Gender impact on first trimester markers in Down syndrome screening

The influence of fetal gender on the level in the first trimester of the serological markers alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and free beta human chorionic gonadotropin (βhCG) and on nuchal translucency is described for 2637 singleton pregnancies with normal outcome. Mean log MoM values for pregnancies with female and male fetuses were calculated using regression of log marker values on gestational age expressed as crown rump length and on maternal weight. A pronounced gender impact was found for free βhCG, being 16% higher for female than for male fetuses. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Toxicity screening of biodegradable polymers. II. Evaluation of cell culture test with medium extract

Cell culture testing with material extracts was applied to toxicity screening of some commercial degradable plastics: a plasticized cellulose acetate, an aliphatic polyester (Bionolle), polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate (Biopol), and polycaprolactone (TONE polymer). Cell culture medium with serum was used as extraction medium. Methods for the determination of morphology and viability of cells cultured in the extract were investigated. Phase-contrast light microscopy of cells, enhanced by neutral red staining, provides high-contrast images for qualitative evaluation of cell morphology and lysis. Compared to the determination of protein using the Bradford method and of neutral red uptake, the determination of dehydrogenase activity using 3-[4,5-dimethylthia-zol-2-yl]-2,5-diephenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) is more sensitive and accurate. The relative MTT activity of cells cultured in fresh extracts indicate that TONE polymer (all shapes) and Bionolle (test bars and films) are comparable to materials currently used in the food industry (polyethylene terephthalate, atactic and isotactic polystyrene) with no toxic effects on cells.     

竹林挥发物主要成分对疾患动物模型生理代谢指标的影响

食诱方法造模制备高脂血症SD大鼠模型,考察了α-蒎烯模拟物-松节油对造模高血脂症SD大鼠血脂代谢指标的影响,以期对竹林释放的挥发性有机化合物(VOCs)的保健、疾疗效果进行科学评价.结果表明,在实验浓度范围内,α-蒎烯模拟物-松节油对高脂血症SD大鼠的体重无显著影响;能降低其血清总胆固醇和甘油三酯并表现出数量依赖关系,...     

海洋微生物来源的天然产物开发研究进展

综述了近年来海洋微生物来源天然产物研究的新进展,总结了该类天然产物的开发策略.通过对样品采用不同的预处理方式、不同的分离培养基以及新的培养方法,讨论如何获得海洋来源的特有微生物和增加海洋来源微生物类群的多样性.阐述了在海洋微生物天然产物的开发过程中,采用宏基因组技术及基因组测序等手段,来发现难培养或不可培养微生物中的天然产物以及处于"沉默"状态的天然产物.最后介绍了异源生物合成、组合生物合成以及核糖体工程等技术在海洋微生物天然产物开发和改造中的应用,并举例论述了海洋微生物天然产物的开发.     

The impact of bias in MoM values on patient risk and screening performance for Down syndrome

First and second trimester screening protocols for Down syndrome rely on marker values being referred to smoothed median values to produce adjusted multiple of the median (MoM) values to standardise for factors such as assay, gestation, maternal weight, smoking status, and so on. Changes in assay components, such as reagent lot, and inappropriate use of published regression equations for smoothed medians have resulted in biases in reported MoM values that in many applications remain uncorrected. This paper investigates the impact of these biases on patient-specific risk estimates and screening performance, and concludes that a 10% bias for an individual marker can result in an increase of between 1 and 2% in the false positive rate of the programme. A simple formula is also derived that enables the impact of these biases to be determined without the need for simulation, thus making it easier to design effective statistical quality control procedures to monitor the output of screening software algorithms. Objective To determine the impact of bias in MoM values on detection rates, false positive rates and patient-specific risks for Down syndrome. Methods We show that bias in MoM values affects risk through a multiplicative factor, and present an approximation to estimate this factor. We then show how bias in MoM values changes the effective risk threshold in the screening test, and hence the test's performance characteristics are determined by reference to a different point on the ROC curve for that test. Our approximation is based on the assumption of equal variance covariance structure for the unaffected and T21 log MoM values. We demonstrate, using computer simulation and supportive theoretical results, that the approximation is reliable in situations encountered in practice. Applications of the approximation are also discussed in respect of establishing effective quality control rules for median MoMs. Results Substantial changes in patient risk estimates and overall screening performance can result from the sort of biases in marker MoM values encountered in routine practice. In particular, biases of 10% in individual median marker MoM values can produce a four-fold range of risks when using the triple test. A 10% bias in a single marker will change the false positive rates by up to 2%. The effects on the false positive rate are approximately additive and, in cases where all markers are biased towards Down syndrome, biases in all three markers for the triple test can more than double the false positive rate. Conclusions Biases in marker MoM values can occur in many ways, inappropriate median values, kit lot change, drift in assay performance and operator effects. We present methods which allow the impact of these changes to be assessed in relation to patient-specific risks and the overall screening performance. This, in turn, will enable appropriate quality control procedures to be established to control the magnitude of reported marker MoM biases, or equivalently, the magnitude of biases associated with the calculation of patient-specific risks. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.