BZScan

BZScan quantifies signals from radioactive DNA microarrays by performing automated feature extraction and correction of measurement biases in high-density microarray data.

Key Features:

• Automatic Feature Extraction: Automatically extracts signal features from high-density DNA microarrays printed on nylon membranes with radioactive labeling.
• Saturation Correction: Applies correction algorithms to adjust signal intensities exceeding the dynamic detection range.
• Overshining Correction: Corrects signal interference caused by neighboring microarray spots.
• Background Noise Reduction: Reduces background signal contributions to improve microarray signal quantification.
• Quality Control Metrics: Provides qualitative signal flagging and quantitative weighting of experiments or genes for downstream analyses such as clustering and discriminant analysis.

Scientific Applications:

• Gene Expression Profiling: Quantifies gene expression levels from radioactive DNA microarray experiments.
• Microarray Data Quality Assessment: Evaluates signal reliability and experimental quality in high-density microarray datasets.
• Downstream Statistical Analysis: Supports clustering and discriminant analysis through weighted gene expression measurements.

Methodology:

BZScan performs feature extraction from radioactive DNA microarrays and applies correction algorithms derived from a mathematical model of radioactive emission to address saturation effects, neighborhood overshining, probe variability, and background noise.