Enjoy!
Saturday, August 31, 2024
China & The Philippines Accuse Each Other of Deliberately Ramming their Ships in South China Sea
Let's hope this does not escalate!
Die Märchen der Energiewende! Klimawissen - kurz & bündig
Sehr empfehlenswert! Typisch Bananenrepublik D.!
Dark matter could have helped make supermassive black holes in the early universe
Recommendable! Amazing stuff! A universe of mysteries!
"Key takeaways
- Supermassive black holes typically take billions of years to form. But the James Webb Space Telescope is finding them not that long after the Big Bang — before they should have had time to form.
- ... astrophysicists have discovered that if dark matter decays, the photons it emits keep the hydrogen gas hot enough for gravity to gather it into giant clouds and eventually condense it into a supermassive black hole.
- In addition to explaining the existence of very early supermassive black holes, the finding lends support for the existence of a kind of dark matter capable of decaying into particles such as photons.
... Why, then, is the James Webb Space Telescope discovering supermassive black holes near the beginning of time itself, eons before they should have been able to form? ... astrophysicists have an answer as mysterious as the black holes themselves: Dark matter kept hydrogen from cooling long enough for gravity to condense it into clouds big and dense enough to turn into black holes instead of stars. ..."
From the abstract:
"We investigate the formation of high-redshift supermassive black holes (SMBHs) via the direct collapse of baryonic clouds, where the unwanted formation of molecular hydrogen is successfully suppressed by a Lyman-Werner (LW) photon background from relic particle decay. We improve on existing studies by dynamically simulating the collapse, accounting for the adiabatic contraction of the DM halo, as well as the in situ production of the LW photons within the cloud which reduce the impact of the cloud’s shielding. We find a viable parameter space where the decay of either some of the dark matter or all of a subdominant decaying species successfully allows direct collapse of the cloud to a SMBH."
Direct Collapse Supermassive Black Holes from Relic Particle Decay (no public access)
A view of the Milky Way supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* in polarized light.
IBM’s Quantum-Centric Supercomputing Vision Is Coming
Recommendable overview article by IBM on its efforts!
India and Japan take small steps towards stronger ties
Good news! When Asia's largest democracies collaborate! India, a rising superpower!
Maybe these are still small steps, but there is realistic potential for more!
"... The India-Japan 2+2 began in 2019, one of several such dialogues that India and its partners initiated in the Indo-Pacific. Though it was meant to be an annual affair, this was the only the third such meeting since 2019. Nevertheless, the joint statement listed an impressive set of achievements. These included Japanese participation in bilateral and multilateral air exercises hosted by the Indian Air Force, and bilateral military exercises by all three services in 2023—the first time this has happened in a single calendar year.
In addition, there has been a steady drumbeat of dialogues on issues including disarmament and non-proliferation; cyber security and counterterrorism. A particular emphasis for both countries is the UN Security Council reform. Even though this still seems a somewhat distant ambition, both sides continue to discuss pathways forward in promoting such reforms. ..."
Zuckerberg Letter Confirms Government Engaged in Big Tech Censorship
We should thank Mark Zuckerberg for recently coming out in public on attempts of government censorship applied to social media!
So why are conspiracy theories created, or why do conspiracy theories exist and proliferate? There is e.g. the infamous kernel of truth and what about its size.
Physicists successfully observe Kibble–Zurek scaling in an atomic Fermi superfluid
Amazing stuff! Almost super exotic physics! 😊
"The Kibble–Zurek (KZ) mechanism is a theoretical framework introduced by physicists Tom Kibble and Wojciech Zurek. This framework essentially describes the formation of topological defects while systems undergo non-equilibrium phase transitions.
Researchers ... recently observed KZ scaling in a homogeneous and strongly interacting Fermi gas as it was transitioning into a superfluid. ...
While KZ scaling is applicable to a wide range of systems, including superfluids, ferroelectrics, superconductors, ion traps and Rydberg atom arrays, so far it has primarily been observed in some of these systems. The main objective of the study by Lee and his colleagues was to observe KZ scaling in a Fermi superfluid, which has so far proved particularly challenging. ..."
From the abstract:
"The Kibble–Zurek mechanism is a theoretical framework that describes the formation and scaling of topological defects in symmetry-breaking phase transitions. It was originally conceptualized for superfluid helium. The theory predicts that the number of quantum vortices should scale as a power law with the rate at which the system passes through the lambda transition, but demonstrating this effect has been elusive in experiments using superfluid systems. Here, we report the observation of Kibble–Zurek scaling in a homogeneous, strongly interacting Fermi gas undergoing a superfluid phase transition. We investigate the superfluid transition using temperature and interaction strength as two distinct control parameters. The microscopic physics of condensate formation is markedly different for the two quench parameters, as shown by the two orders of magnitude difference in the condensate formation timescale. However, regardless of the thermodynamic direction in which the system passes through a phase transition, the Kibble–Zurek exponent is identically observed to be about 0.68, in good agreement with theoretical predictions. This work experimentally demonstrates the theoretical proposal laid out for liquid helium, which is in the same universality class as strongly interacting Fermi gases."
Universal Kibble–Zurek scaling in an atomic Fermi superfluid (no public access)
Observation of universal Kibble-Zurek scaling in an atomic Fermi superfluid (pre-print version)
Time-of-flight image of an atomic cloud of 6Li, where the dark density depletions are quantum vortices
Sleep resets neurons for new memories the next day
Amazing stuff! Solving the mysteries of human memory.
"... The hippocampus is divided into three regions: CA1, CA2 and CA3. CA1 and CA3 are involved in encoding memories related to time and space and, are well-studied; less is known about CA2, which the current study found generates this silencing and resetting of the hippocampus during sleep. ..."
From the Perspective abstract:
"Sleep is not just a time for the body to rest but also for the mind to solidify memories. During the non-rapid eye movement (NREM) phase of sleep, neurons in the hippocampus display short bursts of firing activity called sharp-wave ripples (SWRs), which is essential for memory consolidation. How the brain rebalances its activity after these bursts remains unclear. ... Karaba et al. ... report a new type of neuron activity in the rodent hippocampus that is characterized by long episodes of neuronal firing called barrage of action potentials (BARR). BARRs counteract SWRs to suppress the increased activity of neurons involved in learning during NREM sleep. The findings demonstrate that BARRs are crucial for memory consolidation by modulating memory reactivation and help to reconcile different theories on the role of sleep for memory formation."
From the editor's summary and abstract:
"Editor’s summary
During sleep, there is an increase in the coordinated firing of neuronal ensembles that were previously active during behavior. These hippocampal sharp-wave ripples are necessary for sleep-dependent memory consolidation. However, how the hippocampus regulates such increases in ensemble reactivation and synchrony while keeping the overall homeostatic balance of the network is not known. Karaba et al. discovered a new type of network pattern, a barrage of activity, that originated in hippocampal area CA2 and involved pyramidal cells and a specific type of interneurons. This barrage had differential effects on the efferent CA1 neurons and was dependent on experience. Optogenetic manipulations of this activity indicated its role in different tasks. Unlike sharp-wave ripples, which increase hippocampal output, this barrage decreased the output, thereby rebalancing the network.
Abstract
Memory consolidation involves the synchronous reactivation of hippocampal cells active during recent experience in sleep sharp-wave ripples (SWRs). How this increase in firing rates and synchrony after learning is counterbalanced to preserve network stability is not understood. We discovered a network event generated by an intrahippocampal circuit formed by a subset of CA2 pyramidal cells to cholecystokinin-expressing (CCK+) basket cells, which fire a barrage of action potentials (“BARR”) during non–rapid eye movement sleep. CA1 neurons and assemblies that increased their activity during learning were reactivated during SWRs but inhibited during BARRs. The initial increase in reactivation during SWRs returned to baseline through sleep. This trend was abolished by silencing CCK+ basket cells during BARRs, resulting in higher synchrony of CA1 assemblies and impaired memory consolidation."
A BARRage of firing while asleep (no public access)
A hippocampal circuit mechanism to balance memory reactivation during sleep (no public access)
From the bookshelf: ‘Zhou Enlai: A Life’
Recommendable! He is perhaps one of the lesser known leaders of the Communist Party of China.
"Zhou Enlai was a giant of twentieth century international relations. Serving as China’s premier from the establishment of the People’s Republic in 1949 until his death in 1976 and also as China’s first foreign minister, Zhou set up China’s foreign service and skilfully guided China through the international events of the entire Mao Zedong era. ..."
Friday, August 30, 2024
UK Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner dances behind DJ decks at Ibiza nightclub
You wish more politicians would be dancing! 😊 The world would be a better place!
Turkish FM Attends EU Meet After 5 Years: Reset in EU-Türkiye Ties? with Palki Sharma
Recommendable! Osman sultan Erdogan is long overdue to retire from politics!
The Brazil-Musk Feud: X Faces Brazil Ban with Palki Sharma
Recommendable! I am not familiar with the details of this case, but it is quite possible that the leftist Brazilian president Lula and the Brazilian Supreme Court are making a mistake here. Let's see how the Brazilian people will react!
Xi Jinping Faces Rebellion, As Chinese Economy Weakens with Palki Sharma
Very recommendable! Is the end of the era of Xi Jinping near?
Some bats in Latin America are eating nothing but sugar
Amazing stuff! How sweet!
"... So the authors of a new study were shocked to discover that some species of leaf-nosed bat, which inhabit jungles in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, are surviving—and thriving—on nothing but sugar. ...
Hoping to discover how these bats diversified their diets, scientists spent several years catching them and measuring their blood glucose. Those tests revealed that the bats’ “blood sugar levels … are the highest we have ever seen in nature—what would be lethal, coma-inducing levels for [other] mammals,” ... “We are seeing a new trait we didn’t know was possible.” ..."
Hoping to discover how these bats diversified their diets, scientists spent several years catching them and measuring their blood glucose. Those tests revealed that the bats’ “blood sugar levels … are the highest we have ever seen in nature—what would be lethal, coma-inducing levels for [other] mammals,” ... “We are seeing a new trait we didn’t know was possible.” ..."
"... “Fruit bats have honed their insulin signaling pathway to lower blood sugar,” said Camacho. “On the other extreme, nectar bats can tolerate high blood glucose levels, similar to what is observed in people with unregulated diabetes. They have evolved a different mechanism, and it does not seem to depend on insulin.” ..."
From the abstract:
"Dietary specializations in animals lead to adaptations in morphology, anatomy and physiology. Neotropical bats, with their high taxonomic and trophic diversity, offer a unique perspective on diet-driven evolutionary adaptations. Here we assess the metabolic response to different dietary sugars among wild-caught bats. ... bats with nectar and fruit-based diets showed significantly higher blood glucose levels in response to glucose and sucrose, reaching levels over 750 mg dl−1. The genomic analysis of 22 focal species and two outgroup species identified positive selection for the digestive enzyme trehalase in insect eaters, while sucrase–isomaltase showed selection in lineages with omnivorous and nectar diets. By examining anatomical and cellular features of the small intestine, we discovered that dietary sugar proportion strongly impacted numerous digestive traits, providing valuable insight into the physiological implications of molecular adaptations. Using hybridization chain reaction (HCR) RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, we observed unusually high expression in the glucose transporter gene Slc2a2 in nectar bats, while fruit bats increased levels of Slc5a1 and Slc2a5. Overall, this study highlights the intricate interplay between molecular, morphological and physiological aspects of diet evolution, offering new insights into the mechanisms of dietary diversification and sugar assimilation in mammals."
Bats are surviving and thriving on nothing but sugar (original news release) "The team of researchers recorded the highest natural blood sugar levels ever observed in a mammal, now they hope it could help them better understand diabetes."
Fig. 2: Molecular basis of sugar assimilation.
Bacteria use an unusual new molecular mechanism to fight viruses
Amazing stuff!
"Viruses plague bacteria as well as people, and some bacteria deploy ... molecular mechanism to defend themselves, two studies published in Science this month reveal. The bacteria conjure up an entirely new gene that isn’t normally in their repertoire. This gene, dubbed neo by both groups that unearthed it, then spawns a protein that stymies the viral invaders. ...
To assemble their new gene, the studies show, the bacteria exploit enzymes called reverse transcriptases, which invert a key cellular mechanism. Cells usually start with information encoded in a gene’s DNA to make RNA molecules, such as the messenger RNAs (mRNAs) that carry the instructions for synthesizing a protein. But reverse transcriptases can flip the process around and produce DNA versions of RNA molecules. Discovered in tumor-causing viruses, the enzymes also allow HIV to commandeer human cells. However, many bacteria also make reverse transcriptases, and the new work reveals how at least one kind of bacterium uses them to turn the tables on the viruses known as phages. ..."
"In a genetic sleight of hand used to ward off invading viruses, certain bacteria can assemble a gene to make an antiviral protein, two groups publishing in Science this month have shown. The unprecedented defensive maneuver ... The findings offer the latest challenge to the misperception that genetic information flows only one way—from DNA to RNA to proteins—and raise the possibility that similar cryptic genes lurk in other organisms, even humans. ..."
From the abstract:
"Reverse transcription has frequently been co-opted for cellular functions and in prokaryotes is associated with protection against viral infection, but the underlying mechanisms of defense are generally unknown. Here, we show that in the DRT2 defense system the reverse transcriptase binds a neighboring pseudoknotted noncoding RNA. Upon bacteriophage infection, a template region of this RNA is reverse transcribed into an array of tandem repeats that reconstitute a promoter and open reading frame, allowing expression of a toxic repetitive protein and an abortive infection response. Biochemical reconstitution of this activity and cryogenic electron microscopy provide a molecular basis for repeat synthesis. Gene synthesis from a noncoding RNA is a new mode of genetic regulation in prokaryotes."
Bacteria use ‘crazy molecular mechanism’ to fight viruses "Made-to-order gene could be so toxic that cells only assemble it in emergencies"
Phage-triggered reverse transcription assembles a toxic repetitive gene from a noncoding RNA (no public access)
Some bacteria (orange ball) defend themselves against phages, by assembling a gene not in their normal genome
Injectable pacemaker regulates heartbeat for 5 days then dissolves
Amazing stuff! Almost mind blowing! Though, it has not yet been tested on humans.
"... It’s essentially a syringe with an ultrathin needle – thinner than a human hair – that injects a solution containing nanoparticles. When this comes into contact with tissue, it forms an electrically conductive polymer hydrogel.
The idea is that when needed, this can be injected into the chest of a patient with arrhythmia, where it forms a kind of electrode around the heart. The tiny pinprick site of the injection acts as a point of contact for an external device, such as a mobile phone, the team says. This allows ECG measurements to be taken, as well as stimulating the heart with low-power electricity to regulate the heartbeat. ..."
From the abstract:
"Without intervention, cardiac arrhythmias pose a risk of fatality. However, timely intervention can be challenging in environments where transporting a large, heavy defibrillator is impractical, or emergency surgery to implant cardiac stimulation devices is not feasible. Here, we introduce an injectable cardiac stimulator, a syringe loaded with a nanoparticle solution comprising a conductive polymer and a monomer that, upon injection, forms a conductive structure around the heart for cardiac stimulation. Following treatment, the electrode is cleared from the body, eliminating the need for surgical extraction. The mixture adheres to the beating heart in vivo without disrupting its normal rhythm. The electrofunctionalized injectable cardiac stimulator demonstrates a tissue-compatible Young’s modulus of 21 kPa and a high conductivity of 55 S/cm. The injected electrode facilitates electrocardiogram measurements, regulates heartbeat in vivo, and rectifies arrhythmia. Conductive functionality is maintained for five consecutive days, and no toxicity is observed at the organism, organ, or cellular levels."
Injectable heart stimulator for emergency situations (original news release) "By injecting a solution of nanoparticles around the heart, a temporary heart stimulator self-assembles, which can correct heart arrhythmia in emergency situations with the help of an external power source. After treatment, the electrode spontaneously disappears from the body. The study was conducted on animals."
In situ assembly of an injectable cardiac stimulator (open access)
In animal studies, researchers have developed an injectable cardiac stimulator for emergency situations. The illustration shows how the injectable heart stimulator is supposed to work when fully developed and tested.
Fig. 4: eBICS is resorbed after 7 days and can be applied to larger animals.
Australia needs a coast guard
Australia has no coast guard? The Australian navy is doing the coast guard job?
The coastline of Australia is a mere 25,760 kilometers (or the sixth longest in the world).
"Australia should establish a coast guard to counter China’s use of grey zone tactics in expanding its territorial claims in the South China Sea. China is using its coast guard, along with civilian vessels and fishing boats, to impose its presence, so Australia and its regional partners should respond in kind. ...
Whether or not Australia needs a coast guard is a recurring question in national security circles. Experts point to the lack of resources within the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to defend Australia’s coast, support allies and protect national interests abroad. A coast guard would reduce the navy’s responsibilities by taking the lead on local constabulary and border protection operations, freeing up the RAN to focus on the business of warfighting. ..."
Marmoset monkeys may use names to call other members of their group or family members
Amazing stuff!
"It seems so, after new research appears to have discovered that small monkeys called marmosets “vocally label” their monkey friends with specific sounds.
... The team used audio recorders and pattern-recognition software to analyze the animals’ high-pitched chirps and twitters. To prove they’d cracked the monkey code—and learned the secret names—the team played recordings at the marmosets through a speaker and found they responded more often when their label, or name, was in the recording.
... Until now, only humans, dolphins, elephants, and probably parrots had been known to use specific sounds to call out to other individuals. ..."
"... The finding adds to recent revelations about marmoset communication, including that they learn to “talk” as infants by mimicking their parents, take turns while communicating, and even eavesdrop on their neighbors’ conversations. The monkeys may have evolved this sophisticated communication style to stay in touch in their dense rainforest habitat, where group members are easier heard than seen. ..."
From the editor's summary and abstract:
"Editor’s summary
The ability to vocally label other individuals from your species and to learn these labels from others is a high-level cognitive function. Previously, this behavior has only been known to exist in humans, dolphins, and some parrot species. Oren et al. applied machine learning tools and real-time playback experiments to analyze naturally occurring “phee-call” dialogues between pairs of marmoset monkeys. Marmosets used these vocalizations to label their conspecifics. They also perceived and responded correctly to calls that were specifically directed at them. Monkeys from the same family group used similar calls to vocally label others, and they learned from other family members to vocally label other individuals. ...
Abstract
Humans, dolphins, and elephants are the only known species that vocally label their conspecifics. It remains unclear whether nonhuman primates share this ability. We recorded spontaneous “phee-call” dialogues between pairs of marmoset monkeys. We discovered that marmosets use these calls to vocally label their conspecifics. Moreover, they respond more consistently and correctly to calls that are specifically directed at them. Analysis of calls from multiple monkeys revealed that family members use similar calls and acoustic features to label others and perform vocal learning. These findings shed light on the complexities of social vocalizations among nonhuman primates and suggest that marmoset vocalizations may provide a model for understanding aspects of human language, thereby offering new insights into the evolution of social communication."
Vocal labeling of others by nonhuman primates (no public access)
‘Northern frontier culture’: How China is erasing the Mongolian ethnic minority
Bad news! Horrible!
"Chinese authorities have launched a campaign to change the term that people use to refer to Mongolian culture and to the cultural and historical heritage of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR) in a move aimed at eroding Mongolian identity and sense of homeland.
The Chinese Communist Party’s new official term, bei jiang wenhua, meaning ‘northern frontier culture’, eliminates reference to Mongolians, one of China’s 56 officially recognised ethnic groups. Since July 2023, Inner Mongolia state media articles, official websites, party statements, party-organised children’s activities, and official social media posts have widely promoted the phrase. ...
The adoption of the term appears to be part of the CCP’s growing campaign to weaken Mongolian ethnic identity and instead push a Han-centric national identity through the elimination of Mongolian language education and other measures. ..."
The adoption of the term appears to be part of the CCP’s growing campaign to weaken Mongolian ethnic identity and instead push a Han-centric national identity through the elimination of Mongolian language education and other measures. ..."
Le Monde reports Russia Redeploys Mercenaries from Burkina Faso to Defend Kursk
Is this war propaganda or is this real? Desperate measures by Putin the Terrible?
1000 Euro Handgeld für Straftäter – Deutschland schiebt erstmals seit drei Jahren Afghanen nach Kabul ab
Typisch Bananenrepublik D! Wer gibt Straftätern 1000 Euro? Bekloppt!
Vielleicht sollte man noch Messerstechern nach der Tat einen schönen, teuren Anzug schenken!
Indian American females influence on U.S. domestic politics
Amazing stuff!
Thursday, August 29, 2024
Since Trump Left The White House, Profits At Mar-a-Lago Have Quadrupled
Good for him! At least as a president he understands business like few other presidents before him.
India Launches Second Nuclear Submarine Amid Growing Chinese Activity with Palki Sharma
Recommendable! India, a rising superpower going head to head with China.
US Ambassador Strikes Again: Honduras to Cancel US Extradition Treaty of 1912 with Palki Sharma
Looks like another foreign policy blunder by the administration of the senile, demented and corrupt 46th President!
Why was the knife attack carried out in Solingen, Germany?
Solingen is world famous for its traditional knife and blade manufacturing dating back centuries!
From this perspective, it is perhaps no coincidence that Solingen was chosen for this attack.
It is actually surprising how little this fact is mentioned in e.g. news reports.
How the Baltic states are trying to strengthen their defense capabilities against Russia
Recommendable! The Baltic states are among the strongest supporters of the Ukraine.
Compensatory sleep can make up for sleep deprivation to reduce heart disease risk
Good news! If I remember correctly, then it was previously believed this was not possible!
"Sleep-deprived people who catch up on sleep over weekends may reduce their heart disease risk by a fifth, according to a British study of 90,000 people presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress ..."
Exploring cardiovascular health: lifestyle, economics, and disparities "Weekend compensatory sleep is associated with reduced risk of heart disease: a prospective UK Biobank-based cohort study"
Boar's Head brand liverwurst, are contaminated with Listeria at delis. 9 people died, 56 cases total in 18 U.S. states
These are actually old news dating back to July 2024! I guess, NPR was late to pick up this news or it was the best NPR could find during silly season.
I am a big fan of liverwurst, but this churns my stomach!
"... 9 people have died in connection with a listeria outbreak among Boar's Head deli products in the U.S., per a CDC update; there are now 57 cases total across 18 states, and all of those infected have been hospitalized. NPR ..."
"... The company recalled 7 million pounds of deli meats on July 30, 2024, expanding an initial recall earlier in July after a liverwurst sample collected in Maryland tested positive for listeria. ..."
Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme Cindy McCain suspends operations in Gaza
The UN agency claims it exactly followed protocol! Was this an unfortunate event of friendly fire or is this politics?
Yes, this is the wife of late U.S. Senator John McCain!
Why was this vehicle approaching an Israeli checkpoint in the evening instead of during day time?
Who were the actual occupants of this vehicle at the time?
Caveat: I did not have time to investigate the Israeli response to this incident.
"“This is totally unacceptable and the latest in a series of unnecessary security incidents that have endangered the lives of WFP’s team in Gaza,” said the UN agency’s Executive Director Cindy McCain, calling on the Israeli authorities and all parties to the conflict to act immediately to ensure the safety and security of all aid workers in Gaza. ...
A “clearly marked UN humanitarian vehicle – part of a convoy that had been fully coordinated with the [Israeli Defense Forces] IDF – was struck 10 times by IDF gunfire, including with bullets targeting front windows,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters at a briefing at UN Headquarters on Wednesday. ..."
Why are smokers less likely to get Parkinson's? Low doses of carbon monoxide
Good news! Carbon monoxide itself is a toxic gas! What a paradox!
Health benefits of smoking? What is the journalist or are these scientists smoking? 😊
Can second hand smokers like me benefit too? 😊
"Paradoxically, previous research has shown that despite its inherent health risks, cigarette smoking is linked with a reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease. Until now, however, it was not clear how.
New research in lab models indicates that low doses of carbon monoxide — comparable to that experienced by smokers — protected against neurodegeneration and prevented the accumulation of a key Parkinson’s-associated protein in the brain. ..."
From the abstract:
"Paradoxically, cigarette smoking is associated with a reduced risk of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). This led us to hypothesize that carbon monoxide (CO) levels, which are constitutively but modestly elevated in smokers, might contribute to neuroprotection. Using rodent models of PD based on α-synuclein (αSyn) accumulation and oxidative stress, we show that low-dose CO mitigates neurodegeneration and reduces αSyn pathology. Oral CO administration activated signaling cascades mediated by heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which have been implicated in limiting oxidative stress, and in promoting αSyn degradation, thereby conferring neuroprotection. Consistent with the neuroprotective effect of smoking, HO-1 levels in cerebrospinal fluid were higher in human smokers compared to nonsmokers. Moreover, in PD brain samples, HO-1 levels were higher in neurons without αSyn pathology. Thus, CO in rodent PD models reduces pathology and increases oxidative stress responses, phenocopying possible protective effects of smoking evident in PD patients. These data highlight the potential for low-dose CO-modulated pathways to slow symptom onset and limit pathology in PD patients."
Risking their lives all over the world - 7 Journalists killed in war zones over the past 2 weeks
They say truth is the first casualty of war! For sure, being a journalist in a war zone is a dangerous job.
"Their names were Ali Taimeh and Ibrahim Muhareb, Win Htut Oo and Htet Myat Thu, Hero Bahaden and Gülistan Tara, and Ryan Evans. They were journalists or media professionals who worked in Gaza, Myanmar, Kurdistan and Ukraine. What did they have in common? They were all killed in the course of their media work in the past two weeks. ..."
How Do You 3D Print Glass?
Recommendable!
Skyline Robotics deploys Ozmo window cleaning robot in New York City
Welcome to high rise robotics!
No more adrenaline rushes or spectacular views for human window cleaners? No more interactions between human window cleaners and office employees through the window?
The Ozmo robotic window cleaner operates on a skyscraper in New York City
Belarus Air Force Reportedly Engages Russian Kamikaze Drone over Belarus territory
The many twists and turns in war times! Did this drone accidentally enter the air space of Belarus as was claimed?
Was this an example of the fine balancing act by President Lukashenko. Belarus shares borders with Russia and Ukraine!
So far it appears that Lukashenko managed to keep Belarus largely out of the Russo-Ukrainian war except for some tokenism and rather minimal support. Maybe one of his greatest achievements.
For men only? Lack of women winners for million-euro science prize draws protests. Really!
Propaganda and demagoguery! Laughable!
As if a minority of female scientists were entitled that a woman wins a prize too irrespective of scientific achievement!
Men watch out in the battle of the sexes!
"... All the winners of this year’s Frontiers Planet Prize (FPP), with a cash award bigger than the Nobel Prize, were men, just as they were last year. ..."
So what!!!
The three International Champions of the Frontiers Planet Prize (standing in the middle holding up the blue colored prize)
Prioritizing the unexpected: New brain mechanism uncovered how the brain implements responses to unexpected events
Amazing stuff!
"... revealed that VIP [vasoactive intestinal polypeptide expressing] neurons and pulvinar act synergistically together. VIP neurons act like a switchboard: When they are off, the pulvinar suppresses activity in the neocortex, but when VIP neurons are on, the pulvinar can strongly and selectively boost sensory responses in the neocortex. The cooperative interaction of these two pathways thus mediates the sensory prediction error signals in the visual cortex. ..."
From the abstract:
"The brain functions as a prediction machine, utilizing an internal model of the world to anticipate sensations and the outcomes of our actions. Discrepancies between expected and actual events, referred to as prediction errors, are leveraged to update the internal model and guide our attention towards unexpected events. Despite the importance of prediction-error signals for various neural computations across the brain, surprisingly little is known about the neural circuit mechanisms responsible for their implementation. Here we describe a thalamocortical disinhibitory circuit that is required for generating sensory prediction-error signals in mouse primary visual cortex (V1). We show that violating animals’ predictions by an unexpected visual stimulus preferentially boosts responses of the layer 2/3 V1 neurons that are most selective for that stimulus. Prediction errors specifically amplify the unexpected visual input, rather than representing non-specific surprise or difference signals about how the visual input deviates from the animal’s predictions. This selective amplification is implemented by a cooperative mechanism requiring thalamic input from the pulvinar and cortical vasoactive-intestinal-peptide-expressing (VIP) inhibitory interneurons. In response to prediction errors, VIP neurons inhibit a specific subpopulation of somatostatin-expressing inhibitory interneurons that gate excitatory pulvinar input to V1, resulting in specific pulvinar-driven response amplification of the most stimulus-selective neurons in V1. Therefore, the brain prioritizes unpredicted sensory information by selectively increasing the salience of unpredicted sensory features through the synergistic interaction of thalamic input and neocortical disinhibitory circuits."
Prioritising the unexpected: new brain mechanism uncovered (original news release) "Neuroscientists show how the brain implements responses to unexpected events"
Neurons in the mouse visual cortex with VIP neurons in magenta.
Fig. 1: Prediction errors amplify unexpected visual information.
VIP and pulvinar interactions.
Image of the day
Propaganda and demagoguery by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)! This is their latest advertisement for new membership!
Appalling!
Understanding Online Toxicity. Really!
Yawn, nothing really new! This has been well known for the past 20 years or so if not longer.
"... model the "DAD" framework. "What is it about the environment of social media platforms that causes more toxicity during social communication than we find in face-to-face communication?"... Disembodiment, lack of Accountability, and Disinhibition—all of which make it more likely that social interactions online skew toward a level of nastiness and misinformation exceeding what we experience when interacting with others in person.
First, disembodiment: In most social media exchanges, people have no direct sensory experience of one another. ..."
From the highlights and abstract:
"Highlights
Toxicity in online social interactions is a growing and significant concern.
The current focus has been on the broader effects of toxicity, such as polarization, misinformation, and moral outrage. However, to advance our understanding of online toxicity, we also need to consider the role of the online and disembodied nature of interactions in giving rise to such toxicity.
The Disembodiment, Anonymity, and lack of Disinhibition (DAD) framework conceptualizes three core roots of impaired social interactions and how they persist in a vicious cycle.
An improved understanding of how impaired interactions unfold in the online world can help design interventions that focus on skills and technology for better communication.
Abstract
Online communication is central to modern social life, yet it is often linked to toxic manifestations and reduced well-being. How and why online communication enables these toxic social effects remains unanswered. In this opinion, we propose three roots of online toxicity: disembodiment, limited accountability, and disinhibition. We suggest that virtual disembodiment results in a chain of psychological states primed for deleterious social interaction. Drawing from differences between face-to-face and online interactions, the framework highlights and addresses the fundamental problems that result in impaired communication between individuals and explicates its effects on social toxicity online."
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
The Story of Humanizing the Homeless (Mütter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia)
Recommendable! I once used to live very close to this tiny, special museum.
Kenya's Futuristic Café is Shaking Up Nairobi's Dining Scene with robot servers
Will Africa become a first mover?
Venezuela: AI Anchors to Report Maduro Government's Crackdown
Very clever way to circumvent censorship and persecution in a dictatorship like Venezuela! Bravo!
Political Impasse in France as Macron Rejects PM Choice with Palki Sharma
Seems to be a serious situation in France!
Why Special Counsel Jack Smith Filed a New Trump Indictment
Short answer: He is a useful idiot!
In which cave did they find him or out of which hole in the ground did he crawl out from!
Seismic detectors measure soil moisture in the desert using traffic noise
Amazing stuff! Except it depends on "pre-existing fiber-optic cables"!
"... Scientists have figured out a way to measure soil moisture by detecting the vibrations of traffic noise travelling through the ground.
The technique is called distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) and it is normally used to measure seismic waves during earthquakes.
Seismological instruments have never been used to measure soil moisture at such a large scale for such an extended and continuous timespan before.
Researchers in the US repurposed a DAS system to measure moisture content in a part of the Earth known as the vadose zone. This is the shallow region between the underground water table (where the soil is fully saturated) and the surface. ...
In DAS, laser pulses are sent along unused, underground fibre-optic cables. This light bends and refracts as vibrations, such as seismic waves, pass through the cable. Measuring this tells researchers important information about the passing wave.
DAS can also be used to pick up the vibrations of ambient noise caused by humans. The more moisture there is in the vadose zone, the slower these vibrations move through it. ..."
From the abstract:
"Vadose zone soil moisture is often considered a pivotal intermediary water reservoir between surface and groundwater in semi-arid regions. Understanding its dynamics in response to changes in meteorologic forcing patterns is essential to enhance the climate resiliency of our ecological and agricultural system. However, the inability to observe high-resolution vadose zone soil moisture dynamics over large spatiotemporal scales hinders quantitative characterization. Here, utilizing pre-existing fiber-optic cables as seismic sensors, we demonstrate a fiber-optic seismic sensing principle to robustly capture vadose zone soil moisture dynamics. Our observations in Ridgecrest, California reveal sub-seasonal precipitation replenishments and a prolonged drought in the vadose zone, consistent with a zero-dimensional hydrological model. Our results suggest a significant water loss of 0.25 m/year through evapotranspiration at our field side, validated by nearby eddy-covariance based measurements. Yet, detailed discrepancies between our observations and modeling highlight the necessity for complementary in-situ validations. Given the escalated regional drought risk under climate change, our findings underscore the promise of fiber-optic seismic sensing to facilitate water resource management in semi-arid regions."
Seismic Detectors Measure Soil Moisture Using Traffic Noise "Caltech researchers have developed a new method to measure soil moisture in the shallow subterranean region between the surface and underground aquifers. This region, called the vadose zone, is crucial for plants and crops to obtain water through their roots. However, measuring how this underground moisture fluctuates over time and between geographical regions has traditionally relied on satellite imaging, which only gives low-resolution averages and cannot penetrate below the surface. Additionally, moisture within the vadose zone changes rapidly—a thunderstorm can saturate a region that dries out a few days later."
Fig. 1: Conceptual model for the vadose zone water dynamics and time-lapse seismology example on Ridgecrest DAS array.
Ancient Chinese bone needle workshop reveals industrial practices of the 2nd millennium BCE
Amazing stuff!
"Recent excavations at the Shimao site in Shaanxi, China, have revealed one of the earliest and, so far, largest bone needle workshops ever discovered. The research ... provides valuable insights into craft specialization and early state formation in China during the transition from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age (ca. 2nd millennium BCE). ...
The site, situated at the contact zone between the Loess Plateau agropastoralists and the Mongolian Plateau herder/hunter–gatherers, was excavated between 2016 and 2018, revealing stonewalling, ceremonial structures and a massive stone terrace mound. ...
During the workshop's excavation, more than 18,759 pieces of finished and semi-finished bone were recovered, among them more than 16,137 bone needles. The majority of the bone artifacts had been made using caprine (sheep/goat) bones, specifically metapodia, due to their long, straight nature. These bones were sourced from the remains of ritual sacrifice as well as from general consumption.
According to Dr. Li Min, "I think the massive presence of sheep bones (estimated at 400,000 animals) were produced by the ritual activities and feasting activities (as well as daily consumption) that took place at Shimao as a pilgrimage center." ...
Interestingly, needle production was rather unstandardized, and needles came in a variety of sizes, shapes, and widths. This diverse range of needles meant they were suited for use at different stages of textile production and could be used on different textiles, be they silk or leather. ..."
From the highlights and abstract:
"Highlights
• Prehistoric economy at Shimao.
• Archaeology of craft specialization.
• The chaîne opératoire of bone needle production.
• Transition from Late Neolithic to Bronze Age economy in East Asia.
Abstract
The emergence of Shimao, a proto-urban center at the contact zone between agropastoral communities of the Loess Plateau and herders/hunter-gatherers of Monogolian Plateau, offers critical insights into the economic activities during the transition to the Bronze Age in continental East Asia. Unprecedented in scale in prehistoric China, the bone needle workshop at the central mound was a prelude to the specialized, industrial-scale bone production workshops seen in the Bronze Age cities of Zhengzhou, Anyang, and Zhouyuan during the second and early first millennium BCE. The bone needle production at Huangchengtai probably supplied a sophisticated craft industry for the production of garments using animal hides and textiles."
Image of Shimao Site.
Fig. 2. Map of the Shimao site
Fig. 5. The chaîne opératoire of bone needle production at Shimao
Largest animal genome ever: South American lungfish
Amazing stuff!
"... “With over 90 gigabases (in other words, 90 billion bases), the DNA of the South American species is the largest of all animal genomes and more than twice as large as the genome of the previous record holder, the Australian lungfish,” ...
The researchers found that “autonomous transposons” are responsible for the South American lungfish’s enormous genome. Also known as “jumping genes”, these are DNA sequences that can copy and paste themselves throughout the genome and causing it to expand. ...
The new analysis shows that the expansion rate of the South American lungfish genome is the fastest ever seen – growing by the size of the entire human genome every 10 million years. ..."
"... The genetic material of the South American lungfish in particular breaks all records for size: “With over 90 gigabases (in other words, 90 billion bases), the DNA of the South American species is the largest of all animal genomes and more than twice as large as the genome of the previous record holder, the Australian lungfish. 18 of the 19 chromosomes of the South American lungfish are each individually larger than the entire human genome with its almost 3 billion bases,” says Meyer. Autonomous transposons are responsible for the fact that the lungfish genome has ballooned to this enormous size over time. These are DNA sequences that “replicate” and then change their position in the genome, which in turn causes the genome to grow. ...
The researchers identified the mechanism for this gigantic genome growth: The extreme expansion is at least partially due to very low piRNA abundance. This type of RNA is part of a molecular mechanism that normally silences transposons. ..."
The researchers identified the mechanism for this gigantic genome growth: The extreme expansion is at least partially due to very low piRNA abundance. This type of RNA is part of a molecular mechanism that normally silences transposons. ..."
From the abstract:
"The genomes of living lungfishes can inform on the molecular-developmental basis of the Devonian sarcopterygian fish–tetrapod transition. We de novo sequenced the genomes of the African (Protopterus annectens) and South American lungfishes (Lepidosiren paradoxa). The Lepidosiren genome (about 91 Gb, roughly 30 times the human genome) is the largest animal genome sequenced so far and more than twice the size of the Australian (Neoceratodus forsteri) and African lungfishes owing to enlarged intergenic regions and introns with high repeat content (about 90%). All lungfish genomes continue to expand as some transposable elements (TEs) are still active today. In particular, Lepidosiren’s genome grew extremely fast during the past 100 million years (Myr), adding the equivalent of one human genome every 10 Myr. This massive genome expansion seems to be related to a reduction of PIWI-interacting RNAs and C2H2 zinc-finger and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB)-domain protein genes that suppress TE expansions. Although TE abundance facilitates chromosomal rearrangements, lungfish chromosomes still conservatively reflect the ur-tetrapod karyotype. Neoceratodus’ limb-like fins still resemble those of their extinct relatives and remained phenotypically static for about 100 Myr. We show that the secondary loss of limb-like appendages in the Lepidosiren–Protopterus ancestor was probably due to loss of sonic hedgehog limb-specific enhancers."
Decoding the world’s largest animal genome (original news release)
South American lungfish (Lepidosiren paradoxa)
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