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Categories: Biology: Biotechnology, Mathematics: Modeling
Published Large language models don't behave like people, even though we may expect them to
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source People generalize to form beliefs about a large language model's performance based on what they've seen from past interactions. When an LLM is misaligned with a person's beliefs, even an extremely capable model may fail unexpectedly when deployed in a real-world situation.
Published Dual action antibiotic could make bacterial resistance nearly impossible
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New drug that disrupts two cellular targets would make it much harder for bacteria to evolve resistance.
Published New rapid method for determining virus infectivity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new method that can rapidly determine whether a virus is infectious or non-infectious could revolutionize the response to future pandemics, researchers report.
Published Risks and benefits of integrating AI into medical decision-making
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers found that an artificial intelligence (AI) model solved medical quiz questions -- designed to test health professionals' ability to diagnose patients based on clinical images and a brief text summary -- with high accuracy. However, physician-graders found the AI model made mistakes when describing images and explaining how its decision-making led to the correct answer.
Published B cell biohack: Immune cells to churn out custom antibodies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered a way to turn the body's B cells into tiny surveillance machines and antibody factories that can pump out specially designed antibodies to destroy cancer cells or HIV, two of medicine's most formidable foes.
Published New genetic test will eliminate a form of inherited blindness in dogs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have identified the genetic mutation that causes progressive retinal atrophy in English Shepherd Dogs, which results in incurable blindness, and developed a genetic test to help eliminate the disease from future generations of the breed.
Published There is mathematical proof in the pudding
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In blockchain development, there is a rule of thumb that only two of scalability, security, and decentralization are valid simultaneously. However, the mathematical expression of that rule was still a work in progress. Researchers discovered a mathematical expression for the blockchain trilemma. In the formula for Proof of Work-based blockchains, including Bitcoin, the product of the three terms--scalability, security, and decentralization--is 1.
Published Exposing dengue's invasion strategies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Mosquito-borne viral infections once confined to tropical regions are spreading. Dengue virus infects up to 400 million people worldwide each year according to World Health Organization estimates, and no available treatments exist for this disease. Now, research uncovered surprising strategies for how dengue and hundreds of other viruses replicate in their hosts, with the potential to aid in developing novel antiviral treatments and vaccines.
Published Controlling mosquito populations through genetic breeding
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have found a new way to identify genetic targets useful for control of mosquito populations, potentially offering an alternative to insecticides. Their study focused on the genetic basis of species incompatibility. They crossed Ae. aegypti, a major global arboviral disease vector, and its sibling species, Ae. mascarensis, from the Indian Ocean. When offspring is crossed back with one parent, about 10 percent of the progeny becomes intersex and is unable to reproduce.
Published Are AI-chatbots suitable for hospitals?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Large language models may pass medical exams with flying colors but using them for diagnoses would currently be grossly negligent. Medical chatbots make hasty diagnoses, do not adhere to guidelines, and would put patients' lives at risk. A team has systematically investigated whether this form of artificial intelligence (AI) would be suitable for everyday clinical practice. Despite the current shortcomings, the researchers see potential in the technology. They have published a method that can be used to test the reliability of future medical chatbots.
Published Transient structure in fly leg holds clue to insect shape formation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A little leg may reveal something big about how closely related insect species can drastically differ in body shape, according to a new study. The team imaged live cells of fruit flies in the last stages of development over several days and found a new structure that appears to help guide a section of the leg into its final shape.
Published Scientists use AI to predict a wildfire's next move
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a new model that combines generative AI and satellite data to accurately forecast wildfire spread.
Published Small animals acquire genes from bacteria that can produce antibiotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A group of small, freshwater animals (bdelloid rotifers) protect themselves from infections using antibiotic recipes 'stolen' from bacteria, according to new research. This raises the potential that rotifers are producing novel antimicrobials that may be less toxic to animals, including humans, than those we develop from bacteria and fungi.
Published Minerals play newly discovered role in Earth's phosphorus cycle
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Plants and microbes are known to secrete enzymes to transform organic phosphorus into bioavailable inorganic phosphorus. Now, researchers found that iron oxide in soil performs the same transformation. Discovery is important for food security, which requires phosphorus as a crop fertilizer.
Published Although tiny, peatland microorganisms have a big impact on climate
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Polyphenols are generally toxic to microorganisms. In peatlands, scientists thought microorganisms avoided this toxicity by degrading polyphenols using an oxygen-dependent enzyme, and thus that low-oxygen conditions inhibit microbes' carbon cycling. However, a new study found that Arctic peatland microorganisms used alternative enzymes, with and without oxygen, to break down polyphenols. This suggests carbon stored in these ecosystems is more at risk than previously thought.
Published Ancient viruses fuel modern-day cancers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The human genome is filled with flecks of DNA left behind by viruses that infected primate ancestors tens of millions of years ago. Scientists used to think they were harmless, but new research shows that, when reawakened, they help cancer survive and thrive.
Published Paleolithic diets are not without risks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source High-protein diets, known as 'Paleolithic diets', are popular. Using mouse models, scientists have studied their impact. While effective in regulating weight and stabilizing diabetes, these diets are not without risks. Excess protein greatly increases ammonium production, overwhelming the liver. Excess ammonium can cause neurological disorders and, in severe cases, lead to coma. These results suggest caution when following these diets.
Published Smart soil can water and feed itself
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A newly engineered type of soil can capture water out of thin air to keep plants hydrated and manage controlled release of fertilizer for a constant supply of nutrients.
Published Switching off inflammatory protein leads to longer, healthier lifespans in mice
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered that 'switching off' a protein called IL-11 can significantly increase the healthy lifespan of mice by almost 25 percent.
Published Genome recording makes living cells their own historians
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Genomes can now be used to store information about a variety of transient biological events inside of living cells, as they happen, like a flight recorder collecting data from an aircraft. The method, called ENGRAM, aims to turn cells into their own historians. ENGRAM couples each kind of biological signal or event inside a cell to a symbolic barcode. This new strategy traces and archives the type and timing of biological signals inside the cell by inserting this information into the genome. For example, this record-keeping can track the commands that turn genes on or off.