Science Highlights

Highlight Archive: 2009 | 08 | 07 | 06 | 05 | 04 | 03 | 02 | 01

How Botulism Paralyzes Nerve Cells: New Details Revealed
New structures of a botulism toxin interacting with a mimic of the nerve-cell protein it destroys suggest new ways to block this often-fatal interaction. Indeed, the mimic molecules have such high affinity for the toxin and bind to it so tightly that they themselves could possibly serve as anti-toxin drugs with further modification, the researchers said. The atomic-resolution structures were made at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory in collaboration with scientists from the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, and were published online on June 21, 2009, in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.

X-Rays for Early Alzheimer's Disease Detection
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory have demonstrated a new, highly detailed x-ray imaging technique that could be developed into a method for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The technique has previously been used to look at tumors in breast tissue and cartilage in human knee and ankle joints, but this study is the first to test its ability to visualize a class of miniscule plaques that are a hallmark feature of Alzheimer's disease. Their results will appear in the July 15, 2009 edition of the journal NeuroImage.

Discovery of an Unexpected Boost for Solar Water-Splitting Cells
A research team from Northeastern University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has discovered, serendipitously, that a residue of a process used to build arrays of titania nanotubes—a residue that wasn’t even noticed before this — plays an important role in improving the performance of the nanotubes in solar cells that produce hydrogen gas from water.

Researchers Discover "On Switch" for Cell Death Signaling Mechanism
Scientists at Burnham Institute for Medical Research have determined the structure of the interactions between proteins that form the heart of the death inducing signaling complex (DISC), which is responsible for triggering apoptosis (programmed cell death).

Researchers Find New Protein Function
A group of Dartmouth researchers has found a new function for one of the proteins involved with chromosome segregation during cell division. Their finding adds to the growing knowledge about the fundamental workings of cells, and contributes to understanding how cell function can go wrong, as it does with cancerous cells.

DNA-Based Assembly Line for Precision Nano-Cluster Construction
Building on the idea of using DNA to link up nanoparticles — particles measuring mere billionths of a meter — scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have designed a molecular assembly line for predictable, high-precision nano-construction. Such reliable, reproducible nanofabrication is essential for exploiting the unique properties of nanoparticles in applications such as biological sensors and devices for converting sunlight to electricity. The work was published online March 29, 2009, by Nature Materials.

Response of Pyrochlore to Extreme Conditions
At the NSLS, a team of researchers from the University of Michigan and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has demonstrated the effect of composition on the stability and response of the pyrochlore structure under high pressure and in a high radiation field. This study lays the foundation for understanding how complex ceramics will respond to the extreme environments, such as those in advanced nuclear reactors.