Researchers unzip nanotubes by shooting them at 15,000 mphcarbon nanotubes unzipped into graphene nanoribbons by a chemical process invented at Rice university are finding use in all kinds of projects
but Rice scientists have now found a chemical-free way to unzip them. The Rice lab of materials scientist Pulickel Ajayan discovered that nanotubes that hit a target end first turn into mostly ragged clumps of atoms.
But nanotubes that happen to broadside the target unzip into handy ribbons that can be used in composite materials for strength
The Rice researchers led by graduate student Sehmus Ozden reported their finding in the American Chemical Society journal Nano Letters.
Until now we knew we could use mechanical forces to shorten and cut carbon nanotubes. This is the first time we have showed carbon nanotubes can be unzipped using mechanical forces.
The researchers fired pellets of randomly oriented multiwalled carbon nanotubes from a light gas gun built by the Rice lab of materials scientist Enrique Barrera with funding from NASA.
The pellets impacted an aluminum target in a vacuum chamber at about 15000 miles per hour. When they inspected the resulting carbon rubble they found nanotubes that smashed into the target end first
or at a sharp angle simply deformed into a crumpled nanotube. But tubes that hit lengthwise actually split into ribbons with ragged edges.
We were investigating possible applications for carbon nanotubes in space when we got this result.
The effect was confirmed through molecular simulations. They showed that when multiwalled tubes impact the target the outer tube flattens hitting the inside tubes
Ozden explained that the even distribution of stress along the belly-flopping nanotube which is many times longer than it is wide breaks carbon bonds in a line nearly simultaneously.
Ozden said the process eliminates the need to clean chemical residues from nanoribbons produced through current techniques.
One-step chemical-free clean and high-quality graphene nanoribbons can be produced using our method. They're potential candidates for next-generation electronic materials he said.
Ajayan is Rice's Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Mechanical engineering and Materials Science and of chemistry and chair of the Department of Materials Science and Nanoengineering.
When organic chemicals from trees and vegetation mix with air pollutants the resulting corrosive gas can increase the erosion of building materials including stone concrete and steel.
which can reduce greenhouse gases cut down exposure to pollution and provide mental health benefits. However the effect on buildings from the mix of pollutants and organic chemicals has not been accounted previously for.
The damage is caused mainly by ground level ozone which is formed when volatile organic compounds given off by plants are broken down in sunlight
and react with the common pollutant nitrogen dioxide. Using mathematical simulations the research team investigated the effect of green vegetation on limestone
Species like sycamore maple and Douglas fir (both commonly found in cities) produced organic compounds which combined with high levels of ground level ozone during the summer heightened the concentration of ground level ozone says Dr Tiwary.
When organic chemicals from trees and vegetation mix with air pollutants the resulting corrosive gas can increase the erosion of building materials including stone concrete and steel.
which can reduce greenhouse gases cut down exposure to pollution and provide mental health benefits. However the effect on buildings from the mix of pollutants and organic chemicals has not been accounted previously for.
The damage is caused mainly by ground level ozone which is formed when volatile organic compounds given off by plants are broken down in sunlight
and react with the common pollutant nitrogen dioxide. Using mathematical simulations the research team investigated the effect of green vegetation on limestone
Species like sycamore maple and Douglas fir (both commonly found in cities) produced organic compounds which combined with high levels of ground level ozone during the summer heightened the concentration of ground level ozone says Dr Tiwary.
At the end of the study period the group eating an almond-enriched diet had higher levels of antioxidants (alpha-tocopherol) in their blood stream improved blood flow
Almonds are known to contain a range of beneficial substances such as Vitamin e and healthy fats fibre
and folate status. The beneficial effects of Juice Plus+Â supplementation could potentially help smokers
I recommend avoiding extended chemical product exposure by changing clothes and washing off insect repellent with soap and water when you come inside.
These compounds are decoded then by around 400 olfactory receptors in the nose. Scientists have presented these findings in chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie International.
Complementing the five basic tastes of sweet bitter salty sour and umami a large variety of odors also contribute to the overall sensory impression of a foodstuff.
In recent decades approximately 10000 volatile food compounds have been identified. Scientists from Technische Universitã¤t Mà nchen (TUM) and the German Research center for Food Chemistry (DFA have carried out a meta-analysis on the odorant patterns of 227 food samples.
How cognac gets its complex notesthey were surprised to find that the almost unlimited variety of food smells is based on 230 key odorants.
So for example the smell of cultured butter is encoded by a combination of just 3 key molecules
Peter Schieberle from the TUM Chair of Food Chemistry. Cognac is the most complex of all:
the smell of this popular brandy is attributable to 36 key molecules. Brain blends individual notes to create a new odor identitythe chemical odor codes are translated into olfactory stimulus patterns
when food is consumed. For this the key odorous substances have to interact with one or more of the 400 olfactory receptors in the nose.
Thomas Hofmann from the TUM Chair of Food Chemistry and Molecular Sensory Science. When people perceive external chemical odor patterns
and process them in the brain the individual odor components do not just add up. Rather the individual olfactory notes are translated into a new odor identity.
In view of the chemical odor code combination possibilities and the 400 or so different olfactory receptors it appears that there is a more or less unlimited number of discernible odor qualities claims Schieberle.
Optimizing odors in food productionso far scientists have identified 42 receptors that respond to food odors--with the majority binding multiple odor molecules.
For example knowing more about the odor codes of crop plants and fruits at molecular level can be useful to breeders.
low-fat/fat-free milka nutrition education program in low-income child care centers can improve a child's at home consumption of vegetables and low-fat/fat-free milk according to a study by researchers
and low-fat and fat-free dairy products said Pam Williams Ph d. senior research scientist in RTI's Center for Communication Science
or use low-fat/fat-free milk on their cereal than children who were exposed not to the program.
While children's vegetable and low-fat/fat-free milk consumption improved the study found that the program did not have a significant impact on parental offerings of fruits
and biodiversityfossil fuel emissions release billions of tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year which is changing the climate
and Eric Davidson reviews new research conducted by Brazilian colleagues demonstrating the high carbon costs of converting intact Brazilian savanna compared to the carbon gains obtained from converting underutilized pastureland for biofuel
Brazil's national commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions along with rising gasoline prices has led to the world's largest fleet of flex-fuel vehicles fueled by the over 36 million tonnes of sugar cane currently grown in the country.
Macedo and Davidson note the new research shows that it would take 17 years of sugar cane production to make up for the carbon losses caused by clearing the Cerrado.
In contrast converting already cleared pastures to sugar cane production provides a nearly immediate carbon payback
when ethanol is burned in lieu of gas and oil. With over 2. 5 million square kilometers of existing cleared lands in Brazil much of which is degraded pasture lands there is already a large potential area for biofuel crop expansion.
and fuel with no further biodiversity loss minimal carbon costs and even a carbon gain
#Vegetarian diets produce fewer greenhouse gases and increase longevity, say new studiesconsuming a plant-based diet results in a more sustainable environment
and reduces greenhouse gas emissions while improving longevity according to new research from Loma Linda University Health.
and compare greenhouse gas emissions as well as assess total mortality. The mortality rate for non-vegetarians was almost 20 percent higher than that for vegetarians and semi-vegetarians.
On top of lower mortality rates switching from non-vegetarian diets to vegetarian diets or even semi-vegetarian diets also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
since previous studies relating dietary patterns to greenhouse gas emissions and health effects relied on simulated data
Both papers demonstrate that the production of food for human consumption causes significant emissions of greenhouse gases
Tumor cells move up a gradient based on the presence of a chemical or chemoattractant--this process is called haptotaxis.
and becoming a competitive low-carbon economy? Taking action and taking a decision on the 2030 climate and energy framework in October will bring us just there
The project also looks at the scenario where strong greenhouse gas reduction policies are implemented and temperature rise is kept below 2 degrees Celsius (the current international target).
which is a good thing for getting more vitamins and fiber in one's diet Kaiser said.
Both grains have high levels of protein fiber and beta-glucan. There is now evidence that oats
or ingredient's protein structure reducing the salty sweet or bitter signal to the brain.
Specifically the study results using mice genetically engineered to mimic Alzheimer's disease suggest that Lavado cocoa extract prevents the protein Î-amyloid-(AÎ) from gradually forming sticky clumps in the brain
Within healthy nerve pathways each nerve cell sends an electric pulse down itself until it reaches a synapse where it triggers the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters that float across the gap
The disease-causing formation of AÎ oligomers--groups of molecules loosely attracted to each other-build up around synapses.
In addition AÎ triggers immune inflammatory responses like an infection bringing an on a rush of chemicals
While it is known that plants have evolved large families of GTS the chemical nature of these enzymes is such that the specific functions of most GTS remain largely unknown.
In addition to the clones for Arabidopsis and rice GTS Heazlewood and his collaborators at JBEI also created a set of highly efficient particle bombardment plasmids--pbullets
--which are shot plasmids into a cell to mark the location of targeted proteins. The JBEI pbullets are constructed with markers for the plant endomembrane system the collection of membranes that separates a cell's functional and structural compartments.
when it comes to localizing proteins. While the 403 Arabidopsis clones represent approximately 88-percent of the defined Arabidopsis GTS the 96 rice clones represent only 15-percent of the defined rice GTS.
and how its fats interact with the digestive system until now. Funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and led by Dr Stefan Salentinig
By unlocking the detailed structure of milk we have the potential to create milk loaded with fat soluble vitamins
and brain building molecules for premature babies or a drink that slows digestion so people feel fuller for longer.
and adding cows'milk the team found that milk has a unique structure--an emulsion of fats nutrients
Using enzymes present in the body water was added to milk fat to break it down
Dr Salentinig said the structure is similar to a sponge potentially enhancing the absorption of milk's healthy fats.
and that milk fat has significant influence on the flavor texture and nutritional value of all dairy food.
But what we didn't know was the structural arrangement of this fat during digestion he said.
when the body starts the digestion process an enzyme called lipase breaks down the fat molecules to form a highly geometrically ordered structure.
These small and highly organised components enable fats vitamins and lipid-soluble drugs to cross cell membranes and get into the circulatory system Dr Salentinig said.
The next phase of the research will see the team work with nutritionists to better make the link between these new findings
and farms where chemical pesticides were applied experienced a two-thirds increased risk of having a child with autism spectrum disorder
and prenatal exposure to agricultural chemicals in California said lead study author Janie F. Shelton a UC Davis graduate student who now consults with the United nations
whether certain subgroups are more vulnerable to exposures to these compounds than others the message is very clear:
Women who are pregnant should take special care to avoid contact with agricultural chemicals whenever possible.
Twenty-one chemical compounds were identified in the organophosphate class including chlorpyrifos acephate and diazinon. The second most commonly applied class of pesticides was pyrethroids one quarter
The addresses then were overlaid on maps with the locations of agricultural chemical application sites based on the pesticide-use reports to determine residential proximity.
which participants were exposed to which agricultural chemicals. We mapped where our study participants'lived during pregnancy and around the time of birth.
In that early developmental gestational period the brain is developing synapses the spaces between neurons where electrical impulses are turned into neurotransmitting chemicals that leap from one neuron to another to pass messages along.
Research from the CHARGE Study has emphasized the importance of maternal nutrition during pregnancy particularly the use of prenatal vitamins to reduce the risk of having a child with autism.
While it's impossible to entirely eliminate risks due to environmental exposures Hertz-Picciotto said that finding ways to reduce exposures to chemical pesticides particularly for the very young is important.
The secretory proteins showed high representation in transcriptome of pig whipworm. The peptidases particularly the secreted peptidases upregulated during larval development
It would also reduce emissions of greenhouse gases says Skreiberg. In comparison with other fossil fuels charcoal emits low levels of sulphur and nitrogen oxides.
The process of converting silicon oxide (quartz) into pure silicon uses carbon as a reducing agent. Currently the reducing agents used are fossil fuels such as coal and coke.
We also want to make use of by-products such as combustible gases and tars bio-oils) says Skreiberg.
and tested for physical and chemical alterations linked to human activity. Timeframes are identified through radiocarbon dating of freshwater snail shells and other organic soil matter.
Our bacteria produce a volatile chemical that's dispersed through the air and tremendously inhibits the growth of fungal and bacterial pathogens Cornelison said.
and unexpectedly the genetically modified female larvae containing the tetracycline lethality genes also took on a crimson color due to overexpression of the linked red fluorescent protein marker gene.
and can carry away soil particles if it flows overland. Since water flows downhill that's where the soil goes once water erosion begins.
As species distribution and abundance shift due to climate change interspecific differences in leaf-out timing may affect ecosystem processes such as carbon water
The study provides fascinating insights into the molecular history of evolution and is published By nature today.
Rolf Zeller from the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Basel has investigated now the molecular changes
The development of limbs in both species is initially strikingly similar and molecular differences only become apparent during hand and foot plate development:
We think this early loss of molecular asymmetry triggered the evolutionary changes that ultimately resulted in development of cloven-hoofed distal limb skeleton in cattle
The identified genetic alterations affecting this regulatory switch offer unprecedented molecular insights into how the limbs of even-toed ungulates diverged from those of other mammals roughly 55 million years ago explains Rolf Zeller.
and seeds with enzymes that break down cell walls they could make it easier to extract phenolic compounds.
Synthetic antioxidants also preserve fats and oils in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The phenolics extracted during the UF study on the other hand are natural not synthetic antioxidants. â#oethis concept of using natural antioxidants in many different things in the food world is a nice concept to consumersâ#he said.
The study was published in the February online edition of the journal Food Chemistry and is scheduled to be in the journalâ##s print edition in August.
#Livestock gut microbes contributing to greenhouse gas emissionsincreased to levels unprecedented is how the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) described the rise of carbon dioxide methane and nitrous oxide emissions in their report on the physical science basis
when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. It turns out that the amount of methane produced varies substantially across individual animals of the same ruminant species. To find out why this is
or being able to claim carbon credits. If everything went well you could expect introduction of the low methane trait to begin in three years
When Ruby died suddenly in April from apparently ingesting rat poison it was a local tragedy as well as a national warning about the serious dangers these chemicals pose to wildlife.
and validated a molecular assay that can detect and quantify major genes specific for E coli O157.
The newly developed test is a molecular assay or polymerase chain reaction that detects bacteria based on genetic sequences
and Nagaraja worked with two Kansas State university molecular biologists: Xiaorong Shi research assistant of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology and Bai.
They found that EBB1 codes for a protein that helps to restart cell division in a part of the tree known as meristem
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public health working with colleagues at several U s. and Chinese institutions used the broccoli sprout beverage to provide sulforaphane a plant compound already demonstrated to have cancer preventive properties
Broccoli sprouts are a source of glucoraphanin a compound that generates sulforaphane when the plant is chewed or the beverage swallowed.
Secondary analyses by the investigators indicated that the sulforaphane may be exerting its protective actions by activating a signaling molecule NRF2 that elevates the capacity of cells to adapt to
Canola oil contains only 7 per cent saturated fat less than half that of olive oil widely touted for its health benefits.
and cardiovascular events and have shown monounsaturated fats such as canola and olive oil reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease.
and vegetables and less sweetened beverages and saturated fats for example--reduced their risk for type 2 diabetes by about 20 percent compared to those who made no changes to their diets.
or molecular analysis. It has also been reported that polymerase chain reaction PCR positive samples were reported negative on histology.
Most of the work was centered on urushiol the rash-causing chemical found in the plant's oils.
not only be more effective than its chemical counterparts but also have the benefit of being completely natural.
We have to keep in mind that the chemicals used to control poison ivy are general herbicides meaning that they will affect
This work shows promise for an alternative approach to the use of chemicals and has great potential as a biological control alternative.
cadmium-free cropswith news reports of toxic cadmium-tainted rice in China a new study describes a protein that transports metals in certain plants
The Cornell-led study published in The Plant Cell describes an important role of a protein that transports nutrients â#OPT3 â#in maintaining balance of the essential micronutrient iron in Arabidopsis small plants related to cabbage
Collectively they represent a major terrestrial repository of carbon and play both active CO2 capture and processing and passive storage roles.
A major challenge for achieving a sustainable energy future is our understanding of the molecular basis of superior growth
Our analysis provides a much more comprehensive understanding of the genetic control of carbon allocation towards cell wall biopolymers in woody plants--a crucial step toward the development of future biomass crops.
These hydrocarbons serve as chemical self-defenses against pests as well as providing the familiar aromatic essential oils used in both medicinal cough drops and for industrial processes.
Now for the first time Ralph Bock's group at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology could show that new species can be generated in an asexual manner As well as in previous studies Bock's group at the Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Plant Physiology used a method called grafting. It is known generally from nature that plants are able to grow together at their contact zones.
contrary to the generally accepted dogma there is horizontal gene transfer of chloroplast genes at the contact zone between grafted plants.
Is it possible to prevent the illness by splitting the proteins of cows milk? Splitting the cow's milk proteins in a formula doesn't prevent the start-up of the disease process of type 1 diabetes in predisposed children shows a large international study.
Previous studies have indicated that early exposure to complex foreign proteins such as cow's milk proteins increases the risk of type 1 diabetes in predisposed individuals.
whether delaying the exposure to complex foreign proteins will decrease the risk of diabetes tells Professor Mikael Knip from the University of Helsinki the leader of the TRIGR Study.
Carbon from forest debris has a different elemental mass than carbon produced by algae in the aquatic food chain.
We found fish that had almost 70%of their biomass made from carbon that came from trees
While plankton raised on algal carbon is more nutritious organic carbon from trees washed into lakes is a hugely important food source for freshwater fish bolstering their diet to ensure good size
It's estimated that freshwater fishes make up more than 6%of the world's annual animal protein supplies for humans--and the major and often only source of animal protein for low income families across Bangladesh Indonesia and the Philippines added Tanentzap.
They mapped metabolic pathway fluxes of the acetic acid bacteria feeding them specific isotopes that could easily be tracked.
The key molecule to initiate flavor development is acetate says Wittmann noting that The intensity of the aroma from a fermented bean is amazing.
This is the first study to suggest that it might be possible to personalize recommended diets for breast cancer survivors based on the molecular characteristics of their primary tumor.
Nuts from the self-pollinated trees contained a lower proportion of linoleic acid but a higher proportion of Vitamin e.
which is ten times more potent than Vitamin e. Lycopene is found in tomatoes and other fruits and its potency appears to be enhanced
This function is determined by the response of blood vessels in the forearm to a naturally occurring molecule called acetylcholine.
However the supplement had no effect on blood pressure arterial stiffness or levels of lipids. We've shown quite clearly that lycopene improves the function of blood vessels in cardiovascular disease patients adds Dr Cheriyan.
Biological process behind role of Vitamin b12 in bone formation unravelledresearchers have uncovered a previously unknown biological process involving Vitamin b12
In humans it is well known that vitamin deficiencies lead to stunted growth but the underlying mechanisms have long been a mystery.
and allows the gut to absorb Vitamin b12. Bone cells aren't solely studied in isolation in the lab as both local
We were amazed to find a new system that controls bone mass through a protein expressed of all the places in the stomach.
The researchers found that bone mass was reduced severely at eight weeks of age in the offspring of mice with Vitamin b12 deficiency.
Giving the mother a single injection of Vitamin b12 during pregnancy was enough to prevent stunted growth and the onset of osteoporosis in the offspring.
Reducing Vitamin b12 levels in bone cells in the laboratory did not affect the function of the bone-forming cells directly
While the importance of taurine is yet to be understood fully this research shows that Vitamin b12 plays a role in regulating taurine production
and that taurine plays an important role in bone formation Dr Vidya Velagapudi Head of the Metabolomics Unit at the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland.
To date we have focussed only on Vitamin b12-deficient populations but the next stages of this research will need to confirm the connection between Vitamin b12 taurine and bone formation in general populations.
While the focus of this study was the impact of maternal Vitamin b12 deficiency on offspring in mouse models there are promising parallels between these findings and data from human patients.
Samples collected by Kocaeli University Hospital Turkey from children born of nutritionally Vitamin b12-deficient mothers also showed a significant decrease in levels of Vitamin b12 and taurine.
In addition older patients with Vitamin b12 deficiency from a study by the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland displayed a statistically positive correlation suggesting that Vitamin b12 plays a key role in regulating taurine synthesis and bone formation in humans of all ages.
The discovery of this unanticipated pathway between gut liver and bone would not have been possible without the use of mouse molecular genetics
The fact that the Vitamin b12-taurine-bone pathway affects only bone formation and appears to play the same role in mice
#Grain legume crops sustainable, nutritiouspopular diets across the world typically focus on the right balance of essential components like protein fat and carbohydrates.
Micronutrients are chemicals including vitamins and minerals that our bodies require in very small quantities.
Warkentin says Iron deficiency is the most common followed by zinc carotenoids and folate. The study found that genetic characteristics (genotype) as well as environmental conditions--such as soil properties
The researchers measured micronutrient levels by a technique known as atomic absorption spectrometry. According to Warkentin In the case of selenium we found that environmental conditions are more important than genotype.
since selenium is required a chemical in the production of thyroid hormone. Warkentin concludes Increased production and consumption of grain legume crops should be encouraged by agriculturalists and dietitians around the world.
In addition to the micronutrients described in this research they also contain 20-25%protein 45-50%slowly digestible starch soluble and insoluble fiber
Overtext Web Module V3.0 Alpha
Copyright Semantic-Knowledge, 1994-2011