News from the Biological Stain Commission No. 12

Abstract

In this 12^th issue of News from the Biological Stain Commission (BSC) under the heading of Regulatory affairs, the Biological Stain Commission’s International Affairs Committee presents information from the meetings of ISO/TC 212/WG 1 Quality and competence in the medical laboratory and ISO/TC 212/WG 3 In vitro diagnostic products both held on 2 – 3 June 2010, plus information on the second plenary meeting of ISO/TC 212 Clinical laboratory testing and in vitro diagnostic test systems held on 4 June 2010. All meetings took place in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Finally, information is provided concerning the 25^th meeting of CEN/TC 140 In vitro diagnostic medical devices held on 23 June 2010 in Berlin, Germany.     

Effect of some extrinsic factors on the respiratory metabolism of the freshwater Leech,Poecilobdella viridis: Oxygen tension,pH and salt concentrations

The effect of oxygen tension, pH and salt concentrations on the respiratory metabolism of the freshwater leech, Poecilobdella viridis has been studied. The respiratory rate increased significantly (p < 0.05) with progressive elevation of the oxygen tension of the medium and decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in both acidic and alkaline media. The respiratory rate was enhanced significantly (p < 0.05) as the salt concentration of the medium increased. Functional significance of these trends to the leech in counteracting the environmental eddies is briefly discussed.     

Rethinking counselling in prenatal screening: An ethical analysis of informed consent in the context of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)

Informed consent is a key condition for prenatal screening programmes to reach their aim of promoting reproductive autonomy. Reaching this aim is currently being challenged with the introduction of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in first-trimester prenatal screening programmes: amongst others its procedural ease—it only requires a blood draw and reaches high levels of reliability—might hinder women’s understanding that they should make a personal, informed decision about screening. We offer arguments for a renewed recognition and use of informed consent compared to informed choice, and for a focus on value-consistent choices and personalized informational preferences. We argue for a three-step counselling model in which three decision moments are distinguished and differently addressed: (1) professionals explore women’s values concerning whether and why they wish to know whether their baby has a genetic disorder; (2) women receive layered medical-technical information and are asked to make a decision about screening; (3) during post-test counselling, women are supported in decision-making about the continuation or termination of their pregnancy. This model might also be applicable in other fields of genetic (pre-test) counselling, where techniques for expanding genome analysis and burdensome test-outcomes challenge counselling of patients.     

Assessment of alcohol percentage test for fungal surface hydrophobicity measurement

Aim: To determine whether assessing the penetration of solutions with different concentrations of ethanol (alcohol percentage test: APT) on fungal surfaces is effective in characterization of hydrophobicity on fungal surfaces. Methods and Results: APT and contact angle (CA) measurements were conducted on nine hydrophobic and two hydrophilic fungal strains from the phyla of Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Zygomycota. There was a strong positive correlation (R² = 0·95) between the APT and CA measurements from eight of the nine hydrophobic stains (four pathogenic and mycotoxigenic Fusarium taxa, one melanosporaceous biotrophic taxon, Alternaria sp, Penicillium aurantiogriseum and Cladosporium cladosporioides). Hydrophilic control strains, Mortierella hyalina and Laccaria laccata, had CAs <90° and no measurable degree of hydrophobicity using the APT method. Conclusions: The APT method was effective in measuring the degree of hydrophobicity and can be conducted on different zones of fungal growth. Significance and Impact of the Study: Characterization of fungal surface hydrophobicity is important for understanding of its particular role and function in fungal morphogenesis and pathogenesis. APT is a simple method that can be utilized for fungal hydrophobicity measurements when CA cannot be measured because of obscured view from aerial mycelia growth.     

268份人类免疫缺陷病毒抗体待确定样本的检测结果分析

为了提高实验室人类免疫缺陷病毒(human immunodeficiency virus,HIV)抗体检测能力及对免疫蛋白印迹(Western blot,WB)实验结果的判断能力,对送检至北京市东城区艾滋病确证实验室的268份HIV抗体待确定样本进行确证实验及结果分析。按照试剂说明书和实验室标准作业程序(Standard Operation Procedure,SOP)操作对送检的全部样本进行WB确证实验;了解HIV筛查实验结果与确证实验结果的相关性,并分析不同送检机构、送检人群样本的检测结果差异以及不同试剂、不同检测方法的结果差异。结果显示在筛查出抗体待确定的268份样本中,确证阳性170份,阳性率63.43%;确证阴性51份,阴性率19.03%;不确定结果47份,占筛查有反应的17.54%。确证阳性病例来自监管场所、自愿咨询检测门诊(Voluntary Counseling and Test,VCT)和医疗机构,不同送检单位及不同人群的阳性样本率有显著统计学意义(P<0.01)。WB确证阳性样本带型以全条带和次全条带为主,且所有确证阳性标本均来自双试剂阳性样本。不同检测方法阳性样本率的差异有显著统计学意义(P<0.01),其中化学发光法的样本阳性率占46.27%,酶联免疫吸附实验(ELISA)占88.29%,胶体硒法占43.48%。本研究结果提示,对潜在HIV感染者,应扩大检测面,加强医疗机构检测,并提供一种以上方法的多次检测,以减少漏检的风险。     

Serologic Response to SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 Patients with Different Severity

Virologica Sinica - The immense patient number caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic brings the urge for more knowledge about its immunological features, including the...     

不同类型性诱剂诱芯及诱捕器组合对草地贪夜蛾诱集效果评价

本研究通过评价诱芯、诱捕器和诱芯组合的诱集效果,筛选出对草地贪夜蛾雄蛾诱捕效果最佳的诱芯和诱捕器组合,为草地贪夜蛾综合防控提供技术支持。诱芯优化筛选试验中,9种诱芯中编号为3-4、4-2、4-3的3种诱芯对草地贪夜蛾雄蛾诱捕效果最好,专一性强。诱捕器筛选试验中,5种市面上常见诱捕器里,桶型诱捕器是其他型诱捕器的诱捕效果2倍以上,效果最佳。诱芯筛选试验中,在使用桶型诱捕器及小夜蛾诱捕器的条件下,翔林3-3诱芯对草地贪夜蛾雄蛾的诱虫效果都为最佳。此研究为我国草地贪夜蛾的综合防治提供新途径。     

Review: Helicobacter pylori infection in children

Helicobacter pylori infection in children and adolescents differs in comparison to adults with respect to epidemiology, host responses, and disease manifestations. Furthermore, treatment options are limited in this population and antibiotic resistance rates continue to increase. Therefore, ongoing research is vital to understand disease pathogenesis and provide optimal management of children with infection. This review summarizes relevant publications from April 2019 to March 2020. Similar to adults, recent studies show a decreasing prevalence of infection in the pediatric population. Studies of pathogenesis investigated serum immune responses and the potential inverse association of infection and allergy. Several studies investigated the effect of H pylori and related inflammation on the gut microbiome. The recommendation of endoscopy‐based testing to identify the cause of symptoms and not just H pylori, reserving noninvasive UBT or stool antigen tests for post‐eradication follow‐up, was supported by the current literature.