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Categories: Chemistry: Organic Chemistry, Ecology: Extinction
Published New method illuminates druggable sites on proteins
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists develop a new, high-resolution technique for finding potential therapeutic targets on proteins in living cells. The findings could lead to more targeted therapeutics for nearly any human disease.
Published Aptamers: lifesavers; ion shields: aptamer guardians
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Aptamers, nucleic acids capable of selectively binding to viruses, proteins, ions, small molecules, and various other targets, are garnering attention in drug development as potential antibody substitutes for their thermal and chemical stability as well as ability to inhibit specific enzymes or target proteins through three-dimensional binding. They also hold promise for swift diagnoses of colon cancer and other challenging diseases by targeting elusive biomarkers. Despite their utility, these aptamers are susceptible to easy degradation by multiple enzymes, presenting a significant challenge.
Published Breakthrough in organic semiconductor synthesis paves the way for advanced electronic devices
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has achieved a significant breakthrough in the field of organic semiconductors. Their successful synthesis and characterization of a novel molecule called 'BNBN anthracene' has opened up new possibilities for the development of advanced electronic devices.
Published Molecules exhibit non-reciprocal interactions without external forces
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered that molecules experience non-reciprocal interactions without external forces. Fundamental forces such as gravity and electromagnetism are reciprocal, where two objects are attracted to each other or are repelled by each other. In our everyday experience, however, interactions don t seem to follow this reciprocal law.
Published New material allows for better hydrogen-based batteries and fuel cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a solid electrolyte for transporting hydride ions at room temperature. This breakthrough means that the full advantages of hydrogen-based solid-state batteries and fuel cells can be had without the need for constant hydration. This will reduce their complexity and cost, which is essential for advancing towards a practical hydrogen-based energy economy.
Published How technology and economics can help save endangered species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A lot has changed in the world since the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted 50 years ago in December 1973. Experts are now discuss how the ESA has evolved and what its future might hold.
Published Blue PHOLEDs: Final color of efficient OLEDs finally viable in lighting
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Lights could soon use the full color suite of perfectly efficient organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs, that last tens of thousands of hours. The new phosphorescent OLEDs, commonly referred to as PHOLEDs, can maintain 90% of the blue light intensity for 10-14 times longer than other designs that emit similar deep blue colors. That kind of lifespan could finally make blue PHOLEDs hardy enough to be commercially viable in lights that meet the Department of Energy's 50,000-hour lifetime target. Without a stable blue PHOLED, OLED lights need to use less-efficient technology to create white light.
Published Common insect species are suffering the biggest losses
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Insect decline is being driven by losses among the locally more common species, according to a new study. The meta-analysis of 923 locations around the world notes two significant trends: 1) the species with the most individuals (the highest abundance) are disproportionately decreasing in number, and 2) no other species have increased to the high numbers previously seen. This likely explains the frequent observation that there are fewer insects around now than ten, twenty, or thirty years ago.
Published New strategy reveals 'full chemical complexity' of quantum decoherence
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have developed a method to extract the spectral density for molecules in solvent using simple resonance Raman experiments -- a method that captures the full complexity of chemical environments.
Published Unveiling molecular origami: A breakthrough in dynamic materials
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has unveiled a remarkable breakthrough in the form of a two-dimensional (2D) Metal Organic Framework (MOF) that showcases unprecedented origami-like movement at the molecular level. This pioneering study represents a significant leap forward in the field of dynamic materials, while also hinting at futuristic applications in metamaterials and quantum computing.
Published Study uncovers major hidden human-driven bird extinctions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Humans have wiped out around 1,400 bird species -- twice as many as previously thought -- with major implications for the ongoing biodiversity crisis, a new study has found. The estimated extinctions would mean almost 12 per cent of bird species have died out over modern human history, since the Late Pleistocene around 130,000 years ago, with the vast majority of them becoming extinct directly or indirectly due to human activity.
Published First observation of how water molecules move near a metal electrode
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A collaborative team of experimental and computational physical chemists has made an important discovery in the field of electrochemistry, shedding light on the movement of water molecules near metal electrodes. This research holds profound implications for the advancement of next-generation batteries utilizing aqueous electrolytes.
Published Some coral species might be more resilient to climate change than previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Some coral species can be resilient to marine heat waves by 'remembering' how they lived through previous ones, research suggests.
Published For this emergent class of materials, 'solutions are the problem'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Materials scientists developed a fast, low-cost, scalable method to make covalent organic frameworks (COFs), a class of crystalline polymers whose tunable molecular structure, large surface area and porosity could be useful in energy applications, semiconductor devices, sensors, filtration systems and drug delivery.
Published Computational model captures the elusive transition states of chemical reactions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers developed a way to quickly calculate the transition state structure of a chemical reaction, using machine-learning models.
Published Nanoprobe with a barcode
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Protein-splitting enzymes play an important role in many physiological processes. Such proteases are generally present in an inactive state, only becoming activated under certain conditions. Some are linked to diseases like infections or cancer, making it important to have methods that can selectively detect active proteases. Scientists have introduced a new class of protease-activity sensors: gold nanoparticles equipped with peptide DNA.
Published Best areas for rewilding European bison
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Simulations integrate historical records, fossils, and ancient DNA to reveal why the European bison nearly went extinct, and pinpoint optimal areas for conservation. Since the near-extinction of the European bison, enormous conservation efforts have helped to restore wild populations, and its numbers are on the rise. However, the study authors argue that ensuring the species's long-term protection and recovery requires understanding why they nearly went extinct in the first place. 'Our study also suggests areas where rewilding attempts are most likely to be successful,' said lead author July Pilowsky, currently a disease ecologist at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Pilowsky completed the research while working on their PhD at University of Adelaide and University of Copenhagen.
Published This Japanese 'dragon' terrorized ancient seas
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have described a Japanese mosasaur the size of a great white shark that terrorized Pacific seas 72 million years ago. The mosasaur was named for the place where it was found, Wakayama Prefecture. Researchers call it the Wakayama Soryu, which means blue dragon.
Published Nanoparticle-delivered RNA reduces neuroinflammation in lab tests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In mice and human cell cultures, researchers showed that novel nanoparticles can deliver a potential therapy for inflammation in the brain, a prominent symptom in Alzheimer's disease.
Published Nature and animal emojis don't accurately represent natural biodiversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The current emoji library doesn't accurately represent the 'tree of life' and the breadth of biodiversity seen in nature according to a new analysis. A team of conservation biologists categorized emojis related to nature and animals and mapped them onto the phylogenetic tree of life. They found that animals are well represented by the current emoji catalog, whereas plants, fungi, and microorganisms are poorly represented. Within the animal kingdom, vertebrates were over-represented while arthropods were underrepresented with respect to their actual biodiversity.