A group of researchers from Brazil and the United States describes for the first time the structure of Ixolaris, an important anticoagulant protein found in tick saliva, and its interaction with Factor Xa, a key enzyme in the process of blood clotting. The results may benefit cancer patients, of whom approximately 20% will develop thrombosis during the disease progression.

From the urban jungle -- even the leafier parts of suburbia -- we often have a tough time naming the last plant we saw. Even if we just ate part of it. This is a symptom of 'plant blindness,' a term coined two decades ago by researchers who showed that people are perilously disconnected from the plant kingdom. This has progressed to the point where we hardly recognize the plants that feed us every day.

Diver-led visual surveys at 11 mesophotic reef sites around Bermuda found that high densities of lionfish were associated with both higher abundances of prey fish and higher prey fish biomass. However, the influence of seawater temperature was found to have the strongest effect on lionfish distribution, with higher lionfish densities recorded at sites with lower bottom temperatures. These results suggest that cold-water upwelling may result in higher abundances of prey fish and lionfish.

Brazilian researchers arrived at this conclusion after conducting cardiovascular fitness tests with boys and girls aged 10-17. The results were published in Cardiology in the Young.

The study shows the advantages of herbicide spraying and intensive fertilization in reforestation programs to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Brazilian researchers develop a program for high-performance computers to map specific portions of plant DNA faster and less expensively for use in breeding more productive and stress-resistant varieties.

A study by Brazilian researchers in partnership with Harvard estimates the impact of five risk factors on the incidence of cancer- physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, overweight, smoking and alcohol consumption.