A new study describes how spheres can be transformed into twisted spindles thanks to insights from 16th century navigational tools. Researchers show how polymers can contract into spiral structures, known as loxodromes, that have complex patterning ten times smaller than the width of a human hair.
Read moreNew research may help to explain an intriguing phenomenon inside human cells: how wall-less liquid organelles are able to coexist as separate entities instead of just merging together.
Read moreIf you've ever stopped to watch rain falling on a windowpane, you've seen what happens when two drops of water touch and merge into one. But you probably never imagined that the physics at work in this phenomenon was the key to unlocking a solution for the development of miniaturized personal biological analysis devices.
Read moreMIT engineers designed a drug capsule that can carry insulin or other protein drugs and protect them from the harsh environment of the gastrointestinal tract. When the capsule reaches the small intestine, it breaks down to reveal dissolvable microneedles that attach to the intestinal wall and release drug for uptake into the bloodstream.
Read moreA new study by chemists shows that X-ray crystallography, the standard method for determining the structure of proteins, can provide inaccurate information about membrane proteins, which in turn could lead to poor and inefficient drug design.
Read moreThe swarming behavior of about 100 million molecular machines can be controlled by applying simple mechanical stimuli such as extension and contraction. This method could lead to the development of new swarming molecular machines and small energy-saving devices.
Read moreAn international study has unveiled a detailed view of how thalidomide, one of the most notorious drugs ever developed, causes abnormalities in limb and ear development. The findings may contribute to the re-emergence of safe, or non-teratogenic, thalidomide-derived drugs as a treatment for cancer and inflammatory diseases.
Read moreA collaborative ultrafast spectroscopy and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations study shows that proton vacancies in the form of hydroxide/methoxide ions are as relevant for proton transfer between acids and bases as hydrated excess protons, thus pointing for a clear demand for refinement of the microscopic picture for aqueous proton transport – in solution as well as in hydrogen fuel cells or transmembrane proteins – away from currently often assumed dominant role of hydrated excess protons.
Read moreScientists have succeeded in synthesizing molecular nanocarbons with knots and catenanes by using a novel method in which silicon atoms are used. The epoch-making product of this research will pave the way to the development of new nanocarbon materials with complex geometric structures.
Read moreScientists provide a foundation for quantitatively determining how differences in viewing angles affect the resulting 3D structures of proteins, and could help other researchers determine the best setup for experiments to improve the imaging technique called cryo-EM.
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