An enclosed in-gel PCR amplification cassette with multi-target, multi-sample detection for platform molecular diagnostics

This work describes a self-contained, simple, disposable, and inexpensive gel capillary cassette for DNA amplification in near point of care settings. The cassette avoids the need for pumps or valves during raw sample delivery or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification steps. The cassette contains capillary reaction units that can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 months. The current cassette configuration format can simultaneously tests up to 16 patients for two or more targets, accommodates different sample types on the same cassette, has integrated positive and negative controls and allows flexibility for multiple geometries. PCR reagents in the cassette are desiccated to allow storage at room temperature with rehydration by raw sample at the time of testing. The sample is introduced to the cassette via a transfer pipette simply by capillary force. DNA amplification was carried out in a portable prototype instrument for PCR thermal cycling with fluorescence detection of amplified products by melt curve analysis. To demonstrate performance, raw genital swabs and urine were introduced to the same cassette to simultaneously detect four sexually transmitted infections. Herpes Simplex Viruses (HSV-1 and HSV-2) were detected from raw genital swabs. Ureaplasma Urealyticum (UU) and Mycoplasma Homonis (MH) were detected from raw urine. Results for multiple patients were obtained in as little as 50'. This platform allows multiparameter clinical testing with a pre-assembled cassette that requires only the introduction of raw sample. Modification of the prototype device to accommodate larger cassettes will ultimately provide high throughput simultaneous testing of even larger numbers of samples for many different targets, as is required for most clinical applications. Combinations of wax and/or polymer cassettes holding capillary reaction units are feasible. The components of the cassette are suited to mass production and robotic assembly to produce a readily manufactured disposable reaction cassette that can be configured for disease-specific testing panels. Rapid testing with a disposable reaction cassette on an inexpensive instrument will permit on the spot evaluation of patients in the clinic for faster medical decision-making and more informed therapeutic choices

mTOR inhibition increases cell viability via autophagy induction during endoplasmic reticulum stress - An experimental and modeling study

Unfolded or misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) trigger an adaptive ER stress response known as unfolded protein response (UPR). Depending on the severity of ER stress, either autophagy-controlled survival or apoptotic cell death can be induced. The molecular mechanisms by which UPR controls multiple fate decisions have started to emerge. One such molecular mechanism involves a master regulator of cell growth, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which paradoxically is shown to have pro-apoptotic role by mutually interacting with ER stress response. How the interconnections between UPR and mTOR influence the dynamics of autophagy and apoptosis activation is still unclear. Here we make an attempt to explore this problem by using experiments and mathematical modeling. The effect of perturbed mTOR activity in ER stressed cells was studied on autophagy and cell viability by using agents causing mTOR pathway inhibition (such as rapamycin or metyrapone). We observed that mTOR inhibition led to an increase in cell viability and was accompanied by an increase in autophagic activity. It was also shown that autophagy was activated under conditions of severe ER stress but that in the latter phase of stress it was inhibited at the time of apoptosis activation. Our mathematical model shows that both the activation threshold and temporal dynamics of autophagy and apoptosis inducers are sensitive to variation in mTOR activity. These results confirm that autophagy has cytoprotective role and is activated in mutually exclusive manner with respect to ER stress levels

Identification of CIITA Regulated Genetic Module Dedicated for Antigen Presentation

The class II trans-activator CIITA is a transcriptional co-activator required for the expression of Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes. Although the latter function is well established, the global target-gene specificity of CIITA had not been defined. We therefore generated a comprehensive list of its target genes by performing genome-wide scans employing four different approaches designed to identify promoters that are occupied by CIITA in two key antigen presenting cells, B cells and dendritic cells. Surprisingly, in addition to MHC genes, only nine new targets were identified and validated by extensive functional and expression analysis. Seven of these genes are known or likely to function in processes contributing to MHC-mediated antigen presentation. The remaining two are of unknown function. CIITA is thus uniquely dedicated for genes implicated in antigen presentation. The finding that CIITA regulates such a highly focused gene expression module sets it apart from all other transcription factors, for which large-scale binding-site mapping has indicated that they exert pleiotropic functions and regulate large numbers of genes

Application of the Concept of Electro-negativity to Problems in Molecular Structure

Author Institution: Department of Physics, Duke UniversityPresentations without an abstract printed in the proceedings do not have an abstract (image or text) in the Knowledge Bank record

Spectroscopie des ondes de 1 à 5 mm

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RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN MILLIMETER AND SUBMILLIMETER WAVE SPECTROSCOPY.

Author Institution: Department of Physics, Duke Universit