University of Graz View Institution's Website 5 articles published in JoVE Chemistry A Package of Established Analytical Tools to Investigate the Solid-State Alteration of Lipid-Based Excipients Sharareh Salar-Behzadi1,2, Carolina Corzo1, Peter Laggner1 1Research Center Pharmaceutical Engineering, GmbH, 2Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Graz This publication shows the application of x-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry as gold standards for investigating the solid-state of lipid-based excipients (LBEs). Understanding the solid-state alteration in LBEs and its effect on the performance of pharmaceutical products thereof is the key factor for manufacturing robust lipid-based dosage forms. Environment Manufacturing Simple and Inexpensive Soil Surface Temperature and Gravimetric Water Content Sensors Armin Howell1, Colin Tucker1, Edmund E. Grote1, Maik Veste2,3, Jayne Belnap1, Gerhard Kast4, Bettina Weber5,6, Sasha C. Reed1 1Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 2Centre for Energy Technology Brandenburg, 3Institute of Environmental Sciences, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, 4Umweltanalytische Produkte GmbH, 5Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Graz, 6Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry Accurately measuring temperature and water content of the upper 5 mm of the soil surface can improve our understanding of environmental controls on biological, chemical, and physical processes. Here we describe a protocol for manufacturing, calibrating, and conducting measurements with soil surface temperature and moisture sensors. Engineering Robotic Sensing and Stimuli Provision for Guided Plant Growth Mostafa Wahby1, Mary Katherine Heinrich1,5, Daniel Nicolas Hofstadler2, Julian Petzold1, Igor Kuksin3, Payam Zahadat2,4, Thomas Schmickl2, Phil Ayres5, Heiko Hamann1 1Institute of Computer Engineering, University of Lübeck, 2Institute of Biology, Artificial Life Lab, University of Graz, 3Cybertronica UG, 4Department of Computer Science, IT University of Copenhagen, 5Centre for IT and Architecture, Royal Danish Academy Distributed robot nodes provide sequences of blue light stimuli to steer the growth trajectories of climbing plants. By activating natural phototropism, the robots guide the plants through binary left-right decisions, growing them into predefined patterns that by contrast are not possible when the robots are dormant. Medicine Oral Biofilm Analysis of Palatal Expanders by Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridization and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy Barbara Klug1,2, Claudia Rodler1, Martin Koller3, Gernot Wimmer3, Harald H. Kessler2, Martin Grube4, Elisabeth Santigli1 1Department of Orthodontics and Maxillofacial Orthopedics, Medical University of Graz, 2Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 3Department of Prosthodontics, Restorative Dentistry, Periodontology and Implantology, Medical University of Graz, 4Institute of Plant Sciences, Karl-Franzens-University Graz We present a protocol for structural and compositional analysis of natural oral biofilm from orthodontic appliances with in situ hybridization (FISH) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Oral biofilm samples were collected from palatal expanders, scraping acrylic-resin flakes off their surface and referring them for molecular processing. Immunology and Infection Microwave Assisted Rapid Diagnosis of Plant Virus Diseases by Transmission Electron Microscopy Bernd Zechmann1,2, Gerhard Graggaber1, Günther Zellnig1 1Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Graz, 2Institute for Electron Microscopy and Fine Structure Research, Graz University of Technology This study describes a method that allows the rapid and clear diagnosis of plant virus diseases in about half a day by using a combination of microwave assisted plant sample preparation for transmission electron microscopy and negative staining methods.