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Well-established Method (well-established + method)
Selected AbstractsMeasurement of blood clearance time by Limulus G test of Candida -water soluble polysaccharide fraction, CAWS, in miceFEMS IMMUNOLOGY & MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2000Kiyoshi Kurihara Abstract The Limulus G test, responsive to ,-1,3- d -glucan, is a well-established method for the detection of invasive fungal infection. We have recently found that Candida albicans released a water-soluble polysaccharide fraction (CAWS) into synthetic medium (Uchiyama et al., FEMS Immunol. Med. Microbiol. 24 (1999) 411,420). CAWS was composed of a mannoprotein-,-glucan complex and activated Limulus factor G, and thus would be similar to the Limulus active substance in patient's blood. In a preliminary investigation, we have found that CAWS is lethal when administered intravenously in a murine system. In this study, we examined the toxicity and then the fate of CAWS in mice. The lethal toxicity was strain-dependent and strain DBA/2 was the most resistant. The toxicity was, at least in part, reduced by salbutamol sulfate and prednisolone treatment in the sensitive strains. On intravenous administration, the half clearance time (t1/2) was approximately 40 min in mice (DBA/2). On intraperitoneal administration, CAWS appeared in the blood with a peak concentration at 1 h. In order to establish a treatment plan, it is important to demonstrate the onset and the termination of deep-seated mycosis. The Limulus G test is suitable for the above purpose; however, it is necessary to fully understand the fate of ,-1,3- d -glucan in patients' blood [source] Investigation of the correlation of sensitivity vectors of hydrogen combustion modelsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL KINETICS, Issue 4 2004Judit Zádor A well-established method for the analysis of large reaction mechanisms is the calculation and interpretation of the sensitivity of the kinetic model output Yi to parameter changes. Comparison of the sensitivity vectors si = {, Yi/,p} belonging to different model outputs is a new tool for kinetic analysis. The relationship of the sensitivity vectors was investigated in homogeneous explosions, freely propagating and burner-stabilized laminar flames of hydrogen,air mixtures, using either calculated adiabatic or constrained temperature profiles, for fuel-to-air ratios , = 0.5,4.0. Sensitivity vectors are called locally similar, if the relationship si = ,ijsj is valid, where ,ij is a scalar. In many systems, only approximate local similarity of the sensitivity vectors exists and the extent of it can be quantified by using an appropriate correlation function. In the cases of adiabatic explosions and burner-stabilized flames, accurate local similarity was present in wide ranges of the independent variable (time or distance), and the correlation function indicated that the local similarity was not valid near the concentration extremes of the corresponding species. The regions of poor similarity were studied further by cobweb plots. The correlation relationships found could be interpreted by the various kinetic processes in the hydrogen combustion systems. The sensitivity vector of the laminar flame velocity is usually considered to be characteristic for the whole combustion process. Our investigations showed that the flame velocity sensitivity vector has good correlation with the H and H2O concentration sensitivities at the front of the adiabatic flames, but there is poor correlation with the sensitivity vectors of all concentrations in homogeneous explosions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 36: 238,252 2004 [source] State space sampling of feasible motions for high-performance mobile robot navigation in complex environmentsJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 6-7 2008Thomas M. Howard Sampling in the space of controls or actions is a well-established method for ensuring feasible local motion plans. However, as mobile robots advance in performance and competence in complex environments, this classical motion-planning technique ceases to be effective. When environmental constraints severely limit the space of acceptable motions or when global motion planning expresses strong preferences, a state space sampling strategy is more effective. Although this has been evident for some time, the practical question is how to achieve it while also satisfying the severe constraints of vehicle dynamic feasibility. The paper presents an effective algorithm for state space sampling utilizing a model-based trajectory generation approach. This method enables high-speed navigation in highly constrained and/or partially known environments such as trails, roadways, and dense off-road obstacle fields. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] New developments in the characterization of dislocation loops from LACBED patternsJOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY, Issue 3 2006J. P. MORNIROLI Summary The characterization of the Burgers vector of dislocations from large-angle convergent-beam electron diffraction (LACBED) patterns is now a well-established method. The method has already been applied to relatively large and isolated dislocation loops in semiconductors. Nevertheless, some severe experimental difficulties are encountered with small dislocation loops. By using a 2 µm selected-area aperture and a carbon contamination point to mark the loop of interest, we were able to characterize both the plane and the Burgers vector of dislocation loops of a few tens of nanometres in size present in Al-Cu-Mg alloys. [source] Discrete tomography of planar model setsACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION A, Issue 6 2006Michael Baake Discrete tomography is a well-established method to investigate finite point sets, in particular finite subsets of periodic systems. Here, we start to develop an efficient approach for the treatment of finite subsets of mathematical quasicrystals. To this end, the class of cyclotomic model sets is introduced, and the corresponding consistency, reconstruction and uniqueness problems of the discrete tomography of these sets are discussed. [source] Observer Variability and Optimal Criteria of Transient Ischemia During ST Monitoring with Continuous 12-lead ECGANNALS OF NONINVASIVE ELECTROCARDIOLOGY, Issue 3 2002Ph.D., Tomas Jernberg M.D. Background: ST monitoring with continuous 12-lead ECG is a well-established method in patients with unstable coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the method lacks documentation on optimal criteria for episodes of transient ischemia and on observer variability. Methods: Observer variability was evaluated in 24-hour recordings from 100 patients with unstable CAD with monitoring in the coronary care unit. Influence on ST changes by variations in body position were evaluated by monitoring 50 patients in different body positions. Different criteria of transient ischemia and their predictive importance were evaluated in 630 patients with unstable CAD who underwent 12 hours of monitoring and thereafter were followed for 1 to 13 months. Two sets of criteria were tested: (1) ST deviation , 0.1 mV for at least 1 minute, and (2) ST depression , 0.05 mV or elevation , 0.1 mV for at least 1 minute. Results: When the first set of criteria were used, the interobserver agreement was good (kappa = 0.72) and 8 (16%) had significant ST changes in at least one body position. Out of 100 patients with symptoms suggestive of unstable CAD and such ischemia, 24 (24%) had a cardiac event during follow-up. When the second set of criteria were used, the interobserver agreement was poor (kappa = 0.32) and 21(42%) had significant ST changes in at least one body position. Patients fulfilling the second but not the first set of criteria did not have a higher risk of cardiac event than those without transient ischemia (5.3 vs 4.3%). Conclusions: During 12-lead ECG monitoring, transient ischemic episodes should be defined as ST deviations , 0.1 mV for at least 1 minute, based on a low observer variability, minor problems with postural ST changes and an important predictive value. A.N.E. 2002;7(3):181,190 [source] | |||||||||||||