Establishing reference intervals for islet autoantibodies in Han Chinese type 1 diabetes.

Currently, islet autoantibodies (IAbs) constitute the most reliable marker for detecting the autoimmune process of type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, there are no appropriate reference intervals (RIs) to interpret the results of IAbs in China. In this study, we aimed to establish the RIs of four common IAbs based on the Han Chinese population and evaluate their clinical diagnostic values in patients with T1D. We collected 177 blood samples from healthy volunteers to detect the levels of IAbs directed against insulin (IAA), glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 (GADA), insulinoma antigen 2 (IA-2A), and zinc transporter-8 (ZnT8A) using a chemiluminescence immunoassay. RIs were calculated using nonparametric 95th percentile intervals in accordance with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines, and their clinical diagnostic values were evaluated by detecting the levels of IAbs of 140 blood samples from patients with T1D in a clinical setting. We defined 138 individuals as the apparently healthy population from the 177 healthy volunteers based on the exclusion criteria. No association between the levels of the four IAbs and gender (p > .05) and age (p > .05) were found in the apparently healthy population. The combined RIs for GADA, IA-2A, ZnT8A, and IAA were 0-1.78 IU/mL, 0-3.91 IU/mL, 0-2.36 AU/mL, and 0-0.58 COI, respectively. Overall, the diagnostic efficiency for the four IAbs, especially for GADA and IAA, were improved by using the RIs established in this study. The RIs for IAbs established in this study will be a valuable tool for disease diagnosis and the therapeutic management of T1D in a clinical setting.

Effect of sample delivery conditions on Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) assay.

Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) measurements are influenced by several factors. We investigated the effect of sample delivery conditions on RAAS measurements including sample storage temperature and time. Blood samples were collected from thirty participants using enzyme inhibitor tubes and serum separation gel evacuated tubes. Plasma and serum from fresh blood samples without further storage (as baseline), and from blood samples that were stored at either 0 °C, 4 °C, or 25 °C for 3 h, 6 h and 24 h, respectively, were extracted and stored at -30 °C for batch measurements using radioimmunoassay. Concentrations of Aldosterone (Ald) decreased following delivery temperature and time, and were significantly different when samples were set aside at 0 °C for 24 h (p < .01), 4 °C for 6 h (p < .01), and 25 °C for 3 h (p < .05). However, levels of Angiotensin (Ang I) increased following delivery temperature and time, and were significantly different when samples were set aside at 0 °C and 4 °C for 6 h (p < .05) and at 25 °C for 3 h (p < .001). However, no changes were observed for the concentrations of plasma renin activity (PRA) and Ang II, except for Ang II which increased significantly when samples were set aside at 25 °C for 24 h (p < .001). Our results indicate that samples used for RAAS measurement should be placed at a low temperature and analyzed as soon as possible after collection.

Controlled synthesis and up-conversion emission of rare-earth tri-doped NaYF4 nanocrystals under femtosecond-laser excitation.

Cubic nanocrystal and hexagonal micro-rods NaYF4, with predictable size, shape and phase, have been successfully synthesized through hydrothermal reaction. The growth mechanism and the effect of mass transfer on the morphology of hexagonal micro-prism are both discussed in detail. The increase of tri-doping lanthanide ion concentration decreased the size of crystal particle, which was explained by the Arrhenius rate equation together combined with the Gibbs-Thomson relationship. Furthermore, the dopants did not only affect the sizes of tri-doped NaYF4 micro-rods, but also impacted upon fluorescence intensity. The fluorescence of tri-doped NaYF4: Nd3+/Yb3+/Er3+ system, excited by an 800 nm femtolaser, was intensified with the increase of doped lanthanide ions concentration. Nevertheless owing to the fluorescence quenching, the other two systems (NaYF4: Nd3+/Ho3+/Er3+ and NaYF4: Nd3+/Tm3+/Er3+) did not show the same phenomenon.