The nucleotide analogue digoxigenin-11-dUTP is widely used as a nonradioactive marker in a broad range of techniques including dot blots, Southern and Northern blots, colony and plaque screenings and ...in situ hybridizations. In this report, we describe the incorporation of this molecule into a cDNA synthesized by reverse transcriptase as a novel application for digoxigenin. This reaction can be performed as a useful control to check the integrity of a bulk mRNA preparation in the construction of a cDNA library, since the ability of mRNA to direct the synthesis of long molecules of first-strand cDNA is a sign of its integrity.
The SMile Card was developed as a means for computerising clinical information for the purpose of transferability, accessibility, standardisation and compilation of a national database of demographic ...and clinical information about multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. In many European countries, centres for MS are organised independently from one another making collaboration, consultation and patient referral complicated. Only the more highly advanced clinical centres, generally located in large urban areas, have had the possibility to utilise technical possibilities for improving the organisation of patient clinical and research information, although independently from other centres. The information system, developed utilising the Visual Basic language for Microsoft Windows 95, stores information via a 'smart card' in a database which is initiated and updated utilising a microprocessor, located at each neurological clinic. The SMile Card, currently being tested in Italy, permits patients to carry with them all relevant medical information without limitations. Neurologists are able to access and update, via the microprocessor, the patient's entire medical history and MS-related information, including the complete neurological examination and laboratory test results. The SMile Card provides MS patients and neurologists with a complete computerised archive of clinical information which is accessible throughout the country. In addition, data from the SMile Card system can be exported to other database programs.
The results of the numerical modeling of the transmittance of an all-solid photonic band gap fiber are presented. For the modeling, a vectorial "wide-angle" Fourier transform based beam propagation ...method is applied. The actual fiber structure, having morphological deformations of a hexagonal lattice, is considered. The coexistence of high-order total internal reflection modes of high-index rods and the fundamental photonic band gap mode is demonstrated.
Sixteen patients with clinically definite MS admitted to a double blind randomised controlled trial of intrathecal natural beta-IFN were followed for a mean of 22 months including the six month ...treatment period. Clinical response, evaluated in terms of relapse frequency and of progression rate, showed an increase in relapse rate in treated patients during the six month treatment period and, overall, no benefit in treated versus placebo patients. Serial evaluations were made of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cells, IgG, myelin basic protein and CSF and blood T-cell subsets. A rise in CSF IgG Index, MBP and DR+ cells in IFN-treated patients suggested an activation of intrathecal immune response in treated patients.
We report on the fabrication of three tellurite glass compositions co-doped with Yb 3+ /Er 3+ , Yb 3+ /Tm 3+ and Yb 3+ /Pr 3+ , respectively. The thermal properties of the glasses are presented and ...discussed. We investigated the intense upconversion photoluminescence generated at visible wavelengths by the samples when excited by a commercial infrared (IR) laser operating at 978 nm. With the aim to exploit this emission for biomedical, optical sensing or display applications, we discuss the fabrication of a microstructured fibre whose core consists in three concentric rings made of the three active glasses mentioned above. Morphological and optical characterisations of the optical fibre are presented and preliminary conclusions on the prospect of such device are also drawn.
Neutrophils are one of the first cellular populations to become involved in inflammatory processes and some features of the response to inflammatory stimuli can be partially reproduced in vitro by ...treatment with chemotactic peptides such as
N-formyl-methionylleucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP). Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as indomethacin, are known to interfere in vitro with human and rat neutrophil functions and to inhibit FMLP-induced aggregation. In this article we define the scatter parameters of rat neutrophils and demonstrate that flow-cytometric analysis of these cells can be used to analyze the inhibiting action of drugs in an in vitro model of aggregation. We show, in fact, that indomethacin at 100 μ
M (
p < 0.05) and 200 μ
M (
p < 0.01) is able to significantly reduce rat neutrophil aggregation. These results confirm the data obtained by light transmittance aggregometry and indicate that cytometric analysis of aggregation phenomena is a technique suitable for the screening of antiaggregating drugs.
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