Carotenoids: better than thought for birds
|
|
|
PHOENIX, June 14 A U.S. study finds carotenoids -- nutrients found in brightly colored vegetables and fruits -- have more health benefits for birds than thought.The Arizona State University-led study determined carotenoids appear to fight the negative impacts testosterone can have on an animal's health.ASU Assistant Professor Kevin McGraw and Daniel Ardia of Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania note carotenoids also act as antioxidants, which improves immune system function."Researchers in animal behavior often study what keeps sexual signals like bright colors or elaborate songs 'honest,' or why all individuals cannot produce them ...," said McGraw. "The reason typically is that long tails and fancy dances incur costs. Testosterone, for example, has been thought of as a double-edged sword as it relates to sexual signals, because it enhances trait production, but comes at a health price to the animal. "This study shows that testosterone may not be as costly as previously thought, so long as animals can nutritionally offset the immune detriments of testosterone. They may even experience a net health benefit as a result," added McGraw. The study appears in the June issue of the journal Biology Letters.Copyright 2007 by UPI
|
|
|
|
|
|
Related News
New 'transition' dinosaur species discovered in South Africa
Johannesburg - South African palaeontologists on Wednesday announced the discovery of a new species of transition dinosaur that straddles the divide between the four-legged giant plant-eating sauropods and their bipedal carnivorous predecessors. Th...
Anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss dies at age 100
Paris - Anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss, widely considered one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century, has died at age 100, the Academie Francaise said Tuesday. Levi-Strauss, who would have turned 101 on November 28, died early Sun...
British scientists thrilled at 'sea monster' discovery on coast
London - British scientists said Tuesday they were excited at the discovery of the fossilised skull of a giant sea monster in a scenic region of south-west Britain known as the Jurassic Coast. Dorset county council said the fossil comes from a plio...
Disgraced South Korean clone scientist gets 2-year term - Summary
Seoul- A South Korean scientist initially hailed as a cloning pioneer and national hero was handed a two-year suspended sentence Monday for embezzling research money after an investigation uncovered faked research into cloning human embryonic stem ce...
Disgraced South Korean cloning researcher found guilty
Seoul - The South Korean scientist initially hailed as a cloning pioneer and national hero until an investigation found some faked research into cloning human embryonic stem cells was convicted Monday of embezzling research grants. Hwang Woo Suk, 56,...
Bokova elected first woman UNESCO director-general - Summary
Paris - Bulgarian diplomat Irina Bokova was Thursday officially elected the first woman director-general of UNESCO, the Paris-based scientific and cultural organization said late Thursday. The 57-year-old Bokova was overwhelmingly confirmed by a vote...
Bokova officially elected first woman UNESCO director-general
Paris - Bulgarian diplomat Irina Bokova was Thursday officially elected the first woman director-general of UNESCO, the Paris-based scientific and cultural organization said late Thursday. The 57-year-old Bokova was confirmed by a vote of the 193-mem...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
