Dietary restriction for flies
Removing a single essential dietary amino acid makes fruit flies more resistant to chemicals such as nicotine, a new study has found. In people, this approach could potentially provide protection against physical traumas such as surgery or chemotherapy.
Rinse aid discovery
An ingredient in professional dishwasher detergents could damage the gut wall and trigger inflammation, according to a study of human epithelial cells. The intestinal barrier is a crucial defense against foreign substances entering the bloodstream, but there is a suspicion among some researchers that chemical agents such as surfactants may damage this barrier, exposing the immune system to pro-inflammatory agents and gut bacteria.
Tetrazine isomer clicks
Fast, high yielding ‘click chemistry’ reactions earned scientists the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2022. One of the fastest click chemistry reactions involves 1,2,4,5-tetrazines with strained azadienophiles. Now scientists in California report the synthesis of 1,2,3,5-tetrazines, a family of compounds that hold great promise for pharmaceuticals, biological probes and other chemical products.
Hygiene best option to beat resistance
A life-threatening drug-resistant bacteria is rarely transmitted to humans through animal or environmental contact as had been feared. An international group of researchers has discovered. Infections appear to be spread from person to person, meaning the best way to control spread is strict hygiene control.
Combatting dry eye
New targets for therapies for the common condition of dry eye disease may be in sight, researchers report. The team of US researchers found that, in mice with dry eye disease, the cornea activated expression of the gene SPARC.
Hope for hand arthritis
A drug that increases levels of retinoic acid could be a promising new treatment for hand osteoarthritis (OA), according to a new study. Derived from vitamin A (retinol), retinoic acid is important in cell growth and development.
Sensor for ore sorting
A mining services company in Australia has won a global award for a new ore sorting technology to spot uneconomical low-grade ore. The technology was developed by CSIRO, the Australian government’s research organisation, and licensed to the company NextOre.
Plant CO2 sensor
Scientists have identified a sensor for controlling CO2 uptake by plants – a discovery that could help to engineer crops for better productivity or drought tolerance.
Sewage surprises appear in global analysis
A global analysis of sewage has revealed remarkable diversity in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. AMR is viewed as a serious public health threat. Now, analysis of DNA in untreated sewage has been harnessed to provide a snapshot of the abundance and diversity of resistance genes.
Toughest metal alloy
The toughest material ever recorded has been made in the US. The alloy comprises chromium, cobalt and nickel (CrCoNi) and its strength and ductility improved in liquid helium down to temperatures as low as 20K. Read the news article.