Advanced Research Laboratory Research Articles

(Invited) Electrochemistry in a Lab of the Future

Advanced research laboratories are producing ever more data and introducing more advanced methods of data analysis and feedback to control these laboratories. These "labs of the future" are intended to revolutionize the way that research is done, enabling in some cases the exploration of higher dimensional problems and better research outcomes. At ORNL, the Autonomous Chemistry Laboratory (ACL) is being developed as a self-driving laboratory to accelerate materials discovery and innovation. A combination of robotic tools are being integrated with computational tools to analyze reaction results and predict optimal directions for future investigation. We have developed an electrochemical workstation integrated with materials synthesis and discovery. The capabilities and concept for the ACL will be presented.

Comparative Study of Metagenomic Profile of Bacteria Strains Present in an Abandoned Artisanal Refinery Site, in Obi-Ayagha Community, Delta State, Nigeria

Aim: The aim of the study is to identify and compare the bacteria strains present in the control and Hydrocarbon impacted soil samples in the abandoned artisanal refinery site located in Obi-Ayagha community, Delta State, using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene.
 Place and Duration of Study: The Hydrocarbon impacted soil was collected from the abandoned artisanal refinery site located in Obi-Ayagha community and analysed in the advanced research laboratory of the Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun between 2022 and 2023.
 Methodology: In the present study, soil samples were collected from five points to cover the expanse of the site, from depths of 0–15 cm of the abandoned artisanal site and composited. The bacterial community profile was analyzed using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and the bacteria species were identified from Kingdom to species level.
 Results: Taxonomical classification of bacteria, revealed the most abundant organisms present in each kingdom, phyla, class, in the contaminated and uncontaminated (control) samples. The dominant species at phylum-level microbial diversity identified in the petroleum-contaminated and uncontaminated site, is depicted by the dominant groups and were found to be the Actinobacteriota (21.94%) for the control in comparison the Firmicutes dominated the phylum with percentage occurrence of (99.86%) for the test samples. At the class level, the dominant group was Alphaproteobacteria (16.48%) for the control, while Bacilli dominated the class showing (99.76%) for the test samples.
 Conclusion: Metagenomic profiling helps to predict the presence and relative abundances of microbes in a sample, which is a critical step in microbiome analysis.

Joint STARS—The Start of 50 Years of All Speed Surface Moving Target Detection and Tracking

The Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) radar program was conceived in the mid-1970s as a means of utilizing advanced airborne radar and smart munitions technologies to counter the potential of a massive armed vehicle invasion of Western Europe. Initiated by several cooperative research and development programs sponsored by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Program Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. Air Force's Advanced Research Laboratories in Rome, NY, USA, and supplemented by parallel complementary research and devleopment activities within various U.S. Army agencies, the technology was developed and field tested in a series of real-world tactical demonstrations. The demonstrations, conducted at the Air Force's extensive facility in Alamogordo, NM, USA, involved combinations of both stationary and remotely controlled tanks deployed in a variety of configurations and, additionally employed state-of-the-art airborne radar sensors from two different large radar system corporations and two different types of autonomous terminally guided multiple-submunition-based weapons designed to achieve multivehicle kills on each weapon launch. DARPA and Air Force programs that contributed to the success of the tactical demonstrations and the ultimate development and operational deployment of the Joint STARS system included Pave Mover and Assault Breaker. Related Army programs included Airborne Long-range Alerting Radar for MTI (ALARM), Project Periodically Elevated Electronic Kibitzer (PEEK), and Stand Off Target Acquisition System (SOTAS).

Role of nitric oxide in detection toxoplasmosis patients in Al-Najaf Province

This study was aimed to estimate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and associated risk factors among patients in Al-Najaf Province and to investigate whether there is a relationship between this infection and one of oxidative stress marker level (nitric oxide (NO). A total of 117 blood samples were collected from Iraqi women with toxoplasmosis at Al-Zahra Teaching Hospital for Maternity and Children in AL-Najaf province. The PCR test was carried out in the Advanced Research Laboratory of the Department of Laboratory Investigations / Faculty of Science – University of Kufa. The estimation of NO marker level in patients and 30 healthy women (control group) was conducted in Al-Ameen Center for Research and Advanced Biotechnology/ Imam Ali Holy Shrine. The results of the PCR (to confirm the toxoplasmosis infection) had shown that 53(45.30%) patients were found positive and 64 (54.70%) were negative. The results of biochemical study revealed that the concentrations of NO level were increased in toxoplasmosis patients compared with the controls. The results of this study highlight on the wide spread of Toxoplasmosis in Iraq, especially in Najaf Governorate. The use of molecular methods to diagnose toxoplasmosis remains the most accurate technique for diagnosing infection.

Evaluation of Malondialdehyde as a biomarker in investigation of Toxoplasma gondii in infected women

This study was aimed to estimate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and associated risk factors among patients in Al-Najaf Province and to investigate whether there is a relationship between this infection and (MDA). A total of 117 blood samples were collected from Iraqi women with toxoplasmosis at Al-Zahra Teaching Hospital for Maternity and Children in AL-Najaf province. The PCR test was carried out in the Advanced Research Laboratory of the Department of Laboratory Investigations / Faculty of Science – University of Kufa. The estimation of MDA marker level in patients and 30 healthy women (control group) was conducted in Al-Ameen Center for Research and Advanced Biotechnology/ Imam Ali Holy Shrine. The results of the PCR (to confirm the toxoplasmosis infection) had shown that 53(45.30%) patients were found positive and 64 (54.70%) were negative. The results of biochemical study showed that the concentrations of MDA level were increased in toxoplasmosis patients compared with the controls. The results of this study highlight on the wide spread of Toxoplasmosis in Iraq, especially in Najaf Governorate. The use of molecular methods to diagnose toxoplasmosis remains the most accurate technique for diagnosing infection.

Virtually Bridging the Safety Gap between the Lecture Hall and the Research Laboratory

Laboratory safety has received heightened attention due to a series of devastatingly tragic accidents in both academic and nonacademic settings. Consequently, chemistry departments at various academic institutions now offer some form of formal training in laboratory safety for entering graduate students. Although the extent of this training varies widely among institutions, it typically includes an online assessment and/or minimal in-person classroom instruction. However, a significant gap exists between a lecture hall setting and the complex environment that comprises an advanced research laboratory. We’ve adapted the technological advances in virtual and augmented reality to bridge this gap. A set of 360° virtual reality lab experiences, highlighting safety infractions, have been created for a variety of subdiscipline-distinct (medicinal, organic, inorganic, physical, drug screening) laboratory settings. Notable features include the accurate depiction of the visual complexity associated with research settings, the opportunity for the trainee to explore multiple laboratories in a self-paced fashion, and immediate feedback with respect to the identification of safety hazards. The VR Lab Safety modules were very well received by first year graduate students, with greater than 85% of the respondents describing the VR experience as engaging and memorable, as a good supplement to safety reading material, and as providing real world examples that are otherwise difficult to visualize.

Effective Bioconversion of Locally obtained Apple Waste into Citric Acid using Aspergillus Niger (NRRL 567)

A viable and sustainable method was used to produce citric acid. Apple waste (pomace) was used as a substrate and displayed a good efficiency for citric acid yield. The fermentation process was carried out using Aspergillus Niger (NRRL 567) strain. This fungal strain showed a competent performance in fermenting apple waste to produce citric acid. Various key parameters were analyzed and optimized such as incubation temperature, amount of substrate, ph, moisture content, nitrogen source, metal ions, methanol inducer and inoculum density. Among such parameters, the highest citric acid yield of 158 g/kg of apple pomace was achieved with the use of methanol inducer. Methanol inducer, moisture content, amount of substrate and nitrogen source were found to have significant impact on CA production. The fungal strain used in the present study is known to possess an impressive biomass fermentation capacity, as also demonstrated by the present work. In Pakistan, this strain has not been analyzed for its efficiency to produce citric acid using pomace of locally cultivated apple, hence the novelty of the present work. All the experimental work, analysis and optimization was accomplished on laboratory scale at Advanced Research Laboratory, Zoology Department, GC University, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

Contribution of the Advanced Research Laboratories at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) to SARS-CoV-2 Testing in Ghana

In March 2020, the first cases of SARS-CoV-2 were reported in Accra, Ghana. These initial cases were diagnosed at the Advanced Research Laboratories (ARL) of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), University of Ghana. The ARL which hitherto was used for routine clinical research in viral, bacteria and immunological studies has since been the facility of choice for testing for all suspected cases of COVID-19 submitted from across Ghana and beyond. The success of testing at the ARL hinged on the availability of several laboratory spaces furnished with state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and working aids. During the “peak season” where overwhelming numbers of clinical specimens were received, the ARL processed and got results for close to four thousand samples daily. After general disinfection and re-bagging into smaller numbers, at the entrance of the ARL, the samples are taken to a central receiving laboratory, where they are received and entered in a database with accompanying case investigation forms. All samples that are successfully sorted and matched are sent to general laboratories for nucleic acid extraction and then referred to the Instrumentation laboratory for real time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). When the RT-PCRs were completed, results were analysed and transmitted via email and/or local network to the data reporting office. The data managers then reported results to the investigators and the Ghana Health Service (GHS). Additionally, the ARL provided a next-generation Genome Sequencing platform in partnership with the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens at the University of Ghana, which was essential in reporting the genome data of the circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2 in Ghana. Conclusively, it is worth noting, that the NMIMR fulfilled its mandate of supporting the country with specialized diagnostics through the judicious use of the ARL for SARS-CoV-2 testing, from sample receipt to data reporting. The ARL facility and the research faculty have trained and continue to train budding laboratories on biosafety, biosecurity, best practices and testing protocols. It is obvious that the success story of SARS-CoV-2 testing in Ghana, cannot be complete without the mention of the ARL at NMIMR.

Mitigating infectious diseases in Mizoram - A lesson from COVID-19

COVID-19 pandemic has created huge havoc in public health in India and across the world. One among the small states of India, Mizoram lies between Bangladesh and Myanmar compelling a transmission risk of various infectious diseases across the boundary. The responsibilities of the authority to establish a screening and diagnostic laboratory is crucial to identify the infectious etiological agents, control, prevent morbidity, mortality, and burden of the diseases. We aim to discuss the need for an infectious disease surveillance system, the importance and role of advanced diagnostic and research laboratory in Mizoram, learning from SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

The effects of combining virtual laboratory and advanced technology research laboratory on university students’ conceptual understanding of electron microscopy

ABSTRACT Development and evaluation of a teaching-learning activity in 4th year Forensic Physics course of Degree in Criminology was based on different combinations of a virtual laboratory and a research laboratory as teaching spaces. Students explored in detail the components and functioning of an electron microscope using both an online suite of education tools and an advanced scanning electron microscope (SEM). The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of all combinations of both activities on students’ learning process, and to examine the effect on their interest towards the subject. A blend of research and virtual laboratories have a higher significant impact on students’ achievements rather than each one separately, but the same is not true for student interest in scientific careers. These results confirm that the use of a research laboratory combined with a virtual one can have substantial benefits in improvement students’ knowledge about abstract and complex concepts.

Microbial Load of Domestic Water Sources Treated with Moringa oleifera and Jatropha curcas Seed Powder

Aim: Microbial load of domestic water sources treated with Moringa oleifera and Jatropha curcas seed powder.
 Study Design: The container test method was used for the treatments. One gram (1.0 g) each of the plant seed (Moringa oleifera and Jatropha curcas seeds) powder was weighed and added separately into 1000 ml of water sample. The mixture was stirred rapidly for 3 minutes and allowed to stand undisturbed for 1 hour and 3 hours, after which the top water was decanted.
 Place and Duration of Study: Advanced Research Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Gregory University Uturu, from May to September 2017.
 Methodology: Tenfold serial dilutions were used for processing of the domestic water samples, after which 0.5 ml of the water sample was cultured on the media using the spread plate method. This was incubated appropriately and other standard microbiological methods were employed to determine microbial loads and characterize the isolates.
 Results: The microbial counts were generally high, 0.6×101 – 2.5×102 cfu/ml (borehole), 0.8×101 – 6.3×103 cfu/ml (well), 2.0×101 – 1.4×104 cfu/ml (stream), while the total potential pathogenic bacteria counts (TPPBC) were the least in occurrence. Treatment with Moringa oleifera and Jatropha curcas seed powders showed a significant decrease in the microbial load. After treatment with 1.0g of the seed powder for one hour, an apparent decrease in the microbial load was noticed. When allowed for three hours (3 hrs), the counts further reduced to no growth for potential pathogenic bacteria (TPPBC) especially for water samples that had low counts.
 Conclusion: Moringa and Jatropha seeds powder showed efficiency as a biocoagulant and thus can be used for water treatment. Moringa seed powder had a greater potential to serve as an alternative coagulant for water treatment. The intervention improved the quality of water and will provide significant benefits to the health of the consumer rural populace.

Abstract A25: Collecting gut microbiome in the 10,000 Families Study

Abstract The 10,000 Families Study (10KFS) is a family-based prospective cohort study, the goal of which is to collect information about health-related outcomes, including cancer, in multigeneration families. Since 2017, we have been conducting a pilot feasibility study to prepare for the implementation of 10KFS. At baseline, eligible participants answer a questionnaire about demographics and lifestyle factors and attend a health fair during which trained staff measure their blood pressure, vision, hearing, and several other characteristics, as well as collect blood, urine, and saliva. Also, during the heath fair participants receive easy-to-use kits that enable them to collect stool samples in the convenience of their home. The method for stool collection to characterize gut microbiome in this study was chosen based on a small pilot of three methods: (1) Omnigene Gut (DNA Genotek), (2) iSWAB-Microbiome Collection Kit (Mawi Corporation), and (3) a homemade kit including a BD culture swab and vial with RNAlater preservative. The second method (iSWAB) was unanimously chosen by the volunteers as most acceptable due to the ease of stool collection. The acceptability and reduction of the participant’s burden are of primary importance in this study, since an adult participant often collects stool samples from one or more of their children. The quality of DNA assessed by spectrophotometry (based on 260/280 and 260/230 ratios) was similar for the iSWAB and the Omnigene kits (gold standard), and the quantity using the iSWAB kit was sufficient to characterize gut microbiome. Thus, in our study, stool samples are collected by participants using iSWAB kits and then returned by mail within four days of collection to the central laboratory biorepository at the University of Minnesota – Advanced Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, where they are immediately frozen and stored at -80°C. To date, stool samples from 62 participants aged 0 to over 90 years have been returned (out of 139 kits that were given to participants). This collection method meets the requirements necessary for stool collection in large population studies: (1) it is fast and easy for participants to use; (2) a preservative in the tube allows stool samples to be kept without freezing for up to 8 weeks while maintaining intact and viable bacteria; (3) samples use little space during shipment and storage; and (4) the method is cost efficient. Citation Format: Anna Prizment, Deanna Gabrielson, DeAnn Lazovich, Sharon Minnerath, Heather H. Nelson, Jenny N. Poynter, Cavan Reilly, Michelle Roesler, Logan G. Spector, Bharat Thyagarajan. Collecting gut microbiome in the 10,000 Families Study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Modernizing Population Sciences in the Digital Age; 2019 Feb 19-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A25.

ManitobaSat-1: A Novel Approach for Technology Advancement

ManitobaSat-1 is a 3U CubeSat program that is determined to advance the edges of space technology by performing things differently from traditional design strategies (see Fig.1). This will enhance access to space through novel technology development and verification and enable smaller companies to benefit from satellite services. ManitobaSat-1 is being developed at the University of Manitoba by the Space Technologies and Advanced Research Laboratory (STARLab) in collaboration with the Center for Terrestrial and Planetary Exploration at the University of Winnipeg, York University, the Interlake School Division, and Magellan Aerospace, our industrial partner.

Effect of Storage Containers on the Microbial Load of Domestic Water from Three Sources Treated with Moringa oleifera and Citrullus lanatus Seed Powders

Aim: The effect of storage containers on the microbial load of domestic water from three sources treated with Moringa oleifera and Citrullus lanatus seed powders in Lekwesi, Abia State was assessed.
 Study Design: The jar test method was used for the treatments. One gram (1.0g) each of the plant seed (Moringa oleifera and water melon seeds) was weighed and was added separately into 1000 ml of water samples in the different storage containers (clay lined pots, iron/steel tanks and polypyrene plastic drums, respectively). The mixture was stirred rapidly for 3 minutes and allowed to stand undisturbed for 1 hour, after which the top water was decanted.
 Place and Duration of Study: Advanced Research Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Gregory University Uturu, from May to July, 2018.
 Methodology: Tenfold serial dilutions was used for processing of all the water samples, after which the volume of exactly 0.5ml of the water sample was planted on the media using the spread plate method and incubated appropriately and other standard microbiological methods were employed to determine microbial loads.
 Results: The river water samples had the highest microbial load of 1.2x103-2.0x108cfu/ml and were reduced to 1.8x107cfu/ml and 1.8x108cfu/ml by M. oleifera and C. lanatus seed powders after an hour of storage respectively. The well water samples had the least microbial counts of 0.9 x101-1.2 x104 cfu/ml, and were reduced to 0.5x101cfu/ml and 5.9 x103cfu/ml by M. oleifera and C. lanatus seed powders respectively. The potential pathogenic bacteria (TPPB) were reduced to 3.0 x102cfu/ml by M. oleifera, while C. lanatus was unable to reduce the TPPB after an hour. The microbial load decreased constantly within 24h in the various storage containers (steel, clay and plastic), but increased steadily from 72h to the 336h of post storage. The clay-lined and iron-steel pots maintained the same microbial counts after 4h post storage, but differed significantly after 24h, while the polypyrene plastic drum had the highest microbial count. There was absence of TPPB and Total Faecal Coliform Count (TFCC) in the well water samples after the treatment with M. oleifera.
 Conclusion: M. oleifera was found to be a better water treatment than C. lanatus, while the clay-lined pot served as the best domestic water storage container.

Partnership in Surveillance: A Kerala model to Emerging Public Health Threats.

Partnership in Surveillance: A Kerala model to Emerging Public Health Threats.

How to create an advanced acoustical test and research laboratory in 5 months

This paper will take you through the need, design, building, and testing of a state of the art acoustical testing and research facility in a 5 month period. We will discuss the increasing need for wide frequency bandwidth measurements of absorption, transmission loss, very low level sound power measurements, and high resolution measurement of the directivity of speakers and diffusers. We will also look at the limits of standard laboratories and observe what changes are needed to extend those abilities and limits. At the end of the paper, we can look at the end result measurements of these facilities to see how close to design and performance the lab approached.This paper will take you through the need, design, building, and testing of a state of the art acoustical testing and research facility in a 5 month period. We will discuss the increasing need for wide frequency bandwidth measurements of absorption, transmission loss, very low level sound power measurements, and high resolution measurement of the directivity of speakers and diffusers. We will also look at the limits of standard laboratories and observe what changes are needed to extend those abilities and limits. At the end of the paper, we can look at the end result measurements of these facilities to see how close to design and performance the lab approached.

SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF Ag-DOPED TIO2 NANOFIBERS VIA ELECTROSPINNING.

30Nov 2016 SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF Ag-DOPED TIO2 NANOFIBERS VIA ELECTROSPINNING. Y. B. R. D. Rajesh and R. S. Dubey. Advanced Research Laboratory for Nanomaterials and Devices, Department of Nanotechnology, Swarnandhra College of Engineering and Technology, Seetharampuram, Narsapur-534280 (A.P.), India.

Characterization and Optimization of a Tensioned Metastable Fluid Nuclear Particle Sensor Using Laser-Based Profilometry

State-of-the-art neutron detectors lack capabilities required by the fields of homeland security, health physics, and even for direct in-core nuclear power monitoring. A new system being developed at Purdue’s Metastable Fluid and Advanced Research Laboratory in conjunction with S/A Labs, LLC provides capabilities that the state-of-the-art lacks, and simultaneously with beta (β) and gamma (γ) blindness, high (>90% intrinsic) efficiency for neutron/alpha spectroscopy and directionality, simple detection mechanism, and lowered electronic component dependence. This system, the tensioned metastable fluid detector (TMFD), provides these capabilities despite its vastly reduced cost and complexity compared with equivalent present day systems. Fluids may be placed at pressures lower than perfect vacuum (i.e., negative), resulting in tensioned metastable states. These states may be induced by tensioning fluids just as one would tension solids. The TMFD works by cavitation nucleation of bubbles resulting from energy deposited by charged ions or laser photon pile-up heating of fluid molecules, which are placed under sufficiently tensioned (negative) pressure states of metastability. The charged ions may be created from neutron scattering or from energetic charged particles such as alphas, alpha recoils, and fission fragments. A methodology has been created to profile the pressures in these chambers by laser-induced cavitation (LIC) for verification of a multiphysics simulation of the chambers. The methodology and simulation together have led to large efficiency gains in the current acoustically tensioned metastable fluid detector (ATMFD) system. This paper describes in detail the LIC methodology and provides background on the simulation it validates.

Optimized <em>Ex-ovo</em> Culturing of Chick Embryos to Advanced Stages of Development

Research in anatomy, embryology, and developmental biology has largely relied on the use of model organisms. In order to study development in live embryos model organisms, such as the chicken, are often used. The chicken is an excellent model organism due to its low cost and minimal maintenance, however they present observational challenges because they are enclosed in an opaque eggshell. In order to properly view the embryo as it develops, the shell must be windowed or removed. Both windowing and ex ovo techniques have been developed to assist researchers in the study of embryonic development. However, each of the methods has limitations and challenges. Here, we present a simple, optimized ex ovo culture technique for chicken embryos that enables the observation of embryonic development from stage HH 19 into late stages of development (HH 40), when many organs have developed. This technique is easy to adopt in both undergraduate classes and more advanced research laboratories where embryo manipulations are conducted.

The Advanced Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory: A Student Team Approach to the Fourth-Year Research Thesis Project Experience

The advanced interdisciplinary research laboratory (AIRLab) represents a novel, effective, and motivational course designed from the interdisciplinary research interests of chemistry, physics, biology, and education development faculty members as an alternative to the independent thesis project experience. Student teams are assembled to work toward the completion of an interdisciplinary research project. Each team is composed of at least one student from a differing area of specialization (e.g., biology, biotechnology, chemistry, and physics), and projects are based on current trends in research. The inaugural project was the development of a portable DNA sequencer for in-field species identification; a project at the interface between physical and life sciences and that holds the potential for real-world application and positive social change. This work describes the details underlying the design and implementation of the AIRLab course, and includes an account of the method of student team assembly, the selection of a suitable research challenge, the specialized training provided in Agile project management, the methods used to achieve cohesive team dynamics, the learning outcomes from this experience, future directions that will be pursued for course improvement, and how our undergraduate degree-level expectations were met at an advanced level.