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PubMed2006

Transmission potential of primary pneumonic plague: time inhomogeneous evaluation based on historical documents of the transmission network.

BACKGROUND: The transmission potential of primary pneumonic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, is one of the key epidemiological determinants of a potential biological weapon, and requires clarification and time dependent interpretation. METHOD: This study estimated the reproduction number and its time dependent change through investigations of outbreaks in Mukden, China (1946), and Madagascar (1957). Reconstruction of an epidemic tree, which shows who infected whom, from the observed dates of onset was performed using the serial interval. Furthermore, a likelihood based approach was used for the time inhomogeneous evaluation of the outbreaks for which there was scarcity of cases. RESULTS: According to the estimates, the basic reproduction number, R(0), was on the order of 2.8 to 3.5, which is higher than previous estimates. The lower 95% confidence intervals of R(0) exceeded unity. The effective reproduction number declined below unity after control measures were introduced in Mukden, and before the official implementation in Madagascar. CONCLUSION: While the time course of the latter outbreak could be explained by intrinsic factors and stochasticity in this remote and scarcely populated area, the former in Mukden suggests the possible continued chains of transmission in highly populated areas. Using the proposed methods, the who infected whom information permitted the evaluation of the time inhomogeneous transmission potential in relation to public health measures. The study also tackles the problem of statistical estimation of R(0) based on similar information, which was previously performed simply by counting the number of secondary transmissions regardless of time.

China↗

PubMed1999

The impact of teaching status on average costs in Spanish hospitals.

In this paper, the observed systematic differences in costs for teaching hospitals (TH) in Spain are examined. Concern has been voiced regarding the existence of a bias in the financing of TH once prospective budgets are introduced for hospital finance. Claims for adjustment to take into account the 'legitimate' extra costs of teaching on hospital expenditure may be well grounded. Focus is on the estimation of the impact of teaching status on average cost, using a version of a multi-product hospital cost function, taking into account some relevant factors from which to derive the observed differences. It is assumed that the relationship between the explanatory and the dependent variables follows a flexible form for each of the explanatory variables. Also, the underlying covariance structure of the data is modelled. Two qualitatively different sources of variation are assumed: random effects and serial correlation. Random variation refers to both general level variation (through the random intercept) and the variation specifically related to teaching status. It is postulated that the impact of the random effects is dominant over the impact of the serial correlation effects. The model is estimated by restricted maximum likelihood. The results show that costs are 9% higher (15% in the case of median costs) in teaching than in non-teaching hospitals. That is, teaching status legitimately explains no more than half of the observed difference in actual costs. The impact on costs of the teaching factor depends on the number of residents, with an increase of 51.11% per resident for hospitals with fewer than 204 residents (third quartile of the number of residents) and 41.84% for hospitals with more than 204 residents. In addition, the estimated dispersion is higher among teaching hospitals. As a result, due to the considerable observed heterogeneity, results should be interpreted with caution. From a policy making point of view, it is concluded that since a higher relative burden for medical training falls on public hospitals, an explicit adjustment for the extra costs that the teaching factor imposes on hospital finance is needed, before hospital competition for inpatient services takes place.

Education, Medical, Graduate↗

PubMed2002

Using the transcriptome to annotate the genome.

A remaining challenge for the human genome project involves the identification and annotation of expressed genes. The public and private sequencing efforts have identified approximately 15,000 sequences that meet stringent criteria for genes, such as correspondence with known genes from humans or other species, and have made another approximately 10,000-20,000 gene predictions of lower confidence, supported by various types of in silico evidence, including homology studies, domain searches, and ab initio gene predictions. These computational methods have limitations, both because they are unable to identify a significant fraction of genes and exons and because they are unable to provide definitive evidence about whether a hypothetical gene is actually expressed. As the in silico approaches identified a smaller number of genes than anticipated, we wondered whether high-throughput experimental analyses could be used to provide evidence for the expression of hypothetical genes and to reveal previously undiscovered genes. We describe here the development of such a method--called long serial analysis of gene expression (LongSAGE), an adaption of the original SAGE approach--that can be used to rapidly identify novel genes and exons.

DNA, Complementary↗

PubMed1992

Blood lipid measurements. Variations and practical utility.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the magnitude and impact of the major biological and analytical sources of variation in serum lipid and lipoprotein levels on risk of coronary heart disease; to present a way to qualitatively estimate the total intraindividual variation; and to demonstrate how to determine the number of specimens required to estimate, with 95% confidence, the "true" underlying total cholesterol value in the serum of a patient. DATA SOURCES: Representative references on each source of variation were selected from more than 300 reviewed publications, most published within the past 5 years, to document current findings and concepts. Most articles reviewed were in English. STUDY SELECTIONS: Studies on biological sources of variation were selected using the following criteria: representative of published findings, clear statement of either significant or insignificant results, and acquisition of clinical and laboratory data under standardized conditions. Representative results for special populations such as women and children are reported when results differ from those of adult men. DATA EXTRACTION: References were selected based on acceptable experimental design and use of standardized laboratory lipid measurements. DATA SYNTHESIS: The lipid levels considered representative for a selected source of variation arose from quantitative measurements by a suitably standardized laboratory. Statistical analysis of data was examined to assure reliability. The proposed method of estimating the biological coefficient of variation must be considered to give qualitative results, because only two or three serial specimens are collected in most cases for the estimation. CONCLUSIONS: Concern has arisen about the magnitude, impact, and interpretation of preanalytical as well as analytical sources of variation on reported results of lipid measurements of an individual. Preanalytical sources of variation from behavioral, clinical, and sampling sources constitute about 60% of the total variation in a reported lipid measurement of an individual. A technique is presented to allow physicians to qualitatively estimate the intraindividual biological variation of a patient from the results of two or more specimens reported from a standardized laboratory and to determine whether additional specimens are needed to meet the National Cholesterol Education Program recommendation that the intraindividual serum total cholesterol coefficient of variation not exceed 5.0. A National Reference Method Network has been established to help solve analytical problems.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1991

[Clinical aspects and epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis in immunocompetent children].

A prospective case-control study was performed in urban and periurban areas of Basel to investigate the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium sp., an intestinal coccidian parasite. 455 children with diarrhoea, who attended paediatric and general practices, participated in the study. Oocysts of the parasite were detected in stool specimens of 21 (4.6%) patients using auramine-fluorescence and modified Ziehl-Neelson staining. Another ten infected people were found during separate investigations of outbreaks in a Kindergarten and in two families. Serial stool stains were performed to determine the period of oocyst shedding. The median duration of diarrhoea was six days and ranged from 1 to 25 days. In contrast, shedding of oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp. lasted for 12.5 days and was significantly longer than the period of diarrhoea (p = 0.02). Compared with control patients suffering from diarrhoea of other origin, respiratory symptoms were significantly (p = 0.02) more frequent in children with cryptosporidiosis (42% vs 13%). In comparison with healthy controls, prior contact with a person suffering from diarrhoea and travel to a Mediterranean country were the most important risk factors for cryptosporidiosis. An illustrative case is described in detail. It is concluded that cryptosporidial infection of the respiratory tract may also occur in immunocompetent children. The possibility of a long period of oocyst shedding is important for the planning of hygiene measures both in individuals and public health.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Coexistence of antitopoisomerase I and anticentromere antibodies in patients with systemic sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Antibodies targeting DNA topoisomerase I (ATA) or centromere proteins (ACA) are associated with clinical subsets of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The occurrence of those autoantibodies is considered to be mutually exclusive. OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and immunogenetic data of three patients who are co-expressing both antibodies, and then review previous publications. METHODS: Both antibodies were detected by different methods, including indirect immunofluorescence technique, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, immunodiffusion, and immunoblot. Patients were HLA typed by serological and molecular genetic methods. Data were extracted from published reports for comparison. The search for published studies was through Medline and other database research programmes. RESULTS: During routine laboratory diagnostics over several years three patients with scleroderma and coincidence of ATA and ACA were identified: patient 1 with diffuse SSc, Raynaud's phenomenon, puffy fingers and fingertip necrosis, contractures, and calcinosis; patient 2 with diffuse SSc, Raynaud's phenomenon, oedema of the hands, and interstitial calcinosis of hands, knees, and shoulders, and pulmonary fibrosis; patient 3 with scleroderma of hands, forearms, and face, Raynaud's phenomenon, puffy fingers, finger contractures, fingertip necrosis, and calcinosis. All three patients studied were carriers of HLA alleles known to be associated with these autoantibodies. In serial measurements the concentrations of the two antibodies showed independent or even reverse fluctuations. Screening of 100 patients with ACA for ATA and vice versa disclosed no further patients with coincidence of these antibodies. Twenty eight cases of ACA/ATA coexistence in 5423 patients (0.52%) with SSc or SSc associated symptoms were found in an analysis of published studies. CONCLUSION: The expression of ATA and ACA is not totally mutually exclusive, but coincidence is rare (<1% of patients with SSc). Patients with both autoantibodies often have diffuse scleroderma and show immunogenetic features of both antibody defined subsets of SSc.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Defining unrecognized myocardial infarction: a call for standardized electrocardiographic diagnostic criteria.

BACKGROUND: Unrecognized myocardial infarctions (UMI) are detected by surveillance electrocardiograms (ECGs). In epidemiologic studies, different sets of ECG criteria have been used to define myocardial infarction, possibly contributing to significant differences in prevalence estimates and risk factor associations. We sought to summarize the rationale behind the various UMI-ECG definitions and to suggest an approach to develop uniform criteria. METHODS: A comprehensive review of relevant publications from 1966 to 2002 was conducted. RESULTS: Out of 14 major studies, the occurrence of UMI as a proportion of all infarctions varied from 4% to 44%, with markedly varying ECG criteria. No study directly addressed the rationale behind selection of ECG criteria. Computerized ECG analysis appears superior to visual reading due to better reliability, speed and cost while maintaining a similar predictive validity. Criteria requiring only major Q waves have the highest specificity for ECG-MI and for prediction validity for future coronary heart disease in middle-aged white men. The addition of minor Q waves and ST-T abnormalities improves predictive validity in middle-aged women and elderly men. Minor Q waves can have their diagnostic accuracy improved by several strategies, including use of ST-T wave changes, Washington Code, vector cardiogram, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-ECG criteria, and serial ECG analysis. CONCLUSION: Currently the most cost-effective and valid method for detecting UMI in epidemiologic studies appears to be computerized ECG analysis using major Q waves in middle-aged white men. Issues needing further research include morphologic validation of ECG-UMI criteria and the influence of age, sex, and race on ECG-MI criteria.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Molecular epidemiology and antifungal susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans isolates from Ugandan AIDS patients.

Little is known of the antifungal susceptibility patterns and molecular epidemiology of Cryptococcus neoformans from tropical regions. We studied 164 clinical isolates of C. neofomans from 120 Ugandan AIDS patients with cryptococcal meningitis by analyzing their electrophoretic karyotypes and antifungal susceptibility profiles. Computer-assisted analysis of karyotype patterns was performed to generate dendrograms. MICs of fluconazole and flucytosine were determined by reference methods. A total of 43 distinguishable DNA types were identified among the 164 isolates. Only 30 patients (25%) were infected with their own unique strain of c. neoformans, whereas 75% of the patients shared their infecting strain with at least one other patient. Among 17 patients with more than one CSF isolate of C. neoformans, sequential isolates were identical or highly related in 12 (71%) and were different in five patients (29%). The isolates were susceptible to both fluconazole and flucytosine and there were no instances in which a stepwise increase in either fluconazole or flucytosine MICs was observed among serial isolates. These findings suggest that the epidemiology of cryptococcal disease in AIDS patients from tropical regions may be somewhat different from that observed in more temperate climates.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed1977

The salt relations of Dunaliella. Further observations on glycerol production and its regulation.

Dunaliella tertiolecta (marine) and D. viridis (halophilic) were each trained by serial transfer to grow at salt concentrations previously regarded as the other's domain. D. viridis then had a salt optimum at 1.0-1.5 M sodium chloride whereas that for D. tertiolecta was less than 0-2 M. Nevertheless D. tertiolecta grew faster than the halophil at all salt concentrations up to 3.5 M, the highest at which they were compared. Both species accumulate glycerol, which is necessary for growth at elevated salinities and which responds in its content to water activity (aw) rather than specifically to salt concentration. Variation in glycerol content is a metabolic process which occurs in the dark from accumulated starch as well as photosynthetically. Regulation of glycerol content by aw does not require protein synthesis. The NADP-specific glycerol dehydrogenase of each of the algae is likely to be directly involved in the regulation of glycerol content. Kinetic studies, together with those described in an earlier publication, show that the enzyme has regulatory properties and that both glycerol and dihydroxyacetone act as effectors as well as reactants. A mechanism of the reaction is tentatively proposed.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

PubMed2001

Quantitative anatomy of the round window and cochlear aqueduct in guinea pigs.

In order to analyze the entry of solutes through the round window membrane, a quantitative description of round window anatomy in relationship to scala tympani is required. High-resolution magnetic resonance microscopy was used to visualize the fluid spaces and tissues of the inner ear in three dimensions in isolated, fixed specimens from guinea pigs. Each specimen was represented as consecutive serial slices, with a voxel size of approximately 25 microm(3). The round window membrane, and its relationship to the terminal portion of scala tympani in the basal turn, was quantified in six specimens. In each image slice, the round window membrane and scala tympani were identified and segmented. The total surface area of the round window membrane averaged 1.18 mm(2) (S.D. 0.08, n=6). The length and variation of cross-sectional area as a function of distance for the cochlear aqueduct was determined in five specimens. The cochlear aqueduct was shown to enter scala tympani at the medial limit of the round window membrane, which corresponded to a distance of approximately 1 mm from the end of the scala when measured along its mid-point. These data are of value in simulating drug and other solute movements in the cochlear fluids and have been incorporated into a public-domain simulation program available at http://oto.wustl.edu/cochlea/.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Genomic and clinical epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in coastal Kenya: insights into variant circulation, reinfection, and multiple lineage importations during a post-pandemic wave.

BACKGROUND: Between November 2023 and March 2024, coastal Kenya experienced another wave of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections detected through our continued genomic surveillance. Herein, we report the clinical and genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infections from 179 individuals (a total of 185 positive samples) residing in the Kilifi Health and Demographic Surveillance System (KHDSS) area (~ 900 km2). METHODS: We analyzed genetic, clinical, and epidemiological data from SARS-CoV-2 positive cases across pediatric inpatient, health facility outpatient, and homestead community surveillance platforms. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using maximum-likelihood and Bayesian frameworks. Temporal trends were summarized, comparisons conducted using Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon tests, and associations examined using univariate and multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: Sixteen SARS-CoV-2 lineages within 3 subvariants [XBB.2.3-like (58.4%), JN.1-like (40.5%), and XBB.1-like (1.1%)] were identified. The symptomatic infection rate was estimated at 16.0% (95% CI, 11.1-23.9%) based on community testing regardless of symptom status and did not differ across the subvariants (p = 0.13). The most common infection symptoms in community cases were cough (49.2%), fever (27.0%), sore throat (7.3%), headache (6.9%), and difficulty in breathing (5.5%). One case succumbed to the infection. Genomic analysis of the virus from serial positive samples confirmed repeat infections among 5 participants under follow-up (median interval 21 days, range 16-95 days); in 4 participants, the same virus lineage was responsible in both episodes, whereas 1 participant had a different lineage in the second compared with the first episode. Phylogenetic analysis including > 18,000 contemporaneous global sequences provided evidence for at least 38 independent virus introduction events into the study area (KHDSS) during the wave, the majority likely originating in North America and Europe. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights that coastal Kenya, like most other localities, continues to face new SARS-CoV-2 infection waves characterized by circulation of new variants, multiple lineage importations, and reinfections. Locally, the virus may circulate unrecognized, as most infections are asymptomatic in part due to high population immunity after several waves of infection. Our findings highlight the need for sustained SARS-CoV-2 surveillance to inform appropriate public health responses, such as scheduled vaccination for populations at risk of severe infection.

COVID-19↗

PubMed2000

Expression profile viewer (ExProView): a software tool for transcriptome analysis.

A software tool, Expression Profile Viewer (ExProView), for analysis of gene expression profiles derived from expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and SAGE (serial analysis of gene expression) is presented. The software visualizes a complete set of classified transcript data in a two-dimensional array of dots, a "virtual chip," in which each dot represents a known gene as characterized in the transcript databases Expressed Gene Anatomy Database or UniGene. The virtual chip display can be changed between representations of different conceptual systems for gene/protein classification and grouping. Four alternative projections are currently available: (i) cellular role, (ii) subcellular compartment, (iii) chromosome localization, and (iv) total UniGene display. However, the chip can be adapted to any other desired layout. By selecting dots, further information about the represented genes is obtained from the local database and WWW links. The software thus provides a visualization of global mRNA expression at the descriptive level and guides in the exploration of patterns of functional expression, while maintaining direct access to detailed information on each individual gene. To evaluate the software, public EST and SAGE gene expression data obtained from the Cancer Genome Anatomy Project at the National Center for Biotechnology Information were analyzed and visualized. A demonstration of the software is available at http://www.biochem.kth. se/exproview/.

Data Display↗

PubMed2005

Parity-induced mouse mammary epithelial cells are pluripotent, self-renewing and sensitive to TGF-beta1 expression.

A parity-induced mammary population, marked by beta-galactosidase expression conditionally activated through cre-lox recombinase originates in WAP-Cre/Rosa-lox-STOP-lox-LacZ (WAP-Cre/Rosa-LacZ) female mice during pregnancy, lactation and involution. During subsequent pregnancies, these parity-induced mammary epithelial cells (PI-MEC) proliferated to produce new secretory acini composed of secretory luminal cells and myoepithelium. In serial transplantation assays, PI-MEC were able to self-renew over several transplant generations and to contribute significantly to the resulting mammary outgrowths. In limiting dilution transplantation, they proliferated to produce both luminal and myoepithelial cells, comprised both lobule-limited and duct-limited epithelial outgrowths, and differentiated into all the cellular subtypes recognized in murine mammary epithelium. TGF-beta1 expression from the whey acidic protein promoter (WAP) in triply transgenic females did not prevent the appearance of PI-MEC after pregnancy despite the absence of full lactation or their ability to proliferate and produce progeny with diverse cellular fates in situ upon subsequent pregnancies. However, in transplants from triple transgenic parous females, the WAP-TGF-beta1-positive PI-MEC did not contribute to the newly recapitulated mammary outgrowths, suggesting that they were incapable of expansive cellular proliferation (self-renewal). This result is consistent with our earlier publication that WAP-TGF-beta1 expression in mammary epithelium induces premature stem cell senescence in mammary transplants and decreases mammary cancer risk in mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-infected females even after multiple pregnancies.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Antibiogram studies of Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 isolates from poultry and meat.

BACKGROUND: Human infection with Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 has increased worldwide since last decade and has been shown to be related mainly with the consumption of poultry meat and eggs. The public health significance and economic importance of this serovar underscores the need to generate base line data on the antimicrobial susceptibilities and protein profile of indigenous S. enteritidis. This study was performed to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibilities of S. enteritidis PhageType4 isolates from poultry and meat. METHOD: This study was carried out in the department of biological sciences Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad during 1998--2000. A total of nineteen quinolone sensitive isolates of S. enteritidis from poultry meat and eggs collected during 1994--1998 were characterized. The isolates were serotyped and phage typed at federal institute of consumer Health and Veterinary Medicine, Wernigerode Germany. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed in accordance to the method of Bauer et al. (1966). RESULTS: The results of the standard disc diffusion test showed 100% resistance against bacitracin, erythromycin and novobiocin. All (100%) isolates were highly sensitive to chloramphenicol. The results of minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs) tests using serial dilution of antimicrobial drugs revealed that 100% of the isolates were resistant against bacitracin, erythromycin and novobiocin at various levels of concentrations. Kanamycin, streptomycin and spectinomycin, all had very poor activity against serovar Enteritidis. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the limited therapeutic potential and low typability of this serovar.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Distinguishing species of the Burkholderia cepacia complex and Burkholderia gladioli by automated ribotyping.

Several species belonging to the genus Burkholderia are clinically relevant, opportunistic pathogens that inhabit major environmental reservoirs. Consequently, the availability of means for adequate identification and epidemiological characterization of individual environmental or clinical isolates is mandatory. In the present communication we describe the use of the Riboprinter microbial characterization system (Qualicon, Warwick, United Kingdom) for automated ribotyping of 104 strains of Burkholderia species from diverse sources, including several publicly accessible collections. The main outcome of this analysis was that all strains were typeable and that strains of Burkholderia gladioli and of each species of the B. cepacia complex, including B. multivorans, B. stabilis, and B. vietnamiensis, were effectively discriminated. Furthermore, different ribotypes were discerned within each species. Ribotyping results were in general agreement with strain classification based on restriction fragment analysis of 16S ribosomal amplicons, but the resolution of ribotyping was much higher. This enabled automated molecular typing below the species level. Cluster analysis of the patterns obtained by ribotyping (riboprints) showed that within B. gladioli, B. multivorans, and B. cepacia genomovar VI, the different riboprints identified always clustered together. Riboprints of B. cepacia genomovars I and III, B. stabilis, and B. vietnamiensis did not show distinct clustering but rather exhibited the formation of loose assemblages within which several smaller, genomovar-specific clusters were delineated. Therefore, ribotyping proved useful for genomovar identification. Analysis of serial isolates from individual patients demonstrated that infection with a single ribotype had occurred, despite minor genetic differences that were detected by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of DNA macrorestriction fragments. The automated approach allows very rapid and reliable identification and epidemiological characterization of strains and generates an easily manageable database suited for expansion with information on additional bacterial isolates.

Automation↗

PubMed2001

Cardiac hypertrophy and failure: lessons learned from genetically engineered mice.

Congestive heart failure is a major and growing public health problem. Because of improved survival of myocardial infarction patients produced by thrombolytic therapy or per-cutaneous revascularization it represents the only form of cardiovascular disease with significantly increased incidence and prevalence. Clinicians view this clinical syndrome as the final common pathway of diverse pathologies such as myocardial infarction and haemodynamic overload. Insights into mechanisms for heart failure historically derived from physiological and biochemical studies which identified compensatory adaptations for the haemodynamic burden associated with the pathological condition including utilization of the Frank Starling mechanism, augmentation of muscle mass, and neurohormonal activation to increase contractility. Therapy has largely been phenomenological and designed to prevent or limit the deleterious effects of these compensatory processes. More recently insights from molecular and cell biology have contributed to a more mechanistic understanding of potential causes of cardiac hypertrophy and failure. Many different analytical approaches have been employed for this purpose. These include the use of conventional animal models which permit serial observation of the onset and progression of heart failure and a sequential analysis of underlying biochemical and molecular events. Neonatal murine cardiomyocytes have been a powerful tool to examine in vitro subcellular mechanisms devoid of the confounding functional effects of multicellular preparations and heterogeneity of cell type. Finally, significant progress has been made by utilizing tissue from human cardiomyopathic hearts explanted at the time of orthotopic transplantation. Each of these methods has significant advantages and disadvantages. Arguably the greatest advance in our understanding of cardiac hypertrophy and failure over the past decade has been the exploitation of genetically engineered mice as biological reagents to study in vivo the effects of alterations in the murine genome. The power of this approach, in principle, derives from the ability to precisely overexpress or ablate a gene of interest and examine the phenotypic consequences in a cardiac specific post-natal manner. In contrast to conventional animal models of human disease which employ some form of environmental stress, genetic engineering involves a signal known molecular perturbation which produces the phenotype.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Sequential verbal memory for three and four syllables in school children].

BACKGROUND: Auditory memory ability. AIM: To characterize the auditory memory ability for verbal sequences in children with ages ranging from 3 to 12 years. METHOD: A memory test for verbal sequences was used, as well as a variation with the addition of one syllable to each sequence. Participants were 223 students of public and private schools. RESULTS: All subjects repeated at least two out of the three sequences of three syllables. At the age of nine, they were capable of repeating all of the three sequences. At the age of six, they repeated at least two out of the three sequences of four syllables. CONCLUSION: The behavioral responses to verbal sounds presented in sequences, improves as children grow older. Children of private schools demonstrated an earlier development of this ability.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2004

Transcriptome of mouse uterus by serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE): comparison with skeletal muscle.

The aim of this study was to identify the transcriptome of the normal mouse uterus by Serial Analysis of Gene Expression method. mRNA was extracted from the uterus and also from the gastrocnemius muscle of mice. Short sequences (tags), each one usually corresponding to a distinct transcript, were isolated and concatemerized into long DNA molecules which were cloned and sequenced. We detected 44,484 tags for the uterus and 42,518 tags for the muscle, representing 14,543 and 14,958 potential transcript species, respectively. Seventy-five and sixty-nine genes were expressed at more than 0.1%, thus corresponding to 37 and 34% of the mRNA population detected in the respective tissues. In both cases, the most highly expressed genes are especially involved in muscle contraction, energy metabolism, and protein synthesis. Compared to skeletal muscle, some differentially expressed genes in the uterus are likely to correspond to its specific reproductive functions. The majority of these genes remain to be characterized. More than 70% of the different tags detected in the uterus did not match any sequence in the public databases and can represent novel or poorly identified genes. This study is the first quantitative description of the transcriptome of the uterus.

Animals↗