Ricin (Ribosomes are important)
Category: Poisons
Lots of chatter in the news today about finding ricin in a Vegas hotel room....
Posted by Molecule of the Day at 7:57 PM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Now on ScienceBlogs: And so, driven on ceaselessly toward new shores
Molecules: You'd better learn to live with them.
February 29, 2008
Category: Poisons
Lots of chatter in the news today about finding ricin in a Vegas hotel room....
Posted by Molecule of the Day at 7:57 PM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
February 27, 2008
Category: Drugs
Dutasteride is of the same class of drug as Propecia and Proscar - the so-called 5-alpha-reductase inhbitors. These inhibit the enzyme of this name from converting testosterone into dihydrotestosterone....
Posted by Molecule of the Day at 9:51 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
February 25, 2008
Category: Biology
Longtime readers will know I like big dye molecules....
Posted by Molecule of the Day at 10:30 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
February 22, 2008
Category: Biology
All of life links up biomolecules effortlessly, from the august readers of this blog, to the humble bacteria that colonize the half-eaten food on their desks. It makes it frustrating for scientists who are trying to synthesize them. We have...
Posted by Molecule of the Day at 9:39 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
February 20, 2008
Yesterday, I discussed a laxative drug that works by drawing water into the intestines (and introduced you to a helpful chart to aid description of particularly ineffable bowel movements)....
Posted by Molecule of the Day at 9:00 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
February 19, 2008
Category: Medicine
Whether it is constipation or diarrhea, irregularities in bowel movements on some level all relate to the balance of fluid in the intestines. Fiber doesn't just add bulk to feces, it holds onto water. If you go all Linus Pauling...
Posted by Molecule of the Day at 11:56 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
February 15, 2008
Category: Poisons
Aflatoxin is a toxin produced by certain funguses that acts on the liver:...
Posted by Molecule of the Day at 10:17 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
February 14, 2008
Category: Biology
Biotin is just a vitamin to most of us. To a lot of biologists, though, it plays the unlikely role of some of the strongest glue around....
Posted by Molecule of the Day at 11:25 PM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
February 12, 2008
Category: Biology
I have a lot of sympathy for graphic designers. For every one preaching to you about how you can't possibly appreciate whitespace on the same level she does, there's nine out there slogging away doing honest work. The ones who...
Posted by Molecule of the Day at 8:14 PM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
February 8, 2008
Category: Drugs
Certain derivatives of coumarin called psoralens have the effect of sensitizing you to the sun. This can be useful for treating certain skin conditions with psoralen plus a little UV lights. It can also get you really, really tan. The...
Posted by Molecule of the Day at 7:49 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
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