Towards a “Sample-In, Answer-Out” Point-of-Care Platform for Nucleic Acid Extraction and Amplification: Using an HPV E6/E7 mRNA Model System

The paper presents the development of a “proof-of-principle” hands-free and self-contained diagnostic platform for detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) E6/E7 mRNA in clinical specimens. The automated platform performs chip-based sample preconcentration, nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and real-time fluorescent detection with minimal user interfacing. It consists of two modular prototypes, one for sample preparation and one for amplification and detection; however, a common interface is available to facilitate later integration into one single module. Nucleic acid extracts (n = 28) from cervical cytology specimens extracted on the sample preparation chip were tested using the PreTect HPV-Proofer and achieved an overall detection rate for HPV across all dilutions of 50%–85.7%. A subset of 6 clinical samples extracted on the sample preparation chip module was chosen for complete validation on the NASBA chip module. For 4 of the samples, a 100% amplification for HPV 16 or 33 was obtained at the 1 : 10 dilution for microfluidic channels that filled correctly. The modules of a “sample-in, answer-out” diagnostic platform have been demonstrated from clinical sample input through sample preparation, amplification and final detection

Experimental and Numerical Analysis of High-Resolution Injection Technique for Capillary Electrophoresis Microchip

This study presents an experimental and numerical investigation on the use of high-resolution injection techniques to deliver sample plugs within a capillary electrophoresis (CE) microchip. The CE microfluidic device was integrated into a U-shaped injection system and an expansion chamber located at the inlet of the separation channel, which can miniize the sample leakage effect and deliver a high-quality sample plug into the separation channel so that the detection performance of the device is enhanced. The proposed 45° U-shaped injection system was investigated using a sample of Rhodamine B dye. Meanwhile, the analysis of the current CE microfluidic chip was studied by considering the separation of Hae III digested ϕx-174 DNA samples. The experimental and numerical results indicate that the included 45° U-shaped injector completely eliminates the sample leakage and an expansion separation channel with an expansion ratio of 2.5 delivers a sample plug with a perfect detection shape and highest concentration intensity, hence enabling an optimal injection and separation performance

Strontium isotope fractionation of planktic foraminifera and inorganic calcite

We have investigated the strontium isotope fractionation (Δ88/86Srcarb–aq) between inorganic calcite and aqueous Sr2+ ions by precipitation experiments at a constant temperature of 25 °C and precipitation rates (R) ranging from 102.3 to 104.2 μmol/m2/h. Strontium isotope ratios were measured using the 87Sr–84Sr double spike technique. It was found that strontium isotope fractionation in these calcites is strongly dependent on the precipitation rate: View the MathML source The measured δ88/86Sr values are significantly correlated with previously measured δ44/40Ca and Sr/Ca values of the same calcite samples: Δ88/86Srcarb–aq=+0.18∗Δ44/40Cacarb–aq-0.01 View the MathML source The slope of 88Sr/86Sr versus 44Ca/40Ca fractionation is 0.18 ± 0.04 and compatible with a kinetic fractionation during dehydration of the strontium and calcium ions, but not with isotope fractionation in a diffusive boundary layer. Using published equilibrium Δ44/40Cacarb–aq and View the MathML source values we estimate the equilibrium isotope fractionation of strontium to be very close to zero (Δ88/86Sreq(carb–aq) = −0.01 ± 0.06‰). This estimate is confirmed by strontium isotope values of natural inorganic calcites that precipitated very slowly in basalts of the ocean crust. The results from the inorganic calcites are used to explain strontium isotope fractionation of planktic foraminifera. Specimens of two warm water species (Globigerinoides ruber and Globigerinoides sacculifer) were picked from the Holocene section of a Caribbean sediment core. We found no significant difference in δ88/86Sr between the two species. In addition, G. ruber specimens from Marine Isotope Stage 2 in the same core show δ88/86Sr values identical to the Holocene specimens. The strontium isotopes of both foraminifera species are strongly fractionated (Δ88/86Srcarb–aq = −0.248 ± 0.005‰) when compared to published data of other major marine calcifiers. Applying the results from the inorganic precipitation experiments we find that the strong foraminiferal strontium isotope fractionation can be explained by calcification in a largely open system at high precipitation rates, comparable in magnitude to rates known from scleractinian reef corals. This interpretation is in good agreement with the kinetic calcification model for planktic foraminifera by Kisakürek et al. (2011), which was based on calcium isotopes and elemental Sr/Ca ratios

Reconstruction of Roskrepp power plant to a reversible pumping power plant - a feasibility study

Master's thesis in Offshore technology: Industrial asset managementMasteroppgaven er et resultat av Sira-Kvina Kraftselskaps ønske om å kartlegge endrede markedsforutsetninger, og muligheter knyttet til økt balansekraft i deres produksjonsanlegg. De siste årene har økt fokus på klimamål gjort seg gjeldende i kraftbransjen. Dette har ført til endrede markedsforutsetninger for Norske kraftprodusenter som innebærer nye utvekslingskabler med utlandet, omlegging til mer ikke regulerbar kraftproduksjon i Europa, etablering av småkraft og vindkraft i Norge kombinert med en styrking av sentralnettet i Norge og Sverige slik at mer kraft kan transporteres i det norske og svenske kraftmarkedet. På bakgrunn av økt andel uregulerbar, fornybar produksjon både i Norge, Norden, Europa og globalt forventes det et økende behov for regulerbar effektproduksjon, og det som kalles systemtjenester, altså balansekraft. Sira-Kvina kraftselskap har et produksjonsanlegg som ligger godt plassert med tanke på driften av kraftsystemet på sør-vest landet, men også med tanke på utveksling med Europa. Et prosjekt for økt balansekraft i deres produksjonsanlegg vil kunne bidra med sårt trengt reguleringsevne. Analyser av historiske data for tilsig, vannstand og produksjon viser at produksjonssystemet til Sira-Kvina er i stand til å håndtere en implementering av et regulerbart pumpekraftverk og endringene dette medfører for produksjonsmønster. Usikkerheten er i større grad knyttet til lønnsomheten til en slik investering, og dermed fremtidig kraftpris. Som et resultat av de endrede markedsforutsetningene, og særlig økt andel fornybar energi med lave marginalkostnader har kraftprisen falt drastisk de siste årene. Dette har ført til at investeringer i det norske kraftsystemet har bremset opp, og at eksisterende produksjon sliter med dårlig lønnsomhet. Det antas at i årene fremover vil det skje store endringer med tanke på kraftpris og markedsstruktur for å sikre opprustning av kraftsystemet og tilstrekkelig leveringssikkerhet. I denne rapporten er det utarbeidet en prisprognose som baserer seg på stigende kraftpriser i årene mot 2050. På bakgrunn av scenarier for prisnivå og sesongvariasjon kan det konkluderes med at en eventuell investeringsbeslutning hos Sira-Kvina kraftselskap og deres eiere vil kreve utarbeiding av sikrere kraftprisprognoser. Selv om enkelte scenarioer har positiv nåverdi for prosjektet, er det snakk om små marginer og relativt lang tilbakebetalingstid med tilhørende stor risiko

Promócion de mujeres : mikrokreditt som reduksjon og reproduksjon av fattigdom

Den ikke-statlige organisasjonen Promócion de Mujeres har en uttalt ambisjon om å redusere fattigdom med sitt mikrokredittprogram. Organisasjonens policy tilsier at dette skal oppstå gjennom at låntagerne investerer lånene sine og oppnår inntektsøkning. Gjennom eget arbeid ble jeg innsosialisert i praksisen med å implementere mikrokreditt lokalt. En stor del av dette arbeidet bestod i å oversette mellom lokal økonomisk praksis og mikrokredittbevegelsens ideer om praksis. Min empiri viser at låntagere nyttegjør seg lånene sine gjennom en rekke strategier. Disse er rettet inn mot å oppnå fattigdomsreduksjon, men kun enkelte av oppnår inntektsøkning. Mikrokredittprogrammet oppfyller ikke egen intensjoner, men fortsetter å bestå med fornøyde deltagere, bistandsarbeidere og donorer. Fordi oversettelsene skjules bidrar de til å skape et inntrykk av at mikrokredittprogram gjennom policy kan styre effektene av å og lån, og produsere inntektsøkning hos deltagerne. Mikrokredittprogrammet bidrar dermed til å fremme en definisjon av fattigdom som mangel på finansiell kapital hos enkeltindivid. Dette fortrenger alternative forklaringer som identifiserer fattigdom som et relasjonelt og komplekst problem, og skaper illusjonen av at fattgidom kan reduseres ved hjelp av global policy som mikrokreditt. Slik er mikrokredittprogrammet med på å reprodusere og redusere fattigdom

Synaptic Vesicle Detection in Microscopy Images using Convolutional Neural Network and Compressed Sensing

Master's thesis in Automation and Signal Processing.In response to stressful situations, the body activates its sympathetic nervous system with the sudden release of hormones. This increases the presence of adrenaline and noradrenaline which improves muscle strength and endurance. The response is the ”fight-or-flight” reflex that prepares the body to endure emergency situations. The effect is recognizable in increased blood pressure, heart rate and breathing. In everyday life, stress can be triggered by deadlines at work or experienced by a student about to deliver their thesis. A small amount of stress can be helpful to motivate and endure difficult situations. However, being exposed to stress over an extended period of time can lead to depression and may increase risk of early development of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. It is hypothesized that being constantly stressed for a prolonged time can affect the signalling between the neurons of the brain. The signalling is a chemical process that uses chemical neurotransmitters stored inside spherical synaptic vesicles. The signal transportation within synapses involves the physical movement of the vesicles towards the pre-synaptic membrane called the active zone. It has been shown that stress influences the distribution of synaptic vesicles. The objective of this thesis was to develop an automatic synaptic vesicle detection algorithm for use on microscopy images of rat brains. The proposed system is based on a concept of using a Convolutional Neural Network and Compressed Sensing (CNNCS) to predict the synaptic vesicle centers. The neural network is trained to approximate compressed signed distance arrays from different observation axes uniformly distributed around the input image. The approximated compressed signal can be decoded and reconstructed into predicted synaptic vesicle positions in the original image. Based on the experiments and results, the framework of the system has proven to be robust. However, the different neural networks that has been evaluated has not been able to predict these encoded signals significantly accurate due to lack of diversity in the dataset. The best neural network has a mean squared error of 1.61 x10^-2 which needs to be reduced to 1 x10^-4 in order for the system to be able to predict accurate synaptic vesicle positions

Diagnostiserte importerte infeksjonssykdommer ved Infeksjonsmedisinsk avdeling, Oslo universitetssykehus, Ullevål, i 2017, med fokus på reiserelaterte tropiske og seksuelt overførbare infeksjoner og mulighet for forebygging av disse.

Background: Today people travel more than ever putting them at risk of contracting tropical and travel related infectious diseases. The risk of being infected varies with the type of travel and the prophylactic measures taken. Examples of travels include typical tourist travel, backpacking, occupational travel and visiting friends and families in their country of origin. Among men who have sex with men (MSM) there has been an increasing incidence of imported cases of HIV and syphilis in Norway. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify what kind of travel-related tropical and sexually transmitted infections that was diagnosed in the Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Ullevål, Oslo University Hospital, in 2017. Furthermore, we wanted to look at preventive measures of these diseases. Moreover, we wanted to describe the patient characteristics of those infected with the most prevalent infections. Methods: Based on the diagnostic coding system ICD-10 the cases of travel-related infectious diseases at Ullevål in 2017 were identified in the electronical patient file system (DIPS). The choice of diagnoses of tropical infections and sexual transmitted diseases was based on previous reports of imported infections published by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Each case was verified or discarded according to information in patients’ files in DIPS. Results: The most prevalent travel-related infectious diseases at The Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Ullevål, in 2017 were malaria, dengue fever and campylobacteriosis with 13, 10 and 10 registered cases each. Among sexually transmitted diseases HIV and syphilis were most prevalent with 42 and 16 cases, respectively. Quite a few individual cases detected by this method had to be excluded due to discrepancies between the ICD-10 code and the information in the patients’ files. Conclusion: Based on literature and information from patient records we have identified important preventive measures. This includes barrier prophylaxis against insects and chemoprophylaxis for malaria for high-risk groups such as people visiting friends and families in their country of origin. For HIV and syphilis, MSM constitute a high-risk group, and measures aimed directly at these are particularly important including promotion of condom use, pre-exposure prophylaxis, frequent testing, treatment and infection tracking. Many patients were excluded after our review in the electronic patients’ files. This highlights the need for more scrutiny in the registration of diagnostic codes in DIPS and explains the difficulty of correct disease frequency monitoring of infectious diseases

TSV development for miniaturized MEMS acceleration switch

Fragile micromachined MEMS structures are usually protected by bonding a capping wafer to the device wafer itself. As opposed to using lateral interconnects at the interface between the cap wafer and the device wafer, the use of vertical through silicon vias (TSVs) significantly simplifies the mounting of the components and it also results in the smallest footprint. This paper presents the concept chosen for fabricating a miniaturized MEMS acceleration switch with TSVs through the SOI (silicon on insulator) device wafer, as well as the experimental results of the TSV process development that was done for this particular application. Especially challenging was the development of an etching process that can etch the thick buried oxide of the SOI wafer through high aspect ratio trenches

Combined quantum chemical statistical mechanical simulations of Mg2+, Ca2+ and Sr2+ in water

We report results from a theoretical study on the solvation of the divalent cations of Mg, Ca and Sr in water at infinite dilution. The ions are treated at the Hartree-Fock level with an explicit solvent model. Electrostatics, polarization and exchange repulsion contribute to the Hamiltonian. The dominating coordination number for the ions increases from 6 for Mg through 7 for Ca to 8 for Sr. A broadening of the first peak in the radial distribution function is seen when going down the periodic system. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved