A special microbe turns oil into gases all by itself

Microorganisms can convert oil into natural gas, i.e. methane. Until recently, it was thought that this conversion was only possible through the cooperation of different organisms. In 2019, Rafael Laso-Pérez and Gunter Wegener from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology suggested that a special archaeon can do this all by itself, as indicated by their genome analyses. Now, in collaboration with a team from China, the researchers have succeeded in cultivating this “miracle microbe” in the laboratory. This enabled them to describe exactly how the microbe achieves the transformation. They also discovered that it prefers to eat rather bulky chunks of food.

Underground oil deposits on land and in the sea are home to microorganisms that use the oil as a source of energy and food, converting it into methane. Until recently, it was thought that this conversion was only possible in a complicated teamwork between different organisms: certain bacteria and usually two archaeal partners. Now the researchers have managed to cultivate an archaeon called Methanoliparia from a settling tank of an oil production facility that handles this complex reaction all by itself.

This “miracle microbe” breaks down oil into methane and carbon dioxide. Now that the researchers have succeeded in cultivating these microorganisms in the laboratory, they were able to investigate the underlying processes in detail. They discovered that its genetic make-up gives Methanoliparia unique capabilities. “In its genes it carries the blueprints for enzymes that can activate and decompose various hydrocarbons. In addition, it also has the complete gear kit of a methane producer.

n their laboratory cultures, the researchers offered the microbes various kinds of food and used a variety of different methods to keep a close eye on how Methanoliparia deal with it. What was particularly surprising to see was that this archaeon activated all the different hydrocarbons with one and the same enzyme.

Zhuo Zhou, Cui-jing Zhang, Peng-fei Liu, Lin Fu, Ra­fael Laso-Pérez, Lu Yang, Li-ping Bai, Ji­ang Li, Min Yang, Jun-zhang Lin, Wei-dong Wang, Gunter We­gener, Meng Li, Lei Cheng (2021): Non-syn­trophic meth­ano­genic hy­dro­car­bon de­grad­a­tion by an ar­chaeal spe­cies. Nature (2021)

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04235-2 

https://researchnews.cc/news/10687/A-special-microbe-turns-oil-into...

Frog cells transform into tiny living robots

A Scent of Space

Study shows robotic-assisted bladder removal reduces blood loss and enhances post-operative recovery

 Robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC), the complete removal of the bladder with the use of surgical robots, has gained increasing acceptance worldwide. After the removal of the bladder, patients need to undergo a urinary diversion, such as the reconstruction of a “new bladder”. In the past, a urinary diversion had to be performed through an open approach, i.e. extracorporeal urinary diversion (ECUD). Recently, an intracorporeal urinary diversion (ICUD) approach has been introduced, and the whole procedure can be performed in a minimally invasive manner.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Medicine has led a...

https://www.med.cuhk.edu.hk/press-releases/study-led-by-cuhk-shows-...

https://researchnews.cc/news/10723/Study-shows-robotic-assisted-bla...

What makes an mRNA vaccine so effective against severe COVID-19?

The first two vaccines created with mRNA vaccine technology—the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines—are arguably two of the most effective COVID vaccines developed to date. In clinical trials, both were more than 90% effective at preventing symptomatic infection, easily surpassing the 50% threshold the Food and Drug Administration had set for COVID-19 vaccines to be considered for emergency use authorization.

While breakthrough infections have increased with the emergence of the delta and omicron variants, the vaccines remain quite effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths. The success of the new technology has led scientists to try to figure out why mRNA vaccines are so effective and whether the protection they provide is likely to endure as new variants arise.

A new study from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital shines light on the quality of the immune response triggered by mRNA vaccines. The study shows that the Pfizer vaccine strongly and persistently activates a kind of helper immune cell that assists antibody-producing cells in creating large amounts of increasingly powerful antibodies, and also drives the development of some kinds of immune memory. Known as T follicular helper cells, these cells last for up to six months after vaccination, helping the body crank out better and better antibodies. Once the helper cells decline, long-lived antibody-producing cells and memory B cells help to provide protection against severe disease and death, the researchers said.

Further, many of the T follicular helper cells are activated by a part of the virus that doesn't seem to pick up mutations, even in the highly mutated omicron variant. The findings, published online in the journal Cell, help explain why the Pfizer vaccine elicits such high levels of neutralizing antibodies and suggests that vaccination may help many people continue producing potent antibodies even as the virus changes.

The longer the T follicular helper cells provide help, the better the antibodies are and the more likely you are to have a good memory response. In this study, researchers found that these T follicular helper cell responses just keep going and going. And what's more, some of them are responding to one part of the virus's spike protein that has very little variation in it. With the variants, especially delta and now omicron, we've been seeing some breakthrough infections, but the vaccines have held up very nicely in terms of preventing severe disease and death. This strong T follicular helper response is part of the reason why the mRNA vaccines continue to be so protective.

1. Philip A. Mudd, Anastasia A. Minervina, Mikhail V. Pogorelyy, Jackson S. Turner, Wooseob Kim, Elizaveta Kalaidina, Jan Petersen, Aaron J. Schmitz, Tingting Lei, Alem Haile, Allison M. Kirk, Robert C. Mettelman, Jeremy Chase Crawford, Thi H.O. Nguyen, Louise C. Rowntree, Elisa Rosati, Katherine A. Richards, Andrea J. Sant, Michael K. Klebert, Teresa Suessen, William D. Middleton, Joshua Wolf, Sharlene A. Teefey, Jane A. O’Halloran, Rachel M. Presti, Katherine Kedzierska, Jamie Rossjohn, Paul G. Thomas, Ali H. Ellebedy. SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination elicits a robust and persistent T follicular helper cell response in humans. Cell, 2021; DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.12.026

https://researchnews.cc/news/10732/What-makes-an-mRNA-vaccine-so-ef...

Real-space subfemtosecond imaging of quantum electronic coherences in molecules

" It has been a long-time dream of scientists to capture image of electron moving inside the atoms. For this scientist have been using two techniques to track the movement of an electron inside a molecule. One of the techniques of attosecond science enables to generate and trace the consequences of this motion in real time, but not in real space. On the other hand, another technique Scanning tunneling microscopy, can locally probe the valence electron density in molecules, but cannot alone provide dynamical information at this ultrafast timescale.

These results are a major boon for the scientific research world because it will facilitate understanding of chemical reactions. With the help of these understandings, scientists can gain new insights into the most elementary processes such as photosynthesis in plants and the biochemical processes on our retina which are also triggered by light. These experimental achievements can enable the manipulation of electron movements which will allow unprecedented control over chemical reactions and biological processes. The scientists have now come a huge step closer to achieving this goal."

Tracking electron motion in molecules is the key to understanding and controlling chemical transformations. Contemporary techniques in attosecond science are able to generate and trace the consequences of this motion in real time, but not in real space. Scanning tunnelling microscopy, on the other hand, can locally probe the valence electron density in molecules, but cannot alone provide dynamical information at this ultrafast timescale. Here researchers show that, by combining scanning tunnelling microscopy and attosecond technologies, quantum electronic coherences induced in molecules by <6-fs-long carrier-envelope-phase-stable near-infrared laser pulses can be directly visualized at ångström-scale spatial and subfemtosecond temporal resolutions. They demonstrate concurrent real-space and -time imaging of coherences involving the valence orbitals of perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride molecules, and full control over the population of the involved orbitals. This approach opens the way to the unambiguous observation and manipulation of electron dynamics in complex molecular systems.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41566-021-00929-1

Parasitic worms in dogs, cats may jump into people

Parasitic worms that infect companion animals such as dogs and cats are more likely to make the leap into humans than other worm species, according to new research.

The study also identified three species of worms that don't currently infect people but have a more than 70% chance of crossing into humans in the future.

The close relationships that we have with pets is the predominant reason why people might become infected with new species of parasitic worms.

Parasitic worms, or helminths, are estimated to infect 1.5 billion people globally, according to the World Health Organization. Many of these parasites infect humans, causing a number of serious illnesses, including schistosomiasis and filariasis.

Published in The Royal Society journal Philosophical Transactions B, the study focused on 737 parasitic worm species that predominantly infect wild and domesticated mammals. Of these, 137 are known to be able to infect people.

The researchers categorized the worm species' traits and built a machine learning model to determine which characteristics were most commonly associated with transmission into humans.

They found that worms that can infect companion animals or fish are more likely to cause human infection than worms that infect other animal species. Geographically widespread parasites were also more likely to make the jump from animals into people.

The analyses showed that three worm species not currently known to infect people have traits that make them very likely to be able to do so: Paramphistomum cervi, a flatworm mostly found in livestock and some wild animals; Schistocephalus solidus, a fish-based tapeworm that also infects birds and rodents; and Strongyloides papillosus, a pinworm found largely in livestock.

The study marks the first time these species have been identified as likely to infect humans, suggesting they are candidates for surveillance and further study.

It's relatively easy for dogs and cats to become infected with parasitic worms, particularly if they're allowed to wander during the day.

Dogs and cats aren't the only transmission route, though.

Fish also host a variety of parasitic worms. People can easily become infected by eating raw, undercooked or improperly prepared fish. The roundworm that causes herring worm disease, for example, infects thousands of people each year, largely in areas where eating raw fish is common, like Japan and parts of Europe.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8450625/

https://researchnews.cc/news/10746/Parasitic-worms-in-dogs--cats-ma...

Oral and gut microbes can inactivate an antidiabetic drug

Acarbose is a commonly prescribed antidiabetic drug that helps control blood sugar levels by inhibiting human enzymes that break down complex carbohydrates. Now, new research  demonstrates that some bacteria in the mouth and gut can inactivate acarbose and potentially affect the clinical performance of the drug and its impact on bacterial members of the human microbiome. The paper appeared online and in the December 2, 2021 issue of the journal Nature.

Acarbose was originally isolated from bacteria that live in soil. These bacteria secrete acarbose to hinder the growth of other types of bacteria in their environment, giving themselves a competitive advantage. Both the natural bacterial version and the drug acarbose inhibit a-glucosidases, enzymes expressed by humans and bacteria to break down complex sugars into a form that can be metabolized for energy.

But acarbose-producing bacteria also express an antidote to it—an enzyme called acarbose kinase that modifies acarbose, rendering it inactive. 

This mechanism may accidentally affect the response of diabetic patients to this drug as well as shape its impact on the microbiome.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04091-0?proof=t+target%3D

https://researchnews.cc/news/10757/Oral-and-gut-microbes-can-inacti...

James Webb Telescope

Researchers pinpoint blood factors linked to severe COVID

Scientists have identified unique "indicators" in the blood of patients with severe and fatal COVID, paving the way for simple diagnostic tests to help doctors identify who will go on to become critically ill.

The scientists analyzed blood samples from hospitalized COVID patients. They detected markers in the blood associated with patients becoming so ill they needed treatment in intensive care.

The findings may lead to new ways for triaging and assessing the risk of COVID patients, relieving the pressure from hospitals during infection spikes.

Since the start of the pandemic, researchers have been working to understand how and why COVID affects individuals differently. Even patients hospitalized with the disease have diverse treatment needs, with some milder cases simply requiring extra oxygen while others need invasive ventilation in intensive care.

This new study identified factors in the blood that are uniquely correlated with severe and fatal outcomes for hospitalized COVID patients. These findings support the observation that COVID is a disease that develops in stages and have the potential to provide doctors with vital information, allowing them to tailor treatments according to severity of disease and identify high-risk patients early.

The research, published in the journal iScience, involved testing blood samples from over 160 patients admitted to hospital during the first and second wave of the pandemic and was carried out in collaboration with York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester University and four NHS Trusts in Greater Manchester.

The researchers measured levels of cytokines and chemokines—the proteins in the blood that drive the overwhelming immune response observed in patients with COVID—as well as tiny RNAs, called microRNAs—which reflect the state of diseased tissues and are already known to be good indicators of severity and stage in several other diseases. They identified a set of cytokines, chemokines, and microRNAs linked to fatal outcomes from COVID.

Part 1

Early in the pandemic, researchers observed high levels of inflammatory cytokines—molecules which adjust or alter the immune system response—in COVID patients with poor outcomes. However, this so called 'cytokine storm' was also present in hospitalized patients with a milder version of the disease. We set out to fine tune our knowledge of which factors in the blood correlate with severe disease with more insight and accuracy.

These  findings provide a scientific foundation for the development of blood tests that could provide doctors with vital information on which treatments will be most effective for a patient.

Julie C. Wilson et al, Integrated miRNA/cytokine/chemokine profiling reveals severity-associated step changes and principal correlates of fatality in COVID-19, iScience (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103672

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-12-blood-factors-linked-severe-...

Part 2 

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Explained: Where is James Webb Telescope going and why do we need to send it so far away

This location lets the telescope stay in line with the Earth as it moves around the Sun allowing its large sunshield to protect the telescope from the light and heat of the Sun and Earth (and Moon). The position is named in honour of Italian-French mathematician Josephy-Louis Lagrange.

There are five special points where a small satellite can orbit in a constant portion with two big masses. At these five positions part of the Earth-Sun system, three (L1, L2 and L3) lie along the line connecting the two large masses. Meanwhile, L4 and L5 form the apex.

According to Nasa, the L1 point of the Earth-Sun system affords an uninterrupted view of the sun and is currently home to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite SOHO. The L2, where the James Webb Space Telescope is going, is ideal for astronomy because a spacecraft is close enough to readily communicate with Earth, can keep Sun, Earth and Moon behind the spacecraft for solar power and (with appropriate shielding) provides a clear view of deep space.

It is to be noted that L1 and L2 points are unstable and satellites functioning from this location need to go through regular course corrections. Meanwhile, L3 remains behind the Sun and is unlikely to be used.

WHY WAS THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION SELECTED FOR THE TELESCOPE?

The location was chosen since James Webb will be observing the universe in infrared vision which can sometimes be fe... and since it is looking for the faintest signals, it needs to be safeguarded from any bright, hot sources, the biggest being our Sun.

The telescope itself will be operating at about -225 degrees Celsius and the temperature difference between the front and back of the spacecraft will be huge. To protect the telescope, the location needs to be such that light and heat from the Sun, Moon and Earth needs to come from just one direction. The second lagrange point is the optimum location from where Sun, Moon and Earth are in the one-line direction.

Part 2

Animation: The James Webb Space Telescope's Orbit

Part 3

The telescope is on a 30-day long journey to cover the 15,00,000 kilometers distance between Earth and its intended orbit. It will reach the location by the end of January.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/where-is-james-webb-telesco...

Part 4

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Mountain spring water isn't as clean as you think it is

 Mountain spring water is often touted as the cleanest water you can drink. But a new study revealed this isn't the case.

Using data collected over 40 years, researchers detailed how water quality in high-elevation streams has been negatively affected by a combination of historical events and modern changes, namely sediment from rural roads and agricultural runoff.

Unpaved roads are just one of several factors contributing to sediment runoff.

When streams carry a lot of sediment, it makes it more difficult for animals to see food in the water, and it affects fish growth and disease resistance. Sediment also continues to flow downstream and into public water supplies, where it costs cities and towns more to filter.

The landscape you see now isn't what it was like in 1900. For generations, people farmed the valleys  and left the hillsides forested, for hunting and gathering. But the new settlers cut the forests and even tried to farm the hills, causing erosion and sediment to move into the streams. Today, stream beds continue to show evidence of sediment deposited more than a century ago, even as new sediment pushes through the waters.

Many years later, a new kind of development in the region created a different kind of land disturbance. For generations, residents considered the steep mountain slopes undevelopable. But the 1980s and '90s brought a desire for mountain getaway homes with views.

By building homes on mountain ridges, he said, it created more land disturbance through carving out unpaved roads and cutting into hillsides, sometimes creating landslides.

"Roadside ditches and unpaved roads produce a lot of sediment, and their sediment production increases as roads get steeper and as gravel roads get more use. in areas with both mountain and valley development, the researchers found sediment concentrations four to six times higher.

Farming also takes its toll. The studies researchers analyzed found many streams in the area to have high nutrient concentrations—particularly nitrate. When a stream flowing through a pasture loses its buffer of trees, it loses a natural protection against nutrient runoff.

Streams without shade also have higher water temperatures.

The paper was published earlier this month in the journal Bioscience.

C Rhett Jackson et al, Distinctive Connectivities of Near-Stream and Watershed-Wide Land Uses Differentially Degrade Rural Aquatic Ecosystems, BioScience (2021). DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biab098

https://researchnews.cc/news/10775/Mountain-spring-water-isn-t-as-c...

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Snapshots from high in the sky allow new insight into ecosystems around the world

Heavy metals have a reputation for being dangerous, but some are essential nutrients that you can't live without.

Rethinking how drugs are administered: A breakthrough in microneedle patches

The painful feeling of receiving an injection through a hypodermic needle or with the unpleasant sensation of swallowing a large pill is a globally familiar sensation. But what if a revolutionary and gentler way of administering drugs was in the works? For over two decades, researchers have been investigating various types of microneedles as a minimally invasive method for transdermal drug delivery. Arrays of microneedles can be designed to be loaded with a drug or chemical, which they then release over time onto the blood stream after piercing slightly beyond the skin layers.

Microneedles offer several advantages compared to other types of drug delivery. First, they are painless and cause virtually no damage to the skin nor bleeding. Second, they can be self-administered. Third, unlike traditional needles, the disposal of microneedles is much easier as they don't leave behind hazardous waste. Unfortunately, there are still a few challenges that need to be addressed before microneedles become the next big thing in healthcare. One is their fabrication cost, which generally involves expensive molds, materials, and machinery. Another issue is the aggregation and degradation of proteins when microneedles are pre-loaded with a protein-based medicine, as these molecules are quite sensitive to external conditions such as temperature, acidity and salt concentration.

In a recent study published in Biomacromolecules, two research teams from Japan and Thailand collaborated to address the main limitations of existing microneedles.

One team developed and applied a functional polymer that effectively suppresses protein aggregation. The other team perfected a microneedle fabrication method suitable for the industrial scale based on photolithography. By combining these two efforts, the teams managed to produce microneedles patches with several attractive properties and potential scalability to clinical settings.

Part 1

The microneedles themselves are made of a non-degradable, biocompatible hydrogel that also contains zwitterionic poly-sulfobetaine (poly-SPB). As reported in previous studies by the same authors, this polymer suppresses protein aggregation. Thus, the researchers incorporated it during the fabrication process and showed that the proteins pre-loaded in the microneedles were stable even when subjected to various external stresses.

Additionally, the scientists developed a straightforward and cost-effective way to fabricate microneedle arrays made from the abovementioned materials. They resorted to photolithography, a process in which a photomask is used to selectively block UV light from reaching a target surface to control chemical reactions locally.

To test the performance of these microneedle arrays for drug delivery, the researchers loaded them with 50 microliters of drug solutions containing rhodamine B as a dye alongside lysozyme and insulin as example proteins. Through various experiments on porcine skin, the teams verified that their microneedle patches offered both high drug-loading capacity and high drug-release rate. Moreover, they confirmed that the microneedles could both load and preserve various water-soluble drugs and proteins simultaneously, eliminating the need for refrigeration.

Overall, the proposed microneedle arrays seem to be a remarkably promising platform for administering therapeutic drugs and vaccines.

Harit Pitakjakpipop et al, Facile Photolithographic Fabrication of Zwitterionic Polymer Microneedles with Protein Aggregation Inhibition for Transdermal Drug Delivery, Biomacromolecules (2021). DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c01325

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-12-rethinking-drugs-breakthroug...

Part 2

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Quantum Computers, Explained With Quantum Physics

The Final moments: Brain Death and the process of stopping it

For years, scientists have researched what happens to your brain when you die, but despite everything we've found out, progress has been stymied by an inability to easily monitor human death – since physicians are conventionally obliged to prevent death if they can, not monitor it as it takes hold. What this means is most of our understanding of the processes involved in brain death come from animal experiments, strengthened with what we can glean from the accounts of resuscitated patients disclosing their near-death experiences. But in 2018, an international team of scientists made a breakthrough. In animals, within 20 to 40 seconds of oxygen deprivation, the brain enters an 'energy-saving mode' where it becomes electrically inactive and neurons cease communicating with one another. After a few minutes, the brain begins to break down as ion gradients in cells dissipate, and a wave of electrochemical energy – called a spreading depolarisation (or 'brain tsunami') spreads throughout the cortex and other brain regions, ultimately causing irreversible brain damage.

A team of neurologists  – who monitored these processes taking place in nine patients with devastating brain injuries (under Do Not Resuscitate – Comfort Care orders) – say the tsunami of brain death may actually be capable of being stopped.

After circulatory arrest, spreading depolarisation marks the loss of stored electrochemical energy in brain cells and the onset of toxic processes that eventually lead to death. But it is reversible – up to a point – when the circulation is restored.

Using neuro-monitoring technology called subdural electrode strips and intraparenchymal electrode arrays, the researchers monitored spreading depolarisation in the patients' brains, and they suggest it's not a one-way wave – as long as circulation (and thus oxygen supply) can be resumed to the brain.

"Anoxia-triggered [spreading depolarisation] is fully reversible without any signs of cellular damage, if the oxidative substrate supply is re-established before the so-called commitment point, defined as the time when neurons start dying under persistent depolarisation. For patients at risk of brain damage or death incurred through cerebral ischemia or other kinds of stroke, the findings could one day be a life-saver, although the researchers explain a lot more work is needed before physicians will be able to take advantage of these discoveries.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ana.25147

https://www.sciencealert.com/death-bringing-brain-tsunamis-have-bee...

Scientists digitally 'unwrap' mummy of pharaoh Amenhotep I for the first time in 3,000 years

All the royal mummies found in the 19th and 20th centuries have long since been opened for study. With one exception: egyptologists have never been bold enough to open the mummy of Pharaoh Amenhotep I. Not because of any mythical curse, but because it is perfectly wrapped, beautifully decorated with flower garlands, and with face and neck covered by an exquisite lifelike facemask inset with colorful stones. But now for the first time, scientists from Egypt have used three-dimensional CT (computed tomography) scanning to 'digitally unwrap' this royal mummy and study its contents. They report their findings in Frontiers in Medicine.

This was the first time in three millennia that Amenhotep's mummy has been opened. The previous time was in the 11th century BCE, more than four centuries after his original mummification and burial. Hieroglyphics have described how during the later 21st dynasty, priests restored and reburied royal mummies from more ancient dynasties, to repair the damage done by grave robbers.

"This fact that Amenhotep I's mummy had never been unwrapped in modern times gave us a unique opportunity: not just to study how he had originally been mummified and buried, but also how he had been treated and reburied twice, centuries after his death.

By digitally unwrapping of the mummy and 'peeling off' its virtual layers—the facemask, the bandages, and the mummy itself—researchers could study this well-preserved pharaoh in unprecedented detail.

The things that were found during the study:  

Amenhotep I was approximately 35 years old when he died. He was approximately 169cm tall, circumcized, and had good teeth. Within his wrappings, he wore 30 amulets and a unique golden girdle with gold beads."

Amenhotep I seems to have physically resembled his father: he had a narrow chin, a small narrow nose, curly hair, and mildly protruding upper teeth. Researchers couldn't find any wounds or disfigurement due to disease to justify the cause of death, except numerous mutiliations post mortem, presumably by grave robbers after his first burial. His entrails had been removed by the first mummifiers, but not his brain or heart.

at least for Amenhotep I, the priests of the 21^st dynasty lovingly repaired the injuries inflicted by the tomb robbers, restored his mummy to its former glory, and preserved the magnificent jewelry and amulets in place.

Sahar N. Saleem et al, Digital Unwrapping of the Mummy of King Amenhotep I (1525–1504 BC) Using CT, Frontiers in Medicine (2021). DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.778498

https://phys.org/news/2021-12-scientists-digitally-unwrap-mummy-pha...

In a neuroprosthetic first, ALS patient sends social media message via brain-computer interface

A 62-year-old amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patient in Australia recently became the first person to post a message on social media using only his thoughts. On December 23, he posted an initial brief message, "Hello World," on Twitter.

The technology that allowed the patient  to send his message was developed by a brain computer interface company,  and the device is called the Stentrode Brain Computer Interface (SBCI); a type of endovascular brain implant. It was implanted into the patient's brain without opening his skull—instead, it was inserted through his jugular vein. The tiny (8 mm) brain implant was designed to allow people who have lost the ability to speak to communicate using only their thoughts. The SBCI is wireless and works by reading brainwaves and translating them to words—the motor neuroprosthesis was placed into the patient's brain using techniques that have been used for several years to treat people with strokes. Human clinical trials have been underway  for over a year—currently, the device has been implanted in just one other person, but more are planned.

The patient e is now able to compose messages by thinking of words or actions (such as mouse clicks), which are translated to activity on a computer screen.

https://techxplore.com/news/2021-12-neuroprosthetic-als-patient-soc...

Ubiquitin and Parkinson's Disease 

Universal COVID test based on isothermal amplification can detect all COVID-19 variants

Russian researchers have developed a strategy to create a cheap and rapid COVID-19 test based on isothermal amplification. According to their publication in Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology, use of this strategy will make it possible to create universal test systems for any of the COVID-19 variants.

The Russian researchers developed a strategy that will help overcome earlier drawbacks and give healthcare professionals an opportunity to use LAMP testing to detect traces of any COVID variants in samples of mucus and blood without preliminary processing in a laboratory. This will decrease the cost of COVID-19 tests considerably and speed up the process, since no specially trained professionals or expensive equipment will be needed.

The virus mutates quite fast, and the test systems that were created a year ago may be not as effective as they used to be. Researchers now analyze the mutations and are looking for the most stable parts of the virus genome. This will help create test systems that recognize all the existing variants and, importantly, the new variants that are appearing.

To solve this challenge, HSE biologists are looking for parts of the coronavirus genome that do not change much over time. They will serve as markers that bacteria ferments will use to convert the COVID RNA into DNA and multiply it further. Combined with the existing LAMP system components, they will help create a universal COVID-19 testing system, which will be able to quickly detect traces of any COVID variants, the researchers say.

J. A. Makarova et al, Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification as a Promising Method for Mass COVID-19 Diagnostics, Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology (2021). DOI: 10.1134/S0003683821080032

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-12-universal-covid-based-isothe...

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 Lab experiments show how cells 'eat'

A new study shows how cell membranes curve to create the "mouths" that allow the cells to consume things that surround them.

The study found that the intercellular machinery of a cell assembles into a highly curved basket-like structure that eventually grows into a closed cage. Membrane curvature is important: It controls the formation of the pockets that carry substances into and out of a cell.

The pockets capture substances around the cell, forming around the extracellular substances, before turning into vesicles—small sacs one-one millionth the size of a red blood cell. Vesicles carry important things for a cell's health—proteins, for example—into the cell. But they can also be hijacked by pathogens that can infect cells.

But the question of how those pockets formed from membranes that were previously believed to be flat had stymied researchers for nearly 40 years. Scientists now were able to use super-resolution fluorescence imaging to actually watch these pockets form within live cells, and so they could answer that question of how they are created.

Experiments revealed that protein scaffolds start deforming the underlying membrane as soon as they are recruited to the sites of vesicle formation. The way cells consume and expel vesicles plays a key role for living organisms. The process helps clear bad cholesterol from blood; it also transmits neural signals. The process is known to break down in several diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

Understanding the origin and dynamics of membrane-bound vesicles is important—they can be utilized for delivering drugs for medicinal purposes, but at the same time, hijacked by pathogens such as viruses to enter and infect cells. These results matter, not only for our understanding of the fundamentals of life, but also for developing better therapeutic strategies.

 Nathan M. Willy et al, De novo endocytic clathrin coats develop curvature at early stages of their formation, Developmental Cell (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.10.019

https://phys.org/news/2021-12-high-resolution-lab-cells.html?utm_so...

India saw record 126 tiger deaths in 2021

India's tiger conservation body said 126 of the endangered big cats died in 2021, the most since it began compiling data a decade ago.

It is believed there were around 40,000 tigers at the time of independence in 1947 but hunting and habitat loss has slashed the population to dangerously low levels.

In 2010, India and 12 other countries signed an agreement to double tiger numbers by 2022.

Over the past decade the biggest reason for deaths recorded by the NTCA was "natural causes", but many also fell victim to poachers and "human-animal conflict".

Human encroachment on tiger habitats has increased in recent decades in the country of 1.3 billion people. This caused human deaths too deaths due to human-animal conflict and were driven by "the fragmentation of the tiger's natural habitat." Tigers range over large jungle areas and find it impossible to migrate to other forests without crossing human habitations, increasing chances of conflict. Critics also say that the government has also loosened environmental regulations for projects including mining.

Increasing demand for tiger skins and use of tiger body parts in traditional Chinese medicine were some of the major reasons for poaching.

The government has made efforts to manage the tiger population better, however, reserving 50 habitats across the country for the animals. But tigers were still under threat from poaching and habitat destruction and the wild animal populations had fragmented, increasing the risk of inbreeding.

Many tiger populations were confined to small protected areas.

Many of the "habitat corridors" enabling the animals to roam between these areas were at risk due to human activity and development. 

https://phys.org/news/2021-12-india-tiger-deaths.html?utm_source=nw...

A Novel Approach to Target Enhancer-Addicted Cancers

Science’s 2021 Breakthrough of the Year: AI brings protein structures to all

2021's Breakthroughs in Neuroscience and Other Biology

HIV patients 'cured' by their own unique biology may harbor secrets to end the global scourge

Some people diagnosed with HIV are able to eradicate the virus without antiretroviral medications or even stem cell transplants, possessing the ability to naturally suppress the virus and achieve a medically verifiable cure.

Scientists call this small population elite controllers, a moniker that reflects their unique ability to keep one of the most notorious viruses at bay.

Two of these patients have garnered fame in the scientific literature in recent months, each known mostly by a code name: the San Francisco Patient, and another called the Esperanza Patient. Both are women who have been spotlighted in medical journals and at scientific conferences for having eradicated HIV from their bodies.

Beyond those two celebrated examples, new research from the Ragon Institute in Boston has zeroed in on a larger group of elite controllers—58 altogether—who have also been able to keep the virus at bay by virtue of their distinct biological capabilities. The elite controllers were compared with 42 HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy, people who represent the vast majority of those diagnosed globally with HIV.

Writing in Science Translational Medicine, immunologists at the institute report that they have uncovered a deep well of new clues that point to elite controllers' unusual ability to eradicate the virus. One reason is a powerful immune response, but another centers on where latent viral genetic sequences are stranded in the human genome. These sequences tend to be in tucked into chromosomes in remote regions where they're less likely to replicate, but more likely to be found by immune forces.

The research is opening a new window of understanding into what it means to be infected with HIV, a virus that is estimated to affect 38 million people globally. Millions worldwide have died since the HIV pandemic began 40 years ago.

Most patients take antiretroviral drugs for life to hold the virus in check, but elite controllers can handily subdue HIV for long periods without the need for medications. Although the San Francisco Patient was infected in 1992, she has kept the virus at bay for decades. Her existence—and that of other elite controllers—defies the long-held dogma that HIV infection is invariably for life.

Part 1

The new findings join a growing body of work that may eventually lay the groundwork for future pharmaceutical interventions to help the vast majority of HIV patients eliminate the virus based on principles scientists are learning from elite controllers, people who have achieved so-called "sterilizing cures."

"Increasing evidence suggests that durable drug-free control of HIV-1 replication is enabled by effective cellular immune responses. Data from their experimental work suggest that viable human immunodeficiency viruses in elite controllers may face greater pressure from immune system cells. As a result, the viruses are unable to dodge the immune system's formidable army.

 Xiaodong Lian, et al, Signatures of immune selection in intact and defective proviruses distinguish HIV-1 elite controllers, Science Translational Medicine (2021) DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abl4097

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-12-hiv-patients-unique-biology-...

Part 2

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No convincing scientific evidence that hangover cures work, according to new research

A new systematic review has found only very low-quality evidence that substances claiming to treat or prevent alcohol-induced hangover work.

The researchers call for more rigorous scientific exploration of the effectiveness of these remedies for hangovers to provide practitioners and the public with accurate evidence-based information on which to make their decisions.

A team of researchers  conducted a systematic review to consolidate and assess the current evidence for hangover treatments.

The study, published recently by the scientific journal Addiction, assessed 21 placebo-controlled randomized trials of clove extract, red ginseng, Korean pear juice, and other hangover cures. Although some studies showed statistically significant improvements in hangover symptoms, all evidence was of very low quality, usually because of methodological limitations or imprecise measurements. In addition, no two studies reported on the same hangover remedy and no results have been independently replicated.

Of the 21 included studies, eight were conducted exclusively with male participants. The studies were generally limited in their reporting of the nature and timing of alcohol challenge that was used to assess the hangover cures and there were considerable differences in the type of alcohol given and whether it was given alongside food.

Common painkillers such as paracetamol or aspirin have not been evaluated in placebo controlled randomized controlled trials for hangover

According to the researchers, future studies should be more rigorous in their methods, for example by using validated scales to assess hangover symptoms. There is also a need to improve the participation of women in hangover research.

The hangover cures assessed in this study included Curcumin, Duolac ProAP4 (probiotics), L-cysteine, N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC), Rapid Recovery (L-cysteine, thiamine, pyridoxine and ascorbic acid), Loxoprofen (loxoprofen sodium), SJP-001 (naproxen and fexofenadine), Phyllpro (Phyllanthus amarus), Clovinol (extract of clove buds), Hovenia dulcis Thunb. fruit extract (HDE), Polysaccharide rich extract of Acanthopanax (PEA), Red Ginseng, Korean Pear Juice, L-ornithine, Prickly Pear, Artichoke extract, 'Morning-Fit' (dried yeast, thiamine nitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, and riboflavin), Propranolol, Tolfenamic acid, Chlormethiazole, and Pyritinol.

Emmert Roberts et al, The efficacy and tolerability of pharmacologically active interventions for alcohol‐induced hangover symptomatology: A systematic review of the evidence from randomised placebo‐controlled trials, Addiction (2022). DOI: 10.1111/add.15786

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-01-convincing-scientific-eviden...

Microorganism sheds new light on cancer resistance

A simple, marine-dwelling creature known as Trichoplax adhaerens has some remarkable properties. The organism can tolerate unusually high doses of radiation that would kill most other forms of life. T. adhaerens has another intriguing characteristic: the ability to resist cancer.

In a new study scientists found  T. adhaerens' unusual behavior, including its capacity to repair its DNA even after significant radiation damage and to extrude injured cells, which later die.

The findings advance scientific investigations of natural cancer-suppression mechanisms across life. Insights gleaned from these evolutionary adaptations may find their way into new and more effective therapies for this leading killer.

The unusual microorganism observed in the new study is rudimentary in form and easily cultured in the lab. This makes T. adhaerens an attractive model organism, enabling researchers to home in on fundamental processes of radiation tolerance as well as the underlying mechanisms guiding DNA repair, programmed cell death and other natural means of cancer resistance.

Part 1

Over the course of evolution, some species have developed powerful means of suppressing cancer. Generally, they do this either by trying to prevent mutations from arising in the first place, improving the fidelity of DNA copying mechanisms or by repairing damaged DNA, or some combination of these.

Often, crucial cancer-related genes come into play. One of these, a tumor-suppressing gene known as TP53, can act to repair damaged DNA. Where the sequence can not be repaired, the gene instructs the cell to undergo apoptosis or cell death, preventing the mutation from being duplicated in subsequent cell generations. Elephants, which would otherwise be highly cancer prone due to their size and longevity, carry multiple copies of TP53 and have very low rates of cancer.

Although high radiation caused catastrophic damage to T. adhaerens' DNA, the animal's powers of DNA repair enabled the organism to recover from the assault. Although not all individuals survived the highest doses of radiation, those that did were able to repopulate the culture after 30 days of exposure to 218.6 Gy. A total of 74 genes were significantly overexpressed in T. adhaerens following radiation exposure.

Through a combination of aggressive DNA repair and ejection of damaged cells, T. adhaerens engage in continual bodily renewal, keeping them cancer-free. Understanding such mechanisms may spur new methods of preventing and treating the disease in humans. Other, as -yet-to be discovered genes likely play a role in T. adhaerens' remarkable resistance to cancer, making this tiny creature a treasure chest of information.

 Angelo Fortunato et al, Upregulation of DNA repair genes and cell extrusion underpin the remarkable radiation resistance of Trichoplax adhaerens, PLOS Biology (2021). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001471

https://phys.org/news/2022-01-microorganism-cancer-resistance.html?...

**

Part 2

Scientists discover emergency pathway to help human cells with protein damage survive

Cell proteins damaged by oxygen radicals can be chemically "tagged" for elimination, but an "emergency pathway" bypasses strict protocol and can eliminate even without the need for prior tagging.

An international research team headed by Technion scientists has found an alternative manner for eliminating damaged proteins when the cells are impaired by "oxygen radicals," as can happen in failing human hearts where there is poor cell respiration and cells become oxygen depleted, or suffer "hypoxia," because of poor oxygen uptake.

Significantly, the researchers discovered that there can be a shift from the tightly controlled process of eliminating proteins in the cells to a less strict mechanism when cells enter an "emergency protocol." This shift can "clear up" the toxic proteins before their toxicity levels get too high.

Human cells—both functional and damaged—are constantly recycled by chemically "tagging" and targeting for removal when they are under stress by the ubiquitin system (2004 Nobel Prize in chemistry). At the same time, a few proteins that are intact and functional can also be dragged into the 20S proteasome "molecular disposal unit" along with the toxic proteins that have be targeted for destruction. Nevertheless, rather than harm cells, this mode of action by 20S proteasome may aid cells in rapidly remove toxic proteins. In their conclusion, the authors raised the interesting speculation that this emergency pathway can help even damaged cells to withstand bouts of stress and allow them to "age gracefully."

Indrajit Sahu et al, The 20S as a stand-alone proteasome in cells can degrade the ubiquitin tag, Nature Communications (2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26427-0

https://phys.org/news/2022-01-scientists-emergency-pathway-human-ce...

How To Kick A Pulsar Out Of The Galaxy

The Baseline #10 - How To Kick A Pulsar Out Of The Galaxy from NRAO Outreach on Vimeo.

Newly-discovered protein in the rod cells of the retina helps us see in dim light

 scientists have shed light on an important component of the eye: a protein in the rod cells of the retina which helps us see in dim light. Acting as an ion channel in the cell membrane, the protein is responsible for relaying the optical signal from the eye to the brain. If a genetic disorder disrupts the molecular function in a person, they will go blind. Scientists have deciphered the protein's three-dimensional structure, preparing the way for innovative medical treatments. The study is published in the scientific journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.

It's thanks to the rod cells in our eye that we can observe the stars in the night sky.

These photo cells are so sensitive to light that they can detect even a single photon reaching us from a very remote part of the universe—a truly incredible feat." The ability of our brain to eventually translate these light beams into a visual impression is partly down to the cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) ion channels whose three-dimensional structure has now been illuminated by a  research group.

The ion channel acts as a gatekeeper controlling whether specific particles are allowed through to the interior of the receptor cell. It is embedded in the protein-rich shell—the cell membrane—of the rod cells. In darkness, the ion channel, and thus the gate to the cell, is completely open. But when light hits the eye, it triggers a cascade of processes in the rod cells. This ultimately causes the gate to close, with the result that positively charged particles, such as calcium ions, can no longer enter into the cell.

This electrochemical signal continues via the nerve cells into the brain's visual cortex, where a visual impression—such as a flash of light—is created. The scientists  used cryo-electron microscopy to reveal the three-dimensional structure of the ion channel.

Part 1

One of the reasons why a clearer understanding of the channel protein's natural structure is important is to advance the development of treatments for genetic disorders for which there is no known cure, such as retinitis pigmentosa. With this disease, photoreceptors gradually die off, leaving people blind. One possible cause is that the body is unable to correctly produce the CNG channel protein due to a genetic defect. As a result, the ion channel does not close completely when light hits the eye, disrupting the cell's electrochemical balance and causing the cells to die.

If we could find molecules that affect the protein in such a way that the channel would completely close, we could prevent the cells from dying—and thus stop people going blind.

 Now that researchers have identified the precise structure of the protein they are able to search specifically for such molecules.

The protein comprises four parts: three lots of subunit A, and one lot of subunit B. A correctly functioning ion channel is only possible in this combination. In their study, PSI scientists show why the B subunit seems to play such an important role: a side arm of the protein—a single amino acid—protrudes from the rest of the protein, like a barrier across a gateway. This narrows the passage in the channel to the point where no ions can pass through.

 It is interesting to note that the additional barrier is found not only in the protein from the cow's eye, but seems to apply to all types of animal, as the scientists showed. Whether crocodiles, eagles or humans—all living creatures with an ion channel in their eye have the same protruding amino acid at this position in the protein. As it has been preserved so consistently during evolution, it must be essential for the functioning of the channel.

Diane C. A. Barret et al, The structure of the native CNGA1/CNGB1 CNG channel from bovine retinal rods, Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41594-021-00700-8

https://phys.org/news/2022-01-newly-discovered-protein-rod-cells-re...

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Researchers gain insights into how ultrasmall bacteria from the environment have adapted to live inside humans

The microbes that live inside our mouths, collectively known as the oral microbiome, impact our overall health in many ways that are not yet fully understood. Some bacteria cause inflammation, leading to periodontitis and other systemic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Other oral organisms have been associated with certain types of cancer. Scientists are working to understand how these microbes interact with one another and our bodies to tease out their individual roles in health and disease.

Among the diverse bacterial species living within our mouths is a group belonging to the Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR). These bugs are especially mysterious because they are ultra-small, adopt a unique symbiotic lifestyle with their host bacteria, and most have yet to be cultured by scientists and studied in the lab. The only bacteria within the CPR to be examined in-depth are a group called TM7, which were cultivated for the first time in 2014.

Now scientists have developed a new model system using the first isolated human oral TM7 strain, TM7x, and its host bacterium, Actinomyces odontolyticus. Researchers used the model system to experimentally study these tiny bacteria, testing a hypothesis for how TM7 adapted to live inside humans, and providing empirical data to confirm previous genomic studies. Their findings were published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Scientists have found TM7 in many different environments, including soil, groundwater, and the bodies of other mammals. Studies have shown that while maintaining a remarkably similar genome overall, the TM7 found in human mouths are unique from those in other environments because they have acquired a gene cluster encoding the arginine deiminase system, or ADS.

Researchers hypothesized that TM7 acquired ADS as an evolutionary advantage to help them adapt and survive in the human oral cavity. They tested this and found  found that ADS helped TM7x break down arginine, a process that produces the compounds Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and ammonia. The increased abundance of ATP and ammonia benefitted TM7x by increasing its infectivity, or ability to multiply. It also protected TM7x and its host bacterium from acid stress, a condition that microbes frequently encounter in the human oral cavity due to the acid created when bacteria feed on and metabolize dietary carbohydrates. Ultimately, the experiments showed TM7x were able to survive in the experimental environment for longer than they could without the addition of arginine, thanks to ADS.

Earlier study: Otari Chipashvili et al, Episymbiotic Saccharibacteria suppresses gingival inflammation and bone loss in mice through host bacterial modulation, Cell Host & Microbe (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2021.09.009

Acquisition of the arginine deiminase system benefits epiparasitic Saccharibacteria and their host bacteria in a mammalian niche environment, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2114909119.

https://phys.org/news/2022-01-gain-insights-ultrasmall-bacteria-env...

Scientists reveal the genetic basis of mitochondrial diseases

Mutations in genes encoding mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are linked to diverse diseases. However, the precise mechanisms by which these mutations affect mitochondrial function and disease development are not fully understood.

Wenlu Fan et al, FARS2 deficiency in Drosophila reveals the developmental delay and seizure manifested by aberrant mitochondrial tRNA metabolism, Nucleic Acids Research (2021). DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1187

https://phys.org/news/2022-01-scientists-reveal-genetic-basis-mitoc...

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Researchers find a new route for regulating blood sugar levels independent of insulin

The discovery of insulin 100 years ago opened a door that would lead to life and hope for millions of people with diabetes. Ever since then, insulin, produced in the pancreas, has been considered the primary means of treating conditions characterized by high blood sugar (glucose), such as diabetes. Now, scientists have discovered a second molecule, produced in fat tissue, that, like insulin, also potently and rapidly regulates blood glucose. Their finding could lead to the development of new therapies for treating diabetes, and also lays the foundation for promising new avenues in metabolism research.

The study, which was published in Cell Metabolism on January 4, 2022, shows that a hormone called FGF1 regulates blood glucose by inhibiting fat breakdown (lipolysis). Like insulin, FGF1 controls blood glucose by inhibiting lipolysis, but the two hormones do so in different ways. Importantly, this difference could enable FGF1 to be used to safely and successfully lower blood glucose in people who suffer from insulin resistance.

Finding a second hormone that suppresses lipolysis and lowers glucose is a scientific breakthrough. Scientists have identified a new player in regulating fat lipolysis that will help us understand how energy stores are managed in the body.

Part 1

When we eat, energy-rich fats and glucose enter the bloodstream. Insulin normally shuttles these nutrients to cells in muscles and fat tissue, where they are either used immediately or stored for later use. In people with insulin resistance, glucose is not efficiently removed from the blood, and higher lipolysis increases the fatty acid levels. These extra fatty acids accelerate glucose production from the liver, compounding the already high glucose levels. Moreover, fatty acids accumulate in organs, exacerbating the insulin resistance—characteristics of diabetes and obesity.

Previously, the lab showed that injecting FGF1 dramatically lowered blood glucose in mice and that chronic FGF1 treatment relieved insulin resistance. But how it worked remained a mystery.

In the current work, the team investigated the mechanisms behind these phenomena and how they were linked. First, they showed that FGF1 suppresses lipolysis, as insulin does. Then they showed that FGF1 regulates the production of glucose in the liver, as insulin does. These similarities led the group to wonder if FGF1 and insulin use the same signaling (communication) pathways to regulate blood glucose.

It was already known that insulin suppresses lipolysis through PDE3B, an enzyme that initiates a signaling pathway, so the team tested a full array of similar enzymes, with PDE3B at the top of their list. They were surprised to find that FGF1 uses a different pathway—PDE4.

"This mechanism is basically a second loop, with all the advantages of a parallel pathway. In insulin resistance, insulin signaling is impaired. However, with a different signaling cascade, if one is not working, the other can. That way you still have the control of lipolysis and blood glucose regulation.

Finding the PDE4 pathway opens new opportunities for drug discovery and basic research focused on high blood glucose (hyperglycemia) and insulin resistance. The scientists are eager to investigate the possibility of modifying FGF1 to improve PDE4 activity. Another route is targeting multiple points in the signaling pathway before PDE4 is activated.

The unique ability of FGF1 to induce sustained glucose lowering in insulin-resistant diabetic mice is a promising therapeutic route for diabetic patients.

 Ronald M Evans, FGF1 and insulin control lipolysis by convergent pathways, Cell Metabolism (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2021.12.004. www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/f … 1550-4131(21)00623-9

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-01-route-blood-sugar-independen...

Ecological coating for fruits and vegetables

Plastic packaging in grocery stores protects fruits and vegetables from spoilage, but also creates significant amounts of waste. Researchers have now developed a protective cover for fruit and vegetables based on renewable raw materials. For this project, they used cellulose.  They spent more than a year developing a special protective cellulose coating that can be applied to fruits and vegetables. The result: Coated fruits and vegetables stay fresh significantly longer. In tests, the shelf life of, for instance, bananas was extended by more than a week. This significantly reduces food waste. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT77fj1eF3E&t=62s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-5YZ2cNSEo

Luana Amoroso et al, Sustainable Cellulose Nanofiber Films from Carrot Pomace as Sprayable Coatings for Food Packaging Applications, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (2021). DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c06345

https://phys.org/news/2022-01-ecological-coating-bananas.html?utm_s...

Designing war planes

French Scientists Discover New Coronavirus Variant

As the world continues to struggle with the rapid spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus and the still-lingering delta variant, scientists in France say they have discovered a new variant that contains multiple mutations.

Experts at the IHU Mediterranee Infection in Marseille said they had discovered the new variant in December in 12 patients living near Marseille, with the first patient testing positive after traveling to the central African nation of Cameroon.

The French scientists said they had identified 46 mutations in the new variant, dubbed B.1.640.2, that could make it more resistant to vaccines and more infectious than the original virus.

The results were posted on the online health sciences outlet MedRxiv, which publishes studies that have not been peer-reviewed or published in an academic journal. B.1.640.2 has neither been detected in other countries nor been labeled a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization.

https://www.voanews.com/a/french-scientists-discover-new-coronaviru...

Nearly 2 million children worldwide develop asthma as a result of breathing in traffic-related pollution

Nearly 2 million new cases of pediatric asthma every year may be caused by a traffic-related air pollutant, a problem particularly important in big cities around the world, according to a new study published recently. The study is the first to estimate the burden of pediatric asthma cases caused by this pollutant in more than 13,000 cities from Los Angeles to Mumbai.

The study found that nitrogen dioxide puts children at risk of developing asthma and the problem is especially acute in urban areas. The findings suggest that clean air must be a critical part of strategies aimed at keeping children healthy.

Here are some key findings from the study:

• Out of the estimated 1.85 million new pediatric asthma cases attributed to NO₂ globally in 2019, two-thirds occurred in urban areas.
• The fraction of pediatric asthma cases linked to NO₂ in urban areas dropped recently, probably due to tougher clean air regulations put in place by higher income countries like the United States.
• Despite the improvements in air quality in Europe and the U.S., dirty air, and particularly NO₂ pollution, has been rising in South Asia, Sub-Saharan African and the Middle East.
• Pediatric asthma cases linked to NO₂ pollution represent a large public health burden for South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

https://blogs.gwu.edu/sanenberg/pm2-5-no2-and-ozone-data-for-13000-...

 "Global urban temporal trends in fine particulate matter and attributable health burdens: estimates from global datasets," Lancet Planetary Health, DOI: 10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00350-8 , www.thelancet.com/journals/lan … (21)00350-8/fulltext

"Long-term trends in urban NO2 concentrations and associated pediatric asthma incidence: estimates from global databases,", Lancet Planetary Health, DOI: 10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00255-2 , www.thelancet.com/journals/lan … (21)00255-2/fulltext

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-01-million-children-worldwide-a...

3D digital holograms on smartphones

3D holograms, previously seen only in science fiction movies, may soon make their way to consumer technology. Until now, 3D holograms based on phase shifting holography method could be captured using a large, specialized camera with a polarizing filter. However, a  research group has just developed technology that can acquire holograms on mobile devices, such as smartphones.

A research team  was successful in developing a photodiode that detects the polarization of light in the near-infrared region without additional polarization filters and thus, the realization of a miniaturized holographic image sensor for 3D digital holograms, using the 2D semiconductor materials: rhenium diselenide and tungsten diselenide.

Photodiodes, which convert light into current signals, are essential components within the pixels of image sensors in digital and smartphone cameras. Introducing the ability to sense the polarization of light to the image sensor of an ordinary camera provides a variety of new information, enabling the storage of 3D holograms.

Jongtae Ahn et al, Near-Infrared Self-Powered Linearly Polarized Photodetection and Digital Incoherent Holography Using WSe2/ReSe2 van der Waals Heterostructure, ACS Nano (2021). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c06234

https://phys.org/news/2022-01-3d-digital-holograms-smartphones.html...

Physicists watch as ultracold atoms form a crystal of quantum tornadoes

The world we experience is governed by classical physics. How we move, where we are, and how fast we're going are all determined by the classical assumption that we can only exist in one place at any one moment in time.

But in the quantum world, the behavior of individual atoms is governed by the eerie principle that a particle's location is a probability. An atom, for instance, has a certain chance of being in one location and another chance of being at another location, at the same exact time.

When particles interact, purely as a consequence of these quantum effects, a host of odd phenomena should ensue. But observing such purely quantum mechanical behavior of interacting particles amid the overwhelming noise of the classical world is a tricky undertaking.

Now, MIT physicists have directly observed the interplay of interactions and quantum mechanics in a particular state of matter: a spinning fluid of ultracold atoms. Researchers have predicted that, in a rotating fluid, interactions will dominate and drive the particles to exhibit exotic, never-before-seen behaviors.

In a study published today in Nature, the MIT team has rapidly rotated a quantum fluid of ultracold atoms. They watched as the initially round cloud of atoms first deformed into a thin, needle-like structure. Then, at the point when classical effects should be suppressed, leaving solely interactions and quantum laws to dominate the atoms' behavior, the needle spontaneously broke into a crystalline pattern, resembling a string of miniature, quantum tornadoes.

This crystallization is driven purely by interactions, and tells us we're going from the classical world to the quantum world.

Martin Zwierlein, Crystallization of bosonic quantum Hall states in a rotating quantum gas, Nature (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04170-2. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04170-2

Richard J. Fletcher et al, Geometric squeezing into the lowest Landau level, Science (2021). DOI: 10.1126/science.aba7202

https://phys.org/news/2022-01-physicists-ultracold-atoms-crystal-qu...