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Scientists have discovered a new way in which the lungs operate during asthma that could lead to new treatments for the disease.

In a study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, the researchers at the Leicester Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit at the University of Leicester and the Medical Research Council (MRC) Toxicology Unit have identified a new biochemical process that controls how air enters and leaves the lungs during normal lung function and during asthma.

New fishery regulations based on science are needed in the Caribbean to give coral reefs a fighting chance against climate change, according to an international study published today.

The study, led by University of Queensland researchers, reveals that Caribbean coral reefs are experiencing mounting pressure from global warming, local pollution and over-fishing of herbivorous fish.

A research team led by Jackson Laboratory (JAX) President and CEO Edison Liu, M.D., have found a molecular fingerprint of some of the most deadly cancers of women: a genomic configuration described as a tandem duplicator phenotype (TDP) that is significantly enriched in triple-negative breast cancer, serous ovarian cancer and endometrial carcinomas, and that responds to a specific chemotherapy.

Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a critical role in the development of chemical and pharmaceutical toxicity. However, current methods to evaluate mitochondrial activity still rely on traditional tests called end-point assays, which provide limited prognostic information.

Microfluidic organ-on-a-chip technology, which uses microchip-manufacturing methods to arrange living cell cultures to simulate the physiology of tissues and organs, is poised to replace drug toxicity testing in animals, but thus far has demonstrated few advantages over traditional methods and animal experiments.

Engineers have created a new material with an unusual chemical structure that makes it incredibly hard and yet elastic.

The material can withstand heavy impacts without deforming - even when pushed beyond its elastic limits, it doesn't fracture, instead retaining most of its original strength. That makes it potentially useful in a variety of applications from drill bits to body armor for soldiers to meteor-resistant casings for satellites.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and the burden is increasing - much of which could be reduced through modifiable risk factors. A new review in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology examines the role of the family for heart health by focusing on interdependence of the family, shared environment, parenting style, caregiver perceptions and genomics. According to the study authors, reducing the global burden of heart disease requires continuous heart health promotion and prevention throughout life and the family plays a central role in this process.

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In the maelstrom of information, opinion and conjecture that is Twitter, the voice of truth and reason does occasionally prevail.

University of Washington researchers have found that tweets from "official accounts" -- the government agencies, emergency responders, media or companies at the center of a fast-moving story -- can slow the spread of rumors on Twitter and correct misinformation that's taken on a life of its own.

Pollen grains may be small but they have a big job. Delivering a sperm to an egg is a little more complicated when the parents don't move around. For plants, pollen success means reaching a receptive stigma, germinating and growing a pollen tube into the ovary, locating an ovule, and only then entering and delivering a sperm to a receptive egg. Despite the importance of these events to plant reproduction, pollen performance is relatively understudied.

CENTENNIAL, CO (April 4, 2016) - New research published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences shows that eating more protein from foods like lean beef, as part of a reduced-calorie diet, can help obese older adults with limited ability to exercise to lose weight and increase physical function. This new research, supported by the Beef Checkoff, contributes to the growing body of evidence that shows lean beef and other high-quality protein foods are beneficial for health, including overweight and obese people looking to reduce weight.

Microbiologists based in the Institute for Global Food Security and School of Biological Sciences at Queen's University Belfast have recently released results that may have answered one of ancient history's greatest enigmas: Where did Hannibal cross the Alps?

Pediatric researchers, using high-speed DNA sequencing tools, have identified a new syndrome that causes intellectual disability (ID). Drawing on knowledge of the causative gene mutation, the scientists' cell studies suggest that an amino acid supplement may offer a targeted treatment for children with this condition.

Poverty was the most common reason reported by children and youth, globally, for why they were on the streets, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.

Quality of care varied among commercial virtual visit companies where patients used websites to request consultations with physicians they have never met via videoconference, telephone or web chat, according to a new study published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.

Commercial virtual visit companies have grown rapidly and their acceptance by payers also is on the rise. The urgency of the need to develop a regulatory framework or industry-promulgated standards will partly depend on the level of variation in the quality of care among virtual visit companies.

PHILADELPHIA--(April 4, 2016)--Cancer risk increases with one's age as accumulated damage to our cells and chronic inflammation occur over time. Now, an international team of scientists led by The Wistar Institute have shown that aged tumor cells in melanoma behave differently than younger tumor cells, according to study results published in the journal Nature.