Novel protein therapy shows promise as first-ever antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning

New protein therapy shows promise as first-ever antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning
The natural protein RcoM. Credit: University of Maryland School of Medicine

University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers, along with their colleagues, engineered a new molecule that appears promising as an effective antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning with fewer side effects than other molecules currently being tested, according to a new study published in the journal PNAS.

Carbon monoxide poisoning accounts for 50,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. each year and causes about 1,500 deaths. These deaths may occur when carbon monoxide released from combustion builds up in an enclosed space, which can result from ventilation failures in indoor natural gas burning equipment, or running gasoline generators or automobiles indoors or in a closed garage...

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Carbon-fiber smart plastic: Self-healing, shape-shifting and stronger than steel

Breakthrough smart plastic: Self-healing, shape-shifting, and stronger than steel

Aerospace engineering and materials science researchers at Texas A&M University have uncovered new properties of an ultra-durable, recyclable, smart plastic—paving the way for transformative applications in the defense, aerospace and automotive industries.

The research, published in Macromolecules and the Journal of Composite Materials, was led by Dr. Mohammad Naraghi, director of the Nanostructured Materials Lab and professor of aerospace engineering at Texas A&M, in close collaboration with Dr. Andreas Polycarpou at The University of Tulsa.

Their work explored the mechanical integrity, shape-recovery and self-healing properties of an advanced carbon-fiber plastic composite called Aromatic Thermosetting Copolyester (ATSP).

Healing damage on demand
ATSP opens new frontiers i...

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Astronomers spot the ‘Eye of Sauron’ in deep space

A stunning new image of a cosmic jet has helped astronomers unlock the mystery behind the usually bright emission of high-energy gamma rays and neutrinos from a peculiar celestial object. The source is a blazar—a type of active galaxy powered by a supermassive black hole devouring matter a the heart of a galaxy. They have captured what looks like the mythical “Eye of Sauron” in the distant universe and may have just solved a decade-long cosmic puzzle.

The researchers made a discovery that will help in understanding how a seemingly slow-moving blazar, known as PKS 1424+240, could be one of the brightest sources of high-energy gamma rays and cosmic neutrinos ever observed. The work is published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Located billions of light-years away, the bl...

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Gold survives impossible heat, defying physics limits

Researchers at SLAC’s Matter in Extreme Conditions (MEC) instrument used a laser to superheat a sample of gold. Then, they sent a pulse of ultrabright X-rays from the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) through the sample to measure the speed, and thus the temperature, of the atoms vibrating in the sample. Graphic credit: Greg Stewart/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Gold was superheated to 19,000 Kelvin without melting, defying physics and unlocking new possibilities in high-energy research. Physicists have heated gold to over 19,000 Kelvin, more than 14 times its melting point, without melting it, smashing the long-standing “entropy catastrophe” limit...

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