ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Genetic risk for autism stems mostly from common genes
• Size and age of plants impact their productivity more than climate
• Tiny laser sensor heightens bomb detection sensitivity
• New technique maps life's effects on our DNA: Powerful single-cell technique to study environmental effects on DNA
• Genetic cause of common breast tumors found
• A noble gas cage: New material traps gases from nuclear fuel better and uses less energy than currently available options
• Marmoset sequence sheds new light on primate biology and evolution
• Metabolic enzyme stops progression of most common type of kidney cancer
• Scientists map one of most important proteins in life -- and cancer
• Mixing it up: Study provides new insight into Southern Ocean behavior
• Oceans vital for possibility for alien life
• Speedy computation enables scientists to reconstruct an animal's development cell by cell
• Astronauts to test free-flying 'housekeeper' robots
• New HIV prevention recommendations combine biomedical, behavioral approaches
• Growth hormone analog may reduce risk of fatty liver disease in HIV-infected patients
• Effect on pregnancy of receiving antiretroviral therapy for prevention of HIV
• Combination treatment for hep C associated with favorable response among HIV patients
• Rate of HIV diagnosis in U.S. examined in study
• Negative HPV test may predict lower cervical cancer risk than a negative Pap
• Eight ways zinc affects the human body
• Consuming probiotics for a month helps diminish fat accumulation in the liver, according to a new study

Genetic risk for autism stems mostly from common genes Posted: 20 Jul 2014 05:46 PM PDT Using new statistical tools, scientists have discovered that most of the genetic risk for autism comes from versions of genes that are common in the population rather than from rare variants or spontaneous glitches.

Size and age of plants impact their productivity more than climate Posted: 20 Jul 2014 05:43 PM PDT The size and age of plants has more of an impact on their productivity than temperature and precipitation, according to a landmark study. They show that variation in terrestrial ecosystems is characterized by a common mathematical relationship but that climate plays a relatively minor direct role. The results have important implications for models used to predict climate change effects on ecosystem function and worldwide food production.

Tiny laser sensor heightens bomb detection sensitivity Posted: 20 Jul 2014 05:43 PM PDT Researchers have created a plasmon laser detector that can sniff out tiny traces of airborne molecules of explosives. The sensor detected both DNT and ammonium nitrate at concentrations below one part per billion.

New technique maps life's effects on our DNA: Powerful single-cell technique to study environmental effects on DNA Posted: 20 Jul 2014 05:43 PM PDT Researchers have developed a powerful new single-cell technique to help investigate how the environment affects our development and the traits we inherit from our parents.

Genetic cause of common breast tumors found Posted: 20 Jul 2014 05:43 PM PDT A major breakthrough in understanding the molecular basis of fibroadenoma, one of the most common breast tumors diagnosed in women, has been made by a multidisciplinary team of scientists. The team used advanced DNA sequencing technologies to identify a critical gene called MED12 that was repeatedly disrupted in nearly 60 percent of fibroadenoma cases.

A noble gas cage: New material traps gases from nuclear fuel better and uses less energy than currently available options Posted: 20 Jul 2014 05:42 PM PDT A new material called CC3 effectively traps xenon, krypton, and radon. These gases are used in industries such as lighting or medicine and, in the case of radon, one that can be hazardous when it accumulates in buildings. New research shows how: by breathing enough to let the gases in but not out. The results might lead to cheaper, less energy intensive ways to extract these gases.

Marmoset sequence sheds new light on primate biology and evolution Posted: 20 Jul 2014 05:42 PM PDT Scientists have completed the genome sequence of the common marmoset -- the first sequence of a New World Monkey -- providing new information about the marmoset's unique rapid reproductive system, physiology and growth, shedding new light on primate biology and evolution.

Metabolic enzyme stops progression of most common type of kidney cancer Posted: 20 Jul 2014 05:42 PM PDT An enzyme called FBP1 -- essential for regulating metabolism -- binds to a transcription factor in the nucleus of certain kidney cells and restrains energy production in the cell body, researchers report. What's more, they determined that this enzyme is missing from all kidney tumor tissue analyzed. These tumor cells without FBP1 produce energy at a much faster rate than their non-cancer cell counterparts.

Scientists map one of most important proteins in life -- and cancer Posted: 20 Jul 2014 05:42 PM PDT Scientists reveal the structure of one of the most important and complicated proteins in cell division -- a fundamental process in life and the development of cancer -- in a new research article. Images of the gigantic protein in unprecedented detail will transform scientists' understanding of exactly how cells copy their chromosomes and divide, and could reveal binding sites for future cancer drugs.

Mixing it up: Study provides new insight into Southern Ocean behavior Posted: 20 Jul 2014 05:35 PM PDT Turbulent mixing in the deep waters of the Southern Ocean, which has a profound effect on global ocean circulation and climate, varies with the strength of surface eddies -- the ocean equivalent of storms in the atmosphere -- and possibly also wind speeds. A new study is the first to link eddies at the surface to deep mixing on timescales of months to decades. This new insight into how the Southern Ocean behaves will allow scientists to build computer models that can better predict how our climate is going to change in the future.

Oceans vital for possibility for alien life Posted: 20 Jul 2014 05:34 PM PDT Researchers have made an important step in the race to discover whether other planets could develop and sustain life. New research shows the vital role of oceans in moderating climate on Earth-like planets Until now, computer simulations of habitable climates on Earth-like planets have focused on their atmospheres. But the presence of oceans is vital for optimal climate stability and habitability.

Speedy computation enables scientists to reconstruct an animal's development cell by cell Posted: 20 Jul 2014 05:34 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new computational method that can rapidly track the three-dimensional movements of cells in such data-rich images. Using the method, scientists can essentially automate much of the time-consuming process of reconstructing an animal's developmental building plan cell by cell.

Astronauts to test free-flying 'housekeeper' robots Posted: 20 Jul 2014 08:16 AM PDT Inspired by science fiction, three bowling ball-size free-flying Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) have been flying inside the International Space Station since 2006. These satellites provide a test bed for development and research, each having its own power, propulsion, computer, navigation equipment, and physical and electrical connections for hardware and sensors for various experiments.

New HIV prevention recommendations combine biomedical, behavioral approaches Posted: 19 Jul 2014 01:38 PM PDT In an innovative approach to HIV prevention, an interdisciplinary group of experts has come together for the first time to lay out a framework of best practices to optimize the role of the clinician in achieving an AIDS-free generation. The recommendations are intended as guidelines for clinicians to implement a combined biomedical-behavioral approach to HIV care and prevention. They are based on a comprehensive review of data that was either published or presented at scientific conferences over the past 17 years.

Growth hormone analog may reduce risk of fatty liver disease in HIV-infected patients Posted: 19 Jul 2014 01:35 PM PDT In a preliminary study, HIV-infected patients with excess abdominal fat who received the growth hormone-releasing hormone analog tesamorelin for 6 months experienced modest reductions in liver fat, according to a study. In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, abdominal fat accumulation is associated with ectopic (out of place) fat accumulation in the liver. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may progress to end-stage liver disease and liver cancer.

Effect on pregnancy of receiving antiretroviral therapy for prevention of HIV Posted: 19 Jul 2014 01:35 PM PDT Among heterosexual African couples in which the male was HIV positive and the female was not, receipt of antiretroviral pre-exposure preventive (PrEP) therapy did not result in significant differences in pregnancy incidence, birth outcomes, and infant growth compared to females who received placebo, according to a study.

Combination treatment for hep C associated with favorable response among HIV patients Posted: 19 Jul 2014 01:35 PM PDT HIV-infected patients also infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who received a combination of the medications sofosbuvir plus ribavirin had high rates of sustained HCV virologic response 12 weeks after cessation of therapy, according to a study. Up to 7 million persons worldwide are infected with both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus.

Rate of HIV diagnosis in U.S. examined in study Posted: 19 Jul 2014 01:35 PM PDT The annual HIV diagnosis rate in the U.S. decreased more than 30 percent from 2002-2011, with declines observed in several key populations, although increases were found among certain age groups of men who have sex with men, especially young men, according to a study.

Negative HPV test may predict lower cervical cancer risk than a negative Pap Posted: 18 Jul 2014 02:20 PM PDT In the US, cotesting for human papilloma virus and Pap testing for cervical cancer every 5 years for women aged 30-65 years is now recommended. However, human papilloma virus testing alone may provide better reassurance against cervical cancer than Pap testing alone and similar reassurance to cotesting, according to a study.

Eight ways zinc affects the human body Posted: 18 Jul 2014 08:45 AM PDT Zinc has been identified as one of the most important essential trace metals in human nutrition and lifestyle. Zinc is not only a vital element in various physiological processes; it is also a drug in the prevention of many diseases. The adult body contains about two to three grams of zinc. It is found in organs, tissues, bones, fluids, and cells.

Consuming probiotics for a month helps diminish fat accumulation in the liver, according to a new study Posted: 18 Jul 2014 06:56 AM PDT Scientists have demonstrated through an experiment on obese rats that the consumption of probiotics for thirty days helps diminish the accumulation of fat in the liver. This new findingis a step forward on the fight against Non-Alcolohic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), which is closely related to obesity and diabetes.

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