A nontoxic glue for plywood—from glucose, citric acid
The go-to materials for building home furniture, décor and floors are composite wood products that come in large sheets. But the glues and resins holding together particleboard, fiberboard and plywood usually contain formaldehyde and could release t.....»»
Big impacts from small changes: Research reveals how filament interactions affect cellular networks
Tiny things matter—for instance, one amino acid can completely alter the architecture of the cell. Researchers at the Universities of Göttingen and Warwick investigated the structure and mechanics of the main component of the cell's cytoskeleton:.....»»
Unimolecular self-assembled hemicyanine-oleic acid conjugate acts to eliminate cancer stem cells: Study
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a rare population of cells in tumor tissues that drive tumorigenesis, recurrence, and metastasis. Therefore, the development of anti-tumor therapies that can eliminate CSCs has significant implications for cancer treatmen.....»»
The evolutionary timeline of diminished boric acid and urea transportation in aquaporin 10
Aquaporin (Aqp) 10 water channels in humans allow the free passage of water, glycerol, urea, and boric acid across cells. However, Aqp10.2b in pufferfish allows only the passage of water and glycerol and not urea and boric acid......»»
GPCR structure: Research reveals molecular origins of function for a key drug target
Through an international collaboration, scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have leveraged data science, pharmacology and structural information to conduct an atomic-level investigation into how each amino acid in the receptor that bi.....»»
Thianthrenium chemistry allows reactivity switch of a nucleophilic amino acid into a versatile intermediate
Chemical diversification of proteins is an important concept in the study of biological processes and the complex structures of the proteins themselves. Researchers from the Max Planck Society have now published their fascinating findings concerning.....»»
Sustainable, more efficient synthesis route of hyaluronic acid polymers for biomedical applications
Hydrogels—polymer networks with high water content—can act as a tissue mimic, providing conditions for a viable culture of embedded cells, with various applications in biomedical engineering such as tissue engineering and regenerative medicine......»»
New study explores amino acid that turns into gel in water
Hydrogels, ubiquitous materials in our daily lives, are the focus of scientific research published in Chemistry—A European Journal. Conducted by the SupraBioNanoLab at the Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering Giulio Natta at.....»»
A novel sandwich-structured composite from biopolymers for building envelope applications
A new sandwich-structured composite has been developed from the surface layers of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and the interlayer of polylactic acid and cellulose microfibers. The biodegradable cellulose microfibers can be modified chemically with a so.....»»
Saturday Citations: Dogs (woolly) and cats (athletic). Plus: Amino acid precursors on Enceladus, beer goggles on Earth
This week, scientists reported on drinking beer, Saturnian expulsions, an ancient North American dog breed, and cats playing dogs' favorite game, fetch......»»
Webb finds icy complex organic molecules around protostars
In the quest to understand how and where life might arise in the galaxy, astronomers search for its building blocks. Complex Organic Molecules (COMs) are some of those blocks, and they include things like formaldehyde and acetic acid, among many othe.....»»
A graphical user interface for analysis and design of protein–peptide interactions
Proteins function through interactions with other proteins or peptides, a complex process that is still not fully understood. Current research focuses on how amino acid residues interact in protein-protein or protein-peptide interactions to establish.....»»
Using machine learning to optimize volatile fatty acid production in riboflavin-mediated sludge fermentation
Waste activated sludge (WAS) is the most yielding byproduct in municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWTPs), and its disposal poses secondary pollution that severely threatens the environment. Producing volatile fatty acids (VFAs) from WAS is a prom.....»»
Building blocks for life could have formed near new stars and planets
While life on Earth is relatively new, geologically speaking, the ingredients that combined to form it might be much older than once thought. According to research published in ACS Central Science, the simplest amino acid, carbamic acid, could have f.....»»
A novel quantification method for ribonucleotides, which are needed in almost all cellular processes
RNA (ribonucleic acid), which is made up of ribonucleotides, is a molecule found in all living organisms. RNA is thought to have probably preceded DNA in primordial life billions of years ago. RNA was eventually replaced by DNA as a chemically more s.....»»
The role of malate decarboxylate CsNADP-ME2 in mediating the balance of carbon and amino acid metabolism in fruit
Central metabolism produces carbohydrates and amino acids that are tightly correlated to plant growth and thereby crop productivity. Malate is reported to link mitochondrial respiratory metabolism with cytosolic biosynthetic pathways. Although the fu.....»»
From waste to wealth: Transforming biomass into humic acid with two-step hydrothermal process via hydrochar
Humic acid (HA) is a macromolecular organic substance that is widely used in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, chemical industry, building materials, medicine, environmental protection, and a number of other fields. However, the production of.....»»
Putting an end to plastic separation anxiety
Bio-based plastics such as polylactic acid (PLA) were invented to help solve the plastic waste crisis, but they often end up making waste management more challenging......»»
Study finds amino acid supplementation prevents negative effects of low-protein diet on pig welfare
Pigs fed a low-protein diet can show more damaging behaviors, but this can be counteracted by supplementation of essential amino acids to their diet. This has been demonstrated in research from Wageningen University & Research. The outcome is importa.....»»
Apple Health studies share new analysis ahead of World Diabetes Day
Ahead of World Diabetes Day on November 14, two of Apple’s long-running health studies have shared new data on glucose and the challenges of people living with diabetes. The latest analyses come via updates to the Apple Heart and Movement Stud.....»»
Decoding the genetics of ascorbic acid: A deep dive into strawberry"s Vitamin C content and its environmental factors
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid (AsA), is a prevalent antioxidant found in various organisms, notably plants and animals. Functionally, AsA plays a variety of roles, from enzyme cofactor to safeguarding against oxidative damage during photosyn.....»»