Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a novel in vitro nucleic acid amplification method conducted under isothermal conditions with the advantages of high specificity, sensitivity, rapidity and easy detection. Since it was established in 2000, it has been widely applied in various fields of analytical science including the diagnosis of a variety of pathogens, identification of embryo sex, detection of genetically modified organisms and cancer gene identification. Additionally, significant progress has been made in the optimization of the LAMP method, such as accelerated reactions, simplified sample processing, the realization of multiplex amplification, and the enhanced specificity of reaction and detection methods. LAMP technology also shows much potential to be adopted as part of point-of-care testing platforms by the micromation, automation and integration with other technologies such as Lab-on-a-Chip and digital nucleic acid amplification. This review summarizes the latest advances in the LAMP technique and its applications in developing point-of-care testing platforms.
Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures ; trends ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; methods ; Point-of-Care Systems ; trends ; Virus Diseases ; diagnosis ; virology ; Viruses ; genetics ; isolation & purification

Two-factor factorial design refers to the research involving two experimental factors and the number of the experimental groups equals to the product of the levels of the two experimental factors. In other words, it is the complete combination of the levels of the two experimental factors. The research subjects are randomly divided into the experimental groups. The two experimental factors are performed on the subjects at the same time, meaning that there is no order. The two experimental factors are equal during statistical analysis, that is to say, there is no primary or secondary distinction, nor nested relation. This article introduces estimation of sample size and testing power of quantitative data with two-factor factorial design.

Objective To evaluate a serf-designed diagnostic protoeol which can early detect a femoral neck fracture for patients with a femoral shaft fracture. Methods From September 2005 to June 2007, a self-developed protocol was used to detect an ipsilateral femoral neck fracture for all the patients with femoral shaft fracture who had sought treatment in our department. This protocol consisted of anteroposterior plain radiography of internal rotator, intraoperative fluoroscopy of the hip, a fine (2 mm) cut computed to-mographic scan through the femoral neck, postoperative anteroposterior and lateral plain radiography of the hip in the operating room prior to awakening the patient, at the time of follow-up anteroposterior and lateral plain radiography of the hip in the presence of hip pain. The diagnostic effects of the protocol were compared with those of conventional diagnosis used for all the patients with femoral shaft fracture who had sought treatment in our department from September 2003 to August 2005. A chi-square analysis comparing the protocol group (September 2005 to June 2007) and the non-protocol group (September 2003 to August 2005) was used to assess the early and delayed diagnosis rates for an associated ipsilateral femoral neck fracture. Results The earlydiagnosis rate of an associated femoral neck fracture by the protocol was 93.8%, markedly higher than that by conventional method (46.2%), with statistically significant difference (χ2 = 4.069, P =0.044). Conclu-sion In presence of a femoral shaft fracture. this protocol consisting of plain radiography of intemal rotator, intraoperative fluoroscopy of the hip, fine cut computed tomographic scan of the femoral neck, postoperative plain radiography of the hip, and follow-up plain radiography of the hip in the presence of hip pain, may sig-nificantly improve the diagnostic rate of an associated femoral neck fracture.

Bacteria ; drug effects ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial

The glycosaminoglycan (GAG), isolated from Bay scallop Argopectenirradians, contains neutral monosaccharides besides hexosamines and hexosuronic acids. The monosaccharides obtained by alcoholysis with HCI-methylalcohol from the sample of GAG was trimethylsilanized with hexamethyldisilan and chlortrimethylsilan (HMDS ' TMCS = 2 : 1). And the trimethylsilyl derivatives of monosaccharides was determined by gas chro-matography. Compared the gas chromatography of the sample with that of standard monosaccharides, it was found that the GAG of the Bay scallop contains five neutral monosaccharides, viz glucose, galactose, xylose, fucose and rhamnose.

Objective To study the characteristics and differences of phonetic pronunciation between hearing-impaired and normal children in 4.5~5.5 years old groups. Methods Phonetic articulation of consonants and vowels were tested by three-grade assessors for 20 hearing- impaired children and 20 normal children in 4.5~5.5 years old group using Question Bank for Hearing-impaired Children's Rehabilitation Evaluation of Hearing and Speech. Results and Conclusion For hearing-impaired children, the consonants of /b. m. d. l. j/ were the most articulative, followed with /h. f. r. p. t. n. g. x/, and then /zh. z. k. c. sh. q. s. ch/; for normal children, the consonants of /b. p. f. g. m. d. h/ were the most articulative, followed with /k. j. x. t. r. l/, and then /q. zh. ch. sh. n. z. s. c/. For both groups, the single final was the most articulative, followed with the compound final, and then the nasal. The articulation of these 3 types of vowels were poorer in hearing-impaired children than in normal children (P<0.01)

This article introduces the definition and sample size estimation of three special tests (namely, non-inferiority test, equivalence test and superiority test) for qualitative data with the design of one factor with two levels having a binary response variable. Non-inferiority test refers to the research design of which the objective is to verify that the efficacy of the experimental drug is not clinically inferior to that of the positive control drug. Equivalence test refers to the research design of which the objective is to verify that the experimental drug and the control drug have clinically equivalent efficacy. Superiority test refers to the research design of which the objective is to verify that the efficacy of the experimental drug is clinically superior to that of the control drug. By specific examples, this article introduces formulas of sample size estimation for the three special tests, and their SAS realization in detail.

Sample size estimation is necessary for any experimental or survey research. An appropriate estimation of sample size based on known information and statistical knowledge is of great significance. This article introduces methods of sample size estimation of difference test for data with the design of one factor with two levels, including sample size estimation formulas and realization based on the formulas and the POWER procedure of SAS software for quantitative data and qualitative data with the design of one factor with two levels. In addition, this article presents examples for analysis, which will play a leading role for researchers to implement the repetition principle during the research design phase.

ABSTRACT: Estimation of sample size and testing power is an important component of research design. This article introduced methods for sample size and testing power estimation of difference test for quantitative and qualitative data with the single-group design, the paired design or the crossover design. To be specific, this article introduced formulas for sample size and testing power estimation of difference test for quantitative and qualitative data with the above three designs, the realization based on the formulas and the POWER procedure of SAS software and elaborated it with examples, which will benefit researchers for implementing the repetition principle.