Diagnostic utility of telomere length testing in a hospital-based setting.

Telomere length (TL) predicts the onset of cellular senescence in vitro but the diagnostic utility of TL measurement in clinical settings is not fully known. We tested the value of TL measurement by flow cytometry and FISH (flowFISH) in patients with mutations in telomerase and telomere maintenance genes. TL had a discrete and reproducible normal range with definable upper and lower boundaries.

Implications of weight and body mass index for plasma donation and health.

This study determined the percentage of potential plasma donors who could donate plasma in the 3 allowable plasma volume limit categories as specified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as the association of the body mass index (BMI) of these individuals with age, blood pressure, oral temperature, and pulse. Of 315 plasma donors analyzed, 107 (34.0%) weighed between 110 and 149 lbs (50.