2011-02-27 Sunday Survey - Chromosome Disorders

Genetics - Chromosome disorders - Result Summary

Four pictures of human karyotypes

Question 1: Which one is a normal female karyotype?
Correct answer: Karyotype B

Question 2: Which one is Down syndrome karyotype?
Correct answer: Karyotype E

Question 3: Klinefelter syndrome is:
Double X and one Y chromosome (male)

Questions, answers and conclusions of the survey are my personal opinions based on used source materials.  

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Previous surveys

What is the most suitable ISO accreditation standard for medical (clinical) laboratories?


What of the following things can cause hemolysis?


If your blood group is A and your partners B, what are the possible blood groups of your children?


Which one of the following microbes is most unlikely to cause meningitis?


What is the correct order of sample tubes in multiple blood draw?


What of the following Westgard rules have been violated?


What white blood cell is in the picture?

Human NK cells: SET to kill

Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in viral and antitumor innate immunity, commonly through 2 primary functions: cytotoxicity and cytokine production. Of the several mechanisms available to kill target cells, NK cells primarily kill virus-infected or tumor targets using the granule exocytosis pathway.

Read full article from

Blood -- Human NK cells: SET to kill

Prevalence of Albuminuria in the U.S. Adult Population Over the age of 40

United States general population in total and by ethnicity over the age of 40 using the 1999-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. The relationship of hypertension, diabetes and metabolic syndrome to albuminuria with age will be reviewed. The effect of age on prevalence of albuminuria will also be demonstrated.Results: Overall the prevalence of microalbuminuria in U.S. adults 40 years of age and older was 9.8% and the prevalence of macroalbuminuria was 1.7%. The prevalence of albuminuria is highest in patients with diabetes, a history of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

Read full article from

The Internet Journal of Nephrology

Digital Edition of Microbiology Today

Society for General Microbiology goes digital.
Check out the exciting, interactive, digital edition of Microbiology Today.

Microbiology Today Digital

Fasting and Postprandial LDL Cholesterol

Clinical Chemistry 57: 298-308, 2011. First published October 14, 2010; 10.1373/clinchem.2009.13386

LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) is a modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factor. In this study they used 3 LDL-C methods to study the agreement between fasting and postprandial LDL-C in type 2 diabetes patients.
Differences up to 0.89 mmol/L (34 mg/dL) between fasting and postprandial LDL-C concentrations, with postprandial LDL-C concentrations usually being lower, were found in T2DM by 3 different LDL-C methods. Such differences are potentially relevant clinically and suggest that, irrespective of measurement method, postprandial LDL-C concentrations should not be used to assess cardiovascular disease risk.

Read full article from Clinical Chemistry:

Agreement Between Fasting and Postprandial LDL Cholesterol Measured with 3 Methods in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus -- Lund et al. 57 (2): 298 -- Clinical Chemistry

2011-02-20 Sunday Survey - Quality Management

Sunday survey results summary

1. Is your laboratory certified or accredited?
There was 45 participants this time. Over 50% of them was from accredited or certified laboratories.

2. What is the most suitable ISO accreditation standard for medical (clinical) laboratories?
Correct answer: ISO 15189
Medical laboratories can be also accredited according to ISO 17025, which is suitable also for other kind of laboratories.

3. What is the new standard ISO 17043 for?
Correct answer: General requirements for proficiency testing and EQAS
ISO 17043 is a standard for external quality assessment service ja proficiency testing providers.
Questions, answers and conclusions of the survey are my personal opinions based on used source materials.  
_______________________________________
Previous surveys


What of the following things can cause hemolysis?

If your blood group is A and your partners B, what are the possible blood groups of your children?

Which one of the following microbes is most unlikely to cause meningitis?

What is the correct order of sample tubes in multiple blood draw?

What of the following Westgard rules have been violated?

What white blood cell is in the picture?

Accuracy-based EQA Surveys carve higher QA profile

Accuracy-based Surveys are EQA programs providing Surveys that use challenge specimens that are free from matrix effects and have target values traceable to certified reference materials. Unlike proficiency tests in USA, which allow laboratories to satisfy accreditation and regulatory requirements by comparing their test results with those of other laboratories, Accuracy-based EQA surveys let laboratories compare their test results with international reference method results.

Read more form CAP Today

Accuracy based EQA programs are also available in several European  EQA providers.

Real-Time Dynamic Imaging of Virus Distribution In Vivo

The distribution of viruses and gene therapy vectors is difficult to assess in a living organism. For instance, trafficking in murine models can usually only be assessed after sacrificing the animal for tissue sectioning or extraction. These assays are laborious requiring whole animal sectioning to ascertain tissue localization. They also obviate the ability to perform longitudinal or kinetic studies in one animal. To track viruses after systemic infection, we have labeled adenoviruses with a near-infrared (NIR) fluorophore and imaged these after intravenous injection in mice. Imaging was able to track and quantitate virus particles entering the jugular vein simultaneous with injection, appearing in the heart within 500 milliseconds, distributing in the bloodstream and throughout the animal within 7 seconds, and that the bulk of virus distribution was essentially complete within 3 minutes. These data provide the first in vivo real-time tracking of the rapid initial events of systemic virus infection.

Read more from

PLoS ONE: Real-Time Dynamic Imaging of Virus Distribution In Vivo

Ensuring POCT Quality

The greatest fear laboratorians express when the subject of point of care (POC) arises is accurate results. Just as laboratorians are not equipped with the knowledge to assess the patient and their family status, nurses are not equipped with the knowledge of quality control and regimented actions.

Quality is not limited to quality control. The Total Quality Management Plan (TQMP), from test selection to reporting of results and all activities validating accuracy, is the goal.

Read more from


Ensuring POCT Quality on ADVANCE for Medical Laboratory Professionals

On-Line Atlas of Kidney Diseases

On-line edition brought to you by ISN Informatics Commission and NKF cyberNephrology

DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY

Diabetic neuropathy topics. People with diabetes and progressive kidney disease are more difficult to manage than age- and gender-matched nondiabetic persons because of extensive, often life-threatening extrarenal (comorbid) disease. Diabetic patients manifesting end-stage renal disease (ESRD) suffer a higher death rate than do nondiabetic patients with ESRD owing to greater incidence rates for cardiac decompensation, stroke, sepsis, and pulmonary disease. Concurrent extrarenal disease—especially blindness, limb amputations, and cardiac disease—limits and may preempt their rehabilitation. For most diabetic patients with ESRD, the difference between rehabilitation and heartbreaking invalidism hinges on attaining a renal transplant as well as comprehensive attention to comorbid conditions.


Read more from


Atlas of Kidney Diseases/Table of Contents

2011-02-13 Sunday Survey - Hemolysis

Sunday survey result summary

Q1: What of the following things can cause hemolysis?

Correct answers are:

• Prolonged tourniquet time
• Alcohol as a cleansing agent of the venipuncture site (if not tried before phlebotomy)
• Use of small-bore needle
•  Centrifugation immediately after phlebotomy
• Packing samples in the plastic boxes for transportation (plastic does not cover from cold and heat)

Read more: Factors Affecting Hemolysis

Q2: What of the following general clinical chemistry parameters are sensitive for influence of hemolysis?

Correct answers are:

• Potassium (K)
• Lactate (Lact)
• Aspartate aminitransferase (AST)
• Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
• Bilirubin (Bil)

Read more:
Effects of hemolysis interference on routine biochemistry parameters

Questions, answers and conclusions of the survey are my personal opinions based on used source materials. ____________________________________________________

Previous surveys

If your blood group is A and your partners B, what are the possible blood groups of your children?

Which one of the following microbes is most unlikely to cause meningitis?

What is the correct order of sample tubes in multiple blood draw?

What of the following Westgard rules have been violated?

What white blood cell is in the picture?

Diabetes cases on the rise: current diagnosis guidelines and research efforts for a cure

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), diabetes is defined as a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both.
Diabetes was the 7th leading cause of death in America in 2006; and according to death-certificate reports, diabetes contributed to a total of 233,619 deaths in 2005, the latest year for which data on contributing causes of death are available.
The purpose of a review published in Medical Laboratory Observer  is to discuss the predominant forms of diabetes and their prevalence, current guidelines for diagnosis, and ongoing research efforts for a cure.

The headlines are:

• Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
• Guidelines for diagnosis
• Research efforts
• Summary and conclusion  

Medical Laboratory Observer

2011-02-06 Sunday Survey - ABORh Blood Groups

Sunday Survey result summary

76 people participated this time.

1. What is your ABO Rh blood group? 
Gallup about the blood groups of participants shows that O, A and B groups are most common as expected.
Table 1: Blood groups in USA population

2. What type(s) of red blood cells B Rh(D) positive person can receive? 

Correct answer is: B Rh(D) positive, B Rh(D) negative, O Rh positive and O Rh(D) negative

B Rh(D) negative was recognized only by 62% of participants.

3. If your blood group is A and your partners B, what are the possible blood groups of your children?

Correct answer is: A, B, AB and O

68% of participants gave correct answer.

Table 2: Blood group heredity

More information about ABO Rh blood groups

Questions, answers and conclusions of the survey are my personal opinions based on used source materials. 
________________________________________

Previous surveys

Which one of the following microbes is most unlikely to cause meningitis?

What is the correct order of sample tubes in multiple blood draw?

What of the following Westgard rules have been violated?

What white blood cell is in the picture?

Social Media for HIV, TB & Malaria!

A Social Media initiative that aims to Collect, Collate, Classify and Disseminate the information on HIV, TB & Malaria so that people living with HIV and the people working in the field can be on top of the information generating from more than 700 online and offline resources.

HIV ATLAS provides its users a unique way to be on top of information ranging from common living to funding, jobs, events and much more absolutely free of charge. We encourage Employers to post their Job opportunities in our featured Jobs category to reach out to more than 40000 subscribers daily.
HIV ATLAS | Social Media for HIV, TB & Malaria!

Uric Acid May Increase Likelihood of Severe Osteoarthritis

The amount of uric acid in one's joints may increase the likelihood of severe osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis worldwide, according to researchers at Duke University Medical Center. "We've always thought of uric acid as the agent for gout, but it may be a much more general agent."

There's even an emerging interest in uric acid as a mediator of other types of disease, like chronic kidney disease and coronary artery disease

Read full article from

Uric Acid May Increase Likelihood of Severe Osteoarthritis - DukeHealth.org

HbA1c - An Overview of Current Analytical Testing Issues

With this heightened attention on HbA1c for optimal diabetes treatment and diagnosis, it is imperative that clinical labs have accurate and reliable methods to measure the marker. Clinical Laboratory News February article will describe the current state of and efforts to improve HbA1c testing and discuss analytical issues laboratories need to consider for optimal assay performance.

Glycation of Hemoglobin
Measurement of HbA1c
Standardization of HbA1c Measurements
Improvement in HbA1c Measurements
Interferences
Working Towards Better Diabetes Care

Read full article from


February 2011 Clinical Laboratory News: HbA1c

Statins in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

A study group has found that there is sufficient evidence based on randomized clinical trials to believe that statins do eventually “prolong” lives especially those who are already at higher risk of CHD events, such as patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, as with all therapies, there is need to individualize each therapy, and to weigh the risks versus benefits before initiating treatment.

Read more from

The Internet Journal of Cardiovascular Research

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) testing

The first pregnancy test based on the biological activity of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in partially purified urine was described in 1927. Various modifications of this assay were used until the introduction of immunoassays in 1960. With the advent of monoclonal antibodies, new specific assays for the various subunits and degradation products of hCG were developed. In 1984, the two-antibody immunometric assays for hCG were developed; during the same time period, antibody enzyme labeling and highly sensitive fluorimetric and chemiluminescent detection were developed — the basis of hCG tests used in all commercial labs today, and in point-of-care (POC) and over-the-counter (OTC) tests sold today.

Read more about hCG biochemistry and usage of hCG tests from

Medical Laboratory Observer