Evaluation of Known Markers of Ferroptosis in Semen of Patients with Different Reproductive Pathologies and Fertile Men.

This study aims to investigate the role of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, in male infertility. The motivation behind this research stems from the increasing recognition of oxidative stress and iron metabolism dysregulation as critical factors in male reproductive health. In this study, 28 infertile patients (grouped by the presence of urogenital infections or varicocele) and 19 fertile men were selected.

Analytical performance of free testosterone calculated by direct immunoluminometric method compared with the Vermeulen equation: results from a clinical series.

Introduction: Testosterone (T) is a hormone that is crucial for primary and secondary sexual development in both males and females. Free testosterone (FT) represents the biologically active form of T, and its measurement is of great importance in clinical practice. While application of either equilibrium dialysis or ultrafiltration is considered to be the gold standard for FT assessment, these methods are expensive and not widely accessible.

Analysis of annual distributions of hemoglobin A values as a method to test for HbA standardization.

Background And Aims: The monitoring of yearly distributions of HbA measured has been indicated as a reliable indicator of worldwide standardization.

Materials And Methods: Measurements/year of HbA have been collected over three consecutive years in 15 Italian laboratories each using the same analytical method over three years period. HbA distributions, cleaned of replicated measurements, were compared by the overlapping area of the raw probability density functions expressed by coefficient eta (η), and by comparing the reference intervals for the central part of each distribution estimated by the indirect method refineR using the R package "refineR".

COVID-19: Black Swan or clumsy use?

"Black Swan" is an unexpected and catastrophic event characterized by three conditions: the anomalous and exceptional value, the extreme impact, and predictability a posteriori. On many sides - by politicians, commentators, scientists - there have been attempts to give the COVID-19 pandemic event the meaning of Black Swan. In reality, one should wonder if the Black Swan was not, instead (or even), the way the epidemic was handled.

Mindray BC-6800 haematological analyser: 3D-DIFF scattergram usefulness in infectious mononucleosis diagnosis.

Introduction: 3D-DIFF scattergram of the Mindray BC-6800 haematological analyser shows morphological abnormalities and lymphocyte cluster splitting related to the presence of reactive lymphocytes. This study aims to assess whether these cytographic changes are useful in detecting both activated and apoptotic lymphocytes, leading to an improvement in the laboratory diagnostic process of infectious mononucleosis.

Methods: Two hundred three samples with modified shape and doubled lymphocyte cluster of DIFF scattergram (study group) were divided into two different subgroups: with and, respectively, without serological evidence of ongoing IM.

Short preheating at 41°C leads to a red blood cells count comparable to that in RET channel of Sysmex analysers in samples showing cold agglutination.

Aims: The presence of cold agglutinin in blood samples can cause a spontaneous agglutination of red blood cells (RBCs) when low temperature occurs. This phenomenon causes a spurious lowering of RBC count on the automated haematological analysers that are detected by incongruous values (≥370 g/L) of the mean cellular haemoglobi concentration (MCHC). A preheating at 37°C can remove the RBC agglutination generally resulting in a reliable count.

Automatic wedge smears preparation may cause traumatic morphological changes in peripheral blood cells.

In recent years, several automated analysers that prepare and stain blood smears have been introduced in clinical laboratories. Despite the use of instrumental settings based on physical characteristic of individual samples, traumatic injuries of neutrophil and lymphocytes can be observed. Some samples present a very high percentage of damaged cells, allowing the speculation that a cellular susceptibility may enhance mechanical traumatism.

A prolonged microscopic observation improves detection of underpopulated cells in peripheral blood smears.

We evaluated an extended time in the microscopic review in samples in which the potential clinical information could be increased with respect to those that could be achieved with the usual laboratory methodologies. We used samples containing nucleated red blood cells in a small amount and cytopenic samples. For these purposes for each peripheral blood smear, the timing of eye-count differential was increased up to 20 min, regardless of the final number of cells which could be counted.

Cytographic changes on BC-6800 Haematological Analyzer related to the presence of in peripheral blood. A new tool to suspect candidemia?

Background: We studied the quantitative and cytographic changes that the presence of () in peripheral blood (PB) samples causes on the Mindray BC-6800 Haematological Analyzer.

Methods: A simulated in vitro candidemia was obtained by adding a different amount of to discarded remnants of PB samples. Quantitative data and cytographic features were evaluated immediately as well as after 120 and 240 min of the yeast addition.