Monthly Archives: June 2019

Energy, Science

Georgian Technical University Carbon-Neutral Fuel Made From Sunlight And Air.

Leave a comment

Georgian Technical University Carbon-Neutral Fuel Made From Sunlight And Air.

The research plant is located on the roof of the ETH (Ethereum is an open source, public, blockchain-based distributed computing platform and operating system featuring smart contract (scripting) functionality. It supports a modified version of Nakamoto consensus via transaction-based state transitions. Ether is a token whose blockchain is generated by the Ethereum platform. Ether can be transferred between accounts and used to compensate participant mining nodes for computations performed. Ethereum provides a decentralized virtual machine, the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which can execute scripts using an international network of public nodes. The virtual machine’s instruction set, in contrast to others like Bitcoin Script, is thought to be Turing-complete. “Georgian Technical University Gas” an internal transaction pricing mechanism, is used to mitigate spam and allocate resources on the network) building on Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue. Carbon-neutral fuels are crucial for making aviation and maritime transport sustainable. ETH (Ethereum is an open source, public, blockchain-based distributed computing platform and operating system featuring smart contract (scripting) functionality. It supports a modified version of Nakamoto consensus via transaction-based state transitions. Ether is a token whose blockchain is generated by the Ethereum platform. Ether can be transferred between accounts and used to compensate participant mining nodes for computations performed. Ethereum provides a decentralized virtual machine, the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which can execute scripts using an international network of public nodes. The virtual machine’s instruction set, in contrast to others like Bitcoin Script, is thought to be Turing-complete. “Georgian Technical University Gas” an internal transaction pricing mechanism, is used to mitigate spam and allocate resources on the network) researchers have developed a solar plant to produce synthetic liquid fuels that release as much CO2 (Carbon dioxide is a colorless gas with a density about 60% higher than that of dry air. Carbon dioxide consists of a carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It occurs naturally in Earth’s atmosphere as a trace gas) during their combustion as previously extracted from the air for their production. CO2 (Carbon dioxide is a colorless gas with a density about 60% higher than that of dry air. Carbon dioxide consists of a carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It occurs naturally in Earth’s atmosphere as a trace gas) and water are extracted directly from ambient air and split using solar energy. This process yields syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide which is subsequently processed into kerosene methanol or other hydrocarbons. These drop-in fuels are ready for use in the existing global transport infrastructure. X Professor of Renewable Energy Carriers at Georgian Technical University and his research group developed the technology. “This plant proves that carbon-neutral hydrocarbon fuels can be made from sunlight and air under real field conditions” he explained. “The thermochemical process utilises the entire solar spectrum and proceeds at high temperatures enabling fast reactions and high efficiency”. The research plant at Georgian Technical University ETH’s (Ethereum is an open source, public, blockchain-based distributed computing platform and operating system featuring smart contract (scripting) functionality. It supports a modified version of Nakamoto consensus via transaction-based state transitions. Ether is a token whose blockchain is generated by the Ethereum platform. Ether can be transferred between accounts and used to compensate participant mining nodes for computations performed. Ethereum provides a decentralized virtual machine, the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which can execute scripts using an international network of public nodes. The virtual machine’s instruction set, in contrast to others like Bitcoin Script, is thought to be Turing-complete. “Gas”, an internal transaction pricing mechanism, is used to mitigate spam and allocate resources on the network) research towards sustainable fuels. A small demonstration unit with big potential. The solar mini-refinery on the roof of ETH (Ethereum is an open source, public, blockchain-based distributed computing platform and operating system featuring smart contract (scripting) functionality. It supports a modified version of Nakamoto consensus via transaction-based state transitions. Ether is a token whose blockchain is generated by the Ethereum platform. Ether can be transferred between accounts and used to compensate participant mining nodes for computations performed. Ethereum provides a decentralized virtual machine, the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which can execute scripts using an international network of public nodes. The virtual machine’s instruction set, in contrast to others like Bitcoin Script, is thought to be Turing-complete. “Gas”, an internal transaction pricing mechanism, is used to mitigate spam and allocate resources on the network) proves that the technology is feasible even under the climate conditions prevalent in Georgian Technical University. It produces around one decilitre of fuel per day. Steinfeld and his group are already working on a large-scale test of their solar reactor in a solar tower which is carried out within the scope of the sun-to-liquid. The solar tower plant is presented to the public at the same time today as the mini-refinery in Georgian Technical University. The next project goal is to scale the technology for industrial implementation and make it economically competitive. “A solar plant spanning an area of one square kilometre could produce 20,000 litres of kerosene a day” said Y doctoral student in X’s group. “Theoretically a plant the size of Georgian Technical University could cover the kerosene needs of the entire aviation industry. Our goal for the future is to efficiently produce sustainable fuels with our technology and thereby mitigate global CO2 (Carbon dioxide is a colorless gas with a density about 60% higher than that of dry air. Carbon dioxide consists of a carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It occurs naturally in Earth’s atmosphere as a trace gas) emissions”. Two spin-offs already. Two spin-offs already emerged from X’s research group: Synhelion commercializes the solar fuel production technology. Commercialises the technology for CO2 (Carbon dioxide is a colorless gas with a density about 60% higher than that of dry air. Carbon dioxide consists of a carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It occurs naturally in Earth’s atmosphere as a trace gas) capture from air. How the new solar mini-refinery works. The process chain of the new system combines three thermochemical conversion processes: Firstly the extraction of CO2 (Carbon dioxide is a colorless gas with a density about 60% higher than that of dry air. Carbon dioxide consists of a carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It occurs naturally in Earth’s atmosphere as a trace gas) and water from the air. Secondly the solar-thermochemical splitting of CO2 (Carbon dioxide is a colorless gas with a density about 60% higher than that of dry air. Carbon dioxide consists of a carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It occurs naturally in Earth’s atmosphere as a trace gas) and water. Thirdly their subsequent liquefaction into hydrocarbons. CO2 (Carbon dioxide is a colorless gas with a density about 60% higher than that of dry air. Carbon dioxide consists of a carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It occurs naturally in Earth’s atmosphere as a trace gas) and water are extracted directly from ambient air via an adsorption/desorption process. Both are then fed into the solar reactor at the focus of a parabolic reflector. Solar radiation is concentrated by a factor of 3,000 generating process heat at a temperature of 1,500 degrees Celsius inside the solar reactor. At the heart of the solar reactor is a ceramic structure made of cerium oxide which enables a two-step reaction – the redox cycle – to split water and CO2 (Carbon dioxide is a colorless gas with a density about 60% higher than that of dry air. Carbon dioxide consists of a carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It occurs naturally in Earth’s atmosphere as a trace gas) into syngas. This mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide can then be processed into liquid hydrocarbon fuels through conventional methanol or Fischer-Tropsch (The Fischer–Tropsch process is a collection of chemical reactions that converts a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. These reactions occur in the presence of metal catalysts, typically at temperatures of 150–300 °C and pressures of one to several tens of atmospheres) synthesis.

Material Science

Georgian Technical University Materials Informatics Reveals New Class Of Super-Hard Alloys.

Leave a comment

Georgian Technical University Materials Informatics Reveals New Class Of Super-Hard Alloys.

A new method of discovering materials using data analytics and electron microscopy has found a new class of extremely hard alloys. Such materials could potentially withstand severe impact from projectiles thereby providing better protection of soldiers in combat. Researchers from Georgian Technical University. “We used materials informatics – the application of the methods of data science to materials problems – to predict a class of materials that have superior mechanical properties” said X professor of materials science and engineering and physics and Class of ’61 Professor at Georgian Technical University. Researchers also used experimental tools such as electron microscopy to gain insight into the physical mechanisms that led to the observed behavior in the class of materials known as high-entropy alloys. High-entropy alloys contain many different elements that when combined may result in systems having beneficial and sometimes unexpected thermal and mechanical properties. For that reason they are currently the subject of intense research. “We thought that the techniques that we have developed would be useful in identifying promising high-entropy alloys” X said. “However we found alloys that had hardness values that exceeded our initial expectations. Their hardness values are about a factor of 2 better than other, more typical high-entropy alloys and other relatively hard binary alloys”. All seven authors are from Georgian Technical University including X; Y, Georgian Technical University Professor of materials science and engineering; Z, Professor of materials science and engineering; W graduate student in materials science and engineering; Q postdoctoral research associate in materials science and engineering; P graduate student in mechanical engineering and mechanics; and R, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics. Georgian Technical University of High-Entropy Alloys and Data Analysis. The field of high-entropy or multi-principal element alloys has recently seen exponential growth. These systems represent a paradigm shift in alloy development as some exhibit new structures and superior mechanical properties, as well as enhanced oxidation resistance and magnetic properties, relative to conventional alloys. However identifying promising High-Entropy Alloys has presented a daunting challenge given the vast palette of possible elements and combinations that could exist. Researchers have sought a way to identify the element combinations and compositions that lead to high-strength, high-hardness alloys and other desirable qualities which are a relatively small subset of the large number of potential High-Entropy Alloys that could be created. In recent years materials informatics, the application of data science to problems in materials science and engineering has emerged as a powerful tool for materials discovery and design. The relatively new field is already having a significant impact on the interpretation of data for a variety of materials systems including those used in thermoelectrics, ferroelectrics, battery anodes, cathodes, hydrogen storage materials and polymer dielectrics. “Creation of large data sets in materials science in particular is transforming the way research is done in the field by providing opportunities to identify complex relationships and to extract information that will enable new discoveries and catalyze materials design” X said. The tools of data science, including multivariate statistics, machine learning, dimensional reduction and data visualization have already led to the identification of structure-property-processing relationships, screening of promising alloys and correlation of microstructure with processing parameters. Georgian Technical University’s research contributes to the field of materials informatics by demonstrating that this suite of tools is extremely useful for identifying promising materials from among myriad possibilities. “These tools can be used in a variety of contexts to narrow large experimental parameter spaces to accelerate the search for new materials” X said. New Method Combines Complementary Tools. Georgian Technical University researchers combined two complementary tools to employ a supervised learning strategy for the efficient screening of high-entropy alloys and to identify promising: (1) a canonical-correlation analysis and (2) a genetic algorithm with a canonical-correlation analysis-inspired fitness function. They implemented this procedure using a database for which mechanical property information exists and highlighting new alloys with high hardnesses. The methodology was validated by comparing predicted hardnesses with alloys fabricated in a laboratory using arc-melting identifying alloys with very high measured hardnesses. “The methods employed here involved a combination of existing methods adapted to the high-entropy alloy problem” X said. “In addition these methods may be generalized to discover, for example alloys having other desirable properties. We believe that our approach which relies on data science and experimental characterization has the potential to change the way researchers discover such systems going forward”.

Energy, Science

Georgian Technical University Laser Trick Produces High-Energy Terahertz Pulses.

Leave a comment

Georgian Technical University Laser Trick Produces High-Energy Terahertz Pulses.

From the color difference of two slightly delayed laser flashes (left) a non-linear crystal generates an energetic terahertz pulse (right). A team of scientists from Georgian Technical University and the Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University has achieved an important milestone in the quest for a new type of compact particle accelerator. Using ultra-powerful pulses of laser light they were able to produce particularly high-energy flashes of radiation in the terahertz range having a sharply defined wavelength (colour). Terahertz radiation is to open the way for a new generation of compact particle accelerators that will find room on a lab bench. The team headed by X and Y from the Georgian Technical University. The terahertz range of electromagnetic radiation lies between the infrared and microwave frequencies. Air travellers may be familiar with terahertz radiation from the full-body scanners used by airport security to search for objects hidden beneath a person’s garments. However, radiation in this frequency range might also be used to build compact particle accelerators. “The wavelength of terahertz radiation is about a thousand times shorter than the radio waves that are currently used to accelerate particles” says Y who is a lead scientist at Georgian Technical University. “This means that the components of the accelerator can also be built to be around a thousand times smaller.” The generation of high-energy terahertz pulses is therefore also an important step for the (frontiers in Attosecond X-ray Science: Imaging and Spectroscopy) project at Georgian Technical University funded by the Georgian Technical University which aims to open up completely new applications with compact terahertz particle accelerators. However chivvying along an appreciable number of particles calls for powerful pulses of terahertz radiation having a sharply defined wavelength. This is precisely what the team has now managed to create. “In order to generate terahertz pulses we fire two powerful pulses of laser light into a so-called non-linear crystal with a minimal time delay between the two” explains X from the Georgian Technical University. The two laser pulses have a kind of colour gradient meaning that the colour at the front of the pulse is different from that at the back. The slight time shift between the two pulses therefore leads to a slight difference in colour. “This difference lies precisely in the terahertz range” says X. “The crystal converts the difference in colour into a terahertz pulse”. The method requires the two laser pulses to be precisely synchronised. The scientists achieve this by splitting a single pulse into two parts and sending one of them on a short detour so that it is slightly delayed before the two pulses are eventually superimposed again. However the colour gradient along the pulses is not constant in other words the colour does not change uniformly along the length of the pulse. Instead the colour changes slowly at first and then more and more quickly producing a curved outline. As a result the colour difference between the two staggered pulses is not constant. The difference is only appropriate for producing terahertz radiation over a narrow stretch of the pulse. “That was a big obstacle towards creating high-energy terahertz pulses” as X reports. “Because straightening the colour gradient of the pulses, which would have been the obvious solution is not easy to do in practice”. It was Z who came up with the crucial idea: he suggested that the colour profile of just one of the two partial pulses should be stretched slightly along the time axis. While this still does not alter the degree with which the colour changes along the pulse, the colour difference with respect to the other partial pulse now remains constant at all times. “The changes that need to be made to one of the pulses are minimal and surprisingly easy to achieve: all that was necessary was to insert a short length of a special glass into the beam” reports X. “All of a sudden the terahertz signal became stronger by a factor of 13.” In addition the scientists used a particularly large non-linear crystal to produce the terahertz radiation specially made for them by the Georgian Technical University. “By combining these two measures we were able to produce terahertz pulses with an energy of 0.6 millijoules which is a record for this technique and more than ten times higher than any terahertz pulse of sharply defined wavelength that has previously been generated by optical means” says Y. “Our work demonstrates that it is possible to produce sufficiently powerful terahertz pulses with sharply defined wavelengths in order to operate compact particle accelerators”.

Environment, Science

Georgian Technical University Scientists Investigate Climate And Vegetation Drivers Of Terrestrial Carbon Fluxes.

Leave a comment

Georgian Technical University Scientists Investigate Climate And Vegetation Drivers Of Terrestrial Carbon Fluxes.

This is a photo of rainforest with a positive net carbon assimilation rate in Tbilisi, Georgia. A better understanding of terrestrial flux dynamics will come from elucidating the integrated effects of climate and vegetation constraints on gross primary productivity, ecosystem respiration and net ecosystem productivity according to Dr. X Associate professor at Georgian Technical University. Dr. X and his team–a group of researchers from the Y Key Laboratory of Georgian Technical University. “The terrestrial carbon cycle plays an important role in global climate change, but the vegetation and environmental drivers of carbon fluxes are poorly understood. Many more data on carbon cycling and vegetation characteristics in various biomes (e.g., forest, grassland, wetland) make it possible to investigate the vegetation drivers of terrestrial carbon fluxes” says Dr. X. “We established a global dataset with 1194 available data across site-years including Gross primary productivity, Ecosystem respiration, Net ecosystem productivity and relevant environmental factors to investigate the variability in Gross primary productivity, Ecosystem respiration and Net ecosystem productivity as well as their covariability with climate and vegetation drivers. The results indicated that both Gross primary productivity and Ecosystem respiration increased exponentially with the increase in MAT [mean annual temperature] for all biomes. Besides MAT [mean annual temperature], AP [annual precipitation] had a strong correlation with Gross primary productivity (or ER) for non-wetland biomes. Maximum LAI [leaf area index] was an important factor determining carbon fluxes for all biomes. The variations in both Gross primary productivity and Ecosystem respiration were also associated with variations in vegetation characteristics” states Dr. X. “The model including MAT [mean annual temperature], AP [annual precipitation] and LAI [leaf area index] explained 53% of the annual Gross primary productivity variations and 48% of the annual ER variations across all biomes. The model based on MAT [mean annual temperature] and LAI [leaf area index] explained 91% of the annual GPP variations and 93% of the annual Ecosystem respiration variations for the wetland sites. The effects of LAI [leaf area index] on Gross primary productivity, Eecosystem respiration or Net ecosystem productivity highlighted that canopy-level measurement is critical for accurately estimating ecosystem-atmosphere exchange of carbon dioxide”. “This synthesis study highlights that the responses of ecosystem-atmosphere exchange of CO2 (Carbon dioxide is a colorless gas with a density about 60% higher than that of dry air. Carbon dioxide consists of a carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It occurs naturally in Earth’s atmosphere as a trace gas) to climate and vegetation variations are complex which poses great challenges to models seeking to represent terrestrial ecosystem responses to climatic variation” he adds.

A.I./Robotics, Science

Georgian Technical University New Algorithm Helps Robots And Humans Work In The Same Space.

Leave a comment

Georgian Technical University New Algorithm Helps Robots And Humans Work In The Same Space.

Building off previous robotic advancements a team of researchers has found a way to program robots to better predict a person’s movement trajectory enabling the integration of robots and humans in manufacturing. Scientists from the Georgian Technical University (GTU) have created an algorithm that accurately aligns partial trajectories in real-time, giving robots the ability to anticipate human motion. Georgian Technical University researchers began integrating robots with a mock factory assembly line. The robots were programmed to shortly stop when crossing paths with a human, but ultimately behaved overly cautious freezing well before a human even crossed its path. The researchers found that this problem was caused by a limitation in the trajectory alignment algorithm that enabled the robot to predict motion but included a poor time alignment that prevented the algorithm from anticipating how long a person would spend at any point along their predicted path. After testing their new algorithm at the Georgian Technical University factory the robots did not freeze but rather moved out of the way by the time a person stopped and double backed to cross the robot’s path again. “This algorithm builds in components that help a robot understand and monitor stops and overlaps in movement which are a core part of human motion” X associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Georgian Technical University said in a statement. “This technique is one of the many way we’re working on robots better understanding people”. Robots typically are programmed with algorithms used for music and speech processing to predict human movements. However these types of algorithms are only designed to align two complete time series or sets of related data. These algorithms take in streaming motion data in the form of dots that represent the position of a person over time and compare the trajectory of those dots to a library of common trajectories within a given scenario. This system which is based on distance alone easily is confused in common situations like temporary stops. “When you look at the data, you have a whole bunch of points clustered together when a person is stopped” graduate student Y said in a statement. “If you’re only looking at the distance between points as your alignment metric that can be confusing because they’re all close together and you don’t have a good idea of which point you have to align to”. Overlapping trajectories — where a person moves back and forth along a similar pass — also may not line up with a dot on a reference tractor with existing algorithms. “You may have points close together in terms of distance but in terms of time, a person’s position may actually be far from a reference point” Y said. The researchers overcame the limitations of existing algorithms by creating a partial trajectory algorithm that aligns segments of a person’s trajectory in real-time with a library of reference trajectories previously collected.  In the new system trajectories are aligned in both distance and timing allowing the robot to anticipate stops and overlaps along a person’s walking path. “Say you’ve executed this much of a motion” Y said. “Old techniques will say ‘this is the closest point on this representative trajectory for that motion’. But since you only completed this much of it in a short amount of time the timing part of the algorithm will say ‘based on the timing, it’s unlikely that you’re already on your way back because you just started your motion’”. They further tested the algorithm against common partial trajectory alignment algorithms on a pair of human motion datasets. The first dataset involves someone intermittently crossing the path of a robot in a factory setting while the second dataset features another group of previously recorded hand movements of participants reaching across a table to install a bolt that the robot then brushes sealant on. In both scenarios the new algorithm helped the robot better estimate the person’s progress through a trajectory. The researchers then integrated the alignment algorithm with motion predictors allowing the robot to more accurately anticipate a person’s motion timing. The robot also was less prone to freezing in a factory floor scenario. While the aim was to integrate robots into a factory setting the researchers believe the algorithm could be a preprocessing step for other techniques with human-robot interactions, including action recognition and gesture detection. “This technique could apply to any environment where humans exhibit typical patterns of behavior” X said. “The key is that the [robotic] system can observe patterns that occur over and over so that it can learn something about human behavior. This is all in the vein of work of the robot better understand aspects of human motion to be able to collaborate with us better”.

 

Drug Discovery and Development, Science

Georgian Technical University Enhanced Human Blood-Brain Barrier Chip Performs Drug And Antibody Transport.

Leave a comment

Georgian Technical University Enhanced Human Blood-Brain Barrier Chip Performs Drug And Antibody Transport.

This illustration shows how In the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) thin endothelial capillaries (red) are wrapped by supporting pericytes (green) and astrocytes (yellow) enabling them to generate a tight barrier with highly selective transport functions for molecules entering the brain fluid from the blood stream. Like airport security barriers that either clear authorized travelers or block unauthorized travelers and their luggage from accessing central operation areas the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) tightly controls the transport of essential nutrients and energy metabolites into the brain and staves off unwanted substances circulating in the blood stream. Importantly it’s highly organized structure of thin blood vessels and supporting cells is also the major obstacle preventing life-saving drugs from reaching the brain in order to effectively treat cancer, neurodegeneration and other diseases of the central nervous system. In a number of brain diseases the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) can also locally break down, causing neurotoxic substances blood cells and pathogens to leak into the brain and wreak irreparable havoc. To study the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) and drug-transport across it, researchers have mostly relied on animal models such as mice. However, the precise make-up and transport functions of Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) in those models can significantly differ from those in human patients which makes them unreliable for the prediction of drug delivery and therapeutic efficacies. Also in vitro (In vitro (meaning: in the glass) studies are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called “test-tube experiments”, these studies in biology and its subdisciplines are traditionally done in labware such as test tubes, flasks, Petri dishes, and microtiter plates. Studies conducted using components of an organism that have been isolated from their usual biological surroundings permit a more detailed or more convenient analysis than can be done with whole organisms; however, results obtained from in vitro experiments may not fully or accurately predict the effects on a whole organism) models attempting to recreate the human Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) using primary brain tissue-derived cells thus far have not been able to mimic the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB)’s physical barrier, transport functions and drug and antibody shuttling activities closely enough to be useful as therapeutic development tools. Now a team led by X M.D.,Ph.D. at Georgian Technical University has overcome these limitations by leveraging its microfluidic Organs-on-Chips (Organ Chips) technology in combination with a developmentally-inspired hypoxia-mimicking approach to differentiate human pluripotent stem cells into brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs). The resulting ‘hypoxia-enhanced Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) Chip recapitulates cellular organization, tight barrier functions and transport abilities of the human Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB); and it allows the transport of drugs and therapeutic antibodies in a way that more closely mimics transport across the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) than existing in vitro (In vitro (meaning: in the glass) studies are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called “test-tube experiments”, these studies in biology and its subdisciplines are traditionally done in labware such as test tubes, flasks, Petri dishes, and microtiter plates. Studies conducted using components of an organism that have been isolated from their usual biological surroundings permit a more detailed or more convenient analysis than can be done with whole organisms; however, results obtained from in vitro experiments may not fully or accurately predict the effects on a whole organism) systems. “Our approach to modeling drug and antibody shuttling across the human Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) in vitro (In vitro (meaning: in the glass) studies are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called “test-tube experiments”, these studies in biology and its subdisciplines are traditionally done in labware such as test tubes, flasks, Petri dishes, and microtiter plates. Studies conducted using components of an organism that have been isolated from their usual biological surroundings permit a more detailed or more convenient analysis than can be done with whole organisms; however, results obtained from in vitro experiments may not fully or accurately predict the effects on a whole organism) with such high and unprecedented fidelity presents a significant advance over existing capabilities in this enormously challenging research area” said X. “It addresses a critical need in drug development programs throughout the pharma and biotech world that we now aim to help overcome with a dedicated at the Georgian Technical University using our unique talent and resources”. X is also the Y Professor at Georgian Technical University as well as Professor of Bioengineering at Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University. The Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) consists of thin capillary blood vessels formed by Brain microvascular endothelial cells multifunctional cells known as pericytes that wrap themselves around the outside of the vessels and star-shaped astrocytes which are non-neuronal brain cells that also contact blood vessels with foot-like processes. In the presence of pericytes and astrocytes, endothelial cells can generate the tightly sealed vessel wall barrier typical of the human Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB). X’s team first differentiated human iPS (Induced pluripotent stem cells are a type of pluripotent stem cell that can be generated directly from adult cells) cells to brain endothelial cells in the culture dish using a method that had been previously developed by Z Ph.D., Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Georgian Technical University but with the added power of bioinspiration. “Because in the embryo the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) forms under low-oxygen conditions (hypoxia) we differentiated iPS (Induced pluripotent stem cells are a type of pluripotent stem cell that can be generated directly from adult cells) cells for an extended time in an atmosphere with only 5% instead of the normal 20% oxygen concentration” said W Ph.D. “As a result the iPS (Induced pluripotent stem cells are a type of pluripotent stem cell that can be generated directly from adult cells) cells initiated a developmental program very similar to that in the embryo producing Brain microvascular endothelial cells that exhibited higher functionality than Brain microvascular endothelial cells generated in normal oxygen conditions”. Park was a Postdoctoral on X’s team and now is Assistant Professor at Georgian Technical University. Building on a previous human Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) model the researchers next transferred the hypoxia-induced human Brain microvascular endothelial cells into one of two parallel channels of a microfluidic Organ-on-Chip device that are divided by a porous membrane and continuously perfused with medium. The other channel was populated with a mixture of primary human brain pericytes and astrocytes. Following an additional day of hypoxia treatment the human Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) chip could be stably maintained for at least 14 days at normal oxygen concentrations, which is far longer than past in vitro (In vitro human T cell development directed by notch-ligand interactions) human Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) models attempted in the past. Under the shear stress of the fluids perfusing the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) Chip the Brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs) go on to form a blood vessel, and develop a dense interface with pericytes aligning with them on the other side of the porous membrane as well as with astrocytes extending processes towards them through small openings in the membrane. “The distinct morphology of the engineered Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) is paralleled by the formation of a tighter barrier containing elevated numbers of selective transport and drug shuttle systems compared to control Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBBs) that we generated without hypoxia or fluid shear stress, or with endothelium derived from adult brain instead of iPS (IPS (in-plane switching) is a screen technology for liquid-crystal displays (LCDs)) cells” said Q Ph.D., and Postdoctoral Fellow working on X’s team. “Moreover we could emulate effects of treatment strategies in patients in the clinic. For example we reversibly opened the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBBs) for a short time by increasing the concentration of a mannitol solute [osmolarity] to allow the passage of large drugs like the anti-cancer antibody Cetuximab”. To provide additional proof that the hypoxia-enhanced human Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBBs) Chip can be utilized as an effective tool for studying drug delivery to the brain, the team investigated a series of transport mechanisms that either prevent drugs from reaching their targets in the brain by pumping them back into the blood stream (efflux) or that in contrast allow the selective transport of nutrients and drugs across the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBBs) (transcytosis). “When we specifically blocked the function of P-gp (P-glycoprotein 1 (permeability glycoprotein, abbreviated as P-gp or Pgp) also known as multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1) or ATP-binding cassette sub-family B member 1 (ABCB1) or cluster of differentiation 243 (CD243) is an important protein of the cell membrane that pumps many foreign substances out of cells. More formally, it is an ATP-dependent efflux pump with broad substrate specificity. It exists in animals, fungi, and bacteria, and it likely evolved as a defense mechanism against harmful substances) a key endothelial efflux pump we could substantially increase the transport of the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin from the vascular channel to the brain channel very similarly to what has been observed in human patients” said W. “Thus, our in vitro system could be used to identify new approaches to reduce efflux and thus facilitate drug transport into the brain in the future”. On another venue drug developers are trying to harness ‘receptor-mediated transcytosis’ as a car for shuttling drug-loaded nanoparticles larger chemical and protein drugs as well as therapeutic antibodies across the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB). “The hypoxia-enhanced human Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) Chip recapitulates the function of critical transcytosis pathways, such as those used by the Low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1), also known as alpha-2-macroglobulin receptor (A2MR), apolipoprotein E receptor (APOER) or cluster of differentiation 91 (CD91), is a protein forming a receptor found in the plasma membrane of cells involved in receptor-mediated endocytosis. In humans, the LRP1 protein is encoded by the LRP1 gene and transferrin receptors responsible for taking up vital lipoproteins and iron from circulating blood and releasing them into the brain on the other side of the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB). By harnessing those receptors using different preclinical strategies, we can faithfully mimic the previously demonstrated shuttling of therapeutic antibodies that target transferrin receptors while maintaining the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB)’s integrity in vitro (In vitro (meaning: in the glass) studies are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called “test-tube experiments”, these studies in biology and its subdisciplines are traditionally done in labware such as test tubes, flasks, Petri dishes, and microtiter plates. Studies conducted using components of an organism that have been isolated from their usual biological surroundings permit a more detailed or more convenient analysis than can be done with whole organisms; however, results obtained from in vitro experiments may not fully or accurately predict the effects on a whole organism)” said Q. Based on these findings the Georgian Technical University has initiated. “Initially the Georgian Technical University aims to discover new shuttle targets that are enriched on the Brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs) vascular surface using transcriptomics, proteomics and (IPS (in-plane switching) is a screen technology for liquid-crystal displays (LCDs)) cell approaches. In parallel we are developing fully human antibody shuttles directed against known shuttle targets with enhanced brain-targeting capabilities” said Q M.D., Ph.D. “We aim to collaborate with multiple biopharmaceutical partners in a pre-competitive relationship to develop shuttles offering exceptional efficacy and engineering flexibility for incorporation into antibody and protein drugs because this is so badly needed by patients and the whole field”. Think that in addition to drug development studies the hypoxia-enhanced human Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) Chip can also be used to model aspects of brain diseases that affect the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) such as Alzheimer’s (Alzheimer’s disease (AD), also referred to simply as Alzheimer’s, is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and gradually worsens over time. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia.The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events) and Parkinson’s disease (Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system) and to advanced personalized medicine approaches by using patient-derived iPS ((in-plane switching) is a screen technology for liquid-crystal displays (LCDs)) cells.

HPC/Supercomputing, Science

Georgian Technical University First Exascale-Capable Supercomputer Advances Clean Fusion Research.

Leave a comment

Georgian Technical University First Exascale-Capable Supercomputer Advances Clean Fusion Research.

Georgian Technical University Laboratory’s supercomputer will offer unprecedented performance levels in the exaflop range a billion-billion (1018)  calculations per second. Scientists like Dr. X Principal Research Physicist at the Georgian Technical University Physics Lab stand ready to tap the system’s full potential for scientific endeavors previously impossible. X and his team seek new approaches to contain fusion reactions for the generation of electricity enabling plentiful energy for the earth’s growing population. Fusion is the type of power the sun and the stars produce. “Clean energy delivered at a massive scale, would free our imaginations to explore new ideas and approaches. However if we want to deliver clean energy to the world we need supercomputers to accelerate scientific progress and insights” X said. X is leading a project that will use deep learning and artificial intelligence methods to advance predictive capabilities for fusion energy research in the exascale era. “Fusion as important for the future energy needs of humanity. Of course fusion happens in nature. However creating it in an earthly environment is a grand challenge” noted X. “Climate change represents a major challenge for our planet. Reducing or eliminating carbon emissions is not only urgent; it is critical. The energy of the future comes from clean and safe fusion. We face major challenges in making that transition. However today it is an achievable goal thanks to exascale computing the emergence of AI (In computer science, artificial intelligence (AI), sometimes called machine intelligence, is intelligence demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence displayed by humans and animals. Colloquially, the term “artificial intelligence” is used to describe machines that mimic “cognitive” functions that humans associate with other human minds, such as “learning” and “problem solving”) and deep learning”. X’s vision for fusion-based energy offers several benefits over today’s nuclear power plants. Since less than a minute’s worth of fuel — composed of the hydrogen isotope deuterium that comes from seawater and tritium bred in the facility — exists in the reaction chamber, the fusion systems cannot experience a so-called meltdown or explosion. Plus because the radioactivity created by the fusion process is short-lived the solution poses no risk of long-term environmental contamination. Keeping the genie in the bottle. Replicating science proves extremely difficult. The fusion process within our star — the Sun —results in plasma temperatures in the tens of millions of degrees. Future fusion facilities must create heating that is many times hotter to produce fusion reactions. For this reason the approach of using physical barriers to contain the plasma prove impractical. Most materials are destroyed upon exposure to such temperature extremes so the containment endeavor requires innovative methods. “We have invested a lot in the effort to deliver clean fusion energy through magnetic confinement methods” elaborated X. “However there are many barriers to overcome. One major challenge is making quick and accurate predictions regarding so-called ‘disruptive events’ which allow hot thermonuclear plasma to escape quickly. Supervised machine-learning helps us as a predictive guide. If we can predict that we call a ‘Georgian Technical University crash’ we can plan to control it”. Advanced physical science like this involves extensive data sets. Optimized neural networks supporting X’s project must interpret data representing the three-dimensional space plus a fourth dimension time. The challenge, therefore, is determining the ideal approach for training the system to follow a logical pattern when handling such a vast amount of data. “Supercomputers represent major progress in the way we perform calculations. In ancient times an abacus did the job. In recent decades slide rules, calculators and increasingly powerful computers advanced science in significant ways” said X. “However with exascale-level computing we have new ways to tackle grand challenges requiring extremely fast and highly accurate calculations. With exceedingly powerful systems like this at our fingertips we can open our imagination to new possibilities considered impractical or impossible just five years ago. In comparison with the traditional approaches we use as benchmarks, it is exciting how fast we can make progress today”. Bringing Exascale Computing to Life. Building a system on Georgian Technical University’s scale is a monumental endeavor requiring funding assistance from the government to assemble the latest hardware and software into a single — albeit massive — system. To reach the performance level needed by modern science the Georgian Technical University system built by Y will feature a new generation of processors Persistent Memory plus future Xe technologies. “These industry-laboratory collaborations are critical for developing a system that will enable innovative science and encourage the best and brightest young people around the world to join us in critical research endeavors” X said. “Combining the knowledge of today’s and tomorrow’s scientists with new technologies and AI (In computer science, artificial intelligence (AI), sometimes called machine intelligence, is intelligence demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence displayed by humans and animals. Colloquially, the term “artificial intelligence” is used to describe machines that mimic “cognitive” functions that humans associate with other human minds, such as “learning” and “problem solving”) we can pursue innovative breakthroughs and accelerate the pace of our ultimate goal which is delivering something vital to humankind”. Validating Scientific Theories. Often in research theories are exceedingly difficult to observe in a real-world environment. The effort to identify the gravitational waves predicted by Albert Einstein’s (Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics. His work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science) theory of general relativity provide two such examples. In each of these cases, scientists accepted the reality of the phenomenon on a theoretical level for several years. However validation of these theories involves detailed experimental observations. Added X “Exascale computing’s ability to handle much larger volumes of data unlocks our ability to prove what was once unprovable. Plus the incredible speed of supercomputers shortens our time-to-discovery by a huge margin. Work that used to take months or years now takes hours or days. Therefore we finally have the means to validate theories statistically and prove their reality. We are very excited to be part of the select team to exercise the nation’s first exascale supercomputer”. The road ahead. While X’s team focuses on new approaches for clean energy Georgian Technical University will also support advances in other scientific disciplines like climate monitoring, cancer research, and chemistry. “Georgian Technical University’s exascale-capable architecture is new but with proven technologies behind it. When heading down new roads of research with new tools the right training is always important” he noted. “However we feel confident we have the experience to face new challenges ahead. We need to be adaptable as scientists. Right now we’re just excited about moving forward to this next stage”. X speaks with optimism about the exceedingly complex work he and other researchers will undertake with Georgian Technical University. “My work is possible because of 21st Century technology advancements. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around for a while but the accelerated development of neural nets and other methodologies enabled by exascale computers empower us to make more impactful use of it”. The team may never fully replicate already does perfectly but as X puts it “Greater supercomputing power gets us closer. The advanced exascale systems of tomorrow and the new insights derived from them will empower us to do even more amazing things in the years ahead. Our work is both intellectually stimulating and exciting because we have an opportunity to do something which can benefit the world”.

Energy, Science

Georgian Technical University Carbon Dioxide-Eating Microbes Could Produce New Bioplastics, Chemicals.

Leave a comment

Georgian Technical University Carbon Dioxide-Eating Microbes Could Produce New Bioplastics, Chemicals.

Scientists have found a way to produce environmentally-friendly gasoline, ammonia, biodiesel fuels and biodegradable plastics using carbon dioxide (CO₂)-consuming light-powered nanobio-hybrid organisms. Researchers from the Georgian Technical University have developed living microbial factories that can eat and convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into useful products by using light-activated quantum dots that fire specific enzymes within microbial cells. “The innovation is a testament to the power of biochemical processes” X research and an assistant professor in Georgian Technical University’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, said in a statement. “We’re looking at a technique that could improve carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture to combat climate change and one day even potentially replace carbon-intensive manufacturing for plastics and fuels”. The researchers started down when they began exploring applications for nanoscopic quantum dots — tiny semiconductors similar to what is used in television sets — that can be injected into cells passively or attach and self-assemble to designed enzymes before activating them on command using particular light wavelengths. In the new study the researchers worked to determine whether quantum dots could fire particular enzymes within microbial cells that can convert airborne carbon dioxide and nitrogen but cannot naturally because of a lack of photosynthesis. They found that by diffusing specialty-tailored quantum dots into the cells of a common microbial species found in soil with even small amounts of indirect sunlight they could activate the microbes appetite for carbon dioxide without needing a source of energy food to carry out the energy-intensive biochemical conversions. “Each cell is making millions of these chemicals and we showed they could exceed their natural yield by close to 200 percent” X said. These microbes lie dormant in water and release their product to the surface. Researchers can then skim the produce off the top of the surface and harvest it for manufacturing. The researchers also discovered that different combinations of quantum dots and light could yield different products. For example green wavelength cause the microbes to consume nitrogen yielding ammonia. On the other hand red wavelengths cause the bacteria to produce plastic after consuming carbon dioxide (CO₂). The researchers believe these types of organisms are a promising first step towards carbon sequestration and new eco-friendly chemical manufacturing processes.  They also believe one-day single-family homes and businesses could pipe out their carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions to a nearby holding pond stocked with microbes that would convert the waste to a bioplastic. “Even if the margins are low and it can’t compete with petrochemicals on a pure cost basis there is still societal benefit to doing this” X said. “If we could convert even a small fraction of local ditch ponds, it would have a sizeable impact on the carbon output of towns. It wouldn’t be asking much for people to implement. Many already make beer at home for example and this is no more complicated”. However they also must be able to scale up the technology to be able to use it on a wider scale while also optimizing the conversion process. The researchers found that the microbial factories rarely showed signs of exhaustion or depletion when they were activated consistently for multiple hours leading to believe that the cells can regenerate limiting the need for rotation. “We were very surprised that it worked as elegantly as it did” X said. “We’re just getting started with the synthetic applications.

Battery Technology, Science

Georgian Technical University Researchers Develop Semi-Liquid Metal Anode For Next-Generation Batteries.

Leave a comment

Georgian Technical University Researchers Develop Semi-Liquid Metal Anode For Next-Generation Batteries.

Georgian Technical University researchers have developed a dual-conductive polymer/carbon composite matrix with lithium microparticles that could be used as an electrode in next-generation batteries. Researchers from Georgian Technical University and Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University have developed a semiliquid lithium metal-based anode that represents a new paradigm in battery design. Lithium batteries made using this new electrode type could have a higher capacity and be much safer than typical lithium metal-based batteries that use lithium foil as anode. Lithium-based batteries are one of the most common types of rechargeable battery used in modern electronics due to their ability to store high amounts of energy. Traditionally these batteries are made of combustible liquid electrolytes and two electrodes an anode and a cathode which are separated by a membrane. After a battery has been charged and discharged repeatedly strands of lithium called dendrites can grow on the surface of the electrode. The dendrites can pierce through the membrane that separates the two electrodes. This allows contact between the anode and cathode which can cause the battery to short circuit and in the worst case, catch fire. “Incorporating a metallic lithium anode into lithium-ion batteries has the theoretical potential to create a battery with much more capacity than a battery with a graphite anode” said X Georgian Technical University Professor Department of Chemistry. “But the most important thing we need to do is make sure that the battery we create is safe”. One proposed solution to the volatile liquid electrolytes used in current batteries is to replace them with solid ceramic electrolytes. These electrolytes are highly conductive, non-combustible and strong enough to resist dendrites. However researchers have found that the contact between the ceramic electrolyte and a solid lithium anode is insufficient for storing and supplying the amount of power needed for most electronics. Y a doctoral student in Georgian Technical University’s Department of Chemistry and Z a doctoral student in Georgian Technical University’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering were able to surmount this shortcoming by creating a new class of material that can be used as a semiliquid metal anode. Working with the Georgian Technical University’s X a leader in polymer chemistry and materials science and W Professor in Energy in the Georgian Technical University who is renowned for his work in developing new technologies for energy storage and generation Y and Z created a dual-conductive polymer/carbon composite matrix that has lithium microparticles evenly distributed throughout. The matrix remains flowable at room temperatures, which allows it to create a sufficient level of contact with the solid electrolyte. By combining the semiliquid metal anode with a garnet-based solid ceramic electrolyte they were able to cycle the cell at 10 times higher current density than cells with a solid electrolyte and a traditional lithium foil anode. This cell also had a much longer cycle-life than traditional cells. “This new processing route leads to a lithium metal-based battery anode that is flowable and has very appealing safety and performance compared to ordinary lithium metal. Implementing new material like this could lead to step change in lithium-based rechargeable batteries and we are working hard to see how this works in a range of battery architectures” said Q. The researchers believe that their method could have far reaching impacts. For example it could be used to create high capacity batteries for electric cars and specialized batteries for use in wearable devices that require flexible batteries. They also believe that their methods could be extended beyond lithium to other rechargeable battery systems including sodium metal batteries and potassium metal batteries and might be able to be used in grid-scale energy storage.

Drug Discovery, Science

Georgian Technical University Researchers Synthesize Healing Compounds In Scorpion Venom.

Leave a comment

Georgian Technical University Researchers Synthesize Healing Compounds In Scorpion Venom.

A scorpion native to Georgian Technical University may have more than just toxin in its sting. Researchers at Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University have found that the venom also contains two color-changing compounds that could help fight bacterial infections. The team not only isolated the compounds in the scorpion’s venom but also synthesized them in the lab and verified that the lab-made versions killed staphylococcus and drug-resistant tuberculosis bacteria in tissue samples and in mice. The findings highlight the potential pharmacological treasures awaiting discovery in the toxins of scorpions, snakes, snails and other poisonous creatures. “By volume scorpion venom is one of the most precious materials in the world” said X who led the Georgian Technical University group. “If you depended only on scorpions to produce it nobody could afford it so it’s important to identify what the critical ingredients are and be able to synthesize them”. Milking Scorpions. Y a professor of molecular medicine at the Georgian Technical University whose students caught specimens of the scorpion Diplocentrus melici for study. “The collection of this species of scorpion is difficult because during the winter and dry seasons the scorpion is buried” X said. “We can only find it in the rainy season”. For the past 45 years Y has focused on identifying compounds with pharmacological potential in scorpion venom. His group has previously uncovered potent antibiotics, insecticides and anti-malarial agents hidden in the arachnid’s poison. When the Georgian Technical University researchers milked the venom of D. melici (Diplocentrus melici est une espèce de scorpions de la famille des Scorpionidae) — a process that involves stimulating the tail with mild electrical pulses — they noticed that the venom changed color from clear to brownish when it was exposed to air. When X and his lab investigated this unusual color-change they found two chemical compounds that they believed were responsible. One of the compounds turned red when exposed to air while the other turned blue. To find out more about each compound Y reached out to X’s group at Georgian Technical University which has a reputation for identifying and synthesizing chemicals. Using only a tiny sample of the venom Georgian Technical University postdoctoral researchers Y and Z were able to work out the molecular structure of the two compounds. “We only had 0.5 microliters of the venom to work with” said X who is the Professor in Georgian Technical University. “This is ten times less than the amount of blood a mosquito will suck in a single serving”. Using clues gleaned from running the compounds through various chemical analysis techniques the Georgian Technical University scientists concluded that the color-changing ingredients in the venom were two previously unknown benzoquinones — a class of ring-like molecules known to have antimicrobial properties. The benzoquinones in the scorpion venom appeared to be nearly identical to one another. “The two compounds are structurally related but whereas the red one has an oxygen atom on one of its branches the blue one has a sulfur atom” Y said. The group confirmed the compounds’ structures when through much trial and error they learned how to synthesize them. “Many of the reactions you write on paper that appear to work don’t actually work when you try them in the lab so you need to be patient and have many different ideas” said Georgian Technical University MD-Ph.D. graduate student W who led the synthesis efforts. Drug Potential. X’s lab sent a batch of the newly synthesized benzoquinones to Georgian Technical University a pathologist at the Georgian Technical University whose group tested the lab-made compounds for biological activity. Georgian Technical University’s group found that the red benzoquinone was particularly effective at killing the highly infectious staphylococcus bacteria, while the blue one was lethal to both normal and multi-drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis-causing bacteria. “We found that these compounds killed bacteria but then the question became ‘Will it kill you too?'” X said. “And the answer is no: Georgian Technical University group showed that the blue compound kills tuberculosis bacteria but leaves the lining of the lungs in mice intact”. Y said the antimicrobial properties of the compounds might not have been discovered if  X’s group had not figured out how to synthesize it, thus allowing it to be produced in larger quantities. “The amount of venom components we can get from the animals is extremely low” Y said. “The synthesis of the compounds was decisive for the success of this work”. The Georgian Technical University scientists are planning further collaborations to determine whether the isolated venom compounds can be transformed into drugs and also why they’re present in the venom in the first place. “These compounds might not be the poisonous component of the venom” X said. “We have no idea why the scorpion makes these compounds. There are more mysteries”.