miércoles, 20 de julio de 2011

Compilado AZyNE 20-07

Ten Simple Rules for Building and Maintaining a Scientific Reputation, PLoS Comput Biol

Excerpt: Rule 1: Think Before You Act
Rule 2: Do Not Ignore Criticism
Rule 3: Do Not Ignore People
Rule 4: Diligently Check Everything You Publish and Take Publishing Seriously
Rule 5: Always Declare Conflicts of Interest
Rule 6: Do Your Share for the CommunityRule
Rule 7: Do Not Commit to Tasks You Cannot Complete
Rule 8: Do Not Write Poor Reviews of Grants and Papers
Rule 9: Do Not Write References for People Who Do Not Deserve It
Rule 10: Never Plagiarize or Doctor Your Data

A Universe of Galaxies, Science

Excerpt: It wasn't until the 1920s that astronomers realized that there were other galaxies in the universe besides our own. (...) Nowadays there is no doubt that the universe extends well beyond the confines of the Milky Way and that our galaxy is just one among many. Telescopes much more powerful than those used by Hubble have produced ever-larger and more comprehensive surveys of galaxies. The detailed understanding of our galaxy has also evolved dramatically.

  • Source: A Universe of Galaxies, Maria Cruz, Robert Coontz, DOI: 10.1126/science.333.6039.169, Science Vol. 333 no. 6039 p. 169, 2011/07/08

Running with the Red Queen: Host-Parasite Coevolution Selects for Biparental Sex, Science

Abstract: Most organisms reproduce through outcrossing, even though it comes with substantial costs. The Red Queen hypothesis proposes that selection from coevolving pathogens facilitates the persistence of outcrossing despite these costs. We used experimental coevolution to test the Red Queen hypothesis and found that coevolution with a bacterial pathogen (Serratia marcescens) resulted in significantly more outcrossing in mixed mating experimental populations of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Furthermore, we found that coevolution with the pathogen rapidly drove obligately selfing populations to extinction, whereas outcrossing populations persisted through reciprocal coevolution. Thus, consistent with the Red Queen hypothesis, coevolving pathogens can select for biparental sex.