278 articles from THURSDAY 15.7.2021

Unlocking efficient light-energy conversion with stable coordination nanosheets

Two-dimensional 'nanosheets' made of bonds between metal atoms and organic molecules are attractive candidates for photoelectric conversion, but get corroded easily. In a new study, scientists present a new nanosheet design using iron and benzene hexathiol that exhibits record stability to air exposure for 60 days, signaling the commercial optoelectronic applications of these 2D materials in the...

What does the sleeping brain think about?

Using an artificial intelligence approach capable of decoding brain activity during sleep, scientists were able to glimpse what we think about when we are asleep. By combining fMRI and EEG, they provide unprecedented evidence that the work of sorting out the thousands of pieces of information processed during the day takes place during deep sleep. Indeed, the brain can evaluate all of these...

New Maps Help Developers Plan Lunar Road Trip for VIPER’s Artemis Mission

Portal origin URL: New Maps Help Developers Plan Lunar Road Trip for VIPER’s Artemis MissionPortal origin nid: 472507Published: Thursday, July 15, 2021 - 12:00Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: As any seasoned road-tripper knows, to get the most out of an adventure, a good map helps.Portal...

A new avenue for fighting drug-resistant bacteria

A small regulatory RNA found in many problematic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, appears to be responsible for managing the response of these bacteria to environmental stresses. Professor Charles Dozois from Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) and doctoral student Hicham Bessaiah see a promising avenue for more effective treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Their...

Examining potential variance in academic research

New research seeks to understand what drives decisions in data analyses and the process through which academics test a hypothesis by comparing the analyses of different researchers who tested the same hypotheses on the same dataset. Analysts reported radically different analyses and dispersed empirical outcomes, including, in some cases, significant effects in opposite directions from each other....

Nitrogen-producing process of anammox bacterium finally uncovered

After years of research, the molecular structure of the enzyme responsible for a large part of the global nitrate and nitrogen production by bacteria has finally been uncovered. The anammox bacterium and other bacteria use this enzyme to convert toxic nitrite into nitrate. Now that the working of the enzyme has become clear, new possibilities have opened for the improved deployment of the anammox...

Visibly transparent radiative cooler under direct sunlight

Since the Paris Climate Agreement took effect in 2016, 121 countries have pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050 as the world tries to reduce its fuel consumption. The Korean government unveiled its 2050 Carbon Neutral Strategy on December 7, 2020 and declared Carbon Zero, making transition to new and renewable energy a topic of conversation. Recently, a joint research team from POSTECH and...

Hollow nano-objects made of DNA could trap viruses and render them harmless

To date, there are no effective antidotes against most viral infections. An interdisciplinary research team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now developed a new approach: they engulf and neutralize viruses with nano-capsules tailored from genetic material using the DNA origami method. The strategy has already been tested against hepatitis and adeno-associated viruses in cell...

Hollow nano-objects made of DNA could trap viruses and render them harmless

To date, there are no effective antidotes against most virus infections. Scientists have now developed a new approach: they engulf and neutralize viruses with nano-capsules tailored from genetic material using the DNA origami method. The strategy has already been tested against hepatitis and adeno-associated viruses in cell cultures. It may also prove successful against corona viruses.

Biomolecular bonsai: Controlling the pruning and strengthening of neuron branches

How neuronal circuits remodel themselves over time, especially during early development, is a major question in neurobiology. Using mice, researchers have uncovered a biomolecular mechanism behind the strengthening of connections from neurons called mitral cells. The team found that the protein BMPR-2 is a key regulator of selective stabilization of neuron branching and that strengthening of a...