Biology
Sunflowers Move to Internal Rhythm
A biological clock choreographs the plants' daily pursuit of sunlight
Stories by Heidi Ledford
Health
Life Span Boosted in Worms via Dietary Supplement Compound
It's premature to call the compound, alpha-ketoglutarate, an antiaging drug, but it has been found to extend the longevity of C. elegans by 50 percent
Health
Inflammation Reduced with Behavioral Training
Subjects were taught to suppress their immune responses using physical conditioning
Health
Vitamin C Injections Ease Ovarian Cancer Treatments
High doses of vitamin C have been found to reduce chemotherapy side effects in humans and to fight tumors in mice
Health
Stem Cell Company in Crisis
Financial woes are threatening Advanced Cell Technology, running the only FDA-approved clinical trials of embryonic stem cell therapies
Sustainability
Plant-Killing Fungi Found to Preserve Rainforest Diversity
The fungi help prevent any one species from dominating an ecosystem
Health
A Call for Urgent Talks on Mutant Flu-Strain Research
The benefits and risks of "gain-of-function" research into highly pathogenic microbes with pandemic potential must be evaluated, scientists say
Health
Pharmaceutical Industry Scrambles to Fast-Track Drugs
"Breakthrough therapy" status is much sought after, but there is confusion about its definition and impact
Health
Stem Cells Created in Living Mice
Cells can be regenerated in their natural environment, without making a pit stop in a Petri dish
Sustainability
Climate Change Threatens Crunchy, Tart Apples
Warmer temperatures mean varieties such as Fuji apples are softer and sweeter than they were 40 years ago
Health
Gastric Bypass Makes Gut Burn Sugar Faster
Diabetic rats were found to control blood glucose better after undergoing the weight-loss surgery
Health
Nerve Growth Stimulates Prostate Cancer
Dense arrangements of nerves in and around tumors seems to make the cancer more aggressive in mice
The Sciences
Plants Perform Molecular Mathematics
Arithmetic division guides plants' use of energy at night
Health
Supreme Court Set to Hear Arguments on Whether Human Genes Can Be Patented
As the justices prepare to hear arguments in the Myriad Genetics case, observers are debating the impact of the outcome on personalized medicine and whole-genome sequencing
Health
Genetically Engineered Immune Cells Found to Rapidly Clear Leukemia Tumors
The new therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a swift-growing cancer that tends to kill more than 60 percent of those afflicted, involves extracting T cells and modifying them to home in on and destroy B cells in healthy and cancerous tissue...
Health
Red Wine's Link to Health Gains Support
New evidence suggests the mechanism of action for a red wine compound that some say is linked to a longer life span. Resveratrol acts directly on a protein that has been linked to cell metabolism and inflammatory diseases...
Health
Doubts Emerge on the Value of Very Low Cholesterol Levels
Revised guidelines for heart health are set to move away from target-based approach
Health
FDA Approves Recombinant Flu Vaccine
The agency's approval of the first seasonal flu vaccine made of recombinant proteins rather than inactivated or weakened virus comes as emergency rooms are clogged with victims of an early and severe flu season...
Health
U.S. Fiscal Deal Leaves Science Vulnerable
Congress's decision on January 1 to delay mandatory cuts to agencies, including the NIH and NSF, means administrators must still plan for possible plunges in funding for medical schools and other campuses...
Health
FDA Under Pressure to Relax Drug Rules
The drug industry says the antibiotic pipeline is blocked by overly stringent clinical-trial requirements for new treatments
