Unique biological, exposomal, economic and sociocultural factors shape resilience and brain health across the globe; this Review discusses underlying mechanisms of resilience, measurement approaches, operationalization and research gaps.
Category: biological – Page 5
Accelerating anti-aging cyclic peptide discovery through computational design and automated synthesis
Cyclic peptides, with their unique structures and versatile biological activities, hold great potential for combating skin aging issues such as wrinkles, laxity, and pigmentation. However, traditional discovery methods relying on iterative synthesis and screening are labor-intensive and resource-intensive. Here, we present an integrated platform combining automated rapid cyclopeptide synthesis, virtual screening, and biological activity assessment, enabling the transformation of designed cyclic peptide sequences into chemical entities within minutes with high crude purity. Using ADCP docking with the ADFR suite, we identified a series of novel cyclic peptides targeting JAK1, Keap1, and TGF-β proteins.
Chinese researchers unveil world’s largest-scale brain-like computer Darwin Monkey
Chinese researchers unveiled on Saturday a new generation of super large-scale brain-like computer, Darwin Monkey, the world’s first neuromorphic brain-like computer based on dedicated neuromorphic chips with over 2 billion neurons, which can mimic the workings of a macaque monkey’s brain.
Developed by the State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence at Zhejiang University in East China’s Zhejiang Province, Darwin Monkey, also known as Wukong supports over 2 billion spiking neurons and more than 100 billion synapses, with a neuron count approaching that of a macaque brain. It consumes approximately 2,000 watts of power under typical operating conditions, the Science and Technology Daily reported.
The human brain is like an extremely efficient “computer.” Brain-inspired computing applies the working principles of biological neural networks to computer system design, aiming to build computing systems that, like the brain, feature low power consumption, high parallelism, high efficiency, and intelligence.
Protein condensate sequesters synaptic vesicles at the release site
Message transfer from brain cell to brain cell is key to information processing, learning and forming memories. The bubbles, synaptic vesicles, are housed within the synapse — the connection point where brain cells communicate. In typical synapses within the brains of mammals, 300 synaptic vesicles are clustered together in the intersection between any two brain cells, but only a few of these vesicles are used for such message transfer, researchers say. Pinpointing how a synapse knows which vesicles to use has long been a target of research by those who study the biology and chemistry of thought.
In an effort to better understand the operation of these synaptic vesicles, the team designed a study that first focused on endocytosis, a process in which brain cells recycle synaptic vesicles after they are used for neuronal communication.
Already aware of intersectin’s general role in endocytosis and neuronal communication, the scientists genetically engineered mice to lack the gene that codes for intersectin. However, and somewhat to their surprise, the lead says removing the protein did not appear to halt endocytosis in brain cells.
The research team refocused their experiments, taking a closer look at the synaptic vesicles themselves.
Using a high-resolution fluorescence microscope to observe where intersectin is in a synapse, the researchers found it in between vesicles that are used for neuronal communication and those that are not, as if they are physically separating the two.
To further understand the role of intersectin at this location, they used an electron microscope to visualize synaptic vesicles in action across one billionth of a meter. In all the nerve cells from mice lacking this protein, the scientists say synaptic vesicles close to the membrane were absent from the release zone of the synapse, the place where the bubbles would discharge to nearby neurons.
“This suggested that intersectin regulates release, rather than recycling, of these vesicles at this location of the synapse,” says the author.
Galaxy Scale Megastructures & Kardashev 3 Civilizations
Imagine engineering projects so vast they mold galaxies into new shapes. We’ll explore the staggering feats of Kardashev-3 and beyond civilizations, crafting CARD galaxies, Birch Planets, and even rearranging superclusters.
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Credits:
Spaceport Innovations — Designing the Next Generation of Launch Sites.
August 3, 2025; Episode 746
Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac Arthur.
Galaxy-Scale Megastructures & Kardashev-3 Civilizations.
Written by: Isaac Arthur.
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Transportation @ PNNL: Eliminating Critical Materials in Batteries
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory draws on its distinguishing strengths in chemistry, Earth sciences, biology and data science to advance scientific knowledge and address challenges in energy resiliency and national security. Founded in 1965, PNNL is operated by Battelle and supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit the DOE Office of Science website. For more information about PNNL, visit PNNL’s News Center. Follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Scientists Build Synthetic Cells That Tell Time
Scientists engineered synthetic cells that accurately keep time using biological clock proteins, offering new insights into how circadian rhythms resist molecular noise.
Researchers at UC Merced have successfully created tiny artificial cells capable of keeping time with remarkable precision, closely resembling the natural daily cycles observed in living organisms. This discovery offers new insight into how biological clocks maintain accurate timing, even amid the random molecular fluctuations that occur within cells.
Published in Nature Communications.
Anticipation of a virtual infectious pathogen is enough to prompt real biological defenses
Researchers led by the University of Geneva and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne report that neural anticipation of virtual infection triggers an immune response through activation of innate lymphoid cells.
Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are a type of immune cell crucial for early immune responses. They do not rely on antigen recognition like adaptive immune cells but respond quickly and effectively to various inflammatory signals and pathogen-associated cues, playing an essential role in early defense.
Protecting the body from pathogens typically involves a multitude of responses after actual contact. An anticipatory biological immune reaction to an infection had not been previously demonstrated.
Tiny artificial cells maintain 24-hour cycles like living organisms
A team of UC Merced researchers has shown that tiny artificial cells can accurately keep time, mimicking the daily rhythms found in living organisms. Their findings shed light on how biological clocks stay on schedule despite the inherent molecular noise inside cells.
The study, published in Nature Communications, was led by bioengineering Professor Anand Bala Subramaniam and chemistry and biochemistry Professor Andy LiWang. The first author, Alexander Zhang Tu Li, earned his Ph.D. in Subramaniam’s lab.
Biological clocks—also known as circadian rhythms —govern 24-hour cycles that regulate sleep, metabolism and other vital processes. To explore the mechanisms behind the circadian rhythms of cyanobacteria, the researchers reconstructed the clockwork in simplified, cell-like structures called vesicles. These vesicles were loaded with core clock proteins, one of which was tagged with a fluorescent marker.
Bacteria-based sensors deliver real-time detection of arsenite and cadmium in water
Researchers at Rice University have engineered E. coli to act as living multiplexed sensors, allowing these genetically modified cells to detect and respond to multiple environmental toxins simultaneously by converting their biological responses into readable electrical signals. This innovation opens the door to real-time, remote monitoring of water systems, pipelines and industrial sites with potential future applications in biocomputing.
A new study published in Nature Communications demonstrates an innovative method for the real-time, on-site detection of arsenite and cadmium at levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency.
This research, led by Xu Zhang, Marimikel Charrier and Caroline Ajo-Franklin, addresses a significant inefficiency in current bioelectronic sensors, which typically require dedicated communication channels for each target compound. The research team’s multiplexing strategy greatly enhances information throughput by leveraging bacteria’s innate sensitivity and adaptability within a self-powered platform.