|
01/21/2025 09:05 PM
|
|
Can DNA-nanoparticle motors get up to speed with motor proteins?
|
DNA-nanoparticle motors are exactly as they sound: tiny artificial motors that use the structures of DNA and RNA to propel motion by enzymatic RNA degradation. Essentially, chemical energy is converted into mechanical motion by biasing the Brownian motion. The DNA-nanoparticle motor uses the 'burnt-bridge' Brownian ratchet mechanism. In this type of movement, the motor is being propelled by the degradation (or 'burning') of the bonds (or 'bridges') it crosses along the substrate, essentially biasing its motion forward.
|
|
01/21/2025 09:05 PM
|
|
Dolphins use a 'fat taste' system to get their mother's milk
|
Juvenile dolphins were found to have specialized receptors for fatty acids on their tongues, offering new insights into their growth and feeding habits.
|
|
01/21/2025 06:02 PM
|
|
New study uncovers key mechanism behind learning and memory
|
A breakthrough study sheds new light on how brain cells relay critical information from their extremities to their nucleus, leading to the activation of genes essential for learning and memory.
|
|
01/21/2025 04:23 PM
|
|
Scientists identify neurons in mice that, once activated, can change body's metabolic rate, induce hibernation-like state
|
A new study has identified a group of neurons that, when activated, can induce a hypometabolic state, akin to hibernation. The discovery could have far-reaching implications for conditions like obesity, cardiometabolic diseases, and even for space travel. The research team found that these neurons regulate key aspects of the brain-heart-gut axis.
|
|
01/21/2025 04:23 PM
|
|
New paper creates roadmap for the next generation of bioelectronic medicine
|
A new paper led by Professor Imanuel Lerman of UC San Diego provides a review of the field of bioelectronic medicine and the most promising opportunities for life-changing new therapies and diagnostics.
|
|
01/21/2025 04:23 PM
|
|
Scientists harness the power of 'layered' crystals for energy innovation
|
Scientists are unlocking the secrets of halide perovskites -- a material that's poised to reshape our future by bringing us closer to a new age of energy-efficient optoelectronics. Two physics professors are studying the material at the nanoscale: a place where objects are invisible to the naked eye. At this level, the extraordinary properties of halide perovskites come to life, thanks to the material's unique structure of ultra-thin crystals -- making it astonishingly efficient at converting sunlight into energy. Think solar panels that are not only more affordable but also far more effective at powering homes. Or LED lights that burn brighter and last longer while consuming less energy.
|
|
01/21/2025 04:23 PM
|
|
Harnessing electromagnetic waves and quantum materials to improve wireless communication technologies
|
A team of researchers has developed innovative methods to enhance frequency conversion of terahertz (THz) waves in graphene-based structures, unlocking new potential for faster, more efficient technologies in wireless communication and signal processing.
|
|
01/21/2025 04:23 PM
|
|
Simplified redesign of proteins to improve ligand binding
|
The ability to alter proteins to refine control over binding affinity and specificity can create tailored therapeutics with reduced side effects, highly sensitive diagnostic tools, efficient biocatalysis, targeted drug delivery systems and sustainable bioremediation solutions. However, various approaches to such protein redesign have time-consuming drawbacks. Researchers now offer a simplified method they call ProteinReDiff that uses artificial intelligence to speed the redesign of ligand-binding proteins.
|
|
01/21/2025 04:21 PM
|
|
Building sentence structure may be language-specific
|
Do speakers of different languages build sentence structure in the same way? In a neuroimaging study, scientists recorded the brain activity of participants listening to Dutch stories. In contrast to English, sentence processing in Dutch was based on a strategy for predicting what comes next rather than a 'wait-and-see' approach, showing that strategies may differ across languages.
|
|
01/21/2025 04:21 PM
|
|
Reimagining chain mail
|
Experiments have yielded a fascinating new type of matter, neither granular nor crystalline, that responds to some stresses as a fluid would and to others like a solid. The new material, known as PAM (for polycatenated architected materials) could have uses in areas ranging from helmets and other protective gear to biomedical devices and robotics.
|
|
01/21/2025 04:20 PM
|
|
Extreme climate pushed thousands of lakes in West Greenland 'across a tipping point,' study finds
|
Following two months of record heat and precipitation in fall 2022, an estimated 7,500 lakes in West Greenland turned brown, began emitting carbon and decreased in water quality in less than a year. The spike in temperatures caused the precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow. The heat also caused permafrost to thaw, releasing an abundance of carbon, iron, magnesium and other elements that the rain washed into the lakes. Researchers found a decrease in phytoplankton that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis within the lakes, and an increase in plankton that break down and release carbon. Instead of sequestering carbon dioxide in the summer, the lakes have become a source of it, with a 350% increase in the flux of this greenhouse gas from them.
|
|
01/21/2025 04:20 PM
|
|
Astronomers thought they understood fast radio bursts: A recent one calls that into question
|
Fast radio bursts are mysterious and brief flashes of radio emissions that were thought to be produced by magnetars, highly magnetized rotating neutron stars. Yet magnetars appear primarily in young star clusters. A repeating burst discovered last year has been pinpointed to the distant outskirts of an old but massive elliptical galaxy where, theoretically, such stars would long since have disappeared. Does this mean magnetars are not the source of FRBs?
|
|
01/21/2025 04:20 PM
|
|
Seeing the unseen: New method reveals 'hyperaccessible' window in freshly replicated DNA
|
A team has unearthed new findings about what happens during the minutes and hours after a cell divides, expanding our understanding of human biology -- and potentially leading to better medicines.
|
|
01/21/2025 01:01 PM
|
|
'Unprecedented' level of control allows person without use of limbs to operate virtual quadcopter
|
A brain-computer interface, surgically placed in a research participant with tetraplegia, paralysis in all four limbs, provided an unprecedented level of control over a virtual quadcopter -- just by thinking about moving his unresponsive fingers.
|
|
01/21/2025 01:01 PM
|
|
HKU research identifies PICH protein as key player in preventing chromosome breakage linked to cancer
|
Researchers have made an exciting discovery about how human cells protect DNA during cell division, offering new insights into combating diseases such as cancer. The research uncovers the vital role of a protein called PICH in preventing genetic errors that can lead to diseases such as cancer.
|
|
01/21/2025 01:00 PM
|
|
Cycle of coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef now at 'catastrophic' levels
|
Marine scientists highlights the complex interplay between heat stress, disease onset and coral mortality. They found that 66 percent of the colonies were bleached by February 2024 and 80 per cent by April. By July, 44 percent of the bleached colonies had died, with some coral genera, such as Acropora, experiencing a staggering 95 percent mortality rate.
|
|
01/21/2025 01:00 PM
|
|
Australian Plantago could replace psyllium husk in gluten-free breads
|
Seeds of two species of Plantago have been identified as producing mucilage that can be used as a natural additive to make gluten-free bread dough more elastic, resulting in fluffier loaves.
|
|
01/21/2025 01:00 PM
|
|
Shorter, smarter, safer: Short-course antibiotics can revolutionize healthcare
|
Antibiotic overuse is a key driver in the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a major global health crisis. Researchers have provided compelling evidence that short-course antibiotic treatments can be a game-changer in tackling ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), a serious infection common in critically ill patients.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:59 PM
|
|
Neuromorphic semiconductor chip that learns and corrects itself?
|
Scientists have developed a computing chip that can learn, correct errors, and process AI tasks.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:59 PM
|
|
A team with diverse expertise produces novel ideas -- but are they practical?
|
A first-of-its-kind study shows that while teams with differing skill sets and perspectives bring fresh, unique ideas to the table, they often struggle to create practical, workable solutions -- raising important questions for managers and businesses worldwide.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:59 PM
|
|
Little birds, little poops, little food safety risk
|
Smaller poops from smaller birds carry very low risk of foodborne pathogens on farms, finds a new study.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:58 PM
|
|
Structural insights reveal drug target in trypanosome parasites
|
Trypanosomes are parasites that cause sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, and various animal diseases. Diagnosis and treatment remain complex and no effective vaccine has been developed. A better understanding of the molecular processes in the parasite is fundamental to the development of novel effective drugs. Scientists have now characterized an important protein complex -- the nuclear cap-binding complex -- that is vital for trypanosomes, since it binds to the end of each of the parasites' mRNAs.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:58 PM
|
|
New evidence suggests megaflood refilled the Mediterranean Sea five million years ago
|
A new study provides compelling new evidence that a colossal 'megaflood' refilled the Mediterranean Sea, ending a period during which the Med was a vast expanse of salt flats. The study suggests the Zanclean Megaflood ended the Messinian Salinity Crisis, which lasted between 5.97 and 5.33 million years ago.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:58 PM
|
|
New ceramic catalyst uses sodium and boron to drive sustainable industrial reactions
|
Transition metals have long been used as catalysts to activate small molecules and turn them into valuable products. However, as these metals can be expensive and less abundant, scientists are increasingly looking at more common elements as alternatives. In a recent study, researchers used a concept called 'frustrated Lewis pairs' to develop a transition metal-free catalyst for activating hydrogen. This breakthrough could lead to more sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient chemical processes.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:58 PM
|
|
Antibiotics, vaccinations and anti-inflammatory medication linked to reduced risk of dementia
|
Antibiotics, antivirals, vaccinations and anti-inflammatory medication are associated with reduced risk of dementia, according to new research that looked at health data from over 130 million individuals.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:57 PM
|
|
Extreme supersonic winds measured on planet outside our Solar System
|
Astronomers have discovered extremely powerful winds pummeling the equator of WASP-127b, a giant exoplanet. Reaching speeds up to 33,000 km/h, the winds make up the fastest jet-stream of its kind ever measured on a planet. The discovery provides unique insights into the weather patterns of a distant world.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:57 PM
|
|
Why our biological clock ticks: Research reconciles major theories of aging
|
Two major theories of aging both involve DNA, but in very different ways. Researchers have revealed that these theories may not be so different after all.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:57 PM
|
|
Telephone therapy reduces fatigue interference with activities, mood and cognition for metastatic breast cancer survivors
|
A clinical trial demonstrates the effectiveness of telephone-delivered acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in reducing fatigue's interference with functioning and improving the quality of life for survivors of metastatic breast cancer. The ACT intervention helped study participants to fall asleep with greater ease. Fatigue remains a significant challenge for these survivors, affecting up to 63 percent of patients and severely impacting daily functioning.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:56 PM
|
|
Salt deposit ring inside your pasta pan?
|
If you've ever tossed a generous pinch of salt into your pasta pan's water for flavor or as an attempt to make it boil faster, you've likely ended up with a whitish ring of deposits inside the pan. A group of scientists, inspired by this observation during an evening of board games and pasta dinner, wondered what it would take to create the most beautiful salt ring inside the pasta pan they report their findings about what causes these peculiar salt particle cloud deposits to form.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:56 PM
|
|
First fast radio burst traced to old, dead, elliptical galaxy
|
Astronomers previously thought all FRBs were generated by magnetars formed through the explosions of very young, massive stars. But new FRB is pinpointed to the outskirts of 11.3-billion-year-old galaxy without young, active stars -- calling those assumptions into question. 'Just when you think you understand an astrophysical phenomenon, the universe turns around and surprises us,' researcher says.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:56 PM
|
|
We can make fertilizer more efficiently under the surface of the Earth
|
Instead of relying on energy-hungry reactors to generate high temperatures and pressure, researchers are looking underground at Earth's natural heat and forces to cook up ammonia for fertilizer. In a proof-of-concept study, researchers generated ammonia by mixing nitrogen-laced water with iron-rich rocks -- without any energy input or CO2 emission. This new recipe may lead to a more sustainable alternative to current methods, theoretically churning out enough ammonia for 2.42 million years.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:56 PM
|
|
The importance of eco-friendly sensors in global food supply
|
Researchers present paper-based temperature and humidity sensors that are accurate, reliable, and eco-friendly. The team created the sensors by printing silver lines on commercially available paper through dry additive nanomanufacturing. As the paper absorbs water vapor, its capacitance change is measured to reflect the relative humidity of the environment, and as the temperature increases, the metallic conductor experiences an increase in resistivity. They successfully detected changes in relative humidity levels from 20% to 90% and temperature variations from 25 C to 50 C.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:56 PM
|
|
Brain immune cells may also be from 'Mars and Venus'
|
Researchers find that microglia function differently in males versus females, potentially having broad implications for how neurological diseases are studied.
|
|
01/21/2025 12:56 PM
|
|
Treatment for children with obesity has lasting effect
|
When children with obesity undergo weight-loss treatment, the effects have repercussions later in life and the risk of serious health problems and premature death is lower as they reach young adulthood. However, this is not the case for depression and anxiety, a study reports.
|
|
01/20/2025 11:38 AM
|
|
Violence on TV: What happens to children who watch?
|
Boys exposed to violent screen content in the preschool years were more likely to become antisocial and violent themselves a decade later, in their mid-teens, a new study shows.
|