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Category: biotech/medical – Page 273

Amplifier with tenfold bandwidth opens up for super lasers

To ensure that information maintains a high quality and isn’t overwhelmed by noise, optical amplifiers are essential. The data transmission capacity of an optical communication system is largely determined by the amplifier’s bandwidth, which refers to the range of light wavelengths it can handle.

“The amplifiers currently used in optical communication systems have a bandwidth of approximately 30 nanometers. Our amplifier, however, boasts a bandwidth of 300 nanometers, enabling it to transmit ten times more data per second than those of existing systems,” explains Peter Andrekson, Professor of Photonics at Chalmers and lead author of the study published in Nature.

The rapidly increasing data traffic is placing ever greater demands on the capacity of communication systems. In an article published in the prestigious journal Nature, a research team from Chalmers University of Technology, in Sweden, introduces a new amplifier that enables the transmission of ten times more data per second than those of current fiber-optic systems. This amplifier, which fits on a small chip, holds significant potential for various critical laser systems, including those used in medical diagnostics and treatment.

The advancement of AI technology, the growing popularity of streaming services, and the proliferation of new smart devices are among the factors driving the expected doubling of data traffic by 2030. This surge is heightening the demand for communication systems capable of managing vast amounts of information.

Currently, optical communication systems are employed for the internet, telecommunications, and other data-intensive services. These systems utilise light to transmit information over long distances. The data is conveyed through laser pulses that travel at high speeds through optical fibers, which are composed of thin strands of glass.

Understanding mitochondrial protein import: a revised model of the presequence translocase

Mitochondrial function relies on the precise targeting and import of cytosolic proteins into mitochondrial subcompartments. Most matrix-targeted proteins follow the presequence pathway, which directs precursor proteins across the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) via the Translocase of the Outer Membrane (TOM) complex and into the matrix or inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) via the Translocase of the Inner Membrane 23 (TIM23) complex. While classical biochemical studies provided detailed mechanistic insights into the composition and mechanism of the TIM23 complex, recent cryogenic-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) data challenge these established models and propose a revised model of translocation in which the TIM17 subunit acts as a ‘slide’ for precursor proteins, with Tim23 acting as a structural element. In this review, we summarize existing models, highlighting the questions and data needed to reconcile these perspectives, and enhance our understanding of TIM23 complex function.

Abstract: Another reason to sleep!

Geoffrey Canet et al. discover wakefulness body temperature upregulates neuronal tau secretion and correlates with tau levels, highlighting the importance of sleep and thermoregulation in Alzheimer’s disease:

The figure shows temperature-dependent increase of colocalization between SDC3 (purple) and TauC3 (yellow) in primary mouse cortical neurons.

1Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, Québec City, Canada.

2Université Laval, Faculté de Médecine, Département de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Québec, Québec City, Canada.

3Université Laval, Faculté de Médecine, Département de Médecine Moléculaire, Québec, Québec City, Canada.

Researchers solve 50 year mystery following discovery of new blood group

Researchers discovered an entirely new human blood type after solving a 50-year mystery.

Back in 1972, doctors were stumped when a pregnant woman’s blood sample was missing a surface molecule that was present on everyone else’s red blood cells at the time. No one could explain it.

Fast forward fifty years, and scientists believe to have sussed it. The discovery led researchers from the UK and Israel to describe a new blood group system in humans, publishing their findings in 2024.

Santiago Ramón y Cajal

(Spanish: [sanˈtjaɣo raˈmon i kaˈxal] ; 1 May 1852 – 17 October 1934) [ 1 ] [ 2 ] was a Spanish neuroscientist, pathologist, and histologist specializing in neuroanatomy and the central nervous system. He and Camillo Golgi received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1906. [ 3 ] Ramón y Cajal was the first Spaniard to win a scientific Nobel Prize. His original investigations of the microscopic structure of the brain made him a pioneer of modern neuroscience.

A cell atlas to uncover significant shifts in the neuroblastoma tumor microenvironment

Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) developed a longitudinal atlas of neuroblastoma, a common and potentially deadly childhood cancer, to gain a deeper understanding into precise molecular mechanisms underlying why and how certain treatments eventually become ineffective.

The findings, which offer insights that could potentially lead to new personalized medicine approaches in treatment, were published today in the journal Nature Genetics.

Despite significant advances in the standard of care, the 5-year survival rate of high-risk neuroblastoma after diagnosis remains less than 50%. Neuroblastoma cells within the same tumor can vary greatly, which creates challenges in treatment efficacy. Until now, the scientific community lacked understanding of how the tumor microenvironment changes during treatment.

Children exposed to brain-harming chemicals while sleeping

Babies and young children may breathe and absorb plasticizers called phthalates, flame retardants, and other harmful chemicals from their mattresses while they sleep, according to a pair of studies published by the University of Toronto in Environmental Science & Technology and Environmental Science & Technology Letters. These chemicals are linked to neurological and reproductive problems, asthma, hormone disruption, and cancer.

“Sleep is vital for brain development, particularly for infants and toddlers. However, our research suggests that many mattresses contain chemicals that can harm kids’ brains,” says senior author Miriam Diamond, professor at the University of Toronto.

“This is a wake-up call for manufacturers and policymakers to ensure our children’s beds are safe and support healthy .”

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