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Focus Matters but Balance Matters More

Peng Liu

Expert’s Dilemma: the more specialized you become, the less open you are to creative solutions from other fields. But the more you explore other fields, the more you risk losing credibility in your home field.

From: Renaissance minds in 21st century science Itai Yanai & Martin Lercher

Renaissance minds in 21st century science refer to researchers who cultivate interests in multiple disciplines, fostering creativity and innovation through interdisciplinary approaches[1]. This concept draws inspiration from historical figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo Galilei, who excelled in various fields of study.

Day Science vs. Night Science

François Jacob distinguishes between two modes of scientific thinking:

  1. Day Science: Operates within specific scientific fields, following established protocols and paradigms[1].
  2. Night Science: A less structured process where new ideas and hypotheses are generated, often crossing disciplinary boundaries[1].

Benefits of Interdisciplinary Thinking

  1. Enhances creativity by allowing researchers to apply knowledge from one field to another[1].
  2. Enables the discovery of novel solutions to research questions in one’s primary discipline[1].
  3. Promotes lateral or horizontal thinking, leading to unexpected connections and insights[1].

The Expert’s Dilemma

While interdisciplinary thinking fosters creativity, it can also lead to a loss of credibility as a highly focused expert[1]. Scientists must balance disciplinary expertise with interdisciplinary creativity to navigate this challenge effectively.

Examples of Renaissance Minds

  1. Paul Erdös: A mathematician who frequently collaborated across various mathematical subfields[1].
  2. Albert-László Barabási: Applied network analysis concepts across multiple disciplines, leading to insights in diverse fields[1].

Renaissance minds in 21st century science embrace the idea of having an “open brain,” ready to explore new fields and make unexpected connections that drive scientific progress[1].

Citations:
[1] https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-020-01985-6

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“smart” insulin 

Peng Liu

Biggest medical discoveries

Researchers have developed a novel “smart” insulin called NNC2215 that shows promise in addressing one of the major challenges of insulin therapy for diabetes: the risk of hypoglycemia (dangerously low blood sugar)[1][2].

How NNC2215 Works

NNC2215 is an insulin molecule engineered with a glucose-sensitive switch consisting of two key components:

  1. A ring-shaped macrocycle structure
  2. A glucoside molecule derived from glucose

This innovative design allows NNC2215 to automatically adjust its activity based on blood glucose levels:

  • When glucose is low, the glucoside binds to the ring, keeping insulin inactive
  • As glucose rises, it displaces the glucoside, activating the insulin[3]

Key Advantages

Glucose-Responsive Action: NNC2215 can turn its activity on and off in response to changing blood sugar levels, unlike traditional insulin[3].

Hypoglycemia Prevention: In animal studies, NNC2215 demonstrated the ability to lower high blood glucose effectively while preventing the dangerous drops in blood sugar that can occur with regular insulin treatment[1][2].

Reversible Effect: Unlike some previous glucose-sensitive insulin approaches that irreversibly release insulin, NNC2215’s activity can be reined in when glucose levels fall[3].

Research Findings

Studies in pigs and diabetic rats showed that:

  • NNC2215 was as effective as human insulin in lowering blood glucose
  • It provided protection against hypoglycemia compared to a current long-acting insulin (insulin degludec)
  • During a glucose challenge, NNC2215 activation corresponded to the effect of about 30% additional human insulin[1]

In one experiment, when glucose infusion was stopped:

  • NNC2215 allowed glucose to drop to about 4.5 mM
  • Insulin degludec caused a drop to about 3 mM (hypoglycemic range)[1]

Potential Impact

This glucose-sensitive insulin could significantly improve diabetes management by:

  1. Reducing the risk of hypoglycemic events
  2. Improving quality of life for people with diabetes
  3. Potentially allowing for more aggressive glucose control with less fear of low blood sugar[2][3]

While further research is needed to optimize NNC2215 and assess its safety and efficacy in humans, this development represents a promising step toward more automated and safer insulin therapy for diabetes.

Citations:
[1] https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2882397/v1/1e7e4dfd-92d3-4b6e-b79d-451074f743b0.pdf?c=1729149088
[2] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08042-3
[3] https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03357-7
[4] https://www.news-medical.net/news/20241018/New-glucose-sensitive-insulin-NNC2215-could-transform-diabetes-care-by-lowering-hypoglycemia-risk.aspx
[5] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39415004/?fc=None&ff=20241018054337&v=2.18.0.post9+e462414
[6] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370676441_Glucose-sensitive_insulin_with_attenuation_of_hypoglycaemia
[7] https://twitter.com/MoEbrahimkhani/status/1846618934830944543
[8] https://twitter.com/DanielJDrucker/status/1846588322551902458

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Groundbreaking Study on Mixed Emotions in the Brain

Peng Liu

The research titled “Neural patterns associated with mixed valence feelings differ in consistency and predictability throughout the brain” presents groundbreaking findings on the nature of mixed emotions. Published in Cerebral Cortex in April 2024, this study provides evidence that mixed emotions are distinct neural states rather than a rapid alternation between positive and negative feelings[1][2].

Key Findings

  1. Unique Neural Signatures: The study found that mixed emotions, such as bittersweet feelings, are associated with specific patterns of brain activity in the amygdala and nucleus accumbens[1][2].
  2. Distinct from Pure Emotions: These neural patterns differ from those observed during exclusively positive or negative emotional states[1][2].
  3. Consistency Over Time: The brain activity associated with mixed emotions remained steady, suggesting a unique emotional experience rather than fluctuating between positive and negative states[2].
  4. Predictability of Emotional Shifts: Researchers could predict when participants would transition between emotional states based on activity changes in specific brain regions, including the insular cortex, anterior cingulate, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens[1].

Methodology

The study employed an innovative approach to evoke mixed emotions:

  • Participants watched a short animated film called “One Small Step” while undergoing fMRI scans[1].
  • The film was designed to elicit bittersweet feelings through its storyline about a girl pursuing her dream of becoming an astronaut[1].
  • Participants reported their emotional experiences during a second viewing outside the scanner[1].

Implications

This research challenges the traditional view of emotions as existing on a simple positive-negative spectrum[2]. It suggests that mixed emotions are a distinct emotional category with their own neural basis, rather than a rapid alternation between positive and negative feelings[1][2].

The findings open up new avenues for emotion research and could have implications for understanding complex emotional experiences in various contexts, including mental health and social interactions[2].

Citations:
[1] https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/mixed-emotions-may-not-be-mixed-after-all
[2] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240613161150.htm
[3] https://neurosciencenews.com/mixed-emotion-brain-26313/
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38566509/
[5] https://academic.oup.com/cercor/article/34/4/bhae122/7639057
[6] https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.22.568316v1
[7] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375869742_Neural_patterns_associated_with_mixed_valence_feelings_differ_in_consistency_and_predictability_throughout_the_brain
[8] https://ouci.dntb.gov.ua/en/works/4y6GPdBl/

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