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Categories: Chemistry: Biochemistry, Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published Inside-out heating and ambient wind could make direct air capture cheaper and more efficient
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Chemical engineers use coated carbon fibers and eliminate steam-based heating in their simpler design, which also can be powered by wind energy.
Published Biodegradable gel shows promise for cartilage regeneration
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A gel that combines both stiffness and toughness is a step forward in the bid to create biodegradable implants for joint injuries, according to new research. Mimicking articular cartilage, found in our knee and hip joints, is challenging. This cartilage is key to smooth joint movement, and damage to it can cause pain, reduce function, and lead to arthritis. One potential solution is to implant artificial scaffolds made of proteins that help the cartilage regenerate itself as the scaffold biodegrades. How well the cartilage regenerates is linked to how well a scaffold can mimic the biological properties of cartilage, and to date, researchers have struggled to combine the seemingly incompatible properties of stiffness and toughness. Now, new research outlines a method to marry these properties in a biodegradable gel.
Published Vastly more sustainable, cost-effective method to desalinate industrial wastewater
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers are developing a cutting-edge process that can reduce energy consumption and cost of water desalination.
Published The art and science of living-like architecture
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Collaborators have created 'living-like' bioactive interior architecture designed to one day protect us from hidden airborne threats. This publication establishes that the lab's biomaterial manufacturing process is compatible with the leading-edge cell-free engineering that gives the bioactive sites their life-like properties.
Published Helping 'good' gut bacteria and clearing out the 'bad' -- all in one treatment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Probiotics can help maintain a healthy gut microbiome or restore populations of 'good bacteria' after a heavy course of antibiotics. But now, they could also be used as an effective treatment strategy for certain intestinal diseases, such as Crohn's disease. Researchers have developed a microgel delivery system for probiotics that keeps 'good' bacteria safe while actively clearing out 'bad' ones. In mice, the system treated intestinal inflammation without side effects.
Published How tidal range electricity generation could meet future demand and storage problems
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tidal range schemes are financially viable and could lower energy bills say researchers. Research combined a tidal range power generation model with its cost model to demonstrate the viability of tidal power. The research demonstrates the benefits of tidal energy, which does not suffer from unpredictable intermittency as power is generated both day and night, and in windy or calm weather. The creation of a tidal barrage could operate for 120 years or more to meet future demand and storage problems.
Published A new tool to study complex genome interactions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Genome Architecture Mapping captures complex, multi-way interactions in the genome. This is different than the workhorse technique of 3D genomics, which sees mostly two-way contacts, finds a new study.
Published Engineers develop a soft, printable, metal-free electrode
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers developed a metal-free, Jelly-like material that is as soft and tough as biological tissue and can conduct electricity similarly to conventional metals. The new material, which is a type of high-performance conducting polymer hydrogel, may one day replace metals in the electrodes of medical devices.
Published Energy harvesting via vibrations: Researchers develop highly durable and efficient device
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international research group has engineered a new energy-generating device by combining piezoelectric composites with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), a commonly used material that is both light and strong. The new device transforms vibrations from the surrounding environment into electricity, providing an efficient and reliable means for self-powered sensors.
Published A 'spy' in the belly
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source To ensure that wounds remain tightly sealed in the abdomen after surgery, researchers have developed a patch with a sensor function. The polymer patch warns before the occurrence of dangerous leaks on sutures in the gastrointestinal tract take hold, while closes the areas on its own. A new material now enables a fast, easy and non-invasive leak diagnosis.
Published A 'pinch' of mineral salts helps the noncaloric sweeteners go down
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Perfect noncaloric replacements for sugar and high fructose corn syrup just don't exist yet. For example, some alternatives have a lingering sweet aftertaste and lack a sugar-like mouthfeel, leaving some consumers unsatisfied. Now, researchers propose adding blends of nutritionally important mineral salts to make noncaloric sweeteners seem more like the real thing. Taste-testers indicated that these blends gave zero- and low-calorie drinks a better flavor.
Published Video games spark exciting new frontier in neuroscience
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have used an algorithm from a video game to gain insights into the behavior of molecules within live brain cells. Researchers used coding tools to build an algorithm that is now used by several labs to gather rich data about brain cell activity. The algorithm was applied to observe molecules clustering together -- which ones, when, where, for how long and how often.
Published Photosynthesis, key to life on Earth, starts with a single photon
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A cutting-edge experiment has revealed the quantum dynamics of one of nature's most crucial processes.
Published New technique in error-prone quantum computing makes classical computers sweat
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Today's quantum computers often calculate the wrong answer because of noisy environments that interfere with the quantum entanglement of qubits. IBM Quantum has pioneered a technique that accounts for the noise to achieve reliable results. They tested this error mitigation strategy against supercomputer simulations run by physicists, and for the hardest calculations, the quantum computer bested the supercomputer. This is evidence for the utility of today's noisy quantum computers for performing real-world calculations.
Published Preserving forests to protect deep soil from warming
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An innovative, decade-long experiment in the foothills of California's Sierra Nevada mountains shows carbon stocks buried deep underground are vulnerable to climate change. The findings have implications for mitigating global warming through the natural carbon sinks provided by soil and forests which capture 25% of all carbon emissions.
Published Researchers describe the melting of gold nanoparticles in gold-bearing fluids in the Earth's crust
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Gold is a precious metal that has always fascinated humans. From Priam's Treasure to the legend of El Dorado, gold --regarded as the noblest of metals-- has been a symbol of splendour and wealth in many civilizations. Historically, gold deposits were known to form when metal was transported dissolved by hot aqueous solution flows --hydrothermal fluids-- until it accumulated in some areas in the Earth's upper crust. The recent discovery of gold nanoparticles in such mineral deposits has brought some doubts on the validity of the classical model.
Published New model offers a way to speed up drug discovery
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A model known as ConPLex can predict whether potential drug molecules will interact with specific protein targets, without having to perform the computationally intensive calculation of the molecules' structures. By applying a language model to protein-drug interactions, researchers can quickly screen large libraries of potential drug compounds.
Published Sustainable technique to manufacture chemicals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A newly published study details a novel mechanochemistry method that can produce chemicals using less energy and without the use of solvents that produce toxic waste.
Published A new way to develop drugs without side effects
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Have you ever wondered how drugs reach their targets and achieve their function within our bodies? If a drug molecule or a ligand is a message, an inbox is typically a receptor in the cell membrane. One such receptor involved in relaying molecular signals is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). About one-third of existing drugs work by controlling the activation of this protein. Researchers now reveal a new way of activating GPCR by triggering shape changes in the intracellular region of the receptor. This new process can help researchers design drugs with fewer or no side effects.
Published Schrödinger's cat makes better qubits
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Drawing from Schrodinger's cat thought experiment, scientists have built a 'critical cat code' qubit that uses bosons to store and process information in a way that is more reliable and resistant to errors than previous qubit designs.