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A coral superhighway in the Indian Ocean

Researchers at Oxford University have discovered a network of ocean currents that scatter coral larvae between remote islands in the Seychelles. This 'coral superhighway' suggests that centrally located reefs may play a crucial role in linking distant islands, supporting regional reef resilience.

SourceUniversity of Oxford·JournalScientific Reports·DateMar 12, 2024

First atom-level structure of packaged viral genome reveals new properties, dynamics

A computational model of the more than 26 million atoms in a DNA-packed viral capsid has expanded our understanding of virus structure and DNA dynamics. The study found that the DNA formed switchback loops as it was pushed into the capsid, similar to how DNA is organized in eukaryotic cells.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalNature·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 6, 2024

Automated method helps researchers quantify uncertainty in their predictions

Researchers have introduced an optimization technique that accelerates Bayesian inference without requiring extensive user effort. This new automated method achieves more accurate results faster than another popular approach and offers reliable uncertainty estimates to help scientists understand when to trust their predictions.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalJournal of Machine Learning Research·DateFeb 21, 2024

NUS scientists develop novel method to estimate biodiversity loss in Singapore over the past two centuries

A new study reveals that Singapore has lost 37% of its species over the past two centuries, with larger mammals and forest-dependent birds being particularly at risk. The researchers recommend prioritizing landscape-scale conservation efforts for charismatic species, such as tigers and orangutans, to mitigate extinction rates.

SourceNational University of Singapore·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 29, 2024

Optical aspects of quantitative photoacoustic tomography

The review discusses the optical aspects of QPAT, including mathematical models for light propagation and interaction with biological tissues. The authors outline two approaches to estimating chromophore concentrations from absorbed optical energy density data, highlighting the challenges associated with practical implementation, such ...

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalJournal of Biomedical Optics·DateJan 11, 2024

New model allows for learning and prediction of microbial interactions

Researchers developed a new framework to predict how microbes interact with each other in unique compositions. Most microbes had minimal impact on the final outcome, with only select few playing crucial roles. The model has potential applications in personalized medicine and understanding microbiome assembly.

SourceCarl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 30, 2023

The mind’s eye of a neural network system

Researchers at Purdue University developed a new tool to visualize neural network decisions, making it easier to identify errors in image recognition. The tool uses graph-topological data analysis to provide a bird's-eye view of all images in a database, revealing areas where the network struggles to distinguish between classifications.

SourcePurdue University·JournalNature Machine Intelligence·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateNov 16, 2023

Sleep and stress give clues to understanding epileptic seizures - study

A recent study discovered two subgroups of people with idiopathic generalized epilepsy, one experiencing highest incidence during sleep and the other during daytime. The researchers found that either dynamics of cortisol or sleep stage transition explained most of the observed distributions of epileptiform discharges.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 17, 2023

A step towards AI-based precision medicine

Researchers at Linköping University developed an AI-based method applicable to various medical and biological issues, accurately estimating people's chronological age and determining smoking status. The models identify previously known epigenetic markers used in other models, but also new markers associated with conditions.

SourceLinköping University·JournalBriefings in Bioinformatics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateOct 11, 2023

Order from a border

Cilia synchronize their beating pattern by leveraging the fluid surrounding them and the border region. This observation reveals that border regions play a critical role in self-organization of living matter, similar to macroscopic mechanisms.

SourceMax Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 29, 2023

Evaluating the shear viscosity of different water models

Associate Professor Tadashi Ando from Tokyo University of Science conducted a study to test the performance of OPC and OPC3 water models, evaluating their shear viscosities and comparing values to experimental calculations. The calculated viscosities for both models were very close, with notable accuracy at temperatures above 310 K.

SourceTokyo University of Science·JournalThe Journal of Chemical Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 21, 2023

Alzheimer’s: An M.D./Ph.D. graduate student’s request for Yuhua Song as mentor leads to two NIH R01 awards totaling $5 million

The collaboration has garnered $5.68 million of grant support, with a five-year $2.13 million National Institutes of Health R01 grant and a five-year $2.89 million NIH R01 grant. Researchers are using computational biology to model a key Alzheimer's protein called TREM2 and its interactions with small chemical molecules.

Most species are rare. But not very rare

Researchers analyzed data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and found a universal pattern of species abundance distributions, with most species being rare but not extremely rare. The study's findings may help answer Darwin's question about why some species are common while others are rare.

SourceGerman Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 4, 2023

Acting fast when an epidemic hits

A team of researchers at the University of Waterloo and Dalhousie University have developed a method for forecasting short-term disease progression using limited data. The Sparsity and Delay Embedding-based Forecasting model, or SPADE4, uses machine learning to predict epidemic progressions with high accuracy.

SourceUniversity of Waterloo·JournalBulletin of Mathematical Biology·DateAug 31, 2023

Remoteness didn’t protect Amazonian Tsimané from COVID-19

A new study found that voluntary collective isolation alone was ineffective in preventing the spread of COVID-19 among the Amazonian Tsimané. The researchers used a computer model and serological testing to confirm their predictions, showing nearly identical infection rates across communities.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 24, 2023

The protein protectors of fertility

Researchers from Osaka University have shed light on how certain proteins contribute to the formation of piRNAs, a type of RNA that protects the genome. Tejas plays a key role in recruiting Vas and Spn-E, facilitating nuage formation and piRNA processing.

SourceOsaka University·JournalJournal of Cell Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 9, 2023

An escape signal for the nematode: Artificial intelligence helps elucidate structure of a novel light sensor

A team of scientists has successfully elucidated the structure and function of LITE-1, a biomolecule used by Caenorhabditis elegans to detect danger. The researchers used artificial intelligence to predict the structure of LITE-1, which is a channel protein that forms a pore in the cell membrane allowing charged particles to pass through.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalCurrent Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 2, 2023

Introducing GOBI: A breakthrough computational package for inferring causal interactions in complex systems

GOBI overcomes model-free and model-based inference method limitations by introducing an easily testable condition for a general monotonic ODE model to reproduce time-series data. It successfully infers positive and negative regulations in various networks, distinguishing between direct and indirect causation.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Communications·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJul 24, 2023

Food size matters

A study by Kyoto University found that Daphnia's phenotypic plasticity is strongly related to its body size and the type of predator. Medium-sized Daphnia are more vulnerable to predation by both Chaoborus larvae and fish, which prefer larger prey.

SourceKyoto University·JournalFreshwater Biology·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJul 19, 2023

Alien invasion: Study reveals alarming economic costs of biological invasions to the European Union

A recent study led by McGill University estimates that the European Union will face significant economic losses due to biological invasions, with costs projected to reach over €142.73 billion by 2040. The study highlights the need for effective management and collaboration to address this threat.

SourceMcGill University·JournalEnvironmental Sciences Europe·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 13, 2023

The Ising on the cake

A team of researchers from Kyoto University and international institutions has developed a mathematical solution to the temporal asymmetry of nonequilibrium disordered Ising networks. This breakthrough offers insights into the behavior of biological systems, machine learning, and AI tools.

SourceKyoto University·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 4, 2023

A new generic treatment for multiple types of cancer

Researchers have developed a new technique to generically treat several kinds of cancer, showing tumors grew almost three times less and survival rates reached 100% after just one injection. The method targets cancer cells with alpha radiation, sparing healthy tissue.

SourceRIKEN·JournalChemical Science·DateJun 27, 2023

Social conformity in pandemics: How our behaviors spread faster than the virus itself

A new model for disease transmission takes into account the effects of social dynamics and social norms on behaviors such as mask-wearing. The study found that small changes in certain factors can lead to large changes in disease spread rates, creating distinct infection waves. Social conformity creates a 'stickiness' where individuals...

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 10, 2023

Model suggests lowering hormone doses in contraceptives

A new computational model suggests that reducing hormone doses in contraceptives could effectively suppress ovulation. The model found that hormone doses could be lowered by up to 92% in estrogen-only contraceptives and 43% in progesterone-only contraceptives, while still preventing ovulation.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 13, 2023

Why do females prefer ornate male signals?

A team of researchers at Eötvös Loránd University developed a general formula to calculate honest equilibrium in any model, independent of signal costs. Their results reveal that honesty does not require signal costs to be paid in equilibrium, and that the cost is borne by cheaters, not honest individuals.

SourceEötvös Loránd University·JournalBMC Biology·DateApr 4, 2023