Performance Evaluation of the ARKRAY ADAMS A1c HA-8180

The hemoglobin A1c (Hb A1c) test is widely used to diagnose diabetes mellitus and monitor glycemic control in patients with diabetes. We evaluated the performance of the ARKRAY ADAMS A1c HA-8180 (ARKRAY KDK, Japan), an automated, HPLC-based Hb A1c analyzer. The ARKRAY ADAMS A1c HA-8180 was evaluated for its linearity and precision and compared to the HLC-723 G7 (Tosoh Corporation, Japan), according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute's guidelines. The coefficients of variation (CVs) for within-run precision at low and high levels were 0.6% and 0.3%, respectively, and the total CVs at low and high levels were 0.8% and 0.6%, respectively. The coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.9975, with linearity in the range of 3.0-18.5%. A comparison between the ARKRAY ADAMS A1c HA-8180 and HLC-723 G7 revealed a good correlation (r=0.9955) in the range of 4.8-14.6%. The runtime was 57 s per sample. The ARKRAY ADAMS A1c HA-8180 showed good analytical performance and high throughput. Therefore, it is suitable for routine use for clinical measurements of Hb A1c.

Immunolocalization of Runx2 and Osterix in the Developing Periodontal Tissues of the Mouse

Runx2 and Osterix, the transcription factors for osteoblast differentiation, are known as fundamental factors to regulate the development of calcified tissues. However, the biological functions of these factors in the development of the periodontal tissues remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the distribution of Runx2 and Osterix during periodontal tissue development of the mice. Mandibles from 14-day-old mice were prepared for paraffin section. Serial sections of the mandible containing 1st molar tooth germs were obtained as a thickness of 7 microm. Some sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Others were used for immunohistochemistry for PCNA, Runx2, and Osterix. Epithelial cells in growing end of Hertwig's epithelial root sheath (HERS) and mesenchymal cells adjacent to the growing end of HERS expressed PCNA. Undifferentiated mesenchymal cells and hard tissue forming cells like cementoblasts and osteoblasts in early stage of differentiation expressed Runx2. Fully differentiated cementoblasts and osteoblasts secreting matrix proteins expressed Osterix. However, the cells terminated the matrix formation did not express Osterix. Periodontal ligament cells expressed Runx2 and Osterix. Pulp cells expressed Runx2 only.These results suggest that Runx2 and Osterix might regulate the differentiation of cementoblasts in the same manner as osteoblasts. Runx2 might participate in the process of cementoblast differentiation in early stage, whether Osterix might regulate the maturation and matrix synthesis of the cells.