Survival analysis is often used to compare experimental and conventional treatments. In observational studies, the therapy may change during follow-up and such crossovers can be summarized by time-dependent covariates. Given the ever-increasing donor organ shortage, higher-risk kidneys from expanded criterion donors (ECD) are being transplanted. Transplant candidates can choose whether to accep...

We used on-line electron capture dissociation (ECD) for the large scale identification and localization of sites of phosphorylation. Each FT-ICR ECD event was paired with a linear ion trap collision-induced dissociation (CID) event, allowing a direct comparison of the relative merits of ECD and CID for phosphopeptide identification and site localization. Linear ion trap CID was shown to be most...

The present study was conducted to evaluate radioimmunoimaging (RII) and in vivo distribution of mixed antibodies 99mTc-EGFR-mAb and 99mTc-CD44- mAb in nude mice bearing human lung adenocarcinoma xenografts. Single and mixed applications of the two radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were compared. Direct labeling of 99mTc was applied to radiolabel the EGFR and CD44 mAbs. The properties o...

Technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer (Tc-99m-ECD) is an essential imaging agent used in evaluating the regional cerebral blood flow in patients with cerebrovascular diseases. Determination of active pharmaceutical ingredient, that is, L-Cysteine, N, N'-1,2-ethanediylbis-, diethyl ester, dihydrochloride (ECD) in ECD Kit is a relevant requirement for the pharmaceutical quality control in process...

Treatment of advanced heart failure with implantable LVADs is increasing, driven by profound unmet patient need despite potential serious complications: bleeding, infection, and thrombus. The experimental objective was to develop a sensitive imaging approach to assess early thrombus accumulation in LVADs under operational high flow and high shear rates. Methods: A monomeric bifunctional ligand ...

The present investigation was undertaken to study the kinetics of 99mTc-labelled diethylenetriaminepenta-acetate (DTPA) as compared with inulin and 51Cr-labelled ethylenediaminetetra-acetate (EDTA). Twenty patients with various degrees of decreased renal function were studied. The renal clearance, plasma clearance and volume of distribution of all three tracers were measured after a simultaneou...

CONTEXT Transplantation using kidneys from deceased donors who meet the expanded criteria donor (ECD) definition (age > or =60 years or 50 to 59 years with at least 2 of the following: history of hypertension, serum creatinine level >1.5 mg/dL [132.6 micromol/L], and cerebrovascular cause of death) is associated with 70% higher risk of graft failure compared with non-ECD transplants. However, i...

BACKGROUND The HER-2/neu oncogene and its p185 receptor protein are indicators of a more aggressive form of breast cancer. HER-2/neu status guides Herceptin therapy, specifically directed to the extracellular domain (ECD) of the HER-2/neu oncoprotein. The HER-2/neu ECD is shed from cancer cells into the circulation and is measurable by immunoassay. METHODS We performed a systematic review of ...

BACKGROUND Hereditary Coproporphyria (HCP) is characterized by abdominal pain, neurologic symptoms and psychiatric disorders, even if it might remain asymptomatic. The pathophysiology of both neurologic and psychiatric symptoms is not fully understood. Therefore, aiming to evaluate a possible role of brain blood flow disorders, we have retrospectively investigated cerebral perfusion patterns in...