Latest Radical Stories

Work on Criegee intermediate published in Science magazine Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories' Combustion Research Facility, the University of Manchester, Bristol University, University of Southampton and Hong Kong Polytechnic have successfully measured reaction rates of a second Criegee intermediate, CH3CHOO, and proven that the reactivity of the atmospheric chemical depends strongly on which way the molecule is twisted. The measurements will provide further insight into...

SHERWOOD, Ore., Jan. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Entia Biosciences (OTCBB: ERGO), a food science biotechnology company and emerging leader in the field of Nutrigenomics, announced today that it has filed a PCT patent covering the use of Ergothioneine and/or Vitamin D2 to improve the growth and health of hair, skin and nails. The scientific knowledge underpinning this application claims priority to a provisional use patent filed on December 29, 2011 that addresses naturally and...

Significant progress made in evaluating the density of active species used in medical applications of plasma physics could improve the accuracy of treatment An international team of scientists working at the Plasma Technology research unit at Ghent University, Belgium, has determined for the first time the absolute density of active substances called radicals found in a state of matter known as plasma, in a study about to be published in EPJ D. These findings could have important...

A new clinical study that demonstrates an inverse correlation between antioxidant diet and stroke risk uses Brunswick Laboratories' ORAC assay as the measure of total antioxidant capacity. Southborough, Mass. (PRWEB) August 03, 2012 A new study published in the American Heart Association’s journal Stroke (1) concludes that “…dietary TAC [total antioxidant capacity] is inversely associated with total stroke among CVD [cardiovascular disease]-free women and hemorrhagic stroke...

Why do we age, and what makes some of us live longer than others? For decades, researchers have been trying to answer these questions by elucidating the molecular causes of aging. One of the most popular theories is that the accumulation of oxygen radicals over time might be the underlying culprit in aging. Oxygen radicals are chemically reactive molecules that can damage cellular components such as lipids, proteins and nucleic acids, resulting in "oxidative stress." The possible link...

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a highly promising material for a wide range of optical and high-power electronic devices, which can be fabricated by dry etching with plasmas. However, the plasma-induced defects and surface residues that remain after such processes tend to degrade the optical and electrical properties of the devices. A team of Japanese researchers has developed and tested a new way to "heal" such defects. The team exposed plasma-damaged GaN to hydrogen (H) radicals at room...

Squeezing polymers produces chemical energy but raises doubts about implant safety A polymer is a mesh of chains, which slowly break over time due to the pressure from ordinary wear and tear. When a polymer is squeezed, the pressure breaks chemical bonds and produces free radicals: ions with unpaired electrons, full of untapped energy. These molecules are responsible for aging, DNA damage and cancer in the human body. In a new study, Northwestern University scientists turned to squeezed...

Scientists have shown that a new molecule in the earth’s atmosphere has the potential to play a significant role in off-setting global warming by cooling the planet. In a breakthrough paper published in Science, researchers from The University of Manchester, The University of Bristol and Sandia National Laboratories report the potentially revolutionary effects of Criegee biradicals. These invisible chemical intermediates are powerful oxidisers of pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide...

In a breakthrough paper published in this week's issue of Science magazine, researchers from Sandia's Combustion Research Facility, the University of Manchester and Bristol University report direct measurements of reactions of a gas-phase Criegee intermediate using photoionization mass spectrometry. (visit www.youtube.com/SandiaLabs to see a short video of Sandia combustion chemists discussing the research.) Criegee intermediates – carbonyl oxides – are implicated in autoignition...

Feedback mechanism coordinates cellular respiration and the degradation of free oxygen radicals Oxygen-consuming organisms obtain energy through cellular respiration, which is the transformation of carbohydrates and oxygen into carbon dioxide and water. This process also produces toxic oxygen radicals which must be decomposed immediately, as they would otherwise cause damage to cells. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin have now discovered a mechanism,...