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Abstract: Climate change and global warming have severe consequences for the survival of scleractinian (reef-building) corals and their associated ecosystems. This review summarizes recent literature on the influence of temperature on coral growth, coral bleaching, and modelling the effects of high temperature on corals. Satellite-based sea surface temperature (SST) and coral bleaching information available on the internet is an important tool in monitoring and modelling coral responses to temperature. Within the narrow temperature range for coral growth, corals can respond to rate of temperature change as well as to temperature per se. We need to continue to develop models of how non-steady-state processes such as global warming and climate change will affect coral reefs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study set out to test the hypothesis that hurricanes and tropical storms limit the recruitment and subsequent survival of massive non-branching corals on the barrier reef off the coast of Belize in the Gulf of Honduras. Overall, the surface areas of 523 individual coral specimens were measured, and recruitment dates were then modelled. There was no significant difference in coral cover or coral biodiversity between any of the sites studied (p >0.1). There were significant differences in non-branching coral recruitment in years when hurricanes impacted the area (p <0.05) compared with years when no hurricanes impacted the area. There were significantly more non-branching massive corals recruited in non-hurricane years (mean 7.7) than in hurricane years (mean 3.8; p =0.011). When years with tropical storms are added to the years with hurricanes, there was significantly lower coral recruitment (mean 4.7) relative to non-storm or hurricane years (mean 7.4; p =0.019). These results show that hurricanes and severe storms limited the recruitment and survival of massive non-branching corals of the Mesoamerican barrier reef and on patch reefs near the Belize coast in the Caribbean, and suggests that marine park managers may need to assist coral recruitment in years where there are hurricanes or severe storms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Coastal environments in the tropics can suffer from high sedimentation and low light levels. Galaxea fascicularis is a hermatypic coral that is relatively resilient to stress from bleaching and from sedimentation. Corallite dimensions – width, height, corallite densities and inter-corallite distances – of Galaxea fascicularis colonies varied significantly with depth, and so with incident light at the Sampela reef in the Wakatobi Marine National Park, S.E. Sulawesi, Indonesia. Modelling studies based on our data showed that corallite width decreased with the amount of incident light, while corallite height increased with the amount of incident light (r 2 values of 0.835 for width and 0.869 for height). In all colonies, inter-corallite distance decreased significantly with the amount of incident light (r 2 =0.89). Colony width/height ratio increased in a linear fashion with inter-corallite distance for all colonies studied (r 2 =0.65). Current flow as judged using tags did not appear to be a factor in variations of corallite dimensions. Our results suggest that under low light conditions, distribution and size of corallites may optimise heterotrophic nutrition, while in conditions where light is not limiting, distribution and size of corallites may be optimal for photosynthesis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Essential and Molecular Dynamics (ED/MD) have been used to model the conformational changes of a protein implicated in a conformational disease—cataract, the largest cause of blindness in the world—after non-enzymic post-translational modification. Cyanate modification did not significantly alter flexibility, while the Schiff’s base adduct produced a more flexible N-terminal domain, and intra-secondary structure regions, than either the cyanate adduct or the native structure. Glycation also increased linker flexibility and disrupted the charge network. A number of post-translational adducts showed structural disruption around Cys15 and increased linker flexibility; this may be important in subsequent protein aggregation. Our modelling results are in accord with experimental evidence, and show that ED/MD is a useful tool in modelling conformational changes in proteins implicated in disease processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We have developed a new simple method for transport, storage, and analysis of genetic material from the corals Agaricia agaricites, Dendrogyra cylindrica, Eusmilia ancora, Meandrina meandrites, Montastrea annularis, Porites astreoides, Porites furcata, Porites porites, and Siderastrea siderea at room temperature. All species yielded sufficient DNA from a single FTA® card (19 μg–43 ng) for subsequent PCR amplification of both coral and zooxanthellar DNA. The D1 and D2 variable region of the large subunit rRNA gene (LSUrDNA) was amplified from the DNA of P. furcata and S. siderea by PCR. Electrophoresis yielded two major DNA bands: an 800-base pair (bp) DNA, which represented the coral ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene, and a 600-bp DNA, which represented the zooxanthellar srRNA gene. Extraction of DNA from the bands yielded between 290 μg total DNA (S. siderea coral DNA) and 9 μg total DNA (P. furcata zooxanthellar DNA). The ability to transport and store genetic material from scleractinian corals without resort to laboratory facilities in the field allows for the molecular study of a far wider range and variety of coral sites than have been studied to date. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An understanding of the multi-step nature of cancer as it is in the breast, as a series of pivotal genetic/epigenetic modifications is irrefutably a milestone in diagnostics, prognostics and eventually providing a cure. Here we have utilised a variant of analysis of variance (ANOVA) as a model for the identification and tracking of specific mRNA species whose transcription has been significantly altered at each grade in the progression of ductal carcinoma, making it possible to correlate histological progression with the genetic events underlying breast cancer. We show that in the progression of ductal carcinomas, from grade 1 to 3, there is a reduction in the actual number of mRNA species, which are significantly over or under expressed. We also show that this technique can be employed to generate differential gene expression patterns, whereby the combined expression profile of the tailored spectra of genes in the comparison of each ductal grade is sufficient to render them on clearly separate arms of an array-wise hierarchical cluster dendrogram. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We have studied growth and estimated recruitment of massive coral colonies at three sites, Kaledupa, Hoga and Sampela, separated by about 1.5 km in the Wakatobi Marine National Park, S.E. Sulawesi, Indonesia. There was significantly higher species richness (P<0.05), coral cover (P<0.05) and rugosity (P<0.01) at Kaledupa than at Sampela. A model for coral reef growth has been developed based on a rational polynomial function:dx/dt=a1W+a2W2+a3W3+…anWn/1+b1W+b2W2+b3W3+…bmWmwhere dx/dt is an index of coral growth with time; W is the variable (for example, coral weight, coral length or coral area), up to the power of n in the numerator and m in the denominator; a1……an and b1…bm are constants. The values for n and m represent the degree of the polynomial, and can relate to the morphology of the coral. The model was used to simulate typical coral growth curves, and tested using published data obtained by weighing coral colonies underwater in reefs on the south-west coast of Curac¸ao [‘Neth. J. Sea Res. 10 (1976) 285’]. The model proved an accurate fit to the data, and parameters were obtained for a number of coral species. Surface area data was obtained on over 1200 massive corals at three different sites in the Wakatobi Marine National Park, S.E. Sulawesi, Indonesia. The year of an individual's recruitment was calculated from knowledge of the growth rate modified by application of the rational polynomial model. The estimated pattern of recruitment was variable, with little numbers of massive corals settling and growing before 1950 at the heavily used site, Sampela, relative to the reef site with little or no human use, Kaledupa, and the intermediate site, Hoga. There was a significantly greater sedimentation rate at Sampela than at either Kaledupa (P<0.0001) or Hoga (P<0.0005). The relative mean abundance of fish families present at the reef crests at the three sites, determined using digital video photography, did not correlate with sedimentation rates, underwater visibility or lack of large non-branching coral colonies. Radial growth rates of three genera of non-branching corals were significantly lower at Sampela than at Kaledupa or at Hoga, and there was a high correlation (r=0.89) between radial growth rates and underwater visibility. Porites spp. was the most abundant coral over all the sites and at all depths followed by Favites (P<0.04) and Favia spp. (P<0.03). Colony ages of Porites corals were significantly lower at the 5 m reef flat on the Sampela reef than at the same depth on both other reefs (P<0.005). At Sampela, only 2.8% of corals on the 5 m reef crest are of a size to have survived from before 1950. The Scleractinian coral community of Sampela is severely impacted by depositing sediments which can lead to the suffocation of corals, whilst also decreasing light penetration resulting in decreased growth and calcification rates. The net loss of material from Sampela, if not checked, could result in the loss of this protective barrier which would be to the detriment of the sublittoral sand flats and hence the Sampela village. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Metallothioneins (MTs) are a class of cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins. Cadmium (Cd) is one of the toxic heavy metal pollutants. In our previous research, the full-length cDNA of MT (Cd specificity) from freshwater crab (Sinopotamon henanense) (Sh MT) was cloned and genetically modified to Sh MT3 by site-directed mutagenesis to enhance the tolerance for Cd2+, however, it was limited in actual Cd2+ adsorption due to instability. Here, Sh MT3-CBM, a novel recombinant fusion protein, was prepared. CBM is a carbohydrate binding module that can specifically bind cellulose while Sh MT3 can effectively chelate Cd2+. The biosorbent Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM was obtained by screening suitable cellulose materials. The selective adsorption experiments showed that Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM had a preference for Cd2+. In low-concentration Cd2+ solutions, the removal efficiency was >99 %, and the adsorption equilibrium was reached within 15 min. The saturated adsorption capacity of Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM for Cd2+ is 180.35 ± 4.67 mg/g (Dry Weight). Regeneration experiments showed that adsorption efficiency was maintained after six cycles. The MTT experiment showed that Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM had low cytotoxicity. Meanwhile, Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM can preferentially remove Cd2+ in actual water samples and boiler sewage. In this study, an environmentally friendly biosorbent which can adsorb Cd2+ efficiently and quickly was prepared for actual water treatment. [Display omitted] • Sh MT3-CBM was obtained by genetic engineering technology. • Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM was obtained by immobilization technology. • In low concentration solution, the removal efficiency reaches >99 %. • Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM showed excellent reusability. • Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM is non-toxic to cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Economic development may drive academic construction safety research. • There has been an increase in construction safety research conducted by developing countries in recent years, probably due to an improvement in their economic performance. • Authors' keywords evidenced the popularity of research on safety management and climate. • There is a new interdisciplinary research trend where construction safety combines with digitalization technologies, with the largest number involving deep learning. The construction industry contributes significantly to economic development worldwide, yet it is one of the most hazardous industries where numerous accidents and fatalities happen every year. Little research to date has shed light on the impact of economic development on construction safety research. In this paper, we conduct an analysis of construction safety articles published in the 21st century via a bibliometrics approach. We have analysed: (1) construction safety in developed and developing countries; (2) the major organisations that have conducted construction safety research; (3) authors and territories of the research and (4) topics in construction safety and future research directions. The largest number of published construction safety documents were published by scholars from the US and China; the total number of published articles by these two countries was 1,125, at 56% of the 2000 articles that were published. Both countries showed high levels of research collaboration. While our results suggest that economic development may drive academic construction safety research, there has been an increase in construction safety research conducted by developing countries in recent years, probably due to an improvement in their economic development. While authors' keywords evidenced the popularity of research on safety management and climate, the network analysis on all keywords, i.e. keywords given by Web of Science and authors, suggest that construction safety research focused on three areas: construction safety management, the relationship between people and construction safety, and the protection and health of workers' impact on construction safety. We found that there is a new interdisciplinary research trend where construction safety combines with digital technologies, with the largest number involving deep learning. Other trends focus on machine learning, Building Information Modelling, and visualisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallothionein (MTs) can be used in the prevention and treatment of tumors and diabetes due to its antioxidant properties. However, it is necessary to solve its non-transmembrane properties and further improve its antioxidant activity, increase its fluorescence visualization and enhance its stability to meet practical applications in the biomedical field. Here, we report the preparation of a novel metallothionein-AuNP composite material with high transmembrane ability, fluorescence visualization, antioxidant activity, and stability by genetic modification (introducing transduction peptide TAT, fluorescence tag GFP and increasing sulfydryl groups) and immobilization technology (covalently bonding with AuNPs). The transmembrane activity of modified proteins was verified by immunofluorescence. Increasing the sulfhydryl content within a certain range can enhance the antioxidant activity of the protein. In addition, GFP were used to further simplify the imaging of the metallothionein-AuNP composite in cells. XPS results indicated that AuNPs can immobilize metallothionein through Au S covalent bonds. TGA characterization and degradation experiments showed that thermal and degradation stability of the immobilized material was significantly improved. This work provides new ideas to construct metallothionein composites with high transmembrane ability, antioxidant activity, fluorescence visualization and stability to meet novel applications in the biomedical field. [Display omitted] • TAT- Sh MT3 was obtained by long primer PCR. • TAT- Sh MT3 has about 30 % increase in antioxidant capacity compared to TAT- Sh MT. • TAT- Sh MT3-GFP was obtained by SOE-PCR. • TAT- Sh MT3-GFP + AuNPs was obtained Au S covalent bond. • TAT-ShMT3-GFP + AuNPs has higher stability compared to TAT- Sh MT3-GFP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Accurately and reliably identifying the actual number of clusters present with a dataset of gene expression profiles, when no additional information on cluster structure is available, is a problem addressed by few algorithms. GeneMCL transforms microarray analysis data into a graph consisting of nodes connected by edges, where the nodes represent genes, and the edges represent the similarity in expression of those genes, as given by a proximity measurement. This measurement is taken to be the Pearson correlation coefficient combined with a local non-linear rescaling step. The resulting graph is input to the Markov Cluster (MCL) algorithm, which is an elegant, deterministic, non-specific and scalable method, which models stochastic flow through the graph. The algorithm is inherently affected by any cluster structure present, and rapidly decomposes a graph into cohesive clusters. The potential of the GeneMCL algorithm is demonstrated with a 5730 gene subset (IGS) of the Van’t Veer breast cancer database, for which the clusterings are shown to reflect underlying biological mechanisms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We have developed a novel Hill-climbing genetic algorithm (GA) for simulation of protein folding. The program (written in C) builds a set of Cartesian points to represent an unfolded polypeptide’s backbone. The dihedral angles determining the chain’s configuration are stored in an array of chromosome structures that is copied and then mutated. The fitness of the mutated chain’s configuration is determined by its radius of gyration.A four-helix bundle was used to optimise simulation conditions, and the program was compared with other, larger, genetic algorithms on a variety of structures. The program ran 50% faster than other GA programs. Overall, tests on 100 non-redundant structures gave comparable results to other genetic algorithms, with the Hill-climbing program running from between 20 and 50% faster. Examples including crambin, cytochrome c, cytochrome B and hemerythrin gave good secondary structure fits with overall alpha carbon atom rms deviations of between 5 and 5.6 A˚ with an optimised hydrophobic term in the fitness function. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In areas such as drug development, clinical diagnosis and biotechnology research, acquiring details about the kinetic parameters of enzymes is crucial. The correct design of an experiment is critical to collecting data suitable for analysis, modelling and deriving the correct information. As classical design methods are not targeted to the more complex kinetics being frequently studied, attention is needed to estimate parameters of such models with low variance. We demonstrate that a Bayesian approach (the use of prior knowledge) can produce major gains quantifiable in terms of information, productivity and accuracy of each experiment.Developing the use of Bayesian Utility functions, we have used a systematic method to identify the optimum experimental designs for a number of kinetic model data sets. This has enabled the identification of trends between kinetic model types, sets of design rules and the key conclusion that such designs should be based on some prior knowledge of KM and/or the kinetic model.We suggest an optimal and iterative method for selecting features of the design such as the substrate range, number of measurements and choice of intermediate points. The final design collects data suitable for accurate modelling and analysis and minimises the error in the parameters estimated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Under rapid Arctic warming, the vast amount of labile organic carbon stored in Arctic permafrost soils poses a potentially huge threat. Thawing permafrost will release hundreds of billion tons of soil carbon into the atmosphere in the form of CO 2 and CH 4 that would further intensify global warming and bring more challenges to human society. In this study, we use the PInc-PanTher model to estimate carbon emissions from thawing permafrost in the circum-Arctic during 2010–2100 followed by the PAGE09 integrated assessment model to evaluate the net economic losses caused by these permafrost carbon emissions. Our results show that in terms of net present value (NPV), the release of CO 2 and CH 4 from circum-Arctic permafrost will generate estimated net economic losses of US$2.5 trillion (5–95% range: 0.3–11.2 US$ trillion) under the RCP4.5-SPP1 scenario and US$12.7 trillion (5–95% range: 1.6–41.8 US$ trillion) under the RCP8.5-SPP3 scenario between 2010 and 2100, which contribute ~4.9% and ~6.4% respectively of net economic losses of global carbon emissions. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Circum-Arctic permafrost carbon stock will lose 21–92 Pg in 2010–2100. • Economic losses of permafrost emissions will reach US$2.5–12.7 trillion by 2100. • A multi-model integrated assessment model is used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) is an effective target for antibacterial treatment. In order to search new potential targets in RNAP of Mycobacterium , we detected adaptive selections of RNAP related genes in 13 strains of Mycobacterium by phylogenetic analysis. We first collected sequences of 17 genes including rpoA, rpoB, rpoC, rpoZ, and sigma factor A-M. Then maximum likelihood trees were constructed, followed by positive selection detection. We found that sigG shows positive selection along the clade ( M. tuberculosis , M. bovis ), suggesting its important evolutionary role and its potential to be a new antibacterial target. Moreover, the regions near 933Cys and 935His on the rpoB subunit of M. tuberculosis showed significant positive selection, which could also be a new attractive target for anti-tuberculosis drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive enrichment of contaminants in drinking water is an essential step for accurately determining exposure levels of contaminants and testing their biological effects. Traditional methods using a single absorbent for enriching contaminants in water might not be adequate for complicated matrices with different physical-chemical profiles. To examine this hypothesis, we used an integrated enrichment system that had three sequential stages-XAD-2 resin, poly (styrene–divinylbenzene) and activated charcoal to capture organic pollutants and disinfection by-products (DBPs) from drinking water in Shanghai. Un-adsorbed Organic Compounds in Eluates (UOCEs) named UOCEs-A, -B, and-C following each adsorption stage were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to evaluate adsorption efficiency of the enrichment system. Meanwhile, biological effects such as cytotoxicity, effects on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and glutathione (GSH) depletion were determined in human LO2 cells to identify potential adverse effects on exposure to low dose contaminants. We found that poly-styrene–divinylbenzene (PS-DVB) and activated charcoal (AC) could still partly collect UOCEs-A and-B that the upper adsorption column incompletely captured, and that potential carcinogens like 2-naphthamine were present in all eluates. UOCEs-A at (1–4000), UOCEs-B at (1000–4000), and UOCEs-C at (2400–4000) folds of the actual concentrations had significant cytotoxicity to LO2 cells. Additionally, ROS and GSH change in cells treated with UOCEs indicated the potential for long-term effects of exposure to some mixtures of contaminants such as DBPs at low doses. These results suggested that an enriching system with a single adsorbent would underestimate the exposure level of pollutants and the biological effects of organic pollutants from drinking water. Effective methods for pollutants' enrichment and capture of drinking water should be given priority in future studies on accurate evaluation of biological effects exposed to mixed pollutants via drinking water. [Display omitted] • Capacity of enriched pollutants from water by a single adsorbent is limited. • 69.5% of target chemicals are efficiently enriched by series of adsorption. • Unabsorbed organic compounds in eluate are cytotoxic and impact cell viability. • Low concentrations unabsorbed chemicals in eluate alter the ROS and GSH of cells. • Single sorbent underestimated exposures and effects of drinking-water pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrosamine by-products in drinking water are designated as probable human carcinogens by the IARC, but the health effects of simultaneous exposure to multiple nitrosamines in drinking water remain unknown. Genotoxicity assays were used to assess the effects of both individual and mixed nitrosamines in finished drinking water produced by a large water treatment plant in Shanghai, China. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were measured at 1, 10-, 100- and 1000-fold actual concentrations by the Ames test, Comet assay, γ -H2AX assay, and the cytokinesis-block micronuclei assay; oxidative stress and the Nrf2 pathway were also assessed. Nitrosamines detected in drinking water included NDMA (36.45 ng/L), NDPA (44.68 ng/L), and NEMA (37.27 ng/L). Treatment with a mixture of the three nitrosamines at 1000-fold actual drinking-water concentration induced a doubling of revertants in Salmonella typhimurium strain TA100, DNA and chromosome damage in HepG2 cells, while 1–1000-fold concentrations of compounds applied singly lacked these effects. Treatment with 100- and 1000-fold concentrations increased ROS, GSH, and MDA and decreased SOD activity. Thus, nitrosamine mixtures showed greater genotoxic potential than that of the individual compounds. N -Acetylcysteine protected against the nitrosamine-induced chromosome damage, and Nrf2 pathway activation suggested that oxidative stress played pivotal roles in the genotoxic property of the nitrosamine mixtures. [Display omitted] • Nitrosamines (NAms) like NDMA, NDPA & NEMA, were found in finished drinking water. • Mixed vs single NAms increased genotoxic potential, even at low concentrations. • Oxidative stress and NRF2 pathway activation played key roles in genotoxic effects. • NDMA, the priority NAms compound, was the main risk component for carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Applies both social network analysis and sentiment analysis in construction safety research. • Provides insights to opinion leaders and Twitter users when they share construction safety knowledge via Twitter. • Investigates social structure of "construction safety"- related twitter networks and the opinion leaders. • Sentiment valence exhibits a positive correlation between favorites and retweets. Many studies show that unsafe behavior is the main cause of construction accidents. Safety education and training are effective means to minimise people's unsafe behaviors. Apart from traditional face-to-face construction knowledge sharing, social media is a good tool because it is convenient, efficient, and widely used. We applied both social network analysis and sentiment analysis to investigate knowledge sharing on Twitter. Our study is a novel attempt to understand social structure of "construction safety"- related twitter networks and the opinion leaders. We selected and analyzed 6561 tweets of three users' networks on Twitter – "construction safety", "construction health" and "construction accident". We found that three networks had low density and many isolated vertices, which showed that users did not actively interact with each other. The opinion leaders in this study were mostly organizations or government agencies. The top one is "cif_ireland", the Irish construction industry's representative body, the Construction Industry Federation. 3200 Tweets of the top opinion leader were analyzed through graph metrics calculation, cluster analysis, sentiment analysis, and correlation analysis. The opinion leader used Twitter as a medium to disseminate the latest safety news. Thus, we may use Twitter to stimulate people's interest on construction safety topics, share construction safety knowledge, opinions and ideas. Besides, our results showed that sentiment valence had no correlation with number of favorites or retweets. Nevertheless, there was a positive correlation between favorites and retweets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fragaria nilgerrensis , a diploid wild strawberry, has white fruits with unique aroma. • We developed 16 EST-SSR markers of F. nilgerrensis. • We evaluated the level of genetic variation within and between 16 populations. • All the 16 populations can be divided into two groups. Fragaria nilgerrensis is a diploid wild strawberry widely distributed in Southwest China. Its white color and "peach-like" fragrance of fruits are valuable characters for the genetic improvement of cultivated strawberry plants. Its strong biotic and abiotic resistance and tolerance also enable it to survive in different habitats in the field. In this study, we evaluated the level of genetic variation within and between 16 populations with 169 individuals of F. nilgerrensis using 16 newly developed EST-SSR (expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeats) markers. The results show that the genetic diversity of this species was high, based on Nei's genetic diversity (0.26) and polymorphic loci (0.41), although it is self-compatible and has clonal propagation. Significant genetic differentiation among populations was also detected by AMOVA analysis (Fst = 0.34), which could be indicative of little gene flow (Nm = 0.43) in F. nilgerrensis. The phylogenetic tree indicates that most of individuals from the same population have clustered together. These populations were not grouped based on the geographical distance, consistent with the Mantel test result (R2 = 0.0063, P > 0.05). All the populations were assigned into two ancestral groups, with some individuals admixed, suggesting ancestral gene flow had occurred between these two groups. Our developed EST-SSR markers as well as the genetic diversity and population structure analysis of F. nilgerrensis are important for genetic improvement in the breeding process. Moreover, the populations that contain high genetic diversity would be a priority for collection and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquiring details about the kinetic parameters of enzymes is crucial to both drug development and clinical diagnosis. The correct design of an experiment is crucial to collecting data suitable for analysis, modelling and deriving the correct information. As classical design methods are not targeted to the more complex kinetics now frequently studied, further work is required to estimate parameters of such models with low variance. This review examines the different options available to produce major gains in information, productivity and the accuracy of each experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]