Lifeboat Foundation

Researchers at UC San Diego identify a key pathway leading to neurodegeneration in early stages of ALS, hinting at the potential for short-circuiting the progression of the fatal disease if diagnosed early.

What do motion detectors, self-driving cars, chemical analyzers and satellites have in common? They all contain detectors for infrared (IR) light. At their core and besides readout electronics, such detectors usually consist of a crystalline semiconductor material.

Such materials are challenging to manufacture: They often require extreme conditions, such as a very high temperature, and a lot of energy. Empa researchers are convinced that there is an easier way. A team led by Ivan Shorubalko from the Transport at the Nanoscale Interfaces laboratory is working on miniaturized IR detectors made of colloidal quantum dots.

The words “quantum dots” do not sound like an easy concept to most people. Shorubalko explains, “The properties of a material depend not only on its chemical composition, but also on its dimensions.” If you produce tiny particles of a certain material, they may have different properties than larger pieces of the very same material. This is due to quantum effects, hence the name “quantum dots.”

While the technology itself is impressive, its true potential lies in how leaders manage its adoption. Fostering a culture of innovation and continuous learning is crucial for success in this new industrial era. Leaders must ensure that their workforce is not only comfortable with automation but is also empowered to collaborate with AI-driven systems. Upskilling and reskilling employees to work alongside AI will create a workforce capable of leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency.

It’s also essential for business leaders to prioritize cybersecurity and data privacy. The increased connectivity that comes with IIoT introduces new vulnerabilities, and safeguarding company and customer data must be a top priority.

AI, edge computing and IIoT represent a fundamental shift in the way industries operate. The future of manufacturing is not just automated. It is also intelligent, with systems that learn, predict and adapt in real time. For leaders, the challenge is not only implementing these technologies; it’s also fostering an environment of innovation where technology, data and human expertise work together to achieve operational excellence.

Researchers used a new screening technique to identify genes involved in heart cell damage during a common chemotherapy treatment. They also found a drug that may be able to prevent it.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos is throwing his weight behind a computing company that’s coming for Nvidia’s dominance of the artificial intelligence chip market.

Researchers have suspected for some time that the link between our gut and brain plays a role in the development of Parkinson’s disease.

A recent study identified gut microbes likely to be involved and linked them with decreased riboflavin (vitamin B2) and biotin (vitamin B7), pointing the way to an unexpectedly simple treatment that may help: B vitamins.

Continue reading “Parkinson’s Link to Gut Bacteria Suggests an Unexpected, Simple Treatment” »

Specially packaged DNA secreted by tumor cells can trigger an immune response that inhibits the metastatic spread of the tumor to the liver, according to a study led by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Korea’s Yonsei University. The discovery improves the scientific understanding of cancer progression and anticancer immunity, and could yield new clinical tools for assessing and reducing metastasis risk.

In the study, reported Dec. 3 in Nature Cancer, the researchers examined cancer cells’ secretion of short stretches of DNA packaged on tiny capsules called extracellular vesicles (EVs). All cells use EVs to secrete proteins, DNA and other molecules, and tumor cells are particularly active EV secreters.

The biological functions of these EV-packaged molecules are still being explored, but in this case, the researchers discovered that in various cancer types, EV-DNA secreted by tumor cells works as a “danger” signal that activates an anti-tumor response in the liver, reducing the risk of liver metastasis.

Communities of microbes (microbiomes), particularly in soils, can be startlingly diverse, with as many as 10,000 species in just a cup of material. Scientists are working to understand how microbiomes and their members respond to their environments. These processes can profoundly shape the properties and composition of soils.

In a pair of studies published in The ISME Journal, researchers investigated how different species of microbes interact with one another and exchange resources such as vitamins. The studies focused on corrinoids, the vitamin B12 family of nutrients. Many bacteria in the environment cannot produce these chemicals.

Focusing on a single type of nutrient enables the study of microbiomes in greater detail. The two studies further synergized by focusing on the same California grassland soil, allowing the researchers to generate a framework for understanding nutrient cycling in this system.

The question as to whether morality is innate has been hotly debated in developmental psychology for decades.

An international study with LMU participation provides evidence that our moral sense is not innate.