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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 5, 2020 at 12:14pm

How Vaccines Train Innate Immunity

A recent study elucidates some of the changes that occur in the body after inoculation with a tuberculosis vaccine.

While researchers have observed for decades that certain vaccines seem to help recipients ward off more than just the target pathogen, only in recent years have they identified possible mechanisms for these bonus benefits. For example, in a study published this year (depicted here), researchers examined immune cells from the blood and bone marrow of healthy adults before and after they received a live tuberculosis vaccine known as bacille Calmette-Guérin, or BCG.

In the bone marrow post-vaccination, genes are expressed that trigger hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells to differentiate into monocytes, neutrophils, and other so-called myeloid cells. In a separate analysis of the effects of BCG in newborns, the researchers found that the vaccine ramped up the number of neutrophils in babies’ blood compared with unvaccinated infants.

Monocytes from the blood displayed epigenetic changes after vaccination that opened chromatin harboring multiple genes involved in driving an inflammatory response, making them more accessible for transcription. Meanwhile, chromatin closed around genes associated with immune tolerance.

When exposed to the fungal pathogen Candida albicans in vitro, immune cells sampled from patients’ blood 90 days after vaccination released more of the cytokine interleukin 1β, which mediates inflammation, than did cells from blood drawn from the same individuals before vaccination.

https://www.the-scientist.com/infographics/infographic-how-vaccines...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 5, 2020 at 12:12pm

Yellow Turtle Found in India

For the second time in just three months the Indian Forest Service has announced the discovery of a golden flapshell turtle.

Like a slice of cheese, a slab of butter, or the yolk of an egg, this zesty creature with its vivid yellow shell, head, and limbs.

While such aberrations of colour are rare in nature, this bizarre phenomenon is more common than many recognise.

Yellow variants of the Indian flapshell turtle (Lissemys punctata) - which typically are brown with yellow spots and a creamy white underside - have been discovered a handful of times over the years in various parts of South Asia, where it is one of the most common aquatic turtle species.

The genetic anomaly doesn't happen often, but when it does, it tends to stand out.

https://www.sciencealert.com/what-s-the-deal-with-this-ridiculous-g...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 5, 2020 at 12:02pm

**Scientists Find Tissue in The Human Eye That Appears Resistant to SARS-CoV-2

While this general advice is repeated by health authorities the world over, there's still a lot we don't know about how the coronavirus might enter the body through the eyes, although scientists suggest it's "biologically plausible".

However, new evidence suggests at least some of the eye may in fact be resistant to SARS-CoV-2 – even while it's susceptible to other kinds of viruses.

In a new study, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found that the cornea – the transparent dome at the front of the eye, which covers the iris and pupil – appeared to be resistant to coronavirus infection in experiments, although they're eager to emphasise the findings are only preliminary.

These findings do not prove that all corneas are resistant

"But every donor cornea we tested was resistant to the novel coronavirus. It's still possible a subset of people may have corneas that support growth of the virus, but none of the corneas we studied supported growth of SARS-CoV-2."

In experiments using corneal tissue from 25 human donors and also mice corneas, the researchers exposed the eye tissue to three separate viruses: SARS-CoV-2, Zika virus, and herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1, which produces cold sores).

In the human cornea explants tested (which also contained some conjunctiva tissue, the membrane that covers the rest of the front of the eye), the experiment showed that herpes and Zika virus were able to replicate in the tissue – but tests showed no sign of SARS-CoV-2 replication.

"The cornea and conjunctiva are known to have receptors for the novel coronavirus, but in these  studies, researchers found that the virus did not replicate in the cornea.

A potential molecular inhibitor of viruses in the eye – called interferon lambda – was able to limit virus growth in the human cornea for HSV-1 and Zika virus, but blocking the protein didn't seem to boost SARS-CoV-2's ability to replicate.

Without more to go on, the researchers' best guess for now is that the human cornea's resistance to coronavirus is "likely regulated by a distinct antiviral pathway". Quite what that pathway is we still don't know, and the team says further study is needed to confirm these findings.

https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(20)31328-0?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2211124720313280%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

https://www.sciencealert.com/there-s-a-part-of-the-human-eye-that-s...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 5, 2020 at 11:38am

**An Asteroid Trailing After Mars Could Actually Be The Stolen Twin of Our Moon

https://www.sciencealert.com/an-asteroid-that-looks-just-like-the-m...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 5, 2020 at 10:02am

Whip Spiders | Explorers In The Field

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 5, 2020 at 9:51am

Warmer world linked to poor pregnancy results: study

Women exposed to high temperatures and heatwaves during pregnancy are more likely to have premature or stillborn babies, researchers said Wednesday. Such outcomes -- closely linked to poverty, especially in the tropics -- will likely increase with global warming, especially during more frequent and intense heatwaves, they reported in BMJ, a medical journal. Even small increases "could have a major impact on public health as exposure to high temperatures is common and escalating," the study concluded. 

Associations between high temperatures in pregnancy and risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirths: systematic review and meta-analysis, BMJ (2020). DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m3811 , www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m3811

https://researchnews.cc/news/3402/Warmer-world-linked-to-poor-pregn...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 5, 2020 at 9:47am

Spontaneous release of neurotransmitters in the brain identified as a culprit of developmental disorders in children

pharmacologists have reported the first evidence that aberrant spontaneous release of neurotransmitters in the brain can cause a range of severe intellectual and neurodevelopmental disorders in infants and children.

Neurons, the billions of cells constantly sharing information within the brain, communicate with each other but do not touch. They release chemicals called neurotransmitters, orchestrated by the SNARE protein complex, triggered by a wave of electrical activity. With this “evoked release” of neurotransmitters, information jumps from one neuron to the next. This neurotransmission enables us to complete basic tasks, process sensory information and move our bodies. Mutations of one of the proteins in the SNARE complex, SNAP25, are known to cause a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders. These can present with recurrent seizures, intellectual disability and autistic features in infants and children.

This discovery marks the first step toward developing specific treatments that can improve cognitive outcomes in youth and adulthood.

By examining the electrical signals of 10 different SNAP25 mutations among 11 patients, the researchers found that mutations of SNAP25 encourage anomalous neurotransmitter release both in response to electrical activity and independent of electrical signaling in the brain. More importantly, they identified the single mutation that causes spontaneous release—neurotransmitter release even in the absence of appropriate electrical activity.

https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2020/11/03/spontaneous-release-of-neuro...

https://researchnews.cc/news/3398/Spontaneous-release-of-neurotrans...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 5, 2020 at 9:13am

ISS matures as science hub

ISS matures as science hub

Scientists aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have conducted about 3,000 experiments. More than 40% have been biology or biotechnology experiments. The studies have produced various insights into how humans and animals adapt to lengthy spaceflight. Male mice, for example, can still produce healthy offspring after floating in space for 35 days. A comparison of various biological factors of two identical twins — one an astronaut aboard the ISS for a year and the other on Earth showed that being in space changes telomere length, gene expression, the gut microbiome and the dimensions of the artery that brings blood to the brain. Many, but not all, of these reverted to normal levels after the astronaut returned to Earth. A lot of people don’t realize how much research has been done on the International Space Station around human health

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/364/6436/eaau8650?utm_source...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 5, 2020 at 8:47am

Effective science communication

A good first step in science communication is understanding your audience. Recognize that people who have limited science knowledge aren’t any less smart than you; they just have expertise in different areas. Approach each conversation assuming that the person you are talking with is curious and wants to learn. You may be proven wrong, but you’re unlikely to be heard by anyone if you don’t start from this place of mutual respect. 

 Think about what your audience knows, and start there. Explaining a scientific concept is a bit like climbing a ladder—you can move from simple to more complex, but you can’t bring anyone with you if they can’t grasp the first rung. Analogies can be a particularly effective way to provide that first rung. If you can relate the science you are about to explain to something that people already know about, they are more likely to understand and to want to learn more.

It’s also important to think about what is most critical for people to understand and what is not necessary. For example, you can help someone understand how an antiviral drug works without diving into the details of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis images and crystal structures.

Another important step is to own your expertise. You may feel hesitant to talk about a topic that doesn’t perfectly align with your specific area of research specialization. However, it’s important to recognize that even if you work in an adjacent field, you have access to much more information on the topic than does most of the public. Additionally, you have expertise in how to find reliable information. In areas where you’re not equipped to interpret the primary scientific literature on a topic, you know how to access a commentary or perspective article in a reputable scientific journal, read and digest that, and then share the information with others. And it’s OK to not have all the answers. Even if you can only partially explain something before you hit the limit of your understanding, you are likely to be able to help someone gain more accurate information than they would get from a potentially 

dubious rumor on social media.

Above all, remember that every conversation matters. Whether you have a big stage or you’re having a casual chat over your next holiday dinner, you can have a huge impact on the lives of those around you. 

 https://cen.acs.org/careers/employment/re-science-communicators-s-b...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 5, 2020 at 7:39am

Scientists find harmful chemicals in household dust

Since the 1970s, chemicals called brominated flame retardants (BFRs) have been added to a host of consumer and household products, ranging from electronics and mattresses to upholstery and carpets. While they were intended to improve fire safety, one form—polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs—has proved harmful to human health, specifically our hormonal systems.

the process used to add this chemical to manufactured goods attached the particles very loosely. As a result, the compound tends to shed over time through normal wear and tear.

A growing body of evidence suggests that concentrations of this chemical are higher indoors and that it is present in dust.

It is not feasible for people to rid their homes of all products and materials containing BRFs. But if dust is one source of our exposure, how can you reduce this exposure? Public awareness is very important. Maybe we need more frequent vacuuming of all the dust.

These findings point to the need to identify—and make consumers more aware of—safer alternatives that are free of brominated compounds. 

Peter Blanchard et al. Evaluating the use of synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy in investigating brominated flame retardants in indoor dust, Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2020). DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10623-4

https://phys.org/news/2020-11-scientists-chemicals-household.html?u...

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