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Category: biotech/medical – Page 128

Diabetes drug may serve as alternative treatment option for hydrocephalus

A drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes may reduce excess fluid in the brains of patients with hydrocephalus, which could help treat the disease less invasively than current treatments, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Stephen Magill, MD, Ph.D., assistant professor of Neurological Surgery, was senior author of the study.

Normal pressure occurs when excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside the skull and puts pressure on the brain. The cause of the condition is elusive and affects up to 3% of individuals over the age of 65, with symptoms including , difficulty walking and bladder problems.

Nanodomains hold the key to next-generation solar cells, researchers find

A new study, published in Nature Nanotechnology and featured on the journal’s front cover this month, has uncovered insights into the tiny structures that could take solar energy to the next level.

Researchers from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CEB) have found that dynamic nanodomains within lead halide perovskites—materials at the forefront of solar cell innovation—hold a key to boosting their efficiency and stability. The findings reveal the nature of these microscopic structures, and how they impact the way electrons are energized by light and transported through the material, offering insights into more efficient solar cells.

The study was led by Milos Dubajic and Professor Sam Stranks from the Optoelectronic Materials and Device Spectroscopy Group at CEB, in collaboration with an international network, with key contributions from Imperial College London, UNSW Sydney, Colorado State University, ANSTO Sydney, and synchrotron facilities in Australia, the UK, and Germany.

Mist and sea spray create unique conditions for urea to form from simple gases

Urea is considered a possible key molecule in the origin of life. ETH researchers have discovered a previously unknown way in which this building block can form spontaneously on aqueous surfaces without the need for any additional energy.

Urea is one of the most important industrial chemicals produced worldwide. It is used as a fertilizer, for the production of synthetic resins and explosives and as a fuel additive for cleaning car exhaust gases. Urea is also believed to be a potential key building block for the formation of biological molecules such as RNA and DNA in connection with the question of the origin of life.

Until now, the origin of urea itself on early Earth has not been conclusively clarified.

Turning tap water into hydrogen: New strategy lets PEM electrolyzers use impure water

In recent years, energy engineers have been working on a wide range of technologies that could help to generate and store electrical power more sustainably. These include electrolyzers, devices that could use electricity sourced via photovoltaics, wind turbines or other energy technologies to split water (H2O) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2), via a process known as electrolysis.

The hydrogen produced by electrolyzers could in turn be used in fuel cells, devices that convert the chemical energy in hydrogen into electricity without combustion and could be used to power trucks, buses, forklifts and various other heavy vehicles, or could provide back-up power for hospitals, data centers and other facilities.

Many recently designed electrolyzers prompt the splitting of water into hydrogen using a (PEM), a membrane that selectively allows protons (H+) to pass through, while blocking gases.

New study identifies brain networks underlying psychopathy

A recent study has shed light on the brain structure differences associated with psychopathy—a condition known to be one of the strongest predictors of persistent violent behavior.

The findings are published in the journal European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience.

Using advanced neuroimaging and the Julich-Brain Atlas, researchers from Forschungszentrum Jülich, RWTH Aachen University, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Georg August University, (Germany) and University of Pennsylvania (U.S.) have identified specific brain networks that appear to be structurally altered in individuals exhibiting . The Atlas can be freely accessed via the EBRAINS Research Infrastructure.

Stronger Magnetic Fields Without Superconductors? Scientists Say Yes

Two German physicists have unveiled a compact magnet layout that outperforms the famed Halbach array, delivering stronger, more even magnetic fields without bulky superconductors.

Their 3D-printed ring stacks matched analytic predictions and could slash the cost of MRI machines while opening doors for levitation tech and particle accelerators.

Breakthrough in Magnetic Field Generation.

Kentucky invests $300,000 in space research to find cures for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis

The National Stem Cell Foundation, which is based in Louisville, has been awarded a $3.1 million grant from NASA to continue research on brain cell behavior in space as a way to find treatments and cures for neurogenerative conditions, and Kentucky is investing $300,000 toward the project as part of a 10% match.

Kentucky’s portion was allocated in the 2024 legislative session in Senate Bill 1. The announcement was made Wednesday, March 26 at the Kentucky State Capitol.

Pointing to the space research Kentucky students have done at the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics and NASA’s presence at Morehead State University, Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said it was easy for him and his colleagues to support this type of research in hopes of making Kentucky a hub for it.

The brain’s sweet spot: How criticality could unlock learning, memory—and prevent Alzheimer’s

Our brains may work best when teetering on the edge of chaos. A new theory suggests that criticality a sweet spot between order and randomness is the secret to learning, memory, and adaptability. When brains drift from this state, diseases like Alzheimer s can take hold. Detecting and restoring criticality could transform diagnosis and treatment.

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