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Sample records for multiple marker analysis

  1. Applied immuno-epidemiological research: an approach for integrating existing knowledge into the statistical analysis of multiple immune markers.

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    Genser, Bernd; Fischer, Joachim E; Figueiredo, Camila A; Alcântara-Neves, Neuza; Barreto, Mauricio L; Cooper, Philip J; Amorim, Leila D; Saemann, Marcus D; Weichhart, Thomas; Rodrigues, Laura C

    2016-05-20

    Immunologists often measure several correlated immunological markers, such as concentrations of different cytokines produced by different immune cells and/or measured under different conditions, to draw insights from complex immunological mechanisms. Although there have been recent methodological efforts to improve the statistical analysis of immunological data, a framework is still needed for the simultaneous analysis of multiple, often correlated, immune markers. This framework would allow the immunologists' hypotheses about the underlying biological mechanisms to be integrated. We present an analytical approach for statistical analysis of correlated immune markers, such as those commonly collected in modern immuno-epidemiological studies. We demonstrate i) how to deal with interdependencies among multiple measurements of the same immune marker, ii) how to analyse association patterns among different markers, iii) how to aggregate different measures and/or markers to immunological summary scores, iv) how to model the inter-relationships among these scores, and v) how to use these scores in epidemiological association analyses. We illustrate the application of our approach to multiple cytokine measurements from 818 children enrolled in a large immuno-epidemiological study (SCAALA Salvador), which aimed to quantify the major immunological mechanisms underlying atopic diseases or asthma. We demonstrate how to aggregate systematically the information captured in multiple cytokine measurements to immunological summary scores aimed at reflecting the presumed underlying immunological mechanisms (Th1/Th2 balance and immune regulatory network). We show how these aggregated immune scores can be used as predictors in regression models with outcomes of immunological studies (e.g. specific IgE) and compare the results to those obtained by a traditional multivariate regression approach. The proposed analytical approach may be especially useful to quantify complex immune

  2. Diagnostic value of stool DNA testing for multiple markers of colorectal cancer and advanced adenoma: a meta-analysis.

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    Yang, Hua; Xia, Bing-Qing; Jiang, Bo; Wang, Guozhen; Yang, Yi-Peng; Chen, Hao; Li, Bing-Sheng; Xu, An-Gao; Huang, Yun-Bo; Wang, Xin-Ying

    2013-08-01

    The diagnostic value of stool DNA (sDNA) testing for colorectal neoplasms remains controversial. To compensate for the lack of large-scale unbiased population studies, a meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of sDNA testing for multiple markers of colorectal cancer (CRC) and advanced adenoma. The PubMed, Science Direct, Biosis Review, Cochrane Library and Embase databases were systematically searched in January 2012 without time restriction. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model using sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic OR (DOR), summary ROC curves, area under the curve (AUC), and 95% CIs as effect measures. Heterogeneity was measured using the χ(2) test and Q statistic; subgroup analysis was also conducted. A total of 20 studies comprising 5876 individuals were eligible. There was no heterogeneity for CRC, but adenoma and advanced adenoma harboured considerable heterogeneity influenced by risk classification and various detection markers. Stratification analysis according to risk classification showed that multiple markers had a high DOR for the high-risk subgroups of both CRC (sensitivity 0.759 [95% CI 0.711 to 0.804]; specificity 0.883 [95% CI 0.846 to 0.913]; AUC 0.906) and advanced adenoma (sensitivity 0.683 [95% CI 0.584 to 0.771]; specificity 0.918 [95% CI 0.866 to 0.954]; AUC 0.946) but not for the average-risk subgroups of either. In the methylation subgroup, sDNA testing had significantly higher DOR for CRC (sensitivity 0.753 [95% CI 0.685 to 0.812]; specificity 0.913 [95% CI 0.860 to 0.950]; AUC 0.918) and advanced adenoma (sensitivity 0.623 [95% CI 0.527 to 0.712]; specificity 0.926 [95% CI 0.882 to 0.958]; AUC 0.910) compared with the mutation subgroup. There was no significant heterogeneity among studies for subgroup analysis. sDNA testing for multiple markers had strong diagnostic significance for CRC and advanced adenoma in high-risk subjects. Methylation makers had more diagnostic value than mutation

  3. Multiple Brain Markers are Linked to Age-Related Variation in Cognition

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    Hedden, Trey; Schultz, Aaron P.; Rieckmann, Anna; Mormino, Elizabeth C.; Johnson, Keith A.; Sperling, Reisa A.; Buckner, Randy L.

    2016-01-01

    Age-related alterations in brain structure and function have been challenging to link to cognition due to potential overlapping influences of multiple neurobiological cascades. We examined multiple brain markers associated with age-related variation in cognition. Clinically normal older humans aged 65–90 from the Harvard Aging Brain Study (N = 186) were characterized on a priori magnetic resonance imaging markers of gray matter thickness and volume, white matter hyperintensities, fractional anisotropy (FA), resting-state functional connectivity, positron emission tomography markers of glucose metabolism and amyloid burden, and cognitive factors of processing speed, executive function, and episodic memory. Partial correlation and mediation analyses estimated age-related variance in cognition shared with individual brain markers and unique to each marker. The largest relationships linked FA and striatum volume to processing speed and executive function, and hippocampal volume to episodic memory. Of the age-related variance in cognition, 70–80% was accounted for by combining all brain markers (but only ∼20% of total variance). Age had significant indirect effects on cognition via brain markers, with significant markers varying across cognitive domains. These results suggest that most age-related variation in cognition is shared among multiple brain markers, but potential specificity between some brain markers and cognitive domains motivates additional study of age-related markers of neural health. PMID:25316342

  4. Multiple-clone infections of Plasmodium vivax: definition of a panel of markers for molecular epidemiology.

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    de Souza, Aracele M; de Araújo, Flávia C F; Fontes, Cor J F; Carvalho, Luzia H; de Brito, Cristiana F A; de Sousa, Taís N

    2015-08-25

    Plasmodium vivax infections commonly contain multiple genetically distinct parasite clones. The detection of multiple-clone infections depends on several factors, such as the accuracy of the genotyping method, and the type and number of the molecular markers analysed. Characterizing the multiplicity of infection has broad implications that range from population genetic studies of the parasite to malaria treatment and control. This study compared and evaluated the efficiency of neutral and non-neutral markers that are widely used in studies of molecular epidemiology to detect the multiplicity of P. vivax infection. The performance of six markers was evaluated using 11 mixtures of DNA with well-defined proportions of two different parasite genotypes for each marker. These mixtures were generated by mixing cloned PCR products or patient-derived genomic DNA. In addition, 51 samples of natural infections from the Brazil were genotyped for all markers. The PCR-capillary electrophoresis-based method was used to permit direct comparisons among the markers. The criteria for differentiating minor peaks from artifacts were also evaluated. The analysis of DNA mixtures showed that the tandem repeat MN21 and the polymorphic blocks 2 (msp1B2) and 10 (msp1B10) of merozoite surface protein-1 allowed for the estimation of the expected ratio of both alleles in the majority of preparations. Nevertheless, msp1B2 was not able to detect the majority of multiple-clone infections in field samples; it identified only 6 % of these infections. The merozoite surface protein-3 alpha and microsatellites (PvMS6 and PvMS7) did not accurately estimate the relative clonal proportions in artificial mixtures, but the microsatellites performed well in detecting natural multiple-clone infections. Notably, the use of a less stringent criterion to score rare alleles significantly increased the sensitivity of the detection of multi-clonal infections. Depending on the type of marker used, a considerable

  5. Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies with Multiple Outcomes Using Penalization

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    Liu, Jin; Huang, Jian; Ma, Shuangge

    2012-01-01

    Genome-wide association studies have been extensively conducted, searching for markers for biologically meaningful outcomes and phenotypes. Penalization methods have been adopted in the analysis of the joint effects of a large number of SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and marker identification. This study is partly motivated by the analysis of heterogeneous stock mice dataset, in which multiple correlated phenotypes and a large number of SNPs are available. Existing penalization methods designed to analyze a single response variable cannot accommodate the correlation among multiple response variables. With multiple response variables sharing the same set of markers, joint modeling is first employed to accommodate the correlation. The group Lasso approach is adopted to select markers associated with all the outcome variables. An efficient computational algorithm is developed. Simulation study and analysis of the heterogeneous stock mice dataset show that the proposed method can outperform existing penalization methods. PMID:23272092

  6. Body fluid markers to monitor multiple sclerosis: The assays and the challenges

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Laman, J.D.; Thompson, E.J.; Kappos, L.

    1998-01-01

    The need for reliable markers of disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS) to better guide basic research, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of therapy is well-recognized. A recent European Charcot Foundation Symposium (Body fluid markers for course and activity of disease in multiple sclerosis

  7. Analysis of the results of serum tumor markers in patients with multiple abnormal concentrations in bone imagines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Xingyong; Jiang Min; Geng Jun; Hu Desheng; He Jian; Fan Xiandong

    2008-01-01

    To study the serum tumor markers in patients with multiple abnormal concentration of radiopharmaceuticals in whole body bone imagine, 73 patients with malignancy were under a whole body bone scan. The serum tumor markers levels of AFP, CEA, CA125, CA15-3 and CA19-9 were measured in 73 patients and 37 normal people. The results showed that there was significant difference only on serum CEA level (P<0.005), and no significant difference on CA125, CA15-3 and CA19-9 levels (P<0.05) between 36 patients with multiple abnormal concentration and the others with normal bone imagine. The serum levels of CEA, CA125 and CA19-9 in patients were significant higher than that of normal controls (P<0.005). Combined the whole body bone scan and detection of serum tumor markers might be regarded as clinical significance for the diagnosis of bone metastases. (authors)

  8. Sequential analysis of biochemical markers of bone resorption and bone densitometry in multiple myeloma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abildgaard, Niels; Brixen, K; Eriksen, E.F

    2004-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Bone lesions often occur in multiple myeloma (MM), but no tests have proven useful in identifying patients with increased risk. Bone marker assays and bone densitometry are non-invasive methods that can be used repeatedly at low cost. This study was performed to evaluate...... 6 weeks, DEXA-scans performed every 3 months, and skeletal radiographs were done every 6 months as well as when indicated. RESULTS: Serum ICTP and urinary NTx were predictive of progressive bone events. Markers of bone formation, bone mineral density assessments, and M component measurements were...... changes, and our data do not support routine use of sequential DEXA-scans. However, lumbar DEXA-scans at diagnosis can identify patients with increased risk of early vertebral collapses. Sequential analyses of serum ICTP and urinary NTx are useful for monitoring bone damage....

  9. Powerful Tests for Multi-Marker Association Analysis Using Ensemble Learning.

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    Badri Padhukasahasram

    Full Text Available Multi-marker approaches have received a lot of attention recently in genome wide association studies and can enhance power to detect new associations under certain conditions. Gene-, gene-set- and pathway-based association tests are increasingly being viewed as useful supplements to the more widely used single marker association analysis which have successfully uncovered numerous disease variants. A major drawback of single-marker based methods is that they do not look at the joint effects of multiple genetic variants which individually may have weak or moderate signals. Here, we describe novel tests for multi-marker association analyses that are based on phenotype predictions obtained from machine learning algorithms. Instead of assuming a linear or logistic regression model, we propose the use of ensembles of diverse machine learning algorithms for prediction. We show that phenotype predictions obtained from ensemble learning algorithms provide a new framework for multi-marker association analysis. They can be used for constructing tests for the joint association of multiple variants, adjusting for covariates and testing for the presence of interactions. To demonstrate the power and utility of this new approach, we first apply our method to simulated SNP datasets. We show that the proposed method has the correct Type-1 error rates and can be considerably more powerful than alternative approaches in some situations. Then, we apply our method to previously studied asthma-related genes in 2 independent asthma cohorts to conduct association tests.

  10. Sparse Group Penalized Integrative Analysis of Multiple Cancer Prognosis Datasets

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    Liu, Jin; Huang, Jian; Xie, Yang; Ma, Shuangge

    2014-01-01

    SUMMARY In cancer research, high-throughput profiling studies have been extensively conducted, searching for markers associated with prognosis. Because of the “large d, small n” characteristic, results generated from the analysis of a single dataset can be unsatisfactory. Recent studies have shown that integrative analysis, which simultaneously analyzes multiple datasets, can be more effective than single-dataset analysis and classic meta-analysis. In most of existing integrative analysis, the homogeneity model has been assumed, which postulates that different datasets share the same set of markers. Several approaches have been designed to reinforce this assumption. In practice, different datasets may differ in terms of patient selection criteria, profiling techniques, and many other aspects. Such differences may make the homogeneity model too restricted. In this study, we assume the heterogeneity model, under which different datasets are allowed to have different sets of markers. With multiple cancer prognosis datasets, we adopt the AFT (accelerated failure time) model to describe survival. This model may have the lowest computational cost among popular semiparametric survival models. For marker selection, we adopt a sparse group MCP (minimax concave penalty) approach. This approach has an intuitive formulation and can be computed using an effective group coordinate descent algorithm. Simulation study shows that it outperforms the existing approaches under both the homogeneity and heterogeneity models. Data analysis further demonstrates the merit of heterogeneity model and proposed approach. PMID:23938111

  11. [Application of Multiple Genetic Markers in a Case of Determination of Half Sibling].

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    Yang, Xue; Shi, Mei-sen; Yuan, Li; Lu, Di

    2016-02-01

    A case of half sibling was determined with multiple genetic markers, which could be potentially applied for determination of half sibling relationship from same father. Half sibling relationship was detected by 39 autosomal STR genetic markers, 23 Y-chromosomal STR genetic markers and 12 X -chromosomal STR genetic markers among ZHAO -1, ZHAO -2, ZHAO -3, ZHAO -4, and ZHAO-5. According to autosomal STR, Y-STR and X-STR genotyping results, it was determined that ZHAO-4 (alleged half sibling) was unrelated with ZHAO-1 and ZHAO-2; however, ZHAO-3 (alleged half sibling), ZHAO-5 (alleged half sibling) shared same genetic profile with ZHAO-1, and ZHAO-2 from same father. It is reliable to use multiple genetic markers and family gene reconstruction to determine half sibling relationship from same father, but it is difficult to determination by calculating half sibling index with ITO and discriminant functions.

  12. Clinical values of detection of multiple tumor markers in pleural fluid for diagnosis malignancy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiao Chuangqing; Jiang Li; Zhou Guanghua; He Yunnan

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To improve the diagnostic accuracy for the differentiation of malignant from tuberculous pleural effusion with determination of multiple tumor markers in pleural fluid. Methods: With a multiple tumor markers combined protein chip diagnostic system, contents of twelve common tumor markers were detected in the chest fluid from 60 patients with malignant pleural effusion and 30 patients with tuberculous pleural effusion. Results: For pulmonary carcinoma related pleural effusion, the contents of four common tumor markers (CEA, NSE, SF, CA125) in chest fluid were significantly higher those in tuberculous related chest fluid. The diagnostic positive rate of combined test of these four marker for malignancy could be as high as 96.7%. Conclusion: Combined determination of chest fluid CEA, NSE, SF, CA125 contents was very sensitive and accurate for differentiation of malignant from tuberculous pleural effusion. (authors)

  13. Association analysis and marker development for grain quality traits using USDA diverse rice germplasm collections

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    New molecular markers are being designed and validated for grain quality improvement based on computationally assisted analysis of genome wide association study (GWAS) findings across multiple panels and multiple grain quality traits. The traits include grain dimensions, apparent amylose content (A...

  14. Multiple large solar lentigos on the upper back as clinical markers of past severe sunburn: a case-control study.

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    Derancourt, C; Bourdon-Lanoy, E; Grob, J-J; Guillaume, J-C; Bernard, P; Bastuji-Garin, S

    2007-01-01

    Multiple solar lentigos commonly seen on the upper back and shoulders of adults are classically considered as a sign of photodamage, although epidemiological studies are scarce. To assess whether these lesions are clinical markers of past severe sunburn. A case-control study in two outpatient dermatology clinics in French university hospitals. Past episodes of moderate and severe sunburn were compared between 145 adult patients with multiple solar lentigos on the upper back and 145 matched controls. In multivariate analysis adjusted for potential confounders, recalled episodes of sunburn during childhood, adolescence and adulthood were independently associated with the presence of multiple solar lentigos (adjusted odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals: 2.3 (1.1-5.2) and 28.1 (10.4-75.6) for moderate and severe sunburn, respectively). Multiple solar lentigos on the upper back and shoulders of adults are potential clinical markers of past severe sunburn which may thus be used to identify a population at higher risk of developing cutaneous malignant melanoma.

  15. Detection of multiple tumor markers using ultra-long carbon nanotube devices

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    So, Hye-Mi; Park, Dong-Won; Kim, Beom Soo; Kong, Ki-Jeong; Buh, Gyoung-Ho; Chang, Hyunju; Lee, Jeong-O.; Kong, Jing

    2008-03-01

    For the simultaneous detection of multiple tumor markers, we have fabricated ultra-long carbon nanotube sensors that can detect carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and prostate specific antigen (PSA), simultaneously. Ultra-long carbon nanotubes, several millimeters long, were grown by ethanol CVD, and fabricated as FET sensors by using conventional photolithography. To functionalize each segment of a single ultra-long nanotube device with multiple-tumor markers, we first functionalize the entire device with CDI-Tween 20 linking molecules, and then immobilized CEA and PSA antibodies using the microfluidic channel. The electrical conductance from CEA-antibody functionalized and PSA-antibody functionalized segment of a ultra-long carbon nanotube device was monitored simultaneously with Ag/AgCl reference electrode as a liquid gate. We will discuss the advantages of long-nanotube device in detail.

  16. Cerebrospinal fluid CXCL13 in multiple sclerosis: a suggestive prognostic marker for the disease course

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Khademi, Mohsen; Kockum, Ingrid; Andersson, Magnus L

    2011-01-01

    Levels of CXCL13, a potent B-cell chemoattractant, are elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during multiple sclerosis (MS) and are associated with markers of MS activity. Levels decrease upon effective treatments.......Levels of CXCL13, a potent B-cell chemoattractant, are elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during multiple sclerosis (MS) and are associated with markers of MS activity. Levels decrease upon effective treatments....

  17. [Utility of Multiple Increased Lung Cancer Tumor Markers in Treatment of Patients with Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma].

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    Peng, Yan; Wang, Yan; Hao, Xuezhi; Li, Junling; Liu, Yutao; Wang, Hongyu

    2017-10-20

    Among frequently-used tumor markers in lung cancer, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), cytokeratin 19 (CYFRA21-1) and squamous carcinoma antigen (SCC), neuron specific enolase (NSE) and pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP) are respectively expressed highly in lung adenocarcinoma, lung squamous carcinoma and small cell lung cancer. By comparing patients with multiple increased tumor markers (group A) and patients with increase of CEA and/or CA125 (group B), this study aims to investigate the utility of multiple increased tumor markers in therapeutic evaluation and prediction of disease relapsing in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Patients with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma who receiving the first line chemotherapy in Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences were enrolled and retrospectively analyzed. Clinical characteristic, serum tumor markers before chemotherapy, efficacy evaluation, progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed. Except CEA and CA125, the highest ratio of increased tumor markersin group A was CYFRA21-1 (93%), then was NSE (36%), SCC (13%) and ProGRP (12%). Patients with multiple increased tumor markers tend to have more distant metastasis (Ptumor markers have high risk of relapse, and maintenance therapy can reduce relapse risk.

  18. Elimination of ghost markers during dual sensor-based infrared tracking of multiple individual reflective markers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stroian, G.; Falco, T.; Seuntjens, J.P.

    2004-01-01

    The accuracy of dose delivery in radiotherapy is affected by the uncertainty in tumor localization. Motion of internal anatomy due to physiological processes such as respiration may lead to significant displacements which compromise tumor coverage and generate irradiation of healthy tissue. Real-time tracking with infrared-based systems is often used for tracking thoracic motion in radiation therapy. We studied the origin of ghost markers ('crosstalk') which may appear during dual sensor-based infrared tracking of independent reflective markers. Ghost markers occur when two or more reflective markers are coplanar with each other and with the sensors of the two camera-based infrared tracking system. Analysis shows that sensors are not points but they have a finite extent and this extent determines for each marker a 'ghost volume'. If one reflective marker enters the ghost volume of another marker, ghost markers will be reported by the tracking system; if the reflective markers belong to a surface their 'ghost volume' is reduced to a 'ghost surface' (ghost zone). Appearance of ghost markers is predicted for markers taped on the torso of an anthropomorphic phantom. This study illustrates the dependence of the shape, extent, and location of the ghost zones on the shape of the anthropomorphic phantom, the angle of view of the tracking system, and the distance between the tracking system and the anthropomorphic phantom. It is concluded that the appearance of ghost markers can be avoided by positioning the markers outside the ghost zones of the other markers. However, if this is not possible and the initial marker configuration is ghost marker-free, ghost markers can be eliminated during real-time tracking by virtue of the fact that they appear in the coordinate data sequence only temporarily

  19. Multiple reaction monitoring targeted LC-MS analysis of potential cell death marker proteins for increased bioprocess control.

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    Albrecht, Simone; Kaisermayer, Christian; Reinhart, David; Ambrose, Monica; Kunert, Renate; Lindeberg, Anna; Bones, Jonathan

    2018-05-01

    The monitoring of protein biomarkers for the early prediction of cell stress and death is a valuable tool for process characterization and efficient biomanufacturing control. A representative set of six proteins, namely GPDH, PRDX1, LGALS1, CFL1, TAGLN2 and MDH, which were identified in a previous CHO-K1 cell death model using discovery LC-MS E was translated into a targeted liquid chromatography multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (LC-MRM-MS) platform and verified. The universality of the markers was confirmed in a cell growth model for which three Chinese hamster ovary host cell lines (CHO-K1, CHO-S, CHO-DG44) were grown in batch culture in two different types of basal media. LC-MRM-MS was also applied to spent media (n = 39) from four perfusion biomanufacturing series. Stable isotope-labelled peptide analogues and a stable isotope-labelled monoclonal antibody were used for improved protein quantitation and simultaneous monitoring of the workflow reproducibility. Significant increases in protein concentrations were observed for all viability marker proteins upon increased dead cell numbers and allowed for discrimination of spent media with dead cell densities below and above 1 × 10 6  dead cells/mL which highlights the potential of the selected viability marker proteins in bioprocess control. Graphical abstract Overview of the LC-MRM-MS workflow for the determination of proteomic markers in conditioned media from the bioreactor that correlate with CHO cell death.

  20. A minimally invasive multiple marker approach allows highly efficient detection of meningioma tumors

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    Meese Eckart

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The development of effective frameworks that permit an accurate diagnosis of tumors, especially in their early stages, remains a grand challenge in the field of bioinformatics. Our approach uses statistical learning techniques applied to multiple antigen tumor antigen markers utilizing the immune system as a very sensitive marker of molecular pathological processes. For validation purposes we choose the intracranial meningioma tumors as model system since they occur very frequently, are mostly benign, and are genetically stable. Results A total of 183 blood samples from 93 meningioma patients (WHO stages I-III and 90 healthy controls were screened for seroreactivity with a set of 57 meningioma-associated antigens. We tested several established statistical learning methods on the resulting reactivity patterns using 10-fold cross validation. The best performance was achieved by Naïve Bayes Classifiers. With this classification method, our framework, called Minimally Invasive Multiple Marker (MIMM approach, yielded a specificity of 96.2%, a sensitivity of 84.5%, and an accuracy of 90.3%, the respective area under the ROC curve was 0.957. Detailed analysis revealed that prediction performs particularly well on low-grade (WHO I tumors, consistent with our goal of early stage tumor detection. For these tumors the best classification result with a specificity of 97.5%, a sensitivity of 91.3%, an accuracy of 95.6%, and an area under the ROC curve of 0.971 was achieved using a set of 12 antigen markers only. This antigen set was detected by a subset selection method based on Mutual Information. Remarkably, our study proves that the inclusion of non-specific antigens, detected not only in tumor but also in normal sera, increases the performance significantly, since non-specific antigens contribute additional diagnostic information. Conclusion Our approach offers the possibility to screen members of risk groups as a matter of routine

  1. Intersection tests for single marker QTL analysis can be more powerful than two marker QTL analysis

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    Doerge RW

    2003-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background It has been reported in the quantitative trait locus (QTL literature that when testing for QTL location and effect, the statistical power supporting methodologies based on two markers and their estimated genetic map is higher than for the genetic map independent methodologies known as single marker analyses. Close examination of these reports reveals that the two marker approaches are more powerful than single marker analyses only in certain cases. Simulation studies are a commonly used tool to determine the behavior of test statistics under known conditions. We conducted a simulation study to assess the general behavior of an intersection test and a two marker test under a variety of conditions. The study was designed to reveal whether two marker tests are always more powerful than intersection tests, or whether there are cases when an intersection test may outperform the two marker approach. We present a reanalysis of a data set from a QTL study of ovariole number in Drosophila melanogaster. Results Our simulation study results show that there are situations where the single marker intersection test equals or outperforms the two marker test. The intersection test and the two marker test identify overlapping regions in the reanalysis of the Drosophila melanogaster data. The region identified is consistent with a regression based interval mapping analysis. Conclusion We find that the intersection test is appropriate for analysis of QTL data. This approach has the advantage of simplicity and for certain situations supplies equivalent or more powerful results than a comparable two marker test.

  2. Cinteny: flexible analysis and visualization of synteny and genome rearrangements in multiple organisms

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    Meller Jaroslaw

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Identifying syntenic regions, i.e., blocks of genes or other markers with evolutionary conserved order, and quantifying evolutionary relatedness between genomes in terms of chromosomal rearrangements is one of the central goals in comparative genomics. However, the analysis of synteny and the resulting assessment of genome rearrangements are sensitive to the choice of a number of arbitrary parameters that affect the detection of synteny blocks. In particular, the choice of a set of markers and the effect of different aggregation strategies, which enable coarse graining of synteny blocks and exclusion of micro-rearrangements, need to be assessed. Therefore, existing tools and resources that facilitate identification, visualization and analysis of synteny need to be further improved to provide a flexible platform for such analysis, especially in the context of multiple genomes. Results We present a new tool, Cinteny, for fast identification and analysis of synteny with different sets of markers and various levels of coarse graining of syntenic blocks. Using Hannenhalli-Pevzner approach and its extensions, Cinteny also enables interactive determination of evolutionary relationships between genomes in terms of the number of rearrangements (the reversal distance. In particular, Cinteny provides: i integration of synteny browsing with assessment of evolutionary distances for multiple genomes; ii flexibility to adjust the parameters and re-compute the results on-the-fly; iii ability to work with user provided data, such as orthologous genes, sequence tags or other conserved markers. In addition, Cinteny provides many annotated mammalian, invertebrate and fungal genomes that are pre-loaded and available for analysis at http://cinteny.cchmc.org. Conclusion Cinteny allows one to automatically compare multiple genomes and perform sensitivity analysis for synteny block detection and for the subsequent computation of reversal distances

  3. Regression Association Analysis of Yield-Related Traits with RAPD Molecular Markers in Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.

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    Saeid Mirzaei

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The pistachio (Pistacia vera, a member of the cashew family, is a small tree originating from Central Asia and the Middle East. The tree produces seeds that are widely consumed as food. Pistacia vera often is confused with other species in the genus Pistacia that are also known as pistachio. These other species can be distinguished by their geographic distributions and their seeds which are much smaller and have a soft shell. Continual advances in crop improvement through plant breeding are driven by the available genetic diversity. Therefore, the recognition and measurement of such diversity is crucial to breeding programs. In the past 20 years, the major effort in plant breeding has changed from quantitative to molecular genetics with emphasis on quantitative trait loci (QTL identification and marker assisted selection (MAS. The germplasm-regression-combined association studies not only allow mapping of genes/QTLs with higher level of confidence, but also allow detection of genes/QTLs, which will otherwise escape detection in linkage-based QTL studies based on the planned populations. The development of the marker-based technology offers a fast, reliable, and easy way to perform multiple regression analysis and comprise an alternative approach to breeding in diverse species of plants. The availability of many makers and morphological traits can help to regression analysis between these markers and morphological traits. Materials and Methods: In this study, 20 genotypes of Pistachio were studied and yield related traits were measured. Young well-expanded leaves were collected for DNA extraction and total genomic DNA was extracted. Genotyping was performed using 15 RAPD primers and PCR amplification products were visualized by gel electrophoresis. The reproducible RAPD fragments were scored on the basis of present (1 or absent (0 bands and a binary matrix constructed using each molecular marker. Association analysis between

  4. Real-time segmentation of multiple implanted cylindrical liver markers in kilovoltage and megavoltage x-ray images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fledelius, W; Worm, E; Høyer, M; Grau, C; Poulsen, P R

    2014-01-01

    Gold markers implanted in or near a tumor can be used as x-ray visible landmarks for image based tumor localization. The aim of this study was to develop and demonstrate fast and reliable real-time segmentation of multiple liver tumor markers in intra-treatment kV and MV images and in cone-beam CT (CBCT) projections, for real-time motion management. Thirteen patients treated with conformal stereotactic body radiation therapy in three fractions had 2–3 cylindrical gold markers implanted in the liver prior to treatment. At each fraction, the projection images of a pre-treatment CBCT scan were used for automatic generation of a 3D marker model that consisted of the size, orientation, and estimated 3D trajectory of each marker during the CBCT scan. The 3D marker model was used for real-time template based segmentation in subsequent x-ray images by projecting each marker's 3D shape and likely 3D motion range onto the imager plane. The segmentation was performed in intra-treatment kV images (526 marker traces, 92 097 marker projections) and MV images (88 marker traces, 22 382 marker projections), and in post-treatment CBCT projections (42 CBCT scans, 71 381 marker projections). 227 kV marker traces with low mean contrast-to-noise ratio were excluded as markers were not visible due to MV scatter. Online segmentation times measured for a limited dataset were used for estimating real-time segmentation times for all images. The percentage of detected markers was 94.8% (kV), 96.1% (MV), and 98.6% (CBCT). For the detected markers, the real-time segmentation was erroneous in 0.2–0.31% of the cases. The mean segmentation time per marker was 5.6 ms [2.1–12 ms] (kV), 5.5 ms [1.6–13 ms] (MV), and 6.5 ms [1.8–15 ms] (CBCT). Fast and reliable real-time segmentation of multiple liver tumor markers in intra-treatment kV and MV images and in CBCT projections was demonstrated for a large dataset. (paper)

  5. Stereotactic core needle breast biopsy marker migration: An analysis of factors contributing to immediate marker migration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Ashali; Khalid, Maria; Qureshi, Muhammad M; Georgian-Smith, Dianne; Kaplan, Jonah A; Buch, Karen; Grinstaff, Mark W; Hirsch, Ariel E; Hines, Neely L; Anderson, Stephan W; Gallagher, Katherine M; Bates, David D B; Bloch, B Nicolas

    2017-11-01

    To evaluate breast biopsy marker migration in stereotactic core needle biopsy procedures and identify contributing factors. This retrospective study analyzed 268 stereotactic biopsy markers placed in 263 consecutive patients undergoing stereotactic biopsies using 9G vacuum-assisted devices from August 2010-July 2013. Mammograms were reviewed and factors contributing to marker migration were evaluated. Basic descriptive statistics were calculated and comparisons were performed based on radiographically-confirmed marker migration. Of the 268 placed stereotactic biopsy markers, 35 (13.1%) migrated ≥1 cm from their biopsy cavity. Range: 1-6 cm; mean (± SD): 2.35 ± 1.22 cm. Of the 35 migrated biopsy markers, 9 (25.7%) migrated ≥3.5 cm. Patient age, biopsy pathology, number of cores, and left versus right breast were not associated with migration status (P> 0.10). Global fatty breast density (P= 0.025) and biopsy in the inner region of breast (P = 0.031) were associated with marker migration. Superior biopsy approach (P= 0.025), locally heterogeneous breast density, and t-shaped biopsy markers (P= 0.035) were significant for no marker migration. Multiple factors were found to influence marker migration. An overall migration rate of 13% supports endeavors of research groups actively developing new biopsy marker designs for improved resistance to migration. • Breast biopsy marker migration is documented in 13% of 268 procedures. • Marker migration is affected by physical, biological, and pathological factors. • Breast density, marker shape, needle approach etc. affect migration. • Study demonstrates marker migration prevalence; marker design improvements are needed.

  6. Multiple marker abundance profiling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hooper, Cornelia M.; Stevens, Tim J.; Saukkonen, Anna

    2017-01-01

    proteins and the scoring accuracy of lower-abundance proteins in Arabidopsis. NPAS was combined with subcellular protein localization data, facilitating quantitative estimations of organelle abundance during routine experimental procedures. A suite of targeted proteomics markers for subcellular compartment...

  7. Cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory markers in patients with multiple sclerosis: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matejčíková, Z; Mareš, J; Přikrylová Vranová, H; Klosová, J; Sládková, V; Doláková, J; Zapletalová, J; Kaňovský, P

    2015-02-01

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Autoimmune inflammation is common in the early stages of MS. This stage is followed by the neurodegenerative process. The result of these changes is axon and myelin breakdown. Although MS is according to McDonald's revised diagnostic criteria primarily a clinical diagnosis, paraclinical investigation methods are an important part in the diagnosis of MS. In common practice, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spinal cord, examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and examination of visual evoked potentials are used. There are an increasing number of studies dealing with biomarkers in CSF and their role in the diagnosis and treatment of MS. We hypothesized that the levels of some markers could be changed in MS in comparison with controls. We studied five inflammatory markers [interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8, interleukin-10 (IL-10), beta-2-microglobulin, orosomucoid]. CSF and serum levels of inflammatory markers were assessed in 38 patients with newly diagnosed MS meeting McDonald's revised diagnostic criteria and in 28 subjects as a control group (CG). Levels of beta-2-microglobulin and interleukin-8 in CSF were found to be significantly higher in MS patients in comparison to CG (p < 0.001 resp. p = 0.007). No differences in other CSF markers (IL-6, IL-10 and orosomucoid) and serum levels of all markers between both groups were found. The levels of two studied inflammatory markers were found to be increased at the time of first clinical symptoms of MS. Research on the role of inflammatory and neurodegenerative markers in MS should continue.

  8. Integrating Multiple Data Sources for Combinatorial Marker Discovery: A Study in Tumorigenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandyopadhyay, Sanghamitra; Mallik, Saurav

    2018-01-01

    Identification of combinatorial markers from multiple data sources is a challenging task in bioinformatics. Here, we propose a novel computational framework for identifying significant combinatorial markers ( s) using both gene expression and methylation data. The gene expression and methylation data are integrated into a single continuous data as well as a (post-discretized) boolean data based on their intrinsic (i.e., inverse) relationship. A novel combined score of methylation and expression data (viz., ) is introduced which is computed on the integrated continuous data for identifying initial non-redundant set of genes. Thereafter, (maximal) frequent closed homogeneous genesets are identified using a well-known biclustering algorithm applied on the integrated boolean data of the determined non-redundant set of genes. A novel sample-based weighted support ( ) is then proposed that is consecutively calculated on the integrated boolean data of the determined non-redundant set of genes in order to identify the non-redundant significant genesets. The top few resulting genesets are identified as potential s. Since our proposed method generates a smaller number of significant non-redundant genesets than those by other popular methods, the method is much faster than the others. Application of the proposed technique on an expression and a methylation data for Uterine tumor or Prostate Carcinoma produces a set of significant combination of markers. We expect that such a combination of markers will produce lower false positives than individual markers.

  9. On coding genotypes for genetic markers with multiple alleles in genetic association study of quantitative traits

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Tao

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In genetic association study of quantitative traits using F∞ models, how to code the marker genotypes and interpret the model parameters appropriately is important for constructing hypothesis tests and making statistical inferences. Currently, the coding of marker genotypes in building F∞ models has mainly focused on the biallelic case. A thorough work on the coding of marker genotypes and interpretation of model parameters for F∞ models is needed especially for genetic markers with multiple alleles. Results In this study, we will formulate F∞ genetic models under various regression model frameworks and introduce three genotype coding schemes for genetic markers with multiple alleles. Starting from an allele-based modeling strategy, we first describe a regression framework to model the expected genotypic values at given markers. Then, as extension from the biallelic case, we introduce three coding schemes for constructing fully parameterized one-locus F∞ models and discuss the relationships between the model parameters and the expected genotypic values. Next, under a simplified modeling framework for the expected genotypic values, we consider several reduced one-locus F∞ models from the three coding schemes on the estimability and interpretation of their model parameters. Finally, we explore some extensions of the one-locus F∞ models to two loci. Several fully parameterized as well as reduced two-locus F∞ models are addressed. Conclusions The genotype coding schemes provide different ways to construct F∞ models for association testing of multi-allele genetic markers with quantitative traits. Which coding scheme should be applied depends on how convenient it can provide the statistical inferences on the parameters of our research interests. Based on these F∞ models, the standard regression model fitting tools can be used to estimate and test for various genetic effects through statistical contrasts with the

  10. Diagnostic value of multiple tumor markers for patients with esophageal carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jun; Zhu, Zhenli; Liu, Yan; Jin, Xueyuan; Xu, Zhiwei; Yu, Qiuyan; Li, Ke

    2015-01-01

    Various studies assessing the diagnostic value of serum tumor markers in patients with esophageal cancer remain controversial. This study aims to comprehensively and quantitatively summarize the potential diagnostic value of 5 serum tumour markers in esophageal cancer. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM), through February 28, 2013, without language restriction. Studies were assessed for quality using QUADAS (quality assessment of studies of diagnostic accuracy). The positive likelihood ratio (PLR) and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) were pooled separately and compared with overall accuracy measures using diagnostic odds ratios (DORs) and symmetric summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves. Of 4391 studies initially identified, 44 eligible studies including five tumor markers met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis, while meta-analysis could not be conducted for 12 other tumor markers. Approximately 79.55% (35/44) of the included studies were of relatively high quality (QUADAS score≥7). The summary estimates of the positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR) and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for diagnosing EC were as follows: CEA, 5.94/0.76/9.26; Cyfra21-1, 12.110.59/22.27; p53 antibody, 6.71/0.75/9.60; SCC-Ag, 7.66/0.68/12.41; and VEGF-C, 0.74/0.37/8.12. The estimated summary receiver operating characteristic curves showed that the performance of all five tumor markers was reasonable. The current evidence suggests that CEA, Cyfra21-1, p53, SCC-Ag and VEGF-C have a potential diagnostic value for esophageal carcinoma.

  11. Herbs and spices: characterization and quantitation of biologically-active markers for routine quality control by multiple headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with separative or non-separative analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sgorbini, Barbara; Bicchi, Carlo; Cagliero, Cecilia; Cordero, Chiara; Liberto, Erica; Rubiolo, Patrizia

    2015-01-09

    Herbs and spices are used worldwide as food flavoring, thus determination of their identity, origin, and quality is mandatory for safe human consumption. An analysis strategy based on separative (HS-SPME-GC-MS) and non-separative (HS-SPME-MS) approaches is proposed for the volatile fraction of herbs and spices, for quality control and to quantify the aromatic markers with a single analysis directly on the plant material as such. Eight-to-ten lots of each of the following herbs/spices were considered: cloves (Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & Perry), American peppertree (Schinus molle L.), black pepper and white pepper (Piper nigrum L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), sage (Salvia officinalis L.) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.). Homogeneity, origin, and chemotypes of the investigated lots of each herb/spice were defined by fingerprinting, through statistical elaboration with principal component analysis (PCA). Characterizing aromatic markers were directly quantified on the solid matrix through multiple headspace extraction-HS-SPME (MHS-SPME). Reliable results were obtained with both separative and non-separative methods (where the latter were applicable); the two were in full agreement, RSD% ranging from 1.8 to 7.7% for eugenol in cloves, 2.2-18.4% for carvacrol+thymol in thyme, and 3.1-16.8% for thujones in sage. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Diagnostic significance of combined detention of multiple tumour markers in lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Yanming; Qiu Jianming

    2003-01-01

    Objective: To explore the diagnostic value of combined detection of multiple markers in the determination of lung cancer. Methods: Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the serum CEA, CA19-9, CA125, CA15-3 was determined in eighty-six lung cancer patients, thirty benign lung disease patients and thirty healthy persons. Results; Serum concentrations of CEA, CA19-9, CA125 and CA15-3 were significantly higher in patents with lung cancer than that in the patients with benign lung disease patients and healthy persons. The single test sensitivity of CEA, CA19-9, CA125 and CA15-3 for diagnosis of lung cancer is 41.9%, 37.2%, 48.9%, 36% respectively; the combined test sensitivity is 94.2%. Conclusions: Assessing several tumour markers can help differentiating various histological type of lung cancer and increase the sensitivity

  13. Saccharomyces cerevisiae single-copy plasmids for auxotrophy compensation, multiple marker selection, and for designing metabolically cooperating communities [version 1; referees: 2 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Mülleder

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Auxotrophic markers are useful tools in cloning and genome editing, enable a large spectrum of genetic techniques, as well as facilitate the study of metabolite exchange interactions in microbial communities. If unused background auxotrophies are left uncomplemented however, yeast cells need to be grown in nutrient supplemented or rich growth media compositions, which precludes the analysis of biosynthetic metabolism, and which leads to a profound impact on physiology and gene expression. Here we present a series of 23 centromeric plasmids designed to restore prototrophy in typical Saccharomyces cerevisiae laboratory strains. The 23 single-copy plasmids complement for deficiencies in HIS3, LEU2, URA3, MET17 or LYS2 genes and in their combinations, to match the auxotrophic background of the popular functional-genomic yeast libraries that are based on the S288c strain. The plasmids are further suitable for designing self-establishing metabolically cooperating (SeMeCo communities, and possess a uniform multiple cloning site to exploit multiple parallel selection markers in protein expression experiments.

  14. Two-locus linkage analysis in multiple sclerosis (MS)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tienari, P.J. (National Public Health Institute, Helsinki (Finland) Univ. of Helsinki (Finland)); Terwilliger, J.D.; Ott, J. (Columbia Univ., New York (United States)); Palo, J. (Univ. of Helsinki (Finland)); Peltonen, L. (National Public Health Institute, Helsinki (Finland))

    1994-01-15

    One of the major challenges in genetic linkage analyses is the study of complex diseases. The authors demonstrate here the use of two-locus linkage analysis in multiple sclerosis (MS), a multifactorial disease with a complex mode of inheritance. In a set of Finnish multiplex families, they have previously found evidence for linkage between MS susceptibility and two independent loci, the myelin basic protein gene (MBP) on chromosome 18 and the HLA complex on chromosome 6. This set of families provides a unique opportunity to perform linkage analysis conditional on two loci contributing to the disease. In the two-trait-locus/two-marker-locus analysis, the presence of another disease locus is parametrized and the analysis more appropriately treats information from the unaffected family member than single-disease-locus analysis. As exemplified here in MS, the two-locus analysis can be a powerful method for investigating susceptibility loci in complex traits, best suited for analysis of specific candidate genes, or for situations in which preliminary evidence for linkage already exists or is suggested. 41 refs., 6 tabs.

  15. Development and amplification of multiple co-dominant genetic markers from single spores of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi by nested multiplex PCR

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holtgrewe-Stukenbrock, Eva; Rosendahl, Søren

    2005-01-01

    Multiple co-dominant genetic markers from single spores of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi Glomus mosseae, Glomus caledonium, and Glomus geosporum were amplified by nested multiplex PCR using a combination of primers for simultaneous amplification of five loci in one PCR. Subsequently, each...... marker was amplified separately in nested PCR using specific primers. Polymorphic loci within the three putative single copy genes GmFOX2, GmTOR2, and GmGIN1 were characterized by sequencing and single strand conformation polymorphisms (SSCP). Primers specific for the LSU rDNA D2 region were included...... are homokaryotic. All isolates of G. mosseae had unique genotypes. The amplification of multiple co-dominant genetic markers from single spores by the nested multiplex PCR approach provides an important tool for future studies of AM fungi population genetics and evolution....

  16. Use of wand markers on the pelvis in three dimensional gait analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Smith, Martin; Curtis, Derek; Bencke, Jesper

    2013-01-01

    During clinical gait analysis, surface markers are placed over the anterior superior iliac spines (ASIS) of the pelvis. However, this can be problematic in overweight or obese subjects, where excessive adipose tissue can obscure the markers and prevent accurate tracking. A novel solution to this ......During clinical gait analysis, surface markers are placed over the anterior superior iliac spines (ASIS) of the pelvis. However, this can be problematic in overweight or obese subjects, where excessive adipose tissue can obscure the markers and prevent accurate tracking. A novel solution...... to this problem has previously been proposed and tested on a limited sample of healthy, adult subjects. This involves use of wand markers on the pelvis, to virtually recreate the ASIS markers. The method was tested here on 20 typical subjects presenting for clinical gait analysis (adults and children, including...

  17. Is impaired cerebral vasoreactivity an early marker of cognitive decline in multiple sclerosis patients?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metzger, Aude; Le Bars, Emmanuelle; Deverdun, Jeremy; Molino, François; Maréchal, Bénédicte; Picot, Marie-Christine; Ayrignac, Xavier; Carra, Clarisse; Bauchet, Luc; Krainik, Alexandre; Labauge, Pierre; Menjot de Champfleur, Nicolas

    2018-03-01

    The link between cerebral vasoreactivity and cognitive status in multiple sclerosis remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate a potential decrease of cerebral vasoreactivity in multiple sclerosis patients and correlate it with cognitive status. Thirty-three patients with multiple sclerosis (nine progressive and 24 remitting forms, median age: 39 years, 12 males) and 22 controls underwent MRI with a hypercapnic challenge to assess cerebral vasoreactivity and a neuropsychological assessment. Cerebral vasoreactivity, measured as the cerebral blood flow percent increase normalised by end-tidal carbon dioxide variation, was assessed globally and by regions of interest using the blood oxygen level-dependent technique. Non-parametric statistics tests were used to assess differences between groups, and associations were estimated using linear models. Cerebral vasoreactivity was lower in patients with cognitive impairment than in cognitively normal patients (p=0.004) and was associated with education level in patients (R 2 = 0.35; p = 0.047). There was no decrease in cerebral vasoreactivity between patients and controls. Cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis may be mediated through decreased cerebral vasoreactivity. Cerebral vasoreactivity could therefore be considered as a marker of cognitive decline in multiple sclerosis. • Cerebral vasoreactivity does not differ between multiple sclerosis patients and controls. • Cerebral vasoreactivity measure is linked to cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis. • Cerebral vasoreactivity is linked to level of education in multiple sclerosis.

  18. meta-analysis of Serum Tumor Markers in Lung Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xianfeng LU

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Background and objective The detection of serum tumor markers is of great value for early diagnosis of lung cancer. The aim of this study is to summarize the clinic significance characteristics of serum markers contributing to the detection of lung cancer. Methods References about serum markers of lung cancer were estimated using meta-analysis method. 712 references which included more than 20 cases, 20 controls, the serum markers of 52 832 patients with malignancies and 32 037 patients as controls were evaluated. Results Overall the detection of 13 markers play a significant part in lung cancer diagnosis. The sensitivity of CEA, CA125, CYFRA21-1, TPA, SCCAg, DKK1, NSE, ProGRP in the patients’ serum with lung cancer were 47.50%, 50.11%, 57.00%, 50.93%, 49.00%, 69.50%, 39.73%, 51.48% and the specificity were 92.34%, 80.19%, 90.16%, 88.41%, 91.07%, 92.20%, 89.11%, 94.89%. In the combined analysis of tumor markers: the sensitivity, specificity of NSE+ProGRP were 88.90% and 72.82% in diagnosis of small cell lung cancer, respectively. In diagnosis of squamous corcinoma, the sensitivity and specificity of TSGF+SCCAg+CYFRA21-1 were 95.30% and 74.20%. The the sensitivity and specificity of CA153+Ferrtin+CEA were 91.90% and 44.00% in diagnosis of lung cancer. Conclusion Although the assay of tumor markers in serum is useful for diagnosis of early lung cancer, the sensitivity and specificity are low. Combined detection of these tumor markers could increase sensitivity and specificity.

  19. Marker list - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available List Contact us PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods ...Database Site Policy | Contact Us Marker list - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive ...

  20. Is impaired cerebral vasoreactivity an early marker of cognitive decline in multiple sclerosis patients?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Metzger, Aude; Le Bars, Emmanuelle; Deverdun, Jeremy; Molino, Francois; Marechal, Benedicte; Picot, Marie-Christine; Ayrignac, Xavier; Carra, Clarisse; Labauge, Pierre; Bauchet, Luc; Krainik, Alexandre; Menjot de Champfleur, Nicolas

    2018-01-01

    The link between cerebral vasoreactivity and cognitive status in multiple sclerosis remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate a potential decrease of cerebral vasoreactivity in multiple sclerosis patients and correlate it with cognitive status. Thirty-three patients with multiple sclerosis (nine progressive and 24 remitting forms, median age: 39 years, 12 males) and 22 controls underwent MRI with a hypercapnic challenge to assess cerebral vasoreactivity and a neuropsychological assessment. Cerebral vasoreactivity, measured as the cerebral blood flow percent increase normalised by end-tidal carbon dioxide variation, was assessed globally and by regions of interest using the blood oxygen level-dependent technique. Non-parametric statistics tests were used to assess differences between groups, and associations were estimated using linear models. Cerebral vasoreactivity was lower in patients with cognitive impairment than in cognitively normal patients (p=0.004) and was associated with education level in patients (R 2 = 0.35; p = 0.047). There was no decrease in cerebral vasoreactivity between patients and controls. Cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis may be mediated through decreased cerebral vasoreactivity. Cerebral vasoreactivity could therefore be considered as a marker of cognitive decline in multiple sclerosis. (orig.)

  1. Is impaired cerebral vasoreactivity an early marker of cognitive decline in multiple sclerosis patients?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Metzger, Aude [University Hospital Center, Department of Neurology, Montpellier (France); University Hospital Center, Department of Neurology, Memory Ressource and Research Center, Montpellier (France); Le Bars, Emmanuelle; Deverdun, Jeremy [Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire de Montpellier, Departement de Neuroradiologie, Hopital Gui de Chauliac, Montpellier (France); Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire de Montpellier, Institut d' Imagerie Fonctionnelle Humaine (I2FH), Hopital Gui de Chauliac, Montpellier (France); Universite de Montpellier, Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, CNRS UMR 5221, Montpellier (France); Molino, Francois [Universite de Montpellier, Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, CNRS UMR 5221, Montpellier (France); Universite de Montpellier, Institut de Genomique Fonctionnelle, CNRS UMR 5203, INSERM U661, Montpellier (France); Marechal, Benedicte [Siemens Healthcare, Advanced Clinical Imaging Technology, Lausanne (Switzerland); CHUV, Department of Radiology, Lausanne (Switzerland); LTS5, EPFL, Lausanne (Switzerland); Picot, Marie-Christine [Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire de Montpellier, Departement de Biostatistiques, Montpellier (France); Ayrignac, Xavier; Carra, Clarisse; Labauge, Pierre [University Hospital Center, Department of Neurology, Montpellier (France); Bauchet, Luc [Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire de Montpellier, Departement de Neurochirurgie, Hopital Gui de Chauliac, Montpellier (France); Hopital Saint Eloi, Institut de Neurosciences de Montpellier, INSERM U1051, Montpellier (France); Krainik, Alexandre [University Hospital of Grenoble, MR Unit CS 10217, Grenoble (France); Menjot de Champfleur, Nicolas [Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire de Montpellier, Departement de Neuroradiologie, Hopital Gui de Chauliac, Montpellier (France); Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire de Montpellier, Institut d' Imagerie Fonctionnelle Humaine (I2FH), Hopital Gui de Chauliac, Montpellier (France); Universite de Montpellier, Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, CNRS UMR 5221, Montpellier (France); Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Caremeau, Departement d' Imagerie Medicale, Nimes (France)

    2018-03-15

    The link between cerebral vasoreactivity and cognitive status in multiple sclerosis remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate a potential decrease of cerebral vasoreactivity in multiple sclerosis patients and correlate it with cognitive status. Thirty-three patients with multiple sclerosis (nine progressive and 24 remitting forms, median age: 39 years, 12 males) and 22 controls underwent MRI with a hypercapnic challenge to assess cerebral vasoreactivity and a neuropsychological assessment. Cerebral vasoreactivity, measured as the cerebral blood flow percent increase normalised by end-tidal carbon dioxide variation, was assessed globally and by regions of interest using the blood oxygen level-dependent technique. Non-parametric statistics tests were used to assess differences between groups, and associations were estimated using linear models. Cerebral vasoreactivity was lower in patients with cognitive impairment than in cognitively normal patients (p=0.004) and was associated with education level in patients (R{sup 2} = 0.35; p = 0.047). There was no decrease in cerebral vasoreactivity between patients and controls. Cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis may be mediated through decreased cerebral vasoreactivity. Cerebral vasoreactivity could therefore be considered as a marker of cognitive decline in multiple sclerosis. (orig.)

  2. Rapid Generation of Multiple Loci-Engineered Marker-free Poxvirus and Characterization of a Clinical-Grade Oncolytic Vaccinia Virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zong Sheng Guo

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Recombinant poxviruses, utilized as vaccine vectors and oncolytic viruses, often require manipulation at multiple genetic loci in the viral genome. It is essential for viral vectors to possess no adventitious mutations and no (antibiotic selection marker in the final product for human patients in order to comply with the guidance from the regulatory agencies. Rintoul et al. have previously developed a selectable and excisable marker (SEM system for the rapid generation of recombinant vaccinia virus. In the current study, we describe an improved methodology for rapid creation and selection of recombinant poxviruses with multiple genetic manipulations solely based on expression of a fluorescent protein and with no requirement for drug selection that can lead to cellular stress and the risk of adventitious mutations throughout the viral genome. Using this improved procedure combined with the SEM system, we have constructed multiple marker-free oncolytic poxviruses expressing different cytokines and other therapeutic genes. The high fidelity of inserted DNA sequences validates the utility of this improved procedure for generation of therapeutic viruses for human patients. We have created an oncolytic poxvirus expressing human chemokine CCL5, designated as vvDD-A34R-hCCL5, with manipulations at two genetic loci in a single virus. Finally, we have produced and purified this virus in clinical grade for its use in a phase I clinical trial and presented data on initial in vitro characterization of the virus.

  3. Low accuracy of tumor markers for diagnosing pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Laat, Joanne M.; Pieterman, Carolina R. C.; Weijmans, Maaike; Hermus, Ad R.; Dekkers, Olaf M.; de Herder, Wouter W.; van der Horst-Schrivers, Anouk N. A.; Drent, Madeleine L.; Bisschop, Peter H.; Havekes, Bas; Vriens, Menno R.; Valk, Gerlof D.

    2013-01-01

    Context: The assessment of tumor markers for diagnosing pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET) in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) patients is advised in the current guidelines but has never been validated for this purpose. Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the

  4. Low Accuracy of Tumor Markers for Diagnosing Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors in Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 Patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Laat, Joanne M.; Pieterman, Carolina R. C.; Weijmans, Maaike; Hermus, Ad R.; Dekkers, Olaf M.; de Herder, Wouter W.; van der Horst-Schrivers, Anouk N. A.; Drent, Madeleine L.; Bisschop, Peter H.; Havekes, Bas; Vriens, Menno R.; Valk, Gerlof D.

    2013-01-01

    Context: The assessment of tumor markers for diagnosing pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET) in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) patients is advised in the current guidelines but has never been validated for this purpose. Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the

  5. Genome-Wide Analysis of Simple Sequence Repeats and Efficient Development of Polymorphic SSR Markers Based on Whole Genome Re-Sequencing of Multiple Isolates of the Wheat Stripe Rust Fungus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huaiyong Luo

    Full Text Available The biotrophic parasitic fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst causes stripe rust, a devastating disease of wheat, endangering global food security. Because the Pst population is highly dynamic, it is difficult to develop wheat cultivars with durable and highly effective resistance. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs are widely used as molecular markers in genetic studies to determine population structure in many organisms. However, only a small number of SSR markers have been developed for Pst. In this study, a total of 4,792 SSR loci were identified using the whole genome sequences of six isolates from different regions of the world, with a marker density of one SSR per 22.95 kb. The majority of the SSRs were di- and tri-nucleotide repeats. A database containing 1,113 SSR markers were established. Through in silico comparison, the previously reported SSR markers were found mainly in exons, whereas the SSR markers in the database were mostly in intergenic regions. Furthermore, 105 polymorphic SSR markers were confirmed in silico by their identical positions and nucleotide variations with INDELs identified among the six isolates. When 104 in silico polymorphic SSR markers were used to genotype 21 Pst isolates, 84 produced the target bands, and 82 of them were polymorphic and revealed the genetic relationships among the isolates. The results show that whole genome re-sequencing of multiple isolates provides an ideal resource for developing SSR markers, and the newly developed SSR markers are useful for genetic and population studies of the wheat stripe rust fungus.

  6. Genome-Wide Analysis of Simple Sequence Repeats and Efficient Development of Polymorphic SSR Markers Based on Whole Genome Re-Sequencing of Multiple Isolates of the Wheat Stripe Rust Fungus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Huaiyong; Wang, Xiaojie; Zhan, Gangming; Wei, Guorong; Zhou, Xinli; Zhao, Jing; Huang, Lili; Kang, Zhensheng

    2015-01-01

    The biotrophic parasitic fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) causes stripe rust, a devastating disease of wheat, endangering global food security. Because the Pst population is highly dynamic, it is difficult to develop wheat cultivars with durable and highly effective resistance. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are widely used as molecular markers in genetic studies to determine population structure in many organisms. However, only a small number of SSR markers have been developed for Pst. In this study, a total of 4,792 SSR loci were identified using the whole genome sequences of six isolates from different regions of the world, with a marker density of one SSR per 22.95 kb. The majority of the SSRs were di- and tri-nucleotide repeats. A database containing 1,113 SSR markers were established. Through in silico comparison, the previously reported SSR markers were found mainly in exons, whereas the SSR markers in the database were mostly in intergenic regions. Furthermore, 105 polymorphic SSR markers were confirmed in silico by their identical positions and nucleotide variations with INDELs identified among the six isolates. When 104 in silico polymorphic SSR markers were used to genotype 21 Pst isolates, 84 produced the target bands, and 82 of them were polymorphic and revealed the genetic relationships among the isolates. The results show that whole genome re-sequencing of multiple isolates provides an ideal resource for developing SSR markers, and the newly developed SSR markers are useful for genetic and population studies of the wheat stripe rust fungus.

  7. Clinical value of assays of multiple serum tumor markers in conjunction with 18F-FDG SPECT for discriminating malignant from benign lung disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Chunyan; Wang Linglong; Tu Liping; Yu Yuefang; Zhu Weijie; Cai Ao; Gao Shuxing

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of assays of multiple tumor markers in conjunction with 18 F-FDG SPECT for discriminating malignant from benign lung disorders. Methods: A total of 62 patients with malignant and benign lung diseases un- derwent 18 F-FDG SPECT examination and tests for serum tumor markers CEA, CA50, CA199 and CA242, alone or combined. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of these tests were examined. Results: The sensitivity, specificity accuracy of 18 F-FDG SPECT for the diagnosis of malignant lung tumors were 85.7 (30/35), 59.3 (16/27) and 74.2(46/62) respectively, those of each of serum CEA, CA199, CA50, CA242 levels in diagnosing malignant lung tumors were 22.9(8/35), 92.6(25/27), 59.7(33/62), 14.3(5/35), 100(27/27), 51.6 (32/62), 34.3 (12/35), 85.2 (23/27), 56.5 (35/62), 28.6 (10/35), 85.2 (23/27) and 53.2 (33/62) respectively, those of assays of multiple serum tumor markers for diagnosis of malignant lung tumors were 85.7 (30/35), 85.2 (23/27) and 85.5 (53/62) respectively, those of assays of multiple tumor markers in conjunction with 18 F-FDG SPECT for discriminating malignant from benign lung nodules were 88.6(31/35), 85.2(23/27) and 87.1 (54/62) respectively. Conclusion: Assays of multiple serum tumor markers in conjunction with 18 F-FDG SPECT for discriminating malignant from benign lung disorders can yield higher sensitivity, specialty and accuracy, making a significant contribution to clinical application. (authors)

  8. Through-container, extremely low concentration detection of multiple chemical markers of counterfeit alcohol using a handheld SORS device.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellis, David I; Eccles, Rebecca; Xu, Yun; Griffen, Julia; Muhamadali, Howbeer; Matousek, Pavel; Goodall, Ian; Goodacre, Royston

    2017-09-21

    Major food adulteration incidents occur with alarming frequency and are episodic, with the latest incident, involving the adulteration of meat from 21 producers in Brazil supplied to 60 other countries, reinforcing this view. Food fraud and counterfeiting involves all types of foods, feed, beverages, and packaging, with the potential for serious health, as well as significant economic and social impacts. In the spirit drinks sector, counterfeiters often 'recycle' used genuine packaging, or employ good quality simulants. To prove that suspect products are non-authentic ideally requires accurate, sensitive, analysis of the complex chemical composition while still in its packaging. This has yet to be achieved. Here, we have developed handheld spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) for the first time in a food or beverage product, and demonstrate the potential for rapid in situ through-container analysis; achieving unequivocal detection of multiple chemical markers known for their use in the adulteration and counterfeiting of Scotch whisky, and other spirit drinks. We demonstrate that it is possible to detect a total of 10 denaturants/additives in extremely low concentrations without any contact with the sample; discriminate between and within multiple well-known Scotch whisky brands, and detect methanol concentrations well below the maximum human tolerable level.

  9. Maximization of Markers Linked in Coupling for Tetraploid Potatoes via Monoparental Haploids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annette M. Bartkiewicz

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Haploid potato populations derived from a single tetraploid donor constitute an efficient strategy to analyze markers segregating from a single donor genotype. Analysis of marker segregation in populations derived from crosses between polysomic tetraploids is complicated by a maximum of eight segregating alleles, multiple dosages of the markers and problems related to linkage analysis of marker segregation in repulsion. Here, we present data on two monoparental haploid populations generated by prickle pollination of two tetraploid cultivars with Solanum phureja and genotyped with the 12.8 k SolCAP single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP array. We show that in a population of monoparental haploids, the number of biallelic SNP markers segregating in linkage to loci from the tetraploid donor genotype is much larger than in putative crosses of this genotype to a diverse selection of 125 tetraploid cultivars. Although this strategy is more laborious than conventional breeding, the generation of haploid progeny for efficient marker analysis is straightforward if morphological markers and flow cytometry are utilized to select true haploid progeny. The level of introgressed fragments from S. phureja, the haploid inducer, is very low, supporting its suitability for genetic analysis. Mapping with single-dose markers allowed the analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTL for four phenotypic traits.

  10. Neutron Multiplicity Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Frame, Katherine Chiyoko [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2017-06-28

    Neutron multiplicity measurements are widely used for nondestructive assay (NDA) of special nuclear material (SNM). When combined with isotopic composition information, neutron multiplicity analysis can be used to estimate the spontaneous fission rate and leakage multiplication of SNM. When combined with isotopic information, the total mass of fissile material can also be determined. This presentation provides an overview of this technique.

  11. Proteomic analysis of fetal programming-related obesity markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ji Hye; Yoo, Jae Young; You, Young-Ah; Kwon, Woo-Sung; Lee, Sang Mi; Pang, Myung-Geol; Kim, Young Ju

    2015-08-01

    The objectives of this study were to analyze fetal programming in rat brain using proteomic analysis and to identify fetal programming-related obesity markers. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four feeding groups: (i) the Ad Libitum (AdLib)/AdLib group was given a normal diet during pregnancy and the lactation period; (ii) the AdLib/maternal food restriction group (FR) was subjected to 50% FR during the lactation period; (iii) the FR/AdLib group was subjected to 50% FR during pregnancy; and (iv) the FR/FR group was subjected to 50% FR during pregnancy and the lactation period. Offspring from each group were sacrificed at 3 weeks of age and whole brains were dissected. To obtain a maximum number of protein markers related to obesity, 2DE and Pathway Studio bioinformatics analysis were performed. The identities of the markers among the selected and candidate proteins were confirmed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Proteomic and bioinformatics analyses revealed that expression of ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) and Secernin 1 (SCRN1) were significantly different in the FR/AdLib group compared with the AdLib/AdLib group for both male and female offspring. These findings suggest that UCHL1 and SCRN1 may be used as fetal programming-related obesity markers. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Ideal, nonideal, and no-marker variables: The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) marker technique works when it matters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Larry J; O'Boyle, Ernest H

    2015-09-01

    A persistent concern in the management and applied psychology literature is the effect of common method variance on observed relations among variables. Recent work (i.e., Richardson, Simmering, & Sturman, 2009) evaluated 3 analytical approaches to controlling for common method variance, including the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) marker technique. Their findings indicated significant problems with this technique, especially with nonideal marker variables (those with theoretical relations with substantive variables). Based on their simulation results, Richardson et al. concluded that not correcting for method variance provides more accurate estimates than using the CFA marker technique. We reexamined the effects of using marker variables in a simulation study and found the degree of error in estimates of a substantive factor correlation was relatively small in most cases, and much smaller than error associated with making no correction. Further, in instances in which the error was large, the correlations between the marker and substantive scales were higher than that found in organizational research with marker variables. We conclude that in most practical settings, the CFA marker technique yields parameter estimates close to their true values, and the criticisms made by Richardson et al. are overstated. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  13. Association of AFLP and SSR markers with agronomic and fibre ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2010-08-04

    Aug 4, 2010 ... traits whereas multiple regression analysis identified 30 markers for at least one of ... Journal of Genetics, Vol. ... quantitative trait locus (QTL) identification. ..... Financial assistance for this work was provided by the Department.

  14. Applicability of SCAR markers to food genomics: olive oil traceability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pafundo, Simona; Agrimonti, Caterina; Maestri, Elena; Marmiroli, Nelson

    2007-07-25

    DNA analysis with molecular markers has opened a shortcut toward a genomic comprehension of complex organisms. The availability of micro-DNA extraction methods, coupled with selective amplification of the smallest extracted fragments with molecular markers, could equally bring a breakthrough in food genomics: the identification of original components in food. Amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) have been instrumental in plant genomics because they may allow rapid and reliable analysis of multiple and potentially polymorphic sites. Nevertheless, their direct application to the analysis of DNA extracted from food matrixes is complicated by the low quality of DNA extracted: its high degradation and the presence of inhibitors of enzymatic reactions. The conversion of an AFLP fragment to a robust and specific single-locus PCR-based marker, therefore, could extend the use of molecular markers to large-scale analysis of complex agro-food matrixes. In the present study is reported the development of sequence characterized amplified regions (SCARs) starting from AFLP profiles of monovarietal olive oils analyzed on agarose gel; one of these was used to identify differences among 56 olive cultivars. All the developed markers were purposefully amplified in olive oils to apply them to olive oil traceability.

  15. A Unified Analysis of Japanese Aspect Marker "te iru."

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shinzato, Rumiko

    1993-01-01

    Following Jacobson's 1990 work, this study is another attempt to offer a unified analysis of the Japanese aspect marker "te iru" that touches upon Gestalt psychologists' ideas of figure/ground opposition, Langacker's cognitive grammar, and Kunihiro's cognitive analysis. (Contains 34 references.) (LB)

  16. Identification of molecular markers associated with fruit traits in olive and assessment of olive core collection with AFLP markers and fruit traits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ipek, M; Seker, M; Ipek, A; Gul, M K

    2015-03-31

    The purpose of this study was to characterize olive core collection with amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers and fruit traits and to determine AFLP markers significantly associated with these fruit characters in olive. A total of 168 polymorphic AFLP markers generated by five primer combinations and nine fruit traits were used to characterize relationships between 18 olive cultivars. Although all olive cultivars were discriminated from each other by either AFLP markers (markers and fruit traits was not significantly correlated (r = 0.13). Partial clustering of olive cultivars by AFLP markers according to their geographical origin was observed. Associations of AFLP markers with fruits were determined using a multiple-regression analysis with stepwise addition of AFLP markers. Significant associations between eight AFLP markers and fruit traits were identified. While five AFLP markers demonstrated significant negative correlation with fruit and stone weight, width and length and total polyphenols (P markers displayed significant positive correlation with α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol (P molecular markers with fruit traits in olive. Molecular markers associated with morphological and agronomic traits could be utilized for the breeding of olive cultivars. However, the association power of these markers needs to be confirmed in larger populations, and highly correlated markers should then be converted to PCR-based DNA markers such as sequence-characterized amplified region markers for better utilization.

  17. Comprehensive analysis of CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP)-high, -low, and -negative colorectal cancers based on protein marker expression and molecular features.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zlobec, Inti; Bihl, Michel; Foerster, Anja; Rufle, Alex; Lugli, Alessandro

    2011-11-01

    CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) is being investigated for its role in the molecular and prognostic classification of colorectal cancer patients but is also emerging as a factor with the potential to influence clinical decision-making. We report a comprehensive analysis of clinico-pathological and molecular features (KRAS, BRAF and microsatellite instability, MSI) as well as of selected tumour- and host-related protein markers characterizing CIMP-high (CIMP-H), -low, and -negative colorectal cancers. Immunohistochemical analysis for 48 protein markers and molecular analysis of CIMP (CIMP-H: ≥ 4/5 methylated genes), MSI (MSI-H: ≥ 2 instable genes), KRAS, and BRAF were performed on 337 colorectal cancers. Simple and multiple regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed. CIMP-H was found in 24 cases (7.1%) and linked (p CIMP-low or -negative cases. Of the 48 protein markers, decreased levels of RKIP (p = 0.0056), EphB2 (p = 0.0045), CK20 (p = 0.002), and Cdx2 (p CIMP-H, independently of MSI status. In addition to the expected clinico-pathological and molecular associations, CIMP-H colorectal cancers are characterized by a loss of protein markers associated with differentiation, and metastasis suppression, and have increased CD8+ T-lymphocytes regardless of MSI status. In particular, Cdx2 loss seems to strongly predict CIMP-H in both microsatellite-stable (MSS) and MSI-H colorectal cancers. Cdx2 is proposed as a surrogate marker for CIMP-H. Copyright © 2011 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Functional Multiple-Set Canonical Correlation Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Heungsun; Jung, Kwanghee; Takane, Yoshio; Woodward, Todd S.

    2012-01-01

    We propose functional multiple-set canonical correlation analysis for exploring associations among multiple sets of functions. The proposed method includes functional canonical correlation analysis as a special case when only two sets of functions are considered. As in classical multiple-set canonical correlation analysis, computationally, the…

  19. Segregation analysis of microsatellite (SSR) markers in sugarcane polyploids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, X; Zhou, H; Pan, Y-B; Chen, C Y; Zhu, J R; Chen, P H; Li, Y-R; Cai, Q; Chen, R K

    2015-12-28

    No information is available on segregation analysis of DNA markers involving both pollen and self-progeny. Therefore, we used capillary electrophoresis- and fluorescence-based DNA fingerprinting together with single pollen collection and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to investigate simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker segregation among 964 single pollens and 288 self-progenies (S1) of sugarcane cultivar LCP 85-384. Twenty SSR DNA fragments (alleles) were amplified by five polymorphic SSR markers. Only one non-parental SSR allele was observed in 2392 PCRs. SSR allele inheritance was in accordance with Mendelian laws of segregation and independent assortment. Highly significant correlation coefficients were found between frequencies of observed and expected genotypes in pollen and S1 populations. Within the S1 population, the most frequent genotype of each SSR marker was the parental genotype of the same marker. The number of genotypes was higher in pollen than S1 population. PIC values of the five SSR markers were greater in pollen than S1 populations. Eleven of 20 SSR alleles (55%) were segregated in accordance with Mendelian segregation ratios expected from pollen and S1 populations of a 2n = 10x polyploid. Six of 20 SSR alleles were segregated in a 3:1 (presence:absence) ratio and were simplex markers. Four and one alleles were segregated in 77:4 and 143:1 ratios and considered duplex and triplex markers, respectively. Segregation ratios of remaining alleles were unexplainable. The results provide information about selection of crossing parents, estimation of seedling population optimal size, and promotion of efficient selection, which may be valuable for sugarcane breeders.

  20. Molecular analysis of childhood primitive neuroectodermal tumors defines markers associated with poor outcome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scheurlen, W G; Schwabe, G C; Joos, S

    1998-01-01

    PURPOSE: The diagnostic and prognostic significance of well-defined molecular markers was investigated in childhood primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using microsatellite analysis, Southern blot analysis, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), 30 primary tumors......: In our study, amplification of c-myc was a poor-prognosis marker in PNET. LOH of chromosome 17p was associated with metastatic disease. Molecular analysis of primary tumors using these markers may be useful for stratification of children with PNET in future prospective studies. The other aberrations...... investigated were not of significant prognostic value, but may provide an entry point for future large-scale molecular studies....

  1. Development of simple sequence repeat markers and diversity analysis in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zan; Yan, Hongwei; Fu, Xinnian; Li, Xuehui; Gao, Hongwen

    2013-04-01

    Efficient and robust molecular markers are essential for molecular breeding in plant. Compared to dominant and bi-allelic markers, multiple alleles of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are particularly informative and superior in genetic linkage map and QTL mapping in autotetraploid species like alfalfa. The objective of this study was to enrich SSR markers directly from alfalfa expressed sequence tags (ESTs). A total of 12,371 alfalfa ESTs were retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Total 774 SSR-containing ESTs were identified from 716 ESTs. On average, one SSR was found per 7.7 kb of EST sequences. Tri-nucleotide repeats (48.8 %) was the most abundant motif type, followed by di-(26.1 %), tetra-(11.5 %), penta-(9.7 %), and hexanucleotide (3.9 %). One hundred EST-SSR primer pairs were successfully designed and 29 exhibited polymorphism among 28 alfalfa accessions. The allele number per marker ranged from two to 21 with an average of 6.8. The PIC values ranged from 0.195 to 0.896 with an average of 0.608, indicating a high level of polymorphism of the EST-SSR markers. Based on the 29 EST-SSR markers, assessment of genetic diversity was conducted and found that Medicago sativa ssp. sativa was clearly different from the other subspecies. The high transferability of those EST-SSR markers was also found for relative species.

  2. T regulatory cells are markers of disease activity in multiple sclerosis patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dacia Dalla Libera

    Full Text Available FoxP3⁺ Treg cells are believed to play a role in the occurrence of autoimmunity and in the determination of clinical recurrences. Contradictory reports are, however, available describing frequency and function of Treg cells during autoimmune diseases. We examined, by both polychromatic flow cytometry, and real-time RT-PCR, several Treg markers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS, an autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system. We found that Tregs, as defined by CD25, CD39, FoxP3, CTLA4, and GITR expression, were significantly decreased in stable MS patients as compared to healthy donors, but, surprisingly, restored to normal levels during an acute clinical attack. We conclude that Treg cells are not involved in causing clinical relapses, but rather react to inflammation in the attempt to restore homeostasis.

  3. Diagnostic markers of urothelial cancer based on DNA methylation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chihara, Yoshitomo; Hirao, Yoshihiko; Kanai, Yae; Fujimoto, Hiroyuki; Sugano, Kokichi; Kawashima, Kiyotaka; Liang, Gangning; Jones, Peter A; Fujimoto, Kiyohide; Kuniyasu, Hiroki

    2013-01-01

    Early detection and risk assessment are crucial for treating urothelial cancer (UC), which is characterized by a high recurrence rate, and necessitates frequent and invasive monitoring. We aimed to establish diagnostic markers for UC based on DNA methylation. In this multi-center study, three independent sample sets were prepared. First, DNA methylation levels at CpG loci were measured in the training sets (tumor samples from 91 UC patients, corresponding normal-appearing tissue from these patients, and 12 normal tissues from age-matched bladder cancer-free patients) using the Illumina Golden Gate methylation assay to identify differentially methylated loci. Next, these methylated loci were validated by quantitative DNA methylation by pyrosequencing, using another cohort of tissue samples (Tissue validation set). Lastly, methylation of these markers was analyzed in the independent urine samples (Urine validation set). ROC analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these 12 selected markers. Of the 1303 CpG sites, 158 were hyper ethylated and 356 were hypo ethylated in tumor tissues compared to normal tissues. In the panel analysis, 12 loci showed remarkable alterations between tumor and normal samples, with 94.3% sensitivity and 97.8% specificity. Similarly, corresponding normal tissue could be distinguished from normal tissues with 76.0% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Furthermore, the diagnostic accuracy for UC of these markers determined in urine samples was high, with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Based on these preliminary findings, diagnostic markers based on differential DNA methylation at specific loci can be useful for non-invasive and reliable detection of UC and epigenetic field defect

  4. Simultaneous quantitative detection of multiple tumor markers with a rapid and sensitive multicolor quantum dots based immunochromatographic test strip.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chunying; Hou, Fei; Ma, Yicai

    2015-06-15

    A novel multicolor quantum dots (QDs) based immunochromatographic test strip (ICTS) was developed for simultaneous quantitative detection of multiple tumor markers, by utilizing alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as models. The immunosensor could realize simultaneous quantitative detection of tumor markers with only one test line and one control line on the nitrocellulose membrane (NC membrane) due to the introduction of multicolor QDs. In this method, a mixture of mouse anti-AFP McAb and mouse anti-CEA McAb was coated on NC membrane as test line and goat anti-mouse IgG antibody was coated as control line. Anti-AFP McAb-QDs546 conjugates and anti-CEA McAb-QDs620 conjugates were mixed and applied to the conjugate pad. Simultaneous quantitative detection of multiple tumor markers was achieved by detecting the fluorescence intensity of captured QDs labels on test line and control line using a test strip reader. Under the optimum conditions, AFP and CEA could be detected as low as 3 ng/mL and 2 ng/mL in 15 min with a sample volume of 80 μL, and no obvious cross-reactivity was observed. The immunosensor was validated with 130 clinical samples and in which it exhibited high sensitivity (93% for AFP and 87% for CEA) and specificity (94% for AFP and 97% for CEA). The immunosensor also demonstrated high recoveries (87.5-113% for AFP and 90-97.3% for CEA) and low relative standard deviations (RSDs) (2.8-6.2% for AFP and 4.9-9.6% for CEA) when testing spiked human serum. This novel multicolor QDs based ICTS provides an easy and rapid, simultaneous quantitative detecting strategy for point-of-care testing of tumor markers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Identify super quality markers from prototype-based pharmacokinetic markers of Tangzhiqing tablet (TZQ) based on in vitro dissolution/ permeation and in vivo absorption correlations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ziqiang; Liu, Jia; Li, Yazhuo; Du, Xi; Li, Yanfen; Wang, Ruihua; Lv, Chunxiao; He, Xin; Wang, Baohe; Huang, Yuhong; Zhang, Deqin

    2018-06-01

    A quality marker (Q-marker) is defined as an inherent chemical compound that is used for the quality control of a drug. Its biological activities are closely related to safety and therapeutic effects. Generally, a multiple-component herbal medicine may have many Q-markers. We therefore proposed a concept of "super Q-marker" satisfying both the criterion of Q-markers and PK-markers to be used in more effective quality control of herbal medicine. The first aim was to find suitable prototype-based PK-markers from Tangzhiqing tablets (TZQ), a Chinese patent medicine. Then super Q-markers were expected to be identified from the prototype-based PK-markers based on an in vitro-in vivo correlation study. Potentially eligible prototype-based PK-markers were identified in a single- and multiple-dose pharmacokinetic study on TZQ in 30 healthy volunteers. The in vitro dissolution and permeation profiles of the prototype-based PK-markers of TZQ were evaluated by the physiologically-based drug dissolution/absorption simulating system (DDASS). An in vitro-in vivo correlation analysis was conducted between the dissolution/permeation behaviors in DDASS and the actual absorption profiles in human to test the transferability and traceability of the promising super Q-markers for TZQ. In human, plasma paeoniflorin and nuciferine as prototype-based PK-markers exhibited the appropriate pharmacokinetic properties, including dose-dependent systemic exposure (AUC, C max ) and a proper elimination half-life (1∼3h). In DDASS, it was predicted that paeoniflorin and nuciferine are highly permeable but the absorption rates are primarily limited by the dissolution rates. Moreover, the established in vitro-in vivo correlations of paeoniflorin and nuciferine were in support of the super Q-markers features. Paeoniflorin and nuciferine are identified as the super Q-markers from the prototype-based PK-markers of TZQ based on findings from a combination of in vitro, in vivo, and in vitro-in vivo

  6. Multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis for molecular typing of Aspergillus fumigatus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chermette René

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR analysis (MLVA is a prominent subtyping method to resolve closely related microbial isolates to provide information for establishing genetic patterns among isolates and to investigate disease outbreaks. The usefulness of MLVA was recently demonstrated for the avian major pathogen Chlamydophila psittaci. In the present study, we developed a similar method for another pathogen of birds: the filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Results We selected 10 VNTR markers located on 4 different chromosomes (1, 5, 6 and 8 of A. fumigatus. These markers were tested with 57 unrelated isolates from different hosts or their environment (53 isolates from avian species in France, China or Morocco, 3 isolates from humans collected at CHU Henri Mondor hospital in France and the reference strain CBS 144.89. The Simpson index for individual markers ranged from 0.5771 to 0.8530. A combined loci index calculated with all the markers yielded an index of 0.9994. In a second step, the panel of 10 markers was used in different epidemiological situations and tested on 277 isolates, including 62 isolates from birds in Guangxi province in China, 95 isolates collected in two duck farms in France and 120 environmental isolates from a turkey hatchery in France. A database was created with the results of the present study http://minisatellites.u-psud.fr/MLVAnet/. Three major clusters of isolates were defined by using the graphing algorithm termed Minimum Spanning Tree (MST. The first cluster comprised most of the avian isolates collected in the two duck farms in France, the second cluster comprised most of the avian isolates collected in poultry farms in China and the third one comprised most of the isolates collected in the turkey hatchery in France. Conclusions MLVA displayed excellent discriminatory power. The method showed a good reproducibility. MST analysis revealed an interesting clustering with a

  7. Parentage Reconstruction in Eucalyptus nitens Using SNPs and Microsatellite Markers: A Comparative Analysis of Marker Data Power and Robustness.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily J Telfer

    Full Text Available Pedigree reconstruction using molecular markers enables efficient management of inbreeding in open-pollinated breeding strategies, replacing expensive and time-consuming controlled pollination. This is particularly useful in preferentially outcrossed, insect pollinated Eucalypts known to suffer considerable inbreeding depression from related matings. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP marker panel consisting of 106 markers was selected for pedigree reconstruction from the recently developed high-density Eucalyptus Infinium SNP chip (EuCHIP60K. The performance of this SNP panel for pedigree reconstruction in open-pollinated progenies of two Eucalyptus nitens seed orchards was compared with that of two microsatellite panels with 13 and 16 markers respectively. The SNP marker panel out-performed one of the microsatellite panels in the resolution power to reconstruct pedigrees and out-performed both panels with respect to data quality. Parentage of all but one offspring in each clonal seed orchard was correctly matched to the expected seed parent using the SNP marker panel, whereas parentage assignment to less than a third of the expected seed parents were supported using the 13-microsatellite panel. The 16-microsatellite panel supported all but one of the recorded seed parents, one better than the SNP panel, although there was still a considerable level of missing and inconsistent data. SNP marker data was considerably superior to microsatellite data in accuracy, reproducibility and robustness. Although microsatellites and SNPs data provide equivalent resolution for pedigree reconstruction, microsatellite analysis requires more time and experience to deal with the uncertainties of allele calling and faces challenges for data transferability across labs and over time. While microsatellite analysis will continue to be useful for some breeding tasks due to the high information content, existing infrastructure and low operating costs, the multi

  8. Parentage Reconstruction in Eucalyptus nitens Using SNPs and Microsatellite Markers: A Comparative Analysis of Marker Data Power and Robustness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Telfer, Emily J; Stovold, Grahame T; Li, Yongjun; Silva-Junior, Orzenil B; Grattapaglia, Dario G; Dungey, Heidi S

    2015-01-01

    Pedigree reconstruction using molecular markers enables efficient management of inbreeding in open-pollinated breeding strategies, replacing expensive and time-consuming controlled pollination. This is particularly useful in preferentially outcrossed, insect pollinated Eucalypts known to suffer considerable inbreeding depression from related matings. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker panel consisting of 106 markers was selected for pedigree reconstruction from the recently developed high-density Eucalyptus Infinium SNP chip (EuCHIP60K). The performance of this SNP panel for pedigree reconstruction in open-pollinated progenies of two Eucalyptus nitens seed orchards was compared with that of two microsatellite panels with 13 and 16 markers respectively. The SNP marker panel out-performed one of the microsatellite panels in the resolution power to reconstruct pedigrees and out-performed both panels with respect to data quality. Parentage of all but one offspring in each clonal seed orchard was correctly matched to the expected seed parent using the SNP marker panel, whereas parentage assignment to less than a third of the expected seed parents were supported using the 13-microsatellite panel. The 16-microsatellite panel supported all but one of the recorded seed parents, one better than the SNP panel, although there was still a considerable level of missing and inconsistent data. SNP marker data was considerably superior to microsatellite data in accuracy, reproducibility and robustness. Although microsatellites and SNPs data provide equivalent resolution for pedigree reconstruction, microsatellite analysis requires more time and experience to deal with the uncertainties of allele calling and faces challenges for data transferability across labs and over time. While microsatellite analysis will continue to be useful for some breeding tasks due to the high information content, existing infrastructure and low operating costs, the multi-species SNP resource

  9. [Immunological Markers in Organ Transplantation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beckmann, J H; Heits, N; Braun, F; Becker, T

    2017-04-01

    The immunological monitoring in organ transplantation is based mainly on the determination of laboratory parameters as surrogate markers of organ dysfunction. Structural damage, caused by alloreactivity, can only be detected by invasive biopsy of the graft, which is why inevitably rejection episodes are diagnosed at a rather progressive stage. New non-invasive specific markers that enable transplant clinicians to identify rejection episodes at an earlier stage, on the molecular level, are needed. The accurate identification of rejection episodes and the establishment of operational tolerance permit early treatment or, respectively, a controlled cessation of immunosuppression. In addition, new prognostic biological markers are expected to allow a pre-transplant risk stratification thus having an impact on organ allocation and immunosuppressive regimen. New high-throughput screening methods allow simultaneous examination of hundreds of characteristics and the generation of specific biological signatures, which might give concrete information about acute rejection, chronic dysfunction as well as operational tolerance. Even though multiple studies and a variety of publications report about important advances on this subject, almost no new biological marker has been implemented in clinical practice as yet. Nevertheless, new technologies, in particular analysis of the genome, transcriptome, proteome and metabolome will make personalised transplantation medicine possible and will further improve the long-term results and graft survival rates. This article gives a survey of the limitations and possibilities of new immunological markers in organ transplantation. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  10. Predicting Missing Marker Trajectories in Human Motion Data Using Marker Intercorrelations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gløersen, Øyvind; Federolf, Peter

    2016-01-01

    Missing information in motion capture data caused by occlusion or detachment of markers is a common problem that is difficult to avoid entirely. The aim of this study was to develop and test an algorithm for reconstruction of corrupted marker trajectories in datasets representing human gait. The reconstruction was facilitated using information of marker inter-correlations obtained from a principal component analysis, combined with a novel weighting procedure. The method was completely data-driven, and did not require any training data. We tested the algorithm on datasets with movement patterns that can be considered both well suited (healthy subject walking on a treadmill) and less suited (transitioning from walking to running and the gait of a subject with cerebral palsy) to reconstruct. Specifically, we created 50 copies of each dataset, and corrupted them with gaps in multiple markers at random temporal and spatial positions. Reconstruction errors, quantified by the average Euclidian distance between predicted and measured marker positions, was ≤ 3 mm for the well suited dataset, even when there were gaps in up to 70% of all time frames. For the less suited datasets, median reconstruction errors were in the range 5-6 mm. However, a few reconstructions had substantially larger errors (up to 29 mm). Our results suggest that the proposed algorithm is a viable alternative both to conventional gap-filling algorithms and state-of-the-art reconstruction algorithms developed for motion capture systems. The strengths of the proposed algorithm are that it can fill gaps anywhere in the dataset, and that the gaps can be considerably longer than when using conventional interpolation techniques. Limitations are that it does not enforce musculoskeletal constraints, and that the reconstruction accuracy declines if applied to datasets with less predictable movement patterns.

  11. Molecular marker analysis to differentiate a clonal selection of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Lalit Kumar

    2013-04-03

    Apr 3, 2013 ... Microsatellite and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers were used to differentiate. Manjari Naveen, a clonal selection of Centennial Seedless variety of grape. Twenty one (21) microsatellite primers could not detect variation between parent variety and its clone. AFLP analysis.

  12. Genetic diversity analysis in rice mutants using isozyme and Morphological markers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fuentes, Jorge L; Alvarez, Alba [Centro de Estudios Aplicados al Desarrollo Nuclear, La Habana (Cuba); Deus, Juan E [Instituto de Investigaciones del Arroz. Bauta, La Habana (Cuba); Duque, Miriam C [Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, Cali (Colombia); Cornide, Maria T [Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas, La Habana (Cuba)

    1999-07-01

    In this work, isozyme and agromorphologic variability of radiation-induced rice mutants with different cytoplasm base was surveyed. Agromorphologic data (plant type, lodging resistance, life cycle and yielding) were transformed into binary data. This markers, along with isozyme (Peroxidases, Esterases, Catalases, Alcohol Dehydrogenases and Polyphenoloxidase) data, were considered for genetic diversity analyses in order to estimate the extent of diversity generated by ionizing radiation. Genetic Similarity between individuals was obtained based on Dice's Coefficient. The UPGMA phenogram defined three main clusters that clearly corresponded to the different cytoplasm sources. However, further discrimination between control varieties and their mutants could be obtained. Bootstrapping analysis was performed to estimate the robustness of the group in the phenogram. According to their bootstrap P value (99.6%), Basmati-370 mutant lines could be considered statistically different from their control. This analysis is suggested as an useful supporting tool for an accurate varietal validation. A Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) showed individuals dispersion around the three principal axis of variation. In general the UPGMA phenogram pattern was corroborated at MCA. Variables such as life cycle, presence of bands Est-a and Prx-m and the absence of Est-i, Prx-h and Prx-i accounted for the higher contribution to variation. The adequacy of morphological and isozyme descriptors for new mutant lines validation is also discussed.

  13. Genetic diversity analysis in rice mutants using isozyme and Morphological markers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuentes, Jorge L.; Alvarez, Alba; Deus, Juan E.; Duque, Miriam C.; Cornide, Maria T.

    1999-01-01

    In this work, isozyme and agromorphologic variability of radiation-induced rice mutants with different cytoplasm base was surveyed. Agromorphologic data (plant type, lodging resistance, life cycle and yielding) were transformed into binary data. This markers, along with isozyme (Peroxidases, Esterases, Catalases, Alcohol Dehydrogenases and Polyphenoloxidase) data, were considered for genetic diversity analyses in order to estimate the extent of diversity generated by ionizing radiation. Genetic Similarity between individuals was obtained based on Dice's Coefficient. The UPGMA phenogram defined three main clusters that clearly corresponded to the different cytoplasm sources. However, further discrimination between control varieties and their mutants could be obtained. Bootstrapping analysis was performed to estimate the robustness of the group in the phenogram. According to their bootstrap P value (99.6%), Basmati-370 mutant lines could be considered statistically different from their control. This analysis is suggested as an useful supporting tool for an accurate varietal validation. A Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) showed individuals dispersion around the three principal axis of variation. In general the UPGMA phenogram pattern was corroborated at MCA. Variables such as life cycle, presence of bands Est-a and Prx-m and the absence of Est-i, Prx-h and Prx-i accounted for the higher contribution to variation. The adequacy of morphological and isozyme descriptors for new mutant lines validation is also discussed

  14. Marker-trait association analysis of frost tolerance of 672 worldwide pea (Pisum sativum L.) collections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Rong; Fang, Li; Yang, Tao; Zhang, Xiaoyan; Hu, Jinguo; Zhang, Hongyan; Han, Wenliang; Hua, Zeke; Hao, Junjie; Zong, Xuxiao

    2017-07-19

    Frost stress is one of the major abiotic stresses causing seedling death and yield reduction in winter pea. To improve the frost tolerance of pea, field evaluation of frost tolerance was conducted on 672 diverse pea accessions at three locations in Northern China in three growing seasons from 2013 to 2016 and marker-trait association analysis of frost tolerance were performed with 267 informative SSR markers in this study. Sixteen accessions were identified as the most winter-hardy for their ability to survive in all nine field experiments with a mean survival rate of 0.57, ranging from 0.41 to 0.75. Population structure analysis revealed a structured population of two sub-populations plus some admixtures in the 672 accessions. Association analysis detected seven markers that repeatedly had associations with frost tolerance in at least two different environments with two different statistical models. One of the markers is the functional marker EST1109 on LG VI which was predicted to co-localize with a gene involved in the metabolism of glycoproteins in response to chilling stress and may provide a novel mechanism of frost tolerance in pea. These winter-hardy germplasms and frost tolerance associated markers will play a vital role in marker-assisted breeding for winter-hardy pea cultivar.

  15. Development of a Prognostic Marker for Lung Cancer Using Analysis of Tumor Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-08-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0243 TITLE: Development of a Prognostic Marker for Lung Cancer Using Analysis of Tumor Evolution PRINCIPAL...SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Development of a Prognostic Marker for Lung Cancer Using Analysis of Tumor Evolution 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM...derive a prognostic classifier. 15. SUBJECT TERMS NSCLC; tumor evolution ; whole exome sequencing 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF

  16. Analogy of ISSR and RAPD markers for comparative analysis of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Analogy of ISSR and RAPD markers for comparative analysis of genetic diversity among different Jatropha curcas genotypes. S Gupta, M Srivastava, GP Mishra, PK Naik, RS Chauhan, SK Tiwari, M Kumar, R Singh ...

  17. Clinical Evaluation and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Serum Tumor Markers in Lung Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rong Wang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The detection of serum tumor markers is valuable for the early diagnosis of lung cancer. Tumor markers are frequently used for the management of cancer patients. However, single markers are less efficient but marker combinations increase the cost, which is troublesome for clinics. To find an optimal serum marker combination panel that benefits the patients and the medical management system as well, four routine lung cancer serum markers (SCCA, NSE, CEA, and CYFRA21-1 were evaluated individually and in combination. Meanwhile, the costs and effects of these markers in clinical practice in China were assessed by cost-effectiveness analysis. As expected, combinations of these tumor markers improved their sensitivity for lung cancer and different combination panels had their own usefulness. NSE + CEA + CYFRA21-1 was the optimal combination panel with highest Youden’s index (0.64, higher sensitivity (75.76%, and specificity (88.57%, which can aid the clinical diagnosis of lung cancer. Nevertheless, the most cost-effective combination was SCCA + CEA, which can be used to screen the high-risk group.

  18. Multiple factor analysis by example using R

    CERN Document Server

    Pagès, Jérôme

    2014-01-01

    Multiple factor analysis (MFA) enables users to analyze tables of individuals and variables in which the variables are structured into quantitative, qualitative, or mixed groups. Written by the co-developer of this methodology, Multiple Factor Analysis by Example Using R brings together the theoretical and methodological aspects of MFA. It also includes examples of applications and details of how to implement MFA using an R package (FactoMineR).The first two chapters cover the basic factorial analysis methods of principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple correspondence analysis (MCA). The

  19. Diagnostic markers of infection in curret pediatric practice | Chiabia ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    chemokines, cytokines, adhesion molecules, cell surface markers and polymerase chain reaction are expensive and available only in specialised research laboratories. Optimal benefit can be obtained from rational use of currently available markers either by multiple marker assays or serial measurements which increase ...

  20. Tri-allelic SNP markers enable analysis of mixed and degraded DNA samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westen, Antoinette A; Matai, Anuska S; Laros, Jeroen F J; Meiland, Hugo C; Jasper, Mandy; de Leeuw, Wiljo J F; de Knijff, Peter; Sijen, Titia

    2009-09-01

    For the analysis of degraded DNA in disaster victim identification (DVI) and criminal investigations, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been recognized as promising markers mainly because they can be analyzed in short sized amplicons. Most SNPs are bi-allelic and are thereby ineffective to detect mixtures, which may lead to incorrect genotyping. We developed an algorithm to find non-binary (i.e. tri-allelic or tetra-allelic) SNPs in the NCBI dbSNP database. We selected 31 potential tri-allelic SNPs with a minor allele frequency of at least 10%. The tri-allelic nature was confirmed for 15 SNPs residing on 14 different chromosomes. Multiplex SNaPshot assays were developed, and the allele frequencies of 16 SNPs were determined among 153 Dutch and 111 Netherlands Antilles reference samples. Using these multiplex SNP assays, the presence of a mixture of two DNA samples in a ratio up to 1:8 could be recognized reliably. Furthermore, we compared the genotyping efficiency of the tri-allelic SNP markers and short tandem repeat (STR) markers by analyzing artificially degraded DNA and DNA from 30 approximately 500-year-old bone and molar samples. In both types of degraded DNA samples, the larger sized STR amplicons failed to amplify whereas the tri-allelic SNP markers still provided valuable information. In conclusion, tri-allelic SNP markers are suited for the analysis of degraded DNA and enable the detection of a second DNA source in a sample.

  1. First Microsatellite Markers Developed from Cupuassu ESTs: Application in Diversity Analysis and Cross-Species Transferability to Cacao.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferraz Dos Santos, Lucas; Moreira Fregapani, Roberta; Falcão, Loeni Ludke; Togawa, Roberto Coiti; Costa, Marcos Mota do Carmo; Lopes, Uilson Vanderlei; Peres Gramacho, Karina; Alves, Rafael Moyses; Micheli, Fabienne; Marcellino, Lucilia Helena

    2016-01-01

    The cupuassu tree (Theobroma grandiflorum) (Willd. ex Spreng.) Schum. is a fruitful species from the Amazon with great economical potential, due to the multiple uses of its fruit´s pulp and seeds in the food and cosmetic industries, including the production of cupulate, an alternative to chocolate. In order to support the cupuassu breeding program and to select plants presenting both pulp/seed quality and fungal disease resistance, SSRs from Next Generation Sequencing ESTs were obtained and used in diversity analysis. From 8,330 ESTs, 1,517 contained one or more SSRs (1,899 SSRs identified). The most abundant motifs identified in the EST-SSRs were hepta- and trinucleotides, and they were found with a minimum and maximum of 2 and 19 repeats, respectively. From the 1,517 ESTs containing SSRs, 70 ESTs were selected based on their functional annotation, focusing on pulp and seed quality, as well as resistance to pathogens. The 70 ESTs selected contained 77 SSRs, and among which, 11 were polymorphic in cupuassu genotypes. These EST-SSRs were able to discriminate the cupuassu genotype in relation to resistance/susceptibility to witches' broom disease, as well as to pulp quality (SST/ATT values). Finally, we showed that these markers were transferable to cacao genotypes, and that genome availability might be used as a predictive tool for polymorphism detection and primer design useful for both Theobroma species. To our knowledge, this is the first report involving EST-SSRs from cupuassu and is also a pioneer in the analysis of marker transferability from cupuassu to cacao. Moreover, these markers might contribute to develop or saturate the cupuassu and cacao genetic maps, respectively.

  2. First Microsatellite Markers Developed from Cupuassu ESTs: Application in Diversity Analysis and Cross-Species Transferability to Cacao.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucas Ferraz Dos Santos

    Full Text Available The cupuassu tree (Theobroma grandiflorum (Willd. ex Spreng. Schum. is a fruitful species from the Amazon with great economical potential, due to the multiple uses of its fruit´s pulp and seeds in the food and cosmetic industries, including the production of cupulate, an alternative to chocolate. In order to support the cupuassu breeding program and to select plants presenting both pulp/seed quality and fungal disease resistance, SSRs from Next Generation Sequencing ESTs were obtained and used in diversity analysis. From 8,330 ESTs, 1,517 contained one or more SSRs (1,899 SSRs identified. The most abundant motifs identified in the EST-SSRs were hepta- and trinucleotides, and they were found with a minimum and maximum of 2 and 19 repeats, respectively. From the 1,517 ESTs containing SSRs, 70 ESTs were selected based on their functional annotation, focusing on pulp and seed quality, as well as resistance to pathogens. The 70 ESTs selected contained 77 SSRs, and among which, 11 were polymorphic in cupuassu genotypes. These EST-SSRs were able to discriminate the cupuassu genotype in relation to resistance/susceptibility to witches' broom disease, as well as to pulp quality (SST/ATT values. Finally, we showed that these markers were transferable to cacao genotypes, and that genome availability might be used as a predictive tool for polymorphism detection and primer design useful for both Theobroma species. To our knowledge, this is the first report involving EST-SSRs from cupuassu and is also a pioneer in the analysis of marker transferability from cupuassu to cacao. Moreover, these markers might contribute to develop or saturate the cupuassu and cacao genetic maps, respectively.

  3. First Microsatellite Markers Developed from Cupuassu ESTs: Application in Diversity Analysis and Cross-Species Transferability to Cacao

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferraz dos Santos, Lucas; Moreira Fregapani, Roberta; Falcão, Loeni Ludke; Togawa, Roberto Coiti; Costa, Marcos Mota do Carmo; Lopes, Uilson Vanderlei; Peres Gramacho, Karina; Alves, Rafael Moyses

    2016-01-01

    The cupuassu tree (Theobroma grandiflorum) (Willd. ex Spreng.) Schum. is a fruitful species from the Amazon with great economical potential, due to the multiple uses of its fruit´s pulp and seeds in the food and cosmetic industries, including the production of cupulate, an alternative to chocolate. In order to support the cupuassu breeding program and to select plants presenting both pulp/seed quality and fungal disease resistance, SSRs from Next Generation Sequencing ESTs were obtained and used in diversity analysis. From 8,330 ESTs, 1,517 contained one or more SSRs (1,899 SSRs identified). The most abundant motifs identified in the EST-SSRs were hepta- and trinucleotides, and they were found with a minimum and maximum of 2 and 19 repeats, respectively. From the 1,517 ESTs containing SSRs, 70 ESTs were selected based on their functional annotation, focusing on pulp and seed quality, as well as resistance to pathogens. The 70 ESTs selected contained 77 SSRs, and among which, 11 were polymorphic in cupuassu genotypes. These EST-SSRs were able to discriminate the cupuassu genotype in relation to resistance/susceptibility to witches’ broom disease, as well as to pulp quality (SST/ATT values). Finally, we showed that these markers were transferable to cacao genotypes, and that genome availability might be used as a predictive tool for polymorphism detection and primer design useful for both Theobroma species. To our knowledge, this is the first report involving EST-SSRs from cupuassu and is also a pioneer in the analysis of marker transferability from cupuassu to cacao. Moreover, these markers might contribute to develop or saturate the cupuassu and cacao genetic maps, respectively. PMID:26949967

  4. Monte Carlo simulations on marker grouping and ordering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, J; Jenkins, J; Zhu, J; McCarty, J; Watson, C

    2003-08-01

    Four global algorithms, maximum likelihood (ML), sum of adjacent LOD score (SALOD), sum of adjacent recombinant fractions (SARF) and product of adjacent recombinant fraction (PARF), and one approximation algorithm, seriation (SER), were used to compare the marker ordering efficiencies for correctly given linkage groups based on doubled haploid (DH) populations. The Monte Carlo simulation results indicated the marker ordering powers for the five methods were almost identical. High correlation coefficients were greater than 0.99 between grouping power and ordering power, indicating that all these methods for marker ordering were reliable. Therefore, the main problem for linkage analysis was how to improve the grouping power. Since the SER approach provided the advantage of speed without losing ordering power, this approach was used for detailed simulations. For more generality, multiple linkage groups were employed, and population size, linkage cutoff criterion, marker spacing pattern (even or uneven), and marker spacing distance (close or loose) were considered for obtaining acceptable grouping powers. Simulation results indicated that the grouping power was related to population size, marker spacing distance, and cutoff criterion. Generally, a large population size provided higher grouping power than small population size, and closely linked markers provided higher grouping power than loosely linked markers. The cutoff criterion range for achieving acceptable grouping power and ordering power differed for varying cases; however, combining all situations in this study, a cutoff criterion ranging from 50 cM to 60 cM was recommended for achieving acceptable grouping power and ordering power for different cases.

  5. Analysis of the discriminative methods for diagnosis of benign and malignant solitary pulmonary nodules based on serum markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wanping; Liu, Mingyue; Wang, Jing; Tian, Rui; Dong, Junqiang; Liu, Qi; Zhao, Xianping; Wang, Yuanfang

    2014-01-01

    Screening indexes of tumor serum markers for benign and malignant solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) were analyzed to find the optimum method for diagnosis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, an automatic immune analyzer and radioimmunoassay methods were used to examine the levels of 8 serum markers in 164 SPN patients, and the sensitivity for differential diagnosis of malignant or benign SPN was compared for detection using a single plasma marker or a combination of markers. The results for serological indicators that closely relate to benign and malignant SPNs were screened using the Fisher discriminant analysis and a non-conditional logistic regression analysis method, respectively. The results were then verified by the k-means clustering analysis method. The sensitivity when using a combination of serum markers to detect SPN was higher than that using a single marker. By Fisher discriminant analysis, cytokeratin 19 fragments (CYFRA21-1), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) and breast cancer antigen (CA153), which relate to the benign and malignant SPNs, were screened. Through non-conditional logistic regression analysis, CYFRA21-1, SCC and CA153 were obtained. Using the k-means clustering analysis, the cophenetic correlation coefficient (0.940) obtained by the Fisher discriminant analysis was higher than that obtained with logistic regression analysis (0.875). This study indicated that the Fisher discriminant analysis functioned better in screening out serum markers to recognize the benign and malignant SPN. The combined detection of CYFRA21-1, CA125, SCC and CA153 is an effective way to distinguish benign and malignant SPN, and will find an important clinical application in the early diagnosis of SPN. © 2014 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

  6. Simultaneous quantitative determination of multiple bioactive markers in Ocimum sanctum obtained from different locations and its marketed herbal formulations using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS combined with principal component analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandey, Renu; Chandra, Preeti; Srivastava, Mukesh; Mishra, D K; Kumar, Brijesh

    2015-01-01

    Ocimum sanctum L., with phenolic acids, flavonoids, propenyl phenols and terpenoids as active pharmacological constituents, is a popular medicinal herb and is present as an ingredient in many herbal formulations. Therefore, development of a reliable analytical method for simultaneous determination of the pharmacologically active constituents of O. sanctum is of high importance. To develop and validate a new, rapid, sensitive and selective UPLC-ESI/MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of 23 bioactive markers including phenolic acids, flavonoids, propenyl phenol and terpenoid in the leaf extract and marketed herbal formulations of O. sanctum. An UPLC-ESI/MS/MS method using negative electrospray ionisation (ESI) in multiple-reaction-monitoring (MRM) mode was used for simultaneous determination. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an Acquity UPLC BEH C18 -column using a gradient elution with 0.1% formic acid in water and 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to correlate and discriminate eight geographical collections of O. sanctum based on quantitative data of the analytes. The developed method was validated as per International Conference on Harmonization guidelines and found to be accurate, with overall recovery in the range 95.09-104.84% (RSD ≤ 1.85%), precise (RSD ≤ 1.98%) and linear (r(2)  ≥ 0.9971) over the concentration range of 0.5-1000 ng/mL. Ursolic acid was found to be the most abundant marker in all the samples investigated, except for the marketed tablet. The method established is simple, rapid and sensitive, hence it can be reliably utilised for the quality control of O. sanctum and derived herbal formulations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Genomic markers for decision making: what is preventing us from using markers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coyle, Vicky M; Johnston, Patrick G

    2010-02-01

    The advent of novel genomic technologies that enable the evaluation of genomic alterations on a genome-wide scale has significantly altered the field of genomic marker research in solid tumors. Researchers have moved away from the traditional model of identifying a particular genomic alteration and evaluating the association between this finding and a clinical outcome measure to a new approach involving the identification and measurement of multiple genomic markers simultaneously within clinical studies. This in turn has presented additional challenges in considering the use of genomic markers in oncology, such as clinical study design, reproducibility and interpretation and reporting of results. This Review will explore these challenges, focusing on microarray-based gene-expression profiling, and highlights some common failings in study design that have impacted on the use of putative genomic markers in the clinic. Despite these rapid technological advances there is still a paucity of genomic markers in routine clinical use at present. A rational and focused approach to the evaluation and validation of genomic markers is needed, whereby analytically validated markers are investigated in clinical studies that are adequately powered and have pre-defined patient populations and study endpoints. Furthermore, novel adaptive clinical trial designs, incorporating putative genomic markers into prospective clinical trials, will enable the evaluation of these markers in a rigorous and timely fashion. Such approaches have the potential to facilitate the implementation of such markers into routine clinical practice and consequently enable the rational and tailored use of cancer therapies for individual patients.

  8. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as disease actvity marker in multiple sclerosis and optic neuritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bisgaard, A K; Pihl-Jensen, G; Frederiksen, J L

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been identified as a disease activity marker in several diseases. We aim to evaluate the significance of the NLR in the different subtypes of MS......, optic neuritis (ON) and in relation to disease activity and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). METHODS: We included 378 patients and 813 healthy controls (HC) from The Nordic Reference Interval Project 2000 (NORIP). Complete blood count, demographic and clinical data from patients were evaluated...... between NLR and time of blood sampling. Logistic regression models were constructed for EDSS ≥ 4.0 as outcome. RESULTS: The NLR was significantly higher (p higher NLR (p

  9. Self-excising Cre/mutant lox marker recycling system for multiple gene integrations and consecutive gene deletions in Aspergillus oryzae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Silai; Ban, Akihiko; Ebara, Naoki; Mizutani, Osamu; Tanaka, Mizuki; Shintani, Takahiro; Gomi, Katsuya

    2017-04-01

    In this study, we developed a self-excising Cre/loxP-mediated marker recycling system with mutated lox sequences to introduce a number of biosynthetic genes into Aspergillus oryzae. To construct the self-excising marker cassette, both the selectable marker, the Aspergillus nidulans adeA gene, and the Cre recombinase gene (cre), conditionally expressed by the xylanase-encoding gene promoter, were designed to be located between the mutant lox sequences, lox66 and lox71. However, construction of the plasmid failed, possibly owing to a slight expression of cre downstream of the fungal gene promoter in Escherichia coli. Hence, to avoid the excision of the cassette in E. coli, a 71-bp intron of the A. oryzae xynG2 gene was inserted into the cre gene. The A. oryzae adeA deletion mutant was transformed with the resulting plasmid in the presence of glucose, and the transformants were cultured in medium containing xylose as the sole carbon source. PCR analysis of genomic DNA from resultant colonies revealed the excision of both the marker and Cre expression construct, indicating that the self-excising marker cassette was efficient at removing the selectable marker. Using the marker recycling system, hyperproduction of kojic acid could be achieved in A. oryzae by the introduction of two genes that encode oxidoreductase and transporter. Furthermore, we also constructed an alternative marker recycling cassette bearing the A. nidulans pyrithiamine resistant gene (ptrA) as a dominant selectable marker. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Study of Aided Diagnosis of Hepatic Carcinoma Based on Artificial Neural Network Combined with Tumor Marker Group

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Shanjuan; Feng, Feifei; Wu, Yongjun; Wu, Yiming

    To develop a computer-aided diagnostic scheme by using an artificial neural network (ANN) combined with tumor markers for diagnosis of hepatic carcinoma (HCC) as a clinical assistant method. 140 serum samples (50 malignant, 40 benign and 50 normal) were analyzed for α-fetoprotein (AFP), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), sialic acid (SA) and calcium (Ca). The five tumor marker values were then used as ANN inputs data. The result of ANN was compared with that of discriminant analysis by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) analysis. The diagnostic accuracy of ANN and discriminant analysis among all samples of the test group was 95.5% and 79.3%, respectively. Analysis of multiple tumor markers based on ANN may be a better choice than the traditional statistical methods for differentiating HCC from benign or normal.

  11. Epigenetic markers for early detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a high risk population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haryana Sofia M

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC is strongly related to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV infection, allowing aberrant antibodies against EBV and viral DNA load as screening tools in high risk populations. Methylation analysis in the promoter of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs may serve as a complementary marker for identifying early cases. This study determined methylation status of multiple TSGs and evaluated whether it may improve early detection. Methods Nasopharyngeal brushings were taken from 53 NPC patients, 22 high risk subjects and 25 healthy EBV carriers. Corresponding NPC paraffin tissue was included. DNA was bisulfite-modified preceding analysis by methylation-specific PCR (MSP. Ten TSGs were studied. Results NPC paraffin and brushing DNA revealed an 81.8% concordance so that MSP analysis was done using either one of both specimens. NPC samples showed methylation for individual TSGs (DAPK1 79.2%, CDH13 77.4%, DLC1 76.9%, RASSF1A 75.5%, CADM1 69.8%, p16 66.0%, WIF1 61.2%, CHFR 58.5%, RIZ1 56.6% and RASSF2A 29.2%. High risk individuals, having elevated EBV IgA and viral load, showed high frequency of methylation of CDH13, DAPK1, DLC1 and CADM1, but low frequency of methylation of p16 and WIF1 and undetectable methylation of RASSF1A, CHFR, RIZ1 and RASSF2A. Healthy subjects showed similar patterns as high risk individuals. A combination of RASSF1A and p16 gave good discrimination between NPC and non-NPC, but best results were combined analysis of five methylation markers (RASSF1A, p16, WIF1, CHFR and RIZ1 with detection rate of 98%. Conclusion Multiple marker MSP is proposed as a complementary test for NPC risk assessment in combination with EBV-based markers.

  12. Hybrid Origins of Citrus Varieties Inferred from DNA Marker Analysis of Nuclear and Organelle Genomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitajima, Akira; Nonaka, Keisuke; Yoshioka, Terutaka; Ohta, Satoshi; Goto, Shingo; Toyoda, Atsushi; Fujiyama, Asao; Mochizuki, Takako; Nagasaki, Hideki; Kaminuma, Eli; Nakamura, Yasukazu

    2016-01-01

    Most indigenous citrus varieties are assumed to be natural hybrids, but their parentage has so far been determined in only a few cases because of their wide genetic diversity and the low transferability of DNA markers. Here we infer the parentage of indigenous citrus varieties using simple sequence repeat and indel markers developed from various citrus genome sequence resources. Parentage tests with 122 known hybrids using the selected DNA markers certify their transferability among those hybrids. Identity tests confirm that most variant strains are selected mutants, but we find four types of kunenbo (Citrus nobilis) and three types of tachibana (Citrus tachibana) for which we suggest different origins. Structure analysis with DNA markers that are in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium deduce three basic taxa coinciding with the current understanding of citrus ancestors. Genotyping analysis of 101 indigenous citrus varieties with 123 selected DNA markers infers the parentages of 22 indigenous citrus varieties including Satsuma, Temple, and iyo, and single parents of 45 indigenous citrus varieties, including kunenbo, C. ichangensis, and Ichang lemon by allele-sharing and parentage tests. Genotyping analysis of chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes using 11 DNA markers classifies their cytoplasmic genotypes into 18 categories and deduces the combination of seed and pollen parents. Likelihood ratio analysis verifies the inferred parentages with significant scores. The reconstructed genealogy identifies 12 types of varieties consisting of Kishu, kunenbo, yuzu, koji, sour orange, dancy, kobeni mikan, sweet orange, tachibana, Cleopatra, willowleaf mandarin, and pummelo, which have played pivotal roles in the occurrence of these indigenous varieties. The inferred parentage of the indigenous varieties confirms their hybrid origins, as found by recent studies. PMID:27902727

  13. Corpus callosum atrophy as a marker of clinically meaningful cognitive decline in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Impact on employment status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papathanasiou, Athanasios; Messinis, Lambros; Zampakis, Petros; Papathanasopoulos, Panagiotis

    2017-09-01

    Cognitive impairment in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is more frequent and pronounced in secondary progressive MS (SPMS). Cognitive decline is an important predictor of employment status in patients with MS. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) markers have been used to associate tissue damage with cognitive dysfunction. The aim of the study was to designate the MRI marker that predicts cognitive decline in SPMS and explore its effect on employment status. 30 SPMS patients and 30 healthy participants underwent neuropsychological assessment using the Trail Making Test (TMT) parts A and B, semantic and phonological verbal fluency task and a computerized cognitive screening battery (Central Nervous System Vital Signs). Employment status was obtained as a quality of life measure. Brain MRI was performed in all participants. We measured total lesion volume, third ventricle width, thalamic and corpus callosum atrophy. The frequency of cognitive decline for our SPMS patients was 80%. SPMS patients differed significantly from controls in all neuropsychological measures. Corpus callosum area was correlated with cognitive flexibility, processing speed, composite memory, executive functions, psychomotor speed, reaction time and phonological verbal fluency task. Processing speed and composite memory were the most sensitive markers for predicting employment status. Corpus callosum area was the most sensitive MRI marker for memory and processing speed. Corpus callosum atrophy predicts a clinically meaningful cognitive decline, affecting employment status in our SPMS patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Genome-Wide Analysis of Microsatellite Markers Based on Sequenced Database in Chinese Spring Wheat (Triticum aestivum L..

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bin Han

    Full Text Available Microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs are distributed across both prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes and have been widely used for genetic studies and molecular marker-assisted breeding in crops. Though an ordered draft sequence of hexaploid bread wheat have been announced, the researches about systemic analysis of SSRs for wheat still have not been reported so far. In the present study, we identified 364,347 SSRs from among 10,603,760 sequences of the Chinese spring wheat (CSW genome, which were present at a density of 36.68 SSR/Mb. In total, we detected 488 types of motifs ranging from di- to hexanucleotides, among which dinucleotide repeats dominated, accounting for approximately 42.52% of the genome. The density of tri- to hexanucleotide repeats was 24.97%, 4.62%, 3.25% and 24.65%, respectively. AG/CT, AAG/CTT, AGAT/ATCT, AAAAG/CTTTT and AAAATT/AATTTT were the most frequent repeats among di- to hexanucleotide repeats. Among the 21 chromosomes of CSW, the density of repeats was highest on chromosome 2D and lowest on chromosome 3A. The proportions of di-, tri-, tetra-, penta- and hexanucleotide repeats on each chromosome, and even on the whole genome, were almost identical. In addition, 295,267 SSR markers were successfully developed from the 21 chromosomes of CSW, which cover the entire genome at a density of 29.73 per Mb. All of the SSR markers were validated by reverse electronic-Polymerase Chain Reaction (re-PCR; 70,564 (23.9% were found to be monomorphic and 224,703 (76.1% were found to be polymorphic. A total of 45 monomorphic markers were selected randomly for validation purposes; 24 (53.3% amplified one locus, 8 (17.8% amplified multiple identical loci, and 13 (28.9% did not amplify any fragments from the genomic DNA of CSW. Then a dendrogram was generated based on the 24 monomorphic SSR markers among 20 wheat cultivars and three species of its diploid ancestors showing that monomorphic SSR markers represented a promising

  15. Efficient Software for Multi-marker, Region-Based Analysis of GWAS Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaleal S. Sanjak

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Genome-wide association studies (GWAS have associated many single variants with complex disease, yet the better part of heritable complex disease risk remains unexplained. Analytical tools designed to work under specific population genetic models are needed. Rare variants are increasingly shown to be important in human complex disease, but most existing GWAS data do not cover rare variants. Explicit population genetic models predict that genes contributing to complex traits and experiencing recurrent, unconditionally deleterious, mutation will harbor multiple rare, causative mutations of subtle effect. It is difficult to identify genes harboring rare variants of large effect that contribute to complex disease risk via the single marker association tests typically used in GWAS. Gene/region-based association tests may have the power detect associations by combining information from multiple markers, but have yielded limited success in practice. This is partially because many methods have not been widely applied. Here, we empirically demonstrate the utility of a procedure based on the rank truncated product (RTP method, filtered to reduce the effects of linkage disequilibrium. We apply the procedure to the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC data set, and uncover previously unidentified associations, some of which have been replicated in much larger studies. We show that, in the absence of significant rare variant coverage, RTP based methods still have the power to detect associated genes. We recommend that RTP-based methods be applied to all existing GWAS data to maximize the usefulness of those data. For this, we provide efficient software implementing our procedure.

  16. Studies of HVC Plasticity in Adult Canaries Reveal Social Effects and Sex Differences as Well as Limitations of Multiple Markers Available to Assess Adult Neurogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olesya T Shevchouk

    Full Text Available In songbirds, neurogenesis in the song control nucleus HVC is sensitive to the hormonal and social environment but the dynamics of this process is difficult to assess with a single exogenous marker of new neurons. We simultaneously used three independent markers to investigate HVC neurogenesis in male and female canaries. Males were castrated, implanted with testosterone and housed either alone (M, with a female (M-F or with another male (M-M while females were implanted with 17β-estradiol and housed with a male (F-M. All subjects received injections of the two thymidine analogues, BrdU and of EdU, respectively 21 and 10 days before brain collection. Cells containing BrdU or EdU or expressing doublecortin (DCX, which labels newborn neurons, were quantified. Social context and sex differentially affected total BrdU+, EdU+, BrdU+EdU- and DCX+ populations. M-M males had a higher density of BrdU+ cells in the ventricular zone adjacent to HVC and of EdU+ in HVC than M-F males. M birds had a higher ratio of BrdU+EdU- to EdU+ cells than M-F subjects suggesting higher survival of newer neurons in the former group. Total number of HVC DCX+ cells was lower in M-F than in M-M males. Sex differences were also dependent of the type of marker used. Several technical limitations associated with the use of these multiple markers were also identified. These results indicate that proliferation, recruitment and survival of new neurons can be independently affected by environmental conditions and effects can only be fully discerned through the use of multiple neurogenesis markers.

  17. Studies of HVC Plasticity in Adult Canaries Reveal Social Effects and Sex Differences as Well as Limitations of Multiple Markers Available to Assess Adult Neurogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shevchouk, Olesya T; Ball, Gregory F; Cornil, Charlotte A; Balthazart, Jacques

    2017-01-01

    In songbirds, neurogenesis in the song control nucleus HVC is sensitive to the hormonal and social environment but the dynamics of this process is difficult to assess with a single exogenous marker of new neurons. We simultaneously used three independent markers to investigate HVC neurogenesis in male and female canaries. Males were castrated, implanted with testosterone and housed either alone (M), with a female (M-F) or with another male (M-M) while females were implanted with 17β-estradiol and housed with a male (F-M). All subjects received injections of the two thymidine analogues, BrdU and of EdU, respectively 21 and 10 days before brain collection. Cells containing BrdU or EdU or expressing doublecortin (DCX), which labels newborn neurons, were quantified. Social context and sex differentially affected total BrdU+, EdU+, BrdU+EdU- and DCX+ populations. M-M males had a higher density of BrdU+ cells in the ventricular zone adjacent to HVC and of EdU+ in HVC than M-F males. M birds had a higher ratio of BrdU+EdU- to EdU+ cells than M-F subjects suggesting higher survival of newer neurons in the former group. Total number of HVC DCX+ cells was lower in M-F than in M-M males. Sex differences were also dependent of the type of marker used. Several technical limitations associated with the use of these multiple markers were also identified. These results indicate that proliferation, recruitment and survival of new neurons can be independently affected by environmental conditions and effects can only be fully discerned through the use of multiple neurogenesis markers.

  18. Cluster and principal component analysis based on SSR markers of Amomum tsao-ko in Jinping County of Yunnan Province

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Mengli; Lei, En; Meng, Hengling; Wang, Tiantao; Xie, Linyan; Shen, Dong; Xianwang, Zhou; Lu, Bingyue

    2017-08-01

    Amomum tsao-ko is a commercial plant that used for various purposes in medicinal and food industries. For the present investigation, 44 germplasm samples were collected from Jinping County of Yunnan Province. Clusters analysis and 2-dimensional principal component analysis (PCA) was used to represent the genetic relations among Amomum tsao-ko by using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Clustering analysis clearly distinguished the samples groups. Two major clusters were formed; first (Cluster I) consisted of 34 individuals, the second (Cluster II) consisted of 10 individuals, Cluster I as the main group contained multiple sub-clusters. PCA also showed 2 groups: PCA Group 1 included 29 individuals, PCA Group 2 included 12 individuals, consistent with the results of cluster analysis. The purpose of the present investigation was to provide information on genetic relationship of Amomum tsao-ko germplasm resources in main producing areas, also provide a theoretical basis for the protection and utilization of Amomum tsao-ko resources.

  19. Surrogate marker analysis in cancer clinical trials through time-to-event mediation techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandenberghe, Sjouke; Duchateau, Luc; Slaets, Leen; Bogaerts, Jan; Vansteelandt, Stijn

    2017-01-01

    The meta-analytic approach is the gold standard for validation of surrogate markers, but has the drawback of requiring data from several trials. We refine modern mediation analysis techniques for time-to-event endpoints and apply them to investigate whether pathological complete response can be used as a surrogate marker for disease-free survival in the EORTC 10994/BIG 1-00 randomised phase 3 trial in which locally advanced breast cancer patients were randomised to either taxane or anthracycline based neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In the mediation analysis, the treatment effect is decomposed into an indirect effect via pathological complete response and the remaining direct effect. It shows that only 4.2% of the treatment effect on disease-free survival after five years is mediated by the treatment effect on pathological complete response. There is thus no evidence from our analysis that pathological complete response is a valuable surrogate marker to evaluate the effect of taxane versus anthracycline based chemotherapies on progression free survival of locally advanced breast cancer patients. The proposed analysis strategy is broadly applicable to mediation analyses of time-to-event endpoints, is easy to apply and outperforms existing strategies in terms of precision as well as robustness against model misspecification.

  20. De novo transcriptomic analysis of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) for genic SSR marker development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Honglin; Wang, Lixia; Liu, Xiaoyan; Hu, Liangliang; Wang, Suhua; Cheng, Xuzhen

    2017-07-11

    Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] is one of the most important legumes in tropical and semi-arid regions. However, there is relatively little genomic information available for genetic research on and breeding of cowpea. The objectives of this study were to analyse the cowpea transcriptome and develop genic molecular markers for future genetic studies of this genus. Approximately 54 million high-quality cDNA sequence reads were obtained from cowpea based on Illumina paired-end sequencing technology and were de novo assembled to generate 47,899 unigenes with an N50 length of 1534 bp. Sequence similarity analysis revealed 36,289 unigenes (75.8%) with significant similarity to known proteins in the non-redundant (Nr) protein database, 23,471 unigenes (49.0%) with BLAST hits in the Swiss-Prot database, and 20,654 unigenes (43.1%) with high similarity in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. Further analysis identified 5560 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) as potential genic molecular markers. Validating a random set of 500 SSR markers yielded 54 polymorphic markers among 32 cowpea accessions. This transcriptomic analysis of cowpea provided a valuable set of genomic data for characterizing genes with important agronomic traits in Vigna unguiculata and a new set of genic SSR markers for further genetic studies and breeding in cowpea and related Vigna species.

  1. Use of SSR markers for DNA fingerprinting and diversity analysis of Pakistani sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) cultivars

    Science.gov (United States)

    In recent years SSR markers have been used widely for genetic analysis. The objective of this study was to use an SSR-based marker system to develop the molecular fingerprints and analyze the genetic relationship of sugarcane cultivars grown in Pakistan. Twenty-one highly polymorphic SSR markers wer...

  2. Characterization of Target Volume Changes During Breast Radiotherapy Using Implanted Fiducial Markers and Portal Imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harris, Emma J.; Donovan, Ellen M.; Yarnold, John R.; Coles, Charlotte E.; Evans, Philip M.

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: To determine target volume changes by using volume and shape analysis for patients receiving radiotherapy after breast conservation surgery and to compare different methods of automatically identifying changes in target volume, position, size, and shape during radiotherapy for use in adaptive radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: Eleven patients undergoing whole breast radiotherapy had fiducial markers sutured into the excision cavity at the time of surgery. Patients underwent imaging using computed tomography (for planning and at the end of treatment) and during treatment by using portal imaging. A marker volume (MV) was defined by using the measured marker positions. Changes in both individual marker positions and MVs were identified manually and using six automated similarity indices. Comparison of the two types of analysis (manual and automated) was undertaken to establish whether similarity indices can be used to automatically detect changes in target volumes. Results: Manual analysis showed that 3 patients had significant MV reduction. This analysis also showed significant changes between planning computed tomography and the start of treatment for 9 patients, including single and multiple marker movement, deformation (shape change), and rotation. Four of the six similarity indices were shown to be sensitive to the observed changes. Conclusions: Significant changes in size, shape, and position occur to the fiducial marker-defined volume. Four similarity indices can be used to identify these changes, and a protocol for their use in adaptive radiotherapy is suggested

  3. Is serum neopterin level a marker of responsiveness to interferon beta-1a therapy in multiple sclerosis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casoni, F; Merelli, E; Bedin, R; Sola, P; Bertolotto, A; Faglioni, P

    2004-01-01

    Interferon beta (INFbeta) may induce the expression of several proteins, including neopterin, considered a biological marker of INFbeta activity. The aim of this study was to determine the serum neopterin concentration at the beginning of, and during, IFNbeta-1a therapy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (r-r MS) patients, and to look for a possible correlation between protein synthesis and the clinical course of the disease. Thirteen r-r MS patients were treated with INFbeta-1a (i.m. 6 MIU/week) for 2 years. Blood samples for neopterin determinations were taken daily over a period of 1 week at the end of each 6 months of therapy, and tested for neutralizing antibodies (NABs). Neopterin levels peaked 24-48 h post-injection and returned to baseline after 120 h. After 1 year of therapy, four patients dropped out of the study because of progression of the disease: in these subjects a significant decrement of neopterin was observed. Neopterin baseline values were not found to decrease over the 2 years of therapy, and neopterin may be considered to be a useful marker of responsiveness to IFNbeta.

  4. The influence of persistent pathogens on circulating levels of inflammatory markers: a cross-sectional analysis from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szklo Moyses

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Systemic inflammation is linked to cardiovascular risk, but the influence of persistent pathogens, which are conventionally dichotomously categorized, on circulating levels of inflammatory markers is not clear. Antibody levels of pathogens have not been examined in relation to inflammation. Methods Using data from a subsample of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, we examined circulating levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP and fibrinogen in relation to five common persistent pathogens: cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus-1, Hepatitis A virus, Helicobacter pylori and Chlamydia pneumoniae. We tested the hypothesis that the number of seropositive pathogens (based on conventional cut-off points would not be as sensitive a marker of inflammation as immune response measured by antibody levels to pathogens. Results High antibody response to multiple pathogens showed graded and significant associations with IL-6 (p Conclusions High antibody response to pathogens was a more consistent marker of inflammatory outcomes compared to seropositivity alone and high antibody response to multiple pathogens was a stronger marker compared to any single pathogen.

  5. Genetic Diversity Analysis of South and East Asian Duck Populations Using Highly Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongwon Seo

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Native duck populations have lower productivity, and have not been developed as much as commercials duck breeds. However, native ducks have more importance in terms of genetic diversity and potentially valuable economic traits. For this reason, population discriminable genetic markers are needed for conservation and development of native ducks. In this study, 24 highly polymorphic microsatellite (MS markers were investigated using commercial ducks and native East and South Asian ducks. The average polymorphic information content (PIC value for all MS markers was 0.584, indicating high discrimination power. All populations were discriminated using 14 highly polymorphic MS markers by genetic distance and phylogenetic analysis. The results indicated that there were close genetic relationships among populations. In the structure analysis, East Asian ducks shared more haplotypes with commercial ducks than South Asian ducks, and they had more independent haplotypes than others did. These results will provide useful information for genetic diversity studies in ducks and for the development of duck traceability systems in the market.

  6. Genetic molecular analysis of Coffea arabica (Rubiaceae hybrids using SRAP markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manoj Kumar Mishra

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available In Coffea arabica (arabica coffee, the phenotypic as well as genetic variability has been found low because of the narrow genetic basis and self fertile nature of the species. Because of high similarity in phenotypic appearance among the majority of arabica collections, selection of parental lines for inter-varietals hybridization and identification of resultant hybrids at an early stage of plant growth is difficult. DNA markers are known to be reliable in identifying closely related cultivars and hybrids. Sequence Related Amplified Polymorphism (SRAP is a new molecular marker technology developed based on PCR. In this paper, sixty arabica-hybrid progenies belonging to six crosses were analyzed using 31 highly polymorphic SRAP markers. The analysis revealed seven types of SRAP marker profiles which are useful in discriminating the parents and hybrids. The number of bands amplified per primer pair ranges from 6.13 to 8.58 with average number of seven bands. Among six hybrid combinations, percentage of bands shared between hybrids and their parents ranged from 66.29% to 85.71% with polymorphic bands varied from 27.64% to 60.0%. Percentage of hybrid specific fragments obtained in various hybrid combinations ranged from 0.71% to 10.86% and ascribed to the consequence of meiotic recombination. Based on the similarity index calculation, it was observed that F1 hybrids share maximum number of bands with the female parent compared to male parent. The results obtained in the present study revealed the effectiveness of SRAP technique in cultivar identification and hybrid analysis in this coffee species. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (2: 607-617. Epub 2011 June 01.

  7. Real-time segmentation of multiple implanted cylindrical liver markers in kilovoltage and megavoltage x-ray images

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fledelius, Walther; Worm, Esben Schjødt; Høyer, Morten

    2014-01-01

    (CBCT) projections, for real-time motion management. Thirteen patients treated with conformal stereotactic body radiation therapy in three fractions had 2-3 cylindrical gold markers implanted in the liver prior to treatment. At each fraction, the projection images of a pre-treatment CBCT scan were used...... for automatic generation of a 3D marker model that consisted of the size, orientation, and estimated 3D trajectory of each marker during the CBCT scan. The 3D marker model was used for real-time template based segmentation in subsequent x-ray images by projecting each marker's 3D shape and likely 3D motion...... range onto the imager plane. The segmentation was performed in intra-treatment kV images (526 marker traces, 92 097 marker projections) and MV images (88 marker traces, 22 382 marker projections), and in post-treatment CBCT projections (42 CBCT scans, 71 381 marker projections). 227 kV marker traces...

  8. Development of CACTA transposon derived SCAR markers and their use in population structure analysis in Zea mays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy, Neha Samir; Park, Kyong-Cheul; Lee, Sung-Il; Im, Min-Ji; Ramekar, Rahul Vasudeo; Kim, Nam-Soo

    2018-02-01

    Molecular marker technologies have proven to be an important breakthrough for genetic studies, construction of linkage maps and population genetics analysis. Transposable elements (TEs) constitute major fractions of repetitive sequences in plants and offer a wide range of possible areas to be explored as molecular markers. Sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker development provides us with a simple and time saving alternative approach for marker development. We employed the CACTA-TD to develop SCARs and then integrated them into linkage map and used them for population structure and genetic diversity analysis of corn inbred population. A total of 108 dominant SCAR markers were designed out of which, 32 were successfully integrated in to the linkage map of maize RIL population and the remaining were added to a physical map for references to check the distribution throughout all chromosomes. Moreover, 76 polymorphic SCARs were used for diversity analysis of corn accessions being used in Korean corn breeding program. The overall average polymorphic information content (PIC) was 0.34, expected heterozygosity was 0.324 and Shannon's information index was 0.491 with a percentage of polymorphism of 98.67%. Further analysis by associating with desirable traits may also provide some accurate trait specific tagged SCAR markers. TE linked SCARs can provide an added level of polymorphism as well as improved discriminating ability and therefore can be useful in further breeding programs to develop high yielding germplasm.

  9. Simultaneous 3D localization of multiple MR-visible markers in fully reconstructed MR images: proof-of-concept for subsecond position tracking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thörmer, Gregor; Garnov, Nikita; Moche, Michael; Haase, Jürgen; Kahn, Thomas; Busse, Harald

    2012-04-01

    To determine whether a greatly reduced spatial resolution of fully reconstructed projection MR images can be used for the simultaneous 3D localization of multiple MR-visible markers and to assess the feasibility of a subsecond position tracking for clinical purposes. Miniature, inductively coupled RF coils were imaged in three orthogonal planes with a balanced steady-state free precession (SSFP) sequence and automatically localized using a two-dimensional template fitting and a subsequent three-dimensional (3D) matching of the coordinates. Precision, accuracy, speed and robustness of 3D localization were assessed for decreasing in-plane resolutions (0.6-4.7 mm). The feasibility of marker tracking was evaluated at the lowest resolution by following a robotically driven needle on a complex 3D trajectory. Average 3D precision and accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of localization ranged between 0.1 and 0.4 mm, 0.5 and 1.0 mm, 100% and 95%, and 100% and 96%, respectively. At the lowest resolution, imaging and localization took ≈350 ms and provided an accuracy of ≈1.0 mm. In the tracking experiment, the needle was clearly depicted on the oblique scan planes defined by the markers. Image-based marker localization at a greatly reduced spatial resolution is considered a feasible approach to monitor reference points or rigid instruments at subsecond update rates. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Analysis of inheritance mode in chrysanthemum using EST-derived SSR markers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Park, Sang Kun; Arens, Paul; Esselink, Danny; Lim, Jin Hee; Shin, Hak Ki

    2015-01-01

    To study the inheritance mode of hexaploid chrysanthemum (random or preferential chromosome pairing), a segregation analysis was carried out using SSR markers derived from chrysanthemum ESTs in the public domain. A total of 248 EST-SSR primer pairs were screened in chrysanthemum cultivars

  11. Genetic Diversity Analysis of Medicinally Important Horticultural Crop Aegle marmelos by ISSR Markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mujeeb, Farina; Bajpai, Preeti; Pathak, Neelam; Verma, Smita Rastogi

    2017-01-01

    Inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers help in identifying and determining the extent of genetic diversity in cultivars. Here, we describe their application in determining the genetic diversity of bael (Aegle marmelos Corr.). Universal ISSR primers are selected and their marker characteristics such as polymorphism information content, effective multiplex ratio and marker index have been evaluated. ISSR-PCR is then performed using universal ISSR primers to generate polymorphic bands. This information is used to determine the degree of genetic similarity among the bael varieties/accessions by cluster analysis using unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA). This technology is valuable for biodiversity conservation and for making an efficient choice of parents in breeding programs.

  12. An Efficiency Analysis of Augmented Reality Marker Recognition Algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kurpytė Dovilė

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The article reports on the investigation of augmented reality system which is designed for identification and augmentation of 100 different square markers. Marker recognition efficiency was investigated by rotating markers along x and y axis directions in range from −90° to 90°. Virtual simulations of four environments were developed: a an intense source of light, b an intense source of light falling from the left side, c the non-intensive light source falling from the left side, d equally falling shadows. The graphics were created using the OpenGL graphics computer hardware interface; image processing was programmed in C++ language using OpenCV, while augmented reality was developed in Java programming language using NyARToolKit. The obtained results demonstrate that augmented reality marker recognition algorithm is accurate and reliable in the case of changing lighting conditions and rotational angles - only 4 % markers were unidentified. Assessment of marker recognition efficiency let to propose marker classification strategy in order to use it for grouping various markers into distinct markers’ groups possessing similar recognition properties.

  13. Multivariate analysis for the estimation of target localization errors in fiducial marker-based radiotherapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takamiya, Masanori [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan and Department of Radiation Oncology and Image-applied Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507 (Japan); Nakamura, Mitsuhiro, E-mail: m-nkmr@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Akimoto, Mami; Ueki, Nami; Yamada, Masahiro; Matsuo, Yukinori; Mizowaki, Takashi; Hiraoka, Masahiro [Department of Radiation Oncology and Image-applied Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507 (Japan); Tanabe, Hiroaki [Division of Radiation Oncology, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation, Kobe 650-0047 (Japan); Kokubo, Masaki [Division of Radiation Oncology, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation, Kobe 650-0047, Japan and Department of Radiation Oncology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe 650-0047 (Japan); Itoh, Akio [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501 (Japan)

    2016-04-15

    Purpose: To assess the target localization error (TLE) in terms of the distance between the target and the localization point estimated from the surrogates (|TMD|), the average of respiratory motion for the surrogates and the target (|aRM|), and the number of fiducial markers used for estimating the target (n). Methods: This study enrolled 17 lung cancer patients who subsequently underwent four fractions of real-time tumor tracking irradiation. Four or five fiducial markers were implanted around the lung tumor. The three-dimensional (3D) distance between the tumor and markers was at maximum 58.7 mm. One of the markers was used as the target (P{sub t}), and those markers with a 3D |TMD{sub n}| ≤ 58.7 mm at end-exhalation were then selected. The estimated target position (P{sub e}) was calculated from a localization point consisting of one to three markers except P{sub t}. Respiratory motion for P{sub t} and P{sub e} was defined as the root mean square of each displacement, and |aRM| was calculated from the mean value. TLE was defined as the root mean square of each difference between P{sub t} and P{sub e} during the monitoring of each fraction. These procedures were performed repeatedly using the remaining markers. To provide the best guidance on the answer with n and |TMD|, fiducial markers with a 3D |aRM ≥ 10 mm were selected. Finally, a total of 205, 282, and 76 TLEs that fulfilled the 3D |TMD| and 3D |aRM| criteria were obtained for n = 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Multiple regression analysis (MRA) was used to evaluate TLE as a function of |TMD| and |aRM| in each n. Results: |TMD| for n = 1 was larger than that for n = 3. Moreover, |aRM| was almost constant for all n, indicating a similar scale for the marker’s motion near the lung tumor. MRA showed that |aRM| in the left–right direction was the major cause of TLE; however, the contribution made little difference to the 3D TLE because of the small amount of motion in the left–right direction. The TLE

  14. Use of Tumor Markers in Gastrointestinal Cancers: Surgeon Perceptions and Cost-Benefit Trade-Off Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acharya, Amish; Markar, Sheraz R; Matar, Michael; Ni, Melody; Hanna, George B

    2017-05-01

    Gastrointestinal cancers constitute the third most common cancers worldwide. Tumor markers have long since been used in the postoperative surveillance of these malignancies; however, the true value in clinical practice remains undetermined. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of three tumor markers in colorectal and esophagogastric cancer. A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to elicit the sensitivity, specificity, statistical heterogeneity and ability to predict recurrence and metastases for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen (CA) 19-9 and CA125. European surgeons were surveyed to assess their current practice and the characteristics of tumor markers they most valued. Data from the included studies and survey were combined in a cost-benefit trade-off analysis to assess which tumor markers are of most use in clinical practice. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were ranked the most desirable characteristics of a tumor marker by those surveyed. Overall, 156 studies were included to inform the cost-benefit trade-off. The cost-benefit trade-off showed that CEA outperformed both CA19-9 and CA125, with lower financial cost and a higher sensitivity, and diagnostic accuracy for metastases at presentation (area under the curve [AUC] 0.70 vs. 0.61 vs. 0.46), as well as similar diagnostic accuracy for recurrence (AUC 0.46 vs. 0.48). Cost-benefit trade-off analysis identified CEA to be the best performing tumor marker. Further studies should seek to evaluate new tumor markers, with investigation tailored to factors that meet the requirements of practicing clinicians.

  15. PK11195 binding to the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor as a marker of microglia activation in multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vowinckel, E; Reutens, D; Becher, B

    1997-01-01

    Activated glial cells are implicated in regulating and effecting the immune response that occurs within the CNS as part of multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) is expressed in glial cells. We...... examined the utility of using in vitro and in vivo ligand binding to the PBR as a measure of lesion activity in autoimmune CNS demyelinating diseases. Applying a combined autoradiography and immunohistochemical approach to spinal cord and brain tissues from mice with EAE, we found a correlation at sites...... of inflammatory lesions between [3H]-PK11195 binding and immunoreactivity for the activated microglial/macrophage marker Mac-1/CD11b. In MS tissues, [3H]-PK11195 binding correlated with sites of immunoreactivity for the microglial/macrophage marker CD68, at the edges of chronic active plaques. Positron emission...

  16. Frameworking memory and serotonergic markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meneses, Alfredo

    2017-07-26

    The evidence for neural markers and memory is continuously being revised, and as evidence continues to accumulate, herein, we frame earlier and new evidence. Hence, in this work, the aim is to provide an appropriate conceptual framework of serotonergic markers associated with neural activity and memory. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) has multiple pharmacological tools, well-characterized downstream signaling in mammals' species, and established 5-HT neural markers showing new insights about memory functions and dysfunctions, including receptors (5-HT1A/1B/1D, 5-HT2A/2B/2C, and 5-HT3-7), transporter (serotonin transporter [SERT]) and volume transmission present in brain areas involved in memory. Bidirectional influence occurs between 5-HT markers and memory/amnesia. A growing number of researchers report that memory, amnesia, or forgetting modifies neural markers. Diverse approaches support the translatability of using neural markers and cerebral functions/dysfunctions, including memory formation and amnesia. At least, 5-HT1A, 5-HT4, 5-HT6, and 5-HT7 receptors and SERT seem to be useful neural markers and therapeutic targets. Hence, several mechanisms cooperate to achieve synaptic plasticity or memory, including changes in the expression of neurotransmitter receptors and transporters.

  17. Identification of milling and baking quality QTL in multiple soft wheat mapping populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabrera, Antonio; Guttieri, Mary; Smith, Nathan; Souza, Edward; Sturbaum, Anne; Hua, Duc; Griffey, Carl; Barnett, Marla; Murphy, Paul; Ohm, Herb; Uphaus, Jim; Sorrells, Mark; Heffner, Elliot; Brown-Guedira, Gina; Van Sanford, David; Sneller, Clay

    2015-11-01

    Two mapping approaches were use to identify and validate milling and baking quality QTL in soft wheat. Two LG were consistently found important for multiple traits and we recommend the use marker-assisted selection on specific markers reported here. Wheat-derived food products require a range of characteristics. Identification and understanding of the genetic components controlling end-use quality of wheat is important for crop improvement. We assessed the underlying genetics controlling specific milling and baking quality parameters of soft wheat including flour yield, softness equivalent, flour protein, sucrose, sodium carbonate, water absorption and lactic acid, solvent retention capacities in a diversity panel and five bi-parental mapping populations. The populations were genotyped with SSR and DArT markers, with markers specific for the 1BL.1RS translocation and sucrose synthase gene. Association analysis and composite interval mapping were performed to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL). High heritability was observed for each of the traits evaluated, trait correlations were consistent over populations, and transgressive segregants were common in all bi-parental populations. A total of 26 regions were identified as potential QTL in the diversity panel and 74 QTL were identified across all five bi-parental mapping populations. Collinearity of QTL from chromosomes 1B and 2B was observed across mapping populations and was consistent with results from the association analysis in the diversity panel. Multiple regression analysis showed the importance of the two 1B and 2B regions and marker-assisted selection for the favorable alleles at these regions should improve quality.

  18. Oxidative and Anti-Oxidative Stress Markers in Chronic Glaucoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benoist d’Azy, Cédric; Pereira, Bruno; Chiambaretta, Frédéric

    2016-01-01

    Chronic glaucoma is a multifactorial disease among which oxidative stress may play a major pathophysiological role. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the levels of oxidative and antioxidative stress markers in chronic glaucoma compared with a control group. The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Science Direct databases were searched for studies reporting oxidative and antioxidative stress markers in chronic glaucoma and in healthy controls using the following keywords: “oxidative stress” or “oxidant stress” or “nitrative stress” or “oxidative damage” or “nitrative damage” or “antioxidative stress” or “antioxidant stress” or “antinitrative stress” and “glaucoma”. We stratified our meta-analysis on the type of biomarkers, the type of glaucoma, and the origin of the sample (serum or aqueous humor). We included 22 case-control studies with a total of 2913 patients: 1614 with glaucoma and 1319 healthy controls. We included 12 studies in the meta-analysis on oxidative stress markers and 19 on antioxidative stress markers. We demonstrated an overall increase in oxidative stress markers in glaucoma (effect size = 1.64; 95%CI 1.20–2.09), ranging from an effect size of 1.29 in serum (95%CI 0.84–1.74) to 2.62 in aqueous humor (95%CI 1.60–3.65). Despite a decrease in antioxidative stress marker in serum (effect size = –0.41; 95%CI –0.72 to –0.11), some increased in aqueous humor (superoxide dismutase, effect size = 3.53; 95%CI 1.20–5.85 and glutathione peroxidase, effect size = 6.60; 95%CI 3.88–9.31). The differences in the serum levels of oxidative stress markers between glaucoma patients and controls were significantly higher in primary open angle glaucoma vs primary angle closed glaucoma (effect size = 12.7; 95%CI 8.78–16.6, P stress increased in glaucoma, both in serum and aqueous humor. Malonyldialdehyde seemed the best biomarkers of oxidative stress in serum. The increase of some

  19. Genome analysis methods - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available List Contact us PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods Genome analysis... methods Data detail Data name Genome analysis methods DOI 10.18908/lsdba.nbdc01194-01-005 De...scription of data contents The current status and related information of the genomic analysis about each org...anism (March, 2014). In the case of organisms carried out genomic analysis, the d...e File name: pgdbj_dna_marker_linkage_map_genome_analysis_methods_en.zip File URL: ftp://ftp.biosciencedbc.j

  20. In silico polymorphism analysis for the development of simple sequence repeat and transposon markers and construction of linkage map in cultivated peanut

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shirasawa Kenta

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Peanut (Arachis hypogaea is an autogamous allotetraploid legume (2n = 4x = 40 that is widely cultivated as a food and oil crop. More than 6,000 DNA markers have been developed in Arachis spp., but high-density linkage maps useful for genetics, genomics, and breeding have not been constructed due to extremely low genetic diversity. Polymorphic marker loci are useful for the construction of such high-density linkage maps. The present study used in silico analysis to develop simple sequence repeat-based and transposon-based markers. Results The use of in silico analysis increased the efficiency of polymorphic marker development by more than 3-fold. In total, 926 (34.2% of 2,702 markers showed polymorphisms between parental lines of the mapping population. Linkage analysis of the 926 markers along with 253 polymorphic markers selected from 4,449 published markers generated 21 linkage groups covering 2,166.4 cM with 1,114 loci. Based on the map thus produced, 23 quantitative trait loci (QTLs for 15 agronomical traits were detected. Another linkage map with 326 loci was also constructed and revealed a relationship between the genotypes of the FAD2 genes and the ratio of oleic/linoleic acid in peanut seed. Conclusions In silico analysis of polymorphisms increased the efficiency of polymorphic marker development, and contributed to the construction of high-density linkage maps in cultivated peanut. The resultant maps were applicable to QTL analysis. Marker subsets and linkage maps developed in this study should be useful for genetics, genomics, and breeding in Arachis. The data are available at the Kazusa DNA Marker Database (http://marker.kazusa.or.jp.

  1. Distinctive mitochondrial genome of Calanoid copepod Calanus sinicus with multiple large non-coding regions and reshuffled gene order: Useful molecular markers for phylogenetic and population studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Copepods are highly diverse and abundant, resulting in extensive ecological radiation in marine ecosystems. Calanus sinicus dominates continental shelf waters in the northwest Pacific Ocean and plays an important role in the local ecosystem by linking primary production to higher trophic levels. A lack of effective molecular markers has hindered phylogenetic and population genetic studies concerning copepods. As they are genome-level informative, mitochondrial DNA sequences can be used as markers for population genetic studies and phylogenetic studies. Results The mitochondrial genome of C. sinicus is distinct from other arthropods owing to the concurrence of multiple non-coding regions and a reshuffled gene arrangement. Further particularities in the mitogenome of C. sinicus include low A + T-content, symmetrical nucleotide composition between strands, abbreviated stop codons for several PCGs and extended lengths of the genes atp6 and atp8 relative to other copepods. The monophyletic Copepoda should be placed within the Vericrustacea. The close affinity between Cyclopoida and Poecilostomatoida suggests reassigning the latter as subordinate to the former. Monophyly of Maxillopoda is rejected. Within the alignment of 11 C. sinicus mitogenomes, there are 397 variable sites harbouring three 'hotspot' variable sites and three microsatellite loci. Conclusion The occurrence of the circular subgenomic fragment during laboratory assays suggests that special caution should be taken when sequencing mitogenomes using long PCR. Such a phenomenon may provide additional evidence of mitochondrial DNA recombination, which appears to have been a prerequisite for shaping the present mitochondrial profile of C. sinicus during its evolution. The lack of synapomorphic gene arrangements among copepods has cast doubt on the utility of gene order as a useful molecular marker for deep phylogenetic analysis. However, mitochondrial genomic sequences have been valuable markers for

  2. License - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

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    Full Text Available List Contact us PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods ...t list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods © Satoshi ... Policy | Contact Us License - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive ...

  3. Download - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

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    Full Text Available List Contact us PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods ...t_db_link_en.zip (36.3 KB) - 6 Genome analysis methods pgdbj_dna_marker_linkage_map_genome_analysis_methods_... of This Database Site Policy | Contact Us Download - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive ...

  4. Simultaneous Two-Way Clustering of Multiple Correspondence Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Heungsun; Dillon, William R.

    2010-01-01

    A 2-way clustering approach to multiple correspondence analysis is proposed to account for cluster-level heterogeneity of both respondents and variable categories in multivariate categorical data. Specifically, in the proposed method, multiple correspondence analysis is combined with k-means in a unified framework in which "k"-means is…

  5. Multiplexed Analysis of Serum Breast and Ovarian Cancer Markers by Means of Suspension Bead-quantum Dot Microarrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brazhnik, Kristina; Sokolova, Zinaida; Baryshnikova, Maria; Bilan, Regina; Nabiev, Igor; Sukhanova, Alyona

    Multiplexed analysis of cancer markers is crucial for early tumor diagnosis and screening. We have designed lab-on-a-bead microarray for quantitative detection of three breast cancer markers in human serum. Quantum dots were used as bead-bound fluorescent tags for identifying each marker by means of flow cytometry. Antigen-specific beads reliably detected CA 15-3, CEA, and CA 125 in serum samples, providing clear discrimination between the samples with respect to the antigen levels. The novel microarray is advantageous over the routine single-analyte ones due to the simultaneous detection of various markers. Therefore the developed microarray is a promising tool for serum tumor marker profiling.

  6. Analysis of the genetic diversity of super sweet corn inbred lines using SSR and SSAP markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, W R; Sa, K J; Roy, N S; Choi, H-J; Lee, J K

    2016-01-22

    In this study, we compared the efficiency of simple sequence repeat (SSR) and sequence specific amplified polymorphism (SSAP) markers for analyzing genetic diversity, genetic relationships, and population structure of 87 super sweet corn inbred lines from different origins. SSR markers showed higher average gene diversity and Shannon's information index than SSAP markers. To assess genetic relationships and characterize inbred lines using SSR and SSAP markers, genetic similarity (GS) matrices were constructed. The dendrogram using SSR marker data showed a complex pattern with nine clusters and a GS of 53.0%. For SSAP markers, three clusters were observed with a GS of 50.8%. Results of combined marker data showed six clusters with 53.5% GS. To analyze the genetic population structure of SSR and SSAP marker data, the 87 inbred lines were divided into groups I, II, and admixed based on the membership probability threshold of 0.8. Using combined marker data, the population structure was K = 3 and was divided into groups I, II, III, and admixed. This study represents a comparative analysis of SSR and SSAP marker data for the study of genetic diversity and genetic relationships in super sweet corn inbred lines. Our results would be useful for maize-breeding programs in Korea.

  7. Application of dissociation curve analysis to radiation hybrid panel marker scoring: generation of a map of river buffalo (B. bubalis chromosome 20

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schäffer Alejandro A

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Fluorescence of dyes bound to double-stranded PCR products has been utilized extensively in various real-time quantitative PCR applications, including post-amplification dissociation curve analysis, or differentiation of amplicon length or sequence composition. Despite the current era of whole-genome sequencing, mapping tools such as radiation hybrid DNA panels remain useful aids for sequence assembly, focused resequencing efforts, and for building physical maps of species that have not yet been sequenced. For placement of specific, individual genes or markers on a map, low-throughput methods remain commonplace. Typically, PCR amplification of DNA from each panel cell line is followed by gel electrophoresis and scoring of each clone for the presence or absence of PCR product. To improve sensitivity and efficiency of radiation hybrid panel analysis in comparison to gel-based methods, we adapted fluorescence-based real-time PCR and dissociation curve analysis for use as a novel scoring method. Results As proof of principle for this dissociation curve method, we generated new maps of river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis chromosome 20 by both dissociation curve analysis and conventional marker scoring. We also obtained sequence data to augment dissociation curve results. Few genes have been previously mapped to buffalo chromosome 20, and sequence detail is limited, so 65 markers were screened from the orthologous chromosome of domestic cattle. Thirty bovine markers (46% were suitable as cross-species markers for dissociation curve analysis in the buffalo radiation hybrid panel under a standard protocol, compared to 25 markers suitable for conventional typing. Computational analysis placed 27 markers on a chromosome map generated by the new method, while the gel-based approach produced only 20 mapped markers. Among 19 markers common to both maps, the marker order on the map was maintained perfectly. Conclusion Dissociation curve

  8. Variable precision rough set for multiple decision attribute analysis

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Lai; Kin; Keung

    2008-01-01

    A variable precision rough set (VPRS) model is used to solve the multi-attribute decision analysis (MADA) problem with multiple conflicting decision attributes and multiple condition attributes. By introducing confidence measures and a β-reduct, the VPRS model can rationally solve the conflicting decision analysis problem with multiple decision attributes and multiple condition attributes. For illustration, a medical diagnosis example is utilized to show the feasibility of the VPRS model in solving the MADA...

  9. Identification of markers that functionally define a quiescent multiple myeloma cell sub-population surviving bortezomib treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adomako, Alfred; Calvo, Veronica; Biran, Noa; Osman, Keren; Chari, Ajai; Paton, James C; Paton, Adrienne W; Moore, Kateri; Schewe, Denis M; Aguirre-Ghiso, Julio A

    2015-01-01

    The mechanisms allowing residual multiple myeloma (MM) cells to persist after bortezomib (Bz) treatment remain unclear. We hypothesized that studying the biology of bortezomib-surviving cells may reveal markers to identify these cells and survival signals to target and kill residual MM cells. We used H2B-GFP label retention, biochemical tools and in vitro and in vivo experiments to characterize growth arrest and the unfolded protein responses in quiescent Bz-surviving cells. We also tested the effect of a demethylating agent, 5-Azacytidine, on Bz-induced quiescence and whether inhibiting the chaperone GRP78/BiP (henceforth GRP78) with a specific toxin induced apoptosis in Bz-surviving cells. Finally, we used MM patient samples to test whether GRP78 levels might associate with disease progression. Statistical analysis employed t-test and Mann-Whitney tests at a 95% confidence. We report that Bz-surviving MM cells in vitro and in vivo enter quiescence characterized by p21 CIP1 upregulation. Bz-surviving MM cells also downregulated CDK6, Ki67 and P-Rb. H2B-GFP label retention showed that Bz-surviving MM cells are either slow-cycling or deeply quiescent. The Bz-induced quiescence was stabilized by low dose (500nM) of 5-azacytidine (Aza) pre-treatment, which also potentiated the initial Bz-induced apoptosis. We also found that expression of GRP78, an unfolded protein response (UPR) survival factor, persisted in MM quiescent cells. Importantly, GRP78 downregulation using a specific SubAB bacterial toxin killed Bz-surviving MM cells. Finally, quantification of Grp78 high /CD138+ MM cells from patients suggested that high levels correlated with progressive disease. We conclude that Bz-surviving MM cells display a GRP78 HIGH /p21 HIGH /CDK6 LOW /P-Rb LOW profile, and these markers may identify quiescent MM cells capable of fueling recurrences. We further conclude that Aza + Bz treatment of MM may represent a novel strategy to delay recurrences by enhancing Bz

  10. Database Description - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available List Contact us PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods ... QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods Alternative name - DOI 10.18908/lsdba.nbdc01194-01-000 Cr...ers and QTLs are curated manually from the published literature. The marker information includes marker sequences, genotyping methods... Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive ...

  11. Identification of a two-marker-haplotype on Bos taurus autosome 18 associated with somatic cell score in German Holstein cattle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reinsch Norbert

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The somatic cell score (SCS is implemented in routine sire evaluations in many countries as an indicator trait for udder health. Somatic cell score is highly correlated with clinical mastitis, and in the German Holstein population quantitative trait loci (QTL for SCS have been repeatedly mapped on Bos taurus autosome 18 (BTA18. In the present study, we report a refined analysis of previously detected QTL regions on BTA18 with the aim of identifying marker and marker haplotypes in linkage disequilibrium with SCS. A combined linkage and linkage disequilibrium approach was implemented, and association analyses of marker genotypes and maternally inherited two-marker-haplotypes were conducted to identify marker and haplotypes in linkage disequilibrium with a locus affecting SCS in the German Holstein population. Results We detected a genome-wide significant QTL within marker interval 9 (HAMP_c.366+109G>A - BMS833 in the middle to telomeric region on BTA18 and a second putative QTL in marker interval 12-13 (BB710 - PVRL2_c.392G>A. Association analyses with genotypes of markers flanking the most likely QTL positions revealed the microsatellite marker BMS833 (interval 9 to be associated with a locus affecting SCS within the families investigated. A further analysis of maternally inherited two-marker haplotypes and effects of maternally inherited two-marker-interval gametes indicated haplotype 249-G in marker interval 12-13 (BB710 - PVRL2_c.392G>A to be associated with SCS in the German Holstein population. Conclusion Our results confirmed previous QTL mapping results for SCS and support the hypothesis that more than one locus presumably affects udder health in the middle to telomeric region of BTA18. However, a subsequent investigation of the reported QTL regions is necessary to verify the two-QTL hypothesis and confirm the association of two-marker-haplotype 249-G in marker interval 12-13 (BB710 - PVRL2_c.392G>A with SCS. For this

  12. Enzyme markers in inbred rat strains: genetics of new markers and strain profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, M; Baverstock, P R; Watts, C H; Gutman, G A

    1984-08-01

    Twenty-six inbred strains of the laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus) were examined for electrophoretic variation at an estimated 97 genetic loci. In addition to previously documented markers, variation was observed for the enzymes aconitase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase. The genetic basis of these markers (Acon-1, Ahd-2, and Akp-1) was confirmed. Linkage analysis between 35 pairwise comparisons revealed that the markers Fh-1 and Pep-3 are linked. The strain profiles of the 25 inbred strains at 11 electrophoretic markers are given.

  13. Use of multiple genetic markers in prediction of breeding values.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Arendonk, van J.A.M.; Tier, B.; Kinghorn, B.P.

    1994-01-01

    Genotypes at a marker locus give information on transmission of genes from parents to offspring and that information can be used in predicting the individuals' additive genetic value at a linked quantitative trait locus (MQTL). In this paper a recursive method is presented to build the gametic

  14. A novel data mining system points out hidden relationships between immunological markers in multiple sclerosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gironi Maira

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Multiple Sclerosis (MS is a multi-factorial disease, where a single biomarker unlikely can provide comprehensive information. Moreover, due to the non-linearity of biomarkers, traditional statistic is both unsuitable and underpowered to dissect their relationship. Patients affected with primary (PP=14, secondary (SP=33, benign (BB=26, relapsing-remitting (RR=30 MS, and 42 sex and age matched healthy controls were studied. We performed a depth immune-phenotypic and functional analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs by flow-cytometry. Semantic connectivity maps (AutoCM were applied to find the natural associations among immunological markers. AutoCM is a special kind of Artificial Neural Network able to find consistent trends and associations among variables. The matrix of connections, visualized through minimum spanning tree, keeps non linear associations among variables and captures connection schemes among clusters. Results Complex immunological relationships were shown to be related to different disease courses. Low CD4IL25+ cells level was strongly related (link strength, ls=0.81 to SP MS. This phenotype was also associated to high CD4ROR+ cells levels (ls=0.56. BB MS was related to high CD4+IL13 cell levels (ls=0.90, as well as to high CD14+IL6 cells percentage (ls=0.80. RR MS was strongly (ls=0.87 related to CD4+IL25 high cell levels, as well indirectly to high percentages of CD4+IL13 cells. In this latter strong (ls=0.92 association could be confirmed the induction activity of the former cells (CD4+IL25 on the latter (CD4+IL13. Another interesting topographic data was the isolation of Th9 cells (CD4IL9 from the main part of the immunological network related to MS, suggesting a possible secondary role of this new described cell phenotype in MS disease. Conclusions This novel application of non-linear mathematical techniques suggests peculiar immunological signatures for different MS phenotypes. Notably, the

  15. Novel applications of multitask learning and multiple output regression to multiple genetic trait prediction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Dan; Kuhn, David; Parida, Laxmi

    2016-06-15

    Given a set of biallelic molecular markers, such as SNPs, with genotype values encoded numerically on a collection of plant, animal or human samples, the goal of genetic trait prediction is to predict the quantitative trait values by simultaneously modeling all marker effects. Genetic trait prediction is usually represented as linear regression models. In many cases, for the same set of samples and markers, multiple traits are observed. Some of these traits might be correlated with each other. Therefore, modeling all the multiple traits together may improve the prediction accuracy. In this work, we view the multitrait prediction problem from a machine learning angle: as either a multitask learning problem or a multiple output regression problem, depending on whether different traits share the same genotype matrix or not. We then adapted multitask learning algorithms and multiple output regression algorithms to solve the multitrait prediction problem. We proposed a few strategies to improve the least square error of the prediction from these algorithms. Our experiments show that modeling multiple traits together could improve the prediction accuracy for correlated traits. The programs we used are either public or directly from the referred authors, such as MALSAR (http://www.public.asu.edu/~jye02/Software/MALSAR/) package. The Avocado data set has not been published yet and is available upon request. dhe@us.ibm.com. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

  16. Role of peripheral inflammatory markers in postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD: a meta-analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linying Peng

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD is common following cardiac and non-cardiac surgery, but the pathogenic mechanisms remain unknown. Many studies suggest that an inflammatory response is a key contributor to POCD. The current meta-analysis shows that the levels of peripheral inflammatory markers are associated with POCD. METHODS: An online search was performed to identify peer-reviewed studies without language restriction that measured peripheral inflammatory markers of patients with and without POCD, using PubMed, ScienceDirect, SinoMed and the National Knowledge Infrastructure database. Extracted data were analyzed with STATA (version 12.The standardized mean difference (SMD and the 95% confidence interval (95%CI were calculated for each outcome using a random effect model. Tests of heterogeneity assessment of bias, and meta-regression were performed in the meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies that measured the concentrations of peripheral inflammatory markers were included. The current meta-analysis found significantly higher concentrations of S-100β(SMD[95%CI] (1.377 [0.423, 2.331], p-value < 0.001, N [POCD/non-POCD] =178/391, 7 studies, and interleukin(IL-6 (SMD[95%CI] (1.614 [0.603,2.624], p-value < 0.001, N[POCD/non-POCD] = 91/99, 5 studies, but not of neuron specific enolase, interleukin-1β, or tumor necrosis factor-α , in POCD compared with patients without POCD. In meta-regression analyses, a significant positive association was found between the SMD and the preoperative interleukin-6 peripheral blood concentration in patients with POCD (Coef.= 0.0587, p-value=0.038, 5 studies. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that POCD is indeed correlated with the concentrations of peripheral inflammatory markers, particularly interleukin-6 and S-100β.

  17. Proceedings of the workshop on multiple prompt gamma-ray analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ebihara, Mitsuru; Hatsukawa, Yuichi; Oshima, Masumi

    2006-10-01

    The workshop on 'Multiple Prompt Gamma-ray Analysis' was held on March 8, 2006 at Tokai. It is based on a project, 'Developments of real time, non-destructive ultra sensitive elemental analysis using multiple gamma-ray detections and prompt gamma ray analysis and its application to real samples', one of the High priority Cooperative Research Programs performed by Japan Atomic Energy Agency and the University of Tokyo. In this workshop, the latest results of the Multiple Prompt Gamma ray Analysis (MPGA) study were presented, together with those of Neutron Activation Analysis with Multiple Gamma-ray Detection (NAAMG). The 9 of the presented papers are indexed individually. (J.P.N.)

  18. High-Throughput Analysis of Plasma Hybrid Markers for Early Detection of Cancers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jung-hyun Rho

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Biomarkers for the early detection of cancer in the general population have to perform with high sensitivity and specificity in order to prevent the costs associated with over-diagnosis. There are only a few current tissue or blood markers that are recommended for generalized cancer screening. Despite the recognition that combinations of multiple biomarkers will likely improve their utility, biomarker panels are usually limited to a single class of molecules. Tissues and body fluids including plasma and serum contain not only proteins, DNA and microRNAs that are differentially expressed in cancers but further cancer specific information might be gleaned by comparing different classes of biomolecules. For example, the level of a certain microRNA might be related to the level of a particular protein in a cancer specific manner. Proteins might have cancer-specific post-translational modifications (e.g., phosphorylation or glycosylation or lead to the generation of autoantibodies. Most currently approved biomarkers are glycoproteins. Autoantibodies can be produced as a host’s early surveillance response to cancer-specific proteins in pre-symptomatic and pre-diagnostic stages of cancer. Thus, measurement of the level of a protein, the level of its glycosylation or phosphorylation and whether autoantibodies are produced to it can yield multi-dimensional information on each protein. We consider specific proteins that show consistent cancer-specific changes in two or three of these measurements to be “hybrid markers”. We hypothesize these markers will suffer less variation between different individuals since one component can act to “standardize” the other measurement. As a proof of principle, a 180 plasma sample set consisting of 120 cases (60 colon cancers and 60 adenomas and 60 controls were analyzed using our high-density antibody array for changes in their protein, IgG-complex and sialyl-Lewis A (SLeA modified proteins. At p < 0

  19. A Secondary Antibody-Detecting Molecular Weight Marker with Mouse and Rabbit IgG Fc Linear Epitopes for Western Blot Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Wen-Wei; Chen, I-Ju; Cheng, Ta-Chun; Tung, Yi-Ching; Chu, Pei-Yu; Chuang, Chih-Hung; Hsieh, Yuan-Chin; Huang, Chien-Chiao; Wang, Yeng-Tseng; Kao, Chien-Han; Roffler, Steve R; Cheng, Tian-Lu

    2016-01-01

    Molecular weight markers that can tolerate denaturing conditions and be auto-detected by secondary antibodies offer great efficacy and convenience for Western Blotting. Here, we describe M&R LE protein markers which contain linear epitopes derived from the heavy chain constant regions of mouse and rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG Fc LE). These markers can be directly recognized and stained by a wide range of anti-mouse and anti-rabbit secondary antibodies. We selected three mouse (M1, M2 and M3) linear IgG1 and three rabbit (R1, R2 and R3) linear IgG heavy chain epitope candidates based on their respective crystal structures. Western blot analysis indicated that M2 and R2 linear epitopes are effectively recognized by anti-mouse and anti-rabbit secondary antibodies, respectively. We fused the M2 and R2 epitopes (M&R LE) and incorporated the polypeptide in a range of 15-120 kDa auto-detecting markers (M&R LE protein marker). The M&R LE protein marker can be auto-detected by anti-mouse and anti-rabbit IgG secondary antibodies in standard immunoblots. Linear regression analysis of the M&R LE protein marker plotted as gel mobility versus the log of the marker molecular weights revealed good linearity with a correlation coefficient R2 value of 0.9965, indicating that the M&R LE protein marker displays high accuracy for determining protein molecular weights. This accurate, regular and auto-detected M&R LE protein marker may provide a simple, efficient and economical tool for protein analysis.

  20. Genome-wide analysis of SSR and ILP markers in trees: diversity profiling, alternate distribution, and applications in duplication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Xinyao; Luan, Lin Lin; Qin, Guanghua; Yu, Li Fang; Wang, Zhi Wei; Dong, Wan Chen; Song, Yumin; Qiao, Yuling; Zhang, Xian Sheng; Sang, Ya Lin; Yang, Long

    2017-12-20

    Molecular markers are efficient tools for breeding and genetic studies. However, despite their ecological and economic importance, their development and application have long been hampered. In this study, we identified 524,170 simple sequence repeat (SSR), 267,636 intron length polymorphism (ILP), and 11,872 potential intron polymorphism (PIP) markers from 16 tree species based on recently available genome sequences. Larger motifs, including hexamers and heptamers, accounted for most of the seven different types of SSR loci. Within these loci, A/T bases comprised a significantly larger proportion of sequence than G/C. SSR and ILP markers exhibited an alternative distribution pattern. Most SSRs were monomorphic markers, and the proportions of polymorphic markers were positively correlated with genome size. By verifying with all 16 tree species, 54 SSR, 418 ILP, and four PIP universal markers were obtained, and their efficiency was examined by PCR. A combination of five SSR and six ILP markers were used for the phylogenetic analysis of 30 willow samples, revealing a positive correlation between genetic diversity and geographic distance. We also found that SSRs can be used as tools for duplication analysis. Our findings provide important foundations for the development of breeding and genetic studies in tree species.

  1. A population analysis of the Queensland fruit fly Bactrocera tryoni using microsatellite markers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Hong; Frommer, Marianne; Robson, Merryl; Sved, John

    2000-01-01

    Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt), the Queensland fruit fly or Q-fly, is the most economically important horticultural pest in Australia, infesting almost every commercial vegetable and fruit crop (Drew 1989). It is well established as a serious pest all along the east coast of Australia, as far south as the east Gippsland area of Victoria (Drew 1989). B. tryoni has the potential to spread across Australia to South Australia, Victoria and the tropical regions of the Northern Territory (Meats 1989) and flies classified as B. tryoni have been identified in the Northern Territory (Osborne et al. 1997). Winter breeding of B. tryoni is believed to occur only in the northern half of the range, although winged adults are usually sufficiently hardy to survive the southern winter without reproducing (Meats 1989). The number of generations per year is also a function of temperature, ranging from about eight in northern Queensland to about three in the Sydney region (Fletcher 1989). In recent years, there has been an increase in the frequency of outbreaks in horticulturally important areas, inland in the southeast of the continent, where irrigation systems have been in use (Bateman 1991). Small-scale outbreaks occur in Adelaide (Maelzer 1990), and a more substantial outbreak was eradicated from Perth (Fisher 1996). These outbreaks mean the suspension of fruit fly free status with severe financial implications for the regions affected. To assist with the control of outbreaks within the fly-free zones and to facilitate area-wide management programmes in the endemic areas, it would be useful to have molecular genetic markers capable of identifying population structure. Population analysis requires markers which are capable of easy and repeatable scoring and which are as polymorphic as possible. Microsatellites are now widely regarded as the most useful molecular markers available for genetic typing of individuals for kinship or larger-scale population studies (Bruford and Wayne 1993

  2. Population Structure, Genetic Diversity and Molecular Marker-Trait Association Analysis for High Temperature Stress Tolerance in Rice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sharat Kumar Pradhan

    Full Text Available Rice exhibits enormous genetic diversity, population structure and molecular marker-traits associated with abiotic stress tolerance to high temperature stress. A set of breeding lines and landraces representing 240 germplasm lines were studied. Based on spikelet fertility percent under high temperature, tolerant genotypes were broadly classified into four classes. Genetic diversity indicated a moderate level of genetic base of the population for the trait studied. Wright's F statistic estimates showed a deviation of Hardy-Weinberg expectation in the population. The analysis of molecular variance revealed 25 percent variation between population, 61 percent among individuals and 14 percent within individuals in the set. The STRUCTURE analysis categorized the entire population into three sub-populations and suggested that most of the landraces in each sub-population had a common primary ancestor with few admix individuals. The composition of materials in the panel showed the presence of many QTLs representing the entire genome for the expression of tolerance. The strongly associated marker RM547 tagged with spikelet fertility under stress and the markers like RM228, RM205, RM247, RM242, INDEL3 and RM314 indirectly controlling the high temperature stress tolerance were detected through both mixed linear model and general linear model TASSEL analysis. These markers can be deployed as a resource for marker-assisted breeding program of high temperature stress tolerance.

  3. Population Structure, Genetic Diversity and Molecular Marker-Trait Association Analysis for High Temperature Stress Tolerance in Rice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pradhan, Sharat Kumar; Barik, Saumya Ranjan; Sahoo, Ambika; Mohapatra, Sudipti; Nayak, Deepak Kumar; Mahender, Anumalla; Meher, Jitandriya; Anandan, Annamalai; Pandit, Elssa

    2016-01-01

    Rice exhibits enormous genetic diversity, population structure and molecular marker-traits associated with abiotic stress tolerance to high temperature stress. A set of breeding lines and landraces representing 240 germplasm lines were studied. Based on spikelet fertility percent under high temperature, tolerant genotypes were broadly classified into four classes. Genetic diversity indicated a moderate level of genetic base of the population for the trait studied. Wright's F statistic estimates showed a deviation of Hardy-Weinberg expectation in the population. The analysis of molecular variance revealed 25 percent variation between population, 61 percent among individuals and 14 percent within individuals in the set. The STRUCTURE analysis categorized the entire population into three sub-populations and suggested that most of the landraces in each sub-population had a common primary ancestor with few admix individuals. The composition of materials in the panel showed the presence of many QTLs representing the entire genome for the expression of tolerance. The strongly associated marker RM547 tagged with spikelet fertility under stress and the markers like RM228, RM205, RM247, RM242, INDEL3 and RM314 indirectly controlling the high temperature stress tolerance were detected through both mixed linear model and general linear model TASSEL analysis. These markers can be deployed as a resource for marker-assisted breeding program of high temperature stress tolerance.

  4. Identification of RAPD and SCAR markers associated with yield traits in the Indian tropical tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta drury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Suhrid R.; Kar, Prasanta K.; Srivastava, Ashok K.; Sinha, Manoj K.; Shankar, Jai; Ghosh, Ananta K.

    2012-01-01

    The tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta, is a semi-domesticated vanya silk-producing insect of high economic importance. To date, no molecular marker associated with cocoon and shell weights has been identified in this species. In this report, we identified a randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker and examined its inheritance, and also developed a stable diagnostic sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker. Silkworms were divided into groups with high (HCSW) and low (LCSW) cocoon and shell weights, and the F2 progeny of a cross between these two groups were obtained. DNA from these silkworms was screened by PCR using 34 random primers and the resulting RAPD fragments were used for cluster analysis and discriminant function analysis (DFA). The clustering pattern in a UPGMA-based dendogram and DFA clearly distinguished the HCSW and LCSW groups. Multiple regression analysis identified five markers associated with cocoon and shell weights. The marker OPW16905 bp showed the most significant association with cocoon and shell weights, and its inheritance was confirmed in F2 progeny. Cloning and sequencing of this 905 bp fragment showed 88% identity between its 134 nucleotides and the Bmc-1/Yamato-like retroposon of A. mylitta. This marker was further converted into a diagnostic SCAR marker (SCOPW 16826 bp). The SCAR marker developed here may be useful in identifying the right parental stock of tasar silk-worms for high cocoon and shell weights in breeding programs designed to enhance the productivity of tasar silk. PMID:23271934

  5. Expert judgment on markers to deter inadvertent human intrusion into the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Trauth, K.M. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Hora, S.C. [Hawaii Univ., Hilo, HI (United States); Guzowski, R.V. [Science Applications International Corp., San Diego, CA (United States)

    1993-11-01

    The expert panel identified basic principles to guide current and future marker development efforts: (1) the site must be marked, (2) message(s) must be truthful and informative, (3) multiple components within a marker system, (4) multiple means of communication (e.g., language, pictographs, scientific diagrams), (5) multiple levels of complexity within individual messages on individual marker system elements, (6) use of materials with little recycle value, and (7) international effort to maintain knowledge of the locations and contents of nuclear waste repositories. The efficacy of the markers in deterring inadvertent human intrusion was estimated to decrease with time, with the probability function varying with the mode of intrusion (who is intruding and for what purpose) and the level of technological development of the society. The development of a permanent, passive marker system capable of surviving and remaining interpretable for 10,000 years will require further study prior to implementation.

  6. Expert judgment on markers to deter inadvertent human intrusion into the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trauth, K.M.; Hora, S.C.; Guzowski, R.V.

    1993-11-01

    The expert panel identified basic principles to guide current and future marker development efforts: (1) the site must be marked, (2) message(s) must be truthful and informative, (3) multiple components within a marker system, (4) multiple means of communication (e.g., language, pictographs, scientific diagrams), (5) multiple levels of complexity within individual messages on individual marker system elements, (6) use of materials with little recycle value, and (7) international effort to maintain knowledge of the locations and contents of nuclear waste repositories. The efficacy of the markers in deterring inadvertent human intrusion was estimated to decrease with time, with the probability function varying with the mode of intrusion (who is intruding and for what purpose) and the level of technological development of the society. The development of a permanent, passive marker system capable of surviving and remaining interpretable for 10,000 years will require further study prior to implementation

  7. Genetic diversity analysis of Capparis spinosa L. populations by using ISSR markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, C; Xue, G P; Cheng, B; Wang, X; He, J; Liu, G H; Yang, W J

    2015-12-09

    Capparis spinosa L. is an important medicinal species in the Xinjiang Province of China. Ten natural populations of C. spinosa from 3 locations in North, Central, and South Xinjiang were studied using morphological trait inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) molecular markers to assess the genetic diversity and population structure. In this study, the 10 ISSR primers produced 313 amplified DNA fragments, with 52% of fragments being polymorphic. Unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA) cluster analysis indicated that 10 C. spinosa populations were clustered into 3 geographically distinct groups. The Nei gene of C. spinosa populations in different regions had Diversity and Shannon's information index ranges of 0.1312-0.2001 and 0.1004-0.1875, respectively. The 362 markers were used to construct the dendrogram based on the UPGMA cluster analysis. The dendrogram indicated that 10 populations of C. spinosa were clustered into 3 geographically distinct groups. The results showed these genotypes have high genetic diversity, and can be used for an alternative breeding program.

  8. Comparative Analysis of Disease-Linked Single Nucleotide Polymorphic Markers from Brassica rapa for Their Applicability to Brassica oleracea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Young-Il; Ahn, Yul-Kyun; Tripathi, Swati; Kim, Jeong-Ho; Lee, Hye-Eun; Kim, Do-Sun

    2015-01-01

    Numerous studies using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been conducted in humans, and other animals, and in major crops, including rice, soybean, and Chinese cabbage. However, the number of SNP studies in cabbage is limited. In this present study, we evaluated whether 7,645 SNPs previously identified as molecular markers linked to disease resistance in the Brassica rapa genome could be applied to B. oleracea. In a BLAST analysis using the SNP sequences of B. rapa and B. oleracea genomic sequence data registered in the NCBI database, 256 genes for which SNPs had been identified in B. rapa were found in B. oleracea. These genes were classified into three functional groups: molecular function (64 genes), biological process (96 genes), and cellular component (96 genes). A total of 693 SNP markers, including 145 SNP markers [BRH—developed from the B. rapa genome for high-resolution melt (HRM) analysis], 425 SNP markers (BRP—based on the B. rapa genome that could be applied to B. oleracea), and 123 new SNP markers (BRS—derived from BRP and designed for HRM analysis), were investigated for their ability to amplify sequences from cabbage genomic DNA. In total, 425 of the SNP markers (BRP-based on B. rapa genome), selected from 7,645 SNPs, were successfully applied to B. oleracea. Using PCR, 108 of 145 BRH (74.5%), 415 of 425 BRP (97.6%), and 118 of 123 BRS (95.9%) showed amplification, suggesting that it is possible to apply SNP markers developed based on the B. rapa genome to B. oleracea. These results provide valuable information that can be utilized in cabbage genetics and breeding programs using molecular markers derived from other Brassica species. PMID:25790283

  9. (SSR) markers

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    acer

    2013-06-26

    Jun 26, 2013 ... analysis was in general agreement with PCoA in discrimi- nating the cultivars. Conclusions. Estimation of morphological diversity may provide addi- tional information on the present finding. Nonetheless, the 29 SSR markers provided considerable genetic reso- lution and this genetic diversity analysis ...

  10. The ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 improves recovery of human embryonic stem cells after fluorescence-activated cell sorting with multiple cell surface markers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nil Emre

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Due to the inherent sensitivity of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs to manipulations, the recovery and survival of hESCs after fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS can be low. Additionally, a well characterized and robust methodology for performing FACS on hESCs using multiple-cell surface markers has not been described. The p160-Rho-associated coiled kinase (ROCK inhibitor, Y-27632, previously has been identified as enhancing survival of hESCs upon single-cell dissociation, as well as enhancing recovery from cryopreservation. Here we examined the application of Y-27632 to hESCs after FACS to improve survival in both feeder-dependent and feeder-independent growth conditions. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: HESCs were sorted using markers for SSEA-3, TRA-1-81, and SSEA-1. Cells were plated after sorting for 24 hours in either the presence or the absence of Y-27632. In both feeder-dependent and feeder-independent conditions, cell survival was greater when Y-27632 was applied to the hESCs after sort. Specifically, treatment of cells with Y-27632 improved post-sort recovery up to four fold. To determine the long-term effects of sorting with and without the application of Y-27632, hESCs were further analyzed. Specifically, hESCs sorted with and without the addition of Y-27632 retained normal morphology, expressed hESC-specific markers as measured by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry, and maintained a stable karyotype. In addition, the hESCs could differentiate into three germ layers in vitro and in vivo in both feeder-dependent and feeder-independent growth conditions. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The application of Y-27632 to hESCs after cell sorting improves cell recovery with no observed effect on pluripotency, and enables the consistent recovery of hESCs by FACS using multiple surface markers. This improved methodology for cell sorting of hESCs will aid many applications such as removal of hESCs from secondary cell types

  11. Senescence marker protein 30 (SMP30 expression in eukaryotic cells: existence of multiple species and membrane localization.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peethambaran Arun

    Full Text Available Senescence marker protein (SMP30, also known as regucalcin, is a 34 kDa cytosolic marker protein of aging which plays an important role in intracellular Ca(2+ homeostasis, ascorbic acid biosynthesis, oxidative stress, and detoxification of chemical warfare nerve agents. In our goal to investigate the activity of SMP30 for the detoxification of nerve agents, we have produced a recombinant adenovirus expressing human SMP30 as a fusion protein with a hemaglutinin tag (Ad-SMP30-HA. Ad-SMP30-HA transduced the expression of SMP30-HA and two additional forms of SMP30 with molecular sizes ∼28 kDa and 24 kDa in HEK-293A and C3A liver cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. Intravenous administration of Ad-SMP30-HA in mice results in the expression of all the three forms of SMP30 in the liver and diaphragm. LC-MS/MS results confirmed that the lower molecular weight 28 kDa and 24 kDa proteins are related to the 34 kDa SMP30. The 28 kDa and 24 kDa SMP30 forms were also detected in normal rat liver and mice injected with Ad-SMP30-HA suggesting that SMP30 does exist in multiple forms under physiological conditions. Time course experiments in both cell lines suggest that the 28 kDa and 24 kDa SMP30 forms are likely generated from the 34 kDa SMP30. Interestingly, the 28 kDa and 24 kDa SMP30 forms appeared initially in the cytosol and shifted to the particulate fraction. Studies using small molecule inhibitors of proteolytic pathways revealed the potential involvement of β and γ-secretases but not calpains, lysosomal proteases, proteasome and caspases. This is the first report describing the existence of multiple forms of SMP30, their preferential distribution to membranes and their generation through proteolysis possibly mediated by secretase enzymes.

  12. Independent clonal origin of multiple uterine leiomyomas that was determined by X chromosome inactivation and microsatellite analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Canevari, Renata A; Pontes, Anaglória; Rosa, Fabíola E

    2005-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: In an attempt to clarify the clonality and genetic relationships that are involved in the tumorigenesis of uterine leiomyomas, we used a total of 43 multiple leiomyomas from 14 patients and analyzed the allelic status with 15 microsatellite markers and X chromosome inactivation analysis...... of the 9 of 12 informative patients; different inactivation patterns were observed in 3 cases. CONCLUSION: Our data support the concept that uterine leiomyomas are derived from a single cell but are generated independently in the uterus. Loss of heterozygosity findings at 7p22-15 are consistent...... with previous data that suggested the relevance of chromosomal aberrations at 7p that were involved in individual uterine leiomyomas....

  13. Identification of quality markers of Yuanhu Zhitong tablets based on integrative pharmacology and data mining.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ke; Li, Junfang; Su, Jin; Xiao, Xuefeng; Peng, Xiujuan; Liu, Feng; Li, Defeng; Zhang, Yi; Chong, Tao; Xu, Haiyu; Liu, Changxiao; Yang, Hongjun

    2018-03-07

    The quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulations is needed to guarantee the safety and efficacy. In our laboratory, we established interaction rules between chemical quality control and biological activity evaluations to study Yuanhu Zhitong tablets (YZTs). Moreover, a quality marker (Q-marker) has recently been proposed as a new concept in the quality control of TCM. However, no appropriate methods are available for the identification of Q-markers from the complex TCM systems. We aimed to use an integrative pharmacological (IP) approach to further identify Q-markers from YZTs through the integration of multidisciplinary knowledge. In addition, data mining was used to determine the correlation between multiple constituents of this TCM and its bioactivity to improve quality control. The IP approach was used to identify the active constituents of YZTs and elucidate the molecular mechanisms by integrating chemical and biosynthetic analyses, drug metabolism, and network pharmacology. Data mining methods including grey relational analysis (GRA) and least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) regression techniques, were used to establish the correlations among the constituents and efficacy, and dose efficacy in multiple dimensions. Seven constituents (tetrahydropalmatine, α-allocryptopine, protopine, corydaline, imperatorin, isoimperatorin, and byakangelicin) were identified as Q-markers of YZT using IP based on their high abundance, specific presence in the individual herbal constituents and the product, appropriate drug-like properties, and critical contribution to the bioactivity of the mixture of YZT constituents. Moreover, three Q-markers (protopine, α-allocryptopine, and corydaline) were highly correlated with the multiple bioactivities of the YZTs, as found using data mining. Finally, three constituents (tetrahydropalmatine, corydaline, and imperatorin) were chosen as minimum combinations that both distinguished the authentic

  14. Direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry and multivariate data analysis: a novel approach to rapid identification of analytical markers for quality control of traditional Chinese medicine preparation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Shanshan; Wang, Lu; Chen, Teng; Wang, Yuefei; Mo, Huanbiao; Qu, Haibin

    2012-07-06

    The paper presents a novel strategy to identify analytical markers of traditional Chinese medicine preparation (TCMP) rapidly via direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS). A commonly used TCMP, Danshen injection, was employed as a model. The optimal analysis conditions were achieved by measuring the contribution of various experimental parameters to the mass spectra. Salvianolic acids and saccharides were simultaneously determined within a single 1-min DART-MS run. Furthermore, spectra of Danshen injections supplied by five manufacturers were processed with principal component analysis (PCA). Obvious clustering was observed in the PCA score plot, and candidate markers were recognized from the contribution plots of PCA. The suitability of potential markers was then confirmed by contrasting with the results of traditional analysis methods. Using this strategy, fructose, glucose, sucrose, protocatechuic aldehyde and salvianolic acid A were rapidly identified as the markers of Danshen injections. The combination of DART-MS with PCA provides a reliable approach to the identification of analytical markers for quality control of TCMP. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. The "butterfly diagram": A gait marker for neurological and cerebellar impairment in people with multiple sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalron, Alon; Frid, Lior

    2015-11-15

    People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) frequently experience walking and balance impairments. In our previous report, we demonstrated that spatio-temporal gait parameters, collected by the Zebris FDM-T instrumented treadmill (Zebris Medical GmbH, Germany), serve as valid markers of neurological impairment in the MS population. In the current study, we focused on a unique outcome statistic of the instrumented treadmill, the "butterfly" diagram which reflects the variability of the center of pressure trajectory during walking. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine the relationship between parameters related to the gait butterfly diagram and the level of neurological impairment in PwMS. Specifically we examined whether the gait butterfly parameters can differentiate between MS patients with normal cerebellar function and those suffering from ataxia. Demographic, neurological and gait parameters were collected from 341 PwMS, 213 women, aged 42.3 (S.D.=13.8). MS participants with ataxia demonstrated higher scores relating to the butterfly gait variability parameters compared to PwMS with normal or slightly abnormal cerebellar function. According to the results of the binary regression analysis, gait variability in the ant-post direction was found to explain 18.1% of the variance related to cerebellar function; R(2)=0.181, χ(2)(1)=67.852, P<0.001. Measurements derived from the butterfly diagram are proper estimators for important neurological functions in PwMS and should be considered in order to improve diagnosis and assessment of the MS population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Gene expression analysis of interferon-beta treatment in multiple sclerosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sellebjerg, F.; Datta, P.; Larsen, J.

    2008-01-01

    by treatment with IFN-beta. We use DNA microarrays to study gene expression in 10 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who began de novo treatment with IFN-beta. After the first injection of IFN-beta, the expression of 74 out of 3428 genes changed at least two-fold and statistically significantly (after Bonferroni......Treatment with interferon-beta (IFN-beta) induces the expression of hundreds of genes in blood mononuclear cells, and the expression of several genes has been proposed as a marker of the effect of treatment with IFN-beta. However, to date no molecules have been identified that are stably induced...

  17. Increasing occurrence of multiple sclerosis in women correlates to hygiene level

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wojciech Cendrowski

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The increasing incidence of multiple sclerosis, particularly among women in Europe and North America, has a multifactorial aetiology. Method: The aim of the current study was to ascertain the relation between the hygiene level and occurrence of multiple sclerosis in women in Poland. The study was based on a large cohort of 14,200 multiple sclerosis individuals (male – 6,106, female – 8,094 who died in the years 1981–2010 in Poland. The female to male ratio (the F:M ratio in the multiple sclerosis group was calculated using the number of deaths per year. The rate of late mortality in infants (LMI per 1,000 live births yearly was used as a marker of the hygiene level. A correlation analysis was carried out between the rate of LMI and the F:M ratio in the multiple sclerosis cohort in the years 1981–2010. Demographic data were obtained from the Central Statistical Office in Warsaw. Results: The F:M ratio in the multiple sclerosis group evidently increased (range 1.08–1.79 in the years 1981–2010, showing increasing occurrence of multiple sclerosis in women (p < 0.0001. A significant, strong and inverse correlation was found between the marker of the hygiene level (LMI rate and the F:M ratio in the multiple sclerosis group over three decades: linear correlation coefficient by Pearson: r = –0.693, p < 0.0001. By contrast with this result, no correlation was established between the hygiene level marker and proportion of women to men in the general population on account of extremely low variance of the F:M ratio (0.000025. Conclusion: The improvement of the hygiene level showed association with the increasing occurrence of multiple sclerosis in women in the years 1981–2010. The higher the hygiene level was, the greater the occurrence of female multiple sclerosis in Poland.

  18. Genomic screening for dissection of a complex disease: The multiple sclerosis phenotype

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haines, J.L.; Bazyk, A.; Gusella, J.F. [Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA (United States)] [and others

    1994-09-01

    Application of positional cloning to diseases with a complex etiology is fraught with problems. These include undefined modes of inheritance, heterogeneity, and epistasis. Although microsatellite markers now make genotyping the genome a straightforward task, no single analytical method is available to efficiently and accurately use these data for a complex disease. We have developed a multi-stage genomic screening strategy which uses a combination of non-parametric approaches (Affected Pedigree Member (APM) linkage analysis and robust sib pair analysis (SP)), and the parametric lod score approach (using four different genetic models). To warrant follow-up, a marker must have two or more of: a nominal P value of 0.05 or less on the non-parametric tests, or a lod score greater than 1.0 for any model. Two adjacent markers each fulfilling one criterion are also considered for follow-up. These criteria were determined both by simulation studies and our empirical experience in screening a large number of other disorders. We applied this approach to multiple sclerosis (MS), a complex neurological disorder with a strong but ill-defined genetic component. Analysis of the first 91 markers from our screen of 55 multiplex families found 5 markers which met the SP criteria, 13 markers which met the APM criteria, and 8 markers which met the lod score criteria. Five regions (on chromosomes 2, 4, 7, 14, and 19) met our overall criteria. However, no single method identified all of these regions, suggesting that each method is sensitive to various (unknown) influences. The chromosome 14 results were not supported by follow-up typing and analysis of markers in that region, but the chromosome 19 results remain well supported. Updated screening results will be presented.

  19. Genetic diversity in cultivated carioca common beans based on molecular marker analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliana Morini Küpper Cardoso Perseguini

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available A wide array of molecular markers has been used to investigate the genetic diversity among common bean species. However, the best combination of markers for studying such diversity among common bean cultivars has yet to be determined. Few reports have examined the genetic diversity of the carioca bean, commercially one of the most important common beans in Brazil. In this study, we examined the usefulness of two molecular marker systems (simple sequence repeats - SSRs and amplified fragment length polymorphisms - AFLPs for assessing the genetic diversity of carioca beans. The amount of information provided by Roger's modified genetic distance was used to analyze SSR data and Jaccards similarity coefficient was used for AFLP data. Seventy SSRs were polymorphic and 20 AFLP primer combinations produced 635 polymorphic bands. Molecular analysis showed that carioca genotypes were quite diverse. AFLPs revealed greater genetic differentiation and variation within the carioca genotypes (Gst = 98% and Fst = 0.83, respectively than SSRs and provided better resolution for clustering the carioca genotypes. SSRs and AFLPs were both suitable for assessing the genetic diversity of Brazilian carioca genotypes since the number of markers used in each system provided a low coefficient of variation. However, fingerprint profiles were generated faster with AFLPs, making them a better choice for assessing genetic diversity in the carioca germplasm.

  20. Meta-analysis methods for combining multiple expression profiles: comparisons, statistical characterization and an application guideline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Lun-Ching; Lin, Hui-Min; Sibille, Etienne; Tseng, George C

    2013-12-21

    As high-throughput genomic technologies become accurate and affordable, an increasing number of data sets have been accumulated in the public domain and genomic information integration and meta-analysis have become routine in biomedical research. In this paper, we focus on microarray meta-analysis, where multiple microarray studies with relevant biological hypotheses are combined in order to improve candidate marker detection. Many methods have been developed and applied in the literature, but their performance and properties have only been minimally investigated. There is currently no clear conclusion or guideline as to the proper choice of a meta-analysis method given an application; the decision essentially requires both statistical and biological considerations. We performed 12 microarray meta-analysis methods for combining multiple simulated expression profiles, and such methods can be categorized for different hypothesis setting purposes: (1) HS(A): DE genes with non-zero effect sizes in all studies, (2) HS(B): DE genes with non-zero effect sizes in one or more studies and (3) HS(r): DE gene with non-zero effect in "majority" of studies. We then performed a comprehensive comparative analysis through six large-scale real applications using four quantitative statistical evaluation criteria: detection capability, biological association, stability and robustness. We elucidated hypothesis settings behind the methods and further apply multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) and an entropy measure to characterize the meta-analysis methods and data structure, respectively. The aggregated results from the simulation study categorized the 12 methods into three hypothesis settings (HS(A), HS(B), and HS(r)). Evaluation in real data and results from MDS and entropy analyses provided an insightful and practical guideline to the choice of the most suitable method in a given application. All source files for simulation and real data are available on the author's publication website.

  1. Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers and analysis of genetic variability in Curculigo latifolia Dryand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babaei, Nahid; Abdullah, Nur Ashikin Psyquay; Saleh, Ghizan; Abdullah, Thohirah Lee

    2012-11-01

    Curculin, a sweet protein found in Curculigo latifolia fruit has great potential for the pharmaceutical industry. This protein interestingly has been found to have both sweet taste and taste-modifying capacities comparable with other natural sweeteners. According to our knowledge this is the first reported case on the isolation of microsatellite loci in this genus. Hence, the current development of microsatellite markers for C. latifolia will facilitate future population genetic studies and breeding programs for this valuable plant. In this study 11 microsatellite markers were developed using 3' and 5' ISSR markers. The primers were tested on 27 accessions from all states of Peninsular Malaysia. The number of alleles per locus ranged from three to seven, with allele size ranging from 141 to 306 bp. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged between 0.00-0.65 and 0.38-0.79, respectively. The polymorphic information content ranged from 0.35 to 0.74 and the Shannon's information index ranged from 0.82 to 1.57. These developed polymorphic microsatellites were used for constructing a dendrogram by unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean cluster analysis using the Dice's similarity coefficient. Accessions association according to their geographical origin was observed. Based on characteristics of isolated microsatellites for C. latifolia accessions all genotype can be distinguished using these 11 microsatellite markers. These polymorphic markers could also be applied to studies on uniformity determination and somaclonal variation of tissue culture plantlets, varieties identification, genetic diversity, analysis of phylogenetic relationship, genetic linkage maps and quantitative trait loci in C. latifolia.

  2. Genome-wide generation and use of informative intron-spanning and intron-length polymorphism markers for high-throughput genetic analysis in rice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badoni, Saurabh; Das, Sweta; Sayal, Yogesh K.; Gopalakrishnan, S.; Singh, Ashok K.; Rao, Atmakuri R.; Agarwal, Pinky; Parida, Swarup K.; Tyagi, Akhilesh K.

    2016-01-01

    We developed genome-wide 84634 ISM (intron-spanning marker) and 16510 InDel-fragment length polymorphism-based ILP (intron-length polymorphism) markers from genes physically mapped on 12 rice chromosomes. These genic markers revealed much higher amplification-efficiency (80%) and polymorphic-potential (66%) among rice accessions even by a cost-effective agarose gel-based assay. A wider level of functional molecular diversity (17–79%) and well-defined precise admixed genetic structure was assayed by 3052 genome-wide markers in a structured population of indica, japonica, aromatic and wild rice. Six major grain weight QTLs (11.9–21.6% phenotypic variation explained) were mapped on five rice chromosomes of a high-density (inter-marker distance: 0.98 cM) genetic linkage map (IR 64 x Sonasal) anchored with 2785 known/candidate gene-derived ISM and ILP markers. The designing of multiple ISM and ILP markers (2 to 4 markers/gene) in an individual gene will broaden the user-preference to select suitable primer combination for efficient assaying of functional allelic variation/diversity and realistic estimation of differential gene expression profiles among rice accessions. The genomic information generated in our study is made publicly accessible through a user-friendly web-resource, “Oryza ISM-ILP marker” database. The known/candidate gene-derived ISM and ILP markers can be enormously deployed to identify functionally relevant trait-associated molecular tags by optimal-resource expenses, leading towards genomics-assisted crop improvement in rice. PMID:27032371

  3. Identification of genetic markers linked to anthracnose resistance in sorghum using association analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Upadhyaya, Hari D; Wang, Yi-Hong; Sharma, Rajan; Sharma, Shivali

    2013-06-01

    Anthracnose in sorghum caused by Colletotrichum sublineolum is one of the most destructive diseases affecting sorghum production under warm and humid conditions. Markers and genes linked to resistance to the disease are important for plant breeding. Using 14,739 SNP markers, we have mapped eight loci linked to resistance in sorghum through association analysis of a sorghum mini-core collection consisting of 242 diverse accessions evaluated for anthracnose resistance for 2 years in the field. The mini-core was representative of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics' world-wide sorghum landrace collection. Eight marker loci were associated with anthracnose resistance in both years. Except locus 8, disease resistance-related genes were found in all loci based on their physical distance from linked SNP markers. These include two NB-ARC class of R genes on chromosome 10 that were partially homologous to the rice blast resistance gene Pib, two hypersensitive response-related genes: autophagy-related protein 3 on chromosome 1 and 4 harpin-induced 1 (Hin1) homologs on chromosome 8, a RAV transcription factor that is also part of R gene pathway, an oxysterol-binding protein that functions in the non-specific host resistance, and homologs of menthone:neomenthol reductase (MNR) that catalyzes a menthone reduction to produce the antimicrobial neomenthol. These genes and markers may be developed into molecular tools for genetic improvement of anthracnose resistance in sorghum.

  4. Endoscopy/EUS-guided fiducial marker placement in patients with esophageal cancer: a comparative analysis of 3 types of markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machiels, Melanie; van Hooft, Jeanin; Jin, Peng; van Berge Henegouwen, Mark I; van Laarhoven, Hanneke M; Alderliesten, Tanja; Hulshof, Maarten C

    2015-10-01

    Markers placed at the borders of esophageal tumors are potentially useful to facilitate radiotherapy (RT) target delineation, which offers the possibility of image-guided RT. To evaluate and compare the feasibility and technical benefit of endoscopy/EUS-guided marker placement of 3 different types of markers in patients with esophageal cancer referred for RT. Prospective, single-center, feasibility and comparative study. Tertiary-care medical center. Thirty patients with esophageal cancer who were referred for RT. Patients underwent endoscopy/EUS-guided implantation of 1 type of marker. A solid gold marker (SM) with fixed dimensions, a flexible coil-shaped gold marker (FM) with hand-cut length (2-10 mm), and a radiopaque hydrogel marker (HG) were used. Technical feasibility and adverse events were registered. CT scans and cone-beam CT scans (CBCT) acquired during RT were analyzed to determine and compare the visibility and continuous clear visibility of the implanted markers. Technical feasibility, technical benefit, and adverse events of 3 types of markers. A total of 101 markers were placed in 30 patients. Implantation was technically feasible in all patients without grade 3 to 4 adverse events. Two patients with asymptomatic mediastinitis and one with asymptomatic pneumothorax were seen. Visibility on CT scan of all 3 types of implanted markers was adequate for target delineation. Eighty percent of FMs remained continuously visible over the treatment period on CBCT, significantly better than SMs (63%) and HGs (11%) (P = .015). When we selected FMs ≥5 mm, 90.5% remained visible on CBCT between implantation and the end of RT. Single-center, nonrandomized design. Endoscopy/EUS-guided fiducial marker placement for esophageal cancer is both safe and feasible and can be used for target volume delineation purposes on CT. Our results imply a significant advantage of FMs over SMs and HGs, regarding visibility and continuous clear visibility over the treatment period

  5. Characterizing the marker-dye correction for Gafchromic(®) EBT2 film: a comparison of three analysis methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCaw, Travis J; Micka, John A; Dewerd, Larry A

    2011-10-01

    Gafchromic(®) EBT2 film has a yellow marker dye incorporated into the active layer of the film that can be used to correct the film response for small variations in thickness. This work characterizes the effect of the marker-dye correction on the uniformity and uncertainty of dose measurements with EBT2 film. The effect of variations in time postexposure on the uniformity of EBT2 is also investigated. EBT2 films were used to measure the flatness of a (60)Co field to provide a high-spatial resolution evaluation of the film uniformity. As a reference, the flatness of the (60)Co field was also measured with Kodak EDR2 films. The EBT2 films were digitized with a flatbed document scanner 24, 48, and 72 h postexposure, and the images were analyzed using three methods: (1) the manufacturer-recommended marker-dye correction, (2) an in-house marker-dye correction, and (3) a net optical density (OD) measurement in the red color channel. The field flatness was calculated from orthogonal profiles through the center of the field using each analysis method, and the results were compared with the EDR2 measurements. Uncertainty was propagated through a dose calculation for each analysis method. The change in the measured field flatness for increasing times postexposure was also determined. Both marker-dye correction methods improved the field flatness measured with EBT2 film relative to the net OD method, with a maximum improvement of 1% using the manufacturer-recommended correction. However, the manufacturer-recommended correction also resulted in a dose uncertainty an order of magnitude greater than the other two methods. The in-house marker-dye correction lowered the dose uncertainty relative to the net OD method. The measured field flatness did not exhibit any unidirectional change with increasing time postexposure and showed a maximum change of 0.3%. The marker dye in EBT2 can be used to improve the response uniformity of the film. Depending on the film analysis method used

  6. Development of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy monitoring of fuel markers to prevent fraud

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkinson, Timothy; Clarkson, John; White, Peter C.; Meakin, Nicholas; McDonald, Ken

    2013-05-01

    Governments often tax fuel products to generate revenues to support and stimulate their economies. They also subsidize the cost of essential fuel products. Fuel taxation and subsidization practices are both subject to fraud. Oil marketing companies also suffer from fuel fraud with loss of legitimate sales and additional quality and liability issues. The use of an advanced marking system to identify and control fraud has been shown to be effective in controlling illegal activity. DeCipher has developed surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy as its lead technology for measuring markers in fuel to identify and control malpractice. SERS has many advantages that make it highly suitable for this purpose. The SERS instruments are portable and can be used to monitor fuel at any point in the supply chain. SERS shows high specificity for the marker, with no false positives. Multiple markers can also be detected in a single SERS analysis allowing, for example, specific regional monitoring of fuel. The SERS analysis from fuel is also quick, clear and decisive, with a measurement time of less than 5 minutes. We will present results highlighting our development of the use of a highly stable silver colloid as a SERS substrate to measure the markers at ppb levels. Preliminary results from the use of a solid state SERS substrate to measure fuel markers will also be presented.

  7. Genetic diversity analysis among male and female Jojoba genotypes employing gene targeted molecular markers, start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism and CAAT box-derived polymorphism (CBDP) markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heikrujam, Monika; Kumar, Jatin; Agrawal, Veena

    2015-09-01

    To detect genetic variations among different Simmondsia chinensis genotypes, two gene targeted markers, start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism and CAAT box-derived polymorphism (CBDP) were employed in terms of their informativeness and efficiency in analyzing genetic relationships among different genotypes. A total of 15 SCoT and 17 CBDP primers detected genetic polymorphism among 39 Jojoba genotypes (22 females and 17 males). Comparatively, CBDP markers proved to be more effective than SCoT markers in terms of percentage polymorphism as the former detecting an average of 53.4% and the latter as 49.4%. The Polymorphic information content (PIC) value and marker index (MI) of CBPD were 0.43 and 1.10, respectively which were higher than those of SCoT where the respective values of PIC and MI were 0.38 and 1.09. While comparing male and female genotype populations, the former showed higher variation in respect of polymorphic percentage and PIC, MI and Rp values over female populations. Nei's diversity (h) and Shannon index (I) were calculated for each genotype and found that the genotype "MS F" (in both markers) was highly diverse and genotypes "Q104 F" (SCoT) and "82-18 F" (CBDP) were least diverse among the female genotype populations. Among male genotypes, "32 M" (CBDP) and "MS M" (SCoT) revealed highest h and I values while "58-5 M" (both markers) was the least diverse. Jaccard's similarity co-efficient of SCoT markers ranged from 0.733 to 0.922 in female genotypes and 0.941 to 0.746 in male genotype population. Likewise, CBDP data analysis also revealed similarity ranging from 0.751 to 0.958 within female genotypes and 0.754 to 0.976 within male genotype populations thereby, indicating genetically diverse Jojoba population. Employing the NTSYS (Numerical taxonomy and multivariate analysis system) Version 2.1 software, both the markers generated dendrograms which revealed that all the Jojoba genotypes were clustered into two major groups, one group consisting of

  8. Contribution to the study of markers in lungs carcinogenesis and analysis of factors predicting the benefit of chemotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Olaussen, K.A.

    2006-06-01

    A better definition of early bio markers in lung carcinogenesis should enhance the development of molecular means to perform screening, diagnostic, and chemo-prevention of patients at high risk of lung cancer. We studied epigenetic deregulation of multiple promoters (p16(INK4a), HOX A9, MAGE A 1 et MAGE B2) in sputum samples from smokers at high risk and from patients with non-small cell lung cancer (N.S.C.L.C.). This molecular test, based on easily accessible sample,s can be modulated according to the aims of the investigator (e.g. screening or confirmation of diagnosis). Secondly, we have studied two candidate proteins as predictive markers of the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with resected lung cancer. The multivariate analysis shows that tumor expression of the catalytic sub-unit of telomerase is not able to predict survival in patients included in the lAL T study' of adjuvant chemotherapy. However, tumor expression of the DNA repair protein ERCC1 identifies a sub-group of patients (ERCC1 negative) whose chances of survival are increased by 35% by means of cisplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy. Further, tumor ERCC1 expression has a positive prognostic value in the non-treated control group. The need for a deeper understanding in cancerology of the physiological role of the ERCC1 endonuclease is discussed in this thesis. (author)

  9. Stability of Markers Used for Real-Time Tumor Tracking After Percutaneous Intrapulmonary Placement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Voort van Zyp, Noelle C. van der; Hoogeman, Mischa S.; Water, Steven van de; Levendag, Peter C.; Holt, Bronno van der; Heijmen, Ben J.M.; Nuyttens, Joost J.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: To determine the stability of markers used for real-time tumor tracking after percutaneous intrapulmonary placement. Methods and Materials: A total of 42 patients with 44 lesions, 111 markers, and ≥2 repeat computed tomography (CT) scans were studied. The tumor on the repeat CT scans was registered with the tumor on the planning CT scan. Next, the three-dimensional marker coordinates were determined on the planning CT scan and repeat CT scans. Marker stability was analyzed by the displacement of the markers and the displacement of the center of mass (COM) of the marker configurations. In addition, we assessed the reliability of using the intermarker distance as a check for displacements in the COM of the marker configurations. Results: The median marker displacement was 1.3 mm (range, 0.1-53.6). The marker displacement was >5 mm in 12% of the markers and >10 mm in 5% of the markers. The causes of marker displacement >5 mm included marker migration (2 of 13) and target volume changes (5 of 13). Nonsynchronous tumor and marker movement during breathing might have been responsible for the displacements >5 mm in the other 6 of 13 markers. The median displacement in the COM of the marker configurations was 1.0 mm (range, 0.1-23.3). Displacements in the COM of the marker configurations of ≥2.0 mm were detected by changes in the intermarker distance of >1.5 mm in 96% of the treatment fractions. Conclusion: The median marker displacement was small (1.3 mm). Nevertheless, displacements >5 mm occurred in 12% of the markers. Therefore, we recommend the implantation of multiple markers because multiple markers will enable a quick and reliable check of marker displacement by determining the change in the intermarker distance. A displacement in the COM of the marker configuration of ≥2.0 mm was almost always detected (96%) by a change in the distance between the markers of >1.5 mm. This enabled the displaced marker to be disabled, such that tumor localization was

  10. Development and characterization of highly polymorphic long TC repeat microsatellite markers for genetic analysis of peanut

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Macedo Selma E

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L. is a crop of economic and social importance, mainly in tropical areas, and developing countries. Its molecular breeding has been hindered by a shortage of polymorphic genetic markers due to a very narrow genetic base. Microsatellites (SSRs are markers of choice in peanut because they are co-dominant, highly transferrable between species and easily applicable in the allotetraploid genome. In spite of substantial effort over the last few years by a number of research groups, the number of SSRs that are polymorphic for A. hypogaea is still limiting for routine application, creating the demand for the discovery of more markers polymorphic within cultivated germplasm. Findings A plasmid genomic library enriched for TC/AG repeats was constructed and 1401 clones sequenced. From the sequences obtained 146 primer pairs flanking mostly TC microsatellites were developed. The average number of repeat motifs amplified was 23. These 146 markers were characterized on 22 genotypes of cultivated peanut. In total 78 of the markers were polymorphic within cultivated germplasm. Most of those 78 markers were highly informative with an average of 5.4 alleles per locus being amplified. Average gene diversity index (GD was 0.6, and 66 markers showed a GD of more than 0.5. Genetic relationship analysis was performed and corroborated the current taxonomical classification of A. hypogaea subspecies and varieties. Conclusions The microsatellite markers described here are a useful resource for genetics and genomics in Arachis. In particular, the 66 markers that are highly polymorphic in cultivated peanut are a significant step towards routine genetic mapping and marker-assisted selection for the crop.

  11. Teaching practice and experiences of verifying the three laws of genetics based on the SSLP marker analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Xue-Ying; Fan, Kai; Ye, Yan-Fang; Wang, Bin; Wu, Wei-Ren; Lan, Tao

    2017-09-20

    We explored the practical effect of the genetic analysis of simple sequence length polymorphism (SSLP) molecular markers in rice in the genetics lab course. Two parents and their F 2 population were analyzed and detected with three SSLP molecular markers that located on two chromosomes of the rice genome. The markers' genotype data were used to verify the three laws of genetics, including segregation, independent assortment and linkage and crossing-over. Our practice has proved not only beneficial to deepen students' understandings about the three laws of genetics, but also conducive to cultivate students' interests in research and innovation and improve their skills and comprehensive analysis abilities. At the same time, the application scope of the experiment was discussed. This comprehensive experiment is also useful for the transformation of scientific research achievements into undergraduate experimental teaching.

  12. Statistical strategies to reveal potential vibrational markers for in vivo analysis by confocal Raman spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira Mendes, Thiago de; Pinto, Liliane Pereira; Santos, Laurita dos; Tippavajhala, Vamshi Krishna; Téllez Soto, Claudio Alberto; Martin, Airton Abrahão

    2016-07-01

    The analysis of biological systems by spectroscopic techniques involves the evaluation of hundreds to thousands of variables. Hence, different statistical approaches are used to elucidate regions that discriminate classes of samples and to propose new vibrational markers for explaining various phenomena like disease monitoring, mechanisms of action of drugs, food, and so on. However, the technical statistics are not always widely discussed in applied sciences. In this context, this work presents a detailed discussion including the various steps necessary for proper statistical analysis. It includes univariate parametric and nonparametric tests, as well as multivariate unsupervised and supervised approaches. The main objective of this study is to promote proper understanding of the application of various statistical tools in these spectroscopic methods used for the analysis of biological samples. The discussion of these methods is performed on a set of in vivo confocal Raman spectra of human skin analysis that aims to identify skin aging markers. In the Appendix, a complete routine of data analysis is executed in a free software that can be used by the scientific community involved in these studies.

  13. Using genetic markers to orient the edges in quantitative trait networks: the NEO software.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aten, Jason E; Fuller, Tova F; Lusis, Aldons J; Horvath, Steve

    2008-04-15

    Systems genetic studies have been used to identify genetic loci that affect transcript abundances and clinical traits such as body weight. The pairwise correlations between gene expression traits and/or clinical traits can be used to define undirected trait networks. Several authors have argued that genetic markers (e.g expression quantitative trait loci, eQTLs) can serve as causal anchors for orienting the edges of a trait network. The availability of hundreds of thousands of genetic markers poses new challenges: how to relate (anchor) traits to multiple genetic markers, how to score the genetic evidence in favor of an edge orientation, and how to weigh the information from multiple markers. We develop and implement Network Edge Orienting (NEO) methods and software that address the challenges of inferring unconfounded and directed gene networks from microarray-derived gene expression data by integrating mRNA levels with genetic marker data and Structural Equation Model (SEM) comparisons. The NEO software implements several manual and automatic methods for incorporating genetic information to anchor traits. The networks are oriented by considering each edge separately, thus reducing error propagation. To summarize the genetic evidence in favor of a given edge orientation, we propose Local SEM-based Edge Orienting (LEO) scores that compare the fit of several competing causal graphs. SEM fitting indices allow the user to assess local and overall model fit. The NEO software allows the user to carry out a robustness analysis with regard to genetic marker selection. We demonstrate the utility of NEO by recovering known causal relationships in the sterol homeostasis pathway using liver gene expression data from an F2 mouse cross. Further, we use NEO to study the relationship between a disease gene and a biologically important gene co-expression module in liver tissue. The NEO software can be used to orient the edges of gene co-expression networks or quantitative trait

  14. Ultrasonography as an ancillary method for the positioning of markers in equine motion analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luanna Ferreira Fasanelo Gomes

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Kinematic motion analysis is based on the reconstruction of selected bony anatomical landmarks identified by surface markers. Anatomical landmarks generally do not correspond to points but rather to relatively large and curved areas and their identification by palpation is not easy. Precise placement of surface markers is even more difficult and there is great variability between operators. In this study 16 examiners were asked to identify the lateral border of the left ischial tuberosity in a horse using palpation and ultrasonography for placement of a corresponding skin surface marker. Images of each marking procedure were captured using two video cameras and processed using the DVideow videogrammetry. A custom-written Matlab code was used to determine the position of the respective vectors. The positions of the markers were then compared to assess inter-examiner variability and the precision of the methods employed using the Bartletttest and the paired t-test respectively. Ultrasonography significantly improved the location of the anatomical landmark by each examiner (p = 0.04 and reduced the variability in the position of the surface marker when compared to palpation (p = 0.0028. The variability of the calculated distances (mean ± SD was 2.89 ± 2.24 cm and 1.63 ± 0.98 cm using palpation and ultrasonography respectively. Ultrasound guidance reduced inter-examiner variability and allowed visualization of the corresponding bony anatomical landmark.

  15. Prognostic molecular markers in early breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esteva, Francisco J; Hortobagyi, Gabriel N

    2004-01-01

    A multitude of molecules involved in breast cancer biology have been studied as potential prognostic markers. In the present review we discuss the role of established molecular markers, as well as potential applications of emerging new technologies. Those molecules used routinely to make treatment decisions in patients with early-stage breast cancer include markers of proliferation (e.g. Ki-67), hormone receptors, and the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Tumor markers shown to have prognostic value but not used routinely include cyclin D 1 and cyclin E, urokinase-like plasminogen activator/plasminogen activator inhibitor, and cathepsin D. The level of evidence for other molecular markers is lower, in part because most studies were retrospective and not adequately powered, making their findings unsuitable for choosing treatments for individual patients. Gene microarrays have been successfuly used to classify breast cancers into subtypes with specific gene expression profiles and to evaluate prognosis. RT-PCR has also been used to evaluate expression of multiple genes in archival tissue. Proteomics technologies are in development

  16. Development and mapping of DArT markers within the Festuca - Lolium complex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kopecký, David; Bartoš, Jan; Lukaszewski, Adam J; Baird, James H; Černoch, Vladimír; Kölliker, Roland; Rognli, Odd Arne; Blois, Helene; Caig, Vanessa; Lübberstedt, Thomas; Studer, Bruno; Shaw, Paul; Doležel, Jaroslav; Kilian, Andrzej

    2009-01-01

    Background Grasses are among the most important and widely cultivated plants on Earth. They provide high quality fodder for livestock, are used for turf and amenity purposes, and play a fundamental role in environment protection. Among cultivated grasses, species within the Festuca-Lolium complex predominate, especially in temperate regions. To facilitate high-throughput genome profiling and genetic mapping within the complex, we have developed a Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) array for five grass species: F. pratensis, F. arundinacea, F. glaucescens, L. perenne and L. multiflorum. Results The DArTFest array contains 7680 probes derived from methyl-filtered genomic representations. In a first marker discovery experiment performed on 40 genotypes from each species (with the exception of F. glaucescens for which only 7 genotypes were used), we identified 3884 polymorphic markers. The number of DArT markers identified in every single genotype varied from 821 to 1852. To test the usefulness of DArTFest array for physical mapping, DArT markers were assigned to each of the seven chromosomes of F. pratensis using single chromosome substitution lines while recombinants of F. pratensis chromosome 3 were used to allocate the markers to seven chromosome bins. Conclusion The resources developed in this project will facilitate the development of genetic maps in Festuca and Lolium, the analysis on genetic diversity, and the monitoring of the genomic constitution of the Festuca × Lolium hybrids. They will also enable marker-assisted selection for multiple traits or for specific genome regions. PMID:19832973

  17. Seismic analysis of piping systems subjected to multiple support excitations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sundararajan, C.; Vaish, A.K.; Slagis, G.C.

    1981-01-01

    The paper presents the results of a comparative study between the multiple response spectrum method and the time-history method for the seismic analysis of nuclear piping systems subjected to different excitation at different supports or support groups. First, the necessary equations for the above analysis procedures are derived. Then, three actual nuclear piping systems subjected to single and multiple excitations are analyzed by the different methods, and extensive comparisons of the results (stresses) are made. Based on the results, it is concluded that the multiple response spectrum analysis gives acceptable results as compared to the ''exact'', but much more costly, time-history analysis. 6 refs

  18. Relationship between obesity and biochemical markers in Brazilian adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandre Romero

    2014-03-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of biochemical markers and associate with obesity in Brazilian adolescents enrolled in public schools in a rural area. The sample consisted of 199 adolescents between 10 to 14 years old from Piracicaba, Brazil. The obesity was measured by body mass index (BMI and according to the World Health Organization curves. We collected blood for biochemical markers analysis (total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, triacylglycerol, insulin and glycemia. Mann Whitney test was used to compare continuous variables between sexes. Chi-square test was used to compare proportions. To investigate the association between the independent variables and biochemical markers a multiple logistic regression model was performed. Among 199 adolescents, 23.1% was obese and 65.8% were insufficiently active. A high prevalence of dyslipidemia (71.4% was observed, whereas the low levels of high density lipoprotein (40.7% were the most prevalent. An association between obesity and undesirable values for high density lipoprotein, triacylglycerol and insulin resistance was found. Obese adolescents were less likely to present a desirable value for high density lipoprotein. It is understood that obesity is detrimental to metabolic profile and should be prevented and treated even in adolescence.

  19. Integrative Analysis of High-throughput Cancer Studies with Contrasted Penalization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Xingjie; Liu, Jin; Huang, Jian; Zhou, Yong; Shia, BenChang; Ma, Shuangge

    2015-01-01

    In cancer studies with high-throughput genetic and genomic measurements, integrative analysis provides a way to effectively pool and analyze heterogeneous raw data from multiple independent studies and outperforms “classic” meta-analysis and single-dataset analysis. When marker selection is of interest, the genetic basis of multiple datasets can be described using the homogeneity model or the heterogeneity model. In this study, we consider marker selection under the heterogeneity model, which includes the homogeneity model as a special case and can be more flexible. Penalization methods have been developed in the literature for marker selection. This study advances from the published ones by introducing the contrast penalties, which can accommodate the within- and across-dataset structures of covariates/regression coefficients and, by doing so, further improve marker selection performance. Specifically, we develop a penalization method that accommodates the across-dataset structures by smoothing over regression coefficients. An effective iterative algorithm, which calls an inner coordinate descent iteration, is developed. Simulation shows that the proposed method outperforms the benchmark with more accurate marker identification. The analysis of breast cancer and lung cancer prognosis studies with gene expression measurements shows that the proposed method identifies genes different from those using the benchmark and has better prediction performance. PMID:24395534

  20. Association of SSR markers with contents of fatty acids in olive oil and genetic diversity analysis of an olive core collection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ipek, M; Ipek, A; Seker, M; Gul, M K

    2015-03-27

    The purpose of this research was to characterize an olive core collection using some agronomic characters and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and to determine SSR markers associated with the content of fatty acids in olive oil. SSR marker analysis demonstrated the presence of a high amount of genetic variation between the olive cultivars analyzed. A UPGMA dendrogram demonstrated that olive cultivars did not cluster on the basis of their geographic origin. Fatty acid components of olive oil in these cultivars were determined. The results also showed that there was a great amount of variation between the olive cultivars in terms of fatty acid composition. For example, oleic acid content ranged from 57.76 to 76.9% with standard deviation of 5.10%. Significant correlations between fatty acids of olive oil were observed. For instance, a very high negative correlation (-0.812) between oleic and linoleic acids was detected. A structured association analysis between the content of fatty acids in olive oil and SSR markers was performed. STRUCTURE analysis assigned olive cultivars to two gene pools (K = 2). Assignment of olive cultivars to these gene pools was not based on geographical origin. Association between fatty acid traits and SSR markers was evaluated using the general linear model of TASSEL. Significant associations were determined between five SSR markers and stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids of olive oil. Very high associations (P < 0.001) between ssrOeUA-DCA14 and stearic acid and between GAPU71B and oleic acid indicated that these markers could be used for marker-assisted selection in olive.

  1. MCM - 2 and Ki - 67 as proliferation markers in renal cell carcinoma: A quantitative and semi - quantitative analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehdi, Muhammad Zain; Nagi, Abdul Hanan; Naseem, Nadia

    2016-01-01

    Fuhrman nuclear grade is the most important histological parameter to predict prognosis in a patient of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, it suffers from inter-observer and intra-observer variation giving rise to need of a parameter that not only correlates with nuclear grade but is also objective and reproducible. Proliferation is the measure of aggressiveness of a tumour and it is strongly correlated with Fuhrman nuclear grade, clinical survival and recurrence in RCC. Ki-67 is conventionally used to assess proliferation. Mini-chromosome maintenance 2 (MCM-2) is a lesser known marker of proliferation and identifies a greater proliferation faction. This study was designed to assess the prognostic significance of MCM-2 by comparing it with Fuhrman nuclear grade and Ki-67. n=50 cases of various ages, stages, histological subtypes and grades of RCC were selected for this study. Immunohistochemical staining using Ki-67(MIB-1, Mouse monoclonal antibody, Dako) and MCM-2 (Mouse monoclonal antibody, Thermo) was performed on the paraffin embedded blocks in the department of Morbid anatomy and Histopathology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore. Labeling indices (LI) were determined by two pathologists independently using quantitative and semi-quantitative analysis. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 20.0. Kruskall-Wallis test was used to determine a correlation of proliferation markers with grade, and Pearson's correlate was used to determine correlation between the two proliferation markers. Labeling index of MCM-2 (median=24.29%) was found to be much higher than Ki-67(median=13.05%). Both markers were significantly related with grade (p=0.00; Kruskall-Wallis test). LI of MCM-2 was found to correlate significantly with LI of Ki-67(r=0.0934;p=0.01 with Pearson's correlate). Results of semi-quantitative analysis correlated well with quantitative analysis. Both Ki-67 and MCM-2 are markers of proliferation which are closely linked to grade. Therefore, they

  2. Single strand conformation polymorphism based SNP and Indel markers for genetic mapping and synteny analysis of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gómez Marcela

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Expressed sequence tags (ESTs are an important source of gene-based markers such as those based on insertion-deletions (Indels or single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs. Several gel based methods have been reported for the detection of sequence variants, however they have not been widely exploited in common bean, an important legume crop of the developing world. The objectives of this project were to develop and map EST based markers using analysis of single strand conformation polymorphisms (SSCPs, to create a transcript map for common bean and to compare synteny of the common bean map with sequenced chromosomes of other legumes. Results A set of 418 EST based amplicons were evaluated for parental polymorphisms using the SSCP technique and 26% of these presented a clear conformational or size polymorphism between Andean and Mesoamerican genotypes. The amplicon based markers were then used for genetic mapping with segregation analysis performed in the DOR364 × G19833 recombinant inbred line (RIL population. A total of 118 new marker loci were placed into an integrated molecular map for common bean consisting of 288 markers. Of these, 218 were used for synteny analysis and 186 presented homology with segments of the soybean genome with an e-value lower than 7 × 10-12. The synteny analysis with soybean showed a mosaic pattern of syntenic blocks with most segments of any one common bean linkage group associated with two soybean chromosomes. The analysis with Medicago truncatula and Lotus japonicus presented fewer syntenic regions consistent with the more distant phylogenetic relationship between the galegoid and phaseoloid legumes. Conclusion The SSCP technique is a useful and inexpensive alternative to other SNP or Indel detection techniques for saturating the common bean genetic map with functional markers that may be useful in marker assisted selection. In addition, the genetic markers based on ESTs allowed the construction

  3. Single strand conformation polymorphism based SNP and Indel markers for genetic mapping and synteny analysis of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galeano, Carlos H; Fernández, Andrea C; Gómez, Marcela; Blair, Matthew W

    2009-12-23

    Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) are an important source of gene-based markers such as those based on insertion-deletions (Indels) or single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Several gel based methods have been reported for the detection of sequence variants, however they have not been widely exploited in common bean, an important legume crop of the developing world. The objectives of this project were to develop and map EST based markers using analysis of single strand conformation polymorphisms (SSCPs), to create a transcript map for common bean and to compare synteny of the common bean map with sequenced chromosomes of other legumes. A set of 418 EST based amplicons were evaluated for parental polymorphisms using the SSCP technique and 26% of these presented a clear conformational or size polymorphism between Andean and Mesoamerican genotypes. The amplicon based markers were then used for genetic mapping with segregation analysis performed in the DOR364 x G19833 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. A total of 118 new marker loci were placed into an integrated molecular map for common bean consisting of 288 markers. Of these, 218 were used for synteny analysis and 186 presented homology with segments of the soybean genome with an e-value lower than 7 x 10-12. The synteny analysis with soybean showed a mosaic pattern of syntenic blocks with most segments of any one common bean linkage group associated with two soybean chromosomes. The analysis with Medicago truncatula and Lotus japonicus presented fewer syntenic regions consistent with the more distant phylogenetic relationship between the galegoid and phaseoloid legumes. The SSCP technique is a useful and inexpensive alternative to other SNP or Indel detection techniques for saturating the common bean genetic map with functional markers that may be useful in marker assisted selection. In addition, the genetic markers based on ESTs allowed the construction of a transcript map and given their high conservation

  4. Failure analysis of multiple delaminated composite plates due

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The present work aims at the first ply failure analysis of laminated composite plates with arbitrarily located multiple delaminations subjected to transverse static load as well as impact. The theoretical formulation is based on a simple multiple delamination model. Conventional first order shear deformation is assumed using ...

  5. An efficient marker-free vector for clean gene transfer into plants ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A marker-free vector, pBINMF, for clean gene transfer was constructed based on the binary vector pBINPLUS. Vector pBINMF, carrying only a multiple cloning site (MCS) between the left and the right T-DNA border, was suitable to directly generate marker-free transgenic plants (MFTPs) without any vector sequences ...

  6. A novel Multiple-Marker Method for the Early Diagnosis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jutta Ries

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Melanoma associated antigens-A (MAGE-A expression is highly specific to cancer cells. Thus, they can be the most suitable targets for the diagnosis of malignancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of multiple MAGE-A expression analysis for the diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC.

  7. Validation of tumor protein marker quantification by two independent automated immunofluorescence image analysis platforms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peck, Amy R; Girondo, Melanie A; Liu, Chengbao; Kovatich, Albert J; Hooke, Jeffrey A; Shriver, Craig D; Hu, Hai; Mitchell, Edith P; Freydin, Boris; Hyslop, Terry; Chervoneva, Inna; Rui, Hallgeir

    2016-01-01

    Protein marker levels in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections traditionally have been assayed by chromogenic immunohistochemistry and evaluated visually by pathologists. Pathologist scoring of chromogen staining intensity is subjective and generates low-resolution ordinal or nominal data rather than continuous data. Emerging digital pathology platforms now allow quantification of chromogen or fluorescence signals by computer-assisted image analysis, providing continuous immunohistochemistry values. Fluorescence immunohistochemistry offers greater dynamic signal range than chromogen immunohistochemistry, and combined with image analysis holds the promise of enhanced sensitivity and analytic resolution, and consequently more robust quantification. However, commercial fluorescence scanners and image analysis software differ in features and capabilities, and claims of objective quantitative immunohistochemistry are difficult to validate as pathologist scoring is subjective and there is no accepted gold standard. Here we provide the first side-by-side validation of two technologically distinct commercial fluorescence immunohistochemistry analysis platforms. We document highly consistent results by (1) concordance analysis of fluorescence immunohistochemistry values and (2) agreement in outcome predictions both for objective, data-driven cutpoint dichotomization with Kaplan–Meier analyses or employment of continuous marker values to compute receiver-operating curves. The two platforms examined rely on distinct fluorescence immunohistochemistry imaging hardware, microscopy vs line scanning, and functionally distinct image analysis software. Fluorescence immunohistochemistry values for nuclear-localized and tyrosine-phosphorylated Stat5a/b computed by each platform on a cohort of 323 breast cancer cases revealed high concordance after linear calibration, a finding confirmed on an independent 382 case cohort, with concordance correlation coefficients >0

  8. Is total lymphocyte count related to nutritional markers in hospitalized older adults?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vânia Aparecida LEANDRO-MERHI

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Older patients are commonly malnourished during hospital stay, and a high prevalence of malnutrition is found in hospitalized patients aged more than 65 years. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether total lymphocyte count is related to other nutritional markers in hospitalized older adults. METHODS Hospitalized older adults (N=131 were recruited for a cross-sectional study. Their nutritional status was assessed by the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS, anthropometry, and total lymphocyte count. The statistical analyses included the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Mann-Whitney test. Spearman's linear correlation coefficient determined whether total lymphocyte count was correlated with the nutritional markers. Multiple linear regression determined the parameters associated with lymphocyte count. The significance level was set at 5%. RESULTS According to the NRS, 41.2% of the patients were at nutritional risk, and 36% had mild or moderate depletion according to total lymphocyte count. Total lymphocyte count was weakly correlated with mid-upper arm circumference (r=0.20507; triceps skinfold thickness (r=0.29036, and length of hospital stay (r= -0.21518. Total lymphocyte count in different NRS categories differed significantly: older adults who were not at nutritional risk had higher mean and median total lymphocyte count ( P =0.0245. Multiple regression analysis showed that higher lymphocyte counts were associated with higher triceps skinfold thicknesses and no nutritional risk according to the NRS. CONCLUSION Total lymphocyte count was correlated with mid-upper arm circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, and nutritional risk according to the NRS. In multiple regression the combined factors that remained associated with lymphocyte count were NRS and triceps skinfold thickness. Therefore, total lymphocyte count may be considered a nutritional marker. Other studies should confirm these findings.

  9. Validation of candidate gene markers for marker-assisted selection of potato cultivars with improved tuber quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Li; Tacke, Eckhard; Hofferbert, Hans-Reinhardt; Lübeck, Jens; Strahwald, Josef; Draffehn, Astrid M; Walkemeier, Birgit; Gebhardt, Christiane

    2013-04-01

    Tuber yield, starch content, starch yield and chip color are complex traits that are important for industrial uses and food processing of potato. Chip color depends on the quantity of reducing sugars glucose and fructose in the tubers, which are generated by starch degradation. Reducing sugars accumulate when tubers are stored at low temperatures. Early and efficient selection of cultivars with superior yield, starch yield and chip color is hampered by the fact that reliable phenotypic selection requires multiple year and location trials. Application of DNA-based markers early in the breeding cycle, which are diagnostic for superior alleles of genes that control natural variation of tuber quality, will reduce the number of clones to be evaluated in field trials. Association mapping using genes functional in carbohydrate metabolism as markers has discovered alleles of invertases and starch phosphorylases that are associated with tuber quality traits. Here, we report on new DNA variants at loci encoding ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and the invertase Pain-1, which are associated with positive or negative effect with chip color, tuber starch content and starch yield. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) and marker validation were performed in tetraploid breeding populations, using various combinations of 11 allele-specific markers associated with tuber quality traits. To facilitate MAS, user-friendly PCR assays were developed for specific candidate gene alleles. In a multi-parental population of advanced breeding clones, genotypes were selected for having different combinations of five positive and the corresponding negative marker alleles. Genotypes combining five positive marker alleles performed on average better than genotypes with four negative alleles and one positive allele. When tested individually, seven of eight markers showed an effect on at least one quality trait. The direction of effect was as expected. Combinations of two to three marker alleles were

  10. Non-invasive markers of bone turnover and plasma cytokines differ in osteoporotic patients with multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diamond, T.; Levy, S.; Smith, A.; Day, P.; Manoharan, A.

    2001-01-01

    Multiple myeloma (MM) is a common malignancy manifest by bone marrow infiltration with malignant plasma cells, the production of a paraprotein and lytic bone lesions. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is assumed to be the precursor of clinically apparent myeloma, with one or more additional genetic events being required for progression to MM. Elderly patients presenting with osteoporosis and skeletal fractures are not infrequently found to have elevated serum paraprotein concentrations suggestive of either MM or MGUS. Differentiating between these two clinical disorders may prove challenging, despite bone marrow biopsy evidence of plasmacytosis. The underlying pathogenesis of bone loss in these conditions is complex and may be attributed to cytokine-induced osteoclastogenesis coupled with increased osteoclastic bone resorption. In the present study, various markers of bone turnover and plasma cytokines were measured in order to determine whether they may be of value in differentiating between these two disorders. It is concluded that the urinary deoxypyridinoline excretion rate is a sensitive marker of bone resorption and of underlying bone disease activity. It may also help to differentiate between MM and MGUS

  11. Frailty Markers and Treatment Decisions in Patients Seen in Oncogeriatric Clinics: Results from the ASRO Pilot Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farcet, Anaïs; de Decker, Laure; Pauly, Vanessa; Rousseau, Frédérique; Bergman, Howard; Molines, Catherine; Retornaz, Frédérique

    2016-01-01

    Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is the gold standard to help oncologists select the best cancer treatment for their older patients. Some authors have suggested that the concept of frailty could be a more useful approach in this population. We investigated whether frailty markers are associated with treatment recommendations in an oncogeriatric clinic. This prospective study included 70 years and older patients with solid tumors and referred for an oncogeriatric assessment. The CGA included nine domains: autonomy, comorbidities, medication, cognition, nutrition, mood, neurosensory deficits, falls, and social status. Five frailty markers were assessed (nutrition, physical activity, energy, mobility, and strength). Patients were categorized as Frail (three or more frailty markers), pre-frail (one or two frailty markers), or not-frail (no frailty marker). Treatment recommendations were classified into two categories: standard treatment with and without any changes and supportive/palliative care. Multiple logistic regression models were used to analyze factors associated with treatment recommendations. 217 patients, mean age 83 years (± Standard deviation (SD) 5.3), were included. In the univariate analysis, number of frailty markers, grip strength, physical activity, mobility, nutrition, energy, autonomy, depression, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Scale of Performance Status (ECOG-PS), and falls were significantly associated with final treatment recommendations. In the multivariate analysis, the number of frailty markers and basic Activities of Daily Living (ADL) were significantly associated with final treatment recommendations (pmarkers are associated with final treatment recommendations in older cancer patients. Longitudinal studies are warranted to better determine their use in a geriatric oncology setting.

  12. Multiplicative calculus in biomedical image analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Florack, L.M.J.; Assen, van H.C.

    2011-01-01

    We advocate the use of an alternative calculus in biomedical image analysis, known as multiplicative (a.k.a. non-Newtonian) calculus. It provides a natural framework in problems in which positive images or positive definite matrix fields and positivity preserving operators are of interest. Indeed,

  13. Unraveling the efficiency of RAPD and SSR markers in diversity analysis and population structure estimation in common bean.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zargar, Sajad Majeed; Farhat, Sufia; Mahajan, Reetika; Bhakhri, Ayushi; Sharma, Arjun

    2016-01-01

    Increase in food production viz-a-viz quality of food is important to feed the growing human population to attain food as well as nutritional security. The availability of diverse germplasm of any crop is an important genetic resource to mine the genes that may assist in attaining food as well as nutritional security. Here we used 15 RAPD and 23 SSR markers to elucidate diversity among 51 common bean genotypes mostly landraces collected from the Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir, India. We observed that both the markers are highly polymorphic. The discriminatory power of these markers was determined using various parameters like; percent polymorphism, PIC, resolving power and marker index. 15 RAPDs produced 171 polymorphic bands, while 23 SSRs produced 268 polymorphic bands. SSRs showed a higher PIC value (0.300) compared to RAPDs (0.243). Further the resolving power of SSRs was 5.241 compared to 3.86 for RAPDs. However, RAPDs showed a higher marker index (2.69) compared to SSRs (1.279) that may be attributed to their higher multiplex ratio. The dendrograms generated with hierarchical UPGMA cluster analysis grouped genotypes into two main clusters with various degrees of sub clustering within the cluster. Here we observed that both the marker systems showed comparable accuracy in grouping genotypes of common bean according to their area of cultivation. The model based STRUCTURE analysis using 15 RAPD and 23 SSR markers identified a population with 3 sub-populations which corresponds to distance based groupings. High level of genetic diversity was observed within the population. These findings have further implications in common bean breeding as well as conservation programs.

  14. Analysis of genetic diversity of Tunisian pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) using sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guenni, K; Aouadi, M; Chatti, K; Salhi-Hannachi, A

    2016-10-17

    Sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers preferentially amplify open reading frames and were used to study the genetic diversity of Tunisian pistachio. In the present study, 43 Pistacia vera accessions were screened using seven SRAP primer pairs. A total of 78 markers was revealed (95.12%) with an average polymorphic information content of 0.850. The results suggest that there is strong genetic differentiation, which characterizes the local resources (G ST = 0.307). High gene flow (N m = 1.127) among groups was explained by the exchange of plant material among regions. Analysis of molecular variance revealed significant differences within groups and showed that 73.88% of the total genetic diversity occurred within groups, whereas the remaining 26.12% occurred among groups. Bayesian clustering and principal component analysis identified three pools, El Guettar, Pollenizers, and the rest of the pistachios belonging to the Gabès, Kasserine, and Sfax localities. Bayesian analysis revealed that El Guettar and male genotypes were assigned with more than 80% probability. The BayeScan method proposed that locus 59 (F13-R9) could be used in the development of sex-linked SCAR markers from SRAP since it is a commonly detected locus in comparisons involving the Pollenizers group. This is the first application of SRAP markers for the assessment of genetic diversity in Tunisian germplasm of P. vera. Such information will be useful to define conservation strategies and improvement programs for this species.

  15. GMATA: An Integrated Software Package for Genome-Scale SSR Mining, Marker Development and Viewing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xuewen; Wang, Le

    2016-01-01

    Simple sequence repeats (SSRs), also referred to as microsatellites, are highly variable tandem DNAs that are widely used as genetic markers. The increasing availability of whole-genome and transcript sequences provides information resources for SSR marker development. However, efficient software is required to efficiently identify and display SSR information along with other gene features at a genome scale. We developed novel software package Genome-wide Microsatellite Analyzing Tool Package (GMATA) integrating SSR mining, statistical analysis and plotting, marker design, polymorphism screening and marker transferability, and enabled simultaneously display SSR markers with other genome features. GMATA applies novel strategies for SSR analysis and primer design in large genomes, which allows GMATA to perform faster calculation and provides more accurate results than existing tools. Our package is also capable of processing DNA sequences of any size on a standard computer. GMATA is user friendly, only requires mouse clicks or types inputs on the command line, and is executable in multiple computing platforms. We demonstrated the application of GMATA in plants genomes and reveal a novel distribution pattern of SSRs in 15 grass genomes. The most abundant motifs are dimer GA/TC, the A/T monomer and the GCG/CGC trimer, rather than the rich G/C content in DNA sequence. We also revealed that SSR count is a linear to the chromosome length in fully assembled grass genomes. GMATA represents a powerful application tool that facilitates genomic sequence analyses. GAMTA is freely available at http://sourceforge.net/projects/gmata/?source=navbar.

  16. QTL list - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available List Contact us PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods ...Policy | Contact Us QTL list - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive ...

  17. Raps markers for genetic diversity analysis in rice (Oryza sativa L)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alvarez, A; Fuentes, Jorge L [Centro de Estudios Aplicados al Desarrollo Nuclear, La Habana (Cuba); Deus, Juan E [Instituto de Investigaciones del Arroz, Habana (Cuba); Duque, Maria C [Centro Internacional de la Agricultura Tropical. Proyecto de Arroz , Cali (Colombia)

    1999-07-01

    The establishment of relationships between genotypes existing in gene banks that may be used in new crosses, and about genetic diversity in available germplasm, is very useful for plant breeders. In this work, a genetic diversity analysis among 20 varieties of the Cuban rice germplasm bank was performed by using RAPD markers. Twenty four decamer primers were screened which produced 61 polymorphic bands out of 105 consistent and reproducible amplified fragments (58.1 %). The proportion of polymorphic bands varied for each primer, with an average of 3 polymorphic bands per primer, these results agreed with previous reports on RAPD polymorphism in rice germplasm. Depending on the primer, 1 to 7 distinct patterns were obtained among the screened genotypes. Pair-wise genetic distances between genotypes were computed based on Dice's coefficient. Three major, statistically robust groups were obtained in the UPGMA dendrogram (A, B and C) which clearly corresponded to different genetic pools. Additionally, more insight could be gained according to the sub-grouping pattern within group A, which included the principal semi-dwarf commercial varieties. The present study allowed to prove the efficiency of RAPD markers for genetic diversity analysis in closely related germplasm, particularly for the semi-dwarf Cuban commercial rice cultivars. Also, the existence of a narrow genetic base among these varieties has been confirmed, pointing at the urgent necessity of widen it.

  18. Raps markers for genetic diversity analysis in rice (Oryza sativa L)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alvarez, A.; Fuentes, Jorge L.; Deus, Juan E.; Duque, Maria C.

    1999-01-01

    The establishment of relationships between genotypes existing in gene banks that may be used in new crosses, and about genetic diversity in available germplasm, is very useful for plant breeders. In this work, a genetic diversity analysis among 20 varieties of the Cuban rice germplasm bank was performed by using RAPD markers. Twenty four decamer primers were screened which produced 61 polymorphic bands out of 105 consistent and reproducible amplified fragments (58.1 %). The proportion of polymorphic bands varied for each primer, with an average of 3 polymorphic bands per primer, these results agreed with previous reports on RAPD polymorphism in rice germplasm. Depending on the primer, 1 to 7 distinct patterns were obtained among the screened genotypes. Pair-wise genetic distances between genotypes were computed based on Dice's coefficient. Three major, statistically robust groups were obtained in the UPGMA dendrogram (A, B and C) which clearly corresponded to different genetic pools. Additionally, more insight could be gained according to the sub-grouping pattern within group A, which included the principal semi-dwarf commercial varieties. The present study allowed to prove the efficiency of RAPD markers for genetic diversity analysis in closely related germplasm, particularly for the semi-dwarf Cuban commercial rice cultivars. Also, the existence of a narrow genetic base among these varieties has been confirmed, pointing at the urgent necessity of widen it

  19. Approaches to Data Analysis of Multiple-Choice Questions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Lin; Beichner, Robert

    2009-01-01

    This paper introduces five commonly used approaches to analyzing multiple-choice test data. They are classical test theory, factor analysis, cluster analysis, item response theory, and model analysis. Brief descriptions of the goals and algorithms of these approaches are provided, together with examples illustrating their applications in physics…

  20. Membrane-based oligonucleotide array developed from multiple markers for the detection of many Phytophthora species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wen; Djama, Zeinab Robleh; Coffey, Michael D; Martin, Frank N; Bilodeau, Guillaume J; Radmer, Lorien; Denton, Geoff; Lévesque, C André

    2013-01-01

    Most Phytophthora spp. are destructive plant pathogens; therefore, effective monitoring and accurate early detection are important means of preventing potential epidemics and outbreaks of diseases. In the current study, a membrane-based oligonucleotide array was developed that can detect Phytophthora spp. reliably using three DNA regions; namely, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the 5' end of cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene (cox1), and the intergenic region between cytochrome c oxidase 2 gene (cox2) and cox1 (cox2-1 spacer). Each sequence data set contained ≈250 sequences representing 98 described and 15 undescribed species of Phytophthora. The array was validated with 143 pure cultures and 35 field samples. Together, nonrejected oligonucleotides from all three markers have the ability to reliably detect 82 described and 8 undescribed Phytophthora spp., including several quarantine or regulated pathogens such as Phytophthora ramorum. Our results showed that a DNA array containing signature oligonucleotides designed from multiple genomic regions provided robustness and redundancy for the detection and differentiation of closely related taxon groups. This array has the potential to be used as a routine diagnostic tool for Phytophthora spp. from complex environmental samples without the need for extensive growth of cultures.

  1. Phylogenetic and Diversity Analysis of Dactylis glomerata Subspecies Using SSR and IT-ISJ Markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Defei; Zhao, Xinxin; Cheng, Yajuan; Ma, Xiao; Huang, Linkai; Zhang, Xinquan

    2016-10-31

    The genus Dactylis , an important forage crop, has a wide geographical distribution in temperate regions. While this genus is thought to include a single species, Dactylis glomerata , this species encompasses many subspecies whose relationships have not been fully characterized. In this study, the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of nine representative Dactylis subspecies were examined using SSR and IT-ISJ markers. In total, 21 pairs of SSR primers and 15 pairs of IT-ISJ primers were used to amplify 295 polymorphic bands with polymorphic rates of 100%. The average polymorphic information contents (PICs) of SSR and IT-ISJ markers were 0.909 and 0.780, respectively. The combined data of the two markers indicated a high level of genetic diversity among the nine D. glomerata subspecies, with a Nei's gene diversity index value of 0.283 and Shannon's diversity of 0.448. Preliminarily phylogenetic analysis results revealed that the 20 accessions could be divided into three groups (A, B, C). Furthermore, they could be divided into five clusters, which is similar to the structure analysis with K = 5. Phylogenetic placement in these three groups may be related to the distribution ranges and the climate types of the subspecies in each group. Group A contained eight accessions of four subspecies, originating from the west Mediterranean, while Group B contained seven accessions of three subspecies, originating from the east Mediterranean.

  2. Structural characterization and discrimination of Chinese medicinal materials with multiple botanical origins based on metabolite profiling and chemometrics analysis: Clematidis Radix et Rhizoma as a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Lin-Xiu; Li, Rui; Liu, Ke; Yang, Jie; Li, Hui-Jun; Li, Song-Lin; Liu, Jian-Qun; Liu, Li-Fang; Xin, Gui-Zhong

    2015-12-18

    Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs)-based products are becoming more and more popular over the world. To ensure the safety and efficacy, authentication of Chinese medicinal materials has been an important issue, especially for that with multiple botanical origins (one-to-multiple). Taking Clematidis Radix et Rhizoma (CRR) as a case study, we herein developed an integrated platform based on metabolite profiling and chemometrics analysis to characterize, classify, and predict the "one-to-multiple" herbs. Firstly, the predominant constituents, triterpenoid saponins, in three Clematis CRR were rapid characterized by a novel UPLC-QTOF/MS-based strategy, and a total of 49 triterpenoid saponins were identified. Secondly, metabolite profiling was performed by UPLC-QTOF/MS, and 4623 variables were extracted and aligned as dataset. Thirdly, by using pattern recognition analysis, a clear separation of the three Clematis CRR was achieved as well as a total number of 28 variables were screened as the valuable variables for discrimination. By matching with identified saponins, these 28 variables were corresponding to 10 saponins which were identified as marker compounds. Fourthly, based on the relative intensity of the marker compounds-related variables, genetic algorithm optimized support vector machines (GA-SVM) was employed to predict the species of CRR samples. The obtained model showed excellent prediction performance with a prediction accuracy of 100%. Finally, a heatmap visualization was employed for clarifying the distribution of identified saponins, which could be useful for phytochemotaxonomy study of Clematis herbs. These results indicated that our proposed platform was a powerful tool for chemical profiling and discrimination of herbs with multiple botanical origins, providing promising perspectives in tracking the formulation processes of TCMs products. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Development and mapping of DArT markers within the Festuca - Lolium complex

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Studer Bruno

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Grasses are among the most important and widely cultivated plants on Earth. They provide high quality fodder for livestock, are used for turf and amenity purposes, and play a fundamental role in environment protection. Among cultivated grasses, species within the Festuca-Lolium complex predominate, especially in temperate regions. To facilitate high-throughput genome profiling and genetic mapping within the complex, we have developed a Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT array for five grass species: F. pratensis, F. arundinacea, F. glaucescens, L. perenne and L. multiflorum. Results The DArTFest array contains 7680 probes derived from methyl-filtered genomic representations. In a first marker discovery experiment performed on 40 genotypes from each species (with the exception of F. glaucescens for which only 7 genotypes were used, we identified 3884 polymorphic markers. The number of DArT markers identified in every single genotype varied from 821 to 1852. To test the usefulness of DArTFest array for physical mapping, DArT markers were assigned to each of the seven chromosomes of F. pratensis using single chromosome substitution lines while recombinants of F. pratensis chromosome 3 were used to allocate the markers to seven chromosome bins. Conclusion The resources developed in this project will facilitate the development of genetic maps in Festuca and Lolium, the analysis on genetic diversity, and the monitoring of the genomic constitution of the Festuca × Lolium hybrids. They will also enable marker-assisted selection for multiple traits or for specific genome regions.

  4. RAWS II: A MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS PROGRAM,

    Science.gov (United States)

    This memorandum gives instructions for the use and operation of a revised version of RAWS, a multiple regression analysis program. The program...of preprocessed data, the directed retention of variable, listing of the matrix of the normal equations and its inverse, and the bypassing of the regression analysis to provide the input variable statistics only. (Author)

  5. Analysis of gene expression profiles of soft tissue sarcoma using a combination of knowledge-based filtering with integration of multiple statistics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Takahashi

    Full Text Available The diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue sarcomas (STS have been difficult. Of the diverse histological subtypes, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS is particularly difficult to diagnose accurately, and its classification per se is still controversial. Recent advances in genomic technologies provide an excellent way to address such problems. However, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to identify definitive disease-associated genes using genome-wide analysis alone, primarily because of multiple testing problems. In the present study, we analyzed microarray data from 88 STS patients using a combination method that used knowledge-based filtering and a simulation based on the integration of multiple statistics to reduce multiple testing problems. We identified 25 genes, including hypoxia-related genes (e.g., MIF, SCD1, P4HA1, ENO1, and STAT1 and cell cycle- and DNA repair-related genes (e.g., TACC3, PRDX1, PRKDC, and H2AFY. These genes showed significant differential expression among histological subtypes, including UPS, and showed associations with overall survival. STAT1 showed a strong association with overall survival in UPS patients (logrank p = 1.84 × 10(-6 and adjusted p value 2.99 × 10(-3 after the permutation test. According to the literature, the 25 genes selected are useful not only as markers of differential diagnosis but also as prognostic/predictive markers and/or therapeutic targets for STS. Our combination method can identify genes that are potential prognostic/predictive factors and/or therapeutic targets in STS and possibly in other cancers. These disease-associated genes deserve further preclinical and clinical validation.

  6. Update History of This Database - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available List Contact us PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods ...B link & Genome analysis methods English archive site is opened. 2012/08/08 PGDBj... Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods is opened. About This...ate History of This Database - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive ...

  7. Integrative Analysis of Prognosis Data on Multiple Cancer Subtypes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jin; Huang, Jian; Zhang, Yawei; Lan, Qing; Rothman, Nathaniel; Zheng, Tongzhang; Ma, Shuangge

    2014-01-01

    Summary In cancer research, profiling studies have been extensively conducted, searching for genes/SNPs associated with prognosis. Cancer is diverse. Examining the similarity and difference in the genetic basis of multiple subtypes of the same cancer can lead to a better understanding of their connections and distinctions. Classic meta-analysis methods analyze each subtype separately and then compare analysis results across subtypes. Integrative analysis methods, in contrast, analyze the raw data on multiple subtypes simultaneously and can outperform meta-analysis methods. In this study, prognosis data on multiple subtypes of the same cancer are analyzed. An AFT (accelerated failure time) model is adopted to describe survival. The genetic basis of multiple subtypes is described using the heterogeneity model, which allows a gene/SNP to be associated with prognosis of some subtypes but not others. A compound penalization method is developed to identify genes that contain important SNPs associated with prognosis. The proposed method has an intuitive formulation and is realized using an iterative algorithm. Asymptotic properties are rigorously established. Simulation shows that the proposed method has satisfactory performance and outperforms a penalization-based meta-analysis method and a regularized thresholding method. An NHL (non-Hodgkin lymphoma) prognosis study with SNP measurements is analyzed. Genes associated with the three major subtypes, namely DLBCL, FL, and CLL/SLL, are identified. The proposed method identifies genes that are different from alternatives and have important implications and satisfactory prediction performance. PMID:24766212

  8. Complete 1H NMR spectral analysis of ten chemical markers of Ginkgo biloba

    OpenAIRE

    Napolitano, José G.; Lankin, David C.; Chen, Shao-Nong; Pauli, Guido F.

    2012-01-01

    The complete and unambiguous 1H NMR assignments of ten marker constituents of Ginkgo biloba are described. The comprehensive 1H NMR profiles (fingerprints) of ginkgolide A, ginkgolide B, ginkgolide C, ginkgolide J, bilobalide, quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, isoquercetin, and rutin in DMSO-d6 were obtained through the examination of 1D 1H NMR and 2D 1H,1H-COSY data, in combination with 1H iterative Full Spin Analysis (HiFSA). The computational analysis of discrete spin systems allowed a ...

  9. Genetic analysis of basmati and non-basmati Pakistani rice (oryza sativa l.) cultivars using microsatellite markers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rabbani, M.A.; Masood, M.A.; Shinwari, Z.K.

    2010-01-01

    Information of genetic variability and relatedness among rice genotypes is essential for future breeding programmes and derivation of superior cultivars. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the genetic relationship among traditional and improved cultivars of Pakistani rice and to determine differences in the patterns of variation between two indica rice groups: basmati and nonbasmati. Forty-one cultivars were evaluated by means of 30 microsatellite markers distributed over the whole rice genome. A total of 104 alleles were detected by 30 markers, all of them (100%) were polymorphic. The number of alleles generated by each marker ranged from 2 to 6 with an average of 3.5 alleles marker-1. Polymorphism information content (PIC) varied from 0.259 to 0.782 with an average of 0.571. A significant positive correlation (r = 0.71) was found between the number of alleles at SSR locus and the PIC values. Pair-wise Nei and Li's similarity coefficients ranged from 0.10 to 0.99. A dendrogram based on cluster analysis by microsatellite polymorphism grouped 41 rice cultivars into 2 major groups effectively differentiating the late maturing, tall and slender-grain basmati and other aromatic rice cultivars from the early, short statured, short bold and long bold grain non-aromatic cultivars. Higher level of genetic diversity between basmati and non-basmati support the concept that former had a long history of independent evolution and diverged from nonbasmati rice a long time ago through human selection and patronage. Present investigation further indicated that genetically basmati rice is different from that of coarse indica and japonica type. The results suggested that microsatellite markers could efficiently be utilized for diversity analysis, and differentiation of basmati and non-basmati rice cultivars. In addition, marker-based identification of traditional basmati rice may help in maintaining the integrity of this high quality product to the benefit of both

  10. Translating epithelial mesenchymal transition markers into the clinic: Novel insights from proteomics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vergara Daniele

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The growing understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT may represent a potential source of clinical markers. Despite EMT drivers have not yet emerged as candidate markers in the clinical setting, their association with established clinical markers may improve their specificity and sensitivity. Mass spectrometry-based platforms allow analyzing multiple samples for the expression of EMT candidate markers, and may help to diagnose diseases or monitor treatment efficiently. This review highlights proteomic approaches applied to elucidate the differences between epithelial and mesenchymal tumors and describes how these can be used for target discovery and validation.

  11. [Studies of marker screening efficiency and corresponding influencing factors in QTL composite interval mapping].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Yong-Ming; Wan, Ping

    2002-06-01

    Screening markers efficiently is the foundation of mapping QTLs by composite interval mapping. Main and interaction markers distinguished, besides using background control for genetic variation, could also be used to construct intervals of two-way searching for mapping QTLs with epistasis, which can save a lot of calculation time. Therefore, the efficiency of marker screening would affect power and precision of QTL mapping. A doubled haploid population with 200 individuals and 5 chromosomes was constructed, with 50 markers evenly distributed at 10 cM space. Among a total of 6 QTLs, one was placed on chromosome I, two linked on chromosome II, and the other three linked on chromosome IV. QTL setting included additive effects and epistatic effects of additive x additive, the corresponding QTL interaction effects were set if data were collected under multiple environments. The heritability was assumed to be 0.5 if no special declaration. The power of marker screening by stepwise regression, forward regression, and three methods for random effect prediction, e.g. best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP), linear unbiased prediction (LUP) and adjusted unbiased prediction (AUP), was studied and compared through 100 Monte Carlo simulations. The results indicated that the marker screening power by stepwise regression at 0.1, 0.05 and 0.01 significant level changed from 2% to 68%, the power changed from 2% to 72% by forward regression. The larger the QTL effects, the higher the marker screening power. While the power of marker screening by three random effect prediction was very low, the maximum was only 13%. That suggested that regression methods were much better than those by using the approaches of random effect prediction to identify efficient markers flanking QTLs, and forward selection method was more simple and efficient. The results of simulation study on heritability showed that heightening of both general heritability and interaction heritability of genotype x

  12. Association Analysis of SSR Markers with Phenology, Grain, and Stover-Yield Related Traits in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L. R. Br.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baskaran Kannan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Pearl millet is a staple food crop for millions of people living in the arid and semi-arid tropics. Molecular markers have been used to identify genomic regions linked to traits of interest by conventional QTL mapping and association analysis. Phenotypic recurrent selection is known to increase frequencies of favorable alleles and decrease those unfavorable for the traits under selection. This study was undertaken (i to quantify the response to recurrent selection for phenotypic traits during breeding of the pearl millet open-pollinated cultivar “CO (Cu 9” and its four immediate progenitor populations and (ii to assess the ability of simple sequence repeat (SSR marker alleles to identify genomic regions linked to grain and stover yield-related traits in these populations by association analysis. A total of 159 SSR alleles were detected across 34 selected single-copy SSR loci. SSR marker data revealed presence of subpopulations. Association analysis identified genomic regions associated with flowering time located on linkage group (LG 6 and plant height on LG4, LG6, and LG7. Marker alleles on LG6 were associated with stover yield, and those on LG7 were associated with grain yield. Findings of this study would give an opportunity to develop marker-assisted recurrent selection (MARS or marker-assisted population improvement (MAPI strategies to increase the rate of gain for pearl millet populations undergoing recurrent selection.

  13. Genotyping of Bacillus anthracis strains based on automated capillary 25-loci Multiple Locus Variable-Number Tandem Repeats Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ciervo Alessandra

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The genome of Bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax, is highly monomorphic which makes differentiation between strains difficult. A Multiple Locus Variable-number tandem repeats (VNTR Analysis (MLVA assay based on 20 markers was previously described. It has considerable discrimination power, reproducibility, and low cost, especially since the markers proposed can be typed by agarose-gel electrophoresis. However in an emergency situation, faster genotyping and access to representative databases is necessary. Results Genotyping of B. anthracis reference strains and isolates from France and Italy was done using a 25 loci MLVA assay combining 21 previously described loci and 4 new ones. DNA was amplified in 4 multiplex PCR reactions and the length of the resulting 25 amplicons was estimated by automated capillary electrophoresis. The results were reproducible and the data were consistent with other gel based methods once differences in mobility patterns were taken into account. Some alleles previously unresolved by agarose gel electrophoresis could be resolved by capillary electrophoresis, thus further increasing the assay resolution. One particular locus, Bams30, is the result of a recombination between a 27 bp tandem repeat and a 9 bp tandem repeat. The analysis of the array illustrates the evolution process of tandem repeats. Conclusion In a crisis situation of suspected bioterrorism, standardization, speed and accuracy, together with the availability of reference typing data are important issues, as illustrated by the 2001 anthrax letters event. In this report we describe an upgrade of the previously published MLVA method for genotyping of B. anthracis and apply the method to the typing of French and Italian B. anthracis strain collections. The increased number of markers studied compared to reports using only 8 loci greatly improves the discrimination power of the technique. An Italian strain belonging to the

  14. Single-tube tetradecaplex panel of highly polymorphic microsatellite markers hemophilia A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, M; Chen, M; Tan, A S C; Cheah, F S H; Mathew, J; Wong, P C; Chong, S S

    2017-07-01

    Essentials Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) of severe hemophilia A relies on linkage analysis. Simultaneous multi-marker screening can simplify selection of informative markers in a couple. We developed a single-tube tetradecaplex panel of polymorphic markers for hemophilia A PGD use. Informative markers can be used for linkage analysis alone or combined with mutation detection. Background It is currently not possible to perform single-cell preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to directly detect the common inversion mutations of the factor VIII (F8) gene responsible for severe hemophilia A (HEMA). As such, PGD for such inversion carriers relies on indirect analysis of linked polymorphic markers. Objectives To simplify linkage-based PGD of HEMA, we aimed to develop a panel of highly polymorphic microsatellite markers located near the F8 gene that could be simultaneously genotyped in a multiplex-PCR reaction. Methods We assessed the polymorphism of various microsatellite markers located ≤ 1 Mb from F8 in 177 female subjects. Highly polymorphic markers were selected for co-amplification with the AMELX/Y indel dimorphism in a single-tube reaction. Results Thirteen microsatellite markers located within 0.6 Mb of F8 were successfully co-amplified with AMELX/Y in a single-tube reaction. Observed heterozygosities of component markers ranged from 0.43 to 0.84, and ∼70-80% of individuals were heterozygous for ≥ 5 markers. The tetradecaplex panel successfully identified fully informative markers in a couple interested in PGD for HEMA because of an intragenic F8 point mutation, with haplotype phasing established through a carrier daughter. In-vitro fertilization (IVF)-PGD involved single-tube co-amplification of fully informative markers with AMELX/Y and the mutation-containing F8 amplicon, followed by microsatellite analysis and amplicon mutation-site minisequencing analysis. Conclusions The single-tube multiplex-PCR format of this highly polymorphic

  15. Identification and validation of multiple cell surface markers of clinical-grade adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells as novel release criteria for good manufacturing practice-compliant production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camilleri, Emily T; Gustafson, Michael P; Dudakovic, Amel; Riester, Scott M; Garces, Catalina Galeano; Paradise, Christopher R; Takai, Hideki; Karperien, Marcel; Cool, Simon; Sampen, Hee-Jeong Im; Larson, A Noelle; Qu, Wenchun; Smith, Jay; Dietz, Allan B; van Wijnen, Andre J

    2016-08-11

    Clinical translation of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) necessitates basic characterization of the cell product since variability in biological source and processing of MSCs may impact therapeutic outcomes. Although expression of classical cell surface markers (e.g., CD90, CD73, CD105, and CD44) is used to define MSCs, identification of functionally relevant cell surface markers would provide more robust release criteria and options for quality control. In addition, cell surface expression may distinguish between MSCs from different sources, including bone marrow-derived MSCs and clinical-grade adipose-derived MSCs (AMSCs) grown in human platelet lysate (hPL). In this work we utilized quantitative PCR, flow cytometry, and RNA-sequencing to characterize AMSCs grown in hPL and validated non-classical markers in 15 clinical-grade donors. We characterized the surface marker transcriptome of AMSCs, validated the expression of classical markers, and identified nine non-classical markers (i.e., CD36, CD163, CD271, CD200, CD273, CD274, CD146, CD248, and CD140B) that may potentially discriminate AMSCs from other cell types. More importantly, these markers exhibit variability in cell surface expression among different cell isolates from a diverse cohort of donors, including freshly prepared, previously frozen, or proliferative state AMSCs and may be informative when manufacturing cells. Our study establishes that clinical-grade AMSCs expanded in hPL represent a homogeneous cell culture population according to classical markers,. Additionally, we validated new biomarkers for further AMSC characterization that may provide novel information guiding the development of new release criteria. Use of Autologous Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate in Painful Knee Osteoarthritis (BMAC): Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01931007 . Registered August 26, 2013. MSC for Occlusive Disease of the Kidney: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01840540 . Registered April 23, 2013. Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Multiple

  16. Molecular markers: Implications for cytopathology and specimen collection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    VanderLaan, Paul A

    2015-08-01

    Cytologic specimens obtained through minimally invasive biopsy techniques are increasingly being used as principle diagnostic specimens for tumors arising in multiple sites. The number and scope of ancillary tests performed on these specimens have grown substantially over the past decade, including many molecular markers that not only can aid in formulating accurate and specific diagnoses but also can provide prognostic or therapeutic information to help direct clinical decisions. Thus, the cytopathologist needs to ensure that adequate material is collected and appropriately processed for the study of relevant molecular markers, many of which are specific to tumor site. This brief review covers considerations for effective cytologic specimen collection and processing to ensure diagnostic and testing success. In addition, a general overview is provided of molecular markers pertinent to tumors from a variety of sites. The recognition of these established and emerging molecular markers by cytopathologists is an important step toward realizing the promise of personalized medicine. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

  17. Phylogeography and postglacial recolonization of Europe by Rhinolophus hipposideros: evidence from multiple genetic markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dool, Serena E; Puechmaille, Sébastien J; Dietz, Christian; Juste, Javier; Ibáñez, Carlos; Hulva, Pavel; Roué, Stéphane G; Petit, Eric J; Jones, Gareth; Russo, Danilo; Toffoli, Roberto; Viglino, Andrea; Martinoli, Adriano; Rossiter, Stephen J; Teeling, Emma C

    2013-08-01

    The demographic history of Rhinolophus hipposideros (lesser horseshoe bat) was reconstructed across its European, North African and Middle-Eastern distribution prior to, during and following the most recent glaciations by generating and analysing a multimarker data set. This data set consisted of an X-linked nuclear intron (Bgn; 543 bp), mitochondrial DNA (cytb-tRNA-control region; 1630 bp) and eight variable microsatellite loci for up to 373 individuals from 86 localities. Using this data set of diverse markers, it was possible to determine the species' demography at three temporal stages. Nuclear intron data revealed early colonization into Europe from the east, which pre-dates the Quaternary glaciations. The mtDNA data supported multiple glacial refugia across the Mediterranean, the largest of which were found in the Ibero-Maghreb region and an eastern location (Anatolia/Middle East)-that were used by R. hipposideros during the most recent glacial cycles. Finally, microsatellites provided the most recent information on these species' movements since the Last Glacial Maximum and suggested that lineages that had diverged into glacial refugia, such as in the Ibero-Maghreb region, have remained isolated. These findings should be used to inform future conservation management strategies for R. hipposideros and show the power of using a multimarker data set for phylogeographic studies. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. A study on software-based sensing technology for multiple object control in AR video.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Sungmo; Song, Jae-Gu; Hwang, Dae-Joon; Ahn, Jae Young; Kim, Seoksoo

    2010-01-01

    Researches on Augmented Reality (AR) have recently received attention. With these, the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) market has started to be active and there are numerous efforts to apply this to real life in all sectors of society. To date, the M2M market has applied the existing marker-based AR technology in entertainment, business and other industries. With the existing marker-based AR technology, a designated object can only be loaded on the screen from one marker and a marker has to be added to load on the screen the same object again. This situation creates a problem where the relevant marker'should be extracted and printed in screen so that loading of the multiple objects is enabled. However, since the distance between markers will not be measured in the process of detecting and copying markers, the markers can be overlapped and thus the objects would not be augmented. To solve this problem, a circle having the longest radius needs to be created from a focal point of a marker to be copied, so that no object is copied within the confines of the circle. In this paper, software-based sensing technology for multiple object detection and loading using PPHT has been developed and overlapping marker control according to multiple object control has been studied using the Bresenham and Mean Shift algorithms.

  19. A Study on Software-based Sensing Technology for Multiple Object Control in AR Video

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seoksoo Kim

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Researches on Augmented Reality (AR have recently received attention. With these, the Machine-to-Machine (M2M market has started to be active and there are numerous efforts to apply this to real life in all sectors of society. To date, the M2M market has applied the existing marker-based AR technology in entertainment, business and other industries. With the existing marker-based AR technology, a designated object can only be loaded on the screen from one marker and a marker has to be added to load on the screen the same object again. This situation creates a problem where the relevant marker should be extracted and printed in screen so that loading of the multiple objects is enabled. However, since the distance between markers will not be measured in the process of detecting and copying markers, the markers can be overlapped and thus the objects would not be augmented. To solve this problem, a circle having the longest radius needs to be created from a focal point of a marker to be copied, so that no object is copied within the confines of the circle. In this paper, software-based sensing technology for multiple object detection and loading using PPHT has been developed and overlapping marker control according to multiple object control has been studied using the Bresenham and Mean Shift algorithms.

  20. Pigmentary Markers in Danes--Associations with Quantitative Skin Colour, Nevi Count, Familial Atypical Multiple-Mole, and Melanoma Syndrome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Johansen

    Full Text Available To investigate whether pigmentation genes involved in the melanogenic pathway (melanogenesis contributed to melanoma predisposition, we compared pigmentary genetics with quantitative skin pigmentation measurements, the number of atypical nevi, the total nevus count, and the familial atypical multiple mole and melanoma (FAMMM syndrome. We typed 32 pigmentary SNP markers and sequenced MC1R in 246 healthy individuals and 116 individuals attending periodic control for malignant melanoma development, 50 of which were diagnosed with FAMMM. It was observed that individuals with any two grouped MC1R variants (missense, NM_002386:c. 456C > A (p.TYR152*, or NM_002386:c.83_84insA (p.Asn29Glnfs*14 had significantly (p<0.001 lighter skin pigmentation of the upper-inner arm than those with none or one MC1R variant. We did not observe any significant association of the MC1R variants with constitutive pigmentation measured on the buttock area. We hypothesize that the effect of MC1R variants on arm pigmentation is primarily reflecting the inability to tan when subjected to UVR. A gender specific effect on skin pigmentation was also observed, and it was found that the skin pigmentation of females on average were darker than that of males (p<0.01. We conclude that MC1R variants are associated with quantitative skin colour in a lightly pigmented Danish population. We did not observe any association between any pigmentary marker and the FAMMM syndrome. We suggest that the genetics of FAMMM is not related to the genetics of the pigmentary pathway.

  1. Trace element analysis of environmental samples by multiple prompt gamma-ray analysis method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oshima, Masumi; Matsuo, Motoyuki; Shozugawa, Katsumi

    2011-01-01

    The multiple γ-ray detection method has been proved to be a high-resolution and high-sensitivity method in application to nuclide quantification. The neutron prompt γ-ray analysis method is successfully extended by combining it with the γ-ray detection method, which is called Multiple prompt γ-ray analysis, MPGA. In this review we show the principle of this method and its characteristics. Several examples of its application to environmental samples, especially river sediments in the urban area and sea sediment samples are also described. (author)

  2. [Gender differences in the use of tumour markers].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno-Campoy, E E; Mérida-De la Torre, F J; Martos-Crespo, F; Plebani, M

    2015-01-01

    Gender is one of the factors that can influence the use of health resources. The use of tumour markers is widespread, due to the importance of these in monitoring cancer development. The aim of this study is to analyse the influence of gender on the use of tumour markers, and to investigate whether there are differences in their use. A longitudinal, retrospective and descriptive study, with a 2-year follow-up, was conducted in the catchment area of the University Hospital of Padua. An analysis was performed on 23,059 analytical requests for tumour markers. A descriptive and frequency analysis was performed on all variables. The statistical analysis was performed using Chi squared, Student t and Mann-Whitney U to test for significance. The number of requests for women (1.5) was lower than men (1.6). In patients with tumour pathology, the number of requests was higher than in patients without tumour disease. In the analysis by disease and gender, the difference remained significant. As regards the number of tumour markers per request, the difference between genders was also significant: 2.13 in males versus 2.85 in women. Similar results were obtained when requests for tumour markers linked to gender-related diseases were eliminated. There are differences in the use of tumour markers by gender with the number of requests for male patients being higher than for females. However, the number of tumour markers per request is greater in women than in men. Copyright © 2015 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  3. Analysis of 8 X-chromosomal markers in the population of central Croatia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gršković, Branka; Zidkova, Anastassiya; Stenzl, Vlastimil; Popović, Maja; Primorac, Dragan; Mršić, Gordan

    2013-01-01

    Aim To analyze 8 X-linked short tandem repeat (STR) markers in the population of central Croatia and to evaluate their forensic efficiency. Methods We carried out a statistical analysis of the data from previously performed genetic analyses, collected during routine forensic work by the Forensic Science Centre ‘‘Ivan Vučetić.’’ Mentype® Argus X-8 PCR amplification kit was used for typing the data of 99 unrelated healthy women and 78 men from central Croatia. Haplotype frequencies were calculated only in male samples. Arlequin 3.5 software was used to assess Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE), linkage disequilibrium (LD), observed and expected heterozygosity. Power of discrimination (PD) for men and women, polymorphism information content (PIC), power of exclusion, and mean exclusion chance for deficiency cases, normal trios, and duos were determined using online database ChrX-STR.org. Results In female samples, deviations from HWE (P = 0.006) for each locus were not found. LD test performed both on female and male samples revealed no significant association between markers (P = 0.002). DXS10135 was the most polymorphic locus (PIC = 0.931). PD varied from 0.692 to 0.935 in male and from 0.845 to 0.992 in female samples. Combined PD reached 99.999999% in men and 99.9999999999% in women. Conclusion Performed analyses revealed that the studied marker set contained polymorphic markers with high power of discrimination. We can conclude that Mentype® Argus X-8 PCR kit is suitable for application in the population of central Croatia. Results of this study, together with collected allele and haplotype frequencies, are the first step in establishing a national reference X-STR database based on 8 X-STR loci. PMID:23771754

  4. Population genetic analysis of a global collection of Fragaria vesca using microsatellite markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hilmarsson, Hrannar Smári; Hytönen, Timo; Isobe, Sachiko; Göransson, Magnus; Toivainen, Tuomas; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn

    2017-01-01

    The woodland strawberry, Fragaria vesca, holds great promise as a model organism. It not only represents the important Rosaceae family that includes economically important species such as apples, pears, peaches and roses, but it also complements the well-known model organism Arabidopsis thaliana in key areas such as perennial life cycle and the development of fleshy fruit. Analysis of wild populations of A. thaliana has shed light on several important developmental pathways controlling, for example, flowering time and plant growth, suggesting that a similar approach using F. vesca might add to our understanding on the development of rosaceous species and perennials in general. As a first step, 298 F. vesca plants were analyzed using microsatellite markers with the primary aim of analyzing population structure and distribution of genetic diversity. Of the 68 markers tested, 56 were polymorphic, with an average of 4.46 alleles per locus. Our analysis partly confirms previous classification of F. vesca subspecies in North America and suggests two groups within the subsp. bracteata. In addition, F. vesca subsp. vesca forms a single global population with evidence that the Icelandic group is a separate cluster from the main Eurasian population.

  5. Population genetic analysis of a global collection of Fragaria vesca using microsatellite markers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hrannar Smári Hilmarsson

    Full Text Available The woodland strawberry, Fragaria vesca, holds great promise as a model organism. It not only represents the important Rosaceae family that includes economically important species such as apples, pears, peaches and roses, but it also complements the well-known model organism Arabidopsis thaliana in key areas such as perennial life cycle and the development of fleshy fruit. Analysis of wild populations of A. thaliana has shed light on several important developmental pathways controlling, for example, flowering time and plant growth, suggesting that a similar approach using F. vesca might add to our understanding on the development of rosaceous species and perennials in general. As a first step, 298 F. vesca plants were analyzed using microsatellite markers with the primary aim of analyzing population structure and distribution of genetic diversity. Of the 68 markers tested, 56 were polymorphic, with an average of 4.46 alleles per locus. Our analysis partly confirms previous classification of F. vesca subspecies in North America and suggests two groups within the subsp. bracteata. In addition, F. vesca subsp. vesca forms a single global population with evidence that the Icelandic group is a separate cluster from the main Eurasian population.

  6. Analysing the effect of multiple sclerosis on vitamin D related biochemical markers of bone remodelling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKenna, Malachi J; Murray, Barbara; Lonergan, Roisin; Segurado, Ricardo; Tubridy, Niall; Kilbane, Mark T

    2018-03-01

    The Irish population is at risk of vitamin D deficiency during the winter months, but the secular trend over the past 40 years is for marked improvement. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is common in Ireland with a latitudinal pattern favouring highest incidence in northern regions; MS is linked strongly with vitamin D status as a causal factor. We sought firstly to study the relationship between vitamin D status and vitamin D-related bone biochemistry, and secondly to evaluate if MS had an independent effect on vitamin D related markers of bone remodelling. Using a case-control design of 165 pairs (MS patient and matched control) residing in three different geographic regions during winter months, we measured serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), parathyroid hormone (PTH), C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) and total procollagen type I amino-terminal propeptide (PINP). Given the paired case-control design, associations were explored using mixed-effects linear regression analysis with the patient-control pair as a random effect and after log transformation of 25OHD. A two-way interaction effect was tested for vitamin D status (25OHD <30nmol/L) and the presence of MS on PTH, CTX, and PINP. In the total group, just over one-third (34.5%) had 25OHD <30nmol/L. PTH was elevated in 7.6%. CTX was not elevated in any case, and PINP was elevated in 4.5%. On mixed-effects linear regression analysis after adjusting for confounders (age, sex, renal function, and serum albumin), we demonstrated the principal determinant of 25OHD was geographical location (p<0.001), of PTH was 25OHD (p<0.001), of CTX was PTH (p<0.001), and of PINP was PTH (p<0.001). MS did not have an independent effect on PTH (p=0.921), CTX (p=0.912), or PINP (p=0.495). As regards an interaction effect, the presence of MS and 25OHD <30nmol/L was not significant but tended towards having lower PTH (p=0.207). In conclusion, in Ireland in winter only a minority had any abnormality in the secondary indices of

  7. Inhibition of DEPDC1A, a bad prognostic marker in multiple myeloma, delays growth and induces mature plasma cell markers in malignant plasma cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alboukadel Kassambara

    Full Text Available High throughput DNA microarray has made it possible to outline genes whose expression in malignant plasma cells is associated with short overall survival of patients with Multiple Myeloma (MM. A further step is to elucidate the mechanisms encoded by these genes yielding to drug resistance and/or patients' short survival. We focus here on the biological role of the DEP (for Disheveled, EGL-10, Pleckstrin domain contained protein 1A (DEPDC1A, a poorly known protein encoded by DEPDC1A gene, whose high expression in malignant plasma cells is associated with short survival of patients. Using conditional lentiviral vector delivery of DEPDC1A shRNA, we report that DEPDC1A knockdown delayed the growth of human myeloma cell lines (HMCLs, with a block in G2 phase of the cell cycle, p53 phosphorylation and stabilization, and p21(Cip1 accumulation. DEPDC1A knockdown also resulted in increased expression of mature plasma cell markers, including CXCR4, IL6-R and CD38. Thus DEPDC1A could contribute to the plasmablast features of MMCs found in some patients with adverse prognosis, blocking the differentiation of malignant plasma cells and promoting cell cycle.

  8. Approaches to data analysis of multiple-choice questions

    OpenAIRE

    Lin Ding; Robert Beichner

    2009-01-01

    This paper introduces five commonly used approaches to analyzing multiple-choice test data. They are classical test theory, factor analysis, cluster analysis, item response theory, and model analysis. Brief descriptions of the goals and algorithms of these approaches are provided, together with examples illustrating their applications in physics education research. We minimize mathematics, instead placing emphasis on data interpretation using these approaches.

  9. Nitrogen Cycle Evaluation (NiCE) Chip for the Simultaneous Analysis of Multiple N-Cycle Associated Genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oshiki, Mamoru; Segawa, Takahiro; Ishii, Satoshi

    2018-02-02

    Various microorganisms play key roles in the Nitrogen (N) cycle. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) and PCR-amplicon sequencing of the N cycle functional genes allow us to analyze the abundance and diversity of microbes responsible in the N transforming reactions in various environmental samples. However, analysis of multiple target genes can be cumbersome and expensive. PCR-independent analysis, such as metagenomics and metatranscriptomics, is useful but expensive especially when we analyze multiple samples and try to detect N cycle functional genes present at relatively low abundance. Here, we present the application of microfluidic qPCR chip technology to simultaneously quantify and prepare amplicon sequence libraries for multiple N cycle functional genes as well as taxon-specific 16S rRNA gene markers for many samples. This approach, named as N cycle evaluation (NiCE) chip, was evaluated by using DNA from pure and artificially mixed bacterial cultures and by comparing the results with those obtained by conventional qPCR and amplicon sequencing methods. Quantitative results obtained by the NiCE chip were comparable to those obtained by conventional qPCR. In addition, the NiCE chip was successfully applied to examine abundance and diversity of N cycle functional genes in wastewater samples. Although non-specific amplification was detected on the NiCE chip, this could be overcome by optimizing the primer sequences in the future. As the NiCE chip can provide high-throughput format to quantify and prepare sequence libraries for multiple N cycle functional genes, this tool should advance our ability to explore N cycling in various samples. Importance. We report a novel approach, namely Nitrogen Cycle Evaluation (NiCE) chip by using microfluidic qPCR chip technology. By sequencing the amplicons recovered from the NiCE chip, we can assess diversities of the N cycle functional genes. The NiCE chip technology is applicable to analyze the temporal dynamics of the N cycle gene

  10. Genetic evolutionary taboo search for optimal marker placement in infrared patient setup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Riboldi, M; Baroni, G; Spadea, M F; Tagaste, B; Garibaldi, C; Cambria, R; Orecchia, R; Pedotti, A

    2007-01-01

    In infrared patient setup adequate selection of the external fiducial configuration is required for compensating inner target displacements (target registration error, TRE). Genetic algorithms (GA) and taboo search (TS) were applied in a newly designed approach to optimal marker placement: the genetic evolutionary taboo search (GETS) algorithm. In the GETS paradigm, multiple solutions are simultaneously tested in a stochastic evolutionary scheme, where taboo-based decision making and adaptive memory guide the optimization process. The GETS algorithm was tested on a group of ten prostate patients, to be compared to standard optimization and to randomly selected configurations. The changes in the optimal marker configuration, when TRE is minimized for OARs, were specifically examined. Optimal GETS configurations ensured a 26.5% mean decrease in the TRE value, versus 19.4% for conventional quasi-Newton optimization. Common features in GETS marker configurations were highlighted in the dataset of ten patients, even when multiple runs of the stochastic algorithm were performed. Including OARs in TRE minimization did not considerably affect the spatial distribution of GETS marker configurations. In conclusion, the GETS algorithm proved to be highly effective in solving the optimal marker placement problem. Further work is needed to embed site-specific deformation models in the optimization process

  11. Development of STS and CAPS markers for variety identification and genetic diversity analysis of tea germplasm in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Chih-Yi; Tsai, You-Zen; Lin, Shun-Fu

    2014-12-01

    Tea (Camellia sinensis) is an important economic crop in Taiwan. Particularly, two major commercial types of tea (Paochong tea and Oolong tea) which are produced in Taiwan are famous around the world, and they must be manufactured with specific cultivars. Nevertheless, many elite cultivars have been illegally introduced to foreign countries. Because of the lower cost, large amount of "Taiwan-type tea" are produced and imported to Taiwan, causing a dramatic damage in the tea industry. It is very urgent to develop the stable, fast and reliable DNA markers for fingerprinting tea cultivars in Taiwan and protecting intellectual property rights for breeders. Furthermore, genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship evaluations of tea germplasm in Taiwan are imperative for parental selection in the cross-breeding program and avoidance of genetic vulnerability. Two STS and 37 CAPS markers derived from cytoplasmic genome and ESTs of tea have been developed in this study providing a useful tool for distinguishing all investigated germplasm. For identifying 12 prevailing tea cultivars in Taiwan, five core markers, including each one of mitochondria and chloroplast, and three nuclear markers, were developed. Based on principal coordinate analysis and cluster analysis, 55 tea germplasm in Taiwan were divided into three groups: sinensis type (C. sinensis var. sinensis), assamica type (C. sinensis var. assamica) and Taiwan wild species (C. formosensis). The result of genetic diversity analysis revealed that both sinensis (0.44) and assamica (0.41) types had higher genetic diversity than wild species (0.25). The close genetic distance between the first (Chin-Shin-Oolong) and the third (Shy-Jih-Chuen) prevailing cultivars was found, and many recently released varieties are the descents of Chin-Shin-Oolong. This implies the potential risk of genetic vulnerability for tea cultivation in Taiwan. We have successfully developed a tool for tea germplasm discrimination and genetic

  12. Construction of a genetic map using EST-SSR markers and QTL analysis of major agronomic characters in hexaploid sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jin-Hee; Chung, Il Kyung; Kim, Kyung-Min

    2017-01-01

    The Sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam, is difficult to study in genetics and genomics because it is a hexaploid. The sweet potato study not have been performed domestically or internationally. In this study was performed to construct genetic map and quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis. A total of 245 EST-SSR markers were developed, and the map was constructed by using 210 of those markers. The total map length was 1508.1 cM, and the mean distance between markers was 7.2 cM. Fifteen characteristics were investigated for QTLs analysis. According to those, the Four QTLs were identified, and The LOD score was 3.0. Further studies need to develop molecular markers in terms of EST-SSR markers for doing to be capable of efficient breeding. The genetic map created here using EST-SSR markers will facilitate planned breeding of sweet potato cultivars with various desirable traits.

  13. Repetitive, Marker-Free, Site-Specific Integration as a Novel Tool for Multiple Chromosomal Integration of DNA

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Kia Vest; Martinussen, Jan; Jensen, Peter Ruhdal

    2013-01-01

    of a minimal bacterial attachment site (attBmin), two mutated loxP sequences (lox66 and lox71) allowing for removal of undesirable vector elements (antibiotic resistance marker), and a counterselection marker (oroP) for selection of loxP recombination on the pKV6 vector. When transformed into L. lactis...

  14. Plant DB link - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available List Contact us PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods ...e Site Policy | Contact Us Plant DB link - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive ...

  15. Real-time automatic fiducial marker tracking in low contrast cine-MV images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, Wei-Yang; Lin, Shu-Fang; Yang, Sheng-Chang; Liou, Shu-Cheng; Nath, Ravinder; Liu Wu

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: To develop a real-time automatic method for tracking implanted radiographic markers in low-contrast cine-MV patient images used in image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Methods: Intrafraction motion tracking using radiotherapy beam-line MV images have gained some attention recently in IGRT because no additional imaging dose is introduced. However, MV images have much lower contrast than kV images, therefore a robust and automatic algorithm for marker detection in MV images is a prerequisite. Previous marker detection methods are all based on template matching or its derivatives. Template matching needs to match object shape that changes significantly for different implantation and projection angle. While these methods require a large number of templates to cover various situations, they are often forced to use a smaller number of templates to reduce the computation load because their methods all require exhaustive search in the region of interest. The authors solve this problem by synergetic use of modern but well-tested computer vision and artificial intelligence techniques; specifically the authors detect implanted markers utilizing discriminant analysis for initialization and use mean-shift feature space analysis for sequential tracking. This novel approach avoids exhaustive search by exploiting the temporal correlation between consecutive frames and makes it possible to perform more sophisticated detection at the beginning to improve the accuracy, followed by ultrafast sequential tracking after the initialization. The method was evaluated and validated using 1149 cine-MV images from two prostate IGRT patients and compared with manual marker detection results from six researchers. The average of the manual detection results is considered as the ground truth for comparisons. Results: The average root-mean-square errors of our real-time automatic tracking method from the ground truth are 1.9 and 2.1 pixels for the two patients (0.26 mm/pixel). The

  16. Real-time automatic fiducial marker tracking in low contrast cine-MV images

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Wei-Yang; Lin, Shu-Fang; Yang, Sheng-Chang; Liou, Shu-Cheng; Nath, Ravinder; Liu Wu [Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan, 62102 (China); Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510-3220 (United States)

    2013-01-15

    Purpose: To develop a real-time automatic method for tracking implanted radiographic markers in low-contrast cine-MV patient images used in image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Methods: Intrafraction motion tracking using radiotherapy beam-line MV images have gained some attention recently in IGRT because no additional imaging dose is introduced. However, MV images have much lower contrast than kV images, therefore a robust and automatic algorithm for marker detection in MV images is a prerequisite. Previous marker detection methods are all based on template matching or its derivatives. Template matching needs to match object shape that changes significantly for different implantation and projection angle. While these methods require a large number of templates to cover various situations, they are often forced to use a smaller number of templates to reduce the computation load because their methods all require exhaustive search in the region of interest. The authors solve this problem by synergetic use of modern but well-tested computer vision and artificial intelligence techniques; specifically the authors detect implanted markers utilizing discriminant analysis for initialization and use mean-shift feature space analysis for sequential tracking. This novel approach avoids exhaustive search by exploiting the temporal correlation between consecutive frames and makes it possible to perform more sophisticated detection at the beginning to improve the accuracy, followed by ultrafast sequential tracking after the initialization. The method was evaluated and validated using 1149 cine-MV images from two prostate IGRT patients and compared with manual marker detection results from six researchers. The average of the manual detection results is considered as the ground truth for comparisons. Results: The average root-mean-square errors of our real-time automatic tracking method from the ground truth are 1.9 and 2.1 pixels for the two patients (0.26 mm/pixel). The

  17. Registered plant list - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available List Contact us PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods ...the Plant DB link list in simple search page) Genome analysis methods Presence or... absence of Genome analysis methods information in this DB (link to the Genome analysis methods information ...base Site Policy | Contact Us Registered plant list - PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link & Genome analysis methods | LSDB Archive ...

  18. Multiple-Group Analysis Using the sem Package in the R System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evermann, Joerg

    2010-01-01

    Multiple-group analysis in covariance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) is an important technique to ensure the invariance of latent construct measurements and the validity of theoretical models across different subpopulations. However, not all SEM software packages provide multiple-group analysis capabilities. The sem package for the R…

  19. (SSR) markers for analysis of genetic diversity in African rice ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Bonny Oloka

    2015-05-06

    May 6, 2015 ... and conservation. To address this knowledge gap, 10 highly polymorphic rice simple sequence repeat. (SSR) markers were used to characterize 99 rice genotypes to determine their diversity and place them in their different population groups. The SSR markers were multiplexed in 3 panels to increase their.

  20. The Proteomic Analysis of Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency Protein Marker in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srihardyastutie, Arie; Soeatmadji, DW; Fatchiyah; Aulanni'am

    2018-01-01

    Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) is the vast majority case of diabetes. Patient with T2D is at higher risk for developing acute or chronic pancreatitis. Prolonged hyperglycemia results in damages to tissue, which also causes dysfunctions of some organ systems, including enzyme or hormone secretions. Commonly, dysfunction or insufficiency of pancreatic exocrine is evaluated by increasing activity of serum pancreatic enzyme, such as amylase and lipase. Although incidence of pancreatitis was found in Indonesian T2D, the pathogenic mechanism still unclear. The aim of this study was to characterize the marker protein that indicated the correlation of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency with progression of T2D. Proteomic analysis using LC-MS/MS was used in identification and characterization of protein marker which indicates insufficiency pancreatic exocrine. First step, protein profile was analyzed by SDS-PAGE methods using serum sample of T2D compared with normal or healthy control, as negative control, and pancreatitis patients, as positive control. Protein with 18 kDa was found as a candidate protein marker which indicated the pancreatic exocrine insufficiency in T2D. The further identification of that protein using LC-MS/MS showed 4 peptide fragments. In silico analysis of the peptide fragment indicated the correlation of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency with progression of T2D was METTL10 - methyltransferase like protein-10.

  1. Molecular markers linked to apomixis in Panicum maximum Jacq.

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SAM

    2014-05-28

    May 28, 2014 ... The objective of this work was to identify molecular markers linked to apomixis in ... Four RAPD markers linked to apomixis were identified and mapped in this .... Data analysis. The amplification of the potential markers was analyzed as binary, with 1 for presence and 0 for absence of the marker. The binary.

  2. Analysis of multiple scattering effects in optical Doppler tomography

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yura, H.T.; Thrane, L.; Andersen, Peter E.

    2005-01-01

    Optical Doppler tomography (ODT) combines Doppler velocimetry and optical coherence tomography (OCT) to obtain high-resolution cross-sectional imaging of particle flow velocity in scattering media such as the human retina and skin. Here, we present the results of a theoretical analysis of ODT where...... multiple scattering effects are included. The purpose of this analysis is to determine how multiple scattering affects the estimation of the depth-resolved localized flow velocity. Depth-resolved velocity estimates are obtained directly from the corresponding mean or standard deviation of the observed...

  3. Serotonin, neural markers and memory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alfredo eMeneses

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Diverse neuropsychiatric disorders present dysfunctional memory and no effective treatment exits for them; likely as result of the absence of neural markers associated to memory. Neurotransmitter systems and signaling pathways have been implicated in memory and dysfunctional memory; however, their role is poorly understood. Hence, neural markers and cerebral functions and dysfunctions are revised. To our knowledge no previous systematic works have been published addressing these issues. The interactions among behavioral tasks, control groups and molecular changes and/or pharmacological effects are mentioned. Neurotransmitter receptors and signaling pathways, during normal and abnormally functioning memory with an emphasis on the behavioral aspects of memory are revised. With focus on serotonin, since as it is a well characterized neurotransmitter, with multiple pharmacological tools, and well characterized downstream signaling in mammals’ species. 5-HT1A, 5-HT4, 5-HT5, 5-HT6 and 5-HT7 receptors as well as SERT (serotonin transporter seem to be useful neural markers and/or therapeutic targets. Certainly, if the mentioned evidence is replicated, then the translatability from preclinical and clinical studies to neural changes might be confirmed. Hypothesis and theories might provide appropriate limits and perspectives of evidence

  4. An integrated approach to uncover quality marker underlying the effects of Alisma orientale on lipid metabolism, using chemical analysis and network pharmacology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Maoliang; Shang, Haihua; Li, Yazhuo; Li, Tian; Wang, Miao; Zheng, Yanan; Hou, Wenbin; Liu, Changxiao

    2018-06-01

    Quality control of traditional Chinese medicines is currently a great concern, due to the correlation between the quality control indicators and clinic effect is often questionable. According to the "multi-components and multi-targets" property of TCMs, a new special quality and bioactivity evaluation system is urgently needed. Present study adopted an integrated approach to provide new insights relating to uncover quality marker underlying the effects of Alisma orientale (AO) on lipid metabolism. In this paper, guided by the concept of the quality marker (Q-marker), an integrated strategies "effect-compound-target-fingerprint" was established to discovery and screen the potential quality marker of AO based on network pharmacology and chemical analysis. Firstly, a bioactivity evaluation was performed to screen the main active fractions. Then the chemical compositions were rapidly identified by chemical analysis. Next, networks were constructed to illuminate the interactions between these component and their targets for lipid metabolism, and the potential Q-marker of AO was initially screened. Finally, the activity of the Q-markers was validated in vitro. 50% ethanol extract fraction was found to have the strongest lipid-lowering activity. Then, the network pharmacology was used to clarify the unique relationship between the Q-markers and their integral pharmacological action. Combined with the results obtained, five active ingredients in the 50% ethanol extract fraction were given special considerations to be representative Q-markers: Alisol A, Alisol B, Alisol A 23-acetate, Alisol B 23-acetate and Alisol A 24-acetate, respectively. The chromatographic fingerprints based Q-marker was establishment. The integrated Q-marker screen may offer an alternative quality assessment of herbal medicines. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  5. Approaches to data analysis of multiple-choice questions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Ding

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper introduces five commonly used approaches to analyzing multiple-choice test data. They are classical test theory, factor analysis, cluster analysis, item response theory, and model analysis. Brief descriptions of the goals and algorithms of these approaches are provided, together with examples illustrating their applications in physics education research. We minimize mathematics, instead placing emphasis on data interpretation using these approaches.

  6. Quantitative Trait Loci Analysis of Seed Quality Characteristics in Lentil using Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael J. Fedoruk

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Seed shape, color, and pattern of lentil ( Medik. subsp. are important quality traits as they determine market class and possible end uses. A recombinant inbred line population was phenotyped for seed dimensions over multiple site–years and classified according to cotyledon and seed coat color and pattern. The objectives were to determine the heritability of seed dimensions, identify genomic regions controlling these dimensions, and map seed coat and cotyledon color genes. A genetic linkage map consisting of 563 single nucleotide polymorphisms, 10 simple sequence repeats, and four seed color loci was developed for quantitative trait loci (QTL analysis. Loci for seed coat color and pattern mapped to linkage groups 2 (, 3 (, and 6 ( while the cotyledon color locus ( mapped to linkage group 1. The broad sense heritability estimates were high for seed diameter (broad-sense heritability [] = 0.92 and seed plumpness ( = 0.94 while seed thickness ( = 0.60 and days to flowering ( = 0.45 were more moderate. There were significant seed dimension QTL on six of the seven linkage groups. The most significant QTL for diameter and plumpness was found at the cotyledon color locus (. The markers identified in this study can be used to help enrich breeding populations for desired seed quality characteristics, thereby increasing efficiency in the lentil breeding program.

  7. Multiple scattering problems in heavy ion elastic recoil detection analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnston, P.N.; El Bouanani, M.; Stannard, W.B.; Bubb, I.F.; Cohen, D.D.; Dytlewski, N.; Siegele, R.

    1998-01-01

    A number of groups use Heavy Ion Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (HIERDA) to study materials science problems. Nevertheless, there is no standard methodology for the analysis of HIERDA spectra. To overcome this deficiency we have been establishing codes for 2-dimensional data analysis. A major problem involves the effects of multiple and plural scattering which are very significant, even for quite thin (∼100 nm) layers of the very heavy elements. To examine the effects of multiple scattering we have made comparisons between the small-angle model of Sigmund et al. and TRIM calculations. (authors)

  8. Analysis of (n, 2n) multiplication in lead

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Segev, M.

    1984-01-01

    Lead is being considered as a possible amplifier of neutrons for fusion blankets. A simple one-group model of neutron multiplications in Pb is presented. Given the 14 MeV neutron cross section on Pb, the model predicts the multiplication. Given measured multiplications, the model enables the determination of the (n, 2n) and transport cross sections. Required for the model are: P-the collision probability for source neutrons in the Pb body-and W- an average collision probability for non-virgin, non-degraded neutrons. In simple geometries, such as a source in the center of a spherical shell, P and an approximate W can be expressed analytically in terms of shell dimensions and the Pb transport cross section. The model was applied to Takahashi's measured multiplications in Pb shells in order to understand the apparent very high multiplicative power of Pb. The results of the analysis are not consistent with basic energy-balance and cross section magnitude constraints in neutron interaction theory. (author)

  9. An evaluation of sequence tagged microsatellite site markers for genetic analysis within Citrus and related species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kijas, J M; Fowler, J C; Thomas, M R

    1995-04-01

    Microsatellites, also called sequence tagged microsatellite sites (STMSs), have become important markers for genome analysis but are currently little studied in plants. To assess the value of STMSs for analysis within the Citrus plant species, two example STMSs were isolated from an intergeneric cross between rangpur lime (Citrus x limonia Osbeck) and trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.). Unique flanking primers were constructed for polymerase chain reaction amplification both within the test cross and across a broad range of citrus and related species. Both loci showed length variation between test cross parents with alleles segregating in a Mendelian fashion to progeny. Amplification across species showed the STMS flanking primers to be conserved in every genome tested. The traits of polymorphism, inheritance, and conservation across species mean that STMS markers are ideal for genome mapping within Citrus, which contains high levels of genetic variability.

  10. Genetic variation of rs438601 marker in the Iranian Population: An informative marker for molecular diagnosis of hemophilia B

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P Dorri

    2014-12-01

    Conclusion: The study findings demonstrated that rs438601 marker due to high heterozygosity could be suggested as an appropriate diagnostic marker in linkage analysis and carrier detection of hemophilia B in regard with a sample of Iranian population.

  11. Insights into population ecology and sexual selection in snakes through the application of DNA-based genetic markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibbs, H L; Weatherhead, P J

    2001-01-01

    Hypervariable genetic markers have revolutionized studies of kinship, behavioral ecology, and population biology in vertebrate groups such as birds, but their use in snakes remains limited. To illustrate the value of such markers in snakes, we review studies that have used microsatellite DNA loci to analyze local population differentiation and parentage in snakes. Four ecologically distinct species of snakes all show evidence for differentiation at small spatial scales (2-15 km), but with substantial differences among species. This result highlights how genetic analysis can reveal hidden aspects of the natural history of difficult-to-observe taxa, and it raises important questions about the ecological factors that may contribute to restricted gene flow. A 3-year study of genetic parentage in marked populations of the northern water snake showed that (1) participation in mating aggregations was a poor predictor of genetic-based measures of reproductive success; (2) multiple paternity was high, yet there was no detectable fitness advantage to multiple mating by females; and (3) the opportunity for selection was far higher in males than in females due to a larger variance in male reproductive success, and yet this resulted in no detectable selection on morphological variation in males. Thus genetic markers have provided accurate measures of individual reproductive success in this species, an important step toward resolving the adaptive significance of key features including multiple paternity and reversed sexual size dimorphism. Overall these studies illustrate how genetic analyses of snakes provide previously unobtainable information of long-standing interest to behavioral ecologists.

  12. The multiple imputation method: a case study involving secondary data analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walani, Salimah R; Cleland, Charles M

    2015-05-01

    To illustrate with the example of a secondary data analysis study the use of the multiple imputation method to replace missing data. Most large public datasets have missing data, which need to be handled by researchers conducting secondary data analysis studies. Multiple imputation is a technique widely used to replace missing values while preserving the sample size and sampling variability of the data. The 2004 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. The authors created a model to impute missing values using the chained equation method. They used imputation diagnostics procedures and conducted regression analysis of imputed data to determine the differences between the log hourly wages of internationally educated and US-educated registered nurses. The authors used multiple imputation procedures to replace missing values in a large dataset with 29,059 observations. Five multiple imputed datasets were created. Imputation diagnostics using time series and density plots showed that imputation was successful. The authors also present an example of the use of multiple imputed datasets to conduct regression analysis to answer a substantive research question. Multiple imputation is a powerful technique for imputing missing values in large datasets while preserving the sample size and variance of the data. Even though the chained equation method involves complex statistical computations, recent innovations in software and computation have made it possible for researchers to conduct this technique on large datasets. The authors recommend nurse researchers use multiple imputation methods for handling missing data to improve the statistical power and external validity of their studies.

  13. Genetic diversity in intraspecific hybrid populations of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver evaluated from ISSR and SRAP molecular marker analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, J; Wang, Y; Ru, M; Peng, L; Liang, Z S

    2015-07-03

    Eucommia ulmoides Oliver, the only extant species of Eucommiaceae, is a second-category state-protected endangered plant in China. Evaluation of genetic diversity among some intraspecific hybrid populations of E. ulmoides Oliver is vital for breeding programs and further conservation of this rare species. We studied the genetic diversity of 130 accessions from 13 E. ulmoides intraspecific hybrid populations using inter-simple sequence related (ISSR) and sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers. Of the 100 ISSR primers and 100 SRAP primer combinations screened, eight ISSRs and eight SRAPs were used to evaluate the level of polymorphism and discriminating capacity. A total number of 65 bands were amplified using eight ISSR primers, in which 50 bands (76.9%) were polymorphic, with an average of 8.1 polymorphic fragments per primer. Alternatively, another 244 bands were observed using eight SRAP primer combinations, and 163 (66.8%) of them were polymorphic, with an average of 30.5 polymorphic fragments per primer. The unweighted pair-group method (UPGMA) analysis showed that these 13 populations could be classified into three groups by the ISSR marker and two groups by the SRAP marker. Principal coordinate analysis using SRAP was completely identical to the UPGMA-based clustering, although this was partly confirmed by the results of UPGMA cluster analysis using the ISSR marker. This study provides insights into the genetic background of E. ulmoides intraspecific hybrids. The progenies of the variations "Huazhong-3", "big fruit", "Yanci", and "smooth bark" present high genetic diversity and offer great potential for E. ulmoides breeding and conservation.

  14. Genetic Variation and Association Analysis of the SSR Markers Linked to the Major Drought-Yield QTLs of Rice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabkhkar, Narjes; Rabiei, Babak; Samizadeh Lahiji, Habibollah; Hosseini Chaleshtori, Maryam

    2018-02-24

    Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses, which hampers the production of rice worldwide. Informative molecular markers are valuable tools for improving the drought tolerance in various varieties of rice. The present study was conducted to evaluate the informative simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in a diverse set of rice genotypes. The genetic diversity analyses of the 83 studied rice genotypes were performed using 34 SSR markers closely linked to the major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of grain yield under drought stress (qDTYs). In general, our results indicated high levels of polymorphism. In addition, we screened these rice genotypes at the reproductive stage under both drought stress and nonstressful conditions. The results of the regression analysis demonstrated a significant relationship between 11 SSR marker alleles and the plant paddy weight under stressful conditions. Under the nonstressful conditions, 16 SSR marker alleles showed a significant correlation with the plant paddy weight. Finally, four markers (RM279, RM231, RM166, and RM231) demonstrated a significant association with the plant paddy weight under both stressful and nonstressful conditions. These informative-associated alleles may be useful for improving the crop yield under both drought stress and nonstressful conditions in breeding programs.

  15. Analysis of non-TIR NBS-LRR resistance gene analogs in Musa acuminata Colla: Isolation, RFLP marker development, and physical mapping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Souza Manoel T

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many commercial banana varieties lack sources of resistance to pests and diseases, as a consequence of sterility and narrow genetic background. Fertile wild relatives, by contrast, possess greater variability and represent potential sources of disease resistance genes (R-genes. The largest known family of plant R-genes encode proteins with nucleotide-binding site (NBS and C-terminal leucine-rich repeat (LRR domains. Conserved motifs in such genes in diverse plant species offer a means for isolation of candidate genes in banana which may be involved in plant defence. Results A computational strategy was developed for unbiased conserved motif discovery in NBS and LRR domains in R-genes and homologues in monocotyledonous plant species. Degenerate PCR primers targeting conserved motifs were tested on the wild cultivar Musa acuminata subsp. burmannicoides, var. Calcutta 4, which is resistant to a number of fungal pathogens and nematodes. One hundred and seventy four resistance gene analogs (RGAs were amplified and assembled into 52 contiguous sequences. Motifs present were typical of the non-TIR NBS-LRR RGA subfamily. A phylogenetic analysis of deduced amino-acid sequences for 33 RGAs with contiguous open reading frames (ORFs, together with RGAs from Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa, grouped most Musa RGAs within monocotyledon-specific clades. RFLP-RGA markers were developed, with 12 displaying distinct polymorphisms in parentals and F1 progeny of a diploid M. acuminata mapping population. Eighty eight BAC clones were identified in M. acuminata Calcutta 4, M. acuminata Grande Naine, and M. balbisiana Pisang Klutuk Wulung BAC libraries when hybridized to two RGA probes. Multiple copy RGAs were common within BAC clones, potentially representing variation reservoirs for evolution of new R-gene specificities. Conclusion This is the first large scale analysis of NBS-LRR RGAs in M. acuminata Calcutta 4. Contig sequences were

  16. Cereal Crop Proteomics: Systemic Analysis of Crop Drought Stress Responses Towards Marker-Assisted Selection Breeding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arindam Ghatak

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Sustainable crop production is the major challenge in the current global climate change scenario. Drought stress is one of the most critical abiotic factors which negatively impact crop productivity. In recent years, knowledge about molecular regulation has been generated to understand drought stress responses. For example, information obtained by transcriptome analysis has enhanced our knowledge and facilitated the identification of candidate genes which can be utilized for plant breeding. On the other hand, it becomes more and more evident that the translational and post-translational machinery plays a major role in stress adaptation, especially for immediate molecular processes during stress adaptation. Therefore, it is essential to measure protein levels and post-translational protein modifications to reveal information about stress inducible signal perception and transduction, translational activity and induced protein levels. This information cannot be revealed by genomic or transcriptomic analysis. Eventually, these processes will provide more direct insight into stress perception then genetic markers and might build a complementary basis for future marker-assisted selection of drought resistance. In this review, we survey the role of proteomic studies to illustrate their applications in crop stress adaptation analysis with respect to productivity. Cereal crops such as wheat, rice, maize, barley, sorghum and pearl millet are discussed in detail. We provide a comprehensive and comparative overview of all detected protein changes involved in drought stress in these crops and have summarized existing knowledge into a proposed scheme of drought response. Based on a recent proteome study of pearl millet under drought stress we compare our findings with wheat proteomes and another recent study which defined genetic marker in pearl millet.

  17. Genetic markers as a predictive tool based on statistics in medical practice: ethical considerations through the analysis of the use of HLA-B27 in rheumatology in France

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hélène eColineaux

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION. The use of genetic predictive markers in medical practice does not necessarily bear the same kind of medical and ethical consequences than that of genes directly involved in monogenic diseases. However, the French bioethics law framed in the same way the production and use of any genetic information. It seems therefore necessary to explore the practical and ethical context of the actual use of predictive markers in order to highlight their specific stakes. In this study, we document the uses of HLA-B*27, which are an interesting example of the multiple features of genetic predictive marker in general medical practice.MATERIAL & METHODS. The aims of this monocentric and qualitative study were to identify concrete and ethical issues of using the HLA-B*27 marker and the interests and limits of the legal framework as perceived by prescribers. In this regard, a thematic and descriptive analysis of five rheumatologists’ semi-structured and face-to-face interviews was performed.RESULTS. According to most of the interviewees, HLA-B*27 is an overframed test because they considered that this test is not really genetic or at least does not have the same nature as classical genetic tests; HLA-B*27 is not concerned by the ethical challenges of genetic test; the major ethics stake of this marker is not linked to its genetic nature but rather to the complexity of the probabilistic information. This study allows also showing that HLA-B*27, validated for a certain usage, may be used in different ways in practice.DISCUSSION. This marker and its clinical uses underline the challenges of translating both statistical concepts and unifying legal framework in clinical practice. This study allows identifying some new aspects and stakes of genetics in medicine and shows the need of additional studies about the use of predictive genetic markers, in order to provide a better basis for decisions and legal framework regarding these practices.

  18. Genetic diversity analysis of brassica napus/brassica campestris progenies using microsatellite markers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fayyaz, L.; Farhatullah, A.; Iqbal, S.; Kanwal, M.; Nawaz, I.

    2014-01-01

    Genetic diversity and relationship of F2 segregating progenies of interspecific crosses between B. napus N-501/B. campestris C-118 were studied. A set of 90 genotypes (2 parental lines and their 88 F2 progenies) was characterized separately using 24 microsatellite or SSR markers to cover the diversity as broadly as possibly present in them. In initial screening only 12 out of 24 SSR primers combination amplified DNA fragments, while the remaining 12 SSR primers did not amplify DNA fragment therefore those 12 SSR molecular markers were not used for further analysis. The 12 SSR primer combinations generated a total of 33 alleles, of that 32 were polymorphic loci, whereas only one was monomorphic locus. Primers BRMS-19 and BRMS-40 were highly polymorphic producing 4 bands each. Primer Ra2-D04 was less polymorphic and it produced only one band. The proportion of polymorphic loci was 95.83% which indicates high genetic diversity among the progenies. The average number of polymorphic alleles per locus was 2.66. The PIC values ranged from 0.395 for primer Ra2-E03 to 0.726 for primer BRMS-019 with an average genetic diversity (PIC value) of 0.584 per locus. Seven primers showed PIC values above 0.5 (50%) indicating high genetic diversity in the studied plant materials. Pair-wise similarity indices among 90 genotypes ranged from 0.3 to 0.95. Dendrogram obtained through UPGMA clustering of F2 progenies depicted eight main groups using similarity coefficient of 0.70. The progenies could be similar to their parents if they have the same banding patterns as that of the parents and could be distinguished from each other by the combination of fragments which are repeatedly present in one progeny and absent in the other. Considerable genetic diversity has been found among the F2 segregating progenies and their parents using SSR markers thus, SSR analysis proved to be a useful tool. (author)

  19. [Future challenges in multiple sclerosis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández, Óscar

    2014-12-01

    Multiple sclerosis occurs in genetically susceptible individuals, in whom an unknown environmental factor triggers an immune response, giving rise to a chronic and disabling autoimmune disease. Currently, significant progress is being made in our knowledge of the frequency and distribution of multiple sclerosis and its risk factors, genetics, pathology, pathogenesis, diagnostic and prognostic markers, and treatment. This has radically changed patients' and clinicians' expectations of multiple sclerosis and has raised hope that there will soon be a way to control the disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  20. Improving the clinical correlation of multiple sclerosis black hole volume change by paired-scan analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tam, Roger C; Traboulsee, Anthony; Riddehough, Andrew; Li, David K B

    2012-01-01

    The change in T 1-hypointense lesion ("black hole") volume is an important marker of pathological progression in multiple sclerosis (MS). Black hole boundaries often have low contrast and are difficult to determine accurately and most (semi-)automated segmentation methods first compute the T 2-hyperintense lesions, which are a superset of the black holes and are typically more distinct, to form a search space for the T 1w lesions. Two main potential sources of measurement noise in longitudinal black hole volume computation are partial volume and variability in the T 2w lesion segmentation. A paired analysis approach is proposed herein that uses registration to equalize partial volume and lesion mask processing to combine T 2w lesion segmentations across time. The scans of 247 MS patients are used to compare a selected black hole computation method with an enhanced version incorporating paired analysis, using rank correlation to a clinical variable (MS functional composite) as the primary outcome measure. The comparison is done at nine different levels of intensity as a previous study suggests that darker black holes may yield stronger correlations. The results demonstrate that paired analysis can strongly improve longitudinal correlation (from -0.148 to -0.303 in this sample) and may produce segmentations that are more sensitive to clinically relevant changes.

  1. REGγ is associated with multiple oncogenic pathways in human cancers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Jing; Wang, Zhuo; Shi, Tieliu; Zhang, Pei; Chen, Rui; Li, Xiaotao; Cui, Long; Zeng, Yu; Wang, Guangqiang; Zhou, Ping; Yang, Yuanyuan; Ji, Lei; Zhao, Yanyan; Chen, Jiwu

    2012-01-01

    Recent studies suggest a role of the proteasome activator, REGγ, in cancer progression. Since there are limited numbers of known REGγ targets, it is not known which cancers and pathways are associated with REGγ. REGγ protein expressions in four different cancers were investigated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. Following NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database search, microarray platform validation, differential expressions of REGγ in corresponding cancers were statistically analyzed. Genes highly correlated with REGγ were defined based on Pearson's correlation coefficient. Functional links were estimated by Ingenuity Core analysis. Finally, validation was performed by RT-PCR analysis in established cancer cell lines and IHC in human colon cancer tissues Here, we demonstrate overexpression of REGγ in four different cancer types by micro-tissue array analysis. Using meta-analysis of publicly available microarray databases and biological studies, we verified elevated REGγ gene expression in the four types of cancers and identified genes significantly correlated with REGγ expression, including genes in p53, Myc pathways, and multiple other cancer-related pathways. The predicted correlations were largely consistent with quantitative RT-PCR analysis. This study provides us novel insights in REGγ gene expression profiles and its link to multiple cancer-related pathways in cancers. Our results indicate potentially important pathogenic roles of REGγ in multiple cancer types and implicate REGγ as a putative cancer marker

  2. The Effect of Different Types of Instruction and Feedback on the Development of Pragmatic Proficiency: The Case of Pragmatic Markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saeedeh Shafee Nahrkhalaji

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The necessity of conducting more studies addressing the development of pragmatic profciency and strong pragmatic awareness for English language learners has made the role of instruction and feedback in teaching pragmatic knowledge of utmost importance. The present study evaluates the relative effectiveness of four types of instruction for teaching some pragmatic markers including topic change markers, mitigation markers, interjections and hybrid basic markers to 75 advanced Iranian learners of English: explicit instruction only, explicit instruction with metalinguistic feedback, structured input instruction only, and structured in- put instruction with metalinguistic feedback. Treatment group performance was compared with control group performance on pre-tests, post-tests and follow-up tests that contained an open-ended discourse completion test and a multiple-choice pragmatic listening comprehension test. The results of the data analysis revealed that students› ability to comprehend and produce pragmatic markers improved significantly in treatment groups and that pragmatic interlanguage is permeable to instruction in EFL settings. However, there were statistically significant differences among the four treatment groups regarding awareness of different pragmatic markers and their appropriate use. These findings give us some useful insight on the teachability of pragmatic markers and the role of instruction and feedback in the classroom to develop pragmatic competence of EFL learners.

  3. Molecular marker analysis of 'Shatangju' and 'Wuzishatangju ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    'Wuzishatangju'(Citrus reticulata Blanco) is an excellent cultivar derived from a bud sport of a seedy 'Shatangju' cultivar found in Guangdong Province in the 1980s. In this study, six molecular markers including random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR), simple sequence repeat (SSR) ...

  4. Identification of Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat (VNTR) Sequences in Legionella pneumophila and Development of an Optimized Multiple-Locus VNTR Analysis Typing Scheme▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pourcel, Christine; Visca, Paolo; Afshar, Baharak; D'Arezzo, Silvia; Vergnaud, Gilles; Fry, Norman K.

    2007-01-01

    The utility of a genotypic typing assay for Legionella pneumophila was investigated. A multiple-locus variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) scheme using PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis is proposed based on eight minisatellite markers. Panels of well-characterized strains were examined in a multicenter analysis to validate the assay and to compare its performance to that of other genotyping assays. Excellent typeability, reproducibility, stability, and epidemiological concordance were observed. The MLVA type or profile is composed of a string of allele numbers, corresponding to the number of repeats at each VNTR locus, separated by commas, in a predetermined order. A database containing information from 99 L. pneumophila serogroup 1 strains and four strains of other serogroups and their MLVA profiles, which can be queried online, is available from http://bacterial-genotyping.igmors.u-psud.fr/. PMID:17251393

  5. Functional Analysis and Marker Development of TaCRT-D Gene in Common Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiping Wang

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Calreticulin (CRT, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER-localized Ca2+-binding/buffering protein, is highly conserved and extensively expressed in animal and plant cells. To understand the function of CRTs in wheat (Triticum aestivum L., particularly their roles in stress tolerance, we cloned the full-length genomic sequence of the TaCRT-D isoform from D genome of common hexaploid wheat, and characterized its function by transgenic Arabidopsis system. TaCRT-D exhibited different expression patterns in wheat seedling under different abiotic stresses. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing ORF of TaCRT-D displayed more tolerance to drought, cold, salt, mannitol, and other abiotic stresses at both seed germination and seedling stages, compared with the wild-type controls. Furthermore, DNA polymorphism analysis and gene mapping were employed to develop the functional markers of this gene for marker-assistant selection in wheat breeding program. One SNP, S440 (T→C was detected at the TaCRT-D locus by genotyping a wheat recombinant inbred line (RIL population (114 lines developed from Opata 85 × W7984. The TaCRT-D was then fine mapped between markers Xgwm645 and Xgwm664 on chromosome 3DL, corresponding to genetic distances of 3.5 and 4.4 cM, respectively, using the RIL population and Chinese Spring nulli-tetrasomic lines. Finally, the genome-specific and allele-specific markers were developed for the TaCRT-D gene. These findings indicate that TaCRT-D function importantly in plant stress responses, providing a gene target for genetic engineering to increase plant stress tolerance and the functional markers of TaCRT-D for marker-assistant selection in wheat breeding.

  6. Investigation and Analysis of Genetic Diversity of Diospyros Germplasms Using SCoT Molecular Markers in Guangxi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Libao; Liang, Qingzhi; He, Xinhua; Luo, Cong; Chen, Hu; Qin, Zhenshi

    2015-01-01

    Knowledge about genetic diversity and relationships among germplasms could be an invaluable aid in diospyros improvement strategies. This study was designed to analyze the genetic diversity and relationship of local and natural varieties in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China using start codon targeted polymorphism (SCoT) markers. The accessions of 95 diospyros germplasms belonging to four species Diospyros kaki Thunb, D. oleifera Cheng, D. kaki var. silverstris Mak, and D. lotus Linn were collected from different eco-climatic zones in Guangxi and were analyzed using SCoT markers. Results indicated that the accessions of 95 diospyros germplasms could be distinguished using SCoT markers, and were divided into three groups at similarity coefficient of 0.608; these germplasms that belong to the same species were clustered together; of these, the degree of genetic diversity of the natural D. kaki var. silverstris Mak population was richest among the four species; the geographical distance showed that the 12 natural populations of D. kaki var. silverstris Mak were divided into two groups at similarity coefficient of 0.19. Meanwhile, in order to further verify the stable and useful of SCoT markers in diospyros germplasms, SSR markers were also used in current research to analyze the genetic diversity and relationship in the same diospyros germplasms. Once again, majority of germplasms that belong to the same species were clustered together. Thus SCoT markers were stable and especially useful for analysis of the genetic diversity and relationship in diospyros germplasms. The molecular characterization and diversity assessment of diospyros were very important for conservation of diospyros germplasm resources, meanwhile for diospyros improvement.

  7. Functional Analysis and Marker Development of TaCRT-D Gene in Common Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jiping; Li, Runzhi; Mao, Xinguo; Jing, Ruilian

    2017-01-01

    Calreticulin (CRT), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized Ca 2+ -binding/buffering protein, is highly conserved and extensively expressed in animal and plant cells. To understand the function of CRTs in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), particularly their roles in stress tolerance, we cloned the full-length genomic sequence of the TaCRT-D isoform from D genome of common hexaploid wheat, and characterized its function by transgenic Arabidopsis system. TaCRT-D exhibited different expression patterns in wheat seedling under different abiotic stresses. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing ORF of TaCRT-D displayed more tolerance to drought, cold, salt, mannitol, and other abiotic stresses at both seed germination and seedling stages, compared with the wild-type controls. Furthermore, DNA polymorphism analysis and gene mapping were employed to develop the functional markers of this gene for marker-assistant selection in wheat breeding program. One SNP, S440 (T→C) was detected at the TaCRT-D locus by genotyping a wheat recombinant inbred line (RIL) population (114 lines) developed from Opata 85 × W7984. The TaCRT-D was then fine mapped between markers Xgwm645 and Xgwm664 on chromosome 3DL, corresponding to genetic distances of 3.5 and 4.4 cM, respectively, using the RIL population and Chinese Spring nulli-tetrasomic lines. Finally, the genome-specific and allele-specific markers were developed for the TaCRT-D gene. These findings indicate that TaCRT-D function importantly in plant stress responses, providing a gene target for genetic engineering to increase plant stress tolerance and the functional markers of TaCRT-D for marker-assistant selection in wheat breeding.

  8. Using Correspondence Analysis in Multiple Case Studies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kienstra, Natascha; van der Heijden, Peter G.M.

    2015-01-01

    In qualitative research of multiple case studies, Miles and Huberman proposed to summarize the separate cases in a so-called meta-matrix that consists of cases by variables. Yin discusses cross-case synthesis to study this matrix. We propose correspondence analysis (CA) as a useful tool to study

  9. Using correspondence analysis in multiple case studies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kienstra, N.H.H.; van der Heijden, P.G.M.

    2015-01-01

    In qualitative research of multiple case studies, Miles and Huberman proposed to summarize the separate cases in a so-called meta-matrix that consists of cases by variables. Yin discusses cross-case synthesis to study this matrix. We propose correspondence analysis (CA) as a useful tool to study

  10. FY11 Report on Metagenome Analysis using Pathogen Marker Libraries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gardner, Shea N. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Allen, Jonathan E. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); McLoughlin, Kevin S. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Slezak, Tom [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2011-06-02

    detection probability appears to be a function of both coverages. Multiple species could be detected simultaneously in a simulated low-coverage, complex metagenome, and the largest PML gave no false negative species and no false positive genera. The presence of multiple species was predicted in a complex metagenome from a human gut microbiome with 1.9 GB of short reads (75 nt); the species predicted were reasonable gut flora and no biothreat agents were detected, showing the feasibility of PML analysis of empirical complex metagenomes.

  11. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and chemotherapy-related tumor marker expression in non-small cell lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duan, Xiao-Yi; Wang, Wen; Wang, Jian-Sheng; Shang, Jin; Gao, Jun-Gang; Guo, You-Min

    2013-01-01

    The chemotherapy resistance of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a clinic challenge and is closely associated with several biomarkers including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (Drugs 72(Suppl 1):28–36, 012.), p53 (Med Sci Monit 11(6):HY11–HY20, 2005.) and excision repair cross complementing gene 1 (ERCC1) (J Thorac Oncol 8(5):582–586, 2013.). Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG–PET) is the best non-invasive surrogate for tumor biology with the maximal standardized uptake values (SUV max ) being the most important paradigm. However, there are limited data correlating FDG-PET with the chemotherapy resistant tumor markers. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation of chemotherapy related tumor marker expression with FDG–PET SUV max in NSCLC. FDG–PET SUV max was calculated in chemotherapy naïve patients with NSCLC (n = 62) and immunohistochemical analysis was performed for EGFR, p53 or ERCC1 on the intraoperative NSCLC tissues. Each tumor marker was assessed independently by two pathologists using common grading criteria. The SUV max difference based on the histologic characteristics, gender, differentiation, grading and age as well as correlation analysis among these parameters were performed. Multiple stepwise regression analysis was further performed to determine the primary predictor for SUV max and the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was performed to detect the optimized sensitivity and specificity for SUV max in suggesting chemotherapy resistant tumor markers. The significant tumor type (P = 0.045), differentiation (P = 0.021), p53 (P = 0.000) or ERCC1 (P = 0.033) positivity dependent differences of SUV max values were observed. The tumor differentiation is significantly correlated with SUV max (R = -0.327), tumor size (R = -0.286), grading (R = -0.499), gender (R = 0.286) as well as the expression levels for p53 (R = -0.605) and ERCC1 (R = -0.644). The expression level of p53

  12. ISSR marker-assisted genetic diversity analysis of Dioscorea hispida and selection of the best variety for sustainable production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nudin, Nur Fatihah Hasan; Ali, Abdul Manaf; Ngah, Norhayati; Mazlan, Nor Zuhailah; Mat, Nashriyah; Ghani, Mohd Noor Abd; Alias, Nadiawati; Zakaria, Abd Jamil; Jahan, Md Sarwar

    2017-08-01

    Plant breeding is a way of selection of a particular individual for the production of the progeny by separating or combining desired characteristics. The objective of this study was to justify different characteristics of Dioscorea hispida (Ubi gadong) varieties using molecular techniques to select the best variety for sustainable production at the farmer's level. A total of 160 germplasms of Ubi gadong were collected from different locations at the Terengganu and Kelantan states of Malaysia. Forty eight (48) out of 160 germplasms were selected as "primary" selection based on yield and other qualitative characters. Selected collections were then grown and maintained for ISSR marker-assisted genetic diversity analysis. Overall plant growth and yield of tubers were also determined. A total of 12 ISSR markers were tested to justify the characteristics of Ubi gadong varieties among which three markers showed polymorphic bands and on average 57.3% polymorphism were observed representing the highest variation among germplasms. The ISSR marker based on UPGMA cluster analysis grouped all 48 D. hispida into 10 vital groups that proved a vast genetic variation among germplasm collections. Therefore, hybridization should be made between two distant populations. The D. hispida is already proved as the highest starch content tuber crops and very rich in vitamins with both micro and macro minerals. Considering all these criteria and results from marker-assisted diversity analysis, accessions that are far apart based on their genetic coefficient (like DH27 and DH71; DH30 and DH70; DH43 and DH62; DH45 and DH61; DH77 and DH61; DH78 and DH57) could be selected as parents for further breeding programs. This will bring about greater diversity, which will lead to high productive index in terms of increase in yield and overall quality and for the ultimate target of sustainable Ubi gadong production. Copyright © 2017 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights

  13. Expressed sequence tag analysis of adult human optic nerve for NEIBank: Identification of cell type and tissue markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peterson Katherine

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The optic nerve is a pure white matter central nervous system (CNS tract with an isolated blood supply, and is widely used in physiological studies of white matter response to various insults. We examined the gene expression profile of human optic nerve (ON and, through the NEIBANK online resource, to provide a resource of sequenced verified cDNA clones. An un-normalized cDNA library was constructed from pooled human ON tissues and was used in expressed sequence tag (EST analysis. Location of an abundant oligodendrocyte marker was examined by immunofluorescence. Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR and Western analysis were used to compare levels of expression for key calcium channel protein genes and protein product in primate and rodent ON. Results Our analyses revealed a profile similar in many respects to other white matter related tissues, but significantly different from previously available ON cDNA libraries. The previous libraries were found to include specific markers for other eye tissues, suggesting contamination. Immune/inflammatory markers were abundant in the new ON library. The oligodendrocyte marker QKI was abundant at the EST level. Immunofluorescence revealed that this protein is a useful oligodendrocyte cell-type marker in rodent and primate ONs. L-type calcium channel EST abundance was found to be particularly low. A qRT-PCR-based comparative mammalian species analysis reveals that L-type calcium channel expression levels are significantly lower in primate than in rodent ON, which may help account for the class-specific difference in responsiveness to calcium channel blocking agents. Several known eye disease genes are abundantly expressed in ON. Many genes associated with normal axonal function, mRNAs associated with axonal transport, inflammation and neuroprotection are observed. Conclusion We conclude that the new cDNA library is a faithful representation of human ON and EST data

  14. Quality Assessment of Kumu Injection, a Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparation, Using HPLC Combined with Chemometric Methods and Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Multiple Alkaloids by Single Marker.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ning; Li, Zhi-Yong; Zheng, Xiao-Li; Li, Qiao; Yang, Xin; Xu, Hui

    2018-04-09

    Kumu injection (KMI) is a common-used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparation made from Picrasma quassioides (D. Don) Benn. rich in alkaloids. An innovative technique for quality assessment of KMI was developed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined with chemometric methods and qualitative and quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS). Nigakinone (PQ-6, 5-hydroxy-4-methoxycanthin-6-one), one of the most abundant alkaloids responsible for the major pharmacological activities of Kumu, was used as a reference substance. Six alkaloids in KMI were quantified, including 6-hydroxy- β -carboline-1-carboxylic acid (PQ-1), 4,5-dimethoxycanthin-6-one (PQ-2), β -carboline-1-carboxylic acid (PQ-3), β -carboline-1-propanoic acid (PQ-4), 3-methylcanthin-5,6-dione (PQ-5), and PQ-6. Based on the outcomes of twenty batches of KMI samples, the contents of six alkaloids were used for further chemometric analysis. By hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), radar plots, and principal component analysis (PCA), all the KMI samples could be categorized into three groups, which were closely related to production date and indicated the crucial influence of herbal raw material on end products of KMI. QAMS combined with chemometric analysis could accurately measure and clearly distinguish the different quality samples of KMI. Hence, QAMS is a feasible and promising method for the quality control of KMI.

  15. MAGMA: generalized gene-set analysis of GWAS data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Leeuw, Christiaan A; Mooij, Joris M; Heskes, Tom; Posthuma, Danielle

    2015-04-01

    By aggregating data for complex traits in a biologically meaningful way, gene and gene-set analysis constitute a valuable addition to single-marker analysis. However, although various methods for gene and gene-set analysis currently exist, they generally suffer from a number of issues. Statistical power for most methods is strongly affected by linkage disequilibrium between markers, multi-marker associations are often hard to detect, and the reliance on permutation to compute p-values tends to make the analysis computationally very expensive. To address these issues we have developed MAGMA, a novel tool for gene and gene-set analysis. The gene analysis is based on a multiple regression model, to provide better statistical performance. The gene-set analysis is built as a separate layer around the gene analysis for additional flexibility. This gene-set analysis also uses a regression structure to allow generalization to analysis of continuous properties of genes and simultaneous analysis of multiple gene sets and other gene properties. Simulations and an analysis of Crohn's Disease data are used to evaluate the performance of MAGMA and to compare it to a number of other gene and gene-set analysis tools. The results show that MAGMA has significantly more power than other tools for both the gene and the gene-set analysis, identifying more genes and gene sets associated with Crohn's Disease while maintaining a correct type 1 error rate. Moreover, the MAGMA analysis of the Crohn's Disease data was found to be considerably faster as well.

  16. Clinical and atopic parameters and airway inflammatory markers in childhood asthma: a factor analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leung, T; Wong, G; Ko, F; Lam, C; Fok, T

    2005-01-01

    Background: Recent studies have repeatedly shown weak correlations among lung function parameters, atopy, exhaled nitric oxide level (FeNO), and airway inflammatory markers, suggesting that they are non-overlapping characteristics of asthma in adults. A study was undertaken to determine, using factor analysis, whether the above features represent separate dimensions of childhood asthma. Methods: Clinically stable asthmatic patients aged 7–18 years underwent spirometric testing, methacholine bronchial challenge, blood sampling for atopy markers and chemokine levels (macrophage derived chemokine (MDC), thymus and activation regulated chemokine (TARC), and eotaxin), FeNO, and chemokines (MDC and eotaxin) and leukotriene B4 measurements in exhaled breath condensate (EBC). Results: The mean (SD) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and FeNO of 92 patients were 92.1 (15.9)% predicted and 87.3 (65.7) ppb, respectively. 59% of patients received inhaled corticosteroids. Factor analysis selected four different factors, explaining 55.5% of total variance. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.587. Plasma total and specific IgE levels, peripheral blood eosinophil percentage, and FeNO loaded on factor 1; plasma TARC and MDC concentrations on factor 2; MDC, eotaxin and leukotriene B4 concentrations in EBC on factor 3; and plasma eotaxin concentration together with clinical indices including body mass index and disease severity score loaded on factor 4. Post hoc factor analyses revealed similar results when outliers were excluded. Conclusions: The results suggest that atopy related indices and airway inflammation are separate dimensions in the assessment of childhood asthma, and inflammatory markers in peripheral blood and EBC are non-overlapping factors of asthma. PMID:16055623

  17. Analysis and prediction of Multiple-Site Damage (MSD) fatigue crack growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawicke, D. S.; Newman, J. C., Jr.

    1992-08-01

    A technique was developed to calculate the stress intensity factor for multiple interacting cracks. The analysis was verified through comparison with accepted methods of calculating stress intensity factors. The technique was incorporated into a fatigue crack growth prediction model and used to predict the fatigue crack growth life for multiple-site damage (MSD). The analysis was verified through comparison with experiments conducted on uniaxially loaded flat panels with multiple cracks. Configuration with nearly equal and unequal crack distribution were examined. The fatigue crack growth predictions agreed within 20 percent of the experimental lives for all crack configurations considered.

  18. Analysis and prediction of Multiple-Site Damage (MSD) fatigue crack growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawicke, D. S.; Newman, J. C., Jr.

    1992-01-01

    A technique was developed to calculate the stress intensity factor for multiple interacting cracks. The analysis was verified through comparison with accepted methods of calculating stress intensity factors. The technique was incorporated into a fatigue crack growth prediction model and used to predict the fatigue crack growth life for multiple-site damage (MSD). The analysis was verified through comparison with experiments conducted on uniaxially loaded flat panels with multiple cracks. Configuration with nearly equal and unequal crack distribution were examined. The fatigue crack growth predictions agreed within 20 percent of the experimental lives for all crack configurations considered.

  19. Phosphatidylethanol in Blood as a Marker of Chronic Alcohol Use: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Santo Davide Ferrara

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available The present paper aims at a systematic review of the current knowledge on phosphatidylethanol (PEth in blood as a direct marker of chronic alcohol use and abuse. In March 2012, the search through “MeSH” and “free-text” protocols in the databases Medline/PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Ovid/Embase, combining the terms phosphatidylethanol and alcohol, provided 444 records, 58 of which fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were used to summarize the current evidence on the formation, distribution and degradation of PEth in human blood: (1, the presence and distribution of different PEth molecular species (2, the most diffused analytical methods devoted to PEth identification and quantization (3, the clinical efficiency of total PEth quantification as a marker of chronic excessive drinking (4, and the potential utility of this marker for identifying binge drinking behaviors (5. Twelve papers were included in the meta-analysis and the mean (M and 95% confidence interval (CI of total PEth concentrations in social drinkers (DAI ≤ 60 g/die; M = 0.288 µM; CI 0.208–0.367 µM and heavy drinkers (DAI > 60 g/die; M = 3.897 µM; CI 2.404–5.391 µM were calculated. The present analysis demonstrates a good clinical efficiency of PEth for detecting chronic heavy drinking.

  20. Phosphatidylethanol in Blood as a Marker of Chronic Alcohol Use: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viel, Guido; Boscolo-Berto, Rafael; Cecchetto, Giovanni; Fais, Paolo; Nalesso, Alessandro; Ferrara, Santo Davide

    2012-01-01

    The present paper aims at a systematic review of the current knowledge on phosphatidylethanol (PEth) in blood as a direct marker of chronic alcohol use and abuse. In March 2012, the search through “MeSH” and “free-text” protocols in the databases Medline/PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Ovid/Embase, combining the terms phosphatidylethanol and alcohol, provided 444 records, 58 of which fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were used to summarize the current evidence on the formation, distribution and degradation of PEth in human blood: (1), the presence and distribution of different PEth molecular species (2), the most diffused analytical methods devoted to PEth identification and quantization (3), the clinical efficiency of total PEth quantification as a marker of chronic excessive drinking (4), and the potential utility of this marker for identifying binge drinking behaviors (5). Twelve papers were included in the meta-analysis and the mean (M) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of total PEth concentrations in social drinkers (DAI ≤ 60 g/die; M = 0.288 μM; CI 0.208–0.367 μM) and heavy drinkers (DAI > 60 g/die; M = 3.897 μM; CI 2.404–5.391 μM) were calculated. The present analysis demonstrates a good clinical efficiency of PEth for detecting chronic heavy drinking. PMID:23203094

  1. Insight into the genetic variability analysis and cultivar identification of tall fescue by using SSR markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Kaixin; Guo, Zhihui; Zhang, Xinquan; Fan, Yan; Wu, Wendan; Li, Daxu; Peng, Yan; Huang, Linkai; Sun, Ming; Bai, Shiqie; Ma, Xiao

    2016-01-01

    Genetic diversity of 19 forage-type and 2 turf-type cultivars of tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) was revealed using SSR markers in an attempt to explore the genetic relationships among them, and examine potential use of SSR markers to identify cultivars by bulked samples. A total of 227 clear band was scored with 14 SSR primers and out of which 201 (88.6 %) were found polymorphic. The percentage of polymorphic bands (PPB) per primer pair varied from 62.5 to 100 % with an average of 86.9 %. The polymorphism information content (PIC) value ranged from 0.116 to 0.347 with an average of 0.257 and the highest PIC value (0.347) was noticed for primer NFA040 followed by NFA113 (0.346) whereas the highest discriminating power (D) of 1 was shown in NFA037 and LMgSSR02-01C. A Neighbor-joining dendrogram and the principal component analysis identified six major clusters and grouped the cultivars in agreement with their breeding histories. STRUCTURE analysis divided these cultivars into 3 sub-clades which correspond to distance based groupings. These findings indicates that SSR markers by bulking strategy are a useful tool to measure genetic diversity among tall fescue cultivars and could be used to supplement morphological data for plant variety protection.

  2. From quality markers to data mining and intelligence assessment: A smart quality-evaluation strategy for traditional Chinese medicine based on quality markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Gang; Zhang, Tiejun; Hou, Yuanyuan; Ding, Guoyu; Jiang, Min; Luo, Guoan

    2018-01-31

    The quality of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) forms the foundation of its clinical efficacy. The standardization of TCM is the most important task of TCM modernization. In recent years, there has been great progress in the quality control of TCM. However, there are still many issues related to the current quality standards, and it is difficult to objectively evaluate and effectively control the quality of TCM. To face these challenge, we summarized the current quality marker (Q-marker) research based on its characteristics and benefits, and proposed a reasonable and intelligentized quality evaluation strategy for the development and application of Q-markers. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight with partial least squares-discriminant analysis was suggested to screen the chemical markers from Chinese medicinal materials (CMM), and a bioactive-guided evaluation method was used to select the Q-markers. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), based on the distinctive wavenumber zones or points from the Q-markers, was developed for its determination. Then, artificial intelligence algorithms were used to clarify the complex relationship between the Q-markers and their integral functions. Internet and mobile communication technology helped us to perform remote analysis and determine the information feedback of test samples. The quality control research, evaluation, standard establishment and quality control of TCM must be based on the systematic analysis of Q-markers to study and describe the material basis of TCM efficacy, define the chemical markers in the plant body, and understand the process of herb drug acquisition, change and transmission laws affecting metabolism and exposure. Based on the advantages of chemometrics, new sensor technologies, including infrared spectroscopy, hyperspectral imaging, chemical imaging, electronic nose and electronic tongue, have become increasingly important in the quality evaluation of CMM. Inspired by the

  3. Four small supernumerary marker chromosomes derived from chromosomes 6, 8, 11 and 12 in a patient with minimal clinical abnormalities: a case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamid Ahmed B

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Small supernumerary marker chromosomes are still a problem in cytogenetic diagnostic and genetic counseling. This holds especially true for the rare cases with multiple small supernumerary marker chromosomes. Most such cases are reported to be clinically severely affected due to the chromosomal imbalances induced by the presence of small supernumerary marker chromosomes. Here we report the first case of a patient having four different small supernumerary marker chromosomes which, apart from slight developmental retardation in youth and non-malignant hyperpigmentation, presented no other clinical signs. Case presentation Our patient was a 30-year-old Caucasian man, delivered by caesarean section because of macrosomy. At birth he presented with bilateral cryptorchidism but no other birth defects. At age of around two years he showed psychomotor delay and a bilateral convergent strabismus. Later he had slight learning difficulties, with normal social behavior and now lives an independent life as an adult. Apart from hypogenitalism, he has multiple hyperpigmented nevi all over his body, short feet with pes cavus and claw toes. At age of 30 years, cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic analysis revealed a karyotype of 50,XY,+min(6(:p11.1-> q11.1:,+min(8(:p11.1->q11.1:,+min(11(:p11.11->q11:,+min(12(:p11.2~12->q10:, leading overall to a small partial trisomy in 12p11.1~12.1. Conclusions Including this case, four single case reports are available in the literature with a karyotype 50,XN,+4mar. For prenatally detected multiple small supernumerary marker chromosomes in particular we learn from this case that such a cytogenetic condition may be correlated with a positive clinical outcome.

  4. Recurrent parent genome recovery analysis in a marker-assisted backcrossing program of rice (Oryza sativa L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miah, Gous; Rafii, Mohd Y; Ismail, Mohd R; Puteh, Adam B; Rahim, Harun A; Latif, Mohammad A

    2015-02-01

    Backcross breeding is the most commonly used method for incorporating a blast resistance gene into a rice cultivar. Linkage between the resistance gene and undesirable units can persist for many generations of backcrossing. Marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC) along with marker-assisted selection (MAS) contributes immensely to overcome the main limitation of the conventional breeding and accelerates recurrent parent genome (RPG) recovery. The MABC approach was employed to incorporate (a) blast resistance gene(s) from the donor parent Pongsu Seribu 1, the blast-resistant local variety in Malaysia, into the genetic background of MR219, a popular high-yielding rice variety that is blast susceptible, to develop a blast-resistant MR219 improved variety. In this perspective, the recurrent parent genome recovery was analyzed in early generations of backcrossing using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Out of 375 SSR markers, 70 markers were found polymorphic between the parents, and these markers were used to evaluate the plants in subsequent generations. Background analysis revealed that the extent of RPG recovery ranged from 75.40% to 91.3% and from 80.40% to 96.70% in BC1F1 and BC2F1 generations, respectively. In this study, the recurrent parent genome content in the selected BC2F2 lines ranged from 92.7% to 97.7%. The average proportion of the recurrent parent in the selected improved line was 95.98%. MAS allowed identification of the plants that are more similar to the recurrent parent for the loci evaluated in backcross generations. The application of MAS with the MABC breeding program accelerated the recovery of the RP genome, reducing the number of generations and the time for incorporating resistance against rice blast. Copyright © 2014 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  5. Increasing serum levels of vitamin A, D and E are associated with alterations of different inflammation markers in patients with multiple sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Røsjø, Egil; Myhr, Kjell-Morten; Løken-Amsrud, Kristin Ingeleiv; Bakke, Søren Jacob; Beiske, Antonie G; Bjerve, Kristian S; Hovdal, Harald; Lilleås, Finn; Midgard, Rune; Pedersen, Tom; Benth, Jūratė Saltytė; Torkildsen, Øivind; Wergeland, Stig; Michelsen, Annika E; Aukrust, Pål; Ueland, Thor; Holmøy, Trygve

    2014-06-15

    To explore the relationships between vitamin A, D and E and inflammation in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis, we assessed their associations with 11 inflammation markers in 9 serial serum samples from 85 patients, before and during interferon-β1a treatment. A negative association was found between vitamin A and pentraxin 3 independent of interferon-β1a use, whereas positive associations between vitamin D and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist and secreted frizzled-related protein 3 were seen before, and between vitamin E and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 16 during interferon-β1a treatment. These findings suggest associations with diverse inflammatory pathways, which may be differentially influenced by interferon-β1a treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. A novel magnet based 3D printed marker wand as basis for repeated in-shoe multi segment foot analysis: a proof of concept.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eerdekens, Maarten; Staes, Filip; Pilkington, Thomas; Deschamps, Kevin

    2017-01-01

    Application of in-shoe multi-segment foot kinematic analyses currently faces a number of challenges, including: (i) the difficulty to apply regular markers onto the skin, (ii) the necessity for an adequate shoe which fits various foot morphologies and (iii) the need for adequate repeatability throughout a repeated measure condition. The aim of this study therefore was to design novel magnet based 3D printed markers for repeated in-shoe measurements while using accordingly adapted modified shoes for a specific multi-segment foot model. Multi-segment foot kinematics of ten participants were recorded and kinematics of hindfoot, midfoot and forefoot were calculated. Dynamic trials were conducted to check for intra and inter-session repeatability when combining novel markers and modified shoes in a repeated measures design. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated to determine reliability. Both repeatability and reliability were proven to be good to excellent with maximum joint angle deviations of 1.11° for intra-session variability and 1.29° for same-day inter-session variability respectively and ICC values of >0.91. The novel markers can be reliably used in future research settings using in-shoe multi-segment foot kinematic analyses with multiple shod conditions.

  7. Tandem mass spectrometric identification of dextrose markers in dried-blood spots from infants receiving total parenteral nutrition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chace, Donald H; De Jesús, Víctor R; Lim, Timothy H; Hannon, W Harry; Spitzer, Alan R

    2010-11-11

    The false positive rate for the newborn screening of disorders of amino acid metabolism for premature infants is higher than full term infants. This may be due to very low birth weight infants receiving high concentrations of amino acids from total parenteral nutrition (TPN) administration and/or immature metabolism. An investigation of the possible influence of TPN on screening of premature infants resulted in the detection of three unusual peaks in the tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) acylcarnitine profile. These markers were closely correlated with the detection of very high multiple amino acid increases in the profiles of newborns administered with TPN and who were ultimately found to be normal and free of inherited metabolic disorders. TPN solutions contain a concentrated mixture of amino acids and dextrose and other nutrients in saline. Due to its high concentration and suggestion of a carbohydrate, it was hypothesized that dextrose (D-glucose) was the contaminant and source of the markers detected. Dextrose, stable isotope-labeled 13C6-dextrose and various TPN solutions were analyzed directly or after enrichment in whole blood by multiple MS/MS acquisition modes including MS-only, product and precursor ion and neutral loss scans. Analysis of dried-blood spots (DBS) prepared from whole blood spiked with TPN solutions containing 12.5% dextrose and amino acid formulations designed to deliver 2.5 gm/kg/day of an amino acid mixture had moderate increases of all 3 dextrose markers detected at m/z 325, 399 and 473 as compared to controls. MS-only scans, product and precursor ion scans of dextrose and 13C6-dextrose in positive ion mode confirmed that these 3 peaks are derived from dextrose. Mass spectral analysis of labeled and unlabeled dextrose suggested that these peaks were dimers derived from dextrose. The identification of dextrose markers in DBS indicates that high concentrations of dextrose were present in blood and the likely source was contamination by TPN

  8. Association analysis of multiple traits by an approach of combining ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Lili Chen

    diseases. Joint analysis of multiple traits can increase statistical power of association analysis and uncover the underlying genetic ... genthaler and Thilly 2007), the combined multivariate and ... Because of using reverse regression model, our.

  9. Immune activation markers in peripartum women in Botswana: association with feeding strategy and maternal morbidity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth S Russell

    Full Text Available Hormone levels shift the immune state in HIV-uninfected pregnant and breastfeeding women away from Th1 responses and toward regulation to permit fetal tolerance. Limited data exist on inflammation during pregnancy or postpartum in HIV-infected women, though certain inflammatory markers are associated with adverse health outcomes among HIV-infected persons. We measured hsCRP, D-dimer, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α at 34 weeks gestation and six months postpartum in HIV-infected women from the Botswana Mashi PMTCT trial who were randomized to breastfeeding or formula-feeding. Differences in inflammatory markers between gestation and postpartum periods, and by randomized feeding method, were estimated using generalized estimating equations, adjusting for baseline plasma HIV-1 viral load, CD4 count, calendar time, and antiretroviral treatment status. Additionally, we studied the association between marker concentrations at six months postpartum and major adverse clinical events over the following 4.5 years, using case-cohort sampling and adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. In 86 breastfeeding and 75 formula-feeding women, hsCRP and D-dimer decreased significantly between 34 weeks gestation and six months postpartum, while IFN-γ increased. There was no significant association between inflammatory marker change and randomized feeding method after adjusting for multiple comparisons and removing outliers. In univariate analysis, TNF-α, D-dimer, and IFN-γ concentrations at six months postpartum were significant predictors of subsequent clinical events, and TNF-α remained significant in multivariate analysis (HR = 4.16, p = 0.001. In young HIV-infected women in Botswana inflammatory marker concentrations did not differ significantly between women who breast- vs. formula-fed. However, postpartum TNF-α level was predictive of subsequent adverse clinical event.

  10. Elevated levels of serum tumor markers CA 15-3 and CEA are prognostic factors for diagnosis of metastatic breast cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jun Sang; Park, Seho; Park, Ji Min; Cho, Jung Hoon; Kim, Seung Il; Park, Byeong-Woo

    2013-10-01

    To investigate the prognostic value of tumor markers, cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels at diagnosis of systemic recurrence. After primary treatments of locoregional breast cancers, serum CA 15-3 and/or CEA concentrations were regularly measured, and systemic recurrences were identified in 351 patients between January 1999 and December 2009. The association between tumor marker levels at systemic recurrence and survival were investigated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Elevated CA 15-3 and CEA levels were identified in 194 of 349 (55.6 %) and 111 of 308 (36.0 %) patients, respectively, at diagnosis of systemic recurrence. Elevated levels of CA 15-3 and CEA were correlated with visceral or multiple recurrences and elevated preoperative levels. Elevation of CA 15-3 was more prominent in younger patients and in primary node-positive tumors, while CEA was elevated in older patients at diagnosis and in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors. Elevated tumor markers as well as ER negativity, short disease-free interval, and advanced stage at initial diagnosis showed independent prognostic significance on multivariate analysis. Among 306 patients for whom levels of both tumor markers at recurrence were available, 106 patients without elevation of either marker showed significantly better overall survival than those with elevated levels of either one or both markers, and the significance persisted in multivariate analysis. Elevated serum CA 15-3 and CEA levels at recurrence suggest increased tumor burden and may be prognostic for survival for metastatic breast cancer patients.

  11. Falls in elderly people: a multifactorial analysis of risk markers using data from the Swedish general population study 'Good ageing in Skåne'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stenhagen, Magnus; Nordell, Eva; Elmståhl, Sölve

    2013-04-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of falls in a general older population, especially among the most elderly, and the risk markers associated with falls. This is a cross-sectional study in which 38 fall risk markers were analysed in non-, occasional- and frequent-fallers. The population was 2,865 individuals (aged 60-93), randomly selected from the general population register. The risk of falling was calculated as age-adjusted odds ratios. The relation between the number of risk markers for an individual and falls was also analysed. About one in ten reported falling during the past 6 months, 35% of which were over 90 years old. Twenty-one risk markers were significantly related to falls confirming falling as a multifactorial problem. These included a variety of diseases, symptoms, medical and physical functions, life-style factors and the taking of certain drugs. The five risk markers with the highest odds ratio in frequent fallers were 'tendency to fall' (37.9), 'low walking speed' (12.8), consumption of 'neuroleptics' (10.9), 'impaired mobility' (10.0) and 'dementia' (5.4). Subjects with more than four and seven risk markers showed a 9- respectively 28-fold increase in the risk of falling, especially among frequent fallers and those aged over 90 years. Falls are common in the elderly population and the risk is multifactorial. The results imply that there is an overrepresentation of fallers in a distinct subgroup of the very elderly and those with multiple risk markers. The self-perceived clinical sign 'tendency to fall' seems highly sensitive as indicator of individuals at risk. Several risk markers may be treatable. Fall risk seems to increase in a non-linear, almost exponential way with increasing number of risk markers.

  12. Application of multiple geochemical markers to investigate organic pollution in a dynamic coastal zone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Liang-Ying; Wang, Ji-Zhong; Wong, Charles S; Qiu, Jian-Wen; Zeng, Eddy Y

    2013-02-01

    Multiple geochemical markers, including aliphatic hydrocarbons (n-alkanes), linear alkylbenzenes (LABs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), were employed to relate sediment organic chemical pollution in the coastal zone off South China to socioeconomic development there. Concentrations of Σn-C(15-35) (n-alkanes with 15-35 carbon atoms), ΣLAB (sum of C(10) to C(13) LABs), and Σ(26) PAH (sum of 26 PAH compounds) ranged from 110 to 3,160, 11 to 160, and 26 to 600 ng/g, with medians of 730, 40, and 230 ng/g, respectively. Natural hydrocarbons were mainly derived from terrestrial higher plant waxes, and in minor amounts from aquatic plankton and bacteria. Compositions of LABs indicated that considerable amounts of poorly treated wastewater had been directly discharged or transported to the eastern and western coastal areas of Guangdong Province. In addition, anthropogenic hydrocarbons were derived largely from vehicular emissions and combustion of domestic coal and biomass and to a lesser extent from oil spills. Eastern and western coastal sediments contained higher levels of LABs but lower levels of PAHs than those of the Pearl River Estuary, a coastal area of the Pearl River Delta. This spatial pattern of organic pollution was consistent with chemical use patterns. The eastern and western regions of Guangdong Province are economically less developed than the Pearl River Delta region, where more domestic wastewater treatment plants have been built. However, greater amounts of energy are consumed in the latter region to produce more combustion-derived PAH contamination. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

  13. Toolbox Approaches Using Molecular Markers and 16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Data Sets for Identification of Fecal Pollution in Surface Water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, W; Staley, C; Sadowsky, M J; Gyawali, P; Sidhu, J P S; Palmer, A; Beale, D J; Toze, S

    2015-10-01

    In this study, host-associated molecular markers and bacterial 16S rRNA gene community analysis using high-throughput sequencing were used to identify the sources of fecal pollution in environmental waters in Brisbane, Australia. A total of 92 fecal and composite wastewater samples were collected from different host groups (cat, cattle, dog, horse, human, and kangaroo), and 18 water samples were collected from six sites (BR1 to BR6) along the Brisbane River in Queensland, Australia. Bacterial communities in the fecal, wastewater, and river water samples were sequenced. Water samples were also tested for the presence of bird-associated (GFD), cattle-associated (CowM3), horse-associated, and human-associated (HF183) molecular markers, to provide multiple lines of evidence regarding the possible presence of fecal pollution associated with specific hosts. Among the 18 water samples tested, 83%, 33%, 17%, and 17% were real-time PCR positive for the GFD, HF183, CowM3, and horse markers, respectively. Among the potential sources of fecal pollution in water samples from the river, DNA sequencing tended to show relatively small contributions from wastewater treatment plants (up to 13% of sequence reads). Contributions from other animal sources were rarely detected and were very small (molecular markers showed variable agreement. A lack of relationships among fecal indicator bacteria, host-associated molecular markers, and 16S rRNA gene community analysis data was also observed. Nonetheless, we show that bacterial community and host-associated molecular marker analyses can be combined to identify potential sources of fecal pollution in an urban river. This study is a proof of concept, and based on the results, we recommend using bacterial community analysis (where possible) along with PCR detection or quantification of host-associated molecular markers to provide information on the sources of fecal pollution in waterways. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology

  14. New Hypervariable SSR Markers for Diversity Analysis, Hybrid Purity Testing and Trait Mapping in Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohra, Abhishek; Jha, Rintu; Pandey, Gaurav; Patil, Prakash G; Saxena, Rachit K; Singh, Indra P; Singh, D; Mishra, R K; Mishra, Ankita; Singh, F; Varshney, Rajeev K; Singh, N P

    2017-01-01

    Draft genome sequence in pigeonpea offers unprecedented opportunities for genomics assisted crop improvement via enabling access to genome-wide genetic markers. In the present study, 421 hypervariable simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers from the pigeonpea genome were screened on a panel of eight pigeonpea genotypes yielding marker validation and polymorphism percentages of 95.24 and 54.11%, respectively. The SSR marker assay uncovered a total of 570 alleles with three as an average number of alleles per marker. Similarly, the mean values for gene diversity and PIC were 0.44 and 0.37, respectively. The number of polymorphic markers ranged from 39 to 89 for different parental combinations. Further, 60 of these SSRs were assayed on 94 genotypes, and model based clustering using STRUCTURE resulted in the identification of the two subpopulations ( K = 2). This remained in close agreement with the clustering patterns inferred from genetic distance (GD)-based approaches i.e., dendrogram, factorial and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). The AMOVA accounted majority of the genetic variation within groups (89%) in comparison to the variation existing between the groups (11%). A subset of these markers was implicated for hybrid purity testing. We also demonstrated utility of these SSR markers in trait mapping through association and bi-parental linkage analyses. The general linear (GLM) and mixed linear (MLM) models both detected a single SSR marker (CcGM03681) with R 2 = 16.4 as associated with the resistance to Fusarium wilt variant 2. Similarly, by using SSR data in a segregating backcross population, the corresponding restorer-of-fertility ( Rf ) locus was putatively mapped at 39 cM with the marker CcGM08896. However, The marker-trait associations (MTAs) detected here represent a very preliminary type and hence demand deeper investigations for conclusive evidence. Given their ability to reveal polymorphism in simple agarose gels, the hypervariable SSRs are valuable

  15. RAPD-SCAR marker and genetic relationship analysis of three Demodex species (Acari: Demodicidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Ya-E; Wu, Li-Ping

    2012-06-01

    For a long time, classification of Demodex mites has been mainly based on their hosts and phenotype characteristics. The study was the first to conduct molecular identification and genetic relationship analysis for six isolates of three Demodex species by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker. Totally, 239 DNA fragments were amplified from six Demodex isolates with 10 random primers in RAPD, of which 165 were polymorphic. Using a single primer, at least five fragments and at most 40 in the six isolates were amplified, whereas within a single isolate, a range of 35-49 fragments were amplified. DNA fingerprints of primers CZ 1-9 revealed intra- and interspecies difference in six Demodex isolates, whereas primer CZ 10 only revealed interspecies difference. The genetic distance and dendrogram showed the intraspecific genetic distances were closer than the interspecific genetic distances. The interspecific genetic distances of Demodex folliculorum and Demodex canis (0.7931-0.8140) were shorter than that of Demodex brevis and D. canis (0.8182-0.8987). The RAPD-SCAR marker displayed primer CZ 10 could be applied to identify the three Demodex species. The 479-bp fragment was specific for D. brevis, and the 261-bp fragment was specific for D. canis. The conclusion was that the RAPD-SCAR multi-marker was effective in molecular identification of three Demodex species. The genetic relationship between D. folliculorum and D. canis was nearer than that between D. folliculorum and D. brevis.

  16. Multiple Origins of Mutations in the mdr1 Gene--A Putative Marker of Chloroquine Resistance in P. vivax.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mette L Schousboe

    2015-11-01

    sites which could indicate directional selection through local drug pressure.Our observations suggest that Pvmdr1 mutations emerged independently on multiple occasions even within the same population. In Sri Lanka population analysis at multiple sites showed evidence of local selection and geographical dispersal of Pvmdr1 mutations between sites.

  17. Analysis of dynamic multiplicity fluctuations at PHOBOS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chai, Zhengwei; PHOBOS Collaboration; Back, B. B.; Baker, M. D.; Ballintijn, M.; Barton, D. S.; Betts, R. R.; Bickley, A. A.; Bindel, R.; Budzanowski, A.; Busza, W.; Carroll, A.; Chai, Z.; Decowski, M. P.; García, E.; George, N.; Gulbrandsen, K.; Gushue, S.; Halliwell, C.; Hamblen, J.; Heintzelman, G. A.; Henderson, C.; Hofman, D. J.; Hollis, R. S.; Holynski, R.; Holzman, B.; Iordanova, A.; Johnson, E.; Kane, J. L.; Katzy, J.; Khan, N.; Kucewicz, W.; Kulinich, P.; Kuo, C. M.; Lin, W. T.; Manly, S.; McLeod, D.; Mignerey, A. C.; Nouicer, R.; Olszewski, A.; Pak, R.; Park, I. C.; Pernegger, H.; Reed, C.; Remsberg, L. P.; Reuter, M.; Roland, C.; Roland, G.; Rosenberg, L.; Sagerer, J.; Sarin, P.; Sawicki, P.; Skulski, W.; Steinberg, P.; Stephans, G. S. F.; Sukhanov, A.; Tang, J. L.; Trzupek, A.; Vale, C.; van Nieuwenhuizen, G. J.; Verdier, R.; Wolfs, F. L. H.; Wosiek, B.; Wozniak, K.; Wuosmaa, A. H.; Wyslouch, B.

    2005-01-01

    This paper presents the analysis of the dynamic fluctuations in the inclusive charged particle multiplicity measured by PHOBOS for Au+Au collisions at surdsNN = 200GeV within the pseudo-rapidity range of -3 < η < 3. First the definition of the fluctuations observables used in this analysis is presented, together with the discussion of their physics meaning. Then the procedure for the extraction of dynamic fluctuations is described. Some preliminary results are included to illustrate the correlation features of the fluctuation observable. New dynamic fluctuations results will be available in a later publication.

  18. Exhaled Breath Markers for Nonimaging and Noninvasive Measures for Detection of Multiple Sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broza, Yoav Y; Har-Shai, Lior; Jeries, Raneen; Cancilla, John C; Glass-Marmor, Lea; Lejbkowicz, Izabella; Torrecilla, José S; Yao, Xuelin; Feng, Xinliang; Narita, Akimitsu; Müllen, Klaus; Miller, Ariel; Haick, Hossam

    2017-11-15

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic neurological disease affecting young adults. MS diagnosis is based on clinical characteristics and confirmed by examination of the cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) or by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain or spinal cord or both. However, neither of the current diagnostic procedures are adequate as a routine tool to determine disease state. Thus, diagnostic biomarkers are needed. In the current study, a novel approach that could meet these expectations is presented. The approach is based on noninvasive analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath. Exhaled breath was collected from 204 participants, 146 MS and 58 healthy control individuals. Analysis was performed by gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC-MS) and nanomaterial-based sensor array. Predictive models were derived from the sensors, using artificial neural networks (ANNs). GC-MS analysis revealed significant differences in VOC abundance between MS patients and controls. Sensor data analysis on training sets was able to discriminate in binary comparisons between MS patients and controls with accuracies up to 90%. Blinded sets showed 95% positive predictive value (PPV) between MS-remission and control, 100% sensitivity with 100% negative predictive value (NPV) between MS not-treated (NT) and control, and 86% NPV between relapse and control. Possible links between VOC biomarkers and the MS pathogenesis were established. Preliminary results suggest the applicability of a new nanotechnology-based method for MS diagnostics.

  19. Diversity Performance Analysis on Multiple HAP Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Feihong; Li, Min; Gong, Xiangwu; Li, Hongjun; Gao, Fengyue

    2015-01-01

    One of the main design challenges in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is achieving a high-data-rate transmission for individual sensor devices. The high altitude platform (HAP) is an important communication relay platform for WSNs and next-generation wireless networks. Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) techniques provide the diversity and multiplexing gain, which can improve the network performance effectively. In this paper, a virtual MIMO (V-MIMO) model is proposed by networking multiple HAPs with the concept of multiple assets in view (MAV). In a shadowed Rician fading channel, the diversity performance is investigated. The probability density function (PDF) and cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are derived. In addition, the average symbol error rate (ASER) with BPSK and QPSK is given for the V-MIMO model. The system capacity is studied for both perfect channel state information (CSI) and unknown CSI individually. The ergodic capacity with various SNR and Rician factors for different network configurations is also analyzed. The simulation results validate the effectiveness of the performance analysis. It is shown that the performance of the HAPs network in WSNs can be significantly improved by utilizing the MAV to achieve overlapping coverage, with the help of the V-MIMO techniques. PMID:26134102

  20. Diversity Performance Analysis on Multiple HAP Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feihong Dong

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available One of the main design challenges in wireless sensor networks (WSNs is achieving a high-data-rate transmission for individual sensor devices. The high altitude platform (HAP is an important communication relay platform for WSNs and next-generation wireless networks. Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO techniques provide the diversity and multiplexing gain, which can improve the network performance effectively. In this paper, a virtual MIMO (V-MIMO model is proposed by networking multiple HAPs with the concept of multiple assets in view (MAV. In a shadowed Rician fading channel, the diversity performance is investigated. The probability density function (PDF and cumulative distribution function (CDF of the received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR are derived. In addition, the average symbol error rate (ASER with BPSK and QPSK is given for the V-MIMO model. The system capacity is studied for both perfect channel state information (CSI and unknown CSI individually. The ergodic capacity with various SNR and Rician factors for different network configurations is also analyzed. The simulation results validate the effectiveness of the performance analysis. It is shown that the performance of the HAPs network in WSNs can be significantly improved by utilizing the MAV to achieve overlapping coverage, with the help of the V-MIMO techniques.

  1. Development of novel EST-SSR markers for ploidy identification based on de novo transcriptome assembly for Misgurnus anguillicaudatus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Bing; Yi, Soojin V; Zhang, Manman; Zhou, Xiaoyun

    2018-01-01

    The co-existence of several ploidy types in natural populations makes the cyprinid loach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus an exciting model system to study the genetic and phenotypic consequences of ploidy variations. A first step in such effort is to identify the specific ploidy of an individual. Currently popular methods of karyotyping via cytological preparation or flow cytometry require a large amount of tissue (such as blood) samples, which can be damaging or fatal to the fishes. Here, we developed novel microsatellite markers (SSR markers) from M. anguillicaudatus and show that they can effectively discriminate ploidy using samples collected in a minimally invasive way. Specifically, we generated whole genome transcriptomes from multiple M. anguillicaudatus using the Illumina paired-end sequencing. Approximately 150 million raw reads were assembled into 76,544 non-redundant unigenes. A total of 8,194 potential SSR markers were identified. We selected 98 pairs with more than five tandem repeats for further assays. Out of 45 putative EST-SSR markers that successfully amplified and harbored polymorphism in diploids, 11 markers displayed high variability in tetraploids. We further demonstrate that a set of five EST-SSR markers selected from these are sufficient to distinguish ploidy levels, by first validating them on 69 reference specimens with known ploidy levels and then subsequently using fresh-collected 96 ploidy-unknown specimens. The results from EST-SSR markers are highly concordant with those from independent flow cytometry analysis. The novel EST-SSR markers developed here should facilitate genetic studies of polyploidy in the emerging model system M. anguillicaudatus.

  2. Molecular marker analysis of heading date Hd1 locus in Egyptian ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nine molecular markers derived from the heading date QTL Hd1 DNA sequence for cultivated rice were used to study the heading date allelic diversity of the cultivated Egyptian rice varieties. The results showed that among the nine simple sequence repeats (SSR) and sequence tagged-sites (STS) markers used, one SSR ...

  3. NABIC marker database: A molecular markers information network of agricultural crops.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Chang-Kug; Seol, Young-Joo; Lee, Dong-Jun; Jeong, In-Seon; Yoon, Ung-Han; Lee, Gang-Seob; Hahn, Jang-Ho; Park, Dong-Suk

    2013-01-01

    In 2013, National Agricultural Biotechnology Information Center (NABIC) reconstructs a molecular marker database for useful genetic resources. The web-based marker database consists of three major functional categories: map viewer, RSN marker and gene annotation. It provides 7250 marker locations, 3301 RSN marker property, 3280 molecular marker annotation information in agricultural plants. The individual molecular marker provides information such as marker name, expressed sequence tag number, gene definition and general marker information. This updated marker-based database provides useful information through a user-friendly web interface that assisted in tracing any new structures of the chromosomes and gene positional functions using specific molecular markers. The database is available for free at http://nabic.rda.go.kr/gere/rice/molecularMarkers/

  4. Multivariant design and multiple criteria analysis of building refurbishments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaklauskas, A.; Zavadskas, E. K.; Raslanas, S. [Faculty of Civil Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius (Lithuania)

    2005-07-01

    In order to design and realize an efficient building refurbishment, it is necessary to carry out an exhaustive investigation of all solutions that form it. The efficiency level of the considered building's refurbishment depends on a great many of factors, including: cost of refurbishment, annual fuel economy after refurbishment, tentative pay-back time, harmfulness to health of the materials used, aesthetics, maintenance properties, functionality, comfort, sound insulation and longevity, etc. Solutions of an alternative character allow for a more rational and realistic assessment of economic, ecological, legislative, climatic, social and political conditions, traditions and for better the satisfaction of customer requirements. They also enable one to cut down on refurbishment costs. In carrying out the multivariant design and multiple criteria analysis of a building refurbishment much data was processed and evaluated. Feasible alternatives could be as many as 100,000. How to perform a multivariant design and multiple criteria analysis of alternate alternatives based on the enormous amount of information became the problem. Method of multivariant design and multiple criteria of a building refurbishment's analysis were developed by the authors to solve the above problems. In order to demonstrate the developed method, a practical example is presented in this paper. (author)

  5. T-cell receptor Vα and Cα alleles associated with multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oksenberg, J.R.; Cavalli-Sforza, L.L.; Steinman, L.; Sherritt, M.; Bernard, C.C.; Begovich, A.B.; Erlich, H.A.

    1989-01-01

    Polymorphic markers in genes encoding the α chain of the human T-cell receptor (TcR) have been detected by Southern blot analysis in Pss I digests. Polymorphic bands were observed at 6.3 and 2.0 kilobases (kb) with frequencies of 0.30 and 0.44, respectively, in the general population. Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, the authors amplified selected sequences derived from the full-length TcR α cDNA probe. These PcR products were used as specific probes to demonstrate that the 6.3-kb polymorphic fragment hybridizes to the variable (V)-region probe and the 2.0-kb fragment hybridizes to the constant (C)-region probe. Segregation of the polymorphic bands was analyzed in family studies. To look for associations between these markers and autoimmune diseases, the authors have studied the restriction fragment length polymorphism distribution of the Pss I markers in patients with multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and Graves disease. Significant differences in the frequency of the polymorphic V α and C α markers were identified between patients and healthy individuals

  6. Multiplication factor versus regression analysis in stature estimation from hand and foot dimensions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj; Sharma, Abhilasha

    2012-05-01

    Estimation of stature is an important parameter in identification of human remains in forensic examinations. The present study is aimed to compare the reliability and accuracy of stature estimation and to demonstrate the variability in estimated stature and actual stature using multiplication factor and regression analysis methods. The study is based on a sample of 246 subjects (123 males and 123 females) from North India aged between 17 and 20 years. Four anthropometric measurements; hand length, hand breadth, foot length and foot breadth taken on the left side in each subject were included in the study. Stature was measured using standard anthropometric techniques. Multiplication factors were calculated and linear regression models were derived for estimation of stature from hand and foot dimensions. Derived multiplication factors and regression formula were applied to the hand and foot measurements in the study sample. The estimated stature from the multiplication factors and regression analysis was compared with the actual stature to find the error in estimated stature. The results indicate that the range of error in estimation of stature from regression analysis method is less than that of multiplication factor method thus, confirming that the regression analysis method is better than multiplication factor analysis in stature estimation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

  7. Gene expression analysis reveals new possible mechanisms of vancomycin-induced nephrotoxicity and identifies gene markers candidates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dieterich, Christine; Puey, Angela; Lin, Sylvia; Lyn, Sylvia; Swezey, Robert; Furimsky, Anna; Fairchild, David; Mirsalis, Jon C; Ng, Hanna H

    2009-01-01

    Vancomycin, one of few effective treatments against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is nephrotoxic. The goals of this study were to (1) gain insights into molecular mechanisms of nephrotoxicity at the genomic level, (2) evaluate gene markers of vancomycin-induced kidney injury, and (3) compare gene expression responses after iv and ip administration. Groups of six female BALB/c mice were treated with seven daily iv or ip doses of vancomycin (50, 200, and 400 mg/kg) or saline, and sacrificed on day 8. Clinical chemistry and histopathology demonstrated kidney injury at 400 mg/kg only. Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed that kidney gene expression profiles of all mice treated at 400 mg/kg clustered with those of mice administered 200 mg/kg iv. Transcriptional profiling might thus be more sensitive than current clinical markers for detecting kidney damage, though the profiles can differ with the route of administration. Analysis of transcripts whose expression was changed by at least twofold compared with vehicle saline after high iv and ip doses of vancomycin suggested the possibility of oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in vancomycin-induced toxicity. In addition, our data showed changes in expression of several transcripts from the complement and inflammatory pathways. Such expression changes were confirmed by relative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Finally, our results further substantiate the use of gene markers of kidney toxicity such as KIM-1/Havcr1, as indicators of renal injury.

  8. Integrative Analysis of Cancer Diagnosis Studies with Composite Penalization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jin; Huang, Jian; Ma, Shuangge

    2013-01-01

    Summary In cancer diagnosis studies, high-throughput gene profiling has been extensively conducted, searching for genes whose expressions may serve as markers. Data generated from such studies have the “large d, small n” feature, with the number of genes profiled much larger than the sample size. Penalization has been extensively adopted for simultaneous estimation and marker selection. Because of small sample sizes, markers identified from the analysis of single datasets can be unsatisfactory. A cost-effective remedy is to conduct integrative analysis of multiple heterogeneous datasets. In this article, we investigate composite penalization methods for estimation and marker selection in integrative analysis. The proposed methods use the minimax concave penalty (MCP) as the outer penalty. Under the homogeneity model, the ridge penalty is adopted as the inner penalty. Under the heterogeneity model, the Lasso penalty and MCP are adopted as the inner penalty. Effective computational algorithms based on coordinate descent are developed. Numerical studies, including simulation and analysis of practical cancer datasets, show satisfactory performance of the proposed methods. PMID:24578589

  9. Linking the potato genome to the conserved ortholog set (COS) markers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Conserved ortholog set (COS) markers are an important functional genomics resource that has greatly improved orthology detection in Asterid species. A comprehensive list of these markers is available at Sol Genomics Network (http://solgenomics.net/) and many of these have been placed on the genetic maps of a number of solanaceous species. Results We amplified over 300 COS markers from eight potato accessions involving two diploid landraces of Solanum tuberosum Andigenum group (formerly classified as S. goniocalyx, S. phureja), and a dihaploid clone derived from a modern tetraploid cultivar of S. tuberosum and the wild species S. berthaultii, S. chomatophilum, and S. paucissectum. By BLASTn (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool of the NCBI, National Center for Biotechnology Information) algorithm we mapped the DNA sequences of these markers into the potato genome sequence. Additionally, we mapped a subset of these markers genetically in potato and present a comparison between the physical and genetic locations of these markers in potato and in comparison with the genetic location in tomato. We found that most of the COS markers are single-copy in the reference genome of potato and that the genetic location in tomato and physical location in potato sequence are mostly in agreement. However, we did find some COS markers that are present in multiple copies and those that map in unexpected locations. Sequence comparisons between species show that some of these markers may be paralogs. Conclusions The sequence-based physical map becomes helpful in identification of markers for traits of interest thereby reducing the number of markers to be tested for applications like marker assisted selection, diversity, and phylogenetic studies. PMID:23758607

  10. Multiplicity Analysis during Photon Interrogation of Fissionable Material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clarke, Shaun D.; Pozzi, Sara A.; Padovani, Enrico; Downar, Thomas J.

    2007-01-01

    Simulation of multiplicity distributions with the Monte Carlo method is difficult because each history is treated individually. In order to accurately model the multiplicity distribution, the intensity and time width of the interrogation pulse must be incorporated into the calculation. This behavior dictates how many photons arrive at the target essentially simultaneously. In order to model the pulse width correctly, a Monte Carlo code system consisting of modified versions of the codes MCNPX and MCNP-PoliMi has been developed in conjunction with a post-processing algorithm to operate on the MCNP-PoliMi output file. The purpose of this subroutine is to assemble the interactions into groups corresponding to the number of interactions which would occur during a given pulse. The resulting multiplicity distributions appear more realistic and capture the higher-order multiplets which are a product of multiple reactions occurring during a single accelerator pulse. Plans are underway to gather relevant experimental data to verify and validate the methodology developed and presented here. This capability will enable the simulation of a large number of materials and detector geometries. Analysis of this information will determine the feasibility of using multiplicity distributions as an identification tool for special nuclear material.

  11. Hidden marker position estimation during sit-to-stand with walker.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Sang Ho; Jun, Hong Gul; Dan, Byung Ju; Jo, Byeong Rim; Min, Byung Hoon

    2012-01-01

    Motion capture analysis of sit-to-stand task with assistive device is hard to achieve due to obstruction on reflective makers. Previously developed robotic system, Smart Mobile Walker, is used as an assistive device to perform motion capture analysis in sit-to-stand task. All lower limb markers except hip markers are invisible through whole session. The link-segment and regression method is applied to estimate the marker position during sit-to-stand. Applying a new method, the lost marker positions are restored and the biomechanical evaluation of the sit-to-stand movement with a Smart Mobile Walker could be carried out. The accuracy of the marker position estimation is verified with normal sit-to-stand data from more than 30 clinical trials. Moreover, further research on improving the link segment and regression method is addressed.

  12. Simultaneous quantitative analysis of main components in linderae reflexae radix with one single marker.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Li-Li; Zhang, Yun-Bin; Sun, Xiao-Ya; Chen, Sui-Qing

    2016-05-08

    Establish a quantitative analysis of multi-components by the single marker (QAMS) method for quality evaluation and validate its feasibilities by the simultaneous quantitative assay of four main components in Linderae Reflexae Radix. Four main components of pinostrobin, pinosylvin, pinocembrin, and 3,5-dihydroxy-2-(1- p -mentheneyl)- trans -stilbene were selected as analytes to evaluate the quality by RP-HPLC coupled with a UV-detector. The method was evaluated by a comparison of the quantitative results between the external standard method and QAMS with a different HPLC system. The results showed that no significant differences were found in the quantitative results of the four contents of Linderae Reflexae Radix determined by the external standard method and QAMS (RSD <3%). The contents of four analytes (pinosylvin, pinocembrin, pinostrobin, and Reflexanbene I) in Linderae Reflexae Radix were determined by the single marker of pinosylvin. This fingerprint was the spectra determined by Shimadzu LC-20AT and Waters e2695 HPLC that were equipped with three different columns.

  13. Transcriptome Analysis of Two Vicia sativa Subspecies: Mining Molecular Markers to Enhance Genomic Resources for Vetch Improvement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tae-Sung Kim

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The vetch (Vicia sativa is one of the most important annual forage legumes globally due to its multiple uses and high nutritional content. Despite these agronomical benefits, many drawbacks, including cyano-alanine toxin, has reduced the agronomic value of vetch varieties. Here, we used 454 technology to sequence the two V. sativa subspecies (ssp. sativa and ssp. nigra to enrich functional information and genetic marker resources for the vetch research community. A total of 86,532 and 47,103 reads produced 35,202 and 18,808 unigenes with average lengths of 735 and 601 bp for V. sativa sativa and V. sativa nigra, respectively. Gene Ontology annotations and the cluster of orthologous gene classes were used to annotate the function of the Vicia transcriptomes. The Vicia transcriptome sequences were then mined for simple sequence repeat (SSR and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP markers. About 13% and 3% of the Vicia unigenes contained the putative SSR and SNP sequences, respectively. Among those SSRs, 100 were chosen for the validation and the polymorphism test using the Vicia germplasm set. Thus, our approach takes advantage of the utility of transcriptomic data to expedite a vetch breeding program.

  14. CHOOSING A HEALTH INSTITUTION WITH MULTIPLE CORRESPONDENCE ANALYSIS AND CLUSTER ANALYSIS IN A POPULATION BASED STUDY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ASLI SUNER

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Multiple correspondence analysis is a method making easy to interpret the categorical variables given in contingency tables, showing the similarities, associations as well as divergences among these variables via graphics on a lower dimensional space. Clustering methods are helped to classify the grouped data according to their similarities and to get useful summarized data from them. In this study, interpretations of multiple correspondence analysis are supported by cluster analysis; factors affecting referred health institute such as age, disease group and health insurance are examined and it is aimed to compare results of the methods.

  15. Identification of single-copy orthologous genes between Physalis and Solanum lycopersicum and analysis of genetic diversity in Physalis using molecular markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Jingli; Hu, Xiaorong; Yang, Jingjing; Yang, Wencai

    2012-01-01

    The genus Physalis includes a number of commercially important edible and ornamental species. Its high nutritional value and potential medicinal properties leads to the increased commercial interest in the products of this genus worldwide. However, lack of molecular markers prevents the detailed study of genetics and phylogeny in Physalis, which limits the progress of breeding. In the present study, we compared the DNA sequences between Physalis and tomato, and attempted to analyze genetic diversity in Physalis using tomato markers. Blasting 23180 DNA sequences derived from Physalis against the International Tomato Annotation Group (ITAG) Release2.3 Predicted CDS (SL2.40) discovered 3356 single-copy orthologous genes between them. A total of 38 accessions from at least six species of Physalis were subjected to genetic diversity analysis using 97 tomato markers and 25 SSR markers derived from P. peruviana. Majority (73.2%) of tomato markers could amplify DNA fragments from at least one accession of Physalis. Diversity in Physalis at molecular level was also detected. The average Nei's genetic distance between accessions was 0.3806 with a range of 0.2865 to 0.7091. These results indicated Physalis and tomato had similarity at both molecular marker and DNA sequence levels. Therefore, the molecular markers developed in tomato can be used in genetic study in Physalis.

  16. Application of tumor markers in the immunodiagnosis of cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gelder, F.B.; Barr, L.H.; Goldman, L.I.

    1983-01-01

    Recently, research directed toward the detection of both tumor-specific and tumor-related products has intensified for several reasons. 1. The growing knowledge of tumor metabolism has lead some investigators to hypothesize that most, if not all, malignant tumors produce these substances. 2. The use of multiple tumor markers appears more valuable than application of single markers. 3. The availability of highly sensitive and specific immunological methods provides the tools to measure substances which previously could not be assayed. 4. As additional information evolves, the events associated with malignant transformation and tumor behaviour may become clear. Tumor-related products include immune markers, altered cell surface membranes, as well as fetal and/or ectopic proteins, to name but a few. The synthesis of fetal and/or ectopic proteins occurs in several cancers. These have served as the basis for most immunodiagnostic tests and comprise the major thrust of this review

  17. Analysis of 12 X-chromosomal markers in the population of central Croatia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crnjac, Josip; Ozretić, Petar; Merkaš, Siniša; Ratko, Martina; Lozančić, Mateja; Rožić, Sara; Špoljarić, Daniel; Korolija, Marina; Popović, Maja; Mršić, Gordan

    2016-07-01

    Investigator® Argus X-12 Kit is a commercially available set that allows simultaneous PCR amplification of 12 X-STR markers belonging to four linkage groups (LG). To assess the forensic efficiency of these markers for the population of central Croatia and consequent applicability in routine forensic casework, DNA from 200 blood samples of unrelated donors (100 female and 100 male) was amplified by Investigator® Argus X-12 Kit and analyzed by capillary electrophoresis. Statistical computations based on allele and haplotype frequencies for LG1 - LG4 were performed using Arlequin 3.5 software and on-line tool available at ChrX-STR.org. In female samples, all X-STR markers were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). The most informative marker for central Croatia population was DXS10135 with polymorphism information content (PIC) 0.9296. The least polymorphic locus was DXS8378 (PIC=0.6363). Power of discrimination (PD) varied from 0.6968 to 0.9336 in male and from 0.8476 to 0.9916 in female samples. Combined PD exceeded 0.999999999 in both men and women. In male samples, linkage disequilibrium (LD) test revealed significant association (P=0.0000) of one marker pair in LG4 and two marker pairs in LG3. Portion of observed haplotypes in the number of possible haplotypes varied from 2.86% to 7.47% across all LGs. LG1 was the most informative with haplotype diversity (H) 0.9972. High PD of all analyzed markers exhibited for central Croatia population confirms suitability of Investigator® Argus X-12 for forensic pertinence. Moreover, results of this study will be included in establishing a national reference X-STR database based on 12 X-STR loci, which is necessary for the correct interpretation of the forensic casework results. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. General Nature of Multicollinearity in Multiple Regression Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Richard

    1981-01-01

    Discusses multiple regression, a very popular statistical technique in the field of education. One of the basic assumptions in regression analysis requires that independent variables in the equation should not be highly correlated. The problem of multicollinearity and some of the solutions to it are discussed. (Author)

  19. Molecular markers in well-differentiated thyroid cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Cruz, Anil K; Vaish, Richa; Vaidya, Abhishek; Nixon, Iain J; Williams, Michelle D; Vander Poorten, Vincent; López, Fernando; Angelos, Peter; Shaha, Ashok R; Khafif, Avi; Skalova, Alena; Rinaldo, Alessandra; Hunt, Jennifer L; Ferlito, Alfio

    2018-06-01

    Thyroid nodules are of common occurrence in the general population. About a fourth of these nodules are indeterminate on aspiration cytology placing many a patient at risk of unwanted surgery. The purpose of this review is to discuss various molecular markers described to date and place their role in proper perspective. This review covers the fundamental role of the signaling pathways and genetic changes involved in thyroid carcinogenesis. The current literature on the prognostic significance of these markers is also described. PubMed was used to search relevant articles. The key terms "thyroid nodules", "thyroid cancer papillary", "carcinoma papillary follicular", "carcinoma papillary", "adenocarcinoma follicular" were searched in MeSH, and "molecular markers", "molecular testing", mutation, BRAF, RAS, RET/PTC, PAX 8, miRNA, NIFTP in title and abstract fields. Multiple combinations were done and a group of experts in the subject from the International Head and Neck Scientific Group extracted the relevant articles and formulated the review. There has been considerable progress in the understanding of thyroid carcinogenesis and the emergence of numerous molecular markers in the recent years with potential to be used in the diagnostic algorithm of these nodules. However, their precise role in routine clinical practice continues to be a contentious issue. Majority of the studies in this context are retrospective and impact of these mutations is not independent of other prognostic factors making the interpretation difficult. The prevalence of these mutations in thyroid nodule is high and it is a continuously evolving field. Clinicians should stay informed as recommendation on the use of these markers is expected to evolve.

  20. Modified Truncated Multiplicity Analysis to Improve Verification of Uranium Fuel Cycle Materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    LaFleur, A.; Miller, K.; Swinhoe, M.; Belian, A.; Croft, S.

    2015-01-01

    Accurate verification of 235U enrichment and mass in UF6 storage cylinders and the UO2F2 holdup contained in the process equipment is needed to improve international safeguards and nuclear material accountancy at uranium enrichment plants. Small UF6 cylinders (1.5'' and 5'' diameter) are used to store the full range of enrichments from depleted to highly-enriched UF6. For independent verification of these materials, it is essential that the 235U mass and enrichment measurements do not rely on facility operator declarations. Furthermore, in order to be deployed by IAEA inspectors to detect undeclared activities (e.g., during complementary access), it is also imperative that the measurement technique is quick, portable, and sensitive to a broad range of 235U masses. Truncated multiplicity analysis is a technique that reduces the variance in the measured count rates by only considering moments 1, 2, and 3 of the multiplicity distribution. This is especially important for reducing the uncertainty in the measured doubles and triples rates in environments with a high cosmic ray background relative to the uranium signal strength. However, we believe that the existing truncated multiplicity analysis throws away too much useful data by truncating the distribution after the third moment. This paper describes a modified truncated multiplicity analysis method that determines the optimal moment to truncate the multiplicity distribution based on the measured data. Experimental measurements of small UF6 cylinders and UO2F2 working reference materials were performed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The data were analyzed using traditional and modified truncated multiplicity analysis to determine the optimal moment to truncate the multiplicity distribution to minimize the uncertainty in the measured count rates. The results from this analysis directly support nuclear safeguards at enrichment plants and provide a more accurate verification method for UF6

  1. Genome-Wide Development of MicroRNA-Based SSR Markers in Medicago truncatula with Their Transferability Analysis and Utilization in Related Legume Species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Min, Xueyang; Zhang, Zhengshe; Liu, Yisong; Wei, Xingyi; Liu, Zhipeng; Wang, Yanrong; Liu, Wenxian

    2017-11-18

    Microsatellite (simple sequence repeats, SSRs) marker is one of the most widely used markers in marker-assisted breeding. As one type of functional markers, MicroRNA-based SSR (miRNA-SSR) markers have been exploited mainly in animals, but the development and characterization of miRNA-SSR markers in plants are still limited. In the present study, miRNA-SSR markers for Medicago truncatula ( M. truncatula ) were developed and their cross-species transferability in six leguminous species was evaluated. A total of 169 primer pairs were successfully designed from 130 M. truncatula miRNA genes, the majority of which were mononucleotide repeats (70.41%), followed by dinucleotide repeats (14.20%), compound repeats (11.24%) and trinucleotide repeats (4.14%). Functional classification of SSR-containing miRNA genes showed that all targets could be grouped into three Gene Ontology (GO) categories: 17 in biological process, 11 in molecular function, and 14 in cellular component. The miRNA-SSR markers showed high transferability in other six leguminous species, ranged from 74.56% to 90.53%. Furthermore, 25 Mt - miRNA-SSR markers were used to evaluate polymorphisms in 20 alfalfa accessions, and the polymorphism information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.39 to 0.89 with an average of 0.71, the allele number per marker varied from 3 to 18 with an average of 7.88, indicating a high level of informativeness. The present study is the first time developed and characterized of M. truncatula miRNA-SSRs and demonstrated their utility in transferability, these novel markers will be valuable for genetic diversity analysis, marker-assisted selection and genotyping in leguminous species.

  2. Size matters - The olfactory bulb as a marker for depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rottstaedt, F; Weidner, K; Strauß, T; Schellong, J; Kitzler, H; Wolff-Stephan, S; Hummel, T; Croy, I

    2018-03-15

    Major Depression is mainly related to structural and functional alterations in brain networks involving limbic and prefrontal regions. Reduced olfactory sensitivity in depression is associated with reduced olfactory bulb (OB) volume. We determined if the OB volume reduction is a specific biomarker for depression and whether its diagnostic accuracy allows its use as a valid biomarker to support its diagnosis. 84 in-patients with mixed mental disorders and 51 age-matched healthy controls underwent structural MR imaging with a spin-echo T2-wheighted sequence. Individual OB volume was calculated manually (interrater-reliability = .81, p < .001) and compared between groups. Multiple regression analysis with OB volume as dependent variable and Receiver Operator Characteristic analysis to obtain its diagnostic accuracy for depression were ruled out. Patients exhibited a 13.5% reduced OB volume. Multiple regression analysis showed that the OB volume variation was best explained by depression (β = -.19), sex (β = -.31) and age (β = -.29), but not by any other mental disorder. OB volume attained a diagnostic accuracy of 68.1% for depression. The patient group mainly contained highly comorbid patients with mostly internalizing disorders which limits the generalisability of the results of the regression analysis. The OB may serve as a marker for depression. We assume that reduced neural olfactory input to subsequent limbic and salience processing structures moderates this relation. However, the OB was in an inferior position compared to conventional questionnaires for diagnosis of depression. Combination with further structural or functional measurements is suggested. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Seismic response analysis of structural system subjected to multiple support excitation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, R.W.; Hussain, F.A.; Liu, L.K.

    1978-01-01

    In the seismic analysis of a multiply supported structural system subjected to nonuniform excitations at each support point, the single response spectrum, the time history, and the multiple response spectrum are the three commonly employed methods. In the present paper the three methods are developed, evaluated, and the limitations and advantages of each method assessed. A numerical example has been carried out for a typical piping system. Considerably smaller responses have been predicted by the time history method than that by the single response spectrum method. This is mainly due to the fact that the phase and amplitude relations between the support excitations are faithfully retained in the time history method. The multiple response spectrum prediction has been observed to compare favourably with the time history method prediction. Based on the present evaluation, the multiple response spectrum method is the most efficient method for seismic response analysis of structural systems subjected to multiple support excitation. (Auth.)

  4. Transcriptome analysis of recurrently deregulated genes across multiple cancers identifies new pan-cancer biomarkers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaczkowski, Bogumil; Tanaka, Yuji; Kawaji, Hideya

    2016-01-01

    Genes that are commonly deregulated in cancer are clinically attractive as candidate pan-diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. To globally identify such targets, we compared Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) profiles from 225 different cancer cell lines and 339 corresponding primary cell...

  5. Neural Markers and Rehabilitation of Executive Functioning in Veterans with TBI and PTSD

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-10-01

    1 Award Number: W81XWH-11-1-0796 TITLE: Neural Markers and Rehabilitation of Executive Functioning in Veterans with TBI and PTSD PRINCIPAL...30Sept2015 - 29Sept2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE: Neural Markers and Rehabilitation of Executive Functioning in Veterans with TBI and PTSD 5a. CONTRACT... met criteria for TBI during military service, 48.8% of whom reported multiple head injuries. The most common mechanisms of injury included blast

  6. Molecular markers in bladder cancer: Novel research frontiers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanguedolce, Francesca; Cormio, Antonella; Bufo, Pantaleo; Carrieri, Giuseppe; Cormio, Luigi

    2015-01-01

    Bladder cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease encompassing distinct biologic features that lead to extremely different clinical behaviors. In the last 20 years, great efforts have been made to predict disease outcome and response to treatment by developing risk assessment calculators based on multiple standard clinical-pathological factors, as well as by testing several molecular markers. Unfortunately, risk assessment calculators alone fail to accurately assess a single patient's prognosis and response to different treatment options. Several molecular markers easily assessable by routine immunohistochemical techniques hold promise for becoming widely available and cost-effective tools for a more reliable risk assessment, but none have yet entered routine clinical practice. Current research is therefore moving towards (i) identifying novel molecular markers; (ii) testing old and new markers in homogeneous patients' populations receiving homogeneous treatments; (iii) generating a multimarker panel that could be easily, and thus routinely, used in clinical practice; (iv) developing novel risk assessment tools, possibly combining standard clinical-pathological factors with molecular markers. This review analyses the emerging body of literature concerning novel biomarkers, ranging from genetic changes to altered expression of a huge variety of molecules, potentially involved in BC outcome and response to treatment. Findings suggest that some of these indicators, such as serum circulating tumor cells and tissue mitochondrial DNA, seem to be easily assessable and provide reliable information. Other markers, such as the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT (serine-threonine kinase)/mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway and epigenetic changes in DNA methylation seem to not only have prognostic/predictive value but also, most importantly, represent valuable therapeutic targets. Finally, there is increasing evidence that the development of novel risk assessment tools

  7. Use of Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers for DNA fingerprinting and diversity analysis of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) cultivars resistant and susceptible to red rot

    Science.gov (United States)

    In recent years SSR markers have been used widely for the genetic analysis. The objective of present research was to use SSR markers to develop DNA-based genetic identification and analyze genetic relationship of sugarcane cultivars grown in Pakistan either resistant or susceptible to red rot. Twent...

  8. Comparison of similarity coefficients used for cluster analysis with dominant markers in maize (Zea mays L

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meyer Andréia da Silva

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate whether different similarity coefficients used with dominant markers can influence the results of cluster analysis, using eighteen inbred lines of maize from two different populations, BR-105 and BR-106. These were analyzed by AFLP and RAPD markers and eight similarity coefficients were calculated: Jaccard, Sorensen-Dice, Anderberg, Ochiai, Simple-matching, Rogers and Tanimoto, Ochiai II and Russel and Rao. The similarity matrices obtained were compared by the Spearman correlation, cluster analysis with dendrograms (UPGMA, WPGMA, Single Linkage, Complete Linkage and Neighbour-Joining methods, the consensus fork index between all pairs of dendrograms, groups obtained through the Tocher optimization procedure and projection efficiency in a two-dimensional space. The results showed that for almost all methodologies and marker systems, the Jaccard, Sorensen-Dice, Anderberg and Ochiai coefficient showed close results, due to the fact that all of them exclude negative co-occurrences. Significant alterations in the results for the Simple Matching, Rogers and Tanimoto, and Ochiai II coefficients were not observed either, probably due to the fact that they all include negative co-occurrences. The Russel and Rao coefficient presented very different results from the others in almost all the cases studied and should not be used, because it excludes the negative co-occurrences in the numerator and includes them in the denominator of their expression. Due to the fact that the negative co-occurrences do not necessarily mean that the regions of the DNA are identical, the use of coefficients that do not include negative co-occurrences was suggested.

  9. Research Article. Comparative Analysis of Hepcidin-25 and Inflammatory Markers in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease with and without Anemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Căldăraru Carmen Denise

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Hepcidin is a regulatory protein in iron metabolism; we do not know the role in chronic kidney disease anemia. Methods: 22 patients with CKD anemia and 15 patients with CKD without anemia were investigated. CKD anemia-inclusion criteria: over 18 years, hemoglobin ≤12 g/dl for women and ≤13 g/dl for men, no treatment for anemia 6 months before enrollment, glomerular filtration rate (eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73m2 and stable creatinine three months before enrollment. Exclusion criteria: infection, bleeding, malignancy, systemic or liver disease, immunosuppression, renal replacement therapy. CKD without anemia-inclusion criteria: over 18 years, no anemia or treatment for anemia, CKD with stable creatinine values three months before enrollment. Exclusion criteria: medical conditions known to have a role in the development of polycythemia. Hepcidin-25 and ferritin were measured by ELISA method. Erythropoietin (EPO, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α, interleukin (IL-6 were evaluated using chemiluminescent enzyme immunometric assays. Unpaired T test, Pearson correlation and multiple regression were used for statistical analysis. Results: Hemoglobin values were significantly lower in anemia group. There were no differences in terms of eGFR, age, body mass index, serum hepcidin, erythropoietin, fibrinogen, IL-6, and TNF-α between CKD patients with and without anemia. Serum hepcidin correlated positively with ferritin (r=0.45 p<0.05, TNF-α (r=0.54, p<0.05 and negatively with erythropoietin (r=-0.51, p<0.05. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that TNF-α is an independent predictor of serum hepcidin in our patients (p=0.003, R=0.71. Conclusion: We found no differences in serum hepcidin, erythropoietin and inflammatory markers in non-dialysis CKD patients with and without anemia.

  10. HARMONIC ANALYSIS OF SVPWM INVERTER USING MULTIPLE-PULSES METHOD

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    Mehmet YUMURTACI

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Space Vector Modulation (SVM technique is a popular and an important PWM technique for three phases voltage source inverter in the control of Induction Motor. In this study harmonic analysis of Space Vector PWM (SVPWM is investigated using multiple-pulses method. Multiple-Pulses method calculates the Fourier coefficients of individual positive and negative pulses of the output PWM waveform and adds them together using the principle of superposition to calculate the Fourier coefficients of the all PWM output signal. Harmonic magnitudes can be calculated directly by this method without linearization, using look-up tables or Bessel functions. In this study, the results obtained in the application of SVPWM for values of variable parameters are compared with the results obtained with the multiple-pulses method.

  11. Evaluation of dairy effluent management options using multiple criteria analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hajkowicz, Stefan A; Wheeler, Sarah A

    2008-04-01

    This article describes how options for managing dairy effluent on the Lower Murray River in South Australia were evaluated using multiple criteria analysis (MCA). Multiple criteria analysis is a framework for combining multiple environmental, social, and economic objectives in policy decisions. At the time of the study, dairy irrigation in the region was based on flood irrigation which involved returning effluent to the river. The returned water contained nutrients, salts, and microbial contaminants leading to environmental, human health, and tourism impacts. In this study MCA was used to evaluate 11 options against 6 criteria for managing dairy effluent problems. Of the 11 options, the MCA model selected partial rehabilitation of dairy paddocks with the conversion of remaining land to other agriculture. Soon after, the South Australian Government adopted this course of action and is now providing incentives for dairy farmers in the region to upgrade irrigation infrastructure and/or enter alternative industries.

  12. A comparative phylogenetic analysis of medicinal plant Tribulus terrestris in Northwest India revealed by RAPD and ISSR markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ASHWANI KUMAR

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Kumar A, Verma N. 2012. A comparative phylogenetic analysis of medicinal plant Tribulus terrestris in Northwest India revealed by RAPD and ISSR markers. Biodiversitas 13: 107-113. Several DNA marker systems and associated techniques are available today for fingerprinting of plant varieties. A total of 5 RAPD and 8 ISSR primers were used. Amplification of genomic DNA of the 6 genotypes, using RAPD analysis, yielded 164 fragments that could be scored, of which 47 were polymorphic, with an average of 9.4 polymorphic fragments per primer. Number of amplified fragments with random primers ranged from 6 (AKR-1 to 10 (AKR-4 and varied in size from 200 bp to 2,500 bp. Percentage polymorphism ranged from 16% (AKR-4 to a maximum of 41% (AKR-4, with an average of 29.6%. The 8 ISSR primers used in the study produced 327 bands across 6 genotypes, of which 114 were polymorphic. The number of amplified bands varied from 7 (ISSR 7 to 12 (ISSR 1&3, with a size range of 250-2,800 bp. The average numbers of bands per primer and polymorphic bands per primer were 40.87 and 14.25, respectively. Percentage polymorphism ranged from 24% (ISSR 4 to 53.84% (ISSR 2, with an average percentage polymorphism of 35.59% across all the genotypes. The 3′-anchored primers based on poly (AC and poly (AT motifs produced high average polymorphisms of 53.84% and 40.81%, respectively. ISSR markers were more efficient than the RAPD assay, as they detected 35.59% polymorphic DNA markers in Tribulus terrestris as compared to 29.6% for RAPD markers. Clustering of genotypes within groups was not similar when RAPD and ISSR derived dendrogram were compared, whereas the pattern of clustering of the genotypes remained more or less the same in ISSR and combined data of RAPD and ISSR.

  13. Error analysis of marker-based object localization using a single-plane XRII

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Habets, Damiaan F.; Pollmann, Steven I.; Yuan, Xunhua; Peters, Terry M.; Holdsworth, David W.

    2009-01-01

    The role of imaging and image guidance is increasing in surgery and therapy, including treatment planning and follow-up. Fluoroscopy is used for two-dimensional (2D) guidance or localization; however, many procedures would benefit from three-dimensional (3D) guidance or localization. Three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) using a C-arm mounted x-ray image intensifier (XRII) can provide high-quality 3D images; however, patient dose and the required acquisition time restrict the number of 3D images that can be obtained. C-arm based 3D CT is therefore limited in applications for x-ray based image guidance or dynamic evaluations. 2D-3D model-based registration, using a single-plane 2D digital radiographic system, does allow for rapid 3D localization. It is our goal to investigate - over a clinically practical range - the impact of x-ray exposure on the resulting range of 3D localization precision. In this paper it is assumed that the tracked instrument incorporates a rigidly attached 3D object with a known configuration of markers. A 2D image is obtained by a digital fluoroscopic x-ray system and corrected for XRII distortions (±0.035 mm) and mechanical C-arm shift (±0.080 mm). A least-square projection-Procrustes analysis is then used to calculate the 3D position using the measured 2D marker locations. The effect of x-ray exposure on the precision of 2D marker localization and on 3D object localization was investigated using numerical simulations and x-ray experiments. The results show a nearly linear relationship between 2D marker localization precision and the 3D localization precision. However, a significant amplification of error, nonuniformly distributed among the three major axes, occurs, and that is demonstrated. To obtain a 3D localization error of less than ±1.0 mm for an object with 20 mm marker spacing, the 2D localization precision must be better than ±0.07 mm. This requirement was met for all investigated nominal x-ray exposures at 28 cm FOV, and

  14. Diagnostic value of different tumor markers, our experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pervez, T.; Anwar, S.

    2000-01-01

    Variety of tumor markers with varying sensitivity and specificity are used for diagnosis of different malignancies. This study was done to determine the diagnostic value of different tumor markers in our patients with various malignancies. Out of 235 patients studied, 162 were suffering from malignant and 73 from benign diseases. Among these 84 were positive for tumor markers. Out of these positive tumor markers, 75 were suffering from malignancy. Tumor marker analyzed were ca-15-3, ca-125, BETA-HCG, CEA, PSA and alpha-FP depending upon the type of the disease these cases presented. Analysis of the results revealed that different tumor markers had sensitivity varying from 76.9-95.8% and specificity varying form 75-90.9%. CA-125 was observed to be the most specific and sensitive tumor marker for ovarian tumors followed by alpha-FP for hepatocellular tumors and CEA for gastrointestinal tumors. Similarly, PSA for prostate cancers, beta-HCG for choriocarcinoma and CA-15-3 for breast cancer. It is concluded that all the tumor markers have a variable diagnostic value, which cannot be relied upon independently, without other tests added to increase diagnostic value. (author)

  15. Modern sample preparation techniques for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of environmental markers of chemical warfare agents use

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Terzic, O.; de Voogt, P.; Banoub, J.

    2014-01-01

    The chapter introduces problematics of on-site chemical analysis in the investigations of past chemical warfare agents (CWA) events. An overview of primary environmental degradation pathways of CWA leading to formation of chemical markers of their use is given. Conventional and modern sample

  16. Fecal Molecular Markers for Colorectal Cancer Screening

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rani Kanthan

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Despite multiple screening techniques, including colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, radiological imaging, and fecal occult blood testing, colorectal cancer remains a leading cause of death. As these techniques improve, their sensitivity to detect malignant lesions is increasing; however, detection of precursor lesions remains problematic and has generated a lack of general acceptance for their widespread usage. Early detection by an accurate, noninvasive, cost-effective, simple-to-use screening technique is central to decreasing the incidence and mortality of this disease. Recent advances in the development of molecular markers in faecal specimens are encouraging for its use as a screening tool. Genetic mutations and epigenetic alterations that result from the carcinogenetic process can be detected by coprocytobiology in the colonocytes exfoliated from the lesion into the fecal matter. These markers have shown promising sensitivity and specificity in the detection of both malignant and premalignant lesions and are gaining popularity as a noninvasive technique that is representative of the entire colon. In this paper, we summarize the genetic and epigenetic fecal molecular markers that have been identified as potential targets in the screening of colorectal cancer.

  17. Buckwheat and CVD Risk Markers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liangkui Li

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The effects of buckwheat intake on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs have not been systematically investigated. The aim of the present study was to comprehensively summarize studies in humans and animals, evaluating the impact of buckwheat consumption on CVD risk markers and to conduct a meta-analysis of relevant data. Thirteen randomized, controlled human studies, two cross-sectional human studies and twenty-one animal studies were identified. Using random-effects models, the weighted mean difference of post-intervention concentrations of blood glucose, total cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly decreased following buckwheat intervention compared with controls [differences in blood glucose: −0.85 mmol/L (95% CI: −1.31, −0.39, total cholesterol: 0.50 mmol/L (95% CI: −0.80, −0.20 and triglycerides: 0.25 mmol/L (95% CI: −0.49, −0.02]. Responses of a similar magnitude were seen in two cross-sectional studies. For animal studies, nineteen of twenty-one studies showed a significant reduction in total cholesterol of between 12% and 54%, and fourteen of twenty studies showed a significant reduction in triglycerides of between 2% and 74%. All exhibited high unexplained heterogeneity. There was inconsistency in HDL cholesterol outcomes in both human and animal studies. It remains unclear whether increased buckwheat intake significantly benefits other markers of CVD risk, such as weight, blood pressure, insulin, and LDL-cholesterol, and underlying mechanisms responsible for any effects are unclear.

  18. Identification of single-copy orthologous genes between Physalis and Solanum lycopersicum and analysis of genetic diversity in Physalis using molecular markers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingli Wei

    Full Text Available The genus Physalis includes a number of commercially important edible and ornamental species. Its high nutritional value and potential medicinal properties leads to the increased commercial interest in the products of this genus worldwide. However, lack of molecular markers prevents the detailed study of genetics and phylogeny in Physalis, which limits the progress of breeding. In the present study, we compared the DNA sequences between Physalis and tomato, and attempted to analyze genetic diversity in Physalis using tomato markers. Blasting 23180 DNA sequences derived from Physalis against the International Tomato Annotation Group (ITAG Release2.3 Predicted CDS (SL2.40 discovered 3356 single-copy orthologous genes between them. A total of 38 accessions from at least six species of Physalis were subjected to genetic diversity analysis using 97 tomato markers and 25 SSR markers derived from P. peruviana. Majority (73.2% of tomato markers could amplify DNA fragments from at least one accession of Physalis. Diversity in Physalis at molecular level was also detected. The average Nei's genetic distance between accessions was 0.3806 with a range of 0.2865 to 0.7091. These results indicated Physalis and tomato had similarity at both molecular marker and DNA sequence levels. Therefore, the molecular markers developed in tomato can be used in genetic study in Physalis.

  19. Birth of a healthy infant following preimplantation PKHD1 haplotyping for autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease using multiple displacement amplification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janson, Marleen M.; Roesler, Mark R.; Avner, Ellis D.; Strawn, Estil Y.; Bick, David P.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose To develop a reliable preimplantation genetic diagnosis protocol for couples who both carry a mutant PKHD1 gene wishing to conceive children unaffected with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD). Methods Development of a unique protocol for preimplantation genetic testing using whole genome amplification of single blastomeres by multiple displacement amplification (MDA), and haplotype analysis with novel short tandem repeat (STR) markers from the PKHD1 gene and flanking sequences, and a case report of successful utilization of the protocol followed by successful IVF resulting in the birth of an infant unaffected with ARPKD. Results We have developed 20 polymorphic STR markers suitable for linkage analysis of ARPKD. These linked STR markers have enabled unambiguous identification of the PKHD1 haplotypes of embryos produced by at-risk couples. Conclusions We have developed a reliable protocol for preimplantation genetic diagnosis of ARPKD using single-cell MDA products for PKHD1 haplotyping. PMID:20490649

  20. How to interpret a small increase in AUC with an additional risk prediction marker: decision analysis comes through.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Stuart G; Schuit, Ewoud; Steyerberg, Ewout W; Pencina, Michael J; Vickers, Andrew; Vickers, Andew; Moons, Karel G M; Mol, Ben W J; Lindeman, Karen S

    2014-09-28

    An important question in the evaluation of an additional risk prediction marker is how to interpret a small increase in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Many researchers believe that a change in AUC is a poor metric because it increases only slightly with the addition of a marker with a large odds ratio. Because it is not possible on purely statistical grounds to choose between the odds ratio and AUC, we invoke decision analysis, which incorporates costs and benefits. For example, a timely estimate of the risk of later non-elective operative delivery can help a woman in labor decide if she wants an early elective cesarean section to avoid greater complications from possible later non-elective operative delivery. A basic risk prediction model for later non-elective operative delivery involves only antepartum markers. Because adding intrapartum markers to this risk prediction model increases AUC by 0.02, we questioned whether this small improvement is worthwhile. A key decision-analytic quantity is the risk threshold, here the risk of later non-elective operative delivery at which a patient would be indifferent between an early elective cesarean section and usual care. For a range of risk thresholds, we found that an increase in the net benefit of risk prediction requires collecting intrapartum marker data on 68 to 124 women for every correct prediction of later non-elective operative delivery. Because data collection is non-invasive, this test tradeoff of 68 to 124 is clinically acceptable, indicating the value of adding intrapartum markers to the risk prediction model. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. Identification of new serum markers of pathological states by bioinformatic tools for the analysis of serum proteomics expression profiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malorni, A.; Facchiano, A.

    2009-01-01

    We have developed new bioinformatic tools and strategies, aimed to the identification and characterization of proteins as markers of pathological states, for the analysis of data derived from protein expression profiles obtained by mass spectrometry techniques, for the study of structural and functional properties of the proteins, and for the analysis of data from omics approaches

  2. Smart markers for watershed-based cell segmentation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Can Fahrettin Koyuncu

    Full Text Available Automated cell imaging systems facilitate fast and reliable analysis of biological events at the cellular level. In these systems, the first step is usually cell segmentation that greatly affects the success of the subsequent system steps. On the other hand, similar to other image segmentation problems, cell segmentation is an ill-posed problem that typically necessitates the use of domain-specific knowledge to obtain successful segmentations even by human subjects. The approaches that can incorporate this knowledge into their segmentation algorithms have potential to greatly improve segmentation results. In this work, we propose a new approach for the effective segmentation of live cells from phase contrast microscopy. This approach introduces a new set of "smart markers" for a marker-controlled watershed algorithm, for which the identification of its markers is critical. The proposed approach relies on using domain-specific knowledge, in the form of visual characteristics of the cells, to define the markers. We evaluate our approach on a total of 1,954 cells. The experimental results demonstrate that this approach, which uses the proposed definition of smart markers, is quite effective in identifying better markers compared to its counterparts. This will, in turn, be effective in improving the segmentation performance of a marker-controlled watershed algorithm.

  3. Smart markers for watershed-based cell segmentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koyuncu, Can Fahrettin; Arslan, Salim; Durmaz, Irem; Cetin-Atalay, Rengul; Gunduz-Demir, Cigdem

    2012-01-01

    Automated cell imaging systems facilitate fast and reliable analysis of biological events at the cellular level. In these systems, the first step is usually cell segmentation that greatly affects the success of the subsequent system steps. On the other hand, similar to other image segmentation problems, cell segmentation is an ill-posed problem that typically necessitates the use of domain-specific knowledge to obtain successful segmentations even by human subjects. The approaches that can incorporate this knowledge into their segmentation algorithms have potential to greatly improve segmentation results. In this work, we propose a new approach for the effective segmentation of live cells from phase contrast microscopy. This approach introduces a new set of "smart markers" for a marker-controlled watershed algorithm, for which the identification of its markers is critical. The proposed approach relies on using domain-specific knowledge, in the form of visual characteristics of the cells, to define the markers. We evaluate our approach on a total of 1,954 cells. The experimental results demonstrate that this approach, which uses the proposed definition of smart markers, is quite effective in identifying better markers compared to its counterparts. This will, in turn, be effective in improving the segmentation performance of a marker-controlled watershed algorithm.

  4. Selection processes in a citrus hybrid population using RAPD markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oliveira Roberto Pedroso de

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this work was to evaluate the processes of selection in a citrus hybrid population using segregation analysis of RAPD markers. The segregation of 123 RAPD markers between 'Cravo' mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco and 'Pêra' sweet orange (C. sinensis (L. Osbeck was analysed in a F1 progeny of 94 hybrids. Genetic composition, diversity, heterozygosity, differences in chromosomal structure and the presence of deleterious recessive genes are discussed based on the segregation ratios obtained. A high percentage of markers had a skeweness of the 1:1 expected segregation ratio in the F1 population. Many markers showed a 3:1 segregation ratio in both varieties and 1:3 in 'Pêra' sweet orange, probably due to directional selection processes. The distribution analysis of the frequencies of the segregant markers in a hybrid population is a simple method which allows a better understanding of the genetics of citrus group.

  5. Analysis of Product Sampling for New Product Diffusion Incorporating Multiple-Unit Ownership

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhineng Hu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Multiple-unit ownership of nondurable products is an important component of sales in many product categories. Based on the Bass model, this paper develops a new model considering the multiple-unit adoptions as a diffusion process under the influence of product sampling. Though the analysis aims to determine the optimal dynamic sampling effort for a firm and the results demonstrate that experience sampling can accelerate the diffusion process, the best time to send free samples is just before the product being launched. Multiple-unit purchasing behavior can increase sales to make more profit for a firm, and it needs more samples to make the product known much better. The local sensitivity analysis shows that the increase of both external coefficients and internal coefficients has a negative influence on the sampling level, but the internal influence on the subsequent multiple-unit adoptions has little significant influence on the sampling. Using the logistic regression along with linear regression, the global sensitivity analysis gives a whole analysis of the interaction of all factors, which manifests the external influence and multiunit purchase rate are two most important factors to influence the sampling level and net present value of the new product, and presents a two-stage method to determine the sampling level.

  6. Single-visit or multiple-visit root canal treatment: systematic review, meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwendicke, Falk; Göstemeyer, Gerd

    2017-02-01

    Single-visit root canal treatment has some advantages over conventional multivisit treatment, but might increase the risk of complications. We systematically evaluated the risk of complications after single-visit or multiple-visit root canal treatment using meta-analysis and trial-sequential analysis. Controlled trials comparing single-visit versus multiple-visit root canal treatment of permanent teeth were included. Trials needed to assess the risk of long-term complications (pain, infection, new/persisting/increasing periapical lesions ≥1 year after treatment), short-term pain or flare-up (acute exacerbation of initiation or continuation of root canal treatment). Electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central) were screened, random-effects meta-analyses performed and trial-sequential analysis used to control for risk of random errors. Evidence was graded according to GRADE. 29 trials (4341 patients) were included, all but 6 showing high risk of bias. Based on 10 trials (1257 teeth), risk of complications was not significantly different in single-visit versus multiple-visit treatment (risk ratio (RR) 1.00 (95% CI 0.75 to 1.35); weak evidence). Based on 20 studies (3008 teeth), risk of pain did not significantly differ between treatments (RR 0.99 (95% CI 0.76 to 1.30); moderate evidence). Risk of flare-up was recorded by 8 studies (1110 teeth) and was significantly higher after single-visit versus multiple-visit treatment (RR 2.13 (95% CI 1.16 to 3.89); very weak evidence). Trial-sequential analysis revealed that firm evidence for benefit, harm or futility was not reached for any of the outcomes. There is insufficient evidence to rule out whether important differences between both strategies exist. Dentists can provide root canal treatment in 1 or multiple visits. Given the possibly increased risk of flare-ups, multiple-visit treatment might be preferred for certain teeth (eg, those with periapical lesions). Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited

  7. Evaluation of Clinical Gait Analysis parameters in patients affected by Multiple Sclerosis: Analysis of kinematics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Severini, Giacomo; Manca, Mario; Ferraresi, Giovanni; Caniatti, Luisa Maria; Cosma, Michela; Baldasso, Francesco; Straudi, Sofia; Morelli, Monica; Basaglia, Nino

    2017-06-01

    Clinical Gait Analysis is commonly used to evaluate specific gait characteristics of patients affected by Multiple Sclerosis. The aim of this report is to present a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the changes in Clinical Gait Analysis parameters in patients affected by Multiple Sclerosis. In this study a sample of 51 patients with different levels of disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale 2-6.5) was analyzed. We extracted a set of 52 parameters from the Clinical Gait Analysis of each patient and used statistical analysis and linear regression to assess differences among several groups of subjects stratified according to the Expanded Disability Status Scale and 6-Minutes Walking Test. The impact of assistive devices (e.g. canes and crutches) on the kinematics was also assessed in a subsample of patients. Subjects showed decreased range of motion at hip, knee and ankle that translated in increased pelvic tilt and hiking. Comparison between the two stratifications showed that gait speed during 6-Minutes Walking Test is better at discriminating patients' kinematics with respect to Expanded Disability Status Scale. Assistive devices were shown not to significantly impact gait kinematics and the Clinical Gait Analysis parameters analyzed. We were able to characterize disability-related trends in gait kinematics. The results presented in this report provide a small atlas of the changes in gait characteristics associated with different disability levels in the Multiple Sclerosis population. This information could be used to effectively track the progression of MS and the effect of different therapies. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  8. A test of mink microsatellite markers in the ferret

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Anistoroaei, Razvan Marian; Christensen, Knud

    2006-01-01

    Short tandem repeats are a source of highly polymorphic markers in mammalian genomes. Genetic variations at these hypervariable loci is extensively used for linkage analysis and to identify individuals, and is very useful for interpopulation and interspecies studies. Fifty-nine microsatellite mar...... that were identical in size to those from mink displayed a high degree of conservation, with some differences at the repeat motif sites. These results could aid cross-utilization of markers between these two species.......Short tandem repeats are a source of highly polymorphic markers in mammalian genomes. Genetic variations at these hypervariable loci is extensively used for linkage analysis and to identify individuals, and is very useful for interpopulation and interspecies studies. Fifty-nine microsatellite...

  9. The role of Molecular Markers in Improvement of Fruit Crops

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahoor Ahmad BHAT

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Markers have been used over the years for the classification of plants. Markers are any trait of an organism that can be identified with confidence and relative easy, and can be followed in a mapping population on another hand markers be defined as heritable entities associated with the economically important trait under the control of polygenes. Morphological markers can be detected with naked eye (naked eye polymorphism or as difference in physical or chemical properties of the macromolecules. In other words, there are two types of genetic markers viz. morphological markers or naked eye polymorphism and non-morphological markers or molecular markers. Morphological markers include traits such as plant height, disease response, photoperiod, sensitivity, shape or colour of flowers, fruits or seeds etc. Molecular markers include biochemical constituents. Morphological markers have many limitations for being used as markers particularly in fruit crops because of long generation time and large size of fruit trees besides being influenced by environment. Consequently, molecular markers could be appropriate choice to study and preserve the diversity in any germplasm. Molecular markers have diverse applications in fruit crop improvement, particularly in the areas of genetic diversity and varietal identification studies, gene tagging, disease diagnostics, pedigree analysis, hybrid detection, sex differentiation and marker assisted selection.

  10. Trends in plant research using molecular markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrido-Cardenas, Jose Antonio; Mesa-Valle, Concepción; Manzano-Agugliaro, Francisco

    2018-03-01

    A deep bibliometric analysis has been carried out, obtaining valuable parameters that facilitate the understanding around the research in plant using molecular markers. The evolution of the improvement in the field of agronomy is fundamental for its adaptation to the new exigencies that the current world context raises. In addition, within these improvements, this article focuses on those related to the biotechnology sector. More specifically, the use of DNA markers that allow the researcher to know the set of genes associated with a particular quantitative trait or QTL. The use of molecular markers is widely extended, including: restriction fragment length polymorphism, random-amplified polymorphic DNA, amplified fragment length polymorphism, microsatellites, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms. In addition to classical methodology, new approaches based on the next generation sequencing are proving to be fundamental. In this article, a historical review of the molecular markers traditionally used in plants, since its birth and how the new molecular tools facilitate the work of plant breeders is carried out. The evolution of the most studied cultures from the point of view of molecular markers is also reviewed and other parameters whose prior knowledge can facilitate the approach of researchers to this field of research are analyzed. The bibliometric analysis of molecular markers in plants shows that top five countries in this research are: US, China, India, France, and Germany, and from 2013, this research is led by China. On the other hand, the basic research using Arabidopsis is deeper in France and Germany, while other countries focused its efforts in their main crops as the US for wheat or maize, while China and India for wheat and rice.

  11. Research and analyze of physical health using multiple regression analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. S. Kyi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper represents the research which is trying to create a mathematical model of the "healthy people" using the method of regression analysis. The factors are the physical parameters of the person (such as heart rate, lung capacity, blood pressure, breath holding, weight height coefficient, flexibility of the spine, muscles of the shoulder belt, abdominal muscles, squatting, etc.., and the response variable is an indicator of physical working capacity. After performing multiple regression analysis, obtained useful multiple regression models that can predict the physical performance of boys the aged of fourteen to seventeen years. This paper represents the development of regression model for the sixteen year old boys and analyzed results.

  12. Dimensions of cultural consumption among tourists : Multiple correspondence analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Richards, G.W.; van der Ark, L.A.

    2013-01-01

    The cultural tourism market has diversified and fragmented into many different niches. Previous attempts to segment cultural tourists have been largely unidimensional, failing to capture the complexity of cultural production and consumption. We employ multiple correspondence analysis to visualize

  13. Evidence from intrinsic activity that asymmetry of the human brain is controlled by multiple factors

    OpenAIRE

    Liu, Hesheng; Stufflebeam, Steven M.; Sepulcre, Jorge; Hedden, Trey; Buckner, Randy L.

    2009-01-01

    Cerebral lateralization is a fundamental property of the human brain and a marker of successful development. Here we provide evidence that multiple mechanisms control asymmetry for distinct brain systems. Using intrinsic activity to measure asymmetry in 300 adults, we mapped the most strongly lateralized brain regions. Both men and women showed strong asymmetries with a significant, but small, group difference. Factor analysis on the asymmetric regions revealed 4 separate factors that each ac...

  14. Model-Independent Evaluation of Tumor Markers and a Logistic-Tree Approach to Diagnostic Decision Support

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weizeng Ni

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Sensitivity and specificity of using individual tumor markers hardly meet the clinical requirement. This challenge gave rise to many efforts, e.g., combing multiple tumor markers and employing machine learning algorithms. However, results from different studies are often inconsistent, which are partially attributed to the use of different evaluation criteria. Also, the wide use of model-dependent validation leads to high possibility of data overfitting when complex models are used for diagnosis. We propose two model-independent criteria, namely, area under the curve (AUC and Relief to evaluate the diagnostic values of individual and multiple tumor markers, respectively. For diagnostic decision support, we propose the use of logistic-tree which combines decision tree and logistic regression. Application on a colorectal cancer dataset shows that the proposed evaluation criteria produce results that are consistent with current knowledge. Furthermore, the simple and highly interpretable logistic-tree has diagnostic performance that is competitive with other complex models.

  15. Selection of microsatellite markers for bladder cancer diagnosis without the need for corresponding blood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    van Tilborg, Angela A G; Kompier, Lucie C; Lurkin, Irene

    2012-01-01

    . Moreover, stutter peaks may complicate the analysis. To use microsatellite markers for diagnosis of recurrent bladder cancer, we aimed to select markers without stutter peaks and a constant ratio between alleles, thereby avoiding the need for a control DNA sample. We investigated 49 microsatellite markers...... with tri- and tetranucleotide repeats in regions commonly lost in bladder cancer. Based on analysis of 50 blood DNAs the 12 best performing markers were selected with few stutter peaks and a constant ratio between peaks heights. Per marker upper and lower cut off values for allele ratios were determined...

  16. Monocyte/macrophage-derived soluble CD163: A novel biomarker in multiple myeloma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Morten Nørgaard; Abildgaard, Niels; Maniecki, Maciej B

    2014-01-01

    fluids (soluble CD163, sCD163). In this study, we examined serum sCD163 as a biomarker in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. METHODS: Peripheral blood (n = 104) and bone marrow (n = 17) levels of sCD163 were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: At diagnosis, high s......CD163 was associated with higher stage according to the International Staging System (ISS) and with other known prognostic factors in multiple myeloma (creatinine, C-reactive protein, and beta-2 microglobulin). Soluble CD163 decreased upon high-dose treatment, and in a multivariate survival analysis...... in bone marrow samples than in the matched blood samples, which indicate a localized production of sCD163 within the bone marrow microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS: Soluble CD163 was found to be a prognostic marker in patients with multiple myeloma. This may indicate that macrophages and/or monocytes have...

  17. A New Cluster Analysis-Marker-Controlled Watershed Method for Separating Particles of Granular Soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alam, Md Ferdous; Haque, Asadul

    2017-10-18

    An accurate determination of particle-level fabric of granular soils from tomography data requires a maximum correct separation of particles. The popular marker-controlled watershed separation method is widely used to separate particles. However, the watershed method alone is not capable of producing the maximum separation of particles when subjected to boundary stresses leading to crushing of particles. In this paper, a new separation method, named as Monash Particle Separation Method (MPSM), has been introduced. The new method automatically determines the optimal contrast coefficient based on cluster evaluation framework to produce the maximum accurate separation outcomes. Finally, the particles which could not be separated by the optimal contrast coefficient were separated by integrating cuboid markers generated from the clustering by Gaussian mixture models into the routine watershed method. The MPSM was validated on a uniformly graded sand volume subjected to one-dimensional compression loading up to 32 MPa. It was demonstrated that the MPSM is capable of producing the best possible separation of particles required for the fabric analysis.

  18. Assessment of Drought Tolerance Indices and their Relation with ISSR Markers in Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Behnam FIROOZI

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Water stress is one of the most important environmental abiotic stress that reduced crop yield especially in arid and semi arid regions of the world. In order to identifying drought tolerance, 39 cultivars of spring, facultative and winter type wheat varieties were planted as subplots within the irrigation plots (main plots in a randomized complete block design with three replications in a research filed of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Iran. In 2/3 continuous irrigation stress level, based on stress susceptibility, geometric mean productivity and harmonic indices, �Sepahan�, �Karaj 3�, �Bahar� and �Yavaroos� were known as the best varieties; and in 1/3 continuous irrigation stress level, based on the mentioned indices, �Hirmand�, �Bahar�, �Yavaroos� and �Marvdasht� were the best one. According to biplot resulted from principle coordinate analysis, in 2/3 continuous irrigation �Moghan 1�, �Golestan�, �Kavir�, �Maroon�, �Karkheh�, �Chanaab�, �10�, �6�, �Bahar� and �Sepahan�; and in 1/3 continuous irrigation �Golestan�, �10�, �Niknejad�, �Maroon�, �Darab�, �Falat�, �Arta�, �Marvdasht�, �Bahar� and �Hirmand� were identified as the most tolerant cultivars. According to multiple regression analysis in subject of agronomic traits, 43, 33 and 25 informative ISSR markers identified in control, 2/3 and 1/3 continuous irrigation conditions, respectively. Also among these markers, there were significant relationship between P12L3 and P21L3 markers with plant height and spike length; P4L1 and P22L1 markers with flag leaf length; P19L4 markers and number of node; P30L4 markers and awn length; P10L1 and P22L1 with peduncle to plant height ratio in all of stress and non-stress conditions.

  19. Assessing Date Palm Genetic Diversity Using Different Molecular Markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atia, Mohamed A M; Sakr, Mahmoud M; Adawy, Sami S

    2017-01-01

    Molecular marker technologies which rely on DNA analysis provide powerful tools to assess biodiversity at different levels, i.e., among and within species. A range of different molecular marker techniques have been developed and extensively applied for detecting variability in date palm at the DNA level. Recently, the employment of gene-targeting molecular marker approaches to study biodiversity and genetic variations in many plant species has increased the attention of researchers interested in date palm to carry out phylogenetic studies using these novel marker systems. Molecular markers are good indicators of genetic distances among accessions, because DNA-based markers are neutral in the face of selection. Here we describe the employment of multidisciplinary molecular marker approaches: amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism, conserved DNA-derived polymorphism (CDDP), intron-targeted amplified polymorphism (ITAP), simple sequence repeats (SSR), and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) to assess genetic diversity in date palm.

  20. Metabolomics of prematurity: analysis of patterns of amino acids, enzymes, and endocrine markers by categories of gestational age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Kumanan; Hawken, Steven; Ducharme, Robin; Potter, Beth K; Little, Julian; Thébaud, Bernard; Chakraborty, Pranesh

    2014-02-01

    Prematurity may influence the levels of amino acids, enzymes, and endocrine markers obtained through newborn screening. Identifying which analytes are the most affected by degree of prematurity could provide insight into how prematurity impacts metabolism. Analytes from blood spots assayed by Newborn Screening Ontario between March 2006 and April 2009 were used in this analysis. We examined the associations between the degree of prematurity and the levels of amino acids, enzymes, and endocrine markers in all newborns with and without adjustment for birth weight, feeding status, sample timing, transfusion, and sex. Our analysis included the following cohorts: 373,819 children born at term (>36 wk gestation), 26,483 near-term children (33-36 wk gestation), 4,354 very premature children (28-32 wk gestation), and 1,146 extremely premature children (prematurity, the levels of three amino acids (arginine, leucine, and valine) were at least 50% different between the cohorts of extremely premature and term children. The levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone increased with increasing prematurity, while thyrotropin-stimulating hormone values consistently decreased with increasing prematurity. None of the three enzyme markers we examined showed a trend in levels across categories of prematurity. This study demonstrates that children at different stages of prematurity are metabolically distinct. Future research should focus on the mechanism by which specific analytes are influenced by prematurity.

  1. Modular risk analysis for assessing multiple waste sites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whelan, G.; Buck, J.W.; Nazarali, A.

    1994-06-01

    Human-health impacts, especially to the surrounding public, are extremely difficult to assess at installations that contain multiple waste sites and a variety of mixed-waste constituents (e.g., organic, inorganic, and radioactive). These assessments must address different constituents, multiple waste sites, multiple release patterns, different transport pathways (i.e., groundwater, surface water, air, and overland soil), different receptor types and locations, various times of interest, population distributions, land-use patterns, baseline assessments, a variety of exposure scenarios, etc. Although the process is complex, two of the most important difficulties to overcome are associated with (1) establishing an approach that allows for modifying the source term, transport, or exposure component as an individual module without having to re-evaluate the entire installation-wide assessment (i.e., all modules simultaneously), and (2) displaying and communicating the results in an understandable and useable maimer to interested parties. An integrated, physics-based, compartmentalized approach, which is coupled to a Geographical Information System (GIS), captures the regional health impacts associated with multiple waste sites (e.g., hundreds to thousands of waste sites) at locations within and surrounding the installation. Utilizing a modular/GIS-based approach overcomes difficulties in (1) analyzing a wide variety of scenarios for multiple waste sites, and (2) communicating results from a complex human-health-impact analysis by capturing the essence of the assessment in a relatively elegant manner, so the meaning of the results can be quickly conveyed to all who review them

  2. Multiple predictor smoothing methods for sensitivity analysis.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Helton, Jon Craig; Storlie, Curtis B.

    2006-08-01

    The use of multiple predictor smoothing methods in sampling-based sensitivity analyses of complex models is investigated. Specifically, sensitivity analysis procedures based on smoothing methods employing the stepwise application of the following nonparametric regression techniques are described: (1) locally weighted regression (LOESS), (2) additive models, (3) projection pursuit regression, and (4) recursive partitioning regression. The indicated procedures are illustrated with both simple test problems and results from a performance assessment for a radioactive waste disposal facility (i.e., the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant). As shown by the example illustrations, the use of smoothing procedures based on nonparametric regression techniques can yield more informative sensitivity analysis results than can be obtained with more traditional sensitivity analysis procedures based on linear regression, rank regression or quadratic regression when nonlinear relationships between model inputs and model predictions are present.

  3. Multiple predictor smoothing methods for sensitivity analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Helton, Jon Craig; Storlie, Curtis B.

    2006-01-01

    The use of multiple predictor smoothing methods in sampling-based sensitivity analyses of complex models is investigated. Specifically, sensitivity analysis procedures based on smoothing methods employing the stepwise application of the following nonparametric regression techniques are described: (1) locally weighted regression (LOESS), (2) additive models, (3) projection pursuit regression, and (4) recursive partitioning regression. The indicated procedures are illustrated with both simple test problems and results from a performance assessment for a radioactive waste disposal facility (i.e., the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant). As shown by the example illustrations, the use of smoothing procedures based on nonparametric regression techniques can yield more informative sensitivity analysis results than can be obtained with more traditional sensitivity analysis procedures based on linear regression, rank regression or quadratic regression when nonlinear relationships between model inputs and model predictions are present

  4. Tagging of blast resistance gene(s) to DNA markers and marker-assisted selection (MAS) in rice improvement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhuang, J.Y.; Lu, J.; Qian, H.R.; Lin, H.X.; Zheng, K.L.

    1998-01-01

    This paper reports progress made on the tagging of blast resistance gene(s) to DNA markers and on the initiation of marker-assisted selection (MAS) for blast resistance in rice improvement. A pair of near isogenic lines, K8OR and K79S, were developed using a Chinese landrace Hong-jiao-zhan as the resistance donor. Ten putatively positive markers were identified by screening 177 mapped DNA markers. Using the F 2 population of 143 plants and the derived F 3 lines, three Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) markers (RG81, RG869 and RZ397) on chromosome 12 of rice were identified to be closely linked to the blast resistance gene Pi-12(t). The genetic distance between Pi-12(t) and the closest marker RG869 was 5.1 cM. By employing the bulk segregant analysis (BSA) procedure, six of 199 arbitrary primers were found to produce positive Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) bands. Tight linkage between Pi-12(t) and three RAPD bands, each from a different primer, was confirmed after amplification of DNA of all F 2 individuals. Two fragments were cloned and sequenced, and two sequence characterised amplified re-ion (SCAR) markers were established. In two other F 3 populations, Xian-feng I/Tetep and Xian-feng, 1/Hong-jiao-zhan, the blast resistance was found to be controlled by interactions of two or more genes. One resistance gene was located in the vicinity of RG81 in both populations. Work to identify other gene(s) is currently under way. Marker assisted selection for blast resistance was initiated. Crosses were made between elite varieties and blast resistance donors to develop populations for DNA marker-assisted selection of blast resistance. In addition, 48 varieties widely used in current rice breeding programs were provided by rice breeders. DNA marker-based polymorphism among, these varieties and resistance donors were analysed to produce a database for future MAS program. (author)

  5. The use of biochemical markers of bone remodeling in multiple myeloma: a report of the International Myeloma Working Group

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Terpos, E; Dimopoulos, M A; Sezer, O

    2010-01-01

    progression and overall survival. Bone markers have also been used for the early diagnosis of bone lesions. This International Myeloma Working Group report summarizes the existing data for the role of bone markers in assessing the extent of MM bone disease and in monitoring bone turnover during anti...

  6. Genetic diversity of Halla horses using microsatellite markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joo-Hee Seo

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Currently about 26,000 horses are breeding in Korea and 57.2% (14,776 horses of them are breeding in Jeju island. According to the statistics published in 2010, the horses breeding in Jeju island are subdivided into Jeju horse (6.1%, Thoroughbred (18.8% and Halla horse (75.1%. Halla horses are defined as a crossbreed between Jeju and Thoroughbred horses and are used for horse racing, horse riding and horse meat production. However, little research has been conducted on Halla horses because of the perception of crossbreed and people’s weighted interest toward Jeju horses. Method Using 17 Microsatellite (MS Markers recommended by International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG, genomic DNAs were extracted from the hair roots of 3,880 Halla horses breeding in Korea and genetic diversity was identified by genotyping after PCR was performed. Results and conclusion In average, 10.41 alleles (from 6 alleles in HTG7 to 17 alleles in ASB17 were identified after the analysis using 17 MS Markers. The mean value of Hobs was 0.749 with a range from 0.612(HMS1 to 0.857(ASB2. Also, it was found that Hexp and PIC values were lowest in HMS1 (0.607 and 0.548, respectively, and highest in LEX3(0.859 and 0.843, respectively, and the mean value of Hexp was 0.760 and that of PIC was 0.728. 17 MS markers used in this studies were considered as appropriate markers for the polymorphism analysis of Halla horses. The frequency for the appearance of identical individuals was 5.90 × 10−20 when assumed as random mating population and when assumed as half-sib and full-sib population, frequencies were 4.08 × 10−15 and 3.56 × 10−8, respectively. Based on these results, the 17 MS markers can be used adequately for the Individual Identification and Parentage Verification of Halla horses. Remarkably, allele M and Q of ASB23 marker, G of HMS2 marker, H and L of HTG6 marker, L of HTG7 marker, E of LEX3 marker were the specific alleles

  7. Fluorescence-intensity multiplexing: simultaneous seven-marker, two-color immunophenotyping using flow cytometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradford, Jolene A; Buller, Gayle; Suter, Michael; Ignatius, Michael; Beechem, Joseph M

    2004-10-01

    Conventional immuno-based multiparameter flow cytometric analysis has been limited by the requirement of a dedicated detection channel for each antibody-fluorophore set. To address the need to resolve multiple biological targets simultaneously, flow cytometers with as many as 10-15 detection channels have been developed. In this study, a new Zenon immunolabeling technology is developed that allows for multiple antigen detection per detection channel using a single fluorophore, through a unique method of fluorescence-intensity multiplexing. By varying the Zenon labeling reagent-to-antibody molar ratio, the fluorescence intensity of the antibody-labeled cellular targets can be used as a unique identifier. Although demonstrated in the present study with lymphocyte immunophenotyping, this approach is broadly applicable for any immuno-based multiplexed flow cytomety assay. Lymphocyte immunophenotyping of 38 clinical blood specimens using CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD56, CD19, and CD20 antibodies was performed using conventional flow cytometric analysis and fluorescence-intensity multiplexing analysis. Conventional analysis measures a single antibody-fluorophore per photomultiplier tube (PMT). Fluorescence-intensity multiplex analysis simultaneously measures seven markers with two PMTs, using Zenon labeling reagent-antibody complexes in a single tube: CD19, CD4, CD8, and CD16 antibodies labeled with Zenon Alexa Fluor 488 Mouse IgG(1) labeling reagent and CD56, CD3, and CD20 antibodies labeled with Zenon R-Phycoerythrin (R-PE) Mouse IgG(1) or IgG(2b) labeling reagents. The lymphocyte immunophenotyping results from fluorescence-intensity multiplexing using Zenon labeling reagents in a single tube were comparable to results from conventional flow cytometric analysis. Simultaneous evaluation of multiple antigens using a single fluorophore can be performed using antibodies labeled with varying ratios of a Zenon labeling reagent. Labeling two sets of antibodies with different Zenon

  8. Effect of prednisolone on inflammatory markers in pericardial tuberculosis: A pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Justin Shenje

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Pericardial disorders are a common cause of heart disease, and the most common cause of pericarditis in developing countries is tuberculous (TB pericarditis. It has been shown that prednisolone added to standard anti-TB therapy leads to a lower rate of constrictive pericarditis. We conducted a pilot study to evaluate the effect of adjunctive prednisolone treatment on the concentration of inflammatory markers in pericardial tuberculosis, in order to inform immunological mechanisms at the disease site. Methods: Pericardial fluid, plasma and saliva samples were collected from fourteen patients with pericardial tuberculosis, at multiple time points. Inflammatory markers were measured using multiplex luminex analysis and ELISA. Results: In samples from 14 patients we confirmed a strongly compartmentalized immune response at the disease site and found that prednisolone significantly reduced IL-6 concentrations in plasma by 8 hours of treatment, IL-1beta concentrations in saliva, as well as IL-8 concentrations in both pericardial fluid and saliva by 24 hours. Conclusion: Monitoring the early effect of adjunctive immunotherapy in plasma or saliva is a possibility in pericarditis. Keywords: Tuberculosis, HIV, Pericarditis, Steroids, Treatment monitoring

  9. SU-F-P-40: Analysis of Pelvic Lymph Node Margin Using Prostate Fiducial Markers, for SBRT Treatments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Torres, J; Castro Pena, P; Garrigo, E; Zunino, S; Venencia, C [Instituto de Radioterapia - Fundacion Marie Curie, Cordoba (Argentina)

    2016-06-15

    Purpose: The use of fiducials markers in prostate treatment allows a precise localization of this volume. Typical prostate SBRT margins with fiducials markers are 5mm in all directions, except toward the rectum, where 3mm is used. For some patients nearby pelvic lymph nodes with 5mm margin need to be irradiate assuming that its localization is linked to the prostate fiducial markers instead of bony anatomy. The purpose of this work was to analyze the geometric impact of locate the lymph node regions through the patient positioning by prostate fiducial markers. Methods: 10 patients with prostate SBRT with lymph nodes irradiation were selected. Each patient had 5 implanted titanium fiducial markers. A Novalis TX (BrainLAB-Varian) with ExacTrac and aSi1000 portal image was used. Treatment plan uses 11 beams with a dose prescription (D95%) of 40Gy to the prostate and 25Gy to the lymph node in 5 fractions. Daily positioning was carried out by ExacTrac system based on the implanted fiducials as the reference treatment position; further position verification was performed using the ExacTrac and two portal images (gantry angle 0 and 90) based on bony structures. Comparison between reference position with bony based ExacTrac and portal image localization, was done for each treatment fraction Results: A total of 50 positioning analysis were done. The average discrepancy between reference treatment position and ExacTrac based on bony anatomy (pubic area) was 4.2mm [0.3; 11.2]. The discrepancy was <5mm in 61% of the cases and <9mm in 92%. Using portal images the average discrepancy was 3.7mm [0.0; 11.1]. The discrepancy was <5mm in 69% of the cases and <9mm in 96%. Conclusion: Localizing lymph node by prostate fiducial markers may produce large discrepancy as large as 11mm compared to bony based localization. Dosimetric impact of this discrepancy should be studied.

  10. Delta neutrophil index: A reliable marker to differentiate perforated appendicitis from non-perforated appendicitis in the elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Dong Hyuk; Cho, Young Suk; Kim, Yoon Sung; Ahn, Hee Cheol; Oh, Young Taeck; Park, Sang O; Won, Moo-Ho; Cho, Jun Hwi; Kim, Young Myeong; Seo, Jeong Yeol; Lee, Young Hwan

    2018-01-01

    Delta neutrophil index (DNI) is a new inflammatory marker and the present study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the DNI for the presence of a perforation in elderly with acute appendicitis. This retrospective observational study was conducted on 108 consecutive elderly patients (≥65 years old) with acute appendicitis treated over a 24-month period. Sixty-nine of the 108 patients (median, IQR: 72, 67-77 years) were allocated to the perforated appendicitis group (63.9%) and 39 to the non-perforated appendicitis group (36.1%). WBC, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and DNI were significantly higher in the perforated group. In multiple logistic regression analyses, initial DNI was the only independent marker that can significantly predict the presence of perforation in multiple regression [odds ratio 9.38, 95% confidence interval (2.51-35.00), P=.001]. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis showed that DNI is a good predictor for the presence of appendiceal perforation at an optimal cut-off for DNI being 1.4% (sensitivity 67.7%, specificity 90.0%, AUC 0.807). Clinicians can reliably differentiate acute perforated appendicitis from non-perforated appendicitis by DNI level of 1.4 or more in elderly patients. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Polymorphism of the FABP2 gene: a population frequency analysis and an association study with cardiovascular risk markers in Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mayorga Luis S

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The FABP2 gene encodes for the intestinal FABP (IFABP protein, which is expressed only in intestinal enterocytes. A polymorphism at codon 54 in exon 2 of the FABP2 gene exchanges an Alanine (Ala, in the small helical region of the protein, for Threonine (Thr. Given the potential physiological role of the Ala54Thr FABP2 polymorphism, we assess in this study the local population frequency and analyze possible associations with five selected markers, i.e. glycemia, total cholesterol, body mass index (BMI, hypertension, and high Cardiovascular Risk Index (CVR index. Methods We studied 86 men and 116 women. DNA was extracted from a blood drop for genotype analysis. Allele frequencies were calculated by direct counting. Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium was evaluated using a Chi-square goodness of fit test. For the polymorphism association analysis, five markers were selected, i.e. blood pressure, Framingham Risk Index, total cholesterol, BMI, and glycemia. For each marker, the Odds Ratio (OR was calculated by an online statistic tool. Results Our results reveal a similar population polymorphism frequency as in previous European studies, with q = 0.277 (95% confidence limits 0.234–0.323. No significant association was found with any of the tested markers in the context of our Argentine nutritional and cultural habits. We did, however, observe a tendency for increased Cholesterol and high BMI in Thr54 carriers. Conclusion This is the first study to look at the population frequency of the Thr54 allele in Argentina. The obtained result does not differ from previously reported frequencies in European populations. Moreover, we found no association between the Thr54 allele and any of the five selected markers. The observed tendency to increased total cholesterol and elevated BMI in Thr54 carriers, even though not significant for p

  12. Sewage pollution in urban stormwater runoff as evident from the widespread presence of multiple microbial and chemical source tracking markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sidhu, J P S; Ahmed, W; Gernjak, W; Aryal, R; McCarthy, D; Palmer, A; Kolotelo, P; Toze, S

    2013-10-01

    The concurrence of human sewage contamination in urban stormwater runoff (n=23) from six urban catchments across Australia was assessed by using both microbial source tracking (MST) and chemical source tracking (CST) markers. Out of 23 stormwater samples human adenovirus (HAv), human polyomavirus (HPv) and the sewage-associated markers; Methanobrevibacter smithii nifH and Bacteroides HF183 were detected in 91%, 56%, 43% and 96% of samples, respectively. Similarly, CST markers paracetamol (87%), salicylic acid (78%) acesulfame (96%) and caffeine (91%) were frequently detected. Twenty one samples (91%) were positive for six to eight sewage related MST and CST markers and remaining two samples were positive for five and four markers, respectively. A very good consensus (>91%) observed between the concurrence of the HF183, HAv, acesulfame and caffeine suggests good predictability of the presence of HAv in samples positive for one of the three markers. High prevalence of HAv (91%) also suggests that other enteric viruses may also be present in the stormwater samples which may pose significant health risks. This study underscores the benefits of employing a set of MST and CST markers which could include monitoring for HF183, adenovirus, caffeine and paracetamol to accurately detect human sewage contamination along with credible information on the presence of human enteric viruses, which could be used for more reliable public health risk assessments. Based on the results obtained in this study, it is recommended that some degree of treatment of captured stormwater would be required if it were to be used for non-potable purposes. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Comparative mitogenomic analysis of mirid bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae) and evaluation of potential DNA barcoding markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Juan; Zhang, Li; Zhang, Qi-Lin; Zhou, Min-Qiang; Wang, Xiao-Tong; Yang, Xing-Zhuo; Yuan, Ming-Long

    2017-01-01

    The family Miridae is one of the most species-rich families of insects. To better understand the diversity and evolution of mirids, we determined the mitogenome of Lygus pratenszs and re-sequenced the mitogenomes of four mirids (i.e., Apolygus lucorum , Adelphocoris suturalis , Ade. fasciaticollis and Ade. lineolatus ). We performed a comparative analysis for 15 mitogenomic sequences representing 11 species of five genera within Miridae and evaluated the potential of these mitochondrial genes as molecular markers. Our results showed that the general mitogenomic features (gene content, gene arrangement, base composition and codon usage) were well conserved among these mirids. Four protein-coding genes (PCGs) ( cox1 , cox3 , nad1 and nad3 ) had no length variability, where nad5 showed the largest size variation; no intraspecific length variation was found in PCGs. Two PCGs ( nad4 and nad5 ) showed relatively high substitution rates at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, where cox1 had the lowest substitution rate. The Ka/Ks values for all PCGs were far lower than 1 (barcode sequences were always larger than 1 (1.34 -15.20), indicating that the 658 bp sequences of cox1 may be not the appropriate marker due to positive selection or selection relaxation. Phylogenetic analyses based on two concatenated mitogenomic datasets consistently supported the relationship of Nesidiocoris + ( Trigonotylus + ( Adelphocoris + ( Apolygus + Lygus ))), as revealed by nad4 , nad5 , rrnL and the combined 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), respectively. Taken sequence length, substitution rate and phylogenetic signal together, the individual genes ( nad4 , nad5 and rrnL ) and the combined 22 tRNAs could been used as potential molecular markers for Miridae at various taxonomic levels. Our results suggest that it is essential to evaluate and select suitable markers for different taxa groups when performing phylogenetic, population genetic and species identification studies.

  14. Serum markers related to depression: A systematic review | Tavakoli ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Serum markers related to depression: A systematic review. ... is one of the most common neurological and psychiatric disorders that are associated with imbalance in ... Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science databases were retrieved using the depression, serum markers, ... A total of 89 articles were included in final analysis.

  15. Development of Pineapple Microsatellite Markers and Germplasm Genetic Diversity Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suping Feng

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Two methods were used to develop pineapple microsatellite markers. Genomic library-based SSR development: using selectively amplified microsatellite assay, 86 sequences were generated from pineapple genomic library. 91 (96.8% of the 94 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR loci were dinucleotide repeats (39 AC/GT repeats and 52 GA/TC repeats, accounting for 42.9% and 57.1%, resp., and the other three were mononucleotide repeats. Thirty-six pairs of SSR primers were designed; 24 of them generated clear bands of expected sizes, and 13 of them showed polymorphism. EST-based SSR development: 5659 pineapple EST sequences obtained from NCBI were analyzed; among 1397 nonredundant EST sequences, 843 were found containing 1110 SSR loci (217 of them contained more than one SSR locus. Frequency of SSRs in pineapple EST sequences is 1SSR/3.73 kb, and 44 types were found. Mononucleotide, dinucleotide, and trinucleotide repeats dominate, accounting for 95.6% in total. AG/CT and AGC/GCT were the dominant type of dinucleotide and trinucleotide repeats, accounting for 83.5% and 24.1%, respectively. Thirty pairs of primers were designed for each of randomly selected 30 sequences; 26 of them generated clear and reproducible bands, and 22 of them showed polymorphism. Eighteen pairs of primers obtained by the one or the other of the two methods above that showed polymorphism were selected to carry out germplasm genetic diversity analysis for 48 breeds of pineapple; similarity coefficients of these breeds were between 0.59 and 1.00, and they can be divided into four groups accordingly. Amplification products of five SSR markers were extracted and sequenced, corresponding repeat loci were found and locus mutations are mainly in copy number of repeats and base mutations in the flanking region.

  16. Development of Pineapple Microsatellite Markers and Germplasm Genetic Diversity Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tong, Helin; Chen, You; Wang, Jingyi; Chen, Yeyuan; Sun, Guangming; He, Junhu; Wu, Yaoting

    2013-01-01

    Two methods were used to develop pineapple microsatellite markers. Genomic library-based SSR development: using selectively amplified microsatellite assay, 86 sequences were generated from pineapple genomic library. 91 (96.8%) of the 94 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) loci were dinucleotide repeats (39 AC/GT repeats and 52 GA/TC repeats, accounting for 42.9% and 57.1%, resp.), and the other three were mononucleotide repeats. Thirty-six pairs of SSR primers were designed; 24 of them generated clear bands of expected sizes, and 13 of them showed polymorphism. EST-based SSR development: 5659 pineapple EST sequences obtained from NCBI were analyzed; among 1397 nonredundant EST sequences, 843 were found containing 1110 SSR loci (217 of them contained more than one SSR locus). Frequency of SSRs in pineapple EST sequences is 1SSR/3.73 kb, and 44 types were found. Mononucleotide, dinucleotide, and trinucleotide repeats dominate, accounting for 95.6% in total. AG/CT and AGC/GCT were the dominant type of dinucleotide and trinucleotide repeats, accounting for 83.5% and 24.1%, respectively. Thirty pairs of primers were designed for each of randomly selected 30 sequences; 26 of them generated clear and reproducible bands, and 22 of them showed polymorphism. Eighteen pairs of primers obtained by the one or the other of the two methods above that showed polymorphism were selected to carry out germplasm genetic diversity analysis for 48 breeds of pineapple; similarity coefficients of these breeds were between 0.59 and 1.00, and they can be divided into four groups accordingly. Amplification products of five SSR markers were extracted and sequenced, corresponding repeat loci were found and locus mutations are mainly in copy number of repeats and base mutations in the flanking region. PMID:24024187

  17. Identification, characterization and utilization of unigene derived microsatellite markers in tea (Camellia sinensis L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohapatra Trilochan

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite great advances in genomic technology observed in several crop species, the availability of molecular tools such as microsatellite markers has been limited in tea (Camellia sinensis L.. The development of microsatellite markers will have a major impact on genetic analysis, gene mapping and marker assisted breeding. Unigene derived microsatellite (UGMS markers identified from publicly available sequence database have the advantage of assaying variation in the expressed component of the genome with unique identity and position. Therefore, they can serve as efficient and cost effective alternative markers in such species. Results Considering the multiple advantages of UGMS markers, 1,223 unigenes were predicted from 2,181 expressed sequence tags (ESTs of tea (Camellia sinensis L.. A total of 109 (8.9% unigenes containing 120 SSRs were identified. SSR abundance was one in every 3.55 kb of EST sequences. The microsatellites mainly comprised of di (50.8%, tri (30.8%, tetra (6.6%, penta (7.5% and few hexa (4.1% nucleotide repeats. Among the dinucleotide repeats, (GAn.(TCn were most abundant (83.6%. Ninety six primer pairs could be designed form 83.5% of SSR containing unigenes. Of these, 61 (63.5% primer pairs were experimentally validated and used to investigate the genetic diversity among the 34 accessions of different Camellia spp. Fifty one primer pairs (83.6% were successfully cross transferred to the related species at various levels. Functional annotation of the unigenes containing SSRs was done through gene ontology (GO characterization. Thirty six (60% of them revealed significant sequence similarity with the known/putative proteins of Arabidopsis thaliana. Polymorphism information content (PIC ranged from 0.018 to 0.972 with a mean value of 0.497. The average heterozygosity expected (HE and observed (Ho obtained was 0.654 and 0.413 respectively, thereby suggesting highly heterogeneous nature of tea. Further, test

  18. Iterative h-minima-based marker-controlled watershed for cell nucleus segmentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koyuncu, Can Fahrettin; Akhan, Ece; Ersahin, Tulin; Cetin-Atalay, Rengul; Gunduz-Demir, Cigdem

    2016-04-01

    Automated microscopy imaging systems facilitate high-throughput screening in molecular cellular biology research. The first step of these systems is cell nucleus segmentation, which has a great impact on the success of the overall system. The marker-controlled watershed is a technique commonly used by the previous studies for nucleus segmentation. These studies define their markers finding regional minima on the intensity/gradient and/or distance transform maps. They typically use the h-minima transform beforehand to suppress noise on these maps. The selection of the h value is critical; unnecessarily small values do not sufficiently suppress the noise, resulting in false and oversegmented markers, and unnecessarily large ones suppress too many pixels, causing missing and undersegmented markers. Because cell nuclei show different characteristics within an image, the same h value may not work to define correct markers for all the nuclei. To address this issue, in this work, we propose a new watershed algorithm that iteratively identifies its markers, considering a set of different h values. In each iteration, the proposed algorithm defines a set of candidates using a particular h value and selects the markers from those candidates provided that they fulfill the size requirement. Working with widefield fluorescence microscopy images, our experiments reveal that the use of multiple h values in our iterative algorithm leads to better segmentation results, compared to its counterparts. © 2016 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. © 2016 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

  19. Examination of X chromosome markers in Rett syndrome: Exclusion mapping with a novel variation on multilocus linkage analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ellison, K.A.; Fill, C.P. (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX (United States)); Terwililger, J.; Percy, A.K.; Zobhbi, H. (Columbia University, NY (United States)); DeGennaro, L.J.; Ott, J. (University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester (United States)); Anvret, M.; Martin-Gallardo, A. (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (United States))

    1992-02-01

    Rett syndrome is a neurologic disorder characterized by early normal development followed by regression, acquired deceleration of head growth, autism, ataxia, and sterotypic hand movements. The exclusive occurrence of the syndrome in females and the occurrence of a few familial cases with inheritance through maternal lines suggest that this disorder is most likely secondary to a mutation on the X chromosome. To address this hypothesis and to identify candidate regions for the Rett syndrome gene locus, genotypic analysis was performed in two families with maternally related affected half-sisters by using 63 DNA markers from the X chromosome. Nineteen of the loci studied were chosen for multipoint linkage analysis because they have been previously genetically mapped using a large number of meioses from reference families. Using the exclusion criterion of a lod score less than [minus]2, the authors were able to exclude the region between the Duchenne muscular dystrophy locus and the DXS456 locus. This region extends from Xp21.2 to Xq21-q23. The use of the multipoint linkage analysis approach outlined in this study should allow the exclusion of additional regions of the X chromosome as new markers are analyzed.

  20. Market segmentation for multiple option healthcare delivery systems--an application of cluster analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jarboe, G R; Gates, R H; McDaniel, C D

    1990-01-01

    Healthcare providers of multiple option plans may be confronted with special market segmentation problems. This study demonstrates how cluster analysis may be used for discovering distinct patterns of preference for multiple option plans. The availability of metric, as opposed to categorical or ordinal, data provides the ability to use sophisticated analysis techniques which may be superior to frequency distributions and cross-tabulations in revealing preference patterns.

  1. Preliminary Comparative Analysis of Phenological Varieties of Quercus robur by ISSR-Markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vasiliy Chokheli

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Quercus robur L. is a valuable wood species having long ontogeny and promising to create long-living artificial plantings of recreational and ameliorative purposes in the steppes zone of Russia and other countries. In this work we have performed the genotyping of varieties of Quercus robur L. obtained from collection of Botanical Garden of Southern Federal University using intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR molecular markers. The most polymorphic ISSR-marker (GA 8YC was found in the collection. The polymorphic DNA markers identified in the present study can be used for the future breeding works to obtain valuable genotypes of Quercus genus. In addition we have performed DNA fingerprinting of the prospective sample of the variety Q. robur var. tardiflora Czern.

  2. Increased osteopontin plasma levels in multiple sclerosis patients correlate with bone-specific markers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vogt, M.H.J.; ten Kate, J.; Drent, R.J.M.; Polman, C.H.; Hupperts, R.

    2010-01-01

    The pro-inflammatory cytokine osteopontin has been found to be highly expressed in multiple sclerosis lesions and plasma levels are increased during relapses in relapse-onset multiple sclerosis patients. The objective was to determine the relationship between osteopontin plasma and cerebrospinal

  3. Genetic diversity analysis among collected purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) accessions using ISSR markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alam, M Amirul; Juraimi, Abdul Shukor; Rafii, Mohd Yusop; Hamid, Azizah Abdul; Arolu, Ibrahim Wasiu; Abdul Latif, M

    2015-01-01

    Genetic diversity and relationships among 45 collected purslane accessions were evaluated using ISSR markers. The 28 primers gave a total of 167 bands, among which 163 were polymorphic (97.6%). The genetic diversity as estimated by Shannon's information index was 0.513, revealing a quite high level of genetic diversity in the germplasm. The average number of observed allele, effective allele, expected heterozygosity, polymorphic information content (PIC) and Nei's index were 5.96, 1.59, 0.43, 0.35 and 0.35, respectively. The UPGMA dendrogram based on Nei's genetic distance grouped the whole germplasm into 7 distinct clusters. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that 89% of total variation occurred within population, while 11% were found among populations. Based on the constructed dendrogram using ISSR markers those accessions that are far from each other by virtue of genetic origin and diversity index (like Ac1 and Ac42; Ac19 and Ac45; Ac9 and Ac23; Ac18 and A25; Ac24 and Ac18) are strongly recommended to select as parent for future breeding program to develop high yielding and stress tolerant purslane variety in contribution to global food security. Copyright © 2014 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  4. MULGRES: a computer program for stepwise multiple regression analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    A. Jeff Martin

    1971-01-01

    MULGRES is a computer program source deck that is designed for multiple regression analysis employing the technique of stepwise deletion in the search for most significant variables. The features of the program, along with inputs and outputs, are briefly described, with a note on machine compatibility.

  5. Young Adult and Usual Adult Body Mass Index and Multiple Myeloma Risk: A Pooled Analysis in the International Multiple Myeloma Consortium (IMMC).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birmann, Brenda M; Andreotti, Gabriella; De Roos, Anneclaire J; Camp, Nicola J; Chiu, Brian C H; Spinelli, John J; Becker, Nikolaus; Benhaim-Luzon, Véronique; Bhatti, Parveen; Boffetta, Paolo; Brennan, Paul; Brown, Elizabeth E; Cocco, Pierluigi; Costas, Laura; Cozen, Wendy; de Sanjosé, Silvia; Foretová, Lenka; Giles, Graham G; Maynadié, Marc; Moysich, Kirsten; Nieters, Alexandra; Staines, Anthony; Tricot, Guido; Weisenburger, Dennis; Zhang, Yawei; Baris, Dalsu; Purdue, Mark P

    2017-06-01

    Background: Multiple myeloma risk increases with higher adult body mass index (BMI). Emerging evidence also supports an association of young adult BMI with multiple myeloma. We undertook a pooled analysis of eight case-control studies to further evaluate anthropometric multiple myeloma risk factors, including young adult BMI. Methods: We conducted multivariable logistic regression analysis of usual adult anthropometric measures of 2,318 multiple myeloma cases and 9,609 controls, and of young adult BMI (age 25 or 30 years) for 1,164 cases and 3,629 controls. Results: In the pooled sample, multiple myeloma risk was positively associated with usual adult BMI; risk increased 9% per 5-kg/m 2 increase in BMI [OR, 1.09; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04-1.14; P = 0.007]. We observed significant heterogeneity by study design ( P = 0.04), noting the BMI-multiple myeloma association only for population-based studies ( P trend = 0.0003). Young adult BMI was also positively associated with multiple myeloma (per 5-kg/m 2 ; OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3; P = 0.0002). Furthermore, we observed strong evidence of interaction between younger and usual adult BMI ( P interaction adult BMI may increase multiple myeloma risk and suggest that healthy BMI maintenance throughout life may confer an added benefit of multiple myeloma prevention. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(6); 876-85. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

  6. Prognostic impact of cytological fluid tumor markers in non-small cell lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Arthur; Hur, Jin; Hong, Yoo Jin; Lee, Hye-Jeong; Kim, Young Jin; Hong, Sae Rom; Suh, Young Joo; Im, Dong Jin; Kim, Yun Jung; Lee, Jae Seok; Shim, Hyo Sup; Choi, Byoung Wook

    2016-03-01

    The serum tumor markers CYFRA 21-1, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) are useful in diagnosis and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Cytologic tumor markers obtained during needle aspiration biopsies (NAB) of lung lesions are useful for NSCLC diagnosis. This study investigated the incremental prognostic value of cytologic tumor markers compared to serum tumor markers. This prospective study included 253 patients diagnosed with NSCLC by NAB with cytologic tumor marker analysis. Levels of cytologic CYFRA 21-1, CEA, SCCA, and their serum counterparts were followed up for survival analysis. Optimal cutoff values for each tumor marker were obtained for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) analyses. All patients were followed up for a median of 22.8 months. Using cutoff values of 0.44 ng/ml for C-SCCA, 2.0 ng/ml for S-SCCA, and 3.3 ng/ml for S-CYFRA, a multivariate analysis revealed that high S-SCCA (hazard ratio, HR, 1.84) and high C-SCCA (HR, 1.63) were independent predictive factors of OS. The 3-year overall survival rate was 55 vs. 80 % for high and low C-SCCA, respectively. Cytologic tumor marker level detection is easily obtainable and provides prognostic information for NSCLC. Cytologic tumor markers provide comparable prognostic information relative to serum tumor markers, with C-SCCA acting as a strong prognostic factor of overall survival and PFS.

  7. Markers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Healthy Schools Network, Inc., 2011

    2011-01-01

    Dry erase whiteboards come with toxic dry erase markers and toxic cleaning products. Dry erase markers labeled "nontoxic" are not free of toxic chemicals and can cause health problems. Children are especially vulnerable to environmental health hazards; moreover, schools commonly have problems with indoor air pollution, as they are more densely…

  8. The involvement of multiple thrombogenic and atherogenic markers in premature coronary artery disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio P. Mansur

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of atherogenic and thrombogenic markers and lymphotoxin-alfa gene mutations with the risk of premature coronary disease. METHODS: This cross-sectional, case-control, age-adjusted study was conducted in 336 patients with premature coronary disease (50% luminal reduction or a previous myocardial infarction. The laboratory data evaluated included thrombogenic factors (fibrinogen, protein C, protein S, and antithrombin III, atherogenic factors (glucose and lipid profiles, lipoprotein(a, and apolipoproteins AI and B, and lymphotoxin-alfa mutations. Genetic variability of lymphotoxin-alfa was determined by polymerase chain reaction analysis. RESULTS: Coronary disease patients exhibited lower concentrations of HDL-cholesterol and higher levels of glucose, lipoprotein(a, and protein S. The frequencies of AA, AG, and GG lymphotoxin-alfa mutation genotypes were 55.0%, 37.6%, and 7.4% for controls and 42.7%, 46.0%, and 11.3% for coronary disease patients (p = 0.02, respectively. Smoking, dyslipidemia, family history, and lipoprotein(a and lymphotoxin-alfa mutations in men were independent variables associated with coronary disease. The area under the curve (C-statistic increased from 0.779 to 0.802 (p<0.05 with the inclusion of lipoprotein(a and lymphotoxin-alfa mutations in the set of conventional risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of lipoprotein(a and lymphotoxin-alfa mutations in the set of conventional risk factors showed an additive but small increase in the risk prediction of premature coronary disease.

  9. Multiple paternity and hybridization in two smooth-hound sharks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marino, Ilaria A M; Riginella, Emilio; Gristina, Michele; Rasotto, Maria B; Zane, Lorenzo; Mazzoldi, Carlotta

    2015-08-10

    Multiple paternity appears to be a common trait of elasmobranch mating systems, with its occurrence likely driven by convenience, due to females seeking to minimize the stress of male harassment. Here we use molecular markers to analyse the frequency of multiple paternity in two related viviparous sharks, Mustelus mustelus and Mustelus punctulatus. We first applied molecular methods to assign pregnant females, embryos and additional reference adults (N = 792) to one of the two species. Paternity analysis was performed using a total of 9 polymorphic microsatellites on 19 females and 204 embryos of M. mustelus, and on 13 females and 303 embryos of M. punctulatus. Multiple paternity occurs in both species, with 47% of M. mustelus and 54% of M. punctulatus litters sired by at least two fathers. Female fecundity is not influenced by multiple mating and in 56% of polyandrous litters paternity is skewed, with one male siring most of the pups. Genetic analyses also revealed hybridization between the two species, with a M. punctulatus female bearing pups sired by a M. mustelus male. The frequency of polyandrous litters in these species is consistent with aspects of their reproductive biology, such as synchronous ovulation and possible occurrence of breeding aggregations.

  10. From Subordinate Marker to Discourse Marker: que in Andean Spanish

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna María Escobar

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper proposes an analysis of a redundant use of que ('that' found in Andean Spanish as an expression which has undergone a grammaticalization process. Evidence suggests that the function of que as subordinate marker is much more generalized in this variety than in other dialects of Spanish. que is found to be used as a marker introducing both nominal and adjectival clauses, suggesting that adjectival subordinates behave as nominal subordinates in this variety of Spanish. An intrusive que appears in restricted syntactic and semantic contexts with clauses that have nominal and adjectival functions, and even appears replacing adverbial expressions in some adverbial subordinates (temporal, spatial, and manner. Furthermore, it is found to be sensitive to the degree of the argument’s thematic/semantic function in the subordinate clause. In particular, it seems to occur more often with low-agency arguments in adjectival and nominal contexts, and, in nominal subordinates, tends to appear with a restricted set of epistemic and evidential main verbs (e.g. creer 'to believe', saber 'to know', decir 'to say'. The analysis suggests that que has developed a new function in this variety of Spanish, namely, one of indicating that the information contained in the subordinate clause does not constitute background information (as would be expected in non-contact varieties of Spanish but instead contains information relevant to the discourse.

  11. Oxidative Stress is Increased in Serum from Mexican Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Genaro Gabriel Ortiz

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To determine the oxidative stress markers in serum from patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Methods: Blood samples from healthy controls and 22 patients 15 women (7 aged from 20 to 30 and 8 were > 40 years old and 7 men (5 aged from 20 to 30 and 2 were > 40 years old fulfilling the McDonald Criteria and classified as having Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis accordingly with Lublin were collected for oxidative stress markers quantification. Results: Nitric oxide metabolites (nitrates/nitrites, lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde plus 4-hidroxialkenals, and glutathione peroxidase activity were significantly increased in serum of subjects with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in comparison with that of healthy controls. These data support the hypothesis that multiple sclerosis is a component closely linked to oxidative stress.

  12. Are Urinary Tubular Injury Markers Useful in Chronic Kidney Disease? A Systematic Review and Meta Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Le-Ting; Lv, Lin-Li; Pan, Ming-Ming; Cao, Yu-Han; Liu, Hong; Feng, Ye; Ni, Hai-Feng; Liu, Bi-Cheng

    2016-01-01

    Adverse outcome of chronic kidney disease, such as end stage renal disease, is a significant burden on personal health and healthcare costs. Urinary tubular injury markers, such as NGAL, KIM-1 and NAG, could provide useful prognostic value for the early identification of high-risk patients. However, discrepancies between recent large prospective studies have resulted in controversy regarding the potential clinical value of these markers. Therefore, we conducted the first meta-analysis to provide a more persuasive argument to this debate. In the current meta-analysis, based on ten prospective studies involving 29366 participants, we evaluated the role of urinary tubular injury markers (NGAL, KIM-1 and NAG) in predicting clinical outcomes including CKD stage 3, end stage renal disease and mortality. The prognostic values of these biomarkers were estimated using relative risks and 95% confidence interval in adjusted models. All risk estimates were normalized to those of 1 standard deviation increase in log-scale concentrations to minimize heterogeneity. Fixed-effects models were adopted to combine risk estimates. The quality of the research and between-study heterogeneity were evaluated. The level of research evidence was identified according to the GRADE profiler. uNGAL was identified as an independent risk predictor of ESRD (pooled adjusted relative risk: 1.40[1.21 to 1.61], pchronic kidney disease. A borderline significance of uKIM-1 in predicting CKD stage 3 independently in the community-based population was observed (pooled adjusted relative risk: 1.13[1.00 to 1.27], p = 0.057). Only the prognostic value of uNGAL for ESRD was supported by a grade B level of evidence. The concentration of uNGAL can be used in practice as an independent predictor of end stage renal disease among patients with chronic kidney disease, but it may be not useful in predicting disease progression to CKD stage 3 among community-based population.

  13. Signal-to-noise ratio application to seismic marker analysis and fracture detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Hui-Qun; Gui, Zhi-Xian

    2014-03-01

    Seismic data with high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) are useful in reservoir exploration. To obtain high SNR seismic data, significant effort is required to achieve noise attenuation in seismic data processing, which is costly in materials, and human and financial resources. We introduce a method for improving the SNR of seismic data. The SNR is calculated by using the frequency domain method. Furthermore, we optimize and discuss the critical parameters and calculation procedure. We applied the proposed method on real data and found that the SNR is high in the seismic marker and low in the fracture zone. Consequently, this can be used to extract detailed information about fracture zones that are inferred by structural analysis but not observed in conventional seismic data.

  14. Transferability of Rubus Microsatellite Markers for use in Black Raspberry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are valuable as co-dominant genetic markers with a variety of applications such as DNA fingerprinting, linkage mapping, and population structure analysis. To date, SSR marker development in Rubus has focused on red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L., subgenu...

  15. Assessment of Functional EST-SSR Markers (Sugarcane in Cross-Species Transferability, Genetic Diversity among Poaceae Plants, and Bulk Segregation Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shamshad Ul Haq

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Expressed sequence tags (ESTs are important resource for gene discovery, gene expression and its regulation, molecular marker development, and comparative genomics. We procured 10000 ESTs and analyzed 267 EST-SSRs markers through computational approach. The average density was one SSR/10.45 kb or 6.4% frequency, wherein trinucleotide repeats (66.74% were the most abundant followed by di- (26.10%, tetra- (4.67%, penta- (1.5%, and hexanucleotide (1.2% repeats. Functional annotations were done and after-effect newly developed 63 EST-SSRs were used for cross transferability, genetic diversity, and bulk segregation analysis (BSA. Out of 63 EST-SSRs, 42 markers were identified owing to their expansion genetics across 20 different plants which amplified 519 alleles at 180 loci with an average of 2.88 alleles/locus and the polymorphic information content (PIC ranged from 0.51 to 0.93 with an average of 0.83. The cross transferability ranged from 25% for wheat to 97.22% for Schlerostachya, with an average of 55.86%, and genetic relationships were established based on diversification among them. Moreover, 10 EST-SSRs were recognized as important markers between bulks of pooled DNA of sugarcane cultivars through BSA. This study highlights the employability of the markers in transferability, genetic diversity in grass species, and distinguished sugarcane bulks.

  16. Theoretical analysis of moiré fringe multiplication under a scanning electron microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Yanjie; Xie, Huimin; Chen, Pengwan; Zhang, Qingming

    2011-01-01

    In this study, theoretical analysis and experimental verification of fringe multiplication under a scanning electron microscope (SEM) are presented. Fringe multiplication can be realized by enhancing the magnification or the number of scanning lines under the SEM. A universal expression of the pitch of moiré fringes is deduced. To apply this method to deformation measurement, the calculation formulas of strain and displacement are derived. Compared to natural moiré, the displacement sensitivity is increased by fringe multiplication while the strain sensitivity may be retained or enhanced depending on the number of scanning lines used. The moiré patterns are formed by the interference of a 2000 lines mm −1 grating with the scanning lines of SEM, and the measured parameters of moiré fringes from experimental results agree well with theoretical analysis

  17. Evaluation of a multi-marker immunomagnetic enrichment assay for the quantification of circulating melanoma cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Freeman James B

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Circulating melanoma cells (CMCs are thought to be valuable in improving measures of prognosis in melanoma patients and may be a useful marker of residual disease to identify non-metastatic patients requiring adjuvant therapy. We investigated whether immunomagnetic enrichment targeting multiple markers allows more efficient enrichment of CMCs from patient peripheral blood than targeting a single marker. Furthermore, we aimed to determine whether the number of CMCs in patient blood was associated with disease stage. Methods We captured CMCs by targeting the melanoma associated markers MCSP and MCAM as well as the melanoma stem cell markers ABCB5 and CD271, both individually and in combination, by immunomagnetic enrichment. CMCs were enriched and quantified from the peripheral blood of 10 non-metastatic and 13 metastatic melanoma patients. Results Targeting all markers in combination resulted in the enrichment of more CMCs than when any individual marker was targeted (p  Conclusions Our results demonstrated that a combination of markers should be targeted for optimal isolation of CMCs. In addition, there are significantly more CMCs in metastatic patients compared with non-metastatic patients and therefore quantification of CMCs may prove to be a useful marker of disease progression.

  18. Voice analysis as an objective state marker in bipolar disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Faurholt-Jepsen, M.; Busk, Jonas; Frost, M.

    2016-01-01

    Changes in speech have been suggested as sensitive and valid measures of depression and mania in bipolar disorder. The present study aimed at investigating (1) voice features collected during phone calls as objective markers of affective states in bipolar disorder and (2) if combining voice...... features, automatically generated objective smartphone data on behavioral activities and electronic self-monitored data were collected from 28 outpatients with bipolar disorder in naturalistic settings on a daily basis during a period of 12 weeks. Depressive and manic symptoms were assessed using...... and electronic self-monitored data increased the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of classification of affective states slightly. Voice features collected in naturalistic settings using smartphones may be used as objective state markers in patients with bipolar disorder....

  19. mma: An R Package for Mediation Analysis with Multiple Mediators

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    Qingzhao Yu

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Mediation refers to the effect transmitted by mediators that intervene in the relationship between an exposure and a response variable. Mediation analysis has been broadly studied in many fields. However, it remains a challenge for researchers to consider complicated associations among variables and to differentiate individual effects from multiple mediators. [1] proposed general definitions of mediation effects that were adaptable to all different types of response (categorical or continuous, exposure, or mediation variables. With these definitions, multiple mediators of different types can be considered simultaneously, and the indirect effects carried by individual mediators can be separated from the total effect. Moreover, the derived mediation analysis can be performed with general predictive models. That is, the relationships among variables can be modeled using not only generalized linear models but also nonparametric models such as the Multiple Additive Regression Trees. Therefore, more complicated variable transformations and interactions can be considered in analyzing the mediation effects. The proposed method is realized by the R package 'mma'. We illustrate in this paper the proposed method and how to use 'mma' to estimate mediation effects and make inferences.

  20. Rapid detection of peptide markers for authentication purposes in raw and cooked meat using ambient liquid extraction surface analysis mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montowska, Magdalena; Alexander, Morgan R; Tucker, Gregory A; Barrett, David A

    2014-10-21

    In this Article, our previously developed ambient LESA-MS methodology is implemented to analyze five types of thermally treated meat species, namely, beef, pork, horse, chicken, and turkey meat, to select and identify heat-stable and species-specific peptide markers. In-solution tryptic digests of cooked meats were deposited onto a polymer surface, followed by LESA-MS analysis and evaluation using multivariate data analysis and tandem electrospray MS. The five types of cooked meat were clearly discriminated using principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis. 23 heat stable peptide markers unique to species and muscle protein were identified following data-dependent tandem LESA-MS analysis. Surface extraction and direct ambient MS analysis of mixtures of cooked meat species was performed for the first time and enabled detection of 10% (w/w) of pork, horse, and turkey meat and 5% (w/w) of chicken meat in beef, using the developed LESA-MS/MS analysis. The study shows, for the first time, that ambient LESA-MS methodology displays specificity sufficient to be implemented effectively for the analysis of processed and complex peptide digests. The proposed approach is much faster and simpler than other measurement tools for meat speciation; it has potential for application in other areas of meat science or food production.

  1. Obtaining interspecific hybrids, and molecular analysis by microsatellite markers in grapevine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariane Ruzza Schuck

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this work was to assess the potential of interspecific hybridization of Vitis labruscana and Muscadinia rotundifolia by using artificial cross-pollinations. Microsatellite markers were used to confirm interspecific hybridizations and the identity of the parental genotypes. In crosses in which M. rotundifolia was used as the female parent, no true hybrids were obtained. In the reciprocal crosses, 114 seedlings were identified as true V. labruscana x M. rotundifolia hybrids. Self pollination occurred in direct and in reciprocal crosses. The crossings between 'Bordo' x 'Carlos', 'Magnolia', 'Regale' and' Roanoke', and between' Isabel' x 'Bountiful', 'Carlos', 'Magnolia', 'Regale' and 'Roanoke' were confirmed. The 15 markers evaluated showed that two M. rotundifolia parental genotypes had the same fingerprint profile, indicating a like lyplanting error. The success of hybridization depends mainly on the species and on the cultivar used as the female parent. Microsatellite markers are efficient to confirm the paternity of interspecific F1 hybrids and to determine the correct identity of M. rotundifolia cultivars.

  2. Semi-quantitative analysis of endometrial receptivity marker mRNA ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In fertile women, expression of molecular marker of endometrial receptivity, HOXA11, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and basic transcriptional element binding protein 1 (BTEB1), rises during the luteal phase with the peak occurring during the implantation window. We evaluated the transcript levels of HOXA-11, LIF and ...

  3. T-cell receptor V sub. alpha. and C sub. alpha. alleles associated with multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oksenberg, J.R.; Cavalli-Sforza, L.L.; Steinman, L. (Stanford Univ., CA (USA)); Sherritt, M.; Bernard, C.C. (LaTrobe Univ., Victoria (Australia)); Begovich, A.B.; Erlich, H.A. (Cetus Corporation, Emeryville, CA (USA))

    1989-02-01

    Polymorphic markers in genes encoding the {alpha} chain of the human T-cell receptor (TcR) have been detected by Southern blot analysis in Pss I digests. Polymorphic bands were observed at 6.3 and 2.0 kilobases (kb) with frequencies of 0.30 and 0.44, respectively, in the general population. Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, the authors amplified selected sequences derived from the full-length TcR {alpha} cDNA probe. These PcR products were used as specific probes to demonstrate that the 6.3-kb polymorphic fragment hybridizes to the variable (V)-region probe and the 2.0-kb fragment hybridizes to the constant (C)-region probe. Segregation of the polymorphic bands was analyzed in family studies. To look for associations between these markers and autoimmune diseases, the authors have studied the restriction fragment length polymorphism distribution of the Pss I markers in patients with multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and Graves disease. Significant differences in the frequency of the polymorphic V{sub {alpha}} and C{sub {alpha}} markers were identified between patients and healthy individuals.

  4. Genetic studies and a search for molecular markers that are linked ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SERVER

    Instead, linkage analysis resulted in the construction of a molecular marker linkage map consisting of 45 ..... This limits the application of this marker type, particularly in ... primer design when one uses RAPDs. .... Concepts of Genetics. Fourth.

  5. Variable number of tandem repeat markers in the genome sequence of Mycosphaerella fijiensis, the causal agent of black leaf streak disease of banana (Musa spp).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, S A L; Van der Lee, T A J; Ferreira, C F; Te Lintel Hekkert, B; Zapater, M-F; Goodwin, S B; Guzmán, M; Kema, G H J; Souza, M T

    2010-11-09

    We searched the genome of Mycosphaerella fijiensis for molecular markers that would allow population genetics analysis of this plant pathogen. M. fijiensis, the causal agent of banana leaf streak disease, also known as black Sigatoka, is the most devastating pathogen attacking bananas (Musa spp). Recently, the entire genome sequence of M. fijiensis became available. We screened this database for VNTR markers. Forty-two primer pairs were selected for validation, based on repeat type and length and the number of repeat units. Five VNTR markers showing multiple alleles were validated with a reference set of isolates from different parts of the world and a population from a banana plantation in Costa Rica. Polymorphism information content values varied from 0.6414 to 0.7544 for the reference set and from 0.0400 and 0.7373 for the population set. Eighty percent of the polymorphism information content values were above 0.60, indicating that the markers are highly informative. These markers allowed robust scoring of agarose gels and proved to be useful for variability and population genetics studies. In conclusion, the strategy we developed to identify and validate VNTR markers is an efficient means to incorporate markers that can be used for fungicide resistance management and to develop breeding strategies to control banana black leaf streak disease. This is the first report of VNTR-minisatellites from the M. fijiensis genome sequence.

  6. Functional analysis screening for multiple topographies of problem behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Marlesha C; Fahmie, Tara A

    2018-04-23

    The current study evaluated a screening procedure for multiple topographies of problem behavior in the context of an ongoing functional analysis. Experimenters analyzed the function of a topography of primary concern while collecting data on topographies of secondary concern. We used visual analysis to predict the function of secondary topographies and a subsequent functional analysis to test those predictions. Results showed that a general function was accurately predicted for five of six (83%) secondary topographies. A specific function was predicted and supported for a subset of these topographies. The experimenters discuss the implication of these results for clinicians who have limited time for functional assessment. © 2018 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

  7. Analysis of circulating hem-endothelial marker RNA levels in preterm infants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuint Jacob

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Circulating endothelial cells may serve as novel markers of angiogenesis. These include a subset of hem-endothelial progenitor cells that play a vital role in vascular growth and repair. The presence and clinical implications of circulating RNA levels as an expression for hematopoietic and endothelial-specific markers have not been previously evaluated in preterm infants. This study aims to determine circulating RNA levels of hem-endothelial marker genes in peripheral blood of preterm infants and begin to correlate these findings with prenatal complications. Methods Peripheral blood samples from seventeen preterm neonates were analyzed at three consecutive post-delivery time points (day 3–5, 10–15 and 30. Using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction we studied the expression patterns of previously established hem-endothelial-specific progenitor-associated genes (AC133, Tie-2, Flk-1 (VEGFR2 and Scl/Tal1 in association with characteristics of prematurity and preterm morbidity. Results Circulating Tie-2 and SCL/Tal1 RNA levels displayed an inverse correlation to gestational age (GA. We observed significantly elevated Tie-2 levels in preterm infants born to mothers with amnionitis, and in infants with sustained brain echogenicity on brain sonography. Other markers showed similar expression patterns yet we could not demonstrate statistically significant correlations. Conclusion These preliminary findings suggest that circulating RNA levels especially Tie2 and SCL decline with maturation and might relate to some preterm complication. Further prospective follow up of larger cohorts are required to establish this association.

  8. The Effect of Disease-Modifying Drugs on Brain Atrophy in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Meta-Analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pierre Branger

    Full Text Available The quantification of brain atrophy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS may serve as a marker of disease progression and treatment response. We compared the association between first-line (FL or second-line (SL disease-modifying drugs (DMDs and brain volume changes over time in RRMS.We reviewed clinical trials in RRMS between January 1, 1995 and June 1, 2014 that assessed the effect of DMDs and reported data on brain atrophy in Medline, Embase, the Cochrane database and meeting abstracts. First, we designed a meta-analysis to directly compare the percentage brain volume change (PBVC between FLDMDs and SLDMDs at 24 months. Second, we conducted an observational and longitudinal linear regression analysis of a 48-month follow-up period. Sensitivity analyses considering PBVC between 12 and 48 months were also performed.Among the 272 studies identified, 117 were analyzed and 35 (18,140 patients were included in the analysis. Based on the meta-analysis, atrophy was greater for the use of an FLDMD than that of an SLDMD at 24 months (primary endpoint mean difference, -0.86; 95% confidence interval: -1.57--0.15; P = 0.02. Based on the linear regression analysis, the annual PBVC significantly differed between SLDMDs and placebo (-0.27%/y and -0.50%/y, respectively, P = 0.046 but not between FLDMDs (-0.33%/y and placebo (P = 0.11 or between FLDMDs and SLDMDs (P = 0.49. Based on sensitivity analysis, the annual PBVC was reduced for SLDMDs compared with placebo (-0.14%/y and -0.56%/y, respectively, P<0.001 and FLDMDs (-0.46%/y, P<0.005, but no difference was detected between FLDMDs and placebo (P = 0.12.SLDMDs were associated with reduced PBVC slope over time in RRMS, regardless of the period considered. These results provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying atrophy progression in RRMS.

  9. Automated genotyping of dinucleotide repeat markers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perlin, M.W.; Hoffman, E.P. [Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)]|[Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

    1994-09-01

    The dinucleotide repeats (i.e., microsatellites) such as CA-repeats are a highly polymorphic, highly abundant class of PCR-amplifiable markers that have greatly streamlined genetic mapping experimentation. It is expected that over 30,000 such markers (including tri- and tetranucleotide repeats) will be characterized for routine use in the next few years. Since only size determination, and not sequencing, is required to determine alleles, in principle, dinucleotide repeat genotyping is easily performed on electrophoretic gels, and can be automated using DNA sequencers. Unfortunately, PCR stuttering with these markers generates not one band for each allele, but a pattern of bands. Since closely spaced alleles must be disambiguated by human scoring, this poses a key obstacle to full automation. We have developed methods that overcome this obstacle. Our model is that the observed data is generated by arithmetic superposition (i.e., convolution) of multiple allele patterns. By quantitatively measuring the size of each component band, and exploiting the unique stutter pattern associated with each marker, closely spaced alleles can be deconvolved; this unambiguously reconstructs the {open_quotes}true{close_quotes} allele bands, with stutter artifact removed. We used this approach in a system for automated diagnosis of (X-linked) Duchenne muscular dystrophy; four multiplexed CA-repeats within the dystrophin gene were assayed on a DNA sequencer. Our method accurately detected small variations in gel migration that shifted the allele size estimate. In 167 nonmutated alleles, 89% (149/167) showed no size variation, 9% (15/167) showed 1 bp variation, and 2% (3/167) showed 2 bp variation. We are currently developing a library of dinucleotide repeat patterns; together with our deconvolution methods, this library will enable fully automated genotyping of dinucleotide repeats from sizing data.

  10. Multiple sporadic colorectal cancers display a unique methylation phenotype.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoria Gonzalo

    Full Text Available Epigenetics are thought to play a major role in the carcinogenesis of multiple sporadic colorectal cancers (CRC. Previous studies have suggested concordant DNA hypermethylation between tumor pairs. However, only a few methylation markers have been analyzed. This study was aimed at describing the epigenetic signature of multiple CRC using a genome-scale DNA methylation profiling. We analyzed 12 patients with synchronous CRC and 29 age-, sex-, and tumor location-paired patients with solitary tumors from the EPICOLON II cohort. DNA methylation profiling was performed using the Illumina Infinium HM27 DNA methylation assay. The most significant results were validated by Methylight. Tumors samples were also analyzed for the CpG Island Methylator Phenotype (CIMP; KRAS and BRAF mutations and mismatch repair deficiency status. Functional annotation clustering was performed. We identified 102 CpG sites that showed significant DNA hypermethylation in multiple tumors with respect to the solitary counterparts (difference in β value ≥0.1. Methylight assays validated the results for 4 selected genes (p = 0.0002. Eight out of 12(66.6% multiple tumors were classified as CIMP-high, as compared to 5 out of 29(17.2% solitary tumors (p = 0.004. Interestingly, 76 out of the 102 (74.5% hypermethylated CpG sites found in multiple tumors were also seen in CIMP-high tumors. Functional analysis of hypermethylated genes found in multiple tumors showed enrichment of genes involved in different tumorigenic functions. In conclusion, multiple CRC are associated with a distinct methylation phenotype, with a close association between tumor multiplicity and CIMP-high. Our results may be important to unravel the underlying mechanism of tumor multiplicity.

  11. Biological and psychological markers of stress in humans: focus on the Trier Social Stress Test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Andrew P; Kennedy, Paul J; Cryan, John F; Dinan, Timothy G; Clarke, Gerard

    2014-01-01

    Validated biological and psychological markers of acute stress in humans are an important tool in translational research. The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), involving public interview and mental arithmetic performance, is among the most popular methods of inducing acute stress in experimental settings, and reliably increases hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation. However, although much research has focused on HPA axis activity, the TSST also affects the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary system, the immune system, cardiovascular outputs, gastric function and cognition. We critically assess the utility of different biological and psychological markers, with guidance for future research, and discuss factors which can moderate TSST effects. We outline the effects of the TSST in stress-related disorders, and if these responses can be abrogated by pharmacological and psychological treatments. Modified TSST protocols are discussed, and the TSST is compared to alternative methods of inducing acute stress. Our analysis suggests that multiple readouts are necessary to derive maximum information; this strategy will enhance our understanding of the psychobiology of stress and provide the means to assess novel therapeutic agents. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Development of SSR Markers Linked to Low Hydrocyanic Acid Content in Sorghum-Sudan Grass Hybrid Based on BSA Method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao-Xia, Yu; Zhi-Hua, Liu; Zhuo, Yu; Yue, Shi; Xiao-Yu, Li

    2016-01-01

    Sorghum-Sudan grass hybrid containing high hydrocyanic acid content can cause hydrocyanic acid poisoning to the livestock and limit the popularization of this forage crop. Molecular markers associated with low hydrocyanic acid content can speed up the process of identification of genotypes with low hydrocyanic acid content. In the present study, 11 polymorphic SSR primers were screened and used for bulked segregant analysis and single marker analysis. Three SSR markers Xtxp7230, Xtxp7375 and Bnlg667960 associated with low hydrocyanic acid content were rapidly identified by BSA. In single marker analysis, six markers Xtxp7230, Xtxp7375, Bnlg667960, Xtxp67-11, Xtxp295-7 and Xtxp12-9 were linked to low hydrocyanic acid content, which explained the proportion of phenotypic variation from 7.6 % to 41.2 %. The markers identified by BSA were also verified by single marker analysis. The three SSR marker bands were then cloned and sequenced for sequence homology analysis in NCBI. It is the first report on the development of molecular markers associated with low hydrocyanic acid content in sorghum- Sudan grass hybrid. These markers will be useful for genetic improvement of low hydrocyanic acid sorghum-Sudan grass hybrid by marker-assisted breeding.

  13. Relationship between timed 25-foot walk and diffusion tensor imaging in multiple sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klineova, Sylvia; Farber, Rebecca; Saiote, Catarina; Farrell, Colleen; Delman, Bradley N; Tanenbaum, Lawrence N; Friedman, Joshua; Inglese, Matilde; Lublin, Fred D; Krieger, Stephen

    2016-01-01

    The majority of multiple sclerosis patients experience impaired walking ability, which impacts quality of life. Timed 25-foot walk is commonly used to gauge gait impairment but results can be broadly variable. Objective biological markers that correlate closely with patients' disability are needed. Diffusion tensor imaging, quantifying fiber tract integrity, might provide such information. In this project we analyzed relationships between timed 25-foot walk, conventional and diffusion tensor imaging magnetic resonance imaging markers. A cohort of gait impaired multiple sclerosis patients underwent brain and cervical spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging. Diffusion tensor imaging mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy were measured on the brain corticospinal tracts and spinal restricted field of vision at C2/3. We analyzed relationships between baseline timed 25-foot walk, conventional and diffusion tensor imaging magnetic resonance imaging markers. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed a statistically significant association between several magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging metrics and timed 25-foot walk: brain mean diffusivity corticospinal tracts (p = 0.004), brain corticospinal tracts axial and radial diffusivity (P = 0.004 and 0.02), grey matter volume (p = 0.05), white matter volume (p = 0.03) and normalized brain volume (P = 0.01). The linear regression model containing mean diffusivity corticospinal tracts and controlled for gait assistance was the best fit model (p = 0.004). Our results suggest an association between diffusion tensor imaging metrics and gait impairment, evidenced by brain mean diffusivity corticospinal tracts and timed 25-foot walk.

  14. The urine marker test

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Elbe, Anne-Marie; Jensen, Stine Nylandsted; Elsborg, Peter

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Urine sample collection for doping control tests is a key component of the World Anti-Doping Agency's fight against doping in sport. However, a substantial number of athletes experience difficulty when having to urinate under supervision. Furthermore, it cannot always be ensured...... that athletes are actually delivering their own urine. A method that can be used to alleviate the negative impact of a supervised urination procedure and which can also identify urine as coming from a specific athlete is the urine marker test. Monodisperse low molecular weight polyethylene glycols (PEGs......) are given orally prior to urination. Urine samples can be traced to the donor by analysis of the PEGs previously given. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the use of the urine marker during urine doping control testing. METHODS: Two studies investigated athletes' acceptance...

  15. SUVmax of 18F-FDG PET/CT correlates to expression of major chemotherapy-related tumor markers and serum tumor markers in gastric adenocarcinoma patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Lu; Guo, Chi-Hua; Zhao, Yan; Gao, Jun-Gang; Li, Miao; Shen, Cong; Guo, You-Min; Duan, Xiao-Yi

    2017-06-01

    The expression of P53 was previously found by us significantly correlated with maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Hence, the aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between SUVmax and the status of the chemotherapy-related tumor marker expression or serum tumor markers in gastric adenocarcinoma patients. Sixty-four gastric adenocarcinoma patients who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT prior to treatment were enrolled in this study. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect changes of Her-2, P53 and Survivin in lesions, and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) method was used to quantify expression of serum CA72-4, CA19-9 and CEA of these patients. Then, the relationships between these parameters above were assessed by Spearman correlation analysis. Also, receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve was performed to determine the best cut-off value of SUVmax for suggesting chemotherapy resistant tumor markers. Besides, we identified a linear correlation to estimate the equations between SUVmax and the serum tumor markers. Our results showed that higher SUVmax was detected in patients with positive expression of Her-2 and P53, compared with negative groups. The Spearman correlation analysis showed that SUVmax was associated with Her-2 or P53 with the moderate relevant Pearson correlation coefficient. ROC curve analysis showed that the sensitivity and specificity of SUVmax for suggesting Her-2 or P53-positive, when the cut-off value of SUVmax was set at 3.25 or 5.45, respectively. Moreover, the relationship between SUVmax and serum tumor markers were analyzed by linear correlation analysis, and serum CA72-4 and CA19-9 could be used as independent parameters to establish an equation for SUVmax by the linear regression models. These results suggested that SUVmax of 18F-FDG PET/CT could be used to predict and evaluate Her-2 or P53 related chemotherapy resistance of gastric adenocarcinoma patients. However, before PET

  16. Novel serological neo-epitope markers of extracellular matrix proteins for the detection of portal hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leeming, D J; Karsdal, M A; Byrjalsen, I; Bendtsen, F; Trebicka, J; Nielsen, M J; Christiansen, C; Møller, S; Krag, A

    2013-11-01

    The hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) is an invasive, but important diagnostic and prognostic marker in cirrhosis with portal hypertension (PHT). During cirrhosis, remodelling of fibrotic tissue by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is a permanent process generating small fragments of degraded extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins known as neoepitopes, which are then released into the circulation. To investigate their potential as plasma markers for detection of PHT. Ninety-four patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and 20 liver-healthy controls were included. Clinical and laboratory data of the patients were collected. All patients received HVPG measurement with blood sampling. In these samples, the following degradation or formation markers were measured: C1M (type I-collagen), C3M and PRO-C3 (type III collagen), C4M and P4NP 7S (type IV collagen), C5M (type V collagen), C6M (type VI collagen), BGM (biglycan), ELM (elastin), CRPM (CRP). All ECM markers except for CRPM correlated significantly with HVPG. Interestingly, C4M, C5M and ELM levels were significantly higher in patients with HVPG >10 mmHg. Multiple regression analysis identified PRO-C3, C6M and ELM as significant determinants, while the models A and B including PRO-C3, ELM, C6M and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) provided better description of PHT (r = 0.75, P models provided odds ratios of >100 for having clinical significant PHT. These novel non-invasive extracellular matrix markers reflect the degree of liver dysfunction. The different degrees of portal hypertension correlated with these circulating neoepitopes. Using a single blood sample, these neoepitopes in combination with MELD detect the level of portal hypertension. © 2013 The Authors. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Selection of microsatellite markers for bladder cancer diagnosis without the need for corresponding blood.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angela A G van Tilborg

    Full Text Available Microsatellite markers are used for loss-of-heterozygosity, allelic imbalance and clonality analyses in cancers. Usually, tumor DNA is compared to corresponding normal DNA. However, normal DNA is not always available and can display aberrant allele ratios due to copy number variations in the genome. Moreover, stutter peaks may complicate the analysis. To use microsatellite markers for diagnosis of recurrent bladder cancer, we aimed to select markers without stutter peaks and a constant ratio between alleles, thereby avoiding the need for a control DNA sample. We investigated 49 microsatellite markers with tri- and tetranucleotide repeats in regions commonly lost in bladder cancer. Based on analysis of 50 blood DNAs the 12 best performing markers were selected with few stutter peaks and a constant ratio between peaks heights. Per marker upper and lower cut off values for allele ratios were determined. LOH of the markers was observed in 59/104 tumor DNAs. We then determined the sensitivity of the marker panel for detection of recurrent bladder cancer by assaying 102 urine samples of these patients. Sensitivity was 63% when patients were stratified for LOH in their primary tumors. We demonstrate that up-front selection of microsatellite markers obliterates the need for a corresponding blood sample. For diagnosis of bladder cancer recurrences in urine this significantly reduces costs. Moreover, this approach facilitates retrospective analysis of archival tumor samples for allelic imbalance.

  18. Comparative mitogenomic analysis of mirid bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae and evaluation of potential DNA barcoding markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Wang

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The family Miridae is one of the most species-rich families of insects. To better understand the diversity and evolution of mirids, we determined the mitogenome of Lygus pratenszs and re-sequenced the mitogenomes of four mirids (i.e., Apolygus lucorum, Adelphocoris suturalis, Ade. fasciaticollis and Ade. lineolatus. We performed a comparative analysis for 15 mitogenomic sequences representing 11 species of five genera within Miridae and evaluated the potential of these mitochondrial genes as molecular markers. Our results showed that the general mitogenomic features (gene content, gene arrangement, base composition and codon usage were well conserved among these mirids. Four protein-coding genes (PCGs (cox1, cox3, nad1 and nad3 had no length variability, where nad5 showed the largest size variation; no intraspecific length variation was found in PCGs. Two PCGs (nad4 and nad5 showed relatively high substitution rates at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, where cox1 had the lowest substitution rate. The Ka/Ks values for all PCGs were far lower than 1 (<0.59, but the Ka/Ks values of cox1-barcode sequences were always larger than 1 (1.34 –15.20, indicating that the 658 bp sequences of cox1 may be not the appropriate marker due to positive selection or selection relaxation. Phylogenetic analyses based on two concatenated mitogenomic datasets consistently supported the relationship of Nesidiocoris + (Trigonotylus + (Adelphocoris + (Apolygus + Lygus, as revealed by nad4, nad5, rrnL and the combined 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs, respectively. Taken sequence length, substitution rate and phylogenetic signal together, the individual genes (nad4, nad5 and rrnL and the combined 22 tRNAs could been used as potential molecular markers for Miridae at various taxonomic levels. Our results suggest that it is essential to evaluate and select suitable markers for different taxa groups when performing phylogenetic, population genetic and species identification

  19. Prognostic Classification Factors Associated With Development of Multiple Autoantibodies, Dysglycemia, and Type 1 Diabetes-A Recursive Partitioning Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Ping; Krischer, Jeffrey P

    2016-06-01

    To define prognostic classification factors associated with the progression from single to multiple autoantibodies, multiple autoantibodies to dysglycemia, and dysglycemia to type 1 diabetes onset in relatives of individuals with type 1 diabetes. Three distinct cohorts of subjects from the Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet Pathway to Prevention Study were investigated separately. A recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) was used to determine the risk classes. Clinical characteristics, including genotype, antibody titers, and metabolic markers were analyzed. Age and GAD65 autoantibody (GAD65Ab) titers defined three risk classes for progression from single to multiple autoantibodies. The 5-year risk was 11% for those subjects >16 years of age with low GAD65Ab titers, 29% for those ≤16 years of age with low GAD65Ab titers, and 45% for those subjects with high GAD65Ab titers regardless of age. Progression to dysglycemia was associated with islet antigen 2 Ab titers, and 2-h glucose and fasting C-peptide levels. The 5-year risk is 28%, 39%, and 51% for respective risk classes defined by the three predictors. Progression to type 1 diabetes was associated with the number of positive autoantibodies, peak C-peptide level, HbA1c level, and age. Four risk classes defined by RPA had a 5-year risk of 9%, 33%, 62%, and 80%, respectively. The use of RPA offered a new classification approach that could predict the timing of transitions from one preclinical stage to the next in the development of type 1 diabetes. Using these RPA classes, new prevention techniques can be tailored based on the individual prognostic risk characteristics at different preclinical stages. © 2016 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered.

  20. Prognostic Classification Factors Associated With Development of Multiple Autoantibodies, Dysglycemia, and Type 1 Diabetes—A Recursive Partitioning Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krischer, Jeffrey P.

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To define prognostic classification factors associated with the progression from single to multiple autoantibodies, multiple autoantibodies to dysglycemia, and dysglycemia to type 1 diabetes onset in relatives of individuals with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Three distinct cohorts of subjects from the Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet Pathway to Prevention Study were investigated separately. A recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) was used to determine the risk classes. Clinical characteristics, including genotype, antibody titers, and metabolic markers were analyzed. RESULTS Age and GAD65 autoantibody (GAD65Ab) titers defined three risk classes for progression from single to multiple autoantibodies. The 5-year risk was 11% for those subjects >16 years of age with low GAD65Ab titers, 29% for those ≤16 years of age with low GAD65Ab titers, and 45% for those subjects with high GAD65Ab titers regardless of age. Progression to dysglycemia was associated with islet antigen 2 Ab titers, and 2-h glucose and fasting C-peptide levels. The 5-year risk is 28%, 39%, and 51% for respective risk classes defined by the three predictors. Progression to type 1 diabetes was associated with the number of positive autoantibodies, peak C-peptide level, HbA1c level, and age. Four risk classes defined by RPA had a 5-year risk of 9%, 33%, 62%, and 80%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The use of RPA offered a new classification approach that could predict the timing of transitions from one preclinical stage to the next in the development of type 1 diabetes. Using these RPA classes, new prevention techniques can be tailored based on the individual prognostic risk characteristics at different preclinical stages. PMID:27208341

  1. Genotyping of Plasmodium falciparum using antigenic polymorphic markers and to study anti-malarial drug resistance markers in malaria endemic areas of Bangladesh

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akter Jasmin

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In the past many regions of Bangladesh were hyperendemic for malaria. Malaria control in the 1960s to 1970s eliminated malaria from the plains but in the Chittagong Hill Tracts remained a difficult to control reservoir. The Chittagong Hill Tracts have areas with between 1 and 10% annual malaria rates, predominately 90-95% Plasmodium falciparum. In Southeast Asia, multiplicity of infection for hypo-endemic regions has been approximately 1.5. Few studies on the genetic diversity of P. falciparum have been performed in Bangladesh. Anderson et al. performed a study in Khagrachari, northern Chittagong Hill Tracts in 2002 on 203 patients and found that parasites had a multiplicity of infection of 1.3 by MSP-1, MSP-2 and GLURP genotyping. A total of 94% of the isolates had the K76T Pfcrt chloroquine resistant genotype, and 70% showed the N86Y Pfmdr1 genotype. Antifolate drug resistant genotypes were high with 99% and 73% of parasites having two or more mutations at the dhfr or dhps loci. Methods Nested and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR methods were used to genotype P. falciparum using antigenic polymorphic markers and to study anti-malarial drug resistance markers in malaria endemic areas of Bangladesh. Results The analysis of polymorphic and drug resistant genotype on 33 paired recrudescent infections after drug treatment in the period 2004 to 2008 in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, which is just prior to countrywide provision of artemisinin combination therapy. Overall the multiplicity of infection for MSP-1 was 2.7 with a slightly smaller parasite diversity post-treatment. The 13 monoclonal infections by both GLURP and MSP-1 were evenly divided between pre- and post-treatment. The MSP-1 MAD block was most frequent in 66 of the samples. The prevalence of the K76T PfCRT chloroquine resistant allele was approximately 82% of the samples, while the resistant Pfmdr1 N86Y was present in 33% of the samples. Interestingly, the post

  2. A P-value model for theoretical power analysis and its applications in multiple testing procedures

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    Fengqing Zhang

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Power analysis is a critical aspect of the design of experiments to detect an effect of a given size. When multiple hypotheses are tested simultaneously, multiplicity adjustments to p-values should be taken into account in power analysis. There are a limited number of studies on power analysis in multiple testing procedures. For some methods, the theoretical analysis is difficult and extensive numerical simulations are often needed, while other methods oversimplify the information under the alternative hypothesis. To this end, this paper aims to develop a new statistical model for power analysis in multiple testing procedures. Methods We propose a step-function-based p-value model under the alternative hypothesis, which is simple enough to perform power analysis without simulations, but not too simple to lose the information from the alternative hypothesis. The first step is to transform distributions of different test statistics (e.g., t, chi-square or F to distributions of corresponding p-values. We then use a step function to approximate each of the p-value’s distributions by matching the mean and variance. Lastly, the step-function-based p-value model can be used for theoretical power analysis. Results The proposed model is applied to problems in multiple testing procedures. We first show how the most powerful critical constants can be chosen using the step-function-based p-value model. Our model is then applied to the field of multiple testing procedures to explain the assumption of monotonicity of the critical constants. Lastly, we apply our model to a behavioral weight loss and maintenance study to select the optimal critical constants. Conclusions The proposed model is easy to implement and preserves the information from the alternative hypothesis.

  3. Associations of amylin with inflammatory markers and metabolic syndrome in apparently healthy Chinese.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinwei Hou

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cellular and animal studies implicate multiple roles of amylin in regulating insulin action, glucose and lipid metabolisms. However, the role of amylin in obesity related metabolic disorders has not been thoroughly investigated in humans. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the distribution of circulating amylin and its association with metabolic syndrome (MetS and explore if this association is influenced by obesity, inflammatory markers or insulin resistance in apparently healthy Chinese. METHODS: A population-based sample of 1,011 Chinese men and women aged 35-54 years was employed to measure plasma amylin, inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein [CRP] and interleukin-6 [IL-6], insulin, glucose and lipid profiles. MetS was defined according to the updated National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria for Asian-Americans. RESULTS: Plasma amylin concentrations were higher in overweight/obese participants than normal-weight counterparts (P<0.001 without sex difference. Circulating amylin was positively associated with CRP, IL-6, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose, insulin, amylin/insulin ratio, HOMA-IR, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while negatively associated with HDL cholesterol (all P<0.001. After multiple adjustments, the risk of MetS was significantly higher (odds ratio 3.71; 95% confidence interval: 2.53 to 5.46 comparing the highest with the lowest amylin quartile. The association remained significant even further controlling for BMI, inflammatory markers, insulin or HOMA-IR. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that amylin is strongly associated with inflammatory markers and MetS. The amylin-MetS association is independent of established risk factors of MetS, including obesity, inflammatory markers and insulin resistance. The causal role of hyperamylinemia in the development of MetS needs to be confirmed prospectively.

  4. Development and use of molecular markers: past and present.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grover, Atul; Sharma, P C

    2016-01-01

    Molecular markers, due to their stability, cost-effectiveness and ease of use provide an immensely popular tool for a variety of applications including genome mapping, gene tagging, genetic diversity diversity, phylogenetic analysis and forensic investigations. In the last three decades, a number of molecular marker techniques have been developed and exploited worldwide in different systems. However, only a handful of these techniques, namely RFLPs, RAPDs, AFLPs, ISSRs, SSRs and SNPs have received global acceptance. A recent revolution in DNA sequencing techniques has taken the discovery and application of molecular markers to high-throughput and ultrahigh-throughput levels. Although, the choice of marker will obviously depend on the targeted use, microsatellites, SNPs and genotyping by sequencing (GBS) largely fulfill most of the user requirements. Further, modern transcriptomic and functional markers will lead the ventures onto high-density genetic map construction, identification of QTLs, breeding and conservation strategies in times to come in combination with other high throughput techniques. This review presents an overview of different marker technologies and their variants with a comparative account of their characteristic features and applications.

  5. Analysis of Multiple Genomic Sequence Alignments: A Web Resource, Online Tools, and Lessons Learned From Analysis of Mammalian SCL Loci

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapman, Michael A.; Donaldson, Ian J.; Gilbert, James; Grafham, Darren; Rogers, Jane; Green, Anthony R.; Göttgens, Berthold

    2004-01-01

    Comparative analysis of genomic sequences is becoming a standard technique for studying gene regulation. However, only a limited number of tools are currently available for the analysis of multiple genomic sequences. An extensive data set for the testing and training of such tools is provided by the SCL gene locus. Here we have expanded the data set to eight vertebrate species by sequencing the dog SCL locus and by annotating the dog and rat SCL loci. To provide a resource for the bioinformatics community, all SCL sequences and functional annotations, comprising a collation of the extensive experimental evidence pertaining to SCL regulation, have been made available via a Web server. A Web interface to new tools specifically designed for the display and analysis of multiple sequence alignments was also implemented. The unique SCL data set and new sequence comparison tools allowed us to perform a rigorous examination of the true benefits of multiple sequence comparisons. We demonstrate that multiple sequence alignments are, overall, superior to pairwise alignments for identification of mammalian regulatory regions. In the search for individual transcription factor binding sites, multiple alignments markedly increase the signal-to-noise ratio compared to pairwise alignments. PMID:14718377

  6. Using Module Analysis for Multiple Choice Responses: A New Method Applied to Force Concept Inventory Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brewe, Eric; Bruun, Jesper; Bearden, Ian G.

    2016-01-01

    We describe "Module Analysis for Multiple Choice Responses" (MAMCR), a new methodology for carrying out network analysis on responses to multiple choice assessments. This method is used to identify modules of non-normative responses which can then be interpreted as an alternative to factor analysis. MAMCR allows us to identify conceptual…

  7. Generation and application of SSR markers in avocado

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharon, D.; Lavi, U.; Cregan, P.B.; Hillel, J.

    1998-01-01

    Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) DNA markers were generated and applied to avocado. An SSR marker is based on a pair of primers which are synthesized on the basis of DNA sequences flanking a micro satellite. These markers are PCR based, quite polymorphic and abundant in several species. These are the markers, of choice in the human genome. The number of SSR markers in the avocado genome was calculated to be about 45,000, with the A/T micro satellite being the most frequent (1 in 40 kb). SSR markers are quite expensive to generate due to the required multi-step procedure; Screening a genomic library, about 66% of the positive clones turned out after sequencing to be SSR containing clones. In only about 55% of these, was it possible to synthesize primers and, of this group, only about 50% of the markers were useful for typing a specific family. Typing of five avocado cultivars using 59 SSR markers results in one to eight alleles per locus, mean heterozygosity ranging between 0.51 and 0.66 and gene diversity ranging between 0.42 and 0.66. The SSR markers were used to estimate the genetic relationships between various Persea species. The number of alleles in these species ranged between five and twelve with heterozygosity levels between 0.11-0.78 and gene diversity between 0.69-0.89. A preliminary genetic map, based on these SSR markers together with some DNA fingerprints (DFP) and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers, was drawn. The map consists of 12 linkage group having two to five markers each. Linkage analysis with several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) was performed by genetic typing and phenotypic assessment of the progeny of a controlled cross. The results of the interval mapping suggest that the gene(s) coding for the existence of fibers in the flesh, are probably linked to linkage group 3. (author)

  8. Generation and application of SSR markers in avocado

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sharon, D; Lavi, U [Institute of Horticulture, ARO Volcani Center, Bet-Dagan (Israel); Cregan, P B [United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland (United States); Hillel, J [Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot (Israel)

    1998-10-01

    Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) DNA markers were generated and applied to avocado. An SSR marker is based on a pair of primers which are synthesized on the basis of DNA sequences flanking a micro satellite. These markers are PCR based, quite polymorphic and abundant in several species. These are the markers, of choice in the human genome. The number of SSR markers in the avocado genome was calculated to be about 45,000, with the A/T micro satellite being the most frequent (1 in 40 kb). SSR markers are quite expensive to generate due to the required multi-step procedure; Screening a genomic library, about 66% of the positive clones turned out after sequencing to be SSR containing clones. In only about 55% of these, was it possible to synthesize primers and, of this group, only about 50% of the markers were useful for typing a specific family. Typing of five avocado cultivars using 59 SSR markers results in one to eight alleles per locus, mean heterozygosity ranging between 0.51 and 0.66 and gene diversity ranging between 0.42 and 0.66. The SSR markers were used to estimate the genetic relationships between various Persea species. The number of alleles in these species ranged between five and twelve with heterozygosity levels between 0.11-0.78 and gene diversity between 0.69-0.89. A preliminary genetic map, based on these SSR markers together with some DNA fingerprints (DFP) and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers, was drawn. The map consists of 12 linkage group having two to five markers each. Linkage analysis with several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) was performed by genetic typing and phenotypic assessment of the progeny of a controlled cross. The results of the interval mapping suggest that the gene(s) coding for the existence of fibers in the flesh, are probably linked to linkage group 3. (author) 20 refs, 3 figs, 8 tabs

  9. Markers for nutrition studies: review of criteria for the evaluation of markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Vries, Jan; Antoine, Jean-Michel; Burzykowski, Tomasz; Chiodini, Alessandro; Gibney, Mike; Kuhnle, Gunter; Méheust, Agnès; Pijls, Loek; Rowland, Ian

    2013-10-01

    Markers are important tools to assess the nutrition status and effects of nutrition interventions. There is currently insufficient consensus in nutrition sciences on how to evaluate markers, despite the need for properly evaluating them. To identify the criteria for the evaluation of markers related to nutrition, health and disease and to propose generic criteria for evaluation. The report on "Evaluation of Biomarker and Surrogate Endpoints in Chronic Disease" from the Institute of Medicine was the starting point for the literature search. Additionally, specific search strategies were developed for Pubmed. In nutrition, no set of criteria or systematic approach to evaluate markers is currently available. There is a reliance on the medical area where statistical methods have been developed to quantify the evaluation of markers. Even here, a systematic approach is lacking-markers are still evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The review of publications from the literature search resulted in a database with definitions, criteria for validity and the rationale behind the criteria. It was recognized that, in nutrition, a number of methodological aspects differ from medical research. The following criteria were identified as essential elements in the evaluation of markers: (1) the marker has a causal biological link with the endpoint, (2) there is a significant association between marker and endpoint in the target population, (3) marker changes consistently with the endpoint, e.g., in response to an intervention, and (4) change in the marker explains a substantial proportion of the change in the endpoint in response to the intervention.

  10. Prognostic DNA Methylation Markers for Prostate Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siri H. Strand

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Prostate cancer (PC is the most commonly diagnosed neoplasm and the third most common cause of cancer-related death amongst men in the Western world. PC is a clinically highly heterogeneous disease, and distinction between aggressive and indolent disease is a major challenge for the management of PC. Currently, no biomarkers or prognostic tools are able to accurately predict tumor progression at the time of diagnosis. Thus, improved biomarkers for PC prognosis are urgently needed. This review focuses on the prognostic potential of DNA methylation biomarkers for PC. Epigenetic changes are hallmarks of PC and associated with malignant initiation as well as tumor progression. Moreover, DNA methylation is the most frequently studied epigenetic alteration in PC, and the prognostic potential of DNA methylation markers for PC has been demonstrated in multiple studies. The most promising methylation marker candidates identified so far include PITX2, C1orf114 (CCDC181 and the GABRE~miR-452~miR-224 locus, in addition to the three-gene signature AOX1/C1orf114/HAPLN3. Several other biomarker candidates have also been investigated, but with less stringent clinical validation and/or conflicting evidence regarding their possible prognostic value available at this time. Here, we review the current evidence for the prognostic potential of DNA methylation markers in PC.

  11. Intraovarian markers of follicular and oocyte maturation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pellicer, A; Diamond, M P; DeCherney, A H; Naftolin, F

    1987-08-01

    The use of ovulation induction for multiple follicular growth in in vitro fertilization (IVF) has introduced the problem of follicular asynchrony. As a consequence of the asynchrony, the parameters most commonly used by IVF groups to assess follicular and oocyte quality within those follicles are not sufficiently sensitive or specific. Thus, each follicle must be considered separately, and specific markers of follicular and/or oocyte maturation must be sought from within the follicle. In this review we analyze previous reports of potential markers of follicular and oocyte maturation. In regards to the follicular fluid constituents, the level of estradiol in follicular fluid correlates with fertilization and pregnancy in stimulated cycles. Other steroids are only helpful when specific stimulation protocols are used. The level of some follicular proteins such as alpha-1-antitrypsin and fibrinogen also correlates with fertilization and pregnancy outcome. Cyclic AMP levels in follicular fluid are significantly reduced in follicles leading to conception. Regulators of oocyte maturation, such as the Oocyte Maturation Inhibitor (OMI) or the Meiosis Inducing Substance (MIS) have also been correlated with IVF outcome, but their exact structure remains still unknown. In addition, other sophisticated parameters, such as chemotactic activity of human leukocytes, or simple methods, such as the presence of intrafollicular echoes, have also been used as successful markers in predicting IVF outcome.

  12. A neutron multiplicity analysis method for uranium samples with liquid scintillators

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Hao, E-mail: zhouhao_ciae@126.com [China Institute of Atomic Energy, P.O.BOX 275-8, Beijing 102413 (China); Lin, Hongtao [Xi' an Reasearch Institute of High-tech, Xi' an, Shaanxi 710025 (China); Liu, Guorong; Li, Jinghuai; Liang, Qinglei; Zhao, Yonggang [China Institute of Atomic Energy, P.O.BOX 275-8, Beijing 102413 (China)

    2015-10-11

    A new neutron multiplicity analysis method for uranium samples with liquid scintillators is introduced. An active well-type fast neutron multiplicity counter has been built, which consists of four BC501A liquid scintillators, a n/γdiscrimination module MPD-4, a multi-stop time to digital convertor MCS6A, and two Am–Li sources. A mathematical model is built to symbolize the detection processes of fission neutrons. Based on this model, equations in the form of R=F*P*Q*T could be achieved, where F indicates the induced fission rate by interrogation sources, P indicates the transfer matrix determined by multiplication process, Q indicates the transfer matrix determined by detection efficiency, T indicates the transfer matrix determined by signal recording process and crosstalk in the counter. Unknown parameters about the item are determined by the solutions of the equations. A {sup 252}Cf source and some low enriched uranium items have been measured. The feasibility of the method is proven by its application to the data analysis of the experiments.

  13. Association Analysis of Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR Markers with Agronomic Traits in Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb..

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanhong Lou

    Full Text Available Tall fescue is widely used in temperate regions throughout the world as a dominant forage grass as well as a turfgrass, in pastoral and turf industry. However, the utilization of tall fescue was limited because of its leaf roughness, poor regeneration ability and poor stress resistance. New cultivars were desirable in modern pastoral industries exceed the potential of existing cultivars. Therefore, well understanding the agronomic traits and describing germplasms would help to overcome these constraints, and morphological evaluation of tall fescue germplasm is the key component in selecting rational parents for hybridization breeding. However, describing the morphological traits of tall fescue germplasm is costly and time-consuming. Fortunately, biotechnology approaches can supplement conventional breeding efforts for tall fescue improvement. Association mapping, as a powerful approach to identify association between agronomic traits and molecular markers has been widely used for enhancing the utilization, conservation and management of the tall fescue germplasms. Therefore, in the present research, 115 tall fescue accessions from different origins (25 accessions are cultivars; 31 accessions from America; 32 accessions from European; 7 accessions from Africa; 20 accessions from Asia, were evaluated for agronomic traits and genetic diversity with 90 simple sequence repeat (SSR markers. The panel displayed significant variation in spike count per plant (SCP and spike weight (SW. However, BCS performed the lowest CV among all the observed agronomic traits. Three subpopulations were identified within the collections but no obvious relative kinship (K was found. The GLM model was used to describe the association between SSR and agronomic traits. Fifty-one SSR markers associated with agronomic traits were observed. Twelve single-associated markers were associated with PH; six single-associated markers were associated with BCS; eight single

  14. Transcriptome-enabled marker discovery and mapping of plastochron-related genes in Petunia spp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Yufang; Wiegert-Rininger, Krystle E; Vallejo, Veronica A; Barry, Cornelius S; Warner, Ryan M

    2015-09-24

    Petunia (Petunia × hybrida), derived from a hybrid between P. axillaris and P. integrifolia, is one of the most economically important bedding plant crops and Petunia spp. serve as model systems for investigating the mechanisms underlying diverse mating systems and pollination syndromes. In addition, we have previously described genetic variation and quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to petunia development rate and morphology, which represent important breeding targets for the floriculture industry to improve crop production and performance. Despite the importance of petunia as a crop, the floriculture industry has been slow to adopt marker assisted selection to facilitate breeding strategies and there remains a limited availability of sequences and molecular markers from the genus compared to other economically important members of the Solanaceae family such as tomato, potato and pepper. Here we report the de novo assembly, annotation and characterization of transcriptomes from P. axillaris, P. exserta and P. integrifolia. Each transcriptome assembly was derived from five tissue libraries (callus, 3-week old seedlings, shoot apices, flowers of mixed developmental stages, and trichomes). A total of 74,573, 54,913, and 104,739 assembled transcripts were recovered from P. axillaris, P. exserta and P. integrifolia, respectively and following removal of multiple isoforms, 32,994 P. axillaris, 30,225 P. exserta, and 33,540 P. integrifolia high quality representative transcripts were extracted for annotation and expression analysis. The transcriptome data was mined for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, yielding 89,007 high quality SNPs and 2949 SSRs, respectively. 15,701 SNPs were computationally converted into user-friendly cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) markers and a subset of SNP and CAPS markers were experimentally verified. CAPS markers developed from plastochron-related homologous transcripts

  15. Gene features selection for three-class disease classification via multiple orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis and S-plot using microarray data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Mingxing; Li, Xiumin; Li, Zhibin; Ou, Zhimin; Liu, Ming; Liu, Suhuan; Li, Xuejun; Yang, Shuyu

    2013-01-01

    DNA microarray analysis is characterized by obtaining a large number of gene variables from a small number of observations. Cluster analysis is widely used to analyze DNA microarray data to make classification and diagnosis of disease. Because there are so many irrelevant and insignificant genes in a dataset, a feature selection approach must be employed in data analysis. The performance of cluster analysis of this high-throughput data depends on whether the feature selection approach chooses the most relevant genes associated with disease classes. Here we proposed a new method using multiple Orthogonal Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (mOPLS-DA) models and S-plots to select the most relevant genes to conduct three-class disease classification and prediction. We tested our method using Golub's leukemia microarray data. For three classes with subtypes, we proposed hierarchical orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) models and S-plots to select features for two main classes and their subtypes. For three classes in parallel, we employed three OPLS-DA models and S-plots to choose marker genes for each class. The power of feature selection to classify and predict three-class disease was evaluated using cluster analysis. Further, the general performance of our method was tested using four public datasets and compared with those of four other feature selection methods. The results revealed that our method effectively selected the most relevant features for disease classification and prediction, and its performance was better than that of the other methods.

  16. Concept and simulation study of a novel localization method for robotic endoscopic capsules using multiple positron emission markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Than, Trung Duc; Alici, Gursel; Harvey, Steven; Zhou, Hao; Li, Weihua

    2014-07-01

    Over the last decade, wireless capsule endoscope has been the tool of choice for noninvasive inspection of the gastrointestinal tract, especially in the small intestine. However, the latest clinical products have not been equipped with a sufficiently accurate localization system which makes it difficult to determine the location of intestinal abnormalities, and to apply follow-up interventions such as biopsy or drug delivery. In this paper, the authors present a novel localization method based on tracking three positron emission markers embedded inside an endoscopic capsule. Three spherical(22)Na markers with diameters of less than 1 mm are embedded in the cover of the capsule. Gamma ray detectors are arranged around a patient body to detect coincidence gamma rays emitted from the three markers. The position of each marker can then be estimated using the collected data by the authors' tracking algorithm which consists of four consecutive steps: a method to remove corrupted data, an initialization method, a clustering method based on the Fuzzy C-means clustering algorithm, and a failure prediction method. The tracking algorithm has been implemented inMATLAB utilizing simulation data generated from the Geant4 Application for Emission Tomography toolkit. The results show that this localization method can achieve real-time tracking with an average position error of less than 0.4 mm and an average orientation error of less than 2°. The authors conclude that this study has proven the feasibility and potential of the proposed technique in effectively determining the position and orientation of a robotic endoscopic capsule.

  17. Concept and simulation study of a novel localization method for robotic endoscopic capsules using multiple positron emission markers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Than, Trung Duc; Alici, Gursel; Zhou, Hao; Li, Weihua; Harvey, Steven

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: Over the last decade, wireless capsule endoscope has been the tool of choice for noninvasive inspection of the gastrointestinal tract, especially in the small intestine. However, the latest clinical products have not been equipped with a sufficiently accurate localization system which makes it difficult to determine the location of intestinal abnormalities, and to apply follow-up interventions such as biopsy or drug delivery. In this paper, the authors present a novel localization method based on tracking three positron emission markers embedded inside an endoscopic capsule. Methods: Three spherical 22 Na markers with diameters of less than 1 mm are embedded in the cover of the capsule. Gamma ray detectors are arranged around a patient body to detect coincidence gamma rays emitted from the three markers. The position of each marker can then be estimated using the collected data by the authors’ tracking algorithm which consists of four consecutive steps: a method to remove corrupted data, an initialization method, a clustering method based on the Fuzzy C-means clustering algorithm, and a failure prediction method. Results: The tracking algorithm has been implemented inMATLAB utilizing simulation data generated from the Geant4 Application for Emission Tomography toolkit. The results show that this localization method can achieve real-time tracking with an average position error of less than 0.4 mm and an average orientation error of less than 2°. Conclusions: The authors conclude that this study has proven the feasibility and potential of the proposed technique in effectively determining the position and orientation of a robotic endoscopic capsule

  18. Markers for Routine Assessment of Fatigue and Recovery in Male and Female Team Sport Athletes during High-Intensity Interval Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiewelhove, Thimo; Raeder, Christian; Meyer, Tim; Kellmann, Michael; Pfeiffer, Mark; Ferrauti, Alexander

    2015-01-01

    Aim Our study aimed to investigate changes of different markers for routine assessment of fatigue and recovery in response to high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Methods 22 well-trained male and female team sport athletes (age, 23.0 ± 2.7 years; V̇O2max, 57.6 ± 8.6 mL·min·kg−1) participated in a six-day running-based HIIT-microcycle with a total of eleven HIIT sessions. Repeated sprint ability (RSA; criterion measure of fatigue and recovery), countermovement jump (CMJ) height, jump efficiency in a multiple rebound jump test (MRJ), 20-m sprint performance, muscle contractile properties, serum concentrations of creatinkinase (CK), c-reactive protein (CRP) and urea as well as perceived muscle soreness (DOMS) were measured pre and post the training program as well as after 72 h of recovery. Results Following the microcycle significant changes (p < 0.05) in RSA as well as in CMJ and MRJ performance could be observed, showing a decline (%Δ ± 90% confidence limits, ES = effect size; RSA: -3.8 ± 1.0, ES = -1.51; CMJ: 8.4 ± 2.9, ES = -1.35; MRJ: 17.4 ± 4.5, ES = -1.60) and a return to baseline level (RSA: 2.8 ± 2.6, ES = 0.53; CMJ: 4.1 ± 2.9, ES = 0.68; MRJ: 6.5 ± 4.5, ES = 0.63) after 72 h of recovery. Athletes also demonstrated significant changes (p < 0.05) in muscle contractile properties, CK, and DOMS following the training program and after the recovery period. In contrast, CRP and urea remained unchanged throughout the study. Further analysis revealed that the accuracy of markers for assessment of fatigue and recovery in comparison to RSA derived from a contingency table was insufficient. Multiple regression analysis also showed no correlations between changes in RSA and any of the markers. Conclusions Mean changes in measures of neuromuscular function, CK and DOMS are related to HIIT induced fatigue and subsequent recovery. However, low accuracy of a single or combined use of these markers requires the verification of their applicability on an

  19. Markers for Routine Assessment of Fatigue and Recovery in Male and Female Team Sport Athletes during High-Intensity Interval Training.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thimo Wiewelhove

    Full Text Available Our study aimed to investigate changes of different markers for routine assessment of fatigue and recovery in response to high-intensity interval training (HIIT.22 well-trained male and female team sport athletes (age, 23.0 ± 2.7 years; V̇O2 max, 57.6 ± 8.6 mL · min · kg(-1 participated in a six-day running-based HIIT-microcycle with a total of eleven HIIT sessions. Repeated sprint ability (RSA; criterion measure of fatigue and recovery, countermovement jump (CMJ height, jump efficiency in a multiple rebound jump test (MRJ, 20-m sprint performance, muscle contractile properties, serum concentrations of creatinkinase (CK, c-reactive protein (CRP and urea as well as perceived muscle soreness (DOMS were measured pre and post the training program as well as after 72 h of recovery.Following the microcycle significant changes (p < 0.05 in RSA as well as in CMJ and MRJ performance could be observed, showing a decline (%Δ ± 90% confidence limits, ES = effect size; RSA: -3.8 ± 1.0, ES = -1.51; CMJ: 8.4 ± 2.9, ES = -1.35; MRJ: 17.4 ± 4.5, ES = -1.60 and a return to baseline level (RSA: 2.8 ± 2.6, ES = 0.53; CMJ: 4.1 ± 2.9, ES = 0.68; MRJ: 6.5 ± 4.5, ES = 0.63 after 72 h of recovery. Athletes also demonstrated significant changes (p < 0.05 in muscle contractile properties, CK, and DOMS following the training program and after the recovery period. In contrast, CRP and urea remained unchanged throughout the study. Further analysis revealed that the accuracy of markers for assessment of fatigue and recovery in comparison to RSA derived from a contingency table was insufficient. Multiple regression analysis also showed no correlations between changes in RSA and any of the markers.Mean changes in measures of neuromuscular function, CK and DOMS are related to HIIT induced fatigue and subsequent recovery. However, low accuracy of a single or combined use of these markers requires the verification of their applicability on an individual basis.

  20. Conserved Nonexonic Elements: A Novel Class of Marker for Phylogenomics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Scott V; Cloutier, Alison; Baker, Allan J

    2017-11-01

    Noncoding markers have a particular appeal as tools for phylogenomic analysis because, at least in vertebrates, they appear less subject to strong variation in GC content among lineages. Thus far, ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and introns have been the most widely used noncoding markers. Here we analyze and study the evolutionary properties of a new type of noncoding marker, conserved nonexonic elements (CNEEs), which consists of noncoding elements that are estimated to evolve slower than the neutral rate across a set of species. Although they often include UCEs, CNEEs are distinct from UCEs because they are not ultraconserved, and, most importantly, the core region alone is analyzed, rather than both the core and its flanking regions. Using a data set of 16 birds plus an alligator outgroup, and ∼3600-∼3800 loci per marker type, we found that although CNEEs were less variable than bioinformatically derived UCEs or introns and in some cases exhibited a slower approach to branch resolution as determined by phylogenomic subsampling, the quality of CNEE alignments was superior to those of the other markers, with fewer gaps and missing species. Phylogenetic resolution using coalescent approaches was comparable among the three marker types, with most nodes being fully and congruently resolved. Comparison of phylogenetic results across the three marker types indicated that one branch, the sister group to the passerine + falcon clade, was resolved differently and with moderate (>70%) bootstrap support between CNEEs and UCEs or introns. Overall, CNEEs appear to be promising as phylogenomic markers, yielding phylogenetic resolution as high as for UCEs and introns but with fewer gaps, less ambiguity in alignments and with patterns of nucleotide substitution more consistent with the assumptions of commonly used methods of phylogenetic analysis. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Systematic Biologists.

  1. Marker-controlled watershed for lymphoma segmentation in sequential CT images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan Jiayong; Zhao Binsheng; Wang, Liang; Zelenetz, Andrew; Schwartz, Lawrence H.

    2006-01-01

    Segmentation of lymphoma containing lymph nodes is a difficult task because of multiple variables associated with the tumor's location, intensity distribution, and contrast to its surrounding tissues. In this paper, we present a reliable and practical marker-controlled watershed algorithm for semi-automated segmentation of lymphoma in sequential CT images. Robust determination of internal and external markers is the key to successful use of the marker-controlled watershed transform in the segmentation of lymphoma and is the focus of this work. The external marker in our algorithm is the circle enclosing the lymphoma in a single slice. The internal marker, however, is determined automatically by combining techniques including Canny edge detection, thresholding, morphological operation, and distance map estimation. To obtain tumor volume, the segmented lymphoma in the current slice needs to be propagated to the adjacent slice to help determine the external and internal markers for delineation of the lymphoma in that slice. The algorithm was applied to 29 lymphomas (size range, 9-53 mm in diameter; mean, 23 mm) in nine patients. A blinded radiologist manually delineated all lymphomas on all slices. The manual result served as the ''gold standard'' for comparison. Several quantitative methods were applied to objectively evaluate the performance of the segmentation algorithm. The algorithm received a mean overlap, overestimation, and underestimation ratios of 83.2%, 13.5%, and 5.5%, respectively. The mean average boundary distance and Hausdorff boundary distance were 0.7 and 3.7 mm. Preliminary results have shown the potential of this computer algorithm to allow reliable segmentation and quantification of lymphomas on sequential CT images

  2. Interventional Effects for Mediation Analysis with Multiple Mediators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vansteelandt, Stijn; Daniel, Rhian M

    2017-03-01

    The mediation formula for the identification of natural (in)direct effects has facilitated mediation analyses that better respect the nature of the data, with greater consideration of the need for confounding control. The default assumptions on which it relies are strong, however. In particular, they are known to be violated when confounders of the mediator-outcome association are affected by the exposure. This complicates extensions of counterfactual-based mediation analysis to settings that involve repeatedly measured mediators, or multiple correlated mediators. VanderWeele, Vansteelandt, and Robins introduced so-called interventional (in)direct effects. These can be identified under much weaker conditions than natural (in)direct effects, but have the drawback of not adding up to the total effect. In this article, we adapt their proposal to achieve an exact decomposition of the total effect, and extend it to the multiple mediator setting. Interestingly, the proposed effects capture the path-specific effects of an exposure on an outcome that are mediated by distinct mediators, even when-as often-the structural dependence between the multiple mediators is unknown, for instance, when the direction of the causal effects between the mediators is unknown, or there may be unmeasured common causes of the mediators.

  3. Multiple Criteria and Multiple Periods Performance Analysis: The Comparison of North African Railways

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabri, Karim; Colson, Gérard E.; Mbangala, Augustin M.

    2008-10-01

    Multi-period differences of technical and financial performances are analysed by comparing five North African railways over the period (1990-2004). A first approach is based on the Malmquist DEA TFP index for measuring the total factors productivity change, decomposed into technical efficiency change and technological changes. A multiple criteria analysis is also performed using the PROMETHEE II method and the software ARGOS. These methods provide complementary detailed information, especially by discriminating the technological and management progresses by Malmquist and the two dimensions of performance by Promethee: that are the service to the community and the enterprises performances, often in conflict.

  4. Analysis of the thermal balance characteristics for multiple-connected piezoelectric transformers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Joung-Hu; Cho, Bo-Hyung; Choi, Sung-Jin; Lee, Sang-Min

    2009-08-01

    Because the amount of power that a piezoelectric transformer (PT) can handle is limited, multiple connections of PTs are necessary for the power-capacity improvement of PT-applications. In the connection, thermal imbalance between the PTs should be prevented to avoid the thermal runaway of each PT. The thermal balance of the multiple-connected PTs is dominantly affected by the electrothermal characteristics of individual PTs. In this paper, the thermal balance of both parallel-parallel and parallel-series connections are analyzed by electrical model parameters. For quantitative analysis, the thermal-balance effects are estimated by the simulation of the mechanical loss ratio between the PTs. The analysis results show that with PTs of similar characteristics, the parallel-series connection has better thermal balance characteristics due to the reduced mechanical loss of the higher temperature PT. For experimental verification of the analysis, a hardware-prototype test of a Cs-Lp type 40 W adapter system with radial-vibration mode PTs has been performed.

  5. Multiple Imputation of a Randomly Censored Covariate Improves Logistic Regression Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atem, Folefac D; Qian, Jing; Maye, Jacqueline E; Johnson, Keith A; Betensky, Rebecca A

    2016-01-01

    Randomly censored covariates arise frequently in epidemiologic studies. The most commonly used methods, including complete case and single imputation or substitution, suffer from inefficiency and bias. They make strong parametric assumptions or they consider limit of detection censoring only. We employ multiple imputation, in conjunction with semi-parametric modeling of the censored covariate, to overcome these shortcomings and to facilitate robust estimation. We develop a multiple imputation approach for randomly censored covariates within the framework of a logistic regression model. We use the non-parametric estimate of the covariate distribution or the semiparametric Cox model estimate in the presence of additional covariates in the model. We evaluate this procedure in simulations, and compare its operating characteristics to those from the complete case analysis and a survival regression approach. We apply the procedures to an Alzheimer's study of the association between amyloid positivity and maternal age of onset of dementia. Multiple imputation achieves lower standard errors and higher power than the complete case approach under heavy and moderate censoring and is comparable under light censoring. The survival regression approach achieves the highest power among all procedures, but does not produce interpretable estimates of association. Multiple imputation offers a favorable alternative to complete case analysis and ad hoc substitution methods in the presence of randomly censored covariates within the framework of logistic regression.

  6. Analysis of genetic diversity of Brassica rapa var. chinensis using ISSR markers and development of SCAR marker specific for Fragrant Bok Choy, a product of geographic indication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, X L; Zhang, Y M; Xue, J Y; Li, M M; Lin, Y B; Sun, X Q; Hang, Y Y

    2016-04-25

    Non-heading Chinese cabbage [Brassica rapa var. chinensis (Linnaeus) Kitamura] is a popular vegetable and is also used as a medicinal plant in traditional Chinese medicine. Fragrant Bok Choy is a unique accession of non-heading Chinese cabbage and a product of geographic indication certified by the Ministry of Agriculture of China, which is noted for its rich aromatic flavor. However, transitional and overlapping morphological traits can make it difficult to distinguish this accession from other non-heading Chinese cabbages. This study aimed to develop a molecular method for efficient identification of Fragrant Bok Choy. Genetic diversity analysis, based on inter-simple sequence repeat molecular markers, was conducted for 11 non-heading Chinese cabbage accessions grown in the Yangtze River Delta region. Genetic similarity coefficients between the 11 accessions ranged from 0.5455 to 0.8961, and the genetic distance ranged from 0.0755 to 0.4475. Cluster analysis divided the 11 accessions into two major groups. The primer ISSR-840 amplified a fragment specific for Fragrant Bok Choy. A pair of specific sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) primers based on this fragment amplified a target band in Fragrant Bok Choy individuals, but no band was detected in individuals of other accessions. In conclusion, this study has developed an efficient strategy for authentication of Fragrant Bok Choy. The SCAR marker described here will facilitate the conservation and utilization of this unique non-heading Chinese cabbage germplasm resource.

  7. Clinically isolated syndrome. Prognostic markers for conversion to multiple sclerosis and initiation of disease-modifying therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kohriyama, Tatsuo

    2011-01-01

    Eighty-five percent of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) initially present with a single demyelinating event, referred to as a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) of the optic nerves, brainstem, or spinal cord. Following the onset of CIS, 38 to 68% of patients develop clinically definite MS (CDMS). Clinically silent brain lesions are seen on MRI in 50 to 80% of patients with CIS at first clinical presentation and 56 to 88% of CIS patients with abnormal MRI are at high risk of conversion to CDMS. Axonal damage, that is considered to underlie the development of persistent disability in MS, occurs in the CIS stage. Treatment with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), that might prevent axonal damage and result in slowing the progression of disability, should be initiated early during the disease course. Clinical trials demonstrated that early treatment of CIS patients with the standard dose of interferon beta (IFNβ) significantly reduced the risk of progression to CDMS by 44 to 50%. After 5 years of follow-up, the results of the IFNβ treatment extension studies confirmed that the risk of conversion to CDMS was significantly reduced by 35 to 37% in patients receiving early treatment compared to that in those receiving delayed treatment. However, not every patient with CIS will progress to CDMS; the IFNβ treatment is appropriately indicated for CIS patients who are diagnosed with MS by McDonald diagnostic criteria based on MRI findings of dissemination in space and time and are at high risk for conversion to CDMS. Development of more reliable prognostic markers will enable DMTs to be targeted for those who are most likely to benefit. (author)

  8. Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers for the Tetrapolar Anther-Smut Fungus Microbotryum saponariae Based on Genome Sequencing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fortuna, Taiadjana M.; Snirc, Alodie; Badouin, Hélène; Gouzy, Jérome; Siguenza, Sophie; Esquerre, Diane; Le Prieur, Stéphanie; Shykoff, Jacqui A.; Giraud, Tatiana

    2016-01-01

    Background Anther-smut fungi belonging to the genus Microbotryum sterilize their host plants by aborting ovaries and replacing pollen by fungal spores. Sibling Microbotryum species are highly specialized on their host plants and they have been widely used as models for studies of ecology and evolution of plant pathogenic fungi. However, most studies have focused, so far, on M. lychnidis-dioicae that parasitizes the white campion Silene latifolia. Microbotryum saponariae, parasitizing mainly Saponaria officinalis, is an interesting anther-smut fungus, since it belongs to a tetrapolar lineage (i.e., with two independently segregating mating-type loci), while most of the anther-smut Microbotryum fungi are bipolar (i.e., with a single mating-type locus). Saponaria officinalis is a widespread long-lived perennial plant species with multiple flowering stems, which makes its anther-smut pathogen a good model for studying phylogeography and within-host multiple infections. Principal Findings Here, based on a generated genome sequence of M. saponariae we developed 6 multiplexes with a total of 22 polymorphic microsatellite markers using an inexpensive and efficient method. We scored these markers in fungal individuals collected from 97 populations across Europe, and found that the number of their alleles ranged from 2 to 11, and their expected heterozygosity from 0.01 to 0.58. Cross-species amplification was examined using nine other Microbotryum species parasitizing hosts belonging to Silene, Dianthus and Knautia genera. All loci were successfully amplified in at least two other Microbotryum species. Significance These newly developed markers will provide insights into the population genetic structure and the occurrence of within-host multiple infections of M. saponariae. In addition, the draft genome of M. saponariae, as well as one of the described markers will be useful resources for studying the evolution of the breeding systems in the genus Microbotryum and the

  9. Multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis of analog random multiplicative processes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, L.B.M.; Vermelho, M.V.D. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceio - AL, 57072-970 (Brazil); Lyra, M.L. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceio - AL, 57072-970 (Brazil)], E-mail: marcelo@if.ufal.br; Viswanathan, G.M. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceio - AL, 57072-970 (Brazil)

    2009-09-15

    We investigate non-Gaussian statistical properties of stationary stochastic signals generated by an analog circuit that simulates a random multiplicative process with weak additive noise. The random noises are originated by thermal shot noise and avalanche processes, while the multiplicative process is generated by a fully analog circuit. The resulting signal describes stochastic time series of current interest in several areas such as turbulence, finance, biology and environment, which exhibit power-law distributions. Specifically, we study the correlation properties of the signal by employing a detrended fluctuation analysis and explore its multifractal nature. The singularity spectrum is obtained and analyzed as a function of the control circuit parameter that tunes the asymptotic power-law form of the probability distribution function.

  10. Rigid Body Motion Calculated From Spatial Co-ordinates of Markers ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In this paper, we present a unified method for calculating spatial coordinates of markers for a rigid body motion such as in bones. Kinematical analysis of bone movement in cadaveric specimens or living objects had been developed. Here, we show how spatial co-ordinates of markers in or on bone can be calculated from ...

  11. Complete 1H NMR spectral analysis of ten chemical markers of Ginkgo biloba.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Napolitano, José G; Lankin, David C; Chen, Shao-Nong; Pauli, Guido F

    2012-08-01

    The complete and unambiguous (1)H NMR assignments of ten marker constituents of Ginkgo biloba are described. The comprehensive (1)H NMR profiles (fingerprints) of ginkgolide A, ginkgolide B, ginkgolide C, ginkgolide J, bilobalide, quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, isoquercetin, and rutin in DMSO-d(6) were obtained through the examination of 1D (1)H NMR and 2D (1)H,(1)H-COSY data, in combination with (1)H iterative full spin analysis (HiFSA). The computational analysis of discrete spin systems allowed a detailed characterization of all the (1)H NMR signals in terms of chemical shifts (δ(H)) and spin-spin coupling constants (J(HH)), regardless of signal overlap and higher order coupling effects. The capability of the HiFSA-generated (1)H fingerprints to reproduce experimental (1)H NMR spectra at different field strengths was also evaluated. As a result of this analysis, a revised set of (1)H NMR parameters for all ten phytoconstituents was assembled. Furthermore, precise (1)H NMR assignments of the sugar moieties of isoquercetin and rutin are reported for the first time. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Methodological issues underlying multiple decrement life table analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mode, C J; Avery, R C; Littman, G S; Potter, R G

    1977-02-01

    In this paper, the actuarial method of multiple decrement life table analysis of censored, longitudinal data is examined. The discussion is organized in terms of the first segment of usage of an intrauterine device. Weaknesses of the actuarial approach are pointed out, and an alternative approach, based on the classical model of competing risks, is proposed. Finally, the actuarial and the alternative method of analyzing censored data are compared, using data from the Taichung Medical Study on Intrauterine Devices.

  13. Surface Markers for Chondrogenic Determination: A Highlight of Synovium-Derived Stem Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Douglas D. Campbell

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Cartilage tissue engineering is a promising field in regenerative medicine that can provide substantial relief to people suffering from degenerative cartilage disease. Current research shows the greatest chondrogenic potential for healthy articular cartilage growth with minimal hypertrophic differentiation to be from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs of synovial origin. These stem cells have the capacity for differentiation into multiple cell lineages related to mesenchymal tissue; however, evidence exists for cell surface markers that specify a greater potential for chondrogenesis than other differentiation fates. This review will examine relevant literature to summarize the chondrogenic differentiation capacities of tested synovium-derived stem cell (SDSC surface markers, along with a discussion about various other markers that may hold potential, yet require further investigation. With this information, a potential clinical benefit exists to develop a screening system for SDSCs that will produce the healthiest articular cartilage possible.

  14. Effects of Coenzyme Q10 on Markers of Inflammation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junya Zhai

    Full Text Available Chronic inflammation contributes to the onset and development of metabolic diseases. Clinical evidence has suggested that coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 has some effects on inflammatory markers. However, these results are equivocal. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the effects of CoQ10 on serum levels of inflammatory markers in people with metabolic diseases.Electronic databases were searched up to February 2016 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs. The outcome parameters were related to inflammatory factors, including interleukin-6 (IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α and C reactive protein (CRP. RevMan software was used for meta-analysis. Meta-regression analysis, Egger line regression test and Begg rank correlation test were performed by STATA software.Nine trials involving 428 subjects were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that compared with control group, CoQ10 supplementation has significantly improved the serum level of CoQ10 by 1.17μg/ml [MD = 1.17, 95% CI (0.47 to 1.87 μg/ml, I2 = 94%]. Meanwhile, it has significantly decreased TNF-α by 0.45 pg/ml [MD = -0.45, 95% CI (-0.67 to -0.24 pg/ml, I2 = 0%]. No significant difference was observed between CoQ10 and placebo with regard to CRP [MD = -0.21, 95% CI (-0.60 to 0.17 mg/L, I2 = 21%] and IL-6 [MD = -0.89, 95% CI (-1.95 to 0.16 pg/ml, I2 = 84%].CoQ10 supplementation may partly improve the process of inflammatory state. The effects of CoQ10 on inflammation should be further investigated by conducting larger sample size and well-defined trials of long enough duration.

  15. Identification of the intestinal type gastric adenocarcinoma transcriptomic markers using bioinformatic and gene expression analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. V. Volkomorov

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Searching for specific and sensitive molecular tumor markers is one of the important tasks of modern oncology. These markers can be used for early tumor diagnosis and prognosis as well as for prediction of therapeutic response, estimation of tumor volume or to assess disease recurrence through monitoring. Gene expression data base mining followed by experimental validation of results obtained is one of the promising approaches for searching of that kind.Objective: to identify several membrane proteins which can be used for serum diagnosis of intestinal type of gastric adenocarcinoma.Materials and methods. We used bioinformatic-driven search using Gene Ontology and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA data to identify mRNA up-regulated in gastric cancer (GC. Then, the expression levels of the mRNAs in 55 pare clinical specimens were investigated using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.Results. Comparative analysis of the mRNA levels in normal and tumor tissues using a new bioinformatics algorithm allowed to identify 3 high-copy transcripts (SULF1, PMEPA1 and SPARC, intracellular content of which markedly increased in GC. Expression analysis of these genes in clinical specimens showed significantly higher mRNA levels of PMEPA1 and SPARC in tumor as compared to normal gastric tissue. Interestingly more than twofold increase in expression level of these genes was observed in 75 % of intestinal-type GC. The same results were found only in 25 and 38 % of diffuse-type GC respectively.Conclusions. As a result of original bioinforamtic analysis using TCGA data base two genes (PMEPA1 and SPARC were shown to be significantly upregulated in intestinal-type gastric adenocarcinoma. The findings show the importance of further investigation to clarify the clinical value of their expression level in stomach tumors as well as their role in carcinogenesis.

  16. Expression of embryonic stem cell markers in keloid-associated lymphoid tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Chelsea; Chudakova, Daria A; Itinteang, Tinte; Chibnall, Alice M; Brasch, Helen D; Davis, Paul F; Tan, Swee T

    2016-07-01

    To identify, characterise and localise the population of primitive cells in keloid scars (KS). 5-µm-thick formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections of KS samples from 10 patients underwent immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for the embryonic stem cell (ESC) markers OCT4, SOX2, pSTAT3 and NANOG, and keloid-associated lymphoid tissue (KALT) markers CD4 and CD20. NanoString gene expression analysis and in situ hybridisation (ISH) were used to determine the abundance and localisation of the mRNA for these ESC markers. IHC staining revealed the expression of the ESC markers OCT4, SOX2, pSTAT3 and NANOG by a population of cells within KS tissue. These are localised to the endothelium of the microvessels within the KALTs. NanoString gene expression analysis confirmed the abundance of the transcriptional expression of the same ESC markers. ISH localised the expression of the ESC transcripts to the primitive endothelium in KS tissue. This report demonstrates the expression of ESC markers OCT4, SOX2, pSTAT3 and NANOG by the endothelium of the microvessels within the KALTs. These findings show a unique niche of primitive cells within KS, expressing ESC markers, revealing a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of KS. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  17. A Novel Marker Based Method to Teeth Alignment in MRI

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luukinen, Jean-Marc; Aalto, Daniel; Malinen, Jarmo; Niikuni, Naoko; Saunavaara, Jani; Jääsaari, Päivi; Ojalammi, Antti; Parkkola, Riitta; Soukka, Tero; Happonen, Risto-Pekka

    2018-04-01

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can precisely capture the anatomy of the vocal tract. However, the crowns of teeth are not visible in standard MRI scans. In this study, a marker-based teeth alignment method is presented and evaluated. Ten patients undergoing orthognathic surgery were enrolled. Supraglottal airways were imaged preoperatively using structural MRI. MRI visible markers were developed, and they were attached to maxillary teeth and corresponding locations on the dental casts. Repeated measurements of intermarker distances in MRI and in a replica model was compared using linear regression analysis. Dental cast MRI and corresponding caliper measurements did not differ significantly. In contrast, the marker locations in vivo differed somewhat from the dental cast measurements likely due to marker placement inaccuracies. The markers were clearly visible in MRI and allowed for dental models to be aligned to head and neck MRI scans.

  18. Analysis of multiple spurions and associated circuits in Cofrentes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molina, J. J.; Celaya, M. A.

    2015-01-01

    The article describes the process followed by the Cofrentes Nuclear Power Plant (CNC) to conduct the analysis of multiple spurious in compliance with regulatory standards IS-30 rev 1 and CSN Safety Guide 1.19 based on the recommendations of the NEI-00-01 Guidance for Post-fire Safe Shutdown Circuit and NUREG/CR-6850. Fire PRA Methodology for Nuclear Power Facilities. (Author)

  19. Segmental distribution of some common molecular markers for colorectal cancer (CRC): influencing factors and potential implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papagiorgis, Petros Christakis

    2016-05-01

    Proximal and distal colorectal cancers (CRCs) are regarded as distinct disease entities, evolving through different genetic pathways and showing multiple clinicopathological and molecular differences. Segmental distribution of some common markers (e.g., KRAS, EGFR, Ki-67, Bcl-2, COX-2) is clinically important, potentially affecting their prognostic or predictive value. However, this distribution is influenced by a variety of factors such as the anatomical overlap of tumorigenic molecular events, associations of some markers with other clinicopathological features (stage and/or grade), and wide methodological variability in markers' assessment. All these factors represent principal influences followed by intratumoral heterogeneity and geographic variation in the frequency of detection of particular markers, whereas the role of other potential influences (e.g., pre-adjuvant treatment, interaction between markers) remains rather unclear. Better understanding and elucidation of the various influences may provide a more accurate picture of the segmental distribution of molecular markers in CRC, potentially allowing the application of a novel patient stratification for treatment, based on particular molecular profiles in combination with tumor location.

  20. Molecular Identification of Date Palm Cultivars Using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) Markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Khalifah, Nasser S; Shanavaskhan, A E

    2017-01-01

    Ambiguity in the total number of date palm cultivars across the world is pointing toward the necessity for an enumerative study using standard morphological and molecular markers. Among molecular markers, DNA markers are more suitable and ubiquitous to most applications. They are highly polymorphic in nature, frequently occurring in genomes, easy to access, and highly reproducible. Various molecular markers such as restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), simple sequence repeats (SSR), inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR), and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers have been successfully used as efficient tools for analysis of genetic variation in date palm. This chapter explains a stepwise protocol for extracting total genomic DNA from date palm leaves. A user-friendly protocol for RAPD analysis and a table showing the primers used in different molecular techniques that produce polymorphisms in date palm are also provided.

  1. Retinal layer segmentation in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petzold, Axel; Balcer, Laura J; Calabresi, Peter A; Costello, Fiona; Frohman, Teresa C; Frohman, Elliot M; Martinez-Lapiscina, Elena H; Green, Ari J; Kardon, Randy; Outteryck, Olivier; Paul, Friedemann; Schippling, Sven; Vermersch, Patrik; Villoslada, Pablo; Balk, Lisanne J

    2017-10-01

    Structural retinal imaging biomarkers are important for early recognition and monitoring of inflammation and neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis. With the introduction of spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), supervised automated segmentation of individual retinal layers is possible. We aimed to investigate which retinal layers show atrophy associated with neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis when measured with SD-OCT. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched for studies in which SD-OCT was used to look at the retina in people with multiple sclerosis with or without optic neuritis in PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar between Nov 22, 1991, and April 19, 2016. Data were taken from cross-sectional cohorts and from one timepoint from longitudinal studies (at least 3 months after onset in studies of optic neuritis). We classified data on eyes into healthy controls, multiple-sclerosis-associated optic neuritis (MSON), and multiple sclerosis without optic neuritis (MSNON). We assessed thickness of the retinal layers and we rated individual layer segmentation performance by random effects meta-analysis for MSON eyes versus control eyes, MSNON eyes versus control eyes, and MSNON eyes versus MSON eyes. We excluded relevant sources of bias by funnel plots. Of 25 497 records identified, 110 articles were eligible and 40 reported data (in total 5776 eyes from patients with multiple sclerosis [1667 MSON eyes and 4109 MSNON eyes] and 1697 eyes from healthy controls) that met published OCT quality control criteria and were suitable for meta-analysis. Compared with control eyes, the peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) showed thinning in MSON eyes (mean difference -20·10 μm, 95% CI -22·76 to -17·44; pmultiple sclerosis and control eyes were found in the peripapillary RNFL and macular GCIPL. Inflammatory disease activity might be captured by the INL. Because of the consistency, robustness, and large effect size, we

  2. Predictors of postoperative outcomes of cubital tunnel syndrome treatments using multiple logistic regression analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, Taku; Iwamoto, Takuji; Shizu, Kanae; Suzuki, Katsuji; Yamada, Harumoto; Sato, Kazuki

    2017-05-01

    This retrospective study was designed to investigate prognostic factors for postoperative outcomes for cubital tunnel syndrome (CubTS) using multiple logistic regression analysis with a large number of patients. Eighty-three patients with CubTS who underwent surgeries were enrolled. The following potential prognostic factors for disease severity were selected according to previous reports: sex, age, type of surgery, disease duration, body mass index, cervical lesion, presence of diabetes mellitus, Workers' Compensation status, preoperative severity, and preoperative electrodiagnostic testing. Postoperative severity of disease was assessed 2 years after surgery by Messina's criteria which is an outcome measure specifically for CubTS. Bivariate analysis was performed to select candidate prognostic factors for multiple linear regression analyses. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the association between postoperative severity and selected prognostic factors. Both bivariate and multiple linear regression analysis revealed only preoperative severity as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis, while other factors did not show any significant association. Although conflicting results exist regarding prognosis of CubTS, this study supports evidence from previous studies and concludes early surgical intervention portends the most favorable prognosis. Copyright © 2017 The Japanese Orthopaedic Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Analysis of antibody and cytokine markers for leprosy nerve damage and reactions in the INFIR cohort in India.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rupendra Jadhav

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The ILEP Nerve Function Impairment in Reaction (INFIR is a cohort study designed to identify predictors of reactions and nerve function impairment (NFI in leprosy.Antibodies to mycobacteria, nerve components and serum cytokine were measured as potential markers for their possible association with reactions and NFI.303 newly diagnosed leprosy patients from two centres in North India were enrolled. Antibodies to PGL-1, LAM (IgG1 and IgG3, ceramide, S100 and TNFα levels were measured using ELISA techniques.S-100, PGL IgG and IgM antibody levels were lowest in patients with BT leprosy and highest in patients with lepromatous leprosy. LAM IgG1 and LAM IgG3 antibody levels were highest in patients with BL leprosy. Ceramide antibody levels were not correlated with type of leprosy. Levels of all the antibodies tested and TNF α were lowest in patients with only skin reaction. PGL IgM antibody levels were elevated in patients with skin reactions and NFI. Old sensory NFI is associated with significant elevation of PGL IgG, LAM IgG and S100 antibody levels.These results reveal that the antibody response to mycobacterial antigens, nerve antigens and cytokines are in a dynamic flux and could collectively contribute to NFI in leprosy. The association of multiple markers with old NFI may indicate the contribution of different pathological processes.

  4. Development of SSR Markers Based on Transcriptome Sequencing and Association Analysis with Drought Tolerance in Perennial Grass Miscanthus from China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gang Nie

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Drought has become a critical environmental stress affecting on plant in temperate area. As one of the promising bio-energy crops to sustainable biomass production, the genus Miscanthus has been widely studied around the world. However, the most widely used hybrid cultivar among this genus, Miscanthus × giganteus is proved poor drought tolerance compared to some parental species. Here we mainly focused on Miscanthus sinensis, which is one of the progenitors of M. × giganteus providing a comparable yield and well abiotic stress tolerance in some places. The main objectives were to characterize the physiological and photosynthetic respond to drought stress and to develop simple sequence repeats (SSRs markers associated with drought tolerance by transcriptome sequencing within an originally collection of 44 Miscanthus genotypes from southwest China. Significant phenotypic differences were observed among genotypes, and the average of leaf relative water content (RWC were severely affected by drought stress decreasing from 88.27 to 43.21%, which could well contribute to separating the drought resistant and drought sensitive genotype of Miscanthus. Furthermore, a total of 16,566 gene-associated SSRs markers were identified based on Illumina RNA sequencing under drought conditions, and 93 of them were randomly selected to validate. In total, 70 (75.3% SSRs were successfully amplified and the generated loci from 30 polymorphic SSRs were used to estimate the genetic differentiation and population structure. Finally, two optimum subgroups of the population were determined by structure analysis and based on association analysis, seven significant associations were identified including two markers with leaf RWC and five markers with photosynthetic traits. With the rich sequencing resources annotation, such associations would serve an efficient tool for Miscanthus drought response mechanism study and facilitate genetic improvement of drought resistant for

  5. Analysis and functional annotation of expressed sequence tags (ESTs from multiple tissues of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lee Weng-Wah

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Oil palm is the second largest source of edible oil which contributes to approximately 20% of the world's production of oils and fats. In order to understand the molecular biology involved in in vitro propagation, flowering, efficient utilization of nitrogen sources and root diseases, we have initiated an expressed sequence tag (EST analysis on oil palm. Results In this study, six cDNA libraries from oil palm zygotic embryos, suspension cells, shoot apical meristems, young flowers, mature flowers and roots, were constructed. We have generated a total of 14537 expressed sequence tags (ESTs from these libraries, from which 6464 tentative unique contigs (TUCs and 2129 singletons were obtained. Approximately 6008 of these tentative unique genes (TUGs have significant matches to the non-redundant protein database, from which 2361 were assigned to one or more Gene Ontology categories. Predominant transcripts and differentially expressed genes were identified in multiple oil palm tissues. Homologues of genes involved in many aspects of flower development were also identified among the EST collection, such as CONSTANS-like, AGAMOUS-like (AGL2, AGL20, LFY-like, SQUAMOSA, SQUAMOSA binding protein (SBP etc. Majority of them are the first representatives in oil palm, providing opportunities to explore the cause of epigenetic homeotic flowering abnormality in oil palm, given the importance of flowering in fruit production. The transcript levels of two flowering-related genes, EgSBP and EgSEP were analysed in the flower tissues of various developmental stages. Gene homologues for enzymes involved in oil biosynthesis, utilization of nitrogen sources, and scavenging of oxygen radicals, were also uncovered among the oil palm ESTs. Conclusion The EST sequences generated will allow comparative genomic studies between oil palm and other monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants, development of gene-targeted markers for the reference genetic map

  6. Inflammatory markers in dependence on the plasma concentration of 37 fatty acids after the coronary stent implantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Handl, Jiří; Meloun, Milan; Mužáková, Vladimíra

    2018-02-05

    Using the regression model building the relationships between the concentration of 37 fatty acids of blood plasma phospholipids of 41 patients with coronary artery disease after coronary stent implantation, the inflammatory response and oxidative stress markers were estimated. The dynamics of the inflammatory response and the oxidative stress was indicated by measuring plasma concentrations of highly sensitive C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, serum amyloid A and malondialdehyde before, 24h after stent implantation. The multiple linear regression analysis was preceded by an exploratory data analysis, principal component analysis, factor analysis and cluster analysis, which proved a hidden internal relation of 37 fatty acids. The concentration of cerotic acid (C26:0) has been positively associated with an increase of malondialdehyde concentration after stent implantation, while the concentrations of tetracosatetraenoic (C24:4 N6) and nonadecanoic (C19:0) acids were associated with decrease of lipoperoxidation. The increase of interleukin-6 during the 24h after implantation was associated with higher levels of pentadecanoic acid (C15:0) and lower levels of α-linolenic acid (C18:3 N3). Regression models found several significant fatty acids at which the strength of the parameter β for each fatty acid on selected markers of C-reactive protein, malondialdehyde, interleukin-6 and serum amyloid A was estimated. Parameter β testifies to the power of the positive or negative relationship of the fatty acid concentration on the concentration of selected markers. The influencing effect of the cerotic acid (C26:0) concentration in plasma phospholipids exhibiting parameter β=140.4 is, for example, 3.5 times higher than this effect of n-3 tetracosapentaenoic acid (C24:5 N3) with β=40.0. Composition of fatty acids in plasma phospholipids shows spectrum of fatty acids available for intercellular communication in systemic inflammatory response of organism and should affect

  7. [Norrie syndrome: identification of carriers by segregation analysis with flanking DNA markers].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Körner, J; Uhlhaas, S; Neugebauer, M; Gal, A

    1989-01-01

    Norrie disease is an X-linked recessive disorder. Affected males present with congenital blindness. Additionally, hearing loss and psychotic behavior may occur at any time. Since carriers are clinically healthy, they can only be identified by genetic means. Daughters of carriers or sisters of affected males have an à priori 50% risk of being carriers themselves. Close linkage has been found between the Norrie disease locus (NDP) and the DNA locus DXS7 mapped to Xp11.3. For genetic counselling, this linkage relationship allows carriers of the disease to be identified in informative families. We describe a large pedigree with Norrie disease. Segregation analysis was carried out with DXS7 and a second flanking marker, DXS255, both linked to NDP. In this way, three females at risk were identified who had a high probability of being carriers for Norrie disease.

  8. Efficacy of Bisphosphonates for the Treatment of Osteoporosis in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    İlke Coşkun Benlidayı

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of bisphosphonates in osteoporotic patients with multiple sclerosis. Materials and Methods: Patients with multiple sclerosis, who were started on treatment with a diagnosis of osteoporosis, at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine Çukurova University, between January 2011 and January 2014, were included in this study. Patients were allocated into control (calcium-vitamin D alone and active treatment (calcium-vitamin D and bisphosphonate groups according to their medications. Response to the 12-month treatment in terms of bone mineral density (BMD values and biological marker levels were evaluated, both within and between groups. Results: The study group consisted of 29 patients (14 controls and 15 active treatment. Evaluation performed within each group revealed no significant difference between baseline and post-treatment values of BMD and biological markers in controls. However, regarding the active treatment group, a significant increase in L1-L4 T-score and 25(OHD was detected. When delta values were taken into account, comparison between groups revealed no significant difference in terms of BMD and biological marker levels. Conclusion: The effect of calcium-vitamin D alone on BMD and biologic markers was similar to that of calcium-vitamin D and bisphosphonate combination, in multiple sclerosis patients with osteoporosis. However, prospective, randomized, controlled studies are required on this issue. (Turkish Journal of Osteoporosis 2015;21: 53-7

  9. Genome-Wide DNA Copy Number Analysis of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Identifies New Genetic Markers Associated with Clinical Outcome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maribel Forero-Castro

    Full Text Available Identifying additional genetic alterations associated with poor prognosis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL is still a challenge.To characterize the presence of additional DNA copy number alterations (CNAs in children and adults with ALL by whole-genome oligonucleotide array (aCGH analysis, and to identify their associations with clinical features and outcome. Array-CGH was carried out in 265 newly diagnosed ALLs (142 children and 123 adults. The NimbleGen CGH 12x135K array (Roche was used to analyze genetic gains and losses. CNAs were analyzed with GISTIC and aCGHweb software. Clinical and biological variables were analyzed. Three of the patients showed chromothripsis (cth6, cth14q and cth15q. CNAs were associated with age, phenotype, genetic subtype and overall survival (OS. In the whole cohort of children, the losses on 14q32.33 (p = 0.019 and 15q13.2 (p = 0.04 were related to shorter OS. In the group of children without good- or poor-risk cytogenetics, the gain on 1p36.11 was a prognostic marker independently associated with shorter OS. In adults, the gains on 19q13.2 (p = 0.001 and Xp21.1 (p = 0.029, and the loss of 17p (p = 0.014 were independent markers of poor prognosis with respect to OS. In summary, CNAs are frequent in ALL and are associated with clinical parameters and survival. Genome-wide DNA copy number analysis allows the identification of genetic markers that predict clinical outcome, suggesting that detection of these genetic lesions will be useful in the management of patients newly diagnosed with ALL.

  10. Data analysis and pattern recognition in multiple databases

    CERN Document Server

    Adhikari, Animesh; Pedrycz, Witold

    2014-01-01

    Pattern recognition in data is a well known classical problem that falls under the ambit of data analysis. As we need to handle different data, the nature of patterns, their recognition and the types of data analyses are bound to change. Since the number of data collection channels increases in the recent time and becomes more diversified, many real-world data mining tasks can easily acquire multiple databases from various sources. In these cases, data mining becomes more challenging for several essential reasons. We may encounter sensitive data originating from different sources - those cannot be amalgamated. Even if we are allowed to place different data together, we are certainly not able to analyse them when local identities of patterns are required to be retained. Thus, pattern recognition in multiple databases gives rise to a suite of new, challenging problems different from those encountered before. Association rule mining, global pattern discovery, and mining patterns of select items provide different...

  11. AFLP Markers as a tool to reconstruct complex relationships: a case study in Rosa (Rosaceae)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koopman, W.J.M.; Wissemann, V.; Cock, de K.; Huylenbroeck, van J.; Riek, de J.; Sabatino, G.J.H.; Visser, D.L.; Vosman, B.; Ritz, K.; Maes, B.; Werlemark, G.; Nybom, H.; Debener, T.; Linde, M.; Smulders, M.J.M.

    2008-01-01

    The genus Rosa has a complex evolutionary history caused by several factors, often in conjunction: extensive hybridization, recent radiation, incomplete lineage sorting, and multiple events of polyploidy. We examined the applicability of AFLP markers for reconstructing (species) relationships in

  12. Marker-trait association study for protein content in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jadhav, A A; Rayate, S J; Mhase, L B; Thudi, M; Chitikineni, A; Harer, P N; Jadhav, A S; Varshney, R K; Kulwal, P L

    2015-06-01

    Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the second most important cool season food legume cultivated in arid and semiarid regions of the world. The objective of the present study was to study variation for protein content in chickpea germplasm, and to find markers associated with it. A set of 187 genotypes comprising both international and exotic collections, and representing both desi and kabuli types with protein content ranging from 13.25% to 26.77% was used. Twenty-three SSR markers representing all eight linkage groups (LG) amplifying 153 loci were used for the analysis. Population structure analysis identified three subpopulations, and corresponding Q values of principal components were used to take care of population structure in the analysis which was performed using general linear and mixed linear models. Marker-trait association (MTA) analysis identified nine significant associations representing four QTLs in the entire population. Subpopulation analyses identified ten significant MTAs representing five QTLs, four of which were common with that of the entire population. Two most significant QTLs linked with markers TR26.205 and CaM1068.195 were present on LG3 and LG5. Gene ontology search identified 29 candidate genes in the region of significant MTAs on LG3. The present study will be helpful in concentrating on LG3 and LG5 for identification of closely linked markers for protein content in chickpea and for their use in molecular breeding programme for nutritional quality improvement.

  13. Towards a molecular taxonomic key of the Aurantioideae subfamily using chloroplastic SNP diagnostic markers of the main clades genotyped by competitive allele-specific PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oueslati, Amel; Ollitrault, Frederique; Baraket, Ghada; Salhi-Hannachi, Amel; Navarro, Luis; Ollitrault, Patrick

    2016-08-18

    Chloroplast DNA is a primary source of molecular variations for phylogenetic analysis of photosynthetic eukaryotes. However, the sequencing and analysis of multiple chloroplastic regions is difficult to apply to large collections or large samples of natural populations. The objective of our work was to demonstrate that a molecular taxonomic key based on easy, scalable and low-cost genotyping method should be developed from a set of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) diagnostic of well-established clades. It was applied to the Aurantioideae subfamily, the largest group of the Rutaceae family that includes the cultivated citrus species. The publicly available nucleotide sequences of eight plastid genomic regions were compared for 79 accessions of the Aurantioideae subfamily to search for SNPs revealing taxonomic differentiation at the inter-tribe, inter-subtribe, inter-genus and interspecific levels. Diagnostic SNPs (DSNPs) were found for 46 of the 54 clade levels analysed. Forty DSNPs were selected to develop KASPar markers and their taxonomic value was tested by genotyping 108 accessions of the Aurantioideae subfamily. Twenty-seven markers diagnostic of 24 clades were validated and they displayed a very high rate of transferability in the Aurantioideae subfamily (only 1.2 % of missing data on average). The UPGMA from the validated markers produced a cladistic organisation that was highly coherent with the previous phylogenetic analysis based on the sequence data of the eight plasmid regions. In particular, the monophyletic origin of the "true citrus" genera plus Oxanthera was validated. However, some clarification remains necessary regarding the organisation of the other wild species of the Citreae tribe. We validated the concept that with well-established clades, DSNPs can be selected and efficiently transformed into competitive allele-specific PCR markers (KASPar method) allowing cost-effective highly efficient cladistic analysis in large collections at

  14. Endovascular treatment of chronic cerebro spinal venous insufficiency in patients with multiple sclerosis modifies circulating markers of endothelial dysfunction and coagulation activation: a prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Napolitano, Mariasanta; Bruno, Aldo; Mastrangelo, Diego; De Vizia, Marcella; Bernardo, Benedetto; Rosa, Buonagura; De Lucia, Domenico

    2014-10-01

    We performed a monocentric observational prospective study to evaluate coagulation activation and endothelial dysfunction parameters in patients with multiple sclerosis undergoing endovascular treatment for cerebro-spinal-venous insufficiency. Between February 2011 and July 2012, 144 endovascular procedures in 110 patients with multiple sclerosis and chronical cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency were performed and they were prospectively analyzed. Each patient was included in the study according to previously published criteria, assessed by the investigators before enrollment. Endothelial dysfunction and coagulation activation parameters were determined before the procedure and during follow-up at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months after treatment, respectively. After the endovascular procedure, patients were treated with standard therapies, with the addition of mesoglycan. Fifty-five percent of patients experienced a favorable outcome of multiple sclerosis within 1 month after treatment, 25% regressed in the following 3 months, 24.9% did not experience any benefit. In only 0.1% patients, acute recurrence was observed and it was treated with high-dose immunosuppressive therapy. No major complications were observed. Coagulation activation and endothelial dysfunction parameters were shown to be reduced at 1 month and stable up to 12-month follow-up, and they were furthermore associated with a good clinical outcome. Endovascular procedures performed by a qualified staff are well tolerated; they can be associated with other currently adopted treatments. Correlations between inflammation, coagulation activation and neurodegenerative disorders are here supported by the observed variations in plasma levels of markers of coagulation activation and endothelial dysfunction.

  15. Expanding Possibilities for Intervention against Small Ruminant Lentiviruses through Genetic Marker-Assisted Selective Breeding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donald P. Knowles

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Small ruminant lentiviruses include members that infect sheep (ovine lentivirus [OvLV]; also known as ovine progressive pneumonia virus/maedi-visna virus and goats (caprine arthritis encephalitis virus [CAEV]. Breed differences in seroprevalence and proviral concentration of OvLV had suggested a strong genetic component in susceptibility to infection by OvLV in sheep. A genetic marker test for susceptibility to OvLV has been developed recently based on the TMEM154 gene with validation data from over 2,800 sheep representing nine cohorts. While no single genotype has been shown to have complete resistance to OvLV, consistent association in thousands of sheep from multiple breeds and management conditions highlight a new strategy for intervention by selective breeding. This genetic marker-assisted selection (MAS has the potential to be a useful addition to existing viral control measures. Further, the discovery of multiple additional genomic regions associated with susceptibility to or control of OvLV suggests that additional genetic marker tests may be developed to extend the reach of MAS in the future. This review will cover the strengths and limitations of existing data from host genetics as an intervention and outline additional questions for future genetic research in sheep, goats, small ruminant lentiviruses, and their host-pathogen interactions.

  16. Expanding Possibilities for Intervention against Small Ruminant Lentiviruses through Genetic Marker-Assisted Selective Breeding

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Stephen N.; Knowles, Donald P.

    2013-01-01

    Small ruminant lentiviruses include members that infect sheep (ovine lentivirus [OvLV]; also known as ovine progressive pneumonia virus/maedi-visna virus) and goats (caprine arthritis encephalitis virus [CAEV]). Breed differences in seroprevalence and proviral concentration of OvLV had suggested a strong genetic component in susceptibility to infection by OvLV in sheep. A genetic marker test for susceptibility to OvLV has been developed recently based on the TMEM154 gene with validation data from over 2,800 sheep representing nine cohorts. While no single genotype has been shown to have complete resistance to OvLV, consistent association in thousands of sheep from multiple breeds and management conditions highlight a new strategy for intervention by selective breeding. This genetic marker-assisted selection (MAS) has the potential to be a useful addition to existing viral control measures. Further, the discovery of multiple additional genomic regions associated with susceptibility to or control of OvLV suggests that additional genetic marker tests may be developed to extend the reach of MAS in the future. This review will cover the strengths and limitations of existing data from host genetics as an intervention and outline additional questions for future genetic research in sheep, goats, small ruminant lentiviruses, and their host-pathogen interactions. PMID:23771240

  17. Steady State Analysis of Stochastic Systems with Multiple Time Delays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, W.; Sun, C. Y.; Zhang, H. Q.

    In this paper, attention is focused on the steady state analysis of a class of nonlinear dynamic systems with multi-delayed feedbacks driven by multiplicative correlated Gaussian white noises. The Fokker-Planck equations for delayed variables are at first derived by Novikov's theorem. Then, under small delay assumption, the approximate stationary solutions are obtained by the probability density approach. As a special case, the effects of multidelay feedbacks and the correlated additive and multiplicative Gaussian white noises on the response of a bistable system are considered. It is shown that the obtained analytical results are in good agreement with experimental results in Monte Carlo simulations.

  18. Quantitative analysis of TEM-8 and CEA tumor markers indicating free tumor cells in the peripheral blood of colorectal cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raeisossadati, Reza; Farshchian, Moein; Ganji, Azita; Tavassoli, Alieza; Velayati, Arash; Dadkhah, Ezzat; Chavoshi, Somaye; Mehrabi Bahar, Mostafa; Memar, Bahram; Rajabi Mashhadi, Mohammad Taghi; Naseh, Hossein; Forghanifard, Mohammad Mahdi; Moghbeli, Meysam; Moaven, Omeed; Abbaszadegan, Mohammad Reza

    2011-10-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the third most common cancer in the world. Approximately in 50 percent of patients, metastatic disease is a major cause of death. Therefore, early diagnosis of CRC is crucial for a successful outcome. For the detection of circulating cancer cells, this study applied a sensitive method that employed specific tumor markers for early detection. A total of 80 blood samples from 40 CRC patients and 40 age-matched healthy controls were collected for the study. The circulating mRNA levels of two CRC tumor markers, tumor endothelial marker 8 (TEM-8) and carcinoembryogenic antigen (CEA) were evaluated using an absolute quantitative real-time PCR assay in a Stratagene Mx-3000P real-time PCR system. GAPDH was used as the endogenous control. TEM-8 and CEA were primarily detected more in the CRC patients rather than in the controls: 22/40 vs 9/40, p=0.009 and 30/40 vs 11/40, p=0.00054, respectively. In the CRC patients, the mRNA level of these markers was significantly higher in comparison to the normal controls (p=0.018 and 0.01). The overall sensitivity of this panel was 65% with a specificity of 75%. Statistical analysis for demographic variants did not reach significant values. TEM-8 and CEA markers were detected more frequently and in significantly higher levels in the blood samples of patients compared with samples from age-matched healthy controls. The copy number of CEA and TEM-8 mRNA, as detected by a real-time quantitative PCR, appears to be a promising marker for evaluating the risk of tumor spread.

  19. Sequence based polymorphic (SBP marker technology for targeted genomic regions: its application in generating a molecular map of the Arabidopsis thaliana genome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sahu Binod B

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Molecular markers facilitate both genotype identification, essential for modern animal and plant breeding, and the isolation of genes based on their map positions. Advancements in sequencing technology have made possible the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs for any genomic regions. Here a sequence based polymorphic (SBP marker technology for generating molecular markers for targeted genomic regions in Arabidopsis is described. Results A ~3X genome coverage sequence of the Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype, Niederzenz (Nd-0 was obtained by applying Illumina's sequencing by synthesis (Solexa technology. Comparison of the Nd-0 genome sequence with the assembled Columbia-0 (Col-0 genome sequence identified putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs throughout the entire genome. Multiple 75 base pair Nd-0 sequence reads containing SNPs and originating from individual genomic DNA molecules were the basis for developing co-dominant SBP markers. SNPs containing Col-0 sequences, supported by transcript sequences or sequences from multiple BAC clones, were compared to the respective Nd-0 sequences to identify possible restriction endonuclease enzyme site variations. Small amplicons, PCR amplified from both ecotypes, were digested with suitable restriction enzymes and resolved on a gel to reveal the sequence based polymorphisms. By applying this technology, 21 SBP markers for the marker poor regions of the Arabidopsis map representing polymorphisms between Col-0 and Nd-0 ecotypes were generated. Conclusions The SBP marker technology described here allowed the development of molecular markers for targeted genomic regions of Arabidopsis. It should facilitate isolation of co-dominant molecular markers for targeted genomic regions of any animal or plant species, whose genomic sequences have been assembled. This technology will particularly facilitate the development of high density molecular marker maps, essential for

  20. 3D fluid-structure modelling and vibration analysis for fault diagnosis of Francis turbine using multiple ANN and multiple ANFIS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saeed, R. A.; Galybin, A. N.; Popov, V.

    2013-01-01

    This paper discusses condition monitoring and fault diagnosis in Francis turbine based on integration of numerical modelling with several different artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. In this study, a numerical approach for fluid-structure (turbine runner) analysis is presented. The results of numerical analysis provide frequency response functions (FRFs) data sets along x-, y- and z-directions under different operating load and different position and size of faults in the structure. To extract features and reduce the dimensionality of the obtained FRF data, the principal component analysis (PCA) has been applied. Subsequently, the extracted features are formulated and fed into multiple artificial neural networks (ANN) and multiple adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS) in order to identify the size and position of the damage in the runner and estimate the turbine operating conditions. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach and provide satisfactory accuracy even when the input data are corrupted with certain level of noise.

  1. Verification of the utility of molecular markers linked to the multiple ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    GREGORY

    2010-08-30

    Aug 30, 2010 ... Feng Hui*, Wang Lili, Wei Peng, Liu Zhiyong, Li Chengyu, Wang Yugang, Ji Ruiqin and Zhang. Huaqing ..... Chin. Agric. Sci. Bull. 22: 377-379. Li CY, Feng H, Wei P, Wang LL, Zhang J, Yang HN, Jiang N (2009). Directional transfer of the genic multiple allele inherited male sterile line in Chinese cabbage.

  2. High Resolution of Quantitative Traits Into Multiple Loci via Interval Mapping

    OpenAIRE

    Jansen, Ritsert C.; Stam, Piet

    1994-01-01

    A very general method is described for multiple linear regression of a quantitative phenotype on genotype [putative quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and markers] in segregating generations obtained from line crosses. The method exploits two features, (a) the use of additional parental and F1 data, which fixes the joint QTL effects and the environmental error, and (b) the use of markers as cofactors, which reduces the genetic background noise. As a result, a significant increase of QTL detection...

  3. Molecular diversity analysis of Tetradium ruticarpum (WuZhuYu) in China based on inter-primer binding site (iPBS) markers and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jing-Yuan; Zhu, Yan; Yi, Ze; Wu, Gang; Xie, Guo-Yong; Qin, Min-Jian

    2018-01-01

    "Wu zhu yu", which is obtained from the dried unripe fruits of Tetradium ruticarpum (A. Jussieu) T. G. Hartley, has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of headaches, abdominal colic, and hypertension for thousands of years. The present study was designed to assess the molecular genetic diversity among 25 collected accessions of T. ruticarpum (Wu zhu yu in Chinese) from different areas of China, based on inter-primer binding site (iPBS) markers and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Thirteen ISSR primers generated 151 amplification bands, of which 130 were polymorphic. Out of 165 bands that were amplified using 10 iPBS primers, 152 were polymorphic. The iPBS markers displayed a higher proportion of polymorphic loci (PPL = 92.5%) than the ISSR markers (PPL = 84.9%). The results showed that T. ruticarpum possessed high loci polymorphism and genetic differentiation occurred in this plant. The combined data of iPBS and ISSR markers scored on 25 accessions produced five clusters that approximately matched the geographic distribution of the species. The results indicated that both iPBS and ISSR markers were reliable and effective tools for analyzing the genetic diversity in T. ruticarpum. Copyright © 2018 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Serum tumor markers in chronic kidney disease: as clinical tool in diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amiri, Fateme Shamekhi

    2016-01-01

    Cancer is singled out as the biggest cause of death in the world, predicted to reach 13.1 million cancer-related deaths by the year 2030. Although there are no specific tumor markers used in cancer screening, some markers can be used to assist in making a diagnosis and determining a prognosis. They can be used to follow in cases where the diagnosis is cancer through monitoring of the disease recurrence and/or evaluating the response to therapy. These markers are not specific as the number increases in multiple cases of cancer. Some markers are positive in a single type of cancer; others are detectable in more than one type. An ideal tumor marker should be highly sensitive, specific, and reliable with high prognostic value. Other characteristics of an ideal tumor marker are organ specificity and correlation of it with tumor stages. However, none of the tumor markers reported to date has all these characteristics. Influence of different stages of chronic kidney function on serum tumor markers is variable. Furthermore, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplantation affect on tumor markers differently. Sometimes, no study has been found in the literature review. Combined serum tumor markers may also be valuable. This literature review points the role of serum tumor markers in screening, diagnosis, and follow-up of cancer patients in chronic kidney disease patients and renal allograft recipients. In addition, impact of chronic kidney disease and kidney transplantation on different serum tumor markers is briefly explored.

  5. Multiple SNP markers reveal fine-scale population and deep phylogeographic structure in European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus L.).

    KAUST Repository

    Zarraonaindia, Iratxe; Iriondo, Mikel; Albaina, Aitor; Pardo, Miguel Angel; Manzano, Carmen; Grant, W Stewart; Irigoien, Xabier; Estonba, Andone

    2012-01-01

    DNA SNPs define two deep phylogroups that reflect ancient dispersals and colonizations. These markers define two ecological groups. One major group of Iberian-Atlantic populations is associated with upwelling areas on narrow continental shelves and includes

  6. Characterization of nuclear and chloroplast microsatellite markers for Falcaria vulgaris (Apiaceae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarbottam Piya; Madhav P. Nepal

    2013-01-01

    Falcaria vulgaris (sickleweed) is native to Eurasia and a potential invasive plant of the United States. No molecular markers have been developed so far for sickleweed. Characterization of molecular markers for this plant would allow investigation into its population structure and biogeography thereby yielding insights into risk analysis and effective management...

  7. Automatic tracking of implanted fiducial markers in cone beam CT projection images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marchant, T. E.; Skalski, A.; Matuszewski, B. J.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: This paper describes a novel method for simultaneous intrafraction tracking of multiple fiducial markers. Although the proposed method is generic and can be adopted for a number of applications including fluoroscopy based patient position monitoring and gated radiotherapy, the tracking results presented in this paper are specific to tracking fiducial markers in a sequence of cone beam CT projection images. Methods: The proposed method is accurate and robust thanks to utilizing the mean shift and random sampling principles, respectively. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated with qualitative and quantitative methods, using data from two pancreatic and one prostate cancer patients and a moving phantom. The ground truth, for quantitative evaluation, was calculated based on manual tracking preformed by three observers. Results: The average dispersion of marker position error calculated from the tracking results for pancreas data (six markers tracked over 640 frames, 3840 marker identifications) was 0.25 mm (at iscoenter), compared with an average dispersion for the manual ground truth estimated at 0.22 mm. For prostate data (three markers tracked over 366 frames, 1098 marker identifications), the average error was 0.34 mm. The estimated tracking error in the pancreas data was < 1 mm (2 pixels) in 97.6% of cases where nearby image clutter was detected and in 100.0% of cases with no nearby image clutter. Conclusions: The proposed method has accuracy comparable to that of manual tracking and, in combination with the proposed batch postprocessing, superior robustness. Marker tracking in cone beam CT (CBCT) projections is useful for a variety of purposes, such as providing data for assessment of intrafraction motion, target tracking during rotational treatment delivery, motion correction of CBCT, and phase sorting for 4D CBCT.

  8. An integrated probabilistic risk analysis decision support methodology for systems with multiple state variables

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sen, P.; Tan, John K.G.; Spencer, David

    1999-01-01

    Probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) methods have been proven to be valuable in risk and reliability analysis. However, a weak link seems to exist between methods for analysing risks and those for making rational decisions. The integrated decision support system (IDSS) methodology presented in this paper attempts to address this issue in a practical manner. In consists of three phases: a PRA phase, a risk sensitivity analysis (SA) phase and an optimisation phase, which are implemented through an integrated computer software system. In the risk analysis phase the problem is analysed by the Boolean representation method (BRM), a PRA method that can deal with systems with multiple state variables and feedback loops. In the second phase the results obtained from the BRM are utilised directly to perform importance and risk SA. In the third phase, the problem is formulated as a multiple objective decision making problem in the form of multiple objective reliability optimisation. An industrial example is included. The resultant solutions of a five objective reliability optimisation are presented, on the basis of which rational decision making can be explored

  9. Identification of fecal contamination sources in water using host-associated markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krentz, Corinne A; Prystajecky, Natalie; Isaac-Renton, Judith

    2013-03-01

    In British Columbia, Canada, drinking water is tested for total coliforms and Escherichia coli, but there is currently no routine follow-up testing to investigate fecal contamination sources in samples that test positive for indicator bacteria. Reliable microbial source tracking (MST) tools to rapidly test water samples for multiple fecal contamination markers simultaneously are currently lacking. The objectives of this study were (i) to develop a qualitative MST tool to identify fecal contamination from different host groups, and (ii) to evaluate the MST tool using water samples with evidence of fecal contamination. Singleplex and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used to test (i) water from polluted sites and (ii) raw and drinking water samples for presence of bacterial genetic markers associated with feces from humans, cattle, seagulls, pigs, chickens, and geese. The multiplex MST assay correctly identified suspected contamination sources in contaminated waterways, demonstrating that this test may have utility for heavily contaminated sites. Most raw and drinking water samples analyzed using singleplex PCR contained at least one host-associated marker. Singleplex PCR was capable of detecting host-associated markers in small sample volumes and is therefore a promising tool to further analyze water samples submitted for routine testing and provide information useful for water quality management.

  10. A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF ARABIC AND ENGLISH NOUN PLURAL MARKERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aliyatul Himmah

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper is attempting to explore the plural markers in both Arabic and English. The data collected qualitatively are sorted to meet the scope of this paper. Through contrastive analysis, it is discovered that there are numerous significant differences rather than similarities in terms of syllable count start, patterns of plural nouns in relation to gender, regularity, regular vs irregular plural and internal vowel change. Moreover, Arabic has some uniqueness in its plural marking system. Being well informed on all of these might pave the way for second or foreign language learners to comprehensively understand the plural marking system in Arabic and English.   Tulisan ini mencoba untuk mengeksplorasi penanda jamak dalam bahasa Arab dan bahasa Inggris. Data yang dikumpulkan secara kualitatif diurutkan untuk memenuhi cakupan makalah ini. Melalui analisis kontrastif, ditemukan banyak perbedaan yang signifikan daripada kesamaan dalam segi jumlah awal suku kata, pola kata benda jamak dalam kaitannya dengan gender, keteraturan dan ketidakteraturan jamak, serta perubahan vokal. Selain itu, bahasa Arab memiliki beberapa keunikan dalam sistem menandai jamaknya. Memahami informasi hal tersebut dengan baik mungkin memudahkan pembelajar bahasa kedua atau asing untuk memahami secara komprehensif sistem penanda jamak dalam bahasa Arab dan Inggris

  11. Workflow for high-content, individual cell quantification of fluorescent markers from universal microscope data, supported by open source software.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stockwell, Simon R; Mittnacht, Sibylle

    2014-12-16

    Advances in understanding the control mechanisms governing the behavior of cells in adherent mammalian tissue culture models are becoming increasingly dependent on modes of single-cell analysis. Methods which deliver composite data reflecting the mean values of biomarkers from cell populations risk losing subpopulation dynamics that reflect the heterogeneity of the studied biological system. In keeping with this, traditional approaches are being replaced by, or supported with, more sophisticated forms of cellular assay developed to allow assessment by high-content microscopy. These assays potentially generate large numbers of images of fluorescent biomarkers, which enabled by accompanying proprietary software packages, allows for multi-parametric measurements per cell. However, the relatively high capital costs and overspecialization of many of these devices have prevented their accessibility to many investigators. Described here is a universally applicable workflow for the quantification of multiple fluorescent marker intensities from specific subcellular regions of individual cells suitable for use with images from most fluorescent microscopes. Key to this workflow is the implementation of the freely available Cell Profiler software(1) to distinguish individual cells in these images, segment them into defined subcellular regions and deliver fluorescence marker intensity values specific to these regions. The extraction of individual cell intensity values from image data is the central purpose of this workflow and will be illustrated with the analysis of control data from a siRNA screen for G1 checkpoint regulators in adherent human cells. However, the workflow presented here can be applied to analysis of data from other means of cell perturbation (e.g., compound screens) and other forms of fluorescence based cellular markers and thus should be useful for a wide range of laboratories.

  12. Marker evaluation for differentiation of blood and menstrual fluid by methylation-sensitive SNaPshot analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holtkötter, Hannah; Schwender, Kristina; Wiegand, Peter; Pfeiffer, Heidi; Vennemann, Marielle

    2018-03-01

    The differentiation of blood and menstrual fluid is especially important in cases of alleged sexual assault. While the identification of blood is relatively straightforward, the identification of menstrual fluid in trace evidence has been shown to be more challenging. This may be due to the complex nature of menstrual fluid that leads to intra- and inter-individual differences in composition. Nevertheless, recent advances in DNA methylation profiling have revealed promising markers for the differentiation of the two body fluids and furthermore, markers to distinguish menstrual fluid from vaginal fluid. A literature study was performed and in total, 11 markers were evaluated in this study of which seven could be validated for menstrual fluid and blood identification purposes. Marker "BLU2" (chr16:29757334) was identified as most suitable for differentiation of blood and menstrual fluid.

  13. Short Communication: Genetic linkage map of Cucurbita maxima with molecular and morphological markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ge, Y; Li, X; Yang, X X; Cui, C S; Qu, S P

    2015-05-22

    Cucurbita maxima is one of the most widely cultivated vegetables in China and exhibits distinct morphological characteristics. In this study, genetic linkage analysis with 57 simple-sequence repeats, 21 amplified fragment length polymorphisms, 3 random-amplified polymorphic DNA, and one morphological marker revealed 20 genetic linkage groups of C. maxima covering a genetic distance of 991.5 cM with an average of 12.1 cM between adjacent markers. Genetic linkage analysis identified the simple-sequence repeat marker 'PU078072' 5.9 cM away from the locus 'Rc', which controls rind color. The genetic map in the present study will be useful for better mapping, tagging, and cloning of quantitative trait loci/gene(s) affecting economically important traits and for breeding new varieties of C. maxima through marker-assisted selection.

  14. Prenatal exclusion of Norrie disease with flanking DNA markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gal, A; Uhlhaas, S; Glaser, D; Grimm, T

    1988-10-01

    Three polymorphic DNA markers linked to the locus of Norrie disease were used for indirect genotype analysis in a ten-wk-old fetus at risk for the disease. When haplotypes of the family members and the estimated recombination frequency between Norrie gene and each of the DNA marker loci DXS7, DXS84, and DXS146 were taken into account, the risk that the fetus had inherited the mutation was about 1%.

  15. Tantalum markers in radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aronson, A.S.; Jonsson, N.; Alberius, P.

    1985-01-01

    The biocompatibility of two types of radiopaque tantalum markers was evaluated histologically. Reactions to pin markers (99.9% purity) and spherical markers (95.2% purity) were investigated after 3-6 weeks in rabbits and 5-48 weeks in children with abnormal growth. Both marker types were firmly attached to bone trabeculae; this was most pronounced in rabbit bone, and no adverse macroscopic reactions were observed. Microscopically, no reactions or only slight fibrosis of bone tissue were detected, while soft tissues only demonstrated a minor inflammatory reaction. Nevertheless, the need for careful preparation and execution of marker implantations is stressed, and particularly avoidance iof the use of emery in sharpening of cannulae. The bioinertness of tantalum was reconfirmed as was its suitability for use as skeletal and soft tissue radiographic markers. (orig.)

  16. Transcriptome analysis in Concholepas concholepas (Gastropoda, Muricidae): mining and characterization of new genomic and molecular markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cárdenas, Leyla; Sánchez, Roland; Gomez, Daniela; Fuenzalida, Gonzalo; Gallardo-Escárate, Cristián; Tanguy, Arnaud

    2011-09-01

    The marine gastropod Concholepas concholepas, locally known as the "loco", is the main target species of the benthonic Chilean fisheries. Genetic and genomic tools are necessary to study the genome of this species in order to understand the molecular basis of its development, growth, and other key traits to improve the management strategies and to identify local adaptation to prevent loss of biodiversity. Here, we use pyrosequencing technologies to generate the first transcriptomic database from adult specimens of the loco. After trimming, a total of 140,756 Expressed Sequence Tag sequences were achieved. Clustering and assembly analysis identified 19,219 contigs and 105,435 singleton sequences. BlastN analysis showed a significant identity with Expressed Sequence Tags of different gastropod species available in public databases. Similarly, BlastX results showed that only 895 out of the total 124,654 had significant hits and may represent novel genes for marine gastropods. From this database, simple sequence repeat motifs were also identified and a total of 38 primer pairs were designed and tested to assess their potential as informative markers and to investigate their cross-species amplification in different related gastropod species. This dataset represents the first publicly available 454 data for a marine gastropod endemic to the southeastern Pacific coast, providing a valuable transcriptomic resource for future efforts of gene discovery and development of functional markers in other marine gastropods. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Application of range-test in multiple linear regression analysis in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Application of range-test in multiple linear regression analysis in the presence of outliers is studied in this paper. First, the plot of the explanatory variables (i.e. Administration, Social/Commercial, Economic services and Transfer) on the dependent variable (i.e. GDP) was done to identify the statistical trend over the years.

  18. Characterization and transferability of microsatellite markers of the cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Palmieri Dario A

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The genus Arachis includes Arachis hypogaea (cultivated peanut and wild species that are used in peanut breeding or as forage. Molecular markers have been employed in several studies of this genus, but microsatellite markers have only been used in few investigations. Microsatellites are very informative and are useful to assess genetic variability, analyze mating systems and in genetic mapping. The objectives of this study were to develop A. hypogaea microsatellite loci and to evaluate the transferability of these markers to other Arachis species. Results Thirteen loci were isolated and characterized using 16 accessions of A. hypogaea. The level of variation found in A. hypogaea using microsatellites was higher than with other markers. Cross-transferability of the markers was also high. Sequencing of the fragments amplified using the primer pair Ah11 from 17 wild Arachis species showed that almost all wild species had similar repeated sequence to the one observed in A. hypogaea. Sequence data suggested that there is no correlation between taxonomic relationship of a wild species to A. hypogaea and the number of repeats found in its microsatellite loci. Conclusion These results show that microsatellite primer pairs from A. hypogaea have multiple uses. A higher level of variation among A. hypogaea accessions can be detected using microsatellite markers in comparison to other markers, such as RFLP, RAPD and AFLP. The microsatellite primers of A. hypogaea showed a very high rate of transferability to other species of the genus. These primer pairs provide important tools to evaluate the genetic variability and to assess the mating system in Arachis species.

  19. MRD Testing in Multiple Myeloma: From a Surrogate Marker of Clinical Outcomes to an Every-Day Clinical Tool.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landgren, Ola

    2018-01-01

    Minimal residual disease (MRD) testing in multiple myeloma is here to stay. Studies show that MRD negativity is consistently associated with longer progression-free survival (PFS). It is just a matter of time until MRD negativity will become a regulatory endpoint for drug approval. Until that can happen, more analysis will be required to define the exact details of MRD in the regulatory setting. For example, for randomized studies there is need to define the amount of improvement in MRD negativity between the experimental arm and the control arm at a given time-point for a drug to obtain regulatory accelerated approval. Such efforts are underway. For the multiple myeloma field as a whole, important tasks for the (near) coming future are as follows: (1) to conduct or finalize the expanded analysis to define the exact details of MRD in the regulatory setting, (2) to develop new and better MRD assays-both more sensitive MRD assays for bone marrow aspirates and nonbone marrow aspirate-based assays (eg, blood-based and imaging-based MRD assays), and (3) to design novel clinical studies to formally assess the effect of MRD negativity in clinical decision making. The aim with this issue of the Journal is to provide a deep and comprehensive summary of the latest MRD knowledge in the field, and to outline future directions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Skeletal surveys in multiple myeloma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sebes, J.I.; Niell, H.B.; Palmieri, G.M.A.; Reidy, T.J.

    1986-01-01

    Thirty-three patients with multiple myeloma were studied with serial skeletal surveys, serum immunoglobulin levels, and postabsorptive urinary hydroxyproline (Spot-HYPRO) determinations. Twenty receiving chemotherapy were also followed with skeletal surveys in order to evaluate bone response to treatment. A close association was found between skeletal findings and changes in immunoglubulin levels with positive correlation in 71% of the patients. A similar association was found between skeletal disease and Spot-HYPRO level changes in 65%. Five of 12 patients (42%) with partial or complete clinical response to chemotherapy, demonstrated improvement in the appearance of skeletal lesions. Positive correlation between the roentgenographic changes and clinical markers of myeloma as well as therapeutic response, indicates that skeletal surveys are useful and effective in monitoring patients with multiple myeloma. (orig.)