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.

Lab-established diagnosis necessary for treatment of patients with persistent diarrhea

Persistent diarrhea, which is diarrhea that lasts at least 14 days, is an illness typically caused by parasites or bacteria and requires accurate diagnosis in order to determine what treatment to give, according to Herbert L. DuPont, M.D., director of the Center for Infectious Diseases at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health.

29 Jun 2016

Mobile devices of healthcare workers often contaminated by viral RNA

In clinical settings, mobile phones benefit patients by placing useful data and information at the fingertips of health professionals during interactions on the ward.

22 Jun 2016

Novel method for designing geometric structures created from DNA

Among the valuable holdings in London's Wellcome Library is a rough pencil sketch made in 1953 by Francis Crick. The drawing is one of the first to show the double-helix structure of DNA--Nature's blueprint for the design of sea snails, human beings, and every other living form on earth.

27 May 2016

CML treatment-free remission criteria outlined

Treatment-free remission may be feasible in many patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia, say researchers who set out clinical and logistical requirements for discontinuing tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy.

18 May 2016

New optimised PCR tests for reliable diagnosis of Zika virus

DZIF scientists from the University of Bonn have shown that not all conventional Zika virus molecular diagnostic tests for are sufficiently reliable. They developed optimised assays and a control for quantifying viruses in blood and urine.

13 May 2016

MGH researchers develop device to rapidly diagnose health-care-associated infections

A team of Massachusetts General Hospital investigators has developed a device with the potential of shortening the time required to rapidly diagnose pathogens responsible for health-care-associated infections from a couple of days to a matter of hours.

10 May 2016

MIT researchers develop innovative paper-based test to diagnose Zika virus

A new paper-based test developed at MIT and other institutions can diagnose Zika virus infection within a few hours. The test, which distinguishes Zika from the very similar dengue virus, can be stored at room temperature and read with a simple electronic reader, making it potentially practical for widespread use.

9 May 2016

Novel method may enable quick, easy exhaustive analysis of ORs responding to specific odorants

A research group led by Osaka University and Panasonic Corporation developed a method for making a prompt, exhaustive isolation of olfactory receptors (ORs) responding to the odorant of interest. This achievement will enable quick and easy exhaustive analysis of ORs responding to specific odorants, which previously required a great deal of time and effort. These results may be applied to biosensors capable of highly detecting only desired odorants.

30 Apr 2016

Epigenomics receives FDA approval for Epi proColon®

Epigenomics AG, the German-American cancer molecular diagnostics company, has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Company’s lead product, Epi proColon®, the first and only FDA-approved blood-based colorectal cancer screening test.

14 Apr 2016

Simple blood test rapidly detects key genetic mutations in non-small cell lung tumors

A simple blood test can rapidly and accurately detect mutations in two key genes in non-small cell lung tumors, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and other institutions report in a new study - demonstrating the test's potential as a clinical tool for identifying patients who can benefit from drugs targeting those mutations.

11 Apr 2016

Automated sample-to-answer system could make EVD diagnosis easier

An automated "sample-to-answer" system could provide Ebola virus disease (EVD) diagnosis more quickly and easily than the current standard test, according to research published this week in PLOS Medicine.

30 Mar 2016

Competition between mixed malaria parasite strains could influence drug resistance

Scientists have documented for the first time how competition among different malaria parasite strains in human hosts could influence the spread of drug resistance.

23 Mar 2016

Sandia engineers aim to develop autonomous device to passively monitor mosquito-borne diseases

Mosquitoes are deadly efficient at spreading disease. Despite vaccines and efforts to eradicate the pesky insects, they continue to infect humans with feared diseases like Zika virus, malaria and West Nile virus.

22 Mar 2016

Study shows aging affects adaptive immune responses

Today at the 45th Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research, researcher Jeffrey Ebersole, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA, will present a study titled "Systemic Antibody Responses to Oral Bacteria with Aging." The AADR Annual Meeting is being held in conjunction with the 40th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research.

21 Mar 2016

Zika virus can cause a range of abnormalities in pregnant women, study finds

New research presents strong evidence that the Zika virus can indeed cause a range of abnormalities in pregnant women infected with the virus -- with the effects manifesting any time during pregnancy. Some of the abnormalities noted have not been reported in connection with the virus.

7 Mar 2016

"Neoehrlichiosis" Internationally Diagnosed And Successfully Treated In Patients Without Immunodeficiency For The First Time

The intercellular bacteria "Candidatus Neoehrlichia", as e.g. Borrelia, can be transferred by ticks. Approx. 4.2 % of indigenous ticks are infected with this rarely explored bacterium which, until today, has been exclusively identified as pathogenic bacterium in patients with an impairment of the immune system, such as in case of leukaemia, rheumatism or after organ transplantation.

1 Mar 2016

Most stage III melanoma patients do not benefit from interferon treatment

Final results for the Sunbelt Melanoma Trial, published online this month in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, show that thanks to current diagnostic techniques, most stage III melanoma patients do not benefit from treatment with interferon.

15 Feb 2016

Mayo Clinic researchers discover new bacterial species that triggers Lyme disease in people

Mayo Clinic researchers, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and health officials from Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin, have discovered a new bacterial species that causes Lyme disease in people. The new species has been provisionally named Borrelia mayonii. Prior to this finding, the only species believed to cause Lyme disease in North America was Borrelia burgdorferi.

9 Feb 2016

Flexible Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) System

The next generation OmniPAGE VS20WAVE-DGGE from Cleaver Scientific is a flexible Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) system.

27 Jan 2016

Rescue TDF monotherapy effective in multidrug resistant chronic HBV

Researchers from the Republic of Korea say that rescue therapy with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate alone is an appropriate option for patients with multidrug resistant chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

26 Jan 2016