ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Diamond in the rough: Half-century puzzle solved
• Lighting up the plant hormone 'command system'
• New clues to the early solar system from ancient meteorites
• Genetic mutations that cause common childhood brain tumors identified
• New genomic sequencing method enables 'smarter' anaysis of individual cells
• Medusa reimagined: Reverse engineering a jellyfish with ability to swim
• Among new HIV treatment recommendations, all adult patients should be offered antiretroviral therapy
• Working toward an AIDS-free generation
• New method for associating genetic variation with crop traits
• Behold, the artificial jellyfish: Researchers create moving model, using silicone polymer and heart muscle cells
• New line of approach for combination therapy against Melanoma
• HPV testing in HIV-positive women may help reduce frequent cervical cancer screening
• Benefits of HIV drugs rise, but less than previously believed

Diamond in the rough: Half-century puzzle solved Posted: 22 Jul 2012 11:57 AM PDT A team of mineral physicists has for the first time confirmed through high-pressure experiments the structure of cold-compressed graphite, a form of carbon that is comparable in hardness to its cousin, diamond, but only requires pressure to synthesize. The researchers believe their findings could open the way for a super hard material that can withstand great force and can be used -- as diamond-based materials are now -- for many electronic and industrial applications.

Lighting up the plant hormone 'command system' Posted: 22 Jul 2012 10:52 AM PDT Light is not only the source of a plant's energy, but also an environmental signal that instructs growth. As a result, a plant's sensitivity to light is of great interest to scientists and their research on this issue could help improve crop yields down the road. Similarly understanding a plant's temperature sensitivity could also help improve agriculture and feed more people. Two new papers identify key aspects of the hormonal responses of plants to changes in light and heat in their environments.

New clues to the early solar system from ancient meteorites Posted: 22 Jul 2012 10:52 AM PDT In order to understand Earth's earliest history -- its formation from solar system material into the present-day layering of metal core and mantle, and crust -- scientists look to meteorites. New research focuses on one particularly old type of meteorite called diogenites. These samples were examined using an array of techniques, including precise analysis of certain elements for important clues to some of the solar system's earliest chemical processing.

Genetic mutations that cause common childhood brain tumors identified Posted: 22 Jul 2012 10:52 AM PDT Researchers have identified several gene mutations responsible for the most common childhood brain tumor, called medulloblastoma, adding evidence to the theory that the diagnosis is a group of genetically distinct cancers with different prognoses.

New genomic sequencing method enables 'smarter' anaysis of individual cells Posted: 22 Jul 2012 10:52 AM PDT A novel genomic sequencing method called Smart-Seq can help scientists conduct in-depth analyses of clinically relevant single cells. Smart-Seq has many possible applications, including helping scientists to better understand the complexities of tumor development.

Medusa reimagined: Reverse engineering a jellyfish with ability to swim Posted: 22 Jul 2012 10:51 AM PDT When one observes a jellyfish pulsating through the ocean, Greek mythology probably doesn't immediately come to mind. But the animal once was known as the medusa, after the snake-haired mythological creature its tentacles resemble. The mythological Medusa's gaze turned people into stone, and now, thanks to recent advances in bio-inspired engineering, a team of researchers have flipped that fable on its head: turning a solid element -- silicon -- and muscle cells into a freely swimming "jellyfish."

Among new HIV treatment recommendations, all adult patients should be offered antiretroviral therapy Posted: 22 Jul 2012 10:51 AM PDT Included in the 2012 International Antiviral Society-USA panel recommendations for human immunodeficiency virus patient care is that all adult patients, regardless of CD4 cell count, should be offered antiretroviral therapy.

Working toward an AIDS-free generation Posted: 22 Jul 2012 10:51 AM PDT Ending the global HIV/AIDS pandemic may be possible by implementing a multifaceted global effort that expands testing, treatment, and prevention programs, as well as meets the scientific challenges of developing an HIV vaccine and possibly a cure.

New method for associating genetic variation with crop traits Posted: 22 Jul 2012 10:51 AM PDT A new technique will allow plant breeders to introduce valuable crop traits even without access to the full genome sequence of that crop. The technique links important agronomic traits in crop plants with active regions of the genome. Instead of requiring knowledge of the crop's complete genome, it identifies only expressed genes.

Behold, the artificial jellyfish: Researchers create moving model, using silicone polymer and heart muscle cells Posted: 22 Jul 2012 10:51 AM PDT Scientists have turned inanimate silicone and living cardiac muscle cells into a freely swimming "jellyfish." The finding serves as a proof of concept for reverse engineering a variety of muscular organs and simple life forms.

New line of approach for combination therapy against Melanoma Posted: 22 Jul 2012 10:50 AM PDT A melanoma is a malignant form of skin cancer and is one of the most aggressive types of tumors there is. Treatment is particularly difficult, because melanomas are usually resistant against conventional chemotherapy treatments. Medical researchers have now found a new line of approach in which to treat these aggressive skin cancers, namely by combating the interaction between the protein MDM4 and the tumor suppressor p53.

HPV testing in HIV-positive women may help reduce frequent cervical cancer screening Posted: 22 Jul 2012 10:50 AM PDT Compared to the general population, HIV-positive women have a high risk of cervical cancer and thus are advised to undergo more frequent screening tests. This creates a burden for HIV-positive patients and the health care system, leading to frequent biopsies, which often do not reveal clinically relevant disease.

Benefits of HIV drugs rise, but less than previously believed Posted: 22 Jul 2012 10:50 AM PDT The percentage of HIV patients taking antiretroviral drugs who experienced the full benefit of the drugs jumped from 45 percent of 72 percent during the past decade, a figure that is lower than previous estimates. The findings are considered important for HIV prevention efforts since patients whose virus is in tight control are less likely to transmit the infection to others.

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