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Category: chemistry – Page 132

Mucus contains vital data to help address diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer

New research from UBC Okanagan could make monitoring gut health easier and less painful by tapping into a common—yet often overlooked—source of information: the mucus in our digestive system that eventually becomes part of fecal matter.

Researcher Dr. Kirk Bergstrom and post-graduate student Noah Fancy of UBCO’s Biology department have discovered a non-invasive technique to study MUC2, a critical gut protein, from what we leave behind in the bathroom.

Theie findings are published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Ancient Human Artifact Was Made With Extraterrestrial Material, Scientists Say

Link : https://trib.al/wOzZc3J

Talk about out-of-this-world bling!

Spanish researchers have discovered that two iron artifacts from a hoard of precious treasure that dates back to the Late Bronze Age — before man started the widespread smelting of iron — contain iron from meteorites estimated to be around 1 million years old.

The researchers’ findings, as detailed in a paper published in the journal Trabajos de Prehistoria last year, detail the chemical composition of what looks to be a portion of an iron bracelet or ring and half of a hollow iron sphere covered with fine gold filigree.

Device physics recipe to make spiking neurons

Divice recipe for making spiking artificial neurons.

Neurons, which are made of biological tissue, exhibit cognitive properties that can be replicated in various material substrates. To create brain-inspired computational artificial systems, we can construct microscopic electronic neurons that mimic natural systems. In this paper, we discuss the essential material and device properties needed for a spiking neuron, which can be characterized using impedance spectroscopy and small perturbation equivalent circuit elements. We find that the minimal neuron system requires a capacitor, a chemical inductor, and a negative resistance. These components can be integrated naturally in the physical response of the device, instead of built from separate circuit elements. We identify the structural conditions for smooth oscillations that depend on certain dynamics of a conducting system with internal state variables. These state variables can be of diverse physical nature, such as properties of fluids, electronic solids, or ionic organic materials, implying that functional neurons can be built in various ways. We highlight the importance of detecting the Hopf bifurcation, a critical point in achieving spiking behavior, through spectral features of the impedance. To this end, we provide a systematic method of analysis in terms of the critical characteristic frequencies that can be obtained from impedance methods. Thus, we propose a methodology to quantify the physical and material properties of devices to produce the dynamic properties of neurons necessary for specific sensory-cognitive tasks. By replicating the essential properties of biological neurons in electronic systems, it may be possible to create brain-inspired computational systems with enhanced capabilities in information processing, pattern recognition, and learning. Additionally, understanding the physical and material properties of neurons can contribute to our knowledge of how biological neurons function and interact in complex neural networks. Overall, this paper presents a novel approach toward building brain-inspired artificial systems and provides insight into the important material and device considerations for achieving spiking behavior in electronic neurons.

Vanadium research makes key advance for capturing carbon from the air

A chemical element so visually striking it was named for a goddess shows a “Goldilocks” level of reactivity—neither too much nor too little—that makes it a strong candidate as a carbon scrubbing tool.

The element is , and research by Oregon State University scientists, published in Chemical Science, has demonstrated the ability of vanadium peroxide molecules to react with and bind —an important step toward improved technologies for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The study is part of a $24 million federal effort to develop new methods for , or DAC, of carbon dioxide, a that’s produced by the burning of fossil fuels and is associated with climate change.

Breaking the Brain-Muscle Barrier: Scientists Discover Hidden Neural Network-Like Abilities of Self-Assembling Molecules

We tend to separate the brain and muscle – the brain does the thinking; the muscle does the doing. The brain takes in complex information about the world, makes decisions, while muscle merely executes. This distinction extends to our understanding of cellular processes, where certain molecules within cells are perceived as the ‘thinkers’, processing information from the chemical environment to determine necessary actions for survival, while others are viewed as the ‘muscle’, constructing the essential structures for the cell’s survival.

But a new study shows how the molecules that build structures, i.e, the muscle, can themselves do both the thinking and the doing. The study, by scientists at Maynooth University, the University of Chicago, and California Institute of Technology was published in the journal Nature.

“We show that a natural molecular process – nucleation – that has been studied as a ‘muscle’ for a long time can do complex calculations that rival a simple neural network,” said University of Chicago Associate Professor Arvind Murugan, one of the two senior co-authors on the paper. “It’s an ability hidden in plain sight that evolution can exploit in cells to do more with less; the ‘doing’ molecules can also do the ‘thinking.’”

Scientists reveal new photoelectrochemical system to produce green hydrogen

Researchers at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) have unveiled a promising photoelectrochemical (PEC) system capable of generating green hydrogen on a large scale.

The team introduces an innovative approach utilizing formamidinium lead triiodide (FAPbI3) perovskite-based photoanodes, encapsulated by a robust Ni foil/NiFeOOH electrocatalyst.

Speaking to Tech Xplore, Jae Sung Lee, Professor of Energy & Chemical Engineering at UNIST and co-author of the paper, highlighted the critical need for efficiency in solar-to-hydrogen (STH) conversion, emphasizing that a minimum of 10% STH efficiency is essential for practical PEC systems. “Our group has thoroughly studied the challenges associated with practical solar hydrogen production,” Lee added.

A scalable photoelectrochemical system for green hydrogen production

If realized using solar energy or other renewable energy, water splitting could be a promising way of sustainably producing hydrogen (H2) on a large-scale. Most photoelectrochemical water splitting systems proposed so far, however, have been found to be either inefficient, unstable, or difficult to implement on a large-scale.

Researchers at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) recently set out to develop a scalable and efficient photoelectrochemical (PEC) system to produce green hydrogen. Their proposed system, outlined in Nature Energy, is based on an innovative formamidinium lead triiodide (FAPbI3) perovskite-based photoanode, encapsulated by an Ni foil/NiFeOOH electrocatalyst.

“Our group has thoroughly studied the challenges associated with practical solar hydrogen production,” Jae Sung Lee, Professor of Energy & Chemical Engineering at UNIST and co-author of the paper, told Tech Xplore. “As summarized in our most recent review paper, minimum 10% of solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency is required to develop viable practical PEC system, for which selecting an efficient material is the first criteria.”

Researchers unveil new and improved method to study the brain

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have unveiled a revolutionary method to study the microscopic structures of the human brain. The study, led by Benjamin Creekmore in the labs of Yi-Wei Chang and Edward Lee, promises to enhance our understanding of various brain diseases, including Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis.

Cryo-electron tomography takes center stage

Traditionally, scientists have utilized electron microscopy to explore and comprehend the intricate details of cellular structures within the brain. However, this method has been fraught with challenges, such as the alteration of cell structures due to the addition of chemicals and physical tissue cutting.