 Borrowed gene helps maize adapt to high elevations, cold temperatures
An important gene in maize called HPC1 modulates certain chemical processes that contribute to flowering time, and has its origins in 'teosinte mexicana,' a precursor to modern-day corn that grows wild in the highlands of Mexico. The findings provide insight into plant evolution and trait selection, and could have implications for corn and other crops' adaptation to low temperatures.
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Developmentally arrested IVF embryos can be coaxed to divide
Why do two-thirds of in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos go into developmental arrest? A new study shows that many embryos stored for IVF undergo characteristic genetic and metabolic changes that inhibit development. These results help explain the loss of developmental ability of many harvested embryos, and may point to strategies for increasing the proportion of developmentally competent embryos.
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Scientists engineer synthetic DNA to study 'architect' genes
Researchers have created artificial Hox genes -- which plan and direct where cells go to develop tissues or organs -- using new synthetic DNA technology and genomic engineering in stem cells. Their findings confirm how clusters of Hox genes help cells to learn and remember where they are in the body.
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Gemini North spies ultra-faint fossil galaxy discovered on outskirts of Andromeda
An unusual ultra-faint dwarf galaxy has been discovered on the outer fringes of the Andromeda Galaxy thanks to the sharp eyes of an amateur astronomer. Follow-up by professional astronomers revealed that the dwarf galaxy -- Pegasus V -- contains very few heavier elements and is likely to be a fossil of the first galaxies.
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Climate change in oceanwater may impact mangrove dispersal, study finds
Researchers examined 21st century changes in ocean-surface temperature, salinity, and density, across mangrove forests worldwide. Their study suggests that changes in surface-ocean density may impact the dispersal patterns of widely distributed mangroves species, and more likely so in the Indo-West Pacific region, the primary hotspot of mangrove diversity.
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Breaking AIs to make them better
Current AIs are very accurate but inflexible at image recognition. Exactly why this is remains a mystery. Researchers have developed a method called 'Raw Zero-Shot' to assess how neural networks handle elements unknown to them. The results have the potential to help researchers identify the common features that make neural networks 'non-robust,' and develop methods to make AIs more reliable.
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Researchers discover new leukemia-killing compounds
Researchers have discovered potential new drugs that target mitochondria in cancer cells. Their study in the journal Leukemia describes the compounds' potential for killing leukemia cells when administered by themselves or in combination with other chemotherapies.
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California's Dixie Fire shows impact of legacy effects, prescribed burns
The 2021 Dixie Fire burned over nearly 1 million acres in California and cost $637 million to suppress, making it the largest and most expensive wildfire to contain in state history. Fire history largely determined how severely the wildfire burned, and low-severity fire treatments had the largest impact on reducing the worst effects of the fire, according to a research team.
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Common gene used to profile microbial communities
Computer scientists develop Emu, an algorithm that uses long reads of genomes to identify the species of bacteria in a community. The program could simplify sorting harmful from helpful bacteria in microbiomes like those in the gut or in agriculture and the environment.
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Researchers propose widespread banking of stool samples for fecal transplants later in life
Changes in the way that humans live and eat have resulted in tremendous alterations in the gut microbiome, especially over the past few decades. These changes have been linked to increased rates of asthma, allergies, diseases of the digestive system, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions. Scientists propose that we can combat these trends by having individuals bank samples of their own gut microbiota when they are young and healthy for potential use later in life in an autologous fecal microbiot
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The mere sight of a meal triggers an inflammatory response in the brain
Even before carbohydrates reach the bloodstream, the very sight and smell of a meal trigger the release of insulin. For the first time, researchers have shown that this insulin release depends on a short-term inflammatory response that takes place in these circumstances. In overweight individuals, however, this inflammatory response is so excessive that it can impair insulin secretion.
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Pioneering recycling turns mixed waste into premium plastics with no climate impact
Only a fraction of the material that could be turned into new plastic is currently recycled. Researchers have now demonstrated how the carbon atoms in mixed waste can replace all fossil raw materials in the production of new plastic. The recycling method is inspired by the natural carbon cycle and could eliminate the climate impact of plastic materials, or even clean the air of carbon dioxide.
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A closer look into the emergence of antibiotic resistance in bioaerosols and its monitoring
While there are many studies that discuss antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) in soil and water environments, there is currently very little research that focuses on ARG in aerial environments. In a recent review, researchers have analyzed current research trends regarding ARG in bioaerosols, including their sources, methods of detection, and implications for the future.
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Signaling molecule potently stimulates hair growth
Researchers have discovered that a signaling molecule called SCUBE3 potently stimulates hair growth and may offer a therapeutic treatment for androgenetic alopecia, a common form of hair loss in both women and men.
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Bacteria for blastoff: Using microbes to make supercharged new rocket fuel
Biofuel scientists used an oddball molecule made by bacteria to develop a new class of sustainable biofuels powerful enough to launch rockets. The candidate molecules have greater projected energy density than any petroleum product, including the leading aviation and rocket fuels, JetA and RP-1.
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Powerful links between methane and climate change
Using data gathered over the last four decades to study the effects of temperature changes and rain on the atmospheric concentration of methane, scientists have concluded that Earth could be both delivering more, and removing less, methane into the air than previously estimated, with the result that more heat is being trapped in the atmosphere. The study, published in the scientific journal Nature Communications on 23 June, addresses the large uncertainty about the impact of climate change on at
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Immune cells anchored in tissues offer unique defenses against pathogens and cancers
Researchers have gained ground in understanding unique immune cells equipped to remember the identities of malicious invaders. The researchers developed a new atlas that describes tissue-resident memory T cells in diverse tissue settings, boosting the prospects of the development of immune defense strategies to enhance immunity at sites vulnerable to infection.
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Optical fiber imaging method advances studies of Alzheimer's disease
An optical fiber as thin as a strand of hair holds promise for use in minimally invasive deep-tissue studies of patients' brains that show the effects Alzheimer's disease and other brain disorders. The challenge is efficiently increasing image resolution at the subcellular level, because loss of information is inevitable from light scrambling.
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 What You Need to Know About Monkeypox
An infectious disease expert answers questions about how the virus spreads, what its symptoms are, and how to get testing and treatment
-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
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'Fake' data helps robots learn the ropes faster
In a step toward robots that can learn on the fly like humans do, a new approach expands training data sets for robots that work with soft objects like ropes and fabrics, or in cluttered environments.
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Shining some light on the obscure proteome
Mass-spectrometry based proteomics is the big-data science of proteins that allows the monitoring of the abundance of thousands of proteins in a sample at once. Therefore, it is a particularly well-suited readout for discovering which proteins are targeted by any small molecule. An international research team has investigated this using chemical proteomics.
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 Science Says Addiction Is a Disease
"The idea with addiction is that these substances or behaviors are hijacking the machinery in the brain that has evolved to help us survive."
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Dissolving implantable device relieves pain without drugs
Researchers have developed a small, soft, flexible implant that relieves pain on demand and without the use of drugs. The first-of-its-kind device could provide a much-needed alternative to opioids and other highly addictive medications. It works by softly wrapping around nerves to deliver precise, targeted cooling, which numbs nerves and blocks pain signals to the brain. After the device is no longer needed, it naturally absorbs into the body -- bypassing the need for surgical extraction.
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Laser writing may enable 'electronic nose' for multi-gas sensor
Environmental sensors are a step closer to simultaneously sniffing out multiple gases that could indicate disease or pollution. Researchers combined laser writing and responsive sensor technologies to fabricate the first highly customizable microscale gas sensing devices.
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New flood maps clarify the risk homeowners face
Flooding in urban areas cost Americans more than $106 billion between 1960 and 2016, damaging property, disrupting businesses and claiming lives in the process. Now, new research outlines a simplified, cost-effective method for developing flood maps that reflects the uncertainty in flood predictions.
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Some viruses make you smell tastier to mosquitoes
Zika and dengue fever viruses alter the scent of mice and humans they infect, a team of researchers report. The altered scent attracts mosquitoes, which bite the host, drink their infected blood and then carry the virus to its next victim.
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The pair of Orcas deterring Great White Sharks
A pair of Orca (Killer Whales) that have been terrorizing and killing Great White Sharks off the coast of South Africa since 2017 has managed to drive large numbers of the sharks from their natural aggregation site.
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Who trusts gene-edited foods? New study gauges public acceptance
Researchers surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 U.S. residents to gauge public acceptance of gene-edited foods. Social factors like food beliefs and trust in institutions played a big role in the participants' willingness to eat or actively avoid products made with gene-editing technologies.
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'Safety in numbers' tactic keeps Pacific salmon safe from predators
A new study that leverages historical data has found unique support for a 'safety in numbers' strategy, where Pacific salmon living in larger groups have a lower risk of being eaten by predators. But for some salmon species, schooling comes at the cost of competition for food, and those fish may trade safety for a meal.
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Sleep added to cardiovascular health checklist
American Heart Association's checklist to measure cardiovascular health is updated, now called Life's Essential 8™, adding healthy sleep as essential for optimal cardiovascular health. Other health and lifestyle factors in the checklist, which were part of the previous, 7-item scoring tool, are nicotine exposure, physical activity, diet, weight, blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure. The new sleep metric suggests 7-9 hours of sleep daily for optimal cardiovascular health for adults, an...
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New clues on unsolved genetic diseases in children
Scientists have discovered a new way to interpret unsolved Mendelian diseases -- diseases inherited from either parent due to gene mutations in the developing egg or sperm -- through studying the inheritance of a protein known as SMCHD1 which is coded by the SMCHD1 gene.
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Scientists discover mechanism controlling spread of pancreatic cancer
Scientists have shown it is possible to reverse a key process that allows pancreatic cancer cells to grow and spread around the body. These findings show that a protein called GREM1 is key to regulating the type of cells found in pancreatic cancer -- and manipulating its levels can both fuel and reverse the ability of these cells to change into a more aggressive subtype. Researchers hope, in the future, to use this knowledge to find ways to reverse more advanced pancreatic cancer into a less agg
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'Quake brain' effects suffered by resilient Cantabrians fade over time
New research suggests the brain function of otherwise-healthy individuals exposed to event trauma has the ability to 'bounce back' over time once the threat resolves. Researchers conducted a follow-up study on a group of Cantabrians, who had been exposed to trauma during the region's earthquakes over a decade ago.
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Enzyme of bacterial origin promoted the evolution of longhorned beetles
Larvae of longhorned beetles develop primarily in woody tissue, which is difficult for most organisms to digest. However, longhorned beetle larvae possess special enzymes to break down the various components of the plant cell wall. Researchers have now taken a closer look at a group of digestive enzymes found only in this beetle family. They resurrected the primordial enzymes, which first appeared in a common ancestor of longhorned beetles. Horizontal gene transfer from bacteria to the beetle as
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Thawing permafrost is shaping the global climate
How is climate change affecting the permanently frozen soils of the Arctic? What will the consequences be for the global climate, human beings, and ecosystems? And what can be done to stop it?
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Dynamic cells linked to brain tumor growth and recurrence
Researchers have discovered that aggressive tumors contain highly active cells that move throughout tissue in complicated patterns. What's more, the accumulations of these elongated, spindle-like cells found throughout the tumor, coined 'oncostreams,' serve as the basis for cancerous cells' behavior, determining how tumors grow and invade normal tissue.
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Skin's protective chains uncovered
The skin's top layer contains a diverse set of hundreds of lipid molecules called ceramides with varying chain lengths that play a vital role in its barrier function.
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Ice Age wolf DNA reveals dogs trace ancestry to two separate wolf populations
An international group of geneticists and archaeologists have found that the ancestry of dogs can be traced to at least two populations of ancient wolves. The work moves us a step closer to uncovering the mystery of where dogs underwent domestication, one of the biggest unanswered questions about human prehistory.
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Only 1 in 5 people in the U.S. has optimal heart health
Researchers found the U.S. population is well below optimal levels of cardiovascular health after applying the Life's Essential 8™ cardiovascular health scoring, the American Heart Association's updated metrics to measure heart and brain health. Life's Essential 8™ scoring was calculated using data from more than 23,400 adults and children from national health surveys from 2013-2018. Results show 80% of people in the U.S. have below-optimal cardiovascular health, and scores differed signific...
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Climate change is making plants more vulnerable to disease. New research could help them fight back
When heat waves hit, they don't just take a toll on people -- plants suffer too. That's because when temperatures rise, certain plant defenses don't work as well, leaving them more susceptible to attacks from pathogens and pests. Scientists say they have identified a specific protein in plant cells that explains why immunity falters as the mercury rises. They've also figured out a way to bolster plant defenses against the heat.
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Dissolving the problem: Organic vapor induces dissolution of molecular salts
Researchers have found that organic vapor can dissolve molecular salts in a phenomenon known as organic deliquescence. Similar to how water vapor can induce deliquescence of compounds like calcium chloride, this phenomenon will be useful for developing methods for capturing harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). There is an urgent need to remove them from indoor environments, particularly industrial facilities, where concentrations are highest.
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