Discovery of Rnpc3 shows the cause of severe developmental disease

Summary: Researchers from Melbourne have made an important discovery which helps us understand how changes in an essential cellular process cause a severe developmental disease. By using Zebrafish, they discovered that the protein Rnpc3 is essential for the growth of many major organs. Rnpc3 regulates protein production by using a process called minor class messenger RNA splicing. Messenger RNA converts the genetic code in DNA into proteins. The scientists believe that this discovery will show how minor class splicing can cause the severe developmental disorder called Taybi-Linder syndrome. 

Article: http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2014/02/10/cutandpaste_gene_defect_hints_at_cause_of_developmental_disease.html

Source Credibility: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

Science is Collaborative: Many researchers from Melbourne worked on the project

Protein Cell Reorganization Discovery

Summary:
Have you ever wondered how our cells are organized at birth? Many scientists have wondered this question, but none have found answers until scientists at Harvard University have found a protein that signals cells to organize into our complex internal organs. With close examination, the Harvard team found that when organisms have this protein removed they do not fully develop their organs. The team was looking for new RNA patterns, but one of the non-coding RNA patterns they discovered was a protein. This protein, called Toddler, tells cells to migrate in the early embryo stages. Currently they are still wondering where the unorganized cells go and how this protein effects our growth.

(Credit: Alexander Schier)

Themes of Nature of Science:
1. Science is collaborative: Multiple faculty members and professors at Harvard worked on this project.
2. Science is based on evidence: The scientists in Harvard found the non-coding RNA and discovered the protein, they then experimented on Zebrafish to collect evidence.
3. Role of chance: It just happened by chance that they stumbled on the non-coding RNA pattern. Luck was involved in finding the protein.


Source:
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/02/on-switches-for-cells/

More related links:
http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/small-non-coding-rna-and-gene-expression-1078
https://www.sciencemag.org/content/343/6172/1248636.abstract

Poaching Threatens Savannah Ecosystems

A new experiment shows that white rhinos have a larger effect on the structure of African grasslands than what was recently believed, and poaching these rhinos can have serious consequences on their ecosystem. This experiment was conducted by Joris Cromsigt and Mariska te Beest. Previous studies have said that grassland ecosystems are mainly impacted by African elephants and no other mega-herbivore species. The experimenters took 40 different sections of grass land, taking note of their heterogeneity and when they were recolonized by rhinos. They then recorded the number of rhinos in each area and the quantity of grass and foliage. They concluded that white rhinos have started to change the composition of the savannah grasslands. 

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2014/02/12/poaching.threatens.savannah.ecosystems

• Source Credibility: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
• Science is based on evidence: The researchers found that the population of white rhinos had a direct impact on grassland composition
• Science is subject to debate: Before this experiment, many believed that only african elephants were the pivotal species in the balance of savannah ecosystems

Climate Change in Tibet

According to researchers in the UK and China, recent decades have been the wettest in 3,500 years in Tibet. They studied tree rings and their spacing to determine which years are wetter and which are dryer. The data is based on samples from more than 1000 trees, and some of the trees have a lifespan of more than 2000 years. The trees have shown close correspondance with rain gauges, making them a suitable choice for conducting research on. The researchers have noticed a trend towards wider growth rings, suggesting that the climate is getting wetter and wetter. The importance of this information is that there could be a link to global warming, but the scientists don't want to jump to any conclusions. For the full article, click here.

NOS Themes:
Science is collaborative - Researchers from the UK and from China teamed up for a common goal.
Importance of repeatability - Researchers took samples from over 1000 trees.

To Preserve and Protect: How a “Frozen Zoo” Is Helping to Save Endangered Species

Within the Institute of Conservation in San Diego, California, there is a 'Frozen Zoo' which contains the cells of over 1,000 extinct species which are being used to study evolution rates, cell distinctions and other aspects of the cells. This is not the only thing they are being used for though, they have a broader goal to end up using their technologies to preserve the cell lines, and attempt to bring back extinct species by collaborating with the Long New Foundation and other genetic scientists. 

Learn more at http://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/preserve-protect-frozen-zoo-helps-save-endangered-species-n29941

NOS Themes: 

Science is collaborative- Long new Foundation and Institute of Conservation collaborating.

Science is based on questions- Asking questions such as 'How can we use these preserved cells to prevent species from being endangered, and possibly bring species back from extinction?'

Orangutans Walking

Orangutans have been seen in many instances walking. They will stand up straight and scoot on the jungle floor. The males have been seen walking up straight more than the females because the women carry their young on their stomachs. From June 2006 to March 2013, researchers have been observing them in Borneo through 16 hidden cameras. It hasen't been a normal thing for these animals which excites the researchers. These cameras got film of 641 orangutans walking and in the same way.

Read more at:
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/orangutans-hit-ground-walking?mode=topic&context=76

NOS Themes
Science is based on evidence: Researchers have been studying these animals behaviors or 7 years.
Science is collaborative: Researchers set up in 16 different sites to see these animal on the move.

Nanotechnology Propels Advances in Regenerative Medicine Research

The American Chemical Society's 232nd annual meeting was held recently, including a three day symposium entitled "Advances in Nano-Medicine" where scientists from around the world discuss  Recent developments in nanotechnology. Recent advancements in nanotechnology have led to massive leaps in the field of regenerative medicine and potential human enhancement.

Carbon nanotubes have been shown to enhance the ability to enhance adult stem cells' ability to develop into healthy neurons in stroke-damaged rat brains. Researchers at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea mixed nanotubes with adult rat stem cells and then implanted the mixture into brain-damaged areas of three rats that had suffered strokes, while as a control, they injected three rats with only nanotubes, and three rats with only stem cells. After following the animals for up to eight weeks, the researchers found that neither nanotubes nor adult stem cells alone triggered regeneration or repair in the brain-damaged regions. In fact, when used alone, adult stem cells migrated to healthy areas of the brain. But when combined with nanotubes, adult stem cells not only remained in the brain-damaged regions, they grew into functioning neurons. The finding could have important implications for the treatment of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders in humans.

Researchers at Northwestern University developed nanostructures that helped restore cardiovascular function in people with heart disease, nanoparticles that sped up wound healing by nearly 10000%, nanotechnology that cured diabetes in mice, and nanoparticles that repaired bone injuries that in other victims, did not heal. Researchers predict that nanotechnology will be able to enhance muscle, cardiovascular, and mental functions in humans.

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2006/09/11/nanotechnology_propels_advances_in_regenerative_medicine_research.html

Nature of Science Themes

• Science is Collaborative- Engineers around the world are studying ways to implement these technologies in humans.
• Role of Motivation- These technologies could potentially be used to cure Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Osteoporosis, and many forms of cancer.