Researchers at the University of Helsinki and from the United States have found a new small molecule that can inhibit cells from producing cytokine proteins that promote inflammation. Cytokines are responsible for the onset of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. By inhibiting a target protein called Sec61, the researchers were able to alleviate arthritis symptoms
Chemistry
In 1923, Fritz Pregl was awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry for his contributions to quantitative microanalysis, which became a crucial tool to determine the elements present in a sample or compound. This technique has been widely adopted in the field of chemistry to determine the identity and purity of a chemical. However, the long-accepted
Quantum mechanics is a complex field that is difficult to visualize. However, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a new illustration technique that displays quantum features in an easy-to-read diagram called a coherence map. Using this technique, the researchers were able to study the quantum mechanisms that underlay photosynthesis, the process by
Studying radioactive materials is a challenging task due to the potential health risks associated with them, as well as their high costs. Some radioisotopes can cost more than $10,000 per microgram, making them difficult to study in detail. Furthermore, some radioisotopes cannot be produced in sufficient quantities, adding to the difficulties of studying them. However,
A team of biochemical engineers from the University of California, Irvine, has developed a finite state machine (FSM) using microfluidic valves and a pneumatic circuit to create a lab-on-a-chip. The goal of automating many chemical processes currently done by hand has been sought after by mechanical and biochemical engineers for several years. By automating these
A recent study led by the University of Virginia has challenged the long-held understanding of how materials known as associative polymers function at the molecular level. The study, which has been published in the journal Physical Review Letters, has important implications for the many ways associative polymers are used in everyday life, ranging from engineering
The field of electronics has seen significant advancements in recent years, leading to the creation of smaller and more sophisticated devices such as wearable technologies, biosensors, medical implants, and soft robots. The majority of these technologies rely on stretchy materials with electronic properties. However, many of the flexible materials used in these devices are fragile
Researchers have made significant progress in developing better catalysts to convert methane into a less harmful chemical. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that is being released into the atmosphere at an increasing rate due to livestock farming and the melting of permafrost. The transformation of methane into a less harmful and useful chemical could
Researchers worldwide are working diligently to discover ways to combat bacteria that can resist current antibiotics to prevent a global health crisis. One potential target for the development of improved antibiotics is riboswitches, which are small RNA segments that regulate the production of proteins by bacterial cells. Riboswitches are almost exclusively found in bacteria, making
Researchers at North Carolina State University have found a new method of producing carbon dioxide capture filters using 3-D printing. The study, which was published in the journal Gels, suggests that 3-D printing could offer a faster and more versatile method of manufacturing filter designs. The research was conducted by the Wilson College of Textiles,
Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology have been able to confirm experimentally for the first time that bacteria use electrons from hydrogen and can produce more chemical substances than previously known. They have published their research in the journal Green Chemistry. Microbial electrosynthesis is a technology that can bind
The pharmaceutical industry can take years to develop drugs that can treat or cure human diseases. The drug discovery process is carried out by human chemists who rely on their knowledge and experience to select and synthesize the right molecules required to create safe and effective medicines. Scientists often employ a technique called retrosynthesis, which
Proteins are essential biological molecules that perform almost all biochemical tasks in all forms of life. They are also responsible for ultra-fast movements, which are crucial for our understanding of proteins and can help in producing new medical agents. To investigate these dynamic processes more precisely than before, researchers have developed a new algorithm that
Water is an essential compound that covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface. Despite its ubiquitous presence, scientists have identified over seventy anomalous properties of water that are difficult to verify experimentally. One of the reasons is the inability to study water between 160 K and 232 K (-113 °C to -41 °C), a subzero
Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have conducted a study that could lead to the development of more powerful and longer-lasting batteries and memory devices. The study has examined the ordering, or pattern formation, of positively charged ions, known as cations, in double perovskite oxides; a type of metal that is
