Determination of Au Film Thiolation and Silane Bonding Onto SiO2 Films Within the Frame of Biosensor Surface Functionalization – an Analysis of Best Practices and Techniques

This paper reviews some of the most common surface modification approaches in biosensing based on self-assembled monolayers with a particular focus on Au film thiolation and SiO2 film silanization. Such approaches are routinely used to alter the materials’ surface properties towards a desired bioresponse. Furthermore, the most appropriate characterization methods towards ensuring successful surface modification are presented including XPS, HREELS, SPFS, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy as well as UPS with specific examples to demonstrate their importance. In addition, the mechanisms of fluorescent and non-fluorescent biotinylation of thiolated Au films and silanized SiO2 are discussed considering its importance in conjugating biomolecules such as enzymes, antibodies or chemokines onto surfaces, which carries high significance for biosensing applications. Finally, within this frame characterization routes towards ensuring effective attachment are discussed. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Serum vitamin D decreases during chemotherapy: an Australian prospective cohort study

Background and Objectives: Vitamin D plays an important role in bone and muscle function, and cell prolifera-tion. The impact of chemotherapy and associated behavioural changes such as fatigue and sun avoidance on vit-amin D (25(OH) D) is unknown. This study aims to evaluate variations in serum vitamin D during chemotherapy and the predictive value of latitude, season and pre-existing vitamin D deficiency. Methods and Study Design: A 12-week prospective cohort study was conducted in chemotherapy-naïve patients in two Australian locations with different sun exposure. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as ≤ 25 nmol/L and insufficiency 26-50 nmol/L 25(OH) D. Demographics, chemotherapy regimen, nutritional status, sun exposure, geographic location, and sea-son were collected at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks after commencing chemotherapy. Results: Eighty-five patients (μ55.3±13.4 years of age; 49% female) were recruited, 96% Caucasian. Fifty-four patients were treated with cura-tive intent (mostly for breast [n=29] or colorectal [n=12] cancers). At baseline, 10 patients were vitamin D defi-cient and 33 were insufficient. Mean serum 25(OH) D (nmol/L) was higher at latitude -27.5o (Brisbane) than lati-tude -34.9o (Adelaide) (μ61.9±22.1 vs μ42.2±19.2, p < 0.001) and varied according to season (spring: μ46.9±20.3, summer: μ50.8±18.2, autumn: μ76.4±25.2, winter: μ36.5±15.7, p < 0.001). Serum 25(OH) D decreased with chemotherapy (baseline: μ49.2±22.3, 6-weeks: μ40.9±19.0, 12-weeks: μ45.9±19.7, p=0.05), with a significant and more rapid decline in winter and autumn (p=0.03). Conclusions: Chemotherapy is associated with a decrease in serum vitamin D, particularly during winter and autumn. Investigations into the underlying mechanism and as-sociated potential outcomes with this decrease requires further investigation

Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for Molecular Identification- a Review on Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and Localised Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) in Optical Nanobiosensing

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) allows for real-time, label-free optical detection of many chemical and biological substances. Having emerged in the last two decades, it is a widely used technique due to its non-invasive nature, allowing for the ultra-sensitive detection of a number of analytes. This review article discusses the principles, providing examples and illustrating the utility of SPR within the frame of plasmonic nanobiosensing, while making comparisons with its successor, namely localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). In particular LSPR utilizes both metal nanoparticle arrays and single nanoparticles, as compared to a continuous film of gold as used in traditional SPR. LSPR, utilizes metal nanoparticle arrays or single nanoparticles that have smaller sizes than the wavelength of the incident light, measuring small changes in the wavelength of the absorbance position, rather than the angle as in SPR. We introduce LSPR nanobiosensing by describing the initial experiments performed, shift-enhancement methods, exploitation of the short electromagnetic field decay length, and single nanoparticle sensors are as pathways to further exploit the strengths of LSPR nanobiosensing. Coupling molecular identification to LSPR spectroscopy is also explored and thus examples from surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy are provided. The unique characteristics of LSPR nanobiosensing are emphasized and the challenges using LSPR nanobiosensors for detection of biomolecules as a biomarker are discussed. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Is self-management feasible and acceptable for addressing nutrition and physical activity needs of cancer survivors?

This is the accepted version of the following article: [Lawn S, Zrim S, Leggett S, Miller M, Woodman R, Jones L, Kichenadasse G, Sukumaran S, Karapetis C and Koczwara B (2014) Is self-management feasible and acceptable for addressing nutrition and physical activity needs of cancer survivors? . Original Research Paper. Health Expectations], which has been published in final form at [DOI:10.1111/hex.12327]. Background: Self-management is recommended for patients with chronic conditions but its use with cancer survivors is underexplored. Optimal strategies for achieving lifestyle changes in cancer survivors are not known. Objective: We aimed to determine feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of self-management based nutrition and physical activity interventions for cancer survivors. Design, Setting and Participants: Adult survivors (n=25) during (Group1, n=11) or post (Group2, n=14) curative chemotherapy for solid tumours, most (n=20, 80%) with breast cancer, were recruited prospectively from a single clinical centre. Intervention: The Flinders Living Well Self-Management Program™, a generic self-management care planning program, was utilised to establish patient-led nutrition and exercise goals within a tailored 12-week intervention. Fortnightly progress reviews occurred with assessments at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks. Results: Most participants (84%) found the intervention acceptable/very acceptable. Both groups showed a trend towards significant improvement in the self-management capability ‘knowledge about changing risk factors’ (p=0.047); and Group2 showed a trend towards significantly improved ‘psychological impacts’ (p=0.007). Goal ratings improved for both groups (p=0.001). Quality of life improved for both groups for emotional functioning (p=0.03). Physical functioning improved for Group2 (p=0.05); however, most symptom domains worsened for Group1, as expected given their treatment stage. Discussion and Conclusions: Self-management interventions are feasible for this population. In particular, building self-management capacity during the active phase of patients’ cancer treatment provides health and psychosocial benefits. Larger randomised controlled trials are required to further determine efficacy. Further translational research is also needed to determine acceptability, feasibility, enablers and barriers for clinicians embedding this approach into routine cancer survivorship care

The Australian Cancer Anaemia Survey: a snapshot of anaemia in adult patients with cancer

The document attached has been archived with permission from the editor of the Medical Journal of Australia (09 January 2008). An external link to the publisher’s copy is included.Objective: To evaluate the frequency and management of anaemia in Australian adults with solid and haematological malignancies. Design: 6-month observational, prospective, multicentre study. Participants: 694 patients recruited from outpatient oncology clinics in 24 hospitals in five Australian states between 9 April 2001 and 31 July 2001. Main outcome measures: Frequency of anaemia (haemoglobin [Hb] level < 120 g/L) at enrolment and over ensuing 6 months, by tumour type, disease status and cancer treatment; anaemia treatment and “trigger” Hb level for this treatment. Results: Participants had median age 60 years, and 61% were women. Prevalence of anaemia at enrolment was 35% (199/562), with 78% of these 199 having mild anaemia (Hb, 100–119 g/L). Frequency of anaemia (either present at enrolment or developing during the study) was 57% overall (323/566), and varied with tumour type, from 49% (lymphoma/myeloma) to 85% (urogenital cancer). Patients who received radiotherapy either in combination or concomitant with chemotherapy were more likely to have anaemia (73%) than those receiving chemotherapy alone (58%) (P = 0.004). Of all chemotherapy patients not anaemic at enrolment, 23% developed anaemia by the second monthly follow-up. Independent predictors for anaemia in chemotherapy patients were low baseline Hb level (odds ratio [OR], 5.4; 95% CI, 2.7–10.9) and use of platinum chemotherapeutic agents (OR, 4.8; 95% CI, 2.1–11.4) (P < 0.001). Anaemia was treated in 41% of patients with anaemia at enrolment — by transfusion (36%), iron (5%) and erythropoietic agents (2%). Frequency of anaemia treatment varied between tumour types, from 19% (breast cancer) to 60% (leukaemia). The mean “trigger Hb” for initiating transfusion was 95 g/L. Conclusions: Anaemia is prevalent among Australian patients with cancer managed in hospital oncology units. Its management varies between tumour types. Many patients do not receive treatment for their anaemia.Tara Seshadri, H Miles Prince, David R Bell, Paul B Coughlin, Philip P B James, Gary E Richardson, Boris Chern, Peter Briggs, John Norman, Ian N Olver, Chris Karapetis and John Stewart, for the Australia Cancer Anaemia Study (ACAS) Grou

Sociodemographic disparities in survival from colorectal cancer in South Australia: a population-wide data linkage study

Copyright © Beckmann et al. 2016 Open AccessThis article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.Background: Inequalities in survival from colorectal cancer (CRC) across socioeconomic groups and by area of residence have been described in various health care settings. Few population-wide datasets which include clinical and treatment information are available in Australia to investigate disparities. This study examines socio-demographic differences in survival for CRC patients in South Australia (SA), using a population-wide database derived via linkage of administrative and surveillance datasets. Methods: The study population comprised all cases of CRC diagnosed in 2003-2008 among SA residents aged 50-79 yrs in the SA Central Cancer Registry. Measures of socioeconomic status (area level), geographical remoteness, clinical characteristics, comorbid conditions, treatments and outcomes were derived through record linkage of central cancer registry, hospital-based clinical registries, hospital separations, and radiotherapy services data sources. Socio-demographic disparities in CRC survival were examined using competing risk regression analysis. Results: Four thousand six hundred and forty one eligible cases were followed for an average of 4.7 yrs, during which time 1525 died from CRC and 416 died from other causes. Results of competing risk regression indicated higher risk of CRC death with higher grade (HR high v low =2.25, 95 % CI 1.32-3.84), later stage (HR C v A = 7.74, 95 % CI 5.75-10.4), severe comorbidity (HR severe v none =1.21, 95 % CI 1.02-1.44) and receiving radiotherapy (HR = 1.41, 95 % CI 1.18-1.68). Patients from the most socioeconomically advantaged areas had significantly better outcomes than those from the least advantaged areas (HR =0.75, 95 % 0.62-0.91). Patients residing in remote locations had significantly worse outcomes than metropolitan residents, though this was only evident for stages A-C (HR = 1.35, 95 % CI 1.01-1.80). These disparities were not explained by differences in stage at diagnosis between socioeconomic groups or area of residence. Nor were they explained by differences in patient factors, other tumour characteristics, comorbidity, or treatment modalities. Conclusions: Socio-economic and regional disparities in survival following CRC are evident in SA, despite having a universal health care system. Of particular concern is the poorer survival for patients from remote areas with potentially curable CRC. Reasons for thes

On Bayesian methods of exploring qualitative interactions for targeted treatment

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/94482/1/sim5429.pd

Impact of the Specific Mutation in KRAS Codon 12 Mutated Tumors on Treatment Efficacy in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Receiving Cetuximab-Based First-Line Therapy: A Pooled Analysis of Three Trials

Purpose: This study investigated the impact of specific mutations in codon 12 of the Kirsten-ras (KRAS) gene on treatment efficacy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Patients: Overall, 119 patients bearing a KRAS mutation in codon 12 were evaluated. All patients received cetuximab-based first-line chemotherapy within the Central European Cooperative Oncology Group (CECOG), AIO KRK-0104 or AIO KRK-0306 trials. Results: Patients with KRAS codon 12 mutant mCRC showed a broad range of outcome when treated with cetuximab-based first-line regimens. Patients with tumors bearing a KRAS p.G12D mutation showed a strong trend to a more favorable outcome compared to other mutations (overall survival 23.3 vs. 14-18 months; hazard ratio 0.66, range 0.43-1.03). An interaction model illustrated that KRAS p.G12C was associated with unfavorable outcome when treated with oxaliplatin plus cetuximab. Conclusion: The present analysis suggests that KRAS codon 12 mutation may not represent a homogeneous entity in mCRC when treated with cetuximab-based first-line therapy. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Base