Quantitative real-time PCR assays are widely used for the quantification of mRNA within avian experimental samples. Multiple stably-expressed reference genes, selected for the lowest variation in representative samples, can be used to control random technical variation. Reference gene assays must be reliable, have high amplification specificity and efficiency, and not produce signals from conta...

OBJECTIVES Dutch health economic guidelines include a costing manual, which describes preferred research methodology for costing studies and reference prices to ensure high quality studies and comparability between study outcomes. This paper describes the most important revisions of the costing manual compared to the previous version. METHODS An online survey was sent out to potential users o...

Jatropha curcas is a promising renewable feedstock for biodiesel and bio-jet fuel production. To study gene expression in Jatropha in different tissues throughout development and under stress conditions, we examined a total of 11 typical candidate reference genes using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis, which is widely used for validating transcript levels in g...

The genetic association of HLA-DRB1 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is well documented, but association with other HLA-DR beta genes (HLA-DRB3, HLA-DRB4 and HLA-DRB5) has not been thoroughly studied, despite their similar functions and chromosomal positions. We examined variants in all functional HLA-DR beta genes in RA and SLE patients and controls, down t...

BACKGROUND The script concordance test (SCT) measures clinical data interpretation in the context of uncertainty. To our knowledge, its feasibility has not yet been demonstrated in dermatology. OBJECTIVES This study describes the feasibility, reliability and validity of the SCT for use in dermatology teaching to family medicine residents. METHODS We designed an SCT for dermatology teaching,...

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of both neuronal NOS (nNOS) and inducible NOS (iNOS) inhibitor 2-iminobiotin, with the more selective nNOS inhibitor N(ω)-propyl-L-arginine (NPLA) and selective inducible NOS (iNOS) inhibitor aminoguanidine, on emotional learning, working memory and reference memory, by using three panel runway and passive avoidance paradigm in order to clarify t...

BACKGROUND Due to the increasing prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains resistant to one or more antibiotics, there is a need for new quantitative culture methods both for drug susceptibility testing and for validation of mutations putatively associated with drug resistance. We previously developed a (myco) bacterial culture method, in which multiple growing microcolonies are monitore...

A new measuring system to judge facial aesthetics in young Caucasians is presented. The system uses sets of three photographs (one frontal, one three-quarter smiling, and one lateral) as a stimulus. Scores are performed on a visual analogue scale (VAS) with separate sets of reference photographs for girls and boys. The choice of the reference photographs was based on a panel evaluation of facia...

We view the current state of reference discipline theory dominance in the MIS field as constituting a hegemony. This panel discussion will examine why this has potential harm. In counterpoint, we will present the argument that reference discipline theory use should continue. Aside from the fact that reference discipline theory is used, there are benefits derived from it which should be acknowle...

RNA transcripts circulating in peripheral blood represent an important source of non-invasive biomarkers. To accurately quantify the levels of circulating transcripts, one needs to normalize the data with internal control reference genes, which are detected at relatively constant levels across blood samples. A few reference gene candidates have to be selected from transcriptome data before the ...