Novel nanomaterials for bioassay applications represent a rapidly progressing field of nanotechnology and nanobiotechnology. Here, we present an exploration of single-walled carbon nanotubes as a ...platform for investigating surface-protein and protein-protein binding and developing highly specific electronic biomolecule detectors. Nonspecific binding on nanotubes, a phenomenon found with a wide range of proteins, is overcome by immobilization of polyethylene oxide chains. A general approach is then advanced to enable the selective recognition and binding of target proteins by conjugation of their specific receptors to polyethylene oxide-functionalized nanotubes. This scheme, combined with the sensitivity of nanotube electronic devices, enables highly specific electronic sensors for detecting clinically important biomolecules such as antibodies associated with human autoimmune diseases.
Urban stream renovation Smith, Robert F.; Hawley, Robert J.; Neale, Martin W. ...
Freshwater science,
03/2016, Letnik:
35, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Pervasive human impacts on urban streams make restoration to predisturbance conditions unlikely. The effectiveness of ecologically focused restoration approaches typically is limited in urban ...settings because of the use of a reference-condition approach, mismatches between the temporal and spatial scales of impacts and restoration activities, and lack of an integrative approach that incorporates ecological and societal objectives. Developers of new frameworks are recognizing the opportunities for and benefits from incorporating societal outcomes into urban stream restoration projects. Social, economic, cultural, or other benefits to local communities are often opportunistic or arise indirectly from actions intended to achieve ecological outcomes. We propose urban stream renovation as a flexible stream improvement framework in which short-term ecological and societal outcomes are leveraged to achieve long-term ecological objectives. The framework is designed to provide additional opportunities for beneficial outcomes that are often unattainable from ecologically focused restoration approaches. Urban stream renovation uses an iterative process whereby short-term ecological and societal outcomes generate public support for future actions, which may provide opportunities to address catchment-level causes of impairment that often exist across broad temporal scales. Adaptive management, education, and outreach are needed to maintain long-term public engagement. Thus, future work should focus on understanding how ecological and societal contexts interact, how to assess societal outcomes to maintain stewardship, developing new methods for effective education and outreach, and multidisciplinary collaborations. We discuss potential abuses and the importance of linking societal outcomes to long-term ecological objectives.
Ecological resistance in urban streams Utz, Ryan M.; Hopkins, Kristina G.; Beesley, Leah ...
Freshwater science,
03/2016, Letnik:
35, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Urbanization substantially changes the physicochemical and biological characteristics of streams. The trajectory of negative effect is broadly similar around the world, but the nature and magnitude ...of ecological responses to urban growth differ among locations. Some heterogeneity in response arises from differences in the level of urban development and attributes of urban water management. However, the heterogeneity also may arise from variation in hydrologic, biological, and physicochemical templates that shaped stream ecosystems before urban development. We present a framework to develop hypotheses that predict how natural watershed and channel attributes in the pre-urban-development state may confer ecological resistance to urbanization. We present 6 testable hypotheses that explore the expression of such attributes under our framework: 1) greater water storage capacity mitigates hydrologic regime shifts, 2) coarse substrates and a balance between erosive forces and sediment supply buffer morphological changes, 3) naturally high ionic concentrations and pH pre-adapt biota to water-quality stress, 4) metapopulation connectivity results in retention of species richness, 5) high functional redundancy buffers trophic function from species loss, and 6) landuse history mutes or reverses the expected trajectory of eutrophication. Data from past comparative analyses support these hypotheses, but rigorous testing will require targeted investigations that account for confounding or interacting factors, such as diversity in urban infrastructure attributes. Improved understanding of the susceptibility or resistance of stream ecosystems could substantially strengthen conservation, management, and monitoring efforts in urban streams. We hope that these preliminary, conceptual hypotheses will encourage others to explore these ideas further and generate additional explanations for the heterogeneity observed in urban streams.
The US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke convened major stakeholders in June 2012 to discuss how to improve the methodological reporting of animal studies in grant applications ...and publications. The main workshop recommendation is that at a minimum studies should report on sample-size estimation, whether and how animals were randomized, whether investigators were blind to the treatment, and the handling of data. We recognize that achieving a meaningful improvement in the quality of reporting will require a concerted effort by investigators, reviewers, funding agencies and journal editors. Requiring better reporting of animal studies will raise awareness of the importance of rigorous study design to accelerate scientific progress.
Liver transplantation for hilar cholangiocarcinoma (hCCA) has regained attention since the Mayo Clinic reported their favorable results with the use of a neo-adjuvant chemoradiation protocol. ...However, debate remains whether the success of the protocol should be attributed to the neo-adjuvant therapy or to the strict selection criteria that are being applied. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of patient selection alone on the outcome of liver transplantation for hCCA. In this retrospective study, patients that were transplanted for hCCA between1990 and 2010 in Europe were identified using the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR). Twenty-one centers reported 173 patients (69%) of a total of 249 patients in the ELTR. Twenty-six patients were wrongly coded, resulting in a study group of 147 patients. We identified 28 patients (19%) who met the strict selection criteria of the Mayo Clinic protocol, but had not undergone neo-adjuvant chemoradiation therapy. Five-year survival in this subgroup was 59%, which is comparable to patients with pretreatment pathological confirmed hCCA that were transplanted after completion of the chemoradiation protocol at the Mayo Clinic. In conclusion, although the results should be cautiously interpreted, this study suggests that with strict selection alone, improved survival after transplantation can be achieved, approaching the Mayo Clinic experience.
Random number generation is crucial in many aspects of everyday life, as online security and privacy depend ultimately on the quality of random numbers. Many current implementations are based on ...pseudo-random number generators, but information security requires true random numbers for sensitive applications like key generation in banking, defence or even social media. True random number generators are systems whose outputs cannot be determined, even if their internal structure and response history are known. Sources of quantum noise are thus ideal for this application due to their intrinsic uncertainty. In this work, we propose using resonant tunnelling diodes as practical true random number generators based on a quantum mechanical effect. The output of the proposed devices can be directly used as a random stream of bits or can be further distilled using randomness extraction algorithms, depending on the application.
Background:
There is a growing number of cohorts and registries collecting phenotypic and genotypic data from groups of multiple sclerosis patients. Improved awareness and better coordination of ...these efforts is needed.
Objective:
The purpose of this report is to provide a global landscape of the major longitudinal MS patient data collection efforts and share recommendations for increasing their impact.
Methods:
A workshop that included over 50 MS research and clinical experts from both academia and industry was convened to evaluate how current and future MS cohorts could be better used to provide answers to urgent questions about progressive MS.
Results:
The landscape analysis revealed a significant number of largely uncoordinated parallel studies. Strategic oversight and direction is needed to streamline and leverage existing and future efforts. A number of recommendations for enhancing these efforts were developed.
Conclusions:
Better coordination, increased leverage of evolving technology, cohort designs that focus on the most important unanswered questions, improved access, and more sustained funding will be needed to close the gaps in our understanding of progressive MS and accelerate the development of effective therapies.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored IPF Clinical Research Network (IPFnet) studies enrolled subjects with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) to evaluate drug therapies in ...treatment trials. An adjudication committee (AC) provided a structured review of cases in which there was uncertainty or disagreement regarding diagnosis or clinical event classification. This article describes the diagnosis and adjudication processes.
The diagnostic process was based on review of clinical data and high-resolution CT scans with central review of lung biopsies when available. The AC worked closely with the data coordinating center to obtain clinical, radiologic, and histologic data and to communicate with the clinical centers. The AC used a multidisciplinary discussion model with four clinicians, one radiologist, and one pathologist to adjudicate diagnosis and outcome measures.
The IPFnet trials screened 1,015 subjects; of these, 23 cases required review by the AC to establish eligibility. The most common diagnosis for exclusion was suspected chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis. The AC reviewed 88 suspected acute exacerbations (AExs), 93 nonelective hospitalizations, and 16 cases of bleeding. Determination of AEx presented practical challenges to adjudicators, as necessary clinical data were often not collected, particularly when subjects were evaluated outside of the primary study site.
The IPFnet diagnostic process was generally efficient, but a multidisciplinary adjudication committee was critical to assure correct phenotype for study enrollment. The AC was key in adjudicating all adverse outcomes in two IPFnet studies terminated early because of safety issues. Future clinical trials in IPF should consider logistical and cost issues as they incorporate AExs and hospitalizations as outcome measures.
ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00517933, NCT00650091, NCT00957242; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.
Far reaching macro-economic and structural reforms combined with increases in government spending have been the primary drivers of Tanzania's growth acceleration. As growth in government spending ...slows, the locomotive for growth will need to shift to increased demand for exports and domestically produced goods, requiring Tanzania to strengthen substantially its international competitiveness, accelerate structural change, and safeguard the environment while maintaining macroeconomic stability. For Tanzania's poor to be able to participate and benefit from important growth, a greater focus on rural development, improved governance of the management of Tanzania's natural resources, and better targeting of social services to the poor is suggested. Successful design and implementation of a shared growth strategy will also require a strengthening of policy management and coordination in Tanzania to ensure that scarce human and financial resources are effectively deployed.
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