Serotonin transporter in the brain increased. Scientists led by Julia Sacher from MPI CBS and Osama Sabri from the Leipzig University Hospital have discovered in an elaborate patient study that the transport of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain increases in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) shortly before menstruation. Their findings provide the basis for a more targeted therapy of this specific mood disorder, in which patients only have to take antidepressants for a few days. PMS, or premenstrual…
In our inner ear, there are two different types of sensory cells that are responsible for hearing. An MHH research team has now identified the molecular switch for the formation of these inner and outer hair cells and thus found an important building block for the treatment of hearing loss. The inner and outer hair cells develop before birth from a common type of precursor cells. Which factors control the different development was unknown for a long time. A research…
Digitalization, automation and efficiency are the buzzwords of the industry of the future. To this end, the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS develops customer-specific sensors, actuators and optical components. These represent the key technologies for IoT and numerous future applications with artificial intelligence. Fraunhofer IPMS is one of the leading research institutes for the development and manufacture of electronic, mechanical and optical components and devices and their integration into intelligent systems. With its innovative micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and micro-opto-electro-mechanical…
Shining light on a water droplet creates effects analogous to what happens in an atom. This can help us understand how atoms work, write researchers from the University of Gothenburg in a new journal article. If you whisper by the wall in the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral in London, you’ll discover that the sound bounces off the dome’s walls all the way around and is audible on the opposite side. Which is why the Cathedral’s dome has been dubbed…
Ultrasmall microalgae found in home aquarium could have multiple useful applications. A new species of microalgae was found in water from a home aquarium. While analyzing DNA samples taken from the algae, researchers from the University of Tokyo discovered Medakamo hakoo, whose DNA sequence didn’t match any on record. This new species is the smallest known freshwater green algae, with inherent qualities which enable it to be cultured stably at high density, meaning it could be effectively used to produce…
Brain stimulation, such as Deep brain stimulation (DBS), is a powerful way to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders. While it has provided therapeutic benefit for sufferers of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and addiction for more than a decade, its underlying neural mechanism is not yet fully understood. Researchers at the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) are now one step closer to unravelling the mystery of brain activity to better understand this mechanism and potentially predict DBS outcomes. The brain is a highly complex…
… and make ethylene production more sustainable. A new hybrid catalyst converts carbon dioxide into ethylene in one pot. The catalyst was developed by scientists from Ames National Laboratory, Iowa State University, University of Virginia, and Columbia University. This catalyst supports the world net-zero carbon initiative by using carbon dioxide (CO2) as a feedstock for efficient ethylene production powered by electricity. Ethylene is a commodity chemical used to manufacture a wide range of products from plastics to antifreeze. The large-scale…
Star’s sudden 2020 slowdown allows for test of ‘anti-glitch’ theory. On Oct. 5, 2020, the rapidly rotating corpse of a long-dead star about 30,000 light years from Earth changed speeds. In a cosmic instant, its spinning slowed. And a few days later, it abruptly started emitting radio waves. Thanks to timely measurements from specialized orbiting telescopes, Rice University astrophysicist Matthew Baring and colleagues were able to test a new theory about a possible cause for the rare slowdown, or “anti-glitch,”…
Models capture how solar wind charge exchange events are observed. Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have used numerical methods to model the variations observed in soft X-ray signals detected by X-ray satellites. They analyzed data from the Suzaku telescope and compared it with modeling of solar winds interacting with the most upper parts of our atmosphere. They succeeded in capturing how the signal varied with the orbital motion of the satellite, with implications for how predictions can be made for…
The development of stimuli-responsive polymers has brought about a wealth of material-related opportunities for next-generation small-scale, wirelessly controlled soft-bodied robots. For some time now, engineers have known how to use these materials to make small robots that can walk, swim and jump. So far, no one has been able to make them fly. Researchers of the Light Robots group at Tampere University are now researching how to make smart material fly. Hao Zeng, Academy Research Fellow and the group leader,…
Federal Minister Cem Özdemir hands over funding notification at the IGW. New “farm of the future” in the Alte Land – Start of the research project “Smart automation systems and services for fruit growing in the Lower Elbe region” (“SAMSON”) funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). As part of the awarding of the “Digital Future Farms and Future Regions for Sustainable Agriculture” funding notification at the International Green Week (IGW) in Berlin, Germany, the Federal…
TUD startup teaches robots to feel. Robotics has evolved at an unprecedented rate over the past several decades. Yet many robots remain inflexible, cumbersome and noisy. Now, the TU Dresden spin-off PowerON seeks to change that. It aims to break down the barrier between humans and robots. The next generation of robotics will feature sensory skins, fabricated muscles and artificial neurons printed on flexible materials, opening up new fields of application. “We’re observing a drastic upward trend in automation across…
An interdisciplinary team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (MPICI) has investigated how the natural properties of native tree bark can be used to create a standardized product for long-term use without the addition of adhesives. In doing so, they have created bark panels by peeling and drying via hot pressing, which could be used in interior design or furniture and packaging, for example, through industrial production. With this processing method, the natural resource of…
University of Bayreuth researches aircraft parts from the 3D printer. The University of Bayreuth is contributing its expertise in additive manufacturing to a major European project: The EU is funding the Hybrid ElectriC regional Aircraft distribution Technologies (Hecate) project with more than 34 million euros, which aims to make aviation more environmentally friendly. The Chair of Environmental Production Technology at the University of Bayreuth is responsible for sustainable components in the project. Air transport must meet the ambitious targets of…
In a new breakthrough, researchers at the University of Copenhagen, in collaboration with Ruhr University Bochum, have solved a problem that has caused quantum researchers headaches for years. The researchers can now control two quantum light sources rather than one. Trivial as it may seem to those uninitiated in quantum, this colossal breakthrough allows researchers to create a phenomenon known as quantum mechanical entanglement. This in turn, opens new doors for companies and others to exploit the technology commercially. Going…
Researchers find ways to improve the storage time of quantum information in a spin rich material. An international team of scientists have demonstrated a leap in preserving the quantum coherence of quantum dot spin qubits as part of the global push for practical quantum networks and quantum computers. These technologies will be transformative to a broad range of industries and research efforts: from the security of information transfer, through the search for materials and chemicals with novel properties, to measurements…
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