Bayreuth scientists are investigating the structure and long-term behaviour of galaxies using mathematical models based on Einstein’s theory of relativity. Their innovative approach uses a deep neural network to quickly predict the stability of galaxy models. This artificial intelligence-based method enables efficient verification or falsification of astrophysical hypotheses in seconds. The research objective of Dr Sebastian Wolfschmidt and Christopher Straub is to investigate the structure and long-term behaviour of galaxies. “Since these cannot be fully analysed by astronomical observations, we…
A small RNA modulates the growth of the microbes. Researchers from the Würzburg Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) deployed CRISPR interference for the first time for the functional characterization of the gut mutualist Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. They identified a small ribonucleic acid (sRNA) that modulates the microorganisms’ growth in the presence of bile. The findings should contribute to a better understanding of the bacterium’s lifestyle in its native environment, the human intestine, and to the development of clinical applications….
Researchers Find That a Protein Superglue is Crucial for DNA Damage Repair. Our DNA undergoes constant damage and repair. The most severe damage happens when the DNA breaks into two pieces, known as a double-strand DNA break. It creates two loose DNA ends that, if left unfixed, can lead to cell death. Researchers from the Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC) of the Dresden University of Technology have now answered the long-standing question of what keeps the broken DNA ends from being separated….
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed an ultra-sensitive sensor made with graphene that can detect extraordinarily low concentrations of lead ions in water. The device achieves a record limit of detection of lead down to the femtomolar range, which is one million times more sensitive than previous sensing technologies. “With the extremely high sensitivity of our device, we ultimately hope to detect even the presence of one lead ion in a reasonable volume of water,” said…
A healthy liver is capable of completely regenerating itself. Researchers from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU), University Hospital Düsseldorf (UKD) and the German Diabetes Center (DDZ) have now identified the growth factor MYDGF (Myeloid-Derived Growth Factor), which is important for this regenerative capacity. In cooperation with the Hannover Medical School and the University Medical Center Mainz, they also showed that higher levels of MYDGF can be detected in the blood of patients following partial removal of the liver. In the…
Two-dimensional semiconductors, heralded as the next generation in semiconductor technology, are characterized by their single atomic layer thickness. Due to their ultra-thin structure, two-dimensional semiconductors exhibit remarkable optical properties and provide flexibility, along with excellent integration capability with other materials, for a wide range of applications. Leveraging these attributes, they are being applied in diverse fields such as advanced flexible devices, nanophotonic devices, and solar cells. A key aspect of the optical characteristics in two-dimensional semiconductors is the presence of…
Techniques developed with the Laboratory for Laser Energetics’ OMEGA laser system hold promise for sparking fusion at larger scales. Scientists from the University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) led experiments to demonstrate an effective “spark plug” for direct-drive methods of inertial confinement fusion (ICF). In two studies published in Nature Physics, the authors discuss their results and outline how they can be applied at bigger scales with the hopes of eventually producing fusion at a future facility. LLE…
Pinpointing changes to our genetic instructions that disrupt development. Researchers find a vulnerability within our genomes that can cause developmental defects such as extra fingers and heart disorders. Our genomes provide the instructions for proper growth and development. Millions of genomic switches, known as enhancers, control the location and timing of gene expression, which in turn ensures the correct proteins are made in the right cells at the right time throughout our lives. New research from University of California San…
ISTA Researchers Uncover the Architecture of Poxvirus Cores. A recent re-emergence and outbreak of Mpox brought poxviruses back as a public health threat, underlining an important knowledge gap at their core. Now, a team of researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) lifted the mysteries of poxviral core architecture by combining various cryo-electron microscopy techniques with molecular modeling. The findings, published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, could facilitate future research on therapeutics targeting the poxvirus core….
A first success in the Excellence Strategy competition. Within the framework of the University Alliance Ruhr, the three universities in Duisburg-Essen, Dortmund and Bochum jointly advanced their research strategically, for example by establishing the joint Research Center One Health Ruhr. The University of Duisburg-Essen and its partner universities’ excellent water research is part of this Research Center and has now prevailed in the first round of the two-stage competition as part of the Excellence Strategy from the federal and state…
Scientists develop a low-cost imaging device suitable for endoscopic screening programs. Gastrointestinal cancers (GCs) are among the most common forms of cancer and account for as much as one-third of all cancer deaths worldwide. Early diagnosis is an effective way of reducing the mortality associated with GCs, and endoscopic screening has proved to be an excellent approach for detecting potentially malignant tumors. To extend the benefits of screening programs to as many people as possible, the imaging systems used should…
In a Europe-wide study involving 15 pancreas centers, researchers at the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) have discovered that the microbial composition of the gut, the gut microbiome, influences the course of severe acute pancreatitis. Based on the changes in the gut microbiome, a prediction model was developed to predict the severity of pancreatitis. The results could contribute to new treatment strategies. They published in the renowned journal Gut. Severe acute pancreatitis is a life-threatening disease that requires highly specialized…
Bacteria named after well-known microbiologists from the Leibniz Institute DSMZ. Researchers at the Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures led by Dr Yvonne Mast and Dr Imen Nouioui have published scientific descriptions for five new antibiotic-producing bacteria. Using state-of-the-art technologies to examine strains which have been in the collection for more than 40 years the researchers discovered their ability to produce antibiotics. The findings have been published in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. Modern analyses lead to…
…that can withstand extreme environments. Unlike conventional refractory conductimaterials, it not oxidizeand maintains performance at temperatures up to 1,000°C in air. Expected to be used in a wide range of extreme environments, including space, aerospace and thermophotovoltaic(TPV) system. Thermal radiation is electromagnetic radiation emitted by all objects with temperature and most representatively, there is the solar radiation spectrum that enters the Earth and causes the greenhouse effect. Controlling and utilizing the thermal radiation energy emitted from solar power, thermal power…
Groundbreaking nanocavities unlock new frontiers in light confinement. Dr. Hanan Herzig Sheinfux, from Bar-Ilan University: “What started as a chance discovery, may well open the way to new quantum applications, pushing the boundaries of what we thought was possible.” In a significant leap forward for quantum nanophotonics, a team of European and Israeli physicists, introduces a new type of polaritonic cavities and redefines the limits of light confinement. This pioneering work, detailed in a study published today in Nature Materials,…
Scrap aluminum transforms recycling life cycle. Energy savings approaching 90 percent expected from employing entirely post-consumer aluminum to make high-grade building components. The circular economy just closed the loop on scrap aluminum, thanks to a new patent-pending technology developed at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. That twisted aluminum mesh, those banged up bicycle frames, and the used car parts now languishing in junk yards could gain new life as building structures such as door and window frames,…
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