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Background. Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) is a promising biomarker for acute kidney injury (AKI). Our objectives were to evaluate the NGAL TestTM from Bioporto for both urine NGAL and plasma NGAL on the Cobas 6000 c501 (Roche Diagnostics, Rotkreuz, Switzerland) with matched measurements run on Hitachi 917, the method's linearity on the Cobas 6000 in urine, EDTA and Lithium-Heparin (Li-Hep), the influence of using EDTA or Li-Hep tubes and, finally, the impact of freezing and thawing on the sample. Methods. Forty matched samples of Li-Hep and EDTA plasma and 40 urine samples were analyzed for method, anticoagulant, and freeze-thaw comparisons. Linearity was assessed using high NGAL samples diluted in urine, EDTA, and Li-Hep plasma. Commercial internal controls were used for the imprecision study. Results. The Cobas 6000 measured identically with the Hitachi 917, however, not in EDTA plasma (MedianDifference = 17.50 μg/L, p < 0.0001). Freeze-thaw process reduced NGAL ((EDTA: MeanDifference = = 15.13 μg/L, p = 0.0014)(Li-Hep: MedianDifference = = 6.5 μg/L, p = 0.0129)). NGAL results were higher in Li-Hep plasma than in EDTA plasma ((Non-thawed: MedianDifference = = 14.5 μg/L, p < 0.0001), (Thawed: MedianDifference = = 21.5 μg/L, p = 0.0003)). Linearity agreements were observed in all three specimens. Imprecision (CV%) was below 3%. Conclusion. The NGAL TestTM can be applied on the Cobas 6000 with acceptable performance, although the Cobas 6000 measured higher than the Hitachi 917 in EDTA plasma. Though clinically insignificant, we found that the freeze-thaw process had a reduced effect. NGAL results were higher in Li-Hep tubes than in EDTA tubes. Thus, for blood samples we recommend use of EDTA tubes for NGAL measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present an In(1) NQR study on the heavy-fermion (HF) compound CeCo(In1−x Cd x )5 . Bulk measurements indicate that Cd doping acts as an electronic tuning agent in CeCoIn5, and that superconductivity (SC) and antiferromagnetism (AFM) may coexist at ambient pressure for . For , the nuclear spin lattice relaxation rate shows a broad peak at the Néel temperature , with a subsequent onset of SC at . Our results provide strong evidence for microscopic coexistence of these two ground states. The nuclear magnetization recovery curves in both the ordered and mixed states reveal a single -component, which suggests a homogeneous nature of the Ce-4f1 electronic state. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To assess if SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) systemic disease can be determined by available nucleoprotein assays, we compared the performance of three commercial SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein (N) assays in plasma. A total of 272 plasma samples collected in the period November–December 2021 were analyzed by the methods Simoa SARS CoV‐2 N Protein Advantage Kit [Quanterix Simoa], Solsten SARS-CoV-2 Antigen enzyme immunosorbent assay (ELISA) [Solsten ELISA], and Elecsys SARS‐CoV‐2 Antigen electrochemiluminescence immunoassay [Elecsys ECLIA]. Additionally, a dilution series of inactivated virus culture was analyzed by the three assays. The SARS CoV-2 PCR-status was not known for the patients. Linear correlation in the pairwise correlation between assays as well as linearity of dilution series of inactivated virus culture was estimated by Spearman score. Sensitivity and specificity were estimated by pairwise comparison. The three assays showed poor agreement on patient samples with regards to concentration. Performance on virus culture was excellent but with different level of detection (LOD). Positive vs negative results show comparable sensitivity and specificity of Quanterix Simoa and Solsten ELISA, with a higher LOD in Elecsys ECLIA and thus lower sensitivity and high specificity. N by all tested assays can be used as a marker for systemic COVID-19 disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We show that the NMR Knight shift anomaly exhibited by a large number of heavy electron materials can be understood in terms of the different hyperfine couplings of probe nuclei to localized spins and to conduction electrons. The onset of the anomaly is at a temperature , below which an itinerant component of the magnetic susceptibility develops. This second component characterizes the polarization of the conduction electrons by the local moments and is a signature of the emerging heavy electron state. The heavy electron component grows as below , and scales universally for all measured Ce, Yb and U based materials. Our results suggest that is not related to the single-ion Kondo temperature, , but rather represents a correlated Kondo temperature that provides a measure of the strength of the intersite coupling between the local moments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The heavy fermion system exhibits antiferromagnetism for both and . is antiferromagnetic at ambient pressure and superconducting under hydrostatic pressure, whereas is superconducting at ambient pressure, but becomes antiferromagnetic with substitution of In by a few percent of Cd. Pure exhibits a field-induced magnetic phase that coexists with the superconductivity. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and nuclear quadrupolar resonance (NQR) studies of the In(1), In(2) and Co sites reveal similar features in the magnetic states of these systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We herein report on the density- and temperature-dependent decay of the 93mNb nuclear excited atom and present a simple interpretation of the underlying physics. This anomaly indicates nuclear resonant absorption and delocalisation of the long-lived Mössbauer state in the crystal. A non-linear magnetoelectric response, on low-frequency drive current, appeared in the bulk metal of a high-purity niobium crystal and then disappeared along with the disappearance of delocalised nuclear excitation. Several non-linear resonant peaks, of the order of several hundred Hertz, increased in magnitude with the applied magnetic field, and the central frequencies of these peaks decreased with temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]