Biology: Microbiology
Published

First Nations populations at greater risk of severe flu, research finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research has found that First Nations populations around the world are significantly more likely to be hospitalized and die from influenza compared to non-Indigenous populations.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Researchers warn of tick-borne disease babesiosis      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists report the first high-quality nuclear genome sequence and assembly of the pathogen B. duncani. The team also determined the 3D genome structure of this pathogen that resembles Plasmodium falciparum, the malaria-causing parasite.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Biologists determine the evolutionary age of individual cell types providing critical insights for animal development      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has recently made a significant discovery about the evolutionary age of different type of cells in a small animal called Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). By using single-cell transcriptomic data and refined phylostratigraphy, the team determines the transcriptomic age of individual cells, which means they are able to estimate the evolutionary origin of different cells based on the age of the genes expressed in the cells.

Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Microbiology
Published

Want better kimchi? Make it like the ancients did      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a combined experimental and theoretical study, researchers measured carbon dioxide levels in onggi during kimchi fermentation and developed a mathematical model to show how the gas was generated and moved through the onggi's porous walls. By bringing the study of fluid mechanics to bear on an ancient technology, their research highlights the work of artisans and provides the missing link for how the traditional earthenware allows for high quality kimchi.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Endangered Species Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Multifunctional patch offers early detection of plant diseases, other crop threats      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed an electronic patch that can be applied to the leaves of plants to monitor crops for different pathogens -- such as viral and fungal infections -- and stresses such as drought or salinity. In testing, the researchers found the patch was able to detect a viral infection in tomatoes more than a week before growers would be able to detect any visible symptoms of disease.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Physics: Optics
Published

Luminous molecules      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Twisted molecules play an important role in the development of organic light-emitting diodes. A team of chemists has managed to create these compounds with exactly the three-dimensional structure that they wanted. In so doing, they are smoothing the path for new and better light sources.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Study compares de novo proteins with randomly produced proteins      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a series of experiments, a team of researchers have compared de novo proteins with random-sequence proteins, looking at their stability and solubility. The results are set to advance basic research in this new field.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Your fork could someday be made of sugar, wood powders and degrade on-demand      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Single-use hard plastics are all around us: utensils, party decorations and food containers, to name a few examples. These items pile up in landfills, and many biodegradable versions stick around for months, requiring industrial composting systems to fully degrade. Now, researchers have created a sturdy, lightweight material that disintegrates on-demand -- and they made it from sugar and wood-derived powders.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Landslides Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Increased droughts are disrupting carbon-capturing soil microbes, concerning ecologists      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Soil stores more carbon than plants and the atmosphere combined, and soil microbes are largely responsible for putting it there. However, the increasing frequency and severity of drought, such as those that have been impacting California, could disrupt this delicate ecosystem. Microbial ecologists warn that soil health and future greenhouse gas levels could be impacted if soil microbes adapt to drought faster than plants do.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Sea Life
Published

How skates learned to fly through water      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Genes are not the only drivers of evolution. The iconic fins of skates are caused by changes in the non-coding genome and its three-dimensional structure, an international research team reports.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Genes are read faster and more sloppily in old age      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have demonstrated the following findings which apply across the animal kingdom: with increasing age, the transcriptional elongation speed of genes increases, whereby the quality of the gene products suffers. With dietary restrictions, these processes could be reversed.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
Published

Scientists track evolution of microbes on the skin's surface      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered that Staphylococcus aureus can rapidly evolve within a single person's microbiome. They found that in people with eczema, S. aureus tends to evolve to a variant with a mutation in a specific gene that helps it grow faster on the skin.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Dancing in the mud: Cut cable puts an end to bacterial party      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

You can still be celebrated, even if you're buried in mud. A new study shows that innumerable other bacteria flock around cable bacteria in the oxygen-free seabed in something that looks like a dance. They apparently use the cable bacteria as an electrical lifeline for oxygen. Video recordings show that the dance stops abruptly if you cut the cable bacteria in half.

Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature
Published

Study predicts poor survival rates if Ebola infects endangered mountain gorillas      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

If infected with the Ebola virus, less than 20 percent of Africa's endangered mountain gorillas would be expected to survive more than 100 days, finds a new study.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Ecology: Sea Life Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: Optics
Published

Pollution monitoring through precise detection of gold nanoparticles in woodlice      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers introduce a novel imaging method to detect gold nanoparticles in woodlice. Their method, known as four-wave mixing microscopy, flashes light that the gold nanoparticles absorb. The light flashes again and the subsequent scattering reveals the nanoparticles' locations. With information about the quantity, location, and impact of gold nanoparticles within the organism, scientists can better understand the potential harm other metals may have on nature.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Microbiology
Published

New approach targets norovirus, world's leading cause of foodborne infection      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have found a creative way to make a vaccine for norovirus, the leading cause of foodborne infections, by piggybacking on rotavirus, an unrelated virus for which there are already several highly effective vaccines.

Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology
Published

Light pollution may extend mosquitoes' biting season      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study's finding that urban light pollution may disrupt the winter dormancy period for mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus could be considered both good news and bad news. The good news is that the disease-carrying pests may not survive the winter if their plans to fatten up are foiled. The bad news is their dormancy period, known as diapause, may simply be delayed -- meaning they're biting humans and animals longer into the fall.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology
Published

Stow­aways in the genome      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have discovered over 30,000 viruses by using the high-performance computer cluster 'Leo' and sophisticated detective work. The viruses hide in the DNA of unicellular organisms. In some cases, up to 10% of microbial DNA consists of built-in viruses.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology
Published

Your baby's gut is crawling with unknown viruses      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Babies tumble about with more than 200 previously unknown viral families within their intestines. This large number comes as a surprise to researchers, who closely studied the diapers of 647 Danish babies and made this mapping. These viruses most likely play an important role in protecting children from chronic diseases.