Topic: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR),Radio – immunoassays (RIA).
Question:What is meant by real time PCR? What are the steps involved? What are the clinical applications?
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Real-time PCR, also known as quantitative PCR (qPCR), is a laboratory technique based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). It is used to amplify and simultaneously quantify a targeted DNA or RNA sequence. The “real-time” aspect comes from the fact that it allows for the monitoring of the amplification process as it happens, providing a quantitative measurement of the starting material.
Here are the basic steps involved in real-time PCR:
- Sample Preparation: The first step is to isolate and purify the DNA or RNA from the sample. If the target is RNA, it is usually reverse-transcribed into complementary DNA (cDNA) using an enzyme called reverse transcriptase.
- PCR Setup: The purified DNA or cDNA is then mixed with PCR reagents, including primers (short DNA sequences that are complementary to the target region and allow for its amplification), a DNA polymerase (an enzyme that synthesizes DNA), and fluorescent probes or dyes that will allow for the detection of the amplified product.
- PCR Amplification and Detection: The mixture is then subjected to a series of temperature cycles in a real-time PCR machine. During each cycle, the DNA is denatured (separated into single strands), the primers anneal (attach) to their complementary sequences, and the polymerase extends the primers, synthesizing new DNA strands. The fluorescent signal increases with each cycle as more target DNA is synthesized, allowing for the quantification of the initial target DNA or RNA.
Real-time PCR has numerous clinical applications, including:
- Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases: Real-time PCR can be used to detect and quantify pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi in patient samples. This can aid in the diagnosis of infectious diseases and the selection of appropriate treatments.
- Monitoring of Disease Progression and Treatment Response: By quantifying the amount of a specific nucleic acid sequence, real-time PCR can be used to monitor the progression of diseases such as cancer, HIV, and hepatitis, and to assess the patient’s response to treatment.
- Genetic Testing and Personalized Medicine: Real-time PCR can be used to detect genetic mutations associated with diseases or drug responses, aiding in genetic counseling, diagnosis, and the selection of personalized treatments.
- Forensic Science: Real-time PCR can be used in forensic science for tasks such as identifying individuals based on their DNA, determining the time of death, and detecting trace amounts of substances.
Medicivils Medical Science Optional Test Series: Better Than UPSC Medico? Introduction The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of the most competitive exams in the world. The Medical Science optional is a popular choice for many candidates, as it covers a wide range of topics that are relevant to the UPSC syllabus. There are many different test series available for the Medical Science optional, but one of the most popular is the Medicivils test series. Medicivils is a coaching institute that specializes in the Medical Science optional, and their test series is known for its high quality and comprehensive coverage of the syllabus. In this article, we will compare the Medicivils Medical Science Optional Test Series to the UPSC Medico Test Series, and discuss why Medicivils is the better choice for UPSC CSE aspirants. Quality of Questions The quality of the questions in the Medicivils test series is very high. The questions are well-drafted and cover a wide range of topics from the syllabus. The questions are also challenging enough to test the candidates’ knowledge and understanding of the subject. The UPSC Medico test series, on the other hand, has been criticized for the quality of its questions. Some candidates have complained that the questions are too repetitive and do not adequately cover the syllabus. Comprehensiveness The Medicivils test series covers the entire Medical Science syllabus in great detail. The test series includes full-length tests, subject-wise tests, and topic-wise tests. This ensures that the candidates are thoroughly prepared for all aspects of the exam. The UPSC Medico test series, on the other hand, is not as comprehensive. The test series does not cover all of the topics in the syllabus in equal detail. Additionally, the test series does not include any topic-wise tests. Model Answer Sheets The Medicivils test series provides high-quality model answer sheets for all of its tests. The model answer sheets are written by experienced faculty members and provide detailed explanations for all of the questions. The UPSC Medico test series, on the other hand, does not provide model answer sheets for all of its tests. Even for the tests that do have model answer sheets, the quality is often not up to par. Personal Mentorship Medicivils offers personal mentorship to all of its students. The students can get their papers evaluated by experienced faculty members and receive personalized feedback. This helps the students to identify their strengths and weaknesses and to improve their performance. The UPSC Medico test series does not offer personal mentorship to its students. The students do not have the opportunity to get their papers evaluated by experienced faculty members and receive personalized feedback. Video Solutions Medicivils provides video solutions for all of its subject-wise tests. The video solutions are taught by experienced faculty members and provide detailed explanations for all of the questions. The UPSC Medico test series does not provide video solutions for its tests. Evaluation Medicivils evaluates the students’ papers within 7 days. The students’ papers are evaluated by experienced faculty members and they receive a detailed evaluation report. The UPSC Medico test series takes longer to evaluate the students’ papers. The students often have to wait for 10-15 days to receive their evaluation reports. Conclusion Overall, the Medicivils Medical Science Optional Test Series is the better choice for UPSC CSE aspirants. The Medicivils test series offers high-quality questions, comprehensive coverage of the syllabus, model answer sheets, personal mentorship, video solutions, and prompt evaluation. The UPSC Medico test series, on the other hand, has been criticized for the quality of its questions, lack of comprehensive coverage of the syllabus, lack of model answer sheets, lack of personal mentorship, lack of video solutions, and delayed evaluation. If you are serious about cracking the UPSC CSE with the Medical Science optional, then the Medicivils Medical Science Optional Test Series is the best choice for you.
