Optimization of a GFP Biosensor for the Discovery of Novel Antibiotics

In today’s world, there is an urgent need to discover novel antibiotics due to the rise of antibiotic resistance and the lack of new ones being approved. Building off of Hanson et al. and their reduction-oxidation sensitive green fluorescent protein (roGFP)(1), that we yeast codon optimized (2); I wanted to determine if I could create a real-time biosensor that has the ability to respond to ROS produced in the stress response triggered by antibiotics as a platform to identify novel antibiotics. To achieve this, I need to know if it will oligomerize in bacterial cytoplasm due to its two cysteines at 48 and 70 and what the optimal conditions are for the biosensor. From western blot results, royGFP does not oligomerize in the cells showing that our biosensor should not lose fluorescence. royGFP had a strong sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide and ROS triggered from antibiotics. The results showed that royGFP can be used as an ROS biosensor tool to help discover novel antibiotics

Optimization of GFP Biosensor

The abstract for this presentation can be downloaded by clicking on the blue download button

Candida albicans Plasmid Project

Drake Heinz and Patrick L. Hindmarsh are a part of the School of Biological Sciences at Louisiana Tech University

Calculation of the Structure Properties of a Strange Quark Star in the Presence of Strong Magnetic Field Using a Density Dependent Bag Constant

In this article we have calculated the structure properties of a strange quark star in static model in the presence of a strong magnetic field using MIT bag model with a density dependent bag constant. To parameterize the density dependence of bag constant, we have used our results for the lowest order constrained variational calculation of the asymmetric nuclear matter. By calculating the equation of state of strange quark matter, we have shown that the pressure of this system increases by increasing both density and magnetic field. Finally, we have investigated the effect of density dependence of bag constant on the structure properties of strange quark star.Comment: 23 pages, 9 figures, Res. in Astron. Astrophys. (2012) accepte

What is with all the plastic garbage everywhere and where does it go?

Despite countless efforts in recycling, awareness, and limited legislation, plastic pollution has continued to spiral out of control due to massive production/use and the inability to naturally decompose. Plastic pollution ends up accumulating in the environment in places like sediment and surface water. Unfortunately, another reservoir for plastic pollution is local compost, or decayed organic matter used for agricultural processes. A substantial amount of micro- and macro- plastics has been collected from both the local compost and along and around roads in Valparaiso. Plastic waste was collected at numerous roadside locations throughout the Salt Creek watershed in the Porter County area; it was quantified and classified by both recycling numbers and via infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Compost samples were collected and analyzed in the same manner, this time also accounting for microplastics. The compost was sieved with two and five micron sieves. A solution of zinc chloride (1.4 g/mL) was utilized to separate the microplastics via density separation. This was then further processed via H2O2/UV advanced oxidation to eliminate excessive organic matter and to isolate the microplastics and microfibers further. The results will identify the various types of plastics and their magnitude in the local environment, in both the local compost and throughout the Salt Creek watershed of Porter County, Indiana. These results can establish knowledge of how different types and sizes of plastics migrate throughout the environment, and provide citizens with ways to reduce the garbage

What is with all the plastic garbage everywhere and where does it go?

Despite countless efforts in recycling, awareness, and limited legislation, plastic pollution has continued to spiral out of control due to massive production/use and the inability to naturally decompose. Plastic pollution ends up accumulating in the environment in places like sediment and surface water. Unfortunately, another reservoir for plastic pollution is local compost, or decayed organic matter used for agricultural processes. A substantial amount of micro- and macro- plastics has been collected from both the local compost and along and around roads in Valparaiso. Plastic waste was collected at numerous roadside locations throughout the Salt Creek watershed in the Porter County area; it was quantified and classified by both recycling numbers and via infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Compost samples were collected and analyzed in the same manner, this time also accounting for microplastics. The compost was sieved with two and five micron sieves. A solution of zinc chloride (1.4 g/mL) was utilized to separate the microplastics via density separation. This was then further processed via H2O2/UV advanced oxidation to eliminate excessive organic matter and to isolate the microplastics and microfibers further. The results will identify the various types of plastics and their magnitude in the local environment, in both the local compost and throughout the Salt Creek watershed of Porter County, Indiana. These results can establish knowledge of how different types and sizes of plastics migrate throughout the environment, and provide citizens with ways to reduce the garbage

Two lectures on color superconductivity

The first lecture provides an introduction to the physics of color superconductivity in cold dense quark matter. The main color superconducting phases are briefly described and their properties are listed. The second lecture covers recent developments in studies of color superconducting phases in neutral and beta-equilibrated matter. The properties of gapless color superconducting phases are discussed.Comment: 56 pages, 9 figures. Minor corrections and references added. Lectures delivered at the IARD 2004 conference, Saas Fee, Switzerland, June 12 - 19, 2004, and at the Helmholtz International Summer School and Workshop on Hot points in Astrophysics and Cosmology, JINR, Dubna, Russia, August 2 - 13, 200

Priorities to Promote Participant Engagement in the Participant Engagement and Cancer Genome Sequencing (PE-CGS) Network.

BACKGROUND: Engaging diverse populations in cancer genomics research is of critical importance and is a fundamental goal of the NCI Participant Engagement and Cancer Genome Sequencing (PE-CGS) Network. Established as part of the Cancer Moonshot, PE-CGS is a consortium of stakeholders including clinicians, scientists, genetic counselors, and representatives of potential study participants and their communities. Participant engagement is an ongoing, bidirectional, and mutually beneficial interaction between study participants and researchers. PE-CGS sought to set priorities in participant engagement for conducting the network\u27s research. METHODS: PE-CGS deliberatively engaged its stakeholders in the following four-phase process to set the network\u27s research priorities in participant engagement: (i) a brainstorming exercise to elicit potential priorities; (ii) a 2-day virtual meeting to discuss priorities; (iii) recommendations from the PE-CGS External Advisory Panel to refine priorities; and (iv) a virtual meeting to set priorities. RESULTS: Nearly 150 PE-CGS stakeholders engaged in the process. Five priorities were set: (i) tailor education and communication materials for participants throughout the research process; (ii) identify measures of participant engagement; (iii) identify optimal participant engagement strategies; (iv) understand cancer disparities in the context of cancer genomics research; and (v) personalize the return of genomics findings to participants. CONCLUSIONS: PE-CGS is pursuing these priorities to meaningfully engage diverse and underrepresented patients with cancer and posttreatment cancer survivors as participants in cancer genomics research and, subsequently, generate new discoveries. IMPACT: Data from PE-CGS will be shared with the broader scientific community in a manner consistent with participant informed consent and community agreement