In the interiors of stars and most planets, global magnetic fields are generated by thermal convection of an electrically conducting fluid under the influence of rotation. Planetary scientist Gary A
The developing human brain is known for its remarkable plasticity, whereas the adult brain has been considered relatively unchanging. However, learning and memory continue throughout adult life, as do changes in synapse strength and synapse number. Adding to these facets of adult brain plasticity is the phenomenon of neurotransmitter switching, discovered by National Academy of Sciences member Nicholas C. Spitzer, of the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues. According to Spitzer, neurotransmitter switching refers to the down-regulation of one neurotransmitter and up-regulation of another within the same neurons. Such switching usually converts the neurons from excitatory to inhibitory or vice versa, with the receptors of connecting neurons undergoing corresponding changes. Neurotransmitter switching typically occurs in response to sustained stimulation and can cause changes in behavior. For example, nocturnal rats experience neurotransmitter switching from dopamine to somatostatin when exposed to long-day photoperiods for a week, which causes anxious and depressed behavior. In his Inaugural Article, Spitzer and his colleagues explore the mechanism of neurotransmitter switching, which may have relevance to human mental illness (1). Spitzer recently spoke with PNAS about his findings.
Few plant biologists would imagine the honor of a walk down a glitzy red carpet. However, that is where Joanne Chory, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, found herself in December 2017. She, along with 11 others, had been awarded the Breakthrough Prize, a $3 million award that recognizes extraordinary achievements in the fields of fundamental physics, life sciences, and mathematics. The prize is awarded at a televised ceremony in Mountain View, California. Chory recently spoke to PNAS about the prize, her experience attending the ceremony, and how she, as a laureate, can influence the next generation of Breakthrough Prize winners. PNAS: How did you hear that you had been awarded the Breakthrough Prize? Chory: I was sitting here in my office on a Friday morning when Gary Ruvkun [a molecular biologist at Massachusetts General Hospital] phoned. He's on the prize committee, and he's someone I know well, so he probably volunteered to make the call.
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