Big results from small samples: evaluation of amplification protocols for gene expression profiling.

Microarrays have revolutionized many areas of biology due to our technical ability to quantify tens of thousands of transcripts within a single experiment. However, there are still many areas that cannot benefit from this technology due to the amount of biological material needed for microarray analysis. In response to this demand, chemistries have been developed that boast the capability of generating targets from nanogram amounts of total RnA, reflecting minimal amounts of biological material, on the order of several hundred or thousand cells. Herein, we describe the evaluation of four chemistries for RnA amplification in terms of reproducibility, sensitivity, accuracy, and comparability to results from a single round of T7 amplification. No evidence for false-positive measurements of differential expression was observed. In contrast, clear differences between chemistries in sensitivity and accuracy were detected. PCR validation showed an interaction of probe sequence on the array and target labeling chemistry, resulting in a chemistry-dependent probe set sensitivity varying over an order of magnitude.

Master's degree-accredited professional education and development courses for general practitioners in the North Western Deanery 1997-2002: impact on effectiveness, retention and recruitment to additional roles.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN IN THIS AREA • A high rate of GP retirement is likely in the next few years. • GPs with The necessary skills are needed to provide care. • Provision of MSc courses designed for GPs is limited. WHAT THIS WORK ADDS • After attending MSc accredited development courses, GPs clearly expressed their intention to retire later. • Many participants have extended their role to become educators, appraisers, GPwSI and also become involved in PCO work. • Participants demonstrated a high rate of progression to further academic modules. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH • Follow-up of participants' intention of working longer, to measure if that translates into reduced early retirement. • Measurement of the impact of such courses directly against provision of patient care.