The experiments are performed according to the response surface methodology, on samples composed of either "calibrated" particles, obtained by manually cutting of electric wires at a predefined length (4 mm), or actual machine-grinded scraps, characterized by a relatively-wide size distribution (1 4 mm).
Whilst purposive sampling of students from one university may also restrict the transferability of findings, subsequent research may employ the same methodology on samples from other institutions at similar stages in training.
The first step was to demonstrate in laboratory the applicability of the methodology on samples and to define the limits to be respected before performing the measures in-situ in order to avoid damage to the materials composing the "Ratto delle Sabine" model.
This group was made up of DNA extracted from peripheral blood, bone marrow and ear skin of 70 dogs obtained in study location during a previous survey [ 27], to evaluate whether there were changes in the profile of infection in dogs from the same area, in both periods studied, applying the same methodology on samples of the two groups.
Case studies are carried out to demonstrate the application of the derived methodology on sampling strategy.
Biochemical analyses were performed at CHS laboratories with routine standardized methodologies on fresh samples of blood obtained after an overnight fast.
To further validate the TAA-status classifier genes, we determined expression levels of the 41 TAA-status classifier genes using the more precise real-time PCR methodology on 82 samples for which enough RNA was available (50 samples from training set and 32 samples from test set).
Absorption was assessed using standard radiotracer methodology on urine samples collected for a week following application.
Therefore, we developed a novel multiplex real-time PCR assay that would amplify specific DNA sequences from S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A. We then tested the methodology on biological samples collected from enteric fever patients.
Global transcriptome sequencing was performed by Dr Lira Mamanova (Welcome Trust, Sanger Centre, Cambridge, UK) using a published methodology [ 18] on samples that were enriched for mRNA.
