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RE: analytes & measurands - a Christmas quiz

Like others I am sitting at my desk on what is a 'slow news' day.

For those who are still trying to think of what to give a loved one tomorrow how about a print out of http://physics.nist.gov/Pubs/guidelines/TN1297/tn1297s.pdf

which seems to be one of more authoritative texts on measurands.

Incidentally neither term is in my copy of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary.

Trevor Tickner,
Norwich

P.S. Where or what is 'Shorter Oxford'?

-----Original Message-----
From: Reynolds Tim [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 24 December 2003 11:29
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: analytes & measurands - a Christmas quiz


I tried 10 on-line dictionaries:

results:
1 gave Analyte = The substance being measured in an analytical procedure.
9 gave analyte not listed

10 gave measurand not listed.

So clearly measurand is made up and analyte is probably made up as well.

However, that means that:

[1] alkaline phosphatase   NOT analyte because you measure its activity
> [2] cholesterol          analyte
> [3] Ca125                analyte
> [4] free T4              analyte or not depending whether you believe the assay does what it says
> [5] HbA1c                analyte or not because HbA1c is not really a sinle entity
> [6] oestradiol           analyte
> [7] Troponin I           analyte
> [8] TSH                  analyte
> [9] SHBG                 analyte
> [10] sodium              analyte

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Prof. Tim Reynolds,
Clinical Chemistry Department,
Queens Hospital,
Belvedere Rd.,
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STAFFORDSHIRE,
DE13 0RB,
UK.
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Clinical biochemistry discussion list
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of JG MIDDLE
> Sent: 24 December 2003 10:01
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: analytes & measurands - a Christmas quiz
>
>
> Hi chaps
>
> Some recent postings and discussions with a training course
> class this year, have prompted me to pose some Christmas
> questions.  I have a small side bet on who will respond first!
>
> My purpose is to stimulate debate about the words we use to
> describe the 'things' we 'measure' and whether we share a
> common understanding of them.  I am not an expert, I may not
> be phrasing the questions in the right way, and I don't know
> what the right answers are, but the reponses might be interesting!
>
> The following is a list of some common 'tests' in most labs'
> repertoire (assume all are serum/plasma/whole blood as appropriate). 
>
> [1] alkaline phosphatase
> [2] cholesterol
> [3] Ca125
> [4] free T4
> [5] HbA1c
> [6] oestradiol
> [7] Troponin I
> [8] TSH
> [9] SHBG
> [10] sodium
>
> In each case, can they be described as 'analytes' or 'measurands'? 
>
> Is this is a silly question because the terms are equivalent,
> or is it a highly pertinent one as they have different
> meanings, or does this only matter to the 'anoraks'?
>
> And how does our understanding of what is being 'tested for'
> or 'measured' depend on the method of analysis and the
> 'signal-producing entity' within it?
>
> Happy Christmas!
>
> Jonathan Middle
>
>
>
> UK NEQAS Birmingham
> tel 0121 414 7300, fax 0121 414 1179
> This message is intended only for the above named
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> The opinions expressed are mine alone and do not necessarily
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> University of Birmingham.
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