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How can 'shark dandruff' contribute to coral reef conservation?
Microscopic scales covering a shark's body--dermal denticles--from fossil and modern reefs show how shark communities have changed since humans arrived on the scene.
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How fish got their spines
Many fish species evolved parts of their fins into sharp, spiny, needle-like elements -- called fin spines -- that function to protect the fish against predators. Such spines have evolved independently in different lineages and are considered evolutionary drivers of fish diversity. In a study published in PNAS a research team based at the University of Konstanz now shows how fin spines arise from soft fin rays and how they could emerge independently in multiple fish groups.
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Study: constructed wetlands are best protection for agricultural runoff into waterways
Amy Hansen of the University of Kansas and her co-authors found constructed wetlands are the most effective means to improve water quality, especially if the size and location are evaluated at the scale of a watershed -- an entire region that drains into a common waterway.
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The same neural pathways promote maternal and paternal behaviors in voles
Like female voles, connections between oxytocin neurons in the hypothalamus and dopamine neurons in reward areas drive parental behaviors in male voles, according to new research published in JNeurosci.
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Belowground microbial solutions to aboveground plant problems
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research (MPIPZ) have discovered that signaling occurring from the response of plant leaves to light, and plant roots to microbes, is integrated along a microbiota-root-shoot axis to boost plant growth when light conditions are suboptimal.
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Astronomers discover an oversized black hole population in the star cluster Palomar 5
Palomar 5 is a unique star cluster. In a paper published today in Nature Astronomy, an international team of astrophysicists led by the University of Barcelona show that distinguishing features of Palomar 5 are likely the result of an oversized black hole population of more than 100 of them in the center of the cluster.
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Global BECCS potential is largely constrained by sustainable irrigation
Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), a negative emission technology, has been considered inevitable to achieve the 2°C or 1.5°C climate goal. Although numerous studies have been conducted, the effect of irrigation remains largely unexplored when taking water use sustainability into consideration. A new study finds that although unlimited irrigation could increase the global BECCS potential by 60-71% by the end of this century, sustainably constrained irrigation would increase it only 5-6%.
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Psychedelic spurs growth of neural connections lost in depression
In a new study, Yale researchers show that a single dose of psilocybin given to mice prompted an immediate and long-lasting increase in connections between neurons. The findings are published July 5 in the journal Neuron.
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Being clean and hygienic need not impair childhood immunity
The theory that modern society is too clean, leading to defective immune systems in children, should be swept under the carpet, according to a new study by researchers at UCL and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
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Hunting and hidden deaths led to 30% reduction in WI wolf population
About 100 additional wolves died over the winter in Wisconsin as a result of the delisting of grey wolves under the Endangered Species Act, alongside the 218 wolves killed by licensed hunters during Wisconsin's first public wolf hunt, according to new research. A majority of these additional, uncounted deaths are due to cryptic poaching, where poachers hide evidence of illegal killings.
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Structures discovered in brain cancer patients can help fight tumors
Researchers at Uppsala University have discovered lymph node-like structures close to the tumour in brain cancer patients, where immune cells can be activated to attack the tumour. They also found that immunotherapy enhanced the formation of these structures in a mouse model. This discovery suggests new opportunities to regulate the anti-tumour response of the immune system.
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More filling? Tastes great? How flies, and maybe people, choose their food
Flies have discriminating taste. Like a gourmet perusing a menu, they spend much of their time seeking sweet nutritious calories and avoiding bitter, potentially toxic food. But what happens in their brains when they make these food choices? Yale researchers discovered an interesting way to find out. They tricked them.
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Breakthrough in tissue engineering as 'shape memory' supports tissue growth
Research published today has demonstrated the viability of 3D-printed tissue scaffolds that harmlessly degrade while promoting tissue regeneration following implantation.
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Oncotarget: Genome wide DNA methylation landscape reveals glioblastoma's influence
These Oncotarget results suggest that GBM might induce epigenetic alterations in tumor infiltrating CD4 T-cells
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Oncotarget: General anesthesia for pancreatic cancer surgery
The major finding of this Oncotarget study was perioperative tryptophan depletion and increased taurine synthesis.
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Oncotarget: Epithelial-mesenchymal transitions create endothelial cells and tumor growth
Cells that have undergone EMT can promote tumor growth and neovascularization either indirectly, by promoting endothelial transdifferentiation of carcinoma cells, or directly, by acquiring an endothelial phenotype, with FOXC2 playing key roles in these processes
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New online calculator can help predict death and end-of-life care needs for older adults
A new risk calculator can help predict how long an older adult will live, and support end-of-life planning. The method used to develop the tool is published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.200022.
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Study of T cells from COVID-19 convalescents guides vaccine strategies?
A KAIST immunology research team found that most convalescent patients of COVID-19 develop and maintain T cell memory for over 10 months regardless of the severity of their symptoms. In addition, memory T cells proliferate rapidly after encountering their cognate antigen and accomplish their multifunctional roles. This study provides new insights for effective vaccine strategies against COVID-19, considering the self-renewal capacity and multipotency of memory T cells.
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Aboveground biomass and its spatial distribution pattern of herbaceous marsh vegetation in China
Based on field survey data of aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh and the distribution data set of marsh wetland in China, a study led by Prof. JIANG Ming from the Northeast the Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences analyzed for the first time the aboveground biomass and its spatial distribution pattern of herbaceous marsh in China. The result was published on Science China Earth Sciences in 2021.
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Observation, simulation, and AI join forces to reveal a clear universe
Japanese astronomers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) technique to remove noise in astronomical data due to random variations in galaxy shapes. After extensive training and testing on large mock data created by supercomputer simulations, they then applied this new tool to actual data from Japan's Subaru Telescope and found that the mass distribution derived from using this method is consistent with the currently accepted models of the Universe.
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