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Categories: Chemistry: Organic Chemistry, Ecology: Endangered Species
Published Breakthrough discovery sheds light on heart and muscle health



The human heart, often described as the body's engine, is a remarkable organ that tirelessly beats to keep us alive. At the core of this vital organ, intricate processes occur when it contracts, where thick and thin protein-filaments interact within the sarcomere, the fundamental building block of both skeletal and heart muscle cells. Any alterations in thick filament proteins can have severe consequences for our health, leading to conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and various other heart and muscle diseases.
Published New Nijmegen method reveals hidden genetic variations



Many hidden genetic variations can be detected with Chameleolyser, a new method. The information is already yielding new patient diagnoses and may also lead to the discovery of as yet unknown disease genes.
Published Shifting nesting timing not enough to prevent fewer sea turtle hatchlings



New research shows that potential adaptive responses by sea turtles, such as shifting the timing of when they nest, may not be enough to counteract the projected impacts from climate change on hatchling production.
Published How sunflowers see the sun



Sunflowers famously turn their faces to follow the sun as it crosses the sky. But how do sunflowers 'see' the sun to follow it? Plant biologists show that they use a different, novel mechanism from that previously thought.
Published Advanced assisted reproduction in white rhinos is safe and reliable, shows evaluation of procedures



The BioRescue project develops and pioneers advanced assisted reproduction technologies (aART) for conservation in the face of the imminent extinction of most rhino species and subspecies. In a new scientific analysis, the team evaluated 65 aART procedures conducted from 2015 to 2022. The evaluation showed that aART is safe for the donor females with no detrimental health effects, and successful in that it yielded 51 embryos.
Published New map of 20th century land use in Britain helps researchers demystify biodiversity change



Researchers have mapped how land use changed across Britain throughout the last century. The new map reveals how and where some 50 per cent of semi-natural grassland was lost, including 90 per cent of the country's lowland meadows and pasture, as the nation intensified its agriculture.
Published Efficient biohybrid batteries



Formic acid, which can be produced electrochemically from carbon dioxide, is a promising energy carrier. A research team has now developed a fast-charging hybrid battery system that combines the electrochemical generation of formic acid as an energy carrier with a microbial fuel cell. This novel, fast-charging biohybrid battery system can be used to monitor the toxicity of drinking water, just one of many potential future applications.
Published Researchers observe wolves hunting and killing sea otters and harbor seals on Alaska's Katmai coast



Firsthand observations of a wolf hunting and killing a harbor seal and a group of wolves hunting and consuming a sea otter on Alaska's Katmai coast have led scientists to reconsider assumptions about wolf hunting behavior.
Published Australasia's hidden pollination crisis could threaten biodiversity and food security



Australasia's hidden pollination crisis, mirroring global threats, could pose a significant risk to regional biodiversity and food security, new research has found.
Published New frequency comb can identify molecules in 20-nanosecond snapshots



Researchers have developed a device that can detect the presence of specific molecules in a sample every 20 nanoseconds, or billionths of a second. With this new capability, researchers can potentially use frequency combs to better understand the split-second intermediate steps in fast-moving processes ranging from the workings of hypersonic jet engines to the chemical reactions between enzymes that regulate cell growth.
Published Amphibians have one more thing to worry about--mercury



The first widescale assessment of methylmercury in adult amphibians in the U.S. to date shows that, in amphibians, this toxic compound is common, widespread and, at least for some, can reach very high levels.
Published 'Plug and play' nanoparticles could make it easier to tackle various biological targets



Engineers have developed modular nanoparticles that can be easily customized to target different biological entities such as tumors, viruses or toxins. The surface of the nanoparticles is engineered to host any biological molecules of choice, making it possible to tailor the nanoparticles for a wide array of applications, ranging from targeted drug delivery to neutralizing biological agents.
Published How to protect biocatalysts from oxygen



There are high hopes for hydrogen as the key to the energy transition. A specific enzyme group found in algae and in bacteria can produce molecular hydrogen simply by catalyzing protons and electrons. However, the enzyme group is so sensitive to oxygen that commercial use of the hydrogen produced by this process as a green energy source is not yet possible. Researchers have now increased the oxygen stability of a hydrogen-producing enzyme by genetically generated channel blockages.
Published Cat-ching criminals with DNA from pet hairs



Cat hair could be the purr-fect way to catch criminals, according to researchers.
Published Protein root discovery seals future of climate-proof plants



Researchers have discovered a protein that seals plant roots to regulate the uptake of nutrients and water from the soil, the discovery could help develop climate proof crops that require less water and chemical fertilizers.
Published Endangered whales live in area earmarked for gas exploration



Endangered whales and dolphins live year-round in an area of the Mediterranean earmarked for oil and gas exploration, new research shows.
Published DNA Origami nanoturbine sets new horizon for nanomotors



Researchers introduce a pioneering breakthrough in the world of nanomotors -- the DNA origami nanoturbine. This nanoscale device could represent a paradigm shift, harnessing power from ion gradients or electrical potential across a solid-state nanopore to drive the turbine into mechanical rotations. The core of this pioneering discovery is the design, construction, and driven motion of a 'DNA origami' turbine, which features three chiral blades, all within a minuscule 25-nanometer frame, operating in a solid-state nanopore. By ingeniously designing two chiral turbines, researchers now have the capability to dictate the direction of rotation, clockwise or anticlockwise.
Published Research reveals three new marsupial species -- though all likely extinct



The exciting discovery of three new species of a small Australian marsupial has been tempered by the sad fact that each of the newly identified species of mulgara is likely already extinct.
Published Scientists uncover cause of mysterious deaths of elephants in Zimbabwe



A bacterium, closely associated with deadly septicaemia, could have caused the deaths of six African elephants in Zimbabwe and possibly more in neighboring countries. The findings place infectious diseases on the list of pressures on African elephants, whose populations continue to be under threat.
Published Discovery finds ferns produce crop-saving insecticide



Researchers have solved the structure of a novel insecticidal protein that is effective in protecting major crop plants like corn and soybean from pests and is naturally produced by ferns.