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Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast is used to produce bioethanol, an alternative to fossil fuels. In this study, authors take advantage of this well studied yeast by genetically engineering them to increase fatty acid biosynthesis and culturing in a cost-effective wastewater based medium; potentially providing a sustainable alternative to petrochemicals.

This study explores auxin signaling in Chlorella vulgaris, a green alga with potential for sustainable biofuel and food production. Evidence from protoplast swelling experiments suggests that C. vulgaris secretes auxin and possesses auxin import proteins, highlighting previously uncharacterized signaling pathways. These findings could support more efficient cultivation and resource extraction strategies.

The authors looked at two peptides, gluteomorphin and casomorphin, that are present after the digestion of bread and cheese. As these peptides can bind opioid receptors the authors want to know if they could be addictive in the same way as conventional opioids (i.e., morphine) are known to be. Their results in a planaria model suggest that both of these peptides are addictive.

According to the World Health Organization, cancer is a leading cause of death globally. The disease’s prevalence is rapidly increasing in association with factors including the increased use of pesticides and herbicides, such as glyphosate, which is one of the most widely used herbicide ingredients. Natural antioxidants and phytochemicals are being tested as anti-cancer agents due to their antiproliferative, antioxidative, and pro-apoptotic properties. Thus, we aimed to investigate the potential role of S. amara extract as a therapeutic agent against glyphosate-induced toxicity and tumor-like morphologies in regenerating and homeostatic planaria (Dugesia dorotocephala).

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a condition where a surplus of triglycerides or fat are present in the liver. In this study, ezetimibe, a cholesterol lowering drug, was used to treat flies modeling NAFLD. Compared to the coconut oil fed flies that were transferred to the control medium, the flies transferred to the control medium treated with ezetimibe showed a decrease in their triglyceride and alanine transaminase level.

In this study, the authors investigate the anti-cancer effects of Annona Reticulata (Ramphal or custard apple) by testing whether its extract could inhibit HeLa cell viability.

In this study, preparations of ginger were tested for an effect on the growth of four common bacterial species.

This study compares different methods for cooking vegetables to determine which retain iron and ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, levels the most.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) affects nearly 200,000 people worldwide and there is currently no cure. The purpose of the study was to determine if Helianthus annuus seeds helped reduce nerve degeneration and increase locomotion using Drosophila melanogaster as the model organism. Through this experiment, we found a general trend suggesting that H. annuus helped increase the mobility of the D. melanogaster suggesting it could be a viable supplement for patients with ALS.

With herbal plants providing an address to the adverse effects of oxidative stress found within the body, the authors of this article develop and assess a novel compound (“MAT20”) that blends three herbal plants for optimal oxidative stress relief.