Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Father's diet before conception influences children's health      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A recent study provides new insights into how fathers' diets and overweight can affect their children's health even before conception. The findings of the study can help develop preventive health measures for men wishing to become fathers: The healthier the father's diet, the lower the risk for their children to develop obesity or diseases such as diabetes later in life.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Zoology Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

The embryo assembles itself      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Biological processes depend on puzzle pieces coming together and interacting. Under specific conditions, these interactions can create something new without external input. This is called self-organization, as seen in a school of fish or a flock of birds. Interestingly, the mammalian embryo develops similarly. Scientists now introduce a mathematical framework that analyzes self-organization from a single cell to a multicellular organism.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General
Published

Heart healthy behaviors may help reverse rapid cell aging      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The benefits gained with higher lifestyle scores may be associated with the positive influence of heart disease risk factors on the aging of the body and its cells, finds a new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Developmental Biology: General
Published

New deep learning model is 'game changer' for measuring embryo development      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new deep learning model performs a task that biologists have struggled with for centuries -- how to measure the incredibly complex process of embryonic development. Scientists have shown that the AI model, known as Dev-ResNet, can identify what happens and when during embryonic development, from video. While used in pond snail embryos for this study, in future the technique could be used to help accelerate understanding on how climate change, and other external factors, affect humans and animals in the earliest stages of life.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Mechanisms for selective multiple sclerosis treatment strategy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have demonstrated how B cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can contribute to a pathogenic, inflammatory phenotype that contributes to multiple sclerosis (MS); the group has also shown how these problematic B cells can be selectively targeted in a way that reduces the damaging autoimmune response of multiple sclerosis.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Genetic mosaicism more common than thought      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers found that approximately one in 40 human bone marrow cells carry massive chromosomal alterations without causing any apparent disease or abnormality. Even so-called normal cells carry all sorts of genetic mutations, meaning there are more genetic differences between individual cells in our bodies than between different human beings. The discovery was enabled by a single-cell sequencing technology called Strand-seq, a unique DNA sequencing technique that can reveal subtle details of genomes in single cells that are too difficult to detect with other methods.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General
Published

Researchers have unveiled a new method to manipulate cell movement in embryos      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have developed a new method that can manipulate the movement of embryonic cells using short-time attractors.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

How killifish embryos use suspended animation to survive over 8 months of drought      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The African turquoise killifish lives in ephemeral ponds in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. To survive the annual dry season, the fish's embryos enter a state of extreme suspended animation or 'diapause' for approximately 8 months. Now, researchers have uncovered the mechanisms that enabled the killifish to evolve this extreme survival state.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Investigating the origin of circatidal rhythms in freshwater snails      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

While most organisms have biological clocks synchronized with the day-night cycle (circadian rhythms), marine animals in tidal areas have also developed circatidal rhythms to align with the tidal cycle. Comparing the activity and genetic expression of snails from tidal and non-tidal areas, researchers demonstrate that circatidal rhythms develop as snails adapt to tidal environments. These findings highlight the flexibility of biological clocks, enabling organisms to adjust their rhythms according to the environment.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

New 'atlas' provides unprecedented insights on how genes function in early embryo development      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Biologists have provided new insights on a longstanding puzzle in biology: How complex organisms arise from a single fertilized cell. Producing a new 'gene atlas' with 4-D imaging, the researchers captured unprecedented insights on how embryonic development unfolds.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Zoology
Published

Birdsong and human voice built from same genetic blueprint      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Humans have been long fascinated by bird song and the cacophony of other avian sounds -- from coos and honks to quacks and peeps. But little is known about how the unique vocal organ of birds -- the syrinx -- varies from species to species or its deeper evolutionary origins. A trio of recent studies is changing that. The studies include high-resolution anatomical scans of syrinxes from hummingbirds and ostriches -- the world's smallest and largest bird species -- and the discovery that the syrinx and larynx, the vocal organ of reptiles and mammals, including humans, share the same developmental programming.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Novel approach to interrogate tissue-specific protein-protein interactions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Multicellular organisms, like animals and plants, have complex cells with diverse functions. This complexity arises from the need for cells to produce distinct proteins that interact with each other. This interaction is crucial for cells to carry out their specific tasks and to form complex molecular machinery. However, our current understanding of such protein-protein interactions often lacks cellular contexts because they were usually studied in an in vitro system or in cells isolated from their tissue environment. Effective methods to investigate protein-protein interactions in a tissue-specific manner are largely missing.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Tracking down the genetic causes of lupus to personalize treatment      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Treatment of autoimmune diseases like lupus has long relied on steroids to knock down the immune system, but more targeted therapies are currently undergoing clinical trials. To make sure these therapies get to the patients who will benefit, work is needed to identify the specific mutations behind each patient's disease. Researchers now report several dozen mutations associated with oversensitive toll-like receptors -- a major cause of autoimmune disease -- and linked two mutations to patients.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Biology: Zoology
Published

Exploring diversity in cell division      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Animals and fungi predominantly use two different modes of cell division -- called open and closed mitosis, respectively. A new study has shown that different species of Ichthyosporea -- marine protists that are close relatives of both animals and fungi -- use either open and closed mitosis, closely correlated to whether the species has multinucleate life cycle stages. The study demonstrates the way animals do cell division might have evolved long before animals themselves did and how this is linked to an organism's life cycle.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Sweet move: a modified sugar enhances antisense oligonucleotide safety and efficacy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers found that adding a newly developed modified sugar, BNAP-AEO, to gapmer antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) increased their affinity for target RNAs, thus significantly enhancing their gene-silencing effects in vitro and in vivo. The BNAP-AEO modification also decreased gapmer ASO toxicity to the central nervous system (CNS), suggesting that it could improve the clinical application of ASO treatment of CNS disease.

Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Space: Astrophysics Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

The origin of the sun's magnetic field could lie close to its surface      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Surprise findings suggest sunspots and solar flares could be generated by a magnetic field within the Sun's outermost layers. If confirmed, the findings could help scientists better predict space weather.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Developmental Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

New AI accurately predicts fly behavior      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers trained an AI model to accurately predict male fruit flies' courtship behavior in response to any sight of a female. This breakthrough offers new insight into how the brain processes visual data and may someday pave the way for artificial vision technology.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Study finds widespread 'cell cannibalism,' related phenomena across tree of life      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers describe cell-in-cell phenomena in which one cell engulfs and sometimes consumes another. The study shows that cases of this behavior, including cell cannibalism, are widespread across the tree of life. The findings challenge the common perception that cell-in-cell events are largely restricted to cancer cells. Rather, these events appear to be common across diverse organisms, from single-celled amoebas to complex multicellular animals.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Studies reveal cell-by-cell changes caused when pig hearts and kidneys are transplanted into humans      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Two new studies detail the changes seen at the single-cell level in pig organs and recipient human bodies before, during, and just after the xenotransplantation surgeries in the decedents.

Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Diverse headgear in hoofed mammals evolved from common ancestor      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

From the small ossicones on a giraffe to the gigantic antlers of a male moose -- which can grow as wide as a car -- the headgear of ruminant hooved mammals is extremely diverse, and new research suggests that despite the physical differences, fundamental aspects of these bony adaptations likely evolved from a common ancestor.