Propylene production harnesses biodiesel waste byproduct. Achieving carbon neutrality requires the effective use of renewable biomass. In the production of biodiesel, for instance, glycerol is generated as a major byproduct. Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have developed a new catalyst that efficiently converts a derivative of glycerol into bio-based propylene, contributing to sustainable chemical production. Propylene is typically produced from petroleum and is widely used in the manufacture of plastics, such as automobile bumpers and food containers. The research team,…

It’s almost time to dust off the Halloween decorations and adorn the house with all manner of spooky things, including the classic polyester spider webs. Scientists reporting in ACS Nano have made their own version of fake spider silk, but this one consists of proteins and heals wounds instead of haunting hallways. The artificial silk is strong enough to be woven into bandages that helped treat joint injuries and skin lesions in mice. Spider silk is one of the strongest…

PIPs Project of the Leibniz Cooperative Excellence Launched. What role do certain lipids, known as phosphoinositides (PIPs), play in obesity and other metabolic diseases? This is now being investigated by scientists from the Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) in Berlin, the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE), and the Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften (ISAS) in a joint project. The FMP, DIfE and ISAS have raised almost one million euros from the Leibniz Association as part of the “Leibniz Cooperative…

Groundbreaking findings provide a proof-of-concept development of a non-invasive cell-based method to improve the quality of eggs from older females for IVF. Researchers from the Mechanobiology Institute (MBI) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the NUS Bia-Echo Asia Centre for Reproductive Longevity and Equality (ACRLE), based at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine), have developed an innovative technique to significantly enhance the reproductive potential of aged oocytes, or immature egg cells, potentially paving the…

Coronavirus spike proteins can be selectively detected in 5 minutes. Light-induced immunoassay coated with novel coronavirus spike proteins found highly sensitive even with weak light like a laser pointer. Like moths to a flame, microbes can also be moved by light. Using this knowledge, researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University’s Research Institute for Light-induced Acceleration System (RILACS) have demonstrated a method to detect the presence of viruses quickly and using only a small sample. The research team led by OMU Professor…

Antibiotics and laxatives found in corals at a depth of 40 meters. Severe environmental contamination: A new study from Tel Aviv University and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History detected traces of 10 common medications in coral samples collected from both shallow and deep sites in the Gulf of Eilat. Sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic used for respiratory and urinary tract infections, was found in as many as 93% of the sampled corals. The alarming study was led by Prof. Noa Shenkar…

Mizzou researcher Jianlin “Jack” Cheng debuts tool to build 3D structure of protein complexes, giving scientists insights to prevent and treat disease. A University of Missouri researcher has created a computer program that can unravel the mysteries of how proteins work together — giving scientists valuable insights to better prevent, diagnose and treat cancer and other diseases. Jianlin “Jack” Cheng from Mizzou’s College of Engineering and his student, Nabin Giri, have developed a tool called Cryo2Struct that uses artificial intelligence…

UChicago Medicine has become the first medical center in Illinois to implant the Revi neuromodulation device, an exciting new treatment option that could offer relief for patients with urinary urgency incontinence (UUI). “I am really happy that we can offer this innovative approach to all our patients and very proud to be at the real forefront of medicine as the first in the state to have done this surgery,” said urologist Ervin Kocjancic, MD, the surgeon who performed the procedure. UUI,…

Experts from the University’s Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation (CeTPD), working with Boehringer Ingelheim scientists, have developed a breakthrough small-molecule drug, a “protein degrader”. KRAS is the most mutated gene in cancer with mutations occurring in 17%–25% of all cancers, affecting millions of patients worldwide. It plays a crucial role in tumour growth, as it is important for driving uncontrolled proliferation of tumour cells. Targeting KRAS function is a primary focus of cancer drug discovery. However, currently approved treatments can…

Proteins can re-structure themselves to create important substances. The protein ‘MIPS’ changes its internal structure when it becomes active. Its disordered active centre becomes a defined structure with special functions. The protein plays a key role in the production of inositol, which is also known as vitamin B8, and fulfils important tasks in the body. Researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the National Hellenic Research Centre in Greece have succeeded for the first time in observing the protein…

Nanoparticle potential found for assessing kidneys. In a study published July 29 in Advanced Materials, University of Texas at Dallas researchers found that X-rays of the kidneys using gold nanoparticles as a contrast agent might be more accurate in detecting kidney disease than standard laboratory blood tests. Based on their study in mice, they also found that caution may be warranted in employing renal-clearable nanomedicines to patients with compromised kidneys. Before administering renal-clearable drugs, doctors routinely check a patient’s kidney function…

… for Neurosensory Therapies. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS and the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Natural Sciences (MPI-NAT) have researched optical stimulators for future cochlear implants as part of the “NeurOpto” project (funded by the Fraunhofer-Max-Planck Cooperation Program: 601001). They will present tiny OLED-on-silicon-based probes for the first time at W3+ 2024 in Jena, on September 25 and 26, 2024, at booth No. C12. What is Optogenetics? Optogenetics is a method that uses light to…

Future treatment of high cholesterol gene defect. CRISPR-Cas systems, which consist of protein and RNA components, originally developed as a natural defense mechanism of bacteria to fend off intruding viruses. Over the last decade, re-engineering these so-called “gene scissors” has revolutionized genetic engineering in science and medicine. The tools can be programmed to find a specific location in our DNA and edit the genetic information in a precise manner. For example, a disease-causing mutation in the DNA can be reverted…

In the treatment of cancer patients, irradiation can be adapted anew each day to the position of the tumour and conditions in the body. Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have now, for the first time, integrated such a workflow into everyday clinical practice in proton therapy – an important step in the individualisation of therapy. The study appeared yesterday in the scientific journal Physics in Medicine and Biology. Every day, our body is a little bit different. The…

Lasso peptides are natural products made by bacteria. Their unusual lasso shape endows them with remarkable stability, protecting them from extreme conditions. In a new study, published in Nature Chemical Biology, researchers have constructed and tested models for how these peptides are made and demonstrated how this information might be used to advance lasso peptide-based drugs into the clinic. “Lasso peptides are interesting because they are basically linear molecules that have been tied into a slip knot-like shape,” said Susanna Barrett,…

…promote the transformation of prostate cancer cells into treatment-resistant cells. There is a challenge related to prostate and many other cancers that cancer cells form resistance to treatments as the disease progresses.  However, these resistance mechanisms are not yet fully understood. A new study by the University of Eastern Finland found that inflammation-promoting immune cells, M1 macrophages, can transform cancer cells into stem-like cells and thus immune to treatment. The results were published in OncoImmunology journal. The study examined the…