Circulating microRNA in patients with popliteal and multiple artery aneurysms.

Background: Patients with popliteal artery aneurysm (PA) often have multiple aneurysms, such as bilateral disease or a concomitant abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). microRNAs (miRs) are regulators of biological processes and have been investigated as biomarkers for AAA. The aim of this study was to explore if the presence of multiple aneurysms and/or location correlated with miR levels in blood.

Whole genome expression profiling of blood cells in ovarian cancer patients -prognostic impact of the CYP1B1, MTSS1, NCALD, and NOP14.

Ovarian cancer patients with different tumor stages and cell differentiation might be distinguished from each other by gene expression profiles in whole blood cell mRNA by the Affymetrix Human Gene 1.0 ST Array. We also examined if there is any association with other clinical variables, response to therapy, and residual tumor burden after surgery.

Epigenetic alterations in folate transport genes in placental tissue from fetuses with neural tube defects and in leukocytes from subjects with hyperhomocysteinemia.

The objectives of this study were to identify tissue-specific differentially methylated regions (T-DMR's) in the folate transport genes in placental tissue compared with leukocytes, and from placental tissues obtained from normal infants or with neural tube defects (NTDs). Using pyrosequencing, we developed methylation assays for the CpG islands (CGIs) and the CGI shore regions of the folate receptor α (FOLR1), proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) and reduced folate carrier 1 (RFC1) genes. The T-DMRs differed in location for each gene and the difference in methylation ranged between 2 and 54%.

The Accu-Chek Mobile blood glucose monitoring system used under controlled conditions meets ISO 15197 standards in the hands of diabetes patients.

Background: Self-monitoring of blood glucose is a cornerstone of diabetes management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the analytical quality and the ease of use of the Accu-Chek Mobile, a new glucose monitoring system designed for capillary blood testing by diabetic patients.

Materials And Methods: The performance of the Accu-Chek Mobile was evaluated both in the hands of a scientist and of diabetes patients.

Whole blood RNA expression profiles in ovarian cancer patients with or without residual tumors after primary cytoreductive surgery.

Significant improvements in the treatment results of ovarian cancer have been achieved during the last decades, but further improvements require additional methods identifying signs of the disease and its biological behavior, preferably by a simple blood test. We hypothesized that peripheral blood leukocytes may express genes that carry such clinical information. Therefore, we studied the relative gene expressions of 168 cancer- and metastasis-specific genes in blood samples from ovarian cancer patients with different prognoses after primary cytoreductive surgery.

Tissue zinc levels in a child with hypercalprotectinaemia and hyperzincaemia: A case report and a review of the literature.

Background: A girl suffering from a rare syndrome of unknown aetiology, termed hypercalprotectinaemia, was evaluated for tissue zinc status, because calprotectin is a protein which chelates Zn at multiple binding-sites, which might have affected the distribution of Zn in her body.

Methods: Measurement of serum, urine, hair and nail zinc (Zn) concentration, complemented with measurement of total Zn in ultrafiltrates of plasma.

Results: Her serum Zn concentration was 105-133 μmol/L.

Preanalytical aspects of quantitative TaqMan real-time RT-PCR: applications for TF and VEGF mRNA quantification.

Objectives: The present paper focuses on preanalytical aspects of tissue factor (TF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA quantification: the choice of blood collection tubes and defining the time frame allowed before processing the sample.

Design And Methods: Blood was collected from healthy volunteers in K(3) EDTA tubes, CPT, endotoxin-free EndoTube tubes and in PAXgene tubes. Total RNA concentration was determined by absorbance readings at 260 nm with a GeneQuantII UV spectrophotometer.