The mouse anti-morphine constipation test--a simple laboratory test of the gastrointestinal side-effect potential of orally administered prostaglandin analogues

A test is described which is simple, reliable and highly sensitive to the diarrhoea-inducing properties of orally administered prostaglandin analogues in mice. Comparison with human data shows similar orders of relative potency.     

A highly cost effective method of mass screening for thalassaemia.

A simple, fast, and reliable two step procedure for the detection of non-alpha-thalassaemias in mass screening programmes is presented. Step 1 consists of a study of red cell morphology and a one tube red cell osmotic fragility tests. This step eliminates the non-thalassaemic samples; the rest are processed through step 2, consisting of determination of red cell indices and haemoglobin studies. Over the past seven years this procedure has been used at this centre in mass screening secondary school students in Latium. Blood samples from 289 763 students were examined, and 6838 cases of thalassaemia detected. It is estimated that 0.35 +/- 0.25% of subjects with thalassaemia escaped detection by this procedure.     

The mouse anti-morphine constipation test — A simple laboratory test of the gastrointestinal side-effect potential of orally administered prostaglandin analogues

A test is described which is simple, reliable and highly sensitive to the diarrhoea-inducing properties of orally administered prostaglandin analogues in mice. Comparison with human data shows similar orders of relative potency.     

A simple indicator to rapidly assess the short-term impact of heat waves on mortality within the French heat warning system

We propose a simple method to provide a rapid and robust estimate of the short-term impacts of heat waves on mortality, to be used for communication within a heat warning system. The excess mortality during a heat wave is defined as the difference between the observed mortality over the period and the observed mortality over the same period during the N preceding years. This method was tested on 19 French cities between 1973 and 2007. In six cities, we compared the excess mortality to that obtained using a modelling of the temperature-mortality relationship. There was a good agreement between the excess mortalities estimated by the simple indicator and by the models. Major differences were observed during the most extreme heat waves, in 1983 and 2003, and after the implementation of the heat prevention plan in 2006. Excluding these events, the mean difference between the estimates obtained by the two methods was of 13 deaths [1:45]. A comparison of mortality with the previous years provides a simple estimate of the mortality impact of heat waves. It can be used to provide early and reliable information to stakeholders of the heat prevention plan, and to select heat waves that should be further investigated.     

Method of purifying glutaraldehyde for microscopic research on biological objects

A simple and reliable method of purification and determination of glutaraldehyde concentration for histochemical fixation is proposed. Purification of glutaraldehyde is provided by vacuum distillation with a rotational-filmy evaporator, and its concentration is determined using refractometer.     

Breast capsulorrhaphy

The malposition of breast prostheses without capsular contracture has become an increasingly frequent event. In our experience with 40 patients over the last 5 years, we have found multiple-layer breast capsulorrhaphy to be a simple, safe, and reliable technique. With this method, repositioning of the breast is easier, more accurate, and more permanent than single-layer closures, which attempt ideal correction of the malpositioned implant on the first try.     

Enhancement of Solar Water Pasteurization with Reflectors

A simple and reliable method that could be used in developing countries to pasteurize milk and water with solar energy is described. A cardboard reflector directs sunshine onto a black jar, heating water to pasteurizing temperatures in several hours. A reusable water pasteurization indicator verifies that pasteurization temperatures have been reached.     

Determination of enantiomeric excess of ethyl 3,5-dihydroxy-6-benzyloxy hexanoate by chiral reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography

A simple and reliable chiral HPLC method was developed for the determination of enantiomeric excess of a chiral dihydroxy intermediate for the chemoenzymatic synthesis of side chain of statin drugs. After evaluating different columns and conditions, the four stereoisomers of ethyl 3,5-dihydroxy-6-benzyloxy hexanoate were well resolved by a simple gradient elution on OD-RH column, and the enantiomeric excess of the desired 3R,5S-enantiomer was accurately measured. This study provides a simple, rapid, accurate, and reliable method to assess the enantiomeric quality of such important intermediates.     

The MacVuti sampler: a new and inexpensive volume sampler for plankton and water

SUMMARY. Details are presented for the construction and operation of a cheap simple volume sampler for Zooplankton and water. This sampler has been used in waters up to 45 m deep over a number of years and proved to be reliable and effective.     

A method for the ligation of DNA following isolation from low melting temperature agarose

A rapid, simple, and reliable method is presented for the isolation and subsequent ligation of DNA from agarose gels. The technique involves the use of low melting temperature agarose, but with the inclusion of bovine serum albumin or gelatin to the ligation reaction.     

A microRNA detection system based on padlock probes and rolling circle amplification

The differential expression and the regulatory roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) are being studied intensively these years. Their minute size of only 19-24 nucleotides and strong sequence similarity among related species call for enhanced methods for reliable detection and quantification. Moreover, miRNA expression is generally restricted to a limited number of specific cells within an organism and therefore requires highly sensitive detection methods. Here we present a simple and reliable miRNA detection protocol based on padlock probes and rolling circle amplification. It can be performed without specialized equipment and is capable of measuring the content of specific miRNAs in a few nanograms of total RNA.     

A reliable fluorescent stain for fungi in tissue sections and clinical specimens

A simple and reliable staining technique is described using the fluorescent brightener Blankophor BA which binds specifically to fungal cell wall components. Potential diagnostic applications are shown.     

High performance rapid method for estimating the sensitivity of viruses to synthetic compounds

A high performance semiautomatic microprocedure was used. It provided reliable quantitative estimation of antiviral and toxic properties of synthetic compounds. The procedure is rapid, technologically simple and cost-effective.     

A silver impregnation method for embedded central nervous tissue of the rat

A simple and yet reliable silver impregnation method, using potassium ferrocyanide, for demonstrating nervous tissue of the rat central nervous system embedded in paraffin or paraplast is described. The method reported here is compared and discussed with earlier techniques using potassium dicyanoargentate, potassium ferrocyanide and potassium ferricyanide.     

一种丙烯酰胺凝胶的新型光聚合法

以亚甲基蓝为引发剂,甲苯亚磺酸钠为还原剂,二苯氯化碘为氧化剂的丙烯酰胺凝胶光聚合方法,具有试剂配制简单, 适用范围广,方法稳定性和重现性好,且聚合速度快,操作易于控制等特点, 是一种不同于最为广泛使用的过硫酸铵/四甲基乙二胺和核黄素/四甲基乙二胺法的新型光聚合法. 用这一方法做了SDS和在酸性缓冲体系中的尿素变性梯度胶电泳,初步试用表明这一新型光聚合法具有很好的聚合效果.     

An efficient and reliable method for determining the number of transgenes inserted into transgenic plants

A simple and reliable method is described for determining the number of transgenes inserted into transgenic plants. Analysis of tomato plants transformed with an antisense polygalacturonase gene is used to demonstrate the method. The use of the method to analyze other plants transformed with endogenous plant gene coding regions or promoters is discussed.     

A simple and efficient method for obtaining urine samples from rats

A method for collection of urine from rats was developed that is simple, reliable, and efficient. A 5 ml. polystyrene beaker is placed over the urethra and the base of the tail is stimulated with the fingers of one hand. Depending on the quality and quantity of urine needed the perineal area may be shaved and the beaker may be held by hand or attached with tape.     

Reconstruction of the burned ear using a temporalis fascial flap

A case report is presented in which a temporalis fascial flap is used to reconstruct a burned ear complicated by full-thickness skin loss with exposed cartilage. The method provides a simple, reliable means for covering exposed auricular cartilage with readily obtainable vascularized tissue. Donor-site morbidity is minimal because the scar lies within the hairline.     

Improved coating and fixation methods for scanning electron microscope autoradiography

A simple apparatus for emulsion coating is described. The apparatus is inexpensive and easily assembled in a standard glass shop. Emulsion coating for scanning electron microscope autoradiography with this apparatus consistently yields uniform layers. When used in conjunction with newly described fixation methods, this new approach produces reliable autoradiographs of undamaged specimens.     

Reliable procedure for silica gel preparation

A simple and reliable method is described for preparation of silica gel media for Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter species.