Solutions for hematocrit bias in dried blood spot hormone analysis

Bioanalysis ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 1293-1308
Author(s):  
Vera de Kleijne ◽  
Isabelle Kohler ◽  
Annemieke C Heijboer ◽  
Mariëtte T Ackermans

Over the last years, dried blood spot (DBS) sampling has gained significant interest due to development of analytical techniques combined with DBS, the simplicity and low cost of the method. Despite its wide use, DBS sampling can lead to inaccurate results due to the impact of the hematocrit (Hct) on the analysis. Some analytes have shown to be hardly impacted by Hct values. However, in other cases, a significant impact of Hct is observed, which requires the use of alternative approaches to circumvent this issue. This review describes the possible impact of Hct-related bias in DBS sampling in the context of hormone analysis and discusses the different methodologies that can be used to overcome this bias to ensure accurate results.

2021 ◽  
Vol 904 ◽  
pp. 196-201
Author(s):  
Sonya Redjala ◽  
Said Azem ◽  
Nourredine Ait Hocine

The aim of the article is to highlight the effect of the environment on the properties of a polycarbonate (PC). It consists in aging this material under Ultra-violet (UV) combined with temperature for different periods of time, and to reveal the physicochemical and mechanical changes caused by aging. PC is a highly valued technical material for its various important characteristics and low cost. It finds its application in various fields but mainly in those whose requirements are the transparency and the impact resistance. The physicochemical and mechanicals characterizations of the marketed polycarbonate are necessary in order to highlight its intrinsic properties and to develop strategies that can improve its lifespan. In this work, we highlight the physicochemical and mechanical characteristics of virgin and aged polycarbonate. For this, analytical techniques and mechanical tests were used. A comparison of the characteristics revealed the combined effects of temperature and ultraviolet rays.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 1072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliane Hannemann ◽  
Thore I. Roskam ◽  
Ina Eilermann ◽  
Patricia Siques ◽  
Julio Brito ◽  
...  

Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) inhibits nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. It is a risk marker for cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with cardiometabolic diseases and in population-based studies. Plasma or serum analysis of ADMA may be hampered by pre-analytical sample handling. We validated a dried blood spot (DBS) assay for ADMA and L-arginine and show here that this assay has excellent variabilities and reproducibilities. Filter paper is impregnated with the arginase inhibitor nor-NOHA (Nω-hydroxy-nor-Arginine) to avoid L-arginine degradation. Clinical validation of this DBS assay confirms elevated ADMA concentration in hemodialysis patients as compared to healthy controls, higher ADMA concentrations in men versus women, and elevated L-arginine concentration in subjects supplemented with L-arginine. The DBS assay was used in a cohort study involving 100 primarily healthy subjects in the Andean region to assess the impact of chronic intermittent hypoxia on ADMA and L-arginine; ADMA DBS concentration at sea level was prospectively associated with pulmonary hypertension after six months of exposure to 3500 m. In a cohort of 753 individuals, L-arginine/ADMA ratio significantly decreased with increasing number of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Analysis of ADMA and L-arginine in DBS is a reliable and reproducible method for quantitation of these markers in field studies.


Thyroid ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (12) ◽  
pp. 1297-1305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Stinca ◽  
Maria Andersson ◽  
Jürgen Erhardt ◽  
Michael B. Zimmermann

2016 ◽  
Vol 144 (10) ◽  
pp. 2087-2097 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. KEEL ◽  
G. EDWARDS ◽  
J. FLOOD ◽  
G. NIXON ◽  
K. BEEBEEJAUN ◽  
...  

SUMMARYDespite national guidance recommending testing and vaccination of household contacts of hepatitis B-infected pregnant women, provision and uptake of this is sub-optimal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of in-home dried blood spot (DBS) testing to increase testing and vaccination of household contacts of hepatitis B-infected pregnant women as an alternative approach to conventional primary-care follow-up. The study was conducted across two London maternity trusts (North Middlesex and Newham). All hepatitis B surface antigen-positive pregnant women identified through these trusts were eligible for inclusion. The intervention of in-home DBS testing for household contacts was introduced at North Middlesex Trust from November 2010 to December 2011. Data on testing and vaccination uptake from GP records across the two trusts were compared between baseline (2009) and intervention (2010–2011) periods. In-home DBS service increased testing uptake for all ages (P < 0·001) with the biggest impact seen in partners, where testing increased from 30·3% during the baseline period to 96·6% during the intervention period in North Middlesex Trust. Although impact on vaccine uptake was less marked, improvements were observed for adults. The provision of nurse-led home-based DBS may be useful in areas of high prevalence.


2020 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 30502
Author(s):  
Alessandro Fantoni ◽  
João Costa ◽  
Paulo Lourenço ◽  
Manuela Vieira

Amorphous silicon PECVD photonic integrated devices are promising candidates for low cost sensing applications. This manuscript reports a simulation analysis about the impact on the overall efficiency caused by the lithography imperfections in the deposition process. The tolerance to the fabrication defects of a photonic sensor based on surface plasmonic resonance is analysed. The simulations are performed with FDTD and BPM algorithms. The device is a plasmonic interferometer composed by an a-Si:H waveguide covered by a thin gold layer. The sensing analysis is performed by equally splitting the input light into two arms, allowing the sensor to be calibrated by its reference arm. Two different 1 × 2 power splitter configurations are presented: a directional coupler and a multimode interference splitter. The waveguide sidewall roughness is considered as the major negative effect caused by deposition imperfections. The simulation results show that plasmonic effects can be excited in the interferometric waveguide structure, allowing a sensing device with enough sensitivity to support the functioning of a bio sensor for high throughput screening. In addition, the good tolerance to the waveguide wall roughness, points out the PECVD deposition technique as reliable method for the overall sensor system to be produced in a low-cost system. The large area deposition of photonics structures, allowed by the PECVD method, can be explored to design a multiplexed system for analysis of multiple biomarkers to further increase the tolerance to fabrication defects.


Author(s):  
J.R. Caradus ◽  
D.A. Clark

The New Zealand dairy industry recognises that to remain competitive it must continue to invest in research and development. Outcomes from research have ensured year-round provision of low-cost feed from pasture while improving productivity. Some of these advances, discussed in this paper, include the use of white clover in pasture, understanding the impacts of grass endophyte, improved dairy cow nutrition, the use of alternative forage species and nitrogen fertiliser to improve productivity, demonstration of the impact of days-in-milk on profitability, and the use of feed budgeting and appropriate pasture management. Keywords: dairy, profitability, research and development


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