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Data-driven 3D chromosome model reveals structural and dynamic features of DNA

Chromosomes are masters of organization. These long strings of DNA fold down into an ensemble of compact structures that keep needed parts of the genome accessible while tucking away those that aren’t used as often. Understanding the complexity of these structures has been challenging; chromosomes are large systems, and deciphering the structure and dynamics requires a combination of experimental data and theoretical approaches.

The FI-Chrom method, described in a recent publication by Rice’s José Onuchic and Vinícius Contessoto, is a new and effective approach for creating 3D maps of chromosomes from real-world data.

The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A new route to synthesize multiple functionalized carbon nanohoops

The field of nanomaterials is witnessing a transformative shift at the intersection of organic chemistry and molecular engineering. Among the most promising molecular structures are carbon nanohoops, of which [n]cycloparaphenylenes ([n]CPPs) are a representative example.

These ring-shaped structures represent the smallest possible slices of carbon nanotubes, which themselves are a widely renowned material of the 21st century.

Given that their structures can, in principle, be precisely tuned at the atomic level, nanohoops hold great potential as molecular components for next-generation optoelectronic devices, including high-resolution displays, photonic circuits, and responsive sensing materials.

New study finds heart attacks involve brain and immune system, not just heart

Arteries become clogged. Blood flow is restricted and oxygen is cut off. The result is a heart attack, the world’s leading cause of death.

The conventional approach to studying and treating these episodes is to focus on the heart as an isolated organ. University of California San Diego research, led by the School of Biological Sciences, is upending the way heart attacks are viewed under a transformative new understanding of how cardiac events are interconnected with other systems.

In a study published in the journal Cell, Postdoctoral Scholar Saurabh Yadav, Assistant Professor Vineet Augustine and their colleagues describe a comprehensive new picture of heart attacks and their resulting damage by connecting the heart, the brain and the nervous and immune systems.

‘Spectral slimming’ yields ultranarrow plasmons in single metal nanoparticles

Researchers have developed a new strategy to overcome a long-standing limitation in plasmonic loss by reshaping light–matter interactions through substrate engineering.

“Why can’t plasmons achieve quality factors as high as dielectrics?” “Because metals heat up easily—they’re inherently lossy.” This exchange is almost inevitable whenever plasmonic nanostructures come up in a discussion.

Now, researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and international collaborators have shown that this long-held limitation is not as fundamental as once believed. The research team has demonstrated a powerful new strategy to control optical spectra at the nanoscale, enabling high-quality (high-Q) plasmonic hotspots in individual metal nanoparticles, a long-standing challenge to slim spectra in plasmonics.

Physicists eye emerging technology for solar cells in outer space

Solar cells face significant challenges when deployed in outer space, where extremes in the environment decrease the efficiency and longevity they enjoy back on Earth. University of Toledo physicists are taking on these challenges at the Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization, in line with a large-scale research project supported by the Air Force Research Laboratory.

One recent advancement pertains to an emerging technology that utilizes antimony compounds as light-absorbing semiconductors. A group of UToledo faculty and students recently published a first-of-its-kind assessment exploring the promising characteristics of these antimony chalcogenide-based solar cells for space applications in the journal Solar RRL, which highlighted the work on its front cover.

“Antimony chalcogenide solar cells exhibit superior radiation robustness compared to the conventional technologies we’re deploying in space,” said Alisha Adhikari, a doctoral student in physics who co-led the team of undergraduate, graduate and faculty researchers at UToledo. “But they’ll need to become much more efficient before they become a competitive alternative for future space missions.”

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