University of Florida researchers propose using a fructose index to gauge how healthy foods are; starch-based foods like potatoes and rice may be relatively safe compared to sugar-based foods. Dieters should limit fructose intake, as excessive consumption can cause obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Researchers discovered that a special type of stem cell in the brain is selectively killed by space radiation, raising concerns about cognitive and emotional risks for astronauts. The study's findings suggest that identifying medications or physical shielding to protect these cells will be crucial for future human space missions.
In a study of 79 women with breast cancer, breast MRI revealed important diagnostic information altering treatment plans in 20 percent of cases. The imaging modality detected additional cancers, discovered cancer in the opposite breast, or determined tumors were larger than expected.
The discovery of well-preserved fossils in a blue hole off the coast of the Bahamas provides insights into early life on isolated islands. Fossilized bones of land-lubbing crocodiles and tortoises, as well as plant fossils, have been found, shedding light on the impact of human arrival on island ecosystems.
Research by University of Florida scientists found that using club drugs triggers a similar chemical chain reaction in the brain as a traumatic brain injury, resulting in cell death and memory loss. The study suggests that methamphetamine use can cause irreversible brain damage.
Researchers from UF and UT Austin analyzed DNA sequences to build a family tree for plants, revealing the five major lineages of flowering plants that exist today. The diversification is believed to have been sparked by various factors, including climate change and the emergence of new traits.
Researchers are conducting a phase 1 clinical trial using gene therapy to treat LCA2, aiming to restore vision in individuals with inherited blindness. The treatment involves injecting trillions of replacement genes into the retina, using an adeno-associated virus to deliver the therapeutic gene.
Researchers found that males' simpler genetic architecture enables them to evolve faster and more efficiently in response to sexual selection. This is because males have only one X chromosome, making their inheritance pathway less complicated compared to females, who have two X chromosomes with interacting genes.
Researchers at the University of Florida and Berlin Museum found that prehistoric aquatic insects were trapped in resin flowing into swamps, becoming fossilized in amber. This discovery sheds light on prehistoric ecosystems and may help recreate ancient water environments.
UF researchers tracked HIV genetic journey from birth to death in four children with HIV, finding the deadly X4 form emerges just before AIDS. The study reveals thymus as key location for viral replication and development of a 'program' of virus evolution over time.
Researchers at UF discover a powerful link between protein evolution and metabolic rate across various species, including fish and mammals. The study reveals that rates of protein evolution are strongly influenced by individual metabolic rates.
Researchers observed and videotaped four captive caimans and three alligators at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park, finding that five of the seven animals teared up as they ate. The cause of the tears is still unknown, but it may be related to air forced through the sinuses during feeding.
A University of Florida study found that teenage girls who start dieting are twice as likely to begin smoking. Researchers analyzed the dieting and smoking practices of 8,000 adolescents and discovered that consistent dieters were more likely to smoke.
A University of Florida study found that reducing calorie intake boosts cells' ability to recycle damaged parts, leading to longer lifespans in rats. The process, called autophagy, helps remove toxic materials and recycle building blocks for new cell production.
Researchers identified a genetic activity required for digit development in limbed animals, found in sharks' genomes, and believe it existed more than 500 million years ago
A new study by University of Florida researchers found that parent distress, peer bullying, and childhood depression can all impact a child's well-being. Children whose parents struggled with stress or depression were more likely to have lower quality of life scores, as well as depressive symptoms and poorer health status.
The University of Florida is leading a $9 million NIH-funded research project to better understand the life-threatening Aspergillus fungus, which affects cancer patients and transplant recipients. The repository will support research on developing accurate tests for detection, with goals to improve diagnostic accuracy and speed.
University of Florida researchers are creating a brain chip to decode signals and stimulate neurons, aiming to treat conditions like paralysis and epilepsy. The technology has the potential to revolutionize medicine, allowing patients to control prosthetic devices with their thoughts.
Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a new method to detect subtle differences in leukemia cells using molecular probes called aptamers. This technique has the potential to improve diagnosis and treatment for cancer patients by providing more precise and personalized care.
Researchers identified promising biomarkers in urine samples, including one linked to liver and ovarian cancer. The goal is to create a simple, fast, and noninvasive test for early detection, potentially avoiding painful procedures.
A University of Florida and University of Minnesota study shows that adolescents attending schools in neighborhoods with high alcohol ad presence tend to want to drink more. The study found that exposure to outdoor ads boosts kids' urge to drink, even among those who weren't drinking previously.
Researchers found that cord blood infusions significantly reduced insulin requirements and improved blood sugar control in children with type 1 diabetes. The treatment also increased regulatory immune cells, suggesting potential immunotherapy benefits.
Researchers can now predict where tropical storms and hurricanes will dump the most rain — even days after — and hundreds of miles away from landfall. The new tools, developed by Corene Matyas, use geographical information systems (GIS) to model rainfall patterns based on storm intensity, distance inland, and landscape topography.
A team of researchers from the University of Florida and Harvard Medical School has discovered a protein called IGFBP-3 that may help prevent eye damage in premature babies. The protein activates stem cells and other reparative cells, which could stabilize existing blood vessels and prevent abnormal growth.
Researchers found that talc stimulates healthy cells to produce endostatin, a hormone that inhibits tumor growth and kills tumor cells. The study reveals talcum powder's potential as a therapeutic agent for metastatic lung cancer, offering new hope for patients with incurable disease.
Researchers are testing an oral insulin capsule taken by mouth once a day to delay or prevent type 1 diabetes in people at risk. The study's goal is to identify ways to rein in the autoimmune attack on beta cells, potentially preventing the disease.
Researchers found that bone marrow stem cells can take on the appearance of malignant cells but do not have the same cellular behavior, casting doubt on the theory that they seed cancer. This discovery has implications for cancer treatment and study methods.
Researchers successfully awakened vision cells in blind mice using gene therapy, restoring their visual abilities. The breakthrough has implications for treating common blinding diseases like age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
Researchers found that tropical plants in Hawaii can acclimate to varying rainfall by switching between different forms of nitrogen. This adaptation may help plants survive in a warming climate with altered precipitation patterns. However, other factors like pollinator distribution and invasive species could still impact plant growth.
Researchers at UF discovered that anthrax's lethal toxin immobilizes neutrophils by preventing actin assembly, leaving them unable to protect against infection. This finding may lead to a diagnostic blood test within hours of detection, allowing for quicker treatment and potentially saving lives.
Physicists at the University of Florida propose a redesign to improve the detection of axions, a candidate for dark matter. The new design uses Fabry-Perot cavities to produce more photons, increasing the experiment's sensitivity by a factor of 10 compared to solar-based experiments.
A new asthma inhaler propellant is safe and effective, but its higher cost will significantly impact consumers and healthcare systems. The switch from chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) to hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellant may lead to increased costs for patients with prescription benefit plans, as well as co-pays.
A study by University of Florida nurse researcher Cynthia Figueroa-Haas found that breast augmentation improves women's self-esteem and sexual satisfaction. The study revealed significant increases in ratings of sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction among participants. However, Figueroa-Haas warns that plastic surgery should not be ...
Researchers used gene therapy to shut down a key gene responsible for inherited blindness, reducing mutated rhodopsin by 60%, in an effort to develop a treatment for retinitis pigmentosa. The technique may restore vision in affected individuals if successful.
Researchers found two basic categories of cells: those that stay the same size but have drastically different energy needs based on mammal size, or cells that grow larger in larger mammals. This discovery sheds light on how organism size affects cell life span and function.
A University of Florida study found that abandoning net neutrality discourages internet service improvements, with broadband providers collecting fees from content providers. The study suggests that consumers who pay for preferential treatment will have faster loading times, while those who don't may experience slower speeds.
A University of Florida study reveals that humans acquired pubic lice from gorillas around 3.3 million years ago, providing insights into human evolution and the history of parasites. The research suggests that lice can be transmitted through non-sexual means, such as sleeping in close proximity or feeding on prey.
Researchers found that when cowbird eggs were removed from warbler nests, the nests were ransacked 56% of the time, but only 6% when the eggs were accepted. This suggests that cowbirds engage in 'mafia' behavior to encourage hosts to raise their young.
The study found that the inhabitants of Christopher Columbus' settlement in La Isabela, Dominican Republic, desperately tried to extract silver from lead ore brought from Spain. They discovered an improvised smelting process to separate the precious metal, but their methods were not efficient.
A study by Thomas Foster at the University of Florida found that rats become forgetful due to an imbalance in brain cell communication. The researchers discovered that 'long-term depression' - a normal process that helps sculpt memory - can lead to rapid forgetting when it occurs excessively.
Researchers found that wider road shoulders, right-turn lanes, and angle intersections no sharper than 90 degrees enhance driving skills in both older and younger drivers. The study used a one-hour road course to test the Federal Highway Administration's guidelines for highway design.
A recent study published in Nature documents the largest climate change in North America over the past 65 million years, with fossilized teeth revealing a temperature drop of nearly 15 degrees Fahrenheit. The Eocene-to-Oligocene transition saw massive changes in ocean currents and life extinctions.
Scientists probe the effects of nanotechnology on living cells, organisms, and the environment. Researchers like Maria Palazuelos test aluminum nanoparticles' absorption by cells, while others investigate copper nanoparticles' toxicity in fish. The goal is to understand nanoparticle-cell interactions to inform regulatory decisions.
A University of Florida-led study has determined that Titanis walleri, a prehistoric 'terror bird,' arrived in North America from South America 2 million years before the land bridge formed. The team used geochemical analysis to revise the ages of terror bird fossils, finding they were 5 million years old.
Scientists discovered that the neural processes in sea creatures are far more complex than previously thought, with thousands of genes active at any given time within a single brain cell. This study sheds light on how genes control the generation of specific brain circuitry and enables learning and memory.
University of Florida researchers validate the use of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to study ancient migrations and population sizes. By analyzing correlations between mtDNA diversity and protein variation, they demonstrate that mtDNA remains a useful tool for understanding population dynamics.
Male crickets sing less and for longer in autumn due to parasitic fly presence, while females are reluctant to approach singing males. This finding sheds light on the interplay between sexual selection and natural selection.
Researchers captured an unprecedented view of an underwater volcanic eruption using instruments on the seafloor. The discovery revealed new information about the geological and biological processes at play in deep-sea environments.
Researchers have successfully tested a gene therapy to combat alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a common hereditary disorder that causes lung and liver disease. The treatment showed no adverse effects and introduced the corrective gene into patients' blood, with some evidence of protein production.
Researchers found that northern forest fires could lead to a net cooling effect due to the reflection of sunlight by deciduous trees with light green leaves. This study suggests re-examining strategies for reducing carbon dioxide emissions through ecosystem management.