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Categories: Biology: Genetics, Environmental: Ecosystems
Published A new way of thinking about the economy could help protect the Amazon, and help its people thrive
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source To protect the Amazon and support the wellbeing of its people, its economy needs to shift from environmentally harmful production to a model built around the diversity of indigenous and rural communities, and standing forests.
Published Groundwater reserves in southwestern Europe more stable overall than previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Groundwater is a vital resource, sustaining plants and ecosystems, ensuring agricultural production and serving as a core component of drinking water supplies. However, climate change and anthropogenic pressures can threaten groundwater availability, especially in southwestern Europe. This threat was evaluated by a research team using multidecadal data from more than 12,000 groundwater wells in Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy. The surprising finding: Groundwater levels are not declining everywhere as widely believed, but primarily in semi-arid regions with intensive agriculture and frequent droughts. Declines are also observed in temperate regions associated with large urban areas. The authors conclude that, with suitable management practices, groundwater can be utilized sustainably.
Published Antarctic-wide survey of plant life to aid conservation efforts
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The first continent-wide mapping study of plant life across Antarctica reveals growth in previously uncharted areas and is set to inform conservation measures across the region. The satellite survey of mosses, lichens and algae across the continent will form a baseline for monitoring how Antarctica's vegetation responds to climate change.
Published Horse miscarriages offer clues to causes of early human pregnancy loss
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study of horses -- which share many important similarities with humans in their chromosomes and pregnancies -- revealed that 42% of miscarriages and spontaneous abortions in the first two months of pregnancy were due to complications from an extra set of chromosomes, a condition called triploidy.
Published Greenland fossil discovery reveals increased risk of sea-level catastrophe
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Seeds, twigs, and insect parts found under two miles of ice confirm Greenland's ice sheet melted in the recent past, the first direct evidence that the center -- not just the edges -- of the two-mile-deep ice melted away in the recent geological past. The new research indicates that the giant ice sheet is more fragile than scientists had realized until the last few years -- and reveals increased risk of sea-level catastrophe in a warmer future.
Published Study analyzes potato-pathogen 'arms race' after Irish famine
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers reveal more about the tit-for-tat evolutionary changes occurring in both potato plants and the pathogen that caused the 1840s Irish potato famine.
Published Seismic detectors measure soil moisture using traffic noise
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using state of the art techniques, researchers use vibrations from traffic to measure underground soil moisture.
Published Cracking the code of life: new AI model learns DNA's hidden language
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With GROVER, a new large language model trained on human DNA, researchers could now attempt to decode the complex information hidden in our genome. GROVER treats human DNA as a text, learning its rules and context to draw functional information about the DNA sequences.
Published Why virus causing cold sores does not spread to devastating brain infection
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A previously unknown defence mechanism in the brain prevents herpesvirus from infecting the brain's nerve cells.
Published Discovery of a new population of macrophages promoting lung repair after viral infections
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered a new population of macrophages, important innate immune cells that populate the lungs after injury caused by respiratory viruses. These macrophages are instrumental in repairing the pulmonary alveoli. This groundbreaking discovery promises to revolutionize our understanding of the post-infectious immune response and opens the door to new regenerative therapies.
Published Coinfecting viruses impede each other's ability to enter cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The process by which phages -- viruses that infect and replicate within bacteria -- enter cells has been studied for over 50 years. In a new study, researchers have used cutting-edge techniques to look at this process at the level of a single cell.
Published New research sheds light on relationships between plants and insects in forest ecosystems
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have published new findings on how leaf-eating insects affect forest ecosystems worldwide. Researchers are aware of how large herbivores cycle nutrients in forests. They know much less, however, about how leaf-eating insects impact forest carbon and nutrient cycling.
Published Circular RNAs: The new frontier in cancer research
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Unravelling the complexities of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in cancer biology has positioned scientists on the cusp of revolutionary breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. A new study predicts remarkable potential for circular RNAs to improve cancer treatment and patient outcomes within the next 5-10 years.
Published Combined effects of plastic pollution and seawater flooding amplify threats to coastal plant species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study highlights how a combination of environmental stressors -- namely plastic pollution and seawater flooding -- can increase the threats faced by plants in some of the planet's critical ecosystems. It showed that both stressors had some effects on the species tested, but being exposed to both microplastics and flooding together -- a threat likely to increase as a result of climate change and plastic use -- had a more pronounced impact on their resource allocation.
Published What gave the first molecules their stability?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The origins of life remain a major mystery. How were complex molecules able to form and remain intact for prolonged periods without disintegrating? A team has demonstrated a mechanism that could have enabled the first RNA molecules to stabilize in the primordial soup. When two RNA strands combine, their stability and lifespan increase significantly.
Published Genetic signatures of domestication identified in pigs, chickens
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Wild boars and red junglefowl gave rise to common pigs and chickens. These animals' genes evolved to express themselves differently, leading to signatures of domestication -- such as weaker bones and better viral resistance -- in pigs and chickens, according to a research team.
Published When it comes to DNA replication, humans and baker's yeast are more alike than different
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Humans and baker's yeast have more in common than meets the eye, including an important mechanism that helps ensure DNA is copied correctly, reports a pair of studies. The findings visualize for the first time a molecular complex -- called CTF18-RFC in humans and Ctf18-RFC in yeast -- that loads a 'clamp' onto DNA to keep parts of the replication machinery from falling off the DNA strand.
Published Climate change may lead to shifts in vital Pacific Arctic fisheries
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Commercially important marine fish and invertebrate species will likely shift northwards under a warmer climate, according to new research.
Published Novel nanosensing technique for quality control of viral vectors in gene therapy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers develop a nanosensing platform that can assess the quality of individual viral vector particles Viral vectors hold much potential for gene editing and gene therapy, but there is a pressing need to develop quality control methods to minimize potential side effects on patients. Addressing this, researchers from Japan developed a nanosensing-based approach that can differentiate between functional and faulty viral vectors at the single-particle level. This convenient and inexpensive technique will hopefully get us one step closer to advancing treatments for genetic disorders.
Published Talking about regeneration
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers transferred genes from simple organisms capable of regenerating their bodies into common fruit flies, more complex animals that cannot. They found the transferred gene suppressed an age-related intestinal issue in the flies. Their results suggest studying genes specific to animals with high regenerative capability may uncover new mechanisms for rejuvenating stem cell function and extending the healthy lifespan of unrelated organisms.