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PubMed2003

Cost-effectiveness of inhaled nitric oxide in the treatment of neonatal respiratory failure in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Two recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reported that inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) decreased the incidence of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or death in term and near-term newborns with hypoxic respiratory failure. Our objective was to estimate the cost-effectiveness ratio of iNO in this population. METHODS: We studied 1000 simulation cohorts (n = 483 for each cohort) of term/near-term newborns with hypoxemic respiratory failure. We conducted our study following US Public Health Service Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine guidelines, adopting the US societal perspective. We constructed a decision tree reflecting iNO use, subsequent ECMO use, death, and long-term neurologic and respiratory morbidity in survivors, as determined from the combined outcomes of the 2 RCTs (n = 483). We estimated costs on the basis of length-of-stay data for the initial episode of care from 1 of the RCTs, unit costs from administrative data sets, and current pricing for iNO. We ran a Monte Carlo simulation to generate estimates of differences in costs and effects at 1 year, along with the stochastic uncertainty around these estimates. We expressed effects as quality-adjusted survival, assuming quality of life = 1 with no comorbidity, 0.7 with 1 comorbidity, and 0.49 (0.7 x 0.7) with 2 comorbidities. We constructed a base case, in which iNO was initiated at tertiary care ECMO centers (mimicking the RCTs) and a Public Health Service Panel on Cost-effectiveness in Health and Medicine reference case, in which iNO was initiated at the local hospital before transfer (mimicking real-world practice). We exposed our assumptions to a sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Direct application of the trial results (base case) suggested that iNO was both more effective and cheaper (cost savings of 1880 dollars per case despite acquisition costs of 5150 dollars, predominantly as a result of decreased need for ECMO), with 84.6% probability that the cost-effectiveness ratio was better than 100,000 dollars per quality-adjusted life-year. Under the reference case, iNO was also more effective (though slightly less so) and was even cheaper (cost savings of 4400 dollars per case), with 71.6% probability that iNO was cheaper and more effective and 91.6% probability that the cost effectiveness ratio was better than 100,000 dollars per quality-adjusted life-year. Sensitivity analyses showed these estimates to be sensitive to patient selection and the price of iNO but insensitive to assumptions regarding quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: From a US societal perspective, iNO has a favorable cost-effectiveness profile when initiated either at ECMO centers or at local hospitals in term/near-term neonates with hypoxemic respiratory failure.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗

PubMed2000

Synthesis and identification of the quaternary ammonium-linked glucuronide of 1-phenylimidazole in human liver microsomes and investigation of the human UDP-glucuronosyltransferases involved.

1-Phenylimidazole was investigated as a potential model substrate with respect to formation of a quaternary ammonium-linked glucuronide (N(+)-glucuronide) at an aromatic type tertiary amine. A reference sample of the potential N(+)-glucuronide metabolite of 1-phenylimidazole was obtained by organic synthesis. The structural identity of the metabolite formed by incubation of 1-phenylimidazole with human liver microsomes was proven to be the N(+)-glucuronide by exhibiting the same HPLC retention time and electrospray ionization mass spectrum as the reference sample. The screening of 1-phenylimidazole against a panel of nine expressed human UDP-glucuronosyltransferases indicated the involvement of UGT1A3 and UGT1A4 in the formation of the N(+)-glucuronide metabolite.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

PubMed1992

HIV screening and confirmation: a simplified and less expensive testing algorithm.

In this study we investigated the performance of fourteen different assays capable of simultaneously detecting antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2, referred to as combined screening assays (CSAs), on a panel of 371 sera, with a prevalence of 51.5% and 1.3% for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies respectively. The geographic distribution of the sera was as follows; Europe (121), Africa (203) and Latin America (47). These sera were collected from different clinical groups of patients; Asymptomatic (36), AIDS-Related Complex/AIDS patients (18), infected individuals with generalised lymphadenopathy (12), blood donors (149), and subjects with unknown clinical status (156). The Dupont Western blot (WB) kit for detection of HTLV-III antibodies and the Pasteur new Lav-Blot II kit were used for the confirmation of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection respectively. Of the 14 tests studied, 9 were enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), and 5 were non-Elisa tests requiring visual reading. An alternative approach for HIV antibody testing was studied restrospectively, whereby sera positive in an initial CSA (A) were retested on a second CSA (B), that was different from the first. The use of WB was limited to sera that gave discrepant (A+B-) results in the two CSAs. A positive result in both CSAs was reported as anti-HIV positive. A negative result in the first CSA was reported anti-HIV negative. Sensitivity, specificity, cost, and the delta (delta) values (delta values of the ELISA assays) were taken into consideration when selecting suitable pairs of assays. All the ELISAs scored 100% sensitivity, but for the non-ELISAs, the sensitivity ranged from 96.0% to 100%. The specificity for the ELISAs and non-ELISAs varied from 87.4% to 100% and from 51.4% to 100% respectively. Delta (delta) values for the ELISAs ranged from 3.82 to 136.68 and from -1.15 to -3.08 for the anti-HIV positive and anti-HIV negative populations respectively. Of the 121 test combinations studied, 9 (7.4%) pairs yielded 100% sensitivity and specificity and 61 (50.4%) pairs of CSAs required further testing on WB. This implies 100% positive predictive value, at a cost that was on average 6 times less, and a testing time that was 5 times faster than the conventional algorithm. We conclude that there are several combinations of pairs of CSAs that can be used in the alternative algorithm that can provide accurate results at a much lower cost than the conventional algorithm requiring confirmation by WB of all initially reactive CSA results.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The concept of mood in psychology].

The concept of mood is complex and difficult to establish. It reflects a moving notion that cannot be easily grasped. It has always been a fundamental concept in the history of philosophy and medicine. The origin of mood relies on the theory of the four humours: blood, phlegma, yellow and black bilious. Mood can be balanced by the equilibrium of these four liquids. Mood is also difficult to define because one's judgment depends on the perception of mood in other people. It is a highly subjective concept which is backed by personal references. Mood can be expressed with different tonalities. Its panel of expressions can likely explain the different definitions and analysis of this notion. The first part of this report tends to clarify the definition of mood regarding emotion, feeling or affect. Emotion is an instantaneous perception of a feeling. Affect corresponds to a freudian notion of drives. In the second part different conceptions of mood in psychology are treated. Some of them have been derived from philosophical conceptions of mood e.g. the cognitive theory and ethological conception. Others are based on the pathological model of manic depressive psychosis e.g. phenomenological and psychoanalytic views of mood theory. Moreover this analysis will attempt to show the interest of psychological tests to confirm mood troubles or to substantiate a clinical diagnosis of mood disorders. The conception of mood in cognitive psychology is derived from the analysis of emotion. Mood is considered as a group of persisting feelings associated with evaluative and cognitive states which influence all the future evaluations, feelings and actions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bipolar Disorder↗

PubMed2000

Performance of ELISA HBsAg Test Kits with Use of the Different Types of Panels Containing HBsAg.

Serological diagnostics of hepatitis B in clinical laboratories is mainly based on detection of HBs antigen (HBsAg) in human serum or plasma using commercial ELISA kits. In manufacturing and laboratory practice, sensitivity of ELISA kit is measured against either international or national reference standard. This approach is necessary, but limited as it does not take into account factors that influence on HBsAg detection kit potency at low HBsAg concentration and when HBsAg subtypes/variants are present in species. Several panels containing human HBsAg positive and HBsAg negative sera were prepared and then used for testing of commercial kits HBsAg detection efficacy either under the conditions of reference or clinical laboratories: (1) broadened panels containing 138 and 157 samples were used for lot-to-lot comparison of kits detecting HBsAg; (2) low titer panel containing 21 samples was used for the evaluation the detection limit of kits; (3) mini low titer HBsAg panels containing 17 samples were used for interlaboratory control in Moscow; (4) panel containing 38 diluted human sera (35 sera with "wild" type HBsAg and 3 abnormal sera with presumably mutant HBsAg) was used for the performance evaluation of kits. Variants of HBsAg were found in 11 sera among 132 HBsAg positive sera titrated in ELISA in the presence of monoclonal antibodies against a-determinant of HBsAg. For 4 of them the measured level of HBsAg varied 10-100 times with the change of the kit or type of monoclonal antibodies. The data obtained suggest that each control panel could be a useful tool for estimation of both the kit detection potency and laboratory assay efficacy.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1999

Identification of Epichloë endophytes in planta by a microsatellite-based PCR fingerprinting assay with automated analysis.

Epichloë endophytes are a group of filamentous fungi that include both sexual (Epichloë) and asexual (Neotyphodium) species. As a group they are genetically diverse and form both antagonistic and mutualistic associations with temperate grasses. We report here on the development of a microsatellite-based PCR system for fingerprinting this group of fungi with template isolated from either culture or infected plant material. M13mp19 partial genomic libraries were constructed for size-fractionated genomic DNA from two endophyte strains. These libraries were screened with a mixture of DIG-labeled dinucleotide and trinucleotide repeat probes. Positive clones were sequenced, and nine unique microsatellite loci were identified. An additional microsatellite was serendipitously identified in the 3' untranscribed region of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase gene from N. lolii Lp19. Primers were designed for each locus and a panel of endophytes, from different taxonomic groupings, was screened to determine the degree of polymorphism. On the basis of these results a multiplex assay was developed for strain identification with fluorescently labeled primers for five of these loci. Using this system the size of the products amplified can be precisely determined by automated analysis, and an allele profile for each strain can be readily generated. The assay was shown to resolve endophyte groupings to the level of known isozyme phenotype groupings. In a blind test the assay was used successfully to identify a set of endophytes in planta. A reference database of allele sizes has been established for the panel of endophytes examined, and this will be expanded as new strains are analyzed.

Alleles↗

PubMed2006

Proposed criteria for referral and evaluation of children for epilepsy surgery: recommendations of the Subcommission for Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery.

The Commission on Neurosurgery of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) formed the Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Subcommission in 1998 and charged it with formulating guidelines and recommendations for epilepsy surgery in childhood. Also endorsed by the Commission on Paediatrics, the following document is the consensus agreement after a meeting of 32 individuals from 12 countries in 2003. The panel agreed that insufficient class 1 evidence exists to recommend practice guidelines at this time. Instead, the panel generated criteria concerning the unique features of pediatric epilepsy patients to justify dedicated resources for specialty pediatric surgical centers, suggested guidelines for physicians for when to refer children with refractory epilepsy, and recommendations on presurgical evaluation and postoperative assessments. The panel also outlined areas of agreement and disagreement on which future research and consensus meetings should focus attention to generate practice guidelines and criteria for pediatric epilepsy surgery centers.

Child↗

PubMed1993

Collaborative evaluation of the Radiometer Sensititre AP80 for identification of gram-negative bacilli.

A multicenter trial of the Sensititre AP80 panel read on the Sensititre AutoReader (Radiometer America, Westlake, Ohio) for the automated identification of gram-negative bacilli was conducted with 1,023 clinical isolates (879 members of the family Enterobacteriaceae plus 144 nonenteric organisms). Assignment of taxa was based on the computer-assisted interpretation of the results of a series of reactions with fluorogenic enzyme substrates after 5 h of incubation, with an incubation interval of approximately 18 h used when indicated. Accuracy was determined initially by comparison with the results obtained with the API 20E or Rapid NFT system (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.). Isolates showing discrepancies were identified by using conventional biochemical profiles. Identifications were available after 5 h of incubation for 918 isolates (90%). Agreements with reference results for members of the family Enterobacteriaceae were 95.3 and 92.5% at the genus and species levels, respectively, and for the nonmembers of the family Enterobacteriaceae, the agreements with reference results were 95.1 and 84.7%, respectively. The Sensititre AP80 panel was found to be simple and convenient to use, allowed for the testing of three isolates per panel, required minimal supplementary testing for completion of identification, performed in a reproducible fashion, and demonstrated an accuracy of same-day identification comparable to that reported for other automated systems. The AP80 panel appears well suited for routine use in the clinical microbiology laboratory as an automated means of identifying both members of the family Enterobacteriaceae and nonenteric gram-negative bacilli.

Bacterial Typing Techniques↗

PubMed2000

Overuse and underuse of colonoscopy in a European primary care setting.

BACKGROUND: Efforts to decrease overuse of health care may result in underuse. Overuse and underuse of colonoscopy have never been simultaneously evaluated in the same patient population. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, the appropriateness and necessity of referral for colonoscopy were evaluated by using explicit criteria developed by a standardized expert panel method. Inappropriate referrals constituted overuse. Patients with necessary colonoscopy indications who were not referred constituted underuse. Consecutive ambulatory patients with lower gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms from 22 general practices in Switzerland, a country with ready access to colonoscopy, were enrolled during a 4-week period. Follow-up data were obtained at 3 months for patients who did not undergo a necessary colonoscopy. RESULTS: Eight thousand seven hundred sixty patient visits were screened for inclusion; 651 patients (7.4%) had lower GI symptoms (mean age 56.4 years, 68% women). Of these, 78 (12%) were referred for colonoscopy. Indications for colonoscopy in 11 patients (14% of colonoscopy referrals or 1.7% of all patients with lower GI symptoms) were judged inappropriate. Among 573 patients not referred for the procedure, underuse ranged between 11% and 28% of all patients with lower GI symptoms, depending on the criteria used. CONCLUSIONS: Applying criteria from an expert panel of nationally recognized experts indicates that underuse of referral for colonoscopy exceeds overuse in primary care in Switzerland. To improve quality of care, both overuse and underuse of important procedures must be addressed.

Colonoscopy↗

PubMed2004

[Comparison of spirometric reference values in Chilean children].

BACKGROUND: The interpretation of lung function tests must be based on reference normal values obtained in the same population. In Chile an expert panel recommended the use of values obtained by, Gutierrez el al locally, that are higher than those obtained by Knudson, for forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1). AIM: To analyze the clinical application of both reference values in a selected population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective review of 499 spirometries done in our laboratory to 285 males and 214 females, aged 4.5 to 18 years. The reports using either Gutierrez (G) or Knudson (K) reference values were compared. The 5th percentile was considered the inferior limit for normality. RESULTS: The height range of patients was 110-178 cm (median 130, 3rd quartile 143). Referral diagnoses were probable asthma in 349 (70%), asthma in 119 (24%), to rule out restrictive disease in 12 (2%) and others 19 (4%). FEV1/FVC ratio was > or =84% in 290 patients. Using K values, lung function was interpreteed as within normal limtits in 321 patients (64.3%), as mild obstructive disease (MOD) in 171 (34.3%), as combined limitation (CL) in 2, mild restrictive disease (MRD), moderate restrictive disease (MR) and severe restrictive disease (SRD) in 1 patient each. Using G values, lung function was interpreted as within normal limits in 133 patients (26.7%), MOD in 343 (68.7%), MRD in 6, CL. in 4 and MR in 2. In 193 spirometries (39%) there was lack of concordance between the interpretations using K or G values. CONCLUSIONS: There is a wide rante of variability when G or K values are used to interpret lung function in children in Chile. Redefinition of local standards would be necessary.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Metamerism in aesthetic prostheses under three standard illuminants--TL84, D65 and F.

This study looks at the effect of metamerism in colour-matching and the assessment of multi-layered silicone rubber finger prostheses. The aim was to identify the choice of illuminants for colour matching the prostheses that would give rise to the least metameric effect between the prostheses and the human skin or the best colour match. The prostheses were prepared and colour matched to a fair-skinned subject under 3 reference illuminants--TL84, D65, F and a combination of illuminants--TL84, D65 and F. The prostheses were then measured for colour using a spectrophotometer based on the CIE indices L*, a*, b* with each prosthesis assessed separately against the subject's index finger under the reference illuminants--TL84, D65 and F. The prostheses were also assessed by a panel of 50 observers and scored according to colour-match. Colour differences between the skin and prosthesis were measured in the illuminant under which the prostheses were prepared and then under the other reference illuminants. A relationship was obtained between the measured mean colour difference, deltaE*, and the mean visual assessment score for each prosthesis. This paper points out the concerns related to the optical phenomenon of metamerism with the colour pigments used. This can affect the colour match of the prosthesis as perceived by the patient. The findings seem to suggest that this metameric colour difference can be minimised if the prosthesis is matched under a combination of lights, which were found to give the best-perceived match.

Fingers↗

PubMed2006

Detection and occurrence of antimicrobially resistant E. coli in groundwater on or near swine farms in eastern North Carolina.

The use of antibiotics for growth promotion and disease treatment by the commercial swine industry has led to high proportions of multiple antibiotic-resistant enteric bacteria being shed by these animals and concerns about the environmental spread of these bacteria. A study was conducted to quantify the extent of release of antibiotic-resistant E. coli from swine farms into groundwater. Four study sites, two swine farms and two reference sites (crop farms), with known groundwater flow paths were screened for E. coli four times over the course of one and a half years. A total of 100 biochemically-confirmed E. coli were collected from the four sites. There were statistically significantly higher E. coli levels at the two swine farm sites than at the reference sites. The bacterial isolates were tested for antibiotic resistance using a panel of 17 drugs that are typical of human and veterinary use. There were 19 and 71 E. coli isolates from swine farms #1 and #2, respectively, with most (68%) being resistant to 1 -6 antimicrobials. Only one E. coli isolate from each of the reference sites showed antimicrobial resistance traits. The results of this study demonstrate that antibiotic-resistant E. coli strains are present in groundwaters of swine farms with a typical lagoon and land application system for waste management.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Immunoreactive trypsin/DNA newborn screening for cystic fibrosis: should the R117H variant be included in CFTR mutation panels?

BACKGROUND: Cystic fibrosis newborn screening is now implemented universally in France, as well as in many states in the United States and in various areas of Europe and Australia. Because the screening protocol usually includes the analysis of the most common CFTR mutations, it is of the utmost importance that only mutations that result in classical cystic fibrosis are included in this test. The panels of mutations used in most cystic fibrosis newborn screening programs enable the detection of a relatively frequent CFTR variant (R117H) whose implication in cystic fibrosis remains unclear. Physicians, therefore, have difficulty managing detected compound heterozygotes with this variant, which raises the issue of the appropriateness of extended testing in families and of the legitimate use of prenatal diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the clinical outcome of the children found to be compound heterozygous for R117H by screening in Brittany (western France), where cystic fibrosis newborn screening was set up in 1989, and to assess whether this CFTR variant should be included in the newborn screening mutation panels. METHODS: Data on clinical status were obtained by the referring pediatricians. RESULTS: Since our screening protocol has enabled detection of R117H (ie, in 1995), 360466 newborns have been screened for cystic fibrosis in Brittany, of whom 124 had elevated immunoreactive trypsin and 2 mutations in the CFTR gene. Nine of these children (7.3%) were compound heterozygous for R117H, which in all cases was linked to the 7T_11TG haplotype [IVS8-nT variant/m(TG) repeat]. Their genotypes were F508del/R117H (n = 7), I507del/R117H (n = 1), or G551D/R117H (n = 1). At the time of this writing, the mean age of these 9 children was 7.0 years (the oldest being >10 years of age), and none of them had yet developed any signs of cystic fibrosis; they have been pancreatic sufficient and have had good nutritional status and pulmonary function. Moreover, we observed that, in Brittany, all the patients carrying the R117H variant have been identified exclusively through cystic fibrosis newborn screening. CONCLUSIONS: In view of the high frequency of R117H-7T identified by cystic fibrosis newborn screening, the uncertain outcome of the asymptomatic children, and physicians' difficulty in managing these situations, we propose the withdrawal of the R117H variant from the panels of CFTR mutations used in cystic fibrosis newborn screening, given the expanding implementation of cystic fibrosis newborn screening.

Cystic Fibrosis↗

PubMed2004

Analytical validation of the tag-it high-throughput microsphere-based universal array genotyping platform: application to the multiplex detection of a panel of thrombophilia-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms.

BACKGROUND: We have developed a novel, microsphere-based universal array platform referred to as the Tag-It platform. This platform is suitable for high-throughput clinical genotyping applications and was used for multiplex analysis of a panel of thrombophilia-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). METHODS: Genomic DNA from 132 patients was amplified by multiplex PCR using 6 primer sets, followed by multiplex allele-specific primer extension using 12 universally tagged genotyping primers. The products were then sorted on the Tag-It array and detected by use of the Luminex xMAP system. Genotypes were also determined by sequencing. RESULTS: Empirical validation of the universal array showed that the highest nonspecific signal was 3.7% of the specific signal. Patient genotypes showed 100% concordance with direct DNA sequencing data for 736 SNP determinations. CONCLUSIONS: The Tag-It microsphere-based universal array platform is a highly accurate, multiplexed, high-throughput SNP-detection platform.

Genotype↗

PubMed2024

Diagnosing missed cases of spinal muscular atrophy in genome, exome, and panel sequencing data sets.

PURPOSE: We set out to develop a publicly available tool that could accurately diagnose spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in exome, genome, or panel sequencing data sets aligned to a GRCh37, GRCh38, or T2T reference genome. METHODS: The SMA Finder algorithm detects the most common genetic causes of SMA by evaluating reads that overlap the c.840 position of the SMN1 and SMN2 paralogs. It uses these reads to determine whether an individual most likely has 0 functional copies of SMN1. RESULTS: We developed SMA Finder and evaluated it on 16,626 exomes and 3911 genomes from the Broad Institute Center for Mendelian Genomics, 1157 exomes and 8762 panel samples from Tartu University Hospital, and 198,868 exomes and 198,868 genomes from the UK Biobank. SMA Finder's false-positive rate was below 1 in 200,000 samples, its positive predictive value was greater than 96%, and its true-positive rate was 29 out of 29. Most of these SMA diagnoses had initially been clinically misdiagnosed as limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. CONCLUSION: Our extensive evaluation of SMA Finder on exome, genome, and panel sequencing samples found it to have nearly 100% accuracy and demonstrated its ability to reduce diagnostic delays, particularly in individuals with milder subtypes of SMA. Given this accuracy, the common misdiagnoses identified here, the widespread availability of clinical confirmatory testing for SMA, and the existence of treatment options, we propose that it is time to add SMN1 to the American College of Medical Genetics list of genes with reportable secondary findings after genome and exome sequencing.

Humans↗

PubMed2001

Population variation of human mitochondrial DNA hypervariable regions I and II in 105 Croatian individuals demonstrated by immobilized sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe analysis.

AIM: To detect sequence variation in 105 Croatian individuals by the use of duplex polymerase chain reaction amplification of full-length hypervariable region I and II (HVI/HVII) products and subsequent hybridization to a linear array of 27 immobilized sequence-specific oligonucleotide (SSO) probes, which targets six regions within HVI and HVII, and two additional sites, 189 and 16093. METHODS: Chelex-extracted bloodstains were used for amplification of HV regions. In all cases, a single robust amplification was sufficient for immobilized SSO probe typing and subsequent direct sequence analysis for both HVI and HVII. This method, suitable for a range of forensic samples (including shaft portions of single hairs), was also applied to the analysis of 18 skeletal elements recovered from a mass grave. Using a panel of immobilized SSO probes, we have developed a rapid screening approach to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotyping before direct sequence analysis. RESULTS: We established a reference sequence database of mtDNA haplotypes for 105 randomly selected Croatian individuals. Fifty different mitotypes were observed (33 unique). The most frequent mitotypes occurred 18 times or approximately 17.1% [111111 189 (A) 16093 (T)] and 11 times or approximately 10.5% [131111 189 (A) 16093 (T)]; all other mitotypes occurred 5% or less. The corresponding genetic diversity value for this database was approximately 0.952. The usefulness of establishing an mtDNA reference database with immobilized SSO probe testing has been demonstrated by determining the strength of a match comparison obtained for one skeletal element and a corresponding maternal reference from 18 specimens recovered from a mass grave. CONCLUSION: The sequence variation detected by the panel of immobilized SSO probes is sufficiently diverse to be used for identification of human skeletal remains from mass graves. The immobilized SSO typing strip targets polymorphic regions within HVI and HVII and is a useful identification tool for mass grave and mass disaster analysis, as well as for criminal casework testing.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2026

Metabolomics-based authentication of acacia honey against C3 and C4 sugar adulteration.

Acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) honey is frequently adulterated with low-cost alternatives via direct syrup addition or in-hive sugar feeding. We focused on sugar-feeding adulterants, which is difficult to distinguish from nectar-based honey. Stable carbon isotope ratio analysis (SCIRA) is an established method for assessing honey authentication; however, its applicability is limited to detecting C4 plant-derived sugar adulteration. Therefore, we developed a metabolomics-based multi-marker strategy to discriminate acacia honey from beet-sugar (C3)- and cane-sugar (C4)-fed honey. Thirteen metabolites were prioritized using combined multivariate and univariate criteria. Subsequently, 1716 panels of seven-marker (13C7) were evaluated for discrimination performance. 291 panels achieved 100% accuracy in an independent validation set. In blending scenarios, acacia honeys spiked with 20% beet-sugar-fed honey and 20% cane-sugar-fed honey were successfully identified, outperforming SCIRA (60%) and beet-sugar marker 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT) (30%). These findings establish metabolomic panels as a robust marker for acacia honey authentication, extending beyond current reference methods.

Acacia↗

PubMed1991

Acquired dyschromatopsia among styrene-exposed workers.

We investigated the occurrence of color vision loss in 75 styrene-exposed workers and in 60 referents. Color vision was evaluated by adopting the Lanthony D 15 desaturated panel, a test specifically suited to detect mild acquired dyschromatopsia. The results of the test were expressed as Color Confusion Index. Styrene exposure was evaluated with both environmental and biological monitoring. Airborne levels of the solvent were 3.2 to 549.5 mg/m3. In styrene-exposed workers color vision was significantly impaired when compared with referents matched for age. A significative correlation was found between environmental and urinary levels of styrene and Color Confusion Index excluding the influence of age in multiple regression analysis, indicating the possibility of a dose-effect relationship. The findings suggest that styrene can induce an early appearance of a dose-dependent color vision loss.

Adult↗