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Scientists discover ‘off switch’ enzyme that could stop heart disease and diabetes

Researchers at UT Arlington have discovered a key enzyme, IDO1, that when blocked, helps immune cells regain their ability to properly process cholesterol—something that breaks down during inflammation. This breakthrough could offer a powerful new way to fight heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and more. By “turning off” this enzyme, the team restored cholesterol absorption in macrophages, potentially stopping disease at the source. Even more promising, they found a second enzyme, NOS, that makes things worse—raising hopes that targeting both could pave the way for transformative treatments for millions suffering from inflammation-driven conditions.

Quantum computers just beat classical ones — Exponentially and unconditionally

A research team has achieved the holy grail of quantum computing: an exponential speedup that’s unconditional. By using clever error correction and IBM’s powerful 127-qubit processors, they tackled a variation of Simon’s problem, showing quantum machines are now breaking free from classical limitations, for real.

Getting to CGT 4.0 Will Require New Tech and Better Data

CGT manufacturers need to get better at gathering process data to move manufacturing into the digital age according to a new study [Reptile8488/Getty Images]

Cell and gene therapy (CGT) production will only enter the digital age when the industry gets better at gathering process data, according to researchers, who say closed systems and advanced monitoring technologies will be vital.

Unlike in pharma, the fourth industrial revolution has not reached the CGT sector, according to Aleksander Szarzynski, a researcher at the Vienna University of Technology and co-author of a new study looking at cell and gene therapy production.

‘Unlike conventional electronics’: New liquid metal-infused circuit boards can self-heal and work after taking heavy damage

New recyclable electronics could be critical to curbing e-waste, scientists argue, especially because these circuit boards can be repaired or reconfigured by simply applying heat.

Scientists reprogram ant behavior using brain molecules

Leafcutter ants live in highly organized colonies where every ant has a job, and now researchers can flip those jobs like a switch. By manipulating just two neuropeptides, scientists can turn defenders into nurses or gardeners into leaf harvesters. These same molecular signals echo in naked mole-rats, revealing a deep evolutionary link in how complex societies function, even across species. The study also teases out a possible connection to insulin and longevity, hinting at new frontiers in understanding human behavior and lifespan.

Researchers identify neural mechanism behind memory prioritization

To study what happened in the brain during this task, the researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging, which measures blood flow as a proxy for neural activity. They scanned the brains of 11 participants while they performed the memory task over multiple sessions. By applying a complex decoding model to the imaging data, the researchers were able to estimate not only what participants were remembering but also how uncertain they were about each memory. The model treated neural activity as a probabilistic code, where stronger or more focused patterns of activity reflected more confident memory representations.

The results showed that neural signals in the visual cortex—the area of the brain involved in processing visual information—were more intense for the high-priority memory items. These stronger signals translated to smaller memory errors and greater confidence. On average, participants remembered the high-priority items more accurately and responded more quickly when asked to recall them. Their eye movements were closer to the correct location, and they took less time to respond. These behavioral improvements matched the patterns observed in the brain data.

The study also found that the magnitude of neural activity in the frontal cortex predicted how well participants could distinguish between high-and low-priority memories. This suggests that the frontal cortex plays a regulatory role, sending signals that adjust the strength of memory representations in visual areas depending on how important each item is. In other words, the frontal brain regions help direct the mental spotlight, increasing the “volume” of the memories that matter most.