Biomedical subjects

Jodie Smith

Publications and source records attributed to Jodie Smith.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Multi-criteria assessment of tensions in resource use at continental scale: a proof of concept with Australian rangelands.

The purpose of this study was to help to inform policy development for the Australian rangelands, and provide a proof of concept for application of a multi-criteria analysis approach to assessment of competing resource use at continental scale. The study aimed to identify and locate key natural resource and agricultural production assets in the rangelands, define a number of measures of potentially threatening processes, and use a multi-criteria approach to identify areas where threatening processes, agricultural production problems, or valuable natural resources coincided. The analysis used 35 readily available, continental spatial data layers at 5-km pixel resolution ranked from 1 (low) to 5 (high) under three themed groupings: natural resource base, production base, and threatening processes. These measures were aggregated into composite indicators to define attributes such as environmental sensitivity and total grazing pressure. The composites were then compared in a two-way analysis to explore particular interactions between threatening processes such as pastoralism and mining, and the condition of production and natural resource assets. These interactions were defined as "tensions" for purposes of this analysis. Example "tensions" included the association of high grazing intensity with areas of high environmental sensitivity, indicating a risk of land degradation under adverse climatic conditions. A summary of patterns of tension was obtained by extracting area proportions of high-tension classes for selected Natural Heritage Trust Regions, which are a basis for Australian Government funding of improved environmental management. The study provides a basis for further examination of trade-offs in the use of natural assets, opportunities for improved productivity and sustainability, and social and economic implications.

Agriculture↗

PubMed2005

A comparability study of the emerging protein array platforms with established ELISA procedures.

Recent developments in microarray technology have made it possible to perform immunoassays in a multiplexed format. This ability is highly desirable given the potential for greater throughput analysis. In spite of the obvious advantages, a number of issues arise as a result of multiplexing the reactions. In this study, we have assessed the performance characteristics that are associated with the transfer of technology from a uniplexed to a multiplexed format. Two solution phase array platforms were chosen for this study: the commercially available Luminex(100) xMap system (Austin, Texas, USA) and the UltraPlex technology devised by SmartBead Technologies Ltd. (Cambridge, UK). For this comparative study, a test for the presence of six autoantibodies in a selection of human patient serum samples was chosen as a model system. The multiplexed Luminex xMap and SmartBead UltraPlex assays were generally comparable. However, both systems generated some results that were at variance with those obtained by ELISA. The different methods used for the assignment of the cut-off levels for each of the assays within any given platform was identified as the major source of these non-concordant results. The present study demonstrates that array platforms have the potential to be used in immunodiagnostics providing that suitable cut-off levels are established.

Antibodies↗

PubMed2005

Determination of ANA specificity using the UltraPlex platform.

SmartBead Technologies has developed a multiplexed immunofluorescence assay, the UltraPlex ANA Profile, which determines nine antinuclear antibodies simultaneously. The UltraPlex assay platform uses bar-coded microparticles to track analytes through assays. These bar-coded microparticles were used to tag and track key ANA markers: Jo-1, Scl-70, Sm, SmRNP, SSA, SSB, U1RNP, Centromere B, dsDNA, and a blank control microparticle. The immunofluorescence assays are fully automated and are performed on a Perkin-Elmer multiprobe II liquid handling system that performs all sera dilutions, additions of reagents, washes, and incubation steps. Results were determined by the automated UltraPlex plate reader. This fully automated multiplex antinuclear antibody (ANA) immunoassay was used to screen commercially available ANA-positive sera and negative control samples. The UltraPlex ANA Profile enables the panels of samples to be screened simultaneously for nine ANA antoantibodies, requiring significantly less labor and fewer reagents, with performance equivalent to existing gold-standard methods.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗

PubMed2004

Impacts of runoff from sulfuric soils on sediment chemistry in an estuarine lake.

The impact of runoff from sulfuric soils in the heavily drained Cudgen Lake floodplain, eastern Australia on water quality and downstream coastal lake sediments has been examined. The oxidation of sulfidic soils and the transformation into sulfuric soils leads to changes not only in the upper soil profile but also affects drainage water quality and the chemistry of bottom sediments in receiving waters. Oxidation transforms the soil from a sink for sulfur and metals to a significant source for downstream environments. Sulfuric soils within the Cudgen Lake catchment contain 9.18 x 10(5) mol H+ per hectare as well as elevated concentration of metals (e.g. Al, Fe, Mn) and sulfate. These products of sulfidic soil oxidation are transported efficiently from the soil profile by the constructed drainage network and into the downstream lake system. The acid volatile sulfur (AVS), chromium reducible sulfur (CRS), total sulfur, organic carbon, and reactive iron contents present in the solid phase of the lake sediments are reported. The AVS/CRS, DOP and DOS values observed in the lake sediments show that natural monosulfide formation in the near surface sediments has been enhanced due to increased inputs of organic matter, sulfate, ferrous iron and other metals following development of the catchment. There are elevated concentrations of metals (e.g. As, Al, Cd, Cr, Hg, Zn and Pb) in the upper layer of monosulfidic lake sediments compared with the underlying pyritic sediments some of which exceed sediment quality guidelines. These metals could be released by dredging or through re-suspension during high flow conditions or enter the food chain.

Biological Availability↗