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Categories: Biology: General, Geoscience: Earthquakes
Published The evolutionary timeline of diminished boric acid and urea transportation in aquaporin 10
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Aquaporin (Aqp) 10 water channels in humans allow the free passage of water, glycerol, urea, and boric acid across cells. However, Aqp10.2b in pufferfishes allows only the passage of water and glycerol and not urea and boric acid. Researchers sought to understand the evolutionary timeline that resulted in the variable substrate selection mechanisms among Aqp10s. Their results indicate that Aqp10.2 in ray-finned fishes may have reduced or lost urea and boric acid permeabilities through evolution.
Published New study examines the relationship between the rate of wound healing, the circadian rhythm, and 'hair' on cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Nearly every organism on Earth follows a natural circadian rhythm that is coded by your cell's clock genes, which do exactly as you suspect from the name: regulate your body's rhythm on a 24-hour basis. Most cells in mammalian bodies have cilia of some sort, which are hair-like structures that perform a variety of functions such as movement for motile cilia and aiding in structure in function for non-motile, or primary, cilia. The primary cilia also act as a sensory organ for the cell, a function which has illuminated the primary cilia's potential role in the healing process and how bodies heal at a different rate according to our circadian rhythm. In this research, the role of the primary cilia, biological clock and wound healing is explored.
Published Research offers a reason why diversity in plant species causes higher farming yield, solving 'a bit of a mystery'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study appearing in Nature Communications based on field and greenhouse experiments at the University of Kansas shows how a boost in agricultural yield comes from planting diverse crops rather than just one plant species: Soil pathogens harmful to plants have a harder time thriving. While crop rotation and other farming and gardening practices long have reflected benefits of a mix of plants, the new research puts hard data to one important mechanism underpinning the observation: the numbers of microorganisms in the soil that eat plants.
Published Fish display distinct individual behaviors when swimming to find food
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fish from the same species can evolve their sense of smell and display individual foraging 'personalities' to successfully find food in different habitats.
Published Protein allows poison dart frogs to accumulate toxins safely
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A newly identified protein helps poison dart frogs accumulate and store a potent toxin in their skin which they use for self-defence against predators.
Published Single-celled protists in the guts of animals thrive without the 'powerhouse of the cell'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Almost all eukaryotic organisms, from plants and animals to fungi, can't survive without mitochondria -- the 'powerhouses of the cell,' which generate chemical energy using oxygen. However, a new study finds that multiple members of the oxymonads, a group of single-celled protists that live inside the guts of termites and other animals, have evolved to live quite happily without them.
Published Genetic diversity of wild north American grapes mapped
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Wild North American grapes are now less of a mystery after researchers decoded and catalogued the genetic diversity of nine species of this valuable wine crop.
Published Genetic sequencing uncovers unexpected source of pathogens in floodwaters
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers report that local rivers and streams were the source of the Salmonella enterica contamination along coastal North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2018 -- not the previously suspected high number of pig farms in the region.
Published Genetics of host plants determine what microorganisms they attract
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Plants often develop communities with microorganisms in their roots, which influences plant health and development. Although the recruitment of these microbes is dictated by several factors, it is unclear whether the genetic variation in the host plants plays a role.
Published Study uncovers major hidden human-driven bird extinctions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Humans have wiped out around 1,400 bird species -- twice as many as previously thought -- with major implications for the ongoing biodiversity crisis, a new study has found. The estimated extinctions would mean almost 12 per cent of bird species have died out over modern human history, since the Late Pleistocene around 130,000 years ago, with the vast majority of them becoming extinct directly or indirectly due to human activity.
Published Gentle x-ray imaging of small living specimens
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers all over Germany have developed a new system for X-ray imaging, which is suited for both living specimens and sensitive materials. The system records images of micrometer resolution at a minimum radiation dose. In a pilot study, the researchers tested their method on living parasitic wasps and observed them for more than 30 minutes.
Published Little bacterium may make big impact on rare-earth processing
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A tiny, hard-working bacterium -- which weighs one-trillionth of a gram -- may soon have a large influence on processing rare earth elements in an eco-friendly way.
Published Algae as a surprising meat alternative and source of environmentally friendly protein
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has demonstrate that the ingestion of two of the most commercially available algal species are rich in protein which supports muscle remodeling in young healthy adults. Their findings suggest that algae may be an interesting and sustainable alternative to animal-derived protein with respect to maintaining and building muscle.
Published Global inventory of sound production brings us one step closer to understanding aquatic ecosystems
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Our understanding of which aquatic species produce sounds just took a big step forward. Scientists have created an inventory of species confirmed or expected to produce sound underwater.
Published Some coral species might be more resilient to climate change than previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Some coral species can be resilient to marine heat waves by 'remembering' how they lived through previous ones, research suggests.
Published More parallel 'traffic' observed in human brains than in other animals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a study comparing human brain communication networks with those of macaques and mice, researchers found that only the human brains transmitted information via multiple parallel pathways, yielding new insights into mammalian evolution.
Published Hotter weather caused by climate change could mean more mosquitoesv
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research along James River in Richmond suggests that climate change could shorten window for predators to prey on larvae.
Published Scientists collect aardvark poop to understand how the species is impacted by climate in Africa
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a new study of aardvarks, researchers spent months in sub-Saharan Africa collecting poop from the animal and concluded that aridification of the landscape is isolating them, which they say could have implications for their long-term survival.
Published New method could help estimate wildlife disease spread
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new method could be used to estimate the prevalence of disease in free-ranging wildlife and help determine how many samples are needed to detect a disease.
Published New method Ebola virus uses to infect cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists recently published findings indicating that Ebola virus creates and uses intercellular tunnels to move from cell to cell and evade treatments.