ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Scientists discover mutations associated with skin disorder (DSAP)
• Chemists develop reversible method of tagging proteins
• Most coral reefs are at risk unless climate change is drastically limited, study shows
• Flu antibody’s 'one-handed grab' may boost effort toward universal vaccine, new therapies
• How bees decide what to be: Reversible 'epigenetic' marks linked to behavior patterns
• Breath analysis could help diagnose pulmonary nodules, study shows
• Scientists differentiate chemical bonds in individual molecules for first time using noncontact atomic force microscopy
• Abstinence from alcohol plus physical exercise can help reclaim bone loss due to alcoholism
• Maternal drinking during pregnancy can damage the earliest fetal learning
• Radar measurements of highest precision

Scientists discover mutations associated with skin disorder (DSAP) Posted: 16 Sep 2012 01:09 PM PDT Scientists have found strong genetic evidence of a link between mutations of the mevalonate kinase gene (MVK) and disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis (DSAP). It is a major step toward discovering the genetic pathogenesis of DSAP, and sheds light on its further molecular diagnosis and treatment.

Chemists develop reversible method of tagging proteins Posted: 16 Sep 2012 01:09 PM PDT Chemists have developed a method that for the first time provides scientists the ability to attach chemical probes onto proteins and subsequently remove them in a repeatable cycle.

Most coral reefs are at risk unless climate change is drastically limited, study shows Posted: 16 Sep 2012 01:09 PM PDT Coral reefs face severe challenges even if global warming is restricted to the two degrees Celsius commonly perceived as safe for many natural and human-made systems. Warmer sea surface temperatures are likely to trigger more frequent and more intense mass coral bleaching events.

Flu antibody’s 'one-handed grab' may boost effort toward universal vaccine, new therapies Posted: 16 Sep 2012 01:08 PM PDT Scientists have solved the co-crystal structure of a human antibody that can neutralize influenza viruses in a unique way. The antibody recognizes the crucial structure that flu viruses use to attach to host cells, even though previously this structure had been thought too small for an antibody to grab effectively. The immune protein manages to hit this precise spot by using just a small part of its target-grabbing apparatus. In so doing, it can neutralize a broad range of dangerous flu viruses.

How bees decide what to be: Reversible 'epigenetic' marks linked to behavior patterns Posted: 16 Sep 2012 01:08 PM PDT Scientists report what is believed to be the first evidence that complex, reversible behavioral patterns in bees -- and presumably other animals -- are linked to reversible chemical tags on genes.

Breath analysis could help diagnose pulmonary nodules, study shows Posted: 16 Sep 2012 08:44 AM PDT A pilot study showed that breath testing could be used to discriminate between benign and malignant pulmonary nodules. The study looked at 74 patients who were under investigation for pulmonary nodules and attended a referral clinic in Colorado between March 2009 and May 2010.

Scientists differentiate chemical bonds in individual molecules for first time using noncontact atomic force microscopy Posted: 16 Sep 2012 04:45 AM PDT IBM scientists have been able to differentiate the chemical bonds in individual molecules for the first time using a technique known as noncontact atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results push the exploration of using molecules and atoms at the smallest scale and could be important for studying graphene devices, which are currently being explored by both industry and academia for applications including high-bandwidth wireless communication and electronic displays.

Abstinence from alcohol plus physical exercise can help reclaim bone loss due to alcoholism Posted: 14 Sep 2012 04:16 PM PDT Alcoholism is known to cause osteoporosis, or reduced bone mineral density (BMD). New findings indicate that as little as eight weeks of abstinence can initiate correction of an imbalance between bone formation and resorption due to alcohol's toxic effects. Physical activity can also serve as a protective factor against reduced BMD.

Maternal drinking during pregnancy can damage the earliest fetal learning Posted: 14 Sep 2012 04:16 PM PDT Habituation refers to the ability of an organism to stop responding to repeated stimulation. A new study has examined the impact of maternal drinking on fetal habituation or learning abilities while still residing in the mother's womb. Results showed that those fetuses exposed to heavy binge drinking required significantly more trials to habituate, and also exhibited a greater variability in test performance.

Radar measurements of highest precision Posted: 14 Sep 2012 10:15 AM PDT Scientists have reached a record precision in radar distance measurements. With the help of a new radar system, an accuracy of one micrometer was achieved in joint measurements. The system is characterized by a high precision and low cost. Potential applications lie in production and plant technology.

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