Chemistry graduate student gets seven years for poisoning co-worker
By Rebecca Trager Queen’s University in Canada was the scene of a poisoning of one lab scientist by another A graduate student who pleaded guilty to poisoning a fellow chemist at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada has received a seven-year prison sentence for ‘administering a noxious substance’ and ‘aggravated assault’. The court deducted time already […]
Fluorinated compounds in cosmetic products
By Emma Lockyer Moisturisers, shaving foam and foundation investigated as sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances Source: © Jayannpo/Shutterstock Swedish scientists have investigated the levels of a group of notorious fluorinated compounds in cosmetic products. Their findings indicate the presence of fluorinated substances unaccounted for by the listed ingredients, along with high concentrations of substances […]
Wearable sensor checks blood alcohol content using sweat
[:pb] By Kirsten Hall Device shows how sweat could be used as a non-invasive source of biochemical information Source: © Jason Heikenfeld Sweat alcohol levels correlate with blood alcohol levels, new research confirms. The findings come from a study by US researchers who have made a wearable device that stimulates sweat production and measures its […]
Chemputer makes three drugs without human help in effort to make chemistry more reproducible
[:pb] By Andy Extance Scientists in the UK have developed an organic chemistry automation system and programming languages that they hope will make it easier and simpler for people to reproduce complex reactions. The Chemputer from Lee Cronin’s team at the University of Glasgow has demonstrated these capabilities by autonomously making three drugs, including Viagra […]
Leading researchers call for a ban on widely used insecticides
[:pb] Use of organophosphates has lessened, but risks to early brain development still too high By Davis Health – University of California Summary: Public health experts have found there is sufficient evidence that prenatal exposure to widely used insecticides known as organophosphates puts children at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. Tractor spraying a wheat field. […]
Amazon forests failing to keep up with climate change
[:pb] Summary: New research has assessed the impact of global warming on thousands of tree species across the Amazon to discover the winners and losers from 30 years of climate change. The analysis found the effects of climate change are altering the rainforest’s composition of tree species but not quickly enough to keep up with […]
Transforming carbon dioxide into industrial fuels
[:pb] Summary: One day in the not-too-distant future, the gases coming from power plants and heavy industry, rather than spewing into the atmosphere, could be captured and chemically transformed from greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into industrial fuels or chemicals thanks to a new system that can use renewable electricity to reduce carbon dioxide into […]
Bioreactor device helps frogs regenerate their legs
[:pb] Summary: Scientists havedesigned a device that can induce partial hindlimb regeneration in adult aquatic African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) by ‘kick-starting’ tissue repair at the amputation site. Their findings introduce a new model for testing ‘electroceuticals,’ or cell-stimulating therapies. Full Story: This image shows Xenopus laevis swimming in a tank pre-amputation. Credit: Celia Herrera-Rincon/Tufts […]
“Stress Hormone” Cortisol Linked to Early Toll on Thinking Ability
[:pb] Brain changes, visible on scans, are also associated with Alzheimer’s precursor By Karen Weintraub Credit: Francesco Sambati Getty Images The stresses of everyday life may start taking a toll on the brain in relatively early middle age, new research shows. The study of more than 2,000 people, most of them in their 40s, […]
In the largest clinical trial yet, taking a supplement or a placebo made little difference
By Marcia Frellick A large clinical trial investigated whether taking a daily vitamin D supplement could help prevent heart problems and cancer. Mark Lennihan/AP Photo CHICAGO — Taking a vitamin D supplement does not reduce the risk of having a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke or for getting an invasive cancer, according to highly […]
Cancer immunotherapy spreads rapidly
By Sarah Houlton New approvals and expanded use for checkpoint inhibitor drugs illustrate the power of Nobel-winning science A revolution is underway in cancer therapy, raising the spectre of hope for patients whose cancers are difficult or impossible to treat with surgery, radiotherapy or conventional chemotherapy. Immunotherapy, where the body’s immune system is primed to […]
The nuclear option
[:pb] By James Mitchell Crow Using radioisotopes to image inside patients’ bodies – nuclear medicine – is under threat from ageing reactors. James Mitchell Crow discovers the new science trying to fix the problem Nuclear medicine is a race against time. From the moment a medical radioisotope is generated, it starts to decay. The half-life […]
