Dependence of cancer cell adhesion kinetics on integrin ligand surface density measured by a high-throughput label-free resonant waveguide grating biosensor

A novel high-throughput label-free resonant waveguide grating (RWG) imager biosensor, the Epic® BenchTop (BT), was utilized to determine the dependence of cell spreading kinetics on the average surface density (vRGD) of integrin ligand RGD-motifs. vRGD was tuned over four orders of magnitude by co-adsorbing the biologically inactive PLL-g-PEG and the RGD-functionalized PLL-g-PEG-RGD synthetic copolymers from their mixed solutions onto the sensor surface. Using highly adherent human cervical tumor (HeLa) cells as a model system, cell adhesion kinetic data of unprecedented quality were obtained. Spreading kinetics were fitted with the logistic equation to obtain the spreading rate constant (r) and the maximum biosensor response (Δλmax), which is assumed to be directly proportional to the maximum spread contact area (Amax). r was found to be independent of the surface density of integrin ligands. In contrast, Δλmax increased with increasing RGD surface density until saturation at high densities. Interpreting the latter behavior with a simple kinetic mass action model, a 2D dissociation constant of 1753 ± 243 μm−2 (corresponding to a 3D dissociation constant of ~30 μM) was obtained for the binding between RGD-specific integrins embedded in the cell membrane and PLL-g-PEG-RGD. All of these results were obtained completely noninvasively without using any labels

Materials performance at the Wilsonville Coal Liquefaction Facility, 1989--1991

The Advanced Coal Liquefaction Research and Development Facility in Wilsonville, Alabama, is funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and Amoco Corporation. On behalf of these organizations, Southern Company Services manages and Southern Clean Fuels Division of Southern Electric International operates the Wilsonville facility. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) receives funding from DOE to provide materials technical support to the Wilsonville operators. For the period July 1987 through November 1990 the plant was operated with two reactors a thermal reactor and a catalytic reactor in a close-coupled integrated two-stage liquefaction mode. Coal processed was obtained from several seams including Ohio No. 6, Illinois No. 6, and Pittsburgh No. 8, as well as Texas lignite and several subbituminous coals. Corrosion samples which were removed for examination at the end of this period were exposed in the vacuum distillation tower, the atmospheric distillation tower, the high pressure separator, and first stage reactor

Metallographic examination of surveillance coupons from the Wilsonville, Alabama, Solvent Refined Coal Pilot Plant, 1977-1978

Commercialization of the solvent refined coal (SRC) process requires corrosion-resistant yet economical materials of construction. A corrosion surveillance program was initiated at the Wilsonville, Alabama, SRC pilot plant to expose racks of welded specimens of engineering alloys to the various process conditions in major plant vessels. To observe the long-term cumulative exposure effects, sections were taken from the specimens after six months. The coupons were replaced in the vessels for another year and then reexamined. These sections were evaluated at ORNL by standard procedures. Microprobe analyses were performed on the scale on selected specimens. The scale, both on and below the surface, proved to be varying complex mixtures of oxides and sulfides sometimes intermixed with process stream material. Weight change records indicate that corrosion was not a serious problem during these exposures, with the coals processed to date

Birds in education: innovative learning methods for capacity building in nature conservation

The role of volunteer birdwatchers in bird censuses across the world is crucial to acquire data for science and conservation, and people with different skill specializations and motivations are engaged as citizen scientists. Bird species richness is positively related to life-satisfaction across Europe, while this association doesn’t exist in other wildlife groups. Therefore, birds seem to be particularly captivating for recruiting people to environmental monitoring and nature conservation efforts. The WildSkills EU Erasmus+ project identified a discrepancy at the European level between higher education training and the needs of the labour market in the field of environmental monitoring and nature conservation. To address this skills gap, a collaboration between professionals from European nongovernmental organizations and higher education institutions was set up to develop innovative and accessible distance learning. The project will use a virtual learning environment that combines the use of physical equipment and tools with webinars and livestream technologies, and periods of transnational mobility, to provide, assess, accredit, and support the acquisition of new knowledge. The Birds in Education course is part of the learning materials of the WildSkills EU project. This course will explore (1) the personal motivations for, and the implications to science and society, of our awareness of birds, (2) notions of bird conservation in the European context, (3) the basics of bird identification, (4) how to use birds as environmental education tools, and (5) digital tools for bird identification and citizen science. The course will be tested by higher education students from different backgrounds, aimed at developing skills for the nature conservation sector, and by professionals of the education sector. In the end, this course will contribute to capacity building and to citizen science and has the potential of increasing the public engagement in bird counts, which represents a growing need of many bird conservation organizations

Label-Free in Situ Optical Monitoring of the Adsorption of Oppositely Charged Metal Nanoparticles

The mechanism of alternating deposition of oppositely charged gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was investigated by optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy (OWLS). OWLS allows monitoring of the kinetics of layer-by-layer (LbL) adsorption of positively and negatively charged nanoparticles in real time without using any labels so that the dynamics of layer formation can be revealed. Positively charged NPs that are already deposited on a negatively charged glass substrate strongly facilitate the adsorption of the negatively charged particles. The morphology of the adsorbed layer was also investigated with atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM revealed that the interaction between oppositely charged particles results in the formation of NP clusters with sizes varying between 100 and 6000 NPs. The cluster size distribution is found to be an exponentially decaying function, and we propose a simple theory to explain this finding

Inventory management.

A critical aspect of blood transfusion is the timely provision of high quality blood products. This task remains a significant challenge for many blood services and blood systems reflecting the difficulty of balancing the recruitment of sufficient donors, the optimal utilization of the donor's gift, the increasing safety related restrictions on blood donation, a growing menu of specialized blood products and an ever-growing imperative to increase the efficiency of blood product provision from a cost perspective. As our industry now faces questions about our standard practices including whether or not the age of blood has a negative impact on recipients, it is timely to take a look at our collective inventory management practices. This International Forum represents an effort to get a snap shot of inventory management practices around the world, and to understand the range of different products provided for patients. In addition to sharing current inventory management practices, this Forum is intended to foster an exchange of ideas around where we see our field moving with respect to various issues including specialty products, new technologies, and reducing recipient risk from blood transfusion products

Inventory management

A critical aspect of blood transfusion is the timely provision of high quality blood products. This task remains a significant challenge for many blood services and blood systems reflecting the difficulty of balancing the recruitment of sufficient donors, the optimal utilization of the donor's gift, the increasing safety related restrictions on blood donation, a growing menu of specialized blood products and an ever-growing imperative to increase the efficiency of blood product provision from a cost perspective. As our industry now faces questions about our standard practices including whether or not the age of blood has a negative impact on recipients, it is timely to take a look at our collective inventory management practices. This International Forum represents an effort to get a snap shot of inventory management practices around the world, and to understand the range of different products provided for patients. In addition to sharing current inventory management practices, this Forum is intended to foster an exchange of ideas around where we see our field moving with respect to various issues including specialty products, new technologies, and reducing recipient risk from blood transfusion product