BACKGROUND Numerous oncology combination therapies involving modulators of the cancer immune cycle are being developed, yet quantitative simulation models predictive of outcome are lacking. We here present a model-based analysis of tumor size dynamics and immune markers, which integrates experimental data from multiple studies and provides a validated simulation framework predictive of biomarke...

A 10 mM concentration of lithium does not interfere with reverse transcription (RT) or PCR. Sampling of cervicovaginal fluid by vaginal washing, with lithium (10 mM) in the washing buffer as a marker of dilution, may be utilized to accurately determine in HIV-infected women, by quantitative RT-PCR, the genital shedding of acellular HIV RNA at the level of the mucosa itself.

Bluetongue has emerged recently in Belgium. A bluetongue virus strain was isolated and characterized as serotype 8. Two new real-time reverse transcription-quantitative PCRs (RT-qPCRs) that amplified 2 different segments of bluetongue virus detected this exotic strain. These 2 RT-qPCRs detected infection earlier than a competitive ELISA for antibody detection.

We performed dengue virus (DENV) serology and quantitative real-time pan-DENV reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) on 186 sera of 171 patients returning from the tropics. DENV loads significantly decreased with increasing times of disease and were higher in immunoglobulin M-negative samples. In the first week of disease, pan-DENV RT-PCR is the test of choice.

Identifying suitable housekeeping genes for quantitative RT-PCR in the uterus is problematic, as this tissue undergoes significant structural and functional alterations during the oestrous cycle and pregnancy in response to circulating hormones. The suitability of 18S rRNA as a housekeeping gene in mouse uterus was investigated by introducing an 'RNA spike' standard into the reverse transcripti...

AIM Brucellosis is a major bacterial zoonosis of global importance affecting a range of animal species and man worldwide. It has economic, public health, and bio-risk importance. Control and prevention of animal brucellosis mainly depend on accurate diagnostic tools and implementation of effective and safe animal vaccination program. There are three types of animal Brucella live vaccines - Bruc...