Diagnosis of Major Organic Acidurias in Children: Two Years Experience at a Tertiary Care Centre     

M. P. Narayanan  Vaidyanathan Kannan  K. P. Vinayan  D. M. Vasudevan 《Indian journal of clinical biochemistry : IJCB》2011,26(4):347-353

Organic acid disorders are inherited metabolic disorders in which organic acids accumulate in tissues and biological fluids of affected individuals. Classical organic acidurias include methylmalonic aciduria, propionic aciduria, isovaleric aciduria and maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). They are considered the most frequent metabolic disorders among severely ill children. Patients frequently present with acute symptoms early in life. 420 cases clinically suspected to have organic aciduria, with upper age limit of 12 years for a 2-year period (January 2007–December 2008) were enrolled into this study. Metabolic acidosis and neurological symptoms were the most common signs. Screening tests and thin layer chromatography were done for detection of organic acidurias. Identification and quantitation of organic acids in urine and quantification of amino acids in blood were done by high performance liquid chromatography. Out of 420 patients, 45 patients (10.7%) were found to have organic acidurias. 15 cases of methylmalonic aciduria, 16 cases of propionic aciduria, 13 cases of MSUD, and one case of isovaleric aciduria were diagnosed. Results demonstrate the importance of testing for organic acidurias. Since organic aciduria may cause irreversible brain damage if not treated, we recommend selective screening amongst severely ill children despite implied extra costs.  相似文献   

A Review on Salivary Genomics and Proteomics Biomarkers in Oral Cancer     

Franky D. Shah  Rasheedunnisa Begum  Bhairavi N. Vajaria  Kinjal R. Patel  Jayendra B. Patel  Shilin N. Shukla  Prabhudas S. Patel 《Indian journal of clinical biochemistry : IJCB》2011,26(4):326-334

Oral cancer has emerged as an alarming public health problem with increasing incidence and mortality rates all over the world. Therefore, the implementation of newer screening and early detection approaches are of utmost importance which could reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this disease. Sensitive and specific biomarkers for oral cancer are likely to be most effective for screening, diagnosis, staging and follow-up for this dreaded malignancy. Unlike other deep cancers, oral cancer is located in oral cavity. Hence, the direct contact between saliva and oral cancer lesion makes the measurement of tumor markers in saliva an attractive alternative to serum and tissue testing. The DNA, RNA and protein molecules derived from the living cancer cells can be conveniently obtained from saliva. Thus, salivary biomarkers, a non-invasive alternative to serum and tissue-based biomarkers may be an effective modality for early diagnosis, prognostication and monitoring post therapy status. In the current post-genomic era, various technologies provide opportunities for high-throughput approaches to genomics and proteomics; which have been used to evaluate altered expressions of gene and protein targets in saliva of oral cancer patients. The emerging field of salivary biomarkers has great potentials to prove its clinical significance to combat oral cancer. Hence, we have reviewed importance of several salivary genomics and proteomics biomarkers for oral cancer.  相似文献   

Performance impact of research policy at the Chinese Academy of Sciences     

Daqun Zhang  Rajiv D. Banker 《Research Policy》2011,40(6):875-885

We present evidence on productivity improvement experienced by the research institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) after its implementation of the Knowledge Innovation Program (KIP). Using a balanced panel of data on R&D inputs and outputs of 59 research institutes in CAS, we analyze the productivity, technological and efficiency changes from 1997 to 2005. We document that the CAS research institutes have a productivity growth of 12.5% from 1998 to 2005, which can be further decomposed into 8.8% attributed to technological progress and 3.3% to efficiency improvement. Results of regional analysis show that institutes in Beijing and Shanghai, performed better than institutes in other regions during the same period.  相似文献   

Membrane-integrated microfluidic device for high-resolution live cell imaging     

Epshteyn AA  Maher S  Taylor AJ  Holton AB  Borenstein JT  Cuiffi JD 《Biomicrofluidics》2011,5(4):46501-465016

The design and fabrication of a membrane-integrated microfluidic cell culture device (five layers,≤500 μm total thickness) developed for high resolution microscopy is reported here. The multi-layer device was constructed to enable membrane separated cell culture for tissue mimetic in vitro model applications and pharmacodynamic evaluation studies. The microdevice was developed via a unique combination of low profile fluidic interconnect design, substrate transfer methodology, and wet silane bonding. To demonstrate the unique high resolution imaging capability of this device, we used oil immersion microscopy to image stained nuclei and mitochondria in primary hepatocytes adhered to the incorporated membrane  相似文献   

Disposable parallel poly(dimethylsiloxane) microbioreactor with integrated readout grid for germination screening of Aspergillus ochraceus     

Demming S  Sommer B  Llobera A  Rasch D  Krull R  Büttgenbach S 《Biomicrofluidics》2011,5(1):14104

In this work a disposable, parallel microbioreactor (MBR) suitable for screening in batch or continuous mode is presented. The reactor consists of five parallel microchambers made of poly(dimethylsiloxane) bonded to a glass substrate. A grid structure is engraved on each chamber, allowing subsequent morphology imaging. Measurements are recorded over the entire cultivation period with constant parameters, namely, position and focus in the z-axis. The microdevice may be used for either parallel, uni- or multiparametric screening, and overcomes the drawback of gridless microwell plates which require expensive equipment such as an inverted microscope with an automatic stage. To validate the scalability from laboratory scale to microscale, and thus the cultivation protocol in the MBR, the germination of fungal spores (A. ochraceus) is evaluated for two different key magnitudes (pH and temperature) and compared to the results obtained from conventional laboratory scale systems (flasks and agar plates). Information on germination capacity with regard to interspecies' variability allows for optimization of industrial processes as optimal pH and temperature matched to the mesoscopic cultivation systems. The germination conditions therefore remain unaffected inside the MBR, while providing the following advantages: (i) dramatic reduction of medium consumption, (ii) submerged cultivation with constant oxygen supply, (iii) assured low cost and disposability, and (iv) possibility of a continuous cultivation mode.  相似文献   

Integrated carbon fiber electrodes within hollow polymer microneedles for transdermal electrochemical sensing     

Miller PR  Gittard SD  Edwards TL  Lopez DM  Xiao X  Wheeler DR  Monteiro-Riviere NA  Brozik SM  Polsky R  Narayan RJ 《Biomicrofluidics》2011,5(1):13415

In this study, carbon fiber electrodes were incorporated within a hollow microneedle array, which was fabricated using a digital micromirror device-based stereolithography instrument. Cell proliferation on the acrylate-based polymer used in microneedle fabrication was examined with human dermal fibroblasts and neonatal human epidermal keratinocytes. Studies involving full-thickness cadaveric porcine skin and trypan blue dye demonstrated that the hollow microneedles remained intact after puncturing the outermost layer of cadaveric porcine skin. The carbon fibers underwent chemical modification in order to enable detection of hydrogen peroxide and ascorbic acid; electrochemical measurements were demonstrated using integrated electrode-hollow microneedle devices.  相似文献   

Adept through adaptation: Third culture individuals’ interpersonal sensitivity     

Allyn D. Lyttle  Gina G. Barker  Terri Lynn Cornwell 《Int J Intercult Relat》2011,35(5):686-694

This study evaluated the interpersonal sensitivity of third culture individuals, defined as people who lived in a country other than that of their nationality during their developmental years, by comparing them to mono-cultured individuals. While the notion that third culture individuals develop enhanced perceptual skills as a result of intercultural adaptation is widely accepted in popular and professional literature, this assertion has not been empirically tested. Previous research on intercultural communication competence and adaptation has almost exclusively focused on intercultural exposure among adults. This study collected data from 142 individuals using web-based surveys. The instruments measured two aspects of participants’ interpersonal sensitivity: social and emotional sensitivity. Results showed that third culture individuals have significantly higher social sensitivity than mono-cultured individuals, while mono-cultured individuals reported higher emotional sensitivity. Additionally, no significant correlation was found between greater intercultural experience and increased interpersonal sensitivity.  相似文献   

Trained humans can exercise safely in extreme dry heat when drinking water ad libitum     

Nolte HW  Noakes TD  Van Vuuren B 《Journal of sports sciences》2011,29(12):1233-1241

  相似文献   

New walkers with Down syndrome use cautious but effective strategies for crossing obstacles     

Mulvey GM  Kubo M  Chang CL  Ulrich BD 《Research quarterly for exercise and sport》2011,82(2):210-219

Perception of affordances research in children with developmental disabilities has only examined well practiced skills. Ten toddlers with Down syndrome and 10 with typical development walked across a GAITRite mat, with and without an obstacle. We coded the toddlers' behaviors after 1 and 3 months of walking experience when they encountered the obstacle (avoid, crawl, error and walk successfully) and calculated gait parameters (step length, width, and velocity). Both groups actively explored their affordances. Despite similar decreases in step length and velocity when approaching the obstacle, toddlers with Down syndrome were more likely to select successful but conservative crawling strategies that minimized balance requirements and reduced risk of falling. Group differences were due to risk management rather than difficulty perceiving affordances.  相似文献   

The effect of climbing wall use on the grip strength of fourth-grade students     

Lirgg CD  Dibrezzo R  Gray M  Esslinger T 《Research quarterly for exercise and sport》2011,82(2):350-354

  相似文献