//www.koonmotors.com/news/plants_animals/pests_and_parasites/ Pest and Parasite Research News. Read today's research on pests and parasites and consider ways to deal with them. en-us Wed, 06 Sep 2023 14:52:28 EDT Wed, 06 Sep 2023 14:52:28 EDT 60 //www.koonmotors.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png//www.koonmotors.com/news/plants_animals/pests_and_parasites/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905125102.htm New research shows that being infected with multiple strains of the Chagas-inducing parasite may hinder the disease's progression. Tue, 05 Sep 2023 12:51:02 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905125102.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831164439.htm Researchers have determined how Leishmaniasis 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/2023/08/230828162349.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/2023/08/230828105511.htm The world's first case of a new parasitic infection in humans has been discovered by researchers who detected a live eight-centimeter roundworm from a carpet python in the brain of a 64- year-old Australian woman. Mon, 28 Aug 2023 10:55:11 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230828105511.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/2023/08/230823165403.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/2023/08/230823122515.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 //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230822111718.htm By increasing the diversity of indigenous plants in urban areas, researchers have seen a seven times increase in the number of insect species in just three years, confirming the ecological benefits of urban greening projects. Tue, 22 Aug 2023 11:17:18 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230822111718.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230817164011.htm Conventional wisdom among ecologists holds that the more species there are inhabiting an ecosystem, the less vulnerable any one species will be to a threat like a parasite. A new study of tadpoles illustrates how overlapping biological and environmental factors can complicate how we value protecting diverse animal communities. The researchers found that environmental pollutants like road salt influence whether increased biodiversity helps or hinders disease outbreaks in wildlife, which can complicate how we value protecting diverse animal communities. Thu, 17 Aug 2023 16:40:11 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230817164011.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230816114148.htm Bats gather to feast as nocturnal insects fly through mountain passes in the Pyrenees each autumn, new research shows. Wed, 16 Aug 2023 11:41:48 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230816114148.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230811115456.htm Specific receptors in the ears of mosquitoes have been revealed to modulate their hearing, finds a new study. Scientists say, this discovery could help develop new insecticides and control the spread of harmful diseases, such as malaria. Fri, 11 Aug 2023 11:54:56 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230811115456.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230811115433.htm An experimental malaria vaccine appears safe and promotes an immune response in African infants, one of the groups most vulnerable to severe malaria disease. There is currently only one malaria vaccine, 'RTS,S' that is approved by the World Health Organization and offers partial disease protection. However, in the results of the early-stage phase Ib trial, researchers find that targeting RH5 -- a protein that the malaria pathogen Plasmodium falciparum uses to invade red blood cells -- can generate a promising immune response that is most pronounced in an infant cohort. Fri, 11 Aug 2023 11:54:33 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230811115433.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230809164700.htm Fossilized feces preserve evidence of ancient parasites that infected an aquatic predator over 200 million years ago, according to a new study. Wed, 09 Aug 2023 16:47:00 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230809164700.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230808181913.htm New research found that inflammation in the body can slow down the development of malaria parasites in the bloodstream -- a discovery that may constitute a potential new strategy for preventing or limiting severe disease. Tue, 08 Aug 2023 18:19:13 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230808181913.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230804123807.htm Ecologists examined the distribution patterns of canopy soils, and their soil properties, across Costa Rican forests. The researchers suggest canopy soil may store more carbon than previously thought. Consideration of the time needed for reforestation of system with tree canopies should include the time needed for canopy mat regrowth. Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:38:07 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230804123807.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731215334.htm It's an elegant solution: Remove the habitat of a parasite-carrying aquatic snail and reduce the level of infection in the local community; all while generating more feed and compost for local farmers. Mon, 31 Jul 2023 21:53:34 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731215334.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731110737.htm Researchers have uncovered why some intestinal worm infections become chronic in animal models, which could eventually lead to human vaccines and improved treatments. Parasitic worms, also called helminths, usually infect the host by living in the gut. About a quarter of the world population is afflicted with helminth infections. Mon, 31 Jul 2023 11:07:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731110737.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230727143937.htm The link between tree diversity and spider populations can help homeowners and other land managers better plan tree plantings to naturally mitigate the effects of climate change. Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:39:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230727143937.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230726171303.htm When oleander aphids infested tropical milkweed, monarch butterflies laid fewer eggs on the plant, and the caterpillars developing on those plants were slower to mature. Wed, 26 Jul 2023 17:13:03 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230726171303.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230724200738.htm 科学家们盘overed a new species of marine cryptofauna in the Florida Keys. Cryptofauna are the tiny, hidden, organisms that make up the majority of biodiversity in the ocean. The tiny crustaceans are the first new gnathiid isopod to be discovered from the Floridian ecoregion in 100 years and are named after singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. Mon, 24 Jul 2023 20:07:38 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230724200738.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230724122535.htm Scientists discovered that 1) the wasting response to T. brucei infection in mice occurs in two phases, each regulated by different immune cells and 2) fat loss did not benefit the fight against infection, but muscle loss did. The findings inform the development of more effective therapeutics that spare people from wasting and increase our understanding of how wasting influences survival and morbidity across infections, cancers, chronic illnesses, and more. Mon, 24 Jul 2023 12:25:35 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230724122535.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230720124846.htm A new mRNA vaccine targeting immune cells in the liver could be the key to tackling malaria, a disease that causes over half a million deaths each year according to the World Health Organization, yet has no effective long-lasting vaccine. Thu, 20 Jul 2023 12:48:46 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230720124846.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230718164256.htm Parasitic hairworms manipulate the behavior of their hosts in what's sometimes called 'mind control.' A new study reveals another strange trait shared by different hairworm species: they're missing about 30% of the genes that researchers expected them to have. What's more, the missing genes are responsible for the development of cilia, the hair-like structures present in at least some of the cells of every other animal known. 星期二,2023年7月18日16:42:56美国东部时间 //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230718164256.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230710113929.htm A study has identified genes involved in development of stone cells -- rigid cells that can block a nibbling insect from eating budding branches of the Sitka spruce evergreen tree. The insect's attack has stunted the growth of these forest giants. Mon, 10 Jul 2023 11:39:29 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230710113929.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230707153831.htm Extinct dwarf hippos that once roamed Madagascar lived in forests rather than open grasslands preferred by common hippos on mainland Africa. The findings suggest grasslands that now cover much of the enormous island off the eastern coast of southern Africa were a relatively recent change facilitated by people rather than a natural habitat sustained in part by these famously large vegetarians. Fri, 07 Jul 2023 15:38:31 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230707153831.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230705154012.htm Using CRISPR technology, scientists have engineered a new way to genetically suppress populations of Anopheles gambiae, the mosquitoes that primarily spread malaria in Africa and contribute to economic poverty in affected regions. Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:40:12 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230705154012.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230629125737.htm The mosquito species Culex modestus has been found in Finland for the first time. In Southern Europe it is known to spread West Nile virus, but it is highly unlikely for the disease to occur in Finland. Culex modestus has become the 44th mosquito species found in Finland, and the northernmost record of the species in Europe. The previous findings closest to Finland, but further south, have been made in the Leningrad Province in Russia and in Skåne in Sweden. Thu, 29 Jun 2023 12:57:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230629125737.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230628130406.htm Squash bugs, a common and difficult-to-control agricultural pest, need healthy bacteria in their gut to grow and stay alive. However, they do not acquire any bacteria from their parents when they are first born, leaving them vulnerable until their microbiome can be stocked. Researchers report that, to acquire these healthy bacteria, young bugs innately seek out and eat the poop from older squash bugs. Wed, 28 Jun 2023 13:04:06 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230628130406.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230626164327.htm Black truffle growers are unintentionally growing less-expensive winter truffles, which may lead to mix-ups in the market as well. Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:43:27 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230626164327.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230622142401.htm More than 30 previously unknown RNA viruses in sea lice have been identified. Sea lice are parasitic copepods (small crustaceans) found in many fresh and saltwater habitats, and have been implicated in the decline of wild salmon populations. The research sheds greater light on the types of viruses being carried by sea lice, and how the viruses and host are interacting. Thu, 22 Jun 2023 14:24:01 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230622142401.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230621003059.htm New research explores how a warming world could impact ecosystems and derail the development of new species. Wed, 21 Jun 2023 00:30:59 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230621003059.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230612114657.htm Giraffes in the East African savannahs are adapting surprisingly well to the rising temperatures caused by climate change. However, they are threatened by increasingly heavy rainfall, as researchers have shown. Mon, 12 Jun 2023 11:46:57 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230612114657.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230606164816.htm Could the next weapon against malaria come from a better understanding of biological clocks? A new study shows that malaria parasites sync their gene activity with the circadian rhythms of their host, like two pendulum clocks with synchronized swings. If scientists can identify the molecular signals behind this mysterious synchronicity, they might be able to develop new anti-malarial drugs that throw malaria's internal clock out of step with its host, essentially 'jet-lagging' the parasites. Tue, 06 Jun 2023 16:48:16 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230606164816.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230605181342.htm Night-time pollinators such as moths may visit just as many plants as bees, and should also be the focus of conservation and protection efforts, a new study suggests. Mon, 05 Jun 2023 18:13:42 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230605181342.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230531150041.htm Scientists have identified a key chemical associated with lethal bronzing (LB) infected palm trees. LB is a bacterial disease that kills more than 20 species of palm trees in the Southern United States and Caribbean and has been devastating the Florida green industries for nearly two decades. Wed, 31 May 2023 15:00:41 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230531150041.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230531101953.htm Even without nerves, plants can sense when something touches them and when it lets go, a study has found. In a set of experiments, individual plant cells responded to the touch of a very fine glass rod by sending slow waves of calcium signals to other plant cells, and when that pressure was released, they sent much more rapid waves. While scientists have known that plants can respond to touch, this study shows that plant cells send different signals when touch is initiated and ended. Wed, 31 May 2023 10:19:53 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230531101953.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230526121100.htm 研究圣经的2500岁高龄的厕所Kingdom of Judah shows the ancient faeces within contain Giardia -- a parasite that can cause dysentery. Fri, 26 May 2023 12:11:00 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230526121100.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230525141233.htm Some of nature's most diverse pollinators often go unnoticed, even by scientists: long-snouted beetles called weevils. A new study provides a deep dive into the more than 600 species of weevils, including ones whose entire life cycles are interwoven with a specific plant that they help pollinate. Thu, 25 May 2023 14:12:33 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230525141233.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230522131320.htm Plants show enormous variety in traits relevant to breeding, such as plant height, yield and resistance to pests. One of the greatest challenges in modern plant research is to identify the differences in genetic information that are responsible for this variation. Mon, 22 May 2023 13:13:20 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230522131320.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230516115536.htm Under certain circumstances, a rare tropical plant develops into a carnivore. A research team has now deciphered the mechanism responsible for this. Tue, 16 May 2023 11:55:36 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230516115536.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230511164547.htm Much of what is now considered modern medicine originated as folk remedies or traditional, Indigenous practices. These customs are still alive today, and they could help address a variety of conditions. Now, researchers have identified compounds in the leaves of a particular medicinal Labrador tea plant used throughout the First Nations of Nunavik, Canada, and demonstrated that one of them has activity against the parasite responsible for malaria. Thu, 11 May 2023 16:45:47 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230511164547.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230508104807.htm Half of plant proteins in the EU come from rapeseed plants. Until now, the plant has only been used for oil and animal feed, as it is both bitter and unsafe for human consumption. In a new study, researchers have gotten closer to removing the plant's bitter substances, and in doing so, are paving the way for a new protein source to support the green transition. Mon, 08 May 2023 10:48:07 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230508104807.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230502132250.htm 像动物一样,许多植物物种正在努力adapt to a human-dominated planet. However, plants are often overlooked in conservation efforts, even though they are cheaper and easier to protect than animals and play a pivotal role in bolstering our food, fuel, and medical systems. A plant ecologist suggests an approach for preventing all future land plant extinctions across the globe which includes training more plant experts, building an online 'metaherbarium,' and creating 'microreserves.' Tue, 02 May 2023 13:22:50 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230502132250.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230502132247.htm A team has modeled improving photosynthesis through enzyme modification and simulated soybean growth with realistic climate conditions, determining to what extent the improvements in photosynthesis could result in increased yields. Tue, 02 May 2023 13:22:47 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230502132247.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230501112154.htm A new study on herpes infections of the eye helps shed light on the question of viral reinfections by identifying a key protein involved in viral reinfections that could be targeted by antiviral drugs. Mon, 01 May 2023 11:21:54 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230501112154.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230428130736.htm A new study has identified potential broad-spectrum antiviral agents that can target multiple families of RNA viruses that continue to pose a significant threat for future pandemics. Fri, 28 Apr 2023 13:07:36 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230428130736.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230427173433.htm Bacterial spores can survive for years, even centuries, without nutrients, resisting heat, UV radiation, and antibiotics. How inert, sleeping bacteria -- or spores -- spring back to life has been a century-long mystery. New research identifies how sensor proteins revive dormant bacteria. Discovery opens new routes to combat spore resistance to antibiotics and sterilization. Findings can inform novel strategies to prevent infections, food spoilage. Thu, 27 Apr 2023 17:34:33 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230427173433.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230426210431.htm Fungal spores found in dung have revealed that large animals went extinct in two 'waves' in the Colombian Andes. Wed, 26 Apr 2023 21:04:31 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230426210431.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230426104006.htm 自然纪录片会告诉你,狮子,切etahs, wolves and other top predators target the weakest or slowest animals and that this culling benefits prey herds, whether it's antelope in Africa or elk in Wyoming. This idea has been widely accepted by biologists for many years and was formalized in 2003 as the healthy herds hypothesis. It proposes that predators can help prey populations by picking off the sick and injured and leaving healthy, strong animals to reproduce. Wed, 26 Apr 2023 10:40:06 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230426104006.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230419125100.htm An interdisciplinary group of researchers is proposing a new way to think of some interactions between species, classifying a variety of plants, animals and fungi as 'nature's chefs.' Specifically, nature's chefs are organisms that provide food -- or the illusion of food -- to other organisms. The concept offers a new perspective on species interactions, which can inform how people think about food across the tree of life as well as disparate research disciplines. Wed, 19 Apr 2023 12:51:00 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230419125100.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230419125043.htm Honey bee colonies managed using organic methods were as healthy and productive as those managed in conventional systems, while avoiding the use of synthetic pesticides to control pests and pathogens inside the hive, according to entomologists. Wed, 19 Apr 2023 12:50:43 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230419125043.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230417142513.htm Female monarch butterflies have no trouble finding a mate -- even when a parasite kills most of the males, new research shows. Mon, 17 Apr 2023 14:25:13 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230417142513.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230413154400.htm Pollinators such as honeybees produce special enzymes that detoxify defence chemicals produced by plants, new research shows. Thu, 13 Apr 2023 15:44:00 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230413154400.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230413153856.htm Scientists report the first high-quality nuclear genome sequence and assembly of the pathogen B. duncani. The team also determined the 3D genome structure of this pathogen that resembles Plasmodium falciparum, the malaria-causing parasite. Thu, 13 Apr 2023 15:38:56 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230413153856.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230412153102.htm Researchers have developed an electronic patch that can be applied to the leaves of plants to monitor crops for different pathogens -- such as viral and fungal infections -- and stresses such as drought or salinity. In testing, the researchers found the patch was able to detect a viral infection in tomatoes more than a week before growers would be able to detect any visible symptoms of disease. Wed, 12 Apr 2023 15:31:02 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230412153102.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230411105922.htm A new study's finding that urban light pollution may disrupt the winter dormancy period for mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus could be considered both good news and bad news. The good news is that the disease-carrying pests may not survive the winter if their plans to fatten up are foiled. The bad news is their dormancy period, known as diapause, may simply be delayed -- meaning they're biting humans and animals longer into the fall. Tue, 11 Apr 2023 10:59:22 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230411105922.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230404114232.htm With dengue on the spread, the new discovery helps explain why dengue viruses are so easily transmitted. The finding could also lead to new ways to prevent infection. Tue, 04 Apr 2023 11:42:32 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230404114232.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230403162611.htm Researchers provide open-access tool to capture new data on a global plant destroyer, Phytophthora. Mon, 03 Apr 2023 16:26:11 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230403162611.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/03/230330133551.htm Researchers have recorded and analyzed sounds distinctly emitted by plants. The click-like sounds, similar to the popping of popcorn, are emitted at a volume similar to human speech, but at high frequencies, beyond the hearing range of the human ear. Thu, 30 Mar 2023 13:35:51 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/03/230330133551.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/03/230330102153.htm Moths are more efficient pollinators at night than day-flying pollinators such as bees, finds new research. Thu, 30 Mar 2023 10:21:53 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/03/230330102153.htm