JGI announces community sequencing program portfolio
...hes of the tree of life will be represented by the sponge Reniera and an odd organism called Trichoplax adhaerens. With a superficial resemblance to a giant amoeba, Trichoplax has the smallest animal genome, less than 50 million base pairs. Other organisms in the CSP queue include the cold water-dwelling m...Antimalarial substances found in New Caledonian sponges
... isolated from one of the species of shallow-water sponge present in lagoon. Laboratory tests showed these s...ivity among phloeodictines extracted from the reef sponge Oceanapia fistulosa. The phloeodictines are a family of alkaloids, composed of three large groups di...Sponge substance works well with yew derivative to thwart cancer cell proliferation
A drug derived from an ocean-growing sponge teams up to enhance the performance of the yew tre...codermolide, a novel drug isolated from the marine sponge Discodermia dissoluta, works with paclitaxel to thwart tumor cell growth--with several times the eff...Device that rapidly detects nerve agents named one of 'greatest army inventions' for 2003
.... If contamination is detected, within seconds the sponge changes color from yellow to red. Beyond its high sensitivity to nerve agents, the Nerve Agent Sensor also is resistant to environmental factors, such as high temperatures, and interference from other compounds. It has a two- to three-year shelf lif...Brain areas identified that 'decode' emotions of others
...ople with what looks like a hairnet containing 128 sponge electrodes that attach to their scalps and record electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. Images of eyes conveying different emotions (e.g. anger, sadness, embarrassment) are shown to the subjects, who are then asked to identify both the mental state and...Dirt aged hurriedly, elegantly observed
...ory that can speed soil's natural aging process to sponge up and trap organic contaminants. In nature, dirt is said to age as water-resisting organic compounds accumulate in mineral pores and organic matter of sediments. The PNNL group, based in Richland, Wash., helps the process along by injecting soils wi...Marine sponges provide model for nanoscale materials production
...logical synthesis from silicon," says Morse. "This sponge produces copious quantities of fiberglass needles made from silicon and oxygen." Morse directs the new Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies, a UCSB-led initiative funded by a grant of $50 million from the Army Research Office, which operates ...1,136 scientists call for protection of deep-sea corals
...ed Nations to protect imperiled deep-sea coral and sponge ecosystems. The statement will be released concurr...efore scientists can find them, deep-sea coral and sponge ecosystems are being destroyed by commercial fishing, especially bottom trawling. Trawls are huge ne...Elusive cancer killer's deep-sea hideout discovered after a nearly 20-year hunt
...-Sea-Link submersibles discovered a small piece of sponge that harbored a chemical with a remarkable ability...gh, the group was never able to find enough of the sponge to fully explore its potential. But now that process can finally begin because, thanks to some creat...How many fish in the sea? Census of Marine Life launches first report
...iscovered a new species (and perhaps new genus) of sponge - bright red and nicknamed the "rasta sponge". Chemical compounds found in it may help treat cancerous tumors. CoML deep-sea researchers exploring the abyssal sediments off Angola found an environment with more species per area than in any other ...Researchers identify molecular alterations in patients with irritable bowel syndrome
... the brain. In the gut, this transporter acts as a sponge to remove serotonin once it is released, and therefore stops its actions. Because the transporter is diminished in IBS, serotonin stays around longer, and this can lead to changes in motility, secretion and sensitivity." The study examined tissue obt...Exploring oil rigs and an ancient shoreline in the Gulf Of Mexico for new disease cures
...ruise scientists will also try to collect a marine sponge called Forcepia to further their studies on a promising anti-cancer compound the organism produces. This is the second consecutive year the Ocean Exploration program has supported HARBOR BRANCH expeditions. The innovative program was created in respo...Army awards up to $50 million to establish Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies
...red that the fiberglass silica needles of a marine sponge are made via a protein, which acts as both an enzyme-catalyst and a template for growth. That discovery has now been adapted to make non-biological semiconducting and photovoltaic materials. Said Morse, "Our research shows that biomolecular recognit...Injection prevents blinding blood vessel growth in mice
...receptors for VEGF, which, hooked together, form a sponge that soaks up VEGF before it causes additional damage. Scientists tested VEGF-TRAP in two groups of laboratory mice. In the first group, which had a rupture of Bruch's membrane (the layer between the retina and the choroid), they injected VEGF-TRAP...Black water turns the tide on Florida coral
...uction of coral species, and a near-elimination of sponge colonies at two reef sites after the dark water passed. By examining satellite images and field survey data, the authors concluded that the coral reef ecosystem was stressed by microscopic organisms and toxins contained in the dark water. The "black...Research shows how pollutants affect tree growth
...global warming by soaking up carbon dioxide like a sponge and holding it in trees and soils. However, that view overlooks the impact of rising ozone concentrations. "There are about a dozen major studies around the world looking at how an increase in carbon dioxide will affect different ecosystems," says Ri...Discovery Channel special watches OSU chimps learn to read
... certain tools - a stick and a sponge - that are functional in the animals daily lives."...to soak up water to drink. The sponge serves the OSU chimps as a surrogate for the leaves. Boysen...April GEOLOGY and GSA TODAY media highlights
.... Pages 363-366. This paper describes articulated sponge fossils from an exceptionally preserved biota in t...ng biota is dominated by extraordinarily preserved sponge body fossils, towering sponges that dwarf many bilaterally symmetrical animals (bilaterians) living ...Maryland's proposed crab regulations could have large economic impacts
...ate of Maryland proposal to restrict possession of sponge crabs and crabs smaller than 5-1/4 inches, thus ma...nd the University of Maryland College Park. While sponge crabs are not harvested in Maryland, those harvested in Virginia and other states also have traditio......uction. "The soluble receptor worked as a decoy or sponge to absorb the toxin before it could attach to the ATR on the cells," explains Dr. Young. "Now that we know what the anthrax receptor looks like, researchers can screen large numbers of smaller molecules to see if they, too, can prevent the toxin fro...