Chemistry Sections Technology

Biology

Read the latest science news from Phys.org on biology, evolution, microbiology, biotechnology
Researchers publish dataset of over 6,000 agri-environmental policies from all over the world
There can be no analysis without data. In this spirit, researchers from the University of Bonn and the Swiss Federal Institution of Technology (ETH) Zurich have published a database containing over 6,000 agri-environmental policies, thus enabling their peers as well as policymakers and businesses to seek answers to all manner of different questions.
Decommissioned offshore structures could offer only limited ecological benefits, analysis of studies suggests
Decommissioned offshore structures offer limited long-term ecological benefits if they are simply left in the ocean to serve as artificial reefs, a new study suggests.
Bird flu is causing thousands of seal deaths. Scientists aren't sure how to slow it down
Avian influenza is killing tens of thousands of seals and sea lions in different corners of the world, disrupting ecosystems and flummoxing scientists who don't see a clear way to slow the devastating virus.
Team reports on the occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes in the western Qinghai Lake basin
Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have been widely detected in water, sediment, gut and even the phycosphere of algae. In strong anthropogenic activity areas, antibiotic resistance caused by ARGs can pose a significant threat to human health. Despite the numerous published studies on the occurrence and distribution of ARGs in these areas, there is a dearth of literature on the presence and dispersal of ARGs in remote and pristine environments with limited antibiotic usage.
Improving root senescence recognition with a new semantic segmentation model
Roots play a vital role in plant health, adapting to environmental changes and indicating crop growth. However, studying root senescence is challenging due to difficulties in obtaining clear in situ root images. Traditional methods are limited, and while in situ cultivation and advanced imaging techniques offer some solutions, they face issues such as high costs and low image quality. Recent advances in deep learning, particularly semantic segmentation models like SegNet and UNet, have improved r...
Improving plant health diagnostics: The dawn of microfluidic devices for rapid miRNA detection
In natural environments, plants encounter biotic and abiotic stresses that can significantly affect their productivity and health. Recognizing the importance of timely stress diagnosis, researchers have developed various sensors and devices to detect plant hormones, heavy metal responses, and pathogen invasions.
Interior green wall plants treated with antigibberellin plant growth regulators show controlled stem growth
As more businesses recognize the many benefits of having plants in the workplace, interior green walls, also known as living walls, have gained popularity in recent years for their aesthetic appeal and environmental benefits. However, managing plant growth within these structures presents unique challenges, particularly regarding stem elongation, which can impact the overall appearance and health of the green wall.
The next antioxidant superfood? Canadian sea buckthorn berries offer diabetes and obesity potential
New research published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture illuminates the untapped potential of the shrub sea buckthorn as a rich source of natural antioxidants in North America.
Recreating development in a petri dish to understand how plants live
Plants have an extremely high capacity to adapt to their environment. When the seeds of pea sprouts left over from cooking are soaked in water, the sprouts and leaves grow back. Associate Professor Kondo Yuki of Kobe University's Graduate School of Science has focused his research on vascular bundles, which are essential for environmental adaptation.
Seven billion newly hatched chicks are killed every year--but a ban is not the solution, says study
With Easter just around the corner, we are surrounded by a ubiquity of eggs and adorable yellow chicks that symbolize life and resurrection. In stark contrast is the fact that around seven billion male layer chicks, are shredded or gassed alive by the egg industry every year, just hours after they hatch. Male chicks of course cannot lay eggs, and they are furthermore not worth fattening up like broilers, due to decades of specialized breeding toward either egg laying or meat production--but not bo...
Scientists create novel technique to form human artificial chromosomes
Human artificial chromosomes (HACs) capable of working within human cells could power advanced gene therapies, including those addressing some cancers, along with many laboratory applications, though serious technical obstacles have hindered their development. Now a team led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has made a significant breakthrough in this field that effectively bypasses a common stumbling block.
Research reveals new starting points for the rapid and targeted development of future drugs
Many important medicines, such as antibiotics and anticancer drugs, are derived from natural products of bacteria. The enzyme complexes that produce these active ingredients have a modular design that makes them ideal tools for synthetic biology. By exploring protein evolution, a team led by Helge Bode from the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg, Germany, has found new "fusion sites" that enable faster and more targeted drug development.
Research challenges 'universal mechanism' concept, aiming to understand specific protein interactions
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are the chaperones of cellular stress response because they help guide the folding and unfolding of other proteins.
Harnessing computational intelligence for 3D modeling of maize canopies
Understanding the structure of crop canopies is essential for optimizing crop production as it significantly influences resource utilization efficiency, yield and stress resistance. While research has integrated canopy studies into various agricultural practices, the construction of accurate 3D models remains challenging due to complex spatial distributions and technological limitations.
High speed protein movies to aid drug design
Researchers from the University of Southampton have developed technology to help scientists observe proteins in motion. Understanding how proteins move will allow novel drugs to be designed.
In a first, team identifies mysterious exporter for brassinosteroid plant hormone
When you are reading this article, there are multiple hormones working diligently inside your body to stabilize your health status. Just as in human beings, it is impossible for plants to grow and reproduce without being regulated by phytohormones. One of the phytohormones is the brassinosteroid (BR) hormone, also named as the sixth phytohormone.
Rose essential oil: A safe pesticide for organic agriculture
Plant-derived essential oils (EOs) find applications in various industries, such as detergents, cosmetics, pharmacology, and food additives. Moreover, EOs have an exceptional safety profile, and their numerous bioactivities greatly benefit human health. Beyond these benefits, EOs have also been found to illicit insect-repellent responses by inducing neurotoxic effects.
Two keys needed to crack three locks for better engineered blood vessels
Blood vessels engineered from stem cells could help solve several research and clinical problems, from potentially providing a more comprehensive platform to screen if drug candidates can cross from the blood stream into the brain to developing lab-grown vascular tissue to support heart transplants, according to Penn State researchers.
A product that kills agricultural pests is also deadly to native Pacific Northwest snail
A product used to control pest slugs on farms in multiple countries is deadly to least one type of native woodland snail endemic to the Pacific Northwest, according to scientists who say more study is needed before the product gains approval in the United States.
Decoding the plant world's complex biochemical communication networks
A Purdue University-led research team has begun translating the complex molecular language of petunias. Their grammar and vocabulary are well hidden, however, within the countless proteins and other compounds that fill floral cells.
New research shows unintended harms of organic farming
Organic farming is often touted as a more sustainable solution for food production, leveraging natural forms of pest control to promote eco-friendly cultivation.
New rice variety adapted to suit conditions in Madagascar--improved phosphorus absorption and increased zinc content
A new variety of rice that is adapted to life in low-phosphorus soils, that contains an exceptionally large amount of zinc and that was developed specifically for the conditions in Madagascar where it is grown, has recently been certified in the country.
In a first, evolutionary biologists have identified a gene that influences visual preferences in tropical butterflies
Tropical Heliconius butterflies are well known for the bright color patterns on their wings. These striking color patterns not only scare off predators--the butterflies are poisonous and are distasteful to birds--but are also important signals during mate selection.
Parrots love playing tablet games, and it's helping researchers understand them
Touchscreens have long been integral to our everyday life--humans use them to work, play, talk with loved ones and snag Lightning Deals on Prime Day. In recent years, they've shown potential for the animal kingdom as well, leading to a growing body of academic research and a proliferation of consumer products promising to leverage technology to enhance our relationships with our pets.
Chemistry Sections Technology