ScienceDaily: Plants & Animals News |
| Physical activity may protect your brain as you age Posted: 08 Mar 2022 12:56 PM PST We all know we should exercise and eat healthy foods. But doing that isn't just good for maintaining your figure as you age. New research shows that physical activity could help protect your cognitive abilities as you age. And it doesn't have to be intense exercise to make an impact. |
| Posted: 08 Mar 2022 12:56 PM PST A team of student researchers has discovered human microRNA genes not shared with any other primate species and which may have played an important role in the unique evolution of the human species. The students found at least three families of microRNA genes on chromosome 21. |
| Research advances understanding of DNA repair Posted: 08 Mar 2022 12:56 PM PST A researcher has made a discovery that alters our understanding of how the body's DNA repair process works and may lead to new chemotherapy treatments for cancer and other disorders. Researchers discovered that base excision repair has a built-in mechanism to increase its effectiveness -- it just needs to be captured at a very precise point in the cell life cycle. |
| Distinct biological ages across individuals’ various organs and systems Posted: 08 Mar 2022 08:58 AM PST It's common to say that someone looks either younger or older than their chronological age, but aging is more than skin deep. Our various organs and systems may have different ages, at least from a biological perspective. Investigators used biomarkers, statistical modeling, and other techniques to develop tools for measuring the biological ages of various organ systems. Based on their findings, the researchers report that there are multiple 'clocks' within the body that vary widely based on factors including genetics and lifestyle in each individual. |
| How animal swarms respond to threats Posted: 08 Mar 2022 08:58 AM PST With the help of microrobots, physicists decode how swarms of animals respond effectively to danger. |
| Posted: 08 Mar 2022 08:56 AM PST New research shows that the oldest ancestors of the group of animals that includes octopuses and vampire squids had not eight but 10 arms. The study, which describes a new species of vampyropod based on a 328-million-year-old fossil that had not been previously described, pushes back the age of the group by nearly 82 million years. |
| Intermingling between populations may contribute to HIV spread Posted: 08 Mar 2022 08:56 AM PST Sexual partnerships between individuals from different communities may help explain why some community-based HIV prevention efforts were moderately effective, shows a new study. |
| Biologists observe a molecular 'hand-off' that plays a key role in reproduction Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:28 AM PST Novel research on the life history of fruit fly sperm demonstrates molecular continuity between the male and female reproductive tracts. |
| Tiny mite triggers domino effect in the high Andes Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:28 AM PST What happens when a disease disrupts a protected ecosystem so forcefully that cascading consequences are felt by nearly all wildlife and plants within it? A study examines how the mange outbreak among vicuñas restructured tightly linked food-chain interactions that were previously driven by pumas. |
| New research demonstrates high value 'injurious weeds' can bring to pollinators Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:28 AM PST New research compares the biodiversity value of plants classed as 'injurious weeds' against those stipulated by DEFRA for pollinator targeted agri-environmental options. The findings show that the abundance and diversity of pollinators visiting weed species are far higher than DEFRA recommended plants. |
| Traces of life in the Earth's deep mantle Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:28 AM PST The rapid development of fauna 540 million years ago has permanently changed the Earth - deep into its lower mantle. A team has now found traces of this development in rocks from this zone. |
| Lab-grown pig heart tissue could help replace live animals in heart disease research Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:27 AM PST A new way to replicate what happens inside the heart after cardiac arrest could open new avenues for the study of heart regeneration whilst reducing the use of live animals in research, according to a new study. |
| Nordic diet lowers cholesterol and blood sugar – even if you don't lose weight Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:27 AM PST A healthy Nordic diet can prevent a range of diseases. Until now, the health benefits attributed to a Nordic diet by researchers primarily focused on weight loss. But in a new study, researchers found clear evidence that a Nordic diet can lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels even without weight loss. In particular, they point to the composition of dietary fats as a possible explanation for the diet's positive effects. |
| Unusual partners aid blood vessel growth Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:27 AM PST Insufficient oxygen to an area like the heart or legs, called hypoxia, is a cue to our bodies to make more blood vessels, and scientists have found some unusual partners are key to making that happen. They've found that two receptors on the surface of those cells come together then dive inside to enable the new growth, called angiogenesis, scientists report. |
| Stunning new-to-science fairy wrasse is first-ever fish described by a Maldivian scientist Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:27 AM PST The Rose-Veiled Fairy Wrasse, a stunning new addition to the tree of life, is the first-ever Maldivian fish to be described by a local scientist. |
| Study of rare disease reveals insights on immune system response process Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:27 AM PST In laboratory experiments involving a class of mutations in people with a rare collection of immune system disorders, researchers say they have uncovered new details about how immune system cells respond to disease-causing bacteria, fungi and viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. |
| Locally sourced: Pelicans prefer native fish to sportfish at Utah's strawberry reservoir Posted: 07 Mar 2022 04:06 PM PST American white pelicans who pause their migration at Strawberry Reservoir in Utah are filling their bellies with native species like Utah sucker for the most part, leaving cutthroat trout to the human anglers, according to new research. |
| Human-induced disease outbreak in animals causes cascading ecological effects Posted: 07 Mar 2022 04:06 PM PST A study that investigated the impacts of a mange outbreak that killed vicunas in a protected area in the Argentine Andes found that it had unique effects on the ecology of the region. |
| How baboons keep healthy family boundaries Posted: 07 Mar 2022 01:20 PM PST Drawing on 48 years of data on the family trees and mate choices of 1,624 wild baboons in Kenya, a new study finds that baboons generally steer clear of mates that are half-siblings or closer. But baboons proved less discriminating with their father's side of the family than their mother's, the researchers report. |
| Researchers create tool to help protect native fish from hybridizing with non-natives Posted: 07 Mar 2022 01:20 PM PST Researchers have created a tool to assess the risk of hybridization among native and non-native fish, a development that could aid natural resource managers trying to protect threatened or endangered freshwater fish species. |
| Early killer whales ate fish -- not other marine mammals Posted: 07 Mar 2022 10:20 AM PST A new study provides vital clues on when killer whales began feeding on other marine mammals. |
| The secret to longevity? Ask a yellow-bellied marmot Posted: 07 Mar 2022 10:19 AM PST A new study shows that aging slows to a crawl when yellow-bellied marmots hibernate. These large ground squirrels are able to virtually halt the aging process during the seven to eight months they spend hibernating in their underground burrows, the researchers report. The study is the first to analyze the rate of aging among marmots in the wild. |
| For tadpoles, what’s in their gut may be key to enduring climate change Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:31 AM PST A new study shows that climate change could deliver a one-two punch to amphibians by creating hotter environments home to less-diverse microbe. |
| Protect against aging and age-related disease with the MondoA protein Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:31 AM PST Researchers have shown that a protein called MondoA can activate the important health-linked process of autophagy, whereby cells are broken down and their components are recycled. MondoA both inhibited a protein called Rubicon and regulated the Prdx3 protein, which maintains the stability of energy-producing mitochondria within cells. Activation of MondoA protected against aging and age-associated kidney injury, indicating its potential as a target for the treatment of aging and age-related diseases. |
| New micro-protein helps yeast cells cope with nutrient scarcity Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:31 AM PST Researchers have discovered that a micro-protein, which they named Nrs1, supports cell division and proliferation when nutrients are scarce. |
| Climate mitigation measures could impact food security, study finds Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:31 AM PST Many countries have set carbon neutrality as a policy goal, but according to a new study, there are various risks associated with the reduction of greenhouse gases, especially in the agriculture, forestry, and land use sectors, that need to be considered when formulating mitigation strategies. |
| Common houseplants can improve air quality indoors Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:31 AM PST Ordinary potted house plants can potentially make a significant contribution to reducing air pollution in homes and offices, according to new research. |
| An aromatic tomato could be looming -- a la heirloom varieties Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:30 AM PST Scientists helped discover a way to enhance tomato smell and taste. Scientists showed that five of the compounds are part of a biochemical pathway for synthesis of these important flavor compounds. |
| How stress hormones guide bacteria in their host Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:30 AM PST A newly discovered protein helps bacteria recognize stress hormones in the human body and direct their motion in the host. |
| Cellular rejuvenation therapy safely reverses signs of aging in mice Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:30 AM PST Age may be just a number, but it's a number that often carries unwanted side effects, from brittle bones and weaker muscles to increased risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Now, scientists have shown that they can safely and effectively reverse the aging process in middle-aged and elderly mice by partially resetting their cells to more youthful states. |
| Tiny worms make complex decisions, too Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:30 AM PST How does an animal make decisions? Scientists have spent decades trying to answer this question by focusing on the cells and connections of the brain that might be involved. Scientists are taking a different approach -- analyzing behavior, not neurons. They were surprised to find that worms can take multiple factors into account and choose between two different actions, despite having only 302 neurons compared to approximately 86 billion in humans. |
| Tiny 'skyscrapers' help bacteria convert sunlight into electricity Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:30 AM PST Researchers have made tiny 'skyscrapers' for communities of bacteria, helping them to generate electricity from just sunlight and water. |
| Field-based patient trial for cell-free Zika testing delivers highly accurate results Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:30 AM PST Researchers have led one of the first field trials for a synthetic biology-based diagnostic using patient samples. This work, conducted on-site in Latin America, reveals the potential for cell-free synthetic biology tools and companion hardware for providing rapid, de-centralized, and low-cost patient testing for infectious diseases like the Zika virus. |
| Lensless camera captures cellular-level, 3D details in living tissue Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:29 AM PST The lensless Bio-FlatScope is a small, inexpensive camera to monitor biological activity that can't be captured by conventional instruments. The device could eventually be used to look for signs of cancer or sepsis or become a valuable endoscopy tool. |
| Closer look helps experts ponder when a protein’s prone to wander Posted: 07 Mar 2022 05:23 AM PST Using sophisticated microscopy techniques, researchers show why proteins stick better to some surfaces than others. The details could be important to manufacturers fine-tuning drug purifications, biosensors or anti-fouling surfaces. |
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