Nanoturbines: the heart of advancements Flow-driven turbines lie at the heart of many revolutionary machines that have shaped our societies, from windmills to airplanes. Even life itself depends critically on turbines for fundamental processes, such as the FoF1-ATP synthase that produces fuels for biological cells and the bacterial flagella motor that propels bacteria. “Our nanoturbine has a 25-nanometer diameter rotor made from DNA material with blades configured in a right-handed or left-handed sense to control the direction of rotation. To…

A new tool to rapidly grow cancer-killing white blood cells could advance the availability of immunotherapy, a promising therapy which harnesses the power of the body’s immune response to target cancer cells. Washington State University researchers have developed a minifridge-sized bioreactor that is able to manufacture the cells, called T cells, at 95% of the maximum growth rate – about 30% faster than current technologies. The researchers report on their work in the journal Biotechnology Progress. They developed it using…

Newly discovered mechanism contributes to a better understanding of molecular foundations of fertility. Special proteins – known as membrane transporters – are of key importance for the mobility of sperm cells. A research team from the Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center (BZH) headed by Prof. Dr Cristina Paulino has, with the aid of cryo-electron microscopy, for the first time succeeded in decoding the structure of such a transporter and its mechanism. According to the researchers, these findings will enable a better…

Mature spermatozoa are characterized by an head, midpiece and a long tail for locomotion. Now, researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the Transdisciplinary Research Unit “Life & Health” at the University of Bonn have found that a loss of the structural protein ACTL7B blocks spermatogenesis in male mice. The cells can no longer develop their characteristic shape and remain in a rather round form. The animals are infertile. The results of the study have now been published in…

… with implications for disease control. Mosquitoes and other insects can carry human diseases such as dengue and Zika virus, but when those insects are infected with certain strains of the bacteria Wolbachia, this bacteria reduces levels of disease in their hosts. Humans currently take advantage of this to control harmful virus populations across the world. New research led at UC Santa Cruz reveals how the bacteria strain Wolbachia pipientis also enhances the fertility of the insects it infects, an…

Sharks have existed for millions of years, rarely develop cancer, and react sensitively to ecological changes. An international study led by Würzburg scientists shows that one explanation lies in the fish’s genes. Sharks have been populating the oceans for about 400 to 500 million years. While our planet and many of its inhabitants have undergone massive changes several times during this period, this basal group of vertebrates has remained somewhat constant. Their body shape and biology has hardly changed since…

Why are so few species able to regenerate damaged or missing body parts, even though regeneration might seem an obvious survival advantage? Researchers at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Göttingen, Germany, and colleagues have now found a possible explanation in planarian flatworms. Analyzing head regeneration abilities in a large collection of planarian species, they found that these capacities vary greatly and depend on how the different species reproduce. The multi-headed monster Hydra was so terrifying, because…

Study shows antibodies against polyethylene glycol in 83 percent of the German population. It has long been known that people can form defenses and thus antibodies against viruses. But antibodies can also develop against polyethylene glycol (PEG), a substance used in cosmetics, food and medicine. These influence the effectiveness of drugs. A team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research has now investigated how widespread these antibodies already are in German society and how they might influence…

Scientists from the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have gained valuable insights into producing nitroxide, a molecule with potential applications in the biomedical field. While nitric oxide (NO) has long been on researchers’ radar for its significant physiological effects, its lesser-known cousin, nitroxide (HNO), has remained largely unexplored. The study, published recently in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, was born out of a joint endeavor between teams at SLAC’s Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray laser and Stanford…

… while moving and stretching with the body. The fibers could help with testing treatments for nerve-related pain. Scientists have a new tool to precisely illuminate the roots of nerve pain. Engineers at MIT have developed soft and implantable fibers that can deliver light to major nerves through the body. When these nerves are genetically manipulated to respond to light, the fibers can send pulses of light to the nerves to inhibit pain. The optical fibers are flexible and stretch…

Chemotherapy is essential for many cancer patients, but some suffer from cognitive impairment throughout treatment. “Chemobrain” can consist of deficits in memory, attention, and executive function. A new study now reveals that “chemobrain” may be caused by an excess of calcium floating around inside cells. The research, from investigators at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, could lead to new treatments to restore cognition in patients experiencing symptoms. Calcium serves as…

… captures the body’s immune response to COVID-19 infection. Total-body PET scan uses less radiation and gives better imaging of immune T cell distribution. A team of UC Davis scientists used dynamic total-body positron emission tomography (PET) to provide the first imaging of the human body’s immune response to COVID-19 infection in recovering patients. Their work, published in Science Advances, could lead to a better understanding of how the body’s immune system responds to viral infections and develops long-term protection….

In a finding that helps elucidate how molten salts in advanced nuclear reactors might behave, scientists have shown how electrons interacting with the ions of the molten salt can form three states with different properties. Understanding these states can help predict the impact of radiation on the performance of salt-fueled reactors. The researchers, from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Iowa, computationally simulated the introduction of an excess electron into molten zinc chloride salt…

Team of researchers urges further study and evaluation of standards for medical use. Cannabis use, even for medical purposes, could make some people sick due to harmful fungi that contaminate the plants. That is the finding of a recently published peer-reviewed journal article, whose authors recommend further study and consideration of changes to regulations to protect consumers, especially those who are immunocompromised. They examined data, previous studies, and U.S. and international regulations related to the cannabis and hemp industry. The…

World premiere: New system that is gentler on patients receives the pulse beat. On the road to gentler mechanical cardiac support, the cardiac surgery clinics of Hannover Medical School (MHH) and the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne (UK) have briefly implanted a novel, groundbreaking circulatory support system in the first five people with advanced heart failure in the world. The heart support technology, called reBEAT, is a new development by the Munich-based start-up company AdjuCor. It consists of an…

This machine developed at the University of Bonn measures just one ten-thousandth of a millimeter. An international team of scientists headed by the University of Bonn has developed a novel type of nanomotor. It is driven by a clever mechanism and can perform pulsing movements. The researchers are now planning to fit it with a coupling and install it as a drive in complex machines. Their findings have now appeared in the journal Nature Nanotechnology. This novel type of motor is…