Glucagon receptor structures uncover new arrestin interaction mechanism
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are essential for cell signal transduction and constitute the largest drug target protein family. Upon agonist stimulation, these receptors activate multiple downstream transducers, including G proteins and arresti.....»»
No laughing matter, unfortunately: Why aggressive humor might pay for CEOs
Humor is central to human interaction and social perception. However, hardly any research has looked at how humor works in top management communication. This is where a new conceptual study comes in. Titled "Good Fun or Laughingstock? How CEO Humor A.....»»
Imaging technique shows new details of peptide structures
A new imaging technique developed by engineers at Washington University in St. Louis can give scientists a much closer look at fibril assemblies—stacks of peptides that include amyloid beta, most notably associated with Alzheimer's disease......»»
AI designs active pharmaceutical ingredients quickly and easily based on protein structures
A new computer process developed by chemists at ETH Zurich makes it possible to generate active pharmaceutical ingredients quickly and easily based on a protein's three-dimensional surface. The new process, detailed in Nature Communications, could re.....»»
New model extends theory of pattern formation to the nano-cosmos
A new model developed by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPI-DS) extends the theory of elastic phase separation towards nanoscopic structures. Such patterns are frequent in biological systems and also used.....»»
Gone in a puff of smoke: 52,000 square kilometers of "long unburnt" Australian habitat has vanished in 40 years
Landscapes that have escaped fire for decades or centuries tend to harbor vital structures for wildlife, such as tree hollows and large logs. But these "long unburnt" habitats can be eliminated by a single blaze......»»
CMS Collaboration observes new all-heavy quark structures
For over a decade, the CMS Collaboration, a large team of researchers based at different institutes worldwide, has been analyzing data collected at the Compact Muon Solenoid, a general-purpose particle detector at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC)......»»
Study shines light on properties and promise of hexagonal boron nitride, used in electronic and photonics technologies
Single-photon emitters (SPEs) are akin to microscopic lightbulbs that emit only one photon (a quantum of light) at a time. These tiny structures hold immense importance for the development of quantum technology, particularly in applications such as s.....»»
Supercomputer simulation reveals new mechanism for membrane fusion
An intricate simulation performed by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers using one of the world's most powerful supercomputers sheds new light on how proteins called SNAREs cause biological membranes to fuse......»»
Researchers uncover natural variation in wild emmer wheat for broad-spectrum disease resistance
Bread wheat is one of the most important staple crops for millions of people and is apparently the largest cultivated and traded cereal worldwide. Bread wheat is a hexaploid species with three subgenomes (2n = 6x = 42, AABBDD) that has undergone two.....»»
Advances in understanding the evolution of stomach loss in agastric fishes
Living beings can evolve to lose biological structures due to potential survival benefits from such losses. For example, certain groups of ray-finned fishes show such regressive evolution—medakas, minnows, puffera, and wrasses do not have a stomach.....»»
Researchers uncover details of how bacteria build protective barriers, may inform new antibiotics
Yale researchers have uncovered new details on how bacteria like E. coli build their protective barriers, which will inform new antibiotic development......»»
Here’s a Clever Way to Uncover America’s Voting Deserts
Mathematicians are using topological abstractions to find places poorly served by polling stations......»»
Key protein regulates immune response to viruses in mammal cells
Researchers have revealed the regulatory mechanism of a specific protein that plays a key role in balancing the immune response triggered by viral infections in mammal cells. These findings could help drive the development of antiviral therapies and.....»»
First evidence of ancient human occupation found in giant lava tube cave in Saudi Arabia
If you look from above, you can see thousands of stone structures dotting the landscape of the Arabian peninsula. On the ground, you can find a bounty of stone tools and ancient fireplaces scattered along the edges of ancient lakes, as well as rock a.....»»
How a calcium-sensing protein multitasks
The calcium-sensing receptor is critical for maintaining healthy calcium levels, but CaSR is also well-known for its side hustles. The receptor is increasingly recognized for its ability to detect other ions and proteins and for its role in breast ca.....»»
A powerful technique for tracking a protein"s fleeting shape changes
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have developed a powerful, new technique to generate "movies" of changing protein structures and speeds of up to 50 frames per second......»»
Spintronics: A new path to room temperature swirling spin textures
In some materials, spins form complex magnetic structures within the nanometer and micrometer scale in which the magnetization direction twists and curls along specific directions. Examples of such structures are magnetic bubbles, skyrmions, and magn.....»»
Studying spaceflight atrophy with machine learning
Even intense exercise by astronauts cannot compensate for muscle atrophy caused by microgravity. Atrophy occurs, in part, by way of an underlying mechanism that regulates calcium uptake. Recent research has shown exposure to spaceflight alters the up.....»»
Improved mid-infrared nanoscopy enables 30 times clearer view of the insides of bacteria
A team at the University of Tokyo have constructed an improved mid-infrared microscope, enabling them to see the structures inside living bacteria at the nanometer scale. Mid-infrared microscopy is typically limited by its low resolution, especially.....»»
Researchers uncover human DNA repair by nuclear metamorphosis
Researchers at the University of Toronto have discovered a DNA repair mechanism that advances understanding of how human cells stay healthy, and which could lead to new treatments for cancer and premature aging......»»