Heavy Element Effects in the Diagonal Born-Oppenheimer Correction within a Relativistic Spin-Free Hamiltonian.

Methodologies beyond the Born-Oppenheimer (BO) approximation are nowadays important to explain high precision spectroscopic measurements. Most previous evaluations of the BO correction are, however, focused on light-element molecules and based on a nonrelativistic Hamiltonian, so no information about the BO approximation (BOA) breakdown in heavy-element molecules is available. The present work is the first to investigate the BOA breakdown for the entire periodic table, by considering scalar relativistic effects in the Diagonal BO correction (DBOC).

[Evaluation of serum iron in hemodialysis patients and its variation due to the difference of blood sampling time].

Diurnal variations in serum iron concentration were examined to investigate the influence of sampling time in hemodialysis (HD) patients and healthy subjects. The serum iron concentration and TIBC of HD patients decreased significantly (p<0.01, p<0.

[Nationwide surveillance of parenteral antibiotics containing meropenem activities against clinically isolated strains in 2009].

The antibacterial activity of meropenem (MEPM) and other parenteral antibiotics against clinical isolates of 2655 strains including 810 strains of Gram-positive bacteria, 1635 strains of Gram-negative bacteria, and 210 strains of anaerobic bacteria obtained from 30 medical institutions during 2009 was examined. The results were as follows; (1) MEPM was more active than the other carbapenem antibiotics tested against Gram-negative bacteria, especially against enterobacteriaceae and Haemophilus influenzae. MEPM was also active against most of the species tested in Gram-positive and anaerobic bacteria, except for multidrug resistant strains including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

[Adaptations to the incidental cases encountered at the division of clinical laboratory].

We analyzed 4 cases that were not determined as incidents and another 7 cases determined as incidents, found at the department of clinical laboratory of us from April 2009 to March 2010. The former cases were, excess values of LD, and Cl, and glucose leveled as 0 mg/dl incorrectly, and misdirected blood samples at the ER. Our routine equipment and sample flow did not detect these false values.

[Utility of Hybrisep in the diagnosis of blood stream infection].

Hybrisep is an in situ hybridization (ISH) method to detect phagocytosed bacteria in peripheral blood neutrophils and macrophages. We report 10 actual clinical cases tested using Hybrisep with new DNA probes, and the data were compared to the actual blood culture results. A normal Hybrisep strategy employs 5 DNA probes to detect the following bacterial DNA: "SA" probe for S.

[Various troubles in the Central Clinical Laboratory (violence, others) and actions to be taken].

We need to attend to a patient face to face in the physiological function testing room and the central blood-drawing room of the central clinical laboratory in a hospital. Recently, there have been some problems and troubles experienced by medical staff because patients may have had some over-expectations regarding our medical service and their sense of entitlement may have been unrealistic. We report some problems experienced in our Central Clinical Laboratory and hospital, and describe some solutions.

[Nationwide survey for autoantibodies and proposal of a new method for standardization of rheumatoid factors].

There exist inter-laboratory differences in measurements of rheumatoid factor (RF) and antinuclear antibodies (ANA), leading to a misdiagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other collagen diseases. This study was carried out to bring the positivity of RF and ANA of different reagents into accord by standardizing their data. The titer and cutoff value was inconsistent among the 17 different kits.

[Induction of PBP2' by antibiotics and disinfectants in MRSE].

Objective: Methicilllin-resitant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is still the most important bacterium for hospital infection control, and is known to exhibit beta-lactam resistance. Moreover, the increase in PBP2'-producing methicillin-resistant coagulase-negaive Staphylococcus (MR-CNS), especially methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis (MRSE) has been problematic.

[Nationwide surveillance of parenteral antibiotics containing meropenem activities against clinically isolated strains in 2006].

The antibacterial activity of meropenem (MEPM) and other parenteral antibiotics against clinical isolates of 876 strains of Gram-positive bacteria, 1764 strains of Gram-negative bacteria, and 198 strains of anaerobic bacteria obtained from 30 medical institutions during 2006 was measured. The results were as follows; 1. MEPM was more active than the other carbapenem antibiotics tested against Gram-negative bacteria, especially against enterobacteriaceae and Haemophilus influenzae.

[Evaluation of the measurement of waist circumference].

Objectives: A series of basic analyses was performed to disclose the problems in the measurement of waist circumference (WC) at umbilical level, which will provide quite important parameters in the national annual health check for metabolic syndrome coming in April, 2008 in Japan.

Materials And Methods: WC and body fat ratio was measured in 53 healthy volunteer, especially in 10 subjects (male 10, female 10), measurements were done by 5 examiners identically to disclose inter-examiner variances, changes due to respiration maximal depression of abdomen (or maximal intentional depression of WC), and eating and after lunch.

Results And Discussion: WC tended to be higher in aged male, than aged and young female, and was positively correlated with body fat ratio.

[Preanalytical issues].

Preanalytical issues in laboratory medicine have been recognized to be important but not so much effort have been focused to them. Urinalysis is one of the most susceptible examinations to preanalytical issues because urine samples are collected by patients themselves and so is stool examination too. Midstream urine catch is well-known appropriate procedure for many urinalysis.

[Sampling variables in examinees--skin site differences in the measurements of bleeding time and self-monitoring of blood glucose].

Differences in bleeding time and self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) level at various skin sites have been scarcely examined in humans. The within-run variation (n=6) of bleeding time in earlobes (Duke's method) ranged from 1 min to 3 min and 30 sec (mean = 1 min and 40 sec), and in day-to-day variation (n= 8), it ranged from 1 min to 3 min (mean = 1 min and 36 sec). Site difference in bleeding time was speculated.

[Standardization and issues of rheumatoid factor measurement].

Objectives: To disclose the current situation of rheumatoid factor (RF) measurement in Japan.

Method: A small-scale survey was performed among members of the committee for the improvement of RF measurement in 2003 using manufacturers' RF reference materials valued based on WHO RF reference and pooled sera. A nationwide questionnaire survey was also performed.

Serum amyloid A (SAA) concentration varies among rheumatoid arthritis patients estimated by SAA/CRP ratio.

Background: C reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) are similarly sensitive indicators of inflammation, but discrepancies are recognized in several disease conditions. SAA levels are generally higher and vary more among individuals. The significance of the SAA/CRP ratio was evaluated in the estimation of SAA.

Potassium flux of erythrocytes in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Background: In chronic hemodialysis patients, hyperkalemia is frequently observed. In these patients, erythrocytes were examined to know whether they participate in the regulation of K(+) or not.

Methods: Erythrocyte K(+) release (DeltaKr) was induced by the incubation of erythrocyte suspension at 4 degrees C for 24 h and the K(+) influx followed at 37 degrees C for 3 h.

Proteomics approaches to identify tumor antigen directed autoantibodies as cancer biomarkers.

The identification of autoantibodies to tumor cell proteins by proteomics approaches has great potential impact on cancer biomarker discovery. The humoral immune response represents a form of biological amplification of signals that are otherwise weak due to very low concentrations of antigen, especially in the early stages of cancers. In addition, proteomics can detect immunoreactivity directed against protein post-translational modifications.

Matrix effects in clinical immunoassays and the effect of preheating and cooling analytical samples.

Immunological reactions are influenced by various factors including antigens, antibodies and other variables. We focused on two items: i) matrix effects, especially of detergents and ii) temperature effects: preheating sera, especially effects on rheumatoid factor (RF) measurement and false-positive reactions in ELISAs, and cold storage of sera, especially effects on complement. Among various additives, detergents affected the agglutination reaction for fecal hemoglobin and hepatitis B surface (HBs) antigen.

Reactivity of agalactosyl IgG with rheumatoid factor.

Background: The difference in the reactivity of rheumatoid factor (RF) with agalactosyl IgG and galactosyl or intact IgG is controversial.

Methods: ELISAs for IgM-RF, using agalactosyl IgG and galactosyl IgG as a coated antigen, were developed. The sera of patients with RA, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), chronic liver diseases (CLD) and healthy subjects were measured for IgM-RF.

[Microbiology--laboratory examinations for bacterias].

As it has been required to identify pathogenic microbes in shorter times, simple and rapid methods have been developed and used. Here, we summarized the present situation of rapid diagnostic testing in clinical microbiology in Japan, and also presented our results on PBP2' detection. The rapid test kits available in Japan for E.