It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Monday, June 09, 2025
TYLENOL
Why paracetamol works: New discovery ends longstanding mystery
A new study from Hebrew University reveals that paracetamol doesn’t just work in the brain—it also blocks pain at its source by acting on nerve endings in the body. The researchers found that its active metabolite, AM404, shuts down specific sodium channels in pain-sensing neurons, stopping pain signals before they reach the brain. This discovery not only reshapes our understanding of how one of the world’s most common painkillers works, but also opens the door to developing safer, more targeted pain treatments.
A breakthrough study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, published this week in the prestigious journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA), reveals a previously unknown peripheral mechanism by which paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen, Tylenol®, or Panadol®) relieves pain.
The study was led by Prof. Alexander Binshtok from the Hebrew University’s Faculty of Medicine and Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC) and Prof. Avi Priel from its School of Pharmacy. Together, they uncovered a surprising new way that paracetamol—one of the world’s most common painkillers—actually works.
For decades, scientists believed that paracetamol relieved pain by working only in the brain and spinal cord. But this new research, published in PNAS, shows that the drug also works outside the brain, in the nerves that first detect pain.
Their discovery centers on a substance called AM404, which the body makes after taking paracetamol. The team found that AM404 is produced right in the pain-sensing nerve endings—and that it works by shutting off specific channels (called sodium channels) that help transmit pain signals. By blocking these channels, AM404 stops the pain message before it even starts.
“This is the first time we've shown that AM404 works directly on the nerves outside the brain,” said Prof. Binshtok. “It changes our entire understanding of how paracetamol fights pain.”
This breakthrough could also lead to new types of painkillers. Because AM404 targets only the nerves that carry pain, it may avoid the numbness, muscle weakness, and side effects that come with traditional local anesthetics.
“If we can develop new drugs based on AM404, we might finally have pain treatments that are highly effective but also safer and more precise,” added Prof. Priel.
A microscopic enzyme could be the key to helping nitrogen fertilizers stick better to the soil and prevent run-off that causes harmful algal blooms, according to a new review article published by a Michigan State University research team.
Led by College of Natural Science Dean Eric Hegg, the paper compiles years of research on an enzyme known as NrfA that plays a key role in keeping nitrogen in soil. Krystina Hird, an MSU Ph.D. candidate and first author on the paper, said studying NrfA could help farmers not only avoid polluting nearby waterways but also save money by reducing their need for fertilizer.
“A significant amount of nitrogen fertilizer is lost because it’s converted to a form that’s easily leached away,” Hird said. “If we can retain more of that nitrogen in the soil, it could have big, positive agricultural implications.”
Nitrogen is an essential element for all living things, from humans down to the smallest bacteria. It’s commonly added to farm fields in a variety of forms to boost crop yields. The problem is both soil and nitrites are negatively charged. Just as magnets of the same charge repel one another, nitrites are easily washed away from farm fields during heavy rains. When too much nitrogen ends up in lakes and rivers, the result can be harmful algal blooms that make waterways toxic to humans and animals.
One of the best forms of nitrogen for agriculture is ammonium. With its positive charge, it latches onto soil and is more easily taken up by plants. However, many microbes in the soil turn ammonium into nitrite.
That’s where NrfA comes in. Not only does it help the bacteria turn nitrite into ammonium, but it does so while moving and storing electrons incredibly efficiently. This aspect of the research drew interest from the U.S. Department of Energy, which funded the research. Other enzymes can help produce ammonium, but not as quickly or efficiently as NrfA.
While many researchers have contributed to this field, the findings aren’t centrally located. Hegg’s team combed through primary research, collated it into a review paper and synthesized the findings to draw larger conclusions.
“I’m excited to help future students who were in my shoes, who are just getting into this field and are trying to understand this big project that they’re agreeing to take on for the next five to six years,” Hird said. “We decided to take all of this information and put it in one place as an introduction-level paper for those graduate students.”
Farmers could use the review paper’s conclusions to help them choose the best nigrogen-containing fertilizers for their fields. More research could also be done to determine how bacteria with NrfA could be strategically placed along the edges of fields where water is most likely to run downhill, Hird said. A step in between those options could be encouraging the growth of more soil microorganisms that can produce ammonium by balancing the carbon to nitrogen ratio in the soil.
Next, Hegg’s team plans to dive deeper into the mechanism of how nitrate is converted into ammonium. They want to track how electrons move through NrfA and how it consistently produces ammonium, even when starting with different nitrogen compounds.
“We’re trying to get really specific and nitty-gritty,” Hird said. “The reaction goes so fast, and slowing down a very fast reaction can make it unstable. It’s going to be like performing a delicate surgery.”
From genes to function: regulation, maturation, and evolution of cytochrome c nitrite reductase in nitrate reduction to ammonium
Article Publication Date
9-Jun-2025
SNU researchers develop world's first 3D microphone capable of position estimation with a single sensor
- Mimicking the auditory principles of bats and dolphins, the technology enables sound-based recognition of human and object positions - A human-robot interaction technology operable in noisy environments, applicable to disaster rescue and smart factories
Figure 1. (From left) Operating principle of the phase cancellation mechanism using an acoustic metastructure, enhancement of single-sensor directivity (beamforming performance), and 3D acoustic detection via rotation (3DAR)
Seoul National University College of Engineering announced that Professor Sung-Hoon Ahn's team from the Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed a novel auditory technology that allows the recognition of human positions using only a single microphone. This technology facilitates sound-based interaction between humans and robots, even in noisy factory environments.
The research team has successfully implemented the world's first 3D auditory sensor that "sees space with ears" through sound source localization and acoustic communication technologies.
The research findings were published on January 27 in the international journal Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing.
In industrial and disaster rescue settings, "sound" serves as a crucial cue. Even in situations where visual sensors or electromagnetic communication are rendered ineffective due to high temperatures, dust, smoke, darkness, or obstacles, sound waves can still convey vital information. However, existing acoustic sensing technologies have limitations in accuracy or require complex equipment configurations, making practical industrial applications challenging. Consequently, sound has not been fully utilized as a sensing resource despite its potential.
Particularly in high-noise environments like factories, advanced acoustic sensing technologies are needed, as accurately identifying human positions or enabling robots to recognize verbal commands is extremely difficult. Moreover, traditional communication methods face challenges in environments lacking network infrastructure, highlighting the necessity for new robot-to-robot communication technologies utilizing sound.
Addressing these fundamental issues, the research team developed the world's first meta-structure-based 3D auditory sensor capable of position recognition using only a single sensor. This sensor integrates two core technologies: a "3D acoustic perception technology" that estimates the 3D positions of humans or objects even in noisy environments, and a "sound wave-based dual communication technology" that enables new interaction methods between humans and robots, as well as between robots.
Professor Ahn's team focused on the biological mechanisms of bats and dolphins, which recognize their surroundings and communicate solely through sound. They particularly aimed to engineer the auditory ability to "selectively listen to sounds from specific directions," enabling the isolation of desired sounds amidst complex noise. To achieve this, they designed a meta-structure-based phase cancellation mechanism that artificially adjusts the phase of sound waves arriving from different paths, amplifying sounds from specific directions while canceling out others. By combining this mechanism with a single microphone and a rotational device, the team implemented 3D sound source tracking functionality—previously achievable only with multi-sensor systems—into a single sensor. They named this system "3DAR (3D Acoustic Ranging).“
Additionally, inspired by dolphins' dual-frequency communication principles, the researchers designed a dual acoustic channel separating audible and inaudible frequency ranges. This structure allows humans and robots to communicate using audible frequencies (sounds humans can hear), while robots communicate among themselves using inaudible frequencies (sounds humans cannot hear). This design minimizes interference and provides independent communication paths between robots, facilitating more complex collaborative scenarios in industrial settings.
These two technologies are integrated into a single "meta-structure 3D auditory sensor system," which the research team successfully implemented on an actual robot platform. Field tests were conducted in factory and everyday environments. Notably, a quadruped robot equipped with this system successfully interacted with humans through sound and detected gas leak locations via sound (refer to the video).
The technology developed in this research is anticipated to be widely applicable in various fields, including tracking worker positions within factories, enabling voice-based human-robot collaboration, and assisting robots in recognizing and responding to human rescue calls during disasters. Furthermore, the sensor's low cost and compact design compared to existing systems make it readily deployable in industrial settings.
Its utility is particularly expected to be high in cell-based autonomous manufacturing plants. By leveraging this technology, real-time tracking of worker positions can prevent collisions with robots, and communication with robots through sound alone—without gestures or buttons—can enhance workers' physical freedom, enabling more efficient collaboration. Additionally, robot-to-robot communication via sound, without relying on traditional networks, allows for flexible and organic coordination among multiple robots without complex communication infrastructure.
The technology is also projected to be valuable for 24-hour unmanned factory monitoring. It can automatically detect and locate sounds indicative of pipe leaks, machinery anomalies, or worker accidents, enabling immediate responses. Moreover, due to its low-cost and compact design based on a single sensor, the system possesses versatility for easy adoption in other industrial sites moving towards automation.
Professor Sung-Hoon Ahn emphasized the potential of auditory technology, stating, "Unlike electromagnetic waves used in traditional communication technologies, which are obstructed by walls or obstacles, sound can pass through narrow gaps and be heard, making it a promising medium for new interaction methods.“
Doctoral candidate Semin Ahn, the lead author of the paper, reflected on the research process: "Previously, determining positions using sound required multiple sensors or complex calculations. Developing a 3D sensor capable of accurately locating sound sources with just a rotating single microphone opens new avenues in acoustic sensing technology.“
Semin Ahn, a doctoral candidate at Seoul National University's Innovative Design and Integrated Manufacturing Lab, is currently researching the development of an "Acoustic Band-Pass Filter" based on intelligent structures. This technology aims to selectively capture specific frequency sounds even in high-noise environments. The future plan involves enhancing the 3DAR system into a more advanced robotic auditory system, integrating it with large language model (LLM)-based cognitive systems to enable robots to understand the meaning of sounds like humans, and applying this to humanoid robots.
Figure 2. 3DAR (3D Acoustic Ranging) developed by Professor Sung-Hoon Ahn’s research team at Seoul National University's Department of Mechanical Engineering
Figure 3. (From left) Professor Sung-Hoon Ahn (corresponding author), PhD candidate Semin Ahn (first author), PhD candidate Jun Heo (co-author). and Master’s student Jae-Hoon Kim (co-author), all from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at SNU
Seoul National University (SNU) founded in 1946 is the first national university in South Korea. The College of Engineering at SNU has worked tirelessly to achieve its goal of ‘fostering leaders for global industry and society.’ In 12 departments, 323 internationally recognized full-time professors lead the development of cutting-edge technology in South Korea and serving as a driving force for international development.
Bananas are a staple for millions, yet their production is threatened by limited genetic diversity and breeding challenges. In a major advance, researchers analyzed over 2,700 triploid banana hybrids to map the genetic basis of 24 key traits related to yield, plant structure, and fruit quality. Using a high-resolution SNP dataset and a newly adapted genome-wide association study (GWAS) model, the team identified 62 trait-associated genomic regions known as quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Many of these would have remained undetected with traditional approaches due to large chromosomal rearrangements in the banana genome. The findings offer a detailed genetic roadmap to guide future banana improvement and open new avenues for breeding structurally complex crops.
Banana breeding is notoriously difficult. Most cultivated bananas are sterile triploids with limited recombination and long growth cycles. Adding to the complexity, many carry large chromosomal rearrangements that disrupt inheritance patterns and hinder trait mapping. Despite thousands of banana cultivars worldwide, global production depends heavily on just a few varieties, like the 'Cavendish', making the crop vulnerable to pests and climate change. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have transformed crop genetics but have had limited success in bananas due to these structural challenges. As global food systems face increasing pressure, decoding banana's tangled genetics has become essential. To address these issues, researchers sought to develop more powerful models for trait discovery.
At the heart of the study is the “Kc model,” a novel statistical method that avoids confounding effects from structurally rearranged chromosomes by excluding them from kinship estimation. This strategy recovered key QTLs missed by the standard model, including those for fruit size, bunch angle, and days to maturity. In total, 62 QTLs were identified across 23 traits, many of which had not been previously mapped in bananas. Several QTLs showed clear ancestral links, especially to the banksii group, which contributed favorable alleles for traits like shorter growth cycles and heavier fruit.
Meta-analysis revealed genomic hotspots controlling multiple traits, suggesting shared genetic regulation. For instance, a QTL on chromosome 3 influenced both fruit weight and bunch angle, while another on chromosome 4 affected maturity time and leaf persistence. These findings indicate pleiotropy and highlight opportunities for multitrait selection. Notably, the study revealed how structural genome variation can both mask and mimic genetic signals, complicating trait discovery. By adjusting for these effects, the Kc model sets a precedent for future work in bananas and other crops with complex genomic architectures.
“Chromosomal rearrangements have long clouded our view of banana genetics,” said Dr. Guillaume Martin, lead author and genomics researcher at CIRAD. “This study turns that obstacle into an opportunity. By tailoring GWAS methods to banana's unique genomic structure, we've uncovered important trait loci that were previously invisible. This not only benefits banana breeding—it opens a methodological path for other crops facing similar challenges. Our work shows that, with the right tools, even highly complex genomes can yield practical insights for crop improvement.”
These QTL discoveries offer breeders concrete tools for improving banana varieties. Parent lines can be selected based on favorable allele profiles, especially from the banksii group. Early-genotyping of hybrids could streamline breeding by eliminating low-potential lines before field trials. The authors also recommend pre-breeding programs focused on generating structurally homozygous lines to enhance recombination and reduce genetic drag. Beyond bananas, the study's Kc model presents a valuable framework for trait mapping in any crop where chromosomal rearrangements limit genetic analysis. This approach could accelerate the development of high-performing, resilient cultivars to meet future food security demands.
Horticulture Research is an open access journal of Nanjing Agricultural University and ranked number one in the Horticulture category of the Journal Citation Reports ™ from Clarivate, 2023. The journal is committed to publishing original research articles, reviews, perspectives, comments, correspondence articles and letters to the editor related to all major horticultural plants and disciplines, including biotechnology, breeding, cellular and molecular biology, evolution, genetics, inter-species interactions, physiology, and the origination and domestication of crops.
