25 Feb, 2015 | by Labroots
Brief Periods of Exercise Offer No Protection from a Sedentary LifestylePeople should aim to cut time spent sitting by two to three hours in a 12-hour day Even people who engage in regular exercise cannot escape health risks posed by spending the majority of their day planted in a seat. Researchers have found that sedentary spells are linked with higher risks for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and death. The meta-analysis study, which combed through studies concentrating...... Read More
24 Feb, 2015 | by Labroots
Tools, Not Teeth, Telltale Clue to Fewer Viral DNA Remnants?Scientists have found peopleâs genes havenât retained as many fragments of viral DNA as other mammals, maybe due in part to our adoption of tools in lieu of teeth during conquest. Thus, exposure to viruses lurking in the blood may have been lessened. This is not to say people donât harbor bits of DNA from viruses that bugged our ancestors millions of years ago, we do. Retroviruses can penetrate...... Read More
23 Feb, 2015 | by Labroots
Road to Bubonic Plague Less Congested Than ThoughtScientists find just a few microbes are needed to infect lymph node, cause disease A long-held theory about how bubonic plague is caused has been flipped on its head, according to scientists. Researchers from the UNC School of Medicine found that instead of using host cells, some of the plague-causing bacteria travel to lymph nodes in small numbers. The thinking was that bacteria that cause bubonic...... Read More
04 Feb, 2015 | by Labroots
Protein Essential for Cell Health is Avid Multitasker: TH is among least-studied mitochondrial enzymesResearchers have found that a protein vital for cell health that has recently been associated with cancer and diabetes, can juggle its cellular to-do listâin effect having two alike protein parts split the workload. A key protein for most life formsâthe TH enzyme (transhydrogenase)âworks inside mitochondria. âDespite its importance, TH has been one of the least-studied mitochondrial enzymes,â...... Read More
16 Jan, 2015 | by Labroots
Ben Gurion University of the Negev Researchers FindCan a new use for an established drug make an even greater impact than the current one? Some researchers in Israel think so. Scientists at Ben Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Beershaba, Israel, have found that the anti-inflammatory drug alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT), now used to treat type 1 diabetes and various inflammatory problems, may prevent severe infections in people with compromised immune...... Read More
15 Jan, 2015 | by Labroots
Clash of the GalaxiesWhen stars collide, itâs not always in a Hollywood action film or on the red carpet. In a much more star-studded event than any movie premiere or awards could ever be, NASA has captured images of a collision of galactic proportions. Through the use of NASAâs Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, researchers have been given a look at a true blockbuster of a galactic merger. The unprecedented...... Read More
14 Jan, 2015 | by Labroots
Malassezia Yeasts’ Problemmatic FeastsWherever you look, theyâre there: Malassezia yeasts. The lipid-dependent fungi are lurking, colonizing the skin on people, warm-blooded animalsâas far afield as the recesses of the ocean, in deep-sea ventsâand in places far and wide in between. In our skin, the Malassezia disintegrates the fats and uses them for fuel. Researchers examine the possibility that harmful reactions can occur as the...... Read More
13 Jan, 2015 | by Labroots
Clams Go Disco and Light It Up.While not normally thought of as a club hopping creature capable of glowing in the dark and poisoning predators, the âdisco clamâ or Ctenoides ales as it is formally known, has been impressing researchers with its ability to light up the sea floor. A team of researchers from the University of California-Berkley presented their findings on January 4th at the 2015 annual conference of the Society...... Read More
12 Jan, 2015 | by Labroots
With Christmas Comes the Count.This year, from December 14 2014 to January 5, 2015, Christmas lights, Hanukah candles, holiday parties and New Yearâs celebrations will not be the only traditions observed. The National Audubon Society will hold its 115th annual Christmas Bird Count. Thought to be the largest citizen science endeavor, the CBC is comprised of over 30,000 volunteers worldwide. Researchers, conservation biologists...... Read More
05 Dec, 2014 | by Labroots
Israeli Virologist Working on Ebola Cure CallsâThe world has been asleep for 50 years regarding infectious diseases and Ebola is the wake-up call,â said Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) Professor Leslie Lobel, one of the few virologists worldwide who has been focused on Ebola, Marburg and other infectious diseases emanating from Africa. According to Dr. Lobel, âFifty years ago, we were dealing with eradicating polio, smallpox and...... Read More