Biomedical subjects

C A Heid

Publications and source records attributed to C A Heid.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1997

Thrombopoietin levels in patients with cirrhosis before and after orthotopic liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Thrombocytopenia is a common manifestation of cirrhosis. OBJECTIVES: To determine plasma thrombopoietin levels in cirrhotic patients with thrombocytopenia, monitor those levels before and after orthotopic liver transplantation, and compare thrombopoietin messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in liver samples from cirrhotic patients and controls. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of patients with cirrhosis, including a small subset of patients who had orthotopic liver transplantation. SETTING: University-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: 44 patients with cirrhosis, including 17 patients who had orthotopic liver transplantation. INTERVENTION: Orthotopic liver transplantation. MEASUREMENTS: Plasma thrombopoietin levels in all patients, platelet counts in all patients, and thrombopoietin mRNA levels in liver samples from nine patients with cirrhosis and eight controls. RESULTS: Thrombopoietin levels were undetectable in 39 of 44 patients with cirrhosis. In 16 of 17 patients, the levels became detectable after liver transplantation. Thrombopoietin mRNA levels were decreased in liver samples from patients with cirrhosis compared with controls (P = 0.0103). CONCLUSIONS: The low thrombopoietin levels in cirrhotic patients with thrombocytopenia and the increased levels after orthotopic liver transplantation suggest that impaired production of thrombopoietin may contribute to thrombocytopenia associated with cirrhosis.

Case-Control Studies↗

PubMed1996

Real time quantitative PCR.

We have developed a novel "real time" quantitative PCR method. The method measures PCR product accumulation through a dual-labeled fluorogenic probe (i.e., TaqMan Probe). This method provides very accurate and reproducible quantitation of gene copies. Unlike other quantitative PCR methods, real-time PCR does not require post-PCR sample handling, preventing potential PCR product carry-over contamination and resulting in much faster and higher throughput assays. The real-time PCR method has a very large dynamic range of starting target molecule determination (at least five orders of magnitude). Real-time quantitative PCR is extremely accurate and less labor-intensive than current quantitative PCR methods.

Cell Line↗

PubMed1996

A novel method for real time quantitative RT-PCR.

A novel approach to quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (QC RT-PCR) using real time detection and the 5' nuclease assay has been developed. Cystic fibrosis transmembrane transductance regulator (CFTR) target mRNA is reverse transcribed, amplified, detected, and quantitated in real time. A fluorogenic probe was designed to detect the CFTR amplicon. Relative increase in 6-carboxy-fluorescein reporter fluorescent emission is monitored during PCR amplification using an analytical thermal cycler. An internal control template containing the same primer sequences as the CFTR amplicon, but a different internal sequence, has been designed as a control. An internal control probe with a reporter fluorescent dye tetrachloro-6-carboxy-fluorescein was designed to hybridize to the internal control amplicon. The internal control template is placed in each reaction tube and is used for quantitative analysis of the CFTR mRNA. This method provides a convenient and high-throughput format for QC RT-PCR.

Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulato↗