Traveling dark-bright solitons in a reduced spin-orbit coupled system: application to Bose-Einstein condensates

In the present work, we explore the potential of spin-orbit (SO) coupled Bose-Einstein condensates to support multi-component solitonic states in the form of dark-bright (DB) solitons. In the case where Raman linear coupling between components is absent, we use a multiscale expansion method to reduce the model to the integrable Mel'nikov system. The soliton solutions of the latter allow us to reconstruct approximate traveling DB solitons for the reduced SO coupled system. For small values of the formal perturbation parameter, the resulting waveforms propagate undistorted, while for large values thereof, they shed some dispersive radiation, and subsequently distill into a robust propagating structure. After quantifying the relevant radiation effect, we also study the dynamics of DB solitons in a parabolic trap, exploring how their oscillation frequency varies as a function of the bright component mass and the Raman laser wavenumber

Fluorescence Signal Enhancement in Antibody Microarrays Using Lightguiding Nanowires

Fluorescence-based detection assays play an essential role in the life sciences and medicine. To offer better detection sensitivity and lower limits of detection (LOD), there is a growing need for novel platforms with an improved readout capacity. In this context, substrates containing semiconductor nanowires may offer significant advantages, due to their proven light-emission enhancing, waveguiding properties, and increased surface area. To demonstrate and evaluate the potential of such nanowires in the context of diagnostic assays, we have in this work adopted a well-established single-chain fragment antibody-based assay, based on a protocol previously designed for biomarker detection using planar microarrays, to freestanding, SiO2-coated gallium phosphide nanowires. The assay was used for the detection of protein biomarkers in highly complex human serum at high dilution. The signal quality was quantified and compared with results obtained on conventional flat silicon and plastic substrates used in the established microarray applications. Our results show that using the nanowire-sensor platform in combination with conventional readout methods, improves the signal intensity, contrast, and signal-to-noise by more than one order of magnitude compared to flat surfaces. The results confirm the potential of lightguiding nanowires for signal enhancement and their capacity to improve the LOD of standard diagnostic assays

Identification of a serum biomarker signature associated with metastatic prostate cancer

Purpose: Improved early diagnosis and determination of aggressiveness of prostate cancer (PC) is important to select suitable treatment options and to decrease over-treatment. The conventional marker is total prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels in blood, but lacks specificity and ability to accurately discriminate indolent from aggressive disease. Experimental design: In this study, we sought to identify a serum biomarker signature associated with metastatic PC. We measured 157 analytes in 363 serum samples from healthy subjects, patients with non-metastatic PC and patients with metastatic PC, using a recombinant antibody microarray. Results: A signature consisting of 69 proteins differentiating metastatic PC patients from healthy controls was identified. Conclusions and clinical relevance: The clinical value of this biomarker signature requires validation in larger independent patient cohorts before providing a new prospect for detection of metastatic PC

The Interface of Pancreatic Cancer With Diabetes, Obesity, and Inflammation: Research Gaps and Opportunities: Summary of a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Workshop.

A workshop on "The Interface of Pancreatic Cancer with Diabetes, Obesity, and Inflammation: Research Gaps and Opportunities" was held by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases on October 12, 2017. The purpose of the workshop was to explore the relationship and possible mechanisms of the increased risk of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) related to diabetes, the role of altered intracellular energy metabolism in PDAC, the mechanisms and biomarkers of diabetes caused by PDAC, the mechanisms of the increased risk of PDAC associated with obesity, and the role of inflammatory events and mediators as contributing causes of the development of PDAC. Workshop faculty reviewed the state of the current knowledge in these areas and made recommendations for future research efforts. Further knowledge is needed to elucidate the basic mechanisms contributing to the role of hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, adipokines, and acute and chronic inflammatory events on the development of PDAC

A genomic biomarker signature can predict skin sensitizers using a cell-based in vitro alternative to animal tests

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Allergic contact dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease that affects a significant proportion of the population. This disease is caused by an adverse immune response towards chemical haptens, and leads to a substantial economic burden for society. Current test of sensitizing chemicals rely on animal experimentation. New legislations on the registration and use of chemicals within pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries have stimulated significant research efforts to develop alternative, human cell-based assays for the prediction of sensitization. The aim is to replace animal experiments with in vitro tests displaying a higher predictive power.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have developed a novel cell-based assay for the prediction of sensitizing chemicals. By analyzing the transcriptome of the human cell line MUTZ-3 after 24 h stimulation, using 20 different sensitizing chemicals, 20 non-sensitizing chemicals and vehicle controls, we have identified a biomarker signature of 200 genes with potent discriminatory ability. Using a Support Vector Machine for supervised classification, the prediction performance of the assay revealed an area under the ROC curve of 0.98. In addition, categorizing the chemicals according to the LLNA assay, this gene signature could also predict sensitizing potency. The identified markers are involved in biological pathways with immunological relevant functions, which can shed light on the process of human sensitization.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A gene signature predicting sensitization, using a human cell line in vitro, has been identified. This simple and robust cell-based assay has the potential to completely replace or drastically reduce the utilization of test systems based on experimental animals. Being based on human biology, the assay is proposed to be more accurate for predicting sensitization in humans, than the traditional animal-based tests.</p

Acute mountain sickness.

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a clinical syndrome occurring in otherwise healthy normal individuals who ascend rapidly to high altitude. Symptoms develop over a period ofa few hours or days. The usual symptoms include headache, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, unsteadiness of gait, undue dyspnoea on moderate exertion and interrupted sleep. AMS is unrelated to physical fitness, sex or age except that young children over two years of age are unduly susceptible. One of the striking features ofAMS is the wide variation in individual susceptibility which is to some extent consistent. Some subjects never experience symptoms at any altitude while others have repeated attacks on ascending to quite modest altitudes. Rapid ascent to altitudes of 2500 to 3000m will produce symptoms in some subjects while after ascent over 23 days to 5000m most subjects will be affected, some to a marked degree. In general, the more rapid the ascent, the higher the altitude reached and the greater the physical exertion involved, the more severe AMS will be. Ifthe subjects stay at the altitude reached there is a tendency for acclimatization to occur and symptoms to remit over 1-7 days

Precision diagnostics : moving towards protein biomarker signatures of clinical utility in cancer

Interest in precision diagnostics has been fuelled by the concept that early detection of cancer would benefit patients; that is, if detected early, more tumours should be resectable and treatment more efficacious. Serum contains massive amounts of potentially diagnostic information, and affinity proteomics has risen as an accurate approach to decipher this, to generate actionable information that should result in more precise and evidence-based options to manage cancer. To achieve this, we need to move from single to multiplex biomarkers, a so-called signature, that can provide significantly increased diagnostic accuracy. This Opinion article focuses on the progress being made in identifying protein biomarker signatures of clinical utility, using blood-based proteomics

Testing Human Skin and Respiratory Sensitizers—What Is Good Enough?

Alternative methods for accurate in vitro assessment of skin and respiratory sensitizers are urgently needed. Sensitization is a complex biological process that cannot be evaluated accurately using single events or biomarkers, since the information content is too restricted in these measurements. On the contrary, if the tremendous information content harbored in DNA/mRNA could be mined, most complex biological processes could be elucidated. Genomic technologies available today, including transcriptional profiling and next generation sequencing, have the power to decipher sensitization, when used in the right context. Thus, a genomic test platform has been developed, denoted the Genomic Allergen Rapid Detection (GARD) assay. Due to the high informational content of the GARD test, accurate predictions of both the skin and respiratory sensitizing capacity of chemicals, have been demonstrated. Based on a matured dendritic cell line, acting as a human-like reporter system, information about potency has also been acquired. Consequently, multiparametric diagnostic technologies are disruptive test principles that can change the way in which the next generation of alternative methods are designed