Although the issue remains controversial, short-term culture is probably beneficial for islet graft quality. However, significant islet loss is invariably observed. This is related to reduced survival of large islets, which is compromised by hypoxia under standard culture conditions. We aimed to develop a method of culture, which would avoid exposure to relative hypoxia and hence maintain the quality of islets. Isolated rat islets cultured for 48 h in a liquid-liquid interface culture system (LICS) with a perfluorocarbon were compared to islets cultured under standard (C1) and suboptimal conditions (C2). Islets were tested for viability and response to a glucose challenge, and a marginal mass was transplanted into syngeneic diabetic recipients. The viability of islets after 24-h culture in LICS was higher than in C1 and C2 groups (89.0% vs. 77.5% and 64.6%, respectively) and decreased with time to reach 79.0%, 62.9%, and 53.4% after 72-h culture. The stimulation index in LICS-cultured islets was also significantly higher than in C1 and C2 groups (12.3 ± 0.4 vs. 5.8 ± 0.5 and 4.1 ± 0.2, respectively). Following transplantation of LICS-cultured islets 50% of recipients were rendered normoglycemic compared with 14.3% and 31.3% for C2 and fresh islets, respectively. Our liquid-liquid interface culture system using perfluorodecalin provides optimized culture conditions, which preserve both islet viability and their ability to engraft successfully after intraportal transplantation and could be used for islet transportation.

Background:Kato–Katz is the preferred method for the detection of Schistosoma mansoni eggs in stool. However, the sensitivity of this method is low and affected by day-to-day variation in egg excretion. Cathodic antigen urine tests have been proven to be sensitive for the diagnosis of S. mansoni infection in limited studies.Aim:To evaluate the accuracy and sensitivity of cathodic antigen urine tests for the diagnosis of S. mansoni infection.Setting and Design:This study was conducted in the Gezira Irrigation Scheme in the Gezira State, Sudan. Both S. mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium are endemic in the Gezira State. Kab-Algidad Village situated in Al Kamleen locality was selected for the study. This is a school-based, cross-sectional, comparative study.Subjects and Methods:Female school children, aged between 11 and 14 years who consented to participate, were enrolled in the study. Stool samples were examined using Kato–Katz technique and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) digestion method. Urine samples were tested using the circulating cathodic antigen assays for the diagnosis of S. mansoni, and by centrifugation for S. haematobium.Statistical Analysis Used:Data were analyzed using the Scientific Package for Social Sciences version 15.Results:Cathodic antigen urine tests showed similar sensitivity to SDS and higher sensitivity compared to six Kato–Katz (reference diagnostic test).Conclusion:Cathodic antigen urine tests is a useful tool for mapping S. mansoni and may be used to evaluate the interruption of transmission.