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Categories: Biology: Cell Biology, Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published Hair follicle models from the 3D printer
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Hair follicle infections are often difficult to treat because bacteria settle in the gap between hair and skin, where it is difficult for active substances to reach them. In order to investigate this scenario more closely in the laboratory, researchers have now developed a model with human hair follicles embedded in a matrix produced using 3D printing. In the future, this model can be used to test the effectiveness of new drug candidates against corresponding pathogens directly on human follicles.
Published Scientists work to build 'wind-up' sensors
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team of scientists has shown that twisted carbon nanotubes can store three times more energy per unit mass than advanced lithium-ion batteries. The finding may advance carbon nanotubes as a promising solution for storing energy in devices that need to be lightweight, compact, and safe, such as medical implants and sensors.
Published The ancestor of all modern birds probably had iridescent feathers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Birds tend to be more colorful in the tropics, and scientists wanted to find out how they got there: if colorful feathers evolved in the tropics, or if tropical birds have brightly-colored ancestors that came to the region from somwhere else. Scientists built a database of 9,409 birds to explore the spread of color across the globe. They found that iridescent, colorful feathers originated 415 times across the bird tree of life, and in most cases, arose outside of the tropics -- and that the ancestor of all modern birds likely had iridescent feathers, too.
Published Lampreys possess a 'jaw-dropping' evolutionary origin
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source 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 New drug shows promise in clearing HIV from brain
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An experimental drug originally developed to treat cancer may help clear HIV from infected cells in the brain, according to a new study. By targeting infected cells in the brain, drug may clear virus from hidden areas that have been a major challenge in HIV treatment.
Published Researchers explore the interplay between high-affinity DNA and carbon nanotubes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) hold promise for biomedicine and nanoelectronics, yet the functionalization with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) remains a challenge. Researchers using high-affinity ssDNA sequences identified through high-throughput selection. They demonstrated the effectivity and stability of these constructs using molecular dynamics simulations. Machine-learning models were used to accurately predict patterns that govern ssDNA-SWCNT binding affinity. These findings provide valuable insights into the interactions between ssDNA and SWCNTs.
Published Scientists identify key protein behind spread of shingles virus
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source 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 How a bacterium supports healing of chronic diabetic wounds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research shows that a certain bug, Alcaligenes faecalis (A. faecalis), can facilitate healing of hard-to-treat wounds among people with diabetes. While there are many studies done on potentially harmful bacteria in wounds, the researchers discovered that A. faecalis, a bacterium found in many types of chronic wounds, actually boosts healing of diabetic wounds. The researchers found that the beneficial bacterium can promote skin cell movements that are essential for wound closure by inhibiting enzymes that are over-produced in people with diabetes.
Published How evolution tamed a deadly virus and why we should still worry
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Over the last century, a once-deadly mosquito-borne virus has evolved so that it no longer sickens humans. New research shows that changes in the virus's ability to target human cells paralleled the decline in illness and death. The findings offer important lessons in virology that may help guide better preparedness for future outbreaks of other viral diseases.
Published New groups of methane-producing organisms in Yellowstone
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The team verified that microbes found in Yellowstone National Park hot springs produce methane to grow.
Published Daily rhythms depend on receptor density in biological clock
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tweaking the numbers of receptors in a key brain area changes the daily rhythms of rest and wake in mice.
Published Researchers are closing in on a mouse model for late-onset Alzheimer's
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source 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 Proof-of-concept study to find functional cure for HIV
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers conducted a breakthrough proof-of-concept study that found an HIV-like virus particle that could cease the need for lifelong medications.
Published Nanoscale device simultaneously steers and shifts frequency of optical light, pointing the way to future wireless communication channels
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A tunable metasurface can control optical light in space and time, offering a path toward new ways of wirelessly and securely transmitting large amounts of data both on Earth and in space.
Published Research sheds light on the role of PTPRK in tissue repair and cancer
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source 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 Researchers develop new method for achieving controllable tuning and assessing instability in 2D materials for engineering applications
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Two-dimensional (2D) materials have atomic-level thickness and excellent mechanical and physical properties, with broad application prospects in fields such as semiconductors, flexible devices, and composite materials.
Published Shining light on amyloid architecture
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers use microscopy to chart amyloid beta's underlying structure and yield insight into neurodegenerative disease.
Published The rhythm led by plants is crucial for symbiosis with nutrient-providing bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Recent research on Lotus japonicus, a model leguminous plant, has unveiled that the interaction between legume roots and rhizobia is characterized by periodic gene expression with a six-hour rhythm. This rhythmic gene expression influences the regions of the root susceptible to rhizobial infection and the distribution of nodules. It was also discovered that the plant hormone cytokinin is crucial for maintaining this gene expression rhythm.
Published Small animals acquire genes from bacteria that can produce antibiotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A group of small, freshwater animals (bdelloid rotifers) protect themselves from infections using antibiotic recipes 'stolen' from bacteria, according to new research. This raises the potential that rotifers are producing novel antimicrobials that may be less toxic to animals, including humans, than those we develop from bacteria and fungi.
Published Minerals play newly discovered role in Earth's phosphorus cycle
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Plants and microbes are known to secrete enzymes to transform organic phosphorus into bioavailable inorganic phosphorus. Now, researchers found that iron oxide in soil performs the same transformation. Discovery is important for food security, which requires phosphorus as a crop fertilizer.