Construction of a genetically modified T7Select phage system to express the antimicrobial peptide 1018

David J. Lemon,Matthew K. Kay,James K. Titus,April A. Ford,Wen Chen,LCDR Nicholas J. Hamlin,Yoon Y. Hwang 한국미생물학회 2019 The journal of microbiology Vol.57 No.6

Bacteriophage therapy was an ascendant technology for combating bacterial infections before the golden age of antibiotics, but the therapeutic potential of phages was largely ignored after the discovery of penicillin. Recently, with antibioticresistant infections on the rise, these phages are receiving renewed attention to combat problematic bacterial infections. Our approach is to enhance bacteriophages with antimicrobial peptides, short peptides with broad-spectrum antibiotic or antibiofilm effects. We inserted coding sequences for 1018, an antimicrobial peptide previously shown to be an effective broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antibiofilm agent, or the fluorescent marker mCherry, into the T7Select phage genome. Transcription and production of 1018 or mCherry began rapidly after E. coli cultures were infected with genetically modified phages. mCherry fluorescence, which requires a 90 min initial maturation period, was observed in infected cultures after 2 h of infection. Finally, we tested phages expressing 1018 (1018 T7) against bacterial planktonic cultures and biofilms, and found the 1018 T7 phage was more effective than the unmodified T7Select phage at both killing planktonic cells and eradicating established biofilms, validating our phage-driven antimicrobial peptide expression system. The combination of narrow-spectrum phages delivering relatively high local doses of broad-spectrum antimicrobials could be a powerful method to combat resistant infections. The experiments we describe prove this combination is feasible in vitro, but further testing and optimization are required before genetically modified phages are ready for use in vivo.

Energy-efficient coatings in the Nanohouse™ Initiative

M. J. Ford,G. B. Smith,C. Masens,J. Muir 한국물리학회 2004 Current Applied Physics Vol.4 No.2-4

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS), in collaboration with CSIRO has created the Nanohouse™ Initiative, a conceptthat serves as the conceptual framework for various pedagogical, scientic, architectural and engineering activities at the University. Housing is a signicant item in both personal and regional budgets, and the Nanohouse™ therefore serves as a powerful vehicle fordemonstrating nanotechnologies. One of the major energy-ecient components of the Nanohouse™ are nanoengineered coatingsand lms for transparent and translucent surfaces that modify their optical properties. These nanostructured materials can providewavelength-selective control of reection, absorption and transmission of light as well as angular selectivity for directional control,making it possible to design houses that have very large windows and skylights, but which nevertheless remain cool in summer andwarm in winter. We have already made signicant progress towards the development of these nanotechnologies. In this paper will bediscuss the design and performance of these optically controllable nanocoatings and their application to the Nanohouse™

Modality-Dependent Impact of Hallucinations on Low-Frequency Fluctuations in Schizophrenia

Hare, S. M.,Ford, J. M.,Ahmadi, A.,Damaraju, E.,Belger, A.,Bustillo, J.,Lee, H. J.,Mathalon, D. H.,Mueller, B. A.,Preda, A. Oxford University Press 2017 Schizophrenia bulletin Vol.43 No.2

<P>Prior resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analyses have identified patterns of functional connectivity associated with hallucinations in schizophrenia (Sz). In this study, we performed an analysis of the mean amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) to compare resting state spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations in patients with Sz who report experiencing hallucinations impacting different sensory modalities. By exploring dynamics across 2 low-frequency passbands (slow-4 and slow-5), we assessed the impact of hallucination modality and frequency range on spatial ALFF variation. Drawing from a sample of Sz and healthy controls studied as part of the Functional Imaging Biomedical Informatics Research Network (FBIRN), we replicated prior findings showing that patients with Sz have decreased ALFF in the posterior brain in comparison to controls. Remarkably, we found that patients that endorsed visual hallucinations did not show this pattern of reduced ALFF in the back of the brain. These patients also had elevated ALFF in the left hippocampus in comparison to patients that endorsed auditory (but not visual) hallucinations. Moreover, left hippocampal ALFF across all the cases was related to reported hallucination severity in both the auditory and visual domains, and not overall positive symptoms. This supports the hypothesis that dynamic changes in the ALFF in the hippocampus underlie severity of hallucinations that impact different sensory modalities.</P>

Modelling the capture of spray droplets by barley

Cox, S.J.,Salt, D.W.,Lee, B.E.,Ford, M.G. Techno-Press 2002 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.5 No.2

This paper presents some of the results of a project whose aim has been to produce a full simulation model which would determine the efficacy of pesticides for use by both farmers and the bio-chemical industry. The work presented here describes how crop architecture can be mathematically modelled and how the mechanics of pesticide droplet capture can be simulated so that if a wind assisted droplet-trajectory model is assumed then droplet deposition patterns on crop surfaces can be predicted. This achievement, when combined with biological response models, will then enable the efficacy of pesticide use to be predicted.

On Power System Frequency Control in Emergency Conditions

H. Bevrani,G. Ledwich,J. J. Ford,Z. Y. Dong 대한전기학회 2008 Journal of Electrical Engineering & Technology Vol.3 No.4

Frequency regulation in off-normal conditions has been an important problem in electric power system design/operation and is becoming much more significant today due to the increasing size, changing structure and complexity of interconnected power systems. Increasing economic pressures for power system efficiency and reliability have led to a requirement for maintaining power system frequency closer to nominal value. This paper presents a decentralized frequency control framework using a modified low-order frequency response model containing a proportional-integral (PI) controller. The proposed framework is suitable for near-normal and emergency operating conditions. An H∞ control technique is applied to achieve optimal PI parameters, and an analytic approach is used to analyse the system frequency response for wide area operating conditions. Time-domain simulations with a multi-area power system example show that the simulated results agree with those predicted analytically.

Design of nanocapacitors and associated materials challenges

S. Ramesh Ekanayake,Michael J. Ford,Michael B. Cortie 한국물리학회 2004 Current Applied Physics Vol.4 No.2-4

The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) projects that the spatial resolution of feature sizes inintegrated circuits is rapidly approaching nanoscopic dimensions. Consequently, there is an active interest in the design of nanoscalecircuit elements such as transistors, resistors, andcapacitors. The properties of materials used to fabricate capacitors pose animportant design factor, as with all circuit elements. We analyze the critical materials properties that would inuence engineeringnanocapacitors (nanoscopic capacitors), and show that at nanoscale, dielectric properties (dielectric constant, dielectric strength,and dielectric relaxation) determine the practicality of such capacitors.

A new physical interpretation of optical and infrared variability in quasars

Ross, Nicholas P,Ford, K E Saavik,Graham, Matthew,McKernan, Barry,Stern, Daniel,Meisner, Aaron M,Assef, Roberto J,Dey, Arjun,Drake, Andrew J,Jun, Hyunsung D,Lang, Dustin Oxford University Press 2018 MONTHLY NOTICES- ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY Vol.480 No.4

On Power System Frequency Control in Emergency Conditions

Bevrani, H.,Ledwich, G.,Ford, J. J.,Dong, Z.Y. The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers 2008 Journal of Electrical Engineering & Technology Vol.3 No.4

Frequency regulation in off-normal conditions has been an important problem in electric power system design/operation and is becoming much more significant today due to the increasing size, changing structure and complexity of interconnected power systems. Increasing economic pressures for power system efficiency and reliability have led to a requirement for maintaining power system frequency closer to nominal value. This paper presents a decentralized frequency control framework using a modified low-order frequency response model containing a proportional-integral(PI) controller. The proposed framework is suitable for near-normal and emergency operating conditions. An $H_{\infty}$ control technique is applied to achieve optimal PI parameters, and an analytic approach is used to analyse the system frequency response for wide area operating conditions. Time-domain simulations with a multi-area power system example show that the simulated results agree with those predicted analytically.

Modelling the capture of spray droplets by barley

D. W. Salt,S.J. Cox,B.E. Lee,M.G. Ford 한국풍공학회 2002 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.5 No.2

Development of a building life cycle carbon emissions assessment program (BEGAS 2.0) for Korea@?s green building index certification system

Roh, S.,Tae, S.,Suk, S.J.,Ford, G.,Shin, S. Elsevier Science 2016 RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS Vol.53 No.-

Carbon emission reduction policies demand tighter building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) qualification standards. However, it is widely believed that it will be difficult to efficiently reduce the carbon emissions of buildings with only a fragmentary revision of the qualification standards. For this reason, the Korean government has developed the Green Building Index Certification System (GBI certification system), which is a certification framework based primarily upon the carbon emissions of a building. There is currently no assessment program tailored to the GBI certification system. The purpose of this study is to develop the Building Life Cycle Carbon Emissions Assessment Program (BEGAS 2.0) to support Korea@?s GBI certification system. With a theoretical consideration of the GBI certification system, the building LCA qualification standards of other international green building certification systems were analyzed. These analyses enabled development of BEGAS 2.0 that reflects the characteristics of the GBI certification system and the current state of Korea@?s construction industry. Consequently, an appropriate building life cycle carbon emissions assessment program was developed, which can support Korea@?s GBI certification system effectively.