Partnership aims to reduce pollution from 'microplastics'
If you've been on or near the water, you've seen it—the plastic trash that litters oceans, lakes, and streams worldwide. But visible plastic—soda bottles, lighters, flip-flops, combs, rope—may be the...
View ArticlePolymers could help enzymes treat diseases
(Phys.org) —Conditions such as celiac disease, phenylketonuria, lactose intolerance and exocrine pancreatic disease involve abnormal enzyme activity. Enzymes administered orally could help sufferers....
View ArticleSorting plastic waste: A magnetic game
More than one third of the total plastic production in Europe—about 14 million tonnes per year—are polyolefins, also known as polyalkenes. This is a family of polymers used for the manufacture of a...
View ArticleMaking hydrogenation greener
Researchers from McGill University, RIKEN (The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, Wako, Japan) and the Institute for Molecular Science (Okazaki, Japan) have discovered a way to make the...
View ArticleOne nanoparticle plus one antibody equals targeted drug delivery to tumors
(Phys.org) —Herceptin and camptothecin are both powerful anticancer agents with key characteristics that limit their effectiveness in treating cancer. Patients treated with Herceptin, a monoclonal...
View ArticleSteering stem cells with magnets: Proof of concept for clinical applications
Magnets could be a tool for directing stem cells' healing powers to treat conditions such as heart disease or vascular disease.
View ArticleNanoparticles with protein 'passports' evade immune system, deliver more...
Scientists have found a way to sneak nanoparticles carrying tumor-fighting drugs past cells of the immune system, which would normally engulf the particles, preventing them from reaching their target....
View ArticleMagnetic nanoparticles break the capacity barrier for antibody purification
Monoclonal antibodies represent the largest and fastest-growing segment of international biopharma. While these therapeutic agents are a boon for global healthcare, productivity constraints pose a...
View ArticleGut bacteria from a worm can degrade plastic
Plastic is well-known for sticking around in the environment for years without breaking down, contributing significantly to litter and landfills. But scientists have now discovered that bacteria from...
View ArticleExperimental studies of ionic interactions near a hydrophobic surface in an...
(Phys.org)—The way a protein folds in aqueous solutions is largely determined by hydrophobic effects with the hydrophobic portions of the protein residing within the protein core or within the active...
View ArticlePC steel wires on concrete and steel bridges now visible with terahertz waves
Researchers at Tohoku University have found a way to make covered or hidden PC steel wires visible, by developing a new terahertz wave light source featuring both light and radio-wave characteristics.
View ArticleNewly discovered bacteria can eat plastic bottles
A team of Japanese scientists has found a species of bacteria that eats the type of plastic found in most disposable water bottles.
View ArticleDressed to kill: Tailoring a suit for tumor-penetrating cancer meds
For more than a decade, biomedical researchers have been looking for better ways to deliver cancer-killing medication directly to tumors in the body. Tiny capsules, called nanoparticles, are now being...
View ArticlePre-treatment of bandages may improve the antibacterial properties of...
Pre-treating the fabric surface of the bandages used to treat burns with enzymes and polyethylene glycol or cellulase may promote the adhesion of antibacterial nanoparticles and improve their...
View ArticleAntioxidant compounds mimic effective graphene agents, show potential for...
Treated particles of graphene derived from carbon nanotubes have demonstrated remarkable potential as life-saving antioxidants, but as small as they are, something even smaller had to be created to...
View ArticleCaterpillar found to eat shopping bags, suggesting biodegradable solution to...
Scientists have found that a caterpillar commercially bred for fishing bait has the ability to biodegrade polyethylene: one of the toughest and most used plastics, frequently found clogging up landfill...
View ArticleGerman study casts doubt on 'plastic digesting' caterpillars
Scientists in Germany on Friday cast doubt on the work of colleagues who claimed that plastic bag-eating caterpillars might hold the answer to the planet's growing synthetic waste problem.
View ArticleStructural insight into the molecular mechanism of PET degradation
A KAIST metabolic engineering research team has found a molecular mechanism showing superior degradability of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This is the first report to determine the 3-D crystal...
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