Detection and localization of early- and late-stage cancers using platelet RNA

Cancer patients benefit from early tumor detection since treatment outcomes are more favorable for less advanced cancers. Platelets are involved in cancer progression and are considered a promising biosource for cancer detection, as they alter their RNA content upon local and systemic cues. We show that tumor-educated platelet (TEP) RNA-based blood tests enable the detection of 18 cancer types. With 99% specificity in asymptomatic controls, thromboSeq correctly detected the presence of cancer in two-thirds of 1,096 blood samples from stage I–IV cancer patients and in half of 352 stage I–III tumors. Symptomatic controls, including inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases, and benign tumors had increased false-positive test results with an average specificity of 78%. Moreover, thromboSeq determined the tumor site of origin in five different tumor types correctly in over 80% of the cancer patients. These results highlight the potential properties of TEP-derived RNA panels to supplement current approaches for blood-based cancer screening

Technology on Interorganizational Coordination: Guidelines from Theory

It is widely believed that information and communication technology (ICT) enables organizations to decrease costs and increase capabilities and thus enables to shape interorganizational coordination. This paper describes guidelines with which the impact of ICT on interorganizational coordination structures can be predicted. The framework used consists of three perspectives: interorganizational coordination structures, ICT, and aspects of goods and services for the processing of which coordination is required. Interorganizational coordination structures are defined and the impact of ICT on coordination structures is indicated. So far, ICT is considered to be a driving force. There are, however, other aspects that have an influencing impact on interorganizational coordination. Those aspects are described and by combining those with the possibilities of ICT, the guidelines are presented

Bringing adaptiveness and resilience to e-health

E-health is a rapidly growing field that is quickly expanding as it is motivated by two driving forces. On the one hand, the information and communication technology (ICT) support to doctors can significantly improve the quality of the entire health care system by improving the quality of care while, at the same time, lowering costs. On the other hand, ICT can also help older people residing at their homes by means of computing systems comprised of sensors, actuators, agents, and other technologies. Given the large variety of situations, adaptation is a very important requirement. At the same time, resilience is an equally important requirement in order to provide guarantees about safe behavior of the systems in spite of unpredictable situations. In this chapter, Marco Aiello, Ando Emerencia, and Henk G. Sol present the challenges in the field by means of three case studies and propose their vision about the future of the field.</p