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Titanium dioxide is a well-known material in nanotechnology, while it provides new opportunities due to its interesting properties, for example, as a semiconductor with a quite significant forbidden band gap energy of 3.2 eV. In this study, thin films of titanium dioxide (TiO2) were synthesized in amorphous and crystallographic systems using the sol–gel process. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were applied to obtain structural characteristics of the prepared films. We estimated that TiO2 thin films crystallize in anatase phase between temperatures 380 °C and 700 °C, and into anatase–rutile phase at 650 °C, while rutile phase exists alone above 800 °C. The changes in porosity of materials in relation to temperature were calculated as well. The refractive index of titanium dioxide thin films from ellipsometric measurements is also provided.

This paper describes the potential application of a freely suspended cyanobacterial biomass of Microcystis aeruginosa as a sorption material for toxic metals, cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) from aqueous solutions. In order to identify the most suitable conditions for removal of these elements (concentration range: 1–20 mg L−1), the laboratory experiments were carried out during different incubation times (1–48 h) and under various temperatures (10–40°C), pH (5–9) and with or without light irradiance. Competitive biosorption of Cd and Pb was also investigated. We found that M. aeruginosa demonstrates high efficiency in removing both of the studied metals from aqueous solutions. Sorption of Pb occurred, however, more rapidly and effectively, and was less disturbed by changes in physico-chemical conditions. Under pH=7, 25°C and light, the removal rates after 3 h and 6 h of incubation, were 90–100% for Pb and 79.5–100% for Cd, respectively. The co-occurrence of the metals decreased the rate of metal biosorption. Pb was sequestered preferentially over Cd. From the results we conclude that freely suspended M. aeruginosa can constitute a promising low-cost, easy-producible biosorbent material for toxic metals in contaminated wastewater.

We report the novel modification of a hydrogen-terminated polycrystalline boron-doped electrode with a microwave pulsed-plasma polymerized allylamine. Boron-doped diamond (BDD) was coated with a very thin layer of adherent cross-linked, pinhole- and additive-free allylamine plasma polymer (PPAAm) resistant to hydrolysis and delamination and characterized by a high density of positively charged amino groups. The pulsed microwave plasma was applied to improve the cross-linking degree and bonding of the plasma polymeric films to boron-doped diamond. The amine-treated BDD films were assessed by advanced surface analytical techniques, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser-induced fluorescence, and water contact angle measurements. The amine-modified Si/BDD surface was functionalized with selected organic molecules containing a carboxylic group in the presence of coupling agents such as diisopropylcarbodiimide (DIC). The anthraquinone derivatives Boc-Ly...

The structure and electrical properties of manganese borosilicate glasses of a composition of xMnO-(0.8-x)SiO2-(0.2)B2O3 (x=0.4, 0.5 and 0.6 in mol) were investigated by impedance spectroscopy, SEM, XRD and confocal microscopy methods. The influence of composition on the glass structure and electrical properties was discussed. A separation of two amorphous phases was observed and it was concluded that one phase is SiO2-rich and the other is MnO-rich. It was found that the direct current conductivity and the activation energy of conductivity decreases with an increase in the manganese oxide content. The proposed mechanism of the conductivity is overlapping large polaron hopping.

The ac and dc conductivity in barium-vanadate glasses was investigated as a function of temperature and frequency with the use of impedance spectroscopy. The topography and microstructure of glasses were investigated by the means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods. The XRD results show that all samples are amorphous but microscopy investigation reveals that glasses with greater amount of V 2 O 5 contain nanostructures. The influence of V 2 O 5 quantity on dielectric properties was checked. The activation energy of dc conduction process was evaluated. On the basis of Jonscher universal dielectric response the temperature dependence of conductivity parameters were determined and compared to theoretical models collected by Elliott.

The ac and dc conductivity in phosphate-iron-niobate glasses with addition of titanium oxide was investigated as a function of temperature and frequency with the use of impedance spectroscopy. The topography and microstructure of glasses were investigated by the means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and confocal microscopy methods. The obtained results show that all samples are amorphous but they contain granular structures. The influence of titania on the properties of obtained glasses is discussed. The activation energy of dc conduction process is determined. The experimental results are discussed on the basis of Jonscher law and conductivity models collected by Elliot.

The structural and electrical properties of germanium-antimonate glasses after heat treatment in hydrogen have been determined. In the case of 50GeO2-50Sb2O3 glass reduced at 340°C even for less than 1 hour a continuous layer of antimony granules is formed and its electrical properties determine the surface conductivity of the reduced sample. The bulk electrical conductivity at 100°C of this sample was determined as 1000 Scm-1 and the Seebeck coefficient at this temperature in reference to Pt was found to be α=(17.2±0.5) μVK-1.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used all over the world. The LIBs belong to a renewable energy source and energy storage devices. The increase in energy demand causes that new materials of higher energy and higher power densities are still under investigation. Herein, we compare electrochemical properties of bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) embedded and not embedded into carbonaceous matrix as an anode material along with structural changes. Material incorporated into carbon phase (BiVO4@C) exhibited much better electrochemical stability but with lower specific capacity (128 mA h/g) in comparison with pure BiVO4 (217 mA h/g). XRD measurements showed the change in crystallographic structure due to lithium ion intercalation/extraction process. Hence, it seemed obvious that the presence of carbon affected the interfacial structural and electrochemical properties of bismuth vanadate based electrodes.

Two oxynitride glass series with the composition of 35Na2O-5BeO-(60-x)SiO2-xSi3N4 and 9Li2O- 27Na2O-5BeO-(59-x)SiO2-xSi3N4, were prepared. The glasses' topography and structure were studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The composition was analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer, SEM-EDS and nitrogen and oxygen elemental analyzer. Na-(Li)-Be-silicate glasses were found to contain up to approximately 3.4 (or 5.2 for EDS measurements) at.% of N, respectively. The samples were homogenous in their topography and composition s of their cross-sections. The presence of three-fold coordinated nitrogen atoms in Na-Be-Si-O-N glasses results in higher degree of polymerization as was observed by Raman spectroscopy. The spectrum of analogous glasses with lithium did not show a significant decrease in Q2 units but exhibit the presence of Q4 units which also indicates a polymerization of the network. The incorporation of nitrogen in these glasses leads to the increase of the glass transition temperature and thermal stability.

In this work, the spontaneous release of anti-inflammatory salicylate from polypyrrole (PPy) coated iron has been studied during degradation of the material in phosphate buffer saline at 37 °C. The sodium salicylate was incorporated into PPy in a one-step electropolymerization process. The influence of the synthesis conditions such as sodium salicylate concentration, pyrrole concentration and deposition charge on drug release profile has been investigated. The morphology, surface roughness and redox properties of PPy/Fe have been also studied. The drug release was studied by UV–Vis spectrophotometer with flow cuvette connected to the electrochemical cell, which provided continuous study of the released dopant. As a result, reliable and quantitative study of salicylate release from PPy coated iron was attained. Depending on the synthesis conditions the concentration of the salicylate released was in the range of 83–183 μM cm−2 after 21 h of immersion. The rate of drug release of 10–11 μM h−1 was the highest at the beginning after immersion (1–2 h), then it gradually decreased and finally it reached the lowest value of approximately 0.3 μM h−1 at the end of the process.”

Carbon nanowalls (CNWs) have attracted much attention for numerous applications in electrical devices because of their peculiar structural characteristics. However, it is possible to set synthesis parameters to vary the electrical and optical properties of such CNWs. In this paper, we demonstrate the direct growth of highly transparent boron-doped nanowalls (B-CNWs) on optical grade fused quartz. The effect of growth temperature and boron doping on the behavior of boron-doped carbon nanowalls grown on quartz was studied in particular. Temperature and boron inclusion doping level allow for direct tuning of CNW morphology. It is possible to operate with both parameters to obtain a transparent and conductive film, however, boron doping is a preferred factor to maintain the transparency in the visible region, while a higher growth temperature is more effective to improve conductance. Light transmittance and electrical conductivity are mainly influenced by growth temperature and then by boron doping. Tailoring B-CNWs has important implications for potential applications of such electrically conductive transparent electrodes designed for energy conversion and storage devices.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are one of the most promising energy conversion devices due to their high efficiency, low pollution and fuel flexibility. Unfortunately, when hydrocarbons are used as a fuel, for example in the form of a biogas, solid carbon can deposit on the anode surface. This process leads to the degradation of the fuel cell performance. A possible solution to this problem is to apply an additional catalytic material, which would improve catalytic activity towards the direct internal reforming of the biogas. In this work three catalytic materials were investigated towards the biogas reforming: Cu 1.3 Mn 1.7 O 4 , Y 0.08 Sr 0.92 Ti 0.8 Fe 0.2 O 3 − δ and CeCu 2 O 4 . Materials were infiltrated into the Ni/YSZ cermet and YSZ structure. Their catalytic activities were tested in a synthetic biogas (mixture of 60% of methane and 40% of carbon dioxide) using FTIR spectroscopy of the outlet gases. Infiltration with catalytic materials improved the catalytic properties of supports, however, did not reduce the carbon formation rate.

Anode-supported solid oxide fuel cell with SrTi0.98Nb0.02O3–d anode, yttria-stabilized zirconia electrolyte and La(Ni0.6Fe0.4) O3d cathode has been successfully fabricated and evaluated. Process of anode support fabrication has been presented. Wet powder spraying and high temperature sintering method have been studied and applied to deposit the thin electrolyte layer.In order to improve catalytic properties of the anode, it has been impregnated with Ni. Electrical properties of fuel cells have been measured to determine their performance. The open cell voltage of 1.08V and maximum power density at the level of 160mWcm2 were observed at 800 8C.

Composites consisting of SrTiO3-based perovskite and either yttria-stabilized zirconia or ceria were investigated. The mechanical compatibility and possible inter-diffusion between phases were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. A gradual disappearance of Ce-containing phases with an increase in the temperature of reduction in hydrogen was noticed. Moreover, a diffusion of Sr, Ti, and Ce was observed between the composites and the yttria-stabilized zirconia electrolyte support in the conditions of high temperature (1300–1400 °C) reduction in H2.

Recent increasing demand for new eco-friendly materials and for low cost fabrication process for use in optical sensors field, raise concern about alternative materials for this application. We have designed two glass-ceramics compositions from the quaternary ROAl2O3- SiO2-B2O3(R=Ba) alkali-earth aluminum silicate system, labeled B72 and B69, with high refractive index (>1.6), large values of Abbe number (94.0 and 53.0, respectively), and free of lead and arsenic. We present an analysis and discussion of experimental optical properties, thermal and thermo-chemical stability along with important properties such as transition temperature (Tg), onset of crystallization (Tx) as well transport properties as ionic conductivity behavior in the quaternary glass-ceramic system containing boron for use as optical sensors. Complex Impedance Spectra (Bode Plot) and Potentiodynamic Polarization curves (Tafel plots) measurements were carried out in the temperature range of 600 to 850°C. The most probable conductivity mechanism is a thermally activated process of mobile ions overcoming a potential barrier (EA), according to the Arrhenius regime. Here we report that charge transfer is caused by the flux of electrons, in the region of elevated temperatures (>700°C), and is affected by immiscibility of crystals, nucleation and growth type, that causes phase separation. We found conductivity (σ) values from 10-9 to 10-5 S/cm at temperatures between 700 and 850°C. Our results highlight a need for research on ion mobility in the glassy network above the transition range, and the effect cause by metastable immiscibility in the alkaline-earth glasses are exposed. The two glass compositions B72 and B69 can be tailored by proper use as glassy optical sensor.

Biological systems, especially bacteriophages and peptides, are an attractive green alternative to other known methods of nanoparticle synthesis. In this work, for the first time, bacteriophages were employed to synthesize a specific peptide, capable of producing nanoparticles (NPs). Derivatives of M13 bacteriophage exposing a ZnO-binding peptide (TMGANLGLKWPV) on either pIII or pVIII phage coat protein were constructed and used as a biotemplate. The exposition of the ZnO-binding peptide, synthesized by phages during their propagation in bacteria, on M13 virions provided a groundwork for growing ZnO nanostructures. Depending on the recombinant phage type used (M13-pIII-ZnO or M13-pVIII-ZnO), well separated ZnO NPs or complex 3D structures of ZnO NPs of ca. 20-40 nm were synthesized at room temperature. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles served as a luminescent material that emitted light near the short wavelength end of the visible region (at ca. 400 nm). The next very low intensity emission band at 530 nm demonstrated that the ZnO material obtained is characterized by a low concentration of surface defects.

Nonstoichiometric Nb-substituted SrTiO3 compounds were investigated in order to discuss the influence of nonstoichiometry at the sample properties in the light of recent results reported in the literature. Structural and electrical properties of samples were characterized. Investigated compounds were also applied as anodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells and their reactivity with YSZ electrolyte was examined. The defect chemistry explaining observed phenomena was suggested and the probability of Sr-site vacancies formation compared to Ti-site vacancies was discussed.

Niobium-doped strontium titanate was used as the anode for a solid oxide fuel cell. Electrolyte-supported cells were prepared with pure perovskite and composite perovskite–yttria–stabilized-zirconia (YSZ) anodes. Fuel cell tests demonstrated significant improvement in power density after infiltration with a small amount of Ni. The obtained values of power densities are comparable with conventional Ni/YSZ cermet anode. In addition, stability tests showed initial degradation followed by stable operation.

Composites of Nb-doped strontium titanate mixed with yttria-stabilized zirconia or cerium oxide in 50:50, 70:30 and 85:15 weight ratios were evaluated as possible anode/electrolyte interface materials for solid oxide fuel cells in terms of chemical compatibility, electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. It has been shown that composite samples prepared by typical powder-mixing methods remain single-phase up to 1400°C. The electrical conductivity of these composites, regardless of their composition and fabrication conditions, is lower than the conductivity of pure SrTi0.98Nb0.02O3–δ, but in most cases sufficient for solid oxide fuel cells anode application. The best properties are found for samples reduced at 1400°C for 10 h in H2 atmosphere. The observations made by scanning electron microscope suggest that the grains of both phases are well-distributed throughout the whole volume of the investigated samples, and that the composites with CeO2 better adhere to the electrolyte surface. The electrical results confirm that composites with at most 30 wt % of YSZ/CeO2 phase fulfill the anode requirements. However, the fuel cell performance tests indicate that the application of composite with CeO2 results in the lower power density than the application of the composite with YSZ.

Many material device applications would benefit from thin diamond coatings, but current growth techniques, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or atomic layer deposition require high substrate and gas‐phase temperatures that would destroy the device being coated. The development of freestanding, thin boron‐doped diamond nanosheets grown on tantalum foil substrates via microwave plasma‐assisted CVD is reported. These diamond sheets (measuring up to 4 × 5 mm in planar area, and 300–600 nm in thickness) are removed from the substrate using mechanical exfoliation and then transferred to other substrates, including Si/SiO_2 and graphene. The electronic properties of the resulting diamond nanosheets and their dependence on the free‐standing growth, the mechanical exfoliation and transfer processes, and ultimately on their composition are characterized. To validate this, a prototypical diamond nanosheet–graphene field effect transistor‐like (DNGfet) device is developed and its electronic transport properties are studied as a function of temperature. The resulting DNGfet device exhibits thermally activated transport (thermionic conductance) above 50 K. Below 50 K a transition to variable range hopping is observed. These findings demonstrate the first step towards a low‐temperature diamond‐based transistor.

Niobium-doped strontium titanate synthesized via conventional solid-state reaction has been studied. Influence of niobium content on the lattice parameters and electrical conductivity has been reported. Various reduction conditions have been investigated. For samples reduced in hydrogen at 1400°C, a transition from thermally activated to metallic behavior has been observed. Maximum electrical conductivity (ca. 55 Scm−1 at 650°C) has been observed for the SrTi0.98Nb0.02O3-δ sample. The relation of electrical conductivity with the porosity of the samples has been shown.

Electrical properties of perovskite Y 0.08 Sr 0.92 Ti 0.92 Nb 0.08 O 3− δ after reduction in different conditions were studied. Relatively high electrical conductivity in samples reduced in ammonia was observed. The conductivity of Y 0.08 Sr 0.92 Ti 0.92 Nb 0.08 O 3− δ reduced in ammonia at 1500 °C was of about 600 S/cm at 200 °C. Conductivity after reduction in ammonia at 1500 °C was stable both in hydrogen and oxygen atmosphere up to 600 °C. Reduction Y 0.08 Sr 0.92 Ti 0.92 Nb 0.08 O 3− δ in ammonia causes nitrogen incorporation into perovskite structure of Y 0.08 Sr 0.92 Ti 0.92 Nb 0.08 O 3− δ .

Samples of strontium borate glass containing bismuth vanadate nanocrystallites were prepared. Nanocomposites containing up to 45 mol% of the Bi2VO5.5 phase exhibit electrical properties closer to the strontium-borate glass than to the ferroelectric Bi2VO5.5 ceramic. The glass matrix still may contain some part of bismuth and vanadium ions even after crystallization process and there is too little of crystalline phase to observe its ferroelectric properties. The glass-ceramic nanocomposite containing 50 mol% of Bi2VO5.5 phase exhibits electrical properties closer to the Bi2VO5.5 ferroelectric. The electric parameters of conduction processes in the Bi2VO5.5 nanocrystallites, glass matrix and phases boundaries are discussed. The conduction process mechanism in all nanocomposites for the low temperatures is mixed ionic–electronic and in the higher temperatures the oxygen ion hopping starts to dominate.

A highly ordered p–n heterojunction was formed based on titania nanotubes containing a conducting polymer with Prussian blue matrix. The study demonstrates, for the first time, cases when a composite based on titania array scaffolding and Prussian blue embedded in PEDOT exhibits reversible FeII/FeIII redox activity. Highly enhanced photoactivity and capacitance of the obtained material are depicted in comparison to pristine titania. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report showing a heterojunction with titania nanotubes containing redox active species that may take part in efficient photocurrent generation.

A poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) conducting polymer doped with poly(2-styrene sulfonate) (pEDOT:PSS) was efficiently electrodeposited on a layer composed of ordered titania nanotubes. TiO2 nanotubes were formed during an anodization process and, after calcinations, a layer was subjected to hydrogen plasma. Hydrogenation leads to Ti(III) formation, a decrease in resistance, and a huge increase of donor density when compared with pure titania. According to a detailed structure analysis, the coverage by the polymer matrix is uniform on the entire titania surface as well as along the tubes. The composite material exhibits highly enhanced anodic photocurrent (106 μA cm−2) when compared with hydrogenated titania H–TiO2 (54 μA cm−2) or pure polymer film (2 μA cm−2). Moreover, H–TiO2/pEDOT:PSS is characterized with high photostability displayed during prolonged illumination. The proposed hydrogenation approach could be regarded as a facile titania modification for further electrochemical modifications.

The Caucasian giant hogweeds (Heracleum sosnowskyi and H. mantegazzianum) are aggressive invaders successfully spreading across different parts of Europe. Their sap containing linear furanocoumarins can lead to a persisting cutaneous dermatitis and massive skin necrosis.We aimed to assess the awareness of the giant hogweeds' threat among physicians and general public in Poland.The level of awareness was assessed using a short questionnaire given to different groups of physicians: dermatologists (DMs), general practitioners (GPs) and occupational practitioners (OPs). An independent questionnaire was also addressed to the general public.Among the surveyed physician groups, DMs were the best informed, while OPs were the worst informed on health threats associated with the giant hogweeds and treatment methods. Most frequently, application of topical corticosteroids was indicated as a successful method of treatment following the exposure to hogweeds. In the general public, awareness was relatively low with only 57.7% of the surveyed having ever heard about these plants. TV, press and Internet were among the most frequent sources of information in this regard.Public and medical attention needs to be raised as to the threats associated with giant hogweeds, particularly in countries that are highly infested with these plants.

Cylindrospermopsin (CYN), a cyanobacterial toxin, presents a risk to human health due to its relatively high chemical stability, a global spread of its producers and its occurrence in drinking-water reservoirs. Despite a broad interest in its toxicity to eukaryotes, little is known about the potential effects of CYN on the human immune system. Here, we have investigated whether CYN (0.01–1.0 μg mL−1) can affect the function of human peripheral blood neutrophils during a 1-h exposure. Using whole-blood assays, we have studied an oxidative burst, phagocytic activity, cell number and viability. At all studied concentrations, CYN had the ability to significantly decrease the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in stimulated neutrophils. The greatest ROS decline was observed for the highest assayed concentration, maximally exceeding 65% (a mean decrease of 22.8%). A depressed level of ROS was also found in unstimulated cells at all studied concentrations of the toxin. At the same time, CYN did not significantly affect the percentage of phagocytic cells or the number of engulfed bacteria. Neither was any induction of apoptosis or significant necrosis found. From the results we postulate that CYN at environmentally-relevant concentrations can reduce the ability of human neutrophils to fight infections through a decrease in NADPH oxidase-mediated production of ROS.

It is not trivial to achieve a good quality diamond-coated fibre interface due to a large difference in the properties and composition of the diamond films (or use coating even) and the optical fibre material, i.e. fused silica. One of the biggest problems is the high temperature during the deposition which influences the optical fibre or optical fibre sensor structure (e.g. long-period gratings (LPG)). The greatest advantage of a linear antenna microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system (LA MW CVD) is the fact that it allows to grow the diamond layers at low temperature (below 300 degrees C) [1]. High quality nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films with thicknesses ranging from 70 nm to 150 nm, were deposited on silicon, glass and optical fibre substrates [2]. Substrates pretreatment by dip-coating and spin coating process with a dispersion consisting of detonation nanodiamond (DND) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has been applied. During the deposition process the continuous mode of operation of the LA MW CVD system was used, which produces a continuous wave at a maximum power of 1.9 kW (in each antenna). Diamond films on optical fibres were obtained at temperatures below 350 degrees C, providing a clear improvement of results compared to our earlier work [3]. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging to investigate the morphology of the nanocrystalline diamond films. The film growth rate, film thickness, and optical properties in the VIS-NIR range, i.e. refractive index and extinction coefficient will be discussed based on measurements on reference quartz plates by using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). This work was supported by the Polish National Science Centre (NCN) under the Grant No. 2011/03/D/ST7/0354. The DS funds of Faculty of the Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics of the Gdansk University of Technology are also acknowledge.

OBJECTIVES Our study aimed to determine the incidence of de novo renal cell carcinoma in the native kidneys of patients transplanted at our center and to identify possible risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a retrospective, single-center cohort study, which included patients transplanted at the District Hospital in Poznan, Poland, during 1994-2011, among whom 836 were selected. Sixty-three patients with confirmed de novo cancer were found. Of those, 11 had renal cell carcinoma in the native kidney (1.3%) and 2 in the transplanted kidney (0.2%). RESULTS Mean follow-up was 10 ± 3.2 years. Mean age at renal cell carcinoma diagnosis was 52 ± 9.4 years, and mean time from transplant was 3 ± 2.6 years. A statistical analysis showed no significant differences in demographic or clinical characteristics between renal cell carcinoma and noncancer group, except for the prevalence of male sex and smoking in the cancer group (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS Renal cell carcinoma development in the native kidney seems to be an early event, frequently observed within 4 to 5 years after transplant. We believe that kidneys in renal transplant recipients should be routinely screened by ultrasound for early diagnosis.

In order to find a relationship between electrical and microstructural properties, yttrium-doped strontium titanate (7 mol%) with various values of strontium nonstoichiometry was investigated and shown in this work. It has been observed that yttrium doping can affect the electrical properties of SrTiO3 to a great extent. Moreover, the microstructural and electrical properties can be influenced by strontium nonstoichiometry. The defect chemistry explaining obtained results was also suggested and discussed.

The human genome encodes the blueprint of life, but the function of the vast majority of its nearly three billion bases is unknown. The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project has systematically mapped regions of transcription, transcription factor association, chromatin structure and histone modification. These data enabled us to assign biochemical functions for 80% of the genome, in particular outside of the well-studied protein-coding regions. Many discovered candidate regulatory elements are physically associated with one another and with expressed genes, providing new insights into the mechanisms of gene regulation. The newly identified elements also show a statistical correspondence to sequence variants linked to human disease, and can thereby guide interpretation of this variation. Overall, the project provides new insights into the organization and regulation of our genes and genome, and is an expansive resource of functional annotations for biomedical research. The Consortium is funded by grants from the NHGRI as follows: production grants: U54HG004570 (B. E. Bernstein); U01HG004695 (E. Birney); U54HG004563 (G. E. Crawford); U54HG004557 (T. R. Gingeras); U54HG004555 (T. J. Hubbard); U41HG004568 /n(W. J. Kent); U54HG004576 (R. M. Myers); U54HG004558 (M. Snyder);/nU54HG004592 (J. A. Stamatoyannopoulos). Pilot grants: R01HG003143 (J. Dekker); RC2HG005591 and R01HG003700 (M. C. Giddings); R01HG004456-03 (Y. Ruan); U01HG004571 (S. A. Tenenbaum); U01HG004561 (Z. Weng); RC2HG005679 (K. P. White). This project was supported in part by American Recovery and/nReinvestment Act (ARRA) funds from the NHGRI through grants U54HG004570, U54HG004563, U41HG004568, U54HG004592, R01HG003143, RC2HG005591,R01HG003541, U01HG004561, RC2HG005679andR01HG003988(L. Pennacchio). In addition, work from NHGRI Groups was supported by the Intramural Research/nProgram of the NHGRI (L. Elnitski, ZIAHG200323; E. H. Margulies, ZIAHG200341). Research in the Pennachio laboratory was performed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and at the United States Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Department of Energy Contract DE-AC02-05CH11231, University of California.

A report on the 6th annual Future of Genomic Medicine conference, held at the Scripps Seaside Forum, La Jolla, CA, USA, March 7-8, 2013.

A report on the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory meeting on Precision Medicine: Personal Genomes and Pharmacogenomics, held in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA, November 13–16, 2013.

‘BINGO!’ - Not a phrase you might expect to hear at some of the biggest genetics meetings, such as Cold Spring Harbor’s Biology of Genomes and ASHG. But it is one that has been heard in conference centers and on Twitter, in response to buzzwords thrown around in talks. The rules are simple and familiar: generate a bingo card at http://www.interpretome.com/#bingo and, when a speaker (not a question from the audience) says something on your card, mark it down. If you get five in a row, column, or diagonal, you win: no actual prizes, except for bragging rights and the ability to tweet your winning card (Figure 1). Figure 1 2013 bingo card. A 2013 genomics buzzword conference bingo card. 2013 saw many scientific advances in genomics and genetics, as well as policy decisions. In no particular order, here were some of the popular buzzwords. Single-cell With the plummeting costs of sequencing, researchers are turning toward more detailed cellular measurements using these technologies. Specifically, single-cell RNA-Seq methods [1] were developed this year, which have accurately measured transcriptomes in greater than zero but less than two cells using tube- and microfluidic-based methods. These methods found that, while pooled measurements of single-cell expression recapitulate typical aggregate expression, aggregate expression is a poor predictor of single-cell expression. Additionally, single-cell Hi-C [2] methods have provided insight into cell-cell variability of chromatin structure. Incidental If you were to get your genome sequenced in the clinic in an attempt to diagnose a rare disease, should you be told whether you had a high risk for cardiomyopathy? The debate over whether incidental, or secondary, findings should be returned to patients has raged on. This year, the American College of Medical Genetics has released guidelines for physicians recommending a set of genes in which incidental findings should be reported, irrespective of the age of the patient [3]. However, there is still work to be done, and efforts such as ClinVar and others will shape how genomic information is used in the clinic in the coming years. Myriad In a landmark decision for genetics law, the Supreme Court ruled that genomic DNA cannot be patented, but synthetically created cDNA is patentable (well summarized at http://www.genomicslawreport.com/index.php/2013/06/18/myriad-finally-supreme-court-surprises-by-not-surprising/). Most importantly, this decision marked the end of the debate on the claims of Myriad Genetics, which maintained patents on BRCA1 and BRCA2 that had been questioned extensively: if every human has these genes, how can a company own them? The court’s decision effectively negated many of their claims and, now, institutions and companies are free to perform their own sequencing of BRCA genes. Of course, Myriad’s knowledge base will keep them in business for some time, but they will face steep competition from lower-cost options. This decision was a month after Angelina Jolie published an op-ed in the New York Times about her decision to have a preventative double mastectomy based on family history and a Myriad test (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/opinion/my-medical-choice.html). Large-scale transcriptomics Move over 1000 Genomes Project! This year’s large-scale RNA-Seq studies [4,5] have taken the top spot for consortium genomics buzzwords. These studies, and the GTEx project (http://www.broadinstitute.org/gtex/), have characterized the landscape of gene regulatory architecture, showing widespread variability in transcript structure and allelic expression, as well as variants associated with these features. Additionally, the increased power of large datasets and meta-analyses has enabled investigation of the properties of trans-eQTLs and their influence on disease biology [5,6]. Big data Our questions for 2013 and beyond have shifted from ‘how can we generate this amount of data?’ to ‘how can we analyze this amount of data?’ With terabytes of data and more, clever statistical and informatics methods are required to process and fully harness the data to arrive at the correct conclusions. Between an NIH RFA for ‘Big Data to Knowledge’, a number of companies (such as DNAnexus and Illumina) expanding the software efforts of genomics into the cloud, and Silicon Valley data-heavy company integration into health efforts (such as the Google-backed Calico), the trend toward scalable, intelligent data analysis mixed with high-performance computing is clear. CRISPR Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) have been developing as a molecular biology technique over the past decade, but this year has seen an explosion in their use in mammalian cells for genome editing. Their first use in human cells was published early in the year [7,8] and, since then, they have been used to correct CFTR gene function in cultured cells from cystic fibrosis patients, suggesting the potential for CRISPR use in gene correction therapies [9]. Just a few days ago, a number of studies were published using CRISPRs for genome-scale knockout screens [10,11]. Nanopore It’s unclear whether ‘nanopore’ should be noted as a word for 2012, 2013, or 2014. While the technology was announced previously, this year saw the first test runs of Oxford Nanopore’s new sequencing technology at ASHG and the launch of an early access program for MinION, their USB drive-sized sequencer. HeLa Of course, 2013 was not beyond some controversy. After the initial release of the HeLa cancer cell-line genome [12,13] without the knowledge of Henrietta Lacks’ family, the bioethics debates concerning the rights of - and respect for - research participants, balanced with the desire for public data availability, resurfaced. The genome was removed from public databases and, over the next few months, the Lacks family met with the NIH and medical geneticists to discuss options for data release, following which an agreement for controlled access to the data through dbGaP was struck [14]. FDA After years of direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies selling kits and providing individuals with data on genetic risks for health, the FDA sent a warning letter to 23andMe, which instructed them to cease marketing their genetic tests (http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2013/ucm376296.htm). The company, with more than half a million customers, complied and stopped offering health-related information to new customers, pending regulatory review. Interestingly, this announcement came only three days after the agency approved the first next-generation sequencer for marketing for clinical use [15]. Re-identification Of additional interest for personal genomics companies and their customers, a study this year used publicly available personal genetic data, in the form of Y-STRs, together with genealogical records to re-identify a number of genomes [16]. These included some anonymous individuals from the HapMap project, as well as high-profile genomes such as that of Craig Venter. lncRNAs While long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been well-studied for years, a number of insights in 2013 have propelled them to the forefront. Thousands of novel lncRNAs were discovered using extensive de novo transcriptome assembly and found to be conserved and enriched for disease-associated variants [17]. Additionally, the lncRNA Xist was discovered to spread across the X chromosome using the three-dimensional structure of the genome [18]. Chromosome 21 silencing Xist made another appearance in this year’s highlights, when it was inserted into chromosome 21 in Down’s syndrome pluripotent stem cells [19]. In doing so, the authors of the study were able to silence one copy of the chromosome, suggesting a potential use for Xist as a chromosome therapy for Down’s syndrome. Yes, 2013 was a great year for genomics, and the buzzwords it spawned will be around for at least a few years, but here’s looking forward to a new set of advances and challenges in 2014!

Ge0.77Ag0.1Sb0.13Te1 alloy was fabricated by a novel two-step route. Firstly, oxide reagents were melted at high temperature and quenched into pellets. The pellets were milled to powder and then reduced in hydrogen at various temperatures for various periods of time. Energy-dispersive x-ray analysis indicated the possibility of successful fabrication of stoichiometric thermoelectric materials from the Te-Ag-Ge-Sb system. The electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient have been determined over the temperature range from 20°C to 340°C in argon atmosphere. It was also shown that, for most of the fabricated samples, the crystallite size as well as electrical parameters such as the electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and figure of merit (ZT) increased with increasing reduction time. The highest value of ZT (∼1.0 at 340°C) was obtained for samples reduced in hydrogen atmosphere at 400°C for 20 h and 40 h.

The bismuth-germanate glasses have been investigated to examine their applicability for thermoelectric devices. In order to increase their electrical conductivity, the 25Bi2O3–75GeO2 glass samples have been reduced at 340-380°C for 10hours in hydrogen. It has been shown that such heat treatment in H2 leads to the reduction of metal ions Bi3+ and Ge4+ into neutral atoms and the formation of metal grains both in an amorphous glass matrix and on the glass surface. The bulk electrical conductivity of the reduced 25Bi2O3–75GeO2 sample measured at 100°C is ∼ 2.6 Scm-1, whereas the Seebeck coefficient of this glass estimated in a temperature range 20-100°C in reference to Pt is α=(-57.5±0.5) μVK-1.