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Beams of light through your head?
Yep, it’s possible

A team of researchers at the University of Glasgow recently proved that a beam of light can travel the entire span of an adult human head.

The team used high-powered computer models and extremely sensitive light detectors, shining the light into one side of the head and picking it up on the other side. This was once thought to be impossible.

The adult head is thick and packed with tissue that usually scatters or absorbs light, but with the right conditions (fair skin, no hair and a little patience), photons made the full 15.5 centimeter journey.

This is important because it could lead to non-invasive ways to observe deeper areas of the brain. Current tools like fNIRs can only reach the surface level and large, expensive equipment like MRI machines are required for this kind of brain inspection.

This could mean life-threatening conditions like brain bleeds or tumors may one day be identified without invasive surgeries or large-scale equipment.

It’s still early days, but the faint signal indicates that next-gen brain scans using only light may one day be in the cards.

The study was published in Neurophotonics.

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Warning signs of MS

A new study published in Nature Medicine identifies a new type of brain lesion in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) that might be an indicator of fast disease progression.

These broad rim lesions (BRLs) were mainly discovered in those whose MS progressed quickly, indicating they are an important clue for doctors.

BRLs are like hotspots of inflammation. They have a thick, active outer layer that is filled with immune cells that appear to create discord in the spinal cord and brain. Patients with these lesions were more prone to quicker disability and had more damage in essential parts of the nervous system.

By studying donor brain tissue and using high-tech imaging like PET scans, researchers were able to identify the lesions while people were still living. They were also able to identify a unique pattern of gene activity in BRLs and signs of stress inside cells.

Notably, the lesions may be used to predict the potential rapid decline of MS patients. Additionally, the research team identified possible targets for new treatments that may help to slow or stop the damage.

The findings may assist in earlier diagnosis, more effective treatment and possible new drugs for those facing aggressive forms of MS.

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Goodbye batteries, hello bugs

Rechargeable batteries have significantly reduced the environmental impact of battery waste, but there are still a lot of products out there requiring lithium-filled batteries that erode over time and leak chemicals into soil and water.

Researchers at Binghamton University have developed a tiny battery powered by probiotics to help, and it just dissolves after its battery life is depleted — no pollution, no recycling, no mess.

Rather than using toxic chemicals, the biobattery runs on 15 strains of innocuous probiotic bacteria. The power generated is straight from the natural process of these microbes just doing what they do — breaking down nutrients.

The device is printed on paper that ultimately dissolves in water and has a coating that breaks down in acidic environments like the human stomach or polluted soil.

Batteries aren’t part of the typical human diet, so why is this important?

The medical field is moving toward personalized medicine. Sometimes this means ingestible health monitors, implants, etc., that we would prefer not to leak toxins into our bodies. The limited low-power output is perfect for small devices like these offering up to 100 minutes use.

When it’s finished, it simply disappears — no toxic leftovers, no waste.

In future, versions could power even more impressive tech, but for now this is a significant step toward greener, safer and smarter electronics.

The paper was published in Small.

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Enzymes caught in the act

A protein that is not functioning the way it should could be the catalyst for an array of medical conditions like cancer and autoimmune diseases. So it makes sense that identifying and understanding what’s wrong with the protein can help develop treatments.

A recent study published in PNAS produced a breakthrough image of a powerful enzyme (a type of protein) involved in the body’s immune response that may offer a key route to how we treat these diseases.

The research team used cryo-electron microscopy, kind of like a camera for things at the molecular level, to look at the structure of ADAM17. This protein behaves like a pair of molecular scissors, removing other proteins off the cell to send important signals. ADAM17 needs a helper protein called iRhom2 to maintain stability and act as an action guide.

The researchers were able to work out how these two proteins fit together and how an antibody called MEDI3622 can plug ADAM17’s active site, keeping it from turning on. But they also found the solution — a hidden control switch of sorts in the iRhom2 protein that helps to connect signals from inside the cell to what’s going on outside.

Understanding these new functions may help in the design of more precise drugs that shut down ADAM17 when it’s misbehaving, without causing unwanted side effects, offering a clearer path to targeting inflammation at its root.

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Meet Glaphene

Brad and Angelina made Brangelina and now a mashup of names has hit the materials science world as scientists take graphene, known for its strength, flexibility and electrical conductivity, and mash it with a type of glass.

Scientists at Rice University have created Glaphene.

Graphene typically acts as a superconductor and the silica glass as an insulator, kind of like a wall that blocks electricity. When these opposites are layered together just right, some cool magic happens.

The atoms begin to communicate across layers, reshuffling their electrons. As a result, Glaphene becomes a semiconductor.

This means it can conduct electricity in a way for use in electronics like solar cells, sensors or futuristic computers. The technology we use daily, like cell phones, cannot function without semiconductors.

Future applications may include next-generation electronics, photonics and quantum devices.

The researchers emphasize this could lead to new ways to mix and match 2D materials and create something entirely new that could lead to custom-built materials tailored for specific functionalities in advanced tech.

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