Single Drop Of Blood Research Articles

Multi-Biomarker Profiling for Precision Diagnosis of Lung Cancer.

Multi-biomarker analysis can enhance the accuracy of the single-biomarker analysis by reducing the errors caused by genetic and environmental differences. For this reason, multi-biomarker analysis shows higher accuracy in early and precision diagnosis. However, conventional analysis methods have limitations for multi-biomarker analysis because of their long pre-processing times, inconsistent results, and large sample requirements. To solve these, a fast and accurate precision diagnostic method is introduced for lung cancer by multi-biomarker profiling using a single drop of blood. For this, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic immunoassay (SERSIA) is employed for the accurate, quick, and reliable quantification of biomarkers. Then, it is checked the statistical relation of the multi-biomarkers to differentiate between healthy controls and lung cancer patients. This approach has proven effective; with 20µL of blood serum, lung cancer is diagnosed with 92% accuracy. It also accurately identifies the type and stage of cancer with 87% and 85%, respectively. These results show the importance of multi-biomarker analysis in overcoming the challenges posed by single-biomarker diagnostics. Furthermore, it markedly improves multi-biomarker-based analysis methods, illustrating its important impact on clinical diagnostics.

Clinical metabolomics: current state and prospects in Russia.

Using analytical technologies it is possible now to measure the entire diversity of molecules even in a small amount of biological samples. Metabolomic technologies simultaneously analyze thousands of low-molecular substances in a single drop of blood. Such analytical performance opens new possibilities for clinical laboratory diagnostics, still relying on the measurement of only a limited number of clinically significant substances. However, there are objective difficulties hampering introduction of metabolomics into clinical practice. The Institute of Biomedical Chemistry (IBMC), consolidating the efforts of leading scientific and medical organizations, has achieved success in this area by developing a clinical blood metabogram (CBM). CBM opens opportunities to obtain overview on the state of the body with the detailed individual metabolic characteristics of the patient. A number of scientific studies have shown that the CBM is an effective tool for monitoring the state of the body, and based on the CBM patterns (signatures), it is possible to diagnose and monitor the treatment of many diseases. Today, the CBM creation determines the current state and prospects of clinical metabolomics in Russia. This article, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of IBMC, is a review of these achievements focused on a discussion of their implementation in clinical practice.

Venipuncture Site Influences Blood-drop Volume in C57BL/6 Mice.

Many experiments require the collection of serial blood samples from mice. However, the size of mice limits the volume of blood that can be safely collected as a survival procedure. In IACUC protocols, investigators may report the amount of blood they collect from mice as a number of drops. Many institutions, including ours, use an anecdotal conversion factor (1drop of mouse blood = 25μL) to ensure that blood-collection volumes are compliant with institutional guidelines. To our knowledge, previous work has not experimentally determined the volume of a drop of mouse blood. In this 10-wk crossover experiment, 2 phlebotomists bled 30 C57BL/6J mice from 3 sites (facial, saphenous, and tail) using one or 2 different needle gauge sizes per site. Male and female mice were weighed weekly and divided among 5 groups (n = 6): left and right tail vein, left and right saphenous vein, and facial vein. A single blood drop from each site was weighed, and the volume of each drop was calculated using the average blood density determined from 8 mice terminally bled at the end of the study. Venipuncture site and side significantly influenced blood-drop weight and thus calculated volume. Facial vein puncture produced the largest drop volume (mean: 21.7μL), followed by the saphenous vein (mean: 9.97μL) and tail vein (mean: 4.96μL). Collection from the facial vein was associated with more hemorrhage and morbidity. Left-sided venipuncture was associated with slightly larger-volume blood drops, though the effect size of side was small. The results of this study may be useful in more accurately estimating blood loss via conversion of drops to volume. Our data indicate that blood collection from saphenous and tail veins minimizes blood loss relative to facial vein puncture and may optimize both serial collection of small-volume blood samples and animal welfare.

Micro blood analysis technology (μBAT): multiplexed analysis of neutrophil phenotype and function from microliter whole blood samples.

There is an ongoing need to do more with less and provide highly multiplexed analysis from limited sample volumes. Improved "sample sparing" assays would have a broad impact across pediatric and other rare sample type studies in addition to enabling sequential sampling. This capability would advance both clinical and basic research applications. Here we report the micro blood analysis technology (μBAT), a microfluidic platform that supports multiplexed analysis of neutrophils from a single drop of blood. We demonstrate the multiplexed orthogonal capabilities of μBAT including functional assays (phagocytosis, neutrophil extracellular traps, optical metabolic imaging) and molecular assays (gene expression, cytokine secretion). Importantly we validate our microscale platform using a macroscale benchmark assay. μBAT is compatible with lancet puncture or microdraw devices, and its design facilitates rapid operations without the need for specialized equipment. μBAT offers a new method for investigating neutrophil function in populations with restricted sample amounts.

PEACE AND WAR ACCORDING TO IMAM ALI (PBUH)

Peace is the basis of the government of Imam Ali (AS). This confirmed that the pledge of allegiance to the imam was voluntary and without coercion. Guidance with opponents and enemies has always taken precedence over fighting against them. Fighting was not the easy way, but rather the path of irreplaceable oppression. The Imam, may God bless him and grant him peace, did not start fighting with anyone, and he raised the principle (Do not fight them until they start against you, praise be to God, so argue, and leave them until they give you another argument against them). During his caliphate, Imam Ali (may God bless him and grant him peace) faced many challenges that he managed to overcome with steadfastness in Islamic principles. You find divine justice in its best form in the judgment of Imam Ali. It is also noted that Imam Ali (PBUH) worked hard so as not to shed a single drop of blood unjustly with his sword, and he believed that the survival of his ants alive was more beloved to him than what he owed to him in terms of controlling the whole world. Imam Ali (pbuh) adhered to all the foundations and provisions laid down by the Prophet of Mercy, the Messenger Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, and obliged his army to do so, embodying a practical reality in the battles fought by Imam Ali (pbuh).

Label-free atherosclerosis diagnosis through a blood drop of apolipoprotein E knockout mouse model using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy validated by machine learning algorithm.

The direct preventative detection of flow-induced atherosclerosis remains a significant challenge, impeding the development of early treatments and prevention measures. This study proposes a method for diagnosing atherosclerosis in the carotid artery using nanometer biomarker measurements through surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) from single-drop blood samples. Atherosclerotic acceleration is induced in apolipoprotein E knockout mice which underwent a partial carotid ligation and were fed a high-fat diet to rapidly induce disturbed flow-induced atherosclerosis in the left common carotid artery while using the unligated, contralateral right carotid artery as control. The progressive atherosclerosis development of the left carotid artery was verified by micro-magnetic resonance imaging (micro-MRI) and histology in comparison to the right carotid artery. Single-drop blood samples are deposited on chips of gold-coated ZnO nanorods grown on silicon wafers that filter the nanometer markers and provide strong SERS signals. A diagnostic classifier was established based on principal component analysis (PCA), which separates the resultant spectra into the atherosclerotic and control groups. Scoring based on the principal components enabled the classification of samples into control, mild, and severe atherosclerotic disease. The PCA-based analysis was validated against an independent test sample and compared against the PCA-PLS-DA machine learning algorithm which is known for applicability to Raman diagnosis. The accuracy of the PCA modification-based diagnostic criteria was 94.5%, and that of the machine learning algorithm 97.5%. Using a mouse model, this study demonstrates that diagnosing and classifying the severity of atherosclerosis is possible using a single blood drop, SERS technology, and machine learning algorithm, indicating the detectability of biomarkers and vascular factors in the blood which correlate with the early stages of atherosclerosis development.

Evaluation of crystallization patterns in oral potentially malignant disorders and oral malignancies: A prospective study.

Oral cancers are often detected at late stages, and patients usually had a 50% chance of a 5-year survival rate. Oral cancer usually has an early precancerous stage before its actual malignant transformation. Although there are various approaches to diagnose the early stages of cancer, there is one less explored, cost-effective, and simple technique known as the crystallization test. The aim of the study was to evaluate the crystallization patterns in tobacco users, oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs), and oral malignancies. Fifteen patients with oral malignancies, 15 patients with oral potentially malignant disorders, 15 tobacco users, and 15 healthy individuals participated in the crystallization test. Single blood drop was used to perform this test and the obtained crystal patterns were analyzed. This test had a sensitivity of 93.3%, 80.0%, and 20.0% for oral malignancies, oral Potentially Malignant Disorders (PMDs), and tobacco users, respectively. Chi-square analysis revealed a highly significant transverse form between OPMDs and oral malignancies (P < 0.05). Crystallization test was found to be a sensitive, reliable, economical, and less invasive procedure for screening of oral PMDs and oral malignancies under strictly maintained physical conditions.

Insights into the circulating microbiome of Atlantic and Greenland halibut populations: the role of species-specific and environmental factors

Establishing long-term microbiome-based monitoring programs is critical for managing and conserving wild fish populations in response to climate change. In most cases, these studies have been conducted on gut and, to a lesser extent, skin (mucus) microbiomes. Here, we exploited the concept of liquid biopsy to study the circulating bacterial microbiome of two Northern halibut species of economic and ecological importance. Amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene were achieved using a single drop of blood fixed on FTA cards to identify the core blood microbiome of Atlantic and Greenland halibut populations inhabiting the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada. We provide evidence that the circulating microbiome DNA (cmDNA) is driven by genetic and environmental factors. More specifically, we found that the circulating microbiome signatures are species-specific and vary according to sex, size, temperature, condition factor, and geographical localization. Overall, our study provides a novel approach for detecting dysbiosis signatures and the risk of disease in wild fish populations for fisheries management, most notably in the context of climate change.

Constitutional-legal framework for the establishment of an independent Slovak Republic on January 1, 1993

The dissolution of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic into two separate states (the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic) is still an example of the peaceful peaceful separation of Czechs and Slovaks for other nations seeking independence. Compared to the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, this process in Central Europe took place without a single drop of blood. When writing this article, we will use the content analysis method. The aim of our article is to show what constitutional and legal processes were most important in the dissolution of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. We will show that the most crucial Czecho-Slovak institution was the Federal Assembly. In our conclusions, based on the Czech-Slovak example, we will also offer possible solutions to other nations striving for their independence. Keywords: Federal assembly, Czech Republic, Slovak republic, constitutional law about dissolution Czech and Slovak Federal Republic

Thermodynamic Sensitivity of Blood Plasma Components in Patients Afflicted with Skin, Breast and Pancreatic Forms of Cancer.

According to the World Health Organization's 2018 Global Cancer Survey, cancer is the second leading cause of death. From this survey, the third most common is breast cancer, the fifth is melanoma malignum and pancreatic adenocarcinoma ranks twentieth. Undoubtedly, the early diagnosis and monitoring of these tumors and related research is important for aspects of patient care. The aim of our present review was to explain an impressive methodology that is deemed suitable in reference to studying blood sample deviations in the case of solid tumors. Essentially, we compared the heat denaturation responses of blood plasma components through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In the control, between five and seven separable components can be detected, in which the primary component was albumin, while in the case of tumorous patients, the peaks of immunoglobulins were dominant. Moreover, the shape of the plasma DSC curves changed with a shift in the higher temperature ranges; thus, their pattern can be used as a suitable marker of direct immunological responses. The further development of the analysis of DSC curves raises the possibility of the early diagnosis of a potential tumor, the monitoring of diseases, or testing the efficacy of the therapy from a single drop of blood.

The Clinical Utility of Acoustic Tweezing Thromboelastometry in Monitoring Blood Coagulation during Liver Transplantation

Introduction Patients with end-stage liver disease have a very low amount of pro- and anticoagulants in their blood, and therefore they may develop both bleeding and thrombotic complications during liver transplant surgery. These patients are in need for optimized intraoperative transfusion to keep their coagulation system in balance, which is currently managed by whole-blood viscoelastic assays such as TEG. However, TEG is not standardized for coagulation analysis because of its high variability and requires a relatively large blood volume per test. Here, we demonstrate that our noncontact drop-of-blood technique, referred to as "integrated quasi-static acoustic tweezing thromboelastometry" (i-QATTTM), can accurately assess changes in the coagulation system during liver transplantation. Method We have conducted side-by-side coagulation measurements by TEG and i-QATTTM. Whole blood samples (3-5mL each) were collected from liver transplant patients at the following time points: 1) immediately after induction of anesthesia (baseline), 2) after arterial reperfusion (artery), and 3) during biliary reconstruction (final). The samples were first used for TEG analysis, and their leftovers (waste blood) were analyzed by i-QATTTM. i-QATTTM has two graphical outputs: mechanical tweezograph showing sample firmness change with time (similar to TEG tracing, Fig 1A) and photo-optical tweezograph showing sample turbidity change with time. The following parameters extracted from these curves were analyzed: clot initiation time (CIT), time to firm clot formation (TFCF), maximum clot firmness (MCF), and maximum fibrin level (MFL). Correlation analysis was performed between these parameters and the corresponding TEG output. The study was approved by Tulane University and Ochsner Medical Center IRBs. Results Figure 1A (left) shows the mechanical tweezographs of the WB sample from a liver transplant patient at the artery stage, exposed to intrinsic and extrinsic pathway activators, and a combination of Cytochalasin-D and intrinsic pathway activator. These tests correspond to CK, CRT, and CFF assays in TEG. Fig 1A (right) shows the mechanical tweezographs of the PPP sample from the same patient, triggered by intrinsic and extrinsic pathway activators. Noted that the WB treated with Cytochalasin-D has the MCF value reduced dramatically from that of untreated blood and nearly equal to the MCF level of the PPP. In Fig. 1B, there were a strong linear correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient r > 0.72) between CIT and R-time of TEG (CK assay) and between TFCF and K-time of TEG (CK assay) for WB samples triggered via intrinsic pathway. Strong correlation also exists between MCF and MA values of TEG (CRT assay) for WB triggered via extrinsic pathway. MCF and MFL of PPP triggered by either pathway were strongly correlated (r > 0.74) with MA values of TEG (CFF assay). Strong correlation was also observed (r=0.7) between MCF and MA of TEG (CFF assay) for Cytochalasin-D treated WB triggered via intrinsic pathway. For both activation pathways, CIT at the artery stage (3.7±0.6 min and 1.5±0.3 min, respectively) is slightly lower than at the baseline (4.0±0.5 min and 1.7±0.4 min) and final stages (3.9±0.4 min and 1.9±0.3 min) while TFCF was stable across the stages (~12 min for intrinsic and ~5.5 min for extrinsic pathways). In the intrinsic pathway, MCF significantly reduced from the baseline (1.18±0.02) to 1.12±0.02 at the artery stage and slightly increased to 1.14±0.02 at the final stage; meanwhile, MCF in the extrinsic pathway decreased from 1.17±0.03 at the baseline to 1.13±0.02 at the artery stage and remained at the same value at the final stage (same trends observed in TEG). For PPP samples triggered via intrinsic pathway, MCF reduced from 1.13±0.02 (baseline) to 1.08±0.01 (artery) and increased to 1.12± 0.01 (final). In extrinsic pathway, the MCF values were 1.15±0.03 (baseline), 1.1±0.02 (artery), and 1.14±0.01 (final). We see that blood samples at the artery stage are less stiff than the samples at the baseline and final stages due to reduction in fibrinogen concentration, as seen for most liver transplant patients. Conclusions Using a single drop of blood per test, the i-QATTTM technique provides comprehensive information on blood coagulation status in liver transplant patients undergoing blood transfusion. This technique can be potentially adopted for transfusion guidance in perioperative settings. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

Comprehensive lipidomic profiling by plasma separation cards.

Large-scale lipidomic analyses have been limited by the cost and accessibility of traditional venipuncture sampling. Microsampling techniques offer a less-invasive and more accessible alternative. From a single drop of blood, plasma separation cards (PSC) deliver two volumetric dried plasma samples which are studied here for profiling endogenous blood lipids. Six lots of EDTA-treated human whole blood were used to compare PSC, dried blood spot analyses (DBS), and classic wet plasma extractions. Six replicate extractions were performed for each lot. Nontargeted lipidomics was performed by liquid chromatography-high resolution tandem mass spectrometry. Lipids were annotated by accurate mass/retention time matching and MS/MS spectral library matching using peak intensities for quantitation. Four hundred ninety-eight compounds covering 24 lipid subclasses were annotated. Inter-lot repeatability was evaluated by the percent relative standard deviation (%RSD) for each lot, giving median %RSD values across the lots at 14.6% for PSC, 9.3% for DBS, and 8.6% for wet plasma. Strong correlations of lipid peak intensities between wet plasma and PSCs were observed, but less for DBS. Lipid recovery and stability were comparable between the PSC and DBS samples, with roughly 60% of annotated lipids stable at room temperature after 28 days. Overall, PSCs provide a better alternative for quantitative blood lipidomic analyses compared to dried blood spots. However, problems with lipid stability for samples handled and shipped at room temperature are currently unavoidable outside of a clinical setting. Data transferability and comparability to standard plasma is lipid and lipid class dependent.

Čalbmi čalmmis ja suoldnečalmmit suoidnečalmmis

North Saami čalbmi ‘eye’ (&lt; Proto-Uralic *ćilmä) has cognates in all Uralic languages, and everywhere they refer to the visual organs of humans and animals. However, scholars have barely paid attention to the grammatical functions of čalbmi in compound-like formations such as suoldnečalbmi “dew eye”, suoidnečalbmi “grass eye”, varračalbmi “blood eye”, jiekŋačalbmi “ice eye”, vuoktačalbmi “hair eye” and muorječalbmi “berry eye”. This article examines such expressions as so-called singulatives – grammatical means for individuating a single referent from a group or mass (i.e., ‘a single drop of dew’, ‘a single blade of grass’, ‘a single drop of blood’, ‘a single crystal of ice’, ‘a single human hair’ and ‘a single berry’). The article mainly discusses morphological, syntactic and semantic features of singulatives in North Saami and other present-day Saami languages, but comparable singulatives in Khanty, Mansi and Samoyed languages as well as in Hungarian suggest that singulative expressions such as *weri-ćilmä ‘a single drop of blood’, *jäŋi-ćilmä ‘a single crystal of ice; hailstone’ and *me̮rja-ćilmä ‘a single berry’ can, in principle, be reconstructed all the way back to Proto-Uralic.

Point-of-care test for rapid assessment of blood lithium levels in women with bipolar disorder during perinatal period

IntroductionDetermination of lithium levels in serum has become a standard of care due to its narrow therapeutic rang, thus an immediate test for determination of blood lithium may contribute to minimize toxicit, to avoid relapse and to ensure treatment adherence. This is particularly relevant during pregnancy and early postpartum because pharmaokinetic changes in renal physiology.ObjectivesThe aim of this study is verify Medimate point-of-care method performance and systematically compare it with the routine laboratory measurement of lithium.MethodsThis cross-sectional method comparison study was conductec in the Unit of Perinatal Mental Health in the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona. Pearson and Bland-Altman analyses were performed to assess the accuracy, precision and correlation between the capillary electrophoresis technology (Medimate MiniLab) and the ion selective electrode (ISE) potentiometry method (AVL 9180).ResultsTwenty-five women with bipolar disorder in treatment with lithium during perinatal period were enrolled, corresponding to 75 blood specimens for analyses. Correlation (r), mean difference (bias), and 95% limit of agreement (LOA) of the point-of-care method [r=0.917; bias 0.0021 (95% LOA; 0.440, 0.619) mEq/L], showed that difference between ISE method and capillary electrophoresis technology was not statistically significant.ConclusionsConsidering the practicality, the microchip capillary electrophoresis technology provides a simple and highly affordable way of measuring lithium levels in a single drop of blood outside the clinical laboratory. The Medimate point-of-care system (POC) appears well adapted for the rapid and specific detection of lithium as an alternative to the current ISE procedure.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

An integrated microfluidic system for multi-target biochemical analysis of a single drop of blood

Herein, we described an integrated microfluidic system for multi-target biochemical analysis of micro-volumes of blood samples. This system mainly consists of a microfluid handling module, an integrated microwell array chip, a temperature control module and a spectral detection module. A novel microfluidic plasma extraction approach was developed by coupling the filter membrane-based plasma separation technique with the microfluidic liquid-handling technique. With this approach, quantitative extraction of trace blood with volumes as low as a drop (30 μL) can be automatically realized. Multiple operations in multi-target biochemical analysis are achieved including micro-volume blood collecting, quantitative plasma extraction, plasma dilution, plasma distribution, transferring, biochemical reaction and absorption spectroscopy detection. This system was applied to the multi-target biochemical analysis of glucose, cholesterol and total protein in blood samples and could achieve the determination of the target analytes of a 30-μL blood sample within 11 min. The experimental results are consistent with those obtained by a commercial biochemical analyzer.

Testing a Drop of Liquid Using Smartphone LiDAR

We present the first system to determine fluid properties using the LiDAR sensors present on modern smartphones. Traditional methods of measuring properties like viscosity require expensive laboratory equipment or a relatively large amount of fluid. In contrast, our smartphone-based method is accessible, contactless and works with just a single drop of liquid. Our design works by targeting a coherent LiDAR beam from the phone onto the liquid. Using the phone's camera, we capture the characteristic laser speckle pattern that is formed by the interference of light reflecting from light-scattering particles. By correlating the fluctuations in speckle intensity over time, we can characterize the Brownian motion within the liquid which is correlated with its viscosity. The speckle pattern can be captured on a range of phone cameras and does not require external magnifiers. Our results show that we can distinguish between different fat contents as well as identify adulterated milk. Further, algorithms can classify between ten different liquids using the smartphone LiDAR speckle patterns. Finally, we conducted a clinical study with whole blood samples across 30 patients showing that our approach can distinguish between coagulated and uncoagulated blood using a single drop of blood.

Micro-mechanical blood clot testing using smartphones

Frequent prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR) testing is critical for millions of people on lifelong anticoagulation with warfarin. Currently, testing is performed in hospital laboratories or with expensive point-of-care devices limiting the ability to test frequently and affordably. We report a proof-of-concept PT/INR testing system that uses the vibration motor and camera on smartphones to track micro-mechanical movements of a copper particle. The smartphone system computed the PT/INR with inter-class correlation coefficients of 0.963 and 0.966, compared to a clinical-grade coagulation analyzer for 140 plasma samples and demonstrated similar results for 80 whole blood samples using a single drop of blood (10 μl). When tested with 79 blood samples with coagulopathic conditions, the smartphone system demonstrated a correlation of 0.974 for both PT/INR. Given the ubiquity of smartphones in the global setting, this proof-of-concept technology may provide affordable and effective PT and INR testing in low-resource environments.

On-chip immunomagnetic separation of allergens from myofibrillar proteins of seafoods for rapid allergy tests.

The main objective of the current study is to establish an on-chip strategy to analyze the allergens existing in the myofibrillar proteins of seafood matrices. On-chip immunomagnetic separation (IMS) of allergens derived from large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea), swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus) and black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon), as model seafoods, was studied. The analysis of the tryptic digests of on-chip captured proteins, combined with protein database searches, was performed for the identification of allergens by MALDI-TOF MS with a 0% false-positive rate. By using the sera of ten seafood-allergic patients, six allergens were identified from the myofibrillar proteins of the large yellow croaker. The present protocol was successfully validated by ELISA and can be applied in blood tests for food allergies with a single drop of blood. The current protocol is presumed to be applied in the identification of potential allergens in other organisms.

Sub-Minute Analysis of Lactate from a Single Blood Drop Using Capillary Electrophoresis with Contactless Conductivity Detection in Monitoring of Athlete Performance.

A simple and fast method for the analysis of lactate from a single drop of blood was developed. The finger-prick whole blood sample (10 µL) was diluted (1:20) with a 7% (w/v) solution of [tris(hydroxymethyl)methylamino] propanesulfonic acid and applied to a blood plasma separation device. The device accommodates a membrane sandwich composed of an asymmetric polysulfone membrane and a supporting textile membrane that allows the collection of blood plasma into a narrow glass capillary in less than 20 s. Separated and simultaneously diluted blood plasma was directly injected into a capillary electrophoresis instrument with a contactless conductivity detector (CE-C4D) and analyzed in less than one minute. A separation electrolyte consisted of 10 mmol/L l-histidine, 15 mmol/L dl-glutamic acid, and 30 µmol/L cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. The whole procedure starting from the finger-prick sampling until the CE-C4D analysis was finished, took less than 5 min and was suitable for monitoring lactate increase in blood plasma during incremental cycling exercise. The observed lactate increase during the experiments measured by the developed CE-C4D method correlated well with the results from a hand-held lactate analyzer (R = 0.9882). The advantage of the developed CE method is the speed, significant savings per analysis, and the possibility to analyze other compounds from blood plasma.

Drop-of-blood acoustic tweezing technique for integrative turbidimetric and elastometric measurement of blood coagulation.

Many patients develop coagulation abnormalities due to chronic and hereditary disorders, infectious disease, blood loss, extracorporeal circulation, and oral anticoagulant misuse. These abnormalities lead to bleeding or thrombotic complications, the risk of which is assessed by coagulation analysis. Current coagulation tests pose safety concerns for neonates and small children due to large sample volume requirement and may be unreliable for patients with coagulopathy. This study introduces a containerless drop-of-blood method for coagulation analysis, termed “integrated quasi-static acoustic tweezing thromboelastometry” (i-QATT™), that addresses these needs. In i-QATT™, a single drop of blood is forced to levitate and deform by the acoustic radiation force. Coagulation-induced changes in drop turbidity and firmness are measured simultaneously at different instants. The parameters describing early, intermediate, and late stages of the coagulation process are evaluated from the resulting graphical outputs. i-QATT™ rapidly (<10 min) detected hyper- and hypo-coagulable states and identified single deficiency in coagulation factors VII, VIII, IX, X, and XIII. The linear relationship (r2 > 0.9) was established between fibrinogen concentration and two i-QATT™ parameters: maximum clot firmness and maximum fibrin level. Factor XIII activity was uniquely measured by the fibrin network formation time (r2 = 0.9). Reaction time, fibrin formation rate, and time to firm clot formation were linearly correlated with heparin concentration (r2 > 0.7). tPA-induced hyperfibrinolysis was detected in the clot firmness output at 10 min. i-QATT™ provides comprehensive coagulation analysis in point-of-care or laboratory settings, well suited to the needs of neonatal and pediatric patients and adult patients with anemia or blood collection issues.Graphical abstract Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00216-021-03278-8.