We have fabricated a low-cost disposable polymerase chain reaction thermal chamber that uses buoyancy forces to move the sample solution between the different temperatures necessary for amplification. Three-dimensional, unsteady finite element modeling and a simpler 1-D steady-state model are used together with digital particle image velocimetry data to characterize the flow within the device. ...

Abstract Background and Aims Peritoneal Dialysis (P.D.) Adequacy includes a variety of targets such as the sufficient uremic toxins removal (Κt/V), patients’ euvolemia, acid-base electrolyte balance etc.. Based on incremental PD prescription NIPD is often reasonable modality choice when there adequate Residual Renal Function (RRF). Eventually due to RRF decrease patients need increase their ade...

According to the increasing complexity of diagnosis, the current real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) platforms are equipped with highly developed analyzing capability. However, the sight biological signals are always hard to extract from the detected information. On the other hand, the current signal processing scheme makes the optical loss worse if there are more than four DNA labeling d...

The Air Thermal Cycler (ATC) (Idaho Technology, Idaho Falls, Idaho) utilizes the unique technology of small-volume glass capillary tubes and high-velocity air for the heating and cooling medium for the PCR. Standard heat block thermal cycler (HBTC) and ATC performance characteristics were compared for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Sensitivity was 100% for all smear-positive, M. t...

was awarded the Nobel prize in Chemistry along with Michael Smith for his work on PCR2. The PCR is commonly carried out in a reaction volume of 10-200 μl in small reaction tubes (0.2-0.5 ml volumes) in a thermal cycler. The thermal cycler heats and cools the reaction tubes to achieve the temperatures required at each step of the reaction. Many modern thermal cyclers make use of the Peltier effe...

Benchmarks Fluorescent proteins have become a widely used transgenic marker in the last decade because they spontaneously form fluorophores without the need for other gene products, they do not require external substrates, and they enable real-time monitoring in intact organisms. The currently available fluorescent proteins belong to either one of two families: the green fluorescent protein (GF...

PURPOSE (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major catechin component of green tea, is reported to delay or prevent certain forms of cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, we determined if systemically administered EGCG could protect the retina against light damage (LD) in mice. METHODS BALB/cJ mice were treated with either EGCG or salin...

One of the greatest challenges of implementing fast molecular detection methods as part of Legionella surveillance systems is to limit detection to live cells. In this work, a protocol for sample treatment with propidium monoazide (PMA) in combination with quantitative PCR (qPCR) has been optimized and validated for L. pneumophila as an alternative of the currently used time-consuming culture m...