Dielectric microwave absorbing material processed by impregnation of carbon fiber fabric with polyaniline

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Luiza de Castro Folgueras

2007-03-01

Full Text Available It is a known fact that the adequate combination of components and experimental conditions may produce materials with specific requirements. This study presents the effect of carbon fiber fabric impregnation with polyaniline conducting polymer aiming at the radar absorbing material processing. The experiments consider the sample preparation with one and two impregnations. The prepared samples were evaluated by reflectivity measurements, in the frequency range of 8-12 GHz and scanning electron microscopy analyses. The correlation of the results shows that the quantity of impregnated material influences the performance of the processed microwave absorber. This study shows that the proposed experimental route provides flexible absorbers with absorption values of the incident radiation close to 87%.

Magnetic graphene enabled tunable microwave absorber via thermal control

Science.gov (United States)

Quan, L.; Qin, F. X.; Li, Y. H.; Estevez, D.; Fu, G. J.; Wang, H.; Peng, H.-X.

2018-06-01

By synthesizing nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) via a facile thermal annealing method, a fine control of the amount and location of doped nitrogen as well as the oxygen-containing functional groups is achieved with varying annealing temperature. The favorable magnetic properties have been achieved for N-doped rGO samples obtained at two temperatures of all NG samples, i.e., 500 °C and 900 °C with saturation magnetization of 0.63 emu g‑1 and 0.67 emu g‑1 at 2 K, respectively. This is attributed to the optimized competition of the N-doping and reduction process at 500 °C and the dominated reduction process at 900 °C. NG obtained at 300 °C affords the best overall absorbing performance: when the absorber thickness is 3.0 mm, the maximum absorption was ‑24.6 dB at 8.51 GHz, and the absorption bandwidth was 4.89 GHz (7.55–12.44 GHz) below ‑10 dB. It owes its large absorbing intensity to the good impedance match and significant dielectric loss. The broad absorption bandwidth benefits from local fluctuations of dielectric responses contributed by competing mechanisms. Despite the significant contribution from materials loss to the absorption, the one quarter-wavelength model is found to be responsible for the reflection loss peak positions. Of particular significance is that an appropriate set of electromagnetic parameters associated with reasonable reduction is readily accessible by convenient control of annealing temperature to modulate the microwave absorbing features of graphene. Thus, NG prepared by thermal annealing promises to be a highly efficient microwave absorbent.

Effect of the bio-absorbent on the microwave absorption property of the flaky CIPs/rubber absorbers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Yang; Xu, Yonggang, E-mail: xuyonggang221@163.com; Cai, Jun; Yuan, Liming; Zhang, Deyuan

2015-09-01

Microwave absorbing composites filled with flaky carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) and the bio-absorbent were prepared by using a two-roll mixer and a vulcanizing machine. The electromagnetic (EM) parameters were measured by a vector network analyzer and the reflection loss (RL) was measured by the arch method in the frequency range of 1–4 GHz. The uniform dispersion of the absorbents was verified by comparing the calculated RL with the measured one. The results confirm that as the bio-absorbent was added, the permittivity was increased due to the volume content of absorbents, and the permeability was enlarged owing to the volume content of CIPs and interactions between the two absorbents. The composite filled with bio-absorbents achieved an excellent absorption property at a thickness of 1 mm (minimum RL reaches −7.8 dB), and as the RL was less than −10 dB the absorption band was widest (2.1–3.8 GHz) at a thickness of 2 mm. Therefore, the bio-absorbent is a promising additive candidate on fabricating microwave absorbing composites with a thinner thickness and wider absorption band. - Graphical abstract: Morphology of composites filled with flaky CIPs and the bio-absorbent. The enhancement of bio-absorbent on the electromagnetic absorption property of composites filled with flaky carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) is attributed to the interaction of the two absorbents. The volume content of the FCMPs with the larger shape CIPs play an important role in this effects, the composites filled with irons and bio-absorbents can achieve wider-band and thinner-thickness absorbing materials. - Highlights: • Absorbers filled with bio-absorbents and CIPs was fabricated. • Bio-absorbents enhanced the permittivity and permeability of the composites. • The absorbent interactions play a key role in the enhancement mechanism. • Bio-absorbents enhanced the composite RL in 1–4 GHz.

Origami-inspired metamaterial absorbers for improving the larger-incident angle absorption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Yang; Pang, Yongqiang; Wang, Jiafu; Ma, Hua; Pei, Zhibin; Qu, Shaobo

2015-01-01

When a folded resistive patch array stands up on a metallic plane, it can exhibit more outstanding absorption performance. Our theoretical investigations and simulations demonstrated that the folded resistive patch arrays can enhance the absorption bandwidth progressively with the increase of the incident angle for the oblique transverse magnetic incidence, which is contrary to the conventional resistive frequency selective surface absorber. On illumination, we achieved a 3D structure metamaterial absorber with the folded resistive patches. The proposed absorber is obtained from the inspiration of the origami, and it has broadband and lager-incident angle absorption. Both the simulations and the measurements indicate that the proposed absorber achieves the larger-incident angle absorption until 75° in the frequency band of 3.6–11.4 GHz. In addition, the absorber is extremely lightweight. The areal density of the fabricated sample is about 0.023 g cm −2 . Due to the broadband and lager-incident angle absorption, it is expected that the absorbers may find potential applications such as stealth technologies and electromagnetic interference. (paper)

Identification of Reliable Reference Genes for Quantification of MicroRNAs in Serum Samples of Sulfur Mustard-Exposed Veterans.

Science.gov (United States)

Gharbi, Sedigheh; Shamsara, Mehdi; Khateri, Shahriar; Soroush, Mohammad Reza; Ghorbanmehr, Nassim; Tavallaei, Mahmood; Nourani, Mohammad Reza; Mowla, Seyed Javad

2015-01-01

In spite of accumulating information about pathological aspects of sulfur mustard (SM), the precise mechanism responsible for its effects is not well understood. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are promising biomarkers for disease diagnosis and prognosis. Accurate normalization using appropriate reference genes, is a critical step in miRNA expression studies. In this study, we aimed to identify appropriate reference gene for microRNA quantification in serum samples of SM victims. In this case and control experimental study, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), we evaluated the suitability of a panel of small RNAs including SNORD38B, SNORD49A, U6, 5S rRNA, miR-423-3p, miR-191, miR-16 and miR-103 in sera of 28 SM-exposed veterans of Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) and 15 matched control volunteers. Different statistical algorithms including geNorm, Normfinder, best-keeper and comparative delta-quantification cycle (Cq) method were employed to find the least variable reference gene. miR-423-3p was identified as the most stably expressed reference gene, and miR- 103 and miR-16 ranked after that. We demonstrate that non-miRNA reference genes have the least stabil- ity in serum samples and that some house-keeping miRNAs may be used as more reliable reference genes for miRNAs in serum. In addition, using the geometric mean of two reference genes could increase the reliability of the normalizers.

Revisiting the incidence of Mg II absorbers along the blazar sightlines

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Mishra, Sapna; Chand, Hum; Gopal-Krishna; Joshi, Ravi

2018-04-01

It is believed that the cool gas clouds traced by Mg II absorption, within a velocity offset of 5000 km/s from the background quasar, are associated with the quasar itself, whereas the absorbers seen at larger velocity offsets towards us are intervening systems and hence their existence is completely independent of the background quasar. Recent evidence by Bergeron et al. 2011 (hereafter BBM), however, seriously questions this canonical view, by showing that the number density of intervening Mg II absorbers along the sightlines towards 45 blazars is, on average, 2 times the expectation based on the Mg II absorption systems seen on the sightlines to normal QSOs. Given the serious implications of this finding, it becomes important to revisit this issue by enlarging the source sample and subjecting it to an independent analysis. Here, we first report our results based on a re-analysis of the spectroscopic data for the BBM sample; this has reproduced their factor 2 excess in dN/dz along blazar sightlines, vis-a-vis the normal QSOs. Next, we assemble a 6 times larger sample of blazar sightlines, albeit with lower SNR. Using this enlarged sample together with the BBM sample, our analysis shows that the dN/dz of Mg II absorbers statistically matches that known for normal QSO sightlines.

A highly selective and sensitive Tb3+-acetylacetone photo probe for the assessment of acetazolamide in pharmaceutical and serum samples

Science.gov (United States)

Youssef, A. O.

2018-04-01

A novel, simple, sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric method was developed for the determination of Acetazolamide in pharmaceutical tablets and serum samples using photo probe Tb3+-ACAC. The Acetazolamide can remarkably quench the luminescence intensity of Tb3+-ACAC complex in DMSO at pH 6.8 and λex = 350 nm. The quenching of luminescence intensity of Tb3+-ACAC complex especially the electrical band at λem = 545 nm is used for the assessment of Acetazolamide in the pharmaceutical tablet and serum samples. The dynamic range found for the determination of Acetazolamide concentration is 4.49 × 10-9-1.28 × 10-7 mol L-1, and the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) are (4.0 × 10-9 and 1.21 × 10-8) mol L-1, respectively.

Absorbant materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quetier, Monique.

1978-11-01

Absorbants play a very important part in the nuclear industry. They serve for the control, shut-down and neutron shielding of reactors and increase the capacity of spent fuel storage pools and of special transport containers. This paper surveys the usual absorbant materials, means of obtainment, their essential characteristics relating to their use and their behaviour under neutron irradiation [fr

Serum sample levels of bromine, iron, scandium and zinc in preschool children of Atayal and Bunun aborigines living in central Taiwan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chien-Yi Chen; Ding-Bang Lin; Yuan-Yaw Wei

2006-01-01

This study determined bromine, iron, scandium and zinc serum levels in Taiwanese aboriginal preschool children living in remote mountainous areas to increase the understanding of the social, cultural, nutrient and ethnic background of the Taiwanese children. Seventy-three serum samples were taken from two ethnic groups of preschool children, Atayal aborigines (AAPC) and Bunun aborigines (BAPC). Sera of these children were freeze dried. Trace elements in sera were identified by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The accuracy and precision of INAA was evaluated using certified reference materials: Tomato Leaves (NIST-SRM 1570a) and Lichen (IAEA-336). Statistical analysis identified several different patterns for ethnic groups, gender and age via the two-tailed Student's t-test. Analytical results showed that the ranges of Br, Fe, Sc and Zn in sera were somewhat wide. The Zn serum levels (p < 0.05) and Br serum levels (p < 0.01) in the AAPC were significantly lower than those in the BAPC. However, there were no significant differences in Fe or Sc serum levels between the two groups. Analytical results were compared to published data for different counties. This study is the first investigating trace elements in Taiwanese aborigines and can be used to establish a much-needed serum element database. (author)

Wet sample digestion for quantification of vanadium(V) in serum by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heinemann, G.; Vogt, W.; Jacob, K.

1999-01-01

Three types of pressure digestion systems used prior to the determination of the ultratrace element vanadium by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry were evaluated: The high-pressure ashing (HPA) system, the DAB III pressure digestion system and the pressurized microwave digestion (PMD) system. Complete sample digestion and no loss of graphite tube sensitivity as well as reliable vanadium values could only be achieved with HPA digests of freeze-dried serum. The mean recovery rate was 98% and no loss of tube sensitivity could be observed. Using non-lyophilized serum the mean recovery rate was 70%. The DAB III digestion system, vicarious for closed pressure digestion in steel bombs with an allowable temperature up to about 200C, cannot be recommended to mineralize human biological material for vanadium determinations, because the remaining not completely decomposed organic compounds extracted together with the vanadium-cupferron complex caused a marked carbon-buildup and formation of carbides in the graphite tube were found to change the shape of the absorption signals distinctly, and to decline the tube sensitivity strongly (about 25%) so that reliable results cannot be achieved. The recovery rate was too low in general (about 50%). In addition, a subsequent treatment of the DAB III digests with perchloric acid was unsuccessful. The PMD system proved to be not suited, because the samples became highly contaminated by vanadium possibly from the titan seal. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Photoacoustic Determination of Non-radiative Relaxation Time of Absorbing Centers in Maize Seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Domínguez-Pacheco, A.; Hernández-Aguilar, C.; Cruz-Orea, A.

2017-07-01

Using non-destructive photothermal techniques, it is possible to characterize non-homogenous materials to obtain its optical and thermal properties through photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS). In photoacoustic (PA) phenomena, there are transient states of thermal excitation, when samples absorb the incident light; these states manifest an excitation process that generates the PA signal, being in direct relation with the non-radiative relaxation times with the sample absorbent centers. The objective of this study was to determine the non-radiative relaxation times associated with different absorbent centers of corn seeds ( Zea mays L.), by using PAS. A frequency scan was done at different wavelengths (350 nm, 470 nm and 650 nm) in order to obtain the non-radiative relaxation times with different types of maize seeds.

Absorber for terahertz radiation management

Science.gov (United States)

Biallas, George Herman; Apeldoorn, Cornelis; Williams, Gwyn P.; Benson, Stephen V.; Shinn, Michelle D.; Heckman, John D.

2015-12-08

A method and apparatus for minimizing the degradation of power in a free electron laser (FEL) generating terahertz (THz) radiation. The method includes inserting an absorber ring in the FEL beam path for absorbing any irregular THz radiation and thus minimizes the degradation of downstream optics and the resulting degradation of the FEL output power. The absorber ring includes an upstream side, a downstream side, and a plurality of wedges spaced radially around the absorber ring. The wedges form a scallop-like feature on the innermost edges of the absorber ring that acts as an apodizer, stopping diffractive focusing of the THz radiation that is not intercepted by the absorber. Spacing between the scallop-like features and the shape of the features approximates the Bartlett apodization function. The absorber ring provides a smooth intensity distribution, rather than one that is peaked on-center, thereby eliminating minor distortion downstream of the absorber.

Protection from radiation enteritis by an absorbable polyglycolic acid mesh sling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devereux, D.F.; Thompson, D.; Sandhaus, L.; Sweeney, W.; Haas, A.

1987-01-01

Patients with malignant tumors of the pelvis who cannot be cured surgically often are treated with radiation after surgery. A devastating side effect of this treatment is radiation-associated small bowel injury (RASBI). The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that removal of the small bowel from the radiation field would protect it against RASBI. Twenty cebus monkeys underwent low anterior resection. In 10 animals an absorbable polyglycolic acid (PGA) mesh was sewn circumferentially around the interior of the abdominal cavity as a supporting apron, which prevented the small bowel's descent into the pelvis. The other 10 monkeys did not receive the mesh. All animals received 2000 rads by linear acceleration in a single dose. Twenty-four-hour stool fat, serum vitamin B12, and other serum values were obtained during the study. Animals were sacrificed after 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months, and the small bowel and rectum were examined histologically in a blind manner. Two monkeys who did not undergo surgery, or exposure to radiation served as controls. At all sacrifice periods, the animals with PGA mesh slings demonstrated normal small bowel function and histologic structure. Animals without mesh slings had abnormal stool and blood values at 1 month, and by 2 months all had died of small bowel necrosis. The animals that received the slings had no evidence of infection or obstruction, and by 6 months all evidence of the mesh was gone. Support of the small bowel out of the pelvis by an absorbable PGA mesh sling protects against RASBI and is without apparent complications

Microwave Metamaterial Absorber for Non-Destructive Sensing Applications of Grain

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Yin Zhang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available In this work, we propose a metamaterial absorber at microwave frequencies with significant sensitivity and non-destructive sensing capability for grain samples. This absorber is composed of cross-resonators periodically arranged on an ultrathin substrate, a sensing layer filled with grain samples, and a metal ground. The cross-resonator array is fabricated using the printed circuit board process on an FR-4 board. The performance of the proposed metamaterial is demonstrated with both full-wave simulation and measurement results, and the working mechanism is revealed through multi-reflection interference theory. It can serve as a non-contact sensor for food quality control such as adulteration, variety, etc. by detecting shifts in the resonant frequencies. As a direct application, it is shown that the resonant frequency displays a significant blue shift from 7.11 GHz to 7.52 GHz when the mass fraction of stale rice in the mixture of fresh and stale rice is changed from 0% to 100%. In addition, the absorber shows a distinct difference in the resonant absorption frequency for different varieties of grain, which also makes it a candidate for a grain classification sensor. The presented scheme could open up opportunities for microwave metamaterial absorbers to be applied as efficient sensors in the non-destructive evaluation of agricultural and food product quality.

Reliability of Serum Metabolites over a Two-Year Period: A Targeted Metabolomic Approach in Fasting and Non-Fasting Samples from EPIC

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Achaintre, David; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Vineis, Paolo; Key, Timothy J.; Onland Moret, N. Charlotte; Scalbert, Augustin; Rinaldi, Sabina; Ferrari, Pietro

2015-01-01

Objective Although metabolic profiles have been associated with chronic disease risk, lack of temporal stability of metabolite levels could limit their use in epidemiological investigations. The present study aims to evaluate the reliability over a two-year period of 158 metabolites and compare reliability over time in fasting and non-fasting serum samples. Methods Metabolites were measured with the AbsolueIDQp180 kit (Biocrates, Innsbruck, Austria) by mass spectrometry and included acylcarnitines, amino acids, biogenic amines, hexoses, phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins. Measurements were performed on repeat serum samples collected two years apart in 27 fasting men from Turin, Italy, and 39 non-fasting women from Utrecht, The Netherlands, all participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Reproducibility was assessed by estimating intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) in multivariable mixed models. Results In fasting samples, a median ICC of 0.70 was observed. ICC values were fasting samples, the median ICC was 0.54. ICC values were fasting as compared to fasting samples, with a statistically significant difference for 19–36% of acylcarnitines, phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins. Conclusion A single measurement per individual may be sufficient for the study of 73% and 52% of the metabolites showing ICCs >0.50 in fasting and non-fasting samples, respectively. ICCs were higher in fasting samples that are preferable to non-fasting. PMID:26274920

Comparison of PRRSV Nucleic Acid and Antibody Detection in Pen-Based Oral Fluid and Individual Serum Samples in Three Different Age Categories of Post-Weaning Pigs from Endemically Infected Farms.

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Nick De Regge

Full Text Available Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV is the causative agent of an economically important disease in swine. Since it has been shown that PRRSV and PRRSV specific antibodies can be detected in oral fluid, many different aspects have been studied to show that oral fluid could be a worthy alternative diagnostic sample to serum for monitoring and surveillance of this disease. Thorough field evaluations are however missing to convincingly show its usefulness under representative field conditions.Pen-based oral fluid samples and serum samples from all individual pigs in the corresponding pens were collected from post-weaning pigs of three different age categories in eight endemically PRRSV infected farms and one PRRSV free farm in Belgium. All samples were tested by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR and ELISA to detect PRRSV RNA and PRRSV specific antibodies, respectively.While the relative specificity of PRRSV detection by qRT-PCR in pen-based oral fluid compared to serum collected from individual pigs was high in all age categories (>90%, the relative sensitivity decreased with the age of the pigs (89, 93 and 10% in 8-12w, 16-20w and 24-28w old pigs, respectively. The latter correlated with a lower percentage of PRRSV positive pigs in serum/pen in the different age categories (55, 29 and 6%, respectively. Irrespective of the age category, pen-based oral fluid samples were always found PCR positive when at least 30% of the individual pigs were positive in serum. PRRSV specific antibody detection in oral fluid by ELISA showed a 100% relative sensitivity to detection in serum since oral fluid samples were always positive as soon as one pig in the pen was positive in serum. On the other hand, two false positive oral fluid samples in 11 pens without serum positive pigs were found, resulting in a relative specificity of 82%. Indications are however present that the oral fluid result indicated the

Improvement of wettability and absorbancy of textile using atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge

Science.gov (United States)

Ghimire, Bhagirath; Subedi, Deepak Prasad; Khanal, Raju

2017-08-01

In this study, cotton textile samples, commonly used in making quilt covers were subjected to atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge treatment to study their surface wettability and absorbancy. Samples were treated in the discharge using a rotatory mechanism and the effects of plasma treatment were examined by contact angle measurement and weight measurement. Air plasma treatment was successful in incorporating hydrophilic functional groups on the textile surface due to which wettability as well as absorbancy immediately after the treatment were highly improved. Effects of plasma treatment started to appear only after 20 cycles (9 mins) and got saturated after 24 cycles (10.8 mins) of treatment. The contact angle reduced from 137 ° (untreated sample) to a value less than 30 ° while absorbancy increased by more than two times as compared to untreated sample. Also, the aging behavior of the plasma treated samples were studied for about a week after plasma treatment. It was observed that the induced oxygen containing groups re-oriented into the bulk of the material during their storage in the environment due to which initial properties of the samples recovered gradually. Our results indicate that low temperature plasma can be successfully applied to modify the properties of textiles and textile industries could utilize this by standardization.

Development of optical tools for the characterization of selective solar absorber at elevated temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Giraud, Philemon; Braillon, Julien; Delord, Christine; Raccurt, Olivier

2016-05-01

Durability of solar components for CSP (Concentrated Solar Power Plant) technologies is a key point to lower cost and ensure their large deployment. These technologies concentrated the solar radiation by means of mirrors on a receiver tube where it is collected as thermal energy. The absorbers are submitted to strong environmental constraints and the degradation of their optical properties (emittance and solar absorbance) have a direct impact on performance. The objective is to develop new optical equipment for characterization of this solar absorber in condition of use that is to say in air and at elevated temperature. In this paper we present two new optical test benches developed for optical characterization of solar absorbers in condition of use up to 800°C. The first equipment is an integrated sphere with heated sample holder which measures the hemispherical reflectance between 280 and 2500 nm to calculate the solar absorbance at high temperature. The second optical test bench measures the emittance of samples up to 1000°C in the range of 1.25 to 28.57 µm. Results of high temperature measurements on a series of metallic absorbers with selective coating and refractory material for high thermal receiver are presented.

A novel colorimetric method based on copper nanoclusters with intrinsic peroxidase-like for detecting xanthine in serum samples

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Zhengyu; Niu, Qianqian; Mou, Mingyao; Wu, Yi; Liu, Xiaoxuan; Liao, Shenghua

2017-07-01

A facile strategy for detecting xanthine in serum samples by copper nanocluster (CuNCs) with high intrinsic peroxidase-like activity was reported. Firstly, a simple, mild and time-saving method for preparing CuNCs was developed, in which dithiothreitol (DTT) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were used as reductant and stabilizer, respectively. The as-prepared CuNCs exhibited a fluorescence emission at 590 nm with a quantum yield (QY) of approximately 5.29%, the fluorescence intensity of the as-prepared CuNCs exhibited no considerable change when stored under ambient condition with the lifetime is 1.75 μs. Moreover, the as-prepared CuNCs exhibited high intrinsic peroxidase-like activity with lower K m ( K m = 8.90 × 10-6 mol L-1) for H2O2, which indicated that CuNCs have a higher affinity for H2O2. Compared with natural enzyme, the as-synthesized CuNCs are more catalytic stable over a wide range of pH (4.0 13.0) and temperature (4 80 °C). Finally, an indirect method for sensing xanthine was established because xanthine oxidase can catalyse the oxidation of xanthine to produce H2O2. Xanthine could be detected as low as 3.8 × 10-7 mol L-1 with a linear range from 5.0 × 10-7 to 1.0 × 10-4 mol L-1. These results proved that the proposed method is sensitive and accurate and could be successfully applied to the determination of xanthine in the serum sample with satisfaction.

A Novel Genetic Group of Bovine Hepacivirus in Archival Serum Samples from Brazilian Cattle

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Cláudio W. Canal

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV (genus Hepacivirus; family Flaviviridae is a major human pathogen causing persistent infection and hepatic injury. Recently, emerging HCV-like viruses were described infecting wild animals, such as bats and rodents, and domestic animals, including dogs, horses, and cattle. Using degenerate primers for detecting bovine pestiviruses in a 1996 survey three bovine serum samples showed a low identity with the genus Pestivirus of the Flaviviridae family. A virus could not be isolated in cell culture. The description of bovine hepaciviruses (BovHepV in 2015 allowed us to retrospectively identify the sequences as BovHepV, with a 88.9% nucleotide identity. In a reconstructed phylogenetic tree, the Brazilian BovHepV samples grouped within the bovine HCV-like cluster in a separated terminal node that was more closely related to the putative bovine Hepacivirus common ancestor than to bovine hepaciviruses detected in Europe and Africa.

An evaluation of multiplex bead-based analysis of cytokines and soluble proteins in archived lithium heparin plasma, EDTA plasma and serum samples

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brøndum, Line; Sørensen, Brita Singers; Eriksen, Jesper Grau

2016-01-01

-13, and VEGF, LH plasma levels vs. EDTA plasma: IL-2 and IL-4. CONCLUSION: Stored serum, LH plasma, and EDTA plasma from clinical trials can be used for analysis of circulating cytokines and proteins. Variations in measurements occur, but are within reasonable ranges. The optimal type of media...... in plasma and serum from 86 head and neck cancer patients and 33 controls were evaluated: EGFR, leptin, OPN, VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, IL-2, IL-13, PDGF-bb, TNF, PAI-1, SDF-1a, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, eotaxin, G-CSF, VEGF, GRO-a, and HGF. RESULTS: The correlation between measurements of the same samples analyzed...... on different dates was reasonable. However, samples run on different dates could exhibit different absolute values. The 75th percentile of the fold differences for samples run on different dates was 2.2. No significant difference was found between one and four freeze-thaw cycles (except for HGF...

Detection of cryoglobulins in serum of Caspian miniature horse

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Atyabi, N,

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Blood samples were collected from 20 healthy miniature Caspian horses at 37 °C. Isolation of cryoglobulin was performed based on a standard method in present study. Harvested sera were kept at 4 °C for two hours and then examined for cryoglubolin. Four serum samples containing precipitate Suspicious of containing cryoglobulin were selected. Subsequently serum protein electrophoresis was performed on normal serum samples and also on four serum samples containing precipitates using an automated electrophoresis system on cellulose acetate strips. In addition Ig isotypes detection (IgG, IgM and IgA was performed on both precipitates and serum containing precipitates using single radio immunediffusion method (SRID. A narrow-based peak on gamma region of precipitate acetate cellulose strips was observed. Precipitate concentrations were strikingly higher than normal concentration of serum immuneglobulins. It can be suggested that cryoglobulin concentration in a proportion of Caspian miniature horse is higher than other equides may be in relation with animal susceptibility to neoplasias such as lymphoma and leukemia.

Radioimmunologic determination of alphafetoproteins concentration in blood serum samples and in the amniotic fluid in healthy pregnant women in the 2 trimester of pregnancy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skalba, P; Krupa, B; Rozmus, M; Brudnik, K; Kokocinska, D; Rajs, M [Slaska Akademia Medyczna, Katowice (Poland)

1980-01-01

Radioimmunologic technique of double antibodies was used for the determination of alphafetoprotein (AFP) concentrations in blood serum samples from 223 healthy, pregnant women with single pregnancies and in amniotic fluid samples from 43 donors. The gestational age during samples collection was 10 to 25 weeks. The AFP preparation for the test was supplied by the International Agency of Cancer Research, anti-AFP antibodies produced by Behringwerke and personally produced rabbit antiglobulin antibodies. The results of the AFP determinations in the blood and amniotic fluid samples were presented in tables in form of medians. The serum AFP concentrations overranging the double medians value were met in 8.5%, overranging the triple medians - in 2.6%. Repeat determinations decreased the number of false positive results for about 50%. The results permit to issue a conclusion that the used technique is fully applicable for scan examinations in prenatal diagnosis of fetal nervous system malformations.

Investigations of freezing and cold storage for the analysis of peatland dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and absorbance properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Peacock, Mike; Freeman, Chris; Gauci, Vincent; Lebron, Inma; Evans, Chris D

2015-07-01

Although measured rates of biological degradation of DOC are typically low under dark conditions, it is assumed that water samples must be analysed soon after collection to provide an accurate measure of DOC concentration and UV-visible absorbance. To examine the impact of storage on DOC quality and quantity, we took water samples from an ombrotrophic peatland, and stored them in the dark at 4 °C for 138-1082 days. A median of 29% of DOC was lost during storage, but losses of absorbance at 254 nm were less. DOC loss followed a first-order exponential decay function, and was dependent on storage time. DOC half-life was calculated as 1253 days. Specific absorbance at 254 nm suggested that samples containing more aromatic DOC were more resistant to degradation, although time functioned as the primary control. Samples from two fens showed that loss of absorbance was greater at 400 nm rather than 254 nm, after 192 days storage, suggesting that non-aromatic DOC is preferentially degraded. These results suggest that samples can be stored for several months before losses of DOC become detectable, and that it is possible to back-calculate initial DOC concentrations in long-term stored samples based on known decay rates. Freeze/thaw experiments using samples from a range of peatlands suggested that DOC concentration was mostly unaffected by the process, but DOC increased 37% in one sample. Freezing had unpredictable and sometimes strong effects on absorbance, SUVA and E ratios, therefore freezing is not recommended as a method of preservation for these analyses.

Hydraulic shock absorbers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thatcher, G.; Davidson, D. F.

1984-01-01

A hydraulic shock absorber of the dash pot kind for use with electrically conducting liquid such as sodium, has magnet means for electro magnetically braking a stream of liquid discharged from the cylinder. The shock absorber finds use in a liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor for arresting control rods

Reflection measurements of microwave absorbers

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Dirk E.; van der Neut, Cornelis A.

1988-12-01

A swept-frequency interferometer is described for making rapid, real-time assessments of localized inhomogeneities in planar microwave absorber panels. An aperture-matched exponential horn is used to reduce residual reflections in the system to about -37 dB. This residual reflection is adequate for making comparative measurements on planar absorber panels whose reflectivities usually fall in the -15 to -25 dB range. Reflectivity measurements on a variety of planar absorber panels show that multilayer Jaumann absorbers have the greatest inhomogeneity, while honeycomb absorbers generally have excellent homogeneity within a sheet and from sheet to sheet. The test setup is also used to measure the center frequencies of resonant absorbers. With directional couplers and aperture-matched exponential horns, the technique can be easily applied in the standard 2 to 40 GHz waveguide bands.

Corrosion resistant neutron absorbing coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jor-Shan [El Cerrito, CA; Farmer, Joseph C [Tracy, CA; Lee, Chuck K [Hayward, CA; Walker, Jeffrey [Gaithersburg, MD; Russell, Paige [Las Vegas, NV; Kirkwood, Jon [Saint Leonard, MD; Yang, Nancy [Lafayette, CA; Champagne, Victor [Oxford, PA

2012-05-29

A method of forming a corrosion resistant neutron absorbing coating comprising the steps of spray or deposition or sputtering or welding processing to form a composite material made of a spray or deposition or sputtering or welding material, and a neutron absorbing material. Also a corrosion resistant neutron absorbing coating comprising a composite material made of a spray or deposition or sputtering or welding material, and a neutron absorbing material.

Specific Antibodies Reacting with SV40 Large T Antigen Mimotopes in Serum Samples of Healthy Subjects.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauro Tognon

Full Text Available Simian Virus 40, experimentally assayed in vitro in different animal and human cells and in vivo in rodents, was classified as a small DNA tumor virus. In previous studies, many groups identified Simian Virus 40 sequences in healthy individuals and cancer patients using PCR techniques, whereas others failed to detect the viral sequences in human specimens. These conflicting results prompted us to develop a novel indirect ELISA with synthetic peptides, mimicking Simian Virus 40 capsid viral protein antigens, named mimotopes. This immunologic assay allowed us to investigate the presence of serum antibodies against Simian Virus 40 and to verify whether Simian Virus 40 is circulating in humans. In this investigation two mimotopes from Simian Virus 40 large T antigen, the viral replication protein and oncoprotein, were employed to analyze for specific reactions to human sera antibodies. This indirect ELISA with synthetic peptides from Simian Virus 40 large T antigen was used to assay a new collection of serum samples from healthy subjects. This novel assay revealed that serum antibodies against Simian Virus 40 large T antigen mimotopes are detectable, at low titer, in healthy subjects aged from 18-65 years old. The overall prevalence of reactivity with the two Simian Virus 40 large T antigen peptides was 20%. This new ELISA with two mimotopes of the early viral regions is able to detect in a specific manner Simian Virus 40 large T antigen-antibody responses.

Origin of DNA in human serum and usefulness of serum as a material for DNA typing.

Science.gov (United States)

Takayama, T; Yamada, S; Watanabe, Y; Hirata, K; Nagai, A; Nakamura, I; Bunai, Y; Ohya, I

2001-06-01

The aims of this study were to clarify the origin of DNA in human serum and to investigate whether serum is a material available for DNA typing in routine forensic practice. Blood was donated from 10 healthy adult volunteers and stored for up to 8 days, at 4 degrees C and at room temperature. The serum DNA concentration at zero time was in the range of 5.6 to 21.8 ng/ml with a mean of 12.2+/-1.6 ng/ml. The concentrations increased with storage time. On agarose gel electrophoresis, all serum samples showed ladder patterns and the size of each band was an integer multiple of approximately 180 bp considered to be characteristic of apoptosis. DNA typing from DNA released by apoptosis was possible. Exact DNA typing of D1S80, HLA DQA1, PM, CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01 and vWA was possible for each sample. These results indicate that serum contains fragmented DNA derived from apoptosis of leukocytes, especially neutrophils, and that fragmented DNA is an appropriate material for DNA typing.

PWR burnable absorber evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cacciapouti, R.J.; Weader, R.J.; Malone, J.P.

1995-01-01

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relative neurotic efficiency and fuel cycle cost benefits of PWR burnable absorbers. Establishment of reference low-leakage equilibrium in-core fuel management plans for 12-, 18- and 24-month cycles. Review of the fuel management impact of the integral fuel burnable absorber (IFBA), erbium and gadolinium. Calculation of the U 3 O 8 , UF 6 , SWU, fuel fabrication, and burnable absorber requirements for the defined fuel management plans. Estimation of fuel cycle costs of each fuel management plan at spot market and long-term market fuel prices. Estimation of the comparative savings of the different burnable absorbers in dollar equivalent per kgU of fabricated fuel. (author)

False positive acetaminophen concentrations in icteric serum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. de Jong

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Serum concentrations of acetaminophen are measured to predict the risk of hepatotoxicity in cases of acetaminophen overdose and to identify acetaminophen use in patients with acute liver injury without a known cause. The acetaminophen concentration determines if treatment with N-acetyl cysteine, the antidote for acetaminophen poisoning, is warranted. Description: A 49-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a hepatic encephalopathy and a total serum bilirubin concentration of 442 µmol/l. The acetaminophen concentration of 11.5 mg/l was measured with an enzymatic-colorimetric assay, thus treatment with N-acetyl cysteine was started. Interestingly, the acetaminophen concentration remained unchanged (11.5–12.3 mg/l during a period of 4 consecutive days. In contrast, the acetaminophen concentration measured by HPLC, a chromatographic technique, remained undetectable Discussion: In the presented case, elevated bilirubin was the most likely candidate to interfere with acetaminophen assay causing false positive results. Bilirubin has intense absorbance in the ultraviolet and visible regions of the electromagnetic spectrum and for that reason it causes interference in an enzymatic-colorimetric assay. Conclusion: False positive acetaminophen laboratory test results may be found in icteric serum, when enzymatic-colorimetric assays are used for determination of an acetaminophen concentration. Questionable acetaminophen results in icteric serum should be confirmed by a non-enzymatic method, by means of ultrafiltration of the serum, or by dilution studies. Keywords: Acetaminophen, Enzymatic-colorimetric assays, HPLC, Bilirubin, Interference, Paracetamol, Liver failure, Jaundice

Multi-channel coherent perfect absorbers

KAUST Repository

Bai, Ping

2016-05-18

The absorption efficiency of a coherent perfect absorber usually depends on the phase coherence of the incident waves on the surfaces. Here, we present a scheme to create a multi-channel coherent perfect absorber in which the constraint of phase coherence is loosened. The scheme has a multi-layer structure such that incident waves in different channels with different angular momenta can be simultaneously and perfectly absorbed. This absorber is robust in achieving high absorption efficiency even if the incident waves become "incoherent" and possess "random" wave fronts. Our work demonstrates a unique approach to designing highly efficient metamaterial absorbers. © CopyrightEPLA, 2016.

Multi-channel coherent perfect absorbers

KAUST Repository

Bai, Ping; Wu, Ying; Lai, Yun

2016-01-01

The absorption efficiency of a coherent perfect absorber usually depends on the phase coherence of the incident waves on the surfaces. Here, we present a scheme to create a multi-channel coherent perfect absorber in which the constraint of phase coherence is loosened. The scheme has a multi-layer structure such that incident waves in different channels with different angular momenta can be simultaneously and perfectly absorbed. This absorber is robust in achieving high absorption efficiency even if the incident waves become "incoherent" and possess "random" wave fronts. Our work demonstrates a unique approach to designing highly efficient metamaterial absorbers. © CopyrightEPLA, 2016.

Feynman Integrals with Absorbing Boundaries

OpenAIRE

Marchewka, A.; Schuss, Z.

1997-01-01

We propose a formulation of an absorbing boundary for a quantum particle. The formulation is based on a Feynman-type integral over trajectories that are confined to the non-absorbing region. Trajectories that reach the absorbing wall are discounted from the population of the surviving trajectories with a certain weighting factor. Under the assumption that absorbed trajectories do not interfere with the surviving trajectories, we obtain a time dependent absorption law. Two examples are worked ...

A Comprehensive Software and Database Management System for Glomerular Filtration Rate Estimation by Radionuclide Plasma Sampling and Serum Creatinine Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Jha, Ashish Kumar

2015-01-01

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimation by plasma sampling method is considered as the gold standard. However, this method is not widely used because the complex technique and cumbersome calculations coupled with the lack of availability of user-friendly software. The routinely used Serum Creatinine method (SrCrM) of GFR estimation also requires the use of online calculators which cannot be used without internet access. We have developed user-friendly software "GFR estimation software" which gives the options to estimate GFR by plasma sampling method as well as SrCrM. We have used Microsoft Windows(®) as operating system and Visual Basic 6.0 as the front end and Microsoft Access(®) as database tool to develop this software. We have used Russell's formula for GFR calculation by plasma sampling method. GFR calculations using serum creatinine have been done using MIRD, Cockcroft-Gault method, Schwartz method, and Counahan-Barratt methods. The developed software is performing mathematical calculations correctly and is user-friendly. This software also enables storage and easy retrieval of the raw data, patient's information and calculated GFR for further processing and comparison. This is user-friendly software to calculate the GFR by various plasma sampling method and blood parameter. This software is also a good system for storing the raw and processed data for future analysis.

Quantification of micronuclei in blood lymphocytes of patients exposed to gamma radiation for dose absorbed assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barbosa, Isvania Maria Serafim da Silva

2003-02-01

Dose assessment in an important step to evaluate biological effects as a result of individual exposure to ionizing radiation. The use of cytogenetic dosimetry based on the quantification of micronuclei in lymphocytes is very important to complement physical dosimetry, since the measurement of absorbed dose cannot be always performed. In this research, the quantification of micronuclei was carried out in order to evaluate absorbed dose as a result of radiotherapy with 60 Co, using peripheral blood samples from 5 patients with cervical uterine cancer. For this purpose, an aliquot of whole blood from the individual patients was added in culture medium RPMI 1640 supplemented with fetal calf serum and phytohaemagglutinin. The culture was incubated for 44 hours. Henceforth, cytochalasin B was added to block the dividing lymphocytes in cytokinesis. The culture was returned to the incubator for further of 28 hours. Thus, cells were harvested, processed and analyzed. Values obtained considering micronuclei frequency after pelvis irradiation with absorption of 0,08 Gy and 1,8 Gy were, respectively, 0,0021 and 0,052. These results are in agreement with some recent researches that provided some standard values related to micronuclei frequency induced by gamma radiation exposure in different exposed areas for the human body. The results presented in this report emphasizes biological dosimetry as an important tool for dose assessment of either total or partial-body exposure to ionizing radiation, mainly in retrospective dose investigation. (author)

Incorporation of tritium contaminated oil in cement using an absorbent polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goes, Marcos Maciel de; Marumo, Julio Takehiro; Isiki, Vera Lucia Keiko

2002-01-01

This paper describes a study carried out to determine whether a absorbent polymer can be used to pretreat tritiated vacuum pump oils, before solidification in cement matrix. The experiments were conducted with samples prepared with simulated waste, absorbent polymer, portland cement and silica fume, in some cases, and evaluating the performance according to compressive strength, workability and bleeding. Despite the low quantity of oil incorporated, this study showed that it can be a feasible method, since it provided a stable product. (author)

Visible light broadband perfect absorbers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jia, X. L.; Meng, Q. X.; Yuan, C. X.; Zhou, Z. X.; Wang, X. O., E-mail: wxo@hit.edu.cn [School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China)

2016-03-15

The visible light broadband perfect absorbers based on the silver (Ag) nano elliptical disks and holes array are studied using finite difference time domain simulations. The semiconducting indium silicon dioxide thin film is introduced as the space layer in this sandwiched structure. Utilizing the asymmetrical geometry of the structures, polarization sensitivity for transverse electric wave (TE)/transverse magnetic wave (TM) and left circular polarization wave (LCP)/right circular polarization wave (RCP) of the broadband absorption are gained. The absorbers with Ag nano disks and holes array show several peaks absorbance of 100% by numerical simulation. These simple and flexible perfect absorbers are particularly desirable for various potential applications including the solar energy absorber.

Measurements of light absorbing particulates on the glaciers in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, C. G.; All, J. D.; Schwarz, J. P.; Arnott, W. P.; Cole, R. J.; Lapham, E.; Celestian, A.

2014-10-01

Glaciers in the tropical Andes have been rapidly losing mass since the 1970s. In addition to the documented increase in air temperature, increases in light absorbing particulates deposited on glaciers could be contributing to the observed glacier loss. Here we report on measurements of light absorbing particulates sampled from glaciers during three surveys in the Cordillera Blanca in Peru. During three research expeditions in the dry seasons (May-August) of 2011, 2012 and 2013, two hundred and forty snow samples were collected from fifteen mountain peaks over altitudes ranging from 4800 to nearly 6800 m. Several mountains were sampled each of the three expeditions and some mountains were sampled multiple times during the same expedition. Collected snow samples were melted and filtered in the field then later analyzed using the Light Absorption Heating Method (LAHM), a new technique that measures the ability of particulates on filters to absorb visible light. LAHM results have been calibrated using filters with known amounts of fullerene soot, a common industrial surrogate for black carbon (BC). As sample filters often contain dust in addition to BC, results are presented in terms of effective Black Carbon (eBC). During the 2013 survey, snow samples were collected and kept frozen for analysis with a Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2). Calculated eBC mass from the filter analysis and the SP2 refractory Black Carbon (rBC) results were well correlated (r2 = 0.92). These results indicate that a substantial portion of the light absorbing particulates in the more polluted areas were likely BC. The three years of data show that glaciers in the Cordillera Blanca Mountains close to human population centers have substantially higher levels of eBC (as high as 70 ng g-1) than remote glaciers (as low as 2.0 ng g-1 eBC), indicating that population centers can influence local glaciers by sourcing BC.

Measurements of light-absorbing particles on the glaciers in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, C. G.; All, J. D.; Schwarz, J. P.; Arnott, W. P.; Cole, R. J.; Lapham, E.; Celestian, A.

2015-02-01

Glaciers in the tropical Andes have been rapidly losing mass since the 1970s. In addition to the documented increase in temperature, increases in light-absorbing particles deposited on glaciers could be contributing to the observed glacier loss. Here we report on measurements of light-absorbing particles sampled from glaciers during three surveys in the Cordillera Blanca Mountains in Peru. During three research expeditions in the dry seasons (May-August) of 2011, 2012 and 2013, 240 snow samples were collected from 15 mountain peaks over altitudes ranging from 4800 to nearly 6800 m. Several mountains were sampled each of the 3 years and some mountains were sampled multiple times during the same year. Collected snow samples were melted and filtered in the field then later analyzed using the Light Absorption Heating Method (LAHM), a new technique that measures the ability of particles on filters to absorb visible light. LAHM results have been calibrated using filters with known amounts of fullerene soot, a common industrial surrogate for black carbon (BC). As sample filters often contain dust in addition to BC, results are presented in terms of effective black carbon (eBC). During the 2013 survey, snow samples were collected and kept frozen for analysis with a Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2). Calculated eBC mass from the LAHM analysis and the SP2 refractory black carbon (rBC) results were well correlated (r2 = 0.92). These results indicate that a substantial portion of the light-absorbing particles in the more polluted regions were likely BC. The 3 years of data show that glaciers in the Cordillera Blanca Mountains close to human population centers have substantially higher levels of eBC (as high as 70 ng g-1) than remote glaciers (as low as 2.0 ng g-1 eBC), indicating that population centers can influence local glaciers by sourcing BC.

Total Effective Xenoestrogen Burden in Serum Samples and Risk for Breast Cancer in a Population-Based Multicase–Control Study in Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Pastor-Barriuso, Roberto; Fernández, Mariana F.; Castaño-Vinyals, Gemma; Whelan, Denis; Pérez-Gómez, Beatriz; Llorca, Javier; Villanueva, Cristina M.; Guevara, Marcela; Molina-Molina, José-Manuel; Artacho-Cordón, Francisco; Barriuso-Lapresa, Laura; Tusquets, Ignasi; Dierssen-Sotos, Trinidad; Aragonés, Nuria; Olea, Nicolás; Kogevinas, Manolis; Pollán, Marina

2016-01-01

Background: Most studies on endocrine-disrupting chemicals and breast cancer have focused on single compounds and have produced inconclusive findings. Objectives: We assessed the combined estrogenic effects of mixtures of xenoestrogens in serum and their relationship to breast cancer risk. Methods: A total of 186 incident pretreatment breast cancer cases and 196 frequency-matched controls were randomly sampled from a large population-based multicase–control study in Spain. The total effective xenoestrogen burden attributable to organohalogenated xenoestrogens (TEXB-α) and endogenous hormones and more polar xenoestrogens (TEXB-β) was determined in serum samples using high-performance liquid chromatography and E-Screen bioassay. Odds ratios for breast cancer comparing tertiles of serum TEXB-α and TEXB-β were estimated using logistic models, and smooth risk trends were obtained using spline models. Results: Cases had higher geometric mean TEXB-α and TEXB-β levels (8.32 and 9.94 Eeq pM/mL, respectively) than controls (2.99 and 5.96 Eeq pM/mL, respectively). The fully adjusted odds ratios for breast cancer (95% confidence intervals) comparing the second and third tertiles of TEXB-α with the first tertile were 1.77 (0.76, 4.10) and 3.45 (1.50, 7.97), respectively, and those for TEXB-β were 2.35 (1.10, 5.03) and 4.01 (1.88, 8.56), respectively. A steady increase in risk was evident across all detected TEXB-α levels and a sigmoidal trend was observed for TEXB-β. Individual xenoestrogens showed weak and opposing associations with breast cancer risk. Conclusions: This is the first study to show a strong positive association between serum total xenoestrogen burden and breast cancer risk, highlighting the importance of evaluating xenoestrogen mixtures, rather than single compounds, when studying hormone-related cancers. Citation: Pastor-Barriuso R, Fernández MF, Castaño-Vinyals G, Whelan D, Pérez-Gómez B, Llorca J, Villanueva CM, Guevara M, Molina-Molina JM

Serum copper and zinc concentrations in a representative sample of the Canarian population.

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz Romero, Carlos; Henríquez Sánchez, Patricia; López Blanco, Félix; Rodríguez Rodríguez, Elena; Serra Majem, Lluis

2002-01-01

Serum copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations of 395 individuals (187 males + 208 females) living in Canary Islands were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean copper and zinc concentrations were 1.10 +/- 0.25 mg/L and 1.16 +/- 0.52 mg/L respectively. Our data were similar to other data published in other Spanish regions. Individuals from Lanzarote presented a mean Cu and Zn concentrations higher (p EL Hierro showed the lowest (p 0.05) among the different age intervals. No clear trends in the serum Cu and Zn concentrations were observed when drinking and smoking habits were considered. The increase of physical exercise reduced (p < 0.05) the serum Cu concentrations.

Neutron Absorbing Ability Variation in Neutron Absorbing Material Caused by the Neutron Irradiation in Spent Fuel Storage Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sohn, Hee Dong; Han, Seul Gi; Lee, Sang Dong; Kim, Ki Hong; Ryu, Eag Hyang; Park, Hwa Gyu [Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction, Changwon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

In spent fuel storage facility like high density spent fuel storage racks and dry storage casks, spent fuels are stored with neutron absorbing materials installed as a part of those facilities, and they are used for absorbing neutrons emitted from spent fuels. Usually structural material with neutron absorbing material of racks and casks are located around spent fuels, so it is irradiated by neutrons for long time. Neutron absorbing ability could be changed by the variation of nuclide composition in neutron absorbing material caused by the irradiation of neutrons. So, neutron absorbing materials are continuously faced with spent fuels with boric acid solution or inert gas environment. Major nuclides in neutron absorbing material are Al{sup 27}, C{sup 12}, B{sup 11}, B{sup 10} and they are changed to numerous other ones as radioactive decay or neutron absorption reaction. The B{sup 10} content in neutron absorbing material dominates the neutron absorbing ability, so, the variation of nuclide composition including the decrease of B{sup 10} content is the critical factor on neutron absorbing ability. In this study, neutron flux in spent fuel, the activation of neutron absorbing material and the variation of nuclide composition are calculated. And, the minimum neutron flux causing the decrease of B{sup 10} content is calculated in spent fuel storage facility. Finally, the variation of neutron multiplication factor is identified according to the one of B{sup 10} content in neutron absorbing material. The minimum neutron flux to impact the neutron absorbing ability is 10{sup 10} order, however, usual neutron flux from spent fuel is 10{sup 8} order. Therefore, even though neutron absorbing material is irradiated for over 40 years, B{sup 10} content is little decreased, so, initial neutron absorbing ability could be kept continuously.

Influence of common preanalytical variations on the metabolic profile of serum samples in biobanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fliniaux, Ophélie; Gaillard, Gwenaelle; Lion, Antoine; Cailleu, Dominique; Mesnard, François; Betsou, Fotini

2011-01-01

A blood pre-centrifugation delay of 24 h at room temperature influenced the proton NMR spectroscopic profiles of human serum. A blood pre-centrifugation delay of 24 h at 4°C did not influence the spectroscopic profile as compared with 4 h delays at either room temperature or 4°C. Five or ten serum freeze–thaw cycles also influenced the proton NMR spectroscopic profiles. Certain common in vitro preanalytical variations occurring in biobanks may impact the metabolic profile of human serum.

Multiple stage MS in analysis of plasma, serum, urine and in vitro samples relevant to clinical and forensic toxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Golo M; Maurer, Hans H; Meyer, Markus R

2016-01-01

This paper reviews MS approaches applied to metabolism studies, structure elucidation and qualitative or quantitative screening of drugs (of abuse) and/or their metabolites. Applications in clinical and forensic toxicology were included using blood plasma or serum, urine, in vitro samples, liquids, solids or plant material. Techniques covered are liquid chromatography coupled to low-resolution and high-resolution multiple stage mass analyzers. Only PubMed listed studies published in English between January 2008 and January 2015 were considered. Approaches are discussed focusing on sample preparation and mass spectral settings. Comments on advantages and limitations of these techniques complete the review.

Serum cytokine levels in Kleine-Levin syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kornum, Birgitte Rahbek; Rico, Thomas; Lin, Ling

2015-01-01

in USA, France, and Taiwan in a clinical setting. Processing of the samples was performed at the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine. RESULTS: We did not observe any changes in serum cytokine levels during KLS episodes compared to between episodes. In a small cohort of asymptomatic KLS...... patients and age- and gender matched healthy controls (n = 8/group) whose blood samples were all collected and processed at the same day; asymptomatic KLS patients had significantly higher levels of serum sVCAM1 cytokine compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that KLS episodes...... unknown. The objective of this study was to determine serum cytokine levels in patients with KLS during and between episodes. PATIENTS/METHODS: Fifty-two typical KLS patients were included in the study of whom 17 patients donated blood samples both during and between episodes. Blood samples were collected...

Sound Absorbers

Science.gov (United States)

Fuchs, H. V.; Möser, M.

Sound absorption indicates the transformation of sound energy into heat. It is, for instance, employed to design the acoustics in rooms. The noise emitted by machinery and plants shall be reduced before arriving at a workplace; auditoria such as lecture rooms or concert halls require a certain reverberation time. Such design goals are realised by installing absorbing components at the walls with well-defined absorption characteristics, which are adjusted for corresponding demands. Sound absorbers also play an important role in acoustic capsules, ducts and screens to avoid sound immission from noise intensive environments into the neighbourhood.

Blood serum components and serum protein test of Hybro-PG broilers of different ages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PRL Silva

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Blood serum samples of HYBRO PG broilers were analyzed, with 30 samples collected from 21-day-old broilers (G1, 30 from 35-day-old birds (G2, and 30 from 42-day-old birds (G3, with the aim of establishing normal values of some blood serum parameters. The activities of the enzymes gamma-glutamyl-transferase (GGT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST, creatine kinase (CK, alkaline phosphatase (ALP, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, serum levels of total calcium, calcium ion, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium, chlorides, creatinine, uric acid, triglycerides, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, total and indirect and direct bilirubin, and electrophoretic profile of serum proteins in acrylamide (SDS-PAGE and agarose gel were determined. There was no influence of age on total bilirubin and albumin levels. All the other evaluated parameters presented differences in at least one age group. Protein electrophoretic profile also changed as a function of age. The obtained results can be considered as normal for the studied ages, and therefore be used as references for the interpretation of laboratory exams of broilers of this genetic line in the evaluated ages.

Experimental studies on absorbed dose in radiation sterilization of pharmaceutical preparation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohnishi, Tokuhiro; Okamoto, Shinichi; Kimura, Syojiro; Taimatsu, Meiko.

1991-01-01

For radiation sterilization, it is necessary to decide the irradiation conditions considering a balance between sterilization efficiency and chemical changes of samples by irradiation. These effects may be estimated by the product of two factors (D 10 and G value) and absorbed dose. In this work, it has been found experimentally by using Fricke dosimeter that the absorbed doses of the samples in vessels different in size, material, volume, etc. are not equal under the same gamma-ray irradiation condition. The correction factor from exposure to absorbed dose was estimated to be 6-7% for organic vessels (a polyethylene bag and a polystyrene vial) and a 20-ml glass vial, 9% for a 10-ml glass vial, and 10% for the 5-ml glass vial. These values of the correction factor were confirmed by using the changes of enzymic activity of saccharated powder pepsin preparation. In the cases of using organic vessels and the 10-ml glass vial, G-values for the change of the enzymic activity were calculated to show similar values in the range from 0.79 to 0.82. However, in the case of a small glass vial (5-ml), the value was 0.93. (author)

Influence of common preanalytical variations on the metabolic profile of serum samples in biobanks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fliniaux, Ophelie [University of Picardie Jules Verne, Laboratoire de Phytotechnologie EA 3900-BioPI (France); Gaillard, Gwenaelle [Biobanque de Picardie (France); Lion, Antoine [University of Picardie Jules Verne, Laboratoire de Phytotechnologie EA 3900-BioPI (France); Cailleu, Dominique [Batiment Serres-Transfert, rue de Mai/rue Dallery, Plateforme Analytique (France); Mesnard, Francois, E-mail: francois.mesnard@u-picardie.fr [University of Picardie Jules Verne, Laboratoire de Phytotechnologie EA 3900-BioPI (France); Betsou, Fotini [Integrated Biobank of Luxembourg (Luxembourg)

2011-12-15

A blood pre-centrifugation delay of 24 h at room temperature influenced the proton NMR spectroscopic profiles of human serum. A blood pre-centrifugation delay of 24 h at 4 Degree-Sign C did not influence the spectroscopic profile as compared with 4 h delays at either room temperature or 4 Degree-Sign C. Five or ten serum freeze-thaw cycles also influenced the proton NMR spectroscopic profiles. Certain common in vitro preanalytical variations occurring in biobanks may impact the metabolic profile of human serum.

Proteomic profiling of renal allograft rejection in serum using magnetic bead-based sample fractionation and MALDI-TOF MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Sui, Weiguo; Huang, Liling; Dai, Yong; Chen, Jiejing; Yan, Qiang; Huang, He

2010-12-01

Proteomics is one of the emerging techniques for biomarker discovery. Biomarkers can be used for early noninvasive diagnosis and prognosis of diseases and treatment efficacy evaluation. In the present study, the well-established research systems of ClinProt Micro solution incorporated unique magnetic bead sample preparation technology, which, based on matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), have become very successful in bioinformatics due to its outstanding performance and reproducibility for discovery disease-related biomarker. We collected fasting blood samples from patients with biopsy-confirmed acute renal allograft rejection (n = 12), chronic rejection (n = 12), stable graft function (n = 12) and also from healthy volunteers (n = 13) to study serum peptidome patterns. Specimens were purified with magnetic bead-based weak cation exchange chromatography and analyzed with a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer. The results indicated that 18 differential peptide peaks were selected as potential biomarkers of acute renal allograft rejection, and 6 differential peptide peaks were selected as potential biomarkers of chronic rejection. A Quick Classifier Algorithm was used to set up the classification models for acute and chronic renal allograft rejection. The algorithm models recognize 82.64% of acute rejection and 98.96% of chronic rejection episodes, respectively. We were able to identify serum protein fingerprints in small sample sizes of recipients with renal allograft rejection and establish the models for diagnosis of renal allograft rejection. This preliminary study demonstrated that proteomics is an emerging tool for early diagnosis of renal allograft rejection and helps us to better understand the pathogenesis of disease process.

Neutron absorbing article

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naum, R.G.; Owens, D.P.; Dooher, G.I.

1979-01-01

A neutron absorbing article, in flat plate form and suitable for use in a storage rack for spent fuel, includes boron carbide particles, diluent particles and a solid, irreversibly cured phenolic polymer cured to a continuous matrix binding the boron carbide and diluent particles. The total conent of boron carbide and diluent particles is a major proportion of the article and the content of cured phenolic polymer present is a minor proportion. By regulation of the ratio of boron carbide particles to diluent particles, normally within the range of 1:9 and 9:1 and preferably within the range of 1:5 to 5:1, the neutron absorbing activity of the product may be controlled, which facilitates the manufacture of articles of particular absorbing activities best suitable for specific applications

Adsorption properties of BSA and DsRed proteins deposited on thin SiO2 layers: optically non-absorbing versus absorbing proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Scarangella, A.; Soumbo, M.; Villeneuve-Faure, C.; Mlayah, A.; Bonafos, C.; Monje, M.-C.; Roques, C.; Makasheva, K.

2018-03-01

Protein adsorption on solid surfaces is of interest for many industrial and biomedical applications, where it represents the conditioning step for micro-organism adhesion and biofilm formation. To understand the driving forces of such an interaction we focus in this paper on the investigation of the adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) (optically non-absorbing, model protein) and DsRed (optically absorbing, naturally fluorescent protein) on silica surfaces. Specifically, we propose synthesis of thin protein layers by means of dip coating of the dielectric surface in protein solutions with different concentrations (0.01-5.0 g l-1). We employed spectroscopic ellipsometry as the most suitable and non-destructive technique for evaluation of the protein layers’ thickness and optical properties (refractive index and extinction coefficient) after dehydration, using two different optical models, Cauchy for BSA and Lorentz for DsRed. We demonstrate that the thickness, the optical properties and the wettability of the thin protein layers can be finely controlled by proper tuning of the protein concentration in the solution. These results are correlated with the thin layer morphology, investigated by AFM, FTIR and PL analyses. It is shown that the proteins do not undergo denaturation after dehydration on the silica surface. The proteins arrange themselves in a lace-like network for BSA and in a rod-like structure for DsRed to form mono- and multi-layers, due to different mechanisms driving the organization stage.

An investigation into the use of calculating the first derivative of absorbance spectra as a tool for forensic fibre analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiggins, K; Palmer, R; Hutchinson, W; Drummond, P

2007-05-01

A range of fibre samples was measured using J&M MSP400 and J&M MSP800 microspectrophotometers across the visible and UV/visible wavelength ranges respectively. The first derivative of the absorbance spectra was then calculated and studied. When the absorbance spectra produced for some samples were broad and featureless, the first derivative spectra provided more points of comparison that facilitated discrimination. For many of the samples, calculating the first derivative did not result in any additional discrimination due to the high number of points of comparison present in the absorbance spectra. However, for the samples that exhibited a high level of intra-sample colour variation (e.g. through uneven dye uptake common in cotton and wool, etc.), which was evident in the absorbance spectra, the associated first derivative spectra highlighted this variation between the fibres and could potentially have resulted in false exclusions. The results show that whilst calculating first derivative can be a useful aid in the comparison of spectra, a high degree of caution is required when applying this method to fibres which exhibit a large intra-sample variation in colour.

[The comparative study of specificity of test-systems in diagnostic of HIV-infection on categories of samples of blood serum of pregnant women].

Science.gov (United States)

Sharipova, I N; Khodak, N M; Puzirev, V F; Burkov, A N; Ulanova, T I

2015-03-01

The detection of false positive serological reactions (FPSR) on HIV-infection under screening examination of pregnant women is an actual problem of practical health care. The original observations testify that under analysis of the same samples of blood serum of pregnant women using screening immune enzyme test-systems of various manufacturers the unmatched data concerning FPSR can be obtained. The purpose of this study was to implement comparative evaluation of specificity of immune enzyme test-systems of three different manufacturers: "DS-IFA-HIV-AGAT-SCREEN" ("Diagnostic Systems"), "Genscreen Ultra HIV Ag-Ab" "Bio Rad" France) and "The CombiBest HIV-1,2 AG/AT" ("Vector-Best" Novosibirsk). The sampling of 440 samples of blood serums of pregnant women from various medical institutions of Nizhnii Novgorod was analyzed. The results of the study demonstrated that FPSR were detected in all test-systems and at that spectrum of samples differed. The identical specificity of compared test-systems amounted to 98.64%. The alternative approach to FPSR to HIV issue under screening examinations of pregnant women was proposed. The proposed mode consisted of consistent application of two test-systems of fourth generation with different format of setup of reaction.

Cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity assay for antioxidants in human serum and for hydroxyl radical scavengers.

Science.gov (United States)

Apak, Reşat; Güçlü, Kubilay; Ozyürek, Mustafa; Bektaşoğlu, Burcu; Bener, Mustafa

2010-01-01

Tests measuring the combined antioxidant effect of the nonenzymatic defenses in biological fluids may be useful in providing an index of the organism's capability to counteract reactive species known as pro-oxidants, resist oxidative damage, and combat oxidative stress-related diseases. The selected chromogenic redox reagent for the assay of human serum should be easily accessible, stable, selective, and respond to all types of biologically important antioxidants such as ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, reduced glutathione (GSH), uric acid, and bilirubin, regardless of chemical type or hydrophilicity. Our recently developed cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) spectrophotometric method for a number of polyphenols and flavonoids using the copper(II)-neocuproine reagent in ammonium acetate buffer is now applied to a complete series of plasma antioxidants for the assay of total antioxidant capacity of serum, and the resulting absorbance at 450 nm is recorded either directly (e.g., for ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, and glutathione) or after incubation at 50 degrees C for 20 min (e.g., for uric acid, bilirubin, and albumin), quantitation being made by means of a calibration curve. The lipophilic antioxidants, alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene, are assayed in dichloromethane. Lipophilic antioxidants of serum are extracted with n-hexane from an ethanolic solution of serum subjected to centrifugation. Hydrophilic antioxidants of serum are assayed in the centrifugate after perchloric acid precipitation of proteins. The CUPRAC molar absorptivities, linear ranges, and TEAC (trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity) coefficients of the serum antioxidants are established, and the results are evaluated in comparison with the findings of the ABTS/TEAC reference method. The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation (CVs) are 0.7 and 1.5%, respectively, for serum. The CUPRAC assay proved to be efficient for glutathione and thiol-type antioxidants

Total reflection x-ray analysis of metals in blood samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Takuya; Matsui, Hiroshi; Kawamata, Masaya

2009-01-01

The sample preparation for TXRF (total reflection X-ray fluorescence) quantitative analysis of trace elements in human blood samples was investigated. In the TXRF analysis, a solution sample is dropped and dried on a flat substrate, and then the dried residue is measured. In this case, the dried residue should be flat not to disturb X-ray total reflection on the substrate. In addition, it is required to simply measure the whole blood sample by TXRF method, although a serum is analyzed in many cases. Thus, we studied the optimum conditions of the sample preparation of the whole blood by adding the pure water to apply Hemolysis phenomenon, where blood cells are destroyed due to different of the osmotic pressure, leading to flat residue. It was found that the best S/B ratio was obtained when the whole blood was diluted 8 times with pure water. Moreover, it was investigated the influence of the surface chemical condition of the glass substrate on the shape of the dried reside of the blood sample. When the surface of the glass substrate was hydrophilic, the shape of the dried residues was not uniform, as a result, the quantitative data of TXRF analysis gave a large deviation. On the other hand, when the surface of the glass was hydrophobic, the shape of the residue was almost uniform, as a result, a good reproducibility was obtained. Another problem was an outer ring of the dried residue of the blood. This uneven ring absorbs the primary X-rays, caused to low determined quantitative data. Thus, we tried the heating way of the dropped blood sample at a high temperature of 200 degrees. In this case, the blood sample was dried immediately, and a flat homogeneous dried residue was obtained without the outer ring. Using the optimized conditions for sample preparation, human blood sample was quantitatively measured by TXRF and ICP-AES. A good agreement was obtained in TXRF and ICP-AES determinations; however, the measurement of Cl and Br will be an advantage of TXRF, because

LC HCAL Absorber And Active Media Comparisons Using a Particle-Flow Algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magill, Steve; Kuhlmann, S.

2006-01-01

We compared Stainless Steel (SS) to Tungsten (W) as absorber for the HCAL in simulation using single particles (pions) and a Particle-Flow Algorithm applied to e + e - -> Z -> qqbar events. We then used the PFA to evaluate the performance characteristics of a LC HCAL using W absorber and comparing scintillator and RPC as active media. The W/Scintillator HCAL performs better than the SS/Scintillator version due to finer λ I sampling and narrower showers in the dense absorber. The W/Scintillator HCAL performs better than the W/RPC HCAL except in the number of unused hits in the PFA. Since this represents the confusion term in the PFA response, additional tuning and optimization of a W/RPC HCAL might significantly improve this HCAL configuration

WARM GAS IN THE VIRGO CLUSTER. I. DISTRIBUTION OF Lyα ABSORBERS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Joo Heon; Putman, Mary E.; Bryan, Greg L.; Thom, Christopher; Chen, Hsiao-Wen

2012-01-01

The first systematic study of the warm gas (T = 10 4–5 K) distribution across a galaxy cluster is presented using multiple background QSOs in and around the Virgo Cluster. We detect 25 Lyα absorbers (N HI = 10 13.1–15.4 cm –2 ) in the Virgo velocity range toward 9 of 12 QSO sightlines observed with the Cosmic Origin Spectrograph, with a cluster impact parameter range of 0.36-1.65 Mpc (0.23-1.05 R vir ). Including 18 Lyα absorbers previously detected by STIS or GHRS toward 7 of 11 background QSOs in and around the Virgo Cluster, we establish a sample of 43 absorbers toward a total of 23 background probes for studying the incidence of Lyα absorbers in and around the Virgo Cluster. With these absorbers, we find (1) warm gas is predominantly in the outskirts of the cluster and avoids the X-ray-detected hot intracluster medium (ICM). Also, Lyα absorption strength increases with cluster impact parameter. (2) Lyα-absorbing warm gas traces cold H I-emitting gas in the substructures of the Virgo Cluster. (3) Including the absorbers associated with the surrounding substructures, the warm gas covering fraction (100% for N HI > 10 13.1 cm –2 ) is in agreement with cosmological simulations. We speculate that the observed warm gas is part of large-scale gas flows feeding the cluster both in the ICM and galaxies.

Quantitative determination of albumin in microlitre amounts of rat serum: With a short note on serum albumin levels in ageing rats

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leeuw-Israel, F.R. de; Arp-Neefjes, J.M.; Hollander, C.F.

1967-01-01

A simple dye binding method for determining rat serum albumin, which employs the anionic dye 2-(4′-hydroxybenzneeazo) benzoic acid (HBABA) is described. Albumin in 5μ1 of serum is determined colorimetrically. Purified rat albumin is used as a primary standard and rat serum as a reference sample.

Estimation of malondialdehyde levels in serum and saliva of children affected with sickle cell anemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudhindra Baliga

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Sickle cell anemia (SCA is an inherited disorder of hemoglobin synthesis characterized by deformed erythrocytes. Hemoglobin S present in sickle-shaped erythrocytes exhibits an enhanced rate of auto-oxidation compared with normal hemoglobin A. It produces more of reactive oxygen species (ROS which promotes oxidatively stressed environment. ROS degrade the membranes of sickle cell erythrocytes composed of polyunsaturated lipids and form malondialdehyde (MDA as a by-product. Aim: The aim of the study is to evaluate and compare the MDA levels of serum and saliva in SCA patients. Design: A total of 150 children aged 4–12 years were divided into two groups: Group A (n = 75 consisting of children suffering from SCA and Group B (n = 75 consisting of healthy children. Blood and saliva samples were collected aseptically from both the groups, and they were subjected to thiobarbituric acid assay. Absorbance was evaluated spectrophotometrically at 531 nm, and the values of concentration of MDA were derived. Results: The mean MDA levels in serum and saliva were 8.9825 ± 1.04 and 0.5152 ± 0.28, respectively, in Group A and they were found to be higher than mean MDA levels of serum (5.87 ± 0.92 and saliva (0.2929 ± 0.06 of Group B and the difference of their mean was found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: A significant correlation of the MDA was found in saliva and serum of the patients with SCA. This finding suggests that saliva can be effectively used as a noninvasive alternative for assessing the oxidative stress in patients with SCA.

Quantitating Iron in Serum Ferritin by Use of ICP-MS

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Scott M.; Gillman, Patricia L.

2003-01-01

A laboratory method has been devised to enable measurement of the concentration of iron bound in ferritin from small samples of blood (serum). Derived partly from a prior method that depends on large samples of blood, this method involves the use of an inductively-coupled-plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Ferritin is a complex of iron with the protein apoferritin. Heretofore, measurements of the concentration of serum ferritin (as distinguished from direct measurements of the concentration of iron in serum ferritin) have been used to assess iron stores in humans. Low levels of serum ferritin could indicate the first stage of iron depletion. High levels of serum ferritin could indicate high levels of iron (for example, in connection with hereditary hemochromatosis an iron-overload illness that is characterized by progressive organ damage and can be fatal). However, the picture is complicated: A high level of serum ferritin could also indicate stress and/or inflammation instead of (or in addition to) iron overload, and low serum iron concentration could indicate inflammation rather than iron deficiency. Only when concentrations of both serum iron and serum ferritin increase and decrease together can the patient s iron status be assessed accurately. Hence, in enabling accurate measurement of the iron content of serum ferritin, the present method can improve the diagnosis of the patient s iron status. The prior method of measuring the concentration of iron involves the use of an atomic-absorption spectrophotometer with a graphite furnace. The present method incorporates a modified version of the sample- preparation process of the prior method. First, ferritin is isolated; more specifically, it is immobilized by immunoprecipitation with rabbit antihuman polyclonal antibody bound to agarose beads. The ferritin is then separated from other iron-containing proteins and free iron by a series of centrifugation and wash steps. Next, the ferritin is digested with nitric acid

Spectrally and spatially resolved photoluminescence. Lateral fluctuations and depth profiles of Cu(In,Ga)Se2-absorbers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neumann, Oliver

2013-01-01

The aim of this thesis is the development and refinement of photoluminescence (PL) methods for inhomogeneous absorbers to identify lateral fluctuations and depth-dependent variations of spectroscopic, optical and opto-electronic properties in the submicron/micron range. The first approach deals with the spectral investigation of PL emission from the front and the rear side of an absorber, whereas the second idea is about the analysis of PL spectra from the front side of the absorber for different absorber thicknesses. Another technique for determination of depth-dependent variations are confocal PL measurements at cross sections of absorbers. The last concept pursues the study of lateral fluctuations with an optical near-field microscope on specially prepared absorbers. These four strategies are demonstrated with samples based on Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 .

Photoacoustic simulation study of chirp excitation response from different size absorbers

Science.gov (United States)

Jnawali, K.; Chinni, B.; Dogra, V.; Rao, N.

2017-03-01

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a hybrid imaging modality that integrates the strength of optical and ultrasound imaging. Nanosecond (ns) pulsed lasers used in current PA imaging systems are expensive, bulky and they often waste energy. We propose and evaluate, through simulations, the use of a continuous wave (CW) laser whose amplitude is linear frequency modulated (chirp) for PA imaging. The chirp signal provides signal-to-side-lobe ratio (SSR) improvement potential and full control over PA signal frequencies excited in the sample. The PA signal spectrum is a function of absorber size and the time frequencies present in the chirp. A mismatch between the input chirp spectrum and the output PA signal spectrum can affect the compressed pulse that is recovered from cross-correlating the two. We have quantitatively characterized this effect. The k-wave Matlab tool box was used to simulate PA signals in three dimensions for absorbers ranging in size from 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm, in response to laser excitation amplitude that is linearly swept from 0.5 MHz to 4 MHz. This sweep frequency range was chosen based on the spectrum analysis of a PA signal generated from ex-vivo human prostate tissue samples. In comparison, the energy wastage by a ns laser pulse was also estimated. For the chirp methodology, the compressed pulse peak amplitude, pulse width and side lobe structure parameters were extracted for different size absorbers. While the SSR increased 6 fold with absorber size, the pulse width decreased by 25%.

Absorbed dose from traversing spherically symmetric, Gaussian radioactive clouds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, J.M.; Poston, J.W.

1999-01-01

If a large radioactive cloud is produced, sampling may require that an airplane traverse the cloud. A method to predict the absorbed dose to the aircrew from penetrating the radioactive cloud is needed. Dose rates throughout spherically symmetric Gaussian clouds of various sizes, and the absorbed doses from traversing the clouds, were calculated. Cloud size is a dominant parameter causing dose to vary by orders of magnitude for a given dose rate measured at some distance. A method to determine cloud size, based on dose rate readings at two or more distances from the cloud center, was developed. This method, however, failed to resolve the smallest cloud sizes from measurements made at 1,000 m to 2,000 m from the cloud center

Preparation of Active Absorbent for Flue Gas Desulfurization From Coal Bottom Ash: Effect of Absorbent Preparation Variables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chang Chin Li, Lee Keat Teong, Subhash Bhatia and Abdul Rahman Mohamed

2012-08-01

Full Text Available An active absorbent for flue gas desulfurization was prepared from coal bottom ash, calcium oxide (CaO and calcium sulfate by hydro-thermal process. The absorbent was examined for its micro-structural properties. The experiments conducted were based on Design Of Experiments (DOE according to 23 factorial design. The effect of various absorbent preparation variables such as ratio of CaO to bottom ash (A, hydration temperature (B and hydration period (C towards the BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area of the absorbent were studied. At a CaO to bottom ash ratio = 2, hydration temperature = 200 ?C and hydration period = 10 hrs, absorbent with a surface area of 90.1 m2/g was obtained. Based on the analysis of the factorial design, it was concluded that factor A and C as well as the interaction of factors ABC and BC are the significant factors that effect the BET surface area of the absorbent. A linear mathematical model that describes the relation between the independent variables and interaction between variables towards the BET specific surface area of the absorbent was also developed. Analysis of variance (ANOVA showed that the model was significant at 1% level.Key Words: Absorbent, Bottom Ash, Design Of Experiments, Desulfurization, Surface Area.

Experimental demonstration of trapping waves with terahertz metamaterial absorbers on flexible polyimide films

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei; Liu, Jinsong; Wang, Kejia

2016-02-01

We present the design, numerical simulations and experimental measurements of an asymmetric cross terahertz metamaterial absorber (MPA) on ultra-flexible polyimide film. The perfect metamaterial absorber composed of two structured metallic layers separated with a polyimide film with a total thickness of functional layers much smaller than the operational wavelength. Two distinct absorption peaks are found at resonance frequencies of 0.439THz and 0.759 THz with resonance amplitude of near unity, which are in good agreement with the simulation results. The sample is also measured by a THz-TDS imaging system to illustrate the absorption characterization. The scanning images show that the sample could act as a perfect absorber at specific resonance frequencies while a perfect reflector at off resonance frequencies. To illustrate the physical mechanism behind these spectral responses, the distribution of the power loss and surface current are also presented. The result shows that the incident wave is trapped and absorbed by the polyimide dielectric layer at different vicinities of the proposed asymmetric cross MPA for the two absorption peaks. Furthermore, the index sensing performance of the structure is also investigated, and the calculated sensitivity is 90GHz/RIU for f1 mode and 154.7GHz/RIU for f2 mode, indicating that the higher frequency resonance absorption peak has better potential applications in sensing and detection. The ultra-flexible, low cost, high intensity dual band terahertz absorbers may pave the way for designing various terahertz functional devices, such as ultrasensitive terahertz sensors, spatial light modulators and filters.

Quantitative proteomic analysis for high-throughput screening of differential glycoproteins in hepatocellular carcinoma serum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Hua-Jun; Chen, Ya-Jing; Zuo, Duo; Xiao, Ming-Ming; Li, Ying; Guo, Hua; Zhang, Ning; Chen, Rui-Bing

2015-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Novel serum biomarkers are required to increase the sensitivity and specificity of serum screening for early HCC diagnosis. This study employed a quantitative proteomic strategy to analyze the differential expression of serum glycoproteins between HCC and normal control serum samples. Lectin affinity chromatography (LAC) was used to enrich glycoproteins from the serum samples. Quantitative mass spectrometric analysis combined with stable isotope dimethyl labeling and 2D liquid chromatography (LC) separations were performed to examine the differential levels of the detected proteins between HCC and control serum samples. Western blot was used to analyze the differential expression levels of the three serum proteins. A total of 2,280 protein groups were identified in the serum samples from HCC patients by using the 2D LC-MS/MS method. Up to 36 proteins were up-regulated in the HCC serum, whereas 19 proteins were down-regulated. Three differential glycoproteins, namely, fibrinogen gamma chain (FGG), FOS-like antigen 2 (FOSL2), and α-1,6-mannosylglycoprotein 6-β-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase B (MGAT5B) were validated by Western blot. All these three proteins were up-regulated in the HCC serum samples. A quantitative glycoproteomic method was established and proven useful to determine potential novel biomarkers for HCC

Simultaneous UHPLC-UV analysis of hydroxychloroquine, minocycline and doxycycline from serum samples for the therapeutic drug monitoring of Q fever and Whipple's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, Nicholas; Richez, Magali; Raoult, Didier; Chabriere, Eric

2017-08-15

A fast UHPLC-UV method was developed for the simultaneous analysis of Hydroxychloroquine, Minocycline and Doxycycline drugs from 100μL of human serum samples. Serum samples were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction and injected into a phenyl hexyl reverse phase column. Compounds were separated using a mobile phase linear gradient and monitored by UV detection at 343nm. Chloroquine and Oxytetracycline were used as internal standards. Lower and upper limits of quantifications, as well as the other levels of calibration, were validated with acceptable accuracy (<15% deviation) and precision (<15% coefficient of variation) according to the European Medicines Agency guidelines. This new method enables cost and time reduction and was considered suitable for the clinical laboratory. It is the first published assay for the therapeutic drug monitoring of patients diagnosed with Q fever or Whipple's disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The influence of childhood protein energy malnutrition on serum ghrelin and leptin levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mostafa, A.M.

2007-01-01

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is a clinical problem caused by inadequate intake of one or more nutritional elements and remains as one of the most important health problems in developing countries. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of PEM on ghrelin and leptin levels and to determine the relationships of ghrelin and leptin concentrations with anthropometric measurements in malnourished children. The study group consisted of 24 infants diagnosed as PEM. They were classified into marasmic group (10), kwashiorkor group (8) and marasmic kwashiorkor group (b). Ten healthy infants were enrolled as the control group. Serum ghrelin was evaluated by enzyme linked immuno absorbent assay (ELISA) while serum leptin was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Patients with PEM established a significantly lower midarm circumference, skin fold thickness, (W/A) Z, (W/H) Z, BMI, total proteins, serum albumin, cholesterol and triglycerides compared with the age-matched control group. Markedly elevated mean serum ghrelin levels (448.7± 185.82, 293.83±155.02 and 354.1±90.1 vs 20.97± 8.61 pg/ml, p

Development and Validation of HPLC Method for Determination of Crocetin, a constituent of Saffron, in Human Serum Samples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Hooshang Mohammadpour

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective(s:The present study reports the development and validation of a sensitive and rapid extraction method beside high performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of crocetin in human serum. Materials and Methods:The HPLC method was carried out by using a C18 reversed-phase column and a mobile phase composed of methanol/water/acetic acid (85:14.5:0.5 v/v/v at the flow rate of 0.8 ml/min. The UV detector was set at 423 nm and 13-cis retinoic acid was used as the internal standard. Serum samples were pretreated with solid-phase extraction using Bond Elut C18 (200mg cartridges or with direct precipitation using acetonitrile. Results:The calibration curves were linear over the range of 0.05-1.25 µg/ml for direct precipitation method and 0.5-5 µg/ml for solid-phase extraction. The mean recoveries of crocetin over a concentration range of 0.05-5 µg/ml serum for direct precipitation method and 0.5-5 µg/ml for solid-phase extraction were above 70 % and 60 %, respectively. The intraday coefficients of variation were 0.37- 2.6% for direct precipitation method and 0.64 - 5.43% for solid-phase extraction. The inter day coefficients of variation were 1.69 – 6.03% for direct precipitation method and 5.13-12.74% for solid-phase extraction, respectively. The lower limit of quantification for crocetin was 0.05 µg/ml for direct precipitation method and 0.5 µg/ml for solid-phase extraction. Conclusion: The validated direct precipitation method for HPLC satisfied all of the criteria that were necessary for a bioanalytical method and could reliably quantitate crocetin in human serum for future clinical pharmacokinetic study

Plumbing system shock absorbers as a source of Legionella pneumophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Memish, Z A; Oxley, C; Contant, J; Garber, G E

1992-12-01

Water distribution systems have been demonstrated to be a major source of nosocomial legionellosis. We describe an outbreak in our institution in which a novel source of Legionella pneumophila was identified in the plumbing system. After an outbreak of 10 cases of legionellosis in our hospital, recommended measures including superheating of the hot water to 80 degrees C, hyperchlorination to 2 ppm, and flushing resulted in no new cases in the following 5 years. Recently, despite these control measures, three new cases occurred. Surveillance cultures of shower heads and water tanks were negative; cultures of tap water samples remained positive. This prompted a search for another reservoir. Shock absorbers installed within water pipes to decrease noise were suspected. One hundred twenty-five shock absorbers were removed and cultured. A total of 13 (10%) yielded heavy growth of L. pneumophila (serogroup 1). Since their removal, no new cases have been found and the percentage of positive results of random tap water culture has dropped from 20% to 5%. This is the first report that identifies shock absorbers as a possible reservoir for L. pneumophila. We recommend that institutions with endemic legionellosis assess the water system for possible removal of shock absorbers.

Burnable neutron absorbers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radford, K.C.; Carlson, W.G.

1983-01-01

A neutron-absorber body for use in burnable poison rods in a nuclear reactor. The body is composed of a matrix of Al 2 O 3 containing B 4 C, the neutron absorber. Areas of high density polycrystalline Al 2 O 3 particles are predominantly encircled by pores in some of which there are B 4 C particles. This body is produced by initially spray drying a slurry of A1 2 O 3 powder to which a binder has been added. The powder of agglomerated spheres of the A1 2 O 3 with the binder are dry mixed with B 4 C powder. The mixed powder is formed into a green body by isostatic pressure and the green body is sintered. The sintered body is processed to form the neutron-absorber body. In this case the B 4 C particles are separate from the spheres resulting from the spray drying instead of being embedded in the sphere

Neutron absorbers and methods of forming at least a portion of a neutron absorber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guillen, Donna P; Porter, Douglas L; Swank, W David; Erickson, Arnold W

2014-12-02

Methods of forming at least a portion of a neutron absorber include combining a first material and a second material to form a compound, reducing the compound into a plurality of particles, mixing the plurality of particles with a third material, and pressing the mixture of the plurality of particles and the third material. One or more components of neutron absorbers may be formed by such methods. Neutron absorbers may include a composite material including an intermetallic compound comprising hafnium aluminide and a matrix material comprising pure aluminum.

Absorbed Doses to Patients in Nuclear Medicine; Doskatalogen foer nukleaermedicin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leide-Svegborn, Sigrid; Mattsson, Soeren; Nosslin, Bertil [Universitetssjukhuset MAS, Malmoe (Sweden). Avd. foer radiofysik; Johansson, Lennart [Norrlands Universitetssjukhus, Umeaa (Sweden). Avd. foer radiofysik

2004-09-01

The work with a Swedish catalogue of radiation absorbed doses to patients undergoing nuclear medicine investigations has continued. After the previous report in 1999, biokinetic data and dose estimates (mean absorbed dose to various organs and tissues and effective dose) have been produced for a number of substances: {sup 11}C- acetate, {sup 11}C- methionine, {sup 18}F-DOPA, whole antibody labelled with either {sup 99m}Tc, {sup 111}In, {sup 123}I or {sup 131}I, fragment of antibody, F(ab'){sub 2} labelled with either {sup 99m}Tc, {sup 111}In, {sup 123}I or {sup 131}I and fragment of antibody, Fab' labelled with either {sup 99m}Tc, {sup 111}In, {sup 123}I or {sup 131}I. The absorbed dose estimates for these substances have been made from published biokinetic information. For other substances of interest, e.g. {sup 14}C-urea (children age 3-6 years), {sup 14}C-glycocholic acid, {sup 14}C-xylose and {sup 14}C-triolein, sufficient literature data have not been available. Therefore, a large number of measurements on patients and volunteers have been carried out, in order to determine the biokinetics and dosimetry for these substances. Samples of breast milk from 50 mothers, who had been subject to nuclear medicine investigations, have been collected at various times after administration of the radiopharmaceutical to the mother. The activity concentration in the breast milk samples has been measured. The absorbed dose to various organs and tissues and the effective dose to the child who ingests the milk have been determined for 17 different radiopharmaceuticals. Based on these results revised recommendations for interruption of breast-feeding after nuclear medicine investigations are suggested.

Limited interlaboratory comparison of Schmallenberg virus antibody detection in serum samples

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van der Poel, W. H. M.; Cay, B.; Zientara, S.

2014-01-01

Eight veterinary institutes in seven different countries in Europe participated in a limited interlaboratory comparison trial to evaluate laboratory performances of Schmallenberg virus (SBV) antibody detection in serum. Seven different sheep sera and three different cattle sera were circulated, a...

Combining linear polarization spectroscopy and the Representative Layer Theory to measure the Beer-Lambert law absorbance of highly scattering materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Gobrecht, Alexia; Bendoula, Ryad; Roger, Jean-Michel; Bellon-Maurel, Véronique

2015-01-01

Visible and Near Infrared (Vis-NIR) Spectroscopy is a powerful non destructive analytical method used to analyze major compounds in bulk materials and products and requiring no sample preparation. It is widely used in routine analysis and also in-line in industries, in-vivo with biomedical applications or in-field for agricultural and environmental applications. However, highly scattering samples subvert Beer-Lambert law's linear relationship between spectral absorbance and the concentrations. Instead of spectral pre-processing, which is commonly used by Vis-NIR spectroscopists to mitigate the scattering effect, we put forward an optical method, based on Polarized Light Spectroscopy to improve the absorbance signal measurement on highly scattering samples. This method selects part of the signal which is less impacted by scattering. The resulted signal is combined in the Absorption/Remission function defined in Dahm's Representative Layer Theory to compute an absorbance signal fulfilling Beer-Lambert's law, i.e. being linearly related to concentration of the chemicals composing the sample. The underpinning theories have been experimentally evaluated on scattering samples in liquid form and in powdered form. The method produced more accurate spectra and the Pearson's coefficient assessing the linearity between the absorbance spectra and the concentration of the added dye improved from 0.94 to 0.99 for liquid samples and 0.84-0.97 for powdered samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radioactive iodine absorbing properties of tetrathiafulvalene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ito, Tomiyasu; Nakamura, Asao (Ajinomoto Co. Inc., Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Japan). Central Research Labs.); Nogawa, Norio; Oohashi, Kunio; Morikawa, Naotake

1989-05-01

For the purpose of searching some effective absorbents of gaseous radioactive iodine, 16 substances considered as having an affinity for iodine were investigated with regular iodine and /sup 125/I. In a preliminary survey, only tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) was found to have satisfactory absorbing properties comparable to activated charcoal. A further detailed comparison of the properties between TTF and activated charcoal led us to the conclusion that the former has more preferable properties as absorbent of radioactive iodine than the latter in all points studied. The results are summarized as follows: (1) The absorption of iodine on TTF in atmosphere was about twice as much as that on activated charcoal. Desorption of iodine from saturatedly absorbed iodine on TTF was practically negligible except trace amount of initial desorption, while that on activated charcoal was considerable (3%/50h) even in the air at room temperature. (2) Absorbed amount of iodine on activated charcoal decreased with increasing gaseous iodine concentration, air flow rate, on humidity of flowing-air. On the other hand, those factors scarcely affected that on TTF. Under an air flow rate of 1m/s, activated charcoal absorbs only 80% of iodine, while TTF absorbs more than 99%. (3) In flowing-air saturated with water vapor, iodine absorbed on activated charcoal was gradually liberated although by small amount (0.08%/100h), while that on TTF was much more stable for a long period (0.004%/100h). As a conclusion, TTF is considered to be useful as a quite effective radioactive iodine absorbent, especially in the case where protection from radioactive iodine should be serious, though it is expensive now. (author).

Radioactive iodine absorbing properties of tetrathiafulvalene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Tomiyasu; Nakamura, Asao; Nogawa, Norio; Oohashi, Kunio; Morikawa, Naotake.

1989-01-01

For the purpose of searching some effective absorbents of gaseous radioactive iodine, 16 substances considered as having an affinity for iodine were investigated with regular iodine and 125 I. In a preliminary survey, only tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) was found to have satisfactory absorbing properties comparable to activated charcoal. A further detailed comparison of the properties between TTF and activated charcoal led us to the conclusion that the former has more preferable properties as absorbent of radioactive iodine than the latter in all points studied. The results are summarized as follows: (1) The absorption of iodine on TTF in atmosphere was about twice as much as that on activated charcoal. Desorption of iodine from saturatedly absorbed iodine on TTF was practically negligible except trace amount of initial desorption, while that on activated charcoal was considerable (3%/50h) even in the air at room temperature. (2) Absorbed amount of iodine on activated charcoal decreased with increasing gaseous iodine concentration, air flow rate, on humidity of flowing-air. On the other hand, those factors scarcely affected that on TTF. Under an air flow rate of 1m/s, activated charcoal absorbs only 80% of iodine, while TTF absorbs more than 99%. (3) In flowing-air saturated with water vapor, iodine absorbed on activated charcoal was gradually liberated although by small amount (0.08%/100h), while that on TTF was much more stable for a long period (0.004%/100h). As a conclusion, TTF is considered to be useful as a quite effective radioactive iodine absorbent, especially in the case where protection from radioactive iodine should be serious, though it is expensive now. (author)

Neutron absorbing article

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naum, R.G.; Owens, D.P.; Dooker, G.I.

1981-01-01

A neutron-absorbing article suitable for use in spent fuel racks is described. It comprises boron carbide particles, diluent particles, and a phenolic polymer cured to a continuous matrix. The diluent may be silicon carbide, graphite, amorphous carbon, alumina, or silica. The combined boron carbide-diluent phase contains no more than 2 percent B 2 O 3 , and the neutron-absorbing article contains from 20 to 40 percent phenol resin. The ratio of boron carbide to diluent particles is in the range 1:9 to 9:1

Mechanical shock absorber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vrillon, Bernard.

1973-01-01

The mechanical shock absorber described is made of a constant thickness plate pierced with circular holes regularly distributed in such a manner that for all the directions along which the strain is applied during the shock, the same section of the substance forming the plate is achieved. The shock absorber is made in a metal standing up to extensive deformation before breaking, selected from a group comprising mild steels and austenitic stainless steels. This apparatus is used for handling pots of fast neutron reactor fuel elements [fr

Matrix removal in state of the art sample preparation methods for serum by charged aerosol detection and metabolomics-based LC-MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Schimek, Denise; Francesconi, Kevin A; Mautner, Anton; Libiseller, Gunnar; Raml, Reingard; Magnes, Christoph

2016-04-07

Investigations into sample preparation procedures usually focus on analyte recovery with no information provided about the fate of other components of the sample (matrix). For many analyses, however, and particularly those using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), quantitative measurements are greatly influenced by sample matrix. Using the example of the drug amitriptyline and three of its metabolites in serum, we performed a comprehensive investigation of nine commonly used sample clean-up procedures in terms of their suitability for preparing serum samples. We were monitoring the undesired matrix compounds using a combination of charged aerosol detection (CAD), LC-CAD, and a metabolomics-based LC-MS/MS approach. In this way, we compared analyte recovery of protein precipitation-, liquid-liquid-, solid-phase- and hybrid solid-phase extraction methods. Although all methods provided acceptable recoveries, the highest recovery was obtained by protein precipitation with acetonitrile/formic acid (amitriptyline 113%, nortriptyline 92%, 10-hydroxyamitriptyline 89%, and amitriptyline N-oxide 96%). The quantification of matrix removal by LC-CAD showed that the solid phase extraction method (SPE) provided the lowest remaining matrix load (48-123 μg mL(-1)), which is a 10-40 fold better matrix clean-up than the precipitation- or hybrid solid phase extraction methods. The metabolomics profiles of eleven compound classes, comprising 70 matrix compounds showed the trends of compound class removal for each sample preparation strategy. The collective data set of analyte recovery, matrix removal and matrix compound profile was used to assess the effectiveness of each sample preparation method. The best performance in matrix clean-up and practical handling of small sample volumes was showed by the SPE techniques, particularly HLB SPE. CAD proved to be an effective tool for revealing the considerable differences between the sample preparation methods. This detector can

Ochratoxin A in serum of swine from different Brazilian states.

Science.gov (United States)

Krüger, César D; Cavaglieri, Lilia R; Direito, Glória M; Keller, Kelly M; Dalcero, Ana M; da Rocha Rosa, Carlos A

2010-09-01

The aims of the current study were to monitor the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) in the serum of slaughtered swine and to investigate its distribution in 4 major geographical regions of Brazil. A total of 400 samples of serum were collected from 4 major states of Brazil (100 samples each). Ochratoxin A concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. In Santa Catarina State, 60% of the samples had OTA concentrations ranging from 4.01 to 75.4 mg/l. In Mato Grosso State, 75% of the samples had OTA concentrations ranging from 0.17 to 46.79 mg/l. Bahia State samples had OTA concentrations ranging from 2.72 to 4.13 mg/l in 36% of the samples, whereas 68% of the samples from Rio de Janeiro State had OTA concentrations ranging from 0.16 to 115 mg/l. Only Santa Catarina State and Rio de Janeiro State had serum samples that exceeded 75 mg/l OTA in 20% and 2% of the samples, respectively. A direct relationship between the higher concentrations of OTA in serum from the States of Santa Catarina and Rio de Janeiro and the highest concentrations of OTA in food intended for animal consumption in the same 2 Brazilian states was found in the present study. Ochratoxin A distribution in foodstuffs is very heterogeneous, and an alternative method by which to monitor the presence of OTA in feed includes analyzing swine serum samples, which reflect the toxin content of the ingested feed. This strategy could prevent the occurrence of ochratoxicosis in animal production, reduce economic losses, and minimize hazards to human health.

Influence of feeding on serum canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity concentrations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steiner JM

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Jörg M Steiner, Craig G Ruaux, David A Williams Gastrointestinal Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA Abstract: Measurement of serum concentration of pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (PLI has been shown to be highly specific for exocrine pancreatic function and sensitive for the diagnosis of canine pancreatitis. Currently, it is recommended that food be withheld for at least 12 hours before collecting a blood sample for analysis from dogs. However, it is unknown whether feeding has any influence on serum canine PLI concentration. Thus, the goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of feeding on serum canine PLI concentrations in healthy dogs. Food was withheld from eight healthy adult Beagle dogs for at least 17 hours and a baseline serum sample (0 minutes was collected. Dogs were fed and serum samples were collected at 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 150, 180, 210, 240, 300, 360, 420, and 480 minutes. There was no significant difference in serum canine PLI concentrations at any time after feeding (P=0.131. We conclude that feeding has no significant influence on serum canine PLI concentrations. Keywords: dog, pancreatic function, pancreatitis, biomarker, diagnostic test

Black carbon and other light-absorbing impurities in the Andes of Northern Chile

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, P. M.; Cordero, R.; Warren, S. G.; Pankow, A.; Jorquera, J.; Schrempf, M.; Doherty, S. J.; Cabellero, M.; Carrasco, J. F.; Neshyba, S.

2015-12-01

Black carbon (BC) and other light-absorbing impurities in snow absorb solar radiation and thus have the potential to accelerate glacial retreat and snowmelt. In Chile, glaciers and seasonal snow are important sources of water for irrigation and domestic uses. In July 2015 (Austral winter) we sampled snow in the western Andes in a north-south transect of Chile from 18 S to 34 S. Most of the sampled snow had fallen during a single synoptic event, during 11-13 July. The snow was melted and passed through 0.4 micrometer nuclepore filters. Preliminary estimates indicate that (1) the ratio of BC to dust in snow increases going south from Northern to Central Chile, and (2) in snow sampled during the two weeks following the snowstorm, the impurities were concentrated in the upper 5 cm of snow, indicating that the surface layer became polluted over time by dry deposition.

Sample Preparation Strategies for the Effective Quantitation of Hydrophilic Metabolites in Serum by Multi-Targeted HILIC-MS/MS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisavet Tsakelidou

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The effect of endogenous interferences of serum in multi-targeted metabolite profiling HILIC-MS/MS analysis was investigated by studying different sample preparation procedures. A modified QuEChERS dispersive SPE protocol, a HybridSPE protocol, and a combination of liquid extraction with protein precipitation were compared to a simple protein precipitation. Evaluation of extraction efficiency and sample clean-up was performed for all methods. SPE sorbent materials tested were found to retain hydrophilic analytes together with endogenous interferences, thus additional elution steps were needed. Liquid extraction was not shown to minimise matrix effects. In general, it was observed that a balance should be reached in terms of recovery, efficient clean-up, and sample treatment time when a wide range of metabolites are analysed. A quick step for removing phospholipids prior to the determination of hydrophilic endogenous metabolites is required, however, based on the results from the applied methods, further studies are needed to achieve high recoveries for all metabolites.

Shock absorber in Ignalina NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bulavas, A.; Muralis, J.

1996-09-01

Theoretical calculation and experimental analysis of models of shock absorber in Ignalina NPP is presented. The results obtained from the investigation with model of shock absorber coincide with the theoretical calculation. (author). 2 figs., 3 refs

Flexible metamaterial absorbers for stealth applications at terahertz frequencies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iwaszczuk, Krzysztof; Strikwerda, Andrew; Fan, K.

2012-01-01

We have wrapped metallic cylinders with strongly absorbing metamaterials. These resonant structures, which are patterned on flexible substrates, smoothly coat the cylinder and give it an electromagnetic response designed to minimize its radar cross section. We compare the normal-incidence, small......-beam reflection coefficient with the measurement of the far-field bistatic radar cross section of the sample, using a quasi-planar THz wave with a beam diameter significantly larger than the sample dimensions. In this geometry we demonstrate a near-400-fold reduction of the radar cross section at the design...

Liquid metal reactor absorber technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pitner, A.L.

1990-10-01

The selection of boron carbide as the reference liquid metal reactor absorber material is supported by results presented for irradiation performance, reactivity worth compatibility, and benign failure consequences. Scram response requirements are met easily with current control rod configurations. The trend in absorber design development is toward larger sized pins with fewer pins per bundle, providing economic savings and improved hydraulic characteristics. Very long-life absorber designs appear to be attainable with the application of vented pin and sodium-bonded concepts. 3 refs., 3 figs

On the definition of absorbed dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grusell, Erik

2015-01-01

Purpose: The quantity absorbed dose is used extensively in all areas concerning the interaction of ionizing radiation with biological organisms, as well as with matter in general. The most recent and authoritative definition of absorbed dose is given by the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) in ICRU Report 85. However, that definition is incomplete. The purpose of the present work is to give a rigorous definition of absorbed dose. Methods: Absorbed dose is defined in terms of the random variable specific energy imparted. A random variable is a mathematical function, and it cannot be defined without specifying its domain of definition which is a probability space. This is not done in report 85 by the ICRU, mentioned above. Results: In the present work a definition of a suitable probability space is given, so that a rigorous definition of absorbed dose is possible. This necessarily includes the specification of the experiment which the probability space describes. In this case this is an irradiation, which is specified by the initial particles released and by the material objects which can interact with the radiation. Some consequences are discussed. Specific energy imparted is defined for a volume, and the definition of absorbed dose as a point function involves the specific energy imparted for a small mass contained in a volume surrounding the point. A possible more precise definition of this volume is suggested and discussed. Conclusions: The importance of absorbed dose motivates a proper definition, and one is given in the present work. No rigorous definition has been presented before. - Highlights: • A stringent definition of absorbed dose is given. • This requires the definition of an irradiation and a suitable probability space. • A stringent definition is important for an understanding of the concept absorbed dose

Ultrasonic energy enhanced the efficiency of advance extraction methodology for enrichment of trace level of copper in serum samples of patients having neurological disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Arain, Mariam S; Kazi, Tasneem G; Afridi, Hassan I; Ali, Jamshed; Akhtar, Asma

2017-07-01

An innovative dual dispersive ionic liquid based on ultrasound assisted microextraction (UDIL-μE), for the enrichment of trace levels of copper ion (Cu 2+ ), in serum (blood) of patients suffering from different neurological disorders. The enriched metal ions were subjected to flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). In the UDIL-μE method, the extraction solvent, ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [C 4 mim][PF 6 ], was dispersed into the aqueous samples using an ultrasonic bath. The(PAN) 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol was used as ligand for the complexation of Cu ion in IL (as extracting solvent). The various variables such as sonication time, pH, concentration of complexing agent, time and rate of centrifugation, IL volume that affect the extraction process were optimized. The enhancement factor (EF) and detection limit (LOD) was found under favorable condition was 31 and 0.36μgL -1 , respectively. Reliability of the proposed method was checked by relative standard deviation (%RSD), which was found to be <5%. The accuracy of developed procedure was assured by using certified reference material (CRM) of blood serum. The developed procedure was applied successfully to the analysis of concentration of Cu ion in blood serum of different neurological disorders subjects and referents of same age group. It was observed that the levels of Cu ion was two folds higher in serum samples of neurological disorders patients as related to normal referents of same age group. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

No detectable carotenoid concentrations in serum of llamas and alpacas.

Science.gov (United States)

Raila, J; Schweigert, F J; Stanitznig, A; Lambacher, B; Franz, S; Baldermann, S; Wittek, T

2017-08-01

Carotenoids are lipid-soluble pigments and important for a variety of physiological functions. They are major dietary vitamin A precursors and act as lipophilic antioxidants in a variety of tissues and are associated with important health benefits in humans and animals. All animals must acquire carotenoids from their diet, but to our knowledge, there are no studies investigating the intestinal carotenoid absorption and their blood concentrations in New World camelids. The present study aimed to assess the serum concentrations of selected carotenoids in llamas (n = 13) and alpacas (n = 27). Serum carotenoids as well as retinol (vitamin A) and α-tocopherol (vitamin E) were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and these were unable to detect any carotenoids (α- and β-carotene, α- and β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene) in the samples. The concentrations of retinol in alpacas (2.89 ± 1.13 μmol/l; mean ± SD) were higher (p = 0.024) than those found in llamas (2.05 ± 0.87 μmol/l); however, the concentrations of α-tocopherol were not significantly (p = 0.166) different (llamas: 3.98 ± 1.83 μmol/l; alpacas: 4.95 ± 2.14 μmol/l). The results show that both llamas and alpacas are not able to absorb intact carotenoids, but efficiently convert provitamin A carotenoids to retinol. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Ultraviolet-absorbing organic anions in uremic serum separated by capillary zone electrophoresis, and quantification of hippuric acid

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schoots, A.C.; Verheggen, T.P.E.M.; Vries, de P.M.J.M.; Everaerts, F.M.

1990-01-01

Organic anions accumulated in blood serum of patients with chronic renal failure were separated by a novel technique: closed-system capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) in a pH6 carrier-electrolyte system. Hippuric acid (HA), p-hydroxyhippuric acid, and uric acid were identified by their co-elution

Preparation of hollow microspheres of Ce{sup 3+} doped NiCo ferrite with high microwave absorbing performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duan, Hong-zhen, E-mail: duanhz2000@163.com; Zhou, Fang-ling; Cheng, Xia; Chen, Guo-hong; Li, Qiao-ling

2017-02-15

Hollow microspheres of Ce{sup 3+} doped NiCo-ferrites were synthesized by template-based-deposition and surface reaction method with carbon sphere as the template. The phase structure, morphology, magnetic properties and wave absorbing properties of the sample were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction(XRD), Scanning electronic microscopy(SEM), Vibration sample magnetometer (VSM) and a network vector analyzer (NVA), respectively. The results indicated that the particle size of the carbon sphere sample prepared by hydrothermal method was about 0.5 µm and the particle size of the Ni{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} sample prepared by template-based method was about 300 nm. The influence of the amount of rare earth element on the magnetic and absorbing properties of sample was studied. The saturation magnetization and coercivity decreased gradually with the increase of the content of Ce. When the content of Ce was 0.02, the maximal saturation magnetization value and coercivity was 75.72 emu• g{sup −1} and 789.88 Oe, respectively. The associated ferrite hollow spheres have good absorbing performance, and the return loss value was −18.8 dB at 5500 MHz. - Highlights: • Hollow microspheres of Ce{sup 3+} doped NiCo-ferrites were synthesized by template-based-deposition and surface reaction method. • The influence of rare earth Ce{sup 3+} on the magnetic and absorbing properties of sample was studied. • When the content of Ce was 0.02, the maximal saturation magnetization value and coercivity was 75.72 emu• g{sup −1} and 789.88 Oe, respectively.

Enhanced Measurements of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) for Water Quality Analysis using a New Simultaneous Absorbance and Fluorescence Instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Gilmore, A. M.

2009-12-01

Water quality, with respect to suspended particles and dissolved organic and inorganic compounds, is now recognized as one of the top global environmental concerns. Contemporary research indicates fluorescence spectral analyses coupled with UV-VIS absorbance assays have the potential, especially when combined and coordinated, to facilitate rapid, robust quantification of a wide range of compounds, including interactions among them. Fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) collected over the UV-VIS region provide a wealth of information on chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM). CDOM includes humic and fulvic acid, chlorophyll, petroleum, protein, amino acid, quinone, fertilizer, pesticide, sewage and numerous other compound classes. Analysis of the EEMs using conventional and multivariate techniques, including primarily parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), provides information about many types of CDOM relevant to carbon cycling and pollution of fresh, marine and drinking water sources. Of critical concern also are the CDOM interactions with, and optical activities of, dissolved inorganic compounds. Many of the inorganic compounds and oxygen demand parameters can be analyzed with a wide range of UV-VIS absorbance assays. The instrument is designed and optimized for high UV throughput and low stray light performance. The sampling optics are optimized for both fluorescence and absorbance detection with the same sample. Both EEM and absorbance measurements implement NIST traceable instrument correction and calibration routines. The fluorescence detection utilizes a high dynamic range CCD coupled to a high-resolution spectrograph while absorbance utilizes diode based detection with a high dynamic range and extremely low-stray light specifications. The CDOM analysis is facilitated by a transfer of the data and model information with the PARAFAC routine. The EEM analysis software package facilitates coordinated correction of and correlation with the

Serum Lipid Profile: Fasting or Non-fasting?

OpenAIRE

Nigam, P. K.

2010-01-01

Serum lipid profile has now become almost a routine test. It is usually done in fasting state due to certain limitations in non-fasting serum sample. In the recent past efforts have been made to simplify blood sampling by replacing fasting lipid profile with non-fasting lipid profile. However, fasting specimen is preferred if cardiovascular risk assessment is based on total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol or non-HDL cholesterol. A lot has yet to be done in this area. Till then we have to believe...

Evaluation of a type 1 diabetes serum cohort by SELDI-TOF MS protein profiling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albrethsen, J.; Kaas, A.; Schonle, E.

2009-01-01

Proteomics analysis of serum from patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) may lead to novel biomarkers for prediction of disease and for patient monitoring. However, the serum proteome is highly sensitive to sample processing and before proteomics biomarker research serum cohorts should preferably...... be examined for potential bias between sample groups. S ELDI-TOF MS protein profiling was used for preliminary evaluation of a biological-bank with 766 serum samples from 270 patients with T1D, collected at 18 different paediatric centers representing 15 countries in Europe and Japan over 2 years (2000......-2002). Samples collected 1 (n = 270), 6 (n = 248), and 12 (n = 248) months after T1D diagnosis were grouped across centers and compared. The serum protein profiles varied with collection site and day of analysis; however, markers of sample processing were not systematically different between samples collected...

Serum Protein Profile Study of Clinical Samples Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Laser Induced Fluorescence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karemore, Gopal Raghunath; Ukendt, Sujatha; Rai, Lavanya

2009-01-01

The serum protein profiles of normal subjects, patients diagnosed with cervical cancer, and oral cancer were recorded using High Performance Liquid Chromatography combined with Laser Induced Fluorescence detection (HPLC-LIF). Serum protein profiles of the above three classes were tested for estab...

Burnable neutron absorbers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radford, K.C.; Carlson, W.G.

1985-01-01

This patent deals with the fabrication of pellets for neutron absorber rods. Such a pellet includes a matrix of a refractory material which may be aluminum or zirconium oxide, and a burnable poison distributed throughout the matrix. The neutron absorber material may consist of one or more elements or compounds of the metals boron, gadolinium, samarium, cadmium, europium, hafnium, dysprosium and indium. The method of fabricating pellets of these materials outlined in this patent is designed to produce pores or voids in the pellets that can be used to take up the expansion of the burnable poison and to absorb the helium gas generated. In the practice of this invention a slurry of Al 2 O 3 is produced. A hard binder is added and the slurry and binder are spray dried. This powder is mixed with dry B 4 C powder, forming a homogeneous mixture. This mixture is pressed into green tubes which are then sintered. During sintering the binder volatilizes leaving a ceramic with nearly spherical high-density regions of

Absorbed dose thresholds and absorbed dose rate limitations for studies of electron radiation effects on polyetherimides

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Edward R., Jr.; Long, Sheila Ann T.; Gray, Stephanie L.; Collins, William D.

1989-01-01

The threshold values of total absorbed dose for causing changes in tensile properties of a polyetherimide film and the limitations of the absorbed dose rate for accelerated-exposure evaluation of the effects of electron radiation in geosynchronous orbit were studied. Total absorbed doses from 1 kGy to 100 MGy and absorbed dose rates from 0.01 MGy/hr to 100 MGy/hr were investigated, where 1 Gy equals 100 rads. Total doses less than 2.5 MGy did not significantly change the tensile properties of the film whereas doses higher than 2.5 MGy significantly reduced elongation-to-failure. There was no measurable effect of the dose rate on the tensile properties for accelerated electron exposures.

Uncertainty analysis in the determination of absorbed dose in water by Fricke chemical dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasconcelos, Fabia; Aguirre, Eder Aguirre

2016-01-01

This work studies the calculations of uncertainties and the level of confidence that involves the process for obtaining the dose absorbed in water using the method of Fricke dosimetry, developed at Laboratorio de Ciencias Radiologicas (LCR). Measurements of absorbance of samples Fricke, irradiated and non-irradiated is going to use in order to calculate the respective sensitivity coefficients, along with the expressions of the calculation of Fricke dose and the absorbed dose in water. Those expressions are used for calculating the others sensitivity coefficients from the input variable. It is going to use the combined uncertainty and the expanded uncertainty, with a level of confidence of 95.45%, in order to report the uncertainties of the measurement. (author)

Levels of some trace elements in serum of esophageal cancer patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saeed, D M. A. [Sudan Academy of Sciences, Atomic Energy Council, Khartoum (Sudan)

2011-01-15

The aim of this study is to measure the concentrations of six trace elements (Zn, Se, Fe, Co, Rb, Hg) in the serum of patients with esophageal cancer who were newly diagnosed before undergoing any type of treatment. Biopsy was taken from diseased esophagus and examined histologically. A total of 43 samples of patients and 36 samples from healthy control group was collected, which were then dried by freeze drying. Then analyzed by neutron activation analysis technology, using research reactor in Syria (the miniature neutron source, MNSR) with neutron flux of 1x10''1''2 n.cm ''-''2 s''-''1 was performed. Certified reference sample from the International Agency were obtained for quality control analysis to ensure the reliability of the device. All six elements were statistically analyzed, the study proved statistical significant difference concentration of following five elements, Zn, Se, Fe, Co, Rb in the serum of patients compared to the serum samples of healthy people. The concentration of Zn and Se in patients serum were less compared to serum of healthy individuals, and the concentrations of Fe, Co, Rb in serum of patients were higher than its that the serum of healthy individuals. While the concentrations of Hg was found to be higher in serum of healthy individuals compared to patients serum, but without statistical significant. The concentration presented by means with standard deviation. The findings were compared to results obtained from literature. All five elements compatible with literature. Hg has not been investigated in such studies before. Selenium and zinc supplementation are need by cancer patient in order to enhance and increase the chances for natural immunological of cancer.(Author)

Levels of some trace elements in serum of esophageal cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saeed, D. M. A.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to measure the concentrations of six trace elements (Zn, Se, Fe, Co, Rb, Hg) in the serum of patients with esophageal cancer who were newly diagnosed before undergoing any type of treatment. Biopsy was taken from diseased esophagus and examined histologically. A total of 43 samples of patients and 36 samples from healthy control group was collected, which were then dried by freeze drying. Then analyzed by neutron activation analysis technology, using research reactor in Syria (the miniature neutron source, MNSR) with neutron flux of 1x10''1''2 n.cm ''-''2 s''-''1 was performed. Certified reference sample from the International Agency were obtained for quality control analysis to ensure the reliability of the device. All six elements were statistically analyzed, the study proved statistical significant difference concentration of following five elements, Zn, Se, Fe, Co, Rb in the serum of patients compared to the serum samples of healthy people. The concentration of Zn and Se in patients serum were less compared to serum of healthy individuals, and the concentrations of Fe, Co, Rb in serum of patients were higher than its that the serum of healthy individuals. While the concentrations of Hg was found to be higher in serum of healthy individuals compared to patients serum, but without statistical significant. The concentration presented by means with standard deviation. The findings were compared to results obtained from literature. All five elements compatible with literature. Hg has not been investigated in such studies before. Selenium and zinc supplementation are need by cancer patient in order to enhance and increase the chances for natural immunological of cancer.(Author)

Bovine serum albumin-Cu(II) hybrid nanoflowers: An effective adsorbent for solid phase extraction and slurry sampling flame atomic absorption spectrometric analysis of cadmium and lead in water, hair, food and cigarette samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yilmaz, Erkan [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38039 (Turkey); Ocsoy, Ismail [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38039 (Turkey); Nanotechnology Research Center (ERNAM), Erciyes University, Kayseri 38039 (Turkey); Ozdemir, Nalan [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38039 (Turkey); Soylak, Mustafa, E-mail: soylak@erciyes.edu.tr [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38039 (Turkey)

2016-02-04

Herein, the synthesis of bovine serum albumin-Cu(II) hybrid nanoflowers (BSA-NFs) through the building blocks of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and copper(II) ions in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and their use as adsorbent for cadmium and lead ions are reported. The BSA-NFs, for the first time, were efficiently utilized as novel adsorbent for solid phase extraction (SPE) of cadmium and lead ions in water, food, cigarette and hair samples. The method is based on the separation and pre-concentration of Cd(II) and Pb(II) by BSA-NFs prior to determination by slurry analysis via flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The analytes were adsorbed on BSA-NFs under the vortex mixing and then the ion-loaded slurry was separated and directly introduced into the flame AAS nebulizer by using a hand-made micro sample introduction system to eliminate a number of drawbacks. The effects of analytical key parameters, such as pH, amount of BSA-NFs, vortexing time, sample volume, and matrix effect of foreign ions on adsorbing of Cd(II) and Pb(II) were systematically investigated and optimized. The limits of detection (LODs) for Cd(II) and Pb(II) were calculated as 0.37 μg L{sup −1} and 8.8 μg L{sup −1}, respectively. The relative standard deviation percentages (RSDs) (N = 5) for Cd(II) and Pb(II) were 7.2%, and 5.0%, respectively. The accuracy of the developed procedure was validated by the analysis of certified reference materials (TMDA-53.3 Fortified Water, TMDA-70 Fortified Water, SPS-WW2 Waste Water, NCSDC-73349 Bush Branches and Leaves) and by addition/recovery analysis. The quantitative recoveries were obtained for the analysis of certified reference materials and addition/recovery tests. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of cadmium and lead in water, food, cigarette and hair samples. - Highlights: • The synthesis of bovine serum albumin-Cu(II) hybrid nanoflowers is reported. • The nanoflowers were utilized for solid phase microextraction of

Use of serum and blood samples on filter paper to improve the surveillance of Dengue in Pacific Island Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Aubry, Maite; Roche, Claudine; Dupont-Rouzeyrol, Myrielle; Aaskov, John; Viallon, Jérôme; Marfel, Maria; Lalita, Paul; Elbourne-Duituturaga, Salanieta; Chanteau, Suzanne; Musso, Didier; Pavlin, Boris I; Harrison, Dustin; Kool, Jacob L; Cao-Lormeau, Van-Mai

2012-09-01

In Pacific Island Countries (PICs) the epidemiology of dengue is characterized by long-term transmission of a single dengue virus (DENV) serotype. The emergence of a new serotype in one island country often indicates major outbreaks with this serotype will follow in other PICs. Filter paper (FP) cards on which whole blood or serum from dengue suspected patients had been dried was evaluated as a method for transportation of this material by standard mail delivery throughout the Pacific. Twenty-two FP-dried whole blood samples collected from patients in New Caledonia and Wallis & Futuna Islands, during DENV-1 and DENV-4 transmission, and 76 FP-dried sera collected from patients in Yap State, Majuro (Republic of Marshall Islands), Tonga and Fiji, before and during outbreaks of DENV-2 in Yap State and DENV-4 in Majuro, were tested for the presence of DENV RNA, by serotype specific RT-PCR, at the Institut Louis Malardé in French Polynesia. The serotype of DENV could be determined, by a variety of RT-PCR procedures, in the FP-dried samples after more than three weeks of transport at ambient temperatures. In most cases, the sequencing of the envelope gene to genotype the viruses also was possible. The serotype and genotype of DENV can be determined from FP-dried serum or whole blood samples transported over thousands of kilometers at ambient, tropical, temperatures. This simple and low-cost approach to virus identification should be evaluated in isolated and resource poor settings for surveillance for a range of significant viral diseases. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Investigation of Property of Radiation and Absorbed of Infrared Lights of the Biological Tissues

Science.gov (United States)

Pang, Xiao-Feng; Deng, Bo; Xiao, He-Lan; Cai, Guo-Ping

2010-04-01

The properties of absorption of infrared light for collagen, hemoglobin, bivine serum albumen (BSA) protein molecules with α- helix structure and water in the living systems as well as the infrared transmission spectra for person’s skins and finger hands of human body in the region of 400-4000 cm-1 (i.e., wavelengths of 2-20 μm) have been collected and determined by using a Nicolet Nexus 670 FT-IR Spectrometer, a Perkin Elmer GX FT-IR spectrometer, an OMA (optical multichannel analysis) and an infrared probe systems, respectively. The experimental results obtained show that the protein molecules and water can all absorb the infrared lights in the ranges of 600-1900 cm-1 and 2900-3900 cm-l, but their properties of absorption are somewhat different due to distinctions of their structure and conformation and molecular weight. We know from the transmission spectra of person’s finger hands and skin that the infrared lights with wavelengths of 2 μm-7 μm can not only transmit over the person’s skin and finger hands, but also be absorbed by the above proteins and water in the living systems. Thus, we can conclude from this study that the human beings and animals can absorb the infrared lights with wavelengths of 2 μm-7 μm.

Dynamic testing of airplane shock-absorbing struts

Science.gov (United States)

Langer, P; Thome, W

1932-01-01

Measurement of perpendicular impacts of a landing gear with different shock-absorbing struts against the drum testing stand. Tests were made with pneumatic shock absorbers having various degrees of damping, liquid shock absorbers, steel-spring shock absorbers and rigid struts. Falling tests and rolling tests. Maximum impact and gradual reduction of the impacts in number and time in the falling tests. Maximum impact and number of weaker impacts in rolling tests.

Comparison of digoxin concentration in plastic serum tubes with clot activator and heparinized plasma tubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Dukić, Lora; Simundić, Ana-Maria; Malogorski, Davorin

2014-01-01

Sample type recommended by the manufacturer for the digoxin Abbott assay is either serum collected in glass tubes or plasma (sodium heparin, lithium heparin, citrate, EDTA or oxalate as anticoagulant) collected in plastic tubes. In our hospital samples are collected in plastic tubes. Our hypothesis was that the serum sample collected in plastic serum tube can be used interchangeably with plasma sample for measurement of digoxin concentration. Our aim was verification of plastic serum tubes for determination of digoxin concentration. Concentration of digoxin was determined simultaneously in 26 venous blood plasma (plastic Vacuette, LH Lithium heparin) and serum (plastic Vacuette, Z Serum Clot activator; both Greiner Bio-One GmbH, Kremsmünster, Austria) samples, on Abbott AxSYM analyzer using the original Abbott Digoxin III assay (Abbott, Wiesbaden, Germany). Tube comparability was assessed using the Passing Bablok regression and Bland-Altman plot. Serum and plasma digoxin concentrations are comparable. Passing Bablok intercept (0.08 [95% CI = -0.10 to 0.20]) and slope (0.99 [95% CI = 0.92 to 1.11]) showed there is no constant or proportional error. Blood samples drawn in plastic serum tubes and plastic plasma tubes can be interchangeably used for determination of digoxin concentration.

Liquid absorber experiments in ZED-2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonnell, F.N.

1975-07-01

A set of liquid absorber experiments was performed in ZED-2 to provide data with which to test the adequacy of calculational methods for zone controller and refuelling studies associated with advanced reactor concepts. The absorber consisted of a full length aluminum tube, containing either i)H 2 O, ii)H 2 O + boron (2.5 mg/ml) or iii)H 2 O + boron (8.0 mg/ml). The tube was suspended vertically at interstitial or in-channel locations. A U-tube absorber was also simulated using two absorber tubes with appropriate spacers. Experiments were carried out at two different square lattice pitches, 22.86 and 27.94 cm. Measurements were made of the reactivity effects of the absorbers and, in some cases, of the detailed flux distribution near the perturbation. The results from one calculational method, the source-sink approach, were compared with the data from selected experiments. (author)

A chiral microwave absorbing absorbent of Fe–CoNiP coated on spirulina

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Yonggang, E-mail: xuyonggang221@163.com [Science and Technology on Electromagnetic Scattering Laboratory, Shanghai, 200438 (China); Yuan, Liming [Science and Technology on Electromagnetic Scattering Laboratory, Shanghai, 200438 (China); Zhang, Deyuan [School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191 (China)

2015-11-15

A chiral bio-absorbent of Fe–CoNiP coated on the spirulina was fabricated by the electroless and chemical vapor decomposition. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate the spirulina cells particle morphology. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns were done to analyze the particle crystal grain structure. The permittivity and permeability was measured by a vector network analyzer in frequency 8–18 GHz, and the reflection loss (RL) was calculated. The results showed the carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) and CoNiP were bonded to the spirulina surface, the permittivity and permeability could be enlarged as Fe films coated on the particles compared with the CoNiP spirulina, it was attributed to the excellent electromagnetic property of CIPs. The chiral Fe–CoNiP composites had a better absorbing property at 8–18 GHz than the CoNiP spirulina composite, the RL was −16.26 dB at 10.48 GHz, the absorbing band was 9.5–11.5 GHz of RL less than −10 dB, which indicated the Fe–CoNiP spirulina could be an effective absorbent used in 8–18 GHz. - Highlights: • Absorbers filled with Fe–CoNiP coating on the spirulina were fabricated. • The permittivity and permeability increased as CIPs coated. • The Fe material enhanced the electromagnetic property. • The spirulina coated Fe–CoNiP was effective in 8–18 GHz.

Serum sample containing endogenous antibodies interfering with multiple hormone immunoassays. Laboratory strategies to detect interference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena García-González

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Endogenous antibodies (EA may interfere with immunoassays, causing erroneous results for hormone analyses. As (in most cases this interference arises from the assay format and most immunoassays, even from different manufacturers, are constructed in a similar way, it is possible for a single type of EA to interfere with different immunoassays. Here we describe the case of a patient whose serum sample contains EA that interfere several hormones tests. We also discuss the strategies deployed to detect interference. Subjects and methods: Over a period of four years, a 30-year-old man was subjected to a plethora of laboratory and imaging diagnostic procedures as a consequence of elevated hormone results, mainly of pituitary origin, which did not correlate with the overall clinical picture. Results: Once analytical interference was suspected, the best laboratory approaches to investigate it were sample reanalysis on an alternative platform and sample incubation with antibody blocking tubes. Construction of an in-house ‘nonsense’ sandwich assay was also a valuable strategy to confirm interference. In contrast, serial sample dilutions were of no value in our case, while polyethylene glycol (PEG precipitation gave inconclusive results, probably due to the use of inappropriate PEG concentrations for several of the tests assayed. Conclusions: Clinicians and laboratorians must be aware of the drawbacks of immunometric assays, and alert to the possibility of EA interference when results do not fit the clinical pattern. Keywords: Endogenous antibodies, Immunoassay, Interference, Pituitary hormones, Case report

Evaluation of HER2/neu oncoprotein in serum & tissue samples of women with breast cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shailaja Shukla

2016-01-01

Interpretation & conclusions: The results suggest that elevated serum HER2 level was associated with a clinicopathological aggressive phenotype of breast carcinoma and was related to tissue HER2 overexpression. Therefore, serum HER2 may be useful for monitoring the course of the disease and response to treatment.

Absorber rod drive for nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acher, H.

1985-01-01

The invention concerns a further addition to the invention of DE 33 42 830 A1. The free contact of the hollow piston with the nut due to hydraulic pressure is replaced by a hydraulic or spring attachment. The pressure system required to produce the hydraulic pressure is therefore omitted, and the electrical power required for driving the pump or the mass flow is also omitted. The absorber rod slotted along its longitudinal axis is replaced by an absorber rod, in the longitudinal axis of which a hollow piston is connected together with the absorber rod. This makes the absorber rod more stable, and assembly is simplified. (orig./HP) [de

Assessment of absorbed dose rate from terrestrial gamma radiation in Red Sea State

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdalrahman, H. E. K.

2012-09-01

This study is primarily conducted to contribute in the overall strategic objective of producing Sudan radiation map which will include natural radiation levels and the resultant absorbed dose rate in air. The part covered by this study is the Red Sea State. Soil samples were collected from locations lie between latitudes 17.03 ° and the 20.18 ° N and longitudes 36.06 ° E during September 2007. Activity concentrations of the primordial radionuclides, 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K in the samples were measured using gamma-ray spectrometry equipped with Nal (Tl) detector. Absorbed dose rates in air a height of 1 from the ground level and the corresponding annual effective doses were calculated from the measured activities using Dose Rate Conversion Factors (DRCFs). On the average, the activity concentrations were 19.22±13.13 Bq kg -1 ( 232 Th), 17.91±15.44 Bq kg -1 ( 226 Ra) and (507.13±161.67) Bq kg -1 for 40 K. The obtained results were found to be within the global values reported in the UNSCEAR publication for normal background areas with the exception of the samples taken from Arbaat area. The absorbed dose rate in air as calculated using UNSCEAR conversion factor averaged 40.93 n Gy h -1 which corresponds to annual effective dose of 50.23 μSvy -1 . The major contribution to the total absorbed dose rate comes from 40 K, which amounts to 53.36%. Using Geographical Information System (GIS), predication maps for activity concentrations levels of the measured radionuclides in the Red Sea state was prepared to show their respective spatial distributions. Similarly, GIS predictive map was produced for annual effective dose.(Author)

Metabolomic biomarkers in serum and urine in women with preeclampsia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie Austdal

Full Text Available To explore the potential of magnetic resonance (MR metabolomics for study of preeclampsia, for improved phenotyping and elucidating potential clues to etiology and pathogenesis.Urine and serum samples from pregnant women with preeclampsia (n = 10, normal pregnancies (n = 10 and non-pregnant women (n = 10 matched by age and gestational age were analyzed with MR spectroscopy and subjected to multivariate analysis. Metabolites were then quantified and compared between groups.Urine and serum samples revealed clear differences between women with preeclampsia and both control groups (normal pregnant and non-pregnant women. Nine urine metabolites were significantly different between preeclampsia and the normal pregnant group. Urine samples from women with early onset preeclampsia clustered together in the multivariate analysis. The preeclampsia serum spectra showed higher levels of low and very-low density lipoproteins and lower levels of high-density lipoproteins when compared to both non-pregnant and normal pregnant women.The MR determined metabolic profiles in urine and serum from women with preeclampsia are clearly different from normal pregnant women. The observed differences represent a potential to examine mechanisms underlying different preeclampsia phenotypes in urine and serum samples in larger studies. In addition, similarities between preeclampsia and cardiovascular disease in metabolomics are demonstrated.

Flexible metamaterial absorbers for stealth applications at terahertz frequencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwaszczuk, Krzysztof; Strikwerda, Andrew C; Fan, Kebin; Zhang, Xin; Averitt, Richard D; Jepsen, Peter Uhd

2012-01-02

We have wrapped metallic cylinders with strongly absorbing metamaterials. These resonant structures, which are patterned on flexible substrates, smoothly coat the cylinder and give it an electromagnetic response designed to minimize its radar cross section. We compare the normal-incidence, small-beam reflection coefficient with the measurement of the far-field bistatic radar cross section of the sample, using a quasi-planar THz wave with a beam diameter significantly larger than the sample dimensions. In this geometry we demonstrate a near-400-fold reduction of the radar cross section at the design frequency of 0.87 THz. In addition we discuss the effect of finite sample dimensions and the spatial dependence of the reflection spectrum of the metamaterial.

Black Cr/a-Cr2O3 nanoparticles based solar absorbers

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Khamlich, S

2012-01-01

Full Text Available and attenuated total reflection, as well as UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The samples aged for more than 40 h at 75 °C exhibit the targeted high absorbing optical characteristic “Black chrome” while those aged for =40 h show a significant high UV–vis...

[Serum glycosaminoglycans in Graves' disease patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Winsz-Szczotka, Katarzyna B; Olczyk, Krystyna Z; Koźma, Ewa M; Komosińska-Vassev, Katarzyna B; Wisowski, Grzegorz R; Marcisz, Czesław

2006-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine the blood serum sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and hyaluronic acid (HA) concentration of Graves' disease patients before treatment and after attainment of the euthyroid state. The study was carried out on the blood serum obtained from 17 patients with newly recognised Graves' disease and from the same patients after attainment of the euthyroid state. Graves' patients had not any clinical symptoms neither of ophthalmopathy nor pretibial myxedema. GAGs were isolated from the blood serum by the multistage extraction and purification using papaine hydrolysis, alkali elimination, as well as cetylpyridium chloride binding. Total amount of GAGs was quantified by the hexuronic acids assay. HA content in obtained GAGs sample was evaluated by the ELISA method. Increased serum concentration of sulfated GAGs in non-treated Graves' disease patients was found. Similarly, serum HA level in untreated patients was significantly elevated. The attainment of euthyroid state was accompanied by the decreased serum sulfated GAGs level and by normalization of serum HA concentration. In conclusion, the results obtained demonstrate that the alterations of GAGs metabolism connected with Graves' disease can lead to systemic changes of the extracellular matrix properties.

Advanced prostatic carcinomas with low serum levels of prostate-specific antigen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cerović Snežana J.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The serum levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA represent a significant diagnostic and monitoring parameter of prostatic carcinoma (PC. The aim of the study was to establish correlation of serum PSA level in addition to grade, histological type, and clinical stage of PC in patients with normal or intermediary PSA serum level. In 37 untreated PC patients with preoperative serum PSA levels ranging between 0.1 and 9.6 ng/ml, paraffin-embedded tissue and serum samples were immunohistological studied and immunoassay for PSA was done. The most representative was poorly differentiated PC with D stage In serum samples from PC patients 27 (73.7% normal (≤ 4.0 ng/ml, and 10 (27.3% intermediate (4.1-10 ng/ml PSA levels were found Immunohistochemistry, in 36 PC (97.3% had demonstrated the expression of PSA. Our study results had shown low serum PSA levels in some patients with advanced poorly differentiated PC.

Multiband Negative Permittivity Metamaterials and Absorbers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yiran Tian

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Design and characteristics of multiband negative permittivity metamaterial and its absorber configuration are presented in this paper. The proposed multiband metamaterial is composed of a novel multibranch resonator which can possess four electric resonance frequencies. It is shown that, by controlling the length of the main branches of such resonator, the resonant frequencies and corresponding absorbing bands of metamaterial absorber can be shifted in a large frequency band.

Soluble serum Klotho levels in healthy subjects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Lise Mariager; Pedersen, Susanne Møller; Brasen, Claus Lohman

2013-01-01

Klotho concentrations were determined in 120 healthy adults aged 19-66years. Blood samples were collected, and stored sera were assayed for Klotho according to age and gender. In addition several other clinical and laboratory characteristics were determined in the cohort and compared to the levels...... genders. Concentrations of serum Klotho were independently associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and body weight using TRF whereas serum Klotho concentrations were associated with age using the ELISA. CONCLUSION: Comparison of two different immunoassays for serum Klotho indicate...

Absorber materials in CANDU PHWR's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, E.G.; Boss, C.R.; Novak, W.Z.; Fong, R.W.L.

1995-03-01

In a CANDU reactor the fuel channels are arranged on a square lattice in a calandria filled with heavy water moderator. This arrangement allows five types of tubular neutron absorber devices to be located in a relatively benign environment of low pressure, low temperature heavy water between neighbouring rows of columns of fuel channels. This paper will describe the roles of the devices and outline the design requirements of the absorber component from a reactor physics viewpoint. Nuclear heating and activation problems associated with the different absorbers will be briefly discussed. The design and manufacture of the devices will be also discussed. The control rod absorbers and shut off materials are cadmium and stainless steel. In the tubular arrangement, the cadmium is sandwiched between stainless steel tubes. This type of device has functioned well, but there is now concern over the availability and expense of cadmium which is used in two types of CANDU control devices. There are also concerns about the toxicity of cadmium during the fabrication of the absorbers. These concerns are prompting AECL to study alternatives. To minimize design changes, pure boron-10 alloyed in stainless steel is a favoured option. Work is underway to confirm the suitability of the boron-loaded steel and identify other encapsulated absorber materials for practical application. Because the reactivity devices or their guide tubes span the calandria vessel, the long slender components must be sufficiently rigid to resist operational vibration and also be seismically stable. Some of these components are made of Zircaloy to minimize neutron absorption. Slow irradiation growth and creep can reduce the spring tension, and periodic adjustments to the springs are required. Experience with the control absorber devices has generally been good. In one instance liquid zone controllers had a problem of vibration induced fretting but a designed back-fit resolved the problem. (author). 3 refs., 1

TPX/TFTR Neutral Beam energy absorbers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahlgren, F.; Wright, K.; Kamperschroer, J.; Grisham, L.; Lontai, L.; Peters, C.; VonHalle, A.

1993-01-01

The present beam energy absorbing surfaces on the TFTR Neutral Beams such as Ion Dumps, Calorimeters, beam defining apertures, and scrapers, are simple water cooled copper plates which wee designed to absorb (via their thermal inertia) the incident beam power for two seconds with a five minute coal down interval between pulses. These components are not capable of absorbing the anticipated beam power loading for 1000 second TPX pulses and will have to be replaced with an actively cooled design. While several actively cooled energy absorbing designs were considered,, the hypervapotron elements currently being used on the JET beamlines were chosen due to their lower cooling water demands and reliable performance on JET

Two-dimensional QR-coded metamaterial absorber

Science.gov (United States)

Sui, Sai; Ma, Hua; Wang, Jiafu; Pang, Yongqiang; Zhang, Jieqiu; Qu, Shaobo

2016-01-01

In this paper, the design of metamaterial absorbers is proposed based on QR coding and topology optimization. Such absorbers look like QR codes and can be recognized by decoding softwares as well as mobile phones. To verify the design, two lightweight wideband absorbers are designed, which can achieve wideband absorption above 90 % in 6.68-19.30 and 7.00-19.70 GHz, respectively. More importantly, polarization-independent absorption over 90 % can be maintained under incident angle within 55°. The QR code absorber not only can achieve wideband absorption, but also can carry information such as texts and Web sites. They are of important values in applications such identification and electromagnetic protection.

Maldi-Tof /Tof-MS Reveals Elevated Serum Haptoglobin and Amyloid A in Behcet's Disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mao, L.; Dong, H.; Yang, P.; Zhou, H.; Huang, X.; Lin, X.; Kijlstra, A.

2008-01-01

Behcet¿s disease (BD) is a multisystemic autoimmune disease with unclear etiology and pathogenesis. To screen aberrant serum proteins in BD, serum samples were obtained from eight male BD patients with active uveitis and eight male healthy volunteers with informed consent. The serum samples from

Evaluation of pharmacokinetics and the stability of daptomycin in serum at various temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogami, Chika; Tsuji, Yasuhiro; Kasai, Hidefumi; Hiraki, Yoichi; Yamamoto, Yoshihiro; Matsunaga, Kazuhisa; Karube, Yoshiharu; To, Hideto

2017-04-01

Daptomycin exhibits concentration-dependent antibacterial activity. By monitoring daptomycin serum concentrations, clinicians may be able to predict the effectiveness of treatments for infections more accurately. However, it has been reported that daptomycin concentrations in plasma samples stored at -20°C decrease approximately 25% after 4 weeks. The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of daptomycin in serum at various temperatures. Daptomycin serum samples were prepared and stored at different temperatures. The stability of daptomycin under various conditions was evaluated by sequential measurements of concentration. Although the loss of concentration of daptomycin in serum samples stored in freezers (-80°C and -20°C) was less than 10% after 168days (6 months), the concentrations in samples stored in a refrigerator (4°C) decreased by more than 70% over the same period. Furthermore, daptomycin concentrations in serum samples stored at close to body temperature (35°C, 37°C, and 39°C) decreased by more than 50% after only 24h. The results of the present study demonstrate that the measurement of serum concentrations of daptomycin needs to be performed rapidly. Furthermore, the degradation of daptomycin in serum may be involved in its elimination from the living body. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Radioimmunological determination of reverse triiodo thyronine in unextracted serum and serum dialysates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laurberg, P.; Weeke, J.

1977-01-01

A sensitive radioimmunoassay for measurements of 3,3,5-triiodothyronine (reverse T3,rT3) in small amounts of unextracted serum is described. The interference of rT3 binding proteins in serum was precluded by addition of 8-anilinol-naphthalene sulphonic acid (ANS). The cross reaction of T4 with the rT3 anti-serum varied with the concentration of T4 in the samples. At 50 per cent inhibition of I 125 rT3 binding, the T4 cross reaction was 0.075% (mol/mol). All values were corrected for T4 cross reaction. By the present method total rT3 averaged 0.37 nmol/l in thirty-two normal subjects. Higher values (0.81-1.98 nmol/l) were obtained in seventeen thyrotoxic patients, while the rT3 was very low (<=0.046 nmol/l) in ten patients with severe primary hypothyroidism. A modification of the total rT3 assay was used for measurements of rT3 in serum dialysates (free rT3). The sensitivity was 0.46 pmol/l. This sensitivity did not allow detection of free rT3 in all normal subjects. (Auth.)

Estimation of Absorbed Dose in Occlusal Radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Young Ah; Choi, Karp Shick; Lee, Sang Han

1990-01-01

The purpose of this study was to estimate absorbed dose of each important anatomic site of phantom (RT-210 Head and Neck Section R, Humanoid Systems Co., U.S.A.) head in occlusal radiography. X-radiation dosimetry at 12 anatomic sites in maxillary anterior topography, maxillary posterior topography, mandibular anterior cross-section, mandibular posterior cross-section, mandibular anterior topographic, mandibular posterior topographic occlusal projection was performed with calcium sulfate thermoluminescent dosimeters under 70 Kvp and 15 mA, 1/4 second (8 inch cone ) and 1 second (16 inch cone) exposure time. The results obtained were as follows: Skin surface produced highest absorbed dose ranged between 3264 mrad and 4073 mrad but there was little difference between projections. In maxillary anterior topographic occlusal radiography, eyeballs, maxillary sinuses, and pituitary gland sites produced higher absorbed doses than those of other sites. In maxillary posterior topographic occlusal radiography, exposed eyeball site and exposed maxillary sinus site produced high absorbed doses. In mandibular anterior cross-sectional occlusal radiography, all sites were produced relatively low absorbed dose except eyeball sites. In Mandibular posterior cross-sectional occlusal radiography, exposed eyeball site and exposed maxillary sinus site were produced relatively higher absorbed doses than other sites. In mandibular anterior topographic occlusal radiography, maxillary sinuses, submandibular glands, and thyroid gland sites produced high absorbed doses than other sites. In mandibular posterior topographic occlusal radiography, submandibular gland site of the exposed side produced high absorbed dose than other sites and eyeball site of the opposite side produced relatively high absorbed dose.

Effect of an absorbent overlay on the residual stress field induced by laser shock processing on aluminum samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rubio-Gonzalez, C.; Gomez-Rosas, G.; Ocana, J.L.; Molpeceres, C.; Banderas, A.; Porro, J.; Morales, M.

2006-01-01

Laser shock processing (LSP) or laser shock peening is a new technique for strengthening metals. This process induces a compressive residual stress field, which increases fatigue crack initiation life and reduces fatigue crack growth rate. Specimens of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy are used in this investigation. A convergent lens is used to deliver 2.5 J, 8 ns laser pulses by a Q-switch Nd:YAG laser, operating at 10 Hz. The pulses are focused to a diameter of 1.5 mm onto aluminum samples. Density of 2500 pulses/cm 2 with infrared (1064 nm) radiation was used. The effect of an absorbent overlay on the residual stress field using this LSP setup and this energy level is evaluated. Residual stress distribution as a function of depth is assessed by the hole drilling method. It is observed that the overlay makes the compressive residual stress profile move to the surface. This effect is explained on the basis of the vaporization of the coat layer suppressing thermal effects on the metallic substrate. The effect of coating the specimen surface before LSP treatment may have advantages on improving wear and contact fatigue properties of this aluminum alloy

Evaluation of Nobuto filter paper strips for the detection of avian influenza virus antibody in waterfowl

Science.gov (United States)

Dusek, Robert J.; Hall, Jeffrey S.; Nashold, Sean W.; Teslaa, Joshua L.; Ip, Hon S.

2011-01-01

The utility of using Nobuto paper strips for the detection of avian influenza antibodies was examined in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) experimentally infected with low pathogenic avian influenza viruses. Blood was collected 2 wk after infection and was preserved either as serum or whole blood absorbed onto Nobuto strips. Analysis of samples using a commercially available blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed comparable results (???96% sensitivity for all methods) between sera stored at -30 C and the Nobuto strip preservation method even when the Nobuto strips were stored up to 3 mo at room temperature (RT). Significant differences were detected in the ratio of sample absorbance to negative control absorbance for Nobuto strips stored at RT compared with sera stored at -30 C, although these differences did not affect the ability of the test to reliably detect positive and negative samples. Nobuto strips are a convenient and sensitive alternative to the collection of serum samples when maintaining appropriate storage temperatures is difficult. ?? 2011 American Association of Avian Pathologists.

Photoelectron antibunching and absorber theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pegg, D.T.

1980-01-01

The recently detected photoelectron antibunching effect is considered to be evidence for the quantised electromagnetic field, i.e. for the existence of photons. Direct-action quantum absorber theory, on the other hand, has been developed on the basis that the quantised field is illusory, with quantisation being required only for atoms. In this paper it is shown that photoelectron antibunching is readily explicable in terms of absorber theory and in fact is directly attributable to the quantum nature of the emitting and detecting atoms alone. The physical nature of the reduction of the wavepacket associated with the detection process is briefly discussed in terms of absorber theory. (author)

MAGIICAT I. THE Mg II ABSORBER-GALAXY CATALOG

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nielsen, Nikole M.; Churchill, Christopher W. [New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003 (United States); Kacprzak, Glenn G.; Murphy, Michael T., E-mail: nnielsen@nmsu.edu [Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria 3122 (Australia)

2013-10-20

We describe the Mg II Absorber-Galaxy Catalog, MAGIICAT, a compilation of 182 spectroscopically identified intermediate redshift (0.07 ≤ z ≤ 1.1) galaxies with measurements of Mg II λλ2796, 2803 absorption from their circumgalactic medium within projected distances of 200 kpc from background quasars. In this work, we present 'isolated' galaxies, which are defined as having no spectroscopically identified galaxy within a projected distance of 100 kpc and a line of sight velocity separation of 500 km s{sup –1}. We standardized all galaxy properties to the ΛCDM cosmology and galaxy luminosities, absolute magnitudes, and rest-frame colors to the B- and K-band on the AB system. We present galaxy properties and rest-frame Mg II equivalent width, W{sub r} (2796), versus galaxy redshift. The well-known anti-correlation between W{sub r} (2796) and quasar-galaxy impact parameter, D, is significant to the 8σ level. The mean color of MAGIICAT galaxies is consistent with an Sbc galaxy for all redshifts. We also present B- and K-band luminosity functions for different W{sub r} (2796) and redshift subsamples: 'weak absorbing' [W{sub r} (2796) < 0.3 Å], 'strong absorbing' [W{sub r} (2796) ≥ 0.3 Å], low redshift (z < (z)), and high redshift (z ≥ (z)), where (z) = 0.359 is the median galaxy redshift. Rest-frame color B – K correlates with M{sub K} at the 8σ level for the whole sample but is driven by the strong absorbing, high-redshift subsample (6σ). Using M{sub K} as a proxy for stellar mass and examining the luminosity functions, we infer that in lower stellar mass galaxies, Mg II absorption is preferentially detected in blue galaxies and the absorption is more likely to be weak.

Degradation of unglazed rough graphite-aluminium solar absorber surfaces in simulated acid and neutral rain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konttinen, P.; Lund, P.D.; Salo, T.

2005-01-01

Degradation mechanisms of unglazed solar absorber surfaces based on aluminium substrate were studied. Rough graphite-aluminium surfaces were total-immersion subjected to aerated and de-aerated simulated neutral and acid rain. Test conditions were based on calculated absorber stagnation temperature and global rain acidity measurements. Changes in optical properties, elemental composition and sample mass were examined by spectrometry, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry and thermogravimetry, respectively. The absorbers exhibited almost no degradation at pH value of 3.5. At pH 5.5 alumina on the surface hydrated significantly degrading the optical properties of the surfaces severely in most cases. Therefore these absorber surfaces can not be recommended to be used in non-glazed applications if they are exposed to rain with pH exceeding ∼ 3.5-4.5. The total-immersion test needs to be developed further as the test results exhibited poor temperature and time dependency thus preventing accurate service lifetime estimates. Still, these tests were useful in determining favourable and non-favourable operating conditions for the absorber surfaces based on aluminium substrate. (author)

Serum erythropoietin levels by radioimmunoassay in polycythaemia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Birgegaard, G.; Miller, O.; Caro, J.; Erslev, A. (Cardeza Foundation for Hematological Research, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pa.)

1982-01-01

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) method for erythropoietin (Epo) was developed and validated against the polycythaemic mouse assay. The correlation was good, with a r=0.94. Several other criteria of specificity were also filled by the RIA, which had a lower detection limit of 5 mU/ml. The mean serum-Epo level in 6 patients with secondary polycythaemia, 50.2 +- 26.2 mU/ml, was significantly higher than in a group of 11 normal subjects, 28.7 +- 7.2 mU/ml (P<0.0002). However, the Epo level in 31 polycythaemia vera (PV) patients, M = 21.9 +- 6.6 mU/ml, was not significantly different from normal (P = 0.006). Since previous studies with bioassay of heat-treated and concentrated plasma samples have shown a decreased serum-Epo level in PV, Epo levels were measured before and after heat treatment and concentration of samples from normals and polycythaemics. It was found that the levels of immunoreactive material increased after heat treatment and 40 times concentration in samples from normals and patients with secondary polycythaemias, but decreased in PV. We conclude that the Epo levels in serum in the low range measured by our and previous RIA:s probably are not true Epo levels but are partly due to an unspecific serum effect, that was removed by heat treatment.

An omnidirectional electromagnetic absorber made of metamaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Qiang; Cui Tiejun; Jiang Weixiang; Cai Bengeng

2010-01-01

In a recent theoretical work by Narimanov and Kildishev (2009 Appl. Phys. Lett. 95 041106) an optical omnidirectional light absorber based on metamaterials was proposed, in which theoretical analysis and numerical simulations showed that all optical waves hitting the absorber are trapped and absorbed. Here we report the first experimental demonstration of an omnidirectional electromagnetic absorber in the microwave frequency. The proposed device is composed of non-resonant and resonant metamaterial structures, which can trap and absorb electromagnetic waves coming from all directions spirally inwards without any reflections due to the local control of electromagnetic fields. It is shown that the absorption rate can reach 99 per cent in the microwave frequency. The all-directional full absorption property makes the device behave like an 'electromagnetic black body', and the wave trapping and absorbing properties simulate, to some extent, an 'electromagnetic black hole.' We expect that such a device could be used as a thermal emitting source and to harvest electromagnetic waves.

Additive manufacturing of RF absorbers

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Matthew S.

The ability of additive manufacturing techniques to fabricate integrated electromagnetic absorbers tuned for specific radio frequency bands within structural composites allows for unique combinations of mechanical and electromagnetic properties. These composites and films can be used for RF shielding of sensitive electromagnetic components through in-plane and out-of-plane RF absorption. Structural composites are a common building block of many commercial platforms. These platforms may be placed in situations in which there is a need for embedded RF absorbing properties along with structural properties. Instead of adding radar absorbing treatments to the external surface of existing structures, which adds increased size, weight and cost; it could prove to be advantageous to integrate the microwave absorbing properties directly into the composite during the fabrication process. In this thesis, a method based on additive manufacturing techniques of composites structures with prescribed electromagnetic loss, within the frequency range 1 to 26GHz, is presented. This method utilizes screen printing and nScrypt micro dispensing to pattern a carbon based ink onto low loss substrates. The materials chosen for this study will be presented, and the fabrication technique that these materials went through to create RF absorbing structures will be described. The calibration methods used, the modeling of the RF structures, and the applications in which this technology can be utilized will also be presented.

Intestinal absorption of dinitrophenyl-lysine and effect of immunization with dinitrophenylated bovine serum albumin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimura, Fumio; Shimura, Junko; Shimazaki, Shigeki; Hosoya, Norimasa

1983-01-01

The intestinal absorption of dinitrophenyl-lysine (DNP-lys) was studied with a special interest on the role of the immune system in the absorption of small molecules which are recognized as nonself. [ 3 H]-DNP- lys was rapidly absorbed by ligated intestinal loops in situ via a saturable and unique route. When [ 3 H]-DNP-lys was preincubated with the immume serum obtained from rats immunized with dinitrophenylated bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA), the [ 3 H]-DNP-lys absorption was depressed. The absorption of [ 3 H]-DNP-lys in DNP-BSA-immunized rats was depressed compared to the control. The results obtained suggest that the immune system play a role in avoiding the absorption of small molecules with antigenicity. (author)

[Trend of the selenium supply of cattle in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Denmark. Retrospective analysis of serum samples of the years 2006-2015].

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, A; Freude, B

2016-01-01

An optimal selenium supply of cattle is essential, because an insufficiency can lead to health disorders and reduced performance. The aim of the study was to retrospectively evaluate the selenium supply of cattle in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Denmark. Serum samples from 45  068 cattle with unknown clinical status originating from countries all across Europe, which had been sent by veterinarians to the IDEXX Laboratory Ludwigsburg, Germany, between January 1st, 2006 and June 30th, 2015, were routinely analyzed for the selenium concentration by means of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. A total of 40  949 samples (30  462 from Germany, 4004 from Austria, 3232 from Switzerland, 3251 from Denmark) were included in the evaluation. Results were categorized as follows: 50-150 µg/l: sufficient supply,  150 µg/l: supply too high. During the observation period, a generalized trend towards a decreasing selenium supply was clear. Denmark showed the best selenium supply (77.4% of samples indicating a sufficient supply); however, even in this country a tendency towards a deterioration was seen. A very poor situation with a strongly decreasing selenium supply was observed in Austria, followed by Germany (38% and 30% of samples, respectively, indicating an undersupply). For Switzerland, a constantly poor selenium supply was found (49% of samples indicating an undersupply). Due to the ongoing trend of a selenium undersupply in cattle herds, it is recommended to control the serum selenium concentration annually and supplement this trace element via mineral food when necessary.

Aspects of the Hematology and Serum Biochemistry of Sahel and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was conducted to investigate effects of year, age, season and breeds on aspects of the hematology and serum biochemical indices of Sahel and Sokoto red bucks in Mubi, Adamawa state, Nigeria. Blood and serum samples were used to determine PCV, Hb, RBC and WBC, and while serum protein (BSP) and ...

Warm Absorber Diagnostics of AGN Dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Kallman, Timothy

Warm absorbers and related phenomena are observable manifestations of outflows or winds from active galactic nuclei (AGN) that have great potential value. Understanding AGN outflows is important for explaining the mass budgets of the central accreting black hole, and also for understanding feedback and the apparent co-evolution of black holes and their host galaxies. In the X-ray band warm absorbers are observed as photoelectric absorption and resonance line scattering features in the 0.5-10 keV energy band; the UV band also shows resonance line absorption. Warm absorbers are common in low luminosity AGN and they have been extensively studied observationally. They may play an important role in AGN feedback, regulating the net accretion onto the black hole and providing mechanical energy to the surroundings. However, fundamental properties of the warm absorbers are not known: What is the mechanism which drives the outflow?; what is the gas density in the flow and the geometrical distribution of the outflow?; what is the explanation for the apparent relation between warm absorbers and the surprising quasi-relativistic 'ultrafast outflows' (UFOs)? We propose a focused set of model calculations that are aimed at synthesizing observable properties of warm absorber flows and associated quantities. These will be used to explore various scenarios for warm absorber dynamics in order to answer the questions in the previous paragraph. The guiding principle will be to examine as wide a range as possible of warm absorber driving mechanisms, geometry and other properties, but with as careful consideration as possible to physical consistency. We will build on our previous work, which was a systematic campaign for testing important class of scenarios for driving the outflows. We have developed a set of tools that are unique and well suited for dynamical calculations including radiation in this context. We also have state-of-the-art tools for generating synthetic spectra, which are

Preparation of super absorbent by irradiation polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hua Fengjun; Tan Chunhong; Qian Mengping

1995-01-01

A kind of absorbent is prepared by gamma-rays irradiated by reversed-phase suspension polymerization. Drying particles have 1400 (g/g) absorbency in de-ionic water. Effects of reactive conditions, e.g.: dose-rate, dose, monomer concentration, degree of monomer neutralization and crosslinking agents on absorbency in de-ionic water are discussed. The cause of absorbing de-ionic water by polymer is related to its network structure and ionic equilibrium in particle. Accordingly, a suit reactive condition is chosen for preparation of hydro gel spheres

Frequency Tuning of Vibration Absorber Using Topology Optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Harel, Swapnil Subhash

A tuned mass absorber is a system for reducing the amplitude in one oscillator by coupling it to a second oscillator. If tuned correctly, the maximum amplitude of the first oscillator in response to a periodic driver will be lowered, and much of the vibration will be 'transferred' to the second oscillator. The tuned vibration absorber (TVA) has been utilized for vibration control purposes in many sectors of Civil/Automotive/Aerospace Engineering for many decades since its inception. Time and again we come across a situation in which a vibratory system is required to run near resonance. In the past, approaches have been made to design such auxiliary spring mass tuned absorbers for the safety of the structures. This research focuses on the development and optimization of continuously tuned mass absorbers as a substitute to the discretely tuned mass absorbers (spring- mass system). After conducting the study of structural behavior, the boundary condition and frequency to which the absorber is to be tuned are determined. The Modal analysis approach is used to determine mode shapes and frequencies. The absorber is designed and optimized using the topology optimization tool, which simultaneously designs, optimizes and tunes the absorber to the desired frequency. The tuned, optimized absorber, after post processing, is attached to the target structure. The number of the absorbers are increased to amplify bandwidth and thereby upgrade the safety of structure for a wide range of frequency. The frequency response analysis is carried out using various combinations of structure and number of absorber cell.

COMPARISON OF ABSORBABLE EXTRA LONG TERM POLY HYDROXY BUTYRATE SUTURE VS NON ABSORBABLE (POLYPROPYLENE SUTURE FOR ABDOMINAL WALL CLOSURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mallikarjun

2015-07-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: The aim of study is to compare Continuous technique with non - absorbable sutures, Interrupted technique with non - absorbable sutures and Continuous technique with slowly absorbable sutures Focusing mainly on incidence of incisional hernias, burst abdomen, wound infections, chronic wound pain, suture sinus, stitch granuloma, time for rectus closure. METHODOLOGY : Study was conducted for a period of one year on 271 randomized patients with primary elective midline laparotomy in our hospital . patients are divided into group I includes 102 patients with continuous technique using non absorbable polypropylene, group II includes 91 patients with interrupted technique using non absorbable polypropylene and group III includes 78 patients with continuous slowly absorbable polyhydroxybutyrate. RESULTS: No significant difference observed in incidence of wound infections and burst abdomen in all the 3 groups but relatively higher incidence of wound infections in noted our hospital. Incidence of stich granuloma suture sinus and chronic wound pain is more with interrupted technique than continuous technique and are more with non - absor bable suture material. CONCLUSION: Incidence of incisional hernias, suture complications like suture sinus, stitch granuloma can be more effectively reduced with slowly absorbable continuous sutures.

A new dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction using ionic liquid based microemulsion coupled with cloud point extraction for determination of copper in serum and water samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Arain, Salma Aslam; Kazi, Tasneem Gul; Afridi, Hassan Imran; Arain, Mariam Shahzadi; Panhwar, Abdul Haleem; Khan, Naeemullah; Baig, Jameel Ahmed; Shah, Faheem

2016-04-01

A simple and rapid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction procedure based on ionic liquid assisted microemulsion (IL-µE-DLLME) combined with cloud point extraction has been developed for preconcentration copper (Cu(2+)) in drinking water and serum samples of adolescent female hepatitits C (HCV) patients. In this method a ternary system was developed to form microemulsion (µE) by phase inversion method (PIM), using ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C4mim][PF6]) and nonionic surfactant, TX-100 (as a stabilizer in aqueous media). The Ionic liquid microemulsion (IL-µE) was evaluated through visual assessment, optical light microscope and spectrophotometrically. The Cu(2+) in real water and aqueous acid digested serum samples were complexed with 8-hydroxyquinoline (oxine) and extracted into IL-µE medium. The phase separation of stable IL-µE was carried out by the micellar cloud point extraction approach. The influence of of different parameters such as pH, oxine concentration, centrifugation time and rate were investigated. At optimized experimental conditions, the limit of detection and enhancement factor were found to be 0.132 µg/L and 70 respectively, with relative standard deviation <5%. In order to validate the developed method, certified reference materials (SLRS-4 Riverine water) and human serum (Sero-M10181) were analyzed. The resulting data indicated a non-significant difference in obtained and certified values of Cu(2+). The developed procedure was successfully applied for the preconcentration and determination of trace levels of Cu(2+) in environmental and biological samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shock absorber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nemeth, J.D.

1981-01-01

A shock absorber for the support of piping and components in a nuclear power plant is described. It combines a high degree of stiffness under sudden shocks, e.g. seismic disturbances, with the ability to allow for thermal expansion without resistance when so required. (JIW)

21 CFR 880.5300 - Medical absorbent fiber.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Medical absorbent fiber. 880.5300 Section 880.5300 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED... Devices § 880.5300 Medical absorbent fiber. (a) Identification. A medical absorbent fiber is a device...

Rapid detection of cytomegalovirus in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum samples by polymerase chain reaction: correlation of virus isolation and clinical outcome for patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, K K; Vestbo, Jørgen; Benfield, T

1997-01-01

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids and serum samples from 153 patients with pulmonary symptoms who were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and underwent BAL were examined for the presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) by conventional culture and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR...... technique than conventional culture. Detection of CMV DNA in BAL fluid or serum predicted subsequent development of extrapulmonary CMV disease but not death for HIV-infected patients with pulmonary symptoms....

Competitive radioimmunoassay of digoxin in serum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oslapas, Raymond; Herrin, T.R.

1975-01-01

The process described is for determining the digoxin level of a serum. To do so a mixture is made by adding to the serum sample an antidigoxin antibody and a suitable labelling quantity of O 3 -(hydroxy-4 phenethylcarbamoyl)digoxigenin for radioactive labelling. The mixture is allowed to incubate so that the digoxin of the sample and the radioactive labelling reagent joint to the antidigoxin antibody. A precipitating agent is added to the mixture to help the formation of a precipitate and thus separate the labelled digoxin taken up from the precipitate free digoxin. The liquid is separated from the precipitate formed and the residual radioactivity of the precipitate is measured [fr

Serum bicarbonate and dehydration severity in gastroenteritis

OpenAIRE

Narchi, H.

1998-01-01

The concentration of bicarbonate was measured in serum samples from 106 children with gastroenteritis and dehydration. A concentration less than 22 mmol/l was more common in children with severe dehydration, but the magnitude of bicarbonate reduction was not significantly different with increasing degrees of dehydration. Doctors should not rely on the serum bicarbonate concentration when assessing fluid deficit.



Impact of Prolonged Blood Incubation and Extended Serum Storage at Room Temperature on the Human Serum Metabolome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beate Kamlage

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Metabolomics is a powerful technology with broad applications in life science that, like other -omics approaches, requires high-quality samples to achieve reliable results and ensure reproducibility. Therefore, along with quality assurance, methods to assess sample quality regarding pre-analytical confounders are urgently needed. In this study, we analyzed the response of the human serum metabolome to pre-analytical variations comprising prolonged blood incubation and extended serum storage at room temperature by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS -based metabolomics. We found that the prolonged incubation of blood results in a statistically significant 20% increase and 4% decrease of 225 tested serum metabolites. Extended serum storage affected 21% of the analyzed metabolites (14% increased, 7% decreased. Amino acids and nucleobases showed the highest percentage of changed metabolites in both confounding conditions, whereas lipids were remarkably stable. Interestingly, the amounts of taurine and O-phosphoethanolamine, which have both been discussed as biomarkers for various diseases, were 1.8- and 2.9-fold increased after 6 h of blood incubation. Since we found that both are more stable in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA blood, EDTA plasma should be the preferred metabolomics matrix.

Determination of ethyl sulfate in human serum and urine by capillary zone electrophoresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Balthasar; Caslavska, Jitka; Thormann, Wolfgang

2008-10-03

The use of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with indirect absorbance detection for the analysis of ethyl sulfate (EtS) in serum and urine was investigated. EtS is a direct metabolite of ethanol employed as marker for recent alcohol consumption. Fused-silica capillaries of 60 cm total length were either coated with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB, 50 microm I.D. capillary) or poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC, 100 microm I.D. capillary) to allow CZE analyses to be performed with reversed polarity. At pH 2.2 with a maleic acid/phthalic acid background electrolyte, both approaches provided reliable EtS serum levels down to 0.2 mg L(-1) (1.6 microM) for the analysis of solid-phase extracts that were prepared after chloride precipitation. Analysis of urines diluted to a conductivity of 5 S m(-1) and analyzed in the two capillary formats resulted in limits of quantification (LOQs) of 2 and 1 mg L(-1), respectively. With urines adjusted to 10 S m(-1) via dilution or condensation, an LOQ of 0.6 mg L(-1) (4.8 microM) was obtained in the CTAB coated capillary whereas in the PDADMAC-coated capillary of equal length not all matrix components were resolved from EtS. The developed assays are robust and suitable to monitor EtS in samples of individuals who consumed as little as one standard drink of an alcoholic beverage containing about 14 g of ethanol.

Iron and ADHD: Time to Move beyond Serum Ferritin Levels

Science.gov (United States)

Donfrancesco, Renato; Parisi, Pasquale; Vanacore, Nicola; Martines, Francesca; Sargentini, Vittorio; Cortese, Samuele

2013-01-01

Objective: (a) To compare serum ferritin levels in a sample of stimulant-naive children with ADHD and matched controls and (b) to assess the association of serum ferritin to ADHD symptoms severity, ADHD subtypes, and IQ. Method: The ADHD and the control groups included 101 and 93 children, respectively. Serum ferritin levels were determined with…

A Multiplex Microsphere-Based Immunoassay Increases the Sensitivity of SIV-Specific Antibody Detection in Serum Samples and Mucosal Specimens Collected from Rhesus Macaques Infected with SIVmac239.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Rebecca L R; Ouellette, Ian; Lindsay, Ross W; Parks, Christopher L; King, C Richter; McDermott, Adrian B; Morrow, Gavin

2013-06-01

Results from recent HIV-1 vaccine studies have indicated that high serum antibody (Ab) titers may not be necessary for Ab-mediated protection, and that Abs localized to mucosal sites might be critical for preventing infection. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been used for decades as the gold standard for Ab measurement, though recently, highly sensitive microsphere-based assays have become available, with potential utility for improved detection of Abs. In this study, we assessed the Bio-Plex(®) Suspension Array System for the detection of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-specific Abs in rhesus macaques (RMs) chronically infected with SIV, whose serum or mucosal SIV-specific Ab titers were negative by ELISA. We developed a SIVmac239-specific 4-plex bead array for the simultaneous detection of Abs binding to Env, Gag, Pol, and Nef. The 4-plex assay was used to quantify SIV-specific serum IgG and rectal swab IgA titers from control (SIV-naive) and SIVmac239-infected RMs. The Bio-Plex assay specifically detected anti-SIV Abs in specimens from SIV-infected animals for all four analytes when compared to SIV-naive control samples (p≤0.04). Furthermore, in 70% of Env and 79% of Gag ELISA-negative serum samples, specific Ab was detected using the Bio-Plex assay. Similarly, 71% of Env and 48% of Gag ELISA-negative rectal swab samples were identified as positive using the Bio-Plex assay. Importantly, assay specificity (i.e., probability of true positives) was comparable to ELISA (94%-100%). The results reported here indicate that microsphere-based methods provide a substantial improvement over ELISA for the detection of Ab responses, aid in detecting specific Abs when analyzing samples containing low levels of Abs, such as during the early stages of a vaccine trial, and may be valuable in attempts to link protective efficacy of vaccines with induced Ab responses.

An ultra-broadband multilayered graphene absorber

KAUST Repository

Amin, Muhammad; Farhat, Mohamed; Bagci, Hakan

2013-01-01

An ultra-broadband multilayered graphene absorber operating at terahertz (THz) frequencies is proposed. The absorber design makes use of three mechanisms: (i) The graphene layers are asymmetrically patterned to support higher order surface plasmon

Selenium status of South Bohemia seniors characterized by INAA of blood serum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kvicala, J.; Zamrazil, V.; Nemecek, J.; Jiranek, J.

2008-01-01

To estimate the status of selenium in seniors of the South Bohemia region, Czech Republic, 481 serum samples from seniors living in 17 Asylum Houses for seniors in the age between 60 and 99 years were obtained. Samples were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis with concurrent analysis of 4 reference materials for quality assurance. Average concentration of serum Se, arithmetic means in individual Asylum Houses, frequency distribution of serum Se concentrations as well as five years running monitoring of serum Se concentrations of one group of seniors proved selenium deficiency of the elderly population of the region South Bohemia. (author)

High-efficiency ventilated metamaterial absorber at low frequency

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiaoxiao; Au-Yeung, Ka Yan; Li, Xin; Roberts, Robert Christopher; Tian, Jingxuan; Hu, Chuandeng; Huang, Yingzhou; Wang, Shuxia; Yang, Zhiyu; Wen, Weijia

2018-03-01

We demonstrate a ventilated metamaterial absorber operating at low frequency (90%) has been achieved in both simulations and experiments. This high-efficiency absorption under the ventilation condition originates from the weak coupling of two identical split tube resonators constituting the absorber, which leads to the hybridization of the degenerate eigenmodes and breaks the absorption upper limit of 50% for conventional transmissive symmetric acoustic absorbers. The absorber can also be extended to an array and work in free space. The absorber should have potential applications in acoustic engineering where both noise reduction and ventilation are required.

Effect of Ramadan fasting on serum heat shock protein 70 and serum lipid profile.

Science.gov (United States)

Zare, A; Hajhashemi, M; Hassan, Z M; Zarrin, S; Pourpak, Z; Moin, M; Salarilak, S; Masudi, S; Shahabi, S

2011-07-01

Ramadan, the holy month for the Islamic world, is a period every year when food and fluid intake is restricted to the pre-sunrise and post-sunset hours. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Ramadan fasting on the serum concentration of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and serum lipid profile in healthy men. A total of 32 male volunteers with a mean age of 28.5 (range 23-37) years were selected for the study. Blood samples were obtained one day prior to Ramadan and on the 3rd and 25th days of fasting. Serum HSP70, triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (Chol), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), LDL/HDL and Chol/HDL ratios were investigated. It was observed that the mean concentrations of serum HSP70 and HDL on the 25th day of Ramadan were significantly higher than those recorded one day before Ramadan and on the 3rd day of Ramadan, and the levels on the 3rd day of Ramadan was significantly higher than those recorded one day before Ramadan. Mean concentrations of serum TG, Chol, LDL, and LDL/HDL and Chol/HDL ratios on the 25th day of Ramadan were significantly lower than those recorded one day before Ramadan and on the 3rd day of Ramadan, and the levels found on the 3rd day of Ramadan were also significantly lower than those recorded one day before Ramadan. Ramadan fasting increases serum HSP70 and improves serum lipid profile.

A competitive immunoassay for ultrasensitive detection of Hg"2"+ in water, human serum and urine samples using immunochromatographic test based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

She, Pei; Chu, Yanxin; Liu, Chunwei; Guo, Xun; Zhao, Kang; Li, Jianguo; Du, Haijing; Zhang, Xiang; Wang, Hong; Deng, Anping

2016-01-01

An immunochromatographic test (ICT) strip was developed for ultrasensitive competitive immunoassay of Hg"2"+. This strategy was achieved by combining the easy-operation and rapidity of ICT with the high sensitivity of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Monoclonal antibody (mAb) against Hg"2"+ and Raman active substance 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) dual labelled gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were prepared as an immunoprobe. The Raman scattering intensity of MBA on the test line of the ICT strip was measured for quantitative determination of Hg"2"+. The ICT was able to directly detect Hg"2"+ without complexing due to the specific recognition of the mAb with Hg"2"+. The IC_5_0 and limit of detection (LOD) of the assay for Hg"2"+ detection were 0.12 ng mL"−"1 and 0.45 pg mL"−"1, respectively. There was no cross-reactivity (CR) of the assay with other nineteen ions and the ICT strips could be kept for 5 weeks without loss of activity. The recoveries of the assay for water, human serum and urine samples spiked with Hg"2"+ were in range of 88.3–107.3% with the relative standard deviations (RSD) of 1.5–9.5% (n = 3). The proposed ICT was used for the detection of Hg"2"+ in urine samples collected from Occupational Disease Hospital and the results were confirmed by cold-vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (CV-AFS). The assay exhibited high sensitivity, selectivity, stability, precision and accuracy, demonstrating a promising method for the detection of trace amount of Hg"2"+ in environmental water samples and biological serum and urine samples. - Highlights: • The proposed ICT was able to directly detect Hg"2"+ without formation of Hg"2"+-ligand complex. • The proposed ICT exhibited high sensitivity, specificity, stability, precision and accuracy for Hg"2"+ detection. • The proposed ICT was applicable for the detection of trace amount of Hg"2"+ in water, human serum and urine samples.

Thermal Shielding Effects of a Damaged Shock Absorber and an Intact Shock Absorber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bang, K. S.; Lee, J. C.; Kim, K. Y.; Seo, C. S.; Seo, K. S. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2011-05-15

In order to safely transport the radioactive waste arising from the hot test of an ACP(Advanced Spent Fuel Conditioning Process) a shipping package is required. Therefore, KAERI is developing a shipping package to transport the radioactive waste arising from the ACPF during a hot test. The regulatory requirements for a Type B package are specified in the Korea Most Act 2009-37, IAEA Safety Standard Series No. TS-R-1, and US 10 CFR Part. These regulatory guidelines classify the hot cell cask as a Type B package, and state that the Type B package for transporting radioactive materials should be able to withstand a test sequence consisting of a 9 m drop onto an unyielding surface, a 1 m drop onto a puncture bar, and a 30 minute fully engulfing fire. Greiner et al. investigated the thermal protection provided by shock absorbers by using the CAFE computer code. To evaluate the thermal shielding effect of the shock absorber, the thermal test was performed by using a 1/2 scale model with a shock absorber which was damaged by both a 9 m drop test and a 1 m puncture test. For the purpose of comparison, the thermal test was also carried out by using a 1/2 scale model with the intact shock absorber

Serum insulin like growth factor-1 is associated with working memory, executive function and selective attention in a sample of healthy, fit older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellar, D; Glickman, E L; Juvancic-Heltzel, J; Gunstad, J

2011-03-31

The present study examined the association between serum insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentrations and cognitive function in a sample of healthy, fit older adults (age: 70.8±9.3 years, body mass index (BMI): 27.3±5.7). Participants reported to the laboratory and basic anthropometric data were collected, followed by a fasted blood draw to quantify serum IGF-1. Participants then underwent cognitive testing that included the Mini-Mental Status Exam (MMSE), Trail Making Test A and B, Ruff's 2 and 7 test of selective attention and Letter Number Sequencing. Results showed the participants were generally cognitively intact (MMSE 27.6±1.8). Significant partial correlations (controlled for age, gender and years of education) emerged between serum IGF-1 concentrations and the total (r=0.381, P=0.030) and longest trial (r=0.455, P=0.011) on Letter Number Sequencing. Similar partial correlations yielded significant relationships between serum IGF-1 and Ruff's Automatic Detection Errors (r=-0.495, P=0.006), Controlled Speed Errors (r=-0.598, P=0.002) and errors made on the Trial Making Test part B (r=-0.466, P=0.010). These findings suggest that fasting levels of serum IGF-1 are related to higher levels of cognitive performance in healthy older adults, including working memory, selective attention and executive function. Further work is needed to more clearly determine possible mechanisms. Copyright © 2011 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On (m, n)-absorbing ideals of commutative rings

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

with respect to various ring theoretic constructions and study (m, n)-absorbing ideals in several commutative rings. For example, in a Bézout ring or a Boolean ring, an ideal is an (m, n)-absorbing ideal if and only if it is an n-absorbing ideal, and in an almost. Dedekind domain every (m, n)-absorbing ideal is a product of at ...

Effect of storage duration on cytokine stability in human serum and plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Fabien B; Nim, Hieu T; Lee, Jacinta P W; Morand, Eric F; Harris, James

2018-06-14

Quantification of analytes such as cytokines in serum samples is intrinsic to translational research in immune diseases. Optimising pre-analytical conditions is critical for ensuring study quality, including evaluation of cytokine stability. We aimed to evaluate the effect on cytokine stability of storage duration prior to freezing of serum, and compare to plasma samples obtained from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Protein stability was analysed by simultaneously quantifying 18 analytes using a custom multi-analyte profile in SLE patient serum and plasma samples that had been prospectively stored at 4 °C for pre-determined periods between 0 and 30 days, prior to freezing. Six analytes were excluded from analysis, because most tested samples were above or below the limit of detection. Amongst the 12 analysed proteins, 11 did not show significant signal degradation. Significant signal degradation was observed from the fourth day of storage for a single analyte, CCL19. Proteins levels were more stable in unseparated serum compared to plasma for most analytes, with the exception of IL-37 which appears slightly more stable in plasma. Based on this, a maximum 3 days of storage at 4 °C for unseparated serum samples is recommended for biobanked samples intended for cytokine analysis in studies of human immune disease. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trehalose significantly enhances the recovery of serum and serum exosomal miRNA from a paper-based matrix.

Science.gov (United States)

Neo, Shu Hui; Chung, Ka Yan; Quek, Jia Min; Too, Heng-Phon

2017-11-30

The preservation of nucleic acids from clinical samples is critical to facilitate accurate molecular diagnosis. The use of a paper matrix, Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) Elute cards, to archive DNA and viral RNA is well-documented. However, the feasibility of FTA Elute cards for archiving serum and serum exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) remains unclear. Here, we performed a comprehensive evaluation of FTA Elute cards for miRNA storage and recovery in different pre-analytical conditions. The recovery of serum miRNA dry-spotted on FTA Elute cards by direct elution with water at high temperature was poor. However, serum miRNAs dry-spotted on the cards were isolated with about 40% yield when using QIAzol lysis reagent and recovery was improved remarkably (>80%) upon extraction from cards pre-treated with trehalose. miRNAs stored on the cards remained stable at room temperature and can be kept for prolonged periods. Furthermore, miRNAs could be similarly recovered from serum exosomes dry-spotted on the cards. Importantly, when using sera from gastric cancer (GC) patients, the miRNAs were efficiently recovered from trehalose pre-treated cards without affecting their representation. Collectively, we have demonstrated the potential of FTA Elute cards to archive serum and serum exosomal miRNAs, making it useful for biomarker discovery and diagnostics.

Optimization of the radioimmunoassays for measuring fentanyl and alfentanil in human serum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuettler, J.; White, P.F.

1984-01-01

Measurement of serum fentanyl and alfentanil concentrations by radioimmunoassay (RIA) may result in significant errors and high variability when the technique described in the available fentanyl and alfentanil RIA kits is used. The authors found a 29-94% overestimation of measured fentanyl and alfentanil serum levels when 3H-fentanyl or 3H-alfentanil was added lastly to the mixture of antiserum and sample. This finding is related to a reduction in binding sites for the labeled compounds after preincubation of sample and antiserum. If this sequence is used, it becomes necessary to extend the incubation period up to 6 h for fentanyl and up to 10 h for alfentanil in order to achieve equilibration between unlabeled and labeled drug with respect to antiserum binding. However, when antiserum is added lastly to the mixture of sample and labeled drug, measurement accuracy and precision for fentanyl and alfentanil serum concentrations are enhanced markedly. In addition, it is important to perform the calibration curves and sample measurements using the same medium (i.e., serum alone or a serum/buffer dilution). In summary, to optimize the RIA for fentanyl and alfentanil, the authors recommend the following: 1) adding the antiserum lastly to the mixture of sample and labeled drug; 2) performing calibration curves using patient's blank serum when possible; 3) carefully examining and standardizing each step of the RIA procedure to reduce variability, and, finally; 4) comparing results with those of other established RIA laboratories

Optimization of the radioimmunoassays for measuring fentanyl and alfentanil in human serum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schuettler, J.; White, P.F.

1984-09-01

Measurement of serum fentanyl and alfentanil concentrations by radioimmunoassay (RIA) may result in significant errors and high variability when the technique described in the available fentanyl and alfentanil RIA kits is used. The authors found a 29-94% overestimation of measured fentanyl and alfentanil serum levels when 3H-fentanyl or 3H-alfentanil was added lastly to the mixture of antiserum and sample. This finding is related to a reduction in binding sites for the labeled compounds after preincubation of sample and antiserum. If this sequence is used, it becomes necessary to extend the incubation period up to 6 h for fentanyl and up to 10 h for alfentanil in order to achieve equilibration between unlabeled and labeled drug with respect to antiserum binding. However, when antiserum is added lastly to the mixture of sample and labeled drug, measurement accuracy and precision for fentanyl and alfentanil serum concentrations are enhanced markedly. In addition, it is important to perform the calibration curves and sample measurements using the same medium (i.e., serum alone or a serum/buffer dilution). In summary, to optimize the RIA for fentanyl and alfentanil, the authors recommend the following: 1) adding the antiserum lastly to the mixture of sample and labeled drug; 2) performing calibration curves using patient's blank serum when possible; 3) carefully examining and standardizing each step of the RIA procedure to reduce variability, and, finally; 4) comparing results with those of other established RIA laboratories.

Design of a nonlinear torsional vibration absorber

Science.gov (United States)

Tahir, Ammaar Bin

Tuned mass dampers (TMD) utilizing linear spring mechanisms to mitigate destructive vibrations are commonly used in practice. A TMD is usually tuned for a specific resonant frequency or an operating frequency of a system. Recently, nonlinear vibration absorbers attracted attention of researchers due to some potential advantages they possess over the TMDs. The nonlinear vibration absorber, or the nonlinear energy sink (NES), has an advantage of being effective over a broad range of excitation frequencies, which makes it more suitable for systems with several resonant frequencies, or for a system with varying excitation frequency. Vibration dissipation mechanism in an NES is passive and ensures that there is no energy backflow to the primary system. In this study, an experimental setup of a rotational system has been designed for validation of the concept of nonlinear torsional vibration absorber with geometrically induced cubic stiffness nonlinearity. Dimensions of the primary system have been optimized so as to get the first natural frequency of the system to be fairly low. This was done in order to excite the dynamic system for torsional vibration response by the available motor. Experiments have been performed to obtain the modal parameters of the system. Based on the obtained modal parameters, the design optimization of the nonlinear torsional vibration absorber was carried out using an equivalent 2-DOF modal model. The optimality criterion was chosen to be maximization of energy dissipation in the nonlinear absorber attached to the equivalent 2-DOF system. The optimized design parameters of the nonlinear absorber were tested on the original 5-DOF system numerically. A comparison was made between the performance of linear and nonlinear absorbers using the numerical models. The comparison showed the superiority of the nonlinear absorber over its linear counterpart for the given set of primary system parameters as the vibration energy dissipation in the former is

Influence of the collection tube on metabolomic changes in serum and plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Bascón, M A; Priego-Capote, F; Peralbo-Molina, A; Calderón-Santiago, M; Luque de Castro, M D

2016-04-01

Major threats in metabolomics clinical research are biases in sampling and preparation of biological samples. Bias in sample collection is a frequently forgotten aspect responsible for uncontrolled errors in metabolomics analysis. There is a great diversity of blood collection tubes for sampling serum or plasma, which are widely used in metabolomics analysis. Most of the existing studies dealing with the influence of blood collection on metabolomics analysis have been restricted to comparison between plasma and serum. However, polymeric gel tubes, which are frequently proposed to accelerate the separation of serum and plasma, have not been studied. In the present research, samples of serum or plasma collected in polymeric gel tubes were compared with those taken in conventional tubes from a metabolomics perspective using an untargeted GC-TOF/MS approach. The main differences between serum and plasma collected in conventional tubes affected to critical pathways such as the citric acid cycle, metabolism of amino acids, fructose and mannose metabolism and that of glycerolipids, and pentose and glucuronate interconversion. On the other hand, the polymeric gel only promoted differences at the metabolite level in serum since no critical differences were observed between plasma collected with EDTA tubes and polymeric gel tubes. Thus, the main changes were attributable to serum collected in gel and affected to the metabolism of amino acids such as alanine, proline and threonine, the glycerolipids metabolism, and two primary metabolites such as aconitic acid and lactic acid. Therefore, these metabolite changes should be taken into account in planning an experimental protocol for metabolomics analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of mercury in human serum and packed blood cells by neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Versieck, J.; Vanballenberghe, L.; Wittoek, A.; Vermeir, G.; Vandecasteele, C.

1990-01-01

A method is described for the determination of mercury in human blood serum and packed blood cells employing neutron activation analysis. Great attention was devoted to the collection and manipulation of the samples. The accuracy and precision of the method were tested by analyzing biological reference materials and by comparing the concentrations measured in a number of serum samples to those obtained by another, independent technique (cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry) in the same samples. The article reports the levels measured in blood serum and packed blood cells samples from 15 adult volunteers, as well as the figures determined in a open-quotes second-generationclose quotes biological reference material (freeze-dried human serum), prepared and conditioned at the University of Ghent

Final LDRD report : development of sample preparation methods for ChIPMA-based imaging mass spectrometry of tissue samples.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maharrey, Sean P.; Highley, Aaron M.; Behrens, Richard, Jr.; Wiese-Smith, Deneille

2007-12-01

The objective of this short-term LDRD project was to acquire the tools needed to use our chemical imaging precision mass analyzer (ChIPMA) instrument to analyze tissue samples. This effort was an outgrowth of discussions with oncologists on the need to find the cellular origin of signals in mass spectra of serum samples, which provide biomarkers for ovarian cancer. The ultimate goal would be to collect chemical images of biopsy samples allowing the chemical images of diseased and nondiseased sections of a sample to be compared. The equipment needed to prepare tissue samples have been acquired and built. This equipment includes an cyro-ultramicrotome for preparing thin sections of samples and a coating unit. The coating unit uses an electrospray system to deposit small droplets of a UV-photo absorbing compound on the surface of the tissue samples. Both units are operational. The tissue sample must be coated with the organic compound to enable matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) and matrix enhanced secondary ion mass spectrometry (ME-SIMS) measurements with the ChIPMA instrument Initial plans to test the sample preparation using human tissue samples required development of administrative procedures beyond the scope of this LDRD. Hence, it was decided to make two types of measurements: (1) Testing the spatial resolution of ME-SIMS by preparing a substrate coated with a mixture of an organic matrix and a bio standard and etching a defined pattern in the coating using a liquid metal ion beam, and (2) preparing and imaging C. elegans worms. Difficulties arose in sectioning the C. elegans for analysis and funds and time to overcome these difficulties were not available in this project. The facilities are now available for preparing biological samples for analysis with the ChIPMA instrument. Some further investment of time and resources in sample preparation should make this a useful tool for chemical imaging applications.

Performance evaluation of CFRP-rubber shock absorbers

Science.gov (United States)

Lamanna, Giuseppe; Sepe, Raffaele

2014-05-01

In the present work a numerical investigation on the energy absorbing capability of dedicated structural components made of a carbon fiber reinforced polymer and an emulsion polymerised styrene butadiene rubber is reported. The shock absorbers are devices designed to absorb large amounts of energy by sacrificing their own structural integrity. Their aim is to cushion the effects of an impact phenomenon with the intent to preserve other structures from global failure or local damaging. Another important role of shock absorbers is reducing the peak of the acceleration showed during an impact phenomenon. This effect is of considerable interest in the case of vehicles to preserve passengers' safety. Static and dynamic numerical results are compared with experimental ones in terms of mean crushing forces, energy and peak crushing. The global performance of the absorbers has been evaluated by referencing to a proposed quality index.

Performance evaluation of CFRP-rubber shock absorbers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lamanna, Giuseppe, E-mail: giuseppe.lamanna@unina2.it; Sepe, Raffaele, E-mail: giuseppe.lamanna@unina2.it [Department of Industrial and Information Engineering, Second University of Naples, via Roma, 29 - 81031 Aversa (Italy)

2014-05-15

In the present work a numerical investigation on the energy absorbing capability of dedicated structural components made of a carbon fiber reinforced polymer and an emulsion polymerised styrene butadiene rubber is reported. The shock absorbers are devices designed to absorb large amounts of energy by sacrificing their own structural integrity. Their aim is to cushion the effects of an impact phenomenon with the intent to preserve other structures from global failure or local damaging. Another important role of shock absorbers is reducing the peak of the acceleration showed during an impact phenomenon. This effect is of considerable interest in the case of vehicles to preserve passengers’ safety. Static and dynamic numerical results are compared with experimental ones in terms of mean crushing forces, energy and peak crushing. The global performance of the absorbers has been evaluated by referencing to a proposed quality index.

Electromagnetic behavior of radar absorbing materials based on Ca hexaferrite modified with Co-Ti ions and doped with La

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valdirene Aparecida da Silva

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Radar Absorbing Materials (RAM are compounds that absorb incidental electromagnetic radiation in tuned frequencies and dissipate it as heat. Its preparation involves the adequate processing of polymeric matrices filled with compounds that act as radar absorbing centers in the microwave range. This work shows the electromagnetic evaluation of RAM based on CoTi and La doped Ca hexaferrite. Vibrating Sample Magnetization analyses show that ion substitution promoted low values for the parameters of saturation magnetization (123.65 Am2/kg and coercive field (0.07 T indicating ferrite softening. RAM samples obtained using different hexaferrite concentrations (40-80 per cent, w/w show variations in complex permeability and permittivity parameters and also in the performance of incidental radiation attenuation. Microwave attenuation values between 40 and 98 per cent were obtained.

A study of serum lipid profile and serum apolipoproteins A1 and B in Indian male violent criminal offenders.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakrabarti, Nandini; Sinha, V K

2006-01-01

High cholesterol has been advanced as the most important factor in the development of coronary artery disease. Most panels have recommended population-wide dietary restrictions, yet a body of evolving data yields evidence of the hazards of low cholesterol, including links to aggression and hostility. The aim of this study was to compare the serum lipid profile and serum apolipoproteins A1 and B of men with a violent criminal record and men with no criminal history. Fasting blood samples were collected from 30 men with a known history of violent crime and 30 men with no criminal record. Serum lipid profile and serum apolipoproteins A1 and B were measured in each sample, and compared between the two groups. The group with the violent criminal record showed significantly lower total cholesterol, lower LDL cholesterol, higher apolipoprotein A1 and lower apolipoprotein B compared with the control group. Lower total cholesterol, lower LDL cholesterol, higher apolipoprotein A1 and lower apolipoprotein B could predispose to violence. Future research might explore the possibility that diets offered in prison could affect relevant pathways in lipid metabolism. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Burnable absorber coated nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chubb, W.; Radford, K.C.; Parks, B.H.

1984-01-01

A nuclear fuel body which is at least partially covered by a burnable neutron absorber layer is provided with a hydrophobic overcoat generally covering the burnable absorber layer and bonded directly to it. In a method for providing a UO 2 fuel pellet with a zirconium diboride burnable poison layer, the fuel body is provided with an intermediate niobium layer. (author)

Organic cattle products: Authenticating production origin by analysis of serum mineral content.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Bermúdez, Ruth; Herrero-Latorre, Carlos; López-Alonso, Marta; Losada, David E; Iglesias, Roberto; Miranda, Marta

2018-10-30

An authentication procedure for differentiating between organic and non-organic cattle production on the basis of analysis of serum samples has been developed. For this purpose, the concentrations of fourteen mineral elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, I, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn) in 522 serum samples from cows (341 from organic farms and 181 from non-organic farms), determined by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry, were used. The chemical information provided by serum analysis was employed to construct different pattern recognition classification models that predict the origin of each sample: organic or non-organic class. Among all classification procedures considered, the best results were obtained with the decision tree C5.0, Random Forest and AdaBoost neural networks, with hit levels close to 90% for both production types. The proposed method, involving analysis of serum samples, provided rapid, accurate in vivo classification of cattle according to organic and non-organic production type. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical and biochemical assessment of high serum vitamin B12 levels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arendt, Johan Frederik Berg; Nexø, Ebba

2012-01-01

Introduction: Measurement of serum cobalamin (Cbl) is routinely used to assess suspected Cbl deficiency. Surprisingly, 15% of all samples analysed for serum Cbl show values above the reference range of 200-600 pmol/L. Aim: We hypothesized that increased Cbl levels are caused by alterations...... in the circulating Cbl binding proteins haptocorrin (HC) and/or transcobalamin (TC), and that such changes may be of clinical importance. Materials and methods: We collected 834 blood samples from hospital treated patients with serum Cbl levels: 1000 pmol/L. In-house ELISAs were used...

Cold tests of HOM absorber material for the ARIEL eLINAC at TRIUMF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolb, P.; Laxdal, R.E.; Zvyagintsev, V.; Chao, Y.C.; Amini, B.

2014-01-01

At TRIUMF development of a 50 MeV electron accelerator is well under way. Five 1.3 GHz, superconducting 9-cell cavities will accelerate 10 mA electrons to a production target to produce rare isotopes. Each cavity will provide 10 MV accelerating voltage. Plans to upgrade the accelerator in the future to a small ring with ERL capabilities requires that the shunt impedance of the dipole higher order modes to be less than 10MΩ . The design of the accelerator incorporates beam line absorbers to reduce the shunt impedance of potentially dangerous dipole modes. The performance of the absorber is dependant on its electrical conductivity at the operational temperature. Measurements of the electrical conductivity in RF fields of a sample of the proposed beam line absorber material at room temperature and at its operational temperature will be presented for frequencies between 1.3 and 2.4 GHz

Cold tests of HOM absorber material for the ARIEL eLINAC at TRIUMF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolb, P., E-mail: kolb@triumf.ca [TRIUMF, Canada' s National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics, 4004 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 2A3 (Canada); University of British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 1Z1 (Canada); Laxdal, R.E., E-mail: lax@triumf.ca [TRIUMF, Canada' s National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics, 4004 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 2A3 (Canada); Zvyagintsev, V.; Chao, Y.C. [TRIUMF, Canada' s National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics, 4004 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 2A3 (Canada); Amini, B. [TRIUMF, Canada' s National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics, 4004 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 2A3 (Canada); University of British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 1Z1 (Canada)

2014-01-11

At TRIUMF development of a 50 MeV electron accelerator is well under way. Five 1.3 GHz, superconducting 9-cell cavities will accelerate 10 mA electrons to a production target to produce rare isotopes. Each cavity will provide 10 MV accelerating voltage. Plans to upgrade the accelerator in the future to a small ring with ERL capabilities requires that the shunt impedance of the dipole higher order modes to be less than 10MΩ . The design of the accelerator incorporates beam line absorbers to reduce the shunt impedance of potentially dangerous dipole modes. The performance of the absorber is dependant on its electrical conductivity at the operational temperature. Measurements of the electrical conductivity in RF fields of a sample of the proposed beam line absorber material at room temperature and at its operational temperature will be presented for frequencies between 1.3 and 2.4 GHz.

Fecal corticosterone reflects serum corticosterone in Florida sandhill cranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ludders, J W; Langenberg, J A; Czekala, N M; Erb, H N

2001-07-01

Florida sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis pratensis) were conditioned to confinement 6 hr/day for 7 days. On day 8, each bird's jugular vein was catheterized, blood samples were drawn, and each crane was confined for 6 hr. Using a randomized, restricted cross-over design, cranes were injected intravenously with either 0.9% NaCl solution or ACTH (cosyntropin; Cortrosyn; 0.25 mg). During the 6 hr of confinement, fecal samples (feces and urine) were collected from each of five cranes immediately after defecation. Individual fecal samples were collected approximately at hourly intervals and assayed for corticosterone. We showed previously that serum corticosterone did not vary significantly following saline injection, but peaked significantly 60 min after ACTH injection. Maximal fecal corticosterone concentrations (ng/g) were greater (P cranes under controlled conditions, fecal corticosterone concentration reflects serum corticosterone levels, fecal corticosterone, Grus canadensis pratensis, sandhill cranes, serum corticosterone levels.

Precision test method by x-ray absorbent clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakadai, Toru; Matsukawa, Hideyuki; Sekita, Jun-ichiro; Murakoshi, Atsushi.

1982-01-01

In X-ray penetration photography of such as welds with reinforcing metal and castings of complex shape, the X-ray absorbent clay developed to eliminate various disadvantages of the conventional absorbents was further studied for better application. The results of the usage are as follows. Because the X-ray absorbent is clay, it is flexible in form, and gives good adhesion to test objects. In the welds and castings mentioned, it is effective for reducing the scattered ray, accordingly, it results in superior images. The following matters are described: contrast in radiographs, the required conditions for X-ray absorbents in general, the properties of the absorbent (absorption coefficient, consistency, density), improvement in radiographs by means of the X-ray absorbent clay (wall thickness compensation, masking, the application together with narrow-field irradiation photography). (Mori, K.)

Preparation of dual-layer coated polyester membranes with nuclear tracks and their wave-absorbing property

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Cunxiong; Hu Lian; Ni Bangfa; Tian Weizhi; Fan Qiwen; Xiao Caijin; Nie Peng; Wang Pingsheng; Zhang Guiying; Huang Donghui

2010-01-01

Nanometer materials are of importance in developing electromagnetic-wave-absorbing materials. In this work, 16 μm thick polyester membranes were bombarded by 140 MeV 32 S ions from the HI-13 tandem accelerator to produce latent tracks. The bombarded samples were sensitized by DMF and UV light at 360 nm wavelength, before chemical etching by NaOH solution to develop latent tracks into pores in sizes of nanometers or micrometers in full depth of the membrane. The samples were coated with thin layers of barium ferrite and magnesium fluoride by vacuum evaporation. The reflectivity indices were measured at 2-18 GHz. The results indicate that the modified polyester membrane can effectively absorb 8-18 GHz radar waves.(authors)

An ultra-broadband multilayered graphene absorber

KAUST Repository

Amin, Muhammad

2013-01-01

An ultra-broadband multilayered graphene absorber operating at terahertz (THz) frequencies is proposed. The absorber design makes use of three mechanisms: (i) The graphene layers are asymmetrically patterned to support higher order surface plasmon modes that destructively interfere with the dipolar mode and generate electromagnetically induced absorption. (ii) The patterned graphene layers biased at different gate voltages backedup with dielectric substrates are stacked on top of each other. The resulting absorber is polarization dependent but has an ultra-broadband of operation. (iii) Graphene\\'s damping factor is increased by lowering its electron mobility to 1000cm 2=Vs. Indeed, numerical experiments demonstrate that with only three layers, bandwidth of 90% absorption can be extended upto 7THz, which is drastically larger than only few THz of bandwidth that can be achieved with existing metallic/graphene absorbers. © 2013 Optical Society of America.

Polymerized soluble venom--human serum albumin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patterson, R.; Suszko, I.M.; Grammer, L.C.

1985-01-01

Extensive previous studies have demonstrated that attempts to produce polymers of Hymenoptera venoms for human immunotherapy resulted in insoluble precipitates that could be injected with safety but with very limited immunogenicity in allergic patients. We now report soluble polymers prepared by conjugating bee venom with human serum albumin with glutaraldehyde. The bee venom-albumin polymer (BVAP) preparation was fractionated on Sephacryl S-300 to have a molecular weight range higher than catalase. 125 I-labeled bee venom phospholipase A was almost completely incorporated into BVAP. Rabbit antibody responses to bee venom and bee venom phospholipase A were induced by BVAP. Human antisera against bee venom were absorbed by BVAP. No new antigenic determinants on BVAP were present as evidenced by absorption of antisera against BVAP by bee venom and albumin. BVAP has potential immunotherapeutic value in patients with anaphylactic sensitivity to bee venom

Energy Absorbing Effectiveness – Different Approaches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kotełko Maria

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In the paper the study of different crashworthiness indicators used to evaluate energy absorbing effectiveness of thin-walled energy absorbers is presented. Several different indicators are used to assess an effectiveness of two types of absorbing structures, namely thin-walled prismatic column with flaws and thin-walled prismatic frustum (hollow or foam filled in both cases subjected to axial compressive impact load. The indicators are calculated for different materials and different geometrical parameters. The problem of selection of the most appropriate and general indicators is discussed.

Microwave absorbing property of a hybrid absorbent with carbonyl irons coating on the graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Yonggang, E-mail: xuyonggang221@163.com [Science and Technology on Electromagnetic Scattering Laboratory, Shanghai, 200438 (China); Yan, Zhenqiang; Zhang, Deyuan [Bionic and Micro/Nano/Bio Manufacturing Technology Research Center, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191 (China)

2015-11-30

Graphical abstract: The absorbing property could be enhanced as the CIPs coated on the graphite. - Highlights: • Absorbers filled with CIPs coating on the graphite was fabricated. • The permittivity and permeability increased as CIPs coated. • The CIP materials enhanced the electromagnetic property. • The graphite coated CIPs were effective in 2–18 GHz. - Abstract: The hybrid absorbent filled with carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) coating on the graphite was prepared using a chemical vapor decomposition (CVD) process. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns were done to analyze the particle crystal grain structure. The complex permittivity and permeability were measured using a vector network analyzer in the frequency range of 2–18 GHz. The results showed that α-Fe appeared in the super-lattice diffraction peaks in XRD graph. The composites added CIPs coating on the graphite had a higher permittivity and imaginary permeability due to the superior microwave dielectric loss and magnetic loss of the CIPs. The reflection loss (RL) result showed that composites filled with 5 vol% Fe-graphite had an excellent absorbing property in the 2–18 GHz, the minimum RL was −25.14 dB at 6 mm and −26.52 dB at 8 mm, respectively.

Optimization of a colorimetric assay for glycosylated human serum albumin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bohney, J.P.; Feldhoff, R.C.

1986-01-01

The thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay has been used for several years to quantitate the amount of glucose which has been non-enzymatically linked to hemoglobin and other proteins. The ketoamine-protein adduct is converted to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) by mild hydrolysis with oxalic acid. Reaction of HMF with TBA yields a colored product which has an absorbance maximum at 443 nm. Several modifications of the original procedure has been published, but none permit the unambiguous quantitation of glycosylated human serum albumin (glc-HSA). Problems relate to reagent preparation and stability, the time and temperature of hydrolysis, the choice of standards, and background color corrections. The authors have found that maximum color yield occurs after hydrolysis in an autoclave for 2 h. This increases the sensitivity 3-fold and cuts the assay time in half relative to hydrolysis for 4.5 h at 100 0 C. A NaBH 4 reduction of a parallel protein sample must be performed to correct for variable background color associated with different sample sources and amounts. HMF can be used as a standard, however, corrections must be made for HMF degradation. Fructose is a better standard, but HMF formation from fructose is faster than formation from glc-HSA. This may result in an underestimate of percent glycosylation. The best standard appears to be glc-HSA prepared with [ 3 H]glucose. It appears that with proper controls and standards the TBA assay can be used to determine actual rather than relative percent glycosylation

Radioimmunoassay of haloperidol in human serum: correlation of serum haloperidol with serum prolactin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poland, R.E.; Rubin, R.T.

1981-01-01

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) for measurement of serum haloperidol is described. Compared to gaschromatography (GC), RIA vaues average 40% higher. However, a simple organic extraction of serum yields statistically equivalent RIA and GC haloperidol determinations. For both men and women combined, there was a positive correlation between dose (mg/kg/day) and steady-state serum haloperidol level (r = +0.86) and between steady-state serum haloperidol and serum prolactin (PRL) concentration

Adjustable Shock Absorbers

OpenAIRE

Adamiec, Radek

2012-01-01

Bakalářská práce obsahuje přehled používaných tlumičů osobních automobilů, závodních automobilů a motocyklů. Jsou zde popsány systémy t lumením, konstrukce tlumičů a vidlic používaných u motocyklů. Dále je zde přehled prvků používaných u podvozků automobilů. This bachelor´s thesis contains the survey of the shock absorbers of passenger cars, racing cars and motorcycles. Are described damping systems, the design used shock absorbers and forks for motorcycles. Then there is the list of the e...

Slow and Fast Light in an Electro-Absorber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Öhman, Filip; Bermejo Ramirez, Andres; Sales, Salvador

2006-01-01

We demonstrate controllable and large time delay in cascaded semiconductor saturable absorbers and amplifiers. The possibility of further increasing the tuneable phase shift by utilizing field screening effects in the quantum well absorber is demonstrated.......We demonstrate controllable and large time delay in cascaded semiconductor saturable absorbers and amplifiers. The possibility of further increasing the tuneable phase shift by utilizing field screening effects in the quantum well absorber is demonstrated....

Trehalose significantly enhances the recovery of serum and serum exosomal miRNA from a paper-based matrix

OpenAIRE

Neo, Shu Hui; Chung, Ka Yan; Quek, Jia Min; Too, Heng-Phon

2017-01-01

The preservation of nucleic acids from clinical samples is critical to facilitate accurate molecular diagnosis. The use of a paper matrix, Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) Elute cards, to archive DNA and viral RNA is well-documented. However, the feasibility of FTA Elute cards for archiving serum and serum exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) remains unclear. Here, we performed a comprehensive evaluation of FTA Elute cards for miRNA storage and recovery in different pre-analytical conditions. The ...

Mg II-Absorbing Galaxies in the UltraVISTA Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Stroupe, Darren; Lundgren, Britt

2018-01-01

Light that is emitted from distant quasars can become partially absorbed by intervening gaseous structures, including galaxies, in its path toward Earth, revealing information about the chemical content, degree of ionization, organization and evolution of these structures through time. In this project, quasar spectra are used to probe the halos of foreground galaxies at a mean redshift of z=1.1 in the COSMOS Field. Mg II absorption lines in Sloan Digital Sky Survey quasar spectra are paired with galaxies in the UltraVISTA catalog at an impact parameter less than 200 kpc. A sample of 77 strong Mg II absorbers with a rest-frame equivalent width ≥ 0.3 Å and redshift from 0.34 < z < 2.21 are investigated to find equivalent width ratios of Mg II, C IV and Fe II absorption lines, and their relation to the impact parameter and the star formation rates, stellar masses, environments and redshifts of their host galaxies.

Comparison of immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoglobulin G avidity techniques for screening of anti: Toxoplasma antibodies among single serum sample pregnant women in Tabriz, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehrangiz Rajaii

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Congenital toxoplasmosis is that pregnant women acquire the infection during gestation; diagnosis of the acute infection during pregnancy is a complex subject of maternal toxoplasmosis. Thus, the presence of immunoglobulin G (IgG and/or IgM Toxoplasma antibodies in a single serum sample drawn during gestation cannot be used to define whether the infection was recently acquired or chronic. Materials and Methods: At this cross-sectional descriptive study, sera of 391 pregnant women examined and compared. They were in an age range of 21-35 years, referred by gynecologists and infectious disease specialists, during March 2012-April 2013. They have referred, 215 (54.98%, 102 (26%, 74 (18.92% in the first, second and third trimesters of gestation, respectively. For each of them, a questionnaire was completed and serum samples were prepared in an equal condition, examined according to the procedures of indirect immunofluorescence (IIF, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA and IgG Avidity techniques. Results: We have found 111 (28.38% seronegative and 280 (71.61% seropositive cases by IIF and 124 (31.70% seronegative, 267 (68.28% seropositive cases by ELISA. The IgG avidity test confirmed 45 (69.23% and 7 (10.76% doubtful cases of IgM test in IIF and ELISA techniques. Conclusions: This study highlights how to manage pregnant women with toxoplasmosis, especially in a single serum sample condition.

Performance of an absorbing concentrating solar collectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imadojemu, H.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on a comparison of the efficiency of an absorbing fluid parabolic trough concentrating solar collector and a traditional concentrating collector that was made. In the absorbing fluid collector, black liquid flows through a glass tube absorber while the same black liquid flows through a selective black coated copper tube absorber while the same black fluid flows through a selective black coated copper tube absorber in the traditional collector. After a careful study of the properties of available black liquids, a mixture of water and black ink was chosen as the black absorbing medium or transfer fluid. In the black liquid glass collector there is a slightly improved efficiency based on beam radiation as a result of the direct absorption process and an increase in the effective transmittance absorptance. At worst the efficiency of this collector equals that of the traditional concentrating collector when the efficiency is based on total radiation. The collector's reflecting surfaces were made of aluminum sheet, parabolic line focus and with cylindrical receivers. The ease of manufacture and reduced cost per unit energy collected, in addition to the clean and pollution free mode of energy conversion, makes it very attractive

Factors in selecting serum samples for use in determining the positive/negative threshold (cut-off) in ELISA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobson, R.H.

1998-01-01

The threshold (cut-off) that defines whether a test result is seropositive or seronegative is calculated by testing serum samples from a subpopulation of animals that is assumed to represent the target population in all aspects. For this proposition to be true, it is essential to consider the variables in the target population that must be represented in the subpopulation. Without representation of the variables in the subpopulation, it is likely that the cut-off selected for the test will be errant and will misclassify animals as to their infection status. The purpose of this paper is to identify a few of the principal variables that need to be taken into account when selecting a subpopulation of animals for test validation. (author)

Comments on liquid hydrogen absorbers for MICE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, Michael A.

2003-01-01

This report describes the heat transfer problems associated with a liquid hydrogen absorber for the MICE experiment. This report describes a technique for modeling heat transfer from the outside world, to the absorber case and in its vacuum vessel, to the hydrogen and then into helium gas at 14 K. Also presented are the equation for free convection cooling of the liquid hydrogen in the absorber

Spectral Estimation of UV-Vis Absorbance Time Series for Water Quality Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonardo Plazas-Nossa

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Context: Signals recorded as multivariate time series by UV-Vis absorbance captors installed in urban sewer systems, can be non-stationary, yielding complications in the analysis of water quality monitoring. This work proposes to perform spectral estimation using the Box-Cox transformation and differentiation in order to obtain stationary multivariate time series in a wide sense. Additionally, Principal Component Analysis (PCA is applied to reduce their dimensionality. Method: Three different UV-Vis absorbance time series for different Colombian locations were studied: (i El-Salitre Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP in Bogotá; (ii Gibraltar Pumping Station (GPS in Bogotá; and (iii San-Fernando WWTP in Itagüí. Each UV-Vis absorbance time series had equal sample number (5705. The esti-mation of the spectral power density is obtained using the average of modified periodograms with rectangular window and an overlap of 50%, with the 20 most important harmonics from the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT and Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT. Results: Absorbance time series dimensionality reduction using PCA, resulted in 6, 8 and 7 principal components for each study site respectively, altogether explaining more than 97% of their variability. Values of differences below 30% for the UV range were obtained for the three study sites, while for the visible range the maximum differences obtained were: (i 35% for El-Salitre WWTP; (ii 61% for GPS; and (iii 75% for San-Fernando WWTP. Conclusions: The Box-Cox transformation and the differentiation process applied to the UV-Vis absorbance time series for the study sites (El-Salitre, GPS and San-Fernando, allowed to reduce variance and to eliminate ten-dency of the time series. A pre-processing of UV-Vis absorbance time series is recommended to detect and remove outliers and then apply the proposed process for spectral estimation. Language: Spanish.

Manipulating surface wettability and oil absorbency of diatomite depending on processing and ambient conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Özen, İlhan; Şimşek, Süleyman; Okyay, Gamze

2015-03-01

In this study, a diatomite sample, which is a natural inorganic mineral with inherently high water and oil absorption capacity, was subjected to grinding before surface modification. Afterwards, the diatomite surface was modified via facile methods using a fluorocarbon (FC) chemical and stearic acid (SA) in addition to the sol-gel fluorosilanization (FS) process. The water and oil wettability, and oil absorbency properties of the unmodified and modified diatomites were investigated in addition to diatomite characterizations such as chemical content, surface area, particle size distribution, morphology, and modification efficiency. It was revealed that the wettability was changed completely depending on the surface modification agent and the media used, while the oil absorbency property surprisingly did not change. On the other hand, the oil absorbency was worsened by the grinding process, whereas the wettability was not affected.

Photovoltaic characterization of Copper-Indium-Gallium Sulfide (CIGS2) solar cells for lower absorber thicknesses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasekar, Parag S., E-mail: psvasekar@yahoo.co [Florida Solar Energy Center, 1679 Clearlake Rd., Cocoa FL, 32922 (United States); Jahagirdar, Anant H.; Dhere, Neelkanth G. [Florida Solar Energy Center, 1679 Clearlake Rd., Cocoa FL, 32922 (United States)

2010-01-31

Chalcopyrites are important contenders among thin-film solar cells due to their direct band gap and higher absorption coefficient. Copper-Indium-Gallium Sulfide (CIGS2) is a chalcopyrite material with a near-optimum band gap of {approx} 1.5 eV. Record efficiency of 11.99% has been achieved on a 2.7 {mu}m CIGS2 film prepared by sulfurization at the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) PV Materials Lab. In this work, photovoltaic performance analysis has been carried out for a 1.5 {mu}m absorber prepared under similar conditions as that of a 2.7 {mu}m thick absorber sample. It was observed that there is an increase in diode factor and reverse saturation current density when the absorber thickness was decreased. The diode factor increased from 1.69 to 2.18 and reverse saturation current density increased from 1.04 x 10{sup -10} mA/cm{sup 2} to 1.78 x 10{sup -8} mA/cm{sup 2}. This can be attributed to a decrease in the grain size when the absorber thickness is decreased. It was also observed that there is an improvement in the shunt resistance. Improvement in shunt resistance can be attributed to optimized value of i:ZnO for lower absorber thickness and less shunting paths due to a smoother absorber.

Photovoltaic characterization of Copper-Indium-Gallium Sulfide (CIGS2) solar cells for lower absorber thicknesses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasekar, Parag S.; Jahagirdar, Anant H.; Dhere, Neelkanth G.

2010-01-01

Chalcopyrites are important contenders among thin-film solar cells due to their direct band gap and higher absorption coefficient. Copper-Indium-Gallium Sulfide (CIGS2) is a chalcopyrite material with a near-optimum band gap of ∼ 1.5 eV. Record efficiency of 11.99% has been achieved on a 2.7 μm CIGS2 film prepared by sulfurization at the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) PV Materials Lab. In this work, photovoltaic performance analysis has been carried out for a 1.5 μm absorber prepared under similar conditions as that of a 2.7 μm thick absorber sample. It was observed that there is an increase in diode factor and reverse saturation current density when the absorber thickness was decreased. The diode factor increased from 1.69 to 2.18 and reverse saturation current density increased from 1.04 x 10 -10 mA/cm 2 to 1.78 x 10 -8 mA/cm 2 . This can be attributed to a decrease in the grain size when the absorber thickness is decreased. It was also observed that there is an improvement in the shunt resistance. Improvement in shunt resistance can be attributed to optimized value of i:ZnO for lower absorber thickness and less shunting paths due to a smoother absorber.

[Cultivation of a permanent fish cell line in serum-free media special experiences with a cytotoxicity test for waste water samples

Science.gov (United States)

Kohlpoth, Martin; Rusche, Brigitte

1997-01-01

The use of fetal calf serum (FCS) as standard medium additive for the cell cultivation must be regarded critically from the point of view of animal welfare as well as for scientific reasons and makes it necessary to look for alternatives. In the last years an in vitro cytotoxicity assay for the testing of industrial waste waters with the permanent fish cell line RTG-2 was established and pre-validated as an alternative to the fish test with the golden orfe. The application of FCS is also a special problem with regard to the testing of waste waters in a cytotoxicity test so that FCS-alternatives were tested. The RTG-2 cells were successfully adapted to the two solvents Basal Medium Supplement (BMS) and Ultroser-G (U-G) that are used to replace serum. The characterisation of these adapted cell lines showed no significant differences in growth rate, adhesion rate, viability and sensitivity to chemicals in comparison to the original RTG-2 cells. On the determination of the cytotoxicity of industrial waste waters the RTG-2 cells adapted to the BMS medium indicated a clearly higher toxicity of the waste water samples than the original RTG-2 cells. This result confirms the thesis that serum components react with waste water elements and thus change the bio-availability of toxic compounds.

Development of FeCoB/Graphene Oxide based microwave absorbing materials for X-Band region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, Sukanta; Chandra Nayak, Ganesh; Sahu, S.K.; Oraon, Ramesh

2015-01-01

This work explored the microwave absorption capability of Graphene Oxide and Graphene Oxide coated with FeCoB for stealth technology. Epoxy based microwave absorbing materials were prepared with 30% loading of Graphene Oxide, FeCoB alloy and Graphene Oxide coated with FeCoB. Graphene Oxide and FeCoB were synthesized by Hummer's and Co-precipitation methods, respectively. The filler particles were characterized by FESEM, XRD and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer techniques. Permittivity, permeability and reflection loss values of the composite absorbers were measured with vector network analyzer which showed a reflection loss value of −7.86 dB, at 10.72 GHz, for single layered Graphene Oxide/Epoxy based microwave absorbers which can be correlated to the absorption of about 83.97% of the incident microwave energy. Reflection loss value of FeCoB/Epoxy based microwave absorber showed −13.30 dB at 11.67 GHz, which corresponded to maximum absorption of 93.8%. However, reflection loss values of Graphene Oxide coated with FeCoB/Epoxy based single-layer absorber increased to −22.24 dB at 12.4 GHz which corresponds to an absorption of 99% of the incident microwave energy. - Highlights: • FeCoB coated Graphene Oxide (GO) was synthesized by co-precipitation method. • GO, FeCoB and GO@FeCoB based microwave absorbers were developed with Epoxy matrix. • GO and FeCoB/Epoxy absorbers showed −7.86 & −13.30 dB reflection loss, respectively. • Maximum Reflection loss of −22.24 dB was achieved with GO@FeCoB/Epoxy absorber

Evolution of the Calcium Paradigm: The Relation between Vitamin D, Serum Calcium and Calcium Absorption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Borje E. Christopher Nordin

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Osteoporosis is the index disease for calcium deficiency, just as rickets/osteomalacia is the index disease for vitamin D deficiency, but there is considerable overlap between them. The common explanation for this overlap is that hypovitaminosis D causes malabsorption of calcium which then causes secondary hyperparathyroidism and is effectively the same thing as calcium deficiency. This paradigm is incorrect. Hypovitaminosis D causes secondary hyperparathyroidism at serum calcidiol levels lower than 60 nmol/L long before it causes malabsorption of calcium because serum calcitriol (which controls calcium absorption is maintained until serum calcidiol falls below 20 nmol/L. This secondary hyperparathyroidism, probably due to loss of a “calcaemic” action of vitamin D on bone first described in 1957, destroys bone and explains why vitamin D insufficiency is a risk factor for osteoporosis. Vitamin D thus plays a central role in the maintenance of the serum (ionised calcium, which is more important to the organism than the preservation of the skeleton. Bone is sacrificed when absorbed dietary calcium does not match excretion through the skin, kidneys and bowel which is why calcium deficiency causes osteoporosis in experimental animals and, by implication, in humans.

Fast-response cryogenic calorimeter containing a 52-KG radiation absorber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bendt, P.J.; Yarnell, J.L.

1977-01-01

An isothermal liquid helium boiloff calorimeter containing a 52-kg copper radiation absorber, and having a time constant 235 U foils irradiated in a nuclear reactor. The short response time was achieved by the large reduction in heat capacity of solids at 4 0 K, and by nearly isothermal operation. Though the initial power level was approx.3 W, the maximum thermal energy storage was approx.1 joule. The Al clad foils were transported in approx.1 s, and cooled to liquid helium temperature in approx.3 s. Boil-off helium gas was warmed to room temperature in a controlled manner, and measured with a hot-film anemometer flowmeter, which was calibrated by comparison with a dry-test volume flowmeter, and by electric heating of the radiation absorber. The correction for gamma leakage from the absorber was less than or equal to 3%, and the correction at short cooling times for sample cooldown, 2.24-m activity of the Al cladding, and system response time, amounted to 3.4% at 10 s. The overall accuracy (1 sigma) of the radiation measurements is less than or equal to 2%, except at the shortest cooling time (10 s), where it rises to 4%

Evaluation of serum and milk ELISAs for paratuberculosis in Danish dairy cattle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klausen, Joan; Huda, A.; Ekeroth, Lars

2003-01-01

concurrently from six dairy herds infected with MAP and from two dairy herds without history of infection with MAP. A cut-off value of 7 OD% was used in the ELISAs. At this cut-off value, all six culture-positive herds were positive in the serum ELISA but one was negative in the milk ELISA. All six culture......-positive herds were positive in the CFT. In the two culture-negative herds, the serum and the milk ELISA deemed all serum samples negative at this cut-off value, whereas four serum samples from one of these herds were positive in the CFT. The highest cut-off value enabling the milk ELISA to record all six...... culture-positive herds as positive was 4 OD%. The highest cut-off value enabling the serum ELISA to record all six culture-positive herds as positive was 17 OD%. Individual-sample relative sensitivities of the ELISAs ranged from 49 to 64% and relative specificities were 80-96% at the cut-off values of 4...

Black Cr/α-Cr2O3 nanoparticles based solar absorbers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khamlich, S.; Nemraoui, O.; Mongwaketsi, N.; McCrindle, R.; Cingo, N.; Maaza, M.

2012-01-01

Monodisperse spherical core–shell particles of Cr/α-Cr 2 O 3 with high adhesion were successfully coated on rough copper substrates by a simple self-assembly-like method for the use in solar thermal absorbers. The structure and morphology of the core-shell particles of Cr/α-Cr 2 O 3 were effectively controlled by deposition temperature and the pH of the initial precursor solution. Their characterizations were carried out with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry and attenuated total reflection, as well as UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The samples aged for more than 40 h at 75 °C exhibit the targeted high absorbing optical characteristic “Black chrome” while those aged for ≤40 h show a significant high UV–vis diffuse reflectance “green color”.

Adaptive inertial shock-absorber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faraj, Rami; Holnicki-Szulc, Jan; Knap, Lech; Seńko, Jarosław

2016-01-01

This paper introduces and discusses a new concept of impact absorption by means of impact energy management and storage in dedicated rotating inertial discs. The effectiveness of the concept is demonstrated in a selected case-study involving spinning management, a recently developed novel impact-absorber. A specific control technique performed on this device is demonstrated to be the main source of significant improvement in the overall efficiency of impact damping process. The influence of various parameters on the performance of the shock-absorber is investigated. Design and manufacturing challenges and directions of further research are formulated. (paper)

Microscopic analysis of saturable absorbers: Semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors versus graphene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hader, J.; Moloney, J. V. [Nonlinear Control Strategies, Inc., 3542 N. Geronimo Ave., Tucson, Arizona 85705 (United States); College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 (United States); Yang, H.-J.; Scheller, M. [College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 (United States); Koch, S. W. [Department of Physics and Materials Sciences Center, Philipps Universität Marburg, Renthof 5, 35032 Marburg (Germany)

2016-02-07

Fully microscopic many-body calculations are used to study the influence of strong sub-picosecond pulses on the carrier distributions and corresponding optical response in saturable absorbers used for mode-locking—semiconductor (quantum well) saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) and single layer graphene based saturable absorber mirrors (GSAMs). Unlike in GSAMs, the saturation fluence and recovery time in SESAMs show a strong spectral dependence. While the saturation fluence in the SESAM is minimal at the excitonic bandgap, the optimal recovery time and least pulse distortion due to group delay dispersion are found for excitation higher in the first subband. For excitation near the SESAM bandgap, the saturation fluence is about one tenth of that in the GSAM. At energies above the bandgap, the fluences in both systems become similar. A strong dependence of the saturation fluence on the pulse width in both systems is caused by carrier relaxation during the pulse. The recovery time in graphene is found to be about two to four times faster than that in the SESAMs. The occurrence of negative differential transmission in graphene is shown to be caused by dopant related carriers. In SESAMs, a negative differential transmission is found when exciting below the excitonic resonance where excitation induced dephasing leads to an enhancement of the absorption. Comparisons of the simulation data to the experiment show a very good quantitative agreement.

Adaptive Piezoelectric Absorber for Active Vibration Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sven Herold

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Passive vibration control solutions are often limited to working reliably at one design point. Especially applied to lightweight structures, which tend to have unwanted vibration, active vibration control approaches can outperform passive solutions. To generate dynamic forces in a narrow frequency band, passive single-degree-of-freedom oscillators are frequently used as vibration absorbers and neutralizers. In order to respond to changes in system properties and/or the frequency of excitation forces, in this work, adaptive vibration compensation by a tunable piezoelectric vibration absorber is investigated. A special design containing piezoelectric stack actuators is used to cover a large tuning range for the natural frequency of the adaptive vibration absorber, while also the utilization as an active dynamic inertial mass actuator for active control concepts is possible, which can help to implement a broadband vibration control system. An analytical model is set up to derive general design rules for the system. An absorber prototype is set up and validated experimentally for both use cases of an adaptive vibration absorber and inertial mass actuator. Finally, the adaptive vibration control system is installed and tested with a basic truss structure in the laboratory, using both the possibility to adjust the properties of the absorber and active control.

The Time Structure of Hadronic Showers in Highly Granular Calorimeters with Tungsten and Steel Absorbers

CERN Document Server

Adloff, C.; Chefdeville, M.; Drancourt, C.; Gaglione, R.; Geffroy, N.; Karyotakis, Y.; Koletsou, I.; Prast, J.; Vouters, G.; Repond, J.; Schlereth, J.; Xia, L.; Baldolemar, E.; Li, J.; Park, S.T.; Sosebee, M.; White, A.P.; Yu, J.; Eigen, G.; Thomson, M.A.; Ward, D.R.; Benchekroun, D.; Hoummada, A.; Khoulaki, Y.; Apostolakis, J.; Arfaoui, A.; Benoit, M.; Dannheim, D.; Elsener, K.; Folger, G.; Grefe, C.; Ivantchenko, V.; Killenberg, M.; Klempt, W.; van der Kraaij, E.; Linssen, L.; Lucaci-Timoce, A.-I.; Münnich, A.; Poss, S.; Ribon, A.; Roloff, P.; Sailer, A.; Schlatter, D.; Sicking, E.; Strube, J.; Uzhinskiy, V.; Carloganu, C.; Gay, P.; Manen, S.; Royer, L.; Cornett, U.; David, D.; Ebrahimi, A.; Falley, G.; Feege, N.; Gadow, K.; Göttlicher, P.; Günter, C.; Hartbrich, O.; Hermberg, B.; Karstensen, S.; Krivan, F.; Krüger, K.; Lu, S.; Lutz, B.; Morozov, S.; Morgunov, V.; Neubüser, C.; Reinecke, M.; Sefkow, F.; Smirnov, P.; Terwort, M.; Fagot, A.; Tytgat, M.; Zaganidis, N.; Hostachy, J.-Y.; Morin, L.; Garutti, E.; Laurien, S.; Marchesini, I.; Matysek, M.; Ramilli, M.; Briggl, K.; Eckert, P.; Harion, T.; Schultz-Coulon, H.-Ch.; Shen, W.; Stamen, R.; Chang, S.; Khan, A.; Kim, D.H.; Kong, D.J.; Oh, Y.D.; Bilki, B.; Norbeck, E.; Northacker, D.; Onel, Y.; Wilson, G.W.; Kawagoe, K.; Miyazaki, Y.; Sudo, Y.; Ueno, H.; Yoshioka, T.; Dauncey, P.D.; Cortina Gil, E.; Mannai, S.; Baulieu, G.; Calabria, P.; Caponetto, L.; Combaret, C.; Della Negra, R.; Ete, R.; Grenier, G.; Han, R.; Ianigro, J-C.; Kieffer, R.; Laktineh, I.; Lumb, N.; Mathez, H.; Mirabito, L.; Petrukhin, A.; Steen, A.; Tromeur, W.; Vander Donckt, M.; Zoccarato, Y.; Berenguer Antequera, J.; Calvo Alamillo, E.; Fouz, M.-C.; Puerta-Pelayo, J.; Corriveau, F.; Bobchenko, B.; Chadeeva, M.; Danilov, M.; Epifantsev, A.; Markin, O.; Mizuk, R.; Novikov, E.; Rusinov, V.; Tarkovsky, E.; Kozlov, V.; Soloviev, Y.; Besson, D.; Buzhan, P.; Ilyin, A.; Kantserov, V.; Kaplin, V.; Popova, E.; Tikhomirov, V.; Gabriel, M.; Kiesling, C.; Seidel, K.; Simon, F.; Soldner, C.; Szalay, M.; Tesar, M.; Weuste, L.; Amjad, M.S.; Bonis, J.; Conforti di Lorenzo, S.; Cornebise, P.; Fleury, J.; Frisson, T.; van der Kolk, N.; Richard, F.; Pöschl, R.; Rouene, J.; Anduze, M.; Balagura, V.; Becheva, E.; Boudry, V.; Brient, J-C.; Cornat, R.; Frotin, M.; Gastaldi, F.; Guliyev, E.; Haddad, Y.; Magniette, F.; Ruan, M.; Tran, T.H.; Videau, H.; Callier, S.; Dulucq, F.; Martin-Chassard, G.; de la Taille, Ch.; Raux, L.; Seguin-Moreau, N.; Zacek, J.; Cvach, J.; Gallus, P.; Havranek, M.; Janata, M.; Kvasnicka, J.; Lednicky, D.; Marcisovsky, M.; Polak, I.; Popule, J.; Tomasek, L.; Tomasek, M.; Ruzicka, P.; Sicho, P.; Smolik, J.; Vrba, V.; Zalesak, J.; Belhorma, B.; Ghazlane, H.; Kotera, K.; Ono, H.; Takeshita, T.; Uozumi, S.; Chai, J.S.; Song, H.S.; Lee, S.H.; Götze, M.; Sauer, J.; Weber, S.; Zeitnitz, C.

2014-01-01

The intrinsic time structure of hadronic showers influences the timing capability and the required integration time of hadronic calorimeters in particle physics experiments, and depends on the active medium and on the absorber of the calorimeter. With the CALICE T3B experiment, a setup of 15 small plastic scintillator tiles read out with Silicon Photomultipliers, the time structure of showers is measured on a statistical basis with high spatial and temporal resolution in sampling calorimeters with tungsten and steel absorbers. The results are compared to GEANT4 (version 9.4 patch 03) simulations with different hadronic physics models. These comparisons demonstrate the importance of using high precision treatment of low-energy neutrons for tungsten absorbers, while an overall good agreement between data and simulations for all considered models is observed for steel.

Comparison of iron and tungsten absorber structures for an analog hadron calorimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guenter, Clemens

2015-05-01

Future electron-positron-collider experiments will require unprecedented jet-energy resolution to complete their physics programs. This can only be achieved with novel approaches to calorimetry. One of these novel approaches is the Particle Flow Algorithm, which uses the best suited sub-detector to measure the energy of the particles produced by the electronpositron collision. The CALICE Collaboration evaluates different read-out technologies for Particle Flow Calorimeters. This thesis describes the comparison of two different absorber materials, iron and tungsten, for the CALICE Analog Hadron Calorimeter. It is described how test-beam data, that have been recorded in the range from 2 GeV to 10 GeV with the Analog Hadron Calorimeter are calibrated, and how samples are selected containing showers from just one particle type. The data are then compared to simulations, and the remaining disagreement between data and simulation is discussed. The validated simulations are then used to decompose the showers into different fractions. These fractions are compared for the two absorber materials to understand the impact of the absorber material choice on the calorimeter performance.

Scanning electron microscopical examination of the impact of laser patterning on microscopic inhomogeneities of Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2 absorbers produced by rapid thermal processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Künecke, U.; Hölzing, A.; Jost, S.; Lechner, R.; Vogt, H.; Heiß, A.; Palm, J.; Hock, R.; Wellmann, P.

2013-01-01

Laser scribing of the Mo back electrode is commonly applied to define the cell structure of Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S) 2 (CIGSSe) thin film solar cells. The patterning process was performed on laboratory samples using ns and ps pulse length laser processes. After structuring, CIGSSe absorbers were processed by rapid thermal processing (RTP) of stacked elemental layer precursors. Microscopic inhomogeneities were investigated on different sample positions. For samples structured with ns pulse, the absorber morphology in the laser line vicinity is different as compared to the morphology in the unstructured cell area. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy show significant changes in the absorber grain size and chemical composition. Close to the laser line, the typically observed Ga accumulation on the back contact is less pronounced and more Ga is incorporated closer to the surface leading to a smaller grain size. The observed changes are attributed to partial damaging of a diffusion barrier between glass and Mo induced by the ns laser process, which allows diffusion of sodium from the glass substrate into the absorber during RTP. The enhanced Ga incorporation closer to the surface is an indication for the influence of sodium on the local phase development during RTP. The damages of the diffusion barrier can be effectively prevented by the application of a ps laser scribing process. CIGSSe absorbers processed on samples structured with ps pulse length do not show the described microscopic inhomogeneities around the laser line. - Highlights: ► Scanning electron microscopy on Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S) 2 solar cell absorbers ► Laser patterning with ns laser pulse damages the sodium diffusion barrier. ► Improved laser patterning with ps laser pulse leaves diffusion barrier intact. ► Additional sodium changes phase development during absorber formation. ► Gallium content is increased at surface and decreased at backside of absorber

Aminolevulinate dehydrogenase polymorphisms did not modified lead serum and memory relationship

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lantip Rujito

2015-12-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Lead accumulation in the blood widely known affecting the formation of heme and oxygen transport processes in vital organs, Leading to organ failure including the brain synapses. Lead affinity has been recognized influenced by constitutional genotype of aminolevulinate dehydrogenase (ALAD, which encodes for heme synthesis. This research aimed to determine the relationship between plumbum (Pb and short term memory on each ALAD gene genotyping (ALAD 1-1, ALAD 1-2 or ALAD 2-2 in gas station workers. METHODS Seventy six probands from gas station workers were recruited to participate in this research. Each probands was carried out ALAD genotyping using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCRRFLP method, lead serum level using atomic absorbent spectrophotometer (AAS, and short term memory was measurement by intelligence structure test (IST. RESULTS Proportion of δ ALAD 1-1, 1-2, and 2-2 were 91.8%, 8.2% and 0% respectively. Lead serum showed 15.84 ppb in homozygous 1-1, and 20.79 ppb in heterozygous. Short term memory in the probands varied from 85 until 117, with average in 99.71. There was significant negative relationship between lead serum and short term memory (r=-0.24; p=0.038. However, we could not find any significant correlation in each δ ALAD genotypes. CONCLUSION The δ ALAD genotypes did not modified the relationship between serum lead level and short term memory in gas station workers.

Does the time interval between antimüllerian hormone serum sampling and initiation of ovarian stimulation affect its predictive ability in in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Polyzos, Nikolaos P; Nelson, Scott M; Stoop, Dominic

2013-01-01

To investigate whether the time interval between serum antimüllerian hormone (AMH) sampling and initiation of ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI) may affect the predictive ability of the marker for low and excessive ovarian response.......To investigate whether the time interval between serum antimüllerian hormone (AMH) sampling and initiation of ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI) may affect the predictive ability of the marker for low and excessive ovarian response....

Selective solar absorber emittance measurement at elevated temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Giraud, Philémon; Braillon, Julien; Raccurt, Olivier

2017-06-01

Durability of solar components for CSP (Concentrated Solar Power Plant) technologies is a key point to lower cost and ensure their large deployment. These technologies concentrated the solar radiation by means of mirrors on a receiver tube where it is collected as thermal energy. The absorbers are submitted to strong environmental constraints and the degradation of their optical properties (emittance and solar absorbance) have a direct impact on performance. The characterization of a material in such condition is complicated and requires advanced apparatuses, and different measurement methods exist for the determination of the two quantities of relevance regarding an absorber, which are its emittance and its solar absorbance. The objective is to develop new optical equipment for measure the emittance of this solar absorber at elevated temperature. In this paper, we present an optical bench developed for emittance measurement on absorbers is conditions of use. Results will be shown, with a discussion of some factors of influence over this measurement and how to control them.

Brix refractometry in serum as a measure of failure of passive transfer compared to measured immunoglobulin G and total protein by refractometry in serum from dairy calves.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez, D; Nydam, D V; Godden, S M; Bristol, L S; Kryzer, A; Ranum, J; Schaefer, D

2016-05-01

A series of trials were conducted to evaluate Brix refractometry (Brix %) for the assessment of failure of passive transfer (FPT) in dairy calves compared to: (1) serum IgG (reference standard) when measured by radial immunodiffusion (RID) or a turbidometric immunoassay (TIA), and (2) serum total protein refractometry (STP). For the serum samples tested with TIA, STP, and Brix % (n = 310; Holstein calves), the median concentrations were 21.3 g/L IgG, 58 g/L STP, and 9.2%, respectively. For the serum samples tested with RID, STP and Brix % (n = 112; Jersey calves), the mean concentrations were 38 g/L IgG, 68 g/L STP, and 10.2%, respectively. For samples tested with only Brix % and STP (n = 265; Holstein calves), median STP and Brix % were 50 g/L STP and 8.5%, respectively. Correlations between Brix % and RID, and between Brix % and TIA were equal (r = 0.79, respectively). Brix % and STP were positively correlated (r = 0.99). Brix % estimated serum IgG concentrations determined by TIA and RID (r(2) = 0.63, 0.62, respectively). When FPT was defined as serum IgG refractometry predicted successful transfer of passive immunity in dairy calves, but further evaluation as a diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of FPT is warranted. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of bilirubin on the spectrophotometric and radionuclide assay for serum angiotensin-converting enzyme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saxe, A.W.; Hollinger, M.A.; Essam, T.

1986-01-01

The effect of bilirubin on serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity was studied with spectrophotometric and radionuclide assays. In the spectrophotometric assay addition of bilirubin to normal serum from dog, mouse, and human produced a dose-related inhibition of ACE activity. A 50% decrease in human ACE activity was produced by the addition of approximately 250 mg/L in vitro. Serum from icteric patients with elevated bilirubin was also associated with a reduction in ACE activity in the spectrophotometric assay. A 50% decrease in ACE activity in these samples was associated with a serum bilirubin of approximately 220 mg/L. In the radionuclide assay, however, addition of bilirubin to normal human serum failed to reduce measured ACE activity. The use of a radionuclide assay for serum ACE in clinical samples offers the advantage of less interference from serum bilirubin

Genetic factors explain half of all variance in serum eosinophil cationic protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elmose, Camilla; Sverrild, Asger; van der Sluis, Sophie

2014-01-01

with variation in serum ECP and to determine the relative proportion of the variation in ECP due to genetic and non-genetic factors, in an adult twin sample. METHODS: A sample of 575 twins, selected through a proband with self-reported asthma, had serum ECP, lung function, airway responsiveness to methacholine......, exhaled nitric oxide, and skin test reactivity, measured. Linear regression analysis and variance component models were used to study factors associated with variation in ECP and the relative genetic influence on ECP levels. RESULTS: Sex (regression coefficient = -0.107, P ... was statistically non-significant (r = -0.11, P = 0.50). CONCLUSION: Around half of all variance in serum ECP is explained by genetic factors. Serum ECP is influenced by sex, BMI, and airway responsiveness. Serum ECP and airway responsiveness seem not to share genetic variance....

Serum zinc and copper levels in children with febrile convulsion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Shokrzadeh

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Febrile convulsions (FC are the most common neurologic disorder in children 6-60 months of age. Zinc (Zn and copper (Cu play role as cofactors in more than 300 enzymatic activities significantly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship serum levels of Zn and Cu with seizure occurrence in febrile children. In this case-control study, 270 children with 6 month to 6 years were evaluated. The patients were enrolled in three groups: a children with febrile convulsion, b febrile children without convulsion and c healthy ones. After recording of all patients’ characteristics, 5 mL blood was taken from peripheral vessels at the first 12 hours of hospitalization. Absorption of all samples was read by BRAIC (Rayleigh instrument company, WFX-130 model with calibration diagram, considering samples dilution levels. The mean of serum Zn levels in children with FC were significantly lower than other two groups. Mean serum Cu levels in children with FC and non-FC patients were significantly higher than healthy children. No meaningful differences were observed in serum levels of Zn and Cu among the girl or boy cases. This study showed significant lower serum zinc level in children with febrile seizure and meaningful higher serum copper level than control group cases. There was no significant difference in level of serum zinc and copper in term of sex.

ESR spectroscopy for detecting gamma-irradiated dried vegetables and estimating absorbed doses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwon, Joong-Ho; Chung, Hyung-Wook; Byun, Myung-Woo

2000-03-01

In view of an increasing demand for food irradiation technology, the development of a reliable means of detection for the control of irradiated foods has become necessary. Various vegetable food materials (dried cabbage, carrot, chunggyungchae, garlic, onion, and green onion), which can be legally irradiated in Korea, were subjected to a detection study using ESR spectroscopy. Correlation coefficients (R{sup 2}) between absorbed doses (2.5-15 kGy) and their corresponding ESR signals were identified from ESR signals. Pre-established threshold values were successfully applied to the detection of 54 coded unknown samples of dried clean vegetables (chunggyungchae, Brassica camestris var. chinensis), both non-irradiated and irradiated. The ESR signals of irradiated chunggyungchae decreased over a longer storage time, however, even after 6 months of ambient storage, these signals were still distinguishable from those of non-irradiated samples. The most successful estimates of absorbed dose (5 and 8 kGy) were obtained immediately after irradiation using a quadratic fit with average values of 4.85 and 8.65 kGy being calculated. (author)

Clinical utility of serum folate measurement in tertiary care patients: Argument for revising reference range for serum folate from 3.0 ng/mL to 13.0 ng/mL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gurmukh Singh

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: Assess the need for folate testing, frequency of corrective action, and determine reference level for serum folate. Methods: Serum folate levels in 5313 samples from 4448 patients, and clinical data were reviewed for patient characteristics and for (a evidence of corrective action in patients with serum folate values 25.7 ng/mL. Results: The prevalence of serum folate levels, in patients, 25.7 ng/mL the sample was collected after supplementation with folic acid. Of the 128 patients with serum folate 60% of the patients. Since serum folate levels ≥13.0 ng/mL are needed for optimal prevention of neural tube defects in the embryo/fetus, we propose that normal serum folate level should be designated to be ≥13.0 ng/mL. Keywords: Serum folate, Prevalence of folate deficiency, Neural tube defects, Optimum serum folate level, Utility of folate testing

Value of serum tenascin-C in patients with acute myocardial infarction

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Rania Gaber

2015-10-09

Oct 9, 2015 ... Aliquots of serum were delivered into Eppendorf tubes. Serum samples have been .... Tenascin-C induced by aldosterone-mediated inflammation. J · Cardiovasc .... nosis estimation and targeted therapy. Cell Adh Migr 2015 ...

A shock absorber model for structure-borne noise analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Benaziz, Marouane; Nacivet, Samuel; Thouverez, Fabrice

2015-08-01

Shock absorbers are often responsible for undesirable structure-borne noise in cars. The early numerical prediction of this noise in the automobile development process can save time and money and yet remains a challenge for industry. In this paper, a new approach to predicting shock absorber structure-borne noise is proposed; it consists in modelling the shock absorber and including the main nonlinear phenomena responsible for discontinuities in the response. The model set forth herein features: compressible fluid behaviour, nonlinear flow rate-pressure relations, valve mechanical equations and rubber mounts. The piston, base valve and complete shock absorber model are compared with experimental results. Sensitivity of the shock absorber response is evaluated and the most important parameters are classified. The response envelope is also computed. This shock absorber model is able to accurately reproduce local nonlinear phenomena and improves our state of knowledge on potential noise sources within the shock absorber.

Polymerized soluble venom--human serum albumin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patterson, R.; Suszko, I.M.; Grammer, L.C.

1985-03-01

Extensive previous studies have demonstrated that attempts to produce polymers of Hymenoptera venoms for human immunotherapy resulted in insoluble precipitates that could be injected with safety but with very limited immunogenicity in allergic patients. We now report soluble polymers prepared by conjugating bee venom with human serum albumin with glutaraldehyde. The bee venom-albumin polymer (BVAP) preparation was fractionated on Sephacryl S-300 to have a molecular weight range higher than catalase. /sup 125/I-labeled bee venom phospholipase A was almost completely incorporated into BVAP. Rabbit antibody responses to bee venom and bee venom phospholipase A were induced by BVAP. Human antisera against bee venom were absorbed by BVAP. No new antigenic determinants on BVAP were present as evidenced by absorption of antisera against BVAP by bee venom and albumin. BVAP has potential immunotherapeutic value in patients with anaphylactic sensitivity to bee venom.

[Study on optical characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in rainwater by fluorescence excitation-emission matrix and absorbance spectroscopy].

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yuan-yue; Guo, Wei-dong; Long, Ai-min; Chen, Shao-yong

2010-09-01

The optical characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were determined in rain samples collected in Xiamen Island, during a rainy season in 2007, using fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy associated with UV-Vis absorbance spectra. Results showed that the absorbance spectra of CDOM in rain samples decreased exponentially with wavelength. The absorbance coefficient at 300 nm [a(300)] ranged from 0.27 to 3.45 m(-1), which would be used as an index of CDOM abundance, and the mean value was 1.08 m(-1). The content of earlier stage of precipitation events was higher than that of later stage of precipitation events, which implied that anthropogenic sources or atmospheric pollution or air mass types were important contributors to CDOM levels in precipitation. EEMs spectra showed 4 types of fluorescence signals (2 humic-like fluorescence peaks and 2 protein-like fluorescence peaks) in rainwater samples, and there were significant positive correlations of peak A with C and peak B with S, showing their same sources or some relationship of the two humic-like substance and the two protein-like substance. The strong positive correlations of the two humic-like fluorescence peaks with a(300), suggested that the chromophores responsible for absorbance might be the same as fluorophores responsible for fluorescence. Results showed that the presence of highly absorbing and fluorescing CDOM in rainwater is of significant importance in atmospheric chemistry and might play a previously unrecognized role in the wavelength dependent spectral attenuation of solar radiation by atmospheric waters.

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae: the sensitivities of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for detecting vaccinated sows of unknown disease status using serum and colostrum, and the correlation of the results for sow serum, colostrum, and piglet serum.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenvey, Caitlin J; Reichel, Michael P; Cockcroft, Peter D

2015-03-01

Due to relatively high concentrations of immunoglobulins, colostrum has the potential to improve the sensitivity of diagnostic tests for diseases in pigs when compared with serum. It is possible that colostrum could improve the sensitivity of the antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) compared with serum. Colostrum is also essential for piglets, providing protection against infections in the first few weeks and months of life. The sensitivity of 2 commercially available ELISAs, one for the detection of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and the second for Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae antibodies, when used with sow colostrum in comparison with serum was investigated. The correlation of maternal E. rhusiopathiae- and M. hyopneumoniae-specific antibody levels with specific-antibody serum levels in the piglet was also determined. The sensitivity was defined as the proportion of vaccinated sows that were correctly identified as vaccinated at a given cutoff point. The true disease status of the sows with regard to the 2 infections was unknown. Blood and colostrum samples were collected from 20 sows, 10 primiparous and 10 multiparous, and blood samples were also collected from the piglets of each sow, 48-72 hr post-farrowing. The sensitivities of both ELISAs were significantly improved when using colostrum compared with serum. Sow serum and colostrum optical density (OD) values were significantly correlated. The mean sow OD values for serum for E. rhusiopathiae and M. hyopneumoniae and colostrum for E. rhusiopathiae were significantly correlated with piglet serum OD levels. If the improved sensitivity of colostrum can be demonstrated in infected animals, this will increase the ability of the test to identify infected animals using both individual and pooled colostrum. Testing serum and/or colostrum using ELISA can be useful predictors of piglet disease-specific OD values. © 2015 The Author(s).

Preclinical Study of 68Ga-DOTATOC: Biodistribution Assessment in Syrian Rats and Evaluation of Absorbed Dose in Human Organs.

Science.gov (United States)

Naderi, Mojdeh; Zolghadri, Samaneh; Yousefnia, Hassan; Ramazani, Ali; Jalilian, Amir Reza

2016-01-01

Gallium-68 DOTA-DPhe 1 -Tyr 3 -Octreotide ( 68 Ga-DOTATOC) has been applied by several European centers for the treatment of a variety of human malignancies. Nevertheless, definitive dosimetric data are yet unavailable. According to the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, researchers are investigating the safety and efficacy of this radiotracer to meet Food and Drug Administration requirements. The aim of this study was to introduce the optimized procedure for 68 Ga-DOTATOC preparation, using a novel germanium-68 ( 68 Ge)/ 68 Ga generator in Iran and evaluate the absorbed doses in numerous organs with high accuracy. The optimized conditions for preparing the radiolabeled complex were determined via several experiments by changing the ligand concentration, pH, temperature and incubation time. Radiochemical purity of the complex was assessed, using high-performance liquid chromatography and instant thin-layer chromatography. The absorbed dose of human organs was evaluated, based on biodistribution studies on Syrian rats via Radiation Absorbed Dose Assessment Resource Method. 68 Ga-DOTATOC was prepared with radiochemical purity of >98% and specific activity of 39.6 MBq/nmol. The complex demonstrated great stability at room temperature and in human serum at 37°C at least two hours after preparation. Significant uptake was observed in somatostatin receptor-positive tissues such as pancreatic and adrenal tissues (12.83 %ID/g and 0.91 %ID/g, respectively). Dose estimations in human organs showed that the pancreas, kidneys and adrenal glands received the maximum absorbed doses (0.105, 0.074 and 0.010 mGy/MBq, respectively). Also, the effective absorbed dose was estimated at 0.026 mSv/MBq for 68 Ga-DOTATOC. The obtained results showed that 68 Ga-DOTATOC can be considered as an effective agent for clinical PET imaging in Iran.

Full correction of scattering effects by using the radiative transfer theory for improved quantitative analysis of absorbing species in suspensions.

Science.gov (United States)

Steponavičius, Raimundas; Thennadil, Suresh N

2013-05-01

Sample-to-sample photon path length variations that arise due to multiple scattering can be removed by decoupling absorption and scattering effects by using the radiative transfer theory, with a suitable set of measurements. For samples where particles both scatter and absorb light, the extracted bulk absorption spectrum is not completely free from nonlinear particle effects, since it is related to the absorption cross-section of particles that changes nonlinearly with particle size and shape. For the quantitative analysis of absorbing-only (i.e., nonscattering) species present in a matrix that contains a particulate species that absorbs and scatters light, a method to eliminate particle effects completely is proposed here, which utilizes the particle size information contained in the bulk scattering coefficient extracted by using the Mie theory to carry out an additional correction step to remove particle effects from bulk absorption spectra. This should result in spectra that are equivalent to spectra collected with only the liquid species in the mixture. Such an approach has the potential to significantly reduce the number of calibration samples as well as improve calibration performance. The proposed method was tested with both simulated and experimental data from a four-component model system.

Plasma as alternatively sample to quantify tetanus antitoxin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ariel Menéndez-Barrios

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Tetanus antitoxin is quantified in Cuba at blood banks, from the serum of immunized donors, to produce aspecific human gamma globulin. A heterogeneous indirect immunoenzymatic assay is used, using the serum as analytical sample. The possible use of plasma obtained from plasmapheresis as alternative sample was evaluated in this research, to minimize the volume of total blood extracted to the donors. One hundred plasma donors who came to donate between October and November 2013 were selected by simple random sampling. Serum sample was obtained for extraction of 5 mL of blood, deposited in dry glass tube. While the other sample took 1.5 mL of plasma in a plastic tube with cover, at the end of the donation directly of the unit of plasma collected. Comparison of the difference between the means of both groups was done using SPSS for Windows. It was found that the values obtained in serum were bigger than those obtained in plasma. Difference between the means of both groups was statistically significant (p 0.00. It is not advisable to use the obtained plasma of the plasmapheresis as analytic sample in this assay.

The Cooling of a Liquid Absorber using a Small Cooler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baynham, D.E.; Bradshaw, T.W.; Green, M.A.; Ishimoto, S.; Liggins, N.

2005-01-01

This report discusses the use of small cryogenic coolers for cooling the Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) liquid cryogen absorbers. Since the absorber must be able contain liquid helium as well liquid hydrogen, the characteristics of the available 4.2 K coolers are used here. The issues associated with connecting two-stage coolers to liquid absorbers are discussed. The projected heat flows into an absorber and the cool-down of the absorbers using the cooler are presented. The warm-up of the absorber is discussed. Special hydrogen safety issues that may result from the use of a cooler on the absorbers are also discussed

Kinetics of human serum amyloid A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenthal, C.J.; Martin, M.E.; Solomon, N.

1986-01-01

In order to better understand the pathogenetic role of serum amyloid A (SAA) we studied the kinetics of 131 I radiolabelled pure SAA, extracted from 400 ml serum of a human volunteer. 50 microCi of 131 I SAA and 15 microCi 125 I labelled sodium iodide were administered i.v. on two occasions at 6 month intervals. Serum and plasma samples were collected at 10-20 min intervals x 10, then once daily x 10; lymphocytes were separated from monocytes and granulocytes. Counts per minute of 131 I and 125 I were measured in each sample in the serum, in serum precipitates resulting after addition of a rabbit anti-SAA antibody and of TCA and in various cell subpopulations as well as in the whole urine and TCA precipitated urine from each micturition. The 131 I disappearance curves from the plasma and serum precipitates were semilogarithmically plotted; cumulative 131 I cpm in plasma, cells and urine at various intervals were determined. Body scanning was performed at 2, 16, and 48 h. The results of the two experiments were very similar. The curve of 131 I SAA in plasma TCA precipitates indicated the existence of 4 compartments likely due to uptake of 131 I SAA by some plasma proteins, circulating cells and other tissues; later release from tissues started at 6 h. The 131 I SAA half-life time in these compartments was found to be 35, 170, 255, and 550 min, respectively. Tissue binding of 131 I was also suggested by a rising of the 125 I: 131 I ratio with time and by a 26% release of 131 I in the urine at 15 h which could not account for its plasma disappearance. Scanning, except for 131 I uptake in the spleen at 2 h likely due to blood activity, showed no organ concentration. 92% of the injected 131 I was found in the urine but only 6.2% of 131 I SAA was accounted for in urine precicipitates

Sustained high serum caspase-3 concentrations and mortality in septic patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Lorente, L; Martín, M M; Pérez-Cejas, A; González-Rivero, A F; López, R O; Ferreres, J; Solé-Violán, J; Labarta, L; Díaz, C; Palmero, S; Jiménez, A

2018-02-01

Caspase-3 is the main executor of the apoptotic process. Higher serum caspase-3 concentrations in non-survivor compared to survivor septic patients have been found. The objectives of this work (with the increase of sample size to 308 patients, and the determination of serum caspase-3 concentrations also on days 4 and 8 of diagnosis of severe sepsis) were to know whether an association between serum caspase-3 concentrationss during the first week, degree of apoptosis, sepsis severity, and sepsis mortality exists. We collected serum samples of 308 patients with severe sepsis from eight intensive care units on days 1, 4 and 8 to measure concentrations of caspase-3 and caspase-cleaved cytokeratin (CCCK)-18 (to assess degree of apoptosis). End point was 30-day mortality. We found higher serum concentrations of caspase-3 and CCCK-18 in non-survivors compared to survivors on days 1 (p < 0.001), 4 (p < 0.001), and 8 (p < 0.001). We found an association between serum caspase-3 concentrations on days 1, 4 and 8 of severe sepsis diagnosis and serum CCCK-18 concentrations (p < 0.001), SOFA (p < 0.001), serum acid lactic concentrations (p < 0.001), and 30-day sepsis mortality (p < 0.001). The new findings of this work were that an association between serum caspase-3 concentrations during the first week, apoptosis degree, sepsis severity, and sepsis mortality exists.

Serum Glutamate Is a Predictor for the Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gheyath Al Gawwam

2017-01-01

Full Text Available One neurotransmitter, glutamate, has been implicated in the autoimmune demyelination seen in multiple sclerosis (MS. Glutamate is present in many tissues in the body, so consideration should be given to whether the serum level of glutamate is likely well correlated with the activity of the disease. This research aimed to compare the serum glutamate levels from patients diagnosed with MS with those from an age-matched control population. A review of this data could shed light upon whether the serum testing of glutamate using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA is a reliable indicator of MS activity. Serum samples were obtained from 55 patients with different patterns of MS and from 25 healthy adults as a control group. The ELISA technique was used to determine the glutamate levels in the serum samples. The mean serum glutamate level for patients with MS was 1.318±0.543 nmol/ml and that of the controls was 0.873±0.341 nmol/ml. The serum glutamate levels showed an area under the curve via the receiver operating characteristics (ROC of 0.738, which was significant (p value = 0.001. The present study is the first to establish a strong connection between the serum glutamate levels and MS patients, where there was statistically significant elevation of serum glutamate in MS patients; hence this elevation might be used as a monitor to help in the diagnosis of MS patients.

Serum amyloid A isoforms in serum and synovial fluid from spontaneously diseased dogs with joint diseases or other conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjelgaard-Hansen, Mads Jens; Christensen, Michelle B.; Lee, Marcel Huisung

2007-01-01

Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a major acute phase protein in dogs. However, knowledge of qualitative properties of canine SAA and extent of its synthesis in extrahepatic tissues is limited. The aim of the study was to investigate expression of different SAA isoforms in serum and synovial fluid...... in samples obtained from dogs (n = 16) suffering from different inflammatory or non-inflammatory conditions, which were either related or unrelated to joints. Expression of SAA isoforms was visualized by denaturing isoelectric focusing and Western blotting. Serum amyloid A was present in serum from all dogs...... with systemic inflammatory activity, and up to four major isoforms with apparent isoelectric points between 6.1 and 7.9 were identified. In synovial fluid from inflamed joints one or more highly alkaline SAA isoforms (with apparent isoelectric points above 9.3) were identified, with data suggesting local...

The relation between serum lipids and lutein and zeaxanthin in the serum and retina: results from cross-sectional, case-control and case study designs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renzi Lisa M

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The xanthophyll carotenoids lutein (L and zeaxanthin (Z are found in and around the macula of the primate retina, where they are termed macular pigment (MP. Dietary L and Z are absorbed with fat in the gut and transported on lipoproteins to the retina. Both MP and serum lipoproteins have been related to risk for neurodegenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD. L and Z are carried on both HDL (related to reduced risk of AMD and LDL (related to increased risk. The purpose of this set of studies was to analyze the relation between L and Z in the serum and retina with the circulating lipid profile. Methods In all experiments, lipoproteins were measured enzymatically from plasma, and MP optical density (MPOD was measured using customized heterochromatic flicker photometry. Experiment 1: Relations between serum L and Z, MPOD and lipoprotein levels. 108 young, healthy subjects (M = 23.2, SD = 4.12 years participated. Lipoprotein levels and MPOD were measured. In a subset of 66 participants, serum L and Z levels were also measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Experiment 2: Relations between lipoprotein levels and MPOD in statin users. 20 subjects (M = 58.05, SD = 11.08 years taking statin medication and 20 subjects (M = 57.95, SD = 11.03 years not taking satin were recruited for participation. MPOD and lipoprotein levels were measured. Experiment 3: lowering lipoprotein levels to impact MPOD. One individual (aged 41 years with high MP density adhered first to an atorvastatin regimen, then, after a wash-out period, to a rosuvastatin regimen. Results Experiment 1: HDL were significantly (p r = 0.33, to serum L (r = 0.36 and to serum Z (r = 0.26. MPOD was also significantly related to total cholesterol (r = 0.19. Experiment 2: MPOD was not lower in statin users when compared to matched non-statin users, but MPOD decreased significantly with increased duration of statin use (r = −0

Design and development of radiation absorber for sighting beam line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sridhar, R.; Shukla, S.K.

2005-01-01

During the commissioning of Indus-2 , it is necessary to view the synchrotron radiation that will be emanating from the dipole exit ports. The 10 0 beam line from dipole 11 was earmarked for sighting beam line. The synchrotron radiation power density would be around 340 watts on the photon absorber inside the radiation absorber module, at the specified beam power of Indus-2. The beam striking on this photon absorber produces x-rays and Bremsstrahlung radiation. These are to be stopped and absorbed by radiation absorber. The photon absorber and the radiation absorber are integrated in a single vacuum chamber and actuated by a pneumatic cylinder connected using a bellow. Radiation absorber was needed to isolate the diagnostic components and to protect them from radiation a well as heat when they were not in use. The paper describes the design, calculation and development of the dynamic photon cum radiation absorber. The ultimate vacuum performance is also described. (author)

Thin absorbers for large-area soft X-ray microcalorimeters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rocks, L. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 (United States)]. E-mail: rocks@wisp.physics.wisc.edu; Anderson, M.B. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Bilgri, N. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Brekosky, R. [NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Gwynne Crowder, S. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Figueroa-Feliciano, E. [NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Kelley, R. [NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Kilbourne, C.A. [NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Lai, T. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Lindeman, M.A. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Man, J. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); McCammon, D. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Nelms, K.L. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Porter, F.S. [NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Sivananthan, S. [University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 (United States); Vidugiris, G. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Zhao, J. [University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 (United States)

2006-04-15

The X-ray Quantum Calorimeter (XQC) sounding rocket experiment utilizes a microcalorimeter array for observing the diffuse soft X-ray background. Observations of such low surface-brightness targets require a large-area detector. We will be using an array of large absorbers. Good absorbers must rapidly and completely thermalize photons, have small heat capacity for high stopping efficiency and have good lateral thermal transport. For observing the soft X-ray background (energies <1 keV), the volume and heat capacity of absorber material can be kept to a minimum by making the absorbers only as thick as needed for high quantum efficiency at these low energies. These thin, large-area absorbers are not self-supporting and have poor lateral heat transport. Depositing the absorber material on a Si substrate provides support and improves lateral thermal conduction. We present heat capacity results for thin HgTe and thin Bi, each on Si substrates. We also describe the HgTe absorber fabrication.

Absorbed dose by a CMOS in radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borja H, C. G.; Valero L, C. Y.; Guzman G, K. A.; Banuelos F, A.; Hernandez D, V. M.; Vega C, H. R.; Paredes G, L. C.

2011-10-01

Absorbed dose by a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit as part of a pacemaker, has been estimated using Monte Carlo calculations. For a cancer patient who is a pacemaker carrier, scattered radiation could damage pacemaker CMOS circuits affecting patient's health. Absorbed dose in CMOS circuit due to scattered photons is too small and therefore is not the cause of failures in pacemakers, but neutron calculations shown an absorbed dose that could cause damage in CMOS due to neutron-hydrogen interactions. (Author)

Parathyroid hormone related protein concentration in human serum and CSF correlates with age.

Science.gov (United States)

Kushnir, Mark M; Peterson, Lisa K; Strathmann, Frederick G

2018-02-01

Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein (PTHrP) is involved in intracellular calcium (Ca) regulation, and has been demonstrated to participate in regulation of Ca in brain cells, activation of neurons, and modulation of pain. However, there are conflicting reports regarding the presence of PTHrP in CSF. PTHrP and Ca were quantified in paired CSF and serum samples using mass spectrometry-based methods. Associations between PTHrP and Ca concentrations with age, sex and concentrations of nine CSF diagnostic markers in a set of 140 paired serum and CSF patient samples were evaluated. The observed median PTHrP concentration in CSF was 51 times higher than in serum; the median concentration of Ca in CSF was 1.8 times lower than in serum. We observed positive correlation between concentrations of PTHrP in CSF and serum (p=0.013). Distribution of PTHrP concentrations in serum was associated with age (p=0.0068) and the concentrations were higher in women. In samples with serum calcium concentrations within the reference intervals (n=118), central 95% distribution of concentrations for Ca-CSF, PTHrP-serum and PTHrP-CSF were 5.4 (4.5-6.1) mg/dL, 1.2 (0.5-2.5) pmol/L, 62 (22-125) pmol/L, respectively. Our data demonstrate that PTHrP is a normal constituent of human CSF with median concentrations 51 fold higher than in serum. Elevated serum PTHrP concentrations were positively correlated with age and significantly higher in women. Our data suggest that CSF could be a significant source of circulating PTHrP. Copyright © 2017 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Steady-State Serum T3 Concentrations for 48 Hours Following the Oral Administration of a Single Dose of 3,5,3'-Triiodothyronine Sulfate (T3S).

Science.gov (United States)

Santini, Ferruccio; Giannetti, Monica; Ricco, Ilaria; Querci, Giorgia; Saponati, Giorgio; Bokor, Daniela; Rivolta, Giovanni; Bussi, Simona; Braverman, Lewis E; Vitti, Paolo; Pinchera, Aldo

2014-07-01

Sulfate conjugation of thyroid hormones is an alternate metabolic pathway that facilitates the biliary and urinary excretion of iodothyronines and enhances their deiodination rate, leading to the generation of inactive metabolites. A desulfating pathway reverses this process, and thyromimetic effects have been observed following the parenteral administration of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) sulfate (T3S) in rats. The present study investigated whether T3S is absorbed after oral administration in humans and if it represents a source of T3. Twenty-eight hypothyroid patients (7 men and 21 women; mean age, 44 ± 11 years) who had a thyroidectomy for thyroid carcinoma were enrolled. Replacement thyroid hormone therapy was withdrawn (42 days for thyroxine, 14 days for T3) prior to 131I remnant ablation. A single oral dose of 20, 40, 80 (4 patients/group), or 160 μg (16 patients/group) of T3S was administered 3 days before the planned administration of 131I. Blood samples for serum T3S and total T3 (TT3) concentrations were obtained at various times up to 48 hours after T3S administration. At all T3S doses, serum T3S concentrations increased, reaching a peak at 2 to 4 hours and progressively returning to basal levels within 8 to 24 hours. The T3S maximum concentration (Cmax) and area under the 0- to 48-hour concentration-time curve (AUC0-48h) were directly and significantly related to the administered dose. An increase in serum TT3 concentration was observed (significant after 1 hour), and the concentration increased further at 2 and 4 hours and then remained steady up to 48 hours after T3S administration. There was a significant direct correlation between the TT3 AUC0-48h and the administered dose of T3S. No changes in serum free thyroxine (T4) concentrations during the entire study period were observed, whereas serum thyroid-stimulating hormone levels increased slightly at 48 hours, but this was not related to the dose of T3S. No adverse events were reported. (1) T3S is

Influence of Surfactant Sorbitan Monolaurate to Suspension Polymerization of Polyacrylic Acid Super absorbent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dewi Sondari; Nuri Astrini; Lik Anah; Agus Haryono

2008-01-01

A super absorbent polymer has been prepared by suspension polymerization reaction using acrylic acid, sodium hydroxide, cyclohexane, potassium persulfate as initiator and sorbitan monolaurate as surfactant. The effect of different weight ratio of acrylic acid/sorbitan monolaurate 20/1, 20/2 and 20/3 were investigated based on its swelling properties, chemical structure by using Fourier Transform-Infra Red (FTIR) Spectroscopy and the surface morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The molecular weight of polyacrylic acid super absorbent was determinate by intrinsic viscosity measurements in 2 M aqueous sodium hydroxide at 25 o C. The study showed sample with weight ratio of acrylic acid/sorbitan monolaurate = 20/2 have best swelling properties. (author)

Salivary Creatinine Estimation as an Alternative to Serum Creatinine in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

OpenAIRE

Venkatapathy, Ramesh; Govindarajan, Vasupradha; Oza, Nirima; Parameswaran, Sreejith; Pennagaram Dhanasekaran, Balamurali; Prashad, Karthikshree V.

2014-01-01

Context. Sampling blood for serum analysis is an invasive procedure. A noninvasive alternative would be beneficial to patients and health care professionals. Aim. To correlate serum and salivary creatinine levels and evaluate the role of saliva as a noninvasive alternative to serum for creatinine estimation in chronic kidney disease patients. Study Design. Case-control study. Methods. Blood and saliva samples were collected from 37 healthy individuals and 105 chronic kidney disease patients...

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and radioimmunoassay of serum pepsinogen A

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pals, G; Meuwissen, S G.M.; Frants, R R; Kostense, P J; Eriksson, A W; Raesaenen, V

1987-02-01

The determination of serum pepsinogen A (=pepsinogen I) levels is of clinical importance in the study of duodenal ulcer, atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer. In the present study two different quantitative immunological techniques for serum pepsinogen A were compared: a radioimmunoassay (RIA) (Helsinki) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Amsterdam). Serum samples of 177 subjects with various gastric diseases were tested in a double blind study. The correlation was excellent (r=0.954 in the range 0-760 ..mu..g/l and r=0.971 in the range 0-100 ..mu..g/l). The functional relationship between ELISA (x) and RIA (y), determined by weighted model II regression, was y=1.12x-0.54. Initially the use of goat anti-PGA in the ELISA resulted in falsely high values in about 10% of the individuals. This was caused by circulating antibodies cross-reacting with goat IgG. This artefact was eliminated by pre-incubation of all samples with non-immune goat serum.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and radioimmunoassay of serum pepsinogen A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pals, Gerard; Meuwissen, S.G.M.; Frants, R.R.; Kostense, P.J.; Eriksson, A.W.; Raesaenen, Vesa

1987-01-01

The determination of serum pepsinogen A (=pepsinogen I) levels is of clinical importance in the study of duodenal ulcer, atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer. In the present study two different quantitative immunological techniques for serum pepsinogen A were compared: a radioimmunoassay (RIA) (Helsinki) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Amsterdam). Serum samples of 177 subjects with various gastric diseases were tested in a double blind study. The correlation was excellent (r=0.954 in the range 0-760 μg/l and r=0.971 in the range 0-100 μg/l). The functional relationship between ELISA (x) and RIA (y), determined by weighted model II regression, was y=1.12x-0.54. Initially the use of goat anti-PGA in the ELISA resulted in falsely high values in about 10% of the individuals. This was caused by circulating antibodies cross-reacting with goat IgG. This artefact was eliminated by pre-incubation of all samples with non-immune goat serum. (author)

Air box shock absorber for a nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pradhan, A.V.; George, J.A.

1977-01-01

Disclosed is an air box type shock absorber primarily for use in an ice condenser compartment of a nuclear reactor. The shock absorber includes a back plate member and sheet metal top, bottom, and front members. The front member is prefolded, and controlled clearances are provided among the members for predetermined escape of air under impact and compression. Prefolded internal sheet metal stiffeners also absorb a portion of the kinetic energy imparted to the shock absorber, and limit rebound. An external restraining rod guided by restraining straps insures that the sheet metal front member compresses inward upon impact. 6 claims, 11 figures

Absorber element for fast breeder reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verset, L.

1987-01-01

This absorber element is characterized by a new head which avoids an accident disconnection of the mobil absorber. This head is made by a superior piece which can take shore up an adjusting ring on an adjusting bearing on the inferior piece. The intermediate piece is catched at the superior piece by a link of chain [fr

Xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum as marker of occupational pesticide exposure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Helle Raun; Nielsen, Flemming; Nielsen, Jesper Bo

2007-01-01

-oestrogenic activity in serum was statistically significant for women who had been at work within the last week, while no association was observed for women who had not been at work during the most recent week. Conclusions: The study illustrates the usefulness of this biomarker for qualitative assessment...... with oestrogen-like properties in an occupational setting. Methods: Serum samples were obtained from two separate cohorts representing non-pregnant and pregnant female greenhouse workers in Denmark. Serum samples from 270 non-pregnant women and 173 pregnant women were analysed for xeno-oestrogenic activity......, medium or high based on information collected by detailed interviews of the women and the employers. Results: In both cohorts, an exposure-associated increase in the xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum was demonstrated. Among the pregnant women, the association between pesticide exposure and xeno...

Absorbed dose by a CMOS in radiotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borja H, C. G.; Valero L, C. Y.; Guzman G, K. A.; Banuelos F, A.; Hernandez D, V. M.; Vega C, H. R. [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Estudios Nucleares, Calle Cipres No. 10, Fracc. La Penuela, 98068 Zacatecas (Mexico); Paredes G, L. C., E-mail: candy_borja@hotmail.com [ININ, Carretera Mexico-Toluca s/n, 52750 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)

2011-10-15

Absorbed dose by a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit as part of a pacemaker, has been estimated using Monte Carlo calculations. For a cancer patient who is a pacemaker carrier, scattered radiation could damage pacemaker CMOS circuits affecting patient's health. Absorbed dose in CMOS circuit due to scattered photons is too small and therefore is not the cause of failures in pacemakers, but neutron calculations shown an absorbed dose that could cause damage in CMOS due to neutron-hydrogen interactions. (Author)

Semiconductor saturable absorbers for ultrafast terahertz signals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoffmann, Matthias C.; Turchinovich, Dmitry

2010-01-01

states, due to conduction band onparabolicity and scattering into satellite valleys in strong THz fields. Saturable absorber parameters, such as linear and nonsaturable transmission, and saturation fluence, are extracted by fits to a classic saturable absorber model. Further, we observe THz pulse......We demonstrate saturable absorber behavior of n-type semiconductors GaAs, GaP, and Ge in the terahertz THz frequency range at room temperature using nonlinear THz spectroscopy. The saturation mechanism is based on a decrease in electron conductivity of semiconductors at high electron momentum...

Graphene and Graphene Metamaterials for Terahertz Absorbers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andryieuski, Andrei; Pizzocchero, Filippo; Booth, Tim

2013-01-01

Graphene, due to the possibility to tune its conductivity, is the promising material for a range of the terahertz (THz) applications, such as tunable reflectors, absorbers, modulators, filters and polarization converters. Subwavelength structuring of graphene in order to form metamaterials allows...... for even more control over the THz waves. In this poster presentation I will show an elegant way to describe the graphene metamaterials and the design of graphene based absorbers. I will also present our recent experimental results on the graphene absorbers characterization....

Performance of a new carbon dioxide absorbent, Yabashi lime® as compared to conventional carbon dioxide absorbent during sevoflurane anesthesia in dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kondoh, Kei; Atiba, Ayman; Nagase, Kiyoshi; Ogawa, Shizuko; Miwa, Takashi; Katsumata, Teruya; Ueno, Hiroshi; Uzuka, Yuji

2015-08-01

In the present study, we compare a new carbon dioxide (CO2) absorbent, Yabashi lime(®) with a conventional CO2 absorbent, Sodasorb(®) as a control CO2 absorbent for Compound A (CA) and Carbon monoxide (CO) productions. Four dogs were anesthetized with sevoflurane. Each dog was anesthetized with four preparations, Yabashi lime(®) with high or low-flow rate of oxygen and control CO2 absorbent with high or low-flow rate. CA and CO concentrations in the anesthetic circuit, canister temperature and carbooxyhemoglobin (COHb) concentration in the blood were measured. Yabashi lime(®) did not produce CA. Control CO2 absorbent generated CA, and its concentration was significantly higher in low-flow rate than a high-flow rate. CO was generated only in low-flow rate groups, but there was no significance between Yabashi lime(®) groups and control CO2 absorbent groups. However, the CO concentration in the circuit could not be detected (≤5ppm), and no change was found in COHb level. Canister temperature was significantly higher in low-flow rate groups than high-flow rate groups. Furthermore, in low-flow rate groups, the lower layer of canister temperature in control CO2 absorbent group was significantly higher than Yabashi lime(®) group. CA and CO productions are thought to be related to the composition of CO2 absorbent, flow rate and canister temperature. Though CO concentration is equal, it might be safer to use Yabashi lime(®) with sevoflurane anesthesia in dogs than conventional CO2 absorbent at the point of CA production.

Role of cytogenetic techniques in biological dosimetry of absorbed radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, B.S.

2016-01-01

In most of the radiation accidents, physical dosimetric information is rarely available. Further, most of the accidental exposures are non-uniform involving either partial body or localized exposure to significant doses. In such situations, physical dosimetry does not provide reliable dose estimate. It has now been realized that biological dosimetric techniques can play an important role in the assessment of absorbed dose. In recent years, a number of biological indicators of radiation have been identified. These include the kinetics of onset and persistence of prodromal syndromes (radiation sickness), cytogenetic changes in peripheral blood lymphocytes, hematological changes, biochemical indicators, ESR spectroscopy of biological samples, induction of gene mutations in red blood cells, cytogenetic and physiological changes in skin and neurophysiological changes. In general, dosimetric information is derived by a combination of several different methods, as they have potential to serve as prognostic indicators. The role of cytogenetic techniques in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) as biological indicators of absorbed radiation is reviewed here

Alterations of serum cholesterol and serum lipoprotein in breast cancer of women

OpenAIRE

Hasija, Kiran; Bagga, Hardeep K.

2005-01-01

Fasting blood sample of 50 normal subjects (control) and 100 patients of breast cancer were investigated for serum total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein cholesterol:low density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and total cholesterol:high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio during breast cancer of women. Five cancer stages, types, age groups, parity and menopausal status were undertaken...

Optimization of a colorimetric assay for glycosylated human serum albumin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bohney, J.P.; Feldhoff, R.C.

1986-05-01

The thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay has been used for several years to quantitate the amount of glucose which has been non-enzymatically linked to hemoglobin and other proteins. The ketoamine-protein adduct is converted to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) by mild hydrolysis with oxalic acid. Reaction of HMF with TBA yields a colored product which has an absorbance maximum at 443 nm. Several modifications of the original procedure has been published, but none permit the unambiguous quantitation of glycosylated human serum albumin (glc-HSA). Problems relate to reagent preparation and stability, the time and temperature of hydrolysis, the choice of standards, and background color corrections. The authors have found that maximum color yield occurs after hydrolysis in an autoclave for 2 h. This increases the sensitivity 3-fold and cuts the assay time in half relative to hydrolysis for 4.5 h at 100/sup 0/C. A NaBH/sub 4/ reduction of a parallel protein sample must be performed to correct for variable background color associated with different sample sources and amounts. HMF can be used as a standard, however, corrections must be made for HMF degradation. Fructose is a better standard, but HMF formation from fructose is faster than formation from glc-HSA. This may result in an underestimate of percent glycosylation. The best standard appears to be glc-HSA prepared with (/sup 3/H)glucose. It appears that with proper controls and standards the TBA assay can be used to determine actual rather than relative percent glycosylation.

Three-dimensional determination of absorbed dose by spectrophotometric analysis of ferrous-sulphate agarose gel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gambarini, G.; Gomarasca, G.; Marchesini, R.; Pecci, A.; Pirola, L.; Tomatis, S.

1999-01-01

We describe a technique to obtain three-dimensional (3-D) imaging of an absorbed dose by optical transmittance measurements of phantoms composed by agarose gel in which a ferrous sulphate and xylenol orange solution are incorporated. The analysis of gel samples is performed by acquiring transmittance images with a system based on a CCD camera provided with an interference filter matching the optical absorption peak of interest. The proposed technique for 3-D measurements of an absorbed dose is based on the imaging of phantoms composed of sets of properly piled up gel slices. The slice thickness was optimized in order to obtain a good image contrast as well as a good in-depth spatial resolution. To test the technique, a phantom has been irradiated with a collimated γ-beam and then analysed. Proper software was adapted in order to visualise the images of all slices and to attain the 2-D profiles of the dose absorbed by each slice

An absorbing microwave micro-solid-phase extraction device used in non-polar solvent microwave-assisted extraction for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Ziming; Zhao Xin; Xu Xu; Wu Lijie; Su Rui; Zhao Yajing; Jiang Chengfei; Zhang Hanqi; Ma Qiang; Lu Chunmei; Dong Deming

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► An absorbing microwave μ-SPE device packed with activated carbon was used. ► Absorbing microwave μ-SPE device was made and used to enrich the analytes. ► Absorbing microwave μ-SPE device was made and used to heat samples directly. ► MAE-μ-SPE was applied to the extraction of OPPs with non-polar solvent only. - Abstract: A single-step extraction-cleanup method, including microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and micro-solid-phase extraction (μ-SPE), was developed for the extraction of ten organophosphorus pesticides in vegetable and fruit samples. Without adding any polar solvent, only one kind of non-polar solvent (hexane) was used as extraction solvent in the whole extraction step. Absorbing microwave μ-SPE device, was prepared by packing activated carbon with microporous polypropylene membrane envelope, and used as not only the sorbent in μ-SPE, but also the microwave absorption medium. Some experimental parameters effecting on extraction efficiency was investigated and optimized. 1.0 g of sample, 8 mL of hexane and three absorbing microwave μ-SPE devices were added in the microwave extraction vessel, the extraction was carried out under 400 W irradiation power at 60 °C for 10 min. The extracts obtained by MAE-μ-SPE were directly analyzed by GC–MS without any clean-up process. The recoveries were in the range of 93.5–104.6%, and the relative standard deviations were lower than 8.7%.

Radar absorbing properties of carbon nanotubes/polymer ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

This research is devoted to the study of radar absorbing properties of the composites, based on the epoxy binder and ... Radar absorbing materials; carbon nanotubes; nanocomposites; reflection loss. 1. ..... So, for example, the papers of [3–5 ...

An analysis of the relationship between serum cortisol and serum sodium in routine clinical patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eleanor McLaughlan

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Adrenal insufficiency is an uncommon cause of hyponatraemia that should not be overlooked due to the severe consequences of an Addisonian crisis. Using the laboratory database of a large teaching hospital, we have explored the relationship between serum sodium and serum cortisol, and have estimated the frequency of hypoadrenalism in severely hyponatraemic patients. Design and methods: Data were gathered over a 23 month period from the Laboratory Information Management System at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust for instances where serum sodium and cortisol had been measured on a single sample. Data were also gathered over the same time period for all patients with severe hyponatraemia (serum sodium ≤120 mmol/L in order to determine the frequency of cortisol requesting and the incidence of adrenal insufficiency. Results: Analysis of the data (n=3268 patients revealed a trend showing higher cortisol concentrations in patients who were severely hypo- or hypernatraemic. The median cortisol concentration for patients with sodium ≤110 mmol/L was 856 nmol/L, and there was a gradual decrease in cortisol over the sodium range ≤110–150 mmol/L (Rs =−0.323, p<0.0001. Patients with sodium ≥151 mmol/L had a median cortisol of 725 nmol/L. 42% of the 978 patients with serum sodium ≤120 mmol/L had serum cortisol measured within two weeks, of whom 1.7% were diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency. Conclusions: This dataset shows rising cortisol in response to hypo- or hypernatraemia, in keeping with the stress response to illness. The data show that adrenal insufficiency is a rare cause of hyponatraemia which may be overlooked. Keywords: Serum, Sodium, Cortisol, Adrenal insufficiency

GEOMETRICAL OPTIMIZATION OF VEHICLE SHOCK ABSORBERS WITH MR FLUID

OpenAIRE

ENGIN, Tahsin; PARLAK, Zekeriya; ŞAHIN, Ismail; ÇALLI, Ismail

2016-01-01

Magnetorheological (MR) shock absorber have received remarkable attention in the last decade due to being a potential technology to conduct semi-active control in structures and mechanical systems in order to effectively suppress vibration. To develop performance of MR shock absorbers, optimal design of the dampers should be considered. The present study deals with optimal geometrical modeling of a MR shock absorber. Optimal design of the present shock absorber was carried out by using Taguch...

Precise determination of sodium in serum by simulated isotope dilution method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Ying; Zhang Chuanbao; Zhao Haijian; Chen Wenxiang; Shen Ziyu; Wang Xiaoru; Chen Dengyun

2007-01-01

A new precise and accurate method for the determination of sodium in serum by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was developed. Since 23 Na is the single isotope element, 27 Al is selected as simulated isotope of Na. Al is spiked into serum samples and Na standard solution. 23 Na/ 27 Al ratio in the Na standard solution is determined to assume the natural Na isotope ratio. The serums samples are digested by purified HNO 3 /H 2 O 2 and diluted to get about 0.6 μg·g -1 Al solutions, and the 23 Na/ 27 Al ratios of the serum samples are obtained to calculate the accurate Na concentrations basing on the isotope dilution method. When the simulated isotope dilution method of ICP-MS is applied and Al is selected as the simulated isotope of Na, the precise and accurate Na concentrations in the serums are determined. The inter-day precision of CV<0.13% for one same serum sample is obtained during 3 days 4 measurements. The spike recoveries are between 99.69% and 100.60% for 4 different serum samples and 3 days multi-measurements. The results of measuring standard reference materials of serum sodium are agree with the certified value. The relative difference between 3 days is 0.22%-0.65%, and the relative difference in one bottle is 0.15%-0.44%. The ICP-MS and Al simulated isotope dilution method is proved to be not only precise and accurate, but also quick and convenient for measuring Na in serum. It is promising to be a reference method for precise determination of Na in serum. Since Al is a low cost isotope dilution reagent, the method is possible to be widely applied for serum Na determination. (authors)

Serum Metabonomics of Mild Acute Pancreatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Hongmin; Zhang, Lei; Kang, Huan; Zhang, Jiandong; Liu, Jie; Liu, Shuye

2016-11-01

Mild acute pancreatitis (MAP) is a common acute abdominal disease, and exhibits rising incidence in recent decades. As an important component of systemic biology, metabonomics is a new discipline developed following genomics and proteomics. In this study, the objective was to analyze the serum metabonomics of patients with MAP, aiming to screen metabolic markers with potential diagnostic values. An analysis platform with ultra performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry was used to screen the difference metabolites related to MAP diagnosis and disease course monitoring. A total of 432 endogenous metabolites were screened out from 122 serum samples, and 49 difference metabolites were verified, among which 12 difference metabolites were identified by nonparametric test. After material identification, eight metabolites exhibited reliable results, and their levels in MAP serum were higher than those in healthy serum. Four metabolites exhibited gradual downward trend with treatment process going on, and the differences were statistically significant (P Metabonomic analysis has revealed eight metabolites with potential diagnostic values toward MAP, among which four metabolites can be used to monitor the disease course. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Immunoreactive somatomedin A in human serum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, K.; Brandt, J.; Enberg, G.; Fryklund, L.

1979-01-01

A RIA has been developed for somatomedin A (SM-A) utilizing Sepharose-bound antibodies. This assay, measuring SM-A, the insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2, and somatomedin C, allows determination in serum samples. In comparison with a serum standard, the mean serum levels in patients with acromegaly or GH deficiency and healthy subjects were 8.7 +- 0.7 (n=25), 0.24 +- 0.02 (n=25), and 1.15 +- 0.11 U/ml, respectively. The correlation coefficient between immunoreactive SM-A and SM-A by radioreceptor assay was highly significant (r=0.93), although the potency ratio of SM-A between the two groups of patients was higher in the RIA than in the radioreceptor assay. Gel chromatography revealed that SM-A in acromegalic serum is bound to a carrier protein which is absent in patients with GH deficiency. After gel chromatography at low pH, 90% of applied immunoreactive SM-A was recovered in the low molecular weight fraction and consisted mainly of neutral polypeptides

Progress on the MICE Liquid Absorber Cooling and Cryogenic Distribution System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, M.A.; Baynham, E.; Bradshaw, T.; Drumm, P.; Ivanyushenkov, Y.; Ishimoto, S.; Cummings, M.A.C.; Lau, W.W.; Yang, S.Q.

2005-01-01

This report describes the progress made on the design of the cryogenic cooling system for the liquid absorber for the international Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE). The absorber consists of a 20.7-liter vessel that contains liquid hydrogen (1.48 kg at 20.3 K) or liquid helium (2.59 kg at 4.2 K). The liquid cryogen vessel is located within the warm bore of the focusing magnet for the MICE. The purpose of the magnet is to provide a low beam beta region within the absorber. For safety reasons, the vacuum vessel for the hydrogen absorber is separated from the vacuum vessel for the superconducting magnet and the vacuum that surrounds the RF cavities or the detector. The absorber thin windows separate the liquid in the absorber from the absorber vacuum. The absorber vacuum vessel also has thin windows that separate the absorber vacuum space from adjacent vacuum spaces. Because the muon beam in MICE is of low intensity, there is no beam heating in the absorber. The absorber can use a single 4 K cooler to cool either liquid helium or liquid hydrogen within the absorber

Preparation and characterization of water-absorbing composite ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The present work introduces a novel method for the formation of water absorbing composite membrane. The prepared composite is based on chitosan, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and Montmorillonite. Prepared composite membrane exhibits high water absorbing and holding capacity with increasing clay content.

Increased serum cortisol binding in chronic active hepatitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orbach, O.; Schussler, G.C.

1989-01-01

A high serum cortisol concentration, apparently due to increased cortisol-binding globulin (CBG), was found in a patient (index case) with chronic active hepatitis (CAH). We therefore performed further studies to determine whether increased cortisol binding is generally associated with CAH. Serum samples were obtained from 15 hospitalized patients with long-term liver function test elevations but no evidence of cirrhosis, 15 normal subjects without a history of hepatitis, four healthy pregnant women, and 10 alcoholic patients with stigmata of cirrhosis. Serum cortisol binding was measured by an adaptation of a previously described charcoal uptake method. Thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) and sex hormone-binding globulin were determined by radioimmunoassays. Charcoal uptake of 125I cortisol from sera of normal subjects and additional patients with CAH revealed that increased serum cortisol binding by a saturable site, presumably CBG, was associated with CAH. Cortisol binding was significantly correlated with immunoassayable TBG, suggesting that in CAH, similar mechanisms may be responsible for increasing the serum concentrations of CBG and TBG

Ku-band electromagnetic wave absorbing properties of polysiloxane derived Si-O-C bulk ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Donghai; Li, Zipei; Xiao, Guoqing; Yang, Shaoyu

2018-02-01

The bulk Si-O-C ceramics were prepared by polymer derived ceramics (PDCs) route using polysiloxane as precursor and their properties were investigated for electromagnetic wave absorbing in the frequency range of 12.4-18 GHz (Ku-band). It was found that the catalytic pyrolysis can enhance substantially the absorbing properties by in situ formation of turbostratic carbon network, ordered carbon, and multi-wall carbon nanotubes. The matching thickness of sample containing 1.5 wt% FeCl3 (FPSO-1.5) is 2.2 mm, and its reflection loss exceeds -10 dB in the whole Ku-band with an absorption peak of -35.48 dB at 14.16 GHz. For sample containing 1.5 wt% FeCl3, its absorption peak increases to -15.78 dB, but its matching thickness decreases significantly to 2.2 mm. The polymer derived Si-O-C ceramics could be used as excellent electromagnetic functional devices working in harsh environments.

Electromagnetic scattering from microwave absorbers - Laboratory verification of the coupled wave theory

Science.gov (United States)

Gasiewski, A. J.; Jackson, D. M.

1992-01-01

W-band measurements of the bistatic scattering function of some common microwave absorbing structures, including periodic wedge-type and pyramid-type iron-epoxy calibration loads and flat carbon-foam 'Echosorb' samples, were made using a network analyzer interface to a focused-lens scattering range. Swept frequency measurements over the 75-100 GHz band revealed specular and Bragg reflection characteristics in the measured data.

A novel radioassay for the determination of folate in serum and red cells and new observations on the stability of serum folate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lynch, E.P.J.; Tovey, K.C.; Guilford, H.

1977-01-01

A Competitive Protein Binding assay for the determination of folate in serum and red cells has been developed. The assay has been fully validated in hospital trials and comparisons have been made with the microbiological assay. We have based the standardization of the radioassay on N 5 -methyltetrahydrofolate (N 5 -MTHF) as this is the predominant folate derivative in serum samples. At about pH 9.5 pteroylglutamic acid (PGA) and N 5 -MTHF demonstrate the same affinity for folate binding proteins. Therefore, many folate assays have adopted PGA largely because of the popular belief that N 5 -MTHF is highly unstable. However, we have demonstrated that N 5 -MTHF in serum standards is surprisingly stable at -20 0 C. All the reagents for the assay (including the N 5 -MTHF standards) have shown perfectly acceptable stability, permitting their storage for at least three weeks at -20 0 C and one week at 4 0 C. Evidence will be presented to support the use of N 5 -MTHF as being the more appropriate standard. Folate in human serum samples is stable even at room temperature in the presence of 0.1% sodium azide. (orig./AJ) [de

Smart management of sample dilution using an artificial neural network to achieve streamlined processes and saving resources: the automated nephelometric testing of serum free light chain as case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ialongo, Cristiano; Pieri, Massimo; Bernardini, Sergio

2017-02-01

Saving resources is a paramount issue for the modern laboratory, and new trainable as well as smart technologies can be used to allow the automated instrumentation to manage samples more efficiently in order to achieve streamlined processes. In this regard the serum free light chain (sFLC) testing represents an interesting challenge, as it usually causes using a number of assays before achieving an acceptable result within the analytical range. An artificial neural network based on the multi-layer perceptron (MLP-ANN) was used to infer the starting dilution status of sFLC samples based on the information available through the laboratory information system (LIS). After the learning phase, the MLP-ANN simulation was applied to the nephelometric testing routinely performed in our laboratory on a BN ProSpec® System analyzer (Siemens Helathcare) using the N Latex FLC kit. The MLP-ANN reduced the serum kappa free light chain (κ-FLC) and serum lambda free light chain (λ-FLC) wasted tests by 69.4% and 70.8% with respect to the naïve stepwise dilution scheme used by the automated analyzer, and by 64.9% and 66.9% compared to a "rational" dilution scheme based on a 4-step dilution. Although it was restricted to follow-up samples, the MLP-ANN showed good predictive performance, which alongside the possibility to implement it in any automated system, made it a suitable solution for achieving streamlined laboratory processes and saving resources.

Influenza A plasma and serum virus antibody detection comparison in dogs using blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. T. Lin

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim: The influenza A virus (IAV is an important zoonotic pathogen with infections also reported in dogs. IAV infections can be detected through the presence of antibodies using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. Serum is the only standard sample source; however, there is no information on the availability of other sample sources for IAV antibody detection in dogs. Compared with serum, plasma is more widely employed in most animal hospitals. The object of this study is to investigate whether plasma collected in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA tubes (EDTA plasma or heparin tubes (heparin plasma could be used in the ELISA protocol instead of serum for IAV antibody detection in dogs. Materials and Methods: Totally, 82 matched EDTA plasma and serum sample pairs and 79 matched heparin plasma and serum sample pairs were employed using blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (bELISA. The agreement and correlation between the plasma (EDTA or heparin plasma and serum were assessed using the agreement index kappa (kD calculation and Pearson correlation coefficient, respectively. Results: The agreement index kD of EDTA plasma and serum was 1.0, and that of heparin plasma and serum was 0.85. The Pearson correlation coefficient of EDTA plasma and serum was 0.87 (p<0.01, and that of heparin plasma and serum was 0.82 (p<0.01. Conclusion: The results proved that plasma, especially EDTA plasma, could be substituted for serum in the bELISA test. This might greatly expand the clinical applicability of IAV antibody detection in dogs.

Efficient evaluation of humoral immune responses by the use of serum pools

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sternbæk, Louise; Draborg, Anette H.; Nielsen, Christoffer T.

2017-01-01

has considered using serum pools as a quick and efficient screening method to confirm or deny hypotheses. Methods We created serum pools from four different patient groups (systemic lupus erythematosus n = 85, rheumatoid arthritis n = 77, Sjögren's syndrome n = 91, systemic sclerosis n = 66) and one......Background Collection and testing of individual serum samples are often used in research to gain knowledge about e.g. the humoral response against bacteria or virus. This is a valid but time-consuming method and might be a waste of valuable serum samples for inefficient research. So far, no study...... healthy control group (n = 67). Each serum pool was analyzed using three well-known immunoassays: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), line blot, and immunofluorescence microscopy (anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) screening). The presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) EA/D-, EBNA-1-, VCA p23-, and gp350...

A competitive immunoassay for ultrasensitive detection of Hg{sup 2+} in water, human serum and urine samples using immunochromatographic test based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

She, Pei; Chu, Yanxin [The Key Lab of Health Chemistry & Molecular Diagnosis of Suzhou, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Soochow University, Renai Road 199, Suzhou 215123 (China); Liu, Chunwei; Guo, Xun [OptoTrace (Suzhou) Technologies, Inc., STE 316, Building 4, No. 218, Xinghu Street, bioBAY, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou 215123 (China); Zhao, Kang [The Key Lab of Health Chemistry & Molecular Diagnosis of Suzhou, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Soochow University, Renai Road 199, Suzhou 215123 (China); Li, Jianguo, E-mail: lijgsd@suda.edu.cn [The Key Lab of Health Chemistry & Molecular Diagnosis of Suzhou, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Soochow University, Renai Road 199, Suzhou 215123 (China); Du, Haijing; Zhang, Xiang [The Key Lab of Health Chemistry & Molecular Diagnosis of Suzhou, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Soochow University, Renai Road 199, Suzhou 215123 (China); Wang, Hong [OptoTrace (Suzhou) Technologies, Inc., STE 316, Building 4, No. 218, Xinghu Street, bioBAY, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou 215123 (China); Deng, Anping, E-mail: denganping@suda.edu.cn [The Key Lab of Health Chemistry & Molecular Diagnosis of Suzhou, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Soochow University, Renai Road 199, Suzhou 215123 (China)

2016-02-04

An immunochromatographic test (ICT) strip was developed for ultrasensitive competitive immunoassay of Hg{sup 2+}. This strategy was achieved by combining the easy-operation and rapidity of ICT with the high sensitivity of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Monoclonal antibody (mAb) against Hg{sup 2+} and Raman active substance 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) dual labelled gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were prepared as an immunoprobe. The Raman scattering intensity of MBA on the test line of the ICT strip was measured for quantitative determination of Hg{sup 2+}. The ICT was able to directly detect Hg{sup 2+} without complexing due to the specific recognition of the mAb with Hg{sup 2+}. The IC{sub 50} and limit of detection (LOD) of the assay for Hg{sup 2+} detection were 0.12 ng mL{sup −1} and 0.45 pg mL{sup −1}, respectively. There was no cross-reactivity (CR) of the assay with other nineteen ions and the ICT strips could be kept for 5 weeks without loss of activity. The recoveries of the assay for water, human serum and urine samples spiked with Hg{sup 2+} were in range of 88.3–107.3% with the relative standard deviations (RSD) of 1.5–9.5% (n = 3). The proposed ICT was used for the detection of Hg{sup 2+} in urine samples collected from Occupational Disease Hospital and the results were confirmed by cold-vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (CV-AFS). The assay exhibited high sensitivity, selectivity, stability, precision and accuracy, demonstrating a promising method for the detection of trace amount of Hg{sup 2+} in environmental water samples and biological serum and urine samples. - Highlights: • The proposed ICT was able to directly detect Hg{sup 2+} without formation of Hg{sup 2+}-ligand complex. • The proposed ICT exhibited high sensitivity, specificity, stability, precision and accuracy for Hg{sup 2+} detection. • The proposed ICT was applicable for the detection of trace amount of Hg{sup 2+} in water, human serum and urine samples.

Absorber Alignment Measurement Tool for Solar Parabolic Trough Collectors: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stynes, J. K.; Ihas, B.

2012-04-01

As we pursue efforts to lower the capital and installation costs of parabolic trough solar collectors, it is essential to maintain high optical performance. While there are many optical tools available to measure the reflector slope errors of parabolic trough solar collectors, there are few tools to measure the absorber alignment. A new method is presented here to measure the absorber alignment in two dimensions to within 0.5 cm. The absorber alignment is measured using a digital camera and four photogrammetric targets. Physical contact with the receiver absorber or glass is not necessary. The alignment of the absorber is measured along its full length so that sagging of the absorber can be quantified with this technique. The resulting absorber alignment measurement provides critical information required to accurately determine the intercept factor of a collector.

Serum protein fingerprint of patients with gastric cancer by SELDI ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

To study the serum protein fingerprint of patients with gastric cancer and to screen for protein molecules closely related to gastric cancer during the onset and progression of the disease using surface-enhanced laser desorption and ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS). Serum samples from 80 gastric ...

MODERATE C IV ABSORBER SYSTEMS REQUIRE 1012 M☉ DARK MATTER HALOS AT z ∼ 2.3: A CROSS-CORRELATION STUDY OF C IV ABSORBER SYSTEMS AND QUASARS IN SDSS-III BOSS DR9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vikas, Shailendra; Wood-Vasey, W. Michael; Lundgren, Britt; Ross, Nicholas P.; Myers, Adam D.; AlSayyad, Yusra; York, Donald G.; Schneider, Donald P.; Brinkmann, J.; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Brewington, Howard; Malanushenko, Elena; Malanushenko, Viktor; Oravetz, Daniel; Pan, Kaike; Snedden, Stephanie; Ge, Jian; Muna, Demitri; Pâris, Isabelle; Petitjean, Patrick

2013-01-01

We measure the two-point cross-correlation function of C IV absorber systems and quasars, using spectroscopic data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS; Data Release 9). The 19,701 quasars and 6149 C IV ''moderate'' absorbers, 0.28 Å 2 and represent a factor of two increase in sample size over previous investigations. We find a correlation scale length and slope of the redshift-space cross-correlation function of s 0 = 8.46 ± 1.24 Mpc, γ = 1.68 ± 0.19, in the redshift-space range 10 0 = 7.76 ± 2.80 Mpc, γ = 1.74 ± 0.21. We measure the combined quasar and C IV bias to be b QSO b C I V = 8.81 ± 2.28. Using an estimate of b QSO from the quasar auto-correlation function we find b CIV = 2.38 ± 0.62. This b CIV implies that EW > 0.28 Å C IV absorbers at z ∼ 2.3 are typically found in dark matter halos that have masses ≥10 11.3 -10 13.4 M ☉ at that redshift. The complete BOSS sample will triple the number of both quasars and absorption systems and increase the power of this cross-correlation measurement by a factor of two.

Highly efficient human serum filtration with water-soluble nanoporous nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonella Pujia

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Antonella Pujia1, Francesco De Angelis1,2, Domenica Scumaci3, Marco Gaspari3, Carlo Liberale1,2, Patrizio Candeloro1, Giovanni Cuda3, Enzo Di Fabrizio1,21BIONEM Laboratory, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, Germaneto (CZ, Italy; 2IIT, Italian Institute of Technology, Genova, Italy; 3Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, Germaneto (CZ, ItalyBackground: Human serum has the potential to become the most informative source of novel biomarkers, but its study is very difficult due to the incredible complexity of its molecular composition. We describe a novel tool based on biodegradable nanoporous nanoparticles (NPNPs that allows the harvesting of low-molecular-weight fractions of crude human serum or other biofluids. NPNPs with a diameter of 200 nm and pore size of a few nm were obtained by ultrasonication of nanoporous silicon. When incubated with a solution, the NPNPs harvest only the molecules small enough to be absorbed into the nanopores. Then they can be recovered by centrifugation and dissolved in water, making the harvested molecules available for further analyses.Results: Fluorescence microscopy, gel electrophoresis, and mass spectrometry were used to show the enrichment of low-molecular-weight fraction of serum under physiological conditions, with a cut-off of 13 kDa and an enrichment factor >50.Conclusion: From these findings, we conclude that ability to tune pore size, combined with the availability of hundreds of biomolecule cross-linkers, opens up new perspectives on complex biofluid analysis, discovery of biomarkers, and in situ drug delivery.Keywords: nanoporous silicon, nanoparticle, biomarker discovery, human serum proteomics, harvesting

Preparation and characterization of water-absorbing composite ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ABCO

2012-08-16

Aug 16, 2012 ... The present work introduces a novel method for the formation of water absorbing composite membrane. The prepared composite is based on chitosan, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and. Montmorillonite. Prepared composite membrane exhibits high water absorbing and holding capacity with increasing ...

Excited state interaction between Hydrochlorothiazide and europium ion in PMMA polymer and its application as optical sensor for Hydrochlorothiazide in tablet and serum samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Attia, M.S., E-mail: Mohamed_sam@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo (Egypt); Othman, A.M. [Environmental Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Institute, Menofiea University (Egypt); Youssef, A.O. [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo (Egypt); El-Raghi, E. [Environmental Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Institute, Menofiea University (Egypt)

2012-08-15

This paper reports on a facile technique combined with a simple, sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of hydrochlorothiazide. In methanol, at pH 8.3 and {lambda}{sub ex}=340, hydrochlorothiazide can remarkably enhance the luminescence intensity of the Eu{sup 3+} ion doped in polymethylmethacrylate polymer (PMMA) matrix. This could be due to the energy transfer from hydrochlorothiazide to Eu{sup 3+} in the excited stated. At the optimized experimental conditions, the enhancement of the characteristic emission band (617 nm) of Eu{sup 3+} ion doped PMMA is directly proportional to the concentration of hydrochlorothiazide with a dynamic range of 5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -8}-1.0 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -5} mol L{sup -1} and detection limit of 8.0 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -9} mol L{sup -1}. Application of the suggested method was successfully applied to the determination of hydrochlorothiazide in pharmaceutical preparations and human serum samples, with high percentage of recovery, good accuracy and precision. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer HCT was determined by europium sensitized by HCT in PMMA polymer. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Band at 617 nm of Eu{sup 3+} ion ({sup 5}D{sub 0}{yields}{sup 7}F{sub 2}) is sensitive to HCT concentration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Recovery and R.S.D for tablets serum samples in proposed method were calculated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Method is verified for HCT determination in real samples with no interferences.

Clinical implications of carcinoembryonic antigen distribution in serum exosomal fraction-Measurement by ELISA.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shozo Yokoyama

Full Text Available Serum exosomal proteins have great potential as indicators of disease status in cancer, inflammatory or metabolic diseases. The association of a fraction of various serum proteins such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA with circulating exosomes has been debated. The establishment of a method to measure the exosomal fraction of such proteins might help resolve this controversy. The use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs to measure serum exosomal molecules, for example CEA, is rare in research laboratories and totally absent in clinical biology. In this study, we optimized a method for assessment of serum exosomal molecules combining a treatment by volume-excluding polymers to isolate the exosomes, their subsequent solubilization in an assay buffer and ELISA.One hundred sixteen consecutive patients with colorectal cancer were enrolled for this study between June 2015 and June 2016 at Wakayama Medical University Hospital (WMUH. Whole blood samples were collected from patients during surgery. Exosomes were isolated using the ExoQuick reagent, solubilized in an assay buffer and subjected to CEA detection by ELISA. The procedure of serum exosome isolation and the formulation of the assay buffer used for the ELISA were optimized in order to improve the sensitivity and specificity of the assay.A five-fold increase in the concentration of the exosomes in the assay buffer (using initial serum volume as a reference and the addition of bovine serum albumin (BSA resulted in more accurate measurements of the serum exosomal CEA. The thawing temperature of frozen serum samples before exosome extraction was also optimized. A validation study that included one hundred sixteen patients with colorectal cancer demonstrated that serum exosomal CEA from samples thawed at 25°C exhibited a better AUC value, sensitivity, and specificity as well as a more correct classification than serum CEA.We optimized an easy and rapid detection method for assessment of

Airborne Precursors Predict Maternal Serum Perfluoroalkyl Acid Concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Makey, Colleen M; Webster, Thomas F; Martin, Jonathan W; Shoeib, Mahiba; Harner, Tom; Dix-Cooper, Linda; Webster, Glenys M

2017-07-05

Human exposure to persistent perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), can occur directly from contaminated food, water, air, and dust. However, precursors to PFAAs (PreFAAs), such as dipolyfluoroalkyl phosphates (diPAPs), fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), perfluorooctyl sulfonamides (FOSAs), and sulfonamidoethanols (FOSEs), which can be biotransformed to PFAAs, may also be a source of exposure. PFAAs were analyzed in 50 maternal sera samples collected in 2007-2008 from participants in Vancouver, Canada, while PFAAs and PreFAAs were measured in matching samples of residential bedroom air collected by passive sampler and in sieved vacuum dust (<150 μm). Concentrations of PreFAAs were higher than for PFAAs in air and dust. Positive associations were discovered between airborne 10:2 FTOH and serum PFOA and PFNA and between airborne MeFOSE and serum PFOS. On average, serum PFOS concentrations were 2.3 ng/mL (95%CI: 0.40, 4.3) higher in participants with airborne MeFOSE concentrations in the highest tertile relative to the lowest tertile. Among all PFAAs, only PFNA in air and vacuum dust predicted serum PFNA. Results suggest that airborne PFAA precursors were a source of PFOA, PFNA, and PFOS exposure in this population.

Fluorocarbon-bonded magnetic mesoporous microspheres for the analysis of perfluorinated compounds in human serum by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Xiaodan; Yu, Yingjia; Li, Yan; Zhang, Haiying; Ling, Jin; Sun, Xueni; Feng, Jianan; Duan, Gengli

2014-01-01

Highlights: • New SPE method was developed for analysis of PFCs in human serum. • Fluorocarbon-bonded magnetic mesoporous microspheres were used as SPE absorbents. • PFCs in serum were directly extracted without any other pretreatment procedure. • The PFCs-adsorbed microspheres were simply and rapidly isolated by using a magnet. - Abstract: We report herein an extraction method for the analysis of perfluorinated compounds in human serum based on magnetic core–mesoporous shell microspheres with decyl-perfluorinated interior pore-walls (Fe 3 O 4 @mSiO 2 -F 17 ). Thanks to the unique properties of the Fe 3 O 4 @mSiO 2 -F 17 microspheres, macromolecules like proteins could be easily excluded from the mesoporous channels due to size exclusion effect, and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in protein-rich biosamples such as serum could thus be directly extracted with the fluorocarbon modified on the channel wall without any other pretreatment procedure. The PFCs adsorbed Fe 3 O 4 @mSiO 2 -F 17 microspheres could then be simply and rapidly isolated by using a magnet, followed by being identified and quantified by LC–MS/MS (high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry). Five perfluorinatedcarboxylic acids (C6, C8–C11) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were selected as model analytes. In order to achieve the best extraction efficiency, some important factors including the amount of Fe 3 O 4 @mSiO 2 -F 17 microspheres added, adsorption time, type of elution solvent, eluting solvent volume and elution time were investigated. The ranges of the LOD were 0.02–0.05 ng mL −1 for the six PFCs. The recovery of the optimized method varies from 83.13% to 92.42% for human serum samples