Polymerase Chain Reaction News and Research

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Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a revolutionary laboratory technique that enables the replication of a specific DNA sequence. Using PCR, millions of copies of a target DNA can be easily synthesized within a short period of time.

CD157 important in malignant pleural mesothelioma

CD157 plays a pivotal role in the progression of malignant pleural mesothelioma and may be useful in the stratification of patients into different prognostic groups, Italian research suggests.

20 Aug 2014

Blood and saliva tests help accurately predict recurrences of HPV associated oral cancers

Physicians at Johns Hopkins have developed blood and saliva tests that help accurately predict recurrences of HPV-linked oral cancers in a substantial number of patients.

1 Aug 2014

ROS1 fusion genes found in young East Asian patients with lung adenocarcinoma

ROS1 fusion genes were successfully detected independent of gender or smoking history in young East Asian patients with lung adenocarcinoma, a histological subgroup in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), using multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) diagnostic tests.

22 Jul 2014

Saudi Arabian researchers detect genetic fragments of MERS-CoV in the air of camel barn

Saudi Arabian researchers have detected genetic fragments of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the air of a barn holding a camel infected with the virus. The work, published this week in mBio-, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, indicates that further studies are needed to see if the disease can be transmitted through the air.

22 Jul 2014

Third-line treatment options remain elusive for advanced, EGFR wild-type NSCLC

Phase II study findings show only marginal positive effects of third-line treatment with afatinib for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer in patients with wild-type epidermal growth-factor receptor tumour status.

23 Jun 2014

New project improves techniques for detecting E. coli

Kansas State University diagnosticians are helping the cattle industry save millions of dollars each year by developing earlier and accurate detection of E. coli.

17 Jun 2014

Survival differences after docetaxel, erlotinib are EGFR dependent

Results from the DELTA trial indicate no significant differences in progression-free or overall survival after treatment with docetaxel versus erlotinib in non-small-cell lung cancer patients unselected for their epidermal growth factor receptor mutation status.

16 Jun 2014

Rice develops highly accurate test to detect signs of HIV

Rice University bioengineers are developing a simple, highly accurate test to detect signs of HIV and its progress in patients in resource-poor settings.

6 Jun 2014

IL-8 expression predicts lung adenocarcinoma prognosis

Interleukin -8 expression is associated with a poor lung adenocarcinoma prognosis, say Japanese researchers, especially in patients whose tumours are positive for the KRAS mutation.

19 May 2014

Diagnosis of Huntington's disease requires combination of clinical symptoms, radiological changes, genetic diagnosis

Huntington's disease is an autosomal-dominant inherited neurodegenerative disease with a distinct phenotype, but the pathogenesis is unclear.

6 May 2014

Rare case of tuberculous otitis media described

South Korean researchers have reported a rare case of tuberculous otitis media and say that ear tuberculosis should be considered in patients presenting with otitis media complicated by facial paralysis.

7 Apr 2014

Researchers demonstrate accurate identification of amino acids

Some three billion base pairs make up the human genome-the floor plan of life. In 2003, the Human Genome Project announced the successful decryption of this code, a tour de force that continues to supply a stream of insights relevant to human health and disease.

7 Apr 2014

S. pneumoniae is commonest cause of paediatric CAP

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the predominant cause of community-acquired pneumonia among children in Belgium, with non-vaccine serotypes accounting for the majority of cases, a Belgian study shows.

31 Mar 2014

Cell-free DNA analysis allows noninvasive tumour genotype monitoring

Noninvasive tumour genotyping using cell-free plasma DNA analysis is feasible, say US researchers who believe the technique will aid patient diagnosis and monitoring.

24 Mar 2014

Study shows only 23% of seasonal and pandemic flu caused symptoms

Around 1 in 5 of the population were infected in both recent outbreaks of seasonal flu and the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, but just 23% of these infections caused symptoms, and only 17% of people were ill enough to consult their doctor.

17 Mar 2014

Plasma microRNA test boosts lung cancer screening

The ability to screen for lung cancer is improved by the development of a plasma 24-microRNA signature classifier, research suggests.

28 Feb 2014

Researchers develop novel technique for detecting ALK rearrangements in non-small cell lung cancers

Researchers have developed a novel technique for detecting ALK rearrangements in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) that is more sensitive and easier to perform than currently available techniques.

25 Feb 2014

Certain fragments of DNA shed by tumors can be used to non-invasively screen for early-stage cancers

Certain fragments of DNA shed by tumors into the bloodstream can potentially be used to non-invasively screen for early-stage cancers, monitor responses to treatment and help explain why some cancers are resistant to therapies, according to results of an international study led by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center investigators.

20 Feb 2014

Splicing findings offer lung cancer clues

Researchers from Spain have identified several new splicing events regulated by the oncogenic splicing factor SRSF1 in lung cancer, suggesting that their dysregulation is involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.

4 Feb 2014

Researchers identify components of C. diff bacteria that can be used to develop better treatment

Rhode Island Hospital researchers have identified components in Clostridium difficile (C. diff) that may lead to new diagnostic tools, and ultimately more timely and effective treatment for this often fatal infection. C. diff is a spore-forming bacterium that causes severe diarrhea and is responsible for 14,000 deaths annually in the U.S. The study is published online in advance of print in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.

31 Jan 2014