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Category: biotech/medical – Page 311

A fluid battery that can take any shape

Using electrodes in a fluid form, researchers at Linköping University have developed a battery that can take any shape. This soft and conformable battery can be integrated into future technology in a completely new way. Their study has been published in the journal Science Advances.

“The texture is a bit like toothpaste. The material can, for instance, be used in a 3D printer to shape the battery as you please. This opens up for a new type of technology,” says Aiman Rahmanudin, assistant professor at Linköping University.

It is estimated that more than a trillion gadgets will be connected to the Internet in 10 years’ time. In addition to traditional technology such as mobile phones, smartwatches and computers, this could involve wearable medical devices such as , pacemakers, hearing aids and various health monitoring sensors, and in the long term also , e-textiles and connected nerve implants.

Reshaping quantum dots production through continuous flow and sustainable technologies

As the demand for innovative materials continues to grow—particularly in response to today’s technological and environmental challenges—research into nanomaterials is emerging as a strategic field. Among these materials, quantum dots are attracting particular attention due to their unique properties and wide range of applications. A team of researchers from ULiège has recently made a significant contribution by proposing a more sustainable approach to the production of these nanostructures.

Quantum dots (QDs) are nanometer-sized semiconductor particles with unique optical and electronic properties. Their ability to absorb and emit light with high precision makes them ideal for use in , LEDs, medical imaging, and sensors.

In a recent study, researchers at ULiège developed the first intensified, scalable process to produce cadmium chalcogenide quantum dots (semiconducting compounds widely used in optoelectronics and nanotechnology) in water using a novel, biocompatible chalcogenide source (chemical elements such as sulfur, selenium, and tellurium).

Puberty triggers brain rewiring in genetic condition tied to autism, mouse study suggests

Changes in brain connectivity before and after puberty may explain why some children with a rare genetic disorder have a higher risk of developing autism or schizophrenia, according to a UCLA Health study.

Developmental psychiatric disorders like autism and schizophrenia are associated with changes in brain . However, the complexity of these conditions make it difficult to understand the underlying biological causes. By studying genetically defined , researchers at UCLA Health and collaborators have shed light on possible mechanisms.

The UCLA study examined a particular genetic condition called chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome—caused by missing DNA on chromosome 22—which is associated with a higher risk of developing neuropsychiatric conditions such as autism and schizophrenia. But the underlying biological basis of this association has not been well understood.

The Immune Molecule That Rewires Your Brain — From Anxiety to Sociability

A surprising link between the immune system and brain behavior is emerging, as new research reveals how a single immune molecule can affect both anxiety and sociability depending on which brain region it acts upon.

Scientists found that IL-17 behaves almost like a brain chemical, influencing neuron activity in ways that alter mood and behavior during illness. These findings suggest the immune system plays a much deeper role in shaping our mental states than previously thought, opening new doors for treating conditions like autism and anxiety through immune-based therapies.

Immune Molecules and Brain Behavior.

Diagnosis and Management of Children With Atypical Neuroinflammation

Pediatric neuroimmune disorders comprise a heterogeneous group of immune-mediated CNS inflammatory conditions. Some, such as multiple sclerosis, are well defined by validated diagnostic criteria. Others, such as anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, can be diagnosed with detection of specific autoantibodies. This review addresses neuroimmune disorders that neither feature a diagnosis-defining autoantibody nor meet criteria for a distinct clinicopathologic entity. A broad differential in these cases should include CNS infection, noninflammatory genetic disorders, toxic exposures, metabolic disturbances, and primary psychiatric disorders. Neuroimmune considerations addressed in this review include seronegative autoimmune encephalitis, seronegative demyelinating disorders such as neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, and genetic disorders of immune dysregulation or secondary neuroinflammation.

Small Extracellular Vesicles From Hypoxia-Neuron Maintain Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity

STROKE: Hypoxia induces neuronal release of CircOGDH in small extracellular vesicles to interact with endothelial cells for enhancing blood-brain barrier repair during acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Acute ischemic stroke disrupts communication between neurons and blood vessels in penumbral areas. How neurons and blood vessels cooperate to achieve blood-brain barrier repair remains unclear. Here, we reveal crosstalk between ischemic penumbral neurons and endothelial cells (ECs) mediated by circular RNA originating from oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (CircOGDH). METHODS: We analyzed clinical data from patients with acute ischemic stroke to explore the relationship between CircOGDH levels and hemorrhagic transformation events. In addition, a middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion mouse model with neuronal CircOGDH suppression was used to assess endothelial permeability.

CRISPR screen identifies EIF3D as critical regulator of stem cell pluripotency maintenance

A team of CiRA researchers has uncovered the crucial role of EIF3D—a protein translational regulator—in primed pluripotency. The research is published in the journal Science Advances.

According to the central dogma of molecular biology, information flows from DNA to RNA to protein. While much is known about —the ability to differentiate into any other cell type in the body and to divide indefinitely—in terms of transcriptional and epigenetic regulation, as well as , how protein translation ties these control mechanisms together remains largely underexplored.

To identify genes important for maintaining primed pluripotency—a state poised for differentiating into various cell types in the body, the research team, led by Associate Professor Kazutoshi Takahashi and Assistant Professor Chikako Okubo, began with a genome-wide genetic screen based on CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) that systemically reduces the expression of every single gene in the genome of a pluripotent stem cell (PSC) line.

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