356 articles from THURSDAY 27.8.2020

Researchers discover new avenue for fighting COVID-19, Ebola and other viral diseases

A team including researchers from Seattle's Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason has identified a new pathway for protecting cells from deadly viruses — including the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 as well as the Ebola virus. The technique, described in this week's issue of the journal Science, takes advantage of a screening technique for seeking out new genes that can prevent...

NASA's Terra Satellite reveals burn scars from California's two largest fires

On Aug. 26, 2020, NASA's Terra satellite was able to image the two areas in California where the fires have been most active and using the false color reflectance bands on the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Infrared Spectroradiometer) instrument aboard. Using these bands, the burned areas or fire-affected areas are characterized by deposits of charcoal and ash, removal of vegetation and/or the...

Researchers develop a yeast-based platform to boost production of rare natural molecules

Many modern medicines, including analgesics and opioids, are derived from rare molecules found in plants and bacteria. While they are effective against a host of ailments, a number of these molecules have proven to be difficult to produce in large quantities. Some are so labor intensive that it is uneconomical for pharmaceutical companies to produce them in sufficient amounts to bring them to...

Genetics of the tree of life

The African baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) is called the tree of life. Baobab trees can live for more than a thousand years and provide food, livestock fodder, medicinal compounds, and raw materials. Baobab trees are incredibly significant. However, there are growing conservation concerns and until now, a lack of genetic information.

Researchers develop a yeast-based platform to boost production of rare natural molecules

Researchers outline a method to synthesize complex bioactive molecules much more quickly and efficiently. Using cutting-edge synthetic biology approaches, They were able to produce a large amount of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BIA) to synthesize an array of natural and new-to-nature chemical structures in a yeast-based platform. This can provide a blueprint for the large-scale production of...

Genetics of the tree of life

Baobab trees can live for more than a thousand years and provide food, livestock fodder, medicinal compounds, and raw materials. Scientists counted the significant tree's chromosomes -- information critical for conservation, agricultural improvement, and further genetic work.

Hubble maps giant halo around Andromeda Galaxy

In a landmark study, scientists using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have mapped the immense envelope of gas, called a halo, surrounding the Andromeda galaxy, our nearest large galactic neighbor. Scientists were surprised to find that this tenuous, nearly invisible halo of diffuse plasma extends 1.3 million light-years from the galaxy—about halfway to our Milky Way—and as far as 2 million...

August is open season for hunting invasive insects

It's a busy time of year for the Texas A&M Forest Service—many highly destructive pests are emerging in their adult form to reproduce and lay eggs. One such pest on the Forest Service's most wanted list is the emerald ash borer.

Penis bones, echolocation calls, and genes reveal new kinds of bats

If you've ever seen a bat flying around at sunset, chances are good it was a vesper bat. They're the biggest bat family, made up of 500 species, found on every continent except Antarctica. And most of them look a lot alike—they're little, with fuzzy grayish-brown fur, sort of the sparrows of the bat world. That can make it hard to tell the different species apart. But scientists just discovered...

DNA repair: Locating and severing lethal links

Covalent cross-links between proteins and DNA are among the most hazardous types of DNA damage. Researchers have now characterized an enzyme that breaks such bonds, and elucidated how it specifically recognizes sites of damage.

Helminth infections common in Medieval Europe, grave study finds

Although helminth infections -- including tapeworms and roundworms -- are among the world's top neglected diseases, they are no longer endemic in Europe. However, researchers report that these infections were common in Medieval Europe, according to grave samples analyzed from across the continent.

Synthetic compound could serve as prototype for novel class of drugs to treat neurological damage

Researchers have developed a neurologically acting protein and tested it in laboratory studies. In mice, the experimental compound ameliorated symptoms of certain neurological injuries and diseases, while on the microscopic level it was able to establish and repair connections between neurons. This proof-of-principle study suggests that biologics, which act on neuronal connectivity, could be of...

A new method for making a key component of plastics

Scientists have discovered a previously unknown way that some bacteria produce the chemical ethylene - a finding that could lead to new ways to produce plastics without using fossil fuels. The study showed that the bacteria created ethylene gas as a byproduct of metabolizing sulfur, which they need to survive.

The Le Teil earthquake provides new insights on seismic risk in France and Western Europe

On 11 November 2019, a magnitude 5 earthquake occurred near the village of Le Teil in the Rhône River Valley in southern France producing an unexpected surface rupture with ground displacement. For the first time in France, scientists had the opportunity to use all modern seismological, geodetical, and geological techniques available to study this historically unprecedented seismic event.

Prior Zika virus infection increases risk of severe dengue disease

A new study finds that people who have antibodies to the mosquito-borne Zika virus are more vulnerable to developing dengue disease. This immune interaction, called antibody-dependent enhancement, could complicate the search for a safe and effective vaccine that protects against Zika without also increasing the risk of dengue.

Mosquito immune system mapped to help fight malaria

Scientists have created the first cell atlas of mosquito immune cells, to understand how mosquitoes fight malaria and other infections. Researchers discovered new types of mosquito immune cells, including a rare cell type that could be involved in limiting malaria infection. The findings offer opportunities for uncovering novel ways to prevent mosquitoes from spreading the malaria parasite to...

Cochlear implants should be recommended for adults more often

An international group of hearing specialists has released a new set of recommendations emphasizing that cochlear implants should be offered to adults who have moderate to severe or worse hearing loss much more often than is the current practice. The group hopes the recommendations help increase usage of such devices, potentially improving hearing and quality of life for millions worldwide.

Land use change leads to increased flooding in Indonesia, study shows

While high greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss are often associated with rapid land-use change in Indonesia, impacts on local water cycles have been largely overlooked. Researchers from the University of Göttingen, IPB University in Bogor and BMKG in Jakarta have now published a new study on this issue. They show that the expansion of monocultures, such as oil palm and rubber...