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Stanford researchers find new approach to thwart anthrax toxicityMost methods of fighting microbial infection focus on killing the microbe, but the bacteria or virus is just one half of the equation. In a paper published in the March 24 issue of Cell, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine describe a method of finding human genes that, when inactivated, can also thwart infection. Using this technique, the group found a way to make cells resistant to the deadly anthrax toxin.
Do plant species really exist? Yes, scientist sayNotoriously "promiscuous" plants like oaks and dandelions have led some biologists to conclude plants cannot be divided into species the same way animals are.
Cell barrier slows bird flu's spread among humansAlthough more than 100 people have been infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus, mostly from close contact with infected poultry, the fact that the virus does not spread easily from its pioneering human hosts to other humans has been a biomedical puzzle.
Bioengineering professor hopes to mimic the brain on a chipMicrochips that function as the brain does or see like our eyes do were once consigned to an unrealized world of flying cars and robot housekeepers. Thanks, in part, to a Stanford researcher, such "neuromorphic" processors are becoming more of a reality.
Scientist creates new method for folding strands of DNA to make microscopic structures
In a new development in nanotechnology, a researcher at the California Institute of Technology has devised a way of weaving DNA strands into any desired two-dimensional shape or figure, which he calls "DNA origami."
Research reveals hidden magnetism in superconductivity
While studying a compound made of the elements cerium- rhodium-indium, researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have discovered that a magnetic state can coexist with superconductivity in a specific temperature and pressure range. The discovery is a step toward a deeper understanding of how Nature is organized in regimes ranging from the fabric of the cosmos to the most fundamental components of elementary particles.
How to grow a bigger brainHatchery-reared steelhead trout show increased growth of some parts of the brain when small stones are scattered on the bottom of their tank, according to a new study by researchers at UC Davis. The brains of those young fish were closer to those of salmon reared in the wild, and the fish also showed behavior closer to wild than to hatchery-reared fish.
DNA could modify itself with no outside help
Spirals of DNA, once thought to be merely the passive memory banks that preserve life's blueprints, may also actively modify themselves under certain conditions, according to Princeton University scientists.
Cellular drug delivery from the inside out
Delivering a dose of chemotherapy drugs to specific cancer cells without the risk of side affects to healthy cells may one day be possible thanks to a nanoscale drug delivery system being explored by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory.
GUT MICROBES' PARTNERSHIP HELPS BODY EXTRACT ENERGY FROM FOOD, STORE IT AS FAT
In the study, conducted in previously germ-free mice, colonization with two prominent human gut microbes led to fatter mice. Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis called the results an illustration of how understanding the menagerie of microorganisms that live in our guts can provide new insights into health.
Coral death results from bacteria fed by algaeBacteria and algae are combining to kill coral-and human activities are compounding the problem.
scientists engineer human tissue with electricity
Scientists at The University of Manchester have developed a new technique which uses electricity to engineer human tissue.
Microchannels, electricity aid drug discovery, early diagnosis: A tiny fluid-filled channel on a microchip that allows single cells to be treated and analyzed could lead to advances in drug and gene screening and early disease diagnosis
New process makes diesel fuel, industrial chemicals from simple sugar
The soaring prices of oil and natural gas have sparked a race to make transportation fuels from plant matter instead of petroleum. Both biodiesel and gasoline containing ethanol are starting to make an impact on the market
New research may reduce global need for nitrogen fertilizersResearch published in the journal Nature reveals how scientists at the John Innes Centre (JIC), Norwich and Washington State University, USA have managed to trigger nodulation in legumes, a key element of the nitrogen fixing process, without the bacteria normally necessary
New process makes diesel fuel, industrial chemicals from simple sugar
The soaring prices of oil and natural gas have sparked a race to make transportation fuels from plant matter instead of petroleum. Both biodiesel and gasoline containing ethanol are starting to make an impact on the market
New research may reduce global need for nitrogen fertilizersResearch published in the journal Nature reveals how scientists at the John Innes Centre (JIC), Norwich and Washington State University, USA have managed to trigger nodulation in legumes, a key element of the nitrogen fixing process, without the bacteria normally necessary
Retired professor captures a 'living fossil' on videoThe first images of a live specimen of a small, furry animal once believed to have gone extinct more than 11 million years ago have been captured during a Southeast Asian expedition led by a retired Florida State University researcher
Beetle spawns new materialThe Namib Desert, one of the driest regions in the world, gets less than half an inch of rain per year. But early in the morning, a light fog drifts over the desert, offering the plants and animals living in that harsh environment their only chance for a life-sustaining drink
Mushrooms as good an antioxidant source as more colorful veggies
Portabella and crimini mushrooms rank with carrots, green beans, red peppers and broccoli as good sources of dietary antioxidants, Penn State researchers say