Agilent Technologies

About: Agilent Technologies is a company organization based out in Santa Clara, California, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Signal & Mass spectrometry. The organization has 7398 authors who have published 11518 publications receiving 262410 citations. The organization is also known as: Agilent Technologies, Inc..

Monitoring system and method implementing test configuration logic

Abstract: A channel plan with a corresponding test plan are implemented in connection with a plurality of nodes that communicate signals. The channel plan has one or more predefined specifications for each of one or more signal channels on each of the nodes. The channel plan enables a monitoring system to, among other things, conduct automatic periodic test plans, comprising tests, on the nodes, based upon the predefined data specified in the channel plan. Each test plan prescribes measurement of at least one signal parameter, pertaining to one or more nodes as a whole and/or to one or more channels contained within the nodes. The monitoring system includes a spectrum analyzer, a switch enabling the spectrum analyzer to interface with the nodes, and a controller controlling the switch and the spectrum analyzer. The controller is configured to enable creation of and display the channel plan and test plan, based upon user inputs. Notably, the controller also implements user friendly configuration interface logic that enables a user to configure the test plan. The configuration interface logic generates, among other things, on a display screen, a device configuration interface, a channel plan configuration interface, a test plan configuration interface, and a configuration display interface that includes a number of navigational mechanisms that are manipulated to display one of the device, channel plan, and test plan configuration interfaces.

The use of plasma donor-derived, cell-free DNA to monitor acute rejection after kidney transplantation.

Abstract: Background After transplantation, cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) derived from the donor organ (ddcfDNA) can be detected in the recipient's circulation. We aimed to investigate the role of plasma ddcfDNA as biomarker for acute kidney rejection. Methods From 107 kidney transplant recipients, plasma samples were collected longitudinally after transplantation (Day 1 to 3 months) within a multicentre set-up. Cell-free DNA from the donor was quantified in plasma as a fraction of the total cell-free DNA by next generation sequencing using a targeted, multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based method for the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms. Results Increases of the ddcfDNA% above a threshold value of 0.88% were significantly associated with the occurrence of episodes of acute rejection (P = 0.017), acute tubular necrosis (P = 0.011) and acute pyelonephritis (P = 0.032). A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed an equal area under the curve of the ddcfDNA% and serum creatinine of 0.64 for the diagnosis of acute rejection. Conclusions Although increases in plasma ddcfDNA% are associated with graft injury, plasma ddcfDNA does not outperform the diagnostic capacity of the serum creatinine in the diagnosis of acute rejection.

Estimation of saturated pixel values in digital color imaging.

Abstract: Pixel saturation, in which the incident light at a pixel causes one of the color channels of the camera sensor to respond at its maximum value, can produce undesirable artifacts in digital color images. We present a Bayesian algorithm that estimates what the saturated channel’s value would have been in the absence of saturation. The algorithm uses the nonsaturated responses from the other color channels, together with a multivariate normal prior that captures the correlation in response across color channels. The prior may be estimated directly from the image data, since most image pixels are not saturated. Given the prior and the responses of the nonsaturated channels, the algorithm returns the optimal expected mean square estimate for the true response. Extensions of the algorithm to the case in which more than one channel is saturated are also discussed. Both simulations and examples with real images are presented to show that the algorithm is effective.

Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies Using Electrochemical Impedance-Based Detector

Abstract: Emerging novel human contagious viruses and pathogens put humans at risk of hospitalization and possibly death due to the unavailability of vaccines and drugs which may take years to develop. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization and has caused over 550,000 deaths worldwide as of July 2020. Accurate and scalable point-of-care devices would increase screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of COVID-19 patients. Here, we demonstrate rapid label-free electrochemical detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using a commercially available impedance sensing platform. A 16-well plate containing sensing electrodes was pre-coated with receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and subsequently tested with samples of anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody CR3022 (0.1 μg/ml, 1.0 μg/ml, 10 μg/ml). Subsequent blinded testing was performed on six serum specimens taken from COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients (1:100 dilution factor). The platform was able to differentiate spikes in impedance measurements from a negative control (1% milk solution) for all CR3022 samples. Further, successful differentiation and detection of all positive clinical samples from negative control was achieved. Measured impedance values were consistent when compared to standard ELISA test results showing a strong correlation between them (R2 = 0:9). Detection occurs in less than five minutes and the well-based platform provides a simplified and familiar testing interface that can be readily adaptable for use in clinical settings.