Mai Mansour | American University in Cairo (original) (raw)

Papers by Mai Mansour

Research paper thumbnail of Doping In the Recombinant Era: Strategies and Counterstrategies

Clinical biochemistry, Jan 1, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of From Diagnostics to Therapy: Prospects of Quantum Dots

Clinical biochemistry, Jan 1, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Rogue Athletes and Recombinant DNA Technology: Challenges for Doping Control

The Analyst, Jan 1, 2007

The quest for athletic excellence holds no limit for some athletes, and the advances in recombina... more The quest for athletic excellence holds no limit for some athletes, and the advances in recombinant DNA technology have handed these athletes the ultimate doping weapons: recombinant proteins and gene doping. Some detection methods are now available for several recombinant proteins that are commercially available as pharmaceuticals and being abused by dopers. However, researchers are struggling to come up with efficient detection methods in preparation for the imminent threat of gene doping, expected in the 2008 Olympics. This Forum article presents the main detection strategies for recombinant proteins and the forthcoming detection strategies for gene doping as well as the prime analytical challenges facing them.

Research paper thumbnail of In Vitro Diagnostic Prospects of Nanoparticles

Clinica Chimica Acta, Jan 1, 2009

There is a constant need to improve the performance of current diagnostic assays as well as devel... more There is a constant need to improve the performance of current diagnostic assays as well as develop innovative testing strategies to meet new testing challenges. The use of nanoparticles promises to help promote in vitro diagnostics to the next level of performance. Quantum dots (QDs), gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and superparamagnetic nanoparticles are the most promising nanostructures for in vitro diagnostic applications. These nanoparticles can be conjugated to recognition moieties such as antibodies or oligonucleotides for detection of target biomolecules. Nanoparticles have been utilized in immunoassays, immunohistochemistry, DNA diagnostics, bioseparation of specific cell populations, and cellular imaging. Nanoparticle-based diagnostics may open new frontiers for detection of tumours, infectious diseases, bio-terrorism agents, and neurological diseases, to name a few. More work is necessary to fully optimize use of nanoparticles for clinical diagnosis and to resolve some concerns regarding potential health and environmental risks related to their use. However, we envision further developments of nanoparticle-based diagnostics will yield unique assays with enhanced sensitivity and multiplexing capability for the modern clinical laboratory.

Research paper thumbnail of Gene Doping: Of Mice and Men

Clinical biochemistry, Jan 1, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of The Hunt for Gene Dopers

Drug Testing and Analysis, Jan 1, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Doping In the Recombinant Era

Research paper thumbnail of Correction Factors for Estimating Potassium Concentrations In Samples With In Vitro Hemolysis: A Detriment to Patient Safety

Correction factors have been proposed for estimating true potassium concentrations in blood sampl... more Correction factors have been proposed for estimating true potassium concentrations in blood samples with evidence of in vitro hemolysis. We used 2 different models of true (ie, nonsimulated) in vitro hemolysis to evaluate the clinical utility of correction factors for estimating potassium concentrations in samples with evidence of in vitro hemolysis. Potassium correction factors were derived using 2 different models. In model 1, potassium and plasma hemoglobin were measured with the Hitachi 747 analyzer in 132 paired blood samples, with each pair consisting of 1 sample with evidence of hemolysis and 1 without, collected during the same phlebotomy procedure. The change in measured potassium concentration was plotted versus the change in plasma hemoglobin concentration for each pair of samples. In model 2, the potassium levels of 142 784 blood samples and the corresponding hemolytic index values were measured with the Beckman LX20 analyzer. Potassium concentrations at the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles were calculated for each hemolysis index category. From our 2 models, we derived correction factors expressing an increase in potassium concentration of 0.51 and 0.40 mEq/L for every increase in plasma hemoglobin concentration of 0.1 g/dL. These correction factors are much higher than those reported in studies that simulated in vitro hemolysis by freeze-thaw lysis or osmotic disruption of whole blood. Use of correction factors for estimating the true potassium concentration in samples with evidence of in vitro hemolysis is not recommended. Derivation of correction factors by using samples with nonsimulated in vitro hemolysis suggests that the actual increase in potassium in hemolyzed samples is much higher than that reported in previous studies that produced hemolysis with artificial means.

Research paper thumbnail of Nanodiagnostics: a New Frontier for Clinical Laboratory Medicine

Research paper thumbnail of Doping In the Recombinant Era: Strategies and Counterstrategies

Clinical biochemistry, Jan 1, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of From Diagnostics to Therapy: Prospects of Quantum Dots

Clinical biochemistry, Jan 1, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Rogue Athletes and Recombinant DNA Technology: Challenges for Doping Control

The Analyst, Jan 1, 2007

The quest for athletic excellence holds no limit for some athletes, and the advances in recombina... more The quest for athletic excellence holds no limit for some athletes, and the advances in recombinant DNA technology have handed these athletes the ultimate doping weapons: recombinant proteins and gene doping. Some detection methods are now available for several recombinant proteins that are commercially available as pharmaceuticals and being abused by dopers. However, researchers are struggling to come up with efficient detection methods in preparation for the imminent threat of gene doping, expected in the 2008 Olympics. This Forum article presents the main detection strategies for recombinant proteins and the forthcoming detection strategies for gene doping as well as the prime analytical challenges facing them.

Research paper thumbnail of In Vitro Diagnostic Prospects of Nanoparticles

Clinica Chimica Acta, Jan 1, 2009

There is a constant need to improve the performance of current diagnostic assays as well as devel... more There is a constant need to improve the performance of current diagnostic assays as well as develop innovative testing strategies to meet new testing challenges. The use of nanoparticles promises to help promote in vitro diagnostics to the next level of performance. Quantum dots (QDs), gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and superparamagnetic nanoparticles are the most promising nanostructures for in vitro diagnostic applications. These nanoparticles can be conjugated to recognition moieties such as antibodies or oligonucleotides for detection of target biomolecules. Nanoparticles have been utilized in immunoassays, immunohistochemistry, DNA diagnostics, bioseparation of specific cell populations, and cellular imaging. Nanoparticle-based diagnostics may open new frontiers for detection of tumours, infectious diseases, bio-terrorism agents, and neurological diseases, to name a few. More work is necessary to fully optimize use of nanoparticles for clinical diagnosis and to resolve some concerns regarding potential health and environmental risks related to their use. However, we envision further developments of nanoparticle-based diagnostics will yield unique assays with enhanced sensitivity and multiplexing capability for the modern clinical laboratory.

Research paper thumbnail of Gene Doping: Of Mice and Men

Clinical biochemistry, Jan 1, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of The Hunt for Gene Dopers

Drug Testing and Analysis, Jan 1, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Doping In the Recombinant Era

Research paper thumbnail of Correction Factors for Estimating Potassium Concentrations In Samples With In Vitro Hemolysis: A Detriment to Patient Safety

Correction factors have been proposed for estimating true potassium concentrations in blood sampl... more Correction factors have been proposed for estimating true potassium concentrations in blood samples with evidence of in vitro hemolysis. We used 2 different models of true (ie, nonsimulated) in vitro hemolysis to evaluate the clinical utility of correction factors for estimating potassium concentrations in samples with evidence of in vitro hemolysis. Potassium correction factors were derived using 2 different models. In model 1, potassium and plasma hemoglobin were measured with the Hitachi 747 analyzer in 132 paired blood samples, with each pair consisting of 1 sample with evidence of hemolysis and 1 without, collected during the same phlebotomy procedure. The change in measured potassium concentration was plotted versus the change in plasma hemoglobin concentration for each pair of samples. In model 2, the potassium levels of 142 784 blood samples and the corresponding hemolytic index values were measured with the Beckman LX20 analyzer. Potassium concentrations at the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles were calculated for each hemolysis index category. From our 2 models, we derived correction factors expressing an increase in potassium concentration of 0.51 and 0.40 mEq/L for every increase in plasma hemoglobin concentration of 0.1 g/dL. These correction factors are much higher than those reported in studies that simulated in vitro hemolysis by freeze-thaw lysis or osmotic disruption of whole blood. Use of correction factors for estimating the true potassium concentration in samples with evidence of in vitro hemolysis is not recommended. Derivation of correction factors by using samples with nonsimulated in vitro hemolysis suggests that the actual increase in potassium in hemolyzed samples is much higher than that reported in previous studies that produced hemolysis with artificial means.

Research paper thumbnail of Nanodiagnostics: a New Frontier for Clinical Laboratory Medicine