Sexual competition drives evolution of a sex-related gene
...osity are so strong that the semen becomes a solid plug in the vagina. According to Lahn, such plugs might serve as a sort of molecular "chastity belt" to prevent fertilization by the sperm of subsequent suitors, though they might also prevent semen backflow to increase the likelihood of fertilization. L...Order of species loss has important biodiversity consequences, grassland study reveals
...st a couple of members of certain species can help plug those holes. There may be only a few sprinkled around, but they can still be exerting a big effect on the way the system works. Zavaleta likens the ecosystem benefits of retaining rare species to the role of a child plugging a dike with his th...'Blind' cells see the light; maybe someday humans will, too
...ch an azobenzene compound was built like a drain plug on a rigid tether, so that when the end of the tether binds to cysteine, the plug fits snugly into the potassium channel. The chemical was also designed to be sensitive to light -- w...Exercise doesn't work for us all
PUBLIC-health campaigns regularly plug exercise as a sure-fire way to avoid an early grave. But that message may be too simplistic. For an unhappy few, even quite strenuous exercise may have no effect on their fitness or their risk of developing diseases like diabetes. "There is astoundin...Steroid discoveries could add bulk to crop harvests
...w plant steroid hormones, called brassinosteroids, plug into and activate receptor proteins on the surface of plant cells. Receptor activation is the first step in triggering processes, such as growth, development, the stress response and senescence -- the deterioration of plants at the end of a growing s......n cellular machines," Bork notes, "we were able to plug in some components whose functions had been unknown. And the same approach could be used to study the dynamic behaviour of other biological systems, including those of humans and animals."...Disabling gene defuses rheumatoid arthritis in mice
...amaged or highly stressed cells can pull their own plug in this or a similar manner to prevent themselves from becoming cancerous. "It seems that evolution has somehow provided protective mechanisms for innate immune cells when they go into the hazardous inflammatory environments they create," Peng notes...Results of world's first gene therapy trial for arthritis show approach safe, feasible
...ion that follows. In essence, they needed a way to plug up the receptor and found such a device in a gene encoding the IL-1 receptor antagonist, or IL-1 Ra. Because it was the first trial of its kind and safety was a key concern, the protocol was designed so that the gene would be delivered to cells that ...'Jumping genes' contribute to the uniqueness of individual brains
...At least in the germ line, copies of L1s appear to plug themselves more or less randomly into the genome of their host cell. "But in neuronal progenitor cells, these mobile elements seem to look for genes expressed in neurons. We think that's because when the cells start to differentiate the cells start t...Redesigned protein accelerates blood clotting
...roteins that enable blood to solidify, or clot, to plug wounds after injury. Current preventive treatment consists of genetically engineered factor VIII administered by injection, but one quarter of those born with no factor VIII suffer severe immune reactions that render the treatment inactive. In addi...UW-Madison scientists zero in on drugs' sweet spots
...d it to antibiotics and antivirals. If you want to plug in a sugar and see what it does for you, this is the best way to do it." The new technique, according to Thorson, will play a prominent role in the new UW-Madison National Cooperative Drug Discovery Group, a consortium of UW-Madison scientists seekin...Alcoholism research reveals promising new approach to treating Alzheimer's disease
...y specific compounds that scientists can create to plug into genetic pathways and block certain genes from producing harmful proteins. Many scientists believe that overproduction of the amyloid beta protein in the brain causes Alzheimer's disease. Previous Saint Louis University research has found that s...Evolution mystery: Spider venom and bacteria share same toxin
...n. "That one structural detail--which resembles a plug or cork at the end of a barrel-shaped enzyme--is evidence that the spider and bacterium share a relatively recent common ancestor," Cordes said. "Aside from being an example of lateral transfer between very distantly related organisms, this study is ...'Scent of a woman' tells male redback spiders to find a mate
...e -- into it. In the process, they deposit a sperm plug -- a small part of their copulatory organ that stays inside the female -- that prevents any future males from successfully fertilizing her eggs, meaning that males have to mate with a virgin to maximize their reproductive success. "On the one hand, t...A new tool against brain disease
...ou have an accurate model of the receptor, you can plug in a model of your drugs and do a lot of 'virtual screening.' Rather than synthesizing a million compounds and having all but one be duds, you can synthesize a few thousand compounds based on the model and come up with a better drug with less time an...Male contraceptive study expands to 4 US cities
...asculinity, but researchers hope men will find the plug idea more appealing. "Somehow psychologically, i...er side, and any sperm that make it past the first plug are stopped by the second. It's not rocket science, but it seems to do the job." The current study...Inventor helps grasslands go native
...st some native grass seed with a combine, it would plug in 30 seconds," Arbuckle said. Nationally, more than 100 economically significant native grasses are difficult to harvest with conventional equipment. Lacking good commercial technology, producers have often "cobbled together" machines or even han...JCI table of contents: Nov. 1, 2006
...php?id=28295 PHYSIOLOGY: Prostaglandin E helps plug a hole after birth In the fetus, a blood vessel ...gnals are required for the in utero formation of a plug (known as the intimal cushion) that begins the process of closing the DA. Current treatment for PDA,...Surprising airbag hazards among research findings at hearing safety conference
... fit, comfort and size have been improved, and the plug has been evaluated for performance in a number of different functions.......enital which it spurts after the sperm. This mucus plug blocks the female genital aperture so effectively ...hat rivals can no longer copulate. Whether a mucus plug or the tip of the genital organ is used, the oviposition is unaffected by the chastity belt: for tha...