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Categories: Biology: Biotechnology, Engineering: Robotics Research
Published Precise genetics: New CRISPR method enables efficient DNA modification



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.
Published What shapes a virus's pandemic potential? SARS-CoV-2 relatives yield clues



Two of the closest known relatives to SARS-CoV-2 -- a pair of bat coronaviruses discovered by researchers in Laos -- may transmit poorly in people despite being genetically similar to the COVID-19-causing virus, a new study reveals. The findings provide clues as to why some viruses have greater 'pandemic potential' than others and how researchers might go about identifying those that do before they become widespread.
Published Organic nanozymes have broad applications from food and agriculture to biomedicine



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.
Published Platypus and chicken reveal how chromosomes balance between the sexes



Geneticists uncover new insights into how sex chromosome systems work in the platypus and the chicken -- which will lead to better understandings of our own sex chromosome evolution and gene regulation.
Published How researchers turn bacteria into cellulose-producing mini-factories



Researchers have modified certain bacteria with UV light so that they produce more cellulose. The basis for this is a new approach with which the researchers generate thousands of bacterial variants and select those that have developed into the most productive.
Published Shape-shifting 'transformer bots' inspired by origami



Inspired by the paper-folding art of origami, engineers have discovered a way to make a single plastic cubed structure transform into more than 1,000 configurations using only three active motors.
Published From genes to jeans: New genetic insights may lead to drought resilient cotton



Cotton is woven into the very fabric of our lives, from soft T-shirts to comfortable jeans and cozy bedsheets. It's the world's leading renewable textile fiber and the backbone of a global industry worth billions. As climate change intensifies, cotton farmers face increasing challenges from drought and heat. However, new research offers hope for developing more resilient varieties that can maintain high yields even under water-stressed conditions.
Published Robotics: Self-powered 'bugs' can skim across water to detect environmental data



Researchers have developed a self-powered 'bug' that can skim across the water, and they hope it will revolutionize aquatic robotics.
Published New progress in research into malignant catarrhal fever in cattle



A research team has published a groundbreaking study on malignant catarrhal fever (MCF). This disease is caused by the alcelaphine gammaherpesvirus 1 (AlHV-1), which infects its natural host, the wildebeest. This study sheds light on the mechanisms by which this virus, which is asymptomatic and latent in the wildebeest, causes an oligoclonal expansion of CD8+ T lymphocytes in cattle, leading to the development of MCF.
Published Researchers decipher new molecular mechanisms related to biological tissue regeneration



A study opens new perspectives to better understand how the molecular mechanisms involved in regenerative medicine work. The study focuses on tumor necrosis factor- (TNF- ) and its receptors TNFR, molecules of key interest in biomedicine due to their involvement in multiple diseases such as obesity related to type 2 diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease and several types of cancer.
Published New understanding of fly behavior has potential application in robotics, public safety



Scientists have identified an automatic behavior in flies that helps them assess wind conditions -- its presence and direction -- before deploying a strategy to follow a scent to its source. The fact that they can do this is surprising -- can you tell if there's a gentle breeze if you stick your head out of a moving car? Flies aren't just reacting to an odor with a preprogrammed response: they are responding in context-appropriate manner. This knowledge potentially could be applied to train more sophisticated algorithms for scent-detecting drones to find the source of chemical leaks.
Published Lampreys possess a 'jaw-dropping' evolutionary origin



Lampreys are one of only two living jawless vertebrates Jaws are formed by a key stem cell population called the neural crest New research reveals the gene regulatory changes that may explain morphological differences between jawed and jawless vertebrates.
Published Scientists identify key protein behind spread of shingles virus



Scientists have discovered a new evasion strategy used by the varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and shingles, that may allow it to affect tissues far from the original site of infection.
Published Next-gen cooling system to help data centers become more energy efficient



Artificial intelligence (AI) is hot right now. Also hot: the data centers that power the technology. And keeping those centers cool requires a tremendous amount of energy. The problem is only going to grow as high-powered AI-based computers and devices become commonplace. That's why researchers are devising a new type of cooling system that promises to dramatically reduce energy demands.
Published It's got praying mantis eyes



The praying mantis is one of the few insects with compound eyes and the ability to perceive 3D space. Engineers are replicating their visual systems to make machines see better.
Published Foam fluidics showcase lab's creative approach to circuit design



Engineers have shown that something as simple as the flow of air through open-cell foam can be used to perform digital computation, analog sensing and combined digital-analog control in soft textile-based wearable systems.
Published Researchers are closing in on a mouse model for late-onset Alzheimer's



Researchers are working to create the first strain of mice that's genetically susceptible to late-onset Alzheimer's, with potentially transformative implications for dementia research.
Published Research sheds light on the role of PTPRK in tissue repair and cancer



New research has advanced our knowledge of multiple roles for PTPRK, a receptor tyrosine phosphatase linked to the regulation of cell-cell adhesion, growth factor signalling and tumor suppression. Through a characterization of the function of PTPRK in human cell lines and mice, the team distinguished catalytic and non-catalytic functions of PTPRK. The findings extend what is known about the signalling mechanisms involving PTPRK as a phosphatase and its role in colorectal health but also shed new light on the extent of its function via non-catalytic signalling mechanisms.
Published Under pressure: How cells respond to physical stress



Cell membranes play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and functionality of cells. However, the mechanisms by which they perform these roles are not yet fully understood. Scientists have used cryo-electron microscopy to observe how lipids and proteins at the plasma membrane interact and react to mechanical stress. This work shows that, depending on conditions, small membrane regions can stabilize various lipids to trigger specific cellular responses. These discoveries confirm the existence of well-organized lipid domains and begin to reveal the role they play in cell survival.
Published Dual action antibiotic could make bacterial resistance nearly impossible



New drug that disrupts two cellular targets would make it much harder for bacteria to evolve resistance.