AAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG

STRESS! My life is full of stress right now. I can't believe how much stress. I never have enough time. I feel guilty even writing this little bit. 

Life in the fast lane.

It was pointed out to me that I am quickly approaching the end of my first year as a graduate student. That to me is a rather scary proposal.

quick disjointed update

So what’s new in the life of Neil? Well as you know I am trying to create the next big thing in batteries. But this has been side tracked by a project for which I am well suited. I am studying how bacteria and mamilian cells stick to glass and other surfaces. This is of interest to the public because with this knowledge we can hopefully create surfaces on things like knee implants which your body cells would want to stick to but to which bacteria would not be able to stick. Did you know that millions of people each year have infections from getting an implant and that 60% of those infections cannot be treated by antibiotics alone? I spoke with a man who had to have his hip replaced 7 times due to infections.

Anyway this Friday I am going to be in Utah for a weekend. The national convention of the American Chemical Society is in SLC and I get to present at it. I am going to have to be at the conference during the day but will be able to be with Michelle and the kids at night. Then just a couple more months until they are here in Lincoln with me.

Michelle was out here a couple of weeks ago and interviewed at several of the schools for a teaching position. We have our fingers crossed that she will have an offer before she moves out here.

 

These are not for the gerneral public and are not free to take and use as your own.

I know these are not up to publication standards (out of focus) but they are the images Vivi used to win her science fair. I am only posting these butterfly wing electron micrographs so that the people who have heard about her project can see what we're all amazed at. 

Zooming in. Vivi wanted color normally these would all be black and white. 

30 times blown up

500 times blown up
3000 times blown up
10,000 times blown up

Just an essay I am writing for a fellowship. I thought you might enjoy it. Very rough draft.

My career goal is to improve the life of those around me through the advancement of scientific knowledge. I have chosen to study smart bioceramics.  Bioceramics are ceramic materials which can be implanted into the body usually as a replacement for hard tissue. Smart bioceramics have been modified through chemistry and engineering to increase the compatibility of human cells and to decrease the ability of microbes to form biofilms.

Biofilm related infections add over one billion dollars per year to hospitalization costs. A microbe in a biofilm is 50 to 500 times more resistant to antibiotics as its free living counterpart. More than half a million people in the U.S. die due to biofilm related infections annually.

Through nanochemistry we can adjust the roughness, the electrochemistry, and other surface properties in order to achieve our goals. The ability to design bioceramics as coatings which can assist the adhesion of mammalian cells and deter the adhesion of biofilms will have a great impact on society. This will ultimately lead to theranostic devices which can accurately identity a pathogen and then create and release a combative drug in a monitorable way.

Through the research which I began less than 2 months ago we have already identified some of the factors which affect initial bacterial adhesion. Receipt of the Milton E. Mohr fellowship will help me to continue my research.

Long update

Well it’s time for an update. It’s been an amazing couple of weeks and I feel that I need to update everyone on it.

I am back in Nebraska, and it feels so much like home that I traded in my Utah drivers license for a Nebraska one. I did that when I went to register my new (1995) car. The Saab, bless it’s poor little heart, was dying. It had a leak in the head gasket, and a broken radiator. Combine those two major problems with all of the minor ones and it was time for Neil to buy a mid life crisis car. At least that’s what my lab mates are calling it. After shopping around considerably and obsessing about it endlessly I narrowed my choice to either a Jag X-Type, a VW Passatt, or a Mitsubishi 3000GT. Silly me I chose the one without the heated seats. That’s right I have a sports car. 0-60 in 5 seconds flat quarter mile in 13.5 and 320 hp. But of course I still drive like Neil; 5 under and never in a hurry to get where I’m going.  Anyway I woke up this morning, the second morning since I bought the car, and there was snow on the ground. Did I mention that the GT is rear wheel drive? What’s more I needed to drive across town in that stuff to the DMV to register it. Anyway the car is in the best condition you can imagine. No scratches, only minimal wear; one tiny tear in the leather seat is all.

Ok on to more news. Kidney stones. Yes, they hurt. I hate them; but because of the first one I got to see Michelle for a weekend that made it worthwhile. My poor Adviser rushed me to the hospital and then made a new lab rule. Rule #1 which we’ve had for a while is “no dead students” we now have rule #2 “no sick students.” The poor man has been in need of some good news and that wasn’t it. More about him in a second.

When Michelle arrived she snuck up behind me and scared me. I had no idea who she was for about 2 seconds because she was so out of place. She had dropped everything and driven out to take care of me. Isn’t that sweet? Anyway I was already back in the lab because the kidney stone had passed and I was feeling fine. So I had to finish a couple of things while she went to the district office to check on her. She came back just as I was finishing typing a report and was sitting with me at my desk when my adviser walked in. He recognized her right away and was very relieved to have someone here to take care of me so that he didn’t have to. Michelle and I just spent the night and the next day together and then she had to return to the kids.

Anyway as you may recall I am an Inorganic chemist that means that I deal with metals and the like. But for some strange reason I am working on a project that makes me grow bacteria for the next little while. It seems like a strange combination and it is, but it’s kind of a break from some of the more difficult intense stuff I’ve been doing since I got here. Sadly because of funding issues the batteries aren’t getting nearly enough of my attention. I will get back to them however.

Well keep in touch. Remember that there is life in Nebraska, even when it’s not football season.

The red nicer photos are from when the car was first listed. Back in August.

The light wasn't good when I took this photo. I was filling it with gas right after buying it at night.

Isn't that a sweet looking engine? 

 

Kidney Stones

I'm back in the lab. 

update

I went to the hospital last night for the kidney stone. They gave me an IV of fluid and two doses of morphine. I was able to sleep through the night. It's amazing how well you sleep with morphine and lortab in your system. Any way I am sure that the main causes have been my energy drinks and the processed foods I've been eating. I need to change that. The stone still hasn't passed but I can tolerate the pain as long as I have the lortab.

Kidney Stones

I woke up at 1:30 with a severe pain in my side. It feels like a small kidney stone moving down. I know it's probably all of the highly caffeinated sodas I've been drinking. It really hurts but not enough yet to go to the hospital.  Just trying to keep everyone informed.

Back in the Lab

Well I'm back in the lab. At the moment this is where I feel at home. I have been able to get my equipment up and running and have been able to complete a few experiments. I have a time line and goals, so I know what to do between now and when classes start again.

So despite missing the family I am happy