In 2015, observers argued that the fourth agricultural revolution had been initiated. This article focuses on one part of this high-tech revolution: the origin, development, applications, and user value of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Institutional changes connected to the UAS innovation are analyzed, based on a Swedish case study. The methods included autoethnography. The theoretical frame was composed by four perspectives: innovation, institutions, sustainability, and ethics. UAS can help farmers cut costs and produce higher quantity with better quality, and also has environmental benefits. However, this promising innovation was exposed to institutional forces and suddenly became subordinated the Act of Camera Surveillance. This study illuminates how legislative institutions can inhibit responsible innovation. The study shows that different ethical perspectives can collide with each other.

A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based flow chamber device was designed for real time detection of blood coagulation and platelet adhesion in platelet rich plasma (PRP) and whole blood. The system allowed the detection of surface interactions throughout the 6 mm length of the flow chamber. After deposition of thromboplastin onto a section of the sensor surface near the inlet of the flow chamber, coagulation was detected downstream of this position corresponding to a SPR signal of 7 to 8 mRIU (7 to 8 ng/mm2). A nonmodified control surface induced coagulation 3.5 times slower. Platelet adhesion to gold and fibrinogen coated surfaces in the magnitude of 1.25 and 1.66 mRIU was also shown with platelets in buffer, respectively. SPR responses obtained with PRP and whole blood on surfaces that were methylated or coated with von Willebrand factor (vWF), fibrinogen, or collagen, coincided well with platelet adhesion as observed with fluorescence microscopy in parallel experiments. The present SPR detection equipped flow chamber system is a promising tool for studies on coagulation events and blood cell adhesion under physiological flow conditions, and allows monitoring of short-range surface processes in whole blood. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Calcium-calmodulin (CaM) binding to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been shown to both inhibit and stimulate receptor activity. CaM binds to the intracellular juxtamembrane (JM) domain (Met645-Phe688) of EGFR. Protein kinase C (PKC) mediated phosphorylation of Thr654 occurs within this domain. CaM binding to the JM domain inhibits PKC phosphorylation and conversely PKC mediated phosphorylation of Thr654 or Glu substitution of Thr654 inhibits CaM binding. A second threonine residue (Thr669) within the JM domain is phosphorylated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Previous results have shown that CaM interferes with EGFR-induced MAPK activation. If and how phosphorylation of Thr669 affects CaM-EGFR interaction is however not known.In the present study we have used surface plasmon resonance (BIAcore) to study the influence of Thr669 phosphorylation on real time interactions between the intracellular juxtamembrane (JM) domain of EGFR and CaM. The EGFR-JM was expressed as GST fusion proteins in Escherichia coli and phosphorylation was mimicked by generating Glu substitutions of either Thr654 or Thr669. Purified proteins were coupled to immobilized anti-GST antibodies at the sensor surface and increasing concentration of CaM was applied. When mutating Thr654 to Glu654 no specific CaM binding could be detected. However, neither single substitutions of Thr669 (Gly669 or Glu669) nor double mutants Gly654/Gly669 or Gly654/Glu669 influenced the binding of CaM to the EGFR-JM. This clearly shows that PKC may regulate EGF-mediated CaM signalling through phosphorylation of Thr654 whereas phosphorylation of Thr669 seems to play a CaM independent regulatory role. The role of both residues in the EGFR-calmodulin interaction was also studied in silico. Our modelling work supports a scenario where Thr654 from the JM domain interacts with Glu120 in the calmodulin molecule. Phosphorylation of Thr654 or Glu654 substitution creates a repulsive electrostatic force that would diminish CaM binding to the JM domain. These results are in line with the Biacore experiments showing a weak binding of the CaM to the JM domain with Thr654 mutated to Glu. Furthermore, these results provide a hypothesis to how CaM binding to EGFR might both positively and negatively interfere with EGFR-activity. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A concept for a measurement technique based on ellipsometry in conditions of total internal reflection is presented. When combined with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effects, this technique becomes powerful for monitoring and analyzing adsorption and desorption on thin semitransparent metal films as well as for analyzing the semitransparent films themselves. We call this technique total internal reflection ellipsometry (TIRE). The theory of ellipsometry under total internal reflection combined with SPR is discussed for some simple cases. For more advanced cases and to prove the concept, simulations are performed with the Fresnel formalism. The use of TIRE is exemplified by applications in protein adsorption, corrosion monitoring, and adsorption from opaque liquids on metal surfaces. Simulations and experiments show greatly enhanced thin-film sensitivity compared with ordinary ellipsometry.

A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) apparatus was used to investigate blood plasma coagulation in real time as a function of thromboplastin and heparin concentrations. The response curves were analyzed by curve fitting to a sigmoid curve equation, followed by extraction of the time constant. Clotting activation by thromboplastin resulted in increased time constant, as compared to spontaneously clotted plasma, in a dose dependent way. Addition of heparin to the thromboplastin-activated plasma counteracted this effect. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) pictures of sensor surfaces dried after completed clotting, revealed differences in fibrin network structures as a function of thromboplastin concentration, and the fiber thickness increased with decreased thromboplastin concentration. The physical reason for the SPR signal observed is ambiguous and is therefore discussed. However, the results summarized in the plots and the fibrin network properties observed by AFM correlate well with present common methods used to analyze blood coagulation.

Many scientific instruments utilise multiple element detectors, e.g. CCD's or photodiode arrays, to monitor the change in a position of an optical pattern. For example, instruments for affinity biosensing based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) or resonant mirror are equipped with such detectors. An important and desired property of these bioanalytical instruments is that the calculation of the movement or change in shape follows the true change. This is often not the case and it may lead to linearity errors, and to sensitivity errors. The sensitivity is normally defined as the slope of the calibration curve. A new parameter is introduced to account for the linearity errors, the sensitivity deviation, defined as the deviation from the undistorted slope of the calibration curve. The linearity error and the sensitivity deviation are intimately related and the sensitivity deviation may lead to misinterpretation of kinetic data, mass transport limitations and concentration analyses. Because the linearity errors are small (e.g. 10 pg/mm2 of biomolecules on the sensor surface) with regard to the dynamic range (e.g. 30 000 pg/mm2), they can be difficult to discover. However, the linearity errors are often not negligible with regard to a typical response (e.g. 0-100 pg/mm2), and may therefore cause serious problems. A method for detecting linearity errors is outlined. Further on, this paper demonstrates how integral linearity errors of less than 1% can result in a sensitivity deviation of 10%, a value that in our opinion cannot be ignored in biospecific interaction analysis (BIA). It should also be stressed out that this phenomenon also occurs in other instruments using array detectors. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A.Many scientific instruments utilize multiple element detectors, e.g. CCD's or photodiode arrays, to monitor the change in a position of an optical pattern. For example, instruments for affinity biosensing based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) or resonant mirror are equipped with such detectors. An important and desired property of these bioanalytical instruments is that the calculation of the movement or change in shape follows the true change. This is often not the case and it may lead to linearity errors, and to sensitivity errors. The sensitivity is normally defined as the slope of the calibration curve. A new parameter is introduced to account for the linearity errors, the sensitivity deviation, defined as the deviation from the undistorted slope of the calibration curve. The linearity error and the sensitivity deviation are intimately related and the sensitivity deviation may lead to misinterpretation of kinetic data, mass transport limitations and concentration analyses. Because the linearity errors are small (e.g. 10 pg/mm2 of biomolecules on the sensor surface) with regard to the dynamic range (e.g. 30 000 pg/mm2), they can be difficult to discover. However, the linearity errors are often not negligible with regard to a typical response (e.g. 0-100 pg/mm2), and may therefore cause serious problems. A method for detecting linearity errors is outlined. Further on, this paper demonstrates how integral linearity errors of less than 1% can result in a sensitivity deviation of 10%, a value that in our opinion cannot be ignored in biospecific interaction analysis (BIA). It should also be stressed out that this phenomenon also occurs in other instruments using array detectors.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors are used to study biomolecular interactions. We have performed a theoretical analysis of a SPR instrument using a convergent beam, a linear detector with various numbers of pixels and various analogue-to-digital converters (ADCs) with a corresponding resolution ranging from 8 to 16 bits. Studies of small molecules at low concentrations or with low affinities are limited by the instrumental set-up, e.g. by the resolution, linearity and noise. The amplitudes of these parameters are highly dependent on the detector, ADC and dip-finding algorithm used. We have studied several dip-finding algorithms, e.g. intensity measurements, second- and third-order polynomial fits and centroid algorithms. Each algorithm used with the ADC and the detector has a resolution associated with it. Some algorithms also have an intrinsic algorithm error that is dependent on the number of pixels and the shape of the dip. A weighted centroid algorithm that has an excellent overall performance is described. If an accuracy of 10-6 refractive index units (RIU) is satisfactory, a 12-bit ADC and a 64-pixel detector are appropriate. Theoretically, by using a 16-bit ADC and a 1024-pixel detector, a resolution of better than 10-9 RIU is obtainable.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is a frequently used technique for detection of biomolecular interactions at surfaces. The SPR phenomenon emanates from an electromagnetic surface wave that is exited by a light source. At excitation, the incident light is absorbed, either at a certain angle of incidence of the light, or at a certain wavelength, depending on the configuration of the SPR apparatus.

There is always a need for higher sensitivity, i.e. lower detection limits. This work shows how different parameters, like the SPR-metal, the prism, the wavelength, the detector, and the SPR-dip finding algorithm influence the sensitivity.

Many biochemical and biological interactions are complex, e.g. different interaction sites have different kinetic properties, or reaction complexes may show conformational changes. A measurement of a complex biochemical reaction often leads to a small signal superimposed on a large background. To be able to resolve the small signal, linearity errors of the instrument should be small. An SPR instrument utilizing an array detector will introduce linearity errors that may lead to misinterpretation of kinetic data. The linearity errors are quantified, both theoretically and experimentally, and possible misinterpretations are shown.

The response from an SPR apparatus is calculated from the relative change in position of the SPR dip using a dip finding algorithm. There are several different dip finding algorithms, which all have different properties. A dip finding algorithm should suppress noise, drifts, linearity errors, and enhance the resolution. The resolution is the smallest increment of the response that can be observed. It is limited by the resolution of the analogue to digital converter (ADC), and is highly dependent on the dip finding algorithm used and the number of pixels in the detector. Simulations show the relationships between the resolution of the response and the resolution of the ADC, the number of pixels in a detector, and the shape of an SPR-dip. By using a 1024-pixel detector anda 16-bit ADC, it is found that an instrumental resolution of 10^-9 refractive index units should be possible to obtain.

There is a need for high throughput analysis of biochemical interactions, e.g. screening of medical substances. Therefore a multi wavelength imaging SPR apparatus is described that allows simultaneous analysis of many interactions with a high sensitivity.

A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) apparatus was used to investigate blood plasma coagulation in real-time as a function of thromboplastin and heparin concentrations. The physical reason for the SPR signal observed is discussed and 3 different models are proposed. The response curves were analyzed by multivariable curve fitting followed by feature extraction. Interesting parameters of the sigmoid curves were lag time, slope and maximum response. When thromboplastin concentrations were increased, the lag-time decreased and the slope of the curve increased. A prolonged clotting time was mostly followed by increased maximum response, with exception for samples with no or very little thromboplastin added. High heparin concentrations changed the clotting kinetics, as seen from the lag-time vs. slope relation. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) pictures of sensor surfaces dried after completed clotting, revealed differences in fibrin network structures as a function of thromboplastin concentration, and fiber thickness increased with lower thromboplastin concentration. The results correlate well with present common methods.

It is previously shown that surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be used to study blood plasma coagulation. This work explores the use of this technique for the analysis of tissue factor induced coagulation, i.e. prothrombin time (PT) analysis, of whole blood and plasma. The reference method was nephelometry. The prothrombin time analysis by SPR was performed by mixing two volumes of blood/plasma, one volume of thromboplastin, and one volume of CaCl₂ solution directly on a sensor surface. The measurements show good agreement between nephelometry and SPR plasma analysis and also between SPR plasma and whole blood analysis. The effect of anticoagulant treatment on the clotting times was significant both quantitatively and qualitatively. The impact on the SPR signal of different physiological events in the coagulation process is discussed, and tentative interpretations of the sensorgram features are given. The major advantage of the SPR method compared to nephelometry is the possibility to perform analysis on whole blood instead of plasma. In conclusion, SPR is a promising method for whole blood coagulation analysis.