194 results on '"electropherogram"'
Search Results
2. Assessing the Discriminatory Capabilities of iEK Devices under DC and DC-Biased AC Stimulation Potentials.
- Author
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Nasir Ahamed, Nuzhet Nihaar, Mendiola-Escobedo, Carlos A., Perez-Gonzalez, Victor H., and Lapizco-Encinas, Blanca H.
- Subjects
SIGNAL separation ,RF values (Chromatography) ,BACTERIAL cells ,CLINICAL medicine ,ELECTRO-osmosis - Abstract
There is a rising need for rapid and reliable analytical methods for separating microorganisms in clinical and biomedical applications. Microscale-insulator-based electrokinetic (iEK) systems have proven to be robust platforms for assessing a wide variety of microorganisms. Traditionally, iEK systems are usually stimulated with direct-current (DC) potentials. This work presents a comparison between using DC potentials and using DC-biased alternating-current (AC) potentials in iEK systems for the separation of microorganisms. The present study, which includes mathematical modeling and experimentation, compares the separation of bacterial and yeast cells in two distinct modes by using DC and DC-biased AC potentials. The quality of both separations, assessed in terms of separation resolution ( R s ), showed a complete separation ( R s = 1.51) with the application of a DC-biased low-frequency AC signal but an incomplete separation ( R s = 0.55) with the application of an RMS-equivalent DC signal. Good reproducibility between experimental repetitions (<10%) was obtained, and good agreement (~18% deviation) was observed between modeling and experimental retention times. The present study demonstrates the potential of extending the limits of iEK systems by employing DC-biased AC potentials to perform discriminatory separations of microorganisms that are difficult to separate with the application of DC potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Analytical quality control of wines and wine materials
- Author
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N. T. Siyukhova, Z. T. Tazova, L. V. Lunina, and Z. N. Blyagoz
- Subjects
falsification ,identification ,chromatography ,spectrophotometry ,nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ,electrophoresis ,instrumental methods ,wine ,petiotization ,gallization ,electropherogram ,Technology - Abstract
Ensuring food safety of the quality of sold products is one of the urgent problems of the wine industry. The trend of falsification of well-known brands of domestic and imported wines is a characteristic feature of the modern market of wine products. Known methodological bases for assessing the quality of wine products in most cases do not have the potential to recognize many modern «technological solutions». To solve this problem an analytical method can be proposed on modern equipment "FTIR BACCHUS 3". This analyzer allows you to determine the chemical substances and the range characteristics of these substances. This method has been chosen for the identification of wine samples and not by chance, when using it, the analysis time is significantly reduced, and the range of chemical elements determined by the analyzer is quite wide, and reagents are not needed for this equipment. The method does not require preliminary preparation of samples; it is also quite new, not popular in Russia. The article presents a comparative review of classical wine identification methods. The presented material indicates the relevance of creating a database on the chemical composition of wines that determine their authenticity using new instrumental techniques. The proposed multi-parameter wine analyzer FTIR BACCHUS 3 is a system for the analysis of worts and wines using chemometric methods, based on the acquisition of the mid-IR spectrum (FTIR). The method is based on chemometrics, i.e. obtaining chemical data using mathematical methods of data processing and extraction, which will increase the reliability of assessing the authenticity and place of origin of wine products.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Design and Fabrication of a Cost-Effective, Electrochemical Detection-Based, Polymeric Capillary-Electrophoresis Microfluidic Devices for Diverse Bioanalytical Functions
- Author
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Prabhakar, Amit, Verma, Deepti, Roy, Nimisha, Nayak, Prashant, Mukherji, Soumyo, Angrisani, Leopoldo, Series Editor, Arteaga, Marco, Series Editor, Panigrahi, Bijaya Ketan, Series Editor, Chakraborty, Samarjit, Series Editor, Chen, Jiming, Series Editor, Chen, Shanben, Series Editor, Chen, Tan Kay, Series Editor, Dillmann, Rüdiger, Series Editor, Duan, Haibin, Series Editor, Ferrari, Gianluigi, Series Editor, Ferre, Manuel, Series Editor, Hirche, Sandra, Series Editor, Jabbari, Faryar, Series Editor, Jia, Limin, Series Editor, Kacprzyk, Janusz, Series Editor, Khamis, Alaa, Series Editor, Kroeger, Torsten, Series Editor, Li, Yong, Series Editor, Liang, Qilian, Series Editor, Martín, Ferran, Series Editor, Ming, Tan Cher, Series Editor, Minker, Wolfgang, Series Editor, Misra, Pradeep, Series Editor, Möller, Sebastian, Series Editor, Mukhopadhyay, Subhas, Series Editor, Ning, Cun-Zheng, Series Editor, Nishida, Toyoaki, Series Editor, Pascucci, Federica, Series Editor, Qin, Yong, Series Editor, Seng, Gan Woon, Series Editor, Speidel, Joachim, Series Editor, Veiga, Germano, Series Editor, Wu, Haitao, Series Editor, Zamboni, Walter, Series Editor, Zhang, Junjie James, Series Editor, Lenka, Trupti Ranjan, editor, Misra, Durgamadhab, editor, and Biswas, Arindam, editor
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Assessing the Discriminatory Capabilities of iEK Devices under DC and DC-Biased AC Stimulation Potentials
- Author
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Nuzhet Nihaar Nasir Ahamed, Carlos A. Mendiola-Escobedo, Victor H. Perez-Gonzalez, and Blanca H. Lapizco-Encinas
- Subjects
electrokinetics ,electroosmosis ,electrophoresis ,separation ,electropherogram ,Mechanical engineering and machinery ,TJ1-1570 - Abstract
There is a rising need for rapid and reliable analytical methods for separating microorganisms in clinical and biomedical applications. Microscale-insulator-based electrokinetic (iEK) systems have proven to be robust platforms for assessing a wide variety of microorganisms. Traditionally, iEK systems are usually stimulated with direct-current (DC) potentials. This work presents a comparison between using DC potentials and using DC-biased alternating-current (AC) potentials in iEK systems for the separation of microorganisms. The present study, which includes mathematical modeling and experimentation, compares the separation of bacterial and yeast cells in two distinct modes by using DC and DC-biased AC potentials. The quality of both separations, assessed in terms of separation resolution (Rs), showed a complete separation (Rs = 1.51) with the application of a DC-biased low-frequency AC signal but an incomplete separation (Rs = 0.55) with the application of an RMS-equivalent DC signal. Good reproducibility between experimental repetitions (
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. Serum proteinogram of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) as a new useful approach for detecting loss of haemostasis.
- Author
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Campos-Sánchez, Jose Carlos, Guardiola, Francisco A., and Esteban, María Ángeles
- Subjects
- *
SPARUS aurata , *EUROPEAN seabass , *BLOOD proteins , *SEA basses , *HEMOSTASIS , *OSTEICHTHYES , *FISH diseases - Abstract
Proteinograms, a semiquantitative analytical method that separates proteins into multiple bands, have not been explored in teleosts for diagnostic or prognostic purposes. This study aimed to establish reference values for proteinograms in the serum of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), two important farmed fish species in the Mediterranean region. Serum proteins were studied using SDS-PAGE, electropherogram, and HPLC-mass spectrometry. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed four major bands of proteins around 11, 25, 70, and 100 kDa in the serum of gilthead seabream and European sea bass. Electropherogram results showed that a protein with a molecular weight of 76.8 kDa was the most abundant protein in the serum of gilthead seabream, while a peak of 75.5 kDa was the most abundant in European sea bass. HPLC-mass spectrometry detected 87 proteins and 119 proteins in the serum of gilthead seabream and European sea bass, respectively, including α1-globulins, α2-globulins, β-globulins, and γ-globulins. Notably, the albumin sequence was not detected in either of the two species. These results help to characterize the serum protein profile and to establish reference proteinograms for these two fish species. They also provide a basis for the development of novel approaches for the rapid detection of loss of haemostasis due to stress, health disorders or disease in farmed fish. [Display omitted] • Electropherograms improve fish serum protein data precision over SDS-PAGE. • SDS-PAGE showed 4 major protein bands in seabream and sea bass sera. • Seabream and sea bass had 4 and 5 fractions, respectively, based on Protein80 and Protein230 results. • Protein80 and Protein230 kits found 24 and 17 peaks in seabream serum, with 76.8 kDa protein as the most abundant. • HPLC-mass spectrometry found 87 proteins in seabream and 119 in sea bass serum, including globulins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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7. Genome Sequencing
- Author
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Pasquarelli, Alberto and Pasquarelli, Alberto
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
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8. Open-Channel Separation Techniques for the Characterization of Nanomaterials and Their Bioconjugates for Drug Delivery Applications
- Author
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Lee, Jiwon, Coreas, Roxana, Zhong, Wenwan, and Kumar, Challa S.S.R., editor
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. ANALYSIS OF CRUDE RICIN FROM Ricinus communis ORIGINATED FROM NGANJUK, EAST JAVA, INDONESIA, USING LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY, COLUMN LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY, AND FAST PROTEIN LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY (FPLC).
- Author
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Herawati, I. E., Lesmana, R., Levita, J., and Subarnas, A.
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RICIN , *LIQUID chromatography , *CASTOR oil plant , *COLUMN chromatography , *POISONS , *CHEMICAL properties - Abstract
Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae), the local name jarak kepyar, is a tropical plant that is widely planted in East Java, Indonesia. The leaves and seeds of this plant have been traditionally utilized to cure liver disease, stomach disorders, inflammation, fever, headache, etc. Ricin, one of the most toxic substances known isolated from R. communis L. seeds, is a heterodimeric two-domain polypeptide protein that includes chain A (30 kDa) and a slightly bigger chain B (35 kDa). The technique to distinguish and separate ricin is not much reported. In this study, we analyzed the crude ricin extracted from R. communis L. seeds originated from Nganjuk, East Java, Indonesia. The techniques used were (1) liquid chromatography (LC); (2) column liquid chromatography (CLC); and (2) fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC), followed by SDS-PAGE. Results show that all techniques positively confirm the presence of ricin protein indicated by a doublet peak in all chromatograms. This study might contribute to understanding the biological and chemical properties of the ricin protein of R. communis L. seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Clustering and curation of electropherograms: an efficient method for analyzing large cohorts of capillary electrophoresis glycomic profiles for bioprocessing operations
- Author
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Ian Walsh, Matthew S. F. Choo, Sim Lyn Chiin, Amelia Mak, Shi Jie Tay, Pauline M. Rudd, Yang Yuansheng, Andre Choo, Ho Ying Swan, and Terry Nguyen-Khuong
- Subjects
capillary electrophoresis ,clustering ,data analysis ,electropherogram ,glycosylation ,monoclonal antibodies ,peak picking ,process development ,Science ,Organic chemistry ,QD241-441 - Abstract
The accurate assessment of antibody glycosylation during bioprocessing requires the high-throughput generation of large amounts of glycomics data. This allows bioprocess engineers to identify critical process parameters that control the glycosylation critical quality attributes. The advances made in protocols for capillary electrophoresis-laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF) measurements of antibody N-glycans have increased the potential for generating large datasets of N-glycosylation values for assessment. With large cohorts of CE-LIF data, peak picking and peak area calculations still remain a problem for fast and accurate quantitation, despite the presence of internal and external standards to reduce misalignment for the qualitative analysis. The peak picking and area calculation problems are often due to fluctuations introduced by varying process conditions resulting in heterogeneous peak shapes. Additionally, peaks with co-eluting glycans can produce peaks of a non-Gaussian nature in some process conditions and not in others. Here, we describe an approach to quantitatively and qualitatively curate large cohort CE-LIF glycomics data. For glycan identification, a previously reported method based on internal triple standards is used. For determining the glycan relative quantities our method uses a clustering algorithm to ‘divide and conquer’ highly heterogeneous electropherograms into similar groups, making it easier to define peaks manually. Open-source software is then used to determine peak areas of the manually defined peaks. We successfully applied this semi-automated method to a dataset (containing 391 glycoprofiles) of monoclonal antibody biosimilars from a bioreactor optimization study. The key advantage of this computational approach is that all runs can be analyzed simultaneously with high accuracy in glycan identification and quantitation and there is no theoretical limit to the scale of this method.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
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11. Forensic identification of missing persons using DNA from surviving relatives and femur bone retrieved from salty environment
- Author
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Kofi Adjapong Afrifah, Alexander Badu-Boateng, Samuel Antwi-Akomeah, Eva Emefa Motey, Emmanuel Boampong, Peter Twumasi, Paul Poku Sampene, and Augustine Donkor
- Subjects
electropherogram ,genomic ,profiling ,short tandem repeat ,skull ,Public aspects of medicine ,RA1-1270 - Abstract
Human identification using forensic DNA profiling has made enormous advancement over the past two-and-half decades. Forensic DNA profiling provides enormous genetic data from a variety of biological materials and individuals to help solve many important criminal and civil cases that confront society. Under certain environmental conditions, the total deterioration of soft-tissue leaves skeletal remains as the only available sample for DNA testing to identify missing persons, victims of natural disasters, or exonerate suspect(s) in a criminal case. We report the findings of a case involving the human remains of a missing person submitted to the Forensic Science Laboratory of the Ghana Police Service for forensic DNA profiling in comparison to an alleged living relative of the deceased. DNA from the femur bone and buccal swabs of alleged relative of the deceased were extracted, quantified, and short tandem repeat (STR) profiled using Qiagen's Investigator kit, Applied Biosystem's Quantifiler trio, and GlobalFiler kits. Full STR profiles were generated for both the femur bone from the salty environment and the buccal swabs from the alleged relative. The femur bone was genetically identified to be that of the missing person. The remains were thus handed over to the relatives for final funeral rites and burial to bring closure to the long search for the missing person.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
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12. PHYLOGENETIC COMPARISON OF SOME NEMATODE PARASITES OF PERIPLANETA AMERICANA BASED ON ELECTROPHEROGRAM AND SECONDARY RNA STRUCTURE.
- Author
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Pal, Sangeeta, Nimesh, Manoj, Gupta, Ashish Kumar, and Pandey, Pankaj
- Subjects
AMERICAN cockroach ,NUCLEOTIDE sequence ,RNA ,DNA structure ,BASE pairs ,HYDROGEN bonding ,PARASITES ,NEMATODES - Abstract
Single stranded RNA molecules quickly fold due to hydrogen bonding mechanism if they are left in their environment. Helices which are made from the folding process known as stem. Only six (AU, GU, GC, UA, UG & CG) are stable to form base pairs among 16 possible ones. The nucleotide sequence of stems can vary and made variable RNA helical regions. The substitution of RNA bases are important in maintaining the secondary structure of RNA. DNA structure is not important to study the evolutionary models because that is double stranded due to which the base pairs in DNA does not give accurate results. So, secondary structure of RNA gives validate consequences in evolution of parasitic nematodes of Periplaneta americana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
13. Monitoring of κ-carrageenan depolymerization by capillary electrophoresis and semisynthesis of oligosaccharide alditols.
- Author
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Figueiredo, Diego B., Dallagnol, Juliana C.C., de Carvalho, Mariana M., Carneiro, Jaqueline, Ducatti, Diogo R.B., Gonçalves, Alan G., Duarte, M. Eugênia R., and Noseda, Miguel D.
- Subjects
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CARRAGEENANS , *CAPILLARY electrophoresis , *OLIGOSACCHARIDES , *HYDROLYSIS , *ALDITOLS , *DEPOLYMERIZATION - Abstract
Graphical abstract Highlights • κ-Carrageenan hydrolysates were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis (CE). • Precise and robust quantitative CE method to detect sulfated oligosaccharides. • CE allowed the detection of up to eight oligosaccharides in crude hydrolysates. • Hexasaccharide alditol derivative isolated and characterized for the first time. • Different hydrolysis conditions produced distinct pools of oligosaccharides. Abstract Different hydrolysis conditions to produce κ-carrageenan oligosaccharide alditols were studied and the depolymerization process monitored by capillary electrophoresis (CE). Semisynthesis, ion-exchange and exclusion chromatography were used to obtain and isolate sulfated di-, tetra- and hexasaccharide alditols, the last being fully characterized for the first time. Those derivatives were used as standards to validate a new quantitative CE analytical method which was used to compare two different partial hydrolysis methodologies: an acid hydrolysis followed by reduction and a one-pot reductive hydrolysis using 4-methylmorpholine borane. The resulting depolymerization profiles were quite different from each other. Optimal hydrolysis conditions to produce high yields of specific sulfated oligosaccharides as well as particular mixtures of oligosaccharide alditols were determined. Moreover, using the novel CE method, we were able to distinguish up to eight different oligosaccharides in the hydrolysate mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. The generalisability of artificial neural networks used to classify electrophoretic data produced under different conditions.
- Author
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Taylor, Duncan, Kitselaar, Michael, and Powers, David
- Subjects
SHORT tandem repeat analysis ,ARTIFICIAL neural networks ,DNA fingerprinting ,ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY ,ALLELES ,DNA analysis ,ELECTROPHORESIS - Abstract
Highlights • We apply Artificial Neural Networks to electrophotographic data to identify features of STR DNA profiles. • DNA profiles can be produced under different conditions with respect to laboratory hardware, protocols used and template source. • We trialled the ability of neural networks to generalise across the different factors involved in generation of profiles. • A single neural network was able to be trained on, and applied to, data produced under all different conditions. Abstract Previous work has shown that artificial neural networks can be used to classify signal in an electropherogram into categories that have interpretational meaning (such as allele, baseline, pull-up or stutter). The previous work trained the neural networks on a single data type, produced under a single laboratory condition and applied it to data that was matched in these factors. In this work we investigate the ability of neural networks to be trained on data of different types (i.e. single sourced profiles or mixed DNA profiles) and from different laboratory conditions (specifically the model of electrophoresis instrument) to determine whether a set of neural networks is required for each different type of data produced or whether a single neural network can be used for a broad range of data and still achieve the same level of performance. The results of our study have implications as to how a laboratory would choose to train and apply neural networks to classify data in electropherograms produced in their laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
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15. Rapid and Easy High-Molecular-Weight Glutenin Subunit Identification System by Lab-on-a-Chip in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
- Author
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Dongjin Shin, Jin-Kyung Cha, So-Myeong Lee, Nkulu Rolly Kabange, and Jong-Hee Lee
- Subjects
HMW-GS ,Lab-on-a-chip ,electropherogram ,wheat ,Botany ,QK1-989 - Abstract
Lab-on-a-chip technology is an emerging and convenient system to easily and quickly separate proteins of high molecular weight. The current study established a high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) identification system using Lab-on-a-chip for three, six, and three of the allelic variations at the Glu-A1, Glu-B1, and Glu-D1 loci, respectively, which are commonly used in wheat breeding programs. The molecular weight of 1Ax1 and 1Ax2* encoded by Glu-A1 locus were of 200 kDa and 192 kDa and positioned below 1Dx subunits. The HMW-GS encoded by Glu-B1 locus were electrophoresed in the following order below 1Ax1 and 1Ax2*: 1Bx13 ≥ 1Bx7 = 1Bx7OE > 1Bx17 > 1By16 > 1By8 = 1By18 > 1By9. 1Dx2 and Dx5 showed around 4-kDa difference in their molecular weights, with 1Dy10 and 1Dy12 having 11-kDa difference, and were clearly differentiated on Lab-on-a-chip. Additionally, some of the HMW-GS, including 1By8, 1By18, and 1Dy10, having different theoretical molecular weights showed similar electrophoretic mobility patterns on Lab-on-a-chip. The relative protein amount of 1Bx7OE was two-fold higher than that of 1Bx7 or 1Dx5 and, therefore, translated a significant increase in the protein amount in 1Bx7OE. Similarly, the relative protein amounts of 8 & 10 and 10 & 18 were higher than each subunit taken alone. Therefore, this study suggests the established HMW-GS identification system using Lab-on-a-chip as a reliable approach for evaluating HMW-GS for wheat breeding programs.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Computation of marginal distributions of peak-heights in electropherograms for analysing single source and mixture STR DNA samples.
- Author
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Cowell, Robert G.
- Subjects
COMPUTER software ,FOURIER transforms ,FORENSIC engineering ,FORENSIC sciences ,DNA analysis - Abstract
Current models for single source and mixture samples, and probabilistic genotyping software based on them used for analysing STR electropherogram data, assume simple probability distributions, such as the gamma distribution, to model the allelic peak height variability given the initial amount of DNA prior to PCR amplification. Here we illustrate how amplicon number distributions, for a model of the process of sample DNA collection and PCR amplification, may be efficiently computed by evaluating probability generating functions using discrete Fourier transforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
17. Proposed Framework for Comparison of Continuous Probabilistic Genotyping Systems amongst Different Laboratories
- Author
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Kirsty Wright, Allan Jamieson, Mark Barash, Janet Chaseling, Dennis McNevin, and Sara Gomes
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Basis (linear algebra) ,Computer science ,Probabilistic logic ,Variance (accounting) ,Measure (mathematics) ,Electropherogram ,Set (abstract data type) ,03 medical and health sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,0302 clinical medicine ,DNA profiling ,030216 legal & forensic medicine ,Algorithm ,Genotyping - Abstract
Continuous probabilistic genotyping (PG) systems are becoming the default method for calculating likelihood ratios (LRs) for competing propositions about DNA mixtures. Calculation of the LR relies on numerical methods and simultaneous probabilistic simulations of multiple variables rather than on analytical solutions alone. Some also require modelling of individual laboratory processes that give rise to electropherogram artefacts and peak height variance. For these reasons, it has been argued that any LR produced by continuous PG is unique and cannot be compared with another. We challenge this assumption and demonstrate that there are a set of conditions defining specific DNA mixtures which can produce an aspirational LR and thereby provide a measure of reproducibility for DNA profiling systems incorporating PG. Such DNA mixtures could serve as the basis for inter-laboratory comparisons, even when different STR amplification kits are employed. We propose a procedure for an inter-laboratory comparison consistent with these conditions.
- Published
- 2021
18. Towards developing forensically relevant single-cell pipelines by incorporating direct-to-PCR extraction: compatibility, signal quality, and allele detection
- Author
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Amanda J. Gonzalez, Harish Swaminathan, Nidhi Sheth, Ken R. Duffy, and Catherine M. Grgicak
- Subjects
Detection limit ,010401 analytical chemistry ,Extraction (chemistry) ,Buccal swab ,01 natural sciences ,0104 chemical sciences ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,Electropherogram ,03 medical and health sciences ,Forensic dna ,0302 clinical medicine ,Compatibility (mechanics) ,Microsatellite ,030216 legal & forensic medicine ,Allele ,Biological system ,Mathematics - Abstract
Current analysis of forensic DNA stains relies on the probabilistic interpretation of bulk-processed samples that represent mixed profiles consisting of an unknown number of potentially partial representations of each contributor. Single-cell methods, in contrast, offer a solution to the forensic DNA mixture problem by incorporating a step that separates cells before extraction. A forensically relevant single-cell pipeline relies on efficient direct-to-PCR extractions that are compatible with standard down- stream forensic reagents. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of implementing single-cell pipelines into the forensic process by exploring four metrics of electropherogram (EPG) signal quality—i.e., allele detection rates, peak heights, peak height ratios, and peak height balance across low- to high-molecular-weight short tandem repeat (STR) markers—obtained with four direct-to-PCR extraction treatments and a common post-PCR laboratory procedure. Each treatment was used to extract DNA from 102 single buccal cells, whereupon the amplification reagents were immediately added to the tube and the DNA was amplified/injected using post-PCR conditions known to elicit a limit of detection (LoD) of one DNA molecule. The results show that most cells, regardless of extraction treatment, rendered EPGs with at least a 50% true positive allele detection rate and that allele drop-out was not cell independent. Statistical tests demonstrated that extraction treatments significantly impacted all metrics of EPG quality, where the Arcturus® PicoPure™ extraction method resulted in the lowest median allele drop-out rate, highest median average peak height, highest median average peak height ratio, and least negative median values of EPG sloping for GlobalFiler™ STR loci amplified at half volume. We, therefore, conclude the feasibility of implementing single-cell pipelines for casework purposes and demonstrate that inferential systems assuming cell independence will not be appropriate in the probabilistic interpretation of a collection of single-cell EPGs.
- Published
- 2021
19. Vertical cutoff methods in serum protein electrophoresis for the measurement of monoclonal protein concentrations: Which is best?
- Author
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C. Valldecabres Ortiz, A. Gella Concustell, J. Jiménez Jiménez, G. Marcaida Benito, Mc. Cárdenas Fernández, E. Cruz Iglesias, R. Pérez Garay, E. Zapico Muñiz, S. Hermoso Duran, M. Fernández García, and D. Pérez Surribas
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Clinical Biochemistry ,Immunologic Tests ,Biochemistry ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Capillary electrophoresis ,medicine ,Humans ,Cutoff ,Chromatography ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,Chemistry ,Biochemistry (medical) ,Antibodies, Monoclonal ,Electrophoresis, Capillary ,General Medicine ,Blood Protein Electrophoresis ,Dilution ,Electropherogram ,Electrophoresis ,030104 developmental biology ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Serum protein electrophoresis ,Agarose gel electrophoresis ,Monoclonal protein - Abstract
Background: Monoclonal protein (M-protein) concentrations are measured by serum protein electrophoresis (SPE). Two methods are used for demarcating the M-protein area in the electropherogram: perpendicular drop (PD) and tangent skimming (TS). The aim of this study was to compare both methods and to establish which is the most accurate and precise. Methods: We studied 24 sera containing M-protein (5-44 g/L). The systematic error (SE) was evaluated in a dilution series of 12 sera. Within-day, between-day, and interobserver variability were assessed. SPE was performed by capillary and agarose gel electrophoresis. M-protein concentrations were measured using both cutoff methods. Results: The PD method shows a constant SE ranged 1.00-2.27 g/L, while constant SE for TS is ranged - 0.30-- 0.57 g/L. None of the cutoff methods or electrophoretic methods showed a proportional SE, with the exception of the TS method in capillary electrophoresis for beta-migrating M-protein. The PD method was more precise than the TS method in all three estimates of imprecision. An increased CV for concentrations < 10 g/L in between-day imprecision was observed with the TS method. Interobserver imprecision was greater for M-protein concentrations < 17 g/L for both cutoff methods (14.85%, 26.42% respectively). Conclusions: Despite being less precise, the TS method provides a more accurate measurement of M-protein concentration.
- Published
- 2020
20. An artificial neural network system to identify alleles in reference electropherograms.
- Author
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Taylor, Duncan, Harrison, Ash, and Powers, David
- Subjects
ARTIFICIAL neural networks ,ALLELES ,FORENSIC sciences ,NUCLEOTIDE sequencing ,FLUORESCENCE ,NUCLEIC acid isolation methods - Abstract
Electropherograms are produced in great numbers in forensic DNA laboratories as part of everyday criminal casework. Before the results of these electropherograms can be used they must be scrutinised by analysts to determine what the identified data tells them about the underlying DNA sequences and what is purely an artefact of the DNA profiling process. This process of interpreting the electropherograms can be time consuming and is prone to subjective differences between analysts. Recently it was demonstrated that artificial neural networks could be used to classify information within an electropherogram as allelic (i.e. representative of a DNA fragment present in the DNA extract) or as one of several different categories of artefactual fluorescence that arise as a result of generating an electropherogram. We extend that work here to demonstrate a series of algorithms and artificial neural networks that can be used to identify peaks on an electropherogram and classify them. We demonstrate the functioning of the system on several profiles and compare the results to a leading commercial DNA profile reading system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. Teaching artificial intelligence to read electropherograms.
- Author
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Taylor, Duncan and Powers, David
- Subjects
DNA fingerprinting ,NUCLEOTIDE sequence ,CRIME laboratories ,ARTIFICIAL neural networks ,BRAIN physiology ,ARTIFICIAL intelligence - Abstract
Electropherograms are produced in great numbers in forensic DNA laboratories as part of everyday criminal casework. Before the results of these electropherograms can be used they must be scrutinised by analysts to determine what the identified data tells us about the underlying DNA sequences and what is purely an artefact of the DNA profiling process. A technique that lends itself well to such a task of classification in the face of vast amounts of data is the use of artificial neural networks. These networks, inspired by the workings of the human brain, have been increasingly successful in analysing large datasets, performing medical diagnoses, identifying handwriting, playing games, or recognising images. In this work we demonstrate the use of an artificial neural network which we train to ‘read’ electropherograms and show that it can generalise to unseen profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Clustering and curation of electropherograms: an efficient method for analyzing large cohorts of capillary electrophoresis glycomic profiles for bioprocessing operations
- Author
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Shi Jie Tay, Ian Walsh, Andre Choo, Sim Lyn Chiin, Matthew S F Choo, Terry Nguyen-Khuong, Amelia Mak, Pauline M. Rudd, Yang Yuansheng, and Ho Ying Swan
- Subjects
Divide and conquer algorithms ,glycosylation ,data analysis ,capillary electrophoresis ,peak picking ,01 natural sciences ,Full Research Paper ,lcsh:QD241-441 ,Glycomics ,03 medical and health sciences ,Capillary electrophoresis ,lcsh:Organic chemistry ,Bioprocess ,lcsh:Science ,Cluster analysis ,electropherogram ,030304 developmental biology ,0303 health sciences ,Chemistry ,010401 analytical chemistry ,Organic Chemistry ,0104 chemical sciences ,process development ,Electropherogram ,Identification (information) ,lcsh:Q ,monoclonal antibodies ,Critical quality attributes ,Biological system ,clustering - Abstract
The accurate assessment of antibody glycosylation during bioprocessing requires the high-throughput generation of large amounts of glycomics data. This allows bioprocess engineers to identify critical process parameters that control the glycosylation critical quality attributes. The advances made in protocols for capillary electrophoresis-laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF) measurements of antibody N-glycans have increased the potential for generating large datasets of N-glycosylation values for assessment. With large cohorts of CE-LIF data, peak picking and peak area calculations still remain a problem for fast and accurate quantitation, despite the presence of internal and external standards to reduce misalignment for the qualitative analysis. The peak picking and area calculation problems are often due to fluctuations introduced by varying process conditions resulting in heterogeneous peak shapes. Additionally, peaks with co-eluting glycans can produce peaks of a non-Gaussian nature in some process conditions and not in others. Here, we describe an approach to quantitatively and qualitatively curate large cohort CE-LIF glycomics data. For glycan identification, a previously reported method based on internal triple standards is used. For determining the glycan relative quantities our method uses a clustering algorithm to ‘divide and conquer’ highly heterogeneous electropherograms into similar groups, making it easier to define peaks manually. Open-source software is then used to determine peak areas of the manually defined peaks. We successfully applied this semi-automated method to a dataset (containing 391 glycoprofiles) of monoclonal antibody biosimilars from a bioreactor optimization study. The key advantage of this computational approach is that all runs can be analyzed simultaneously with high accuracy in glycan identification and quantitation and there is no theoretical limit to the scale of this method.
- Published
- 2020
23. Separation of subcellular fluorescent microspheres by capillary electrophoresis
- Author
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Dawei Zhang, Chunxian Tao, Xiaoxiao Wang, Jin Chen, Zhenqing Li, and Yoshinori Yamaguchi
- Subjects
chemistry.chemical_classification ,Chromatography ,Materials science ,Capillary action ,010401 analytical chemistry ,02 engineering and technology ,Polymer ,engineering.material ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,01 natural sciences ,Biochemistry ,Fluorescence ,0104 chemical sciences ,Analytical Chemistry ,Electropherogram ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Capillary electrophoresis ,Coating ,chemistry ,Electric field ,engineering ,0210 nano-technology ,Hydroxyethyl cellulose - Abstract
Fluorescent microspheres (FMs) are widely employed in diagnostics and life sciences research; here, we investigated the effect of capillary coating, polymer concentration, electric field strength, and sample concentration on the separation performance of 1.0 μm FMs in hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) by capillary electrophoresis (CE). Results showed that (1) capillary coating could enhance the fluorescence signal. (2) For HEC with the same molecular weight, the higher HEC concentration is, the later the first peak appears in the electropherogram. (3) When FMs are diluted, increasing the electric field strength can enhance the migration speed and reduce the aggregation of FMs. (4) The number of FMs calculated is close to the theoretical value when it is diluted 10,000 times. The optimum conditions for CE were as follows: 6 cm/8 cm of effective length and total length of the coated capillary, 0.3% HEC (1300 k), and 300 V/cm of electric field strength. Such a study is helpful for the development of a FM counting system. Graphical abstract.
- Published
- 2020
24. Forensic identification of missing persons using DNA from surviving relatives and femur bone retrieved from salty environment
- Author
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Peter Twumasi, Paul Poku Sampene, Emmanuel Boampong, Kofi Adjapong Afrifah, Augustine Donkor, Eva Emefa Motey, Alexander Badu-Boateng, and Samuel Antwi-Akomeah
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,skull ,business.industry ,short tandem repeat ,lcsh:Public aspects of medicine ,Buccal swab ,lcsh:RA1-1270 ,Biological materials ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,Forensic identification ,Forensic science ,genomic ,Femur bone ,Family medicine ,Profiling (information science) ,Medicine ,Microsatellite ,Suspect ,profiling ,business ,Law ,electropherogram - Abstract
Human identification using forensic DNA profiling has made enormous advancement over the past two-and-half decades. Forensic DNA profiling provides enormous genetic data from a variety of biological materials and individuals to help solve many important criminal and civil cases that confront society. Under certain environmental conditions, the total deterioration of soft-tissue leaves skeletal remains as the only available sample for DNA testing to identify missing persons, victims of natural disasters, or exonerate suspect(s) in a criminal case. We report the findings of a case involving the human remains of a missing person submitted to the Forensic Science Laboratory of the Ghana Police Service for forensic DNA profiling in comparison to an alleged living relative of the deceased. DNA from the femur bone and buccal swabs of alleged relative of the deceased were extracted, quantified, and short tandem repeat (STR) profiled using Qiagen's Investigator kit, Applied Biosystem's Quantifiler trio, and GlobalFiler kits. Full STR profiles were generated for both the femur bone from the salty environment and the buccal swabs from the alleged relative. The femur bone was genetically identified to be that of the missing person. The remains were thus handed over to the relatives for final funeral rites and burial to bring closure to the long search for the missing person.
- Published
- 2020
25. Highly sensitive mutation quantification by high-dynamic-range capillary-array electrophoresis (HiDy CE)
- Author
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Shuhei Yamamoto, Hiroko Matsunaga, Ryoji Inaba, and Takashi Anazawa
- Subjects
0303 health sciences ,Mutation ,Chromatography ,Dynamic range ,Chemistry ,Capillary action ,Biomedical Engineering ,Electrophoresis, Capillary ,Bioengineering ,General Chemistry ,medicine.disease_cause ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Biochemistry ,Competitive pcr ,Highly sensitive ,Electropherogram ,03 medical and health sciences ,Electrophoresis ,0302 clinical medicine ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,medicine ,High dynamic range ,030304 developmental biology - Abstract
A simple and robust ultra-small four-color-fluorescence detection system was developed by integrating its components, namely, a four-capillary array, an injection-molded-plastic four-lens array, a four-dichroic-mirror array, and a CMOS sensor, as one device. The developed system was applied to a high-dynamic-range capillary-array electrophoresis (HiDy CE) to quantify a rare EGFR mutant (MT) of exon 19 deletion in a large excess of EGFR wild type (WT). Samples with serially diluted MT and constant-concentration WT were co-amplified by competitive PCR and subjected to HiDy CE. The MT peak in each electropherogram was then compared to the WT peak. As a result, MT was quantified with high-sensitivity (LOD of 0.004% MT/WT) and four-orders-of-magnitude dynamic range (0.01-100% MT/WT) by HiDy CE. Moreover, compared with existing methods, HiDy CE achieves higher speed, higher sample throughput, and lower consumable cost per sample. It has therefore great potential to be used in clinical practice.
- Published
- 2020
26. Non‐hybridization single nucleotide polymorphism detection and genotyping assay through direct discrimination of single base mutation by capillary electrophoretic separation of single‐stranded DNA
- Author
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Hitoshi Hoshino, Mayu Fukagawa, Takao Sakurai, and Toru Takahashi
- Subjects
Genotype ,DNA, Single-Stranded ,Filtration and Separation ,Single-nucleotide polymorphism ,02 engineering and technology ,Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ,01 natural sciences ,Analytical Chemistry ,law.invention ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Capillary electrophoresis ,law ,Humans ,Genotyping ,Polymerase chain reaction ,Chemistry ,010401 analytical chemistry ,Electrophoresis, Capillary ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Molecular biology ,DNA extraction ,0104 chemical sciences ,Electropherogram ,genomic DNA ,Mutation ,0210 nano-technology ,DNA - Abstract
The significant demands for single nucleotide polymorphism detection and genotyping assays have grown. Most common assays are based on the recognition of the target sequence by the hybridization with its specific probe having the complementary sequence of the target. Herein, a simple, label-free, and economical non-hybridization assay was developed for single nucleotide polymorphism detection and genotyping, based on the direct discrimination of single base mutation by simple capillary electrophoresis separation for single-stranded DNA in an acidic electrophoretic buffer solution containing urea. Capillary electrophoresis separation of single-base sequential isomers of DNA was achieved due to charge differences resulting from the different protonation properties of the DNA bases. Single nucleotide polymorphism detection and genotyping were achieved by discriminating the electropherogram pattern change, that is, peak number in the electropherogram, obtained by the proposed method. The successful practical application of the proposed method was demonstrated through single nucleotide polymorphism detection and genotyping on a known gene region of 84-mer, in which guanine to adenine single-base mutation is commonly observed, using a human hair sample in combination with genomic DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction amplification, DNA purification from polymerase chain reaction products, and capillary electrophoresis separation.
- Published
- 2019
27. Detection of 1 zmol injection of angiotensin using capillary zone electrophoresis coupled to a Q-Exactive HF mass spectrometer with an electrokinetically pumped sheath-flow electrospray interface
- Author
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Paul W. Bohn, Emily Ann Amenson-Lamar, Liangliang Sun, Norman J. Dovichi, and Zhenbin Zhang
- Subjects
Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ,Electrospray ,Angiotensins ,Capillary action ,Calibration curve ,Electrospray ionization ,02 engineering and technology ,Mass spectrometry ,01 natural sciences ,Article ,Analytical Chemistry ,Capillary electrophoresis ,Limit of Detection ,Tandem Mass Spectrometry ,Animals ,Detection limit ,Chromatography ,Chemistry ,010401 analytical chemistry ,Electrophoresis, Capillary ,Serum Albumin, Bovine ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,0104 chemical sciences ,Electropherogram ,Calibration ,Proteolysis ,Cattle ,0210 nano-technology - Abstract
An electrokinetically pumped sheath-flow nanoelectrospray interface provides an efficient means of transferring ions from a capillary electrophoresis system into a mass spectrometer. To characterize its performance, we analyzed angiotensin solutions prepared in a background of 0.25 mg/mL of a BSA tryptic digest. Calibration curves were prepared from 10 zeptomole (10(−21) mol) to 10 femtomole (10(−14) mol) of angiotensin injected into the capillary. A parallel reaction monitoring approach was used; MS1 was set to m/z = 523.8 ± 2, and fragment ion signals at 263.1389 (y(2+)) and 784.4095 (b(6+)) were used to generate selected ion electropherograms. Calibration curves based on peak areas were linear (log-log slope of 0.94 for the y(2+) fragment and 0.98 for the b(6+) fragment). We then injected 1-zmol (600 copies) of angiotensin in the BSA background using a 10-μm ID separation capillary. Triplicate analyses consistently produced co-migrating peaks for the two fragment ions. The b(6+) electropherogram showed no background signal, whereas the y(2+) electropherogram showed a few noise spikes that were smaller than the peak maximum. Bienayme-Tchebycheff inequality was used to estimate detection limits of 230 ymol (140 ions) injected into the separation capillary. To the best of our knowledge, these electropherograms present the smallest number of molecules detected using mass spectrometry coupled with a separation.
- Published
- 2019
28. Using a multi-head, convolutional neural network with data augmentation to improve electropherogram classification performance
- Author
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Duncan Taylor
- Subjects
Artificial neural network ,business.industry ,Computer science ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Forensic biology ,Australia ,DNA ,Machine learning ,computer.software_genre ,Neural network system ,Convolutional neural network ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,Electropherogram ,Improved performance ,Software ,Genetics ,Humans ,Artificial intelligence ,Neural Networks, Computer ,business ,Function (engineering) ,Laboratories ,computer ,media_common - Abstract
DNA profiles are generated in forensic biology laboratories around the world. It is possible that these profiles are assessed by two independent people in order for the profiles to be ‘read’. Recent work has been carried out to develop a neural network model to classify fluorescence in a DNA profile electropherogram and potentially replace one, or both human readers. The ability to use neural networks for this function has been programmed into the software FaSTR™ DNA, which has been validated for use in at least one laboratory in Australia. The work that previously developed a neural network system had a number of limitations, specifically it was computer intensive, did not make the best use of available data, and consequently the performance of this model was sub-optimal in some conditions (particularly for low-intensity peaks). In the current work a new neural network model is developed that makes various improvements on the old model, by using convolutional layers, a multi-head architecture and data augmentation. Results indicate that an improved performance can be expected for low-intensity profiles.
- Published
- 2021
29. Boundary values of binding constants determined by affinity capillary electrophoresis
- Author
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Viktoria V. Sursyakova and Anatoly I. Rubaylo
- Subjects
Electropherogram ,Analyte ,Electrophoresis ,Capillary electrophoresis ,Chemistry ,Stability constants of complexes ,Analytical chemistry ,Ionic bonding ,Filtration and Separation ,Electrolyte ,Ligand (biochemistry) ,Analytical Chemistry - Abstract
This study shows that the upper limit of binding (stability) constants determined by mobility shift affinity capillary electrophoresis can be increased from 104 to 106 -109 L/mol if the lowest possible analyte concentration in samples is used (for example, the concentration that gives electrophoretic peaks with a signal-to-noise ratio of 10) and the effective electrophoretic mobility of the analyte is calculated via the parameter a1 of the Haarhoff-Van der Linde function. The equation to calculate the boundary values of binding constants for 1:1 complexes was derived for the case when the constants cannot be calculated in the usual way. These values are obtained from the inequality: the difference between the ionic mobility of the analyte-ligand complex and the effective electrophoretic mobility of the analyte determined at the lowest ligand concentration in the background electrolyte at which the analyte appears as an undistorted peak in electropherograms is less than or equal to the absolute error in mobility measurements. The application of the equation was illustrated by the example of electrophoretic data for a complex between betulin 3,28-diphthalate and (2-hydroxypropyl)-γ-cyclodextrin. An algorithm to determine the binding constants for strong complexation by mobility shift affinity capillary electrophoresis was suggested.
- Published
- 2021
30. Exploring deep learning to improve allelic peak calling in forensic DNA analysis
- Author
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van Belkom, Myrte (author) and van Belkom, Myrte (author)
- Abstract
When processing a trace DNA sample at the Netherlands Forensic Institute, an STR electropherogram can be created. An analyst uses this electropherogram and analysis software to read out peaks signifying DNA. After analysis, the DNA profile is used in the interpretation process, which can include the comparison to a reference DNA profile of a person of interest. The software that is currently being used for profile analysis is threshold-based and the process includes the intervention of trained analysts. To further automate (allelic) peak identification in STR electropherograms, as well as to increase efficiency and uniformity, neural networks were studied and applied. Previous work by Duncan Taylor and David Powers provided a proof of concept using a simple fully connected neural net. After reviewing literature, the U-net was selected to be used in this thesis. Training U-net on electropherograms proved successful and achieved a 95% accuracy on the per-pixel labels. However, translating the per-pixel output to alleles was more difficult than expected, so an upper bound on the score was calculated. The upper bound got close to an analyst’s performance and demonstrated the potential of this method., Applied Mathematics | Optimization
- Published
- 2021
31. On the Applicability of Electrophoresis for Protein Quantification
- Author
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Oleg I. Lomovsky, Aleksey Bychkov, Zoya Akimenko, Karina Dome, and Yuri Kalambet
- Subjects
Gel electrophoresis ,analytical_chemistry ,Chromatography ,Polymers and Plastics ,biology ,Chemistry ,Quantitative proteomics ,Organic chemistry ,Model protein ,General Chemistry ,Article ,quantification ,Electropherogram ,Electrophoresis ,QD241-441 ,electrophoresis ,biology.protein ,Bovine serum albumin ,protein ,mechanical treatment ,Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - Abstract
Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is widely used for studying proteins and protein-containing objects. However, it is employed most frequently as a qualitative method rather than a quantitative one. This paper shows the feasibility of routine digital image acquisition and mathematical processing of electropherograms for protein quantification when using vertical gel electrophoresis and Chrom &, Spec software. Both the well-studied model protein molecules (bovine serum albumin) and more complex real-world protein-based products (casein-containing isolate for sports nutrition), which were subjected to mechanical activation in a planetary ball mill to obtain samples characterized by different protein denaturation degrees, were used as study objects. Protein quantification in the mechanically activated samples was carried out. The degree of destruction of individual protein was shown to be higher compared to that of the protein-containing mixture after mechanical treatment for an identical amount of time. The methodological approach used in this study can serve as guidance for other researchers who would like to use electrophoresis for protein quantification both in individual form and in protein mixtures. The findings prove that photographic imaging of gels followed by mathematical data processing can be applied for analyzing the electrophoretic data as an affordable, convenient and quick tool.
- Published
- 2021
32. Efficient PCR Amplification Protocol of Nuclear Microsatellites for Exuviae-Derived DNA of Cicada, Yezoterpnosia nigricosta
- Author
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Yoko Saito, Shingo Kaneko, Yoshiaki Tsuda, Takashi Kanbe, and Keisuke Yumoto
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Mitochondrial DNA ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,law.invention ,Nuclear DNA ,Molecular ecology ,Electropherogram ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,law ,Evolutionary biology ,Microsatellite ,Genotyping ,Polymerase chain reaction ,DNA - Abstract
Although insect exuviae-based genetics is challenging, it can be a valuable method for obtaining reliable DNA resources by non-invasive sampling. This approach is especially effective when the target species is endangered/endemic or when sampling the adult is difficult. One example is cicadas, which during molt leave their exoskeletons on tree trunks, making them easily collectable. While cicada exuviae-derived DNA has previously been employed for mitochondrial DNA sequencing, this study aimed to develop a reliable method for the PCR amplification of nuclear microsatellite loci from cicada exuviae derived DNA for application in molecular ecology, conservation and population genetics. Five different PCR amplification protocols were performed, and the fragment patterns compared with those obtained using DNA extracted from adult individuals. Moreover, the relationship between the freshness of the exuviae and genotyping success was evaluated. TaKaRa LA Taq provided the best performance in the PCR amplification of DNA isolated from cicada exuviae and the electropherogram showed a clear fragment pattern that was equivalent to that obtained from the DNA extracted from the adult individual. This result suggests that cicada exuviae-derived DNA can be amplified by PCR and that multiple independent loci of nuclear DNA microsatellite markers can be easily genotyped. This study demonstrates that fresh cicada exuviae provide high quality DNA, which can be used for microsatellite genotyping. The methods developed in this study are applicable not only for cicada but other insect species for which exuviae are available. Thus, this study can make a significant contribution to insect sciences.
- Published
- 2021
33. Developmental validation of FaSTR™ DNA: Software for the analysis of forensic DNA profiles
- Author
-
Judi Morawitz, Richard Wivell, Shan-I Lee, Xinlong Zhang, Stuart Cooper, Hannah Kelly, Laura Russell, Zane Kerr, Kevin Cheng, Jo-Anne Bright, and Meng-Han Lin
- Subjects
K5000-5582 ,business.industry ,Analysis Software ,Computational biology ,Biology ,DNA profiling ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,Str profiling ,Electropherogram ,Criminal law and procedure ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Forensic dna ,Software ,chemistry ,DNA typing ,Analysis software ,Developmental Validation ,DNA analysis ,business ,DNA - Abstract
The analysis of forensic DNA profiles is complicated by the presence of undesirable artefactual peaks such as stutter, pull-up, and dye blobs. We describe the developmental validation of FaSTR™ DNA analysis software, which can assist with the streamlined analysis of forensic DNA profiles. A total of 3403 single-source and mixed DNA profiles generated using seven different STR profiling kits were analysed in FaSTR™ DNA. Results were compared with outputs from GeneMapper™ ID-X analysis software. Over 99.95% of peak designations were concordant, corresponding to over 232,000 peaks. There were no significant differences found in peak size however differences in peak height were observed between the software programmes. Peaks greater than 1000 rfu were generally taller in GeneMapper™ ID-X than in FaSTR™ DNA. At lower peak heights, peaks were often taller in FaSTR™ DNA, due to differences in how each software applies baseline correction to the electropherogram. Allele-specific stutter filters in FaSTR™ DNA correctly designated 99.3% of stutter peaks analysed (5174 peaks comprising four stutter types) in 265 single-source GlobalFiler™ profiles. FaSTR™ DNA was shown to be effective for its intended use as analysis software for the designation of alleles and the identification of artefacts such as stutter, pull-up, and spikes.
- Published
- 2021
34. New insights into the conversion of electropherograms to the effective electrophoretic mobility scale
- Author
-
Víctor González-Ruiz, Nicolas Drouin, Santiago Codesido, Sabrina Ferré, Julie Schappler, and Serge Rudaz
- Subjects
Compound identification ,Computer science ,Clinical Biochemistry ,computer.software_genre ,Biochemistry ,Data type ,Analytical Chemistry ,Quantitation ,Software ,Robustness (computer science) ,Distortion ,Electrophoretic mobility ,Metabolomics ,Fundamentals ,Flexibility (engineering) ,ddc:615 ,business.industry ,Electrophoresis, Capillary ,Area correction ,Electropherogram ,Identification (information) ,Transformation (function) ,Spotlight on Fundamentals ,Data mining ,business ,computer ,Research Article - Abstract
CE–MS is increasingly gaining momentum as an analytical tool in metabolomics, due to its ability to obtain information about the most polar elements in biological samples. This has been helped by improvements of robustness in peak identification by means of mobility‐scale representations of the electropherograms (mobilograms). As a necessary step toward facilitating the use of CE–MS for untargeted metabolomics data, the authors previously developed and introduced ROMANCE, a software automating mobilogram generation for large untargeted datasets through a simple and self‐contained user interface. Herein, we introduce a new version of ROMANCE including new features such as compatibility with other types of data (targeted MS data and 2D UV‐Vis absorption‐like electropherograms), and the much needed additional flexibility in the transformation parameters (including field ramping and the use of secondary markers), more measurement conditions (depending on detection and integration modes), and most importantly tackling the issue of quantitative peak conversion. First, we present a review of the current theoretical framework with regard to peak characterization, and we develop new formulas for multiple marker peak area corrections, for anticipating peak position precision, and for assessing peak shape distortion. Then, the new version of the software is presented and validated experimentally. We contrast the multiple marker mobility transformations with previous results, finding increased peak position precision, and finally we showcase an application to actual untargeted metabolomics data.
- Published
- 2021
35. Examining Discrimination Performance and Likelihood Ratio Values for Two Different Likelihood Ratio Systems Using the Provedit Dataset
- Author
-
Hariharan Iyer, Peter M. Vallone, and Sarah Riman
- Subjects
Electropherogram ,Set (abstract data type) ,Ground truth ,education.field_of_study ,Histogram ,Statistics ,Population ,Value (computer science) ,Scale (descriptive set theory) ,education ,Frequency ,Mathematics - Abstract
The conventional capillary electrophoresis (CE) genotyping workflow used in forensic DNA laboratories is composed of two processes: measurement and interpretation. The outcome of the measurement process is an electropherogram (EPG). The outcome of the interpretation process is a strength of evidence statement often reported in the form of a likelihood ratio (LR) which typically requires probabilistic genotyping software (PGS). An LR system is defined as the entire pipeline of the measurement and interpretation processes where PGS is a piece of the whole LR system. To gain understanding on how two LR systems perform, a total of 154 two-person mixture, 147 three-person mixture, and 127 four-person mixture profiles of varying DNA quality, DNA quantity, and mixture ratios were obtained from the filtered (.CSV) files of the GlobalFiler 29 cycles 15s PROVEDIt dataset and deconvolved in two independently developed fully continuous programs, STRmix v2.6 and EuroForMix v2.1.0. Various parameters were set in each software and LR computations obtained from the two software were based on same/fixed EPG features, same pair of propositions, number of contributors, theta, and population allele frequencies. The ability of each LR system to discriminate between contributor (H1-true) and non-contributor (H2-true) scenarios was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. Differences in the numeric LR values and their corresponding verbal classifications between the two LR systems were compared. The magnitude of the differences in the assigned LRs and the potential explanations for the observed differences greater than or equal to 3 on the log10 scale were described. Cases of LR < 1 for H1-true tests and LR > 1 for H2-true tests were also discussed. Our intent is to demonstrate the value of using a publicly available ground truth known mixture dataset to assess discrimination performance of any LR system and show the steps used to investigate and understand similarities and differences between different LR systems. We share our observations with the forensic community and describe how examining more than one PGS with similar discrimination power can be beneficial, help analysts compare interpretation especially with low-template profiles or minor contributor cases, and be a potential additional diagnostic check even if software in use does contain certain diagnostic statistics as part of the output.HighlightsThe use of two different Likelihood Ratio (LR) systems to assign LRs is discussed.H1-true and H2-true tests are performed using STRmix and EuroForMix and a large set of PROVEDIt mixture profiles.Assessment of discrimination performance of two LR systems using ROC plots, scatter plots, and relative frequency histograms.The ability of the two LR systems to discriminate between contributors and non-contributors are statistically indistinguishable for the data that we considered.Potential reasons for the differences in LR values between the two LR systems that are ≥ 3 on the log10 scale are investigated and discussed.Contributors with LRs < 1 and non-contributors with LRs > 1 generated from each LR system are discussed.
- Published
- 2021
36. A Computational Protocol to Analyze PDZ/PBM Affinity Data Obtained by High-Throughput Holdup Assay
- Author
-
Yves Nominé, Gilles Travé, Lionel Chiron, Goran Bich, Pau Jane, and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
- Subjects
Protocol (science) ,0303 health sciences ,Computer science ,[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] ,030302 biochemistry & molecular biology ,PDZ domain ,Python (programming language) ,Plot (graphics) ,Electropherogram ,03 medical and health sciences ,Capillary electrophoresis ,Biological system ,computer ,Throughput (business) ,Binding selectivity ,ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS ,030304 developmental biology ,computer.programming_language - Abstract
The holdup assay is an automated high-throughput comparative chromatographic retention approach that allows to measure quantitative binding intensities (BI) for a large number of domain-motif pairs and deduce equilibrium binding affinity constants. We routinely apply this approach to obtain quantitative binding specificity profiles of particular PDZ-binding motifs (PBMs) toward the full library of known human PDZ domains (the PDZome). The quality of the electropherograms extracted from the capillary electrophoresis instrument at the final step of the holdup assay may vary, influencing the accuracy and reproducibility of the measurement. By using bioinformatic tools, we can solve these issues to extract more reliable BIs by means of a better superimposition of the electropherograms. The protocol presented in this chapter describes the main principles and strategies of our curated method to process holdup data and new ways to plot and compare the BIs for the PBM-PDZ interactions. For this particular protocol, all the necessary computing commands are freely available in open Python packages.
- Published
- 2021
37. Commentary on: Bright et al. (2018) Internal validation of STRmix™ – a multi laboratory response to PCAST, Forensic Science International: Genetics, 34: 11–24
- Author
-
Dennis McNevin, Mark Barash, Kirsty Wright, and Janet Chaseling
- Subjects
Forensic Genetics ,0301 basic medicine ,Computer science ,Forensic Sciences ,Probabilistic logic ,DNA Fingerprinting ,Data science ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,Electropherogram ,03 medical and health sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,0302 clinical medicine ,Genetics ,030216 legal & forensic medicine ,Legal & Forensic Medicine ,Internal validation ,Biological sciences ,Analysis method ,Forensic genetics - Abstract
Dear Editor A recent publication [1] has claimed to address criticism of probabilistic genotyping by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) report [2] and addendum [3]. PCAST considered probabilistic genotyping to have “foundational validity … under limited circumstances (specifically, a three-person mixture in which the minor contributor constitutes at least 20 percent of the DNA in the mixture), but that substantially more evidence is needed to establish foundational validity across broader settings” [2]. For more than three contributors and/or for mixtures with minor contributors constituting less than 20% of the DNA, PCAST recommends “the creation and dissemination … of large collections of hundreds of DNA profiles created from known mixtures” [2]. Bright et al. [1] draw upon guidelines for testing reliability and validity of probabilistic genotyping published by The Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM) [4] and the International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG) [5] to produce an internal validation of continuous probabilistic genotyping using STRmix™ on electropherogram (epg) outputs provided by multiple laboratories. Their study extends an internal validation performed only in the FBI Laboratory at Quantico, Virginia (USA) [6]. We believe that the publication by Bright et al. [1] is a valuable first step in the direction of establishing a foundational validity for mixture interpretation using probabilistic software, as recommended by the PCAST report. We hope that our suggestions would help to better address this issue.
- Published
- 2019
38. Informatics analysis of capillary electropherograms of autologously doped and undoped blood
- Author
-
Denis L. Eggett, Matthew R. Linford, Christopher R. Harrison, Sean C. Chapman, George H. Major, Shiladitya Chatterjee, and Barry M. Lunt
- Subjects
business.industry ,General Chemical Engineering ,010401 analytical chemistry ,General Engineering ,Oxygen transport ,Pattern recognition ,Feature selection ,02 engineering and technology ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,01 natural sciences ,0104 chemical sciences ,Analytical Chemistry ,Euclidean distance ,Electropherogram ,Blood doping ,Sample size determination ,Principal component analysis ,Partial least squares regression ,Artificial intelligence ,0210 nano-technology ,business ,Mathematics - Abstract
An ‘Autologous Blood Transfusion’ (ABT) is the reinjection of blood previously taken from an athlete to increase its oxygen transport capabilities. Despite the World Anti-Doping Agency's ban on such practices, ABT abuse continues. Autologous blood doping (ABD) is challenging to detect because of the similarities between an individual's doped and undoped blood. Recently, Harrison et al. reported that high-speed capillary electrophoresis may identify ABD. In their work, first order derivatives of the electropherograms were used to identify doping. However, this method suffered from false negatives due to the subjective nature of the analysis. Here, we provide an informatics analysis of the data from this study, contrasting the results of traditional statistical methods and less traditional mathematical techniques. First, three well-known multivariate statistical tools: cluster analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and partial least squares (PLS) are applied to develop calibrations and/or group electropherograms of undoped (0%) and doped (5% and 10%) blood samples. (These doping levels were chosen due to the low physiological effect of doping below 5%, with 10% corresponding to the approximate ‘gain’ derived from the transfusion of a single unit of blood into an adult.) Different preprocessing and variable selection methods were considered. Due to variation in the electropherograms and the limited sample size, these methods were inadequate. We next considered four less commonly used mathematical/informatics tools: pattern recognition entropy (PRE), the Euclidean distance between vectors, a peak fitting/integration method, and the second moment (SM). Each of these techniques showed some ability to differentiate between the 0, 5, and 10% doped samples. We then evaluated the prediction capabilities of inverse least squares (ILS) models based on these summary statistics. An ILS calibration based on PRE, the Euclidean distance, and peak fitting/integration proved more successful than the PLS model at predicting levels of blood doping from the corresponding electropherograms; the ILS model distinguished between doped (5% and 10%) and undoped (0%) blood. This methodology may be applicable to other challenging informatics problems like determining risk factors for genetically linked diseases, robust pattern finding in peak-like data such as ChIP-seq, or other genomic sequencing for understanding the 3D genome.
- Published
- 2019
39. Online reaction based single-step CE for Protein-ssDNA complex obtainment to assist aptamer selection
- Author
-
Chenxu Hao, Chao Zhu, Feng Qu, Youhao Hu, Aysha Sarfraz Rizvi, Xiaoqian Wang, and Linsen Li
- Subjects
Macromolecular Substances ,Aptamer ,Pcr cloning ,Becaplermin ,Biophysics ,DNA, Single-Stranded ,Single step ,010402 general chemistry ,01 natural sciences ,Biochemistry ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Capillary electrophoresis ,Humans ,Molecular Biology ,Selection (genetic algorithm) ,Gene Library ,SELEX Aptamer Technique ,010401 analytical chemistry ,Thrombin ,Electrophoresis, Capillary ,Proteins ,Cell Biology ,Aptamers, Nucleotide ,Combinatorial chemistry ,0104 chemical sciences ,DNA-Binding Proteins ,Electropherogram ,Lactoferrin ,chemistry ,Selection method ,DNA - Abstract
CE application in aptamer selection (CE-SELEX) shows more advantages than other selection methods. In this study, an online reaction based single-step CE (ssCE) mode was employed for fast obtaining protein-ssDNA complex. Using human thrombin (H-Thr) and its aptamer Apt29 as models, we accomplished the procedures of mixing, reaction, separation, detection and complex collection in single step online process, which took about 10 min to obtain the H-Thr/Apt29 complex. Important factors, affecting the aptamer and H-Thr interaction (buffer, ratio of aptamer and H-Thr amount), and complex separation and collection (voltage and temperature) were discussed. Later, the online reaction of H-Thr with an 80 nt ssDNA library was realized under optimized conditions, and the H-Thr/ssDNA complex was collected and subjected to PCR. By analyzing the PCR product through capillary gel electrophoresis, the resulting approximative 80 nt DNA length validated the ssDNA sequence in complex. To confirm the availability of ssCE mode, two ssDNA libraries with different lengths (56 nt and 82 nt ssDNA) and three proteins (platelet derived growth factor, PDGF-BB; lactoferrin protein, LF; and single-strand DNA binding protein, SSB) were utilized. Their complex peaks were also observed in electropherograms as expected. Additionally, the online incubation of ssDNA and H-Thr was achieved by stopping the separation voltage for some time when ssDNA passed the H-Thr zone. Our results show the ssCE mode has apparent merits of saving time and sample cost for aptamer selection against protein targets.
- Published
- 2018
40. NIST interlaboratory studies involving DNA mixtures (MIX05 and MIX13): Variation observed and lessons learned
- Author
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Michael D. Coble, John M. Butler, and Margaret C. Kline
- Subjects
Electrophoresis ,Forensic Genetics ,Male ,0301 basic medicine ,Canada ,Computer science ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,03 medical and health sciences ,Forensic dna ,Government Agencies ,0302 clinical medicine ,Genetics ,Humans ,030216 legal & forensic medicine ,Alleles ,Sexual assault ,Sex Offenses ,DNA ,Laboratory results ,DNA Fingerprinting ,Data science ,United States ,Electropherogram ,030104 developmental biology ,NIST ,Female ,Laboratories ,Microsatellite Repeats - Abstract
Interlaboratory studies are a type of collaborative exercise in which many laboratories are presented with the same set of data to interpret, and the results they produce are examined to get a "big picture" view of the effectiveness and accuracy of analytical protocols used across participating laboratories. In 2005 and again in 2013, the Applied Genetics Group of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) conducted interlaboratory studies involving DNA mixture interpretation. In the 2005 NIST MIX05 study, 69 laboratories interpreted data in the form of electropherograms of two-person DNA mixtures representing four different mock sexual assault cases with different contributor ratios. In the 2013 NIST MIX13 study,108 laboratories interpreted electropherogram data for five different case scenarios involving two, three, or four contributors, with some of the contributors potentially related. This paper describes the design of these studies, the variations observed among laboratory results, and lessons learned.
- Published
- 2018
41. Secuenciación parcial del genoma mitocondrial de Drosophila buzzatii
- Author
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Vila-Sanjurjo, Antón, Universidade da Coruña. Facultade de Ciencias, Rodríguez Carro, Eduardo, Vila-Sanjurjo, Antón, Universidade da Coruña. Facultade de Ciencias, and Rodríguez Carro, Eduardo
- Abstract
[Resumen]: Las mitocondrias son orgánulos intracelulares, y es el lugar donde tiene lugar la fosforilación oxidativa, a través de la cual se produce energía celular en forma de adenosina trifosfato (ATP). Estos orgánulos tienen su propio genoma constituido por genes que codifican para ARNs ribosomales (ARNr), ARNs de transferencia (ARNt), y proteínas de la cadena respiratoria y proteínas ribosomales. Drosophila melanogaster se ha utilizado como modelo animal para comprender la biología de distintas enfermedades mitocondriales relacionadas con el genoma mitocondrial, y, además, secuencias del ADN mitocondrial (ADNmt) se han usado para establecer relaciones filogenéticas entre especies próximas de Drosophila y de otros muchos géneros del reino animal. En el presente trabajo hemos amplificado mediante la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR) fragmentos del ADNmt de D. buzzatii B6 (salvaje) y D. buzzatii white (mutante), y se secuenciaron 6 fragmentos de ADNmt. Utilizando el software Ugene hemos realizado un alineamiento múltiple de secuencias con una secuencia de referencia consenso del genoma mitocondrial de Drosophila buzzatii. Los datos indican discrepancias entre las secuencias amplificadas y la secuencia de referencia, la mayor parte de los cambios son sustituciones, de las cuales, la mayoría son transiciones y también se observan transversiones y deficiencias. Hay estudios que muestran que alteraciones puntuales en el ADNmt de Drosophila tienen un efecto en el fenotipo de los individuos y en la biología mitocondrial. Sería necesario realizar más investigaciones para saber si los cambios que hemos detectado entre los fragmentos de ADNmt y la secuencia de referencia tienen algún efecto a nivel mitocondrial en Drosophila buzzatii., [Resumo]: As mitocondrias son orgánulos intracelulares e é o lugar onde ten lugar a fosforilación oxidativa, a través da cal prodúcese enerxía celular en forma de adenosin trifosfato (ATP). Estes orgánulos teñen un xenoma propio composto por xenes que codifican os ARN ribosómicos (ARNr), os ARN de transferencia (ARNt) e as proteínas da cadea respiratoria e as proteínas ribosómicas. Drosophila melanogaster usouse como modelo animal para comprender a bioloxía de diferentes enfermidades mitocondriales relacionadas co xenoma mitocondrial e, ademais, usáronse secuencias de ADNmt para establecer relacións filoxenéticas entre especies próximas de Drosophila e de outros moitos xéneros do reino animal. No presente traballo, amplificamos mediante a reacción en cadea da polimerasa (PCR) fragmentos de ADNmt de D. buzzatii B6 (salvaje) y D. buzzatii white (mutante), e se secuenciaron 6 fragmentos de ADNmt. Usando o software Ugene, realizamos unha aliñación de secuencias múltiples cunha secuencia de referencia do xenoma mitocondrial de Drosophila buzzatii. Os datos indican discrepancias entre as secuencias amplificadas e a secuencia de referencia, a maioría das modificacións son substitucións, e a maior parte delas son transicións, tamén se observan transversións e deficiencias. Outros estudos demostraron que os cambios puntuais no ADNmt de Drosophila teñen un efecto sobre o fenotipo de individuos e na bioloxía mitocondrial. Será necesario máis investigación para ver se os cambios detectados entre os fragmentos de ADNmt e a secuencia de referencia teñen algún efecto a nivel mitocondrial en Drosophila buzzatii., [Abstract]: Mitochondria are intracellular organelles, where oxidative phosphorylation takes place, through which cellular energy is produced in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). These organelles have their own genome consisting of genes that code for ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), transfer RNAs (tRNAs), and respiratory chain proteins and ribosomal proteins. Drosophila melanogaster has been used as an animal model to understand the biology of different mitochondrial diseases related to the mitochondrial genome. Additionally, mtDNA sequences have been used to establish phylogenetic relationships among closely related animal species. In the present work, we have amplified by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) several fragments of mtDNA of D. buzzatii B6 (wild type) and D. buzzatii white (mutant), and 6 fragments were sequenced. Using the Ugene software, we have performed a multiple sequence alignment with a reference sequence of the Drosophila buzzatii mitochondrial genome. The data indicates discrepancies between the amplified sequences and the reference sequence, most of the changes are substitutions, and most of them are transitions, and transversions, and deletions are also observed. Other studies have shown that point changes in Drosophila mtDNA have an effect on the phenotype of individuals and on mitochondrial biology. More research would be required to see if the changes we have detected between the mtDNA fragments and the reference sequence could have any effect at the mitochondrial level in Drosophila buzzatii.
- Published
- 2020
42. Blood Plasma Electropherograms of Reptile Species Commonly Kept as Pets
- Author
-
Rachel E. Marschang and Christoph Leineweber
- Subjects
Electropherogram ,Chromatography ,Blood plasma ,Biology - Published
- 2021
43. The a posteriori probability of the number of contributors when conditioned on an assumed contributor
- Author
-
Desmond S. Lun, Catherine M. Grgicak, and Ken R. Duffy
- Subjects
Nuisance variable ,Computer science ,Bayesian probability ,Probabilistic logic ,Bayes Theorem ,Sample (statistics) ,DNA ,DNA Fingerprinting ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,Electropherogram ,Genetics ,Range (statistics) ,Humans ,Point estimation ,Set (psychology) ,Algorithm ,Alleles - Abstract
Forensic DNA signal is notoriously challenging to assess, requiring computational tools to support its interpretation. Over-expressions of stutter, allele drop-out, allele drop-in, degradation, differential degradation, and the like, make forensic DNA profiles too complicated to evaluate by manual methods. In response, computational tools that make point estimates on the Number of Contributors (NOC) to a sample have been developed, as have Bayesian methods that evaluate an A Posteriori Probability (APP) distribution on the NOC. In cases where an overly narrow NOC range is assumed, the downstream strength of evidence may be incomplete insofar as the evidence is evaluated with an inadequate set of propositions. In the current paper, we extend previous work on NOCIt, a Bayesian method that determines an APP on the NOC given an electropherogram, by reporting on an implementation where the user can add assumed contributors. NOCIt is a continuous system that incorporates models of peak height (including degradation and differential degradation), forward and reverse stutter, noise, and allelic drop-out, while being cognizant of allele frequencies in a reference population. When conditioned on a known contributor, we found that the mode of the APP distribution can shift to one greater when compared with the circumstance where no known contributor is assumed, and that occurred most often when the assumed contributor was the minor constituent to the mixture. In a development of a result of Slooten and Caliebe (FSI:G, 2018) that, under suitable assumptions, establishes the NOC can be treated as a nuisance variable in the computation of a likelihood ratio between the prosecution and defense hypotheses, we show that this computation must not only use coincident models, but also coincident contextual information. The results reported here, therefore, illustrate the power of modern probabilistic systems to assess full weights-of-evidence, and to provide information on reasonable NOC ranges across multiple contexts.
- Published
- 2021
44. THE RELIABILITY OF TRACE DNA OR LOW COPY NUMBER (LCN) DNA EVIDENCE IN COURT PROCEEDINGS
- Author
-
L Meintjes-Van der Walt
- Subjects
Electropherogram ,Trace (semiology) ,Identification (information) ,law ,Need to know ,Computer science ,Relevance (law) ,Context (language use) ,Low copy number ,Data science ,Polymerase chain reaction ,law.invention - Abstract
Although forensic DNA testing is well established, some experts disagree with the interpretation and statistical significance of test results obtained from very small samples. This article discusses the problems regarding the use of the low copy number (LCN) technique as well as the value that can be derived from such an analysis. It focuses on the problematic results that can arise from using very small samples for forensic DNA identification. Since this kind of analysis is based on low amounts of DNA samples (between 100 picograms and 200 picograms in South Africa) that are amplified by using more than the normal 28 cycles to create larger samples for analysis, the reliability of the analysis has been questioned. The amplification process, known as the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), is associated with risks such as stochastic effects and contamination that could make interpretation of the results difficult for the defence. While standard operating laboratory protocols could prevent contamination and although the electropherograms could aid the detection of contamination, it is highly problematic for the defence counsel to ascertain whether these procedures were indeed strictly followed. Drawing on foreign jurisprudence, this article considers the risks and key controversies and explains what lawyers need to know, in order to be able to recognise controversial results that could stem from using the LCN DNA technique for forensic DNA identification. The conclusions thus drawn may be of particular relevance to the South African context, as no reported case law exists in which the issues relating to the use of LCN DNA have yet come to the fore.
- Published
- 2021
45. A series of developmental validation tests for Number of Contributors platforms: Exemplars using NOCIt and a neural network
- Author
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Jakob Valtl, Ullrich J. Monich, James J. Kelley, Desmond S. Lun, and Catherine M. Grgicak
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Computer science ,Bayesian probability ,Bayesian inference ,Machine learning ,computer.software_genre ,Synthetic data ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Genetics ,Range (statistics) ,Humans ,030216 legal & forensic medicine ,Artificial neural network ,business.industry ,Probabilistic logic ,Bayes Theorem ,DNA ,DNA Fingerprinting ,Electropherogram ,030104 developmental biology ,Probability distribution ,Artificial intelligence ,Neural Networks, Computer ,business ,computer ,Microsatellite Repeats - Abstract
Complex DNA mixtures are challenging to interpret and require computational tools that aid in that interpretation. Recently, several computational methods that estimate the number of contributors (NOC) to a sample have been developed. Unlike analogous tools that interpret profiles and report LRs, NOC tools vary widely in their operational principle where some are Bayesian and others are machine learning tools. Conjunctionally, NOC tools may return a single n estimate, or a distribution on n. This vast array of constructs, coupled with a gap in standardized methods by which to validate NOC systems, warrants an exploration into the measures by which differing NOC systems might be tested for operations. In the current paper, we use two exemplar NOC systems: a probabilistic system named NOCIt, which renders an a posteriori probability (APP) distribution on the number of contributors given an electropherogram and an artificial neural network (ANN). NOCIt is a continuous Bayesian inference system incorporating models of peak height, degradation, differential degradation, forward and reverse stutter, noise and allelic drop-out while considering allele frequencies in a reference population. The ANN is also a continuous method, taking all the same features (barring degradation) into account. Unlike its Bayesian counterpart, it demands substantively more data to parameterize, requiring synthetic data. We explore each system’s performance by conducting tests on 214 PROVEDIt mixtures where the limit of detection was 1-copy of DNA. We found that after a lengthy training period of approximately 24 h, the ANN’s evaluation process was very fast and perfectly repeatable. In contrast, NOCIt only took a few minutes to train but took tens of minutes to complete each sample and was less repeatable. In addition, it rendered a probability distribution that was more sensitive and specific, affording a reasonable method by which to report all reasonable n that explain the evidence for a given sample. Whatever the method, by acknowledging the inherent differences between NOC systems, we demonstrate that validation constructs will necessarily be guided by the needs of the forensic domain and be dependent upon whether the laboratory seeks to assign a single n or range of n.
- Published
- 2020
46. Rapid and Easy High-Molecular-Weight Glutenin Subunit Identification System by Lab-on-a-Chip in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
- Author
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Jong-Hee Lee, Jin-Kyung Cha, Nkulu Rolly Kabange, Dongjin Shin, and So-Myeong Lee
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Protein subunit ,Locus (genetics) ,Plant Science ,Biology ,01 natural sciences ,Article ,Identification system ,0404 agricultural biotechnology ,Glutenin ,wheat ,Allele ,electropherogram ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Ecology ,Molecular mass ,Lab-on-a-chip ,Botany ,food and beverages ,HMW-GS ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,040401 food science ,Electrophoresis ,Biochemistry ,QK1-989 ,biology.protein ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
Lab-on-a-chip technology is an emerging and convenient system to easily and quickly separate proteins of high molecular weight. The current study established a high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) identification system using Lab-on-a-chip for three, six, and three of the allelic variations at the Glu-A1, Glu-B1, and Glu-D1 loci, respectively, which are commonly used in wheat breeding programs. The molecular weight of 1Ax1 and 1Ax2* encoded by Glu-A1 locus were of 200 kDa and 192 kDa and positioned below 1Dx subunits. The HMW-GS encoded by Glu-B1 locus were electrophoresed in the following order below 1Ax1 and 1Ax2*: 1Bx13 &ge, 1Bx7 = 1Bx7OE >, 1Bx17 >, 1By16 >, 1By8 = 1By18 >, 1By9. 1Dx2 and Dx5 showed around 4-kDa difference in their molecular weights, with 1Dy10 and 1Dy12 having 11-kDa difference, and were clearly differentiated on Lab-on-a-chip. Additionally, some of the HMW-GS, including 1By8, 1By18, and 1Dy10, having different theoretical molecular weights showed similar electrophoretic mobility patterns on Lab-on-a-chip. The relative protein amount of 1Bx7OE was two-fold higher than that of 1Bx7 or 1Dx5 and, therefore, translated a significant increase in the protein amount in 1Bx7OE. Similarly, the relative protein amounts of 8 &, 10 and 10 &, 18 were higher than each subunit taken alone. Therefore, this study suggests the established HMW-GS identification system using Lab-on-a-chip as a reliable approach for evaluating HMW-GS for wheat breeding programs.
- Published
- 2020
47. DNA sequencing using the RGB image sensor of a consumer digital color camera
- Author
-
Takashi Anazawa, Ryoji Inaba, Motohiro Yamazaki, and Shuhei Yamamoto
- Subjects
Sanger sequencing ,business.industry ,Computer science ,Metals and Alloys ,Condensed Matter Physics ,Fluorescence ,Sample (graphics) ,Rgb image ,DNA sequencing ,Surfaces, Coatings and Films ,Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials ,Electropherogram ,DNA sequencer ,symbols.namesake ,Capillary electrophoresis ,Materials Chemistry ,symbols ,Computer vision ,Artificial intelligence ,Electrical and Electronic Engineering ,business ,Instrumentation - Abstract
A novel method for Sanger DNA sequencing, as part of a compact and inexpensive DNA sequencer, using the RGB image sensor of a digital color camera was developed. Since the RGB image sensor can only detect up to three colors (wavelength bands), while Sanger DNA sequencing is required to detect four or more colors in order to quantify fluorescence of four different fluorophores in a mixed state during capillary electrophoresis, it is difficult to perform Sanger DNA sequencing using an RGB image sensor. Moreover, due to the spectral response of an RGB image sensor, fluorescence of the four fluorophores is detected only on the red and green channels, that is, not on the blue channel. To address the above-described issues, a two-color electropherogram was obtained by capillary electrophoresis of a sequencing sample and reproduced by best local fittings of two-color single peaks of the four fluorophores in chronological order. The fitted single peaks of the four fluorophores respectively give fluorescence intensities of the four fluorophores. That is, the two-color electropherogram is converted to a four-fluorophore electropherogram. The proposed Sanger-DNA-sequencing method was applied to a model sequencing sample, and the DNA sequence of 69-144 bases of the sample was accurately determined. This result is the first successful quantification of four or more fluorophores in a mixed state by using an RGB image sensor.
- Published
- 2022
48. Correction of migration time of Paeoniae Radix in capillary electrophoresis by powerful one-marker technology
- Author
-
Hui Chen and Hongyi Zhang
- Subjects
Electropherogram ,Capillary electrophoresis ,Paeoniae Radix ,General Chemical Engineering ,General Engineering ,Biological system ,Analytical Chemistry ,Mathematics - Abstract
The reproducibility in migration time is essential in the use of capillary electrophoresis to identify components in a complex sample or compare constituent differences for different botanical drug samples. A powerful one-marker technology for correcting migration time was proposed in this paper. This technology is practically simple compared with the multi-marker technologies developed in literature, due to only one marker required. Paeoniae Radix which is a crude drug used in many traditional prescriptions in China and Japan was selected as an example to verify the effectiveness of the powerful one-marker technology in analyzing complex botanical samples. Relative standard deviations in migration times treated with the powerful one-marker technology were below 0.5% for Paeoniae Radix analyzed during three different days. The technology was successfully applied to classify Paeoniae Radix from nine different growing regions. Based on their corrected electropherograms, Paeoniae Radix was classified into three groups which were in agreement with their real origins.
- Published
- 2020
49. A stable version of capillary electrophoresis for determining human hemoglobin chains aiming at the screening and diagnosis of thalassemia
- Author
-
Zhenpeng Guo, Qianchun Zhang, Qingfeng Zheng, Yi Chen, Chao Guo, Hongliang Li, and Linchun Bao
- Subjects
Adult ,Capillary action ,General Chemical Engineering ,Thalassemia ,01 natural sciences ,Analytical Chemistry ,03 medical and health sciences ,Hemoglobins ,Capillary electrophoresis ,medicine ,Humans ,Globin ,Child ,030304 developmental biology ,0303 health sciences ,Chromatography ,Chemistry ,010401 analytical chemistry ,General Engineering ,Infant, Newborn ,Charge density ,Electrophoresis, Capillary ,medicine.disease ,0104 chemical sciences ,Electropherogram ,Hemoglobin ,Quantitative analysis (chemistry) - Abstract
As a fast, high-performance and cost-effective separation technique, capillary electrophoresis (CE) is applicable to the screening and diagnosis of diseases such as thalassemia. However, it is often not preferred due to its unrepeatable and/or irreproducible migration times. Herein, we propose a stable version of CE that uses migration charge density instead of the migration time to plot the electropherogram. The peak position is now independent of the applied voltage or current and the capillary geometry and is also insensitive to temperature. Its applicability was demonstrated in the quantitative analysis of human hemoglobin. On a laboratory-built device, with a running buffer simply consisting of 3.0 M acetic acid and 0.1% (w/v) hydroxyethyl cellulose, it allows a direct injection of whole blood samples and all the concerned globin chains, α, β, Aγ and Gγ can be well separated in 15 minutes. The resolution of α/β, β/Aγ, and Aγ/Gγ reached 4.4, 3.1 and 5.3, respectively. The intra- and inter-day precisions for the peak position based on the migration charge densities were below 0.6%. Its diagnostic applicability was validated in the analysis of several real blood samples from newborns, children and adults, and its capacity was demonstrated to screen and define the type of thalassemia.
- Published
- 2020
50. Towards adaptive method for peak migration time correction: discretization period in electropherograms
- Author
-
Mihkel Kaljurand, Laimutis Telksnys, Gintarė Naujokaitytė, Jelena Gorbatsova, Vidmantas Stanys, John Cowles, Audrius Maruška, and Tomas Drevinskas
- Subjects
Electropherogram ,Discretization ,Adaptive method ,Period (gene) ,Applied mathematics ,General Chemistry ,Mathematics - Abstract
Capillary electrophoresis often causes unrepeatable peak migration times in the electropherogram due to changes of electroosmosis, yet in some cases this separation technique does not have a replacement alternative. Some attempts to overcome this issue have been performed introducing internal standards into the sample and compensating peak shifting in time. However, existing vector calculation-based methods are computationally intensive for portable instrumentation and usually limited to post-processing applications with 1 or 2 markers. In this work, an original approach of compensating peak migration time shift via signal discretization period correction is proposed. Using the proposed method, the number of reference points or markers that are used for compensation is extended. This method is effective in compensating migration time of peaks in real samples, where high sample injection volumes are used. Using 4 reference peaks in compensation, the method was capable of reducing the relative standard deviation of migration time of the peaks in the electropherograms more than 15 times. Corrected signal discretization periods indicated very high correlations with recorded separation currents, what can be perspective developing an adaptive peak migration time compensation method in capillary electrophoresis.
- Published
- 2020
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