//www.koonmotors.com/news/plants_animals/life_sciences/ Life Science News. Updated daily with science research articles in all the life sciences. en-us Fri, 08 Sep 2023 17:22:55 EDT Fri, 08 Sep 2023 17:22:55 EDT 60 //www.koonmotors.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png//www.koonmotors.com/news/plants_animals/life_sciences/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907205947.htm An emerging system which combines rapid imaging with artificial intelligence could help scientists build a comprehensive picture of present and historic environmental change -- by swiftly and accurately analyzing pollen. Thu, 07 Sep 2023 20:59:47 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907205947.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130427.htm New research explores the historical shifts in mammal traits and biodiversity loss in eastern Africa. The study reveals how environmental changes disrupted mammal communities and highlights the urgent need for targeted conservation efforts to protect vulnerable species. Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:04:27 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130427.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130404.htm An international consortium of scientists is using an unprecedentedly large database of canine DNA to take an unbiased look at how our furry friends evolved into the various breeds we know and love. Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:04:04 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130404.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130350.htm Researchers have successfully created chimeric embryos containing a combination of human and pig cells. When transferred into surrogate pig mothers, the developing humanized kidneys had normal structure and tubule formation after 28 days. This is the first time that scientists have been able to grow a solid humanized organ inside another species, though previous studies have used similar methods to generate human tissues such as blood or skeletal muscle in pigs. Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:03:50 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130350.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130345.htm In many animals, including ants, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) ensures normal brain function by controlling the movement of various substances in and out of the brain. Now, researchers have made the unexpected discovery that the BBB in carpenter ants plays an active role in controlling behavior that's essential to the function of entire ant colonies. The key is production in the BBB of a particular hormone-degrading enzyme. Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:03:45 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130345.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130329.htm 遗传操纵一个令人费解的,微乎其微的bacteria that has lived in human mouths at least since the Middle Stone Age is elucidating the genes needed for its unusual lifestyle. These Patescibacteria in the human oral microbiome reside on the surface of another, larger host microbe. Found in many water and land environments, Patescibacteria in general lack the genes required to make many molecules necessary for life, such as the amino acids that make up proteins, the fatty acids that form membranes, and the nucleotides in DNA. This has led researchers to speculate that many of them rely on other bacteria to grow. In a new study, researchers present the first glimpse into the molecular mechanisms behind their relationship with their host cells. They also share details gleaned from fluorescent, time-lapse microsopic imaging of these bacteria as they bud and send out swarms of tiny progeny, only a fraction of which are able to establish a host relationship. Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:03:29 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130329.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130309.htm When dairy cows are fed diets with reduced protein concentrations -- aimed at decreased environmental nitrogen pollution from their manure such as nitrate leaching, nutrient-laden run-off and ammonia volatilization -- their milk production can suffer. Supplementing the amino acid histidine may help in maintaining, and even increasing, milk and milk-protein yields. Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:03:09 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907130309.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230906161820.htm Scientists have identified a key part of a mechanism that annotates genetic information before it is passed from fathers to their offspring. The findings shed new light on genomic imprinting, a fundamental, biological process in which a gene from one parent is switched off while the copy from the other parent remains active. Errors in imprinting are linked to a host of diseases, such as the rare disease Silver-Russell syndrome along with certain cancers and diabetes. Wed, 06 Sep 2023 16:18:20 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230906161820.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230906112450.htm Researchers have investigated how the behavior of an individual wheat plant under limiting light conditions influences the performance of the whole community. They assessed morphological and biomass phenotypes of single plants grown in mixtures under sunlight and a simulated canopy shade, and the relevance of these phenotypes for the monoculture community in the field. Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:24:50 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230906112450.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230906112437.htm A team of researchers has revealed that the Dumpy protein, a component of extracellular matrices -- or ECM -- is the key factor in regulating the stereotypic origami-like folding of wing-cell sheets. Their findings that wing cells never divide during folding nor do they exhibit spatially distinct behaviors suggest how external cues can create consistent 3D tissue structures. Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:24:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230906112437.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230906112431.htm Mold and diseases caused by fungi can greatly impact the shelf life of fruit and vegetables. However, some fungi benefit their hosts by aiding plant survival. Colletotrichum tofieldiae (Ct) is a root mold which typically supports continued plant development even when the plant is starved of phosphorus, an important nutrient for photosynthesis and growth. Researchers studied a unique pathogenic strain of the fungi, called Ct3, which conversely inhibits plant growth. Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:24:31 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230906112431.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230906112421.htm Farmers usually plant so-called cover crops after harvesting their main crop in the Fall. This prevents erosion of the soil and nutrient leaching. The roots of these crops also stabilize the structure of the soil. It had been assumed up to now that a mixture of different cover crops would result in particularly intensive rooting. However, a recent study found only limited evidence that this is the case. Instead, mixed cover crops grow thinner roots than when just one single type of cover crop is planted. This result was unexpected. It documents how little is currently understood about the interactions between plant roots. Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:24:21 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230906112421.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230906112412.htm Neuroscientists created the first non-human primate model of hereditary Alzheimer's in marmosets to accelerate the pace of drug discovery and rebuild the foundation for future translational studies. Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:24:12 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230906112412.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905202507.htm Right at the bottom of the deep sea, the first very simple forms of life on earth probably emerged a long time ago. Today, the deep sea is known for its bizarre fauna. Intensive research is being conducted into how the number of species living on the sea floor have changed in the meantime. Some theories say that the ecosystems of the deep sea have emerged again and again after multiple mass extinctions and oceanic upheavals. Today's life in the deep sea would thus be comparatively young in the history of the Earth. But there is increasing evidence that parts of this world are much older than previously thought. Tue, 05 Sep 2023 20:25:07 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905202507.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905155714.htm Plant-based alternatives such as tempeh and bean burgers provide protein-rich options for those who want to reduce their meat consumption. However, replicating meat's flavors and aromas has proven challenging, with companies often relying on synthetic additives. A recent study unveils a potential solution: onions, chives and leeks that produce natural chemicals akin to the savory scents of meat when fermented with common fungi. Tue, 05 Sep 2023 15:57:14 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905155714.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905155650.htm Male fruit flies don't usually like each other. Socially, they reject their fellow males and zero in on the females they discern via chemical receptors -- or so scientists thought. Tue, 05 Sep 2023 15:56:50 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905155650.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905125052.htm Invasive alien species are animals that may pose a threat to biodiversity, but it's time to deal with that threat in a more ethical way. Tue, 05 Sep 2023 12:50:52 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905125052.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905125025.htm In just 26 years, the distribution of rare butterflies has plummeted by 72% in Eastern Denmark. Several species are threatened with extinction, yet the conservation actions aiming to safeguard species have proved unsuccessful. Tue, 05 Sep 2023 12:50:25 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905125025.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905125010.htm A new study has uncovered intriguing insights into the evolution of plant biology, effectively rewriting the history of how they evolved over the past billion years. Tue, 05 Sep 2023 12:50:10 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905125010.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905124952.htm Elephants, buffaloes and other heavy herbivores are effective against invasive plants. This is the conclusion of a new study that used Indian data, including data from the world's largest survey of wildlife based on camera traps. But smaller animals can do the same: you don't need elephants to get the same effect, the researchers point out. Tue, 05 Sep 2023 12:49:52 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905124952.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905124907.htm Resistant starch is a nondigestible fiber that ferments in the large intestine, and consumption of it has previously been shown to have a positive effect on metabolism in animal studies. Now, a 4-month randomized controlled trial in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) indicates that daily intake of resistant starch can alter gut bacteria composition and lower liver triglycerides and liver enzymes associated with liver injury and inflammation. Tue, 05 Sep 2023 12:49:07 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905124907.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230904133135.htm More than 100 years of observations in nature have revealed a universal pattern of species abundances: Most species are rare but not very rare, and only a few species are very common. These so-called global species abundance distributions have become fully unveiled for some well-monitored species groups, such as birds. For other species groups, such as insects, however, the veil remains partially unlifted. A new study demonstrates how important biodiversity monitoring is for detecting species abundances on planet Earth and for understanding how they change. Mon, 04 Sep 2023 13:31:35 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230904133135.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230901124058.htm Flowering for some plants is a yearly occurrence, for others, it is a once-in-a-lifetime event. A widespread species of bamboo in Japan, Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis, takes this one-time flowering event and pushes it to the extreme: they flower once every 120 years before dying to make way for the next generation. Researchers have realized there might be another issue at hand with this monocarpic species, which is the lack of germination of the seeds from a majority of the flowering specimens. Implications of a once dense field of bamboo, something that serves both as a food source and a source of material for crafts, turning to grassland for several years until the regeneration of bamboo begins to start somehow, can impact the ecology of the area in addition to the country's economy. Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:40:58 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230901124058.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831164439.htm 研究人员已经确定利什曼病vaccine candidates, created using mutated disease-causing parasites, prompt molecular-level changes in host cells that have specific roles in helping generate the immune response. Thu, 31 Aug 2023 16:44:39 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831164439.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831142901.htm An international team of marine scientists has studied the DNA of family groups from four different whale species to estimate their mutation rates. Using the newly determined rates, the group found that the number of humpback whales in the North Atlantic before whaling was 86 percent lower than earlier studies suggested. Thu, 31 Aug 2023 14:29:01 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831142901.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831142835.htm A research team identifies the mushroom body as a center for behavioral decisions in the insect brain. Thu, 31 Aug 2023 14:28:35 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831142835.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831142809.htm A new study found that more than half of people who own dogs expressed some level of canine vaccine hesitancy -- i.e. skepticism about vaccinating their pets against rabies and other diseases. An estimated 45 percent of US households own a dog; according to the survey results, nearly 40 percent of dog owners believe that canine vaccines are unsafe, more than 20 percent believe these vaccines are ineffective, and 30 percent consider them to be medically unnecessary. Thu, 31 Aug 2023 14:28:09 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831142809.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831121712.htm As climate change continues to pose severe challenges to ensuring sustainable food supplies around the world, scientists are looking for ways to improve the resilience and nutritional quality of potatoes. Scientists have assembled the genome sequences of nearly 300 varieties of potatoes and its wild relatives to develop more nutritious, disease-free, and weather-proof crop. A team has now created a potato super pangenome to identify genetic traits that can help produce the next super spud. Thu, 31 Aug 2023 12:17:12 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831121712.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831121648.htm Plant species from certain geographic regions are more successful in spreading outside their native ranges than others -- but why? Ecologists provide answers by exploring how the ecological and evolutionary histories of plants can influence their relationships with humans and their success as invaders. Thu, 31 Aug 2023 12:16:48 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831121648.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230830160828.htm Researchers generated large scale gene expression data to investigate the molecular networks that operate in one of the closest algal relatives of land plants, a humble single-celled alga called Mesotaenium endlicherianum. Wed, 30 Aug 2023 16:08:28 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230830160828.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230830131925.htm New work could help forest managers predict which forests are most at risk from drought and which will survive. Wed, 30 Aug 2023 13:19:25 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230830131925.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230830131729.htm 科学家认为一个巨大14英尺smalltooth沙轻拍er shark, which washed up at Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, earlier this year, represents the first of its species to have been found in Ireland's waters. Two other individuals of the same species also washed up on the UK coastline, suggesting this species' geographic range has shifted. The scientists believe these rare finds may offer a window into the future, with more and more species traditionally confined to more tropical waters expected to visit Irish and British waters. Wed, 30 Aug 2023 13:17:29 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230830131729.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230830131713.htm A new study brings together intriguing details about the little-known Rhabdodontidae dinosaurs of Late Cretaceous Europe. These gregarious herbivores, characterized by robust builds and beaks specialized for tough vegetation, inhabited the European archipelago. Despite being widespread and abundant, they vanished in Western Europe due to environmental changes around 69 million years ago, while surviving longer in Eastern Europe. Their fossil record offers valuable insights into their evolution and lifestyle, although its limited nature still challenges comprehensive understanding. Wed, 30 Aug 2023 13:17:13 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230830131713.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230830131650.htm Researchers have developed a miniature battery that could be used to power tiny devices integrated into human tissues. The design uses an ionic gradient across a chain of droplets -- inspired by how electric eels generate electricity. The device was able to regulate the biological activity of human neurons. This could open the way to the development of tiny bio-integrated devices, with a range of applications in biology and medicine. Wed, 30 Aug 2023 13:16:50 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230830131650.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230829141714.htm A new article found that overhunting of gorillas, elephants, and other large fruit-eating seed-dispersers make tropical forests less able to store or sequester carbon. Tue, 29 Aug 2023 14:17:14 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230829141714.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230829130034.htm We've long known that hosts malfunction without their microbiome -- whether they are missing key microbial species or are completely microbe free. This malfunctioning is usually explained by the need for microbes to perform unique and beneficial functions, but evolutionary ecologist is questioning that narrative. Tue, 29 Aug 2023 13:00:34 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230829130034.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230829125929.htm Scientists use cutting edge scanning technology to reconstruct 'fossil monster' that lived half a billion years ago. The creature's soft anatomy was well-preserved, allowing it to be imaged almost completely: It fills a gap in our understanding of the evolution of arthropods such as insects and crustaceans. Tue, 29 Aug 2023 12:59:29 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230829125929.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230829125823.htm Researchers have isolated a new strain of marine bacteria with unique characteristics from the ocean seabed. Tue, 29 Aug 2023 12:58:23 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230829125823.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230828190656.htm High-quality sequencing of nearly the entire kakapo population is helping New Zealand to manage the health of this critically endangered species. Mon, 28 Aug 2023 19:06:56 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230828190656.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230828162413.htm An international research team has described seven previously unknown species of leaf insects, also known as walking leaves. The insects belong to the stick and leaf insect order, which are known for their unusual appearance: they look confusingly similar to parts of plants such as twigs, bark or -- in the case of leaf insects -- leaves. This sophisticated camouflage provides excellent protection from predators as well as presenting a challenge to researchers. Genetic analysis enabled the researchers to discover 'cryptic species', which cannot be distinguished by their external appearance alone. The findings are not only important for the systematic study of leaf insects, but also for the protection of their diversity. Mon, 28 Aug 2023 16:24:13 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230828162413.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230828162349.htm Findings can open up new avenues for targeted approaches toward therapeutic strategies against the malaria-causing P. falciparum that are aimed at stopping the parasite's life cycle progression and its sexual differentiation, thus blocking the transmission of the parasite into mosquitoes. Mon, 28 Aug 2023 16:23:49 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230828162349.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230828105530.htm A new article describes the 266 fossil species as one of the richest and most diverse groups of three-million-year-old fauna ever found in New Zealand. At least ten previously unknown species will be described and named in future research. Fossils of the world's oldest known flax snails, an extinct sawshark spine, and great white shark teeth have all been found in a mound of sand excavated from beneath Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant in 2020. Mon, 28 Aug 2023 10:55:30 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230828105530.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230828105517.htm Scientists have verified the anticancer effects of Kencur, a tropical plant of the ginger family, mainly grown in Southeast Asia, in cell and animal experiments. They found that Kencur extract and its main active components significantly inhibit cancer cell growth at the cellular and animal levels. Furthermore, the involvement of TFAM in the mechanism of action was confirmed. Mon, 28 Aug 2023 10:55:17 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230828105517.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230828105508.htm An international research team reports that, given the same genetic makeup, individual behavior alone determines whether or not an individual in a social group will contract a disease. Clonal raider ants of the species Ooceraea biroi that forage outside the nest are more likely to be infected by parasitic nematodes than conspecifics in the nest. The research team also observed that diseases in the colony altered the behavior of all ants: sick and healthy ants alike remained in the nest and the division of labor was reduced, affecting the overall social organization in the ant colony. Mon, 28 Aug 2023 10:55:08 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230828105508.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230825140357.htm The NSL (non-specific lethal) complex regulates thousands of genes in fruit flies and mammals. Silencing the NSL genes leads to the death of the organism, which gave the complex its curious name. Researchers have now discovered that the genes regulated by the NSL complex also include genes of the intraciliary transport system. This enables different cell types to form cilia on their surface, which are important for cell communication. The study shows that these genes are 'switched on' by the NSL complex, regardless of whether a particular cell has cilia or not. The researchers found that this class of cilia-associated genes is crucial for the function of podocytes. This is a highly specialized cell type of the kidney that, paradoxically, does not have cilia. These findings have important implications for ciliopathies and kidney disease. Fri, 25 Aug 2023 14:03:57 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230825140357.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230825122014.htm A study on 'canopy soils' on old trees in Costa Rica shows they are important habitats and carbon stores that cannot easily be replaced. Fri, 25 Aug 2023 12:20:14 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230825122014.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230824120153.htm 苦涩在口中或通常是一个症状side effect of illness, which may be the result of how the body reacts to pathogens. A new study sheds light on the mechanisms involved in the complex interplay between taste perception and immune function. Their work also highlights the potential of a sequencing tool for investigating epigenetic mechanisms that affect taste-cell gene expression. Thu, 24 Aug 2023 12:01:53 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230824120153.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230824111925.htm Researchers have discovered a novel approach for engrafting engineered cells into injured lung tissue. These findings may lead to new ways for treating lung diseases, such as emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis and COVID-19. The two studies describe the methodologies for engineering lung stem cells and transplanting them into injured experimental lungs without immunosuppression. Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:19:25 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230824111925.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230824111821.htm More than 1 billion cows around the world will experience heat stress by the end of the century if carbon emissions are high and environmental protection is low, according to new research. Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:18:21 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230824111821.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230824111449.htm Fungi-eating orchids were found for the first time to offer their flowers to fungi-eating fruit flies in exchange for pollination, which is the first evidence for nursery pollination in orchids. This unique new plant-animal relationship hints at an evolutionary transition towards mutualistic symbiosis. Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:14:49 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230824111449.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823192945.htm A new review argues ever-present microplastics could promote gene transfer among microbes, potentially resulting in greater antibiotic resistance. The review calls for more research on microplastic-microbe interactions where our food is grown. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 19:29:45 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823192945.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165528.htm Fresh research suggests that national parks enhance bird diversity inside their borders. Large parks also support higher diversity of both birds and mammals in nearby unprotected areas. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:55:28 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165528.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165407.htm New research suggests that natural selection, famous for rewarding advantageous differences in organisms, can also preserve similarities. The researchers worked with a plant called wild radish and its stamens, or pollen-producing parts, two of which are short and four are long. Roughly 55 million years ago, wild radish ancestors had stamens of equal length. The team selectively bred -- or artificially selected -- wild radish to reduce the difference in stamen length and return the plant to a more ancestral look. This shows that today's wild radish and, likely, its family members still have the requisite genetic variability to evolve, but natural selection is preserving its different stamen lengths. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:54:07 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165407.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165403.htm Researchers are studying the signaling pathway that leads the parasite responsible for Chagas disease to transform and reproduce. They follow that pathway from the beginning when an uninfected kissing bug acquires the parasite by biting an infected mammal host all the way to the time the parasite develops in the insect's gut to be spread to people or animals through the bug's poop. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:54:03 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165403.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165402.htm In a groundbreaking endeavor, researchers have successfully transferred a longevity gene from naked mole rats to mice, resulting in improved health and an extension of the mouse's lifespan. The research opens exciting possibilities for unlocking the secrets of aging and extending human lifespan. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:54:02 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165402.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165355.htm A new study of cavity-nesting birds in Ecuador shows the influence of deforestation on their habitat and reproductive success. Nest boxes could help. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:53:55 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165355.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122559.htm A discovery about how a common insect acquires a microbe that is essential for its growth may help in the control of an agricultural pest. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 12:25:59 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122559.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122549.htm Regulatory genes -- genes that control how other genes are used -- are responsible for 69% of the heritability of dairy cattle traits such as milk production and fertility, according to a new study. This contribution is 44% more than expected and much higher than previous studies of regulatory genes in humans. The findings, reported by a team of animal and human geneticists, could improve the efficiency of agricultural breeding programs. The study also helps solve the longstanding mystery of why mammalian genomes contain so much noncoding DNA. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 12:25:49 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122549.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122546.htm Researchers combined human and ecological factors to analyze the global scale of non-native tree species invasions. Human activity in hotspots of global trade, such as maritime ports, is linked to an increased likelihood of non-native tree species invasions. However, a high diversity of native tree species can help to curb the intensity of such invasions. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 12:25:46 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122546.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122515.htm Many plants and crops rely on insects to pollinate them so they can reproduce. A new study has shown that several flowering plants from the group Euonymus are pollinated by fungus gnats, a dipteran insect. Specifically, they pollinate Euonymus plants which have red-petaled flowers with short stamens and yogurt-like scent. Although fungus gnats are known to pollinate hundreds of plant species, this study shows that the particular traits of red Euonymus flowers were likely to have been acquired via pollination syndrome, evolving over a process of natural selection to be pollinated specifically by fungus gnats. This research highlights the important role of Diptera, which are commonly regarded as pests, in plant diversity and evolution. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 12:25:15 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122515.htm