Feature Channels: Chemistry

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Released: 9-Jan-2018 11:05 AM EST
Going Organic
Argonne National Laboratory

Using Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source, researchers analyzed how organic solar cells’ crystal structures develop as they are produced under different conditions. With the APS, researchers learned how certain additives affect the microstructures obtained, providing new insights that can improve the cells’ efficiency.

8-Jan-2018 11:00 AM EST
New Catalyst for Making Fuels From Shale Gas
Tufts University

Methane in shale gas can be turned into hydrocarbon fuels using an innovative platinum and copper alloy catalyst, according to new research led by UCL (University College London) and Tufts University.

5-Jan-2018 5:05 PM EST
Chemists Discover Plausible Recipe for Early Life on Earth
Scripps Research Institute

Following the chemistry, scientists develop fascinating new theory for how life on Earth may have begun.

Released: 4-Jan-2018 3:20 PM EST
Real World Native Biocrusts: Microbial Metabolism
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Specific compounds are transformed by and strongly associated with specific bacteria in native biological soil crust (biocrust) using a suite of tools called “exometabolomics.” Understanding how microbial communities in biocrusts adapt to harsh environments could shed light on the roles of soil microbes in the global carbon cycle.

Released: 3-Jan-2018 1:40 PM EST
Rare Forms of ‘Thunder’ Protein May Be Linked to Schizophrenia
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine report they have identified rare genetic variations in a protein called Thorase, which is responsible for breaking down receptors at the connections between neurons in the brain.

Released: 3-Jan-2018 1:05 PM EST
An Unusual Form of Antibiotic Resistance in Pandemic Cholera
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)

Researchers at the University of Georgia have now shown that the enzyme that makes the El Tor family of V. cholerae resistant to those antibiotics has a different mechanism of action from any comparable proteins observed in bacteria so far. Understanding that mechanism better equips researchers to overcome the challenge it presents in a world with increasing antibiotic resistance. The results of this research are published in the Dec. 22, 2017 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

   
Released: 2-Jan-2018 3:05 PM EST
Spider's Web Inspires Removable Implant to Control Type 1 Diabetes
Cornell University

For the more than 1 million Americans who live with type 1 diabetes, daily insulin injections are literally a matter of life and death. And while there is no cure, a Cornell University-led research team has developed a device that could revolutionize management of the disease.

   
Released: 2-Jan-2018 12:30 PM EST
New Drug Testing Approach a Game-Changer for Benzodiazepine Abuse
Association for Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine (ADLM (formerly AACC))

A first-of-its-kind study published in the Pain Management issue of AACC’s The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine shows that a new drug testing approach dramatically improves detection of illicit benzodiazepine use. This could help to curb abuse of these drugs, which are second only to opioids as a cause of prescription drug overdose deaths in the U.S.

   
Released: 2-Jan-2018 12:30 PM EST
The Harmful Effects of Processed Carbs Supported by a New Study Published in AACC’s Journal Clinical Chemistry
Association for Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine (ADLM (formerly AACC))

Innovative research published in the Obesity issue of AACC’s journal, Clinical Chemistry, demonstrates that people are at greater risk for obesity if they produce higher than normal levels of insulin after eating processed carbohydrates. These findings support the still controversial theory that refined carbs are driving the obesity epidemic.

   
Released: 2-Jan-2018 12:30 PM EST
Research That Is Unraveling the Puzzle of Obesity Showcased in January Issue of AACC’s Journal Clinical Chemistry
Association for Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine (ADLM (formerly AACC))

Laboratory medicine experts are using genomics, metabolomics, and other cutting-edge clinical testing methods to advance the understanding of obesity. A special issue of AACC’s journal Clinical Chemistry, “Obesity: Innovative Approaches to Overcome Obstacles,” highlights the latest innovations in the field that could lead to more effective public health policies to curb this epidemic.

   
Released: 2-Jan-2018 11:05 AM EST
Researchers Discover Higher Environmental Impact From Cookstove Emissions
Washington University in St. Louis

Millions of Asian families use cookstoves and often fuel them with cheap biofuels to prepare food. But the smoke emitted from these cookstoves has a definite, detrimental environmental impact, particularly in India. New research from Washington University in St. Louis offers a clearer picture of the topic’s true scope.

28-Dec-2017 8:05 AM EST
Silver Nanoparticles Take Spectroscopy to New Dimension
American Institute of Physics (AIP)

As medicine and pharmacology investigate nanoscale processes, it has become increasingly important to identify and characterize different molecules. Raman spectroscopy, which leverages the scattering of laser light to identify molecules, has a limited capacity to detect molecules in diluted samples because of low signal yield, but researchers in India have improved molecular detection at low concentration levels by arranging silver nanoparticles on silicon nanowires. They describe their work in this week’s Journal of Applied Physics.

28-Dec-2017 9:05 AM EST
Locating the Precise Reaction Path: Methane Dissociation on Platinum
American Institute of Physics (AIP)

So far, the search for catalysts even better than transition metals has been largely based on trial and error, and on the assumption that catalyzed reactions take place on step edges and other atomic defect sites of the metal crystals. An international research team has combined experiments using advanced infrared techniques with quantum theory to explore methane dissociation reactions in minute detail. They report their findings this week in The Journal of Chemical Physics.

26-Dec-2018 4:05 PM EST
Researchers Discover How to Overcome Drug Resistance in Deadliest Cancers With Few Available Targeted Therapies
Mount Sinai Health System

Mount Sinai researchers have discovered a new drug combination that could provide the first targeted therapy for some of the deadliest cancers, as well as molecular predictors of tumor response to the therapy, according to a study published in Cell Reports in January.

22-Dec-2017 4:00 PM EST
A Cluster of Mutations in Neurofibromatosis Is an Important Risk Factor for Severe Symptoms
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Research shows that missense mutations in a cluster of just five codons in the NF1 gene are an important risk factor for severe symptoms of the genetic disease neurofibromatosis type 1. Such information is vital to help guide clinical management and genetic counseling in this complex disease.

18-Dec-2017 4:05 PM EST
Meet the Tiny Machines in Cells that Massacre Viruses
University of Utah Health

When viruses infect the body’s cells, those cells face a difficult problem. How can they destroy viruses without harming themselves? Scientists at University of Utah Health have found an answer by visualizing a tiny cellular machine that chops the viruses’ genetic material into bits.

18-Dec-2017 2:30 PM EST
Molecular Mapping Made Easy
UC San Diego Health

Every day, every inch of skin on your body comes into contact with thousands of molecules — from food, cosmetics, sweat, the microbes that call your skin home. Now researchers can create interactive 3D maps that show where each molecule lingers on your body, thanks to a new method developed by University of California San Diego and European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) researchers.

Released: 20-Dec-2017 4:55 PM EST
Researchers Get First Complete Look at Protein Behind Sense of Touch
Scripps Research Institute

The findings point the way to targeting diseases where this protein is mutated.

   
Released: 20-Dec-2017 4:50 PM EST
FDA-Approved High Blood Pressure Drug Extends Life Span in Roundworms
UT Southwestern Medical Center

An FDA-approved drug to treat high blood pressure seems to extend life span in worms via a cell signaling pathway that may mimic caloric restriction.

Released: 20-Dec-2017 9:30 AM EST
Harnessing Sperm to Treat Gynecological Diseases
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Delivering drugs specifically to cancer cells is one approach researchers are taking to minimize treatment side effects. Stem cells, bacteria and other carriers have been tested as tiny delivery vehicles. Now a new potential drug carrier to treat gynecological conditions has joined the fleet: sperm. Scientistsreport in the journal ACS Nano that they have exploited the swimming power of sperm to ferry a cancer drug directly to a cervical tumor in lab tests.

Released: 20-Dec-2017 9:30 AM EST
Panning for Silver in Laundry Wastewater
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Silver nanoparticles are being used in clothing for their anti-odor abilities but some of this silver comes off when the clothes are laundered. The wastewater from this process could end up in the environment, possibly harming aquatic life, so researchers have attempted to recover the silver. Now, one group reports in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering that detergent chemistry plays a significant role in how much of this silver can be removed from laundry wastewater.

Released: 20-Dec-2017 7:05 AM EST
Using the Dark Side of Excitons for Quantum Computing
American Institute of Physics (AIP)

A dark exciton can store information in its spin state, analogous to how a regular, classical bit stores information in its off or on state, but dark excitons do not emit light, making it hard to determine their spins and use them for quantum information processing. In new experiments, however, researchers can read the spin states of dark excitons, and do it more efficiently than before. Their demonstration, described in APL Photonics, can help researchers scale up dark exciton systems to build larger devices for quantum computing.

Released: 19-Dec-2017 10:05 AM EST
Secrets of Ancient Egypt May Spark Better Fuel Cells for Tomorrow’s Cars
 Johns Hopkins University

To make modern-day fuel cells less expensive and more powerful, a team led by John Hopkins chemical engineers has drawn inspiration from the ancient Egyptian tradition of gilding.

Released: 18-Dec-2017 5:05 AM EST
‘Brain-on-a-Chip” to Test Effects of Biological & Chemical Agents, Develop Countermeasures
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists and engineers have developed a “brain-on-a-chip” device that could be used to test and predict the effects of biological and chemical agents, disease, or pharmaceutical drugs on the brain over time without the need for human or animal subjects.

Released: 15-Dec-2017 10:05 AM EST
Geneseo Startup Verdimine Signs License Agreement with Research Foundation for SUNY
State University of New York at Geneseo

Geneseo-based startup company Verdimine has signed an exclusive license agreement with the Research Foundation for The State University of New York to employ a proprietary green chemistry process that improves safety and efficiency in manufacturing specialty chemicals across many industries.

   
Released: 14-Dec-2017 4:00 PM EST
New Catalyst Meets Challenge of Cleaning Exhaust From Modern Engines
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

News Release RICHLAND, Wash. — As cars become more fuel-efficient, less heat is wasted in the exhaust, which makes it harder to clean up the pollutants are emitted. But researchers have recently created a catalyst capable of reducing pollutants at the lower temperatures expected in advanced engines. Their work, published this week in Science magazine, a leading peer-reviewed research journal, presents a new way to create a more powerful catalyst while using smaller amounts of platinum, the most expensive component of emission-control catalysts.

13-Dec-2017 11:00 AM EST
Johns Hopkins Scientists Chart How Brain Signals Connect to Neurons
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have used supercomputers to create an atomic scale map that tracks how the signaling chemical glutamate binds to a neuron in the brain. The findings, say the scientists, shed light on the dynamic physics of the chemical’s pathway, as well as the speed of nerve cell communications.

Released: 14-Dec-2017 9:05 AM EST
Chemical “Pressure” Tuning Magnetic Properties
Department of Energy, Office of Science

Unexpectedly, a little chemical substitution stabilizes unusual magnetic phase of vortexes called skyrmions.

Released: 14-Dec-2017 9:00 AM EST
Scientists at the Forefront of Understanding Exposure Risks and Leading Innovations in Toxicology Research Recognized with 2018 SOT Awards
Society of Toxicology

Through its awards, SOT honors more than two dozen groundbreaking scientists, emerging leaders, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students who are advancing the science of toxicology. The SOT Awards also recognize the contributions of educators and science communicators as they work to encourage students to pursue STEM careers and improve public understanding of the connection between scientific research and public health.

Released: 13-Dec-2017 9:05 AM EST
Creating Surfaces That Repel Water and Control Its Flow (Video)
American Chemical Society (ACS)

To prevent water and ice from making our shoes soggy, frosting our car windows and weighing down power lines with icicles, scientists have been exploring new coatings that can repel water. Now one team has developed a way to direct where the water goes when it’s pushed away. Their report appears in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Released: 13-Dec-2017 9:05 AM EST
Bringing ‘Avatar’-Like Glowing Plants to the Real World
American Chemical Society (ACS)

The 2009 film “Avatar” created a lush imaginary world, illuminated by magical, glowing plants. Now researchers are starting to bring this spellbinding vision to life to help reduce our dependence on artificial lighting. They report in ACS’ journal Nano Letters a way to infuse plants with the luminescence of fireflies.

Released: 12-Dec-2017 7:05 PM EST
Nanotexturing Creates Bacteria-Killing Spikes on Stainless Steel Surfaces
Georgia Institute of Technology

By using an electrochemical etching process on a common stainless steel alloy, researchers have created a nanotextured surface that kills bacteria while not harming mammalian cells. If additional research supports early test results, the process might be used to attack microbial contamination on implantable medical devices and on food processing equipment made with the metal.

Released: 12-Dec-2017 3:05 PM EST
Perking Up and Crimping the ‘Bristles’ of Polyelectrolyte Brushes
Georgia Institute of Technology

A molecular-sized brush that looks like a shoe brush has properties with great potential for the materials industry and medicine, but polyelectrolyte brushes can be sensitive, and getting them to work right tricky. New research shows what can make them break down, but also what can get them to systematically recover.

Released: 12-Dec-2017 11:05 AM EST
Jeffery Kelly Elected to National Academy of Inventors
Scripps Research Institute

Jeffery Kelly, Ph.D., co-chair of the Department of Molecular Medicine at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), has been named a fellow of the esteemed National Academy of Inventors (NAI), the organization announced today.

Released: 11-Dec-2017 3:00 PM EST
Scientists Identify Promising New Approach forImmune System Defense Against Cancer
University of California San Diego

Researchers have identified a promising new strategy to fight infections and cancer. They uncovered a novel function for a protein known as “Runx3” that is key to the development of killer T cells—immune cells important for fighting infections and cancer.

Released: 7-Dec-2017 6:05 PM EST
Developing Advanced Graphene Materials for Industry
University of Adelaide

Research and development around new applications and industries based on the advanced material graphene – hailed as the “miracle material of the 21st century” – is the focus of a new Graphene Research Hub being launched at the University of Adelaide today.

Released: 7-Dec-2017 12:00 PM EST
SOT Releases Issue Statement on Low-Level Arsenic Exposure
Society of Toxicology

The Society of Toxicology (SOT) has approved a new Issue Statement on the issues and complexities associated with understanding the health risk from low-level arsenic exposure.

Released: 6-Dec-2017 2:30 PM EST
Scientists Craft World’s Tiniest Interlinking Chains
University of Chicago

For decades, scientists have been trying to make a true molecular chain: a repeated set of tiny rings interlocked together. In a study in Science published online Nov. 30, University of Chicago researchers announced the first confirmed method to craft such a molecular chain.

6-Dec-2017 2:00 PM EST
Combating Eye Injuries with a Reversible Superglue Seal
Keck Medicine of USC

A team of scientists and engineers at USC has developed an on-the-spot, temperature-sensitive gel that could seal eye injuries on the battlefield.

Released: 6-Dec-2017 11:05 AM EST
Five Wichita State University Student Teams Win Second Annual Koch Innovation Challenge
Wichita State University

Five student teams from Wichita State won the university's second annual Koch Innovation Challenge.

Released: 6-Dec-2017 9:45 AM EST
Bioelectronic ‘Nose’ Can Detect Food Spoilage by Sensing the Smell of Death
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Strong odors are an indicator that food has gone bad, but there could soon be a new way to sniff foul smells earlier on. As reported in ACS Nano, researchers have developed a bioelectronic “nose” that can specifically detect a key decay compound at low levels, enabling people to potentially take action before the stink spreads. It can detect rotting food, as well as be used to help find victims of natural disasters or crimes.

Released: 6-Dec-2017 9:45 AM EST
Diesel Vehicles in Oil Sands Operations Contribute to Regional Pollution
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Wildfires, cigarette smoking and vehicles all emit a potentially harmful compound called isocyanic acid. The substance has been linked to several health conditions, including heart disease and cataracts. Scientists investigating sources of the compound have now identified off-road diesel vehicles in oil sands production in Alberta, Canada, as a major contributor to regional levels of the pollutant. Their report appears in ACS’ journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Released: 6-Dec-2017 9:40 AM EST
‘Stressed Out’ Cocoa Trees Could Produce More Flavorful Chocolate
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Most people agree that chocolate tastes great, but is there a way to make it taste even better? Perhaps, according to scientists who looked at different conditions that can put a strain on cocoa trees. Reporting in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, they say that although the agricultural method used to grow cocoa trees doesn’t matter that much, the specific weather conditions do.

Released: 5-Dec-2017 1:05 PM EST
Living Cell Membranes Can Self-Sort Their Components by 'Demixing'
University of Washington

Scientists at the University of Washington show for the first time that the complex distribution of molecules within a membrane of a living yeast cell arises through demixing.

4-Dec-2017 3:25 PM EST
Protein-Folding Simulations Sped Up
American Institute of Physics (AIP)

Proteins are huge molecules whose function depends on how they fold into intricate structures. To understand how these molecules work, researchers use computer modeling to calculate how proteins fold. Now, a new algorithm can accelerate those vital simulations, enabling them to model phenomena that were previously out of reach. The results can eventually help scientists better understand and treat diseases like Alzheimer's. The work is described this week in The Journal of Chemical Physics.

Released: 5-Dec-2017 10:05 AM EST
UTSW Researchers Identify Possible New Way to Treat Parasitic Infections
UT Southwestern Medical Center

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified a chemical that suppresses the lethal form of a parasitic infection caused by roundworms that affects up to 100 million people and usually causes only mild symptoms.

Released: 4-Dec-2017 4:05 PM EST
Chemist Studying Electric Fields, Microfluidics to Improve Dialysis Technology
Iowa State University

Iowa State's Robbyn Annand is studying how a hybrid of electrochemical and microfluidic technologies could be used to improve the dialysis equipment that cleans salt, waste and water from blood. That technology could enable a wearable, artificial kidney.

Released: 4-Dec-2017 3:55 PM EST
A New Way to Deliver Multiple Sclerosis Drugs to the Brain
University of Illinois Chicago

Two researchers in the department of anatomy and cell biology in the UIC College of Medicine have received a seed grant to develop a new drug delivery method that holds promise in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.



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