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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Environmental: Ecosystems
Published Bear genes show circadian rhythms even during hibernation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The internal clocks of grizzly bears appear to keep ticking through hibernation, according to a genetic study. This persistence highlights the strong role of circadian rhythms in the metabolism of many organisms including humans. The genetic study confirmed observational evidence that bears' energy production still waxes and wanes in a daily pattern even as they slumber for several months without eating. The researchers also found that during hibernation the amplitude of the energy production was blunted, meaning the range of highs and lows was reduced. The peak also occurred later in the day under hibernation than during the active season, but the daily fluctuation was still there.
Published Hormones have the potential to treat liver fibrosis
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered previously unknown changes in a specific type of liver cells, potentially opening avenues for a new treatment for liver fibrosis, a potentially life-threatening condition. Currently, there are no drugs available to treat liver fibrosis.
Published More than meows: How bacteria help cats communicate
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Many mammals, from domestic cats and dogs to giant pandas, use scent to communicate with each other. A new study shows how domestic cats send signals to each other using odors derived from families of bacteria living in their anal glands.
Published Climate change effects hit marine ecosystems in multiple waves, according to marine ecologists
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new approach to examining the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems may provide a more accurate understanding of climate change responses -- and predictions for future consequences -- according to a new article. The paper highlights the interplay between the trend of climate warming and the fluctuations in local temperature. These two properties cause atypically warm events such as marine heatwaves to occur with increasing frequency and magnitude.
Published Plants that survived dinosaur extinction pulled nitrogen from air
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Ancient cycad lineages that survived the extinction of the dinosaurs may have done so by relying on symbiotic bacteria in their roots to fix atmospheric nitrogen. The finding came from an effort to understand ancient atmospheres, but became an insight into plant evolution instead.
Published How bacteria recognize viral invasion and activate immune defenses
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bacteria have an array of strategies to counter viral invasion, but how they first spot a stranger in their midst has long been a mystery.
Published Microbes could help reduce the need for chemical fertilizers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new metal-organic coating protects bacterial cells from damage without impeding their growth or function. The coated bacteria, which produce ammonia, could make it much easier for farmers to deploy microbes as fertilizers.
Published Visualizing 'traffic jams' inside living cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have unveiled a groundbreaking approach to label-free visualization of intracellular cargo trafficking in living cells, achieving high-speed and limitless observation capabilities. By developing a cargo-localization interferometric scattering (CL-iSCAT) microscope, scientists meticulously tracked the intricate movements of numerous cargos in the bustling cellular world. Surprisingly, cells employ human-like strategies to manage their transport challenges.
Published Clearing mangroves makes 'muddification' worse
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Clearing mangroves to stop estuaries getting clogged with mud actually makes the problem worse, new research shows.
Published New scientific study reveals the crucial role of herbivorous fishes and sea urchins in restoring Caribbean coral reefs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study presents crucial findings on the feeding preferences of herbivorous fishes and the sea urchin Diadema antillarum in Little Cayman. The study sheds new light on the dynamics of these herbivores and their impact on the resilience of Caribbean coral reefs.
Published Surveilling wetlands for infectious bird flu -- and finding it
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Recently, morning omelets and holiday dinners have gotten more expensive. One likely cause is bird flu, outbreaks of which led to the deaths of millions of chickens and turkeys from infection or culling in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and which still demands rigorous monitoring of wild populations. Now, researchers have developed a method that detected infectious bird flu virus in wetlands frequented by waterfowl.
Published Colliding ribosomes activate RNA repair
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers discover how ribosomes contribute to the recognition and removal of RNA crosslinking damage.
Published Novel C. diff structures are required for infection, offer new therapeutic targets
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Newly discovered iron storage 'ferrosomes' inside the bacterium C. diff -- the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections -- are important for infection in an animal model and could offer new targets for antibacterial drugs. They also represent a rare demonstration of a membrane-bound structure inside a pathogenic bacterium, upsetting the biological dogma that bacteria do not contain organelles.
Published Previously unknown luminescence revealed in ten deep sea species and an order of sea cucumbers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers present evidence of previously unknown luminosity in 10 deep-sea species, suggesting underestimated diversity. These new discoveries include a member of the order Molpadia, which was previously thought not to be luminescent. The authors stress the importance of considering the ecological role of bioluminesence and the need for conservation.
Published Dangerous bee virus less deadly in at least one US forest
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have found that the deadly deformed wing virus (DMV) in bees may have evolved to be less deadly in at least one U.S. forest. The findings could have implications for preventing or treating the virus in managed colonies, researchers said.
Published Non-native species likely to continue spreading in North America, Australia and Europe
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Naturalized species, which are not native but have established themselves in new locations, have the potential to spread even further to suitable habitats in many parts of the world, reports a new study.
Published Shedding new light on sugars, the 'dark matter' of cellular biology
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Chemists have developed a new tool for detecting interactions between sugars and lectins, a discovery that could help in the fight against diseases like cancer.
Published Forecasting microbiomes for sustainability and health
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Microbial communities, or microbiomes, are essential for safeguarding human and environmental health through the most widely used biotechnological process on our planet: biological wastewater treatment. However, the process itself is subject to constant changes, difficult to sustain over long periods of time and emits significant amounts of greenhouse gases.
Published Europe was not covered by dense forest before the arrival of modern humans
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For decades, we believed that outside ice ages Europe was mostly covered by dense forest before the arrival of modern humans. Now, a new study shows that there was far more open and semi-open vegetation than conventionally expected.
Published Another step toward the HIV-1 vaccine: Dynamics of neutralizing antibodies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Longevity of neutralizing antibodies is an essential factor for an effective HIV-1 vaccination.