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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 25, 2025 at 8:58am

Eco-friendly detergent made from wood and corn shows promise

From laundry detergent to dishwasher tablets, cleaning products are an indispensable part of life. Yet the chemicals that make these products so effective can be difficult to break down or could even trigger ecosystem-altering algal blooms. Now, researchers reporting in ACS' Langmuir have addressed those challenges with an environmentally compatible detergent made of tiny wood fibers and corn protein that removes stains on clothes and dishes just as well as commercial products.

Increased public concern about household products' impact on the environment has spurred interest in replacing traditional cleaners containing ingredients such as alkylphenol polyethoxylates and phosphates with natural alternatives. Efforts to date have produced mixed results because these cleaners are difficult to make and hard to rinse off, resulting in high manufacturing and retail costs, as well as potential damage to surfaces and fabrics. Therefore, there is a desire for low-cost, easily produced, effective alternatives that are gentle on the environment and the items they are designed to clean. To address this need, some researchers developed an eco-friendly detergent from ingredients found in abundant renewable sources.

The researchers combined cellulose nano fibres from wood with zein protein from corn to create an emulsion. Cellulose can attract and repel water, so it is effective at forming such emulsions and attracting different types of stains. The zein protein, on the other hand, helps stabilize the emulsion and trap oils. They then tested the cleaning capacity of the cellulose/zein detergent on cotton fabrics and dishes stained with ink, chili oil and tomato paste. They compared the performance of their new detergent to laundry powder and commercial dish soap solutions with deionized water.

The cellulose/zein detergent was slightly less effective at cleaning the cotton cloth compared to a laundry powder solution of equal dilution (1% detergent or powder by weight). At a 5% concentration, however, the researchers' product was more effective than the 1% laundry powder solution at cleaning each of the stains from the fabric. Microscopic examination showed that the cellulose/zein detergent left no residue on cotton fabric after washing and rinsing, which suggests it would not damage the cloth.

The researchers also tested their detergent's capacity to remove chili oil stains from plates made of ceramic, stainless steel, glass and plastic. Again, the cellulose/zein detergent cleaned almost as well as the commercial dish soap of equal dilution, and at a 5% concentration, their product was superior. On the stainless-steel plates, for example, a 5% solution of cellulose/zein removed 92% of the stain compared to 87% with a 1% solution of commercial dish soap.

The researchers suggested that these results show that their natural detergent could be an efficient, cost-effective and sustainable alternative to synthetic cleaning agents currently on the market.

 Wenli Liu et al, Physical Cross-Linking of Cellulose Nanofibrils with Zein Particles as an Eco-Friendly Detergent, Langmuir (2025). DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c04398

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 24, 2025 at 9:19am

A possible way to generate electricity using Earth's rotational energy

A trio of physicists from  is proposing the possibility of generating electricity using energy from the rotation of the Earth. In their study, published in the journal Physical Review Research, they tested a theory that electricity could be generated from the Earth's rotation using a special device that interacts with the Earth's magnetic field.

Over the past decade, members of the team have been toying with the idea of generating electricity using the Earth's rotation and its magnetic field, and they even published a paper describing the possibility back in 2016. That paper was met with criticism because prior theories have suggested that doing so would be impossible because any voltage created by such a device would be canceled as the electrons rearrange themselves during the generation of an electric field.

The researchers wondered what would happen if this cancelation was prevented and the voltage was instead captured. To find out, they built a special device consisting of a cylinder made of manganese-zinc ferrite, a weak conductor, which served as a magnetic shield. They then oriented the cylinder in a north-south direction set at a 57° angle. That made it perpendicular to both the Earth's rotational motion and the Earth's magnetic field.

Next, they placed electrodes at each end of the cylinder to measure voltage and then turned out the lights to prevent photoelectric effects. They found that 18 microvolts of electricity were generated across the cylinder that they could not attribute to any other source, strongly suggesting that it was due to the energy from the Earth's rotation.

The researchers note that they accounted for the voltage that might have been caused by temperature differences between the ends of the cylinder. They also noted that no such voltage was measured when they changed its angle or used control cylinders. The results will have to be verified by others running the same type of experiment under different scenarios to ensure that there were no other sources of electricity generation that they failed to account for. But the researchers note that if their findings turn out to be correct, there is no reason the amount produced could not be increased to a useful level.

Christopher F. Chyba et al, Experimental demonstration of electric power generation from Earth's rotation through its own magnetic field, Physical Review Research (2025). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.013285

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 22, 2025 at 11:31am

Insecticides may contribute to bigger problems with certain weeds

Insecticides may help growers hoping to protect their crops from harmful insects, but they also may contribute to a larger amount of some weeds, according to a study led by researchers.

 The study—published in the journal PeerJ—compared using insecticides preventively at planting versus using an integrated pest management (IPM) approach, which calls for insecticides only when a known insect problem exists.  

The team also investigated the effects of using cover crops—a crop used to cover and protect soil after harvesting the cash crop—when combined with these treatment plans. The researchers found that by the third year, some fields that were treated with insecticides and didn't have a cover crop ended up with slightly more weeds—especially marestail.

However, planting a cover crop prevented this issue, even in fields that were treated with insecticides.

The most likely explanation may be that the preventative insecticides limited the activity of insects that typically eat weeds or weed seeds, allowing the weeds to be more abundant.

 Elizabeth K. Rowen et al, Insecticides may facilitate the escape of weeds from biological control, PeerJ (2025). DOI: 10.7717/peerj.18597

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 22, 2025 at 9:55am

Boosting brain's waste removal system improves memory in old mice

As aging bodies decline, the brain loses the ability to cleanse itself of waste, a scenario that scientists think could be contributing to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, among others.

Now, researchers  report they have found a way around that problem by targeting the network of vessels that drain waste from the brain. Rejuvenating those vessels, they have shown, improves memory in old mice.

The study,  published online in the journal Cell, lays the groundwork to develop therapies for age-related cognitive decline that overcome the challenges faced by conventional medications that struggle to pass through the blood-brain barrier to reach the brain.

The physical blood-brain barrier hinders the efficacy of therapies for neurological disorders. 

By targeting a network of vessels outside of the brain that is critical for brain health, we see cognitive improvements in mice, opening a window to develop more powerful therapies to prevent or delay cognitive decline, say the researchers.

 Kim K, et al. Meningeal lymphatics-microglia axis regulates synaptic physiology, Cell (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.02.022. www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(25)00210-7. www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(25)00210-7

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 22, 2025 at 9:31am

Deadly bacteria have developed the ability to produce antimicrobials and wipe out competitors, scientists discover

A drug-resistant type of bacteria that has adapted to health care settings evolved in the past several years to weaponize an antimicrobial genetic tool, eliminating its cousins and replacing them as the dominant strain. Scientists made this discovery when combing through local hospital data—and then confirmed that it was a global phenomenon.

The finding, published in Nature Microbiology, may be the impetus for new approaches in developing therapeutics against some of the world's deadliest bacteria.

After analyzing the genomic sequences of 710 VREfm infection samples from hospitalized patients entered into EDS-HAT over a six-year time span, researchers discovered that the variety of VREfm strains had shrunk from about eight fairly evenly distributed types in 2017 to two dominant strains that began to emerge in 2018 and, by the end of 2022, were the culprit in four out of every five patient VREfm samples.

Upon closer examination,  they found that the dominant strains had acquired the ability to produce a bacteriocin, which is an antimicrobial that bacteria use to kill or inhibit one another. They'd weaponized this new capability to destroy the other VREfm strains, giving them unfettered access to nutrients for easier reproduction.

They also observed that what had happened locally had also been happening on a global scale.

It does not appear that the bacteriocin-wielding VREfm are making patients any sicker than their predecessors did.

But it could point to potential avenues for the development of new therapies.

: 'Bacteriocin production facilitates nosocomial emergence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium', Nature Microbiology (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-025-01958-0

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 22, 2025 at 8:47am

Scientists witness living plant cells generate cellulose and form cell walls for the first time

In a groundbreaking study on the synthesis of cellulose—a major constituent of all plant cell walls—a team of researchers have captured images of the microscopic process of cell-wall building continuously over 24 hours with living plant cells, providing critical insights that may lead to the development of more robust plants for increased food and lower-cost biofuels production.

The discovery, published in the journal Science Advances, reveals a dynamic process never seen before and may provide practical applications for everyday products derived from plants, including enhanced textiles, biofuels, biodegradable plastics, and new medical products.

The research is also expected to contribute to the fundamental knowledge while providing a new understanding of the formation of cell walls, the scientists said.

This work is the first direct visualization of how cellulose synthesizes and self-assembles into a dense fibril network on a plant cell surface.

This study also provides entirely new insights into how simple, basic physical mechanisms such as diffusion and self-organization may lead to the formation of complex cellulose networks in cells.

The microscope-generated video images show protoplasts—cells with their walls removed—of cabbage's cousin, the flowering plant Arabidopsis, chaotically sprouting filaments of cellulose fibers that gradually self-assemble into a complex network on the outer cell surface.

Hyun Huh et al, Time-resolved tracking of cellulose biosynthesis and assembly during cell wall regeneration in live Arabidopsis protoplasts, Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ads6312. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ads6312

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 21, 2025 at 11:47am

Part of the genetic risk for schizophrenia acts through the placenta, research reveals

An international research team reveals the relationship between placental DNA methylation and certain neuropsychiatric disorders.

The  has identified associations between modifications in the placenta and the risk of developing schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.

The study was published in Nature Communications.

The study, which involved 28 researchers from 18 institutions across Europe and the United States, highlights the placenta as a key element in neuropsychiatric development. The research has demonstrated that specific epigenetic modifications in the placenta, particularly DNA methylation, can influence the expression of genes associated with psychiatric disorders. These findings suggest that genetic risk may already manifest during the prenatal stage.

Epigenetic modifications are chemical changes in DNA and its associated proteins that regulate gene activity without altering their sequence. One of the most studied modifications is DNA methylation, a process in which methyl groups—small molecules composed of one carbon and three hydrogen atoms—are added to specific regions of the DNA.

This mechanism, essential for development, environmental adaptation, and disease predisposition, is influenced by genetics and responds to factors such as diet, stress, and exposure to pollutants.

The study results indicate that schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder are the neuropsychiatric disorders most strongly linked to DNA methylation in the placenta. Other conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism, show some potentially causal associations, although to a lesser extent, while no visible effects were found in other analyzed pathologies.

These findings reinforce the hypothesis that schizophrenia and other disorders have a neurodevelopmental origin and that the placenta plays a fundamental role in this process.

The discovery that genetic risk may be linked to placental DNA methylation opens new avenues for preventing and treating psychiatric disorders. If we could identify risk factors at the prenatal stage, we could intervene before symptoms appear, adjusting treatments or designing personalized preventive strategies, the researchers say.

This research represents a significant advance in understanding the biological basis of neuropsychiatric disorders and opens new lines of investigation for early detection, as well as for the development of more effective therapies.

Ariadna Cilleros-Portet et al, Potentially causal associations between placental DNA methylation and schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57760-3

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 21, 2025 at 11:24am

Even Galapagos birds are exhibiting 'road rage' due to noise!

A new study has discovered that birds in the Galápagos Islands are changing their behavior due to traffic noise, with those frequently exposed to vehicles showing heightened levels of aggression.

Published in the journal Animal Behaviour the research examined the impact of vehicle noise pollution on Galápagos yellow warblers (Setophaga petechia aureola), a songbird widespread on the archipelago.

The Galápagos Islands, located over 500 miles off the coast of Ecuador, are considered a natural living laboratory due to the large number of unique, endemic species. The Galápagos yellow warbler is genetically distinct from other yellow warblers found in the Americas and is classified as a subspecies.

A visit to the Galápagos Islands in 1835 helped inspire Charles Darwin to develop the theory of evolution by natural selection. However, recent decades have seen significant human population growth. Alongside a rise in tourism, the permanent population is increasing by over 6% per year, leading to more vehicles on the islands' roads.

The new study involved researchers playing bird songs from a speaker, simulating an intruder, accompanied by recorded traffic noise at 38 locations populated by Galápagos yellow warblers on the islands of Floreana and Santa Cruz—20 sites were within 50 meters of the nearest road and 18 were over 100 meters away.

The researchers then measured song, typically used to ward off intruders, and physical, aggressive behaviors such as approaching the speaker closely and making repeated flights across it.

During trials with traffic noise, the researchers found that Galápagos yellow warblers living in roadside territories showed increased aggression, but those living away from the roads showed decreased aggression relative to trials without noise.

Importantly, the effect of living on a roadside territory was present even on Floreana Island, with only about 10 vehicles present on the island, suggesting even minimal experience of traffic affects responses to noise.

Additionally, Galápagos yellow warblers on the more populous island of Santa Cruz increased the duration of their song when confronted by traffic noise. These findings support the idea that long-term selection based on noise experience, or an individual bird's previous experience of noise, allows them to adapt and adjust the features of their songs.

Finally, the birds increased the minimum frequencies of their songs during the noise experiments, regardless of their territory's proximity to the road, helping to reduce any overlap of their songs with the low-frequency traffic noise.

The  results show that the change in aggressive responses in yellow warblers occurred mainly near roads. Birds occupying roadside territories on both islands, and therefore having regular experience of traffic noise, may have learned to increase physical aggression when the territorial intrusion was accompanied by traffic noise.

The study shows the importance of considering behavioral plasticity in conservation efforts and developing strategies to mitigate the effects of noise pollution on wildlife. It also highlights the significant impact of human activities on wildlife behavior, even in relatively remote locations such as the Galápagos Islands.

Reference: 20 March 2025, Animal Behaviour.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 21, 2025 at 9:40am

Uniquely shaped, fast-heating nanoparticles halt ovarian tumor growth

New magnetic nanoparticles in the shape of a cube sandwiched between two pyramids represent a breakthrough for treating ovarian tumors and possibly other types of cancer, according to  researchers who developed them.

The scientists say the study underscores the importance of shape in magnetic nanoparticle design and that the findings will potentially revolutionize treatments that use heat to damage or kill cancer cells.

Made of iron oxide and doped with cobalt, the nanoparticles show exceptional heating efficiency when exposed to an alternating magnetic field. Doping refers to adding something as a means of tailoring characteristics.

When the particles accumulate in cancerous tissue after intravenous injection, they're able to quickly rise to temperatures that weaken or destroy cancer cells.

This is the first time systemically injected nanoparticles have been shown to heat tumors beyond 50° C, significantly surpassing the therapeutic threshold of 44° C for effective treatment at a clinically relevant dose.

Prem Singh et al, Precision‐Engineered Cobalt‐Doped Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: From Octahedron Seeds to Cubical Bipyramids for Enhanced Magnetic Hyperthermia, Advanced Functional Materials (2025). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202414719

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on March 21, 2025 at 9:29am

Now some physicists are saying, 'the standard model is "satisfactory" but some "tensions" are emerging between observations'.

There are several different ways of measuring the expansion of the universe, including looking at the lingering radiation from after the Big Bang, exploding stars called supernovae and how gravity distorts the light of galaxies.

When the DESI team combined their new data with other measurements, they found "signs that the impact of dark energy may be weakening over time," according to a statement.
When we combine all the cosmological data, it favors that the universe's expansion was accelerating at a slightly higher rate around seven billion years ago
But for the moment there is "absolutely not certainty" about this.
Scientists are confident that "evolving dark energy" theory would be a "revolution on the level of the discovery of accelerated expansion,"
The standard cosmological model would have to be different.
The DESI research, which involved three years' worth of observations of 15 million galaxies and quasars, was presented at a conference of the American Physical Society in California.

https://summit.aps.org/events/APR-R08/1

Part 2

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