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Atlas of the brain’s striatum
A region of the brain called the striatum is critical for many cognitive and motor functions, including decision-making, control of movement, habit formation, and processing of reward. It also plays a role in addiction and is significantly affected by Huntington’s disease, schizophrenia, and other disorders.
In work that could help scientists devise new treatments for those diseases, the researchers have generated a new atlas of the neurons found within the striatum. Using single-cell RNA sequencing and other techniques, they were able to identify 31 subgroups of neurons based on which genes they express.
These groups include neurons that are involved in addiction, depression, and schizophrenia. The researchers also discovered why some neurons of the striatum are more vulnerable to Huntington’s disease. All of these results, the researchers say, could help scientists develop new drugs to combat these conditions.
NASA Chief: How To Reach Another Star System | Jared Isaacman
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman discusses the high-stakes race to put astronauts on the Moon by 2029, competing with China’s lunar timeline. He lays out plans for the newly commissioned U.S. Space Academy, NASA’s shift to nuclear-powered spaceships, and how space infrastructure relates to AI and the orbital economy. Check out our sponsor Lovable: https://lovable.dev. Turn ideas into software people love.
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Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction.
(00:42) Plans for United States Space Academy.
(02:52) How NASA Retains Top Talent.
(05:11) SpaceX Alignment on Lunar Base Goals.
(06:33) NASA Strategy for Interstellar Space Travel.
(08:00) Lessons for AI Developers From NASA
(15:05) The Role of Nuclear Power in Space.
(17:44) Geopolitical Stakes of the Space Race.
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Note: This podcast is not investment, legal, or tax advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies and securities discussed; do your own research before acting on anything you hear.
Asteroid Ryugu’s dust reveals nitrogen’s slow concentration into complex molecules
Nitrogen is a key ingredient in the biomolecules that form the building blocks of life. Yet as an unbonded gas, it is far more likely to drift into space than to lock itself into solid compounds, making it difficult for astronomers to trace its journey to Earth in the distant past.
Through new research published in Nature Astronomy, a team led by Toru Matsumoto at Kyoto University has found some of the best evidence yet of how this journey happened, hidden inside grains of dust from the asteroid Ryugu.
Evidence across the solar system Nitrogen-bearing compounds, particularly ammonia, have already been spotted on the dwarf planet Ceres and on several carbon-rich asteroids, hinting that ammonia reservoirs might be common across the solar system.
How Small Is an Atom? 🤯 Zooming Into a Human Hair!
What if you could zoom inside a single human hair? 🔬✨ As you zoom deeper and deeper, you’ll discover a world far beyond what your eyes can see. A human hair…
Rocket Lab launches Japanese Earth-observing radar satellite from New Zealand
An Electron rocket launched a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) spacecraft for the Tokyo-based company Synspective from Rocket Lab’s New Zealand site on Sept. 1…
CD73 and PD-L1 expression in WHO grade 1 and grade 2 meningiomas: an exploratory analysis of purinergic and immune-related profiles
Meningiomas are the most common primary central nervous system tumors and exhibit heterogeneous biological behavior across WHO grades. Emerging evidence suggests that purinergic signaling and immune-related pathways may contribute to meningioma biology.
This study evaluated the expression and activity of CD39/ENTPD1 and CD73/NT5E, the expression of PD-L1/CD274, and the systemic inflammatory profile in patients undergoing surgical resection of meningiomas.
Forty patients were included, with specific subgroups available for molecular, immunohistochemical, enzymatic, and cytokine analyses. Molecular comparisons were restricted to WHO grade 1 and grade 2 tumors. NT5E/CD73 expression was higher in WHO grade 2 tumors at both mRNA and protein levels, whereas CD274/PD-L1 expression was lower. Peripheral CD39/CD73 enzymatic activity also differed between study groups, while plasma cytokines showed non-significant trends toward higher concentrations in patients with WHO grade 2 tumors.
Autonomous airplane completes first cross-country flight
A single-engine prop Cessna Caravan has reportedly become the first airplane to autonomously complete a cross-continental flight across the United States. Overseen by the aeronautics company Joby, the retrofitted aircraft began its challenge in Concord, California, on September 7, ultimately traveling 3,199 miles with no assistance from its onboard human safety pilot. However, the plane didn’t only fly itself once airborne. Autonomous programming directed every stage of its multi-stop journey, including taxiing, takeoffs, and landings.
“Autonomy has an important role to play in the future of flight,” Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said in a statement on September 18. Bevird added that the technology could soon help “connect remote communities, deliver critical supplies, respond faster to disasters, support military operations, and keep pilots out of harm’s way.”
The endeavor couldn’t always follow a preset course. Instead, the autonomous plane needed to navigate numerous common air travel challenges in real-time. These included piloting through one of the nation’s busiest regions above Phoenix, Arizona, as well as rerouting around thunderstorms and severe weather fronts. During its trip, the experimental plane also made demonstration stops at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, Texas, and at South Carolina’s Shaw Air Force Base.