Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Genetics Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature
Published

How does the social behavior of wheat plants influence grain production?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have investigated how the behavior of an individual wheat plant under limiting light conditions influences the performance of the whole community. They assessed morphological and biomass phenotypes of single plants grown in mixtures under sunlight and a simulated canopy shade, and the relevance of these phenotypes for the monoculture community in the field.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Developmental Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular
Published

Unveiling the mechanism of 3D folding of cell sheets      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of researchers has revealed that the Dumpy protein, a component of extracellular matrices -- or ECM -- is the key factor in regulating the stereotypic origami-like folding of wing-cell sheets. Their findings that wing cells never divide during folding nor do they exhibit spatially distinct behaviors suggest how external cues can create consistent 3D tissue structures.

Biology: Botany Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Switching from harmful to helpful fungi      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Mold and diseases caused by fungi can greatly impact the shelf life of fruit and vegetables. However, some fungi benefit their hosts by aiding plant survival. Colletotrichum tofieldiae (Ct) is a root mold which typically supports continued plant development even when the plant is starved of phosphorus, an important nutrient for photosynthesis and growth. Researchers studied a unique pathogenic strain of the fungi, called Ct3, which conversely inhibits plant growth.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Genetics
Published

Researchers to study Alzheimer's disease in marmosets      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Neuroscientists created the first non-human primate model of hereditary Alzheimer's in marmosets to accelerate the pace of drug discovery and rebuild the foundation for future translational studies.

Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Bird flu is undergoing changes that could increase the risk of widespread human transmission      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study has shown that a subtype of avian flu virus, endemic in poultry farms in China, is undergoing mutational changes, which could increase the risk of the disease being passed on to humans.

Biology: Developmental Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular
Published

Immune cells shape their own path      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When fighting disease, our immune cells need to reach their target quickly. Researchers have now discovered that immune cells actively generate their own guidance system to navigate through complex environments. This challenges earlier notions about these movements. The researchers' findings enhance our knowledge of the immune system and offer potential new approaches to improve human immune response.

Biology: Genetics
Published

Digging deeper into how vaccines work against parasitic disease      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have determined how Leishmaniasis vaccine candidates, created using mutated disease-causing parasites, prompt molecular-level changes in host cells that have specific roles in helping generate the immune response.

Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Scientists unpick how lung cells induce immune response to influenza      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered some new and surprising ways that viral RNA and influenza virus are detected by human lung cells, which has potential implications for treating people affected by such viruses.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Ecology: Animals Ecology: Sea Life Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: General
Published

Mutation rates in whales are much higher than previously reported      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of marine scientists has studied the DNA of family groups from four different whale species to estimate their mutation rates. Using the newly determined rates, the group found that the number of humpback whales in the North Atlantic before whaling was 86 percent lower than earlier studies suggested.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

A system to keep cloud-based gamers in sync      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new technique can synchronize media streams from different networks to multiple devices with less than 10 milliseconds of delay. The technique was demonstrated on cloud gaming, but could also be applied in AR/VR applications.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Genetics Ecology: Animals Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

The search for the super potato      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As climate change continues to pose severe challenges to ensuring sustainable food supplies around the world, scientists are looking for ways to improve the resilience and nutritional quality of potatoes. Scientists have assembled the genome sequences of nearly 300 varieties of potatoes and its wild relatives to develop more nutritious, disease-free, and weather-proof crop. A team has now created a potato super pangenome to identify genetic traits that can help produce the next super spud.

Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound Physics: Optics
Published

Researchers develop ultra-sensitive photoacoustic microscopy for wide biomedical application potential      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy is an up-and-coming biomedical imaging technique for studying a broad range of diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and stroke. But its insufficient sensitivity has been a longstanding obstacle for its wider application. Recently, a research team developed a multi-spectral, super-low-dose photoacoustic microscopy system with a significant improvement in the system sensitivity limit, enabling new biomedical applications and clinical translation in the future.

Biology: Genetics
Published

A new breakthrough in obesity research may allow you to lose fat while eating all you want      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

This is a significant development that brings hope to the one billion individuals with obesity worldwide. Researchers have discovered new insights into the regulation of fat metabolism. The focus of their study lies within the star-shaped non-neuronal cells in the brain, known as 'astrocytes'. Furthermore, the group announced successful animal experiments using the newly developed drug 'KDS2010', which allowed the mice to lose weigh without dietary restrictions.

Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Experiencing the texture of skateboard sounds can mediate divisions new research says      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Experiencing the harsh sounds of skateboarding can help bridge the gulf between the joy and distaste of the noises created by the sport, a new study says.

Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature
Published

Algae provide clues about 600 million years of plant evolution      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers generated large scale gene expression data to investigate the molecular networks that operate in one of the closest algal relatives of land plants, a humble single-celled alga called Mesotaenium endlicherianum.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular
Published

How some ion channels form structures permitting drug delivery      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A member of an important class of ion channel proteins can transiently rearrange itself into a larger structure with dramatically altered properties, according to a new study. The discovery is a significant advance in cell biology, likely solves a long-standing mystery about an unusual feature of some ion channels and has implications for the development of drugs targeting these proteins and for drug delivery.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Newly engineered versions of bacterial enzyme reveal how antibiotics could be more potent      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers applied a new technology to generate the full inventory of mutations in the bacterial species Escherichia coli where the antibiotic rifampicin attaches to and disables an essential bacterial enzyme known as RNA polymerase (RNAP).

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Enhancing cancer therapy using functionalized photosynthetic bacteria      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Selective targeting of cancerous cells poses major clinical challenges during cancer therapy. However, this limitation can be overcome by using bioengineered bacteria with highly optimized chemical modifications. A recent study demonstrates the use of chemically modified purple photosynthetic bacteria for the successful detection and elimination of colon cancer cells in a mouse model. The study also sheds light on the underlying mechanism of action.