LIGO detected gravitational waves radiating from two black holes that crashed together about 1.3 billion years ago, simulation pictured. Researchers from Kyoto University have suggested the two black holes detected by Ligo could be ‘primordial’ black holes, instead of traditional black holes

An interdisciplinary team of physicists and astronomers at the University of Amsterdam’s GRAPPA Center of Excellence for Gravitation and Astroparticle Physics has devised a new strategy to search for ‘primordial’ black holes produced in the early universe. Such black holes are possibly responsible for the gravitational wave events observed by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory LIGO.

The researchers specifically show that the lack of bright X-ray and radio sources at the center of o...

Anti-diabetic action of all-trans retinoic acid and the orphan G protein coupled receptor GPRC5C in pancreatic β-cells

A new study suggests that vitamin A improves the insulin producing β-cell´s function. The researchers initially discovered that insulin-producing beta-cells contain a large quantity of a cell surface receptor for vitamin A. “There are no unnecessary surface receptors in human cells. They all serve a purpose but which, in many cases, is still unknown and because of that they are called “orphan” receptors...

In the periplasm — the space between the inner and outer membranes of a bacteria’s cell wall — defensive proteins that detect a poison assemble like barrel staves to form a tunnel between pumps in the cell’s inner and outer membranes to eject the intruders. Artist’s conception by Ace George Santiago. Credit: Ace George Santiago, Cornell University

By tagging a cell’s proteins with fluorescent beacons, Cornell researchers have found out how E. coli bacteria defend themselves against antibiotics and other poisons. When undesirable molecules show up, the bacterial cell opens a tunnel though its cell wall and “effluxes,” or pumps out, the intruders. “Dynamic assembly of these tunnels has long been hypothesized,” said Peng Chen, professor of chemistry and chemical biology. “Now we see them.”

Th...

Photo: An artists’ rendition of microparticles flowing through a channel and passing through electric fields, where they are detected electronically and barcode-scanned. Ella Marushchenko and Alexander Tokarev/Ella Maru Studios

Rutgers researchers invent technology that could lead to wearable biosensors. Imagine wearing a device that continuously analyzes your sweat or blood for different types of biomarkers, such as proteins that show you may have breast cancer or lung cancer, exposure to dangerous bacteria, viruses and pollutants.

“This is really important in the context of personalized medicine or personalized health monitoring,” said Mehdi Javanmard, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rutgers University-New Brunswick...