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Categories: Biology: Cell Biology, Paleontology: Climate
Published New compound from blessed thistle promotes functional nerve regeneration
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus) is a plant in the family Asteraceae. For centuries, it has been used as a medicinal herb as an extract or tea, e.g. to aid the digestive system. Researchers have now found a completely novel use for Cnicin. Animal models as well as human cells have shown that Cnicin significantly accelerates axon (nerve fibers) growth.
Published Dietary treatment more effective than medicines in IBS
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Dietary treatment is more effective than medications in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). With dietary adjustments, more than seven out of ten patients had significantly reduced symptoms.
Published Key protein regulates immune response to viruses in mammal cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have revealed the regulatory mechanism of a specific protein, TRBP, that plays a key role in balancing the immune response triggered by viral infections in mammal cells. These findings could help drive the development of antiviral therapies and nucleic acid medicines to treat genetic disorders.
Published Light show in living cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Observing proteins precisely within cells is extremely important for many branches of research but has been a significant technical challenge -- especially in living cells, as the required fluorescent labeling had to be individually attached to each protein. The research group has now overcome this hurdle: With a method called 'vpCells,' it is possible to label many proteins simultaneously, using five different fluorescent colors.
Published Why can zebrafish regenerate damaged heart tissue, while other fish species cannot?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A heart attack will leave a permanent scar on a human heart, yet other animals, including zebrafish, can clear cardiac scar tissue and regrow damaged muscle as adults. Biologists sheds new light on how zebrafish heal heart tissue by comparing how this species responds to heart injury with medaka, a fish species that cannot regenerate cardiac tissue.
Published Potential new treatment path for lasting Lyme disease symptoms
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified a potential new treatment for persistent neurological symptoms of Lyme disease, commonly seen even after antibiotic use. The study found that fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitors, previously studied in cancer, significantly reduced inflammation and cell death in infected brain and nerve tissues.
Published Marine microbial populations: Potential sensors of the global change in the ocean
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Animal and plant populations have been extensively studied, which has helped to understand ecosystem processes and evolutionary adaptations. However, this has not been the case with microbial populations due to the impossibility of isolating, culturing and analyzing the genetic content of the different species and their individuals in the laboratory. Therefore, although it is known that populations of microorganisms include a great diversity, this remains largely uncharacterized.
Published RNA's hidden potential: New study unveils its role in early life and future bioengineering
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The origin of life continues to remain a matter of debate. The ribonucleic acid (RNA) world hypothesis proposes that 'ribozymes' which store genetic information and possess catalytic functions may have supported the activities of early life forms. Now, researchers explore how RNA elongation is regulated allosterically, shedding light on its impact on early life processes and offering insights into the fabrication of arbitrary RNA nanostructures with various modern applications.
Published Guidance on energy and macronutrients across the lifespan
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In the long history of recommendations for nutritional intake, current research is trending toward the concept of 'food as medicine' -- a philosophy in which food and nutrition are positioned within interventions to support health and wellness.
Published Calorie restriction study reveals complexities in how diet impacts aging
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The rate at which human cells age is influenced by multiple interconnected factors. New research examined how restricting calories influences telomere length and biological aging.
Published Ice age climate analysis reduces worst-case warming expected from rising CO2
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A detailed reconstruction of climate during the most recent ice age, when a large swath of North America was covered in ice, provides information on the relationship between CO2 and global temperature. Results show that while most future warming estimates remain unchanged, the absolute worst-case scenario is unlikely.
Published New class of antimicrobials discovered in soil bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered toxic protein particles, shaped like umbrellas, that soil bacteria known as Streptomyces secrete to squelch competitors in their crowded microbial communities, especially others of their own species. What makes these newly detected antibacterial toxins different is that, unlike the Streptomyces' small-molecule antibiotics, umbrella toxins are large complexes composed of multiple proteins. They are also far more specific in the bacteria they target. They tend to go after bacteria that form branching filaments, an usual growth pattern among bacteria. The scientists are intrigued by the potential clinical clinical applications of this discovery, because they suspect the pathogens that cause tuberculosis and diphtheria might be sensitive to umbrella toxins.
Published Solving a mini mystery of cell division
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Trying to hit a target size before dividing seems like the best strategy for maintaining a precise cell size, but bacteria don't do that. Now we know why.
Published Marine plankton behavior could predict future marine extinctions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Marine communities migrated to Antarctica during the Earth's warmest period in 66 million years long before a mass-extinction event.
Published Plant sensors could act as an early warning system for farmers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using a pair of sensors made from carbon nanotubes, researchers discovered signals that help plants respond to stresses such as heat, light, or attack from insects or bacteria. Farmers could use these sensors to monitor threats to their crops, allowing them to intervene before the crops are lost.
Published A better view with new mid-infrared nanoscopy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team has constructed an improved mid-infrared microscope, enabling them to see the structures inside living bacteria at the nanometer scale. Mid-infrared microscopy is typically limited by its low resolution, especially when compared to other microscopy techniques. This latest development produced images at 120 nanometers, which the researchers say is a thirtyfold improvement on the resolution of typical mid-infrared microscopes. Being able to view samples more clearly at this smaller scale can aid multiple fields of research, including into infectious diseases, and opens the way for developing even more accurate mid-infrared-based imaging in the future.
Published How soil microbes survive in harsh desert environments
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Prolonged droughts followed by sudden bursts of rainfall -- how do desert soil bacteria manage to survive such harsh conditions? This long-debated question has now been answered by microbiologists. The study reveals that desert soil bacteria are highly adapted to survive the rapid environmental changes experienced with each rainfall event.
Published Study finds iron-rich enamel protects, but doesn't color, rodents' orange-brown incisors
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Chattering squirrels, charming coypus, and tail-slapping beavers -- along with some other rodents -- have orange-brown front teeth. Researchers have produced high-resolution images of rodent incisors, providing an atomic-level view of the teeth's ingenious enamel and its coating. They discovered tiny pockets of iron-rich materials in the enamel that form a protective shield for the teeth but, importantly, don't contribute to the orange-brown hue -- new insights that could improve human dentistry.
Published Copper beads in pig feed reshape swine gut microbiome
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Copper is a natural antimicrobial material that, when added to pig feed, may promote the growth and health of the animals. Since pigs can tolerate high levels of the metal, researchers recently investigated whether copper might be used to promote their gut health and reduce the shedding of microbes to the environment.
Published Tracking a protein's fleeting shape changes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a powerful, new technique to generate 'movies' of changing protein structures and speeds of up to 50 frames per second.