Researchers ‘film’ the activation of an important receptor

Researchers ‘film’ the activation of an important receptor

Conformational dynamics during G-protein activation. a, In response to agonist binding, a GPCR engages heterotrimeric G protein through the Gα C-terminal α5 helix, resulting in the displacement of the Gα AHD in relation to the RHD. This opening allows for the release of bound GDP and the subsequent binding of GTP, leading to Gα subunit … Read more

Scientists discover ‘cool’ sugar acid formation in space

Scientists discover ‘cool’ sugar acid formation in space

Formation of glyceric acid in interstellar ices. The preparation of glyceric acid (1) in low-temperature ices containing carbon dioxide and ethylene glycol (16) is accomplished through energetic processing by GCR proxies. This process involves carbon-carbon bond coupling via recombination of the hydroxycarbonyl radical (HOĊO, 11) with the 1,2-dihydroxyethyl radical (HOĊHCH2OH, 17). Glyceric acid (1) serves … Read more

A new design for highly efficient conversion materials

A new design for highly efficient conversion materials

It was unclear what allows the energy of two low-energy photons to combine efficiently. Kobe University researchers now found that two molecules in an excited state have to be aligned, and for that to happen with a high likelihood, the excited states need to be able to move around between molecules of many different orientations. … Read more

Evolved adapter for future NASA space launch system flights readied for testing

Evolved adapter for future NASA space launch system flights readied for testing

Credit: NASA/Sam Lott A test version of the universal stage adapter for NASA’s more powerful version of its SLS (Space Launch System) rocket arrived at Building 4619 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, on Feb. 22 from Leidos in Decatur, Alabama. The universal stage adapter will connect the rocket’s upgraded in-space propulsion … Read more

Promoting thank-you gifts can boost charitable donations

Promoting thank-you gifts can boost charitable donations

Caitlin Cook/Cornell University Americans gave nearly a half-trillion dollars to charities in 2022, according to the National Philanthropic Trust, with nearly two-thirds of that total coming from individuals. What spurred those millions of people to do all that giving? Goodwill and passion for one’s particular favorite cause, to be sure—but for many, that gift card, … Read more

Proof-of-concept study shows how human insulin can be produced in cow’s milk

Proof-of-concept study shows how human insulin can be produced in cow’s milk

by University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) Schematic of the lentiviral vector constructed for mammary gland-specific human insulin expression and restriction map analysis. (A) Schematic of the lentiviral vector constructed. (B) The restriction map for the vector, L- ladder 1 kb plus (Life Technologies Biotechnology Journal (2024). DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300307 An unassuming brown … Read more

Methane emissions from energy sector rose in 2023: IEA

Methane emissions from energy sector rose in 2023: IEA

Methane leaks from energy production, transportation infrastructures — such as gas pipelines — and from deliberate releases during maintenance. Planet-heating methane released by the fossil fuel industry rose to near record highs in 2023 despite technology available to curb this pollution at virtually no cost, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday. Slashing emissions of methane—second … Read more

Deciphering how viruses choose to turn nasty or not to their bacterial host

Deciphering how viruses choose to turn nasty or not to their bacterial host

MazF strongly promotes ϕ3T lysogenization. a, Growth curves of different strains infected by ϕ3T at MOI of 0.1, either in the absence (solid line) or presence (dashed line) of the ϕ3T arbitrium peptide (SAIRGA). The following strains were used: wild type (blue) and ΔmazEF (green). b,c, Free phage (b) and lysogen (c) numbers were measured … Read more

You don’t need glue to hold these materials together—just electricity

You don’t need glue to hold these materials together—just electricity

These soft materials (chicken on the left and tomato on the right) permanently stick to hard surfaces just by passing electricity through them. Credit: Adapted from ACS Central Science 2024, DOI:10.1021/acscentsci.3c01593 Is there a way to stick hard and soft materials together without any tape, glue or epoxy? A new study published in ACS Central … Read more

Air quality in Europe shows significant improvements over the last two decades, study finds

Air quality in Europe shows significant improvements over the last two decades, study finds

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) has consistently estimated daily ambient concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, NO2 and O3 across a large ensemble of European regions between 2003 and 2019 based on machine learning techniques. The aim was to assess the occurrence of days exceeding the 2021 … Read more