Each of 102 Nordic routine clinical biochemistry laboratories collected blood samples from at least 25 healthy reference individuals evenly distributed for gender and age, and analysed 25 of the most commonly requested serum/plasma components from each reference individual. A reference material (control) consisting of a fresh frozen liquid pool of serum with values traceable to reference methods (used as the project "calibrator" for non-enzymes to correct reference values) was analysed together with other serum pool controls in the same series as the project samples. Analytical data, method data and data describing the reference individuals were submitted to a central database for evaluation and calculation of reference intervals intended for common use in the Nordic countries. In parallel to the main project, measurements of commonly requested haematology properties on EDTA samples were also carried out, mainly by laboratories in Finland and Sweden. Aliquots from reference samples were submitted to storage in a central bio-bank for future establishment of reference intervals for other properties. The 25 components were, in alphabetical order: alanine transaminase, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, amylase, amylase pancreatic, aspartate transaminase, bilirubins, calcium, carbamide, cholesterol, creatine kinase, creatininium, gamma-glutamyltransferase, glucose, HDL-cholesterol, iron, iron binding capacity, lactate dehydrogenase, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, protein, sodium, triglyceride and urate.

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Background: Flow cytometry allows the use of several antibodies in addition to light scatter, and most flow cytometers will provide at least seven measurements on each cell passing through the laser beam. A skilled microscopist will classify at least 14 cell classes in bone marrow or blood. Our goal was to use the seven parameters available in our flow cytometer to provide a reliable differential count using only one tube.Methods Results: Using live gate acquisition on DRAQ5, we were able to classify total nucleated cells into 10 classes. We were unable to identify megakaryocytes, but platelets could be studied by rerunning the sample after dilution and gating on DRAQ5-negative CD36-posive events. Validation against digitized microscopy and cell counter showed linear correlations within each cell class with correlation coefficients that seem reasonable for cellular classification. The lowest correlation was found for basophil granulocytes. Flow cytometry detected twice as many immature neutrophils compared to microscopy.Conclusions: We have designed a one-tube immunophenotyping panel for classification of total nucleated cells and platelets in blood or bone marrow. The seven parameters available in one single tube in our cytometer seem to be enough for reliable differential count even in difficult pathological samples. The analytical imprecision of the flow cytometer differential was much lower than that obtained with microscopy or cell counter differentials. q 2007 Clinical Cytometry Society

SUMMARY:Expression of full-length trkB can be found in some highly malignant neuroblastoma tumors with an amplified MYCN gene. This contrasts sympathetic neuroblasts, from which neuroblastomas are thought to arise, which neither express trkB nor are dependent on the p145 trkB ligands, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or neurotrophin-4/5, for their normal development. In this study we show that trkB was expressed in two out of five neuroblastoma tumors with amplified MYCN, while no trkB expression was observed when the MYCN gene was overexpressed in a non-MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell line. This shows that MYCN overexpression per se is not sufficient to induce trkB expression. trkB expression and BDNF responsiveness in neuroblastoma cells can be induced by all-trans-retinoic acid (RA). When SH-SY5Y cells were stimulated with a combination of RA and BDNF, norepinephrine and tyrosine hydroxylase levels were unaltered, showing that the cells did not change toward a more catecholaminergic sympathetic phenotype. However, expression of growth-associated protein 43, indicative of a neuronal phenotype, was elevated. Vesicular acetylcholine transporter, choline acetyl transferase, and neuropeptide tyrosine mRNA levels also increased in RA-BDNF-treated cells, which could suggest that these cells develop into a sympathetic cholinergic phenotype. In addition, treatment with RA-induced expression of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor-␣. As previously shown for BDNF, platelet-derived growth factor stimulated growth of the RA-treated cells, findings that could have clinical relevance. If these receptors mediate a mitogenic signal in vivo also, this might limit the effect of RA treatment on neuroblastoma patients. (Lab Invest 2003, 83:813-823).T he childhood malignancy neuroblastoma is derived from cells of the developing sympathetic nervous system. The neuroblastoma cells are arrested at immature stages of sympathetic differentiation, although the stage of tumor cell maturation varies from one tumor to another and often also within a single tumor. This immaturity is frequently manifested in phenotypic characteristics resembling those of sympathetic progenitor cells such as expression of the embryonic and fetal transcription factors dHAND and human achaete-scute homolog-1 (HASH-1) (Gestblom et al, 1997(Gestblom et al, , 1999Hoehner et al, 1996a;Påhlman and Hedborg, 2000). Such progenitor cells give rise to three major closely related, sympathetic cell lineages: the neuronal/ganglionic, the small intensely fluorescent, and the chromaffin cell lineages (Patterson, 1990). The hormones and growth factors determining rat sympathetic progenitor cell lineage selection are grossly understood and involve glucocorticoids, classical growth factors, and neurotrophins (Anderson, 1993(Anderson, , 1997. For example, development into and along the neuronal lineage requires sequential exposure to insulin-like growth factors, basic fibroblast growth factor, and the neurotrophins nerve growth factor (NGF) and neurotrophin(NT)-...

The multi-scale approach to conserving forest biodiversity has been used in Sweden since the 1980s, a period defined by increased reserve area and conservation actions within production forests. However, two thousand forest-associated species remain on Sweden's red-list, and Sweden's 2020 goals for sustainable forests are not being met. We argue that ongoing changes in the production forest matrix require more consideration, and that multiscale conservation must be adapted to, and integrated with, production forest development. To make this case, we summarize trends in habitat provision by Sweden's protected and production forests, and the variety of ways silviculture can affect biodiversity. We discuss how different forestry trajectories affect the type and extent of conservation approaches needed to secure biodiversity, and suggest leverage points for aiding the adoption of diversified silviculture. Sweden's long-term experience with multi-scale conservation and intensive forestry provides insights for other countries trying to conserve species within production landscapes.