Loss of Neurons, Not Lack of Sleep, makes Alzheimer’s Patients Drowsy

Neurons that promote wakefulness in the brain of an Alzheimer’s patient (green). There are far fewer functioning neurons that would be seen in a healthy brain, indicating that the awake system is weakened in this patient. Image by Grinberg Lab

Reviving ‘awake neurons’ could be the solution to their sleepiness. The lethargy that many Alzheimer’s patients experience is caused not by a lack of sleep, but rather by the degeneration of a type of neuron that keeps us awake, according to a study that also confirms the tau protein is behind that neurodegeneration.

The study’s findings contradict the common notion that Alzheimer’s patients sleep during the day to make up for a bad night of sleep and point toward potential therapies to help these patients feel more awake.

The data came fro...

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Solar Hydrogen: Better Photoelectrodes through Flash Heating

Pulsed laser deposition: An intense laser pulse hits a target containing the material, tranforming it into a  plasma which is then deposited as a thin film onto a substrate. © R. Gottesman/HZB

Producing low-cost metal-oxide thin films with high electronic quality for solar water splitting is not an easy task. Especially since quality improvements of the upper metal oxide thin films need thermal processing at high temperatures, which would melt the underlying glass substrate. Now, a team has solved this dilemma: A high intensity and rapid light pulse directly heats the semiconducting metal-oxide thin film, allowing it to reach the optimal temperature without damaging the substrate.

Solar energy can directly drive electrochemical reactions at the surface of photoelectrodes...

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Thermal Electrons play Key Role in determining Emissions from Gamma Ray Burst Afterglows

The presence of surprisingly high-energy gamma rays seen in the afterglow (artist’s impression) can be explained with the help of a new theoretical model developed by RIKEN researchers. © 2022 ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser

The presence of unusually energetic gamma rays seen in some afterglows from intense gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) could be explained by a new mathematical model developed by RIKEN researchers. This finding could help to shed light on the origin of GRBs.

A GRB is a spectacular eruption of energy produced by violent events such as the explosive death of a massive star, or the collision of two neutron stars...

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The future of 5G+ Infrastructure could be built Tile by Tile

Two fabricated proof-of-concept tile arrays are shown alongside two inkjet-printed tile arrays, which the team will present on at the upcoming International Microwave Symposium in June. Credit: Georgia Tech

5G+ (5G/Beyond 5G) is the fastest-growing segment and the only significant opportunity for investment growth in the wireless network infrastructure market, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc. But currently 5G+ technologies rely on large antenna arrays that are typically bulky and come only in very limited sizes, making them difficult to transport and expensive to customize.

Researchers from Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering have developed a novel and flexible solution to address the problem...

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