Global Science News | List of Highly Cited Scholars in 2021 Announced

· the scientist·

Clarivate Analytics announces 2021 list of highly cited researchers

Image source: Pixabay

On November 16, 2021, Clarivate Analytics released the 2021 list of "Highly Cited Scientists" worldwide, which included 6,602 scientists from more than 70 countries and regions around the world. The selected scientists have published multiple highly cited papers in the past decade, and the citation frequency of these papers ranks in the top 1% of the same discipline and publication year in Web of Science, demonstrating their important academic influence among their peers. Among the 6,602 selected scientists, 3,774 are from specific disciplines and 2,828 are from interdisciplinary fields.

In terms of the countries of origin of the selected scientists, the United States ranks first (2,622 people), accounting for 39.7% of the total number of selected scientists. Mainland China ranks second (935 people), accounting for 14.2%; since 2018, the proportion of mainland Chinese scientists in the list of highly cited scientists has almost doubled. The other top ten countries on the list are the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, France, Spain and Switzerland. Among the top 10 institutions with the most highly cited scientists, Harvard University in the United States (214 people) ranked first again, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (194 people) ranked second, with the number of selected scholars increasing by 56% compared with the previous year. Tsinghua University ranked eighth, rising one place in the world ranking compared with the previous year.

In the interdisciplinary field, Professor Iain Couzin of the University of Konstanz in Germany has been selected as the most cited scientist for four consecutive times. He led a team to study the group behavior of animals using knowledge in virtual environments and computer vision, and is a top scientist in the field of animal behavior. In addition, Professor Rob Knight of the University of California, San Diego performed the most outstandingly, and was selected as a highly cited scientist in four ESI disciplines (biology and biochemistry; environment/ecology; microbiology; molecular biology and genetics).

· computer·

Japan's "Fugaku" won the "fourth consecutive championship" in four world supercomputer rankings

The global supercomputer rankings are announced every six months by an international conference of experts. Recently, the latest global supercomputer performance rankings were announced. According to a report by the Japan Broadcasting Association (NHK) on the 16th, the supercomputer "Fugaku" located at the RIKEN Institute of Physical and Chemical Research in Kobe, Japan, has topped the list for four consecutive times in four performance evaluation units.

In terms of computing speed, Fugaku can complete more than 44 quadrillion operations per second, which is about three times the second-ranked American supercomputer. In addition, Fugaku ranks first in computing methods such as modeling, deep learning of artificial intelligence, and big data processing performance. According to reports, Fugaku was on the list before its full launch. So far, Fugaku has been used for COVID-19 prevention (simulating droplet infection) and verification experiments of weather forecasting systems (forecasting heavy rain in local areas).

Medicine

Nanocomputers that can regulate protein function and cell behavior

After inserting the rapamycin-sensitive domain (UniRapR) and light-sensitive domain (LOV2) sequences into the FAK gene, the resulting system is similar to a "logic gate" composed of transistors. After inputting any signal (rapamycin or light stimulation) into it, an output (FAK is activated) can be obtained. (Image source: Penn State)

Programming the behavior and function of cells is expected to open up new avenues for precision medicine. In a study published in Nature Communications on November 16, researchers used a single protein to build a cell "nanocomputer" system with logic gate functions and control cell mobility for the first time.

The researchers genetically engineered focal adhesion kinase (FAK), an enzyme associated with cell adhesion and motility, and plays a key role in the metastasis of tumor cells. They inserted rapamycin-sensitive and light-sensitive domain sequences into two different segments of the FAK gene, constructed recombinant genes, and introduced the recombinant genes into HeLa cells. After stimulating the cells with rapamycin and light, the researchers found that FAK could be rapidly activated when at least one of the two stimuli was applied, thereby increasing cell adhesion and reducing motility, an effect similar to an "OR" logic gate. The researchers said they hope to conduct in vivo studies in the future to promote the development of medical treatments for cancer.

Quantum computing

IBM unveils 127-qubit quantum processor

Source: IBM

Yesterday, IBM announced its 127-qubit quantum processor, named Eagle, at the 2021 IBM Quantum Summit. There are currently two main technical routes for manufacturing quantum processors: entangled photons and superconducting materials. The quantum processor announced by IBM this time is based on superconducting materials. IBM said that the number of qubits of the Eagle processor broke the record of superconducting quantum computers and is also the first quantum processor that cannot be simulated by traditional computers. 127 qubits corresponds to a huge performance improvement, but IBM has not yet disclosed any performance data about this processor.

IBM said that the Eagle processor uses a new manufacturing process. The processor is physically divided into multiple layers. The quantum bit control components are distributed in the multi-layer structure, and the quantum bits are located in a layer outside the control components. IBM said that such a structure can improve the stability of the processor. At the same time, IBM said that they will later launch the "Osprey" processor with 433 quantum bits and the "Condor" processor with 1121 quantum bits, and that commercial quantum computers equipped with Eagle processors will be available at the end of 2023.

· Ancient humans ·

Pan-Eurasian languages ​​originated from millet farming people in northern China

Recently, a study has comprehensively reconstructed the history of the Pan-Eurasian language family (Japanese, Korean, Tungusic, Mongolian, Turkic) through independent evidence from linguistics, archaeology and paleogenetics, and proposed that the Pan-Eurasian language family (formerly known as the Altaic language family) originated in northern China, and its spread originated from the spread of millet agriculture originated in northern China and the migration of millet farmers. The article was published in Nature.

The study compiled the most comprehensive basic language vocabulary related to agriculture and animal husbandry in the Pan-Eurasian language family to date, established a quantitative archaeological database of 255 Neolithic and Bronze Age sites in Northeast Asia, and published the ancient DNA genome data of early agricultural populations from Korea and the Ryukyu Islands for the first time. The researchers said that through the integration and intersection of linguistic, archaeological and genetic evidence, the living conditions of ancient humans can be traced from different perspectives, thus restoring human history more comprehensively. (Peking University News)

· healthy·

Moderate tea and coffee consumption may reduce stroke and dementia risk

Image source: Pixabay

The effects of tea or coffee on heart and brain-related diseases have been controversial. Recently, a study published in the PLOS sub-journal tracked more than 360,000 participants registered in the UK Biobank and found that moderate intake of tea and coffee was associated with a reduced risk of stroke or dementia.

Participants were divided into several groups according to their tea and coffee drinking habits. The researchers conducted a statistical analysis of the drinking volume registered by each group between 2006 and 2010 and the stroke or dementia registered in 2020. They found that fewer people suffered from stroke and dementia in the moderate tea drinking group (2-3 cups of tea per day), the moderate coffee drinking group (3-5 cups of coffee per day) and the moderate mixed drinking group (4-6 cups of tea and coffee per day). Among them, the risk of stroke in the moderate mixed drinking group (2-3 cups of coffee plus 2-3 cups of tea per day) decreased by 32%, and the risk of dementia decreased by 28%. The risk of dementia after stroke was also lower in the moderate coffee group or the moderate mixed drinking group.

COVID-19

As of 10:00 Beijing time on November 17, according to the latest statistics from Johns Hopkins University, the global cumulative number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 was 254,317,843, with 5,114,140 deaths.

According to the official website of the National Health Commission, from 0:00 to 24:00 on November 16, 31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported 31 new confirmed cases. Among them, 23 cases were imported from abroad (14 in Jiangsu, 4 in Yunnan, 1 in Beijing, 1 in Tianjin, 1 in Shanghai, 1 in Guangdong, and 1 in Shaanxi); 8 local cases (all in Dalian, Liaoning), including 2 cases converted from asymptomatic infections to confirmed cases (both in Liaoning). No new deaths were reported. There were 2 new suspected cases, both of which were imported from abroad (both in Shanghai).

31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported 15 new asymptomatic infections, including 14 imported cases and 1 local case (in Zhengzhou, Henan Province); 2 cases were converted to confirmed cases on the same day (none imported from abroad); 23 cases were released from medical observation on the same day (21 imported from abroad); 500 asymptomatic infections are still under medical observation (352 imported from abroad).

As of November 15, 2021, 31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps have reported a total of 239,604.5 million doses of new coronavirus vaccine administered.

Text: Wang Yu, Sun Linyu, Erqi, Shimi, Xie Ruyu, Han Jiatong

Editors: Bai Defan, Wang Yibo, Clefable

Cover source: Pixabay

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