FEATURE ARTICLES

Jake Morrow looks at the current state of autoantibody testing, what impact this has on provision of the service, and what the future holds for this important area of autoimmunity and immunology.

Figures released by Public Health England indicate that the numbers of laboratory-confirmed cases of measles increased hugely between 2017 (n=274) and the first half of 2018 (n=738). Recently published articles on the subject from around the world suggest that issues related to poor vaccination uptake and also increased immigration and the associated importation of the virus are just two of a number of reasons for this increase in infection.

Mark Wilks reports on the Annual Scientific Conference of the British Society for Microbial Technology, held at Public Health England, Colindale, London, earlier this year.

The application of point-of-care testing has become commonplace across much of diagnostics. Here, Sarah Pitt looks at the situation in microbiology and how this technology can benefit patient care and infection control.

David Martin discusses the role of architectural best practice in supporting translational research, to ensure innovations in the laboratory are transposed rapidly into successful improvements in patient outcomes.

This year’s Microbe symposium, the 17th biennial event in this series, will return to Sheffield in September. Here, Pathology in Practice provides a preview, including the vital commercial element of proceedings.

Cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and troponin I (cTnI) are cardiac regulatory proteins that control the calcium-mediated interaction between actin and myosin. Raised cardiac troponin concentrations are now accepted as the standard biochemical marker for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction.

The University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, has pioneered Mohs micrographic surgery since 1992, providing optimal patient care and rapid skin cancer treatment. Central to fast treatment time is cryosectioning, which is facilitated by use of the Thermo Scientific Cryostar NX70.

Point-of-care testing is vitally important in many areas of 21st-century healthcare, and requires medical laboratory overview to ensure a safe an efficient service. External quality assessment is an important aspect of this assurance, as this report illustrates.

Biobanking increases in importance as scientific development and research continues. Here, Mark Reed offers a brief, not on the high street, insight into what is now a complex science.

Jamie Laughlin explores the benefits of a novel, innovative solution for serological infectious diseases testing recently introduced at South West London Pathology, part of St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

A coagulation laboratory in Cambridge is part of a pan-European study looking at the in vitro diagnostics potential for automated thrombin generation testing in the routine laboratory setting.

The need to share, analyse and compare data across numerous laboratories is becoming more relevant as plans for larger NHS pathology networks unfold. Here, North West London Pathology and Stago illustrate how this can be facilitated.

The seventh and final article in this series by Stephen MacDonald on individual aspects of the assessment of uncertainty of measurement provides an example of how to set, assess and review measurement uncertainty in any situation in the laboratory.

The identification of C. difficile carriers who have the potential to produce toxin can take up to four days, delaying patient isolation and increasing the chance of nosocomial spread of infection. Here, Laura Nottle considers the performance and benefits of a tcdB gene detection assay.

The development of new nucleic acid amplification techniques is bringing molecular diagnostics closer to the patient for faster results and improved patient management. A prime example of this near-patient capability is LAMP technology.

Multiple myeloma accounts for about 1% of all types of human cancer and 13% of all haematological malignancies. Much molecular study currently is being undertaken on the disease, as the following selection of articles illustrates.

Louise Jones and Clare Craig reflect on the outputs of a workshop held last year, which looked at how best to handle surgical specimens from the point of removal, such that optimal results will be obtained from molecular analysis as well as conventional microscopy and immunohistochemistry.

The use of BCG is best known as a vaccination against tuberculosis. However, its role in bladder cancer immunotherapy goes back almost four decades, and its success has prompted increasing interest in the manipulation of the immune system against tumours.

Ian Jennings reports on proceedings of the second day of the UK NEQAS for Blood Coagulation scientific and participants’ meeting, which is held annually at The Atrium at Sheffield Hallam University.