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New Diagnostic Tool (new + diagnostic_tool)
Selected AbstractsIdentification of Helicobacter pylori and the cagA genotype in gastric biopsies using highly sensitive real-time PCR as a new diagnostic toolFEMS IMMUNOLOGY & MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2005Shiho Yamazaki Abstract The CagA protein is one of the virulence factors of Helicobacter pylori, and two major subtypes of CagA have been observed, the Western and East Asian type. CagA is injected from the bacteria into gastric epithelial cells, undergoes tyrosine phosphorylation, and binds to Src homology 2 domain-containing protein-tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2. The East Asian type CagA binds to SHP-2 more strongly than the Western type CagA. Here, we tried to distinguish the CagA type by highly sensitive real-time PCR with the objective of establishing a system to detect H. pylori and CagA subtypes from gastric biopsies. We designed primers and probe sets for Western or East Asian- cagA at Western-specific or East Asian-specific sequence regions, respectively, and H. pylori 16S rRNA. We could detect the H. pylori 16S rRNA gene, Western and East Asian- cagA gene from DNA of gastric biopsies. The sensitivity and specificity for H. pylori infection was 100% in this system. In Thai patients, 87.8% (36/41) were cagA -positive; 26.8% (11/41) were Western- cagA positive and 53.7% (22/41) were East Asian- cagA positive, while 7.3% (3/41) reacted with both types of cagA. These results suggest that this real-time PCR system provides a highly sensitive assessment of CagA type as a new diagnostic tool for the pathogenicity of H. pylori infection. [source] Examination of normal intestine using confocal endomicroscopyJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 5 2007Isao Odagi Abstract Background and Aim:, Endoscopy is an important clinical tool for the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. However, biopsy tissue is still required in many cases to obtain a definitive histopathological diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate confocal endomicroscopy (CEM) as a tool for conducting virtual biopsies of the colon by comparing CEM images with biopsy samples from normal colon. Methods:, The study cohort comprised 45 patients who underwent investigative colonoscopy between April 2004 and January 2006, 25 of whom also had biopsy due to suspected diseases such as inflammation and neoplasm. The small and large intestine were examined with CEM using an intravenous injection of fluorescein, and CEM images were compared with conventional histopathological results from biopsied samples. In addition, the injected fluorescein was localized immunohistochemically to further analyze the CEM images taken in vivo. Results:, A total of 46 biopsies were taken, of which 24 demonstrated no histopathological abnormality and were regarded as normal. All of the CEM images observed from the surface to the deeper layers were concordant histopathologically with the biopsy results. Furthermore, CEM allowed observation of physiological functions such as blood flow in the capillaries of the surrounding crypts and mucus release from crypts. The immunohistochemical localization of fluorescein was consistent with the CEM images. Conclusions:, CEM provides endoscopists with a valuable new diagnostic tool, not only for observing tissue in situ at the histopathological level, but also for the coincident evaluation of physiological function during endoscopic examination. [source] IV-DSA is a new diagnostic tool for axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patientsJOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 2 2004Osamu Watanabe MD Abstract Background and Objective The aim of this study is to know whether intravenous digital subtraction angiography (IV-DSA) is useful to detect axillary lymph node metastasis of breast cancer and to evaluate the anigiogenesis of lymph nodes in the axilla. Patients and Methods Forty three primary breast cancer patients (N0: 26 cases, N1: 5 cases, N2: 2 cases) who underwent IV-DSA between January and November 2000 were included in the study. Infinix CB apparatus (Toshiba, Japan) was used to collect IV-DSA images and when a mass became stained in the axilla, it was considered to be metastatic. The angiogenesis was studied by examining microvessel density (MVD) after lymph node immunostaining for factor VIII. Primary tumor was detected by IV-DSA in all 43 cases. Results Axillary lymph node metastases were detected by IV-DSA in 34.9% of cases (15/43), and by pathology in 37.2% (16/43). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the diagnostic method were 75.0% (12/16), 88.9% (24/27), and 83.7% (36/43), respectively. MVD, calculated after immunostaining for factor VIII, was significantly lower in the in metastatic region of lymph nodes identified by DSA (88.5,±,35.0) than in metastasis-free lymph nodes (141.1,±,34.0, P,<,0.0001). Conclusions IV-DSA is useful in the diagnosis of axillary lymph node metastasis of breast cancer. Our results suggest that the primary factors involved in the mechanism of DSA display may be different from high/low MVC values. J. Surg. Oncol. 2004;87:75,79. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] High-resolution magic angle spinning MRS of breast cancer tissueNMR IN BIOMEDICINE, Issue 5 2002Beathe Sitter Abstract High-resolution magic angle spinning (HR MAS) may develop into a new diagnostic tool for studying intact tissue samples, and several types of cancer have been investigated with promising results. In this study HR MAS spectra of breast cancer tissue from 10 patients have been compared to conventional high-resolution spectra of perchloric acid extracts of the same tissue type. The HR MAS spectra show resolution comparable to spectra of extracts, and two-dimensional techniques lead to identification of a majority of the constituents. More than 30 different metabolites have been detected and assigned. To our knowledge this is the most detailed assignment of biochemical components in intact human breast tissue. The spectra of intact breast cancer tissue differ from perchloric acid extracts by the presence of lipids and fewer signals in the low field region. HR MAS analysis of intact breast tissue specimens is a rapid method, providing spectra with resolution where relative quantification of the majority of the detected metabolites is possible. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Recent Progress in Artificial Organ Research at Tohoku UniversityARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 1 2003Tomoyuki Yambe Abstract: Tohoku University has developed various artificial organs over the last 30 years. Pneumatic driven ventricular assist devices with a silicone ball valve have been designed by the flow visualization method, and clinical trials have been performed in Tohoku University Hospital. On the basis of these developments, a pneumatic driven total artificial heart has been developed and an animal experimental evaluation was conducted. The development of artificial organs in Tohoku University has now progressed to the totally implantable type using the transcutaneous energy transmission system with amorphous fibers for magnetic shielding. Examples of implantable systems include a vibrating flow pump for ventricular assist device, an artificial myocardium by the use of shape memory alloy with Peltier elements, and an artificial sphincter for patients with a stoma. An automatic control system for artificial organs had been developed for the ventricular assist devices including a rotary blood pump to avoid suction and to maintain left and right heart balance. Based upon the technology of automatic control algorithm, a new diagnostic tool for evaluating autonomic nerve function has been developed as a branch of artificial organ research and this new machine has been tested in Tohoku University Hospital. Tohoku University is following a variety of approaches aimed at innovation in artificial organs and medical engineering fields. [source] Update on risk factors and future perspectives for preterm infantsACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2009A HELLSTRöM Purpose To give an update on risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity with special focus on postnatal growth and growth factors Methods The relationship between birth weight, serum levels of IGF-I as well as postnatal longitudinal growth and ROP will be presented. Preventive measures will be discussed. Results Birth weight data on 451 infants demonstrated initially a significant difference in BW between different ROP stages but when taking gestational age and sex into account the significance was eliminated. Recently, a new diagnostic tool based on weekly neonatal measurements of body weight and serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I) levels, was shown to be predictive for ROP development. The algorithm "Weight IGF-I Neonatal ROP" (WINROPÔ) predicted early (mean 10 weeks) all infants who later developed proliferative ROP requiring treatment. The WINROP algorithm was then taken one step further using only serial weight measurements (n=700), excluding blood sampling for measuring IGF-I. With this approach WINROP predicted all infants who later developed proliferative ROP requiring treatment (100% sensitivity) and correctly identified 75% of those who did not develop proliferative ROP, and thus would not need any ophthalmologic screening. We have also shown a close relationship between postnatal growth, severe ROP and poor brain development. Conclusion For decades, neonatal intensive care has focused on survival of the most immature babies. Time has come to find methods to ameliorate the nutrition for the children born very preterm. It is known that IGF-I is essential for growth and development of the immature vasculature of the eye. Intervention with substitution of IGF-I to the very preterm babies to raise IGF-I up to normal intrauterine levels might be beneficial. Commercial interest [source] Volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath as a diagnostic tool for asthma in childrenCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 1 2010J. W. Dallinga Summary Background The correct diagnosis of asthma in young children is often hard to achieve, resulting in undertreatment of asthmatic children and overtreatment in transient wheezers. Objectives To develop a new diagnostic tool that better discriminates between asthma and transient wheezing and that leads to a more accurate diagnosis and hence less undertreatment and overtreatment. A first stage in the development of such a tool is the ability to discriminate between asthmatic children and healthy controls. The integrative analysis of large numbers of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in exhaled breath has the potential to discriminate between various inflammatory conditions of the respiratory tract. Methods Breath samples were obtained and analysed for VOC by gas chromatography,mass spectrometry from asthmatic children (n=63) and healthy controls (n=57). A total of 945 determined compounds were subjected to discriminant analysis to find those that could discriminate diseased from healthy children. A set of samples from both asthmatic and healthy children was selected to construct a model that was subsequently used to predict the asthma or the healthy status of a test group. In this way, the predictive value of the model could be tested. Measurements and main results The discriminant analyses demonstrated that asthma and healthy groups are distinct from one another. A total of eight components discriminated between asthmatic and healthy children with a 92% correct classification, achieving a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 95%. Conclusion The results show that a limited number of VOC in exhaled air can well be used to distinguish children with asthma from healthy children. Cite this as: J. W. Dallinga, C. M. H. H. T. Robroeks, J. J. B. N. van Berkel, E. J. C. Moonen, R. W. L. Godschalk, Q. Jöbsis, E. Dompeling, E. F. M. Wouters and F. J. van Schooten, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2010 (40) 68,76. [source] Abstracts of the XIIIth International Symposium on Luminescence Spectrometry , Analytical luminescence: new diagnostic tools in life science, food safety and cultural heritage (ISLS 2008)LUMINESCENCE: THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL LUMINESCENCE, Issue 4 2008Article first published online: 6 AUG 200 [source] The global state of prostate cancer: new diagnostic tools, minimal requirements for diagnosis and staging, and guidelines in the second millenniumBJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2004P. Teillac No abstract is available for this article. [source] Trends in the curative treatment of localized prostate cancer after the introduction of prostate-specific antigen: data from the Rotterdam Cancer RegistryBJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2000S.J.J.C. Spapen Objective To investigate changes in the incidence and treatment of prostate cancer over the period in which new diagnostic tools were introduced and the attitude towards treatment was changing. Patients and methods Information on the extent of disease and treatment of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer within the Rotterdam region was retrieved from the Rotterdam Cancer Registry. Results In the period 1989,95, 4344 patients were diagnosed with prostate cancer and the age-standardized incidence increased from 62 to 125 per 100 000 men. This increase mainly comprised tumours localized to the prostate, while the incidence of advanced cancers remained stable. The proportion of poorly differentiated tumours decreased from 33% in 1989 to 24% in 1995. In the same period the number of patients receiving radiotherapy increased from 80 to 258, while the annual number of radical prostatectomies rose from 17 to 159. Radiotherapy was the preferred type of treatment in patients over 70 years of age, whereas radical prostatectomy was used more frequently in younger patients with localized tumours. Conclusion While the value of screening for prostate cancer remains in debate, incidence and treatment patterns are changing rapidly. Information on patterns of care is needed to interpret future mortality data and to plan resources for adequate health care. [source] Genome Sequencing and Comparative Genomics of Tropical Disease PathogensCELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 12 2003Jane M. Carlton Summary The sequencing of eukaryotic genomes has lagged behind sequencing of organisms in the other domains of life, archae and bacteria, primarily due to their greater size and complexity. With recent advances in ,high-throughput ,technologies ,such ,as ,robotics and improved computational resources, the number of eukaryotic genome sequencing projects has in-creased significantly. Among these are a number of sequencing projects of tropical pathogens of medical and veterinary importance, many of which are responsible for causing widespread morbidity and mortality in peoples of developing countries. Uncovering the complete gene complement of these organisms is proving to be of immense value in the develop-ment of novel methods of parasite control, such as antiparasitic drugs and vaccines, as well as the development of new diagnostic tools. Combining pathogen genome sequences with the host and vector genome sequences is promising to be a robust method for the identification of host,pathogen interactions. Finally, comparative sequencing of related species, especially of organisms used as model systems in the study of the disease, is beginning to realize its potential in the identification of genes, and the evolutionary forces that shape the genes, that are involved in evasion of the host immune response. [source] A need for new diagnostic tools for giant cell arteritisACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 1 2009Andrzej Grzybowski No abstract is available for this article. [source] | ||||||||||