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Novel Technologies (novel + technology)
Selected AbstractsHaemophilia care then, now and in the futureHAEMOPHILIA, Issue 2009J. OLDENBURG Summary., Epidemiological data show the benefits of dramatically improved haemophilia care in all life-stages. There are improved administration techniques and dosing regimens, a shift from on-demand treatment to prophylaxis, successful treatment protocols for immune tolerance induction in patients with inhibitors and enhanced approaches to overall patient management. Improvements also include the introduction of virus inactivation methods for plasma derived clotting factor concentrates and the development of recombinant factor VIII therapy, which practically eliminated the risk of infectious disease transmission. Recombinant factor concentrates are recommended as treatment of choice by several guidelines today. All these developments have resulted in increased health-related quality of life and life expectancy in haemophilia patients, who are transitioning from childhood to adulthood with healthy joints and an overall healthy status today. Because of increased life expectancy, these patients are expected to experience age-related clinical problems that were not previously observed in this population. With respect to this, the spectrum of haemophilia care will be extended to diseases of older ages with the need of including further disciplines in comprehensive haemophilia care programmes. Despite these advances, the short half-life of factor VIII, requiring re-administration every 2 or 3 days and the development of inhibitors remains a challenge. Bayer's research and development currently focuses on the optimization of recombinant coagulation factors to address these challenges. Haemophilia care has experienced significant improvements within the past decades. Novel technologies and continued clinical research have facilitated the development of treatment regimen that resulted in dramatic increases in the life expectancy and quality of life of haemophilia patients. To set the scene for the following papers dealing with haemophilia care from paediatrics to geriatrics, developments behind these improvements and some aspects of future research will be presented in this paper. [source] Understanding the potential role of mobile phone-based monitoring on asthma self-management: qualitative studyCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 5 2007H. Pinnock Summary Background National and international healthcare policy increasingly seeks technological solutions to the challenge of providing care for people with long-term conditions. Novel technologies, however, have the potential to change the dynamics of disease monitoring and self-management. We aimed to explore the opinions and concerns of people with asthma and primary care clinicians on the potential role of mobile phone monitoring technology (transmitting symptoms and peak flows, with immediate feedback of control and reminder of appropriate actions) in supporting asthma self-management. Methods This qualitative study recruited 48 participants (34 adults and teenagers with asthma, 14 asthma nurses and doctors) from primary care in Lothian (Central Scotland) and Kent (South East England). Thirty-nine participated in six focus groups, which included a demonstration of the technology; nine gave in-depth interviews before and after a 4-week trial of the technology. Results Participants considered that mobile phone-based monitoring systems can facilitate guided self-management although, paradoxically, may engender dependence on professional/technological support. In the early phases, as patients are learning to accept, understand and control their asthma, this support was seen as providing much-needed confidence. During the maintenance phase, when self-management predominates, patient and professionals were concerned that increased dependence may be unhelpful, although they appreciated that maintaining an on-going record could facilitate consultations. Conclusion Mobile phone-based monitoring systems have the potential to support guided self-management by aiding transition from clinician-supported early phases to effective self-management during the maintenance phase. Continuing development, adoption and formal evaluation of these systems should take account of the insights provided by our data. [source] Tissue Engineering: Scaffold-Mediated 2D Cellular Orientations for Construction of Three Dimensionally Engineered Tissues Composed of Oriented Cells and Extracellular Matrices (Adv. Funct.ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 7 2009Mater. Novel technology for fabrication of 3D-engineered tissues consisting of oriented cells and extracellular matrices (ECM) is described by Yoshida and co-workers on page 1001. They prepare disulfide-crosslinked hydrogels with oriented pores to induce cellular orientations on and in the scaffolds. Finally, 3D-oriented engineered tissues with 2D-cell and ECM orientation are successfully obtained by decomposing template gel with reductant agent. [source] Participation of experts and non-experts in a sustainability assessment of mobilityENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 4 2009Lorraine Whitmarsh Abstract The complexity, ambiguity and subjectivity that surround persistent problems of unsustainability, such as mobility, highlight the importance of stakeholder engagement in both knowledge production and policy development. This paper reports on research within the EU-funded MATISSE project to develop tools and methods for Integrated Sustainability Assessment (ISA), a novel interdisciplinary and participatory approach to sustainability strategy development. Two different methods , expert focus groups and citizen deliberative workshops , were employed to elicit knowledge and preferences of European stakeholders in respect of sustainable mobility. Findings from these exercises indicate areas of both convergence and divergence in the visions of sustainable mobility futures depicted by different stakeholder groups. Stakeholders agreed on the need to address problems of unsustainability in the transport sector, and identified broadly similar environmental, social and economic criteria for sustainable transport. Amenity of transport was more important for citizens, while experts focussed on pragmatic and technological issues. Both groups favoured modal shift and novel technologies, and citizens also supported demand reduction measures and choices; however, a range of barriers to achieving sustainable mobility was also identified by participants. Stakeholder feedback suggests the process was valuable and acted as a forum for social learning and the co-production of knowledge by citizens and experts, while at the same time empowering these groups to participate in an important social issue such as transport. The value and limitations of these methods for ISA are discussed and avenues for further research proposed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] PCR-based identification of Bacillus thuringiensis pesticidal crystal genesFEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS, Issue 5 2003Manuel Porcar Abstract The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a molecular tool widely used to characterize the insecticidal bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. This technique can be used to amplify specific DNA fragments and thus to determine the presence or absence of a target gene. The identification of B. thuringiensis toxin genes by PCR can partially predict the insecticidal activity of a given strain. PCR has proven to be a rapid and reliable method and it has largely substituted bioassays in preliminary classification of B. thuringiensis collections. In this work, we compare the largest B. thuringiensis PCR-based screenings, and we review the natural occurrence of cry genes among native strains. We also discuss the use of PCR for the identification of novel cry genes, as well as the potential of novel technologies for the characterization of B. thuringiensis strains. [source] Technology options for new nutritional conceptsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DAIRY TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Hannu Korhonen Recent advances in the food and nutrition sciences support the concept that the diet has a significant role in the modulation of various functions in the body. The diet and/or its components may contribute to an improved state of well-being, a reduction of risks related to certain diseases and even an improvement in the quality of life. These new concepts have led to the introduction of a new category of health-promoting foodstuffs, i.e. functional foods. The concern about health embraces a number of driving issues, needs and opportunities which may be approached by designing specific diets from various food raw materials. These tailor-made products provide physiological benefits that are targeted at particular consumer groups. The functionality of functional foods is based on bioactive components, which may be contained naturally in the product but usually require formulation by appropriate technologies in order to optimise the desired beneficial properties. To this end, it is often necessary to develop and apply novel technologies, e.g. membrane separation, high hydrostatic pressure and supercritical fluid extraction techniques. Also the minimal processing concept could be employed in this context. This review discusses the current technological options available and the future challenges faced in the area. Particular attention is paid to the exploitation of bovine colostrum and milk-derived bioactive compounds for the development of functional foods. [source] Non-invasive cancer detection: Strategies for the identification of novel cancer markersIUBMB LIFE, Issue 4 2006Claudio Sorio Abstract In the last few years powerful technologies have emerged and are being applied for biomarker discovery. The purpose of this article is to discuss and help focus the strategies applying these novel technologies for the identification of potential biomarkers for early detection of cancer. iubmb Life, 58: 193-198, 2006 [source] Comparison of the specificity and sensitivity of traditional methods for assessment of nephrotoxicity in the rat with metabonomic and proteomic methodologiesJOURNAL OF APPLIED TOXICOLOGY, Issue 4 2005Andy Gibbs Abstract There is currently a great deal of scientific interest and debate concerning the possible advantages that proteomic and metabonomic technologies might have over traditional biomarkers of toxicity (blood and urine chemistry, histopathology). Numerous papers have been published that make impressive claims concerning potential applications for these novel technologies, however there appears to be little hard evidence in the literature of their advantages over the traditional techniques for assessing toxicity. The aim of this review was to evaluate the relative sensitivity and specificity of proteomic and metabonomic techniques, compared with traditional techniques, for assessing xenobiotic-induced nephrotoxicity. A review of studies was performed where both one of the novel methods as well as traditional techniques were used for assessment of xenobiotic-induced nephrotoxicity. There was no consistent evidence from the literature that the novel methodologies were any more sensitive than the traditional methods for assessing nephrotoxicity. This could be due to the relatively small number of studies available for review (n = 13), the fact that generally these studies were not aimed at determining relative sensitivity or specificity and may not be the case with other target organs, such as the liver. However, it was clear that the novel methodologies were able to discriminate between the effects caused by different toxicants. There was evidence both that this discrimination was on the basis of different mechanisms of toxicity and on the basis of different locations of nephrotoxic lesion. A great deal of validation work is necessary before these techniques could gain full acceptance by regulatory authorities, and it is unclear whether their use in anything other than non-regulatory, mechanistic studies is likely to become widespread. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Organic acids: old metabolites, new themesJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2006Israel Goldberg Abstract Fumaric, L -malic and citric acids are intermediates of the oxidative tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle which in eukaryotes is localized in mitochondria. These organic acids are synthesized and accumulated in the medium to very high concentrations by filamentous fungi such as Aspergillus spp. and Rhizopus sp. This article reviews basic research on the unusual acid production capability and the associated metabolic pathways operating under defined stress conditions in these specific fungi. In particular, we describe and discuss the importance of the cytosolic reductive TCA pathway, which includes the cytosolic activities of pyruvate carboxylase, malate dehydrogenase and fumarase, for production of fumaric and L -malic acids. This article also describes the differences between fumaric acid, L -malic acid and citric acid production by different organisms (filamentous fungi, yeast, and higher eukaryotes), and the possible application of novel technologies (genetic engineering and bioinformatics) to fungal systems which may offer new industrial potential of filamentous fungi for the production of valuable metabolites. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry [source] APPLICATION OF ULTRASONICATION OR HIGH-PRESSURE EXTRACTION OF FLAVONOIDS FROM LITCHI FRUIT PERICARPJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 6 2009K. NAGENDRA PRASAD ABSTRACT Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) fruit pericarp (LFP) contains a high amount of flavonoids, which could be used as natural antioxidants. Some emerging novel technologies, such as ultrasonic extraction (UE) and high-pressure extraction (HPE), have exhibited great potential for flavonoid extraction. Experiments were conducted to comparatively investigate the effects of conventional extraction (CE), 40-KHz UE and 200- or 400-MPa HPE on the extraction efficiency of flavonoids from LFP. After 30 min of extraction, the extract yield, total phenolic content, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and superoxide anion scavenging ability were examined. The crude extract yields by the UE, 400 HPE and CE were 24, 30 and 1.83%, respectively. However, there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity tested among these three different extractions at the same concentration. In addition, two flavonoids, namely epicatechin and epicatechin gallate, were identified and quantified as the major compounds, while catechin and procyanidin B2 were identified as the minor compounds. The total flavonoid content detected was 0.65, 0.75, 0.29 and 0.07 mg/g dry weight by HPE at 200 and 400 MPs, UE, and CE, respectively. Thus, the HPE technique showed a higher efficiency in extracting flavonoids from LFP, and the HPE could reduce the extraction time and increase the amount of the extracted phenolics. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is a subtropical fruit that originated in Southeast Asia. As litchi fruit is gradually accepted by consumers for its delicious taste and attractive red skin, litchi production has steadily increased in recent decades, with increasing exports to Europe and North America from both the southern and northern hemisphere production areas. Litchi fruit pericarp (LFP) accounts for approximately 16% by weight of the whole fresh fruit and is comprised of a significant amount of flavonoids. Therefore, LFP tissues may be considered an important source of dietary flavonoids. This work showed that HPE technique has a high efficiency in extracting flavonoids from LFP tissues, which may help the litchi industry develop new extraction methods to better utilize the flavonoids from LFP tissues. [source] Efficacy of Pulsed UV-Light for the Decontamination of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. on Raspberries and StrawberriesJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 5 2008K.L. Bialka ABSTRACT:, Small fruits are increasingly being implicated in outbreaks of foodborne illness, and fresh produce is now the 2nd leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States. Conventional methods of decontamination are not effective, and there is a need to evaluate novel technologies. Pulsed ultraviolet (UV)-light is one such technology. In this study, pulsed UV-light was applied to strawberries and raspberries at varying UV doses and times. On raspberries, maximum reductions of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella were 3.9 and 3.4 log10 CFU/g at 72 and 59.2 J/cm2, respectively. On the surfaces of strawberries, maximum reductions were 2.1 and 2.8 log10 CFU/g at 25.7 and 34.2 J/cm2, respectively. There was no observable damage to the fruits at these UV doses. The results obtained in this study indicate that pulsed UV-light has the potential to be used as a decontamination method for raspberries and strawberries. [source] NTT DoCoMo's Launch of I-Mode in the Japanese Mobile Phone Market: A Knowledge Creation Perspective*JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 1 2007Vesa Peltokorpi abstract While innovation and knowledge creation processes and context are interlinked in the real world, scholars frequently ignore or separate context from knowing due to an entrenched sense of ontological and analytical dualism. This paper builds on the organizational knowledge creation theory (Nonaka, 1994) to provide a holistic view of contextual innovation and knowledge creation processes. The phenomenon is demonstrated by a longitudinal case description of i-mode mobile Internet innovation at NTT DoCoMo, a Japanese mobile communications company. This case explains how three key managers created and organized an interlinked system of shared contexts, called ba, that enabled the combination and open flow of diverse knowledge and led to the creation and launch of the i-mode mobile Internet, which unites novel technologies and services. Managerial implications and limitations are discussed. [source] Catheter Ablation for Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: A Randomized Comparison between Multielectrode Catheter and Point-by-Point AblationPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 9 2010ALAN BULAVA M.D., Ph.D. Introduction:,Catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is widely used for patients with drug-refractory paroxysms of arrhythmia. Recently, novel technologies have been introduced to the market that aim to simplify and shorten the procedure. Aim:,To compare the clinical outcome of pulmonary vein (PV) isolation using a multipolar circular ablation catheter (PVAC group), with point-by-point PV isolation using an irrigated-tip ablation catheter and the CARTO mapping system (CARTO group; CARTO, Biosense Webster, Diamond Bar, CA, USA). Methods:,Patients with documented PAF were randomized to undergo PV isolation using PVAC or CARTO. Atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrences were documented by serial 7-day Holter monitoring. Results:,One hundred and two patients (mean age 58 ± 11 years, 68 men) were included in the study. The patients had comparable baseline clinical characteristics, including left atrial dimensions and left ventricular ejection fraction, in both study arms (PVAC: n = 51 and CARTO: n = 51). Total procedural and fluoroscopic times were significantly shorter in the PVAC group (107 ± 31 minutes vs 208 ± 46 minutes, P < 0.0001 and 16 ± 5 minutes vs 28 ± 8 minutes, P < 0.0001, respectively). The AF recurrence was documented in 23% and 29% of patients in the PVAC and CARTO groups, respectively (P = 0.8), during the mean follow-up of 200 ± 13 days. No serious complications were noted in both study groups. Conclusions:,Clinical success rates of PV isolation are similar when using multipolar circular PV ablation catheter and point-by-point ablation with a three-dimensional (3D) navigation system in patients with PAF, and results in shorter procedural and fluoroscopic times with a comparable safety profile. (PACE 2010; 33:1039,1046) [source] Complex oxide scintillators: Material defects and scintillation performancePHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (B) BASIC SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 9 2008M. Nikl Abstract An overview of recognized structural defects, impurities and related trapping levels and their role in the scintillation mechanism is provided and discussed in single crystal materials belonging to tungstate, Ce- or Pr-doped aluminum perovskite, garnet and finally to Ce-doped silicate scintillators. New achievements and open problems in deeper understanding of electron and hole self-trapping phenomena and of the nature of defects in the crystal structure and their ability to localize migrating charge carriers are indicated. Fast optical ceramics and nanocomposite materials are pointed out as possible future advanced scintillators. Such novel technologies can in principle explore materials which are not available in the bulk single crystal form, but their figure-of-merit is dramatically dependent on the surface-interface defect states and related trapping and nonradiative recombination phenomena. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Automated technologies and novel techniques to accelerate protein crystallography for structural genomicsPROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 4 2008Babu A. Manjasetty Dr. Abstract The sequence infrastructure that has arisen through large-scale genomic projects dedicated to protein analysis, has provided a wealth of information and brought together scientists and institutions from all over the world. As a consequence, the development of novel technologies and methodologies in proteomics research is helping to unravel the biochemical and physiological mechanisms of complex multivariate diseases at both a functional and molecular level. In the late sixties, when X-ray crystallography had just been established, the idea of determining protein structure on an almost universal basis was akin to an impossible dream or a miracle. Yet only forty years after, automated protein structure determination platforms have been established. The widespread use of robotics in protein crystallography has had a huge impact at every stage of the pipeline from protein cloning, over-expression, purification, crystallization, data collection, structure solution, refinement, validation and data management- all of which have become more or less automated with minimal human intervention necessary. Here, recent advances in protein crystal structure analysis in the context of structural genomics will be discussed. In addition, this review aims to give an overview of recent developments in high throughput instrumentation, and technologies and strategies to accelerate protein structure/function analysis. [source] Implementation of semi-automated cloning and prokaryotic expression screening: the impact of SPINEACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D, Issue 10 2006Pedro M. Alzari The implementation of high-throughput (HTP) cloning and expression screening in Escherichia coli by 14 laboratories in the Structural Proteomics In Europe (SPINE) consortium is described. Cloning efficiencies of greater than 80% have been achieved for the three non-ligation-based cloning techniques used, namely Gateway, ligation-indendent cloning of PCR products (LIC-PCR) and In-Fusion, with LIC-PCR emerging as the most cost-effective. On average, two constructs have been made for each of the approximately 1700 protein targets selected by SPINE for protein production. Overall, HTP expression screening in E. coli has yielded 32% soluble constructs, with at least one for 70% of the targets. In addition to the implementation of HTP cloning and expression screening, the development of two novel technologies is described, namely library-based screening for soluble constructs and parallel small-scale high-density fermentation. [source] Environmental constraints on life histories in Antarctic ecosystems: tempos, timings and predictabilityBIOLOGICAL REVIEWS, Issue 1 2006Lloyd S. Peck ABSTRACT Knowledge of Antarctic biotas and environments has increased dramatically in recent years. There has also been a rapid increase in the use of novel technologies. Despite this, some fundamental aspects of environmental control that structure physiological, ecological and life-history traits in Antarctic organisms have received little attention. Possibly the most important of these is the timing and availability of resources, and the way in which this dictates the tempo or pace of life. The clearest view of this effect comes from comparisons of species living in different habitats. Here, we (i) show that the timing and extent of resource availability, from nutrients to colonisable space, differ across Antarctic marine, intertidal and terrestrial habitats, and (ii) illustrate that these differences affect the rate at which organisms function. Consequently, there are many dramatic biological differences between organisms that live as little as 10 m apart, but have gaping voids between them ecologically. Identifying the effects of environmental timing and predictability requires detailed analysis in a wide context, where Antarctic terrestrial and marine ecosystems are at one extreme of the continuum of available environments for many characteristics including temperature, ice cover and seasonality. Anthropocentrically, Antarctica is harsh and as might be expected terrestrial animal and plant diversity and biomass are restricted. By contrast, Antarctic marine biotas are rich and diverse, and several phyla are represented at levels greater than global averages. There has been much debate on the relative importance of various physical factors that structure the characteristics of Antarctic biotas. This is especially so for temperature and seasonality, and their effects on physiology, life history and biodiversity. More recently, habitat age and persistence through previous ice maxima have been identified as key factors dictating biodiversity and endemism. Modern molecular methods have also recently been incorporated into many traditional areas of polar biology. Environmental predictability dictates many of the biological characters seen in all of these areas of Antarctic research. [source] High-throughput epidemiologic typing in clinical microbiologyCLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, Issue 2 2003A. Van Belkum Mapping, and ultimately preventing, the dissemination of infectious agents is an important topic in public health. Newly developed molecular,microbiological methods have contributed significantly to recent advances in the efficient tracking of the nosocomial and environmental spread of microbial pathogens. Not only has the application of novel technologies led to improved understanding of microbial epidemiology, but the concepts of population structure and dynamics of many of the medically significant microorganisms have advanced significantly also. Currently, genetic identification of microbes is also within the reach of clinical microbiology laboratory professionals including those without specialized technology research interests. This review summarizes the possibilities for high-throughput molecular,microbiological typing in adequately equipped medical microbiology laboratories from both clinical and fundamental research perspectives. First, the development and application of methods for large-scale comparative typing of serially isolated microbial strains are discussed. The outcome of studies employing these methods allows for long-term epidemiologic surveillance of infectious diseases. Second, recent methods enable an almost nucleotide-by-nucleotide genetic comparison of smaller numbers of strains, thereby facilitating the identification of the genetic basis of, for instance, medically relevant microbiological traits. Whereas the first approach provides insights into the dynamic spread of infectious agents, the second provides insights into intragenomic dynamics and genetic functionality. The current state of technology is summarized, and future perspectives are sketched. [source] Regulatory impact on insect biotechnology and pest managementENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2007Chris A. WOZNIAK Abstract The application of insect biotechnology is promising for the development of environmentally compatible pest management solutions. As we have refined and enhanced genetic engineering techniques in several insect species that cause significant economic loss and public health injury, it has become clear that insect biotechnology will move forward as one of the key tools of pest management in agriculture and in the human environment. Well characterized genetic elements can be manipulated toward specific aims and maintain a viable insect, albeit one with diminished capacity to exchange genetic material, vector a virus or bacterium, or complete its life cycle. Despite this degree of knowledge and precision, there remain unanswered questions regarding environmental fate, release and public acceptance of this technology. The uncertainty surrounding any novel technology inevitably increases the level of regulatory scrutiny associated with its use. Although the term "insect biotechnology" has many connotations, it certainly includes the genetic modification of symbiotic or commensally associated microbes as a means of delivering a trait (e.g. a toxin) to manage plant and human diseases and insect pests. The distinction between this paratransgenic approach and direct genetic modification of insect pests is an important one biologically as well as from a regulatory standpoint. The regulatory framework for microbial applications to agriculture is in many instances in place; however, we must strive to forge the development of guidelines and regulations that will foster deployment of insect biotechnologies. [source] Scaffold-Mediated 2D Cellular Orientations for Construction of Three Dimensionally Engineered Tissues Composed of Oriented Cells and Extracellular MatricesADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 7 2009Hiroaki Yoshida Abstract Various hydrogels, such as poly(, -glutamic acid) (, -PGA), gelatin (GT), alginic acid (Alg), and agarose (Aga), with 3D interconnected and oriented fibrous pores (OP gels) are prepared for 3D polymeric cellular scaffolds by using silica fiber cloth (SC) as template. After the preparation of these hydrogels with the SC templates, the latter are subsequently removed by washing with hydrofluoric acid solution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) clearly shows OP structures in the hydrogels. These various types of OP gels are successfully prepared in this way, independently of the crosslinking mechanism, such as chemical (, -PGA or GT), coordinate-bonded (Alg), or hydrogen-bonded (Aga) crosslinks. SEM, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and histological evaluations clearly demonstrate that mouse L929 fibroblast cells adhere to and extend along these OP structures on/in , -PGA hydrogels during 3D cell culture. The L929 cells that adhere on/in the oriented hydrogel are viable and proliferative. Furthermore, 3D engineered tissues, composed of the oriented cells and extracellular matrices (ECM) produced by the cells, are constructed in vitro by subsequent decomposition of the hydrogel with cysteine after 14 days of cell culture. This novel technology to fabricate 3D-engineered tissues, consisting of oriented cells and ECM, will be useful for tissue engineering. [source] Reversal of doxorubicin resistance in breast cancer cells by photochemical internalizationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 11 2006Pei-Jen Lou Abstract Multiple drug resistance (MDR) is a problem that seriously reduces the efficacy of many chemotherapy agents. One mechanism for MDR is increased acidification of endocytic vesicles and increased cytosol pH, so weak base chemotherapeutic agents, including doxorubicin, are trapped in endocytic vesicles and exhibit a drug resistant phenotype. Treatments that selectively reverse this accumulation may therefore reverse the MDR phenotype. Photochemical internalization (PCI) is a novel technology developed for site-specific enhancement of the therapeutic efficacy of macromolecules by selective photochemical rupture of endocytic vesicles and consequent release of endocytosed macromolecules into the cytosol. This study evaluates PCI for release of doxorubicin from endocytic vesicles in MDR cells. Two breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADR (the latter resistant to doxorubicin), were selected. They were found equally sensitive to photochemical treatment with the photosensitiser TPPS2a (disulfonated meso-tetraphenylporphine) and light. On exposure to doxorubicin alone, the IC50 (drug concentration for 50% reduction in colony formation) was 0.1 ,M for MCF-7 and 1 ,M for MCF-7/ADR. After PCI (photochemical treatment followed by doxorubicin), the IC50 concentration was 0.1 ,M for both cell lines. Comparable changes were seen with assay of cell viability using 3-(4,5-dimethyltiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT). On fluorescence microscopy in MCF-7/ADR cells, doxorubicin localised in granules identified as lysosomes. After PCI, doxorubicin was released into the cytosol and entered cell nuclei, as was seen in MCF-7 cells without PCI. In conclusion, PCI reversed the MDR phenotype of doxorubicin resistant breast cancer cells by endo-lysosomal release of the drug. The technique is a promising new approach to tackling the problem of MDR. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Use of a novel technology for presenting screening measures to detect mild cognitive impairment in elderly patientsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 9 2010D. W. Wright Summary Background:, Available screening tools for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), often a precursor to Alzheimer's disease, are insensitive or not feasible for administration in a busy primary care setting. Display Enhanced TEsting for Cognitive impairment and Traumatic brain injury (DETECTÔ) addresses these issues by creating an immersive environment for the brief administration of neuropsychological (NP) measures. Objective:, The aim of this study was to determine if the DETECTÔ cognitive subtests can identify MCI patients as accurately as standard pen and paper NP tests. Methods:, Twenty patients with MCI recruited from a memory disorders clinic and 20 age-matched controls were given both a full battery of NP tests (standard NP) and the DETECTÔ screen. Logistic regression models were used to determine whether individual tests were predictive of group membership (MCI or control). Demographic variables including age, race, education and gender were adjusted as covariates. Selection methods were used to identify subset models that exhibited maximum discrimination between MCI patients and controls for both testing methods. Results:, Both the standard NP model (C-index = 0.836) and the DETECTÔ model (C-index = 0.865) showed very good discrimination and were not significantly different (p = 0.7323). Conclusion:, The DETECTÔ system shows good agreement with standard NP tests and is capable of identifying elderly patients with cognitive impairment. [source] Infrared Microscopic Imaging of Bone: Spatial Distribution of CO32,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 5 2001H. Ou-Yang Abstract This article describes a novel technology for quantitative determination of the spatial distribution of CO32, substitution in bone mineral using infrared (IR) imaging at ,6 ,m spatial resolution. This novel technology consists of an IR array detector of 64 × 64 elements mapped to a 400 ,m × 400 ,m spot at the focal plane of an IR microscope. During each scan, a complete IR spectrum is acquired from each element in the array. The variation of any IR parameter across the array may be mapped. In the current study, a linear relationship was observed between the band area or the peak height ratio of the CO32, v3 contour at 1415 cm,1 to the PO43, v1,v3 contour in a series of synthetic carbonated apatites. The correlation coefficient between the spectroscopically and analytically determined ratios (R2 = 0.989) attests to the practical utility of this IR area ratio for determination of bone CO32, levels. The relationship forms the basis for the determination of CO32, in tissue sections using IR imaging. In four images of trabecular bone the average CO32, levels were 5.95 wt% (2298 data points), 6.67% (2040 data points), 6.66% (1176 data points), and 6.73% (2256 data points) with an overall average of 6.38 ± 0.14% (7770 data points). The highest levels of CO32, were found at the edge of the trabeculae and immediately adjacent to the Haversian canal. Examination of parameters derived from the phosphate v1,v3 contour of the synthetic apatites revealed that the crystallinity/perfection of the hydroxyapatite (HA) crystals was diminished as CO32, levels increased. The methodology described will permit evaluation of the spatial distribution of CO32, levels in diseased and normal mineralized tissues. [source] Designing ubiquitous computing to enhance children's learning in museumsJOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING, Issue 4 2006T. Hall Abstract In recent years, novel paradigms of computing have emerged, which enable computational power to be embedded in artefacts and in environments in novel ways. These developments may create new possibilities for using computing to enhance learning. This paper presents the results of a design process that set out to explore interactive techniques, which utilized ubiquitous computer technology, to stimulate active participation, involvement and learning by children visiting a museum. Key stakeholders, such as museum curators and docents, were involved throughout the process of creating the exhibition, Re-Tracing the Past, in the Hunt Museum, Limerick, Ireland. The paper describes aspects of the evaluation of the exhibition, which involved 326 schoolchildren (ages 9,12-year-old), and which exemplifies important features of the design and use of the novel technology in the museum. The paper concludes by articulating a series of design guidelines for developing ubiquitous computing to enhance children's learning in museums. These guidelines relate 12 experiential criteria to five supporting design informants and resources. The guidelines encompass important dimensions of children's educational experience in museums, including collaboration, engagement, active interpretation, and materiality. While developed in a museum context, these guidelines could be applied to the development of novel computing to enhance children's learning in other educational environments, both formal and informal. [source] INACTIVATION OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS EXPOSED TO DENSE-PHASE CARBON DIOXIDE IN A BATCH SYSTEMJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 1 2009HUACHUN HUANG ABSTRACT The inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus exposed to dense-phase carbon dioxide (DPCD) was investigated, and the kinetics of come-up time (CUT) in pressurization was monitored with come-down time (CDT) and temperature fluctuation in depressurization. CUT was about 2.5, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.0 min; CDT was 3.4, 3.7, 4.5 and 4.5 min; lowest temperature of samples in depressurization was 4, ,1, ,15 and ,22C, corresponding to 10, 20, 30 and 40 MPa at 37C. The inactivation behavior of S. aureus was closely related to the variables of process pressure, holding-pressure time (HPT), process temperature and process cycling. The log reduction of S. aureus at 40 MPa for 30-min HPT was significantly greater (P < 0.05), but the inactivation effect at 10, 20 and 30 MPa was similar. The log reduction of S. aureus at 30 and 40 MPa for 60-min HPT was similar and significantly greater (P < 0.05), while the inactivation effect at 10 and 20 MPa was similar. The inactivation of S. aureus against HPT conformed to a fast,slow biphase kinetics; the two stages were well fitted to a first-order model with higher regression coefficients R2 = 1.000 and 0.9238; their respective D values (decimal reduction time) were 16.52 and 70.42 min. As the process temperature increased, the log reduction of S. aureus increased significantly (P < 0.05); the inactivation kinetics of S. aureus versus process temperature was characterized with a fast inactivation rate from 32 to 45C and a slow inactivation rate from 45 to 55C. As compared to one-process cycling for a total of 60-min HPT, four-process cycling resulted in a significant reduction of S. aureus, and its maximal reduction was near to 5 log cycles, indicating that more process cycling caused more inactivation of S. aureus under identical pressure and temperature with equal HPT. However, the maximal reduction was 0.09 and 0.12 log cycles for two- and four-process cyclings with 0-min HPT, indicating that pressurization and depressurization had a lesser effect on the inactivation of S. aureus, while HPT was significant in DPCD to inactivate S. aureus. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Dense-phase carbon dioxide (DPCD) is a novel technology to achieve cold pasteurization and/or sterilization of liquid and solid materials, and is likely to replace or partially substitute currently and widely applied thermal processes. This study showed that DPCD effectively inactivated Staphylococcus aureus inoculated in 7.5% sodium chloride broth, and the inactivation behavior of S. aureus was closely related to the pressure, holding-pressure time, temperature and process cycling. Based on this observation, the technology of DPCD can be applied in the pasteurization of foods such as milk and various fruit juices, especially thermal-sensitive materials. [source] CONSUMER PERCEPTION OF IRRADIATED FRUIT: A CASE STUDY USING CHOICE-BASED CONJOINT ANALYSISJOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 2 2010ROSIRES DELIZA ABSTRACT Papaya is a popular fruit among Brazilian consumers, but one problem is that fruit ripens quickly due to the high temperatures of the country. Irradiation is an effective way of slowing down ripening, hereby increasing shelf-life, but consumer acceptance of this novel technology is paramount for its successful introduction by industry. Using conjoint analysis, this research measures consumer acceptance of irradiated papaya fruit in a sample of urban Brazilian consumers. The study assesses the joint influence of product appearance, price and information about the use of irradiation for consumer choice. Real fruit was used and consumer responses were collected through intercept interviews in supermarkets. These two empirical aspects add external validity to the research. The responses from a convenience sample of 168 consumers from Rio de Janeiro revealed that the product appearance, as a proxy for product quality, was the most important factor influencing decision to purchase papaya. Price was of lesser importance. The participants in this study did not reject papaya due to the labelled information about the use of irradiation. This suggests irradiation as a viable alternative for fruit producers. Consumers demonstrated no knowledge about food irradiation, and education initiatives may be useful as a strategy to aid commercial introduction of irradiated papaya in Brazil. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This study has important practical implications for Brazilian agribusinesses because it contributes to our understanding of the relationship between market changes, consumer behavior, food products and processing technologies. It has shown that sensory appearance was the key factor influencing Brazilian consumers' choice of papaya, however, more education and information regarding irradiation technology should be provided. The results suggest that irradiation could be used in Brazil and provide a viable alternative to fruit producers. As a consequence, these results are useful for strategic planning of consumer education regarding food irradiation (with emphasis on the benefits of processing and addressing the myths), something which could, eventually, contribute to a more favorable consumer response to the technology. [source] The Impact of Communication Strategy on Launching New Products: The Moderating Role of Product InnovativenessTHE JOURNAL OF PRODUCT INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2003Yikuan Lee Academic literature is filled with debate on whether product innovativeness positively impacts new product performance (NPP) because of increasing competitive advantage or negatively impacts performance due to consumers' fears of novel technology and resultant resistance to adopt. This study investigates this issue by modeling product innovativeness as a moderator that influences the relationship between communication strategy and new product performance. The authors emphasize that the impact of innovativeness to producers is different from that to consumers and that the differences have strategic impact when commercializing highly innovative products. Product innovativeness is conceptualized as multidimensional, and each dimension is tested separately. Four dimensions of innovativeness are explored,product newness to the firm, market newness to the firm, product superiority to the customer, and adoption difficulty for the customer. In this study, communication strategy is comprised of preannouncement strategy and advertising strategy. First, the relationship between whether or not a preannouncement is offered and NPP is explored. Then three types of preannouncement messages (customer education, anticipation creation, and market preemption) are investigated. Advertising strategy is characterized by whether the advertisement campaign at the time of launch was based primarily on emotional or functional appeals. Using empirical results from 284 surveys of product managers, the authors find that the relationship between communication strategy and NPP is moderated by innovativeness, and that the relationships differ not only by degree but also by type of innovativeness. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [source] Feasibility of an Interactive Voice Response Tool for Adolescent Assault VictimsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 10 2009Mercedes M. Blackstone MD Abstract Background:, Assault-injured adolescents who are seen in the emergency department (ED) are difficult to follow prospectively using standard research techniques such as telephone calls or mailed questionnaires. Interactive voice response (IVR) is a novel technology that promotes active participation of subjects and allows automated data collection for prospective studies. Objectives:, The objective was to determine the feasibility of IVR technology for collecting prospective information from adolescents who were enrolled in an ED-based study of interpersonal violence. Methods:, A convenience sample of assault-injured 12- to 19-year-olds presenting to an urban, tertiary care ED was enrolled prospectively. Each subject completed a brief questionnaire in the ED and then was randomly assigned to use the IVR system in differently timed schedules over a period of 8 weeks: weekly, biweekly, or monthly calls. Upon discharge, each subject received a gift card incentive and a magnetic calendar with his or her prospective call-in dates circled on it. Each time a subject contacted the toll-free number, he or she used the telephone's keypad to respond to computer-voice questions about retaliation and violence subsequent to the ED visit. Using Internet access, we added $5 to the gift card for each call and $10 if all scheduled calls were completed. The primary outcome was the rate of the first utilization of the IVR system. The numbers of completed calls made for each of the three call-in schedules were also compared. Results:, Of the 95 subjects who consented to the follow-up portion of the study, 44.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 34.0% to 54.8%) completed at least one IVR call, and 13.7% (95% CI = 7.5% to 22.3%) made all of their scheduled calls. There were no significant differences among groups in the percentage of subjects calling at least once into the system or in the percentage of requested calls made. The enrolled subjects had a high level of exposure to violence. At baseline, 85.3% (95% CI = 76.5% to 91.7%) had heard gunshots fired, and 84.2% (95% CI = 75.3% to 90.9%) had seen someone being assaulted. Twenty-eight adolescents (29.5%, 95% CI = 20.6% to 39.7%) were reached for satisfaction interviews. All of those contacted found the IVR system easy to use and all but one would use it again. Conclusions:, Interactive voice response technology is a feasible means of follow-up among high-risk violently injured adolescents, and this relatively anonymous process allows for the collection of sensitive information. Further research is needed to determine the optimal timing of calls and cost-effectiveness in this population. [source] 18F-flutemetamol amyloid imaging in Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment: A phase 2 trialANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 3 2010Rik Vandenberghe MD Objective The most widely studied positron emission tomography ligand for in vivo ,-amyloid imaging is 11C-Pittsburgh compound B (11C-PIB). Its availability, however, is limited by the need for an on-site cyclotron. Validation of the 18F-labeled PIB derivative 18F-flutemetamol could significantly enhance access to this novel technology. Methods Twenty-seven patients with early-stage clinically probable Alzheimer disease (AD), 20 with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 15 cognitively intact healthy volunteers (HVs) above and 10 HVs below 55 years of age participated. The primary endpoint was the efficacy of blinded visual assessments of 18F-flutemetamol scans in assigning subjects to a raised versus normal uptake category, with clinical diagnosis as the standard of truth (SOT). As secondary objectives, we determined the correlation between the regional standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) for 18F-flutemetamol and its parent molecule 11C-PIB in 20 of the AD subjects and 20 of the MCI patients. We also determined test-retest variability of 18F-flutemetamol SUVRs in 5 of the AD subjects. Results Blinded visual assessments of 18F-flutemetamol scans assigned 25 of 27 scans from AD subjects and 1 of 15 scans from the elderly HVs to the raised category, corresponding to a sensitivity of 93.1% and a specificity of 93.3% against the SOT. Correlation coefficients between cortical 18F-flutemetamol SUVRs and 11C-PIB SUVRs ranged from 0.89 to 0.92. Test-retest variabilities of regional SUVRs were 1 to 4%. Interpretation 18F-Flutemetamol performs similarly to the 11C-PIB parent molecule within the same subjects and provides high test-retest replicability and potentially much wider accessibility for clinical and research use. ANN NEUROL 2010 [source] Using ColE1-derived RNA I for suppression of a bacterially encoded gene: implication for a novel plasmid addiction systemBIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 6 2006Irene Pfaffenzeller Abstract The use of plasmid DNA for gene therapeutical purposes is a novel technology with advantages and drawbacks. One of the required improvements is to avoid antibiotic resistance genes or other additional sequences for selection within the plasmid. Here, we describe an alternative approach to equip a ColE1 plasmid with a regulatory function within the cell, which could be used for selection of plasmid carrying cells. No additional sequences are required, since the mechanism is based on RNA/RNA antisense interaction involving the naturally occurring RNA I derived from the plasmid's origin of replication. The plasmid replicational regulatory network was linked to the transcriptional regulatory network of an engineered target gene, present on the bacterial chromosome. Thus, gene suppression of a reporter could be achieved by mere presence of the ColE1-type plasmid pBR322. Proof of this concept was shown in shaker-flask experiments and fed-batch fermentation processes. The strategy of regulating gene expression by plasmid replication implicates a novel strategy for plasmid selection, as the gene to be suppressed could be toxic or growth hampering, providing advantage to plasmid carrying host cells. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||