INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Uniaxial tensile testing is commonly used to calculate values of mechanical properties of urogynecological prostheses used in stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse surgery in women. Clinical behavior of these products has been linked to their mechanical properties, hence influencing the clinician's preference for one brand ...

The interest in and need for formulating miconazole nitrate (MN), a broad-spectrum antifungal, as an oral disintegrating tablet for treatment of some forms of candidiasis have increased. Formulation of MN in this dosage form will be more advantageous, producing dual effect: local in the buccal cavity and systemic with rapid ...

Clostridium difficile is the leading cause of healthcare-associated infectious diarrhea. Although C difficile is part of normal flora in some healthy individuals, patients with selective risk factors are often vulnerable to the toxigenic potential of this virulent healthcare pathogen. The spectrum of C difficile infection (CDI) is highly variable, ranging ...

Presently, there is a need for increased efforts to develop newer and effective methods to control mosquito vectors as the existing chemical and biological methods are not as effective as in earlier period owing to different technical and operational reasons. The use of nanomaterial products in various sectors of science ...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the performance of the guaiac-based faecal occult blood test (G-FOBT), with that of three immunochemical faecal occult blood tests (I-FOBT) which allow automatic interpretation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Under the French organised screening programme, 85,149 average-risk individuals aged 50-74 participating in the ...

Recently a commercial antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit in the form of a dipstick (Bovine Enterichek®, Biovet Inc.) was made available to bovine practitioners and producers for the rapid detection of Betacoronavirus 1 (BCV-1), Rotavirus A (RV-A), Escherichia coli K99(+), and Cryptosporidium parvum in feces from diarrheic calves. The diagnostic ...

Context.-Diagnostic laboratory testing for Clostridium difficile infection has undergone considerable and rapid evolution during the last decade. The ideal detection method(s), which should exhibit high analytical and clinical sensitivity and specificity, remains undefined. Objective.-We sought to evaluate the analytical and clinical performance characteristics of three methods for the laboratory detection ...

The purpose of this study was to assess bulk tank milk sampling strategies for estimating total bacterial count (TBC). Nine large dairies in Wisconsin that produced and shipped at least 1 milk load per day were selected for this study. Total bacteria count was performed for each milk load produced ...

We have developed an integrated microfluidic immunoassay chip for high-throughput sandwich immunoassay tests. The chip creates an array of reactive patterns through mechanical protection by actuating monolithically embedded button valves. We have demonstrated that this chip can achieve highly sensitive immunoassay tests within an hour, and requires only microliter samples.

Convenient, rapid, and accurate detection of chemical and biomolecules would be a great benefit to medical, pharmaceutical and environmental science. Many chemical and biosensors based on metal nanoparticles (NPs) have been developed. However, as a result of the inconvenience and complexity of most of the current preparation techniques, surface plasmon-based ...

In this study the occurrence of Salmonella in swine, pork meat and meat handlers along with their clonal relatedness is evaluated at abattoir level. Samples from the lymph nodes, carcass surface and meat of 100 pigs and 45 meat handlers were collected in eight abattoirs (July 2007-August 2008). Salmonella isolates ...

Aquatic toxicity tests with substances that are poorly soluble in water have been conducted using different methods, and estimates of toxicity have varied accordingly. The present study illustrates differences in toxicity values resulting from variation in test designs and solution preparation methods, and offers guidance on the best way to ...

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to test the survival of microorganisms in eluents used for Ge/Ga generators and for regeneration of nonradioactive Ge/Ga generator columns after high microbial load. Nonradioactive generator columns were loaded with various microorganisms and tested to determine whether the microorganisms were proliferating or surviving ...

The lateral flow test has become the standard bioassay format in low-resource settings because it is rapid, easy to use, and low in cost, uses reagents stored in dry form, and is equipment-free. However, lateral flow tests are often limited to a single chemical delivery step and not capable of ...

We analyzed the performance of a new rapid diagnostic test for use in determining group B streptococcus colonization in pregnancy. Vaginal-rectal specimens were compared by the rapid test, a commercial laboratory culture result, and an in-house culture. Of 150 patient samples, 72 were positive by the rapid test, giving a ...

Rapid, sensitive, on-site detection of bacteria without a need for sophisticated equipment or skilled personnel is extremely important in clinical settings and rapid response scenarios, as well as in resource-limited settings. Here, we report a novel approach for selective and ultra-sensitive multiplexed detection of Escherichia coli (non-pathogenic or pathogenic) using ...

BACKGROUND: /st>The anaesthetic conserving device (ACD) AnaConDa(®) was developed to allow the reduced use of inhaled agents by conserving exhaled agent and allowing rebreathing. Elevated has been observed in patients when using this ACD, despite tidal volume compensation for the larger apparatus dead space. The aim of the present study ...

Argillaceous Lindsay limestone is the geologic storage formation that will be encountered at the site for the construction of a deep ground repository in Ontario, Canada, for the storage of low to intermediate level nuclear waste. The permeability of the Lindsay limestone is a key parameter that will influence the ...

The stability of subsurface Light Nonaqueous Phase Liquids (LNAPLs) is a key factor driving expectations for remedial measures at LNAPL sites. The conventional approach to resolving LNAPL stability has been to apply Darcy's Equation. This paper explores an alternative approach wherein single-well tracer dilution tests with intermittent mixing are used ...

Several nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAATs), particularly PCR and real-time PCR, are currently used in the routine clinical laboratories. Such approaches have allowed rapid diagnosis with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. However, conventional PCR methods have several intrinsic disadvantages such as the requirement for temperature cycling apparatus, and ...

In this study, investigations to develop a beneficiation process for separating coal pond ash into various products were undertaken. To this end, coal pond ash samples with different particle size ranges were tested in terms of their washability characteristics in a float-and-sink analysis. It was found that coal pond ash ...

Introduction:  D-dimer (DD) assays are effective for the exclusion of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), but point-of-care (POC) DD assays have not been fully evaluated. Methods:  We have compared five POC DD assays (Pathfast, Cardiac, Vidas, Stratus and NycoCard) with our routine DD method (Tinaquant), testing 60 samples from patients with suspected ...

The present study describes the synthesis and preliminary testing of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) as scavenger resins for removal of the genotoxic impurities (GTI) acetamide and arylsulfonates from active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). The MIPs were synthesized as monoliths using acetamide or methyl tosylate respectively as templates. The polymers were crushed ...

To detect Salmonella spp. in suspect infected ducks, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed. With the help of this assay, we can detect Salmonella enterica serovar Enteriditis and Salmonella enterica serovar Anatis above 6.0 cfu/test and 4.8 cfu/test, respectively, in pure-culture conditions, even in the existence of 0.01 ...

Quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction has been in diagnostic use in the UK for over 10 years and has proved to be a cost-effective, robust and accurate rapid prenatal test for common aneuploidies. Specific advantages include detection of triploidy, mosaicism and maternal cell contamination. Its application at our centre is described, ...

To understand the prenatal referral patterns from the United States, Canada, and Israel for two whole-genome microarray platforms, each with a different resolution. Physicians selected one of the two array designs to be performed on 1483 prenatal specimens for a 1-year period. We retrospectively examined detection rates, indications for study, ...

To date, endoscopic manometry is the best method for evaluating the function of the sphincter. Sphincter of Oddi manometry (SOM) remains the gold standard to correctly diagnose the sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) and stratify therapy. Several dynamic abnormalities relating to the intensity, frequency, and propagation of sphincter contractions have ...

ABSTRACTObjective:The Nintendo Wii Balance Board (WBB) is a low-cost, commercially available gaming device that shares many characteristics with a laboratory-grade forceplate. This study evaluates the WBB and explores its potential application as a low-cost posturography system.Methods:Custom software was written to interface with the WBB and measure the Modified Clinical Test ...

Recently, novel polymers, including polyetheretherketone and carbon fibre reinforced polymer, have been used for spinal implants. Because the in vitro experimental test uses metal blocks with different material properties from those of polymer cages in standard test protocols for prediction of the mechanical performance, it is necessary to analyse the ...

Lead in paint continues to be a threat to children's health in cities across the United States, which means there is an ongoing need for testing and analysis of paint. This ongoing analytical effort and especially development of new methods continue to drive the need for diagnostic testing materials that ...

OBJECTIVE: To explore the reliability of the Zebris CMS 20 ultrasound analysis system with pointer application for measuring end-range flexion, end-range extension, and neutral kyphosis angle of the thoracic spine. DESIGN: Test-retest reliability of ultrasound movement analysis with use of a point marker has been shown for the lumbar and ...

BACKGROUND: Urea containing topical products are extensively marked for treatment of nail diseases. Side effects are rare and mainly include irritation of the periungual skin, when topicals with high urea concentration are applied too widely on the digit, or covered by tape. MAIN OBSERVATION: We report a case of a ...

OBJECTIVES: The null hypothesis was that mechanical testing systems used to determine polymerization stress (σ(pol)) would rank a series of composites similarly. METHODS: Two series of composites were tested in the following systems: universal testing machine (UTM) using glass rods as bonding substrate, UTM/acrylic rods, "low compliance device", and single ...

The objective of this work was to verify the sensitivity of Amblyomma cajennense and Dermacentor nitens larvae to the solvents ethanol, methanol, acetone, xylol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and the surfactant Tween 80. The first four solvents were tested at analytical purity while the DMSO and surfactant Tween 80 were ...

The menisci are known to play important roles in normal joint function and the development of diseases such as osteoarthritis. However, our understanding of meniscus' load bearing and lubrication properties at the tissue level remains limited. The objective of this investigation was to characterize the site- and rate-dependency of the ...

The present randomized controlled pilot study was conducted to determine the feasibility of the study protocol and the effects of four-week-long sessions involving stochastic resonance whole-body vibration (SR-WBV) training on chair rising in elderly individuals. Twenty elderly participants were divided into a SR-WBV group or a sham group. Peak force, ...

Nano-particulate biomaterials have been used in clinical diagnosis and treatment, as drug carrier or in cosmetics because of their excellent performance properties. The toxicity and biocompatibility of nanoparticles (NPs), however, are always a focused concern for a doctor or a scientist. At present, there is almost no systemic evaluation standard ...

A cover-glass placed on a heavily inoculated culture plate clearly differentiates facultatively anaerobic staphylococci growing underneath the cover-glass after overnight incubation from nongrowing aerobic micrococci. Even if there are some exceptions, all medically significant staphylococci can grow in the test. Thus, the test provides a cost-effective and highly specific tool ...

Through the use of PCR based coat color tests, we were able to diagnose a dog that exhibits an unusual coat color phenotype as an XX/XX chimera. Coat color alleles vary widely among dog breeds, presenting a novel method for detecting chimerism using diagnostic tests for known coat color alleles.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: We have investigated whether replacing conventional karyotyping by SNP array analysis in cases of foetal ultrasound abnormalities would increase the diagnostic yield and speed of prenatal diagnosis in clinical practice. Findings/results From May 2009 till June 2011 we performed HumanCytoSNP-12 array (HCS) (www.Illumina.com) analysis in 207 cases of ...

PURPOSE: This paper describes the development and evaluation of The University of Western Ontario (UWO) Plurals Test, an English language measure of detection of the word-final fricative cue for plurality. METHOD: Normative data is provided for 26 normal hearing and 24 hearing impaired listeners (children and adults), with evaluation of ...

The measurement of vibration thresholds (VTs) is a sensitive test for identifying and monitoring neuropathies. Such a test needs established reliability. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the intra-tester reliability of VT measurements of the Median and Ulnar nerves in asymptomatic participants. A double blinded repeated measures study ...

Background: Existing sweat tests are either cumbersome, require dedicated technical equipment and/or do not give reliable quantitative results. The present study was performed to develop and describe a rapid and simple test for a practical and quantitative evaluation of sweating. Methods: Cobalt chloride patches were used to collect sweat during ...

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A novel electrochemical biosensing device that integrates an immunochromatographic test strip and a screen-printed electrode (SPE) connected to a portable electrochemical analyzer was presented for rapid, sensitive, and quantitative detection of disease-related biomarker in human blood samples. The principle of the sensor is based on sandwich immunoreactions between a biomarker ...

Recent research on microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) has shown that paper has great potential for the fabrication of low-cost diagnostic devices for healthcare and environmental monitoring applications. Herein, electrochemiluminescence (ECL) was introduced for the first time into μPADs that were based on screen-printed paper-electrodes. To further perform high-specificity, high-performance, ...

In 2010, the National Radiation Standard Laboratory held a proficiency test for measurement and analysis of clearance mixed-nuclide samples. Two types of samples, box-shape and drum-shape, containing (60)Co and (137)Cs mixed solutions were measured by the participating laboratories and their results were then compared with the reference values. Seven participants ...

Background. Knowledge of sensitization and elicitation thresholds and the time-dose relationship for elicitation of contact dermatitis is important in order to provide safe products for consumers. Objective. Since previous studies performed with eugenol had showed negative results in a repeat open application study (ROAT) study, we wanted to perform a ...

In December 2009, the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ASVCP) Quality Assurance and Laboratory Standards committee published the updated and peer-reviewed ASVCP Quality Assurance Guidelines on the Society's website. These guidelines are intended for use by veterinary diagnostic laboratories and veterinary research laboratories that are not covered by the ...

Background  Individuals with axillary hyperhidrosis have much higher than average sweat rates and are often prescribed anhydrous aluminum chloride (AlCl(3) ) solutions. Topical application of these solutions can be irritating to the skin, resulting in poor compliance and lower than desired efficacy. Objective  Demonstrate the efficacy of an over the ...