Implementation of customer relationship management and inventory control software: a multiple case study of small retailers

Gemstone Team Small Business Solutions

An analysis of the efficacy of low-scale concentrated photovoltaics

Gemstone Team LEAF (Light Energy Acquisition of the Future)

The Effect of Diet-Induced Obesity and Subsequent Weight Loss on Body Composition, Glucose Clearance, Metabolite Profile and Liver Amp-Activated Protein Kinase in Mice

Obesity, currently an epidemic, is a difficult disease to combat because it is marked by both a change in body weight and an underlying dysregulation in metabolism, making consistent weight loss challenging. We sought to elucidate this metabolic dysregulation resulting from diet-induced obesity (DIO) that persists through subsequent weight loss. We hypothesized that weight gain imparts a change in “metabolic set point” persisting through subsequent weight loss and that this modification may involve a persistent change in hepatic AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a key energy-sensing enzyme in the body. To test these hypotheses, we tracked metabolic perturbations through this period, measuring changes in hepatic AMPK. To further understand the role of AMPK we used AICAR, an AMPK activator, following DIO. Our findings established a more dynamic metabolic model of DIO and subsequent weight loss. We observed hepatic AMPK elevation following weight loss, but AICAR administration without similar dieting was unsuccessful in improving metabolic dysregulation. Our findings provide an approach to modeling DIO and subsequent dieting that can be built upon in future studies and hopefully contribute to more effective long-term treatments of obesity.

Effects of Gallium-Desferrioxamine Compounds on Bacteria

Over 70% of nosocomial infections in the United States are resistant to one or more traditional antibiotics, necessitating research for alternative treatment options. This study aims to chelate gallium (Ga) onto a bacterial siderophore, desferrioxamine (DFO), to retard bacterial growth. By exploiting natural bacterial pathways, metal-siderophore treatments are hypothesized to circumvent traditional resistance mechanisms. Additionally, the GaDFO complex will be tested against several bacterial species to determine the specificity of DFO uptake. This research aims to prove the feasibility of siderophore piracy as an alternative to antibiotics. In showing the feasibility of siderophore piracy mechanisms, this research will enable the development of future avenues for protecting against resistant nosocomial infections.