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Scientists uncover role of alpha 2 delta in relaying thoughts, feelings and actions
Biochemistry scientists have uncovered the incredible role of alpha 2 delta in relaying thoughts, feelings and actions in the brain. Scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College discovered how the single proteinexerts a spigot-like function which controls the volume of neurotransmitters and other chemicals that flow between the synapses of brain neurons. This deepens our understanding of how brain cells talk to each other and consequently, how we think, feel and act. The study also had a pharmace...
Biochemistry researchers capture major chemotherapeutic target with DNA damage
Biochemistry researchers have managed to capture a major chemotherapeutic target in complex with DNA damage, which could make significant breakthroughs in combating cancer. John M. Pascal, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center, has revealed the new target sites for drugs aiming to stop PARP-1 activity. His study has been published in Science, and sheds light on the enzyme which wh...
Team of researchers get switched on by light development
A team of researchers has successfully boosted fluorescence efficiency of nanocrystals which could lead to a new form of light bulb. The traditional incandescent light bulb is rapidly falling out of use, with new methods being developed constantly to replace the tired form of lighting. Using white-light quantum dots is one such way that has been proposed by researchers, whereby ultra-small fluorescent beads of cadmium selenide convert the blue light produced by an LED into a warm white light wi...
Biochemists make inflammatory responses breakthrough
Biochemistry experts from the University of Zurich have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of inflammatory responses, shedding light on previously unclear biological mechanisms. Previous research has found that during an inflammatory response, the protein ARTD1 is removed from the DNA in order to mount an effective defence response. However, how this biological mechanism works was previously unclear. Veterinary biochemists and molecular biologists from the University of Zurich have f...
Global immunochemicals market to experience significant growth
GIA has recently released its global report on the immunochemicals market, finding that the industry is set to grow to US$3.6 billion by the year 2017. Driving the growth is advances in the area of antibody technology and increasing demand from growing research areas such as medical, agriculture, and counter bio-terrorism. There is also an increased demand for antibodies in proteome research and genome projects. A rise in research activity around food is one key area that is driving the growth....
New method for simple, rapid analysis of drug candidates
Researchers have developed a new method for simple, rapid analysis of drug candidates by creating a small-molecule probe that binds to a protein and emits a fluorescent signal only when a drug molecule displaces it, C&EN has reported. The new method skips the labelling step by using a probe molecule that fluoresce only when a drug candidate bound the target. Even though most fluorescence-based methods already allow for fast screening, this speeds it up even more by eradicating the need for resea...
Mass spec called in to combat counterfeit trade
US developers have come up with a vital tool in battling counterfeit trade in the country, using mass spec imaging to counter the ever-increasing sophistication of counterfeit trade. The nanoparticle barcode has been developed by researchers in an attempt to overcome harder-to-trace counterfeit methods. The group, from the University of Massachusetts, was led by Vincent Rotello, and managed to create a barcode that uses gold nanoparticles injected into ink by straightforward inkjet printing. T...
Avocado oil ‘could be a weapon against heart disease and cancer’
Biochemistry researchers in Mexico have found that avocado oil could be a weapon against heart disease and cancer, as well as having anti-ageing properties similar to the ones found in olive oil. Researchers presented the findings at the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in San Diego, California, US, which found that fat pressed from the exotic fruit could be a potential weapon against conditions such as heart disease and cancer. They found that avocad...
Multiple sclerosis patients have higher risk of relapse after dropping drug
Multiple sclerosis patients are more likely to relapse if they discontinue therapy after learning a positive JCV antibody result, new studies have learnt. The research found that patients who discontinued natalizumab (Tysabri) after learning their antibody result are more likely to relapse. The testing took place on a small group in a single-centre study, but could be the foundations of larger, more detailed tests. Denise Cheng of Winthrop Comprehensive MS Care Centre in Mineola, US, conducted t...
Researchers map hazardous health effects of environmental chemicals
Researchers have been able to map the hazardous health effects of environmental chemicals in the body using a genetically altered zebra fish containing an estrogen inducible promoter. Scientists at the University of Exeter and University College London (UCL) made the finding using fluorescence in fish, mapping where in the body the environmental chemicals act. National Geographic reported that endocrine disruptors mimic the actions of sexual hormones, resulting in various reproductive problems...
Scientists develop antidote for cocaine overdose
Scientists are on the verge of creating an antidote that can reverse the effects of cocaine abuse, finding that an injectable solution can protect mice from an otherwise lethal overdose of the Class A drug. The results have been well received among scientists, and there are indications that the treatment could now go to human clinical trials providing that the researchers can find a way to produce the solution cheaply and in large quantities. Study author Dr Kim Janda said: "This would be the...
Scientists use dandelion root extract to inhibit tumour growth
A group of scientists in America have successfully used dandelion root extract to inhibit the growth of tumours in mice. The group have now received additional funding in order to advance their studies further to prove that the same results could be applicable to humans. Funding is an important step to further research for the biochemistry team, but approval from Health Canada for Phase I clinical trials would be an even greater advance. Dr Caroline Hamm received initial funding from the study...
Coca-Cola beverage samples 'free of contamination in China’
Beverage analysis on samples supplied by Coca-Cola Shanxi Beverages Co Ltd have been found to be free of contamination, after they were alleged to contain traces of chlorine. An anonymous employee from the company leaked the contamination to the news this week, telling local media that nine batches of beverage products could have been contaminated during a routine pipe-cleaning exercise. However, an investigation and analysis conducted by the Food Quality Safety Supervision Testing Institute of...
E-learning resources 'have positive learning outcomes for med students'
New research has found that e-learning resources for first-year medical students studying biochemistry are a useful supplement to conventional lecture-based teaching. The Department of Biochemistry at Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, India conducted the survey into how e-learning was impacting biochemistry students. They found that e-resources were used extensively in their studies, having positive results on their learning outcomes overall. India's medical college is one of the first...
Fluorescence imaging technology 'allows partial kidney removal'
Fluorescence imaging technology has been used to create a new treatment option for patients with kidney cancer, allowing surgeons to remove only a portion of the kidney instead of the entire organ. The new procedure, called Firefly, is now being used in a hospital in Northeast Alabama, where Dr Manish Shah of Clinical Urology Associates became the first surgeon to use the technique. Lloyd Ford, chief executive officer at Riverview, said: “The Firefly allows our surgeons even greater precision...
Researchers prove FLT3 ‘is a valid therapeutic target in Acute Myeloid Leukemia’
Researchers have used groundbreaking new gene sequencing technology to prove that FLT3 is a valid therapeutic target in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. Pacific Biosciences developed the new technique, which allows for the rapid and comprehensive detection of gene mutations in patients with AML, which is the most common type of leukaemia. The findings have been published in Nature, and comprised of research efforts from the University of California, San Francisco, Pacific Biosciences and Mount Sinai Sc...
New technology introduced to speed up discovery of new therapies
A new throughput biochemical assay platform has been developed to speed up the discovery of new therapies. Cambio's Transcreener HTS assays and iuvo Microconduit array technology has been developed by BellBrook Labs, which use no radioactive compounds. There are several applications available to researchers, including cell viability, cell motility and cell differentiation assays using immunocytostaining and live cell assay staining techniques. This offers an extensive and validated method of scr...
US state bans arsenic in chicken feed after food analysis
Detailed food analysis of chicken feed has led to a US state banning all feed that contains arsenic, a move which has already been implemented in Canada and in the European Union. Maryland is the first American state to make the move, after the Food and Drug Administration carried out tests on chickens finding that half the birds that were fed the feed that contained the additive roxarsone later showed trace amounts of inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen, in their livers. The Washington Post...
New tool could provide forensic link between suspect and gun
A new forensic evidence tool has been developed that could provide a link between suspect and gun in crime scenes. The research has recently been published in Analytical Chemistry, and documents how researchers have managed to develop a tool that employs lasers to match residue to a specific calibre of firearm. Analytical chemist Jason Birkett of Liverpool John Moores University in England said: "Anything that's going to enhance or expedite the detection of gunshot residue and provide stronge...
Cell-based platform 'identifies antigens in autoimmune disorders'
German researchers have developed a cell-based platform which identifies antigens in autoimmune disorders. The platform has been said to be able to identify the antigens responsible for triggering the activation of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, and cancer. It uses an engineered T-cell line that carries T-cell receptor (TCR) molecules that are present on the patients’ own CD8+ T cells, which light up when bound to their activating peptide antigens. By incu...
Antigens of the immune system directly identified using fluorescent light
Researchers at Ludwig Maximilian University and the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology have used engineering techniques to directly identify the antigens that initiate attacks of body tissues in the immune system. The new method has been generated by using cells that emit green fluorescent light when stimulated by the binding of a cognate antigen. The fluorescence technology is based on the isolation of T cells present in samples of affected tissues taken from patients with autoimmune diseas...
Childhood obesity has a genetic component
An international collaboration of researchers have found that common childhood obesity could have a genetic component, which differs from the long-standing belief that weight gain was purely down to lifestyle. Using genome-wide association techniques, the researchers found that there were many genetic variants associated with adult obesity which are also present in childhood obesity. Struan Grant of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and colleagues also reported two new genetic variants in...
New Zealand kiwifruit industry threatened by PSA virus
The multimillion-dollar kiwifruit industry in New Zealand is under threat by the PSA virus, with biochemistry results suggesting that it could have originated in China. Otago University Department of Biochemistry scientists have been working with bacterium found 16 months ago in a Te Puke orchard. The source of the bacterium has been a key area of contention, with suggestions that it could have originated in Chile, China or Europe. Associate professor Russell Poulter said: "It's unlikely to b...
Food products will become key to life longevity
Aging baby boomers and other generations will look to food products to increase their lifespan and make them healthier, according to new research from Institute of Food Technologists' Wellness. Baby boomers are defined as those who were born between the start of 1946 to the end of 1964 in the US, many of which started to reach retirement last year. The research suggests that many of the aging population will increasingly look to food products that help then with the illnesses and chronic condit...
NMR spectroscopic method visualises the shape of protein molecules
Researchers have found a novel way of visualising the shape of protein molecules by using a new solid-state NMR spectroscopic method which incorporates paramagnetic tags. Although solid state NMR spectroscopy is well established on the bioscience scene, the data obtained from X-ray crystallographic studies is often difficult to transfer to actual three-dimensional protein structures. This new development bridges that gap, and could be used in the future to understand the properties of various bi...
Rare cell acts as immune system's memory
A rare cell has been discovered by researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute which could act as the immune system's memory, helping it remember an attack. The new discovery could pave the way for more effective treatments for immune disorders. The T follicular helper cells are very rare, representing less than half of one per cent of all immune cells, but they could be far more influential than what their size and presence suggests. Researchers found that the T follicular helper cells...
New resource reveals biochemical pathways in important crop plants
A new online database has been launched that reveals unprecedented views of the biochemical pathways controlling the metabolism of essential crop plants. The Plant Metabolic Network documents the biochemical pathways of corn, soybeans, wine grapes and cassava, and will serve as a valuable resource for researchers looking to increase crop production for food, those in biofuel development and scientists working on novel medicines. Many of these strands of research require a comprehensive understan...
Clavulanate and Meropenem combination effective in dealing with TB
Biochemistry researchers have combined clavulanate and the antibiotic meropenem, finding that the pair offer an effective treatment for tuberculosis (TB). John Blanchard, Ph.D., professor of Biochemistry at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine of Yeshiva University in New York City, said: "We've tested this combination against laboratory strains of Mtb, XDR and MDR strains from patients. In all cases, the combination doesn't just slows down growth — it kills the bacterium in laboratory tests."...
New antibody treatment found to lower bad cholesterol
A new antibody treatment SAR236553/REGN727 has been found to reduce low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) by targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). LDL-C is a bad cholesterol that is difficult to reduce, even with the use of drugs such as statins. However, Sanofi and Regeneron have recently presented findings that showed using their new antibody treatment could reduce LDL-C significantly, which could hold hope for those who struggle to reduce it with the use of dr...
Single antibody found to shrink tumors
A new study by the Stanford University School of Medicine has found that a single antibody could shrink a variety of human tumors. The researchers have successfully managed to reduce human tumors that were transplanted into laboratory mice, with some tumors disappearing all together. The antibody works by masking a protein flag on cancer cells that that protects them from macrophages and other cells in the immune system, a development which scientists achieved with human breast, ovarian, colon,...
Starfruit-shaped nanorods perfect for medical imaging
Starfruit-shaped nanorods could be at the forefront of analytical chemistry for medical imaging and chemical sensing. The fruit-like objects were synthesised by chemist Eugene Zubarev and Leonid Vigderman, a graduate student in his lab at Rice’s BioScience Research Collaborative. The findings showed that the starfruit-shaped gold nanorods could nourish applications that rely on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Particles returned 25 times stronger than similar nanorods with smooth su...
Fluorescent biosensor could detect chemicals in water
Scientists have developed a fluorescent biosensor that could be used to detect chemicals in water. New research from scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) of the Department of Energy used a tiny marine diatom called Thalassiosira pseudonana to develop the biosensor, which changes its glow in the presence of the sugar ribose. The new technology could lead to developments for sensing chemicals and other objects in water samples. A glassy shell of the diatom is used to em...
Trace elements key to nutrient cycle in tropical forests
Researchers from America have revealed new insights into the role of trace elements in the nutrient cycles of tropical forests. University of Georgia and Princeton University researchers have uncovered that molybdenum has a crucial role to play in the nutrient cycles, which could help scientists more accurately predict how tropical forests will respond to climate change. Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients in sustaining environments in the tropical forests, which is added to an eco...
Green Fluorescent Protein used to measure cell temperature
Scientists in Spain have developed a method of using Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) to measure the temperature inside cells. The researchers, from The Institute of Photonic Sciences in Catalonia, Spain, developed the technique to measure the Fluorescence Polarization Anisotropy (FPA), which is where light coming off a fluorophore varies depending on the angle with respect to polarization at which it is being viewed. Via Nanowerk, Jon Donner, one of the lead researchers of the study, explains...
New study reveals food intolerances can be revealed by simple blood test
A new study published in the Journal of Obesity & Weight Loss Therapy has found that food sensitivity is a key culprit in obesity, and has also detailed ways to measure it. Lead author John E. Lewis from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and co-author Judi M Woolger found that a person’s food intolerances can be identified by a simple blood test. Using the test, they further revealed weight loss could be achieved using a food elimination diet. The Hemocodetm Food Intolerance Syst...
Blood plasma proteins reduce beneficial effects of dietary polyphenols
Scientists in China have discovered that blood plasma proteins reduce beneficial effects of dietary polyphenols in type II diabetes patients. New research has found that raised glucose levels in the blood of diabetes patients have a significant effect on the structure of plasma proteins. This prevents proteins from carrying healthy antioxidants to cells and tissues. This reduces the effects of dietary polyphenols, which are commonly found in chocolate and red wine. The team, led by Jianbo Xiao...
Industrial chemical could cause prostate cancer
A recent biochemistry study conducted at Marshall University in the US could help scientists develop new treatments for prostate cancer. Focusing on the effects of cadmium on the prostate, Dr Pier Paolo Claudio, an associate professor at the university's Joan C Edwards School of Medicine, found that the prostate could be a target for cancer caused by cadmium, which is an extremely toxic metal found in industrial workplaces. Dr Claudio said: "In our study, we investigated the effects of cadmium...
Thermogravimetric coupling yields 'significantly more' information
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry coupling has been found to yield significantly more information for analysis of complex reactions. When it comes to these complex reactions, thermogravimetric analysis alone can often fail to achieve the required results. Analysing the release of gases from additives made of polymer blends, for example, would not be sufficiently compiled with the use of only thermogravimetric analysis. However, coupling the simultaneous thermobalance (TGA or TGA-DSC) to a g...
New discovery on the low thermal conductivity of biological materials
A new discovery has been said to 'revolutionise' conventional thought on the low thermal conductivity of biological materials, after researchers found that spider silk conducts heat better than other organic tissues. Xinwei Wang, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Iowa State University, has discovered that at 416 watts per metre Kelvin spider silk has better conductivity than silicon, aluminium and pure iron as well as being 800 times more conductive than other organic tissues....
Molecular evidence on the effect of chronic stress
Researchers at the University of Buffalo have linked the loss of glutamate receptor with negative effects of chronic stress, confirming on a molecular level that chronic stress has a more powerful effect on the brain during adolescence than in adulthood. Zhen Yan, PhD, a professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics in the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences said: "We have identified a causal link between molecules and behaviours involved in stress responses. "It's the fir...
Analytica: What’s on people’s minds?
The latest methods and techniques on the topic of food analysis will be revealed at this year’s Analytica in Munich, where scientists and researchers will have the chance to discuss the recent uproar over prohibited and hazardous substances in food and offer quick, easy and accurate food analysis solutions as a response. Exhibition director Katja Stolle commented on the significance of food analysis at Analytica 2012, commenting in SeperationsNow: "Effective consumer protection is only possibl...
Fluorescent polymer thermometer maps temperature differences in cells
Scientists in Japan have developed a new fluorescent polymer thermometer which can map the temperature differences in different portions of living cells. The new equipment has shown some organelles within cells are warmer than others, and could help understand how cells regulate their temperature and how this correlates with disease. Seiichi Uchiyama and his team from the University of Tokyo have already developed a fluorescent polymer that can determine the average temperature of whole cells,...
Antibody could provide new treatment for Alzheimer's disease
A new type of antibody has been found to block a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease in mice, which could offer potential for a new route to treatment. Recent research by University College London has found that the antibodies shut down a protein called Dkk1 that in turn stops the formation of amyloid plaque in the brain, a key factor in the progression of Alzheimer's, said the findings in the Journal of Neuroscience. A build up of this plaque can lead to a loss of connection between synapses and...
Analytical chemistry finds high levels of 4-methylimidazole in fizzy drinks
Beverage analysis of Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, Diet Coke, and Diet Pepsi has found that they contain high levels of 4-methylimidazole (4-MI), a known animal carcinogen. Ammonia and sulfites are used to manufacture the caramel colouring of the fizzy drinks, which forms the carcinogen. The tests were commissioned by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest in the US, who have previously called for ammonia-sulfite caramel colouring to be banned. 4-methylimidazole (4-MI) is a known carcinogen, a...
New spectroradiometer configured for quick detailed fluorescence data
Gamma Scientific has added to its analytical chemistry range with a new spectroradiometer that has been designed to quickly obtain detailed fluorescence data for any fluorescent or reflective material. The new system, Bi-Spectral Fluorescence Spectroradiometer, allows researchers to simultaneously measure spectral reflectance, spectral transmittance and absorption while utilising dual, calibrated integrating spheres to measure total flux. It takes precise measurements of both the transmitted an...
Home DNA test for viruses and bacteria
A new analytical chemistry device currently used by people with diabetes could be adapted into a home DNA detector for individual virus and bacteria tests in human body fluids. The device could also be used for detection in food and other substances, according to a new study that appears in American Chemical Society's journal Analytical Chemistry. The researchers, from the University of Illinois, believe that developing low-cost tests such as this, which allow the public to check for early dia...
Serum xanthophylls, retinal xanthophylls and lipoprotein concentrations found to be related
A new study which was designed to analyse the relationship between xanthophyll carotenoids lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) in the serum and the retina has found that Serum xanthophylls, retinal xanthophylls and lipoprotein concentrations are all significantly related. Scientists conducted three experiments, all in which the lipoproteins were measured enzymatically from plasma, and MP optical density (MPOD) was measured using customized heterochromatic flicker photometry. The first experiment teste...
Larger-scale OPUS brand chromatography columns launched
The Open Platform User Specified or OPUS line extension has been introduced in order to meet a growing demand for disposable technologies in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The new larger-scale OPUS brand chromatography columns used in the manufacture of biopharmaceuticals are among several new technologies that have been said to be revolutionizing biomanufacturing by enabling increased facility flexibility and operating efficiencies. OPUS pre-packed, single-use plastic chromatography columns...
MALDI-TOF-MS analysis used to identify biomarkers in TB drug analysis
MALDI-TOF-MS analysis has been used to identify antigens that can be used for the serodiagnosis of drug-resistant M. Results from the test found that Rv2031c, Rv3692, and Rv0444c could be candidate biomarkers for effective use in the serodiagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis infections. Combining a formula of these antigens should be a top consideration when designing a subunit assay kit, according to the researchers. The researchers were able to reach their results by subjecting a serum fr...
Research expands into Chinese herbal medicines
The growing popularity of Chinese herbal medicines has prompted the Department of Health in Hong Kong to publish reference standards on safety and quality based on research from six local universities. Methods of identification were outlined in the Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (HKCMMS), which include microscopic identification, thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatographic fingerprinting. The volume additionally sets out the name, source and description of...