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Categories: Biology: Biochemistry, Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published Rare 3D fossils show that some early trees had forms unlike any you've ever seen
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In the fossil record, trees typically are preserved with only their trunks. They don't usually include any leaves to show what their canopies and overall forms may have looked like. In a new study, researchers describe fossilized trees from New Brunswick, Canada with a surprising and unique three-dimensional crown shape.
Published How leafcutter ants cultivate a fungal garden to degrade plants and provide insights into future biofuels
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists developed a new method to map exactly how a fungus works with leafcutter ants in a complex microbial community to degrade plant material at the molecular level. The team's insights are important for biofuels development.
Published Disrupted cellular function behind type 2 diabetes in obesity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Disrupted function of 'cleaning cells' in the body may help to explain why some people with obesity develop type 2 diabetes, while others do not. A study describes this newly discovered mechanism.
Published A clutch stretch goes a long way
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New results reveal a new mode of force transmission in which dynamic molecular stretching bridges the extracellular matrix and flowing F-actin moving at different speeds. This discovery underscores the necessity of molecular elasticity and random coupling for sufficiently transmitting force. The findings also call for revising the role of molecular unfolding.
Published Zebrafish navigate to find their comfortable temperature
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Zebrafish are smaller than your little finger, with a brain no more than half the size of a pinhead. Yet these animals possess an efficient navigation system that enables them to find their way back to spots in the water where the temperature suits them.
Published Permafrost alone holds back Arctic rivers -- and a lot of carbon
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study provides the first evidence that the Arctic's frozen soil is the dominant force shaping Earth's northernmost rivers, confining them to smaller areas and shallower valleys than rivers to the south. But as climate change weakens Arctic permafrost, the researchers calculate that every 1 degree Celsius of global warming could release as much carbon as 35 million cars emit in a year as polar waterways expand and churn up the thawing soil.
Published The arrangement of bacteria in biofilms affects their sensitivity to antibiotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Many bacteria form an antibiotic-resistant slime. Research detailing that slime's structure could help lead to new treatments.
Published Active components of ginkgo biloba may improve early cognitive recovery after stroke
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Adults treated with 14 days of intravenous injections of ginkgo diterpene lactone meglumine (GDLM) -- a combination of biologically active components of ginkgo biloba -- after an ischemic (clot-caused) stroke had better cognitive recovery at 14 days and 90 days.
Published Tidal landscapes a greater carbon sink than previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Mangroves and saltmarshes sequester large amounts of carbon, mitigating the greenhouse effect. New research shows that these environments are perhaps twice as effective as previously thought.
Published Resistant bacteria can remain in the body for years
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fighting disease-causing bacteria becomes more difficult when antibiotics stop working. People with pre-existing conditions in particular can carry resistant germs and suffer from repeated infections for years, according to a new study.
Published Plant receptors that control immunity and development share a common origin
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have traced the origin and evolutionary trajectory of plant immune receptors. Their discovery will make it easier to identify immune receptor genes from genomic information and could help in the development of pathogen-resistant crops.
Published Gut bacteria can process dietary fiber into an anti-allergy weapon
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are produced by gut bacteria from dietary fiber, regulate our immune system, but the mechanism of their action remains unknown. In a recent study, researchers investigated how SCFAs interact with mast cells, a type of white blood cell that plays a central role in allergic reactions. Their findings and insights could lead to innovative and effective anti-allergy medications, supplements, and diets, paving the way for healthier lives.
Published Climate change: Fungal disease endangers wheat production
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Climate change poses a threat to yields and food security worldwide, with plant diseases as one of the main risks. An international team of researchers has now shown that further spread of the fungal disease wheat blast could reduce global wheat production by 13% until 2050. The result is dramatic for global food security.
Published Increased temperature difference between day and night can affect all life on earth
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered a change in what scientists already knew about global warming dynamics. It had been widely accepted since the 1950s that global temperature rises were not consistent throughout the day and night, with greater nighttime warming being observed. However, the recent study reveals a shift in dynamics: with greater daytime warming taking place since the 1990s. This shift means that the temperature difference between day and night is widening, potentially affecting all life on Earth.
Published Mussel-inspired antimicrobial coating protects sanitary fabrics from infections
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed an innovative material to fight against the spread of pathogens, infections and antimicrobial resistance. Inspired by the substances secreted by mussels to adhere to rocks, it can be used as a coating to protect healthcare fabrics and provides an effective alternative to commonly used materials such as paper, cotton, surgical masks and commercial plasters.
Published LSH genes associated with defining the shapes of stems, flowers and leaves required for N-fixing root nodules
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The developmental regulators that confer the identity of N-fixing root nodules belong to a transcription factor family (LSH) more commonly associated with defining the shapes of stems, flowers and leaves.
Published Intensifying the production of high-value compounds from industrial waste
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research demonstrates how glycerol carbonate, a biosourced industrial additive, can be produced in record time using CO2 and a by-product of the cooking oil recycling industry. The process relies on a hybrid approach combining fundamental physical organic chemistry and applied flow process technology. Two industrial wastes are thus converted into glycerol carbonate, a biosourced rising star with high added-value.
Published Microbial research unravels a global nitrogen mystery
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research findings show that different AOM lineages employ different regulatory strategies for ammonia or urea utilization, thereby minimizing direct competition with one another and allowing for coexistence.
Published Shining a new light on the tug-of-war between virus and host
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The interplay between ribonucleic acid (RNA) and proteins is not only important for maintaining cellular homeostasis but is also at the center of the tug-of-war between virus and host. Until now, there has been no method to globally map direct interactions of individual RNA regions in an unbiased fashion without the need for genetic modification of the target RNA or cell. Researchers have now developed a breakthrough tool that overcomes this limitation.
Published Engineers unmask nanoplastics in oceans for the first time, revealing their true shapes and chemistry
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Millions of tons of plastic waste enter the oceans each year. The sun's ultraviolet light and ocean turbulence break down these plastics into invisible nanoparticles that threaten marine ecosystems. In a new study, engineers have presented clear images of nanoplastics in ocean water off the coasts of China, South Korea and the United States, and in the Gulf of Mexico. These tiny plastic particles, which originated from such consumer products as water bottles, food packaging and clothing, were found to have surprising diversity in shape and chemical composition.