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Categories: Biology: Molecular, Ecology: Nature
Published Researchers uncover the secrets of 'plant puberty'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified the genetic changes linked to why plants go through a developmental change similar to 'puberty' at different rates, a discovery which could lead to better crop nutrition.
Published Gut microbial pathway identified as target for improved heart disease treatment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have made a significant discovery about how the gut microbiome interacts with cells to cause cardiovascular disease. The study found phenylacetylglutamine (PAG), produced by gut bacteria as a waste product, then absorbed and formed in the liver, interacts with previously undiscovered locations on beta-2 adrenergic receptors on heart cells once it enters the circulation.
Published Forest loss intensifies climate change by increasing temperatures and cloud level, which leads to decrease of water
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers report that deforestation during the last two decades induced a higher warming and cloud level rise than that caused by climate change, which threatens biodiversity and water supply in African montane forests.
Published New insights on how bird flu crosses the species barrier
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The avian influenza virus needs to mutate to cross the species barrier and to infect and replicate within mammalian cells. Scientists have now deciphered the structure of the avian influenza virus's polymerase when it interacts with a human protein essential for the virus to replicate within the cell. The structure of this replication complex provides important information about the mutations that avian influenza polymerase must undergo to adapt to mammals, including humans. These results can help scientists monitor the evolution and adaptability of bird flu strains, such as H5N1 or H7N9, towards infecting other species.
Published Searching old stem cells that stay young forever
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis is potentially immortal. Using molecular genetic methods, developmental biologists have now identified possible candidates for multipotent stem cells in the sea anemone for the first time. These stem cells are regulated by evolutionary highly conserved genes.
Published Will climate change lead to the extinction of a newly discovered tarantula species?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Biologists have discovered a new species of tarantula from the Madrean Sky Island biodiversity hotspot in southeastern Arizona. This remarkable new species is endemic to the Chiricahua Mountains and is predominately distributed in mid- to high-elevation forests, which are increasingly threatened due to climate change.
Published Preliminary study shows potential of Manuka honey as a nutraceutical for breast cancer
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study found that Manuka honey could potentially be an alternative, natural option for breast cancer prevention and treatment -- particularly for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, the most common subtype of breast cancer that accounts for about 70-80% of all breast cancer cases.
Published It's a rave: Underground acoustics amplify soil health
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Barely audible to human ears, healthy soils produce a cacophony of sounds in many forms -- a bit like an underground rave concert of bubble pops and clicks. Special recordings made by ecologists show this chaotic mixture of soundscapes can be a measure of the diversity of tiny living animals in the soil, which create sounds as they move and interact with their environment.
Published Rethinking the dodo
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are setting out to challenge our misconceptions about the Dodo, one of the most well-known but poorly understood species of bird. Researchers have undertaken the most comprehensive review of the taxonomy of the Dodo and its closest relative, the Rodriguez Island Solitaire.
Published Probiotics during pregnancy shown to help moms and babies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Giving probiotics to pregnant mice can enhance both the immune system and behavior of the mothers and their offspring.
Published As human activities expand in Antarctica, scientists identify crucial conservation sites
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Establishing Key Biodiversity Areas in the Southern Ocean will be vital for safeguarding the ecosystem from the impact of human activities, researchers say.
Published Nearly 25% of European landscape could be rewilded, researchers say
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Europe's abandoned farmlands could find new life through rewilding, a movement to restore ravaged landscapes to their wilderness before human intervention. A quarter of the European continent, 117 million hectares, is primed with rewilding opportunities, researchers report.
Published Zebrafish use surprising strategy to regrow spinal cord
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study maps out a detailed atlas of all the cells involved in regenerating the zebrafish spinal cord. In an unexpected finding, the researchers showed that survival and adaptability of the severed neurons themselves is required for full spinal cord regeneration. Surprisingly, the study showed that stem cells capable of forming new neurons play a complementary role but don t lead the process.
Published Surprise finding in study of environmental bacteria could advance search for better antibiotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers studying bacteria from freshwater lakes and soil say they have determined a protein's essential role in maintaining the germ's shape. Because the integrity of a bacterial cell's 'envelope' or enclosure is key to its survival, the finding could advance the search for new and better antibiotics.
Published Warming waters and nutrient overload: A dangerous combination threatening our rivers and lakes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New international research found that food webs are becoming less complex in warmer, nutrient-rich waters.
Published Lake Erie walleye growth is driven by parents' size, experience
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Parent size and the conditions in which actively spawning adults lived are the most influential factors affecting growth of Lake Erie walleye, a new study has found.
Published Historic map reveals how mussel farm is bringing shellfish reefs back to the seabed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New analysis has shown that the UK's first large scale offshore mussel farm might in fact serve as a form of restoration rather than creating habitats never seen in the area before. A map dating from 1871 shows a large area of the seabed -- stretching from Torquay in the west and beyond Lyme Regis to the east -- as being home to 'rich shell beds'. The region has now been transformed from muddy sediment with limited biodiversity into reefs, which research has shown have the potential to benefit a number of commercial fish and crustacean species and the ecosystem more generally.
Published Beige fat cells with a 'Sisyphus mechanism'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new class of fat cells makes people healthier. The cells consume energy and produce heat through seemingly pointless biochemical reactions.
Published New mechanism of action kills cancer cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Conventional cancer drugs work by triggering apoptosis, that is programmed cell death, in tumor cells. However, tumor cells have the ability to develop strategies to escape apoptosis, rendering the drugs ineffective. A research team now describes a new mechanism of action that kills cancer cells through ferroptosis.
Published Rising mercury pollution in soil could be related to climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In 2017, the Minamata Convention on Mercury went into effect, designed to help curb mercury emissions and limit exposure across the globe. However, a new study of mercury levels in soil suggests that the treaty's provisions might not be enough. The study estimates that soil stores substantially more mercury than previously thought, and it predicts that increases in plant growth due to climate change may add even more.