Inflammatory disorders such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis can be diagnosed or monitored by measuring the protein calprotectin in stool samples or serum levels. Antibody-based calprotectin assays are commonly used for this purpose, but they can produce inconsistent results due to variations in antibodies. Peptides have emerged as a potential alternative to
Chemistry
Researchers have discovered that a medical dye currently in use reduces the toxic effects of death cap mushrooms in mice. While it has yet to be tested on humans, the dye has already been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) for other purposes. The discovery of the dye offers hope of
Researchers from Osaka University in Japan have discovered a new class of photo-responsive crystal compounds that can melt when exposed to ultraviolet light, a phenomenon known as photo-induced crystal-to-liquid transition (PCLT). This is the first organic crystalline material found to exhibit changes in luminescent color and intensity during the melting process induced by ultraviolet light.
Understanding the behavior of battery materials during charging and discharging is essential for improving the performance of existing batteries and developing new materials for future batteries. One such material that has become increasingly significant for future batteries is LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2, also known as NMC811. However, this material often experiences an irreversible capacity loss between the first
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a popular plastic used to manufacture single-use products such as plastic bottles and packaging due to its rigidity, transparency, and hardness. However, PET’s durability also makes it highly persistent in the environment, potentially taking several hundred years to degrade in the ocean. The biodegradation of PET by polyester hydrolases (or PETases)
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology have developed new synthetic metabolic pathways that can turn carbon dioxide into a valuable material for the biochemical industry. The process uses formic acid, which is produced through artificial photosynthesis, to create highly reactive formaldehyde. Formaldehyde can then be fed into metabolic pathways to produce other
Traditional medicines and folk remedies have been the source of many modern treatments. These practices are still widely used today and could provide solutions to various health conditions. A recent study published in ACS Omega details how a team of researchers has identified compounds found in the leaves of a specific medicinal Labrador tea plant
Researchers at Cornell University have developed a new method for analyzing protein crystals that could revolutionize drug discovery. The method, which was outlined in a paper published in Nature Communications, allows researchers to interpret the data from X-ray crystallography experiments that was previously discarded. This development could lead to a better understanding of a protein’s
Scripps Research chemists have developed a new and controllable method for making benzocyclobutenes (BCBs) that has been a long-standing issue in the field of pharmaceutical chemistry. BCBs are highly valued as building blocks for drug molecules but have been notoriously challenging to access. In a paper published in Science, the researchers described their new method
Researchers at Utrecht University and the University of Antwerp have discovered that a catalyst for clearing CO2 becomes more active and selective if its pretreatment is modified. Catalysts are essential for clearing CO2 or converting it into something useful in the energy and transportation sectors where large amounts of the greenhouse gas are emitted. The
Researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and UC Berkeley have developed a way to use bacteria to create new-to-nature carbon products that can be used to produce sustainable biochemicals. The team used natural enzymatic reactions along with a new-to-nature reaction called the “carbene transfer reaction.” The process could offer alternatives to chemical manufacturing processes that
A recent article in the ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering journal reported that used coffee pods’ plastic can be recycled to create filament for 3D printers. The solution was successfully tested by research groups in Brazil at the Federal University of São Carlos (USFCar) and the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) and in the UK
Photosynthesis is a crucial process for sustaining life on earth, but many aspects of it remain a mystery. Scientists have been working to unlock the secrets of photosynthesis for years, and now researchers from the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have succeeded in cracking a key secret of
Researchers at the University of Bayreuth, led by Prof. Dr. Thomas Scheibel, have discovered that materials made of spider silk can be modified to specifically promote the growth and proliferation of living cells of a certain type. This breakthrough in regenerative medicine comes from the ability to generate cell-specific effects of spider silk materials by
Water is known as a universal solvent that remains unchanged by its interactions. However, recent research from North Carolina State University has shown that water can change its solubility characteristics, depending on what it interacts with. This research has found that when water interacts with cellulose, it can stack in layered shells, controlling chemical reactions
