Intra-assay Coefficient Of Variation Research Articles

Carbohydrate-binding module could integrate with ELISA and serve the simple and specific quantification of hyaluronic acid

Quantification is essential in the research and development of polysaccharides. However, achieving simplicity and specificity in polysaccharide quantification remains a challenging task. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on antibodies provides a straightforward and specific quantification strategy. Nevertheless, acquiring antibodies for polysaccharides is complicated. Carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs), which can be efficiently obtained, exhibit the capability to specifically recognize and bind carbohydrates. In this study, we verified the feasibility of a CBM-based ELISA for the quantification of hyaluronic acid (HA) by replacing an antibody with a CBM. The CBM-based ELISA, which employed a HA-specific CBM, exhibited a linear detection range spanning from 10 to 100 μg/mL. Both intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation remained below 15 % and recoveries ranged from 96.26 % to 98.22 %, indicating favorable precision and accuracy. The method exhibited specificity exclusively to HA, suggesting its reliance on CBM binding specificity. The effectiveness of the method in analyzing commercial products was confirmed. Additionally, a comparison with the carbazole assay revealed a highly significant correlation (r = 0.994). By integrating CBMs with ELISA, the study presented a novel and easily implementable solution for simple and specific quantification of HA.

Development and application of a quadruplex real-time PCR method for Torque teno sus virus 1, Porcine circovirus type 2, pseudorabies virus, and porcine parvovirus.

In clinical diagnosis of porcine diseases, co-infection with multiple viruses often leads to similar clinical symptoms. Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) can be caused by infections with TTSuV or PCV2, while PCV2, PRV, and PPV can cause respiratory and reproductive disorders in pigs. The overlapping clinical and pathological features of these infections necessitate the development of a rapid and specific method for differentiating and detecting these four DNA viruses. In this study, four pairs of primers and TaqMan probes were designed targeting the conserved sequence of TTSuV, the Rep gene of PCV2, the gE gene of PRV, and the VP2 gene of PPV. After optimizing reaction conditions, including annealing temperature, primer concentration, and probe concentration, a quadruplex real-time PCR method was developed. This method can specifically detect TTSuV1, PCV2, PRV, and PPV simultaneously, with no cross-reactivity with ASFV, CSFV, PRRSV, PEDV, PSV, and TGEV. The minimum detection limit for each virus was 10 copies/μl, and the inter-assay and intra-assay coefficients of variation ranged from 0.33% to 1.43%. Subsequently, 150 clinical samples were tested to evaluate the practical applicability of this method. The positive rates for TTSuV1, PCV2, PRV, and PPV were 8.6% (13/150), 10.67% (16/150), 14% (21/150), and 11.33% (17/150), respectively. The results indicate that the established quadruplex real-time PCR method can assist in the accurate and rapid diagnosis of TTSuV1, PCV2, PRV, and PPV in clinical settings, providing robust support for the prevention and control of these infections.

Development of a chemiluminescent immunoassay based on magnetic solid phase for quantification of homocysteine in human serum

BackgroundHomocysteine (HCY) is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is an independent or important risk factor for the occurrence of many chronic diseases and is one of the most important indicators for determining health risks. However, existing HCY detection methods do not meet the requirements of clinical diagnosis. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish new detection methods to meet the needs of clinical detection.ResultsIn this study, we used the principle of competitive method to establish a new method for the determination of HCY in human serum using a chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay in conjunction with a chemiluminescent assay instrument that uses magnetic microparticles as the solid phase of the immunoreaction. The established method achieved satisfactory results in terms of minimum detection limit, specificity, accuracy, and clinical application. The limit of detection was 0.03 ng/mL. The intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) was 1.94–5.05%, the inter-assay CV was 2.29–6.88%, and the recovery rate was 88.60–93.27%. Cross-reactivity with L-cysteine ranged from 0.0100 to 0.0200 μmol/L, and cross-reactivity with glutathione ranged from 0.0100 to 0.200 μmol/L, all of which were less than the limit of detection (LoD) of this method. The linear factor R of this method was greater than 0.99.ConclusionsIn summary, the developed method showed a good correlation with the product from Abbott. A total of 996 clinical patients with cardiovascular diseases were evaluated using the method developed in this study.

A-051 Validation and Implementation of the Stanbio Beta-Hydroxybutyrate Assay on Roche c502 Analyzer

Abstract Background β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB) serves as a crucial biomarker in assessing, managing, and monitoring ketosis in various clinical scenarios, such as diabetic ketoacidosis and instances of alcohol abuse combined with starvation. This study aimed to validate a βOHB assay (Stanbio Laboratory) conducted on a Roche Cobas c502 analyzer and establish performance specifications. Additionally, we conducted a method comparison for three assays: Randox D-3-Hydroxybutyrate (Ranbut) assay on Roche c501 analyzer, Abbott Freestyle Precision B-Ketone strip point-of-care test, and the Stanbio Laboratory β-Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor assay on Roche c502 analyzer. Methods Precision, linearity, limit of quantification (LOQ), method comparison, and sample stability were determined according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines, using commercial quality control materials (Randox Multisera) and residual patient samples (Lithium heparin anti-coagulated plasma). The reference interval was verified by residual samples from 20 healthy individuals (normal blood glucose, HbA1c, liver enzymes, and lipid panel results). Statistical analysis was performed by EP-Evaluator (v12). Results Intra-assay and total coefficient of variation (CV) were determined as 0% and 2.4% at 0.3 and 1.21 mmol/L, respectively. The linearity range of the assay was verified from 0.0 to 9.0 mmol/L. Using CV < 20% as criteria, the functional sensitivity (LOQ) was 0.10 mmol/L at least. Lithium heparin anti-coagulated plasma specimens were stable for 24 hours at room temperature or seven days at 4 - 8 ̊C. The manufacturer’s reference interval was verified as 0.00 - 0.40 mmol/L. The Stanbio βOHB assay on the Roche c502 analyzer demonstrated a strong agreement with the Randox D-3-Hydroxybutyrate assay on the Roche c501 analyzer with a slope of 1.053 (95% CI: 1.037, 1.070) and intercept of -0.005 (95% CI: -0.068, 0.059) (coefficient correlation R = 0.9992). A positive bias was observed compared to the Abbott Freestyle Precision B-Ketone strip POC test (mean bias = + 0.50 mmol/L; slope = 1.630, 95% CI: 1.404, 1.857; R = 0.9184), and this discrepancy occurred particularly at βOHB > 5.5 mmol/L measured by Abbott method. Conclusions The Standbio βOHB assay exhibited excellent precision and linearity across a brand range of concentrations. This assay strongly agrees with the Randox assay run on a similar instrument but discordance with Abbott’s POCT method at high βOHB concentration. Overall, the validated method provides a reliable and efficient means for measuring βOHB levels on a Roche chemistry analyzer, facilitating accurate diagnosis and monitoring of ketosis-related conditions in clinical settings.

B-296 Assessment of Clozapine Assay on The Automated, High-performance Beckman AU Analyzer

Abstract Background Treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) affects approximately one in three patients with schizophrenia. The timely initiation of clozapine therapy is crucial for achieving remission in TRS patients. However, long turnaround times (TATs) associated with sending clozapine tests to reference laboratories cause significant challenges, leading to delays in treatment initiation and compromising patient outcomes. To address this issue, we implemented in-house clozapine testing on Beckman AU analyzers, aiming to facilitate early clozapine initiation and enhance confidence in prescribing and monitoring clozapine therapy for TRS patients. Methods The Beckman AU clozapine assay is a homogenous competitive nanoparticle agglutination assay. Precision and linearity were assessed for the Beckman AU DxC700 clozapine assay using manufacturer-provided standards. We conducted a correlation study involving 31 samples analyzed on both Beckman AU DxC 700 and LC-MS/MS methods. Data analysis was performed using Deming and Linear regression methods. Additionally, we analyzed 356 clozapine tests performed in-house on Beckman AU DxC700 between March 15th and Sept 10th, 2023, and compared them with 1399 clozapine tests sent to a reference laboratory using the LC-MS/MS method from March 13th, 2020, to March 13th, 2023. Turnaround time was evaluated. Results The Beckman AU DxC700 clozapine assay exhibited excellent performance across the measuring range, with intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation ranging from 1.7-3.6% and 2.2-5.3%, respectively. The assay demonstrated linearity over the five recommended ranges (68-1500 ng/mL) without significant bias observed. The Beckman AU DxC700 and LC-MS/MS clozapine assays displayed excellent correlation (R2=0.948, slope=0.941, intercept=6.3). Implementation of in-house clozapine testing led to a significant reduction in total turnaround time, from 3922 minutes to 116 minutes. The time from sample receipt to results also decreased substantially, from 3894 minutes to 32 minutes. Conclusions The clozapine assay was validated and routinely measured in-house using the Beckman AU DxC700 automated assay. Moreover, we validated the correlation by confirming that the results from Beckman AU DxC had around 6% lower bias comparing with LC-MS/MS. Turnaround time serves as a critical quality indicator for evaluating testing process effectiveness and efficiency, as well as clinician and patient satisfaction. The implementation of in-house clozapine testing significantly improved pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical Turnaround times.

B-030 Performance evaluation of Siemens Atellica® IM Anti-Müllerian Hormone Assay

Abstract Background Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a glycoprotein dimer, is produced by ovarian granulosa cells and its levels have been shown to directly correlate to the number of eggs remaining in the ovaries (ovarian reserve). Thus, measurements of AMH are widely used as an aid in the assessment of the ovarian reserve in women presenting to fertility clinics. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the Siemens Atellica® IM AMH assay and compare it to the Beckman Access AMH assay. Methods The Atellica AMH assay is a fully automated chemiluminescent monoclonal sandwich immunoassay, while the Beckman Access AMH assay is also an automated chemiluminescent monoclonal sandwich immunoassay. Precision and linearity were assessed for the Atellica AMH assay using manufacturer-provided standards. Inter-laboratory correlation studies were completed using deidentified patient samples collected from 120 reproductive-age women undergoing fertility outpatient evaluation at Yale New Haven Health. Blood was drawn on the first office visit for fertility workup. AMH values were initially performed at Yale University using the Beckman Access AMH assay. Serum samples were then frozen (-20°C) and shipped on dry ice to the laboratory at the Ohio State University where they were thawed and analyzed using the Siemens Atellica AMH assay. Linear regression was employed for data analysis. Overall percent agreement using an AMH cut-off value of 1.77 ng/mL was calculated. AMH values >1.77 ng/mL were classified as positive and values ≤1.77 were classified as negative. Results The Siemens Atellica AMH assay exhibited good performance across the measuring range, with intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation (CVs) ranging from 1.4% to 3.2% and 2.5% to 6.0%, respectively. The assay demonstrated linearity over the four recommended ranges (0.043-24.0 ng/mL) without significant bias observed. The Access and Atellica AMH assays demonstrated good overall agreement of 97% and were well-correlated with a R2 value of 0.9721. Conclusions The AMH assay was validated and routinely measured in-house using the Atellica automated assay. The Siemens Atellica AMH assay performs well across its measuring range and shows good agreement with Beckman Access AMH at the AMH cut-off of 1.77 ng/mL.

B-162 Evaluation of two commercially available stable isotope labeled whole-protein infliximab as internal standard for a clinical infliximab LC-MS/MS assay

Abstract Background Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based quantitation of infliximab has been successfully introduced in the clinical laboratory for therapeutic drug monitoring in recent years. Although stable isotope labeled (SIL)-peptide or non-labeled analog protein internal standards have been utilized, SIL-whole protein infliximab is generally considered to be the ideal internal standard for the correction of variations during sample preparation and analysis. In this study, we compared two commercially available SIL infliximab proteins, Sigma SILu™MAb and Promise Proteomics, for use in a clinical infliximab assay. Methods Both labeled infliximab proteins incorporate [13C6, 15N4]-arginine and [13C6, 15N2]-lysine in their sequence and are designed for use as an internal standard for LC-MS/MS based quantitative analysis of infliximab. For the comparison of their performance, a laboratory-developed LC-MS/MS clinical method was utilized. Linearity at 6 levels in triplicate with Remicade and 3 biosimilars (-abda, -axxq, and -dyyb), intra-assay precision at 2 levels (n=10/level), and method comparison (n=15) experiments were performed using each labeled infliximab as the internal standard. For sample preparation, internal standard was mixed with the serum sample, followed by protein precipitation with ammonium sulfate, protein denaturation, and tryptic digestion. The peptides YASESMSGIPSR (YASE) from infliximab and YASESMSGIPSR [13C6, 15N4] (SIL-YASE) from labeled infliximab were monitored by LC-MS/MS (Transcend TLX and TSQ Atlis, Thermo Scientific) and utilized for the quantitation of infliximab. Results For the linearity experiment (1-50 µg/mL), while utilizing the Promise Proteomics internal standard to assay had an accuracy range of 103.4% to 114.1% for Remicade, 100.6% to 108.2% for Infliximab-axxq, 103.0% to 110.9% for Infliximab-abda, 102.7% to 108.3% for Infliximab-dyyb. For the Sigma SILu™Mab SIL infliximab, the accuracy range was 92.1% to 99.6% for Remicade, 94.5% to 107.2% for Infliximab-axxq, 99.0% to 104.2% for Infliximab-abda, and 105.1% to 112.0% for Infliximab-dyyb. The mean overall error for Remicade and biosimilars was 0.203 µg/mL (2.0%) for Sigma SILu™Mab SIL infliximab and 0.193 µg/mL (2.0%) for Promise Proteomics internal standardization. Intra-day precision using each SIL infliximab was evaluated with Remicade at low and high levels (5 and 20 µg/mL). Using Promise Proteomics, the coefficient of variation (CV) was 2.8 and 2.2%, while using Sigma SILu™Mab the precision was 6.8 and 6.5% for the low and high levels, respectively. The regression analysis for the method comparison experiment had a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.9996 with a slope of 1.050 (95% confidence interval, 1.030-1.070) and intercept of -0.318 (95% confidence interval, -0.842 to 0.205). Conclusions The mean overall error for the linearity experiment was the same using Sigma SILu™Mab or Promise Proteomics as the internal standard. The Promise Proteomics product demonstrated a lower intra-assay CV compared to the Sigma SILu™Mab. The 2 products displayed a strong correlation during the method comparison experiment. Both Sigma SILu™Mab and Promise Proteomics labeled standards showed acceptable performance as an internal standard for LC-MS/MS based quantitative analysis of infliximab. Having both products available increases the robustness of LC-MS/MS clinical assays in the event of supply issues.

A-131 An External Laboratory Validation of the Atellica IM Serum Neurofilament Light Chain Assay

Abstract Background Neurofilament light chain (NfL) in serum is a promising biomarker for axonal injury with potential for use in neurodegenerative disease testing, including multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study validated the Siemens Healthineers Atellica® IM Serum Neurofilament Light Chain (sNfL) assay* for research applications. Methods Precision studies were performed using serum and plasma samples. Intra-assay precision comprised three levels of internal assay quality control (QC) and one plasma or serum pool (consisting of serum spiked with CSF). For plasma, one aliquot of each sample was tested in duplicate in two runs per day >2 hours apart for up to >20 days. Serum inter-assay involved three levels of internal assay QC run over 10 days (1 run/day). Sensitivity studies were performed to evaluate the limit of quantitation (LoQ) for serum and plasma using five low concentration samples. Each concentration was tested in 25 replicates for serum, and 50 replicates for plasma. Linearity studies involved five levels, each run three times in duplicate (plasma) or four times (serum). Method comparison studies were performed according to CLSI EP09-A3 using the Atellica® IM NfL laboratory developed test (LDT) offered by Siemens Healthcare Laboratory, LLC. 50 samples within the measuring interval of the LDT for each sample type (plasma and serum) were tested. Results Intra-assay coefficients of variation (%CVs) for internal QC ranged from 1.7-2.5% for concentrations spanning 12.75 to 147.22 pg/mL. Serum and plasma pool intra-assay %CV were 2.5% and 3.4%, respectively. Inter-assay precision of serum %CVs ranged from 2.9-16.1% for 13.4 to 150.8 pg/mL. Plasma inter-assay %CVs demonstrated a slightly improved precision versus serum across runs with %CV ranging from 2.4-12.8% with plasma concentrations ranging from 13.4 to 158.0 pg/mL. Serum and plasma LoQs, defined as the concentration at which CV is <20%, were 2.5 pg/mL (serum/plasma). The assay was linear between 2.5 to 300 pg/mL for serum and plasma. The Atellica IM sNfL assay method comparison to the Atellica IM NfL LDT was analyzed using a Passing-Bablok linear regression model. The assays exhibited acceptable agreement with slopes in the range of 1.12-1.14 across the sample interval tested, 6.4 to 460 pg/mL for serum/plasma. Conclusions This external validation of the Atellica IM sNfL assay demonstrated performance characteristics suitable for research applications. *For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Molecular detection and quantification of canine parvovirus 2 using a fast and sensitive SYBR® green-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay in dogs affected with gastroenteritis

Background and Aim: Viral gastroenteritis in canines is primarily caused by the canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2). Infections by this virus can cause severe consequences in dogs, such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, septicemia, systemic inflammation, and immunosuppression. Therefore, the mortality rate of persistent infections caused by this virus is significantly high. The capsid protein VP2 genome of canine parvovirus has undergone many changes, resulting in the emergence of different genotypes, including CPV-2a, CPV-2b, and CPV-2c. Diagnostic procedures often lack the necessary specificity for early infection diagnosis. Early detection of the infection enhances the likelihood of canine survival because the canine will receive prompt therapy. Hence, this study aimed to develop a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based diagnostic technique using SYBR Green for the rapid and accurate detection and quantification of CPV-2. Materials and Methods: The assay was specifically designed to identify a portion of the conserved NS gene using primers that amplify a 125-bp fragment. The qPCR method was executed in the fast mode to expedite the process using Power up SYBR Green Master Mix reagent. A standard curve was constructed using the amplified and purified PCR product of the NS gene. Results: The limit of detection and quantification were determined in the one amplified-DNA copy. The standard curve showed an efficiency of 99.5% and inter- and intra-assay coefficients of variation of 0.387%–0.976% and 0.085%–0.430%, respectively. The assay was specific for the amplification of CPV-2, as no amplification was observed for other viral genomes (canine adenovirus II, canine distemper virus, canine coronavirus, and canine astrovirus) or from the negative controls. Inter- and intra-tests for repeatability showed low test variability around the run time. To validate the present assay, 200 samples of fezzes from canines with gastroenteritis and symptoms associated with enteric infection were tested using the qPCR protocol. From the analyzed samples, 136 were positive for CPV-2 by qPCR assay, of which 110 were before diagnostic positive for the virus by endpoint PCR, showing high sensitivity of the current assay. CPV-2 was detected in dogs over 2 weeks old up to dogs 9 years old, where the highest viral concentration found was 16429595 gene copies in dogs aged 2 weeks. Conclusion: In the present study, a rapid, specific, repeatable, and sensitive assay was developed for the detection and quantification of CPV-2. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that in the population of domestic dogs in Ecuador affected with gastrointestinal disease, the virus is presented in dogs of different ages and not only in young dogs. Keywords: canine parvovirus, gastroenteritis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, SYBR green.

High-throughput single telomere analysis using DNA microarray and fluorescent in situ hybridization.

The human telomere system is highly dynamic. Both short and long leucocyte average telomere lengths (aTL) are associated with an increased risk of cancer and early death, illustrating the complex relationship between TL and human health and the importance of assessing TL distributions with single TL analysis. A DNA microarray and telomere fluorescent in situ hybridization (DNA-array-FISH) approach was developed to measure the base-pair (bp) lengths of single telomeres. On average 32000 telomeres were measured per DNA sample with one microarray chip assaying 96 test DNA samples. Various telomere parameters, i.e. aTL and the frequency of short/long telomeres, were computed to delineate TL distribution. The intra-assay and inter-assay coefficient of variations of aTL ranged from 1.37% to 3.98%. The correlation coefficient (r) of aTL in repeated measurements ranged from 0.91 to 1.00, demonstrating high measurement precision. aTLs measured by DNA-array-FISH predicted aTLs measured by terminal restriction fragment (TRF) analysis with r ranging 0.87-0.99. A new accurate and high-throughput method has been developed to measure the bp lengths of single telomeres. The large number of single TL data provides an opportunity for an in-depth analysis of telomere dynamics and the complex relationship between telomere and age-related diseases.

A Novel Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) Immunoassay for Detection of Anti-drug Antibodies (ADAs) to a Monoclonal Antibody (mAb) PYX-106 in Human Serum

Background: PYX-106 is a fully human monoclonal antibody (mAb), targeting sialic acid binding immunoglobulin-like lectin-15 (Siglec-15), an immunosuppressive agent with widespread expression across various tumor types. Methods: To facilitate the evaluation of immunogenicity for PYX-106 in human serum, a validated method was established to enable the detection (screening, confirmatory, and titration) of antibodies to PYX-106 in human serum samples. Results: The Screening Cut-Point Factor (SCPF), Confirmatory Cut-Point (CCP), and Titration Cut-Point Factor (TCPF) were found to be 1.51, 26.9%, and 1.86, respectively. Sensitivity was determined to be 1.81 ng/mL in the screening assay and 1.25 ng/mL in the confirmatory assay. Low Positive Control (LPC) was set at 6.00 ng/mL, and High Positive Control (HPC) was set at 1000 ng/mL. The drug tolerance was up to 500 μg/mL at the HPC level, up to 241 μg/mL at the ADA 100 ng/mL level, and up to 38.9 μg/mL at the LPC level. The intra-assay percent coefficient of variation (%CV) was ≤ 2.1% for Positive Controls (PCs) in the screening assay and ≤ 1.0% for PCs in the confirmatory assay. The inter-assay %CV was ≤ 15.3% for PCs in the screening assay and ≤ 2.1% for PCs in the confirmatory assay. No hook effect, hemolysis effect, lipemia effect, or bilirubin interference was found in this ADA method. Anti-PYX-106 antibodies were found stable in human serum for at least 23 hours 51 minutes at room temperature or after six freeze/thaw cycles. Conclusion: Anti-PYX-106 ADA, bioanalytical assay validation, was reported for the first time in any biological matrix. This ADA method has been successfully applied to human sample analysis to support a clinical study.

Assessing prognosis by quantifying FcγRIIa on fixed platelets.

Introduction: FcγRIIa amplifies platelet activation and higher platelet FcγRIIa identifies patients at greater risk of subsequent cardiovascular events. We report the accuracy and precision of a modified test to quantify FcγRIIa on previously fixed platelets (pFCG test).Methods & results: An antibody clone (5G1) was developed after exposure of mice to formaldehyde treated FcγRIIa. Accuracy and precision of the modified test was evaluated with biologic specimens (platelets) and engineered synthetic cells conjugated with FcγRIIa (Slingshot Biosciences). The modified pFCG test on fixed platelets (using 5G1) consistently identified modestly more (∼300molecules) of FcγRIIa on platelets compared with the pFCG test on nonfixed platelets (using clone FL18.26). With biologic specimens, the intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) was 2.1±0.1% (standard error of the mean, n=750). The interassay CV was assessed intraday (4.5±1%) and interday (up to 5days after fixation, 6.5±0.4%, n=50). The pFCG test performed on Slingshot Synthetic cells conjugated with FcγRIIa demonstrated accuracy, linearity (R2=0.984) and similar interassay CV both intraday (2%±0.6%) and interday (20nonconsecutive days, 9.9%±2.1%).Conclusion: In summary, modification of the pFCG test to be performed on fixed platelets allows accurate quantification of pFCG with high precision.

Establishment and Clinical Application in Stroke of a Serum Copeptin Time-Resolved Fluorescence Immunoassay.

The serum biomarker copeptin, an innovative and stable substitute biomarker of vasopressin, is associated with stroke. Therefore, establishing a highly sensitive time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay for copeptin (copeptin-TRFIA) is helpful to measure stroke and evaluate its value in clinical applications. Double antibody sandwich was used to establish copeptin-TRFIA. The established method was then assessed. Two coated and Eu3+-labeled copeptin monoclonal specific antibodies targeting different antigen epitopes were employed. The serum fluorescence counts of patients with stroke and healthy volunteers were detected by using thewell-established copeptin-TRFIA. Serum copeptin levels were measured and analyzed statistically. The actual measurement linearity range of the proposed method was 0.13-44.66 ng/mL. Copeptin-TRFIA had the inter-assay coefficient of variation (CV) of 6.49%-9.08% and the intra-assay CV of 4.75%-7.77%. Patients with cerebral infarction (CI) and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) had significantly higher serum copeptin levels than healthy subjects. Copeptin concentrations in the serum of patients with stroke were significantly correlated with the scores of the National Institute for Healthy Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS). A highly sensitive copeptin-TRFIA was successfully established. Serum copeptin has a certain value in the clinical diagnosis and prognosis of stroke.

Simultaneous detection of 10 cancer-associated amino acids and polyamines by high-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry in pleural effusion cells obtained from lung adenocarcinoma patients

The deregulation of amino acid and polyamine metabolism is a hallmark of malignancy that regulates cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and invasion. A sensitive mass spectrometry method was developed to simultaneously quantify 10 cancer-associated metabolites in pleural effusion cells for the diagnosis of malignancy and to complement conventional pleural cytology. Analytes were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) using C8-reversed-phase HPLC for separation and sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra (SWATH) acquisition for obtaining high-resolution quantitative MS/MS chromatograms. This method was validated and applied to pleural effusion cells from patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD, n = 48) and those from benign controls (n = 23). The range of the above metabolites was 2–200 ng/mL for proline, aspartate, ornithine, creatine, glutamine, glutamate, arginine, citrulline, and spermine and 10–1000 ng/mL for putrescine. The intra-assay and inter-assay coefficient of variation was below 13.70 % for all analytes. The joint detection of these metabolites in pleural effusion cells achieved a clinical sensitivity of 75.0 % and specificity of 95.7 % differentiating LUAD patients from benign controls. This assay enabled the detection of 10 cancer-associated metabolites in pleural effusion cells, and the increased concentration of these metabolites was correlated with the presence of LUAD.

The reliability, sensitivity and specificity of fluorescent oxidation products for measuring global oxidative stress in vivo

Introduction To examine the reliability, sensitivity, and specificity of fluorescent oxidation products (FlOPs; markers of global oxidative damage) for measuring global oxidative stress. Methods To improve FlOP measurement reliability, we mixed plasma samples with the extractant at eight ratios and measured FlOPs with a fluorescent microplate reader (excitation/emission wavelengths 320/420 nm denoted FlOP_320; 360/420 nm [FlOP_360]; and 400/475 nm [FlOP_400]). In a human study, we examined the reliability of an improved FlOP measurement. In an animal study, we examined the sensitivity and specificity of FlOPs for measuring D-galactose induced global oxidative stress. Results At a 1:20 (plasma/extractant) mixture ratio, the overall inter-/intra-assay coefficients of variation (CV) for FlOP measurements among healthy and coronary heart disease participants were <3.6%/<2.7% and <4.4%/<2.0%, respectively. On day 30 of the animal experiment, the Pearson correlations (r) of FlOP_320 and FlOP_360 with D-galactose dose were 0.816 and 0.801, respectively, which were 3-12 times higher than those of malondialdehyde (0.183), 8-hydroxyguanosine (0.157), pentosidine (0.254), and nitrotyrosine (0.068) for measuring D-galactose-induced oxidative damage. FlOP_360 (r = 0.225, P = 0.045), but not FlOP_320 and FlOP_400, were significantly correlated with c-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation. Conclusions FlOP_320 are reliable, sensitive and specific markers for measuring global oxidative stress. Key policy highlights Fluorescent oxidation products (FlOPs) are a reliable marker of oxidative stress FlOPs at 320/420 nm are more sensitive than traditional markers FlOP at 320/420 nm did not reflect inflammation as quantified by c-reactive protein

First Report on the Molecular Detection of Canine Astrovirus (CaAstV) in Dogs with Gastrointestinal Disease in Ecuador Using a Fast and Sensitive RT-qPCR Assay Based on SYBR Green®.

Enteric viruses are responsible for a significant number of gastrointestinal illnesses in dogs globally. One of the main enteric viruses is the canine astrovirus (CaAstV), which causes diarrhea in dogs of various ages. It is linked to symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, depression and a significant mortality rate due to gastrointestinal disorders. It is a single-stranded positive RNA virus, with three open reading frames, ORF1a, ORF1b and ORF2, where the last one codes for the virus capsid protein and is the most variable and antigenic region of the virus. The aim of this work is to develop and standardize a quick detection method to enable the diagnosis of this etiological agent in dogs with gastroenteritis in Ecuador in order to provide prompt and suitable treatment. The assay was specific for amplification of the genome of CaAstV, as no amplification was shown for other canine enteric viruses (CPV-2, CCoV and CDV), sensitive by being able to detect up to one copy of viral genetic material, and repeatable with inter- and intra-assay coefficients of variation of less than 10% between assays. The standard curve showed an efficiency of 103.9%. For the validation of this method, 221 fecal samples from dogs affected with gastroenteritis of various ages from different provinces of Ecuador were used. From the RT-qPCR protocol, 119 samples were found positive for CaAstV, equivalent to 53.8% of the samples processed. CaAstV was detected in dogs where both the highest virus prevalence in the tested strains and the highest viral loads were seen in the younger canine groups up to 48 weeks; in addition, different strains of the virus were identified based on a sequenced fragment of ORF1b, demonstrating the first report of the presence of CaAstV circulating in the domestic canine population affected by gastroenteritis in Ecuador, which could be associated with the etiology and severity of enteric disease.

Serum anti-Müllerian hormone is an indirect predictor of ovarian reserve in domestic cats

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) serves as an indirect marker for predicting primordial follicles that are representative of ovarian reserve. In this study the possibility of using AMH and age to predict the ovarian reserve in domestic cats. Ovaries and blood were collected from 30 cats undergoing routine ovariohysterectomy. The animals were divided into three age groups: prepubertal (<4 mo, n = 10), adult (1–5 y, n = 10), and senior (>5 y, n = 10). Blood was collected at surgery for serum AMH measurements using the AMH Gen II ELISA kit. The intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) and inter-assay CV were 3.56 % and 7.68 %, respectively. One side of the ovary was processed to determine AMH localization using immunohistochemistry and for a histological count of follicles, which is the gold standard. The expression of AMH protein was quantified from the contralateral ovary by Western blot analysis. Primordial follicles exhibited the most pronounced inverse relationship with age (rho = −0.779, P < 0.05), followed by a positive association with serum AMH concentration (rho = 0.490, P < 0.05), indicating that both age and AMH are potential markers indicative of primordial follicles. Furthermore, secondary (rho = 0.651, P < 0.05) and small antral follicles (rho = 0.648, P < 0.05) were identified as the major sources of circulating AMH, as indicated by the stronger correlation with serum AMH concentrations compared with primary follicles. However, there was no significant correlation between the expression of AMH protein and other factors, including age, primordial follicles, primary follicles, secondary follicles, small antral follicles, and serum AMH concentration. A model for predicting primordial follicle number using serum AMH concentration (AIC = 672.66, P < 0.05) and age (AIC = 668.93, P < 0.05) was established. In conclusion, both serum AMH concentration and age may serve as comparable markers of ovarian reserve in domestic cats. Moreover, AMH is particularly useful in situations where age information is not available.

Development and validation of an assay to quantify plasma cell-free human papillomavirus DNA for 13 high-risk types that cause 98% of HPV-positive cancers.

6065 Background: Plasma cell-free HPV DNA (cfHPV) may be a valuable tool for identification of patients with local-regionally advanced HPV-positive cancers at risk for recurrence after chemoradiation. Technical validation is required for use as an integral biomarker in a prospective clinical trial. Methods: Cell-Free 13 (i.e., CF13) is a digital-droplet PCR assay for quantification of 13 high-risk HPV types and control ERV3 in plasma that considered both variant sequences into primer/probe design and a distance matrix in phylogenetic analysis in multiplex combinations. Oligonucleotides/plasmids encoding type-specific E6/E7 regions were used as positive controls. Limit of blank, detection, quantification (LoB, LoD, LoQ), linear range, inter- and intra-assay coefficients of variation (CoV), and type-specific cross-reactivity were determined as were sensitivity and specificity for an HPV-positive diagnosis in a cohort of 278 oropharyngeal/unknown primary/oral cavity cancers tested for HPV by E6/E7 mRNA qRT-PCR or p16 IHC and HPV in situ hybridization. Results: Under identical assay conditions, the LoB, LoD and linear range were &lt;1, 5 and 5 to 200,000 virus copies without HPV type-specific cross-reactivity. Multiplexing had no effect on LoD or linearity. LoQ was 16 copies/ml plasma for all 13 HPV types. For 80 and 10,000 copies per ml, inter-assay CoV ranged from ~15-28% and ~3.2-4.6% and intra-assay CoV ranged from ~16-38% and 0.2-3.3%, respectively. cfDNA purification method (manual v automated; extraction efficiency 142% and 91% for 16 and 10,000 HPV16 copies/ml), input plasma volume (1, 2, or 4 ml), total background cfDNA (&lt;1800ng) or genomic DNA (&lt;700ng) did not affect quantification. For a diagnosis of HPV-positive cancer, sensitivity and specificity were 91.1% (214/235) and 97.7% (42/43), respectively. cfHPV was associated with gender, race, T stage, N stage, and primary treatment modality. When compared to below the median (≤230 copies/ml), cfHPV above the median was associated with worse progression-free survival (HR=2.26, 95% CI 1.23-4.17, p=0.009) in univariate analysis. However, this was no longer significant after adjustment for age, T stage, and M stage (HRadj=1.78, 95% CI 0.95-3.35, p=0.07). Conclusions: CF13 has high sensitivity, accuracy, precision, linearity, HPV type-specificity, and robustness, offering a rigorously validated assay applicable to ~98% of patients with HPV-positive cancer. CF13 had excellent clinical sensitivity and specificity for a diagnosis of HPV-positive OPC.

A qPCR Assay for the Quantification of Selected Genotypic Variants of Spodoptera frugiperda Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus (Baculoviridae).

Alphabaculoviruses are lethal dsDNA viruses of Lepidoptera that have high genetic diversity and are transmitted in aggregates within proteinaceous occlusion bodies. This mode of transmission has implications for their efficacy as biological insecticides. A Nicaraguan isolate of Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV-NIC) comprising nine genotypic variants has been the subject of considerable study due to the influence of variant interactions on the insecticidal properties of mixed-variant occlusion bodies. As part of a systematic study on the replication and transmission of variant mixtures, a tool for the accurate quantification of a selection of genotypic variants was developed based on the quantitative PCR technique (qPCR). First, primer pairs were designed around a region of high variability in four variants named SfNic-A, SfNic-B, SfNic-C and SfNic-E to produce amplicons of 103-150 bp. Then, using cloned purified amplicons as standards, amplification was demonstrated over a dynamic range of 108-101 copies of each target. The assay was efficient (mean ± SD: 98.5 ± 0.8%), reproducible, as shown by low inter- and intra-assay coefficients of variation (<5%), and specific to the target variants (99.7-100% specificity across variants). The quantification method was validated on mixtures of genotype-specific amplicons and demonstrated accurate quantification. Finally, mixtures of the four variants were quantified based on mixtures of budded virions and mixtures of DNA extracted from occlusion-derived virions. In both cases, mixed-variant preparations compared favorably to total viral genome numbers by quantification of the polyhedrin (polh) gene that is present in all variants. This technique should prove invaluable in elucidating the influence of variant diversity on the transmission and insecticidal characteristics of this pathogen.

Quantification of multiple steroid hormones in serum and human breast cancer tissue by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis.

Systemic and local steroid hormone levels may function as novel prognostic and predictive biomarkers in breast cancer patients. We aimed at developing a novel liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous measurement of multiple, biologically pivotal steroid hormones in human serum and breast cancer tissue. The quantitative method consisted of liquid-liquid extraction, Sephadex LH-20 chromatography for tissue extracts, and analysis of steroid hormones by liquid-chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We analyzed serum and tissue steroid hormone levels in 16 and 40 breast cancer patients, respectively, and assessed their correlations with clinical parameters. The method included quantification of nine steroid hormones in serum [including cortisol, cortisone, corticosterone, estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione (A4), testosterone and progesterone) and six (including cortisone, corticosterone, E1, E2, A4, and testosterone) in cancer tissue. The lower limits of quantification were between 0.003-10 ng/ml for serum (250 µl) and 0.038-125 pg/mg for tissue (20 mg), respectively. Accuracy was between 98%-126%, intra-assay coefficient of variations (CV) was below 15%, and inter-assay CV were below 11%. The analytical recoveries for tissue were between 76%-110%. Tissue levels of E1 were positively correlated with tissue E2 levels (p<0.001), and with serum levels of E1, E2 and A4 (p<0.01). Tissue E2 levels were positively associated with serum E1 levels (p=0.02), but not with serum E2 levels (p=0.12). The levels of tissue E2 and ratios of E1 to A4 levels (an index for aromatase activity) were significantly higher in patients with larger tumors (p=0.03 and p=0.02, respectively). The method was convenient and suitable for a specific and accurate profiling of clinically important steroid hormones in serum. However, the sensitivity of the profile method in steroid analysis in tissue samples is limited, but it can be used for the analysis of steroids in breast cancer tissues if the size of the sample or its steroid content is sufficient.