Multiple superoxide dismutase 1/splicing factor serine alanine 15 variants are associated with the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy:the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications Genetics study

Despite familial clustering of nephropathy and retinopathy severity in type 1 diabetes, few gene variants have been consistently associated with these outcomes.

Preliminary Development and Evaluation of Fiber-Optic Chemical Sensors

This paper could be consider seminal in the Civil Engineering field as it describes the first application of these sensors to a complex durability and management issue. For this reason it is potentially controversial as it requires Civil Engineers to re-evaluate the nature and scale of durability testing.

Extracellular BMP-antagonist regulation in development and disease: tied up in knots

Developmental processes are regulated by the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family of secreted molecules. BMPs bind to serine/threonine kinase receptors and signal through the canonical Smad pathway and other intracellular effectors. Integral to the control of BMPs is a diverse group of secreted BMP antagonists that bind to BMPs and prevent engagement with their cognate receptors. Tight temporospatial regulation of both BMP and BMP-antagonist expression provides an exquisite control system for developing tissues. Additional facets of BMP-antagonist biology, such as crosstalk with Wnt and Sonic hedgehog signaling during development, have been revealed in recent years. In addition, previously unappreciated roles for the BMP antagonists in kidney fibrosis and cancer have been elucidated. This review provides a description of BMP-antagonist biology, together with highlights of recent novel insights into the role of these antagonists in development, signal transduction and human disease.

Development and characterization of 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci for the blue shark, Prionace glauca, and their cross shark-species amplification.

Ten polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci were developed from a microsatellite enriched genomic library of the blue shark, Prionace glauca. The utility of these markers for genetic studies of this globally distributed, heavily exploited, oceanic predator was assessed by screening 120 specimens sampled from six locations throughout the species’ range. Both moderately and highly polymorphic marker loci were identified. Three to 35 alleles were found to be segregating per locus (mean 10.1) with observed heterozygosities ranging from 24 to 91%. Evaluation of the cross-species amplification of these markers across 18 additional shark species indicates that these microsatellites are potentially useful for genetic studies of other species of conservation concern.

Development and validation of a fast monoclonal based disequilibrium enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of triphenylmethane dyes and their metabolites in fish

Malachite Green (MG), Crystal Violet (CV) and Brilliant Green (BC) are antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic agents that have been used for treatment and prevention of diseases in fish. These dyes are metabolized into reduced leuco forms (LMG, LCV, LBG) that can be present in fish muscles for a long period. Due to the carcinogenic properties they are banned for use in fish for human consumption in many countries including the European Union and the United States. HPLC and LC-MS techniques are generally used for the detection of these compounds and their metabolites in fish. This study presents the development of a fast enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method as an alternative for screening purposes. A first monoclonal cell line producing antibodies to MG was generated using a hybridoma technique. The antibody had good cross-reactivates with related chromatic forms of triphenylmethane dyes such as CV, BC, Methyl Green, Methyl Violet and Victoria Blue R. The monoclonal antibody (mAb) was used to develop a fast (20 min) disequilibrium ELISA screening method for the detection of triphenylmethanes in fish. By introducing an oxidation step with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ) during sample extraction the assay was also used to detect the presence of the reduced metabolites of triphenylmethanes. The detection capability of the assay was 1 ng g(-1) for MG, LMG, CV, LCV and BC which was below the minimum required performance limit (MRPL) for the detection method of total MG (sum of MG and LMG) set by the Commission Decision 2004/25/EC (2 ng g(-1)). The mean recoveries for fish samples spiked at 0.5 MRPL and MRPL levels with MG and LMG were between 74.9 and 117.0% and inter- and intra-assay coefficients of variation between 4.7 and 25.7%. The validated method allows the analysis of a batch of 20 samples in two to three hours. Additionally, this procedure is substantially faster than other ELISA methods developed for MG/LMG thus far. The stable and efficient monoclonal cell line obtained is an unlimited source of sensitive and specific antibody to MG and other triphenylmethanes. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and clinical validation of multiplex TaqMan® assays for rapid diagnosis of viral gastroenteritis.

There is a need to provide rapid, sensitive, and often high throughput detection of pathogens in diagnostic virology. Viral gastroenteritis is a serious health issue often leading to hospitalization in the young, the immunocompromised and the elderly. The common causes of viral gastroenteritis include rotavirus, norovirus (genogroups I and II), astrovirus, and group F adenoviruses (serotypes 40 and 41). This article describes the work-up of two internally controlled multiplex, probe-based PCR assays and reports on the clinical validation over a 3-year period, March 2007 to February 2010. Multiplex assays were developed using a combination of TaqMan™ and minor groove binder (MGB™) hydrolysis probes. The assays were validated using a panel of 137 specimens, previously positive via a nested gel-based assay. The assays had improved sensitivity for adenovirus, rotavirus, and norovirus (97.3% vs. 86.1%, 100% vs. 87.8%, and 95.1% vs. 79.5%, respectively) and also more specific for targets adenovirus, rotavirus, and norovirus (99% vs. 95.2%, 100% vs. 93.6%, and 97.9% vs. 92.3%, respectively). For the specimens tested, both assays had equal sensitivity and specificity for astrovirus (100%). Overall the probe-based assays detected 16 more positive specimens than the nested gel-based assay. Post-introduction to the routine diagnostic service, a total of 9,846 specimens were processed with multiplex 1 and 2 (7,053 pediatric, 2,793 adult) over the 3-year study period. This clinically validated, probe-based multiplex testing algorithm allows highly sensitive and timely diagnosis of the four most prominent causes of viral gastroenteritis.

Civic Republicanism and Green Political Theory

Republicanism and in particular the civic republican tradition is not often one that one finds in discusions and debates within green political theory. It is interesting to note the relative lack of engagement between republican political theory and green political theory, unlike for example the research one can find on the relationship between green politics/political theory and liberalism, socialism and feminism. This is remarkable, given, as I hope to establish in this paper, the large areas of overlap between both, and in particular the compatibility of republican ideas and positions with key priciples and objectives of green theory, paricularly in relation to active citizenship, the centrality of recognising vulnerability and a commitment to liberty (as non-domination) and pluralism as key components of the transition to a more sustainable society.