Lifeboat Foundation

LJI scientists harness bioinformatics to predict how T cells may adapt to fighting the highly mutated Pirola variant.

In August, researchers detected a new SARS-CoV-2 “variant of concern” in patients in Israel and Denmark. Since then, this variant, dubbed BA.2.86 or “Pirola,” has made its way around the globe. The Pirola variant has raised alarms because it is highly mutated. In fact, Pirola is as mutated as the Omicron variant was, compared with the early SARS-CoV-2 variant included in the original vaccinations.

As Pirola spreads, researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) are investigating whether COVID-19 vaccines (or previous SARS-CoV-2 exposure) can still protect people from severe disease.

Conference is exploring burgeoning connections between the two fields.

Traditionally, mathematicians jot down their formulas using paper and pencil, seeking out what they call pure and elegant solutions. In the 1970s, they hesitantly began turning to computers to assist with some of their problems. Decades later, computers are often used to crack the hardest math puzzles. Now, in a similar vein, some mathematicians are turning to machine learning tools to aid in their numerical pursuits.

Embracing Machine Learning in Mathematics.

PET scans of people with mild cognitive impairment detected lower levels of serotonin, the brain chemical associated with positive mood, compared to those without it.

Comparing PET scans of more than 90 adults with and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say relatively lower levels of the so-called “happiness” chemical, serotonin, in parts of the brain of those with MCI may play a role in memory problems including Alzheimer’s disease.

The findings, recently published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, lend support to growing evidence that measurable changes in the brain happen in people with mild memory problems long before an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and may offer novel targets for treatments to slow or stop disease progression.

New research on electrochemical reactions highlights the critical role of electrolyte ions, aiding in the advancement of sustainable energy technologies.

Electrochemical reactions are central to the green transition. These reactions use the electric current and potential difference to carry out chemical reactions, which enables binding and realizing electric energy from chemical bonds. This chemistry is the basis for several applications, such as hydrogen technology, batteries, and various aspects of circular economy.

Developments and improvement in these technologies require detailed insight into the electrochemical reactions and different factors impacting them. Recent studies have shown that besides the electrode material also the used solvent, its acidity, and the used electrolyte ions crucially impact the efficiency of electrochemical reactions. Therefore, recent focus has shifted to studying how the electrochemical interfaces, i.e. the reaction environment at the electrode and the electrolyte interface shown in Figure 1, impact the outcome of electrochemical reactions.

When electricity flows through a battery, the materials inside it gradually wear down. The physical forces of stress and strain also play a role in this process, but their exact effects on the battery’s performance and lifespan are not completely known.

A team led by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed a framework for designing solid-state batteries, or SSBs, with mechanics in mind. Their paper, published in Science, reviewed how these factors change SSBs during their cycling.

The ability to accurately detect heat and pain is critical to human survival. However, the molecular mechanisms behind how our bodies identify these dangers have long been a mystery to scientists.

Now, University at Buffalo researchers have unraveled the complex biological phenomena that drive these critical functions. Their research, recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has uncovered a previously unknown and completely unexpected “suicidal” reaction in ion channel receptors that explains the complicated mechanisms that underlie sensitivity to temperature and pain.

The research could be applied to the development of more effective pain relievers.

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute, UCL, and MSD have identified a potential treatment target for a genetic type of epilepsy.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies are rare types of epilepsy that start in early childhood. One of the most common types of genetic epilepsy, CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD), causes seizures and impaired development. Children are currently treated with generic antiepileptic drugs, as there aren’t yet any disease-targeting medications for this disorder.

CDD involves losing the function of a gene producing the CDKL5 enzyme, which phosphorylates proteins, meaning it adds an extra phosphate molecule to alter their function. Until now, researchers have not been sure how genetic mutations in CDKL5 cause CDD.

On the highway of heat transfer, thermal energy is moved by way of quantum particles called phonons. But at the nanoscale of today’s most cutting-edge semiconductors, those phonons don’t remove enough heat. That’s why Purdue University researchers are focused on opening a new nanoscale lane on the heat transfer highway by using hybrid quasiparticles called “polaritons.” Credit: Purdue University photo/DALL-E.

Male fruit flies typically display antisocial behavior towards other males, preferring the company of females, which they identify through chemical receptors. However, recent studies by biologists at Cornell University indicate that the visual system of fruit flies plays a significant role in their social interactions.

This discovery provides new insights into the potential roots of varied social behaviors in humans, including those associated with conditions like bipolar disorder and autism.

The paper was recently published in Current Biology.