RESUMO
The performance of immunoassays for the detection of autoantibodies is of critical importance in the diagnosis and assessment of patients with autoimmune connective tissue diseases (ACTD). Our objective was to compare the features of two multiplexed assays-INNO-LIA ANA and Gennova-PictArray ENA ELISA-for measurement of multiple autoantibodies and their utility as a clinical tool in ACTD diagnosis. The antigens included SS-A/Ro (60 and 52), SSB/La, Sm, Sm/RNP, CENP-B, Jo-1, and Scl-70. Stored sera from 85 ACTD patients and 80 controls consisting of patients with vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis and infectious diseases, as well as healthy subjects were analyzed jointly with clinical and laboratory data. Agreement between the two methods varied between 58 and 99% (Cohen's kappa: 0.21-0.71) mostly for SSA and SSB. The frequency of specific autoantibodies measured using the two methods was more variable for SSA, SSB, and RNP/Sm. There were a higher number of ambiguous results when using INNO-LIA. The optimized cut-off values of the Gennova-PictArray resulted in over 99% specificities in samples obtained from the control group. Sensitivity patterns were more accurate in Gennova-PictArray than in INNO-LIA, as suggested in previously reported studies. A third method could be applied to determine which of the two methods is more accurate.
RESUMO
We report a molecular simulation study for Cu-BTC metal-organic frameworks as carbon dioxide-methane separation devices. For this study we have computed adsorption and diffusion of methane and carbon dioxide in the structure, both as pure components and mixtures over the full range of bulk gas compositions. From the single component isotherms, mixture adsorption is predicted using the ideal adsorbed solution theory. These predictions are in very good agreement with our computed mixture isotherms and with previously reported data. Adsorption and diffusion selectivities and preferential sitings are also discussed with the aim to provide new molecular level information for all studied systems.
RESUMO
Las enfermedades de depósito lisosomal son errores congénitos del metabolismo originados por la deficiencia hereditaria de hidrolasas lisosomales, causando un acúmulo progresivo de moléculas complejas que no pueden degradarse. El diagnóstico definitivo de estas patologías consiste en la determinación de la actividad enzimática específica en leucocitos, fibroblastos u otros tipos celulares, además del diagnóstico molecular. Estos métodos son complejos y presentan incomodidades para los pacientes. En los últimos años, la determinación de la actividad enzimática en muestras de sangre seca recogida sobre papel ha facilitado enormemente tanto la toma de muestras, su envío a los centros de referencia, así como la manipulación de las mismas. En este trabajo, presentamos la determinación de la actividad enzimática β-galactosidasa en muestras de sangre seca recogida sobre papel, como un parámetro de gran utilidad que nos asegura la estabilidad de la muestra remitida a los laboratorios para el diagnóstico de cualquier tipo de enfermedad lisosomal (AU)
The lysosomal storage diseases are inborn errors of the metabolism originated by the hereditary deficiency of lysosomal hydrolases, which cause a progressive accumulation of complex molecules that cannot be degraded. Besides the molecular diagnosis, the definitive diagnosis of these pathologies consists of the determination of specific enzymatic activities in leukocytes, fibroblasts or other types of cells. These methods are complex and may be inconvenient for the patients. In the last few years, the determination of enzymatic activity in dried blood specimen (DBS) has facilitated sampling, their shipment to the reference laboratories, as well as their manipulation. In this work, we present the determination of the enzymatic β-galactosidase activity in DBS as a very useful parameter to ensure the stability of the sample sent to the laboratories for the diagnosis of any lysosomal disease (AU)
