Laboratories In Germany Research Articles

Optimizing your spray booth performance

Ten laboratories conducting forensic glass analysis participated in three inter-laboratory exercises to evaluate the use of a standard method (ASTM 2927-16e1) for the analysis and comparison of glass evidence using LA-ICP-MS. This study was designed to evaluate the rate of misleading evidence (ROME) when blind glass samples were distributed to the participants and asked to compare the glass samples (K vs. Q) and report their findings as they would in a case. Three different databases were used as background populations to calculate likelihood ratios (LRs) and frequency of elemental profile. The first database was composed of 420 vehicle windshield samples and the analytical data and application of this database is reported here, for the first time. The second database was provided by the BKA laboratory in Germany representing 385 casework samples including an assortment of float glass, container glass, and specialty glasses. The third background database was a combination of both databases. In the first inter-laboratory exercise, the likelihood ratio (LR) calculations result in 34/36 (94.4%) correct associations and no false inclusions for all labs. LRs in the second and third inter-laboratory exercises result in all participating laboratories correctly associating glass samples originating from the same source (57 comparisons) and all laboratories correctly discriminating glass samples from different sources (167 comparisons). The random match probability of glass samples known to originate from different glass sources was found to be ∼0.1% and in agreement with previously reported values by other researchers.

Effect of various lubricants on corrosion resistance of steel ropes and on the resistance of organic cores to biological attack

In order to ensure high quality and competitiveness of domestic electrical ropes and steel rope, the authors have developed ASKM-1A, a new, highly effective biological corrosion resistant compound to replace copper naphthenate as a preservative for impregnation of fibrous materials. This new preservative, used in much smaller doses than copper naphthenate, has improved preservative properties, and is not hazardous to humans or the environment. ASKM-1A compound can also be used as a corrosion inhibitor and antioxidant for ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The SK-1 grease based on ASKM-1A is easy to use, and enables fibrous materials to remain frost resistant down to −60°C. The ASKM-1A biological contamination and corrosion resistant compound has undergone extensive testing in specialized laboratories in Germany and Russia, and has come into widespread use in the Russian rope industry.

Occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii and Hammondia hammondi oocysts in the faeces of cats from Germany and other European countries

Faecal samples of 24,106 cats from Germany and other European countries were examined microscopically in a veterinary laboratory in Germany between October 2004 and November 2006 to estimate the prevalence of animals shedding Toxoplasma gondii or Hammondia hammondi oocysts. Oocysts of 9–15 μm size with a morphology similar to that of H. hammondi and T. gondii were found in 74 samples (0.31%). A total of 54 samples were further characterised to achieve a species diagnosis and to determine the genotype of T. gondii isolates by PCR and PCR-RFLP. From these samples, 48 isolates were obtained: 26 (0.11%) were finally identified as T. gondii and 22 (0.09%) as H. hammondi. T. gondii-positive samples came from Germany, Austria, France and Switzerland while H. hammondi was detected in samples from Germany, Austria and Italy. In two samples (one T. gondii and one H. hammondi), PCR indicated the presence of Hammondia heydorni DNA. No Neospora caninum DNA was detected in any of the feline faecal samples. Twenty-two of the 26 T. gondii isolates could be genotyped. A PCR-RFLP analysis for the SAG2, SAG3, GRA6 and BTUB genes revealed T. gondii genotype II in all cases. Morphologically, H. hammondi oocysts exhibited a statistically significantly smaller Length–Width-Ratio than T. gondii oocysts.

Les implications scientifiques et industrielles du succès de la Stovaïne®. Ernest Fourneau (1872–1949) et la chimie des médicaments en France

The synthetic local anaesthetic Stovaïne® was commercialised in France in 1904. Its inventor, Ernest Fourneau, began his career as a pharmaceutical chemist in organic chemistry laboratories in Germany, where from 1899 to 1901 he discovered how basic research could benefit from the modern chemistry theories which had developed in Germany starting in the 1860s. Using the complex structure of cocaine, he invented an original molecule, with comparable activity, but less toxic. The knowledge and the know-how which he acquired in Germany nourished his reflection in the field of the chemistry of the relationships between structure and activity, and led him to the development of Stovaïne®. Emile Roux, Director of the Pasteur Institute in Paris,was interested in his work and invited him to head the first French therapeutic chemistry laboratory, in which research on medicinal chemistry was organised scientifically. The industrial development of new medicines resulting from the Pasteur Institute’s therapeutic chemistry laboratory was supported by the Etablissements Poulenc frères, France thus gaining international reputation in the domain of pharmaceutical chemistry.

Polyvinyl alcohol gel prevents abdominal adhesion formation in a rabbit model

To evaluate the function and biocompatibility of the new adhesion barrier PVA gel (polyvinyl alcohol + carboxymethylated cellulose) in the prevention of postsurgical peritoneal adhesions in a rabbit sidewall model. To evaluate and compare the routinely used 4% icodextrin. A prospective randomized controlled study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of PVA gel in reducing postoperative adhesion formation. Clinical laboratory in Germany. Eighty female albino rabbits (HM Small Russian; 2.4-3.6 kg). All animals underwent trauma of the abdominal sidewall at the clinical laboratory. The PVA gel was placed at the sidewall defect in 50 cases. In two further groups, 18 animals had no treatment (control group), and 12 animals were treated with 4% icodextrin. Biocompatibility, mechanical properties of PVA gel, adhesion development, and device handling were observed. The PVA gel showed good biocompatibility, no side effects, and excellent adhesion prevention. Although 100% of the untreated control group as well as the animals treated with 4% icodextrin developed adhesion formation, only around 25% of those rabbits that were treated with PVA gel showed adhesions. These data show that PVA gel functions as an excellent adhesion barrier.

Sidestream cigarette smoke toxicity increases with aging and exposure duration

Objectives: To determine the effects of aging on the toxicity of sidestream tobacco smoke, the complex chemical mixture that enters the air from the lit end of burning cigarettes and...

International quality control survey of neurochemical dementia diagnostics

Currently, neurochemical dementia diagnostics (NDD) are increasingly entering routine clinical neurochemistry, offering improved early and differential diagnosis of dementias. However, there is an obvious lack of standardization in pre-analytical sample handling and systematic quality surveys. Therefore, in this study, 14 laboratories in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland were given aliquots of a human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample, and were asked to measure Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers (amyloid β (Aβ) peptides, total Tau protein, and phosphorylated Tau protein (P-tau 181P)) according to their routine protocols. Results: The inter-laboratory coefficients of variation of the results obtained by the laboratories participating in this study were in the range of 20–30%. Although the results of this quality control survey are promising, the quality of measurements has to be further optimized.

Is Serological Testing a Reliable Tool in Laboratory Diagnosis of Syphilis? Meta-Analysis of Eight External Quality Control Surveys Performed by the German Infection Serology Proficiency Testing Program

The accuracy of diagnostic tests is critical for successful control of epidemic outbreaks of syphilis. The reliability of syphilis serology in the nonspecialist laboratory has always been questioned, but actual data dealing with this issue are sparse. Here, the results of eight proficiency testing sentinel surveys for diagnostic laboratories in Germany between 2000 and 2003 were analyzed. Screening tests such as Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay (mean accuracy, 91.4% [qualitative], 75.4% [quantitative]), Treponema pallidum particle agglutination assay (mean accuracy, 98.1% [qualitative], 82.9% [quantitative]), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) (mean qualitative accuracy, 95%) were more reliable than Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) testing (mean accuracy, 89.6% [qualitative], 71.1% [quantitative]), the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test (FTA-ABS) (mean accuracy, 88% [qualitative], 65.8% [quantitative]), and immunoblot assays (mean qualitative accuracy, 87.3%). Clearly, immunoglobulin M (IgM) tests were more difficult to manage than IgG tests. False-negative results for samples that have been unambiguously determined to be IgM and anti-lipoid antibody positive accounted for 4.7% of results in the IgM ELISA, 6.9% in the VDRL test, 18.5% in the IgM FTA-ABS, and 23.0% in the IgM immunoblot assay. For negative samples, the mean percentage of false-positive results was 4.1% in the VDRL test, 5.4% in the IgM ELISA, 0.7% in the IgM FTA-ABS, and 1.4% in the IgM immunoblot assay. On average, 18.3% of participants misclassified samples from patients with active syphilis as past infection without indicating the need for further treatment. Moreover, 10.2% of laboratories wrongly reported serological evidence for active infection in samples from patients with past syphilis or in sera from seronegative blood donors. Consequently, the continuous participation of laboratories in proficiency testing and further standardization of tests is strongly recommended to achieve better quality of syphilis serology.

Trueness verification and traceability assessment of results from commercial systems for measurement of six enzyme activities in serum: An international study in the EC4 framework of the Calibration 2000 project

Background The in vitro diagnostics directive of the European Union requires traceability to higher order reference measurement procedures and materials for analytes in assuring the result trueness and comparability of laboratory measurements. Manufacturers must ensure that the systems they market are calibrated against available reference systems. Validation of metrologically traceable calibrations is, however, required. Methods A commutable serum-based material was analyzed in three reference laboratories and target values for six enzymes (ALT, AST, CK, GGT, LD, amylase) were assigned using IFCC reference measurement procedures. 70 laboratories in Germany, Italy, and The Netherlands measured the same enzymes in the material using procedures from six commercial companies. A system for maximum allowable error was developed from the biological variation model and the results of the various procedures were tested on their compliance to trueness and between-laboratory and within-laboratory variations relative to the maximum allowable. Results For ALT results were relatively good. > 95% of laboratories using systems from Dade, Olympus, Ortho and Roche are expected to comply traceability within the biologically derived limits, and 94% respectively 89% from Abbott and Beckman. For AST and GGT only Dade respectively Olympus fully complied. For CK all companies showed significant bias. Nevertheless > 95% of laboratories applying Abbott, Beckman and Roche systems will comply. Finally, LD and amylase measurements require significant improvement. Some manufacturers continue to sell on the European market assays giving results which are not traceable to the internationally accepted reference systems. Conclusions The traceability of enzyme measurements obtained with routine procedures to internationally accepted IFCC reference systems is not yet satisfactorily accomplished in clinical practice.

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV): A Ring Test Performed in Germany to Assess RT‐PCR Detection Methods

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a major pathogen of swine. Due to genetic variation between the European and the US genotype as well as within both genotypes detection of PRRSV is a diagnostic challenge. This paper reports on a ring test to compare different established reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction methods applied routinely in 16 different laboratories in Germany. Three different sets of samples were sent to the laboratories which were to be analysed as follows: (i) basis package: detection of PRRS (yes/no); (ii) differentiation package I: differentiation of EU and US genotypes; and (iii) differentiation package II: differentiation of EU field isolates and EU vaccine strain. A total of 80% of the samples of the basic package were analysed correctly, the analysis of the differentiation package I revealed 61.82% correctly tested samples and the two laboratories that analysed the differentiation package II showed only one correct result. The ring test showed that the majority of incorrect diagnoses were false-negative results.

Oocysts of Neospora caninum, Hammondia heydorni, Toxoplasma gondii and Hammondia hammondi in faeces collected from dogs in Germany

Faecal samples of 24,089 dogs were examined coproscopically in two veterinary laboratories in Germany between March 2001 and October 2004. In 47 dogs, oocysts of 9–14 μm size were found. Their morphology was similar to those of Hammondia heydorni and Neospora caninum. Samples of 28 of these dogs were further examined by inoculation into gerbils: seven isolates induced a specific antibody response against antigens of N. caninum NC-1 tachyzoites. This response suggests that the isolates contained N. caninum. In addition to H. heydorni (12 times isolated), Toxoplasma gondii occysts (twice) and Hammondia hammondi oocysts (twice) were observed in dog faeces. The latter findings suggest that coprophagia with a subsequent intestinal passage by dogs plays a role in the dissemination of coccidian parasites for which cats are definitive hosts. Five of the seven N. caninum (NC-GER2, NC-GER3, NC-GER4, NC-GER5, NC-GER6) and the two T. gondii isolates (TG-dgGER1, TG-dgGER2) were successfully passaged into cell culture and are now available for detailed characterization. In contrast to oocysts of other parasites, N. caninum oocysts were predominantly found between January and April (Fisher exact; P=0.038). In the sera of dogs shedding N. caninum, no reactions against the immunodominant antigens with apparent molecular weights of 19, 29, 30, 33 and 37 kDa of N. caninum tachyzoites were observed 3–5 weeks after shedding. However, the animals recognized a 152-kDa N. caninum antigen. Compared with those identified as H. heydorni, T. gondii or H. hammondi, N. caninum oocyst isolates were significantly smaller in length with the 75th percentiles ≤10.7 μm when measured in concentrated sucrose solution and smaller length–width ratios with the 75th percentiles ≤1.06. It may thus be possible to develop criteria for a preliminary identification of N. caninum in dog faeces based on the oocyst morphology.

Richard Guy Helmer

Richard Guy Helmer

In the Fragrance Business, the Right Molecule Smells like Money

Scent is like an image the brain creates from the signals that come from the olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity. It is assumed that the odor molecule interacts noncovalently with the receptor. Odorant recognition by a cognate receptor (or receptors) appears to be determined by a set of molecular features such as individual functional groups or lipophilic surfaces that must obey precise geometric relationships. Smells such as woody, musky, or smoky can be related to a particular chemical structure. Random chemical modification of a lead molecule often yields surprising results. Sometimes completely different molecules are barely discriminated. “With a model at hand, we can sort of predict specific smells.” Margot says.“Humans seem to have between 350 to 380 different receptors,” says Margot, “the evidence gathered so far shows that any chemical will activate a set of receptors. And conversely, any receptor seems to be activated by its characteristic range of chemicals. With these many receptors, you can encode and discriminate hundreds of millions of molecules.”The chemical detection process is just part of the process of smell. The human olfactory pathway is still unknown. The brain converts signals from the nose into an image of a smell. “The long part of that work is the psychophysical characterizations of odor,” Margot says. A shared perceptual pathway could explain why molecules that are structurally different from each other smell the same.Smell is also modulated by adaptation, which may be the reason some people wear too much aftershave. “When you smell a scent at first sniff, it can be quite intense.” Margot said. “If you are continuously exposed to that same scent, your sensitivity decreases. That is adaptation. It seems that when two chemicals are perceived by similar perceptual channels, they crossadapt. One chemical will decrease sensitivity to the other.”The bottom line is that synthesizing a scent molecule on demand is extremely complicated and requires many empirical inputs. “When you synthesize a chemical that has a good smell, you submit it to perfumers, and if they appreciate it too, they study it in different fragrance blends because everything in perfumery depends on mixtures,” Margot says. “Once in the mixture, it often disappears; that means it has no influence on the perceived fragrance. And you don’t know why. It hints to the fact that brain processes could refine the olfactory input at a higher level. All the contributions from the olfactory receptors will be processed in a new message by the brain, and we don’t know how it happens. Amazingly, there are also lucky chemists [who] without knowing about structure-odor relationships, discover something that smells nice by serendipity.”Despite industrial combinatorial chemistry, developing fragrance remains a bit of a black art. “Perfumers have a combination of tremendous memory, skill, and a willingness to experiment.” Turin says, “It took eleven hundred iterations to arrive at the fragrance ‘Tommygirl.’”

First Established Pregnancies in Mediterranean Italian Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) Following Deposition of Sexed Spermatozoa near the Utero Tubal Junction

At the time of AI following Ovsynch protocol, a total of 51 buffaloes were randomly divided in a first group (n = 30) subjected to conventional AI into the uterine body with 20 million non-sex sorted frozen-thawed spermatozoa, while a second group (n = 21) was inseminated near the utero-tubal junction (UTJ) ipsilateral to the ovary carrying the preovulatory follicle with 2.5 million live (4 million total) sex-sorted frozen-thawed spermatozoa. The semen used for flowcytometric sorting was collected and processed on a farm in Italy, and then shipped to a laboratory in Germany. Eleven buffaloes were inseminated with X-chromosome bearing spermatozoa and 10 with Y-chromosome bearing spermatozoa. Conception rates after conventional and UTJ inseminations were 43.3% (n = 13) and 42.8% (n = 9) respectively (p = 0.97). Eight of the nine foetuses obtained after insemination with sexed spermatozoa corresponded to the sex as predicted by the cell sorting procedure (five male and four female foetuses by ultrasound vs six male and three female foetuses by cell sorting). In conclusion, for the first time buffalo semen has been successfully subjected to procedures for flowcytometric sperm sorting and freezing. Low doses of sexed spermatozoa have been deposited near the UTJ giving conception rates similar to those of conventional AI with full dose.

Activities of various β-lactams and β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations against Acinetobacter baumannii and Acinetobacter DNA group 3 strains

Acinetobacter baumannii and Acinetobacter DNA group 3 are members of the so-called A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex and are important nosocomial pathogens. Multiresistance in these organisms is increasingly frequent, and alternative treatment options are needed. The beta-lactamase inhibitors clavulanate, sulbactam and tazobactam have intrinsic activity against Acinetobacter strains. In the present study, broth microdilution was used to assess the in-vitro activities of currently available beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations and sulbactam alone against 469 Acinetobacter isolates (A. baumannii, n=395; Acinetobacter DNA group 3, n=74) collected from various laboratories in Germany. Fixed concentrations and fixed ratios of beta-lactamase inhibitors were used. Sulbactam-containing combinations (susceptibility rates of 90.4-92.7% for A. baumannii and 97.3-100% for Acinetobacter DNA group 3) and sulbactam alone were superior to clavulanate- and tazobactam-containing combinations. The activity of sulbactam-containing combinations against members of the A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex was conferred exclusively by the intrinsic activity of the beta-lactamase inhibitor and did not result from enhanced beta-lactam activity. Testing with the inhibitor added at a fixed ratio of inhibitor to beta-lactam appeared to give more reliable results than testing at a fixed concentration of the inhibitor. Resistance to carbapenems (0.3%) remains low in Germany.

Path Analysis Tests of Theoretical Models of Children's Memory Performance

Path analysis was used to test theoretical models of relations among variables known to predict differences in children's memory-strategies, capacity, and metamemory. Children in kindergarten to fourth grade (chronological ages 5 to 11) performed different memory tasks. Several strategies (i.e., sorting, clustering, rehearsal, and self-testing) were coded from videotapes and their average number of different strategies served as the strategy variable. Memory span and task-specific metamemory tasks served as the capacity and metamemory variables, respectively. The W�rzburg Model, derived from laboratories in Germany, had a significant chi-square statistic. The more successful Utilization Deficiency Model had a nonsignificant chi-square statistic and accounted for 48% of the variance in recall. Additional support for the Utilization Deficiency Model was evident from the significant path coefficients, which suggested that metamemory drives the production of strategies and that both metamemory and capacity constrain or enhance the effectiveness of those strategies.

Implementation of a two-dimensional barcode in the preanalytic phase

The automation process in the preanalytic phase of the laboratory is of increasing interest since there is an increasing discrepancy between the enormous advances in the automation process of the analytical/ postanalytical and the preanalytical phase of the central laboratory. Besides there is need of a secure transmission of the test requests from the clients to the central laboratory. We started a project together with other supra-regional laboratories in Germany in order to develop and establish a secure and robust data transmission system for the transmission of clinical data and laboratory information to the central laboratory. Based on common standards for laboratory data transmission and using a two dimensional barcode we developed an offline usable open source standard. Our project and the members of our project group may be a basis for the development and establishment of a standardized catalogue of laboratory methods and laboratory analyses in Germany in the near future.

A Concept for Blood Supply in Patients with Highly Contagious, Life-Threatening Diseases

Background: Highly contagious, life-threatening diseases such as viral hemorrhagic fever (caused by Ebola, Marburg, Lassa or Krim-Kongo virus), orthopox virus infection, or pneumonic plague require special isolation of the patient for protection of the medical staff and the public. As blood and other body fluids from these patients may be dangerous for the laboratory staff, laboratory examinations must also be done under special safety conditions. Situation: In Germany, clinical centers for intensive care of patients with highly contagious diseases have been established in Berlin, Frankfurt/M., Hamburg, Leipzig, and Munich. For practical reasons, the patients’ samples for urgent routine laboratory examinations cannot be sent over long distances to one of the two biosafety level 4 laboratories in Germany (in Hamburg and Marburg), but have to be examined at the clinical unit, obeying the biosafety regulations. Concept: As it is not allowed to examine blood samples from patients with highly contagious, life-threatening diseases in our routine laboratory, blood group serological tests will be performed within the isolation unit in a separate room near the patient’s room. An especially trained laboratory staff member wearing the special protection clothing will do the tests using routine laboratory methods with minimal modifications. To avoid production of aerosols, no washing procedures with fluids will be done. To reduce the risk of injuries, only plastic materials will be used. Therefore, we will perform all tests using the gel card centrifugation method. All waste will be separately collected and disinfected before leaving the unit. Reagents and hardware will stay within the unit. The ABO bedside test of the patient will be omitted because we will use only blood group O red blood cell concentrates in this setting. Limitations: Our concept is designed for the blood supply of one or two patients with highly contagious, life-threatening diseases hospitalized in the unit at the same time. If a markedly greater number of such patients have to be isolated and treated under provisional conditions, the routine standards for blood supply probably can no longer be maintained.

Working with living krill – the people and the places

The fascination of Antarctic scientists with Antarctic krill and their capabilities has a long and varied history, and prompted many scientists to maintain and manipulate krill under laboratory conditions. Starting in the Discovery era with Mackintosh at the King Edward Point labs on South Georgia, 1930, scientists have collected krill from sailing vessels, small boats, inflatable zodiacs and large ice-breaking vessels. Krill have been maintained in small and large jars, deep rectangular tanks, large round tanks and in flow-through and recycling systems. They have been maintained both on board research vessels and in laboratories, in flowing seawater systems at ambient conditions and in temperature-controlled environmental rooms. A few researchers have transported living krill back to their home laboratories, for example tropical laboratories in Japan (Murano) and Australia (Ikeda), temperate laboratories (Nicol) in Australia, a northern European laboratory in Germany (Marschall) and a sunny maritime laboratory in California (Ross and Quetin). The goals have been varied: short-term experiments to understand in situ physiological rates, long-term experiments to test the effects of manipulations or controlled changes in environmental conditions, and behavioral responses. We take you on a brief historical tour as we trace the lineage of modern day research on living Antarctic krill.

Point-source spark shadowgraphy at the historic birthplace of supersonic transportation

About a decade after its foundation, the most advanced ballistics laboratory in Germany at the time, the “Kruppsche Schiessplatz,” was utilized by Ernst Mach in 1888. His intent was to validate his pioneering shock wave research using military shells as supersonic vehicles. The 125th anniversary of the Schiessplatz was celebrated in 2002. Along with Mach’s research, it served to initiate the field of supersonic transportation technology. The specific subject of this paper is the application of point-source spark shadowgraphy at the same laboratory in the 1970’s to visualize gas flow over aeroballistic projectiles. However, different from Mach’s original interest, the new purpose of spark photography at that time in the ballistic ranges of the German Bundeswehr was to find technical solutions to aeroballistic problems when field-testing gave incomplete answers. Both a qualitative and a quantitative understanding of the principles of aeroballistics were sought in this research.