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    Advanced tools for BRCA1/2 mutational screening: Comparison between two methods for large genomic rearrangements (LGRs) detection

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    BACKGROUND: Currently, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) is the most commonly used technique for the detection of large genomic rearrangements (LGRs) in the BRCA1/2 genes. However, a very fast assay, the BRCA1/2 multiplex amplicon quantification (MAQ), has been recently developed by Multiplicom. METHODS: As no data regarding the application of MAQ method to BRCA1/2 genes are available in literature, here we compared for the first time the performance of the MAQ assay with MLPA by using several positive BRCA1/2 LGRs DNA samples (previously tested by MLPA). RESULTS: MAQ method was able to detect all BRCA1/2 LGRs and no false-positive or -negative results were obtained in independent repetitive experiments. CONCLUSIONS: We can affirm that MAQ, as well as MLPA method, results to be valid and reproducible tools for molecular diagnostics and we are confident that this assay can be used for BRCA1/2 mutational screening as a fast and safe alternative to MLPA, particularly in the first line of analysis

    A preliminary Quality Control (QC) for next generation sequencing (NGS) library evaluation turns out to be a very useful tool for a rapid detection of BRCA1/2 deleterious mutations

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    Background: Recent advances in next generation sequencing (NGS) technology have enabled comprehensive and accurate screening of the entire genomic region of BRCA1/2 genes and, to date, many studies report the effectiveness of these technologies. Here we show that Gene Scan (GS) labeling Quality Control (QC), performed before massive parallel pyrosequencing, coupled with Multiple Amplicon Quantification software (MAQ-S) analysis is a rapid and powerful tool in the detection of deleterious BRCA mutations carried by different patients. Methods: GS labeling QC assay was performed according to the manufacturers' instructions and MAQ-S software was employed for analysis results. Results: GS labeling QC was able to detect 14 different BRCA frameshift mutations in our patients. In addition, two novel BRCA mutations (c.1893_1894in5TTAAGCCCACAAAT in BRCA1 gene and c.9413_9414insT in BRCA2 gene) were identified. Conclusion: We prove that a simple QC step may represent a valid and useful tool for a rapid detection of frameshift mutations in BRCA genes. For this reason, we recommend using this approach before massive parallel sequencing. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

    Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis

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    The present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed

    Lactose intolerance genetic testing: Is it useful as routine screening? Results on 1426 south-central Italy patients

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    Adult-type hypolactasia is a widespread condition throughout the world, causing lactose malabsorption. Several studies suggested that the identification of C/T-13910 and G/A-22018 mutations, located upstream the gene encoding the lactase-phlorizin hydrolase (LPH), is a useful tool for the differential diagnosis of hypolactasia. We evaluated the frequencies of C/T-13910 and G/A-22018 variants in a central-south Italian population and the usefulness of lactase deficiency genetic testing in the clinic practice. The genomic DNA of 1426 patients and 1000 healthy controls from central-south Italy was isolated from peripheral whole blood and genotyped for the C/T-13910 and G/A-22018 polymorphisms by high-resolution melting analysis (HRMA) and sequencing. The frequencies of genotypes in the 1426 patients analysed were as follows: 1077 CC/GG (75.5%), 287 CT/GA (20.1%), 24 TT/AA (1.7%), 38 CC/GA (2.7%). Only 64 out of 1426 (4.5%) performed also L-BHT test, 29 of which were negative for L-BHT also in presence of different genotypes. Among the 35 individuals with L-BHT positive, 34 were CC/GG and only one CT/GA. Although lactose genetic test is a good predictor of persistence/non-persistence lactase in specific population, its use in the central-south Italy population should be limited given the high prevalence of the CCGG diplotype in normal individuals

    Variations on the Author

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    “Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship

    Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis

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    We provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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