Bio-oil produced from fast pyrolysis of biomass contains sugars originating from cellulose. Traditional quantification of sugars in bio-oil is accomplished by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) via derivatization, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ion-exchange chromatography (IC), or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methodologies. These techniques are highly specific for ...

We developed an immunoturbidimetric assay for prealbumin on the Cobas Bio centrifugal analyzer and compared results from this assay with those from a rate nephelometric assay (Beckman Instruments Inc.) and a radial immunodiffusion kit (Behring Diagnostics). All three assays were evaluated for precision, linearity, and correlation to each other for analysis of sera from pediatric patients. All a...

To assess whether plasma prolactin (PRL) characteristics relate to lactogenesis and absence or presence of menstrual cycles, we measured bioactive PRL (BIO-PRL) using the Nb2 assay, immunoreactive PRL (IR-PRL) by radio-immunoassay, calculated equations describing the BIO-PRL-IR-PRL relationship and separated charged PRL isoforms (by chromatofocusing) in five amenorrhoeic and five cycling nursin...

The estuary of the River Elbe between Hamburg and the North Sea (Germany) is a sink for contaminated sediment and suspended particulate matter (SPM). One major concern is the effect of human activities on the hydrodynamics, particularly the intensive dredging activities in this area that may result in remobilization of sediment-bound pollutants. The aim of this study was to identify pollutants ...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Phlebotomus argentipes (Diptera: Psychodidae), the established vector for kala-azar is presently being controlled by indoor residual spray of DDT in kala-azar endemic areas in India. Search for non-hazardous and non-toxic biodegradable active molecules from botanicals may provide cost-effective and eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic insecticides. The present study wa...

HYPOTHESIS Cross-reactivity of parathyroid hormone (PTH) fragments with immunometric "intact" PTH assays limited the use of intraoperative PTH monitoring in renal hyperparathyroidism. A new assay generation measuring whole PTH (1-84) should be able to predict complete or incomplete resection of hyperfunctioning parathyroid tissue. DESIGN Consecutive series for evaluation of intraoperative PTH...

In HIV patients who discontinue highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the degree of HIV RNA suppression at the time of treatment interruption may predict success of re-treatment after the interruption (STI). A case-control substudy of the Staccato trial in Thailand included CD4-guided STI subjects with HIV RNA > 50 copies /ml (virological failure cases, n=11) and HIV RNA < 50 copies/ml ...

Teratoma tumor formation is an essential criterion in determining the pluripotency of human pluripotent stem cells. However, currently there is no consistent protocol for assessment of teratoma forming ability. Here we present detailed characterization of a teratoma assay that is based on subcutaneous co-transplantation of defined numbers of undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) w...