Новости за 18.07.2022

Earth Observation (EO) experts based at the University of Leicester have laid bare the UK's record-breaking heatwave with data captured from space.

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine previously found a set of human gene mutations that protect older adults against cognitive decline and dementia. In a new study, published July 9, 2022 in Molecular Biology and Evolution, they focus on one of these mutated genes and attempt to trace its evolution—when and why it appeared in the human genome. The findings suggest selective pressure from infectious pathogens like gonorrhea may have promoted the emergence of this gene variant in Homo sapiens... Читать дальше...

Evolution has long been viewed as a rather random process, with the traits of species shaped by chance mutations and environmental events—and therefore largely unpredictable.

Inside all of us is an army of cells called neutrophils, primed and ready to take out any invader, be it bacteria in a wound or viruses entering our airways. As the first line of defense for the immune system, neutrophils attack and call in reinforcements in a coordinated effort to prevent infection.

As intense heatwaves grip the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Portugal—at times exceeding temperatures of 40 C—as well as parts of North America and Asia, lakes around the world are feeling the heat from climate change, which is creating a cascade of ecological and environmental issues.

New research led by University of Massachusetts Amherst assistant professor Jinglei Ping has overcome a major challenge to isolating and detecting molecules at the same time and at the same location in a microdevice. The work, recently published in ACS Nano, demonstrates an important advance in using graphene for electrokinetic biosample processing and analysis, and could allow lab-on-a-chip devices to become smaller and achieve results faster.

Better treatments for some of cancer's deadliest forms could be closer due to a University of California, Irvine-led discovery about how a certain protein is activated in tumor cells. The finding, spearheaded by researchers with the School of Biological Sciences, could eventually lead to possible therapies for the especially dangerous melanoma and pancreatic adenocarcinoma, as well as the most common type of childhood brain cancer and adult skin cancer. A paper describing the project appears in Life Science Alliance.

To act as a robust barrier against pathogens while also absorbing needed nutrients, the lining of the intestines must regenerate on a daily basis to remain equal to the task. The intestine's resident stem cells are responsible for meeting this need for constant repair and replenishment, but each stem cell faces decisions that depend on the overall conditions of the intestine and the needs of the moment. Bad decisions and poor coordination could result in intestinal diseases or cancer.

Finding a new, high-temperature, off-axis hydrothermal vent field on the floor of the Pacific Ocean at 2,550 meters depth could change scientists' understanding of the impact that such ocean-floor vent systems have on the life and chemistry of Earth's oceans.

A new study from Georgia Institute of Technology suggests that an elephant's muscles aren't the only way it stretches its trunk—its folded skin also plays an important role. The combination of muscle and skin gives the animal the versatility to grab fragile vegetation and rip apart tree trunks.

Cell, tissue, and organ structure is maintained by cell-cell adhesion molecules that connect opposing cells. Cadherins are a class of essential cell-cell adhesion molecules for tissue formation and integrity, and defects in cadherin function cause various diseases (e.g., cancer invasion). Cadherin protrudes from the cell surface and binds another cadherin on an opposing cell to mediate cell-cell adhesion. The cadherin binding process mainly comprises two dimerization steps: X-dimer formation and... Читать дальше...

Hotter, longer, more frequent. Heatwaves such as the one currently roasting much of Europe, or the record-shattering hot spell endured by India and Pakistan in March, are an unmistakable sign of climate change, experts said Monday.

New North Carolina State University research shows progress in gathering information on an important—yet difficult to characterize—human gut bacterium called Bifidobacterium, which is used in many probiotics that help maintain healthy microbiomes. The findings hold promise to help make so-called "good bacteria" even better.

Water resources will fluctuate increasingly and become more and more difficult to predict in snow-dominated regions across the Northern Hemisphere by later this century, according to a comprehensive new climate change study led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).

Scientists have discovered how to design cereal roots able to continue growing in hard soils by altering their ability to penetrate, enabling roots to access sources of water deeper in soil, and helping "climate-proof" vital crops in response to changing UK rain fall patterns.

Imagine this: the Dutch government regulates MDMA. What would sales then look like? Should you be able to buy pills everywhere, or only on prescription? In the MDMA store, a public experiment by drug museum Poppi in collaboration with Utrecht University researchers, the visitors are the ones who decide.

This study was led by Prof. Keding Lu and Prof. Yuanhang Zhang from Peking University. They conducted a field campaign in Taizhou, Eastern China from May to June in 2018. They observed elevated levels of monoterpene, a formerly considered biogenic emitted Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and determined a rapid oxidation rate by OH radical, O3 and NO3 radical observed with in-situ state-of-art instrumentations. Such fast oxidation rate of monoterpene even exceeded that of isoprene, which was thought to be the dominant biogenic emitted VOCs.

Malaysian customs officials said Monday they seized a stash of rare animal parts worth $18 million thought to have come from Africa, including elephant tusks, rhino horns and pangolin scales.

Britain and France were in the grip of a fierce heatwave on Monday facing record temperatures as southwest Europe wilted under a scorching sun and ferocious wildfires devoured more forests.

Australian politics has a growing "jobs for mates" culture and it's undermining our democracy, according to a new Grattan Institute report.

Biological organisms and tissues exhibit a constant turnover of cellular material; for instance, to maintain tissue integrity, in case of tumor growth, or for survival of bacterial communities. Intuitively, cell types which are able to proliferate the fastest or die less frequently in a given environment will dominate the confined space within an organism or compartment. "However, these traditional factors do not remain the only ones determining competitive fitness, when taking into account also... Читать дальше...

The Indiana Center for Regenerative Medicine and Engineering (ICRME) at Indiana University School of Medicine is home to tissue nanotransfection (TNT) regenerative medicine technology that achieves functional tissue reprogramming in the live body. Last year, ICRME researchers published on how to manufacture the TNT 2.0 silicon chip hardware in Nature Protocol. Now, their research demonstrates for the first time that TNT can serve as a non-viral, topical gene-editing delivery device.

Precisely applied mechanical pressure can improve the electronic properties of a widely used polymer material. This requires that the material be mechanically processed to an accuracy of a few nanometers, a team from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) writes in the scientific journal Advanced Electronic Materials. In their new study, the researchers show how this previously unknown physical effect works and how it could also be used for new storage technologies. The team has also succeeded... Читать дальше...

What strategies and adaptive measures does the cork oak (Quercus suber) use in savanna-like ecosystems in southeastern Portugal to meet its water needs in summer and winter? And how does it perform when this tree competes for water with the invasive gum rockrose (Cistus ladanifer)? A team led by Dr. Simon Haberstroh and Prof. Dr. Christiane Werner from the Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Freiburg describe their findings on these research questions in the journal Functional Ecology.

A new national study shows which Americans are least likely to be prepared to take necessary actions when faced with disasters such as hurricanes, floods and wildfires.