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Sample records for chain reaction methods

  1. Method of identification of unbranched chain reaction with cross termination of chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poluehktov, V.A.; Begishev, I.R.

    1977-01-01

    Gas-phase chlorination of unsymmetrical difluoroethane initiated by gamma quanta of Co 60 has been studied. At decreased temperatures the only hydrogen is replaced by a chlorine atom. Over a wide range of ratios of the initial reagents, the reaction occurs with a chain rupture. An analysis of the kinetics of such a reaction provides a method for identification of an unbranched chain reaction with a cross-rupture of the chain

  2. Polymerase Chain Reaction/Rapid Methods Are Gaining a Foothold in Developing Countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ragheb, Suzan Mohammed; Jimenez, Luis

    Detection of microbial contamination in pharmaceutical raw materials and finished products is a critical factor to guarantee their safety, stability, and potency. Rapid microbiological methods-such as polymerase chain reaction-have been widely applied to clinical and food quality control analysis. However, polymerase chain reaction applications to pharmaceutical quality control have been rather slow and sporadic. Successful implementation of these methods in pharmaceutical companies in developing countries requires important considerations to provide sensitive and robust assays that will comply with good manufacturing practices. In recent years several publications have encouraged the application of molecular techniques in the microbiological assessment of pharmaceuticals. One of these techniques is polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The successful application of PCR in the pharmaceutical industry in developing countries is governed by considerable factors and requirements. These factors include the setting up of a PCR laboratory and the choice of appropriate equipment and reagents. In addition, the presence of well-trained analysts and establishment of quality control and quality assurance programs are important requirements. The pharmaceutical firms should take into account these factors to allow better chances for regulatory acceptance and wide application of this technique. © PDA, Inc. 2014.

  3. Reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is a highly specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method that allows one to detect very low transcription levels of functional gene(s) in soil. RT-qPCR helps us to know the active members of the microbial community, and their activities can be ...

  4. Fusion chain reaction - a chain reaction with charged particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peres, A.; Shvarts, D.

    1975-01-01

    When a DT-plasma is compressed to very high density, the particles resulting from nuclear reactions give their energy mostly to D and T ions, by nuclear collisions, rather than to electrons as usual. Fusion can thus proceed as a chain reaction, without the need of thermonuclear temperatures. In this paper, we derive relations for the suprathermal ion population created by a fusion reaction. Numerical integration of these equations shows that a chain reaction can proceed in a cold infinite DT-plasma at densities above 8.4x10 27 ions.cm -3 . Seeding the plasma with a small amount of 6 Li reduces the critical density to 7.2x10 27 ions.cm -3 (140000times the normal solid density). (author)

  5. A Double Polymerase Chain Reaction Method for Detecting African ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Keywords: African swine fever, Swine vesicular disease, Polymerase chain reaction, Recombinant plasmids ... included 5 μL of 10×Pfu DNA polymerase buffer,. 1 μL of Pfu DNA .... Garcia-Barreno B, Sanz A, Nogal ML, Vinuela E,. Enjuanes L.

  6. Chain chemical reactions during matrix devitrification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barkalov, I.M.

    1980-01-01

    Investigation results of chain reaction mechanisms, proceeding at devitrification of glass-like matrices under the effect of γ-irradiation are summarized. Peculiarities of kinetics and mechanism of chain reactions proceeding at devitrification are considered: hydrocarbon chlorination, polymerization of vinyl monomers, copolymerization and graft polymerization. Possible application aspects of the chain reaction conducting during matrix devitrification are also considered

  7. The application of polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Jane

    2011-05-23

    May 23, 2011 ... dominance in microbial ecology if the corresponding environment samples had been provided. This ... yeast peptone dextrose; PCR, polymerase chain reaction. method, DGGE method ..... Two nuclear mutations that block.

  8. Determination of the number of radicals in the initial chain reactions by mathematical methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pejović Branko B.

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Starting from the fact that the real mechanism in a chemical equation takes places through a certain number of radicals which participate in simultaneous reactions and initiate chain reactions according to a particular pattern, the aim of this study is to determine their number in the first couple of steps of the reaction. Based on this, the numbers of radicals were determined in the general case, in the form of linear difference equations, which, by certain mathematical transformations, were reduced to one equation that satisfies a particular numeric series, entirely defined if its first members are known. The equation obtained was solved by a common method developed in the theory of numeric series, in which its solutions represent the number of radicals in an arbitrary step of the reaction observed, in the analytical form. In the final part of the study, the method was tested and verified using two characteristic examples from general chemistry. The study also gives a suggestion of a more efficient procedure by reducing the difference equation to a lower order.

  9. Nuclear chain reaction: forty years later

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sachs, R.G.

    1984-01-01

    The proceedings from a 1982 symposium 40 years after the first controlled nuclear chain reaction took place in Chicago covers four sessions and public discussion. The session covered the history of the chain reaction; peaceful uses in technology, medicine, and biological science; peaceful uses in power generation; and nuclear weapons control. Among the speakers were Eugene Wigner, Glenn Seaborg, Alvin Weinberg, and others who participated in the first chain reaction experiments. The proceedings reflect differences of opinion among the scientists as well as the general public. References, slides, and tables used to illustrate the individual talks are included with the papers

  10. Rapid Detection Of Escherichia coli Enterohemorragic (EHEC) Bacteria by PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sudrajat, Dadang; R, Maria Lina; Suhadi, F.

    2000-01-01

    A polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay for detect presence of enterohemmoragic Eschericha coli O157:H7 was carried out. DNA was extracted from bacterial cells with CTBA-phenol-chloroform and precipitated with isopropanol. To test sensitivity of PCR amplifies reaction, serial dilutions of E. coli DNA solution were prepared bwtween 1 mu g-1 ng/mu l. A single pair oligonucleotide primer SLTI-F and SLTI-R derived from shiga-like-toxin genes was used in amplification method. The results shows that 1 ng/mu l of E. coli DNA could be detected using the primers SLTI-F and SLTI-R with the position of 140 bp DNA fragment

  11. Thermally multiplexed polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phaneuf, Christopher R; Pak, Nikita; Saunders, D Curtis; Holst, Gregory L; Birjiniuk, Joav; Nagpal, Nikita; Culpepper, Stephen; Popler, Emily; Shane, Andi L; Jerris, Robert; Forest, Craig R

    2015-07-01

    Amplification of multiple unique genetic targets using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is commonly required in molecular biology laboratories. Such reactions are typically performed either serially or by multiplex PCR. Serial reactions are time consuming, and multiplex PCR, while powerful and widely used, can be prone to amplification bias, PCR drift, and primer-primer interactions. We present a new thermocycling method, termed thermal multiplexing, in which a single heat source is uniformly distributed and selectively modulated for independent temperature control of an array of PCR reactions. Thermal multiplexing allows amplification of multiple targets simultaneously-each reaction segregated and performed at optimal conditions. We demonstrate the method using a microfluidic system consisting of an infrared laser thermocycler, a polymer microchip featuring 1 μl, oil-encapsulated reactions, and closed-loop pulse-width modulation control. Heat transfer modeling is used to characterize thermal performance limitations of the system. We validate the model and perform two reactions simultaneously with widely varying annealing temperatures (48 °C and 68 °C), demonstrating excellent amplification. In addition, to demonstrate microfluidic infrared PCR using clinical specimens, we successfully amplified and detected both influenza A and B from human nasopharyngeal swabs. Thermal multiplexing is scalable and applicable to challenges such as pathogen detection where patients presenting non-specific symptoms need to be efficiently screened across a viral or bacterial panel.

  12. Animal DNA identification in food products and animal feed by real time polymerase chain reaction method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Людмила Мар’янівна Іщенко

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Approbation of diagnostic tests for species identification of beef, pork and chicken by real time polymerase chain reaction method was done. Meat food, including heat treated and animal feed, was used for research. The fact of inconsistencies was revealed for product composition of some meat products that is marked by manufacturer 

  13. Polymerase chain reaction methods (PCR in agrobiotechnology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taški-Ajduković Ksenija

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The agricultural biotechnology applies polymerase chain reaction (PCR technology at numerous steps throughout product development. The major uses of PCR technology during product development include gene discovery and cloning, vector construction, transformant identification, screening and characterization as well as seed quality control. Commodity and food companies as well as testing laboratories rely on PCR technology to verify the presence or absence of genetically modification (GM in a product or to quantify the amount of GM material present in the product. This article describes the fundamental elements of PCR analysis and its application to the testing of grains and highlights some of areas to which attention must be paid in order to produce reliable test results. The article also discuses issues related to the analysis of different matrixes and the effect they may have on the accuracy of the PCR analytical results.

  14. Bordetella pertussis diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Birkebaek, N H; Heron, I; Skjødt, K

    1994-01-01

    The object of this work was to test the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for demonstration of Bordetella pertussis (BP) in nasopharyngeal secretions. The method was applied to patients with recently diagnosed pertussis, as verified by BP culture. In order to test the sensitivity and specificity...... in 25 patients in whose nasopharyngeal secretions BP had been demonstrated after 4-7 days of culture. The detection limit of PCR in aqueous solution was 1-2 BP bacteria per reaction tube. PCR was 100% specific for BP, showing no response with other Bordetella species or other bacteria known to colonize...

  15. Polyneutron Chain Reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    John C. Fisher

    2000-01-01

    Although helium atoms do not form molecules, a sufficiently large number will bind into a stable liquid droplet. A comparable situation is expected for neutrons, with a sufficiently large number binding into a stable droplet of neutron matter. Such polyneutron droplets can be viewed as isotopes of an element with nuclear charge Z=0, tentatively denoted neutrium, symbol Nt. Because of the relatively weak binding of neutrons compared with that of a mix of neutrons and protons, the minimum number of neutrons required for stability of a droplet is fairly large. Early estimates of ∼60 may be reduced to a dozen or so by the BCS pairing interaction. The Nt entries with N≥12 are new to the table of isotopes. Because all of them are beta-unstable, none is expected to persist as a free particle. Yet, some may occasionally be produced by means to be described below, and it is of interest to examine their decay chains and their interactions with charged nuclei to ascertain how their presence might be revealed. Although these reactions are interesting, they cannot be taken seriously without identifying a source for the initial Nt isotope that begins the chain. Here, we consider possible interactions between 16 O and A Nt. Although there is no strong interaction between them, we can expect a very weak residual attraction that can form a loosely bound 16 O A Nt nuclear molecule. This is not a compound nucleus in the usual sense because, considered as fluids, the 16 O and A Nt droplets are immiscible. For a droplet with fewer than about 60 neutrons, beta decay of A Nt is prevented by the buildup of Coulomb energy associated with transforming A Nt into A H in close proximity to 16 O. Thus, it is possible that 16 O A Nt molecules can persist indefinitely and that a few of them may be present in ordinary water as supermassive oxygen nuclei. Because the binding of these molecules is weak, the A Nt component can tunnel to an adjacent nucleus, and if the adjacent nucleus is 18 O, a

  16. Comparison of Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction and Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction with Parasitological Methods for Detection of Strongyloides stercoralis in Human Fecal Samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharifdini, Meysam; Mirhendi, Hossein; Ashrafi, Keyhan; Hosseini, Mostafa; Mohebali, Mehdi; Khodadadi, Hossein; Kia, Eshrat Beigom

    2015-01-01

    This study was performed to evaluate nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR methods for detection of Strongyloides stercoralis in fecal samples compared with parasitological methods. A total of 466 stool samples were examined by conventional parasitological methods (formalin ether concentration [FEC] and agar plate culture [APC]). DNA was extracted using an in-house method, and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 and 18S ribosomal genes were amplified by nested PCR and real-time PCR, respectively. Among 466 samples, 12.7% and 18.2% were found infected with S. stercoralis by FEC and APC, respectively. DNA of S. stercoralis was detected in 18.9% and 25.1% of samples by real-time PCR and nested PCR, respectively. Considering parasitological methods as the diagnostic gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity of nested PCR were 100% and 91.6%, respectively, and that of real-time PCR were 84.7% and 95.8%, respectively. However, considering sequence analyzes of the selected nested PCR products, the specificity of nested PCR is increased. In general, molecular methods were superior to parasitological methods. They were more sensitive and more reliable in detection of S. stercoralis in comparison with parasitological methods. Between the two molecular methods, the sensitivity of nested PCR was higher than real-time PCR. PMID:26350449

  17. Optimal DNA Isolation Method for Detection of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria by Polymerase Chain Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samira Mohammadi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM are a group of opportunistic pathogens and these are widely dispersed in water and soil resources. Identification of mycobacteria isolates by conventional methods including biochemical tests, growth rates, colony pigmentation, and presence of acid-fast bacilli is widely used, but these methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and may sometimes remain inconclusive. Materials and Methods: The DNA was extracted from NTM cultures using CTAB, Chelex, Chelex + Nonidet P-40, FTA® Elute card, and boiling The quantity and quality of the DNA extracted via these methods were determined using UV-photometer at 260 and 280 nm, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR amplification of the heat-shock protein 65 gene with serially diluted DNA samples. Results: The CTAB method showed more positive results at 1:10–1:100,000 at which the DNA amount was substantial. With the Chelex method of DNA extraction, PCR amplification was detected at 1:10 and 1:1000 dilutions. Conclusions: According to the electrophoresis results, the CTAB and Chelex DNA extraction methods were more successful in comparison with the others as regard producing suitable concentrations of DNA with the minimum use of PCR inhibitor.

  18. Optimal DNA Isolation Method for Detection of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria by Polymerase Chain Reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammadi, Samira; Esfahani, Bahram Nasr; Moghim, Sharareh; Mirhendi, Hossein; Zaniani, Fatemeh Riyahi; Safaei, Hajieh Ghasemian; Fazeli, Hossein; Salehi, Mahshid

    2017-01-01

    Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are a group of opportunistic pathogens and these are widely dispersed in water and soil resources. Identification of mycobacteria isolates by conventional methods including biochemical tests, growth rates, colony pigmentation, and presence of acid-fast bacilli is widely used, but these methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and may sometimes remain inconclusive. The DNA was extracted from NTM cultures using CTAB, Chelex, Chelex + Nonidet P-40, FTA ® Elute card, and boiling The quantity and quality of the DNA extracted via these methods were determined using UV-photometer at 260 and 280 nm, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the heat-shock protein 65 gene with serially diluted DNA samples. The CTAB method showed more positive results at 1:10-1:100,000 at which the DNA amount was substantial. With the Chelex method of DNA extraction, PCR amplification was detected at 1:10 and 1:1000 dilutions. According to the electrophoresis results, the CTAB and Chelex DNA extraction methods were more successful in comparison with the others as regard producing suitable concentrations of DNA with the minimum use of PCR inhibitor.

  19. Molecular typing of Lactobacillus brevis isolates from Korean food using repetitive element-polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Jasmine; Sharma, Anshul; Lee, Sulhee; Park, Young-Seo

    2018-06-01

    Lactobacillus brevis is a part of a large family of lactic acid bacteria that are present in cheese, sauerkraut, sourdough, silage, cow manure, feces, and the intestinal tract of humans and rats. It finds its use in food fermentation, and so is considered a "generally regarded as safe" organism. L. brevis strains are extensively used as probiotics and hence, there is a need for identifying and characterizing these strains. For identification and discrimination of the bacterial species at the subspecific level, repetitive element-polymerase chain reaction method is a reliable genomic fingerprinting tool. The objective of the present study was to characterize 13 strains of L. brevis isolated from various fermented foods using repetitive element-polymerase chain reaction. Repetitive element-polymerase chain reaction was performed using three primer sets, REP, Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC), and (GTG) 5 , which produced different fingerprinting patterns that enable us to distinguish between the closely related strains. Fingerprinting patterns generated band range in between 150 and 5000 bp with REP, 200-7500 bp with ERIC, and 250-2000 bp with (GTG) 5 primers, respectively. The Jaccard's dissimilarity matrices were used to obtain dendrograms by the unweighted neighbor-joining method using genetic dissimilarities based on repetitive element-polymerase chain reaction fingerprinting data. Repetitive element-polymerase chain reaction proved to be a rapid and easy method that can produce reliable results in L. brevis species.

  20. Cylindrical polymer brushes with dendritic side chains by iterative anionic reactions

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Hefeng; Qu, Chengke; He, Junpo

    2015-01-01

    We report in this paper an easy method for the synthesis of cylindrical polymer brushes with dendritic side chains through anionic reaction. The synthesis is accomplished by iteratively grafting a living block copolymer, polyisoprene-. b

  1. Metode Direct Polymerase Chain Reaction untuk Melacak Campylobacter sp. pada Daging Ayam (DIRECT POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION METHOD FOR DETECTION CAMPYLOBACTER SP. OF POULTRY MEAT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andriani .

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Campylobacter sp. is the most commonly reported as agent of foodborne zoonosis causing acutegastroenteritis in humans. Poultry meat is considered as a major source of C. jejuni infection in human.The conventional methods for detecting foodborne bacteria is time-consuming which rely on the of thebacteria in culture media, followed by biochemical identification. In this study polymerase chain reaction(PCR technique was used for rapid identification of the pathogenic Campylobacter sp. The samples usedwere 298 chicken carcass with sold in supermarkets and traditional markets, and were carried out inaccordance the isolation protocol ISO/ DIS 10272-1994. Identification was performed using biochemicalAPI Campy. The direct PCR (DPCR assay with two sets of primers was employed for isolation andidentification of C. jejuni and C. coli. The result of the isolation and identification both by conventional orPCR methods showed that chicken carcasses both from supermarket and traditional market werecontaminated with C. jejuni and or C. coli. Prevalence of Campylobacter sp. contamination in chicken meatwas higher by DPCR (62.6% than by conventional (19.8%, indicating that DPCR technique was moresensitive than conventional method with detection limit for C. jejuni was103 cfu/ml.

  2. The use of real-time polymerase chain reaction for rapid diagnosis of skeletal tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobayashi, Naomi; Fraser, Thomas G; Bauer, Thomas W; Joyce, Michael J; Hall, Gerri S; Tuohy, Marion J; Procop, Gary W

    2006-07-01

    We identified Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA using real-time polymerase chain reaction on a specimen from an osteolytic lesion of a femoral condyle, in which the frozen section demonstrated granulomas. The process was much more rapid than is possible with culture. The rapid detection of M tuberculosis and the concomitant exclusion of granulomatous disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria or systemic fungi are necessary to appropriately treat skeletal tuberculosis. The detection and identification of M tuberculosis by culture may require several weeks using traditional methods. The real-time polymerase chain reaction method used has been shown to be rapid and reliable, and is able to detect and differentiate both tuberculous and nontuberculous mycobacteria. Real-time polymerase chain reaction may become a diagnostic standard for the evaluation of clinical specimens for the presence of mycobacteria; this case demonstrates the potential utility of this assay for the rapid diagnosis of skeletal tuberculosis.

  3. Method and apparatus for purifying nucleic acids and performing polymerase chain reaction assays using an immiscible fluid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koh, Chung-Yan; Light, Yooli Kim; Piccini, Matthew Ernest; Singh, Anup K.

    2017-10-31

    Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward devices, systems, and methods for purifying nucleic acids to conduct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. In one example, a method includes generating complexes of silica beads and nucleic acids in a lysis buffer, transporting the complexes through an immiscible fluid to remove interfering compounds from the complexes, further transporting the complexes into a density medium containing components required for PCR where the nucleic acids disassociate from the silica beads, and thermocycling the contents of the density medium to achieve PCR. Signal may be detected from labeling agents in the components required for PCR.

  4. Tangled nonlinear driven chain reactions of all optical singularities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasil'ev, V. I.; Soskin, M. S.

    2012-03-01

    Dynamics of polarization optical singularities chain reactions in generic elliptically polarized speckle fields created in photorefractive crystal LiNbO3 was investigated in details Induced speckle field develops in the tens of minutes scale due to photorefractive 'optical damage effect' induced by incident beam of He-Ne laser. It was shown that polarization singularities develop through topological chain reactions of developing speckle fields driven by photorefractive nonlinearities induced by incident laser beam. All optical singularities (C points, optical vortices, optical diabolos,) are defined by instantaneous topological structure of the output wavefront and are tangled by singular optics lows. Therefore, they have develop in tangled way by six topological chain reactions driven by nonlinear processes in used nonlinear medium (photorefractive LiNbO3:Fe in our case): C-points and optical diabolos for right (left) polarized components domains with orthogonally left (right) polarized optical vortices underlying them. All elements of chain reactions consist from loop and chain links when nucleated singularities annihilated directly or with alien singularities in 1:9 ratio. The topological reason of statistics was established by low probability of far enough separation of born singularities pair from existing neighbor singularities during loop trajectories. Topology of developing speckle field was measured and analyzed by dynamic stokes polarimetry with few seconds' resolution. The hierarchy of singularities govern scenario of tangled chain reactions was defined. The useful space-time data about peculiarities of optical damage evolution were obtained from existence and parameters of 'islands of stability' in developing speckle fields.

  5. The ligase chain reaction as a primary screening tool for the detection of culture positive tuberculosis.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Connor, T M

    2012-02-03

    BACKGROUND: The ligase chain reaction Mycobacterium tuberculosis assay uses ligase chain reaction technology to detect tuberculous DNA sequences in clinical specimens. A study was undertaken to determine its sensitivity and specificity as a primary screening tool for the detection of culture positive tuberculosis. METHODS: The study was conducted on 2420 clinical specimens (sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, pleural fluid, urine) submitted for primary screening for Mycobacterium tuberculosis to a regional medical microbiology laboratory. Specimens were tested in parallel with smear, ligase chain reaction, and culture. RESULTS: Thirty nine patients had specimens testing positive by the ligase chain reaction assay. Thirty two patients had newly diagnosed tuberculosis, one had a tuberculosis relapse, three had tuberculosis (on antituberculous therapy when tested), and three had healed tuberculosis. In the newly diagnosed group specimens were smear positive in 21 cases (66%), ligase chain reaction positive in 30 cases (94%), and culture positive in 32 cases (100%). Using a positive culture to diagnose active tuberculosis, the ligase chain reaction assay had a sensitivity of 93.9%, a specificity of 99.8%, a positive predictive value of 83.8%, and a negative predictive value of 99.9%. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the largest clinical trial to date to report the efficacy of the ligase chain reaction as a primary screening tool to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. The authors conclude that ligase chain reaction is a useful primary screening test for tuberculosis, offering speed and discrimination in the early stages of diagnosis and complementing traditional smear and culture techniques.

  6. Evaluation of a new HTLV-I/II polymerase chain reaction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vrielink, H.; Zaaijer, H. L.; Cuypers, H. T.; van der Poel, C. L.; Woerdeman, M.; Lelie, P. N.; Winkel, C.; Reesink, H. W.

    1997-01-01

    AIM: Evaluation of a qualitative HTLV-I/II DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for the detection of HTLV-I/II DNA (Roche Diagnostic Systems, Branchburg, N.J., USA) in various panels. METHODS: The panels consisted of fresh EDTA blood samples from blood donors who were anti-HTLV-I/II ELISA

  7. The first nuclear chain reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zinn, W.H.

    1989-01-01

    The author offers his recollections of the experimental efforts beginning in 1939 which culminated in the Chain Reaction in the squash court on December 2, 1942. Recalled are Columbia University experiments which did much to establish the feasibility of the chain in natural uranium and which stimulated the creation of the Manhattan District. The Columbia group moved to the University of Chicago, where, in early summer of 1942, construction and analysis of a number of subcritical reactors (piles) gave assurance with a high probability that only a reasonable amount of uranium and moderator would be required

  8. An improved electrochemiluminescence polymerase chain reaction method for highly sensitive detection of plant viruses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang Yabing; Xing Da; Zhu Debin; Liu Jinfeng

    2007-01-01

    Recently, we have reported an electrochemiluminescence polymerase chain reaction (ECL-PCR) method for detection of genetically modified organisms. The ECL-PCR method was further improved in the current study by introducing a multi-purpose nucleic acid sequence that was specific to the tris(bipyridine) ruthenium (TBR) labeled probe, into the 5' terminal of the primers. The method was applied to detect plant viruses. Conserved sequence of the plant viruses was amplified by PCR. The product was hybridized with a biotin labeled probe and a TBR labeled probe. The hybridization product was separated by streptavidin-coated magnetic beads, and detected by measuring the ECL signals of the TBR labeled. Under the optimized conditions, the experiment results show that the detection limit is 50 fmol of PCR products, and the signal-to-noise ratio is in excess of 14.6. The method was used to detect banana streak virus, banana bunchy top virus, and papaya leaf curl virus. The experiment results show that this method could reliably identity viruses infected plant samples. The improved ECL-PCR approach has higher sensitivity and lower cost than previous approach. It can effectively detect the plant viruses with simplicity, stability, and high sensitivity

  9. Estimation of the reaction efficiency in polymerase chain reaction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lalam, N.

    2006-01-01

    Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is largely used in molecular biology for increasing the copy number of a specific DNA fragment. The succession of 20 replication cycles makes it possible to multiply the quantity of the fragment of interest by a factor of 1 million. The PCR technique has

  10. Time-resolved studies of free radicals and laser-initiated chain reactions: Final report, 1 April 1979-31 March 1988

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leone, S.R.

    1988-03-01

    Pulsed lasers were used in this work to photofragment molecules or to initiate chain reactions. One of the major advances was the availability of high-powered rare gas halide excimer lasers. In addition, pulsed Nd:YAG lasers and dye lasers were used throughout. Results include: generalized kinetic formulations of the problem of laser-initiated chain reactions. Several studies were carried out to explore the details of chain combustion phenomena, slow chain reactions, chain branching behavior, and vibrational temperatures of combusting mixtures. A method to determine the rotational temperature of nitrogen molecules by laser multiphoton ionization was shown. The chain reaction methodology was applied to complex polyatomic systems, in which complete infrared spectra of the emitting species were obtained. Systems studied included, chlorine + HBr, HI, methane, hydrogen, ethane, propane, butane, cyclopropane, and cyclohexane. Photofragmentation studies involved the production and analysis of radical species, such as methyl, CH 2 I, and CCH. Molecules studied included methylene iodide, methyl iodide, dimethyl mercury, acetone, acetylene, vinyl chloride, dichloroethylene, and fluorochloroethylene. The first infrared characterization of a highly vibrationally excited radical was shown. Reactions of methyl radicals were studied in detail, in which a new method for obtaining absolute values of the methyl radical reaction rates were obtained

  11. Exploiting Fission Chain Reaction Dynamics to Image Fissile Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapman, Peter Henry

    Radiation imaging is one potential method to verify nuclear weapons dismantlement. The neutron coded aperture imager (NCAI), jointly developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), is capable of imaging sources of fast (e.g., fission spectrum) neutrons using an array of organic scintillators. This work presents a method developed to discriminate between non-multiplying (i.e., non-fissile) neutron sources and multiplying (i.e., fissile) neutron sources using the NCAI. This method exploits the dynamics of fission chain-reactions; it applies time-correlated pulse-height (TCPH) analysis to identify neutrons in fission chain reactions. TCPH analyzes the neutron energy deposited in the organic scintillator vs. the apparent neutron time-of-flight. Energy deposition is estimated from light output, and time-of-flight is estimated from the time between the neutron interaction and the immediately preceding gamma interaction. Neutrons that deposit more energy than can be accounted for by their apparent time-of-flight are identified as fission chain-reaction neutrons, and the image is reconstructed using only these neutron detection events. This analysis was applied to measurements of weapons-grade plutonium (WGPu) metal and 252Cf performed at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) Device Assembly Facility (DAF) in July 2015. The results demonstrate it is possible to eliminate the non-fissile 252Cf source from the image while preserving the fissileWGPu source. TCPH analysis was also applied to additional scenes in which theWGPu and 252Cf sources were measured individually. The results of these separate measurements further demonstrate the ability to remove the non-fissile 252Cf source and retain the fissileWGPu source. Simulations performed using MCNPX-PoliMi indicate that in a one hour measurement, solid spheres ofWGPu are retained at a 1sigma level for neutron multiplications M -˜ 3.0 and above, while hollowWGPu spheres are

  12. Utilizing a polymerase chain reaction method for the detection of Toxocara canis and T. cati eggs in soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fogt-Wyrwas, R; Jarosz, W; Mizgajska-Wiktor, H

    2007-03-01

    A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique has been used for the differentiation of T. canis and T. cati eggs isolated from soil and previously identified from microscopical observations. The method, using specific primers for the identification of the two Toxocara species, was assessed in both the field and laboratory. Successful results were obtained when only a single or large numbers of eggs were recovered from 40 g soil samples. The method is sensitive, allows analysis of material independent of the stage of egg development and can be adapted for the recovery of other species of parasites from soil.

  13. Polymerase chain reaction to search for Herpes viruses in uveitic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: To analyse aqueous polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results in patients diagnosed with undifferentiated uveitis ... Cite as: Laaks D, Smit DP, Harvey J. Polymerase chain reaction to search for Herpes viruses in uveitic and healthy eyes: a South African ... may be mild and patients do not seek medical attention.

  14. DCHAIN: A user-friendly computer program for radioactive decay and reaction chain calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    East, L.V.

    1994-05-01

    A computer program for calculating the time-dependent daughter populations in radioactive decay and nuclear reaction chains is described. Chain members can have non-zero initial populations and be produced from the preceding chain member as the result of radioactive decay, a nuclear reaction, or both. As presently implemented, chains can contain up to 15 members. Program input can be supplied interactively or read from ASCII data files. Time units for half-lives, etc. can be specified during data entry. Input values are verified and can be modified if necessary, before used in calculations. Output results can be saved in ASCII files in a format suitable for including in reports or other documents. The calculational method, described in some detail, utilizes a generalized form of the Bateman equations. The program is written in the C language in conformance with current ANSI standards and can be used on multiple hardware platforms

  15. Polymerase chain reaction system using magnetic beads for analyzing a sample that includes nucleic acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasarabadi, Shanavaz [Livermore, CA

    2011-01-11

    A polymerase chain reaction system for analyzing a sample containing nucleic acid includes providing magnetic beads; providing a flow channel having a polymerase chain reaction chamber, a pre polymerase chain reaction magnet position adjacent the polymerase chain reaction chamber, and a post pre polymerase magnet position adjacent the polymerase chain reaction chamber. The nucleic acid is bound to the magnetic beads. The magnetic beads with the nucleic acid flow to the pre polymerase chain reaction magnet position in the flow channel. The magnetic beads and the nucleic acid are washed with ethanol. The nucleic acid in the polymerase chain reaction chamber is amplified. The magnetic beads and the nucleic acid are separated into a waste stream containing the magnetic beads and a post polymerase chain reaction mix containing the nucleic acid. The reaction mix containing the nucleic acid flows to an analysis unit in the channel for analysis.

  16. Studying the effect of graphene-ZnO nanocomposites on polymerase chain reaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sharma, Vinay, E-mail: winn201@gmail.com; Rajaura, Rajveer; Sharma, Preetam Kumar; Srivastava, Rishabh Ronin [Centre for Converging Technologies, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302004 (India); Sharma, Shyam Sundar [Govt. women Engineering College, Ajmer (India); Agrawal, Kailash [Centre for Converging Technologies, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302004 (India); Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302004 (India)

    2016-05-06

    An emerging area of research is improving the efficiency of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by using nanoparticles. With graphene nano-flakes showing promising results, in this paper we report the effect of Graphene-ZnO nanocomposites on Polymerase Chain reaction (PCR) efficiency. G-ZnO nanocomposites were efficiently synthesized via in situ chemical method. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image confirms the formation of nanocomposites. ZnO nanoparticles of size range ~20-30 nm are uniformly attached on the graphene sheets. No amplification during PCR indicates inhibitory activity of G-ZnO nanocomposites which points the fingers at ZnO moiety of the G-ZnO composite for no amplification during our PCR reaction. Further work should concentrate on finding out the main inhibitory mechanism involved in inhibition of PCR using G-ZnO composites.

  17. Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical samples by two-step polymerase chain reaction and nonisotopic hybridization methods.

    OpenAIRE

    Shawar, R M; el-Zaatari, F A; Nataraj, A; Clarridge, J E

    1993-01-01

    Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical specimens by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was compared with detection by culture. A 317-bp segment within the M. tuberculosis-specific insertion sequence IS6110 was amplified. The detection limit of the PCR assay for cultured mycobacteria was 50 cells per reaction by ethidium bromide-stained agarose gel electrophoresis and 5 cells per reaction by hybridization with an oligonucleotide probe conjugated with either digoxigenin or alkalin...

  18. MODESTY, Statistical Reaction Cross-Sections and Particle Spectra in Decay Chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mattes, W.

    1977-01-01

    1 - Nature of the physical problem solved: Code MODESTY calculates all energetically possible reaction cross sections and particle spectra within a nuclear decay chain. 2 - Method of solution: It is based on the statistical nuclear model following the method of Uhl (reference 1) where the optical model is used in the calculation of partial widths and the Blatt-Weisskopf single particle model for gamma rays

  19. Development of melting temperature-based SYBR Green I polymerase chain reaction methods for multiplex genetically modified organism detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernández, Marta; Rodríguez-Lázaro, David; Esteve, Teresa; Prat, Salomé; Pla, Maria

    2003-12-15

    Commercialization of several genetically modified crops has been approved worldwide to date. Uniplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods to identify these different insertion events have been developed, but their use in the analysis of all commercially available genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is becoming progressively insufficient. These methods require a large number of assays to detect all possible GMOs present in the sample and thereby the development of multiplex PCR systems using combined probes and primers targeted to sequences specific to various GMOs is needed for detection of this increasing number of GMOs. Here we report on the development of a multiplex real-time PCR suitable for multiple GMO identification, based on the intercalating dye SYBR Green I and the analysis of the melting curves of the amplified products. Using this method, different amplification products specific for Maximizer 176, Bt11, MON810, and GA21 maize and for GTS 40-3-2 soybean were obtained and identified by their specific Tm. We have combined amplification of these products in a number of multiplex reactions and show the suitability of the methods for identification of GMOs with a sensitivity of 0.1% in duplex reactions. The described methods offer an economic and simple alternative to real-time PCR systems based on sequence-specific probes (i.e., TaqMan chemistry). These methods can be used as selection tests and further optimized for uniplex GMO quantification.

  20. Nuclear fission, chain reaction and criticality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reuss, Paul

    2016-01-01

    Criticality is, notably for nuclear reactors, the status which separates the case of a fission chain reaction which inexorably decays, from that of a reaction which grows faster and faster until a counter-reaction occurs. If this status is an objective in nuclear reactors, it must not be reached or exceeded in any case in other types of installations in which fissile materials are handled (fabrication, transports, nuclear fuel processing). The author proposes an insight into this notion of criticality, discusses elements of neutron science which allow the multiplication factor to be assessed, analyses accidental scenarios which may happen, and presents associated experiments and computation codes

  1. Clonality assessment of lymphoproliferative lesions using the polymerase chain reaction: An analysis of two methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikhil Moorchung

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Lymphoid malignancies are a heterogeneous group of disorders which may be difficult to differentiate from reactive proliferations even after immunohistochemistry. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR is believed to be a good adjunct tool for diagnosis. Materials and Methods: We examined 24 cases of neoplastic and non-neoplastic lymphoproliferative lesions in this study and evaluated the PCR as an additional tool in the confirmation of the diagnosis. Two different PCR methodologies were evaluated. Results: In the evaluation of the T-cell PCR, it was seen that the correlation using both the commercial kits and the custom-synthesized primers was highly significant at a P value of 0.05. Conclusions: Both the methods showed an excellent concordance for T-cell γ gene rearrangements, However, the same was not seen in the B-cell receptor rearrangements. This may be because of the small sample size or the inability of consensus V primers to recognize complementary DNA sequences in all of the V segments.

  2. Electrochemiluminescence polymerase chain reaction detection of genetically modified organisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Jinfeng; Xing Da; Shen Xingyan; Zhu Debin

    2005-01-01

    With the development of biotechnology, more and more genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have entered commercial market. Because of the safety concerns, detection and characterization of GMOs have attracted much attention recently. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) method is a chemiluminescent (CL) reaction of species generated electrochemically on an electrode surface. It is a highly efficient and accurate detection method. In this paper, ECL polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with two types of nucleic acid probes hybridization was applied to detect GMOs for the first time. Whether the organisms contain GM components was discriminated by detecting the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (CaMV35S) promoter and nopaline synthase (NOS) terminator. The experiment results show that the detection limit is 100 fmol of PCR products. The promoter and the terminator can be clearly detected in GMOs. The method may provide a new means for the detection of GMOs due to its simplicity and high efficiency

  3. Cylindrical polymer brushes with dendritic side chains by iterative anionic reactions

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Hefeng

    2015-05-01

    We report in this paper an easy method for the synthesis of cylindrical polymer brushes with dendritic side chains through anionic reaction. The synthesis is accomplished by iteratively grafting a living block copolymer, polyisoprene-. b-polystyrenyllithium (PI-. b-PSLi), to the main chain and subsequently to the branches in a divergent way. PI segment is short and serves as a precursor for multifunctional branching unit. The grafting reaction involves two successive steps: i) epoxidation of internal double bonds of PI segments, either in main chain or side chains; ii) ring-opening addition to the resulting epoxy group by the living PI-. b-PSLi. Repeating the two steps affords a series of cylindrical polymer brushes with up to 3rd generation and extremely high molecular weight. The branching multiplicity depends on the average number of oxirane groups per PI segment, usually ca. 8 in the present work. The high branching multiplicity leads to tremendous increase in molecular weights of the cylindrical products with generation growth. Several series of cylindrical polymer brushes with tunable aspect ratios are prepared using backbones and branches with controlled lengths. Shape anisotropy is investigated in dilute solution using light scattering technique. Worm-like single molecular morphology with large persistence length is observed on different substrates by atomic force microscopy.

  4. Development and interlaboratory validation of quantitative polymerase chain reaction method for screening analysis of genetically modified soybeans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takabatake, Reona; Onishi, Mari; Koiwa, Tomohiro; Futo, Satoshi; Minegishi, Yasutaka; Akiyama, Hiroshi; Teshima, Reiko; Kurashima, Takeyo; Mano, Junichi; Furui, Satoshi; Kitta, Kazumi

    2013-01-01

    A novel real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based quantitative screening method was developed for three genetically modified soybeans: RRS, A2704-12, and MON89788. The 35S promoter (P35S) of cauliflower mosaic virus is introduced into RRS and A2704-12 but not MON89788. We then designed a screening method comprised of the combination of the quantification of P35S and the event-specific quantification of MON89788. The conversion factor (Cf) required to convert the amount of a genetically modified organism (GMO) from a copy number ratio to a weight ratio was determined experimentally. The trueness and precision were evaluated as the bias and reproducibility of relative standard deviation (RSDR), respectively. The determined RSDR values for the method were less than 25% for both targets. We consider that the developed method would be suitable for the simple detection and approximate quantification of GMO.

  5. The role of chain carriers in fusion reaction kinetics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harms, A.A.; Krenciglowa, E.M.

    1980-01-01

    The role of chain carriers as contributors to multiplicative closed cycles in advanced fusion fuels is examined. Emphasis is placed on rate processes which can be used to characterize critical/supercritical/subcritical tendencies of arbitrary closed fusion cycles. Temporal trajectories for the chain carriers which describe both increasing and decreasing multiplicative processes have been found to exist and identified according to their fusion fuel cycle characteristics. Practical criteria to ensure the attainment of steady-state fusion reaction processes have been formulated in terms of fusion reaction rate relationships. (author)

  6. Reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    zino

    2014-02-05

    Feb 5, 2014 ... ecological studies - A review ... The objective of this review is to assess the importance of RT-qPCR in soil related ... phenol extraction step with heat inactivation of the added .... Real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

  7. Polymerase chain reaction versus enzyme-linked immunosorbent ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Polymerase chain reaction versus enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in detection of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among gynaecological patients in southwestern Nigeria. ... Socio-demographic bio-data and gynaecological history were obtained with questionnaire; data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.0.

  8. A temperature control method for shortening thermal cycling time to achieve rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bu, Minqiang; Perch-Nielsen, Ivan R.; Sørensen, Karen Skotte

    2013-01-01

    steps to achieve a rapid ramping between the temperature steps for DNA denaturation, annealing and extension. The temperature dynamics within the microfluidic PCR chamber was characterized and the overshooting and undershooting parameters were optimized using the temperature-dependent fluorescence......We present a temperature control method capable of effectively shortening the thermal cycling time of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device with an external heater and a temperature sensor. The method employs optimized temperature overshooting and undershooting...

  9. Chain reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balogh, Brian.

    1991-01-01

    Chain Reaction is a work of recent American political history. It seeks to explain how and why America came to depend so heavily on its experts after World War II, how those experts translated that authority into political clout, and why that authority and political discretion declined in the 1970s. The author's research into the internal memoranda of the Atomic Energy Commission substantiates his argument in historical detail. It was not the ravages of American anti-intellectualism, as so many scholars have argued, that brought the experts back down to earth. Rather, their decline can be traced to the very roots of their success after World War II. The need to over-state anticipated results in order to garner public support, incessant professional and bureaucratic specialization, and the sheer proliferation of expertise pushed arcane and insulated debates between experts into public forums at the same time that a broad cross section of political participants found it easier to gain access to their own expertise. These tendencies ultimately undermined the political influence of all experts. (author)

  10. Rapid quantification of semen hepatitis B virus DNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qian, Wei-Ping; Tan, Yue-Qiu; Chen, Ying; Peng, Ying; Li, Zhi; Lu, Guang-Xiu; Lin, Marie C.; Kung, Hsiang-Fu; He, Ming-Ling; Shing, Li-Ka

    2005-01-01

    AIM: To examine the sensitivity and accuracy of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the quantification of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in semen. METHODS: Hepatitis B viral DNA was isolated from HBV carriers’ semen and sera using phenol extraction method and QIAamp DNA blood mini kit (Qiagen, Germany). HBV DNA was detected by conventional PCR and quantified by TaqMan technology-based real-time PCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)). The detection threshold was 200 copies of HBV DNA for conventional PCR and 10 copies of HBV DNA for real time PCR per reaction. RESULTS: Both methods of phenol extraction and QIAamp DNA blood mini kit were suitable for isolating HBV DNA from semen. The value of the detection thresholds was 500 copies of HBV DNA per mL in the semen. The viral loads were 7.5 × 107 and 1.67 × 107 copies of HBV DNA per mL in two HBV infected patients’ sera, while 2.14 × 105 and 3.02 × 105 copies of HBV DNA per mL in the semen. CONCLUSION: Real-time PCR is a more sensitive and accurate method to detect and quantify HBV DNA in the semen. PMID:16149152

  11. Development of a screening method for genetically modified soybean by plasmid-based quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimizu, Eri; Kato, Hisashi; Nakagawa, Yuki; Kodama, Takashi; Futo, Satoshi; Minegishi, Yasutaka; Watanabe, Takahiro; Akiyama, Hiroshi; Teshima, Reiko; Furui, Satoshi; Hino, Akihiro; Kitta, Kazumi

    2008-07-23

    A novel type of quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction (QC-PCR) system for the detection and quantification of the Roundup Ready soybean (RRS) was developed. This system was designed based on the advantage of a fully validated real-time PCR method used for the quantification of RRS in Japan. A plasmid was constructed as a competitor plasmid for the detection and quantification of genetically modified soy, RRS. The plasmid contained the construct-specific sequence of RRS and the taxon-specific sequence of lectin1 (Le1), and both had 21 bp oligonucleotide insertion in the sequences. The plasmid DNA was used as a reference molecule instead of ground seeds, which enabled us to precisely and stably adjust the copy number of targets. The present study demonstrated that the novel plasmid-based QC-PCR method could be a simple and feasible alternative to the real-time PCR method used for the quantification of genetically modified organism contents.

  12. MEANS FOR PRODUCING PLUTONIUM CHAIN REACTIONS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wigner, E.P.; Weinberg, A.M.

    1961-01-24

    A neutronic reactor is described with an active portion capable of operating at an energy level of 0.5 to 1000 ev comprising discrete bodies of Pu/ sup 239/ disposed in a body of water which contains not more than 5 molecules of water to one atom of plutonium, the total amount of Pu/sup 239/ being sufficient to sustain a chain reaction. (auth)

  13. A novel temperature control method for shortening thermal cycling time to achieve rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bu, Minqiang; R. Perch-Nielsen, Ivan; Sørensen, Karen Skotte

    steps to achieve a rapid ramping between the temperature steps for DNA denaturation, annealing and extension. The temperature dynamics within the microfluidic PCR chamber was characterized and the overshooting and undershooting parameters were optimized using the temperature dependent fluorescence......We present a new temperature control method capable of effectively shortening the thermal cycling time of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device with external heater and temperature sensor. The method employs optimized temperature overshooting and undershooting...

  14. Identifikasi Cendawan Endofit Menggunakan Teknik Polymerase Chain Reaction (Detection of Endophytic Fungi Using Polymerase Chain Reaction Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tuti Susanti Legiastuti

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Yellow leaf curl disease, caused by a member of Begomovirus (Geminiviridae, is one of important diseases of chilli pepper in Indonesia. Exploration of endophytic fungi was initiated in order to find biological control agents for an alternative control strategies of this disease. Isolates of endophytic fungi were collected from chilli pepper growing area in Sleman, Yogyakarta and further identification using molecular technique involving polymerase chain reaction (PCR and DNA sequencing was performed. DNA fragments of ±500 bp were successfully amplified from 10 fungal isolates by PCR using primer pair ITS1/ITS4, but only 8 DNA sequences was obtained for further genetic analysis. Based on BLASTN analysis the endophytic fungi were identified as having the highest similarity with Pleosporaceae sp. (98% for H1 isolate, Cercospora nicotianae (100% for H5 isolate, ercospora piaropi (98% for H11 isolate, Guignardia mangiferae (99% for H16 isolate, Geomyces pannorum 95% for H17 isolate, Diaporthe phaseoloru (99% for H18 isolate, Dothideomycete sp. (100% for K3 isolate, and Alternaria longissima (99% for K10 isolate. Key words: Begomovirus, chillipepper, DNA sequencing, polymerase chain reaction

  15. Rapid establishment of polymerase chain reaction-restriction ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2012-03-30

    Mar 30, 2012 ... genome using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has made it possible to explore organelle DNA diversity for taxonomic and phylogenetic purposes. Because of its uniparental mode of inheritance and its low mutation rate related to the nuclear genome, chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) is considered to be an ideal ...

  16. Comparison of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and loop-mediated ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Comparison of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for diagnosis of Fusarium solani in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients. ... The test was carried out in 1 h reaction at 65°C in a heater block. The specificity of the test was 100% and its sensitivity was a ...

  17. Submicroscopic malaria parasite carriage: how reproducible are polymerase chain reaction-based methods?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniela Camargos Costa

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The polymerase chain reaction (PCR-based methods for the diagnosis of malaria infection are expected to accurately identify submicroscopic parasite carriers. Although a significant number of PCR protocols have been described, few studies have addressed the performance of PCR amplification in cases of field samples with submicroscopic malaria infection. Here, the reproducibility of two well-established PCR protocols (nested-PCR and real-time PCR for the Plasmodium 18 small subunit rRNA gene were evaluated in a panel of 34 blood field samples from individuals that are potential reservoirs of malaria infection, but were negative for malaria by optical microscopy. Regardless of the PCR protocol, a large variation between the PCR replicates was observed, leading to alternating positive and negative results in 38% (13 out of 34 of the samples. These findings were quite different from those obtained from the microscopy-positive patients or the unexposed individuals; the diagnosis of these individuals could be confirmed based on the high reproducibility and specificity of the PCR-based protocols. The limitation of PCR amplification was restricted to the field samples with very low levels of parasitaemia because titrations of the DNA templates were able to detect < 3 parasites/µL in the blood. In conclusion, conventional PCR protocols require careful interpretation in cases of submicroscopic malaria infection, as inconsistent and false-negative results can occur.

  18. Determining Annealing Temperatures for Polymerase Chain Reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porta, Angela R.; Enners, Edward

    2012-01-01

    The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a common technique used in high school and undergraduate science teaching. Students often do not fully comprehend the underlying principles of the technique and how optimization of the protocol affects the outcome and analysis. In this molecular biology laboratory, students learn the steps of PCR with an…

  19. Antiadenoviral effects of N-chlorotaurine in vitro confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eiichi Uchio

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Eiichi Uchio1, Hirotoshi Inoue1, Kazuaki Kadonosono21Department of Ophthalmology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, JapanPurpose: Adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis is recognized as one of the major pathogens of ophthalmological nosocomial infection worldwide. N-Chlorotaurine (Cl–HN–CH2–CH2–SO3H, NCT is the N-chloro derivative of the amino acid taurine, which is an oxidant produced by human granulocytes and monocytes during inflammatory reactions. Using conventional viral plaque assay, it was previously shown that NCT causes inactivation of several human adenovirus (HAdV serotypes. In this study, we evaluated the antiadenoviral effect of NCT by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR methods.Methods: A549 cells were used for viral cell culture, and HAdV serotypes 3, 4, 8, 19, and 37 were used. After calculating 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50 of NCT by MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl-2-(4-sulfophenyl-2H-tetrazolium method, HAdV was cultured with NCT for 7 days, and extracted adenoviral DNA was quantitatively measured by real-time PCR.Results: A statistically significant (P < 0.05 dose-dependent inhibition was indicated for all serotypes except HAdV type 4 (HAdV4, which was maximally inhibited by only ~50%. Among the serotypes, NCT was particularly effective against HAdV8, HAdV19a, and HAdV37. The 50% effective concentration (EC50 obtained by real-time PCR of NCT ranged between 49 and 256 µM. EC50 of NCT against HAdV3 was slightly higher than that against serotypes of species D. The selective index (CC50/EC50 ranged between 41 and 60 except for HAdV4 (11.5.Conclusions: These results show that NCT has an antiviral effect against most serotypes of human HAdV inducing keratoconjunctivitis, indicating its possible therapeutic use.Keywords: adenovirus, N-chlorotaurine, epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, antiviral

  20. Investigating radical cation chain processes in the electrocatalytic Diels-Alder reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imada, Yasushi; Okada, Yohei; Chiba, Kazuhiro

    2018-01-01

    Single electron transfer (SET)-triggered radical ion-based reactions have proven to be powerful options in synthetic organic chemistry. Although unique chain processes have been proposed in various photo- and electrochemical radical ion-based transformations, the turnover number, also referred to as catalytic efficiency, remains unclear in most cases. Herein, we disclose our investigations of radical cation chain processes in the electrocatalytic Diels-Alder reaction, leading to a scalable synthesis. A gram-scale synthesis was achieved with high current efficiency of up to 8000%. The reaction monitoring profiles showed sigmoidal curves with induction periods, suggesting the involvement of intermediate(s) in the rate determining step.

  1. Alu polymerase chain reaction: A method for rapid isolation of human-specific sequences from complex DNA sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelson, D.L.; Ledbetter, S.A.; Corbo, L.; Victoria, M.F.; Ramirez-Solis, R.; Webster, T.D.; Ledbetter, D.H.; Caskey, C.T.

    1989-01-01

    Current efforts to map the human genome are focused on individual chromosomes or smaller regions and frequently rely on the use of somatic cell hybrids. The authors report the application of the polymerase chain reaction to direct amplification of human DNA from hybrid cells containing regions of the human genome in rodent cell backgrounds using primers directed to the human Alu repeat element. They demonstrate Alu-directed amplification of a fragment of the human HPRT gene from both hybrid cell and cloned DNA and identify through sequence analysis the Alu repeats involved in this amplification. They also demonstrate the application of this technique to identify the chromosomal locations of large fragments of the human X chromosome cloned in a yeast artificial chromosome and the general applicability of the method to the preparation of DNA probes from cloned human sequences. The technique allows rapid gene mapping and provides a simple method for the isolation and analysis of specific chromosomal regions

  2. Detection and Identification of Bursaphelenchus Species with DNA Fingerprinting and Polymerase Chain Reaction

    OpenAIRE

    Harmey, Judith H.; Harmey, Matthew A.

    1993-01-01

    We have evaluated the potential of DNA-based methods to identify and differentiate Bursaphelenchus spp. and isolates. The isolation of a DNA probe, designated X14, and development of a DNA fingerprinting method for the identification and differentiation of Bursaphelenchus species and strains is described. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of DNA isolated from Bursaphelenchus species using two primers derived from the sequence of the cloned repetitive DNA fragment X14 resulted in m...

  3. Competing irreversible cooperative reactions on polymer chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, J.W.; Hoffman, D.K.; Burgess, D.R.

    1984-01-01

    We analyze model processes involving competition between several irreversible reactions at the sites of a 1D, infinite, uniform polymer chain. These reactions can be cooperative, i.e., the corresponding rates depend on the state of the surrounding sites. An infinite hierarchy of rate equations is readily derived for the probabilities of various subconfigurations. By exploiting a shielding property of suitable blocks of unreacted sites, we show how exact hierarchy truncation and solution is sometimes possible. The behavior of solutions is illustrated in several cases by plotting families of ''reaction trajectories'' for varying ratios of reactant concentrations. As a specific application, we consider competition between coordination of ZnCl 2 to pairs of oxygen atoms and to single oxygen atoms in poly(propylene oxide). The observed glass transition temperature behavior is eludicated

  4. Rapid analysis of rearranged kappa light chain genes of circulating polysaccharide-specific B lymphocytes by means of immunomagnetic beads and the polymerase chain reaction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hougs, L; Barington, T; Madsen, HO

    1993-01-01

    reaction (PCR) using in addition a degenerate kappa light chain signal peptide region primer. The PCR product was cloned into the M13mp18 phage. The cloning efficiency was 100-600 clones/ml of blood. Of the 86 clones sequenced, 90% represented rearranged kappa light chain genes from different antibody...... of the B lymphocytes activated in vivo. Here, we present a method for rapid analysis of the rearranged kappa light chain genes used by human circulating antigen-specific B lymphocytes. After vaccination with Haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide (HibCP) conjugated with protein, the Hib...

  5. Detection of clonal immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangements by the polymerase chain reaction and capillary gel electrophoresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Hongxin; Robetorye, Ryan S

    2013-01-01

    Although well-established diagnostic criteria exist for mature B-cell neoplasms, a definitive diagnosis of a B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder cannot always be obtained using more conventional techniques such as flow cytometric immunophenotyping, conventional cytogenetics, fluorescence in situ hybridization, or immunohistochemistry. However, because B-cell malignancies contain identically rearranged immunoglobulin heavy chain genes, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be a fast, convenient, and dependable option to identify clonal B-cell processes. This chapter describes the use of PCR and capillary electrophoresis to identify clonal immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) variable and joining region (VH-JH) gene rearrangements (IGH VH-JH PCR) using a commercially available method employing multiple multiplex PCR tubes that was originally developed as the result of a large European BIOMED-2 collaborative study (Invivoscribe Technologies). The core protocol involves the use of three separate master mix tubes that target the conserved framework (FR1, FR2, and FR3) and joining (J) regions of the IGH gene. Analysis of these three framework regions can detect approximately 88% of clonal IGH gene rearrangements.

  6. Comparison of Enterococcus quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis results from midwest U.S. river samples using EPA Method 1611 and Method 1609 PCR reagents

    Science.gov (United States)

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has provided recommended beach advisory values in its 2012 recreational water quality criteria (RWQC) for states wishing to use quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for the monitoring of Enterococcus fecal indicator bacteria...

  7. Theoretical study of chain transfer to solvent reactions of alkyl acrylates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moghadam, Nazanin; Srinivasan, Sriraj; Grady, Michael C; Rappe, Andrew M; Soroush, Masoud

    2014-07-24

    This computational and theoretical study deals with chain transfer to solvent (CTS) reactions of methyl acrylate (MA), ethyl acrylate (EA), and n-butyl acrylate (n-BA) self-initiated homopolymerization in solvents such as butanol (polar, protic), methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) (polar, aprotic), and p-xylene (nonpolar). The results indicate that abstraction of a hydrogen atom from the methylene group next to the oxygen atom in n-butanol, from the methylene group in MEK, and from a methyl group in p-xylene by a live polymer chain are the most likely mechanisms of CTS reactions in MA, EA, and n-BA. Energy barriers and molecular geometries of reactants, products, and transition states are predicted. The sensitivity of the predictions to three hybrid functionals (B3LYP, X3LYP, and M06-2X) and three different basis sets (6-31G(d,p), 6-311G(d), and 6-311G(d,p)) is investigated. Among n-butanol, sec-butanol, and tert-butanol, tert-butanol has the highest CTS energy barrier and the lowest rate constant. Although the application of the conductor-like screening model (COSMO) does not affect the predicted CTS kinetic parameter values, the application of the polarizable continuum model (PCM) results in higher CTS energy barriers. This increase in the predicted CTS energy barriers is larger for butanol and MEK than for p-xylene. The higher rate constants of chain transfer to n-butanol reactions compared to those of chain transfer to MEK and p-xylene reactions suggest the higher CTS reactivity of n-butanol.

  8. Value of the polymerase chain reaction method for detecting tuberculosis in the bronchial tissue involved by anthracosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirsadraee, Majid; Shafahie, Ahmad; Reza Khakzad, Mohammad; Sankian, Mojtaba

    2014-04-01

    Anthracofibrosis is the black discoloration of the bronchial mucosa with deformity and obstruction. Association of this disease with tuberculosis (TB) was approved. The objective of this study was to find the additional benefit of assessment of TB by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Bronchoscopy was performed on 103 subjects (54 anthracofibrosis and 49 control subjects) who required bronchoscopy for their pulmonary problems. According to bronchoscopic findings, participants were classified to anthracofibrosis and nonanthracotic groups. They were examined for TB with traditional methods such as direct smear (Ziehl-Neelsen staining), Löwenstein-Jensen culture, and histopathology and the new method "PCR" for Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome (IS6110). Age, sex, smoking, and clinical findings were not significantly different in the TB and the non-TB groups. Acid-fast bacilli could be detected by a direct smear in 12 (25%) of the anthracofibrosis subjects, and adding the results of culture and histopathology traditional tests indicated TB in 27 (31%) of the cases. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was diagnosed by PCR in 18 (33%) patients, but the difference was not significant. Detection of acid-fast bacilli in control nonanthracosis subjects was significantly lower (3, 6%), but PCR (20, 40%) and accumulation of results from all traditional methods (22, 44%) showed a nonsignificant difference. The PCR method showed a result equal to traditional methods including accumulation of smear, culture, and histopathology.

  9. Detection of Chloramphenicol Resistance Genes (cat in Clinical Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with Polymerase Chain Reaction Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tiana Milanda

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic Gram negative bacteria, which may cause infection in eyes, ears, skin, bones, central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, circulatory system, heart, respiratory system, and urinary tract. Recently, chloramphenicol is no longer used as the main option of the therapy due of its resistance case. The aim of this research was to detect the presence of gene which is responsible to chloramphenicol resistance in clinical isolates of P.aeruginosa. These bacteria isolated from pus of external otitis patients in Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung City. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR method (colony-PCR and DNA-PCR were performed to detect this resistance gene. Electropherogram from PCR products showed that the chloramphenicol resistance in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa was caused by cat gene (317 bp. Based on this research, cat gene may be used to detect the chloramphenicol resistance in patients with external ostitis.

  10. [REAL TIME POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION IN TULAREMIA LABORATORY DIAGNOSTICS].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kormilitsyna, M I; Mescheryakova, I S; Mikhailova, T V; Dobrovolsky, A A

    2015-01-01

    Enhancement of tularemia laboratory diagnostics by F. tularensis DNA determination in blood sera of patients using real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). 39 blood sera of patients obtained during transmissive epidemic outbreak of tularemia in Khanty-Mansiysk in 2013 were studied in agglutination reaction, passive hemagglutination, RT-PCR. Specific primers and fluorescent probes were used: ISFTu2F/R+ISFTu2P, Tu14GF/R+tul4-PR2. Advantages of using RT-PCR for early diagnostics of tularemia, when specific antibodies are not detected using traditional immunologic methods, were established. Use of a combination of primers and ISFTu2F/R+ISFTu2P probe allowed to detect F. tularensis DNA in 100% of sera, whereas Tul4G F/R+tul4-PR2 combination--92% of sera. The data were obtained when DNA was isolated from sera using "Proba Rapid" express method. Clinical-epidemiologic diagnosis oftularemia was confirmed by both immune-serologic and RT-PCR methods when sera were studied 3-4 weeks after the onset of the disease. RT-PCR with ISFTu2F/R primers and fluorescent probe ISFTu2P, having high sensitivity and specificity, allows to determine F. tularensis DNA in blood sera of patients at both the early stage and 3-4 weeks after the onset of the disease.

  11. DNA extraction from coral reef sediment bacteria for the polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guthrie, J N; Moriarty, D J; Blackall, L L

    2000-12-15

    A rapid and effective method for the direct extraction of high molecular weight amplifiable DNA from two coral reef sediments was developed. DNA was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using 16S rDNA specific primers. The amplicons were digested with HaeIII, HinP1I and MspI and separated using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver staining. The resulting amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) patterns were used as a fingerprint to discern differences between the coral reef sediment samples. Results indicated that ARDRA is an effective method for determining differences within the bacterial community amongst different environmental samples.

  12. Different DNA methylation patterns detected by the Amplified Methylation Polymorphism Polymerase Chain Reaction (AMP PCR) technique among various cell types of bulls

    OpenAIRE

    Phutikanit, Nawapen; Suwimonteerabutr, Junpen; Harrison, Dion; D'Occhio, Michael; Carroll, Bernie; Techakumphu, Mongkol

    2010-01-01

    Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to apply an arbitrarily primed methylation sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay called Amplified Methylation Polymorphism Polymerase Chain Reaction (AMP PCR) to investigate the methylation profiles of somatic and germ cells obtained from Holstein bulls. Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from sperm, leukocytes and fibroblasts obtained from three bulls and digested with a methylation sensitive endonuclease (HpaII). The native genomic ...

  13. Polymerase chain reaction-mediated DNA fingerprinting for epidemiological studies on Campylobacter spp

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Giesendorf, B A; Goossens, H; Niesters, H G; Van Belkum, A; Koeken, A; Endtz, H P; Stegeman, H; Quint, W G

    The applicability of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-mediated DNA typing, with primers complementary to dispersed repetitive DNA sequences and arbitrarily chosen DNA motifs, to study the epidemiology of campylobacter infection was evaluated. With a single PCR reaction and simple gel electrophoresis,

  14. The Ripple Effect: Citation Chain Reactions of a Nobel Prize

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Faber Frandsen, Tove; Nicolaisen, Jeppe

    2013-01-01

    This paper explores the possible citation chain reactions of a Nobel Prize using the mathematician Robert J. Aumann as a case example. The results show that the award of the Nobel Prize in 2005 affected not only the citations to his work, but also affected the citations to the references in his s...... citation network. The effect is discussed using innovation decision process theory as a point of departure to identify the factors that created a bandwagon effect leading to the reported observations....... scientific oeuvre. The results indicate that the spillover effect is almost as powerful as the effect itself. We are consequently able to document a ripple effect in which the awarding of the Nobel Prize ignites a citation chain reaction to Aumann's scientific ouvre and to the references in its nearest...

  15. Detection of Ampicillin Resistance Genes (bla in Clinical Isolates of Escherichia coli with Polymerase Chain Reaction Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tiana Milanda

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Escherichia coli is a rod negative Gram which could be pathogenic, if its value increases or located in outer gastrointestinal tract. Pathogenic E. coli will produce enterotoxin which will cause diarrhoea or infection in urine tract. Ampicilin was one of particular antibiotics to overcome infection. Ampicilin nowadays is no longer used as primary medicine, because of its resistance case. The aim of this research is to detect the presence of gene which is responsible to ampicilin resistant E. coli. We used isolated midstream urine from cystitis object in Hasan Sadikin Hospital (RSHS as samples. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR method (colony-PCR and DNA-PCR were done to invenstigate the antibiotic resistency. Based on the result of antibiotic susceptibility testing to ampicillin, E. coli samples were resistant to ampicilin. Elektroforegram products of colony-PCR and DNA-PCR showed that the resistance case of ampicilin caused by bla gene (199 bp. Selective and rational antibiotic treatment is required to prevent ampicillin resistance in patients with symptoms

  16. Optimization of the elution buffer and concentration method for detecting hepatitis E virus in swine liver using a nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Son, Na Ry; Seo, Dong Joo; Lee, Min Hwa; Seo, Sheungwoo; Wang, Xiaoyu; Lee, Bog-Hieu; Lee, Jeong-Su; Joo, In-Sun; Hwang, In-Gyun; Choi, Changsun

    2014-09-01

    The aim of this study was to develop an optimal technique for detecting hepatitis E virus (HEV) in swine livers. Here, three elution buffers and two concentration methods were compared with respect to enhancing recovery of HEV from swine liver samples. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested RT-PCR were performed to detect HEV RNA. When phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4) was used to concentrate HEV in swine liver samples using ultrafiltration, real-time RT-PCR detected HEV in 6 of the 26 samples. When threonine buffer was used to concentrate HEV using polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation and ultrafiltration, real-time RT-PCR detected HEV in 1 and 3 of the 26 samples, respectively. When glycine buffer was used to concentrate HEV using ultrafiltration and PEG precipitation, real-time RT-PCR detected HEV in 1 and 3 samples of the 26 samples, respectively. When nested RT-PCR was used to detect HEV, all samples tested negative regardless of the type of elution buffer or concentration method used. Therefore, the combination of real-time RT-PCR and ultrafiltration with PBS buffer was the most sensitive and reliable method for detecting HEV in swine livers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Quantification of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis on the hands of health-care workers using a real-time polymerase chain reaction method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Horn, P; Schouenborg, P Øland; Brandslund, I

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay intended as a tool for monitoring hand hygiene in hospital wards. METHODS: The hands of 20 health-care workers were sampled for 10 days using real-time PCR for quantification of Staphylococcus aureus and S....... epidermidis. Reference intervals (CI) and biological variation were evaluated using index of individuality (II) and critical difference (CD). RESULTS: 45% of the participants were positive for S. aureus on all 10 days. Intra-individual biological variation (CVI) was 129% for S. aureus and 62% for S...

  18. Multi-chain Markov chain Monte Carlo methods for computationally expensive models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, M.; Ray, J.; Ren, H.; Hou, Z.; Bao, J.

    2017-12-01

    Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods are used to infer model parameters from observational data. The parameters are inferred as probability densities, thus capturing estimation error due to sparsity of the data, and the shortcomings of the model. Multiple communicating chains executing the MCMC method have the potential to explore the parameter space better, and conceivably accelerate the convergence to the final distribution. We present results from tests conducted with the multi-chain method to show how the acceleration occurs i.e., for loose convergence tolerances, the multiple chains do not make much of a difference. The ensemble of chains also seems to have the ability to accelerate the convergence of a few chains that might start from suboptimal starting points. Finally, we show the performance of the chains in the estimation of O(10) parameters using computationally expensive forward models such as the Community Land Model, where the sampling burden is distributed over multiple chains.

  19. Theory and applications of the polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Remick, D G; Kunkel, S L; Holbrook, E A; Hanson, C A

    1990-04-01

    The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a newly developed molecular biology technique that can significantly amplify DNA or RNA. The process consists of repetitive cycles of specific DNA synthesis, defined by short stretches of preselected DNA. With each cycle, there is a doubling of the final, desired DNA product such that a million-fold amplification is possible. This powerful method has numerous applications in diagnostic pathology, especially in the fields of microbiology, forensic science, and hematology. The PCR may be used to directly detect viral DNA, which may facilitate the diagnosis of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or other viral diseases. PCR amplification of DNA allows detection of specific sequences from extremely small samples, such as with forensic material. In hematology, PCR may help in the diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies or of neoplastic disorders by documenting chromosomal translocations. The new PCR opens exciting new avenues for diagnostic pathology using this new technology.

  20. Polymerase chain reaction for the detection of Mycobacterium leprae

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hartskeerl, R. A.; de Wit, M. Y.; Klatser, P. R.

    1989-01-01

    A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using heat-stable Taq polymerase is described for the specific detection of Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy. A set of primers was selected on the basis of the nucleotide sequence of a gene encoding the 36 kDa antigen of M. leprae. With this set

  1. Molecular discrimination of Perna (Mollusca: Bivalvia) species using the polymerase chain reaction and species-specific mitochondrial primers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blair, D.; Waycott, M.; Byrne, L.

    2006-01-01

    This work was prompted by the need to be able to identify the invasive mussel species, Perna viridis, in tropical Australian seas using techniques that do not rely solely on morphology. DNA-based molecular methods utilizing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approach were developed to distinguish...

  2. Identification of aflatoxigenic fungi using polymerase chain reaction-based assay

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Šošo Vladislava M.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available As the aflatoxins represent a health-risk for humans because of their proven carcinogenicity, food-borne fungi that produce them as secondary metabolites, mainly Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, have to be isolated and identified. The best argument for identifying problem fungi is that it indicates control points within the food system as part of a hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP approach. This assumes there is a close link between fungus and toxin. Conventional methods for isolation and identification of fungi are time consuming and require admirably dedicated taxonomists. Hence, it is imperative to develop methodologies that are relatively rapid, highly specific and as an alternative to the existing methods. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR facilitates the in vitro amplification of the target sequence. The main advantages of PCR is that organisms need not be cultured, at least not for a long time, prior to their detection, target DNA can be detected even in a complex mixture, no radioactive probes are required, it is rapid, sensitive and highly versatile. The gene afl-2 has been isolated and shown to regulate aflatoxin biosynthesis in A. flavus. Also, the PCR reaction was targeted against aflatoxin synthesis regulatory gene (aflR1 since these genes are nearly identical in A. flavus and A. parasiticus in order to indicate the possibility of detection of both the species with the same PCR system (primers/reaction. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III46009

  3. Transformational leadership: a cascading chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Lorraine

    2005-03-01

    Historical influences still permeate contemporary nursing practise. These are mirrored in organizational philosophies, transactional and autocratic leadership styles and disempowered staff. Whilst there is disparity amongst the theorists' definitions of leadership, there is consensus pertaining to the attributes necessary to realize effective leadership. Transformational leadership is heralded as new criterion for nurse managers, and can be achieved through training, education and professional development in key leadership competencies. To achieve a chain reaction, charismatic transformational leaders espouse intellectual stimulation and individual consideration to empower staff and enhance patient care. Nurse managers that develop and foster transformational leadership can surmount oppressive traditions and confidently navigate a complex and rapidly changing health care environment.

  4. PEMERIKSAAN BAKTERI LEPTOSPIRA PADA SAMPEL DARAH MANUSIA SUSPECT LEPTOSPIROSIS MENGGUNAKAN METODE PCR (POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sefrita Tri Utami

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACTLeptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, which is caused by leptospira. Leptospirosis cases often show no specificclinical symptoms and is difficult to diagnose without testing samples in the laboratory. Testing using PCR(Polymerase Chain Reaction is considered more accurate than the other methods. Components required in theexamination Leptospira bacteria in human blood samples using PCR method is DNA template, DNA polymeraseenzyme, forward primer (PU1 and SU1 and reverse primer (Lep R1, nuclease free water, Mg 2 +, and dNTPs.Examination of Leptospira bacteria in human blood samples include sampling, DNA isolation, examination byPCR, and electrophoresis running.Key words: leptospirosis, Leptospira, PCR methodsABSTRAKLeptospirosis adalah penyakit zoonosis yang disebabkan oleh bakteri Leptospira. Kasus leptospirosis seringtidak menunjukkan gejala klinis yang spesifik dan sulit didiagnosis tanpa pengujian sampel di laboratorium.Pengujian dengan menggunakan metode PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction dinilai lebih akurat dibandingkandengan metode yang lain. Komponen-komponen yang dibutuhkan dalam pemeriksaan bakteri Leptospira padasampel darah manusia menggunakan metode PCR adalah DNA template, enzim polymerase, Primer PU 1 danPrimer SU 1, Primer Lep R1, air, Mg2+ , dan dNTP. Pemeriksaan bakteri Leptospira pada sampel darah manusiameliputi pengambilan sampel, isolasi DNA, pemeriksaan dengan metode PCR, dan running elektroforesis.Kata kunci: leptospirosis, Leptospira, metode PCR

  5. Use of competitive polymerase chain reaction to determine HIV-1 levels in response to antiviral treatments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bruisten, S. M.; Koppelman, M. H.; Roos, M. T.; Loeliger, A. E.; Reiss, P.; Boucher, C. A.; Huisman, H. G.

    1993-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To develop a competitive polymerase chain reaction technique with which to evaluate the usefulness of HIV-1 level as a marker of response to antiviral treatment. DESIGN: HIV-1 sequences were assessed by competitive polymerase chain reaction in four subjects participating in a double-blind

  6. Comparison of isoelectric focusing and polymerase chain reaction for the detection of β-lactamases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sharma J

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs have been observed in virtually all the species of family Enterobacteriaceae. Threat posed by antibiotic resistance because of ESBLs is more serious as a number of technical problems are associated with the detection of these enzymes. Although a number of detection methods have been designed for ESBLs, every method has its own benefits and shortcomings as well. In earlier days, isoelectric focusing (IEF was used as the gold standard for ESBL detection. This study was undertaken to compare IEF with polymerase chain reaction, a method which has been extensively used for ESBL detection these days.

  7. Use of polymerase chain reaction for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Østergaard, Lars; Birkelund, Svend; Christiansen, Gunna

    1990-01-01

    A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis DNA. From the published sequence of the common C. trachomatis plasmid, two primer sets were selected. Detection of amplified sequences was done by agarose gel electrophoresis of cleaved or uncleaved...

  8. A Complementary Isothermal Amplification Method to the U.S. EPA Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction Approach for the Detection of Enterococci in Environmental Waters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolm, Claudia; Martzy, Roland; Brunner, Kurt; Mach, Robert L; Krska, Rudolf; Heinze, Georg; Sommer, Regina; Reischer, Georg H; Farnleitner, Andreas H

    2017-06-20

    We report a novel molecular assay, based on helicase-dependent amplification (HDA), for the detection of enterococci as markers for fecal pollution in water. This isothermal assay targets the same Enterococcus 23S rRNA gene region as the existing quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Methods 1611 and 1609 but can be entirely performed on a simple heating block. The developed Enterococcus HDA assay successfully discriminated 15 enterococcal from 15 non-enterococcal reference strains and reliably detected 48 environmental isolates of enterococci. The limit of detection was 25 target copies per reaction, only 3 times higher than that of qPCR. The applicability of the assay was tested on 30 environmental water sample DNA extracts, simulating a gradient of fecal pollution. Despite the isothermal nature of the reaction, the HDA results were consistent with those of the qPCR reference. Given this performance, we conclude that the developed Enterococcus HDA assay has great potential as a qualitative molecular screening method for resource-limited settings when combined with compatible up- and downstream processes. This amplification strategy can pave the way for developing a new generation of rapid, low-cost, and field-deployable molecular diagnostic tools for water quality monitoring.

  9. Role of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in the detection of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Staphylococcus aureus is mainly acquired from hospital infections and demonstrated the ability of developing resistance to many antibiotics. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used to identify antibiotic-resistant isolates. This study was conducted in Al-Mujtahed, Al-Mouwasat and the Children Hospitals in ...

  10. The impact of meningococcal polymerase chain reaction testing on laboratory confirmation of invasive meningococcal disease.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Drew, Richard J

    2012-03-01

    Laboratory methods of diagnosis were examined for 266 children with invasive meningococcal disease. Seventy-five (36%) of 207 cases with bloodstream infection had both positive blood culture and blood meningococcal polymerase chain reaction (PCR), 130 (63%) negative blood culture and positive blood PCR, and 2 (1%) had positive blood culture and negative blood PCR. Sixty-three percent of cases were diagnosed by PCR alone.

  11. Sensitive electrochemical monitoring of nucleic acids coupling DNA nanostructures with hybridization chain reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhuang, Junyang; Fu, Libing; Xu, Mingdi; Yang, Huanghao; Chen, Guonan; Tang, Dianping

    2013-01-01

    Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •A new signal-on metallobioassay was developed for detection of nucleic acids. •Target-triggered long-range self-assembled DNA nanostructures are used for amplification of electronic signal. •Hybridization chain reaction is utilized for construction of long-range DNA nanostructures. -- Abstract: Methods based on metal nanotags have been developed for metallobioassay of nucleic acids, but most involve complicated labeling or stripping procedures and are unsuitable for routine use. Herein, we report the proof-of-concept of a novel and label-free metallobioassay for ultrasensitive electronic determination of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related gene fragments at an ultralow concentration based on target-triggered long-range self-assembled DNA nanostructures and DNA-based hybridization chain reaction (HCR). The signal is amplified by silver nanotags on the DNA duplex. The assay mainly consists of capture probe, detection probe, and two different DNA hairpins. In the presence of target DNA, the capture probe immobilized on the sensor sandwiches target DNA with the 3′ end of detection probe. Another exposed part of detection probe at the 5′ end opens two alternating DNA hairpins in turn, and propagates a chain reaction of hybridization events to form a nicked double-helix. Finally, numerous silver nanotags are immobilized onto the long-range DNA nanostructures, each of which produces a strong electronic signal within the applied potentials. Under optimal conditions, the target-triggered long-range DNA nanostructures present good electrochemical behaviors for the detection of HIV DNA at a concentration as low as 0.5 fM. Importantly, the outstanding sensitivity can make this approach a promising scheme for development of next-generation DNA sensors without the need of enzyme labeling or fluorophore labeling

  12. Development and validation of a SYBR Green I-based real-time polymerase chain reaction method for detection of haptoglobin gene deletion in clinical materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soejima, Mikiko; Tsuchiya, Yuji; Egashira, Kouichi; Kawano, Hiroyuki; Sagawa, Kimitaka; Koda, Yoshiro

    2010-06-01

    Anhaptoglobinemic patients run the risk of severe anaphylactic transfusion reaction because they produce serum haptoglobin (Hp) antibodies. Being homozygous for the Hp gene deletion (HP(del)) is the only known cause of congenital anhaptoglobinemia, and clinical diagnosis of HP(del) before transfusion is important to prevent anaphylactic shock. We recently developed a 5'-nuclease (TaqMan) real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. A SYBR Green I-based duplex real-time PCR assay using two forward primers and a common reverse primer followed by melting curve analysis was developed to determine HP(del) zygosity in a single tube. In addition, to obviate initial DNA extraction, we examined serially diluted blood samples as PCR templates. Allelic discrimination of HP(del) yielded optimal results at blood sample dilutions of 1:64 to 1:1024. The results from 2231 blood samples were fully concordant with those obtained by the TaqMan-based real-time PCR method. The detection rate of the HP(del) allele by the SYBR Green I-based method is comparable with that using the TaqMan-based method. This method is readily applicable due to its low initial cost and analyzability using economical real-time PCR machines and is suitable for high-throughput analysis as an alternative method for allelic discrimination of HP(del).

  13. Use of the polymerase chain reaction for detection of Fusarium graminearum in bulgur wheat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla Bertechini Faria

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available The detection of mycotoxigenic fungi in foodstuff is important because their presence may indicate the possible associated mycotoxin contamination. Fusarium graminearum is a wheat pathogen and a producer of micotoxins. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR has been employed for the specific identification of F. graminearum. However, this methodology has not been commonly used for detection of F. graminearum in food. Thus, the objective of the present study was to develop a molecular methodology to detect F. graminearum in commercial samples of bulgur wheat. Two methods were tested. In the first method, a sample of this cereal was contaminated with F. graminearum mycelia. The genomic DNA was extracted from this mixture and used in a F. graminearum specific PCR reaction. The F. graminearum species was detected only in samples that were heavily contaminated. In the second method, samples of bulgur wheat were inoculated on a solid medium, and isolates having F. graminearum culture characteristics were obtained. The DNA extracted from these isolates was tested in F. graminearum specific PCR reactions. An isolate obtained had its trichothecene genotype identified by PCR. The established methodology could be used in surveys of food contamination with F. graminearum.

  14. Rapid polymerase chain reaction diagnosis of white-nose syndrome in bats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorch, Jeffrey M; Gargas, Andrea; Meteyer, Carol Uphoff; Berlowski-Zier, Brenda M; Green, D Earl; Shearn-Bochsler, Valerie; Thomas, Nancy J; Blehert, David S

    2010-03-01

    A newly developed polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method to rapidly and specifically detect Geomyces destructans on the wings of infected bats from small quantities (1-2 mg) of tissue is described in the current study (methods for culturing and isolating G. destructans from bat skin are also described). The lower limits of detection for PCR were 5 fg of purified fungal DNA or 100 conidia per 2 mg of wing tissue. By using histology as the standard, the PCR had a diagnostic specificity of 100% and a diagnostic sensitivity of 96%, whereas the diagnostic sensitivity of culture techniques was only 54%. The accuracy and fast turnaround time of PCR provides field biologists with valuable information on infection status more rapidly than traditional methods, and the small amount of tissue required for the test would allow diagnosis of white-nose syndrome in live animals.

  15. Rapid polymerase chain reaction diagnosis of white-nose syndrome in bats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorch, J.M.; Gargas, A.; Meteyer, C.U.; Berlowski-Zier, B. M.; Green, D.E.; Shearn-Bochsler, V.; Thomas, N.J.; Blehert, D.S.

    2010-01-01

    A newly developed polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method to rapidly and specifically detect Geomyces destructans on the wings of infected bats from small quantities (1-2 mg) of tissue is described in the current study (methods for culturing and isolating G. destructans from bat skin are also described). The lower limits of detection for PCR were 5 fg of purified fungal DNA or 100 conidia per 2 mg of wing tissue. By using histology as the standard, the PCR had a diagnostic specificity of 100% and a diagnostic sensitivity of 96%, whereas the diagnostic sensitivity of culture techniques was only 54%. The accuracy and fast turnaround time of PCR provides field biologists with valuable information on infection status more rapidly than traditional methods, and the small amount of tissue required for the test would allow diagnosis of white-nose syndrome in live animals.

  16. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) provides a superior tool for the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) provides a superior tool for the diagnosis of Pneumococcal Infection in Burkina Faso. Y Chaibou, M Congo/Ouedraogo, I Sanou, H Somlare, K Ouattara, CM Kienou, H Belem, E Sampo, SA Traore, R Traore/Ouedraogo, C Hatcher, L Mayer, X Wang, L Sangare ...

  17. Interlaboratory validation data on real-time polymerase chain reaction detection for unauthorized genetically modified papaya line PRSV-YK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kosuke Nakamura

    2016-06-01

    Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR detection method for unauthorized genetically modified (GM papaya (Carica papaya L. line PRSV-YK (PRSV-YK detection method was developed using whole genome sequence data (DDBJ Sequenced Read Archive under accession No. PRJDB3976. Interlaboratory validation datasets for PRSV-YK detection method were provided. Data indicating homogeneity of samples prepared for interlaboratory validation were included. Specificity and sensitivity test data for PRSV-YK detection method were also provided.

  18. Application of the arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction for the detection of DNA damage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Atienzar, F.; Evenden, A.; Jha, A.; Depledge, M.; Savva, D.; Walker, C.

    1998-01-01

    The technique of arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) shows potential as a selective and sensitive assay for the detection of xenobiotic-induced DNA damage. Problems, however, may occur in AP-PCR, diminishing its discriminative abilities. These problems include the presence of spurious amplification products in non-template-containing negative control reactions, and a lack of reproducibility amongst amplification patterns. Experiments designed to remove contaminated nucleic acids by ultraviolet (UV) treatment indicated that spurious bands are the result of aberrant primer-induced polymerisation, an event shown to be influenced by the concentration of deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTP) present in the reaction mixtures. Optimisation of dNTP concentration from 0.22 to 0.33 MM resulted in clear negative controls and highly reproducible amplification patterns with all DNA templates. As an example of the application of the method, in the present study, the macroalga Palmaria palmata (Rhodophyta) was exposed to UV A and B radiations. The study shows that the AP-PCR method can detect DNA damage and may be useful in detecting such damage following exposure of cells to xenobiotics. (author)

  19. Application of the arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction for the detection of DNA damage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Atienzar, F.; Evenden, A.; Jha, A.; Depledge, M. [University of Plymouth (United Kingdom). Environmental Research Centre; Child, P. [ADAS Boxworth (United Kingdom); Savva, D.; Walker, C. [University of Reading (United Kingdom). School of Animal and Microbial Sciences

    1998-07-01

    The technique of arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) shows potential as a selective and sensitive assay for the detection of xenobiotic-induced DNA damage. Problems, however, may occur in AP-PCR, diminishing its discriminative abilities. These problems include the presence of spurious amplification products in non-template-containing negative control reactions, and a lack of reproducibility amongst amplification patterns. Experiments designed to remove contaminated nucleic acids by ultraviolet (UV) treatment indicated that spurious bands are the result of aberrant primer-induced polymerisation, an event shown to be influenced by the concentration of deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTP) present in the reaction mixtures. Optimisation of dNTP concentration from 0.22 to 0.33 MM resulted in clear negative controls and highly reproducible amplification patterns with all DNA templates. As an example of the application of the method, in the present study, the macroalga Palmaria palmata (Rhodophyta) was exposed to UV A and B radiations. The study shows that the AP-PCR method can detect DNA damage and may be useful in detecting such damage following exposure of cells to xenobiotics. (author)

  20. Computational study of chain transfer to monomer reactions in high-temperature polymerization of alkyl acrylates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moghadam, Nazanin; Liu, Shi; Srinivasan, Sriraj; Grady, Michael C; Soroush, Masoud; Rappe, Andrew M

    2013-03-28

    This article presents a computational study of chain transfer to monomer (CTM) reactions in self-initiated high-temperature homopolymerization of alkyl acrylates (methyl, ethyl, and n-butyl acrylate). Several mechanisms of CTM are studied. The effects of the length of live polymer chains and the type of monoradical that initiated the live polymer chains on the energy barriers and rate constants of the involved reaction steps are investigated theoretically. All calculations are carried out using density functional theory. Three types of hybrid functionals (B3LYP, X3LYP, and M06-2X) and four basis sets (6-31G(d), 6-31G(d,p), 6-311G(d), and 6-311G(d,p)) are applied to predict the molecular geometries of the reactants, products and transition sates, and energy barriers. Transition state theory is used to estimate rate constants. The results indicate that abstraction of a hydrogen atom (by live polymer chains) from the methyl group in methyl acrylate, the methylene group in ethyl acrylate, and methylene groups in n-butyl acrylate are the most likely mechanisms of CTM. Also, the rate constants of CTM reactions calculated using M06-2X are in good agreement with those estimated from polymer sample measurements using macroscopic mechanistic models. The rate constant values do not change significantly with the length of live polymer chains. Abstraction of a hydrogen atom by a tertiary radical has a higher energy barrier than abstraction by a secondary radical, which agrees with experimental findings. The calculated and experimental NMR spectra of dead polymer chains produced by CTM reactions are comparable. This theoretical/computational study reveals that CTM occurs most likely via hydrogen abstraction by live polymer chains from the methyl group of methyl acrylate and methylene group(s) of ethyl (n-butyl) acrylate.

  1. CHAINS-PC, Decay Chain Atomic Densities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-01-01

    1 - Description of program or function: CHAINS computes the atom density of members of a single radioactive decay chain. The linearity of the Bateman equations allows tracing of interconnecting chains by manually accumulating results from separate calculations of single chains. Re-entrant loops can be treated as extensions of a single chain. Losses from the chain are also tallied. 2 - Method of solution: The Bateman equations are solved analytically using double-precision arithmetic. Poles are avoided by small alterations of the loss terms. Multigroup fluxes, cross sections, and self-shielding factors entered as input are used to compute the effective specific reaction rates. The atom densities are computed at any specified times. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: Maxima of 100 energy groups, 100 time values, 50 members in a chain

  2. [DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF COMBINED USE OF COMBINED METHOD OF ENZYME IMMUNOASSAY AND POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION TO DETECT OF INTRAUTERINE FETAL INFECTION BY PARVOVIRUS B19].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bondarenko, N P; Lakatosh, V P; Lakatosh, P V; Malanchuk, O B; Poladich, I V

    2015-01-01

    The combined method of diagnosis parvovirus infection during pregnancy by maternal serum enzyme immunoassay and deoxyribonucleic acid isolation parvovirus B19 polymerase chain reaction in amnniotic fluid and fetal cord blood newborns, can diagnose vertical transmission and anticipate a negative effect on the fetus parvovirus. Lack of maternal IgM antibodies in serum due to parvovirus seroconversion during pregnancy does not exclude the persistence of the virus in the fetus. To analyze the diagnostic value of the method for determining the LHP parvovirus B19 DNA in the amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood of newborns to determine vertical transmission of parvovirus infection when infected mothers B19 during pregnancy.

  3. Dual Combined Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for the Diagnosis of Lyssavirus Infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laurent Dacheux

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The definitive diagnosis of lyssavirus infection (including rabies in animals and humans is based on laboratory confirmation. The reference techniques for post-mortem rabies diagnosis are still based on direct immunofluorescence and virus isolation, but molecular techniques, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR based methods, are increasingly being used and now constitute the principal tools for diagnosing rabies in humans and for epidemiological analyses. However, it remains a key challenge to obtain relevant specificity and sensitivity with these techniques while ensuring that the genetic diversity of lyssaviruses does not compromise detection. We developed a dual combined real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (combo RT-qPCR method for pan-lyssavirus detection. This method is based on two complementary technologies: a probe-based (TaqMan RT-qPCR for detecting the RABV species (pan-RABV RT-qPCR and a second reaction using an intercalating dye (SYBR Green to detect other lyssavirus species (pan-lyssa RT-qPCR. The performance parameters of this combined assay were evaluated with a large panel of primary animal samples covering almost all the genetic variability encountered at the viral species level, and they extended to almost all lyssavirus species characterized to date. This method was also evaluated for the diagnosis of human rabies on 211 biological samples (positive n = 76 and negative n = 135 including saliva, skin and brain biopsies. It detected all 41 human cases of rabies tested and confirmed the sensitivity and the interest of skin biopsy (91.5% and saliva (54% samples for intra-vitam diagnosis of human rabies. Finally, this method was successfully implemented in two rabies reference laboratories in enzootic countries (Cambodia and Morocco. This combined RT-qPCR method constitutes a relevant, useful, validated tool for the diagnosis of rabies in both humans and animals, and represents a promising tool for

  4. Dual Combined Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for the Diagnosis of Lyssavirus Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dacheux, Laurent; Larrous, Florence; Lavenir, Rachel; Lepelletier, Anthony; Faouzi, Abdellah; Troupin, Cécile; Nourlil, Jalal; Buchy, Philippe; Bourhy, Herve

    2016-07-01

    The definitive diagnosis of lyssavirus infection (including rabies) in animals and humans is based on laboratory confirmation. The reference techniques for post-mortem rabies diagnosis are still based on direct immunofluorescence and virus isolation, but molecular techniques, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based methods, are increasingly being used and now constitute the principal tools for diagnosing rabies in humans and for epidemiological analyses. However, it remains a key challenge to obtain relevant specificity and sensitivity with these techniques while ensuring that the genetic diversity of lyssaviruses does not compromise detection. We developed a dual combined real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (combo RT-qPCR) method for pan-lyssavirus detection. This method is based on two complementary technologies: a probe-based (TaqMan) RT-qPCR for detecting the RABV species (pan-RABV RT-qPCR) and a second reaction using an intercalating dye (SYBR Green) to detect other lyssavirus species (pan-lyssa RT-qPCR). The performance parameters of this combined assay were evaluated with a large panel of primary animal samples covering almost all the genetic variability encountered at the viral species level, and they extended to almost all lyssavirus species characterized to date. This method was also evaluated for the diagnosis of human rabies on 211 biological samples (positive n = 76 and negative n = 135) including saliva, skin and brain biopsies. It detected all 41 human cases of rabies tested and confirmed the sensitivity and the interest of skin biopsy (91.5%) and saliva (54%) samples for intra-vitam diagnosis of human rabies. Finally, this method was successfully implemented in two rabies reference laboratories in enzootic countries (Cambodia and Morocco). This combined RT-qPCR method constitutes a relevant, useful, validated tool for the diagnosis of rabies in both humans and animals, and represents a promising tool for lyssavirus

  5. Effects of Superparamagnetic Nanoparticle Clusters on the Polymerase Chain Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toshiaki Higashi

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available The polymerase chain reaction (PCR method is widely used for the reproduction and amplification of specific DNA segments, and a novel PCR method using nanomaterials such as gold nanoparticles has recently been reported. This paper reports on the effects of superparamagnetic nanoparticles on PCR amplification without an external magnetic field, and clarifies the mechanism behind the effects of superparamagnetic particle clusters on PCR efficiency by estimating the structures of such clusters in PCR. It was found that superparamagnetic nanoparticles tend to inhibit PCR amplification depending on the structure of the magnetic nanoparticle clusters. The paper also clarifies that Taq polymerase is captured in the spaces formed among magnetic nanoparticle clusters, and that it is captured more efficiently as a result of their motion from heat treatment in PCR thermal cycles. Consequently, Taq polymerase that should be used in PCR is reduced in the PCR solution. These outcomes will be applied to novel PCR techniques using magnetic particles in an external magnetic field.

  6. Rapid genomic fingerprinting of Lactococcus lactis strains by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction with 32P and fluorescent labels.

    OpenAIRE

    Cancilla, M R; Powell, I B; Hillier, A J; Davidson, B E

    1992-01-01

    Arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction, with incorporation of either radioactive or fluorescent labels, was used as a rapid and sensitive method for obtaining genomic fingerprints of strains of Lactococcus lactis. Closely related strains produced almost identical fingerprints. Fingerprints of other strains showed only some similarities.

  7. Polymerase chain reaction: A molecular diagnostic tool in periodontology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maheaswari, Rajendran; Kshirsagar, Jaishree Tukaram; Lavanya, Nallasivam

    2016-01-01

    This review discusses the principles of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and its application as a diagnostic tool in periodontology. The relevant MEDLINE and PubMed indexed journals were searched manually and electronically by typing PCR, applications of PCR, PCR in periodontics, polymorphism studies in periodontitis, and molecular techniques in periodontology. The searches were limited to articles in English language and the articles describing PCR process and its relation to periodontology were collected and used to prepare a concise review. PCR has now become a standard diagnostic and research tool in periodontology. Various studies reveal that its sensitivity and specificity allow it as a rapid, efficient method of detecting, identifying, and quantifying organism. Different immune and inflammatory markers can be identified at the mRNA expression level, and also the determination of genetic polymorphisms, thus providing the deeper insight into the mechanisms underlying the periodontal disease. PMID:27143822

  8. Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction: Applications in Diagnostic Microbiology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kordo B. A. Saeed

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The polymerase chain reaction (PCR has revolutionized the detection of DNA and RNA. Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR is becoming the gold standard test for accurate, sensitive and fast diagnosis for a large range of infectious agents. Benefits of this procedure over conventional methods for measuring RNA include its sensitivity, high throughout and quantification. RT-PCR assays have advanced the diagnostic abilities of clinical laboratories particularly microbiology and infectious diseases. In this review we would like to briefly discuss RT-PCR in diagnostic microbiology laboratory, beginning with a general introduction to RT-PCR and its principles, setting up an RT PCR, including multiplex systems and the avoidance and remediation of contamination issues. A segment of the review would be devoted to the application of RT-PCR in clinical practice concentrating on its role in the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.

  9. Analytic study of the chain dark decomposition reaction of iodides - atomic iodine donors - in the active medium of a pulsed chemical oxygen-iodine laser: 1. Criteria for the development of the branching chain dark decomposition reaction of iodides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andreeva, Tamara L; Kuznetsova, S V; Maslov, Aleksandr I; Sorokin, Vadim N

    2009-01-01

    The scheme of chemical processes proceeding in the active medium of a pulsed chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) is analysed. Based on the analysis performed, the complete system of differential equations corresponding to this scheme is replaced by a simplified system of equations describing in dimensionless variables the chain dark decomposition of iodides - atomic iodine donors, in the COIL active medium. The procedure solving this system is described, the basic parameters determining the development of the chain reaction are found and its specific time intervals are determined. The initial stage of the reaction is analysed and criteria for the development of the branching chain decomposition reaction of iodide in the COIL active medium are determined. (active media)

  10. Polymerase chain Reaction in molecular biotechnology; appropriate technology for developing countries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Felice, A. E.; Alshinawi, C.

    1996-01-01

    The product of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) may be generically suitable for four types of investigations: Discovery PCR, Analytical PCR, Modification by PCR, and Synthetic PCR. Despite the potential problem of contamination with extraneous DNA, PCR is relatively simple and inexpensive, and

  11. Contribution to an effective design method for stationary reaction-diffusion patterns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szalai, István; Horváth, Judit; De Kepper, Patrick

    2015-01-01

    The British mathematician Alan Turing predicted, in his seminal 1952 publication, that stationary reaction-diffusion patterns could spontaneously develop in reacting chemical or biochemical solutions. The first two clear experimental demonstrations of such a phenomenon were not made before the early 1990s when the design of new chemical oscillatory reactions and appropriate open spatial chemical reactors had been invented. Yet, the number of pattern producing reactions had not grown until 2009 when we developed an operational design method, which takes into account the feeding conditions and other specificities of real open spatial reactors. Since then, on the basis of this method, five additional reactions were shown to produce stationary reaction-diffusion patterns. To gain a clearer view on where our methodical approach on the patterning capacity of a reaction stands, numerical studies in conditions that mimic true open spatial reactors were made. In these numerical experiments, we explored the patterning capacity of Rabai's model for pH driven Landolt type reactions as a function of experimentally attainable parameters that control the main time and length scales. Because of the straightforward reversible binding of protons to carboxylate carrying polymer chains, this class of reaction is at the base of the chemistry leading to most of the stationary reaction-diffusion patterns presently observed. We compare our model predictions with experimental observations and comment on agreements and differences

  12. Contribution to an effective design method for stationary reaction-diffusion patterns

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Szalai, István; Horváth, Judit [Laboratory of Nonlinear Chemical Dynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, P.O. Box 32, H-1518 Budapest 112 (Hungary); De Kepper, Patrick [Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, CNRS, University of Bordeaux, 115, Avenue Schweitzer, F-33600 Pessac (France)

    2015-06-15

    The British mathematician Alan Turing predicted, in his seminal 1952 publication, that stationary reaction-diffusion patterns could spontaneously develop in reacting chemical or biochemical solutions. The first two clear experimental demonstrations of such a phenomenon were not made before the early 1990s when the design of new chemical oscillatory reactions and appropriate open spatial chemical reactors had been invented. Yet, the number of pattern producing reactions had not grown until 2009 when we developed an operational design method, which takes into account the feeding conditions and other specificities of real open spatial reactors. Since then, on the basis of this method, five additional reactions were shown to produce stationary reaction-diffusion patterns. To gain a clearer view on where our methodical approach on the patterning capacity of a reaction stands, numerical studies in conditions that mimic true open spatial reactors were made. In these numerical experiments, we explored the patterning capacity of Rabai's model for pH driven Landolt type reactions as a function of experimentally attainable parameters that control the main time and length scales. Because of the straightforward reversible binding of protons to carboxylate carrying polymer chains, this class of reaction is at the base of the chemistry leading to most of the stationary reaction-diffusion patterns presently observed. We compare our model predictions with experimental observations and comment on agreements and differences.

  13. Development of a Tandem Repeat-Based Polymerase Chain Displacement Reaction Method for Highly Sensitive Detection of 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lou, Binghai; Song, Yaqin; RoyChowdhury, Moytri; Deng, Chongling; Niu, Ying; Fan, Qijun; Tang, Yan; Zhou, Changyong

    2018-02-01

    Huanglongbing (HLB) is one of the most destructive diseases in citrus production worldwide. Early detection of HLB pathogens can facilitate timely removal of infected citrus trees in the field. However, low titer and uneven distribution of HLB pathogens in host plants make reliable detection challenging. Therefore, the development of effective detection methods with high sensitivity is imperative. This study reports the development of a novel method, tandem repeat-based polymerase chain displacement reaction (TR-PCDR), for the detection of 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus', a widely distributed HLB-associated bacterium. A uniquely designed primer set (TR2-PCDR-F/TR2-PCDR-1R) and a thermostable Taq DNA polymerase mutant with strand displacement activity were used for TR-PCDR amplification. Performed in a regular thermal cycler, TR-PCDR could produce more than two amplicons after each amplification cycle. Sensitivity of the developed TR-PCDR was 10 copies of target DNA fragment. The sensitive level was proven to be 100× higher than conventional PCR and similar to real-time PCR. Data from the detection of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' with filed samples using the above three methods also showed similar results. No false-positive TR-PCDR amplification was observed from healthy citrus samples and water controls. These results thereby illustrated that the developed TR-PCDR method can be applied to the reliable, highly sensitive, and cost-effective detection of 'Ca. L. asiaticus'.

  14. Efficient Homodifunctional Bimolecular Ring-Closure Method for Cyclic Polymers by Combining RAFT and Self-Accelerating Click Reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qu, Lin; Sun, Peng; Wu, Ying; Zhang, Ke; Liu, Zhengping

    2017-08-01

    An efficient metal-free homodifunctional bimolecular ring-closure method is developed for the formation of cyclic polymers by combining reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and self-accelerating click reaction. In this approach, α,ω-homodifunctional linear polymers with azide terminals are prepared by RAFT polymerization and postmodification of polymer chain end groups. By virtue of sym-dibenzo-1,5-cyclooctadiene-3,7-diyne (DBA) as small linkers, well-defined cyclic polymers are then prepared using the self-accelerating double strain-promoted azide-alkyne click (DSPAAC) reaction to ring-close the azide end-functionalized homodifunctional linear polymer precursors. Due to the self-accelerating property of DSPAAC ring-closing reaction, this novel method eliminates the requirement of equimolar amounts of telechelic polymers and small linkers in traditional bimolecular ring-closure methods. It facilitates this method to efficiently and conveniently produce varied pure cyclic polymers by employing an excess molar amount of DBA small linkers. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Pneumocystis carinii in bronchoalveolar lavage and induced sputum: detection with a nested polymerase chain reaction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skøt, J; Lerche, A G; Kolmos, H J

    1995-01-01

    To evaluate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of Pneumocystis carinii, 117 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens, from HIV-infected patients undergoing a diagnostic bronchoscopy, were processed and a nested PCR, followed by Southern blot and hybridization with a P32-labelled probe......, but sensitivity dropped markedly with this system. A further 33 patients had both induced sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage performed and the induced sputum was analysed using PCR and routine microbiological methods. The PCR sensitivity on induced sputum was equal to that of routine methods. At present...... the evaluated PCR cannot replace routine microbiological methods for detection of Pneumocystis carinii, on either BAL fluid or induced sputum....

  16. Real-time TaqMan polymerase chain reaction to quantify the effects ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    TaqMan polymerase chain reaction was developed to quantify the number of Bifidobacterium. We used this assay to detect genomic DNA of Bifidobacterium in the intestinal tract digesta of piglets, including duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum and colon. Our results indicated that, developed new real-time quantitative PCR ...

  17. Reaction of oxygen with the respiratory chain in cells and tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chance, B

    1965-09-01

    This paper considers the way in which the oxygen reaction described by Dr. Nicholls and the ADP control reactions described by Dr. Racker could cooperate to establish a purposeful metabolic control phenomenon in vivo. This has required an examination of the kinetic properties of the respiratory chain with particular reference to methods for determinations of oxygen affinity (K(m)). The constant parameter for tissue respiration is k(1), the velocity constant for the reaction of oxygen with cytochrome oxidase. Not only is this quantity a constant for a particular tissue or mitochondria; it appears to vary little over a wide range of biological material, and for practical purposes a value of 5 x 10(7) at 25 degrees close to our original value (20) is found to apply with adequate accuracy for calculation of K(m) for mammalia. The quantity which will depend upon the tissue and its metabolic state is the value of K(m) itself, and K(m) may be as large as 0.5 microM and may fall to 0.05 microM or less in resting, controlled, or inhibited states. The control characteristic for ADP may depend upon the electron flux due to the cytochrome chain (40); less ADP is required to activate the slower electron transport at lower temperatures than at higher temperatures. The affinity constants for ADP control appear to be less dependent upon substrate supplied to the system. The balance of ADP and oxygen control in vivo is amply demonstrated experimentally and is dependent on the oxygen concentration as follows. In the presence of excess oxygen, control may be due to the ADP or phosphate (or substrate), and the kinetics of oxygen utilization will be independent of the oxygen concentration. As the oxygen concentration is diminished, hemoglobin becomes disoxygenated, deep gradients of oxygen concentration develop in the tissue, and eventually cytochrome oxidase becomes partially and then completely reduced. DPN at this point will become reduced and the electron flow diminished. The rate

  18. Time-resolved FTIR [Fourier transform infrared] emission studies of laser photofragmentation and chain reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leone, S.R.

    1990-01-01

    Recent progress is described resulting from the past three years of DOE support for studies of combustion-related photofragmentation dynamics, energy transfer, and reaction processes using a time-resolved Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) emission technique. The FTIR is coupled to a high repetition rate excimer laser which produces radicals by photolysis to obtain novel, high resolution measurements on vibrational and rotational state dynamics. The results are important for the study of numerous radical species relevant to combustion processes. The method has been applied to the detailed study of photofragmentation dynamics in systems such as acetylene, which produces C 2 H; chlorofluoroethylene to study the HF product channel; vinyl chloride and dichloroethylene, which produce HCl; acetone, which produces CO and CH 3 ; and ammonia, which produces NH 2 . In addition, we have recently demonstrated use of the FTIR technique for preliminary studies of energy transfer events under near single collision conditions, radical-radical reactions, and laser-initiated chain reaction processes

  19. Designing Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Primer Multiplexes in the Forensic Laboratory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elkins, Kelly M.

    2011-01-01

    The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a common experiment in upper-level undergraduate biochemistry, molecular biology, and forensic laboratory courses as reagents and thermocyclers have become more affordable for institutions. Typically, instructors design PCR primers to amplify the region of interest and the students prepare their samples for…

  20. Comparison of different methods of RNA isolation for plum pox virus detection by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faggioli, F; Pasquini, G; Barba, M

    1998-09-01

    The diagnosis of plum pox virus (PPV) is still considered one of the most important aspects of the "sharka" problem. In fact, different studies demonstrated an uneven distribution of the virus in infected trees due to a high variability in virus concentration. These aspects complicate the PPV diagnosis. To date, biological, serological and molecular assays have been successively developed in order to obtain sensitive and efficient PPV detection techniques. In particular, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique seems to be promising and can be considered the most sensitive and reliable one. Preparation of viral RNA is still a fundamental step in reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) technique, especially when applied to large scale testing, i.e., for certification purposes. In order to find the most rapid and efficient procedure, we have compared three different procedures of extraction of viral RNA to be processed RT-PCR. Their common characteristics is their capacity to extract the RNA from a small amount of plant tissue without organic solvents in the extraction fluid. The procedures were as follows: an immuno-capture (IC) method using a specific antiserum, a silica-capture (SC) method using a non-specific matrix, and a simple and rapid RNA extraction (RE) method. They all were followed by one-tube RT-PCR. The obtained results show that all the three techniques allowed a successful amplification and detection of PPV in tested samples except the SC-PCR method which proved less effective. In fact, the IC-PCR and RE-PCR methods amplified and detected PPV in all isolates tested, while the SC-PCR method was able to reveal the presence of the virus in apricot and infected control samples only.

  1. Evaluation of urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infections by cell culture and the polymerase chain reaction using a closed system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Østergaard, Lars; Traulsen, J; Birkelund, Svend

    1991-01-01

    the two test systems were compared, the overall sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction was 96% and the specificity 94% when compared to the cell culture technique. By use of a closed system for DNA extraction and sample transfer for the polymerase chain reaction, contamination of the samples......Two hundred and fifty-four specimens from males and females consulting a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases were analyzed for genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Each clinical sample was tested by the cell culture technique and the polymerase chain reaction using a closed system. When...... not detect Chlamydia trachomatis after sufficient antibiotic treatment of the chlamydial infections....

  2. Evaluation of urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infections by cell culture and the polymerase chain reaction using a closed system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Østergaard, Lars; Traulsen, J; Birkelund, Svend

    1993-01-01

    the two test systems were compared, the overall sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction was 96% and the specificity 94% when compared to the cell culture technique. By use of a closed system for DNA extraction and sample transfer for the polymerase chain reaction, contamination of the samples......Two hundred and fifty-four specimens from males and females consulting a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases were analyzed for genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Each clinical sample was tested by the cell culture technique and the polymerase chain reaction using a closed system. When...... not detect Chlamydia trachomatis after sufficient antibiotic treatment of the chlamydial infections....

  3. The effect of composition of mixture on rate of radiation initiation of chain reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poluehktov, V.A.; Begishev, I.R.; Podkhalyuzin, A.T.; Babkina, Eh.I.; Morozov, V.A.; Shapovalov, V.V.

    1977-01-01

    The effect of the composition of starting components on the rate of a number of chain liquid-phase reactions initiated by γ-quanta of Co 60 has been investigated at constant temperature and dosage rate. In regard to 1,1-difluoroethane chlorination, cyclohexene phosphorylation and adamantane alkylation with hexafluoropropylene reactions, abnormal effect of the reagent compositions on reaction rates has been discovered. The possible radical - starting molecule complexing reaction and molecular complexing from the starting components have been considered

  4. Alternative polymerase chain reaction method to identify Plasmodium species in human blood samples: the semi-nested multiplex malaria PCR (SnM-PCR)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rubio, J.M.; Post, R.J.; Docters van Leeuwen, W.M.; Henry, M.C.; Lindergard, G.; Hommel, M.

    2002-01-01

    A simplified protocol for the identification of Plasmodium species by semi-nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (SnM-PCR) in human blood samples is compared with microscopical examination of thin and thick blood films in 2 field trials in Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon. Also, dried blood spots or

  5. Polymerase chain reaction and conventional DNA tests in detection of HPV DNA in cytologically normal and abnormal cervical scrapes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kalia, A.; Jalava, T.; Nieminen, P.

    1992-01-01

    Med.mikrobiologi, polymerase chain reaction, DNA tests, human papillomavirus (HPV), cervical smear, hybridisation, cytologi, affiProbe HPV test, ViraType test......Med.mikrobiologi, polymerase chain reaction, DNA tests, human papillomavirus (HPV), cervical smear, hybridisation, cytologi, affiProbe HPV test, ViraType test...

  6. Case Report:False-negative HIV-1 polymerase chain reaction in a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is the gold standard for determining the HIV status in children <18 months of age. However, when clinical manifestations are not consistent with laboratory results, additional investigation is required. We report a 15-month-old HIV-exposed boy referred to our hospital after he had ...

  7. A Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Method for Isolating Clones from a Complimentary DNA Library in Sheep

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friis, Thor Einar; Stephenson, Sally; Xiao, Yin; Whitehead, Jon

    2014-01-01

    The sheep (Ovis aries) is favored by many musculoskeletal tissue engineering groups as a large animal model because of its docile temperament and ease of husbandry. The size and weight of sheep are comparable to humans, which allows for the use of implants and fixation devices used in human clinical practice. The construction of a complimentary DNA (cDNA) library can capture the expression of genes in both a tissue- and time-specific manner. cDNA libraries have been a consistent source of gene discovery ever since the technology became commonplace more than three decades ago. Here, we describe the construction of a cDNA library using cells derived from sheep bones based on the pBluescript cDNA kit. Thirty clones were picked at random and sequenced. This led to the identification of a novel gene, C12orf29, which our initial experiments indicate is involved in skeletal biology. We also describe a polymerase chain reaction-based cDNA clone isolation method that allows the isolation of genes of interest from a cDNA library pool. The techniques outlined here can be applied in-house by smaller tissue engineering groups to generate tools for biomolecular research for large preclinical animal studies and highlights the power of standard cDNA library protocols to uncover novel genes. PMID:24447069

  8. Polymerase chain reaction for detection of Mycobacterium leprae in nasal swab specimens

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Wit, M. Y.; Douglas, J. T.; McFadden, J.; Klatser, P. R.

    1993-01-01

    The polymerase chain reaction based on the selective amplification of a 531-bp fragment of the gene encoding the proline-rich antigen of Mycobacterium leprae was applied to nasal swab specimens from leprosy patients, occupational contacts, and endemic and nonendemic controls. To prevent

  9. Molecularly imprinted nanoparticles for inhibiting ribonuclease in reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Feng, Xiaotong; Ashley, Jon; Zhou, Tongchang

    2018-01-01

    Molecularly imprinted nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) are synthesized via a solid-phase approach using RNase as the template. The feasibility of employing the nanoMIPs as RNase inhibitor is successfully demonstrated in reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays, suggesting the tailor...

  10. Assumption-free analysis of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) data

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ramakers, Christian; Ruijter, Jan M.; Deprez, Ronald H. Lekanne; Moorman, Antoon F. M.

    2003-01-01

    Quantification of mRNAs using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by monitoring the product formation with the fluorescent dye SYBR Green I is being extensively used in neurosciences, developmental biology, and medical diagnostics. Most PCR data analysis procedures assume that the PCR

  11. Polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of Staphylococcus aureus in buffalo milk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.K. Jain

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available In India, Haryana has the world’s best dairy type buffalo, the Murrah capable of milk yields as high as 35 kg a day. Clinical and Sub clinical mastitis exerts a negative impact on milk quality, quantity and animal health and profits. In India, Staphylococci are the main causative agents responsible for mastitis of economic importance. Therefore, a suitable and specific test is required for the rapid diagnosis of Staphylococcus aureus. For definitive diagnosis of Staphylococcus aureus in mastitic milk, a polymerase chain reaction assay was developed using target sequence of 16S to 23S rRNA spacer region. This test can be performed within hours and avoids cumbersome and lengthy steps involved in microbiological culture of milk and biochemical tests. Polymerase chain reaction assay can be used as a screening test for a large herd to detect Staphylococcus aureus in milk.

  12. Development of a polymerase chain reaction applicable to rapid and sensitive detection of Clonorchis sinensis eggs in human stool samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Pyo Yun; Na, Byoung-Kuk; Mi Choi, Kyung; Kim, Jin Su; Cho, Shin-Hyeong; Lee, Won-Ja; Lim, Sung-Bin; Cha, Seok Ho; Park, Yun-Kyu; Pak, Jhang Ho; Lee, Hyeong-Woo; Hong, Sung-Jong; Kim, Tong-Soo

    2013-01-01

    Microscopic examination of eggs of parasitic helminths in stool samples has been the most widely used classical diagnostic method for infections, but tiny and low numbers of eggs in stool samples often hamper diagnosis of helminthic infections with classical microscopic examination. Moreover, it is also difficult to differentiate parasite eggs by the classical method, if they have similar morphological characteristics. In this study, we developed a rapid and sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based molecular diagnostic method for detection of Clonorchis sinensis eggs in stool samples. Nine primers were designed based on the long-terminal repeat (LTR) of C. sinensis retrotransposon1 (CsRn1) gene, and seven PCR primer sets were paired. Polymerase chain reaction with each primer pair produced specific amplicons for C. sinensis, but not for other trematodes including Metagonimus yokogawai and Paragonimus westermani. Particularly, three primer sets were able to detect 10 C. sinensis eggs and were applicable to amplify specific amplicons from DNA samples purified from stool of C. sinensis-infected patients. This PCR method could be useful for diagnosis of C. sinensis infections in human stool samples with a high level of specificity and sensitivity. PMID:23916334

  13. Polymerase chain reaction in unilateral cases of presumed viral anterior uveitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shoughy, Samir S; Alkatan, Hind M; Al-Abdullah, Abdulelah A; El-Khani, Albarah; de Groot-Mijnes, Jolanda Df; Tabbara, Khalid F

    2015-01-01

    Anterior uveitis is the most common form of intraocular inflammation. The main aim of this study was to determine the viral etiology in patients with unilateral cases of anterior uveitis. A total of 12 consecutive patients with the diagnosis of idiopathic unilateral anterior uveitis were included prospectively. Aqueous specimens were obtained from each patient by anterior chamber paracentesis and subjected to the detection of viral DNA/RNA genome by polymerase chain reaction assay for herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and rubella virus. There were six male and six female patients. The mean age was 43 years, with an age range of 11-82 years. All 12 cases presented with unilateral anterior uveitis. In four (33%) patients, polymerase chain reaction was positive for viral genome. Two patients were positive for herpes simplex virus type 1, one patient was positive for cytomegalovirus and one for Epstein-Barr virus. Recent molecular diagnostic assays would help in the identification of the causative agent in patients with unilateral anterior uveitis.

  14. Reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction: principles and applications in dentistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Carlos Ferreira Dos; Sakai, Vivien Thiemy; Machado, Maria Aparecida de Andrade Moreira; Schippers, Daniela Nicole; Greene, Andrew Seth

    2004-03-01

    Various molecular biology techniques have become available in the last few years. One of the most revolutionary of these techniques regarding nucleic acid analysis is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which was first described in 1985. This method relies on the exponential amplification of specific DNA fragments, resulting in millions of copies that can serve as templates for different kinds of analyses. PCR can be preceded by a reverse transcription (RT) reaction in order to produce cDNA from RNA (RT-PCR). RT-PCR provides the possibility to assess gene transcription in cells or tissues. PCR and RT-PCR techniques have been instrumental in dental research, and show potential to be used for diagnosis as well as for treatment and prevention of many diseases (dental caries, periodontal disease, endodontic infections and oral cancer). Compared to other traditional methodologies, PCR and RT-PCR show many advantages including high specificity, sensitivity, and speed. Since PCR and RT-PCR are relatively new techniques and are not available to most students and professionals involved with dentistry, the aim of this work is to present the details of these techniques as well as dental literature reports in which they were used.

  15. Pathogen detection by the polymerase chain reaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chitpatima, S T; Settachan, D; Pornsilpatip, J; Visawapoka, U [Pramongkutklao College of Medicine, Bangkok (Thailand). Molecular Biology Lab.; Dvorak, D R [Amersham International Ltd., Singapore (Singapore)

    1994-05-01

    In recent years, significant advances in the knowledge of DNA and its make up have led to the development of a powerful technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Since the advent of PCR, laboratories around the globe have been exploiting this technology to bridge limitations or to overcome common problems encountered in molecular biology techniques. In addition, this technology has been employed successfully in diagnostic and basic scientific research and development. The true potentials of this technology is realized in early detection of pathogens and genetic abnormalities. In this paper two PCR protocols are described. The first is for detection of HIV-1 DNA in blood, the other for detection of rabies virus RNA in brain cells. 6 refs, 3 figs, 1 tab.

  16. On fusion/fission chain reactions in the Fleischmann-Pons cold fusion experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anghaie, S.; Froelich, P.; Monkhorst, H.J.

    1990-01-01

    In this paper the possibility of fusion/fission chain reactions following d-d source reactions in electrochemical cold fusion experiments have been investigated. The recycling factors for the charged particles in fusion reactions with consumable nuclei deuteron, 6 Li nd 7 Li, are estimated. It is concluded that, based on the established nuclear fusion cross sections and electronic stopping power, the recycling factor is four to five orders of magnitude less than required for close to critical conditions. It is argued that the cross generation of charged particles by neutrons does not play a significant role in this process, even if increased densities at the surface of electrodes do occur

  17. The generation of radiolabeled DNA and RNA probes with polymerase chain reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schowalter, D.B.; Sommer, S.S.

    1989-01-01

    By including a radioactive triphosphate during polymerase chain reaction (PCR), probes of very high specific activity can be generated. The advantages of PCR labeling include (1) uniform labeling with a specific activity of 5 X 10(9) cpm/micrograms or higher (sensitivity of detection: 0.028 pg of target DNA per 24 h); (2) ease of regulation of both the specific activity and the amount of labeled probe produced; (3) efficient labeling of fragments less than 500 bp; (4) efficient incorporation over a wide range of input DNA template; (5) labeling with subnanogram amounts of input DNA; and (6) direct labeling of genomic DNA. The minimal amount of input DNA allows a virtually unlimited number of PCR labeling reactions to be performed on DNA generated by one amplification under the previously described nonlabeling conditions. This obviates the need for CsCl gradients or other large scale methods of DNA preparation. The above advantages except for the very high specific activity can also be achieved by transcript labeling after an amplification where one or both of PCR primers contain a phage promoter sequence

  18. Peripheral Blood Leukocytes and Serum Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction Are Complementary Methods for Monitoring Active Cytomegalovirus Infection in Transplant Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    PD Andrade

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Human cytomegalovirus is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR has proven to be a sensitive and effective technique in defining active cytomegalovirus infection, in addition to having low cost and being a useful test for situations in which there is no need for quantification. Real-time PCR has the advantage of quantification; however, the high cost of this methodology makes it impractical for routine use.

  19. Polymerase chain reaction in unilateral cases of presumed viral anterior uveitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shoughy SS

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Samir S Shoughy,1 Hind M Alkatan,2,4 Abdulelah A Al-Abdullah,2 Albarah El-Khani,2 Jolanda DF de Groot-Mijnes,3 Khalid F Tabbara1,4,5 1Department of Ophthalmology, The Eye Center and The Eye Foundation for Research in Ophthalmology, 2Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Uveitis Division, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Virology and Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands; 4Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5The Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA Background and objectives: Anterior uveitis is the most common form of intraocular inflammation. The main aim of this study was to determine the viral etiology in patients with unilateral cases of anterior uveitis.Patients and methods: A total of 12 consecutive patients with the diagnosis of idiopathic unilateral anterior uveitis were included prospectively. Aqueous specimens were obtained from each patient by anterior chamber paracentesis and subjected to the detection of viral DNA/RNA genome by polymerase chain reaction assay for herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein–Barr virus, and rubella virus.Results: There were six male and six female patients. The mean age was 43 years, with an age range of 11–82 years. All 12 cases presented with unilateral anterior uveitis. In four (33% patients, polymerase chain reaction was positive for viral genome. Two patients were positive for herpes simplex virus type 1, one patient was positive for cytomegalovirus and one for Epstein–Barr virus.Conclusion: Recent molecular diagnostic assays would help in the identification of the causative agent in patients with unilateral anterior uveitis. Keywords: viral anterior uveitis, PCR, herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus, diffuse keratic precipitates, anterior chamber

  20. [Assessment of the treatment with imiquimod in persistent infection by human papillomavirus with the polimerase chain reaction method].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernández Quijano, Tomás; Illanes Aguiar, Berenice; Salas Linares, Natividad; Alarcón Romero, Luz del Carmen; Hernández Valencia, Marcelino

    2006-06-01

    Molecular studies have shown that oncogenic genotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) are the main risk factor for cervical cancer development. Sub-clinical wound does not cause symptoms and is diagnosed by colposcopy or histology, in addition the latent infection is associated with the presence of DNA of the HPV, but when clinical and histological abnormalities are not presented only molecular techniques can detect this infection. To determine if complementary processing with imiquimod, recent medicament with powerful antiviral activity in vitro as in vivo, reduces the cervical persistence of HPV. This study was carried out with 87 patients, who had antecedents of HPV cervical and intraepithelial wound with low degree. Patients were divided as follows: treated with cryotherapy, cervical loop electrosurgical and imiquimod, all with diagnosis by cervical cytology, colposcopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HPV. At 3, 6 and 12 months after the processing, PCR, cervical cytology and colposcopy control were carried out again. Out of the 87 patients studied, 11% (10) patients treated with cervical cytology were positive for VPH; with colposcopy 8% (7) of patients and with PCR 40% (34) of patients; decreased persistence with combined methods of loop and imiquimod was obtained in 29% (5) patients; however, when utilized imiquimod alone, there were 55% (11) patients with persistence determined by PCR method. Imiquimod appears to be beneficial in 45% of the patients, in contrast with efficacy reported until 85% in genitals and annals warts, in addition, the capacity of eliminating the viruses has been shown, therefore it is possible that its potential effect could be observed long-time. It is evident that the percentages of viral detection are improved for PCR method, compared with indirect methods as cervical cytology and colposcopy, which is favorable when virus serotypes are of high degree of transformation and ablative methods should be conservatives due to

  1. An Integrated Method of Supply Chains Vulnerability Assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiaguo Liu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Supply chain vulnerability identification and evaluation are extremely important to mitigate the supply chain risk. We present an integrated method to assess the supply chain vulnerability. The potential failure mode of the supply chain vulnerability is analyzed through the SCOR model. Combining the fuzzy theory and the gray theory, the correlation degree of each vulnerability indicator can be calculated and the target improvements can be carried out. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, we use Kendall’s tau coefficient to measure the effect of different methods. The result shows that the presented method has the highest consistency in the assessment compared with the other two methods.

  2. The chain re-action

    CERN Multimedia

    2009-01-01

    On 18 March, beam commissioning started in the first ‘link’ of the accelerator chain – LINAC 2. This marks the start of what will be the longest period of beam operations in CERN’s history, with the accelerator complex remaining operational throughout the winter to supply the LHC. The Bulletin finds out what is being done to make sure the whole chain is ready for this historic run.

  3. Use of polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of toxocariasis: an experimental study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rai, S K; Uga, S; Wu, Z; Takahashi, Y; Matsumura, T

    1997-09-01

    In this paper we report the usefulness of polymerase chain reaction technique in the diagnosis of visceral larva migrans in a mouse model. Liver samples obtained from two set of experimentally infected mice (10, 100, 1,000 and 10,000 embryonated Toxocara canis eggs per mouse) along with the eggs of T. canis, T. cati and Ascaris suum were included in this study. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using Toxocara primers (SB12). The first PCR product electrophoresis revealed very thin positive bands or no bands in liver samples. However, on second PCR a clear-cut bands were observed. No positive band was shown by A. suum eggs. Our findings thus indicate the usefulness of PCR technic in the diagnosis of visceral larva migrans (VLM) in liver biopsy materials specifically by means of double PCR using the primer SB12.

  4. Sensitivitas dan Spesifisitas Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction untuk Mendeteksi DNA Coxiella burnetii (SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY OF NESTED POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION FOR DETECTION OF COXIELLA BURNETII DNA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trioso Purnawarman

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Sensitivity and specificity of nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR to detect Coxiella burnetii(C. burnetii DNA were studied. The primer system which consists of external primers (OMP1 and OMP2and internal primers (OMP3 and OMP4, was designed from the nucleotide sequence of the com I geneencoding for 27 kDa outer membrane protein and used to specifically amplify a 501 bp and 438 bp fragment.This nested PCR assay was 50 fold more sensitive than that of using PCR external primer only. TheNested PCR has a detection limit as low as 300 pg/?l. Specificity studies showed that nested PCR onlydetected C. burnetii DNA and did not happened Brucella abortus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosaand Campylobacter Jejuni DNA. Nested PCR has high senstively and specificaly diagnostic method of C.burnetii as agent of Q fever disease.

  5. False-negative HIV-1 polymerase chain reaction in a 15-month-old ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Corresponding author: S Korsman (stephen.korsman@nhls.ac.za). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is the gold standard for determining the HIV status in children <18 months of age. ... mismatches relative to the consensus are shown as coloured blocks. Nucleic acid numbering relative to consensus C gag p24 is ...

  6. Highly efficient capillary polymerase chain reaction using an oscillation droplet microreactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Dayu; Liang Guangtie; Lei Xiuxia; Chen Bin; Wang Wei; Zhou Xiaomian

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: An oscillation-flow approach using a droplet reactor was developed to fully explore the potential of continuous-flow PCR. By fully utilizing interfacial chemistry, a water-in-oil (w/o) droplet was automatically generated by allowing an oil–water plug to flow through a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) capillary. Due to the movement of aqueous phase relative to the oil phase, the droplet moves further into the middle of the oil plug with increase in migration distance. The resulting droplet was transported spanning the two heating zones and was employed as the reactor of oscillating-flow PCR. Highlights: ► Droplet formation in a capillary. ► Transport the droplet using oscillation-flow. ► Oscillation droplet PCR. ► Improved reaction efficiency. - Abstract: The current work presents the development of a capillary-based oscillation droplet approach to maximize the potential of a continuous-flow polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Through the full utilization of interfacial chemistry, a water-in-oil (w/o) droplet was generated by allowing an oil–water plug to flow along a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) capillary. The w/o droplet functioned as the reactor for oscillating-flow PCR to provide a stable reaction environment, accelerate reagent mixing, and eliminate surface adsorption. The capillary PCR approach proposed in the current research offers high amplification efficiency, fast reaction speed, and easy system control attributable to the oscillation droplet reactor. Experimental results show that the droplet-based micro-PCR assay requires lower reaction volume (2 μL) and shorter reaction time (12 min) compared with conventional PCR methods. Taking the amplification of the New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM-1) gene as an example, the present work demonstrates that the oscillation droplet PCR assay is capable of achieving high efficiency up to 89.5% and a detection limit of 10 DNA copies. The miniature PCR protocol developed in the current

  7. Principles and applications of polymerase chain reaction in medical diagnostic fields: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valones, Marcela Agne Alves; Guimarães, Rafael Lima; Brandão, Lucas André Cavalcanti; de Souza, Paulo Roberto Eleutério; de Albuquerque Tavares Carvalho, Alessandra; Crovela, Sergio

    2009-01-01

    Recent developments in molecular methods have revolutionized the detection and characterization of microorganisms in a broad range of medical diagnostic fields, including virology, mycology, parasitology, microbiology and dentistry. Among these methods, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) has generated great benefits and allowed scientific advancements. PCR is an excellent technique for the rapid detection of pathogens, including those difficult to culture. Along with conventional PCR techniques, Real-Time PCR has emerged as a technological innovation and is playing an ever-increasing role in clinical diagnostics and research laboratories. Due to its capacity to generate both qualitative and quantitative results, Real-Time PCR is considered a fast and accurate platform. The aim of the present literature review is to explore the clinical usefulness and potential of both conventional PCR and Real-Time PCR assays in diverse medical fields, addressing its main uses and advances.

  8. Comparison of reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction methods and platforms for single cell gene expression analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, Bridget C; Devonshire, Alison S; Baradez, Marc-Olivier; Marshall, Damian; Foy, Carole A

    2012-08-15

    Single cell gene expression analysis can provide insights into development and disease progression by profiling individual cellular responses as opposed to reporting the global average of a population. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is the "gold standard" for the quantification of gene expression levels; however, the technical performance of kits and platforms aimed at single cell analysis has not been fully defined in terms of sensitivity and assay comparability. We compared three kits using purification columns (PicoPure) or direct lysis (CellsDirect and Cells-to-CT) combined with a one- or two-step RT-qPCR approach using dilutions of cells and RNA standards to the single cell level. Single cell-level messenger RNA (mRNA) analysis was possible using all three methods, although the precision, linearity, and effect of lysis buffer and cell background differed depending on the approach used. The impact of using a microfluidic qPCR platform versus a standard instrument was investigated for potential variability introduced by preamplification of template or scaling down of the qPCR to nanoliter volumes using laser-dissected single cell samples. The two approaches were found to be comparable. These studies show that accurate gene expression analysis is achievable at the single cell level and highlight the importance of well-validated experimental procedures for low-level mRNA analysis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Susceptibility Testing by Polymerase Chain Reaction DNA Quantitation: A Method to Measure Drug Resistance of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Isolates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eron, Joseph J.; Gorczyca, Paul; Kaplan, Joan C.; D'Aquila, Richard T.

    1992-04-01

    Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) DNA quantitation (PDQ) susceptibility testing rapidly and directly measures nucleoside sensitivity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates. PCR is used to quantitate the amount of HIV-1 DNA synthesized after in vitro infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The relative amounts of HIV-1 DNA in cell lysates from cultures maintained at different drug concentrations reflect drug inhibition of virus replication. The results of PDQ susceptibility testing of 2- or 3-day cultures are supported by assays measuring HIV-1 p24 antigen production in supernatants of 7- or 10-day cultures. DNA sequence analyses to identify mutations in the reverse transcriptase gene that cause resistance to 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine also support the PDQ results. With the PDQ method, both infectivity titration and susceptibility testing can be performed on supernatants from primary cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. PDQ susceptibility testing should facilitate epidemiologic studies of the clinical significance of drug-resistant HIV-1 isolates.

  10. Mycobacterium avium restriction fragment lenght polymorphism-IS IS1245 and the simple double repetitive element polymerase chain reaction typing method to screen genetic diversity in Brazilian strains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrícia Carvalho de Sequeira

    2005-11-01

    Full Text Available Simple double repetitive element polymerase chain reaction (MaDRE-PCR and Pvu II-IS1245 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP typing methods were used to type 41 Mycobacterium avium isolates obtained from 14 Aids inpatients and 10 environment and animals specimens identified among 53 mycobacteria isolated from 237 food, chicken, and pig. All environmental and animals strains showed orphan patterns by both methods. By MaDRE-PCR four patients, with multiple isolates, showed different patterns, suggesting polyclonal infection that was confirmed by RFLP in two of them. This first evaluation of MaDRE-PCR on Brazilian M. avium strains demonstrated that the method seems to be useful as simple and less expensive typing method for screening genetic diversity in M. avium strains on selected epidemiological studies, although with limitation on analysis identical patterns except for one band.

  11. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus: Interlaboratory ring trial to evaluate real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction detection methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wernike, Kerstin; Bonilauri, Paolo; Dauber, Malte

    2012-01-01

    To compare the real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays used for the diagnosis of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), a Europe-wide interlaboratory ring trial was conducted. A variety of PRRSV strains including North American...... (NA) and European (EU) genotype isolates were analyzed by the participants. Great differences regarding qualitative diagnostics as well as analytical sensitivity were observed between the individual RT-qPCR systems, especially when investigating strains from the EU genotype. None of the assays...

  12. Molecular detection of the carriage rate of four intestinal protozoa with real-time polymerase chain reaction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Efunshile, Michael A; Ngwu, Bethrand A F; Kurtzhals, Jørgen A L

    2015-01-01

    Diarrhea remains the second largest killer of children worldwide, and Nigeria ranks number two on the list of global deaths attributable to diarrhea. Meanwhile, prevalence studies on potentially diarrheagenic protozoa in asymptomatic carriers using molecular detection methods remain scarce in sub......-Saharan countries. To overcome sensitivity issues related to microscopic detection and identification of cysts in stool concentrates, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to analyze genomic DNAs extracted from stool samples from 199 healthy school children for Entamoeba histolytica, E. dispar, Giardia...

  13. Kinetics of the Br2-CH3CHO Photochemical Chain Reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicovich, J. M.; Shackelford, C. J.; Wine, P. H.

    1997-01-01

    Time-resolved resonance fluorescence spectroscopy was employed in conjunction with laser flash photolysis of Br2 to study the kinetics of the two elementary steps in the photochemical chain reaction nBr2 + nCH3CHO + hv yields nCH3CBrO + nHBr. In the temperature range 255-400 K, the rate coefficient for the reaction Br((sup 2)P(sub 3/2)) + CH3CHO yields CH3CO + HBr is given by the Arrhenius expression k(sub 6)(T) = (1.51 +/- 0.20) x 10(exp -11) exp(-(364 +/- 41)/T)cu cm/(molecule.s). At 298 K, the reaction CH3CO + Br2 yields CH3CBrO + Br proceeds at a near gas kinetic rate, k(sub 7)(298 K) = (1.08 +/- 0.38) x 10(exp -10)cu cm/(molecule.s).

  14. DNA-based identification of spices: DNA isolation, whole genome amplification, and polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Focke, Felix; Haase, Ilka; Fischer, Markus

    2011-01-26

    Usually spices are identified morphologically using simple methods like magnifying glasses or microscopic instruments. On the other hand, molecular biological methods like the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) enable an accurate and specific detection also in complex matrices. Generally, the origins of spices are plants with diverse genetic backgrounds and relationships. The processing methods used for the production of spices are complex and individual. Consequently, the development of a reliable DNA-based method for spice analysis is a challenging intention. However, once established, this method will be easily adapted to less difficult food matrices. In the current study, several alternative methods for the isolation of DNA from spices have been developed and evaluated in detail with regard to (i) its purity (photometric), (ii) yield (fluorimetric methods), and (iii) its amplifiability (PCR). Whole genome amplification methods were used to preamplify isolates to improve the ratio between amplifiable DNA and inhibiting substances. Specific primer sets were designed, and the PCR conditions were optimized to detect 18 spices selectively. Assays of self-made spice mixtures were performed to proof the applicability of the developed methods.

  15. Rapid Identification of Dengue Virus by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction Using Field-Deployable Instrumentation

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    McAvin, James C; Escamilla, Elizabeth M; Blow, James A; Turell, Micahel J; Quintana, Miguel; Bowles, David E; Swaby, James A; Barnes, William J; Huff, William B; Lahman, Kenton L

    2005-01-01

    ...) reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assays were developed for screening and seroype identification of infected mosquito vectors and human sera using a field-deployable, fluorometric thermocycler...

  16. Spectral methods for quantum Markov chains

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Szehr, Oleg

    2014-05-08

    The aim of this project is to contribute to our understanding of quantum time evolutions, whereby we focus on quantum Markov chains. The latter constitute a natural generalization of the ubiquitous concept of a classical Markov chain to describe evolutions of quantum mechanical systems. We contribute to the theory of such processes by introducing novel methods that allow us to relate the eigenvalue spectrum of the transition map to convergence as well as stability properties of the Markov chain.

  17. Spectral methods for quantum Markov chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szehr, Oleg

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this project is to contribute to our understanding of quantum time evolutions, whereby we focus on quantum Markov chains. The latter constitute a natural generalization of the ubiquitous concept of a classical Markov chain to describe evolutions of quantum mechanical systems. We contribute to the theory of such processes by introducing novel methods that allow us to relate the eigenvalue spectrum of the transition map to convergence as well as stability properties of the Markov chain.

  18. Chain reaction on de-halogenation of 1,2-dibromotetrafluoroethane and 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane induced by irradiation in alcohols

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakagawa, Seiko

    2015-01-01

    Methanol and 2-propanol solutions of 1,2-dibromotetrafluoroethane and 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane were irradiated with γ-rays after perfect de-oxygenation. The product, formed by the substitution of one of the bromine or chlorine atoms with a hydrogen atom, was observed by radiation-induced degradation and the product was also de-halogenated. The G-value of de-halogenation was more than a thousand times higher than G(e solv − ) and increased with the decreasing dose rate, meaning that a chain reaction is involved in the process. The efficiency of the degradation in 2-propanol was several times higher than that in methanol. It is concluded that the charge transfer from an alcohol radical will be the trigger of the chain reaction the same as in the degradation of hexachloroethane in alcohol solutions (Sawai et al., 1978). - Highlights: • Halone2402 and Furon113 were de-halogenated by radiation-induced chain reaction in pure alcohol. • The efficiency of the degradation in 2-propanol was several times higher than that in methanol. • The charge transfer from an alcohol radical will be the trigger of the chain reaction

  19. A New GMRES(m Method for Markov Chains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bing-Yuan Pu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a class of new accelerated restarted GMRES method for calculating the stationary probability vector of an irreducible Markov chain. We focus on the mechanism of this new hybrid method by showing how to periodically combine the GMRES and vector extrapolation method into a much efficient one for improving the convergence rate in Markov chain problems. Numerical experiments are carried out to demonstrate the efficiency of our new algorithm on several typical Markov chain problems.

  20. Identifying of meat species using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Foong, Chow Ming; Sani, Norrakiah Abdullah

    2013-01-01

    Meat has been widely consumed as an important protein source in daily life of human. Furthermore, with busy and intense urban lifestyle, processed food is now one of the main protein sources of one’s diet. Consumers rely on the food labeling to decide if the meat product purchased is safe and reliable. Therefore, it is important to ensure the food labeling is done in a correct manner to avoid consumer fraud. More consumers are now concern about the food quality and safety as compared to before. This study described the meat species identification and detection method using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in 8 types of meats (cattle, buffalo, goat, sheep, chicken, duck, pork and horse). The objective of this study is to decide on the specificity of oligonucleotide sequences obtained from previous study. There were 5 proposed oligonucleotide primer in this study. The main important finding in this work is the specificity of oligonucleotide primers to raw meats. It if found that the oligonucleotide primers proposed were not specific to the local raw meat species. Therefore, further study is needed to obtain a species-specific oligonucletide primers for PCR, in order to be applied in food product testing

  1. Identifying of meat species using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Foong, Chow Ming; Sani, Norrakiah Abdullah [School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia)

    2013-11-27

    Meat has been widely consumed as an important protein source in daily life of human. Furthermore, with busy and intense urban lifestyle, processed food is now one of the main protein sources of one’s diet. Consumers rely on the food labeling to decide if the meat product purchased is safe and reliable. Therefore, it is important to ensure the food labeling is done in a correct manner to avoid consumer fraud. More consumers are now concern about the food quality and safety as compared to before. This study described the meat species identification and detection method using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in 8 types of meats (cattle, buffalo, goat, sheep, chicken, duck, pork and horse). The objective of this study is to decide on the specificity of oligonucleotide sequences obtained from previous study. There were 5 proposed oligonucleotide primer in this study. The main important finding in this work is the specificity of oligonucleotide primers to raw meats. It if found that the oligonucleotide primers proposed were not specific to the local raw meat species. Therefore, further study is needed to obtain a species-specific oligonucletide primers for PCR, in order to be applied in food product testing.

  2. Rapid Detection of Salmonella in Food and Beverage Samples by Polymerase Chain Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radji, M.

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Polymerase chain reaction (PCR assay had been used to detect Salmonella in food and beverage samples using suitable primers which are based on specific invA gene of Salmonella. Twenty nine samples were collected from street food counters and some canteens in Margonda Street, Depok, West Java, Indonesia. It was found that five of twenty nine samples were detected to contain Salmonella and showed the presence of the amplified product of the size 244 bp. The method of PCR demonstrated the specificity of invA primers for detection of Salmonella as confirmed by biochemical and serological assay. The results of this study revealed that PCR was a rapid and useful tool for detection of Salmonella in food and beverage samples.

  3. Absolute rate constants for the reaction of hypochlorous acid with protein side chains and peptide bonds

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pattison, D I; Davies, Michael Jonathan

    2001-01-01

    , absolute second-order rate constants for the reactions of HOCl with protein side chains, model compounds, and backbone amide (peptide) bonds have been determined at physiological pH values. The reactivity of HOCl with potential reactive sites in proteins is summarized by the series: Met (3.8 x 10(7) M(-1......Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a potent oxidant, which is produced in vivo by activated phagocytes. This compound is an important antibacterial agent, but excessive or misplaced production has been implicated in a number of human diseases, including atherosclerosis, arthritis, and some cancers....... Proteins are major targets for this oxidant, and such reaction results in side-chain modification, backbone fragmentation, and cross-linking. Despite a wealth of qualitative data for such reactions, little absolute kinetic data is available to rationalize the in vitro and in vivo data. In this study...

  4. Identification of Meat Species by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Technique

    OpenAIRE

    İLHAK, O. İrfan; ARSLAN, Ali

    2014-01-01

    The origin of horse, dog, cat, bovine, sheep, porcine, and goat meat was determined by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, using species-specific primers. Test mixtures of meat were prepared by adding 5%, 2.5%, 1%, 0.5%, and 0.1% levels of pork, horse, cat, or dog meat to beef, sheep, and goat meat. Samples taken from those combinations were analyzed by PCR for species determination. Mitochondrial DNA (mt DNA) fragments of 439, 322, 274, 271, 225, 212, and 157 bp for horse, dog, ca...

  5. Early detection of typhoid by polymerase chain reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haque, A.; Qureshi, Javed A.; Ahmed, J.

    1999-01-01

    Typhoid is a common problem in developing countries. Cultivation ofbacteria and serology (especially Widal test) gives unacceptable levels offalse-negative and false-positive results respectively. In this study, arecently introduced polymerase chain reaction based technique (which has 100%specificity for Salmonella typhi) was compared with blood culture and Widaltest during the first week of illness of 82 suspected cases of typhoid. Therespective figures of positivity for PCR, blood culture and Widal test were71.95%, 34.1% and 36.5%. A control group of 20 healthy persons gave figuresof 0%, 0% and 33.3%, respectively. We conclude that this PCR-based techniqueis not only absolutely specific, but also very sensitive and therefore muchsuperior to blood culture and, Widal test for the early diagnosis of typhoid.(author)

  6. Chain reaction. History of the atomic bomb

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mania, Hubert

    2010-01-01

    Henri becquerel tracked down in 1896 a strange radiation, which was called radioactivity by Marie Curie. In the following centuries German scientists Max Planck, Albert Einstein and Werner Heisenberg presented fundamental contributions to understand processes in the atomic nucleus. At Goettingen, center of the international nuclear physics community, the American student J. Robert Oppenheimer admit to this physical research. In the beginning of 1939 the message of Otto Hahns' nuclear fission electrified researchers. The first step, unleashing atomic energy, was done. A half year later the Second World War begun. And suddenly being friend with and busily communicating physicians were devided into hostile power blocs as bearers of official secrets. The author tells in this exciting book the story of the first atomic bomb as a chain reaction of ideas, discoveries and visions, of friendships, jealousy and intrigues of scientists, adventurers and genius. (orig./GL)

  7. DETEKSI MENGGUNAKAN PCR (POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION CANDIDATUS LIBERIBACTER ASIATICUS, PENYEBAB HUANGLONGBING PADA JERUK SIEM DENGAN BEBERAPA TIPE GEJALA PADA DAUN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Achmad Himawan, Yohanes Berchmans umardiyono, Susamto Somowiyarjo, Yohanes Andi Trisyono & Andrew Beattie.

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Detection using PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, Huanglongbing causal Organism on Siem Mandarin with different types of symptoms.  Huanglongbing (HLB or Citrus Vein Phloem Degeration (CVPD is one of major diseases on Siem mandarin in Indonesia. HLB is caused by bacteria Candidatus liberibacter asiatus (LAS. The bacteria only live in the phloem cells of host tree and only recently it was reported to be successfully cultured on agar medium. Early detection method of LAS is needed to support healthy Siem mandarin cultivation program. This research was conducted to detect LAS in different types of HLB leaf symptoms based on Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR method with specific primer forward MHO 353 and reverse MHO 354.  The results suggested that 8 types of HLB leaf symptoms were found on the samples used in this experiment. LAS was detected at 60% on the leaves without any symptom followed by the leaves with completely chlorosis symptom at 66%. The leaves with unevenly yellow showing higher percentage of LAS detection ranged from 80-86%. PCR technique successfully amplified DNA of LAS with the size target of 600 bp.

  8. Alcohol-to-acid ratio and substrate concentration affect product structure in chain elongation reactions initiated by unacclimatized inoculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yuhao; Lü, Fan; Shao, Liming; He, Pinjing

    2016-10-01

    The objective of the study was to investigate whether the ratio of ethanol to acetate affects yield and product structure in chain elongation initiated by unacclimatized mixed cultures. The effect of varying the substrate concentration, while maintaining the same ratio of alcohol to acid, was also investigated. With a high substrate concentration, an alcohol to acid ratio >2:1 provided sufficient electron donor capacity for the chain elongation reaction. With an ethanol to acetate ratio of 3:1 (300mM total carbon), the highest n-caproate concentration (3033±98mg/L) was achieved during the stable phase of the reaction. A lower substrate concentration (150mM total carbon) gave a lower yield of products and led to reduced carbon transformation efficiency compared with other reaction conditions. The use of unacclimatized inoculum in chain elongation can produce significant amounts of odd-carbon-number carboxylates as a result of protein hydrolysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Radical Abstraction Reactions with Concerted Fragmentation in the Chain Decay of Nitroalkanes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denisov, E. T.; Shestakov, A. F.

    2018-05-01

    Reactions of the type X• + HCR2CH2NO2 → XH + R2C=CH2 + N•O2 are exothermic, due to the breaking of weak C-N bonds and the formation of energy-intensive C=C bonds. Quantum chemistry calculations of the transition state using the reactions of Et• and EtO• with 2-nitrobutane shows that such reactions can be categorized as one-step, due to the extreme instability of the intermediate nitrobutyl radical toward decay with the formation of N•O2. Kinetic parameters that allow us to calculate the energy of activation and rate constant of such a reaction from its enthalpy are estimated using a model of intersecting parabolas. Enthalpies, energies of activation, and rate constants are calculated for a series of reactions with the participation of Et•, EtO•, RO•2, N•O2 radicals on the one hand and a series of nitroalkanes on the other. A new kinetic scheme of the chain decay of nitroalkanes with the participation of abstraction reactions with concerted fragmentation is proposed on the basis of the obtained data.

  10. Photoluminescence and self-assembly of cesium lead halide perovskite nanocrystals: Effects of chain length of organic amines and reaction temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan, Yi; Liu, Zheming; Liu, Zhenyang; Peng, Lan; Li, Yongjie; Tang, Aiwei

    2017-01-01

    oleylamine (OLAm), but only flat nanoplates are observed in the products in the presence of OTAm at 120 °C. The results indicate that the lower reaction temperature and hydrocarbon chain length of the organic ligands play a significant role in the self-assembly of CsPbBr_3 NCs. This work opens up an alternative approach to controllable-synthesis of perovskite NCs through varying the carbon chain length of organic surfactants, and enlightens the fabrication of different nanostructures via self-assembly methods for further optoelectronic applications.

  11. Photoluminescence and self-assembly of cesium lead halide perovskite nanocrystals: Effects of chain length of organic amines and reaction temperature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yuan, Yi; Liu, Zheming; Liu, Zhenyang; Peng, Lan; Li, Yongjie; Tang, Aiwei, E-mail: awtang@bjtu.edu.cn

    2017-05-31

    product synthesized in the presence of oleylamine (OLAm), but only flat nanoplates are observed in the products in the presence of OTAm at 120 °C. The results indicate that the lower reaction temperature and hydrocarbon chain length of the organic ligands play a significant role in the self-assembly of CsPbBr{sub 3} NCs. This work opens up an alternative approach to controllable-synthesis of perovskite NCs through varying the carbon chain length of organic surfactants, and enlightens the fabrication of different nanostructures via self-assembly methods for further optoelectronic applications.

  12. Susceptibility of Biomphalaria tenagophila and Biomphalaria straminea to Schistosoma mansoni infection detected by low stringency polymerase chain reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JANNOTTI-PASSOS Liana Konovaloff

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to determine Schistosoma mansoni infection rates in Biomphalaria tenagophila and B. straminea, low stringency polymerase chain reaction (LS-PCR technique was used as a complementary method to light exposure technique. LS-PCR has already been standardized in our laboratory to detect the trematode DNA in B. glabrata. Higher S. mansoni infection rates were detected using conventional method and LS-PCR. The parasite DNA profile was detected in both species after 7-day exposure to miracidia, using LS-PCR. This technique enables early detection of schistosomiasis transmission focuses, in endemic areas, before the beginning of cercariae shedding.

  13. Hybridization chain reaction: a versatile molecular tool for biosensing, bioimaging, and biomedicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bi, Sai; Yue, Shuzhen; Zhang, Shusheng

    2017-07-17

    Developing powerful, simple and low-cost DNA amplification techniques is of great significance to bioanalysis and biomedical research. Thus far, many signal amplification strategies have been developed, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), rolling circle amplification (RCA), and DNA strand displacement amplification (SDA). In particular, hybridization chain reaction (HCR), a type of toehold-mediated strand displacement (TMSD) reaction, has attracted great interest because of its enzyme-free nature, isothermal conditions, simple protocols, and excellent amplification efficiency. In a typical HCR, an analyte initiates the cross-opening of two DNA hairpins, yielding nicked double helices that are analogous to alternating copolymers. As an efficient amplification platform, HCR has been utilized for the sensitive detection of a wide variety of analytes, including nucleic acids, proteins, small molecules, and cells. In recent years, more complicated sets of monomers have been designed to develop nonlinear HCR, such as branched HCR and even dendritic systems, achieving quadratic and exponential growth mechanisms. In addition, HCR has attracted enormous attention in the fields of bioimaging and biomedicine, including applications in fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) imaging, live cell imaging, and targeted drug delivery. In this review, we introduce the fundamentals of HCR and examine the visualization and analysis techniques for HCR products in detail. The most recent HCR developments in biosensing, bioimaging, and biomedicine are subsequently discussed with selected examples. Finally, the review provides insight into the challenges and future perspectives of HCR.

  14. Interaction of gold nanoparticles with Pfu DNA polymerase and effect on polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, L-P; Wang, S; Zhang, Z-W; Ma, Y-Y; Lai, Y-Q; Weng, J; Zhang, Q-Q

    2011-03-01

    The interaction of gold nanoparticles with Pfu DNA polymerase has been investigated by a number of biological, optical and electronic spectroscopic techniques. Polymerase chain reaction was performed to show gold nanoparticles' biological effect. Ultraviolet-visible and circular dichroism spectra analysis were applied to character the structure of Pfu DNA polymerase after conjugation with gold nanoparticles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to investigate the bond properties of the polymerase-gold nanoparticles complex. The authors demonstrate that gold nanoparticles do not affect the amplification efficiency of polymerase chain reaction using Pfu DNA polymerase, and Pfu DNA polymerase displays no significant changes of the secondary structure upon interaction with gold nanoparticles. The adsorption of Pfu DNA polymerase to gold nanoparticles is mainly through Au-NH(2) bond and electrostatic interaction. These findings may have important implications regarding the safety issue as gold nanoparticles are widely used in biomedical applications.

  15. Polymerase chain reaction-hybridization method using urease gene sequences for high-throughput Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum detection and differentiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Chen; Zhang, Nan; Huo, Qianyu; Chen, Minghui; Wang, Rengfeng; Liu, Zhili; Li, Xue; Liu, Yunde; Bao, Huijing

    2016-04-15

    In this article, we discuss the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-hybridization assay that we developed for high-throughput simultaneous detection and differentiation of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum using one set of primers and two specific DNA probes based on urease gene nucleotide sequence differences. First, U. urealyticum and U. parvum DNA samples were specifically amplified using one set of biotin-labeled primers. Furthermore, amine-modified DNA probes, which can specifically react with U. urealyticum or U. parvum DNA, were covalently immobilized to a DNA-BIND plate surface. The plate was then incubated with the PCR products to facilitate sequence-specific DNA binding. Horseradish peroxidase-streptavidin conjugation and a colorimetric assay were used. Based on the results, the PCR-hybridization assay we developed can specifically differentiate U. urealyticum and U. parvum with high sensitivity (95%) compared with cultivation (72.5%). Hence, this study demonstrates a new method for high-throughput simultaneous differentiation and detection of U. urealyticum and U. parvum with high sensitivity. Based on these observations, the PCR-hybridization assay developed in this study is ideal for detecting and discriminating U. urealyticum and U. parvum in clinical applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Free radical reaction characteristics of coal low-temperature oxidation and its inhibition method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zenghua; Kong, Biao; Wei, Aizhu; Yang, Yongliang; Zhou, Yinbo; Zhang, Lanzhun

    2016-12-01

    Study on the mechanism of coal spontaneous combustion is significant for controlling fire disasters due to coal spontaneous combustion. The free radical reactions can explain the chemical process of coal at low-temperature oxidation. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy was used to measure the change rules of the different sorts and different granularity of coal directly; ESR spectroscopy chart of free radicals following the changes of temperatures was compared by the coal samples applying air and blowing nitrogen, original coal samples, dry coal samples, and demineralized coal samples. The fragmentation process was the key factor of producing and initiating free radical reactions. Oxygen, moisture, and mineral accelerated the free radical reactions. Combination of the free radical reaction mechanism, the mechanical fragmentation leaded to the elevated CO concentration, fracturing of coal pillar was more prone to spontaneous combustion, and spontaneous combustion in goaf accounted for a large proportion of the fire in the mine were explained. The method of added diphenylamine can inhibit the self-oxidation of coal effectively, the action mechanism of diphenylamine was analyzed by free radical chain reaction, and this research can offer new method for the development of new flame retardant.

  17. Immunomagnetic separation combined with polymerase chain reaction for the detection of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris in apple juice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhouli Wang

    Full Text Available A combination of immunomagnetic separation (IMS and polymerase chain reaction (PCR was used to detect Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris (A. acidoterrestris in apple juice. The optimum technological parameters of the IMS system were investigated. The results indicated that the immunocapture reactions could be finished in 60 min and the quantity of IMPs used for IMS was 2.5 mg/mL. Then the combined IMS-PCR procedure was assessed by detecting A. acidoterrestris in apple juice samples. The agarose gel electrophoresis results of 20 different strains showed that the IMS-PCR procedure presented high specificity to the A. acidoterrestris. The sensitivity of the IMS-PCR was 2×10(1 CFU/mL and the total detection time was 3 to 4 h. Of the 78 naturally contaminated apple juice samples examined, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of IMS-PCR compared with the standardized pour plate method were 90.9%, 97.0% and 96.2%, respectively. The results exhibited that the developed IMS-PCR method will be a valuable tool for detecting A. acidoterrestris and improving food quality in juice samples.

  18. Molecular relapse in chronic myelogenous leukemia patients after bone marrow transplantation detected by polymerase chain reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sawyers, C.L.; Timson, L.; Clark, S.S.; Witte, O.N.; Champlin, R.; Kawasaki, E.S.

    1990-01-01

    Relapse of chronic myelogenous leukemia after bone marrow transplantation can be detected by using clinical, cytogenetic, or molecular tools. A modification of the polymerase chain reaction can be used in patients to detect low levels of the BCR-ABL-encoded mRNA transcript, a specific marker for chronic myelogenous leukemia. Early detection of relapse after bone marrow transplantation could potentially alter treatment decisions. The authors prospectively evaluated 19 patients for evidence of molecular relapse, cytogenetic relapse, and clinical relapse after bone marrow transplantation. They used the polymerase chain reaction to detect residual BCR-ABL mRNA in patients followed up to 45 months after treatment and found 4 patients with BCR-ABL mRNA expression following bone marrow transplantation. Fifteen patients did not express detectable BCR-ABL mRNA. All 19 patients remain in clinical remission. In this prospective study of chronic myelogenous leukemia patients treated with bone marrow transplantation, molecular relapse preceded cytogenetic relapse in those patients who persistently express BCR-ABL mRNA. They recommend using standard clinical and cytogenetic testing to make patient care decisions until further follow-up determines the clinical outcome of those patients with residual BCR-ABL mRNA transcripts detected by polymerase chain reaction

  19. Shortening Isolation of Patients With Suspected Tuberculosis by Using Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fløe, Andreas; Hilberg, Ole; Thomsen, Vibeke Østergaard

    2015-01-01

    Background. Isolation of patients suspected for pulmonary tuberculosis is guided by serial sputum smears. This can result in isolation for days for patients with noncontagious tuberculosis. To determine whether a single sample negative for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex at polymerase chain...... reaction (PCR) can guide isolation. Methods. We retrospectively evaluated sputum samples analyzed for M. tuberculosis complex at the International Reference Laboratory of Mycobacteriology, Copenhagen, Denmark in 2002–2011. We selected culture-confirmed tuberculosis cases with ≥3 samples within 14 days...... before or after the initial culture-positive sample. We repeated the process for those with ≥2 samples within 28 days. The primary outcome was PCR-negative, smear-positive patients. Results. We included 53 533 sputum samples from 20 928 individuals; 1636 had culture-confirmed tuberculosis. Of these, 856...

  20. Comparison of CHROMagar, polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism, and polymerase chain reaction-fragment size for the identification of Candida species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jafari, Zahra; Motamedi, Marjan; Jalalizand, Nilufar; Shokoohi, Gholam R; Charsizadeh, Arezu; Mirhendi, Hossein

    2017-09-01

    The epidemiological alteration in the distribution of Candida species, as well as the significantly increasing trend of either intrinsic or acquired resistance of some of these fungi highlights the need for a reliable method for the identification of the species. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is one of the methods facilitating the quick and precise identification of Candida species. The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of CHROMagar, PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and PCR-fragment size polymorphism (PCR-FSP) assays in the identification of Candida species to determine the benefits and limitations of these methods. This study was conducted on 107 Candida strains, including 20 standard strains and 87 clinical isolates. The identification of the isolates was accomplished by using CHROMagar as a conventional method. The PCR-RFLP assay was performed on the entire internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA (rDNA), and the consequent enzymatic digestion was compared with PCR-FSP results in which ITS1 and ITS2 regions were separately PCR amplified. In both molecular assays, yeast identification was carried out through the specific electrophoretic profiles of the PCR products. According to the results, the utilization of CHROMagar resulted in the identification of 29 (33.3%) Candida isolates, while the PCR-RFLP and PCR-FSP facilitated the identification of 83 (95.4%) and 80 (91.9%) clinical isolates, respectively. The obtained concordances between CHROMagar and PCR-RFLP, between CHROMagar and PCR-FSP, as well as between PCR-RFLP and PCR-FSP were 0.23, 0.20, and 0.77, respectively. The recognition of the benefits and limitations of PCR methods allows for the selection of the most efficient technique for a fast and correct differentiation. The PCR-RFLP and PCR-FSP assays had satisfactory concordance. The PCR-FSP provides a rapid, technically simple, and cost-effective method for the identification of Candida species

  1. Prognostic significance of bi/oligoclonality in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia as determined by polymerase chain reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Alberto Scrideli

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available CONTEXT: The CDR-3 region of heavy-chain immunoglobulin has been used as a clonal marker in the study of minimal residual disease in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Southern blot and polymerase chain reaction studies have demonstrated the occurrence of bi/oligoclonality in a variable number of cases of B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a fact that may strongly interfere with the detection of minimal residual disease. Oligoclonality has also been associated with a poorer prognosis and a higher chance of relapse. OBJECTIVES: To correlate bi/oligoclonality, detected by polymerase chain reaction in Brazilian children with B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia with a chance of relapse, with immunophenotype, risk group, and disease-free survival. DESIGN: Prospective study of patients’ outcome. SETTING: Pediatric Oncology Unit of the University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo. PARTICIPANTS: 47 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia DIAGNOSTIC TEST: Polymerase chain reaction using consensus primers for the CDR-3 region of heavy chain immunoglobulin (FR3A, LJH and VLJH for the detection of clonality. RESULTS: Bi/oligoclonality was detected in 15 patients (31.9%. There was no significant difference between the groups with monoclonality and biclonality in terms of the occurrence of a relapse (28.1% versus 26.1%, presence of CALLA+ (81.2% versus 80% or risk group (62.5% versus 60%. Disease-free survival was similar in both groups, with no significant difference (p: 0.7695. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that bi/oligoclonality was not associated with the factors investigated in the present study and that its detection in 31.9% of the patients may be important for the study and monitoring of minimal residual disease.

  2. Photoluminescence and self-assembly of cesium lead halide perovskite nanocrystals: Effects of chain length of organic amines and reaction temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Yi; Liu, Zheming; Liu, Zhenyang; Peng, Lan; Li, Yongjie; Tang, Aiwei

    2017-05-01

    All-inorganic halide perovskites have become one of the most prospective materials for lightening and display technology due to their color-tunable and narrow-band emission. Herein, we have systematically studied the effects of organic amines with different hydrocarbon chain length on the optical properties and morphology as well as the crystal structure of colloidal CsPbBr3 nanocrystals (NCs), which were synthesized in the presence of oleic acid (OA) and organic amines by using a simple hot-injection approach. The hydrocarbon chain length has shown an independent correlation to the morphology and crystal structure of the as-obtained CsPbBr3 NCs at 160 °C, but their optical properties can be affected to some extent. The photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) of the CsPbBr3 NCs synthesized in the presence of organic amines with long carbon chain length are generally in the range of 55-80% for different reaction time, but the PLQYs of less than 20% are obtained for the products synthesized in the presence of octylamine (OTAm) with short carbon chain length. The effects of the reaction temperature on the optical properties, size and crystal structure of the CsPbBr3 NCs synthesized in the presence of cetylamine (CTAm) are studied. Interestingly, some nanoplates also appear in these CsPbBr3 NCs obtained at relatively low temperatures (120 and 140 °C), which have a strong tendency to self-assemble into face-to-face nanostructures. Such a similar self-assembly behavior is also observed in the product synthesized in the presence of oleylamine (OLAm), but only flat nanoplates are observed in the products in the presence of OTAm at 120 °C. The results indicate that the lower reaction temperature and hydrocarbon chain length of the organic ligands play a significant role in the self-assembly of CsPbBr3 NCs. This work opens up an alternative approach to controllable-synthesis of perovskite NCs through varying the carbon chain length of organic surfactants, and enlightens

  3. Detection of adenovirus hexon sequence in a cat by polymerase chain reaction(short communication)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Horzinek, M.C.; Lakatos, B.; Farkas, J.; Egberink, H.F.; Vennema, H.; Benko, M.

    1999-01-01

    Adenoviral nucleic acid was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in pharyngeal and rectal swab samples of a cat seropositive for adenovirus and suffering from transient hepatic failure. The samples were taken at a one-year interval, and both faecal samples as well as the second pharyngeal

  4. Polymerase chain reaction for detection of invasive Shigella flexneri in food.

    OpenAIRE

    Lampel, K A; Jagow, J A; Trucksess, M; Hill, W E

    1990-01-01

    The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a 760-base-pair (bp) fragment with the 220-kbp invasive plasmids of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella boydii, and Shigella sonnei as templates. This PCR product was easily detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. A 210-bp AccI-PstI fragment lying within the amplified region was used as a probe in Southern hybridization blots and showed that the PCR-generated product was derived from the in...

  5. Synthesis and Intramolecular [4+2] Cycloaddition Reactions of 4-Pyridazinecarbonitriles with Alkyne Side Chains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norbert Haider

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available The preparation of a series of new 3-(alkynyl-X-substituted 4-pyridazinecarbonitriles 2-5 (X = O, NH is described. The compounds are shown to undergo thermally induced intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions with inverse electron demand, affording the fused benzonitriles 6-8. Incorporation of a 1,2-phenylene unit into the side chain, as in the case of compounds 10 and 13, results in a more favorable conformation of the dienophilic substructure and thus to a pronounced acceleration of the [4+2] cycloaddition reaction.

  6. Standardization of a two-step real-time polymerase chain reaction based method for species-specific detection of medically important Aspergillus species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, P; Pandey, P; Harishankar, A; Chandy, M; Bhattacharya, S; Chakrabarti, A

    2017-01-01

    Standardization of Aspergillus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) poses two technical challenges (a) standardization of DNA extraction, (b) optimization of PCR against various medically important Aspergillus species. Many cases of aspergillosis go undiagnosed because of relative insensitivity of conventional diagnostic methods such as microscopy, culture or antigen detection. The present study is an attempt to standardize real-time PCR assay for rapid sensitive and specific detection of Aspergillus DNA in EDTA whole blood. Three nucleic acid extraction protocols were compared and a two-step real-time PCR assay was developed and validated following the recommendations of the European Aspergillus PCR Initiative in our setup. In the first PCR step (pan-Aspergillus PCR), the target was 28S rDNA gene, whereas in the second step, species specific PCR the targets were beta-tubulin (for Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus terreus), gene and calmodulin gene (for Aspergillus niger). Species specific identification of four medically important Aspergillus species, namely, A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger and A. terreus were achieved by this PCR. Specificity of the PCR was tested against 34 different DNA source including bacteria, virus, yeast, other Aspergillus sp., other fungal species and for human DNA and had no false-positive reactions. The analytical sensitivity of the PCR was found to be 102 CFU/ml. The present protocol of two-step real-time PCR assays for genus- and species-specific identification for commonly isolated species in whole blood for diagnosis of invasive Aspergillus infections offers a rapid, sensitive and specific assay option and requires clinical validation at multiple centers.

  7. Development of a nested polymerase chain reaction for amplification of a sequence of the p57 gene of Renibacterium salmoninarum that provides a highly sensitive method for detection of the bacterium in salmonid kidney

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chase, D.M.; Pascho, R.J.

    1998-01-01

    Nucleic acid-based assays have shown promise for diagnosing Renibacterium salmoninarum in tissues and body fluids of salmonids. DeVelopment of a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to detect a 320 bp DNA segment of the gene encoding the p57 protein of R. salmoninarum is described. Whereas a conventional PCR for a 383 bp segment of the p57 gene reliably detected 1000 R. salmoninarum cells per reaction in kidney tissue, the nested PCR detected as few as 10 R. salmoninarum per reaction in kidney tissue. Two DNA extraction methods for the nested PCR were compared and the correlation between replicate samples was generally higher in samples extracted by the QIAamp system compared with those extracted by the phenol/chloroform method. The specificity of the nested PCR was confirmed by testing DNA extracts of common bacterial fish pathogens and a panel of bacterial species reported to cause false-positive reactions in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the fluorescent antibody test (FAT) for R. salmoninarum. Kidney samples from 74 naturally infected chinook Salmon were examined by the nested PCR, the ELISA, and the FAT, and the detected prevalences of R. salmoninarum were 61, 47, and 43%, respectively.

  8. Urine Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction in Neonatal Septicemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, B K; Suri, Shipra; Nath, Gopal; Prasad, Rajniti

    2015-08-01

    This cross-sectional study was done to evaluate diagnostic efficacy of urine nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using broad-range 16SrDNA PCR-based amplification, followed by restriction analysis and sequencing in neonatal septicemia. The study included 50 babies; 48% had vaginal delivery, 46% were preterm, 20% had a history of prolonged rupture of membranes and 56% were low birth weight (≤2500 g). Clinical presentations were lethargy (96%), respiratory distress (80%) and bleeding diathesis (16%). Absolute neutrophil count value, negative predictive value and accuracy of nested PCR were 100, 60, 78.9, 100 and 84%, respectively, compared with blood culture. Nested PCR can detect most bacteria in single assay and identify unusual and unexpected causal agents. © The Author [2015]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Analysing mass balance of viruses in a coagulation-ceramic microfiltration hybrid system by a combination of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method and the plaque forming units (PFU) method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsushita, T; Matsui, Y; Shirasaki, N

    2006-01-01

    Virus removal experiments using river water spiked with bacteriophages were conducted by an in-line coagulation-ceramic microfiltration hybrid system to investigate the effects of filtration flux (62.5 and 125 L/(m2 x h)) and type of virus (Qbeta and MS2) on virus removal. In addition, the mass balance of viruses through the hybrid system was analysed by quantifying the infectious and inactive viruses by a combination of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method and the plaque forming units (PFU) method. Even when the system was operated at high filtration flux (125 L/(m2 x h)), high virus removal (> 6 log) with short coagulation time (2.4 s) was successfully achieved by dosing polyaluminium chloride (PACI) at more than 1.08 mg-Al/L. Removal performances were different between Qbeta and MS2, although their diameters are almost the same: greater virus removal was achieved for MS2 at PACI dosing of 0.54 mg-Al/L, and for Qbeta at PACI dosing of more than 1.08 mg-Al/L. The combination of the PCR and PFU methods revealed that two phenomena, adsorption to/entrapment in aluminium floc and virucidal activity of PACI, partially account for the high virus removal in the coagulation-MF hybrid system.

  10. Detecting beef meatball contamination with polymerase chain reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hoda A.

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the study was to describe how much rat and swine primer developed from cytochrome b could detect rat and pork in processed beef products sold in North Maluku. The settings of the study were the traditional markets and supermarkets in several cities in North Maluku such as Ternate, Tidore Kepulauan, West Halmahera, North Halmahera, Central Halmahera, South Halmahera, East Halmahera, Sula Island and Morotai Island. The data collection lasted between May and June, 2015. The samples were analyzed in the Biotechnology Lab of Unkhair in July, 2015. To detect rat and swine DNA, the researchers used the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction method with Top Taq master mix Kit kit (250 (Catalog no. 200403 Swine Primer: Forward: 5'CTA CAT AAG ATAT ATC CAC CAC A 3 'Reverse: 5' ACA TTG TGG GAT CTT CTA GGT 3 'Product size: 290 bp. Rat Primer: forward SIM (5'-GACCTCCCAGCTCCATCAAACATCTCATCTTGATGAAA-3'. Reverse (5'GAATGGGATTTT GTTGGAGTTT-3 '. Out of 41 samples, sample 3, 4 and 5 taken in Jailolo contained rat DNA (positive; the samples were amplified with 499 base pair length (bp. In addition, sample 2, 7, 8 and 10 from Ternate as well as sample 4 from Morotai Island was also found positive (containing rat DNA. In terms of swine DNA, all of the samples came back negative. The amplification showed that none of the meatball samples contained pork. No pig DNA was amplified in the gel.

  11. Development of Capillary Loop Convective Polymerase Chain Reaction Platform with Real-Time Fluorescence Detection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen-Pin Chou

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Polymerase chain reaction (PCR has been one of the principal techniques of molecular biology and diagnosis for decades. Conventional PCR platforms, which work by rapidly heating and cooling the whole vessel, need complicated hardware designs, and cause energy waste and high cost. On the other hand, partial heating on the various locations of vessels to induce convective solution flows by buoyancy have been used for DNA amplification in recent years. In this research, we develop a new convective PCR platform, capillary loop convective polymerase chain reaction (clcPCR, which can generate one direction flow and make the PCR reaction more stable. The U-shaped loop capillaries with 1.6 mm inner diameter are designed as PCR reagent containers. The clcPCR platform utilizes one isothermal heater for heating the bottom of the loop capillary and a CCD device for detecting real-time amplifying fluorescence signals. The stable flow was generated in the U-shaped container and the amplification process could be finished in 25 min. Our experiments with different initial concentrations of DNA templates demonstrate that clcPCR can be applied for precise quantification. Multiple sample testing and real-time quantification will be achieved in future studies.

  12. Pneumocystis carinii in bronchoalveolar lavage and induced sputum: detection with a nested polymerase chain reaction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skøt, J; Lerche, A G; Kolmos, H J

    1995-01-01

    was performed. The sensitivity and specificity were 85 and 100% 934/40 and 77/77) respectively. A non-radioactive labelling system BluGENE was evaluated on all specimens, and found to be as effective as P32-labelling. To increase the speed and convenience of detection, a dot blot system was tested......To evaluate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of Pneumocystis carinii, 117 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens, from HIV-infected patients undergoing a diagnostic bronchoscopy, were processed and a nested PCR, followed by Southern blot and hybridization with a P32-labelled probe...... the evaluated PCR cannot replace routine microbiological methods for detection of Pneumocystis carinii, on either BAL fluid or induced sputum....

  13. Quantitative 16S rDNA-targeted polymerase chain reaction and oligonucleotide hybridization for the detection of Paenibacillus azotofixans in soil and the wheat rhizosphere

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rosado, A.S.; Seldin, L.; Wolters, A.; Elsas, van J.D.

    1996-01-01

    A molecular method for the detection of Paenibacillus azotofixans in soil and the wheat rhizosphere was developed. The system consisted of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of part of the variable V1 to V4 regions of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene, followed by hybridization with a specific

  14. Use of spontaneously mutated human DNA as competitive internal standard for nucleic acid quantification by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rudnicka, L.; Diaz, A.; Varga, J.; Jimenez, S.A.; Christiano, A.; Uitto, J.

    1995-01-01

    Quantification of gene expression is of increasing interest in many medical sciences. Methods based on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCRs) are timesaving and require only very small amounts of RNA. A limiting factor, however, is the significant fluctuation in the efficacy of reverse transcription as well in the polymerase chain reactions. Various external and internal standards have been suggested for correcting these fluctuations. We describe a novel way of creating an internal standard for assessing the expression of type VII collagen in human cells. The total RNA of a patient with hereditary 'epidermilysis bulosa dystrophica' associated with a homozygous T to A point mutation in type VII collagen gene was reverse transcribed and a 382bp fragment of type VII collagen cDNA containing the mutation was amplified. The mutated cDNA, unlike normal type VII collagen cDNA could be cleaved by 'Ear I' endonuclease into 244bp and 138bp fragments. Semiquantitative PCR was performed with the mutated cDNA as internal standard and the studied cDNA sample in the same tube in the presence of α 32 P-labelled dCTP. The reaction was followed by 'Ear I' digestion, electrophoresis on a polyacrylamide gel and exposure to a X-ray film. In conclusion, we describe a timesaving method for creating internal standards for semiquantitative RT-PCR. (author). 12 refs, 3 figs

  15. Fast real-time polymerase chain reaction for quantitative detection of Lactobacillus delbrueckii bacteriophages in milk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martín, Maria Cruz; del Rio, Beatriz; Martínez, Noelia; Magadán, Alfonso H; Alvarez, Miguel A

    2008-12-01

    One of the main microbiological problems of the dairy industry is the susceptibility of starter bacteria to virus infections. Lactobacillus delbrueckii, a component of thermophilic starter cultures used in the manufacture of several fermented dairy products, including yogurt, is also sensitive to bacteriophage attacks. To avoid the problems associated with these viruses, quick and sensitive detection methods are necessary. In the present study, a fast real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay for the direct detection and quantification of L. delbrueckii phages in milk was developed. A set of primers and a TaqMan MGB probe was designed, based on the lysin gene sequence of different L. delbrueckii phages. The results show the proposed method to be a rapid (total processing time 30 min), specific and highly sensitive technique for detecting L. delbrueckii phages in milk.

  16. Identification of carriers among individuals recruited in the typhoid registry in Malaysia using stool culture, polymerase chain reaction, and dot enzyme immunoassay as detection tools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chua, Ang Lim; Aziah, Ismail; Balaram, Prabha; Bhuvanendran, Saatheeyavaane; Anthony, Amy Amilda; Mohmad, Siti Norazura; Nasir, Norhafiza M; Hassan, Haslizai; Naim, Rochman; Meran, Lila P; Hussin, Hani M; Ismail, Asma

    2015-03-01

    Chronic carriers of Salmonella Typhi act as reservoirs for the organism and become the agents of typhoid outbreaks in a community. In this study, chronic carriers in Kelantan, Malaysia were first identified using the culture and polymerase chain reaction method. Then, a novel serological tool, designated Typhidot-C, was evaluated in retrospect using the detected individuals as control positives. Chronic carriage positive by the culture and polymerase chain reaction method was recorded at 3.6% (4 out of 110) among individuals who previously had acute typhoid fever and a 9.4% (10 out of 106) carriage rate was observed among food handlers screened during outbreaks. The Typhidot-C assay was able to detect all these positive carriers showing its potential as a viable carrier screening tool and can be used for efficient detection of typhoid carriers in an endemic area. These findings were used to establish the first carrier registry for S Typhi carriers in Malaysia. © 2012 APJPH.

  17. Analysis of hepcidin expression: in situ hybridization and quantitative polymerase chain reaction from paraffin sections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakuraoka, Yuhki; Sawada, Tokihiko; Shiraki, Takayuki; Park, Kyunghwa; Sakurai, Yuhichiro; Tomosugi, Naohisa; Kubota, Keiichi

    2012-07-28

    To establish methods for quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for hepcidin using RNAs isolated from paraffin-embedded sections and in situ hybridization of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Total RNA from paraffin-embedded sections was isolated from 68 paraffin-embedded samples of HCC. Samples came from 54 male and 14 female patients with a mean age of 66.8 ± 7.8 years. Quantitative PCR was performed. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization for hepcidin were also performed. Quantitative PCR for hepcidin using RNAs isolated from paraffin-embedded sections of HCC was performed successfully. The expression level of hepcidin mRNA in cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in non-cancer tissues. A method of in situ hybridization for hepcidin was established successfully, and this demonstrated that hepcidin mRNA was expressed in non-cancerous tissue but absent in cancerous tissue. We have established novel methods for quantitative PCR for hepcidin using RNAs isolated from paraffin-embedded sections and in situ hybridization of HCC.

  18. FUNGAL SPECIATION USING QUANTITATIVE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (QPCR) IN PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT CHRONIC RHINOSINUSITIS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Objectives/Hypothesis: 1. to determine the mycology of the middle meatus using an endoscopically guided brush sampling technique and polymerase chain reaction laboratory processing of nasal mucous. 2. To compare the mycology of the middle meatus in patients with sinus disease to...

  19. Discussion of the Investigation Method on the Reaction Kinetics of Metallurgical Reaction Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Ruiling; Wu, Keng; Zhang, Jiazhi; Zhao, Yong

    Reaction kinetics of metallurgical physical chemistry which was successfully applied in metallurgy (as ferrous metallurgy, non-ferrous metallurgy) became an important theoretical foundation for subject system of traditional metallurgy. Not only the research methods were very perfect, but also the independent structures and systems of it had been formed. One of the important tasks of metallurgical reaction engineering was the simulation of metallurgical process. And then, the mechanism of reaction process and the conversion time points of different control links should be obtained accurately. Therefore, the research methods and results of reaction kinetics in metallurgical physical chemistry were not very suitable for metallurgical reaction engineering. In order to provide the definite conditions of transmission, reaction kinetics parameters and the conversion time points of different control links for solving the transmission and reaction equations in metallurgical reaction engineering, a new method for researching kinetics mechanisms in metallurgical reaction engineering was proposed, which was named stepwise attempt method. Then the comparison of results between the two methods and the further development of stepwise attempt method were discussed in this paper. As a new research method for reaction kinetics in metallurgical reaction engineering, stepwise attempt method could not only satisfy the development of metallurgical reaction engineering, but also provide necessary guarantees for establishing its independent subject system.

  20. The Importance of IgG Avidity and the Polymerase Chain Reaction in Treating Toxoplasmosis during Pregnancy: Current Knowledge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    João Bortoletti Filho

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available A brief report on the nature and epidemiology of T. gondii infection is firstly presented. The importance of the specific IgG avidity test and polymerase chain reaction (PCR for toxoplasmosis is discussed, along with their significance and importance as auxiliary methods for determining the most likely time for the initial infection by this coccidian and for defining the therapeutic strategy. Lastly, practical comments are made in relation to the classical therapeutic regimens, with special attention to the indications for fetal treatment, when this is necessary.

  1. A simple, high-throughput method to detect Plasmodium falciparum single nucleotide polymorphisms in the dihydrofolate reductase, dihydropteroate synthase, and P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter genes using polymerase chain reaction- and enzyme-linked immunosorbent

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alifrangis, Michael; Enosse, Sonia; Pearce, Richard

    2005-01-01

    Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr), and dihydropteroate synthetase (dhps), and chloroquine resistance transporter (Pfcrt) genes are used as molecular markers of P. falciparum resistance to sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine and chloroquine....... However, to be a practical tool in the surveillance of drug resistance, simpler methods for high-throughput haplotyping are warranted. Here we describe a quick and simple technique that detects dhfr, dhps, and Pfcrt SNPs using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)- and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA...

  2. Detection of potentially cariogenic strains of Streptococcus mutans using the polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguilera Galaviz, Luis Alejandro; Aceves Medina, Ma del Carmen; Estrada García, Iris C

    2002-01-01

    Streptococcus mutans is a pathogen related to the occurrence of human dental caries. The determination of total amounts of mutans streptococci, as well as the proportion related to other oral bacteria, is of interest when assessing the risk of developing caries. In this context, it is better to use a sensitive, specific and non-time consuming method such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), than to use culture and biochemical identification methods. In this work we identified potentially cariogenic strains of S. mutans and assessed the relationship with the dmft, DMFT or dmft/DMFT index. Using DNA isolated from dental plaque, a 192 bp sequence was identified and amplified from the spaP gene and a 722 bp sequence from the dexA gene. The results suggest that it is important to evaluate the presence of cariogenic S. mutans strains in plaque content rather than the accumulation of plaque itself However, other factors like diet, hygiene, genetic background, the flow rate of saliva and the presence of specific antibodies, also play a key role in the development of caries.

  3. Temperature scaling method for Markov chains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crosby, Lonnie D; Windus, Theresa L

    2009-01-22

    The use of ab initio potentials in Monte Carlo simulations aimed at investigating the nucleation kinetics of water clusters is complicated by the computational expense of the potential energy determinations. Furthermore, the common desire to investigate the temperature dependence of kinetic properties leads to an urgent need to reduce the expense of performing simulations at many different temperatures. A method is detailed that allows a Markov chain (obtained via Monte Carlo) at one temperature to be scaled to other temperatures of interest without the need to perform additional large simulations. This Markov chain temperature-scaling (TeS) can be generally applied to simulations geared for numerous applications. This paper shows the quality of results which can be obtained by TeS and the possible quantities which may be extracted from scaled Markov chains. Results are obtained for a 1-D analytical potential for which the exact solutions are known. Also, this method is applied to water clusters consisting of between 2 and 5 monomers, using Dynamical Nucleation Theory to determine the evaporation rate constant for monomer loss. Although ab initio potentials are not utilized in this paper, the benefit of this method is made apparent by using the Dang-Chang polarizable classical potential for water to obtain statistical properties at various temperatures.

  4. Deletion Analysis Of The Duchenne/Becker Muscular Dystrophy Gene Using Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dastur R

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD and Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD is mainly based on clinical profile, serum CPK values, muscle biopsy and immunostaining for dystrophin. Most recent and accurate method for diagnosing DMD/BMD is by detection of mutations in the DMD gene. This was done in 100 unrelated patients using 19 exons including the promoter region in two sets of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR. These primers amplify most of the exons in the deletion prone ′hotspot′ regions allowing determination of deletion end point. Intragenic deletions were detected in 74 patients indicating that the use of PCR-based assays will allow deletion detection help in prenatal diagnosis for most of the DMD/BMD patients. The frequency of deletions observed in the present study was 74%.

  5. STUDY OF UROGENITAL TRACT MICROFLORA OF DNEPROPETROVSK FEMALES BY POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Honcharova S.Y.

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available We isolated and identified the pathogens from the urogenital tract in 100 women of 26-55 years in Diagnostic Center of Dnepropetrovsk Medical Academy by polymerase chain reaction. It was found that all investigated microflora was represented by HPV of high and low cancer risk - HSV type 1+2, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma hominis, and Candida yeast species. The most abundant pathogens from the urogenital tract were HPV, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Chlamydia trachomatis.

  6. HLA-DPB1 typing with polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism technique in Danes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hviid, Thomas Vauvert F.; Madsen, Hans O; Morling, Niels

    1992-01-01

    We have used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in combination with the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique for HLA-DBP1 typing. After PCR amplification of the polymorphic second exon of the HLA-DPB1 locus, the PCR product was digested with seven allele-specific restriction...... endonucleases: RsaI, FokI, ApaI, SacI, BstUI, EcoNI, and DdeI, and the DNA fragments were separated by electrophoresis in agarose gels. Altogether, 71 individuals were investigated and 16 different HLA-DPB1 types were observed in 26 different heterozygotic combinations, as well as five possible homozygotes....... Four heterozygotes could not be unequivocally typed with the PCR-RFLP method. The HLA-DPB1 typing results obtained with the PCR-RFLP method were compared with the typing results obtained with PCR allele-specific oligonucleotides (PCR-ASO) in 50 individuals. The results obtained with the two methods...

  7. Exchange reaction between hydrogen and deuterium. I. Importance of surface reactions in the steady-state mechanism

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marteau, C; Gaillard-Cusin, F; James, H [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 45 - Orleans-la-Source (France). Centre de Recherches sur la Chimie de Combustion et des Hautes Temperatures

    1978-05-01

    Investigation of heterogeneous initiation process of gas phase linear chain reactions is carried out through the study of H/sub 2/-D/sub 2/ exchange reaction. Experimental data under study concern mainly the stationary rate of HD formation and the prestationary proceeding. Steady-state method accounts for the first one of these data; it allows to clearly compare the wall process part to the part played by the homogeneous chain reaction towards HD formation. Activation energy of exchange elementary step between chemisorbed hydrogen (on silica) and gaseous deuterium has been evaluated: Esub(e1)=52+-1 Kcal/mole.

  8. Detection of Salmonella typhi by nested polymerase chain reaction in blood, urine, and stool samples

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hatta, Mochammad; Smits, Henk L.

    2007-01-01

    A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) specific for Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi was used for the detection of the pathogen in blood, urine, and stool samples from 131 patients with clinical suspicion of typhoid fever. The sensitivity of blood culture, the PCRs with blood, urine, and feces,

  9. Identifikasi Brucella abortus Isolat Lokal dengan Brucella abortus Strain Specific-Polymerase Chain Reaction (IDENTIFICATION OF LOCAL ISOLATES OF BRUCELLA ABORTUS USING BRUCELLA ABORTUS STRAIN SPECIFIC-POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION ASSAY)

    OpenAIRE

    Susan Maphilindawati Noor; Pratiwi Pujilestari Sudarmono; Asmarani Kusumawati; Anis Karuniawati

    2014-01-01

    Brucella abortus Strain Specific-Polymerase Chain Reaction (BaSS-PCR) is a single multiplex PCRtechnique which able to identify and differentiate between Brucella abortus field strains (biovar 1, 2, and4), B. abortus vaccine strains, Brucella species, and non-Brucella species. In this study, BaSS-PCR wasapplied to identify local isolates of B. abortus in order to investigate the B. abortus strains that infectedcattle in Indonesia. Fifty local strains of B.abortus isolated from infected cattle...

  10. Functionalized tetrapod-like ZnO nanostructures for plasmid DNA purification, polymerase chain reaction and delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nie Leng; Gao Lizeng; Yan Xiyun; Wang Taihong

    2007-01-01

    Functionalized tetrapodal ZnO nanostructures are tested in plasmid DNA experiments (1) as a solid-phase adsorbent for plasmid DNA purification (2) as improving reagents in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and (3) as novel carriers for gene delivery. The amino-modification, the tetrapod-like shape of the nanostructure and its high biocompatibility all contribute to measurements showing promise for applications. A sol-gel method is used for silica coating and amino-modification. Plasmid DNA is purified through reversible conjugations of amino-modified ZnO tetrapods with DNA. Also, as additional reagents, functionalized tetrapods are shown to improve the amount of PCR product. For transfection, ZnO tetrapods provide some protection against deoxyribonuclease cleavage of plasmid DNA and deliver plasmid DNA into cells with little cytotoxicity

  11. Effects of medium-chain triacylglycerols on Maillard reaction in bread baking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toyosaki, Toshiyuki

    2018-06-01

    To investigate the relationship between the fatty acid composition of medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCTs) and the Maillard reaction induced during bread baking, a comparison with various fatty acids was conducted. Saturated fatty acids had a remarkable inhibitory effect on the amount of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) generated from the Maillard reaction in bread baking compared to unsaturated fatty acids. The amount of AGEs produced by each fatty acid (mg kg -1 ) was as follows: C18:0, 18.7; C12:0, 35.2; C16:0, 21.4; C18:0, 38.2; C18:1, 68.7; C18:2, 80.1; C20:4, 80.8; C22:4, 89.8. Saturated fatty acids were possibly involved in the Maillard reaction and, as a result, acted to inhibit it. In the case of unsaturated fatty acids, amounts of AGEs during the Maillard reaction in baking tended to increase as the degree of unsaturation increased. In other words, there was a positive correlation between the degree of unsaturation and the amount of AGEs. It was also confirmed that the air pore distribution in baked bread was closely related to AGEs. These results led us to conclude that the fatty acid composition of the added lipids also influences properties that determine the tastiness of bread. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  12. Markov chain aggregation and its applications to combinatorial reaction networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganguly, Arnab; Petrov, Tatjana; Koeppl, Heinz

    2014-09-01

    We consider a continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) whose state space is partitioned into aggregates, and each aggregate is assigned a probability measure. A sufficient condition for defining a CTMC over the aggregates is presented as a variant of weak lumpability, which also characterizes that the measure over the original process can be recovered from that of the aggregated one. We show how the applicability of de-aggregation depends on the initial distribution. The application section is devoted to illustrate how the developed theory aids in reducing CTMC models of biochemical systems particularly in connection to protein-protein interactions. We assume that the model is written by a biologist in form of site-graph-rewrite rules. Site-graph-rewrite rules compactly express that, often, only a local context of a protein (instead of a full molecular species) needs to be in a certain configuration in order to trigger a reaction event. This observation leads to suitable aggregate Markov chains with smaller state spaces, thereby providing sufficient reduction in computational complexity. This is further exemplified in two case studies: simple unbounded polymerization and early EGFR/insulin crosstalk.

  13. [Application of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the diagnosis of Hb S-beta(+)-thalassemia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harano, K; Harano, T; Kushida, Y; Ueda, S

    1991-08-01

    Isoelectric focusing of the hemolysate prepared from a two-year-old American black boy with microcytic hypochromia showed the presence of a high percentage (63.3%) of such Hb variant as Hb S, while the levels of Hb A, Hb F and Hb A2 were 20.0%, 12.7%, and 4.0%, respectively. The ratio of the non-alpha-chain to the alpha-chain of the biosynthesized globin chains was 0.49. The variant was identified as Hb S by amino acid analysis of the abnormal peptide (beta T-1) and digestion of DNA amplified by the polymerase chain reaction with enzyme Eco 81 I. This was further confirmed by DNA sequencing. DNA sequencing of a beta-gene without the beta s-mutation revealed a nucleotide change of T to C in the polyadenylation signal sequence AATAAA 3' to the beta-gene, resulting in beta(+)-thalassemia. These results are consistent with the existence of a beta s-gene and a beta(+)-thalassemia gene in trans.

  14. Rapid and specific identification of Yersinia pestis by using a nested polymerase chain reaction procedure.

    OpenAIRE

    Campbell, J; Lowe, J; Walz, S; Ezzell, J

    1993-01-01

    We developed a 4-h nested polymerase chain reaction assay that detected a region of the plasminogen activator gene of Yersinia pestis in 100% of 43 Y. pestis strains isolated from humans, rats, and fleas yet was unreactive with the closely related species Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis.

  15. Introduction;Commemorating the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction on 2 December 1942

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eklund, S [International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

    1962-12-02

    On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the conducting of the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction and following development of nuclear reactors, the article reviews the work and scientific development behind this achievement. The impact of atomic energy on economics, benefits of nuclear reactors for electricity production and the by-product - radio isotopes, used in different areas such as industry, medicine, agriculture etc. are pointed out

  16. Chain-growth cycloaddition polymerization via a catalytic alkyne [2 + 2 + 2] cyclotrimerization reaction and its application to one-shot spontaneous block copolymerization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiyama, Yu-ki; Kato, Rei; Sakurada, Tetsuya; Okamoto, Sentaro

    2011-06-29

    A cobalt-catalyzed alkyne [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction has been applied to polymerizations yielding linear polymers via selective cross-cyclotrimerization of yne-diyne monomers, which occurs in a chain-growth manner. Additionally, through control of the alkyne reactivity of the two monomers, this method was efficiently applied to the spontaneous block copolymerization of their mixture. Here we present the proposed mechanism of the catalyst transfer process of this cycloaddition polymerization.

  17. Monitoring Acidophilic Microbes with Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Assays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Frank F. Roberto

    2008-08-01

    Many techniques that are used to characterize and monitor microbial populations associated with sulfide mineral bioleaching require the cultivation of the organisms on solid or liquid media. Chemolithotrophic species, such as Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, or thermophilic chemolithotrophs, such as Acidianus brierleyi and Sulfolobus solfataricus can grow quite slowly, requiring weeks to complete efforts to identify and quantify these microbes associated with bioleach samples. Real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) assays in which DNA targets are amplified in the presence of fluorescent oligonucleotide primers, allowing the monitoring and quantification of the amplification reactions as they progress, provide a means of rapidly detecting the presence of microbial species of interest, and their relative abundance in a sample. This presentation will describe the design and use of such assays to monitor acidophilic microbes in the environment and in bioleaching operations. These assays provide results within 2-3 hours, and can detect less than 100 individual microbial cells.

  18. Colorimetric Detection of Specific DNA Segments Amplified by Polymerase Chain Reactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kemp, David J.; Smith, Donald B.; Foote, Simon J.; Samaras, N.; Peterson, M. Gregory

    1989-04-01

    The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure has many potential applications in mass screening. We describe here a general assay for colorimetric detection of amplified DNA. The target DNA is first amplified by PCR, and then a second set of oligonucleotides, nested between the first two, is incorporated by three or more PCR cycles. These oligonucleotides bear ligands: for example, one can be biotinylated and the other can contain a site for a double-stranded DNA-binding protein. After linkage to an immobilized affinity reagent (such as a cloned DNA-binding protein, which we describe here) and labeling with a second affinity reagent (for example, avidin) linked to horseradish peroxidase, reaction with a chromogenic substrate allows detection of the amplified DNA. This amplified DNA assay (ADA) is rapid, is readily applicable to mass screening, and uses routine equipment. We show here that it can be used to detect human immunodeficiency virus sequences specifically against a background of human DNA.

  19. Polymerase chain reaction-based discrimination of viable from non-viable Mycoplasma gallisepticum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ching Giap Tan

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The present study was based on the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR of the 16S ribosomal nucleic acid (rRNA of Mycoplasma for detection of viable Mycoplasma gallisepticum. To determine the stability of M. gallisepticum 16S rRNA in vitro, three inactivation methods were used and the suspensions were stored at different temperatures. The 16S rRNA of M. gallisepticum was detected up to approximately 20–25 h at 37 °C, 22–25 h at 16 °C, and 23–27 h at 4 °C. The test, therefore, could detect viable or recently dead M. gallisepticum (< 20 h. The RT-PCR method was applied during an in vivo study of drug efficacy under experimental conditions, where commercial broiler-breeder eggs were inoculated with M. gallisepticum into the yolk. Hatched chicks that had been inoculated in ovo were treated with Macrolide 1. The method was then applied in a flock of day 0 chicks with naturally acquired vertical transmission of M. gallisepticum, treated with Macrolide 2. Swabs of the respiratory tract were obtained for PCR and RT-PCR evaluations to determine the viability of M. gallisepticum. This study proved that the combination of both PCR and RT-PCR enables detection and differentiation of viable from non-viable M. gallisepticum.

  20. Development, validation, and standardization of polymerase chain reaction-based detection of E-coli O157

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abdulmawjood, A.; Bulte, M.; Roth, S.

    2004-01-01

    A diagnostic polymerase chain reaction assay was developed for the detection of E. coli O157 as the first part of a multicenter validation and standardization project. The assay is based on amplification of sequences of the rfbE O157 gene and includes an internal amplification control. The select...

  1. Supply chain planning and management method:the fruit purchasing company case

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julio Kyosen Nakatani

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract On the world stage, Brazil is the third largest world fruit producer. However, purchasing fruit companies are suffering from the effects of fluctuations in production and demand, inefficiency in production and information trade, lack of understanding of the dynamics of supply and reduction in profitability for all members of the fruit production chain. The supply chain management has been touted as one of the ways to reduce this volatility and improve outcomes for all involved with the supply chain. However, results of recent researches do not relate it directly to the fruit industry. To solve this problem, the present research aimed to analyze the planning and management of the supply chain of a fruit purchasing company and identify contributions and improvements to the theories and methods related to supply chain management to propose a method for planning and management the supply chain of fruit purchasing companies. It was conducted a case study from a mango fruit purchasing company using interviews with industry experts to assess the applicability, functionality and usefulness from the managerial point of view of the proposed method. Data analysis was done through the cross analysis of the methods of the supply chain management and the description of the case. The results of the study allowed the development of a method for planning and management the supply chain of fruit purchasing company. With the proposition of this method is expected to contribute with a sequence of steps to assist in planning and management of supply chain managers and specialists from a fruit purchasing company.

  2. RAPID MONITORING BY QUANTITATIVE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION FOR PATHOGENIC ASPERGILLUS DURING CARPET REMOVAL FROM A HOSPITAL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monitoring for pathogenic Aspergillus species using a rapid, highly sensitive, quantitative polumerase chain reaction technique during carpet removal in a burn unit provided data which allowed the patients to be safely returned to the re-floored area sooner than if only conventio...

  3. Low-Cost Temperature Logger for a Polymerase Chain Reaction Thermal Cycler

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chan-Young Park

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Polymerase chain reaction (PCR is a method of amplifying DNA which is normally carried out with a thermal cycler. To obtain more accurate and reliable PCR results, the temperature change within the chamber of the thermal cycler needs to be verified and calibrated regularly. Commercially available temperature loggers commonly used for temperature verification tests usually require a graphical user interface (GUI attached to the logger for convenience and straightforward understanding of the device. In this study, a host-local architecture for the temperature logger that significantly reduces the development time and cost is proposed. Employing standard computing devices as the host gives better development environment and user-friendly GUI. This paper presents the hardware and software design of the host-local temperature logger, and demonstrates the use of the local temperature logger connected to a personal computer with a Windows operating system. The probe design, thermistor resistance measurement, temperature filtering, and temperature calibration is described in detail. The thermistor self-heating problem was investigated in particular to determine the reference resistor that was serially connected to the thermistor. The temperature accuracy and temporal precision of the proposed system was 0.1 K.

  4. Primers for polymerase chain reaction to detect genomic DNA of Toxocara canis and T. cati.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Z; Nagano, I; Xu, D; Takahashi, Y

    1997-03-01

    Primers for polymerase chain reaction to amplify genomic DNA of both Toxocara canis and T. cati were constructed by adapting cloning and sequencing random amplified polymorphic DNA. The primers are expected to detect eggs and/or larvae of T. canis and T. cati, both of which are known to cause toxocariasis in humans.

  5. Spread and epidemiology of Clostridium difficile polymerase chain reaction ribotype 027/toxinotype III in The Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goorhuis, A.; van der Kooi, T.; Vaessen, N.; Dekker, F. W.; van den Berg, R.; Harmanus, C.; van den Hof, S.; Notermans, D. W.; Kuijper, E. J.

    2007-01-01

    After reports of emerging outbreaks in Canada and the United States, Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) due to polymerase chain reaction ribotype 027 was detected in 2 medium-to-large hospitals in The Netherlands in 2005. National surveillance was initiated to investigate the spread and

  6. A sensitive detection method for MPLW515L or MPLW515K mutation in chronic myeloproliferative disorders with locked nucleic acid-modified probes and real-time polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pancrazzi, Alessandro; Guglielmelli, Paola; Ponziani, Vanessa; Bergamaschi, Gaetano; Bosi, Alberto; Barosi, Giovanni; Vannucchi, Alessandro M

    2008-09-01

    Acquired mutations in the juxtamembrane region of MPL (W515K or W515L), the receptor for thrombopoietin, have been described in patients with primary myelofibrosis or essential thrombocythemia, which are chronic myeloproliferative disorders. We have developed a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection and quantification of MPL mutations that is based on locked nucleic acid fluorescent probes. Mutational analysis was performed using DNA from granulocytes. Reference curves were obtained using cloned fragments of MPL containing either the wild-type or mutated sequence; the predicted sensitivity level was at least 0.1% mutant allele in a wild-type background. None of the 60 control subjects presented with a MPLW515L/K mutation. Of 217 patients with myelofibrosis, 19 (8.7%) harbored the MPLW515 mutation, 10 (52.6%) with the W515L allele. In one case, both the W515L and W515K alleles were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. By comparing results obtained with conventional sequencing, no erroneous genotype attribution using real-time polymerase chain reaction was found, whereas one patient considered wild type according to sequence analysis actually harbored a low W515L allele burden. This is a simple, sensitive, and cost-effective procedure for large-scale screening of the MPLW515L/K mutation in patients suspected to have a myeloproliferative disorder. It can also provide a quantitative estimate of mutant allele burden that might be useful for both patient prognosis and monitoring response to therapy.

  7. Leading coordinate analysis of reaction pathways in proton chain transfer: Application to a two-proton transfer model for the green fluorescent protein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Sufan; Smith, Sean C.

    2006-01-01

    The 'leading coordinate' approach to computing an approximate reaction pathway, with subsequent determination of the true minimum energy profile, is applied to a two-proton chain transfer model based on the chromophore and its surrounding moieties within the green fluorescent protein (GFP). Using an ab initio quantum chemical method, a number of different relaxed energy profiles are found for several plausible guesses at leading coordinates. The results obtained for different trial leading coordinates are rationalized through the calculation of a two-dimensional relaxed potential energy surface (PES) for the system. Analysis of the 2-D relaxed PES reveals that two of the trial pathways are entirely spurious, while two others contain useful information and can be used to furnish starting points for successful saddle-point searches. Implications for selection of trial leading coordinates in this class of proton chain transfer reactions are discussed, and a simple diagnostic function is proposed for revealing whether or not a relaxed pathway based on a trial leading coordinate is likely to furnish useful information

  8. Diagnosis of ventricular drainage-related bacterial meningitis by broad-range real-time polymerase chain reaction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Deutch, Susanna; Dahlberg, Daniel; Hedegaard, Jesper

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To compare a broad-range real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic strategy with culture to evaluate additional effects on the etiological diagnosis and the quantification of the bacterial load during the course of ventricular drainage-related bacterial meningitis (VR......-BM). METHODS: We applied a PCR that targeted conserved regions of the 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with external ventricular drainage or a ventriculoperitoneal shunt during the course of VR-BM. We compared the PCR results with CSF cultures. A total...... of 350 routine CSF samples were consecutively collected from 86 patients. The CSF deoxyribonucleic acid was automatically purified and subjected to PCR. Amplicons from the PCR samples that were positive for VR-BM were subsequently deoxyribonucleic acid sequenced for final identification. Clinical data...

  9. Optimization Methods for Supply Chain Activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Balasescu S.

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper approach the theme of supply chain activities for medium and large companies which run many operations and need many facilities. The first goal is to analyse the influence of optimisation methods of supply chain activities on the success rate for a business. The second goal is to compare some logistic strategies applied by companies with the same profile to see which is the most effective. The final goal is to show which is the necessity of strategic optimum for a company and how can be achieved the considering the demand uncertainty.

  10. An integrated one-chip-sensor system for microRNA quantitative analysis based on digital droplet polymerase chain reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsukuda, Masahiko; Wiederkehr, Rodrigo Sergio; Cai, Qing; Majeed, Bivragh; Fiorini, Paolo; Stakenborg, Tim; Matsuno, Toshinobu

    2016-04-01

    A silicon microfluidic chip was developed for microRNA (miRNA) quantitative analysis. It performs sequentially reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction in a digital droplet format. Individual processes take place on different cavities, and reagent and sample mixing is carried out on a chip, prior to entering each compartment. The droplets are generated on a T-junction channel before the polymerase chain reaction step. Also, a miniaturized fluorescence detector was developed, based on an optical pick-up head of digital versatile disc (DVD) and a micro-photomultiplier tube. The chip integrated in the detection system was tested using synthetic miRNA with known concentrations, ranging from 300 to 3,000 templates/µL. Results proved the functionality of the system.

  11. Parallel replica dynamics method for bistable stochastic reaction networks: Simulation and sensitivity analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ting; Plecháč, Petr

    2017-12-01

    Stochastic reaction networks that exhibit bistable behavior are common in systems biology, materials science, and catalysis. Sampling of stationary distributions is crucial for understanding and characterizing the long-time dynamics of bistable stochastic dynamical systems. However, simulations are often hindered by the insufficient sampling of rare transitions between the two metastable regions. In this paper, we apply the parallel replica method for a continuous time Markov chain in order to improve sampling of the stationary distribution in bistable stochastic reaction networks. The proposed method uses parallel computing to accelerate the sampling of rare transitions. Furthermore, it can be combined with the path-space information bounds for parametric sensitivity analysis. With the proposed methodology, we study three bistable biological networks: the Schlögl model, the genetic switch network, and the enzymatic futile cycle network. We demonstrate the algorithmic speedup achieved in these numerical benchmarks. More significant acceleration is expected when multi-core or graphics processing unit computer architectures and programming tools such as CUDA are employed.

  12. Parallel replica dynamics method for bistable stochastic reaction networks: Simulation and sensitivity analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ting; Plecháč, Petr

    2017-12-21

    Stochastic reaction networks that exhibit bistable behavior are common in systems biology, materials science, and catalysis. Sampling of stationary distributions is crucial for understanding and characterizing the long-time dynamics of bistable stochastic dynamical systems. However, simulations are often hindered by the insufficient sampling of rare transitions between the two metastable regions. In this paper, we apply the parallel replica method for a continuous time Markov chain in order to improve sampling of the stationary distribution in bistable stochastic reaction networks. The proposed method uses parallel computing to accelerate the sampling of rare transitions. Furthermore, it can be combined with the path-space information bounds for parametric sensitivity analysis. With the proposed methodology, we study three bistable biological networks: the Schlögl model, the genetic switch network, and the enzymatic futile cycle network. We demonstrate the algorithmic speedup achieved in these numerical benchmarks. More significant acceleration is expected when multi-core or graphics processing unit computer architectures and programming tools such as CUDA are employed.

  13. Development of two dimensional electrophoresis method using single chain DNA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ikeda, Junichi; Hidaka, So

    1998-01-01

    By combining a separation method due to molecular weight and a method to distinguish difference of mono-bases, it was aimed to develop a two dimensional single chain DNA labeled with Radioisotope (RI). From electrophoretic pattern difference of parent and variant strands, it was investigated to isolate the root module implantation control gene. At first, a Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP) method using concentration gradient gel was investigated. As a result, it was formed that intervals between double chain and single chain DNAs expanded, but intervals of both single chain DNAs did not expand. On next, combination of non-modified acrylic amide electrophoresis method and Denaturing Gradient-Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) method was examined. As a result, hybrid DNA developed by two dimensional electrophoresis arranged on two lines. But, among them a band of DNA modified by high concentration of urea could not be found. Therefore, in this fiscal year's experiments, no preferable result could be obtained. By the used method, it was thought to be impossible to detect the differences. (G.K.)

  14. Specific Identification of Biomphalaria tenagophila and Biomphalaria occidentalis Populations by the Low Stringency Polymerase Chain Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edina Rodrigues Pires

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available Although Biomphalaria occidentalis and B. tenagophila are indistinguishable on the basis of shell morphology and the majority of their genital organs, only the latter is susceptible to infection with Schistosoma mansoni. Thus, the identification of these species is fundamental to epidemiological studies of schistosomiasis. Here we describe a simple and rapid method for differentiating B. tenagophila from B. occidentalis based on low stringency polymerase chain reaction and using a pair of primers specific for the amplification of the 18S rRNA gene. Analysis of the low stringency product profiles of populations of these snails from different geographical regions confirmed this approach as being applicable to the identification of B. tenagophila and B. occidentalis in cases where classical morphology is inconclusive

  15. Diagnostic performance of fecal quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction for detection of Lawsonia intracellularis–associated proliferative enteropathy in nursery pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Ken Steen; Stege, Helle; Jensen, Tim Kåre

    2013-01-01

    Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) tests for detection and quantification of Lawsonia intracellularis in feces from pigs have been developed. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of a fecal qPCR test for detection of nursery pigs with L. intrace......Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) tests for detection and quantification of Lawsonia intracellularis in feces from pigs have been developed. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of a fecal qPCR test for detection of nursery pigs with L...

  16. Flow-through polymerase chain reaction inside a seamless 3D helical microreactor fabricated utilizing a silicone tube and a paraffin mold.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Wenming; Trinh, Kieu The Loan; Lee, Nae Yoon

    2015-03-07

    We introduce a new strategy for fabricating a seamless three-dimensional (3D) helical microreactor utilizing a silicone tube and a paraffin mold. With this method, various shapes and sizes of 3D helical microreactors were fabricated, and a complicated and laborious photolithographic process, or 3D printing, was eliminated. With dramatically enhanced portability at a significantly reduced fabrication cost, such a device can be considered to be the simplest microreactor, developed to date, for performing the flow-through polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

  17. An isotope-labeled chemical derivatization method for the quantitation of short-chain fatty acids in human feces by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Jun; Lin, Karen; Sequeira, Carita; Borchers, Christoph H.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • 3-Nitrophenylhydrazine was used to derivatize short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) for LC-MS/MS. • 13 C 6 analogues were produced for use as isotope-labeled internal standards. • Isotope-labeled standards compensate for ESI matrix effects in LC-MS/MS. • Femtomolar sensitivities and 93–108% quantitation accuracy were achieved for human fecal SCFAs. - Abstract: Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are produced by anaerobic gut microbiota in the large bowel. Qualitative and quantitative measurements of SCFAs in the intestinal tract and the fecal samples are important to understand the complex interplay between diet, gut microbiota and host metabolism homeostasis. To develop a new LC-MS/MS method for sensitive and reliable analysis of SCFAs in human fecal samples, 3-nitrophenylhydrazine (3NPH) was employed for pre-analytical derivatization to convert ten C 2 –C 6 SCFAs to their 3-nitrophenylhydrazones under a single set of optimized reaction conditions and without the need of reaction quenching. The derivatives showed excellent in-solution chemical stability. They were separated on a reversed-phase C 18 column and quantitated by negative-ion electrospray ionization – multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM)/MS. To achieve accurate quantitation, the stable isotope-labeled versions of the derivatives were synthesized in a single reaction vessel from 13 C 6 -3NPH, and were used as internal standard to compensate for the matrix effects in ESI. Method validation showed on-column limits of detection and quantitation over the range from low to high femtomoles for the ten SCFAs, and the intra-day and inter-day precision for determination of nine of the ten SCFAs in human fecal samples was ≤8.8% (n = 6). The quantitation accuracy ranged from 93.1% to 108.4% (CVs ≤ 4.6%, n = 6). This method was used to determine the SCFA concentrations and compositions in six human fecal samples. One of the six samples, which was collected from a clinically diagnosed type 2

  18. An isotope-labeled chemical derivatization method for the quantitation of short-chain fatty acids in human feces by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, Jun; Lin, Karen; Sequeira, Carita [University of Victoria – Genome BC Proteomics Centre, University of Victoria, Vancouver Island Technology Park, 3101–4464 Markham Street, Victoria, BC V8Z 7X8 (Canada); Borchers, Christoph H., E-mail: christoph@proteincentre.com [University of Victoria – Genome BC Proteomics Centre, University of Victoria, Vancouver Island Technology Park, 3101–4464 Markham Street, Victoria, BC V8Z 7X8 (Canada); Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Petch Building Room 207, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2 (Canada)

    2015-01-07

    Highlights: • 3-Nitrophenylhydrazine was used to derivatize short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) for LC-MS/MS. • {sup 13}C{sub 6} analogues were produced for use as isotope-labeled internal standards. • Isotope-labeled standards compensate for ESI matrix effects in LC-MS/MS. • Femtomolar sensitivities and 93–108% quantitation accuracy were achieved for human fecal SCFAs. - Abstract: Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are produced by anaerobic gut microbiota in the large bowel. Qualitative and quantitative measurements of SCFAs in the intestinal tract and the fecal samples are important to understand the complex interplay between diet, gut microbiota and host metabolism homeostasis. To develop a new LC-MS/MS method for sensitive and reliable analysis of SCFAs in human fecal samples, 3-nitrophenylhydrazine (3NPH) was employed for pre-analytical derivatization to convert ten C{sub 2}–C{sub 6} SCFAs to their 3-nitrophenylhydrazones under a single set of optimized reaction conditions and without the need of reaction quenching. The derivatives showed excellent in-solution chemical stability. They were separated on a reversed-phase C{sub 18} column and quantitated by negative-ion electrospray ionization – multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM)/MS. To achieve accurate quantitation, the stable isotope-labeled versions of the derivatives were synthesized in a single reaction vessel from {sup 13}C{sub 6}-3NPH, and were used as internal standard to compensate for the matrix effects in ESI. Method validation showed on-column limits of detection and quantitation over the range from low to high femtomoles for the ten SCFAs, and the intra-day and inter-day precision for determination of nine of the ten SCFAs in human fecal samples was ≤8.8% (n = 6). The quantitation accuracy ranged from 93.1% to 108.4% (CVs ≤ 4.6%, n = 6). This method was used to determine the SCFA concentrations and compositions in six human fecal samples. One of the six samples, which was collected from a

  19. A Multilevel Adaptive Reaction-splitting Simulation Method for Stochastic Reaction Networks

    KAUST Repository

    Moraes, Alvaro; Tempone, Raul; Vilanova, Pedro

    2016-01-01

    In this work, we present a novel multilevel Monte Carlo method for kinetic simulation of stochastic reaction networks characterized by having simultaneously fast and slow reaction channels. To produce efficient simulations, our method adaptively classifies the reactions channels into fast and slow channels. To this end, we first introduce a state-dependent quantity named level of activity of a reaction channel. Then, we propose a low-cost heuristic that allows us to adaptively split the set of reaction channels into two subsets characterized by either a high or a low level of activity. Based on a time-splitting technique, the increments associated with high-activity channels are simulated using the tau-leap method, while those associated with low-activity channels are simulated using an exact method. This path simulation technique is amenable for coupled path generation and a corresponding multilevel Monte Carlo algorithm. To estimate expected values of observables of the system at a prescribed final time, our method bounds the global computational error to be below a prescribed tolerance, TOL, within a given confidence level. This goal is achieved with a computational complexity of order O(TOL-2), the same as with a pathwise-exact method, but with a smaller constant. We also present a novel low-cost control variate technique based on the stochastic time change representation by Kurtz, showing its performance on a numerical example. We present two numerical examples extracted from the literature that show how the reaction-splitting method obtains substantial gains with respect to the standard stochastic simulation algorithm and the multilevel Monte Carlo approach by Anderson and Higham. © 2016 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

  20. A Multilevel Adaptive Reaction-splitting Simulation Method for Stochastic Reaction Networks

    KAUST Repository

    Moraes, Alvaro

    2016-07-07

    In this work, we present a novel multilevel Monte Carlo method for kinetic simulation of stochastic reaction networks characterized by having simultaneously fast and slow reaction channels. To produce efficient simulations, our method adaptively classifies the reactions channels into fast and slow channels. To this end, we first introduce a state-dependent quantity named level of activity of a reaction channel. Then, we propose a low-cost heuristic that allows us to adaptively split the set of reaction channels into two subsets characterized by either a high or a low level of activity. Based on a time-splitting technique, the increments associated with high-activity channels are simulated using the tau-leap method, while those associated with low-activity channels are simulated using an exact method. This path simulation technique is amenable for coupled path generation and a corresponding multilevel Monte Carlo algorithm. To estimate expected values of observables of the system at a prescribed final time, our method bounds the global computational error to be below a prescribed tolerance, TOL, within a given confidence level. This goal is achieved with a computational complexity of order O(TOL-2), the same as with a pathwise-exact method, but with a smaller constant. We also present a novel low-cost control variate technique based on the stochastic time change representation by Kurtz, showing its performance on a numerical example. We present two numerical examples extracted from the literature that show how the reaction-splitting method obtains substantial gains with respect to the standard stochastic simulation algorithm and the multilevel Monte Carlo approach by Anderson and Higham. © 2016 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

  1. Polymerase chain reaction: basic protocol plus troubleshooting and optimization strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorenz, Todd C

    2012-05-22

    In the biological sciences there have been technological advances that catapult the discipline into golden ages of discovery. For example, the field of microbiology was transformed with the advent of Anton van Leeuwenhoek's microscope, which allowed scientists to visualize prokaryotes for the first time. The development of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is one of those innovations that changed the course of molecular science with its impact spanning countless subdisciplines in biology. The theoretical process was outlined by Keppe and coworkers in 1971; however, it was another 14 years until the complete PCR procedure was described and experimentally applied by Kary Mullis while at Cetus Corporation in 1985. Automation and refinement of this technique progressed with the introduction of a thermal stable DNA polymerase from the bacterium Thermus aquaticus, consequently the name Taq DNA polymerase. PCR is a powerful amplification technique that can generate an ample supply of a specific segment of DNA (i.e., an amplicon) from only a small amount of starting material (i.e., DNA template or target sequence). While straightforward and generally trouble-free, there are pitfalls that complicate the reaction producing spurious results. When PCR fails it can lead to many non-specific DNA products of varying sizes that appear as a ladder or smear of bands on agarose gels. Sometimes no products form at all. Another potential problem occurs when mutations are unintentionally introduced in the amplicons, resulting in a heterogeneous population of PCR products. PCR failures can become frustrating unless patience and careful troubleshooting are employed to sort out and solve the problem(s). This protocol outlines the basic principles of PCR, provides a methodology that will result in amplification of most target sequences, and presents strategies for optimizing a reaction. By following this PCR guide, students should be able to: • Set up reactions and thermal cycling

  2. Emergence of Clostridium difficile infection due to a new hypervirulent strain, polymerase chain reaction ribotype 078

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goorhuis, Abraham; Bakker, Dennis; Corver, Jeroen; Debast, Sylvia B.; Harmanus, Celine; Notermans, Daan W.; Bergwerff, Aldert A.; Dekker, Frido W.; Kuijper, Ed J.

    2008-01-01

    Since 2005, an increase in the prevalence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) due to polymerase chain reaction ribotype 078 has been noticed in The Netherlands. This strain has also been identified as the predominant strain in pigs and calves. CDI caused by type 078 was studied in relation to

  3. Rapid and sensitive detection of canine distemper virus by one-tube reverse transcription-insulated isothermal polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkes, Rebecca P; Tsai, Yun-Long; Lee, Pei-Yu; Lee, Fu-Chun; Chang, Hsiao-Fen Grace; Wang, Hwa-Tang Thomas

    2014-09-09

    Canine distemper virus (CDV) has been associated with outbreaks of canine infectious respiratory disease in shelters and boarding kennel environments. POCKITTM Nucleic Acid Analyzer is a field-deployable device capable of generating automatically interpreted insulated isothermal polymerase chain reaction (iiPCR) results from extracted nucleic acid within one hour. In this study, reverse transcription iiPCR (RT-iiPCR) was developed to facilitate point-of-need diagnosis of CDV infection. Analytical sensitivity (limit of detection 95%) of the established CDV RT-iiPCR was about 11 copies of in vitro transcribed RNA per reaction. CDV RT-iiPCR generated positive signals from CDV, but not Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine parvovirus, canine herpesvirus, canine adenovirus 2, canine influenza virus (subtype H3N8), canine parainfluenza virus, and canine respiratory coronavirus. To evaluate accuracy of the established reaction in canine distemper clinical diagnosis, 110 specimens from dogs, raccoons, and foxes suspected with CDV infection were tested simultaneously by CDV RT-iiPCR and real-time RT-PCR. CDV RT-iiPCR demonstrated excellent sensitivity (100%) and specificity (100%), compared to real-time RT-PCR. The results indicated an excellent correlation between RT-iiPCR and a reference real time RT-PCR method. Working in a lyophilized format, the established method has great potential to be used for point-of-care diagnosis of canine distemper in animals, especially in resource-limited facilities.

  4. Implementation of polymerase chain reaction (PCR and Real-Time PCR in quick identification of bovine herpesvirus 1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milić Nenad

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Examinations were performed on 65 samples of nasal smeas taken from calves and young cows with clinical symptoms of respiratory infection to determine the presence of the bovine herpes virus 1 using parallel implementation of molecular and standard methods of virological diagnostics. The appearance of a cytopathogenic effect (CPE was not established in inoculated cell lines 24h, 48h and 72h following inoculation, or after two successive passages of the examined material sample through these cell lines. The application of polymerize chain reaction (PCR using a primer for glucoprotein B and thymidine - kinasis, established the presence of bovine herpes virus 1 nucleic acid in one sample of a bovine nasal smear, while the presence of this virus was established in three samples in an examination of the nasal smear samples using the Real-Time PCR method.

  5. CONCERNING CHAIN GROWTH SPECIFIC REACTION RATE AS A PART OF THE PROCESS OF METHYL METHACRYLATE MASS RADICAL POLYMERIZATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. A. Sultanova

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available It is the chain growth specific reaction rate that was determined for the process of methyl methacrylate mass radical polymerization within the temperature range of 40–900 С in quasi-steady approximation by means of Monte Carlo method. The theoretical model of radical polymerization was developed taking the gel effect into account. Computer software was developed that enables to imitate radical polymerization process taking gel effect into account within the minimum run time. The programme was tested on asymptotic examples as well as was applied for methyl methacrylate mass radical polymerization. The programme makes it possible to calculate monomer conversion, molecular mass variation, molecular-mass distribution, etc.

  6. Novel TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for verifying the authenticity of meat and commercial meat products from game birds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rojas, María; González, Isabel; Pavón, Miguel Angel; Pegels, Nicolette; Lago, Adriana; Hernández, Pablo E; García, Teresa; Martín, Rosario

    2010-06-01

    Species-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays using TaqMan probes have been developed for verifying the labeling of meat and commercial meat products from game birds, including quail, pheasant, partridge, guinea fowl, pigeon, Eurasian woodcock and song thrush. The method combines the use of species-specific primers and TaqMan probes that amplify small fragments (amplicons meat products from the target species demonstrated the suitability of the assay for the detection of the target DNAs.

  7. Detection of HCV-RNA by Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction Using Biotinylated and Radioiodinated Primers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryu, Jin Sook; Moon, Dae Hyuk; Cheon, Jun Hong; Chung, Yoon Young; Park, Hung Dong; Chung, Young Hwa; Lee, Young Sang

    1994-01-01

    This study was performed to evaluate the clinical applicability of the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) kit of HCV-RNA using biotinylated and radioiodinated primers. Study subjects were 118 patients with positive anti-HCV. HCV-RNA in patients serum was extracted by guanidium thiocyanate method. After first amplification, the product was reamplified by primers labelled with biotin and I-125. The final amplification product was detected by counting the radioactivity after incubation in avidin coated tubes. In 51 samples, the test was repeated for evaluation of reproducibility. This new method was also compared with conventional RT-PCR methods in 34 samples from patients with chronic liver disease. The results were as follows, 1) HCV-RNA was positive in 85(97%)of 88 patients with chronic liver disease, and in 23 (73%) of 30 patients with normal liver function. 2) In comparison with conventional method, HCV-RNA was detected in 32(94%) of 34 patients with new method, whereas in 27(79% ) of the same group with conventional method 3) Repeated test with new method in 52 samples demonstrated 82% of concordant result. In conclusion, new method with biotinylated and radioiodinated primers was more sensitive than conventional method. However, great care must be taken for quality control because there were considerable interassay variation and possibility of false positivity and false negativity.

  8. Detection of HCV-RNA by Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction Using Biotinylated and Radioiodinated Primers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ryu, Jin Sook; Moon, Dae Hyuk; Cheon, Jun Hong; Chung, Yoon Young; Park, Hung Dong; Chung, Young Hwa; Lee, Young Sang [Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1994-07-15

    This study was performed to evaluate the clinical applicability of the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) kit of HCV-RNA using biotinylated and radioiodinated primers. Study subjects were 118 patients with positive anti-HCV. HCV-RNA in patients serum was extracted by guanidium thiocyanate method. After first amplification, the product was reamplified by primers labelled with biotin and I-125. The final amplification product was detected by counting the radioactivity after incubation in avidin coated tubes. In 51 samples, the test was repeated for evaluation of reproducibility. This new method was also compared with conventional RT-PCR methods in 34 samples from patients with chronic liver disease. The results were as follows, 1) HCV-RNA was positive in 85(97%)of 88 patients with chronic liver disease, and in 23 (73%) of 30 patients with normal liver function. 2) In comparison with conventional method, HCV-RNA was detected in 32(94%) of 34 patients with new method, whereas in 27(79% ) of the same group with conventional method 3) Repeated test with new method in 52 samples demonstrated 82% of concordant result. In conclusion, new method with biotinylated and radioiodinated primers was more sensitive than conventional method. However, great care must be taken for quality control because there were considerable interassay variation and possibility of false positivity and false negativity.

  9. Determining Role of the Chain Mechanism in the Temperature Dependence of the Gas-Phase Rate of Combustion Reactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azatyan, V. V.; Bolod'yan, I. A.; Kopylov, N. P.; Kopylov, S. N.; Prokopenko, V. M.; Shebeko, Yu. N.

    2018-05-01

    It is shown that the strong dependence of the rate of gas-phase combustion reactions on temperature is determined by the high values of the reaction rate constants of free atoms and radicals. It is established that with a branched chain mechanism, a special role in the reaction rate temperature dependence is played by positive feedback between the concentrations of active intermediate species and the rate of their change. The role of the chemical mechanism in the temperature dependence of the process rate with and without inhibitors is considered.

  10. Supply chain reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Snieckus, Darius

    2000-01-01

    'Logic' (Leading Oil and Gas Industry Competitiveness) is a government-industry supply chain management initiative which aims to improve the competitiveness of the UK's North Sea business by 1 billion UK pounds by 2002 and its export performance by 50% inside 5 years. Much of the article is devoted to the background and views of Logic's chief executive Chris. Freeman. Freeman makes clear that 'unlike Crine, we are not a cost-reduction initiative: that may be one of the outcomes, but we are really focusing on the co-operation side of things'. Logic aims to change the culture of the UK offshore industry through example. Freeman believes that the creation of collaborative success will flag up industry and give credence to Logics objectives

  11. Sensitive Detection of Thirteen Bacterial Vaginosis-Associated Agents Using Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natália Malaguti

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Bacterial vaginosis (BV is characterized by a polymicrobial proliferation of anaerobic bacteria and depletion of lactobacilli, which are components of natural vaginal microbiota. Currently, there are limited conventional methods for BV diagnosis, and these methods are time-consuming, expensive, and rarely allow for the detection of more than one agent simultaneously. Therefore, we conceived and validated a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (M-PCR assay for the simultaneous screening of thirteen bacterial vaginosis-associated agents (BV-AAs related to symptomatic BV: Gardnerella vaginalis, Mobiluncus curtisii, Mobiluncus mulieris, Bacteroides fragilis, Mycoplasma hominis, Atopobium vaginae, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Megasphaera type I, Clostridia-like bacteria vaginosis-associated bacteria (BVABs 1, 2, and 3, Sneathia sanguinegens, and Mycoplasma genitalium. The overall validation parameters of M-PCR compared to single PCR (sPCR were extremely high, including agreement of 99.1% and sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values of 100.0%, negative predictive value of 97.0%, accuracy of 99.3%, and agreement with Nugent results of 100.0%. The prevalence of BV-AAs was very high (72.6%, and simultaneous agents were detected in 53.0%, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the M-PCR assay. Therefore, the M-PCR assay has great potential to impact BV diagnostic methods in vaginal samples and diminish associated complications in the near future.

  12. Methods for Shortening and Extending the Carbon Chain in Carbohydrates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Monrad, Rune Nygaard

    2008-01-01

    in this thesis focuses on the development and application of transition metal mediated methods for shortening and extending the carbon chain in carbohydrates thereby providing access to lower and higher sugars.A new catalytic procedure for shortening unprotected sugars by one carbon atom has been developed....... The procedure has been employed as the key step in a short five-step synthesis of the unnatural sugar L-threose in 74% overall yield from D-glucose. A zinc-mediated one-pot fragmentation-allylation reaction has been used to elongate D-glucose and D-ribose by three carbon atoms thereby producing carbohydrate......-derived α,ω-dienes, which have been converted into the natural products calystegine A3 and gabosine A. The glycosidase inhibitor calystegine A3 was produced by two similar routes from commercially available methyl α-D-glucopyranoside in 13 and 14 steps with 8.3 and 5.3% overall yield, respectively...

  13. Polymerase chain reaction for detection of invasive Shigella flexneri in food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lampel, K A; Jagow, J A; Trucksess, M; Hill, W E

    1990-06-01

    The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a 760-base-pair (bp) fragment with the 220-kbp invasive plasmids of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella boydii, and Shigella sonnei as templates. This PCR product was easily detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. A 210-bp AccI-PstI fragment lying within the amplified region was used as a probe in Southern hybridization blots and showed that the PCR-generated product was derived from the invasive plasmid. The application of PCR as a rapid method to detect enteroinvasive bacteria in foods was tested by inoculating lettuce with 10(4) S. flexneri cells per g in shigella broth base. Plasmid DNA was isolated from cultures of inoculated and uninoculated lettuce in broth after 0, 4, and 24 h of incubation. With the PCR, the 760-bp fragment was generated only from lettuce inoculated with S. flexneri, as shown by gel electrophoresis and confirmed both by Southern blotting and by nucleotide sequencing of the amplified region. Because the isolation of plasmid DNA, the performance of PCR, and gel electrophoresis all can be completed in 6 to 7 h, invasive enteric bacteria can be detected in less than 1 day.

  14. Evaluation of Amplification Targets for the Specific Detection of Bordetella pertussis Using Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Rubayet Hasan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Bordetella pertussis infections continue to be a major public health challenge in Canada. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR assays to detect B pertussis are typically based on the multicopy insertion sequence IS481, which offers high sensitivity but lacks species specificity.

  15. Evaluation of multiplex polymerase chain reaction as an alternative to conventional antibiotic sensitivity test

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Rathore

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Aim: This study was designed to evaluate the potential of the use of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR as an alternative to conventional antibiotic sensitivity test. Materials and Methods: Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (total = 36 from clinical cases presented to Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex of College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (CVAS, Navania, Udaipur, were characterized by morphological, cultural, and biochemical methods. Then, the isolates were further subjected to molecular characterization by PCR targeting S. aureus-specific sequence (107 bp. Phenotypic antibiotic sensitivity pattern was analyzed by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method against 11 commonly used antibiotics in veterinary medicine in and around Udaipur region. The genotypic antibiotic sensitivity pattern was studied against methicillin, aminoglycosides, and tetracycline targeting the gene mecA, aacA-aphD, and tetK by multiplex PCR. Results: There was 100% correlation between the phenotype and genotype of aminoglycoside resistance, more than 90% correlation for methicillin resistance, and 58.3% in the case tetracycline resistance. Conclusion: As there is a good correlation between phenotype and genotype of antibiotic resistance, multiplex PCR can be used as an alternative to the conventional antibiotic susceptibility testing, as it can give a rapid and true prediction of antibiotic sensitivity pattern.

  16. Polymerase chain reaction: Theory, practice and application: A review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S E Atawodi

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR is a rapid procedure for in vitro enzymatic amplification of specific DNA sequences using two oligonucleotide primers that hybridize to opposite strands and flank the region of interest in the target DNA. Repetitive cycles involving template denaturation, primer annealing and the extension of the annealed primers by DNA polymerase, result in the exponential accumulation of a specific fragment whose termini are defined by 5′ end of the primers. The primer extension products synthesized in one cycle can serve as a template in the next. Hence the number of target DNA copies approximately doubles at every cycle. Since its inception, PCR has had an enormous impact in both basic and diagnostic aspects of molecular biology. Like the PCR itself, the number of applications has been accumulating exponentially. It is therefore recommended that relevant scientists and laboratories in developing countries like Nigeria should acquire this simple and relatively inexpensive, but rather robust technology.

  17. 9 CFR 147.30 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for Mycoplasma...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Laboratory procedure recommended for... Examination Procedures § 147.30 Laboratory procedure recommended for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test... tracheal swabs in PBS or 1 mL of broth culture by a non-phenolic procedure. Centrifuge samples at 14,000 x...

  18. Detection of medically important Candida species by absolute quantitation real-time polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Than, Leslie Thian Lung; Chong, Pei Pei; Ng, Kee Peng; Seow, Heng Fong

    2015-01-01

    The number of invasive candidiasis cases has risen especially with an increase in the number of immunosuppressed and immunocom promised patients. The early detection of Candida species which is specific and sensitive is important in determining the correct administration of antifungal drugs to patients. This study aims to develop a method for the detection, identification and quantitation of medically important Candida species through quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The isocitrate lyase (ICL) gene which is not found in mammals was chosen as the target gene of real-time PCR. Absolute quantitation of the gene copy number was achieved by constructing the plasmid containing the ICL gene which is used to generate standard curve. Twenty fungal species, two bacterial species and human DNA were tested to check the specificity of the detection method. All eight Candida species were successfully detected, identified and quantitated based on the ICL gene. A seven-log range of the gene copy number and a minimum detection limit of 10(3) copies were achieved. A one-tube absolute quantification real-time PCR that differentiates medically important Candida species via individual unique melting temperature was achieved. Analytical sensitivity and specificity were not compromised.

  19. Microchip capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence combined with one-step duplex reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction for the rapid detection of Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackievirus A16 in throat swab specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Ruan; Chengjun, Sun; Heng, Chen; Chen, Zhou; Yuanqian, Li; Yongxin, Li

    2015-07-01

    Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackievirus A16 are the main pathogens causing hand-foot-mouth disease. In this paper, microchip capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence combined with one-step duplex reverse transcript-polymerase chain reaction has been developed for the detection of Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackievirus A16 in throat swab specimens. The specific reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction amplicons labeled with SYBR Orange were separated by microchip capillary electrophoresis and detected by laser induced fluorescence detector within 7 min. The intraday and interday relative standard deviation of migration time for DNA Marker was in the range of 1.36-2.94 and 2.78-3.96%, respectively. The detection limits were as low as 2.06 × 10(3) copies/mL for Enterovirus 71 and 5 × 10(3) copies/mL for Coxsackievirus A16. No cross-reactivity was observed with rotavirus, astrovirus, norovirus, and adenovirus, which showed good specificity of the method. This assay was validated using 100 throat swab specimens that were detected by real-time reverse-transcript polymerase chain reaction in parallel and the two methods produced the same results. This study provided a rapid, sensitive and specific method for the detection of Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackievirus A16, which make a contribution to significant time and cost saving for the identification and treatment of patients. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Does Polymerase Chain Reaction of Tissue Specimens Aid in the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoo Jin Lee

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Background Mycobacterial culture is the gold standard test for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB, but it is time-consuming. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR is a highly sensitive and specific method that can reduce the time required for diagnosis. The diagnostic efficacy of PCR differs, so this study determined the actual sensitivity of TB-PCR in tissue specimens. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 574 cases. The results of the nested PCR of the IS6110 gene, mycobacterial culture, TB-specific antigen-induced interferon-γ release assay (IGRA, acid-fast bacilli (AFB staining, and histological findings were evaluated. Results The positivity rates were 17.6% for PCR, 3.3% for the AFB stain, 22.2% for mycobacterial culture, and 55.4% for IGRA. PCR had a low sensitivity (51.1% and a high specificity (86.3% based on the culture results of other studies. The sensitivity was higher (65.5% in cases with necrotizing granuloma but showed the highest sensitivity (66.7% in those with necrosis only. The concordance rate between the methods indicated that PCR was the best method compared to mycobacterial culture, and the concordance rate increased for the methods using positive result for PCR or histologic features. Conclusions PCR of tissue specimens is a good alternative to detect tuberculosis, but it may not be as sensitive as previously suggested. Its reliability may also be influenced by some histological features. Our data showed a higher sensitivity when specimens contained necrosis, which indicated that only specimens with necrosis should be used for PCR to detect tuberculosis.

  1. The method of chains of groups and its application to physics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guichon, Pierre.

    1975-01-01

    The group representation theory is studied in the sub-group chain formalism. The associated Racah algebra is described with this special aspect in mind and the hypotheses are discussed. Several advantages are shown: it makes the evaluation of the geometrical coefficients arising from Racah's method easier and the matrix elements are readily evaluated with the Wigner-Eckart theorem. It applies to any group of the chain so that one takes advantage of the Racah algebra of the best-known group (for instance SU(2)). Moreover the multiplicity problems are removed when the first group of the chain is multiplicity-free. Algebraic problems are shown to be easily solved using a graphical method. The proposed one is available in a non-standard basis and for any compact group. The chain method is applied to a chain of groups of molecular interest. An extensive tabulation of the coefficients which are necessary in the practice has been performed and results are given in an addendum to this work [fr

  2. Detection of epidermal growth factor receptor mutation in lung cancer by droplet digital polymerase chain reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xu Q

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Qing Xu,1,* Yazhen Zhu,2,* Yali Bai,1 Xiumin Wei,1 Xirun Zheng,2 Mao Mao,1 Guangjuan Zheng21Translational Bioscience and Diagnostics, WuXi AppTec, Shanghai, 2Department of Pathology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of TCM, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: Two types of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR mutations in exon 19 and exon 21 (ex19del and L858R are prevalent in lung cancer patients and sensitive to targeted EGFR inhibition. A resistance mutation in exon 20 (T790M has been found to accompany drug treatment when patients relapse. These three mutations are valuable companion diagnostic biomarkers for guiding personalized treatment. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR-based methods have been widely used in the clinic by physicians to guide treatment decisions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the technical and clinical sensitivity and specificity of the droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR method in detecting the three EGFR mutations in patients with lung cancer.Methods: Genomic DNA from H1975 and PC-9 cells, as well as 92 normal human blood specimens, was used to determine the technical sensitivity and specificity of the ddPCR assays. Genomic DNA of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens from 78 Chinese patients with lung adenocarcinoma were assayed using both qPCR and ddPCR.Results: The three ddPCR assays had a limit of detection of 0.02% and a wide dynamic range from 1 to 20,000 copies measurement. The L858R and ex19del assays had a 0% background level in the technical and clinical settings. The T790M assay appeared to have a 0.03% technical background. The ddPCR assays were robust for correct determination of EGFR mutation status in patients, and the dynamic range appeared to be better than qPCR methods. The ddPCR assay for T790M could detect

  3. The effect of chain flexibility and chain mobility on radiation crosslinking reactions of polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Jiazhen

    2003-01-01

    Flexibility of polymer chains is an important factor to effects of radiation crosslinking of the polymer. Polymers with flexible chains are easier to be crosslinked, with lower dose of gelation, than polymers with more rigid chains. And it is known that most polymers with abnormal rigidity can be radiation-crosslinked only at high temperatures when the molecular chains get enough mobility. The flexibility of polymer chains also influences the relationship between degree of degradation and radiation dose. A chain flexibility factor β has been introduced to modify the Charlesby-Pinner equation of sol-fraction and radiation dose. The new relationship equation applies to a wider range of polymers in radiation crosslinking. Studies also show that for flexible polymers with lower T g and molecular internal rotating factor, mechanism of radiation crosslinking is mainly in H type, whereas for rigid polymers with higher T g and molecular internal rotating factor, mechanism of radiation crosslinking is mainly in T type

  4. Simultaneous detection of hepatitis B virus genotypes and mutations associated with resistance to lamivudine, adefovir, and telbivudine by the polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong-Zhong Wang

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Detection of mutations associated to nucleos(tide analogs and hepatitis B virus (HBV genotyping are essential for monitoring treatment of HBV infection. We developed a multiplex polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction (PCR-LDR assay for the rapid detection of HBV genotypes and mutations associated with lamivudine, adefovir, and telbivudine resistance in HBV-infected patients. METHODS: HBV templates were amplified by PCR, followed by LDR and electrophoresis on a sequencer. The assay was evaluated using plasmids that contained wild-type or mutant HBV sequences and 216 clinical samples. RESULTS: The PCR-LDR assay and sequencing gave comparable results for 158 of the 216 samples (73.1% with respect to mutation detection and genotyping. Complete agreement between the two methods was observed for all the samples (100% at codon 180 and codon 204. Concordant results were observed for 99.4% of the 158 samples at codon 181 and 98.7% at codon 236. The genotyping results were completely concordant between the PCR-LDR assay and sequencing. The PCR-LDR assay could detect a proportion of 1% mutant plasmid in a background of wild-type plasmid. CONCLUSION: The PCR-LDR assay is sensitive and specific for detection of HBV genotypes and drug resistance mutations, and could be helpful for decision making in the treatment of HBV infection.

  5. 9 CFR 147.31 - Laboratory procedures recommended for the real-time polymerase chain reaction test for Mycoplasma...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Laboratory procedures recommended for... Examination Procedures § 147.31 Laboratory procedures recommended for the real-time polymerase chain reaction.... Following incubation, 100 µl of 100 percent ethanol is added to lysate. Wash and centrifuge following...

  6. Development of the polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of chancroid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chui, L; Albritton, W; Paster, B; Maclean, I; Marusyk, R

    1993-01-01

    The published nucleotide sequences of the 16S rRNA gene of Haemophilus ducreyi were used to develop primer sets and probes for the diagnosis of chancroid by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) DNA amplification. One set of broad specificity primers yielded a 303-bp PCR product from all bacteria tested. Two 16-base probes internal to this sequence were species specific for H. ducreyi when tested with 12 species of the families Pasteurellaceae and Enterobacteriaceae. The two probes in combination with the broad specificity primers were 100% sensitive with 51 strains of H. ducreyi isolated from six continents over a 15-year period. The direct detection of H. ducreyi from 100 clinical specimens by PCR showed a sensitivity of 83 to 98% and a specificity of 51 to 67%, depending on the number of amplification cycles. Images PMID:8458959

  7. Sensitive electrochemical assaying of DNA methyltransferase activity based on mimic-hybridization chain reaction amplified strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Linqun; Liu, Yuanjian; Li, Ying; Zhao, Yuewu; Wei, Wei; Liu, Songqin

    2016-08-24

    A mimic-hybridization chain reaction (mimic-HCR) amplified strategy was proposed for sensitive electrochemically detection of DNA methylation and methyltransferase (MTase) activity In the presence of methylated DNA, DNA-gold nanoparticles (DNA-AuNPs) were captured on the electrode by sandwich-type assembly. It then triggered mimic-HCR of two hairpin probes to produce many long double-helix chains for numerous hexaammineruthenium (III) chloride ([Ru(NH3)6](3+), RuHex) inserting. As a result, the signal for electrochemically detection of DNA MTase activity could be amplified. If DNA was non-methylated, however, the sandwich-type assembly would not form because the short double-stranded DNAs (dsDNA) on the Au electrode could be cleaved and digested by restriction endonuclease HpaII (HapII) and exonuclease III (Exo III), resulting in the signal decrement. Based on this, an electrochemical approach for detection of M.SssI MTase activity with high sensitivity was developed. The linear range for M.SssI MTase activity was from 0.05 U mL(-1) to 10 U mL(-1), with a detection limit down to 0.03 U mL(-1). Moreover, this detecting strategy held great promise as an easy-to-use and highly sensitive method for other MTase activity and inhibition detection by exchanging the corresponding DNA sequence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Bakteri Legionella pneumophila Terdeteksi pada Air Kolam Renang di Kota Surabaya dengan Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (LEGIONELLA PNEUMOPHILA BACTERIADETECTED IN SWIMMING POOL WATER OF SURABAYA BY USING NESTED POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardus Bimo Aksono

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Legionella pneumophila is a Gram-negative bacillus that causes nosocomial and community-acquired pneumonia. The aim of this research was to detect the presence of bacteria of L. pneumophila species in the swimming pools water of Surabaya city by using nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR assay of a specific gene for L. pneumophila (mip gene. This study used purposive sampling method. A total of 10 water samples were collected from five swimming pools consisting of 200 mL water for each swimming pool. The results showed that of 10 samples tested by nested PCR, one sample was positive for L. pneumophila, and nine samples were negative. L. pneumophila were found in pool water samples with a higher temperature (>30ºC.Serogrouping analysis of positive sample that L. pneumophila bacteria detected in the water sample of swimming pool in Surabaya was L. pneumophila serogroup 9 (98% and serogroup 10 (98%. L. pneumophila detection of bacteria is expected to raise the awareness of physician and microbiologists about the transmission of L. pneumophila and will also be useful for controlling the agents. ABSTRAK Legionella pneumophila adalah bakteri Gram-negatif berbentuk batang yang dapat menyebabkan penyakit nosokomial dan pneumonia. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mendeteksi keberadaan bakteri L. pneumophila pada air kolam renang di Kota Surabaya dengan menggunakan nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR berbasis gen spesifik L. pneumophila (mip gene. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode purposive sampling. Sebanyak sepuluh sampel diambil dari lima kolam renang. Sampel diambil sebanyak 200 mL dari air kolam renang di setiap lokasi. Hasil dari 10 sampel yang diuji menggunakan nested PCR, satu sampel menunjukkan hasil positif untuk L.pneumophila, dan sembilan sampel menunjukkan hasil negatif. Bakteri L. pneumophila ditemukan pada sampel air kolam dengan suhu yang lebih tinggi (>30ºC. Satu sampel positip tersebut ketika dilanjutkan terhadap analisis serogrup

  9. Reaction pathway towards formation of cobalt single chain magnets and nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Balaji, G.; Desilva, Rohini M.; Palshin, V. [Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices, Louisiana State University, 6980 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (United States); Desilva, N. [Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (United States); Palmer, G. [Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, MS 140, 6100 Main street, Houston, TX 77251 (United States); Kumar, Challa S.S.R., E-mail: ckumar1@lsu.ed [Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices, Louisiana State University, 6980 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (United States)

    2010-03-15

    With the advent of molecular magnets the quest for suitable high density magnetic storage materials has fuelled further research in this area. Here in this report, we present a detailed mechanistic investigation of thermal decomposition of cyclopentadienyl cobalt [CoCp(CO){sub 2}] precursor where Cp is the cyclopentadienyl moiety. The reaction revealed the formation of cobalt nanoparticles (Co-NPs) through an isolable reaction intermediate characterized as a Single Chain Magnet (SCM), [Co(Cp){sub 2}]{sub 2}CoCl{sub 4} (1). The SQUID magnetic measurements showed the presence of very strong antiferromagnetic interactions between Co{sup 2+} ions. The zero-field cooled (ZFC) and field cooled (FC) magnetization curves branch out below 5 K and there is evidence for frequency dependent complex susceptibility along with a maximum observed around 2.5 K. The optical studies indicated that the Co{sup 2+} d-d transition is influenced by the polarity of the solvents. The cobalt nanoparticles (Co-NPs) were obtained, either directly from 1 or from its precursor. They are spherical in shape with a mean size 15 nm, have fcc crystal structure and were found to be ferromagnetic at room temperature.

  10. Simple model of inhibition of chain-branching combustion processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babushok, Valeri I.; Gubernov, Vladimir V.; Minaev, Sergei S.; Miroshnichenko, Taisia P.

    2017-11-01

    A simple kinetic model has been suggested to describe the inhibition and extinction of flame propagation in reaction systems with chain-branching reactions typical for hydrocarbon systems. The model is based on the generalised model of the combustion process with chain-branching reaction combined with the one-stage reaction describing the thermal mode of flame propagation with the addition of inhibition reaction steps. Inhibitor addition suppresses the radical overshoot in flame and leads to the change of reaction mode from the chain-branching reaction to a thermal mode of flame propagation. With the increase of inhibitor the transition of chain-branching mode of reaction to the reaction with straight-chains (non-branching chain reaction) is observed. The inhibition part of the model includes a block of three reactions to describe the influence of the inhibitor. The heat losses are incorporated into the model via Newton cooling. The flame extinction is the result of the decreased heat release of inhibited reaction processes and the suppression of radical overshoot with the further decrease of the reaction rate due to the temperature decrease and mixture dilution. A comparison of the results of modelling laminar premixed methane/air flames inhibited by potassium bicarbonate (gas phase model, detailed kinetic model) with the results obtained using the suggested simple model is presented. The calculations with the detailed kinetic model demonstrate the following modes of combustion process: (1) flame propagation with chain-branching reaction (with radical overshoot, inhibitor addition decreases the radical overshoot down to the equilibrium level); (2) saturation of chemical influence of inhibitor, and (3) transition to thermal mode of flame propagation (non-branching chain mode of reaction). The suggested simple kinetic model qualitatively reproduces the modes of flame propagation with the addition of the inhibitor observed using detailed kinetic models.

  11. An In Vitro Model for Studying Neutrophil Activation During Cardiopulmonary Bypass by Using a Polymerase Chain Reaction Thermocycler

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tang, Min; Zhao, Xiao-Gang; Gu, Y. John; Chen, Chang-Zhi

    The accurate temperature control of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) thermocycler was exploited in developing an in vitro model to study neutrophil activation during cardiopulmonary bypass. Neutrophils from 12 volunteers underwent temperature changes in a PCR thermocycler (37 degrees C for 30

  12. Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction

    OpenAIRE

    Saed, Mohand O.; Torbati, Amir H.; Nair, Devatha P.; Yakacki, Christopher M.

    2016-01-01

    This study presents a novel two-stage thiol-acrylate Michael addition-photopolymerization (TAMAP) reaction to prepare main-chain liquid-crystalline elastomers (LCEs) with facile control over network structure and programming of an aligned monodomain. Tailored LCE networks were synthesized using routine mixing of commercially available starting materials and pouring monomer solutions into molds to cure. An initial polydomain LCE network is formed via a self-limiting thiol-acrylate Michael-addi...

  13. Detection of mycoplasmas in urethral swabs from HIV-1 infected patients and control individuals using culture techniques and polymerase chain reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CUNHA Regina Ayr Florio da

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of certain mycoplasma species, i.e., Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma penetrans, in urethral swabs from HIV-1 infected patients compared to swabs from a control group. Mycoplasmas were detected by routine culture techniques and by the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR technique, using 16SrRNA generic primers of conserved region and Mycoplasma penetrans specific primers. The positivity rates obtained with the two methods were comparable. Nevertheless, PCR was more sensitive, while the culture techniques allowed the quantification of the isolates. The results showed no significant difference (p < 0.05 in positivity rates between the methods used for mycoplasma detection.

  14. Development of species-specific DNA probes for Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and Campylobacter lari by polymerase chain reaction fingerprinting

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Giesendorf, B A; van Belkum, A; Koeken, A; Stegeman, H; Henkens, M H; van der Plas, J; Goossens, H; Niesters, H G; Quint, W G

    The application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fingerprinting assays enables discrimination between species and strains of microorganisms. PCR primers aiming at arbitrary sequences in combination with primers directed against the repetitive extragenic palindrome (REP) or enterobacterial

  15. Brucella contamination in raw milk by polymerase chain reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Khalili

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Human brucellosis is a significant public health problem in many middle east countries including Iran. Brucella organisms, which are small aerobic, facultative intracellular coccobacilli, localize in the reproductive organs of host animals, causing abortions and sterility. They are shed in large numbers in the animal’s urine, milk, placental fluid, and other fluids. Dairy product from raw milk are a potential threat to public health in endemic developing countries. The gold standard for the diagnosis of brucellosis is isolation of Brucella species. However, isolation Brucella species is time consuming and needed to level 3 biocontainment facilities and highly skilled technical personnel to handle samples and live bacteria for eventual identification. Handling Brucella species increase risk of laboratory infection. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR with high sensitivity and specifity overcomed to these disadvantages. The aim of this study was to detect Brucella species in milk from dairy cattle farms in Kerman province, Iran by PCR technique. Methods: Forty and eight bulk tank milk (BTM were collected from October 2015 to March 2016 from 48 dairy cattle farm including 4200 cows. DNA of milk samples extracted by lysis buffer and proteinase K method. All milk samples were examined by PCR to detect Brucella-specific DNA targeting IS 711. Positive samples must be showed 317 bp amplified, corresponding to the expected size of the IS 711 genome region in all Brucella species. Results: Using IS711 primer were detected in 4 samples (8.3% Brucella spp. from 48 BTM samples in this area. Conclusion: The results indicate that brucellosis by Brucella species is endemic in the Kerman province dairy farms. Consumption of raw milk dairy products by individual farmers operating under poor hygienic conditions represents an high risk to public health. The need for implementing control measures and raising public awareness on zoonotic transmission of

  16. Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saed, Mohand O; Torbati, Amir H; Nair, Devatha P; Yakacki, Christopher M

    2016-01-19

    This study presents a novel two-stage thiol-acrylate Michael addition-photopolymerization (TAMAP) reaction to prepare main-chain liquid-crystalline elastomers (LCEs) with facile control over network structure and programming of an aligned monodomain. Tailored LCE networks were synthesized using routine mixing of commercially available starting materials and pouring monomer solutions into molds to cure. An initial polydomain LCE network is formed via a self-limiting thiol-acrylate Michael-addition reaction. Strain-to-failure and glass transition behavior were investigated as a function of crosslinking monomer, pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate) (PETMP). An example non-stoichiometric system of 15 mol% PETMP thiol groups and an excess of 15 mol% acrylate groups was used to demonstrate the robust nature of the material. The LCE formed an aligned and transparent monodomain when stretched, with a maximum failure strain over 600%. Stretched LCE samples were able to demonstrate both stress-driven thermal actuation when held under a constant bias stress or the shape-memory effect when stretched and unloaded. A permanently programmed monodomain was achieved via a second-stage photopolymerization reaction of the excess acrylate groups when the sample was in the stretched state. LCE samples were photo-cured and programmed at 100%, 200%, 300%, and 400% strain, with all samples demonstrating over 90% shape fixity when unloaded. The magnitude of total stress-free actuation increased from 35% to 115% with increased programming strain. Overall, the two-stage TAMAP methodology is presented as a powerful tool to prepare main-chain LCE systems and explore structure-property-performance relationships in these fascinating stimuli-sensitive materials.

  17. Investigation of Thermochemistry Associated with the Carbon–Carbon Coupling Reactions of Furan and Furfural Using ab Initio Methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Cong; Assary, Rajeev S.; Curtiss, Larry A.

    2014-06-26

    Upgrading of furan and small oxygenates obtained from the decomposition of cellulosic materials via formation of carbon-carbon bonds is critical to effective conversion of biomass to liquid transportation fuels. Simulation-driven molecular level understanding of carbon-carbon bond formation is required to design efficient catalysts and processes. Accurate quantum chemical methods are utilized here to predict the reaction energetics for conversion of furan (C4H4O) to C5-C8 ethers and the transformation of furfural (C5H6O2) to C13-C26 alkanes. Furan, can be coupled with various C1 to C4 lower molecular weight carbohydrates obtained from the pyrolysis via Diels-Alder type reactions in the gas phase to produce C5-C8 cyclic ethers. The computed reaction barriers for these reactions (~25 kcal/mol) are lower than the cellulose activation or decomposition reactions (~50 kcal/mol). Cycloaddition of C5-C8 cyclo-ethers with furans can also occur in the gas phase, and the computed activation energy is similar to that of the first Diels-Alder reaction. Furfural, obtained from biomass, can be coupled with aldehydes or ketones with α-hydrogen atoms to form longer chain aldol products and these aldol products can undergo vapor phase hydrocycloaddition (activation barrier of ~20 kcal/mol) to form the precursors of C26 cyclic hydrocarbons. These thermochemical studies provide the basis for further vapor phase catalytic studies required for upgrading of furans/furfurals to longer chain hydrocarbons.

  18. The Role of Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction in Detecting Etiological Causes of Bacterial Prostatitis Associated Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bramastha Rosadi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH has been correlated with chronic prostatitis according recent study. Chronic pelvic pain is the chief complain of BPH followed by prostatitis. The gold standard of the etiological diagnosis is urine culture, but the negativity rate is still high. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR as a diagnostic tool in search of etiological causes could identify microorganism on DNA level. This research aims to find out the role of multiplex polymerase chain reaction as diagnostic tools on prostatitis patients. Material and Method: A total of 12 samples collected during the TURP procedure in Sanglah General Hospital Denpasar – Bali from February until May 2015. All of the samples has been diagnosed prostatitis clinically and perform urine culture test. The prostate specimen taken was sent to the Pathological anatomy for histopathology diagnostic and underwent multiplex PCR for etiologic diagnostic. Result: 12 samples have been declared as prostatitis based on histopathology examination, and then were analyzed using multiplex PCR. 10 samples were positive (6 were E. coli, 2 were C. trachomatis, the rest were N. gonorrhea and P. aeruginosa. The urine culture revealed 9 positive, within the result 6 were E. coli, and the others were P. aeruginosa, M. morganii and A. haemolyticus. Conclusion: In prostatitis patient, the etiological diagnostic was important. Multiplex PCR as diagnostic tools could detect the microorganism on a negative urine culture. The combination of the urine culture test and multiplex PCR revealed a better result on etiologic diagnosis which leads to a better management of the disease. 

  19. Establishment and application of event-specific polymerase chain reaction methods for two genetically modified soybean events, A2704-12 and A5547-127.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiang; Pan, Liangwen; Li, Junyi; Zhang, Qigang; Zhang, Shuya; Lv, Rong; Yang, Litao

    2011-12-28

    For implementation of the issued regulations and labeling policies for genetically modified organism (GMO) supervision, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method has been widely used due to its high specificity and sensitivity. In particular, use of the event-specific PCR method based on the flanking sequence of transgenes has become the primary trend. In this study, both qualitative and quantitative PCR methods were established on the basis of the 5' flanking sequence of transgenic soybean A2704-12 and the 3' flanking sequence of transgenic soybean A5547-127, respectively. In qualitative PCR assays, the limits of detection (LODs) were 10 copies of haploid soybean genomic DNA for both A2704-12 and A5547-127. In quantitative real-time PCR assays, the LODs were 5 copies of haploid soybean genomic DNA for both A2704-12 and A5547-127, and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were 10 copies for both. Low bias and acceptable SD and RSD values were also achieved in quantification of four blind samples using the developed real-time PCR assays. In addition, the developed PCR assays for the two transgenic soybean events were used for routine analysis of soybean samples imported to Shanghai in a 6 month period from October 2010 to March 2011. A total of 27 lots of soybean from the United States and Argentina were analyzed: 8 lots from the Unites States were found to have the GM soybean A2704-12 event, and the GM contents were <1.5% in all eight analyzed lots. On the contrary, no GM soybean A5547-127 content was found in any of the eight lots. These results demonstrated that the established event-specific qualitative and quantitative PCR methods could be used effectively in routine identification and quantification of GM soybeans A2704-12 and A5547-127 and their derived products.

  20. An effective method for extraction and polymerase chain reaction ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The PCR amplification with the NaOH and PBS treatment had a success rate of 30 to 100% for both mitochondrial and nuclear markers. The PBS method is the best method for extraction of DNA from formalin-preserved samples of longer period (two to seven years) because of higher success rate in amplifying mitochondrial ...

  1. Detection of canine cytokine gene expression by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinelli, E; van der Kaaij, S Y; Slappendel, R; Fragio, C; Ruitenberg, E J; Bernadina, W; Rutten, V P

    1999-08-02

    Further characterization of the canine immune system will greatly benefit from the availability of tools to detect canine cytokines. Our interest concerns the study on the role of cytokines in canine visceral leishmaniasis. For this purpose, we have designed specific primers using previously published sequences for the detection of canine IL-2, IFN-gamma and IL10 mRNA by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). For IL-4, we have cloned and sequenced this cytokine gene, and developed canine-specific primers. To control for sample-to-sample variation in the quantity of mRNA and variation in the RT and PCR reactions, the mRNA levels of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH), a housekeeping gene, were determined in parallel. Primers to amplify G3PDH were designed from consensus sequences obtained from the Genbank database. The mRNA levels of the cytokines mentioned here were detected from ConA-stimulated peripheral mononuclear cells derived from Leishmania-infected dogs. A different pattern of cytokine production among infected animals was found.

  2. Immunohistochemistry and Polymerase Chain Reaction for Detection Human Papilloma Virus in Warts: A Comparative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hong Sun; Lee, Ji Hyun; Choo, Ji Yoon; Byun, Hee Jin; Jun, Jin Hyun

    2016-01-01

    Background Immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are the most widely used methods for the detection of viruses. PCR is known to be a more sensitive and specific method than the immunohistochemical method at this time, but PCR has the disadvantages of high cost and skilled work to use widely. With the progress of technology, the immunohistochemical methods used in these days has come to be highly sensitive and actively used in the diagnostic fields. Objective To evaluate and compare the usefulness of immunohistochemistry and PCR for detection human papilloma virus (HPV) in wart lesions. Methods Nine biopsy samples of verruca vulgaris and 10 of condyloma accuminatum were examined. Immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal antibody to HPV L1 capsid protein and PCR were done for the samples. DNA sequencing of the PCR products and HPV genotyping were also done. Results HPV detection rate was 78.9% (88.9% in verruca vulgaris, 70.0% in condyloma accuminatum) on immunohistochemistry and 100.0% for PCR. HPV-6 genotype showed a lower positivity rate on immunohistochemistry (50.0%) as compared to that of the other HPV genotypes. Conclusion Immunohistochemistry for HPV L1 capsid protein showed comparable sensitivity for detection HPV. Considering the high cost and great effort needed for the PCR methods, we can use immunohistochemistry for HPV L1 capsid protein with the advantage of lower cost and simple methods for HPV detection. PMID:27489431

  3. New methods in nuclear reaction theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Redish, E.F.

    1979-01-01

    Standard nuclear reaction methods are limited to treating problems that generalize two-body scattering. These are problems with only one continuous (vector) degree of freedom (CDOF). The difficulty in extending these methods to cases with two or more CDOFs is not just the additional numerical complexity: the mathematical problem is usually not well-posed. It is hard to guarantee that the proper boundary conditions (BCs) are satisfied. Since this is not generally known, the discussion is begun by considering the physics of this problem in the context of coupled-channel calculations. In practice, the difficulties are usually swept under the rug by the use of a highly developed phenomenology (or worse, by the failure to test a calculation for convergence). This approach limits the kind of reactions that can be handled to ones occurring on the surface of where a second CDOF can be treated perturbatively. In the past twenty years, the work of Faddeev, the quantum three-body problem has been solved. Many techniques (and codes) are now available for solving problems with two CDOFs. A method for using these techniques in the nuclear N-body problem is presented. A set of well-posed (connected kernal) equations for physical scattering operators is taken. Then it is shown how approximation schemes can be developed for a wide range of reaction mechanisms. The resulting general framework for a reaction theory can be applied to a number of nuclear problems. One result is a rigorous treatment of multistep transfer reactions with the possibility of systematically generating corrections. The application of the method to resonance reactions and knock-out is discussed. 12 figures

  4. A comprehensive collection of experimentally validated primers for Polymerase Chain Reaction quantitation of murine transcript abundance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Xiaowei

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR is a widely applied analytical method for the accurate determination of transcript abundance. Primers for QPCR have been designed on a genomic scale but non-specific amplification of non-target genes has frequently been a problem. Although several online databases have been created for the storage and retrieval of experimentally validated primers, only a few thousand primer pairs are currently present in existing databases and the primers are not designed for use under a common PCR thermal profile. Results We previously reported the implementation of an algorithm to predict PCR primers for most known human and mouse genes. We now report the use of that resource to identify 17483 pairs of primers that have been experimentally verified to amplify unique sequences corresponding to distinct murine transcripts. The primer pairs have been validated by gel electrophoresis, DNA sequence analysis and thermal denaturation profile. In addition to the validation studies, we have determined the uniformity of amplification using the primers and the technical reproducibility of the QPCR reaction using the popular and inexpensive SYBR Green I detection method. Conclusion We have identified an experimentally validated collection of murine primer pairs for PCR and QPCR which can be used under a common PCR thermal profile, allowing the evaluation of transcript abundance of a large number of genes in parallel. This feature is increasingly attractive for confirming and/or making more precise data trends observed from experiments performed with DNA microarrays.

  5. Gynecological manifestations, histopathological findings, and schistosoma-specific polymerase chain reaction results among women with Schistosoma haematobium infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Randrianasolo, Bodo Sahondra; Jourdan, Peter Mark; Ravoniarimbinina, Pascaline

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The pathophysiology of female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) is only partially understood. This study aims to describe the histopathological findings, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results, and gynecological manifestations of FGS in women with different intensities of Schistosoma hae...

  6. Wang-Landau Reaction Ensemble Method: Simulation of Weak Polyelectrolytes and General Acid-Base Reactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landsgesell, Jonas; Holm, Christian; Smiatek, Jens

    2017-02-14

    We present a novel method for the study of weak polyelectrolytes and general acid-base reactions in molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations. The approach combines the advantages of the reaction ensemble and the Wang-Landau sampling method. Deprotonation and protonation reactions are simulated explicitly with the help of the reaction ensemble method, while the accurate sampling of the corresponding phase space is achieved by the Wang-Landau approach. The combination of both techniques provides a sufficient statistical accuracy such that meaningful estimates for the density of states and the partition sum can be obtained. With regard to these estimates, several thermodynamic observables like the heat capacity or reaction free energies can be calculated. We demonstrate that the computation times for the calculation of titration curves with a high statistical accuracy can be significantly decreased when compared to the original reaction ensemble method. The applicability of our approach is validated by the study of weak polyelectrolytes and their thermodynamic properties.

  7. Accuracy of real-time polymerase chain reaction for Toxoplasma gondii in amniotic fluid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallon, Martine; Franck, Jacqueline; Thulliez, Philippe; Huissoud, Cyril; Peyron, François; Garcia-Meric, Patricia; Kieffer, François

    2010-04-01

    To provide clinicians with information about the accuracy of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of amniotic fluid for the prenatal diagnosis of congenital Toxoplasma infection. This was a prospective cohort study of women with Toxoplasma infection identified by prenatal screening in three centers routinely carrying out real-time PCR for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii in amniotic fluid. The data available were gestational age at maternal infection, types and dates of maternal treatment, results of amniocentesis and neonatal work-up and definitive infectious status of the child. We estimated sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values both overall and per trimester of pregnancy at the time of maternal infection. Polymerase chain reaction analysis was carried out on amniotic fluid for 261 of the 377 patients included (69%). It was accurate with the exception of four negative results in children who were infected. Overall sensitivity and negative predictive value were 92.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 81-98%) and 98.1% (95% CI 95-99.5%), respectively. There was no significant association with the trimester of pregnancy during which maternal infection occurred. Specificity and positive predictive values of 100% were obtained for all trimesters. Real-time PCR analysis significantly improves the detection of T. gondii on amniotic fluid. It provides an accurate tool to predict fetal infection and to decide on appropriate treatment and surveillance. However, postnatal follow-up remains necessary in the first year of life to fully exclude infection in children for whom PCR results were negative. III.

  8. Multi-template polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalle, Elena; Kubista, Mikael; Rensing, Christopher

    2014-12-01

    PCR is a formidable and potent technology that serves as an indispensable tool in a wide range of biological disciplines. However, due to the ease of use and often lack of rigorous standards many PCR applications can lead to highly variable, inaccurate, and ultimately meaningless results. Thus, rigorous method validation must precede its broad adoption to any new application. Multi-template samples possess particular features, which make their PCR analysis prone to artifacts and biases: multiple homologous templates present in copy numbers that vary within several orders of magnitude. Such conditions are a breeding ground for chimeras and heteroduplexes. Differences in template amplification efficiencies and template competition for reaction compounds undermine correct preservation of the original template ratio. In addition, the presence of inhibitors aggravates all of the above-mentioned problems. Inhibitors might also have ambivalent effects on the different templates within the same sample. Yet, no standard approaches exist for monitoring inhibitory effects in multitemplate PCR, which is crucial for establishing compatibility between samples.

  9. Trends and advances in food analysis by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salihah, Nur Thaqifah; Hossain, Mohammad Mosharraf; Lubis, Hamadah; Ahmed, Minhaz Uddin

    2016-05-01

    Analyses to ensure food safety and quality are more relevant now because of rapid changes in the quantity, diversity and mobility of food. Food-contamination must be determined to maintain health and up-hold laws, as well as for ethical and cultural concerns. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), a rapid and inexpensive quantitative method to detect the presence of targeted DNA-segments in samples, helps in determining both accidental and intentional adulterations of foods by biological contaminants. This review presents recent developments in theory, techniques, and applications of RT-PCR in food analyses, RT-PCR addresses the limitations of traditional food analyses in terms of sensitivity, range of analytes, multiplexing ability, cost, time, and point-of-care applications. A range of targets, including species of plants or animals which are used as food ingredients, food-borne bacteria or viruses, genetically modified organisms, and allergens, even in highly processed foods can be identified by RT-PCR, even at very low concentrations. Microfluidic RT-PCR eliminates the separate sample-processing step to create opportunities for point-of-care analyses. We also cover the challenges related to using RT-PCR for food analyses, such as the need to further improve sample handling.

  10. Prevalence, and virulence determination of Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from clinical and non-clinical samples by multiplex polymerase chain reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abazar Pournajaf

    Full Text Available Abstract INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine the prevalence, and virulence factors of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from various samples by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (MPCR. METHODS: A total of 617 isolates were obtained and MPCR was employed for detection of the inlA, inlC, and inlJ genes. RESULTS: L. monocytogenes was detected in 46 (7.45% of the 617 specimens. inlA, inlC, and inlJ were detected in 100%, 76.26%, and 71% isolates, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study validated MPCR in the analysis and rapid detection of L. monocytogenes. The role of the genes in pathogenesis of the strains can also be affirmed.

  11. CD2 probe infrared method for determining polymethylene chain conformation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maroncelli, M.; Strauss, H.L.; Snyder, R.G.

    1985-01-01

    The rocking mode frequency of a CD 2 group substituted in a polymethylene chain is sensitive to conformation in the immediate vicinity of the CD 2 group. This sensitivity forms the basis of a commonly used infrared method for determining site-specific conformation in polymethylene systems. In the present work, the CD 2 probe method has been extended and quantified with the use of infrared data on model CD 2 -substituted n-alkanes. The frequency of the CD 2 rocking band is determined primarily by the conformation of adjoining CC bonds, i.e., by tt, gt, and gg pairs. However, we have found that there are significant frequency shifts associated with other factors. These include the conformation of the next nearest CC bonds, both with the CD 2 positioned at the end and in the interior of the chain, and chain length. In addition, the ratio of the absorptivities of the tt to gt bands has been established. These results enable the method to provide new details about the conformation of the chains in polymethylene systems and reliable estimates of the concentrations of specific kinds of short conformational sequences. 14 references, 6 figures, 2 tables

  12. Comparison of hybrid capture and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction methods in terms of diagnosing human cytomegalovirus infection in patients following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Orsal, Arif S.; Ozsan, M.; Dolapci, I.; Tekeli, A.; Becksac, M.

    2006-01-01

    Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a life threatening cause of infection among hematopoietic stem cell recipients. Developing reliable methods in detecting the CMV infection is important to identify the patients at risk of CMV infection and disease. The aim of this study was to compare the 2 tests- hybrid capture test, which is routinely used in the diagnosis of CMV infection among hematopoietic stem cell recipients, and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detecting UL21.5 mRNA transcripts of the active virus. In this prospective study, a total of 178 blood samples obtained 35 patients following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at the Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit of the Hematology Department, Ibn-i-Sina Hospital of Ankara University School of Medicine, Turkey between January 2003 and September 2003 were analyzed. Hybrid capture and RT-PCR using UL21.5 gene transcript method to investigate HCMV in blood samples were performed at the department of Microbiology and Clinic Microbiology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Turkey. When Hybrid capture test was accepted as the golden standard, the sensitivity of Rt-PCR was 3%, specificity 100%, false negativity 67%, false positivity 0%, positive predictive value 100%, negative predictive value 74%, and accuracy was 77%. Improving this test by quantification, and application of additional gene transcripts, primarily the late gene transcripts can help increase the sensitivity and feasibility. (author)

  13. Critical analysis: use of polymerase chain reaction to diagnose leprosy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flaviane Granero Maltempe

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Leprosy is a neglected tropical disease and an important public health problem, especially in developing countries. It is a chronic infectious disease that is caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which has a predilection for the skin and peripheral nerves. Although it has low sensitivity, slit-skin smear (SSS remains the conventional auxiliary laboratory technique for the clinical diagnosis of leprosy. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR is a molecular biology technique that holds promise as a simple and sensitive diagnostic tool. In the present study, the performance of two PCR methods, using different targets, PCR-LP and PCR-P, were compared with SSS with regard to leprosy diagnosis in a reference laboratory. M. leprae DNA was extracted from 106 lymph samples of 40 patients who had clinical suspicion of leprosy. The samples were subjected to both PCR techniques and SSS. Amplification of the human b-globin gene was used as PCR inhibitor control. The specificity of both PCR techniques was 100%, and sensitivity was 0.007 and 0.015 µg/ml for PCR-LP and PCR-P, respectively. No significant difference was found between either the PCR-LP or PCR-P results and SSS results (p > 0.05. Although PCR is not yet a replacement for SSS in the diagnosis of leprosy, this technique may be used as an efficient auxiliary tool for early detection of the disease, especially in endemic regions. This strategy may also be useful in cases in which SSS results are negative (e.g., in paucibacillary patients and cases in which skin biopsy cannot be performed.

  14. An Improved Supplier Driven Packaging Design and Development Method for Supply Chain Efficiency

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sohrabpour, Vahid; Oghazi, Pejvak; Olsson, Annika

    2016-01-01

    and satisfaction in interaction with the product and packaging system. It also proposes a supply chain focused packaging design and development method to better satisfy supply chain needs placed on packaging. An extensive literature review was conducted, and a Tetra Pak derived case study was developed......Packaging and the role it plays in supply chain efficiency are overlooked in most design and development research. An opportunity exists to meet the needs of supply chains to increase efficiency. This research presents three propositions on how to reduce the gap between supply chain needs....... The propositions were formulated and became the basis for improving Tetra Pak's existing packaging design and development method by better integrating supply chain needs. This was accomplished by using an expanded operational life cycle perspective that includes the entire supply chain. The resulting supply chain...

  15. Two-step bacterial broad-range polymerase chain reaction analysis of heart valve tissue improves bacteriological diagnosis of infective endocarditis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boussier, Rémi; Rogez, Sylvie; François, Bruno; Denes, Eric; Ploy, Marie-Cécile; Garnier, Fabien

    2013-03-01

    Positive heart valve (HV) culture is a major Duke's criterion for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis but is poorly sensitive. Two broad-range 16S rDNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods were applied to 31 HV samples: first, a real-time method, then conventional end-point PCR was applied to HV samples on which the first PCR was negative. Five specific real-time PCR procedures were also used in order to identify Bartonella spp., Tropheryma whipplei, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumonia, and Coxiella burnetii. A strategy combining the 2-step broad-range PCR methods improved the sensitivity of the molecular method from 38.7% to 58%. Specific PCR identified 1 T. whipplei, which was also identified by conventional end-point PCR. These results confirm that blood culture is the gold standard for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis, shows that molecular methods applied to HV can be useful when blood culture is negative, and that 2-step broad-range PCR approach seems to be more sensitive. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Relative efficiency of polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay in determination of viral etiology in congenital cataract in infants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shyamala G

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Perinatal viral infections of fetus are among the leading causes of congenital cataract and identifying the viral etiology is important. Objectives: To detect the presence of Rubella virus (RV, herpes simplex virus (HSV and cytomegalovirus (CMV in lens aspirate specimens obtained from patients with congenital cataract and relate the results with serology. Setting and Design: Prospective study carried out in tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: Fifty lens aspirates from 50 infants with congenital cataract were subjected to HSV, RV isolation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR for detection of HSV and CMV. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR was applied for RV detection. Peripheral blood specimens were screened for anti-HSV, RV and CMV antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA. Results: Rubella virus was detected in nine (18% lens aspirates, by nRT-PCR which includes six positive by culture. HSV-2 DNA was detected in nine other lens aspirates, while CMV was not detected by PCR. Serological results did not correlate with the presence of viruses in the lens aspirates. This is the first report of detection of HSV-2 DNA in cases of congenital cataract. Conclusions: Cytomegalovirus may not be playing a significant role in causation of congenital cataract. The role of serology in identifying causative viral infection for congenital cataract needs to be re-evaluated.

  17. Access to a polymerase chain reaction assay method targeting 13 respiratory viruses can reduce antibiotics: a randomised, controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lindh Magnus

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Viral respiratory infections are common worldwide and range from completely benign disease to life-threatening illness. Symptoms can be unspecific, and an etiologic diagnosis is rarely established because of a lack of suitable diagnostic tools. Improper use of antibiotics is common in this setting, which is detrimental in light of the development of bacterial resistance. It has been suggested that the use of diagnostic tests could reduce antibiotic prescription rates. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether access to a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR assay panel for etiologic diagnosis of acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs would have an impact on antibiotic prescription rate in primary care clinical settings. Methods Adult patients with symptoms of ARTI were prospectively included. Nasopharyngeal and throat swabs were analysed by using a multiplex real-time PCR method targeting thirteen viruses and two bacteria. Patients were recruited at 12 outpatient units from October 2006 through April 2009, and samples were collected on the day of inclusion (initial visit and after 10 days (follow-up visit. Patients were randomised in an open-label treatment protocol to receive a rapid or delayed result (on the following day or after eight to twelve days. The primary outcome measure was the antibiotic prescription rate at the initial visit, and the secondary outcome was the total antibiotic prescription rate during the study period. Results A total sample of 447 patients was randomised. Forty-one were excluded, leaving 406 patients for analysis. In the group of patients randomised for a rapid result, 4.5% (9 of 202 of patients received antibiotics at the initial visit, compared to 12.3% (25 of 204 (P = 0.005 of patients in the delayed result group. At follow-up, there was no significant difference between the groups: 13.9% (28 of 202 in the rapid result group and 17.2% (35 of 204 in the delayed result group (P

  18. Typing of Poultry Influenza Virus (H5 and H7 by Reverse Transcription- Polymerase Chain Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cesare Bonacina

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The ability of the influenza Orthomixovirus to undergo to continually antigenically changes that can affect its pathogenicity and its diffusion, explains the growing seriousness of this disease and the recent epizoozies in various parts of the world. There have been 15 HA and 9 NA type A sub-types of the influenza virus identified all of which are present in birds. Until now the very virulent avian influenza viruses identified were all included to the H5 and H7 sub-types. We here show that is possible to identify the H5 and H7 sub-types with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR by using a set of specific primers for each HA sub-type. The RT-PCR is a quick and sensitive method of identifying the HA sub-types of the influenza virus directly from homogenised organs.

  19. Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Compared to Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Test for the Detection of Fasciola hepatica in Human Stool

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabada, Miguel M.; Malaga, Jose L.; Castellanos-Gonzalez, Alejandro; Bagwell, Kelli A.; Naeger, Patrick A.; Rogers, Hayley K.; Maharsi, Safa; Mbaka, Maryann; White, A. Clinton

    2017-01-01

    Fasciola hepatica is the most widely distributed trematode infection in the world. Control efforts may be hindered by the lack of diagnostic capacity especially in remote endemic areas. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–based methods offer high sensitivity and specificity but require expensive technology. However, the recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is an efficient isothermal method that eliminates the need for a thermal cycler and has a high deployment potential to resource-limited settings. We report on the characterization of RPA and PCR tests to detect Fasciola infection in clinical stool samples with low egg burdens. The sensitivity of the RPA and PCR were 87% and 66%, respectively. Both tests were 100% specific showing no cross-reactivity with trematode, cestode, or nematode parasites. In addition, RPA and PCR were able to detect 47% and 26% of infections not detected by microscopy, respectively. The RPA adapted to a lateral flow platform was more sensitive than gel-based detection of the reaction products. In conclusion, the Fasciola RPA is a highly sensitive and specific test to diagnose chronic infection using stool samples. The Fasciola RPA lateral flow has the potential for deployment to endemic areas after further characterization. PMID:27821691

  20. The spectral method and ergodic theorems for general Markov chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagaev, S V

    2015-01-01

    We study the ergodic properties of Markov chains with an arbitrary state space and prove a geometric ergodic theorem. The method of the proof is new: it may be described as an operator method. Our main result is an ergodic theorem for Harris-Markov chains in the case when the return time to some fixed set has finite expectation. Our conditions for the transition function are more general than those used by Athreya-Ney and Nummelin. Unlike them, we impose restrictions not on the original transition function but on the transition function of an embedded Markov chain constructed from the return times to the fixed set mentioned above. The proof uses the spectral theory of linear operators on a Banach space

  1. Sensitive and specific identification by polymerase chain reaction of Eimeria tenella and Eimeria maxima, important protozoan pathogens in laboratory avian facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyun-A; Hong, Sunhwa; Chung, Yungho; Kim, Okjin

    2011-09-01

    Eimeria tenella and Eimeria maxima are important pathogens causing intracellular protozoa infections in laboratory avian animals and are known to affect experimental results obtained from contaminated animals. This study aimed to find a fast, sensitive, and efficient protocol for the molecular identification of E. tenella and E. maxima in experimental samples using chickens as laboratory avian animals. DNA was extracted from fecal samples collected from chickens and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was employed to detect E. tenella and E. maxima from the extracted DNA. The target nucleic acid fragments were specifically amplified by PCR. Feces secreting E. tenella and E. maxima were detected by a positive PCR reaction. In this study, we were able to successfully detect E. tenella and E. maxima using the molecular diagnostic method of PCR. As such, we recommended PCR for monitoring E. tenella and E. maxima in laboratory avian facilities.

  2. Enhancing the efficiency of polymerase chain reaction using graphene nanoflakes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdul Khaliq, R; Kafafy, Raed; Salleh, Hamzah Mohd; Faris, Waleed Fekry

    2012-11-16

    The effect of the recently developed graphene nanoflakes (GNFs) on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been investigated in this paper. The rationale behind the use of GNFs is their unique physical and thermal properties. Experiments show that GNFs can enhance the thermal conductivity of base fluids and results also revealed that GNFs are a potential enhancer of PCR efficiency; moreover, the PCR enhancements are strongly dependent on GNF concentration. It was found that GNFs yield DNA product equivalent to positive control with up to 65% reduction in the PCR cycles. It was also observed that the PCR yield is dependent on the GNF size, wherein the surface area increases and augments thermal conductivity. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed to analyze the heat transfer through the PCR tube model in the presence and absence of GNFs. The results suggest that the superior thermal conductivity effect of GNFs may be the main cause of the PCR enhancement.

  3. Evidence of simian retrovirus type D by polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwa, Christian Z R; Tsai, Sheung Pun; Yee, JoAnn L; Van Rompay, Koen K; Roberts, Jeffrey A

    2017-06-01

    Over the past few years, there have been reports of finding Simian retrovirus type D (SRV) in macaque colonies where some animals were characterized as antibody positive but virus negative raising questions about how SRV was transmitted or whether there is a variant strain detected by antibody but not polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in current use. We developed a three-round nested PCR assay using degenerate primers targeting the pol gene to detect for SRV serotypes 1-5 and applied this newly validated PCR assay to test macaque DNA samples collected in China from 2010 to 2015. Using the nested PCR assay validated in this study, we found 0.15% of the samples archived on FTA ® cards were positive. The source of SRV infection identified within domestic colonies might have originated from imported macaques. The multiplex nested PCR assay developed here may supplement the current assays for SRV. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. A robustification of the chain-ladder method

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verdonck, T.; van Wouwe, M.; Dhaene, J.

    2009-01-01

    In a non-life insurance business an insurer often needs to build up a reserve to able to meet his or her future obligations arising from incurred but not reported completely claims. To forecast these claims reserves, a simple but generally accepted algorithm is the classical chain-ladder method.

  5. MOLECULAR TYPING OF STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE BY THE MULTIPLEX POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION ASSAY IN ACCORDANCE TO THE PREVALENCE OF SEROTYPES IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. M. Alyab'eva

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: to compare two methods of S. pneumoniae molecular typing: classic serological method and the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (M-PCR assay modified in accordance to the date on the serotypes circulating in Russian Federation. Patients and methods: 420 pneumococcal isolates mainly from non-sterile loci were analyzed. After microbiological identification pneumococci were serologically typed with the means of specific antiserum produced by Staten Serum Institute (Denmark in latex agglutination test and/or capsular swelling method. At the same time we performed series of the M-PCR, which consisted of 7 consecutive reactions at the most. Results: serotype was identified by the means of serological method in all 420 strains of S. pneumoniae; in total we determined 24 different serotypes. By the means of the M-PCR we succeeded in identification of 95% (399/420 examined strains, and 90% of them were typed during the first 3 reactions. All isolates failed to be typed by M-PCR (n =21 have serotypes not included into the composition of the M-PCR. The results of serological and molecular typing were identical in 99,2% (396/399 of the isolates; 3 strains showed contradictory results: serotype 19A was found on serological assay and serotype 19F — on PCR assay. Conclusions: the introduced modification of M-PCR allows correct identification of pneumococcal serotype more than in 90% of strains circulating in the Russian Federation, including all serotypes of pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine.

  6. Computational intelligence-based polymerase chain reaction primer selection based on a novel teaching-learning-based optimisation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Yu-Huei

    2014-12-01

    Specific primers play an important role in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments, and therefore it is essential to find specific primers of outstanding quality. Unfortunately, many PCR constraints must be simultaneously inspected which makes specific primer selection difficult and time-consuming. This paper introduces a novel computational intelligence-based method, Teaching-Learning-Based Optimisation, to select the specific and feasible primers. The specified PCR product lengths of 150-300 bp and 500-800 bp with three melting temperature formulae of Wallace's formula, Bolton and McCarthy's formula and SantaLucia's formula were performed. The authors calculate optimal frequency to estimate the quality of primer selection based on a total of 500 runs for 50 random nucleotide sequences of 'Homo species' retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The method was then fairly compared with the genetic algorithm (GA) and memetic algorithm (MA) for primer selection in the literature. The results show that the method easily found suitable primers corresponding with the setting primer constraints and had preferable performance than the GA and the MA. Furthermore, the method was also compared with the common method Primer3 according to their method type, primers presentation, parameters setting, speed and memory usage. In conclusion, it is an interesting primer selection method and a valuable tool for automatic high-throughput analysis. In the future, the usage of the primers in the wet lab needs to be validated carefully to increase the reliability of the method.

  7. Quantitative Methods in Supply Chain Management Models and Algorithms

    CERN Document Server

    Christou, Ioannis T

    2012-01-01

    Quantitative Methods in Supply Chain Management presents some of the most important methods and tools available for modeling and solving problems arising in the context of supply chain management. In the context of this book, “solving problems” usually means designing efficient algorithms for obtaining high-quality solutions. The first chapter is an extensive optimization review covering continuous unconstrained and constrained linear and nonlinear optimization algorithms, as well as dynamic programming and discrete optimization exact methods and heuristics. The second chapter presents time-series forecasting methods together with prediction market techniques for demand forecasting of new products and services. The third chapter details models and algorithms for planning and scheduling with an emphasis on production planning and personnel scheduling. The fourth chapter presents deterministic and stochastic models for inventory control with a detailed analysis on periodic review systems and algorithmic dev...

  8. Kinematical coincidence method in transfer reactions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Acosta, L.; Amorini, F. [INFN—Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia, Catania (Italy); Auditore, L. [INFN Gruppo Collegato di Messina and Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Messina (Italy); Berceanu, I. [Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Bucharest (Romania); Cardella, G., E-mail: cardella@ct.infn.it [INFN—Sezione di Catania, Via S. Sofia, 95123 Catania (Italy); Chatterjiee, M.B. [Saha Institute for Nuclear Physics, Kolkata (India); De Filippo, E. [INFN—Sezione di Catania, Via S. Sofia, 95123 Catania (Italy); Francalanza, L.; Gianì, R. [INFN—Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia, Catania (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Catania, Via S. Sofia, Catania (Italy); Grassi, L. [INFN—Sezione di Catania, Via S. Sofia, 95123 Catania (Italy); Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb (Croatia); Grzeszczuk, A. [Institut of Physics, University of Silesia, Katowice (Poland); La Guidara, E. [INFN—Sezione di Catania, Via S. Sofia, 95123 Catania (Italy); Centro Siciliano di Fisica Nucleare e Struttura della Materia, Catania (Italy); Lanzalone, G. [INFN—Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia, Catania (Italy); Facoltà di Ingegneria e Architettura, Università Kore, Enna (Italy); Lombardo, I. [INFN—Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia, Catania (Italy); Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, Università Federico II and INFN Sezione di Napoli (Italy); Loria, D.; Minniti, T. [INFN Gruppo Collegato di Messina and Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Messina (Italy); Pagano, E.V. [INFN—Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia, Catania (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Catania, Via S. Sofia, Catania (Italy); and others

    2013-07-01

    A new method to extract high resolution angular distributions from kinematical coincidence measurements in binary reactions is presented. Kinematics is used to extract the center of mass angular distribution from the measured energy spectrum of light particles. Results obtained in the case of {sup 10}Be+p→{sup 9}Be+d reaction measured with the CHIMERA detector are shown. An angular resolution of few degrees in the center of mass is obtained. The range of applicability of the method is discussed.

  9. Peptostreptococcus micros in primary endodontic infections as detected by 16S rDNA-based polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siqueira, José F; Rôças, Isabela N; Andrade, Arnaldo F B; de Uzeda, Milton

    2003-02-01

    A 16S rDNA-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used to detect Peptostreptococcus micros in primary root canal infections. Samples were collected from 50 teeth having carious lesions, necrotic pulps, and different forms of periradicular diseases. DNA extracted from the samples was amplified using the PCR assay, which yielded a specific fragment of P. micros 16S rDNA. P. micros was detected in 6 of 22 root canals associated with asymptomatic chronic periradicular lesions (27.3%), 2 of 8 teeth with acute apical periodontitis (25%), and 6 of 20 cases of acute periradicular abscess (30%). In general, P. micros was found in 14 of 50 cases (28%). There was no correlation between the presence of P. micros and the occurrence of symptoms. Findings suggested that P. micros can be involved in the pathogenesis of different forms of periradicular lesions.

  10. Detection and differentiation of wild-type and vaccine strains of canine distemper virus by a duplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, X Y; Li, W H; Zhu, J L; Liu, W J; Zhao, M Q; Luo, Y W; Chen, J D

    2015-01-01

    Canine distemper virus (CDV) is the cause of canine distemper (CD) which is a severe and highly contagious disease in dogs. In the present study, a duplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method was developed for the detection and differentiation of wild-type and vaccine strains of CDV. Four primers were designed to detect and discriminate the two viruses by generating 638- and 781-bp cDNA products, respectively. Furthermore, the duplex RT-PCR method was used to detect 67 field samples suspected of CD from Guangdong province in China. Results showed that, 33 samples were to be wild-type-like. The duplex RT-PCR method exhibited high specificity and sensitivity which could be used to effectively detect and differentiate wild-type and vaccine CDV, indicating its use for clinical detection and epidemiological surveillance.

  11. Optimisation of high-quality total ribonucleic acid isolation from cartilaginous tissues for real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peeters, M; Huang, C L; Vonk, L A; Lu, Z F; Bank, R A; Helder, M N; Doulabi, B Zandieh

    2016-11-01

    Studies which consider the molecular mechanisms of degeneration and regeneration of cartilaginous tissues are seriously hampered by problematic ribonucleic acid (RNA) isolations due to low cell density and the dense, proteoglycan-rich extracellular matrix of cartilage. Proteoglycans tend to co-purify with RNA, they can absorb the full spectrum of UV light and they are potent inhibitors of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Therefore, the objective of the present study is to compare and optimise different homogenisation methods and RNA isolation kits for an array of cartilaginous tissues. Tissue samples such as the nucleus pulposus (NP), annulus fibrosus (AF), articular cartilage (AC) and meniscus, were collected from goats and homogenised by either the MagNA Lyser or Freezer Mill. RNA of duplicate samples was subsequently isolated by either TRIzol (benchmark), or the RNeasy Lipid Tissue, RNeasy Fibrous Tissue, or Aurum Total RNA Fatty and Fibrous Tissue kits. RNA yield, purity, and integrity were determined and gene expression levels of type II collagen and aggrecan were measured by real-time PCR. No differences between the two homogenisation methods were found. RNA isolation using the RNeasy Fibrous and Lipid kits resulted in the purest RNA (A260/A280 ratio), whereas TRIzol isolations resulted in RNA that is not as pure, and show a larger difference in gene expression of duplicate samples compared with both RNeasy kits. The Aurum kit showed low reproducibility. For the extraction of high-quality RNA from cartilaginous structures, we suggest homogenisation of the samples by the MagNA Lyser. For AC, NP and AF we recommend the RNeasy Fibrous kit, whereas for the meniscus the RNeasy Lipid kit is advised.Cite this article: M. Peeters, C. L. Huang, L. A. Vonk, Z. F. Lu, R. A. Bank, M. N. Helder, B. Zandieh Doulabi. Optimisation of high-quality total ribonucleic acid isolation from cartilaginous tissues for real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. Bone Joint Res 2016

  12. Whole Blood Polymerase Chain Reaction in a Neonate with Disseminated Herpes Simplex Virus Infection and Liver Failure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer A. Scoble

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available A late preterm neonate born by cesarean section with intact membranes presented at 9 days of life with shock and liver failure. Surface cultures were negative but whole blood polymerase chain reaction was positive for herpes simplex virus type 2, underscoring the value of this test in early diagnosis of perinatally acquired disseminated herpes simplex virus infection without skin lesions.

  13. Determination of locust bean gum and guar gum by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, K; Rosa, C; Hischenhuber, C; Meyer, R

    2001-01-01

    A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed to differentiate the thickening agents locust bean gum (LBG) and the cheaper guar gum in finished food products. Universal primers for amplification of the intergenic spacer region between trnL 3' (UAA) exon and trnF (GAA) gene in the chloroplast (cp) genome and subsequent restriction analysis were applied to differentiate guar gum and LBG. The presence of guar gum powder added to LBG powder was detectable. Based on data obtained from sequencing this intergenic spacer region, a second PCR method for the specific detection of guar gum DNA was also developed. This assay detected guar gum powder in LBG in amounts as low as 1% (w/w). Both methods successfully detected guar gum and/or LBG in ice cream stabilizers and in foodstuffs, such as dairy products, ice cream, dry seasoning mixes, a finished roasting sauce, and a fruit jelly product, but not in products with highly degraded DNA, such as tomato ketchup and sterilized chocolate cream. Both methods detected guar gum and LBG in ice cream and fresh cheese at levels <0.1%.

  14. Diagnostic value of polymerase chain reaction analysis of skin biopsies in purpura fulminans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beau, Caroline; Vlassova, Natalia; Sarlangue, Jean; Brissaud, Olivier; Léauté-Labrèze, Christine; Boralevi, Franck

    2013-01-01

    Even though prompt diagnosis and treatment of purpura fulminans (PF) is essential to reduce mortality, early administration of antibiotics may preclude identification of the causative agent by standard bacterial cultures and thus render definitive diagnosis impossible. Here we present a case of an infant with PF and negative bacterial cultures for whom polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of a cutaneous biopsy specimen obtained 4 days after initiation of antibiotics identified the genomic sequence of Neisseria meningitidis genogroup C. When bacterial cultures fail to provide useful information, PCR of skin biopsy specimens can be a valuable diagnostic tool in PF. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Designing a time-effective TaqMan probe-based real-time polymerase chain reaction protocol for the identification of Yersinia enterocolitica in raw pork meat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milena Alicja Stachelska

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to design a time-effective method comprising a short pre-enrichment step in a non-selective broth in combination with the TaqMan probe applied in the real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect Yersinia enterocolitica strains in raw pork meat. The method enabled to detect 1 colony forming unit per 25 mg of Yersinia enterocolitica in pork meat. The specificity and reliability of the method was not diminished by the company of microflora naturally present in meat. The method was found successful to detect pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica strains in pork meat. It is advised to be used for assessing the microbial risk and for controlling the microbial quality of meat and meat products.

  16. Multi-template polymerase chain reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Kalle

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available PCR is a formidable and potent technology that serves as an indispensable tool in a wide range of biological disciplines. However, due to the ease of use and often lack of rigorous standards many PCR applications can lead to highly variable, inaccurate, and ultimately meaningless results. Thus, rigorous method validation must precede its broad adoption to any new application. Multi-template samples possess particular features, which make their PCR analysis prone to artifacts and biases: multiple homologous templates present in copy numbers that vary within several orders of magnitude. Such conditions are a breeding ground for chimeras and heteroduplexes. Differences in template amplification efficiencies and template competition for reaction compounds undermine correct preservation of the original template ratio. In addition, the presence of inhibitors aggravates all of the above-mentioned problems. Inhibitors might also have ambivalent effects on the different templates within the same sample. Yet, no standard approaches exist for monitoring inhibitory effects in multitemplate PCR, which is crucial for establishing compatibility between samples.

  17. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay for the differential detection of trichothecene- and fumonisin-producing species of Fusarium in cornmeal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bluhm, B H; Flaherty, J E; Cousin, M A; Woloshuk, C P

    2002-12-01

    The genus Fusarium comprises a diverse group of fungi including several species that produce mycotoxins in food commodities. In this study, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for the group-specific detection of fumonisin-producing and trichothecene-producing species of Fusarium. Primers for genus-level recognition of Fusarium spp. were designed from the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) of rDNA. Primers for group-specific detection were designed from the TRI6 gene involved in trichothecene biosynthesis and the FUM5 gene involved in fumonisin biosynthesis. Primer specificity was determined by testing for cross-reactivity against purified genomic DNA from 43 fungal species representing 14 genera, including 9 Aspergillus spp., 9 Fusarium spp., and 10 Penicillium spp. With purified genomic DNA as a template, genus-specific recognition was observed at 10 pg per reaction; group-specific recognition occurred at 100 pg of template per reaction for the trichothecene producer Fusarium graminearum and at 1 ng of template per reaction for the fumonisin producer Fusarium verticillioides. For the application of the PCR assay, a protocol was developed to isolate fungal DNA from cornmeal. The detection of F. graminearum and its differentiation from F. verticillioides were accomplished prior to visible fungal growth at cornmeal. This level of detection is comparable to those of other methods such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the assay described here can be used in the food industry's effort to monitor quality and safety.

  18. Pelacakan Kasus Flu Burung pada Ayam dengan Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction* (DETECTION OF AVIAN INFLUENZA IN CHICKENS BY REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gusti Ayu Yuniati Kencana

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Avian Influenza (AI or Bird Flu is a fatal zoonotic disease caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza(HPAI virus of H5N1 sub-type. The disease is still endemic in Indonesia. This study was conducted toinvestigate AI cases in chickens in Bali. Virus isolation was performed in 9 day-old embryonated chickeneggs, and then followed by serologic testing by haemaglutination (HA and Haemaglutination Inhibition(HI assay using standard microtiter procedure. All of the samples were further tested with reversetrancriptasepolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR. All work has been done in the Biomedical and MolecularBiology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Udayana University, Denpasar, during the period2009-2011. A total of ten samples were examined A total of ten chicken samples consisting of 6 fieldsamples and 4 meat samples have been confirmed to be AIV H5N1. All field cases showed clinical signsand gross pathology that were typical to the infection of avian influenza. The result indicates that AI casesare still prevalent among chickens in Bali.

  19. A primer on on-demand polymerase chain reaction technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Maureen; Barnes, Sue; Parada, Jorge; Brown, Scott; Perri, Luci; Uettwiller-Geiger, Denise; Johnson, Helen Boehm; Graham, Denise

    2015-10-01

    Efforts to reduce health care-associated infections (HAIs) have grown in both scale and sophistication over the past few decades; however, the increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance and the impact of new legislation regarding HAIs on health care economics make the fight against them all the more urgent. On-demand polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology has proven to be a highly effective weapon in this fight, offering the ability to accurately and efficiently identify disease-causing pathogens such that targeted and directed therapy can be initiated at the point of care. As a result, on-demand PCR technology has far-reaching influences on HAI rates, health care outcomes, hospital length of stay, isolation days, patient satisfaction, antibiotic stewardship, and health care economics. The basics of on-demand PCR technology and its potential to impact health care have not been widely incorporated into health care education and enrichment programs for many of those involved in infection control and prevention, however. This article serves as a primer on on-demand PCR technology and its ramifications. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction combined with on-chip electrophoresis as a rapid screening tool for candidate gene sets

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wittig, Rainer; Salowsky, Rüdiger; Blaich, Stephanie

    2005-01-01

    Combining multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR) with microfluidic amplicon analysis, we developed an assay for the rapid and reliable semiquantitative expression screening of 11 candidate genes for drug resistance in human malignant melanoma. The functionality of thi...

  1. An Optimal Method for Developing Global Supply Chain Management System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hao-Chun Lu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Owing to the transparency in supply chains, enhancing competitiveness of industries becomes a vital factor. Therefore, many developing countries look for a possible method to save costs. In this point of view, this study deals with the complicated liberalization policies in the global supply chain management system and proposes a mathematical model via the flow-control constraints, which are utilized to cope with the bonded warehouses for obtaining maximal profits. Numerical experiments illustrate that the proposed model can be effectively solved to obtain the optimal profits in the global supply chain environment.

  2. Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella enterica Typhimurium in meat and meat products using multiplex polymerase chain reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Latha

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The objective of the study was to investigate the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella enterica Typhimurium in meat and meat products using the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR method. Materials and Methods: The assay combined an enrichment step in tryptic soy broth with yeast extract formulated for the simultaneous growth of target pathogens, DNA isolation and multiplex PCR. A total of 1134 samples including beef (n=349, chicken (n=325, pork (n=310, chevon (n=50, and meat products (n=100 were collected from different parts of Kerala, India. All the samples were subjected to multiplex PCR analysis and culture-based detection for the four pathogens in parallel. Results: Overall occurrence of L. monocytogenes was 0.08 % by cultural method. However, no L. monocytogenes was obtained by multiplex PCR method. Yersinia enterocolitica was obtained from beef and pork samples. A high prevalence of S. aureus (46.7% was found in all types of meat samples tested. None of the samples was positive for S. Typhimurium. Conclusion: Multiplex PCR assay used in this study can detect more than one pathogen simultaneously by amplifying more than one target gene in a single reaction, which can save time and labor cost.

  3. Limits of a rapid identification of common Mediterranean sandflies using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azzedine Bounamous

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available A total of 131 phlebotomine Algerian sandflies have been processed in the present study. They belong to the species Phlebotomus bergeroti, Phlebotomus alexandri, Phlebotomus sergenti, Phlebotomus chabaudi, Phlebotomus riouxi, Phlebotomus perniciosus, Phlebotomus longicuspis, Phlebotomus perfiliewi, Phlebotomus ariasi, Phlebotomus chadlii, Sergentomyia fallax, Sergentomyia minuta, Sergentomyia antennata, Sergentomyia schwetzi, Sergentomyia clydei, Sergentomyia christophersi and Grassomyia dreyfussi. They have been characterised by sequencing of a part of the cytochrome b (cyt b, t RNA serine and NADH1 on the one hand and of the cytochrome C oxidase I of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA on the other hand. Our study highlights two sympatric populations within P. sergenti in the area of its type-locality and new haplotypes of P. perniciosus and P. longicuspis without recording the specimens called lcx previously found in North Africa. We tried to use a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method based on a combined double digestion of each marker. These method is not interesting to identify sandflies all over the Mediterranean Basin.

  4. Detection of Haemophilus influenzae in respiratory secretions from pneumonia patients by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdeldaim, Guma M K; Strålin, Kristoffer; Kirsebom, Leif A; Olcén, Per; Blomberg, Jonas; Herrmann, Björn

    2009-08-01

    A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the omp P6 gene was developed to detect Haemophilus influenzae. Its specificity was determined by analysis of 29 strains of 11 different Haemophilus spp. and was compared with PCR assays having other target genes: rnpB, 16S rRNA, and bexA. The method was evaluated on nasopharyngeal aspirates from 166 adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia. When 10(4) DNA copies/mL was used as cutoff limit for the method, P6 PCR had a sensitivity of 97.5% and a specificity of 96.0% compared with the culture. Of 20 culture-negative but P6 PCR-positive cases, 18 were confirmed by fucK PCR as H. influenzae. Five (5.9%) of 84 nasopharyngeal aspirates from adult controls tested PCR positive. We conclude that the P6 real-time PCR is both sensitive and specific for identification of H. influenzae in respiratory secretions. Quantification facilitates discrimination between disease-causing H. influenzae strains and commensal colonization.

  5. Rapid screening of spontaneous and radiation-induced structural changes at the vestigial gene of Drosophila melanogaster by polymerase chain reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aleksandrov, I.D.; Lapidus, I.L.; Aleksandrova, M.V.; Karpovskij, A.L.; Korablinova, S.V.; Levkovich, N.V.

    1998-01-01

    A total of 27 independent isolated spontaneous and gamma-ray-induced heritable mutations at the vestigial gene of Drosophila melanogaster were analysed by a rapid deletion screening method with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. According to the results obtained 36.4% (4 of 11) of spontaneous mutants and 62.5% (10 of 16) of gamma-ray-induced ones have revealed deficiency of one or more fragments studied. The rest of spontaneous and radiation mutants showed no alterations in the PCR patterns, indicating possible small scale changes (point mutations) inside the gene region studied or, probably, the gross lesions situated elsewhere. The distribution of the mutation damages in the gene region studied are discussed

  6. Detection of Clostridium botulinum type C cells in the gastrointestinal tracts of Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) by polymerase chain reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nol, P.; Williamson, J.L.; Rocke, T.E.; Yuill, Thomas M.

    2004-01-01

    We established a method of directly detecting Clostridium botulinum type C cells, while minimizing spore detection, in the intestinal contents of Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). This technique involved extraction of predominantly cellular DNA from tilapia intestinal tracts and used a polymerase chain reaction assay to detect presence of type C1 toxin gene. We consistently detected C. botulinum type C cells in tilapia gastrointestinal contents at a level of 7.5×104 cells per 0.25 g material or 1.9×103 cells. This technique is useful for determining prevalence of the potentially active organisms within a given population of fish and may be adapted to other types of C. botulinum and vertebrate populations as well.

  7. Diagnosing leprosy: revisiting the role of the slit-skin smear with critical analysis of the applicability of polymerase chain reaction in diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banerjee, Surajita; Biswas, Nibir; Kanti Das, Nilay; Sil, Amrita; Ghosh, Pramit; Hasanoor Raja, Abu Hena; Dasgupta, Sarbani; Kanti Datta, Pijush; Bhattacharya, Basudev

    2011-12-01

    Diagnosing leprosy is challenging, especially in early-stage cases, and the need for a sensitive diagnostic tool is urgent. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) holds promise as a simple and sensitive diagnostic tool, but its usefulness in the Indian context requires further evaluation. Slit-skin smear (SSS) remains the conventional method of leprosy detection. Hence, this study was undertaken to evaluate and compare the diagnostic efficacy of PCR versus that of SSS. Punch biopsy of skin and SSS were obtained from the active margins of lesions. Cases were clinically grouped according to whether they were multibacillary (MB) or paucibacillary (PB) and classified into tuberculoid (TT), borderline tuberculoid (BT), borderline lepromatous (BL), lepromatous (LL), histoid, and indeterminate groups after clinicopathological correlation. DNA was extracted from biopsy specimens, and multiplex PCR was carried out incorporating primers intended for the amplification of a specific 372-bp fragment of a repetitive sequence of Mycobacterium leprae DNA. Among 164 patients, PCR was positive in 82.3%. The sensitivity of PCR was significantly greater (P chain reaction had higher sensitivity compared with SSS, especially in diagnostically challenging and PB cases. Thus, the use of this costly but sensitive tool should be restricted to this subgroup, because SSS is sufficiently sensitive in the diagnosis of LL and histoid leprosy. © 2011 The International Society of Dermatology.

  8. A sensitive detection method for MPLW515L or MPLW515K mutation in chronic myeloproliferative disorders with locked nucleic acid-modified probes and real-time polymerase chain reaction.

    OpenAIRE

    Alessandro, Pancrazzi; Paola, Guglielmelli; Vanessa, Ponziani; Gaetano, Bergamaschi; Alberto, Bosi; Giovanni, Barosi; Alessandro M, Vannucchi

    2008-01-01

    Acquired mutations in the juxtamembrane region of MPL (W515K or W515L), the receptor for thrombopoietin, have been described in patients with primary myelofibrosis or essential thrombocythemia, which are chronic myeloproliferative disorders. We have developed a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection and quantification of MPL mutations that is based on locked nucleic acid fluorescent probes. Mutational analysis was performed using DNA from granulocytes. Reference curves we...

  9. Development and Application of Ligand-Exchange Reaction Method ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: This paper presents an improved kinetic-spectrophotometric procedure for determining clonazepam (CZP) in pharmaceutical formulations and human serum. Methods: The method is based on ligand-exchange reaction. The reaction was followed spectrophotometrically by measuring the rate of change of ...

  10. Quantitation of RHD by real-time polymerase chain reaction for determination of RHD zygosity and RHD mosaicism/chimerism

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krog, Grethe Risum; Clausen, Frederik Banch; Dziegiel, Morten Hanefeld

    2007-01-01

    Determination of RHD zygosity of the spouse is crucial in preconception counseling of families with history of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn caused by anti-D. RHD zygosity can be determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) basically by determining RHD dosage,......, and this feature is relevant in investigating RHD mosaicism and chimerism....

  11. Detection of Brucella spp. in milk from seronegative cows by real-time polymerase chain reaction in the region of Batna, Algeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabrina, Rabehi; Mossadak, Hamdi Taha; Bakir, Mamache; Asma, Meghezzi; Khaoula, Boushaba

    2018-01-01

    Aim: The aim of this study was to detect Brucella spp. DNA in milk samples collected from seronegative cows using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for diagnosis of brucellosis in seronegative dairy cows to prevent transmission of disease to humans and to reduce economic losses in animal production. Materials and Methods: In this study, 65 milk samples were investigated for the detection of Brucella spp. The detection of the IS711 gene in all samples was done by real-time PCR assay by comparative cycle threshold method. Results: The results show that of the 65 DNA samples tested, 2 (3.08%) were positive for Brucella infection. The mean cyclic threshold values of IS711 real-time PCR test were 37.97 and 40.48, indicating a positive reaction. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated that the real-time PCR appears to offer several advantages over serological tests. For this reason, the real-time PCR should be validated on representative numbers of Brucella-infected and free samples before being implemented in routine diagnosis in human and animal brucellosis for controlling this disease. PMID:29657430

  12. Detection of Theileria annulata carriers in Holstein–Friesian (Bos taurus taurus) and Sistani (Bos taurus indicus) cattle breeds by polymerase chain reaction in Sistan region, Iran

    OpenAIRE

    Majidiani, Hamidreza; Nabavi, Reza; Ganjali, Maryam; Saadati, Dariush

    2015-01-01

    Theileria annulata is common in tropical and subtropical regions especially in Iran and causes great economic losses in cattle industry. In Iran the epidemiological aspects of bovine theileriosis in different breeds of cattle is poorly understood. The aim of present study is comparison of the number of T. annulata carriers in the two major cattle breeds (Holstein–Friesian and Sistani) in Sistan of Iran by giemsa and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. During winter 2013, 160 native cattl...

  13. Polymerase chain reaction-based detection of myc transduction in feline leukemia virus-infected cats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sumi, Ryosuke; Miyake, Ariko; Endo, Taiji; Ohsato, Yoshiharu; Ngo, Minh Ha; Nishigaki, Kazuo

    2018-04-01

    Feline lymphomas are associated with the transduction and activation of cellular proto-oncogenes, such as c-myc, by feline leukemia virus (FeLV). We describe a polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of myc transduction usable in clinical diagnosis. The assay targets c-myc exons 2 and 3, which together result in a FeLV-specific fusion gene following c-myc transduction. When this assay was conducted on FeLV-infected feline tissues submitted for clinical diagnosis of tumors, myc transduction was detected in 14% of T-cell lymphoma/leukemias. This newly established system could become a useful diagnostic tool in veterinary medicine.

  14. Development of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease may be predicted in HIV-infected patients by CMV polymerase chain reaction and the antigenemia test

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dodt, K K; Jacobsen, P H; Hofmann, B

    1997-01-01

    ; OR: CMV PCR 10.0, antigenemia test 4.4 and CMV cultures 4.3. No clinical parameters had any significant predictive value in the stepwise multivariate model. CONCLUSIONS: The CMV PCR and the CMV antigenemia tests are both sensitive methods that may predict development of CMV disease up to several...... evaluated PCR and the antigenemia tests as methods for early detection of CMV disease. METHODS: Two-hundred HIV-seropositive subjects with CD4 T-cell counts below 100 x 10(6)/l were monitored with CMV polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the antigenemia test, blood cultures and CMV immunoglobulin (Ig) G and Ig...... showed that the CMV PCR, the antigenemia test and blood cultures all had significant predictive values for subsequent development of CMV disease with odds ratios (OR) of 30, 22 and 20. CMV serology had no predictive value. Multivariate analysis showed that the PCR method was superior to the other tests...

  15. Polymerase chain reaction based epidemiological investigation of canine parvoviral disease in dogs at Bareilly region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jobin Thomas

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this study was to screen the suspected samples by polymerase chain reaction (PCR and epidemiological analysis of positive cases of canine parvovirus type2. Materials and Methods: Fecal samples were collected from dogs suspected for canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2 and viral DNA was extracted. Primers were designed, and PCR was done with all extracted DNA samples. Age, sex and breed wise distribution of positive cases were analyzed. Results: Out of a total 44 collected fecal samples, 23 were found to be positive for CPV-2 by developed PCR. The disease was found to be more common in Labrador male pups of 3-6 months of age. The percentage of positive cases in vaccinated dogs was found to be around 17.4%. Conclusion: Almost half (52.3% of total collected samples were found to be positive by PCR. However, number of field samples are needed to further validate this test and additionally sequence analysis needs to be done to ensure the prevalent field strain of CPV-2.

  16. On the implementation of a chain nuclear reaction of thermonuclear fusion on the basis of the p+11B process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belyaev, V. S.; Krainov, V. P.; Zagreev, B. V.; Matafonov, A. P.

    2015-07-01

    Various theoretical and experimental schemes for implementing a thermonuclear reactor on the basis of the p+11B reaction are considered. They include beam collisions, fusion in degenerate plasmas, ignition upon plasma acceleration by ponderomotive forces, and the irradiation of a solid-state target from 11B with a proton beam under conditions of a Coulomb explosion of hydrogen microdrops. The possibility of employing ultra-short high-intensity laser pulses to initiate the p+11B reaction under conditions far from thermodynamic equilibrium is discussed. This and some other weakly radioactive thermonuclear reactions are promising owing to their ecological cleanness—there are virtually no neutrons among fusion products. Nuclear reactions that follow the p+11B reaction may generate high-energy protons, sustaining a chain reaction, and this is an advantage of the p+11B option. The approach used also makes it possible to study nuclear reactions under conditions close to those in the early Universe or in the interior of stars.

  17. Polymerase chain reaction detection of Propionibacterium propionicus and Actinomyces radicidentis in primary and persistent endodontic infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siqueira, José F; Rôças, Isabela N

    2003-08-01

    Propionibacterium propionicus and the recently described species Actinomyces radicidentis have been isolated from infections of endodontic origin; nevertheless, the possibility exists that their actual prevalence may have been underestimated by culture. The purpose of our study was to assess the occurrence of these 2 species in different types of endodontic infections by using the sensitive 16S rDNA-based nested polymerase chain reaction approach. To detect these 2 species, nested polymerase chain reaction was performed directly in samples taken from primary endodontic infections associated with asymptomatic periradicular lesions, acute apical periodontitis, or acute periradicular abscesses and in samples from patients in whom endodontic therapy had failed. DNA was extracted from the samples and initially amplified by using universal 16S rDNA primers. In the second round of amplification, the first polymerase chain reaction products were used to detect a specific 16S rDNA fragment of either P propionicus or A radicidentis. P propionicus was detected in 6/21 (29%) root canal samples from teeth with chronic periradicular lesions, in 5/10 (50%) cases diagnosed as acute apical periodontitis, and in 7/19 (37%) pus samples aspirated from acute periradicular abscesses. Overall, this species was found in 18/50 (36%) samples taken from primary endodontic infections. Of the root canal samples obtained from root-filled teeth with chronic periradicular lesions, P propionicus was detected in 7/12 (58%) cases. A radicidentis was detected in 1/21 (5%) root canal samples from teeth with chronic periradicular lesions and in 1/10 (10%) cases of acute apical periodontitis. No pus sample yielded this species. In general, A radicidentis was detected in 2/50 (4%) samples taken from primary endodontic infections and in 1/12 (8%) root canal samples taken from patients in whom endodontic treatment had failed. P propionicus was found in a relatively large number of patients with primary and

  18. The Effectiveness of Backward Chaining Methods to Improve Skills in Children with Intellectual Disability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arip Apriyadi

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available A child with intellectual disability has problems in adaptive behavior such as eating skill. The research objective was to describe: 1 the ability of the child with intellectual disability before being given intervention using backward chaining method, 2 the ability of the child with intellectual disability after being given intervention using backward chaining method, and 3 the effectiveness of backward chaining method to increase the eating skills for child with intellectual disability. The method of this study was an experimental method by using the Single Subject Research (SSR with the A-B-A design model. The results showed that the percentage of overlap between the baseline condition-1 and the intervention condition was 0%. The calculation declared that there was increase eating skill for child with intellectual disability with backward chaining. Anak disabilitas intelektual memiliki masalah dalam perilaku adaptif seperti pada keterampilan makan. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mendeskripsikan: 1 kemampuan anak disabilitas intelektual sebelum diberikan intervensi menggunakan backward chaining, 2 kemampuan anak disabilitas intelektual setelah diberikan intervensi menggunakan backward chaining, dan 3 keefektifan backward chaining untuk meningkatkan keterampilan makan. Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode eksperimen dengan menggunakan Single Subject Reseach (SSR dengan desain A-B-A. Hasil penelitian menunjukan perolehan presentase overlap antara kondisi baseline-1 ke kondisi intervensi sebesar 0%. Perhitungan tersebut menyatakan adanya pengaruh keefektifan backward chaining sebagai intervensi terhadap peningkatan keterampilan makan sebagai target behavior.

  19. [Establishment of a novel HLA genotyping method for preimplantation genetic diagnonis using multiple displacement amplification-polymerase chain reaction-sequencing based technique].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yinfeng; Luo, Haining; Zhang, Yunshan

    2015-12-01

    To establish a novel HLA genotyping method for preimplantation genetic diagnonis (PGD) using multiple displacement amplification-polymerase chain reaction-sequencing based technique (MDA-PCR-SBT). Peripheral blood samples and 76 1PN, 2PN, 3PN discarded embryos from 9 couples were collected. The alleles of HLA-A, B, DR loci were detected from the MDA product with the PCR-SBT method. The HLA genotypes of the parental peripheral blood samples were analyzed with the same protocol. The genotypes of specific HLA region were evaluated for distinguishing the segregation of haplotypes among the family members, and primary HLA matching was performed between the embryos. The 76 embryos were subjected to MDA and 74 (97.4%) were successfully amplified. For the 34 embryos from the single blastomere group, the amplification rate was 94.1%, and for the 40 embryos in the two blastomeres group, the rate was 100%. The dropout rates for DQ allele and DR allele were 1.3% and 0, respectively. The positive rate for MDA in the single blastomere group was 100%, with the dropout rates for DQ allele and DR allele being 1.5% and 0, respectively. The positive rate of MDA for the two blastomere group was 100%, with the dropout rates for both DQ and DR alleles being 0. The recombination rate of fetal HLA was 20.2% (30/148). Due to the improper classification and abnormal fertilized embryos, the proportion of matched embryos HLA was 20.3% (15/74),which was lower than the theoretical value of 25%. PGD with HLA matching can facilitate creation of a HLA-identical donor (saviour child) for umbilical cord blood or bone marrow stem cells for its affected sibling with a genetic disease. Therefore, preimplantation HLA matching may provide a tool for couples desiring to conceive a potential donor progeny for transplantation for its sibling with a life-threatening disorder.

  20. Role of multiplex polymerase chain reaction in diagnosing tubercular meningitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anupam Berwal

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Tuberculous meningitis (TBM is one of the most serious manifestations of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Timely and accurate diagnosis provides a favorable prognosis in patients with TBM. The study evaluated the use of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR in the diagnosis of TBM. A study was conducted on 74 patients clinically suspected with TBM. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF specimens were processed for smear microscopy, middle brook 7H9 culture, and multiplex PCR using primers directed against IS6110 gene and 38 kD protein for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The results were analyzed to assess the role of multiplex PCR in the diagnosis of TBM. A total of 26 (35.1% patients were diagnosed with TBM. Microscopy was negative in all while culture was positive in two cases only. Comparing with clinical diagnosis and CSF adenosine deaminase levels of ≥10 U/L, multiplex PCR showed sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 71.4%, 89.6%, 83.3%, and 81.2%, respectively, in the diagnosis of TBM.

  1. A method of simulating and visualizing nuclear reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Atwood, C.H.; Paul, K.M.

    1994-01-01

    Teaching nuclear reactions to students is difficult because the mechanisms are complex and directly visualizing them is impossible. As a teaching tool, the authors have developed a method of simulating nuclear reactions using colliding water droplets. Videotaping of the collisions, taken with a high shutter speed camera and run frame-by-frame, shows details of the collisions that are analogous to nuclear reactions. The method for colliding the water drops and videotaping the collisions are shown

  2. Comparison between culture and a multiplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay detecting Ureaplasma urealyticum and U. parvum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frølund, Maria; Björnelius, Eva; Lidbrink, Peter; Ahrens, Peter; Jensen, Jørgen Skov

    2014-01-01

    A novel multiplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for simultaneous detection of U. urealyticum and U. parvum was developed and compared with quantitative culture in Shepard's 10 C medium for ureaplasmas in urethral swabs from 129 men and 66 women, and cervical swabs from 61 women. Using culture as the gold standard, the sensitivity of the qPCR was 96% and 95% for female urethral and cervical swabs, respectively. In male urethral swabs the sensitivity was 89%. The corresponding specificities were 100%, 87% and 99%. The qPCR showed a linear increasing DNA copy number with increasing colour-changing units. Although slightly less sensitive than culture, this multiplex qPCR assay detecting U. urealyticum and U. parvum constitutes a simple and fast alternative to the traditional methods for identification of ureaplasmas and allows simultaneous species differentiation and quantitation in clinical samples. Furthermore, specimens overgrown by other bacteria using the culture method can be evaluated in the qPCR.

  3. Comparison between culture and a multiplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay detecting Ureaplasma urealyticum and U. parvum.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Frølund

    Full Text Available A novel multiplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR for simultaneous detection of U. urealyticum and U. parvum was developed and compared with quantitative culture in Shepard's 10 C medium for ureaplasmas in urethral swabs from 129 men and 66 women, and cervical swabs from 61 women. Using culture as the gold standard, the sensitivity of the qPCR was 96% and 95% for female urethral and cervical swabs, respectively. In male urethral swabs the sensitivity was 89%. The corresponding specificities were 100%, 87% and 99%. The qPCR showed a linear increasing DNA copy number with increasing colour-changing units. Although slightly less sensitive than culture, this multiplex qPCR assay detecting U. urealyticum and U. parvum constitutes a simple and fast alternative to the traditional methods for identification of ureaplasmas and allows simultaneous species differentiation and quantitation in clinical samples. Furthermore, specimens overgrown by other bacteria using the culture method can be evaluated in the qPCR.

  4. AFM Imaging of Hybridization Chain Reaction-Mediated Signal Transmission Between two DNA Origami Structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Helmig, Sarah Wendelbo; Gothelf, Kurt Vesterager

    2017-01-01

    transfer between two connected DNA nanostructures, using the hybridization chain reaction (HCR). Two sets of metastable DNA hairpins - of which one is immobilized in specific points along tracks on DNA origami structures - are polymerized to form a continuous DNA duplex, which is visible using atomic force...... microscopy (AFM). Upon addition of a designed initiator, the initiation signal is efficiently transferred >200 nm from a specific location on one origami structure to an end point on another origami structure. The system shows no significant loss of signal when crossing from one nanostructure to another...

  5. Detection of African swine fever virus from formalin fixed and non-fixed tissues by polymerase chain reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. D. Luka

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Aim: Formalin fixing and paraffin embedding of tissue samples is one of the techniques for preserving the structural integrity of cells for a very long time. However, extraction and analysis of genomic material from formalin fixed tissue (FFT remains a challenge despite numerous attempts to develop a more effective method. The success of polymerase chain reaction (PCR depends on the quality of DNA extract. Materials and Methods: Here we assessed the conventional method of DNA extraction from FFT for African swine fever virus (ASFV detection. The modified conventional method gave a higher quality DNA when compared with commercially available DNA extraction kits (QIAamp® DNA Mini Kit, DNeasy® Blood and Tissue Kit, and ZR Genomic DNA™ Tissue MiniPrep. Results: An average A260/A280 DNA purity of 0.86-1.68 and 3.22-5.32 μg DNA/mg for formalin fixed and non-fixed tissues, respectively using a conventional method. In a reproducible and three times repeat PCR, the ASFV DNA expected product size of 278 bp was obtained from the DNA extract of the conventional method but not from the DNA extract of the commercial kits. Conclusion: The present study has demonstrated that the conventional method extracts ASFV genome better than commercial kit. In summary, the commercial kit extraction appeared not suitable to purify ASFV DNA from FFT. We, therefore, recommend that the use of the conventional method be considered for African swine fever DNA extraction from FFT.

  6. Genetic polymorphism of toll-like receptors 4 gene by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms, polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformational polymorphism to correlate with mastitic cows

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pooja H. Gupta

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Aim: An attempt has been made to study the toll-like receptors 4 (TLR4 gene polymorphism from cattle DNA to correlate with mastitis cows. Materials and Methods: In present investigation, two fragments of TLR4 gene named T4CRBR1 and T4CRBR2 of a 316 bp and 382 bp were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR, respectively from Kankrej (22 and Triple cross (24 cattle. The genetic polymorphisms in the two populations were detected by a single-strand conformational polymorphism in the first locus and by digesting the fragments with restriction endonuclease Alu I in the second one. Results: Results showed that both alleles (A and B of two loci were found in all the two populations and the value of polymorphism information content indicated that these were highly polymorphic. Statistical results of χ2 test indicated that two polymorphism sites in the two populations fit with Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (p˂0.05. Meanwhile, the effect of polymorphism of TLR4 gene on the somatic cell score (SCS indicated the cattle with allele a in T4CRBR1 showed lower SCS than that of allele B (p<0.05. Thus, the allele A might play an important role in mastitis resistance in cows. Conclusion: The relationship between the bovine mastitis trait and the polymorphism of TLR4 gene indicated that the bovine TLR4 gene may play an important role in mastitis resistance.

  7. Radioinitiation of Chain Branched Reactions and its Sensitization; Amorcage sous rayonnement des reactions par ramification en chaine; sensibilisation du processus; Radiatsionnoe initsiirovanie tsennykh razvetvlennykh reaktsij i ego sensibilizatsiya; Radioiniciacion de reacciones en cadena ramificadas y medios para aumentar su sensibilidad

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barelko, E V; Kartashova, L I; Komarov, P N; Proskurnin, M A [Karpov Physico-Chemical Institute, Moscow, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Russian Federation)

    1960-07-15

    This paper describes the results of experiments by the writers with radioinitiation of chain branched reactions of the oxidation of organic compounds. The function of radiation as an initiating agent is described with reference to the oxidation of several unsaturated hydrocarbons and butanol. The reaction is self-accelerating and proceeds spontaneously after radiation has ceased. A detailed investigation was made of a process from oxidizing benzene, which has a high radiation resistance. The writers devised a method of sensitizing the radioinitiation of the oxidation of radiation-resistant substances by chemically inert but non-radiation-resistant substances. The main quantitative features of the process for the radiooxidation of benzene are stated to be the accumulation of various reaction products, and the effect of temperature, pressure, power and radiation dosage on the process of such accumulation. Information was obtained about the mechanism of the process. The design of circulating equipment is described. (author) [French] Dans ce memoire, les auteurs presentent les resultats d'une etude consacree a l'amorcage sous rayonnement de reactions, d'oxydation des composes organiques, par ramification en chaine. Ils montrent le role des rayonnements en tant qu'agents d'amorcage de la reaction, en citant comme exemples l'oxydation de certains hydrocarbures non satures et du butanol. La reaction possede un caractere d'auto-acceleration et continue spontanement lorsque l'action des rayonnements a cesse. La reaction d'oxydation du benzene a ete etudiee en detail; elle est caracterisee par la haute stabilite de la substance vis-a-vis de l'action des rayonnements. Les auteurs formulent les principes de la sensibilisation, par l'action de substances instables vis-a-vis des rayonnements de l'amorcage sous rayonnement de la reaction d'oxydation de substances stables vis-a-vis des rayonnements et chimiquement inertes. Le memoire fournit les caracteristiques quantitatives

  8. Detection of clonal T-cell receptor beta and gamma chain gene rearrangement by polymerase chain reaction and capillary gel electrophoresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Hongxin; Robetorye, Ryan S

    2013-01-01

    Although established diagnostic criteria exist for mature T-cell neoplasms, a definitive diagnosis of a T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder cannot always be obtained using more conventional techniques such as flow cytometric immunophenotyping, conventional cytogenetics, fluorescence in situ hybridization, or immunohistochemistry. However, because T-cell malignancies contain identically rearranged T-cell receptor gamma (TCRG) and/or beta (TCRB) genes, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be a fast, convenient, and dependable option to identify clonal T-cell processes. This chapter describes the use of PCR and capillary electrophoresis to identify clonal TCRB and TCRG gene rearrangements (TCRB and TCRG PCR) using a commercially available method employing multiple multiplex PCR tubes that was originally developed as the result of a large European BIOMED-2 collaborative study (Invivoscribe Technologies). The core protocol for the TCRB assay involves the use of three separate multiplex master mix tubes. Tubes A and B target the framework regions within the variable and joining regions of the TCRB gene, and Tube C targets the diversity and joining regions of the TCRB gene. The core protocol for the TCRG assay utilizes two multiplex master mix tubes (Tubes A and B) that target the variable and joining regions of the TCRG gene. Use of the five BIOMED-2 TCRB and TCRG PCR multiplex tubes in parallel can detect approximately 94% of clonal TCR gene rearrangements.

  9. Lipase-catalyzed esterification of lactic acid with straight-chain alcohols

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rønne, Torben Harald; Xu, Xuebing; Tan, Tianwei

    2005-01-01

    Enzymatic synthesis of esters of lactic acid and straight-chain alcohols with different chain lengths (C6–C18) were investigated in batch reactions with hexadecanol (C16) as the model alcohol. Cyclohexane was the best solvent for higher ester yields, and the best biocatalyst was the immobilized...... Candida antarctica lipase B (Novozym 435) as well as the textile-immobilized Candida sp. lipase. A method was established to obtain ester yields in the range of 71 to 82% for the different alcohols, and the most favorable conditions for the esterification reaction using Novozym 435 were an equimolar ratio...... of lactic acid to alcohol, each at a concentration of 120 mM each; a 50°C reaction temperature; 190 rpm shaking speed; and the addition of 100 mg molecular sieves (4 Å) for drying. The ester yield increased with increasing lipase load, and a yield of 79.2% could be obtained after 24 h of reaction at 20 wt...

  10. Culture-Negative Endocarditis Diagnosed Using 16S DNA Polymerase Chain Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen Duffett

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available 16S DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR is a molecular amplification technique that can be used to identify bacterial pathogens in culture-negative endocarditis. Bacterial DNA can be isolated from surgically excised valve tissue or from blood collected in EDTA vials. Use of this technique is particularly helpful in identifying the bacterial pathogen in cases of culture-negative endocarditis. A case involving a 48-year-old man who presented with severe aortic regurgitation and a four-month prodrome of low-grade fever is reported. Blood and valve tissue cultures following valve replacement were negative. A valve tissue sample was sent for investigation with 16S DNA PCR, which successfully identified Streptococcus salivarius and was interpreted as the true diagnosis. A review of the literature suggests that 16S DNA PCR from valve tissue is a more sensitive diagnostic test than culture. It is also extremely specific, based on a sequence match of at least 500 base pairs.

  11. The polymerase chain reaction and its application to clinical plastic surgery.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Rea, S

    2012-02-03

    Molecular biology has become an essential component in many fields of modern medical research, including plastic surgery. Research into the molecular mechanisms underlying many disease processes offer increased understanding of the pathogenesis of disease and provide exciting therapeutic possibilities. Yet for many clinicians, the presentation of much research into molecular biological processes is couched in confusing terminology and based on scientific techniques, the basis of which are frequently difficult for the clinician to understand. The purpose of this review is to present an introduction to some of the molecular biological techniques currently in use, namely the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and explore its applications to different aspects of plastic surgery. This review explores the role PCR now plays in all aspects of modern plastic surgery practise, with particular emphasis on normal and abnormal wound healing, the diagnosis of craniofacial anomalies, the diagnosis and treatment of cancer including melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, and burns.

  12. Performance of an HF chain-reaction laser with high initiation efficiency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whittier, J.S.; Kerber, R.L.

    1974-01-01

    Output-pulse observations are presented for a transverse electrically initiated, helium-diluted HF laser pumped by the H 2 + F 2 chain reaction. Performance of this laser is studied over a wide range of the gas composition and for initial pressures between 0.1 and 0.5 atm. The gas mixture was stabilized by premixing O 2 , F 2 , and He and flowing this mixture into a cold trap (84 0 K) before mixing with H 2 . Optimum conversion of electrical-initiation energy into laser energy was found for a 240-torr mixture with a mole ratio 1 F 2 :0.23 H 2 :0.08 O 2 :12 He which, when initiated with a 25-kV, 333-pF discharge, gave a pulse energy of 0.150 J. This corresponds to a ratio of laser output energy to electrical input energy of 144 percent. After unnecessary losses are taken into account, this ratio becomes 160 percent. (U.S.)

  13. Use of the polymerase chain reaction to directly detect malaria parasites in blood samples from the Venezuelan Amazon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laserson, K F; Petralanda, I; Hamlin, D M; Almera, R; Fuentes, M; Carrasquel, A; Barker, R H

    1994-02-01

    We have examined the reproducibility, sensitivity, and specificity of detecting Plasmodium falciparum using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the species-specific probe pPF14 under field conditions in the Venezuelan Amazon. Up to eight samples were field collected from each of 48 consenting Amerindians presenting with symptoms of malaria. Sample processing and analysis was performed at the Centro Amazonico para la Investigacion y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales Simon Bolivar. A total of 229 samples from 48 patients were analyzed by PCR methods using four different P. falciparum-specific probes. One P. vivax-specific probe and by conventional microscopy. Samples in which results from PCR and microscopy differed were reanalyzed at a higher sensitivity by microscopy. Results suggest that microscopy-negative, PCR-positive samples are true positives, and that microscopy-positive and PCR-negative samples are true negatives. The sensitivity of the DNA probe/PCR method was 78% and its specificity was 97%. The positive predictive value of the PCR method was 88%, and the negative predictive value was 95%. Through the analysis of multiple blood samples from each individual, the DNA probe/PCR methodology was found to have an inherent reproducibility that was highly statistically significant.

  14. Normalised quantitative polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of tuberculosis-associated uveitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barik, Manas Ranjan; Rath, Soveeta; Modi, Rohit; Rana, Rajkishori; Reddy, Mamatha M; Basu, Soumyava

    2018-05-01

    Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnosis of tuberculosis-associated uveitis (TBU) in TB-endemic countries is challenging due to likelihood of latent mycobacterial infection in both immune and non-immune cells. In this study, we investigated normalised quantitative PCR (nqPCR) in ocular fluids (aqueous/vitreous) for diagnosis of TBU in a TB-endemic population. Mycobacterial copy numbers (mpb64 gene) were normalised to host genome copy numbers (RNAse P RNA component H1 [RPPH1] gene) in TBU (n = 16) and control (n = 13) samples (discovery cohort). The mpb64:RPPH1 ratios (normalised value) from each TBU and control sample were tested against the current reference standard i.e. clinically-diagnosed TBU, to generate Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves. The optimum cut-off value of mpb64:RPPH1 ratio (0.011) for diagnosing TBU was identified from the highest Youden index. This cut-off value was then tested in a different cohort of TBU and controls (validation cohort, 20 cases and 18 controls), where it yielded specificity, sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy of 94.4%, 85.0%, and 89.4% respectively. The above values for conventional quantitative PCR (≥1 copy of mpb64 per reaction) were 61.1%, 90.0%, and 74.3% respectively. Normalisation markedly improved the specificity and diagnostic accuracy of quantitative PCR for diagnosis of TBU. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Distinguishing Heterodera filipjevi and H. avenae using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and cyst morphology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Guiping; Smiley, Richard W

    2010-03-01

    The cereal cyst nematodes Heterodera filipjevi and H. avenae impede wheat production in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). Accurate identification of cyst nematode species and awareness of high population density in affected fields are essential for designing effective control measures. Morphological methods for differentiating these species are laborious. These species were differentiated using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-ribosomal (r)DNA with up to six restriction endonucleases (TaqI, HinfI, PstI, HaeIII, RsaI, and AluI). The method was validated by inspecting underbridge structures of cyst vulval cones. Grid soil sampling of an Oregon field infested by both species revealed that H. filipjevi was present at most of the infested grid sites but mixtures of H. avenae and H. filipjevi also occurred. These procedures also detected and differentiated H. filipjevi and H. avenae in soil samples from nearby fields in Oregon and H. avenae in samples from Idaho and Washington. Intraspecific polymorphism was not observed within H. filipjevi or PNW H. avenae populations based on the ITS-rDNA. However, intraspecific variation was observed between H. avenae populations occurring in the PNW and France. Methods described here will improve detection and identification efficiencies for cereal cyst nematodes in wheat fields.

  16. Polymerase chain reaction of peripheral blood as a tool for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thiago Leite Fraga

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available The diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL generally requires the use of invasive tests for the collection of infected tissue (aspirates of bone marrow, spleen, liver or lymph nodes. This difficulty has led to the search for safer and less painful techniques to confirm the occurrence of the disease in children. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR is a method that is advantageous in that it allows the use of peripheral blood samples for diagnosis. This paper reports the utilisation of PCR on peripheral blood samples to diagnose VL in 45 children in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. This technique is compared with methods carried out using tissue collected by invasive procedures, including direct microscopy, culture and detection of Leishmania DNA by PCR in bone marrow aspirates. The results show that PCR of peripheral blood provides great sensitivity (95.6% that is similar to that from the PCR of bone marrow aspirates (91.1% and higher than that achieved with microscopy (80% or culture (26.7% methods. PCR of peripheral blood proved to be a suitable tool for the diagnosis of VL in children because it is highly sensitive and safe, with tissue collection being less invasive than in traditional tests.

  17. Bayesian estimation for quantification by real-time polymerase chain reaction under a branching process model of the DNA molecules amplification process

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lalam, N.; Jacob, C.

    2007-01-01

    The aim of Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction is to determine the initial amount X0 of specific nucleic acids from an observed trajectory of the amplification process, the amplification being achieved through successive replication cycles. This process depends on the efficiency fpngn of

  18. Expert System for Determination of Type Lenses Glasses Using Forward Chaining Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atikah Ari Pramesti

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available One of the branches of computer science that is widely used by humans to help her work is the establishment of an expert system. In this study we will design an expert system for determining the type of spectacle lenses using a forward chaining method. In forward chaining method, starting with the initial information (early symptoms and moved forward to fit more information to find the information in accordance with the rules of the knowledge base and production, and will be concluded in the form of the type of disorder diagnosis of eye disorders and provide solutions in the form of lenses of eyeglasses. Result from this study is that the match calculation of algorithm of forward chaining method between system and manual calculations produce the same output.

  19. Copy number ratios determined by two digital polymerase chain reaction systems in genetically modified grains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez Urquiza, M.; Acatzi Silva, A. I.

    2014-02-01

    Three certified reference materials produced from powdered seeds to measure the copy number ratio sequences of p35S/hmgA in maize containing MON 810 event, p35S/Le1 in soybeans containing GTS 40-3-2 event and DREB1A/acc1 in wheat were produced according to the ISO Guides 34 and 35. In this paper, we report digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) protocols, performance parameters and results of copy number ratio content of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in these materials using two new dPCR systems to detect and quantify molecular deoxyribonucleic acid: the BioMark® (Fluidigm) and the OpenArray® (Life Technologies) systems. These technologies were implemented at the National Institute of Metrology in Mexico (CENAM) and in the Reference Center for GMO Detection from the Ministry of Agriculture (CNRDOGM), respectively. The main advantage of this technique against the more-used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is that it generates an absolute number of target molecules in the sample, without reference to standards or an endogenous control, which is very useful when not much information is available for new developments or there are no standard reference materials in the market as in the wheat case presented, or when it was not possible to test the purity of seeds as in the maize case presented here. Both systems reported enhanced productivity, increased reliability and reduced instrument footprint. In this paper, the performance parameters and uncertainty of measurement obtained with both systems are presented and compared.

  20. A quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction approach for estimating processed animal proteins in feed: preliminary data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Cesarina Abete

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Lifting of the ban on the use of processed animal proteins (PAPs from non-ruminants in non-ruminant feed is in the wind, avoiding intraspecies recycling. Discrimination of species will be performed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR, which is at a moment a merely qualitative method. Nevertheless, quantification of PAPs in feed is needed. The aim of this study was to approach the quantitative determination of PAPs in feed through Real Time (RT-PCR technique; three different protocols picked up from the literature were tested. Three different kind of matrices were examined: pure animal meals (bovine, chicken and pork; one feed sample certified by the European reference laboratory on animal proteins (EURL AP in feed spiked with 0.1% bovine meal; and genomic DNAs from bovine, chicken and pork muscles. The limit of detection (LOD of the three protocols was set up. All the results obtained from the three protocols considered failed in the quantification process, most likely due to the uncertain copy numbers of the analytical targets chosen. This preliminary study will allow us to address further investigations, with the purpose of developing a RT-PCR quantitative method.

  1. Real-time ligation chain reaction for DNA quantification and identification on the FO-SPR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knez, Karel; Spasic, Dragana; Delport, Filip; Lammertyn, Jeroen

    2015-05-15

    Different assays have been developed in the past years to meet point-of-care diagnostic tests requirements for fast and sensitive quantification and identification of targets. In this paper, we developed the ligation chain reaction (LCR) assay on the Fiber Optic Surface Plasmon Resonance (FO-SPR) platform, which enabled simultaneous quantification and cycle-to-cycle identification of DNA during amplification. The newly developed assay incorporated FO-SPR DNA melting assay, previously developed by our group. This required establishment of several assay parameters, including buffer ionic strength and thermal ramping speed as these parameters both influence the ligation enzyme performance and the hybridization yield of the gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) on the FO-SPR sensor. Quantification and identification of DNA targets was achieved over a wide concentration range with a calibration curve spanning 7 orders of magnitude and LOD of 13.75 fM. Moreover, the FO-SPR LCR assay could discriminate single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) without any post reaction analysis, featuring thus all the essential requirements of POC tests. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Rapid genetically modified organism (GMO screening of various food products and animal feeds using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisha, V.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available modified crops which brought up a controversy on the safety usage of genetically modified organisms (GMOs. It has been implemented globally that all GMO products and its derived ingredients should have regulations on the usage and labelling. Thus, it is necessary to develop methods that allow rapid screening of GMO products to comply with the regulations. This study employed a reliable and flexible multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR method for the rapid detection of transgenic elements in genetically modified soy and maize along with the soybean LECTIN gene and maize ZEIN gene respectively. The selected four common transgenic elements were 35S promoter (35S; Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline synthase terminator (NOS; 5-enolypyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (epsps gene; and Cry1Ab delta-endotoxin (cry1Ab gene. Optimization of the multiplex PCR methods were carried out by using 1% Roundup ReadyTM Soybean (RRS as the certified reference material for soybean that produced fourplex PCR method detecting 35S promoter, NOS terminator, epsps gene and soybean LECTIN gene and by using 1% MON810 as the certified reference material for maize that produced triplex PCR method detecting 35S promoter, cry1Ab gene and maize ZEIN gene prior to screening of the GMO traits in various food products and animal feeds. 1/9 (11.1% of the animal feed contained maize and 1/15 (6.7% of the soybean food products showed positive results for the detection of GMO transgenic gene. None of the maize food products showed positive results for GMO transgenic gene. In total, approximately 4% of the food products and animal feed were positive as GMO. This indicated GMOs have not widely entered the food chain. However, it is necessary to have an appropriate screening method due to GMOs’ unknown potential risk to humans and to animals. This rapid screening method will provide leverage in terms of being economically wise, time saving and reliable.

  3. Limitations of the nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction on tyrosinase for the detection of malignant melanoma micrometastases in lymph nodes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Calogero, A; Timmer-Bosscha, H; Tiebosch, ATMG; Mulder, NH; Hospers, GAP; Schraffordt Koops, H.

    The specificity and sensitivity of the nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on tyrosinase was studied, for the detection of micrometastases of malignant melanoma. The specificity was assessed in the blood of six healthy donors, four patients with non-melanoma cancers of

  4. Hepatitis C prevalence and risk factors in hemodialysis patients in Central Brazil: a survey by polymerase chain reaction and serological methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carneiro Megmar AS

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available An hemodialysis population in Central Brazil was screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR and serological methods to assess the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV infection and to investigate associated risk factors. All hemodialysis patients (n=428 were interviewed in eight dialysis units in Goiânia city. Blood samples were collected and serum samples screened for anti-HCV antibodies by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. Positive samples were retested for confirmation with a line immunoassay (LIA. All samples were also tested for HCV RNA by the PCR. An overall prevalence of 46.7% (CI 95%: 42-51.5 was found, ranging from 20.7% (CI 95%: 8.8-38.1 to 90.4% (CI 95%: 79.9-96.4 depending on the dialysis unit. Of the 428 patients, 185 were found to be seropositive by ELISA, and 167 were confirmed positive by LIA, resulting in an anti-HCV prevalence of 39%. A total of 131 patients were HCV RNA-positive. HCV viremia was present in 63.5% of the anti-HCV-positive patients and in 10.3% of the anti-HCV-negative patients. Univariate analysis of risk factors showed that the number of previous blood transfusions, transfusion of blood before mandatory screening for anti-HCV, length of time on hemodialysis, and treatment in multiple units were associated with HCV positivity. However, multivariate analysis revealed that blood transfusion before screening for anti-HCV and length of time on hemodialysis were significantly associated with HCV infection in this population. These data suggest that nosocomial transmission may play a role in the spread of HCV in the dialysis units studied. In addition to anti-HCV screening, HCV RNA detection is necessary for the diagnosis of HCV infection in hemodialysis patients.

  5. Detection of Legionella by quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for monitoring and risk assessment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krøjgaard, Louise H.; Krogfelt, Karen A.; Albrechtsen, Hans-Jorgen

    2011-01-01

    Background: Culture and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays for the detection of Legionella were compared on samples from a residential area before and after two interventions. A total of 84 samples were collected from shower hoses and taps as first flush samples and at constant...... temperature. Samples were grouped according to the origin of the sample, a) circulation water b) water from empty apartments c) water from shower hoses. The aims were to investigate the usefulness of qPCR compared to culture for monitoring remedial actions for elimination of Legionella bacteria and as a tool...

  6. Microchip Non-Aqueous Capillary Electrophoresis (MicronNACE) Method to Analyze Long-Chain Primary Amines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willis, Peter A.; Mora, Maria; Cable, Morgan L.; Stockton, Amanda M.

    2012-01-01

    A protocol was developed as a first step in analyzing the complex organic aerosols present on Saturn's moon Titan, as well as the analogues of these aerosols (tholins) made on Earth. Labeling of primary amines using Pacific Blue succinimidyl ester is effected in ethanol with 25 mM triethylamine to maintain basic conditions. This reaction is allowed to equilibrate for at least one hour. Separation of the labeled primary amines is performed in ethanol with 1.05 M acetic acid, and 50 mM ammonium acetate in a commercial two-layer glass device with a standard crossmicrochannel measuring 50 microns wide by 20 microns deep. Injection potentials are optimized at 2 kV from the sample (negative) to the waste well (positive), with slight bias applied to the other two wells ( 0.4 and 0.8 V) to pinch the injection plug for the 30-s injection. Separation is performed at a potential of 5 kV along the channel, which has an effective separation distance of 7 cm. The use of ethanol in this method means that long-chain primary amines can be dissolved. Due to the low pH of the separation buffer, electro-osmotic flow (EOF) is minimized to allow for separation of both short-chain and longchain amines. As the freezing point of ethanol is much lower than water, this protocol can perform separations at temperatures lower than 0 C, which would not be possible in aqueous phase. This is of particular importance when considering in situ sampling of Titan aerosols, where unnecessary heating of the sample (even to room temperature) would lead to decomposition or unpredictable side reactions, which would make it difficult to characterize the sample appropriately.

  7. Polymerase Chain Reaction targeting insertion sequence IS6110 for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis among Sudanese children and young adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed L Osman

    2014-01-01

    All children participating in the study were subjected to the Mantoux test after obtaining appropriate consent injected by 5 tuberculin units of tuberculin purified protein derivative, and the results were recorded after three days. Specimens were decontaminated and inoculated on Lowenstein–Jensen media according to the modified Petroff's method. Two smears were prepared and stained by Ziehl–Neelsen stain and Auramine fluorescent dye; bacterial DNA was extracted from each specimen by using phenol chloroform method, and then the Polymerase Chain Reaction technique was adopted to detect Insertion Sequence IS6110 gene of MTB in these specimens. This study showed that the positive results for TST, ZN, Auramine, Culture and PCR were 86 (43.7%, 16 (8.1%, 22 (11.2%, 32 (16.2% and 35(17.8%, respectively. The study concluded that the PCR technique is the most sensitive and specific technique for a quick identification of MTB in gastric lavage and sputum from children who are unable to expectorate a good quality sputum sample or who are diagnosed as negative using conventional diagnostic methods.

  8. Solar thermal polymerase chain reaction for smartphone-assisted molecular diagnostics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Li; Mancuso, Matthew; Lu, Zhengda; Akar, Gunkut; Cesarman, Ethel; Erickson, David

    2014-02-01

    Nucleic acid-based diagnostic techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are used extensively in medical diagnostics due to their high sensitivity, specificity and quantification capability. In settings with limited infrastructure and unreliable electricity, however, access to such devices is often limited due to the highly specialized and energy-intensive nature of the thermal cycling process required for nucleic acid amplification. Here we integrate solar heating with microfluidics to eliminate thermal cycling power requirements as well as create a simple device infrastructure for PCR. Tests are completed in less than 30 min, and power consumption is reduced to 80 mW, enabling a standard 5.5 Wh iPhone battery to provide 70 h of power to this system. Additionally, we demonstrate a complete sample-to-answer diagnostic strategy by analyzing human skin biopsies infected with Kaposi's Sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) through the combination of solar thermal PCR, HotSHOT DNA extraction and smartphone-based fluorescence detection. We believe that exploiting the ubiquity of solar thermal energy as demonstrated here could facilitate broad availability of nucleic acid-based diagnostics in resource-limited areas.

  9. Results of Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay to Identify Urethritis Pathogens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehmet Sarıer

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR test applied to identify the pathogens in male patients who attended our urology clinic with a pre-diagnosis of urethritis related with sexual intercourse. Materials and Methods: In this study, we included a total of 91 male patients, who sought medical advice in our clinic between August 2015 and October 2016 due to complaints of urethral discharge, dysuria and urethral itching, having a visible urethral discharge during the physical examination or a positive leukocyte esterase test (Combur-Test®-Roche in the first urine sample. In the urethral swab samples of these patients, urethritis pathogens were searched with a multiplex PCR test. The multiplex PCR kit, which is able to identify nine pathogens and produced by PathoFinder® (Holland, was used in the process. The pathogens that could be detected by the kit were Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Gardnerella vaginalis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Treponema pallidum, and Candida albicans. Results: The average age of the subjects was 35.1 (19-57 years. Sixty one out of 91 patients (67% were found to have a pathogen in the urethral swab sample. In 45 patients (49.4%, only one pathogen, in 12 (13.1% - two different pathogens and in 4 (4.3% patients, 3 different pathogens were detected. The pathogens found were as follows: Ureaplasma urealyticum in 22 patients (27.1%, Gardnerella vaginalis in 15 (18.6%, Neisseria gonorrhoeae in 13 (16.1%, Mycoplasma genitalium (10 patients; 12.3%, Mycoplasma hominis (8 patients; 9.9%, Chlamydia trachomatis (8 patients; 9.9%, Trichomonas vaginalis (3 patients; 3.8%, and Candida albicans (2 patients; 2.4%. None of the patients were identified with Treponema pallidum. None of the pathogens were identified in 30 patients (32.9% whose samples were examined by PCR method. Conclusion

  10. Removal of round off errors in the matrix exponential method for solving the heavy nuclide chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Hyun Chul; Noh, Jae Man; Joo, Hyung Kook

    2005-01-01

    Many nodal codes for core simulation adopt the micro-depletion procedure for the depletion analysis. Unlike the macro-depletion procedure, the microdepletion procedure uses micro-cross sections and number densities of important nuclides to generate the macro cross section of a spatial calculational node. Therefore, it needs to solve the chain equations of the nuclides of interest to obtain their number densities. There are several methods such as the matrix exponential method (MEM) and the chain linearization method (CLM) for solving the nuclide chain equations. The former solves chain equations exactly even when the cycles that come from the alpha decay exist in the chain while the latter solves the chain approximately when the cycles exist in the chain. The former has another advantage over the latter. Many nodal codes for depletion analysis, such as MASTER, solve only the hard coded nuclide chains with the CLM. Therefore, if we want to extend the chain by adding some more nuclides to the chain, we have to modify the source code. In contrast, we can extend the chain just by modifying the input in the MEM because it is easy to implement the MEM solver for solving an arbitrary nuclide chain. In spite of these advantages of the MEM, many nodal codes adopt the chain linearization because the former has a large round off error when the flux level is very high or short lived or strong absorber nuclides exist in the chain. In this paper, we propose a new technique to remove the round off errors in the MEM and we compared the performance of the two methods

  11. Quantification of Xylella fastidiosa from Citrus Trees by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Antonio C; Vallim, Marcelo A; Semighini, Camile P; Araújo, Welington L; Goldman, Gustavo H; Machado, Marcos A

    2002-10-01

    ABSTRACT Xylella fastidiosa is the causal agent of citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC), a destructive disease of sweet orange cultivars in Brazil. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays constitute the principal diagnostic method for detection of these bacteria. In this work, we established a real-time quantitative PCR (QPCR) assay to quantify X. fastidiosa in naturally and artificially infected citrus. The X. fastidiosa cell number detected in the leaves increased according to the age of the leaf, and bacteria were not detected in the upper midrib section in young leaves, indicating temporal and spatial distribution patterns of bacteria, respectively. In addition, the X. fastidiosa cell number quantified in leaves of 'Pera' orange and 'Murcott' tangor reflected the susceptible and resistant status of these citrus cultivars. None of the 12 endophytic citrus bacteria or the four strains of X. fastidiosa nonpathogenic to citrus that were tested showed an increase in the fluorescence signal during QPCR. In contrast, all 10 CVC-causing strains exhibited an increase in fluorescence signal, thus indicating the specificity of this QPCR assay. Our QPCR provides a powerful tool for studies of different aspects of the Xylella-citrus interactions, and can be incorporated into breeding programs in order to select CVC-resistant plants more quickly.

  12. LOCALIZATION OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS TYPE-16 DNA USING THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION IN THE CERVIX UTERI OF WOMEN WITH CERVICAL INTRAEPITHELIAL NEOPLASIA

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cornelissen, M. T.; van den Tweel, J. G.; Struyk, A. P.; Jebbink, M. F.; Briët, M.; van der Noordaa, J.; ter Schegget, J. T.

    1989-01-01

    The localization of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) DNA throughout the cervix uteri of women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) was studied by utilizing the polymerase chain reaction technique directly on histologically defined sections of paraffin-embedded cervical tissue obtained

  13. Detection of Babesia bovis carrier cattle by using polymerase chain reaction amplification of parasite DNA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fahrimal, Y; Goff, W L; Jasmer, D P

    1992-01-01

    Carrier cattle infected with Babesia bovis are difficult to detect because of the low numbers of parasites that occur in peripheral blood. However, diagnosis of low-level infections with the parasite is important for evaluating the efficacies of vaccines and in transmission and epidemiological studies. We used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify a portion of the apocytochrome b gene from the parasite and tested the ability of this method to detect carrier cattle. The target sequence is associated with a 7.4-kb DNA element in undigested B. bovis genomic DNA (as shown previously), and the amplified product was detected by Southern and dot blot hybridization. The assay was specific for B. bovis, since no amplification was detected with Babesia bigemina, Trypanosoma brucei, Anaplasma marginale, or leukocyte DNA. The target sequence was amplified in DNA from B. bovis Mexico, Texas, and Australia S and L strains, demonstrating the applicability of the method to strains from different geographic regions. The sensitivity of the method ranged from 1 to 10 infected erythrocytes extracted from 0.5 ml of blood. This sensitivity was about 1,000 times greater than that from the use of unamplified parasite DNA. By the PCR method, six B. bovis carrier cattle were detected 86% of the time (range, 66 to 100%) when they were tested 11 times, while with microscopic examination of thick blood smears, the same carrier cattle were detected only 36% of the time (range, 17 to 66%). The method provides a useful diagnostic tool for detecting B. bovis carrier cattle, and the sensitivity is significantly improved over that of current methods. The results also suggest that characteristics of the apocytchrome b gene may make this a valuable target DNA for PCR-based detection of other hemoparasites. Images PMID:1624551

  14. Detection of Coxiella burnetii in Aborted Fetuses of Cattle and Sheep Using Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay in Mashhad City, Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zeinab Abiri

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Coxiella burnetii is an important intracellular pathogen that ruminants can act as primary reservoirs. Reservoirs may excrete the bacterium into the placenta, vaginal mucus and feces. Objectives: The aim of this study was to detect C. burnetii in aborted samples from ruminant flocks in Mashhad city, northeast of Iran, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR assay. Materials and Methods: A total number of 154 fetal tissue samples of cattle, sheep and goat were subjected to nested PCR assay. Results: Sixteen (17.3% out of 92 samples from sheep and 15 (25% from 60 cattle fetuses were positive. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate the presence of C. burnetii in aborted ruminants and these can be the potential reservoirs of C. burnetii in the mentioned area.

  15. Deletion Analysis Of The Duchenne/Becker Muscular Dystrophy Gene Using Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dastur P

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available The diagnosis of Duchenna Muscular Dystrophy (DMD and Becker Muscular Dystorphy (BMD is mainly based on clinical profile, serum CPK values, muscle biopsy and immunostaining for dystrophin. This was done in 100 unrelated patients using 19 exons including the promoter region in two sets of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR. These primers amplify most of the exons in the deletion prone ′hot spot′ regions allowing determinations of deletion end points. Intragenic deletions were detected in 74 patients indicating that the use of PCR- based assays will allow deletion detection help in prenatal diagnosis for most of the DMD/BMD patients. The frequency of deletions observed in the present study was 74%.

  16. Loop mediated isothermal amplification assay using hydroxy naphthol blue, conventional polymerase chain reaction and real-time PCR in the diagnosis of intraocular tuberculosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P K Balne

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This study is a comparative evaluation (Chi-square test of a closed tube loop mediated isothermal amplification assay using hydroxy naphthol blue dye (HNB-LAMP, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR and conventional PCR in the diagnosis of intraocular tuberculosis. Considering clinical presentation as the gold standard in 33 patients, the sensitivity of HNB-LAMP assay (75.8% was higher (not significant, P value 0.2 than conventional PCR (57.6% and lower than real-time PCR (90.9%. Specificity was 100% by all three methods. No amplification was observed in negative controls (n = 20 by all three methods. The cost of the HNB-LAMP assay was Rs. 500.00 and it does not require thermocycler, therefore, it can be used as an alternative to conventional PCR in resource-poor settings.

  17. Detection of DNA from Leishmania (Viannia: accuracy of polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Herintha Coeto Neitzke-Abreu

    Full Text Available Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL can occur in skin and mucosa, causing disfiguring lesions. The laboratory diagnosis of CL involves immunological methods and optical detection of the parasite, al of which have limitations. There is a need for more effective diagnostic methods for CL which wil allow treatment to be initiated more promptly in order to help prevent the development of severe forms of mucosal disease, and to estimate the prognosis of the infection. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR has been widely used to diagnose CL, because of its higher sensitivity. This study estimated the accuracy and compared PCRs of samples from lesion scarification (PCR-L and blood sample-enriched leukocytes (PCR-B with three conventional diagnostic techniques: parasite direct search (DS, Montenegro skin test (MST, and indirect immunofluorescence reaction (IIF. The study included 276 patients under suspicion of CL. We conducted a cross-sectional study, in which patients were selected by convenience sampling. We used MP3H/MP1L primers to generate a Leishmania (Viannia (minicircle kDNA fragment of 70-bp. Of 106 patients with CL, 83.87%, 51.67%, 64.52%, 85.71%, or 96.10% tested positive by PCR-L, PCR-B, DS, IIF, or MST, respectively. Five patients tested positive only by PCR-L, and two other patients only by PCR-B. PCR-L is indicated for use in patients with chronic lesions or Leishmania reinfection, which may progress to mucosal lesion. PCR-B is indicated for use in patients with negative results in conventional tests or for patients with no apparent lesion. PCR is not only useful in diagnosing CL but also helps to identify the infecting species.

  18. Identification of a patient with Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia and meningitis by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isaacman, D J; Zhang, Y; Rydquist-White, J; Wadowsky, R M; Post, J C; Ehrlich, G D

    1995-06-01

    A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay based on the penicillin-binding protein gene PBP2B identified the presence of DNA specific for Streptococcus pneumoniae in the serum and CSF of a patient with culture-proven bacteremia and meningitis. Positive signals were seen to dilutions of 1:125 and 1:390,625 for the blood and CSF specimens, respectively. Potential advantages of PCR over conventional culture include exquisite sensitivity, faster results and the ability to identify the organisms by the presence of species-specific DNA even in patients pretreated with antibiotics.

  19. Chain reaction. History of the atomic bomb; Kettenreaktion. Die Geschichte der Atombombe

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mania, Hubert

    2010-07-01

    Henri becquerel tracked down in 1896 a strange radiation, which was called radioactivity by Marie Curie. In the following centuries German scientists Max Planck, Albert Einstein and Werner Heisenberg presented fundamental contributions to understand processes in the atomic nucleus. At Goettingen, center of the international nuclear physics community, the American student J. Robert Oppenheimer admit to this physical research. In the beginning of 1939 the message of Otto Hahns' nuclear fission electrified researchers. The first step, unleashing atomic energy, was done. A half year later the Second World War begun. And suddenly being friend with and busily communicating physicians were devided into hostile power blocs as bearers of official secrets. The author tells in this exciting book the story of the first atomic bomb as a chain reaction of ideas, discoveries and visions, of friendships, jealousy and intrigues of scientists, adventurers and genius. (orig./GL)

  20. Multiplex Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction untuk Deteksi Cepat Virus Flu Burung H5N1 (MULTIPLEX REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION-POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION FOR RAPID DETECTION OF H5N1 AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raden Wasito

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Avian influenza virus subtype H5N1 (AIV H5N1 is highly pathogenic and fatal in poultry. The virusis still endemic with low virulence rate, although it may play a critical role in causing high morbidity andmortality rates in poultry in Indonesia. In general, diagnostic approach for AIV H5N1 is based onconventional serological and viral isolation methods that have the potential to produce consumings oftime and relatively expensive cost within the laboratory without compromising test utility. Thus, amolecular approach of multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR was developedand applied for the detection of matrix gene type A influenza viruses, AIV subtype subtype H5hemagglutinin gene with simultaneous detection of N1 nucleoprotein gene. Thirty sera specimens fromthe diseased commercial chickens that were specifically amplified positive-RT-PCR for AIV H5N1 wereselected for mRT-PCR. The mRT-PCR products were visualized by agarose gel electrophoresis and consistedof DNA fragments of AIV of 245 bp, 545 bp and 343 bp for M, H5 and N1 genes, respectively. Thus, themRT-PCR that can rapidly differentiate simultaneously between these genes is very important for thecontrol and even eradication of AIV transmission in poultry in Indonesia.

  1. Rapid establishment of polymerase chain reaction-restriction ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    RFLP) optimization reaction system for cpDNA in tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] was rapidly established. Results show that the optimal PCR reaction system was 100 ng template DNA, 200 μmolL-1 dNTPs, 1.5 mmolL-1 MgCl2, 50 ng primer, ...

  2. Development of multiplex polymerase chain reaction for detection of Ehrlichia canis, Babesia spp and Hepatozoon canis in canine blood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kledmanee, Kan; Suwanpakdee, Sarin; Krajangwong, Sakranmanee; Chatsiriwech, Jarin; Suksai, Parut; Suwannachat, Pongpun; Sariya, Ladawan; Buddhirongawatr, Ruangrat; Charoonrut, Phingphol; Chaichoun, Kridsada

    2009-01-01

    A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been developed for simultaneous detection of canine blood parasites, Ehrlichia canis, Babesia spp and Hepatozoon canis, from blood samples in a single reaction. The multiplex PCR primers were specific to E. canis VirB9, Babesia spp 16S rRNA and H. canis 16S rRNA genes. Specificity of the amplicons was confirmed by DNA sequencing. The assay was evaluated using normal canine and infected blood samples, which were detected by microscopic examination. This multiplex PCR offers scope for simultaneous detection of three important canine blood parasites and should be valuable in monitoring parasite infections in dogs and ticks.

  3. Real-time polymerase chain reaction for diagnosing infectious mononucleosis in pediatric patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Sha-Yi; Yang, Jing-Wei; Shao, Jing-Bo; Liao, Xue-Lian; Lu, Zheng-Hua; Jiang, Hui

    2016-05-01

    In this meta-analysis, we evaluated the diagnostic role of Epstein-Barr virus deoxyribonucleic acid detection and quantitation in the serum of pediatric and young adult patients with infectious mononucleosis. The primary outcome of this meta-analysis was the sensitivity and specificity of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) detection and quantitation using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed by searching for articles that were published through September 24, 2014 in the following databases: Medline, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. The following keywords were used for the search: "Epstein-Barr virus," "infectious mononucleosis," "children/young adults/infant/pediatric," and "polymerase chain reaction or PCR." Three were included in this analysis. We found that for detection by PCR, the pooled sensitivity for detecting EBV DNA was 77% (95%CI, 66-86%) and the pooled specificity for was 98% (95%CI, 93-100%). Our findings indicate that this PCR-based assay has high specificity and good sensitivity for detecting of EBV DNA, indicating it may useful for identifying patients with infectious mononucleosis. This assay may also be helpful to identify young athletic patients or highly physically active pediatric patients who are at risk for a splenic rupture due to acute infectious mononucleosis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. [Usefulness of conventional polymerase chain reaction for the detection of Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma spp. and Trichomonas vaginalis in female outpatient's genital samples].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alarcón, Gonzalo; Barraza, Gabriela; Vera, Andrea; Wozniak, Aniela; García, Patricia

    2016-02-01

    Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma spp. are microorganisms responsible for genitourinary and pregnancy pathologies. Nucleic acid amplification methods have shown several advantages, but have not been widely studied for the detection of these microorganisms. To implement a conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of the microorganisms and to compare its results versus the methods currently used at our laboratory. 91 available samples were processed by PCR, culture (M. hominis y Ureaplasma spp.) and wet mount (T vaginalis). Results were compared and statistically analyzed by kappa agreement test. 85, 80 and 87 samples resulted in agreement for the detection of M. hominis, Ureaplasma spp. y T. vaginalis, respectively. For M. hominis and Ureaplasma spp., agreement was substantial, whereas for T. vaginalis it was moderate, however, for the latter, PCR detected more cases than wet mount. We recommend the implementation of PCR for detection of T. vaginalis whereas culture kit is still a useful method for the other microorganisms.

  5. Kinetics of the chain uranium decay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zel'dovich, Ya.B.; Khariton, Yu.B.

    1984-01-01

    The development of chain reaction in uranium mass, when passing through the mass critical value, is studied. It is shown that thermal expanson is a powerful regulating factor, making the limit passing quite safe. The case of convergence of two uranium masses of precritical dimensions is considered in particular. The critical mass value is assessed and it is shown that its gradual increase above the critical value results in the reaction vibrational regime with the period inversely proportional to the square root of uranium supply rate. The role of delaying neutrons in the fission chain reaction development is pointed out

  6. Use of a novel virus inactivation method for a multicenter avian influenza real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction proficiency study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spackman, Erica; Suarez, David L

    2005-01-01

    Proficiency assessments are important elements in quality control for diagnostic laboratories. Traditionally, proficiency testing for polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays has involved the use of clinical samples, samples "spiked" with live agents or DNA plasmids. Because of government regulations and biosecurity concerns, distribution of live high-consequence pathogens of livestock and poultry, such as avian influenza, is not possible, and DNA plasmids are not technically suitable for evaluating RNA virus detection. Therefore, a proficiency testing panel using whole avian influenza in a diluent containing a phenolic disinfectant that inactivates the virus while preserving the RNA for at least 8 weeks at -70 C was developed and used in a multicenter proficiency assessment for a type A influenza real-time reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR test. The test, which was highly standardized, except for variation in the real-time RT-PCR equipment used, was shown to be highly reproducible by proficiency testing in 12 laboratories in the United States, Canada, and Hong Kong. Variation in cycle threshold values among 35 data sets and 490 samples was minimal (CV = 5.19%), and sample identifications were highly accurate (96.7% correct identifications) regardless of real-time PCR instrumentation.

  7. Detection and RFLP Analysis of Canine Parvovirus (CPV) DNA by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in a Dog

    OpenAIRE

    ÖZKUL, Aykut

    2002-01-01

    In this study, the detection of canine parvovirus (CPV) in a fecal sample from a dog with enteritis was performed for the first time using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in Turkey. The final PCR product was analyzed using the restriction fragment length polymorphysm (RFLP) technique. RFLP analysis using Apa LI and Eco RV restriction endonucleases revealed homology in the nucleotide sequence in at least the VP2 coding region of the virus DNAs detected in the fecal specimen and prepared fr...

  8. Genetic variability in Brazilian populations of Biomphalaria straminea complex detected by simple sequence repeat anchored polymerase chain reaction amplification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caldeira Roberta L

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Biomphalaria glabrata, B. tenagophila and B. straminea are intermediate hosts of Schistosoma mansoni, in Brazil. The latter is of epidemiological importance in the northwest of Brazil and, due to morphological similarities, has been grouped with B. intermedia and B. kuhniana in a complex named B. straminea. In the current work, we have standardized the simple sequence repeat anchored polymerase chain reaction (SSR-PCR technique, using the primers (CA8RY and K7, to study the genetic variability of these species. The similarity level was calculated using the Dice coefficient and genetic distance using the Nei and Li coefficient. The trees were obtained by the UPGMA and neighbor-joining methods. We have observed that the most related individuals belong to the same species and locality and that individuals from different localities, but of the same species, present clear heterogeneity. The trees generated using both methods showed similar topologies. The SSR-PCR technique was shown to be very efficient in intrapopulational and intraspecific studies of the B. straminea complex snails.

  9. Selective binding of carotenoids with a shorter conjugated chain to the LH2 antenna complex and those with a longer conjugated chain to the reaction center from Rubrivivax gelatinosus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kakitani, Yoshinori; Fujii, Ritsuko; Hayakawa, Yoshihiro; Kurahashi, Masahiro; Koyama, Yasushi; Harada, Jiro; Shimada, Keizo

    2007-06-19

    Rubrivivax gelatinosus having both the spheroidene and spirilloxanthin biosynthetic pathways produces carotenoids (Cars) with a variety of conjugated chains, which consist of different numbers of conjugated double bonds (n), including the C=C (m) and C=O (o) bonds. When grown under anaerobic conditions, the wild type produces Cars for which n = m = 9-13, whereas under semiaerobic conditions, it additionally produces Cars for which n = m + o = 10 + 1, 13 + 1, and 13 + 2. On the other hand, a mutant, in which the latter pathway is genetically blocked, produces only Cars for which n = 9 and 10 under anaerobic conditions and n = 9, 10, and 10 + 1 under semianaerobic conditions. Those Cars that were extracted from the LH2 complex (LH2) and the reaction center (RC), isolated from the wild-type and the mutant Rvi. gelatinosus, were analyzed by HPLC, and their structures were determined by mass spectrometry and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The selective binding of Cars to those pigment-protein complexes has been characterized as follows. (1) Cars with a shorter conjugated chain are selectively bound to LH2 whereas Cars with a longer conjugated chain to the RC. (2) Shorter chain Cars with a hydroxyl group are bound to LH2 almost exclusively. This rule holds either in the absence or in the presence of the keto group. The natural selection of shorter chain Cars by LH2 and longer chain Cars by the RC is discussed, on the basis of the results now available, in relation to the light-harvesting and photoprotective functions of Cars.

  10. Supplier selection in manufacturing innovation chain-oriented public procurement based on improved PSO method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xin Xu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: At the dynamic innovation market, it is very difficult for an enterprise to accomplish innovation individually; technology innovation is shifting towards collaborative R&D chain mode. Thus, supplier selection based on individually innovation efficiency of enterprise is inapplicable to construct collaborative R&D innovation chain. This study is seeking to address how to select R&D innovation chain supplier in manufacturing industry. Design/methodology/approach: Firstly, Delphi method and AHP method are applied to establish an index system evaluating the suppliers of innovation chain, and then each index is weighted by experts with AHP method. Thirdly, optimized PSO algorithm is put forwarded based on the optimal efficiency of innovation chain to discriminate ideal suppliers meeting realistic conditions. Fourthly, innovation chain construction at generator manufacturing industry was taken as empirical case study to testify the improved PSO model. Findings: The innovation chain is comprised up by several enterprises, innovation performance of a single enterprise is not always positively correlated to that of one innovation chain, and the proposed model is capable to find out the best combination to construct an innovation chain. Research limitations/implications: The relations between these constructs with other variables of interest to the academicals fields were analyzed by a precise and credible data with a clear and concise description of the supply chain integration measurement scales. Practical implications: providing scales that are valid as a diagnostic tool for best practices, as well as providing a benchmark with which to compare the score for each individual plant against a chain of industrial innovation from machinery. Originality/value: Innovation chain integration is an important factor in explaining the innovation performance of companies. The vast range of results obtained is due to the fact that there is no exactness to

  11. Differentiation of closely related but biologically distinct cherry isolates of Prunus necrotic ringspot virus by polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammond, R W; Crosslin, J M; Pasini, R; Howell, W E; Mink, G I

    1999-07-01

    Prunus necrotic ringspot ilarvirus (PNRSV) exists as a number of biologically distinct variants which differ in host specificity, serology, and pathology. Previous nucleotide sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis of cloned reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) products of several biologically distinct sweet cherry isolates revealed correlations between symptom type and the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the 3a (putative movement protein) and 3b (coat protein) open reading frames. Based upon this analysis, RT-PCR assays have been developed that can identify isolates displaying different symptoms and serotypes. The incorporation of primers in a multiplex PCR protocol permits rapid detection and discrimination among the strains. The results of PCR amplification using type-specific primers that amplify a portion of the coat protein gene demonstrate that the primer-selection procedure developed for PNRSV constitutes a reliable method of viral strain discrimination in cherry for disease control and will also be useful for examining biological diversity within the PNRSV virus group.

  12. On-site identification of meat species in processed foods by a rapid real-time polymerase chain reaction system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furutani, Shunsuke; Hagihara, Yoshihisa; Nagai, Hidenori

    2017-09-01

    Correct labeling of foods is critical for consumers who wish to avoid a specific meat species for religious or cultural reasons. Therefore, gene-based point-of-care food analysis by real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is expected to contribute to the quality control in the food industry. In this study, we perform rapid identification of meat species by our portable rapid real-time PCR system, following a very simple DNA extraction method. Applying these techniques, we correctly identified beef, pork, chicken, rabbit, horse, and mutton in processed foods in 20min. Our system was sensitive enough to detect the interfusion of about 0.1% chicken egg-derived DNA in a processed food sample. Our rapid real-time PCR system is expected to contribute to the quality control in food industries because it can be applied for the identification of meat species, and future applications can expand its functionality to the detection of genetically modified organisms or mutations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection of Angiostrongylus cantonensis DNA in Cerebrospinal Fluid from Patients with Eosinophilic Meningitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qvarnstrom, Yvonne; Xayavong, Maniphet; da Silva, Ana Cristina Aramburu; Park, Sarah Y; Whelen, A Christian; Calimlim, Precilia S; Sciulli, Rebecca H; Honda, Stacey A A; Higa, Karen; Kitsutani, Paul; Chea, Nora; Heng, Seng; Johnson, Stuart; Graeff-Teixeira, Carlos; Fox, LeAnne M; da Silva, Alexandre J

    2016-01-01

    Angiostrongylus cantonensis is the most common infectious cause of eosinophilic meningitis. Timely diagnosis of these infections is difficult, partly because reliable laboratory diagnostic methods are unavailable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of A. cantonensis DNA in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens. A total of 49 CSF specimens from 33 patients with eosinophilic meningitis were included: A. cantonensis DNA was detected in 32 CSF specimens, from 22 patients. Four patients had intermittently positive and negative real-time PCR results on subsequent samples, indicating that the level of A. cantonensis DNA present in CSF may fluctuate during the course of the illness. Immunodiagnosis and/or supplemental PCR testing supported the real-time PCR findings for 30 patients. On the basis of these observations, this real-time PCR assay can be useful to detect A. cantonensis in the CSF from patients with eosinophilic meningitis. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  14. A method for the computation of turbulent polymeric liquids including hydrodynamic interactions and chain entanglements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kivotides, Demosthenes, E-mail: demosthenes.kivotides@strath.ac.uk

    2017-02-12

    An asymptotically exact method for the direct computation of turbulent polymeric liquids that includes (a) fully resolved, creeping microflow fields due to hydrodynamic interactions between chains, (b) exact account of (subfilter) residual stresses, (c) polymer Brownian motion, and (d) direct calculation of chain entanglements, is formulated. Although developed in the context of polymeric fluids, the method is equally applicable to turbulent colloidal dispersions and aerosols. - Highlights: • An asymptotically exact method for the computation of polymer and colloidal fluids is developed. • The method is valid for all flow inertia and all polymer volume fractions. • The method models entanglements and hydrodynamic interactions between polymer chains.

  15. Analysis Of The Logistics Intermediaries Choice Methods In The Supply Chains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lukinskiy Valery

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The increase of the supply chains efficiency requires optimization of all types of logistic operations and functions. One of such functions is the choice of intermediaries (carriers, freight forwarders, suppliers, service enterprises etc. and, according to some specialists, it is a major strategic decision in management supply chains. The methods of choosing the logistic intermediaries are considered in many works, however, some questions remain debatable. The article discusses the analytical and expert approaches which serve as a basis to choose the intermediaries; along with it, in the article a comparative evaluation of choice expert methods is done: point-rating assessment, analytic hierarchy process and the general algorithm for selecting; the conclusions have been drawn about the applicability of each method.

  16. The Recent Emergence of Clostridium difficile Infection in Romanian Hospitals is Associated with a High Prevalence of Polymerase Chain Reaction Ribotype 027

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriel Adrian Popescu

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Aims: To investigate the epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection in Romanian hospitals. Methods: A survey was conducted at nine hospitals throughout Romania between November 2013 and February 2014. Results: The survey identified 393 patients with Clostridium difficile infection. The median age was 67 years (range: 2-94 years; 56% of patients were aged >65 years. The mean prevalence of Clostridium difficile infection was 5.2 cases per 10.000 patient-days. The highest prevalences were 24.9 and 20 per 10.000 patient-days in hospitals specializing in gastroenterology and infectious diseases, respectively. Clostridium difficile infections were health care-associated in 70.5% patients and community-acquired in 10.2%. The origin was not determined in 19.3%. Clostridium difficile infection was severe in 12.3% of patients, and the in-hospital all-cause mortality was 8.8%. Polymerase chain reaction ribotype 027 had the highest prevalence in all participating hospitals and represented 82.6% of the total ribotyped isolates. The minimum inhibitory concentration of moxifloxacin was >4 μg/mL for 59 of 80 tested isolates (73.8%. Of 59 isolates, 54 were highly resistant to moxifloxacin (minimum inhibitory concentration ≥32 μg/mL, and the majority were polymerase chain reaction ribotype 027 (p<0.0001. Conclusion: The ribotype 027 was the predominant cause of Clostridium difficile infections in Romania. In some specialized hospitals, the prevalence of Clostridium difficile infection was higher than the European mean prevalence, and this demonstrates the need for strict adherence to infection control programs.

  17. Diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis by the polymerase chain reaction using blood, bone marrow and lymph node samples from patients from the Sudan

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andresen, K; Gasim, S; Elhassan, A M

    1997-01-01

    We have evaluated the sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a diagnostic tool for Leishmania donovani using blood, bone marrow and lymph node samples from Sudanese patients with a confirmed infection. Forty patients were diagnosed by microscopic examination of bone marrow or lymph...

  18. Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae by two polymerase chain reactions and role of M. pneumoniae in acute respiratory tract infections in pediatric patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ieven, M; Ursi, D; Van Bever, H; Quint, W; Niesters, H G; Goossens, H

    Mycoplasma pneumoniae and viruses in acute respiratory tract infections in children were studied during the winter of 1992-1993 in Antwerp, Belgium. M. pneumoniae was diagnosed in nasopharyngeal aspirates by culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For this, amplification of a fragment of the PI

  19. Aplication of AHP method in partner's selection process for supply chain development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barac Nada

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The process of developing a supply chain is long and complex. with many restrictions and obstacles that accompany it. In this paper the authors focus on the first stage in developing the supply chain and the selection process and selection of partners. This phase of the development significantly affect the competitive position of the supply chain and create value for the consumer. Selected partners or 'links' of the supply chain influence the future performance of the chain which points to the necessity of full commitment to this process. The process of selection and choice of partner is conditioned by the key criteria that are used on that occasion. The use of inadequate criteria may endanger the whole process of building a supply chain partner selection through inadequate future supply chain needs. This paper is an analysis of partner selection based on key criteria used by managers in Serbia. For this purpose we used the AHP method. the results show that these are the top ranked criteria in terms of managers.

  20. Distorted wave method in reactions with composite particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zelenskaya, N.S.; Teplov, I.B.

    1980-01-01

    The work deals with the distorbed wave method with a finite radius of interaction (DWBAFR) as applied to quantitative analysis of direct nuclear reactions with composite particles (including heavy ions) considering the reaction mechanisms other than the cluster stripping mechanism, in particular the exchange processes. The accurate equations of the distorbed-wave method in the three-body problem and the general formula dor calculating differential cross-sections of arbitrary binary reactions by DWBAFR are presented. Accurate and approximate methods allowing for finite interaction radius are discussed. Two main versions of exact account of recoil effects: separation of variables in wave functions of relative motion of particles and in interaction potentials and separation of variables in distorted waves are analysed. Given is a characteristic of the known calculated programs approximately and exactly taking account of recoil effects for direct and exchange processes [ru

  1. Genetic traits of avascular necrosis of the femoral head analyzed by array comparative genomic hybridization and real-time polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Jung-Taek; Baik, Seung-Ho; Choi, Jin-Soo; Lee, Kweon-Haeng; Rhee, Seung-Koo

    2011-01-03

    In an attempt to observe the genetic traits of avascular necrosis of the femoral head, we analyzed the genomic alterations in blood samples of 18 patients with avascular necrosis of the femoral head (9 idiopathic and 9 alcoholic cases) using the array comparative genomic hybridization method and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Several candidate genes were identified that may induce avascular necrosis of the femoral head, and we investigated their role in the pathomechanism of osteonecrosis of bone. The frequency of each candidate gene over all the categories of avascular necrosis of the femoral head was also calculated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The highest frequency specific genes in each category were FLJ40296, CYP27C1, and CTDP1. FLJ40296 and CYP27C1 had the highest frequency (55.6%) in the idiopathic category. FLJ40296 had a high frequency (44.4%) in the alcoholic category, but CYP27C1 had a relatively low frequency (33.3%) in the alcoholic category. However, CTDP1 showed a significantly high frequency (55.6%) in the alcoholic category and a low frequency (22.2%) in the idiopathic category. Although we statistically analyzed the frequency of each gene with Fisher's exact test, we could not prove statistical significance due to the small number of samples. Further studies are needed with larger sample numbers. If the causal genes of avascular necrosis of the femoral head are found, they may be used for early detection, prognosis prediction, and genomic treatment of avascular necrosis of the femoral head in the future. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

  2. Sleeve reaction chamber system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Northrup, M Allen [Berkeley, CA; Beeman, Barton V [San Mateo, CA; Benett, William J [Livermore, CA; Hadley, Dean R [Manteca, CA; Landre, Phoebe [Livermore, CA; Lehew, Stacy L [Livermore, CA; Krulevitch, Peter A [Pleasanton, CA

    2009-08-25

    A chemical reaction chamber system that combines devices such as doped polysilicon for heating, bulk silicon for convective cooling, and thermoelectric (TE) coolers to augment the heating and cooling rates of the reaction chamber or chambers. In addition the system includes non-silicon-based reaction chambers such as any high thermal conductivity material used in combination with a thermoelectric cooling mechanism (i.e., Peltier device). The heat contained in the thermally conductive part of the system can be used/reused to heat the device, thereby conserving energy and expediting the heating/cooling rates. The system combines a micromachined silicon reaction chamber, for example, with an additional module/device for augmented heating/cooling using the Peltier effect. This additional module is particularly useful in extreme environments (very hot or extremely cold) where augmented heating/cooling would be useful to speed up the thermal cycling rates. The chemical reaction chamber system has various applications for synthesis or processing of organic, inorganic, or biochemical reactions, including the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or other DNA reactions, such as the ligase chain reaction.

  3. Forward chaining method on diagnosis of diseases and pests corn crop

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nurlaeli, Subiyanto

    2017-03-01

    Integrated pest management should be done to control the explosion of plants pest and diseases due to climate change is uncertain. This paper is a present implementation of the forward chaining method in the diagnosis diseases and pests of corn crop to help farmers/agricultural facilitators in getting knowledge about disease and pest corn crop. Forward chaining method as inference engine is used to get a disease/pest that attacks the corn crop based on symptoms. The forward chaining method works based on the fact that there is to get a conclusion. Fact in this system derived from the symptoms of the selected user is matched with the premise on every rule in the knowledge base. A rule that matches the facts to be executed to be the conclusion in the form of diagnosis. This validation using 36 data test, 32 data showed the same diagnostic results between systems with an expert. So, the percentage accuracy of results of diagnosis using data test of 88%. Finally, it can be concluded that the diagnosis system of diseases and pests corn crop can be used to help farmers/agricultural facilitators to diagnose diseases and pests corn crop.

  4. Diagnosis of Leishmania infantum infection by Polymerase Chain Reaction in wild mammals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mayara C. Lombardi

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Visceral leishmaniasis is a chronic infectious disease caused by Leishmania infantum (synonym: Leishmania chagasi and transmitted by the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis in Brazil. It is an endemic zoonosis in several regions of the country, including Belo Horizonte (State of Minas Gerais. In urban areas, the domestic dog is susceptible and considered the most important animal reservoir. However, L. infantum has been previously diagnosed in other species, including captive primates and canids. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of the agent DNA in captive animals as well as some free ranging animals from the Zoo-Botanical Foundation of Belo Horizonte by Polymerase Chain Reaction. Eighty one blood samples from primates, carnivores, ruminants, edentates, marsupial, and a monogastric herbivore were analyzed. Three primates Alouatta guariba (brown howler monkey, and two canids Speothos venaticus (bush dog were positive, demonstrating the importance of leishmaniasis control in endemic areas for preservation of wildlife species in captivity.

  5. KONSTRUKSI MUTAN PROTEIN FOSFATASE ptc2D Saccharomyces cerevisiae DENGAN METODE PENGGANTIAN GEN TARGET DENGAN POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (PCR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hermansyah

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an excellent model to studi genes function of eukarotic cells such as study of gene encoding protein phosphatase PTC2. Novel phenotypic caused by mutated gene is an important step to study function of gene. In this study constructed mutant of PTC2 gene encoding protein phosphatase. Method that used in this construction was replacement of target gene (PTC2 with auxotroph marker Candida albicans HIS3 by Polymer Chain Reaction (PCR or called by PCR-mediated disruption. Mutant colonies which grew in selective medium SC without histidine were confirmed by PCR amplification. By using 1% Agarose gel electrophoresis the result showed that size of ptc2D::CgHIS3 transformant was 3.52 kb while wild type strain was 2.9 kb, indicated that ptc2D::CgHIS3 has integrated on chromosome V replacing PTC2 wild type.

  6. Detection and identification of cutaneous leishmaniasis isolates by culture, Polymerase chain reaction and sequence analyses in Syrian and Central Anatolia patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beyhan, Yunus E; Karakus, Mehmet; Karagoz, Alper; Mungan, Mesut; Ozkan, Aysegul T; Hokelek, Murat

    2017-09-01

    To characterize the cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) isolates of Syrian and Central Anatolia patients at species levels. Methods: Skin scrapings of 3 patients (2 Syrian, 1 Turkish) were taken and examined by direct examination, culture in Novy-MacNeal-Nicole (NNN) medium, internal transcribed spacer polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis (PCR). Results:According to microscopic examination, culture and PCR methods, 3 samples were detected positive. The sequencing results of all isolates in the study were identified as Leishmania tropica. The same genotypes were detected in the 3 isolates and nucleotide sequence submitted into GenBank with the accession number: KP689599. Conclusion: This finding could give information about the transmission of CL between Turkey and Syria. Because of the Syrian civil war, most of the Syrian citizens circulating in Turkey and different part of Europe, this can be increase the risk of spreading the disease. So, prevention measurements must be taken urgently.

  7. Detection and identification of cutaneous leishmaniasis isolates by culture, Polymerase chain reaction and sequence analyses in Syrian and Central Anatolia patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunus E. Beyhan

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To characterize the cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL isolates of Syrian and Central Anatolia patients at species levels. Methods: Skin scrapings of 3 patients (2 Syrian, 1 Turkish were taken and examined by direct examination, culture in Novy-MacNeal-Nicole (NNN medium, internal transcribed spacer polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis (PCR. Results:According to microscopic examination, culture and PCR methods, 3 samples were detected positive. The sequencing results of all isolates in the study were identified as Leishmania tropica. The same genotypes were detected in the 3 isolates and nucleotide sequence submitted into GenBank with the accession number: KP689599. Conclusion: This finding could give information about the transmission of CL between Turkey and Syria. Because of the Syrian civil war, most of the Syrian citizens circulating in Turkey and different part of Europe, this can be increase the risk of spreading the disease. So, prevention measurements must be taken urgently.

  8. Real-time polymerase chain reaction with melting analysis of positive blood culture specimens in bloodstream infections: diagnostic value and turnaround time.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angeletti, Silvia; Gherardi, Giovanni; De Florio, Lucia; Avola, Alessandra; Crea, Francesca; Riva, Elisabetta; Vitali, Massimiliano Andrea; Galluzzo, Sara; Dicuonzo, Giordano

    2013-01-01

    A Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with melting analysis was devised to target bacterial and fungal genes together with the most prevalent antimicrobial resistance genes in 250 positive blood culture broths. This method allowed the blood culture cultivated pathogens to be classified into clinically relevant groups such as Enterobacteriaceae, oxidase-positive bacilli, oxidase-positive coccobacilli, S. aureus and yeast. Enterococci and streptococci could be distinguished from CoNS only by the Gram stain. Gram-positive bacilli were discriminated from Gram-positive cocci by Gram stain. Furthermore, the most important antimicrobial resistant genes such as mecA, vanA, bla TEM , bla SHV and bla CTX-M could be identified. All results were obtained with a turnaround time of three hours from the moment of blood culture positivity compared to 24-72 hours for phenotypic methods. In conclusion, the proposed approach can allow the clinician to implement proper early management of sepsis patients.

  9. Quantitative analysis of MDR1 (multidrug resistance) gene expression in human tumors by polymerase chain reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noonan, K.E.; Beck, C.; Holzmayer, T.A.; Chin, J.E.; Roninson, I.B.; Wunder, J.S.; Andrulis, I.L.; Gazdar, A.F.; Willman, C.L.; Griffith, B.; Von Hoff, D.D.

    1990-01-01

    The resistance of tumor cells ot chemotheraprutic drugs is a major obstacle to successful cancer chemotherapy. In human cells, expression of the MDR1 gene, encoding a transmembrane efflux pump (P-glycoprotein), leads to decreased intracellular accumulation and resistance to a variety of lipophilic drugs (multidrug resistance; MDR). The levels of MDR in cell lines selected in bitro have been shown to correlate with the steady-state levels of MDR1 mRNA and P-glycoprotein. In cells with a severalfold increase in cellular drug resistance, MDR1 expression levels are close to the limits of detection by conventional assays. MDR1 expression has been frequently observed in human tumors after chemotherapy and in some but not all types of clinically refactory tumors untreated with chemotherapeutic drugs. The authors have devised a highly sensitive, specific, and quantitative protocol for measuring the levels of MDR1 mRNA in clincal samples, based on the polymerase chain reaction. They have used this assay to measure MDR1 gene expression in MDR cell lines and >300 normal tissues, tumor-derived cell lines, and clinical specimens of untreated tumors of the types in which MDR1 expression was rarely observed by standard assays. Low levels of MDR1 expression were found by polymerase chain reaction in most solid tumors and leukemias tested. The frequency of samples without detectable MDR1 expression varied among different types of tumors; MDR1-negative samples were ost common among tumor types known to be relatively responsive to chemotherapy

  10. Investigation of Evaluation method of chemical runaway reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sato, Yoshihiko; Sasaya, Shinji; Kurakata, Koichiro; Nojiri, Ichiro

    2002-02-01

    Safety study 'Study of evaluation of abnormal occurrence for chemical substances in the nuclear fuel facilities' will be carried out from 2001 to 2005. In this study, the prediction of thermal hazards of chemical substances will be investigated and prepared. The hazard prediction method of chemical substances will be constructed from these results. Therefore, the hazard prediction methods applied in the chemical engineering in which the chemical substances with the hazard of fire and explosion were often treated were investigated. CHETAH (The ASTM Computer Program for Chemical Thermodynamic and Energy Release Evaluation) developed by ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and TSS (Thermal Safety Software) developed by CISP (ChemInform St. Petersburg) were introduced and the fire and explosion hazards of chemical substances and reactions in the reprocessing process were evaluated. From these evaluated results, CHETAH could almost estimate the heat of reaction at 10% accuracy. It was supposed that CHETAH was useful as a screening for the hazards of fire and explosion of the new chemical substances and so on. TSS could calculate the reaction rate and the reaction behavior from the data measured by the various calorimeters rapidly. It was supposed that TSS was useful as an evaluation method for the hazards of fire and explosion of the new chemical reactions and so on. (author)

  11. Identification of three randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction markers for distinguishing Asian and North American Gypsy Moths (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    David E. Schreiber; Karen J. Garner; James M. Slavicek

    1997-01-01

    Gypsy moths originating in Asia have recently been introduced into North America, making it necessary to develop markers for distinguishing the Asian strain from the established North American population. We have identified 3 randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction generated (RAPD-PCR) markers which are specific for either Asian or North American...

  12. Isolation and polymerase chain reaction-based identification of Riemerella anatipestifer from ducks in Kerala, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manju Soman

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The aim was to isolate and characterize Riemerella anatipestifer organisms from disease outbreaks in ducks in Kerala. Materials and Methods: Ducklings, suspected of Riemerella infection, were sacrificed and subjected to post-mortem examination. Heart blood smears and impression smears from liver and spleen were examined for the presence of pathogenic organisms. Heart blood, lung, liver, and spleen collected aseptically from the birds were subjected to isolation trials in brain heart infusion agar and 10% bovine blood agar. The isolates were characterized based on morphology, cultural characteristics and biochemical tests, and their identity were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR and the PCR amplified DNA was sequenced. The antibiotic sensitivity testing of the isolates were carried out using six antibiotics viz ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin, amoxycillin, cotrimoxazole, and gentamicin. Results: Colonies suggestive of Riemerella organisms could be isolated on blood agar. Biochemical characterization and PCR confirmed the identity of isolates as R. anatipestifer. The nucleotide sequence of the PCR product showed 99% homology to the R. anatipestifer sequences in the NCBI. The antibiogram revealed that the organisms were sensitive to ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, and gentamicin. Conclusion: The present study suggests that the PCR assay can facilitate fast and proper identification of R. anatipestifer infection in ducks. The assay can also differentiate between R. anatipestifer and Pasteurella multocida and can replace the traditional methods of differentiation which are cumbersome and time-consuming.

  13. Molecular diagnosis of eosinophilic meningitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea by polymerase chain reaction-DNA sequencing of cerebrospinal fluids of patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Praphathip Eamsobhana

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF samples from clinically diagnosed patients with detectable Angiostrongylus canto-nensis-specific antibodies (n = 10, patients with clinically suspected cases that tested negative for A. cantonensis-an-tibodies (n = 5 and patients with cerebral gnathostomiasis (n = 2 and neurocysticercosis (n = 2 were examined by a single-step polymerase chain reaction (PCR method using the AC primers for the 66-kDa native protein gene. The PCR method detected A. cantonensis DNA in CSF samples from four of 10 serologically confirmed angiostrongyliasis cases. The PCR results were negative for the remaining CSF samples. The nucleotide sequences of three positive CSF-PCR samples shared 98.8-99.2% similarity with the reference sequence of A. cantonensis. These results indicate the potential application of this PCR assay with clinical CSF samples for additional support in the confirmation of eosinophilic meningitis due to A. cantonensis.

  14. Quantitative fucK gene polymerase chain reaction on sputum and nasopharyngeal secretions to detect Haemophilus influenzae pneumonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdeldaim, Guma M K; Strålin, Kristoffer; Olcén, Per; Blomberg, Jonas; Mölling, Paula; Herrmann, Björn

    2013-06-01

    A quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the fucK gene was developed for specific detection of Haemophilus influenzae. The method was tested on sputum and nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) from 78 patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). With a reference standard of sputum culture and/or serology against the patient's own nasopharyngeal isolate, H. influenzae etiology was detected in 20 patients. Compared with the reference standard, fucK PCR (using the detection limit 10(5) DNA copies/mL) on sputum and NPA showed a sensitivity of 95.0% (19/20) in both cases, and specificities of 87.9% (51/58) and 89.5% (52/58), respectively. In a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, sputum fucK PCR was found to be significantly superior to sputum P6 PCR for detection of H. influenzae CAP. NPA fucK PCR was positive in 3 of 54 adult controls without respiratory symptoms. In conclusion, quantitative fucK real-time PCR provides a sensitive and specific identification of H. influenzae in respiratory secretions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Identifikasi Brucella abortus Isolat Lokal dengan Brucella abortus Strain Specific-Polymerase Chain Reaction (IDENTIFICATION OF LOCAL ISOLATES OF BRUCELLA ABORTUS USING BRUCELLA ABORTUS STRAIN SPECIFIC-POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION ASSAY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan Maphilindawati Noor

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Brucella abortus Strain Specific-Polymerase Chain Reaction (BaSS-PCR is a single multiplex PCRtechnique which able to identify and differentiate between Brucella abortus field strains (biovar 1, 2, and4, B. abortus vaccine strains, Brucella species, and non-Brucella species. In this study, BaSS-PCR wasapplied to identify local isolates of B. abortus in order to investigate the B. abortus strains that infectedcattle in Indonesia. Fifty local strains of B.abortus isolated from infected cattle in Java (Jakarta andBandung, South Sulawesi (Maros, East Nusa Tenggara (Kupang and Belu were used in this study. TheDNA bands were observed by agarose gel in the presence of ethidium bromide. Identification was performedbased on the size and number of DNA products amplified by PCR from each isolates. The results showedthat the 50 isolates were of B. abortus field strains. This finding showed that the cause of bovine brucellosisin Indonesia is B. abortus field strains.

  16. New paradigm for simplified combustion modeling of energetic solids: Branched chain gas reaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brewster, M.Q.; Ward, M.J. [Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States); Son, S.F. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

    1997-09-01

    Two combustion models with simple but rational chemistry are compared: the classical high gas activation energy (E{sub g}/RT {much_gt} 1) Denison-Baum-Williams (DBW) model, and a new low gas activation energy (E{sub g}/RT {much_lt} 1) model recently proposed by Ward, Son, and Brewster (WSB). Both models make the same simplifying assumptions of constant properties, Lewis number unity, single-step, second order gas phase reaction, and single-step, zero order, high activation energy condensed phase decomposition. The only difference is in the gas reaction activation energy E{sub g} which is asymptotically large for DBW and vanishingly small for WSB. For realistic parameters the DBW model predicts a nearly constant temperature sensitivity {sigma}{sub p} and a pressure exponent n approaching 1. The WSB model predicts generally observed values of n = 0.7 to 0.9 and {sigma}{sub p}(T{sub o},P) with the generally observed variations with temperature (increasing) and pressure (decreasing). The WSB temperature profile also matches measured profiles better. Comparisons with experimental data are made using HMX as an illustrative example (for which WSB predictions for {sigma}{sub p}(T{sub o},P) are currently more accurate than even complex chemistry models). WSB has also shown good agreement with NC/NG double base propellant and HNF, suggesting that at the simplest level of combustion modeling, a vanishingly small gas activation energy is more realistic than an asymptotically large one. The authors conclude from this that the important (regression rate determining) gas reaction zone near the surface has more the character of chain branching than thermal decomposition.

  17. The spectral method and the central limit theorem for general Markov chains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagaev, S. V.

    2017-12-01

    We consider Markov chains with an arbitrary phase space and develop a modification of the spectral method that enables us to prove the central limit theorem (CLT) for non-uniformly ergodic Markov chains. The conditions imposed on the transition function are more general than those by Athreya-Ney and Nummelin. Our proof of the CLT is purely analytical.

  18. Linear-after-the-exponential polymerase chain reaction and allied technologies. Real-time detection strategies for rapid, reliable diagnosis from single cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pierce, Kenneth E; Wangh, Lawrence J

    2007-01-01

    Accurate detection of gene sequences in single cells is the ultimate challenge to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sensitivity. Unfortunately, commonly used conventional and real-time PCR techniques are often too unreliable at that level to provide the accuracy needed for clinical diagnosis. Here we provide details of linear-after-the-exponential-PCR (LATE-PCR), a method similar to asymmetric PCR in the use of primers at different concentrations, but with novel design criteria to ensure high efficiency and specificity. Compared with conventional PCR, LATE-PCR increases the signal strength and allele discrimination capability of oligonucleotide probes such as molecular beacons and reduces variability among replicate samples. The analysis of real-time kinetics of LATE-PCR signals provides a means for improving the accuracy of single cell genetic diagnosis.

  19. Non-Covalent Fluorescent Labeling of Hairpin DNA Probe Coupled with Hybridization Chain Reaction for Sensitive DNA Detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Luna; Zhang, Yonghua; Li, Junling; Gao, Qiang; Qi, Honglan; Zhang, Chengxiao

    2016-04-01

    An enzyme-free signal amplification-based assay for DNA detection was developed using fluorescent hairpin DNA probes coupled with hybridization chain reaction (HCR). The hairpin DNAs were designed to contain abasic sites in the stem moiety. Non-covalent labeling of the hairpin DNAs was achieved when a fluorescent ligand was bound to the abasic sites through hydrogen bonding with the orphan cytosine present on the complementary strand, accompanied by quench of ligand fluorescence. As a result, the resultant probes, the complex formed between the hairpin DNA and ligand, showed almost no fluorescence. Upon hybridization with target DNA, the probe underwent a dehybridization of the stem moiety containing an abasic site. The release of ligand from the abasic site to the solution resulted in an effective fluorescent enhancement, which can be used as a signal. Compared with a sensing system without HCR, a 20-fold increase in the sensitivity was achieved using the sensing system with HCR. The fluorescent intensity of the sensing system increased with the increase in target DNA concentration from 0.5 nM to 100 nM. A single mismatched target ss-DNA could be effectively discriminated from complementary target DNA. Genotyping of a G/C single-nucleotide polymorphism of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products was successfully demonstrated with the sensing system. Therefore, integrating HCR strategy with non-covalent labeling of fluorescent hairpin DNA probes provides a sensitive and cost-effective DNA assay. © The Author(s) 2016.

  20. Saliva Polymerase-Chain-Reaction Assay for Cytomegalovirus Screening in Newborns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boppana, Suresh B.; Ross, Shannon A.; Shimamura, Masako; Palmer, April L.; Ahmed, Amina; Michaels, Marian G.; Sánchez, Pablo J.; Bernstein, David I.; Tolan, Robert W.; Novak, Zdenek; Chowdhury, Nazma; Britt, William J.; Fowler, Karen B.

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is an important cause of hearing loss, and most infants at risk for CMV-associated hearing loss are not identified early in life because of failure to test for the infection. The standard assay for newborn CMV screening is rapid culture performed on saliva specimens obtained at birth, but this assay cannot be automated. Two alternatives — real-time polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR)–based testing of a liquid-saliva or dried-saliva specimen obtained at birth — have been developed. METHODS In our prospective, multicenter screening study of newborns, we compared real-time PCR assays of liquid-saliva and dried-saliva specimens with rapid culture of saliva specimens obtained at birth. RESULTS A total of 177 of 34,989 infants (0.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.4 to 0.6) were positive for CMV, according to at least one of the three methods. Of 17,662 newborns screened with the use of the liquid-saliva PCR assay, 17,569 were negative for CMV, and the remaining 85 infants (0.5%; 95% CI, 0.4 to 0.6) had positive results on both culture and PCR assay. The sensitivity and specificity of the liquid-saliva PCR assay were 100% (95% CI, 95.8 to 100) and 99.9% (95% CI, 99.9 to 100), respectively, and the positive and negative predictive values were 91.4% (95% CI, 83.8 to 96.2) and 100% (95% CI, 99.9 to 100), respectively. Of 17,327 newborns screened by means of the dried-saliva PCR assay, 74 were positive for CMV, whereas 76 (0.4%; 95% CI, 0.3 to 0.5) were found to be CMV-positive on rapid culture. Sensitivity and specificity of the dried-saliva PCR assay were 97.4% (95% CI, 90.8 to 99.7) and 99.9% (95% CI, 99.9 to 100), respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 90.2% (95% CI, 81.7 to 95.7) and 99.9% (95% CI, 99.9 to 100), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Real-time PCR assays of both liquid- and dried-saliva specimens showed high sensitivity and specificity for detecting CMV infection and should be

  1. LISA data analysis using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cornish, Neil J.; Crowder, Jeff

    2005-01-01

    The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is expected to simultaneously detect many thousands of low-frequency gravitational wave signals. This presents a data analysis challenge that is very different to the one encountered in ground based gravitational wave astronomy. LISA data analysis requires the identification of individual signals from a data stream containing an unknown number of overlapping signals. Because of the signal overlaps, a global fit to all the signals has to be performed in order to avoid biasing the solution. However, performing such a global fit requires the exploration of an enormous parameter space with a dimension upwards of 50 000. Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods offer a very promising solution to the LISA data analysis problem. MCMC algorithms are able to efficiently explore large parameter spaces, simultaneously providing parameter estimates, error analysis, and even model selection. Here we present the first application of MCMC methods to simulated LISA data and demonstrate the great potential of the MCMC approach. Our implementation uses a generalized F-statistic to evaluate the likelihoods, and simulated annealing to speed convergence of the Markov chains. As a final step we supercool the chains to extract maximum likelihood estimates, and estimates of the Bayes factors for competing models. We find that the MCMC approach is able to correctly identify the number of signals present, extract the source parameters, and return error estimates consistent with Fisher information matrix predictions

  2. Optimized nested polymerase chain reaction for antemortem detection of Mycobacteria in Amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva) and orange-winged Amazons (Amazona amazonica).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baquião, Arianne Costa; Luna, Janaina Oliveira; Medina, Aziz Orro; Sanfilippo, Luiz Francisco; de Faria, Maria Jacinta; dos Santos, Manuel Armando Azevedo

    2014-03-01

    The objectives of this study were to optimize nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Mycobacterium avium complex and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and apply them on samples from parrots. Results were negative for the presence of these Mycobacterium in the samples, and nested PCR was specific, faster, and more sensitive than other tests, thereby justifying its use in antemortem diagnosis.

  3. A novel polymerase chain reaction (PCR) - denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) for the identification of Micrococcaceae strains involved in meat fermentations. Its application to naturally fermented Italian sausages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cocolin, L; Manzano, M; Aggio, D; Cantoni, C; Comi, G

    2001-05-01

    A new molecular method consisting of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of a small fragment from the 16S rRNA gene identified the Micrococcaceae strains isolated from natural fermented Italian sausages. Lactic acid bacteria, total aerobic mesophilic flora, Enterobacteriaceae and faecal enterococci were also monitored. Micrococcaceaea control strains from international collections were used to optimise the method and 90 strains, isolated from fermented sausages, were identified by biochemical tests and PCR-DGGE. No differences were observed between the methods used. The results reported in this paper prove that Staphylococcus xylosus is the main bacterium involved in fermented sausage production, representing, from the tenth day of ripening, the only Micrococcaceaea species isolated.

  4. The determination methods of the velocity constant for electrochemical reactions; Les methodes de determination de la constante de vitesse des reactions electrochimiques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Molina, R

    1963-07-01

    In a brief introduction are recalled the fundamental mechanisms of the electrochemical reaction and the definition of the intrinsic velocity constant of a such reaction. By the nature of the different parameters which enter in this definition are due some experimental problems which are examined. Then are given the principles of the measurement methods of the velocity constant. These methods are developed with the mathematical expression of the different rates of the mass transfer to an electrode. In each case are given the experimental limits of use of the methods and the size order of the velocity constant that can be reached. A list of fundamental works to be consulted conclude this work. (O.M.) [French] Dans une breve introduction sont rappeles les mecanismes fondamentaux de la reaction electrochimique et la definition de la constante de vitesse intrinseque d'une telle reaction. De la nature des differents parametres qui entrent dans celle definition, decoulent un certain nombre de problemes experimentaux qui sont passes en revue. On donne ensuite les principes des methodes de mesure de la constante de vitesse. L'exposition de ces methodes est developpee a l'aide de l'expression mathematique des differents regimes de transfert de masse a une electrode. On s'attache dans chaque cas, a donner les limitations experimentales d'utilisation des methodes et l'ordre de grandeur de la constante de vitesse qu'elles permettent d'atteindre. Une liste des ouvrages fondamentaux a consulter conclut ce travail. (auteur)

  5. Multifunctional Nanomaterials Utilizing Hybridization Chain Reaction for Molecular Diagnostics and Bioanalytical Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rana, Md. Muhit

    DNA nanotechnology has shown great promise in molecular diagnostic, bioanalytical and biomedical applications. The great challenge of detecting target analytes, biomarkers and small molecules, in molecular diagnostics is low yield sensitivity. To address this challenge, different nanomaterials have been used for a long time and to date there is no such cost-effective bioanalytical technique which can detect these target biomarkers (DNA, RNA, circulating DNA/miRNA) or environmental heavy metal ions (Hg2+ and Ag+) in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Herein, we initially discuss two possible bioanalytical detection methods- a) colorimetric and b) fluorometric assays which are very popular nowadays due to their distinctive spectroscopic properties. Finally, we report the promising colorimetric assay using a novel DNA based amplification strategy know as hybridization chain reaction (HCR) for potential application in the visual detection of low copies of biomarkers (miRNAs as little as 20 femtomole in an RNA pool and cell extracts in seven different combinations and Ebola virus DNA as low as 400 attomoles in liquid biopsy mimics in sixteen different combinations), environmental and biological heavy metal ions (mercury and silver concentrations as low as 10 pM in water, soil and urine samples) and also successfully applied to a molecular logic gate operation to distinguish OR and AND logic gates. No results showed any false-positive or false-negative information. On the other hand, we also discuss the future possibilities of HCR amplification technology, which is very promising for fluorometric bioanalysis. The HCR based nanoprobe technology has numerous remarkable advantages over other methods. It is re-programmable, simple, inexpensive, easy to assemble and operate and can be performed with visual and spectroscopic read-outs upon recognition of the target analytes. This rapid, specific and sensitive approach for biomarkers and heavy metal ion detection generates

  6. Analytical definition of fission chain reaction parameters for cylindrical uranium bar and energy release evaluations for HIF hybrid targets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Imshennik, V.S.

    2006-01-01

    Within the conditions of Heavy-Ion Fusion (HIF) arises a possibility to obtain the fission chain reaction for a cylindrical HIF target. The paper contains the solution interpolated with the diffusion approximation in order to receive the general approximation expressions for the bar critical radius as well as for over-critical state. The obtained critical parameters generalized for uranium envelope are used for rough evaluation of the energy release in HIF hybrid targets [ru

  7. Pelacakan Virus Bercak Putih pada Udang Vaname (Litopenaeus vannamei di Lombok dengan Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (DETECTION OF WHITE SPOT SYNDROME VIRUS IN LITOPENAEUS VANNAMEI IN LOMBOK ISLAND USING REAL-TIME POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lulu Arafani

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available White spot syndrome virus (WSSV is one of the most threatening diseases in shrimp and othercrustaceans affecting global shrimp farming. Since firstly detected in Taiwan in 1992, the disease hasspread globally and followed with considerable socio-economic consequences. This research was performedto detect the WSSV infection in shrimp farming in Lombok Island’s (West Nusa Tenggara using real-timepolymerase chain reaction. Samples of vaname (Litopenaeus vannamei were collected from several shrimpfarming in Lombok. Results indicated that the spread of WSSV has reached shrimp farms in Lombok,especially in Lendang Jae, West Lombok. Therefore, a biosurveillance program is strongly recommendedto government to avoid and halt the spread of the disease in East Indonesia region .

  8. Trojan Horse Method for neutrons-induced reaction studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gulino, M.; Asfin Collaboration

    2017-09-01

    Neutron-induced reactions play an important role in nuclear astrophysics in several scenario, such as primordial Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, Inhomogeneous Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, heavy-element production during the weak component of the s-process, explosive stellar nucleosynthesis. To overcome the experimental problems arising from the production of a neutron beam, the possibility to use the Trojan Horse Method to study neutron-induced reactions has been investigated. The application is of particular interest for reactions involving radioactive nuclei having short lifetime.

  9. THE APLICATION OF REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE-POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF CANINE DISTEMPER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I Nyoman Suartha

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available A study was conducted to apply reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR technique for the confirmative diagnosis of canine distemper in dogs. Twenty mongreal dogs with clinical symptoms of canine distemper were used in this study. The viral RNA was isolated from nasal swab using Trizol® and transcribed into cDNA using random primers 5’ACAGGATTGCTGAGGACCTAT 3’. The cDNA was amplified in one step RT-PCR using primers 5’-ACAGGATTGCTGAGGACCTAT-3’ (forward and 5’- CAAGATAACCATGTACGGTGC-3’ (backward. A single band of 300 bp which was specific for canine distemper virus CDV was detected in fifteen out of twenty samples. It is therefore evident that confirmative diagnostics of canine distemper disease can be established with RT-PCR technique.

  10. Product differentiation by analysis of DNA melting curves during the polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ririe, K M; Rasmussen, R P; Wittwer, C T

    1997-02-15

    A microvolume fluorometer integrated with a thermal cycler was used to acquire DNA melting curves during polymerase chain reaction by fluorescence monitoring of the double-stranded DNA specific dye SYBR Green I. Plotting fluorescence as a function of temperature as the thermal cycler heats through the dissociation temperature of the product gives a DNA melting curve. The shape and position of this DNA melting curve are functions of the GC/AT ratio, length, and sequence and can be used to differentiate amplification products separated by less than 2 degrees C in melting temperature. Desired products can be distinguished from undesirable products, in many cases eliminating the need for gel electrophoresis. Analysis of melting curves can extend the dynamic range of initial template quantification when amplification is monitored with double-stranded DNA specific dyes. Complete amplification and analysis of products can be performed in less than 15 min.

  11. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction: description of a RIN-based algorithm for accurate data normalization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boissière-Michot Florence

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR is the gold standard technique for mRNA quantification, but appropriate normalization is required to obtain reliable data. Normalization to accurately quantitated RNA has been proposed as the most reliable method for in vivo biopsies. However, this approach does not correct differences in RNA integrity. Results In this study, we evaluated the effect of RNA degradation on the quantification of the relative expression of nine genes (18S, ACTB, ATUB, B2M, GAPDH, HPRT, POLR2L, PSMB6 and RPLP0 that cover a wide expression spectrum. Our results show that RNA degradation could introduce up to 100% error in gene expression measurements when RT-qPCR data were normalized to total RNA. To achieve greater resolution of small differences in transcript levels in degraded samples, we improved this normalization method by developing a corrective algorithm that compensates for the loss of RNA integrity. This approach allowed us to achieve higher accuracy, since the average error for quantitative measurements was reduced to 8%. Finally, we applied our normalization strategy to the quantification of EGFR, HER2 and HER3 in 104 rectal cancer biopsies. Taken together, our data show that normalization of gene expression measurements by taking into account also RNA degradation allows much more reliable sample comparison. Conclusion We developed a new normalization method of RT-qPCR data that compensates for loss of RNA integrity and therefore allows accurate gene expression quantification in human biopsies.

  12. Zr alkoxide chain effect on the sol-gel synthesis of lithium metazirconate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pfeiffer, Heriberto; Bosch, Pedro; Bulbulian, Silvia

    2003-01-01

    Lithium metazirconate (Li 2 ZrO 3 ) was synthesized by the sol-gel method, using four different Zr alkoxides: zirconium ethoxide, zirconium iso-propoxide, zirconium propoxide and zirconium butoxide. The syntheses were made under two different catalytic regimes, acid and basic. The resulting powders were mixtures of Li 2 ZrO 3 and ZrO 2 . The best yield of Li 2 ZrO 3 (100%) was obtained when the sol-gel reaction was developed with lithium methoxide and zirconium ethoxide under acid catalysis regime. This study establishes that, for base-catalyzed reactions the ZrO 2 formation decreases when the alkyl-chain increases in the alkoxides. By contrast, for acid-catalyzed reactions the ZrO 2 formation increases as the alkyl-chain increases. Finally, when Zr propoxide and Zr iso-propoxide were used, the Li 2 ZrO 3 amounts were different due to steric effects

  13. Development of the nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in blood derivatives. Final report for the period 15 December 1994 - 15 December 1995

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pavelic, J.

    1996-07-01

    Testing for the presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in blood derivatives used in clinical medicine is important to ensure the safety of such preparations. A reliable and reproducible method is described for the isolation of HCV RNA, subsequent reverse transcription and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from blood derivatives. Of 17 batches of blood derivatives (14 negative for anti-HCV and 3 of unknown anti-HCV status) five were found to be positive in the nested PCR. (author). 4 refs, 3 figs, 1 tab

  14. Detection and quantification of Renibacterium salmoninarum DNA in salmonid tissues by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chase, D.M.; Elliott, D.G.; Pascho, R.J.

    2006-01-01

    Renibacterium salmoninarum is an important salmonid pathogen that is difficult to culture. We developed and assessed a real-time, quantitative, polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay for the detection and enumeration of R. salmoninarum. The qPCR is based on TaqMan technology and amplifies a 69-base pair (bp) region of the gene encoding the major soluble antigen (MSA) of R. salmoninarum. The qPCR assay consistently detected as few as 5 R. salmoninarum cells per reaction in kidney tissue. The specificity of the qPCR was confirmed by testing the DNA extracts from a panel of microorganisms that were either common fish pathogens or reported to cause false-positive reactions in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Kidney samples from 38 juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in a naturally infected population were examined by real-time qPCR, a nested PCR, and ELISA, and prevalences of R. salmoninarum detected were 71, 66, and 71%, respectively. The qPCR should be a valuable tool for evaluating the R. salmoninarum infection status of salmonids.

  15. A chain-of-states acceleration method for the efficient location of minimum energy paths

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hernández, E. R., E-mail: Eduardo.Hernandez@csic.es; Herrero, C. P. [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM–CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Soler, J. M. [Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada and IFIMAC, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid (Spain)

    2015-11-14

    We describe a robust and efficient chain-of-states method for computing Minimum Energy Paths (MEPs) associated to barrier-crossing events in poly-atomic systems, which we call the acceleration method. The path is parametrized in terms of a continuous variable t ∈ [0, 1] that plays the role of time. In contrast to previous chain-of-states algorithms such as the nudged elastic band or string methods, where the positions of the states in the chain are taken as variational parameters in the search for the MEP, our strategy is to formulate the problem in terms of the second derivatives of the coordinates with respect to t, i.e., the state accelerations. We show this to result in a very simple and efficient method for determining the MEP. We describe the application of the method to a series of test cases, including two low-dimensional problems and the Stone-Wales transformation in C{sub 60}.

  16. A chain-of-states acceleration method for the efficient location of minimum energy paths

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hernández, E. R.; Herrero, C. P.; Soler, J. M.

    2015-01-01

    We describe a robust and efficient chain-of-states method for computing Minimum Energy Paths (MEPs) associated to barrier-crossing events in poly-atomic systems, which we call the acceleration method. The path is parametrized in terms of a continuous variable t ∈ [0, 1] that plays the role of time. In contrast to previous chain-of-states algorithms such as the nudged elastic band or string methods, where the positions of the states in the chain are taken as variational parameters in the search for the MEP, our strategy is to formulate the problem in terms of the second derivatives of the coordinates with respect to t, i.e., the state accelerations. We show this to result in a very simple and efficient method for determining the MEP. We describe the application of the method to a series of test cases, including two low-dimensional problems and the Stone-Wales transformation in C 60

  17. Detection of clarithromycin-resistant Helicobacter pylori by polymerase chain reaction using residual samples from rapid urease test

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jae-Sik Jeon

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Approximately 50% of the world population is infected with Helicobacter pylori, which corresponds to a high infection rate. Furthermore, the incidence of antibiotic-resistant H. pylori has increased with the recent rise in use of antibiotics for H. pylori elimination, suggesting growing treatment failures. Aim: The study was aimed to assess the use of residual samples from rapid urease test (RUT for biomolecular testing as an effective and accurate method to detect antibiotic-resistant H. pylori. Settings and Design: This study was a retrospective study performed using data obtained from medical records of previously isolated H. pylori strains. Materials and Methods: RUT was conducted for 5440 biopsy samples from individuals who underwent health examination in South Korea. Subsequently, 469 RUT residual samples were randomly selected and subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR to detect antibiotic-resistant H. pylori. Statistical Analysis Used: The Chi-square test was used to analyse categorical data. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The results showed a concordance between the results of PCR and conventional RUT in 450 of 469 samples, suggesting that the H. pylori PCR test is a time- and cost-effective detection method. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that PCR test can aid physicians to prescribe the appropriate antibiotics at the time of diagnosis, thus preventing the reduction in H. pylori eradication due to antibiotic resistance, averting progression to serious diseases and increasing the treatment success rate.

  18. Determine the prevalence of Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp. in blood samples by multiplex polymerase chain reaction collected from cattle, sheep and goats in herds located in provinces of Iran

    OpenAIRE

    Faham Khamesipour; Shahin Nejat Dehkordi; Taghi Taktaz Hafshejani; Elahe Tajbakhsh; Shahrzad Azizi

    2014-01-01

    Leptospirosis and brucellosis are common zoonosis that affect many species of mammals mostly causing economical losses. Further, very important fact is huge danger for human and animal health around the world. The purpose of the study is to determine the prevalence of Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp. using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) method, in blood samples collected from cattle, sheep and goats. In this study, a total number of 250 blood samples (5 cc of blood with ethilen d...

  19. A Simple Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction for Dengue Type 2 Virus Identification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiz Tadeu M Figueiredo

    1997-05-01

    Full Text Available We show here a simplified reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR for identification of dengue type 2 virus. Three dengue type 2 virus strains, isolated from Brazilian patients, and yellow fever vaccine 17DD, as a negative control, were used in this study. C6/36 cells were infected with the virus, and tissue culture fluids were collected after 7 days of infection period. The RT-PCR, a combination of RT and PCR done after a single addition of reagents in a single reaction vessel was carried out following a digestion of virus with 1% Nonidet P-40. The 50ml assay reaction mixture included 50 pmol of a dengue type 2 specific primer pair amplifying a 210 base pair sequence of the envelope protein gene, 0.1 mM of the four deoxynucleoside triphosphates, 7.5U of reverse transcriptase, and 1U of thermostable Taq DNA polymerase. The reagent mixture was incubated for 15 min at 37oC for RT followed by a variable amount of cycles of two-step PCR amplification (92oC for 60 sec, 53oC for 60 sec with slow temperature increment. The PCR products were subjected to 1.7% agarose gel electrophoresis and visualized with UV light after gel incubation in ethidium bromide solution. DNA bands were observed after 25 and 30 cycles of PCR. Virus amount as low as 102.8 TCID50/ml was detected by RT-PCR. Specific DNA amplification was observed with the three dengue type 2 strains. This assay has advantages compared to other RT-PCRs: it avoids laborious extraction of virus RNA; the combination of RT and PCR reduces assay time, facilitates the performance and reduces risk of contamination; the two-step PCR cycle produces a clear DNA amplification, saves assay time and simplifies the technique

  20. Molecular typing for blood group antigens within 40 min by direct polymerase chain reaction from plasma or serum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Franz F; Flegel, Willy A; Bittner, Rita; Döscher, Andrea

    2017-03-01

    Determining blood group antigens by serological methods may be unreliable in certain situations, such as in patients after chronic or massive transfusion. Red cell genotyping offers a complementary approach, but current methods may take much longer than conventional serological typing, limiting their utility in urgent situations. To narrow this gap, we devised a rapid method using direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification while avoiding the DNA extraction step. DNA was amplified by PCR directly from plasma or serum of blood donors followed by a melting curve analysis in a capillary rapid-cycle PCR assay. We evaluated the single nucleotide polymorphisms underlying the clinically relevant Fy a , Fy b , Jk a and Jk b antigens, with our analysis being completed within 40 min of receiving a plasma or serum sample. The positive predictive value was 100% and the negative predictive value at least 84%. Direct PCR with melting point analysis allowed faster red cell genotyping to predict blood group antigens than any previous molecular method. Our assay may be used as a screening tool with subsequent confirmatory testing, within the limitations of the false-negative rate. With fast turnaround times, the rapid-cycle PCR assay may eventually be developed and applied to red cell genotyping in the hospital setting. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. A Risk Management Method for the Operation of a Supply-Chain without Storage:

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobayashi, Yasuhiro; Manabe, Yuuji; Nakata, Norimasa; Kusaka, Satoshi

    A business risk management method has been developed for a supply-chain without a storage function under demand uncertainty. Power supply players in the deregulated power market face the need to develop the best policies for power supply from self-production and reserved purchases to balance demand, which is predictable with error. The proposed method maximizes profit from the operation of the supply-chain under probabilistic demand uncertainty on the basis of a probabilistic programming approach. Piece-wise linear functions are employed to formulate the impact of under-booked or over-booked purchases on the supply cost, and constraints on over-demand probability are introduced to limit over-demand frequency on the basis of the demand probability distribution. The developed method has been experimentally applied to the supply policy of a power-supply-chain, the operation of which is based on a 3-stage pricing purchase contract and on 28 time zones. The characteristics of the obtained optimal supply policy are successfully captured in the numerical results, which suggest the applicability of the proposed method.

  2. Evaluation of the polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania major: a comparison with direct microscopy of smears and sections from lesions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andresen, K; Gaafar, A; El-Hassan, A M

    1996-01-01

    We have compared the sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a diagnostic tool against conventional microscopical diagnostic techniques in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis from the Sudan. Twenty-eight patients were diagnosed according to clinical criteria followed by microscopi......We have compared the sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a diagnostic tool against conventional microscopical diagnostic techniques in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis from the Sudan. Twenty-eight patients were diagnosed according to clinical criteria followed......%, respectively. The PCR should be considered as a valuable and sensitive diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis; it has the added advantage of identification of the species of Leishmania causing the lesion....

  3. Comparison between specific and multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for detection of hepatitis A virus, poliovirus and rotavirus in experimentally seeded oysters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C Coelho

    2003-06-01

    Full Text Available Outbreaks of gastroenteritis have occurred among consumers of raw or undercooked shellfish harvested from faecally polluted waters. A multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR was applied for the simultaneous detection of hepatitis A virus (HAV, poliovirus (PV and simian rotavirus (RV-SA11 and compared with specific primers for each genome sequence. Three amplified DNA products representing HAV (192 bp, PV (394 bp and RV (278 bp were identified when positive controls were used. However, when tested on experimentally contaminated raw oysters, this method was not able to detect the three viruses simultaneously. This is probably due to the low concentration of viral RNAs present in oyster extract which were partially lost during the extracts preparation.

  4. Markov chain Monte Carlo methods in radiotherapy treatment planning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hugtenburg, R.P.

    2001-01-01

    The Markov chain method can be used to incorporate measured data in Monte Carlo based radiotherapy treatment planning. This paper shows that convergence to the measured data, within the target precision, is achievable. Relative output factors for blocked fields and oblique beams are shown to compare well with independent measurements according to the same criterion. (orig.)

  5. Detection of Vibrio spp. in shrimp from aquaculture sites in Iran using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

    OpenAIRE

    Faham Khamesipour; Esmat Noshadi; Mitra Moradi; Mehdi Raissy

    2014-01-01

    Shrimp is one of the most important fishery products of the coastal provinces in the Persian Gulf in Iran. Vibriosis has been an important cause of production loss due to bacterial disease in shrimp farms in south Iran in recent years. The objective of this study was to detect the prevalence of Vibrio spp. in shrimp samples from farms in the southern provinces of Iran by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total number of 36 shrimp were caught from south coast of Iran and were stud...

  6. Reaction mechanisms in the radiolysis of peptides, polypeptides and proteins II reactions at side-chain loci in model systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garrison, W.M.

    1983-11-01

    The major emphasis in radiation biology at the molecular level has been on the nucleic acid component of the nucleic acid-protein complex because of its primary genetic importance. But there is increasing evidence that radiation damage to the protein component also has important biological implications. Damage to capsid protein now appears to be a major factor in the radiation inactivation of phage and other viruses. And, there is increasing evidence that radiation-chemical change in the protein component of chromation leads to changes in the stability of the repressor-operator complexes involved in gene expression. Knowledge of the radiation chemistry of protein is also of importance in other fields such as the application of radiation sterilization to foods and drugs. Recent findings that a class of compounds, the α,α'-diaminodicarboxylic acids, not normally present in food proteins, are formed in protein radiolysis is of particular significance since certain of their peptide derivatives have been showing to exhibit immunological activity. The purpose of this review is to bring together and to correlate our present knowledge of products and mechanisms in the radiolysis of peptides, polypeptides and proteins both aqueous and solid-state. In part 1 we presented a discussion of the radiation-induced reactions of the peptide main-chain in model peptide and polypeptide systems. Here in part 2 the emphasis is on the competing radiation chemistry at side-chain loci of peptide derivatives of aliphatic, aromatic-unsaturated and sulfur-containing amino acids in similar systems. Information obtained with the various experimental techniques of product analysis, competition kinetics, spin-trapping, pulse radiolysis, and ESR spectroscopy are included

  7. Chain-brush method in delimbing and debarking of wood; Ketjuharja-menetelmae puun karsinnassa ja kuorinnassa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aho, V J; Nikala, L; Laitinen, H [VTT Energy, Jyvaeskylae (Finland)

    1997-12-01

    The objective of this project is to study, develop and make an integrated method for production of wood fuels and industrial raw material, promoting the competitiveness of the refining and energy usage of felling residues based on chain-brush delimbing-debarking technology, operational. VTT Energy has tested different brush constructions and the thickness of chains using varying feeding speeds and rotation speeds of the brush-delimber. First thinning pine, spruce and birch have been tested as single trees. Different temperatures have been used in the summer, and frozen timber in the winter. A method has been developed for estimation of the bark content and the wood losses for pine. The method is based on the measurement of the areas covered by bark and the debarked areas of the timber, on the bark thickness values and dry substance content of the wood obtained from the literature, as well as on the calculation formulas obtained from these. Unscrambler software will be used to assist the planning of the tests, and for analysing of the results. The utilisation of the chain-brush method for different wood-species, and the effect of different chain adjustments will be simulated by the software. The chain-brush delimbing will be studied using the high-speed camera acquired to VTT Energy. (orig.)

  8. Detection of nonauthorized genetically modified organisms using differential quantitative polymerase chain reaction: application to 35S in maize.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cankar, Katarina; Chauvensy-Ancel, Valérie; Fortabat, Marie-Noelle; Gruden, Kristina; Kobilinsky, André; Zel, Jana; Bertheau, Yves

    2008-05-15

    Detection of nonauthorized genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has always presented an analytical challenge because the complete sequence data needed to detect them are generally unavailable although sequence similarity to known GMOs can be expected. A new approach, differential quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), for detection of nonauthorized GMOs is presented here. This method is based on the presence of several common elements (e.g., promoter, genes of interest) in different GMOs. A statistical model was developed to study the difference between the number of molecules of such a common sequence and the number of molecules identifying the approved GMO (as determined by border-fragment-based PCR) and the donor organism of the common sequence. When this difference differs statistically from zero, the presence of a nonauthorized GMO can be inferred. The interest and scope of such an approach were tested on a case study of different proportions of genetically modified maize events, with the P35S promoter as the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus common sequence. The presence of a nonauthorized GMO was successfully detected in the mixtures analyzed and in the presence of (donor organism of P35S promoter). This method could be easily transposed to other common GMO sequences and other species and is applicable to other detection areas such as microbiology.

  9. Aplicabilidade da metodologia de reação de polimerase em cadeia em tempo real na determinação do percentual de organismos geneticamente modificados em alimentos Applicability of the real-time polymerase chain reaction based-methods in quantification of genetically modified organisms in foods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natália Eudes Fagundes de Barros

    2008-02-01

    2003, which requires labeling for all foods or food ingredients, with a stricter labeling threshold of 1%. Although polymerase chain reaction technology has some limitations, the high sensitivity and specificity explain why it has been the first choice of most analytical laboratories interested in detection of genetically modified organisms and their derived products. Among the currently available methods, polymerase chain reaction-based methods are accepted, considering the sensitivity and reliability for detection of genetically modified-derived material in routine analysis. In this paper, a review of currently available polymerase chain reaction methods for screening and quantifying genetically modified-derived ingredients is presented, discussing their applicability and limitations.

  10. A SEROLOGIC AND POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION SURVEY OF EQUINE HERPESVIRUS IN BURCHELL'S ZEBRAS (EQUUS QUAGGA), HARTMANN'S MOUNTAIN ZEBRAS (EQUUS ZEBRA HARTMANNAE), AND THOMSON'S GAZELLES (EUDORCAS THOMSONII) IN A MIXED SPECIES SAVANNAH EXHIBIT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez, Karen M; Fleming, Gregory J; Mylniczenko, Natalie D

    2016-12-01

    Reports of equine herpesvirus (EHV) 1 and EHV-9 causing clinical disease in a wide range of species have been well documented in the literature. It is thought that zebras are the natural hosts of EHV-9 both in the wild and in captive collections. Concerns about potential interspecies transmission of EHV-1 and EHV-9 in a mixed species savannah exhibit prompted serologic and polymerase chain reaction surveys. Eighteen Burchell's zebras ( Equus quagga ), 11 Hartmann's mountain zebras ( Equus zebra hartmannae), and 14 Thomson's gazelles ( Eudorcas thomsonii ) cohabitating the same exhibit were examined for EHV-1 virus neutralization titers, and evidence of virus via EHV 1-5 polymerase chain reactions. None of the animals had previous exposure to vaccination with EHV-1 or EHV-4. All tested zebras had positive EHV-1 titers, ranging from 4 to 384. All zebras and Thomson's gazelles had negative polymerase chain reaction results for all targeted equine herpesviruses. EHV-9-specific assays are not available but EHV-1, EHV-4, and EHV-9 cross-react serologically. Positive serology results indicate a potential latent equine herpesvirus in the zebra population, which prompted initiation of an equine herpesvirus vaccine protocol, changes in pregnant zebra mare management, and equine herpesvirus polymerase chain reaction screening prior to shipment to or from the study site.

  11. Mycoplasma haemolamae infection in a 4-day-old cria: Support for in utero transmission by use of a polymerase chain reaction assay

    OpenAIRE

    Almy, Frederic S.; Ladd, Sabine M.; Sponenberg, D. Phillip; Crisman, Mark V.; Messick, Joanne B.

    2006-01-01

    Blood smear examination in a 4-day-old alpaca revealed massive erythrocyte parasitism by Mycoplasma haemolamae. Blood collected from both the nonparasitemic dam and the cria were positive for M. haemolamae by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. These findings suggest in utero transmission of M. haemolamae in camelids, even when the dam is not parasitemic.

  12. Nucleophilic Fluorination Reactions in Novel Reaction Media for 18F-Fluorine Labeling Method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Dong Wook; Jeong, Hwan Jeong; Lim, Seok Tae; Sohn, Myung Hee

    2009-01-01

    Noninvasive imaging of molecular and biological processes in living subjects with positron emission tomography (PET) provides exciting opportunities to monitor metabolism and detect diseases in humans. Measuring these processes with PET requires the preparation of specific molecular imaging probes labeled with 18F-fluorine. In this review we describe recent methods and novel trends for the introduction of 18 F-fluorine into molecules which in turn are intended to serve as imaging agents for PET study. Nucleophilic 18 F-fluorination of some halo- and mesyloxyalkanes to the corresponding 18 F-fluoroalkanes with 18 F-fluoride obtained from an 18 O(p,n) 18 F reaction, using novel reaction media system such as an ionic liquidor tert-alcohol, has been studied as a new method for 18 F-fluorine labeling. Ionic liquid method is rapid and particularly convenient because 18 F-fluoride in H 2 O can be added directly to the reaction media, obviating the careful drying that is typically required for currently used radiofluorination methods. The nonpolar protic tert-alcohol enhances the nucleophilicity of the fluoride ion dramatically in the absence of any kind of catalyst, greatly increasing the rate of the nucleophilic fluorination and reducing formation of byproducts compared with conventional methods using dipolar aprotic solvents. The great efficacy of this method is a particular advantage in labeling radiopharmaceuticals with 18 F-fluorine for PET imaging, and it is illustrated by the synthesis of 18 F-fluoride radiolabeled molecular imaging probes, such as 18 F-FDG, 18 F-FLT, 18 F-FP-CIT, and 18 F-FMISO, in high yield and purity and in shorter times compared to conventional syntheses

  13. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction test for the diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heo, Nae-Yun; Lim, Young-Suk; An, Jihyun; Ko, Sun-Young; Oh, Heung-Bum

    2012-12-01

    The early diagnosis of acute hepatitis A (AHA) is hindered because serum IgM against hepatitis A virus (HAV) can yield false-negative results during the window period. This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kit for HAV RNA for the diagnosis of AHA. Samples were collected from 136 patients with acute severe hepatitis at their admission to Asan Medical Center between June 2010 and July 2010. Samples were analyzed for serum IgM anti-HAV using an immunoassay test and for qualitative HAV RNA using the Magicplex HepaTrio PCR test kit. The diagnostic accuracies of these methods were tested on the basis of clinical and laboratory diagnoses of AHA. The concordance rate and kappa value between IgM anti-HAV and HAV RNA PCR were 88.2% and 0.707, respectively. For the diagnosis of AHA, the sensitivity and specificity of IgM anti-HAV were 90.7% and 100%, respectively, when an "equivocal" result was regarded as positive; and 79.1% and 100%, respectively, when an "equivocal" result was regarded as negative. The sensitivity and specificity of HAV RNA PCR were 81.4% and 100%, respectively. All four patients with negative IgM anti-HAV and positive HAV RNA PCR results and all four patients with equivocal IgM anti-HAV RNA and positive HAV RNA PCR results were eventually diagnosed with AHA. The qualitative HAV RNA PCR test has an equivalent diagnostic accuracy for AHA compared to IgM anti-HAV and may be more sensitive during the window period.

  14. Microfabricated sleeve devices for chemical reactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Northrup, M. Allen

    2003-01-01

    A silicon-based sleeve type chemical reaction chamber that combines heaters, such as doped polysilicon for heating, and bulk silicon for convection cooling. The reaction chamber combines a critical ratio of silicon and non-silicon based materials to provide the thermal properties desired. For example, the chamber may combine a critical ratio of silicon and silicon nitride to the volume of material to be heated (e.g., a liquid) in order to provide uniform heating, yet low power requirements. The reaction chamber will also allow the introduction of a secondary tube (e.g., plastic) into the reaction sleeve that contains the reaction mixture thereby alleviating any potential materials incompatibility issues. The reaction chamber may be utilized in any chemical reaction system for synthesis or processing of organic, inorganic, or biochemical reactions, such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or other DNA reactions, such as the ligase chain reaction, which are examples of a synthetic, thermal-cycling-based reaction. The reaction chamber may also be used in synthesis instruments, particularly those for DNA amplification and synthesis.

  15. Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Keywords. Markov chain; state space; stationary transition probability; stationary distribution; irreducibility; aperiodicity; stationarity; M-H algorithm; proposal distribution; acceptance probability; image processing; Gibbs sampler.

  16. A Micro Polymerase Chain Reaction Module for Integrated and Portable DNA Analysis Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisa Morganti

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This work deals with the design, fabrication, and thermal characterization of a disposable miniaturized Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR module that will be integrated in a portable and fast DNA analysis system. It is composed of two independent parts: a silicon substrate with embedded heater and thermometers and a PDMS (PolyDiMethylSiloxane chamber reactor as disposable element; the contact between the two parts is assured by a mechanical clamping obtained using a Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier (PLCC. This PLCC is also useful, avoid the PCR mix evaporation during the thermal cycles. Finite Element Analysis was used to evaluate the thermal requirements of the device. The thermal behaviour of the device was characterized revealing that the temperature can be controlled with a precision of ±0.5°C. Different concentrations of carbon nanopowder were mixed to the PDMS curing agent in order to increase the PDMS thermal conductivity and so the temperature control accuracy.

  17. Two-step nuclear reactions: The Surrogate Method, the Trojan Horse Method and their common foundations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hussein, Mahir S. [DCTA, Instituto Tecnologico de Aeronautica, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP (Brazil); Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Estudos Avancados, C. P. 72012, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Fisica, C. P. 66318, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2017-05-15

    In this Letter I argue that the Surrogate Method, used to extract the fast neutron capture cross section on actinide target nuclei, which has important practical application for the next generation of breeder reactors, and the Trojan Horse Method employed to extract reactions of importance to nuclear astrophysics, have a common foundation, the Inclusive Non-Elastic Breakup (INEB) Theory. Whereas the Surrogate Method relies on the premise that the extracted neutron cross section in a (d, p) reaction is predominantly a compound-nucleus one, the Trojan Horse Method assumes a predominantly direct process for the secondary reaction induced by the surrogate fragment. In general, both methods contain both direct and compound contributions, and I show how these seemingly distinct methods are in fact the same but at different energies and different kinematic regions. The unifying theory is the rather well developed INEB theory. (orig.)

  18. Two-step nuclear reactions: The Surrogate Method, the Trojan Horse Method and their common foundations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hussein, Mahir S.

    2017-01-01

    In this Letter I argue that the Surrogate Method, used to extract the fast neutron capture cross section on actinide target nuclei, which has important practical application for the next generation of breeder reactors, and the Trojan Horse Method employed to extract reactions of importance to nuclear astrophysics, have a common foundation, the Inclusive Non-Elastic Breakup (INEB) Theory. Whereas the Surrogate Method relies on the premise that the extracted neutron cross section in a (d, p) reaction is predominantly a compound-nucleus one, the Trojan Horse Method assumes a predominantly direct process for the secondary reaction induced by the surrogate fragment. In general, both methods contain both direct and compound contributions, and I show how these seemingly distinct methods are in fact the same but at different energies and different kinematic regions. The unifying theory is the rather well developed INEB theory. (orig.)

  19. A plasmonic colorimetric strategy for visual miRNA detection based on hybridization chain reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miao, Jie; Wang, Jingsheng; Guo, Jinyang; Gao, Huiguang; Han, Kun; Jiang, Chengmin; Miao, Peng

    2016-08-01

    In this work, a novel colorimetric strategy for miRNA analysis is proposed based on hybridization chain reaction (HCR)-mediated localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) variation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). miRNA in the sample to be tested is able to release HCR initiator from a solid interface to AgNPs colloid system by toehold exchange-mediated strand displacement, which then triggers the consumption of fuel strands with single-stranded tails for HCR. The final produced long nicked double-stranded DNA loses the ability to protect AgNPs from salt-induced aggregation. The stability variation of the colloid system can then be monitored by recording corresponding UV-vis spectrum and initial miRNA level is thus determined. This sensing system involves only four DNA strands which is quite simple. The practical utility is confirmed to be excellent by employing different biological samples.

  20. Development of a multiplex polymerase chain reaction protocol for the simultaneous detection of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and Class 1 integron

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juthika Mandal

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To develop a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR protocol for the simultaneous detection of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi and Class 1 integron, so as to aid rapid diagnosis of S. Typhi cases and help in the selection of treatment options based on the presence of the Class 1 integron that can carry resistance cassettes to a range of antibiotics. Methods: PCR for amplification of specific regions was done using fliC-d and intl primers and agarose gel electrophoresis was used for resolution of PCR products. Results: The fliC-d primer (S. Typhi specific amplified a 587 bp region and the intl primer (Class 1 integron specific amplified two bands approximately 500 and 550 bps. The developed method was specific for S. Typhi and did not amplify any products with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 14028, Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi and Escherichia coli O157:H7. Conclusions: The developed multiplex PCR protocol can be used for rapid diagnosis and aid in proper treatment strategies for patients infected with S. Typhi.

  1. The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in Turkish children, and geno typing of isolates by nested polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tamer, Gulden S.; Turk, M.; Dagci, H.; Pektas, B.; Guruz, Adnan Y.; Uner, A.; Guy, E.C.

    2007-01-01

    Objective was to verify the incidence of cryptosporidiosis among Turkish elementary school students. The study was conducted in the Dept. of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Turkey during a 3-month period in 2006. We assessed the fecal samples of 707 children using modified acid-fast and phenol-auramine staining followed by modified Ritchie concentration method. All cryptosporidium species isolates were analysed by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) to differentiate genotypes of the isolates. After the coprological examination, 4 samples were found to be positive for cryptosporidium species oocysts. In the present study, all 4 oocysts were of zoonotic origin and belonged to cryptoporodium parvum genotype 2 indicating that in Turkey the potential sources of human cryptosporidiosis is from animals. The application of genotyping to clinical isolates of cryptosporidium has significantly increased our knowledge and understanding of the distribution and epidemiology of this parasite. The PCR and RFLP techniques represent a more rapid and simple method of genotyping to support epidemiological and clinical investigations than conventional analytical DNA techniques. (author)

  2. Mycoplasma haemolamae infection in a 4-day-old cria: Support for in utero transmission by use of a polymerase chain reaction assay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ladd, Sabine M.; Sponenberg, D. Phillip; Crisman, Mark V.; Messick, Joanne B.

    2006-01-01

    Abstract Blood smear examination in a 4-day-old alpaca revealed massive erythrocyte parasitism by Mycoplasma haemolamae. Blood collected from both the nonparasitemic dam and the cria were positive for M. haemolamae by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. These findings suggest in utero transmission of M. haemolamae in camelids, even when the dam is not parasitemic. PMID:16604978

  3. Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection of Trichomonas vaginalis from vaginal swabs: Validation of a Diagnostic Method and Preliminary Epidemiological Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlo Mengoli

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Background Trichomonas vaginalis is the most common nonviral sexually trasmitted diseases (STDs agent. For females, the diagnostic gold standard is the culture of vaginal swab, which is labour-exacting.The direct microscopic examination of vaginal secretions is the most used approach, but its sensitivity depends on the skill of the observer. Objectives We evaluated an original real-time TaqMan-based Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR technique.The scope of the study was to confirm the effectiveness of the molecular approach in a clinical context and to explore its relevance to an epidemiological investigation. Study Design a ß-tubulin gene was chosen as target sequence.The assay was designed to exploit the quantitative potential of the TaqMan procedure.The population sample was 583 adult females presenting at the Service from January 2005 to December 2005.Three vaginal swabs were collected from each patient, one for wet mount microscopy, one for broth culture, and one for the molecular assay. Results The prevalence was 3.3% (culture, 3.1% (microscopy, 3.8% (PCR.An excess risk was detected in the immigrant population (risk ratio by PCR = 28. Conclusions The molecular approach was the most accurate way to detect the protozoon.The real-time PCR is convenient in a busy laboratory, provided the necessary equipment is available, and it is suitable for epidemiological investigation.

  4. Polymerase chain reaction fingerprints of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates in Greece are related to certain antibiotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartzavali-Louki, Christina; Dimitracopoulos, George; Spiliopoulou, Iris

    2003-06-01

    Characterization of clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and representatives of three MRSA clones from other hospitals was performed by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) and antibiotic susceptibility patterns. All isolates were mecA-positive and two main antibiotypes have been characterized. Two major clones were identified with AP-PCR related to the aforementioned antibiotypes. The combination of antibiotypes with AP-PCR patterns successfully identified the two major clones in our hospital, which are identical with the MRSA clones previously characterized in Athens and in Central and North Greece.

  5. Silicon-based sleeve devices for chemical reactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Northrup, M. Allen; Mariella, Jr., Raymond P.; Carrano, Anthony V.; Balch, Joseph W.

    1996-01-01

    A silicon-based sleeve type chemical reaction chamber that combines heaters, such as doped polysilicon for heating, and bulk silicon for convection cooling. The reaction chamber combines a critical ratio of silicon and silicon nitride to the volume of material to be heated (e.g., a liquid) in order to provide uniform heating, yet low power requirements. The reaction chamber will also allow the introduction of a secondary tube (e.g., plastic) into the reaction sleeve that contains the reaction mixture thereby alleviating any potential materials incompatibility issues. The reaction chamber may be utilized in any chemical reaction system for synthesis or processing of organic, inorganic, or biochemical reactions, such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or other DNA reactions, such as the ligase chain reaction, which are examples of a synthetic, thermal-cycling-based reaction. The reaction chamber may also be used in synthesis instruments, particularly those for DNA amplification and synthesis.

  6. Quantitative Tetraplex Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay with TaqMan Probes Discriminates Cattle, Buffalo, and Porcine Materials in Food Chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hossain, M A Motalib; Ali, Md Eaqub; Sultana, Sharmin; Asing; Bonny, Sharmin Quazi; Kader, Md Abdul; Rahman, M Aminur

    2017-05-17

    Cattle, buffalo, and porcine materials are widely adulterated, and their quantification might safeguard health, religious, economic, and social sanctity. Recently, conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assays have been documented but they are just suitable for identification, cannot quantify adulterations. We described here a quantitative tetraplex real-time PCR assay with TaqMan Probes to quantify contributions from cattle, buffalo, and porcine materials simultaneously. Amplicon-sizes were very short (106-, 90-, and 146-bp for cattle, buffalo, and porcine) because longer targets could be broken down, bringing serious ambiguity in molecular diagnostics. False negative detection was eliminated through an endogenous control (141-bp site of eukaryotic 18S rRNA). Analysis of 27 frankfurters and 27 meatballs reflected 84-115% target recovery at 0.1-10% adulterations. Finally, a test of 36 commercial products revealed 71% beef frankfurters, 100% meatballs, and 85% burgers contained buffalo adulteration, but no porcine was found in beef products.

  7. Study of thermodynamic and structural properties of a flexible homopolymer chain using advanced Monte Carlo methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hammou Amine Bouziane

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available We study the thermodynamic and structural properties of a flexible homopolymer chain using both multi canonical Monte Carlo method and Wang-Landau method. In this work, we focus on the coil-globule transition. Starting from a completely random chain, we have obtained a globule for different sizes of the chain. The implementation of these advanced Monte Carlo methods allowed us to obtain a flat histogram in energy space and calculate various thermodynamic quantities such as the density of states, the free energy and the specific heat. Structural quantities such as the radius of gyration where also calculated.

  8. Tandem Reaction of Cationic Copolymerization and Concertedly Induced Hetero-Diels-Alder Reaction Preparing Sequence-Regulated Polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsumoto, Suzuka; Kanazawa, Arihiro; Kanaoka, Shokyoku; Aoshima, Sadahito

    2017-06-14

    A unique tandem reaction of sequence-controlled cationic copolymerization and site-specific hetero-Diels-Alder (DA) reaction is demonstrated. In the controlled cationic copolymerization of furfural and 2-acetoxyethyl vinyl ether (AcOVE), only the furan ring adjacent to the propagating carbocation underwent the hetero-DA reaction with the aldehyde moiety of another furfural molecule. A further and equally important feature of the copolymerization is that the obtained copolymers had unprecedented 2:(1 + 1)-type alternating structures of repeating sequences of two VE and one furfural units in the main chain and one furfural unit in the side chain. The specific DA reaction is attributed to the delocalization of the positive charge to the side furan ring.

  9. Building block synthesis using the polymerase chain assembly method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marchand, Julie A; Peccoud, Jean

    2012-01-01

    De novo gene synthesis allows the creation of custom DNA molecules without the typical constraints of traditional cloning assembly: scars, restriction site incompatibility, and the quest to find all the desired parts to name a few. Moreover, with the help of computer-assisted design, the perfect DNA molecule can be created along with its matching sequence ready to download. The challenge is to build the physical DNA molecules that have been designed with the software. Although there are several DNA assembly methods, this section presents and describes a method using the polymerase chain assembly (PCA).

  10. Reaction kinetics, reaction products and compressive strength of ternary activators activated slag designed by Taguchi method

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yuan, B.; Yu, Q.L.; Brouwers, H.J.H.

    2015-01-01

    This study investigates the reaction kinetics, the reaction products and the compressive strength of slag activated by ternary activators, namely waterglass, sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate. Nine mixtures are designed by the Taguchi method considering the factors of sodium carbonate content

  11. Method for Selection of Solvents for Promotion of Organic Reactions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gani, Rafiqul; Jiménez-González, Concepción; Constable, David J.C.

    2005-01-01

    is to produce, for a given reaction, a short list of chemicals that could be considered as potential solvents, to evaluate their performance in the reacting system, and, based on this, to rank them according to a scoring system. Several examples of application are given to illustrate the main features and steps......A method to select appropriate green solvents for the promotion of a class of organic reactions has been developed. The method combines knowledge from industrial practice and physical insights with computer-aided property estimation tools for selection/design of solvents. In particular, it employs...... estimates of thermodynamic properties to generate a knowledge base of reaction, solvent and environment related properties that directly or indirectly influence the rate and/or conversion of a given reaction. Solvents are selected using a rules-based procedure where the estimated reaction-solvent properties...

  12. Blood grouping based on PCR methods and agarose gel electrophoresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sell, Ana Maria; Visentainer, Jeane Eliete Laguila

    2015-01-01

    The study of erythrocyte antigens continues to be an intense field of research, particularly after the development of molecular testing methods. More than 300 specificities have been described by the International Society for Blood Transfusion as belonging to 33 blood group systems. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a central tool for red blood cells (RBC) genotyping. PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis are low cost, easy, and versatile in vitro methods for amplifying defined target DNA (RBC polymorphic region). Multiplex-PCR, AS-PCR (Specific Allele Polymerase Chain Reaction), and RFLP-PCR (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism-Polymerase Chain Reaction) techniques are usually to identify RBC polymorphisms. Furthermore, it is an easy methodology to implement. This chapter describes the PCR methodology and agarose gel electrophoresis to identify the polymorphisms of the Kell, Duffy, Kidd, and MNS blood group systems.

  13. Bubble-free on-chip continuous-flow polymerase chain reaction: concept and application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Wenming; Kang, Kyung-Tae; Lee, Nae Yoon

    2011-06-07

    Bubble formation inside a microscale channel is a significant problem in general microfluidic experiments. The problem becomes especially crucial when performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on a chip which is subject to repetitive temperature changes. In this paper, we propose a bubble-free sample injection scheme applicable for continuous-flow PCR inside a glass/PDMS hybrid microfluidic chip, and attempt to provide a theoretical basis concerning bubble formation and elimination. Highly viscous paraffin oil plugs are employed in both the anterior and posterior ends of a sample plug, completely encapsulating the sample and eliminating possible nucleation sites for bubbles. In this way, internal channel pressure is increased, and vaporization of the sample is prevented, suppressing bubble formation. Use of an oil plug in the posterior end of the sample plug aids in maintaining a stable flow of a sample at a constant rate inside a heated microchannel throughout the entire reaction, as compared to using an air plug. By adopting the proposed sample injection scheme, we demonstrate various practical applications. On-chip continuous-flow PCR is performed employing genomic DNA extracted from a clinical single hair root sample, and its D1S80 locus is successfully amplified. Also, chip reusability is assessed using a plasmid vector. A single chip is used up to 10 times repeatedly without being destroyed, maintaining almost equal intensities of the resulting amplicons after each run, ensuring the reliability and reproducibility of the proposed sample injection scheme. In addition, the use of a commercially-available and highly cost-effective hot plate as a potential candidate for the heating source is investigated.

  14. Impact of Fungicide Residues on Polymerase Chain Reaction and on Yeast Metabolism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gildo Almeida da Silva

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The indiscriminate use of pesticides on grape crops is harmful for consumers´ healthin “in natura” consumption and in the ingestion of wine and grape juice. During winemaking, a rapid and efficient fermentation stage is critical to avoid proliferation of contaminating microorganisms and to guarantee the product´s quality. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR has the advantage of detecting these contaminants in the early stages of fermentation. However,this enzymatic reaction may also be susceptible to specific problems, reducing its efficiency. Agricultural practices, such as fungicide treatments, may be a source of PCR inhibiting factors and may also interfere in the normal course of fermentation.The action of the pesticides captan and folpet on PCR and on yeast metabolism was evaluated, once these phthalimide compounds are widely employed in Brazilian vineyards. DNA amplification was only observed at 75 and 37.5 µg/mL of captan concentrations, whereas with folpet, amplification was observed only in the two lowest concentrations tested (42.2 and 21.1µg/mL.Besides the strong inhibition on Taq polymerase activity, phthalimides also inhibited yeast metabolism at all concentrations analyzed.Grape must containing captan and folpet residues could not be transformed into wine due to stuck fermentation caused by the inhibition of yeast metabolism. Non-compliance with the waiting period for phthalimide fungicides may result in financial liabilities to the viticulture sector.The use of yeasts with high fungicide sensitivity should be selected for must fermentation as a strategy for sustainable wine production and to assure that products comply with health and food safety standards.

  15. Determination of Sperm Sex Ratio in Bovine Semen Using Multiplex Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trisadee Khamlor

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Gender selection is important in livestock industries; for example, female calves are required in the dairy industry. Sex-sorted semen is commonly used for the production of calves of the desired gender. However, assessment of the sex ratio of the sorted semen is tedious and expensive. In this study, a rapid, cost effective and reliable method for determining the sex ratio was developed using a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR assay. In this assay, the X and Y chromosome-specific markers, i.e., bovine proteolipid protein (PLP gene and sex-determining region Y (SRY were simultaneously quantified in a single tube. The multiplex real-time PCR assay was shown to have high amplification efficiencies (97% to 99% comparable to the separated-tube simplex real-time PCR assay. The results obtained from both assays were not significantly different (p>0.05. The multiplex assay was validated using reference DNA of known X ratio (10%, 50%, and 90% as templates. The measured %X in semen samples were the same within 95% confidence intervals as the expected values, i.e., >90% in X-sorted semen, <10% in Y-sorted semen and close to 50% in the unsorted semen. The multiplex real-time PCR assay as shown in this study can thus be used to assess purity of sex-sorted semen.

  16. Aspergillus Polymerase Chain Reaction: Systematic Review of Evidence for Clinical Use in Comparison With Antigen Testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, P. Lewis; Wingard, John R.; Bretagne, Stéphane; Löffler, Jürgen; Patterson, Thomas F.; Slavin, Monica A.; Barnes, Rosemary A.; Pappas, Peter G.; Donnelly, J. Peter

    2015-01-01

    Background. Aspergillus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was excluded from the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG) definitions of invasive fungal disease because of limited standardization and validation. The definitions are being revised. Methods. A systematic literature review was performed to identify analytical and clinical information available on inclusion of galactomannan enzyme immunoassay (GM-EIA) (2002) and β-d-glucan (2008), providing a minimal threshold when considering PCR. Categorical parameters and statistical performance were compared. Results. When incorporated, GM-EIA and β-d-glucan sensitivities and specificities for diagnosing invasive aspergillosis were 81.6% and 91.6%, and 76.9% and 89.4%, respectively. Aspergillus PCR has similar sensitivity and specificity (76.8%–88.0% and 75.0%–94.5%, respectively) and comparable utility. Methodological recommendations and commercial PCR assays assist standardization. Although all tests have limitations, currently, PCR is the only test with independent quality control. Conclusions. We propose that there is sufficient evidence that is at least equivalent to that used to include GM-EIA and β-d-glucan testing, and that PCR is now mature enough for inclusion in the EORTC/MSG definitions. PMID:26113653

  17. Impetigo-like tinea faciei around the nostrils caused by Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii identified using polymerase chain reaction-based sequencing of crusts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Daoxian; Ran, Yuping; Li, Conghui; Dai, Yaling; Lama, Jebina

    2013-01-01

    We report a case of Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii (a teleomorph of Trichophyton interdigitale) infection around the nostrils in a 3-year-old girl. The culture was negative, so the pathogenic agent was identified using polymerase chain reaction-based sequencing of the crusts taken from the lesion on the nostril. Treatment with oral itraconazole and topical 1% naftifine/0.25% ketoconazole cream after a topical wash with ketoconazole shampoo was effective. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based real-time polymerase chain reaction method without DNA extraction for the genotyping of F5, F2, F12, MTHFR, and HFE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez-Serra, Jordi; Robles, Juan; Nicolàs, Antoni; Gutierrez, Antonio; Ros, Teresa; Amat, Juan Carlos; Alemany, Regina; Vögler, Oliver; Abelló, Aina; Noguera, Aina; Besalduch, Joan

    2014-01-01

    Blood samples are extensively used for the molecular diagnosis of many hematological diseases. The daily practice in a clinical laboratory of molecular diagnosis in hematology involves using a variety of techniques, based on the amplification of nucleic acids. Current methods for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) use purified genomic DNA, mostly isolated from total peripheral blood cells or white blood cells (WBC). In this paper we describe a real-time fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based method for genotyping directly from blood cells. Our strategy is based on an initial isolation of the WBCs, allowing the removal of PCR inhibitors, such as the heme group, present in the erythrocytes. Once the erythrocytes have been lysed, in the LightCycler(®) 2.0 Instrument, we perform a real-time PCR followed by a melting curve analysis for different genes (Factors 2, 5, 12, MTHFR, and HFE). After testing 34 samples comparing the real-time crossing point (CP) values between WBC (5×10(6) WBC/mL) and purified DNA (20 ng/μL), the results for F5 Leiden were as follows: CP mean value for WBC was 29.26±0.566 versus purified DNA 24.79±0.56. Thus, when PCR was performed from WBC (5×10(6) WBC/mL) instead of DNA (20 ng/μL), we observed a delay of about 4 cycles. These small differences in CP values were similar for all genes tested and did not significantly affect the subsequent analysis by melting curves. In both cases the fluorescence values were high enough, allowing a robust genotyping of all these genes without a previous DNA purification/extraction.

  19. Detection of Trichomonas Vaginalis Infection in Male Non-gonococcal Urethritis Patients by InPouch TV Culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    YAO Zhiyuan(姚志远); ZHENG Heyi(郑和义); CAO Jingjiang(曹经江)

    2002-01-01

    Objective: To study the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis(TV) infection in Chinese male patients with nongonococcalurethritis (NGU), to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity ofurine-based and urethral swab polymerase chain reaction(PCR) detection, to set up a method for non-invasive detectionof male TV infection. Method: One hundred and five male NGU patients wereselected from a Beijing STD clinic. Two urethral swabs wereobtained from each patient, one for the InPouch TV culturesystem and the other for PCR. In addition, one first void urinespecimen was collected for PCR detection. Culture wasconsidered the "gold standard". The sensitivity, specificity,positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value(NPV) of the two PCR detections were compared to cultureresults. Results: The prevalence of urine-based PCR and urethralswab PCR detection was 3.81% (4/105) and 4.76% (5/105)respectively. Compared to culture, the sensitivity, specificity,PPV and NPV were 80%, 100%, 100% and 99% for urine-based PCR and 80%, 99%, 80% and 99% for urethral swabPCR.Conclusion: TV is one of the etiological agents in male NGU,with a 4.76% prevalence of infection in our study. The urine-based PCR detection has higher sensitivity and specificity andprovides a noninvasive method more feasible in practice.

  20. Development of a diagnostic real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of invasive Haemophilus influenzae in clinical samples.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Meyler, Kenneth L

    2012-12-01

    Since the introduction of the Haemophilus influenzae serotype b vaccine, invasive H. influenzae disease has become dominated by nontypeable (NT) strains. Several widely used molecular diagnostic methods have been shown to lack sensitivity or specificity in the detection of some of these strains. Novel real-time assays targeting the fucK, licA, and ompP2 genes were developed and evaluated. The fucK assay detected all strains of H. influenzae tested (n = 116) and had an analytical sensitivity of 10 genome copies\\/polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This assay detected both serotype b and NT H. influenzae in 12 previously positive specimens (culture and\\/or bexA PCR) and also detected H. influenzae in a further 5 of 883 culture-negative blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. The fucK assay has excellent potential as a diagnostic test for detection of typeable and nontypeable strains of invasive H. influenzae in clinical samples of blood and CSF.

  1. Development of a diagnostic real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of invasive Haemophilus influenzae in clinical samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyler, Kenneth L; Meehan, Mary; Bennett, Desiree; Cunney, Robert; Cafferkey, Mary

    2012-12-01

    Since the introduction of the Haemophilus influenzae serotype b vaccine, invasive H. influenzae disease has become dominated by nontypeable (NT) strains. Several widely used molecular diagnostic methods have been shown to lack sensitivity or specificity in the detection of some of these strains. Novel real-time assays targeting the fucK, licA, and ompP2 genes were developed and evaluated. The fucK assay detected all strains of H. influenzae tested (n = 116) and had an analytical sensitivity of 10 genome copies/polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This assay detected both serotype b and NT H. influenzae in 12 previously positive specimens (culture and/or bexA PCR) and also detected H. influenzae in a further 5 of 883 culture-negative blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. The fucK assay has excellent potential as a diagnostic test for detection of typeable and nontypeable strains of invasive H. influenzae in clinical samples of blood and CSF. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Use of Hybridization Chain Reaction-Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization To Track Gene Expression by Both Partners during Initiation of Symbiosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikolakakis, K; Lehnert, E; McFall-Ngai, M J; Ruby, E G

    2015-07-01

    The establishment of a productive symbiosis between Euprymna scolopes, the Hawaiian bobtail squid, and its luminous bacterial symbiont, Vibrio fischeri, is mediated by transcriptional changes in both partners. A key challenge to unraveling the steps required to successfully initiate this and many other symbiotic associations is characterization of the timing and location of these changes. We report on the adaptation of hybridization chain reaction-fluorescent in situ hybridization (HCR-FISH) to simultaneously probe the spatiotemporal regulation of targeted genes in both E. scolopes and V. fischeri. This method revealed localized, transcriptionally coregulated epithelial cells within the light organ that responded directly to the presence of bacterial cells while, at the same time, provided a sensitive means to directly show regulated gene expression within the symbiont population. Thus, HCR-FISH provides a new approach for characterizing habitat transition in bacteria and for discovering host tissue responses to colonization. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  3. The Advance of Technology of Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction in Identifying the Genome of Avian Influenza and Newcastle Diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dyah Ayu Hewajuli

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Avian Influenza (AI viruses are zoonotic and caused death in humans. Newcastle Diseases (ND virus has an economical impact in poultry. Therefore, the identification and characterization of AI and ND viruses that are appropriate, accurate and quick are important to protect human and poultry health. Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR was the latest gold standard to detect the genome of AI and ND viruses. Recently, RT-PCR was developed in routine diagnosis and research. RT-PCR is a method to amplify the sequences of DNA genome, preceded by reverse transcriptase process with the primer-mediated enzymatic. Some factors that influenced detection of AI and ND are design primer and probe, types of samples, enzyme, reagent composition, amplification temperature and cycles, technical and non-technical factors such as contamination and trained staff. Modified conventional and real time RT-PCR are able to improve the specificity and sensitivity of the test.

  4. Polymerase chain reaction-based method for the identification of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis in mucosal tissues conserved in paraffin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prestes, Suzane Ribeiro; Guerra, Jorge Augusto de Oliveira; Romero, Gustavo Adolfo Sierra; Magalhaes, Laylah Kelre Costa; Santana, Rosa Amelia Gonçalves; Maciel, Marcel Gonçalves; Custódio, Ana; Barbosa, Maria das Graças Vale; Silveira, Henrique

    2015-01-01

    In the Americas, mucosal leishmaniasis is primarily associated with infection by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. However, Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis is another important cause of this disease in the Brazilian Amazon. In this study, we aimed at detecting Leishmaniadeoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) within paraffin-embedded fragments of mucosal tissues, and characterizing the infecting parasite species. We evaluated samples collected from 114 patients treated at a reference center in the Brazilian Amazon by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses. Direct examination of biopsy imprints detected parasites in 10 of the 114 samples, while evaluation of hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides detected amastigotes in an additional 17 samples. Meanwhile, 31/114 samples (27.2%) were positive for Leishmania spp. kinetoplast deoxyribonucleic acid (kDNA) by PCR analysis. Of these, 17 (54.8%) yielded amplification of the mini-exon PCR target, thereby allowing for PCR-RFLP-based identification. Six of the samples were identified as L. (V.) braziliensis, while the remaining 11 were identified as L. (V.) guyanensis. The results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of applying molecular techniques for the diagnosis of human parasites within paraffin-embedded tissues. Moreover, our findings confirm that L. (V.) guyanensisis a relevant causative agent of mucosal leishmaniasis in the Brazilian Amazon.

  5. Different DNA methylation patterns detected by the Amplified Methylation Polymorphism Polymerase Chain Reaction (AMP PCR technique among various cell types of bulls

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carroll Bernie

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to apply an arbitrarily primed methylation sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR assay called Amplified Methylation Polymorphism Polymerase Chain Reaction (AMP PCR to investigate the methylation profiles of somatic and germ cells obtained from Holstein bulls. Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from sperm, leukocytes and fibroblasts obtained from three bulls and digested with a methylation sensitive endonuclease (HpaII. The native genomic and enzyme treated DNA samples were used as templates in an arbitrarily primed-PCR assay with 30 sets of single short oligonucleotide primer. The PCR products were separated on silver stained denaturing polyacrylamide gels. Three types of PCR markers; digestion resistant-, digestion sensitive-, and digestion dependent markers, were analyzed based on the presence/absence polymorphism of the markers between the two templates. Results Approximately 1,000 PCR markers per sample were produced from 27 sets of primer and most of them (>90% were digestion resistant markers. The highest percentage of digestion resistant markers was found in leukocytic DNA (94.8% and the lowest in fibroblastic DNA (92.3%, P ≤ 0.05. Spermatozoa contained a higher number of digestion sensitive markers when compared with the others (3.6% vs. 2.2% and 2.6% in leukocytes and fibroblasts respectively, P ≤ 0.05. Conclusions The powerfulness of the AMP PCR assay was the generation of methylation-associated markers without any prior knowledge of the genomic sequence. The data obtained from different primers provided an overview of genome wide DNA methylation content in different cell types. By using this technique, we found that DNA methylation profile is tissue-specific. Male germ cells were hypomethylated at the HpaII locations when compared with somatic cells, while the chromatin of the well-characterized somatic cells was heavily methylated when compared with that of the versatile somatic

  6. Development of a multiplex polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific primer method for NKG2D and NKG2F single-nucleotide polymorphism typing using isothermal multiple displacement amplification products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaewmanee, M; Phoksawat, W; Romphruk, A; Romphruk, A V; Jumnainsong, A; Leelayuwat, C

    2013-06-01

    Natural killer group 2 member D (NKG2D) on immune effector cells recognizes multiple stress-inducible ligands. NKG2D single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) haplotypes were related to the levels of cytotoxic activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Indeed, these polymorphisms were also located in NKG2F. Isothermal multiple displacement amplification (IMDA) is used for whole genome amplification (WGA) that can amplify very small genomic DNA templates into microgram with whole genome coverage. This is particularly useful in the cases of limited amount of valuable DNA samples requiring multi-locus genotyping. In this study, we evaluated the quality and applicability of IMDA to genetic studies in terms of sensitivity, efficiency of IMDA re-amplification and stability of IMDA products. The smallest amount of DNA to be effectively amplified by IMDA was 200 pg yielding final DNA of approximately 16 µg within 1.5 h. IMDA could be re-amplified only once (second round of amplification), and could be kept for 5 months at 4°C and more than a year at -20°C without loosing genome coverage. The amplified products were used successfully to setup a multiplex polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific primer for SNP typing of the NKG2D/F genes. The NKG2D/F multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) contained six PCR mixtures for detecting 10 selected SNPs, including 8 NKG2D/F SNP haplotypes and 2 additional NKG2D coding SNPs. This typing procedure will be applicable in both clinical and research laboratories. Thus, our data provide useful information and limitations for utilization of genome-wide amplification using IMDA and its application for multiplex NKG2D/F typing. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Use of palivizumab and infection control measures to control an outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus in a neonatal intensive care unit confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Connell, K

    2011-04-01

    Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a potentially life-threatening infection in premature infants. We report an outbreak involving four infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of our hospital that occurred in February 2010. RSV A infection was confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Palivizumab was administered to all infants in the NICU. There were no additional symptomatic cases and repeat RSV surveillance confirmed that there was no further cross-transmission within the unit. The outbreak highlighted the infection control challenge of very high bed occupancy in the unit and the usefulness of molecular methods in facilitating detection and management.

  8. A multilevel adaptive reaction-splitting method for SRNs

    KAUST Repository

    Moraes, Alvaro; Tempone, Raul; Vilanova, Pedro

    2016-01-01

    In [5], we present a novel multilevel Monte Carlo method for kinetic simulation of stochastic reaction networks (SRNs) specifically designed for systems in which the set of reaction channels can be adaptively partitioned into two subsets characterized by either high or low activity. To estimate expected values of observables of the system, our method bounds the global computational error to be below a prescribed tolerance, TOL, within a given confidence level. This is achieved with a computational complexity of order O(TOL-2). We also present a novel control variate technique which may dramatically reduce the variance of the coarsest level at a negligible computational cost.

  9. A multilevel adaptive reaction-splitting method for SRNs

    KAUST Repository

    Moraes, Alvaro

    2016-01-06

    In [5], we present a novel multilevel Monte Carlo method for kinetic simulation of stochastic reaction networks (SRNs) specifically designed for systems in which the set of reaction channels can be adaptively partitioned into two subsets characterized by either high or low activity. To estimate expected values of observables of the system, our method bounds the global computational error to be below a prescribed tolerance, TOL, within a given confidence level. This is achieved with a computational complexity of order O(TOL-2). We also present a novel control variate technique which may dramatically reduce the variance of the coarsest level at a negligible computational cost.

  10. Potential testing of reprocessing procedures by real-time polymerase chain reaction: A multicenter study of colonoscopy devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valeriani, Federica; Agodi, Antonella; Casini, Beatrice; Cristina, Maria Luisa; D'Errico, Marcello Mario; Gianfranceschi, Gianluca; Liguori, Giorgio; Liguori, Renato; Mucci, Nicolina; Mura, Ida; Pasquarella, Cesira; Piana, Andrea; Sotgiu, Giovanni; Privitera, Gaetano; Protano, Carmela; Quattrocchi, Annalisa; Ripabelli, Giancarlo; Rossini, Angelo; Spagnolo, Anna Maria; Tamburro, Manuela; Tardivo, Stefano; Veronesi, Licia; Vitali, Matteo; Romano Spica, Vincenzo

    2018-02-01

    Reprocessing of endoscopes is key to preventing cross-infection after colonoscopy. Culture-based methods are recommended for monitoring, but alternative and rapid approaches are needed to improve surveillance and reduce turnover times. A molecular strategy based on detection of residual traces from gut microbiota was developed and tested using a multicenter survey. A simplified sampling and DNA extraction protocol using nylon-tipped flocked swabs was optimized. A multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was developed that targeted 6 bacteria genes that were amplified in 3 mixes. The method was validated by interlaboratory tests involving 5 reference laboratories. Colonoscopy devices (n = 111) were sampled in 10 Italian hospitals. Culture-based microbiology and metagenomic tests were performed to verify PCR data. The sampling method was easily applied in all 10 endoscopy units and the optimized DNA extraction and amplification protocol was successfully performed by all of the involved laboratories. This PCR-based method allowed identification of both contaminated (n = 59) and fully reprocessed endoscopes (n = 52) with high sensibility (98%) and specificity (98%), within 3-4 hours, in contrast to the 24-72 hours needed for a classic microbiology test. Results were confirmed by next-generation sequencing and classic microbiology. A novel approach for monitoring reprocessing of colonoscopy devices was developed and successfully applied in a multicenter survey. The general principle of tracing biological fluids through microflora DNA amplification was successfully applied and may represent a promising approach for hospital hygiene. Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. A multilevel adaptive reaction-splitting method for SRNs

    KAUST Repository

    Moraes, Alvaro

    2015-01-07

    In this work, we present a novel multilevel Monte Carlo method for kinetic simulation of stochastic reaction networks specifically designed for systems in which the set of reaction channels can be adaptively partitioned into two subsets characterized by either “high” or “low” activity. To estimate expected values of observables of the system, our method bounds the global computational error to be below a prescribed tolerance, within a given confidence level. This is achieved with a computational complexity of order O (TOL-2).We also present a novel control variate technique which may dramatically reduce the variance of the coarsest level at a negligible computational cost. Our numerical examples show substantial gains with respect to the standard Stochastic Simulation Algorithm (SSA) by Gillespie and also our previous hybrid Chernoff tau-leap method.

  12. Genomic DNA fingerprinting of clinical Haemophilus influenzae isolates by polymerase chain reaction amplification: comparison with major outer-membrane protein and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Belkum, A.; Duim, B.; Regelink, A.; Möller, L.; Quint, W.; van Alphen, L.

    1994-01-01

    Non-capsulate strains of Haemophilus influenzae were genotyped by analysis of variable DNA segments obtained by amplification of genomic DNA with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR fingerprinting). Discrete fragments of 100-2000 bp were obtained. The reproducibility of the procedure was assessed by

  13. GENOMIC DNA-FINGERPRINTING OF CLINICAL HAEMOPHILUS-INFLUENZAE ISOLATES BY POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION AMPLIFICATION - COMPARISON WITH MAJOR OUTER-MEMBRANE PROTEIN AND RESTRICTION-FRAGMENT-LENGTH-POLYMORPHISM ANALYSIS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    VANBELKUM, A; DUIM, B; REGELINK, A; MOLLER, L; QUINT, W; VANALPHEN, L

    Non-capsulate strains of Haemophilus influenzae were genotyped by analysis of variable DNA segments obtained by amplification of genomic DNA with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR fingerprinting). Discrete fragments of 100-2000 bp were obtained. The reproducibility of the procedure was assessed by

  14. Powerful strategy for polymerase chain reaction-based clonality assessment in T-cell malignancies Report of the BIOMED-2 Concerted Action BHM4 CT98-3936

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brüggemann, M.; White, H.; Gaulard, P.; Garcia-Sanz, R.; Gameiro, P.; Oeschger, S.; Jasani, B.; Ott, M.; Delsol, G.; Orfao, A.; Tiemann, M.; Herbst, H.; Langerak, A. W.; Spaargaren, M.; Moreau, E.; Groenen, P. J. T. A.; Sambade, C.; Foroni, L.; Carter, G. I.; Hummel, M.; Bastard, C.; Davi, F.; Delfau-Larue, M.-H.; Kneba, M.; van Dongen, J. J. M.; Beldjord, K.; Molina, T. J.

    2007-01-01

    Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assessment of clonal T-cell receptor (TCR) and immunoglobulin (Ig) gene rearrangements is an important diagnostic tool in mature T-cell neoplasms. However, lack of standardized primers and PCR protocols has hampered comparability of data in previous clonality studies.

  15. Ionothermal synthesis and crystal structures of metal phosphate chains

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wragg, D.; Le Ouay, B.; Beale, A.M.; O'Brien, M.G.; Slawin, A.M.Z.; Warren, J.E.; Prior, T.J.; Morris, R.E.

    2013-01-01

    We have prepared isostructural aluminium and gallium phosphate chains by ionothermal reactions in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide and 1-ethylpyridinium bromide under a variety of conditions. The chains can be prepared as pure phases or along with three dimensional framework phases. The chains

  16. Port supply chain integration : analyzing biofuel supply chains

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stevens, Leonie C. E.; Vis, Iris F. A.

    2016-01-01

    This paper focuses on port supply chain integration to strengthen operational and business performance. We provide a structured and comprehensive method to enable port supply chain integration and demonstrate its applicability to the biofuel supply chain. We define the value proposition, role,

  17. Candidate gene biodosimeters of mice and human exposure to ionizing radiation by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamed Rezaeejam

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Understanding of cellular responses to ionizing radiation (IR is essential for the development of predictive markers useful for assessing human exposure. Biological markers of exposure to IR in human populations are of great interest for assessing normal tissue injury in radiation oncology and for biodosimetry in nuclear incidents and accidental radiation exposures. Traditional radiation exposure biomarkers based on cytogenetic assays (biodosimetry, are time-consuming and do not provide results fast enough and requires highly trained personnel for scoring. Hence, the development of rapid biodosimetry methods is one of the highest priorities. Exposure of cells to IR activates multiple signal transduction pathways, which result in complex alterations in gene-expression. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR has become the benchmark for the detection and quantification of RNA targets and is being utilized increasingly in monitoring the specific genes with more accurately and sensitively. This review evaluates the RT-qPCR as a biodosimetry method and we investigated the papers from 2000 up to now, which identified the genes-expression related the DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoint, and apoptosis induced by ionization radiation in peripheral blood and determined as biodosimeters. In conclusion, it could be say that RT-qPCR technique for determining the specific genes as biodosimeters could be a fully quantitative reliable and sensitive method. Furthermore, the results of the current review will help the researchers to recognize the most expressed genes induced by ionization radiation.

  18. Assessment of Intrathecal Free Light Chain Synthesis: Comparison of Different Quantitative Methods with the Detection of Oligoclonal Free Light Chains by Isoelectric Focusing and Affinity-Mediated Immunoblotting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeman, David; Kušnierová, Pavlína; Švagera, Zdeněk; Všianský, František; Byrtusová, Monika; Hradílek, Pavel; Kurková, Barbora; Zapletalová, Olga; Bartoš, Vladimír

    2016-01-01

    We aimed to compare various methods for free light chain (fLC) quantitation in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum and to determine whether quantitative CSF measurements could reliably predict intrathecal fLC synthesis. In addition, we wished to determine the relationship between free kappa and free lambda light chain concentrations in CSF and serum in various disease groups. We analysed 166 paired CSF and serum samples by at least one of the following methods: turbidimetry (Freelite™, SPAPLUS), nephelometry (N Latex FLC™, BN ProSpec), and two different (commercially available and in-house developed) sandwich ELISAs. The results were compared with oligoclonal fLC detected by affinity-mediated immunoblotting after isoelectric focusing. Although the correlations between quantitative methods were good, both proportional and systematic differences were discerned. However, no major differences were observed in the prediction of positive oligoclonal fLC test. Surprisingly, CSF free kappa/free lambda light chain ratios were lower than those in serum in about 75% of samples with negative oligoclonal fLC test. In about a half of patients with multiple sclerosis and clinically isolated syndrome, profoundly increased free kappa/free lambda light chain ratios were found in the CSF. Our results show that using appropriate method-specific cut-offs, different methods of CSF fLC quantitation can be used for the prediction of intrathecal fLC synthesis. The reason for unexpectedly low free kappa/free lambda light chain ratios in normal CSFs remains to be elucidated. Whereas CSF free kappa light chain concentration is increased in most patients with multiple sclerosis and clinically isolated syndrome, CSF free lambda light chain values show large interindividual variability in these patients and should be investigated further for possible immunopathological and prognostic significance.

  19. A method for measuring light ion reaction cross-sections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, R.F.; Ingemarsson, A.; Lantz, M.; Arendse, G.J.; Auce, A.; Cox, A.J.; Foertsch, S.V.; Jacobs, N.M.; Johansson, R.; Nyberg, J.; Peavy, J.; Renberg, P.-U.; Sundberg, O.; Stander, J.A.; Steyn, G.F.; Tibell, G.; Zorro, R.

    2005-01-01

    An experimental procedure for measuring reaction cross-sections of light ions in the energy range 20-50 MeV/nucleon, using a modified attenuation technique, is described. The detection method incorporates a forward detector that simultaneously measures the reaction cross-sections for five different sizes of the solid angle in steps from 99.1% to 99.8% of the total solid angle. The final reaction cross-section values are obtained by extrapolation to the full solid angle

  20. A method for measuring light ion reaction cross sections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, R.F.; Ingemarsson, A.; Lantz, M.

    2005-03-01

    An experimental procedure for measuring reaction cross sections of light ions in the energy range 20-50 MeV/nucleon, using a modified attenuation technique, is described. The detection method incorporates a forward detector that simultaneously measures the reaction cross sections for five different sizes of the solid angles in steps from 99.1 to 99.8% of the total solid angle. The final reaction cross section values are obtained by extrapolation to the full solid angle