Showing posts with label chemicals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chemicals. Show all posts

GLP-1 from Platypus Venom Gives Hope for New Diabetes Treatment


Researchers have discovered that the same hormone produced in the platypus gut and stinging spurs has potential for type a 2 diabetes treatment to regulate blood glucose levels. Hormone helps diabetics.

He thinks it might worth a lot of money. seems used largely by males fight during breeding. Australia’s oddest creature platypus. Researchers have discovered that the same hormone produced in the platypus gut and stinging spurs has potential for type a 2 diabetes treatment to regulate blood glucose levels. millions years evolution shaped thing fine-tuned he says don’t need milk any platypuses professor grützner fascinated weird animals studying primates pufferfish germany he drawn shores mystery liam mannix photo university adelaide sometimes beauty strangest places tucked heel horny platypus frank grützner found beautiful word first reached european scientists discovery platypus thought had fake hoax made different parts animals stuck together sort franken-duck advertisement can understand why scientists study weirder gets sweats milk feed babies hunts sensing electrical signals hearts prey changes metabolism control body temperature heel spur secretes venom powerful enough kill dog venom professor grützner excited male platypus does use hunting why bother beak can sense heartbeats females humans causes intense pain obviously did prime candidate treating diabetes professor grützner relocated university adelaide 2005 he part team completed first sequence platypus genome time he interested creature’s crazy sex chromosomes mammals sequence completed he got phone call would change career fellow researcher mark myers myers now assistant professor federation university australia calling results sequence genes made up platypus’ insulin system team interested insulin platypuses amazingly seem lack stomach millions genes scattered one he recognised humans had gene coded protein known glp-1 human gut makes meal whereupon stimulates release insulin hormone responsible lowering blood sugar platypus glp-1 differs human versions ways important tinyest single letter dna crucial spot looked saw immediately change single amino acid exactly site peptide degraded enzyme professor grützner says glp-1 designed break quickly human bloodstream otherwise blood sugar would far would end up comatose platypus version degrades slowly makes powerful potential treatment type diabetes body loses ability insulin becomes resistant drug hold insulin levels steady long periods worth billions professor grützner's team had creature kept store glp-1 spotted happens last place would think venom dripping heel spur platypuses heat why would platypus want jab insulin booster mating rival one knows it’s fun question ponder maybe other male would go looking food females professor grützner says can weave beautiful stories scientists go looking evidence remember venom causes excruciating pain team now developed synthetic form platypus hormone avoiding thankless task milking venom randy platypuses seems stimulate insulin production least test tube step giving diabetic mouse 200 000 commercial partner medvet science go towards context promising daunting one current drugs diabetics use form glp-1 comes salivary glands gila monster venomous mexican lizard suggests venom compounds might well suited task type diabetes it’s big market says professor patrick sexton diabetes expert monash university who collaborating professor grützner's team venom research that’s spin part it’s hugely busy space people looking whole range different ways tackle never what’s going thing works drug development long tortuous path stuff even tested mice professor grützner 48 knows even goes right viable drug may developed lifetime might lead anything it’s stable can release insulin least test tube tracker integral ad science
Ancient seafarers
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Science Award to Cadhering Research

Professor Alpha Yap has received the Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology President's Medal. That is some title. It is also the scientists real name. His research is very important. It involves the way the body "glues" flesh together.

Cells in the body must be able to join together to form separate organs. The gluing must be specific. It cannot be general adhesion because everything would join together and not function property. The substance that controls bonding is cadherin.

Diseases such as cancer and even inflammation can stop the gluing action in the body. Lack of cadherin occurs with the onset of cancer. Problems of the intestines like ulcerative colitis and chrohn's disease cause caderin dysfunction which breaks down epithelial barriers.

Loss of cadherin could be causal or the result of disease. It is hoped e-cadherin levels in the body can be controlled. This may affect chronic disease and become treatment for serious ailments that disables thousands of people.
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Health by Ty Buchanan
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Molecular Cancer Treatment Now Possible

New cancer "curing" medications are announced to the public all the time. Unfortunately, what you are not told is when they will be available. It isn't much use if you have to wait ten years - if you have cancer you could be dead before then.

It is not so much chemicals that attack dangerous "bugs" that are coming to the fore: modified molecules are increasingly being tested. In prostate cancer testosterone attaches to androgen receptors. Activation in this manner allows cancer growth to take place. A helix-mimicking molecule attaches to the particular docking point thus preventing the ideal cancer condition occurring.

In animal and human tests protein supporting cancer growth was not produced when the molecules attached. Moreover, it was not found to be toxic to the body. This research opens up a completely new area of treatment. The future looks bright in the fight against cancer - it we can afford to pay for it.
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Health
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Stopping the Spread of the Complex Red Fire Ant

Australia is fighting against the spread of red fire ants. This pest has invaded other countries such as the US. Nothing seems to work to stop their malicious takeover. They give a nasty bite. It was thought to be a simple kind of ant but studies have shown it to be a complex creature.

It has two distinct variants in its social structure. Normally colonies keep their distance. On the other hand, many colonies do form a supercolony where queens work together and breed in safety. Ants of the supercolony do kill queens of isolated colonies.

The ants are different genetically. Queens of individual colonies are fatter. This is to feed the first larvae when they start the colony. Queens who work together never need the "boost" fat. The change of a single gene dramatically changes physicality and behavior. It is contentious as to whether there will be an evolutionary winner. We just do not know at this stage.

It is hoped that chemicals producing violent behavior can be identified and used against the pest. Could this be interfering in the evolution of a species? Of course it is. We have been selecting for preferential genes in many animals and plants for thousands of years.
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Entomology
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New Illicit Drugs Are Frequently Created

The world is in crisis. Illegal drugs that permanently damage users are easily purchased online. Recent research shows that when those under 16 years of age take marijuana regularly, particularly the cultivated strong variety, they are irreparably set back for the rest of their lives. Schizophrenia, is common. Furthermore, There is up to 55 per cent reduction in memory recall and decision making skills. A problem not given much importance is lung disease from smoking marijuana.

Dangerous psychoactive drugs are being developed. They are very pure and untested on humans. Some are highly toxic. Because they are new there are no laws restricting their supply, so they can be openly sold in Australia. Buying drugs online is virtually anonymous. The law has limited mechanisms for checking sales.

Several new chemicals are combined into a very dangerous brew. Some normal antidepressants are also added. The affects of drug interaction is unknown. Products are not checked for consistency. A brand bought one week can be completely different the next. Being legal in the short time does not make "home produced" drugs safe. Users believe that the new drugs are created in Australia. This in really not the case. Most are developed in China and India. These producers are untrackable. They do not use local currency. Barter is commonly practised.

Despite the wide choice of drugs, cannabis is the preferred substance of abuse. It is easily ingested by smoking, but it has a very strong smell that lingers for a long time after use. Police know when a person has smoked the illegal substance when they smell it. The chances of being caught are high.
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Society
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Dangerous Chemicals in Household Products

Be careful what you put on your skin - the skin absorbs chemicals on its surface. In other words your body consumes and ingests things like soap and toxins in engine oil, etc. Little research is done on this serious issue. In New Zealand a dangerous chemical which lowers IQ in children has been found in sunscreens. It is as damaging as lead paint.

Even spraying the chemical into the air where is can be breathed in and ingested can lower IQ. Piperonyl butoxide is also present in insect spray. Cancer Society products even contain the substance.

Low vitamin D has been blamed for many diseases when in fact it could be trace chemical in commonly used household goods. If vitamin D deficiency is causal then people in temperate countries would have higher cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, autism, depression and ADHD than those in tropical regions. This is only true for some of these illnesses. Too say 31 per cent of Australians in this hot country are deficient is ridiculous.
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Society

Professors Win Prize for Work on Polymers

The Australian Prime Minister has awarded Professor Ezio Rizzardo and Professor David Solomon a prize for developing completely new molecules. These link together in chains forming polymers. The making of polymers, polemerization, used to be a crude process. Now it can be done more precisely, tailor-made so to speak.

The end of a polymer was stopped from growing by coating it with nitroxide. This enabled knowledge to be gained after three links of growth. Importantly, the polymer could be triggered to start growing again. Different chemicals were applied to the growing polymers to see the effects. By applying what was learned, custom-made polymers were created.

Over 60 companies want to make the new material. As well as traditional uses such as tyres and car parts, delivering drugs and products that stop evaporation are also planned. Technology is moving at a rapid pace. Even for the specialist it is becoming difficult to keep up with new things.
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Technology