C2N14 – ein energetisches und höchst empfindliches binäres Azidotetrazol

Step toward a Circular Economy?

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most common plastics. Discarded PET most often ends up in landfills or in the environment because the rate of recycling remains low. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a research team has now reported a zirconium-based metal–organic framework ma ... more

High Output Voltage

Proton batteries are an innovative and environmentally friendly type of battery in which charge is carried by protons, which are positively charged hydrogen ions. A team of researchers has now developed organic sulfonamides as a robust and flexible material for cathodes in these batteries. ... more

How Is Haze Formed?

Haze is formed when a cocktail of various gaseous pollutants is oxidized and forms particulate matter diffusing sunlight. This process is mainly mediated by hydroxyl radicals (OH), and researchers have now discovered a new route to their formation. This newly discovered radical-building mec ... more

The unfolding landscape of the congenital myasthenic syndromes

Abstract Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are heterogeneous disorders in which the safety margin of neuromuscular transmission is impaired by one or more specific mechanisms. Since the advent of next‐generation sequencing methods, the discovery of novel CMS targets and phenotypes ha ... more

Passive transfer models of myasthenia gravis with muscle‐specific kinase antibodies

Abstract Myasthenia gravis (MG) with antibodies to muscle‐specific kinase (MuSK) is characterized by fluctuating fatigable weakness. In MuSK MG, involvement of bulbar muscles, neck, and shoulder and respiratory weakness are more prominent than in acetylcholine receptor (AChR) MG. MuSK au ... more

Acetylcholine receptor antibody–mediated animal models of myasthenia gravis and the role of complement

Abstract Because of the failure of many promising therapeutics identified in preclinical evaluation, funding sources have established guidelines for increased rigor in animal evaluations. The myasthenia gravis (MG) community of scientists has developed guidelines for preclinical assessme ... more

Smart skin made of recyclable materials may transform medicine and robotics

Smart skin that can respond to external stimuli could have important applications in medicine and robotics. Using only items found in a typical household, researchers have created multi-sensor artificial skin that's capable of sensing pressure, temperature, humidity, proximity, pH, and air ... more

How mercury contamination affects reptiles in the Amazon basin

Mercury contamination in water and on land is of worldwide concern due to its toxic effects on ecosystems and human health. Mercury toxicity is of particular concern to reptiles because they are currently experiencing population declines. Also, reptiles are ideal indicators of mercury conta ... more

Bioengineers Succeed in Producing Plastic Without the use of Fossil Fuels

A team of pioneering South Korean scientists have succeeded in producing the polymers used for everyday plastics through bioengineering, rather than through the use of fossil fuel based chemicals. This groundbreaking research, which may now allow for the production of environmentally consci ... more