Information Systems Entrepreneurship: Building Interest in Technology through an Online Business Course for Undergraduates, MBAs, and Executives

This document describes the use of online business as an innovative tool for Information Systems and Entrepreneurship education. The nomination contained in this document was awarded the 2014 Innovation in Teaching Award by the Association for Information Systems. The document describes six unique and innovative features of the online business coursework, and provides evidence of educational effectiveness. A detailed list of course topics and learning objectives is included

Synchrotron powder diffraction study of radiation damage in Langmuir Blodgett nanotemplate crystallised protein

Polycrystalline samples of lysozyme were prepared with and without a Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) thin film template via both the hanging drop method and batch crystallisation. Powder diffraction methods are used to compare these samples and to measure their resistance to radiation damage at room temperature. The X-ray induced amorphisation of the samples was followed as a function of time and it was shown that diffraction does not entirely disappear even at very long exposure times. Two distinct kinetic timescales are evident suggesting that early and late stage processes are quite different. Radiation damage was also shown to be localized in the sample in the region where the beam impinges

Differential transcriptional modulation of duplicated fatty acid-binding protein genes by dietary fatty acids in zebrafish (Danio rerio): evidence for subfunctionalization or neofunctionalization of duplicated genes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In the Duplication-Degeneration-Complementation (DDC) model, subfunctionalization and neofunctionalization have been proposed as important processes driving the retention of duplicated genes in the genome. These processes are thought to occur by gain or loss of regulatory elements in the promoters of duplicated genes. We tested the DDC model by determining the transcriptional induction of fatty acid-binding proteins (Fabps) genes by dietary fatty acids (FAs) in zebrafish. We chose zebrafish for this study for two reasons: extensive bioinformatics resources are available for zebrafish at zfin.org and zebrafish contains many duplicated genes owing to a whole genome duplication event that occurred early in the ray-finned fish lineage approximately 230-400 million years ago. Adult zebrafish were fed diets containing either fish oil (12% lipid, rich in highly unsaturated fatty acid), sunflower oil (12% lipid, rich in linoleic acid), linseed oil (12% lipid, rich in linolenic acid), or low fat (4% lipid, low fat diet) for 10 weeks. FA profiles and the steady-state levels of <it>fabp </it>mRNA and heterogeneous nuclear RNA in intestine, liver, muscle and brain of zebrafish were determined.</p> <p>Result</p> <p>FA profiles assayed by gas chromatography differed in the intestine, brain, muscle and liver depending on diet. The steady-state level of mRNA for three sets of duplicated genes, <it>fabp1a/fabp1b.1/fabp1b.2</it>, <it>fabp7a/fabp7b</it>, and <it>fabp11a</it>/<it>fabp11b</it>, was determined by reverse transcription, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). In brain, the steady-state level of <it>fabp7b </it>mRNAs was induced in fish fed the linoleic acid-rich diet; in intestine, the transcript level of <it>fabp1b.1 </it>and <it>fabp7b </it>were elevated in fish fed the linolenic acid-rich diet; in liver, the level of <it>fabp7a </it>mRNAs was elevated in fish fed the low fat diet; and in muscle, the level of <it>fabp7a </it>and <it>fabp11a </it>mRNAs were elevated in fish fed the linolenic acid-rich or the low fat diets. In all cases, induction of the steady-state level of <it>fabp </it>mRNAs by dietary FAs correlated with induced levels of hnRNA for a given <it>fabp </it>gene. As such, up-regulation of the steady-state level of <it>fabp </it>mRNAs by FAs occurred at the level of initiation of transcription. None of the sister duplicates of these <it>fabp </it>genes exhibited an increase in their steady-state transcript levels in a specific tissue following feeding zebrafish any of the four experimental diets.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Differential induction of only one of the sister pair of duplicated <it>fabp </it>genes by FAs provides evidence to support the DDC model for retention of duplicated genes in the zebrafish genome by either subfunctionalization or neofunctionalization.</p

The Utility of SATA Satellite DNA Sequences for Inferring Phylogenetic Relationships an1ong the Three Major Genera of Tilapiine Cichlid Fishes

The SATA satellite DNA family of sequences, composed of three size variants of approximately 237, 230, and 209 bp, is conserved in the genomes of tilapiine and haplochromine cichlid fishes. In the present study we examined the utility of the SATA sequences for inferring phylogenetic relationships among the three major genera of tilapiine fishes, Oreochromis, Sarotherodon, and Tilapia. Hybridization of the monomer SATA repeat to genomic DNA of representative cichlid species established conservation of the sequence in the African tilapiine and haplochromine lineages and its absence from other cichlid lineages. Bootstrapped DNA parsimony and neighbor-joining analyses of derived consensus sequences revealed two distinct clades, one containing the mouthbrooding genera Oreochromis and Sarotherodon, and the other containing the substrate spawning genus Tilapia. These results are consistent with recent independent studies using mitochondrial DNA and establish the utility of the SATA satellite DNA family for phylogenetic reconstruction. Concerted evolution of the SATA sequences was also demonstrated within the tilapiine tribe

Electrospinning of Functional Nanofibers for Regenerative Medicine: From Bench to Commercial Scale

Nanofibers are an important material for regenerative medicine as they have a commensurate morphology to that of the macromolecular matrix that supports and houses the growth of cells and tissues within the body. Electrospinning is widely used to fabricate non-woven structures on the nanoscale and the versatility of the technique has widened the application of nanofibers. This is due to ease of extending nanofiber functionality through the incorporation of active materials both during and after electrospinning. Recent developments in electrospinning devices, such as needle-free systems, have reinvigorated research as these advances now allow fabrication of nanofibers at commercial scales. The process of electrospinning has a number of operating parameters that are adjusted in optimisation to achieve ideal fibres and a multitude of instrument configurations can be adopted to achieve the required manufacture. The innate properties of nanofibers, such as high surface area to volume ratio, have many proven benefits for regenerative medicine and the chapter examines these before discussing how functionality can be further improved. Numerous materials can be incorporated in the manufacture of electrospun mats, however when choosing materials for regenerative medicine, biocompatibility and biodegradability are the dominant functionalities that are required

Tea flavour : delivery and perception

A novel method was developed, enabling volatile release from mugs of freshly prepared, hot black tea infusions to be monitored online using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (APCI-MS). Given the number of volatile compounds contributing to the aroma of black tea infusions, and the one dimensional nature of the APCI-MS technique, it was necessary to determine which ions present on APCI-MS spectra corresponded to which volatile compounds present in tea headspace. Assignment of APCI ions to specific compounds was achieved by gas chromatography of black tea infusion headspace with simultaneous electronionization and APCI-MS detectors (GC-EI/APCI-MS). Using this approach, 15 ions were selected for future monitoring, assigned to compounds with varying levels of confidence. Six ions were unequivocally assigned to individual compounds, so monitored and quantified with certainty. In other cases, it was only possible to assign ions to groups of compound, as was the case for isobaric compounds such as heptanal and heptanone (m/z 115), or stereoisomers such as E-2-heptenal and Z-4-heptenal (m/z 113). In some cases, although ions could be assigned to compounds, some unknown impurities were also present. The compounds represented by the 15 ions covered a range of physicochemical properties, sensorial significance, formation mechanisms, and odour properties. The analytical system was shown to yield reproducible data, with confidence variation values generally less than 5 %. The effect of infusion preparation method on volatile release from black tea infusions was determined using this novel method, where three variables; infusion water temperature, infusion concentration, and infusion duration were investigated. Infusion water temperature and concentration were shown to exhibit the greatest effects, the higher the temperature and concentration, the greater the release into the headspace. The effect of infusion water temperature was shown to be compound dependent, with differences in release partly explained by differences in physicochemical properties affecting extraction out of the leaf matrix into the aqueous phase. It was suggested that there was very efficient extraction of some compounds such as the more polar, water soluble Strecker aldehydes (2-methyl propanal, 2- and 3-methyl butanal), and less efficient of the more hydrophobic compounds such as β-damascenone and β-ionone. Location of compounds within the leaf matrix, and additional formation of some compounds (e.g. dimethyl sulfide and the Strecker aldehydes) during the infusion process were also thought to play a key role. The significance of these results for tea consumers was explored based upon the orthonasal aroma discriminability of infusions prepared according to different methods. Utilising a signal detection theory approach, values of d’ were obtained for pairs of infusions, prepared using a range of infusion water temperatures and concentrations. Differences in orthonasal aroma caused by differences in preparation method could to a large extent be detected by consumers. Values of d’ ranged from 0.08 to 3.26, indicating a range in the magnitude of stimulus differences between different pairs. The ratio of the difference in infusion concentration played a key role in discriminability of samples (e.g. 0.25 vs. 0.5 %w/v d’ = 1.34 cf. 1.75 vs. 2.0 %w/v d’ = 0.08), although insufficient data were available to be entirely conclusive. In addition, pairs prepared with higher temperature water (90 vs. 100 °C) appeared more discriminable (d’ = 1.58) than those prepared with lower temperature water (40 vs. 50 °C, d’ = 0.95). These results supported the theory that a d’ of 1.0 reflects a ‘just noticeable difference’ in perception, this value having to be exceeded before differences can be detected. Given the effect infusion preparation method has on volatile and non-volatile composition of infusions, sensory analysis utilising a quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) approach was carried out investigating the presence of perceptual interactions between the specific attributes; aroma, bitterness and astringency. Use of a trained panel showed no evidence to support the presence of perceptual interactions between these attributes. This was thought to be due to a combination of factors, including the nature of samples, subjects, and test procedure. Use of consumers revealed a possibility of bitterness suppression caused by black tea aroma, although results were not conclusive

The Verwey structure of a natural magnetite

Complex charge and orbital molecule order observed in natural magnetite comparable to meteoritic samples is the most complex electronic order known to occur naturally.</p

ATP level variations in heterotrophic bacteria during attachment on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces

A survey of the extracellular ATP levels of 86 heterotrophic bacteria showed that gram-negative bacteria of the genera Sulfitobacter, Staleya, and Marinobacter secreted elevated amounts of extracellular ATP, ranging from 6.0 to 9.8 pM ATP/colony forming unit (cfu), and that gram-positive bacteria of the genera Kocuria and Planococcus secreted up to 4.1 pM ATP/cfu. Variations in the levels of extracellular and intracellular ATP-dependent luminescence were monitored in living cells of Sulfitobacter mediterraneus ATCC 700856T and Planococcus maritimus F 90 during 48 h of attachment on hydrophobic (poly[tert-butyl methacrylate], PtBMA) and hydrophilic (mica) surfaces. The bacteria responded to different polymeric surfaces by producing either intracellular or extracellular ATP. The level of intracellular ATP in S. mediterraneus ATCC 700856T attached to either surface was as high as 50–55 pM ATP/cfu, while in P. maritimus F 90 it was 120 and 250 pM ATP/cfu on PtBMA and mica, respectively. S. mediterraneus ATCC 700856T generated about 20 and 50 pM of extracellular ATP/cfu on PtBMA and mica, respectively, while the amount generated by P. maritimus F 90 was about the same for both surfaces, 6 pM ATP/cfu. The levels of extracellular ATP generated by S. mediterraneus during attachment on PtBMA and mica were two to five times higher than those detected during the initial screening. High-resolution atomic force microscopy imaging revealed a potentially interesting correlation between the porous cell-surface of certain (α- and γ-proteobacteria and their ability to secrete high amounts of ATP. [Int Microbiol 2006; 9(1):37-46