Culture
In nature, every species must be equipped with a strategy to be able to survive in response to danger. Plants, too, have innate systems that are triggered in response to a particular threat, such as insects feeding on them. For example, some plants sense "herbivore-derived danger signals" (HDS), which are specific chemicals in oral secretions of insects. This activates a cascade of events in the plant's defense machinery, which leads to the plant developing "resistance" to (or "immunity" against) the predator.
When we find something particularly beautiful or impressive, we literally get big eyes: Our pupils dilate. The pupil controls how much light enters the eye and falls on the retina. When there is a lot of light, the pupil contracts; when there is little light, it opens again.
A protein shredder that occurs in cell membranes of brain cells apparently also indirectly regulates the fat metabolism. This is shown by a recent study by the University of Bonn. The shredder, known as gamma-secretase, is considered a possible target for drugs against cancer and Alzheimer's disease. However, the results suggest that such agents may have long-range effects that need to be watched closely. The study has now been published in the journal "Life Science Alliance".
Lipids are essential building blocks of cell membranes, which control the exchange of substances and energy between a cell and its environment. Developed at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, a new open-source software tool PCAlipids aims to analyze lipid behavior. The new program has been presented in a paper that comes out in print in the upcoming July 1 issue of Biochimica et Biophysica Acta -- Biomembranes.
New Rochelle, NY, May 7, 2020--Tissue engineering has a unique set of tools and technologies for developing preventive strategies, diagnostics, and treatments that can play an important role during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Three key areas pioneered by tissue engineers that could be applied to the current COVID-19 crisis and to future viral outbreaks are highlighted in an article published in Tissue Engineering, Part A, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.
A rich variety of meteorological phenomena take place in the extensive hydrogen atmosphere of the planet Saturn, a world about ten times the size of the Earth. They help us to better understand those that operate in a similar way in the Earth's atmosphere. Featuring among them due to its uniqueness is the well-known "hexagon", an amazing wave structure that surrounds the planet's polar region and whose shape looks as if it had been drawn by a geometrician.
Evidence continues to mount that the Neandertals, who lived in Europe and Asia until about 40,000 years ago, were more sophisticated people than once thought. A new study from UC Davis shows that Neandertals chose to use bones from specific animals to make a tool for specific purpose: working hides into leather.
New Rochelle, NY, May 7, 2020--A new paper identifies the critical need for ) on the ability of the COVID-19 virus to infect certain animal species, the transmissibility of infection between humans and those animals, and the impact infection could have on food security and the economy. The article, which focuses on companion animals, livestock and poultry, working animals such as military service dogs, and zoo species, is published in Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Disease, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.
Women have a good chance of having a second child with the help of fertility treatment after the birth of their first child born this way, according to the first study to investigate this, published today (Friday) in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world's leading reproductive medicine journals.
Over 80% of people surveyed in a study do not plan to conceive during the COVID-19 crisis, perhaps putting to rest suggestions that the lockdown could lead to rise in birth numbers.
Results from 29 Italian patients with COVID-19, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and hyperinflammation indicate that high-dose intravenous anakinra may show promise
Results are from an observational study, so randomised controlled trials are needed to fully understand the drug's effectiveness
According to a new Position Paper published in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) online, improved everyday hygiene practices, such as hand-washing, reduces the risk of common infections by up to 50%, reducing the need for antibiotics, by up to 30%.
One of the most important tools in stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is rapid, reliable and relatively cheap diagnostic testing at the point of care. Scientists in Europe recently evaluated the frontline capabilities of a commercially available, 15-minute disposable antigen test to detect COVID-19 infections.
Millions of people around the world use acid suppressants called proton pump inhibitors for conditions like heartburn, gastritis and stomach ulcers. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden now report that how the long-term use of these drugs could increase the risk of developing dementia. Their results are published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia.
People with the mental health condition known as body integrity dysphoria (BID) often feel as though one of their healthy limbs isn't meant to be a part of their bodies. They may act as though the limb is missing or even seek its amputation "to feel complete." Now, researchers reporting in the journal Current Biology on May 7 have found that these feelings that a limb doesn't belong are mirrored in the brains of people with this condition.