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Silver Rice Rats Moving to Higher Ground to Escape Rising Sea Levels

The silver rice rat, an endangered species endemic to the Florida Keys, makes its home as close to the shoreline as possible for easy access to its low-tide marine species diet.

2 Aug 2023

Fossil Phytoliths Reveal That Early Birds Were Leaf Eaters

A new type of analysis of a spectacular 120-million-year-old fossil skeleton of the extinct early bird Jeholornis from northeastern China has revealed the oldest evidence for birds eating leaves, marking the earliest known evolution of arboreal plant-eating among birds.

2 Aug 2023

Whitespotted Eagle Rays Have a Broader Diet Than Previously Thought

With mighty jaws and plate-like teeth, the whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) can pretty much crunch on anything.

2 Aug 2023

Alternate Fuel ‘Cells’ Redefines Function of Nutrition in the Immune System

A metabolic by-product that is more prominent during fasting can improve immune cells’ ability to fight off infection and disease, according to a preliminary study conducted by researchers at the Van Andel Institute and its partners.

31 Jul 2023

Looking at Protein Function in Preventing Female Obesity

Obesity is on the rise in the US, which is linked to worse health outcomes and a lower quality of life. Over 30% of American individuals are currently considered fat. Obesity is a significant and expanding public health issue since it is a risk factor for several diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and COVID-19.

26 Jul 2023

Dietary Fiber Regulates Gut Microbiota and Improves Epithelial Cell Proliferation

A high-fiber diet is known to have several health benefits. Scientific studies point to protection against such diseases as cancer and diabetes.

25 Jul 2023

Study Uncovers Candidate Genes That may Drive Inflammatory Bowel Disease

A study of the genetic variation that makes mice more susceptible to bowel inflammation after a high-fat diet has identified candidate genes which may drive inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in humans.

6 Jul 2023

Glutaminase 2 Plays a Key Role in Glucose Homeostasis

Glutaminase 2 (GLS2) is a master regulator of glutaminolysis. GLS2 converts glutamine to glutamate, thereby playing a role in cellular energy production. GLS2 is abundant in the liver, and is also found in pancreatic β-cells. However, the role of GLS2 in pancreatic islets – in which both ɑ- and β- cells are present – associated with glucose metabolism is currently unknown.

6 Jul 2023

Gut Microbes Could Be Harnessed to Block Mercury Absorption

New research by a team at Pennsylvania State University suggests that microbes in the human gut could be harnessed to block absorption of toxic metals like mercury and help the body absorb useful nutritional ones, like iron.

5 Jul 2023

Probiotic Bacteria may Help Maintain Brain Function in Aging Nematodes

A group from Nagoya University in Japan has discovered that when the diet of nematodes, tiny worms measuring about a millimeter or less in length, includes the bacteria Lactobacillus reuteri, the weakening of associative learning ability caused by aging does not occur.

28 Jun 2023

Seaweed Cultivation Could Boost Food Production in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

To help solve hunger and malnutrition while also slowing climate change, some farmers could shift from land to sea, suggests a recent study from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. The study was published in Global Food Security.

9 Jun 2023

New Approach to Guide the Management of Feral Swine in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Feral swine are considered one of the top invasive species of concern in North America because of the damage they do to agricultural and natural systems. To best manage them, resource management agencies need to know more precisely where and when to implement control methods.

7 Jun 2023

Study Finds Differences in the Gut Microbiome of White Rhinos Reproducing Successfully in Captivity

Researchers at North Carolina State University have identified significant differences in the gut microbiome of female southern white rhinos who are reproducing successfully in captivity, as compared to females who have not reproduced successfully in captivity.

6 Jun 2023

Paleontologists Unearth the Largest-Ever Gomphothere in Florida

About five and a half million years ago, several gomphotheres -; extinct relatives of elephants -; died in or near a river in North Florida.

1 Jun 2023

Study Finds Insects Heavily Rely on Bacteria for Essential Nutrients

According to a new study performed at Lund University in Sweden, for insects, there is a huge dependence on bacteria for essential nutrients that are lacking in their diet.

30 May 2023

Study Characterizes the Properties of MAIT Cells in Mouse Lung

A population of unconventional white blood cells has recently captured the attention of immunologists and clinicians alike.

26 May 2023

Fructose is Needed for Enhanced Egg Production in Fruit Flies, Study Reveals

To many people, the sugars we eat may seem like a luxury that can do more harm than good. But now, researchers from Japan have discovered that in insects, dietary sugars play a key role in reproduction.

25 May 2023

Activated B Cells in Gastrointestinal Tract Contribute to the Development of Liver Cancer

Inflammatory fatty liver disease (NASH, non alcoholic steatohepatitis ) and the resulting liver cancer are driven by autoaggressive T cells. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) now show what ist behind this destructive behavior. I

24 May 2023

Study Shows How Excess Dietary Sugar Worsens IBD Symptoms

Excess sugar hampers cells that renew the colon's lining in a mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to a new study by University of Pittsburgh scientists.

23 May 2023

Large Testing Arena Helps Study How Mosquitoes Find Us Over Long Distances

We know a lot about mosquito preferences up close, but how do mosquitoes find us from up to a hundred meters away? Using an ice-rink-sized outdoor testing arena in Zambia, researchers found that human body odor is critical for mosquito host-seeking behavior over long distances.

22 May 2023