http://www.physorg.com/ en-us Physorg.com internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. (PhysOrg.com) -- When it comes to wooing females, males of all species -- even fruit flies -- try to gain a competitive edge. http://www.physorg.com/news158947334.html Biology Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:02:49 EST news158947334 A new technology that kills dangerous pathogens on food at home and in restaurants, grocery stores, beverage-manufacturing and food-processing facilities has been licensed to the maker of FIT Fruit and Vegetable Wash(TM). The licensing agreement between the University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc. and HealthPro Brands, Inc., FIT's parent company, vastly extends the range of applications for the company's current anti-microbial food wash. http://www.physorg.com/news158234730.html Medicine & Health Mon, 06 Apr 2009 11:06:03 EST news158234730 That annoying kitchen pest, the fruit fly, occupies an honored place in science and medicine, despite slurs from politicians such as Sen. John McCain and his 2008 sidekick, Sarah Palin. http://www.physorg.com/news158155616.html Biology Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:07:39 EST news158155616 Mothers with many negative thoughts and feelings are more likely to give their children unhealthy food. This is shown in a study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) in collaboration with the University of Oslo. http://www.physorg.com/news157972419.html Medicine & Health Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:14:08 EST news157972419 (PhysOrg.com) -- If you've ever been sleep-deprived, you know the feeling that your brain is full of wool. http://www.physorg.com/news157901492.html Medicine & Health Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:32:05 EST news157901492 (PhysOrg.com) -- While science has yet to discover what makes that little ol' ant think he'll move that rubber tree plant, researchers at the University of Toronto Mississauga have identified an enzyme in ant brains that determines if they will defend the nest or gather food. http://www.physorg.com/news157652094.html Biology Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:15:42 EST news157652094 Eating while in the throes of childbirth should no longer be a medical taboo, according to a study released Wednesday. http://www.physorg.com/news157146321.html Medicine & Health Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:45:43 EST news157146321 The amount of calcium your body absorbs might depend, in part, on the amount of dietary fiber you consume. http://www.physorg.com/news157105385.html Medicine & Health Tue, 24 Mar 2009 09:24:04 EST news157105385 The national MBF Healthwatch survey has revealed that a disturbing number of children 'wag' breakfast claiming there is 'no time' to eat, they are 'too tired' or 'can't be bothered' having a meal before going to school. http://www.physorg.com/news157038748.html Medicine & Health Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:53:00 EST news157038748 The role coffee and tea play in a person's risk of having a stroke got a little clearer recently as two large observational studies found that the beverages may actually provide a modest amount of protection. http://www.physorg.com/news156957731.html Medicine & Health Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:22:53 EST news156957731 Researchers at the University of Florida have introduced 'Delicious', a new muscadine grape cultivar. 'Delicious' ripens early, produces high yields, and is disease-resistant. The black fruit features exceptional taste and texture with an edible skin, making it well-suited for fresh fruit consumption and the potential for wine production. The name 'Delicious' was selected based on the comments of vineyard visitors who sampled the fruit. http://www.physorg.com/news156842048.html Biology Sat, 21 Mar 2009 08:16:26 EST news156842048 A new study that looks at the fruit and vegetable consumption of nearly 200,000 people in developing countries finds that the prevalence of inadequate diet is `remarkably high` across the globe. http://www.physorg.com/news156526038.html Medicine & Health Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:28:14 EST news156526038 Scientists have identified the first gene that pulls the plug on ailing nerve cell branches from within the nerve cell, possibly helping to trigger the painful condition known as neuropathy. http://www.physorg.com/news156346708.html Medicine & Health Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:39:41 EST news156346708 When it comes to the aging process, yeast, nematode worms and fruit flies have more in common with humans than previously expected. In addition to highlighting the similarities between species, a large-scale human protein network reveals a complex web of interactions among the human equivalents of the many longevity genes found in simple-animals. http://www.physorg.com/news156180138.html Biology Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:22:54 EST news156180138 Tiny, lightweight fruit flies need to know when it's windy out so they can steady themselves and avoid being knocked off their feet or blown off course. But how do they figure out that it's time to hunker down? According to a team led by California Institute of Technology (Caltech) scientists reporting in this week's issue of the journal Nature, the flies have evolved a specialized population of neurons in their antennae that let them know not only when the wind is blowing, but also the direction from which it is coming. http://www.physorg.com/news156088179.html Biology Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:50:19 EST news156088179 Animals have an astonishing ability to develop reliably, in spite of variable conditions during embryogenesis. New research, published in parallel this week in PLoS Biology and PLoS Computational Biology, addresses how living things can develop into precise, adult forms when there is so much variation present during their development stages. A team led by John Reinitz at Stony Brook University, and funded by the National Institutes of Health, shows how fruit fly embryos can "forget" initial incorrect versions of their body plan and develop into recognizable adult flies. http://www.physorg.com/news155888495.html Biology Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:24:48 EST news155888495 Good eating habits can result when families eat together. In the March/April 2009 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, researchers from the School of Public Health, University of Minnesota report on one of the first studies to examine the long-term benefits of regular family meals for diet quality during the transition from early to middle adolescence. In general, the study found adolescents who participated in regular family meals reported more healthful diets and meal patterns compared to adolescents without regular family meals. http://www.physorg.com/news155810451.html Medicine & Health Mon, 09 Mar 2009 09:43:35 EST news155810451 Buzzing with excitement, the "fly people" swarmed into Chicago this week to hear the latest news about an unsung hero of science: the humble fruit fly. http://www.physorg.com/news155751263.html Biology Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:15:08 EST news155751263 Two highly lethal viruses that have emerged in recent outbreaks are susceptible to chloroquine, an established drug used to prevent and treat malaria, according to a new basic science study by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College in the Journal of Virology. Due to the study's significance, it was published yesterday, online, in advance of the first April print issue. http://www.physorg.com/news155480197.html Medicine & Health Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:57:37 EST news155480197 Bananas, known most often as a healthy, convenient food, are also popular ornamental plants in the southern United States. Banana plants are highly prized by many as one of the most beautiful ornamentals used for creating a subtropical ambiance in gardens and pool environments. http://www.physorg.com/news154880543.html Biology Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:22:52 EST news154880543 Starting with the tiny fruit fly and then moving into mice and humans, researchers at VIB and K. U. Leuven show that expression of the same gene suppresses cancer in all three organisms. Reciprocally, switching off the gene - called Ato in flies and ATOH1 in mammals - leads to cancer. The authors show there is a good chance that the gene can be switched on again with a drug. They report their findings in two papers in the leading online open access journal PLoS Biology. http://www.physorg.com/news154618409.html Medicine & Health Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:33:57 EST news154618409 For many animals, sleep is a risk: foraging for food, mingling with mates and guarding against predators just aren't possible while snoozing. http://www.physorg.com/news154540566.html Medicine & Health Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:56:43 EST news154540566 (PhysOrg.com) -- Healthy food is still affordable for the average family, despite the cost of food skyrocketing by 20 per cent since 2000, according to new research. http://www.physorg.com/news154360099.html Medicine & Health Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:48:34 EST news154360099 Researchers have known for decades that the brain has a remarkable ability to "reprogram" itself to compensate for problems such as traumatic injury. Now, a research article published in the February 2009 issue of the journal Genetics suggests that the brain may also be able to compensate for problems with key neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. This finding may open the doors to entirely new lines of research and treatments for a wide range of brain disorders, including addiction, depression, Parkinson's disease, and schizophrenia. http://www.physorg.com/news154350455.html Medicine & Health Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:08:14 EST news154350455 Mating can be exhausting. When fruit flies mate, the females' genes are activated to roughly the same extent as when an immune reaction starts. This is shown in a study at Uppsala University that is now appearing in the scientific publication, Journal of Evolutionary Biology. http://www.physorg.com/news154266738.html Biology Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:52:52 EST news154266738 In their ongoing study of the processes involved in embryonic development in fruit flies, researchers at WPI's Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center at Gateway Park have identified the function of a protein that sticks out of the embryonic cell membrane like an antenna and processes signals needed for the flies' wings to develop properly. http://www.physorg.com/news154181694.html Biology Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:15:25 EST news154181694 Apples have long been associated with good health, including lower risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Apples also contain anthocyanins, important antioxidants that give the peels their red coloring. Redness is one of the most important factors consumers consider when buying apples. http://www.physorg.com/news154093706.html Biology Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:48:56 EST news154093706 Fruit flies and humans share most of their genes, including 70 percent of all known human disease genes. Taking advantage of this remarkable evolutionary conservation, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies transformed the fruit fly into a laboratory model for an innovative study of gliomas, the most common malignant brain tumors. http://www.physorg.com/news153738376.html Biology Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:06:40 EST news153738376 Phytophthora blight, caused by Phytophthora capsici, is a major plant disease that affects many crop species worldwide, including chile peppers in New Mexico. Farmers' observations suggested that Phytophthora capsici caused less damage in pepper crops of the hot pepper varieties than low-heat pepper varieties. http://www.physorg.com/news152894974.html Biology Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:50:21 EST news152894974 (PhysOrg.com) -- Heinrich Jasper, assistant professor of biology at the University of Rochester, has won a $900,000 Senior Fellow Award from the Ellison Medical Foundation for his work showing how stress affects stem cell function, leading to symptoms of aging. http://www.physorg.com/news152813533.html Biology Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:12:45 EST news152813533