Obesity is a global health problem that affects many people. In recent years, very promising anti-obesity drugs have been developed. Despite these successes, there are patients who do not respond to these drugs or suffer from side effects….
Category: 5. Biology
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New velvet worm species a first for the arid Karoo
In March 2022, Stellenbosch University (SU) student Rohan Barnard was out and about on a farm in the Swartberg Mountains between Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn, flipping over rocks looking for ants, reptiles and other critters, when he stumbled upon…
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Genetic deep dive dispels fear of hybrid worm threat
Parasitic worms that infect humans are not interbreeding with those that infect cattle as previously thought. This is good news for when it comes to controlling schistosomiasis, a disease caused by these worms that affects more than 200 million…
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Yeast can now produce human DNase1
The human protein, which is used against cystic fibrosis among other things, is currently produced only in mammalian cells with considerable effort and money.
The protein DNase1 is one of the oldest biological agents in history: It has been on…
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Gut bacteria may hold key to unlocking better cancer treatment
Scientists have discovered a range of ‘biomarkers’ that could help to improve detection and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases (GIDs) such as gastric cancer (GC), colorectal cancer (CRC), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Researchers…
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Coastal Alaska wolves exposed to high mercury concentrations from eating sea otters
In late 2020, a female coastal wolf collared for a study on predation patterns unexpectedly died in southeastern Alaska.
The wolf, No. 202006, was only four years old.
“We spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out the cause of her death by…
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Even birds can’t outfly climate change
As rising global temperatures alter ecosystems worldwide, animal species usually have two choices: adapt to changing local conditions or flee to a cooler clime. Ecologists have long assumed that the world’s bird species were best equipped to…
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When the forest is no longer a home — forest bats seek refuge in settlements
Many bat species native to Germany, such as the Leisler’s bat, are forest specialists. However, as it is becoming increasingly hard for them to find tree hollows in forest plantations, so they are moving to settlements instead. Using…
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Water Tornadoes? Flamingos Use This Clever Trick To Trap Prey
Stomp dancing, head jerking, chattering, and skimming create swirling water patterns that direct brine shrimp and small animals into the birds’ mouths. Flamingos standing quietly in shallow alkaline lakes with their heads submerged may appear to…
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Scientists Discover Baby Whales Born 900 Miles From Breeding Grounds
The recovery of the humpback whale population suggests we may have been mistaken about their birthing grounds — tropical waters aren’t the only places where they give birth. Humpback whales may not need to travel all the way to the tropics to…
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