Scientists have discovered that dying tumor cells release small pieces of their DNA into the bloodstream. These pieces are called circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) or circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA).
'Blood is a very special juice’ – something even Goethe’s Mephistopheles knew. Medics have also known this for centuries, so it’s nothing new that the ‘juice’ and its properties receive a lot of attention in medicine. However, what is new is that dealing with the use of blood through patient blood management (PBM) is coming to the fore.
Since autumn 2016 a small tube has been making daily life easier for users and patients. A simple but effective addition now offers many new advantages in analysis, the manufacturer reports.
Teco Medical Instruments has produced coagulation analysers for a quarter of a century.
While IA’s (Immunoassay) has been the most used technic for clinical analysis, the shift to LC-MS / MS is constantly increasing for several type of analysis like immunosuppressant, vitamin D or steroids panel, but also for several new assays including anti-coagulants, antibiotics, plasma renin activity, etc. The change from Immunoassay to LC-MS / MS could have been faster if sample…
A new drive to increase the clinical effectiveness of laboratory medicine and take the discipline into a new era is being launched. Coupled with steps to harmonise laboratory medicine services across Europe, a move to make lab medicine more clinically effective is being spearheaded by the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC). The latest position were…
Following its success in establishing reference methods and values for a range of simple molecules, International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine’s Scientific Division takes on the challenge of harmonization for hormones and endocrine tests.
In our interview with the physician Dr. Fabian Berger, we want to know about the advantages of molecular biological procedures compared to conventional C. difficile diagnostics.
Combining the physical separation power of liquid chromatography with the mass analysis capability of mass spectrometry – i.e. liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) – enables accurate, sensitive and selective separation, detection and identification of molecules in complex mixtures such as blood, serum and urine.
Improved harmonisation of laboratory medicine practice across Europe will help lead to better patient outcomes and produce comparable laboratory information irrespective of where and how the data have been generated.
People working in clinical laboratories often believe their work is of the highest quality, and adhere to what they believe is the highest standard – which is their personal opinion.
Tosoh and DiaSys announce a collaboration for clinical laboratory testing with the combination of Tosoh’s new generation analyzers (AIA-CL1200 for immunoassay and G11 for HbA1c) and DiaSys’ BioMajesty JCA-BM6010 / C. Instruments are linked through Evoline and Evoline Manager, Tosoh’s open laboratory automation and middleware solution. The collaboration addresses current requirements…
Long before symptoms of Alzheimer's disease become apparent to patients and their families, biological changes are occurring within the brain. Amyloid plaques, which are clusters of protein fragments, along with tangles of protein known as tau, form in the brain and grow in number, eventually getting in the way of the brain's ability to function. These biological changes can be detected early in…
A computer's ability to predict a patient's lifespan simply by looking at images of their organs is a step closer to becoming a reality, thanks to new research led by the University of Adelaide. The research has implications for the early diagnosis of serious illness, and medical intervention.
An experimental treatment in mice allows the reprogramming of blood cells in order to promote the healing process of cutaneous wounds. This approach could prove to be beneficial in healing challenging wounds in diabetics and major-burn victims.
SCIEX Diagnostics, the in vitro diagnostics division of SCIEX, a global leader in mass spectrometry in the life sciences industry, announced the first and only FDA-cleared (via the de novo pathway) LC-MS based Vitamin D assay kit, the Vitamin D 200M Assay, exclusively for the SCIEX Topaz System. The Topaz System is a fully integrated LC-MS platform driven by ClearCore MD, the new and intuitive…
Light microscopy today offers a wealth of techniques that provide fascinating insights into life on subcellular level. “In light microscopy these days there are so many new techniques that each of us can only handle a subset of them,” says Christian Tischer, scientific officer in der Advanced Light Microscopy Facility of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany,…
Raising the age limit for routine genetic testing in colorectal cancer could identify more cases of families affected by Lynch syndrome, a condition that accounts for around 5% of all colon cancers, according to new research to be presented at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics.
Survival of mass extinctions helps to explain near indestructible properties of hospital superbugs.
Engineering researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a revolutionary process for 3D printing stretchable electronic sensory devices that could give robots the ability to feel their environment. The discovery is also a major step forward in printing electronics on real human skin.
In order to enhance its hematology portfolio for the small-mid size laboratories segment, HORIBA Medical has developed a new hematology diagnostic solution. The new Yumizen H550 has been designed to meet the challenging laboratories requirements of providing a cost effective solution based on ‘state of art’ hematology diagnosis combined with user friendly operation.
For almost three quarters of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients in Europe it is too late for curative treatment because the disease is often only diagnosed at a very advanced stage. Interviewed Professor Guido Gerken MD, Director of the Department for Gastroenterology and Hepatology at University Hospital Essen, about improved and timelier diagnostic capabilities that have already been…
The new Milli-Q IQ 7000 ultrapure water system is designed to make work in the lab easier and more efficient than ever. Its ergonomic design improves productivity; an HD digital touchscreen enables intuitive navigation and quick access to information; and ech2o mercury-free UV lamps are environmentally friendly.
Study reveals the surprising role of omega-3 fatty acids in keeping the blood-brain barrier closed
Children with cancer could be spared dozens of doses of general anaesthesia by projecting a video directly on to the inside of a radiotherapy machine during treatment, according to research presented at the ESTRO 36 conference.