Academic Research Laboratory Research Articles

2013 IROS Industry Forum: Where does Entrepreneurship Fit in within Industry & Academia? [Industrial Activities

Robotics entrepreneurship! The steadily growing interest in robotics research has brought us to a new age where recently developed technologies emerge into new markets. Whereas large companies run their own in-house research and development programs, many innovative ideas are born in academic research labs all over the planet. It is often remarked that, as a community-both within industry and academia-much needs to be done to productize these research outcomes and bridge the gap between these communities. While this intention is noble, the execution of how to make this a reality has been dismal.

Follicular Thyroid Cancers Demonstrate Dual Activation of PKA and mTOR as Modeled by Thyroid-Specific Deletion of Prkar1a and Pten in Mice

Thyroid cancer is the most common form of endocrine cancer, and it is a disease whose incidence is rapidly rising. Well-differentiated epithelial thyroid cancer can be divided into papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and follicular thyroid cancer (FTC). Although FTC is less common, patients with this condition have more frequent metastasis and a poorer prognosis than those with PTC. The objective of this study was to characterize the molecular mechanisms contributing to the development and metastasis of FTC. We developed and characterized mice carrying thyroid-specific double knockout of the Prkar1a and Pten tumor suppressor genes and compared signaling alterations observed in the mouse FTC to the corresponding human tumors. The study was conducted at an academic research laboratory. Human samples were obtained from academic hospitals. Deidentified, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples were analyzed from 10 control thyroids, 30 PTC cases, five follicular variant PTC cases, and 10 FTC cases. There were no interventions. Mouse and patient samples were analyzed for expression of activated cAMP response element binding protein, AKT, ERK, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Murine FTCs were analyzed for differential gene expression to identify genes associated with metastatic progression. Double Prkar1a-Pten thyroid knockout mice develop FTC and recapitulate the histology and metastatic phenotype of the human disease. Analysis of signaling pathways in FTC showed that both human and mouse tumors exhibited strong activation of protein kinase A and mTOR. The development of metastatic disease was associated with the overexpression of genes required for cell movement. These data imply that the protein kinase A and mTOR signaling cascades are important for the development of follicular thyroid carcinogenesis and may suggest new targets for therapeutic intervention. Mouse models paralleling the development of the stages of human FTC should provide important new tools for understanding the mechanisms of FTC development and progression and for evaluating new therapeutics.

The syntheses, characterization and in vitro metabolism of nitracaine, methoxypiperamide and mephtetramine

Three legal highs; nitracaine (3-(diethylamino)-2,2-dimethylpropyl 4-nitrobenzoate), methoxypiperamide (MEOP, (4-methoxyphenyl)(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methanone) and mephtetramine (MTTA, 2-((methylamino)methyl)-3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one) appeared in 2013 as new psychoactive substances (NPS) on Internet websites selling 'research chemicals'. These compounds were synthesized and analyzed via our synthesize, analyze, and metabolize (SAM) protocol. Nitracaine was synthesized by the transesterification of methyl 4-nitrobenzoate with 3-(diethylamino)-2,2-dimethylpropan-1-ol. Methoxypiperamide was synthesized by the reaction of 4-methoxybenzoyl chloride with 1-methylpiperazine, and mephtetramine through the Mannich reaction of 1-tetralone with paraformaldehyde and methylamine hydrochloride. Each compound was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gas chromatography with electron impact mass spectrometry (GC-EIMS), liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS), and high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS). A sample of nitracaine was also test-purchased from an Internet vendor and its structure confirmed by GC-EIMS and LC-ESI-MS. Finally, the in vitro metabolism of the nitracaine, mephtetramine, and methoxypiperamide was investigated, using a human microsomal liver extract, in order to tentatively identify potential metabolites that may be encountered in the analysis of biological samples in clinical or toxicology labs. The use of our SAM protocol highlights the ability of academic research labs to quickly respond to and disseminate information about emerging NPS.

Does Somatostatin Have a Role in the Regulation of Cortisol Secretion in Primary Pigmented Nodular Adrenocortical Disease (PPNAD)? A Clinical and in Vitro Investigation

Somatostatin (SST) receptors (SSTRs) are expressed in a number of tissues, including the adrenal cortex, but their role in cortisol secretion has not been well characterized. The objective of the study was to investigate the expression of SSTRs in the adrenal cortex and cultured adrenocortical cells from primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD) tissues and to test the effect of a single injection of 100 μg of the SST analog octreotide on cortisol secretion in patients with PPNAD. The study was conducted at an academic research laboratory and clinical research center. Expression of SSTRs was examined in 26 PPNAD tissues and the immortalized PPNAD cell line CAR47. Ten subjects with PPNAD underwent a randomized, single-blind, crossover study of their cortisol secretion every 30 minutes over 12 hours (6:00 pm to 6:00 am) before and after the midnight administration of octreotide 100 μg sc. SSTRs expression was investigated by quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry. The CAR47 and primary cell lines were studied in vitro. The data of the 10 patients were analyzed before and after the administration of octreotide. All SSTRs, especially SSTR1-3, were expressed in PPNAD at significantly higher levels than in normal adrenal. SST was found to differentially regulate expression of its own receptors in the CAR47 cell line. However, the administration of octreotide to patients with PPNAD did not significantly affect cortisol secretion. SSTRs are overexpressed in PPNAD tissues in comparison with normal adrenal cortex. Octreotide did not exert any significant effect on cortisol secretion in a short clinical pilot study in a small number of patients with PPNAD, but long-acting SST analogs targeting multiple SSTRs may be worth investigating in this condition.

Insect cell culture in reagent bottles

Growing insect cells with high air space in culture vessel is common from the early development of suspension cell culture. We believed and followed it with the hope that it allows sufficient air for optimal cell growth. However, we missed to identify how much air exactly cells need for its growth and multiplication. Here we present the innovative method that changed the way we run insect cell culture. The method is easy to adapt, cost-effective and useful for both academic and industrial research labs. We believe this method will revolutionize the way we run insect cell culture by increasing throughput in a cost-effective way.In our study we identified:•Insect cells need to be in suspension; air space in culture vessel and type of culture vessel is of less importance. Shaking condition that introduces small air bubbles and maintains it in suspension for longer time provides better oxygen transfer in liquid. For this, high-fill volume in combination with speed and shaking diameter are important.•Commercially available insect cells are not fragile as original isolates. These cells can easily withstand higher shaking speed.•Growth condition in particular lab set-up needs to be optimized. The condition used in one lab may not be optimum for another lab due to different incubators from different vendors.

Surface plasmon resonance: signal amplification using colloidal gold nanoparticles for enhanced sensitivity

Among all the detection methods developed for bioassays, optical-based approaches are the most popular techniques. A widely used and accepted bioanalytical technique for routine characterization of molecular recognition events at a solid interface is surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy. Compared with other techniques, SPR offers a series of advantages including rapid and real-time analysis, in situ detection, and the possibility to determine kinetic as well as thermodynamic parameters of interacting partners without the requirement of tagging one of the two partners. This method is nowadays used in academic and industrial research laboratories for drug discovery processes, safety, and quality control applications as well as for understanding bioaffinity reactions. Past studies have shown that SPR can detect approximately 100 ng/l of proteins. Currently, much effort is still invested to further improve SPR with respect to the sensitivity in the detection of low molecular weight analytes as well as in the detection limit for different analyte/ligand reactions. This review will focus on the use of gold nanoparticles as an amplification strategy in SPR sensing. Compared to other review articles highlighting the several synthetic routes and properties of gold nanoparticles and research utilizing gold nanoparticles for various sensing strategies, this review will exclusively look at the impact of gold nanostructures for ultrasensitive SPR sensing. Signal enhancement by gold nanoparticles is caused by several effects such as surface mass increase due to enhanced surface area, larger refractive index changes by the particle mass, themselves, and electromagnetic field coupling between the plasmonic properties of the particles (localized surface plasmon resonance) and propagating plasmons. The unique optical, electronic, and catalytic properties of gold nanoparticles put them into the forefront of interest for signal amplification as will be outlined here.

Nanotechnology Commercialization and Research in USA : Two Case Studies

Undoubtedly, nanotechnology has the potential to impact numerous facets of human life andsociety. Thus, the case for expeditious commercialization of this technology is strong. However,several factors, such as long time between nanotechnology research and development ofcommercial products, large capital investment needed for a viable commercial venture, andfinancial/operational risks associated with commercial applications of nanotechnology, havebeen an obstacle in the way of rapid adoption of this technology in the commercial domain.Substantial government funding and involvement of academic institutions and researchlaboratories are viewed as an effective response to these barriers. In USA, two progressiveinstitutions of higher learning, The Pennsylvania State University and The University at Albanyin New York state, have made very significant contributions in the domain of nanotechnologycommercialization. This has been accomplished through education/training initiatives forworkforce development, and through partnerships with large and small industrial organizationsfor conducting R & D, and commercialization programs. In this manuscript, the two leadingconsortia involving these universities, namely Albany Nanotech/ Tech Valley and Nanofabare described as role models for other educational institutions that are interested in conductingnontechnology R & D and commercialization projects.

Microbiota of the seminal fluid from healthy and infertile men

To explore potential causes of male infertility by determining the composition and structure of commensal bacterial communities in seminal fluids. Microscopy of Gram-stained semen samples and classification of 16S rRNA gene sequences to determine the species composition of semen bacterial communities. Clinical andrology laboratory and academic research laboratories. Nineteen sperm donors and 58 infertility patients. None. Classification of 16S rRNA gene sequences, clustering of seminal microbial communities, and multiple statistical tests. High numbers of diverse kinds of bacteria were present in most samples of both sperm donors and infertility patients. The bacterial communities varied widely among subjects, but they could be clustered into six groups based on similarities in composition and the rank abundances of taxa. Overall, there were no significant differences between sperm donors and infertility patients. However, multiple statistical tests showed a significant negative association between sperm quality and the presence of Anaerococcus. The results also indicated that many of the bacterial taxa identified in semen also occur in the vaginal communities of some women, especially those with bacterial vaginosis, which suggests that heterosexual sex partners may share bacteria. Diverse kinds of bacteria were present in the human semen, but there were no significant differences between sperm donors and infertility patients. The presence of Anaerococcus might be a biomarker for low sperm quality.

A Novel Modular Polymer Platform for the Treatment of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer

Objectives: Evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of a novel modular polymer platform in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). 50% of HNSCC patients fail primary management, and salvage of the recurrent disease patient is of paramount importance. Methods: Study Design: In vivo study. Setting: Academic research laboratory. C3H/HeJ mice were randomized to receive implantation of 1) no polymer; 2) plain polymer; 3) plain polymer containing gene-modified dendritic cells over-expressing CCL21 (DC-AdCCL21); and 4) plain polymer with concurrent daily CCL21 injections. Tumor size was measured until the mice were euthanized. At necropsy, the tumors were excised and weighed. Results: Our results using this novel polymer platform demonstrate a remarkable reduction in tumor growth. The dendritic cell CCL21 secreting polymer effectively reduced SCCVII/SF tumors in the C3H/HeJ mice by over 16-fold ( P < 0.01) as compared to control, plain polymer, and plain polymer + intratumoral CCL21 injection groups. We also demonstrate that we can effectively grow dendritic cells in the polymer that can actively secrete CCL21. Treatment with the dendritic cell CCL21 secreting polymer led to a marked reduction in tumor burden with extensive mononuclear cell infiltration of the tumors. Conclusions: Our promising results indicate that this polymer may represent a new therapeutic modality for patients with HNSCC. Our data provide a strong rationale for further evaluation of this DC-AdCCL21 polymer in regulation of tumor immunity and genetic immunotherapy for HNSCC. Once this polymer platform is further optimized, we will plan for the ultimate validation in the context of a prospective trial in patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent HNSCC.

Constructing Consequences for Noncompliance

We examine academic research laboratories as examples of intractable governance sites. These spaces often elude regulatory warnings and rules because of the professional status of faculty members, the opacity of scientific work to outsiders, and loose coupling of policy and practice in organizations. We describe one university’s efforts to create a system for managing laboratory health, safety, and environmental hazards, thereby constraining conventional faculty habit to ignore administrative and legal procedures. We demonstrate the specific struggles safety managers face in creating system responsiveness, that is, feedback to re-channel noncompliant laboratory practices. We show how faculty members are buffered from the consequences of their activities, thus impeding the goals of responsibility and accountability. We conclude by asking where such pockets of intractability reside in other organizations and whether the surrounding buffer, if there is one, may nonetheless paradoxically create an effective margin of safety.

Measures of Balance Performance Are Affected by a Rested Versus Fatigued Testing Condition in People With Multiple Sclerosis

To investigate the effects of a rested and fatigued testing condition on measures of balance in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Prospective observational study. Academic research laboratory. Fifteen ambulatory adults with relapsing remitting or secondary progressive MS with moderate disability. Measures of postural control, dynamic balance, and fatigue were assessed during a "rested" and "fatigued" testing condition on separate days. Static posturography was used to assess postural control. The Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test and Dynamic Gait Index were used to assess dynamic balance. The chronic fatigue level was measured by using the Fatigue Severity Scale, and acute fatigue was assessed by using a visual analog scale at multiple time points during testing. During the fatigued condition, the participants reported a significant (P < .05) increase in acute fatigue levels (visual analog scale) and demonstrated a significant (P < .05) decrease in performance on measures of postural control and dynamic balance when compared with the rested condition. However, no significant relationship was identified between the changes in fatigue and changes in balance performance. Measures of balance performance and acute fatigue may be affected by rested versus fatigued testing conditions in people with MS. However, no significant relationships between changes in balance and fatigue were identified. Therefore, clinicians should use caution when making assumptions about the influence of fatigue on balance performance and should test for individual responses. Clinicians and researchers should also consider controlling for factors such as time of day and prior physical activity when administering standardized measures of balance in people with MS.

The Fixation Effect of a Silk Fibroin–Bacterial Cellulose Composite Plate in Segmental Defects of the Zygomatic Arch&lt;subtitle&gt;An Experimental Study&lt;/subtitle&gt;&lt;alt-title&gt;Silk Fibroin–Bacterial Cellulose Composite Plate&lt;/alt-title&gt;

Bioresorbable fixation systems have been popular for the treatment of facial fractures. However, their mechanical properties are uncertain and complications have been reported. To overcome these problems, we developed a bioresorbable fixation plate using a composite of silk fibroin and bacterial cellulose (SF-BC) with biodegradability and increased biocompatibility. To investigate the regenerative effect of the bioresorbable SF-BC fixation plate on zygomatic arch defects in rats. In vivo animal study. The SF-BC composite plate had a tensile strength similar to that of a polylactic acid plate and a tight, pore-free microstructure. Bilateral segmental bone defects (2 mm in length) were created in the zygomatic arches of adult rats. One side was fixed with the SF-BC composite plate, and the other side was left without fixation. Academic research laboratory. Fifteen adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Fixation of the zygomatic arch defect with the SF-BC composite plate. Micro-computed tomography and histological evaluation of bone samples. Gross inspection revealed no specific complication. At 1, 2, 4, and 8 postoperative weeks, the zygomatic arches were explored by micro-computed tomography and histological examination. Control sides did not heal completely and showed bony degeneration and necrosis during the 8-week follow-up. However, we observed new bone formation in sides treated with the SF-BC composite plate, and bony defects were completely healed within 8 weeks. The SF-BC composite plate is a potential candidate for a new bioresorbable fixation system. Our composite material could considerably shorten bone regeneration time. Additional study of the control of biodegradability and mechanical properties of SF-BC composite plates and a comparative study with the resorbable plates currently in use should be undertaken.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) modulation of TIMP1 secretion by human endometrial stromal cells facilitates extravillous trophoblast invasion in vitro

Are secreted extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling elements, relevant to embryo implantation and placentation, modified by hCG in endometrial stromal cells (ESCs)? hCG decreases tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) secretion in ESCs, thereby facilitating extravillous trophoblast invasion in vitro. Successful embryo implantation and placentation depend on the appropriate invasion of the trophoblast into the maternal endometrial stroma. hCG is one of the earliest embryo-derived secreted signals in the endometrium which abundantly expresses hCG receptors. However, there is little data concerning the effects of hCG on endometrial ECM remodelling with respect to embryo implantation. This study was conducted in an academic research laboratory within a tertiary-care hospital. Samples were collected from 36 women undergoing benign gynaecological surgery during the mid-secretory phase. ESCs were isolated and stimulated with hCG (10 UI/ml) or vehicle. Conditioned media (CM) were analysed to determine changes in the secreted profile of nine matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and three tissue-specific inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) using an ELISA array. Data were confirmed by gelatine zymography, western blot and ELISA. The HTR8/SVneo cell line served as a model for trophoblast cells. The invasive potential of trophoblast cells was assessed using Transwell invasion assays under CM or co-culture conditions with ECS and the role of regulated molecules was examined by using immunoprecipitation in CM prior to the assessment of invasive potential. MMP-2 levels increased 30%, whereas TIMP-1 levels decreased 20% in CM from ESCs stimulated with hCG (P < 0.05). Gelatine zymography confirmed an increase in MMP-2 activity (P < 0.05). ELISA and western blotting also confirmed the reduction in TIMP-1 upon hCG treatment (P < 0.05). Invasion assays revealed a ∼50% increase in invading HTR8/SVneo cells in chambers with hCG-stimulated ESCs compared with the control (P < 0.05). Immunodepletion of TIMP-1 from control ESC-CM partially resembled the effect of CM from hCG-stimulated ESCs in the trophoblast invasion assays. The assays were performed in vitro and ESCs were not decidualized, therefore they reflected the very early stages of embryo implantation or the advanced stages when decidualization fails. Our data suggest that hCG induces endometrial stromal extracellular remodelling by modulating secreted MMP-2 and TIMP-1. This regulation may be physiologically relevant because it increases the invasive potential of trophoblast-derived cells. At present, few data exist concerning the implications of hCG and endometrial ECM remodelling in embryo implantation. Hence, our results should be confirmed by further in vivo studies. This work was funded by FONDECYT 11100443, PBCT-PSD51 (IDIMI) and FONDAP 15010006. None of the authors have any conflicts of interest to declare.

Expert Judgements in Risk Analysis: a Strategy to Overcome Uncertainties

There is a need for a risk analysis technique specific for academic research laboratories. Since accurate accident data, normally required for quantitative risk analysis, are not available for this environment, expert judgements are often used to describe risks. However, these judgements are afflicted with linguistic, lexical or informal uncertainties. As a consequence, analyses made by different experts can lead to different results, which make risks incomparable. The purpose of this work is to analyse the effect of these uncertainties and to test strategies to improve the accuracy of the risk estimation based on expert judgements. Different calculation methods were used to compare the obtained risk scores. Results show that a multiplication-based formula, as used, for example, in the Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA), has an inconsistent variance of the risk score distribution. Another approach, using a logarithm-sum-based formula, gives more consistent results but introduces other drawbacks. An estimation method based on Bayesian networks is giving more consistent variances, which are crucial for the risk estimation. With a higher precision of the risk score results, the prioritization of risks can be enhanced and resources can be better allocated to improve the level of occupational safety in academic research laboratories.

Guidelines for Biosafety Training Programs for Workers Assigned to BSL-3 Research Laboratories

The Guidelines for Biosafety Training Programs for Workers Assigned to BSL-3 Research Laboratories were developed by biosafety professionals who oversee training programs for the 2 national biocontainment laboratories (NBLs) and the 13 regional biocontainment laboratories (RBLs) that participate in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) NBL/RBL Network. These guidelines provide a general training framework for biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) high-containment laboratories, identify key training concepts, and outline training methodologies designed to standardize base knowledge, understanding, and technical competence of laboratory personnel working in high-containment laboratories. Emphasis is placed on building a culture of risk assessment-based safety through competency training designed to enhance understanding and recognition of potential biological hazards as well as methods for controlling these hazards. These guidelines may be of value to other institutions and academic research laboratories that are developing biosafety training programs for BSL-3 research.

Enhancing research capacities in infectious diseases: The GABRIEL network, a joint approach to major local health issues in developing countries

Low income countries seldom possess adequate means to effectively carry out rigorous epidemiological studies in the fight against infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis and Acute Lower Respiratory Infections. To do so, they require solid health infrastructures and qualified researchers trained in the latest laboratory techniques. Where international collaborative programs presently operate in developing countries, the sustainability of research practices often represents a major challenge. The lack of coordination and support between political decision makers and scientific experts also accounts for the inefficiency of existing programs. The GABRIEL network was therefore recently created by the Fondation Mérieux to help developing countries improve their research capacity for the detection, expertise, characterization, and surveillance of pathogens. The members of GABRIEL, being institutionally and geographically diverse, comprise laboratories, such as academic research laboratories, governmental institutions, and NGOs. GABRIEL's mission is to enhance health research capacity in developing countries by implementing sustainable research projects.

New Facilities for the Measurements of High-Temperature Thermophysical Properties at LNE

LNE is expanding the measurement capabilities of its metrological platform devoted to the determination of the main thermophysical properties of materials toward very high temperatures. In particular, two facilities have been developed for measuring the directional spectral emissivity up to \(1500\,^{\circ }\)C and the thermal diffusivity up to \(3000\,^{\circ }\)C in the case of homogeneous solid materials and of thermal barrier coatings. These developments have required in particular the design of specific heating systems which are based either on the use of a lamp image furnace or on inductive heating technology. These works are performed in the framework of two international projects related to the thematic “Energy”, and which involve essentially European national metrology institutes. The availability of reference metrological facilities for the characterization of thermophysical properties of materials at high temperature with controlled uncertainties will enable ultimately the improvement of the traceability in academic and industrial research laboratories for measuring these quantities. This paper gives a detailed description of these metrological facilities and of the associated measurement methods.

The Long and Winding Road to FDA Approval of a Novel Prostate Cancer Test: Our Story

Only a very small fraction of the many tumor biomarkers discovered are successfully translated from the academic research laboratory into clinical practice. The pathway has not always been linear and has involved people with expertise in a wide range of specialties, including basic research, assay development, clinical affairs, regulatory affairs, marketing, business, oncology, and executive-management leadership. The experience with a tumor biomarker, the PCA3 [prostate cancer gene 3 (non-protein coding)] gene, illustrates the long and winding road that must be navigated. Here we reflect, from a historical point of view, on how the interface between academic science, industry, urologists, and clinical laboratories has been essential to advance biomarkers from solid basic science to a validated clinical laboratory test. PCA3 was first described as DD3 in 1999 by Bussemakers and colleagues (1). Researchers in the Isaacs laboratory at Johns Hopkins University used differential-display analysis to compare patterns of mRNA production in benign and malignant prostate tissue, with the goal of identifying unknown genes involved in prostate tumorigenesis. PCA3 expression was further characterized in the Schalken laboratory at Radboud University, Nijmegen (2), and this research confirmed 2 important properties of PCA3 as a prostate cancer (PCa)6 marker: PCA3 expression is prostate tissue specific, and PCA3 is highly overexpressed in PCa compared with benign tissue. This PCa-specific overexpression led the Nijmegen researchers to assess the feasibility of a PCA3 -based urine test for PCa detection. In 2001, a license for PCA3 was obtained by DiagnoCure, a company in Quebec City, Canada, to develop the assay and provide a clinical application. Transfer of a cancer biomarker to industry requires both the appropriate technology and a proper cancer strategy. The Nijmegen methodology was converted from PCR to nucleic acid sequence–based amplification (NASBA), a …

GPAC, toolbox for interactive multimedia packaging, delivery and playback

GPAC was born 10 years ago from the need of a lighter and more robust implementation of the MPEG-4 Systems standard [1], compared to the official reference software. It has since then evolved into a much wider project, covering many tools required when exploring new research topics in multimedia, while keeping a strong focus on international standard coming from organization such as W3C, ISO, ETSI or IETF. The goal of the project is to provide the tools needed to setup test beds and experiments for interactive multimedia applications, in any of the various environments used to deliver content in modern systems: broadcast, multicast, unicast unreliable streaming, HTTP-based streaming and file-based delivery. The project is used in many contexts, from commercial video services production chains to academic research projects, teaching and lab sessions; it allows fast designing of multimedia prototypes, from content production (creation and delivery) to interactive playback (such as augmented reality, video streaming, 2D or 3D scalable drawing) - more details are available in our paper [6].

Lead level in seminal plasma may affect semen quality for men without occupational exposure to lead

BackgroundInfertility affects approximately 10–15% of reproductive-age couples. Poor semen quality contributes to about 25% of infertile cases. Resulting from the direct effect on testicular function or hormonal alterations, heavy metals exposure has been related to impaired semen quality. The objective of this study was to assess the level of lead in the seminal plasma in men without occupational exposure to lead, and to determine the relationship between semen quality and lead concentration in the semen.MethodsThis is a prospective and nonrandomized clinical study conducted in University infertility clinic and academic research laboratory. Three hundred and forty-one male partners of infertile couples undergoing infertility evaluation and management were recruited to the study. Semen samples collected for the analyses of semen quality were also used for the measurement of lead concentrations. Semen samples were evaluated according to the WHO standards.ResultsAll subjects were married and from infertile couples without occupational exposure to lead. There is a significant inverse correlation between the lead concentration in seminal plasma and sperm count. A higher semen lead concentration was correlated with lower sperm count, but not with semen volume, sperm motility or sperm morphology as assessed by simple linear regression.ConclusionsWe found that semen lead concentration was significantly higher among the patients with lower sperm count. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that a high level of lead accumulation in semen may reduce the sperm count contributing to infertility of men without occupational exposure to lead.