based on sIgA-mediated agglutination, in particular the potential use of sIgA to agglutinate HIV in cervicovaginal mucus (CVM) and prevent HIV transmission. Utilizing reported data on HIV diffusion in CVM and semen, we simulate HIV collision kinetics in physiologically-thick mucus layers–a necessary first step for sIgA-induced aggregation. We find that even at the median HIV load in semen of acutely infected individuals possessing high viral titers, over 99% of HIV virions will penetrate CVM and reach the vaginal epithelium without colliding with another virion. These findings imply that agglutination is unlikely to be the dominant mechanism of sIgA-mediated protection against HIV or other sexually transmitted pathogens. Rather, we surmise that agglutination is most effective against pathogens either present at exceedingly high concentrations or that possess motility mechanisms other than Brownian diffusion that significantly enhance encounter rates. PMID:26132216

21 CFR 876.5210 - Enema kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Enema kit. 876.5210 Section 876.5210 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GASTROENTEROLOGY-UROLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 876.5210 Enema kit. (a) Identification. An enema kit is a...

21 CFR 876.5210 - Enema kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Enema kit. 876.5210 Section 876.5210 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GASTROENTEROLOGY-UROLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 876.5210 Enema kit. (a) Identification. An enema kit is a...

21 CFR 876.5210 - Enema kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Enema kit. 876.5210 Section 876.5210 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GASTROENTEROLOGY-UROLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 876.5210 Enema kit. (a) Identification. An enema kit is a...

21 CFR 876.5210 - Enema kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Enema kit. 876.5210 Section 876.5210 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GASTROENTEROLOGY-UROLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 876.5210 Enema kit. (a) Identification. An enema kit is a...

SHP-1 Binds and Negatively Modulates the c-Kit Receptor by Interaction with Tyrosine 569 in the c-Kit Juxtamembrane Domain

PubMed Central

Kozlowski, Maya; Larose, Louise; Lee, Fai; Le, Duc Mingh; Rottapel, Robert; Siminovitch, Katherine A.

1998-01-01

The SH2 domain-containing SHP-1 tyrosine phosphatase has been shown to negatively regulate a broad spectrum of growth factor- and cytokine-driven mitogenic signaling pathways. Included among these is the cascade of intracellular events evoked by stem cell factor binding to c-Kit, a tyrosine kinase receptor which associates with and is dephosphorylated by SHP-1. Using a series of glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins containing either tyrosine-phosphorylated segments of the c-Kit cytosolic region or the SH2 domains of SHP-1, we have shown that SHP-1 interacts with c-Kit by binding selectively to the phosphorylated c-Kit juxtamembrane region and that the association of c-Kit with the larger of the two SHP-1 isoforms may be mediated through either the N-terminal or C-terminal SHP-1 SH2 domain. The results of binding assays with mutagenized GST-Kit juxtamembrane fusion proteins and competitive inhibition assays with phosphopeptides encompassing each c-Kit juxtamembrane region identified the tyrosine residue at position 569 as the major site for binding of SHP-1 to c-Kit and suggested that tyrosine 567 contributes to, but is not required for, this interaction. By analysis of Ba/F3 cells retrovirally transduced to express c-Kit receptors, phenylalanine substitution of c-Kit tyrosine residue 569 was shown to be associated with disruption of c-Kit–SHP-1 binding and induction of hyperproliferative responses to stem cell factor. Although phenylalanine substitution of c-Kit tyrosine residue 567 in the Ba/F3–c-Kit cells did not alter SHP-1 binding to c-Kit, the capacity of a second c-Kit-binding tyrosine phosphatase, SHP-2, to associate with c-Kit was markedly reduced, and the cells again showed hyperproliferative responses to stem cell factor. These data therefore identify SHP-1 binding to tyrosine 569 on c-Kit as an interaction pivotal to SHP-1 inhibitory effects on c-Kit signaling, but they indicate as well that cytosolic protein tyrosine phosphatases other

Red blood cell membrane viscoelasticity, agglutination and zeta potential measurements with double optical tweezers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontes, Adriana; Fernandes, Heloise P.; Barjas-Castro, Maria L.; de Thomaz, André A.; de Ysasa Pozzo, Liliana; Barbosa, Luiz C.; Cesar, Carlos L.

2006-02-01

The red blood cell (RBC) viscoelastic membrane contains proteins and glycolproteins embedded in, or attached, to a fluid lipid bilayer and are negatively charged, which creates a repulsive electric (zeta) potential between the cells and prevents their aggregation in the blood stream. There are techniques, however, to decrease the zeta potential to allow cell agglutination which are the basis of most of the tests of antigen-antibody interactions in blood banks. This report shows the use of a double optical tweezers to measure RBC membrane viscosity, agglutination and zeta potential. In our technique one of the optical tweezers trap a silica bead that binds strongly to a RBC at the end of a RBCs rouleaux and, at the same time, acts as a pico-Newton force transducer, after calibration through its displacement from the equilibrium position. The other optical tweezers trap the RBC at the other end. To measure the membrane viscosity the optical force is measured as a function of the velocity between the RBCs. To measure the adhesion the tweezers are slowly displaced apart until the RBCs disagglutination happens. The RBC zeta potential is measured in two complimentary ways, by the force on the silica bead attached to a single RBC in response to an applied electric field, and the conventional way, by the measurement of terminal velocity of the RBC after released from the optical trap. These two measurements provide information about the RBC charges and, also, electrolytic solution properties. We believe this can improve the methods of diagnosis in blood banks.

Pim1 kinase regulates c-Kit gene translation.

PubMed

An, Ningfei; Cen, Bo; Cai, Houjian; Song, Jin H; Kraft, Andrew; Kang, Yubin

2016-01-01

Receptor tyrosine kinase, c-Kit (CD117) plays a pivotal role in the maintenance and expansion of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs). Additionally, over-expression and/or mutational activation of c-Kit have been implicated in numerous malignant diseases including acute myeloid leukemia. However, the translational regulation of c-Kit expression remains largely unknown. We demonstrated that loss of Pim1 led to specific down-regulation of c-Kit expression in HSPCs of Pim1 -/- mice and Pim1 -/- 2 -/- 3 -/- triple knockout (TKO) mice, and resulted in attenuated ERK and STAT3 signaling in response to stimulation with stem cell factor. Transduction of c-Kit restored the defects in colony forming capacity seen in HSPCs from Pim1 -/- and TKO mice. Pharmacologic inhibition and genetic modification studies using human megakaryoblastic leukemia cells confirmed the regulation of c-Kit expression by Pim1 kinase: i.e., Pim1-specific shRNA knockdown down-regulated the expression of c-Kit whereas overexpression of Pim1 up-regulated the expression of c-Kit. Mechanistically, inhibition or knockout of Pim1 kinase did not affect the transcription of c-Kit gene. Pim1 kinase enhanced c-Kit 35 S methionine labeling and increased the incorporation of c-Kit mRNAs into the polysomes and monosomes, demonstrating that Pim1 kinase regulates c-Kit expression at the translational level. Our study provides the first evidence that Pim1 regulates c-Kit gene translation and has important implications in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cancer treatment.

Single-Tier Testing with the C6 Peptide ELISA Kit Compared with Two-Tier Testing for Lyme Disease

PubMed Central

Wormser, Gary P.; Schriefer, Martin; Aguero-Rosenfeld, Maria E.; Levin, Andrew; Steere, Allen C.; Nadelman, Robert B.; Nowakowski, John; Marques, Adriana; Johnson, Barbara J. B.; Dumler, J. Stephen

2014-01-01

Background The two-tier serologic testing protocol for Lyme disease has a number of shortcomings including low sensitivity in early disease; increased cost, time and labor; and subjectivity in the interpretation of immunoblots. Methods The diagnostic accuracy of a single-tier commercial C6 ELISA kit was compared with two-tier testing. Results The C6 ELISA was significantly more sensitive than two-tier testing with sensitivities of 66.5% (95% C.I.:61.7-71.1) and 35.2% (95%C.I.:30.6-40.1), respectively (p<0.001) in 403 sera from patients with erythema migrans. The C6 ELISA had sensitivity statistically comparable to two-tier testing in sera from Lyme disease patients with early neurological manifestations (88.6% vs. 77.3%, p=0.13) or arthritis (98.3% vs. 95.6%, p= 0.38). Te specificities of C6 ELISA and two-tier testing in over 2200 blood donors, patients with other conditions, and Lyme disease vaccine recipients were found to be 98.9% and 99.5%, respectively (p<0.05, 95% C.I. surrounding the 0.6 percentage point difference of 0.04 to 1.15). Conclusions Using a reference standard of two-tier testing, the C6 ELISA as a single step serodiagnostic test provided increased sensitivity in early Lyme disease with comparable sensitivity in later manifestations of Lyme disease. The C6 ELISA had slightly decreased specificity. Future studies should evaluate the performance of the C6 ELISA compared with two-tier testing in routine clinical practice. PMID:23062467

Basic Teaching Kit on Consumer Advertising.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Proctor and Gamble Co., Cincinnati, OH.

This advertising kit was developed by Procter and Gamble in response to requests from teachers and consumer educators who asked for materials from business about business. The kit is not intended to cover the entire field of advertising. Rather, it centers on advertising as it is known and practiced by Procter and Gamble. The purpose of the kit is…

Bisulfite Conversion of DNA: Performance Comparison of Different Kits and Methylation Quantitation of Epigenetic Biomarkers that Have the Potential to Be Used in Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing.

PubMed

Leontiou, Chrysanthia A; Hadjidaniel, Michael D; Mina, Petros; Antoniou, Pavlos; Ioannides, Marios; Patsalis, Philippos C

2015-01-01

Epigenetic alterations, including DNA methylation, play an important role in the regulation of gene expression. Several methods exist for evaluating DNA methylation, but bisulfite sequencing remains the gold standard by which base-pair resolution of CpG methylation is achieved. The challenge of the method is that the desired outcome (conversion of unmethylated cytosines) positively correlates with the undesired side effects (DNA degradation and inappropriate conversion), thus several commercial kits try to adjust a balance between the two. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of four bisulfite conversion kits [Premium Bisulfite kit (Diagenode), EpiTect Bisulfite kit (Qiagen), MethylEdge Bisulfite Conversion System (Promega) and BisulFlash DNA Modification kit (Epigentek)] regarding conversion efficiency, DNA degradation and conversion specificity. Performance was tested by combining fully methylated and fully unmethylated λ-DNA controls in a series of spikes by means of Sanger sequencing (0%, 25%, 50% and 100% methylated spikes) and Next-Generation Sequencing (0%, 3%, 5%, 7%, 10%, 25%, 50% and 100% methylated spikes). We also studied the methylation status of two of our previously published differentially methylated regions (DMRs) at base resolution by using spikes of chorionic villus sample in whole blood. The kits studied showed different but comparable results regarding DNA degradation, conversion efficiency and conversion specificity. However, the best performance was observed with the MethylEdge Bisulfite Conversion System (Promega) followed by the Premium Bisulfite kit (Diagenode). The DMRs, EP6 and EP10, were confirmed to be hypermethylated in the CVS and hypomethylated in whole blood. Our findings indicate that the MethylEdge Bisulfite Conversion System (Promega) was shown to have the best performance among the kits. In addition, the methylation level of two of our DMRs, EP6 and EP10, was confirmed. Finally, we showed that bisulfite

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT "FIELD MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR TOTAL PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS IN SOIL" SITELAB CORPORATION SITELAB ANALYTICAL TEST KIT UVF-3100A

EPA Science Inventory

site LAB(& Analytical Test Kit UVF-3 I OOA (UVF-3 I OOA) developed by siteLABqD Corporation (siteLABa)) was demonstrated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program in June 2000 at the Navy Base Ventura County site in ...

[Comparison and evaluation of the Binax EIA and Biotest EIA urinary antigen kits for detection of Legionella pneumophila antigen in urine samples].

PubMed

Rastawicki, Waldemar; Rokosz, Natalia; Jagielski, Marek

2011-01-01

The Binax and the Biotest urinary antigen kits for detection of L. pneumophila antigen were compared by testing of selected 67 urine samples obtained from EWGLI as reference samples in External Quality Assessment Scheme. Thirty nine were positive with the Binax kit (100% of sensitivity), and 33 were positive with the Biotest (84.6% of sensitivity). The test specificities were 100% for the both kits. It was concluded that the Binax kit was more suitable for the routine diagnosis of Legionella infections than the Biotest kit.

A comparison of five serological tests for bovine brucellosis.

PubMed Central

Dohoo, I R; Wright, P F; Ruckerbauer, G M; Samagh, B S; Robertson, F J; Forbes, L B

1986-01-01

Five serological assays: the buffered plate antigen test, the standard tube agglutination test, the complement fixation test, the hemolysis-in-gel test and the indirect enzyme immunoassay were diagnostically evaluated. Test data consisted of results from 1208 cattle in brucellosis-free herds, 1578 cattle in reactor herds of unknown infection status and 174 cattle from which Brucella abortus had been cultured. The complement fixation test had the highest specificity in both nonvaccinated and vaccinated cattle. The indirect enzyme immunoassay, if interpreted at a high threshold, also exhibited a high specificity in both groups of cattle. The hemolysis-in-gel test had a very high specificity when used in nonvaccinated cattle but quite a low specificity among vaccinates. With the exception of the complement fixation test, all tests had high sensitivities if interpreted at the minimum threshold. However, the sensitivities of the standard tube agglutination test and indirect enzyme immunoassay, when interpreted at high thresholds were comparable to that of the complement fixation test. A kappa statistic was used to measure the agreement between the various tests. In general the kappa statistics were quite low, suggesting that the various tests may detect different antibody isotypes. There was however, good agreement between the buffered plate antigen test and standard tube agglutination test (the two agglutination tests evaluated) and between the complement fixation test and the indirect enzyme immunoassay when interpreted at a high threshold. With the exception of the buffered plate antigen test, all tests were evaluated as confirmatory tests by estimating their specificity and sensitivity on screening-test positive samples.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:3539295

A simple field kit for the determination of drug susceptibility in Plasmodium falciparum.

PubMed

Nguyen-Dinh, P; Magloire, R; Chin, W

1983-05-01

A field kit has been developed which greatly simplifies the performance of the 48-hour in vitro test for drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum. The kit uses an easily reconstituted lyophilized culture medium, and requires only a fingerprick blood sample. In parallel tests with 13 isolates of P. falciparum in Haiti, the new technique had a success rate equal to that of the previously described method, with comparable results in terms of parasite susceptibility in vitro to chloroquine and pyrimethamine.

Effect of planecta and ROSE™ on the frequency characteristics of blood pressure-transducer kits.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Shigeki; Kawakubo, Yoshifumi; Mori, Satoshi; Tachihara, Keiichi; Toyoguchi, Izumi; Yokoyama, Takeshi

2015-12-01

Pressure-transducer kits have frequency characteristics such as natural frequency and damping coefficient, which affect the monitoring accuracy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of planecta ports and a damping device (ROSE™, Argon Medical Devices, TX, USA) on the frequency characteristics of pressure-transducer kits. The FloTrac sensor kit (Edwards Lifesciences, CA, USA) and the DTXplus transducer kit (Argon Medical Devices) were prepared with planecta ports, and their frequency characteristics were tested with or without ROSE™. The natural frequency and damping coefficient of each kit were obtained using frequency characteristics analysis software and evaluated by plotting them on the Gardner's chart. By inserting a planecta port, the natural frequency markedly decreased in both the FloTrac sensor kit (from 40 to 22 Hz) and the DTXplus transducer kit (from 35 to 22 Hz). In both kits with one planecta port, the damping coefficient markedly increased by insertion of ROSE™ from 0.2 to 0.5, optimising frequency characteristics. In both kits with two planecta ports, however, the natural frequency decreased from 22 to 12 Hz. The damping coefficient increased from 0.2 to 0.8 by insertion of ROSE™; however, optimisation was not achieved even by ROSE™ insertion. Planecta ports decrease the natural frequency of the kit. ROSE™ is useful to optimise the frequency characteristics in the kits without or with one planecta port. However, optimisation is difficult with two or more planecta ports, even with the ROSE™ device.

Impacts of papain and neuraminidase enzyme treatment on electrohydrodynamics and IgG-mediated agglutination of type A red blood cells.

PubMed

Hyono, Atsushi; Gaboriaud, Fabien; Mazda, Toshio; Takata, Youichi; Ohshima, Hiroyuki; Duval, Jérôme F L

2009-09-15

The stability of native and enzyme-treated human red blood cells of type A (Rh D positive) against agglutination is investigated under conditions where it is mediated by immunoglobuline G (IgG) anti-D antibody binding. The propensity of cells to agglutinate is related to their interphasic (electrokinetic) properties. These properties significantly depend on the concentration of proteolytic papain enzyme and protease-free neuraminidase enzyme that the cells are exposed to. The analysis is based on the interpretation of electrophoretic data of cells by means of the numerical theory for the electrokinetics of soft (bio)particles. A significant reduction of the hydrodynamic permeability of the external soft glycoprotein layer of the cells is reported under the action of papain. This reflects a significant decrease in soft surface layer thickness and a loss in cell surface integrity/rigidity, as confirmed by nanomechanical AFM analysis. Neuraminidase action leads to an important decrease in the interphase charge density by removing sialic acids from the cell soft surface layer. This is accompanied by hydrodynamic softness modulations less significant than those observed for papain-treated cells. On the basis of these electrohydrodynamic characteristics, the overall interaction potential profiles between two native cells and two enzyme-treated cells are derived as a function of the soft surface layer thickness in the Debye-Hückel limit that is valid for cell suspensions under physiological conditions (approximately 0.16 M). The thermodynamic computation of cell suspension stability against IgG-mediated agglutination then reveals that a decrease in the cell surface layer thickness is more favorable than a decrease in interphase charge density for inducing agglutination. This is experimentally confirmed by agglutination data collected for papain- and neuraminidase-treated cells.

Prevalence of agglutinating antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona in beavers (Castor canadensis) from Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jordan, C.N.; Kaur, T.; Koenen, K.; DeStefano, S.; Zajac, A.M.; Lindsay, D.S.

2005-01-01

The present study examined the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystls neurona in a population of beavers (Castor canadensis) from Massachusetts. Sixty-two blood samples were collected during the field seasons over 3 consecutive years from different animals. Blood was collected onto filter paper and shipped to the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, for parasite testing. The samples were tested at dilutions of 1:25, 1:50, and 1:100 against each parasite antigen by modified agglutination tests to determine whether antibodies to either parasite were present in the blood. Six of 62 samples (10%) were positive for T. gondii, with 2 samples having titers of 1:25 and 4 having titers of 1:50. Four of 62 samples (6%) were positive for S. neurona, with 2 samples having titers of 1:25 and 2 having titers of 1:50. ?? American Society of Pathologists 2005.

Evaluation of Altona Diagnostics RealStar Zika Virus Reverse Transcription-PCR Test Kit for Zika Virus PCR Testing

PubMed Central

Lombos, Ernesto; Tang, Elaine; Perusini, Stephen; Eshaghi, Alireza; Nagra, Sandeep; Frantz, Christine; Olsha, Romy; Kristjanson, Erik; Dimitrova, Kristina; Safronetz, David; Drebot, Mike

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT With the emerging Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic, accessible real-time reverse transcription-PCR (rRT-PCR) assays are needed to streamline testing. The commercial Altona Diagnostics RealStar ZIKV rRT-PCR test kit (Altona PCR) has been approved for emergency use authorization by the U.S. FDA. Our aim was to verify the Altona PCR by comparing it to the CDC-designed dual-target ZIKV rRT-PCR reference assay (reference PCR) and describe the demographics of patients tested for ZIKV by rRT-PCR in Ontario, Canada. A large set of clinical specimens was tested for ZIKV by the Altona PCR and the reference PCR. Positive or equivocal specimens underwent PCR and Sanger sequencing targeting the ZIKV NS5 gene. A total of 671 serum specimens were tested by the reference PCR: 58 (8.6%) were positive, 193 (28.8%) were equivocal, and 420 (62.6%) were negative. Ninety percent of the reference PCR-positive patients were tested in the first 5 days after symptom onset. The Altona PCR was performed on 284/671 specimens tested by the reference PCR. The Altona PCR was positive for 53/58 (91%) reference PCR-positive specimens and 16/193 (8%) reference PCR-equivocal specimens; the ZIKV NS5 PCR was positive for all 68 Altona PCR-positive specimens and negative for all 181 Altona PCR-negative specimens that underwent the NS5 PCR. The Altona PCR has very good sensitivity (91%) and specificity (97%) compared to the reference PCR. The Altona PCR can be used for ZIKV diagnostic testing and has less extensive verification requirements than a laboratory-developed test. PMID:28298448

Rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis in dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) using lateral flow assay-based kit.

PubMed

Ranjan, Rakesh; Narnaware, Shirish D; Nath, Kashi; Sawal, R K; Patil, N V

2018-04-01

Accurate early antemortem diagnosis of tuberculosis in dromedary camels is difficult due to the lack of reliable diagnostic test. The present study aimed to evaluate a lateral flow assay-based kit (rapid assay kit) in tuberculosis diagnosis that employs immuno-chromatographic detection of antibodies in serum, plasma, or whole blood. In a dromedary camel herd comprising 337 animals located at Bikaner, Rajasthan, India, 50 adult weak camels (11 males and 39 females) were tested by applying a single intradermal tuberculin test (SIDT) and rapid assay kit. A total of 14 animals (2 males, 12 females) were found positive in rapid assay. In SIDT, four animals revealed a positive reaction in the neck region and seven animals in the tail base. Another male animal was found SIDT positive but negative in rapid assay; it died after 12 months. Nine rapid assay positive animals died asymptomatically in 1- to 11-month period revealing postmortem tuberculosis lesions that were confirmed by Ziehl-Neelsen staining and histopathology. No tuberculous lesion was evident in the animal found positive in SIDT alone. Results of the present study indicated that serological tests like rapid assay kit can serve as a reliable test for antemortem diagnosis of tuberculosis in dromedary camel.

Disposable collection kit for rapid and reliable collection of saliva.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Masaki; Tezuka, Yuki; Takeda, Kazunori; Shetty, Vivek

2015-01-01

To describe and evaluate disposable saliva collection kit for rapid, reliable, and reproducible collection of saliva samples. The saliva collection kit comprised of a saliva absorbent swab and an extractor unit was used to retrieve whole saliva samples from 10 subjects. The accuracy and precision of the extracted volumes (3, 10, and 30 μl) were compared to similar volumes drawn from control samples obtained by passive drool. Additionally, the impact of kit collection method on subsequent immunoassay results was verified by assessing salivary cortisol levels in the samples and comparing them to controls. The recovered volumes for the whole saliva samples were 3.85 ± 0.28, 10.79 ± 0.95, and 31.18 ± 1.72 μl, respectively (CV = 8.76%) and 2.91 ± 0.19, 9.75 ± 0.43, and 29.64 ± 0.91 μl, respectively, (CV = 6.36%) for the controls. There was a close correspondence between the salivary cortisol levels from the saliva samples obtained by the collection kit and the controls (R(2)  > 0.96). The disposable saliva collection kit allows accurate and repeatable collection of fixed amounts of whole saliva and does not interfere with subsequent measurements of salivary cortisol. The simple collection process, lack of elaborate specimen recovery steps, and the short turnaround time (<3 min) should render the kit attractive to test subjects and researchers alike. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Disposable Collection Kit for Rapid and Reliable Collection of Saliva

PubMed Central

Yamaguchi, Masaki; Tezuka, Yuki; Takeda, Kazunori; Shetty, Vivek

2015-01-01

Objectives To describe and evaluate disposable saliva collection kit for rapid, reliable, and reproducible collection of saliva samples. Methods The saliva collection kit comprised of a saliva absorbent swab and an extractor unit was used to retrieve whole saliva samples from 10 subjects. The accuracy and precision of the extracted volumes (3, 10, and 30 μl) were compared to similar volumes drawn from control samples obtained by passive drool. Additionally, the impact of kit collection method on subsequent immunoassay results was verified by assessing salivary cortisol levels in the samples and comparing them to controls. Results The recovered volumes for the whole saliva samples were 3.85 ± 0.28, 10.79 ± 0.95, and 31.18 ± 1.72 μl, respectively (CV = 8.76%) and 2.91 ± 0.19, 9.75 ± 0.43, and 29.64 ± 0.91 μl, respectively, (CV = 6.36%) for the controls. There was a close correspondence between the salivary cortisol levels from the saliva samples obtained by the collection kit and the controls (R2 > 0.96). Conclusions The disposable saliva collection kit allows accurate and repeatable collection of fixed amounts of whole saliva and does not interfere with subsequent measurements of salivary cortisol. The simple collection process, lack of elaborate specimen recovery steps, and the short turnaround time (<3 min) should render the kit attractive to test subjects and researchers alike. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 27:720–723, 2015. © 2015 The Authors American Journal of Human Biology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:25754371

Vitamin B12 absorption judged by measurement of holotranscobalamin, active vitamin B12: evaluation of a commercially available EIA kit.

PubMed

Greibe, Eva; Nexo, Ebba

2011-11-01

Active vitamin B12 absorption is followed by an increase in holotranscobalamin (holoTC) upon loading with a high physiological dose of the vitamin (the CobaSorb test). This study evaluates the use of a newly launched EIA kit for measurement of holoTC (active B12) in relation to the CobaSorb test. Intra-assay imprecision and linearity of the EIA kit was examined, employing serum pools of increasing holoTC concentrations. For the CobaSorb test, holoTC was measured before and after loading with 3-times 9 μg of vitamin B12 employing both the in-house ELISA and the EIA kit (n=25). The EIA kit showed an intra-assay CV between 2.2% and 5.8% for holoTC values ranging from 21 to 80 pmol/L. Employing diluted serum samples resulted in spurious high values of holoTC. The EIA kit performed well in relation to the CobaSorb test and classified the patients studied as capable of absorbing vitamin B12 (n=10) or not (n=15), as did the in-house ELISA. The Active B12 (holoTC) EIA kit proved suitable for use with the CobaSorb test, but not for analysis of diluted serum samples.

Validation testing of a portable kit for measuring an active soil carbon fraction

EPA Science Inventory

Increasing demands exist for information about properties related to soil quality and human-induced soil change, particularly soil C. To help address this need, the USDA-NRCS Soil Survey Laboratory (SSL) developed a portable kit for rapid and relatively accurate assessment of soi...

c-KIT positive schistosomal urinary bladder carcinoma are frequent but lack KIT gene mutations.

PubMed

Shams, Tahany M; Metawea, Mokhtar; Salim, Elsayed I

2013-01-01

Urinary bladder squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), one of the most common neoplasms in Egypt, is attributed to chronic urinary infection with Schistosoma haematobium (Schistosomiasis). The proto-oncogene c-KIT, encoding a tyrosine kinase receptor and implicated in the development of a number of human malignancies, has not been studied so far in schistosomal urinary bladder SCCs. We therefore determined immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of c-KIT in paraffin sections from 120 radical cystectomies of SCCs originally obtained from the Pathology Department of Suez Canal University (Ismailia, Egypt). Each slide was evaluated for staining intensity where the staining extent of >10% of cells was considered positive. c-KIT overexpression was detected in 78.3% (94/120) of the patients, the staining extents in the tumor cells were 11-50% and >50% in 40 (42.6%) and 54 (57.4%) respectively. The positive cases had 14.9%, 63.8%, 21.3% as weak, moderate and strong intensity respectively. Patients with positive bilharzial ova had significantly higher c-KIT expression than patients without (95.2% vs. 38.9%, P=0.000). Mutation analysis of exons 9-13 was negative in thirty KIT positive cases. The high rate of positivity in SBSCC was one of the striking findings; However, CD117 may be a potential target for site specific immunotherapy to improve the outcome of this tumor.

Nanoscale Mineralogy and Composition of Experimental Regolith Agglutinates Produced under Asteroidal Impact Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christoffersen, Roy; Cintala, M. J.; Keller, L. P.; See, T. H.; Horz, F.

2013-01-01

On the Moon, the energetics of smaller impactors and the physical/chemical characteristics of the granular regolith target combine to form a key product of lunar space weathering: chemically reduced shock melts containing optically-active nanophase Fe metal grains (npFe0) [1]. In addition to forming the optically dark glassy matrix phase in lunar agglutinitic soil particles [1], these shock melts are becoming increasingly recognized for their contribution to optically active patina coatings on a wide range of exposed rock and grain surfaces in the lunar regolith [2]. In applying the lessons of lunar space weathering to asteroids, the potential similarities and differences in regolith-hosted shock melts on the Moon compared to those on asteroids has become a topic of increasing interest [3,4]. In a series of impact experiments performed at velocities applicable to the asteroid belt [5], Horz et al. [6] and See and Horz [7] have previously shown that repeated impacts into a gabbroic regolith analog target can produce melt-welded grain aggregates morphologically very similar to lunar agglutinates [6,7]. Although these agglutinate-like particles were extensively analyzed by electron microprobe and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as part of the original study [7], a microstructural and compositional comparison of these aggregates to lunar soil agglutinates at sub-micron scales has yet to be made. To close this gap, we characterized a representative set of these aggregates using a JEOL 7600 field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), and JEOL 2500SE field-emission scanning transmission electron microscope (FE-STEM) both optimized for energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) compositional spectrum imaging at respective analytical spatial resolutions of 0.5 to 1 micron, and 2 to 4 nm.

Single-tier testing with the C6 peptide ELISA kit compared with two-tier testing for Lyme disease.

PubMed

Wormser, Gary P; Schriefer, Martin; Aguero-Rosenfeld, Maria E; Levin, Andrew; Steere, Allen C; Nadelman, Robert B; Nowakowski, John; Marques, Adriana; Johnson, Barbara J B; Dumler, J Stephen

2013-01-01

For the diagnosis of Lyme disease, the 2-tier serologic testing protocol for Lyme disease has a number of shortcomings including low sensitivity in early disease; increased cost, time, and labor; and subjectivity in the interpretation of immunoblots. In this study, the diagnostic accuracy of a single-tier commercial C6 ELISA kit was compared with 2-tier testing. The results showed that the C6 ELISA was significantly more sensitive than 2-tier testing with sensitivities of 66.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 61.7-71.1) and 35.2% (95% CI 30.6-40.1), respectively (P < 0.001) in 403 sera from patients with erythema migrans. The C6 ELISA had sensitivity statistically comparable to 2-tier testing in sera from Lyme disease patients with early neurologic manifestations (88.6% versus 77.3%, P = 0.13) or arthritis (98.3% versus 95.6%, P = 0.38). The specificities of C6 ELISA and 2-tier testing in over 2200 blood donors, patients with other conditions, and Lyme disease vaccine recipients were found to be 98.9% and 99.5%, respectively (P < 0.05, 95% CI surrounding the 0.6 percentage point difference of 0.04 to 1.15). In conclusion, using a reference standard of 2-tier testing, the C6 ELISA as a single-step serodiagnostic test provided increased sensitivity in early Lyme disease with comparable sensitivity in later manifestations of Lyme disease. The C6 ELISA had slightly decreased specificity. Future studies should evaluate the performance of the C6 ELISA compared with 2-tier testing in routine clinical practice. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On a grain of sand - a microhabitat for the opportunistic agglutinated foraminifera Hemisphaerammina apta n. sp., from the early Eocene Arctic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeil, David H.; Neville, Lisa A.

2018-02-01

Hemisphaerammina apta n. sp. is an attached monothalamous agglutinated foraminifera discovered in shelf sediments of the early Eocene Arctic Ocean. It is a simple yet distinctive component of the endemic agglutinated foraminiferal assemblage that colonized the Arctic Ocean after the microfaunal turnover caused by the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. Associated foraminifera are characterized by a high percentage of monothalamous species (up to 60 %) and are entirely agglutinated indicating a brackish (mesohaline) early Eocene Arctic Ocean. Hemisphaerammina apta occurs exclusively as individuals attached to fine detrital grains (0.2 to 1.8 mm) of sediment. It is a small species (0.06 to 0.2 mm in diameter), fine-grained, with a low hemispherical profile, no floor across the attachment area, no substantive marginal flange, no internal structures, and no aperture. Lacking an aperture, it apparently propagated and fed through minute (micrometre-sized) interstitial pores in the test wall. Attachment surfaces vary from concave to convex and rough to smooth. Grains for attachment are diverse in shape and type but are predominantly of quartz and chert. The presence of H. apta in the early Eocene was an opportunistic response to an environment with an active hydrological system (storm events). Attachment to grains of sand would provide a more stable base on a sea floor winnowed by storm-generated currents. Active transport is indicated by the relative abundance of reworked foraminifera mixed with in situ species. Contemporaneous reworking and colonization by H. apta is suggested by its attachment to a reworked specimen of Cretaceous foraminifera.

Cell proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis are related to c-Kit activation in leukaemic lymphoblasts.

PubMed

Reyes-Sebastian, Josefina; Montiel-Cervantes, Laura Arcelia; Reyes-Maldonado, Elba; Dominguez-Lopez, Maria Lilia; Ortiz-Butron, Rocio; Castillo-Alvarez, Aida; Lezama, Ruth Angélica

2018-03-01

Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) activity may contribute to carcinogenesis. The c-Kit receptor, a member of the RTK family, is expressed in immature haematopoietic system cells. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) presents incompletely differentiated lymphoblasts, and consequently, c-Kit expression can be detected in these cells. The BCR-ABL kinase, which is usually present in both ALL and chronic myeloid leukaemia, can trigger signalling pathways with neoplastic effects. However, a certain number of ALL patients and chronic myeloid leukaemia patients do not express this kinase, raising the question of which other proteins that intervene in signalling pathways may be involved in the development of these diseases. To test whether c-Kit has proliferative effects and affects the inhibition of apoptosis of leukaemic lymphoblasts that do not express BCR-ABL. We cultured RS4:11 lymphoblasts and analysed the expression and activation of c-Kit by immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry, evaluation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, cyclin D1 and Bak expression were carried out by flow cytometry; activation of AKT and survivin expression were tested by immunoblot. The c-Kit receptor was found to induce proliferation and to increase the expression of cyclin D1 via the PI3K/AKT/NF-kB signalling pathway. Additionally, the c-Kit/PI3K/AKT pathway increased the inhibition of apoptosis and survivin expression. Similarly, c-Kit was observed to reduce the expression of the pro-apoptotic Bak protein. These results suggest that, in leukaemic lymphoblasts, c-Kit triggers a signalling pathway with proliferative and anti-apoptotic effects; information to this effect has not yet been reported in the literature.

21 CFR 868.1100 - Arterial blood sampling kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Arterial blood sampling kit. 868.1100 Section 868...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 868.1100 Arterial blood sampling kit. (a) Identification. An arterial blood sampling kit is a device, in kit form, used to obtain arterial blood samples...

21 CFR 868.1100 - Arterial blood sampling kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Arterial blood sampling kit. 868.1100 Section 868...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 868.1100 Arterial blood sampling kit. (a) Identification. An arterial blood sampling kit is a device, in kit form, used to obtain arterial blood samples...

21 CFR 868.1100 - Arterial blood sampling kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Arterial blood sampling kit. 868.1100 Section 868...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 868.1100 Arterial blood sampling kit. (a) Identification. An arterial blood sampling kit is a device, in kit form, used to obtain arterial blood samples...

21 CFR 868.1100 - Arterial blood sampling kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Arterial blood sampling kit. 868.1100 Section 868...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 868.1100 Arterial blood sampling kit. (a) Identification. An arterial blood sampling kit is a device, in kit form, used to obtain arterial blood samples...

21 CFR 868.1100 - Arterial blood sampling kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Arterial blood sampling kit. 868.1100 Section 868...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 868.1100 Arterial blood sampling kit. (a) Identification. An arterial blood sampling kit is a device, in kit form, used to obtain arterial blood samples...

Evaluation of four commercial quantitative real-time PCR kits with inhibited and degraded samples.

PubMed

Holmes, Amy S; Houston, Rachel; Elwick, Kyleen; Gangitano, David; Hughes-Stamm, Sheree

2018-05-01

DNA quantification is a vital step in forensic DNA analysis to determine the optimal input amount for DNA typing. A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay that can predict DNA degradation or inhibitors present in the sample prior to DNA amplification could aid forensic laboratories in creating a more streamlined and efficient workflow. This study compares the results from four commercial qPCR kits: (1) Investigator® Quantiplex® Pro Kit, (2) Quantifiler® Trio DNA Quantification Kit, (3) PowerQuant® System, and (4) InnoQuant® HY with high molecular weight DNA, low template samples, degraded samples, and DNA spiked with various inhibitors.The results of this study indicate that all kits were comparable in accurately predicting quantities of high quality DNA down to the sub-picogram level. However, the InnoQuant(R) HY kit showed the highest precision across the DNA concentration range tested in this study. In addition, all kits performed similarly with low concentrations of forensically relevant PCR inhibitors. However, in general, the Investigator® Quantiplex® Pro Kit was the most tolerant kit to inhibitors and provided the most accurate quantification results with higher concentrations of inhibitors (except with salt). PowerQuant® and InnoQuant® HY were the most sensitive to inhibitors, but they did indicate significant levels of PCR inhibition. When quantifying degraded samples, each kit provided different degradation indices (DI), with Investigator® Quantiplex® Pro indicating the largest DI and Quantifiler® Trio indicating the smallest DI. When the qPCR kits were paired with their respective STR kit to genotype highly degraded samples, the Investigator® 24plex QS and GlobalFiler® kits generated more complete profiles when the small target concentrations were used for calculating input amount.

Hematopoietic Kit Deficiency, rather than Lack of Mast Cells, Protects Mice from Obesity and Insulin Resistance.

PubMed

Gutierrez, Dario A; Muralidhar, Sathya; Feyerabend, Thorsten B; Herzig, Stephan; Rodewald, Hans-Reimer

2015-05-05

Obesity, insulin resistance, and related pathologies are associated with immune-mediated chronic inflammation. Kit mutant mice are protected from diet-induced obesity and associated co-morbidities, and this phenotype has previously been attributed to their lack of mast cells. We performed a comprehensive metabolic analysis of Kit-dependent Kit(W/Wv) and Kit-independent Cpa3(Cre/+) mast-cell-deficient mouse strains, employing diet-induced or genetic (Lep(Ob/Ob) background) models of obesity. Our results show that mast cell deficiency, in the absence of Kit mutations, plays no role in the regulation of weight gain or insulin resistance. Moreover, we provide evidence that the metabolic phenotype observed in Kit mutant mice, while independent of mast cells, is immune regulated. Our data underscore the value of definitive mast cell deficiency models to conclusively test the involvement of this enigmatic cell in immune-mediated pathologies and identify Kit as a key hematopoietic factor in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 870.1350 - Catheter balloon repair kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Catheter balloon repair kit. 870.1350 Section 870... repair kit. (a) Identification. A catheter balloon repair kit is a device used to repair or replace the balloon of a balloon catheter. The kit contains the materials, such as glue and balloons, necessary to...

21 CFR 870.1350 - Catheter balloon repair kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Catheter balloon repair kit. 870.1350 Section 870... repair kit. (a) Identification. A catheter balloon repair kit is a device used to repair or replace the balloon of a balloon catheter. The kit contains the materials, such as glue and balloons, necessary to...

21 CFR 870.1350 - Catheter balloon repair kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Catheter balloon repair kit. 870.1350 Section 870... repair kit. (a) Identification. A catheter balloon repair kit is a device used to repair or replace the balloon of a balloon catheter. The kit contains the materials, such as glue and balloons, necessary to...

FES kinase participates in KIT-ligand induced chemotaxis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Voisset, Edwige, E-mail: Edwige.Voisset@inserm.fr; Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille; Universite de la Mediterranee, Aix-Marseille II

2010-02-26

FES is a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase activated by several membrane receptors, originally identified as a viral oncogene product. We have recently identified FES as a crucial effector of oncogenic KIT mutant receptor. However, FES implication in wild-type KIT receptor function was not addressed. We report here that FES interacts with KIT and is phosphorylated following activation by its ligand SCF. Unlike in the context of oncogenic KIT mutant, FES is not involved in wild-type KIT proliferation signal, or in cell adhesion. Instead, FES is required for SCF-induced chemotaxis. In conclusion, FES kinase is a mediator of wild-type KIT signalling implicatedmore » in cell migration.« less

Study on ABO and RhD blood grouping: Comparison between conventional tile method and a new solid phase method (InTec Blood Grouping Test Kit).

PubMed

Yousuf, R; Abdul Ghani, S A; Abdul Khalid, N; Leong, C F

2018-04-01

'InTec Blood Grouping Test kit' using solid-phase technology is a new method which may be used at outdoor blood donation site or at bed side as an alternative to the conventional tile method in view of its stability at room temperature and fulfilled the criteria as point of care test. This study aimed to compare the efficiency of this solid phase method (InTec Blood Grouping Test Kit) with the conventional tile method in determining the ABO and RhD blood group of healthy donors. A total of 760 voluntary donors who attended the Blood Bank, Penang Hospital or offsite blood donation campaigns from April to May 2014 were recruited. The ABO and RhD blood groups were determined by the conventional tile method and the solid phase method, in which the tube method was used as the gold standard. For ABO blood grouping, the tile method has shown 100% concordance results with the gold standard tube method, whereas the solid-phase method only showed concordance result for 754/760 samples (99.2%). Therefore, for ABO grouping, tile method has 100% sensitivity and specificity while the solid phase method has slightly lower sensitivity of 97.7% but both with good specificity of 100%. For RhD grouping, both the tile and solid phase methods have grouped one RhD positive specimen as negative each, thus giving the sensitivity and specificity of 99.9% and 100% for both methods respectively. The 'InTec Blood Grouping Test Kit' is suitable for offsite usage because of its simplicity and user friendliness. However, further improvement in adding the internal quality control may increase the test sensitivity and validity of the test results.

49 CFR 173.165 - Polyester resin kits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Polyester resin kits. 173.165 Section 173.165... Polyester resin kits. (a) Except for transportation by aircraft, polyester resin kits consisting of a base... will not interact dangerously in the event of leakage. (b) For transportation by aircraft, polyester...

21 CFR 868.5140 - Anesthesia conduction kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Anesthesia conduction kit. 868.5140 Section 868...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5140 Anesthesia conduction kit. (a) Identification. An anesthesia conduction kit is a device used to administer to a patient conduction, regional, or...

21 CFR 868.5140 - Anesthesia conduction kit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Anesthesia conduction kit. 868.5140 Section 868...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5140 Anesthesia conduction kit. (a) Identification. An anesthesia conduction kit is a device used to administer to a patient conduction, regional, or...

21 CFR 868.5140 - Anesthesia conduction kit.