Diagnostics and Genomics – Agilent Technologies Blog

Agilent Aids Infant Nutrition

Russell Lee — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 14:30:01 +0000

Undernutrition contributes to almost half of all deaths in children under the age of five. (WHO) Agilent is helping to counteract this in a highly innovative way.

The World Health Organization recommends to exclusively breastfeed babies from birth to six months of age. (WHO). This would provide young infants with all the nutrients they need, as well as improve their immune systems.

Here’s an interesting question: How can nutrition and health professionals determine whether this is actually happening?

And here’s an ingenious answer: The International Atomic Energy Agency has been supporting its Member States to improve the measurement of breastfeeding practices objectively using deuterium oxide (D₂O).

D₂O (or “heavy water”) is water that contains deuterium, a stable isotope of hydrogen harmless to humans at the amount needed to assess breastfeeding practices. When a lactating mother drinks a small amount of D₂O, deuterium is passed from mother to child through the breast milk. By measuring the amount of deuterium in the saliva from the mother and the child over a period of 14 days, nutrition and health professionals can determine how much breast milk was consumed by the infant and whether the child has consumed water from other sources. (You can read more about the procedure here.)

“Data from IAEA-supported studies show that mothers sometimes overestimate their breastfeeding rates,” says Victor Owino, nutrition specialist at the IAEA. “This technique can objectively assess the amount of breast milk consumed and whether the infant is exclusively breastfed, and how this is modified through the introduction of solid foods from six months of age.”

That’s where Agilent comes in. Agilent makes portable FTIR spectrometers that are ideal for analyzing liquid and solid samples in non-lab environments. (I’ve blogged about their use by environmental scientists and art historians.) Agilent supplies them to the IAEA and countries to assist in these assessments.

The Agilent FTIR in use at a lab in Tanzania

For example, researchers in Tunisia are using the Agilent portable FTIR and D2O in another innovative way. They are using the deuterium dilution technique to measure total body water and fat-free mass in school children, to determine body composition. They are also assessing physical activity and correlating it with body composition, showing that excess body fat is associated with lower physical activity.

These are terrific ways to bring science to life!

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Thanks to Agilent’s Graham Miller and IAEA’s Dr. Cornelia Loechl for their help with today’s blog post!

For more information go to:

An Update on Microplastics in the Environment

Russell Lee — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 15:30:32 +0000

Chemical & Engineering News has published a “State of the Union” update on microplastics in the environment.

I’ve blogged about microplastics before. These are not little bits of plastic that may flake off of your water bottle, that you could isolate with a filter. These are microscopic, nano-sized molecules that can be as small as 6.5 microns (the size of a human red blood cell). They can literally pass right through the walls of your digestive system and into your organs.

“About 8 million metric tons of waste plastic enters the oceans every year,” says C&EN. “These particles are being consumed not only by birds and fish but by humans, too.

“Regulators and industry are now funding studies to determine the risks that microplastics pose to the food chain and, ultimately, human health.”

Agilent is at the forefront of this research, with several of its efforts highlighted in C&EN’s article.

Agilent is part of a coalition of organizations working to develop standard operating protocols for quantifying and characterizing microplastics. This coalition also includes the European Commission’s joint Research Centre.

Researchers at Aalborg University have developed a program using an Agilent FTIR that can present color-coded images based on chemical identification.

You can view an application note here and a four-minute video here.

For more information go to:

How Chemical Phthalates are Endangering Women and Infants

Russell Lee — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 15:00:12 +0000

Chemical phthalates and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are showing up in extremely frightening places: diapers and sanitary pads.

I’ve blogged about phthalates before. These chemicals are found in many consumer products, including cosmetics and packaging. But these chemicals can interfere with hormone production, causing genital birth defects and behavioral problems. Pregnant women and young children are especially at risk.

That last point is key.

An international team of scientists has just determined that sanitary pads and diapers contain higher phthalate contents than those in common commercial plastic products.

“Sanitary pads and diapers are made of synthetic plastic materials that can potentially be released while being used,” the researchers write. “As sanitary pads and diapers are in direct contact with external genitalia for an extended period, there is a probability that a considerable amount of VOCs or phthalates could be absorbed into the reproductive system.”

VOC contents were measured using an Agilent GC/MS system and MassHunter software. Phthalates were analyzed and measured using an Agilent HPLC system with a degasser, autosampler and binary pump.

The safety of sanitary pads or diapers is becoming a worldwide public health concern, with growing suspicions that some substances in those products may adversely influence the health of women and children.

But because diapers are not considered “medical devices,” they are not subject to medical or safety testing by regulatory agencies.

I don’t even know what advice to offer here. Most women of reproductive age use sanitary pads during their menstrual periods for an average of 1,800 days in their lifetime. Similarly, the diaper is a hygiene product that is in direct contact with the external genitalia of infants and toddlers for several months to years.

Be careful, everyone.

For more information go to:

Of Hearts and Hormones

Russell Lee — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 15:30:42 +0000

Happy Valentine’s Day, if you celebrate it! If you don’t, February is still “American Heart Month”. Here’s some relevant research.

Did you know that many cardiovascular diseases vary by sex as well as by age? Men with heart failure die off at a faster rate than women, regardless of treatment. But this cardio-protective quality for females is predominantly found in pre-menopausal women, not post-menopausal women. (JMM)

German researchers studied the molecular basis for these hormonal differences, using gene expression profiling on mouse and human cardiac samples. Equipment included an Agilent Bioanalyzer system, cDNA microarrays, microarray scanner and software.

In total, the researchers found that gene expression of 13 mouse genes and 14 human genes differed between males and females, regardless of age. They also found that most of these distinctly expressed genes were located on sex chromosomes.

The researchers hope their findings “may represent a starting point for an improved gender-specific medicine.”

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

For more information go to:

A New Frontier in the Fight Against Cancer

Russell Lee — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 15:30:43 +0000

Pathology studies the causes and effects of cancer and other diseases. Pathologists work by examining tissue samples in a laboratory. But with the advent of personalized medicine, the pathologist’s role is profoundly changing.

Traditionally, pathologists were viewed as “diagnosticians working behind closed doors,” says Dr. Carol Cheung with University of Toronto. But increasingly, pathologists are moving out of the laboratory and into the clinic to work directly with their patients.

What has changed? First, tumors can increasingly be diagnosed before they are removed. In many cases, surgery is no longer even appropriate as a first step.

Second, the range of tests that can be performed on small tumors has greatly expanded. New techniques include next-generation sequencing, staining, and immunohistochemistry and molecular markers. Not only can these tests provide a more accurate diagnosis of the type of tumor, they can also indicate whether a patient is suitable for new targeted therapies.

“Pathologists are able to provide much more personalized and accurate information than ever before,” say Dr. Philippe Taniere and Dr. Matthew Evans with University Hospitals Birmingham. “Oncologists are empowered to provide their patients with the most appropriate treatments, and patients are able to benefit from this personalization.” (TN)

“Today’s pathologists are informational interventionists, essential to guide personalized treatment strategies for oncology patients,” says Dr. Cheung. “It is very likely that we are only at the start of a new era for cancer diagnostics and treatment.”

Agilent has produced a nine-minute video in which Drs. Cheung, Taniere and other pathology experts discuss “A New Frontier in the Fight Against Cancer.” You can view it here.

For more information go to:

Can’t Lose Weight? Blame Your Immune System…

Russell Lee — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 15:30:10 +0000

New research has identified a mind-boggling link between your immune system and your ability (or inability) to lose weight. Agilent technologies were used in this research.

Your intestines contain a large number of immune cells that help protect you against microbial infections as you digest your food. But these cells can also slow down your metabolism, causing you to store that food as fat instead of energy.

Why? Scientists believe these immune cells helped prehistoric people survive during food shortages.

Here’s the interesting part. U.S. scientists engineered some mice to eliminate those immune cells. Then they fed both engineered and normal mice a diet high in fat, sugar and salt.

The reengineered mice stayed trim. The normal mice became obese and developed high blood pressure and glucose intolerance. (These conditions are precursors to diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.)

Several Agilent technologies were used in the research, including Dako AEC substrates, Dako antibodies and Seahorse XF Analyzers. Dako and Seahorse are both part of Agilent.

The researchers hope their work will lead to better approaches to combat obesity and heart disease.

“For a long time we’ve treated the consequences of obesity,” says Dr. Michael Blaha of Johns Hopkins, “because we have not had ways to attack the causes of obesity.

“It would be much better if we were able to treat the reasons for disordered metabolism rather than its consequences.”

For more information go to:

The Manganese in Your Teeth

Russell Lee — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 15:30:32 +0000

A recent blog post included a comment about manganese in your teeth. It turns out this has significant implications about your health, and is an area of scientific research.

Manganese (the metal Mn) is an essential nutrient required for human growth and development. It is involved in several physiological processes, including normal brain function. It turns out there is a very narrow window of tolerance between deficiency (not getting enough) and toxicity (getting too much).

Manganese deficiency can cause heart ailments, muscular contraction and bone malformation. (Organic Facts) Manganese toxicity can cause psychosis and tremors that resemble Parkinson’s Disease. (NIH)

We are exposed to manganese from a variety of environmental sources, including drinking water, soil, air and dust. Food sources include fruits, vegetables, nuts and herbs. Manganese also crosses the placenta, so a mother will pass her Mn exposure to her prenatal unborn child.

Your teeth are an ideal indicator of Mn exposure. Teeth accumulate metals and keep a record similar to tree rings.

In a recent study, researchers collected teeth from 142 young teens residing near a ferro-manganese industrial region of Italy. They used an Agilent ICP-MS to measure Mn concentrations in prenatal and postnatal tooth regions.

The researchers were looking for a correlation between manganese levels and visuospatial learning and memory. They discovered that girls with levels of Mn at either extreme took longer to complete tasks, and committed more working and memory errors. Moreover:

These outcomes were only observed among girls. This association was not observed among boys.
The association was “U-shaped.” Girls scored lower when they had either higher or lower Mn levels than the norm.
The association was with prenatal Mn only. For postnatal Mn, no significant associations were found, and patterns were similar for boys and girls.

“The prenatal period may be a critical window for the impact of environmental Mn on visuospatial ability and executive function,” the researchers conclude, “especially for females.”

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

For more information go to:

Researchers Identify a Potential new Cause of Alzheimer’s Disease

Russell Lee — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 16:11:31 +0000

Dementia is currently the fifth leading cause of death worldwide. And while 70 percent of dementia cases are caused by Alzheimer’s Disease, scientists still don’t know what causes AD.

Scientists have theorized that AD occurs when the brain over-accumulates two proteins – amyloid and tau. But many people have amyloid plaques without suffering from dementia. In addition, many efforts to treat AD by treating amyloid plaques have been unsuccessful. (NewScientist)

Now scientists have a new theory, and it’s a doozy: AD is caused by Porphyromonas gingivalis – the same bacteria that causes gum disease.

In a new study, an international team of researchers found gingipains (toxic enzymes associated with P. gingivalis) in 96 percent of Alzheimer’s brain samples they examined. Moreover, the bacteria and its enzymes were found at higher levels in patients who had experienced worse cognitive decline.

The researchers used Dako antibodies in their study. Dako is a part of Agilent.

The researchers believe the brain over-accumulates amyloid as a defense against P. gingivalis.

“The findings of this study offer evidence that P. gingivalis and gingipains in the brain play a central role in the pathogenesis of AD, providing a new conceptual framework for disease treatment,” the researchers write.

Furthermore, therapeutics used to block P. gingivalis may be effective in treating AD. Inhibitors may “reduce P. gingivalis infection in the brain and slow or prevent further neurodegeneration and accumulation of pathology in AD patients,” the researchers write.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

For more information go to:

A Conversation with Agilent’s Director of Clinical Strategy

Russell Lee — Thu, 03 Jan 2019 15:30:28 +0000

BioSpectrum recently featured an interview with Charmian Cher, Ph.D., Agilent’s director of Clinical Strategy in Asia Pacific.

“Asia Pacific makes up more than half the global population,” Cher says. “Trends such as an increasing aging population, urbanization and chronic respiratory diseases underpin the demand for improved healthcare.”

Asia’s medical technology industry is expected to double within the next five years, overtaking Europe as the second-largest market after the U.S. Agilent has a significant presence throughout Asia, including China (Agilent’s second-largest region after the U.S.) and Singapore (home to more than 60 multinational MedTech companies).

Agilent is helping drive innovations such as molecular diagnostics, precision medicine and digital technologies. As Cher notes, Agilent’s vision is to provide a comprehensive workflow solution in next-generation sequencing, from when the patient sample comes into the lab until the final diagnosis.

“This complete workflow solution will eventually allow a clinician to have all the data and information needed to make a diagnosis at his/her fingertips,” Cher says, “consolidated from multiple testing modalities.”

One challenge is that high-quality diagnostic technologies remain inaccessible and unaffordable in many places. Agilent hopes to address this issue as well.

“Agilent is focused on developing complete NGS and microarray solutions for cancer and constitutional analysis which will allow labs with little expertise to adopt and implement,” Cher says. “These simplified solutions will not only include the necessary components to go from sample to report but will involve expert service and support to guide users through verification within their labs.”

You can read BioSpectrum’s entire interview here.

For more information go to:

The Effects of Loneliness

Russell Lee — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 15:00:31 +0000

Between 15 to 20 percent of British adults have reported being “often or always lonely.” Between 20 to 43 percent of American adults over age 60 have experienced “frequent or intense” loneliness.

Research has shown that loneliness can actually alter gene expression, resulting in chronic health conditions and increased mortality. Effects can include:

High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease
Reduced immunity
Inflammation
Poor sleep

A comprehensive study found that loneliness, social isolation and living alone increase one’s risk of death by 26 percent, 29 percent and 32 percent respectively. As the worldwide population continues to age, loneliness is poised to become as big a public-health issue as obesity and substance abuse.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction, a program developed at the University of Massachusetts, uses a combination of meditation, body awareness and yoga to help people become more mindful. MBSR has been shown to reduce feelings of loneliness.

Scientists were curious: Can MBSR also alter gene expression and reduce inflammation?

U.S. researchers examined a group of adults aged 55 to 85 years. One group participated in an eight-week MBSR program, while the other did not. Afterwards, both groups underwent gene expression profiling and pro-inflammatory protein analysis. Equipment included an Agilent Bioanalyzer System to ensure RNA integrity.

Results showed that MBSR significantly reduced the expression of genes and protein markers associated with inflammation.

“Our work presents the first evidence showing that a psychological intervention that decreases loneliness also reduces pro-inflammatory gene expression,” says senior study author Steven Cole. “If this is borne out by further research, MBSR could be a valuable tool to improve the quality of life for many elderly.”

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

For more information go to: