Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own tissues. Pretty much every organ of the body end up being degraded by the disease, including the central nervous system. The difficulty comes in identifying the specific mechanisms that create degradation of the tissues. Researchers at McMaster University investigated the role of purine Read More
Molecular Characterization Depends on Chromatography Refrigerator
Estrogen receptor alpha (ER-alpha) is a transcription factor important in the proper regulation of estrogen levels. ER-alpha binds with DNA to trigger the synthesis of estrogen, and failures in that binding are linked to various diseases. That’s why Brian Deegan chose to study ER-alpha as his PhD thesis project at the University of Miami. He Read More
 Richard Gaughan December 6th, 2011
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To Measure Chemical Changes, a Stability Chamber is Helpful
FDA regulations state that drugs must have a shelf-life of at least two years. But there’s a lot of processing between formulation and packaging, and it’s not entirely clear how the different processing steps affect drug stability. That’s why researchers at the University of Kansas used NMR studies to infer the chemical stability of drugs Read More
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Richard Gaughan December 5th, 2011
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Proper Laboratory Refrigerator Use Part of Lab Safety
Laboratories are jam-packed with sensitive equipment and powerful chemicals. In short, there’s a lot of potential for danger in any laboratory. The Washington State Department of Transportation operates a materials lab that has just as many hazards as any other lab, so they put out a comprehensive manual for laboratory safety. The manual spells out Read More
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Richard Gaughan December 5th, 2011
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Analytical Balance Provides Accurate Volume Calibration
Volumetric measurements are critical for just about every branch of experimental science. Specifically, in chemical and biological analysis and the preparation of reagents for experiments, it’s critical that volumetric flasks provide accurate measurements. Oak Ridge National Laboratory has issued a calibration procedure for ensuring the accuracy of volumetric flask measurements. It’s a conceptually simple procedure: use Read More
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Richard Gaughan December 5th, 2011
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U.S. Military: Keep Those Vaccine Refrigerators in Shape
Vaccine refrigerators are critical elements in the vaccine distribution system, but they don’t do anyone any good if they aren’t working the way they should. Following the precept that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, the U.S. Military Vaccine Agency published guidance for monthly maintenance of vaccine refrigerators. Three steps: clean Read More
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Richard Gaughan December 5th, 2011
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Ultrasonic Cleaning Works in the Machine Shop, Too
You’ve got your forceps, your endoscopes, your flexible solar cell interconnects and you clean them all in your ultrasonic cleaner. You can also use ultrasonic cleaning on more mundane equipment, like tool shop taps and dies. Don’t believe me? Take a look at this video showing the ultrasonic cleaning of a handful of taps and Read More
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Richard Gaughan December 5th, 2011
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A Chemist Offers Tips for Proper Buffer Procedures
Biological lab work is only as good as the reagents involved. Buffer solutions are used in almost every biological lab experiment. If you aren’t current on your chemistry, you’ll want to read this document on the proper storage and use of buffers—it’s written by a chemist who’s seen the good and bad in laboratory practice. Read More
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Richard Gaughan December 5th, 2011
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Growing Pests for Fun and Profit — Or at Least for Improved Understanding
If somebody was stealing millions of dollars from you, you’d probably be pretty interested in finding out who it was and how they were doing it. Ideally, you learn enough about what’s going on, then you can stop them. Well, the wheat stem sawfly (Cephus cinctus Norton), is an insect pest active in the southern Read More
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Richard Gaughan December 2nd, 2011
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USDA: Keep Your Precision Equipment Well-Maintained
“Dependable, well-maintained, precision equipment is essential to the accurate inspection of all commodities.” It’s hard to argue with a statement like that one that opens the Equipment Handbook from the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS), a branch of the USDA. The Equipment Handbook serves as guidance for all FGIS field operations, covering such topics as Read More
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Richard Gaughan December 2nd, 2011
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