A particular gene plays a critical role in visual preference for mate choice between closely related Heliconius butterflies, according to a new study. The findings provide insight into how visually guided behaviors can be encoded within the genome. Many species use color and other visual cues to attract and recognize suitable mates. As such, visual preferences are important drivers of mate choice and sexual selection. However, while the genetics and evolution of the traits that serve as these cues – such as butterfly wing color  – are ...

Constructing human artificial chromosomes (HACs) in budding yeast overcomes the long-standing problem of uncontrolled multimerization – the rampant joining of similar molecules – and results in HACs that are large, stable, and structurally well-defined, researchers report. The findings may help advance chromosome engineering for precise genome editing in mammals and many other organisms. Artificial chromosomes can carry large numbers of engineered genes. Their use in bacteria and yeast as vehicles for writing and rewriting genomes has hinted at their potential to provide an alternative approach to editing genetic material in human cell lines. Although the first HACs were ...

In a Policy Forum, Alan Schoenfeld and Phil Daro argue that the “equity versus excellence” controversy over how mathematics is taught has long disrupted education in the United States, particularly for underrepresented ethnic and socioeconomic groups. According to Schoenfeld and Daro, K-12 mathematics education in the U.S. is structured in ways that are problematic and do not reflect international trends. For more than 50 years, the typical yet rigid sequence of hierarchical mathematics courses – algebra 1 to geometry to algebra II to precalculus to calculus – has disenfranchised ...

Tropical Heliconius butterflies are well known for the bright colour patterns on their wings. These striking colour patterns not only scare off predators – the butterflies are poisonous and are distasteful to birds – but are also important signals during mate selection. A team led by evolutionary biologist Richard Merrill from LMU Munich, in cooperation with researchers from the Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá (Colombia) and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Panama), has now exploited the diversity of warning patterns of various Heliconius species to investigate the genetic foundations of these preferences. ...

When you are reading this article, there are multiple hormones working diligently inside your body to stabilize your health status. Same as human beings, it is impossible for plants to grow and reproduce without being regulated by phytohormones. One of the phytohormones is the Brassinosteroid (BR) hormones, also named as the sixth phytohormone. According to a study published in Science on March 22, 2024, researchers led by Prof. SUN Linfeng from the Division of Life Sciences and Medicine of the University of Science and Technology ...

    Images   A new way to make an important ingredient for plastics, adhesives, carpet fibers, household cleaners and more from natural gas could reduce manufacturing costs in a post-petroleum economy by millions of dollars, thanks to a new chemical reactor designed by University of Michigan engineers.   The reactor creates propylene, a workhorse chemical that is also used to make a long list of industrial chemicals, including ingredients for nitrile rubber found in automotive hoses and seals as well as blue protective gloves. ...

How does your brain know the position and movement of your different body parts? The sense is known as proprioception, and it is something like a “sixth sense”, allowing us to move freely without constantly watching our limbs. Proprioception involves a complex network of sensors embedded in our muscles that relay information about limb position and movement back to our brain. However, little is known about how the brain puts together the different signals it receives from muscles. A new study led by Alexander Mathis at EPFL now sheds light on the question by exploring how our brains create a cohesive sense of body position and movement. Published in Cell, ...

Species diversity promotes ecosystem stability Biodiversity loss may accelerate ecosystem destabilization What maintains stability within an ecosystem and prevents a single best competitor from displacing other species from a community? Does ecosystem stability depend upon the presence of a wide variety of species, as early ecologists believed, or does diversity do the exact opposite, and lead to instability, as modern theory predicts? Resolving a long-standing debate among ecologists A new study from McGill University and ...

University of Calgary researchers have discovered the lungs communicate directly with the brain when there is an infection. Findings show the brain plays a critical role in triggering the symptoms of sickness, which may change the way we treat respiratory infections and chronic conditions.   “The lungs are using the same sensors and neurons in the pain pathway to let the brain know there’s an infection,” says Dr. Bryan Yipp, MD '05, MSc'05, clinician researcher at the Cumming School of Medicine and ...

A team led by Dr. Samie Jaffrey, the Greenberg-Starr Professor of Pharmacology at Weill Cornell Medicine, has been awarded a three-year, $1.65 million grant for RNA research under a biotechnology-development program run by the U.S. National Science Foundation. The competitive Molecular Foundations for Biotechnology program funds cutting-edge research that lays the groundwork for future clinical and industrial biotechnologies. The new award is one of nine that have been given to research teams across the United States this year, with funding assistance from the National Institutes of Health, to advance the promise of RNA-based therapeutics and ...

NEW YORK, NY / TORONTO, ON – March, 21, 2024 – Artificial intelligence may make it difficult for even the most discerning ears to detect deepfake voices – as recently evidenced in the fake Joe Biden robocall and the bogus Taylor Swift cookware ad on Meta – but scientists at Klick Labs say the best approach might actually come down to using AI to look for what makes us human. Inspired by their clinical studies using vocal biomarkers to help enhance health outcomes, and their fascination with sci-fi films like “Blade Runner,” the Klick ...

Although there are many differences between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, there are also similarities, such as inflammation of the insulin-producing cells. Researchers at Lund University have studied a protein called C3, which plays a central role in the body’s immune system. The protein is secreted from cells and is found in large quantities in the blood. Previous studies by the same researchers have shown that C3 is also present inside cells and plays an important role there. Now, their latest study in PNAS shows that the protein C3 protects insulin-producing cells from damage and death when it is present ...

1. A NIMS research team has developed the world’s first n-channel diamond MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor). The developed n-channel diamond MOSFET provides a key step toward CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor: one of the most popular technologies in the computer chip) integrated circuits for harsh-environment- applications as well as the development of diamond power electronics. 2. Semiconductor diamond has outstanding physical properties such as ultra wide-bandgap energy of 5.5 eV, high carriers mobilities, ...

Research Highlights: A study of nearly 4 million young adults under age 40 in South Korea found that those who had ideal cardiovascular health were nearly two-thirds less likely to develop heart disease, stroke and/or kidney disease during a 12-year follow-up period. Adults who had low heart health scores at study baseline in 2009-2010 but improved their cardiovascular health thereafter also had a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke or kidney disease compared to people with persistent low heart health scores. Embargoed until 10:30 a.m. CT/11:30 a.m. ET, Thursday, March 21, 2024 CHICAGO, March 21, 2024 — An ...

Today, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) announced several key appointments and a new AI residency program to advance the organization’s AI strategy for science, which is focused on building predictive models of healthy and diseased cells. Several AI experts from academia and industry have joined a newly established AI Advisory Group, which will provide guidance to leaders at CZI and across the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network as these organizations work to enable AI at scale for nonprofit life science research. In addition, CZI is launching an AI residency program to develop foundational AI/ML models and tools that will enable ...

A research consortium led by Nestlé Research in Switzerland and the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) made a recent discovery that the natural molecule trigonelline present in coffee, fenugreek, and also in the human body, can help to improve muscle health and function. In an international collaboration among the University of Southampton, University of Melbourne, University of Tehran, University of South Alabama, University of Toyama and University of Copenhagen, the work builds on a previous collaborative ...

Aging may be less about specific “aging genes” and more about how long a gene is. Many of the changes associated with aging could be occurring due to decreased expression of long genes, say researchers in an opinion piece publishing March 21 in the journal Trends in Genetics. A decline in the expression of long genes with age has been observed in a wide range of animals, from worms to humans, in various human cell and tissue types, and also in individuals with neurodegenerative disease. Mouse experiments show that the phenomenon can be mitigated via known anti-aging factors, including dietary restriction. “If you ask me, this ...

Scientists have uncovered the fossilized skull of a 270-million-year-old ancient amphibian ancestor in the collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. In a paper published today, March 21, in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, the team of researchers described the fossil as a new species of proto-amphibian, which they named Kermitops gratus in honor of the iconic Muppet, Kermit the Frog. According to Calvin So, a doctoral student at the George Washington University and the lead author on the new paper, naming the new creature after the beloved frog character, who was created ...

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Associate Professor and Cancer Center member Tobias Janowitz led a COVID-19 clinical trial with Northwell Health in 2021. When he and Clinical Fellow Hassal Lee reviewed the data, a surprising trend emerged. “The patient roster was very diverse,” Janowitz explains. “We’d made no deliberate effort toward that other than conducting the trial remotely.” When it comes to cancer trials, many variables impact patient participation. One measurable factor is distance. On average, people are less likely to ...

About The Study: This analysis including 157,000 individuals from two large study cohorts found that among U.S. veterans, higher body mass index (BMI) variability was a significant risk marker associated with adverse cardiovascular events independent of mean BMI across major racial and ethnic groups. Results were consistent in the UK Biobank for the cardiovascular death end point. Further studies should investigate the phenotype of high BMI variability.  Authors: Yan V. Sun, Ph.D., M.S., ...

About The Study: In this early childhood study including 303 children, concussion was associated with more postconcussive symptoms than orthopedic injuries or typical development up to three months after injury. Given the limited verbal and cognitive abilities typical of early childhood, using developmentally appropriate manifestations and behaviors is a valuable way of tracking postconcussive symptoms and could aid in concussion diagnosis in young children.  Authors: Miriam Beauchamp, Ph.D., of the Universite de Montreal, is the corresponding author.  To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at ...

The first study of humpback whale entanglements in B.C. aquaculture facilities in PLOS One found eight over 13 years, with the curiosity of young whales a potential contributing factor. A rare occurrence Entanglements are one of several threats to humpbacks. The eight occurred from 2008 to 2021 at seven fish farms, with five animals successfully released and three deaths. The entanglements accounted for less than six per cent of all entanglements in B.C. Approximately 7,000 animals return to B.C. waters annually. Most whales became entangled between the predator and containment nets on fish farms. In five cases, experienced ...

Tokyo, Japan – Drinking milk helps your bones grow big and strong; but what if direct exposure to light could help too? Now, researchers from Japan report that lighting up bone tissue could help treat bone disease. In a study published last month in Scientific Reports, researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) have revealed that a treatment approach based on light could help activate bones to repair themselves. Bones are constantly being remodeled through the action of osteoclasts, which break down bone tissue, and osteoblasts, which create new bone tissue. ...

We are used to computers getting faster and faster, but complicated calculations involving lots of data can take a very long time, even today. This applies to calculations of chemical reactions, how proteins assume different three-dimensional forms and so-called phase transitions, where one chemical substance transitions from one state to another, such as from solid to liquid form. These types of results are often very important – for example, in the chemical industry. Down from one year to ten days These complicated calculations can take years to perform, and access to the most ...

1. A NIMS research team has developed a technique that enables the nanoscale observation of heat propagation paths and behavior within material specimens. This was achieved using a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) capable of emitting a pulsed electron beam and a nanosized thermocouple—a high-precision temperature measurement device developed by NIMS. 2. Public interest in energy conservation and recycling has grown considerably in recent years. This change has inspired scientists to develop next-generation materials/devices capable of controlling and utilizing heat with a high degree of precision, including thermoelectric devices able to ...