Michelangelo’s art on the Sistine Chapel ceiling: sacred representation or anatomy lessons?

The Renaissance was a period of extensive scientific and cultural production, which occurred between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries. One of the exponents of this artistic period was the poet, architect, sculptor and painter Michelangelo Buonarroti, who was born and lived in Italy between 1475 and 1564. Among his best known artworks are the frescoes painted on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Currently, there is discussion if the paintings are only representations made from the sacred guidance of the church at the time, or if there are other meanings hidden in the images. From this context, we analyzed studies that associated the frescoes painted on the Sistine Chapel ceiling with anatomical structures hidden in the images, taking into account their significance, importance, and if these structures are not simply an imaginative interpretation of the researchers. This study was performed aiming to complement the work published by Ellwanger, Mohr and Campos (2012) in this journal.

A new tumour marker assay for ovarian cancer on the OPUS immunoassay system.

The human tumour associated cancer antigen CA 125 is a glycoprotein with high molecular weight. The determination of this antigen has been proven to be useful in the monitoring of patients with ovarian cancer. OPUS OV, the tumour marker assay for the ovarian cancer antigen CA 125 is an ELISA that was developed for the family of fully automated random-access analyzers, OPUS, OPUS Plus and OPUS I Magnum. The assay uses a double monoclonal sandwich format (antibodies B27.1 and B43.13, Biomira/Canada). The first antibody is immobilized on the solid phase of the OPUS modules. Sample is automatically added and incubated for 5 minutes. The addition of a solution of the second antibody conjugated to the enzyme alkaline phosphatase leads to the formation of a sandwich complex within 5 minutes. The last step, the addition of the fluorogenic substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate, serves both as washing procedure and for the development of the fluorescence signal (kinetic measurement). OPUS OV has an assay range from 0-1000 kU/L with a detection limit of 5 kU/L. Within run cv's are 6-8%. A good correlation was found to commercially available kits for the determination of CA 125. We conclude that this new OPUS OV assay is a valid alternative for use in the routine determination of the cancer associated antigen CA 125 and allows more reliable determinations in terms of random access, speed, and ease of operation.

Synthesis and properties of new luminescent acridinium-9-carboxylic acid derivatives and their application in luminescence immunoassays (LIA).

Two new groups of chemiluminescent acridinium labels have been presented: (a) acridinium-9-thiocarboxylates, (b) acridinium-9-(N-sulphonyl)carboxamides. Both groups show higher light yields and faster emission kinetics compared with the known acridinium carboxylate. Owing to the poor storage stability of the thiocarboxylate tracers they are not suitable for commercial use. Acridinium-9-(N-sulphonyl)carboxamides allow a variation of the structure, their stability after conjugation to antibodies is in most cases clearly better than the stability of thiocarboxylate and carboxylate tracers. Light yields and emission kinetics are also superior and good immunoassays have been developed. Therefore, this new class of chemiluminescent labels seems to be suitable for use in commercial assays.