Bernhard Strasser,
Bernhard Strasser
Institution: Kepler University Hospital Linz, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Linz, Austria
Email:
Sebastian Strasser,
Sebastian Strasser
Institution: Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Email:
Josef Tomasits
Josef Tomasits
Institution: Kepler University Hospital Linz, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Linz, Austria
Email:
Creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) are first-line laboratory parameters in the diagnosis of various renal diseases. In recent decades, cystatin C (cysC) has furthered the laboratory repertoire regarding renal status assessment and has been implemented in many clinical guideli...
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Creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) are first-line laboratory parameters in the diagnosis of various renal diseases. In recent decades, cystatin C (cysC) has furthered the laboratory repertoire regarding renal status assessment and has been implemented in many clinical guidelines. Accordingly, with the establishment of cysC as a renal routine biomarker, further opportunities for assessing eGFR have been attained. Nevertheless, various limitations are still associated with cysC and creatinine analysis. Preanalytical errors could cause false results in both biomarkers. In our case, we were confronted with implausibly elevated creatinine levels due to preanalytical errors.
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3 days ago
Murat Can,
Murat Can
Institution:
Email:
Berrak Guven,
Berrak Guven
Institution:
Email:
Ismail Benice
Ismail Benice
Institution:
Email:
Introduction
Blood samples having inappropriate volume are a substantial part of preanalytical errors. Inadequate sample volume for glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) test may be a common problem of patients with diabetes mellitus having vascular changes. In this study, we compared HbA1c concentrations o...
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Introduction
Blood samples having inappropriate volume are a substantial part of preanalytical errors. Inadequate sample volume for glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) test may be a common problem of patients with diabetes mellitus having vascular changes. In this study, we compared HbA1c concentrations of underfilled and appropriately filled blood collection tubes.
Materials and methods
To compare HbA1c concentrations, blood samples were collected into 2 mL tubes containing K3-EDTA from 109 subjects. Two blood samples (underfilled and appropriately filled) were drawn from a patient by the same personnel and materials. HbA1c measurements were assayed on a Cobas 6000 analyser module c 501 (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany). The HbA1c% results were compared by t-test and Wilcoxon’s signed-rank statistical methods (SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA). Bias analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 4.0.
Results
Underfilled samples were classified three groups (group 1, N = 44; group 2, N = 36; and group 3, N = 29) according to the filling ratio of the samples; 0.5 mL and below (< 25%), 0.5-1.0 mL (25-50%), and 1.0-2.0 mL (> 50%), respectively. When we compared underfilled tubes with pairing filled tubes, there was a statistically significant difference only with tubes filled less than 25% (P = 0.030). Furthermore, we have done bias analysis between paired tubes according to the diagnostic cut-off value of 6.5%. The bias was more prominent in up to 50% underfilled blood tubes (1.1%), when HbA1c concentrations were below the diagnostic cut-off of 6.5%.
Conclusions
We suggest that the blood tubes with EDTA for HbA1c measurement should be filled with at least 50% to avoid clinical variations.
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4 days ago
Joseph Watine
Joseph Watine
Institution: Laboratoire de biologie polyvalente, Hôpital général, Villefranche-de-Rouergue, France
Email:
In the August 2020 issue of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Giuseppe Lippi and Mario Plebani proposed a definition of laboratory medicine, which ends with this sentence: “The results of these measurements are translated into actionable information for improving the care and/or maintain...
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In the August 2020 issue of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Giuseppe Lippi and Mario Plebani proposed a definition of laboratory medicine, which ends with this sentence: “The results of these measurements are translated into actionable information for improving the care and/or maintaining the wellness of both a single individual and an entire population”. Nevertheless, the selfishness of individuals may, sometimes, jeopardize the interest of whole populations. The virtue of justice being within the reach of the entire human community more than of single individuals, the final sentence in the definition proposed by Giuseppe Lippi and Mario Plebani, should therefore, in our view, be rewritten, less selfishly, for example like this: “For a given investment, these measurements are preferably made when they bring as much beneficence, and non-maleficence, as possible to the whole population”.
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5 days ago
Mariangela Palladino
Mariangela Palladino
Institution: Emergency Department, Umberto I University Hospital, Rome, Italy
Email:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic represents a scientific and social crisis. One of the main unmet needs for coronavirus disease 2019 is its unpredictable clinical course, which can rapidly change in an irreversible outcome. COVID-19 patients can be classified into mild, moderate, and sev...
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic represents a scientific and social crisis. One of the main unmet needs for coronavirus disease 2019 is its unpredictable clinical course, which can rapidly change in an irreversible outcome. COVID-19 patients can be classified into mild, moderate, and severe. Several haematological parameters, such as platelets, white blood cell total count, lymphocytes, neutrophils, (together with neutrophil-lymphocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratio), and haemoglobin were described to be associated with COVID-19 infection and severity. The purpose of these review is to describe the current state of the art about complete blood count alterations during COVID-19 infection, and to summarize the crucial role of some haematological parameters during the course of the disease. Decreased platelet, lymphocyte, haemoglobin, eosinophil, and basophil count, increased neutrophil count and neutrophil-lymphocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratio have been associated with COVID-19 infection and a worse clinical outcome. Our study adds some novelty about the identification of effective biomarkers of progressive disease, and might be helpful for diagnosis, prevention of complications, and effective therapy.
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5 days ago
Tamara Janković,
Tamara Janković
Institution:
Email:
Miroslava Janković
Miroslava Janković
Institution:
Email:
Highlights
• Biological fluids contain nano-sized particles called extracellular vesicles
• Extracellular vesicles properties reflect the physiological and pathological state of the parent cells
• Extracellular vesicles as analytes are suitable for use in liquid biopsy-based real-time diagn...
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Highlights
• Biological fluids contain nano-sized particles called extracellular vesicles
• Extracellular vesicles properties reflect the physiological and pathological state of the parent cells
• Extracellular vesicles as analytes are suitable for use in liquid biopsy-based real-time diagnostics
• Glycans, complex oligosaccharides, are distinct components of extracellular vesicles membrane and cargo
• Mapping extracellular vesicles glycans is of importance for finding new composite biomarkers
The investigation of biomarkers is constantly evolving. New molecules and molecular assemblies, such as soluble and particulate complexes, emerged as biomarkers from basic research and investigation of different proteomes, genomes, and glycomes. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), and glycans, complex carbohydrates are ubiquitous in nature. The composition and structure of both reflect physiological state of paternal cells and are strikingly changed in diseases. The EV-associated glycans, alone or in combination with soluble glycans in related biological fluids, used as analytes, aim to capture full complex biomarker picture, enabling its use in different clinical settings. Bringing together EVs and glycans can help to extract meaningful data from their extreme and distinct heterogeneities for use in the real-time diagnostics. The glycans on the surface of EVs could mark their subpopulations and establish the glycosignature, the solubilisation signature and molecular patterns. They all contribute to a new way of looking at and looking for composite biomarkers.
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6 days ago
Alen Vrtarić,
Alen Vrtarić
Institution:
Email:
Nora Nikolac Gabaj,
Nora Nikolac Gabaj
Institution:
Email:
Ivana Ćelap
Ivana Ćelap
Institution:
Email:
Introduction
Reliable and accurate measurement of blood glucose concentration is of crucial importance for making clinical decisions in diagnosis diabetes, gestational diabetes and impaired fasting glucose tolerance.
Materials and methods
Survey was performed in form of questionnaire. Questionn...
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Introduction
Reliable and accurate measurement of blood glucose concentration is of crucial importance for making clinical decisions in diagnosis diabetes, gestational diabetes and impaired fasting glucose tolerance.
Materials and methods
Survey was performed in form of questionnaire. Questionnaire was sent to all Croatian laboratories (N = 204) in electronic form using SurveyMonkey cloud-based software (SurveyMonkey, Inc., San Mateo, USA) as an extra-analytical module of the Croatian EQA (External Quality Assessment) provider Croatian center for external quality assessment (CROQALM) in June 2023.
Results
In total 148 (73%) of laboratories responded to the survey. Large proportion of laboratories never use glucose inhibitor tubes for random glucose measurement (more than half) or for glucose function tests (one quarter). Only three laboratories use recommended glycolysis inhibitor citrate. Many other inhibitors are also used, even if some of them are not recommended for plasma glucose measurement. Glucose is almost never (93%) sampled on ice when glucose inhibitor tube is not available.
Conclusions
Laboratories in Croatia do not follow the recommended procedures regarding glycolysis inhibitors for glucose determination.
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6 days ago
Mustapha Zendjabil
Mustapha Zendjabil
Institution: Faculty of Medicine, University of Oran 1 - Ahmed Ben Bella, Oran, Algeria
Email:
Highlights
• Methods used for miRNAs expression profiling are quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, microarrays, next generation sequencing and droplet digital PCR
• To obtain reproducible and accurate miRNAs expression profiling detection, it is crucial to strictly sta...
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Highlights
• Methods used for miRNAs expression profiling are quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, microarrays, next generation sequencing and droplet digital PCR
• To obtain reproducible and accurate miRNAs expression profiling detection, it is crucial to strictly standardize the entire process, starting from choosing the specimen type until the normalization strategy on the interpretation of miRNAs expression profiling detection
•Due to the critical impact of the normalization strategy on the miRNAs expression, the choice of normalization agent is of great importance
Microribonucleic acids (miRNAs) have emerged as a new category of biomarkers for many human diseases like cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. MicroRNAs can be detected in various body fluids including blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid. However, the literature contains conflicting results for circulating miRNAs, which is the main barrier to using miRNAs as non-invasive biomarkers. This variability in results is largely due to differences between studies in sample processing methodology, miRNA quantification and result normalization. The purpose of this review is to describe the various preanalytical, analytical and postanalytical factors that can impact miRNA detection accuracy and to propose recommendations for the standardization of circulating miRNAs measurement.
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6 days ago
Slavica Dodig,
Slavica Dodig
Institution:
Email:
Ivana Čepelak
Ivana Čepelak
Institution:
Email:
Highlights
• Antiphospholipid syndrome is a rare systemic autoimmune disease characterized by recurrent pregnancy morbidity or thrombosis in combination with the persistent presence of antiphospholipid antibodies in plasma/serum
• Specialists in laboratory medicine should take responsibility f...
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Highlights
• Antiphospholipid syndrome is a rare systemic autoimmune disease characterized by recurrent pregnancy morbidity or thrombosis in combination with the persistent presence of antiphospholipid antibodies in plasma/serum
• Specialists in laboratory medicine should take responsibility for the entire analytical process, so that possible interferences are minimized, and physicians obtain reliable results of the patient’s laboratory findings in a timely manner
• Due to possible problems in performing tests on aPLs for a more reliable (optimal) interpretation of laboratory findings, a close cooperation between laboratory specialists and clinical specialists is needed
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a rare systemic autoimmune disease characterized by recurrent pregnancy morbidity or thrombosis in combination with the persistent presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) in plasma/serum. Antiphospholipid antibodies are a heterogeneous, overlapping group of autoantibodies, of which anti-β2-glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI), anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies and antibodies that prolong plasma clotting time in tests in vitro known as lupus anticoagulant (LAC) are included in the laboratory criteria for the diagnosis of APS. The presence of LAC antibodies in plasma is indirectly determined by measuring the length of coagulation in two tests - activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and diluted Russell’s viper venom time (dRVVT). The concentration of aβ2GPI and aCL (immunglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) isotypes) in serum is directly determined by solid-phase immunoassays, either by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), fluoroimmunoassay (FIA), immunochemiluminescence (CLIA) or multiplex flow immunoassay (MFIA). For patient safety, it is extremely important to control all three phases of laboratory testing, i.e. preanalytical, analytical and postanalytical phase. Specialists in laboratory medicine must be aware of interferences in all three phases of laboratory testing, in order to minimize these interferences. The aim of this review was to show the current pathophysiological aspects of APS, the importance of determining aPLs-a in plasma/serum, with an emphasis on possible interferences that should be taken into account when interpreting laboratory findings.
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6 days ago
Rakesh Netha Vadnala,
Rakesh Netha Vadnala
Institution: 1The Institute of Mathematical Sciences,
Email: rakeshnetha@imsc.res.in
Sridhar Hannenhalli,
Sridhar Hannenhalli
Institution: National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health,
Email: rakeshnetha@imsc.res.in
Leelavati Narlikar,
Leelavati Narlikar
Institution: Department of Data Science, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research,
Email: rakeshnetha@imsc.res.in
Rahul Siddharthan
Rahul Siddharthan
Institution: The Institute of Mathematical Sciences,
Email: rakeshnetha@imsc.res.in
Transcription factors (TFs) and their binding sites have evolved to interact cooperatively or competitively with each other. Here we examine in detail, across multiple cell lines, such cooperation or competition among TFs both in sequential and spatial proximity (using chromatin conformation capture...
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Transcription factors (TFs) and their binding sites have evolved to interact cooperatively or competitively with each other. Here we examine in detail, across multiple cell lines, such cooperation or competition among TFs both in sequential and spatial proximity (using chromatin conformation capture assays) on one hand, and based on both in vivo binding as well as TF binding motifs on the other. We ascertain significantly co-occurring (“attractive”) or avoiding (“repulsive”) TF pairs using robust randomized models
that retain the essential characteristics of the experimental data. Across human cell lines TFs organize into two groups, with intra-group attraction and inter-group repulsion. This is true for both sequential and spatial proximity, as well as for both in vivo binding and motifs. Attractive TF pairs exhibit significantly more physical interactions suggesting an underlying mechanism. The two TF groups differ significantly in their genomic and network properties, as well in their function—while one group regulates housekeeping
function, the other potentially regulates lineage-specific functions, that are disrupted in cancer. We also show that weaker binding sites tend to occur in spatially interacting regions of the genome. Our results suggest a complex pattern of spatial cooperativity of TFs that has evolved along with the genome to support housekeeping and lineage-specific functions.
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2 years ago
Muhamed Amin
Muhamed Amin
Institution: Department of Sciences, University College Groningen, University of Groningen, Hoendiepskade
Email: m.a.a.amin@rug.nl
Serial Femtosecond Crystallography at the X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) sources enabled the imaging
of the catalytic intermediates of the oxygen evolution reaction of Photosystem II. However, due to the
incoherent transition of the S-states, the resolved structures are a convolution from diff...
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Serial Femtosecond Crystallography at the X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) sources enabled the imaging
of the catalytic intermediates of the oxygen evolution reaction of Photosystem II. However, due to the
incoherent transition of the S-states, the resolved structures are a convolution from different catalytic states.
Here, we train Decision Tree Classifier and K-mean clustering models on Mn compounds obtained from
the Cambridge Crystallographic Database to predict the S-state of the X-ray, XFEL, and CryoEm structures
by predicting the Mn's oxidation states in the oxygen evolving complex (OEC). The model agrees mostly
with the XFEL structures in the dark S1 state. However, significant discrepancies are observed for the
excited XFEL states (S2, S3, and S0) and the dark states of the X-ray and CryoEm structures. Furthermore,
there is a mismatch between the predicted S-states within the two monomers of the same dimer, mainly in
the excited states. The model suggests that improving the resolution is crucial to precisely resolve the
geometry of the illuminated S-states to overcome the noncoherent S-state transition. In addition, significant
radiation damage is observed in X-ray and CryoEM structures, particularly at the dangler Mn center (Mn4).
Our model represents a valuable tool for investigating the electronic structure of the catalytic metal cluster
of PSII to understand the water splitting mechanism.
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2 years ago