Nitrous Oxide News and Research

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Researchers aim to develop edible plant-based mRNA vaccines

The future of vaccines may look more like eating a salad than getting a shot in the arm. UC Riverside scientists are studying whether they can turn edible plants like lettuce into mRNA vaccine factories.

16 Sep 2021

Growing wheat varieties with biological nitrification inhibition trait could increase yields

An international collaboration has discovered and transferred to elite wheat varieties a wild-grass chromosome segment that causes roots to secrete natural inhibitors of nitrification, offering a way to dial back on heavy fertilizer use for wheat and to reduce the crop's nitrogen leakage into waterways and air, while maintaining or raising its productivity and grain quality, says a new report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

2 Sep 2021

Nanotechnology and artificial intelligence may be valuable components in securing global food production

An international team of researchers led by scientists at the University of Birmingham, UK, developed a series of steps to follow that could harness AI and integrate the power of nanomaterials safely, sustainably and responsibly, into agricultural practices..

24 Jun 2021

Treatment-resistant depression relieved by laughing gas

Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of Chicago have found that a single, one-hour treatment involving the inhalation of a mixture of oxygen and the anesthetic drug nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, can improve symptoms of depression in people resistant to treatment.

15 Jun 2021

New BCGA guidance outlines the dangers posed by laughing gas

National trade body, British Compressed Gases Association (BCGA), has produced new guidance outlining the dangers posed by abuse of nitrous oxide.

11 Mar 2021

Time to implement measures preventing future viral zoonoses

Now, researchers at the University of Silesia in Katowice and the Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poland recommend measures to prevent future zoonotic outbreaks. They emphasized the importance of viral surveillance and research on new viral strains as primary strategies to combat these infections.

28 Feb 2021

New study highlights the value of recycling general anesthetic used in routine operations

New research has highlighted the value of recycling general anaesthetic used in routine operations.In the UK, healthcare accounts for more than five per cent of national greenhouse gas emissions, and as much as 10 per cent in the US.

24 Feb 2021

Scientists reveal how genetically modified organisms can help mitigate climate change

Fighting the imminent climate change crisis has now become a global priority. In this regard, scientists in the US have discussed how gene editing technology can modify plants and organisms to reduce atmospheric CO2 and slow down climate change.

17 Nov 2020

Cumulative greenhouse gas emissions can cause global temperatures to exceed climate change

Fossil fuel burning accounts for the majority of global greenhouse gas emissions, and to the world's credit, several countries are working to reduce their use and the heat-trapping emissions that ensue.

6 Nov 2020

Researchers identify the missing link in the production of nitric oxide

Some microorganisms, the so-called methanotrophs, make a living by oxidizing methane (CH4) to carbon dioxide (CO2). Ammonia (NH3) is structurally very similar to methane, thus methanotrophs also co-metabolize ammonia and produce nitrite.

14 Sep 2020

Silicon nitride shows potent SARS-CoV-2 neutralization capability

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in August 2020 shows that the man-made compound silicon nitride, which is used in medical implants and high mechanical performance engineering applications, is capable of inactivating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at varying concentrations without causing cell cytotoxicity. This finding should be investigated to develop disinfectants to clear the virus from surfaces, preventing its spread.

1 Sep 2020

Study shows early promise of using laughing gas to relieve veterans' PTSD symptoms

For military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), symptoms such as anxiety, anger and depression can have a devastating impact on their health, daily routine, relationships and overall quality of life.

2 Jul 2020

Pain relief drugs offer more choices for women during childbirth

Choice and control are important factors for ensuring a positive childbirth experience, yet until recently, little was known about the impact of alternative administrations of fentanyl – one of the pain relief drugs used during labour– on both mother and baby.

1 Jul 2020

Study finds nitrous oxide use during labor to be safe with rare side effects

Researchers at the University of Colorado College of Nursing and the School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology at the Anschutz Medical Campus found that the use of nitrous oxide as a pain relief option for individuals in labor is safe for newborn children and laboring individual, and converting to a different form of pain relief such as an epidural or opioid is influenced by a woman's prior birth history and other factors.

29 May 2020

Nasal spray containing esketamine could provide an effective treatment for depression

Depression and long-term stress have been demonstrated to cause changes in the brain which offer a partial explanation for depressive moods, apathy, memory difficulties and other symptoms commonly associated with depression.

22 Apr 2020

Air pollution exposure takes a heavy toll on gut bacteria, boosting risk of chronic illnesses

Breathing dirty air takes a heavy toll on gut bacteria, boosting risk of obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders and other chronic illnesses, new University of Colorado Boulder research suggests.

11 Mar 2020

Parkinson’s disease could be prevented by gut microbes

One common gut organism that helps us digest food better could also be a powerful instrument in preventing or reversing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to a recent study. The changes are due to the ability of this bacterium to delay the build-up of a toxic protein involved in this in the disease condition, or even to eliminate the toxin altogether.

14 Jan 2020

New study says obesity increases greenhouse gases

A new study published in the journal Obesity may indicate that increasing body weight trends among humans, as well as the increasing number of people living on earth, could push back efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions of human origin.

22 Dec 2019

Obesity may challenge attempts to reduce man-made carbon dioxide emissions

A new analysis suggests that the increasing average body size of people on Earth, in addition to the growing world population may further challenge attempts to reduce man-made carbon dioxide emissions, according to a paper published online in Obesity, the flagship journal of The Obesity Society.

20 Dec 2019

Scientists ask all countries to wake up to the challenge of halving nitrogen waste

More than 150 top international scientists are calling on the world to take urgent action on nitrogen pollution, to tackle the widespread harm it is causing to humans, wildlife and the planet.

22 Oct 2019