Humoral Immune System Assessment via Bacterial Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for assessing the humoral immune system's function and susceptibility to infections are complex, time-consuming, and unreliable, making them unsuitable for routine clinical use.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a mixture of a patient's blood sample and antimicrobial peptide-sensitive bacteria, where the change in density over time is measured to determine the humoral immune system's status and susceptibility to infections, utilizing a simple and reliable assay.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complex protocols are used to examine the killing capacity of blood, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential function of immune system assessment by isolating the key interaction between patient blood and bacteria. Instead of using complex protocols that examine multiple immune parameters, the method focuses on the fundamental killing capacity of blood against bacteria through a simplified mixing and incubation process, extracting only the necessary elements for reliable assessment
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the traditional approach by using bacteria as the test object rather than using blood as the test object on bacteria cultures. The patient's blood is mixed directly with bacteria in a controlled environment, and the killing capacity is measured by observing bacterial density changes over time, fundamentally reversing the conventional testing paradigm
2Measurement precision
If traditional protocols are used to assess immune function, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the measurement parameter from complex immune cell analysis to simple bacterial density measurement. By monitoring the optical density or turbidity of bacterial suspensions over time after exposure to patient blood, the method transforms a complex immunological assessment into a straightforward physical measurement that can be performed rapidly and efficiently
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a simplified model system that copies the essential interaction between immune system and pathogens. Instead of analyzing complex immune responses in vivo or in complex cell cultures, the method uses a controlled in vitro system where bacteria serve as a model for pathogens, allowing rapid assessment of immune function without the complexity of full immune system analysis
3Ease of operation
If simple methods are used to determine immune status, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates feedback by measuring bacterial density at multiple time points during incubation. The rate of bacterial killing is determined by comparing density changes over time, providing a dynamic assessment that feedbacks on the functional capacity of the patient's immune components. This temporal feedback ensures reliable differentiation between patients with intact and impaired immune function
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses disposable bacterial suspensions and simple mixing vessels for each test. The bacteria serve as a single-use reagent that is mixed with the patient's blood sample, incubated, and then discarded after measurement. This approach eliminates the need for complex equipment and reusable components that could introduce variability, ensuring reliability through consistent single-use protocols
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach provides a straightforward, clinically applicable means to assess the humoral immune system's function and infection susceptibility, enabling efficient monitoring and treatment decisions.
Implementation Method 1
determining the change in density of the mixture over time
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
The present invention relates to method of determining the state of the humoral immune system in a patient. The present invention further relates to a method of determining the susceptibility of a patient to develop an infection. The present invention also relates to a method of monitoring the state of the humoral immune system in a patient. In addition, the present invention relates to a method of monitoring the susceptibility of a patient to develop an infection. Moreover, the present invention relates to a kit for determining the state of the humoral immune system in a patient, the susceptibility of a patient to develop an infection, monitoring the state of the humoral immune system in a patient, and/or monitoring the susceptibility of a patient to develop an infection.