Totarol
Research Question: To what extent does totarol show antibiotic potency against significant strains of Staphylococcus aureus causing skin and soft tissue infections in New Zealand, compared with commonly prescribed drugs used to treat the specific strain of Staphylococcus aureus being tested? Purpose of research: This essay will investigate the antibacterial potency of totarol against significant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) causing skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) in New Zealand. Only a small amount of research on totarol has been conducted. They all suggest totarol possesses antibiotic potency against various species of bacteria. The mode of action of totarol is currently unknown. Procedure 1: The totarol I ordered from Mende Biotech Ltd arrived in two forms; a powder called Totarol™ and a viscous brown liquid called Liquid K7 (LK7) in which the Totarol™ powder was dissolved in mostly sunflower oil. The investigation took place in two stages. In the first stage, the MIC value of the LK7 against reference strain S.aureus 29213 was determined by following the CLSI methodology for MIC testing (M07-A9 Clinical and Laboratory Standards institute). The MIC test was also conducted to identify whether any major ingredients in the LK7 possessed significant antibacterial potency. MIC values where compared with that of flucloxacillin. Data from stage 1 testing: LK7 had an MIC value of 1µg/mL, which was very similar to flucloxacillin’s MIC value of 0.5µg/mL. No other major ingredients in LK7 showed antibacterial potency. Totarol™’s antibacterial activity could not be accurately measured, due to the powder resisting even mixing. Procedure 2: In the second stage, disc diffusion tests were conducted against various S.aureus clinical isolates obtained from SSTIs in the Waikato community. The discs that were placed for each clinical isolate included LK7, cefoxitin, fusidic acid, mupirocin and erythromycin discs. Data from stage 2: 75% of LK7 discs produced double zones of inhibition. I hypothesized that this was due to two active ingredients found in the LK7. I predicted the one that produced larger zones of inhibition to be Totarol™. The other more stable ingredient producing the inner zones of inhibition is unknown. Conclusion: I proposed a breakpoint of outer zone sizes that were ≥ 15 mm in diameter to signify that that particular clinical isolate was ‘susceptible’ to LK7. From this breakpoint, LK7 and fusidic acid both had the same number of clinical isolates that were classified as ‘susceptible’. LK7 was the median of the number of susceptible clinical isolates. This data answered my research question; totarol in the LK7 form specifically, would be just as effective in treating SSTIs caused by S.aureus, as even the most commonly prescribed antistaphylococcal drugs currently being used.
Random number generators and their applications in Computer Science with the Monte Carlo Method
Monte Carlo methods are non-parametric algorithms that use random numbers and theorems of probability theory to approximate values that are not random. The purpose of my research was to approximate the surface of different geographical areas that can be easily approximated to polygons (e.g. lakes, glaciers, deserts) with Monte Carlo simulations starting from either Cartesian coordinates or pictures. Computer science would not exist without math, and this research project showed me the importance of a deep understanding of probability theory in the world of simulations and, more generally, the importance of developing new theorems and algorithms. The results of my research could be developed in different ways: it would be interesting to produce software that allows one to approximate areas from pictures taken from a smartphone; as well, the theorem I found has to be proven, and also Monte Carlo methods as a means of random number generation can always be improved. There are still many possibilities.
Carbon Nanostructures Via Dry Fce Exposed to High Temperature
This science project is designed to answer a question of whether or not a chemical reaction is needed to produce industrial quantities of carbon nanostructures by exposing dry ice to a high temperature that is at least 3100°C. A small carbon arc furnace powered by an electric welder is used to produce the high temperature. During control runs, the carbon arc furnace is energized for a predetermined time, after which the carbon arc furnace is de-energized and any carbon particles within the furnace are collected. During carbon nanostructures synthesis runs, dry ice is placed within the carbon arc furnace. The carbon arc furnace is energized and the dry ice is consumed for the predetermined time. Carbon nanostructures synthesized during the synthesis runs are collected once the carbon arc furnace is de-energized and allowed to cool. The volume of the carbon particles collected during the control runs is compared to the volume of the carbon nanostructures produced by the synthesis runs. This science project has discovered that on average at least 16 times more carbon nanostructures are produced during synthesis runs consuming dry ice as opposed to the control runs. Moreover, the synthesis runs did not rely on chemical reactions. Further still, samples of the synthesized carbon nanostructures were imaged using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The TEM images clearly show high-quality carbon nanostructures that include carbon nanotubes, faceted carbon nanospheres, and the super-material graphene.
超通用水分子形交換方塊之FPGA設計
本研究提出一個新的超通用、每邊w個端點的四邊形水分子形交換方塊(Water-Molecule-Shaped Switch Block; WMSB)架構，以應用在FPGA之多點連線（multipoint interconnection）和諸多交換網路的設計上。超通用交換方塊(HUSB)的領域中，Fan[2]提出當前唯一一個(4, w)-HUSB，但Fan’s (4, w)-HUSB所需的開關個數大約是6.3w個開關，在接下來的篇幅之中，我們將證明(4, w)-WMSB是只需6w個開關的HUSB；此外，我們還證明沒有(4, w)-HUSB可以使用小於6w個開關。本研究中還使用VPR（一種CAD）及其內建的大量標準線路以證明(4, w)-WMSB不僅是理論上最佳的亦是實用性佳的交換方塊。鑑此，(4, w)-WMSB開關效率高(switch-efficiency)的設計十分適用於其他的交換網路設計，如公共電話網路(Public Switched Telephone Network)。