Micro Injection-Molding of Cyclic Olefin Copolymer Using Metallic Glass Insert

There is shift in trend towards the use of high quality polymers as the base material in manufacturing microfluidic chips. In this paper, an amorphous metallic alloy mold insert was used in a micro injection-molding process to fabricate microfluidic features onto cyclic-olefin-copolymer (COC) material. The insert and fabricated samples were compared in terms of the geometry and surface roughness attained. Findings indicate that replication, in general, was possible but the microfeatures formed had significant flashing and tearing at the edges.Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA

Amniotic fluid soluble human leukocyte antigen G is markedly decreased in offspring with neural tube defects.

Pregnancies affected by a neural tube defect show changes in thymus morphology, neonatal and maternal T-cell repertoire. Amniotic fluid levels of soluble human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) (an immuno-modulatory protein) were found to be significantly lower as compared to controls. This may reflect a diminished cell-mediated immunity in neural tube defects

Heterologous Antiserum to Human Syncytiotrophoblast Membrane Is Cytotoxic to Retrovirus‐Producing Cells and to Some Cancer Cell Lines

ABSTRACT: Antisera to some simian retroviruses were previously shown to react with human fetal cells. Conversely, it is demonstrated here that an antiserum to syncytialtro‐phoblast plasma membrane (TrPM antiserum) possesses complement‐dependent cytotoxic activity to five cell lines chronically producing either baboon endogenous virus (BeV) or Mason‐Pfizer virus (M‐PV), but not to eight virus‐free cell lines. However, TrPM antiserum also lysed the A204 and RAJI cells derived from tumors, as well as RSa cells, which are human fibroblasts transformed by SV40 and Rous sarcoma virus. This agrees with the previously described affinity of TrPM antiserum for some cancer tissues. Absorption of TrPM antiserum with A204 cells suppressed reaction with virus‐producing cells, indicating a common determinant. Yet, A204 determinants were not shed into culture medium, in contrast to viral antigens. Finally, a proportion of cord blood lymphocyte suspensions and of cultures from embryonic tissues were lysed by TrPM antiserum and the reaction correlated with sensitivity to antiviral sera. 1981 MunksgaardSCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Detection of HLA-G by a specific sandwich ELISA using monoclonal antibodies G233 and 56B.

Contains fulltext : 187316.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access)Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G, which is mainly expressed at the maternal-fetal interface, may play a role in the immune tolerance of the semi-allogenic fetus by the mother. Functional studies have shown that HLA-G is indeed a potential modulator of different immune responses. Therefore, it is of interest to study the level of expression of soluble HLA-G in several biological fluids derived from women with and without fertility problems. In order to measure soluble HLA-G, a reliable and sensitive HLA-G specific sandwich ELISA is required. Here, we describe such an ELISA in which G233 is used as the coating antibody and 56B as the detecting antibody. In comparison with two other assays, this assay shows highest responses to recombinant HLA-G and native HLA-G in primary trophoblast culture supernatant and high responses to HLA-G in amniotic fluid. No HLA-G in follicular fluid or preimplantation embryo culture supernatant could be detected

Household smoking practices of parents with young children, and predictors of poor household smoking practices

Objectives: Household smoking practices of parents have a major impact on the health of their young children. This study examined the characteristics and household smoking practices of parents with children aged 4-5 years, and identified the predictive factors of poor household smoking practices among Chinese parents in Hong Kong. Study design: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: Smoking parents with young children from a 1997 birth cohort were re-contacted for a telephone interview to assess their household smoking practices. Results: Among 1149 smoking parents from 1049 families, 898 (85.6%) parents smoked at home. Of these, 339 (37.8%) parents reported smoking at home but not near (i.e. within 3 metres) their children, and 559 (62.2%) reported that they smoked at home without any restrictions. Logistic regression revealed that the predictors of poor household smoking practices were: smoking mother [odds ratio (OR) 4.92, P < 0.001]; children born with normal birth weight (OR 2.62, P < 0.05); having more than one child (OR 1.70, P = 0.01); being a daily smoker (OR 18.96, P < 0.0001); smoking ≥ 11 cigarettes per day (OR 3.10, P < 0.0001); having a higher Fagerstorm nicotine dependence score (OR 4.57-4.86, P < 0.01); and having a smoking partner (OR 2.78, P < 0.05). Conclusions: A high proportion of smoking parents with young children display poor smoking practices at home. It is of the utmost importance that community education and smoking cessation services are targeted at these smoking parents to promote smoke-free families. © 2008 The Royal Institute of Public Health.link_to_subscribed_fulltex