How does the brain store knowledge so that you actually remember what you have learned the next day or even later? To find out, researchers at the University of Oslo disconnected one type of nerve cell in the brain of mice while the animals rested after having learned something new. This gave new answers to what actually happens when you remember earlier experiences for later use. The study is published in the journal Science Advances.
In the first phase of this experiment, mice were trained to recognize that an image with a particular pattern meant that they would be given a reward in the form of a sweet drink. Two different groups of mice were then put in front of a computer screen where they were able to see several images containing different patterns. In order to demonstrate that they remembered which image led to a reward, the mice had to lick a small “nozzle” that dispensed the drink.
While the mice performed this action, researchers at the University of Oslo monitored the activity in their brain cells using a special microscope. “It took some time before the mice understood which pattern triggered a reward. We could see what was happening with their neurons while they mastered the task,” says researcher Kristian K. Lensjø, who works at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences and the Department of Biosciences at the University of Oslo.
Until recently, practical attempts rarely pushed beyond proof-of-concept.
Now researchers have used the teleportation trick to forge a working logic gate between two separate quantum chips sitting about six feet apart, hinting at a future where clusters of modest processors act as one mighty computer.
A qubit is valuable because it can be zero and one at the same moment, yet that superposition collapses if the qubit feels a nudge from the outside world.
A team of scientists at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS) has uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that controls how genes are switched “on” and “off” during embryonic development. Their study sheds light on how diverse cell types are produced in developing embryos.
The research, published in Developmental Cell, was led by Dr. Irène Amblard and Dr. Vicki Metzis from the Development and Transcriptional Control group, in collaboration with LMS facilities and the Chromatin and Development and Computational Regulatory Genomics groups.
All cells contain the same DNA but must turn specific genes ‘“on” and “off”—a process known as gene expression—to create different body parts. The cells in your eyes and arms harbor the same genes but “express” them differently to become each body part.
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) continues to devastate the global swine industry, yet the structural basis of how small molecules block its entry into host cells remains unclear. Researchers at the University of Tsukuba and Mahidol University developed a refined model of the PRRSV receptor domain CD163-SRCR5 using state-of-the-art computational approaches, offering new avenues for rational drug design.
While traditional drug discovery often relies on static crystal structures, many biologically important proteins, including the scavenger receptor CD163-SRCR5, contain flexible loop regions poorly captured by crystallography. These loops are critical for recognizing ligands and viral proteins, making them challenging yet attractive drug targets.
In their new study published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, the researchers used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, ensemble docking, and fragment molecular orbital calculations to generate a dynamic, physiologically relevant structural model of the CD163-SRCR5 domain.
The advance warning period is key for this sort of voluntary program, especially one counting on participation from hyperscale data centers with sensitive IT equipment worth billions, Kavulla said.
“This should not be the kind of demand response where you’re calling it with no notice and curtailing the customer straight off,” he said.
The use of electronics in various forms is on the rise, from wearable devices like smartwatches to implantable devices like body-implanted sensors, skin-worn smart patches, and disposable monitoring devices. These devices, which are inevitably discarded after use, contribute to the growing problem of electronic waste (e-waste), a significant environmental concern.
The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has announced that a joint research team, led by Dr. Sangho Cho of the Center for Extreme Materials Research and Dr. Yongho Joo of the Center for Functional Composite Materials Research, has developed a polymeric material that offers high-performance data storage while completely degrading within days when immersed in water. The research is published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
The material is biocompatible and stable enough for implantation in the human body, and the onset of degradation can be controlled by adjusting the thickness and the composition of the protective layer. Once this protective layer dissolves, the material degrades naturally in water within approximately three days, without leaving any residue.
In recent years, energy engineers have been working on a wide range of technologies that could help to generate and store electrical power more sustainably. These include electrolyzers, devices that could use electricity sourced via photovoltaics, wind turbines or other energy technologies to split water (H2O) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2), via a process known as electrolysis.
The hydrogen produced by electrolyzers could in turn be used in fuel cells, devices that convert the chemical energy in hydrogen into electricity without combustion and could be used to power trucks, buses, forklifts and various other heavy vehicles, or could provide back-up power for hospitals, data centers and other facilities.
Many recently designed electrolyzers prompt the splitting of water into hydrogen using a proton exchange membrane (PEM), a membrane that selectively allows protons (H+) to pass through, while blocking gases.