Potent trivalent inhibitors of thrombin from anticoagulation peptides in insect saliva
Thrombosis, the clogging of blood vessels, is a major cause of heart attacks and embolism. Scientists have now engineered the first inhibitors of thrombin, a protease promoting thrombosis, that is three-fold efficient. In a study published in the jou.....»»
Shady drugmaker used code words to sell knockoff weight-loss drug: Lawsuit
After cease-and-desist letter, Pivotal Peptides allegedly sold mix-your-own tirzepatide as "11 mg." Amid ongoing legal battles over coveted GLP-1 therapies, a drug vendor in Washi.....»»
Shady drugmaker used code words to sell knockoff weight-loss drug: lawsuit
After cease-and-desist letter, Pivotal Peptides allegedly sold mix-your-own tirzepatide as "11 mg." Amid ongoing legal battles over coveted GLP-1 therapies, a drug vendor in Washi.....»»
Accurately weighing costs and benefits of different methods for controlling invasive species
Invasive insect species bring a host of health, social, ecological and economic consequences, including crop damage, food insecurity, biodiversity loss, ecosystem disruption, human disease transmission and rising allergy rates......»»
Nonnative plants are a major force behind global insect invasions, study finds
In an article in the journal BioScience, an international team of researchers led by Dr. Cleo Bertelsmeier from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, argues that the global spread of nonnative plants is a key factor driving the growing number of i.....»»
Resolving biology"s dark matter: DNA barcoding reveals hidden insect diversity
There are millions of species on Earth that we still know nothing about. Researchers call these species "biological dark matter," but new methods can provide us with a better overview more quickly......»»
Targeting "selfish" bacteria could optimize inhibitors that fight antibiotic resistance
As strains of pathogens resistant to frontline antibiotics become more common worldwide, clinicians are more often turning to combination treatments that degrade this resistance as a first treatment option......»»
Red milkweed beetle genome offers evolutionary insights into plant-insect interactions
Studying the secrets of how the common red milkweed beetle can safely feed on a toxic plant helps illuminate the ecological, evolutionary and economic impact of insect-plant interactions from a genomic perspective......»»
Psychedelic Mushrooms Are Getting Much, Much Stronger
Cultivators are turning to genetic sequencing and cellular-manipulation techniques to breed highly potent mushrooms—leaving some unprepared psychonauts in distress......»»
Scientists discover novel series of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors for potential new COVID-19 treatments
New research from The Wistar Institute's Salvino lab, led by professor Joseph Salvino, Ph.D., has identified a novel series of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors that may lead to potential new COVID-19 treatments that—according to preclinical testing—eff.....»»
Reconstruction of fruit fly"s anterior visual pathway may lead to insights into animal navigation
UC Santa Barbara neuroscientists have reconstructed the entire anterior visual pathway of a fruit fly, a complex series of connections between the insect's eyes and the navigation center of its brain......»»
Sardinia"s sheep farmers battle bluetongue as climate warms
The sheep huddle together, bleeding from the nose, aborting lambs or suffocating on saliva as they succumb to bluetongue, a virus sweeping through flocks on the Italian island of Sardinia......»»
Citizen scientists create buzz with new insect discovery
More than 60% of Australia's known insects are unnamed and a mystery to science. Of an estimated 500,000 Australian species, roughly half are insects, but many aren't categorized......»»
This AI-powered malware has evolved to add image recognition
Information stealing malware gets a lot more potent, which is never a good thing......»»
Synthetic modules boost production of animal-based nutrients in plants
It's important to eat your veggies, but some essential vitamins and nutrients can only be found in animals, including certain amino acids and peptides. Now, in a proof-of-concept study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, rese.....»»
Cretaceous fireflies reveal early evolution of insect bioluminescence
Bioluminescence, the ability of living organisms to emit light, is a fascinating phenomenon observed in various life forms, including deep-sea fish, glowing mushrooms, and fireflies. Fireflies have long captivated people with their enchanting light d.....»»
How a butterfly invasion minimizes genetic diversity
Until a few years ago, the butterfly known as the southern small white could barely be found north of the Alps. That was before a Europe-wide invasion that brought a huge increase in the insect's distribution—at the same time as a rapid decrease in.....»»
AI tools help uncover enzyme mechanisms for lasso peptides
Lasso peptides are natural products made by bacteria. Their unusual lasso shape endows them with remarkable stability, protecting them from extreme conditions. In a new study, published in Nature Chemical Biology, researchers have constructed and tes.....»»
Norway reports first cases of bluetongue disease in livestock since 2009
Norway reported Thursday dozens of confirmed and suspected cases of bluetongue, an insect-borne virus that is harmless to humans but can be fatal to sheep and other livestock, for the first time in the country since 2009......»»
India coal expansion risks massive methane growth: Report
India's plans to expand coal mining could double emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane from its domestic coal sector by 2029, threatening its climate goals, a report warned Thursday......»»
Researchers develop new method for delivering RNA and drugs into cells
Researchers at the University of Toronto and its hospital partners have developed a method for co-delivering therapeutic RNA and potent drugs directly into cells, potentially leading to a more effective treatment of diseases......»»