Daily briefing: ‘Kungas’ might be first known human-made hybrid animal

A massive crater known as the “mouth to hell” began opening in the 1960s. Now, over 60 years later, the crater continues to grow, swallowing everything in its path. The most worrying part, though, is that scientists have no idea how to stop it. Russia’s “mouth to hell”...

Correction to: Scientific Reports https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-06840-1, Published online 07 April 2022. The original version of this Article contained errors in Table 2, where the LSU and EF GenBank accession numbers for the species 'F. crissum', 'F. falciforme' and 'F. keratoplasticum' were omitted. Table 2 Fusarium strains included in the phylogenetic analyses.

Mass infections in wild birds pose a significant risk to vulnerable species, are hard to contain and increase the opportunity for the virus to spillover into people. You have full access to this article via your institution. A highly infectious and deadly strain of avian influenza virus has infected tens...

According to recent studies, the importance of MLS (macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin) resistance phenotypes and genes in enterococci are reflected in the fact that they represent reservoirs of MLS resistance genes. The aim of this study was to investigate distribution of MLS resistance genes and phenotypes in community- and hospital-acquired enterococcal isolates and to determine their prevalence. The MLS resistance phenotypes (cMLSb, iMLSb, M/MSb, and L/LSa) were determined in 245 enterococcal isolates were characterized using the double-disc diffusion method. Specific primers were chosen from database sequences for detection of the MLS resistance genes (ermA, ermB, ermC, msrA/B, lnuA, lnuB, and lsaA) in 60 isolates of enterococci by end-point PCR. There was no linezolid-resistant enterococcal isolate. Only one vancomycin-resistant (0.6%) isolate was found and it occurred in a community-acquired enterococcal isolate. The most frequent MLS resistance phenotype among enterococcal isolates was cMLSb (79.7% community- and 67.9% hospital-acquired). The most common identified MLS resistance genes among enterococcal isolates were lsaA (52.9% community- and 33.3% hospital-acquired) and ermB (17.6% community- and 33.3% hospital-acquired). The most prevalent MLS gene combination was lnuA"‰+"‰lsaA (five enterococcal isolates). The ermB gene encoded cMLSb phenotype, and it was identified in only one isolate that displayed iMLSb resistance phenotype. Based on the results obtained, we can conclude that the most frequent MLS resistance phenotype among enterococcal isolates was cMLSb. Surprisingly, a vancomycin-resistant enterococcal isolate was identified in a community-acquired enterococcal isolate. This study shows that enterococci may represent a major reservoir of ermB, lsaA, and lnuA genes.

New insights into a mysterious fossil animal, and uncovering ancient settlements hidden in the Bolivian Amazon. You have full access to this article via your institution. Over a hundred years ago, archaeologists discovered fossils of the aquatic animal Palaeospondylus. But since then researchers have been unable to place where this animal sits on the tree of life. Now, new analysis of Palaeospondylus’s anatomy might help to solve this mystery.

Chinese officials threatened to take actions to “safeguard” their sovereignty after President Joe Biden said on Monday that the U.S. would intervene militarily if China invaded Taiwan. In a press conference while visiting Japan, Biden was asked whether he would intervene militarily if China invaded Taiwan. Biden replied,...

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said President Joe Biden is laser-focused on knocking down sky-high gasoline prices, though she concedes that even the most powerful person on the planet has limited influence to do that.

Molten lava cascades 'Sharkcano' Island.(Tanya Grypachevskaya/Unsplash) This week, there have been more than five earthquakes over 5.0. There have been ten this week alone. The strongest so far has been in Peru. The magnitude was 7.2.

The urban centres are the first to be discovered in the region, challenging archaeological dogma. You have full access to this article via your institution. Mysterious mounds in the southwest corner of the Amazon Basin were once the site of ancient urban settlements, scientists have discovered. Using a remote-sensing technology to map the terrain from the air, a research team has revealed that, starting about 1,500 years ago, ancient Amazonians built and lived in densely populated centres, featuring 22-metre-tall earthen pyramids and encircled by kilometres of elevated roadways.

People with less-severe Ebola virus disease may go undiagnosed, but they can still suffer long-term sequelae; this highlights the public health value of testing close contacts to identify and adequately treat all infections. Karen O’Leary is an Associate Research Analysis Editor with Nature Medicine. Ebola virus infection can cause...

The Russia"“Ukraine crisis has exposed vulnerabilities in US energy security. The US may import only a small amount of Russian oil but it is tied to Russian energy via its participation in highly globalized supply chains. The world is feeling the economic and energy impacts of the Russian invasion...

Introduction For the ambitious wind instrument player with severe malocclusion, the decision to undergo orthognathic surgery can be difficult. Aim To qualitatively explore and reveal key aspects of considerations for and outcomes of orthognathic surgery by interviewing a group of advanced and professional wind instrumentalists. Materials and methods One investigator,...

Some tissues need physical stimulation as they grow and robots could provide a realistic exercise routine. You have full access to this article via your institution. Human cells grown in the lab could one day be used for a variety of tissue grafts, but these cells need the right kind of environment and stimulation. New research suggests that robot bodies could provide tendon cells with the same kind of stretching and twisting as they would experience in a real human body. It remains to be seen whether using robots to exercise human cells results in a better tissue for transplantation into patients.

You have full access to this article via your institution. For the foreseeable future, the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 will continue evolving into new variants that lead to waves of infections. In 2020 and 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the emergence of variants of concern by giving them names from the Greek alphabet. But this year, Omicron has remained in the spotlight, with members of its family — subvariants — fuelling surges as they evade antibodies that people have generated from previous infections and vaccines. For example, the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 is gaining ground in North America, now accounting for about 26% of the SARS-CoV-2 genomes submitted to the GISAID data initiative, and BA.4 and BA.5 are spreading rapidly in South Africa, comprising more than 90% of genomes sequenced.

A key goal of chemistry is to develop synthetic systems that mimic biology, such as self-assembling, self-replicating models of minimal life forms. Oscillations are often observed in complex biological networks, but oscillating, self-replicating species are unknown, and how to control autonomous supramolecular-level oscillating systems is also not yet established. Here we show how a population of self-assembling self-replicators can autonomously oscillate, so that simple micellar species repeatedly appear and disappear in time. The interplay of molecular and supramolecular events is key to observing oscillations: the repeated formation and disappearance of compartments is connected to a reaction network where molecular-level species are formed and broken down. The dynamic behaviour of our system across different length scales offers the opportunities for mass transport, as we demonstrate via reversible dye uptake. We believe these findings will inspire new biomimetic systems and may unlock nanotechnology systems such as (supra)molecular pumps, where compartment formation is controlled in time and space.

Despite a significant disease burden and potential to cause blindness, primary angle closure disease (PACD) does not have a population-based screening programme. Biometric indices using ultrasound A-scan is a potential tool for glaucoma case-detection. Given that genetic and environmental factors influence these parameters and paucity of data on their discrimination thresholds in Indian populace, we conducted a matched case-control study to determine the biometric indices and their discrimination thresholds associated with PACD.

A new genome-wide association study has identified 41 previously unknown loci associated with Alzheimer disease. However, these data provide limited insight into disease mechanisms or benefits for clinical prediction of Alzheimer disease.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic and severe cardiopulmonary disorder characterized by increased pulmonary vascular resistance, often resulting in the development of right ventricular failure. Proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of small pulmonary arteries is a major contributor to pulmonary artery remodelling in PAH. New research shows that different Notch ligands have opposing roles in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of VSMCs in the pulmonary vasculature in PAH. Notably, blocking Jagged 1 (JAG1)-mediated NOTCH3 signalling with a selective monoclonal antibody reversed pulmonary hypertensive vasculopathy without toxic effects in mouse and rat models, suggesting that selectively targeting JAG1"“NOTCH3 signalling might be an effective and safe strategy for the treatment of PAH.

Female representation among mathematicians is improving. But the field’s most prestigious awards are still going almost exclusively to men. You have full access to this article via your institution. In July, up to four of the world’s most promising young mathematicians will receive a Fields Medal, one of the...

A meta-analysis was performed by the authors in this issue regarding perinatal inflammation in preterm infants who were assessed by electroencephalography (EEG).1 Their selected methodology resulted in only 2 studies from 41 eligible articles that met their chosen criteria. These authors' critique based on these two studies concluded that a meta-analysis could not be performed given the small number of subjects with heterogeneity in study design. Both studies statistically compared selected prenatal and neonatal variables with amplitude-integrated EEG (aEEG) findings. Only one study assessed correlations with specific reference to placental findings concerning clinical and histologically confirmed chorioamnionitis and lesions of malperfusion. Preclinical and clinical research articles were discussed that support an association of perinatal inflammation with altered EEG maturation. These authors advocated for the use of conventional EEG to assess preterm children associated with inflammatory etiologies, stressing peripartum timing of diseases that promote brain injury.