Development of an algorithm for the identification of leukemic hematolymphoid neoplasms in Primary Care patients.

Background: Diagnosis of hematolymphoid neoplasm (HLN) requires different technologies which are performed on a patient basis instead of per protocol. We hypothesize that integration of hematimetric and cytological analysis along with multiparametric flow cytometry (MFC) provides a framework to evaluate peripheral blood (PB) samples from Primary Care.

Methods: Samples from patients with persistent (>3 months) lymphocytosis (>5 × 10/L) and/or monocytosis (>10/L) or the presence of atypical and/or blast cells upon the smear review were analyzed by MFC concurrent to cytological analysis.

Strontium and its role in preeclampsia.

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is considered a specific vascular disease in which endothelial dysfunction may be the crucial factor of its pathogenesis. It has been suggested that strontium (Sr) may play a role in the pathophysiology of PE. Our group established in a previous study the serum levels of Sr in healthy pregnancies, and the main aim of the present study was to evaluate Sr concentrations and oxidative status in preeclamptic women.

Strontium and oxidative stress in normal pregnancy.

Background: Pregnancy brings about metabolic and oxidative changes that involve various trace elements and oxidative stress. Strontium (Sr) is a trace element scarcely studied in this context, although it has been suggested that it may play a role in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. The main aim of this study was to evaluate Sr concentrations and oxidative status in normal pregnancy.

Selenium levels and Glutathione peroxidase activity in the plasma of patients with type II diabetes mellitus.

Selenium, an essential trace element, is involved in the complex system of defense against oxidative stress through selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidases (GPx) and other selenoproteins. Because of its antioxidant properties, selenium or its selenospecies at appropriate levels could hinder oxidative stress and so development of diabetes. In this vein, quantitative speciation of selenium in human plasma samples from healthy and diabetic patients (controlled and non-controlled) was carried out by affinity chromatography (AF) coupled on-line to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and isotope dilution analysis (IDA).

Variation of trace element concentrations in patients undergoing hemodialysis in the north of Spain.

Background: Trace elements are essential substances for the proper physiological and biochemical functioning of the organism. Hemodialysis patients are potentially at risk of deficiency or excess of these elements. The application of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) allows the simultaneous quantification of very small amounts of multiple trace elements.

Challenges for Worldwide Harmonization of Newborn Screening Programs.

Background: Inherited metabolic disorders (IMDs) are caused by a defect in a metabolic pathway, leading to malfunctioning metabolism and/or the accumulation of toxic intermediate metabolites. To date, hundreds of IMDs have been identified. Many of these diseases are potentially fatal conditions that are not apparent at birth.

Simultaneous determination of creatinine and creatine in human serum by double-spike isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

This work describes the first multiple spiking isotope dilution procedure for organic compounds using (13)C labeling. A double-spiking isotope dilution method capable of correcting and quantifying the creatine-creatinine interconversion occurring during the analytical determination of both compounds in human serum is presented. The determination of serum creatinine may be affected by the interconversion between creatine and creatinine during sample preparation or by inefficient chemical separation of those compounds by solid phase extraction (SPE).

Neurofilament medium polypeptide (NFM) protein concentration is increased in CSF and serum samples from patients with brain injury.

Background: Brain injury is a medical emergency that needs to be diagnosed and treated promptly. Several proteins have been studied as biomarkers of this medical condition. The aims of this study were to: 1) evaluate the selectivity and precision of a commercial ELISA kit for neurofilament medium polypeptide (NFM) protein; and 2) evaluate the concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of healthy individuals and patients with brain damage.

Diagnosis of infection in critical care.

Sepsis is the primary cause of death in the intensive care unit. The prevention of sepsis complications requires an early and accurate diagnosis as well as the appropriate mon itoring. A deep knowledge of the immunologic basis of sepsis is essential to better understand the scope of incorporating a new marker into clinical practice.

Identification of novel biomarkers of brain damage in patients with hemorrhagic stroke by integrating bioinformatics and mass spectrometry-based proteomics.

Hemorrhagic stroke (HS) is a significant cause of mortality that requires rapid diagnosis and prompt medical attention. A time-efficient diagnostic test to assist in the early classification of patients with stroke would be of great value. The aims here were to (a) select "brain-specific" proteins using a bioinformatics approach, (b) develop selected reaction monitoring (SRM) assays for candidate proteins, and (c) quantify these proteins in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Elevated transrenal DNA (cell-free urine DNA) in patients with urinary tract infection compared to healthy controls.

Objective: To study whether levels of transrenal DNA (Tr-DNA) are influenced by the presence of urinary tract infections (UTI).

Methods: Tr-DNA concentrations were measured in 124 donors and 55 patients with UTI. Two methods for DNA extraction were compared.

Increase in and clearance of cell-free plasma DNA in hemodialysis quantified by real-time PCR.

Background: Recently cell-free plasma DNA has been described as a marker of apoptosis during hemodialysis (HD), but little is known about how different dialysis membranes may contribute to this process or whether pre-HD levels are restored afterwards. Here we evaluate the influence of the dialysis membrane on cell-free plasma DNA levels and investigate the clearance of plasma circulating DNA after HD.

Methods: Cell-free plasma DNA was measured using a real-time quantitative PCR for the beta-globin gene.