A New Effort to Diversify Faculty: Postdoc-to-Tenure Track Conversion Models.

Calls to diversify the professoriate have been ongoing for decades. However, despite increasing numbers of scholars from underrepresented racial minority groups earning doctorates, actual progress in transitioning to faculty has been slow, particularly across STEM disciplines. In recent years, new efforts have emerged to recruit faculty members from underrepresented racial minority groups (i.

Desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization: A review.

Desorption Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (DAPCI) is an ambient ionization technique for mass spectrometry (MS). DAPCI is a plasma-based ionization technique that uses inert, high-velocity gas, and solvent ions to ionize the analytes in a sample. This technique allows both volatile and non-volatile species to be analyzed and provides for more efficient and sensitive detection of low polarity compounds.

Introduction to Research: A Scalable, Online Badge Implemented in Conjunction with a Classroom-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) that Promotes Students Matriculation into Mentored Undergraduate Research.

The benefits of mentored undergraduate research to student success, retention, and persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have long been identified. However, many students miss out on the opportunity to engage in research often due to unfamiliarity of various research opportunities or how to approach potential research mentors. To address this, we developed a scalable online badge, Introduction to Research, that draws on aspects of the curriculum (Branchaw, Pfund, & Rediske, 2010) to help students explore and prepare for undergraduate research in the biomedical and behavioral sciences.

Supporting Deaf Students in Undergraduate Research Experiences: Perspectives of American Sign Language Interpreters.

Deaf undergraduates are eager to engage in research but often feel marginalized due to lack of appropriate accommodations to allow for effective communication within heterogeneous research teams consisting of hearing peers and/or mentors. In this case study, we interviewed four American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters who provided full-time accommodations to teams consisting of one deaf student and two hearing peers during a six-week internship. We queried the interpreters on their role and experiences in supporting the research teams.

Indirect pulsed electrochemical detection following high-performance reversed-phase liquid chromatography.

For detection using pulsed electrochemical detection (PED), analytes must preadsorb to the working gold electrode. Indirect pulsed electrochemical detection (InPED) exploits this requirement by including a PED-active reagent in the mobile phase. The background signal provided by oxidation of this reagent is attenuated by the adsorption of analyte molecules to the electrode.

Students' Understanding and Perceptions of Assigned Team Roles in a Classroom Laboratory Environment.

Using a cooperative learning framework in a quantitative reasoning laboratory course, students were assigned to static teams of four in which they adopted roles that rotated regularly. The roles included: team leader, protocol manager, data recorder, and researcher. Using a mixed-methods approach, we investigated students' perceptions of the team roles and specifically addressed students' understanding of the roles, students' beliefs in their ability to enact the roles, and whether working with assigned team roles supported the teams to work effectively and cohesively.

Awareness, Analysis, and Action: Curricular Alignment for Student Success in General Chemistry.

This article examines the ways that a shared faculty experience across five partner institutions led to a deep awareness of the curriculum and pedagogy of general chemistry coursework, and ultimately, to a collaborative action plan for student success. The team identified key differences and similarities in course content and instructional experiences. The comparative analysis yielded many more similarities than differences, and therefore, the team shifted its focus from "gap analysis" to an exploration of common curricular challenges.

Think 500, not 50! A scalable approach to student success in STEM.

Background: UMBC, a diverse public research university, "builds" upon its reputation in producing highly capable undergraduate scholars to create a comprehensive new model, STEM BUILD at UMBC. This program is designed to help more students develop the skills, experience and motivation to excel in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This article provides an in-depth description of STEM BUILD at UMBC and provides the context of this initiative within UMBC's vision and mission.

Visualization of Ambient Mass Spectrometry with the Use of Schlieren Photography.

This manuscript outlines how to visualize mass spectrometry ambient ionization sources using schlieren photography. In order to properly optimize the mass spectrometer, it is necessary to characterize and understand the physical principles of the source. Most commercial ambient ionization sources utilize jets of nitrogen, helium, or atmospheric air to facilitate the ionization of the analyte.

Indirect pulsed electrochemical detection of aliphatic carboxylate-containing analytes following high performance anion-exchange chromatography.

The mechanism of detection in pulsed electrochemical detection (PED) requires preadsorption of the analyte to the working electrode prior to its subsequent oxidation. Indirect detection is accomplished by the addition of a PED-active reagent to the mobile phase, whose signal is attenuated by an analyte that more strongly adsorbs to the electrode surface. Here, indirect PED (InPED) is applied to the determination of aliphatic carboxylate-containing compounds separated using high performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC).

Molecular Ionization-Desorption Analysis Source (MIDAS) for Mass Spectrometry: Thin-Layer Chromatography.

Molecular ionization-desorption analysis source (MIDAS), which is a desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (DAPCI) type source, for mass spectrometry has been developed as a multi-functional platform for the direct sampling of surfaces. In this article, its utility for the analysis of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plates is highlighted. Amino acids, which are difficult to visualize without staining reagents or charring, were detected and identified directly from a TLC plate.

Characterization of a Direct Sample Analysis (DSA) Ambient Ionization Source.

Water cluster ion intensity and distribution is affected by source conditions in direct sample analysis (DSA) ionization. Parameters investigated in this paper include source nozzle diameter, gas flow rate, and source positions relative to the mass spectrometer inlet. Schlieren photography was used to image the gas flow profile exiting the nozzle.

A review of pulsed electrochemical detection following liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis.

Pulsed electrochemical detection (PED) has progressed as a highly sensitive and selective detection technique following aqueous-based separation systems over the past three decades. The application of on-line pulsed potential cleaning to electrocatalytic noble metal electrodes has significantly increased the number of applications formerly achieved with conventional electrochemical (EC) detection. Electrochemical cells are easily miniaturized, providing the ability to apply detection by PED at microelectrodes and onto microchips utilizing electrophoretic separations.

Competency-based reforms of the undergraduate biology curriculum: integrating the physical and biological sciences.

The National Experiment in Undergraduate Science Education project funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute is a direct response to the Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians report, which urged a shift in premedical student preparation from a narrow list of specific course work to a more flexible curriculum that helps students develop broad scientific competencies. A consortium of four universities is working to create, pilot, and assess modular, competency-based curricular units that require students to use higher-order cognitive skills and reason across traditional disciplinary boundaries. Purdue University; the University of Maryland, Baltimore County; and the University of Miami are each developing modules and case studies that integrate the biological, chemical, physical, and mathematical sciences.

A review of post-column photochemical reaction systems coupled to electrochemical detection in HPLC.

Post-column photochemical reaction systems have developed into a common approach for enhancing conventional methods of detection in HPLC. Photochemical reactions as a means of 'derivatization' have a significant number of advantages over chemical reaction-based methods, and a significant effort has been demonstrated to develop an efficient photochemical reactor. When coupled to electrochemical (EC) detection, the technique allows for the sensitive and selective determination of a variety of compounds (e.

Indirect pulsed electrochemical detection of amino acids and proteins following high performance liquid chromatography.

Pulsed electrochemical detection (PED) following liquid chromatographic separation has been applied to the indirect determination of amino acids and proteins. Here, the adsorption of these analytes at noble metal electrodes is exploited to suppress the oxidation of polyols and carbohydrates under alkaline conditions to elicit an indirect response. Of the reagents tested, gluconic acid gave the best overall signal-to-noise values for the indirect detection of amino acids following high performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC).

A platform for on-site environmental analysis of explosives using high performance liquid chromatography with UV absorbance and photo-assisted electrochemical detection.

High-performance liquid chromatography with photo-assisted electrochemical detection (HPLC-PAED) is used in conjunction with ultraviolet absorbance (UV) detection for determining explosives in environmental samples. The system utilizes an on-line solid-phase extraction technique for sample pretreatment (i.e.

Comparing the performance of the optical glucose assay based on glucose binding protein with high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed electrochemical detection: efforts to design a low-cost point-of-care glucose sensor.

Background: The glucose binding protein (GBP) is one of many soluble binding proteins found in the periplasmic space of gram-negative bacteria. These proteins are responsible for chemotactic responses and active transport of chemical species across the membrane. Upon ligand binding, binding proteins undergo a large conformational change, which is the basis for converting these proteins into optical biosensors.

An improved method to detect ethyl glucuronide in urine using reversed-phase liquid chromatography and pulsed electrochemical detection.

Pulsed electrochemical detection (PED) following reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) has been applied recently to the detection of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) in the urine of live and deceased individuals. In this paper, several key improvements to the method are made to enhance sensitivity, reproducibility, and accuracy. These improvements include (i) further optimization of the sample preparation procedure that has increased the recovery from ca.

Monitoring carbohydrate enzymatic reactions by quantitative in vitro microdialysis.

On-line in vitro microdialysis (MD) sampling followed by HPLC separation and UV absorbance detection (HPLC-UV) was used to monitor carbohydrate enzyme systems. Fundamental parameters (i.e.

Application of photoassisted electrochemical detection to explosive-containing environmental samples.

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) absorbance and photoassisted electrochemical detection (PAED) is applied to the determination of explosives in groundwater and soil samples. On-line, solid-phase extraction minimizes sample pretreatment, enabling direct analysis of groundwater samples and soil extracts. Soils are extracted using pressurized fluid extraction, which is compared to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sonication method.

Polymerization past the N2-isopropylguanine and the N6-isopropyladenine DNA lesions with the translesion synthesis DNA polymerases eta and iota and the replicative DNA polymerase alpha.

The effects of N2-isopropylGua and N6-isopropylAde adducts in template DNA on polymerization by the human replicative DNA polymerase alpha (B-family) and the translesion synthesis DNA polymerases eta and iota (Y-family) were investigated. A direct comparison between the accuracies of DNA synthesis using catalytic fragments of the human DNA polymerases eta and iota is reported. We show that the N2-isopropylGua adduct is a powerful block to polymerization by DNA polymerase alpha.

Elastic properties of the cell wall of Aspergillus nidulans studied with atomic force microscopy.

Currently, little is known about the mechanical properties of filamentous fungal hyphae. To study this topic, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to measure cell wall mechanical properties of the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans. Wild type and a mutant strain (deltacsmA), lacking one of the chitin synthase genes, were grown in shake flasks.

Separation of modified 2'-deoxyoligonucleotides using ion-pairing reversed-phase HPLC.

A group of 18-mers of the same base sequence, but with differing alkyl modifications is used to investigate effects of these modifications on retention of oligonucleotides using ion-pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography (IP-RPLC). It is shown that IP-RPLC is able to distinguish between oligonucleotides differing only by a single alkyl group. The identity of the nucleobase and position and length of the alkyl adduct affect retention of the oligonucleotide.

Determination of thio-based additives for biopharmaceuticals by pulsed electrochemical detection following HPLC.

Pulsed electrochemical detection (PED) following liquid chromatographic separation has been applied to the direct (i.e., without derivatization) determination of two major sulfur-containing compounds used as pharmaceutical additives, isopropyl-thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside (IPTG) and monothioglycerol (MTG).