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Scientists Design Molecule That Reverses Some Fragile X Syndrome Defects
Showing the Way to Improved Water-Splitting Catalysts
Repeated exposure to traumatic images may be harmful to health
A Blueprint for ‘Affective’ Aggression
Gardener’s delight offers glimpse into the evolution of flowering plants
Mass spec makes the clinical grade
New Study Shows Promise in Using RNA Nanotechnology to Treat Cancers and Viral Infections
Increase in respiratory symptoms following volcanic eruption
Epigenetic causes of prostate cancer
Understanding gambling addiction
Research Finds Heart Remodeling Rapidly Follows Cardiac Injury
Does Gallows Humor Among Physicians Encourage Accusations of Murder and Euthanasia?

Scientists Design Molecule That Reverses Some Fragile X Syndrome Defects

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 02:08 PM PDT

Scientists on the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have designed a compound that shows promise as a potential therapy for one of the diseases closely linked to fragile X syndrome, a genetic condition that causes mental retardation, infertility, and memory impairment, and is the only known single-gene cause of autism.

Showing the Way to Improved Water-Splitting Catalysts

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 11:58 AM PDT

Scientists and engineers around the world are working to find a way to power the planet using solar-powered fuel cells. Such green systems would split water during daylight hours, generating hydrogen (H2) that could then be stored and used later to produce water and electricity. But robust catalysts are needed to drive the water-splitting reaction. Platinum catalysts are quite good at this, but platinum is too rare and expensive to scale up for use worldwide. Several cobalt and nickel catalysts have been suggested as cheaper alternatives, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Repeated exposure to traumatic images may be harmful to health

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 11:47 AM PDT

Repeated exposure to violent images from the terrorist attacks of September 11 and the Iraq War led to an increase in physical and psychological ailments in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, according to a new UC Irvine study.

A Blueprint for ‘Affective’ Aggression

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 11:45 AM PDT

A North Carolina State University researcher has created a roadmap to areas of the brain associated with affective aggression in mice. This roadmap may be the first step toward finding therapies for humans suffering from affective aggression disorders that lead to impulsive violent acts.

Gardener’s delight offers glimpse into the evolution of flowering plants

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 11:04 AM PDT

The Pink Double Dandy peony, the Double Peppermint petunia, the Doubled Strawberry Vanilla lily and nearly all roses are varieties cultivated for their double flowers.

The blossoms of these and other such plants are lush with extra petals in place of the parts of the flower needed for sexual reproduction and seed production, meaning double flowers – though beautiful – are mutants and usually sterile.

Mass spec makes the clinical grade

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 08:54 AM PDT

Combining two well-established analytic techniques and adding a twist identifies proteins from blood with as much accuracy and sensitivity as the antibody-based tests used clinically, researchers report this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition online. The technique should be able to speed up development of diagnostic tests and treatments based on proteins specific to certain diseases.

New Study Shows Promise in Using RNA Nanotechnology to Treat Cancers and Viral Infections

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 08:33 AM PDT

A new study by University of Kentucky researchers shows promise for developing ultrastable RNA nanoparticles that may help treat cancer and viral infections by regulating cell function and binding to cancers without harming surrounding tissue.

The study, published in Nano Today, was carried out in the laboratory of Peixuan Guo, the William S. Farish Endowed Chair in Nanobiotechnology in the UK College of Pharmacy and the UK Markey Cancer Center, in collaboration with Dr. Mark Evers, director of the UK Markey Cancer Center.

Increase in respiratory symptoms following volcanic eruption

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 08:26 AM PDT

Vienna, Austria: Exposure to volcanic ash can increase respiratory symptoms such as an extreme cough, or phlegm, according to a new study.

The research, which will be presented today (4 September 2012) at the European Respiratory Society's Annual Congress in Vienna, investigated the effects of living close to the Icelandic Volcano, Eyjafjallajökull.

Eyjafjallajökull erupted in April 2010 and created a huge ash cloud which spread across Europe, causing widespread disruption to air travel on the continent.

Epigenetic causes of prostate cancer

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 08:05 AM PDT

In about half of all prostate tumours, there are two genetic areas that are fused with one another. When this is not the case, the exact way cancer cells originate in prostate tumours was not clear until now. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin, in cooperation with a team of international researchers, were able to show that the genesis of this fusion-negative prostate cancer has epigenetic causes: methyl groups are distributed differently over the DNA in the cancer cells than in healthy cells.

Understanding gambling addiction

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 08:01 AM PDT

Odds are that you imagine gamblers as people simply trying to get lucky and win a big payoff. But when Natasha Schull, an associate professor in MIT’s Program in Science, Technology, and Society (STS), began researching the lives of gamblers in Las Vegas, she found a very different motivation at work.

Research Finds Heart Remodeling Rapidly Follows Cardiac Injury

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 07:58 AM PDT

Cardiac injury leads to significant structural changes in the heart, including enlargement, excess formation of fibrous growth tissue, and abnormalities of the coronary vasculature. While associated factors have been targeted for therapeutic intervention, the results have been conflicting. Most studies have investigated these changes after six days of injury.

Does Gallows Humor Among Physicians Encourage Accusations of Murder and Euthanasia?

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 07:53 AM PDT

In a recent survey of palliative care medicine practitioners, nearly three quarters of the sample reported having been “humorously” accused of promoting death; for example, being called “Dr.