Explore the vast range of titles available.

A noticeable part of the microbiome literature, especially that working with low-biomass samples, is plagued by reagent contamination. Here we describe visual, statistical, methodical and ecological techniques to facilitate recognition of signals that represent contamination.

We recently developed ‘cellular’ reagents–lyophilized bacteria overexpressing proteins of interest–that can replace commercial pure enzymes in typical diagnostic and molecular biology reactions. To make cellular reagent technology widely accessible and amenable to local production with minimal instrumentation, we now report a significantly simplified method for preparing cellular reagents that requires only a common bacterial incubator to grow and subsequently dry enzyme-expressing bacteria at 37°C with the aid of inexpensive chemical desiccants. We demonstrate application of such dried cellular reagents in common molecular and synthetic biology processes, such as PCR, qPCR, reverse transcription, isothermal amplification, and Golden Gate DNA assembly, in building easy-to-use testing kits, and in rapid reagent production for meeting extraordinary diagnostic demands such as those being faced in the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Furthermore, we demonstrate feasibility of local production by successfully implementing this minimized procedure and preparing cellular reagents in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Cameroon, and Ghana. Our results demonstrate possibilities for readily scalable local and distributed reagent production, and further instantiate the opportunities available via synthetic biology in general.

Today, biomedical researchers still collect tales of antibody woe faster than country-music labels spin out sad songs. The most common grumble is the cheating reagent: the antibody purchased to detect protein X surreptitiously binds protein Y (and perhaps ignores X altogether). Another complaint is 'lost treasure': a run of promising experiments that stalls when a new batch of antibodies fails to reproduce previous findings (see 'A market in a bind'). But technological advances and shifts in the scientific community now promise to cut through this antibody quagmire.

Some products are perfectly fine to use after their expiration date — if quality-control tests check out. Some products are perfectly fine to use after their expiration date — if quality-control tests check out.

Open science and 3D printing are making it easier than ever for researchers to embrace do-it-yourself lab tools. Open science and 3D printing are making it easier than ever for researchers to embrace do-it-yourself lab tools.

Letter to the Editor

[...]animal studies, in vitro work and reading of gels - which are used in protein or DNA separation - can and should all be done, or at the very least reviewed, by an investigator blinded to the experimental versus control groups. Since the Journal of Cell Biology began routinely screening images, it has had to revoke 1% of acceptances after finding digitally manipulated image files3. In such studies it is now the gold standard to blind investigators, include concurrent controls, rigorously apply statistical tests and analyse all patients - we cannot exclude patients because we do not like their outcomes.

Leprosy is a chronic dermato-neurological disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae , an obligate intracellular bacterium. Timely detection is a challenge in leprosy diagnosis, relying on clinical examination and trained health professionals. Furthermore, adequate care and transmission control depend on early and reliable pathogen detection. Here, we describe a qPCR test for routine diagnosis of leprosy-suspected patients. The reaction simultaneously amplifies two specific Mycobacterium leprae targets (16S rRNA and RLEP), and the human 18S rRNA gene as internal control. The limit of detection was estimated to be 2.29 copies of the M . leprae genome. Analytical specificity was evaluated using a panel of 20 other skin pathogenic microorganisms and Mycobacteria , showing no cross-reactivity. Intra- and inter-operator C p variation was evaluated using dilution curves of M . leprae DNA or a synthetic gene, and no significant difference was observed between three operators in two different laboratories. The multiplex assay was evaluated using 97 patient samples with clinical and histopathological leprosy confirmation, displaying high diagnostic sensitivity (91%) and specificity (100%). Validation tests in an independent panel of 50 samples confirmed sensitivity and specificity of 97% and 98%, respectively. Importantly, assay performance remained stable for at least five months. Our results show that the newly developed multiplex qPCR effectively and specifically detects M . leprae DNA in skin samples, contributing to an efficient diagnosis that expedites the appropriate treatment.

Good laboratory practice includes verifying that each new lot of reagents is suitable for use before it is put into service. Noncommutability of quality control (QC) samples with clinical patient samples may preclude their use to verify consistency of results for patient samples between different reagent lots. Patient sample results and QC data were obtained from reagent lot change verification records for 18 QC materials, 661 reagent lot changes, 1483 reagent lot change-QC events, 82 analytes, and 7 instrument platforms. The significance of between-lot differences in the results for QC samples compared with those for patient samples was assessed by a modified 2-sample t test adjusted for heterogeneity of QC and patient sample measurement variances. Overall, 40.9% of reagent lot change-QC events had a significant difference (P < 0.05) between results for QC samples compared with results for patient samples between 2 reagent lots. For QC results with differences <1.0 SD interval (83.1% of total), 37.7% were significantly different from the changes observed for patient samples. For QC results with differences ≥1.0 SD interval (16.9% of total), 57.0% were significantly different from those for patient samples. Occurrence of noncommutable results for QC materials was frequent enough that the QC results could not be used to verify consistency of results for patient samples when changing lots of reagents.

Introduction. The function of the masticatory apparatus is complete when the dentition is intact with contact between the individual teeth and proper occlusion with the antagonists. For years, occlusal contacts have been studied to determine their exact location and describing various materials and methods for their registration such as paper foil, silk, and Shimstock foil. For years, occlusal contacts have been studied to determine their exact location and describe various materials and methods for their registration such as paper foil, silk, shim stock foil, the T-Scan system, and more recently the OccluSense system. The primary aim of the study was at evaluating which of the occlusal indicators is the most commonly used in practice, and the secondary aim was whether dentists are willing to use digital methods to examine occlusion. Materials and Methods. The main primary information of the survey was collected by sending electronically anonymous questionnaires to 2014 dentists, randomly selected from all regions of the country. 228 questionnaires were filled in and returned. To achieve the goal of the study, the self-developed questionnaire was created and tested to survey the opinion about the use of occlusal indicators in dental practice. Each questionnaire contains questions about the sociodemographic and professional status of the people in the group and their opinion about the positives and negatives and the effectiveness of occlusal indicators. Results. The obtained results confirm the statement that the most frequently used occlusal indicator in dental practice is the articulation paper. Articulation foil and silk are used less frequently than articulation paper. Of the listed quality indicators, Shimstock foil is rarely used in practice. Of the indicated quantitative indicators, the T-Scan system is more used than the OccluSense system. In the era of rapid technology development, the opinion and desire of dentists to increasingly want to introduce in their clinical practice quantitative methods are the digital diagnosis of occlusion. Conclusion. In any dental practice, if technically possible, digital methods would be used, giving more accurate and reliable data on the registered occlusal contacts.