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Some of you may have seen this James Hicks article in The Scientist, where he shows a graph that seems to correlate high notices of retractions with low NIH grant success rates. Interesting idea, right?Unfortunately, Nature reporter Richard Van Noorden (the collector of some of the data used in the graph) notes that Professor Hicks did not use the most relevant data for his retractions (i.e. US retractions, funded by the NIH) for his graph. When you do, the correlation is not nearly
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Drug developers have been using nanoparticles to encapsulate a wide range of molecules for delivery to tumors. Now, they can add a large protein complex to that list thanks to research from the laboratory of Yi Tang of the University of California at Los Angeles.
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The body's immune system exists to identify and destroy foreign objects, whether they are bacteria, viruses, flecks of dirt, or splinters. Unfortunately, nanoparticles designed to deliver drugs, and implanted devices, like pacemakers or artificial joints, are just as foreign and subject to the same response. Now, however, a team of researchers has identified a 'passport' for such therapeutic devices, enabling them to get past the body's security system.
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Researchers at the University of Missouri have demonstrated the ability to create a multi-layered harness nanoparticle that can safely encapsulate powerful alpha-emitting radioisotopes and target tumors. The resulting nanoparticles not only offer the possibility of delivering tumor-killing alpha emitters to tumors, but also sparing healthy tissue from radiation damage.
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In the quest to develop anti-cancer vaccines that would stimulate the body to destroy tumors and keep them from recurring, researchers continually run into the same problem - the immune-stimulating proteins, known as antigens, are not interacting effectively with the key immune system cells that trigger long-lasting immune responses. Now, using a novel administration system and polymer nanoparticles, a team of investigators led by Adrien Kissenpfennig of Queen's University Belfast has shown […]
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DNA methylation, the addition of a methyl group to specific locations on a DNA strand, plays a critical role in determining which genes are active in a cell at any given time. It plays an important role in embryonic development, cell growth and reproduction, and many diseases, including cancer. Now, researchers collaborating at the Mayo Clinic and the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign have developed a novel single molecule test for detecting DNA methylation that should greatly simplify […]
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From international political economy professor Daniel Drezner, a comment on being paid honoraria for speaking in China:1) From a personal perspective, as the occasional visitor to China, I can confirm the wads of cash thing -- but it's a bit more complicated than Barboza suggests. First of all, for U.S. academics at least, the payment isn't in renminbi, but in U.S. dollars. Renminbi is sometimes dispensed for things like per diem reimbursements, but not for honoraria. After all, officially, the
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When I’m lucky enough to be invited to a conference outside the United States, I jump at the chance to visit faculty and students at other institutes. Recently, I was invited by the Biochemical Journal to attend the yearly editorial … Continue reading →
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It's official. Dow Chemical now has to pay triple damages after being found guilty of price fixing urethane components. That means that the $400 million dollar fine that the jury established is now a whopping $1.2 BILLION dollar fine. $400 million is so small that Dow could have almost hidden that in the annual report, but with $1.2 billion, that is going to show up loud and clear.Do you hear that sound coming from the general direction of Midland, Michigan? That's the sound of lawyers […]
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… The more things change, the more they stay the same. I’m currently reading The Secrets of Alchemy by Lawrence Principe. It’s a really enjoyable book, and I’ve learned so many things from it. I hope to share some of my favorites. But, I’ve just read a bit of Principe’s research in the book that seems poignant for my profession (chemistry) in these times. (In any book, there is always some bit: character, place, situation, or story that seems very relevant to […]
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A new study discusses the electric and magnetic characteristics of a material which could be used in spintronics.
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Engineering researchers treated thin films of polytetrafluoroethylene - a popular polymer used as a dry lubricant for machine components - with silica nanoparticles and found that the filler material significantly reduced wear of the polymer while maintaining a low level of friction.
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In a new report, the Parliamentary Assembly recommends that the Council of Europe should set legal standards on nanotechnology based on the precautionary principle, but which will not hinder nanotechnology's potential beneficial use.
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Femtosecond 'snapshots' reveal a dramatic bond tightening in photo-excited gold complexes.
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LAST POWER, the European Union-sponsored program aimed at developing a cost-effective and reliable technology for power electronics, today announced its three-year program achievements that place Europe at the forefront of research and the commercialization of energy-efficient devices for industrial and automotive applications, consumer electronics, renewable-energy conversion systems, and telecommunications.
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System ensures analog and mixed-signal circuits meet rigorous performance requirements.
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Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider, the world's most powerful particle accelerator, may have created the smallest drops of liquid made in the lab.
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Cornell researchers Jenny Sabin, assistant professor of architecture, and Dan Luo, professor of biological and environmental engineering, are among the lead investigators on a new research project to produce 'buildable, bendable and biological materials' for a wide range of applications.
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Researchers at National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC) in Bangkok and Imperial College London (Department of Chemistry) in United Kingdom have studied the advancements of solid-state nanopores for the purpose of highlighting selected developments that will benefit scientists.
