The purpose of this study was to design and construct an ultrasound phantom for volume calibration and evaluate the volume measurement accuracy of a 2 dimensional ultrasonic system. Ultrasound phantom was designed, constructed and tested. The phantom consisted of a background material and a target. The background was made by mixing agarose gel with water. A target, made with an elastic material, was filled with water to vary its volume and shape and inserted into background material. To evaluate accuracy of a 2 dimensional ultrasonic system (128XP, ACUSON), three different shapes of targets (a sphere, 2 ellipsoids and a triangular prism) were constructed. In case of ellipsoid shape, two targets, one with same size length and width (ellipsoid 1) and another with the length 2 times longer than width (ellipsoid 2) were examined. The target volumes of each shape were varied from 94cc to 450cc and measurement accuracy was examined. The volume difference between the real and measured target of the sphere shape ranged between 6.7 and 11%. For the ellipsoid targets, the differences ranged from 9.2 to 10.5% with ellipsoid 1 and 25.7% with ellipsoid 2. The volume difference of the triangular prism target ranged between 20.8 and 35%. An easy and simple method of constructing an ultrasound phantom was introduced and it was possible to check the volume measurement accuracy of an ultrasound system.
Calibration ; Sepharose ; Ultrasonics ; Water

Multiple DNases were identified from Haemonchus contortus intestine based on previous studies. The DNases detected at 34, 36 and 38.5 kDa had diverse characteristics. Some of them had characteristics similar to those of mammalians and others had unusual characteristics. This study was carried out to fractionate worm intestinal DNases from other proteins using phenyl Sepharose chromatographic methods. All DNases detected from Haemonchus contortus intestine were fractionated in the flowthrough of phenyl Sepharose, indicating the worm DNases are hydrophilic. The DNases were enriched five-fold in the flowthrough fraction while additional steps are required for isolation of the worm DNases. Thus, fractionation with phenyl Sepharose could be used as a good initial step to enrich and separate DNases from other proteins.
Chromatography ; Deoxyribonucleases ; Haemonchus ; Intestines ; Proteins ; Sepharose

Multiple DNases were identified from Haemonchus contortus intestine based on previous studies. The DNases detected at 34, 36 and 38.5 kDa had diverse characteristics. Some of them had characteristics similar to those of mammalians and others had unusual characteristics. This study was carried out to fractionate worm intestinal DNases from other proteins using phenyl Sepharose chromatographic methods. All DNases detected from Haemonchus contortus intestine were fractionated in the flowthrough of phenyl Sepharose, indicating the worm DNases are hydrophilic. The DNases were enriched five-fold in the flowthrough fraction while additional steps are required for isolation of the worm DNases. Thus, fractionation with phenyl Sepharose could be used as a good initial step to enrich and separate DNases from other proteins.
Chromatography ; Deoxyribonucleases ; Haemonchus ; Intestines ; Proteins ; Sepharose

We designed a new electrophoresis apparatus. This was consisted of the body into which agarose could be poured directly and the cover from which the platinium electrodes were suspended. After running the nucleic acid in this electrophoresis, we observed the band of nucleic acid on the ultraviolet transilluminator without touching the agarose gel, keeping the cover with the electrodes and discarding the gel in body. We compared the variuos types of the electrophoresis apparatus. In the electrophoresis apparatus which body was consisted of the flat bottom, the migration of dyes was the fastest among studied types. The high migration velocity of dyes was due to high electric current.
Coloring Agents ; Electrodes ; Electrophoresis* ; Running ; Sepharose

Standard plaque assay using agarose-overlay has long been used for titration of many infectious virus particle. Plaque assay for the titration of varicella-zoster virus and its live vaccine requires three intermittent agarose overlay to visualize plaques. Overall procedure of the assay takes at least nine days from virus inoculation and microbe contamination including fungi is frequently accompanied during incubation period. We studied whether an immunofocus assay in conjunction with peroxidase-mediated immunohistochemical reaction may replace the standard plaque assay for the virus titration by comparing the two methods. A linear relationship was observed between number of foci and virus dilution. The number of foci in a given dilution of virus appeared a little higher than counted plaques formed in standard plaque assay. Independent titration results obtained from two assay methods for a given dilution of virus demonstrated a strong correlation (r2=0.99). Foci of virus infected cells as revealed by the enzyme reaction could be counted either 4 days post-infection (p.i.) under low magnification (40X) microscopy, or 6 days p.i. by naked eye observation. Larger size of cell cuture plate, virus adsorption at 35 degrees C, and 10% FBS in diluent appeared to be better conditions for the assay. Immunofocus assay will be an effective and dependable titration method for varicella-zoster virus and its live vaccine in place of the standard plaque assay in respect to accuracy, costs, and experimental convenience.
Adsorption ; Fungi ; Herpesvirus 3, Human* ; Microscopy ; Sepharose ; Virion

PURPOSE: This study proposes the keyhole method in order to improve the time resolution of the proton resonance frequency(PRF) MR temperature monitoring technique. The values of Root Mean Square (RMS) error of measured temperature value and Signal-to-Noise Ratio(SNR) obtained from the keyhole and full phase encoded temperature images were compared. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The PRF method combined with GRE sequence was used to get MR temperature images using a clinical 1.5T MR scanner. It was conducted on the tissue-mimic 2% agarose gel phantom and swine's hock tissue. A MR compatible coaxial slot antenna driven by microwave power generator at 2.45GHz was used to heat the object in the magnetic bore for 5 minutes followed by a sequential acquisition of MR raw data during 10 minutes of cooling period. The acquired raw data were transferred to PC after then the keyhole images were reconstructed by taking the central part of K-space data with 128, 64, 32 and 16 phase encoding lines while the remaining peripheral parts were taken from the 1st reference raw data. The RMS errors were compared with the 256 full encoded self-reference temperature image while the SNR values were compared with the zero filling images. RESULTS: As phase encoding number at the center part on the keyhole temperature images decreased to 128, 64, 32 and 16, the RMS errors of the measured temperature increased to 0.538, 0.712, 0.768 and 0.845degrees C, meanwhile SNR values were maintained as the phase encoding number of keyhole part is reduced. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the keyhole technique is successfully applied to temperature monitoring procedure to increases the temporal resolution by standardizing the matrix size, thus maintained the SNR values. In future, it is expected to implement the MR real time thermal imaging using keyhole method which is able to reduce the scan time with minimal thermal variations.
Hot Temperature ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Microwaves ; Protons ; Sepharose ; Tarsus, Animal ; Thermography

BACKGROUND: Inevitable loss of diagnostic material should be minimized during cell block preparation. We introduce a modified agarose cell block technique that enables the synthesis of compact cell blocks by using the entirety of a cell pellet without the loss of diagnostic material during cell block preparations. The feasibility of this technique is illustrated by high-throughput immunocytochemistry using high-density cell block microarray (CMA). METHODS: The cell pellets of Sure- Path residues were pre-embedded in ultra-low gelling temperature agarose gel and re-embedded in standard agarose gel. They were fixed, processed, and embedded in paraffin using the same method as tissue sample processing. The resulting agarose cell blocks were trimmed and represented on a CMA for high-throughput analysis using immunocytochemical staining. RESULTS: The SurePath residues were effectively and entirely incorporated into compact agarose cell buttons and embedded in paraffin. Sections of the agarose cell blocks revealed cellularities that correlated well with corresponding SurePath smears and had immunocytochemical features that were sufficient for diagnosis of difficult cases. CONCLUSIONS: This agarose-based compact cell block technique enables preparation of high-quality cell blocks by using up the residual SurePath samples without loss of diagnostic material during cell block preparation.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Diagnosis ; Immunohistochemistry ; Paraffin ; Paraffin Embedding ; Sepharose*

PURPOSE: To determine optimal pitch and slice thickness when detecting small hepatoma by spiral CT. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three types of artificial liver phantom of 45, 65, and 85 HU using agarose and three types ofartifical nodules of cheese with 95 HU of CT attenuation (5, 10 and 15mm in diameter) were prepared. After thethree types of phantom were embedded with three kinds of artificial nodules of different sizes, nine types ofphantom were made. In addition, four more 10-HU artificial liver phantoms embedded with 5-mm nodules were made.After the phantoms were scanned by spiral CT at different slice thicknesses (5, 8 and 10mm) and different pitches(1.0, 1.25, 1.5 and 2.0), nodule detection rates were determined ; these rates were, in addition, determined afteroverlapping reconstruction and changes in CT attenuation according to pitch. RESULT: Regardless of size, pitchand slice thickness, all nodules with more than 30 HU difference between the embedded nodule and artificial liverphantom were detected. The detection rate of 5mm nodules with a density difference of 10 HU decreased at a pitchof 2.0 and at 10mm slice thickness. After overlapping reconstruction, detection rates increased and there were noCT attenuation differences according to pitch. CONCLUSION: Eight-mm slice thickness is preferred and for thedetection of a nodule by spiral CT, pitch should not be greater than 1.5. After overlapping reconstruction,additional nodules were detected.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cheese ; Liver* ; Liver, Artificial* ; Sepharose ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*

BACKGROUND: Self-made tissue punches can be effectively used to punch holes in blank recipient paraffin blocks and extract tissue cores from the donor paraffin blocks for the low-cost construction of tissue microarrays (TMAs). However, variable degrees of section distortion and loss of the tissue cores can occurs during cutting of the TMAs, posing technical problems for in-house manual construction of high-density TMAs. We aimed to update the method for in-house manual TMA construction to improve the quality of high-density TMAs. METHODS: Blocks of agarose gel were subjected to the standard tissue processing and embedding procedure to prepare recipient agarose-paraffin blocks. The self-made tissue punches and recipient agarose-paraffin blocks were used to construct TMAs, which were completely melted and re-embedded in paraffin to make finished TMA blocks. RESULTS: The donor tissue cores were completely integrated into the surrounding paraffin of the recipient blocks. This method enabled us to construct high-density TMAs with significantly less section distortion or loss of tissue cores during microtomy. CONCLUSIONS: Simple and inexpensive construction of high-density and high-quality TMAs can be warranted by using paraffinized agarose gels as recipient blocks.
Gels ; Humans ; Paraffin ; Sepharose ; Tissue Array Analysis ; Tissue Donors

BACKGROUND: The genus Candida comprises 163 species, the most common pathogen in the genus is C. albicans, however, other Candida species are considered as emergent pathogens. Because there are species-specific differences in the susceptibility of Candida spp. to the currently used therapeutic drugs, species identification is critical for therapeutic planning and accurate epidemiological records. The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of tRNA intergenic length polymorphism (tDNA-ILP) analysis for the accurate identification of Candida species. METHODS: For the identifying the 7 type strains and 54 clinical isolates of Candida, the suitability of tDNA-ILP was evaluated. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a pair of primers or a single primer was performed. The PCR products were separated by electrophoresis in 2% agarose gels for 70 min. RESULTS: In seven Candida type strains, tDNA-ILP using a single primer (reverse) can be easily analyzed by visual comparision. Fifty-three of 54 strains were identified as the same species with conventional identification. CONCLUSIONS: The tDNA-ILP analysis can be useful for the simple and rapid identification of Candida species in routine laboratories.
Candida* ; Electrophoresis ; Gels ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Transfer ; Sepharose