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Screen out birth defects at the developing world with a 2 or 3 ¢ moist towlette

hypercheap moist towlettes use patented chemistry that differentiates one chromosome to screen out trisomy (downs) Then use amniotic modified fetal proteins to screen out birth defects
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First I have to say what a pleasure it was to discover that wetnaps (moist towlettes) could be had online at less than 2¢ each. (link)

A young woman at the developing world is pregnant. She wonders about many things. Is her baby well? She gets a 2¢ moist towlette(wetnap) pees on it then learns that her fetus is well, absent birth defects.

There is a patent (6420182) on a urine gender test that uses pH ndicator chemicals reacting with fetal polypeptides to predict gender (link) The patent states 100 pt accuracy at 3 months n=103. The same product appears to be the intellligender gender test that has 89 pt accuracy at 10 weeks.

Here we modify that protein colorimetry to screen out a variety of birth defects

With the preexisting intelligender test the proteins made at the Y chromosome attach to a color indicator like bromthymol blue which shifts a buffer system to change color. The ingredients at the patent cost less than 1¢ per application along with 10ml of nonwater polar solvent as well

The entire test could be reconfigured as a 1 or 2¢ moist wetnap that a person pees on at the developing world.

Being able to tell the volumetric as well as qualitative difference from one chromosome difference is demonstrated. Now lets apply that same protein specificity to test trisomy produced proteins to screen out downs syndrome.

There is also a notable list of enzymes produced only at the fetus that wetnap chemistry could differentiate from maternal proteins. Comparing that list to actual birth outcomes produces new indicators of fetal well being.

One technological difference here is the test vehicle of the wetnap or moist napkinette. Going from 29.99 to 2 or 3¢ makes a difference. Think of the effect prepackaged beverages or containerized shipping have had. Moving a fetal wellness test from the first world to a 2¢ wetnap could benefit billions.

Amniotic fluid modified fetal proteins predict birth defects

Lets venture to tests beyond entire chromosome tests. Here are ways to screen out the gooey drippy otolaryngeal birth defects. A gooey drippy fetus or a fetus with a CNS defect releases a much larger amount of salivary or CSF fluids to the amniotic fluid. Most people have noticed that if you put protein at a water or normal saline for a half a month the protein changes mildly. Use colorimetric protein testing to find these amniotically modified proteins. Amniotically modified they differ from maternal proteins thus should be distinguishable. Also, the patented colorimetric protein test is accurate on a 1 or 2 gram fetus, it is possible that the larger accumulation of cumulative amniotic proteins is more massive than the 20 milligrams of hypothetical fetus variation that is currently detectable.(1/46 of 1 gram chromosomal protein difference)

Detecting a wide range of amniotic modified chemicals that differ from the maternal chemicals then comparing them to normal fetus chemicals provides an apparently new way to screen for an arbitrarily large number of fetal defects.

beanangel, Jun 08 2011

Protein colorimetric prenatal test http://www.google.c...v=onepage&q&f=false
100 pt effective at 3 months n=103 [beanangel, Jun 08 2011]

Intelligender 89 pt effective at 10 weeks http://www.intellig...endent-studies.html
apparently similar chemistry (same colors) as the patent [beanangel, Jun 08 2011]

The 1.8¢ moist towlette http://www.instawar...te.rpprf1mb.0.7.htm
This little system has a nonpolar nonwater solvent plus some other chemicals Just changing the chemicals creates a new way of creating cheap distributable medical tests [beanangel, Jun 08 2011]

[link]






       Interesting.   

       Two caveats:   

       1) The devil is in the detail. You're saying "implement protein-specific tests in a cheap format", and the challenge is not really the format but making the tests work. Not to say that they won't, just that it's not a trivial issue.   

       2) Regarding Down's, I don't know the protein-level changes. However, if you are looking for a proportionate change (ie, a 1.5-fold increase) in certain proteins, it's going to be very difficult to detect reliably, even if you use lots of internal controls. But, there may well be some proteins whose levels change more than a simpleminded 1.5-fold. (They also have to be foetus-specific proteins.)   

       3) I'm not sure which tests you're proposing for pee, and which for amniotic fluid. I think safe amniocentesis is not straightforward, making the cheapness of the test a little less central. For pee, I have no idea which foetal markers appear in significant quantities in maternal pee. (Are you sure the Intelligender test works on foetal proteins in maternal pee? Foetal hormones maybe, but I'm impressed if it picks up foetal proteins in maternal pee.)   

       4) If the woman has bought a 2-cent test and discovers an abnormality, what then?   

       5) Which company is going to make and sell these tests for 2 cents?   

       Anyway, [+]
MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 08 2011
  

       I appreciate the annotation   

       The patent says that bromthymol blue attaches to "polypeptides" It does not say fetal polypeptides though, However it only reacts to Y chromosome produced proteins, the girl result is that the test fluid remains the start color. Thus the test is reacting to fetal Y chromosome produced polypeptides or maternal immunreactive peptides.   

       If it were measuring immunoreaction there might be color shift of some kind with a girl fetus thus its looking like it measures fetal proteins.   

       One approach to finding more fetus specific proteins is that even though both maternal as well as fetal proteins are sometimes identical, some fetal protein gets modified sitting around at the amniotic fluid for half a month. Also wikipedia has a category called "fetoproteins" which pretty much just suggests research. I think Ive read a publication noting there are a wide number of genes active only during gestation which goes with the production of unique researchable fetal proteins as well   

       the .5b would say I was being megaderivative if I said Do more research thus I kept it at detect an entire chromome difference, as well as the new amniomodified proteins are distinguishable effect   

       I have a "cunning plan" about the mathematics of retesting if the 2 or 3¢ test detects an abnormality. One is to hyperconcentrate the pee with a gel like polymethylmethacrylate that absorbs just water. perhaps 20 times more concentrated protein provides a more accurate result   

       Another potentially pleasant way to concentrate a testable fetal proteins would be to have a baby beneficial mini feast where the woman eats a bunch of socioculturally normal protein. The circulating protein saturates (uses) her protein modifying enzymes permitting 2 to 10 times as much fetal protein to accumulate at pee.   

       If fortunate the 20 times concentrated pee along with the 2 to 10 times higher amounts of fetal protein creates greater test efficacy. I think I should describe those as well
beanangel, Jun 08 2011
  

       Have a bun in the oven, beanie.
RayfordSteele, Jun 08 2011
  

       I'm still not clear on whether you're testing amniotic fluid or pee.
MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 08 2011
  

       Test 'em both, [MaxB] --- You're only out four cents! Bun! [+]
Grogster, Jun 09 2011
  

       1) The idea makes most sense if it's the fetus' urine (in the amniotic fluid), not the mother's that is tested.   

       2) [B'angel] may have alpha-fetoprotein in mind as the protein elevated concentration of which (for gestational age) in amniotic fluid is a marker for CNS (strictly: neural tube) defects (such as spina bifida, and others worse than that).   

       3) Alpha fetoprotein does cross the placenta in sufficient quantity to be detectable in maternal blood. But there shouldn't be much of that, or any protein, in the mothers urine. If mom's got protein in her urine, she's probably got either a urinary tract infection or preeclampsia.
mouseposture, Jun 09 2011
  
      
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