Showing 20 articles starting at article 1341
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Physics: Optics
Published New frequency comb can identify molecules in 20-nanosecond snapshots
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a device that can detect the presence of specific molecules in a sample every 20 nanoseconds, or billionths of a second. With this new capability, researchers can potentially use frequency combs to better understand the split-second intermediate steps in fast-moving processes ranging from the workings of hypersonic jet engines to the chemical reactions between enzymes that regulate cell growth.
Published Specific gut bacteria increase risk of severe malaria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified multiple species of bacteria that, when present in the gut, are linked to an increased risk of developing severe malaria in humans and mice.
Published To advance space colonization, new research explores 3D printing in microgravity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research into how 3D printing works in a weightless environment aims to support long-term exploration and habitation on spaceships, the moon or Mars.
Published How to protect biocatalysts from oxygen
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source There are high hopes for hydrogen as the key to the energy transition. A specific enzyme group found in algae and in bacteria can produce molecular hydrogen simply by catalyzing protons and electrons. However, the enzyme group is so sensitive to oxygen that commercial use of the hydrogen produced by this process as a green energy source is not yet possible. Researchers have now increased the oxygen stability of a hydrogen-producing enzyme by genetically generated channel blockages.
Published Cat-ching criminals with DNA from pet hairs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Cat hair could be the purr-fect way to catch criminals, according to researchers.
Published Intestinal bacteria metabolite promotes capture of antigens by dendritic cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Dendritic cells are immune cells that capture and present antigens to T cells, activating an immune response. Researchers have discovered that short-chain fatty acids produced by intestinal bacteria regulate a crucial step in this process, the extension of dendritic 'arms.' This breakthrough finding could potentially lead to the development of disease prevention strategies involving beneficial bacteria and new drugs targeting the regulation of dendritic cell function.
Published Controlling organoids with light
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Organoids help researchers understand biological processes in health and in disease. It is, however, difficult to influence the way in which they organize themselves into complex tissues. Now a group has found a new way to do so.
Published Genetic methods enable the use of fossil lipids as biomarkers for oxygen-producing primordial bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Cyanobacteria are a key species in Earth's history, as they introduced atmospheric oxygen for the first time. The analysis of their evolution therefore provides important insights into the formation of modern aerobic ecosystems. For a long time, a certain type of fossil lipid, so-called 2-methylhopanes, was considered to be an important biomarker for Cyanobacteria in sediments, some of which are hundreds of millions of years old. However, this came into doubt when it turned out that not only Cyanobacteria but also Alphaproteobacteria are genetically capable of producing these lipids.
Published Mammalian cells may consume bacteria-killing viruses to promote cellular health
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bacteriophages, also called phages, are viruses that infect and kill bacteria, their natural hosts. But from a macromolecular viewpoint, phages can be viewed as nutritionally enriched packets of nucleotides wrapped in an amino acid shell. A study suggests that mammalian cells internalize phages as a resource to promote cellular growth and survival.
Published Cutting-edge imaging sheds new light on cells that break down bone
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Imaging technology shows that bone-resorbing osteoclasts gather in distinct pockets, leading to new insights for osteoporosis and cancer treatment.
Published Discovery of three novel minorisa species, the smallest predatory marine picoplankton
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have made a significant discovery by identifying and characterizing three novel species within the Minorisa genus of marine picoplankton. Before this study, only one species of Minorisa was recognized. This finding reveals previously unseen diversity of Minorisa, thereby enhancing species identification and our understanding of its ecological functions in marine ecosystems.
Published Even treated wood prevents bacterial transmission by hand
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source According to a new study, surface treatment and moisture affect the antibacterial properties of wood. Based on the findings, treated wood should be increasingly used as surface material.
Published Membrane transporter ensures mobility of sperm cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Special proteins -- known as membrane transporters -- are key to the mobility of sperm cells. A research team has, with the aid of cryo-electron microscopy, succeeded in decoding the structure of such a transporter and its mechanism. These findings will enable a better understanding of the molecular foundations of reproductive capacity and could, in the long term, contribute to developing new approaches to treating fertility disorders and new methods of specific contraception.
Published Fungi used in food production could lead to new probiotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source According to a new study, 2 fungi used to produce food products have potential probiotic effects on gut inflammation.
Published Inspection method increases confidence in laser powder bed fusion 3D printing
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have improved flaw detection to increase confidence in metal parts that are 3D-printed using laser powder bed fusion.
Published Community-developed guidelines for publishing images help address reproducibility problem in science
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The use of images in scientific papers is more popular than ever, but there have been no common standards for their publication -- until now.
Published To navigate the world, we all shimmy like these electric fish
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An electric knifefish shimmies in the water for the same reason a dog sniffs or a human glances around a new place -- to make sense of their surroundings. For the first time, scientists demonstrate that a wide range of organisms, even microbes, perform the same pattern of movements in order to sense the world.
Published Analysis finds diversity on the smallest scales in sulfur-cycling salt marsh microbes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered that even among the sulfur-cycling microbes that are responsible for the 'rotten egg gas' smell in salt marsh air, diversity extends all the way to genomes and even to individual nucleotides.
Published Algae's surprising potential to help ease climate change worries
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The key to bringing global net-zero goals into reach may be algae, say researchers. Studies show impressive success of certain microalgae varieties to remove CO2 from the atmosphere then break it down into useful materials.
Published Zika infection in pregnant macaques slows fetal growth
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Zika virus infection in pregnant rhesus macaques slows fetal growth and affects how infants and mothers interact in the first month of life, according to a new study. The work has implications for both humans exposed to Zika virus and for other viruses that can cross the placenta, including SARS-CoV2, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.