ScienceDaily: Top News

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• 'Molecular levers' may make materials better
• Paleo-ocean chemistry: New data challenge old views about evolution of early life
• Smaller Colorado River projected for coming decades, study says
• Decision to give a group effort in the brain
• Gout study offers genetic insight into 'disease of kings'
• First goat genome sets a good example for facilitating de novo assembly of large genomes
• Study turns parasite invasion theory on its head
• Three new genetic links to colorectal cancer
• Understanding cell organization to tackle cancer
• Research sheds new light on mechanisms of T-ALL, a form of leukemia that primarily affects children
• Fat influences decisions taken by brain cells for production and survival
• Chinese medicine yields secrets: Atomic mechanism of two-headed molecule derived from Chang Shan, a traditional chinese herb
• Nutrient-sensing enzymes key to starvation response and survival in newborn mammals
• Genetic clues to insulin production: Genomic analysis method helps track genetic contributors relevant to diabetes
• Excessive protein synthesis linked to autistic-like behaviors, neuroscientists find
• Study shows rapid warming on the West Antarctic ice sheet
• Boosting galactan sugars could boost biofuel production

'Molecular levers' may make materials better Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:27 PM PST In a forced game of molecular tug-of war, some strings of atoms can act like a lever, accelerating reactions 1000 times faster than other molecules. The discovery suggests that scientists could use these molecular levers to drive chemical and mechanical reactivity among atoms and ultimately engineer more efficient materials.

Paleo-ocean chemistry: New data challenge old views about evolution of early life Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:27 PM PST A research team has tested a hypothesis in paleo-ocean chemistry, and proved it false. Many researchers attribute the delayed diversification and proliferation of eukaryotes to very low levels of zinc in seawater. But after analyzing marine black shale samples from North America, Africa, Australia, Asia and Europe, ranging in age from 2.7 billion years to 580 million years old, the researchers found that the shales reflect high seawater zinc availability.

Smaller Colorado River projected for coming decades, study says Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:27 PM PST Some 40 million people depend on the Colorado River Basin for water but warmer weather from rising greenhouse gas levels and a growing population may signal water shortages ahead. In a new study, climate modelers predict a 10 percent drop in the Colorado River's flow in the next few decades, enough to disrupt longtime water-sharing agreements between farms and cities across the American Southwest.

Decision to give a group effort in the brain Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:27 PM PST A monkey would probably never agree that it is better to give than to receive, but they do apparently get some reward from giving to another monkey. During a task in which rhesus macaques had control over whether they or another monkey would receive a squirt of fruit juice, three distinct areas of the brain were found to be involved in weighing benefits to oneself against benefits to the other, according to new research.

Gout study offers genetic insight into 'disease of kings' Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:27 PM PST Scientists have shed light on why some people are more susceptible to gout than others. A study has identified 18 new genetic variations that increase levels of uric acid in the blood, which is the main cause of the disease. High levels of uric acid form small crystals in joints and tissues, causing pain and swelling -- the main symptoms of the condition once known as the 'disease of kings'.

First goat genome sets a good example for facilitating de novo assembly of large genomes Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:26 PM PST Researchers report the first genome sequence of domestic goat, setting a good example for facilitating de novo assembly of large genomes.

Study turns parasite invasion theory on its head Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:26 PM PST Current thinking on how the Toxoplasma gondii parasite invades its host is incorrect, according to a new study describing a new technique to knock out genes. The findings could have implications for other parasites from the same family, including malaria, and suggest that drugs that are currently being developed to block this invasion pathway may be unsuccessful.

Three new genetic links to colorectal cancer Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:26 PM PST Researchers have identified three new genetic "hotspots" linked to colorectal cancer. These variants provide new insight into the biology of colorectal cancer -- and could represent new therapeutic targets for the disease.

Understanding cell organization to tackle cancer Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:26 PM PST Scientists have identified how cells know which way up they need to be. The discovery could help in the fight against cancer because in the early stages of the disease the cells become dis-organized.

Research sheds new light on mechanisms of T-ALL, a form of leukemia that primarily affects children Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:24 PM PST Acute lymphatic leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer in children under the age of 14 years. With optimum treatment, approximately 75 percent of children are currently cured, but the treatment consists of severe chemotherapy with many side effects. Researchers have identified new genetic mutations that lead to T-ALL, a variant of ALL. They have unmasked the ribosome -- the molecular machine in the cell that is involved in the production of proteins -- as a weak spot in leukemia cells. Their research has also shown that there is a difference in T-ALL between adults and children. Both findings can be important in the search for improved treatments for T-ALL.

Fat influences decisions taken by brain cells for production and survival Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:24 PM PST Scientists have identified two molecules that play an important role in the survival and production of nerve cells in the brain, including nerve cells that produce dopamine. The discovery may be significant in the long term for the treatment of several diseases, such as Parkinson's disease.

Chinese medicine yields secrets: Atomic mechanism of two-headed molecule derived from Chang Shan, a traditional chinese herb Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:24 PM PST The mysterious inner workings of Chang Shan -- a Chinese herbal medicine used for thousands of years to treat fevers associated with malaria -- have been uncovered thanks to a high-resolution structure solved by scientists.

Nutrient-sensing enzymes key to starvation response and survival in newborn mammals Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:24 PM PST In the perilous hours immediately after birth, a newborn mammal must survive the sudden loss of food supply from its mother. Under normal circumstances, newborns mount a metabolic response to ward off starvation until feeding occurs. This survival response involves a process of controlled breakdown of internal energetic sources known as autophagy. Although autophagy has been well documented, the key mechanistic regulators of autophagy in vivo have remained poorly understood. Researchers have now discovered that a family of nutrient-sensing enzymes, dubbed Rag GTPases, modulates the activity of the mTORC1 protein complex, whose inhibition is essential for autophagy and survival in newborns.

Genetic clues to insulin production: Genomic analysis method helps track genetic contributors relevant to diabetes Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:24 PM PST A cutting-edge genomic analysis method has helped researchers track new genetic contributors relevant to diabetes. The results provide a first example that the new tool can help decipher many complex diseases such as obesity and cancer.

Excessive protein synthesis linked to autistic-like behaviors, neuroscientists find Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:24 PM PST Autistic-like behaviors can be partially remedied by normalizing excessive levels of protein synthesis in the brain, a team of researchers has found in a study of laboratory mice. The findings provide a pathway to the creation of pharmaceuticals aimed at treating autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that are associated with diminished social interaction skills, impaired communication ability, and repetitive behaviors.

Study shows rapid warming on the West Antarctic ice sheet Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:24 PM PST In a discovery that raises further concerns about the future contribution of Antarctica to sea level rise, a new study finds that the western part of the ice sheet is experiencing nearly twice as much warming as previously thought.

Boosting galactan sugars could boost biofuel production Posted: 23 Dec 2012 06:41 AM PST Researchers have identified the first enzyme capable of substantially boosting the amount of galactan sugars in plant cell walls. Readily fermented, galactan sugars are a target of interest for researchers in advanced biofuels produced from cellulosic biomass.

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