Lifeboat Foundation

Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are important effectors in the clearance of virally infected and cancerous cells, and defects in their function give rise to many pathologies.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are key effectors of the adaptive immune system that recognize and eliminate virally infected and cancerous cells. In naive CD8⁺ T cells, T-cell receptor (TCR) engagement drives a number of transcriptional, translational and proliferation changes over the course of hours and days leading to differentiation into CTLs. To gain a better insight into this mechanism, we compared the transcriptional profiles of naive CD8⁺ T cells to those of activated CTLs. To find new regulators of CTL function, we performed a selective clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) screen on upregulated genes and identified nuclear factor IL-3 (NFIL3) as a potential regulator of cytotoxicity. Although NFIL3 has established roles in several immune cells including natural killer, Treg, dendritic and CD4⁺ T cells, its function in CD8⁺ CTLs is less well understood. Using CRISPR/Cas9 editing, we found that removing NFIL3 in CTLs resulted in a marked decrease in cytotoxicity. We found that in CTLs lacking NFIL3 TCR-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation, immune synapse formation and granule release were all intact while cytotoxicity was functionally impaired in vitro. Strikingly, NFIL3 controls the production of cytolytic proteins as well as effector cytokines. Thus, NFIL3 plays a cell intrinsic role in modulating cytolytic mechanisms in CTLs.

CD8⁺ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are key effectors of the adaptive immune response that precisely recognize and eliminate virally infected and cancerous cells. In naive CD8⁺ T cells, T-cell receptor (TCR) engagement induces a number of transcriptional, translational and proliferation changes over the course of hours and days leading to differentiation into CTLs [1,2]. TCR ligation of differentiated CTLs drives a rapid response and the formation of a transient area of plasma membrane specialized in signalling and polarized secretion, termed the immune synapse [3]. CTLs undergo rapid rearrangements in microtubule and actin cytoskeletons as the centrosome and microtubule network polarize towards the synapse and cortical actin is transiently depleted [4–7].

She continued: “We’ve certainly had more opportunities to target in the last 60 to 90 days,” adding the US is currently looking for “an awful lot” of rocket launchers in the region.

Moore’s comments provide some of the strongest evidence to date that the US military is using AI targeting systems to identify potential strike areas. She noted that even after Google walked away from the project, experimenting has continued with drone or satellite imagery.

Based at Central Command, or Centcom headquarters in Tampa, Florida, Moore revealed that US forces in the Middle East have been testing AI targeting systems using a combination of satellites and other data sources and conducted exercises over the past year with the technology.

Ford has big plans for its next-gen EVs. This may include an 800V fast charging architecture as it looks to keep pace with rivals like Hyundai, Porsche, and Kia.

Amid intensifying competition, Ford’s CEO Jim Farley said a “seismic change” has shaken the EV market following the automaker’s Q4 earnings results.

Farley cited two reasons behind the shift. The first is major price cuts from EV makers like Tesla. The second is a “tremendous amount” of capital and new capacity surging into the two-row crossover segment—Ford’s best-selling EV market with the Mustang Mach-E.

Everybody knows that the public fast-charging life is just easier when you’re a Tesla owner. But starting today, Ford F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E owners will begin to play on their level too as the Tesla Supercharger network opens up to them.

Ford today announced two major developments on the electric front. First, Ford customers can now order the Fast Charging Adapter—the first from a major automaker—that allows Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS) plugs to link up to the Combined Charging System (CCS) fast-charging port standard on basically all non-Tesla EVs.

Join the discussion on this paper page.

“There’s a connection between the shape of the ice shell and the temperature in the ocean,” said Dr. Britney Schmidt. “This is a new way to get more insight from ice shell measurements that we hope to be able to get for Europa and other worlds.”

While Earth remains the only known world with bodies of liquid water on its surface, there are a myriad of worlds within our own solar system that have liquid water oceans beneath thick surfaces of ice. But what is the temperature of those interior oceans, and could the thickness of its ice shell determine it? This is what a recent study published in Journal of Geophysical Research Planets hopes to address as a team of researchers led by Cornell University investigated how a process called “ice pumping” could determine the temperature of the interior ocean underneath thick icy shells, also known as ice-ocean interaction. This study holds the potential to help researchers better understand the conditions for finding life beyond Earth with a focus on Jupiter’s moon, Europa, and Saturn’s moon, Enceladus.

“If we can measure the thickness variation across these ice shells, then we’re able to get temperature constraints on the oceans, which there’s really no other way yet to do without drilling into them,” said Dr. Britney Schmidt, who is an Associate Professor of Astronomy & Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University and a co-author on the study. “This gives us another tool for trying to figure out how these oceans work. And the big question is, are things living there, or could they?”

Continue reading “Exploring Ice-Ocean Interactions on Alien Moons” »

Young urban air mobility (UAM) developer Doroni Aerospace is stepping out of the shadows and into the eVTOL startup with the official reveal of its flagship aircraft – the H1-X. The two-seat eVTOL was showcased during a livestream event today and is damn close to being market-ready, touting some impressive specs.

Doroni Aerospace was founded in 2016 by Doron Merdinger – a lifelong entrepreneur with 25 years of design, manufacturing, and firm management expertise.

To bring his dreams of sustainable aviation transportation to life, Merdinger assembled a team of engineers and technicians working together to democratize flight in a growing eVTOL segment.

Electric vehicles’ price and driving range are probably the two most important factors for most buyers. In today’s post, we will look at the mix of the two parameters—the price per mile of the EPA Combined range.

That may sound complex, but it’s merely a metric that indicates the best value proposition overall, and something that gives us an idea of the “cost” of range. By checking this metric, we can also see whether there is progress over time compared to earlier reports: see February 2022, February 2021 or April 2020. As it turns out, progress is happening on this front, and the cost of the driving range is going down.

Before we jump into details, let’s just explain the basics. There are more than 300 individual EV configurations on sale, including different battery sizes, ranges, powertrain setups, and wheels—all of which directly affect the price and range. We collected numbers for about 300 configurations, that are currently available for order or reservation, some upcoming models, and a few that have been discontinued but may still be found on dealer lots as reference points.

While I believe Tesla’s move to open its Supercharger network to other automakers is ultimately going to have a great impact on EV adoption, it is also a smart business move from Tesla.

Here’s the business behind Tesla opening its Supercharger network.

Tesla, to no fault of its own, has been using its Supercharger network as a moat in the North American EV market.