bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trash to Treasure: Designing Integrated Solid Waste Treatment Plants in West Kutai for Sustainable Development
Authors: Adnan F , Widarti B N , Nugroho S , Aprilia D , Aprilia F , Mutiah D
Published: September 2023

This research aims to design Integrated Solid Waste Treatment Plants in West Kutai, Indonesia, to address the district’s developing population and lack of solid waste management infrastructure. The study used the exponential method to estimate the population of Barong Tongkok, Melak, and West Kutai over the next ten years, which were 48,816, 16,491, and 19,805, respectively. The study also identified suitable locations and budgets for building the Integrated Solid Waste Plants. The results indicate that organic waste remains the major composition of solid waste. The plant’s layout includes designated areas for organic waste, inorganic waste, hazardous materials, and residual waste. This study’s implications highlight the urgent need to establish Integrated Solid Waste Treatment Plants in West Kutai to efficiently manage the district’s solid waste and safeguard public health and environmental sustainability.
From Palm Waste to Profit: Feasibility of Bio-oil Industry in Indonesia’s East Kutai
Authors: Buana G A , Wahyuda  , Sitania F D
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to conduct a feasibility analysis of establishing a bio-oil industry in East Kutai, Indonesia, using Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) as the primary raw material. The study conducted a literature review on the conceptual and practical aspects of bio-oil feasibility analysis and presented a case study of a KEK MBTK. The results indicated that establishing a bio-oil industry in East Kutai is feasible based on the good performance of the marketing aspect and the opportunities created by the EBT Law. Additionally, the technical and technological aspects of raw materials and 40% of machinery needs can produce domestically, and the management and organizational aspects show that the required qualifications can be fulfilled. The financial aspect earned value analysis indicates that establishing a bio-oil industry in East Kutai is feasible. The implication of this study offers insightful theoretical considerations for investors regarding the feasibility study of bio-oil in that location.
Interplay of Knowledge and Behavior in Environmentally Friendly Pest Control: A Study from Bantul, Indonesia
Authors: Suprihanti A , Brotodjojo R , Wirawati T
Published: September 2023

This study investigates the correlation between farmers’ knowledge and behavior concerning environmentally friendly pest control in Bantul, Indonesia, a significant rice production area challenged by pest and disease. The objective was to assess the farmers’ understanding and behavior in applying Integrated Pest Control (IPC) techniques, determine the contributing factors to their knowledge level, and ascertain the relationship between knowledge and behavior. Employing a quantitative descriptive approach, the research encompassed 120 purposively selected farmers across four districts. Linear regression and Spearman correlation were used for data analysis. The findings indicate that both the knowledge and behavior of farmers regarding IPC were moderately rated. Factors such as farmers’ group activities, workshop participation, individual perceptions, and land size were found to influence the farmers’ knowledge level. Furthermore, a correlation was discerned between farmers’ knowledge and behavior in implementing eco-friendly pest control. The study underscores the necessity of targeted interventions to enhance farmer education and advocacy, as these can influence pest control behavior, ultimately promoting sustainable farming practices.
Electron-hole symmetry in quantum dots benefits quantum computing
Authors: Jarman Sam
Published: September 2023

Quantum dots made from bilayer graphene show several unique phenomena that could prove useful for quantum computing, according to researchers in Germany and Japan.
Graphene’s ‘cousin’ used to create a switchable topological insulator
Authors: Dumé Isabelle
Published: September 2023

Germanene – a 2D, graphene-like form of the element germanium – has been found to carry electricity along its edges with no resistance.
Intel releases 12-qubit silicon quantum chip
Authors: Boerkamp Martijn
Published: September 2023

Intel has released its newest quantum chip. Called Tunnel Falls, the chip contains a 12-qubit array and is based on silicon spinqubit technology.
Can nuclear save us?
Authors: Crease Robert P
Published: September 2023

Robert P Crease wonders what lessons we can learn from Oliver Stone’s “messianic” new documentary movie.
Forces of nature
Authors: Green Karel
Published: September 2023

Karel Green reviews Force: What It Means to Push and Pull, Slip and Grip, Start and Stop by Henry Petroski.
JWST spots evidence of early galaxies transforming the universe
Authors: Lea Rob
Published: September 2023

An international team of astronomers has found compelling evidence that early galaxies were responsible for the reionization of the early universe.
Fractional quantum Hall state appears in ultracold atoms
Authors: Dumé Isabelle
Published: September 2023

Physicists in the US have created a novel strongly interacting quantum liquid known as a “Laughlin state” in a gas of ultracold atoms for the first time.
Theorists: good peer reviewers but prefer significance to rigour
Authors: Randall Ian
Published: September 2023

A new study finds that theoretical physicists do a good job when peer reviewing scientific papers but tend to be more impressed by the significance of new research rather than the rigour with which it was carried out.
A welcoming space for everyone
Authors: Demming Anna
Published: September 2023

Anna Demming describes how a new charity called Space Pride wants to challenge the space industry’s outdated attitudes to diversity by hosting a fashion gala at a major space congress in Milan next year.
A manifesto for women in science
Authors: Rabey Isabel
Published: September 2023

Isabel Rabey reviews Not Just For the Boys: Why We Need More Women in Science by Athene Donald.
Ask me anything: Sara Webb
Authors: Commissariat Tushna
Published: September 2023

Sara Webb is an astrophysicist and science communicator at the Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. Her research involves using AI and machine learning in astronomy, with a focus on finding and identifying anomalous sources of data in large and complex astrophysical surveys. She is also the mission director of the Swinburne Youth Space Innovation Challenge and in 2022 was named as one of the country’s “Superstars of STEM” – an initiative of Science and Technology Australia.
Intrinsic thermal expansion and tunability of thermal expansion coefficient in Ni-substituted Co2V2O7
Authors: Esteban Erica T B , Garcia Jasmine J , Windover Sophie R , Cooley Joya A
Published: September 2023

Framework oxide materials are well-known for exhibiting not only negative thermal expansion (NTE), but also demonstrating thermal expansion that can be controlled using composition as a tuning parameter. In this work, we study the intrinsic thermal expansion properties of Co2V2O7, which has shown bulk linear NTE, and attempt to understand how substituting Ni2+ for Co2+ will affect the thermal expansion. The isomorphic solid solution is synthesized through solid-state methods and characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and neutron diffraction. The size difference between Ni2+ and Co2+ as well as the polyhedral volume of each Co2+ metal coordination environment in the crystal structure allows Ni2+ to partially be directed toward one crystallographic site over the other. Variable temperature synchrotron XRD data are employed to understand intrinsic thermal expansion. Across the solid solution, no intrinsic NTE is observed at the microscopic level, yet a degree of tunability in the thermal expansion coefficient with Ni substitution is demonstrated. The disparities between the intrinsic and bulk thermal expansion properties suggest that a morphological mechanism may have resulted in NTE in the bulk.
Zilber’s restricted trichotomy in characteristic zero
Authors: Castle Benjamin
Published: September 2023

We prove the characteristic zero case of Zilber’s Restricted Trichotomy Conjecture. That is, we show that ifM\mathcal Mis any non-locally modular strongly minimal structure interpreted in an algebraically closed fieldKKof characteristic zero, thenM\mathcal Mitself interpretsKK; in particular, any non-1-based structure interpreted inKKis mutually interpretable withKK. Notably, we treat both the ‘one-dimensional’ and ‘higher-dimensional’ cases of the conjecture, introducing new tools to resolve the higher-dimensional case and then using the same tools to recover the previously known one-dimensional case.
Approximation of Stochastic Volterra Equations with kernels of completely monotone type
Authors: Alfonsi Aurélien , Kebaier Ahmed
Published: September 2023

In this work, we develop a multifactor approximation for

d
d

-dimensional Stochastic Volterra Equations (SVE) with Lipschitz coefficients and kernels of completely monotone type that may be singular. First, we prove an

L
2

L^2

-estimation between two SVEs with different kernels, which provides a quantification of the error between the SVE and any multifactor Stochastic Differential Equation (SDE) approximation. For the particular rough kernel case with Hurst parameter lying in

(
0
,
1

/

2
)

(0,1/2)

, we propose various approximating multifactor kernels, state their rates of convergence and illustrate their efficiency for the rough Bergomi model. Second, we study a Euler discretization of the multifactor SDE and establish a convergence result towards the SVE that is uniform with respect to the approximating multifactor kernels. These obtained results lead us to build a new multifactor Euler scheme that reduces significantly the computational cost in an asymptotic way compared to the Euler scheme for SVEs. Finally, we show that our multifactor Euler scheme outperforms the Euler scheme for SVEs for option pricing in the rough Heston model.
Power detection over number fields
Authors: Belabas Karim , Simon Denis
Published: September 2023

We describe an algorithm that, given an integral ideal

A

\mathfrak {A}

in a number field 

K
K

, finds the largest integer

k
⩾
1

k\geqslant 1

such that

A

\mathfrak {A}

is a

k
k

-th power, and at the same time computes the ideal

B

\mathfrak {B}

such that

A

=

B

k

\mathfrak {A} = \mathfrak {B}^k

. This algorithm does not require the complete factorization of

A

\mathfrak {A}

into a product of prime ideals; given the maximal order

Z

K

\mathbb {Z}_K

, we prove that it has polynomial time complexity. We apply this algorithm to the reduction of elements of

K
∗

K^*

modulo

k
k

-th powers.
Refined conserved quantities criteria for the ideal MHD equations in a bounded domain
Authors: Wang Yanqing , Wang Ruiling , Ye Yulin
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we present two sufficient conditions keeping the total energy and cross-helicity conservation in spaces

B
_

3
,
V
M
O

α

(
Ω
)

\underline {B}^{\alpha }_{3,VMO}(\Omega )

and

B

3
,
∞

β

(
Ω
)

B^{\beta }_{3,\infty }(\Omega )

for the ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations in a bounded domain. This generalizes the sufficient criteria for conserved quantities recently obtained by Bardos, Gwiazda, Świerczewska Gwiazda, Titi and Wiedemann [Proc. A. 475 (2019), 18 pp.] and by Wang and Zuo [J. Differential Equations 268 (2020), pp. 4079–4101].
p97/VCP Promotes the Recycling of Endocytic Cargo
Authors: Kawan Mona , Körner Maria , Schlosser Andreas , Buchberger Alexander
Published: September 2023

The endocytic pathway is of central importance for eukaryotic cells, as it enables uptake of extracellular materials, membrane protein quality control and recycling, as well as modulation of receptor signaling. While the ATPase p97 (VCP, Cdc48) has been found to be involved in the fusion of early endosomes and endolysosomal degradation, its role in endocytic trafficking is still incompletely characterized. Here, we identify myoferlin (MYOF), a ferlin family member with functions in membrane trafficking and repair, as a hitherto unknown p97 interactor. The interaction of MYOF with p97 depends on the cofactor PLAA previously linked to endosomal sorting. Besides PLAA, shared interactors of p97 and MYOF comprise several proteins involved in endosomal recycling pathways, including Rab11, Rab14, and the transferrin receptor CD71. Accordingly, a fraction of p97 and PLAA localizes to MYOF-, Rab11-, and Rab14-positive endosomal compartments. Pharmacological inhibition of p97 delays transferrin recycling, indicating that p97 promotes not only the lysosomal degradation, but also the recycling of endocytic cargo.
GOWDL: gene ontology-driven wide and deep learning model for cell typing of scRNA-seq data
Authors: Fiannaca Antonino , La Rosa Massimo , La Paglia Laura , Gaglio Salvatore , Urso Alfonso
Published: September 2023

Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) allows for obtaining genomic and transcriptomic profiles of individual cells. That data make it possible to characterize tissues at the cell level. In this context, one of the main analyses exploiting scRNA-seq data is identifying the cell types within tissue to estimate the quantitative composition of cell populations. Due to the massive amount of available scRNA-seq data, automatic classification approaches for cell typing, based on the most recent deep learning technology, are needed. Here, we present the gene ontology-driven wide and deep learning (GOWDL) model for classifying cell types in several tissues. GOWDL implements a hybrid architecture that considers the functional annotations found in Gene Ontology and the marker genes typical of specific cell types. We performed cross-validation and independent external testing, comparing our algorithm with 12 other state-of-the-art predictors. Classification scores demonstrated that GOWDL reached the best results over five different tissues, except for recall, where we got about 92% versus 97% of the best tool. Finally, we presented a case study on classifying immune cell populations in breast cancer using a hierarchical approach based on GOWDL.
A-021 Comparing the Time Between the 1st and 2nd Troponin in Male and Female Patients in Singapore and Calgary, Alberta: Evidence of Extended Pre-preanalytical Time in Females with Low ACS Risk
Authors: Qiu Y , Aw T , Sadrzadeh H , Cembrowski G
Published: September 2023

Background

At the 2022 AACC national meeting, in our assessment of reference change values (RCV) in troponins ordered in Calgary and Singapore, we postulated that there were gender differences in troponin-ordering between the two cities.

Methods

Singapore Changi Hospital ED patients [July 2018–July 2020] and Calgary patients [December 2017–December 2021] had hsTnT measured with the Roche Elecsys assay on multiple, local Cobas e801’s. The first two troponins of each patient were selected if they were ordered within 12 h. The troponin pairs were grouped by city, patient sex and whether the troponin pairs fulfilled the criteria of low likelihood of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) according to city specific guidelines.

Results

The figure compares the average time difference between the first and second troponin test of females and males stratified by the initial troponin value. The paired t-test conducted shows that in Singapore there was no significant difference in the time for females and males to receive a second troponin test while in Calgary the time for females to receive a second troponin test was significantly longer (P < 0.0001) than males.

Conclusion

The significant difference between Calgary females and males in average time between the first and second troponin tests supports the idea that there may be gender specific differences in troponin ordering timing and patterns. 62%–68% of all laboratory errors originate from pre-pre-analytical processes of which timing is a factor. The well documented atypical presentation of myocardial infarction in females may contribute to the delayed second test in women. This timing difference may be a contributor to the RCV variance observed in our previous study which identified gender differences in the assessment of RCV in troponins ordered in Calgary and Singapore.
A-022 Muscle and Cardiac Marker Levels Impact for SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Carvalho G C , Carvalho R P , Ramadan D R , Tufik S
Published: September 2023

Background

To diagnose cardiac problems, biomarkers such as CK-MB and troponin are effective tools. COVID-19 negatively affects the cardiovascular and muscular systems, potentially causing heart failure and arrhythmias. In addition, COVID-19 can also lead to muscle wasting and muscle weakness and the correlation between CK levels and muscle injury in SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis is not well studied. Our aim is to study the relationship between serum levels of muscle and cardiac injury markers on the same day as SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis.

Methods

Study population and characteristics: This study enrolled an 11-month retrospective analysis from a large laboratory database in the city of São Paulo, Brazil from January 2022 to November 2022, from a specific patient population. Individuals aged 18 or older with available records for markers such as creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), and troponin were selected, including only outpatient results. All individuals in this group, suspected of having COVID-19, underwent SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis by RT-PCR at physician’s request. Statistical analysis: The Mann–Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for statistical analysis. Results with P < 0.05 were considered significant.

Results

A total of 1109 samples collected through nasopharyngeal swabs from individuals with or without SARS-CoV-2 infection were analyzed, upon medical request for PCR molecular diagnosis. There were 555 (50.04%) men and 554 (49.96%) women evaluated with a mean age of 60.1 ± 0.54 SEM. Of these, 312 (28.1%) were positive for the virus and 797 (71.9%) were negative. No differences in cardiac markers were observed between the two groups (SARS-CoV-2 positive group compared to non-infected individuals). Significant differences regarding the reduction of CK levels were mainly observed in men compared to women positive for SARS-CoV-2 (P < 0.05). Finally, no differences in CK serum levels were observed when the SARS-CoV-2 group was analyzed by age stratification data for the 31–40, 41–50, 51–60, or 61–90-years old groups.

Conclusion

Identifying a specific group’s fingerprint of injury biomarkers, such as creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), and troponin, at the same time point when individuals are laboratory-confirmed positive for SARS-CoV-2, could be valuable for risk management strategies. We recognize the significance of evaluating these biomarkers in populations infected with SARS-CoV-2 and acknowledge the need for follow-up studies.
A-035 Association between Obesity and Prostate Specific Antigen level in Diabetes Mellitus Type2
Authors: Ugwunna O C , Okafor E N , Ugwunna N C , Chukwukelu E E , Eze U A , Uzoigwe S O , Aniogo E C
Published: September 2023

Background

Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index commonly used to classify obesity. It is defined as a person’s weight(kg) divided by the square of his height (m). An inverse relationship between obesity and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has been reported by previous studies with lower PSA levels found in groups with a higher body mass index (BMI). The main objective of this current study is to assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and PSA in male patients with diabetes mellitus.

Methods

This study uses a case-control experimental procedure to assess adult men between 40–75 years old, attending University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu State, Nigeria. Eighty-six (86) of the volunteers recruited for this study were patients diagnosed with type II diabetes, and sixty (60) others were non-diabetic patients used as controls. Consent was sorted from these patients, and a questionnaire was given to the participants in which data about their age, family history of diabetes, and prostate condition was collected. Their hospital folders were used to confirm their diabetic status and prostate gland health. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated after measuring weight (kg) and height(m). Blood samples were assayed to determine the fasting blood sugar (FBS) using Glucose Oxidase enzymatic method, and total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA) concentration was determined using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The Body mass index (BMI), as a “gold standard” approach for obesity classification, was used to group the patients as; underweight (below 18.5), normal weight (18.5–24.9), pre-obesity (25.0–29.9), obesity class I (30–34.9), obesity class II (35.0–34.9), and obesity class III (40 and above). The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 was used to analyze data generated and compared between groups using student T-test. Statistical difference was at a P value of 0.05 or higher.

Results

The result of this study demonstrated a significant difference in the BMI of diabetic men (test) and non-diabetic men (control). Moreso, lower tPSA was observed in obese men compared to normal BMI in both test and control. Hemodilution caused by elevated plasma volume, which may reduce serum concentration of soluble tumor markers, may be responsible for lower PSA levels in obese men.

Conclusion

Obesity may hinder the ability to detect prostate cancer at an earlier stage. Therefore, BMI should be considered while determining a PSA threshold for prostate disorders screening.
A-061 Performance Evaluation of Improved Versions of Norudia GA Reagents that Reduce Negative Interference During Glycated Albumin Measurements
Authors: Park H , Lee B , Kim S
Published: September 2023

Background

Glycated albumin (glycoalbumin, GA) is a biomarker that represents the glycemic status of a short period. While the Norudia GA assay kit (Sekisui Medical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) demonstrated a performance comparative to that of the Lucica GA-L (Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, Tokyo, Japan), we have experienced a few cases with extremely low GA levels measured with Norudia GA, inconsistent with the clinical status. Hence, we have evaluated the analytical performance of the improved version of the Norudia GA that claims to have solved the false negative issue.

Methods

Precision and linearity was evaluated following the guidance of the CLSI EP05-A3 and EP06-A, respectively. Comparative study was performed against the Lucica GA-L and the prior version of Norudia GA with respect to the CLSI EP09-A3. Temperature stability of GA was also assessed. Sample stability under 4 °C and −70 °C was evaluated using 7 specimens including 1 false negative specimen. Along with the initial result, the results after 7, 14, and 28 days of storage were evaluated. To verify the current GA reference interval of our institute, samples from 20 healthy controls (10 males and 10 females) were used according to the CLSI EP28-A3C.

Results

Precision analysis showed acceptable results. The ranges of repeatability and within-laboratory CV were 1.5%–2.2% and 3.1%–5.3%, respectively. In the linearity analysis, it was demonstrated that the best fit was first order in the polynomial regression with a slope of 1.040 (95% CI, 1.004–1.075) and a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.998. The method comparison with respect to the Lucica GA-L assay and the original version of the Norudia GA assay exhibited a Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) of 0.985 and 0.973, respectively. The Bland-Altman plot revealed that the samples with falsely low results obtained using the original Norudia GA resulted in a higher GA result when measured with the improved version of the Norudia GA. Sample stability revealed that there is a tendency of increasing GA upon storage duration in both 4 °C and −70 °C. Transference of the reference interval was verified. Negative interferences were reduced in the improved version of the Norudia GA.

Conclusion

The new improved version of the Norudia GA assay showed comparable performance in measuring GA as well as reduced interference in samples that had shown false negative results in the original version of the Norudia GA.
A-075 Development and Validation of Image-based Cell Counter Microscanner C3 for CD34-positive Hematopoietic Stem Cell Enumeration
Authors: Lee C , Park I , Yoon S , Lim C , Kwon J
Published: September 2023

Background

Accurate measurement of CD34-positive hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is critical for successful peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). Flow cytometry is by far the gold standard for measuring CD34-positive stem cells. However, its complicated procedure requires time, cost and highly-trained operators, thus the necessity of simpler and cheaper alternative method is emerging. We have developed a new image-based cell counter, Microscanner C3 (MSC3, Biozentech, South Korea) as an alternative method for enumeration of CD34-positive HSCs and evaluated its performance.

Methods

100 µl of apheresis product was stained with CD45-BB515 and CD34-PE antibodies (Becton Dickinson, USA) at room temperature in the dark. Red blood cell lysis with 500 µl of OptiLyze C solution (Beckman Coulter, USA) was followed by centrifugation. After the removal of supernatants, the sample was resuspended with 500 µL PBS, which then infused to filter paper imbedded BZ-1 microchip (Biozentech, South Korea). Thirty-fields of the loaded microchip was auto-scanned by MSC3 and its dedicated software analyzed the images and yielded CD34-positive cell fraction out of CD45-positive cells as percentage. Results of thirty-six samples were compared to that of FacsLyric (Beckton Dickinson, USA) flow cytometry and accuracy and imprecision (pentaplicate measurements for three samples), repeatability (two experimenters performed triplicate measurements for three samples each), linearity (triplicate measurements for five levels), limit of detection (hexaplicate measurements for five levels) and specificity (using whole blood specimen from three donors with monoclonal gammopathy, thrombocytosis or monocytosis) was evaluated.

Results

CV% values of inaccuracy, imprecision and repeatability did not exceed 15%. The method was found to be linear across the measuring range. LOD was evaluated to be 7 cells/µL and no background interference was detected. The difference between the measured fraction of MSC3 and FacsLyric was within allowable limit, with an R-value greater than 0.98.

Conclusion

We developed a reliable method for quantifying CD34-positive HSCs based on image analysis. The limitation involved in MSC3 applications in CD34-positive HSCs is that, like dual-platform flow cytometry, the results should be combined with the results of conventional hematology analyzer in order to define absolute HSC numbers. However, with its simpler and faster procedures, MSC3 exhibited a great potential to be used as an alternative to conventional flow cytometry in CD34-positive HSCs enumeration and other applications as well.
A-076 Abbott Alinity ci System Automated Sample Interference Indices for Immunoassays
Authors: Berman M , Anderson M
Published: September 2023

Background

The Alinity ci system Sample Interference Indices (HIL) provides a more accurate and consistent method for interpretation of interferents than time consuming visual interpretation. The Alinity c system uses specific wavelength pairs and an algorithm to provide a Sample Interference Index that can correlate with sample interference due to hemolysis, bilirubin and turbidity present in serum/plasma samples. Using just a single aspiration from a sample, the individual or all 3 indices can be selected to be reported. These values in combination with assay specific endogenous interference can be used to determine the potential for HIL interference in the Alinity i immunoassays.

Methods

The HIL methodology will be reviewed and discussed. The study followed Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) protocol EP7-A2. Interferences were studied up to concentrations of 1000 mg/dL for hemoglobin, 30 mg/dL for bilirubin (unconjugated) and 1000 mg/dL for triglycerides in serum. Serial dilutions of the sample pools were analyzed in replicates of 4 on the Alinity c system. A cumulative summary was compiled of the Hemolysis, Icterus and Lipemia indices for 100 Alinity immunoassays.

Results

Using known concentrations of hemoglobin, bilirubin and Intralipid, the Abbott Semi-Quantitative Index (concentration range in mg/dL) and Qualitative Index (Blank, 1+, 2+, 3+ 4+) were confirmed on the Alinity c system. Correlation studies show a linear relationship (r = 1.0) of the indices with increasing concentration of analyte. An easy-to-use guide was created that combines the HIL Qualitative and Quantitative Index scores with the assay specific interference results to provide a guide to potential interferents for the Alinity i immunoassays. This guide provides background information on the causes of HIL interferences, conversion factors from Conventional to SI units and denotes the specific concentrations of interferents which could lead to an over or under estimation in the presence of hemoglobin, bilirubin and/or lipemia. In addition, the effects of the influence of two or more HIL interferents on assay reported results is discussed. The majority (96%) of the 100 immunoassays had no significant interference using samples with elevated H, I or L index values. The remaining 3 assays showed slight interference.

Conclusion

The Alinity ci system provides a simple and automated procedure for determining the sample indices (HIL) for patient specimens. These HIL values in combination with assay specific endogenous interference results can be used to determine the potential for HIL interference in the Alinity i immunoassays to avoid misdiagnosis.
A-079 Analytical Assessment of Abbott’s SigmaSTRONG assays on the Alinity c and ARCHITECT c Systems
Authors: Cox S , James T , Allott K , Ervankai R , Potter G H , Allen G , Lapić I , Komljenović S , Bogić A , Rogić D
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Clinical chemistry assays are responsible for 57% of all core lab testing (1) as a result there is an ever-increasing demand to improve the accuracy and reliability of results in clinical laboratories. Sigma metrics have proven to be powerful tools for quantitatively evaluating clinical assay and instrument performance. The Sigma performance of an assay is calculated from the formula (TEa-Bias)/CV. To address modern clinical laboratory performance requirements Abbott has developed and launched a portfolio of clinical chemistry assays under the brand name Sigma STRONG ™ which claim to achieve world class performance with a Sigma Metric of ≥6 for 86% of products within this portfolio (2). The purpose of this study is to assess these assays against Abbott’s products requirement (PR) for precision and method comparison.

Methods

Assay precision (%CV) studies were performed based on guidance from CLSI EP05-A3 using 2–3 levels of commercially available serum-based control material. Method Comparison (MC) studies were performed based on guidance from CLSI EP09-A3 using the Passing-Bablok regression method. Assays under investigation were assessed for performance on either the Abbott Alinity c or Abbott ARCHITECT c systems.

Results

Conclusion

This study has confirmed the sigma STRONG ™ assays, under assessment, have met Abbott’s product requirement for both precision and method comparison.
A-091 Assessing the Reliability of Creatinine-Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Living Kidney Donor Candidates: Does it Measure up to the Measured Rate?
Authors: Lahorewala S , Yi X , Bertholf R
Published: September 2023

Background

A living donor kidney transplant is the best therapy option for patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD); however, it is associated with an increased risk of ESRD development in the donor. Thorough evaluation of the donor candidate’s kidney function status is essential for the appropriate selection of candidates with minimal risk of post-donation kidney dysfunction.

Methods

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) values measured by iohexol plasma clearance (mGFR) and estimated by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-Epi) creatinine equations (eGFR), with and without the race factor (2009 and 2021 CKD-Epi equations, respectively), were compared in a cohort of 303 kidney donor candidates. GFR values were analyzed using Bland-Altman plots, linear regression, Mann–Whitney U-tests, and p10 and p30 values.

Results

Bland-Altman analysis revealed a lack of agreement between the 2009 and 2021 CKD-Epi eGFR and corresponding mGFR values, with both equations showing a negative bias of 10–11 mL/min/1.73 m2 and indicating an underestimation of creatinine-eGFR. eGFR underestimation was confirmed by Mann Whitney U analysis; median GFR values were significantly lower for both CKD-Epi equations as compared to corresponding iohexol-measured values (2009: 85.86; 2021: 87.29; mGFR: 96.58). Despite the overall underestimation, over 14% of donor candidates with eGFR >90 mL/min/1.73 m2 had an mGFR value <90 mL/min/1.73 m2. Conversely, 36%–38% of donors with normal kidney function of >90 mL/min/1.73 m2 as determined by iohexol-mGFR had corresponding eGFR values <90 mL/min/1.73 m2. eGFR showed a significant but poor correlation with mGFR, with R2 values of 0.2775 and 0.2803, respectively. While the 2021 eGFR equation had better accuracy as compared to the 2009 equation (p30 of 81% vs 76%), it displayed low overall accuracy with a p10 of <43%. Separate analysis of Black donor candidates’ eGFR and mGFR values revealed similar trends as observed for the total cohort. While exclusion of the race factor in the 2021 CKD-Epi equation slightly improved accuracy (p30 of 77% vs 72%), the correlation with mGFR remained poor for both equations (R2: 0.1455 and 0.1377 for the 2009 and 2021 equations, respectively).

Conclusion

The results of this study confirmed that creatinine-eGFR values, regardless of the race factor, differ significantly from iohexol-mGFR. Our data shows that even potential kidney donors with eGFR >90 mL/min/1.73 m2 cannot be presumed to have normal kidney function, while eGFR <90 mL/min/1.73 m2 cannot accurately exclude donor candidates. We conclude that creatinine-eGFR cannot reliably serve as a substitute for mGFR in the context of living donor kidney function evaluation.
A-098 Preliminary Tests of Cell Viability, Proteins and mRNA after Freezing PBMC for the Study of Chronic and Acute Lymphoproliferative Leukemias
Authors: Feres M C , Soares L V , Roz S D , Souza O F , Vicari P , Cabral C C , Ramadan D R , Tufik S , Popi A F
Published: September 2023

The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cryopreserved are widely used in human immunology. However, PBMC, like other cell types, are sensitive to the freezing process. The impact of cryopreservation on T and B cell subsets of PBMC remains a challenge. For human PBMC, some reports have not observed significant changes between fresh and frozen cells in terms of proportions, phenotype and functionality, as well as antigen-specific responses or response to mitogens. Others, however, report that cryopreservation alters the proportions of human PBMC subsets in various immune responses. With the interest of studying chronic and acute lymphoproliferative leukemias (CLL and ALL), the authors’ objective was to test the viability of PBMC cells obtained from patients with CLL and ALL before and after freezing, following a simplified protocol.

Methods

On blood samples collected in EDTA, readings and cell counts were performed. Samples with a suggestive diagnosis of CLL and ALL were selected for the separation of PBMC whose analyzes were performed before and after freezing. The freezing of the PBMC was carried out in several stages and the whole process is carried out with care and in a gradual and simplified way of freezing until reaching the liquid nitrogen phase. Cells were kept frozen in freezing medium (RPMI plus 3% DMSO and 20% fetal bovine serum) for 1 week. Afterwards, staining with Trypan blue and counting in a Neubauer chamber were carried out. Student’s t test for independent variables and a significance level of 5% were considered.

Results

Table 1.

Conclusion

The description of this technique allows its use for analysis of gene expression profile, being able to contribute with the description of the molecular signature of leukemias.
A-101 Assessing Glycemic Control in Potential Blood Donor at the Blood Bank of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
Authors: Ogunleye T D
Published: September 2023

Background

Voluntary blood donation exercise remains one the safest means of sourcing for blood product made available for patients. However, there are several eligibility criteria put in place before a prospective donor can be accepted for donation exercise. One of the eligibility criteria not commonly considered is the glycemic control of a donor. This is because pooly controlled diabetes being treated with insulin or a patent with type 1 Dm is considered unfit for blood donation. This study carried out was to determine gycemic control of the prospective donors by assaying their HBA1C levels before blood donation at the blood bank of the university college hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Methods

Venous blood of the prospective donors was collected during the screening exercise that precedes blood donation to determine eligibility. The blood was for the assay of HBA1C was collected into EDTA bottle and analysed using spectrophometric method. A total number of 184 prospective donors were screened within a period of three weeks. Any result that falls between 4.0%–5.6% was considered normal, 5.7%–6.4% was considered Pre-diabetic while results that are greater than 6.5% were considered diabetic and likely not fit for blood donation.

Results

A total number of 184 apparently healthy young adult between the ages of 19 and 45 years were screened. Out of the 184 prospective donors, 42 (22.8%) of the population were female, the remaining 142 (77.2%) were male. I56 (84.7%) of the population screened had normal gycemic control between 4.0%–5.6% while 20 (15.2%) of the population had a pre-diabetic results (5.7%–6.4%). The reaming 2 (1.1%) prospective donors had poor glycemic control (>6.5%). This suggests that most of the donors had good glycemic control.

Conclusion

As much as a good attention is placed on other eligibility criteria for blood donation attention should also be placed on the glycemic control of donor for the safety of both the donor and the recipients of blood products.
A-112 A Consensus Reference Range for Ionized Magnesium
Authors: Begos D
Published: September 2023

Objective

Ionized magnesium (iMg) is the physiologically active form of the analyte. Despite this, clinical adoption of iMg is infrequent, and there is only one commercially available analyzer that measures iMg. There are now numerous studies that have examined iMg levels in healthy individuals, and this report will summarize their findings and report a consensus reference range.

Relevance

Although reference ranges may vary based on population and location, among other factors, a baseline reference range is an important starting point to introducing a new test to any laboratory.

Methods

A literature search was performed using the search term “ionized magnesium”. Papers with reference ranges for healthy individuals measured by ion-selective electrodes were selected and an attempt was made to establish a reference range for adults and children.

Results

A total of 10 studies were identified, with 422 healthy individuals [1–10]. There were 322 adults and 100 children. Studies looked at venous samples and serum samples. Venous samples were anticoagulated with lithium heparin.Reference ranges for adults and children are shown below: To convert from mg/dL to mmol/L multiply by 0.41. To convert from mg/dL to MEq/L multiply by 1.22.

Conclusions

Although a large-scale study would be helpful in determining a more precise reference range, there is reasonably good agreement among studies evaluating iMg reference ranges in healthy adults and children. Further work to evaluate differences among different age groups, genders, and ethnic groups would be helpful to clinicians and researchers. There has been a call for updating reference ranges for total magnesium, as there is a wide variation in reported ranges [11].
A-125 Analytical Performance of Chemistry Assays Comprising the Basic Metabolic Panel on the Atellica CI 1900 Analyzer
Authors: Bogard A , Gupta P , Kellogg J , Ostolaza-Venegas K , Singh S , Tyler C , Varhue W , Arrode-Bruses G , Rhea-McManus J , Snyder J
Published: September 2023

Background

The Atellica® CI 1900 Analyzer is an automated, mid-throughput, integrated chemistry and immunoassay analyzer utilizing both Atellica CH and Atellica IM assays. This study was designed to evaluate the analytical performance of the Atellica CH Urea Nitrogen (UN_c), Creatinine (CREA_2), Enzymatic Creatinine (ECre_3), A-LYTE™ Multisensor (IMT Na K Cl), Carbon Dioxide (CO2_c), Glucose Oxidase (GluO), Glucose Hexokinase_3 (GluH_3), and Calcium_2 (CA_2) assays* on the Atellica CI 1900 Analyzer*.

Methods

The Atellica CI 1900 CH UN_c, CREA_2, ECre_3, IMT Na K Cl, CO2_c, GluO, GluH_3, and CA_2 assays use the same reagents and calibrators as the Atellica CH assays. Precision and method comparison (MC) were used as performance indicators for the Atellica CI 1900 Analyzer. Precision studies were performed according to CLSI EP05-A3 using native and contrived human serum samples. One aliquot of each sample pool was tested in duplicate in two runs per day >2 h apart on each analyzer for >20 days. MC studies were performed according to CLSI EP09-A3. Individual native and contrived human serum samples were analyzed using the Atellica CH assays on both the Atellica CH and Atellica CI 1900 Analyzers.

Results

Representative precision and MC results are listed for each assay in the table. Over the 10 assays tested, repeatability and within-lab %CVs were <5.0% and <6.0%, respectively. Slopes determined by the Deming linear regression model were approximately equal to 1.

Conclusion

Evaluation of the Atellica CH UN_c, CREA_2, ECre_3, IMT Na K Cl, CO2_c, GluO, GluH_3, and CA_2 assays using the Atellica CI 1900 Analyzer demonstrated good precision and equivalent performance compared to the same assays on the Atellica CH Analyzer.

*The products mentioned are not commercially available in all countries. Their future availability cannot be guaranteed.
A-127 Bias and Precision of a NMR-based GFR Estimating Equation in Kidney Transplant Recipients
Authors: Schwäble Santamaría A N , Meeusen J , Lieske J , Scott R J , Robertson A N , Grassi M , Schiffer E
Published: September 2023

Background

An accurate and reliable measurement of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is essential to monitor for rejection and disease progression post-kidney transplantation. Measured GFR (mGFR) is the current gold standard. However, it has scarce availability at many centers and is labor intensive. Newer estimated GFR (eGFR) methods containing cystatin-C and/or other biomarkers have not been clinically validated in a post-transplant cohort. In this study, we evaluated a new NMR-based GFR (GFRNMR) equation that contains serum creatinine, cystatin C, myoinositol, and valine in post-kidney transplant recipients in a clinical routine setting.

Methods

Venipuncture for serum collection was performed immediately prior to mGFR measurement with urinary iothalamate clearance in 67 post-kidney transplant recipients. Serum was stored at 4°C and measured by NMR no later than four days after collection. eGFR was assessed using the following equations: i) GFRNMR, ii) CKD-EPI2021Cr (creatinine) and iii) CKD-EPI2021Cr,Cys (creatinine and cystatin-C). Bias was calculated as “eGFR—mGFR” for all equations. The Bootstrap method was employed to assess pairwise significance levels between bias distributions interquartile ranges (IQR), and P-value correction was determined with the Benjamini & Hochberg method. Precision, which was defined as percentage of samples within ±30% and ±15% from the mGFR value (P30 and P15, respectively), was calculated for each equation. Pairwise comparisons were made using McNemar’s Chi-squared and Benjamini & Hochberg correction. Precision was defined as the proportion of eGFR values concordant with mGFR values by CKD clinical stage.

Results

P30 for GFRNMR was significantly higher than CKD-EPI2021 Cr,Cys (97% vs 84%, P < 0.01) and higher than CKD-EPI2021 Cr (88%, P = 0.08). Similarly, P15 for GFRNMR was 63%; higher than for CKD-EPI2021 Cr (54%, P = 0.35) and CKD-EPI2021 Cr,Cys (51%, P = 0.19). Bias IQR for GFRNMR was 9.5 mL/min/1.73 m2 (median bias 2.0 mL/min/1.73 m2); significantly smaller than for CKD-EPI2021 Cr (Bias IQR 15.55 mL/min/1.73 m2, P < 0.05; median bias 1.47 mL/min/1.73 m2), and smaller than CKD-EPI2021 Cr,Cys (Bias IQR 14.4 mL/min/1.73 m2, P = 0.09; median bias 2.3 mL/min/1.73 m2). A broad range of medications such as immune modulators, and comorbidities such as hypertension, thyroid dysfunction, and coronary artery disease, did not interfere with GFRNMR performance.

Conclusion

NMR-based eGFR was less biased, more precise, and more accurate compared to creatinine and cystatin-C CKD-EPI eGFR equations in a post-kidney transplant setting. These findings suggest GFRNMR may more closely resemble mGFR in post-transplant patients and warrants further study on its potential use to improve clinical management in this patient group.
A-129 Analytical Performance Evaluation of Vitamin D, Intact Parathyroid Hormone, and Inorganic Phosphorus on the Atellica CI 1900 Analyzer
Authors: Freeman J , Aleo R , Tyler C , Valdivia B , Rhea-McManus J , Leipold H , Snyder J
Published: September 2023

Background

The Atellica® CI 1900 Analyzer is an automated, mid-throughput, integrated chemistry and immunoassay analyzer utilizing both Atellica CH and Atellica IM assays. This study was designed to evaluate the analytical performance of the Atellica IM Vitamin D (VitD) and Intact Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) and Atellica CH Inorganic Phosphorus (IP) assays* on the Atellica CI 1900 Analyzer*.

Methods

The Atellica CI 1900 VitD, PTH, and IP assays use the same reagents and calibrators as the Atellica IM VitD and PTH and CH IP assays. Precision and method comparison (MC) were used as performance indicators for the Atellica CI 1900 Analyzer. Precision studies were performed according to CLSI EP05-A3 using native and contrived human serum (VitD and IP) or plasma (PTH) samples. One aliquot of each sample pool was tested in duplicate in two runs per day >2 h apart on each analyzer for >20 days. MC studies were performed according to CLSI EP09-A3. Native and contrived human samples were analyzed using the Atellica IM VitD and PTH assays on both the Atellica IM and Atellica CI 1900 Analyzers. For IP, native and contrived human samples were analyzed using the Atellica CH IP assay on both the Atellica CH and Atellica CI 1900 Analyzers.

Results

Representative precision and MC results for each assay across indicated sample ranges are listed in the table. For the three assays tested, repeatability and within-lab %CVs were <4.5% and <10%, respectively. Slopes determined by the Deming linear regression model were approximately equal to 1.

Conclusion

Evaluation of the Atellica IM VitD and PTH and Atellica CH IP assays using the Atellica CI 1900 Analyzer demonstrated good precision and equivalent performance compared to the same assays on their respective Atellica IM and Atellica CH Analyzers.

*The products/features mentioned are not commercially available in all countries. Their future availability cannot be guaranteed.