One of the most abundant South Asian and Sub-Saharan African legumes is the hardy, nutritional grass pea. However, the vegetable naturally produces a paralyzing neurotoxin, and the exact mechanism has long eluded scientists – until now.
Category: Research Bites
A New Highly Degradable Biobased Plastic
An investigation of the performance and degradation mechanism of a seawater-degradable copolyester.
Enzyme Resurrection: What did photosynthesis look like billions of years ago?
The enzyme responsible for photosynthesis is over 2.5 billion years old. How has billions of years of evolution changed its efficiency? Scientists resurrected an ancient version of the enzyme to find out.
Detecting SARS-CoV-2 using Lettuce, not the vegetable
With the continued prevalence of Covid-19, development of new and improved detection methods of the virus is an important step forward in simplifying diagnosis and treatment. This article explores the use of DNA aptamers as a viral detection tool.
Non-invasive, low molecular weight, biomarker method for detection of skin cancer.
Development of a new, non-invasive and topical sampling method uses low molecular weight, skin cancer biomarkers for better detection for early stages of skin cancer diagnostics.
Electron spin selectivity effects can be harvested in asymmetric catalysis
A deeper understanding of spintronics enables the generation of new technologies using chiral molecules.
MACHINE LEARNING TECHNIQUES UNRAVEL CELL DEATH MARKERS
Title: Machine Learning Classifies Ferroptosis and Apoptosis Cell Death Modalities with TfR1 ImmunostainingAuthors: Jenny Jin, Kenji Schorpp, Daniel Samaga, Kristian Unger, Kamyar Hadian, and Brent R. StockwellYear: 2022Journal: ACS Chemical BiologyDOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acschembio.1c00953 Featured image by Alex Ritter, Jennifer Lippincott Schwartz and Gillian Griffiths, National Institutes of…
Reaffirming the story of Earth’s atmosphere
Earth’s atmosphere didn’t see oxygen until over 2 billion years ago. New techniques help confirm an old hypothesis about exactly when the planet’s oxygenation happened.
A Cheap Fix for Diffuse Methane
Converting methane to carbon dioxide could be a key strategy in tackling climate change.
Go Ask Mother Nature—she’s got an answer
An overwhelming majority of scientists are in agreement—and that never happens—something must change before we reach the so-called “point-of-no-return”. The onset of the industrial era (and the associated benefits) encouraged a system that pollutes our environment in search of the largest possible profits. More recently, our voices have gotten louder, and large groups of society have dedicated themselves to uncovering the solutions to these problems. Perhaps, in this regard, Mother Nature still has lessons to offer.
How to solve a structure
Combining different data to solve a structure
Identifying toxic pesticides with microbial electricity
Some pesticides function similarly to the nerve agent sarin, and their ubiquitous use makes them a constant health hazard if unmonitored. Chemists designed a dual-microbe sensor to selectively and sensitively determine when the hazardous chemicals are nearby.
Novel Fluorogenic Probes Provide Polarity Specific Detection of Cancer Cell Membranes
Development of novel fluorogenic probes provide valuable insights regarding the polarity of cancer cell membranes.
Boosting student confidence with micropipette color wheels
Many students learn about how to use the persnickety micropipette while performing other,critical reactions. However instructors at Montmouth College designed a unique teaching exercise to instill confident micropipette usage using color wheels.
Massively increased antibiotic synthesis via biocatalysis
Treating those with active COVID-19 requires antiviral drugs such as molnupriavir. However, the drug’s synthesis is lengthy and low yield – can enzymes be used to optimize both time and the end result?
The origin story of Martian organic carbon has a new twist.
Carbon isotopes measured by the Mars rover Curiosity reveal that the ancient organic carbon found in Martian rocks originates from three possible sources: Galactic dust storms, solar irradiation or microbial methane.
Looking toward nature in the fight against COVID-19
How can we use compounds produced by cannabis as tools against COVID-19? This article discusses the identification of three cannabinoids which decrease the infection rate of SARS-CoV-2.
Breaking down the study descriptors in a clinical trial
Clinical trials are often labeled with a laundry list of descriptors: single blind, double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized – what do these labels all mean? Let’s look at a recent study as an example of what these descriptions mean and why they’re relevant to the research conducted.
Unmasking COVID-19 infections
As the global COVID-19 pandemic rolls into its third year many of us wear masks almost all day at work or in the community. Read how these researchers have developed a sensor that can be embedded into your mask, which collects your exhaled breath to act as a COVID-19 test for the end of the day.
Greener materials for the next generation of solid fuels
Greener materials and processes for fuels and explosives! Scientist demonstrate how to tune a class of porous materials that ignite spontaneously when mixed with acid.
Identifying bum knees before injury with laser light
Raman spectroscopy can identify the extent of meniscus damages in knees before serious injury occurs.
Molecular Nanoparticles: Large Molecules to Prevent Oxidative Stress?
Maybe chemistry can save us—in this case, synthetic chemists have developed a family of lanthanide-oxo molecules and investigate their capabilities as radical species scavengers, with a possible future in the clinic to mitigate various diseases onset by oxidative stress (get antioxidants into your diet, people!).
Going to Flavortown: Understanding the terpene content of cannabis
How can using computational and biochemical techniques help us understand the different flavors of cannabis? This paper explores identifying terpenes that make each cannabis strain unique.
Ozone Is The Key To Effective Lipid Detection And Isomer Resolution
Lipids are an important class of biological molecules where the physical and chemical structure will impact its function in our body. Effective lipid detection and analysis are key to understanding specific lipid interactions and overall biological impact. This paper discusses development of new analytical detection technique for mass spectrometry which provides greater insight into lipid biological chemistry.
Bio-catalytic chemistry simplifies synthetic route to produce COVID-19 drug
Molnupiravir, a drug developed by Merck, will probably be authorized by the FDA in the coming weeks. This paper discusses the development of a shortened synthetic route to produce the medicine.