16 posts · 12,999 views
A chemistry blog from award-winning British science writer David Bradley
David Bradley
16 posts
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- May 10, 2011
- 04:40 PM
- 744 views
Making fluorine reactions stick
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
Fluorine in organic chemistry is an important topic across the synthetic pharmaceutical, agrochemical and materials areas because switching out hydrogen atoms selectivity for this element allows chemists to tune the reactivity of specific groups within a given molecule. Now, chemists in Switzerland have turned to fluorine to help them make specific carbon-carbon bonds. The formation [...]... Read more »
Allemann, O., Duttwyler, S., Romanato, P., Baldridge, K., & Siegel, J. (2011) Proton-Catalyzed, Silane-Fueled Friedel-Crafts Coupling of Fluoroarenes. Science, 332(6029), 574-577. DOI: 10.1126/science.1202432
- October 27, 2010
- 08:46 AM
- 475 views
Antioxidant backlash
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
More research is needed into antioxidants found in plants, which may actually aggravate health conditions rather than benefiting people who eat them. Specifically, quercetin and ferulic acid have been shown to aggravate kidney cancer in severely diabetic laboratory rats, according to a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Kuan-Chou Chen, Robert Peng, and [...]... Read more »
Hsieh CL, Peng CC, Cheng YM, Lin LY, Ker YB, Chang CH, Chen KC, & Peng RY. (2010) Quercetin and Ferulic Acid Aggravate Renal Carcinoma in Long-Term Diabetic Victims. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. PMID: 20669956
- October 22, 2010
- 07:00 AM
- 782 views
How to make a bigger periodic table
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
A paper published this week in Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics maps out 54 unknown chemical elements that could lie beyond element 118, ununoctium. Mendeleev’s original classification of the elements into groups and periods is underpinned by chemical quantum mechanics, which describes the interactions of electrons and protons and dictates the electronic structures of the elements. There are [...]... Read more »
Pekka Pyykko. (2010) A Q1 suggested periodic table up to Z r 172, based on Dirac–Fock calculations on atoms and ions. Phys Chem Chem Phys. info:/
- June 29, 2010
- 05:34 AM
- 529 views
The chemistry of an iPhone
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
Apple’s Steve Jobs has a reputation for responding personally to some of the presumably millions of emails he receives. (Apparently, he does it on a weekly basis, which smacks of controlled PR campaign, if you ask me). One from “Derick” published on Wired and elsewhere purportedly asked about the chemistry of the iPhone 4. Derick [...]... Read more »
Rosman, K., Chisholm, W., Hong, S., Candelone, J., & Boutron, C. (1997) Lead from Carthaginian and Roman Spanish Mines Isotopically Identified in Greenland Ice Dated from 600 B.C. to 300 A.D. . Environmental Science , 31(12), 3413-3416. DOI: 10.1021/es970038k
- March 19, 2010
- 03:00 AM
- 788 views
Glucagon for weight loss?
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
Glucagon for weight loss seems to be a common search phrase hitting my science site, so I thought it was time to write a short summary of what glucagon is and what role it might have to play in weight loss and addressing the growing problem of obesity.
Glucagon is a hormone with the opposite action [...]... Read more »
Halford JC, Boyland EJ, Blundell JE, Kirkham TC, & Harrold JA. (2010) Pharmacological management of appetite expression in obesity. Nature reviews. Endocrinology. PMID: 20234354
- January 14, 2010
- 08:00 AM
- 927 views
How enzymes don’t work
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
The late, great Linus Paul, twice Nobel laureate (chemistry and peace) and advocate of mega doses of vitamin C for beating disease and extending life (he died at the ripe old age of 93) was one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century.
He worked out how nature’s catalysts, proteins known as enzymes, speed [...]... Read more »
Simón, L., & Goodman, J. (2009) Enzyme Catalysis by Hydrogen Bonds: The Balance between Transition State Binding and Substrate Binding in Oxyanion Holes. The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2147483647. DOI: 10.1021/jo901503d
- August 25, 2009
- 08:00 AM
- 505 views
Swine Flu and Glutathione Supplements
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
Could a simple dietary change that increases glutathione, or indeed supplementation with this tripeptide be all you need to boost your immune system and ward of influenza?
Evidence mounted for glutathione itself in 2000, when Emory University researchers led by Dean Jones reported that a lozenge or oral spray containing glutathione might help prevent infection with [...]... Read more »
FRIEL, H., & LEDERMAN, H. (2006) A nutritional supplement formula for influenza A (H5N1) infection in humans☆. Medical Hypotheses, 67(3), 578-587. DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2006.02.040
- May 8, 2009
- 03:15 PM
- 924 views
Echinacea and Swine Flu
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
As a follow up to my earlier post about alternative medicine and influenza, I did a little more probing among immunologist contacts of contacts.
There are several facts to consider if you’re thinking of taking echinacea to help protect you from swine flu, or indeed any form of influenza or colds.
Generally, taking these complementary therapies is [...]... Read more »
Shah, S., Sander, S., White, C., Rinaldi, M., & Coleman, C. (2007) Evaluation of echinacea for the prevention and treatment of the common cold: a meta-analysis. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 7(7), 473-480. DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(07)70160-3
- May 3, 2009
- 09:18 AM
- 820 views
9 Influenza Puzzles
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
A research paper published last year aimed to address 9 puzzling things about influenza:
Why is influenza seasonal and ubiquitous, where does the virus hide between epidemics?
Why are the epidemics so fast to spread?
Why do they end so quickly?
Why do countries on similar latitudes have coincidental epidemics?
Why is the serial interval obscure?
Why is the secondary attack [...]... Read more »
Cannell, J., Zasloff, M., Garland, C., Scragg, R., & Giovannucci, E. (2008) On the epidemiology of influenza. Virology Journal, 5(1), 29. DOI: 10.1186/1743-422X-5-29
- March 19, 2009
- 06:27 AM
- 775 views
Nature’s Chemistry
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
Eight chemists share their vision of chemistry in the inaugural issue of Nature Chemistry is published today.
Nobel Laureate Ryoji Noyori considers how chemical synthesis should develop so that chemists might tackle global problems. Harry Gray outlines plans for making solar power viable, while Jim Clark discusses the green chemistry revolution.
Barbara Imperiali highlights how chemistry allows [...]... Read more »
Ryoji Noyori, Harry Gray, Mark Johnson, Barbara Imperiali, Gary Hieftje, James Clark, Achim Müller, & Fraser Stoddart. (2009) The future of chemistry. Nature Chemistry, 1(1), 5-5. DOI: 10.1038/nchem.139
- July 1, 2008
- 12:23 PM
- 700 views
Diabetes and Mulberry Bush
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
The US Food and Drug Administration recently called for Type 2 diabetes drugs to be more rigorously controlled because of concerns about their risk of causing heart problems. However, an extract of mulberry could offer an alternative for managing Type 2 diabetes, according to researchers working with San Diego company Neuliven Health to market Glucocil.
Type [...]... Read more »
Mudra, M., Ercan-Fang, N., Zhong, L., Furne, J., & Levitt, M. (2007) Influence of Mulberry Leaf Extract on the Blood Glucose and Breath Hydrogen Response to Ingestion of 75 g Sucrose by Type 2 Diabetic and Control Subjects. Diabetes Care, 30(5), 1272-1274. DOI: 10.2337/dc06-2120
- October 1, 2007
- 02:12 PM
- 929 views
Chocoholics Anonymous
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
It probably will not come as a surprise that scientific research funded by chocolate makers Nestlé has demonstrated a link between our love of chocolate and a specific chemical signature programmed into our metabolism. The signature reads “chocolate lover” in some people and indifference to the popular sweet in others, the researchers say.
Sunil Kochhar of [...]... Read more »
Rezzi, S., Ramadan, Z., Martin, F., Fay, L., van Bladeren, P., Lindon, J., Nicholson, J., & Kochhar, S. (2007) Human Metabolic Phenotypes Link Directly to Specific Dietary Preferences in Healthy Individuals. Journal of Proteome Research, 6(11), 4469-4477. DOI: 10.1021/pr070431h
- September 1, 2007
- 12:32 PM
- 1,104 views
Heat Resistant Paint
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
A way to toughen up the latex particles used to make emulsion paints has been developed by UK chemists. The approach involves adding tiny slivers of clay armor to make the particles more hard wearing and fire resistant.
Until now, latex emulsion paints have been made by adding a soap-like surfactant molecule to allow the hydrophobic, [...]... Read more »
Bon, S., & Colver, P. (2007) Pickering Miniemulsion Polymerization Using Laponite Clay as a Stabilizer. Langmuir, 23(16), 8316-8322. DOI: 10.1021/la701150q
- December 1, 2006
- 01:16 PM
- 974 views
Bedwetting Chemistry
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
A higher concentration of sodium and urea in urine could underlie a type of bedwetting in children that does not respond to the common medication, desmopressin. The levels of these natural substances could indicate an imbalance of the hormone-like compound prostaglandin, and suggests a new approach to treating this common problem.
Out of every ten children [...]... Read more »
Kamperis, K., Rittig, S., Jorgensen, K., & Djurhuus, J. (2006) Nocturnal polyuria in monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis refractory to desmopressin treatment. AJP: Renal Physiology, 291(6). DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00134.2006
- December 1, 2006
- 11:29 AM
- 902 views
Rubber Suits You Sir
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
Military personnel, chemical workers, and others could benefit from a new synthetic rubber material tailored with liquid crystals. The material might be used to make body suits to protect chemical-industry employees from skin exposure to toxic vapors and aerosols, as well as providing protection for military personnel and civilians in the event of a chemical-weapons [...]... Read more »
Lu, X., Nguyen, V., Zhou, M., Zeng, X., Jin, J., Elliott, B., & Gin, D. (2006) Crosslinked Bicontinuous Cubic Lyotropic Liquid-Crystal/Butyl-Rubber Composites: Highly Selective, Breathable Barrier Materials for Chemical Agent Protection. Advanced Materials, 18(24), 3294-3298. DOI: 10.1002/adma.200601156
- November 1, 2006
- 10:08 AM
- 1,121 views
Fried Rust Could Prevent Arsenic Poisoning
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
A subject that we have returned to on several occasions, arsenic-contaminated drinking water, could one day become a thing of the past thanks to the unexpected discovery of the magnetic properties of rusty nanoparticles.
Researchers at Rice University’s Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN) have developed a low-cost technology that can extract arsenic from drinking [...]... Read more »
Yavuz, C., Mayo, J., Yu, W., Prakash, A., Falkner, J., Yean, S., Cong, L., Shipley, H., Kan, A., Tomson, M.... (2006) Low-Field Magnetic Separation of Monodisperse Fe3O4 Nanocrystals. Science, 314(5801), 964-967. DOI: 10.1126/science.1131475
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