Comparing label free electrochemical impedimetric and capacitive biosensing architectures.

The transducer faradaic signals of molecularly receptive interfaces associated with specific target binding can be sensitively monitored by electrochemical impedance and/or capacitance spectroscopies. A comparative evaluation of both impedimetric (associated with charge transfer resistance) and capacitive (associated with faradaic density of states) approaches was undertaken using C-reactive protein (CRP) antigen and antibody interaction as biomolecular binding model. Aiming at constructing redox free (impedimetric) and redox tethered receptive (capacitive) interfaces engineered by self-assembly monolayer, CRP sensitivity and limit of detections were comparatively assessed regarding biosensor capabilities. Binding affinity constant between CRP and anti-CRP interfacial receptor sites were additionally evaluated by the Langmuir adsorption model. Both the impedimetric and capacitive approaches reported similar values of experimental analytical parameters albeit the latter was found to have the advantage of requiring no solution redox reporter thus making it highly suitable for use in multiplexing affinity arrays.

Evaluating the Equilibrium Association Constant between ArtinM Lectin and Myeloid Leukemia Cells by Impedimetric and Piezoelectric Label Free Approaches.

Label-free methods for evaluating lectin-cell binding have been developed to determine the lectin-carbohydrate interactions in the context of cell-surface oligosaccharides. In the present study, mass loading and electrochemical transducer signals were compared to characterize the interaction between lectin and cellular membranes by measuring the equilibrium association constant, Ka , between ArtinM lectin and the carbohydrate sites of NB4 leukemia cells. By functionalizing sensor interfaces with ArtinM, it was possible to determine Ka over a range of leukemia cell concentrations to construct analytical curves from impedimetric and/or mass-associated frequency shifts with analytical signals following a Langmuir pattern. Using the Langmuir isotherm-binding model, the Ka obtained were (8.9 ± 1.0) × 10(-5) mL/cell and (1.05 ± 0.09) × 10(-6) mL/cell with the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) methods, respectively. The observed differences were attributed to the intrinsic characteristic sensitivity of each method in following Langmuir isotherm premises.

Effect of iodine or iopanoic acid on thyroid Ca2+/NADPH-dependent H2O2-generating activity and thyroperoxidase in toxic diffuse goiters.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of iopanoic acid (IOP) or a saturated solution of potassium iodide (SSKI) administration to patients with toxic diffuse goiters (TDG). DESIGN: Patients with TDG are treated with thionamides and high doses of iodine preoperatively. In this study, two types of preoperative drug regimens were used: propylthiouracil or methimazole plus SSKI for 10-15 days (n=8) or IOP for 7 days (n=6). METHODS: Serum thyroid hormones (total and free thyroxine (T(4)), total tri-iodothyronine (T(3)) and reverse T(3) (rT(3)), were evaluated after 7 days of either SSKI or IOP treatment, and after 10-15 days of SSKI administration. During thyroidectomy, samples of thyroid gland were obtained to evaluate thyroperoxidase and thyroid H(2)O(2)-generating activities. RESULTS: Serum total T(3) was significantly decreased after 7 days of either treatment, and serum rT(3) was significantly increased in IOP-treated patients. Serum total and free T(4) were unaffected by 7 days of IOP treatment, but decreased after 7 days of SSKI treatment, although significantly diminished levels were only reached after a further 3-8 days of SSKI administration. During both drug regimens, serum TSH remained low (SSKI: 0.159+/-0.122; IOP: 0.400+/-0.109 microU/ml). Thyroperoxidase activity was significantly lower in thyroid samples from patients treated with SSKI for 10-15 days than in the thyroid glands from IOP-treated patients. However, thyroid H(2)O(2) generation was inhibited in samples from patients treated with either IOP or SSKI. CONCLUSIONS: We show herein that IOP treatment can be effective in the management of hyperthyroidism and that this drug inhibits thyroid NADPH oxidase activity, just as previously described for SSKI, probably due to its iodine content.

Acromegalia com níveis séricos basais do hormônio do crescimento dentro dos limites da normalidade / Acromegaly with basal serum level of growth hormone in normality limits

A acromeglaia é uma sindrome causada pela hipersecçäo do hormônio de crescimento (GH). No entanto, alguns pacientes podem apresentar níveis séricos limítrofes, ou mesmo dentro da normalidade, dificultando o diagnóstico. Relatamos uma caso de acromegalia cuja investigaçäo diagnóstica inicial evidenciou níveis séricos basais de GH dentro dos limites da normalidade e tomografia computadorizada (TC) de sela túrcica normal. A confirmaçäo da doença só foi estabelecida através de testes dinâmicos que avaliam a regulaçäo do GH (dosagem de GH durante o teste oral de tolerância à glicose e após TRH) e confirmada pela ressonância nuclear magnética (RNM) de sela túrcica que evidenciou imagem sujestiva de microadenoma. A paciente foi submetida à cirurgia hipofisária pela via de acesso oronaso esfeinodal e a área tumoral encaminhada para estudo himunohistoquímico, corroborando o diagnóstico de acromegalia. A avaliaçäo dinâmica do pós operatório evidenciou regulaçäo normal do GH. discutimos os critérios diagnósticos da acromegalia, com ênfase na importância de se proseguir com a investigaçäo sempre que houver uma forte suspeita clínica, mesmo que os exames iniciais se apresentem dentro dos limites da normalidade.