GOOD NEWS

Tumour killer

Researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and the Brooklyn VA Hospital, US, have found that the administration of a human protein, PNC-28, to pancreatic tumour cells in animals, destroyed the tumours. PNC-28 is a p53 peptide, a naturally occurring human protein known to suppress tumour growth. When administered over a two-week period in the peritoneal cavities of mice containing simultaneously transplanted tumours, PNC-28 caused complete destruction of these tumours.

Small packages

By using a refined version of nuclear magnetic resonance technology (NMR), scientists at the Gainesville Department of Agriculture, US, have unlocked secrets hidden in the venom taken from insects called two-stripe walking sticks. “There are many potent, useful molecules made by plants and animals, but they are usually produced in very small quantities,” said associate professor Arthur Edison. The new analytical tool uses stronger magnetic fields to study smaller samples, allowing scientists to study molecules atom by atom. “It previously required hundreds of milkings to get enough walking stick venom for analysis. But now, we have been able to get great data from just one milking,” said Edison.

BAD NEWS

Problem painkiller

Cardiovascular side effects aren’t limited to the use of new painkillers. Old standbys aren’t entirely blameless, says the Harvard Heart Letter. The cardiovascular risks associated with traditional NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen and asprin are small, but worth being aware of. Most of them boost blood pressure and can counteract the effect of blood-pressure drugs. They can also impair blood vessels’ ability to relax and may stimulate the growth of smooth muscle cells inside arteries, which can cause atherosclerosis (artery-clogging).

Washing useless

All raw agricultural products carry a minimal risk of contamination, says a University of Illinois scientist. “Once the pathogenic organism gets on the product, no amount of washing will remove it. The microbes attach to the surface of produce in a sticky biofilm,” said Scott Martin. “The pathogen also has a very low infective dose. It only takes between 10 and 100 cells to cause an infection. We need to avoid a crop’s exposure to the pathogen as the produce is being grown,” he said.