While most recent research has focused on geckos' toes as the key to climbing walls and hanging from ceilings, UC Berkeley biologists have found that their tails play a critical role in preventing falls after a slip. The tail prevents pitch-back while the gecko regains traction. Unlike cats, which don't need their tail to right themselves in midair, geckos also rely on their tails to rotate face down and then maneuver to a secure perch. Tails are now being designed for robots, but could also aid astronauts.
A novel aerosol version of the most common tuberculosis vaccine, administered directly to the lungs as an oral mist, offers significantly better protection against the disease in experimental animals than a comparable dose of the traditional injected vaccine, researchers report.
Scientists have developed a new method for controlling the self-assembly of nanometer and micrometer-sized particles. Based on designed DNA shells that coat a particle's surface, the method can be used to manipulate the structure of numerous materials. Such fine-tuning of materials at the molecular level may lead to numerous applications, including cell-targeted systems for drug-delivery and bio-molecular sensing for environmental monitoring or medical applications.
A drug that blocks production of an enzyme that enables ovarian cancer to gain a foothold in a new site can slow the spread of the disease and prolong survival in mice, but only if the drug is given early in the disease process.
Scientists have acquired a more dynamic picture of events that underlie the functions of a bacterial biological clock. New research shows how the simplest organism known to have a circadian clock keeps time and may enhance our understanding of how other organisms establish and govern chronological rhythms.
Does coffee in a flimsy cup taste worse than coffee in a more substantial cup? Firms such as McDonalds and Starbucks spend millions of dollars every year on disposable packaging, but a new study suggests that trying to skimp in this area might not be worth it -- and may negatively impact consumers' perceptions of taste and quality. The effect is most pronounced for those who do not usually like to touch things while shopping.
Among luminous spots on Jupiter akin to Earth's Northern lights, scientists have observed a new type of spot. Generally, Jupiter's auroral spots result from waves generated by the giant planet's moon Io. The new discovery upsets previous models of how Jovian auroral spots form, and may have implications for our understanding of distant exoplanets which orbit other stars than the Sun.
Dopamine, a drug currently used to treat Parkinson's disease and other illnesses, also might work in cancer patients. The study, which was done in mouse and laboratory models, shows that dopamine could possibly prevent new blood vessels from growing and as a result, slow cancer progression.
Many people equate lasers with a sci-fi battle in a galaxy far, far away or, closer to home, with grocery store scanners and compact disc players. However, an ultra-fast, ultra-intense laser, with laser pulse durations of one quadrillionth of a second, otherwise known as one femtosecond, could change cancer treatments, dentistry procedures, precision metal cutting, and joint implant surgeries.
Chronic sleep disruption can cause heart and kidney disease. The importance of circadian rhythms - the body's "hard-wired" 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, is well understood in the regulation of cardiovascular physiology. Earlier studies have suggested that renewal of cardiovascular tissues predominantly occur during sleep; therefore sleep interruption can directly damage organs.
Promoting the green design, construction, renovation and operation of buildings could cut North American carbon dioxide emissions more deeply, quickly and cheaply than any other available measure, according to a new report. Buildings are responsible for over one-third of continent's carbon dioxide emissions.
The neighborhoods people live in can help inspire -- or discourage -- their residents to exercise and keep physically active, new research suggests. Residents of neighborhoods with higher levels of poverty, lower education, and more female-headed families are less likely than others to exercise, according to the study.
The world's glaciers are continuing to melt away with the latest official figures showing record losses, the UN Environment Programme has announced. Data from close to 30 reference glaciers in nine mountain ranges indicate that between the years 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 the average rate of melting and thinning more than doubled.
Individuals with multiple sclerosis develop progressive neurological disability that is thought to be caused by degradation of nerve cells. A new study has characterized an agent that protected nerve cells from damage in culture and markedly reduced disease progression in a mouse model of MS. The authors of the study therefore suggested that agents similar to the one they characterized might provide a new approach to treating individuals with MS and other neurodegenerative disorders.
