The herbal extract of a yellow-flowered mountain plant long used for stress relief was found to increase the lifespan of fruit fly populations by an average of 24 percent, according to UC Irvine researchers. But it’s how Rhodiola rosea, also known as golden root, did this that grabbed the attention of study leaders Mahtab Jafari and … Continue reading
Latest Biology Current Events & Research
Brain Regions and Interactions Involved in Impersonations and Accents
A study, led by Royal Holloway University researcher Carolyn McGettigan, has identified the brain regions and interactions involved in impersonations and accents. Using an fMRI scanner, the team asked participants, all non-professional impressionists, to repeatedly recite the opening lines of a familiar nursery rhyme either with their normal voice, by impersonating individuals, or by impersonating … Continue reading
New Drug That Can Cripple Tuberculosis Bacteria
Most humans would like to shed their fatty exteriors, but tuberculosis (TB)-causing bacteria rely on theirs for survival. Scientists at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)-New Jersey Medical School have now discovered a drug that cripples the TB bug by dissolving its protective fatty coating, a finding that could eventually be … Continue reading
Aspirin Could Slow DNA Damage – Cancer Therapy
Aspirin is known to lower risk for some cancers, and a new study led by a UC San Francisco scientist points to a possible explanation, with the discovery that aspirin slows the accumulation of DNA mutations in abnormal cells in at least one pre-cancerous condition. “Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are commonly available … Continue reading
An Enzyme that is Uniquely Shaped
Chemists of Radboud University Nijmegen have found that a uniquely shaped enzyme that has never been seen before in biology is real: two interlocked ring structures, known as catenanes. The results have been published early June in Chemical Communications and were established through a cooperation by the university’s chemists and microbiologists. Microbiologist Mike Jetten is specialized in … Continue reading
‘Chase and Run’ Cell Movement Mechanism Explains Process of Metastasis
A mechanism that cells use to group together and move around the body — called ‘chase and run’ — has been described for the first time by scientists at UCL. Published in Nature Cell Biology, the new study focuses on the process that occurs when cancer cells interact with healthy cells in order to migrate around … Continue reading
Mapping Translation Sites in the Human Genome
Because of their central importance to biology, proteins have been the focus of intense research, particularly the manner in which they are produced from genetically coded templates — a process commonly known as translation. While the general mechanism of translation has been understood for some time, protein synthesis can initiate by more than one mechanism. … Continue reading
Why Certain Mammals Evolved to be Gigantic?
Mammals vary enormously in size, from weighing less than a penny to measuring more than three school buses in length. Some groups of mammals have become very large, such as elephants and whales, while others have always been small, like primates. A new theory developed by an interdisciplinary team, led by Jordan Okie of Arizona … Continue reading
Developmental Protein Plays Role in Spread of cancer
A protein used by embryo cells during early development, and recently found in many different types of cancer, apparently serves as a switch regulating the spread of cancer, known as metastasis, report researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center in the June 15, 2013 issue of the journal Cancer Research.
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From the Mouths of Babes: Toddlers’ Speech Is Far More Advanced Than Previously Thought
The sound of small children chattering away as they learn to talk has always been considered cute — but not particularly sophisticated. However, research by a Newcastle University expert has shown that toddlers’ speech is far more advanced than previously understood. Dr Cristina Dye, a lecturer in child language development, found that two to three- … Continue reading