Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Color variants in cuckoos: The advantages of rareness      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Every cuckoo is an adopted child -- raised by foster parents, into whose nest the cuckoo mother smuggled her egg. The cuckoo mother is aided in this subterfuge by her resemblance to a bird of prey. There are two variants of female cuckoos: a gray morph that looks like a sparrowhawk, and a rufous morph. Male cuckoos are always gray.

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

Unveiling the mysteries of cell division in embryos with timelapse photography      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The beginning of life is shrouded in mystery. While the intricate dynamics of mitosis is well-studied in the so-called somatic cells -- the cells that have a specialized function, like skin and muscle cells -- they remain elusive in the first cells of our bodies, the embryonic cells. Embryonic mitosis is notoriously difficult to study in vertebrates, as live functional analyses and -imaging of experimental embryos are technically limited, which makes it hard to track cells during embryogenesis.

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

Giant viruses infect deadly parasite      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The single-celled organism Naegleria fowleri ranks among the deadliest human parasites. Researchers have now discovered viruses that infect this harmful microbe. Named Naegleriavirus, these belong to the giant viruses, a group known for their unusually large particles and complex genomes.

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

Researchers unveil PI3K enzyme's dual accelerator and brake mechanisms      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The enzyme PI3K plays a critical role in cell migration. Scientists have long understood this function. But researchers have recently unveiled that a subunit of this enzyme also has the ability to slam on the breaks to this process.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Quantum Computers Engineering: Graphene Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Condensed matter physics: Novel one-dimensional superconductor      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a significant development in the field of superconductivity, researchers have successfully achieved robust superconductivity in high magnetic fields using a newly created one-dimensional (1D) system. This breakthrough offers a promising pathway to achieving superconductivity in the quantum Hall regime, a longstanding challenge in condensed matter physics.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Computer Science: Quantum Computers Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Lead-vacancy centers in diamond as building blocks for large-scale quantum networks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A lead-vacancy (PbV) center in diamond has been developed as a quantum emitter for large-scale quantum networks by researchers. This innovative color center exhibits a sharp zero-phonon-line and emits photons with specific frequencies. The PbV color center stands out among other diamond color centers due to its ability to maintain optical properties at relatively high temperatures of 16 K. This makes it well-suited for transferring quantum information in large-scale quantum networks.

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

Researchers create artificial cells that act like living cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers describe the steps they took to manipulate DNA and proteins -- essential building blocks of life -- to create cells that look and act like cells from the body. This accomplishment, a first in the field, has implications for efforts in regenerative medicine, drug delivery systems and diagnostic tools.

Computer Science: Quantum Computers Energy: Technology Mathematics: General Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Manipulating the geometry of 'electron universe' in magnets      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered a unique property, the quantum metric, within magnetic materials, altering the 'electron universe' geometry. This distinct electric signal challenges traditional electrical conduction and could revolutionize spintronic devices.

Computer Science: Quantum Computers Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Perfecting the view on a crystal's imperfection      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has gained widespread attention and application across various quantum fields and technologies because it contains single-photon emmiters (SPEs), along with a layered structure that is easy to manipulation. The precise mechanisms governing the development and function of SPEs within hBN have remained elusive. Now, a new study reveals significant insights into the properties of hBN, offering a solution to discrepancies in previous research on the proposed origins of SPEs within the material.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Mathematics: Modeling
Published

AI tool creates 'synthetic' images of cells for enhanced microscopy analysis      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a method to use an image generation AI model to create realistic images of single cells, which are then used as 'synthetic data' to train an AI model to better carry out single-cell segmentation.

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

Liquid droplets shape how cells respond to change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research has shown that cells regulate cAMP/PKA signaling by forming liquid droplets that segregate excess PKA catalytic subunits where they can do no harm. Some cancers may block the formation of liquid droplets, leading to hyperactive signaling and tumor formation.

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

AI can improve Alzheimer's treatment through the 'gut-brain axis'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers are using artificial intelligence to uncover the link between the gut microbiome and Alzheimer's disease. Previous studies showed that Alzheimer's disease patients have changes in their gut bacteria as the disease develops. The study outlines a computational method to determine how bacterial byproducts called metabolites interact with receptors on cells and contribute to Alzheimer's disease.

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

Scientists discover the cellular functions of a family of proteins integral to inflammatory diseases      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a scientific breakthrough, researchers have revealed the biological mechanisms by which a family of proteins known as histone deacetylases (HDACs) activate immune system cells linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other inflammatory diseases.

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

Protein network dynamics during cell division      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team has mapped the movement of proteins encoded by the yeast genome throughout its cell cycle. This is the first time that all the proteins of an organism have been tracked across the cell cycle, which required a combination of deep learning and high-throughput microscopy.

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

The enemy within: How pathogens spread unrecognized in the body      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Some pathogens hide inside human cells to enhance their survival. Researchers have uncovered a unique tactic certain bacteria use to spread in the body without being detected by the immune system. In their study, they reveal the crucial role of a bacterial nanomachine in this infection process.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Molecular
Published

Breakthrough rice bran nanoparticles show promise as affordable and targeted anticancer agent      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Plant-derived nanoparticles have demonstrated significant anticancer effects. Researchers recently developed rice bran-derived nanoparticles (rbNPs) that efficiently suppressed cell proliferation and induced programmed cell death of only cancer cells. Furthermore, rbNPs successfully suppressed the growth of tumors in mice having aggressive adenocarcinoma in their peritoneal cavity, without any adverse effects. Given their low production costs and high efficacy, rbNPs hold great promise for developing affordable and safe anticancer agents.

Computer Science: Quantum Computers Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Compact quantum light processing      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international collaboration of researchers has achieved a significant breakthrough in quantum technology, with the successful demonstration of quantum interference among several single photons using a novel resource-efficient platform. The work represents a notable advancement in optical quantum computing that paves the way for more scalable quantum technologies.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Biology: Zoology
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.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
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.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals
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.