American Chemical Society's Weekly PressPac -- Aug. 8, 2007
...ment of a polymer material that raises a red flag, changing color in the presence biogenic amines, compounds produced by the bacterial decay of food proteins. In laboratory tests, the polymer identified and distinguished between 22 different kinds of key food-spoilage amines with 97 percent accuracy. Research...Interaction of just 2 genes governs coloration patterns in mice
...can increase the amount of protein present without changing the protein's sequence, also reducing Mc1r activity and yielding lighter pigmentation. Both genes affect the type and amount of melanin in individual hairs. When both genes are turned on, the mouse is dark in color. A mutation that changes either g...Gene regulation, not just genes, is what sets humans apart
...mpler sugars. Regulatory changes have adapted to changing circumstances without changing the essential chemistry of metabolism, Wray said. This may set the stage for a more focused analysis...Improved NIST SRM aids lead poisoning detection
...gh accuracy and low measurement uncertainty. The changing goal line for blood lead concentration makes SRM 955c especially useful to laboratories. The lowest lead concentration level in the previous standard was 4 micrograms per deciliter or 40 parts per billion. In contrast, the lowest lead concentration l...Identified mechanism in the malaria parasite to help it adapt to infected individuals
...e parasite stops expressing a certain gene without changing the underlying genetic information, and that the mechanism is flexible, adaptable and easily reversible. This means that the parasite can re-express the proteins relatively easily when infecting another individual or silence them again in a different...Negative effects of plastic's additive blocked by nutrient supplements
...at alters how a gene is expressed without actually changing or mutating the gene itself. Appreciation of this phenomenon has spawned a new avenue of genetic research known as epigenetics, a name which refers to changes happening over and above the gene sequence without altering its code. In their most recen...MIT team building robotic fin for submarines
...in, it sweeps forward, just like a sunfish fin. By changing the direction of the electric current, the researchers can make the fin curl forward at the upper and lower edges, but it has been a challenge to make the fin sweep and curl at the same time. Strategically placing Mylar strips along the fins to restr...Researchers find pathway that controls cell size and division
.... The enzyme trio regulated FtsZ ring formation by changing this balancepushing FtsZ towards its unassembled state when the cells were growing in nutrient-rich conditions, thereby delaying cell division and increasing cell size. All three enzymes in the pathway are sensitive to glucose levels, and the path...Report recommends off-site disposal of secondary waste
...e system requires constant monitoring and frequent changing of the carbon beds. The committee found that on-site treatment of the carbon followed by its incineration has been problematic at best, and recommends that off-site disposal, decontamination, and destruction of the spent activated carbon should be p...More fish oil, less vegetable oil, better for your health
...agues looked at the mutual effects of both oils by changing their respective amounts in cultured cells. As expected, a relative increase in fish oil lowered the amount of prostanoids from vegetable oil, although not always in the expected proportions. Both fish and vegetable oils are converted into prostan...$9 million EPSCoR grant to foster integrated research
...niversity of Alaska build its ability to study the changing Arctic in a holistic way. The grant will fund ph...ogram. In order to understand the problems of a changing North, you need that integrated perspective, Schweitzer said. Thats where the research trend is goin...... the surface with UV light or weak electron beams, changing chemical bonds between the carbon atoms that make up the molecular layer. These bonds ultimately influenced electronic transport through the molecules. This achievement was recently described in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS). ......n. This cycle can be repeated many times by simply changing the pH value. Possible applications for such smart surface pairs include microelectromagnetic components (actuators), components for microfluidic systems, or carriers for pharmacological agents that could release their cargo under specific physiolo...Enzyme discovery sheds light on vitamin D
...student Brendan OLeary, the discovery reveals that changing a single amino acid in the hydroxylase enzyme will cause it to take a completely different pathway. Although scientists have known for 25 years that the enzyme is capable of taking two different pathways, until now they could not explain why this occ...How to structure a complex body plan
...s, corals may generate extremely broad structures, changing their morphologies by growing new polyps above existing structures. In branching forms, two higher levels of organization exist, the branch and the colony. Despite the relative morphological simplicity of each module, branching corals can generate co......ce varieties that are optimally adapted to rapidly changing environmental conditions," explains Weigel. He is already collaborating with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines to apply the methods and experience gathered with Arabidopsis to twenty different rice varieties. How e...Save our reef, save our heritage
...yed ancient archaeological sites. The deserts are changing and are especially vulnerable to the increased rainfall expected in some areas under climate change, he says. The ICOMOS conference will focus on developing strategies and awareness for the management and mitigation of the risks facing heritage si...Measuring the unseeable: Penn researchers probe proteins' dark energy
..., not the moving, hyper protein that is constantly changing shape, say Wand. We need to figure out how this new information fits in and perhaps drug design could be significantly improved. Future directions include understanding whether the principles revealed by this study are universal and impact the thou...Bird sized airplane to fly like a swift
...n flight by folding feathers over each other, thus changing the wing shape and reducing the wing surface area. RoboSwift also steers by morphing its wings. Doing so, the micro airplane can perform optimally, flying efficiently and highly maneuverable at very high and very low speeds, just like the swift.The s...Fedoroff, of Penn State, to receive National Medal of Science
...nts to withstand the environmental challenges of a changing climate. Among her many professional activities in the national and international scientific communities, she has been a member of the National Institutes of Health Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee and the Boards of Directors of the American Asso...