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At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

New simple early diagnostic methods using Omura's "Bi-Digital O-Ring Dysfunction Localization Method" and acupuncture organ representation points, and their applications to the "drug & food compatibility test" for individual organs and to auricular diagnosis of internal organs--part I.

By critically evaluating exceptions which may lead to false diagnoses, as well as by improving the currently-used applied kinesiology diagnostic method (="Dysfunction Localization Method"), the author was able to develop the "Thumb-Index Finger Bi-Digital O-Ring Diagnostic Method," using the Applied Kinesiology Dysfunction Localization Principle. By combining the author's "Bi-Digital O-Ring Dysfunction Localization Method" with clinically useful organ representation points in acupuncture medicine (where the presence of tenderness at the organ representation point is used for diagnosis as well as for the location of treatment), it has become possible to make early diagnoses of most of the internal organs, with an average diagnostic accuracy of over 85%, without knowing the patient's history or using any instruments. The method can detect dysfunctioning or diseased organs even before tenderness appears at the organ representation point, with an applied force of less than 1 gm/mm2 on the skin surface, while the detection of tenderness at the organ representation point often requires a minimum applied force of 80-100 gm/mm2. The method was applied to the "Drug and Food Compatibility Test" to determine the probable effects of a given food or drug on individual internal organs without going through time-consuming, expensive laboratory tests. It was also applied to auricular organ representation points and their evaluation, and has succeeded in increasing their diagnostic sensitivity. The method was also used for the evaluation of magnetic fields. Usually the North pole increased muscle strength and the South pole weakened it at most parts of the body. This simple, improved, economical diagnostic method may have invaluable implications in clinical diagnosis, treatment and drug research. Key Words: early diagnostic methods, "Thumb-Index Finger Bi-Digital O-Ring Diagnostic Method," applied kinesiology, cardio-vascular diseases, drugs, tenderness, pain, pain medicine, anti-hypertensive drugs, cardio-vascular drugs, aspirin, Bufferin, gastro-intestinal system, muscle strength, nutrition, magnetic field, sensory nerve, spinal cord, brain stem. Inderal.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed2002

Comparison of the compact dry TC and 3M petrifilm ACP dry sheet media methods with the spiral plate method for the examination of randomly selected foods for obtaining aerobic colony counts.

Two hundred thirty-six randomly selected food and milk samples were examined to obtain aerobic colony counts by two dry sheet media methods and a standard Public Health Laboratory Service spiral plate method. Results for 40 samples were outside the limits of detection for one or more of the tested methods and were not considered. (The limits of detection for the spiral plate method were 200 to 1 x 10(8) CFU/ml for the spiral plate method and 100 to 3 x 10(6) CFU/ml for the dry sheet media methods.) The remaining 196 sets of results were analyzed further. When the results from the three methods were compared, correlation coefficients were all >0.80 and slopes and intercepts were close to 1.0 and 0.0, respectively. Mean log values and standard deviations were very similar for all three methods. The results were evaluated according to published UK guidelines for ready-to-eat foods sampled at the point of sale, which include a quality acceptability assessment that is based on aerobic colony counts. Eighty-six percent of the comparable results gave the same verdict with regard to acceptability according to the aerobic colony count guidelines. Both dry sheet media methods were comparable to the spiral plate method and can be recommended for the examination of food.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

A new method for attenuation coefficient measurement in the liver: comparison with the spectral shift central frequency method.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of a new method of measuring the attenuation coefficient in the liver, which offers less variability of results than the conventional method. METHODS: The attenuation coefficient was evaluated on the basis of the following equation with sound field correction: [log(M0 (z)) - tau(z)]. In our system, the attenuation coefficient was also evaluated by the spectral shift central frequency method at the same time. We used 44 cases of normal liver, 40 cases of fatty liver, and 20 cases of cirrhotic liver in the system. RESULTS: With this new method, attenuation coefficient values were 0.59+/-0.10 dB x cm(-1) x MHz(-1) in normal livers, 0.80+/-0.12 dB x cm(-1) x MHz(-1) in fatty livers, and 0.62+/-0.09 dB x cm(-1) x MHz(-1) in cirrhotic livers. In both methods we recorded a statistically significant difference between normal and fatty livers and between fatty and cirrhotic livers (P < .0001). Only in the fatty liver was any significant difference (P < .0001) found between attenuation coefficients in the new method and those in the spectral shift central frequency method (0.70+/-0.05 dB x cm(-1) x MHz(-1)). CONCLUSIONS: This new method, which was more sensitive in detecting fatty infiltration than the spectral shift central frequency method, was considered usable for evaluating the attenuation coefficient of the liver in vivo.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Indocyanine green clearance test in non-cirrhotic hepatitis patients: a comparison and analysis between conventional blood sampling method and Finger Piece Monitoring method.

BACKGROUND: The indocyanine green (ICG) Finger Piece Monitor system is a non-invasive method for measuring blood ICG concentrations for the evaluation of hepatic function. This study was conducted to determine its clinical usefulness in non-cirrhotic patients. METHODS: Traditional liver function tests, alpha-fetoprotein, prothrombin time, and ICG clearance tests, by both blood sampling method and Finger Piece Monitoring method were performed simultaneously on 56 non-cirrhotic hepatitis patients. The plasma clearance rate (K) and 15-minute retention ratio (R15) of ICG were analyzed and compared with traditional liver function test results. RESULTS: The clearance rate using the Finger Piece Monitoring method was slightly lower than that of the blood sampling method (9.16 +/- 5.00%/min vs. 11.24 +/- 3.56%/min) with good correlation (r = 0.721, p = 0.0003). The 15-minute retention ratio using the Finger Piece Monitoring method showed better correlation with blood sampling method (32.83 +/- 23.99% vs. 28.49 +/- 23.74%, r = 0.944, p = 0.0002). Analysis between traditional laboratory tests and fR15 revealed a higher fR15 value in patients with bilirubin-total-T > or = 3 mg/dl (49.71 +/- 26.22% vs. 22.23 +/- 13.48%), alpha-fetoprotein > or = 100 ng/ml (61.96 +/- 15.84% vs. 28.52 +/- 21.74%), and PT prolongation > or = 3 sec (71.46 +/- 16.80% vs. 29.03 +/- 21.06%). CONCLUSION: There is a good correlation between the conventional blood sampling method and the ICG Finger Piece Monitoring system method. The ICG Finger Monitoring system provides an alternative for traditional laboratory tests for the evaluation of hepatic dysfunction in hepatitis patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic measurement of left ventricular volumes using the average rotation method: comparison with the disk summation method].

OBJECTIVES: Three-dimensional(3-D) echocardiography accurately calculates left ventricular volumes without geometric assumptions. Conventional 3-D echocardiography using the disk summation method is limited in practical use because of the long analysis time. This study validated the average rotation method for rapid and accurate left ventricular volume measurement compared with the conventional disk summation method. METHODS: 3-D data acquisition using multiplane transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 13 patients. Left ventricular volumes and ejection fraction were calculated by the disk summation method with 20 parallel short-axis tomograms and by the average rotation method with 3, 6, 9 and 12 apical long-axis tomograms. RESULTS: 3-D left ventricular volumes and ejection fraction by the average rotation method in each subgroup of slice resolution had excellent correlation and close limits of agreement with those by the disk summation method. Intraobserver variability and interobserver variability were < or = 11%. With the use of three component tomograms, analysis time required for left ventricular volume measurement by the average rotation method was < or = 2 min. CONCLUSIONS: Transesophageal 3-D echocardiography using the average rotation method is a clinically useful tool for accurate and rapid measurement of left ventricular volume and function.

Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional↗
PubMed2001

A comparison of methods for yeast identification including CHROMagar Candida, Vitek system YBC and a traditional biochemical method.

BACKGROUND: CHROMagar Candida (CAC) is a new chromogenic medium for the presumptive identification of clinically-important yeast isolates. A yeast biochemical card (YBC), a part of the Vitek system is an automatic method for the identification of clinically-important yeast isolates. We conducted a comparison of these two methods with a traditional biochemical method in order to choose a rapid and accurate technique for yeast identification. METHODS: All yeast isolates were inoculated onto Sabourand dextrose agar (SDA) and CAC, and incubated at 30 degrees C for 48 hours. All isolates were simultaneously tested using traditional biochemical methods and the yeast biochemical card from the Vitek system. RESULTS: We evaluated 235 yeast isolates from clinical specimens, including 89 Candida albicans, 47 Candida tropicalis, 43 Candida glabrata, six Trichosporon beigelii, and five Candida krusei in addition to 45 isolates of other yeast species. Isolates were presumptively identified on the basis of colony color and appearance on CAC medium. These observations were compared with a traditional biochemical yeast-identification method and also with YBC from the Vitek system. For five commonly-isolated species (Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei and Trichosporon beigelii), agreement among the CAC medium, YBC method and traditional biochemical method were 98.9% (187/189), 96.3% (182/189), 100% (189/189), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: From our comparison, the CAC medium is a convenient and economic method to identify five commonly-noted yeast species, and the YBC method warrants a greater cost and requires a longer period of time to obtain reliable results.

Candida↗
PubMed2004

[Comparison studies on epidermis cell culture efficiency between big graft method and small strip method].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficiency of epidermis cell culture between big graft method and small strip method. METHODS: The big graft method was to cut the skin tissue reticularly from dermis layer while the epidermis were not cut off. After it was digested fully in trypsin, the epidermis was separated from skin and was used to culture epidermal cells. The small strip method was routine. The time to cut the skin and to separate the epidermis was recorded, and the number and quality of cells were compared between two methods. RESULTS: It took 8-10 minutes to cut an area of 5 cm2 skin into small strips and 1-2 minutes into big grafts. It took 10-15 minutes to separate the epidermis from the same area skin by small strip method and 2 minutes by big graft method. The cells showed better vigor and its number was more by big grafts than by small strips. The chance of fibroblast contamination was reduced obviously. CONCLUSION: The big graft method is simpler than the small strip method and can culture more epidermis cells with less chance of fibroblast contamination.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

[Clinical evaluation of vesicoureteroneostomy. II. Efficacy of surgery by Boari's method in eight and the psoas-hitch method in eight cases].

Vesicoureteroneostomy was performed by Boari's method on 8 patients and the psoas-hitch method on 8 patients during the 16 years from 1969 to 1986. Although Boari's method without the formation of a submucosal tunnel was employed for the initial 4 patients, the formation of this type of tunnel was a general principle for all patients thereafter. In choosing the surgical method, the psoas-hitch method was assigned to patients in whom it was possible to extend the urinary bladder to the upper part of the common iliac vessel and in whom the ureter allowed the formation of a submucosal tunnel, and Boari's method was assigned to those in whom it is was not possible to reach the ureter or to form a submucosal tunnel or in whom the ureter would be tensed. The mean length of the resected section of ureter was 75 mm for Boari's method and 43.2 mm for the psoas-hitch method. Follow-up observations revealed the presence of VUR in 2 patients who underwent surgery by the initial form of Boari's method and in 1 patient who underwent surgery by the psoas-hitch method. There was no ureteral stenosis or renal hypofunction in any of the patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Bias between enzymatic methods and the reference method for cholesterol.

Assaying 312 serum samples, we compared four enzymatic methods for serum cholesterol with the Reference Method (modified Abell-Kendall) of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The means for the aca, TDx, and SMAC methods (2.27, 2.27, and 2.24 g/L, respectively) were significantly higher (P less than 0.05) than those of the Reference Method and the RA-1000 method (2.19 and 2.18 g/L, respectively). The biased methods had positive proportional and (or) systematic biases. Results with these methods were 2.6% to 4.9% higher than with the Reference Method. The assigned concentrations of cholesterol in the calibration materials for the SMAC and aca agreed with those obtained by the Reference Method, but were lower for the TDx and higher for the RA-1000. These findings document positive biases for cholesterol with three enzymatic methods and suggest that misassignment of calibrators is not primarily responsible for the biases found with the aca and SMAC. It may, however, to be a significant factor for the TDx.

Autoanalysis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Performance characteristics of methods of analysis used for regulatory purposes. I. Drug dosage forms. F. Gravimetric and titrimetric methods.

The original gravimetric and titrimetric methods approved by AOAC for the analysis of pharmaceutical preparations, particularly during the period 1915-1950, show precision, recovery, and outlier parameters approximately the same as those exhibited by the previously reviewed instrumental methods that are currently used. Fifty-nine published collaborative studies utilized gravimetric methods and 85 used titrimetric. The studies of the gravimetric methods encompassed 47 analytes, 95 dosage forms, and 136 assays; the corresponding figures for the titrimetric studies are 72, 112, and 152. An average of approximately 7 laboratories participated per study. The line of best fit of the relative standard deviation between-laboratories (RSDR) plotted against the negative logarithm of the fractional concentration, C, extends from 1.2 and 1.0% for the gravimetric and titrimetric methods, respectively, at 100% concentration to 2.2 and 2.8% at 1.0% concentration. Below this concentration the precision of the titrimetric methods degenerates faster than that of the gravimetric methods. Above about 0.1% concentration the gravimetric and titrimetric methods are somewhat more precise than the instrumental methods in current use for drug analysis. The difference, however, is not statistically significant and the general equation, RSDR = 2 exp(1-0.5 log C), is also applicable to gravimetric and titrimetric methods above a concentration level of about C = 0.001 (0.1%).

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMed1978

Comparison of titration results of diphtheric antitoxic antibodies obtained by means of Jensen's method and the methods of tissue cultures and haemagglutination.

In 33 human sera the determination of diphtheric antitoxic antibodies was performed in a double blind test using Jensen's method, the method of tissue cultures and the haemagglutination method. In the method of tissue cultures the antibody levels in the sera were determinated in the first and second experiment with the precision of +/- half dilution of the geometrical progression. In Jensen's method, the difference between the first and second measurements slightly exceeded +/- 1 dilution. In the haemagglutination method the error considerably exceeded the binary step dilution. In most cases, the determination fluctuated up to seven times the actual value. Differences among the mean values of examination results obtained by Jensen's method and the method of the tissue cultures are statistically insignificant. The differences between the haemagglutination method and both the other methods are statistically significant.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1982

Four methods for determining uric acid compared with a candidate reference method.

Uric acid as measured in serum by three different uricase (EC 1.7.3.3) methods (aca, Ektachem, and SMAC) and by the SMAC method with phosphotungstic acid was compared with a candidate Reference Method for uric acid. Serum specimens from 83 patients (uric acid concentrations, 19 to 141 mg/L) were analyzed by all five methods. Results were compared by using linear regression analysis, and the mean difference between results by the candidate Reference Method and the four other methods was calculated. Compared with the candidate Reference Method, the aca method gave the smallest deviation from zero for the intercept and the smallest mean difference, and the SMAC phosphotungstic acid method showed a slope closest to unity. The SMAC uricase method had the largest intercept and greatest deviation of the slope from unity.

Autoanalysis↗
PubMed1981

High pressure liquid chromatographic method for indole in shrimp: development of method and collaborative study.

A collaborative study on the determination of indole in shrimp was conducted in which a high pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method and a spectrofluorometric method were compared with the AOAC gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) method (18.075-18.078, 13th ed.). In the HPLC method, 10 g shrimp was blended with methanol, an internal standard was added, and the extract was filtered. Indole was separated on an octadecylsilane reverse phase column, using 60% MeOH-H2O, and quantitated with a fluorescence detector (excitation 280 nm, emission 330 nm) by comparing the indole peak height with that of an internal standard, 2-methyl-indole. Recoveries at a 25 micrograms/100 g level averaged 104% with a range of 90-127%, and at a level of 35 micrograms/100 g averaged 102% with a range of 93-112%. In the spectrofluorometric method, 25 g shrimp was extracted with 2% EtOAc-hexane. After several washes, indole was partitioned into a saturated NaCl-MeOH solution and its fluorescence was measured (excitation 280 nm, emission 332 nm). Recoveries at a 25 micrograms/100 g level averaged 93% with a range of 0-255% and at a level of 35 micrograms/100 g averaged 64% with a range of 0-107%. Recoveries obtained by the AOAC-GLC method at a level of 25 micrograms/100 g averaged 96% with a range of 81-116% and at a level of 35 micrograms/100 g averaged 101% with a range of 81-119%. The coefficients of variation were 20, 10, and 64% at a 25 micrograms/100 g level for the GLC method, the HPLC method, and the spectrofluorometric method, respectively. The HPLC method was adopted as official first action for indole levels in shrimp exceeding 1 microgram/100 g.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

The Misgav Ladach method for cesarean section compared to the Pfannenstiel method.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcome of two different methods of cesarean section (CS). DESIGN: The study was designed as a prospective, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: All CS were performed at the University Hospital in Uppsala, Sweden. POPULATION: Fifty women admitted to hospital for a first elective CS were consecutively included in the study. They were randomly allocated to two groups. METHODS: One group was operated on by the Misgav Ladach method for CS and the other group by the Pfannenstiel method. All operations were performed by the same surgeon. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Duration of operation, amount of bleeding, analgesics required, scar appearance and length of hospitalization. RESULTS: Operating time was significantly different between the two methods, with an average of 12.5 minutes with the Misgav Ladach method and 26 minutes with the Pfannenstiel method (p<0.001). The amount of blood loss differed significantly, with 448 ml and 608 ml respectively (p=0.017). Significantly less analgesic injections and tablets (p=0.004) were needed after the Misgav Ladach method. CONCLUSION: The Misgav Ladach method of CS has advantages over the Pfannenstiel method by being significantly quicker to perform, with a reduced amount of bleeding and diminished postoperative pain. The women were satisfied with the appearance of their scars. In this study no negative effects of the new operation technique were discovered.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Review of the methods of the US Environmental Protection Agency for bromate determination and validation of method 317.0 for disinfection by-product anions and low-level bromate.

In recent years several methods have been published by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which specify bromate as a target analyte. The first of these was EPA Method 300.0. As technological improvements in ion chromatographic hardware have evolved and new detection techniques have been designed, method detection limits for bromate have been reduced and additional procedures have been written, including EPA Method 300.1, 321.8 and, most recently, EPA Method 317.0. An overview of the evolution of these bromate methods since 1989 is presented. The focus is specific to each of these respective procedures, highlighting method strengths, weaknesses, and addressing how these methods fit into EPA's regulatory agenda. In addition, performance data are presented detailing the joint EPA/American Society for Testing and Materials multilaboratory validation of EPA Method 317.0 for disinfection by-product anions and low-level bromate.

Anions↗
PubMed1977

A rebreathing method for measuring carbon monoxide diffusing capacity. A supplement to the single-breath method.

A rebreathing method for measuring carbon monoxide diffusing capacity is described. The method can be used in patients whose vital capacity is too small, or whose cooperation is inadequate, for the single-breath method. The apparatus is simple and the same gas mixtures are used as for the single-breath method. The results obtained by the rebreathing method are similar to those by the single-breath method (80% of the results by the rebreathing method lie within 20% of the value by the single-breath method). The rebreathing method also provides a measurement of the functional residual capacity.

Carbon Monoxide↗
PubMed1990

Methods for measuring GFR with technetium-99m-DTPA: an analysis of several common methods.

Several commonly used scintigraphic methods of GFR measurement were evaluated. Forty-three adult patients with a wide range of ages and renal function were studied. The two-sample plasma method of Russell and the urinary method of Jackson were the most accurate methods overall. The one-sample plasma method of Russell, the volume of distribution method of Fawdry, and a terminal slope method were less reliable, especially at low (0-60 ml/min) GFRs. The renal uptake method of Gates correlated poorly to the standards at all GFR levels even when corrected for body surface area or blood volume. The Russell two point and Jackson urinary GFR's can be used as complementary techniques and are recommended as primary methods of scintigraphic GFR determination.

Adolescent↗