Advances in plasmonic technologies for point of care applications

Infectious diseases have considerable economic and societal impact on developing settings. For instance, malaria is observed more commonly in sub-Saharan Africa and India. The societal impact of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and tuberculosis is high, through targeting adults in villages and leaving behind declining populations. Highly sensitive and specific lab assays such as cell culture methods, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are available for diagnosis of infectious diseases in the developed world. They require sample transportation, manual preparation steps, and skilled and well-trained technicians. These clinical conventional methods provide results in several hours to days, precluding rapid detection and response at the primary care settings. Another diagnostic challenge is identifying multiple pathogens

Portable Microfluidic Integrated Plasmonic Platform for Pathogen Detection

Timely detection of infectious agents is critical in early diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. Conventional pathogen detection methods, such as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), culturing or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) require long assay times, and complex and expensive instruments, which are not adaptable to point-of-care (POC) needs at resource-constrained as well as primary care settings. Therefore, there is an unmet need to develop simple, rapid, and accurate methods for detection of pathogens at the POC. Here, we present a portable, multiplex, inexpensive microfluidic-integrated surface plasmon resonance (SPR) platform that detects and quantifies bacteria, i.e., Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) rapidly. The platform presented reliable capture and detection of E. coli at concentrations ranging from ∼105 to 3.2 × 107 CFUs/mL in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) fluid. The multiplexing and specificity capability of the platform was also tested with S. aureus samples. The presented platform technology could potentially be applicable to capture and detect other pathogens at the POC and primary care settings. © 2015, Nature Publishing Group. All rights reserved

Influence of migrant background on patient preference and expectations in breast and gynecological malignancies (NOGGO-expression V study): results of a prospective multicentre study in 606 patients in Germany

Background: An effective cross-cultural doctor-patient communication is vital for health literacy and patient compliance. Building a good relationship with medical staff is also relevant for the treatment decision-making process for cancer patients. Studies about the role of a specific migrant background regarding patient preferences and expectations are lacking. We therefore conducted a multicentre prospective survey to explore the needs and preferences of patients with a migrant background (PMB) suffering from gynecological malignancies and breast cancer to evaluate the quality of doctor-patient communication and cancer management compared to non-migrants (NM). Methods: This multicentre survey recruited patients with primary or recurrence of breast, ovarian, peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer. The patients either filled out a paper form, participated via an online survey, or were interviewed by trained staff. A 58-item questionnaire was primarily developed in German and then translated into three different languages to reach non-German-speaking patients. Results: A total of 606 patients were included in the study: 54.1% (328) were interviewed directly, 9.1% (55) participated via an online survey, and 36.8% (223) used the paper print version. More than one quarter, 27.4% (166) of the participants, had a migrant background. The majority of migrants and NM were highly satisfied with the communication with their doctors. First-generation migrants (FGM) and patients with breast cancer were less often informed about participation in clinical trials (p < 0.05) and 24.5% of them suggested the help of an interpreter to improve the medical consultation. Second and third-generation migrants (SGM and TGM) experienced more fatigue and nausea than expected. Conclusions: Our results allow the hypothesis that training medical staff in intercultural competence and using disease-related patient information in different languages can improve best supportive care management and quality of life in cancer patients with migrant status

Transient Alteration of Cellular Redox Buffering before Irradiation Triggers Apoptosis in Head and Neck Carcinoma Stem and Non-Stem Cells

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an aggressive and recurrent malignancy owing to intrinsic radioresistance and lack of induction of apoptosis. The major focus of this work was to design a transient glutathione depleting strategy during the course of irradiation of HNSCC in order to overcome their radioresistance associated with redox adaptation. Methodology/Principal Findings: Treatment of SQ20B cells with dimethylfumarate (DMF), a GSH-depleting agent, and L-Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of GSH biosynthesis 4 h before a 10 Gy irradiation led to the lowering of the endogenous GSH content to less than 10 % of that in control cells and to the triggering of radiation-induced apoptotic cell death. The sequence of biochemical events after GSH depletion and irradiation included ASK-1 followed by JNK activation which resulted in the triggering of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway through Bax translocation to mitochondria. Conclusions: This transient GSH depletion also triggered radiation-induced cell death in SQ20B stem cells, a key event to overcome locoregional recurrence of HNSCC. Finally, our in vivo data highlight the relevance for further clinical trials o

Lignite and carbonate deposition in Middle Lignite succession of the Soma Formation, Soma coalfield, western Turkey

The middle Miocete carbonate-dominated units that are called the Middle Lignite succession of the Soma Formation from the Soma coalfield of western Turkey were analyzed and two facies associations containing eight facies were determined from the detailed measured sections of the opencast lignite mines. The sedimentological, stratigraphical, and palaeobotanical data, and regional geology indicate alluvial and/or floodplain, shallow freshwater carbonate lakes, and lake margin environments, including forest mountain swamps in the intramontane basin which was developed on the collision-related basement rocks. The Middle Lignite succession displays cyclic depositional nature consisting of alternating fine-grained siliciclastic rock, lignite and freshwater carbonate rock. Some diagenetic features and algal laminations/structures in carbonate rocks, as well as paleosol relies and geological evidence of the lignite-forming paludal (swampy) conditions suggest alternating wet and dry periods in depositional system. The lignite deposition occurred in wetlands that formed during deposition of the Middle Lignite succession in alluvial plain and shallow carbonate lake-margins. The paleobotanical/palynological considerations, sedimentological features and depositional setting of the Middle Lignite succession indicate a seasonal, warm and semi-arid or dry climate for lignite deposition. The subsidence, sediment supply, seasonal climate, topography, and pre-Miocene carbonate basement may suggest main factors for lignite formation and preservation. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

MIOCENE ALLUVIAL-FAN ALKALINE PLAYA LIGNITE TRONA BEARING DEPOSITS FROM AN INVERTED BASIN IN ANATOLIA - SEDIMENTOLOGY AND TECTONIC CONTROLS ON DEPOSITION

During the Middle through Late Miocene, over 1200 m of clastics, carbonates and evaporites accumulated in the depositional basin situated in northwestern Ankara province of Central Anatolia. Detailed stratigraphic and sedimentological analyses of the exposed sequence exhibits three major facies: (1) lower alluvial, (2) upper alluvial, and (3) lacustrine

Depositional evolution of the Soma coalfield, western Turkey: a preliminary report

Miocene alluvial/fluvial-lacustrine deposits composed of three lignite successions (Lower, Middle, and Upper) are exposed in Soma coalfield located near the northern Aegean Sea coastline of the Western Anatolia. The total thickness of the coal successions is about 900 m, and they rest unconformably on the Mesozoic carbonate/siliciclastic basement rocks. Recognised lithofacies of coal successions have been arranged to fourteen facies assemblages and interpreted as environments.Lower Coal succession was deposited in an alluvial fan to plain and perennial forest mire system resulting in a subbituminous lignitic coal, in average 20 m thick. Freshwater carbonate-dominated Middle Coal succession, having lignite beds ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 m, was formed in floodplain environment, including shallow freshwater carbonate lakes and/or ponds, and frequently drying poor forest mires of an anastomosed river system. Volcanism-induced Upper Coal succession was deposited in fluvial channel, floodplain, and probably in allochthonous peat mires of a braided river system that rapidly got buried and/or eroded by volcaniclastic apron deposits, and culminated by large carbonate-dominated perennial shallow lakes.The Miocene coal successions were probably deposited in the fault-controlled karst-based palaeovalleys and lowlands of the intramountain palaeomorphology that were patterned by the Early Tertiary collision of the Eurasia and Anatolian plates. The coal successions was faulted by the extensionally tectonic regime and covered with Plio-Quaternary deposits

Depositional evolution of Miocene coal successions in the Soma coalfield, western Turkey

Miocene alluvial and fluvial-lacustrine deposits comprising three lignite successions (Lower, Middle. and Upper) are exposed in the Soma coalfield in Western Anatolia. The total thickness of the coal successions is about 900 m and they rest unconformably on Mesozoic carbonate and siliciclastic basement rocks. Several lithofacies are recognised and are arranged into 15 facies assemblages (FA1 to FA15) within coal successions. The Lower Coal succession (FA1 to FA3) has been interpreted as the deposits of alluvial fan to ephemeral lacustrine and forest lower mire system, resulting in a subbituminous coal, which averages thickness of 20 m. The freshwater carbonate-dominated Middle Coal succession (FA4 to FA7) has been interpreted as the deposits of an anastomosed river system including shallow carbonate mudflats to lake and ponds and frequently drying poor forest mires depositing lignitic coal. The volcanic-influenced Upper Coal (UC) succession (FA8 to FA15) has been interpreted as the fluvial channel, floodplain, and allochthonous peat mire deposits (FA8 to FA10) associated with a braided river system that was rapidly buried and eroded by volcaniclastic apron deposits (FA11 to FA 14) and culminated in large carbonate-dominated shallow lake deposits (FA 15). The Miocene coal successions were probably deposited in a slowly subsiding and fault-controlled karst-based paleovalley and lowlands of the intramontane paleomorphology that resulted from the Early Tertiary collision of the Eurasian and Anatolian plates. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved