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Monday, January 21, 2013

ScienceDaily: Top Science News

ScienceDaily: Top Science News


Developing microbial cell factories by employing synthetic small regulatory RNAs

Posted: 20 Jan 2013 12:00 PM PST

Biotechnologists have been working hard to address the climate change and limited fossil resource issues through the development of sustainable processes for the production of chemicals, fuels and materials from renewable non-food biomass. One promising sustainable technology is the use of microbial cell factories for the efficient production of desired chemicals and materials. Scientists have now discovered that synthetic small RNA can be employed for finely controlling the expression levels of multiple genes at the translation level.

'Quadruple helix' DNA discovered in human cells

Posted: 20 Jan 2013 12:00 PM PST

In 1953, Cambridge researchers Watson and Crick published an article describing the interweaving "double helix" DNA structure -- the chemical code for all life. Now, in the year of that scientific landmark's 60th Anniversary, Cambridge researchers have published another article demonstrating that four-stranded "quadruple helix" DNA structures -- known as G-quadruplexes -- also exist within the human genome.

One form of neuron turned into another in brain

Posted: 20 Jan 2013 12:00 PM PST

A new finding by stem cell biologists turns one of the basics of neurobiology on its head -- demonstrating that it is possible to turn one type of already differentiated neuron into another within the brain.

Warmer soils release additional CO2 into atmosphere; Effect stabilizes over longer term

Posted: 20 Jan 2013 12:00 PM PST

Warmer temperatures due to climate change could cause soils to release additional carbon into the atmosphere, thereby enhancing climate change – but that effect diminishes over the long term, finds a new study. The study sheds new light on how soil microorganisms respond to temperature and could improve predictions of how climate warming will affect the carbon dioxide flux from soils.

Mars may have supported life: Martian underground could contain clues to life's origins

Posted: 20 Jan 2013 11:58 AM PST

Minerals found in the subsurface of Mars, a zone of more than three miles below ground, make for the strongest evidence yet that the red planet may have supported life, according to new research.

Molecular switch enabling immune cells to better fight disease

Posted: 20 Jan 2013 11:58 AM PST

Scientists have discovered the mechanism that enables CD4 helper T cells to assume the more aggressive role of killer T cells in mounting an immune attack against viruses, cancerous tumors and other damaged or infected cells. The finding could enable the development of more potent drugs for AIDS, cancer and many other diseases based on using this mechanism to trigger larger armies of killer T cells against infected or damaged cells.

Epigenetics explains rheumatism? Genes and their regulatory 'tags' conspire to promote rheumatoid arthritis

Posted: 20 Jan 2013 11:58 AM PST

In one of the first genome-wide studies to hunt for both genes and their regulatory "tags" in patients suffering from a common disease, researchers have found a clear role for the tags in mediating genetic risk for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The scientists say they were able to spot tagged DNA sequences that may be important for the development of RA.

Loneliness, like chronic stress, taxes the immune system, researchers find

Posted: 19 Jan 2013 03:50 PM PST

New research links loneliness to a number of dysfunctional immune responses, suggesting that being lonely has the potential to harm overall health.

Viagra converts undesireable white fat cells into beige ones: May one day lead to new weight loss methods

Posted: 17 Jan 2013 07:57 AM PST

Researcherstreated mice with Viagra and made an amazing discovery: The drug converts undesirable white fat cells and could thus potentially melt the unwelcome "spare tire" around the midriff. In addition, the substance also decreases the risk of other complications caused by obesity. Despite promising data, researchers caution the public against the fallacy of thinking that popping some sildenafil will work to quickly lose a few extra pounds.

Diabetic fruit flies support buzz about dietary sugar dangers

Posted: 17 Jan 2013 05:49 AM PST

Regularly consuming sucrose -- the type of sugar found in many sweetened beverages -- increases a person's risk of heart disease. Scientists used fruit flies, a well-established model for human health and disease, to determine exactly how sucrose affects heart function. In addition, the researchers discovered that blocking this cellular mechanism prevents sucrose-related heart problems.

Marginal lands are prime fuel source for alternative energy

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 01:37 PM PST

Marginal lands ­-- those unsuited for food crops -- can serve as prime real estate for meeting the U.S. alternative energy production goals. Marginal lands represent a huge untapped resource to grow mixed species cellulosic biomass, plants grown specifically for fuel production, which could annually produce up to 5.5 billion gallons of ethanol in the Midwest alone.

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