February 1, 2021:
“The most worrying mutations in five emerging coronavirus variants”
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-most-worrying-mutations-in-five-emerging coronavirus-variants/
There are many different variants that have emerged in various countries such as England, South Africa and Brazil. This surprised scientists as other coronaviruses such as seasonal influenza does not have significant mutations. Some mutations, such as the one from the UK, is 30-70% more transmissible than the original variant. People who got the original strain of the coronavirus were infected with the South African variant due to antibodies inability to neutralize it, which may cause the vaccine for the original strain to become ineffective with preventing cases with this variant. However, at the date of writing this article summary, most vaccines are seeming to work against the new variants. Most of the mutations express themselves as changes in the spike protein which binds to cellular receptors to infect them.
February 3, 2021:
“Human activity animals to move 70% further to survive”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210201113602.htm
Activities that cause the biggest impact to whether animals have to move are military activity, building oil pipelines or hunting. These changes in migration can lead to reduced health of the animal pack, reduced reproduction rates and even extinction in the local area. It’s advised that the knowledge about animal movement be used to influence the design of structures so that it does not disrupt them.
April 1, 2021:
“Breaking with bread” New Scientist, Jan. 9-15th
Low carb diets such as keto are becoming increasingly popular due to their efficiency. People on low carb diets lose 4.4 % of their body fat after a year of following the diet compared to people on low fat diets who lose 2.5 %. People who are on low carb diets tend to eat fewer calories due to them feeling fuller than those eating carbs. Eating proteins and fat instead of carbohydrates also reduces the spike in glucose in the bloodstream which triggers fat storage.
April 6, 2021:
“‘Zombie’ genes? Research shows some genes come to life in the brain after death” Science Daily, Mar. 23
In certain cells, such as glial cells, a type of inflammatory cell in the brain, show increased expression after death. The research found 80 % of genes remained active 24 hours after the person had died. The genes that regulated neuron function and memory and thinking degraded hours after death. The ‘zombie’ genes increased activity after death, peaking at 12 hours after death.
April 7, 2021:
“Structural biology opens new perspectives for treating psychiatric disorders” https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-04/embl-sbo040621.php , Apr. 6
The amino acid glycine is known for being a neurotransmitter in the brain. Researchers know the structure of glycine and have now determined the structure of the Glycine Transporter 1 Inhibitor that could increase the concentration of Glycine in the neuronal cell membrane. Researchers want to investigate the effect of whether increased Glycine in the neuronal synapses can be an effective treatment for schizophrenia however this is not currently in use for patients.
April 8, 2021:
“Neanderthal ancestry identifies oldest modern human genome” https://phys.org/news/2021- 04-neanderthal-ancestry-oldest-modern-human.html , Apr. 7
After humans left Africa 50 000 years ago, neanderthals and humans interbred in the Near East (a region comprising of Western Asia, Turkey and Egypt). Humans who left Africa have between 2-3% neanderthal genes. Scientists found the oldest human genome in Zlatý kůň originally found in Czechia had long strands of neanderthal in the genome. It is said that her DNA is around 45 000 years old and that she was part of the population before it split between Asia and Europe.
April 20, 2021:
“Unusual fossil reveals last meal of prehistoric pollinator”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210412142738.htm , Apr. 12
The pollinator fossil was a Cretaceous beetle meaning it was from the Cretaceous geological period 145-66 million years ago. The scientist discovered that the fossil is 98 million years old and lived in the Burmese rainforest and is part of the flower beetle family. Its ancestors now live in parts of Australia as short winged flower beetles.
April 22, 2021:
“expert reaction to cases of variant B.1.617 (the ‘Indian Variant’) being investigated in the UK” https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-cases-of-variant-b-1-617-the-indian variant-being-investigated-in-the-uk/?cli_action=1619123120.67 , Apr. 19
The first case of the B.1.617 variant was detected on October 5, 2020. Although this variant is being called the Indian variant, scientists do not know where it first originated. The new variant contains some of the same mutations (like P681R) with other variants of concern such as the UK variant. This new variant is currently under investigation and will be identified as a variant of concern if either the transmissibility or severity has increased, there is a decrease in efficiency of public health measures like vaccinations for people, or no immunity from the natural infection.
April 28, 2021:
“How rich countries are making the pandemic last longer”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ty2J0s2W0c , Apr. 28
In January 2021, 16 % of the world’s population (richer countries) had half of the world’s vaccine doses. Before vaccines against the Covid-19 virus were developed, rich countries like the US and Canada invested large amounts of money in vaccine companies like Moderna with a deal that they would get a certain amount of vaccines delivered to their country if they were successful. As of March 2021 Canada had secured 316 million doses, enough to give each citizen 8.7 doses. Poorer nations like Peru could not afford to take a risk in investing in a vaccine company if there was no guarantee that the company would be able to develop vaccines. Poorer nations ended up buying vaccines once they had already been developed meaning they are at the end of the line for when they will receive their vaccines. This inequality means that in countries where very few people have been vaccinated, Covid-19 can continue to spread and new variants that are more transmissible and that may be more resistant to the vaccine.
May 25, 2021:
“Gypsy moth caterpillars ‘virtually everywhere’ in SW Ontario, expert says” https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/windsor-sarnia-lambton-shores-gypsy-moths 1.6037086#:~:text=Science-
,Gypsy%20moth%20caterpillars%20'virtually%20everywhere'%20in%20SW%20Ontario%2C%20 expert,to%20regions%20across%20Southern%20Ontario. , May 22
Gypsy moths are an invasive species found in Canada mainly in Ontario and Quebec that were brought here from Europe in the 1860s. They are problematic as one caterpillar in the larvae stage eats around one square meter of foliage, which can damage or kill the tree. They can be dealt with by spraying them with a biological. People can also put burlap underneath the tree as they hang out there during the day and can be picked up and put in soapy water to kill them. Another method to decrease their harm is to put duck tap around the trunk of the tree.
June 15, 2021:
“Frozen Microscopic Animals brought back to life after 24 000 Years” http://www.sci news.com/biology/frozen-bdelloid-rotifers-siberian-permafrost-09745.html , June 9th
Organisms are able to survive many thousands of years in subzero temperatures. The researchers in this report were able to recover small animals called rotifers from 24 000 years ago. They can stay alive after they are frozen. The researchers stated that this was a big step forward as a discovery, as we now know that complex organisms with a gut and brain and not just single celled organisms can survive long periods of being frozen.
“Anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids could help reduce depression”
Researchers tested the effects of high doses of three different kinds of omega-3 fatty acids on people with depression. The researchers found that the omega-3’s ability to be anti-inflammatory helped reduce depression in the patients who took it as depression has been shown to cause higher levels of inflammation in the body. The patients that took them experienced a drop in depressive symptoms by 64-71%. The omega-3’s ability to reduce symptoms is thought to be because their lipid mediators are used to protect the brain from inflammation.
“Why so many Covid-19 variants are showing up now”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha6yUxze1vk&t=320s , June 16
When a mutation occurs in the virus’ RNA it becomes a variant. This occurs for example in seasonal influenza where every year the virus mutates and creates a new form and new flu shots have to be developed. The mutations that happened/ are happening with Covid-19 happen all the time and often have a neutral or negative effect on transmission and severity, however some mutations like B117 from England had an increased ability to infect people than the previous strain and began to take over causing us to notice it. The longer a virus is around and the more it infects people the more chance it has to cause random mutations. These variants are a cause for concern as the immunity from the vaccines are not as effective against them.
June 18, 2021:
“Dogs’ Skills for Cooperating with Humans are Biologically Prepared, Study Says” http://www.sci-news.com/biology/dogs-biologically-prepared-social-skills-09729.html , June 4
Adult dogs are more likely to look for humans for help when there’s danger as opposed to wolves who do things independently. Although puppies don’t seem to engage as much in social behavior they still understand what it means when humans are social towards them.
“UO biologists are using zebrafish to study COVID-19 effects”
https://around.uoregon.edu/content/uo-biologists-are-using-zebrafish-study-covid-19-effects , June 14
Biologists are using zebrafish to study how underlying health conditions make the short and long term effects of COVID-19 worse because the fish have the same cellular components that viruses use to infect humans, as well as the same biological mechanisms that cause these underlying health conditions and, in addition, share 80% of disease genes with humans. The study should help us understand why and how this coronavirus disproportionately affects people with diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.
“Excess nitrogen puts butterflies at risk”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210617133804.htm , June 17
Researchers in Switzerland wanted to understand the effects nitrogen from agriculture and air pollution has on the diversity of butterflies. Previous research had been done related to the nitrogen in the soil and plant diversity and had shown the more nitrogen in the soil the less plant diversity – the researchers concluded this to be true for butterflies as well. The diversity
of the plants and amount of nitrogen have a direct effect on the diversity of the butterfly population as some species of butterflies require certain types of plants in order to survive.
“Seabird eggs contaminated with cocktail of plastic additives”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210616191528.htm , June 16
The study was conducted in England on herring gull eggs and showed that phthalates, an additive in most plastics, was found in the egg. This is problematic as these plastic additives are oxidative and cause oxidative stress, potentially damage the cells in the eggs, cause lipid damage as well as less vitamin E in the eggs. The presence of these chemicals means that they will unfortunately most likely bio accumulate up the food chain.
“Bats in Switzerland harbor diverse viruses, some potentially zoonotic”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210616154252.htm , June 16
This study was completed to better understand what viruses bats carry in order to better prevent outbreaks from new viruses occurring, as happened with COVID-19. They tested the stool and took samples from organs to search the DNA and RNA. They found viruses from 39 different families with 16 of them being known to infest vertebrates. The researchers also found that most of the viruses that infect humans do not jump directly from the bat to the human but often infect another animal before later infecting the human.
“African great apes to suffer massive range loss in next 30 years”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210607161000.htm , June 7
A new study was published that states that the impacts of the climate crisis, increased human population and land-use changes will cause a massive decrease in Africa’s great apes which include gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos. The paper indicates in a best case scenario, apes would lose 85% of their range by 2050, while in a worst case scenario they would lose 94%.
“Blue-eyed humans have one common ancestor”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130170343.htm , Jan. 31 2008
Originally all humans had brown eyes, however a mutation in the genome occurred 6-10 000 years ago turned off the gene that produces large amounts of melanin in the eyes, causing it to cause less. There are variations in melanin in individuals with green and brown eyes, however individuals with blue eyes have a very narrow range suggesting that all people with blue eyes have the same common ancestor.
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