Archive for April, 2010
29 2010
BioMaterials of Marine Origin Book Now Available
Author Dr. Hermann Ehrlich, Dresden University of Technology in Germany, informs us that his new book on BioMaterials of Marine Origin is available through Springer books.
This work aims to provide the reader with an interdisciplinary look at the biomineralization, biomimetics and materials science unique to marine invertebrates. For the first time in scientific literature the author gives a coherent analysis of the nature, origin, and evolution of biocomposites and biopolymers found within the broad variety of marine invertebrate organisms and their unusual structural formations.
The basic format is that of a major review article, including frequent references to original literature. There is a wealth of new and newly synthesized information, including dozens of previously unpublished images of unique marine creatures and structures from nano- to microscale, including high resolution scanning and transmission electron micrographs. The material is organized effectively along both biological (phyla) and functional lines. The classification “biological materials of marine origin” is proposed for the first time. Much of the pertinent data is organized into tables, and extensive use is made of electron micrographs and line drawings.
29 2010
Blue Moon Marine Botanicals introduces red algae-based AlgalAid, external analgesic for treatment of cold sores and fever blisters.
Blue Moon Marine Botanicals recently introduced AlgalAid, an FDA-monograph compliant external analgesic for the treatment of cold sores and fever blisters. Each batch contains whole-plant extracts of Alaskan marine red algae whose anti-viral efficacy is measured and incorporated in AlgalAid to provide 10 times the concentration needed to inhibit 90 percent of a reference herpes simplex (HSV)1 virus in-vitro.
28 2010
Chitosan Cited in Publication as Potential Binder and Delivery Agent for Arsenic in Groundwater Removal and For Targeting Tumors, Respectively
Abstract: So far, there are only few studies dealing with arsenic (As) removal from groundwater using chitin or chitosan and no evidence of the use of these natural polymers for arsenic trioxide (As2O3) delivery in tumor therapy. Here we suggest that chitin and/or chitosan might have the right properties to be employed as efficient polymers for such applications. Besides, nanotechnology offers suitable tools for the fabrication of novel nanostructured materials of natural origin. Since different nanostructured materials have already been employed successfully in various multidisciplinary fields, we expect that the integration of nanotechnology and natural polymer chemistry will further lead to innovative applications for environment and medicine.
28 2010
Researchers in India Claim To Heal Wounds Within Seconds Using Chitin
Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology – Kanpur (IIT-K) campus from the Department of Biological Sciences and Bio-Engineering claim to have developed a polymer that can stop bleeding in five seconds when applied to a wound. Ashok Kumar Kaul, Assistant Professor in the Bio-Sciences and Bio-Engineering Department has told that such a polymer that promotes haemostasis, which is the process of preventing the blood flow from an injured body part, has not yet been developed elsewhere.
28 2010
New Issue of Marine Drugs Available Online
Marine Drugs announces the publication of the following issue: Mar. Drugs, Volume 8, Issue 4 (April 2010), Pages 835-1481 athttp://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/8/4/
TOC includes:
- Review: Generating a Generation of Proteasome Inhibitors: From Microbial Fermentation to Total Synthesis of Salinosporamide A (Marizomib) and Other Salinosporamides
- Review: Impact of Marine Drugs on Cytoskeleton-Mediated Reproductive Events
- Article: Leucine Aminopeptidase, β-Glucosidase and Alkaline Phosphatase Activity Rates and Their Significance in Nutrient Cycles in Some Coastal Mediterranean Sites
- Article: Five Sesquiterpenoids from a Marine-Derived Fungus Aspergillus sp. Isolated from a Gorgonian Dichotella gemmacea
- Article: Teratogenic Effects of Diatom Metabolites on Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus
- Review: Chitosan in Plant Protection
- Review: The Halogenated Metabolism of Brown Algae (Phaeophyta), Its Biological Importance and Its Environmental Significance
- Review: Biosynthesis and Molecular Genetics of Polyketides in Marine Dinoflagellates
- Article: LC/MS Analysis of Tetrodotoxin and Its Deoxy Analogs in the Marine Puffer Fish Fugu niphobles from the Southern Coast of Korea, and in the Brackishwater Puffer Fishes Tetraodon nigroviridis and Tetraodon biocellatus from Southeast Asia
- Review: Microtubule-Stabilizing Drugs from Marine Sponges: Focus on Peloruside A and Zampanolide
- Review: Angiotensin-I-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors from Marine Resources: Prospects in the Pharmaceutical Industry
- Article: Anticancer Effect and Structure-Activity Analysis of Marine Products Isolated from Metabolites of Mangrove Fungi in the South China Sea
- Article: Carrageenans as a New Source of Drugs with Metal Binding Properties
- Review: Mediterranean Jellyfish Venoms: A Review on Scyphomedusae
20 2010
Algae as a source for electricity
In an electrifying first, Stanford scientists have plugged into algae cells and harnessed a tiny electrical current. They found it at the very source of energy production – photosynthesis, a plant’s method of converting sunlight to chemical energy. It may be a first step toward generating high-efficiency bioelectricity that doesn’t give off carbon dioxide as a byproduct, the researchers say.
“We believe we are the first to extract electrons out of living plant cells,” said WonHyoung Ryu, the lead author of the paper published in the March issue of Nano Letters. Ryu conducted the experiments while he was a research associate for mechanical engineering Professor Fritz Prinz.
The Stanford research team developed a unique, ultra-sharp nanoelectrode made of gold, specially designed for probing inside cells. They gently pushed it through the algal cell membranes, which sealed around it, and the cell stayed alive. From the photosynthesizing cells, the electrode collected electrons that had been energized by light and the researchers generated a tiny electrical current.
18 2010
Scientists Uncovering Mode of Action of Certain Toxins that Accumulate in Seafood, Could Lead to New Screening Tests
Toxins released by certain microalgae can contaminate fish and shellfish which then become toxic to humans. Researchers from CNRS and CEA have, for the first time, identified the mechanisms of action of two of these toxins. They have shown how and why they cause neurological symptoms. These findings could provide a basis for the development of new tests to screen for these toxins. This work was published online this week on the website of the journal PNAS.
15 2010
Bioadhesives from Marine Resources Continue To Make Strides
In an article that ran recently in the NY Times, the work of Dr. Stewart from the University of Utah with marine-derived bioadhesives is showcased. He is one of a handful of researchers around the country who are developing adhesives that work in wet conditions, with worms, mussels, barnacles and other marine creatures as their guide. They are testing adhesives on animal bones and other tissues.
Also mentioned in the article is Phillip B. Messersmith, a Northwestern University professor who is developing adhesives based on those made by mussels, and is testing whether they can be used to repair tears in amniotic sacs, among other applications.
An older piece from the NSF provides details about work by Sam Bowser, a scientist at the New York State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center, who has been diving in the frigid, biologically rich-waters of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, in search of single-celled creatures known as Foraminifera.
While Bowser’s primary research goal is simply to understand as much fundamental foram biology as possible, he has taken a particular interest in how these tiny organisms build miniscule, but sophisticated, shells out of grains of sand using an extremely effective underwater adhesive.
Bowser is pursuing basic research into these questions under the auspices of the U.S. Antarctic Program managed by the National Science Foundation, and if the effort reveals the chemistry underlying the naturally produced glue, the research could lead to the development of stronger biological adhesives that could be a boon in fields as diverse as dentistry, neurological surgery and the development of artificial arms and limbs.
15 2010
Marine-tech: A New Wave of Ventures for InLab in California
InLab’s regional focus spans the coastline from San Diego, to Los Angeles and the Bay Area to Seattle. As a result, Inlab Ventures has decided to form a new sector of ventures that we will pursue for our portfolio: marine ventures. This will include technology applications in the areas of port and intercoastal security, anti-terrorism and anti-piracy, drug enforcement, marine biotech, desalination and water supply technologies, navigation and tracking systems, and marine energy.
With Inlab’s proximity to world-class universities such as Scripps and other California universities with research programs in marine science, as well as some of the largest ports in the country, it makes perfect sense to leverage the resources in this region. InLab has connections with the U.S. Coast Guard, the local port authorities, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Homeland Security.
15 2010
Algal Biomass Organization Announces Algae Finance Summit in NY
The Algal Biomass Organization (ABO), the leading trade association for the algae industry, today announced it will be hosting an Algae Finance Summit on May 13th, 2010 at New York City’s Flatotel. The day-long event will provide investors, analysts and fund managers with the information needed to make informed investment decisions and recommendations regarding opportunities in the fast-developing algae for energy industry.
Key experts, including government regulators and policymakers, algae producers, legal experts and investment professionals, will offer attendees a holistic — and realistic — assessment of the capital needs and financing structures for algae companies and projects, as well as the role of the federal government in regulating the industry and facilitating its growth through funding.
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