E-bike accident point; epigenetics in memory formation; Komodo dragons now scarier

This week, we reported on new epigenetic findings in memory formation, as well as a dramatic increase in micromobility-related head injuries, so there’s a lot of head science on the front burner these days. There were new findings about an increasingly terrifying and wonderful apex predator, and the future of coffee is getting a little brighter – the best part of the awakening is climate-resistant cultivars in your cup.

Neurons were discovered

“Your genes are not your destiny.” That’s a fancy way of saying that just because your dad developed a hammertoe in his 40s doesn’t mean you will. A big reason that genes are not the sole determinant of offspring development is the epigenome, the collection of chemical changes in DNA that modulate gene expression.

It’s a new field of genetics, so there’s vast and uncharted territory to explore, and a team of researchers at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne are now studying nerve nuclei to understand how epigenetics affects memory formation.

Previous studies focused on neural plasticity, but did not consider the state of the nucleus of neuronal cells. The study found that, in fact, the epigenetic state of a neuron is a determinant of its role in memory encoding. When a neuron is “epigenetically turned on,” its DNA unwinds and relaxes; it is considered “epigenetically locked” when the DNA is compact.

The researchers report that open neurons are more likely to be recruited into a new memory trace, as measured by spikes in electrical activity during learning periods. They believe their findings may have immediate application in Alzheimer’s research, as well as studies of other cognitive disorders characterized by aberrant epigenetic mechanisms.

Flexible to drinks

Look, climate change is happening; we cannot overcome it. We have to get through it. And that means we’ll need to adapt our coffee-drinking habits as much as our waterways, infrastructure and disaster insurance policies, because production of the world’s most popular coffee cultivar, Coffea arabica, is projected to decrease by 80% by 2050 due to climate change.

Arabica coffee has a distinct flavor profile favored by most coffee drinkers that will be difficult if not impossible to replace, but gardeners have a possible solution that is, at the very least, better than nothing: a shift from arabica production in robusta cultivars.

A team of researchers from France and Brazil have explored robusta’s potential to complement and perhaps replace arabica coffee, growing it in alternative climates and at high altitudes to test its resilience. According to their study, robusta is more sustainable as it can be produced with less water and fertilizer; Robusta beans are of high quality with good taste; and Robusta has the capacity to adapt to new production systems.

Komodo Dragon: The Heaviest Metal Species on Earth

Evoking Iron Maiden album covers and enemies from Id Software’s DOOM series, researchers report that Komodo dragons, native to Indonesia, have iron-coated teeth to kill their prey more effectively.

Although other species have similar tooth wear, researchers say that Komodos express this feature of deep reinforcement more pronounced than any other animal. Do you think you have problems with stones? Dude, Komodos have teeth that can rust. Combined with a venomous bite, these apex predators can devastate prey, including invertebrates, birds and mammals as large as water buffalo.

The researchers analyzed samples of Komodo teeth through chemical and structural imaging to reveal orange, iron-rich coatings on the teeth and tips. They believe that iron sequestration was probably a feature of some types of ancient ziphodont dinosaurs, but the fossil cannot preserve iron coatings. Has anyone looked at the Komodo bones to see if they are made of carbon fiber or something?

E-bikes cause more electronic shock

Nature’s helmet, the skull, is not fit for purpose for certain human activities, such as jumping a motorcycle over the Snake River Canyon, and requires an additional man-made skull fabricated from compressible material or Kevlar or something else. . Cranial insufficiency is a growing problem, say UC San Francisco researchers, who report that as micromobility increases in the United States with the uptake of small electric vehicles, traffic accidents involving electric scooters and bicycles are increasing. together with him.

Emergency rooms nationwide are reporting more micromobility-related injuries and hospitalizations due to a variety of factors including unprotected heads. EV drivers also have a higher likelihood of sustaining internal injuries compared to regular bicycle and scooter users. E-bike injuries doubled each year between 2017 and 2022, while e-scooter injuries increased by 45%.

“This increase in accidents not only introduced a demographic change, but also underscores an urgent need for increased safety measures. There are undeniable health and environmental benefits to the use of micromobility vehicles, but structural changes must be undertaken to promote safe driving sure,” says researcher Adrian. Fernandez, MD, chief resident in the UCSF Department of Urology.

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