https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.09983
Kind-of-nominal-property with a sort of system and any pertinent sort(s) of component(s).
Examples:
- The colour of the fluid within the central channel of the spinal cord of any person. The colour might be affected by a cerebral haemorrhage.
- The sequence variation of nucleotides of the gene CYP2D6 in DNA from any person. CYP2D6 is a gene coding for one of the enzymes within the cytochrome P450 oxidase system, e.g. affecting drug metabolism.
- The taxon of the bacterium in a sample of expectoration from any person.
- The typical shape of the nuclei in monocytes (a type of leukocyte) in a sample of blood from any person. The morphology of cells is studied under microscope after fixation and staining of a thin blood film.
Notes:
- A dedicated kind-of-nominal-property is not specified to any individual person, in contrast to an individual nominal property, and it cannot have a nominal property value.
- In clinical laboratory report forms, dedicated kind-of-nominal-properties may be described according to an internationally recommended NPU syntax from IFCC-IUPAC. The syntax is System(specification)-Component(specification); kind-of-property(specification). The last "specification" might contain information on the examination procedure or the nominal property value set. The initial capital for System and for Component is mandatory.
Examples of the NPU syntax:.
Blood—Plasma; colour({milky, red, yellow});.
Erythrocytes(Blood)—Erythrocyte antigen; blood group({A, B, AB, O}).
For examples 1-4 above, individual nominal properties can be written as follows (omitting patient identity and time but including the nominal property value for clarity):- Patient—Spinal fluid; colour(visual)=reddish;
- DNA(Leukocytes)—CYP2D6 gene; sequence variation(allele specific PCR)=*1/*3;
- Expectoration—Bacterium; taxon(Phadebact coagglutination test)=Mycobacterium tuberculosis;
- Monocytes(Blood)—Nuclei; shape=oval.
- The patient"s name (or other identifier), location, and date and time of obtaining the sample of the system under consideration shall always be given in the clinical laboratory report.
- The dedicated kinds-of-nominal-property examples above correspond to examples 1-4 of kind-of-nominal-property.