Whereas most birds are sole proprietors of their nests, some tropical species "time share"together -- a discovery that helps clear up a 150-year-old evolutionary mystery, says a biology professor.
Doing the right kind of brain exercise can enhance memory and other cognitive abilities of older adults. People involved in the Posit Science program showed significantly superior improvements in standardized clinical measures of memory gains of approximately 10 years.
"Sweet magnolia"does more than describe the fragrant blossoms of a popular evergreen tree. It also applies to magnolia bark's effects on human breath. Scientists are reporting that breath mints made with magnolia bark extract kill most oral bacteria that cause bad breath and tooth decay within 30 minutes. The extract could be a boon for oral health when added to chewing gum and mints.
Prognosis for individuals with metastatic melanoma is not good. Therapeutic strategies to enhance the immune response have some clinical benefit, however, most patients eventually succumb to progressive disease, in part because their dendritic cells fail to sustain an effective anti-tumor immune response. A new in vitro study using human MM tumor cells has identified one mechanism that represses DC function in MM -- expression of high levels of CD200 by the MM tumor cells.
Scientists have developed a better way of mining a vast computerized database for chemical nuggets that could become tomorrow's cancer medications. The new "data mining"method pinpoints chemical structures with drug-like activity. It could speed the identification and development of new, more effective drugs against breast, prostate, lung and other cancers.
Animal conservationists are turning to physics to investigate whether global warming is responsible for killing sun-loving South American tree frogs. When in their natural habitat, the Costa Rican tree frogs prefer to live on leaves and branches high above the ground. They enjoy basking in the hot sun -- which is unusual because frogs normally avoid prolonged exposure to high levels of light due to the risk of overheating and dehydration.
A simple recipe -- including just four ingredients -- can transform adult human skin cells into cells that resemble embryonic stem cells, researchers report. The converted cells have many of the physical, growth and genetic features typically found in embryonic stem cells and can differentiate to produce other tissue types, including neurons and heart tissue, according to the researchers.
For most people, and especially women, hair is their crowning glory that defines a significant part of their appearance and personal style. Yet, despite its delicate composition, hair is routinely subjected to significant damage from styling products, hair dyes, straightening or waving procedures and even sun exposure. Over time, hair that was once radiant can look brittle, frizzy and lackluster.
Four distinct skin disorders were found in construction workers who helped repair buildings after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, according to a new report.
Scientists are working on new solutions to the ancient problem of maintaining a fresh water supply. With predictions that more than 3.5 billion people will live in areas facing severe water shortages by the year 2025, the challenge is to find an environmentally benign way to remove salt from seawater. Global climate change, desertification, and over-population are already taking their toll on fresh water supplies. In coming years, fresh water could become a rare and expensive commodity.
Sexy dads produce sexy sons, in the insect world at least. While scientists already knew that specific attractive traits, from cricket choruses to peacocks'tails, are passed on to their offspring, the heritability of attractiveness as a whole is more contentious. Now, new research shows that attractiveness is hereditary.
Adding another layer of competition to the mating game, scientists are reporting possible biochemical proof that the reproductive system of female mammals can "sense"the presence of sperm and react to it by changing the uterine environment. This can be the molecular mechanism behind promiscuous female choice, in which females that have mated with several partners play a role in determining which sperm fertilizes their egg.
For unknown reasons a protein called amyloid beta aggregates into toxic plaques in the brain, killing neurons. These plaques are one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Now two new animal studies show for the first time that the deadly transformation of amyloid beta into plaques can be prevented through an interaction between amyloid beta and another protein called cystatin C.
