#research breakthrough

[usa-journal]

Breakthrough in Fly Brain Research Paves Way for Understanding Human Cognition

Scientists have achieved a monumental breakthrough by mapping the fly brain, revealing the position, shape, and connections of all its 130,000 cells and 50 million intricate connections. This research represents the most detailed analysis of an adult animal's brain to date and is being hailed as a "huge leap" in understanding human cognition.

The fly's brain, though tiny, supports a range of complex behaviors, including walking, hovering, and even producing mating songs. Dr. Gregory Jefferis, a leader in the research from the Medical Research Council's Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, emphasizes that this mapping could illuminate the mechanisms behind thought processes in humans. He noted the lack of understanding about how brain cell networks facilitate our interactions with the world.

Despite humans having a million times more neurons than the fruit fly, the new wiring diagram, or connectome, will aid scientists in deciphering cognitive functions. Published in the journal Nature, the imagery showcases a stunningly complex structure that reveals how a small organ can perform powerful computational tasks.

Dr. Mala Murthy, co-leader of the project from Princeton University, stated that this connectome will be transformative for neuroscientists, allowing for a better understanding of healthy brain function and the potential to compare it with malfunctioning brains.

Dr. Lucia Prieto Godino from the Francis Crick Institute supports this view, highlighting that while simpler organisms like worms and maggots have had their connectomes mapped, the fly’s intricate wiring is a significant achievement. This success paves the way for mapping larger brains, potentially leading to a human connectome in the future.

The research team has successfully identified separate circuits for various functions, illustrating how movement-related circuits are positioned at the base of the brain, while those responsible for vision are located on the sides. The study not only identifies these circuits but also explains their connections, enhancing our understanding of neural processing.

Interestingly, researchers are already applying these circuit diagrams to understand why flies are so hard to catch. The wiring related to vision quickly processes incoming threats, sending signals to the fly's legs to jump away faster than conscious thought.

To create the wiring diagram, researchers used a technique involving slicing the fly brain into 7,000 incredibly thin pieces, photographing each slice, and digitally reconstructing the whole. They employed artificial intelligence to analyze neuron shapes and connections, correcting over three million errors manually.

Dr. Philipp Schlegel from the Medical Research Council highlights that this data serves as a comprehensive map of brain connectivity, akin to a detailed Google Maps for the neural networks. This combined information will facilitate countless discoveries in neuroscience in the coming years.

While a human connectome remains elusive due to the complexity of the human brain, researchers believe that advancements in technology may allow for such mapping in about three decades. The fly brain research marks a significant step toward unlocking the mysteries of human cognition and understanding our own minds better.

The study was conducted by the FlyWire Consortium, an international collaboration of scientists dedicated to advancing neuroscience.

[youngpettyqueen]

Julian and Keiko headcanons because Keiko gets sidelined so much and deserves the world and I wish we got to see them interact more

when they get stumped on their respective projects, they'll do late night work sessions together and bounce their research off each other to see if the other can help them figure out where the problem is. they'll do this in person when theyre both on the station, but also over call if one of them is away, and after the O'Briens move back to Earth

they edit each other's papers (Keiko marvels at Julian's ability to spell out complex chemical compounds with his eyes closed, and somehow use 'their' instead of 'there') (in his defense he wrote that bit at 4 in the morning after going 2 straight days without sleep) (she threatens to sedate him)

Julian sometimes brings back plants from planets they explore in the Gamma Quadrant and gives them to Keiko. sometimes he does it because the plant has medicinal properties and the two of them can do a joint research project, but most of the time he does it just to give her a nice gift

when Miles goes away for particularly dangerous missions, Julian will keep Keiko company and help keep her mind off of it. sometimes she has trouble sleeping because shes so worried, so he'll hang around and start rambling on about whatever he's currently working on until she falls asleep. he jokes he's boring her to sleep, but it actually means a lot to her

they have a weekly tea date. this is their prime gossip time. sometimes Jadzia is invited

when Keiko's mad at Miles she'll rant to Julian about it. Julian learned very quickly that this is not a time where advice is wanted, so he sits back and lets her get it all off her chest, because she really just wants someone to listen and let her blow off some steam

Julian makes a concentrated effort to learn more about plant husbandry and care after the incident where he accidentally killed some of Keiko's prized plants because he actually does feel very bad about it

Julian hovered over Keiko nearly as bad as Miles did when she was pregnant with Kirayoshi (and then he hovered over her even more after the pregnancy transfer, and he wouldnt tell anybody why, but Keiko knew it was because nearly losing her shook him up pretty bad)

when Julian gets outed for being augmented, Keiko goes to him and gives him the tightest, warmest hug he's ever gotten in his entire life

Julian gets invited to girls nights with Keiko and Molly (steady surgeon's hands make him the best one to paint nails) (he pretends to complain but he loves it)

anytime Julian has to go away for a scientific conference of any kind, if he gets to bring someone with him, his first choice is always Keiko

in short: theyre besties they told me so themselves <3

[natjennie]

"and im gonna go buy party cups" awwww I do lowkey kind of feel bad for fabian this season like. obviously the more highly magical of the group have been favored while figuring out these god mysteries but. fabian's social maneuvering has been important too and his growth as a friend and his success on the owlbears. I don't think he's getting enough credit! especially with the election being so pivotal for the ritual!!! give him some praise!!!

[wtfearth123]

Scientists have created a new material that can conduct electricity without any resistance at room temperature (above 127°C) and normal pressure. It is based on a modified form of lead-apatite (LK-99). This is the first time such a feat has been achieved in the world.

[lakesbian]

also i've been paying attention (no shit) and i've observed that, as of 5.5, alec has been jumping into conversations almost solely to help taylor or try to make a joke with her. it's not that he has no interactions with lisa or brian, but it seems like his dynamics with them are very settled and established: lisa is a roommate he's cool with and a teammate, but they're not the type of people who would make great friends. brian is a casual buddy and someone he could game with, but they're not very close either, and brian is honestly casually shitty to him sometimes. rachel is rachel, and he's not fucking with that. so the fact that, despite being in depressed, dissociative fugues every chapter, he keeps perking up just to be welcoming or helpful to taylor when everyone else has gone silent--the fact that he immediately tries to force "dork" as an affectionate nickname with almost tragic obliviousness to the fact that she doesn't like it--the fact that he keeps trying to start friendly banter with her even when she demonstrably doesn't get it or finds it annoying...it honestly screams of a desperate (and i'm sure entirely unconscious) attempt to try latching onto the first new person who's entered his life in a while, to see if the connection will stick, to see if he can finally become a bit less lonely.

and i think this idea is only strengthened by the fact that we see him do the exact same thing to aisha when she first joins--the example that comes to mind first is when he wraps an arm over her shoulder and jokes about them starting their own team together, but i'm sure i'll find others in the reread. the difference is that, with aisha, it actually works.

alec vasil :( the Loneliest Little Prince...

[miss-biophys]

We found a new antibiotic target in bacteria!!

It took almost 4 years, but the fruits of my postdoc research are finally here! In our paper (with me as the first author), just published in Nature Communications, we decipher a working mechanism of an antibiotic that targets the membrane of bacteria in an unprecedented way!

enhanced PDF: https://rdcu.be/dgj2d web version: https://lnkd.in/eRpxr4jg

And how does it work?

The antibiotic AMC-109 first self-assembles into stable aggregates with a cationic surface. These aggregates then specifically target bacteria cells and insert into their membrane.

You can see the process how we simulated it in a computer on the figure below. Grey-Blue is the antibiotic, Red-Yellow are lipids that together form a membrane.

@jmelcr did this awesome simulation work! You are an amazing scientist, jmelcr! I love you and it seems our collaboration did not ruin our marriage. Not yet, anyway 😄.

After insertion into the bacterial membrane, the antibiotic dissolves membrane nanodomains affecting membrane function without formation of any pores or holes in the membrane.

Below is the series of high-speed atomic force microscopy images that shows the process of dissolution of membrane nanodomains. Yellow are the membranes extracted from bacteria laying flat on a hard surface (black). The membranes contain nanodomains (bright yellow) that are important in living bacteria for its survival. Addition of antibiotic dissolves them.

More studies will follow that use this new target in bacteria giving us an advantage over untreatable superbugs. I will keep you posted. And... keep your fingers crossed. It's research after all, so we never know if and how well it's going to work.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

The Prince of Wales Attends Events During London Climate Action Week

Prince William, seen wearing a recycled tie, and Bill Gates, founder of Breakthrough Energy, take a tour of the Innovation Showcase, with Earthshot Winner and CEO and Co-Founder of Circ, Peter Majeranowski, at the Breakthrough Energy Summit on 27 June 2024 in London, England.

The Breakthrough Energy Summit brings together leaders in technology, policy, science, academia, and business to collaborate on innovative climate solutions.

Over 1,200 participants are expected to attend the 2024 Summit.

📸: Chris Jackson - WPA Pool / Getty Images

[ace-aro-sasha-nein]

I think all psychonauts games are really unique and well crafted etc, but the first game touched on a very specific experience of mine that literally no other media has been able to capture. You play as a young character that is deeply enthusiastic about an institution that appears to be dying. (The camp’s buildings are decrepit, the adult supervision seems a bit checked out, a kid could loose their brain and nobody would think they were, like, that different from normal, the guy who flips burgers at the lodge is an old and well respected agent, one person has set up a sparsely furnished lab underneath an old (rather unethical) government research facility, said facility is left unattended to the point that kids can trap each other in there without anyone noticing… ) idk the whole camp is falling apart a bit, and certainly doesn’t bode well for the Psychonauts as a whole, and I would have loved if the Psychonauts had felt more on-its-last-legs in psychonauts 2. But games are not only built for me!

[gemkun]

i was having a shower and i started to think about the potential of assassination attempts or sabotage on veritas. i also have to credit @zorkaya for the delicious bodyguard au we've been creating and especially the recent response involving a threat on the doctor which meant ushering him away to safety.

it's clear that dr. ratio can take care of himself and the other guy(s) are probably going to come out worse than him , but i still think that it's not unheard of for him to be a target of envious researchers or people he rubbed wrong because let's face it , who doesn't find him displeasing ? someone asked me once to name veritas' friends and i for the life of me couldn't.

i also think when he was younger at least he was in the safety of the university but perhaps he hadn't been as methodical as he is now , so , if other students picked on him then he probably had to learn how to diffuse that as well. he's also the type to cover up any injury or tend to it quickly since he firmly believes he is capable of handling confrontations and battle. like he's a doctor , his job is to heal and tend to ailments. that extends to him as well.

this makes me wonder about who would be veritas' enemies because i'd be lying if i said he has none.

[frankcastled]

here's the thing about DB Cooper

a lot of people think or thought he died during the initial heist

but there were NUMEROUS copy cat heists of people doing the same thing in the immediate aftermath and did jumps that were in similar or WORSE conditions but they ALL survived (and were caught)

so i need people to stop being amazing at this idea that DB Cooper survived that jump because it's not as incredible because so many fuckin amateurs did worse and also survive those same jumps

[informationatlas]

In September, a world-first human trial of a drug that can regenerate teeth will begin at Kyoto University Hospital. The drug has shown success in animals, growing new teeth with no significant side effects. Lead researcher Katsu Takahashi hopes the treatment will be available commercially by 2030.

The drug deactivates the USAG-1 protein, promoting tooth growth. The trial will first focus on adults with missing molars, then expand to children with congenital tooth deficiency and eventually to those with partial edentulism. If successful, the treatment could be available for all patients with missing teeth within six years.

(via World-first tooth-regrowing drug will be given to humans in September)

[touchaheartnews]

Five Recent Breakthroughs in the Battle Against Cancer

From combining treatments in unprecedented ways to deploying artificial intelligence for personalised medicine, a raft of new advances in the fight against cancer have been presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), which ends on Tuesday. Here are some of the big announcements made at the five-day conference held in the Spanish city of Barcelona, which brought together 30,000…

[blujayonthewing]

thinking about how melliwyk had a reputation in her career for ruthless ambition but actually she knowingly went into a dead-end field with realistic expectations about it because that's what brought her the most sincere excitement and joy

[scottguy]

Scientists are my heroes.

[rowlfthedog]

HUH???

[digirainebow]

INCREDIBLE day for jacoblovers