Extraordinary variance in meta-analysis of venom toxicity of 160 most lethal ophidians and guidelines for estimating human lethal dose range.

Background: This is the first meta-analysis to characterize intra-ophidian-species variation in whole venom. Being the largest possible meta-analysis at this time, it encompasses all known records of animal lethality studies over the past 100 years. These results were not artifacts of resistant test-animal species and showed orders of magnitude beyond the 1.

Results of a 5-Year N-of-1 Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone Gene Therapy Experiment.

Here presented for the first time are results showing persistence over a 5+ year period in a human who had a hormone gene therapy administered to muscle. This growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) therapy was administered in two doses, a year apart, with a mean after the second dose of 195 ng/mL (13 × normal, σ = 143, σ = 34, max = 495, min = 53). This level of GHRH therapy appears to be safe for the subject, although there were some adverse events.

Review of Scientific Self-Experimentation: Ethics History, Regulation, Scenarios, and Views Among Ethics Committees and Prominent Scientists.

We examine self-experimentation ethics history and practice, related law, use scenarios in universities and industry, and attitudes. We show through analysis of the historical development of medical ethics and regulation, from Hippocrates through Good Clinical Practice that there are no ethical barriers to self-experimentation. When the self-experimenter is a true investigator, there is no other party to be protected from unethical behavior.

Aerosol influenza transmission risk contours: a study of humid tropics versus winter temperate zone.

Background: In recent years, much attention has been given to the spread of influenza around the world. With the continuing human outbreak of H5N1 beginning in 2003 and the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, focus on influenza and other respiratory viruses has been increased. It has been accepted for decades that international travel via jet aircraft is a major vector for global spread of influenza, and epidemiological differences between tropical and temperate regions observed.

Variance in multiplex suspension array assays: a distribution generation machine for multiplex counts.

Background: This study attempted to replicate Luminex experimental results for large numbers of beads per classifier using multiplexed assays and routine instrument use conditions.

Conclusion: Using larger numbers of microspheres per classifier highlights a fundamental stochastic distribution of bead counts issue complicated by other factors. The more classifiers and the higher the count required per classifier there are, the more apparent the distribution of counts per classifier will be, and the more microspheres are required.

Variance in multiplex suspension array assays: microsphere size variation impact.

Background: Luminex suspension microarray assays are in widespread use. There are issues of variability of assay readings using this technology.

Methods And Results: Size variation is demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy.