Search

The antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of Salvia officinalis (sage tea) were studied in 20 mature male rats for 42 days. The rats were divided into four equal groups and given the following treatments: group one as a control group (C), rats only received tap water; group two (T1) received 0.5% H2O2 as a source of reactive oxygen species (ROS); group three (T2) received sage tea as 2 mg sage in 150 mL boiling water (ad libitum); and group four (T3) received 400 IU/Kg BW/day vitamin E by oral intubation along with 0.5% H2O2. In order to determine serum glucose levels, blood samples were taken directly from the heart after the end of the experiment. Rats were slaughtered, and pancreas samples were collected for patho-histological analysis. The serum glucose levels in the sage tea with the H2O2 group (T2) and T3 as compared to the second group (T1) showed a significant decrease (p ˂ 0.05). Histological examination revealed significant recovery of the pancreatic tissues especially islets of Langerhans in sage tea and vitamin E rats (T3). This investigation suggests the antidiabetic effect of sage tea for H2O2- induced diabetic rats mediated by their effect as antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Among micronutrients, vitamin B12 (B12) and folate (FA) are critical as they are required in a plethora of metabolic and biological functions. Hence, the present study was conducted for assessing the prevalence of cobalamins and folate deficiency amongst adolescents. Materials & Methods: A total of 500 adolescents were enrolled. Complete demographic and clinical details of all the patients were obtained. A proforma was made, and detailed clinical profile was evaluated. Blood samples were obtained, and serum cobalamin and folate levels were evaluated. Results: A total of 500 adolescents were evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 12.3 years. Prevalence of cobalamins and Prevalence of folate deficiency was 31.8 percent and 28.5 percent respectively. Among boys, cobalamins deficiency was seen in 89 patients while folate deficiency was seen in 63 patients. Among girls, cobalamins deficiency was seen in 70 patients while folate deficiency was seen in 79 patients. Non-significant results were obtained while correlating prevalence of cobalamins and folate deficiency among boys and girls. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate a high prevalence of folate and cobalamin deficiency among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background PET scans using zirconium-89 labelled monoclonal antibodies (89Zr-mAbs), known as 89Zr-immuno-PET, are made to measure uptake in tumour and organ tissue. Uptake is related to the supply of 89Zr-mAbs in the blood. Measuring activity concentrations in blood, however, requires invasive blood sampling. This study aims to identify the best delineation strategy to obtain the image-derived blood concentration (IDBC) from 89Zr-immuno-PET scans. Methods PET imaging and blood sampling of two 89Zr-mAbs were included, 89Zr-cetuximab and 89Zr-durvalumab. For seven patients receiving 89Zr-cetuximab, PET scans on 1–2 h, 2 and 6 days post-injection (p.i.) were analysed. Five patients received three injections of 89Zr-durvalumab. The scanning protocol for the first two injections consisted of PET scanning on 2, 5 and 7 days p.i. and for the third injection only on 7 days p.i. Blood samples were drawn with every PET scan and the sample-derived blood concentration (SDBC) was used as gold standard for the IDBC. According to an in-house developed standard operating procedure, the aortic arch, ascending aorta, descending aorta and left ventricle were delineated. Bland–Altman analyses were performed to assess the bias (mean difference) and variability (1.96 times the standard deviation of the differences) between IDBC and SDBC. Results Overall, the activity concentration obtained from the IDBC was lower than from the SDBC. When comparing IDBC with SDBC, variability was smallest for the ascending aorta (20.3% and 17.0% for 89Zr-cetuximab and 89Zr-durvalumab, respectively). Variability for the other regions ranged between 17.9 and 30.8%. Bias for the ascending aorta was − 10.9% and − 11.4% for 89Zr-cetuximab and 89Zr-durvalumab, respectively. Conclusions Image-derived blood concentrations should be obtained from delineating the ascending aorta in 89Zr-immuno-PET scans, as this results in the lowest variability with respect to sample-derived blood concentrations.

Dragana Bugarski-Kirola,1,2 Brandon Abbs,2 Ramzey Odetalla,2 I-Yuan Liu,2 Mona Darwish,2 Daryl DeKarske3 1Acadia Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Basel, Switzerland; 2Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc, Princeton, NJ, USA; 3Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc, San Diego, CA, USACorrespondence: Dragana Bugarski-Kirola, Acadia Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Barfüẞerplatz 3, Basel, Switzerland, 4051, Tel +41798658317, Email dbugarski-kirola@acadia-pharm.comBackground: In patients with schizophrenia, study design to optimize adherence and objective measurement of adherence is critical for interpreting results. Two randomized, double-blind studies evaluating adjunctive pimavanserin in patients with schizophrenia who received stable antipsychotic treatment included measures to encourage and assess treatment adherence.Objective: This post hoc analysis evaluated adherence levels achieved in the Phase III ENHANCE study (NCT02970292) and the Phase II ADVANCE study (NCT02970305).Methods: Blood levels of participants receiving adjunctive treatment with pimavanserin or placebo added to their ongoing antipsychotic medication were tested and evaluated regularly throughout both studies. For both the background antipsychotic and pimavanserin, treatment adherence was defined as a blood sample test result above the lower limit of quantification.Results: Overall, 392 of 633 screened patients and 403 of 608 screened patients were in the safety populations in ENHANCE and ADVANCE, respectively. In ENHANCE, at weeks 1, 3, and 6/early termination (ET), the adherence rates remained ≥ 95.1% for the background antipsychotic in both pimavanserin and placebo treatment groups and ≥ 96.8% for pimavanserin. In ADVANCE, high adherence rates (≥ 90.6%) with the background antipsychotic (for both treatment groups) and pimavanserin (≥ 95.0%) were observed at weeks 2, 8, 14, and 26/ET.Conclusion: Rigorous screening was performed to exclude patients not adherent to their background antipsychotic before enrollment and to pimavanserin during study visits by using regular blood sampling. Mandatory caregiver participation further supported adherence to study treatment and procedures. These efforts may have contributed to the high levels of adherence to both background antipsychotic and pimavanserin reported in ENHANCE and ADVANCE.Keywords: adjunctive therapy, treatment compliance, pharmacokinetic drug levels, blood sampling, negative symptoms, caregiver participation

Fluoroacetamide (FAM) has been employed as a rodenticide for an extended duration, leading to a multitude of incidents involving human ingestion poisoning. Currently, FAMs have been prohibited by nations globally; however, there are still instances of their illegal usage. Conventional instrument methods are characterized by their time-consuming nature and complex operational procedures, rendering them inadequate for meeting urgent diagnostic needs in patients with acute FAM poisoning. Therefore, there is an immediate need to develop a prompt, user-friendly, and precise immunoassay method for the diagnosis of acute poisoning induced by FAM. A lateral flow immunochromatography assay (LFIA) was developed in this study for the visual detection of FAMs in blood samples, representing the first report of such an approach. The method exhibited a cut-off value of 0.5 mg/mL under the optimized conditions, enabling the entire FAM detection process in blood samples to be completed within a mere 8 min without any pretreatment requirements. Notably, the results were easily discernible by visual inspection alone. These results indicate that the developed LFIA holds great promise as a convenient and rapid diagnostic tool for FAM poisoning diagnosis, thereby offering valuable support for subsequent treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uric acid (UA) is an important biomarker, as a high concentration in blood can lead to gout and further renal syndrome. Although several point-of-care testing (POCT) devices have been reported to detect UA, there are some limitations such as the requirement for uricase and the complicated pretreatment of serum/plasma samples, which restricts their use at home or in undeveloped areas. In this work, we developed an approach by applying Zn2+ to precipitate proteins and cells in whole blood to avoid interference with the chromogenic reaction. We used carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to immobilize tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) on a nitrocellulose membrane for colorimetric detection. Using the oxidization properties of H2O2, which turns TMB into oxidized tetramethylbenzidine (TMBox) in the presence of catalyst gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), we successfully constructed an enzyme-free paper-based POCT device using the reduction reaction of UA and TMBox for simple, speedy, and cheap colorimetric detection of UA, achieving a detection time of 8 min, a linear range of 0–150 μg/mL, and an LOD of 25.79 μg/mL. The UA concentration in whole blood samples was further measured and correlated well with the clinical value (R2 = 0.8212). Thus, the proposed assay has the potential for POCT diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis of diseases related to UA. By applying Zn2+ reagent to precipitate proteins and cells in whole blood and the reduction reaction of UA, an enzyme-free paper-based POCT assay was established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We designed and synthesized a novel bisphosphonate radiopharmaceutical (68 Ga- or 177Lu-labeled DOTA-ibandronate [68 Ga/177Lu-DOTA-IBA]) for the targeted diagnosis and treatment of bone metastases. The biodistribution and internal dosimetry of a single therapeutic dose of 177Lu-DOTA-IBA were evaluated using a series of single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) images and blood samples. Five patients with multiple bone metastases were included in this prospective study. After receiving 1110 MBq 177Lu-DOTA-IBA, patients underwent whole-body planar, SPECT/CT imaging and venous blood sampling over 7 days. Dosimetric evaluation was performed for the main organs and tumor lesions. Safety was assessed using blood biomarkers. Results: 177Lu-DOTA-IBA showed fast uptake, high retention in bone lesions, and rapid clearance from the bloodstream in all patients. In this cohort, the average absorbed doses (ADs) in the bone tumor lesions, kidneys, liver, spleen, red marrow, bladder-wall, and osteogenic cells were 5.740, 0.114, 0.095, 0.121, 0.095, and 0.333 Gy/GBq, respectively. Although no patient reached the predetermined dose thresholds, the red marrow will be the dose-limiting organ. There were no adverse reactions recorded after the administration of 1110 MBq 177Lu-DOTA-IBA. Conclusion: Dosimetric results show that the ADs for critical organs and total body are within the safety limit and with high bone retention. It is a promising radiopharmaceutical alternative for the targeted treatment of bone metastases, controlling its progression, and improving the survival and quality of life of patients with advanced bone metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a major cause of morbidity and disability. Our study aimed to investigate the potential of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and ADAMTS7 (A disintegrin and metalloproteinases with thrombospondin motifs 7) as biomarkers for IVDD together with their functional relationship. Methods: IVD tissues and peripheral blood samples were collected from IVDD rabbit models over 1–4 weeks. Tissues and blood samples were also collected from clinical patients those were stratified into four equal groups according to Pfirrmann IVDD grading (I–V) with baseline data collected for each participant. COMP and ADAMTS7 expression were analyzed and biomarker characteristics were assessed using linear regression and receiver operating curve (ROC) analyses. Results: COMP and ADAMTS7 expression increased in tissues and serum during IVDD progression. Serum COMP (sCOMP) and serum ADAMTS7 (sADAMTS7) levels increased in a time-dependent manner following IVD damage in the rabbit model while significant positive correlations were detected between sCOMP and sADAMTS7 and Pfirrmann grade in human subjects. ROC analysis showed that combining sCOMP and sADAMTS7 assay results produced an improved diagnostic measure for IVDD compared to individual sCOMP or sADAMTS7 tests. In vitro assays conducted on human cell isolates revealed that COMP prevented extracellular matrix degradation and antagonized ADAMTS7 expression although this protective role was uncoupled under microenvironmental conditions mimicking IVDD. Conclusions: Increases in circulating COMP and ADAMTS7 correlate with IVDD progression and may play regulatory roles. Assays for sCOMP and/or sADAMTS7 levels can discriminate between healthy subjects and IVDD patients, warranting further clinical assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim was to analyze the response of serum levels of inflammatory, high-energy muscle biomarkers and hamstring localized bioimpedance (L-BIA) measurements to marathon running and to ascertain whether they correlate with each other or with race time. Methods: Blood samples and hamstrings tetra-polar L-BIA measurements from 14 Caucasian male recreational athletes at the Barcelona Marathon 2019 were collected at base line, immediately after and 48 h post-race. Serum C reactive protein (sCRP), creatinine kinase (sCK) and lactate dehydrogenase (sLDH) were determined using an AU-5800 chemistry analyzer. L-BIA was obtained at 50 kHz with a Quantum V Segmental phase-sensitive bioimpedance analyzer. Results: Median sCRP increased (4-fold) after 48 h post-race. Median sCK and sLDH levels increased immediately post-race (3-fold, 2-fold) and 48h post-race (5-fold, 1-fold). Left, right and combined hamstring reactance (Xc) and phase angle (PhA) increased immediately post-race. Xc combined hamstring pre- and immediately post-race correlated with race-time and with sCK and sLDH median levels pre-race. Xc combined hamstring pre- and immediately post-race > 15.6 O and 15.8 O, respectively, predicted the race time of 3:00:00 h. Conclusion: L-BIA reactance (Xc) is an objective direct, real time, easy, noninvasive bioelectrical parameter that may predict muscle and marathon athlete performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spectrum monitoring of the pathogen in spondylitis patients plays a key role in preventing infectious complications of spinal reconstructions in chronic spondylitis (CS) and in the treatment of surgical site infection (SSI). The aim of this study is to characterize the spectrum of SSI pathogens in CS requiring revision surgery. Methods: The primary cohort encompassed 569 surgical patients with infectious CS. In 99 patients (61 men and 38 women) requiring revision surgical interventions due to SSI, continuous microbiological monitoring of the pathogens was conducted. The average age of the patients was 63 ± 14 years. The vast majority of the patients underwent surgery on a set of multilevel (two or more spinal–motor segments) lesions. Lesions of the lumbar spine were more often noted, and lesions of the thoracic, thoracolumbar, and cervical spine sections were less often noted. This study included all patients operated on within the scope of revision spinal reconstructions in connection with the development of infection of the surgical area over the period from January 2018 to December 2022. Inclusion criteria were etiologically verified spondylitis, age of 18 years or older, and follow-up of 6 months or more. Results: The average rate of revision surgery due to SSI was 17.4%. Germ detection from the material of vertebral localization was noted in 48.3% and pathogen strains were isolated in urine in 60.8%, in decubital ulcers in 23.9%, and in hemoculture in 15.2% of all study patients. Aseptic, deep SSI was detected in 10.1%. Gram-positive, multidrug-resistant, and Gram-negative bacteria with extreme resistance prevailed in the microbiological landscape of late SSI, early, and delayed Gram-positive strains without drug resistance. Conclusions: Infectious etiology of spondylitis is associated with a significantly higher frequency of SSI. In the absence of a positive result from bacteriological examination of the vertebral localization material, it is advisable to conduct blood, decubital ulcer discharge, and urine sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate image-derived input function (IDIF) from highly sensitive large axial field of view (LAFOV) PET/CT scanners could avoid the need of invasive blood sampling for kinetic modelling. The aim is to validate the use of IDIF for two kinds of tracers, 3 different IDIF locations and 9 different reconstruction settings. Methods: Eight [18F]FDG and 10 [18F]DPA-714 scans were acquired respectively during 70 and 60 min on the Vision Quadra PET/CT system. PET images were reconstructed using various reconstruction settings. IDIFs were taken from ascending aorta (AA), descending aorta (DA), and left ventricular cavity (LV). The calibration factor (CF) extracted from the comparison between the IDIFs and the manual blood samples as reference was used for IDIFs accuracy and precision assessment. To illustrate the effect of various calibrated-IDIFs on Patlak linearization for [18F]FDG and Logan linearization for [18F]DPA-714, the same target time-activity curves were applied for each calibrated-IDIF. Results: For [18F]FDG, the accuracy and precision of the IDIFs were high (mean CF ≥ 0.82, SD ≤ 0.06). Compared to the striatum influx (Ki) extracted using calibrated AA IDIF with the updated European Association of Nuclear Medicine Research Ltd. standard reconstruction (EARL2), Ki mean differences were < 2% using the other calibrated IDIFs. For [18F]DPA714, high accuracy of the IDIFs was observed (mean CF ≥ 0.86) except using absolute scatter correction, DA and LV (respectively mean CF = 0.68, 0.47 and 0.44). However, the precision of the AA IDIFs was low (SD ≥ 0.10). Compared to the distribution volume (VT) in a frontal region obtained using calibrated continuous arterial sampler input function as reference, VT mean differences were small using calibrated AA IDIFs (for example VT mean difference = -5.3% using EARL2), but higher using calibrated DA and LV IDIFs (respectively + 12.5% and + 19.1%). Conclusions: For [18F]FDG, IDIF do not need calibration against manual blood samples. For [18F]DPA-714, AA IDIF can replace continuous arterial sampling for simplified kinetic quantification but only with calibration against arterial blood samples. The accuracy and precision of IDIF from LAFOV PET/CT system depend on tracer, reconstruction settings and IDIF VOI locations, warranting careful optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single‐molecule enzyme activity assay is a platform that enables the analysis of enzyme activities at single proteoform level. The limitation of the targetable enzymes is the major drawback of the assay, but the general assay platform is reported to study single‐molecule enzyme activities of esterases based on the coupled assay using thioesters as substrate analogues. The coupled assay is realized by developing highly water‐soluble thiol‐reacting probes based on phosphonate‐substituted boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY). The system enables the detection of cholinesterase activities in blood samples at single‐molecule level, and it is shown that the dissecting alterations of single‐molecule esterase activities can serve as an informative platform for activity‐based diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human prion diseases (HPDs) are fatal neurodegenerative disorders characterized by abnormal prion proteins (PrPSc). However, the detection of prion seeding activity in patients with high sensitivity remains challenging. Even though real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay is suitable for detecting prion seeding activity in a variety of specimens, it shows lower accuracy when whole blood, blood plasma, and blood-contaminated tissue samples are used. In this study, we developed a novel technology for the in vitro amplification of abnormal prion proteins in HPD to the end of enabling their detection with high sensitivity known as the enhanced quaking-induced conversion (eQuIC) assay. Methods: Three antibodies were used to develop the novel eQUIC method. Thereafter, SD50 seed activity was analyzed using brain tissue samples from patients with prion disease using the conventional RT-QUIC assay and the novel eQUIC assay. In addition, blood samples from six patients with solitary prion disease were analyzed using the novel eQuIC assay. Results: The eQuIC assay, involving the use of three types of human monoclonal antibodies, showed approximately 1000-fold higher sensitivity than the original RT-QuIC assay. However, when this assay was used to analyze blood samples from six patients with sporadic human prion disease, no prion activity was detected. Conclusion: The detection of prion seeding activity in blood samples from patients with sporadic prion disease remains challenging. Thus, the development of alternative methods other than RT-QuIC and eQuIC will be necessary for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The timely and accurate diagnosis of bloodstream infection (BSI) is critical for patient management. With longstanding challenges for routine blood culture, metagenomics is a promising approach to rapidly provide sequence-based detection and characterisation of bloodborne bacteria. Long-read sequencing technologies have successfully supported the use of clinical metagenomics for syndromes such as respiratory illness, and modified approaches may address two requisite factors for metagenomics to be used as a BSI diagnostic: depletion of the high level of host DNA to then detect the low abundance of microbes in blood. Methods: Blood samples from healthy donors were spiked with different concentrations of four prevalent causative species of BSI. All samples were then subjected to a modified saponin-based host DNA depletion protocol and optimised DNA extraction, whole genome amplification and debranching steps in preparation for sequencing, followed by bioinformatical analyses. Two related variants of the protocol are presented: 1mL of blood processed without bacterial enrichment, and 5mL of blood processed following a rapid bacterial enrichment protocol—SepsiPURE. Results: After first identifying that a large proportion of host mitochondrial DNA remained, the host depletion process was optimised by increasing saponin concentration to 3% and scaling the reaction to allow more sample volume. Compared to non-depleted controls, the 3% saponin-based depletion protocol reduced the presence of host chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA < 106 and < 103 fold respectively. When the modified depletion method was further combined with a rapid bacterial enrichment method (SepsiPURE; with 5mL blood samples) the depletion of mitochondrial DNA improved by a further > 10X while also increasing detectable bacteria by > 10X. Parameters during DNA extraction, whole genome amplification and long-read sequencing were also adjusted, and subsequently amplicons were detected for each input bacterial species at each of the spiked concentrations, ranging from 50–100 colony forming units (CFU)/mL to 1–5 CFU/mL. Conclusion: In this proof-of-concept study, four prevalent BSI causative species were detected in under 12 h to species level (with antimicrobial resistance determinants) at concentrations relevant to clinical blood samples. The use of a rapid and precise metagenomic protocols has the potential to advance the diagnosis of BSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a biosensor working at a frequency of 3.5 GHz, which is designed as a square ring metamaterial resonator. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of blood amount on the metamaterial-based resonator sensor's sensitivity. The structure was constructed using Rogers-RT5880 material, with an overall area of 85.71 mm × 85.71 mm2. The simulation of the design involved modelling the blood samples using Debye 1st-order equations. The empirical results observed a noticeable shift towards a lower frequency range in the response and changes in the magnitude, corresponding to an increase in the blood sample's glucose concentration and thickness. Following this, the experiment was designed to corroborate the simulated results. The sensor achieved the highest sensitivity of 0.23 dB per 100 mg/dl change in glucose level when the thickness of blood was 0.1 mm. It was concluded from the results that the increase in the volume of blood increases the sensor's sensitivity. However, a trade-off mark is necessary in which an optimum sensitivity is achieved with blood volume as minimum as possible so that a noninvasive biosensor can be designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and molecular characterization of tick-borne pathogens (TBP) (Babesia spp., Theileria spp., and Hepatozoon spp.) in asymptomatic dogs in the northeast Anatolia region of Türkiye. Blood samples of 400 clinically healthy dogs were analyzed using PCR and RLB techniques. TBP prevalence and the relationship between habitat, gender, age, and breed of dogs were determined by using the R package prevalence (version 0.2.0.) and the Pearson chi-square statistics. Babesia spp., Theileria spp., Hepatozoon spp. DNAs were detected in 13% (52/400) of the dogs by PCR, while the prevalence of TBPs was 24.25% (CI: 20.24-28.62) by subsecuantial RLB assay. Sequence analysis of two Theileria ovis, two Babesia canis and two Hepatozoon canis isolates showed 100% identity with the corresponding reference isolates. In this study, Theileria ovis positivity was detected for the first time in dogs in the northeast Anatolia region of Türkiye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Low vitamin D (VD) levels may increase pain sensitivity, particularly by enhancing central sensitivity. Fibromyalgia is associated with disruptions in neurotransmitters and inflammatory pathways within the central nervous system, leading to an increased sensitivity of pain signals. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels and pain, pain catastrophizing, function, depression, and anxiety. Materials and Methods: This study included 153 patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) and 153 healthy individuals. Vitamin D levels were measured using 5 ml blood samples obtained from both patients and healthy individuals. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), McGill Pain Questionnaire-Short Form (MPQ), and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) were used to evaluate pain, pain catastrophizing, psychological symptoms, and function, respectively. Results: VD levels were statistically lower in the FMS group (17.71±9.32 ng/ml) compared to the control group (20.40±9.33 ng/ml) (p<0.05). No statistical difference was found among groups classified according to vitamin D subgroups in terms of FIQ, MPQ, PCS, and HADS scores (p>0.05). There was a negative correlation between VD levels and MPQ, as well as all subgroups of PCS (p>0.05), while no significant correlation was found between VD levels and depression, anxiety, or function. Conclusion: VD levels in patients with FMS were found to be lower than those in healthy individuals, and VD levels were associated with pain and pain catastrophizing in this study. Physician-supervised VD supplementation may improve pain catastrophizing in patients with FMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breeding seabirds must balance the energetic demands of feeding themselves and their offspring while coping with the constraints imposed by central-place foraging. As such, foraging strategies and parental care patterns are usually linked. Here, the foraging behavior of the Red-billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus; n = 161) of Peña Blanca Islet, Mexico (19° 06ʹ 11ʺ N, 104° 29ʹ 12ʺ W) during the incubation and chick-rearing (≤ 4 weeks of age) stages was characterized with the aid of GPS loggers. Blood samples from adults and chicks were collected to determine δ15N and δ13C, and parental presence at the nest, meal size, and parent-chick feeding events were recorded. During incubation, parents made long trips offshore to areas far from the colony; however, immediately after their chicks hatched, the parents switched to a bimodal foraging strategy by undertaking both short and long foraging trips. The δ15N values indicated that trophic differences were present between parents and their offspring, with chicks being fed prey enriched in 15N. Parental presence at the nest was greater during early chick-rearing, which was associated with a higher provisioning rate. Parents adopted a strategy in which the parent on nest duty only made short foraging trips to provide for its offspring without leaving it unattended for long periods, while its mate undertook long trips to feed itself. After the early chick-rearing period, the parents gradually reduced the time spent at the nest and increased the time spent foraging, compensating with larger meal sizes for their offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitazoxanide use is limited by gastrointestinal side effects associated with increasing dose. In this drug repurposing study, we investigated the possibility of enhancing the exposure of its active metabolite, tizoxanide, through pharmacokinetic interaction with atazanavir/ritonavir. In this crossover drug–drug interaction study, 18 healthy participants received a single dose of 1000 mg of nitazoxanide alone and in combination with 300/100 mg atazanavir/ritonavir in period 1 and 2 respectively. On both days, blood samples for intensive pharmacokinetic analyses were collected at 0–12 h post-dose. To explore the utility of dried blood spots (DBS) as an alternative to plasma for tizoxanide quantification, 50 µL of blood from some participants was spotted on DBS cards and correlated with plasma concentrations. Pharmacokinetic parameters were derived by non-compartmental analysis and compared between both periods. Co-administration of nitazoxanide with atazanavir/ritonavir resulted in a significant increase in tizoxanide plasma exposure [GMR (90% CI) of AUC0–12h, Cmax and C12h being 1.872 (1.870–1.875), 2.029 (1.99–2.07) and 3.14 (2.268–4.352), respectively]. DBS concentration (%CV) was 46.3% (5.6%) lower than plasma concentrations, and there was strong correlation (R = 0.95, p < 0.001) between DBS-derived plasma concentration and plasma concentrations. Co-administration with atazanavir/ritonavir enhanced tizoxanide exposure with no report of adverse events in healthy volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Septic peritonitis (SP) is a life-threating condition. Determining prognosis for dogs suffering from SP remains challenging. Extracellular histones exert cytotoxic, prothrombotic and proinflammatory effects. Our objective was to investigate serum general histone concentrations (sHs) as biomarkers of disease severity and outcome in dogs with naturally occurring SP. Blood samples were collected upon admission and 24 hours post admission from 21 dogs with SP and from 7 healthy controls. Serum general histone concentrations (median; IQR) upon admission were higher in dogs with SP compared to controls (34.2 ng/ml; 39.1 ng/ml vs. 7.3 ng/ml; 1.7 ng/ml; P=0.001) and sHs significantly decreased 24 hours post admission in dogs with SP (34.4 ng/ml; 39.3 ng/ml vs. 24.2 ng/ml; 11 ng/ml; P=0.018). Serum histones were higher among survivors compared to non-survivors (45.5 ng/ml; 37 ng/ml vs. 24.0 ng/ml; 12 ng/ml; P=0.03). This data demonstrates that sHs concentrations significantly increase in dogs with SP and decrease after hospitalization. Future studies are warranted to investigate the reverse relationship between outcome and sHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background To improve survival for hemorrhagic shock treatment, guidelines emphasize two patient care priorities: (1) immediate hemorrhage control and (2) early resuscitation with whole blood or blood products. The LifeFlow device is designed to rapidly infuse blood products. However, the effects of using this device compared to pressure-bag systems remain unclear. We hypothesize that there will be no laboratory-measured difference with the blood when infused through the LifeFlow versus the current standard pressure bag system. Methods Two units of fresh whole blood were obtained from a sus scrofa model. One unit was "infused" using the LifeFlow with the other unit used as a control through a standard pressure bag system into an empty bag. The "before" measurements were obtained from blood samples from a standard fresh whole blood collection bag. The blood was "infused" into a whole blood bag devoid of storage solution from which the "after" measurements were obtained. Results This study utilized 22 clinically healthy sus scrofa. Blood units were primarily obtained from a left subclavian central line (50.0%). The median time to acquire and administer a unit of blood was similar for both the LifeFlow device (8.4 min and 8.1 min) and the pressure bag (8.7 min and 7.4 min). No significant differences were found in the total time to acquire or administer blood between the two devices. The median volume of blood acquired was 500 mL for both groups. While no significant differences in blood parameters were observed between the two devices, significant differences were noted when comparing pre- and post-transfusion values within each device. For the LifeFlow device, an increase in hemoglobin and chloride levels and a decrease in thromboplastin time and glucose levels were observed. With the pressure bag, only a decrease in blood urea nitrogen was observed. Conclusions In comparing the LifeFlow to the pressure bag, there were no significant differences noted in the total time to acquire or administer a whole unit of blood. However, there were differences with several laboratory parameters of unclear clinical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Sarcocystis is an abundant group of Apicomplexa parasites found in mammals, birds, and reptiles. These parasites are characterised by the formation of sarcocysts in the muscles of intermediate hosts and the development of sporocysts in the intestines of definitive hosts. The identification of Sarcocystis spp. is usually carried out in carcasses of animals, while there is a lack of studies on the detection of Sarcocystis species in blood samples. In the current study, blood samples of 214 yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis) and 143 bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) from Lithuania were examined for Sarcocystis. The molecular identification of Sarcocystis was carried out using nested PCR of cox1 and 28S rRNA and subsequent sequencing. Sarcocystis spp. were statistically (p < 0.01) more frequently detected in the bank vole (6.3%) than in yellow-necked mice (0.9%). The analysed parasites were observed in four different habitats, such as mature deciduous forest, bog, natural meadow, and arable land. Three species, Sarcocystis funereus, Sarcocystis myodes, and Sarcocystis cf. glareoli were confirmed in the bank vole, whereas only Sarcocystis myodes were found in yellow-necked mice. The obtained results are important in the development of molecular identification of Sarcocystis parasites in live animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Proactive drug facilitated crime (DFC) is the administration of psychoactive substances (PAS) for criminal purposes without the victim's knowledge or by force. In Paris, France, patients who report suspected proactive DFC to the police are examined at the Department of Forensic Medicine (DFM) of the Hôtel-Dieu Hospital. Preventively blood and urine samples are collected but not systematically analyzed by the judicial authority. We aimed to assess the proportion of probable proactive DFC in patients examined at the Hôtel-Dieu DFM following a police report for suspected proactive DFC. Method: Blood and urine samples were collected from 100 patients. Toxicological analyses were performed by the toxicology laboratory of the Lariboisière Hospital. The results were correlated with the clinical data collected at the initial and follow-up consultations. Results: At least one PAS was detected in 86% of the cases (voluntary or involuntary intake). After correlation with clinical data, 32% of the cases were classified as probable proactive DFC. In these cases, 49% of the substances identified were illicit substances (amphetamines, MDMA, etc.); 16% were benzodiazepines and related substances; 16% were antihistamines and sedatives; 14% were opioids; and 5% were antidepressants and anti-epileptics. In 90% of the cases, patients reported a voluntary ethanol consumption in the hours prior to the suspected proactive DFC. Conclusion: Toxicological analyses revealed a high proportion of both probable proactive DFC and probable opportunistic DFC. Our results indicate the need to perform systematical toxicological analysis in cases of suspected DFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An MR blood collection learning support system has been developed to improve the simulator used by nursing students for blood collection training. In the system, a syringe reproduced by 3D‐CG is presented via HMD as a model. The model syringe reproduces the blood collection behavior of a teacher, and the learner can engage in blood collection training by imitating the movement of the syringe model. However, the learner may misinterpret the position of the CG presentation and place the syringe far from the blood vessel. Thus, we devised a method for presenting the misalignment of the needle tip relative to the blood vessel to support the correction of the syringe position and conducted an evaluation experiment. The experimental results showed that the approach of the needle tip to the blood vessel was improved significantly by presenting two arrows indicating the direction of the blood vessel to the needle tip. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel adsorbent was prepared by modification of graphite with deep eutectic solvent based on camphor–thymol (by the mole ratio of 1:1) and was utilized as a separation phase for pipette tip micro-solid phase extraction of mitoxantrone from seawater, drug, urine and blood samples. After extraction, mitoxantrone content of samples was determined by spectrophotometry at 260 nm wavelength. Various variables which could affect the extraction, including pH, amount of extracting phase, volumes of sample and eluent, type of eluent, and number of the extraction/ejection cycles of solution and eluent, were evaluated and optimized by both one-variable-at-a-time and response surface methodology methods. Observations indicated that the highest extraction achieved when 200 mg of the adsorbent was employed for 100 µL of sample solution with 7 extraction cycles at pH 7.0. Analyte was desorbed from the adsorbent by 200 µL of methanol (as eluent) after 3 ejection cycles. The linear dynamic range of the technique was between 1 and 1000 µg L−1, and the limit of detection and quantification were 0.2 µg L−1 and 0.7 µg L−1, respectively. Finally, the proposed extraction was successfully employed for the determination of mitoxantrone in various real samples with complicated matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycobacterial diseases impact millions in the human and veterinary fields each year. Their diagnosis is long and laborious, often only sensitive in the late stages of disease. This has created an unmet need for new diagnostics that are effective in the earlier stages of infection and are quick and easy to perform. This study details the optimization of LAMP assays for the detection of M. tuberculosis, M. bovis and M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis combined with phage-mediated lysis to meet the needs of a novel diagnostic—termed phage-LAMP. The optimized phage-LAMP assay had a limit of detection of less than 10 mycobacteria per ml and no cross-reaction was seen between assays. The phage-LAMP method was then tested on a small number of clinical blood samples from suspected TB patients and herds suspected of Johne's disease. The phage-LAMP assay could detect viable Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in these samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saxitoxins (STXs) are potent neurotoxins produced by marine dinoflagellates or freshwater cyanobacteria known to cause acute and eventually fatal human intoxications, which are classified as paralytic shellfish poisonings (PSPs). Rapid analysis of STXs in blood plasma can be used for a timely diagnosis and confirmation of PSPs. We developed a fast and simple method of STX extraction based on plasma sample acidification and precipitation by acetonitrile, followed by quantification using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS-MS). Our approach provides the results ≤30 min, with a limit of detection of 2.8 ng/mL and a lower limit of quantification of 5.0 ng/mL. Within-run and between-run precision experiments showed good reproducibility with ≤15% values. Standard curves for calibration were linear with correlation coefficients ≥0.98 across the assay calibration range (5–200 ng/mL). In an interlaboratory analytical exercise, the method was found to be 100% accurate in determining the presence or absence of STX in human plasma specimens, with recovery values of 86–99%. This simple method for STX determination in animal or human plasma can quickly and reliably diagnose STX exposures and confirm suspected PSP cases to facilitate patient treatment or expedite necessary public health or security actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological data analysis (TDA) methods have recently emerged as powerful tools for uncovering intricate patterns and relationships in complex biological data, demonstrating their effectiveness in identifying key genes in breast, lung, and blood cancer. In this study, we applied a TDA technique, specifically persistent homology (PH), to identify key pathways for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recognizing the limitations of current strategies for this purpose, we meticulously used PH to analyze RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from peripheral blood of both HCC patients and normal controls. This approach enabled us to gain nuanced insights by detecting significant differences between control and disease sample classes. By leveraging topological descriptors crucial for capturing subtle changes between these classes, our study identified 23 noteworthy pathways, including the apelin signaling pathway, the IL-17 signaling pathway, and the p53 signaling pathway. Subsequently, we performed a comparative analysis with a classical enrichment-based pathway analysis method which revealed both shared and unique findings. Notably, while the IL-17 signaling pathway was identified by both methods, the HCC-related apelin signaling and p53 signaling pathways emerged exclusively through our topological approach. In summary, our study underscores the potential of PH to complement traditional pathway analysis approaches, potentially providing additional knowledge for the development of innovative early detection strategies of HCC from blood samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This research discusses the potential of Orthosiphon aristatus, a medicinal plant, in improving skin lesions in Atopic Dermatitis by regulating Th2 cytokines and showing anti-allergic activity. Methods: The study was conducted using BALB/C mice induced with DNCB for 21 days to create an atopic dermatitis model. Then, the mice were orally administered Orthosiphon aristatus extract for 14 days (after 7 days of induction). The doses given were divided into six groups: 17.5 mg/kgbw, 35 mg/kgbw, 70 mg/kgbw, and 140 mg/kgbw. Molecular levels such as IgE, IL4, IL22, and PGE2 were analyzed from blood samples. In addition, the severity of skin lesions was assessed morphologically, and histological examination was performed to confirm clinical improvement. Results: This study showed that the administration of Orthosiphon aristatus extract reduced the severity of skin lesions in all intervention groups. Histologically, this extract reduced epidermal thickness and mast cell infiltration. These findings were also supported by dose-dependent decreases in IgE, IL4, IL22, and PGE2 levels. So, the conclusion of this study is that Orthosiphon aristatus extract shows potential for improving skin lesions in atopic dermatitis by regulating Th2 cytokines and demonstrating anti-allergic activity in a mice model with DNCBinduced atopic dermatitis. Conclusion; The administration of Orthosiphon aristatus extract clinically and histologically exhibits anti-atopic effects that can be explained through the regulation of molecules such as IgE, IL4, IL22, PGE2, and NO. Orthosiphon aristatus has the potential to be a valuable herbal therapy for managing atopic dermatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, yet biomarkers for AMI in the short- or medium-term are lacking. We apply the discordant twin pair design, reducing genetic and environmental confounding, by linking nationwide registry data on AMI diagnoses to a survey of 12,349 twins, thereby identifying 39 twin pairs (48–79 years) discordant for their first-ever AMI within three years after blood sampling. Mass spectrometry of blood plasma identified 715 proteins. Among 363 proteins with a call rate > 50%, imputation and stratified Cox regression analysis revealed seven significant proteins (FDR < 0.05): FGD6, MCAM, and PIK3CB reflected an increased level in AMI twins relative to their non-AMI co-twins (HR > 1), while LBP, IGHV3-15, C1RL, and APOC4 reflected a decreased level in AMI twins relative to their non-AMI co-twins (HR < 1). Additional 50 proteins were nominally significant (p < 0.05), and bioinformatics analyses of all 57 proteins revealed biology within hemostasis, coagulation cascades, the immune system, and the extracellular matrix. A protein–protein-interaction network revealed Fibronectin 1 as a central hub. Finally, technical validation confirmed MCAM, LBP, C1RL, and APOC3. We put forward novel biomarkers for incident AMI, a part of the proteome field where markers are surprisingly rare and where additional studies are highly needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There is growing interest in home haemodialysis (HHD) performed with low-flow dialysate devices and variable treatment schedules. The target standard Kt/V (stdKt/V) should be 2.3 volumes/week, according to KDOQI guidelines (2015). The current formula for stdKt/V does not help prescribe the dialysis dose (eKt/V) and treatment frequency (TF). The aim of this study was to obtain a formula for stdKt/V that is able to define the minimum required values of eKt/V and TF to achieve the targeted stdKtV. Methods Thirty-eight prevalent patients on HHD were enrolled. A total of 231 clinical datasets were available for urea modelling using the Solute-Solver software (SS), recommended by KDOQI guidelines. A new formula (stdKt/V = a + b × Kru + c × eKt/V) was obtained from multivariable regression analysis of stdKt/V vs eKt/V and residual kidney urea clearance (Kru). The values of coefficients a, b and c depend on the treatment schedules and the day of the week of blood sampling for the kinetic study (labdayofwk) and then vary for each of their foreseen 62 combinations. For practical purposes, we used only seven combinations, assuming Monday as a labdayofwk for each of the most common schedules of the 7 days of the week. Results The stdKt/V values obtained with SS were compared with the paired ones obtained with the formula. The mean ± standard deviation stdKt/V values obtained with SS and the formula were 3.043 ± 0.530 and 2.990 ± 0.553, respectively, with 95% confidence interval +0.15 to –0.26. A 'prescription graph' was built using the formula to draw lines expressing the relationship between Kru and required eKt/V for each TF. Using this graph, TF could have been reduced from the delivered 5.8 ± 0.8 to 4.8 ± 0.8 weekly sessions. Conclusions The new formula for stdKtV is reliable and can support clinicians to prescribe the dialysis dose and TF in patients undergoing HHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Linezolid exposure in critically ill patients is associated with high inter-individual variability, potentially resulting in subtherapeutic antibiotic exposure. Linezolid exhibits good penetration into the CSF, but its penetration into cerebral interstitial fluid (ISF) is unknown. Objectives To determine linezolid penetration into CSF and cerebral ISF of neurointensive care patients. Patients and methods Five neurocritical care patients received 600 mg of linezolid IV twice daily for treatment of extracerebral infections. At steady state, blood and CSF samples were collected from arterial and ventricular catheters, and microdialysate was obtained from a cerebral intraparenchymal probe. Results The median f AUC0–24 was 57.6 (24.9–365) mg·h/L in plasma, 64.1 (43.5–306.1) mg·h/L in CSF, and 27.0 (10.7–217.6) mg·h/L in cerebral ISF. The median penetration ratio (f AUCbrain_or_CSF/ f AUCplasma) was 0.5 (0.25–0.81) for cerebral ISF and 0.92 (0.79–1) for CSF. Cerebral ISF concentrations correlated well with plasma (R = 0.93, P < 0.001) and CSF levels (R = 0.93, P < 0.001). The median f AUC0–24/MIC ratio was ≥100 in plasma and CSF for MICs of ≤0.5 mg/L, and in cerebral ISF for MICs of ≤0.25 mg/L. The median fT >MIC was ≥80% of the dosing interval in CSF for MICs of ≤0.5 mg/L, and in plasma and cerebral ISF for MICs of ≤0.25 mg/L. Conclusions Linezolid demonstrates a high degree of cerebral penetration, and brain concentrations correlate well with plasma and CSF levels. However, substantial variability in plasma levels, and thus cerebral concentrations, may result in subtherapeutic tissue concentrations in critically ill patients with standard dosing, necessitating therapeutic drug monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the stability of emicizumab, a medication used to treat patients with hemophilia A, in blood samples under various conditions. The study found that emicizumab remains stable for at least 5 days in whole blood and at least 24 hours in plasma. Additionally, short-term and long-term storage at -80°C and one or two freeze-thaw cycles did not affect the concentration of emicizumab. However, the article also highlights that heat treatment at 56°C or 58°C, commonly used to inactivate factor VIII, resulted in a decrease in the apparent concentration of emicizumab. These findings have implications for laboratory practices and the detection of neutralizing antibodies in patients receiving emicizumab treatment. [Extracted from the article]

Sedative as well as protective effects during hypoxia have been described for gamma‐hydroxybutyric acid (GHB). Six swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) of 6 weeks old were administered NaGHB at a dose of 500 mg/kg intravenously (IV) and 500 and 750 mg/kg orally (PO) in a triple cross‐over design. Repeated blood sampling was performed to allow pharmacokinetic analysis of GHB. Whole blood concentration at time point 0 after IV administration was 1727.21 ± 280.73 μg/mL, with a volume of distribution of 339.45 ± 51.41 mL/kg and clearance of 164.94 ± 47.05 mL/(kg h). The mean peak plasma concentrations after PO administration were 326.57 ± 36.70 and 488.01 ± 154.62 μg/mL for 500 mg/kg and 750 mg/kg, respectively. These were recorded at 1.42 ± 0.72 and 1.58 ± 0.58 h after PO dose for GHB 500 mg/kg and 750 mg/kg, respectively. The elimination half‐life for IV and PO 500 mg/kg and PO 750 mg/kg dose was respectively 1.33 ± 0.30, 1.16 ± 0.31 and 1.11 ± 0.33 h. The bioavailability (F) for PO administration was 45%. No clinical adverse effects were observed after PO administration. Deep sleep was seen in one animal after IV administration, other animals showed head pressing and ataxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Typical barriers to venous blood collection for wellness testing include discomfort, time spent, and collection site accessibility. This study assessed individuals' experience, satisfaction, and preference associated with a FDA-cleared blood-collection device, the BD MiniDraw™ Capillary Blood Collection System (BD MiniDraw), in retail locations. Patients and Methods: A total of 113 individuals (≥ 18 years) with venous blood collection experience were enrolled; 107 completed the study. A pre-collection survey gathered information on demographics and past experiences with healthcare and venous blood collection settings. BD MiniDraw collection was conducted at three retail sites (two pharmacies and one grocery store) by trained healthcare workers using the Babson BetterWay blood testing service model. A follow up survey was performed two weeks later to determine experience with, and preference for, BD MiniDraw in terms of staff professionalism, blood collection location, blood collection time, and staff trustworthiness. Results: Among the 107 participants, 74 (69%) were female and 33 (31%) were male; the mean age was 49 years (range=18– 71 years). Sixty-six (62%) participants viewed their prior venipuncture experience as "somewhat" or "very" positive. Following capillary collection, 96 (90%) participants expressed a "somewhat" or "very" positive experience with BD MiniDraw at a retail location. In particular, "very satisfied" responses were given for location (87/107; 81%) and collection time (78/1407; 73%). In a subset of respondents (n=89), those reasons (location and time savings) were most frequent for likelihood of future use. Ninety-nine participants (92%) rated the retail blood collection team as "very" or "extremely" trustworthy. Overall, 90 participants (84%) "strongly preferred" (56/107; 52%), "somewhat preferred" (14/107; 13%), or had "no preference" (20/107; 19%) for BD MiniDraw, compared to traditional venous blood collection. Conclusion: Most participants conveyed a preference for BD MiniDraw, primarily based on the blood collection retail location, perceived time savings, and professionalism and trustworthiness of the staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute B. canis infection can lead to an acute phase reaction (APR) in dogs. The parasite invades red blood cells causing anemia through immune-mediated hemolysis and possible erythropoietic suppression. A regenerative response of the erythroid lineage during the babesiosis has not been described in extension. This research examines hematologic parameters focusing on the absolute reticulocyte count and apolipoprotein A I (ApoA I) level on the day of admission and 14 days after treatment with imidocarb-dipropionate in young (n=11) and adult (n=11) dogs naturally infected with B. canis. Metabolic and inflammatory processes were characterized by analyzing protein and lipid profiles, as well as ApoA I at specified time points. Automated analyzers were used to determine complete blood count and biochemical parameters, while ApoA I was assessed using radioimmunoassay. The reticulocyte count was determined using a manual method by means of supravital staining. Both young and adult dogs with acute B. canis infection showed non-regenerative anemia without difference. Fourteen days after successful treatment with imidocarb-dipropionate, the anemia was corrected and a high reticulocyte count was observed (p<0.05). This indicates that the erythroid regenerative response was efficient in young and adult dogs, although vital signs, leukocyte count and triglyceride concentration suggest a more intense APR in young dogs. A decrease in ApoA I in both groups 14 days after treatment (p<0.01) confirmed that this lipoprotein acts as a positive acute-phase protein in acute B. canis infection in dogs, but further studies are needed to connect its role in erythroid lineage regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Automated haematology analyzers are commonly used for accurate and precise platelet estimation. Still false low or false high results are common with flagging on analyzers which needs to be reviewed. So commonly we perform peripheral blood smear (PBS) evaluation for cross checking the platelet count. For estimation of total platelet count on peripheral blood smear a multiplication factor is required. Different laboratories use different multiplication factors including 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000 for platelet count estimation on peripheral smear. Methods: This was an observational study included total 300 cases including 100 cases each for low, normal and high platelet counts estimated by Sysmex XN 3100 haematology 6 part analysers using K3 ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid blood samples. Peripheral smears were prepared. After blinding of analyser results, manual peripheral smear examination was carried out to calculate average number of platelets for per oil immersion field (OIF). Platelet counts were derived by multiplying average number of platelets for per OIF by multiplication factors of 10,000, 15,000 and 20,000. Comparison of these values was done with actual automated analysers counts. Results: We found multiplication factor of 20,000 as most suitable which correlated well with actual platelet count. Conclusion: A standard multiplication factor determination is necessary for accurate manual platelet count on peripheral blood smear examination. This method is easy, simple, less time consuming and can be used in platelet count discrepancies, mandatory reviews and in resource poor settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Granzyme B, mostly expressed by cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the fight against cancer and infection, is known to induce cell death based on its active enzymatic activity as a serine protease. Recent studies showed cytotoxicity of a non-enzymatic granzyme B-like peptide (also referred to as granzyme B-associated peptide or GP1 in this report) in tumor cells and presence of binding targets for GP1R (i.e., GP1 conjugated with rhodamine fluorochrome) in tumor cells, bacteria, and circulating platelets/neutrophils of healthy hosts. But there were no data on "sick" hosts to help substantiate any potential GP1 based medical applications. Thus, we adopted similar GP1R binding protocols to further study binding of GP1 in different biological samples (including different blood samples of hosts in sickness and in health, cancer cell lines, and trigeminal ganglia culture of infected hosts treated with and without GP1) and determine if any binding patterns might have any associations with different health conditions. The overall preliminary results appear to show certain GP1R + binding patterns in certain blood components (especially neutrophils) have potential correlations with certain health conditions of hosts at sampling times, indicating potential GP1R applications for diagnostic purposes. Findings of different GP1R binding patterns in different cancer cell lines, whole blood samples and trigeminal ganglia culture of experimental mice infected with HSV-1 virus (might cause neuropathy) within a week post-infection, and blood samples of GP1-treated mouse survivors on day 21 post-infection provided preliminary evidence of potential GP1-led tumor cell-specific cell death and treatment efficacy for greater survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automated hematology analysis is expected to improve the performance of platelet counting. We evaluated the performance of a new platelet counting, hybrid (PLT-H) and also impedance (PLT-I) and optical (PLT-O) on the BC-780 automated hematology analyzer compared to the international reference method (IRM) in blood samples with thrombocytopenic and platelet interference. The basic platelet count performance of the BC-780 automated hematology analyzer was evaluated according to the requirements of the Clinical Laboratory and Standards Institute (CLSI) Document H26-A2. Additionally, the thrombocytopenic (low PLT count) blood samples and the platelet interference blood samples including fragmented red blood cells (RBCs), microcytes or small RBCs, and giant platelets were determined with the BC-780 hematology analyzer compared to the IRM. Blank counting and the carry-over contamination rate of platelet count using the BC-780 both met the manufacturers' claim. For both 123 thrombocytopenic and 232 platelet interference blood samples (72 fragmented RBCs, 91 microcytes and 51 giant platelets), all three platelet counting methods exhibited high comparability with the IRM (the lowest correlation (r)=0.916). Interestingly, the comparability of PLT-H (r=0.928–0.986) with the IRM was better than that of PLT-I (r=0.916–0.979). The performance of PLT-H in the BC-780 met the manufacturer's specifications. PLT-H exhibits better reproducibility than did PLT-I, correlates well with the PLT-O for thrombocytopenic samples and demonstrates good anti-interference ability. PLT-H counting is therefore recommended as a zero-cost alternative platelet counting method for platelet interference samples in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The indigenous cattle of Uttarakhand, Badri is the first registered cattle breed of the state, mainly reared in Kumaon and Garhwal regions. The present study was carried out in forty healthy cows to evaluate the ef fect of lactation stages on biochemical entities. Methods: Forty healthy animals were selected and divided into five groups with eight animals in each group during different stages of lactation viz. 0 to 60 days, 61 to 120 days, 121 to 180 days, 181 to 240 days and non-lactating animals. Blood samples were collected during different lactation stages and non-lactation period and serum was harvested. On each serum sample total protein, albumin, globulin, A:G ratio, urea, creatinine, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, calcium, phosphorus, Ca:P, total bilirubin, ALT, AST, ALP, GGT and CK were determined spectrophotometrically. Result: A significant effect of stages of lactation on serum total protein, albumin, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, phosphorus, Ca: P, ALT, ALP and CK was observed (p<0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current noninvasive liver tests are surrogates for fibrosis and lack ability to directly measure liver function. HepQuant tests measure liver function and physiology through hepatic uptake of stable cholate isotopes. HepQuant SHUNT (V1.0) involves oral and intravenous dosing and six blood samples over 90 min. We developed simplified test versions: SHUNT V2.0 (oral and intravenous dosing, two blood samples over 60 min) and DuO (oral dosing only, two blood samples over 60 min). The aim of this study was to evaluate equivalency of the simplified tests to the original SHUNT test. Data from three studies comprising 930 SHUNT tests were retrospectively analysed by each method. Equivalence was evaluated in terms of proportion of tests in which the difference between methods was less than any clinically meaningful difference and additionally by two one‐sided t‐test and bioequivalence methods. DuO and SHUNT V2.0 were equivalent to the original SHUNT test for Disease Severity Index, with >99% and >96% of tests falling within equivalence bounds. DuO and SHUNT V2.0 met equivalency criteria by two one‐sided t‐tests and bioequivalence. DuO and SHUNT V2.0 are easier to administer, are less invasive than the original SHUNT test and have potential to be more accepted by patients and providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe the distributional properties and assess the performance of placental growth factor (PlGF) measured in blood samples collected before 11 weeks' gestation in the prediction of pre‐eclampsia (PE). Methods: The study population consisted of pregnant women included in the Pre‐eclampsia Screening in Denmark (PRESIDE) study with a PlGF measurement from the routine combined first‐trimester screening (cFTS) blood sample collected at 8–14 weeks' gestation. PRESIDE was a prospective multicenter study investigating the predictive performance of the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) first‐trimester screening algorithm for PE in a Danish population. In the current study, serum concentration of PlGF in the cFTS blood samples was analyzed in batches between January and June 2021. Results: A total of 8386 pregnant women were included. The incidence of PE was 0.7% at < 37 weeks' gestation and 3.0% at ≥ 37 weeks. In blood samples collected at 10 weeks' gestation, PlGF multiples of the median (MoM) were significantly lower in pregnancies with preterm PE < 37 weeks compared to unaffected pregnancies. However, PlGF MoM did not differ significantly between pregnancies with PE and unaffected pregnancies in samples collected before 10 weeks' gestation. Conclusions: The gestational‐age range for PlGF sampling may be expanded from 11–14 to 10–14 weeks when assessing the risk for PE using the FMF first‐trimester screening model. There is little evidence to support the use of PlGF in blood samples collected before 10 weeks' gestation. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personalised drug dosing through therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is important to maximise efficacy and to minimise toxicity. Hurdles preventing broad implementation of TDM in routine care include the need of sophisticated equipment and highly trained staff, high costs and lack of timely results. Salivary TDM is a non-invasive, patient-friendly alternative to blood sampling, which has the potential to overcome barriers with traditional TDM. A mobile UV spectrophotometer may provide a simple solution for analysing drug concentrations in saliva samples. Salivary TDM utilising point-of-care tests can support personalised dosing in various settings including low-resource as well as remote settings. In this opinion paper, we describe how hurdles of implementing traditional TDM may be mitigated by salivary TDM with new strategies for patient-friendly point-of-care testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic in sub‐Saharan Africa have yielded varying results, although authors universally agree the real burden surpasses reported cases. The primary objective of this study was to determine SARS‐CoV‐2 seroprevalence among patients attending Monkole Hospital in Kinshasa (D.R. Congo). The secondary objective was to evaluate the analytic performance of two chemiluminescence platforms: Elecsys® (Roche) and VirClia® (Vircell) on dried blood spot samples (DBS). The study population (N = 373) was recruited in two stages: a mid‐2021 blood donor cohort (15.5% women) and a mid‐2022 women cohort. Crude global seroprevalence was 61% (53.9%–67.8%) pre‐Delta in 2021 and 90.2% (84.7%–94.2%) post‐Omicron in 2022. Anti‐spike (S) antibody levels significantly increased from 53.1 (31.8–131.3) U/mL in 2021 to 436.5 (219.3–950.5) U/mL in 2022 and were significantly higher above 45 years old in the 2022 population. Both platforms showed good analytic performance on DBS samples: sensitivity was 96.8% for IgG (antiN/S) (93.9%–98.5%) and 96.0% (93.0%–98.0%) for anti‐S quantification. These results provide additional support for the notion that exposure to SARS‐CoV‐2 is more widespread than indicated by case‐based surveillance and will be able to guide the pandemic response and strategy moving forward. Likewise, this study contributes evidence to the reliability of DBS as a tool for serological testing and diagnosis in resource‐limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of nanocurcumin on acetaminophen-induced acute hepatorenal toxicity in domestic pigeons (Columba livia) were investigated. Fifteen pigeons were randomly assigned into three groups. Group I was served as a negative control group and received tap water as a placebo. Pigeons in groups II and III were administered acetaminophen at the beginning of the experiment (hr 0). Group III was further treated with nanocurcumin, at 12 hr after acetaminophen administration, being continued every 12 hr for two days. The birds were observed for clinical signs of acute drug toxicity. Blood samples were collected from the pigeons at hr 0, 12, 24 and 48 of the experiment for biochemical analysis of the serum. The results showed that acetaminophen toxicity increased the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, urea and uric acid in the pigeons. Nanocurcumin treatment of acetaminophen intoxicated pigeons attenuated increases in biomarkers of the liver and kidney functions towards control levels. Also, the consumption of nanocurcumin minimized histopathological changes in the liver and kidney. A mortality of 60.00% was seen in the acetaminophen-induced toxicity group; while, none of the birds treated with nanocurcumin died. It can be concluded that nanocurcumin alleviates the acetaminophen-induced acute toxic liver and kidney damages, which can lead to pigeon mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to establish baseline micronucleus (MN) frequencies from various populations of residents in Vietnam and develop a 60Co dose–response curve for the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay. Blood samples were exposed in vitro to a 60Co source at a dose rate of 275 mGy per min in a range of 0.1 to 4.0 Gy. MN background frequencies were 4.5 ± 3.2, 7.3 ± 4.6, 7.0 ± 3.8 and 13.1 ± 6.7 in 1000 binucleated (BN) cells for 96 healthy donors, 22 male radiation workers and 12 breast cancer patients, respectively. Blood samples from three healthy donors were used to generate the MN dose–response curve: y = C + (0.0496 ± 0.0069)D + (0.0143 ± 0.0026)D2. This curve was verified through an inter-laboratory comparison (RENEB ILC 2021). Our findings highlight the significance of the CBMN assay as an additional essential tool for biodosimetry in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pterocarpus santalinus (Red Sandalwood) is a medicinal plant used in traditional medicine for many purposes. This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of Pterocarpus santalinus leaf extract on haematological, histopathologicaland lipid profile indices in rats. Wistar rats were divided into four groups (1 - 4). Group 1 (control) was given distilled water (10 mL/kg), groups 2 - 4were administered oral doses of Pterocarpus santalinus ethanol leaf extract at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively once daily for 28 days. The body weights of the rats were monitored on a weekly basis during the experimental period. After the last dose was administered, the rats were sacrificed, and blood samples were collected, used for haematological and lipidprofile analysis. The brain and heart of each rat were harvested and used for histopathological analysis. The extract at 100 mg/kg resulted in a decrease in the RBC, Hg, MCH, MCHC, platelets and WBC. However, there were no changes in the WBC differentials (lymphocytes, neutrophils, basophils, and eosinophils). The levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides were not altered following extract administration, but HDL-cholesterol was slightly elevated while LDL-cholesterol was reduced significantly after extract administration. Histopathological examination of the heart and intestine of the rats showed no significant differences in the histological features of the rats in the treatment groups and those in the control group. These observations suggest that Pterocarpus santalinus leaf extract may be relatively safe when used for medicinal purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic kidney disease is a global public health menace. Occupational exposure to pesticides, environmental pollutants and nephrotoxic pharmaceuticals contributes to chronic kidney. This cross-sectional study evaluated the renal status of wood saw millers exposed to wood dust. A total of hundred and ninety-five (195) age and sex-matched males (111 wood saw millers exposed to wood dust for = two years and 84 office workers not exposed to wood dust) were recruited by simple random sampling. The Ethical Committee of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, approved the study. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to assay the level of cadmium, arsenic, and lead in wood dust obtained from the wood saw millers' work environment and the study participants' blood samples. High levels of arsenic, cadmium and lead were contained in the wood dust. A noteworthy increase (p <0.001) in cadmium, arsenic and lead blood levels was observed in the wood saw millers' blood samples compared to the unexposed participants. The enzymatic and Jaffe methods were employed for the estimation of serum urea and creatinine, respectively. The chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration equation for estimated glomerular filtration rate was used to assess the kidney function. A noteworthy increase (p<0.001) was observed in the serum urea and creatinine levels of the wood saw millers compared to the unexposed subjects. In contrast to the unexposed, the estimated glomerular filtration rate of the wood saw millers showed a significant increase (p<0.001). This study suggests that occupational exposure to wood dust may harm the kidneys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]