American Chemical Society, A silky home for air- and water-purifying microalgae
Microalgae are tiny but important organisms, producing oxygen for us to breathe. But scientists have also used the microscopic, aquatic creatures to make biofuels, food and pharmaceuticals, as well as to capture carbon dioxide from power plants and turn it into oxygen. Now, with the help of silkworm cocoons, researchers reporting in ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering have made an artificial home to support microalgae growth and photosynthesis for environmental applications.
Someday, microalgae might be used for purposes ranging from wastewater cleanup to the purification of indoor air. But first, scientists need a way to keep microalgae in the proper place to do their jobs, without floating away or contaminating natural water systems. Researchers have developed various materials to immobilize the microorganisms, but they have limitations, such as possibly being toxic, or not being strong or stable enough. David Kaplan and colleagues had previously developed a silk hydrogel that could support mammalian cell growth, and they wondered if it would also work for microalgae.
- Tuesday, September 3, 2019
In The Wizard of Oz, the Tin Man famously sang, “If I only had a heart . . . “ Although the Tin Man had to be satisfied with a heart-shaped clock, researchers reporting in ACS’ Nano Letters have now created a miniature cyborg heart that produces electrical signals like the human version. But instead of implanting the organoid into a robot, the researchers plan to use it to study heart development, diseases and therapeutics.
To better understand complex organs like the heart and brain, scientists would like to implant sensors that could continuously monitor cellular activities throughout the entire 3D structure of an organ over a long period of time. However, implanting or injecting such devices directly into a living organ could destroy intricate cellular networks, and the sensors wouldn’t penetrate into all regions. Therefore, Jia Liu at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard and his colleagues wanted to incorporate nanoelectronics into human tissue to produce a miniature cyborg heart, outside of the human body.
WASHINGTON--Many forms of birth control are hormone-based, but not everything mixes well with those hormones. This week on Reactions, learn about some common products that could make your birth control less effective or cause dangerous side effects:
According to the World Health Organization, asthma is the most prevalent chronic childhood disease worldwide. That’s why researchers are working on developing technology that could predict when a child will have an asthma attack and provide prevention and treatment suggestions, according to an article in Chemical and Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly news magazine of the American Chemical Society.
For asthma treatments to be more effective, there needs to be a shift to individually tailored care, some experts say. To help make this possible, researchers are using smart phones, watches and various sensors to gather data from children with asthma, Senior Editor Britt Erickson writes. The devices track geographical location, physical activity, air quality and health data, which are wirelessly transmitted to the user’s smart device in real time. To encourage the children to self-report daily activities and symptoms, the researchers created an animated dragon that asks the children questions. The dragon appears happy when questions are answered, and he becomes hungry when he needs to be fed more answers.
Metastasis, in which cancer cells break free from the primary tumor and form tumors at other sites, worsens the prognosis for many cancer patients. The lymph nodes –– glands of the immune system located throughout the body –– are typically the traveling cells’ first destination. Now, researchers have developed a strategy to target metastases in lymph nodes for destruction, before they can cause cancer at other locations. They report their results in ACS Nano.
Gluten-free diets have been trendy for several years now, with adherents claiming that avoiding grains that contain the substance helps with weight loss or improves general health. However, for people with celiac disease, avoiding gluten is not a fad but a necessity. Now, researchers reporting in the Journal of Proteome Research have developed a method to detect proteins from rye, which could help food manufacturers meet regulatory requirements for “gluten-free” claims on foods.
Beachgoers are becoming increasingly aware of the potentially harmful effects UV filters from sunscreens can have on coral and other marine organisms when the protective lotions wash off their bodies into the ocean. Now, researchers have studied how sunscreens release different compounds — trace metals and inorganic nutrients — into Mediterranean seawater, with unknown effects on marine ecology. They report their results in ACS’ journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Weeds are pesky in any situation. Now, imagine a weed so troublesome that it has mutated to resist multiple herbicides. Palmer amaranth, a member of the pigweed family, is spreading across states and growing in strength. If farmers and weed scientists cannot find a new solution, crop yields could decline substantially, according to an article in Chemical and Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly news magazine of the American Chemical Society.
When it comes to cultural heritage sites, there are few things historians wouldn’t do to preserve them for future generations. In particular, stone buildings and sculptures made of plaster and marble are increasingly at risk of damage from air pollution, acid rain and other factors. Researchers now report in ACS Applied Nano Materials a new, calcium-based conservation treatment inspired by nature that overcomes many drawbacks of currently used methods.
A famous experiment in 1953 showed that amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, could have formed spontaneously under the atmospheric conditions of early Earth. However, just because molecules could form doesn’t mean that the process was likely. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have demonstrated that energetically feasible interactions between just two small molecules –– hydrogen cyanide and water –– could give rise to most of the important precursors of RNA and proteins.
Munching on low-fat potato chips might reduce the guilt compared with full-fat versions, but many people don’t find the texture as appealing. Now, researchers have developed a technique to analyze potato chips’ physical characteristics from simulated first bite to swallow, which they say could be used to help formulate a tastier low-fat snack. They report their results in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
WASHINGTON — On April 26, 1986, the Soviet Union’s Chernobyl Power Complex nuclear reactor 4 exploded. This week on Reactions, we talk about the chemistry behind this catastrophic event:
Having bad breath can mean someone ate a smelly lunch, but it could indicate that the person is sick. Various scent compounds have been linked to illnesses such as diabetes, lung cancer and Parkinson’s disease, leading scientists to develop technology that measures these substances. However, the challenge is creating instrumentation that can detect low, diagnostic levels of these disease biomarkers. Now, scientists report in ACS’ Analytical Chemistry a highly sensitive “sniff-cam” that fits the bill.
Extracts of the herb Withania coagulans, or Paneer dodi, are used in traditional Indian medicine. Although some healers claim that W. coagulans can help treat diabetes, the bitter-tasting plant hasn’t been studied extensively by scientists. Now, researchers have found that herbal extracts packaged in polymers derived from natural substances can reduce blood glucose levels in diabetic mice. They report their results in ACS Omega.
Hot summer weather, stressful situations and intense workouts can produce unpleasant sweaty odors. But what if clothing could cover up these embarrassing smells with a burst of fragrance? Now, researchers have modified cotton fabric to emit a lemony citronella aroma upon contact with sweat. They report their body-odor-fighting strategy in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
WASHINGTON -- Your body is a delicately balanced chemical system, and if you take too much of a drug, you destroy that balance. That’s what happens when you overdose. This week on Reactions, learn how to spot an overdose and the ways different types of drugs wreak havoc on your brain:
Since ancient times, the Red Planet has captured the imaginations of scientists, writers and the general public. In July 2020, three rovers with different chemical missions are scheduled to launch to Mars in an attempt to answer questions about the planet’s history and whether life could have ever existed there, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society.
Levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) are rising, which experts predict could produce more droughts and hotter temperatures. Although these weather changes would negatively impact many plants’ growth, the increased CO2 availability might actually be advantageous because plants use the greenhouse gas to make food by photosynthesis. Now, researchers reporting in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry say that a much higher CO2 level could increase wheat yield but slightly reduce its nutritional quality.
Most people take speech for granted, but it’s actually a complex process that involves both motions of the mouth and vibrations of folded tissues, called vocal cords, within the throat. If the vocal cords sustain injuries or other lesions, a person can lose the ability to speak. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Nano have developed a wearable artificial throat that, when attached to the neck like a temporary tattoo, can transform throat movements into sounds.
Being sprayed by a skunk is no fun for people or their pets, and the strong, stinky secretions can serve as a nasty reminder of the wildlife encounter for days or weeks. Available “de-skunking” formulas often either don’t work well or can irritate the skin and eyes. Now, researchers reporting in ACS’ Journal of Natural Products have identified a compound from fungi that safely and effectively neutralizes skunk spray odor.