# gene: inducing pluripotent stem cells from mice skin cells using CRISPR tech.

<< In a scientific first, researchers at the Gladstone Institutes turned skin cells from mice into stem cells by activating a specific gene in the cells using CRISPR technology. The innovative approach offers a potentially simpler technique to produce the valuable cell type and provides important insights into the cellular reprogramming process. >>

Gladstone Institutes. Researchers create first stem cells using CRISPR genome activation. Jan 18, 2018.

https://m.phys.org/news/2018-01-stem-cells-crispr-genome.html

AA << study generated authentic iPSCs [induced pluripotent stem cells] with CRISPR activation through precise epigenetic remodeling of endogenous loci and shed light on how targeted chromatin remodeling triggers pluripotency induction. >>

Peng Liu, Meng Chen, et al. CRISPR-Based Chromatin Remodeling of the Endogenous Oct4 or Sox2 Locus Enables Reprogramming to Pluripotency. Cell Stem Cell. 2018; 22 (2): 252 - 61.e4

http://www.cell.com/cell-stem-cell/fulltext/S1934-5909(17)30501-5

# gst: an intriguing model of pulsating dissolution

<< The reaction of crystalline material with fluids is of relevance for natural and technical processes. A basic assumption has been that the reaction products are continuously released from the crystal surface. New experimental and analytical results show something fundamentally different: Material is released in a series of reaction pulses. >>

Cornelius Fischer, Andreas Luttge. Pulsating dissolution of crystalline matter. PNAS 2018; 115 (5) 897-902. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1711254115. Jan 30, 2018.

http://www.pnas.org/content/115/5/897

Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres. Study: Pulsating dissolution found in crystals. Jan 17, 2018.

https://m.phys.org/news/2018-01-pulsating-dissolution-crystals.html

# brain: self-evaluation of one's own ignorance

<< Self-evaluation of one's own ignorance requires us to peer into our own mind retrospectively. [AA] found that only the bilateral frontopolar cortices (area 10) are recruited for metacognitive evaluation of non-experienced events in macaque monkeys performing metacognitive confidence judgment on memory >>

Kentaro Miyamoto, Rieko Setsuie, et al. Reversible Silencing of the Frontopolar Cortex Selectively Impairs Metacognitive Judgment on Non-experience in Primates.
Neuron. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron. 2017.12.040. Jan 25, 2018.

http://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(17)31208-4

Cognitive Neuroscience and the Awareness of Ignorance. Jan 27, 2018.

https://neurosciencenews.com/ignorance-awareness-8383

# chem: extreme superconductive in random atomic-scale mixture

<< High-entropy alloys (HEAs) are a new class of materials that are composed of multiple transition-metal elements in equimolar or near-equimolar ratios >>

<< many HEAs have been found in disordered solid-solution phases with body-centered-cubic, hexagonal closest-packed, and face-centered-cubic crystal structures >>

<< In many respects, HEAs display novel properties, including ultrahigh fracture toughness at cryogenic temperatures, excellent specific strength, and superior mechanical performance at high temperatures. In addition to their promising mechanical properties, some HEAs also exhibit interesting electronic properties: [TaNb]1−x(ZrHfTi)x HEAs were found to display superconductivity, for example >>

AA << report high-pressure studies on the superconducting HEA (TaNb)0.67(HfZrTi)0.33, [..] this alloy exhibits extraordinarily robust superconductivity - its zero-resistance superconducting state is still achieved even at a pressure of 190.6 GPa, or almost 2 megabars (1 Mbar = 1011 pascal), a pressure like that within the outer core of the earth. >>

Jing Guo, Honghong Wang, et al.  Robust zero resistance in a superconducting high-entropy alloy at pressures up to 190 GPa. PNAS 2017; 114 (50) 13144-7.  doi: 10.1073/pnas.1716981114.

http://www.pnas.org/content/114/50/13144

Laura Mgrdichian. A material that superconducts continuously up to extreme pressures.  Jan 17, 2018

https://m.phys.org/news/2018-01-material-superconducts-extreme-pressures.html

# acad: scientific community as a club

<< People think that the scientific community is agnostic, but as with any established institution, be it the boardroom, Wall Street, or Hollywood, it's a club, and it's up to us to change the rules of getting into that club. >> Emilio Bruna.

As science becomes more international, scientific editorial boards lag behind. Dec 12, 2017.

https://m.phys.org/news/2017-12-science-international-scientific-editorial-boards.html

<< The scholars comprising journal editorial boards play a critical role in defining the trajectory of knowledge in their field. Nevertheless, studies of editorial board composition remain rare, especially those focusing on journals publishing research in the increasingly globalized fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). >>

Johanna Espin, Sebastian Palmas, et al. A persistent lack of international representation on editorial boards in environmental biology.  PLOS Biology 15(12): e2002760. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2002760. Dec 12, 2017.

http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.2002760

# gst: semantic vs Shannon information

<< "Making Sense: Information as Meaning,” which proposes that meaning “be considered the output of the interpretive process of which information is the input.” David Haig.

<< Haig’s ideas may be the basis for getting us all the way from molecules to poets and scientists and philosophers while keeping the same definitions of information, interpretation, and meaning throughout >>  Dan Dennett.

Jenna Marshall. Reconciling two views of information. SFI. Jan 18, 2018.

https://santafe.edu/news-center/news/reconciling-two-views-information

also

1850 - attrattore semantico

http://inkpi.blogspot.it/2004/12/1850-attrattore-semantico.html

# astro: unexpectedly large dust and gas inside

<< Despite having low star formation rates, the elliptical galaxies contain surprisingly large amounts of gas: 100 times more than was expected. This is surprising in two ways. It challenges our standard view of elliptical galaxies as “boring” gas-poor objects. But it also forces us to rethink the basic view of star formation processes – we have always assumed that the presence of cold gas must lead to star formation. Here, we find that elliptical galaxies form stars far less efficiently than disk galaxies at the same epoch. >>

Marie Martig. Study of distant galaxies challenges our understanding of how stars form. Jan 19, 2018.

https://theconversation.com/study-of-distant-galaxies-challenges-our-understanding-of-how-stars-form-90147  

Gobat R, Daddi E, et al.  The unexpectedly large dust and gas content of quiescent galaxies at z > 1.4. Nature Astronomy. doi: 10.1038/s41550-017-0352-5. Jan 15, 2018.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-017-0352-5