SCIENTISTS in the UK have observed a fascinating new fact about sex changing fish: the direction of sex change has implication for population numbers. More than 400 species of fish are sequential hermaphrodites: that’s to say, they are born one sex and change to the opposite sex later in life to maximise their number of offspring. Species that change from male-to-female are called protandrous and ones changing female-to-male are termed protogynous. Marine biologists at the University of Salford explored the influence of the direction of sex change and found population numbers to be smaller for fish that change from female into male than the other way around.

Dr Chiara Benvenuto, from the University of Salford, one of the authors of the study published today in Scientific Reports, said: “Until now, studies have mostly looked at differences between species that change sex or not, but we’re interested in the direction of sex change. “While fecundity and reproductive success are expected to increase with size for both females and males, the fitness advantage can increase more rapidly for one sex than the other: this is when sex change can occur. 

 People are not the only ones suffering from the symptoms and problems of food intolerance and allergies. Other mammals, such as cats, dogs and horses, are affected as well. The Messerli Research Institute, a cooperation between Vetmeduni Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, has now condensed the knowledge about human and animal food allergies and intolerances into a new European position paper. The paper highlights the strong similarities in animal and human symptoms and triggers of adverse food reactions. More importantly, the publication stresses the need for more comparative studies on the mechanisms and the diagnosis of food intolerance, and on formulating adequate measures. Diarrhea after a glass of milk, an itchy palate after eating apples, swelling in the face after consuming chicken eggs or a severe asthma attack due to peanut dust are all signs of a food intolerance or allergy. But these symptoms are not limited to us humans, because other mammals such as dogs, cats and horses may exhibit similar symptoms after feeding. The number of pets affected by food allergies and intolerances has even converged with that of humans.

 ll Ministero della salute, continua a monitorare con attenzione le informazioni relative alla circolazione in Europa di lotti di uova e derivati contaminati da fipronil, un antiparassitario addizionato a un detergente utilizzato nelle pulizie degli allevamenti di pollame in alcuni Paesi europei. Tale trattamento non autorizzato ha comportato una contaminazione delle uova prodotte dalle galline presenti in stabilimenti non italiani. Allo stato attuale non risulta, peraltro, che si siano manifestati in alcun Paese dell’Unione casi di intossicazione umana legata all’utilizzo delle uova contaminate; tale evenienza è peraltro poco probabile, in considerazione del livello di contaminazione rilevato e del normale consumo medio di uova nella popolazione europea. In ogni caso il Ministero, a partire dall’8 agosto, in stretta collaborazione con le autorità sanitarie regionali e i Carabinieri Nas, ha messo in atto misure per la gestione delle segnalazioni pervenute tramite il sistema di allerta RASFF, che riguardano anche l’Italia; si sono messe in atto le procedure per l’identificazione, il blocco e l’eventuale rintraccio delle partite. 
Inoltre è stato avviato dall’11 agosto, sul territorio nazionale, un piano straordinario di verifiche con campionamento di carni di pollame, uova e prodotti derivati, nonché di prodotti alimentari contenenti uova o derivati, per la ricerca del fipronil.

The ability to distinguish between different kinds of caresses on the skin already exists at a very early age. This is evident from a study by the Sahlgrenska Academy, in which the blood supply in brains of infants 6 to 10 weeks old was investigated.     “This type of neuroimaging study has not been done on such young children before, and it also is the first time that measurements have been made so deep in the brain with this particular technology,” says Emma Jönsson, a doctoral student at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology with a master of science in engineering degree in biotechnology. The study, which is part of her thesis, encompasses 16 infants with an average age of eight weeks. For 30 to 40 minutes, they were subjected to tactile stimulation of the skin on their arms with soft brush strokes at different velocities. All rested securely in their mothers’ arms, awake or sleeping, and were fitted with elastic bandages around the head that held the measuring equipment in place.

To meet demand, food production will need to increase by 70 per cent while using less land, water, pesticides and fertilisers. Thankfully, researchers in Europe and around the globe are tackling issues of food security and food safety by exploring innovative ways to advance plant productivity, reduce disease and bolster beneficial nutrients.    Funded by the COST programme, an international consortium of researchers is investigating RNA interference (RNAi) – a method used to silence gene expression – to improve plant metabolism and plant defence mechanisms. Through RNAi it is possible to eliminate allergens or toxins, boost beneficial nutrients, inhibit undesirable traits and increase quality and yield. Excitingly, RNAi can also be used to develop plant species that are resistant to pests and diseases.   Until now, research into micro and small interfering RNAs has been limited, but through the COST Action ‘Modifying plants to produce interfering RNA’ (iPlanta), the network hopes to advance understanding, as well as determine the environmental and socio-economic impacts of RNAi technology.

Un nuovo studio apparso sull'Astrophysical Journal esamina 4 nuovi oggetti celesti giovani e di massa ridotta circondati da dischi attivi. La ricerca potrà chiarire le dinamiche di formazione di stelle e pianeti

4 inquilini cosmici di taglia small, giovani e“ingioiellati”, saranno d’aiuto agli astronomi per comprendere le dinamiche di formazione di stelle e pianeti. Sono un quartetto di corpi celesti in fasce circondati da dischi protoplanetari ancora attivi i soggetti dello studio apparso sull’Astrophysical Journal e firmato da un team di scienziati dell’Università di Montreal e del Carnegie Institute of Technology. Gli scienziati che hanno guidato la ricerca hanno preso in esame 4 nuovi corpi celesti di giovane età e di piccola massa mai visti prima, che serbano una caratteristica insolita: le 4 small new entries sono circondate da un disco primordiale di gas e polvere ancora attivo. L’anello detritico attorno ad una stella o ad un pianeta è un dato importante da considerare per determinare l’iter di formazione che porterà alla genesi di un oggetto celeste. Questi dischi, comuni nel panorama spaziale, sono raramente reperibili quando si tratta di nane brune o di astri di massa ridotta.