Background and Objective. Evidence for the roles of matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) in the healing process of diabetic foot ulcers has remained unclear. We therefore aimed to demonstrate the relationship of MMP-9 with the wound healing process and determine its potential usefulness in predicting the wound healing outcome. Methods. Twenty-two patients with diabetic foot ulcer were recruited. The wound size was determined, and the wound fluid was collected for the measurement of MMP-9 levels using an ELISA during the 12-week follow-up period regularly. The patients were categorized as good healers and poor healers when the wound area reduction was ≥ 50% and < 50% at week 4 when compared to the initial wound size at week 0. Results. Median wound fluid MMP-9 levels in the poor healer group were shown to be significantly higher than those in the good healer group (1.03 pg/µg protein vs. 0.06 pg/µg protein, p = 0.001), and the levels fluctuated throughout the 12-week follow-up period. In contrast to the poor healer group, the MMP-9 levels were demonstrated to be constantly low throughout the follow-up period in the good healer group. ROC analysis showed that the MMP-9 level of 0.38 pg/µg protein was able to predict the wound healing outcome with the sensitivity of 81.8%, the specificity of 64.6%, and the area under the curve of 0.901 (CI 0.78-1.03, p = 0.001). Conclusion. These findings suggested that determination of wound fluid MMP-9 levels might become a promising biomarker predicting wound healing outcomes and a novel potential therapeutic target for diabetic foot ulcers.

The laboratory tests for lupus anticoagulant (LA) detection comprise complex and multistep coagulation testing procedures. There is no established gold standard assay or direct comparison of algorithms as recommended by different guidelines. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the LA detection performance of different laboratory algorithms suggested by the existing guidelines. The routine LA test data of 1801 plasma samples, including 188 LA-positive and 1613 LA-negative samples, were re-evaluated by applying the algorithms recommended by existing guidelines and were interpreted using various methods. Diagnostic performance indices for each LA detection algorithm were compared with those of the other algorithms. The efficacies of the different interpretation methods were analyzed to determine a suitable interpretation methodology for each assay. The diagnostic performance for detecting LA varied by the algorithm and method of interpretation used. All laboratory algorithms displayed exceptional diagnostic performance with all diagnostic parameters of >90.0%. Nearly perfect agreement was observed in all algorithms when compared to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute 2014 guideline interpreted by normalized screen-to-confirm ratio (NSCR) and mixing test-specific cutoff (MTC), as a reference assay (Cohen's kappa coefficient, >0.90 [range, 0.94-1.00]). A combination of the index of circulating anticoagulant and NSCR was optimal for interpreting the activated partial thromboplastin time-based test, whereas a combination of the MTC and NSCR was suitable for the diluted Russell's viper venom time-based test. All laboratory algorithms showed equivalent diagnostic performance. Establishing the best method of interpretation for each assay is recommended to improve LA detection performance.

Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained slides inevitably deteriorate over time, frequently becoming unreadable. Reutilizing these slides can reduce the need for additional serial sections, particularly when the target region is no longer available in the tissue block. This study aims to develop efficient protocols for recycling faded H&E-stained slides, providing benefits for future research on stored samples. Seventy-one faded slides, representing a variety of tissue types and pathologies, were randomly divided into two groups. Slides were de-stained and re-stained using the conventional procedure and a modified Tris and HCl procedure. Three observers independently assessed all slides based on predefined parameters. The stability of the re-stained slides was re-assessed in 6 months. The modified Tris and HCl method yielded significantly higher scores compared to the conventional method for crispness of staining, nuclear staining, cytoplasmic staining, and vibrancy of staining ( p < 0.05), as well as greater durability, as evidenced by minimal score reduction 6 months after staining. Thus, incorporating a Tris and HCl step into the process effectively enhances and restores faded H&E slides, offering a valuable technique for revitalizing histology slides for future research and educational purposes.

Background: A comparison study is crucial before launching a new medical device; therefore, we compared the Mission Ultra Hb Testing System with the Sysmex XN‐3000 automated hematology analyzer in Thai adult males and non‐pregnant adult females.Methods: Parallel studies were conducted using discarded venous K2‐ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid samples from participants requiring hematological investigations. According to the World Health Organization criteria, the participants were categorized as overall, anemia, and non‐anemia for analysis.Results: Three hundred participants were included in this study. In all participants, near‐perfect correlation and agreement were observed between the two methods for Hb measurement (r = 0.963, p < 0.001) with an interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.981 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.976–0.985) and Hct measurement (r = 0.941, p < 0.001) with an ICC of 0.965 (95% CI: 0.956–0.972). The sensitivity and specificity of the device in detecting anemia were 86.2% (95% CI: 79.7–91.2) and 98.6% (95% CI: 95.2–99.8), respectively. The area under the curve was 0.976 (95% CI: 0.963–0.989). The device showed average biases of 0.76 g/dl (95% limits of agreement [LOA]: −1.03 to 2.54) for Hb measurement and −2.73% (95% LOA: −9.28 to 3.82) for Hct measurement in all participants.Conclusion: Agreement between the Mission Ultra Hb Testing System and Sysmex XN‐3000 was observed. The device was excellent for detecting anemia. However, the essential evidence showing biases of the Hb and Hct measurements obtained from the device was revealed. Laboratory interpretation should be carefully performed, particularly at the near cut‐off values.

Background: The preanalytical factors, including tube type and storage duration, may influence CBC results and hemolysis. Nowadays, blood collection using K₂EDTA, both vacuum and non-vacuum tubes, is widely utilized in clinical laboratories for complete blood count (CBC) analysis. However, the impact of vacuum-induced negative pressure and the anticoagulant-to-blood ratio in under-filled tubes on sample integrity remains a concern. Objective: This study aimed to compare the performance of K₂EDTA vacuum and non-vacuum blood collection tubes, including under-filled non-vacuum tubes, in automated CBC parameters and to assess hemolysis occurrence at different time points. Methods: Blood samples from 30 healthy subjects were collected into three different K₂EDTA blood collection tubes: vacuum, non-vacuum, and non-vacuum tubes with under-filled volumes. CBC parameters, including RBC, Hb, Hct, MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW, WBC, PLT, and MPV, were analyzed at 0 hours, 3 hours, and 24 hours post-collection. Hemolysis was assessed via spectrophotometry at 540 nm. Results: No statistically significant differences were observed in CBC parameters among the three groups at 0 hours. However, significant differences occurred at 3 hours post-collection, including WBC and PLT in vacuum tubes, MCV in non-vacuum tubes, RDW in under-filled tubes, and MPV in all tube types. At 24 hours, all tube types showed significant changes in MCV, MCHC, RDW, and MPV, while RBC showed only changes in vacuum tubes. The highest hemolysis levels occurred in vacuum tubes at 0 hours, whereas under-filled tubes exhibited increased hemolysis at 3 and 24 hours. Conclusion: The results indicated that all three tube types are suitable for hematological analysis if processed within 3 hours. However, the risk of hemolysis in vacuum tubes should be carefully considered, particularly in individuals with suspected hemolysis.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a multifactorial disorder influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, with substantial variability in susceptibility across populations. Data on VTE-associated genetic variants in Asian populations, including Thais, remain limited. To address this, we developed a 39-single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping panel using the MassARRAY platform and evaluated its association with VTE in a Thai cohort. Methods: A total of 209 individuals, comprising 122 patients with objectively confirmed VTE and 87 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, were genotyped. Allele frequencies were compared, and associations with VTE were assessed. Results: Seven SNPs demonstrated significant associations: five risk alleles (PROC rs146922325, ABO rs8176743, FGG rs2066865, F11 rs4253417, and HIVEP1 rs169713) and two protective alleles (F5 rs4524 and TGFB2 rs57615042). To examine cumulative effects, a polygenic risk score (PRS) integrating genetic and clinical factors was constructed. Higher PRS was significantly associated with recurrence, particularly among patients with unprovoked VTE, conferring more than a threefold increase in recurrence risk (HR = 3.53, 95% CI: 1.04–10.2, p = 0.043). These findings provide the first systematic evidence of population-specific genetic risk factors for VTE in Thais and highlight the clinical potential of PRS for recurrence prediction. Conclusions: The MassARRAY-based panel offers a cost-effective, high-throughput strategy for simultaneous SNP detection, supporting scalable genomic studies and personalized risk stratification. Our results contribute to understanding the genetic architecture of VTE and highlight the value of incorporating non-European populations into genetic studies to advance precision medicine.