Teixobactin, a new arsenal against bacteria

Posted on October 17, 2016 by | Leave a comment

Pneumonia, meningitis, gonorrhea, cholera, Lyme disease, syphilis, strep throat, gastritis, ulcers, and the plague. These are just some common illnesses caused by a bacterial infection. Although only less than one percent of all bacterial species are harmful, they are experienced killers with powerful biological weapons. How powerful? The plaque alone is estimated to have killed 200 million people during 14th to 17th century (3) !  Luckily, humans are now armed with antibiotics, which are chemical compounds that target and kill bacterial cells without harming our cells. With the accidental discovery of world’s first antibiotic penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928, humans have been able to combat bacteria since (6).  However, things are changing fast. Bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics.
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Antibiotic resistance is a serious issue that affects everyone and it’s not a problem of the future. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) which cause strep throat and tuberculosis respectively are just two of many bacterial species that are resistant to common antibiotics (11).  Antibiotic resistant bacteria infect over 2 million people a year and killing them require stronger antibiotics or alternate methods (11). The availability is limited for these alternatives and they are more expensive which can be a huge financial burden on the patient. Furthermore, over 25 thousand people are killed from the bacteria, proving how dangerous even a minor infection could be without the help of antibiotics (7).  Due to these reasons, health organizations around the world have made discovery of new antibiotics a top priority. With combined effort, a new class of antibiotic was discovered first time in 30 years: Teixobactin (4).

 

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Each class of antibiotic has a unique way it kills bacteria. For example, β-lactam antibiotic such as penicillin attach to the bacterial cell wall, a protective casing that the bacteria produce. When attached, the antibiotic gets in the way of making the cell wall and the bacteria die off because it cannot survive without a cell wall (8). Unlike penicillin and all other antibiotic classes, Teixobactin kills bacteria by binding to the materials that bacteria need to make their cell wall (lipid II and lipid III) (4).  Because there isn’t any material for the bacteria to use to build a cell wall, they die off.  So far, the drug has shown to successfully kill antibiotic resistant MRSA and MTB (4) and because Teixobactin attacks multiple different weak points of bacteria (bind to both lipid II and lipid III), experts suggest that it will take 3o years or more for bacteria to develop resistance to it. (5) However, the researchers who discovered Teixobactin have yet to test the drug on humans and they still face challenges mass producing the drug. (7) They estimate that the drug may be available to the market in 5 years.

 

Jay Park

References:

(1) Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/antibiotic-resistant-bacteria (accessed Oct 18, 2016).

(2) Antibiotic Resistance of Tuberculosis http://dujs.dartmouth.edu/2009/02/new-trickes-for-an-old-foe-the-threat-of-antibiotic-resistant-tuberculosis/#.WAVjKujhBFw (accessed Oct 18, 2016).

(3) BBC News | HEALTH | De-coding the Black Death http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1576875.stm (accessed Oct 18, 2016).

(4) Ling, L.; Schneider, T.; Peoples, A.; Spoering, A.; Engels, I.; Conlon, B.; Mueller, A.; Schäberle, T.; Hughes, D.; Epstein, S. et al. A New Antibiotic Kills Pathogens Without Detectable Resistance. Nature 2015, 517, 455-459.

(5) Sarah Knapton,. First new antibiotic in 30 years discovered in major breakthrough http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/03/14/first-new-antibiotic-in-30-years-discovered-in-major-breakthroug/ (accessed Oct 18, 2016).

(6) Alexander Fleming Discovery and Development of Penicillin – Landmark – American Chemical Society https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/flemingpenicillin.html (accessed Oct 18, 2016).

(7) New Antibiotic Kills TB, MRSA Without Building Resistance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oavgheHGPFw (accessed Oct 18, 2016).

(8) ß-Lactams: Mechanisms of Action and Resistance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBdYnRhdWcQ (accessed Oct 18, 2016).

(9) What causes antibiotic resistance? – Kevin Wu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znnp-Ivj2ek (accessed Oct 18, 2016).

(10) Antibiotics: List of Common Antibiotics & Types – Drugs.com https://www.drugs.com/article/antibiotics.html (accessed Oct 18, 2016).

(11) Antibiotic resistance http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/antibiotic-resistance/en/ (accessed Oct 18, 2016).

 

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Montreal Protocol amendment limits hydrofluorocarbon manufacture

Posted on October 17, 2016 by | Leave a comment

In 1987, after the hole in the ozone layer was discovered over Antarctica, an international treaty called the Montreal Protocol was agreed to. This treaty basically ended chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) manufacture all over the globe. CFCs were widely-used refrigerants used in refrigerators and air conditioning. CFCs were replaced by hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). This treaty was a success – a couple of years ago, the ozone layer was clearly showing signs of recovering. However, since 1987 it has been found that while it varies from chemical to chemical, HFCs as a whole tend to be just as bad as CFCs. This is why, a few days ago in Rwanda, delegates from the 197 countries involved in the treaty agreed to an amendment that aims to cut down on HFC production.

An example of a CFC an an HFC.

An example of a CFC an an HFC. HFCs contain hydrogen instead of chlorine. Both are gases used as refrigerants, and are greenhouse gases and harmful to the ozone layer.
This public domain image is courtesy of Wikimedia and the original can be found at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CFC-12_HFC-134a(catal%C3%A0).svg

According to this new agreement, the richest countries such as the US, Canada, and the EU countries are required to begin cutting down by 2019, developing countries such as China and Latin American countries begin in 2024, and some of the poorest countries such as Pakistan and Iran do not need to begin until 2028. However, China and India already say they will actually begin phasing out HFCs later than they agreed to in the treaty. India doesn’t have widespread use of air conditioning or refrigeration, but China produces the most HFCs in the world.

Experts estimated that this treaty will lessen atmospheric CO2 by 70 billion tons by 2050 – this may not be enough to reduce global warming by 0.5 degrees as hoped, but it is no small feat. It must have been hard for 197 nations to come to an agreement, although I’m a little disappointed it took them seven years of negotiation to do it. Overall, though, I think this is pretty exciting.

~ Nat Shipp

 

Sources:

BBC – “Climate Change: ‘Monumental’ deal to cut HFCs, fastest growing greenhouse gases”

Euronews – “‘Historic’ climate change deal reached in Rwanda”

Business Standard – “Global deal on climate-changing refrigeration gases sealed in Rwanda”

Bits of Science – “Transition from CFCs to HFCs under Montreal Protocol hurts climate – adjustment required”

BBC – “Ozone layer showing ‘signs of recovery,’ UN says”

 

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Under the Helmet

Posted on October 17, 2016 by | 6 comments

October is finally upon us, therefore ’tis the season of hockey. We Canadians have this strange obsession with hockey. We enjoy the sight of a bone-crushing hit followed by a scuffle between the players involved or the entirety of the two teams. The adrenaline rush we get from watching players tackle each other is exhilarating. However, as we watch comfortably on our couches, the players under the helmet are at risk of obtaining a concussion, leading to neurological side-effects. The professional athletes we watch have many medical specialists tending to their injuries so that the repercussions may be minimized, but what about the young athletes playing in these contact sports?

Figure 1. MLB player, Yadier Molina, after suffering a mild concussion, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

MLB player, Yadier Molina, after suffering a mild concussion, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Dr. Neil Goldenberg and Dr. Patrick Mularoni of John Hopkins All Children’s Hospitial are teaming up with adolescent athletes to investigate methods to treat and diagnose concussion, providing safer conditions for young athletes. The researchers are given a $500.000 grant from All Children’s Hospital Foundation to perform this three-year study.

Firstly, what is a concussion? A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) that causes damage to the brain. Concussions are commonly generated after an impact to that head that quickly shakes the head and brain back and forth.

How a concussion is caused, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

How a concussion is caused, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated about 2.5 million people in the United States that visited hospitals for concussion diagnosis. Concussion symptoms vary depending on the severity of the injury; most of the symptoms subside relatively quickly. However, the long term effects require more studies to understand. A brief John Hopkins 2015 study of retired NFL players shows brain injury in the regions that regulate mood and verbal memory. Additionally, the players performed poorly on a memory test.

To prevent the potential long-term effects of concussions and protect young athletes, Dr. Goldenberg and Dr. Mularoni are determined to study changes in the brain functions of athletes in high school. Dr. George Jallo, Director of Brain Protection Sciences at John Hopkins, stated: “It’s very important for us to do a study in adolescents because that’s when their brain is developing and that’s when they’re going to have these head injuries.”

In my opinion, this study is a step in the right direction towards protecting youth in sports. As a former high school basketball player myself, I’ve experienced concussions due to errant elbows to the head. Being a stubborn person, I refused to stop and acted as if I was healthy. Although, I experienced minimal symptoms for a short period of time, it is unknown if the growth of my brain was affected at the time. Since I’ve suffered only one or two concussions it is unlikely to affect me in the long-term, but for the young athletes in hockey and football, contact is abundant, they might suffer through brain injuries that may change their livelihood forever.

-Nelson Yu

References:

Researchers and Athletes Team Up to Study Concussion. https://www.hopkinsallchildrens.org/ach-news/general-news/researchers-and-athletes-team-up-to-study-concussi (accessed Oct.16,2016)

Hedin, M. Johns Hopkins study of retired NFL players sheds light on concussion-related brain damage. http://hub.jhu.edu/2015/01/26/nfl-players-concussion-research/ (accessed Oct.16,2016)

Kivi, R. and Carey, E. Concussion. http://www.healthline.com/health/concussion#Overview1 (accessed Oct.16,2016)

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PLUTO IS DEAD

Posted on October 16, 2016 by | 4 comments

On August 24, 2006 Pluto died1. Okay maybe it didn’t exactly die, but Pluto the planet died and Pluto the dwarf planet was born. I remember hearing the news in the beginning of grade five and I was FURIOUS. Not because of Pluto’s demotion, but because my mnemonic for memorizing the planets names no longer made sense. “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas” had become “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine.” Nine what?!

Planet Mnemonic Source: Simplyilka. http://simplyilka.com/2014/10/23/5-science-jokes-everyone/ (accessed Oct 16, 2016)

Planet Mnemonic
Source: Simplyilka. http://simplyilka.com/2014/10/23/5-science-jokes-everyone/ (accessed Oct 16, 2016)

The decision to demote Pluto was very controversial, many scientists and people, including myself, saw the nine planets as fixtures in the sky that represented our small section in the universe. So why did Pluto get demoted after 75 years of being a planet and why was the decision so controversial?

Unlike all the other planets Pluto was an oddball to begin with. Pluto’s eccentric orbit crosses Neptune’s orbit for about 20 years out of its 248 year orbit2. No other planets cross orbital paths! The only other objects that do, are comets and asteroids.

In 2005, Caltech astronomer Mike Brown aka Pluto Killer announced the discovery of Eris, an object in the Kuiper belt that was similar in size to Pluto3. NASA defines the Kuiper Belt as “a disc-shaped region of icy bodies- including Pluto- and comets beyond the orbit of Neptune4.” So if we considered Pluto a planet then Eris would have to become the tenth planet. However, since the discovery of Eris, more objects in the Kuiper Belt were identified as having masses comparable to Pluto. That’s when the International Astronomical Union (IAU) had to step in and redefine the term planet.

Other Objects in the Kuiper Belt Source: Amos, J. Pluto flyby: Meet the 'King of the Kuiper Belt,' BBC News. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-33500681 (accessed Oct 16, 2016)

Other Objects in the Kuiper Belt
Source: Amos, J. Pluto flyby: Meet the ‘King of the Kuiper Belt,’ BBC News. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-33500681 (accessed Oct 16, 2016)

The new definition of planet needs to meet three criterion5: (1) must orbit the sun, (2) have sufficient mass to be round, or nearly round, (3) has cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.

Unfortunately Pluto did not meet the last criterion because it shares its orbital neighbourhood with other objects in the Kuiper belt. Alan Stern, leader of NASA’s New Horizon mission, along with many other scientists were not happy with this new definition of planets. Stern told SPACE.com. “A river is a river, independent of whether there are other rivers nearby. In science, we call things what they are based on their attributes, not what they’re next to3.” However Stern may have some bias on the subject because he was leading the New Horizon Mission to Pluto, which was launched in early 2006. Leading a launch to a planet is much more exciting then leading one to a dwarf planet.

After doing all of this research and understanding the arguments each side was making, my opinion on Pluto’s status as a planet changed. Although it would be nice for my mnemonic of the planets to make sense, our knowledge of the universe is constantly changing and evolving, and along with it definitions for our universe need to change too.

Until our next journey, live long and prosper…unless you’re Pluto

By: Flora Iranmanesh

References:

(1) Inman, M. Pluto Not a Planet, Astronomers Rule. National Geographic [online], August 24, 2006. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/08/060824-pluto-planet.html (accessed Oct 16, 2016)

(2) Spaleta, S. Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Case Against Pluto’s ‘Planet-hood. video file, Space.com, July, 14 2015. http://www.space.com/29949-neil-degrasse-tyson-s-case-against-pluto-s-planet-hood-video.html (accessed Oct 16, 2016)

(3) Wall, M. Five Years Later, Pluto’s Planethood Demotion Still Stirs Controversy. space.com [online], August 24, 2011. http://www.space.com/12709-pluto-dwarf-planet-decision-5-years-anniversary-iau.html (accessed Oct 16, 2016)

(4) Solar System Exploration NASA Science, Kuiper Belt: Overview. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/kbos (accessed Oct 16, 2016)

(5) Howell, E. What Is a Planet? space.com [online], May 22, 2014. http://www.space.com/25986-planet-definition.html (accessed Oct 16, 2016)

 

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What you do not know about the gasoline?

Posted on October 16, 2016 by | Leave a comment

What you do not know about the gasoline?
During last summer time back to China, I found out at gas stations gasoline were labelled as different numbers, such as #92, #93, #95, and #97. As far as I know, in the past several years most peo- ple were using #93 and #97, but recently government tries to encourage public using #92 and #95. And then I was curious about the following questions: What do these numbers represent? Which number is the best choice for divers? And why does government encourage public purchasing spe- cific numbered gasoline?

I have asked some people whether they know the meaning of different numbered gasoline, most of them told me the higher number represents the purer gasoline. However according to “Urban Trans- port And the Environment” article, the number has no relationship with gasoline’s purity, it only refers to the amount of octane in the gasoline. The presence of Octane can reduce the explosion possibility. And the higher octane rating is, the less likely explode will occur. This phenomenon is due to octane burns slowly with its long hydrocarbon chain. Based on thermodynamics and engine efficiency, different engines have various compression rations. Normally the lower compression ratio a vehicle has, the smaller number of gasoline it should use, and when a high numbered gasoline is used by a low compression ratio vehicle , it could cause incomplete combustion and can be harmful for the engine.

Nowadays governments are encouraging public to use #92 gasoline instead of #93. This is because #92 is more environmental friendly than #93. As being reported, sulfur content limit in #92 has been reduced from 50 mg per kilogram to 10 mg per kilogram compared with #93. When using gasoline #92 instead of #93, it becomes better for environment.

Based on the information above, the gasoline which is being used recently becomes more and more environmental friendly. And a higher numbered gasoline does not guarantee it would be better for engine, it only represents the more octane existing in gasoline.

Reference:

The difference between #92 gasoline and #93 http://www.autohome.com.cn/dealer/201405/12201588.html(assessed Oct 2nd 2016). http://bbs.pcauto.com.cn/topic-5089619.html
Octane Rating
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating(assessed Oct 2nd 2016).
What does 92, 95 and 98 on petrol mean? https://onthegreenwagon.wordpress.com/2014/10/14/what-does-92-95-and-98-on-petrol-means/ (assessed Oct 2nd 2016).

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Video

Primates help advance HIV treatment

Rhesus macaque on which treatment testing was performed. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161013141053.htm

Rhesus macaque on which treatment testing was performed.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161013141053.htm

An international research team based out of the German Primate Center has developed an effective treatment regime against the HIV-like Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) in rhesus macaques.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)  affects more than 36 million people worldwide, it is a sexually transmitted disease which infects vital immune response cells, called helper T cells. By invading these cells, the virus forces the body to kill the helper T cells, thus weakening the host immune system. This environment is ideal for life-threatening infections and cancers to thrive in. Once the number of helper T cells in the blood is below a certain threshold, the patient is diagnosed with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. At this point the body is no longer able to sustain immunity and the patient succumbs to his infections or cancer. The most common cause of death among patients with AIDS is tuberculosis.

T helper cell count as compared to HIV and AIDS progression. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV/AIDS

T helper cell count as compared to HIV and AIDS progression.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV/AIDS

 

There is not yet a cure for HIV and AIDS, but a combination of medications are used to fight the HIV infection. Patients are prescribed a regime of six drug classes which prevents the virus from multiplying in the patient’s body, allowing the immune system to recover and protect the patient from infections and cancers. This antiretroviral therapy (ART) controls the virus so that patients can live longer and healthier lives and reduces the risk of transmitting HIV to others.

HIV was originally transmitted as SIV when humans made contact with the blood of chimpanzees while hunting for bushmeat in Africa. In their natural hosts, chimpanzees, SIV is harmless even at high circulating levels, but if a rhesus macaque becomes infected, it will develop SIV, which has nearly identical characteristics as HIV.

In their study, the research team treated SIV-infected rhesus macaques with an antiretroviral drug regime similar to one a human patient would be prescribed if diagnosed with HIV. The macaques were also injected with Vedolizumab, a therapeutic drug used to treat inflammatory bowel diseases in humans such as Crohn’s disease, where the T helper cells also play a vital role.

After finishing the therapy, the macaques had almost no SI virus in their blood and near normal T helper cell levels. Scientists worldwide are testing to see whether a combination of antiretroviral therapy with Vedolizumab would have the same effect in humans infected with HIV.

By pushing the boundaries of effective HIV treatments, some of the adverse effects accompanied by administering continuous antiretroviral drugs such as chronic inflammation and accelerated aging can be reduced or eliminated.

Scarlett Liaifer

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Posted on October 16, 2016 by in chemistry in the news, frontiers of chemistry

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Mad Cow Disease: An Inevitable Death

Posted on October 15, 2016 by | 2 comments

A disease that has no cure and leads to an inevitable death. ‘Mad Cow Disease’ was first discovered in United Kingdom back in 1986, and for nearly 15 years the outbreak has infected up to 180,000 cattle and damaged many farm communities in the area.

Mad Cow Disease is also known as ‘Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)’, which the name itself suggests a spongy form of the cow’s brain. BSE is a slow progressing disease which targets the central nervous system of the cow causing it to act abnormally and eventually lead to its death. For unknown reasons a protein, known as ‘prion’, located in the brain of a cow, starts to change its conformation. This creates a signal which changes the conformation of other prions like a chain reaction and leads to the slow degradation of the brain. The following video provides a summary of the mad cow disease:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP-ShyyHiIc
“Mad Cow Disease is an infectious disease of cattle transmitted but by virus or bacteria, but by an abnormal form of type of protein called a prion”- Dr. Linda L. Walsh, Dept. of Psychology, University of Iowa

Transmission of this disease to human will lead to certain death, although the time length for each cases can vary from about 6 months to many years. The form of mad cow disease infected in human is known as ‘variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease’ or vCJD.

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Structure of normal and abnormal prion protein, and its effect on human brain. http://www.viviennebalonwu.com/2015/07/creutzfeldt-jakob-disease-cjd.html.

This disease causes a slow degradation of the brain, creating small holes, and destroying the nervous system. As such, the symptom of this disease may consist of memory lost, lack of coordination, personality change, psychiatric issues, movements, speak and death. The transmission of this disease occurs from the direct consumption of meat infected with the abnormal prions, and possibly from blood transfusion.

“Another risk is the spread of vCJD through blood transfusions – and it is still not known exactly how many people are carriers of the disease.”  – Professor Graham Medley, University of Warwick

Although, many countries started to separate the brain, and other parts of nervous system, from the main food supply after the outbreak in the late 1990. It is possible that there are infected people who are unaware of it. Thus it increases the risk of transmitting this disease to others via blood transfusion.

“We are pretty sure that there are people out there who are infected but don’t have the disease”– Professor Graham Medley, University of Warwick

Personally, I feel that there is a higher demand for research regarding prions and a cure for mad cow disease. The cause for this disease is still unknown and because of this, it is extremely difficult to prevent an outbreak from happening or to protect people against it.

 

Poramat Sucharit

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Autism versus Vaccines

Posted on October 14, 2016 by | 3 comments

Earlier this year, a huge controversy regarding the correlation of autism and vaccination resurfaced and caught the attention of many concerned parents over the internet. This matter sparked a large interest in the general public and caused many debates on whether if autism and vaccination is actually correlated.

This controversy first appeared in 1998, when Andrew Wakefield published a fraudulent paper on the MMR (mumps, measles, and rubella) vaccine and autism. His initial research proposed that the MMR vaccine caused inflammation in the guts of patients, which allowed a certain unproven protein to be so called, ‘leaked’ across the inflamed intestines and travel through the body to the developing brain, causing autism.

When I first heard about this controversy, I was enraged by the potential harm caused by the ignorance and misinformation sown through the general public. As a science student at UBC, I have considered it a personal goal to spread the truth. Despite what Khan Academy has explained in the attached video above, let us look into this matter scientifically, shall we?

First let’s dissect the causation of Autism.

To be honest, the exact cause of autism is unknown. However, research has shown that there are several possible factors, including genetics. Scientists have discovered that in some cases of autistic children, their chromosomes differed from the karyotype, the visual representation of all the chromosomes present in an organism, of a healthy, normal individual’s. It was often found that mutations arose in their set of chromosomes, causing changes in the DNA sequence that would affect the appropriate proteins later produced for proper physical and mental development.

Normal Human Karyotype (Male)   Credit: Flickr Commons

Now, let’s look at the function of vaccines. When vaccines are introduced to the body, it does in fact contain a small portion of the disease. However, it is in its deactivated or weakened form, thus unable to cause any virulent harm to the host. The purpose of vaccines is to introduce potential harmful foreign proteins to the body so our immune system is able to recognize these viruses or bacteria. In return, when our immune system is exposed to the fully activated version of the disease, the body is able to make antibodies fast enough before the host actually falls ill.

Between the function of vaccines and how autism may be caused, I find it absurd that some people believe vaccinating their children can potentially expose them to the risk of autism. By that logic, they are suggesting that deactivated or weakened versions of bacteria or viruses are able to change DNA sequences in cells.

I stand by the fact that vaccines do not cause autism in children. I truly hope parents who are against vaccinating their children for this very reason have looked into this topic in depth, and hopefully have changed their minds and have come to the correct conclusion. After all, why risk your child’s health and safety for something you’ve read on Facebook that has been proven false by many research studies?

– Katrina Lim

Resources:

Child Autism Parent Café. http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/autism-and-genes.html (accessed Oct 10, 2016)

Zorica, H.I. et al. Numerical and structural chromosomal changes in a case of autism. [online] 2007. (accessed Oct 10, 2016) http://www.rombio.eu/vol12nr.3/manuscript_8_Hertzog%20BT%20nr.3.htm

Gillber, C.J. Chromosomal Disorder and Autism. Springer Link. [Online] doi:10.1023/A:1026004505764. 1998. 28: 415 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1026004505764 (accessed Oct 10, 2016)

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The World’s Smallest Machines!

Posted on October 11, 2016 by | 3 comments

The 2016 Nobel prize in chemistry was awarded to Jean-Pierre Sauvage of the University of Strasbourg for the design and synthesis of molecular machines. As a chemistry undergraduate myself, the idea of molecular machines immediately peaked my interests. These machines are no different than the gears that rotate the wheels of our cars and spin the fans that cool the computer chips inside our computers. Now you might be asking, what’s so spectacular about that? The fact is, these machines are so small they are invisible to our naked eye; they are so tiny that even under a magnifying glass you wouldn’t even see a spec.

Jean-Pierre Sauvage and his research team first proposed the idea of molecular machines in 1983 when they successfully linked two ring-shaped molecules into one structure called a “catenane”. The linked rings acted like two gears that can move mechanically with respect to each other just like any other gear in the macroscopic world. This simple discovery has propelled the research till present day. It has now been more than 30 years since the initial proposal of molecular machines with only a two gear system.

This is the crystal structure of catenane discovered by Sauvage and his team in 1985. Released under the GNU Free Documentation License

This is the crystal structure of catenane discovered by Sauvage and his team in 1985. (c) M stone, released under the GNU Free Documentation License

Jean-Pierre Sauvage and his research team has perfected the simple two-ringed molecule into a sophisticated system of many molecules that can be designed to perform certain tasks when energy is added. As of right now, Sauvage’s team has been able to display spinning of cranks and wheels at the microscopic level. In terms of development, their systems are equivalent to the electric motors during the 1830s. Without a doubt, what Sauvage and his team have discovered is just the tip of the iceberg. These molecular machines could potentially be further developed and used for things such as new materials, sensors and energy storage systems, and I’m excited to see the applications of these molecular motors in our everyday lives. Maybe one day when molecular motors become an integral part of our world, just like the electrical motors we use now, we will look back and truly appreciate Sauvage and the other scientists for the work they have put into developing these amazingly small but complex nano-machines.

 

-Charlie Wei

References:

Press Release: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016 http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/2016/press.html (accessed Oct 12, 2016).

Jean-Pierre Sauvage – Facts https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/2016/sauvage-facts.html (accessed Oct 12, 2016).

Transformations of Fullerene http://www.org-chem.org/yuuki/catenane/catenane_en.html (accessed Oct 12, 2016).

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Vantablack, the darkest material ever made

Posted on October 11, 2016 by | 1 comment

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(Image Credits: SURREY NANOSYSTEMS https://www.surreynanosystems.com/vantablack)

The picture above shows Vantablack, which is the darkest artificial material ever made. The coating, which absorbs almost all light, was created by British company Surrey NanoSystems to eliminate light that interfere satellites and telescopes. Let us see what is this mysterious material and how it can be used.

1.Does the darkest means the blackest?

As we known, the color is actually a result of reflected light from the object. The color shown is depend on the light frequency. The Vantablack does not actually shows any colour since there is no light reflected from it. The reason why the light can not escape is because of the structure of Vantablack. It is made of a “forest” of tiny, hollow carbon tubes, each has the width of a single atom. According to the Surrey NanoSystems website, “a surface area of 1 centimeter squared would contain around 1000 million nanotubes.” These tubes can absorb light hits, so Vantablack is called the absence of color.

 

2.Does it feels like the way it looks?

“One of the things that people often say is ‘Can I touch it?’” said by Steve Northam from Surrey NanoSystems. “They expect it to feel like a warm velvet.” However Vantablack does not feels like the way it looks. When you touch Vantablack, it just feels like a smooth surface. Because the nanotubes are minute and thin, they will collapse easily by a slight human touch. So, Vantablack is extremely sensitive  to touch, that explains why it can not yet be applied to unprotected surfaces like cars —one brush of a hand can make material lose its magic.

3.How much does it weight?

One thing interesting is that, though Vantablack is vulnerable to damage, it is super robust against other forces, like shock and vibration. This is due to the fact that every carbon nanotube is independent, and has almost no mass at all. Plus, most of the material is air. “If there’s no mass, there’s no force during acceleration,” Northam says. This makes Vantablack ideal for protected objects that might have to endure a jouncy ride, like a space rocket.

4.Any possibilities beyond its original applications?

As mentioned above, the material was initially designed for fields of frontier science, like space launch, where its ability to limit stray light makes it ideal for the inside of telescopes. But it could be applied in more daily objects with right conditions. Northam says Surrey NanoSystems has already been approached by a handful of luxury watchmakers interested in incorporating Vantablack into their wrist candy, and high-end car manufacturers want to use it in their dashboard displays for stunning visual appearance.

To my opinion, the invention of Vantablank is a great achievement for material chemistry. It suggest that the appropriate design can make the simple element show characteristics we never expected. The Vantablank give approaches to development of  carbon-related synthesis.

Video:

Reference:

Evangelos Theocharous, Christopher J. Chunnilall, Ryan Mole, David Gibbs, Nigel Fox, Naigui Shang, Guy Howlett, Ben Jensen, Rosie Taylor, Juan R. Reveles, Oliver B. Harris, and Naseer Ahmed, “The partial space qualification of a vertically aligned carbon nanotube coating on aluminium substrates for EO applications,” Opt. Express 22, 7290-7307 (2014)

 

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