The shallow depth emplacement of mafic intrusions on a magma-poor rifted margin : An example from the Bight Basin, Southern Australia

This work comprises a part of the Great Australian Bight Deepwater Marine Program (GABDMP) for funding this project. The GABDMP is a CSIRO research program, sponsored by Chevron Australia the results of which will be made publically available. 3D seismic data was gratefully provided by TGS. Dougal Jerram and Craig Magee are thanked for constructive reviews; Adam Bumby is thanked for editorial handling.Peer reviewedPostprin

Draft Genome Sequence of a Novel "<i>Candidatus</i> Liberibacter" Species Detected in a <i>Zanthoxylum</i> Species from Bhutan.

The draft genome sequence of a novel "Candidatus Liberibacter" species detected in an unidentified species of Zanthoxylum (Rutaceae) collected in Bhutan is reported. The total length is 1,408,989 bp with 1,169 coding sequences in 96 contigs, a GC content of 37.3%, and 76 to 77% average nucleotide identity with several other "Ca Liberibacter" species

Comment on "Effect of Age-Related Factors on the Pharmacokinetics of Lamotrigine and Potential Implications for Maintenance Dose Optimisation in Future Clinical Trials".

Pharmacolog

Three-Dimensional Seismic Imaging of Ancient Submarine Lava Flows : An Example From the Southern Australian Margin

This work comprises a part of the Great Australian Bight Deepwater Marine Program (GABDMP) for funding this project. The GABDMP is a CSIRO research program, sponsored by Chevron Australia the results of which will be made publicly available. 3D seismic data was gratefully provided by TGS. IHS are thanked for access to seismic interpretation software. Spectral decomposition was carried out using Foster-Findlay Associates Geoteric Software. Sverre Planke and Tracy Gregg are thanked for constructive reviews.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Magma plumbing and emplacement mechanisms within sedimentary basins

Nick Schofield, Craig Magee, Simon Holford, and Christopher Jacksonhttp://www.egu2013.eu

The Terebridae and teretoxins: Combining phylogeny and anatomy for concerted discovery of bioactive compounds

The Conoidea superfamily, comprised of cone snails, terebrids, and turrids, is an exceptionally promising group for the discovery of natural peptide toxins. The potential of conoidean toxins has been realized with the distribution of the first Conus (cone snail) drug, Prialt (ziconotide), an analgesic used to alleviate chronic pain in HIV and cancer patients. Cone snail toxins (conotoxins) are highly variable, a consequence of a high mutation rate associated to duplication events and positive selection. As Conus and terebrids diverged in the early Paleocene, the toxins from terebrids (teretoxins) may demonstrate highly divergent and unique functionalities. Recent analyses of the Terebridae, a largely distributed family with more than 300 described species, indicate they have evolutionary and pharmacological potential. Based on a three gene (COI, 12S and 16S) molecular phylogeny, including ~50 species from the West-Pacific, five main terebrid lineages were discriminated: two of these lineages independently lost their venom apparatus, and one venomous lineage was previously unknown. Knowing the phylogenetic relationships within the Terebridae aids in effectively targeting divergent lineages with novel peptide toxins. Preliminary results indicate that teretoxins are similar in structure and composition to conotoxins, suggesting teretoxins are an attractive line of research to discover and develop new therapeutics that target ion channels and receptors. Using conotoxins as a guideline, and innovative natural products discovery strategies, such as the Concerted Discovery Strategy, the potential of the Terebridae and their toxins are explored as a pioneering pharmacological resource

Scalable off-grid energy services enabled by IoT: A case study of BBOXX SMART Solar

This case study intends to show how Internet of Things (IoT) technology can be used to tackle development challenges by using the case study of BBOXX- a Solar Home Systems provider operating in South-Western Kenya and across Rwanda, and its SMART Solar platform applied to nearly 20,000 currently active systems. It aims to highlight the benefits of such technology to its users and how it can be utilised to create scalable business models for energy access through improved customer understanding. However, it also shows the difficulties in designing, developing and deploying appropriate technologies in an affordable and impactful way. Similar applications in the water sector are briefly looked at to further explore the potential and the challenges of IoT technologies in driving social and economic development. The case study raises ethical questions about the storage, collection and sharing of data and explores whether the data protection models prevalent in the developed world are applicable in a development context. It offers ideas for future research and policy recommendations, pointing to the need of including financial, socio-economic and ethical considerations in the processes of innovative solutions development

Population pharmacokinetics of the humanised monoclonal antibody, HuHMFG1 (AS1402), derived from a phase I study on breast cancer

International audienceBACKGROUND: HuHMFG1 (AS1402) is a humanised monoclonal antibody that has undergone a phase I trial in metastatic breast cancer. The aim of this study was to characterise the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of HuHMFG1 using a population PK model. METHOD: Data were derived from a phase I study of 26 patients receiving HuHMFG1 at doses ranging from 1 to 16 mg kg(-1). Data were analysed using NONMEM software and covariates were included. A limited sampling strategy (LSS) was developed using training and a validation data set. RESULTS: A linear two-compartment model was shown to be adequate to describe data. Covariate analysis indicated that weight was not related to clearance. An LSS was successfully developed on the basis of the model, in which one sample is collected immediately before the start of an infusion and the second is taken at the end of infusion. CONCLUSION: A two-compartment population PK model successfully describes HuHMFG1 behaviour. The model suggests using a fixed dose of HuHMFG1, which would simplify dosing. The model could be used to optimise dose level and dosing schedule if more data on the correlation between exposure and efficacy become available from future studies. The derived LSS could optimise further PK assessment of this antibody