Building Research Supervision and Training across Australian Universities

`Building Research Supervision and Training in Australian Universities was undertaken with the aims of identifying existing higher degree research supervisor training provisions; identifying current and future needs of supervisors and making recommendations that assist universities in their ongoing development of effective higher degree research supervisor training

Fabrication of a Horizontal and a Vertical Large Surface Area Nanogap Electrochemical Sensor

Nanogap sensors have a wide range of applications as they can provide accurate direct detection of biomolecules through impedimetric or amperometric signals. Signal response from nanogap sensors is dependent on both the electrode spacing and surface area. However, creating large surface area nanogap sensors presents several challenges during fabrication. We show two different approaches to achieve both horizontal and vertical coplanar nanogap geometries. In the first method we use electron-beam lithography (EBL) to pattern an 11 mm long serpentine nanogap (215 nm) between two electrodes. For the second method we use inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) reactive ion etching (RIE) to create a channel in a silicon substrate, optically pattern a buried 1.0 mm × 1.5 mm electrode before anodically bonding a second identical electrode, patterned on glass, directly above. The devices have a wide range of applicability in different sensing techniques with the large area nanogaps presenting advantages over other devices of the same family. As a case study we explore the detection of peptide nucleic acid (PNA)−DNA binding events using dielectric spectroscopy with the horizontal coplanar device

Evolutionary instability of Zero Determinant strategies demonstrates that winning isn't everything

Zero Determinant (ZD) strategies are a new class of probabilistic and conditional strategies that are able to unilaterally set the expected payoff of an opponent in iterated plays of the Prisoner's Dilemma irrespective of the opponent's strategy, or else to set the ratio between a ZD player's and their opponent's expected payoff. Here we show that while ZD strategies are weakly dominant, they are not evolutionarily stable and will instead evolve into less coercive strategies. We show that ZD strategies with an informational advantage over other players that allows them to recognize other ZD strategies can be evolutionarily stable (and able to exploit other players). However, such an advantage is bound to be short-lived as opposing strategies evolve to counteract the recognition.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures. Change in title (again!) to comply with Nature Communications requirements. To appear in Nature Communication

The cholesterol ester cycle regulates signalling complexes and synapse damage caused by amyloid-ß

Cholesterol is required for the formation and function of some signalling platforms. In synaptosomes, amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers, the causative agent in Alzheimer's disease, bind to cellular prion proteins (PrPC) resulting in increased cholesterol concentrations, translocation of cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2, also known as PLA2G4A) to lipid rafts, and activation of cPLA2. The formation of Aβ-PrPC complexes is controlled by the cholesterol ester cycle. In this study, Aβ activated cholesterol ester hydrolases, which released cholesterol from stores of cholesterol esters and stabilised Aβ-PrPC complexes, resulting in activated cPLA2. Conversely, cholesterol esterification reduced cholesterol concentrations causing the dispersal of Aβ-PrPC complexes. In cultured neurons, the cholesterol ester cycle regulated Aβ-induced synapse damage; cholesterol ester hydrolase inhibitors protected neurons, while inhibition of cholesterol esterification significantly increased Aβ-induced synapse damage. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the dispersal of signalling complexes is important as failure to deactivate signalling pathways can lead to pathology. This study demonstrates that esterification of cholesterol is a key factor in the dispersal of Aβ-induced signalling platforms involved in the activation of cPLA2 and synapse degeneration

Imaging atherosclerosis with hybrid [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging: What Leonardo da Vinci could not see

Prodigious efforts and landmark discoveries have led toward significant advances in our understanding of atherosclerosis. Despite significant efforts, atherosclerosis continues globally to be a leading cause of mortality and reduced quality of life. With surges in the prevalence of obesity and diabetes, atherosclerosis is expected to have an even more pronounced impact upon the global burden of disease. It is imperative to develop strategies for the early detection of disease. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging utilizing [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) may provide a non-invasive means of characterizing inflammatory activity within atherosclerotic plaque, thus serving as a surrogate biomarker for detecting vulnerable plaque. The aim of this review is to explore the rationale for performing FDG imaging, provide an overview into the mechanism of action, and summarize findings from the early application of FDG PET imaging in the clinical setting to evaluate vascular disease. Alternative imaging biomarkers and approaches are briefly discussed. © 2012 The Author(s)