Bonn researchers clarify the influence of treatment with tetrahydrocannabinol on the metabolic switch mTOR: A low-dose long-term administration of cannabis can not only reverse aging processes in the brain, but also has an anti-aging effect. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn together with a team from Hebrew University (Israel) have now been able to show this in mice. They found the key to this in the protein switch mTOR, whose signal strength has an…
Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), can be used to visualize and analyze cellular structures in their natural environment. Researchers at the MPI of Biochemistry in Martinsried and the University Medical Center Göttingen have now used cryo-ET to study protein folding helpers, so-called chaperonin complexes, in the bacterium E. coli. These chaperonins help newly synthesized proteins to fold into their correct, functional form. The researchers were able to illuminate the folding reaction with unprecedented detail, monitoring conformational changes in the chaperonin as well…
Bioinspired process makes marine sand more durable, resistant to erosion. New research from Northwestern University has systematically proven that a mild zap of electricity can strengthen a marine coastline for generations — greatly reducing the threat of erosion in the face of climate change and rising sea levels. In the new study, researchers took inspiration from clams, mussels and other shell-dwelling sea life, which use dissolved minerals in seawater to build their shells. Samples of seawater-soaked sand in Rotta Loria’s…
…reveals fundamental nature of chemical bonding. The distribution of outermost shell electrons, known as valence electrons, of organic molecules was experimentally observed for the first time by a team led by Nagoya University in Japan. As the interactions between atoms are governed by the valence electrons, their findings shine light on the fundamental nature of chemical bonds, with implications for pharmacy and chemical engineering. The results were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. The behavior of the…
A multidisciplinary research team based across China and Brazil has used a dog-like robot and AI to create a new way to find fire ant nests. Published in the SCI journal Pest Management Science, the study highlights how a ‘CyberDog’ robot integrated with an AI model can automate the identification and control of Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA), a globally destructive pest. Field tests carried out by the researchers reveal the robotic system can significantly outperform human inspectors, identifying three…
…but climate change brings uncertain future. A new analysis combines hydrology data with climate change models to help water managers prepare for hydropower’s future. In a new study assessing how climate change might alter hydropower generation across the continental United States, researchers show that except for some parts of the Southwest, hydropower generation is expected to rise in the future. The analysis also shows that in the Pacific Northwest in the future, less water will be stored in the mountains…
Billions of our cells die every day to make way for the growth of new ones. Most of these goners are cleaned up by phagocytes—mobile immune cells that migrate where needed to engulf problematic substances. But some dying or dead cells are consumed by their own neighbors, natural tissue cells with other primary jobs. How these cells sense the dying or dead around them has been largely unknown. Now researchers from The Rockefeller University have shown how the sensor system…
A Contribution to Protein Supply for the Growing Global Population. To ensure that food proteins do not become scarce in the future despite extreme weather conditions and increasing environmental stress, six Fraunhofer Institutes are focusing on indoor farming systems in the lighthouse project “FutureProteins” (alternative protein sources). How can wheatgrass, alfalfa, and potatoes be successfully grown indoors without soil, using only artificial lighting? And are these methods not only ecologically sustainable but also economically viable? Fraunhofer IWU is focused on…
Study establishes link for the first time. The innovative strength of a society depends on the level of academic freedom. An international team involving the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now proven this relationship for the first time. The researchers analyzed patent applications and patent citations in a sample from around 160 countries over the 1900–2015 period in relation to indicators used in the Academic Freedom Index. In view of the global decline in academic freedom over the past…
Batteries undercut their theoretical capacity in practice, sometimes significantly. In a lithium iron phosphate cathode, researchers at TU Graz have now been able to observe exactly where the capacity loss occurs. High-resolution image of lithium-rich (bottom right) and lithium-poor (top left) areas of the sample material. For easier comparison, both areas are also shown in images of simulations. (c) FELMI – TU Graz Lithium iron phosphate is one of the most important materials for batteries in electric cars, stationary energy…
3D bioprinting with the body’s own cartilage cells. Sport can lead to injuries if not performed correctly, often affecting the cartilage in the joints. Untreated cartilage defects can lead to osteoarthritis at older age, for which there is currently no effective treatment. Personalized cartilage cell implants made by 3D printing should provide a remedy in future. Special printing inks containing the body’s own cartilage cells are being developed for this purpose. The four-year project at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied…
Physicists from the STAR Collaboration have observed a new antimatter hypernucleus, antihyperhydrogen-4, for the first time. This is the heaviest antimatter hypernucleus discovered in experiments to date. This study, led by researchers from the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was published in Nature on Aug. 21. Current physics assumes that the properties of matter and antimatter are symmetrical and that equal amounts of matter and antimatter existed at the birth of the universe. However, some mysterious…
In an innovative leap forward for workplace safety, a research team at Seoul National University (PI: Prof. Yong-Lae Park) has developed the Bilateral Back Extensor Exosuit (BBEX), a robotic back-support device designed to prevent spinal injuries and assist workers in heavy lifting tasks. The BBEX, introduced in a recent study published in Science Robotics, promises to address the shortcomings of existing back-support devices by providing multidimensional assistance and comprehensive safety validation. Addressing a Persistent Problem Lower back injuries from heavy or…
Robotic automation has become a game-changer in addressing labour shortages. While traditional rigid grippers have effectively automated various routine tasks, boosting efficiency and productivity in industries that deal with objects of well-defined specifications, they fall short in sectors like the food industry, where delicate objects of varying sizes and shapes need to be handled. In these cases, a more specialised type of gripper is required. “Bioinspired soft robotics seeks to develop technologies that draw inspiration from nature and leverage advanced…
First-of-its-kind technology can help accelerate the process of cryopreservation, cybernetics, and bioimaging. A first-of-its-kind adaptive 3D printing system developed by University of Minnesota Twin Cities researchers can identify the positions of randomly distributed organisms and safely move them to specific locations for assembly. This autonomous technology will save researchers time and money in bioimaging, cybernetics, cryopreservation, and devices that integrate living organisms. The research is published in Advanced Science, a peer-reviewed scientific journal. The researchers have a patent pending on the…
The risk of early heart failure after heart transplantation is lower if the donor heart is stored in a so-called heart-in-a-box instead of in the usual cooler with ice. This is according to a study where researchers at the University of Gothenburg are now presenting the results. The established way of storing donated hearts before transplantation is to keep them at four degrees in potassium solution in a cooler with ice. Handling is a race against time, where matching, transportation…
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