…sets the stage for regenerative therapy. The study marks a stepping stone towards the long-term goal of regenerating human limbs after amputation—and could one day even give snakes back their legs. In a collaborative study, researchers from Kyushu University and Harvard Medical School have identified proteins that can turn or “reprogram” fibroblasts — the most commonly found cells in skin and connective tissue — into cells with similar properties to limb progenitor cells. Publishing in Developmental Cell, the researchers’ findings have enhanced our understanding…

In a new Nature Communications study, Columbia Engineering researchers report that they have built highly conductive, tunable single-molecule devices in which the molecule is attached to leads by using direct metal-metal contacts. Their novel approach uses light to control the electronic properties of the devices and opens the door to broader use of metal-metal contacts that could facilitate electron transport across the single-molecule device. The challenge As devices continue to shrink, their electronic components must also be miniaturized. Single-molecule devices, which…

A novel approach using laser-made nanomaterials made from nonprecious metals could lay the foundation for globally scalable remediation techniques. Scientists from the University of Rochester have developed new electrochemical approaches to clean up pollution from “forever chemicals” found in clothing, food packaging, firefighting foams, and a wide array of other products. A new Journal of Catalysis study describes nanocatalysts developed to remediate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS. The researchers, led by assistant professor of chemical engineering Astrid Müller, focused on a specific type of…

…in newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients. Radioguided surgery can detect and remove metastatic pelvic lymph nodes in patients newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to research published in the March issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. Targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), which is overexpressed in most prostate cancer patients, radioguided surgery can improve nodal staging to guide treatment recommendations for this important patient population. In newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients, nodal involvement correlates with recurrence, and determining if lymph…

Saarbrücken research project on new antibiotics against bacterial pneumonia receives CARB-X funding. New active substances for the treatment of resistant bacteria are needed more urgently than ever – yet only few candidates make the leap from research to clinical application. To facilitate precisely this transition, the US organization CARB-X provides targeted funding for advanced projects in antibiotics research. Saarbrücken researcher Anna Hirsch has now successfully acquired CARB-X funding for one of her innovative projects for the second time. The aim…

Bioengineered advancement may have implications for more natural-looking reconstructive surgery outcomes, according to international research team. Fat tissue holds the key to 3D printing layered living skin and potentially hair follicles, according to researchers who recently harnessed fat cells and supporting structures from clinically procured human tissue to precisely correct injuries in rats. The advancement could have implications for reconstructive facial surgery and even hair growth treatments for humans. The team’s findings published today (March 1) in Bioactive Materials. The U.S….

Underlying mechanism for the development of T follicular helper cells deciphered. T follicular helper cells (Tfh) are essential for strong antibody-mediated reactions of our immune system during infections and vaccinations. However, if they get out of control, this can cause diseases such as autoimmunity, allergies or cancer. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2 at the University of Bonn investigated the underlying mechanisms of Tfh cell development in a mouse model and thus decoded…

Study: Active ingredient evaluation for nerve regeneration. Injury- or disease-induced nerve damage often leads to permanent impairment in motor function, sensitivity, or chronic pain. For affected patients, this results in a significant loss of their quality of life. Nearly eight percent of Europeans older than 55 suffer from so-called peripheral neuropathies. A research team from the Center for Pharmacology in Cologne now presents a new study in which a promising compound for nerve regeneration was investigated. Longitudinal sections of damaged…

Adhesives are almost always based on fossil raw materials such as petroleum. Researchers at Fraunhofer have recently developed a process that allows to utilize keratin for this purpose. This highly versatile protein compound can be found, for instance, in chicken feathers. Not only can it be used to manufacture a host of different adhesives for a variety of applications, but the processes and end products are also sustainable and follow the basic principles underlying a bioinspired circular economy. The project,…

AI-identified non-gene regulatory DNA associated with autism in humans. The vocalizations of humans, bats, whales, seals and songbirds vastly differ from each other. Humans and birds, for example, are separated by some 300 million years of evolution. But scientists studying how these animals learn to “speak” have time and again seen surprising similarities in the connections in brain regions that support this vocal learning. In a paper published in the journal Science, a multi-institutional team led by scientists at Carnegie…

Resistant starch supports weight loss. A diet based on resistant starch promotes a favorable composition of the gut microbiome in obese people. This leads to weight reduction and measurable positive health outcomes such as improved insulin sensitivity. These were the findings of an international research team led by Professor Weiping Jia from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Professor Aimin Xu from the University of Hong Kong and Professor Gianni Panagiotou from Friedrich Schiller University Jena. The study has been published in…

Individually tailored RNA or DNA-based molecules are able to reliably fight off viral infections in plants, according to a new study by the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), which was published in the “International Journal of Molecular Sciences”. The researchers were able to fend off a common virus using the new active substances in up to 90 per cent of cases. They also developed a method for finding substances tailored specifically to the virus. The team has now patented the…

The aorta, also known as the main artery, is now recognised as an independent human organ. This has now been established in the guidelines for aortic surgical treatments of the European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery (EACTS) and the US Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS). The guidelines were published simultaneously on 26 February 2024. They were developed by international experts under the leadership of Prof Dr Martin Czerny from the Medical Center – University of Freiburg. The new classification of the…

RNA as a common language, presented in extracellular speech-bubbles. Decoding the conversations between microbes of hypersaline environments reveals deep insights into the origins of complex life. Single-celled organisms, such as bacteria and archaea, have developed many ways to communicate with each other. For example, they might use tiny so-called extracellular vesicles (EVs) – membrane-enveloped packages smaller than 200nm in diameter (0.0002mm). The organisms produce them by budding from their membrane into the surrounding space. These EVs can contain a variety…

HCMV reprograms cellular defence mechanisms. The human cytomegalovirus, HCMV for short, lies dormant unnoticed in the body of most people for their entire lives. In immunocompromised individuals, however, the virus can cause life-threatening infections. It infects dendritic cells, a specific type of cell in the immune system. Although the majority of them are infected, only a few of them immediately execute the virus’s genetic programme. Researchers at TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, have now been able to…

Bonn researchers find connection between autobiographical memory and aphantasia. When people lack visual imagination, this is known as aphantasia. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB), the University of Bonn and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) investigated how the lack of mental imagery affects long-term memory. They were able to show that changes in two important brain regions, the hippocampus and the occipital lobe, as well as their interaction, have an influence on the impaired recall of personal…