Flow reproducibility of whole blood and other bodily fluids in simplified no reaction lateral flow assay devices

The "no reaction" lateral flow assay (nrLFA) uses a simplified LFA structure with no conjugate pad and no stored reagents. In the nrLFA, the capillary-based transport time or distance is the key indicator, rather than the outcome of a biochemical reaction. Hence, the calibration and reproducibility of the nrLFA device are critical. The capillary flow properties of several membrane types (nitrocellulose, nylon, cellulose acetate, polyethersulfone, and polyvinylidene difluoride) are evaluated. Flow rate evaluations of MilliporeSigma Hi-Flow™ Plus (HF075, HF135 and HF180) nitrocellulose membranes on nrLFA are performed using bodily fluids (whole blood, blood plasma, and artificial sweat). The results demonstrate that fluids with lower viscosity travel faster, and membranes with slower flow rate exhibit higher capability to distinguish fluids with different viscosities. Reproducibility tests of nrLFA are performed on HF075, demonstrating excellent reproducibility. The coefficient of variation for blood coagulation tests performed with the nrLFA using induced coagulation was 5% for the plasma front and 2% for the RBC front. The effects of variation in blood hematocrit and sample volume are also reported. The overall results indicate that the nrLFA approach has a high potential to be commercially developed as a blood monitoring point-of-care device with simple calibration capability and excellent reproducibility.

Formation of high-molecular weight polyaminoborane by Fe hydride catalysed dehydrocoupling of methylamine borane

The complex [(PNHP)Fe(H)(CO)(HBH₃)] (PNHP = HN(CH₂CH₂Pi-Pr₂)₂) serves as a catalyst precursor for the selective dehydrocoupling of methylamine borane at room temperature, tentatively via an off-metal polymerisation pathway.

Numerical Analysis of the Influence of Low Frequency Vibration on Bubble Growth

Numerical simulation of bubble growth during pool boiling under the influence of low frequency vibration was performed to understand the influence of common vibrations such as those induced by wind, highway transportation, and nearby mechanical devices on the performance of thermal systems that rely on boiling. The simulations were done for saturated R123 boiling at 277.6 K with a 15 K wall superheat. The numerical volume-of-fluid method (fixed grid) was used to define the liquid-vapor interface. The basic bubble growth characteristics including the bubble departure diameter and the bubble departure time were determined as a function of the bubble contact angle (20°-80°), the vibration displacement (10 µm-50 µm), the vibration frequency (5 Hz-25 Hz), and the initial vibration direction (positive or negative). The bubble parameters were shown to be strongly dependent on the bubble contact angle at the surface. For example, both the bubble departure diameter and the bubble departure time increased with the contact angle. At the same vibration frequency and the initial vibration direction, the bubble departure diameter and the bubble departure time both decreased with increasing vibration displacement. In addition, the vibration frequency had a greater effect on the bubble growth characteristics than did the vibration displacement. The vibration frequency effect was strongly influenced by the initial vibration direction. The pressure contour, the volume fraction of vapor phase, the temperature profile, and the velocity vector were investigated to understand these dynamic bubble behaviors. The limitation of the computational fluid dynamics approach was also described.

[EDA mutation screening and phenotype analysis in patients with tooth agenesis]

OBJECTIVE

To screen the ectodysplasin A (EDA) gene mutation in the patients with non-syndromic tooth agenesis and ectodermal dysplasia, and to analyze the phenotype of missing teeth pattern in these two groups of patients.

METHODS

In the study, 174 patients with tooth agenesis (143: non-syndromic, 31: ectodermal dysplasia) and 451 health control volunteers were enrolled from the clinic, and the genome DNA was extracted from either peripheral blood or oral mucosal swab. The coding region of EDA gene was then amplified by PCR, sequenced and blasted to online NCBI database. The missing teeth were recorded for all patients, and the missing teeth from patients with EDA mutation were compared among the different dentition sites.

RESULTS

33 patients were identified with EDA mutation. In the non-syndromic patients, 13/143(9.09%) were identified with EDA mutation, while in patients with ectodermal dysplasia, 20/31(64.52%) were found with EDA mutation. Ten novel EDA mutations were identified (c.769G>C[p.G257R ],c.936C>G[p.I312M],c.223G>A[p.E75K], .1166C>T[p.P389L],c.133G>C[p.G45R],c.1109G>A[p.E370K],c.914G>T[p.S305I], c.916C>T[p.Q306X],c.602G>T[p.G201V],c.88-89insG[p.A30GfsX69]). For each dentition site there was no statistic difference in the number of missing teeth between the left and right sides, so the number from both sides were combined later in the analysis. In the patients with EDA mutation, the non-syndromic patients had fewer missing teeth (15.9±6.4 missing teeth for each, 207/364 in total) than the patients with ectodermal dysplasia (23.9±4.3, 478/560). In the non-syndromic patients with EDA mutation, the maxillay central incisors and first molars were less affected, with the same missing rate as 19.2% (5/26). While the mandibular central incisors (with a missing rate of 76.9%, 20/26), the maxillary lateral incisors (the missing rate: 88.5%, 23/26), the mandibular lateral incisors (the missing rate: 80.8%, 21/26), and the maxillary first premolars (the missing rate: 80.8%, 21/26) were more likely to be missing. In the ectodermal dysplasia patients with EDA mutation, only maxillary central incisors (the missing rate: 60%, 24/40), maxillary canines (the missing rate: 70%, 28/40), mandibular canines (the missing rate: 67.5%, 27/40), maxillary first molars (the missing rate: 65%, 26/40) and mandibular first molars (the missing rate: 72.5%, 29/40) had higher possibility of persistence. Teeth at other dentition sites were more likely to be affected (the minimum missing rate: 87.5%, 35/40).

CONCLUSION

The findings would help to reveal the EDA gene and its function in ectodermal organogenesis.

[Comparison of calcar replacement arthroplasty and Intertan nail in treatment of intertrochanteric fracture in the aged]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinical efficacy between calcar replacement arthroplasty and InterTan nail in treatment of intertrochanteric fractures in the aged.

METHODS

From January 2008 to July 2013, a total of 58 elderly patients with intertrochanterie fracture , had been treated in Department of Orthopaedics, Tianjin Occupational Diseases Control and Treatment Hospital, were retrospectively compared.Half of them were treated with calcar replacement arthroplasty and half with InterTan nails.In the calcar replacement arthroplasty group, there were 8 men and 21 women, with an average age of (85.3±4.9) years, there were 8 A1, 16 A2 and 5 A3 fractures according to the AO classification.In the InterTan nail group, there were 10 men and 19 women, with an average age of (86.1±5.6) years, there were 11 A1, 15 A2 and 3 A3 fractures according to the AO classification.The 2 groups were compared in terms of the duration of the operation, intraoperative blood loss, hospitalization time, time of off-bed activity, complications, mortality rate, Harris hip score, short form 36 questionnaire score and ADL score.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven patients in the calcar replacement arthroplasty group and twenty-six patients in the patients in each group were followed up InterTan nail group were follow-up for a period of 24 months.There were no significant differences between the 2 groups regarding hospitalization time, complications, mortality rate, Harris hip score, short form 36 questionnaire score and ADL score(P>0.05). However, the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and the time of off-bed activity for the calcar replacement arthroplasty and InterTan nail groups was respectively (78±29) minutes vs (59±32) minutes, (316±185) ml vs (108±97) ml, and (15±5.8) days vs (32±12.7) days, all of them with a significant difierence(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The patients in the calcar replacement arthroplasty group suffered longer operative time and more blood loss, but they can obtain early off-bed activity.The hospitalization time, complications, mortality rate, hip function and quality of Life between the two were the same.

Deep RNA sequencing elucidates microRNA-regulated molecular pathways in ischemic cardiomyopathy and nonischemic cardiomyopathy

Deregulation of cardiac miRNA gene-regulatory networks is a feature of different heart diseases, including ischemic (ICM) and nonischemic (NICM) cardiomyopathy. Here, based on the paired miRNA and mRNA expression profiles in ICM and NICM, we identified the differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs and the expression signatures distinguishing ICM/NICM from control samples. Furthermore, we constructed a functional miRNA network for each disease. Analysis of the topological features of these networks revealed that the Wnt signaling pathway and cell cycle (de)regulation play critical roles in the development of ICM and NICM. In addition, comparison of the miRNA and mRNA functional profiles revealed that their expression patterns in ICM and NICM differ. These findings revealed hundreds of novel heart-failure-related miRNAs with important regulatory functions. In summary, RNA-seq-based transcriptome profiling in the failing human heart revealed a complex transcriptional regulation associated with the disease. The newly uncovered importance of miRNAs in disease pathogenesis highlights their value as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

[EDA mutation screening and phenotype analysis in patients with tooth agenesis]

OBJECTIVE

To screen the ectodysplasin A (EDA) gene mutation in the patients with non-syndromic tooth agenesis and ectodermal dysplasia, and to analyze the phenotype of missing teeth pattern in these two groups of patients.

METHODS

In the study, 174 patients with tooth agenesis (143: non-syndromic, 31: ectodermal dysplasia) and 451 health control volunteers were enrolled from the clinic, and the genome DNA was extracted from either peripheral blood or oral mucosal swab. The coding region of EDA gene was then amplified by PCR, sequenced and blasted to online NCBI database. The missing teeth were recorded for all patients, and the missing teeth from patients with EDA mutation were compared among the different dentition sites.

RESULTS

33 patients were identified with EDA mutation. In the non-syndromic patients, 13/143(9.09%) were identified with EDA mutation, while in patients with ectodermal dysplasia, 20/31(64.52%) were found with EDA mutation. Ten novel EDA mutations were identified (c.769G>C[p.G257R ],c.936C>G[p.I312M],c.223G>A[p.E75K], .1166C>T[p.P389L],c.133G>C[p.G45R],c.1109G>A[p.E370K],c.914G>T[p.S305I], c.916C>T[p.Q306X],c.602G>T[p.G201V],c.88-89insG[p.A30GfsX69]). For each dentition site there was no statistic difference in the number of missing teeth between the left and right sides, so the number from both sides were combined later in the analysis. In the patients with EDA mutation, the non-syndromic patients had fewer missing teeth (15.9±6.4 missing teeth for each, 207/364 in total) than the patients with ectodermal dysplasia (23.9±4.3, 478/560). In the non-syndromic patients with EDA mutation, the maxillay central incisors and first molars were less affected, with the same missing rate as 19.2% (5/26). While the mandibular central incisors (with a missing rate of 76.9%, 20/26), the maxillary lateral incisors (the missing rate: 88.5%, 23/26), the mandibular lateral incisors (the missing rate: 80.8%, 21/26), and the maxillary first premolars (the missing rate: 80.8%, 21/26) were more likely to be missing. In the ectodermal dysplasia patients with EDA mutation, only maxillary central incisors (the missing rate: 60%, 24/40), maxillary canines (the missing rate: 70%, 28/40), mandibular canines (the missing rate: 67.5%, 27/40), maxillary first molars (the missing rate: 65%, 26/40) and mandibular first molars (the missing rate: 72.5%, 29/40) had higher possibility of persistence. Teeth at other dentition sites were more likely to be affected (the minimum missing rate: 87.5%, 35/40).

CONCLUSION

The findings would help to reveal the EDA gene and its function in ectodermal organogenesis.

Iridium(iii) hydrido complexes for the catalytic dehydrogenation of hydrazine borane

A series of POCOP iridium hydride complexes with differently substituted aryl backbones catalyse the selective release of one equivalent of hydrogen from hydrazine borane.