(Press-News.org) New research published in PeerJ Life and Environment by Dr. Sarah Davis and sixty-one scientists from 12 countries presents a perspective to build consensus around the assessment and interpretation of Symbiodiniaceae diversity. Symbiodiniaceae is a family of marine dinoflagellates (plankton) notable for their symbiotic associations with reef-building corals, sea anemones, jellyfish, marine sponges and other marine invertebrates. Understanding Symbiodiniaceae is important to those working to protect and regenerate coral reefs that are under threat around the world.
"The authors hope this paper will provide a springboard to launch novel, transformative investigations into coral symbiosis at this critical juncture for reefs," said Dr. Sarah Davis.
Despite advances in Symbiodiniaceae genomics, a lack of consensus among researchers with respect to interpreting genetic data has slowed progress in the field and acted as a barrier to reconciling observations. The authors identify key challenges regarding the assessment and interpretation of Symbiodiniaceae genetic diversity across three levels: species, populations, and communities.
“This manuscript was the result of an NSF-funded workshop aimed at bringing members of the Symbiodiniaceae research community together to discuss past scientific disagreements, identify areas of shared consensus, and craft a more inclusive path forward," said Dr. Sarah Davis.
The research summarizes areas of agreement and highlights techniques and approaches that are broadly accepted. In areas where debate remains, the authors identify unresolved issues and discuss technologies and approaches that can help to fill knowledge gaps related to genetic and phenotypic diversity.
“We also discuss ways to stimulate progress, in particular by fostering a more inclusive and collaborative research community. We hope that this perspective will inspire and accelerate coral reef science by serving as a resource to those designing experiments, publishing research, and applying for funding related to Symbiodiniaceae and their symbiotic partnerships” write the authors.
END
Accelerating coral reef science: building consensus around the assessment and interpretation of Symbiodiniaceae diversity
2023-05-02
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
The International World Wide Web Conference selects Seoul Test of Time Award
2023-05-02
The International World Wide Web Conference Committee (IW3C2) announced today that the 2023 Seoul Test of Time Award will be presented to the authors of the paper “A Contextual-Bandit Approach to Personalized News Article Recommendation;” Wei Chu, (Ant Group), Lihong Li, (Amazon), John Langford, (Microsoft) and Robert Schapire (Microsoft).
The award will be presented during the opening ceremony of the 32nd international conference in The ACM Web Conference series (formerly known as The International World Wide Web Conference) hosted by the team in Austin. See https://www2023.thewebconf.org ...
60 years later, high school quality may have a long-term impact on cognition
2023-05-02
NEW YORK, NY (May 2, 2023)--A study of more than 2,200 adults who attended U.S. high schools in the early 1960s found that those who attended higher quality schools had better cognitive function 60 years later.
Previous studies have found that the number of years spent in school correlates with cognition later in life, but few studies have examined the impact of educational quality.
“Our study establishes a link between high-quality education and better late-life cognition and suggests that increased investment ...
Too much water can make whiskies taste the same
2023-05-02
RICHLAND, Wash. – While adding a little water is popularly thought to “open up” the flavor of whisky, a Washington State University-led study indicates there’s a point at which it becomes too much: about 20%.
Researchers chemically analyzed how volatile compounds in a set of 25 whiskies responded to the addition of water, including bourbons, ryes, Irish whiskeys and both single malt and blended Scotches. They also had a trained sensory panel assess six of those whiskies, three Scotches and ...
Machine learning model sheds light on how brains recognize communication sounds
2023-05-02
PITTSBURGH, May 2, 2023 — In a paper published today in Communications Biology, auditory neuroscientists at the University of Pittsburgh describe a machine learning model that helps explain how the brain recognizes the meaning of communication sounds, such as animal calls or spoken words.
The algorithm described in the study models how social animals, including marmoset monkeys and guinea pigs, use sound-processing networks in their brain to distinguish between sound categories – such as calls for mating, food or danger — and act on them.
The study is an important step toward understanding the intricacies and complexities ...
Cellular “cruise control” system safeguards RNA levels in Rett syndrome nerve cells
2023-05-02
Every cell in our body is able to turn genes (DNA) on or off, producing RNA, but when genes are ‘turned on’ to the wrong level it can result in a variety of health conditions.
Rett syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental condition that causes a loss of motor and language skills over time in girls. The condition is caused by a genetic variation in the MECP2 gene located on the X chromosome, resulting in affected nerve cells in the brain expressing the wrong levels of more than one thousand genes. The end result is that Rett syndrome nerve cells are smaller, less interconnected and less electrically active than healthy controls.
In ...
Study finds gender pay differences begin early, with the job search
2023-05-02
A new paper in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, published by Oxford University Press, indicates that an important part of the pay gap between men and women has to do with how they conduct job searches, with women more likely to accept job offers early while men tend to hold out for higher pay.
Women in the United States earn 84% of what men earn, as of 2020. This disparity is well documented, and economists and the general public have known about the earnings difference for decades. The reasons for this phenomenon are a matter of considerable debate.
Initial conditions in the labor market are long-lasting. Young workers who begin ...
Single-molecule valve: a breakthrough in nanoscale control
2023-05-02
Scientists dream of using tiny molecules as building blocks to construct things, similar to how we build things with mechanical parts. However, molecules are incredibly small - around one hundred millionth the size of a softball - and they move randomly in liquids, making it very difficult to manipulate them in a single form. To overcome this challenge, “nanofluidic devices” that can transport molecules in extremely narrow channels, similar in size to one millionth of a straw, are attracting attention ...
The science behind the life and times of the Earth’s salt flats
2023-05-02
AMHERST, Mass. – Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Alaska Anchorage are the first to characterize two different types of surface water in the hyperarid salars—or salt flats—that contain much of the world’s lithium deposits. This new characterization represents a leap forward in understanding how water moves through such basins, and will be key to minimizing the environmental impact on such sensitive, critical habitats.
“You can’t protect the salars if you don’t first understand how they work,” says Sarah McKnight, lead author of the research that appeared recently ...
HIV status is not associated with mpox treatment outcomes in persons using tecovirimat
2023-05-02
Embargoed for release until 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday 01 May 2023
Annals of Internal Medicine Tip Sheet
@Annalsofim
Below please find summaries of new articles that will be published in the next issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. The summaries are not intended to substitute for the full articles as a source of information. This information is under strict embargo and by taking it into possession, media representatives are committing to the terms of the embargo not only on their own behalf, but also on behalf of the organization they represent.
----------------------------
1. ...
Juvenile salmon migration timing responds unpredictably to climate change
2023-05-02
Climate change has led to earlier spring blooms for wildflowers and ocean plankton but the impacts on salmon migration are more complicated, according to new research.
In a new study, published in the journal Nature, Ecology & Evolution, Simon Fraser University (SFU) researcher Sam Wilson led a set of diverse collaborators from across North America to compile the largest dataset in the world on juvenile salmon migration timing. The dataset includes 66 populations from Oregon to B.C. to Alaska. Each dataset was at least 20 years in length with the longest dating back to 1951. Only wild salmon, and not salmon from hatcheries, ...