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Tag: "nature" at biology news

Scientists force viruses to evolve as better delivery vehicles for gene therapy

...l for evolution - the genetic variation from which nature selects the best-adapted organism - the researcher... two," Schaffer said. "Using the same algorithm as nature came up with - evolution - to solve the problem, is the best way to do it." Since each generation t...

Creation of antibiotic in test tube holds promise for better antibiotics

...he almost magical manner in which nisin is made in nature and moves researchers closer to producing new anti...ists in the past needed 67 steps to make it, while nature uses just two enzymes. One of these is the cyclase whose activity we have demonstrated in this paper...

Novel method reveals how menthol discovery could point towards new or improved pain therapies

... on the channel's function. However, the laborious nature of these experiments limits the number of mutant ion channels that can be made and analyzed. Our new high-throughput screening methodology allowed us to analyze 14,000 mutants out of which we isolated five that specifically affected menthol activity....

Soil-bound prions that cause CWD remain infectious

... organs. These factors all support the pathogenic nature of the bacterium. Because the bacterium does not cause death, it may be provide useful comparison with more menacing bacteria and fungi in CGD patients. "Given its apparent low virulence, further investigation of this organism may shed light on ...

Scientists discover a new disease-causing bacterium in an immune-compromised patient

... organs. These factors all support the pathogenic nature of the bacterium. Because the bacterium does not cause death, it may be provide useful comparison with more menacing bacteria and fungi in CGD patients. "Given its apparent low virulence, further investigation of this organism may shed light on ...

How can we protect patients with weakened immune systems from influenza?

...or reason to study influenza is the quick-changing nature of the influenza virus," said Dr. Sullivan. The virus mutates its outer coating from year to year, a process called viral drift, which is why new flu vaccines are developed each year. The potential threat of avian flu is that mutations in the avian v...

Climate change drives widespread amphibian extinctions

...the research. "This study demonstrates the complex nature of global climate change, including how climate affects the spread of disease, and why these must be integrated if we are to understand and reduce threats to species extinctions." But the message goes beyond amphibians, says Scheiner: global warming...

Penguins waddle but they don't fall down, UH researchers say

...ublic, nonprofit educational destination utilizing nature in the advancement of rehabilitation, conservation...or UH researcher Kurz, his subjects' funny, cuddly nature is just an incidental advantage. His current research will provide a springboard for future studie...

UF researchers develop ways to keep the bloom on the rose

...e location," Kremp said. The beauty and ephemeral nature of Valentine's Day flowers represent a unique investment in memories, said Nell. A behavioral study shows that fresh flowers have an immediate impact on happiness and increase life satisfaction and enjoyment. "It's not enough to offer consumers a be...

Common enzyme is a key player in DNA repair

...n years of evolution. "In general, we think that nature evolved this function to help us survive DNA damage that would otherwise kill us," said Walker. "It's probably a kind of damage that all cells encounter frequently in life." Walker and colleagues found that DinB's unique ability to repair DNA damag...

Avian influenza virus in mammals spreads beyond the site of infection to other organ systems

...reads easily due to the agricultural and migratory nature of the bird species infected, including poultry, w...nd colleagues caution that because of the systemic nature of avian influenza, "H5N1 virus infection needs to be included in the differential diagnosis of a br...

Alternatives to the use of nitrate as a fertiliser

...ernal processes. In another part of the study the nature of the stress produced in plants by the use of ammoniacal fertilisers is investigated. The high concentration of ammonium does not carry oxidative stress with it (i.e. the molecules are oxidised due to alteration produced in the enzymes), unlike that...

Wisconsin scientists find a way to make human collagen in the lab

... abilities. "We can make collagen that duplicates nature exactly, but we can diverge from that when it is d...natural collagen. "We just don't have to take what nature gives us. We can make it longer and stronger." In medicine, synthetic human collagen could be used ...

Watching the brain switch off 'self'

...said, has significance for understanding the basic nature of consciousness and perception. The experimental challenge that the researchers faced was to design one task that could be used to activate specifically either sensory processing or introspection brain areas. Their solution was to ask subjects to l...

HortResearch science reveals the natural potential of apples

... level we are able to unlock the true potential of nature and present industry with products that meet consumer demand for attractive, novel, exciting new fruits that taste great, are healthy, convenient, safe and sustainably produced." Dr Ferguson said the EST database has already helped expand scientific...

Formation of cellulose fibers tracked for the first time

...cellulose synthase and microtubules, but the exact nature of the interaction was hard to pinpoint," Ehrhardt said. "The microtubules act as more than a general scaffold for organizing the cell wall; individual elements of the microtubule array appear to actively direct the pattern of the cellulose fibers. T...

Stem cell study for patients with heart attack damage seeks to regenerate heart muscle

...hey are needed." Adult stem cells are designed by nature to perform tissue repair in a mature adult. It is believed that these cells can be used in patients unrelated to the donor, without rejection, eliminating the need for donor matching and recipient immune suppression. Once transplanted, the cells prom...

Novel molecular 'signature' marks DNA of embryonic stem cells

...ey called a "bivalent domain," reflecting the dual nature of its design. These domains reside in the sections of chromatin that control the most evolutionarily conserved portions of DNA, particularly the key regulatory genes for embryonic development. "These signatures appear frequently in ES cells, but la...

Commonly used antidepressants may also affect human immune system

...an animal model that may help describe the precise nature of this interaction. "The novelty is that we reveal a potential communication, involving the transmitter serotonin, between immune cells that is normally only found between neurons," Ahern said. In addition to Ahern, Peta Connell, Ph.D., from the R...

New nano-canary in the nanotoxicology coalmine: The body itself

...e nanoparticles for further study to ascertain the nature of the biological activity in terms of toxicity. A broader approach underway at PNNL for discovering what environmental nanomaterials can do once they enter the body ?and how they enter and where they go ?is part of a large collaborative effort fun...

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