A method and system for guiding at least a portion of a surgical device to a desired position between two tissues in a patient's body involves coupling a guidewire to the device and pulling the distal end of the guidewire to guide at least a portion of the surgical device to a desired position between the two tissues. The surgical device generally includes one or more guidewire coupling members and may comprise a tissue access device. A system may include a guidewire and a surgical device. In some embodiments, a guidewire, a tissue access device, and one or more additional devices to use with the access device may be provided. Methods, devices and systems may be used in open, less-invasive or percutaneous surgical procedures, in various embodiments.

Tissue access guidewire system and method

Over the past decade, the human identity testing community has settled on a set of core short tandem repeat (STR) loci that are widely used for DNA typing applications. A variety of commercial kits enable robust amplification of these core STR loci. A brief history is presented regarding the selection of core autosomal and Y-chromosomal STR markers. The physical location of each STR locus in the human genome is delineated and allele ranges and variants observed in human populations are summarized as are mutation rates observed from parentage testing. Internet resources for additional information on core STR loci are reviewed. Additional topics are also discussed, including potential linkage of STR loci to genetic disease-causing genes, probabilistic predictions of sample ethnicity, and desirable characteristics for additional STR loci that may be added in the future to the current core loci. These core STR loci, which form the basis for DNA databases worldwide, will continue to play an important role in forensic science for many years to come.

https://www.sjsu.edu/people/steven.lee/courses/JS111FLUOR/s0/Butler2006JFS_coreSTRreview.pdf

Genetics and genomics of core short tandem repeat loci used in human identity testing.

Guidewire exchange systems, devices and methods, for positioning and actuating surgical devices in a desired position between two tissues in a patient's body are described A guidewire may be coupled to a surgical device for positioning and actuating (eg, urging against a target tissue) The guidewire may be exchanged between different surgical devices during the same procedure, and the guidewire and surgical devices may be releaseably or permanently coupled The surgical device generally includes one or more guidewire coupling members A system may include a guidewire and a surgical device having a guidewire coupling member Methods, devices and systems may be used in open, less-invasive or percutaneous surgical procedures

Guidewire exchange systems to treat spinal stenosis

Sherlock Holmes said "it has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important", but never imagined that such a little thing, the DNA molecule, could become perhaps the most powerful single tool in the multifaceted fight against crime. Twenty years after the development of DNA fingerprinting, forensic DNA analysis is key to the conviction or exoneration of suspects and the identification of victims of crimes, accidents and disasters, driving the development of innovative methods in molecular genetics, statistics and the use of massive intelligence databases.

/pdf/encoded-evidence-dna-in-forensic-analysis-3q4hcjdcbc.pdf

Encoded evidence: DNA in forensic analysis

Described herein are methods and systems for precisely placing and/or manipulating devices within the body by first positioning a guidewire or pullwire. The device to be positioned within the body is coupled to the proximal end of the guidewire, and the device is pulled into the body by pulling on the distal end of the guidewire that extends from the body. The device may be bimanually manipulated by pulling the guidewire distally, and an attachment to a device that extends proximally, allowing control of both the proximal and the distal ends. In this manner devices (and particularly implants such as innerspinous distracters, stimulating leads, and disc slings) may be positioned and/or manipulated within the body. Guidewire exchange systems, devices and methods are also described. A guidewire may be exchanged between different surgical devices and may be releaseably or permanently coupled.

Access and tissue modification systems and methods

Methods and materials are disclosed for use in simultaneously amplifying at least thirteen loci of genomic DNA in a single multiplex reaction, as are methods and materials for use in the analysis of the products of such reactions. Included in the present invention are materials and methods for the simultaneous amplification of at least thirteen short tandem repeat loci, including specific materials and methods for the analysis of thirteen such loci specifically selected by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation as core loci for use in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database.

Multiplex amplification of short tandem repeat loci

Amplification of short tandem repeat (STR) loci has become a useful tool for human identification applications. To improve throughput and efficiency for such uses, the polymorphic STR loci CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01, vWA, D16S539, D7S820, D13S317, D5S818, F13A01, FESFPS, F13B, and LPL have been evaluated, developed, and configured into fluorescently labeled multiplex systems. Eight of these STR loci were combined to generate the PowerPlex™ System, a two-color multiplex system that supports rapid, accurate, reliable analysis and designation of alleles. The remaining four loci comprise the FFFL System, a one-color multiplex system. The PowerPlex™ System may be evaluated alternatively as two one-color, four-locus multiplex systems. CTTv Multiplex and GammaSTR™ Multiplex. The products of multiplex amplification may be analyzed with a variety of fluorescence detection instruments. Determination of genotypes of over 200 individuals from each of three different population/ethnic groups revealed independence of inheritance of the loci and allowed calculation of matching probability, typical paternity index, and power of exclusion for each multiplex.

Development and Population Study of an Eight-Locus Short Tandem Repeat (STR) Multiplex System

A device for collection of DNA-containing materials is provided and a method of preventing DNA specimen contamination is provided which prevents extraneous DNA found in DNA evidence collection kits from interfering with DNA specimen analysis, further a device an method is provided for collecting the DNA-containing material of a subject from the subject's skin.

Method and apparatus for DNA collection

Multiplex PCR amplification systems were developed using well-characterized, polymorphic short tandem repeat (STR) loci. Eight loci utilized in the multiplex amplifications included HUMCSF1PO, HUMTPOX, HUMTH01, HUMVWFA31, HUMF13A01, HUMFESFPS, HUMBFXIII and HUMLIPOL. From this list, three or four non-overlapping loci were simultaneously amplified, separated by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and visualized using silver stain or fluorescence detection. The multiplex PCR amplification systems offer a non-isotopic method for rapid, simple and accurate analysis of STR loci. This high-throughput method for DNA identification has immediate and valuable application in forensic analysis, paternity determination, tissue culture strain identification and bone marrow transplantation studies.

https://www.future-science.com/doi/pdf/10.2144/96205rr01

Multiplex sets for the amplification of polymorphic short tandem repeat loci--silver stain and fluorescence detection.

Polymerase chain reaction amplification products of 22 known polymorphic short tandem repeat (STR) loci were subjected to denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and detected using a silver staining method. Loci that amplified efficiently and revealed the fewest amplification-related artifacts with this detection method were selected for development of allelic ladders. The combination of allelic ladders and silver stain detection provides an inexpensive and general non-isotopic analytical method for DNA identification. This approach has immediate application in forensic analysis, paternity determination, human cell line identification and monitoring of bone marrow transplants. It can also be adapted to more general applications of genetic analysis in human and other species including detection of genetic disorders and cancers.

https://www.future-science.com/doi/pdf/10.2144/96202rr04

James W. Schumm

Papers

Multiplex amplification of short tandem repeat loci

Development and Population Study of an Eight-Locus Short Tandem Repeat (STR) Multiplex System

Method and apparatus for DNA collection

Multiplex sets for the amplification of polymorphic short tandem repeat loci--silver stain and fluorescence detection.

General approach to analysis of polymorphic short tandem repeat loci.