Monthly Archives:: August 2012

X-ray chemist solves cholera mystery

Posted by & filed under Chemistry.

The likelihood of becoming seriously ill from cholera depends on your blood group. It is possible to find a new remedy for the feared illness by studying the molecular structure in the toxin in the cholera bacteria.

Plants unpack winter coats when days get shorter

Posted by & filed under Biology, News.

Mechanisms that protect plants from freezing are placed in storage during the summer and wisely unpacked when days get shorter. An expert in molecular genetics has demonstrated how the CBF cold response pathway is inactive during warmer months when days are long, and how it's triggered by waning sunlight to prepare plants for freezing temperatures.

Links between nutrients, genes and cancer spread documented

Posted by & filed under Health Sciences.

More than 40 plant-based compounds can turn on genes that slow the spread of cancer, according to a first-of-its-kind study. A professor of pharmaceutical sciences says he is encouraged by his findings because the spread of cancer is most often what makes the disease fatal. Moreover, he says, diet, nutrients and plant-based chemicals appear to be opening many avenues of attack.

Why some fats are worse than others

Posted by & filed under Biology, News.

All dietary fats are not created equal. Some types of fats have been linked to ailments like heart disease and diabetes, while others, like those often found in plants and fish, have well documented health benefits. So why do our bodies respond so destructively to some fats but not others?
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