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ScienceDaily: Plants & Animals News |
| How legumes give oxygen to symbiotic bacteria in their roots Posted: 28 Oct 2021 11:37 AM PDT Scientists discover the genetics inside legumes that control the production of an oxygen-carrying molecule, crucial to the plant's close relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The finding offers the potential to give other plants the ability to produce ammonia from bacteria -- reducing the need for the fossil fuel-dependent and polluting practice of applying synthetic fertiliser to crops. |
| Sending up the bat signal on forest use by endangered species Posted: 28 Oct 2021 11:37 AM PDT Deep in an Indiana forest, a team of scientists skulked atop hillsides after dark. Carrying radios and antennas, they fanned out, positioning themselves on opposite ridges to wait and listen. Their quarry? Endangered Indiana bats and threatened northern long-eared bats. |
| Satellite images show positive impact of conservation efforts for China's coastal wetlands Posted: 28 Oct 2021 11:36 AM PDT An international, interdisciplinary research team is using satellite images to measure the changes of coastal wetlands in China from the early 1980s to the present. The research team is also assessing the effects of conservation efforts on preserving and recovering these important ecosystems. |
| Warming climate will increase number of harmful algae blooms Posted: 28 Oct 2021 11:36 AM PDT A new study shows how changes in light conditions have a significant influence on the growth and impact of harmful algae blooms. The bottom line: a warming climate looks good for the growth of toxic algae and may disrupt other organisms that are part of the food web -- whether they graze on this algae or are consumed by it. |
| After California’s 3rd-largest wildfire, deer returned home while trees were ‘still smoldering’ Posted: 28 Oct 2021 11:36 AM PDT While many animals have adapted to live with wildfires of the past -- which were smaller, more frequent and kept ecosystems in balance across the West -- it's unclear to scientists how animals are coping with today's unprecedented megafires. A team of researchers tracked a population of black-tailed deer before, during and after the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire and found that most of the deer returned home within hours of the fire, while trees were still smoldering. |
| Intriguing insect fossils preserved in amber Posted: 28 Oct 2021 11:36 AM PDT What zoologists have discovered in samples of ancient amber -- insect larvae with unusual morphologies and larvae of early flying insects. |
| Reducing vessel activity key to southern resident killer whale survival Posted: 28 Oct 2021 09:04 AM PDT Reducing ship speed and noise levels would increase the probability that endangered West Coast southern resident killer whales will spend more time hunting for Chinook salmon, a new study has found. |
| These hips don’t lie: 3D imaging of a pelvis suggests social care for saber-tooths Posted: 28 Oct 2021 09:03 AM PDT A new study reveals saber-toothed cats suffered from hip dysplasia, an affliction common in pet cats and dogs, and points to supportive social structures for Smilodon. |
| Creating a new 'toehold' for RNA therapeutics, cell therapies, and diagnostics Posted: 28 Oct 2021 09:03 AM PDT Synthetic biologists have developed eToeholds -- small versatile devices built into RNA that enable expression of a linked protein-encoding sequence only when a cell-specific or viral RNA is present. eToehold devices open up multiple opportunities for more targeted types of RNA therapy, in vitro cell and tissue engineering approaches, and the sensing of diverse biological threats in humans and other higher organisms. |
| Giant pandas’ distinctive black and white markings provide effective camouflage, study finds Posted: 28 Oct 2021 06:32 AM PDT The high-contrast pattern of giant pandas helps them blend in with their natural environment. |
| Infections from respiratory viruses follow a predictable seasonal pattern, researchers find Posted: 27 Oct 2021 12:07 PM PDT Viral infections peak in January and bottom out in June, with worse seasons every second year -- an ebb and flow that could help the health-care system plan ahead. |
| Microorganisms produce elemental carbon Posted: 27 Oct 2021 12:07 PM PDT Carbon occurs on the Earth in a variety of structures and forms. Elemental Carbon is usually formed under conditions of high pressure and temperature. Researchers have now, for the first time, identified microorganisms that produce elemental carbon. |
| Promising new antimalarial compound discovered Posted: 27 Oct 2021 10:50 AM PDT A discovery opens the door to the development of new drugs targeting malaria, one of the deadliest infectious diseases on the planet. The researcher teams performed a screen of soil bacteria extracts for antimalarials and identified an extremely potent inhibitor of malaria development. |
| Not all acne is equal: Scientists reveal strains of C. acnes that promote skin health Posted: 27 Oct 2021 10:49 AM PDT Researchers reveal correlation between ribotype (RT) strains of Cutibacterium acnes, which are found in human skin, and the lifespan of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Strains RT4 and 8, which are associated with acne in human skin, shortened the lifespan of the nematode, while RT6, which are predominantly found in healthy human skin, did not. Also, it was found that the healthy skin-related RT6 strain of C. acnes improved C. elegans resistance to the pathogenic organism Staphylococcus aureus. |
| Sweet! How glycogen is linked to heat generation in fat cells Posted: 27 Oct 2021 09:21 AM PDT Researchers describe how energy expenditure and heat production are regulated in obesity through a previously unknown cellular pathway. |
| Farming reboot could lay seeds for prosperity in poor and food insecure regions Posted: 27 Oct 2021 09:21 AM PDT An irrigation re-think in sub-Saharan Africa is improving food security, reducing water waste and lifting people out of poverty. |
| Scientists create device that uses ‘light tweezers’ to trap and move viruses Posted: 27 Oct 2021 09:21 AM PDT A team of scientists led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has created a laser-powered device that can trap and move viruses using light. The device, which has the ability to manipulate light to act as 'tweezers', would aid in the development of new approaches to disease diagnosis and the study of viruses, as the device can precisely 'move' a single virus to target a particular part of a cell. |
| Tiny pterosaurs dominated Cretaceous skies Posted: 27 Oct 2021 09:20 AM PDT The newly hatched juveniles of large and gigantic pterosaurs likely out-competed other smaller adult pterosaur species to dominate the Late Cretaceous period around 100 million years ago, a new study has found. |
| A heart that beats (almost) like our own Posted: 27 Oct 2021 09:20 AM PDT Biologists have unraveled how a 'heart' in the fruit fly's head functions. The researchers discovered the fly's head-heart beats much like a human's: Its rhythmic pulses are automatically generated by a tiny muscle that runs through the middle of the fly's brain. |
| Cat’s meow: Robotic pet boosts mood, behavior and cognition in adults with dementia Posted: 27 Oct 2021 09:20 AM PDT Researchers tested the effectiveness of affordable, interactive robotic pet cats to improve mood, behavior and cognition in older adults with mild to moderate dementia. Mood and behavioral symptoms were measured along with cognition using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Intervention with this robotic cat improved all mood scores over time, with significant improvements in mood and depression. More than half of the participants scored higher on the MMSE post-test than pretest, with slight to moderate improvement in attention/calculation, language, and registration. The robotic cats also provided participants with an alternative way to express themselves. |
| Polar bear diet may indicate prey distribution changes due to climate shifts Posted: 27 Oct 2021 09:20 AM PDT How are warming temperatures and a loss of sea ice affecting polar bears and their marine mammal prey in the Arctic? A York University-led research team used a novel approach to the question by monitoring what polar bears eat across Nunavut and where they are catching their prey. |
| Optimal concentrations of enzymes and their substrates Posted: 27 Oct 2021 09:19 AM PDT Biological cells invest much of their resources into the production of enzymes, which catalyze the conversion of substrates into products. An international team of bioinformaticians and biophysicists discovered that these processes are most efficient at a certain relationship between the intracellular enzyme and substrate concentrations. |
| Powerful X-ray technique finds new degradation-inducing materials in British shipwreck Posted: 27 Oct 2021 09:19 AM PDT In 1545, King Henry VIII's favorite ship, the Mary Rose, capsized and sank in the Battle of the Solent defending England and Portsmouth from a French invasion fleet. The wreck remained on the seabed until 1982 when it was salvaged in a widely viewed televised event. Now, it is a time capsule for 16th century Tudor society, and conservators are working to preserve it for future generations. Scientists use X-ray analysis to identify previously undetected products in the wood -- nanoparticles originating from underwater bacterial activity. |
| How do plants act fast to fight off infections? Posted: 27 Oct 2021 05:53 AM PDT New work reveals a new mechanism by which plants are able to rapidly activate defenses against bacterial infections. These findings could inspire efforts to improve crop yields and combat global hunger. |
| Fossil dental exams reveal how tusks first evolved and why they are unique only to mammals Posted: 27 Oct 2021 05:53 AM PDT Researchers trace the first tusks back to ancient mammal relatives that lived before the dinosaurs and shed light on the evolution of mammalian tusks by first defining what makes a tusk a tusk. |
| The nutritional value of giant kelp decreases as sea temperatures increase Posted: 26 Oct 2021 12:33 PM PDT As a foundational species, giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) is vital to the ecosystem of the temperate, shallow, nearshore waters where it grows. When the kelp flourishes, so do the communities that rely on the fast-growing species for food and shelter. |
| The path from pollutants in food to a heightened allergic response Posted: 26 Oct 2021 12:33 PM PDT Exposure to the heavy metal cadmium is known to irritate the stomach and lungs or cause kidney disease, but new research links another health issue to inadvertently ingesting low doses of the pollutant: high activation of the antibodies that cause an allergic response. |
| Rapid echolocation helps toothed whales capture speedy prey Posted: 26 Oct 2021 09:43 AM PDT Whales use a combination of rapid echolocation adjustments and nimble brain responses to zero in on fast-moving prey, suggests a new study. |
| Cells move by controlling the stiffness of their neighbors Posted: 26 Oct 2021 09:43 AM PDT Cells can control their ability to move through the body by using a protein called fascin to control the stiffness of neighbouring cells, suggests a new study. |
| A gut feeling: Understanding how our gut microbiome communicates with our immune system Posted: 26 Oct 2021 09:43 AM PDT An international team of scientists has identified a new connection between certain molecules produced by the microbiome and the function of a protein that impacts gut inflammation. |
| The young plant’s pantry does more than just feed it Posted: 26 Oct 2021 09:42 AM PDT The endosperm, the tissue surrounding the plant embryo in the seed, has long been perceived as a nourishing tissue that is abandoned once the transition to the seedling is complete. A team has now shown that the endosperm also plays a key role in the proper development of the seedling after germination. It acts notably on the formation of the cuticle, a protective layer essential for the survival of plants. Biologists found that these new functions attributed to the endosperm are independent of its capacity to provide nutrients and are mediated by the production of specific molecules. |
| What big teeth you have: Tooth root surface area can determine primate size Posted: 26 Oct 2021 06:54 AM PDT Researchers have developed formulas that can calculate the body size of a primate based on the root size of its teeth. The formulas could allow researchers to make use of partial and incomplete fossils in order to learn how ancient primates -- including human ancestors -- interacted with their environment. |
| Gardening for wildlife enhances bird diversity beyond your own backyard Posted: 26 Oct 2021 06:43 AM PDT Across the United States, bird populations are declining due to decreases in availability of habitat. Recently, a team of scientists explored the value of the biggest chunk of green space found in cities -- residential yards --as wildlife habitat. |
| Coffee and the effects of climate change Posted: 26 Oct 2021 06:43 AM PDT A systematic review highlights the vulnerability of coffee quality to environmental shifts associated with climate change and practices to mitigate the effects. Findings have implications for farmer livelihoods, consumer experiences and choices, and future strategies to support farms and product. |
| Fermented soybeans suppress asthma-induced airway inflammation Posted: 26 Oct 2021 06:43 AM PDT Researchers have revealed in an animal model that ImmuBalance, a fermented soybean product, is effective in suppressing airway inflammation caused by asthma. Results showed a decreased presence of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, a decrease in mucus production in the bronchial epithelium, and a suppression of proteins that induce eosinophilic inflammation. |
| Many new college students report pet separation anxiety Posted: 26 Oct 2021 05:54 AM PDT A survey of a sample of new first-year college students leaving pets at home and found that 75% experienced some level of pet separation anxiety -- with one in four reporting moderate to severe symptoms. The students who had higher anxiety tended to be those who treated their pets more like people, identifying them as friends, sleeping in the same room and generally spending a lot of time with them. Students who had dogs at home also tended to report more attachment to their pets -- and more separation anxiety -- than those with cats and other types of pets. |
| ‘Nanozyme’ therapy prevents harmful dental plaque build-up Posted: 25 Oct 2021 02:21 PM PDT FDA-approved iron oxide nanoparticles, delivered in a mouth rinse, can suppress the growth of dental plaque and kill bacteria responsible for tooth decay, according to a new study. The nanoparticles act as enzymes to activate hydrogen peroxide in a way that precisely targets harmful microbes and spares normal tissue. |
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