Abstract Laboratory medicine is under constant pressure from changes in the operating environment. Organisational changes and tendering processes have led to a trend towards shorter turn-around times and more cost-effective choices. Analysis tools that were previously only available at research laboratories, such as the mass spectrometer and polymerace chain reaction (PCR), have now made their way to university hospital laboratories and even mid-sized laboratories. Organisational changes have increased the need to monitor the pre-analytical steps. The specimen can be drawn from the patient in a satellite laboratory, which may be located several hours from the central laboratory. The increased transportation times may change the analytical properties of the specimens, which is why the stability of different analytes should be investigated thoroughly in different temperatures. It should be born in mind that doctors are treating the patients based on the results they receive from the laboratory. To avoid possible malpractice, the analytical properties should remain reliable. Traditionally, some analyses have been carried out manually, which is known to be time-consuming and carries the possibility of wide intra-observatory mistakes. For that reason, it would be reasonable to perform some manual analyses, such as body fluid analysis, in an automated manner. Automating the manual steps taken in the laboratory would release labour for other tasks and may increase the cost-effectiveness of the work. Organisational changes have redirected the needs of a clinical laboratory towards automated options instead of manual ones and finding more economically-based alternatives to replace or complement traditional methods. / Tiivistelmä Laboratoriolääketiede on jatkuvan muutospaineen alla. Organisaatiomuutokset ja kilpailutus ovat saaneet aikaan sen, että laboratorioiden analytiikkatarjonnan tulee olla kilpailukykyistä niin hinnan kuin tulosten vastausnopeuden suhteen. Aikaisemmin pelkästään tutkimuskäytössä olleet menetelmät, kuten PCR ja massaspektrometri, ovat jalkautuneet jo keskussairaalatasoiseen tutkimusvalikoimaan. Organisaatiomuutokset ovat saaneet aikaan myös sen, että näytteet voidaan ottaa potilaasta alueellisissa toimipisteissä ja kuljettaa päivän aikana keskuslaboratorioon analysoitavaksi. Kuljetusmatkat ja -ajat saattavat olla hyvinkin pitkiä. Tämän johdosta on erittäin tärkeää selvittää näytteiden säilyvyys niin, että tulokset pysyvät luotettavina eikä potilaan hoito kärsi. Perinteisesti osa tutkimuksista, kuten punktionesteen solut, on tehty käsin mikroskopoimalla, jonka tiedetään olevan aikaa vievää ja näin ollen myös kallista analysointia. Kyseisen tutkimuksen siirtäminen analysaattoreille tehtäväksi voi tuoda laboratoriolle taloudellisen säästön lisäksi työvoiman vapautumista manuaalisesti suoritettavalta mikroskopoinnilta. Muutospaineet laboratoriotoiminnoissa ovat saaneet aikaan tarpeen automatisaation lisääntymiselle ja taloudellisempien vaihtoehtojen löytämiselle perinteisten menetelmien rinnalle tai niiden sijaan.

Parasites could represent an important evolutionary driver and play an important role in a sexual selection. In the mate selection process, females use secondary sexual ornaments, which may reflect the parasite load and health condition of males. Females would benefit from choosing males with the most extravagant sexual characters, which indicate low levels of parasite infestation. A popular model species for sexual selection study is the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica). However there are no recent studies investigating the relationship between the level of the ectoparasitic infestation and the ornamentation of the barn swallow. Results of this thesis, based on analysis of ectoparasite load in 204 individuals show, that the level of infestation by feather mites is positively correlated with outermost tail feathers and the intensity of feather holes is negatively correlated with a breast coloration. The relationship between the abundance of ectoparasites and white tail spots was not found. The effect of ectoparasites on the survival of individuals or the nest initiation date was not observed. A possitive relationship between the individual seasonal change in feather mites infestation and brood size was detected. This implies a potential trade-off between the investments into parental care and defence...

D.Phil. / By virtue of its position on the eastern border of South Africa, the Kruger National Park (KNP) receives the flow of six main riven, of which the greater part of the specific catchment areas are situated upstream from the park itself. The Olifants River has the largest catchment area both in size and in proportion of catchment area beyond the park boundary. Increased competing demand for water by the urban, industrial, mining and agricultural sectors within the catchment boundaries of the Olifants River has focused attention on the ecological water requirements of the river. Of particular concern was the high degree of mineralisation of the Olifants River due to mining activities on the western boundary of the KNP. When one considers the demand for water by the Kruger National Park it is evident that water is required for more than one use, i.e. for potable use, game watering and ecosystem (aquatic and riparian) maintenance. In order to facilitate proper water quality management it is necessary to develop a comprehensive water quality management plan for the river. The development of such a plan requires a thorough understanding of the fate and effects of pollutants in the environment. It is furthermore important to have reliable information on the trends and status of important water quality determinants in these systems. This study was therefore aimed at investigating the metal ecotoxicology of the lower Olifants River and the Selati River, a tributary of the Olifants River which flows through the Phalaborwa area. Water quality is a driving variable in aquatic ecosystems. Full assessment of water quality of the Olifants River included evaluation of the physical, chemical and biological attributes of the system. The difference between the physical/chemical and biological attributes is that the former provide an instantaneous and often specific assessment of the water quality, whereas the latter integrate changes in the system over time. Water and sediment samples were collected bi-monthly from February 1990 to February 1992 at six stations along the lower Olifants River, one in the Selati River and one in the Letaba River. At each of these sites physical and chemical water quality characteristics were measured. Two metal bioaccumulation indicator species, Labeo rosae and Oreochromis mossambicus, were also sampled during the same period at three stations in the Olifants River and at the Selati River sampling station. Two additional surveys were undertaken to reference sites in the KNP (i.e. Pioneer Dam, and Nhlanganini Dam) during February 1992 and April 1992 respectively. Tissue samples (muscle, gill, liver, gonads, fat and blood) were collected and analysed for Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The routine monitoring of chemical and physical water quality attributes produces large quantities of complex data which are often difficult to interpret. To reduce the complexity, data may be standardised and summarised into an index. The Aquatic Toxicity Index (ATI) that was developed Metal Ecotoxicology in the Olifants River it Summary during this study presented the water quality of all the sampling stations, during each survey as a single value. This value reflected the water quality's suitability-for-use by fish at the different sampling stations. The ATI showed definite temporal and spatial trends in water quality in the Olifants River. The Selati River was the main contributing factor to the poor water quality measured in the Olifants River within the KNP. This was due to high TDS, metal and fluoride concentrations. Deterioration of the water quality was experienced during flood conditions when the turbidities and total metal concentrations increased. The water quality generally increased between summer and winter surveys (February to June). Bioindicators are species used to quantify biologically available level of metals in the aquatic ecosystem. These organisms take up metals from the ambient water and from food, and the concentrations in their tissues (or changes in concentrations) provide a time integrated measure of metal bioavailability. Temporal bioavailability of metals in the tissues of the bioindicators showed similar trends to the water quality. Highest metal concentrations were measured in fish tissue samples collected during flood conditions (December 1990) and during low-flow conditions (June to October). This was attributed to increased exposure due to metal adsorption to suspended sediments during the flood conditions and to increased ambient metal concentrations during lowflow conditions. The distribution of metals in tissues varied based on the uptake, depuration and metabolism strategies for each metal. In general the gill tissue bioaccumulated the highest metal concentrations, with only Cu and Fe occurring in higher concentrations in liver tissue. Significant positive correlation's were found between bioaccumulation in muscle tissue and the other tissues: Space-bulking and time-bulking of results were carried out to elucidate spatial bioaccumulation patterns. The highest bioaccumulation of Cu, Pb and Ni were recorded in samples from the Selati River, whereas Zn and Cr concentrations were the highest in the Olifants River. An equilibrium partitioning (EP) technique was used to integrate bioaccumulation data and metal concentrations in different phases of the water and sediment and produce specific Cu and Zn criteria for the Olifants and Selati rivers. Although there is a multitude of data available for Cu and Zn toxicity and BCF's, the quality criteria produced during this study, for the first time, made use of results obtained under local conditions. The results from bioaccumulation studies carried out in the field can not provide information regarding the potential effects or the risks the metals may pose to the exposed organisms. Therefore the susceptibility of the organisms to metal contamination can be determined using laboratory studies. Physiology is toxicology's closest relative and contributes markedly in assessing the toxicological risk of metals. Bioassays were conducted to determine the uptake kinetics, acid-base disturbances and haematological effects of a metal mixture containing Cu, Fe and Zn on Tilapia sparrmanii. The effects of the individual metals (Cu, Fe and Zn) and different Metal Ecotoxicology

L’allogreffe de cellules souches hématopoïétiques limitant le succès de ce traitement.La GVHD aiguë est liée à la reconnaissance et la destruction par les lymphocytes Talloréactifs du donneur des tissus cibles du receveur (peau, tube digestif et foie), aprèsactivation par les cellules dendritiques du receveur. Si le rôle des lymphocytes Th17dans la GVHD aiguë a été mis en évidence dans des modèles murins, leur rôle chezl’homme est moins clair. Nous avons exploré la présence des lymphocytes Th17 dansla muqueuse digestive de 23 patients et dans la peau de 38 patients lors du diagnosticde GVHD aiguë, au moyen de 2 marqueurs des Th17, CCR6 et CD161 et du facteurde transcription des Th17, RORγt. Il existe une augmentation significative descellules CCR6+, CD161+ et RORγt+ dans la muqueuse digestive et la peau des patientsavec une GVHD aiguë. De plus, comme il a été rapporté que les cellules dendritiquesplasmocytoïdes (PDC) favorisent la différenciation des lymphocytes Th17, nousavons voulu quantifier chez ces patients les PDC au moyen des 2 marqueurs, CD123et BDCA2. Il existe une augmentation des PDC dans la muqueuse digestive et la peaudes patients avec une GVHD aiguë. De plus la forte expression de la protéine induitepar l’IFN de type I Mx1 dans la peau des patients avec une GVHD aiguë suggère queles PDC sont fonctionnelles et produisent de l’IFN de type I. L’ensemble de cesrésultats suggère l’existence d’une réponse médiée par les lymphocytes Th17 dans laGVHD aiguë digestive et cutanée ainsi qu’un nouveau lien physiopathologique entreles PDC et les lymphocytes Th17. / Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a major complication followingallogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) limiting the success of the therapy.GVHD is the result of alloreactive donor T cells attacking host tissues: the skin, gutand liver after activation by the recipient dendritic cells. The contribution of Th17cells in acute GVHD has been demonstrated in mouse models. However theircontribution in human acute GVHD remains unclear. We evaluated the presence ofTh17 cells in the intestinal mucosa of 23 patients and the skin of 35 patients atdiagnosis of acute GVHD using CCR6 and CD161, 2 markers of Th17 cells, andRORγt the key transcription factor of Th17 cells. CCR6+, CD161+ and RORγt+ cellswere significantly increased in the intestinal mucosa and the skin of patients withacute GVHD. Since plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDC) have been reported to drivethe differentiation of the Th17 subset, we quantified PDC using 2 markers CD123 andBDCA. PDC were significantly increased in the intestinal mucosa and the skin ofpatients with acute GVHD. Moreover, we observed a strong expression of the type IIFN-inducible protein Mx1 in the skin of patients with acute GVHD, suggesting thatPDC produce type I IFN. Overall this study provides evidence for a Th17-mediatedresponse and a potential pathophysiological link between PDC and Th17 in humanacute GVHD.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-26T18:55:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dheywid.pdf: 151244 bytes, checksum: 67957de7a93f293ea07766dba8d943a1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-10-01 / Cefovecin is the newest semisynthetic cephalosporin. The drug is indicated for treatment of skin and urinary infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of cefovecin therapy on the hemogram, platelet distribution width (PDW) and platelet count, blood gas, serum proteins, and on the activity of urea and creatinine. Ten healthy dogs (males n=4; females n=6), average weight of 10.03±3.54 kg were used. The animals were kept in individual cages all over the experiment. The dogs were nourished with a commercial feed ad libitum drinking. The animals were submitted to the clinical and laboratory examinations as an inclusion criterion for the experiment. Sodium cefovecin (Convenia®) was subcutaneously administered (8mg/kg) to the dogs. Clinical evaluation and laboratorial analysis was performed prior and at 1, 2, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days post treatment (dpt). Despite to be in accordance with the reference values, a statistically significant (p<0.05) decrease in total serum protein, globulin, hemoglobin and packed cell volume was observed at the 21 dpt. The platelet distribution width (PDW) and platelet count were increased at seven and 21 days (p>0.05), respectively. No changes in urea and creatinine activities, blood gas and leukocyte values were observed in the dogs after the administration of cefovecin. In conclusion, cefovecin can be administered in healthy dogs without causing significant laboratory abnormalities / A cefovecina é a mais nova droga semissintética cefalosporina. O fármaco é indicado para tratamento de infecções de pele e do trato urinário. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a influência da terapia com cefovecina sobre os valores do hemograma, distribuição do diâmetro das plaquetas (PDW), contagem plaquetária, hemogasometria, proteínas séricas e sobre a atividade de uréia e creatinina. Foram usados dez cães hígidos (machos n=4; fêmeas n=6), com peso médio de 10,03±3,54 Kg. Os animais permaneceram durante todo o experimento em baias individuais, recebendo ração comercial duas vezes ao dia e água a vontade. Como critérios de inclusão dos animais para o experimento, foram realizados exames clínicos e laboratoriais. Os cães receberam cefovecina sódica (Convenia®) subcutânea, na dose de 8mg/Kg e foram acompanhados clínica e laboratorialmente com 1, 2, 3, 7, 14 e 21 dias pós tratamento (dpt). Apesar dos valores permanecerem dentro da faixa de normalidade para a espécie, houve uma diminuição significativa (P<0,05) nos valores da proteína sérica, globulinas, hemoglobina e volume globular aos 21(dpt). O diâmetro das plaquetas (PDW), bem como sua contagem diminuíram aos 7 e 21 dias (P>0,05), respectivamente. Não houve alterações nas atividades de uréia e creatinina, hemogasometria e valores leucocitários após a administração da cefovecina. Conclui-se que a cefovecina pode ser administrada em cães saudáveis sem causa anormalidades laboratoriais significantes.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-18T17:53:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dheywid.pdf: 151244 bytes, checksum: 67957de7a93f293ea07766dba8d943a1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-10-01 / Cefovecin is the newest semisynthetic cephalosporin. The drug is indicated for treatment of skin and urinary infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of cefovecin therapy on the hemogram, platelet distribution width (PDW) and platelet count, blood gas, serum proteins, and on the activity of urea and creatinine. Ten healthy dogs (males n=4; females n=6), average weight of 10.03±3.54 kg were used. The animals were kept in individual cages all over the experiment. The dogs were nourished with a commercial feed ad libitum drinking. The animals were submitted to the clinical and laboratory examinations as an inclusion criterion for the experiment. Sodium cefovecin (Convenia®) was subcutaneously administered (8mg/kg) to the dogs. Clinical evaluation and laboratorial analysis was performed prior and at 1, 2, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days post treatment (dpt). Despite to be in accordance with the reference values, a statistically significant (p<0.05) decrease in total serum protein, globulin, hemoglobin and packed cell volume was observed at the 21 dpt. The platelet distribution width (PDW) and platelet count were increased at seven and 21 days (p>0.05), respectively. No changes in urea and creatinine activities, blood gas and leukocyte values were observed in the dogs after the administration of cefovecin. In conclusion, cefovecin can be administered in healthy dogs without causing significant laboratory abnormalities / A cefovecina é a mais nova droga semissintética cefalosporina. O fármaco é indicado para tratamento de infecções de pele e do trato urinário. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a influência da terapia com cefovecina sobre os valores do hemograma, distribuição do diâmetro das plaquetas (PDW), contagem plaquetária, hemogasometria, proteínas séricas e sobre a atividade de uréia e creatinina. Foram usados dez cães hígidos (machos n=4; fêmeas n=6), com peso médio de 10,03±3,54 Kg. Os animais permaneceram durante todo o experimento em baias individuais, recebendo ração comercial duas vezes ao dia e água a vontade. Como critérios de inclusão dos animais para o experimento, foram realizados exames clínicos e laboratoriais. Os cães receberam cefovecina sódica (Convenia®) subcutânea, na dose de 8mg/Kg e foram acompanhados clínica e laboratorialmente com 1, 2, 3, 7, 14 e 21 dias pós tratamento (dpt). Apesar dos valores permanecerem dentro da faixa de normalidade para a espécie, houve uma diminuição significativa (P<0,05) nos valores da proteína sérica, globulinas, hemoglobina e volume globular aos 21(dpt). O diâmetro das plaquetas (PDW), bem como sua contagem diminuíram aos 7 e 21 dias (P>0,05), respectivamente. Não houve alterações nas atividades de uréia e creatinina, hemogasometria e valores leucocitários após a administração da cefovecina. Conclui-se que a cefovecina pode ser administrada em cães saudáveis sem causa anormalidades laboratoriais significantes.

With increasing incidence rates aligned with poor prognosis; sepsis represents one of the biggest challenges in modern health care. It is a multifactorial syndrome defined as organ dysfunction caused by disturbed systemic response to an infection. Most of the inpatient sepsis are caused by Gram positive bacteria and one of its major constituents of the cell envelope: lipoteichoic acid (LTA). An adjuvant treatment that has gained prominence recently is extracorporeal blood removal therapies i.e., hemoperfusions. The concept is to remove the bacterial virulence factors that triggers immune responses and therefor stabilize the hemodynamic parameters of the patient. The dominating research of this method centres around adsorption of the Gram negative bacterias’ endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) but not LTA, whose biochemical and physiological properties resembles each other. The aim of this study was to determine whether LTA can be adsorbed using immobilized truncated derivates of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). LTA was quantified using ELISA comparing before and after passage through columns with immobilized peptides. Further, the absorption abilities of LTA from two different solid phases with distinctive surfaces were investigated. This was of interest to elucidate the nature of the mechanisms behind LTA extractions. All results generated inconclusive data, except for one trial which demonstrated that peptide KEF-19 adsorbed most LTA and that the electrostatic force had the greatest influence of the adsorption. Future studies should however be carried out to validate these statements as well as feasibility and safety estimations for KEF-19 as the sorbent in hemoperfusions for Gram positive bacteria and LTA.

No description available.

Extensive use of the organophosphate diazinon has led to its accumulation in aquatic environments and negative effects on fish health. Most studies focus on the effects of short term exposure to high levels of organophosphate pesticides. This research was conducted to assess the effect of chronic sub-lethal exposure to 0, 0.01, and 0.1 mg/L diazinon for 15 and 30 days on blood parameters and histopathological damage in alligator gar, Atractosteus spatula. Fish exposed to either concentration were motionless, produced excess mucous, had lighter skin color, and had skin lesions. Blood indices of red blood cells, leukocytes and hematocrit values significantly decreased but there was no significant change in mean cell volume. Hemoglobin values significantly increased in fish exposed to the low dose for 15 days, but significantly decreased for the other exposure doses and times. On the contrary, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration values significantly increased in fish exposed to both concentrations and duration times. Leukocyte differentials showed significant decreases in lymphocytes with significant increases of monocytes in fish exposed to the high dose in both exposure times. The most frequent biomarker for exposure to organophosphate pesticides is the inhibition of cholinesterase (ChE). Diazinon significantly reduced plasma ChE activity in a dose-dependent manner, with 62% and 72% in the low and high concentrations for 30 days, respectively. Plasma ChE could be determined from peripheral blood samples and did not require sacrifice of the fish. Fish exposed to either diazinon concentration or duration time developed histopathological changes in skin, gills, liver, and kidney tissues. The skin lesions were on the head and body, and progressed into deep ulcerations. The histopathological changes in the liver included hepatic vacuoles, swollen hepatocytes, steatosis, aggregation of macrophages, necrosis, and hepatic fibrosis. Also, exposed fish demonstrated vacuolar degeneration in the hematopoietic tissues of the kidney. Gills showed epithelial hyperplasia in the secondary lamellae. In conclusion, long term exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of diazinon induced significant changes in hematological indices and histopathological alteration in various tissues. Plasma ChE can be used to monitor diazinon exposure in wild gar populations.

<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Current cancer programs in Canada manage adolescents (15-18 years) under a pediatric model of care, and young adults (19-25 years) under a disease-centered model of care. Key issues arise because neither of these models adequately meets the needs of adolescents and young adults (AYA). The aim of this study is to identify health and supportive care (HSC) needs of AYA survivors with cancer. <strong>Method: </strong>A concurrent nested mixed-method design was employed. Qualitative description and a systematic literature review (SLR) were used. Medline, Cochrane Central, PubMed, PsycInfo CINAHL and EMBASE were searched from their date of inception to October 2011. A comprehensive search strategy was developed. 
A purposive sample of AYA survivors with cancer, aged 15-25 years were recruited. Face-to-face qualitative interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Line-by-line coding was used to establish codes and categories. 
<strong>Result: </strong>Our SLR retrieved 760 citations. Among them, 12 were relevant. Qualitative findings are based on 20 interviews. Twelve diagnosed during adolescence and eight in young adulthood. Participants described several HSC needs that we categorized into 7 broad themes (e.g., social health) and 29 sub-themes (e.g., social support). Among the most commonly reported HSC needs for AYA survivors with cancer from both studies, were social wellbeing, information-sharing and communication and service provision. <strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study has identified a comprehensive set of HSC needs of AYA survivors with cancer. Study results will be used to inform the potential development of a new healthcare program for AYA patients in the Hamilton Health Sciences.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)