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The classroom-friendly ABO blood type kit was developed by combining advantages of modelling and a simulation laboratory to teach the topics of ABO blood types and blood transfusion. Teachers can easily simulate the agglutination reaction on a blood type testing plate in the classroom, and show the students how this reaction occurs by using the models. Simple materials are used to help teachers prepare for daily teaching. The kit can be used to engage students in hands-on and minds-on activities. There were some positive preliminary results reported after using the kit with Thai high-school students. (Contains 2 tables and 6 figures.)

We developed a one-step method based on multiplex-overlapping polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) for species differentiation of Pediococcus acidilactici and P. pentosaceus as well as simultaneous detection of pediocin (ped) gene. The mPCR was performed in a single reaction tube with six primers consisting of four primers for identification of P. acidilactici and P. pentosaceus and two primers for pediocin gene amplification. We distinguished both species from nine other species of pediococci as well as several other lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The identification performed by this mPCR was confirmed by partial 16S rDNA sequencing of selected pediococcal and LAB isolates. This multiplex-overlapping PCR is a simple, rapid determination and reliable method for differentiation of both pediococcal species as well as determination of the ability to produce pediocin in a single PCR reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]