... in mice - science chat

[BinturongsSmellOfPopcorn]

A place to talk about all disciplines and levels of science - what you're working on, what you're teaching, what you've read.

Non academics welcome.

‘World-first’ surgery saved baby boy with failing heart

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/be8ee4c2-8078-11ed-ab78-11b70ed96428?shareToken=b95faba84394acba4b7a3c635066aede

Very promising news for stem cells

Nice! And cost saving, which is a handy bonus.

I’m going out of my mind trying to explain the effect of b-lactams on the bacterial cell wall. Also going out of my mind trying to find a bacterial endotoxin to write about. My latest assignment is very bacteria-heavy. I don’t think bacteria are my calling.

What do you need to know about beta-lactams, @CyanCrystalViolet? It's not my field but I can probably explain some of the biochemistry.

As for bacterial toxins, how about these? DH used to work on this.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_IV_secretion_system

Thanks again @Kucingsparkles, and I will look at those toxins tomorrow when I come to tackle that question 😵‍💫 off to bed to have nightmares about peptide cross-links.

You're very welcome @CyanCrystalViolet!

In 30 years things have changed from labs discriminating against women when allocating facilities and keeping it a big secret, to labs still doing exactly the same thing but quantifying and announcing that discrimination.

Isn't progress marvellous?

www.science.org/content/article/women-scientists-famed-oceanography-institute-have-half-lab-space-men

Wow. And yet I’m not surprised!

Unusually for New Scientist, this doesn't seem to be paywalled.

The surprise at tool use being found in combination with really good teeth is a little odd, but some fascinating finds.

www.newscientist.com/article/2358821-early-hominin-paranthropus-may-have-used-sophisticated-stone-tools/?

I would never have guessed they were tools! Shame there’s no picture of the teeth.

What are people’s takes on the correlation between lead exposure and violent crime? I’m researching it at the moment as part of a particularly wretched assignment. Not really sure what to make of it.

This has a bit more detail, including a tooth pic.

www.abc.net.au/news/science/2023-02-10/fossils-animal-bones-stone-tools-early-hominin-east-africa/101937222?

Environmental lead and crime seemed a plausible (indirect) correlation when I encountered the theory. Hard to prove though, and what evidence I saw was from a fairly narrow data set. And it was a while ago - so an updated graph showing more of the trend since the ban - and in a wider range of countries - might amend my views.

The number of planigale species has doubled (the article says mammal, but they're marsupials): au.news.yahoo.com/two-new-aussie-mammal-species-discovered-in-the-outback-021718751.html

DNA extracted and identified from Mesopotamian brick: https://news.sky.com/story/ancient-dna-extracted-from-2-900-year-old-clay-palace-brick-time-capsule-for-first-time-12944952

Wow that's fantastic!

😃 I love that there are still species to discover (Darwin had it easy!)

The article is just less specific than it could be isn't it as marsupials are mammals.

Yes, they're a subset of mammals - but it would clearer that they're properly native species if the article said marsupial because most people's brains go to placental mammal first if it's not specified.

Ahh yes I didn't think of the native/non native associations & work under the assumption that journalists wreck science reporting

Oh yes - always assume it's been totally mangled in the reporting.

And messed up a second time by the headline writer.

Could we replace heat pumps with (fancy) springs - with a 10-fold increase in efficiency? Elastocalorics could replace heat pumps, air conditioning systems www.pv-magazine.com/2024/07/16/elastocalorics-could-replace-heat-pumps-air-conditioning-systems/