Insoluble S-ESM/PEO and S-ESM/PVA fibers were achieved after treatment with catechin and required no toxic or synthetic additives. FTIR spectra indicated that the hydrogen bond formed between S-ESM and catechin was the main interaction that improved the insolubility of S-ESM/PEO and S-ESM/PVA nanofibers in water. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 117: 2042-2049, 2010″
“Background: Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) are widely used AZD5363 research buy for diagnosing malaria. The present retrospective study evaluated the CareStart
(TM) Malaria HRP-2/pLDH (Pf/pan) Combo Test targeting the Plasmodium falciparum specific antigen histidine-rich protein (HRP-2) and the pan-Plasmodium antigen lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) in a reference setting.
Methods: The CareStart (TM) Malaria HRP-2/pLDH (Pf/pan) Combo Selleck ATM Kinase Inhibitor Test was evaluated on a collection of samples
obtained in returned international travellers using microscopy corrected by PCR as the reference method. Included were P. falciparum (n = 320), Plasmodium vivax (n = 76), Plasmodium ovale (n = 76), Plasmodium malariae (n = 23) and Plasmodium negative samples (n = 95).
Results: Overall sensitivity for the detection of P. falciparum was 88.8%, increasing to 94.3% and 99.3% at parasite densities above 100 and 1,000/mu l respectively. For P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae, overall sensitivities were 77.6%, 18.4% and BTSA1 mw 30.4% respectively. For P. vivax sensitivity reached 90.2% for parasite densities above 500/mu l. Incorrect species identification occurred in 11/495 samples (2.2%), including 8/320 (2.5%) P. falciparum samples which generated only the pan-pLDH line. For P. falciparum samples, 205/284 (72.2%) HRP-2
test lines had strong or medium line intensities, while for all species the pan-pLDH lines were less intense, especially in the case of P. ovale. Agreement between observers was excellent (kappa values > 0.81 for positive and negative readings) and test results were reproducible. The test was easy to perform with good clearing of the background.
Conclusion: The CareStart (TM) Malaria HRP-2/pLDH (Pf/pan) Combo Test performed well for the detection of P. falciparum and P. vivax, but sensitivities for P. ovale and P. malariae were poor.”
“Background: A treatment based on an interatrial shunt device has been proposed for counteracting elevated pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) in patients with heart failure and mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We tested the theoretical hemodynamic effects of this approach with the use of a previously validated cardiovascular simulation.
Methods and Results: Rest and exercise hemodynamics data from 2 previous independent studies of patients with HFpEF were simulated. The theoretical effects of a shunt between the right and left atria (diameter up to 12 mm) were determined.