Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry
Published

Sustainable catalysts: Crystal phase-controlled cobalt nanoparticles for hydrogenation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Controlling the crystal phase of cobalt nanoparticles leads to exceptional catalytic performance in hydrogenation processes, scientists report. Produced via an innovative hydrosilane-assisted synthesis method, these phase-controlled reusable nanoparticles enable the selective hydrogenation of various compounds under mild conditions without the use of harmful gases like ammonia. These efforts could lead to more sustainable and efficient catalytic processes across many industrial fields.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Engineering researchers crack the code to boost solar cell efficiency and durability      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Photovoltaic (PV) technologies, which convert light into electricity, are increasingly applied worldwide to generate renewable energy. Researchers have now developed a molecular treatment that significantly enhances the efficiency and durability of perovskite solar cells. Their breakthrough will potentially accelerate the large-scale production of this clean energy.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Breakthrough in plant disease: New enzyme could lead to anti-bacterial pesticides      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists uncover a pivotal enzyme, XccOpgD, and its critical role in synthesizing C G16, a key compound used by Xanthomonas pathogens to enhance their virulence against plants. This breakthrough opens new avenues for developing targeted pesticides that combat plant diseases without harming beneficial organisms. Insights into XccOpgD's enzymatic mechanism and optimal conditions offer promising prospects for sustainable agriculture, bolstering crop resilience and global food security while minimizing environmental impact.

Chemistry: Biochemistry
Published

Electrical impedance tomography--extracellular voltage activation technique simplifies drug screening      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Recently, researchers developed a non-invasive method combining electrical impedance tomography and extracellular voltage activation to evaluate drug effects on ion channels. The resulting printed circuit board sensor allows real-time monitoring of how newly developed drugs can affect ion flow in channels, providing a cost-effective and accurate alternative to traditional methods like patch-clamp techniques and paving the way toward more efficient and shorter preclinical testing in the drug discovery process.

Chemistry: Biochemistry
Published

Proteins as the key to precision medicine: Finding unknown effects of existing drugs      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Fewer side effects, improved chances of healing: the goal of precision medicine is to provide patients with the most individualized treatment possible. This requires a precise understanding of what is happening at the cellular level. Researchers have now succeeded in mapping the interactions of 144 active substances with around 8,000 proteins. The results could help to identify previously unknown potential benefits of existing drugs.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

The next generation of RNA chips      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international research team has succeeded in developing a new version of RNA building blocks with higher chemical reactivity and photosensitivity. This can significantly reduce the production time of RNA chips used in biotechnological and medical research. The chemical synthesis of these chips is now twice as fast and seven times more efficient.

Chemistry: Biochemistry
Published

Improving Alzheimer's disease imaging -- with fluorescent sensors      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Neurotransmitter levels in the brain can indicate brain health and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. However, the protective blood-brain barrier (BBB) makes delivering fluorescent sensors that can detect these small molecules to the brain difficult. Now, researchers demonstrate a way of packaging these sensors for easy passage across the BBB in mice, allowing for improved brain imaging. With further development, the technology could help advance Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and treatment.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Physics: Optics
Published

More electricity from the sun      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A coating of solar cells with special organic molecules could pave the way for a new generation of solar panels. This coating can increase the efficiency of monolithic tandem cells made of silicon and perovskite while lowering their cost -- because they are produced from industrial, microstructured, standard silicon wafers.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Physics: Optics
Published

Physicists use light to probe deeper into the 'invisible' energy states of molecules      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Physicists have experimentally demonstrates a novel physical effect that was predicted 45 years ago. The effect will result in a new chemical analysis technique, to simultaneously identify molecular bonds and their 3D arrangement in space. This new technique will find applications in pharmaceutical science, security, forensics, environmental science, art conservation, and medicine.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Unraveling a key junction underlying muscle contraction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using powerful new visualization technologies, researchers have captured the first 3-D images of the structure of a key muscle receptor, providing new insights on how muscles develop across the animal kingdom and setting the stage for possible future treatments for muscular disorders.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Chemistry: Biochemistry Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals Physics: Optics
Published

Super-black wood can improve telescopes, optical devices and consumer goods      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Thanks to an accidental discovery, researchers have created a new super-black material that absorbs almost all light, opening potential applications in fine jewelry, solar cells and precision optical devices.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Mucus-based bio-ink could be used to print and grow lung tissue      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Lung diseases kill millions of people around the world each year. Treatment options are limited, and animal models for studying these illnesses and experimental medications are inadequate. Now, researchers describe their success in creating a mucus-based bioink for 3D printing lung tissue. This advance could one day help study and treat chronic lung conditions.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Optics
Published

Researchers identify unique phenomenon in Kagome metal      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study focuses on how a particular Kagome metal interacts with light to generate what are known as plasmon polaritons -- nanoscale-level linked waves of electrons and electromagnetic fields in a material, typically caused by light or other electromagnetic waves.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Injury dressings in first-aid kits provide a new technique to reveal shark species after bite incidents      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have revealed that injury dressings found in first-aid kits can reliably be used to identify shark species involved in bite incidents by deploying medical gauze to gather DNA samples from aquatic equipment, such as surfboards.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Precise genetics: New CRISPR method enables efficient DNA modification      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research group has developed a new method that further improves the existing CRISPR/Cas technologies: it allows a more precise and seamless introduction of tags into proteins at the gene level. This technology could significantly improve research on proteins in living organisms and opens up new possibilities for medical research.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Zoology Chemistry: Biochemistry Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

North Sea oil and gas extraction spikes pollution by 10,000 percent, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

North Sea oil and gas extraction can cause pollution to spike by more than 10,000 percent within half a kilometer around off-shore sites, a study has found. The research has uncovered the true impact on Britain's seabed life -- with the number of species plummeting nearly 30 percent near platforms.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Graphene Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Breaking new ground for computing technologies with electron-hole crystals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team developed a novel method to successfully visualise electron-hole crystals in an exotic quantum material. Their breakthrough could pave the way for new advancements in computing technologies, including in-memory and quantum computing.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Organic nanozymes have broad applications from food and agriculture to biomedicine      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Nanozymes are tiny, engineered substances that mimic the catalytic properties of natural enzymes, and they serve a variety of purposes in biomedicine, chemical engineering, and environmental applications. They are typically made from inorganic materials, including metal-based elements, which makes them unsuitable for many purposes due to their toxicity and high production costs. Organic-based nanozymes partially overcome some of these problems and have the potential for a broader range of applications, including food and agriculture, but they are still in the early stages of development. A new paper provides an overview of the current state of organic nanozymes and their future potential.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Hair follicle models from the 3D printer      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Hair follicle infections are often difficult to treat because bacteria settle in the gap between hair and skin, where it is difficult for active substances to reach them. In order to investigate this scenario more closely in the laboratory, researchers have now developed a model with human hair follicles embedded in a matrix produced using 3D printing. In the future, this model can be used to test the effectiveness of new drug candidates against corresponding pathogens directly on human follicles.