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Cosmic ray puzzle resolved as scientists link ‘knee’ formation to black holes

Milestone results released by the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) on November 16 have solved a decades-old mystery about the cosmic ray energy spectrum—which shows a sharp decrease in cosmic rays above 3 PeV, giving it an unusual knee-like shape.

The cause of the “knee” has remained unclear since its discovery nearly 70 years ago. Scientists have speculated that it is linked to the acceleration limit of the astrophysical sources of cosmic rays and reflects the transition of the cosmic ray energy spectrum from one power-law distribution to another.

Now, however, two recent studies—published in National Science Review and Science Bulletin, respectively—demonstrate that micro-quasars driven by black hole system accretion are powerful particle accelerators in the Milky Way and are the likely source of the “knee.” The studies also advance our understanding of the extreme physical processes of black hole systems.

Speaking more than one language may help the brain stay younger

Speaking more than one language can slow down the brain’s aging and lower risks linked to accelerated aging.

In a new study, researchers analyzed the Biobehavioral Age Gap (BAG) —a person’s biological age using health and lifestyle data, then compared it to their actual age—of over 80,000 participants aged 51–90 across 27 European countries. They found that people who speak only one language are twice as likely to experience accelerated aging compared to multilingual individuals.

Researchers suggest that the protective effect might arise from the constant ongoing mental effort required to manage more than one language. The findings of this study are published in Nature Aging.

New technique enables faster drug design for diseases linked to ion channels

An international team involving the Institute of Chemical Research, a joint center of the University of Seville and the Spanish National Research Council, has developed a new technique that will accelerate the design of drugs that target ion channels, a type of cell membrane protein involved in numerous diseases, ranging from psychiatric disorders to various types of cancer.

The research, carried out in collaboration with the University of East Anglia and the Qadram Institute (both in the United Kingdom), has been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Ion channels are cell membrane proteins that regulate the passage of ions into the cell. They are essential in processes as diverse as nerve transmission, and and their dysfunction is associated with numerous disorders, making them therapeutic targets of great interest.

Exercise-induced vesicles boost neuron growth when transplanted into sedentary mice

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign report that extracellular vesicles released into the bloodstream during aerobic exercise can, on their own, drive a robust increase in adult hippocampal neurogenesis when transferred into sedentary mice, even without changes in hippocampal vascular coverage.

Aerobic physical activity preserves cognitive function across the lifespan and repeatedly links to structural and cellular plasticity in the hippocampus. Evidence from plasma transfer experiments indicates that bloodborne factors from exercising animals can transfer pro-neurogenic and pro-cognitive effects to sedentary or aged recipients, partly through reduced inflammation.

Many circulating molecules have been implicated in this exercise–brain connection, including , insulin-like growth factor 1, platelet factor 4, selenoprotein P, irisin, cathepsin B, L-lactate, and interleukin-6. Each contributes to specific aspects of neurogenesis or neuronal survival.

Software optimizes brain simulations, enabling them to complete complex cognitive tasks

A new software enables brain simulations which both imitate the processes in the brain in detail and can solve challenging cognitive tasks. The program was developed by a research team at the Cluster of Excellence “Machine Learning: New Perspectives for Science” at the University of Tübingen. The software thus forms the basis for a new generation of brain simulations which allow deeper insights into the functioning and performance of the brain. The Tübingen researchers’ paper has been published in the journal Nature Methods.

For decades, researchers have been trying to create computer models of the brain in order to increase understanding of the organ and the processes that take place there. Using , they have simulated the behavior and interaction of nerve cells and their compounds.

However, previous models had significant weaknesses: They were either based on oversimplified neuron models and therefore strayed significantly from biological reality, or they depicted the biophysical processes within cells in detail, but were incapable of carrying out similar tasks to the brain.

3D worlds created from just a few phone photos

Existing 3D scene reconstructions require a cumbersome process of precisely measuring physical spaces with LiDAR or 3D scanners, or correcting thousands of photos along with camera pose information. A research team at KAIST has overcome these limitations and introduced a technology enabling the reconstruction of 3D—from tabletop objects to outdoor scenes—with just two to three ordinary photographs.

The results, posted to the arXiv preprint server, suggest a new paradigm in which spaces captured by can be immediately transformed into virtual environments.

The research team led by Professor Sung-Eui Yoon from the School of Computing developed the new technology called SHARE (Shape-Ray Estimation), which can reconstruct high-quality 3D scenes using only ordinary images, without precise camera pose information.

Ethanol plant CO₂ can be converted into low-carbon jet fuel, study finds

Manufacturing sustainable aviation fuel with CO₂ byproducts of ethanol production could reduce carbon intensity by more than 80% compared to fossil fuels.

The CO2 released from corn during could actually be a valuable, underutilized resource for producing rather than a waste byproduct, according to a study published in the SAE International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, Energy, Environment, & Policy.

Unlike the CO₂ from or cement kilns, which requires a lot of energy to capture, fermentation to produce ethanol releases very pure streams containing 85% CO₂ by volume or higher. As the corn plants sequestered CO₂ from the air, capturing the CO₂ released from fermentation and using it as fuel would reuse CO₂ without adding more to the atmosphere.

Dogs 10,000 years ago roamed with bands of humans and came in all shapes and sizes

From village dogs to toy poodles to mastiffs, dogs come in an astonishing array of shapes, colors and sizes. Today there are estimated to be about 700 million dogs living with or around humans.

To many of us, are loyal companions, working partners, and beloved family members—and the histories of our species are deeply woven together. But how did this incredible diversity come to be—and how far back does this relationship with humans go?

Two new studies published today in Science provide some answers. One, led by Allowen Evin from the University of Montpelier, draws on ancient skeletal remains. The other, led by Shao-Jie Zhang from the Kunming Institute of Zoology, draws on the study of DNA from ancient Eastern Eurasian dogs.

Particles that enhance mRNA delivery could reduce vaccine dosage and costs

New nanoparticles that enhance mRNA delivery could reduce vaccine dosage, costs, and possibly even side effects. “Our goal has been to try to make nanoparticles that can give you a safe and effective vaccine response but at a much lower dose,” Daniel Anderson says.

A new lipid nanoparticle could make mRNA vaccines more effective and potentially lower the cost per dose. New research suggests an mRNA influenza vaccine delivered with the new particle could generate the same immune response as mRNA delivered by standard nanoparticles, but at around 1/100 the dose.

Antibody-Drug Conjugates in Prostate Cancer: Where Are we?

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) reflect a new promising approach in prostate cancer, even more so after the practice-changing results in other malignancies, either hematologic or solid. ADCs consist of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) targeted at specific antigens overly expressed on cancer cells compared to normal cells. A cytotoxic payload is attached to the mAb using a stable linker. In prostate cancer, PSMA, STEAP1, TROP2, CD46 and B7-H3 are antigens currently being studied as targets for ADCs. In this paper, we discuss the composition of ADCs and focus on their application and challenges as treatment options in prostate cancer.

Keywords: Antibody-drug conjugate; Monoclonal antibody; PSMA; Precision oncology; Prostate cancer.

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