3,265 articles mezi dny 1.5.2022 a 31.5.2022

How intricate patterns arise in developing tissues

Early development is like a carefully choreographed dance, with uniform swaths of cells arranging themselves into elaborate patterns—a first step toward the formation of functional organs. A flat layer of skin cells, for instance, must transition into one studded with neat arrays of hair cells and sweat glands.

Neuroscientists expand CRISPR toolkit with new, compact Cas7-11 enzyme

Last year, researchers at MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research discovered and characterized Cas7-11, the first CRISPR enzyme capable of making precise, guided cuts to strands of RNA without harming cells in the process. Now, working with collaborators at the University of Tokyo, the same team has revealed that Cas7-11 can be shrunk to a more compact version, making it an even more viable...

Transparency on demand: A novel process can render artificial materials transparent or even entirely invisible

Space, the final frontier. The starship Enterprise pursues its mission to explore the galaxy, when all communication channels are suddenly cut off by an impenetrable nebula. In many episodes of the iconic TV series, the valiant crew must "tech the tech" and "science the science" within just 45 minutes of airtime in order to facilitate their escape from this or a similar predicament before the end...

Researchers develop new method for the technological use of 2D nanomaterials

Nanosheets are finely structured two-dimensional materials and have great potential for innovation. They are fixed on top of each other in layered crystals, and must first be separated from each other so that they can be used, for example, to filter gas mixtures or for efficient gas barriers. A research team at the University of Bayreuth has now developed a gentle, environmentally-friendly process...

Researchers identify novel cellular process that help us understand the mechanisms of aging-related diseases

A team of researchers has identified the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate selective autophagy in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. While the function of these processes is increasingly understood in mammals this is one of the first studies in insects. The study of autophagy -- the recycling and repair process within cells -- has huge potential to aid in fighting the ageing...

New study indicates how deep learning can improve gene therapies and antiviral drugs

The nuclease Cas13b associated with CRISPR defense systems—also known as genetic scissors—has the potential to be used in the future in hereditary diseases to silence adverse genes. In the fight against infections, it is also being researched as an antiviral agent, as Cas13b can target the genome of viruses and render them harmless. Despite these promising features, researchers are looking for...

Surprising new research finds women supporting women in business may backfire

Contrary to popular belief, well-intentioned calls for women to invest in women-owned businesses might be doing more harm than good in resolving the gender gap in venture financing. New research found in the INFORMS journal Organization Science finds that female-owned startups that get funding from female venture capitalists are two times less likely to get additional financing compared to those...

Electrochemical synthesis now possible without electric power source

Synthesis of organic compounds and polymers is at the core of many manufacturing industries. The new "electrifying synthesis" methods that can combine conventional synthetic chemistry with electrochemistry are a step closer to a sustainable tomorrow. These reactions don't require potentially harmful chemical reagents. They achieve organic synthesis by simply using electrons from an electric power...

Pregnant moms and depression: Study links rising symptoms to kids' behavioral issues

Children whose mothers experience rising levels of depression from prepregnancy until the months just after giving birth are at greater risk of developing emotional, social and academic problems, psychology researchers report. Their seven-year study, which tracked mothers and their offspring from preconception until the children were 5 years old, is the first to demonstrate how changes in mothers'...

What guppy guts can teach us about evolution

Thanks to a unique combination of biology and ecology, the guppies have provided researchers with insights into evolution for decades. Evans and Fitzpatrick have pushed those insights a step further, showing the guppies' potential to help probe big questions about how microbes living in host organisms contribute to health, survival and quality of life.