The European Register of Specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine

In 1997, the European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EC4) set up a Register for European Specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. The operation of the Register is undertaken by a Register Commission (EC4RC). During the last 10 years, more than 2000 specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine have joined the Register. In 2007, EC4 merged with the Federation of European Societies of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (FESCC) to form the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFCC). A Code of Conduct was adopted in 2003 and a revised and updated version, taking account particularly of the guidelines of the Conseil Européen des Professions Libérales (CEPLIS) of which EFCC is a member, is presented in this article. The revised version was approved by the EC4 Register Commission and by the EFCC Executive Board in Paris on 6 November, 2008.Peer Reviewe

Preterm Infants on Early Solid Foods and Vitamin D Status in the First Year of Life—A Secondary Outcome Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Preterm birth places infants at high risk for mineral and micronutrient deficiencies important for bone health. The aim of this study was to examine whether two timepoints for the introduction of solid foods in preterm infants have an impact on vitamin D status in the first year of life. This is a secondary outcome analysis of a prospective, randomized trial on very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, randomized to an early (10–12th week corrected age) or a late (16–18th week corrected age) complementary-feeding group. Vitamin D status was assessed by blood samples taken at 6 weeks, 6, and 12 months corrected age. In total, 177 infants were randomized (early group: n = 89, late group: n = 88). There was a tendency toward lower levels of serum 25-OH-vitamin D in the early group throughout the first year of life (p = not significant (n.s.)); no differences were detected in the other parameters. At 6 months corrected age, infants of the early group had a significantly higher incidence of vitamin D deficiency. The timepoint of the introduction of solid foods had no impact on the serum 25-OH-vitamin D levels and other parameters important for bone health but showed a tendency toward lower levels in the early-feeding group

Increased glutamate receptor and transporter expression in the cerebral cortex and striatum of gcdh-/- mice: possible implications for the neuropathology of glutaric acidemia type I.

We determined mRNA expression of the ionotropic glutamate receptors NMDA (NR1, NR2A and NR2B subunits), AMPA (GluR2 subunit) and kainate (GluR6 subunit), as well as of the glutamate transporters GLAST and GLT1 in cerebral cortex and striatum of wild type (WT) and glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase deficient (Gchh-/-) mice aged 7, 30 and 60 days. The protein expression levels of some of these membrane proteins were also measured. Overexpression of NR2A and NR2B in striatum and of GluR2 and GluR6 in cerebral cortex was observed in 7-day-old Gcdh-/-. There was also an increase of mRNA expression of all NMDA subunits in cerebral cortex and of NR2A and NR2B in striatum of 30-day-old Gcdh-/- mice. At 60 days of life, all ionotropic receptors were overexpressed in cerebral cortex and striatum of Gcdh-/- mice. Higher expression of GLAST and GLT1 transporters was also verified in cerebral cortex and striatum of Gcdh-/- mice aged 30 and 60 days, whereas at 7 days of life GLAST was overexpressed only in striatum from this mutant mice. Furthermore, high lysine intake induced mRNA overexpression of NR2A, NR2B and GLAST transcripts in striatum, as well as of GluR2 and GluR6 in both striatum and cerebral cortex of Gcdh-/- mice. Finally, we found that the protein expression of NR2A, NR2B, GLT1 and GLAST were significantly greater in cerebral cortex of Gcdh-/- mice, whereas NR2B and GLT1 was similarly enhanced in striatum, implying that these transcripts were translated into their products. These results provide evidence that glutamate receptor and transporter expression is higher in Gcdh-/- mice and that these alterations may be involved in the pathophysiology of GA I and possibly explain, at least in part, the vulnerability of striatum and cerebral cortex to injury in patients affected by GA I

Preterm Infants on Early Solid Foods and Iron Status in the First Year of Life—A Secondary Outcome Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction of solid foods and iron status in the first year of life of preterm infants are highly discussed topics. The aim of this study was to examine whether two timepoints of introduction of standardized solid foods in preterm infants have an impact on ferritin and other hematologic parameters important for iron status in the first year of life. This is a secondary outcome analysis of a prospective, randomized intervention trial in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants randomized to an early (10–12th week corrected age) or a late (16–18th week corrected age) complementary feeding group. Iron status was assessed with blood samples taken at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months corrected age. In total, 177 infants were randomized (early group: n = 89, late group: n = 88). Ferritin showed no differences between study groups throughout the first year of life, as did all other parameters associated with iron status. At 12 months corrected age, the incidence of iron deficiency was significantly higher in the early feeding group. There is room for improvement of iron status in VLBW preterm infants, regular blood checks should be introduced, and current recommendations may need to be a reconsidered

NR2A, NR2B, GLT1 and GLAST protein levels striatum of 60-day-old wild type (WT) and <i>Gcdh</i>^-/- mice.

<p>β-actin was used as the endogenous control. Results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation for four independent experiments (animals) per group. *p≤0.05 compared to WT (Student's t test for unpaired samples).</p

Glutamate receptor mRNA expression levels in cerebral cortex and striatum from wild type (WT) and <i>Gcdh^-/-</i> mice at 7 (A), 30 (B) and 60 (C) days of life.

<p>Results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation for five independent experiments (animals) per group. *p≤0.05, **p≤0.01, ***p≤0.001 compared to WT (Student's t test for unpaired samples).</p

NMDA and non-NMDA receptor mRNA expression in cerebral cortex of 30-day-old wild type (WT) and <i>Gcdh^-/-</i> mice submitted to a normal (0.9% lysine) or high lysine (4.7%) diet.

<p>NR1 (A), NR2A (B), NR2B (C), GluR2 (D) and GluR6 (E). Results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation for five independent experiments (animals) per group. *p≤0.05 compared to WT; **p≤0.01, ***p≤0.001 compared to WT; ^#p≤0.01 compared to <i>Gcdh^-/-</i> mice submitted to a normal diet (Student's t test for unpaired samples).</p

Number of assays used for relative quantification of each glutamate receptor subunits and transporters (Applied Biosystems).

<p>Number of assays used for relative quantification of each glutamate receptor subunits and transporters (Applied Biosystems).</p

Glutamate transporter (GLT1 and GLAST) mRNA expression in cerebral cortex (A) and striatum (B) of wild type (WT) and <i>Gcdh-/-</i> mice submitted to a normal (0.9% lysine) or high lysine (4.7%) diet.

<p>A). Results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation for five independent experiments (animals) per group. * p≤0.05, **p≤0.01 compared to WT; #p≤0.05 compared to <i>Gcdh</i>^-/- mice submitted to a normal diet (Student's t test for unpaired samples).</p