Comparative characteristics of methods for the immunoenzyme determination of summary immunoglobulins

Two modifications of ELISA for summary immunoglobulin determination (with and without the use of the antibody-enzyme conjugate) are described with special attention to their sensitivity, reproducibility and the influence of different conditions on assay characteristics. The sensitivity of the assay carried out with the use of the conjugate lies in the nanogram range of concentration. The modification of the assay, not requiring the use and, therefore, the synthesis of the conjugate, may be used with antisera of different specificity.     

Potentialities of magnetic resonance imaging in the complex of prenatal radiation diagnosis of fetal malformations

The purpose of the study was to investigate the potentialities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the complex of prenatal radiation diagnosis of fetal malformations. Twenty-eight female patients with suspected fetal malformations were examined. Ultrasound study was supplemented by MRI according to a specially developed protocol. Various fetal CNS malformations were diagnosed. These included the Arnold-Chiari syndrome, the Dandy-Walker syndrome, occlusive hydrocephaly, lobular holoprosencephaly, porencephaly, diaphragmatic hernias, anomalies of the abdomen and retroperitoneal space, as well as anomalies of facial structures, including median clefts, and dacryocystocele. The use of MRI in the complex prenatal radiation diagnosis makes it possible to visualize fetal malformation more clearly, contributes to the more adequate prediction of the outcome of pregnancy and to the choice of a management policy for a female patient.     

Comparative characteristics of the methods of calculating numerical synaptic density in the cerebral cortex

The number of axon synaptic terminals (AT) in 1 mm3 of the acoustic (A1) and associative (field 5b) cerebral cortex in cat has been determined. Results from this determination obtained by different methods have been compared.     

Role of magnetic resonance imaging in the complex radiation diagnosis of hormonally active adrenal tumors

Based on the results of examination of 30 patients with hormonally active adrenal tumors, the authors consider the MRI sympatomatology of their different types and the potentialities of the technique in the complex radiation diagnosis of this pathology. The authors present their assessments of the relative intensity of a signal and the structure of each type of hormone-producing tumors of the glands by using different MRI pulse sequences that may be useful in establishing a presumptive morphological diagnosis. They identify MRI sequences that are of the greatest informative value for the diagnosis of each type of hormonally active adrenal tumors. There is evidence for that MRI is highly effective in detecting all types of hormonally active adrenal tumors and, in the context of their topographic and anatomic diagnosis, has an unquestionable advantage over ultrasonography and X-ray computed tomography in some cases.     

Comparative assessment of fluorescent transgene methods for quantitative imaging in human cells

Fluorescence tagging of proteins is a widely used tool to study protein function and dynamics in live cells. However, the extent to which different mammalian transgene methods faithfully report on the properties of endogenous proteins has not been studied comparatively. Here we use quantitative live-cell imaging and single-molecule spectroscopy to analyze how different transgene systems affect imaging of the functional properties of the mitotic kinase Aurora B. We show that the transgene method fundamentally influences level and variability of expression and can severely compromise the ability to report on endogenous binding and localization parameters, providing a guide for quantitative imaging studies in mammalian cells.     

Comparative study of the nitrification characteristics of two different nitrifier immobilization methods

The research investigated the nitrification characteristics of two different immobilization methods: nitrifier encapsulation in polyethylene glycol (PEG) gel pellets and nitrifier biofilm attachment on elastic plastic filler. The two carriers were placed in identical reactors. They reached a maximum nitrification rate of 39 and 25 mgN/L·h 30 days after start-up. The results showed that the nitrification efficiency in the PEG reactor was higher than in the biofilm reactor under the same conditions. Variations in temperature decreased the nitrification rate by approximately 55% in the PEG reactor from 28 to 8°C, while 74.2% in the biofilm reactor. When the COD loading rate was increased to 0.8 kg/m³ day, the nitrification efficiency in the biofilm reactor dropped sharply to 23%, and that of PEG reactor remained over 80%. PEG pellets with a high nitrification rate under all conditions showed promise as an immobilization medium, and are likely to be utilized in the nitrification of high-strength ammonia and COD wastewater during long-term operation.     

Comparative characteristics of 2 morphometric methods of assessing the degree of liver fatty distrophy

The fat content in the liver of white male Wistar rats was measured over time (1, 2, 4, 8 and 14 days) after a single exposure to CCl4 within a wide concentration range (from 30 to 25700 mg/m3) by the two morphometric techniques: subjective-graduation and semi-automatic evaluation of the volumetric fat fraction, using a TAS unit (Leitz-Wetzlar). The results obtained with both the methods indicate that the CCl4 concentration equal to 260 mg/m3 is the threshold one as shown by the morphological signs of liver fatty dystrophy. The semi-automatic method offered enables an objective evaluation of the findings, making the research time shorter. To obtain adequate results with the method, it is necessary to observe the rules of the morphological material treatment (contrast selective color, uniform and sufficient thickness of the sections).     

Current imaging paradigms in radiation oncology

The technological revolution in imaging during recent decades has transformed the way image-guided radiation therapy is performed. Anatomical imaging (plain radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging) greatly improved the accuracy of delineating target structures and has formed the foundation of 3D-based radiation treatment. However, the treatment planning paradigm in radiation oncology is beginning to shift toward a more biological and molecular approach as advances in biochemistry, molecular biology, and technology have made functional imaging (positron emission tomography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, optical imaging) of physiological processes in tumors more feasible and practical. This review provides an overview of the role of current imaging strategies in radiation oncology, with a focus on functional imaging modalities, as it relates to staging and molecular profiling (cellular proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, hypoxia, receptor status) of tumors, defining radiation target volumes, and assessing therapeutic response. In addition, obstacles such as imaging-pathological validation, optimal timing of post-therapy scans, spatial and temporal evolution of tumors, and lack of clinical outcome studies are discussed that must be overcome before a new era of functional imaging-guided therapy becomes a clinical reality.