Chromatography Refrigerator

Unique Nanoparticle Probe Extends Utility of Fluorescent Microscopy

Fluorescent microscopy is an analytical tool that can provide more than the structural or anatomical information possible from a standard microscope. By selecting the right fluorescent probe, the microscope can provide insight into physiological or functional states of an organism. Kristin Halfpenny’s Vanderbilt University dissertation describes a fluorescent probe produced by attaching many 26-base hairpin-structured Read More

Richard Gaughan December 23rd, 2011

Limonin Glucoside Drink With B2 Degrades When Exposed to Light

Limonin glucoside is a component in many citrus fruit drinks. Some people also believe limonin glucoside is a valuable nutritional supplement. But if limonin glucoside degrades to limonin, the drink becomes unpleasantly bitter. USDA researchers set out to learn the conditions under which limonin glucoside would degrade in a sport-type drink. By putting the liquids Read More

Richard Gaughan December 21st, 2011

Microbe Design Could Provide Efficient Biofuel Production

Lignocellulose is an indigestible plant fiber present in many types of crops and other plants. If an effective, rapid process could be found to convert lignocellulose into ethanol, that would go a long way towards making biofuels viable. One hurdle is that when lignocellulose is digested by microbes, it produces two different sugars that are Read More

Richard Gaughan December 21st, 2011

Genetically-Modified Rabbits Offer Insight Into Heart Disease

Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) is a cardiac arrhythmia condition associated with improper timing of the heart muscle contractions. It can lead to sudden cardiac death in young infants, and is implicated in nine other diseases. To better understand the physiological mechanisms underlying LQTS, an international team of researchers investigated the genetic link to the disease Read More

Richard Gaughan December 20th, 2011

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

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

Richard Gaughan December 2nd, 2011

DNA Transcription Linked to Structure of Promoter Molecules

DNA transcription is the complex process that converts DNA to protein. There are multiple factors that govern which DNA regions will be promoted—that is, which regions will generate more proteins. One of the molecular structures involved in the process is called the basic zipper, or bZIP for short. Researchers at the University of Miami examined Read More

Richard Gaughan December 2nd, 2011

Differences in Digestive Enzymes Match Diet Choices of Insect Pests

Cotton is the most important natural plant textile fiber. Protecting cotton from destructive insects is equally important. With increasing awareness of the unwanted side effects of pesticides comes increasing interest in alternative pest control methods. But to come up with these alternative strategies researchers must first understand the enemy. So it is that researchers of Read More

Richard Gaughan December 1st, 2011

Chromatography Refrigerator Helps Characterize Transcriptional Protein

LBH is a 105-amino-acid nuclear acidic protein that regulates the transcription of proteins important for cardiovascular and skeletal development. Overexpression of LBH is linked to cardiovascular anomalies, impaired bone formation and angiogenesis. Researchers from the University of Miami School of Medicine ran a series of tests designed to determine the conformation of LBH. Specifically, the Read More