Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Chemists Rationally Design Inhibitors Against an RNA Molecule that Causes Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy
(PhysOrg.com) -- Chemists at the University at Buffalo have used rational drug design to synthesize small, cell-permeable molecules that are effective in vitro against two common types of myotonic muscular...
Scientists Paint Brain Tumors With Nanoparticles for More Precise Removal
Brain cancer is a classic double whammy: the extremely invasive form of cancer is both deadly and difficult to treat. Fortunately, there's a promising solution on the table: tumor painting. Because brain cancer...
Video: Tracking Sharks
Science and technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg joined researchers in a shark dive to tag and track the ocean predators.
Deadly malaria jumped to humans from wild chimps
An international research team led by evolutionary geneticist Stephen M. Rich of the University of Massachusetts Amherst has discovered that the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, which causes the deadliest form of...
Big Cattle: The Genes That Determine Carcass Weight
An area of chromosome 6 that affects cattle carcass weight has been identified using two different Japanese breeds. Knowledge of this four-gene region should be useful in breeding beef cattle.
Daily Temperature Shifts May Alter Malaria Patterns
Daytime temperature fluctuations greatly alter the incubation period of malaria parasites in mosquitoes, and alter transmission rates of the disease. Consideration of these fluctuations reveals a more accurate picture of...
Structure Of Antibiotic Ramoplanin Reveals Promising Mechanism
With the "last resort" antibiotic Vancomycin now plagued by the first signs of bacterial resistance, scientists have identified how a candidate successor antibiotic known as Ramoplanin A2 can kill pathogenic...
Study tracks lineage, origins of dogs
ITHACA, N.Y., Aug. 4 (UPI) -- African village dogs' lineage can be traced to an ancestral pool of indigenous dogs, a Cornell University-led genetic analysis suggests.
Genetically Engineered Corn Sends Out Chemical SOS When Attacked
What do you do when you're under attack? Call for help, naturally. Unfortunately, if you're an ear of corn, and you're being attacked by parasitic beetle larvae, you have nothing to call for...
Implanted stem cells grow teeth in mice
TOKYO, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Japanese scientists using stem cells have grown fully functional teeth in adult mice, which may hold promise for regrowing human organs, the scientists report.
Holding breath for several minutes elevates marker for brain damage
Divers who held their breath for several minutes had elevated levels of a protein that can signal brain damage, according to a new study from the Journal of Applied Physiology....
Most Infectious Malaria Strain Came From Chimps?
New genetic analysis suggests the deadly parasite mutated from a chimpanzee strain—and hints that similarly long-lasting diseases are today making the leap from animals to people.
'SIRT'ain security: The protein SIRT3 protects the heart
Sirtuin proteins have been shown to promote longevity in many organisms, and increased expression of one sirtuin protein, SIRT3, has been linked to increased human lifespan. New data, generated in...
Restoring a natural root signal helps to fight a major corn pest
A longstanding and fruitful collaboration between researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and the University of Neuchatel in Switzerland, together with contributions from colleagues in Munich and...
European bison on 'genetic brink'
Europe's largest mammal remains extremely vulnerable to extinction, despite long-standing efforts to save the species.
Chemists explain the switchboards in our cells
Our cells are controlled by billions of molecular 'switches' and chemists at UC Santa Barbara have developed a theory that explains how these molecules work. Their findings may significantly help...
Analysis: 2007 legal opinion is a threat to imperilled species
If the federal government implements a 2007 legal interpretation of the Endangered Species Act, the likely result will be a reduction in the number of species listed for protection, scientists...
Sick fish may get sicker
Entire populations of North American fish already are being affected by several emerging diseases, a problem that threatens to increase in the future with climate change and other stresses on...
Missouri and Kansas are releasing alien insects to do battle with invasive plants
An alien plant species has invaded Missouri and is threatening to overrun crops and livestock pastures. To combat the scourge weed, officials are deliberately releasing two alien insect species to...
Unripe Banana Flour Could Give A Healthy Boost To Pasta
Supplementing spaghetti with unripe banana flour may be a healthy addition since banana flour contains antioxidants and fiber, according to a new study.
GM crop lures pest killers
Transgenic maize emits chemical that summons insect-killing nematodes.
Basics: Finally, the Spleen Gets Some Respect
Scientists have found that the spleen plays a more important role in the body’s defense system than anyone suspected.
Hurt Sea Turtle Gets Plastic Flippers
A loggerhead sea turtle seemingly injured by a shark was recently fitted with "trial" prosthetics as part of efforts to give the rare animal fully functioning flippers. Video.
Rootworms may resist herbicide, study says
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Volunteer corn -- unwanted plants from a previous year's harvest -- can provide a safe harbor for pests from insecticides, U.S. researchers...
Are Contaminants Silencing Our Genes?
Each of us starts life with a particular set of genes, 20,000 to 25,000 of them. Now scientists are amassing a growing body of evidence that pollutants and chemicals might be altering...
Researchers identify new method to selectively kill metastatic melanoma cells
RICHMOND, Va. (August 3, 2009) -- An international team of researchers has identified a new method for selectively killing metastatic melanoma cells, which may lead to new areas for...
New study confirms growing antimalarial resistance
A study looking at malaria parasites' response to artemisinin-based antimalarial drugs confirms growing resistance in western Cambodia.