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Could a New Project Expose Predatory Conferences?
Article
The rise of predatory conferences jeopardises the future of legitimate research events. But could conference IDs be the solution?
Knowledge Really Is Power When It Comes to Investigating the Mechanisms of Microbes
ArticleFor scientists investigating genomes and molecular mechanisms of microbes, it is vital that they can collate existing knowledge and understanding in the context of their current work to draw conclusions and fill gaps in knowledge. We spoke to Dr Peter Karp, leader of the BioCyc project, a microbial genomes and metabolic pathways web portal, about the evolution of BioCyc and its role in research.
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Gram Positive vs Gram Negative
Article
Being able to differentiate bacterial species is important for a host of reasons. Whilst molecular techniques can determine the specific species, even without getting into the molecular nitty gritty, there are phenotypic differences between groups of bacteria that can be used to differentiate them. One such useful classification – if a bacterium is Gram positive or Gram negative - is based on the structure of bacterial cell walls.
Why Science Can’t Afford Mistakes When It Comes to Cell Line Authenticity
ArticleHaving strains and cell lines that have been checked and confirmed to be what it says on the tube is invaluable to scientific validity and integrity, saving untold time and money. We spoke to Mindy Goldsborough, Ph.D., Chief Science and Technology Officer, VP and General Manager, ATCC Cell Systems about the importance and challenges of maintaining authenticated cell lines for scientific research.
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Cation vs Anion: Definition, Chart and the Periodic Table
ArticleIf an atom, or atoms, has a balanced number of electrons (negative charge) and protons (positive charge) they are neutral overall. However, if they are not balanced, they will be charged. These charged species are called ions.
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Accelerating Screening for Drugs of Abuse With Innovative Liquid Chromatography Solutions
ArticleThe scale of the U.S. opioid crisis continues to put forensic toxicology laboratories under intense pressure to meet demanding workloads with limited resources. Laboratories therefore need screening workflows that can process large volumes of samples quickly and efficiently, while accelerating the delivery of accurate and reliable results.
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Sculpting Never-ending Art Using Nature’s Natural Tools, Proteins
ArticleProteins biological building blocks. Fibrous proteins such as keratins, collagens and elastins are built up from their individual components to form structures such as tendons, muscle fibers and bones. This is the natural course of biology – the instructions for assembly are organic. What happens when it is no longer nature guiding the building blocks, but rather, scientists? The borders of science and art become blurred.
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Natural Rubber Biosecurity and Biodiversification
ArticleNatural rubber is an extremely important, agricultural resource vital to all modern economies and in increasing demand. But unlike other agricultural products, natural rubber has no backup. Learn how the industry is turning to biodiversification to address the problem.
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Avoiding a Series of Unfortunate Events: Robust Detection of Food Contaminants in Routine Laboratory Environments
ArticleRoutine food testing workflows, including GC-MS/MS systems, are at the front line of food safety, ensuring the products we purchase are free from pesticide residues and other potentially harmful contaminants. Ensuring instruments are sufficiently rugged and robust to minimize downtime is therefore imperative.
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Rising to the Challenge of Protecting Our Water Resources
ArticleIn the western world, when we turn on your tap, we take it for granted that the drinking water that comes out is safe. But a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to ensure this is the case. We spoke to Fiona Regan, Professor of Chemistry at Dublin City University and Director of the DCU Water Institute, about the challenges facing our water resources.
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