ABSTRACT
Future immunoassays and nucleic acid hybridization assays will be performed in miniaturized formats that utilize microchips or microparticles. This will require a sensitive detection technology that allows spatial resolution. By using fluorescent europium chelates and time-resolved microfluorometry, one can detect 11,000 europium molecules on individual microparticles. In a miniaturized noncompetitive immunoassay of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), we quantitatively detected 5 ng/L (0.05 amol per particle) of the analyte on an individual microparticle with excellent precision over the whole measurement range (CV <10%). Using a hybridization assay, we also could detect the deltaF508 mutation for cystic fibrosis on individual microparticles. Consequently, fluorescent lanthanide chelate labels and time-resolved microfluorometry qualify as the next generation of technology in this field.
Subject(s)
Immunoassay/standards , Spectrometry, Fluorescence/methods , Chelating Agents , Cystic Fibrosis/genetics , Europium , Humans , Mutation , Prostate-Specific Antigen/analysis , Sensitivity and Specificity , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The functional and clinical results of anterior interbody lumbar fusion were assessed in 134 patients. Functional tests included spinal mobility and isokinetic trunk muscle strength measurements. The score rating system of the Japanese Orthopaedic association (JOA) and the Oswestry disability index were used for clinical evaluation. Functional results revealed decreased spinal flexibility when compared with normal values. A reduction in physical ability was also seen in the isokinetic trunk muscle measurements. Non-union seemed to have only little effect on the functional results. Patients under 20 years at operation had the best results, but beyond this threshold results did not vary with age. The JOA rating score was 25 or more in 50% of patients. The mean Oswestry disability index was 47.8 (range 1-82) preoperatively and 20 (range 0-68) at follow-up (P < 0.001), indicating a clear decrease in subjective disability. Solid fusion was seen in 107 patients (80%) at follow-up.
Subject(s)
Low Back Pain/surgery , Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery , Spinal Fusion/methods , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Data Interpretation, Statistical , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Monitoring, Physiologic/methods , Patient Satisfaction , Reoperation , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
A sample of 508 male and female white-collar and blue-collar employees aged 35 to 54 years was evaluated clinically to determine the reliability of repetitive sit-ups, repetitive arch-ups, repetitive squatting, and static back endurance tests, to determine the normal values of these tests and to detect determinants for trunk muscle performance. All of the given tests had fairly good or even excellent test-retest reliability. Muscular performance capacity decreased with advancing age, particularly among blue-collar workers. Men showed greater muscle endurance in all the muscle tests, and blue-collar workers lower values in all tests. The repetitive tests, in particular, showed reduced values in those with previous low-back pain. Normative values of back endurance, repetitive squatting, sit-up and arch-up tests for different age, sex and occupational groups are presented.
Subject(s)
Back/physiology , Physical Fitness , Adult , Aging/physiology , Female , Humans , Low Back Pain/physiopathology , Male , Middle Aged , Muscle Contraction , Occupations , Physical Endurance , Reference Values , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
A sample of 508 male and female white-collar and blue-collar employees aged 35 to 54 years were examined clinically to determine the reliability of spinal flexibility measurements using inclinometers and a tape measure, and to determine the normal values of cervical sagittal movements, lateral flexion, lumbar flexion and extension, trunk rotation and sidebending. Spinal flexibility decreased with advancing age, particularly among the blue-collar workers. Male predominance was observed in lumbar flexion and rotation and female predominance in cervical flexion-extension-movement. Spinal flexibility was negatively related to the experience of disabling pain. The strongest connections were between cervical flexion-extension-movement and neck pain, and between trunk sidebending and low back pain during the preceding year. The interobserver reliabilities were found to be generally good for all these measurements, and trunk sidebending showed the highest reliability coefficients. The intraobserver reproducibility (checked at a one-year interval) was acceptable only for cervical flexion-extension movement, cervical sidebending and trunk sidebending.
Subject(s)
Anthropometry/methods , Range of Motion, Articular , Spine/physiology , Adult , Age Factors , Back Pain/physiopathology , Compliance , Data Collection , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Observer Variation , Reference Values , Reproducibility of Results , Rotation , Sampling Studies , Spine/anatomy & histologyABSTRACT
The purpose of the study was to check the calibrations of six Jamar dynamometers. Five handle positions were tested for each instrument, with the application of seven different external forces, from 5 kg to 60 kg. Between two testers the repeatability was also evaluated. Major differences in testing accuracies were not found according to different breadths of grip. The repeatability of testing accuracy among the two examiners was rather good, varying in average from only 1.2 kg to 1.4 kg per handle position. The error of absolute kilograms increased relating to heavier loads, but the percentage error decreased when the load increased. The accuracy of the older dynamometers was poorer than the accuracy of the newer ones. The normative values of hand grip related to different handle positions are reviewed.
Subject(s)
Hand/physiology , Calibration , Female , Humans , Male , Physical Therapy Modalities/instrumentationABSTRACT
Fluorescent lanthanide chelates with long decay times allow the suppression of the fast decaying autofluorescence in biological specimens. This property makes lanthanide chelates attractive as labels for fluorescence microscopy. As a consequence of the suppression of the background fluorescence the sensitivity can be increased. We modified a standard epifluorescence microscope for time-resolved fluorescence imaging by adding a pulsed light source and a chopper in the narrow aperture plane. A cooled CCD-camera was used for detection and the images were digitally processed. A fluorescent europium chelate was conjugated to antisera and to streptavidin. These conjugates were used for the localization of tumor associated antigen C242 in the malignant mucosa of human colon, for the localization of type II collagen mRNA in developing human cartilaginary growth plates, and for the detection of HPV type specific gene sequences in the squamous epithelium of human cervix. The specific slowly decaying fluorescence of the europium label could be effectively separated from the fast decaying background fluorescence. It was possible to use the europium label at the cell and tissue level and the autofluorescence was effectively suppressed in in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical reactions in both frozen and formaldehyde-fixed, wax-embedded specimens.