Pulling the plug on futility

Reproductive Evolution: Pulling the Plug on Selection

Hermaphroditism leads to reduced sexual selection and can result in the retention of deleterious mutations. A new study characterizes one such mutation that results in male-male copulation in nematodes, while also implicating a previously undescribed source of chemical signaling.

Are You "Pulling the Plug" or "Pushing Up the Daisies"?

We are becoming more and more dependent upon a broad range of more or less ubiquitous communication technologies, and these are increasingly integrated with our PCs. The more connected we become, the more important it is that we pro-actively manage our communication patterns. If not, we risk being forced to either temporarily disconnecting ourselves from communicating, or spend all our time try...

Pulling the plug – halting cancer's theft of mitochondria

"Pulling the plug" on cellular copper: the role of mitochondria in copper export.

Mitochondria contain two enzymes, Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (Sod1) and cytochrome c oxidase (CcO), that require copper as a cofactor for their biological activity. The copper used for their metallation originates from a conserved, bioactive pool contained within the mitochondrial matrix, the size of which changes in response to either genetic or pharmacological manipulation of cellular copper ...

Pulling the Plug: When to Call It a Day on Research Projects