Testosterone Boosts Birds’ Attractiveness, But Leads To Shorter Lifespan May 27, 2006
Dating and mating are unique for many species, but for dark-eyed junco songbirds, researchers led by North Dakota State University assistant biology professor Wendy Reed, Ph.D., found something new.
Study Finds Men With Enlarged Prostate Can Benefit From Botox Injections
Injecting botulinum toxin A, or Botox, into the prostate gland of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition commonly referred to as enlarged prostate, eases symptoms and improves quality of life. Thirty-one patients out of 41, or 75.6 percent, experienced a 30 percent improvement in urinary tract symptoms and quality of life. These improvements were seen up to one year in some of the patients.
Research Produces Images Of AIDS Virus That May Shape Vaccine
As the world marks the 25th year since the first diagnosed case of AIDS, groundbreaking research by scientists at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla. has produced remarkable three-dimensional images of the virus and the protein spikes on its surface that allow it to bind and fuse with human immune cells.
Malaria, Potato Famine Pathogen Share Surprising Trait
Two wildly different pathogens — one that infects vegetables, the other infecting humans - essentially use the same protein code to get their disease-causing proteins into the cells of their respective hosts. That’s what researchers report in a new study. The scientists were surprised to learn that the pathogen that causes malaria in humans and the microbe that caused the Irish potato famine use identical protein signals to start an infection.
RNA Interference Gene Therapy Takes Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
Three years ago Mark Kay, MD, PhD, published the first results showing that a hot new biological phenomenon called RNA interference was an effective gene-therapy technique in mice. That finding kicked off an RNAi gene therapy research flurry amongst both academic and industry research groups.
Beyond The Hype And The Scare Stories, How Safe Are Nanoparticles?
The May issue of Nano Today launches a dedicated forum for debate on the effects of nanoparticles on human health. In "Nanotechnology: assessing the risks", Andrew Maynard of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars calls for a strategic approach to research on potential risks to ensure the development of safe, publicly acceptable nanotechnology products.