Creation of a low cost, low light bioluminescence sensor for real time biological nitrate sensing in marine environments.

The concentration of nitrate (NO) in Narragansett Bay has been shown to undergo considerable temporal and spatial variation. However, the dynamics of this flux has never been monitored on a fine-scale (<100 m, < 1 d) or in real-time. Whole-cell bio-reporters are promising candidates for low cost environmental sensing of bioavailable nutrients.

The response of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 to micro-/nano polyethylene particles - Investigation of a key anthropogenic stressor.

Microplastics or plastic particles less than 5 mm in size are a ubiquitous and damaging pollutant in the marine environment. However, the interactions between these plastic particles and marine microorganisms are just starting to be understood. The objective of this study was to measure the responses of a characteristic marine organism (Synechococcus sp.

Interaction of Cyanobacteria with Nanometer and Micron Sized Polystyrene Particles in Marine and Fresh Water.

Microplastics and nanoplastics are emerging pollutants, widespread both in marine and in freshwater environments. Cyanobacteria are also ubiquitous in water and play a vital role in natural ecosystems, using photosynthesis to produce oxygen. Using photography, fluorescence microscopy and cryogenic and scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM, SEM) we investigated the physicochemical response of one of the most predominant seawater cyanobacteria (, PCC 7002) and freshwater cyanobacteria ( Nageli PCC 7942) when exposed to 10 μm diameter polystyrene (microPS) and 100 nm diameter polystyrene (nanoPS) particles.

Rapid electrophoretic recovery of DNA from dried blood spots.

Large-scale genetic screening of neonatal dried blood spots for episomal DNA has a great potential to lower patient mortality and morbidity through early diagnosis of primary immunodeficiencies. However, DNA extraction from the surface of dried blood spots remains one of the most time consuming, costly, and labor-intensive parts of DNA analysis. In the present study, we developed and optimized a rapid methodology using only 50 V and heat to extract episomal DNA from dried blood spots prepared from diagnostic cord blood samples.

Antibacterial properties and toxicity from metallic nanomaterials.

The era of antibiotic resistance is a cause of increasing concern as bacteria continue to develop adaptive countermeasures against current antibiotics at an alarming rate. In recent years, studies have reported nanoparticles as a promising alternative to antibacterial reagents because of their exhibited antibacterial activity in several biomedical applications, including drug and gene delivery, tissue engineering, and imaging. Moreover, nanomaterial research has led to reports of a possible relationship between the morphological characteristics of a nanomaterial and the magnitude of its delivered toxicity.

Altered temporal lobe white matter lipid ion profiles in an experimental model of sporadic Alzheimer's disease.

Background: White matter is an early and important yet under-evaluated target of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Metabolic impairments due to insulin and insulin-like growth factor resistance contribute to white matter degeneration because corresponding signal transduction pathways maintain oligodendrocyte function and survival.

Methods: This study utilized a model of sporadic AD in which adult Long Evans rats administered intracerebral streptozotocin (i.