https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Fatty acids are the molecular building blocks that form the lipids essential for life. While some lipids form cell membranes, others are present naturally as triglycerides in body fat and the waxes on our hair and skin. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-discovery-fatty-acids-paths.html Biochemistry Fri, 07 Jul 2023 09:00:04 EDT news607939201 Scientists have solved the century-old mystery of a supergene that causes efficient cross-pollination in flowers. The results show that sequence length variation at the DNA level is important for the evolution of two forms of flowers that differ in the length of their sexual organs. The study is published today in Current Biology. https://phys.org/news/2022-09-short-supergene-efficient-pollination.html Ecology Fri, 09 Sep 2022 11:00:01 EDT news581937421 Stone Age cities sound like something of an oxymoron. But as many as 10 000 people lived in Çatalhöyük in Turkey some 8000-9000 years ago. This makes it the largest known settlement from what archaeologists call the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods. https://phys.org/news/2021-11-unearthed-textiles-stone-age-settlement.html Archaeology Tue, 09 Nov 2021 08:49:22 EST news555670159 A research collaboration based in Kumamoto University, Japan has become the first to successfully purify and identify an attractant for crop-infecting root-knot nematodes from flax seeds. Their experiments revealed that rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I), a flaxseed cell wall component, can attract root-knot nematodes. The linkages between rhamnose and L-galactose are essential for the attraction. https://phys.org/news/2021-09-identification-plant-parasitic-nematode.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 03 Sep 2021 10:02:44 EDT news549882161 We typically think about antibiotics as drugs that our doctors prescribe. But they are actually molecular bullets that bacteria use to kill each other—humans merely borrowed and adapted these bioactive compounds to fight infections. Since many bacteria produce bioactive compounds the question arises whether ≈1000 bacterial species inhabiting our gut also produce antibiotics. If yes, does the continuous exposure to these antibiotics lead to the development of antibiotic resistance in the human microbiome? https://phys.org/news/2019-12-algorithm-reveals-previously-unknown-potential.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 19 Dec 2019 08:10:05 EST news495964842 Human stem cells have shown potential in medicine as they can transform into various specialized cell types such as bone and cartilage cells. The current approach to obtain such specialized cells is to subject stem cells to specialized instructive protein molecules known as growth factors. However, use of growth factors in the human body can generate harmful effects including unwanted tissue growth, such as a tumor. https://phys.org/news/2018-04-flaxseed-like-particles-bone-cartilage-tissues.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 16 Apr 2018 10:31:41 EDT news443093489 University of Rhode Island researcher Navindra Seeram has discovered 34 new beneficial compounds in pure maple syrup and confirmed that 20 compounds discovered last year in preliminary research play a key role in human health. https://phys.org/news/2011-03-uri-scientist-beneficial-compounds-pure.html Other Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:33:13 EDT news220703575 (PhysOrg.com) -- The discovery by UCLA biochemists of a new method for preventing oxidation in the essential fatty acids of cell membranes could lead to a new class of more effective nutritional supplements and potentially help combat neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease and perhaps Alzheimer's. https://phys.org/news/2010-12-biochemists-method-oxidative-cells.html Biochemistry Thu, 02 Dec 2010 06:38:17 EST news210494268 (PhysOrg.com) -- In murder mysteries, the detective usually diagnoses cyanide poisoning by the scent of bitter almonds wafting from the corpse. The detective knows what many of us might find surprising — that the deadly poison cyanide is naturally present in bitter almonds and many other plants used as food, including apples, peaches, apricots, lima beans, barley, sorghum, flaxseed and bamboo shoots. https://phys.org/news/2010-07-beware-bitter-almonds-food-cyanide.html Plants & Animals Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:00:01 EDT news198949368