Podcast episode 2: Museum of The Bible

This article and podcast was originally published in The Prophet -- a journal created by and for the students at the Boston University School of Theology (BUSTH) to amplify the voices of STH students by promoting and sharing a range of perspectives on matters of concern including, but not limited to, spiritual practices, faith communities and society, the nature of theology, and current affairs. It serves as a platform for STH students to share their academic work, theological reflections, and life experiences with one another and the wider community.In this episode, Paige and Jon reflect on their visit to the brand-new Museum of The Bible for Dr. Jennifer Knust's "Christian Bible: A History" class in the fall

Comparative kinetic analysis of glycerol 3-phosphate cytidylyltransferase from Enterococcus faecalis and Listeria monocytogenes

Background: Glycerol 3-phosphate cytidylyltransferase (GCT) is an enzyme central to the synthesis of teichoic acids, components of the cell wall in gram positive bacteria. Catalysis by GCT from Enterococcus faecalis and Listeria monocytogenes has been investigated and catalytic properties compared. Material/Methods: The genes encoding GCT were cloned from genomic DNA and recombinant proteins expressed in E. coli and purified. Enzyme assays were used to determine kinetic constants k(cat) and K-m. Chemical crosslinking provided a means to assess quaternary structure of each GCT. Results: Recombinant Enterococcus faecalis GCT had an apparent k(cat) value of 1.51 s(-1) and apparent K-m values of 2.42 mM and 4.03 mM with respect to substrates cytidine 5\u27-triphosphate (CTP) and glycerol phosphate. Listeria monocytogenes GCT had an apparent k(cat) value of 4.15 s(-1) and apparent K-m values of 1.52 mM and 6.56 mM with respect to CTP and glycerol phosphate. This resulted in k(cat)/K-m values of 0.62 s(-1)mM(-1) and 0.37 s(-1)mM(-1) for E. faecalis GCT and 2.73 s(-1)mM(-1) and 0.63 s(-1)mM(-1) for L. monocytogenes GCT with respect to CTP and glycerol phosphate, respectively. Conclusions: The genome of both Enterococcus faecalis and Listeria monocytogenes contain a gene that encodes a functional GCT. The genes are 67% identical at the nucleotide level and the encoded proteins exhibit a 63% amino acid identity. The purified, recombinant enzymes each appear to be dimeric and display similar kinetic characteristics. Studying the catalytic characteristics of GCT isoforms from pathogenic bacteria provides information important for the future development of potential antibacterial agents

Design of the advanced regional aircraft, the DART-75

This design analysis is intended to show the capabilities of the DART-75, a 75 passenger medium-range regional transport. Included are the detailed descriptions of the structures, performance, stability and control, weight and balance, and engine design. The design should allow for the DART to become the premier regional aircraft of the future due to some advanced features like the canard, semi-composite construction, and advanced engines

The Development of Acidic Protein Aptamers using Capillary Electrophoresis Methods and their use in Surface Plasmon Resonance

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Operating EGNOS

The ESSP (European Satellite Services Provider) has been created in April 2000 to operate the EGNOS system and provide signal and data services to users in Europe. The company has now seen seven shareholders, all European Air Traffic Service Providers: NATS (UK), DGAC/DSNA (F), AENA (E), ENAV (I), DFS (D), NAV-PT (P) and skyguide (CH). These organisations are also responsible for the hosting and operations of EGNOS system infrastructure. The EGNOS system has been designed, developed and deployed by Alcatel under a European Space Agency (ESA) contract as part of the ESA ARTES IX programme. The EGNOS system ESA milestone Operational Readiness Review (ORR), which concludes the EGNOS design and deployment activities led by ESA, was completed on June 16th 2005 and is followed by the EGNOS Initial Operation Phase (IOP). A contract has been finalised between ESSP and ESA, to cover the EGNOS Operations Management for the duration of the Initial Operations Phase. This paper addresses the activities to be performed during the EGNOS Initial Operation Phase. Updated from the article with the same title in, and reprinted with permission from, The Institute of Navigation (http://ion.org/) and The Proceedings of the 18th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation, (pp. 419-423). Fairfax, VA: The Institute of Navigation

Development of an immunosensor for PfHRP 2 as a biomarker for Malaria detection

Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (PfHRP 2) was selected in this work as the biomarker for the detection and diagnosis of malaria. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was first developed to evaluate the immunoreagent’s suitability for the sensor’s development. A gold-based sensor with an integrated counter and an Ag/AgCl reference electrode was first selected and characterised and then used to develop the immunosensor for PfHRP 2, which enables a low cost, easy to use, and sensitive biosensor for malaria diagnosis. The sensor was applied to immobilise the anti-PfHRP 2 monoclonal antibody as the capture receptor. A sandwich ELISA assay format was constructed using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as the enzyme label, and the electrochemical signal was generated using a 3, 3′, 5, 5′tetramethyl-benzidine dihydrochloride (TMB)/H2O2 system. The performance of the assay and the sensor were optimised and characterised, achieving a PfHRP 2 limit of detection (LOD) of 2.14 ng·mL−1 in buffer samples and 2.95 ng∙mL−1 in 100% spiked serum samples. The assay signal was then amplified using gold nanoparticles conjugated detection antibody-enzyme and a detection limit of 36 pg∙mL−1 was achieved in buffer samples and 40 pg∙mL−1 in serum samples. This sensor format is ideal for malaria detection and on-site analysis as a point-of-care device (POC) in resource-limited settings where the implementation of malaria diagnostics is essential in control and elimination efforts