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Categories: Biology: Biochemistry, Engineering: Graphene
Published New details of SARS-COV-2 structure
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers used computational modeling to reveal finer details surrounding the outer shell of the COVID-19 virus. The work expands the scientific community's understanding of SARS-COV-2, and could lead to more refined antiviral therapies and better vaccines.
Published T cells in human blood secrete a substance that affects blood pressure and inflammation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Acetylcholine regulates blood flow, but the source of blood acetylcholine has been unclear. Now, researchers have discovered that certain T cells in human blood can produce acetylcholine, which may help regulate blood pressure and inflammation. The study also demonstrates a possible association between these immune cells in seriously ill patients and the risk of death.
Published Scientists see anti-aging potential in an invasive weed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The fruit of the cocklebur plant, which grows worldwide and is often considered a noxious weed, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components that could make it useful as a skin protectant, according to new research.
Published Scientists discover hidden crab diversity among coral reefs
(via sciencedaily.com) The Indo-West Pacific is the largest marine ecosystem on Earth, but scientists who study its diversity have to contend with a problem so well-known it was remarked upon by Charles Darwin: related species in the IWP have similar appearances, making it difficult to assess just how many there are. A new study reveals that nearly identical crab species have one consistently distinguishing feature, which only evolves when their ranges overlap.
Published How the gut creates a cozy home for beneficial microbiome species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The digestive tract of fruit flies remodels itself to accommodate beneficial microbiome species and maintain long-term stability of the gut environment, according to new research.
Published Rainbow trout subspecies newly named
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The McCloud River redband trout, or O. mykiss calisulat, is newly identified as its own distinct subspecies of rainbow trout in a new study. It was named in consultation with the Winnemem Wintu tribe.
Published Earth prefers to serve life in XXS and XXL sizes
(via sciencedaily.com) Life comes in all shapes in sizes, but some sizes are more popular than others, new research has found. A survey of body sizes of all Earth's living organisms has uncovered an unexpected pattern. Contrary to what current theories can explain, our planet's biomass -- the material that makes up all living organisms -- is concentrated in organisms at either end of the size spectrum.
Published Moths are more efficient pollinators than bees, shows new research
(via sciencedaily.com) Moths are more efficient pollinators at night than day-flying pollinators such as bees, finds new research.
Published Detecting coral biodiversity in seawater samples
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have developed a method to measure coral biodiversity through extracting the environmental DNA (or eDNA) from a liter of surface seawater collected from above a reef. The method has been confirmed to work through observations made by scientific divers in the same areas of ocean. This has paved the way for large-scale comprehensive surveys of reef-building coral to take place and removes the reliance of direct observations made through scientific scuba diving or snorkeling.
Published Fermented coffee's fruity aromas demystified
(via sciencedaily.com) Fermented coffee could bring a fruity taste to your morning cup of joe. This new kind of beverage has a raspberry-like taste and aroma, but what causes these sensations has been a mystery. Scientists now report six compounds that contribute to the fermented coffee experience.
Published How whale shark rhodopsin evolved to see, in the deep blue sea
(via sciencedaily.com) A group of researchers discovered that the rhodopsin -- a protein in the eye that detects light -- of whale sharks has changed to efficiently detect blue light, which penetrates deep-sea water easily. The amino acid substitutions -- one of which is counterintuitively associated with congenital stationary night blindness in humans -- aid in detecting the low levels of light in the deep-sea. Although these changes make the whale shark rhodopsin less thermally stable the deep-sea temperature, allows their rhodopsin to keep working. This suggests that the unique adaptation evolved to function in the low-light low-temperature environment where whale sharks live.
Published Marijuana-derived compounds could reverse opioid overdoses, researchers report
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Naloxone -- a fast-acting opioid antidote -- has saved lives, but it's less effective against powerful synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl. In an interesting twist, researchers are now investigating cannabidiol (CBD), a component of marijuana, as a possible alternative to the popular antidote. Today, a team reports compounds based on CBD that reduce fentanyl binding and boost the effects of naloxone.
Published Is it COVID-19 or the flu? New sensor could tell you in 10 seconds
(via sciencedaily.com) Have a cough, sore throat and congestion? Any number of respiratory viruses could be responsible. Today, scientists report using a single-atom-thick nanomaterial to build a device that can simultaneously detect the presence of the viruses that cause COVID-19 and the flu -- at much lower levels and much more quickly than conventional tests for either.
Published Components of cytoskeleton strengthen effect of sex hormones
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers discover that actin acts in the cell nucleus and is partly responsible for the expression of male sexual characteristics.
Published Conserving wildlife can help mitigate climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Solving the climate crisis and biodiversity crisis are not separate issues. Animals remove billions of tons of carbon dioxide each year. Restoring species will help limit global warming, new science reveals.
Published Turtles and crocodiles with unique characteristics are more likely to go extinct
(via sciencedaily.com) New study demonstrates that the most endangered turtles and crocodile species are those that have evolved unique life strategies. Many of the most threatened species carry out important ecosystem functions that other species depend on. Habitat loss was identified as the key overall threat to turtles and crocodiles, followed by climate change and global trade. Unique species faced additional pressure from local consumption, diseases, and pollution.
Published Research into birds killed in window collisions reveals their microbiomes
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers collected the bodies of birds that crashed into buildings while migrating, and used these specimens to learn about the relationship between birds and the microbes living in their guts -- which appears to be wildly different from mammals and their microbiomes.
Published Epigenetic fingerprint as proof of origin for chicken, shrimp and salmon
(via sciencedaily.com) Free-range organic chicken or factory farming? Scientists have developed a new detection method that can reveal such differences in husbandry. The so-called epigenetic method is based on the analysis of the characteristic patterns of chemical markers on the genome of the animals.
Published What should we call evolution driven by genetic engineering? Genetic welding, says researcher
(via sciencedaily.com) With CRISPR-Cas9 technology, humans can now rapidly change the evolutionary course of animals or plants by inserting genes that can easily spread through entire populations. An evolutionary geneticist proposes that we call this evolutionary meddling 'genetic welding.' He argues that we must scientifically and ethically scrutinize the potential consequences of genetic welding before we put it into practice.
Published The powerhouse of the future: Artificial cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers identify the most promising advancements and greatest challenges of artificial mitochondria and chloroplasts. The team describes the components required to construct synthetic mitochondria and chloroplasts and identifies proteins as the most important aspects for molecular rotary machinery, proton transport, and ATP production. The authors believe it is important to create artificial cells with biologically realistic energy-generation methods that mimic natural processes; replicating the entire cell could lead to future biomaterials.