Search

The quality of biospecimens and associated data must be consistent and collected according to standardized methods in order to achieve international harmonization and coordination among biobanking networks. Sharing successful strategies between the Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) Cancer Center and Breast Center Buenos Aires (BCBA) is the driving force for the creation of an Argentinean Breast Cancer oriented Biobank with a shared data management system. Objective: To create a bilingual web-based tool for biospecimen management, inventory, clinical and breast cancer data registration according to international standards of data security quality assurance (ISO 27001). Methods/System Characteristics: The system permits users to enter and retrieve data concerning the collection, storage, quality assurance and distribution of biospecimens, and provides clinical and other patient data for samples while maintaining strict patient confidentiality. It has a multi-tier architecture, developed using Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) software design principles in .net 4.0, and uses a SQL server database backbone. The system allows multidimensional data analysis trough On Line Analytical Processes (OLAP) and operates with standard web clients, such as Internet Explorer. User Profiles/Access Levels: Clinical staff (e.g., clinical research coordinator, phlebotomist, pathologist, PA, MD) conduct participant and consent registration and preregistration, epidemiological questionnaire data entry, barcode label generation, form printing, and clinical and pathological cancer data entry. * Biospecimen resource staff (e.g., lab technicians) track and store data about biospecimen collection, inventory, tracking and distribution, generate sample barcode labels, and maintain sample allocation and freezer maps for the system. * Scientists have the ability to search for biospecimens and associated data for their own translational research projects. * Breast Cancer Database: Detailed clinical, pathological, treatment and follow-up breast cancer information are captured for each patient, including TNM, biopsy and definitive surgery of primary tumor and events, systemic and radiation treatment, recurrences and metastasis, follow-up. A summary screen provides a snapshot of these data to the viewer. Pathology reports and sample collection forms are attached in each corresponding biopsy or surgery screen for easy viewing and quality assurance. Conclusion: This Biobank Management System was designed by a multidisciplinary team to improve and streamline the workflow for each member of the biobank by: allowing preregistration capabilities before consenting individuals or collecting samples, automatic generation of clinical and sample ID labels, and real-time statistics with certified secure sensible information confidentiality. This system's value is its wide range of uses, from the day-to-day management of a multicenter biobank to the storage of detailed clinical cancerrelated data in a user-friendly and intuitive data entry environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the process of melting of polymer crystals using Langevin dynamics simulations with a coarse-grained united atom model. We have considered two ideal situations: one in which a single crystal melts and the other in which a multichain crystal melts. We show that the melting of the single crystal proceeds through a globular metastable state, which is followed by expansion to a more random coil-like state. Similarly, the melting of the multichain crystal reveals a special mechanism comprising two steps: one in which a long-lived partially molten metastable state is formed, followed by a second step in which the chains peel off from the crystalline core to a free state. We elucidate the nature of the metastable state close to the equilibrium melting temperature and show that the multichain crystals equilibrate to states of intermediate order, with the extent of ordering decreasing as we increase the melting temperature. We quantify the kinetics of melting by estimating a free energy landscape using parallel tempering Langevin dynamics simulations. These simulations reveal a metastable state in the single molecule systems, allowing us to estimate the free energy barriers. Additionally, the melting of the multichain crystals reveals the existence of two barriers, with the preference for the intermediate state reducing with increasing temperature. We compare our findings to the existing experimental evidence and find qualitative agreements.