Synthesis and characterisation of controllably functionalised polyaniline nanofibres

A novel method for functionalising solution based polyaniline (PAni) nanofibres is reported whereby the degree of side-chain attachment can be controllably altered. The covalent attachment of functional side-groups to the surface of PAni nanostructures is achieved by post-polymerisation reflux in the presence of a nucleophile and the functionalised nanomaterial can be purified by simple centrifugation. The technique is therefore easily scalable. We demonstrate that control over the extent of side-chain attachment can be achieved simply by altering the amount of nucleophile added during reflux. We provide evidence that covalently attached carboxlate side-chains influence the doping mechanism of polyaniline and can be used to introduce self-doping behaviour. Acid functionalised nanofibres remain redox active and retain their optical switching capabilities in response to changes in the local chemical environment, thus making them suitable for adaptive sensing applications

A Shared Branching Solution for First West Credit Union

One strategic decision for First West Credit Union executives is to implement a Shared Branching service so that a member of one subsidiary can acquire banking services in a branch of a different subsidiary. First West owns two distinct subsidiaries – Envision Financial and Valley First. Each runs different banking systems. The integration of these systems is a business challenge. Our research evaluates four business solutions using existing tools and frameworks, such as gap analysis and cost/benefit analysis, reflecting the business priorities. In the short term, we recommend implementing the service provided by CUETS Financial, a service partner of the Canadian credit union system, to address the intermediate need. For a longer term, we believe First West should explore a potential solution from Central 1, a service provider for Canadian credit unions, or the option of developing an interface in-house due to the functionality and scalability advantages. We do not recommend banking conversion because it is cost prohibitive, unless First West decides to pursue a different long-term strategic goal

Programming Of Muscle Activity In Arm Movements In Relation To Force Requirements

Analysis of the relationship between movement kinematics and muscle activity is a widely used approach for understanding how the nervous system formulates motor commands to produce movements. In planar single joint movements, phasic muscle activity is highly correlated with specific kinematic variables. Such correlations have not proven to be as direct in complex movements. The rules used by the nervous system in movement coordination are thus poorly understood. The purpose of this study was first, to examine kinematics, dynamics and electromyographic (EMG) activity during single and two-joint arm movements to discern the common planning strategies between these movements; and second, to gain insight into the variables used in planning complex movements.;In single joint movements made in the vertical plane, all movements were characterized by time symmetric velocity profiles. Gravitational loading directly influenced muscle activity. This suggests that basic patterns of muscle activation are modulated in relation to external forces. In two-joint planar movements involving the wrist and elbow joints, the selection of muscle activation patterns at the wrist was dependent on the relative magnitude and direction of elbow reaction torques, in relation to wrist motion. Elbow joint movement is therefore an important consideration in planning wrist movement. The details of the actual wrist trajectory may not be specifically planned, but emerges from the integration of basic patterns of activity with the dynamic interaction between joints.;The influence of visual feedback information on movement coordination was also examined. Visual feedback of the endpoint targets as well as the subject\u27s endpoint limb position, were presented in a range of concrete to abstract representations. Changes were observed in the timing relationship between the two joints, and in the EMG patterns, in relation to visual feedback conditions.;Thus, in selecting the level and pattern of muscle activity of the distal joint during a two-joint movement, the nervous system requires information about the amplitude of the desired distal movement, and the magnitude and direction of acceleration of the proximal joint. Inter-joint coordination will further be influenced by the nature of visual feedback information

Average Time To Negativity Of New Alere Ultra-Sensitive Rapid Diagnostic Test After Treatment For Malaria.

Malaria remains one of the most challenging infections globally. Malaria RDTs have had the largest impact on malaria detection in recent years with almost 245 million RDTs delivered globally. (1) They work by detecting either the histidine-rich protein (HRP2) or the Plasmodium lactate-dehydrogenase (pLDH). (2) Following a malaria infection, the HRP2 and pLDH antigens often circulate in the blood stream for several weeks. (3) As new RDTs are constantly being developed, each with a better sensitivity, specificity and lower limit of detection than its predecessor, the need to understand the persistence of their positivity, following a malaria infection, remains. The latest RDT on the market is produced by Alere™ and is called the ultra-sensitive RDT (uRDT). To test how long this new RDT remains positive following a malaria diagnosis and treatment, we prospectively followed children for 42 days. Children were either HIV positive or negative and either placed on a 3-day or 5-day artemether-lumefantrine regimen. Microscopy and the uRDT were performed on days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42. The mean length of uRDT positivity was 9.2 days with a standard deviation of 11.3 days. Approximately 50% of all uRDTs remained positive for 11 days post-treatment of malaria. Neither HIV status nor AL duration impacted the length of uRDT positivity. Only parasite density was directly correlated with uRDT positivity with an increase in parasite density of 1 parasite/l resulting in 0.6 additional days of uRDT positivity. Microscopy (considered the gold standard in our study) and uRDT outcomes matched 67.5% of the time (320/474). The true positive rate (sensitivity) was calculated to be 91.3% and the true negative rate (specificity) was 55.3%. The uRDT was also able to predict treatment failure in children 7 days prior (p = 0.015). Due to its positive persistence that can lead to false positive, we recommend that the use of Alere’s uRDT be limited to low transmission and elimination settings only

Neisseria meningitidis Opc invasin binds to the cytoskeletal protein α-actinin

Neisseria meningitidis Opc protein is an effective invasin for human endothelial cells. We have investigated novel human endothelial receptors targeted by Opc and observed that Opc-expressing bacteria interacted with a 100 kDa protein in whole-cell lysates of human endothelial and epithelial cells. The identity of the protein was established as α-actinin by mass spectrometry. Opc expression was essential for the recognition of α-actinin whether provided in a purified form or in cell extracts. The interaction of the two proteins did not involve intermediate molecules. As there was no demonstrable expression of α-actinin on the surfaces of any of the eight cell lines studied, the likelihood of the interactions after meningococcal internalization was examined. Confocal imaging demonstrated considerable colocalization of N. meningitidis with α-actinin especially after a prolonged period of internalization. This may imply that bacteria and α-actinin initially occur in separate compartments and co-compartmentalization occurs progressively over the 8 h infection period used. In conclusion, these studies have identified a novel and an intracellular target for the N. meningitidis Opc invasin. Since α-actinin is a modulator of a variety of signalling pathways and of cytoskeletal functions, its targeting by Opc may enable bacteria to survive/translocate across endothelial barriers

Abnormal prothrombin (DES-y-Carboxy Prothrombin) in hepatocellular carcinoma

Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP), a protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) was measured by an enzyme immunoassay (E-1023) using anti-DCP monoclonal antibody in 92 patients with various hepatobiliary diseases. Thirty-six of the 38 patients (94.7%) with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) had abnormal DCP levels greater than 0.1 arbitrary unit (AU)/ml, but only 18 of the 35 patients (51.4%) had AFP greater than 100 ng/ml (suspicious levels for HCC). There was no correlation between plasma or serum DCP and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels. Serum alpha fetoprotein was elevated (above 20 ng/ml) in 23 of the 35 patients (65.7%), and DCP was elevated in all of the remaining 12 patients with normal AFP. DCP levels returned to normal levels following curative hepatic resection or orthotopic liver transplantation for HCC. DCP is a useful tumor marker in the diagnosis and postoperative monitoring of patients with HCC

Visualisation and Quantification of Intracellular Interactions of Neisseria meningitidis and Human α-actinin by Confocal Imaging

The Opc protein of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm, meningococcus) is a surface-expressed integral outer membrane protein, which can act as an adhesin and an effective invasin for human epithelial and endothelial cells. We have identified endothelial surface-located integrins as major receptors for Opc, a process which requires Opc to first bind to integrin ligands such as vitronectin and via these to the cell-expressed receptors1. This process leads to bacterial invasion of endothelial cells2. More recently, we observed an interaction of Opc with a 100kDa protein found in whole cell lysates of human cells3. We initially observed this interaction when host cell proteins separated by electrophoresis and blotted on to nitrocellulose were overlaid with Opc-expressing Nm. The interaction was direct and did not involve intermediate molecules. By mass spectrometry, we established the identity of the protein as α-actinin. As no surface expressed α-actinin was found on any of the eight cell lines examined, and as Opc interactions with endothelial cells in the presence of serum lead to bacterial entry into the target cells, we examined the possibility of the two proteins interacting intracellularly. For this, cultured human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) were infected with Opc-expressing Nm for extended periods and the locations of internalised bacteria and α-actinin were examined by confocal microscopy. We observed time-dependent increase in colocalisation of Nm with the cytoskeletal protein, which was considerable after an eight hour period of bacterial internalisation. In addition, the use of quantitative imaging software enabled us to obtain a relative measure of the colocalisation of Nm with α-actinin and other cytoskeletal proteins. Here we present a protocol for visualisation and quantification of the colocalisation of the bacterium with intracellular proteins after bacterial entry into human endothelial cells, although the procedure is also applicable to human epithelial cells