A new study led by ICTA-UAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) researcher Víctor Sarto and colleagues from the Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (CSIC-IQAC) has described for the first time in two centuries of knowledge a case of evolutionary convergence in the order of butterflies (Lepidoptera), certainly representing an evolutionary breakthrough to what has been known about their sexual communication. The research has discovered important behavior and physiological changes in the mating process of the moth Paysandisia archon (Castniidae).
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Scientists at the University of East Anglia may have found a way to prevent complications from surgery to treat cataract - the world's leading cause of blindness.
It's estimated that by the year 2020, 32 million people will need cataract surgery. Cataracts develop as people age, and the eye's lens turns from clear to cloudy.
Scientists at the Universities of York and Leiden have made a significant breakthrough in the treatment of an inherited genetic disorder which damages muscle and nerve cells in the body.
Pompe disease is caused by a defective gene that results in a deficiency of an enzyme called acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) which causes progressive muscle weakness in people of all ages.
The crippling disease came to wider public attention through the 2010 film Extraordinary Measures starring Harrison Ford.
Selective browsing by white-tailed deer likely is promoting the spread of some invasive plant species in northeastern U.S. forests, as deer avoid eating vegetation they find unpalatable.
That's the conclusion of researchers who conducted a study of deer dietary choices at the Penn State Deer Research Center, during which captive deer were simultaneously offered a selection of eight nonnative invasive and seven native plants to determine the animals' preferences.
Infections continue to threaten human health. With remarkable genetic flexibility, pathogenic organisms outsmart available therapies. Fortunately, microbial versatility is matched by the host immune system, which evolves in dialogue with the microbes. Therapies that enhance the beneficial effects of the immune response represent a promising, but under-explored, therapeutic alternative to antibiotics.
Montreal, April 28, 2016 - An outbreak of an intestinal parasite common in the tropics, known as Cryptosporidium, has been identified for the first time in the Arctic. The discovery was made in Nunavik, Quebec, by a team from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), in collaboration with the Nunavik Department of Public Health, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec and Health Canada.
An international conference in the highly contested region of Northeast India has heard from a University of Kent expert on sovereignty in stateless nations what can be learned from Gaza.
In his capacity as scientific advisor for the 'Sovereignty in stateless nations' project, Glenn Bowman, Professor of Socio-historical Anthropology and Director of the University's new BA in Liberal Arts, presented papers entitled 'Conceptions of Democracy in a One-State Solution' and 'Israel and Palestine: The One State Solution'.
A research group led by Osaka University and Panasonic Corporation developed a method for making a prompt, exhaustive isolation of olfactory receptors (ORs) responding to the odorant of interest. This achievement will enable quick and easy exhaustive analysis of ORs responding to specific odorants, which previously required a great deal of time and effort. These results may be applied to biosensors capable of highly detecting only desired odorants.
New research published today in the journal Scientific Reports has revealed for the first time that half of the world's farmed fish have hearing loss due to a deformity of the earbone.
Like humans, fish have ears which are essential for hearing and balance, so the findings are significant for the welfare of farmed fish as well as the survival of captive-bred fish released into the wild for conservation purposes.
Electronic cigarettes have the potential to contribute to reducing death and disability caused by Britain's biggest killer, say experts in The BMJ today.
Reviewing a new report by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) on the role of e-cigarettes in tobacco harm reduction, Professor John Britton and colleagues argue that e-cigarettes and other non-tobacco nicotine products "offer the potential to radically reduce harm from smoking in our society. This is an opportunity that should be managed, and taken."
There is widespread variation in the use of hip fracture surgery across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, concludes a study published by The BMJ today.
The findings show that, despite clear national guidelines, patients with higher levels of socioeconomic deprivation and those who require surgery at the weekend are less likely to receive it.
There are over 70,000 hip fractures in the United Kingdom every year, with a combined health and social cost of £2bn.
Researchers at McMaster University have found that a single minute of very intense exercise produces health benefits similar to longer, traditional endurance training.
The findings put to rest the common excuse for not getting in shape: there is not enough time.
"This is a very time-efficient workout strategy," says Martin Gibala, a professor of kinesiology at McMaster and lead author on the study. "Brief bursts of intense exercise are remarkably effective."
DALLAS - April 27, 2016 - Cardiologists at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found that sedentary behavior is associated with increased amounts of calcium deposits in heart arteries, which in turn is associated with a higher risk of heart attack.
Researchers at UT Southwestern have previously shown that excessive sitting is associated with reduced cardiorespiratory fitness and a higher risk of heart disease. The latest research - part of UT Southwestern's Dallas Heart Study - points to a likely mechanism by which sitting leads to heart disease.
Most people are aware of open-source computer programs. These free programs, accessible by anyone, spread technology to distant corners of the world. Cutting-edge innovations, however, come at a price. As a result, many software companies license their work.
These same concerns exist within the seed-development arena. Some plant researchers support the free exchange of new varieties of seeds and plants. Doing so, they argue, benefits both plant breeders and farmers. Considering seeds "intellectual property" may seem harmful to this free exchange of information.
Twenty-seven of 29 patients with an advanced type of leukemia that had proved resistant to multiple other forms of therapy went into remission after their T cells (disease-fighting immune cells) were genetically engineered to fight their cancers.