ScienceDaily: Top Science News

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• First gene therapy successful against aging-associated decline: Mouse lifespan extended up to 24% with a single treatment
• Bone grown from human embryonic stem cells
• Sleepwalking more prevalent among U.S. adults than previously suspected, researcher says
• Nearly one tenth of hemisphere's mammals unlikely to outrun climate change
• Anthropologists discover earliest form of wall art
• Breastfeeding benefits: Human breast milk ingredient adjusts to optimize for beneficial gut bacteria over time
• Pufferfish at the 'beak' of evolution: Why humans don't continuously replace their teeth
• Plant protein discovery could boost bioeconomy
• Scientists generate electricity from viruses
• Tiny solar-panel-like cells help restore sight to the blind
• Why inhibiting DNA damage-detecting enzyme is effective in fighting cancer and other diseases

First gene therapy successful against aging-associated decline: Mouse lifespan extended up to 24% with a single treatment Posted: 14 May 2012 05:40 PM PDT A new study consisting of inducing cells to express telomerase, the enzyme which -- metaphorically -- slows down the biological clock -- was successful. The research provides a "proof-of-principle" that this "feasible and safe" approach can effectively "improve health span."

Bone grown from human embryonic stem cells Posted: 14 May 2012 01:16 PM PDT Human embryonic stem cells can now be used to grow bone tissue grafts for use in research and potential therapeutic application. The study is the first example of using bone cell progenitors derived from human embryonic stem cells to grow compact bone tissue in quantities large enough to repair centimeter-sized defects.

Sleepwalking more prevalent among U.S. adults than previously suspected, researcher says Posted: 14 May 2012 01:16 PM PDT What goes bump in the night? In many U.S. households: people. About 3.6 percent of US adults -- or upward of 8.4 million -- are prone to sleepwalking, new research shows. The work also showed an association between nocturnal wanderings and certain psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. A large number of people reported sleepwalking in childhood or adolescence making the lifetime prevalence of sleepwalking 29.2 percent.

Nearly one tenth of hemisphere's mammals unlikely to outrun climate change Posted: 14 May 2012 12:31 PM PDT A safe haven could be out of reach for 9 percent of the Western Hemisphere's mammals, and as much as 40 percent in certain regions, because the animals just won't move swiftly enough to outpace climate change. In particular, many of the hemisphere's species of primates -- including tamarins, spider monkeys, marmosets and howler monkeys, some of which are already considered threatened or endangered -- will be hard-pressed to outpace climate change.

Anthropologists discover earliest form of wall art Posted: 14 May 2012 12:29 PM PDT Anthropologists working in southern France have determined that a 1.5 metric ton block of engraved limestone constitutes the earliest evidence of wall art. Their research shows the piece to be approximately 37,000 years old and offers rich evidence of the role art played in the daily lives of Early Aurignacian humans.

Breastfeeding benefits: Human breast milk ingredient adjusts to optimize for beneficial gut bacteria over time Posted: 14 May 2012 09:28 AM PDT A new study shows that human milk oligosaccharides, or HMO, produce short-chain fatty acids that feed a beneficial microbial population in the infant gut. Not only that, the bacterial composition adjusts as the baby grows older and its needs change. For the first time, scientists have shown that a complex mixture of HMO and a single HMO component produce patterns of short-chain fatty acids that change as the infant gets older.

Pufferfish at the 'beak' of evolution: Why humans don't continuously replace their teeth Posted: 14 May 2012 08:28 AM PDT Prickly pufferfish could hold the key to why humans do not continually replace their teeth and may lead to advances in dental therapies.

Plant protein discovery could boost bioeconomy Posted: 14 May 2012 07:48 AM PDT Three proteins have been found to be involved in the accumulation of fatty acids in plants. The discovery could help plant scientists boost seed oil production in crops. And that could boost the production of biorenewable fuels and chemicals.

Scientists generate electricity from viruses Posted: 13 May 2012 11:46 AM PDT Scientists have developed a way to generate power using harmless viruses that convert mechanical energy into electricity. The scientists tested their approach by creating a generator that produces enough current to operate a small liquid-crystal display. Their generator is the first to produce electricity by harnessing the piezoelectric properties of a biological material.

Tiny solar-panel-like cells help restore sight to the blind Posted: 13 May 2012 11:46 AM PDT Using tiny solar-panel-like cells surgically placed underneath the retina, scientists have devised a system that may someday restore sight to people who have lost vision because of certain types of degenerative eye diseases.

Why inhibiting DNA damage-detecting enzyme is effective in fighting cancer and other diseases Posted: 10 May 2012 11:20 AM PDT A new study is shedding light on the molecular details of PARP-1, a DNA damage-detecting enzyme that when inhibited has been shown to be effective in fighting cancer and other diseases.

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