A highly sensitive and specific chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) was developed for quantification of growth hormone (GH) in salmonid species. The CLIA for salmon GH was performed using the sandwich method with anti-GH IgG as the first antibody and chemiluminescent acridinium ester-labelled specific anti-GH F(ab')2 as the second antibody. The measurable range of salmon GH in the CLIA was 39-1250 pg/mL using a short assay (1 day) protocol and 3.9-125 pg/mL in a longer (2-day) assay. The dilution curve in the CLIA of serum from masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) was parallel to the standard curve of recombinant chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) GH. Seasonal changes of serum GH levels were measured in 1 year-old masu salmon cultivated in a pond from March to November. Their serum GH levels increased during smoltification from March to April, achieved a maximum level of 21 ng/mL in August, and then declined gradually to 11 ng/mL in October.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Immune complex transfer two-site chemiluminescent immunoassay for serum growth hormone in alevin chum salmon.

An immune complex transfer two-site chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) for salmon growth hormone (GH) was developed to measure serum GH in alevin chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) using a chemiluminescent acridinium ester as a label. The immune complex transfer method dramatically reduced non-specifically bound of acridinium ester labelled antibody without a decrease in the specific binding. Consequently, we could detect lower levels of GH than achieved previously in a two-site CLIA for salmon GH. The detection limit of the assay was 7.8 fg/ml and the standard curve was linear up to 250 fg/ml. Coefficients of variation were 2.2-7.7% within-assay and 5.3-91% between-assay. We have developed a highly sensitive and reproducible GH method and applied it to measurement of GH in alevin chum salmon.

Acridines↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Virtual CT endoscopy of ossicles in the middle ear.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how virtual computed tomography (CT) endoscopy may help in assessing ossicles in the middle ear. Our series consisted of 96 ears of 68 consecutive patients with conducting hearing loss. All examinations were performed with a high-resolution spiral CT using axial and direct coronal planes of the temporal bone. Perspective virtual endoscopy was processed using the virtual endoscopic software. Superstructure of the stapes was difficult to evaluate on the virtual endoscopy; however, virtual endoscopy of the middle ear provides further information on the pathological conditions including congenital anomaly, posttraumatic, and inflammatory processes.

Ear Ossicles↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Virtual CT endoscopy in determining safe surgical entrance points for paranasal mucoceles.

The goal of this work was to evaluate virtual CT endoscopy for determining safe surgical entrance points for paranasal mucoceles. Twelve mucoceles in 11 cases were scanned with helical CT, and multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) and virtual endoscopic images were obtained. After a safe surgical entrance point was determined by MPR images, the entrance point was specified on the virtual endoscopic images. The combination of virtual endoscopic images and MPR images is a suitable method for determining a safe surgical entrance point for simple mucoceles.

Endoscopy↗