Bioagent detection using miniaturized NMR and nanoparticle amplification : final LDRD report.

This LDRD program was directed towards the development of a portable micro-nuclear magnetic resonance ({micro}-NMR) spectrometer for the detection of bioagents via induced amplification of solvent relaxation based on superparamagnetic nanoparticles. The first component of this research was the fabrication and testing of two different micro-coil ({micro}-coil) platforms: namely a planar spiral NMR {micro}-coil and a cylindrical solenoid NMR {micro}-coil. These fabrication techniques are described along with the testing of the NMR performance for the individual coils. The NMR relaxivity for a series of water soluble FeMn oxide nanoparticles was also determined to explore the influence of the nanoparticle size on the observed NMR relaxation properties. In addition, The use of commercially produced superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) for amplification via NMR based relaxation mechanisms was also demonstrated, with the lower detection limit in number of SPIONs per nanoliter (nL) being determined

Adolescent fertility and family planning in East Asia and the Pacific: a review of DHS reports

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Adolescent pregnancy has significant health and socio-economic consequences for women, their families and communities. Efforts to prevent too-early pregnancy rely on accurate information about adolescents' knowledge, behaviours and access to family planning, however available data are limited in some settings. Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) reports are recognised as providing nationally representative data that are accessible to policymakers and programmers. This paper reviews DHS reports for low and lower middle income countries in East Asia and the Pacific to determine what information regarding adolescent fertility and family planning is available, and summarises key findings.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The most recent DHS reports were sought for the 33 low and lower middle income countries in the East Asia and Pacific region as defined by UNICEF and World Bank. Age-disaggregated data for all indicators relevant to fertility and current use, knowledge and access to family planning information and services were sought to identify accessible information. Reported data were analysed using an Excel database to determine outcomes for adolescents and compare with adult women.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>DHS reports were available for eleven countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu and Vietnam. Twenty seven of 40 relevant DHS indicators reported outcomes for adolescent women aged 15-19 years. There were limited data for unmarried adolescents. A significant proportion of women commence sexual activity and childbearing during adolescence in the context of low contraceptive prevalence and high unmet need for contraception. Adolescent women have lower use of contraception, poorer knowledge of family planning and less access to information and services than adult women.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>DHS reports provide useful and accessible data, however, they are limited by the failure to report data for unmarried adolescents and report age-disaggregated data for some indicators. Further research is required to better understand the barriers that both married and unmarried adolescents face accessing reproductive health information and services, and their information and service delivery preferences.</p

Managing the Effects of Noise From Ship Traffic, Seismic Surveying and Construction on Marine Mammals in Antarctica

© 2019 Erbe, Dähne, Gordon, Herata, Houser, Koschinski, Leaper, McCauley, Miller, Müller, Murray, Oswald, Scholik-Schlomer, Schuster, Van Opzeeland and Janik. The Protocol on Environmental Protection of the Antarctic Treaty stipulates that the protection of the Antarctic environment and associated ecosystems be fundamentally considered in the planning and conducting of all activities in the Antarctic Treaty area. One of the key pollutants created by human activities in the Antarctic is noise, which is primarily caused by ship traffic (from tourism, fisheries, and research), but also by geophysical research (e.g., seismic surveys) and by research station support activities (including construction). Arguably, amongst the species most vulnerable to noise are marine mammals since they specialize in using sound for communication, navigation and foraging, and therefore have evolved the highest auditory sensitivity among marine organisms. Reported effects of noise on marine mammals in lower-latitude oceans include stress, behavioral changes such as avoidance, auditory masking, hearing threshold shifts, and—in extreme cases—death. Eight mysticete species, 10 odontocete species, and six pinniped species occur south of 60°S (i.e., in the Southern or Antarctic Ocean). For many of these, the Southern Ocean is a key area for foraging and reproduction. Yet, little is known about how these species are affected by noise. We review the current prevalence of anthropogenic noise and the distribution of marine mammals in the Southern Ocean, and the current research gaps that prevent us from accurately assessing noise impacts on Antarctic marine mammals. A questionnaire given to 29 international experts on marine mammals revealed a variety of research needs. Those that received the highest rankings were (1) improved data on abundance and distribution of Antarctic marine mammals, (2) hearing data for Antarctic marine mammals, in particular a mysticete audiogram, and (3) an assessment of the effectiveness of various noise mitigation options. The management need with the highest score was a refinement of noise exposure criteria. Environmental evaluations are a requirement before conducting activities in the Antarctic. Because of a lack of scientific data on impacts, requirements and noise thresholds often vary between countries that conduct these evaluations, leading to different standards across countries. Addressing the identified research needs will help to implement informed and reasonable thresholds for noise production in the Antarctic and help to protect the Antarctic environment

Duale Funktionalisierung von Fluorophoren für die Konstruktion zielgerichteter und selektiver Fluoreszenz-Sensoren

Eine Schlüsselfrage in der gegenwärtigen biologischen Forschung ist, welche Rolle gewisse Chemikalien und chemische Reaktionen im Zusammenhang mit dem regulären zellulären Betrieb, als auch mit zellulären Störungen spielen. Von den gebräulichen Imaging-Verfahren bietet das Fluoreszenz-Imaging den Vorteil, dass es die Balance zwischen Sensitivität und Auflösung hält, und somit die kosteneffiziente und rapide Visualisierung biologischer Modell-Systeme ermöglicht. Insbesondere ist die Verwendung responsiver Fluoreszenz-Sensoren in Verbindung mit der technisch immerzu fortschreitenden Mikroskopie- und Durchflusszytometrie-Technik vorteilhaft: Sie ermöglicht die Visualisierung von spezifischen chemischen Spezies als auch von chemischen Reaktionen mit hoher raum-zeitlicher Auflösung in lebenden Zellen. Ein idealer responsiver Fluoreszenz-Sensor besteht aus einem Fluorophor der mit einer Fühler-Gruppe, die die Selektivität der Rückmeldung sicherstellt, und einer Zielausrichtungs-Gruppe, die die sub-zelluläre Lokalisierung des Sensors kontrolliert, ausgestattet ist. Bis dato sind Fluoreszenz-Sensoren, die zielgerichtet und selektiv sind, relativ rar und die meisten dieser Sensoren werden eher durch Zufall als durch rationales Design entdeckt. Eine zentrale Herausforderung in diesem Forschungsgebiet ist daher die Identifizierung geeigneter Fluorophor-Grundgerüste, die ohne Weiteres mit Fühler- und Zielausrichtungs-Gruppen versehen werden können. In diesem Review besprechen wir gegenwärtige Strategien zur dualen Funktionalisierung von Fluorophoren und heben Schlüsselbeispiele zielgerichteter, responsiver Sensoren hervor

Dual‐Functionalisation of Fluorophores for the Preparation of Targeted and Selective Probes

A key current challenge in biological research is the elucidation of the roles that chemicals and chemical reactions play in cellular function and dysfunction. Of the available cellular imaging techniques, fluorescence imaging offers a balance between sensitivity and resolution, enabling the cost-effective and rapid visualisation of model biological systems. Importantly, the use of responsive fluorescent probes in conjunction with ever-advancing microscopy and flow cytometry techniques enables the visualisation, with high spatiotemporal resolution, of both specific chemical species and chemical reactions in living cells. Ideal responsive fluorescent probes are those that contain a fluorophore tethered to both a sensing unit, to ensure selectivity of response, and a targeting group, to control the sub-cellular localisation of the probe. To date, probes that are both targeted and selective are relatively rare and most localised probes are discovered serendipitously rather than by design. A challenge in this field is therefore the identification of suitable fluorophore scaffolds that can be readily attached to both sensing and targeting groups. Here we review current strategies for dual-functionalisation of fluorophores, highlighting key examples of targeted, responsive probes

Dual-functionalisation of fluorophores for the preparation of targeted and selective probes

A key current challenge in biological research is the elucidation of the roles that chemicals and chemical reactions play in cellular function and dysfunction. Of the available cellular imaging techniques, fluorescence imaging offers a balance between sensitivity and resolution, enabling the cost-effective and rapid visualisation of model biological systems. Importantly, the use of responsive fluorescent probes in conjunction with ever-advancing microscopy and flow cytometry techniques enables the visualisation, with high spatiotemporal resolution, of both specific chemical species and chemical reactions in living cells. Ideal responsive fluorescent probes are those that contain a fluorophore tethered to both a sensing unit, to ensure selectivity of response, and a targeting group, to control the sub-cellular localisation of the probe. To date, probes that are both targeted and selective are relatively rare and most localised probes are discovered serendipitously rather than by design. A challenge in this field is therefore the identification of suitable fluorophore scaffolds that can be readily attached to both sensing and targeting groups. Here we review current strategies for dual-functionalisation of fluorophores, highlighting key examples of targeted, responsive probes

Duale Funktionalisierung von Fluorophoren für die Konstruktion zielgerichteter und selektiver Fluoreszenz‐Sensoren

Eine Schlüsselfrage in der gegenwärtigen biologischen Forschung ist, welche Rolle gewisse Chemikalien und chemische Reaktionen im Zusammenhang mit dem regulären zellulären Betrieb, als auch mit zellulären Störungen spielen. Von den gebräulichen Imaging-Verfahren bietet das Fluoreszenz-Imaging den Vorteil, dass es die Balance zwischen Sensitivität und Auflösung hält, und somit die kosteneffiziente und rapide Visualisierung biologischer Modell-Systeme ermöglicht. Insbesondere ist die Verwendung responsiver Fluoreszenz-Sensoren in Verbindung mit der technisch immerzu fortschreitenden Mikroskopie- und Durchflusszytometrie-Technik vorteilhaft: Sie ermöglicht die Visualisierung von spezifischen chemischen Spezies als auch von chemischen Reaktionen mit hoher raum-zeitlicher Auflösung in lebenden Zellen. Ein idealer responsiver Fluoreszenz-Sensor besteht aus einem Fluorophor der mit einer Fühler-Gruppe, die die Selektivität der Rückmeldung sicherstellt, und einer Zielausrichtungs-Gruppe, die die sub-zelluläre Lokalisierung des Sensors kontrolliert, ausgestattet ist. Bis dato sind Fluoreszenz-Sensoren, die zielgerichtet und selektiv sind, relativ rar und die meisten dieser Sensoren werden eher durch Zufall als durch rationales Design entdeckt. Eine zentrale Herausforderung in diesem Forschungsgebiet ist daher die Identifizierung geeigneter Fluorophor-Grundgerüste, die ohne Weiteres mit Fühler- und Zielausrichtungs-Gruppen versehen werden können. In diesem Review besprechen wir gegenwärtige Strategien zur dualen Funktionalisierung von Fluorophoren und heben Schlüsselbeispiele zielgerichteter, responsiver Sensoren hervor

Historical documentation : St. Matthews railroad cut (38Cl67), Calhoun County, South Carolina : final report

A proposed SCDOT project in the area of the cut in the town of St. Matthews consists of the widening of the US 601 from US 176 to SC 6 in the town of St. Matthews. During the survey phase of this project, it was determined by SCDOT, in consultation with the SHPO, that the railroad cut was a National Register of Historic Places eligible archaeological site (38Cl67) because of its potential to yield further information about the role of enslaved African-Americans in railroad construction

Technical report (New South Associates)

This report presents the results of an archaeological data recovery on a portion of 38GE18, the Yauhannah Bluff site in Georgetown County, South Carolina. The data recovery efforts at the Yauhannah Bluff tract were directed at the portion of the site closest to the Great Pee Dee River, which Jim Michie believed was the location of an early 18th century Indian trading post. This area also contained remains of a plantation main house complex dating from the 18th to the early 19th century