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Health Rounds: Plastic waste can be used to make a widely used pain medication

Researchers have found that common bacteria can convert plastic waste into acetaminophen (an over-the-counter painkiller), which researchers discovered.

Acetaminophen is made from fossil fuels, and it's the main ingredient of Tylenol, also known as Paracetamol in certain countries.

AstraZeneca helped develop the new method that transforms a polyethylene terephthalate molecule into Tylenol’s active ingredient. The process produces virtually no carbon dioxide emissions.

Researchers said that the plastic can be converted into the drug in less than 24 hrs at room temperature, by using a similar fermentation process to beer brewing.

PET, a lightweight, strong plastic that is used in water bottles and food packaging accounts for over 350 million tons annually.

This work shows that PET plastics are not just waste materials or materials destined to be made into more plastic. Microorganisms can transform it into new products that are valuable, such as those with the potential to treat disease.

Researchers said that more work needs to be done before PET can produce acetaminophen commercially.

MICROPLASTICS FOUND WITHIN HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE FLUIDS

According to the results of a study presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology conference in Paris, the majority of women and men have microplastics present in their reproductive fluids.

Researchers said that the presence of microplastics raises questions about their potential risk to fertility and reproductive healthcare.

Plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters were found in the fluid surrounding developing eggs within the ovaries of 20 women or 69%. In 12 out of 22 men (or 55%), microplastics were detected in the seminal fluid.

Researchers said that both types of fluids play a critical role in conception, whether natural or assisted.

In both groups, the microplastic polymers included polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon), polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, polypropylene and polyurethane.

Emilio Gomez-Sanchez, the study leader at Next Fertility Murcia, Spain, said that microplastics in animals can cause inflammation, DNA damage, hormonal disruptions and tissue damage.

In a separate talk at the meeting Manel Boussabeh, of Fattouma Bourguiba Hospital, Monastir (Tunisia), and his colleagues reported that microplastics found in test tubes impaired sperm motility and damaged DNA.

Researchers have found microplastics in both the testicles and the urine of humans and dogs. The data from canines suggests that the particles could contribute to reduced fertility.

Restoring a protein can turn off chronic inflammation

A report published in Nature suggests that researchers can stop chronic inflammation, while preserving the cells' ability to respond to injuries and short-term illnesses. This is done by targeting a newly discovered protein.

Chronic inflammation is caused by an immune system that has gone into overdrive. This can be seen in persistent conditions like arthritis, inflammatory colitis or obesity. Acute inflammation, such as pain, fever and swelling, resolves fairly quickly.

Researchers have found that during chronic inflammation, a protein which controls inflammatory genes is degraded.

In test tube studies, restoring a protein called WSTF prevented chronic inflammation of human cells, without interfering acute inflammation. This allowed appropriate immune responses for short-term threats.

Researchers then developed a medicine to protect WSTF and suppress chronic inflammation. This is done by blocking WSTF's interaction with another cell nucleus protein.

Researchers have tested the drug successfully to treat mice with fatty-liver disease or arthritis, and to reduce inflammation of chronically inflamed cells in knees obtained from patients undergoing surgery for joint replacement.

Researchers found that WSTF was lost in patients with fatty hepatitis but not in healthy people's livers.

Zhixun Dou, the study leader at Massachusetts General Hospital, said that chronic inflammation is a major cause of death and suffering. However we have a lot to learn about how to effectively treat this condition.

Our findings allow us to distinguish between chronic and acute inflammation and identify a new way of stopping chronic inflammation caused by aging and diseases.

(source: Reuters)