Caltech chemists develop simple technique to visualize atomic-scale structures

LSUHSC pediatric weight expert provides obesity trinity answers New Orleans, LA – In a first person paper published in the August 27, 2010 issue of Childhood Obesity, Dr. Melinda Sothern, Director of Health Promotion and Professor of Public Health at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, provides three ways to de-program the 1950s obesity trinity underlying the current obesity epidemic in the United States and protect future generations from its health consequences.

Test-tube calf embryos more likely to survive Texas summersStephenville study compares conventional AI with embryo transferSTEPHENVILLE -- Think you\'re uncomfortable in the extreme Texas summer heat? Try being an ovulating 1,200-pound mother cow. Studies have shown that heat-stressed dairy cows suffer from damage to their ovarian follicles. Moreover, the eggs produced by the damaged follicles may also be damaged, said Dr. Todd Bilby, Texas AgriLife Extension Service dairy specialist.

Scientists identify molecules involved in touch and other mechanically activated systemsFindings could lead to new treatment approaches in pain, deafness and cardiac functionLA JOLLA, CA – September 2, 2010 – Scripps Research Institute scientists have identified two proteins with potential to be important targets for research into a wide range of health problems, including pain, deafness, and cardiac and kidney dysfunction. The study was published in Science Express, the advanced, online edition of the journal Science, on September 2, 2010.

Sight-saving research halted by stem cell rulingARVO opposes the Federal District Court injunction that froze federal funding for human embryonic stem cell (hESC) researchThe Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), a professional organization of member scientists, opposes the Federal District Court injunction that froze federal funding for human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research. ARVO is troubled by this barrier to research that has the potential to restore sight and mitigate eye damage.

GEN reports on the greening of the life sciencesIMAGE:Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News is published 21 times a year by Mary Ann Liebert Inc. Click here for more information. New Rochelle, NY, September 1, 2010—Biopharmaceutical firms and other life science organizations are taking definitive steps toward creating greener working environments and developing more sustainable operations, reports Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN).

Low grades in adolescence linked to dopamine genesFlorida State criminologist leads analysis of genetics\' impact on academic successIMAGE:This is Kevin Beaver of Florida State University. Click here for more information. The academic performance of adolescents will suffer in at least one of four key subjects –– English, math, science, history –– if their DNA contains one or more of three specific dopamine gene variations, according to a study led by renowned biosocial criminologist Kevin M. Beaver of The Florida State University.

Edible nanostructuresCompounds made from renewable materials could be used for gas storage, food technologiesSugar, salt, alcohol and a little serendipity led a Northwestern University research team to discover a new class of nanostructures that could be used for gas storage and food and medical technologies. And the compounds are edible. The porous crystals are the first known all-natural metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that are simple to make.

K-State research project offers insight into superstitious behaviorMANHATTAN, KAN. -- People who believe that fate and chance control their lives are more likely to be superstitious -- but when faced with death they are likely to abandon superstition altogether, according to a recent Kansas State University undergraduate research project. The project, led by Scott Fluke, a May 2010 K-State bachelor\'s graduate in psychology, Olathe, focuses on personality traits that lead to superstition.

You say, \'bio-math,\' I say, \'math-bio\': Crossing science education divideSpecial issue of CBE—Life Sciences Education journal crosses the old \'numbers-wet stuff\' divideBETHESDA, MD, SEPT 2, 2010⎯The old joke is a joke no more. In a special September issue of the ASCB\'s online journal, CBE—Life Sciences Education (CBE-LSE), the adage that biology is for science students who don\'t do math is laid to rest forever.

Scientists unwrap DNA packaging to gain insight into cellsScientists have built a clearer picture of how lengthy strands of DNA are concertinaed when our cells grow and divide, in a discovery could help explain how cell renewal can go wrongScientists have built a clearer picture of how lengthy strands of DNA are concertinaed when our cells grow and divide, in a discovery could help explain how cell renewal can go wrong.

Ants take on Goliath role in protecting trees in the savanna from elephantsGAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Ants are not out of their weight class when defending trees from the appetite of nature\'s heavyweight, the African elephant, a new University of Florida study finds.

Protecting the lungs against \'collateral damage\' from the immune systemA study published today in the journal Science shows how our bodies try to minimise potential \'collateral damage\' caused by our immune system when fighting infection. The research may also provide new clues to why cigarette smoke is a significant risk factor for developing diseases of the lung such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. When bacteria or viruses enter the body, our immune system fights back to neutralise any danger.

Scientists discover the mechanisms and function of a type of mysterious immune cellNew findings may lead to the development of more effective therapies for inflammation, wounds and malignant tumorsLA JOLLA, CA – August 31, 2010 –– In two closely related studies, two teams of Scripps Research Institute scientists have discovered the underlying mechanisms that activate a type of immune cell in the skin and other organs. The findings may lead to the development of new therapies to treat inflammation, wounds, asthma, and malignant tumors.

Hubble observations of supernova reveal composition of \'star guts\' pouring outIMAGE:A team of astronomers led by the University of Colorado at Boulder is charting the interactions between Supernova 1987A and a glowing gas ring encircling the supernova remnant known as... Click here for more information.

New discovery could pave the way for identification of rogue CFC releaseIMAGE:Scientists at the University of East Anglia have used mass spectrometers to analyze air samples collected in the stratosphere by these balloons. Their discovery could make it possible in... Click here for more information. A new discovery by scientists at the Universities of East Anglia and Frankfurt could make it possible in future to identify the source of banned CFCs that are probably still being released into the atmosphere.

Brainy worms: Evolution of the cerebral cortexEMBL scientists uncover counterpart of cerebral cortex in marine wormsIMAGE:A virtual Platynereis brain (left), created by averaging microscopy images of the brains of 36 different individuals, onto which scientists mapped gene activity (right). Perspective shows the brain as viewed... Click here for more information.

Why fish oils work swimmingly against diabetesIMAGE:These are fish oil capsules. Click here for more information. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified the molecular mechanism that makes omega-3 fatty acids so effective in reducing chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. The discovery could lead to development of a simple dietary remedy for many of the more than 23 million Americans suffering from diabetes and other conditions.

Study finds that cancer-causing gene crucial in stem cell developmentAthens, Ga. – Stem cells might be thought of as trunks in the tree of life. All multi-cellular organisms have them, and they can turn into a dazzling variety other cells—kidney, brain, heart or skin, for example. One class, pluripotent stem cells, has the capacity to turn into virtually any cell type in the body, making them a focal point in the development of cell therapies, the conquering of age-old diseases or even regrowing defective body parts.

Team discovers new type of anti-malarial compoundClinical trials for promising new drug candidate are plannedLA JOLLA, CA – August 30, 2010 –– An international team led by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute, the Swiss Tropical Institute, the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation and the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases has discovered a promising new drug candidate that represents a new class of drug to treat malaria. Clinical trials for the compound are planned for later this year.

The secret to fish oil\'s anti-inflammatory propertiesFish oil is touted for its anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic benefits, but scientist weren\'t sure how the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil work. Now, according to a report in the September 3rd issue of the journal Cell, scientists have nailed how omega-3 fatty acids both shut down inflammation and reverse diabetes in obese mice. Omega-3s alleviate inflammation by acting on a receptor (GPR120) found in fat tissue and on inflammatory immune cells called macrophages, studies in mice show.