Towards multimaterial multifunctional fibres that see, hear, sense and communicate

Virtually all electronic and optoelectronic devices necessitate a challenging assembly of conducting, semiconducting and insulating materials into specific geometries with low-scattering interfaces and microscopic feature dimensions. A variety of wafer-based processing approaches have been developed to address these requirements, which although successful are at the same time inherently restricted by the wafer size, its planar geometry and the complexity associated with sequential high-precision processing steps. In contrast, optical-fibre drawing from a macroscopic preformed rod is simpler and yields extended lengths of uniform fibres. Recently, a new family of fibres composed of conductors, semiconductors and insulators has emerged. These fibres share the basic device attributes of their traditional electronic and optoelectronic counterparts, yet are fabricated using conventional preform-based fibre-processing methods, yielding kilometres of functional fibre devices. Two complementary approaches towards realizing sophisticated functions are explored: on the single-fibre level, the integration of a multiplicity of functional components into one fibre, and on the multiple-fibre level, the assembly of large-scale two- and three-dimensional geometric constructs made of many fibres. When applied together these two approaches pave the way to multifunctional fabric systems. © 2007 Nature Publishing Group

Activity and expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator and matrix metalloproteinases in human colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) are involved in colorectal cancer invasion and metastasis. There is still debate whether the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 differs between tumors located in the colon and rectum. We designed this study to determine any differences in the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and uPA system between colon and rectal cancer tissues. METHODS: Cancer tissue samples were obtained from colon carcinoma (n = 12) and rectal carcinomas (n = 10). MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were examined using gelatin zymography and Western blotting; their endogenous inhibitors, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), were assessed by Western blotting. uPA, uPAR and PAI-1 were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The activity of uPA was assessed by casein-plasminogen zymography. RESULTS: In both colon and rectal tumors, MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 protein levels were higher than in corresponding paired normal mucosa, while TIMP-2 level in tumors was significantly lower than in normal mucosa. The enzyme activities or protein levels of MMP-2, MMP-9 and their endogenous inhibitors did not reach a statistically significant difference between colon and rectal cancer compared with their normal mucosa. In rectal tumors, there was an increased activity of uPA compared with the activity in colon tumors (P = 0.0266), however urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) showed no significant difference between colon and rectal cancer tissues. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that uPA may be expressed differentially in colon and rectal cancers, however, the activities or protein levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, PAI-1 and uPAR are not affected by tumor location in the colon or the rectum

Relationship between Anaemia, Haemolysis, Inflammation and Haem Oxygenase-1 at Admission with Sepsis: a pilot study

Upregulation of haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1), due to haemolysis and/or inflammation, can lead to impaired immune function. Anaemia is common among sepsis patients, but the consequences of sepsis-associated anaemia are poorly understood. Here, our objective was to determine the prevalence and extent of anaemia, haemolysis, inflammation, and HO-1 induction after early hospital admission. We hypothesised that inflammation- or infection-induced haemolysis contributes to sepsis-associated anaemia and that this will lead to expression of HO-1. In this study, plasma obtained from seventy adult patients within 12 hours of admission to intensive care due to sepsis were analysed for anaemia, haemolysis and inflammatory markers by ELISA and microbead array. The majority (82.6%) of patients were anaemic with evidence of haemolysis (raised haem, haptoglobin, haemopexin, and HO-1 concentrations). Interestingly, concentrations of both haemoglobin and IL-10 were moderately positively correlated with HO-1 concentration (Hb: r = 0.32, p = 0.007; IL-10 r = 0.39, p = 0.0008) whereas HO-1 concentration was weakly negatively correlated with haemopexin (r = -0.23, p = 0.055). Anaemia, while common, was not associated with HO-1 concentration. After adjusting for confounding, HO-1 induction appears to be associated primarily with IL-10 concentration rather than haemolysis. Disease severity at diagnosis was correlated with early plasma IL-10 (r = 0.35, p = 0.003) and HO-1 (r = 0.24, p = 0.048) concentrations. Notably, admission levels of haem, HO-1, and IL-10 were indicators of survival