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Toxic tiger rattlesnake venom advances genetic science techniques Biologist Mark Margres with an Eastern diamondback rattlesnake on Caladesi Island, Florida. January 26, 2021 The tiger rattlesnake possesses the simplest, yet most toxic, venom of any rattlesnake species. Now new research led by a University of South Florida biologist explains the genetics behind the predator's fearsome bite. The research is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. USF biologist Mark Margres and his colleagues sequenced the genome of the tiger rattlesnake to understand the genotype of the venom trait. Despite the simplicity of the rattlesnake's venom, Margres says it is roughly 40 times more toxic than the venom of the Eastern diamondback rattlesnake in Florida. The U.S. National Science Foundation-funded work is the most complete characterization of the venom gene regulatory network to date, the researchers say. The identification of key mechanisms in...

GO HUNT YOUR DREAM Dream That's a powerful word. You will get knocked down many times chasing your dreams. You will feel like you don't have energy to get back up. You don't have the strength to get back up. You will feel like GIVING UP is the only option. When you're hit When you've been KNOCKED DOWN by Life, that's when it's time to HIT BACK. THAT'S WHEN IT'S TIME TO HIT BACK! Many people get hit by life but they NEVER hit back. ARE YOU GOING TO STAY DOWN ❓ OR are you going to DECIDE TO GET BACK UP ❓ It takes COURAGE. It takes CONFIDENCE. It takes a STRONG MINDSET to get back up when NOBODY believes in you. There's a LION inside all of us. But some people decide to never let that lion out. Many people keep that lion locked in it's cage. Are you HUNGRY for that dream❓ Are you willing to FIGHT for that dream❓ LET THE LION OUT  GET HUNGRY for your DREAM GO HUNT YOUR DREAM Talking about that dream won't take you far. WORKING WIL...

Butterfly wing clap explains mystery of flight The fluttery flight of butterflies has so far been somewhat of a mystery to researchers, given their unusually large and broad wings relative to their body size. Now researchers at Lund University in Sweden have studied the aerodynamics of butterflies in a wind tunnel. The results suggest that butterflies use a highly effective clap technique, therefore making use of their unique wings. This helps them rapidly take off when escaping predators. The study explains the benefits of both the wing shape and the flexibility of their wings. The Lund researchers studied the wingbeats of freely flying butterflies during take-off in a wind tunnel. During the upward stroke, the wings cup, creating an air-filled pocket between them. When the wings then collide, the air is forced out, resulting in a backward jet that propels the butterflies forward. The downward wingbeat has another function: the butterflies stay in the air and do not fall t...

Immune system mounts a lasting defense after recovery from COVID-19, researchers find As the number of people who have fought off SARS-CoV-2 climbs ever higher, a critical question has grown in importance: How long will their immunity to the novel coronavirus last? A new Rockefeller study offers an encouraging answer, suggesting that those who recover from COVID-19 are protected against the virus for at least six months, and likely much longer. The findings, published in  Nature , provide the strongest evidence yet that the immune system "remembers" the virus and, remarkably, continues to improve the quality of antibodies even after the infection has waned. Antibodies produced months after the infection showed increased ability to block SARS-CoV-2, as well as its mutated versions such as the South African variant. The researchers found that these improved antibodies are produced by immune cells that have kept evolving, apparently due to a continued exposure to the...

A Practical Reason Why Cats Love Catnip Cats love catnip and silver vine; the cat-attracting plants are treats that make cats excited and happy. Big cats also feel the effects of these plants. The active component in catnip has been shown to be nepetalactone, which is in a class of compounds called iridoids. These molecules also have an insect-repelling effect. Researchers have now learned more about the active compound in silver vine, which is very similar to catnip. The findings have been reported in Science Advances. A cat responds to silver vine leaves. Credit Masao Miyazaki & Reiko Uenoyama. "The first appearance of silver vine ("Matatabi" in Japanese) as a cat attractant in literature in Japan dates back to more than 300 years ago. A folklore Ukiyo-e drawn in 1859 shows a group of mice trying to tempt some cats with a smell of silver vine. Still, benefits of the cats' response had remained unknown," noted one of the study leaders, Professor...

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Study of flowers with two types of anthers solves mystery that baffled Darwin Some flowers use a clever strategy to ensure effective pollination by bees, doling out pollen gradually from two different sets of anthers Most flowering plants depend on pollinators such as bees to transfer pollen from the male anthers of one flower to the female stigma of another flower, enabling fertilization and the production of fruits and seeds. Bee pollination, however, involves an inherent conflict of interest, because bees are only interested in pollen as a food source. "The bee and the plant have different goals, so plants have evolved ways to optimize the behavior of bees to maximize the transfer of pollen between flowers," explained Kathleen Kay, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz. In a study published December 23 in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Kay's team described a pollination strategy involving flowers with two distinct set...

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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TIME AND DATE FOR MAT 112  WEBINAR FOR MAT 112: Hi there, You are invited to a Zoom webinar. When: Jan 18, 2021 12:00 PM West Central Africa      Every week on Mon, 20 occurrence(s)      Jan 18, 2021 12:00 PM      Jan 25, 2021 12:00 PM      Feb 1, 2021 12:00 PM      Feb 8, 2021 12:00 PM      Feb 15, 2021 12:00 PM      Feb 22, 2021 12:00 PM      Mar 1, 2021 12:00 PM      Mar 8, 2021 12:00 PM      Mar 15, 2021 12:00 PM      Mar 22, 2021 12:00 PM      Mar 29, 2021 12:00 PM      Apr 5, 2021 12:00 PM      Apr 12, 2021 12:00 PM      Apr 19, 2021 12:00 PM      Apr 26, 2021 12:00 PM      May 3, 2021 12:00 PM      May 10, 2021 12:00 PM      May 17, 2021 12:00 PM      Ma...

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New class of antibiotics active against a wide range of bacteria Dual-acting immuno-antibiotics block an essential pathway in bacteria and activate the adaptive immune response Wistar Institute scientists have discovered a new class of compounds that uniquely combine direct antibiotic killing of pan drug-resistant bacterial pathogens with a simultaneous rapid immune response for combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These finding were published today in Nature. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared AMR as one of the top 10 global public health threats against humanity. It is estimated that by 2050, antibiotic-resistant infections could claim 10 million lives each year and impose a cumulative $100 trillion burden on the global economy. The list of bacteria that are becoming resistant to treatment with all available antibiotic options is growing and few new drugs are in the pipeline, creating a pressing need for new classes of antibiotics to prevent public hea...

Blood type may be linked to risk for COVID-19 infection, likelihood of severe outcomes People with blood type O may be less likely to develop COVID-19 infection, and they may have a lower risk for severe outcomes if they contract the virus, according to results of two studies published in Blood Advances. Previous studies have shown several factors — including age, sex and comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease — are associated with COVID-19 infection. However, severe cases are not limited to these risk groups. Other studies have suggested a potential role of ABO blood groups in risk for infection. “ABO blood groups are increasingly recognized to influence susceptibility to certain viruses, including SARS-CoV-1 and norovirus,” Torben Barington, MD, professor of medicine at Odense University Hospital and University of Southern Denmark, and colleagues wrote. “A, B and AB individuals are also at increased risk for thrombosis and cardiovascular diseases, which are importa...

Saliva could hold clues to how sick you will get from COVID-19 Saliva tests for SARS-CoV-2 may indicate how a coronavirus patient’s disease will unfold, a new study suggests. To the known risk factors for developing severe COVID-19—age, male sex, or any of a series of underlying conditions—a new study adds one more: high levels of the virus in your saliva. Standard COVID-19 tests sample the nasal passage. But several new tests look for SARS-CoV-2, the pandemic coronavirus, in saliva, and the new work finds a striking correlation between high virus levels there and later hospitalization or death. If the results are confirmed, saliva tests could help doctors prioritize which patients in the early stages of the disease should receive medicines that drive down levels of the virus. “I thought it was pretty striking,” says Shane Crotty, a virologist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, who was not involved with the research. Crotty notes the results suggest virus levels in s...

Small, Tadpole-Like Sea Creatures Make Slimy Inflatable Filtration Systems Giant larvaceans are shaped like tadpoles, only slightly larger; their bodies measure up to four inches in length. These tiny creatures live freely hundreds of feet below the sea surface, where food sources are scarce. This year, researchers used laser scanning tools to unveil the complex “snot palaces” the creatures build, as study author and bioengineer Kakani Katija of Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute calls the structures. These tiny armless, legless creatures use their own secretions to construct elaborate clouds of snot complete with chambers, ribbed walls, tunnels, halls and chutes. Much like spiders and their webs, larvaceans use these mucousy structures to capture tiny, sparse food particles floating by. Their little body sits in the middle of the “house,” while they wag their little tail to pump water through the labyrinth of channels and into their mouths—almost like an elaborate pl...

Unravelling the mystery that makes viruses infectious FULL STORY Researchers have for the first time identified the way viruses like the poliovirus and the common cold virus 'package up' their genetic code, allowing them to infect cells. The findings, published today (Friday, 8 January) in the journal PLOS Pathogens by a team from the Universities of Leeds and York, open up the possibility that drugs or anti-viral agents can be developed that would stop such infections. Once a cell is infected, a virus needs to spread its genetic material to other cells. This is a complex process involving the creation of what are known as virions -- newly-formed infectious copies of the virus. Each virion is a protein shell containing a complete copy of the virus's genetic code. The virions can then infect other cells and cause disease. What has been a mystery until now is a detailed understanding of the way the virus assembles these daughter virions. Professor Peter Stockley, ...

Method to find toxic chemicals in drinking water Chlorination generates hundreds of unregulated byproducts in water Most consumers of drinking water in the United States know that chemicals are used in the treatment processes to ensure the water is safe to drink. But they might not know that the use of some of these chemicals, such as chlorine, can also lead to the formation of unregulated toxic byproducts. Johns Hopkins Environmental Health and Engineering Prof. Carsten Prasse proposes a new approach to assessing drinking water quality that could result in cleaner, safer taps. "We are exposing people in the United States to these chemical compounds without knowing what they even do," Prasse said. "I'm not saying that chlorination is not important in keeping our drinking water safe. But there are unintended consequences that we have to address and that the public needs to know about. We could do more than what we're doing." Among disinfection byp...

How the brain remembers right place, right time Studies could lead to new ways to enhance memory for those with traumatic brain injury or Alzheimer's disease Two studies led by UT Southwestern researchers shed new light on how the brain encodes time and place into memories. The findings, published recently in PNAS and Science, not only add to the body of fundamental research on memory, but could eventually provide the basis for new treatments to combat memory loss from conditions such as traumatic brain injury or Alzheimer's disease. About a decade ago, a group of neurons known as "time cells" was discovered in rats. These cells appear to play a unique role in recording when events take place, allowing the brain to correctly mark the order of what happens in an episodic memory. Located in the brain's hippocampus, these cells show a characteristic activity pattern while the animals are encoding and recalling events, explains Bradley Lega, M.D., associat...

Why crocodiles have changed so little since the age of the dinosaurs New research by scientists at the University of Bristol explains how a 'stop-start' pattern of evolution, governed by environmental change, could explain why crocodiles have changed so little since the age of the dinosaurs. Crocodiles today look very similar to ones from the Jurassic period some 200 million years ago. There are also very few species alive today -- just 25. Other animals such as lizards and birds have achieved a diversity of many thousands of species in the same amount of time or less. Prehistory also saw types of crocodile we don't see today, including giants as big as dinosaurs, plant-eaters, fast runners and serpentine forms that lived in the sea. In the new research, published today in the journal Nature Communications Biology, the scientists explain how crocodiles follow a pattern of evolution known as 'punctuated equilibrium'. The rate of their evolution is general...

Evolution By Natural Selection: The London Years, 1836–42 With his voyage over and with a £400 annual allowance from his father,  Darwin  now settled down among the urban gentry as a gentleman geologist. He befriended Lyell, and he discussed the rising Chilean coastline as a new fellow of the Geological Society in January 1837 (he was secretary of the society by 1838). Darwin became well known through his diary’s publication as  Journal of Researches into the Geology and Natural History of the Various Countries Visited by H.M.S. Beagle  (1839). With a £1,000 Treasury grant, obtained through the  Cambridge  network, he employed the best experts and published their descriptions of his specimens in his  Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle  (1838–43). Darwin’s star had risen, and he was now lionized in London. Charles Darwin Charles Darwin, watercolour, late 1830s. Photos.com/Thinkstock It was in those years of civil unrest ...

The  Beagle  Voyage The circumnavigation of the globe would be the making of the 22-year-old  Darwin . Five years of physical hardship and mental rigour, imprisoned within a ship’s walls, offset by wide-open opportunities in the Brazilian jungles and the  Andes Mountains , were to give Darwin a new seriousness. As a gentleman naturalist, he could leave the ship for extended periods, pursuing his own interests. As a result, he spent only 18 months of the voyage aboard the ship. The hardship was immediate: a tormenting seasickness. And so was his questioning: on calm days Darwin’s plankton-filled townet left him wondering why beautiful creatures teemed in the ocean’s vastness, where no human could appreciate them. On the Cape Verde Islands (January 1832), the sailor saw bands of oyster shells running through local rocks, suggesting that Lyell was right in his geologic speculations and that the land was rising in places, falling in others. At Sal...