Reviewer's report
Title:Five mucosal transcripts of interest in ulcerative colitis identified by
quantitative real-time PCR: a prospective study
Version: 1Date:29 September 2007
Reviewer: Charlie Lees
Reviewer's report:
General
This study explores expression profiles of 5 genes previously identified by this
group to be dysregulated in UC on microarray analysis. The present analysis is
limited to a detailed analysis of mRNA expression profiling using real-time
RT-PCR.
The study lacks novelty as such, but has been performed in a reasonable
number of biopsies with appropriate attention being placed on sample location
and disease activity. It is quite poorly written with multiple spelling and
grammatical errors.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision
on publication can be reached)
Methods - statistical analysis: it would be more appropriate to apply
non-parametric analysis to these data as with these sample numbers they are
unlikely to be normally distributed
Results - there is too much subanalysis of this limited dataset and this should be
reduced. I would suggest deleting figure 6
Discussion - too long; needs to be much more concise and focused on only those
observations directly relevant to this study.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of
a term, which the author can be trusted to correct)
Introduction - second para, first sentance 'The pathogenesis and pathophysiology
in UC are fragmentary understood' needs rewording.
Methods - para 1: the montreal classification is wrongly used here. E2 is left
sided colitis distal to the splenic flexure and E3 is extensive colitis proximal to the
splenic flexure (but not pancolitis). Furthermore, the montreal classification
defines disease extent as the maximal extent during the course of disease rather
than at any fixed timepoint to allow for the fact that disease will become more or
less extensive in ~20% of patients.
The Montreal classification is wrongly referenced; the authors should refer to the
original ms in the canadian journal of gastro suppl 2005 for the working party
report from the World Congress 2005.
Prednislon should be changed to prednisolone at all relevant entries; similarly
azathioprin needs changing to azathioprine
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore)
What next?: Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have
responded to the major compulsory revisions
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Needs some language corrections before being
published
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that i have no competing interests.
Reviewer's report
Title:Five mucosal transcripts of interest in ulcerative colitis identified by
quantitative real-time PCR: a prospective study
Version: 1Date:29 September 2007
Reviewer: Charlie Lees
Reviewer's report:
General
This study explores expression profiles of 5 genes previously identified by this
group to be dysregulated in UC on microarray analysis. The present analysis is
limited to a detailed analysis of mRNA expression profiling using real-time
RT-PCR.
The study lacks novelty as such, but has been performed in a reasonable
number of biopsies with appropriate attention being placed on sample location
and disease activity. It is quite poorly written with multiple spelling and
grammatical errors.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision
on publication can be reached)
Methods - statistical analysis: it would be more appropriate to apply
non-parametric analysis to these data as with these sample numbers they are
unlikely to be normally distributed
Results - there is too much subanalysis of this limited dataset and this should be
reduced. I would suggest deleting figure 6
Discussion - too long; needs to be much more concise and focused on only those
observations directly relevant to this study.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of
a term, which the author can be trusted to correct)
Introduction - second para, first sentance 'The pathogenesis and pathophysiology
in UC are fragmentary understood' needs rewording.
Methods - para 1: the montreal classification is wrongly used here. E2 is left
sided colitis distal to the splenic flexure and E3 is extensive colitis proximal to the
splenic flexure (but not pancolitis). Furthermore, the montreal classification
defines disease extent as the maximal extent during the course of disease rather
than at any fixed timepoint to allow for the fact that disease will become more or
less extensive in ~20% of patients.
The Montreal classification is wrongly referenced; the authors should refer to the
original ms in the canadian journal of gastro suppl 2005 for the working party
report from the World Congress 2005.
Prednislon should be changed to prednisolone at all relevant entries; similarly
azathioprin needs changing to azathioprine
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore)
What next?: Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have
responded to the major compulsory revisions
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Needs some language corrections before being
published
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that i have no competing interests.
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:Five mucosal transcripts of interest in ulcerative colitis identified by
quantitative real-time PCR: a prospective study
Version: 1Date:29 September 2007
Reviewer: Charlie Lees
Reviewer's report:
General
This study explores expression profiles of 5 genes previously identified by this
group to be dysregulated in UC on microarray analysis. The present analysis is
limited to a detailed analysis of mRNA expression profiling using real-time
RT-PCR.
The study lacks novelty as such, but has been performed in a reasonable
number of biopsies with appropriate attention being placed on sample location
and disease activity. It is quite poorly written with multiple spelling and
grammatical errors.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision
on publication can be reached)
Methods - statistical analysis: it would be more appropriate to apply
non-parametric analysis to these data as with these sample numbers they are
unlikely to be normally distributed
Results - there is too much subanalysis of this limited dataset and this should be
reduced. I would suggest deleting figure 6
Discussion - too long; needs to be much more concise and focused on only those
observations directly relevant to this study.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of
a term, which the author can be trusted to correct)
Introduction - second para, first sentance 'The pathogenesis and pathophysiology
in UC are fragmentary understood' needs rewording.
Methods - para 1: the montreal classification is wrongly used here. E2 is left
sided colitis distal to the splenic flexure and E3 is extensive colitis proximal to the
splenic flexure (but not pancolitis). Furthermore, the montreal classification
defines disease extent as the maximal extent during the course of disease rather
than at any fixed timepoint to allow for the fact that disease will become more or
less extensive in ~20% of patients.
The Montreal classification is wrongly referenced; the authors should refer to the
original ms in the canadian journal of gastro suppl 2005 for the working party
report from the World Congress 2005.
Prednislon should be changed to prednisolone at all relevant entries; similarly
azathioprin needs changing to azathioprine
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore)
What next?: Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have
responded to the major compulsory revisions
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Needs some language corrections before being
published
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that i have no competing interests.
assistant