Xanthogranuloma of the corneoscleral limbus in an adult.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E Tu.
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We describe a method for the discrimination of short tandem repeat (STR) alleles based on active microarray hybridization. An essential factor in this method is electronic hybridization of the target DNA, at high stringency, in <5 min. High stringency is critical to avoid slippage of hybrids along repeat tracts at allele-specific test sites in the array. These conditions are attainable only with hybridization kinetics realized by electronic concentration of DNA. A sandwich hybrid is assembled, in which proper base stacking of juxtaposed terminal nucleotides results in a thermodynamically favored complex. The increased stability of this complex relative to non-stacked termini and/or base pair mismatches is used to determine the identification of STR alleles. This method is capable of simultaneous and precise identification of alleles containing different numbers of repeats, as well as mutations within these repeats. Given the throughput capabilities of microarrays our system has the potential to enhance the use of microsatellites in forensic criminology, diagnostics and genetic mapping.
Microelectronic DNA chip devices that contain planar arrays of microelectrodes have been developed for multiplex DNA hybridization and a variety of genomic research and DNA diagnostic applications. These devices are able to produce almost any desired electric field configuration on their surface. This ability to produce well-defined electric fields allows charged molecules (DNA, RNA, proteins, enzymes, antibodies, nanobeads, and even micron scale semiconductor devices) to be electrophoretically transported to or from any microlocation on the planar surface of the device. Of key importance to the device function is the permeation layer which overcoats the microelectrodes. The permeation layer is generally a porous hydrogel material that allows water molecules and small ions (Na+, CI-, etc.) to freely contact the microelectrode surface, but impedes the transport of the larger analytes (oligonucleotides, DNA, RNA, proteins, etc.). The permeation layer prevents the destruction of DNA at the active microelectrode surface, ameliorates the adverse effects of electrolysis products on the sensitive hybridization reactions, and serves as a porous support structure for attaching DNA probes and other molecules to the array. In order to maintain rapid transport of DNA molecules, facilitate hybridization, and work within constrained current and voltage ranges, low conductance buffers and various electronic pulsing scenarios have also been developed. These active microelectronic array devices allow electrophoretic fields to be used to carry out accelerated DNA hybridization reactions and to improve selectivity for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), short tandem repeat (STR), and point mutation analysis.
Selection and adjustment of proper physical parameters enables rapid DNA transport, site selective concentration, and accelerated hybridization reactions to be carried out on active microelectronic arrays. These physical parameters include DC current, voltage, solution conductivity and buffer species. Generally, at any given current and voltage level, the transport or mobility of DNA is inversely proportional to electrolyte or buffer conductivity. However, only a subset of buffer species produce both rapid transport, site specific concentration and accelerated hybridization. These buffers include zwitterionic and low conductivity species such as: d- and l-histidine; 1- and 3-methylhistidines; carnosine; imidazole; pyridine; and collidine. In contrast, buffers such as glycine, beta-alanine and gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) produce rapid transport and site selective concentration but do not facilitate hybridization. Our results suggest that the ability of these buffers (histidine, etc.) to facilitate hybridization appears linked to their ability to provide electric field concentration of DNA; to buffer acidic conditions present at the anode; and in this process acquire a net positive charge which then shields or diminishes repulsion between the DNA strands, thus promoting hybridization.
We have demonstrated that controlled electric fields can be used to regulate transport, concentration, hybridization, and denaturation of single- and double-stranded oligonucleotides. Discrimination among oligonucleotide hybrids with widely varying binding strengths may be attained by simple adjustment of the electric field strength. When this approach is used, electric field denaturation control allows single base pair mismatch discrimination to be carried out rapidly (<15 sec) and with high resolution. Electric field denaturation takes place at temperatures well below the melting point of the hybrids, and it may constitute a novel mechanism of DNA denaturation.
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OBJECTIVES: The authors present a four-state increment-decrement life table model from which estimates of the risk and duration of nursing home and short-term hospital stays in the United States are derived. METHODS: Survival analysis was used to generate various transition probabilities while controlling for population heterogeneity. In addition, a newly developed algorithm was applied to construct the multistate life table specifically for health-care use. RESULTS: The results reveal that in 1985, a US civilian is expected to spend 72.35 years in the community, 59.5 days in short-stay hospitals, and 2.28 years in nursing homes throughout his or her lifetime. CONCLUSIONS: The single-year risk of nursing home and short-stay hospital use is shown to be an increasing function of age, especially for the older adults.
Previous studies demonstrated that porcine galanin is a potent inhibitor of insulin secretion in many species but fails to alter human insulin secretion. To resolve whether this discrepancy was due to the use of a heterologous peptide or to a true species response difference, we studied the effect of a synthetic replicate of human galanin on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in rats, dogs, and humans. On administration into rats, human and rat galanin significantly inhibited glucose-induced insulin responses to a similar degree. Similarly, porcine and human galanin significantly elevated canine plasma glucose and inhibited canine plasma insulin responses. In contrast, plasma glucose and insulin responses to glucose administration in humans were unaltered by the addition of human galanin at or above the maximum effective dose employed in dogs. Possible effects of galanin administration were seen on human glucagon and pancreatic polypeptide responses to glucose at the highest dose of human galanin infused. We conclude that galanin probably does not play a major role in modulating human beta-cell function.