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Rapid Indicator (rapid + indicator)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	50%

Selected Abstracts

Serum vascular endothelial growth factor in adult haematological patients with neutropenic fever: a comparison with C-reactive protein

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2009
Sari Hämäläinen
Abstract Objectives:, Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is considered to be of importance in patients with sepsis. No data are available on VEGF kinetics in haematological patients with neutropenic fever. Methods:, Forty-two haematological patients were included into this prospective study. Median age was 57 yr (range 18,70). Fifteen patients received therapy for acute myeloid leukaemia and 27 patients received autologous stem cell transplantation for haematological malignancy. Laboratory samples for the determination of C-reactive protein (CRP) and VEGF were collected at the start of fever (d0) and then daily. Results:, The median serum VEGF concentrations were low in all study patients. In patients with severe sepsis (n = 5) the median VEGF on d0 was higher than in septic patients without signs of hypoperfusion or hypotension (n = 37) (77 pg/mL vs. 52 pg/mL, P = 0.061). Also on d1 the median VEGF concentration was higher in patients with severe sepsis (82 pg/mL vs. 56 pg/mL, P = 0.048). There were no statistically significant differences in CRP values on any day during the study period between patients with severe sepsis and those without. Time from d0 to the peak VEGF concentration (mean 1.02, SE 0.18 d) was shorter than that to the peak CRP concentration (mean 1.93, SE 0.15 d) (P = 0.002). Conclusion:, Compared to CRP, serum VEGF was a more rapid indicator for sepsis in our haematological patients with neutropenic fever. Those with severe sepsis had higher VEGF concentrations than those without on d0 and d1 after the onset of fever. Further studies on VEGF are warranted in haematological patients. [source]

Characterisation of the volatiles of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) during storage by solid phase microextraction and GC,MS and their relationship to fish quality parameters

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2007
Ranjith K.B. Edirisinghe
Summary Investigations were carried out to extract the volatile compounds of fish using solid phase microextraction (SPME) in order to develop a new rapid indicator for determining the quality of fish. Changes in the aroma composition of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) was studied at 30 °C and in ice, using SPME GC,MS, and their relationship with the fish quality parameters , total volatile basic nitrogen and sensory analysis , was determined using principal component analysis (PCA) and stepwise multiple regression analysis. Hexanal (30.9%) and 2-nonanone (28.4%) were recorded in relatively high amounts in fresh fish, whereas 3-methyl-1-butanol and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone increased with storage time. PCA clearly differentiated the volatile profile of each sampling stage (P < 0.05) throughout storage treatments. Regression analysis showed a significant relationship between the fish quality and the levels of 3-methyl-1-butanol and pentadecane. The findings highlight the possibility of developing a rapid quality evaluation method for fish using SPME GC,MS. [source]

An Alcohol Oxidase Dipstick Rapidly Detects Methanol in the Serum of Mice

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 12 2007
Jason B. Hack MD
Background Patients presenting with ingestions of methanol and ethylene glycol pose a significant challenge to emergency physicians. The decision to initiate antidotal therapy must be made quickly and is currently based on the presence of indirect signs, symptoms, and laboratory tests, because no real-time diagnostic test exists to measure these substances. Objectives To determine whether a commercially available ethanol-in-saliva detecting dipstick (ALCO-Screen) would be a reliable and rapid indicator of toxic alcohol presence in the serum of an animal model. Methods Fifty mice randomly received intraperitoneal doses of methanol, ethylene glycol, or ethanol to induce serum concentrations of approximately 5,400 mg/dL. Thirty minutes after injection, serum was obtained. Serum was both applied to the dipstick and frozen for definitive concentration determination by gas chromatography. After 2 minutes, dipsticks were evaluated for color change by a blinded observer and photographed to be evaluated by other blinded observers at a later time. Results All concentrations of methanol ,5 mg/dL consistently caused a color change on the ALCO-Screen. Ethylene glycol reliably caused a color change at ,300 mg/dL. There was significant agreement among multiple observers whether or not color change had occurred using the ALCO-Screen. Conclusions A commercially available dipstick that uses an alcohol oxidase colorimetric reaction reliably and rapidly detects very low serum concentrations of methanol but not ethylene glycol in this animal model. This color change is easily detected by most observers. [source]

Atlantic Forest Butterflies: Indicators for Landscape Conservation,

BIOTROPICA, Issue 4b 2000
Keith S. Brown Jr.
ABSTRACT The Atlantic Forest region (wide sense) includes very complex tropical environments, increasingly threatened by extensive anthropogenic conversion (>90%). Ecologically specialized, short-generation insects (butterflies) are evaluated here as indicators for monitoring community richness, landscape integrity, and sustainable resource use in the region. The > 2100 butterfly species in the Atlantic Forest tegion have been censused in many sites over 35 years, giving comparable daily, weekly, monthly, and long-tetm site lists. The 21 most thoroughly studied sites include 218,914 species, of which half can be censused in a week or less. The butterfly communities are divided into six relatively distinct faunal regions, centered in the northeast, the central coastal tablelands, the southeast coastal plain, the mountains plus interior of the southeastern states, the central plateau, and the southern states. Species richness shows the highest values in coastal mountains from 15 to 23°S. Local butterfly communities show a high turnover, with 20 to 40 percent of the species, especially small Lycaenidae and Hesperiidae, recorded only as unstable populations or "tourists." Easily sampled species in the family Nymphalidae, and especially its bait-attracted subfamilies, are best correlated with the entire butterfly fauna and can be used as surrogates for species diversity. In most butterfly groups, species richness is well predicted by landscape connectivity alone, or by composite indices of environmental heterogeneity, natural disturbance, and (negatively) anthropogenic disturbance. Principal components and redundancy analyses showed that the richness and proportions of different butterfly groups in the local fauna are variably explained by disturbance, seasonality, temperature, vegetation, soils, and landscape connectivity. Various groups thus can be used as rapid indicators of different types of change in the community, its environment, and the landscape. Threatened and rare species also can be used as indicators of the most unique Atlantic Forest communities (paleoenvironments), which need special attention. RESUMO A região da Mata Atlantica latu senstt inclui ambientes tropicals muito complexes, cada vez mais amea¸ados por extensa conversão antrópica (>90%). Insetos pequenos, especializados, e de ciclo rápido (borboletas) são avaliados neste trabalho como indicadores para o monitoramento da tiqueza de comunidades, integridade de paisagens, e uso susten-tável de recursos na região. As >2100 espécies de borboletas na região da Mata Atlantica têrn sido recenseadas em muitos sítios durante os últimos 35 anos, dando listas comparáveis diárias, semanais, mensais e totais para cada sítio. Os 21 sítios mais intensivamente estudados incluem 218,914 espécies, das quais metade pode ser amostrada em uma semana ou menos. As comunidades de borboletas são divididas em seis subregiões faunísticas relativamente distintas, centradas no nordeste, nos tabuleiros baianos, no literal do sudeste, nas regiões montanhosas no interior dos estados do sudeste, no Planalto Central, e no estados do sul. A riqueza de espécies é maior nas serras costeiras entre 15 c 23°S. As comunidades locals de borboletas possuem alta reposi¸ão, com 20 a 40 por cento das espécies, especialmente os pequenos Lycaenidae e Hesperiidae, registradas em popula¸ões instáveis ou sendo apenas "turistas." As espécies facilmente amostradas na família Nymphalidae, especialmente as atraídas a iscas fermentadas, são mais correlacionadas com a riqueza total e podem ser usadas como estimadores da riqueza total no ambiente. Na maior parte dos grupos de borboletas, a riqueza de espécies é altamente correlacionada com conectividade simples da paisagem, e com índices compostos de heterogeneidade, perturba¸ão natural, e (negativamente) perturba¸ão total no ambiente. As análises de Componentes Principals e de Redundãncia mostram que as riquezas e proor¸ões de diferentes grupos de borboletas são variavelmente explicadas por pertba¸ão, sazonalidade, temperatura, vegeta¸ão, solos, e conectividade. Váries grupos podem assim ser úteis como indicadores rápidos de diferentes tipos de mudan¸as na comunidade, no seu ambiente, e na paisagem. Espécies raras e amea¸adas podem também ser usadas para indicar os sistemas mais únicos na região (paleoarnbientes), que necessitam de aten¸ão especial. [source]