Compounds

By Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC November 17, 2022iBioFAB accelerates the biological engineering process by integrating artificial intelligence/machine learning with automation. Credit: Julia PollackResearchers were able to discover and characterize new ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides at an unprecedented speed and scale.Modern medicine makes extensive use of drugs that bacteria naturally produce. One of the most noteworthy natural products is penicillin, an antibiotic…

A novel artificial intelligence model could significantly improve the accuracy and reduce the time and cost of the drug development process.Between identifying a potential therapeutic compound and U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a new drug is an arduous journey that can take well over a decade and cost upwards of a billion dollars. A team of researchers at the CUNY Graduate Center has developed a novel artificial intelligence model that could significantly improve the <span…

Scientists have delved into the makeup of a fungus species and discovered a novel compound with some promising cancer-fighting qualities. The anti-tumor effects were demonstrated in laboratory experiments but the team is optimistic about the path to clinical use, while the work has also serendipitously unearthed a new crimson dye with good food preservation potential.The fungus species at the center of the research is called Aspergillus cavernicola. The authors of this new study found that an extract of the fungus…

Scientists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have discovered eight natural sweetness-enhancing compounds in citrus fruits. The research suggests these molecules may be useful as sugar substitutes in food.The new research focused on screening flavor metabolites in different varieties of citrus fruits. The goal was to identify natural sweeteners or sweetness-enhancing compounds.Yu Wang, lead researcher on the project, said the team ultimately homed in on eight specific molecules…

Researchers discovered new compounds in marine sponges that were capable of killing antibiotic-resistant bacteria.Brazilian scientists discovered several compounds in a marine sponge from Fernando de Noronha, an island off the coast of the Northeast, that killed antibiotic-resistant bacteria.Researchers at the University of So Paulo (USP) in So Carlos, Brazil, have identified a variety of bioactive substances in a marine sponge that was found on Fernando de Noronha, an island located about 400 km off the northeastern…

China’s deflating property bubble is imperiling the world’s second-largest economy with effects that could ripple for years.Home prices are dropping in many cities after a long period of increases, data from Chinese real-estate developers and official statistics show. Sales of apartments nationwide by the country’s largest developers have slumped annually for 13 consecutive months, according to industry-data provider China Real Estate Information Corp. And millions of “presold” apartments that buyers have…

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was not a short-lived catastrophe. Over 10 years after one of the largest environmental disasters in human history, a sticky oil residue still coats some marshland in the Gulf of Mexico, a new report reveals. Its impacts are still not fully understood.  In the months following BP's 2010 Deepwater calamity, desperate attempts were made to clean up all the crude oil that had spilled into the environment.Some oil was directly recovered. Some was burned, some was skimmed. Some was chemically…

Ural scientists have been working on the synthesis of fluorophores for more than six years. Credit: UrFUResearchers have created low-cost substances for tumor therapy and diagnosis.Researchers from the Ural Federal University and the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences have developed new fluorescent chemical compounds (fluorophores) for the most recent kind of cancer treatment, photodynamic therapy, which targets cancerous tumors. The substance is useful for both the early detection of tumor processes by…

Researchers have discovered potential new drugs that work in concert with other drugs to deliver a deadly one-two punch to leukemia.New study highlights potential of mitochondria-targeted chemotherapies.Scientists have discovered promising new drugs that work in concert with other drugs to deliver a deadly one-two punch to leukemia. The researchers are from Rice University and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.Although the potential drugs are still years away from being tested in cancer patients, a study…

The back of an inner tailgate trim part foam injection moulded with SABIC's PPc F9005 grade SABICPR577b Previous SABIC has launched new PP compounds for foam injection moulding (FIM), providing, the supplier claimed, “both light weight and exceptional aesthetics for automotive interiors”. The specialised range of PP compounds come in new mineral-reinforced grades which, the maker said, “can help deliver…