Topics
Consciousness, brain connections, and the claustrum
Research shows that the claustrum acts as a ‘consciousness conductor’ that synchronizes and connects areas within the mouse brain.
A new imaging biomarker for the aging brain
Enlarged ventricles is a sign of an aging brain. New research shows that this phenomenon can be predicted by lagging brain circulation that is detected by MRI.
Sphingolipid S1P: Potential new target for schizophrenia treatment
Sphingolipid S1P is reduced in brain white matter of people with schizophrenia, making S1P receptors a good target for new treatments.
Staining that lights up whole organs and bodies
Scientists have developed a staining procedure that makes see-through tissue, organs, and bodies useful.
Artificial gravity protects the immune system of mice in space
Mice who experienced artificial gravity on the ISS suffered less damage to their immune system (thymus) than weightless mice did.
Ultraprecise clocks and the Tokyo Skytree verify Einstein’s theory of relativity
Time measured at the top and bottom of the Tokyo Skytree with ultraprecise clocks has verified the time dilation effect predicted by Einstein.
Low-protein diet changes sperm and health of future offspring
Low-protein diets in male mice alter sperm and result in offspring that have metabolic problems like diabetes in adulthood.
Physiological origami and proper body development in flies
Genetics and mechanical origami in the fly embryo helps proper body development by fighting off “noisy” fluctuations is the environment.
Efficient and durable ultra-thin solar cells
Ultra-thin, flexible, organic solar cells that degrade less than 5 percent after 3,000 hours and an energy conversion ratio of 13%.
Tape and vermilion: ingredients for mapping artifact origins
Vermilion samples taken from ancient artifacts with sulfur-free tape can tell us about trade patterns 3000 years ago.
Are you “at risk” of being a habitual coffee drinker?
Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are related to dietary habits, including coffee, tea, tofu, and yogurt consumption.
Astrocytes powered by norepinephrine during fear-memory formation
Norepinephrine released in the locus coeruleus during fear learning is accompanied by increased calcium and cAMP levels in nearby astrocytes.
Brain wave synchrony can predict memory age
The degree of neuronal synchrony between the anterior cingulate cortex and the hippocampus during recall is an indication of memory age (in mice).
AI identifies features associated with cancer recurrence
Artificial intelligence has successfully identified features relevant to cancer prognosis that were not previously noted by pathologists
Longevity in supercentenarians linked to cytotoxic T-cells
Blood analysis in supercentenarians showed that they have many more cytotoxic CD4 T-cells than people with average life spans.
Schizophrenia biomarker (hydrogen sulfide) in human hair
Not only is hydrogen sulfide a good biomarker for schizophrenia, it’s also the culprit and a new starting point for drug discovery.
Brain tissue kept alive for weeks with new microfluidic device
A new microfluidic device can keep tissue cultures functional for weeks on an artificial membrane
Massive filaments, galaxies, and supermassive black holes
Big telescopes yield big data! Detailed observations gas filaments connecting galaxies in a distant proto-cluster in the early Universe.
Understanding non-coding DNA: gene “enhancers”
NETCAGE is a newly developed technique for determining the structure of portions of the non-coding genome called ‘enhancers.’
Implantable blastocyst‐like cysts grown from stem cells
Embryo Organoids?! Blastocyst‐like cysts grown from pluripotent mouse stem cells were similar to natural blastocysts (early embryos).
Toward micro-hearts: tiny pumps driven by self-organizing cardiomyocytes
Self-organizing cardiomyocytes on flexible polydimethylsiloxane sheets form tiny pumps. This is the first step towards building micro-hearts.
Talking science Illustration with Misaki Ouchida
Whether it’s bird anatomy or science cartoons, Masaki Ouchida can do it all. She spoke with us about her career in science illustration, from the US to Japan.
Cyborg microchip valve driven by earthworm muscle
This earthworm muscle-controlled biological microelectromechanical system (bio‐MEMS) could lead the way to next-generation medical implants.
Eating a high fat diet without getting obese?
Scientists discover that without innate immune cells in the intestines, eating a high fat diet does not lead to obesity in mice.
New metalloenzyme system selectively targets cancer cells
Specific targeting of cancer cells and onsite drug synthesis has been achieved using a new artificial metalloenzyme delivery system.
Boosting betaine may be a treatment for schizophrenia
Supplementing model mice with glycine betaine (trimethylglycine), a compound originally derived from beets, can alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia.
Gray matter volume links symptoms in autism
Low gray matter volume in the posterior superior parietal lobule (pSPL) was found to correlate with specific cognitive and perceptual symptoms of autism.
New mechanism allows lower energy requirement for OLED displays
Scientists have found a way to significantly reduce the amount of energy required by organic light emitting diodes (OLED) displays.
CAPON links Alzheimer’s plaques to neurodegeneration
CAPON was found to link Aβ plaques and hippocampal neurodegeneration in mice, explaining how these two hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease are related.
AdR blockers protect the brain from stroke damage
Treatment with adrenergic receptor antagonists (AdR blockers) was able to reduce stroke-related brain damage in mice and improve motor recovery.
Trigger region found for epileptic absence seizures
A mouse model shows that absence seizures are triggered by faulty connections between the cortex and fast-spiking neurons in the striatum.
Opto-OISI: imaging connections in the living brain
A new imaging technique called opto-OISI allows scientists to non-invasively visualize where specific neurons project in the living brain.
Flies smell through a gore-tex system
The newly named gore-tex gene is responsible for the development of nanopores that allow chemicals in the air to be detected (in flies).
Protein pileup affects social behavior through altered brain signaling
When a normal cellular cleanup process is disrupted, social behavior in mice is disrupted and they start behaving in ways that resemble human symptoms of autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.
The joys of computational mass spectrometry
Scientists have developed a new automated computational mass spectrometry system that can search an organism’s entire metabolome for as-yet-unknown metabolites (potential drugs).
Pulses of light can enhance superconductivity
Pulses of light could be used to turn materials into superconductors through an unconventional type of superconductivity.
Scientists create new type of self-healing material
This newly created ethylene-based material has shape memory that allows self-healing!
Brain clock ticks differently in autism
A new brain imaging study shows that autistic severity is linked to how long certain regions of the brain store information.
Supermassive black holes still dark and mysterious
For the first time, scientists have measured the strength of magnetic fields near supermassive black holes and something doesn’t add up.
Consciousness, brain connections, and the claustrum
Research shows that the claustrum acts as a ‘consciousness conductor’ that synchronizes and connects areas within the mouse brain.
A new imaging biomarker for the aging brain
Enlarged ventricles is a sign of an aging brain. New research shows that this phenomenon can be predicted by lagging brain circulation that is detected by MRI.
Sphingolipid S1P: Potential new target for schizophrenia treatment
Sphingolipid S1P is reduced in brain white matter of people with schizophrenia, making S1P receptors a good target for new treatments.
Staining that lights up whole organs and bodies
Scientists have developed a staining procedure that makes see-through tissue, organs, and bodies useful.
Artificial gravity protects the immune system of mice in space
Mice who experienced artificial gravity on the ISS suffered less damage to their immune system (thymus) than weightless mice did.
Ultraprecise clocks and the Tokyo Skytree verify Einstein’s theory of relativity
Time measured at the top and bottom of the Tokyo Skytree with ultraprecise clocks has verified the time dilation effect predicted by Einstein.
Low-protein diet changes sperm and health of future offspring
Low-protein diets in male mice alter sperm and result in offspring that have metabolic problems like diabetes in adulthood.
Physiological origami and proper body development in flies
Genetics and mechanical origami in the fly embryo helps proper body development by fighting off “noisy” fluctuations is the environment.
Efficient and durable ultra-thin solar cells
Ultra-thin, flexible, organic solar cells that degrade less than 5 percent after 3,000 hours and an energy conversion ratio of 13%.
May
12
Consciousness, brain connections, and the claustrum
Research shows that the claustrum acts as a ‘consciousness conductor’ that synchronizes and connects areas within the mouse brain.
May
7
A new imaging biomarker for the aging brain
Enlarged ventricles is a sign of an aging brain. New research shows that this phenomenon can be predicted by lagging brain circulation that is detected by MRI.
Apr
29
Sphingolipid S1P: Potential new target for schizophrenia treatment
Sphingolipid S1P is reduced in brain white matter of people with schizophrenia, making S1P receptors a good target for new treatments.
Apr
27
Staining that lights up whole organs and bodies
Scientists have developed a staining procedure that makes see-through tissue, organs, and bodies useful.
Apr
23
Artificial gravity protects the immune system of mice in space
Mice who experienced artificial gravity on the ISS suffered less damage to their immune system (thymus) than weightless mice did.
Apr
14
Ultraprecise clocks and the Tokyo Skytree verify Einstein’s theory of relativity
Time measured at the top and bottom of the Tokyo Skytree with ultraprecise clocks has verified the time dilation effect predicted by Einstein.