Choline chloride (ChCl) based binary and ternary deep eutectic solvents (DES) were evaluated for methylene green electropolymerization with oxalic acid (OA) and ethylene glycol (EG) as hydrogen bond ...donors. Binary DES ChCl:OA in molar ratios 1:1 and 2:1 and ChCl:EG 1:2 and ternary DES (tDES) in different molar ratios and percentages of water were evaluated. The highest polymer growth was in ChCl:OA:EG‐tDES with added water, that had a lower viscosity and higher ionic conductivity when associated with HCl as dopant. This enhanced the formation of more cation radicals and, consequently, more polymer formation. The PMG/MWCNT/GCE‐tDES sensor was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of 5‐aminosalicylic acid (5‐ASA) and acetaminophen (APAP) by differential pulse voltammetry in the concentration range 2 µM ‐ 200 µM, with detection limits of 0.37 µM and 0.49 µM for 5‐ASA and APAP, respectively. The sensor demonstrated good repeatability, reproducibility and stability, and was successfully applied in pharmaceutical formulations.
Precipitation drives global variation in natural selection Siepielski, Adam M.; Morrissey, Michael B.; Buoro, Mathieu ...
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
03/2017, Letnik:
355, Številka:
6328
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Climate change has the potential to affect the ecology and evolution of every species on Earth. Although the ecological consequences of climate change are increasingly well documented, the effects of ...climate on the key evolutionary process driving adaptation—natural selection—are largely unknown. We report that aspects of precipitation and potential evapotranspiration, along with the North Atlantic Oscillation, predicted variation in selection across plant and animal populations throughout many terrestrial biomes, whereas temperature explained little variation. By showing that selection was influenced by climate variation, our results indicate that climate change may cause widespread alterations in selection regimes, potentially shifting evolutionary trajectories at a global scale.
The life history schedules of wild organisms have long attracted scientific interest, and, in light of ongoing climate change, an understanding of their genetic and environmental underpinnings is ...increasingly becoming of applied concern. We used a multi‐generation pedigree and detailed phenotypic records, spanning 18 years, to estimate the quantitative genetic influences on the timing of hibernation emergence in a wild population of Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus). Emergence date was significantly heritable h2 = 0.22 ± 0.05 (in females) and 0.34 ± 0.14 (in males), and there was a positive genetic correlation (rG = 0.76 ± 0.22) between male and female emergence dates. In adult females, the heritabilities of body mass at emergence and oestrous date were h2 = 0.23 ± 0.09 and h2 = 0.18 ± 0.12, respectively. The date of hibernation emergence has been hypothesized to have evolved so as to synchronize subsequent reproduction with upcoming peaks in vegetation abundance. In support of this hypothesis, although levels of phenotypic variance in emergence date were higher than oestrous date, there was a highly significant genetic correlation between the two (rG = 0.98 ± 0.01). Hibernation is a prominent feature in the annual cycle of many small mammals, but our understanding of its influences lags behind that for phenological traits in many other taxa. Our results provide the first insight into its quantitative genetic influences and thus help contribute to a more general understanding of its evolutionary significance.
Introduction
Cellular analysis in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) provides important diagnostic information in many pathological settings. The aim of this two‐site study was to evaluate the Sysmex XN Body ...Fluid mode (XN‐BF) for cell analysis of CSF compared to light microscopy (LM).
Methods
Two hundred and seven consecutive CSF samples were analyzed in parallel with XN‐BF and LM. The study also included the estimation of the limit of blank (LoB), limit of detection (LoD), limit of quantitation (LoQ), carry‐over and linearity of XN‐BF module.
Results
LoQ of white blood cells (WBC) was 3×106 cells/L; linearity was good and carry‐over negligible. XN‐BF parameters were compared to LM for the following cell classes: total cells, WBC, polymorphonuclear (PMN), and mononuclear (MN) cells. The bias ranged from 1.3 to 15.2×106 cells/L. The receiver operating characteristics curve analysis for WBC showed an area under the curve of 0.98, and the global diagnostic agreement was 95% at a cutoff of 5×106 cells/L.
Conclusions
XN‐BF provides rapid and accurate counts in clinically relevant ranges of CSF values, thus providing a valuable alternative to conventional LM analysis. However, microscopic review remains advisable in samples with abnormal cell counts or high fluorescent (HF‐BF) cell parameter exceeding 5×106 cells/L.
Introduction
Malaria is a life‐threatening infectious disease, which has been for long confined to specific endemic areas. Nevertheless, the recent increase in immigration flows from endemic regions ...and imported cases has reemphasized many diagnostic challenges in Western countries, thus paving the way to introduce rapid and accurate strategies for screening subjects with suspected Malaria infection. Therefore, the aim of this article was to describe our recent experience with Sysmex XN‐module for rapid screening of subjects with suspected Malaria.
Methods
Fourteen patients admitted to the Emergency Department (Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital Bergamo, Italy) with a clinical suspicion of Malaria infection were evaluated, along with 1047 control samples. The analysis of peripheral blood was performed with XN‐module, and results were then compared to optical microscopy.
Results
Nine patients were positive to Plasmodim falciparum, 3 to Plasmodim vivax, one to Plasmodim ovale, and one to Plasmodim malarie. Characteristic abnormalities could be observed in both white blood cell differential (WDF) and white cell nucleated (WNR) scattergrams (sensitivity 0.64 and specificity 1.0) in 9 samples with parasites at gametocyte or schizos stage irrespective of Plasmodium species and parasitic index, while characteristic scattergram abnormalities could not be seen in the 5 samples containing only parasites at the trophozoites stage. In these cases, specific variations of some cell population data (CPD) could be recorded (sensitivity 1.00 and specificity 0.91).
Conclusion
The peculiar abnormalities observed in CPDs, WDF, and WNR‐scattergrams may raise a definite suspicion of Malaria infection. Further studies should then be planned for validating these preliminary findings and assessing whether these specific abnormalities may be incorporated in rapid and inexpensive Malaria diagnostic algorithms.
Summary
Introduction
This study was aimed to compare the analytical performance of traditional and new parameters and morphological flags of CAL‐8000 and XN‐9000. The automated differential leukocyte ...count (DIFF profile) and morphological flags were compared with optical microscopy (OM).
Methods
A total of 1025 peripheral blood samples, collected in K3EDTA tubes, were analyzed by CAL‐8000, by XN‐9000, and by OM. Within‐run imprecision was performed in low cellularity samples. The comparison was made using Spearman's correlation, Passing–Bablok regression, Bland–Altman bias, and Cohen's K test.
Results
Within‐run imprecision in low cellularity samples yielded reproducible data between the instruments (imprecision was higher than 10% on samples with platelet count <21 × 109/L using impedance technology). Passing–Bablok regression (CAL‐8000 vs. XN‐9000) yielded slopes ranging between 0.2 to 1.16 and intercepts from −6.54 to 21.63. The bias for leukocytes parameters ranged from −1.8% to −82.2%, the red blood cell parameters from −2.9% to 3.1%, platelets parameters from −27.8% to 26%, and reticulocyte parameters from −115.3% to 4.5%. The comparison of morphological flags yielded a K value always <0.55.
The DIFF profile vs. OM had a Passing–Bablok regression with slopes ranging between 0.34 to 1.00 and intercepts from −0.01% to 0.11 and bias ranging from −42.9% to 2.6% for XN‐9000 parameters and from −2.7% to 35.0% for CAL‐8000 parameters. The comparison of morphological flags showed a K value ranging from 0.35 to 0.77 for XN‐9000 and from 0.17 to 0.54 for CAL‐8000.
Conclusion
Differences exist between the two analyzers, especially in the generation of morphology flags, thus emphasizing the need of pursuing a major degree of harmonization and/or adopting instrument‐specific reference ranges.
Introduction
The enumeration and differentiation of nuclear elements in synovial fluid is a cornerstone for diagnosis and follow‐up of many orthopedic and rheumatologic diseases. In this study, we ...evaluated the analytical performance of Mindray BC‐6800 BF mode (BC‐6800‐BF) for synovial fluid analysis.
Methods
Overall, 78 synovial fluids were collected and analyzed with both BC‐6800‐BF and light microscopy. The study also entailed the assessment of limit of blank (LoB), limit of detection (LoD), limit of quantification (LoQ), carryover and linearity.
Results
The LoB for the parameters total cells and white blood cells was 6 × 106 cells/L, and the LoD and LoQ were instead 15 and 16 × 106 cells/L, respectively. Linearity was excellent and carryover was negligible. The agreement between BC‐6800‐BF and light microscopy was satisfactory for all samples pretreated with hyaluronidase, displaying a bias between −5.9% and 8.2%.
Conclusions
The use of BC‐6800‐BF for synovial fluid analysis enables rapid and accurate assessment, especially for total cell and polymorphonuclear counts. The use of BC‐6800‐BF may therefore allow the replacement of optical analysis, especially in samples pretreated with hyaluronidase, thus allowing its routine use for the screening of synovial specimens.
The pharmacokinetic properties of oxytetracycline were studied following a single injection of a long-acting formulation (20 mg/kg body weight) into the semimembranosus muscle of healthy dogs and of ...dogs that had been experimentally infected with Ehrlichia canis. The disposition curves of the long-acting oxytetracycline formulation before and after infection were best described by a bi-exponential decline after a first-order absorption. The mean maximum serum concentration (Cmax) following infection was significantly lower and the time taken to attain this concentration (tmax) was significantly shorter than that in the healthy dogs. The mean apparent elimination half-life (t(1/2) beta) was significantly increased following infection. The corresponding rate constant (beta) was significantly decreased. The absorption half-life (t(1/2) ab) was significantly decreased after infection. The volume of distribution at steady state (Vdss) increased significantly following infection. It was concluded that the pharmacokinetic behaviour of a long-acting oxytetracycline in dogs after intramuscular administration is characterized by a two-compartment model with a slow elimination phase. This could be due to flip-flop kinetics. The febrile reaction in experimental E. canis infection affected some pharmacokinetic parameters of oxytetracycline.
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