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Categories: Biology: Developmental, Chemistry: General
Published Molecularly designing polymer networks to control sound damping
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The world is filled with a myriad of sounds and vibrations -- the gentle tones of a piano drifting down the hall, the relaxing purr of a cat laying on your chest, the annoying hum of the office lights. Imagine being able to selectively tune out noises of a certain frequency. Researchers have now synthesized polymer networks with two distinct architectures and crosslink points capable of dynamically exchanging polymer strands to understand how the network connectivity and bond exchange mechanisms govern the overall damping behavior of the network. The incorporation of dynamic bonds into the polymer network demonstrates excellent damping of sound and vibrations at well-defined frequencies.
Published Towards realizing eco-friendly and high-performance thermoelectric materials
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a new study, environmentally benign inverse-perovskites with high energy conversion efficiency have been reported by scientists with potential for practical application as thermoelectric materials (TEMs). Addressing the limitations typically faced with TEMs, such as insufficient energy conversion efficiency and environmental toxicity due to heavy elements, the new TEMs provide a suitable alternative to TEMs based on toxic elements with better thermoelectric properties than conventional eco-friendly TEMs.
Published Catalytic combo converts CO2 to solid carbon nanofibers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have developed a way to convert carbon dioxide (CO2), a potent greenhouse gas, into carbon nanofibers, materials with a wide range of unique properties and many potential long-term uses. Their strategy uses tandem electrochemical and thermochemical reactions run at relatively low temperatures and ambient pressure and could successfully lock carbon away to offset or even achieve negative carbon emissions.
Published Protein complex discovered to control DNA repair
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The repair of damage to genetic material (DNA) in the human body is carried out by highly efficient mechanisms that have not yet been fully researched. A scientific team has now discovered a previously unrecognized control point for these processes. This could lead to a new approach for the development of cancer therapies aimed at inhibiting the repair of damaged cancer cells.
Published Potential solvents identified for building on moon and Mars
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have taken the first steps toward finding liquid solvents that may someday help extract critical building materials from lunar and Martian-rock dust, an important piece in making long-term space travel possible. Using machine learning and computational modeling, researchers have found about half a dozen good candidates for solvents that can extract materials on the moon and Mars usable in 3D printing. The powerful solvents, called ionic liquids, are salts that are in a liquid state.
Published Generating stable qubits at room temperature
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Quantum bits, or qubits, can revolutionize computing and sensing systems. However, cryogenic temperatures are required to ensure the stability of qubits. In a groundbreaking study, researchers observed stable molecular qubits of four electron spins at room temperature for the first time by suppressing the mobility of a dye molecule within a metal-organic framework. Their innovative molecular design opens doors to materials that could drive the development of quantum technologies capable of functioning in real-world conditions.
Published Is there a common link between the physical and social worlds? Two brothers think so
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A Rutgers biophysical chemist and his brother, a political scientist on the West Coast, have joined intellectual forces, realizing a long-standing dream of co-authoring an article that bridges their disciplines involving cells and society. In their paper, they have proposed that powerful parallels exist between the microscopic, natural world of cells and molecules and the human-forged realm of organizations and political systems.
Published Making an important industrial synthesis more environmentally friendly
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have resolved a problem that has limited the environmental sustainability of peracid synthesis. By judicious choice of the solvent and light input, approximately room-temperature autoxidation of aldehydes proceeds in a manner that results in industrially useful peracids or carboxylic acids. This work is an important advance in green chemistry that will help minimize the carbon footprint of the chemical industry.
Published Researchers step closer to mimicking nature's mastery of chemistry
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In nature, organic molecules are either left- or right-handed, but synthesizing molecules with a specific 'handedness' in a lab is hard to do. Make a drug or enzyme with the wrong 'handedness,' and it just won't work. Now chemists are getting closer to mimicking nature's chemical efficiency through computational modeling and physical experimentation.
Published Dry-cleaning fluid becomes a synthetic chemist's treasure
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The widely used dry-cleaning and degreasing solvent perc can be converted to useful chemicals by a new clean, safe and inexpensive procedure. The discovery using on-demand UV activation may open the path to upcycling perc and thus contribute to a more sustainable society.
Published Study on lamprey embryos sheds light on the evolutionary origin of vertebrate head
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have investigated lamprey embryos using cutting-edge microscopic techniques to reveal interesting insights about vertebrate head evolution, clarifying an unresolved mystery in basic science.
Published The reaction mechanism for catalytic ammonia production experimentally determined
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have now been able to study the surface of iron and ruthenium catalysts when ammonia is formed from nitrogen and hydrogen. A better knowledge of the catalytic process and the possibility of finding even more efficient materials opens the door for a green transition in the currently very CO2-intensive chemical industry.
Published Epic of a molecular ion: With eyes of electrons
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have achieved real-time capture of the ionization process and subsequent structural changes in gas-phase molecules through an enhanced mega-electronvolt ultrafast electron diffraction (MeV-UED) technique, enabling observation of faster and finer movements of ions.
Published Inspired by Greek mythology, this potential drug shows promise for vanquishing Parkinson's RNA in early studies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new discovery takes its inspiration from Greek mythology. The compound is described as a chimera, because it battles a toxic cause of Parkinson's in two ways.
Published The first domino falls for redox reactions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Transmitting an effect known as a domino reaction using redox chemistry has been achieved for the first time.
Published Chemists develop new approach to inserting single carbon atoms
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Chemists have presented a new approach in which a single carbon atom is inserted into the carbon skeleton of cyclic compounds in order to adjust the ring size. The method could be relevant, for example, for the production of active ingredients in new pharmaceutical products.
Published Smart skin bacteria are able to secrete and produce molecules to treat acne
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An experimental study has shown that a type of skin bacterium can efficiently be engineered to produce a protein to regulate sebum production. This application could treat acne without compromising the homeostasis of the entire skin microbiome.
Published Stranger than friction: A force initiating life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As the potter works the spinning wheel, the friction between their hands and the soft clay helps them shape it into all kinds of forms and creations. In a fascinating parallel, sea squirt oocytes (immature egg cells) harness friction within various compartments in their interior to undergo developmental changes after conception.
Published Large-scale mapping of pig genes could pave the way for new human medicines
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have carried out complex genetic analyses of hundreds of pigs and humans to identify differences and similarities. This new knowledge can be used to ensure healthier pigs for farmers and can help the pharmaceutical industry breed better laboratory pigs for testing new medicines.
Published Life span increases in mice when specific brain cells are activated
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study identifies, in mice, a critical communication pathway connecting the brain and the body's fat tissue in a feedback loop that appears central to energy production throughout the body. The research suggests that the gradual deterioration of this feedback loop contributes to the increasing health problems that are typical of natural aging.