Use of phage display technology to investigate allergen-antibody interactions

Phage display is an advanced technology that can be used to characterize the interactions of antibody with antigen at the molecular level. It provides valuable data when applied to the investigation of IgE interaction with allergens. The aim of this rostrum article is to provide an explanation of the potential of phage display for increasing the understanding of allergen- IgE interaction, the discovery of diagnostic reagents, and the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of allergic disease. The significance of initial studies that have applied phage display technology in allergy research will be highlighted. Phage display has been used to clone human IgE to timothy grass pollen allergen Phl p 5, to characterize the epitopes for murine and human antibodies to a birch pollen allergen Bet v 1, and to elucidate the epitopes of a murine mAb to the house dust mite allergen Der p 1. The technology has identified peptides that functionally mimic sites of human IgE constant domains and that were used to raise antiserum for blocking binding of IgE to the FcεRI on basophils and subsequent release of histamine. Phage display has also been used to characterize novel peanut and fungal allergens. The method has been used to increase our understanding of the molecular basis of allergen-IgE interactions and to develop clinically relevant reagents with the pharmacologic potential to block the effector phase of allergic reactions. Many advances from these early studies are likely as phage display technology evolves and allergists gain expertise in its research applications.

Mimotopes identified by phage display for the monoclonal antibody CII- C1 to type II collagen

The characterization of B cell epitopes has been advanced by the use of random peptide libraries displayed within the coat protein of bacteriophage. This technique was applied to the monoclonal antibody (mAb) C1 to type II collagen (CII-C1). CII-C1 is known to react with a conformational epitope on type II collagen that includes residues 359-363. Three rounds of selection were used to screen two random nonameric phage libraries and 18 phagotopes were isolated. CII-C1 reacted by ELISA with 17 of the 18 phagotopes: one phagotope contained a stop codon. Of the eight most reactive phage, seven inhibited the reactivity by ELISA of CII-C1 with type II collagen. Of the 18 phage isolated, 11 encoded the motif F-G-x-Q with the sequence F-G-S-Q in 6, 2 encoded F-G-Q, and one the reverse motif Q-x-y-F. Most phagotopes that inhibited the reactivity of CII-C1 encoded two particular motifs consisting of two basic amino acid residues and a hydrophobic residue in the first part of the insert and the F-G-x-Q or F-G-Q motif ill the second part; phagotopes which contained only one basic residue in the first part of the sequence were less reactive. These motifs are not represented in the linear sequence of type II collagen and thus represent mimotopes of the epitope for CII-C1 on type II collagen. There were five phagotopes with peptide inserts containing the sequence RLPFG occurring in the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen, EBNA- 1. This is of interest because EBV has been implicated in the initiation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by reason of increased reactivity to EBNA-1 in RA sera. In conclusion, the phage display technique disclosed mimotopes for a conformational epitope of type II collagen, and revealed an interesting homology with a sequence of the EBNA-1 antigen from Epstein Barr virus.

Exploring collaborative modeling of business processes on large interactive touch display walls - video

Analyzing and redesigning business processes is a complex task, which requires the collaboration of multiple actors. Current approaches focus on collaborative modeling workshops where process stakeholders verbally contribute their perspective on a process while modeling experts translate their contributions and integrate them into a model using traditional input devices. Limiting participants to verbal contributions not only affects the outcome of collaboration but also collaboration itself. We created CubeBPM – a system that allows groups of actors to interact with process models through a touch based interface on a large interactive touch display wall. We are currently in the process of conducting a study that aims at assessing the impact of CubeBPM on collaboration and modeling performance. Initial results presented in this paper indicate that the setting helped participants to become more active in collaboration.

Exploring collaborative modeling of business processes on large interactive touch display walls

Analyzing and redesigning business processes is a complex task, which requires the collaboration of multiple actors. Current approaches focus on collaborative modeling workshops where process stakeholders verbally contribute their perspective on a process while modeling experts translate their contributions and integrate them into a model using traditional input devices. Limiting participants to verbal contributions not only affects the outcome of collaboration but also collaboration itself. We created CubeBPM – a system that allows groups of actors to interact with process models through a touch based interface on a large interactive touch display wall. We are currently in the process of conducting a study that aims at assessing the impact of CubeBPM on collaboration and modeling performance. Initial results presented in this paper indicate that the setting helped participants to become more active in collaboration.

Towards collaborative modeling of business processes on large interactive touch display walls

Analyzing and redesigning business processes is a complex task, which requires the collaboration of multiple actors. Current approaches focus on workshops where process stakeholders together with modeling experts create a graphical visualization of a process in a model. Within these workshops, stakeholders are mostly limited to verbal contributions, which are integrated into a process model by a modeling expert using traditional input devices. This limitation negatively affects the collaboration outcome and also the perception of the collaboration itself. In order to overcome this problem we created CubeBPM – a system that allows groups of actors to interact with process models through a touch based interface on a large interactive touch display wall. Using this system for collaborative modeling, we expect to provide a more effective collaboration environment thus improving modeling performance and collaboration.

Raman microscopy of formamide-intercalated kaolinites treated by controlled-rate thermal analysis technology

Raman spectroscopy of formamide-intercalated kaolinites treated using controlled-rate thermal analysis technology (CRTA), allowing the separation of adsorbed formamide from intercalated formamide in formamide-intercalated kaolinites, is reported. The Raman spectra of the CRTA-treated formamide-intercalated kaolinites are significantly different from those of the intercalated kaolinites, which display a combination of both intercalated and adsorbed formamide. An intense band is observed at 3629 cm-1, attributed to the inner surface hydroxyls hydrogen bonded to the formamide. Broad bands are observed at 3600 and 3639 cm-1, assigned to the inner surface hydroxyls, which are hydrogen bonded to the adsorbed water molecules. The hydroxyl-stretching band of the inner hydroxyl is observed at 3621 cm-1 in the Raman spectra of the CRTA-treated formamide-intercalated kaolinites. The results of thermal analysis show that the amount of intercalated formamide between the kaolinite layers is independent of the presence of water. Significant differences are observed in the CO stretching region between the adsorbed and intercalated formamide.

Comparative Electrochemical Study of Unsubstituted and Substituted Bis(phthalocyaninato) Rare Earth(III) Complexes

The electrochemistry of homoleptic substituted phthalocyaninato rare earth double-decker complexes M(TBPc)2 and M(OOPc)2 [M = Y, La...Lu except Pm; H2TBPc = 3(4),12(13),21(22),30(31)-tetra-tert-butylphthalocyanine, H2OOPc = 3,4,12,13,21,22,30,31-octakis(octyloxy)phthalocyanine] has been comparatively studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) in CH2Cl2 containing 0.1 M tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate (TBAP). Two quasi-reversible one-electron oxidations and three or four quasi-reversible one-electron reductions have been revealed for these neutral double-deckers of two series of substituted complexes, respectively. For comparison, unsubstituted bis(phthalocyaninato) rare earth analogues M(Pc)2 (M = Y, La...Lu except Pm; H2Pc = phthalocyanine) have also been electrochemically investigated. Two quasi-reversible one-electron oxidations and up to five quasi-reversible one-electron reductions have been revealed for these neutral double-decker compounds. The three bis(phthalocyaninato)cerium compounds display one cerium-centered redox wave between the first ligand-based oxidation and reduction. The half-wave potentials of the first and second oxidations and first reduction for double-deckers of the tervalent rare earths depend on the size of the metal center. The difference between the redox potentials of the second and third reductions for MIII(Pc)2, which represents the potential difference between the first oxidation and first reduction of [MIII(Pc)2]−, lies in the range 1.08−1.37 V and also gradually diminishes along with the lanthanide contraction, indicating enhanced π−π interactions in the double-deckers connected by the smaller, lanthanides. This corresponds well with the red-shift of the lowest energy band observed in the electronic absorption spectra of reduced double-decker [MIII(Pc′)2]− (Pc′ = Pc, TBPc, OOPc).

Time-Dependent Density Functional Molecular Orbital and Excited State Calculations on Bis(porphyrinyl)butadiynes in the Monocationic, Neutral, Monoanionic, and Dianionic Oxidation States

We report a theoretical study of the multiple oxidation states (1+, 0, 1−, and 2−) of a meso,meso-linked diporphyrin, namely bis[10,15,20-triphenylporphyrinatozinc(II)-5-yl]butadiyne (4), using Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT). The origin of electronic transitions of singlet excited states is discussed in comparison to experimental spectra for the corresponding oxidation states of the close analogue bis{10,15,20-tris[3‘,5‘-di-tert-butylphenyl]porphyrinatozinc(II)-5-yl}butadiyne (3). The latter were measured in previous work under in situ spectroelectrochemical conditions. Excitation energies and orbital compositions of the excited states were obtained for these large delocalized aromatic radicals, which are unique examples of organic mixed-valence systems. The radical cations and anions of butadiyne-bridged diporphyrins such as 3 display characteristic electronic absorption bands in the near-IR region, which have been successfully predicted with use of these computational methods. The radicals are clearly of the “fully delocalized” or Class III type. The key spectral features of the neutral and dianionic states were also reproduced, although due to the large size of these molecules, quantitative agreement of energies with observations is not as good in the blue end of the visible region. The TDDFT calculations are largely in accord with a previous empirical model for the spectra, which was based simplistically on one-electron transitions among the eight key frontier orbitals of the C4 (1,4-butadiyne) linked diporphyrins.

Using the Internet to leverage sponsorships

This study considers the effectiveness of the Internet as a medium through which sponsorship investments can be leveraged. It considers the variables of sponsor-sponsee congruence,articulation, and the extent to which a sponsorship is leveraged via sponsor websites, in relation to consumer attitudes toward brand and company level variables across time. Results show that,consumer attitudes are more favourable for congruent sponsorships, those that are not articulated in commercially-oriented terms, and those that are leveraged via sponsor websites. Additionally, after a seven-day delay, leveraged sponsorships display sustained positive attitudes whereas those not leveraged display a decline in attitudes.

Youth Festival Music Performance : Deception Bay

Research Background - Young people with negative experiences of mainstream education often display low levels of traditional academic achievement. These young people tend to display considerable cultural and social resources developed through their repeated experiences of adversity. Education research has a duty to provide these young people with opportunities to showcase, assess and translate their social and cultural resources into symbolic forms of capital. This creative work addresses the following research question. How can educators develop disengaged teenager's social and cultural capital through live music performances? Research Contribution - These live music performances afford the young participants opportunities to display their artistic, technical, social and cultural resources through a popular cultural format. In doing so they require education institutions to provide venues that demonstrate the skills these young people acquire through flexible learning environments. The new knowledge derived from this research focuses on the academic and self confidence benefits for disengaged young people using festival performances as authentic learning activities. Research Significance - This research is significant because it aims to maximise the number of tangible outcomes related to a school-based arts project. The young participants gained technical, artistic, social and commercial skills during this project. This performance led to more recording and opportunities to perform at other youth festivals in SE QLD. Individual performances were distributed and downloaded via creative commons licences at the Australian Creative Resource Archive. It also contributed to their certified qualifications and acted as pilot research data for two competitively funded ARC grants (DP0209421 & LP0883643)

That's how it was, this is how it is

Research Background : Young people with negative experiences of mainstream education often display low levels of traditional literacy. These young people tend to display considerable cultural and social resources developed through their repeated experiences of adversity. Education research has a duty to provide these young people with opportunities to showcase, assess and translate their social and cultural resources into symbolic forms of capital. This creative work addresses the following research question. How can educators encourage disengaged youth to showcase their social and cultural capital through non-traditional literacy practices?----- Research Contribution : This DVD production of a music video affords the young participants opportunities to display their artistic, technical, social and cultural resources through a popular cultural format. In doing so it requires education institutions to assess alternative student outputs that demonstrate the skills these young people acquire as they re-engage in flexible learning environments. The new knowledge derived from this research centres on the retention and certification benefits for disengaged young people using popular culture and social enterprise as authentic learning activities.----- Research Significance : This research is significant because it aims to maximise the number of tangible outcomes related to a school-based arts project. The young participants gained technical, artistic, social and commercial skills during this project. The video sold at numerous youth festivals in SE QLD. It was distributed and downloaded via creative commons licences at the Australian Creative Resource Archive. It also contributed to their certified qualifications and acted as pilot research data for two competitively funded ARC grants (DP0209421 & LP0883643)

Designing interaction for local communications : an urban screen study

This paper discusses the ongoing design and use of a digital community noticeboard situated in a suburban hub. The design intention is to engage residents, collect and display local information and communications, and spark discussion. A key contribution is an understanding of Situated Display navigation that aids retrieval from a long-term collection created by and for suburban community, and engaging qualities of this collection.

Keeping giving going : charitable bequests and Australians

The potential of bequests to contribute to the sustainability of charities1 is immense, with social and economic trends opening up the bequest landscape. Yet so much is unknown about how Australians think about charitable bequests – particularly about the motivations, barriers and triggers surrounding this behaviour. Do bequestors differ from other donors? What prevents good intentions from becoming good actions? Where do charities figure in this process? This study aims at a better understanding of those Australians who make a charitable bequest and those who might. It offers individual charities, and the sector as a whole, empirical evidence to support and extend the anecdotal knowledge of those working with donors around this sensitive, but vital, area. This research has been supported by the Perpetual Foundation, the EF and SL Gluyas Trust and the Edward Corbould Charitable Trust under the management of Perpetual Trustee Company Ltd.

Web-based public participatory GIS

Decision support systems (DSS) have evolved rapidly during the last decade from stand alone or limited networked solutions to online participatory solutions. One of the major enablers of this change is the fastest growing areas of geographical information system (GIS) technology development that relates to the use of the Internet as a means to access, display, and analyze geospatial data remotely. World-wide many federal, state, and particularly local governments are designing to facilitate data sharing using interactive Internet map servers. This new generation DSS or planning support systems (PSS), interactive Internet map server, is the solution for delivering dynamic maps and GIS data and services via the world-wide Web, and providing public participatory GIS (PPGIS) opportunities to a wider community (Carver, 2001; Jankowski & Nyerges, 2001). It provides a highly scalable framework for GIS Web publishing, Web-based public participatory GIS (WPPGIS), which meets the needs of corporate intranets and demands of worldwide Internet access (Craig, 2002). The establishment of WPPGIS provides spatial data access through a support centre or a GIS portal to facilitate efficient access to and sharing of related geospatial data (Yigitcanlar, Baum, & Stimson, 2003). As more and more public and private entities adopt WPPGIS technology, the importance and complexity of facilitating geospatial data sharing is growing rapidly (Carver, 2003). Therefore, this article focuses on the online public participation dimension of the GIS technology. The article provides an overview of recent literature on GIS and WPPGIS, and includes a discussion on the potential use of these technologies in providing a democratic platform for the public in decision-making.

Youth Festival Music Performance : Kingston

Research Background - Young people with negative experiences of mainstream education often display low levels of traditional academic achievement. These young people tend to display considerable cultural and social resources developed through their repeated experiences of adversity. Education research has a duty to provide these young people with opportunities to showcase, assess and translate their social and cultural resources into symbolic forms of capital. This creative work addresses the research question, how can educators maximise the social and cultural capital they help young people acquire through live music performances and studio recordings? Research Contribution - This live music performance, built on existing artistic reputations of the artists, saw the lads support one of their local heroes from Brisbane Hip Hop music scene. In doing so they showcased what their three years of concerted musical engagement can achieve within supportive flexible learning environments. The new knowledge derived from this research focuses on the academic and self confidence benefits for disengaged young people using festival performances as authentic learning activities. Research Significance - This research is significant because it aims to maximise the number of tangible outcomes related to a school-based arts project. The young participants gained technical, artistic, social and commercial status during this project. Individual performances were distributed and downloaded via creative commons licences at the Australian Creative Resource Archive. This performance also contributed to their certified qualifications and acted as pilot research data for two competitively funded ARC grants (DP0209421 & LP0883643)