Simple Disposable Method for Quantitative Cultures of Urine

A disposable kit was tested as a means of detecting significant bacteriuria by quantitative culture of urine. The total error in 3,563 specimens tested by five investigators was less than 1%. The method was very effective in differentiating significant bacteriuria, i.e., more than 100,000 bacteria per ml of urine from uninfected urine. In specimens from patients with urinary tract abnormalities who had mixed bacterial flora, the absolute numbers obtained with the dip-inoculum method had a 10% variation when compared to results obtained by calibrated loop or dilution pour plate methods. Therefore, the main utility of the kit is for screening and following patients after therapy. A significant delay in time between inoculation of the medium in the kit with the freshly voided urine and incubation of the kit to promote growth did not affect the reliability of the kit as a method of doing quantitative urine cultures to detect bacteriuria.     

Quantitative Analysis of Orotic Acid in Urine by RP-HPLC

Abstract

we describe a new RP-HPLC assay to measure orotate concentration in urine. The method is rapid, sensitive and precise. It is particularly suitable for the diagnosis of inherited metabolic diseases and deranged orotate metabolism.     

尿液表面增强拉曼光谱的初步研究

利用紫外与可见分光光度计测量银溶胶与尿液的吸收谱,采用拉曼光谱测量系统检测并研究分析了尿液加入银胶前后的拉曼光谱.基于表面增强技术,尿液的拉曼光谱信号得到显著增强,尿液中微弱的尿酸SERS信号被成功检测.文中对尿液的拉曼峰进行了谱峰归属,并分析了晨尿与夜尿的SERS谱.对晨尿的检测具有更高的可信度和信噪比.研究结果表明...     

Determination of the Efficacy of Two Building Decontamination Strategies by Surface Sampling with Culture and Quantitative PCR Analysis

The efficacy of currently available decontamination strategies for the treatment of indoor furnishings contaminated with bioterrorism agents is poorly understood. Efficacy testing of decontamination products in a controlled environment is needed to ensure that effective methods are used to decontaminate domestic and workplace settings. An experimental room supplied with materials used in office furnishings (i.e., wood laminate, painted metal, and vinyl tile) was used with controlled dry aerosol releases of endospores of Bacillus atrophaeus (“Bacillus subtilis subsp. niger,” also referred to as BG), a Bacillus anthracis surrogate. Studies were performed using two test products, a foam decontaminant and chlorine dioxide gas. Surface samples were collected pre- and posttreatment with three sampling methods and analyzed by culture and quantitative PCR (QPCR). Additional aerosol releases with environmental background present on the surface materials were also conducted to determine if there was any interference with decontamination or sample analysis. Culture results indicated that 10⁵ to 10⁶ CFU per sample were present on surfaces before decontamination. After decontamination with the foam, no culturable B. atrophaeus spores were detected. After decontamination with chlorine dioxide gas, no culturable B. atrophaeus was detected in 24 of 27 samples (89%). However, QPCR analysis showed that B. atrophaeus DNA was still present after decontamination with both methods. Environmental background material had no apparent effect on decontamination, but inhibition of the QPCR assay was observed. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of two decontamination methods and illustrate the utility of surface sampling and QPCR analysis for the evaluation of decontamination strategies.     

可见分光光度法测定人尿中痕量1-萘酚

目的:建立一种可见分光光度法单独测尿中痕量1-萘酚的新方法。方法:在碱性介质中,1-萘酚（1-NAP）与氯霉素作用生成蓝色物质导致体系的吸光度增加,2-NAP不干扰测定。结果:该蓝色产物的最大吸收波长λmax=472.0nm,其吸光度与1-NAP摩尔浓度在7.64×10^-7mol/L～6.31×10^-4mol/L范围内线性关系良好,线性回归方程为△A=0.3146C+0.0239,相关系数r=0.9973,检出限为2.29×10^-7mol/L,相对标准偏差RSD为3.25%～6.42%,加标回收率为95.3%～105.7%。结论:本方法灵敏、简单、快速、易于推广,用于人尿中1-NAP含量的单独测定结果满意。     

可见分光光度法测定人尿中痕量1-萘酚

目的：建立一种可见分光光度法单独测尿中痕量1-萘酚的新方法。方法：在碱性介质中,1-蔡酚（1-NAP）与氯霉素作用生成蓝色物质导致体系的吸光度增加,2-NAP不干扰测定。结果：该蓝色产物的最大吸收波长Amax=472．0nm,其吸光度与1-NAP摩尔浓度在7．64×10^-7mol／L-6．31×10^-4mol／L范围内线性关系良好,线性回归方程为△A=0．3146C＋0．0239,相关系数r=0．9973,检出限为2．29×10^-7mol／L,相对标准偏差RSD为3．25％-6．42％,加标回收率为95．3％-105．7％。结论：本方法灵敏、简单、快速、易于推广,用于人尿中1-NAP含量的单独测定结果满意。     

Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis for Estimating the Surface Tension of Cell Aggregates by Centrifugation

Biological tissues behave in certain respects like liquids. Consequently, the surface tension concept can be used to explain aspects of the in vitro and in vivo behavior of multicellular aggregates. Unfortunately, conventional methods of surface tension measurement cannot be readily applied to small cell aggregates. This difficulty can be overcome by an experimentally straightforward method consisting of centrifugation followed by axisymmetric drop shape analysis (ADSA). Since the aggregates typically show roughness, standard ADSA cannot be applied and we introduce a novel numerical method called ADSA-IP (ADSA for imperfect profile) for this purpose. To examine the new methodology, embryonic tissues from the gastrula of the frog, Xenopus laevis, deformed in the centrifuge are used. It is confirmed that surface tension measurements are independent of centrifugal force and aggregate size. Surface tension is measured for ectodermal cells in four sample batches, and varies between 1.1 and 7.7 mJ/m². Surface tension is also measured for aggregates of cells expressing cytoplasmically truncated EP/C-cadherin, and is approximately half as large. In parallel, such aggregates show a reduction in convergent extension-driven elongation after activin treatment, reflecting diminished intercellular cohesion.     

Evaluation of Two Surface Sampling Methods for Detection of Erwinia herbicola on a Variety of Materials by Culture and Quantitative PCR

This research was designed to evaluate surface sampling protocols for use with culture and quantitative PCR (QPCR) amplification assay for detection of the gram-negative bacterial biothreat simulant Erwinia herbicola on a variety of surface materials. Surfaces selected for evaluation were wood laminate, glass and computer monitor screens, metal file cabinets, plastic arena seats, nylon seat cushions, finished concrete flooring, and vinyl tile flooring. Laboratory and test chamber studies were performed to evaluate two sampling methods, a sponge and a macrofoam swab, for detection of E. herbicola on surface materials. In laboratory trials, seven materials were inoculated with a known concentration of E. herbicola cells and samples were collected from the surfaces of the materials to determine sampling efficiencies. Culture analysis was ineffective for assessing E. herbicola collection efficiency because very few culturable cells were obtained from surface samples. QPCR demonstrated that E. herbicola DNA was present in high concentrations on all of the surface samples, and sampling efficiencies ranged from 0.7 to 52.2%, depending on the sampling method and the surface material. The swab was generally more efficient than the sponge for collection of E. herbicola from surfaces. Test chamber trials were also performed in which E. herbicola was aerosolized into the chamber and allowed to settle onto test materials. Surface sampling results supported those obtained in laboratory trials. The results of this study demonstrate the capabilities of QPCR to enhance the detection and enumeration of biocontaminants on surface materials and provide information on the comparability of sampling methods.     

Cutting a Drop of Water Pinned by Wire Loops Using a Superhydrophobic Surface and Knife

A water drop on a superhydrophobic surface that is pinned by wire loops can be reproducibly cut without formation of satellite droplets. Drops placed on low-density polyethylene surfaces and Teflon-coated glass slides were cut with superhydrophobic knives of low-density polyethylene and treated copper or zinc sheets, respectively. Distortion of drop shape by the superhydrophobic knife enables a clean break. The driving force for droplet formation arises from the lower surface free energy for two separate drops, and it is modeled as a 2-D system. An estimate of the free energy change serves to guide when droplets will form based on the variation of drop volume, loop spacing and knife depth. Combining the cutting process with an electrofocusing driving force could enable a reproducible biomolecular separation without troubling satellite drop formation.     

Discolored Ureteral Stents: Findings in Urinalysis and Urine Culture

Objective

Discolored ureteral stents are sometimes encountered in daily clinical practice; however, the mechanism(s) underlying the development of discolored ureteral stents remain unknown. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the characteristics of discolored ureteral stents based on the results of a urinalysis and urine culture.

Materials & Methods

We identified a total of 26 patients with discolored ureteral stents and compared the findings in the urinalyses and urine culture in 21 discolored versus 45 non-colored ureteral stents.

Results

The median and mean (±SD) duration of stenting time was 78.0 and 81.3 (± 21.3) days for the discolored ureteral stents and 69.0 and 74.9 (± 19.8) days for the non-colored ureteral stents, respectively (P = 0.25). The discolored ureteral stents were associated with a higher mean urine pH than the non-colored ureteral stents (mean: 6.4 vs 6.0, P< 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the RBC (P = 0.51) and WBC (P = 0.35) counts in the urinalyses. In addition, the rate of a positive culture in the patients with discolored stents [20 of 21 (95.2%)] was significantly (P <0.01) higher than that observed in the patients with non-colored ureteral stents [33 of 45 (73.3%)].

Conclusions

In this study, the subjects with discolored ureteral stents showed a significantly higher likelihood of having a positive urine culture and also demonstrated higher pH values in the urinalyses. However, no clear cut-off point to predict discoloration was indicated.     

肝素的定量法

根据核糖核酸酶水解核糖核酸时,在300nm波长处光吸收值下降的速率被肝素抑制之特点,用已知量肝素对抑制程度进行定量,制得标准检量线,从而测得未知量的肝素含量．此法简捷方便,一次能测定多个样品．