Lifeboat Foundation

Misfolded proteins may preserve postmortem brains well after other tissues have decayed.

By Kermit Pattison edited by Tanya Lewis

No part of our body is as perishable as the brain. Within minutes of losing its supply of blood and oxygen, our delicate neurological machinery begins to suffer irreversible damage. The brain is our most energy-greedy organ, and in the hours after death, its enzymes typically devour it from within. As cellular membranes rupture, the brain liquifies. Within days, microbes may consume the remnants in the stinky process of putrefaction. In a few years, the skull becomes just an empty cavity.

All solids have a crystal structure that shows the spatial arrangement of atoms, ions or molecules in the lattice. These crystal structures are often determined by a method known as X-ray diffraction technique (XRD).

These crystal structures play an import role in determining many physical properties such as the electronic band structure, cleavage and explains many of their physical and chemical properties.

This article aims to discuss an approach to identify these structures by various machine learning and deep learning methods. It demonstrates how supervised machine learning and deep learning approaches and help in determining various crystal structures of solids.

Princeton engineers have developed a scalable 3D printing technique to produce soft plastics with customizable stretchiness and flexibility, while also being recyclable and cost-effective—qualities rarely combined in commercially available materials.

In a study published in Advanced Functional Materials, a team led by Emily Davidson detailed how they used thermoplastic elastomers—a class of widely available polymers—to create 3D-printed structures with adjustable stiffness. By designing the 3D printer’s print path, the engineers could program the plastic’s physical properties, allowing devices to stretch and flex in one direction while remaining rigid in another.

Continue reading “Stretchable, Flexible, Recyclable: Princeton Scientists Develop Fantastic New Material” »

Zhao, N., Zhang, CJ., Zhang, X. et al. npj Regen Med 9, 42 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41536-024-00387-7

Chemical Sensing.

RNA aptamers light up after ligand reacts.

Designing an organic reaction that works in cells is easier than designing a riboswitch, chemist says.

Researchers have successfully stabilized ferrocene molecules on a flat substrate for the first time, enabling the creation of an electronically controllable sliding molecular machine.

Artificial molecular machines, composed of only a few molecules, hold transformative potential across diverse fields, including catalysis, molecular electronics, medicine, and quantum materials. These nanoscale devices function by converting external stimuli, such as electrical signals, into controlled mechanical motion at the molecular level.

Ferrocene—a unique drum-shaped molecule featuring an iron (Fe) atom sandwiched between two five-membered carbon rings—is a standout candidate for molecular machinery. Its discovery, which earned the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1973, has positioned it as a foundational molecule in this area of study.

Exploiting an ingenious combination of photochemical (i.e., light-induced) reactions and self-assembly processes, a team led by Prof. Alberto Credi of the University of Bologna has succeeded in inserting a filiform molecule into the cavity of a ring-shaped molecule, according to a high-energy geometry that is not possible at thermodynamic equilibrium. In other words, light makes it possible to create a molecular “fit” that would otherwise be inaccessible.

“We have shown that by administering light energy to an aqueous solution, a molecular self-assembly reaction can be prevented from reaching a thermodynamic minimum, resulting in a product distribution that does not correspond to that observed at equilibrium,” says Alberto Credi.

“Such a behavior, which is at the root of many functions in living organisms, is poorly explored in artificial molecules because it is very difficult to plan and observe. The simplicity and versatility of our approach, together with the fact that visible light—i.e., sunlight—is a clean and sustainable energy source, allow us to foresee developments in various areas of technology and medicine.”

This groundbreaking approach could revolutionize technology and medicine by leveraging sunlight to develop innovative materials, smart drugs, and dynamic systems mimicking the non-equilibrium processes in living organisms.

Harnessing Light for Molecular Manipulation

Using a creative combination of light-driven (photochemical) reactions and molecular self-assembly, a research team led by Prof. Alberto Credi at the University of Bologna has achieved a groundbreaking feat. They successfully inserted a thread-like molecule into the cavity of a ring-shaped molecule, forming a high-energy structure that would normally be impossible under thermodynamic equilibrium. In essence, light enables the creation of molecular configurations that nature cannot achieve on its own.

Smartwatch bands from popular brands have been found to contain high concentrations of toxic for forever chemicals, also known as PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These synthetic chemicals do not break down easily in the environment and build in our bodies over time, hence earning them the nickname of forever chemicals.

PFAS are used in various consumer products, including non-stick cookware, water-resistant clothes, carpets, mattresses, food wraps, and more. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to serious health problems, including increased risks of certain cancers, hormone disruption, weakened immune systems, and developmental delays in children. These chemicals can leach into water, soil, and food, making them a growing public health concern worldwide.

A new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters has found that smartwatch bands made of fluoroelastomers contain a very high concentration of a forever chemical known as perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA).