Multiple Allergic Reactions Traced to Single Protein

Researchers have identified a single protein as the root of painful and dangerous allergic reactions to a range of medications and other substances. If a new drug can be found that targets the problematic protein, they say, it could help smooth treatment for patients with conditions ranging from prostate cancer to diabetes to HIV.

Previous studies traced reactions such as pain, itching and rashes at the injection sites of many drugs to part of the immune system known as mast cells. When specialized receptors on the outside of mast cells detect warning signals known as antibodies, they spring into action, releasing histamine and other substances that spark inflammation and draw other immune cells into the area. Those antibodies are produced by other immune cells in response to bacteria, viruses or other perceived threats. However, “although many of these injection site reactions look like an allergic response, the strange thing about them is that no antibodies are produced.

Read more:
Multiple Allergic Reactions Traced to Single Protein

Source: John Hopkins
Image credits: Priyanka Pundir/University of Alberta

Christmas Viruses

 A perfect Christmas gift idea for a scientist


Read more:
Bueno market

Source: Etsy
Image credits: BuenoMarket

Biology Celebration Cake

Amazing cake from Histology and Embryology (IHEM) in the province of Mendoza, Argentina.

Source: Histology and Embryology (IHEM)
Mage credits: Cesilia Gimenez

Cervical Cancer Screening Saves Lives

Cervical cancer is the easiest gynecologic cancer to prevent, with regular screening tests and follow-up. Two screening tests can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early

•  The Pap test (or Pap smear) looks for precancers, cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately.

• The HPV test looks for the virus (human papillomavirus) that can cause these cell changes.

Read more from CDC:
What Should I Know About Cervical Cancer Screening?

Source: I Heart Histo

Blood rinsing cuts the time for glycerol removal

A microfluidic device can safely remove glycerol from thawed red blood cells in minutes, potentially making frozen blood more feasible for routine transfusions.

Glycerol protects cryopreserved cells from damage by disrupting the formation of ice crystals. But glycerol must be washed from blood cells before they can be used for transfusions. The existing washing protocol involves a slow series of centrifugations, which limits the utility of frozen blood supplies to transfusions for people with rare blood types, or patients whose own blood is banked prior to planned surgery.  

Dialysis with decreasing saline concentrations gently cleanses thawed red blood cells of the toxic cryoprotectant glycerol. This microfluidic approach cuts the time for glycerol removal from an hour down to three minutes.

Read more:
Next Generation: Precision Blood Rinsing 

Source: The Scientist Magazine
Image credits: Egelberg

Lot to Lot Variation

It is important, if not imperative, that new lots of reagents and calibrators be tested before being put on line. This should be done with replicates of the controls (3-4 each) and 6-8 patients, new reagent side by side with the current reagents or calibrators. Measure the average of the difference means and compare the total error (TE) before and after the possible change. Another statistic is the Student t-test that will detect a difference between the means. However it does not give as much information about TE as does the average or % bias. We suggest using just the means and % bias. Keep in mind that QC is the best error detector once the method has been validated. It is worthwhile to compare TE and TEa and then select the best rule(s) for detecting errors (thus reducing risks).

Read more:
The Lab and Risk Reduction, Part 6

Source: Advance

Test Your Knowledge of Preanalytical Errors

Did you know that the chores performed before the actual measurement of the sample may influence the patient’s test result? Factors such as use of correct tubes, proper specimen collection and accurate patient identification establish a crucial part of the laboratory testing phase. These errors are often invisible and may be impossible to discover later in the testing process.

Participate in the trial and see if you are able to find preanalytical errors!

Open the trial here:
PREANALYTICAL TRIAL 

Source: Labquality
Image credits: Kati Tapio