Diagnosis of premature rupture of membranes with an improved alpha-fetoprotein monoclonal antibody kit.

We developed a new kit for detecting alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in leaked amniotic fluid (Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 1995;58:67-72). Later, we developed an improved AFP kit utilizing the same AFP monoclonal antibody. We compared this improved AFP test with the nitrazine test for 137 patients.

Purification and some properties of urokinase.

A method for efficient extraction of urokinase from human urine was established by using polyacrylonitrile synthetic fiber as an adsorbent. By a combination of this method and known methods for purification of proteins, such as gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography, urokinase with a specific activity of 224,000 International Units per mg of protein was obtained. This sample showed homogeneity by ultracentrifugation, moving-boundary electrophoresis at pH 4.