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Screening Procedure (screening + procedure)
Selected AbstractsSource Effects in Internet-based Screening ProceduresINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SELECTION AND ASSESSMENT, Issue 2-3 2003Mia L. Jattuso This research examined the relationship between two newly-proposed source classifications (degree of interim contact and job board specificity) and two pre-hire outcomes: candidate qualifications and job fit. Among other findings, higher interim contact was related to stronger education qualifications, and candidates resulting from occupation/industry-specific job boards possessed, in comparison to candidates from general job boards, stronger educational qualifications, technical skills, and a higher degree of fit between their job preferences and the characteristics of the job. However, we did not observe our expected effects uniformly for all qualifications variables, and we discuss potential contributing factors and implications. [source] Identification of Novel CDK2 Inhibitors by QSAR and Virtual Screening ProceduresMOLECULAR INFORMATICS, Issue 11-12 2008Ajay Babu, Padavala Abstract Quantitative Structure,Activity Relationship (QSAR) studies were carried out on a set of 46 imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines, imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazines and 2,4-bis anilino pyrimidines, and nitroso-6-aminopyrimidine and 2,6-diaminopyrimidine inhibitors of CDK2 (Cyclin-dependent Kinase2) using a multiple regression procedure. The activity contributions of these compounds were determined from regression equation and the validation procedures such as external set cross-validation r2, (R2cv,ext) and the regression of observed activities against predicted activities and vice versa for validation set were described to analyze the predictive ability of the QSAR model. An accurate and reliable QSAR model involving five descriptors was chosen based on the FIT Kubinyi function which defines the statistical quality of the model. The proposed model due to its high predictive ability was utilized to screen similar repertoire of compounds reported in the literature, and the biological activities are estimated. The screening study clearly demonstrated that the strategy presented shall be used as an alternative to the time-consuming experiments as the model tolerated a variety of structural modifications signifying its potential for drug design studies. [source] Diagnostic pitfalls in the evaluation of fine needle aspiration cytology of the thyroid: correlation with histopathology in 260 casesCYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 2 2009A. N. Haberal Objectives:, Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the thyroid is a non-invasive, cost-effective screening procedure that is valuable for distinguishing neoplastic lesions from non-neoplastic nodules. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of FNACs performed at our institution by correlating FNAC results with histopathological diagnoses. Methods:, Two hundred and seventy-one aspiration cytology specimens followed by thyroidectomy were included in the study, and the results of 260 adequate FNACs were compared with their histological diagnoses. Results:, The sensitivity and specificity of thyroid FNAC for detecting neoplasia were 92.6% and 91.6%, respectively. There were 15 (5.7%) false positives and six (2.3%) false negatives. Conclusions:, The results showed that follicular cells that exhibit some of the features of papillary carcinoma could be observed in a cytology slide of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, leading to a diagnostic pitfall. In addition, cellularity and overlapping cytological criteria in hyperplasia might lead to a false diagnosis. [source] NARROW BAND IMAGING IN THE DETECTION OF COLORECTAL POLYP: KOREAN EXPERIENCEDIGESTIVE ENDOSCOPY, Issue 2 2008Jeong-Sik Byeon Background:, Although white light (WL) colonoscopy is a gold standard to detect colorectal polyps, substantial polyps are missed. Narrow band imaging (NBI) is a new technology that enables a more detailed visualization of the mucosal surface. The aim of the present study was to determine whether NBI can improve the detection of colorectal polyps. Methods:, We prospectively enrolled 188 (M : F = 99:89, 21,80 years) subjects undergoing colonoscopy as a screening procedure in nine referral centers. After a careful WL examination of the whole colorectum, rectosigmoid colon (0,30 cm from the anal verge) was reobserved by NBI. Size, macroscopic morphology, and the histology of all the polyps detected during WL and NBI examination were analyzed. Results:, WL examination detected 162 polyps in 188 subjects, of which 106 lesions were neoplastic, while NBI of rectosigmoid colon detected an additional 61 polyps of which eight lesions were neoplastic. Only 10 (6.2%) of 162 polyps discovered during WL examination were flat polyps compared to 10 (16.4%) of 61 newly detected polyps during NBI being flat type (P = 0.002). The mean polyp size detected by NBI was smaller than that found by WL colonoscopy (2.8 ± 1.0 mm vs 6.5 ± 4.5 mm, P < 0.001). Conclusion:, Many additional colorectal polyps, especially flat type, could be detected by NBI examination for normal-looking rectosigmoid mucosa. The role of NBI in colorectal neoplasm screening needs to be further investigated in future studies. [source] Pre-operative screening for excessive alcohol consumption among patients scheduled for elective surgeryDRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 2 2007SWATI SHOURIE Abstract Pre-operative intervention for excessive alcohol consumption among patients scheduled for elective surgery has been shown to reduce complications of surgery. However, successful intervention depends upon an effective and practical screening procedure. This study examines current screening practices for excessive alcohol consumption amongst patients scheduled for elective surgery in general hospitals. It also examines the appropriateness of potential sites and staff for pre-operative screening. Forms used routinely to assess alcohol consumption in the pre-admission clinics (PAC) of eight Sydney hospitals were examined. In addition, the appropriateness of six staff categories (surgeons, surgeons' secretaries, junior medical officer, anaesthetists, nurses and a research assistant) and of two sites (surgeons' office and PAC) in conducting additional screening was assessed at two hospitals. Outcomes included observed advantages and disadvantages of sites and personnel, and number of cases with excessive drinking identified. There was duplication in information collected routinely on alcohol use in the PACs in eight Sydney Hospitals. Questions on alcohol consumption in patient self-completion forms were not validated. The PAC provided for efficient screening but time to surgery was typically too short for successful intervention in many cases. A validated tool and efficient screening procedure is required to detect excessive drinking before elective surgery. Patients often present to the PAC too close to the time of surgery for any change in drinking to reverse alcohol's effects. The role of the referring general practitioner and of printed advice from the surgeon in preparing patients for surgery needs further investigation. [source] Occurrence and fate of micropollutants in the Vidy Bay of Lake Geneva, Switzerland.ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2010Part I: Priority list for environmental risk assessment of pharmaceuticals Abstract Pharmaceuticals are substances designed to have a biological effect in humans. Their presence in the environment, especially in surface waters, is of increasing concern because of their potential risk to non-target species. A large number of pharmaceuticals are on the market; for example, approximately 2,000 active ingredients are approved in Europe, and many of them have already been detected in surface water. It is therefore crucial to select the substances that may do the most harm to the environment prior to performing measurements and extensive risk assessment. In the present study, a method to determine a list of pharmaceuticals to survey in surface water is proposed. Inclusion of substances on the list was based on a screening procedure, the analytical feasibility, and previous knowledge of pharmaceuticals detected in water. The screening procedure proposed here is an improvement on the standard procedure of the European Medicine Evaluation Agency (EMEA). It is designed to decrease the number of pharmaceuticals to be evaluated in a stepwise manner, thus decreasing the number of data necessary for the evaluation. We applied our approach to determine a list of 37 pharmaceuticals and four hormones to survey in a specific region of Switzerland, the Lake Geneva area, and discussed the advantages and weak points of the method. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010; 29:1649,1657. © 2010 SETAC [source] The importance of dental beliefs for the outcome of dental-fear treatmentEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 2 2003Kajsa Henning Abrahamsson This study investigated the importance of dental beliefs and the predictive value of the Dental Belief Survey (DBS) in dental-fear treatment. The sample comprised 117 adult patients seeking treatment at a dental-fear clinic. Pretreatment data were collected during a screening procedure, including two visits to the dentist. Outcome measurements were completed after treatment. The dentist rated successful/unsuccessful treatment outcome. Patients unsuccessful in treatment (n = 48) reported more initial negative dental beliefs, while patients successful in treatment (n = 69) showed a larger decrease in negative beliefs between the first and second visit to the dentist. However, these differences were small. There was a significant difference between the groups at visit two. Thus, patients unsuccessful in treatment reported more negative beliefs about how dentists communicate. Regression analyses showed that improved dental beliefs during the first two visits to the dentist predicted dental-fear reduction, while longer avoidance time, female gender, low engagement in treatment, and depressed mood increased the risk of unsuccessful treatment outcome. Our results suggest that the DBS provides valuable information, and that patients' subjective perceptions about how dentists communicate are important for treatment outcome. However, initial dental beliefs were not found to predict clinical treatment outcome. [source] Correlations between pyrolysis combustion flow calorimetry and conventional flammability tests with halogen-free flame retardant polyolefin compoundsFIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 1 2009Jeffrey M. Cogen Abstract Seven halogen-free flame retardant (FR) compounds were evaluated using pyrolysis combustion flow calorimetry (PCFC) and cone calorimetry. Performance of wires coated with the compounds was evaluated using industry standard flame tests. The results suggest that time to peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat released (THR) in cone calorimetry (and THR and temperature at PHRR in PCFC) be given more attention in FR compound evaluation. Results were analyzed using flame spread theory. As predicted, the lateral flame spread velocity was independent of PHRR and heat release capacity. However, no angular dependence of flame spread velocity was observed. Thus, the thermal theory of ignition and flame spread, which assumes that ignition at the flame front occurs at a particular flame and ignition temperature, provides little insight into the performance of the compounds. However, results are consistent with a heat release rate greater than about 66kW/m2 during flame propagation for sustained ignition of insulated wires containing mineral fillers, in agreement with a critical heat release rate criterion for burning. Mineral fillers can reduce heat release rate below the threshold value by lowering the flaming combustion efficiency and fuel content. A rapid screening procedure using PCFC is suggested by logistic regression of the binary (burn/no-burn) results. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A validity and reliability study of assessment and screening for sustained withdrawal reaction in infancy: The Alarm Distress Baby scale,INFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, Issue 5 2001Antoine Guedeney Sustained withdrawal behavior in infancy is an important alarm signal to draw attention to both organic and relationship disorders. A withdrawal scale, the Alarm Distress Baby scale (ADBB), for infants between 2 and 24 months of age was built. This article describes the construction of the scale and the assessment of its psychometric properties. The ADBB has good content validity, based on the advice of seven experts. The scale has good criterion validity: first, as a measure of the infant's withdrawal reaction, with a very good correlation between nurse and pediatrician on the ADBB (rs = 0.84), and second, as a screening procedure for detecting the developmental risk of the infant. The cutoff score of 5 with a sensitivity of 0.82 and a specificity of 0.78 was determined to be optimal for screening purposes. The scale has good construct validity, with good convergent validity with both the Spitz (1951) and the Herzog & Rathbun (1982) lists of symptoms of infant depression (rs = 0.61 and 0.60, respectively). Exploratory factor analysis showed two different factors, consistent with the scale's construct. Reliability was satisfactory with good internal consistency for both subscales (the Cronbach , = 0.80 for the first subscale and 0.79 for the second) and for the global scale (, = 0.83). The test-retest procedure showed good stability over time (rs = 0.90 and 0.84 for the two different raters). The scale could be used in different clinical settings, provided a sufficient level of social stimulation is given to the infant in a relatively brief period of time. The scale can be used by nurses and psychologists or by medical doctors after a short period of training. © 2001 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health. [source] An optimized method to separate reticulocytes from peripheral blood for molecular analysisINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LABORATORY HEMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2009R. PETRUZZELLI Summary A method based on immunomagnetic sorting of reticulocytes from peripheral blood was set up and combined to a commercial extraction kit for the isolation of total RNA from whole blood. This procedure resulted in high-quality RNA samples suitable for molecular analysis. We used this procedure to analyse erythroid-specific transcripts, starting from peripheral blood samples, to search for differently expressed mRNAs in patients with hereditary persistence of foetal haemoglobin. After erythrocyte lysis, CD15+and CD45+ peripheral cells were negatively sorted to remove leucocyte populations that could have affected the subsequent screening procedure. The cell sorting and RNA extraction procedure was completed within 1,2 h of erythrocyte lysis, which represents a consistent saving of time compared with other procedures. Moreover, it produced 1 ,g of total RNA per ml of blood samples, which is sufficient for molecular analysis. Therefore, our method is a reliable and efficient tool to isolate RNA from specific cell subpopulations poorly represented in peripheral blood, particularly when accurate detection and characterization of highly unstable and poorly expressed molecules is required. [source] Haemoglobinometry in general practiceINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LABORATORY HEMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2003S. M. Lewis Summary Haemoglobinometry as a primary point-of-care test is well established. This study was undertaken to assess whether haemoglobinometry by itself provides an adequate haematological screening procedure in general practice. In a series of 500 sequential blood counts received by the central hospital laboratory from local doctors, 405 (81%) had a normal haemoglobin. Full blood counts on these samples showed 15% with one or more blood count parameters outside 2SD of normal reference values, including increased MCV, low MCV with low MCH and MCHC, leucocytosis with neutrophilia, a few cases with neutropenia, lymphopenia, monocytosis or eosinophilia. When the limits were set at 3SD, these abnormalities were found in only 7.6% of the cases. Calculation of test utility gave a positive predictive value of 0.83, a negative predictive value of 0.85, with a likelihood ratio of 14.3 and an overall diagnostic reliability of 84%. It was concluded that haemoglobin alone is a valuable primary screening test and a full blood count is required only when anaemia is present or when the patient's history and clinical signs indicate the need for such further investigation. Using this protocol it is unlikely that any serious error will be made in diagnosing a clinically significant condition; the main limitation is failure to diagnose pre-anaemic iron deficiency. [source] Reducing nosocomial infection in neonatal intensive care: An intervention studyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING PRACTICE, Issue 6 2009Raijah Hj A Rahim MN RN SCM BScN Nosocomial infection is a common cause of morbidity and mortality for hospitalized neonates. This report describes measures taken to reduce the prevalence of nosocomial infection within a 34-bed neonatal intensive care unit in Malaysia. Interventions included a one-to-one education programme for nursing staff (n = 30); the education of cleaners and health-care assistants allocated to work in the unit; and the introduction of routine (weekly) screening procedure for all infants with feedback given to staff. The education programme for nurses focused on the application of standard precautions to three common clinical procedures: hand washing, tracheobronchial suctioning and nasogastric tube feeding. These were evaluated using competency checklists. The prevalence of nosocomial blood and respiratory tract infections declined over the 7-month study period. This study highlights the importance of education in contributing to the control of nosocomial infection in the neonatal intensive care unit. [source] Characterization of extracellular polymers synthesized by tropical intertidal biofilm bacteriaJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2007B.O. Ortega-Morales Abstract Aim:, This study was performed to determine the potential of tropical intertidal biofilm bacteria as a source of novel exopolymers (EPS). Methods and Results:, A screening procedure was implemented to detect EPS-producing biofilm bacteria. Isolates MC3B-10 and MC6B-22, identified respectively as a Microbacterium species and Bacillus species by 16S rDNA and cellular fatty acids analyses, produced different EPS, as evidenced by colorimetric and gas chromatographic analyses. The polymer produced by isolate MC3B-10 displays significant surfactant activity, and may chelate calcium as evidenced by spectroscopic analysis. Conclusions:, Polymer MC3B-10 appears to be a glycoprotein, while EPS MC6B-22 seems to be a true polysaccharide dominated by neutral sugars but with significant concentrations of uronic acids and hexosamines. EPS MC3B-10 possesses a higher surfactant activity than that of commercial surfactants, and given its anionic nature, may chelate cations thus proving useful in bioremediation. The chemical composition of polymer MC6B-22 suggests its potential biomedical application in tissue regeneration. Significance and Impact of the Study:, This is the first report of a Microbacterium species producing EPS with surfactant properties, which expands our knowledge of the micro-organisms capable of producing these biomolecules. Furthermore, this work shows that tropical intertidal environments are a nonpreviously recognized habitat for bioprospecting EPS-producing bacteria, and that these molecules might be involved in ecological roles protecting the cells against dessication. [source] Phytate degradation by micro-organisms in synthetic media and pea flourJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2002M. Fredrikson Aims: To screen micro-organisms for the ability to produce phytase enzyme(s) and to use promising strains for the fermentation of pea flour. Methods and Results: Two methods using the indirect estimation of phytate degradation were evaluated and both shown to be inadequate. A third method, measuring the inositol phosphate (IP3,IP6) content directly during fermentation, was used instead of the indirect estimations of phytate degradation. In synthetic media, some strains required customized conditions, with no accessible phosphorus sources other than phytate, to express phytase activity. The repression of phytase synthesis by inorganic phosphorus was not detected during fermentation with pea flour as substrate and seemed to be less significant with a higher composition complexity of the substrate. None of the tested lactic acid bacteria strains showed phytase activity. Conclusions: The methodology for the phytase screening procedure was shown to be critical. Some of the screening methods and media used in previous publications were found to be inadequate. Significance and Impact of the Study: This paper highlights the pitfalls and difficulties in the evaluation of phytase production by micro-organisms. The study is of great importance for future studies in this area. [source] SARS-CoV protease inhibitors design using virtual screening method from natural products librariesJOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2005Bing Liu Abstract Two natural products databases, the marine natural products database (MNPD) and the traditional Chinese medicines database (TCMD), were used to find novel structures of potent SARS-CoV protease inhibitors through virtual screening. Before the procedure, the databases were filtered by Lipinski's ROF and Xu's extension rules. The results were analyzed by statistic methods to eliminate the bias in target-based database screening toward higher molecular weight compounds for enhancing the hit rate. Eighteen lead compounds were recommended by the screening procedure. They were useful for experimental scientists in prioritizing drug candidates and studying the interaction mechanism. The binding mechanism was also analyzed between the best screening compound and the SARS protein. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 26: 484,490, 2005 [source] Identification of genes up-regulated by retinoic-acid-induced differentiation of the human neuronal precursor cell line NTERA-2 cl.D1JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2001Frank Leypoldt The human teratocarcinoma cell line NTERA-2 cl.D1 (NT2 cells) can be induced with retinoic acid and cell aggregation to yield postmitotic neurones. This seems to model the in vivo situation, as high concentrations of retinoic acid, retinoic acid binding proteins, and receptors have been detected in the embryonic CNS and the developing spinal cord suggesting a role for retinoic acid in neurogenesis. Suppression subtractive hybridization was used to detect genes up-regulated by this paradigm of neuronal differentiation. Microfibril-associated glycoprotein 2 was found to be drastically up-regulated and has not been implicated in neuronal differentiation before. Suppression subtractive hybridization also identified DYRK4, a homologue of the Drosophila gene minibrain. Minibrain mutations result in specific defects in the development of the fly central nervous system. In adult rats, DYRK4 is only expressed in testis, but our results suggest an additional role for DYRK4 in neuronal differentiation. We have shown that suppression subtractive hybridization in conjunction with an efficient screening procedure is a valuable tool to produce a repertoire of differentially expressed genes and propose a new physiological role for several identified genes and expressed sequence tags. [source] Prevalence of oral cancer and pre-cancer and associated risk factors among tea estate workers in the central Sri LankaJOURNAL OF ORAL PATHOLOGY & MEDICINE, Issue 10 2007A. Ariyawardana Background:, To screen for oral cancer or not is being debated, but for high-risk populations with minimal access to regular dental care systematic oral examinations could provide some benefit. Methods:, We undertook oral mucosal examinations of labourers employed in tea estate plantations in Sri Lanka. In a two-stage screening procedure, first by estate medical officers and then by visiting specialists, we examined 12 716 persons at their workplaces achieving a coverage of one-sixth of the total workforce. Results:, Fourteen oral cancers and 848 subjects with oral pre-cancer (6.7%) were detected giving population prevalences of 46.1 per 1000 for leukoplakia and 16.4 per 1000 for oral submucous fibrosis. Among subjects with any oral mucosal disorder (n = 1159) proportions of current users of betel quid, smokers and alcohol use was recorded at 92%, 31% and 61% respectively. The synergistic effect of these three risk habits on the development of oral leukoplakia was evident in mixed habit groups. Conclusions:, The prevalence of oral pre-cancer in tea estate labourers was higher than estimates reported in previous studies. In the absence of state-sponsored preventive activities, it is necessary to improve the capacity of individual health practitioners and small medical centres to participate in oral health promotion and oral cancer/pre-cancer screening. [source] Economic evaluation of neonatal screening for phenylketonuria and congenital hypothyroidismJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 11 2005EA Geelhoed Objective: To evaluate the costs and benefits of neonatal screening for phenylketonuria (PKU) and congenital hypothyroidism (CH). Neonatal screening for PKU and CH is common throughout the developed world. It represents a model of preventive care in that the screening procedure is simple and intellectual disability is otherwise irreversible. Changes in treatment and care, and in particular the advent of maternal PKU, require regular evaluation of a programme that also impacts on a large healthy population. Method: Costs of screening were based on the programme provided within Western Australia. Costs averted were derived using patterns of care currently adopted in Western Australia and applied according to historical patterns of intellectual disability for each condition. Results: A net saving of $A2.9 million is attributable to the programme annually. The economic benefits derive from the prevention of intellectual disability which otherwise incurs costs throughout the life of the affected individual. Maternal PKU represented a minor proportion of overall costs. Sensitivity analysis showed that the cost savings were robust, given changes in the levels of intellectual disability, but varied according to the discount rate. The result of a net saving was evident under all assumptions. Conclusion: Neonatal screening for PKU and CH is a cost saving use of resources and the emergence of maternal PKU has not had a significant effect on the economic outcomes. [source] Mutations in the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene refine differential diagnostic criteria in renal cell carcinomaJOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Nandita Barnabas PhD Abstract Background and Objectives Renal cell carcinomas (RCC) with abundant granular cytoplasm include oncocytomas, eosinophillic variants of chromophobe RCC, papillary RCC, collecting duct carcinoma, and some conventional (clear cell) RCC. Tumors with predominantly clear cell cytoplasm include typical chromophobe RCC and conventional (clear cell) RCC. The objective of this study was to determine if mutations in the VHL gene can serve as auxiliary diagnostic criteria in refining histology based subtyping of renal epithelial neoplasia. Methods The study cohort of 67 cases included 24 conventional RCC, 14 chromophobe RCC, 14 papillary RCC, and 15 oncocytomas. Single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) was used as a screening procedure for mutations followed by automated sequencing to identify mutations. Results Thirteen of the 14 mutations identified were novel, seven of which were in the coding region. In chromophobe RCC, mutations clustered in the 5,UTR/promoter region and have not been previously reported. Exon 3 appeared to favor conventional (clear cell) RCC and correlated with a more aggressive phenotype. Mutations were absent in the papillary and oncocytoma RCC subtypes. Conclusions Exon 3 mutations permitted a morphological distinction between conventional (clear cell) RCC and chromophobe RCC with clear cells. Mutations in the VHL gene refine histologic diagnostic criteria in RCC serving as adjuncts to the present morphology based diagnosis of RCC. J. Surg. Oncol. 2002;80:52,60. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The expression of recombinant genes in Escherichia coli can be strongly stimulated at the transcript production level by mutating the DNA-region corresponding to the 5,-untranslated part of mRNAMICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Laila Berg Summary Secondary structures and the short Shine,Dalgarno sequence in the 5,-untranslated region of bacterial mRNAs (UTR) are known to affect gene expression at the level of translation. Here we report the use of random combinatorial DNA sequence libraries to study UTR function, applying the strong, ,32/,38 -dependent, and positively regulated Pm promoter as a model. All mutations in the libraries are located at least 8 bp downstream of the transcriptional start site. The libraries were screened using the ampicillin-resistance gene (bla) as reporter, allowing easy identification of UTR mutants that display high levels of expression (up to 20-fold increase relative to the wild-type at the protein level). Studies of the two UTR mutants identified by a modified screening procedure showed that their expression is stimulated to a similar extent at both the transcript and protein product levels. For one such mutant a model analysis of the transcription kinetics showed significant evidence of a difference in the transcription rate (about 18-fold higher than the wild type), while there was no evidence of a difference in transcript stability. The two UTR sequences also stimulated expression from a constitutive ,70 -dependent promoter (P1/Panti-tet), demonstrating that the UTR at the DNA or RNA level has a hitherto unrecognized role in transcription. [source] Prognostic and predictive value of HER2/neu oncogene in breast cancerMICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE, Issue 2 2002Shahla Masood Abstract Assessment of HER2/neu oncogene has been used as both a prognostic and predictive marker for breast cancer. However, the choice of the best method to assess the status of HER2/neu oncogene in breast cancer tissue remains controversial. A variety of techniques are available to detect HER2/neu gene amplification and overexpression. Tissue-based detection methods by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) offers a clear advantage over other approaches. FISH is a costly and relatively difficult assay and yet appears to be a better predictor of response to Herceptin® (Trastuzumab) therapy and patient outcome. IHC is less expensive and is easier to perform; however, it suffers from a high rate of false negativity and positivity as well as inter-observer variability among pathologists. Suggestions have been made to use IHC as a screening procedure followed by confirmation by FISH in selected cases. Considering the importance of an accurate assessment of HER2/neu oncogene in selecting therapy, a better alternative may be to use FISH as the primary testing for HER2/neu oncogene. Herceptin® therapy is associated with several side effects and is expensive. Thus, in the long term, it may be more cost-effective to use the FISH procedure and reduce the possibility of under-treatment or over-treatment of breast cancer patients. In addition, assessment of HER2/neu oncogene on every newly diagnosed early breast carcinoma may not be necessary. Metastatic lesions, when they occur, can be sampled by fine needle aspiration biopsy or core needle biopsy for assessment of HER2/Neu status. Microsc. Res. Tech. 59:102,108, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Isolation and characterization of microsatellites in Pacific white shrimp Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannameiMOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 3 2002P. Cruz Abstract Five polymorphic microsatellite loci were characterized for Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei. Loci were isolated using a partial Sau3A1 genomic library by the sequencing of randomly selected clones and by a biotinylated (CT)10 and (GT)10 probes screening procedure. The last strategy resulted in the most useful data. About 40% of the clones showed a previously reported satellite/microsatellite (PVS1), reducing the chance of finding new microsatellite regions. Whereas two of the microsatellite loci with more than 10 alleles will be useful for mating analysis in a breeding program, the others might prove useful for population genetic studies. [source] The efficacy of the non-stress test in preventing fetal death in post-term pregnancyPAEDIATRIC & PERINATAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 3 2001Tong Li Summary We conducted a case,control study to examine the efficacy of non-stress testing in preventing fetal death in post-term pregnancy. The analysis was based on data from the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey, which was a nationally representative sample of live births, fetal deaths and infant deaths that occurred in 1988. Information on whether a woman had non-stress testing was obtained from a questionnaire sent to prenatal care providers and hospitals. Cases were post-term women (with 42 weeks or more gestation) who had fetal deaths. Three post-term controls, who had live births and who delivered at the same time or later than the cases, were randomly chosen and individually matched to each case by maternal race. The proportion of women who had one or more non-stress tests during pregnancy was compared between cases and controls. Non-stress testing was used in 30.9% of the 126 cases and in 28.5% of the 375 controls. The race-adjusted odds ratio for exposure to non-stress test was 1.12 [95% CI 0.72, 1.75]. After controlling for other important confounding variables the odds ratio was 1.05 [95% CI 0.57, 1.91]. These results do not support the efficacy of non-stress testing in post-term pregnancies. A more detailed evaluation of this widely used screening procedure is needed. [source] Effects of tanshinone I isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge on arachidonic acid metabolism and in vivo inflammatory responsesPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 7 2002Sung Young Kim Abstract Arachidonic acid (AA) mainly released from the cell membrane by phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is converted to eicosanoids by the action of cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LO). In order to find the specific inhibitors of AA metabolism especially PLA2 and COX-2, 300 plant extracts were evaluated for their inhibitory activity on PGD2 production from cytokine-induced mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells in vitro. From this screening procedure, the methanol extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza was found to inhibit PGD2 production and the ethyl,acetate subfraction gave the strongest inhibition of five subfractions tested. From this ethyl,acetate subfraction, an activity-guided isolation finally gave tanshinone I as an active principle. This investigation deals with the effects of tanshinone I on AA metabolism from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells and in vivo antiinflammatory activity. Tanshinone I inhibited PGE2 formation from LPS-induced RAW macrophages (IC50,=,38,,M). However, this compound did not affect COX-2 activity or COX-2 expression. Tanshinone I was found to be an inhibitor of type IIA human recombinant sPLA2(IC50,=,11,,M) and rabbit recombinant cPLA2 (IC50,=,82,,M). In addition, tanshinone I showed in vivo antiinflammatory activity in rat carrageenan-induced paw oedema and adjuvant-induced arthritis. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Comprehensive plasma-screening for known and unknown substances in doping controlsRAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 8 2010Andreas Thomas Occasionally, doping analysis has been recognized as a competitive challenge between cheating sportsmen and the analytical capabilities of testing laboratories. Both have made immense progress during the last decades, but obviously the athletes have the questionable benefit of frequently being able to switch to new, unknown and untested compounds to enhance their performance. Thus, as analytical counteraction and for effective drug testing, a complementary approach to classical targeted methods is required in order to implement a comprehensive screening procedure for known and unknown xenobiotics. The present study provides a new analytical strategy to circumvent the targeted character of classical doping controls without losing the required sensitivity and specificity. Using 50,µL of plasma only, the method potentially identifies illicit drugs in low ng/mL concentrations. Plasma provides the biological fluid with the circulating, unmodified xenobiotics; thus the identification of unknown compounds is facilitated. After a simple protein precipitation, liquid chromatographic separation and subsequent detection by means of high resolution/high accuracy orbitrap mass spectrometry, the procedure enables the determination of numerous compounds from different classes prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). A new hyphenated mass spectrometry technology was employed without precursor ion selection for higher collision energy dissociation (HCD) fragmentation experiments. Thus the mass spectra contained all the desired information to identify unknown substances retrospectively. The method was validated for 32 selected model compounds for qualitative purposes considering the parameters specificity, selectivity, limit of detection (<0.1,10,ng/mL), precision (9,28%), robustness, linearity, ion suppression and recovery (80,112%). In addition to the identification of unknown compounds, the plasma samples were simultaneously screened for known prohibited targets. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Novel two-stage screening procedure leads to the identification of a new class of transfection enhancersTHE JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE, Issue 6 2006Birgit Neukamm Abstract Background Non-viral gene transfer efficiency is low as compared to viral vector systems. Here we describe the discovery of new drugs that are capable of enhancing non-viral gene transfer into mammalian cells using a novel two-stage screening procedure. Methods First, potential candidates are preselected from a molecular library at various concentrations by a semi-automated yeast transfection screen (YTS). The maximal transfection efficiency of every positive drug is subsequently determined in independent experiments at the optimal concentration and compared to the inhibitory effect of the drug on cell growth (IC50). In a subsequent mammalian cell transfection screen (MTS), the maximal transfection efficiency and the IC50 are determined for all preselected drugs using a human cell line and a luciferase reporter gene construct. Results Employing our novel system we have been able to identify a new class of transfection enhancers, the tricyclic antidepressants (i.e. doxepin, maprotiline, desipramine and amoxapine). All positive drugs enhanced gene transfer in both yeast and human cell lines, but lower concentrations were sufficient for mammalian cells. With a triple combination of doxepin, amoxapine and chloroquine we obtained a transfection efficiency that exceeded that of chloroquine, one of the best-known transfection enhancers of mammalian cells, by nearly one order of magnitude. Conclusions Non-viral gene transfer efficiency can be increased significantly using new transfection enhancers that are identified by a novel, semi-automated two-stage screening system employing yeast cells in the first and specific human target cells in the second round. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] An integrated database of flavonoidsBIOFACTORS, Issue 3 2006Takashi Kinoshita Abstract Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that occur ubiquitously in foods of plant origin. Some of these molecules exhibit various physiological activities. Among existing drugs, there are a huge number of compounds bearing a flavonoid-related skeleton. Because of the relevance for pharmaceutical research, it would be beneficial to collect these compounds into a database. Recently, various databases of chemicals were compiled to help biological and/or chemical research, but no comprehensive database of flavonoids with chemical structures and physicochemical parameters, supposedly related to their activity, is available yet. The aim of this research was to merge the information about flavonoids of plant origin and flavonoids used as medicines into a database. Moreover, predictions of activities against various targets were performed using a virtual screening procedure to demonstrate a possible application of the database for pharmaceutical research. [source] Rapid screening of polysaccharide-based plasma volume expanders dextran and hydroxyethyl starch in human urine by liquid chromatography,tandem mass spectrometryBIOMEDICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY, Issue 7 2008Sven Guddat Abstract The increasing number of samples and target substances in doping control requires continuously improved screening methods, combining high-throughput analysis, simplified sample preparation, robustness and reliability. Hence, a rapid screening procedure based on liquid chromatography,electrospray ionization,tandem mass spectrometry with in-source collision-induced dissociation was developed. The detection of the polysaccharide-based plasma volume expanders dextran and hydroxyethyl starch (HES) in human urine was established without further sample preparation. The in-source fragmentation strategy of the approach represented a valuable tool in the analysis of the polysaccharide-based compounds, allowing the use of tandem mass spectrometry. After direct injection of urine specimens, analytes were chromatographically separated on a monolithic reverse-phase column and detected via multiple reaction monitoring of diagnostic ions at detection limits of 10 µg/mL for HES and 30 µg/mL for dextran. Validation was performed regarding the parameters specificity, linearity, precision (8,18%) and accuracy (77,105%) and the method was applied to the investigation of approximately 400 doping control samples and seven dextran and two hydroxyethyl starch post-administration samples. The approach demonstrated its capability as a rapid screening tool for the detection of dextran and hydroxyethyl starch and represents an alternative to existing screening procedures since time consuming hydrolysis or derivatization steps were omitted. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Selection and mass spectrometry characterization of peptides targeting semiconductor surfacesBIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING, Issue 6 2009Elias Estephan Abstract We report on elaboration of 12-mer peptides that reveal specific recognition for the following semiconductor (SC) surfaces: GaAs(100), InAs(100), GaN(0001), ZnSe(100), ZnTe(100), GaAs(111)A, GaSb(100), CdSe(100). A M13 bacteriophage library was used to screen 109 different 12-mer peptides against these substrates to finally isolate, in maximum six amplification cycles, peptides that bind to the target surfaces. The specific peptides for the InAs and ZnSe surfaces were obtained. Contrary, for the other SC surfaces several peptides with high affinities have been isolated. Aiming for a better specificity, when the phage display has been conducted through six cycles, the screening procedure got dominated by a phage present in the M13 bacteriophage library and the SVSVGMKPSPRP peptide has been selected for different SCs. The high amplification potential of this phage has been observed previously with different targets. Thus, precaution should be undertaken in defining adhesion peptides with the phage display technique and real affinity of the obtained biolinkers should be studied with other methods. We employed mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF) to demonstrate the preferential attachment (or not) of the SVSVGMKPSPRP peptide to the different SC surfaces. This allows us to define a realistic selection of the expressed peptides presenting affinity for the studied eight SC surfaces. We demonstrate that with increasing the dielectric constants of the employed solvents, adhesion of the SVSVGMKPSPRP peptide onto GaN(0001) is hindered. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009; 104: 1121,1131. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Screening for language delay in the United Arab EmiratesCHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 5 2004V. Eapen Abstract Background Developmental language delay (DLD) is frequent among two- and three-year-olds but little is known about this condition in the Arabian Peninsula. This paper forms part of a multipurpose community psychiatric survey conducted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The findings regarding the prevalence and psychosocial correlates of DLD are reported here. Methods A total of 694 children, representative of the UAE 3-year-old population were screened using the Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) and the language screening procedure as used by Westerlund and Sundelin. Results Of the 694 children screened for DLD at 3 years of age, 69 children (9.9%; CI 7.8,12.4) were found to have delays in the language sector of DDST. A total of 45 (6.5%; CI 4.3,8.7) were identified as having general language disability, both in comprehension and expression as per the language screening procedure. Language delay was found to be associated with rural living, mother being from a different nationality, non-involvement of domestic help in child care, family history of language delay, obstetric and perinatal problems and presence of behavioural problems in the child. Using stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis, two factors emerged as important with regard to general language delay, which were previous non-UAE nationality of the mother and total monthly income of the family. Conclusion The pattern and correlates of DLD found in this survey are in line with those reported by other surveys, but some unique socio-cultural risk factors specific to this community were identified. The implications of these findings to screening and referral for further evaluation and intervention are discussed. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||