Scientists discover how a group of caterpillars became poisonous
Genetic research using Smithsonian collections reveals the evolutionary path of six toxic butterfly species
2021-02-08
(Press-News.org) The Atala butterfly (Eumaeus atala) and its five closest relatives in the genus Eumaeus like to display their toxicity. This sextet's toxicity comes from what they eat as caterpillars: plants called cycads that have been around since before dinosaurs roamed the Earth and contain a potent liver toxin called cycasin.
Because they are filled with poison, Eumaeus are big, gaudily iridescent and flap about like they have no place to go. Even their caterpillars are conspicuous, congregating in groups to munch cycad plants all while sporting flashy red and gold coloration. Their ostentatious qualities all signal to predators that they are a not a good meal; in nature, being toxic protects organisms from being attacked if their predators know it.
Now, new research led by the Smithsonian's END
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Researchers develop platform to identify cancer mutations that may be responsive to drug therapies
2021-02-08
CLEVELAND - A Cleveland Clinic-led team of researchers has developed a personalized genomic medicine platform that will help advance accelerate genomic medicine research and genome-informed drug discovery, according to new study results published recently in END ...
Northwestern researcher to discuss consequences of incarceration at AAAS annual meeting
2021-02-08
CHICAGO --- Northwestern University professor and researcher Linda Teplin will discuss the psychosocial outcomes of incarcerated youth at the virtual 2021 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting.
Teplin will moderate the scientific session "Consequences of Incarceration on Health Inequity and Racial Injustice" at 2 p.m. EST, Monday, Feb. 8. During the session, she will also present "Consequences of Incarceration in Detained Youth: A 15-Year Longitudinal Study."
Nearly 2.2 million Americans are incarcerated annually, ...
Severe undercounting of COVID-19 cases in U.S., other countries estimated via model
2021-02-08
A new machine-learning framework uses reported test results and death rates to calculate estimates of the actual number of current COVID-19 infections within all 50 U.S. states and 50 countries. Jungsik Noh and Gaudenz Danuser of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on February 8, 2021.
During the ongoing pandemic, U.S. states and many countries have reported daily counts of COVID-19 infections and deaths confirmed by testing. However, many infections have gone undetected, resulting in under-counting of the total number of people currently infected at any ...
3D printing polymers
2021-02-08
(Santa Barbara, Calif.) -- Researchers in the labs of Christopher Bates, an assistant professor of materials at UC Santa Barbara, and Michael Chabinyc, a professor of materials and chair of the department, have teamed to develop the first 3D-printable "bottlebrush" elastomer. The new material results in printed objects that have unusual softness and elasticity -- mechanical properties that closely resemble those of human tissue.
Conventional elastomers, i.e. rubbers, are stiffer than many biological tissues. That's due to the size and shape of their constituent polymers, which are long, linear molecules that easily entangle like cooked spaghetti. In contrast, bottlebrush polymers ...
Death by suicide? Drug overdoses muddy waters for investigators, amplify mental health crisis
2021-02-08
Classifying a death as suicide may be easiest for medical examiners and coroners in the western United States, which reports the highest suicide rates officially. Suicide by firearm is the leading method there, and usually clear in terms of evidence.
By contrast, suicides by drug overdose, spurred primarily by the opioid epidemic in the remainder of the country, are less obvious to investigators.
But a new West Virginia University-led injury mortality study combines most drug overdose deaths with all suicides into an expanded self-injury category. Exposing a mental health crisis that has unraveled across the United States over the past two decades, study data have direct implications for suicide prevention efforts.
Ian Rockett, professor ...
Auditory brainstem pathways do not develop properly without microglia
2021-02-08
Auditory pathways in the brainstem do not fully mature without microglia clearing away extra cell connections. This crucial function occurs even when pruning by microglia is delayed, according to new research published in eNeuro.
Sensitive hearing requires precise connections between neurons in the auditory brainstem. Early in development, support cells called microglia prune away unnecessary connections and encourage others to expand. Microglia finish their job around two weeks after birth, but the rigidity of this developmental timeframe is unknown.
Milinkeviciute et al. eliminated microglia from the brains of newborn mice using a drug. They stopped the treatment after 10 days, and microglia returned to the brainstem. Initially, the mice with delayed microglia development ...
Microbiota transfer therapy for autism: Multi-omic approaches and lessons learned
2021-02-08
During every instant of life, over a hundred trillion microbes, collectively known as the microbiome, reside on skin surfaces and course through the human body. In the human gut, vast colonies of bacteria, belonging to around 1000 different species, carry out duties ranging from the digestion of food and the management of body weight to effects on the brain and behavior, many of these still elusive to science.
Recent studies in mice and humans have revealed intriguing links between the composition of gut microbiota and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a disease believed to affect ...
Radiative cooling and solar heating from one system, no electricity needed
2021-02-08
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Passive cooling, like the shade a tree provides, has been around forever.
Recently, researchers have been exploring how to turbo charge a passive cooling technique -- known as radiative or sky cooling -- with sun-blocking, nanomaterials that emit heat away from building rooftops. While progress has been made, this eco-friendly technology isn't commonplace because researchers have struggled to maximize the materials' cooling capabilities.
New research led by University at Buffalo engineers makes significant progress in this area.
A study published Feb. 8 in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science describes a uniquely designed radiative cooling system that:
Lowered the temperature inside ...
New drug target for Ebola, Marburg viruses
2021-02-08
Ebola and Marburg are among the most deadly viruses, with mortality rates from these infections ranging from 25% to 90%. While no drugs currently are available on the market to prevent infection from these viruses -- they belong to a category of viruses called filoviruses, which are known to cause hemorrhagic fever -- researchers have identified a few small drug molecules that can block filoviruses from infecting cells by occupying a single site on a glycoprotein in the virus.
Now, researchers at the END ...
AI researchers ask: What's going on inside the black box?
2021-02-08
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Assistant Professor Peter Koo and collaborator Matt Ploenzke reported a way to train machines to predict the function of DNA sequences. They used "neural nets", a type of artificial intelligence (AI) typically used to classify images. Teaching the neural net to predict the function of short stretches of DNA allowed it to work up to deciphering larger patterns. The researchers hope to analyze more complex DNA sequences that regulate gene activity critical to development and disease.
Machine-learning researchers can train a brain-like "neural net" computer to recognize objects, ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
MSU team develops scalable climate solutions for agricultural carbon markets
Playing an instrument may protect against cognitive aging
UNM study finds link between Grand Canyon landslide and Meteor Crater impact
Ultra-hot Jupiter’s death spiral could reveal stellar secrets
You only get one brain! The best helmet material for protecting your noggin
Neurodegeneration and stroke after GLP-1RAs in diabetes and obesity
Pediatric COVID-19 hospitalization trends by race and ethnicity, 2020-2023
Research spotlight: New genetic roadmap offers insights into obesity and diabetes
Fred Hutch leads new Vanguard Study for Cancer Screening Research Network
‘Mismatched’ transplants now safe, effective for blood cancer patients, study finds
New research helps narrow down uncertainties in near-term precipitation projections for the Asian Water Tower
AI tool accurately detects tumor location on breast MRI
Researchers use OCT imaging to uncover how the fallopian tube transports embryos
PolyU secures RGC theme-based research scheme funding to develop cost-effective and sustainable Co-GenAI model
Van Andel Institute scientists develop technique for high-resolution single cell epigenetic analysis
The Lundquist Institute wins multi-year NIH grant exceeding $11 million to transform diagnosis and treatment of deadly mucormycosis
Review suggests ending adult boosters for tetanus, diphtheria
ESMT Berlin welcomes Rebecca Schaumberg to faculty
Blocking a little-known protein may offer new hope for devastating lung disease
Medieval medicine was smarter than you think – and weirdly similar to TikTok trends
FAU receives NIH grant to investigate amphetamine addiction
Realizing on-site carbon nanotube photo-thermoelectric imaging
Most of us love memes. But are they a form of comics?
Novel biosensor allows real-time monitoring of sucrose uptake in plants
Korea University researchers reveal revealing how WEE1 drives cancer resistance to immunotherapy
Pusan National University researchers develop breakthrough deep learning model that enhances handheld 3D medical imaging
SLAS Discovery and SLAS Technology demonstrate research impact with 2024 impact factors
Disease-causing bacteria can deal with stink as long as they get a meal
Mapping the metabolism of blood stem cells
UK air quality improved since 2015 but targets still missed
[Press-News.org] Scientists discover how a group of caterpillars became poisonousGenetic research using Smithsonian collections reveals the evolutionary path of six toxic butterfly species