Chalk crystallizes differently from the way we once thought it did. This discovery will allow the development of new scale inhibitors and other materials, and has also consequences for climate change.
[Image
by Denis Gebauer / Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces]
A new drug? Emulation of the choline architecture of pneumococcal cell walls cripples critical pneumococcal proteins.
Image: If choline is added to a culture of pneumococci, the molecules occupy the choline binding sites of the CBPs so that the proteins can no longer bind to the cell walls of the pneumococci.
Wireless microgrippers grab living cells in 'biopsy' tests
In experiments that pave the way for tiny mobile surgical tools activated by heat or chemicals, researchers have invented dust-particle-size devices that can be used to grab and remove living cells from hard-to-reach places without the need for electrical wires, tubes or batteries. Instead, the devices are actuated by thermal or biochemical signals.
Brown University researchers Hua Li and Gerwald Jogl have determined the three-dimensional structure of TIGAR, an enzyme whose presence in the body can warn doctors that cancer may follow.
Image: Researchers at Brown have worked out the three-dimensional structure of an enzyme known as TIGAR. Because it is a marker for cell damage and repair, TIGAR could signal physicians that cancer may be developing.
Removing lead from blood with selective lead receptors and magnetic nanoparticles.
Image: Special probe used for the detection of lead: when a lead ion binds to such a ?lead receptor?, the receptor?s fluorescence is ?switched on?, causing it to glow.
Water Lilies Inspire Scientists To Create Large-Scale Graphene Films
In the world of nanomaterials, scientists and engineers can create new structures with tiny building blocks as small as one billionth of a meter. But in order to construct new materials and devices, researchers first need to understand how these tiny units interact with each other.
Semiconducting nanotubes produced in quantity at Duke
After announcing last April (2008) a method for growing exceptionally long, straight, numerous and well-aligned carbon cylinders only a few atoms thick, a Duke University-led team of chemists has now modified that process to create exclusively semiconducting versions of these single-walled carbon nanotubes.
Researchers have created a precise biosensor for detecting blood glucose and potentially many other biological molecules by using hollow structures called single-wall carbon nanotubes anchored to gold-coated nanocubes.
Image:
Nano biosensor for detecting blood glucose and other biological molecules
[Image by Jeff Goecker, Discovery Park, Purdue University]
'2-faced' bioacids put a new face on carbon nanotube self-assembly
Researchers have demonstrated a simle, inexpensive way to induce carbon nanotubes to "self-assemble" in long, regular strands, a useful technique for studying nanotube properties and potentially a new way to assemble nanotube-based devices.
A joint team of researchers at CIC nanoGUNE (San Sebastian, Spain) and the Max Planck Institutes of Biochemistry and Plasma Physics (Munich, Germany) report the non-invasive and nanoscale resolved infrared mapping of strain fields in semiconductors.
Image:
Infrared visualization of nanocrack evolution [Copyright: Andreas Huber, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried]
Nanoscience researchers at Lund University in Sweden have shown that they can control the growth and crystal structure of nanowires down to the single atom level.
Image:
How this can be done is described in an article in the January, 2009, issue of Nature Nanotechnology, with Philippe Caroff and Kimberly Dick as the main authors.
New method accelerates stability testing of soy-based biofuel
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed a method to accelerate stability testing of biodiesel fuel made from soybeans and also identified additives that enhance stability at high temperatures.
'Green' Gasoline on the Horizon
University of Oklahoma researchers believe newer, more environmentally friendly fuels produced from biomass could create alternative energy solutions and alleviate dependence on foreign oil without requiring changes to current fuel infrastructure systems.
A team of NASA and university scientists has achieved the first definitive detection of methane in the atmosphere of Mars. This discovery indicates the planet is either biologically or geologically active.
The image shows concentrations of Methane discovered on
Mars.
[Credit: NASA]
|
ACS News (open access articles):
Medieval walls in Spain contain bits of bone
Scientists have found a 14th
century oven used to bake animal bones for the purpose of
strengthening the grand medieval walls in what is today, Granada,
Spain.
Credit: American Chemical Society
In a macabre discovery fit for Indiana Jones,
archaeologists in Spain unearthed a 14th century brick oven with a
unique role - to bake bones. Scientists report that the animal bones
were burnt in the oven and mixed with other materials to produce a
protective coating to strengthen the grand medieval walls of what is
today Granada, Spain. In a study scheduled to appear in the Jan. 15
issue of ACS' semi-monthly journal Analytical Chemistry, scientists
describe how they found these materials thanks to a powerful new
testing method.
Carolina Cardell and colleagues point out that
ancient decorative and protective layers, or patinas, covering the
outside of very old buildings have been subject of many analyses in
archaeology, conservation and chemistry. Patinas have been a popular
finishing for building exteriors and walls for aesthetic and
protective reasons since ancient times. "However, the results of this
work are significant for archaeologists since this is the first report
of burnt bones in a patina on a Muslim monument, as well as the
archaeological artifacts - the oven and raw materials - used to
produce them," says Cardell.
Using a novel new method to identify the components
of historical artifacts, the team found hydroxyapatite, the main
component in bone pigments and animal bones, in the patina of
Granada's medieval walls. Their new test is inexpensive, identifies
chemicals more accurately and - most importantly - does not harm the
historical artifacts. - AD
Advance toward first saliva test for Type 2
diabetes
Scientists in Oregon and India are reporting an
advance toward developing the first saliva test to diagnose and
monitor effectiveness of treatment for Type 2 diabetes. Their report
was published in the Jan. 2 issue of ACS' Journal of Proteome
Research. The number of cases of that disease (18 million in the
United States alone) has doubled during the last 30 years in parallel
with the epidemic of obesity. Researchers say their work represents
the first comprehensive description of the proteins in the saliva of
patients with Type 2 diabetes, also called non-insulin dependent
diabetes.
In the study, Paturi V. Rao and colleagues note
that early diagnosis and effective treatment is critical for
preventing the disease's complications, including loss of vision,
nerve damage, and kidney damage. One important barrier is the need for
sometimes-painful needle sticks to draw blood for tests. The
discomfort can discourage patients from properly monitoring their
blood sugar levels, the scientists say.
The researchers analyzed saliva samples from
individuals with and without Type 2 diabetes for protein biomarkers of
diabetes. They identified 65 proteins that appeared twice as often in
the diabetic samples than the non-diabetic samples. These newly
identified proteins could lead to new, noninvasive tests for diabetes
screening, detection, and monitoring, the researchers say. - MTS
Microscopic "hands" for building tomorrow's
machines
Engineers have developed tiny,
robotic hands - also known as microgrippers - that could be used
in lab-on-a-chip applications.
Credit: American Chemical Society
In a finding straight out of science fiction,
chemical and biomolecular engineers in Maryland are describing
development of microscopic, chemically triggered robotic "hands" that
can pick up and move small objects. They could be used in
laboratory-on-a-chip applications, reconfigurable microfluidic systems,
and micromanufacturing, the researchers say. A report on their
so-called "microgrippers" is in the December 3, 2008 issue of the
Journal of the American Chemical Society, a weekly publication.
In the new study, David Gracias and colleagues note
that researchers have long sought to develop chemically triggered
microscopic devices that can manipulate small objects with precision.
Chemical actuation occurs in biological machinery and enables
autonomous function in nature with high specificity and selectivity.
Although other scientists have made experimental "grippers" in the
lab, these devices generally require the use of batteries and wiring,
making them hard to miniaturize and maneuver in small spaces and
convoluted conduits.
The researchers describe development of tiny
metallic microgrippers shaped like a hand that work without
electricity. The grippers are about 0.03 inches wide when open -
smaller than the diameter of a grain of sand and made from a
gold-coated nickel "palm" joined by six pointy metallic "fingers." The
addition of certain chemicals triggers the hands to open or close. In
laboratory studies, the scientists demonstrated that the grippers
could grasp and release tiny pipes and glass beads and transport these
objects to distant locations with the aid of a magnet, showcasing
their potential for pick-and-place operations that are ubiquitous in
manufacturing, they say.
They also say that this demonstration is also a
step toward the development of Micro Chemo Mechanical Systems (MCMS)
in contrast to the already well established field of Micro Electro
Mechanical Systems (MEMS); the main difference being that the tools
are triggered by chemistry as opposed to electricity. MTS
Early immune system exposures linked to chronic
disease
Scientists and regulators have a golden opportunity
to reduce the health toll from a range of diseases by focusing more
attention on identification of environmental factors that can damage
the prenatal immune system as well as that of infants and children,
according to an article scheduled for the Jan. 19 issue of ACS'
Chemical Research in Toxicology, a monthly journal.
In the study, Rodney R. Dietert points out that a
scientific field known as developmental immunotoxicology (DIT) focuses
on the effects of exposure to biological materials, drugs, medical
devices, chemicals, and other environmental factors on the developing
immune system in fetuses, infants and children. Research so far
suggests links between those factors and an increased risk of asthma,
autism, diabetes, leukemia, and other important diseases.
Dietert's perspective article examines diseases
associated with DIT and calls for an increase in awareness of preadult
immune dysfunction and its consequences on life-long chronic disease.
A protected, well functioning immune system, the paper says, could not
only extend quality of life during adulthood, it could also reduce
future health care needs. Identifying hazards for developing immune
systems and protection against dysfunction provide opportunities to
reduce health risks for the most significant chronic diseases of
children and adults, Dietert says. - JS
Surprising new health and environmental concerns
about tungsten
Surprising new scientific research is raising
concerns about the potential health and environmental hazards of
tungsten - a metal used in products ranging from bullets to light
bulbs to jewelry - that scientists once thought was
environmentally-benign, according to an article scheduled for the Jan.
19 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS' weekly newsmagazine.
In the article, C&EN Associate Editor Rachel
Petkewich notes that scientists have long held that tungsten is
relatively insoluble in water and nontoxic. As a result, the U.S.
military developed in the mid 1990s so-called "green bullets" that
contain tungsten as a more environmentally-friendly alternative to
lead-based ammunition. But studies now show that tungsten, which is
also used in welding, metal cutting, and other applications, is not as
chemically inert as previously thought. Some forms of tungsten can
move readily though soil and groundwater under certain environmental
conditions. Both the U.S. Department of Defense and the Environmental
Protection Agency now classify the element as an "emerging contaminant"
of concern.
Although scientists think that tungsten seems much
less toxic than lead or mercury, they do not know its exact health and
environmental effects, the article notes. Scientists have shown that
exposure to tungsten can stunt the growth of plants, cause
reproductive problems in earthworms, and trigger premature death in
certain aquatic animals. But whether or not tungsten can cause chronic
health effects in humans, and its mechanism of action, awaits further
study, the article suggests.
Clothing to crow about: Chicken feather suits
and dresses
Scientists are reporting advances
in making eco-friendly fabrics from renewable materials, such as
chicken feathers.
Image by The American Chemical
Society
In the future, you may snuggle up in warm, cozy
sweats made of chicken feathers or jeans made of wheat, enjoying
comfortable, durable new fabrics that are "green" and environmentally
friendly. Researchers in Australia are reporting that new advances are
paving the way for such exotic new materials - made from agricultural
waste or byproducts - to hit store shelves as environmentally-friendly
alternatives to the estimated 38 million tons of synthetic fabrics
produced worldwide each year. They review research on the development
of these next generation eco-friendly fibers, which will produce
fabrics with a conventional feel, in the November 26, 2008 issue of
ACS' Biomacromolecules, a monthly journal.
In the article, Andrew Poole, Jeffrey Church and
Mickey Huson note that scientists first produced commercial fabrics
made of nontraditional materials - including milk proteins, peanuts,
and corn - almost 50 years ago. Although these so-called "regenerated"
fabrics had the look and feel of conventional protein-based fabrics
such as wool and silk, they tended to perform poorly when wet. This
problem, combined with the advent of petroleum-based synthetic fibers,
caused the production of these unusual fabrics to stop, the
researchers say.
Amid concerns about the environment and consumer
demand for eco-friendly products, renewable fabrics made from
nontraditional agricultural materials are now poised to make a
comeback, the scientists say. Promising fabric sources include
agricultural proteins, such as keratin from scrap chicken feathers and
gluten from wheat, they say. The scientists describe advances in
nanotechnology and chemical cross-linking that can improve the
strength and biodegradability of these fabrics, paving the way for
commercial production of eco-friendly clothing, furniture upholstery
and other products. - MTS
Microswimmers" make a big splash for improved
drug delivery
They may never pose a challenge to Olympic
superstar Michael Phelps, but the "microswimmers" developed by
researchers in Spain and the United Kingdom could break a
long-standing barrier to improving delivery of medications for cancer
and other diseases. They describe the development of tiny,
magnetically controlled particles, called "microswimmers," that
doctors could use to precisely deliver medicine to diseased tissue.
Their report appears in the December 25, 2008 issue of The Journal of
Physical Chemistry B, a weekly ACS publication.
In the new study, Pietro Tierno and colleagues note
that scientists tried for years to develop tiny engines that can move
micro and nanomachines through tight spaces, such as blood vessels and
lab-on-a chip devices. But existing engines are slow, difficult to
maneuver, and must undergo alterations in their shape, chemistry or
temperature in order to work. The design of simple, more practical
engines to power these tiny, robotic machines remains a major
challenge, the researchers say.
The scientists describe a solution - tiny beads,
about 1/25,000 of an inch in diameter, made of plastic and magnetic
materials. When exposed to a magnetic field, the particles spun like a
gyroscope and could be easily directed to move though narrow channels
of liquids inside a glass plate, the researchers say. The scientists
could control the speed of the "microswimmers" by varying the strength
of the magnetic field. - MTS
Researchers in Italy are reporting discovery of
abnormal proteins in the saliva of autism patients that could
eventually provide a clue for the molecular basis of this severe
developmental disorder and could be used as a biomarker for a subgroup
of patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Their study is in
the January 2 issue of ACS' Journal of Proteome Research, a monthly
publication.
Autism involves social withdrawal, impaired
emotional responses and communication skills, and other symptoms. With
no laboratory test available, scientists are searching for biomarkers
such as abnormal proteins that appear in the body fluids of
individuals with autism that may provide a way to accurately diagnose
autism and track its response to potential treatments.
Massimo Castagnola, Irene Messana, Maria Giulia
Torrioli and Fiorella Gurrieri, compared proteins in the saliva of 27
children with ASD to those in a control group without ASD. They
discovered that at least one of four proteins in 19 children in the
ASD group had significantly lower levels of phosphorylation. That key
body process activates proteins so that they can work normally. The
results suggest that these abnormal proteins might be the clue for
anomalies in the phosphorylation of proteins involved in development
of central nervous system in early infancy that are involved in ASD. -
MTS
New evidence that people make aspirin's active
principle - salicylic acid
Scientists report that the human
body produces its own salicylic acid, a byproduct of aspirin.
Image Credit: Wikipedia Commons
Scientists in the United Kingdom are reporting new
evidence that humans can make their own salicylic acid (SA) - the
material formed when aspirin breaks down in the body. SA, which is
responsible for aspirin's renowned effects in relieving pain and
inflammation, may be the first in a new class of bioregulators,
according to a study in the December 24, 2008 issue of ACS' biweekly
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
In the report, Gwendoline Baxter, Ph.D. and
colleagues discuss how their past research revealed that SA exists in
the blood of people who have not recently taken aspirin. Vegetarians
had much higher levels, almost matching those in patients taking low
doses of aspirin. Based on those findings, the researchers previously
concluded that this endogenous SA came from the diet, since SA is a
natural substance found in fruits and vegetables.
Now the group reports on studies of changes in SA
levels in volunteers who took benzoic acid, a substance also found
naturally in fruits and vegetables that the body could potentially use
to make SA. Their goal was to determine whether the SA found in humans
(and other animals) results solely from consumption of fruits and
vegetables, or whether humans produce their own SA as a natural agent
to fight inflammation and disease. The results reported in the study
suggest that people do manufacture SA.
"It is, we suspect, increasingly likely that SA is
a biopharmaceutical with a central, broadly defensive role in animals
as well as plants," they state. "This simple organic chemical is, we
propose, likely to become increasingly recognized as an animal
bioregulator, perhaps in a class of its own." - JS
Shrinking U.S. nuclear weapons labs poised for
historic reinvention
Because of a changing global role for nuclear
weapons, government officials are seeking to cut the size of the U.S.
nuclear weapons labs by a third-over the next 20 years. Along with the
sweeping reductions, many scientists are calling for a historic
reinvention of the weapons complex, which will be shaped in large part
by President-Elect Barack Obama. An article on this topic is scheduled
for the January 12 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS' weekly
newsmagazine.
In the article, C&EN senior correspondent Jeff
Johnson notes that the U.S. Department of Energy's nuclear weapons
complex currently includes some 37,000 weapons staff, almost half of
them employed at three national labs: Lawrence Livermore, Sandia, and
Los Alamos. But as the government reduces the size of its nuclear
weapons arsenal, thousands of jobs at the labs have already been lost
and experts project that job cutbacks will continue in the future, the
article notes.
Decision-makers are split on what exactly the
future of the weapons complex should be. Instead of focusing primarily
on weapons manufacturing, testing, and maintenance, some experts are
calling for the labs to direct more of their attention to research
related to national security, energy, climate change, and other
non-weapons scientific work. Other experts advocate development of new
types of nuclear weapons, such as a "green" bomb that produce fewer
environmental toxins. Notes one key political leader: "The labs
missions have morphed and changed over the years and will continue to
do so."
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