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Categories: Biology: Cell Biology, Geoscience: Earthquakes
Published Sexual parasitism helped anglerfish invade the deep sea during a time of global warming



Members of the vertebrate group including anglerfishes are unique in possessing a characteristic known as sexual parasitism, in which males temporarily attach or permanently fuse with females to mate. Now, researchers show that sexual parasitism arose during a time of major global warming and rapid transition for anglerfishes from the ocean floor to the deep, open sea.
Published Future climate impacts put whale diet at risk



A new study predicts future climate change impacts could disrupt the krill-heavy diet that humpback whales in the southern hemisphere consume.
Published Exploring diversity in cell division



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.
Published Sweet move: a modified sugar enhances antisense oligonucleotide safety and efficacy



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.
Published How the 'home' environment influences microbial interactions



A new study shows that real-world ocean conditions make a huge difference in how viral infection affects host bacteria. The findings indicate it is very important to study cells and virocells under nutrient conditions that more closely resemble what they encounter in nature.
Published 'Fossilizing' cracks in infrastructure creates sealing that can even survive earthquakes



In a new study, a team of researchers used research on fossilizing techniques to create a new method for sealing cracks and fractures in rocks and bedrock using a 'concretion-forming resin'. This innovative technique has applications in a wide range of industries, from tunnel construction to long-term underground storage of hazardous materials.
Published Naturally occurring substance in pomegranates can improve treatment of Alzheimer's disease



A substance naturally occurring in i.a. pomegranates, strawberries and walnuts can improve memory and treatment of Alzheimer's disease, a new study concludes.
Published Study finds widespread 'cell cannibalism,' related phenomena across tree of life



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.
Published Body lice may be bigger plague spreaders than previously thought



A new laboratory study suggests that human body lice are more efficient at transmitting Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes plague, than previously thought, supporting the possibility that they may have contributed to past pandemics.
Published Drug-like inhibitor shows promise in preventing flu



Currently available flu medications only target the virus after it has already established an infection, but what if a drug could prevent infection in the first place? Now, scientists have designed drug-like molecules to do just that, by thwarting the first stage of influenza infection.
Published Hope for a cure for visceral leishmaniasis, an often fatal infectious disease



Leishmaniasis is a tropical disease affecting a growing number of people worldwide. Each year, between 700,000 and 1 million new cases are reported. Caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania, which is transmitted to humans by the simple bite of a sand fly, leishmaniasis comprises three clinical forms, of which the visceral form is the most serious. If left untreated, visceral leishmaniasis, also known as black fever, is almost always fatal.
Published Food for thought: Study links key nutrients with slower brain aging



A new study suggests better nutrition might help prevent cognitive decline. Working with a group of 100 cognitively healthy participants aged 65 to 75, a research team combined neuroscience with nutritional science to identify a specific nutrient profile linked with better performance on cognitive tests. Nutrient biomarkers identified via blood tests revealed a combination of fatty acids, antioxidants and carotenoids, and two forms of Vitamin E and choline -- very similar to the Mediterranean diet -- in the systems of those who showed slower than expected brain aging in MRI scans and cognitive assessments.
Published Studies reveal cell-by-cell changes caused when pig hearts and kidneys are transplanted into humans



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.
Published Clarifying the cellular mechanisms underlying periodontitis with an improved animal model



Although periodontitis is an extremely prevalent disorder, it is challenging to conduct detailed and comprehensive analyses of its progression at the cellular level. Recently, researchers developed an improved periodontitis mouse model that simplifies the collection and analysis of multiple periodontal tissue types. Using this model, they clarified the role of an important signaling pathway in the inflammatory response of periodontal tissue, paving the way for better diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for periodontitis.
Published Highly sensitive fiber optic gyroscope senses rotational ground motion around active volcano



Researchers have built a prototype fiber optic gyroscope for high resolution, real-time monitoring of ground rotations caused by earthquakes in the active volcanic area of Campi Flegrei in Naples, Italy. A better understanding of the seismic activity in this highly populated area could improve risk assessment and might lead to improved early warning systems.
Published Genes provide hope for the survival of Arabia's last big cat



The release of captive bred animals carefully selected for their genes can make a significant contribution to the successful recovery of the dwindling wild population and avert the prospect of extinction. Despite revealing extremely low levels of genetic diversity in the wild leopard population in Oman, the research team discovered higher levels of genetic diversity in captive leopards across the region. This important genetic resource has the potential for a major role in successful recovery of the Arabian leopard.
Published Digging up good news for microbial studies



Findings indicate that soil stored under refrigerated or air-dried conditions can still retain the needed information for understanding microbial community composition and structure for many years.
Published Diverse headgear in hoofed mammals evolved from common ancestor



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.
Published New mechanisms behind antibiotic resistance



Two newly discovered mechanisms in bacteria have been identified that can contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. Changing the number of copies of resistance genes in bacteria increases antibiotic resistance, and can do so very quickly. These two mechanisms, along with a third known mechanism, can occur independently of each other, even within the same bacterial cell.
Published Subduction zone splay faults compound hazards of great earthquakes



Groundbreaking research has provided new insight into the tectonic plate shifts that create some of the Earth's largest earthquakes and tsunamis.