Coupled photothermal vortices for capture, sorting, and transportation of particles.

Optofluidic techniques have evolved as a prospering strategy for microparticle manipulation via fluid. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of manipulation with simple preparation, easy operation, and multifunctional integration. In this Letter, we present an optofluidic device based on a graphite oxide (GO)-coated dual-fiber structure for multifunctional particle manipulation. By changing the optical power and the relative distance of the fibers, the system can excite thermal fluidic vortices with three inter-coupled states, namely uncoupled, partially coupled and completely coupled states, and therefore can realize capture, sorting, and transportation of the target particles. We conduct a numerical analysis of the whole system, and the results are consistent with the experimental phenomena. This versatile device can be utilized to manipulate target particles in complex microscopic material populations with the advantages of flexible operation, user-friendly control, and low cost.

Molecular characterization and functional roles of circulating cell-free extrachromosomal circular DNA.

Circular DNA segments isolated from chromosomes are known as extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA). Its distinct structure and characteristics, along with the variations observed in different disease states, makes it a promising biomarker. Recent studies have revealed the presence of eccDNAs in body fluids, indicating their involvement in various biological functions. This finding opens up avenues for utilizing eccDNAs as convenient and real-time biomarkers for disease diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and prognosis assessment through noninvasive analysis of body fluids. In this comprehensive review, we focused on elucidating the size profiles, potential mechanisms of formation and clearance, detection methods, and potential clinical applications of eccDNAs. We aimed to provide a valuable reference resource for future research in this field.

Asymptomatic elevation of parathyroid hormone levels by antibodies against reagent alkaline phosphatase.

CONTEXT: Although immunoassay interference is a well-known phenomenon, its detection in routine clinical practice remains challenging. Most immunoassay interference can be attributed to the presence of heterophilic or anti-hormone antibodies. However, reports on immunoassay interference specifically related to parathyroid hormone (PTH) are scarce. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 77-year-old woman with hypertension, nephrotic syndrome, and high PTH levels for one year was admitted to our Surgical Department for treatment. The patient had no specific symptoms and normal calcium and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels but markedly elevated PTH levels. PTH was 2172 pg/mL using the Beckman Coulter system, whereas the Roche, Abbot, and Siemens systems yielded normal results. PTH concentration decreased to 63.8 pg/mL after pretreatment with polyethylene glycol 6000 and did not decrease to normal levels following pretreatment with heterophilic blocking tube-50 (HBT-50), heterophilic blocking reagent (HBR)-21, or HBR-25. When the HBR-21 concentration was increased, serum PTH decreased to 99.0 pg/mL. After treatment with scavenger bovine alkaline phosphatase (inactive), the concentration of PTH decreased to a normal value (51.3 pg/mL). Additionally, PTH (1-84) concentration was 17.6 pg/mL using LC-MS/MS. CONCLUSION: PTH was falsely evaluated due to anti-bovine ALP antibodies (antibodies against reagent ALP). Anti-bovine ALP antibodies should be considered in assays that use ALP as a signal generator.

Pre-analytical stability and physiological fluctuations affect plasma steroid hormone outcomes: A real-world study.

Since steroids are crucial for diagnosing endocrine disorders, the lack of research on factors that affect hormone levels makes interpreting the results difficult. Our study aims to assess the stability of the pre-analytical procedure and the impact of hormonal physiological fluctuations using real-world data. The datasets were created using 12,418 records from individuals whose steroid hormone measurements were taken in our laboratory between September 2019 and March 2024. 22 steroid hormones in plasma by a well-validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method were measured. After normalization transformation, outlier removal, and z-score normalization, generalized additive models were constructed to evaluate preanalytic stability and age, sex, and sample time-dependent hormonal fluctuations. Most hormones exhibit significant variability with age, particularly steroid hormone precursors, sex hormones, and certain corticosteroids such as aldosterone. 18-hydroxycortisol, 18-oxocortisol. Sex hormones varied between males and females. Levels of certain hormones, including cortisol, cortisone, 11-deoxycortisol, 18-hydroxycortisol, 18-oxocortisol, corticosterone, aldosterone, estrone, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, 11-ketotestosterone, and 11-hydroxytestosterone, fluctuated with sampling time. Moreover, levels of pregnenolone and progesterone decreased within 1 hour of sampling, with pregnenolone becoming unstable with storage time at 4 degrees after centrifugation, while other hormone levels remained relatively stable for a short period of time without or after centrifugation of the sample. This is the first instance real-world data has been used to assess the pre-analytic stability of plasma hormones and to evaluate the impact of physiological factors on steroid hormones.

A comprehensive LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous measurement of 24 adrenal steroids: From research to clinical practice.

Steroids are essential in the differential diagnosis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) subtypes; however, they may confuse physicians with multifarious results. In this study, we established a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous measurement of 24 steroids and developed a steroid metabolite pathway-based report to aid physicians in understanding these results. Solid-phase extraction was used to concentrate and purify target plasma steroids. The linearity, precision, recovery, and matrix effects were thoroughly evaluated. PowerBuilder was used to transfer the results from LC-MS/MS to the graphic report in a laboratory information management system (LIS) and was applied to different subtypes of CAH. Twenty-four steroids were separated and analyzed in one sample preparation and two injections using LC-MS/MS. The linearity of the steroids was excellent, with coefficients of linear regression greater than 0.99. The relative recovery ranged from 90.0 to 107.1 %, whereas the intra- and total coefficient variations were 1.6 âˆ¼ 8.7 % and 2.0 âˆ¼ 9.9 %, respectively. Matrix effects were compensated after internal standard correction. A graphic combination report mode was established and used to effectively identify CAH subtypes. In conclusion, a useful LC-MS/MS method and graphic combination report of 24 steroids based on their metabolite pathways were established.