Like the previous version, the new (unified) GastroPanel is a quantitative ELISA test panel that measures the blood plasma concentrations of four stomach-specific biomarkers: pepsinogen I (PGI), pepsinogen II (PGII), gastrin-17 (G-17) and Helicobacter pylori IgG antibodies. In the new test version, all four biomarkers are processed under uniform reaction conditions and using common reagents, increasing its acceptance among users, while making the test less labour-intense and reducing the overall processing time. The main indications for use of the GastroPanel remain unchanged. The test is designed for the diagnosis of (1) H. pylori infection (2) atrophic gastritis (AG), and (3) functional disorders among symptomatic (dyspeptic) patients as well as for screening of asymptomatic subjects for gastric cancer risk. Also, the interpretation algorithm has been revised, and is now based on 8 distinct biomarker profiles, 5  of them reflecting morphological abnormalities and 3 others a functional disorder.   

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The Iris iRICELL workcell integrates urine chemistry and microscopy into a fully automated walk-away urinalysis system that is easy to use and maintain. The integrated workcell combines the iQ200 Series automated microscopy system with the iChemVELOCITY automated urine chemistry system. The iQ200 Series delivers clear, clinically relevant urine particle images that are auto-classified for more objective and consistent results. This automated microscopy system is designed for all volume workloads, delivering a shorter turnaround time and standardizing results. The iQ200 Series are available either as a stand-alone system or connected to an iChemVELOCITY urine chemistry analyser to form an automated iRICELL workcell. The iQ200SPRINT is one of the fastest automated systems on the market, meeting high-volume productivity and workload requirements. It can handle 101 microscopic samples an hour. The IQ200ELITE manages medium- to high-volume workloads running 70 microscopic samples an hour; with the iQ200SELECT more suitable for lowvolume workloads running 40 microscopic samples an hour. iChemVELOCITY provides a fully automated, high-capacity urine chemistry analysis with excellent low-end sensitivity. The system delivers a high throughput of 210 samples an hour, with the continuous strip loading and a capacity of 300 strip loads. It has a pad on the strip designed to detect and measure the presence of ascorbic acid. This provides clinically significant information about potential interference with key chemistry assays. The system evaluates all standard urine chemistry parameters, including glucose, protein, bilirubin, urobilinogen, pH, specific gravity, blood, ketones, nitrite and leukocyte esterase.

<sup>Utility of reflex urine culture based on results of urinalysis and automated microscopy


Specimens submitted for urine culture in hospital settings are frequently negative for bacteria. Various approaches have been developed to select urine samples in the laboratory to improve the efficiency of handling these samples. At a time of concern for cost containment, utilization of a reflex testing policy using specific screening criteria would be beneficial to eliminate unnecessary urine cultures. With this in mind, an evaluation of Beckman Coulter’s IRIS iQ200 system (urinalysis and automated urine microscopy) was carried out in the US at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (JHBMC) clinical microbiology laboratories. The study prospectively collected and reviewed 1248 clinical urine specimens submitted for urinalysis and/or urine culture. It investigated the IRIS iQ200’s utility in aiding a predictive algorithm for the implementation of reflex urine cultures. Findings showed that these test parameters, separate or combined, may be a useful screening method to determine the need for a reflex urine culture.</sup>
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AmplyCell offers diagnostic and pharmaceutical companies, CMOs and research centres to produce proteins quicker and cheaper thanks to a unique service called  « Cellular Fitness ». It is based on a combination of methods and technologies that has been specially designed to boost mice, sheep and human hybridoma cell lines, making them 2 to 10 times more stable, productive and profitable. Whatever the clone productivity, Cellular Fitness analyses any particular situation in order to optimize the cost of goods, saving money and avoiding costly investments. Using this service involves sending the user’s cell lines to AmplyCell who will apply treatment in four phases : Diagnostic, Boost, Recovery, Studies. About six weeks later the user gets back the five best superproducing clones that produce the same structural antibodies into the same media so as to allow keeping projects on track.

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Autoantibodies against BP180, BP20, collagen type VII, desmoglein 1 and 3 and envoplakin can be detected simultaneously using a new multiparameter ELISA profile, considerably facilitating the diagnosis and differentiation of autoimmune bullous dermatoses (AIBD). The six autoantibodies are detected with high sensitivity and specificity using recombinant fragments of the immunodominant regions of the different target antigens. Each antigen is present in a separate well of the ELISA strip, providing convenient parallel analysis. In clinical evaluation, sensitivities of between 60% (anti-BP230 in bullous pemphigoid) and 100% (anti-desmoglein 3 in pemphigus vulgaris) and specificities of between 97.3% (anti-BP180 NC16A) and 100% (anti-collagen VII) were obtained with sera from patients with different AIBD and negative controls. In a further, prospective study using consecutive sera from patients with suspected AIBD, the ELISA yielded an agreement of 87% with conventional stepwise diagnostics (histology, direct and indirect immunofluorescence on biopsies and skin substrates, as well as monospecific tests like ELISA or immunoblots with cellular extracts). Discrepant results were attributed to the absence of certain target structures (e.g. p200 antigen, BP180 ectodomains) and the lack of IgA autoantibody detection. AIBD diseases are rare diseases of the skin and mucous membranes. The detection of circulating autoantibodies has in recent years become a central tenet of diagnosis and differentiation of AIBD. Antibodies against BP180 and BP230 occur in pemphigoid diseases, antibodies against desmoglein 1 and 3 and against envoplakin in pemphigus diseases, and antibodies against type VII collagen in acquired epidermolysis bullosa. Analysis of the six autoantibody specificities with the multiparameter profile ELISA allows diagnosis of 91% of pemphigus and around 76% of pemphigoid diseases in one step.

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Fecal calprotectin (fCAL) is the most important marker for in vitro diagnostic detection of gut inflammation. Immunological quantitation is well established and is used in the diagnostic process of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and in the lifelong monitoring of these chronic conditions. fCAL testing today requires a significant level of lab resources including stool sample handling, extraction and the use of traditional immunological testing methods. The BÜHLMANN fCAL turbo assay is a big step towards full automation. It reduces the time to result as well as the total hands-on time significantly. It offers the possibility of random access and is independent of the clinical chemistry platform. Validated applications are available for the most common analysers. The combination with the proprietary extraction device CALEX Cap for pre-analytical sample preparation simplifies and accelerates stool diagnosis significantly. The BÜHLMANN fCAL turbo utilizes the well-established standardization of the BÜHLMANN fCAL ELISA to provide reliability and continuity of measurements.

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