Washington, April 29 : Australian plant scientists have revealed that plants use a genetic memory to recognize when it is spring and can even count the number of cold days.

According to a report by ABC News, in a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, researchers show how winter cereal crops recognize when it is time to start flowering.

Washington, April 29 : A new study has suggested that dairy is better than calcium carbonate when it comes to promoting bone growth and strength.

In the study, researcher Connie Weaver found that the bones of rats fed non-fat dry milk were longer, wider, more dense and stronger than those of rats fed a diet with calcium carbonate.

Weaver said the study is the first direct comparison of bone properties between calcium from supplements and milk.

Washington, Apr 29 : American actress Mia Farrow is set to share her hunger strike experience with her fans every day of the three-week fast online through her blog.

Farrow, 64, will be living off nothing but water for 21 days, in a bid to raise awareness of the plight of those starving and suffering in war-ravaged Darfur in Sudan.

Doctors have warned the actress that she could cause irreversible damage to her body by fasting, but she has paid no heed to them and started her fast on April 27.

Washington, April 29 : A new study has found that peripheral arterial disease (PAD) of the legs, in which the arteries become blocked with plaque and blood supply to the legs is reduced, is often overlooked in patients with known heart disease.

Early detection of PAD is important because it can limit the ability to walk and exercise, it may place patients at greater risk for limb loss and it increases the chance of having a heart attack or stroke.

Washington, April 29 : A simple blood test can offer valuable support to healthcare in the fight against malaria, scientists at Karolinska Institute have found.

According to their study, the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for malaria infection could help ensure that a greater number of patients receive the right treatment at no extra cost for the healthcare services.

Washington, April 29 : An anti-cancer compound studied for treating blood cancers may also help in treating cancers of the head and neck, say researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

The study involved a new class of chemotherapy agents known as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which affect the availability of genes that are transcribed and translated into proteins.