Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Computer Science: General
Published

Scientists develop method to detect deadly infectious diseases      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have developed a way of detecting the early onset of deadly infectious diseases using a test so ultrasensitive that it could someday revolutionize medical approaches to epidemics. The test is an electronic sensor contained within a computer chip. It employs nanoballs -- microscopic spherical clumps made of tinier particles of genetic material -- and combines that technology with advanced electronics.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Geology Geoscience: Volcanoes
Published

Crucial third clue to finding new diamond deposits      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers studying diamond-rich rocks from Western Australia's Argyle volcano have identified the missing third key ingredient needed to bring valuable pink diamonds to the Earth's surface where they can be mined, which could greatly help in the global hunt for new deposits.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Fossil Fuels Energy: Technology
Published

Predictive model could improve hydrogen station availability      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Consumer confidence in driving hydrogen-fueled vehicles could be improved by having station operators adopt a predictive model that helps them anticipate maintenance needs, according to researchers.

Chemistry: Biochemistry
Published

An implantable device could enable injection-free control of diabetes      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Engineers designed an implantable device that carries hundreds of thousands of islet cells along with its own on-board oxygen factory to keep the cells healthy. Such a device could help Type 1 diabetes patients eliminate the need for insulin injections.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics
Published

Atomic layer deposition route to scalable, electronic-grade van der Waals Te thin films      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team has made a significant breakthrough in thin film deposition technology.

Chemistry: Biochemistry
Published

Brain inspires more robust AI      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Most artificially intelligent systems are based on neural networks, algorithms inspired by biological neurons found in the brain. These networks can consist of multiple layers, with inputs coming in one side and outputs going out of the other. The outputs can be used to make automatic decisions, for example, in driverless cars. Attacks to mislead a neural network can involve exploiting vulnerabilities in the input layers, but typically only the initial input layer is considered when engineering a defense. For the first time, researchers augmented a neural network's inner layers with a process involving random noise to improve its resilience.

Chemistry: Biochemistry
Published

Revolutionizing brain monitoring and stimulation with thin-film neural electrodes      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Flexible thin-film electrodes placed directly on brain tissue show promise for the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. Thanks to an innovative yet straightforward design, these durable electrodes accurately match the mechanical properties of brain tissue, leading to better performance during electrocorticography recordings and targeted neural stimulation.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Physics: Optics
Published

New camera offers ultrafast imaging at a fraction of the normal cost      (via sciencedaily.com) 

In a new paper, researchers report a camera that could offer a much less expensive way to achieve ultrafast imaging for a wide range of applications such as real-time monitoring of drug delivery or high-speed lidar systems for autonomous driving. Researchers show that their new diffraction-gated real-time ultrahigh-speed mapping (DRUM) camera can capture a dynamic event in a single exposure at 4.8 million frames per second.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Tiny nanocarriers could prove the magic bullet for acne sufferers      (via sciencedaily.com) 

It's a skin disorder that makes life miserable for around 800 million teenagers and adults worldwide, but cientists may have found an effective treatment for acne, delivered via tiny nanoparticles.

Biology: Cell Biology Chemistry: Biochemistry
Published

Majority rule in complex mixtures      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The very first life on earth is thought to have developed from 'protocells' -- liquid mixtures of many different types of molecules. Researchers have now shown that in such mixtures, small imbalances in the number of molecules of different types can have an unexpected effect. A surprising interplay with the complex pattern of interactions strongly amplifies such imbalances -- meaning that a type of molecule that is only slightly in the majority can almost entirely separate out from the others. These fundamental findings point towards a new mechanism that will apply in many complex mixtures. For instance, this would be a way for cells to control the formation of structures by fine-tuning the concentration of different molecules.

Biology: Cell Biology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry
Published

Chemist uses nature as inspiration for a sustainable, affordable adhesive system      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A chemist drew inspiration from the natural world, from his experiences scuba diving to studying shellfish in his lab. He has developed a sustainable adhesive system -- an alternative to toxic, permanent, traditional adhesives.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Offbeat: General Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Researchers detail how disorder alters quantum spin liquids, forming a new phase of matter      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Physicists begin to shed light on one of the most important questions regarding quantum spin liquids, and they do so by introducing a new phase of matter.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Severe Weather Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General
Published

Hot summer air turns into drinking water with new gel device      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have focused on the moisture present in the air as a potential source of drinking water for drought-stressed populations. They reached a significant breakthrough in their efforts to create drinkable water out of thin air: a molecularly engineered hydrogel that can create clean water using just the energy from sunlight.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Researchers discover iron-targeting approaches to halt proliferation of cancer cells      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers discovered a new class of iron-targeting compounds that hamper the proliferation of cultured malignant cells in a laboratory setting.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Important connectivity of metal oxides with hydrogen      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A recent article proposes a new way to understand how materials interact with hydrogen.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Energy: Technology
Published

Bacteria generate electricity from wastewater      (via sciencedaily.com) 

In a breakthrough for the field of bioelectronics, researchers have enhanced the ability of E. coli bacteria to generate electricity. The innovative approach only offers a sustainable solution for organic waste processing while outperforming previous state-of-the-art technologies, opening new horizons for versatile microbial electricity production.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Polymer that can be adapted to high and low temperature extremes created      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have developed two closely related polymers that respond differently to high and low temperature thresholds, despite their similar design. The polymer pair could be used in applications in medicine, protein synthesis, protective coatings and other fields.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Fossil Fuels Energy: Technology Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

New study reveals the power of railroads to buffer coal plants from a carbon emissions tax      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study suggests that railroads are likely to cut transportation prices to prop up coal-fired plants if U.S. climate policies further disadvantage coal in favor of less carbon-intensive energy sources.

Chemistry: Biochemistry
Published

First device to monitor transplanted organs detects early signs of rejection      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have developed the first electronic device for continuously monitoring the health of transplanted organs in real time. Sitting directly on a transplanted kidney, the ultrathin, soft implant can detect temperature irregularities associated with inflammation and other body responses that arise with transplant rejection. Then, it alerts the patient or physician by wirelessly streaming data to a nearby smartphone or tablet. In a rat study, it detected rejection up to three times earlier than blood biomarkers and biopsies.

Chemistry: Biochemistry
Published

Developing a less invasive test for inflammatory bowel disease      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Millions of Americans have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which occurs in one of two forms: Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Though the two have similar symptoms, they require different treatment strategies, and tests to distinguish between them are invasive. Researchers now show that chains of sugar molecules are tacked onto antibodies differently in patients with the diseases, which could someday lead to a simple blood-based diagnostic test.