The accurate measurement of potassium ion levels in biological samples is essential given the impact such ion levels have on many aspects of homeo-stasis. Normal potassium levels are important for the maintenance of heart and nervous system function. Traditionally, potassium ions have been measured in plasma or serum using ion-selective electrodes,...

Cell culture is an indispensible tool in many fields including cell biology, immunology, microbiology, cancer and infectious disease research. However, conventional two-dimensional culture, which involves growing cells as monolayers on solid, impermeable surfaces, may lead to the loss of key phenotypic and functional cell characteristics, and often...

The availability of aviation fuel is subject to potentially unstable oil markets. Oil rich crops and algae are promising biological systems for cost-effective and sustainable production of biodiesel, but biodiesel produced from currently available oil crop-based feedstock is not suitable for aviation fuel because of its lower energy density and...

Many sites with ground and/or surface water pollution have been identified across the United States. For site characterization, exposure and risk assessment as well as remediation monitoring, it is important to analyze the environment for toxic contaminants at trace levels. However, this sensing is often expensive, especially when attempting to...

Plague is endemic in many areas of the world, including even the western United States. The etiological agent of the disease, Yersinia pestis, infects both humans and rodents. Once a potential host is exposed, Y. pestis can rapidly invade the lymphatic system to produce systemic and often fatal disease. Recent efforts to create a safe and effective...

Bacterial strains designed for immunization frequently have mutations that eliminate lipopolysaccharide O-antigen. These mutants are less immunogenic, however they also have a lowered ability to colonize the intestinal tract and invade intestinal mucosal cells. There is a need then, for a bacterium that has a mutation allowing O-antigen synthesis,...

Norovirus causes almost 90% of epidemic, non-bacterial outbreaks of gastroenteritis around the world. Extremely infectious and diverse, the virus causes acute diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, headache, fatigue, and fever. Though the illness is generally resolved within 48 hours, mortalities do occur in the young, elderly, and immune-compromised,...

BTEX is a complex group of aromatic volatile organic compounds (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes) associated with automobile exhaust pollution. Many epidemiological studies have linked elevated levels of BTEX to adverse human health effects. Measuring BTEX usually requires the use of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS)....

Norovirus causes almost 90% of epidemic, non-bacterial outbreaks of gastroenteritis around the world. Extremely infectious and diverse, the virus causes acute diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, headache, fatigue, and fever. Though the illness is generally resolved within 48 hours, mortalities do occur in the young, elderly, and immune-compromised,...

DNA immunization strategies offer the promise of controlling avian coccidiosis in the poultry industry. DNA vaccination, however, typically requires delivery of large quantities of DNA by injection or particle gun. This mandates the handling of individual birds for each vaccination and makes the use of DNA vaccines prohibitively expensive for control...