[{"id": "finefocus-1", "words": "608", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "51", "author": "McKillip, John L.", "title": "Objective Lens", "date": "2018", "keywords": "focus; issue", "summary": "This issue reflects the dedication of dozens of students, faculty, and collaborators who have been active in managing Fine Focus, all while developing new partnerships with universities in the US and Europe over the last several months. 9 OBJECTIVE LENS JOHN L. MCKILLIP, PH.D MANAGING EDITOR, FINE FOCUS BALL STATE UNIVERSITY PERSPECTIVE\u201c OBJECTIVE LENS \u2022 Copyright 2018, Fine Focus.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-1541", "words": "558", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "34", "author": "McKillip, John L.", "title": "Objective Lens", "date": "2018", "keywords": "cap; focus", "summary": "In addition to UDM, we have initiated CAP arrangements for two interna- tional universities: the Technical University of Dresden (Germany), and the University of Akureyri (Iceland). Although the frequency and specific format for CAP meetings and activities will vary slightly at each institution, the activities could include: \u2022 Cultivate new ideas on how Fine Focus might work with the American Society for Microbiology (ASM, our existing primary community partner) to promote diversity and inclusion in the sciences \u2022", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-1543", "words": "1292", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "29", "author": "Conant, Stephanie", "title": "ReBUILDetroit and Fine Focus Collaboration to Foster Successful Stem Education Opportunities", "date": "2018", "keywords": "rebuildetroit; research; students; udm", "summary": "In addition, UDM students are provided stipend and tuition support and intensive mentor- ing to help them navigate the academic and personal struggles that may come as they progress through their undergraduate educa- tion. Ten of our highly motivated ReBUILDetroit Scholars, Ball State student editors, staff, and faculty from both UDM and Ball State met four times over the course of the Fall 2017 semes- ter for intensive manuscript review sessions and student interview opportunities.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-1545", "words": "687", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "55", "author": "Picardo, Kristen", "title": "Faculty Perspective", "date": "2018", "keywords": "research; students", "summary": "When students approach me or when I discuss research projects ongoing in my laboratory, I do two things: 1) get them excited and 2) use language that shows them that my research is accessible, understandable, and not just for senior students. Often times, students seek out a welcoming professor to ask about how they can get involved as a student researcher.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-1547", "words": "2388", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "60", "author": "Shirali, Akio; Huijsmans, Wilson Minter; Sottocornola, Matteo", "title": "Letter to the Editor: Genetic Editing of Secretory Pathway of Penicillium Chrysogenum After Observation of Increased Secretory Rates in an Increased Stress Environment (Microgravity), a Research Proposal by High School Students in Dubai", "date": "2018", "keywords": "abu; chrysogenum; dhabi; genes; help; metabolites; microgravity; penicillium; uae", "summary": "Why the stationary phase is important for secondary metabolites production? Secondary metabolites are organic compounds produced through the modification of primary metabolite synthesis.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-1549", "words": "5889", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "60", "author": "Rickman, Olivia J.; Sigurbj\u00f6rnsd\u00f3ttir, M. Au\u00f0ur; Vilhemsson, Oddur", "title": "Xylanolytic Psychotrophs From Andosolic Sedge Fens and Moss Heaths in Iceland ", "date": "2018", "keywords": "activity; doi; family; gene; isolates; microbiol; ov2122; paenibacillus; strains; t p.; xylanase", "summary": "Raghothama, S., Simpson, P. J., Szab\u00f3, L., Nagy, T., Gilbert, H. J., Williamson, M. P. (2000). 8. de Castro, A. L. M., Voll\u00fa, R. E., Peixoto, R. S., Grigorevsi-Lima, A. L., Coelho, R. R. R., Bon, E. P. S., Rosado, A. S., Seldin, L. (2011).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-1551", "words": "4864", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "49", "author": "Postich, Cody A.; Kiser, Kevin B.", "title": "Characterization of Antibioticproducing Bacterium Isolated From Anthill Sediment With Activity Against ESKAPE Pathogens ", "date": "2018", "keywords": "activity; antibiotic; aureus; bacteria; cell; compound; eskape; extract; fig; free; gram; isolate; pathogens", "summary": "23.0 mg of isolate A2 extract was suspended in 5.0 mL of 20% methanol, then was pipetted onto the column. Dried extracts of isolate A2 were resuspended in 1.0 mL of 100% MeOH, then 30-40 \u00b5L of the mixture was pipetted onto sterile filter disks (Whatman #3, GE Healthcare Life Sciences, Marlborough, MA) in 10 \u00b5L increments (10).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-1553", "words": "8995", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "53", "author": "Grutsch, Alyssa A.; Nimmer, Pierre S.; Pittsley, Rachel H.; Kornilow, Katherine G.; McKillip, John L.", "title": "Molecular Pathogenesis of Bacillus spp., with Emphasis on the Dairy Industry", "date": "2018", "keywords": "aip; anthracis; b. cereus; bacillus; bacillus cereus; bacillus spp; cereus; endophthalmitis; et al; food; infection; journal; microbiology; plcr; species; spp; virulence", "summary": "B. cereus and other closely-related species produce several types of exotoxins, including at least four hemolysins, three phospholipases, a heat/acid stable emetic toxin called cereulide, and three well-studied heat-labile enterotoxins that all cause gastroenteritis following ingestion. While a great deal of information on virulence gene presence and expression is known in B. cereus, very little has been done to explore the virulence potential of thermoduric spore-formers that may be found in ultrahigh temperature (UHT) pasteurized milk, and their ability to produce biofilms.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-1555", "words": "1685", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "55", "author": "Wagner, Ellen", "title": "Undergraduate Perspective: the Benefits of Performing Undergraduate Research ", "date": "2018", "keywords": "research; school; undergraduate", "summary": "While it is important for undergraduates to learn research techniques, the most important aspect of research an undergraduate student can learn is how to critically think about scientific questions. It provided me the exposure I needed to understand how research labs work, and it taught me the fundamental skill of thinking critically when approaching a research question.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-2077", "words": "2454", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "50", "author": "DeWitt, Hannah", "title": "Objective Lens", "date": "2019", "keywords": "focus; journal; research; students; undergraduate; work", "summary": "-JLM The Council for Undergraduate Research (CUR) has been supporting undergraduate research initiatives since 1978 and supports over 900 colleges and universities in their endeavors and found that the benefits of undergraduate research are numerous (1). The Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) collected data on undergraduate researches and their progress over a 9-month period.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-2079", "words": "2622", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "47", "author": "Salk, Kateri R.; Tomaswick, LeighAnn; Rober, Allison R.", "title": "Peer Mentoring: the Missing Piece in Graduate Professional Development", "date": "2019", "keywords": "development; faculty; mentees; mentoring; mentors; peer; professional", "summary": "Using evidence from experience as peer mentors (2011-2017), we examine established characteristics of peer mentoring and evaluate their strengths in the context of a future faculty professional development program. Peer mentors coached mentees by sharing common experiences related to teaching and learning, provided a safe space for mentees to discuss their experiences, and acted as a liaison between mentees and faculty advisors.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-2081", "words": "4904", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "51", "author": "Pickerill, Ethan S.; Embree, Caleb M.; Evans, Ben A.; North, Elena R.; Mager, Gennifer M.; Bernstein, Douglas A.", "title": "How CRISPR-Mediated Genome Editing is Affecting Undergraduate Biology Education", "date": "2019", "keywords": "bacteria; biology; cas9; cleavage; crispr; dna; editing; engineering; gene; genome; genome editing; research; rna; students; systems; technology; undergraduate; yeast", "summary": "How CRISPR is being applied to undergraduate education CRISPR mediated genome editing becomes widespread The groundbreaking realization that CRISPR genome editing was broadly applicable has since lead to the development of CRISPR systems in numerous organisms. A Candida albicans CRISPR system permits genetic engineering of essential genes and gene families.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-2083", "words": "5230", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "64", "author": "Langro, Justin M.; Chamberland, Megan M.; Gwin, Celena M.; Prakash, Natalia; Velez, Danielle T.; Rigel, Nathan W.", "title": "TatC2 is Important for Growth of Acinetobacter baylyi Under Stress Conditions", "date": "2019", "keywords": "a. baylyi; acinetobacter; arginine; baylyi; growth; microbiol; mutant; pathway; protein; tat; tat pathway; tatc2; type; wild", "summary": "We believe that biochemical methods will be needed to identify the full suite of Tat proteins in A. baylyi. Role of the Escherichia coli Tat pathway in outer membrane integrity.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-2085", "words": "5088", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "60", "author": "Cole, Sarah E.; Gasper, Brittany J.", "title": "The Persistence of Staphylococcus aureus on Hospital Privacy Curtains", "date": "2019", "keywords": "aureus; cultures; curtain; hospital; inoculation; persistence; s. aureus; times", "summary": "Staphylococci on hospital curtains \u2022 53 The persistence of staphylococcus aureus on hospital privacy curtains. Despite the possi- bility of hospital curtains being a mode of infection transmission, studies have shown that 53% of hospitals surveyed did not have a policy for cleaning or changing their curtains.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-2087", "words": "4603", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "65", "author": "Haradean, John A.; Ralph-Epps, Tyler; Whiteacre, Zach; Neumann, Sarah; Becker, Donna M.", "title": "Mixtures of Mycorrhizal Fungi Improve Growth of Lactuca Sativa and Reduce Levels of Zinc in Contaminated Soil", "date": "2019", "keywords": "fungi; growth; mycorrhizal; plant; sativa; soil; species; treatment; vam; zinc", "summary": "But, plants treated with VAM (T5, T6) in zinc amended soils had similar weekly plant diameters and biomass as the treatment groups that had no zinc present (Fig. 1). Plant tissue grown in zinc amended soil with- out VAM (T4) had very high levels of zinc (952 ppm) (Fig. 4).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-2089", "words": "2627", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "54", "author": "Fluhler, Hannah", "title": "The Art of the Sciences Through the Lens of Undergraduate Research", "date": "2019", "keywords": "dance; lens; project; research; school; undergraduate", "summary": "Needless to say, though I am truly just begin- ning the process of completing undergraduate research, and in a completely different light than microbiology, I have failed more than I have succeeded and am grateful for the opportunity to pass along what little knowledge I have gained from the hurdles along the way. I would love to thank Kelsey Davis for asking me to write this perspective piece and Professor John McKillip for fostering my first spurs of interest in undergraduate research during my time in Fine Focus.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-2793", "words": "7274", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "54", "author": "Kuldell, James C.; Luknauth, Harshani; Ricigliano, Anthony E.; Rigel, Nathan W.", "title": "Biogenesis of Lipoproteins in Gram-Negative Bacteria: 50 Years of Progress", "date": "2021", "keywords": "acyl; bacteria; biol; cell; coli; escherichia; function; gram; lgt; lipoprotein; lnt; lspa; membrane; microbiol; pathway; peptide; prolipoprotein; signal", "summary": "A novel periplasmic carrier protein involved in the sorting and transport of Escherichia coli lipoproteins destined for the outer membrane. Outer membrane lipoproteins have vital functions including aiding in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) insertion in the OM and forming secretion systems (8, 9).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3215", "words": "7683", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "62", "author": "Brenneman, Breanna R.; Adamson, Kyla L. ; Beer, Matthew R. ; Ho, Yenling ; Gracias, Kiev S.; Priest, Chelsea M.; Biernbaum, Erika N.; McKillip, John L.", "title": "Real-time Screening of Foods Using Repetitive Element PCR Reveals a DNA Marker Characteristic for Enterotoxigenic Bacillus Species", "date": "2021", "keywords": "b. cereus; bacillus; bacillus cereus; cereus; food; melt; nhea; pcr; positive; samples; species; strains; table; thuringiensis; thuringiensis var; time; var", "summary": "The B. thuringiensis and B. cereus sample results were expected and confirm earlier work indicating that both are pathogenic (33, 39, 48). The B. cereus group includes B. cereus, B. mycoides, B. anthracis, B. thuringiensis, and B. weihenstephanensis.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3316", "words": "1012", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "26", "author": "McKillip, John", "title": "Addressing the global antibiotic resistance crisis through a microbiology undergraduate course-based research experience (CURE)", "date": "2020", "keywords": "cure; research; undergraduate", "summary": "Transforming the undergraduate microbiology curriculum in this way is completely new teaching and research direction for the PI, and will blend pedagogy and original research into an entirely different direction than at present. 6 | Fine Focus Objective Lens Addressing the global antibiotic resistance crisis through a microbiology undergraduate course-based research experi- ence (CURE) Dr. John McKillip Lead Editor and Professor of Biology, Ball State University, Muncie, IN Volume Six | 7 Fine Focus has, since our first issue back in 2014, showcased undergraduate research efforts globally.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3317", "words": "1052", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "61", "author": "Roossien, Douglas H. ", "title": "The benefits of mentoring undergraduate research students", "date": "2020", "keywords": "research; student; undergraduate", "summary": "Volume Six | 9 Faculty Perspective The benefits of mentoring undergraduate research students Douglas H. Roossien, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Biology, Ball State University 10 | Fine Focus Science or history? Thankfully this misconception was shattered through a stint in undergraduate research.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3318", "words": "6476", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "50", "author": "Lal , Archana; Cheeptham, Naowarat ", "title": "Factors Affecting Learning Gains among Students in Microbiology Class: A Preliminary Study Between a U.S. Community College and a Canadian Comprehensive University", "date": "2020", "keywords": "class; college; learning; microbiology; science; statistically; stem; students; test; uscc", "summary": "Using test of equality of means, the figure show that hours devoted to learning outside the class and willingness for active class participation were statistically significantly higher amongst USCC students relative to CU students. However, performance of USCC students was statistically significantly lower in only 2 out of 4 post-tests (cell structure and microbial growth) relative to CU students.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3319", "words": "6340", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "63", "author": "Warrick, Eric C. ; Thomas, Matthew J.; Barlow, Travis; Dean, Alexis; Ramos, Ambar; Slivonik, Brian; Gasper, Brittany J.", "title": "Genetic classification of two Vibrio species isolated from Florida Gulf Coast using multi-locus sequence analysis", "date": "2020", "keywords": "16s; analysis; clade; gazogenes; gene; identity; marine; mi-1; mi-2; microbiol; mlsa; organisms; production; ruber; sequence; species; vibrio", "summary": "There was general agreement between the clustering of organisms in this MLSA and the clade designations from Sawabe et al., 2013 with the exception of the Nereis and Orientalis clades. More clade designation suggestions regarding the Vibrio organisms not included in the MLSA of Sawabe et al., 2013 can be made.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3320", "words": "5103", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "54", "author": "Brock, Orion D. ; Larson, Jennifer R. ", "title": "The prevalence and identification of multidrug-resistant bacteria in adjacent ecological systems in the Hocking Hills region of Appalachia", "date": "2020", "keywords": "bacteria; plates; resistance; samples; sites; soil; tetracycline; zones", "summary": "Antibiotic resistance genes in the bacteriophage DNA fraction of environmental samples. Occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial markers in a tropical river receiving hospital and urban wastewaters.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3321", "words": "1952", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "55", "author": "Runnebohm, Avery M. ; Evans, Melissa D. ; Richardson, Adam E. ; Turk, Samantha M. ; Olesen, James B. ; Smaldino, Philip J.; Rubenstein, Eric M.", "title": "Loss of protein quality control gene UBR1 sensitizes Saccharomyces cerevisiae to the aminoglycoside hygromycin B", "date": "2020", "keywords": "hygromycin; protein; ubr1; yeast", "summary": "Yeast were cultured in yeast extract-peptone- dextrose medium (1% yeast extract, 2% peptone, 2% glucose, 0.002% adenine, 2% agar) (5) with the indicated concentrations of hygromycin B (Corning). Zenker, M., Mayerle, J., Lerch, M. M., Tagariello, A., Zerres, K., Durie, P. R., . . .", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3322", "words": "4877", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "57", "author": "Barral, Ana Maria ; Stenson, Ben", "title": "Enrichment of Microbes Potentially Degrading Polyethylene Using a Microcosm Approach", "date": "2020", "keywords": "degradation; environment; ftir; hdpe; incubation; ldpe; marine; microbes; microcosm; ocean; plastic; polyethylene; samples; set; source; weight", "summary": "We used PE previously exposed to ocean water as microbial source, and UV-irradiated PE as the sole carbon source in the growth medium. For microbial source, PE that had been previously exposed to ocean water (either in the field or in a laboratory setting, see section below) was added to a synthetic medium containing no carbon.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3323", "words": "6589", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "56", "author": "Kutlesic, Nemanja R. ; Milosavljevic, Dimitrije", "title": "Opinions and attitudes of Serbian high school students regarding usage of antibiotics", "date": "2020", "keywords": "antibiotics; doi; family; high; knowledge; participants; questions; school; students; study; usage; use", "summary": "These worrying data related to antibiotics usage have been the motivation for the conduction of this research, which has encompassed a sample of 130 students of different age groups within a Serbian high school located in the country\u2019s third-largest city that features a specialized clinical center [38]. The study\u2019s main objective was to examine the overall knowledge, beliefs and habits of Serbian high school students from the sample regarding antibiotics usage.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3324", "words": "1999", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "65", "author": "Jeong, Naari", "title": "A Pre-Med Graduate\u2019s Gap Year of Community Immersion: Finding a Greater Purpose", "date": "2020", "keywords": "community; day; school; students; year", "summary": "In this national Americorps-sponsored program, thousands of volunteers are placed in high-need public schools across the country to serve as near- peer mentors for students in elementary, middle, and high schools. After going through the team announcements for the day, we go outside to greet students to get them excited for the school day.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3325", "words": "13054", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "56", "author": "Popson, Devon", "title": "STEMinists: An Exploration of the Impact of Female Educators in STEM Fields", "date": "2020", "keywords": "careers; education; females; fields; gender; girls; new; participation; programs; science; stem; stem education; stem fields; students; subjects; teachers; women", "summary": "For now, the wheels of progress for the inclusion of women in STEM education fields are slowly turning. The Historical Role of Women in STEM The first step in addressing the lack of women in STEM fields today is to look at past interactions.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3492", "words": "3437", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "55", "author": "Evans, Jadon; Jones, Aaron; Blumenthal, Elliott; Soule, Tanya", "title": "Anti-proliferation of Melanoma Cells and Immune Stimulation by the Cyanobacterial Indole-alkaloid Scytonemin", "date": "2021", "keywords": "cells; concentration; control; melanoma; mice; proliferation; scytonemin; spleen; study", "summary": "The results of this study support that scytonemin inhibits melanoma cell proliferation and enhances the immune response via spleen cell proliferation. Scytonemin inhibits cell proliferation and arrests cell cycle through downregulating Plk1 activity in multiple myeloma cells.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3506", "words": "3878", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "52", "author": "Kalnina, Liga Astra; Guzelak, Stephanie; Herman, Maryann", "title": "Isolation and Identification of Dermatophytes from Collegiate Runners", "date": "2021", "keywords": "dna; foot; fungal; fungi; fusarium; identification; isolates; journal; pedis; runners; species; tinea", "summary": "Inconsistencies about species identification and recognition exist in the Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti complex due to significant genetic variability and need for further research on differences among species (2,26,30). Macroconidia, typical of Fusarium species, are highlighted with arrows in microscopic morphology of isolates 4R and 13L in Table 2.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3508", "words": "3912", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "50", "author": "Heger, Parker; Russell, Andrew", "title": "Nylon Oxygen Barrier Tubing Reduces Biofouling in Beer Draught Lines", "date": "2021", "keywords": "barrier; beer; biofilm; biofouling; draught; lines; nylon; tubing", "summary": "In light of this financial burden, draught tubing composition was examined for its role in the prevention of biofouling in beer lines. Fluorescence Microscopy One foot of tubing was taken from each type of beer line and three 12.5mm samples were cut from each foot-long segment.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3631", "words": "9561", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "52", "author": "Immadi Siva Ratnakar", "title": "Phage Therapy: Challenges and Opportunities", "date": "2022", "keywords": "administration; antibiotics; bacteria; bacteriophage; bacteriophage therapy; cell; coli; delivery; development; efficacy; focus; food; host; infections; journal; lytic; microbiology; phage; phage therapy; potential; pseudomonas; resistance; review; studies; therapeutic; therapy; treatment; trials; use", "summary": "Phages offered a great scope of enquiry, but the simplicity in the production of antibiotics gave antibiotic therapy a lead over phage therapy. Phages are found to be safe in all the trials, but only a single double-blind clinical trial claims the efficacy of phage therapy.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3634", "words": "6046", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "60", "author": "Saha, Kreesha; Gedney, Clark", "title": "The Impact of PETase\u2019s Active Site Disulfide Bond on PET Biodegradation ", "date": "2022", "keywords": "activity; bhet; bond; degradation; disulfide; enzyme; et al; petase; pmsf; protein; sequence", "summary": "When compared with PET degradation activity of all reported enzymes, PETase demonstrated the best performance (Table 1). Protein concentrations of A1 PETase in the absence and presence of PMSF are 31.57 \u00b1 3.09 \u03bcg/mL and 37.52 \u00b12.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3637", "words": "10095", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "58", "author": "Waynick, Geneva; Carmichael, Mary J.", "title": "The Influence of Infant Formulae on the Growth of Commensal and Pathogenic Streptococcus Species in the Infant Oral Cavity", "date": "2022", "keywords": "enflora; figure; formula; growth; hour; infant; media; microbiome; neuropro; oral; s. mitis; s. mutans; species; time; tsb", "summary": "A commensal species, S. mitis, and a pathogenic species, S. mutans, were used to represent beneficial and pathogenic Streptococcus species commonly found in the infant oral cavity. Like S. mutans, S. mitis metabolizes carbohydrates such as lactose and sucrose into lactic acid (30, 38).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3661", "words": "4934", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "55", "author": "Sydney Rose Addorisio; Shteynberg, Rebecca; Dasilva, Matheus; Mixon, Jacob; Mucciarone, Kyla; Vu, Lily; Arsenault, Kristina; Briand, Vanessa; Parker, Sarah; Smith, Savannah; Vise, Claudia; Pina, Cara; Laranjo, Laura", "title": "Oxidative Stress Response in Bacteria: A Review", "date": "2022", "keywords": "bacteria; cell; coli; damage; dna; escherichia; hydrogen; lipid; membrane; oxygen; peroxide; proteins; redox; repair; ros; stress", "summary": "The presence of ROS and oxidative stress in bacteria is connected to the evolution of microbes in an aerobic environment millions of years ago [25]. Oxidative stress is created by the production and accumulation of reactive oxygen species and the production of ROS and can be driven by numerous endogenous and exogenous factors", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3759", "words": "984", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "58", "author": "Edionwe, Airhenvbahihea; Campaniello, Sammie", "title": "Undergraduate Student Perspective: Undergraduate research student interview", "date": "2021", "keywords": "lab; salmonella", "summary": "Title: Bacteriophage control of Salmonella enterica in artificially contaminated 1%, pasteurized milk The genus Salmonella is made up of over 2,500 serovars between two species: Salmonella enterica and Salmonella bongori. We also expect that the bacteriophage will have a higher affinity to the S1 (unknown Salmonella species we isolated from the farm) bacteria than it does to the lab grown Salmonella enterica .", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3760", "words": "3032", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "54", "author": "Yi, Irene", "title": "Undergraduate Student Perspective", "date": "2021", "keywords": "gender; linguistics; research; work", "summary": "For example, I\u2019ve done a handful of research projects where I realized quickly that certain ways of gathering data and analyzing it wasn\u2019t anything I would want to do in the future. I decided to pick a topic and a few methodologies that I would never get tired of (after having experiences that I learned from on research projects where I would get tired of a certain method or not enjoy the methods to begin with), and it made all the difference.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3761", "words": "734", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "51", "author": "McKillip, John L.", "title": "Objective Lens: Double-Blind Peer Review", "date": "2021", "keywords": "focus; peer; review", "summary": "Double- blind peer review is a good way to ensure that they stay honest and maintain confidence in our system by the submitting authors and editorial staff. Etkin and colleagues (2017) have reported that for one well- known academic journal publisher, 95\u00a0percent of physical science and health science journals operate single- blind peer review while 72\u00a0percent of life sciences journals are single blind.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-3875", "words": "5710", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "39", "author": "Ambrose, Olivia Mae; Nguyen, Tiffany Thanh Mai; Nowicki, Emily M.", "title": "Antibacterial Effects of Bitter Melon Extract in Combination With Commonly Prescribed Antibiotics ", "date": "2022", "keywords": "antibiotic; average; carbenicillin; colistin; combination; extract; melon; melon extract; zoi", "summary": "We hypothesized that combining the antibiotics with bitter melon extract would result in increased antibacterial effects against one or more bacterial strains. We found that bitter melon extract individually had little to no antibacterial effect against any of the organisms tested.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4003", "words": "2068", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "60", "author": "Pittsley, Rachel", "title": "Undergraduate Student Perspective: Bacteriophage: An Underutilized Bacterial Combatant", "date": "2022", "keywords": "bacteriophage; cell; host; phage; plaque", "summary": "Phage with a wide host range can be used to combat multiple bacterial infections, while phage who are selective to a certain bacterial host can be used against one particular infection. The length of the phage tail varies among phage types as some have no tail, some possess a short tail, and others have a tail twice the length of the capsid head.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4004", "words": "304", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "34", "author": "McKillip, John L.", "title": "Objective Lens", "date": "2022", "keywords": "focus", "summary": "Since our inception in 2013, Fine Focus is managed as an \u201cimmersive learning\u201d course at BSU \u2013 that is, a product- based course with the following unique attributes: \u2022 A project offered to undergraduate students for academic credit \u2022 Is conducted under the guidance of a faculty mentor \u2022 Fills a need or solves a problem for a community partner \u2022 Results in a specific outcome or deliverable \u2022 Is conducted by a team or teams of undergraduate students (in classes of 10 or more) working collaboratively These faculty-led, student-driven team model puts the students at the helm of day-to-day decision making (1). Fine Focus 6 I Fine Focus Objective Lens John L. McKillip, Managing Editor, Fine Focus Professor, Microbiology, Ball State University Vol 8 I 7 Fine Focus was not only the first international journal for undergraduate microbiology research, but also the Ball State University Chapter of the American Society for Microbiology (BSUASM) \u2013 that is, a campus recognized student organization, and an honor\u2019s course at BSU.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4211", "words": "5722", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "39", "author": "Little, William; Lopez, Andrea; Carris, Eleanna; Smith, Allie", "title": "Polymicrobial Conditions A\ufb00ect Antibiotic Susceptibility in Clinically Relevant Bacterial Species", "date": "2024", "keywords": "antibiotic; bacteria; biofilm; chronic; conditions; individual; polymicrobial; results; species; susceptibility; wound", "summary": "Resulting in thousands of amputations per year and billions of dollars spent globally in treatment, chronic wounds are notoriously difficult to successfully treat. Two hallmarks of chronic wounds are that they are thought to harbor biofilm-associated bacteria and tend to be polymicrobial.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4235", "words": "5696", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "47", "author": "Miller, Grace; Necessary, Kaley; Burchell, Robert; Iwase, Yui; Lautensack, Nicole; Russell, Blake; Holder, Erik; Knee, Emma; Sattley, Matthew", "title": "Positive effects of Moringa oleifera and Moringa stenopetala seed and leaf extracts against selected bacteria", "date": "2024", "keywords": "activity; bacteria; extracts; gram; leaf; leaf extracts; moringa; moringa oleifera; oleifera; seed; species; stenopetala", "summary": "For preparation of Moringa seed extracts, 3 g of the powdered seed were combined with 15 ml of warm (60 \u00b0C) ddH2O and mixed by hand for 5 minutes using a glass rod. Antibacterial Activity of Moringa Leaf Extracts In addition to testing the antibacterial activity of Moringa seed extracts, we also collected and tested the potential for bacterial growth inhibi- tion using both aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4245", "words": "10760", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "41", "author": "Gaetano, Andrew; Danka , Elizabeth ", "title": "Borrelia burgdorferi: The Deer Tick\u2019s Dark Secret ", "date": "2024", "keywords": "borrelia; borrelia burgdorferi; burgdorferi; cases; cdc; danka; deer; disease; doi; figure; health; host; infection; ixodes; journal; lyme; lyme disease; mammalian; pathogen; public; spirochete; surface; tick; transmission; url; vector", "summary": "The goal of this literature review is to increase public knowledge of B. burgdorferi, its vector, and the disease it causes, along with suggesting preventative measures to protect individuals who reside in high-risk areas. Unlike most gram-negative organisms, B. burgdorferi lacks lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in the outer membrane and instead displays other immuno- genic glycolipids (70).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4294", "words": "6037", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "46", "author": "Froese, Jordan; Betts, Phillip", "title": "Investigation of the Effects of Mutating Iron-Coordinating Residues in Rieske Dioxygenases", "date": "2024", "keywords": "activity; cis; coordinating; dioxygenase; engineering; enzyme; iron; residues; substrates; tdo; toluene; variants", "summary": "Inspired by the success of other recent enzyme engineering reports, our research group investigated the potential to alter or improve the reactivity of Rieske dioxygenases by altering or eliminating iron coordination in the active site of these enzymes. Rieske dioxygenases are non-heme iron dioxy- genases that are commonly found in soil bacte- ria (39).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4311", "words": "2743", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "64", "author": "Dery, Hanna; Holland, Chase; Baker, Jessica", "title": "Embracing Ignorance and Failure Promotes Research Excellence", "date": "2023", "keywords": "data; failure; ignorance; project; research", "summary": "Undergraduate research is a rare opportunity to do research without the expectations and burdens of graduate school. In contrast, good research expands and works at the boundary of the known and unknown.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4312", "words": "5410", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "55", "author": "Edamkue, Israel; Chikere, Chioma; Okafo, Chidinma", "title": "Elevational Gradient Effects on Microbial Distribution in Crude Oil Polluted Sites", "date": "2023", "keywords": "analysis; bacteria; bodo; crude; depth; distribution; hydrocarbon; petroleum; samples; site; soil; test; texture; tombia", "summary": "It tested 3 null hypotheses: H01: That Soil depth has no significant effect on microorganism distribution H02: That Soil texture has no significant effect on microorganism distribution H03: That the interaction between soil texture and soil depth has no effect on microorganism distribution The two-way ANOVA revealed no significant difference (p=0.08) in the relationship between soil depth and microorganism distribution and no significant difference (p=0.998) in the relationship between soil texture and microorganism distribution. Soil samples were collected at 15 cm and 30 cm from each site.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4313", "words": "3748", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "43", "author": "Hernandez, Julissa; Ugochukwu, Anieto", "title": "Preliminary Studies on a Novel Antimicrobial Compound Producing Bacterium Discovered in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas", "date": "2023", "keywords": "bacteria; bacterium; compound; eskape; inhibition; novel; plates; soil", "summary": "Abstract We analyzed different soil samples collected across the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) of Texas for bacteria capable of producing antimicrobial compounds. In addition to antimicrobial compounds derived from bacteria, a few studies have reported the use of other chemical compounds in our fight against multi-drug resistant bacteria, notably Behroozian et al.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4314", "words": "3662", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "50", "author": "Lee, Spencer; Jonas, Robert", "title": "Genomic Evolution in Pseudomonas fluorescens as a Result of Gradual Temperature Changes", "date": "2023", "keywords": "amino; change; climate; culture; fluorescens; genes; protein; temperature", "summary": "Temperature selection experiments involve subjecting organisms to temperatures outside of their ideal temperature range and measuring the changes between the initial and final organisms. Temperature selection experiments were performed on Pseudomonas fluorescens to select for growth at lower temperatures.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4315", "words": "1695", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "40", "author": "McKillip, John", "title": "Objective Lens", "date": "2023", "keywords": "antibiotics; crisis; development; pasteur; research; undergraduate", "summary": "This approach solves the core problem facing antibiotic drug development: the pressing need for innovative drugs that don\u2019t have high sales potential in the private drug market. Traditionally, pharmaceutical profit margins are typically tied to how much of a drug is sold; however, PASTEUR contracts would instead pay for new antibiotics based on their exceptional value to public health.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4316", "words": "6382", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "53", "author": "Pearson, Chelsea; Gawel, Rochelle; Maki, Donna", "title": "Effects of Vermicompost and Beneficial Microbes on Biomass and Nutrient Density in Purple Lady Bok Choy (Brassica rapa var. chinensis) in A Vertical Hydroponic Grow Tower System", "date": "2023", "keywords": "biomass; control; growth; hydroponic; mean; microbes; nutrient; plant; research; root; systems; tea; treatment; vermicompost", "summary": "Overall, research results indicate there may be no \u201cone size fits all\u201d when it comes to the implementation of amendments to hydroponic systems to reach the goals of improvements in plant biomass and nutrient profiles. There are two fundamental systems for growing plants: in soil and soilless media.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4317", "words": "4861", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "48", "author": "Walsh, Monica; Ghosh, Soumya; Ponce, Alfredo; James, Chris; Kam, Gabriella; Lauriente, Tanna; Yu, Vincent; Safford, Kirk; Cheeptham, Naowarat", "title": "Bacteria Isolated from Canada\u2019s White Rabbit Cave Revealed Antimicrobial Activities", "date": "2023", "keywords": "activities; activity; bacterial; canada; cave; coli; isolates; media; paenibacillus; rabbit; sample; spp; streptomyces; study; white", "summary": "The current study has evaluated the antimicrobial activities of one hundred and six bacterial isolates cultured from White Rabbit Cave, among which only five have exhibited antimicrobial activities. In this study, we would like to understand whether there are some bacteria that live in this Canadian White Rabbit Cave who can produce antimicrobial activity against some chosen multidrug resistant bacteria in the hope to explore and discovery more potential new antibiotic sources.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4318", "words": "1814", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "57", "author": "Williams, Sarah", "title": "Utilizing your Academic Advisor to Maximize your Opportunities and Success as an Undergraduate STEM Student", "date": "2023", "keywords": "advisor; research; student; undergraduate", "summary": "Since becoming an academic advisor six years ago, I\u2019ve thought about this question a lot, and now it defines how I approach my job working with undergraduate biology students each day. This is a huge step forward for student success in college.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4513", "words": "6005", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "48", "author": "Marble, Lillia; McKillip, John", "title": "Daily Case Trends of COVID-19: A Comparative Analysis of Indiana and Washington State", "date": "2024", "keywords": "analysis; cases; covid-19; data; health; indiana; pandemic; public; rates; state; table; variant; washington", "summary": "During the peak of the Omicron wave, Washington state also increased access to testing due to the increased incidence and prevalence of cases, which ultimately led to higher reported cases during the wave and throughout the rest of 2022; Indiana presum- ably had similar case levels but due to lack of Fine Focus | Volume 1052 testing accessibility, cases undoubtedly went untested, and therefore, unreported to the state. Furthermore, Washington\u2019s response to the pandemic included an 93% increase in state public health spending per person from 2019 to 2021 ($46/person and $89/person, respectively), while Indiana\u2019s state public health spending remained stagnant at $15 per person from 2019 to 2021 (30).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4672", "words": "3084", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "56", "author": "Datta, Neelabh", "title": "JN.1: A New Threat to Global Health", "date": "2025", "keywords": "ba.2.86; cov-2; jn.1; mutations; protein; sars; spike; variants", "summary": "More mutations and deletions and less protection to COVAXIN and COVISHILD vaccines were shown by spike protein of JN.1 along with more resis- tance to antibody of previously coronavirus-in- fected individual (6). Abstract A new coronavirus variation known as JN.1 first appeared in Luxembourg in August 2023 and has since spread to a number of nations.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-4860", "words": "764", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "51", "author": "McKillip, John", "title": "Objective Lens: Cora Wilson as a pioneer in education in rural Kentucky & beyond", "date": "2024", "keywords": "cora; education; wilson", "summary": "Objective Lens: Cora Wilson as a pioneer in education in rural Kentucky & beyond John L. McKillip, Fine Focus Managing Editor https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Objective Lens: Cora Wilson as a pioneer in education in rural Kentucky & beyond 3 Figure 1 Cora Stewart Wilson (1875-1958) in a photograph from January 1916, from Press Reference Book of Prominent Ken- tuckians, 1916, p. 224 (royalty-free im- age). During the first 30 years of the 20th Century, many scholars agree that Cora Wilson Stewart was the most widely known authority of adult literacy in the world.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-5274", "words": "4080", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "48", "author": "Swain, April; Colburn, Emily; De Andrade, Kamila; Rosales, Pamela; Addorisio, Sydney; Stuart, Taylor; Galvao, Angelina; Hubisz, Leigha; Ouellette, Margaret; Hamssa, Rana; Laranjo, Laura; Pina, Cara", "title": "Analyzing selected FDA approved drugs for effects on template switch mutagenesis in E. coli", "date": "2025", "keywords": "dna; drugs; fda; figure; frequency; mutation; replication; switch; template; tsm", "summary": "Further studies examining the interaction between the dexameth- asone-glucocorticoid receptor complex, and DNA have suggested the potential for dexamethasone to behave as an intercalating agent (18), giving it the potential to cause template switch mutations. | Analyzing selected FDA approved drugs for effects on template switch mutagenesis in E. coli 13 Introduction DNA mutations, changes that occur during DNA replication, can induce genetic instability.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-529", "words": "1039", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "50", "author": "Robinson-Hill, Rona", "title": "Faculty Perspective", "date": "2018", "keywords": "diversity; stem; students", "summary": "The impact of this program hopefully will change the look of STEM eventually, because the partnership between the BSU and UDM students are conscientiously making an effort to make sure their diverse student body has access to authentic research experiences that effect diverse populations. The educational system for historically underserved and marginalized students is currently ineffective, even though their schools are filled with highly qualified predominately white female teachers that are ill prepared to work with the population of students they serve.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-531", "words": "7111", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "47", "author": "Fj\u00f6lnisd\u00f3ttir, Birta L\u00edf; Haraldsd\u00f3ttir, P\u00e1l\u00edna; Ingvad\u00f3ttir, Eva Mar\u00eda; Scully, Sean M.; \u00d6rlygsson, J\u00f3hann", "title": "Characterization of a 1,2-Propanediol Producing Escherichia Strain Isolated from a Geothermally Heated Intertidal Pool in Northern Iceland", "date": "2018", "keywords": "cc5c; coli; conditions; escherichia; fucose; glucose; production; propanediol; rhamnose; strain; substrate", "summary": "Strain CC5C also has various enzyme activities including alkaline and acid phosphatase activity as well as C4 and C8 esterase activity The substrate spectra of CC5C was evaluated using API test panels in parallel with the type strain of E. coli (DSM 30083); results for (Supplementary Table 4). Strain CC5C belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae with greater than 99.1% similarity to Escherichia marmotae and Shigella dysenteriae based upon 16S rRNA gene analysis.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-533", "words": "7360", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "51", "author": "Miller, Ryan K.; Kirkham, Robert M.; Kleinschmit, Adam J.", "title": "Bioinformatics Analysis of Microbial Abundance and Diversity in Acid Mine Drainage from the Solomon Mine Near Creede, Colorado", "date": "2018", "keywords": "abundance; acid; adit; amd; analysis; cell; creek; diversity; drainage; ewc; figure; locations; microbial; otu; reads; relative; sample; solomon; table; taxa; wetland; willow", "summary": "Thus, in conclusion, the unassigned taxa group is composed to a large degree with Chloroflexi taxa, which dominate AMD sample locations, especially wetland Cell 3. taxa richness and evenness (differential abundance), as a community may have a large number of taxa but be dominated by a few select taxa (37). A single statistically significant OTU (Bonferroni corrected; p=0.034), Acidobacteria-6 iii1-15, which was identified down to the order level, was absent in AMD samples, but present at low levels in the EWC samples.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-535", "words": "5222", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "56", "author": "Schomaker, Rachel; Gasper, Brittany", "title": "Waterfowl Influence on Fecal Indicator Bacteria in Central Florida Freshwater Lakes", "date": "2018", "keywords": "abundance; average; bacteria; coli; coliform; correlation; e. coli; enterococcus; figure; lake; samples; study; waterfowl", "summary": "The relationship between E. coli abundance and lake size resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.191, suggesting a slight positive correlation may exist. While this area of research has been examined before, conflicting conclusions have been reached as to whether or not waterfowl abundance positively correlates with coliform bacteria abundance.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-537", "words": "5733", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "53", "author": "Page, Kathleen A.; Flannery, Meghan K.", "title": "Chytrid Fungi Associated with Pollen Decomposition in Crater Lake, Oregon", "date": "2018", "keywords": "aquatic; chytrid; crater; crater lake; food; fungi; lake; nutrients; pollen; rrna; water; zooplankton", "summary": "We hypothesize that Crater Lake pollen is subject to colonization and decomposition 87APPLIED & ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY \u2022 MATERIALS AND METHODS Sample collection and processing: A Crater Lake research and sample collection permit number CRLA-2016-SCI-0005 was obtained from the National Park Service. Phase contrast micrograph of Crater Lake pollen with attached fungal spo- rangia and bacteria.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-539", "words": "3671", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "67", "author": "Evans, M.A.; Spieth, P.T.; Sparks-Thissen, R.L.", "title": "The Escherichia coli Inner Membrane Protein YhiM is Necessary for Efficient Attachment of Bacteriophage T4", "date": "2018", "keywords": "attachment; bacteriophage; cell; coli; nvu31; replication; ucb; virus; yhim", "summary": "It is also possible that our mutants express abnormal levels of OmpC or LPS, the two receptors involved in T4 attachment on the cell surface. Alternatively, YhiM could be involved in other cell processes that are also necessary for T4 attachment.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-541", "words": "4046", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "44", "author": "Collins, Crystal; Mosovsky, Kara", "title": "Antibiotic Tolerance: Distinguishing between Classical Resistance and Persistence in a Macrophage Infection Model", "date": "2018", "keywords": "antibiotic; bacteria; ceftazidime; cells; extracellular; infection; treatment", "summary": "Remaining extracellular bacteria were resuspended slowly and carefully, and transferred to 2 ml tubes, combining two identical wells into 1 tube due to low numbers of remaining bacteria. Figure 1: After 18 hour macrophage infection, remaining extracellular bacteria are still sensitive to high doses of antibiotic.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-543", "words": "913", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "58", "author": "Bertuzzi, Stefano", "title": "Diversity/Inclusion in Microbiology and Science Policy", "date": "2018", "keywords": "diversity; problem", "summary": "The power of diversity is that it creates better groups, better schools, and ultimately a better society. The trick is to transform conjunctive tasks into disjunctive tasks.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-545", "words": "1510", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "55", "author": "Buhay, Sarah; Issa, Ali; Jones, Christina; Matlock, Shelbi; Sesoko, Channing", "title": "Undergraduate Perspectives from the Fine Focus Student Team, Fall Term 2017, University of Detroit Mercy", "date": "2018", "keywords": "experience; focus; research", "summary": "We ReBUILDetroit students that have collaborated with Fine Focus value diversity within the STEM fields, and we are ecstatic to see the fire for teaching others and diversifying the field ignite with a group organization like Fine Focus. With all the hard work Fine Focus is doing, I hope that we can establish a similar group on our campus who can publish undergraduate research from the Detroit area or even from all parts of the world.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-5541", "words": "786", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "13", "author": "Ebrahimbabie, Parisa", "title": "Parisa Ebrahimbabaie\u2019s Academic Sojourn at Bethune-Cookman University: Unraveling the Complexities", "date": "2024", "keywords": "parisa; university", "summary": "As she continues navigating this intricate journey, her story stands as a testament to the resilience and adaptability required to thrive in the dynamic and diverse academic environments shaping the modern educational landscape. This adaptive resilience characterizes her approach to academic research within the distinctive institutional context.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-559", "words": "5519", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "55", "author": "Alfaro, Julius Raynard D.; Alcayde, Donn Lorenz Ivan M.; Agbulos, Joel B.; Dagamac, Nikki Heherson A.; dela Cruz, Thomas Edison E.", "title": "The occurrence of myxomycetes from a lowland montane forest and agricultural plantations of Negros Occidental, Western Visayas, Philippines", "date": "2014", "keywords": "diversity; forest; fruiting; litter; moist; myxomycetes; negros; number; occidental; philippines; s.l; species; stephenson; study", "summary": "The most note- worthy contribution of this paper relates to the fact that it increases the knowledge about the local ecology of myxomycetes in an ecoregion of the world where investi- gations about myxomycete diversity is still considered to be in its infancy. Myxomycete diversity in the Tarim basin and eastern Tian-Shan, Xinjiang Prov., China.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-5596", "words": "5537", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "48", "author": "Sanchez, Leah; Hennigan, Jennifer", "title": "Distribution of Tetracycline-Resistant Bacteria Within the Fort Phantom Hill Reservoir Watershed", "date": "2025", "keywords": "creek; escherichia; fort; genes; hill; isolates; phantom; reservoir; resistant; sites; tet; tetb; tetracycline; watershed", "summary": "A study in Portugal found that TET resistance genes were present in all multi- drug resistant (MDR) Enterobacteriaceae isolated from poultry, swine, and cattle manures (6). Antibiotic resistance genes and associated bacterial communities in agricultural soils amended with different sources of animal manures.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-561", "words": "3029", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "61", "author": "Habegger, Rachel A.; Marshall, Jordan M.", "title": "Relationships between algal biomass and diversity with stream size and adjacent land use", "date": "2014", "keywords": "area; biomass; cover; influence; land; phosphorus; richness; streams; types", "summary": "While there is minimal change in land cover types in Indiana, those persistent land cover types adjacent to streams may have sustained and continual influence on water quality. Land cover types provided significant multiple regression models for both algal richness and biomass Fig.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-563", "words": "3380", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "62", "author": "Arena, Christopher M.; Galebach, John L.; Mandichak, Thomas M.; Engle, J. Michael; Anderson, Merrilee G.", "title": "Identification of diatoms in a healthy Pennsylvania stream compared to three downstream sites impacted by Abandoned Mine Drainage", "date": "2014", "keywords": "borehole; diatom; diversity; site; stream; water", "summary": "At the bridge site (pH 6.68), water quality data was very similar to that of the healthy site; total suspended solids were 9 mg/L, total iron was 1.58 mg/L, aluminum was 70.9 mg/L and sulfate was 1.16 mg/L. At Hughes borehole and settling pond sites extreme amounts of metals were detected. This possibly shows that the genera present, specifically Surirella, can survive in harsh environments at the borehole and settling pond sites but don\u2019t thrive in that environment like at the bridge site where water quality was more suitable for life.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-565", "words": "4424", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "61", "author": "Willis, Michael G.; Treves, David S.", "title": "Isolation and Characterization of Halotolerant 2,4- Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid Degrading Bacteria From Sulfidic, Low Salinity Salt Springs", "date": "2014", "keywords": "bacteria; degradation; growth; isolates; nacl; salt; springs; tfda", "summary": "The objective of this study was to isolate and characterize 2,4-D degrading bacteria from salt springs at Big Bone Lick State Park in Boone County, KY. The objective of this study was to undertake a culture-based approach to examine 2,4-D degrading bacteria in salt springs at Big Bone Lick State Park.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-567", "words": "4937", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "63", "author": "Emmert, Elizabeth A. B.; Haupt, Zachary M.; Pflaum, Katherine M.; Lasbury, Jennifer L.; McGrath, Justin P.; Collins, Allison E.; Briand, Christopher H.", "title": "Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus protects Caenorhabditis elegans from bacterial pathogens", "date": "2014", "keywords": "bacteriovorus; bdellovibrio; coli; e. coli; elegans; op50; pathogen; survival; worms", "summary": "E. coli HB101 was used as the non- pathogenic control in the biocontrol assays since our early work in this system used B. bacteriovorus 109J, which does not infect E. coli OP50, but does infect E. coli HB101. Worm survival on E. coli HB101 was not significantly different from worm survival on E. coli OP50 (p=0.5482).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-569", "words": "5604", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "58", "author": "DuBois, Aubrey E.; Bennett, Zachary C.; Khalid, Umara; Khalid, Ariba; Meece, Reed A.; Difiore, Gabrielle J.; Gregory, Richard L.", "title": "Nicotine: Its Stimulating and Inhibitory Effects on Oral Microorganisms", "date": "2014", "keywords": "albicans; biofilm; concentration; dentocariosa; faecalis; growth; nicotine; oral; viscosus", "summary": "DISCUSSION Significant inhibition occurred with all tested organisms in nicotine concentrations of 16 and 32 mg/ml except E. faecalis, providing a MIC of 32 mg/ml for E. faecalis and a MIC of 16 mg/ml for the remaining organisms. It is possible that the MIC exists at nicotine concentrations between 8 and 16 mg/ml but further studies are required to determine the validity of this supposition.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-571", "words": "5524", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "48", "author": "Bange, Jill", "title": "Undergraduate Research in the Sciences as a Series of Transformative Opportunities", "date": "2014", "keywords": "classroom; experience; lab; process; project; research; science; students; undergraduate", "summary": "The contributions which undergraduate research students make to the body of scientific knowledge are rewarding and stimulate further interest and motivation in scientific work. Undergraduate biology lab courses: comparing the impact of traditionally based \u2018cookbook\u2019 and authentic research-based courses on student lab experiences.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-5781", "words": "4117", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "58", "author": "Smith, Abigail; Madison Wheeler", "title": "Stepping into the Unknown: A Graduate\u2019s Guide to the Real World", "date": "2025", "keywords": "career; graduate; job; life; school; time; work", "summary": "Author Smith: As graduation grew nearer and the daunting task of applying to jobs and enter- ing the workforce became more than a distant thought, I sought advice from those around me who had been through the process. Initially, I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of job listings requiring a PhD or 10+ years of experience.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-581", "words": "4237", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "50", "author": "Liu, Jun Hong; Guan, Le Luo", "title": "Application of Molecular Techniques to Better Understand the Roles of Rumen Microbiota in Cattle Feed Efficiency", "date": "2016", "keywords": "cattle; efficiency; feed; feed efficiency; microbiota; rfi; rumen", "summary": "Other than the economic effect, improving feed efficiency can reduce GHG emission, as cattle with higher feed efficiency are reported to produce 20% to 30% less methane than inefficient ones under the same conditions (33). 2 Other than bacteria and rchaea, researchers have also tried to examine the relationship between cattle rumen feed efficiency and fungi or protozoa.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-5824", "words": "1001", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "38", "author": "McKillip, John", "title": "Objective Lens: Insect antimicrobial peptides as a promising source for antibiotic \u201csubstitutes\u201d", "date": "2025", "keywords": "antibiotics; health; insect; resistance", "summary": "Alexander Fleming\u2019s discovery of penicillin in 1928 was met with his own prediction that bacterial resistance to this \u201cmiracle drug\u201d would soon be documented (3,4). In the 70+ years since penicillin was introduced, overuse and misuse of antibiotics have contributed to the problem of MDR bacterial infections, as has the widespread use of antibiotics in agriculture for prophylaxis and growth promotion (8).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-583", "words": "4594", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "59", "author": "Preston, Kathryn E.; Huddlestone, Jennifer", "title": "Gram-Negative, Oxidase-Positive Bacteria in Rainwater and Wind Samples", "date": "2016", "keywords": "aeromonas; air; atmosphere; bacteria; genus; isolates; microbiol; pseudomonas; rain; rainwater; samples; species; study; wind", "summary": "Wind Uncultured Novosphingobium clone SeqSEEZ199 99% Sphingomonas 44/40 0.942 KEP4: Wind Uncultured Novosphingobium clone SeqSEEZ199 99% Uncultured Sphingomonadaceae 0.942 KEP5: Rain Uncultured Pseudomonas 100% Pseudomonas fulva 0.98 KEP6: Rain* Pseudomonas plecoglossicida 89% Pseudomonas CPA30 0.520 KEP7: Rain Pseudomonas MC83 99% Pseudomonas MC83 0.974 KEP8: Rain Massilia varians 97% Naxibacter 6981 0.870 KEP9: Wind Pseudomonas JSM 2215099 100% Pseudomonas fulva 0.997 KEP10: Rain Pseudomonas fulva 100% Pseudomonas 471-1 0.997 KEP11: Rain Pseudomonas 9DLP 99% Pseudomonas PSB1 0.992 KEP12: Rain Paracoccus QUEBA07 99% Uncultured Proteobacterium 0.974 KEP13: Rain Paracoccus \u2018Mali 27\u2019 99% Uncultured Proteobacterium 0.962 KEP14: Wind Novosphingobium clone SeqSEEZ199 99% Sphingomonas 40/40 0.949 KEP15: Wind Pseudomonas putida 99% Pseudomonas putida 0.969 KEP16: Wind Uncultured Novosphingobium clone SeqSEEZ199 99% Uncultured Sphingomonadaceae 0.942 KEP17: Rain Pseudomonas MC83 99% Pseudomonas MC83 0.974 KEP18: Rain Massilia varians 97% Naxibacter 6981 0.870 KEP19: Rain Pseudomonas JSM 2215099 100% Pseudomonas fulva 0.997 KEP20: Rain Pseudomonas fulva 100% Pseudomonas U471-1 0.997 KEP21: Rain Pseudomonas 9DLP 99% Pseudomonas PSB1 0.992 KEP22: Rain Uncultured Pseudomonas 100% Pseudomonas fulva 0.983 KEP23: Rain* Pseudomonas plecoglossicida 89% Pseudomonas CPA30 0.520 KEP24: Rain* Mesorhizobium opportunistum 94% Aurantimonas ureilytica 0.911 KEP25: Rain* Mesorhizobium opportunistum 94% Aurantimonas ureilytica 0.916 KEP26: Rain Agrobacterium H13-3 99% Rhizobium Gls-4 0.972 KEP27: Rain* Pseudomonas syringae 96% Pseudomonas fluorescens 0.876 KEP28: Rain* Pseudomonas syringae 93% Pseudomonas S1(2011b) 0.552 APPLIED & ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY\u2022 98 DISCUSSION & CONCLUSIONS There are many reasons why Aeromonas may not have been found in the samples: 1) the lack of a proximal lake or stream as an initial source of Aeromonas prevents detection of these types of cells, 2)", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-585", "words": "5044", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "58", "author": "McMullan, Patrick J.; Krzyston, Jakob; Osgood, Robert", "title": "Bactericidal Effects of Low-Irradiance Low Level Light Therapy on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus in Vitro", "date": "2016", "keywords": "blue; cm2; fluence; irradiance; light; lllt; load; mrsa; reduction", "summary": "Furthermore, it is expected that low-irradiance LLLT will provide a greater bactericidal rate when compared to delivering the same LLLT fluence at a higher-irradiance, because of the fact that visible blue LLLT is dependent upon oxygen supplies for ROS formation. However, it was observed that the optimal wavelength for visible blue LLLT was 405-nm (p < 0.0001)..", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-587", "words": "6342", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "50", "author": "Scully, Sean Michael", "title": "Exploiting an Interdisciplinary Approach Using Undergraduate Research", "date": "2016", "keywords": "career; chemistry; enzymes; lab; new; research; science; time; undergraduate; way; work; working", "summary": "Two of my professors strongly encouraged me to seek out undergraduate research opportunities and to get involved in education rather than being a passive element in the process of higher education. Fortunately, a diversity of experiences in different types of professional labs as an undergraduate has shaped my interdisciplinary approach towards tackling research problems while giving a diverse skill set with which to take on new problems.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-589", "words": "5234", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "55", "author": "Pearce, Kaitlin M.; Kurtz, Alexandra; Ward, Rebekah J.", "title": "Rhizofiltration of Lead Contaminated Soil by Helianthus annuus amended with Bacillus megaterium and EDTA", "date": "2015", "keywords": "bacillus; bacteria; control; edta; metals; plants; rhizosphere; samples; soil", "summary": "Phytoremediation of heavy metal polluted soils and water: Progresses and perspectives. Pie charts representing the class diversity in the control soil and non-vegetated soil.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-591", "words": "5229", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "65", "author": "Vasquez-Espinoza, Rosa; Beck, David L.", "title": "Detection of Borrelia and Ehrlichia in Rhipicephalus sanguineus", "date": "2015", "keywords": "30sec; borrelia; burgdorferi; candidatus; canis; dogs; ehrlichia; lonestari; sanguineus; species; ticks; \u00b0 c", "summary": "Dantas-Torres, F., Chomel, B. B., & Otranto, D. 2012. Sequencing has confirmed the presence of DNA from Ehrlichia canis and \u201cCandidatus B. lonestari\u201d, corroborating that Borrelia and Ehrlichia are present in domestic dogs in South Texas.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-593", "words": "7388", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "62", "author": "Bauer, Brandon M.; Rogers, Lewis; Macias, Monique; Iacovetti, Gabriella; Woodrow, Alexander M.; Labonte-Wilson, Melissa J.; Tallman, Kathleen G.", "title": "Characterization of a mucoid-like Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm", "date": "2015", "keywords": "aeruginosa; attachment; biofilm; fig; formation; hour; motility; mucoid; phenotype; surface; twitching", "summary": "This indicates that both phenotypes are exhibiting characteristics of biofilm formation; however, the biofilm structure between the two phenotypes remains different as observed by a flatter biofilm structure for non-mucoid biofilms using microscopy. Clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa biofilms can be classified by their motility patterns and biofilm structure (1, 10, 27).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-5934", "words": "1156", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "58", "author": "Paxton, Kaikeyi", "title": "A Universal Tongue?", "date": "2025", "keywords": "english; language; world", "summary": "English Language-Old English, Middle English, Modern English. It is true that it is convenient to have some kind of common spoken language in case of travel, but does it make sense?", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-595", "words": "6072", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "57", "author": "Martini, Brooke; Orr, Cody; Webb, Ginny", "title": "Striking up the conversation: quorum sensing in fungi", "date": "2015", "keywords": "albicans; cell; effect; farnesol; formation; growth; neoformans; quorum; sensing", "summary": "Fungi, along with INTRODUCTION 140 \u2022 FINE FOCUS, VOL. 1 (2) FinalJournal.indd 140 9/25/15 11:38 AM REVIEW \u2022 141 other organisms, secrete compounds known as quorum sensing molecules (QSMs) into their environment to communicate with neighboring cells. Communication is accomplished through molecules, known as quorum sensing molecules, which are released into the extracellular environment.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-597", "words": "2357", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "45", "author": "Schwartz, Antony; Clarkson, Adam; Baumann, Richard G.; Gentilli, Shruti M.; Potts, Jeffrey; Torres-Cruz, Rafael", "title": "Safe science is good science", "date": "2015", "keywords": "biosafety; exposure; hazards; laboratory; research; risk", "summary": "It is clear that improper adherence to biosafety practices and resulting LAIs could have a devastating impact on the individual. Diligent adherence to biosafety practices and procedures while working in the laboratory will ensure that workers are safe, the community and environment is protected and the progress of vital scientific research is not interrupted.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-599", "words": "4300", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "59", "author": "Cheeptham, Naowarat (Ann)", "title": "Come Dine With Microbes: Where Microbiology, Food, and Culture Meet Community Outreach and Student Engagement", "date": "2015", "keywords": "class; dinner; event; food; microbes; microorganisms; norkam; students", "summary": "At the dinner, we arranged a non-traditional buffet style by having food stations (for each chosen fermented food) and having TRU microbiology students and NorKam students man each station (Fig. 5). Demonstration of bacteria cultured on the plates from swabs that NorKam students did; c)", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-601", "words": "2986", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "50", "author": "Chikere, Chioma Blaise; Ajuzieogu, Chinyere Augusta; Miller, Michael Chukwugoziem", "title": "Characterization of Indigenous Bacterial Communities in Crude-Oil Impacted Sites at Obagi Town, Onelga, Rivers State, Nigeria", "date": "2016", "keywords": "bacillus; bacteria; bioremediation; crude; hydrocarbon; pseudomonas; soil", "summary": "Table 2: Frequency of occurrence of hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria genera isolated from oil impacted soil samples. Statistical analyses revealed no significant difference at p>0.05 between Total Heterotrophic Bacterial (THB) and Hydrocarbon Utilizing Bacterial (HUB) counts, suggesting that most of the bacteria present in the sampled sites were hydrocarbon utilizers.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-603", "words": "2336", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "53", "author": "Beilke, Morgan L.; Fritz, Jeffery D.", "title": "Frequency of Antibiotic Residues in a Central Wisconsin Dairy", "date": "2016", "keywords": "bulk; dairy; drug; milk; residues; samples", "summary": "Milk suppliers for these samples spanned a 100-mile radius from the dairy plant where milk samples were processed. Antibiotic residue analysis of milk samples in this study Source of Sample Total Samples Number Positive Percent Positive Disposition per Pounds Bulk Milk Pickup Tanker 3,147,302 429 0.014% 17,754,000 Pasteurized Fluid Milk and Milk Products 37,707 0 0.000% 0 Producer 445,223 266 0.060% 240,000 Other 49,953 8 0.016% 99,000 APPLIED/ENVIRONMENTAL \u2022 19 BULK TANK SAMPLES All 264 samples originating from bulk milk samples were those that were deemed fit for bulk tank inclusion by the dairy producer, and thus added to the truckload.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-605", "words": "6965", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "58", "author": "Hansen, Gregory M.; Laird, Tyler S.; Woertz, Erica; Ojala, Daniel; Glanzer, Daralynn; Ring, Kelly; Richart, Sarah M.", "title": "Aspergillus sclerotiorum fungus is lethal to both Western drywood (Incisitermes minor) and Western subterranean (Reticulitermes hesperus)termites", "date": "2016", "keywords": "apu; apu strain; aspergillus; control; day; fungal; fungus; minor; sclerotiorum; species; spores; strain; termites", "summary": "The response of I. minor termites to increasing doses of A. sclerotiorum APU strain was determined for 4 different doses (150 mg, 70 mg, 30 mg, and 3 mg) by inoculating n=3 groups containing 25 termites each of differing developmental stages with each dose. A. I. minor termites were placed into groups of 25 and exposed to each mg quantity of fungus (n=3) or 75 mg powdered sugar (n=2).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-607", "words": "4662", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "57", "author": "Lawton II, James K.; Kumar, Renu B.", "title": "Characterization of water-types and their influence on the antimicrobial proper-ties of Kombucha ferments against bacteria and yeast", "date": "2016", "keywords": "activity; aureus; ca2; kombucha; tea; type; water", "summary": "Figure 5: Zone-of-inhibition results of EB and CB treatments against S. aureus, E. coli and C. albicans S. aureus CB S. aureus E. coli CB E. coli C. albicans CB C. albicans (a -c ) Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES) results indicated that high cationic (Ca2+, Mg2+, and Na+) content water (well water) resulted in the largest zone of inhibition against S. aureus, with a 12.3% difference when compared to low cationic content water (type- II water).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-609", "words": "3348", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "51", "author": "Bange, Jill; Brumfield, Emily; Ellison, Alysha L.", "title": "Recovery and Enumeration of Staphylococcus aureus by the Selective Agar", "date": "2016", "keywords": "agar; aureus; cells; media; method; overlay; recovery", "summary": "Artificial injury of S. aureus cells was accomplished by treatment with carvacrol, an extract from oil of oregano. Several stressors have the potential to sublethally injure S. aureus cells prior to recovery by the selective agar overlay method.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-611", "words": "1020", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "42", "author": "Emmert, Elizabeth A.B.", "title": "Letter", "date": "2016", "keywords": "biosafety; laboratory; microbiology", "summary": "The article by Schwartz et al. emphasizes the importance of laboratory biosafety through its description of two laboratory accidents with unfortunate and deadly outcomes for the researchers involved who did not practice all aspects of proper biosafety (1). One was the laboratory- associated infections most relevant to undergraduate microbiology students and the other was the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) biosafety guidelines specifically developed for the undergraduate microbiology laboratory (2).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-613", "words": "2486", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "53", "author": "Fj\u00f6lnisd\u00f3ttir, Birta L\u00edf; Haraldsd\u00f3ttir, P\u00e1l\u00edna; Kristinsd\u00f3ttir, Sigr\u00ed\u00f0ur; Trone\u010dkov\u00e1, Krist\u00fdna; Kristj\u00e1nsd\u00f3ttir, Sig\u00fe\u00f3ra Brynja; Fj\u00f6lnisd\u00f3ttir, Birta L\u00edf; Kallio, Saara-Maria; Helgad\u00f3ttir, Helga", "title": "Undergraduate perspectives from the Fine Focus student team, Fall Term 2015, University of Akureyri, Iceland", "date": "2016", "keywords": "course; focus; journal; paper; work", "summary": "During Fine Focus Autumn 2015, I was mainly responsible for improving the marketing plan to increase the awareness of Fine Focus, especially in Europe, in order to increase the visibility of the journal and thereby the number of submitted undergraduate papers. Copyright 2016, Fine Focus all rights reserved PERSPECTIVE\u201cUNDERGRADUATE PERSPECTIVES FROM THE FINE FOCUS STUDENT TEAM, FALL TERM 2015, UNIVERSITY OF AKUREYRI, ICELAND As an undergraduate science student, I feel like I have the constant urge to expand my knowledge in every possible way.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-615", "words": "10505", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "62", "author": "Wei, Lei; Rubenstein, Rebecca J.; Hanlon, Kathleen M.; Wade, Heidi; Peterson, Celeste N.; Klepac-Ceraj, Vanja", "title": "Cutting wedge: bacterial community diversity and structure associated with the cheese rind and curd of seven natural rind cheeses", "date": "2017", "keywords": "acid; carbon; cheese; communities; community; curd; diversity; figure; isolates; microbial; milk; rind; samples; sources", "summary": "To better understand the differences in community structure and function between communities of cheese rinds and curds, we combined culture-based methods with culture-independent community profiling of curds and rinds. This inconsistency may be attributed to the overall lower taxonomical diversity in the curd communities and that the community samples collected for metabolic analysis were mainly derived from cheese rinds, contributing higher diversity.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-617", "words": "7393", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "62", "author": "Morgan, Stephanie; Thomas, Matthew J.; Walstrom, Katherine M.; Warrick, Eric C.; Gasper, Brittany J.", "title": "Characterization of prodiginine compounds produced by a Vibrio species isolated from salt flat sediment along the Florida Gulf Coast", "date": "2017", "keywords": "abs; biosynthesis; cluster; gene; marcescens; marine; mass; mi-2; nacl; pigment; prodiginine; prodigiosin; production", "summary": "Lee J. S., Kim Y-S., Park S., Kim J., Kang S-J., Lee M. H., Ryu S., Choi J. M., Oh T. K., and Yoon J. J. 2011. The table shows the AAI of MI-2 putative prodigiosin biosynthetic gene cluster homologs compared to known prodiginine biosynthetic proteins from S. marcescens ATCC 274, H. chejuensis KCTC 2396, and S. coelicor A3(2).", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-619", "words": "4883", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "58", "author": "Quigley, Colleen; Lamichhane-Khadka, Reena", "title": "Metal Susceptibility of a Hetero-Vancomycin-Intermediate Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolate", "date": "2017", "keywords": "atcc; aureus; gradient; growth; mm66; mrsa; resistance; silver; strains", "summary": "Ho, T. T., Cadena, J., Childs, L. M., Gonzalez-Velez, M., & Lewis, J. S. 2012. Crupper, S. S., Worrell, V., Stewart, G. C., & Iandolo, J. J. 1999.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-621", "words": "3093", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "58", "author": "Hamm, Ronda L.", "title": "Become a Spokesperson for Science", "date": "2017", "keywords": "activities; community; event; outreach; public; science; scientists; students", "summary": "I personally find this to be one of the most challenging aspects of science outreach. If you\u2019re still having trouble finding an event, talk to faculty or others doing science outreach and see what suggestions they have to offer.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-667", "words": "4883", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "42", "author": "Kouritzin, Victoria A.; Guan, Leluo", "title": "The Colonization and Establishment of the Neonatal Mammalian Microbiome", "date": "2017", "keywords": "calf; colonization; development; diarrhea; gut; life; mice; microbial; microbiota; research", "summary": "However, it was determined that future research is needed to investigate the relationship between early life microbiota and calf immune system, behavior, and metabolism (Figure 1). These results have demonstrated the differences in brain function between germ free and colonized mice, suggesting the potential relationship between gut microbiota and animal behavior.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-669", "words": "3993", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "51", "author": "Lindsey, Maedgen Q.; Huddleston, Jennifer R.", "title": "Isolation of Halophilic Bacteria from Inland Petroleum- Producing Wells", "date": "2017", "keywords": "16s; concentration; figure; growth; halophilic; idiomarina; isolate; marinobacter; microorganisms; nacl; oil; salt; saltwater", "summary": "Microbial life at high salt concentrations: phylogenetic and metabolic diversity. In conclusion, organisms that are phylogenetically similar to marine microorganisms are present in oil well environments, and have variable salt tolerances, which may prove useful in microbial- mediated hydrocarbon bioremediation of high salinity environments.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-671", "words": "6120", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "48", "author": "Kwok, Annie; Davis, Michael C.; Kang, Sanghoon", "title": "Antibiotic resistant bacteria in an urban freshwater ecosystem in central Texas", "date": "2017", "keywords": "antibiotic; arb; bacteria; effluent; emb; influent; media; plates; resistance; samples; test; treatment; tsa; water", "summary": "For example, increasing occurrences of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquatic ecosystems elevates the risk of pathogenic microbes acquiring those resistance genes. Call of the wild: antibiotic resistance genes in natural environments.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-673", "words": "3844", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "54", "author": "Scott, Helen G.; Wakeman, Catherine A.", "title": "Predictions of Future Geographical Distribution of Two Vectors of American Trypanosomiasis: Implications for Endemic Chagas disease in Texas, USA", "date": "2017", "keywords": "chagas; climate; disease; distribution; gerstaeckeri; species; temperature; texas; vectors", "summary": "Changes in temperature and rainfall, as we are currently seeing in anthropogenic climate change, may affect the distribution and abundance of disease vectors (9). A global public database of disease vector and reservoir distributions.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-675", "words": "4534", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "53", "author": "Costlow, Jessica L.; Krow, Erika S.; Steele, J. Jordan", "title": "Imatinib Mesylate as an Effective Anti-viral Treatment for Alphavirus Infections", "date": "2017", "keywords": "alphavirus; bhk; cancer; cells; gfp; hours; imatinib; infection; mesylate; metabolic; replication; treatment; virus", "summary": "BHK cells/well). DISCUSSION IMATINIB MESYLATE \u2022 147 Figure 1: Imatinib inhibition of Sindbis virus and cell viability Flow cytometry analysis of BHK cells infected with dsSINV-GFP at an MOI=1 and treated with dilutions of Imatinib SINV replication (Gray bars) and cell viability (Black line) are shown with increasing concentrations of Imatinib.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-677", "words": "4140", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "52", "author": "Baskfield, Amanda", "title": "Undergraduate Perspective: The Student Grant Application Process", "date": "2017", "keywords": "applicant; application; bsu; cell; funding; grant; project; research", "summary": "Other grants available to student researchers include the Ball State Chapter of Sigma Xi (local), the Indiana Academy of Science Senior Research Grant SUMMATION PROCESS ANALYSIS STATEMENT THE GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS (state), or the Sigma Xi Grant-In-Aid Grant (national), and the Federal Pell Grant, which needs to be applied for in conjunction with the primary investigator. Other grants, such as the Indiana Academy of Science Grant, allows up to $2500 to be requested by applicants.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-679", "words": "2566", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "53", "author": "Stedman, Barbara", "title": "How To Write a Good Recommendation Letter", "date": "2017", "keywords": "letter; recommendation; research; scholarship; student", "summary": "In creating this \u201cinvitation,\u201d consider what kind of impressions the student has made on other faculty in your department or on other students; you may want to quote one or two of them. In my work as the Director of National and International Scholarships at Ball State University, I see dozens of letters of recommendation each year, the vast majority of them written by faculty.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-681", "words": "977", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "46", "author": "Trice, Autumn", "title": "Book Review: Lab Manual \u2013 Microbiology: the Laboratory Experience (Steve Keating)", "date": "2017", "keywords": "lab; manual; unit", "summary": "In Microbiology: The Laboratory Experience, author Steve Keating takes lab manuals where they have not gone before. BOOK REVIEW: LAB MANUAL \u2013 \u201cMICROBIOLOGY\u2013 THE LABORATORY EXPERIENCE\u201d (STEVE KEATING) W.W. NORTON & COMPANY, ISBN 978-0-393-92364-3 AUTUMN TRICE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT BIOLOGY BALL STATE UNIVERSITY Copyright 2017, Fine Focus.", "mime": "application/pdf"}, {"id": "finefocus-683", "words": "4023", "extension": ".pdf", "flesch": "58", "author": "Imbery, Jacob; Upton, Chris", "title": "Organization of the multigene families of African Swine Fever Virus", "date": "2017", "keywords": "asfv; fever; figure; gene; genomes; mgf; paralogs; supp; swine; virus", "summary": "Interestingly, although these viruses are all denoted as ASFV strains, there is significant divergence between them. ABSTRACT CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Chris Upton * Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada KEYWORDS \u2022 African swine fever virus \u2022 Multigene family \u2022 Annotation \u2022 Bioinformatics \u2022 Genomics African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) is a large dsDNA virus in the family Asfarviridae; 23 genotypes have been characterized by sequencing of the p72 gene (1, 12, 13).", "mime": "application/pdf"}]