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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Geoscience: Earth Science
Published Computable species descriptions: Scientists develop a new computer language to model organismal traits
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Understanding organismal traits and learning how they evolve and adapt to different environments is crucial for biologists and the battle against biodiversity loss. To be truly efficient, however, the researchers need to use huge amounts of data, including physical traits and DNA. Furthermore, those different data types need to be accurately linked to each other, so that computers and next-age AI technology can correctly process it. Currently, this process of accurate linking is extremely difficult and largely inefficient. To solve this problem, researchers created a brand new computer language called Phenoscript.
Published Previously uncharacterized parasite uncovered in fish worldwide
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using genome reconstruction, scientists unveiled a once 'invisible' fish parasite present in many marine fish world-wide that belongs to the apicomplexans, one of the most important groups of parasites at a clinical level. However, it had gone unnoticed in previous studies. The parasite is geographically and taxonomically widespread in fish species around the planet, with implications for commercial fishing and oceanic food webs.
Published When bacteria are buckling
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Filamentous cyanobacteria buckle at a certain length when they encounter an obstacle. The results provide an important basis for the use of cyanobacteria in modern biotechnology.
Published Quantum entanglement measures Earth rotation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers carried out a pioneering experiment where they measured the effect of the rotation of Earth on quantum entangled photons. The work represents a significant achievement that pushes the boundaries of rotation sensitivity in entanglement-based sensors, potentially setting the stage for further exploration at the intersection between quantum mechanics and general relativity.
Published A new weapon in the battle against antibiotic resistance: Temperature
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have shown in laboratory experiments that an increase in temperature from 37 to 40 degrees Celsius increased the resistance rate for two antimicrobials, while for a third antimicrobial, the higher temperature reduced the resistance rate. If these results can be replicated in human patients, fever control could be a new way to mitigate the emergence of antibiotic resistance.
Published The genetic 'switches' of bone growth
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In mammals, only 3% of the genome consists of coding genes which, when transcribed into proteins, ensure the biological functions of the organism and the in-utero development of future individuals. But genes do not function alone. They are controlled by other sequences in the genome, called enhancers, which, like switches, activate or deactivate them as required. A team has now identified and located 2700 enhancers -- among millions of non-coding genetic sequences -- that precisely regulate the genes responsible for bone growth. This discovery sheds light on one of the major factors influencing the size of individuals in adulthood, and explains why their failure could be the cause of certain bone malformations.
Published Infectious H5N1 influenza virus in raw milk rapidly declines with heat treatment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The amount of infectious H5N1 influenza viruses in raw milk rapidly declined with heat treatment in laboratory research. However, small, detectable amounts of infectious virus remained in raw milk samples with high virus levels when treated at 72 degrees Celsius (161.6 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 seconds -- one of the standard pasteurization methods used by the dairy industry. The authors of the study stress, however, that their findings reflect experimental conditions in a laboratory setting and are not identical to large-scale industrial pasteurization processes for raw milk.
Published A conservation market could incentivize global ocean protection
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Thirty-by-thirty: protect 30% of the planet by 2030. While conservation is popular in principle, the costs of actually enacting it often stall even the most earnest efforts. Researchers have now proposed a market-based approach to achieving the 30x30 targets in the ocean.
Published Can engineered plants help make baby formula as nutritious as breast milk?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research may help close the nutrition gap between infant formula and human breast milk. The study shows how plants can be programmed to produce a diverse array of beneficial sugars found in human breast milk. The findings could lead to healthier and more affordable formula for babies, or more nutritious non-dairy plant milk for adults.
Published The rotation of Earth's inner core has slowed, new study confirms
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The new study provides unambiguous evidence that the inner core began to decrease its speed around 2010, moving slower than the Earth's surface.
Published Modifying genomes of tardigrades to unravel their secrets
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Some species of tardigrades are highly and unusually resilient to various extreme conditions fatal to most other forms of life. The genetic basis for these exceptional abilities remains elusive. Researchers have now successfully edited genes using the CRISPR technique in a highly resilient tardigrade species previously impossible to study with genome-editing tools. The successful delivery of CRISPR to an asexual tardigrade species directly produces gene-edited offspring. The design and editing of specific tardigrade genes allow researchers to investigate which are responsible for tardigrade resilience and how such resilience can work.
Published Scientists unravel drivers of the global zinc cycle in our oceans, with implications for a changing climate
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The understanding of the global zinc cycle in our oceans has important implications in the context of warming oceans. A warmer climate increases erosion, leading to more dust in the atmosphere and consequently more dust being deposited into the oceans. More dust means more scavenging of zinc particles, leading to less zinc being available to sustain phytoplankton and other marine life, thereby diminishing the oceans' ability to absorb carbon.
Published The scary, yet promising world of phages, the pathogen's pathogen
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are unlocking the mystery of how bacteria harness viruses to wipe out the competition. The answers could help spur the development of alternatives to antibiotics.
Published Video analysis of Iceland 2010 eruption could improve volcanic ash forecasts for aviation safety
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Video footage of Iceland's 2010 Eyjafjallaj kull eruption is providing researchers with rare, up-close observations of volcanic ash clouds -- information that could help better forecast how far explosive eruptions disperse their hazardous ash particles.
Published Ancient ocean slowdown warns of future climate chaos
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When it comes to the ocean's response to global warming, we're not in entirely uncharted waters. A new study shows that episodes of extreme heat in Earth's past caused the exchange of waters from the surface to the deep ocean to decline.
Published Quantum data assimilation: A quantum leap in weather prediction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Data assimilation is an important mathematical discipline in earth sciences, particularly in numerical weather prediction (NWP). However, conventional data assimilation methods require significant computational resources. To address this, researchers developed a novel method to solve data assimilation on quantum computers, significantly reducing the computation time. The findings of the study have the potential to advance NWP systems and will inspire practical applications of quantum computers for advancing data assimilation.
Published Ingestible microbiome sampling pill technology advances
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Significant progress has been made in the development of a small device, about the size of a vitamin pill, that can be swallowed and passed through the gastrointestinal tract to sample and help identify the full inventory of microbiome bacteria in an individual.
Published Laser tests reveal new insights into key mineral for super-Earths
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have for the first time observed how atoms in magnesium oxide morph and melt under ultra-harsh conditions, providing new insights into this key mineral within Earth's mantle that is known to influence planet formation.
Published Scientists adapt astronomy method to unblur microscopy images
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have adapted a class of techniques employed in astronomy to unblur images of far-away galaxies for use in the life sciences, providing biologists with a faster and cheaper way to get clearer and sharper microscopy images.
Published Nasal microbiota is potential diagnostic biomarker for sepsis
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study shows that analyzing nasal microbiota outperforms gut microbiota analysis to predict sepsis in the ICU.