bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hormonal Factors Associated with Weight Loss in Patients with Advanced Breast Cancer
Authors: Knapp Martyn L , Al-Sheibani Said , Riches Pamela G , Hanham Ian W F , Phillips Robert H 
Published: February 2014

Fasting blood samples were collected from 83 patients with histologically proven breast cancer and analysed for plasma glucagon, serum immunoreactive tumour necrosis factor (TNFα), insulin, glucose, growth hormone, Cortisol and TSH. Samples from patients with known diabetes mellitus or thyroid disease, and those on parenteral nutrition or with evidence of infection were excluded as were patients who had a history of weight loss through dieting or who were anorexic. Fasting plasma glucagon, serum Cortisol and immunoreactive TNFα concentrations in patients with stage IV breast cancer who had developed weight loss were significantly higher than those in patients with stage IV disease who had not developed weight loss. There were no significant differences in the fasting serum concentrations of insulin, glucose, growth hormone and TSH between the two patient groups. The association between weight loss in stage IV breast cancer and increased concentrations of plasma glucagon, serum Cortisol and TNFα suggests a possible role for these hormonal factors in the development of cancer cachexia.
Human Serum and Urine Glycosaminoglycans in Health and in Patients with Chronic Renal Failure
Authors: Bower L , Warren C , Manley G 
Published: February 2014

Quantitation of uronic acid precipitable by cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) and electrophoretic separation of glycosaminoglycans were performed on sera from patients with chronic renal failure and compared to normal controls. Serum CPC-precipitable uronic acid (CpUA) levels in patients with renal failure were significantly higher (mean 13·7 mg/L, range 7·1–23·6 mg/L) than normal controls (mean 9·6 mg/L, range 5·1–13·9 mg/L) due to increased concentrations of low sulphated chondroitin sulphate. A positive correlation between serum CpUA and creatinine was found in renal failure patients. Urine CpUA excretion was raised in renal failure patients compared to normal controls with an increased excretion of chondroitin sulphate (Ch-S) of reduced electrophoretic mobility. Heparan sulphate (HS), a major glycosaminoglycan in normal urine, was absent from the urine of these patients. The possible origin of urine glycosaminoglycans and the role of the kidney in glycosaminoglycan metabolism are discussed.
Measurement of Sialic Acid in Serum and Urine: Clinical Applications and Limitations
Authors: Waters Paula J , Lewry Elizabeth , Pennock Charles A 
Published: February 2014

Many recent studies have examined the sialic acid content of serum or urine in various pathological states. We have briefly reviewed the substances which contribute to the observed total sialic acid concentration, and given an overview of assay methods used. Three major areas of clinical interest in sialic acid metabolism are discussed. Serum total sialic acid, ‘lipid-bound’ and ‘protein bound’ sialic acid have all been proposed as tumour markers; but the usefulness of any of these tests is severely limited by changes due to accompanying inflammatory processes. Serum total sialic acid is not a valuable simple marker of an acute phase response. Urinary free and bound sialic acid measurements should be included in screening protocols for inherited disorders of lysosomal metabolism. Current developments in research and potential applications within the clinical biochemistry laboratory are briefly discussed.
Radioimmunoassays of Arginine Vasopressin and Atrial Natriuretic Peptide: Application of a Common Protocol for Plasma Extraction Using Sep-Pak C18 Cartridges
Authors: Penney M D , Hampton D , Oleesky D A , Livingstone C , Mulkerrin E 
Published: February 2014

A rapid vacuum-driven procedure, using pre-treated Sep-Pak C18 cartridges, has been developed for the simultaneous extraction of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) from plasma. Non-specific interference was removed by fractional elution with an aqueous methanol/trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) mixture. AVP and ANP were coeluted under positive pressure with a methanol/TFA mixture and the eluates air-dried before measurement using separate radioimmunoassays. Assay ranges for AVP and ANP were 0·12–29·5 pmol/L and 0·65–162 pmol/L, respectively, with mean recoveries (standard deviation in parentheses) for AVP of 96·4% (5·5%) at a level of 11·8 pmol/L and for ANP of 94·8% (5·9%) at a level of 32·4 pmol/L. The extraction and assay procedures were validated by observing the changes in plasma AVP and ANP concentrations in normal subjects at different stages of hydration and in elderly patients during treatment for congestive cardiac failure.
Biological Variation in Glycated Proteins
Authors: Davie Sarah J , Whiting Kerry L , Gould Barry J 
Published: February 2014

The high degree of individuality in the fructosamine assay has been ascribed to non-specific interferences in the assay. To investigate this, we measured the biological variability of 10 non-diabetic subjects using the fructosamine assay, the new fructosamine plus assay, glycated albumin and glycated total plasma proteins by affinity chromatography. The total variation of the two fructosamine assays was half that of the affinity chromatography assays. This was mainly due to the greater analytical imprecision of the affinity chromatography assays. The resulting high index of heterogeneity for both affinity methods makes it difficult to assess the significance of changes in serial results. The within-subject variation made a small contribution to the total variation for all the assays, and was particularly low for the fructosamine assays. This suggests that any non-specific component makes a constant contribution to the measured fructosamine activity in non-diabetic subjects. The fructosamine assays therefore have significant advantages over the affinity chromatography methods as indices of medium-term glycaemic control.
A Pilot Scheme for Improving the Accuracy of Serum Cholesterol Measurement in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Authors: Packard C J , Bell M A , Eaton R H , Dagen M M , Cassidy M , Shepherd J 
Published: February 2014

The measurement of plasma cholesterol is subject to particularly stringent requirements of bias and imprecision because clinically important action limits lie within the bulk of the population distribution. A pilot scheme was conducted with the aim of improving the accuracy of the assay of cholesterol in 26 laboratories in Scotland and Northern Ireland. This involved the distribution of three sets of authentic human sera with varying cholesterol concentrations assigned by the reference Abell-Kendall method which was established and validated in a central laboratory. The precision (coefficient of variation) of cholesterol testing was 1·71% across all laboratories at the first distribution and this did not alter subsequently. Mean bias was initially 4·07% (median 4·14%) relative to the Abell-Kendall assigned values and this figure had fallen to 1·12% (median 0–92%) by the third distribution. We conclude that through a standardization scheme it is possible in a relatively short time to improve bias significantly and meet the criterion of < 2–3% bias required for optimum cholesterol measurement.
The Effect of Microalbuminuria on Glycaemic Control, Serum Lipids and Haemostasis Parameters in Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Donders S H J , Lustermans F A T , van Wersch J W J 
Published: February 2014

Microalbuminuria is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients although the pathogenic mechanism between microalbuminuria and cardiovascular disease has not yet been established. Microalbuminuria in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients has been related to abnormalities in haemostasis, poor glycaemic control, disadvantageous alterations in the lipid spectrum and elevated concentrations of lipoprotein(a), another independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In this study the interrelations between microalbuminuria and metabolic control, lipoprotein(a), other blood lipids and several haemostasis parameters were studied in 96 NIDDM patients (50 women, 46 men). Forty-three patients showed microalbuminuria. No significant differences were found in blood lipids (Lp(a), serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides), glycaemic control (HbA1c) and several haemostasis parameters (factor VII, VIII, fibrin monomer, thrombin-antithrombin III, D-dimer, tissue plasminogen activator antigen and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1) between the micro- and normoalbuminuric subgroups. In the microalbuminuric subgroup increased concentrations for plasminogen and α2-antiplasmin were measured. In general, the presence of microalbuminuria was not associated with significant alterations in glycaemic control, blood lipids or haemostasis parameters in this group of 96 NIDDM patients. Further investigation is required to explain the excess cardiovascular mortality in patients with an elevated urinary albumin excretion rate.
Comparison of Paired Short Synacthen and Insulin Tolerance Tests Soon after Pituitary Surgery
Authors: Jackson R S , Carter G D , Wise P H , Alaghband-Zadeh J 
Published: February 2014

The cortisol responses to hypoglycaemia (insulin tolerance test, ITT) and tetracosactrin (short Synacthen test, SST) were compared after hypophysectomy to evaluate the SST for the assessment of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis function in the immediate post-operative period. In 12 patients who were tested a mean of 21 months postoperatively (range 1–96) peak plasma cortisol in the SST correlated with that in the ITT ( r = 0·90). Correlation was also seen in 12 patients tested a mean of 9 days (range 4–18) after hypophysectomy ( r = 0·73). Basal-peak cortisol increments did not correlate. The peak plasma cortisol response in each test was classified by comparison with a reference value of 550 nmol/L. On this basis there was a notable discrepancy between the ITT and SST results in only one patient who was tested 4 days after hypophysectomy. The close correlation between ITT and SST responses after pituitary surgery extends into the immediate post operative period and indicates that the latter test can be used to screen HPA axis function at this time.
Lack of Evidence for Aromatase Expression in Human Ovarian Epithelial Carcinoma
Authors: Imai Atsushi , Ohno Tsukasa , Takahashi Kyoko , Furui Tatsuro , Tamaya Teruhiko 
Published: February 2014

It is controversial whether ovarian epithelial carcinoma possesses steroidogenic enzymes. We investigated aromatase expression in ovarian epithelial carcinoma, and compared it with the normal ovary and placenta. Samples were obtained from an ovarian carcinoma cell line SK-OV-3, ovarian tumour tissues from four patients with epithelial carcinoma and one patient with dysgerminoma. Aromatase enzymatic activity was measured in microsome fractions by quantitating 3H2O released from [1-3H]androstenedione and [3H]oestrone converted from [1,2,6,7-3H]androstenedione. Aromatase messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using oligonucleotide primers synthesized according to the published human aromatase gene sequence. No aromatase activity was detected in either of two mucinous cystadenocarcinoma specimens or in SK-OV-3 cells, while aromatization proceeded with apparent Michaelis-Menten kinetics in the normal ovaries and placentas. The apparent Km value was 200 nmol/L for the ovary. Aromatase mRNA was detected in dysgerminoma, and the normal ovary and placenta, but not in any of three mucinous cystadenocarcinoma specimens, one serous cystadenocarcinoma specimen and SK-OV-3 cells. These results for both enzyme activity and gene expression suggest that the human ovarian epithelial carcinoma lacks aromatase. The demonstration of absence of aromatase gene expression raises the possibility that aromatase activity in ovaries bearing epithelial carcinoma may be associated with hyperplastic stromal rather than tumour cells.
Elimination of Bilirubin Interference in Creatinine Assays by Routine Techniques: Comparisons with a High Performance Liquid Chromatography Method
Authors: Boot Sandra , LaRoche Nicholas , Legg Edward F 
Published: February 2014

The aim of this study was to find a method for creatinine analysis unaffected by jaundice by comparing four different methods with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as a reference method. The methods investigated were Kodak DTSC single slide, Boehringer alkaline picrate with and without blank correction and a Boehringer enzymatic method, the last three using the Hitachi 737 analyser. HPLC results were compared with the results of the methods studied. In addition, graphs plotting the difference from the HPLC result against the bilirubin concentration were made; the ideal method would yield a slope and intercept of zero. While all methods showed a positive bias compared with HPLC, the Kodak slide and the Boehringer alkaline picrate with blank correction methods eliminated bilirubin interference and we have changed to the latter method as a consequence of this work.
External Quality Assessment of Urinary-Free Cortisol Measurement in the UK against a Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy Reference Method
Authors: Holder Geoffrey 
Published: February 2014

The performance of methods used for the measurement of urinary-free cortisol (UFC) has been monitored in the UK by an external quality assessment scheme (EQAS). Bias and variation of the bias (VAR) from the all laboratories trimmed mean (ALTM) show that mean bias ranged from −15·5% to + 83·1% and mean VAR from 9·3% to 53·2%. The dominant kit methods had a bias range of −4·2% and + 56·9% and VAR between 11·4% and 18·4%. Recovery of added cortisol ranged from 74·9% to 207·2%. The precision of the estimate of urinary-free cortisol was different for different methods and changed with concentration. When methods were compared with a gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GCMS) target there was a linear correlation between per cent bias from the ALTM and from the GCMS result with the ALTM averaging 63·1% greater than the GCMS value.
Lower Values for Immunoglobulin M in Cerebrospinal Fluid When Sampled with an Atraumatic Sprotte Needle Compared with Conventional Lumbar Puncture
Authors: Öhman Sten , Ernerudh Jan , Forsberg Pia , Roberg Magnus , Vrethem Magnus 
Published: February 2014

Immunoglobulin M (IgM) has a very low concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) compared with serum, and therefore determinations of IgM in CSF are highly sensitive to pre-analytical errors caused by contamination with serum or interstitial fluid. Capillary attraction causes a thin layer of liquid containing serum proteins to be formed inside a conventional (Quincke) needle during penetration of tissue. To investigate this source of pre-analytical error, 35 patients had lumbar punctures using a 22 G atraumatic (Sprotte) or 25 G conventional (Quincke) needle according to a randomized scheme, and the IgM concentrations in CSF and serum were determined. The CSF IgM concentrations for samples taken with a Sprotte needle were significantly lower than those taken with a Quincke needle ( P < 0·05), whereas the corresponding serum IgM concentrations and CSF erythrocyte counts did not differ significantly. The difference indicates that CSF IgM concentrations determined after conventional sampling may be falsely increased by contamination. We conclude that IgM concentrations in CSF samples taken with the atraumatic technique are more accurate, and recommend the use of this technique when CSF IgM is to be determined.
Measured versus Calculated Latent Iron Binding Capacity in Plasma of Newborns
Authors: Lentjes Eef G W M , Lindeman Jan H N , van de Bent Wil , Berger Howard M 
Published: February 2014

Iron overload as well as iron deficiency may play a role in the pathogenesis of diseases in the newborn and infant and therefore knowledge of the iron status is essential. Using an automated method for the determination of plasma latent iron-binding capacity (LIBC) we measured the LIBC in 20 full term and 20 preterm babies and 20 adults. LIBC was also calculated from transferrin and iron concentration. The measured LIBC strongly deviated from calculated LIBC in some samples and in seven of 20 preterm babies no LIBC could be detected, suggesting the presence of non-protein-bound iron fraction. The results suggest that in the neonate calculated LIBC overestimate the ability of the plasma to bind excessive iron.
Quantification of Serum Proteins Using Capillary Electrophoresis
Authors: Jenkins M A , Guerin M D 
Published: February 2014

Capillary electrophoresis is a technique that can be automated for the separation of charged particles. By investigating suitable sample dilution and injection time and adhering to a strict washing procedure we have been able to quantify paraproteins in serum samples. This has enabled us to use the technique of capillary electrophoresis for the provision of serum protein electrophoresis in a routine clinical laboratory. We present our findings of 260 serum samples, which included 76 samples with paraproteins analysed by both capillary electrophoresis (EC) and high resolution agarose gel electrophoresis (HRAGE). CE was able to detect all the monoclonal bands detected by HRAGE, and, in particular, better able to detect IgA monoclonal bands occurring in the beta region. The major advantages of CE over HRAGE relate to the automated nature of CE with the elimination of the need for a densitometer.
Assessment of Iron Status in Association with Excess Alcohol Consumption
Authors: Ford C , Wells F E , Rogers J N 
Published: February 2014

Biochemical evidence of iron overload (transferrin saturation greater than 60% and/or serum ferritin concentration greater than 1000 μg/L) was observed in 16% of patients admitted to an alcohol withdrawal unit. No subjects in an age and sex matched control group showed such biochemical changes. Whilst changes in serum ferritin concentration closely correlated with aspartate aminotransferase activity and could be explained by alcohol induced liver damage, the increased transferrin saturation was not similarly explained. In nine patients withdrawal of alcohol resulted in a decrease in transferrin saturation and serum ferritin, the former due to a reduction in serum iron concentration. In patients with high alcohol intake biochemical measures of iron status may be misleading and a decrease in both transferrin saturation and serum ferritin concentration after withdrawal of alcohol may help to rule out the possible diagnosis of hereditary haemochromatosis.
Comparison of Biochemical Markers of Bone Resorption in Patients with Metabolic and Malignant Bone Diseases
Authors: Withold W , Friedrich W , Reinauer H 
Published: February 2014

The clinical usefulness of the urinary excretion of three bone resorption markers is compared in patients after renal transplantation and in tumour patients with and without bone metastases. The markers were the 3-hydroxypyridinium derivatives pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline (pyridinium cross-links; measured by a polyclonal enzyme immunoassay), the cross-linked N-telopeptid-to-helix domain of type I collagen and the destruction products of type I collagen metabolism cross-reacting with a peptide sequence of the α1-chain of the C-terminal telopeptide region of type I collagen (CrossLaps™). In patients receiving renal transplantation the discriminating power of N-telopeptides was superior to that of pyridinium cross-links and CrossLaps™, with Z scores (number of SDs from apparently healthy controls) of 6·61, 2·17 and 1·35, respectively. However, the pyridinium cross-links were the only markers for bone resorption which showed a significant increase with time ( P < 0·001). Receiver operating-characteristic analysis for discriminating patients with bone metastases from those without revealed that the accuracy was 0·81 for pyridinium cross-links, 0·76 for the N-telopeptides and 0·61 for CrossLaps™. The discriminating power for patients with bone metastases was higher for pyridinium cross-links and N-telopeptides than for CrossLaps™, with Z scores (number of SDs from patients without bone metastases) of 4·38, 3·00 and 1·24, respectively. Linear correlation coefficients for the different markers were between + 0·35 and + 0·65 in patients receiving renal transplants, and between + 0·58 and + 0·84 in patients with bone metastases. In conclusion, in patients with metabolic and malignant bone diseases there are marked differences in the diagnostic performance of different biochemical markers of bone resorption. It is suggested that this may reflect the different facets of bone resorption or the different metabolic fates of the marker substances examined.
Simplified Detection of a Mutation Causing Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Throughout Britain: Evidence for an Origin in a Common Distant Ancestor
Authors: Wenham Philip R , Haddad Lema , Panarelli Maurizio , Ashby J Peter , Day Ian N M , Giles Paul D , Humphries Steve E , Penney Michael D , Rae Peter W H , Walker Simon W 
Published: February 2014

Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is an inherited autosomal codominant disorder caused by many different mutations in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene. The one described most frequently in patients with FH from England, arises from a G→A transition at the first nucleotide of codon 80, resulting in the substitution of lysine for glutamic acid at residue 80 of the mature protein, FH E80K. We describe a simple method to detect this mutation in genomic DNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A 69 base pair (bp) fragment of exon 3 of the LDLR gene is amplified using a mutagenic upstream PCR primer. This substitutes a T for an A residue in the amplified product, 2 bp upstream from the mutant site, generating a restriction site for the endonuclease Taq I, in normal, but not in mutant DNA. Following digestion of amplified DNA with Taq I, normal but not mutant DNA is cut into two fragments of 29 and 40 bp, which are readily identified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Using this method, 410 patients with clinically diagnosed FH, attending lipid clinics in Edinburgh (72), Newport (158), Walsall (30) and Southampton (150), were screened for the mutation. Five individuals tested positive as heterozygotes, one from Edinburgh, three from Newport and one from Southampton. This finding was confirmed by DNA sequence analysis. We conclude that FH due to this mutation occurs in individuals throughout Great Britain and that it can be detected acccurately using this simple technique. DNA from these and other individuals previously identified to be heterozygous for FH E80K, was then studied using PCR of highly informative microsatellite markers flanking the LDLR gene. Sixteen of 17 apparently unrelated individuals heterozygous for FH E80K also were heterozygous for an identical size (239 nucleotide) allele, of polymorphic microsatellite D19S394, located approximately 250 kb away from the LDLR gene. This supports the hypothesis that FH E80K in these 16 individuals arose from a single ancestor less than 1000 years ago.