ABSTRACT
Two mid-range haematology analysers (Abbott CELL-DYN Ruby and Sysmex XT-2000i) were evaluated to determine their analytical performance and workflow efficiency in the haematology laboratory. In total 418 samples were processed for determining equivalence of complete blood count (CBC) measurements, and 100 for reticulocyte comparison. Blood smears served for assessing the agreement of the differential counts. Inter-instrument agreement for most parameters was good although small numbers of discrepancies were observed. Systematic biases were found for mean cell volume, reticulocytes, platelets and mean platelet volume. CELL-DYN Ruby WBC differentials were obtained with all samples while the XT-2000i suppressed differentials partially or completely in 13 samples (3.1%). WBC subpopulation counts were otherwise in good agreement with no major outliers. Following first-pass CBC/differential analysis, 88 (21%) of XT-2000i samples required further analyser processing compared to 18 (4.3%) for the CELL-DYN Ruby. Smear referrals for suspected WBC/nucleated red blood cells and platelet abnormalities were indicated for 106 (25.4%) and 95 (22.7%) of the XT-2000i and CELL-DYN Ruby samples respectively. Flagging efficiencies for both analysers were found to be similar. The Sysmex XT-2000i and Abbott CELL-DYN Ruby analysers have broadly comparable analytical performance, but the CELL-DYN Ruby showed superior first-pass efficiency.
Subject(s)
Blood Cell Count/instrumentation , Humans , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Neuroblastomas (NB) are a heterogeneous group of childhood tumours with a wide range of likelihood for tumour progression. As traditional parameters do not ensure completely accurate prognostic grouping, new molecular markers are needed for assessing the individual patient's prognosis more precisely. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 133 NB of all stages were analysed in blind-trial fashion for telomerase activity (TA), expression of surviving, and MYCN status. These data were correlated with other traditional prognostic indicators and disease outcome. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: TA is a powerful independent prognostic marker for all stages and is capable of differentiating between good and poor outcome in putative "favourable" clinical or biological subgroups of NB patients. High surviving expression is associated with an adverse outcome, but is more difficult to interprete than TA because survivin expression needs to be accurately quantified to be of predictive value. We propose an extended progression model for NB including emerging prognostic markers, with emphasis on telomerase activity.
Subject(s)
Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics , Brain Neoplasms/diagnosis , Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone/genetics , Genes, myc/genetics , Microtubule-Associated Proteins , Neuroblastoma/diagnosis , Telomerase/genetics , Blotting, Southern , Brain Neoplasms/genetics , Brain Neoplasms/mortality , Brain Neoplasms/pathology , Brain Neoplasms/therapy , Child, Preschool , Disease Progression , Female , Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay , Follow-Up Studies , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Humans , In Vitro Techniques , Infant , Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins , Male , Models, Biological , Neoplasm Proteins , Neuroblastoma/genetics , Neuroblastoma/mortality , Neuroblastoma/pathology , Neuroblastoma/therapy , Prognosis , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Single-Blind Method , Survival Analysis , Survivin , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
We investigated the enhancement of the liver, the spleen, and of induced abscesses and the abdominal vessels after administration of 3 g/kg bodyweight. Perfluorooctylbromide (PFOB) in an animal model. Twenty-one rabbits each received the contrast medium as bolus injection and as slow infusion over half an hour. CT was performed between 2 and 48 hours after contrast medium application. Peak enhancement of the liver, the spleen and the liver abscess membrane was found between 24 and 48 hours after PFOB administration, independently of the application mode. Peak enhancement of the abdominal aorta and the IVC was observed within two hours after bolus injection. In this rabbit model PFOB permits best delineation of the vessels after bolus injection within the first two hours, while CT imaging of the liver, the spleen and the liver abscess membrane is best between 24 and 48 hours after contrast medium application, independent of the injection velocity.
Subject(s)
Contrast Media/administration & dosage , Fluorocarbons/administration & dosage , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical , Emulsions , Escherichia coli Infections/diagnostic imaging , Hydrocarbons, Brominated , Infusions, Intravenous , Injections, Intravenous , Liver/diagnostic imaging , Liver Abscess/diagnostic imaging , Rabbits , Random Allocation , Spleen/diagnostic imaging , Time Factors , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/instrumentationABSTRACT
The KTLK 20 000 is a climatic thermolight chamber developed for plant research by VEB Nema Netzschkau. It was modified into a climatic thermal chamber for animals by the Institute of Applied Livestock Hygiene in cooperation with the above manufacturers. Two climatic chambers are in operation. They are different in size. Their structure and working principle are described.
