A new study has shown for the first time how the drug misoprostol, linked to neurodevelopmental defects associated with autism, interferes with neuronal cell function. It is an important finding because misoprostol is similar in structure to naturally occurring prostaglandins, the key signaling molecules produced by fatty acids in the brain. The study examined mouse neuronal cells to see how the drug interferes at a molecular level with prostaglandins.

The continued drop in overall cancer mortality rates over the last 20 years has averted more than 767,000 cancer deaths, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society.

Researchers in Spain report that bilinguals are faster and more efficient in certain tasks in which executive functions are used due to a different form of cerebral control.

Faced with threats such as habitat loss and climate change, thousands of rare flowering plant species worldwide may become extinct before scientists can even discover them, according to a paper published today by a trio of American and British researchers in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

The tunable fluorescent nanoparticles known as quantum dots make ideal tools for distinguishing and identifying rare cancer cells in tissue biopsies. Researchers have learned how multicolor quantum dots linked to antibodies can distinguish the Reed-Sternberg cells that are characteristic of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

A study that examined 30 years of standardized test data from the very highest-scoring seventh graders has found that performance differences between boys and girls have narrowed considerably, but boys still outnumber girls by more than about 3-to-1 at extremely high levels of math ability and scientific reasoning.

New research shows that the quiet life is not so great for fish living on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Scientists have designed a nanoparticle that appears to effectively deliver genetic material into cells with minimal toxic effects. In lab experiments, the researchers have found that this device, a vector, is able to deliver DNA deeply enough into a cell to allow genetic material to be activated -- a critical step in gene therapy. This vector is between two and a half and 10 times more effective than other experimental materials, according to the research.

NASA's next Mars rover, Curiosity, is sitting pretty on a set of spiffy new wheels that would be the envy of any car show on Earth. The wheels and a suspension system were added recently by spacecraft technicians and engineers. These new and important touches are a key step in assembling and testing the flight system in advance of a planned 2011 launch.

A protein found in cells throughout the body must be present in a specific set of neurons in the brain to prevent weight gain after chronic feeding on high-calorie meals, new findings suggest.