Application of Argon Plasma Technology to Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Microdroplet Generation in PDMS Microfluidic Devices

Abstract Application of Argon Plasma Technology to Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Microdroplet Generation in PDMS Microfluidic Devices Brennan Graham Microfluidics has gained popularity over the last decade due to the ability to replace many large, expensive laboratory processes with small handheld chips with a higher throughput due to the small channel dimensions [1]. Droplet microfluidics is the field of fluid manipulation that takes advantage of two immiscible fluids to create droplets from the geometry of the microchannels. This project includes the design of a microfluidic device that applies the results of an argon plasma surface treatment to polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to successfully produce both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces to create oil in water (O/W) and water in oil (W/O) microdroplets. If an argon plasma surface treatment renders the surface of PDMS hydrophilic, then O/W microdroplets can be created and integrated into a larger microdroplet emulsion device. The major aims of this project include: (1) validating previously established Cal Poly lab protocols to produce W/O droplets in hydrophobic PDMS microdroplet generators (2) creating hydrophilic PDMS microdroplet generators (3) making oil in water droplets in hydrophilic PDMS microdroplet generators (4) designing a multilayer microfluidic device to transfer W/O droplets to a second hydrophilic PDMS microdroplet generator v W/O droplets were successfully created and transferred to a second hydrophilic PDMS device. The hydrophilic PDMS device also produced O/W droplets in separate testing from the multilayered microfluidic PDMS device. The ultimate purpose of this project is to create a multilayer microdroplet generator that produces water in oil in water (W/O/W) microdroplet emulsions through a stacked device design that can be used in diagnostic microdroplet applications. Thesis Supervisor: Dave Clague Title: Professor of Biomedical Engineerin

An exploratory randomised controlled trial of a premises-level intervention to reduce alcohol-related harm including violence in the United Kingdom

<b>Background</b><p></p> To assess the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial of a licensed premises intervention to reduce severe intoxication and disorder; to establish effect sizes and identify appropriate approaches to the development and maintenance of a rigorous research design and intervention implementation.<p></p> <b>Methods</b><p></p> An exploratory two-armed parallel randomised controlled trial with a nested process evaluation. An audit of risk factors and a tailored action plan for high risk premises, with three month follow up audit and feedback. Thirty-two premises that had experienced at least one assault in the year prior to the intervention were recruited, match paired and randomly allocated to control or intervention group. Police violence data and data from a street survey of study premises’ customers, including measures of breath alcohol concentration and surveyor rated customer intoxication, were used to assess effect sizes for a future definitive trial. A nested process evaluation explored implementation barriers and the fidelity of the intervention with key stakeholders and senior staff in intervention premises using semi-structured interviews.<p></p> <b>Results</b><p></p> The process evaluation indicated implementation barriers and low fidelity, with a reluctance to implement the intervention and to submit to a formal risk audit. Power calculations suggest the intervention effect on violence and subjective intoxication would be raised to significance with a study size of 517 premises.<p></p> <b>Conclusions</b><p></p> It is methodologically feasible to conduct randomised controlled trials where licensed premises are the unit of allocation. However, lack of enthusiasm in senior premises staff indicates the need for intervention enforcement, rather than voluntary agreements, and on-going strategies to promote sustainability

Visceral Adipose Tissue Modulates Radiosensitivity in Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma

Oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) is an exemplar model of obesity-associated cancer. Response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NA CRT) is a clinical challenge. We examined if visceral adipose tissue and obesity status alter radiosensitivity in OAC. The radioresistant (OE33R) and radioresponsive (OE33P) OAC isogenic model was cultured with adipose tissue conditioned media from three patient cohorts: non-cancer patients, surgery only OAC patients and NA CRT OAC patients. Cell survival was characterised by clonogenic assay, metabolomic profiling by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and adipokine receptor gene expression by qPCR. A retrospective in vivo study compared tumour response to NA CRT in normal weight (n=53) versus overweight/obese patients (n=148). Adipose conditioned media (ACM) from all patient cohorts significantly increased radiosensitivity in radioresistant OE33R cells. ACM from the NA CRT OAC cohort increased radiosensitivity in OE33P cells. Metabolomic profiling demonstrated separation of the non-cancer and surgery only OAC cohorts and between the non-cancer and NA CRT OAC cohorts. Gene expression profiling of OE33P versus OE33R cells demonstrated differential expression of the adiponectin receptor-1 (AR1), adiponectin receptor-2 (AR2), leptin receptor (LepR) and neuropilin receptor-1 (NRP1) genes. In vivo overweight/obese OAC patients achieved an enhanced tumour response following NA CRT compared to normal weight patients. This study demonstrates that visceral adipose tissue modulates the cellular response to radiation in OA

Development of Sample Handling and Analytical Expertise For the Stardust Comet Sample Return

NASA's Stardust mission returned to Earth in January 2006 with ''fresh'' cometary particles from a young Jupiter family comet. The cometary particles were sampled during the spacecraft flyby of comet 81P/Wild-2 in January 2004, when they impacted low-density silica aerogel tiles and aluminum foils on the sample tray assembly at approximately 6.1 km/s. This LDRD project has developed extraction and sample recovery methodologies to maximize the scientific information that can be obtained from the analysis of natural and man-made nano-materials of relevance to the LLNL programs

In Vivo, Fatty Acid Translocase (CD36) Critically Regulates Skeletal Muscle Fuel Selection, Exercise Performance, and Training-induced Adaptation of Fatty Acid Oxidation

For ∼40 years it has been widely accepted that (i) the exercise-induced increase in muscle fatty acid oxidation (FAO) is dependent on the increased delivery of circulating fatty acids, and (ii) exercise training-induced FAO up-regulation is largely attributable to muscle mitochondrial biogenesis. These long standing concepts were developed prior to the recent recognition that fatty acid entry into muscle occurs via a regulatable sarcolemmal CD36-mediated mechanism. We examined the role of CD36 in muscle fuel selection under basal conditions, during a metabolic challenge (exercise), and after exercise training. We also investigated whether CD36 overexpression, independent of mitochondrial changes, mimicked exercise training-induced FAO up-regulation. Under basal conditions CD36-KO versus WT mice displayed reduced fatty acid transport (−21%) and oxidation (−25%), intramuscular lipids (less than or equal to −31%), and hepatic glycogen (−20%); but muscle glycogen, VO(2max), and mitochondrial content and enzymes did not differ. In acutely exercised (78% VO(2max)) CD36-KO mice, fatty acid transport (−41%), oxidation (−37%), and exercise duration (−44%) were reduced, whereas muscle and hepatic glycogen depletions were accelerated by 27–55%, revealing 2-fold greater carbohydrate use. Exercise training increased mtDNA and β-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase similarly in WT and CD36-KO muscles, but FAO was increased only in WT muscle (+90%). Comparable CD36 increases, induced by exercise training (+44%) or by CD36 overexpression (+41%), increased FAO similarly (84–90%), either when mitochondrial biogenesis and FAO enzymes were up-regulated (exercise training) or when these were unaltered (CD36 overexpression). Thus, sarcolemmal CD36 has a key role in muscle fuel selection, exercise performance, and training-induced muscle FAO adaptation, challenging long held views of mechanisms involved in acute and adaptive regulation of muscle FAO

Identifying the determinants of premature mortality in Russia: overcoming a methodological challenge

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It is thought that excessive alcohol consumption is related to the high mortality among working age men in Russia. Moreover it has been suggested that alcohol is a key proximate driver of the very sharp fluctuations in mortality seen in this group since the mid-1980s. Designing an individual-level study suitable to address the potential acute effects of alcohol consumption on mortality in Russia has posed a challenge to epidemiologists, especially because of the need to identify factors that could underlie the rapid changes up and down in mortality rates that have been such a distinctive feature of the Russian mortality crisis. In order to address this study question which focuses on exposures acting shortly before sudden death, a cohort would be unfeasibly large and would suffer from recruitment bias.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Although the situation in Russia is unusual, with a very high death rate characterised by many sudden and apparently unexpected deaths in young men, the methodological problem is common to research on any cause of death where many deaths are sudden.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We describe the development of an innovative approach that has overcome some of these challenges: a case-control study employing proxy informants and external data sources to collect information about proximate determinants of mortality.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This offers a set of principles that can be adopted by epidemiologists studying sudden and unexpected deaths in other settings.</p

Crop Updates 2006 - Oilseeds

This session covers thirteen papers from different authors: 1. INTRODUCTION, Graham Walton, CONVENOR, Department of Agriculture 2. The performance of new TT canola varieties in National Variety Testing (NVT) WA, Fiona Martin, Research Agronomist, Agritech Crop Research 3. Comparison of TT Canola Varieties in Oilseeds WA Trials – 2005, Collated by G.H. Walton, Department of Agriculture, WA, from a collaboration between Oilseeds WA, Seed Companies, Agronomists and Growers 4. An overview of the potential for a Biofuels Industry in Western Australia, Anne Wilkins and Nathan Hancock, Department of Agriculture 5. Retrieval of fertile progeny from interspecific crosses between Brassica napus and B. carinata using microspore culture, Matthew Nelson, Marie-Claire Castello, Linda Thomson, Anouska Cousin, Guijun Yan and Wallace Cowling; School of Plant Biology (M084), The University of Western Australia 6. Advances in canola blackleg epidemiology and its implication in understanding and managing the disease, Moin Salam, Bill MacLeod, Ravjit Khangura, Jean Galloway and Art Diggle, Department of Agriculture 7. Effect of fertiliser phosphorus and nitrogen on grain yields and concentration of oil and protein of canola grain, R.F. Brennan, M.D.A. Bolland, Department of Agriculture 8. Effect of applying fertiliser potassium and nitrogen on canola grain yields and concentration of oil and protein in grain, R.F. Brennan, M.D.A. Bolland, Department of Agriculture 9. Effect of fertiliser nitrogen and sulfer on canola yields and concentration of oil in grain, R.F. Brennan, M.D.A. Bolland, Department of Agriculture 10. Uptake of K from topsoil and subsoil by canola, P.M. Damon and Z. Rengel, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of WA 11. Accumulation of P and K by canola plants, Terry Rose, Zed Rengel and Qifu Ma, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of WA 12. Varied response from applying nitrogen at late flowering in canola! Dave Eksteen, Agronomist, United Farmers Cooperative 13. To investigate the timing, rate and placement of nitrogen on canola – Jerdacuttup 2005, Dave Eksteen, Agronomist, United Farmers Cooperativ

Crop Updates 2005 Oilseeds

This session covers fifteen papers from different authors: 1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, Douglas Hamilton, FARMING SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER CROP AGRONOMY AND NUTRITION 2. Canola workshop at Crop Updates 2005, Oilseeds WA, John Duff, EXECUTIVE OFFICER OILSEEDS WA 3. Comparison of IT and TT canola varieties in geographic zones of WA, 2003-4, Graham Walton and Hasan Zaheer, Department of Agriculture 4. Farmer scale canola variety trials in WA, 2004, Graham Walton, John Duff, Neil Harris and Heather Cosgriff, Oilseeds WA 5. Oilseed crops for industrial uses, Margaret C. Campbell, Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA), Graham Walton,Department of Agriculture 6. Weed control opportunities with GM canola, Bill Crabtree, Independent Consultant, Northam 7. Soil and tissue tests for the sulfur requirements of canola, R.F. Brennan and M.D.A. Bolland, Department of Agriculture 8. Tests to predict the potassium requirements of canola, R.F. Brennan and M.D.A. Bolland, Department of Agriculture 9. Genotypic variation in potassium efficiency of canola, P.M. Damon and Z. Rengel, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, UWA 10. Atrazine contamination of groundwater in the agricultural region of Western Australia, Russell Speed1, Neil Rothnie2, John Simons1, Ted Spadek2 and John Moore1;1Department of Agriculture, 2Chemistry Centre (WA) PESTS AND DISEASES 11. Controlling aphids and Beet western yellows virus in canola using imidacloprid seed dressing, Brenda Coutts and Roger Jones; Department of Agriculture 12. Managing sclerotinia in canola, Neil Harris, Dovuro Seeds Western Australia 13. Slugs, the trail of destruction in canola, Neil Harris, Dovuro Seeds Western Australia 14. Blackleg risk assessment and strategies for risk management in canola during 2005 and beyond, Moin Salam, Ravjit Khanguraand Art Diggle, Department of Agriculture 15. Modelling: BRAT – Blackleg Risk Appraisal Tool, Moin Salam, Ravjit KhanguraDepartment of Agricultur

Educating Health Professionals about Drug and Device Promotion: Advocates' Recommendations

Mansfield and colleagues outline the recommendations from four advocacy groups for improving the education of health professionals on promotion of drugs and devices

Designing informative warning signals: Effects of indicator type, modality, and task demand on recognition speed and accuracy

An experiment investigated the assumption that natural indicators which exploit existing learned associations between a signal and an event make more effective warnings than previously unlearned symbolic indicators. Signal modality (visual, auditory) and task demand (low, high) were also manipulated. Warning effectiveness was indexed by accuracy and reaction time (RT) recorded during training and dual task test phases. Thirty-six participants were trained to recognize 4 natural and 4 symbolic indicators, either visual or auditory, paired with critical incidents from an aviation context. As hypothesized, accuracy was greater and RT was faster in response to natural indicators during the training phase. This pattern of responding was upheld in test phase conditions with respect to accuracy but observed in RT only in test phase conditions involving high demand and the auditory modality. Using the experiment as a specific example, we argue for the importance of considering the cognitive contribution of the user (viz., prior learned associations) in the warning design process. Drawing on semiotics and cognitive psychology, we highlight the indexical nature of so-called auditory icons or natural indicators and argue that the cogniser is an indispensable element in the tripartite nature of signification