Biochemistry Research News -- ScienceDaily

On-chip topological light: First measurements of transmission and delay

Fri, 01 Aug 2014 17:11:18 EDT

First came the concept of topological light. Then came images of topological light moving around a microchip. Now full measurements of the transmission of light around and through the chip.

'Active' surfaces control what's on them: Scientists develop treated surfaces that can actively control how fluids or particles move

Fri, 01 Aug 2014 10:50:28 EDT

Researchers have developed a new way of making surfaces that can actively control how fluids or particles move across them. The work might enable new kinds of biomedical or microfluidic devices, or solar panels that could automatically clean themselves of dust and grit.

'Fracking' in the dark: Biological fallout of shale-gas production still largely unknown

Fri, 01 Aug 2014 09:12:30 EDT

Eight conservation biologists from various organizations and institutions found that shale-gas extraction in the United States has vastly outpaced scientists' understanding of the industry's environmental impact. With shale-gas production projected to surge during the next 30 years, determining and minimizing the industry's effects on nature and wildlife must become a top priority for scientists, industry and policymakers, the researchers said.

Chemists create nanofibers using unprecedented new method, reminiscent of fibers found in living cells

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 15:00:49 EDT

Researchers have developed a novel method for creating self-assembled protein/polymer nanostructures that are reminiscent of fibers found in living cells. The work offers a promising new way to fabricate materials for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications.

Pressure probing potential photoelectronic manufacturing compound

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 14:59:25 EDT

Molybdenum disulfide is a compound often used in dry lubricants. Its semiconducting ability and similarity to the carbon-based graphene makes molybdenum disulfide of interest to scientists as a possible candidate for use in the manufacture of electronics, particularly photoelectronics. New work reveals that molybdenum disulfide becomes metallic under intense pressure.

See-through organs and bodies will accelerate biomedical discoveries

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 14:57:59 EDT

The ability to see through organs and even the entire body has been a long-time dream of biologists. A new study has now made that dream a reality, revealing simple methods for making opaque organs, bodies, and human tissue biopsies transparent, while keeping the cellular structures and connections intact. The protocols could pave the way for a better understanding of brain-body interactions, more accurate clinical diagnoses and disease monitoring, and a new generation of therapies.

Low-grade nonwoven cotton picks up 50 times own weight of oil

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 14:55:04 EDT

Researchers have recently discovered that low-grade cotton made into an absorbent nonwoven mat can collect up to 50 times its own weight in oil.

Scientists shine bright new light on how living things capture energy from the sun

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 11:10:13 EDT

Scientists may have uncovered a new method of exploiting the power of sunlight by focusing on a naturally occurring combination of lipids that have been strikingly conserved throughout evolution.

Spin Diagnostics: MRI for a quantum simulation

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 11:09:48 EDT

Recently physicists have executed an MRI-like diagnostic on a crystal of interacting quantum spins. They predict that their method is scalable and may be useful for validating experiments with large ensembles of interacting spins.

Surprise: Biological microstructures light up after heating

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 10:25:08 EDT

Physicists have investigated tubular biological microstructures that showed unexpected luminescence after heating. Optical properties of bioinspired peptides, like the ones investigated, could be useful for applications in optical fibers, biolasers and future quantum computers.

Engineering a protein to prevent brain damage from toxic agents

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 09:51:34 EDT

New research may help prevent brain damage for those exposed to pesticides and chemical weapons. The work centers on proteins called phosphotriesterases, which are able to degrade chemicals known as organophosphates -- found in everything from industrial pesticides to sarin gas. They permanently bond to neurotransmitters in the brain, interfering with their ability to function and causing irreversible damage. The researchers re-engineered the protein to make it sufficiently stable to be used therapeutically.

New system to optimize public lighting power consumption

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 09:46:51 EDT

Scientists have designed an energy regulation system based on the combination of diverse electromagnetic elements. This system is able to efficiently reduce the luminous flux of lamps by reducing the voltage According to the researchers, this new system is strong and efficient and hardly needs any maintenance. Its size, weight and cost are lower than the systems used today based on power electronics.

Barnacles: Marine 'pest' provides advances in maritime anti-fouling and biomedicine

Wed, 30 Jul 2014 13:31:37 EDT

Biologists performed cutting-edge research on a marine pest that will pave the way for novel anti-fouling paint for ships and boats and also improve bio-adhesives for medical and industrial applications.

Innovative scientists update old-school pipetting with new-age technology

Wed, 30 Jul 2014 13:24:39 EDT

A team researchers is bringing new levels of efficiency and accuracy to one of the most essential albeit tedious tasks of bench science: pipetting. Dubbed “iPipet,” the system converts an iPad or any tablet computer into a “smart bench” that guides the execution of complex pipetting protocols.

Finding quantum 'lines of desire': Physicists track quantum system's wanderings through quantum state space

Wed, 30 Jul 2014 13:24:31 EDT

What paths do quantum particles, such as atoms or photons, follow through quantum state space? Scientists have used an "artificial atom" to continuously and repeatedly record the paths through quantum state space. From the cobweb of a million paths, a most likely path between two quantum states emerged, much as social trails emerge as people round off corners or cut across lawns between buildings.

Exploring 3-D printing to make organs for transplants

Wed, 30 Jul 2014 10:41:40 EDT

Printing whole new organs for transplants sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but the real-life budding technology could one day make actual kidneys, livers, hearts and other organs for patients who desperately need them. Scientists are reporting new understanding about the dynamics of 3-D bioprinting that takes them a step closer to realizing their goal of making working tissues and organs on-demand.

Solar energy: Dyes help harvest light

Wed, 30 Jul 2014 10:40:38 EDT

A new dye-sensitized solar cell absorbs a broad range of visible and infrared wavelengths. Dye-sensitized solar cells rely on dyes that absorb light to mobilize a current of electrons and are a promising source of clean energy. Scientists have now developed zinc porphyrin dyes that harvest light in both the visible and near-infrared parts of the spectrum.

Heat-responsive polymers that do not breakdown in water may lead to new antifouling coatings and enhanced oil recovery

Wed, 30 Jul 2014 10:40:36 EDT

Heat-responsive polymers that do not breakdown in water may lead to new antifouling coatings and enhanced oil recovery.

Toward a home test for detecting potentially dangerous levels of caffeine

Wed, 30 Jul 2014 09:43:04 EDT

The shocking news of an Ohio teen who died of a caffeine overdose in May highlighted the potential dangers of the normally well-tolerated and mass-consumed substance. To help prevent serious health problems that can arise from consuming too much caffeine, scientists are reporting progress toward a rapid, at-home test to detect even low levels of the stimulant in most beverages and even breast milk.

Superman's solar-powered feats break a fundamental law of physics

Wed, 30 Jul 2014 09:38:37 EDT

It goes without saying that Superman can accomplish some pretty spectacular feats. But according to students, the Man of Steel actually achieves the impossible--by breaking the fundamental physics law of conservation of energy.

Kill switch in cell phones could save consumers more than $3.4 billion annually

Tue, 29 Jul 2014 11:51:56 EDT

A new study shows consumer savings from the Kill Switch legislation exceed initial projections and now points to well over $3 billion. This savings to consumers comes at the expense of insurance and wireless industry profits.

From finding Nemo to minerals: What riches lie in the deep sea?

Tue, 29 Jul 2014 10:11:26 EDT

As fishing and the harvesting of metals, gas and oil have expanded deeper and deeper into the ocean, scientists are drawing attention to the services provided by the deep sea, the world’s largest environment.

Reinventing biology labs by turning smartphones into microscopes

Tue, 29 Jul 2014 09:26:46 EDT

With nothing more than a smartphone and less than $10 of trinkets and hardware supplies, students can build their own microscopes. The DIY microscopes can magnify samples up to 175 times with a single laser pointer lens, or nearly 400 times when stacking two lenses.

Mineral magic? Common mineral capable of making and breaking bonds

Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:23:44 EDT

Researchers have demonstrated how a common mineral acts as a catalysts for specific hydrothermal organic reactions -- negating the need for toxic solvents or expensive reagents.

Researchers produce record-length mirror-image protein

Mon, 28 Jul 2014 15:36:38 EDT

Biochemists have reported an advance in the production of functional mirror-image proteins. In a new study, they have chemically synthesized a record-length mirror-image protein and used this protein to demonstrate that a cellular chaperone, which helps "fold" large or complex proteins into their functional state, has a previously unappreciated talent -- the ability to fold mirror-image proteins. These findings will greatly facilitate mirror-image protein production for applications in drug discovery and synthetic biology.

How sweet it is: Bioenergy advanced by new tool

Mon, 28 Jul 2014 11:33:57 EDT

Researchers have developed a powerful new tool that can help advance the genetic engineering of 'fuel' crops for clean, green and renewable bioenergy -- an assay that enables scientists to identify and characterize the function of nucleotide sugar transporters, critical components in the biosynthesis of plant cell walls.

Models for polymer macromolecules using magnets and DNA 'springs'

Mon, 28 Jul 2014 11:33:55 EDT

Scientists are making models for polymer macromolecules using magnets and DNA 'springs' that can be tuned for flexibility.

Superconductivity could form at high temperatures in layered 2-D crystals

Mon, 28 Jul 2014 08:05:54 EDT

An elusive state of matter called superconductivity could be realized in stacks of sheetlike crystals just a few atoms thick, new analysis determined. Electrons and 'holes' would accumulate in separate layers of a 2D semiconductor compound in response to an electrical field forming a superfluid gas of indirect excitons. Counterflow superconductivity would result.

Simulating the invisible: How palladium nanoparticles interact

Mon, 28 Jul 2014 08:04:40 EDT

Panagiotis Grammatikopoulos in the OIST Nanoparticles by Design Unit simulates the interactions of particles that are too small to see, and too complicated to visualize. In order to study the particles’ behavior, he uses a technique called molecular dynamics. This means that every trillionth of a second, he calculates the location of each individual atom in the particle based on where it is and which forces apply. He uses a computer program to make the calculations, and then animates the motion of the atoms using visualization software. The resulting animation illuminates what happens, atom-by-atom, when two nanoparticles collide.

New system to detect mercury in water systems

Fri, 25 Jul 2014 11:07:10 EDT

A new ultra-sensitive, low-cost and portable system for detecting mercury in environmental water has been developed by researchers. "The promising sensing performance of this system along with its cost-competiveness and portability make it an excellent potential alternative to current analytical techniques," says the project's leader. "This technique could provide the basis for future point-of-analysis systems for monitoring water quality on site and may help implement better monitoring processes around the world."

Nanoparticle 'alarm clock' tested to awaken immune systems put to sleep by cancer

Fri, 25 Jul 2014 11:07:02 EDT

Researchers are exploring ways to wake up the immune system so it recognizes and attacks invading cancer cells. One pioneering approach uses nanoparticles to jumpstart the body’s ability to fight tumors. Nanoparticles are too small to imagine. One billion could fit on the head of a pin. This makes them stealthy enough to penetrate cancer cells with therapeutic agents such as antibodies, drugs, vaccine type viruses, or even metallic particles.

Breakthrough laser experiment reveals liquid-like motion of atoms within an ultra-cold cluster

Fri, 25 Jul 2014 08:03:14 EDT

A new study has furthered our understanding of how tiny nanosystems function, unlocking the potential to create new materials using nanosized ‘building blocks’.

New approach to form non-equilibrium structures

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:19:54 EDT

Researchers get closer to understanding the fundamentals of non-equilibrium, self-assembled structures, unlocking potential in a variety of fields. By injecting energy through oscillations, researchers can force particles to self assemble under non-equilibrium conditions, they report.

How to power California with wind, water and sun

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 14:43:16 EDT

New research outlines the path to a possible future for California in which renewable energy creates a healthier environment, generates jobs and stabilizes energy prices.

New way to determine cancer risk of chemicals found

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 14:16:10 EDT

It is possible to predict long-term cancer risk from a chemical exposure by measuring the short-term effects of that same exposure, new research has found. The findings will make it possible to develop simpler and cheaper tests to screen chemicals for their potential cancer causing risk.

Atomic structure of key muscle component revealed

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 14:16:04 EDT

Adding to the growing fundamental understanding of the machinery of muscle cells, a group of biophysicists describe -- in minute detail -- how actin filaments are stabilized at one of their ends to form a basic muscle structure called the sarcomere. With the help of many other proteins, actin molecules polymerize to form filaments that give rise to structures of many different shapes. The actin filaments have a polarity, with a plus and minus end, reflecting their natural tendency to gain or lose subunits when not stabilized.

Novel technologies advance brain surgery to benefit patients

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 12:36:51 EDT

In a milestone procedure, neurosurgeons have integrated advanced 3-D imaging, computer simulation and next-generation surgical tools to perform a highly complex brain surgery through a small incision to remove deep-seated tumors. "These minimally invasive approaches permit smaller incisions and a shorter recovery. In this case, the patient was able to go home the day after the successful removal of multiple brain tumors," said one expert.

Chemist develops X-ray vision for quality assurance

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 09:43:10 EDT

A researcher has developed a method that uses X-rays for the rapid identification of substances present in an indeterminate powder. The new technique has the capacity to recognize advanced biological molecules such as proteins. The method therefore has enormous potential in both food production and the pharmaceutical industry, where it opens up new opportunities for the quality assurance of protein-based medicines, for example.

Unleashing the power of quantum dot triplets

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 09:40:23 EDT

Another step towards faster computers relies on three coherently coupled quantum dots used as quantum information units. Quantum computers have yet to materialize. Yet, scientists are making progress in devising suitable means of making such computers faster. One such approach relies on quantum dots-a kind of artificial atom, easily controlled by applying an electric field. A new study demonstrates that changing the coupling of three coherently coupled quantum dots (TQDs) with electrical impulses can help better control them.

Spinach could lead to alternative energy more powerful than Popeye

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 15:20:23 EDT

Spinach gave Popeye super strength, but it also holds the promise of a different power for a group of scientists: the ability to convert sunlight into a clean, efficient alternative fuel. Physicists are using spinach to study the proteins involved in photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert the sun's energy into carbohydrates used to power cellular processes. Artificial photosynthesis could allow for the conversion of solar energy into renewable, environmentally friendly hydrogen-based fuels.

Dead body feeding larvae useful in forensic investigations

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 12:39:50 EDT

Non-biting blow fly Chrysomya megacephala is commonly found in dead bodies and is used in forensic investigations to determine the time of death, referred to as the post mortem interval. A report of synanthropic derived form of C. megacephala from Tamil Nadu is provided for the first time based on morphological features and molecular characterization through generation of DNA barcoding.

3-D images of cardiac dynamics in zebrafish captured

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 11:10:44 EDT

Researchers report how they managed to capture detailed three-dimensional images of cardiac dynamics in zebrafish. The novel approach: They combine high-speed Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM) and clever image processing to reconstruct multi-view movie stacks of the beating heart.

A crystal wedding in the nanocosmos may lead to fast multi-functional processing units on single chip

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 11:10:38 EDT

Researchers have succeeded in embedding nearly perfect semiconductor crystals into a silicon nanowire. With this new method of producing hybrid nanowires, very fast and multi-functional processing units can be accommodated on a single chip in the future.

Cyclists: Minimizing drag to maximize results

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 11:09:38 EDT

In trying to better understand the aerodynamic interactions between cyclists, researchers have studied how riders' drag was affected by the relative position of multiple cyclists. The research was designed to optimize the aerodynamics of elite riders when in a drafting or slipstreaming configuration.

Can machines think? Misidentification of humans as machines in Turing tests

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 11:08:37 EDT

Pairs were set up and judges were tasked with identifying whether who they were talking to was human or a computer. Can machines be successful in 'being human' in real conversations?

The electric slide dance of DNA knots

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 11:04:11 EDT

DNA has the nasty habit of getting tangled and forming knots. Scientists study these knots to understand their function and learn how to disentangle them (e.g. useful for gene sequencing techniques). Scientists have been carrying out research in which they simulate these knots and their dynamics. They have now devised and tested a method based on the application of electric fields and “optical tweezers”.

Electronic nose could aid in rescue missions

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 11:04:03 EDT

Researchers have developed a device that allows multiple robotic platforms to follow the path of certain odors. A technology which could aid the search and rescue of people in case of natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes or floods.

New technology detects probiotic organisms in food

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 11:04:01 EDT

In the food industry, it is very important to ensure the quality and safety of products to improve their properties and reduce foodborne illness. Toward this end, a team of researchers developed a sensing microbiosensor that detects beneficial bacteria. This micromechanical device is inexpensive, fast, selective and reliable, and has been used to evaluate the growth of L. plantarum 299vm, a probiotic microorganism useful in the development of fermented dairy products.

Enhanced instrument enables high-speed chemical imaging of tissues

Tue, 22 Jul 2014 14:25:17 EDT

A research team has demonstrated a dramatically improved technique for analyzing biological cells and tissues based on characteristic molecular vibrations. The new technique is an advanced form of Raman spectroscopy that is fast and accurate enough to create high-resolution images of biological specimens, with detailed spatial information on specific biomolecules, at speeds fast enough to observe changes in living cells.

3-D-printed tissues advance stem cell research

Tue, 22 Jul 2014 14:24:17 EDT

A tissue engineering and vascular biology expert recently won a Faculty Early Career Development Award for his work on 3D tissue printing, and its contribution of the advancement of stem cell research.

Ultrasonically propelled nanorods spin dizzyingly fast

Tue, 22 Jul 2014 13:07:40 EDT

Vibrate a solution of rod-shaped metal nanoparticles in water with ultrasound and they'll spin around their long axes like tiny drill bits. Why? No one yet knows exactly. But researchers have clocked their speed -- and it's fast. At up to 150,000 revolutions per minute, ten times faster than any nanorotor ever reported.

Technique simplifies creation of high-tech crystals

Tue, 22 Jul 2014 13:07:38 EDT

Highly purified crystals that split light with uncanny precision are key parts of high-powered lenses, specialized optics and, potentially, computers that manipulate light instead of electricity. But producing these crystals by current techniques, such as etching them with a precise beam of electrons, is often extremely difficult and expensive. Now, researchers have proposed a new method that could allow scientists to customize and grow these specialized materials, known as photonic crystals, with relative ease.

Creating optical cables out of thin air

Tue, 22 Jul 2014 10:22:41 EDT

Imagine being able to instantaneously run an optical cable or fiber to any point on Earth, or even into space. Researchers now report using an 'air waveguide' to enhance light signals collected from distant sources. These air waveguides could have many applications, including long-range laser communications, detecting pollution in the atmosphere, making high-resolution topographic maps and laser weapons.

Low strength brain stimulation may be effective for depression

Tue, 22 Jul 2014 09:14:33 EDT

Brain stimulation treatments, like electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), are often effective for the treatment of depression. Like antidepressant medications, however, they typically have a delayed onset. For example, a patient may receive several weeks of regular ECT treatments before a full response is achieved. Thus, there is an impetus to develop antidepressant treatments that act to rapidly improve mood. Low field magnetic stimulation (LFMS) is one such potential new treatment with rapid mood-elevating effects, report scientists.

Scientists use simple, low cost laser technique to improve properties and functions of nanomaterials

Tue, 22 Jul 2014 09:14:23 EDT

By ‘drawing’ micropatterns on nanomaterials using a focused laser beam, scientists could modify properties of nanomaterials for effective applications in photonic and optoelectric applications.

First total synthesis of madangamine D, a molecule of biomedical interest

Tue, 22 Jul 2014 09:14:21 EDT

Madangamines are a group of polycyclic alkaloids from marine sponges which have biomedical interest due to their cytotoxic activity. Chemists have now completed the first total synthesis of madangamine D, a scientific discovery in the field of organic chemistry.

Bioprinting methods on 2-D surfaces to link 3-D cellular structures

Mon, 21 Jul 2014 15:19:20 EDT

New research focuses on the development of a novel, matrix-free method for generating 3-D cell spheroids that are combining knowledge from bioprinting methods on 2-D surfaces to link 3-D cellular structures.

Chemists eye improved thin films with metal substitution

Mon, 21 Jul 2014 13:20:12 EDT

The yield so far is small, but chemists have developed a low-energy, solution-based mineral substitution process to make a precursor to transparent thin films that could find use in electronics and alternative energy devices.

Molecule's transformation filmed at high resolution

Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:39:36 EDT

A chemical reaction has been successfully imaged with a spatial and temporal resolution greatly exceeding that obtained to date using microscopes. The team used a femtosecond laser source to shoot a molecular movie of how an acetylene molecule turns into vinylidene.

More than glitter: How gold nanoparticles easily penetrate cells, making them useful for delivering drugs

Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:39:32 EDT

A special class of tiny gold particles can easily slip through cell membranes, making them good candidates to deliver drugs directly to target cells. Scientists can now explain how gold nanoparticles easily penetrate cells, making them useful for delivering drugs.