ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• From one cell to many: How did multicellularity evolve?
• Space-raised flies show weakened immunity to fungus
• Variation in circadian clock protein in fruit flies discovered
• Scientists develop powerful new animal model for metastatic prostate cancer
• Integrating vegetation into sustainable transportation planning may benefit public health
• Birch helps wounds heals faster
• Dietary treatment shows potential in mouse model of Alzheimer's disease
• Putting a Brake on Tumor Spread
• New clues may link hereditary cancer genes to increased risk of cancer from alcohol
• Moms favor daughters in dairy study
• Sickle cell trait in African-American dialysis patients affects dosing of anemia medications
• Experiments show hypothesis of microtubule steering accurate
• To stay a step ahead of breast cancer, make a map of the future
• Lingonberries halt effects of high-fat diet
• Study identifies gene tied to motor neuron loss in ALS

From one cell to many: How did multicellularity evolve? Posted: 25 Jan 2014 02:24 PM PST In the beginning there were single cells. Today, many millions of years later, most plants, animals, fungi, and algae are composed of multiple cells that work collaboratively as a single being. Despite the various ways these organisms achieved multicellularity, their conglomeration of cells operate cooperatively to consume energy, survive, and reproduce. But how did multicellularity evolve?

Space-raised flies show weakened immunity to fungus Posted: 25 Jan 2014 02:24 PM PST Venturing into space might be a bold adventure, but it may not be good for your immune system. Now a study shows how growing up on the Space Shuttle weakened a key arm of the immune system in Drosophila flies.

Variation in circadian clock protein in fruit flies discovered Posted: 25 Jan 2014 02:23 PM PST Scientists have studied genetic variation in circadian clock genes in wild populations of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster -- and has discovered that their genes have developed different genetic variations that are functionally important. The circadian clock is a molecular network that generates daily rhythms, and is present in both plants and animals.

Scientists develop powerful new animal model for metastatic prostate cancer Posted: 24 Jan 2014 01:12 PM PST Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men, yet research has been stymied by imperfect animal models of the disease. Now, scientists have developed a new method to rapidly create much better mouse models for the most lethal, terminal events of metastatic prostate cancer. This discovery allows scientists to investigate the causes of the disease while at the same time testing new therapeutics to treat it.

Integrating vegetation into sustainable transportation planning may benefit public health Posted: 24 Jan 2014 10:57 AM PST Strategic placement of trees and plants near busy roadways may enhance air quality and positively impact public health.

Birch helps wounds heals faster Posted: 24 Jan 2014 05:26 AM PST Pharmaceutical researchers elucidate the effect of a natural extract -- from birch trees.

Dietary treatment shows potential in mouse model of Alzheimer's disease Posted: 24 Jan 2014 05:25 AM PST According to current understanding, Alzheimer's disease develops slowly and it may take up to 20 years before the first obvious symptoms occur. With the development of early diagnostics of the disease, the question of which treatments to offer to completely healthy people with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's becomes of key importance in the field of medicine. Various dietary treatments seem a promising alternative.

Putting a Brake on Tumor Spread Posted: 23 Jan 2014 07:19 PM PST A team of scientists has found that a protein involved in promoting tumor growth and survival is also activated in surrounding blood vessels, enabling cancer cells to spread into the bloodstream.

New clues may link hereditary cancer genes to increased risk of cancer from alcohol Posted: 23 Jan 2014 07:19 PM PST In laboratory experiments conducted on human cell lines, scientists have shown that people carrying certain mutations in two hereditary cancer genes, BRCA2 and PALB2, may have a higher than usual susceptibility to DNA damage caused by a byproduct of alcohol, called acetaldehyde.

Moms favor daughters in dairy study Posted: 23 Jan 2014 07:19 PM PST Sorry, boys. In the end, mothers favor daughters –- at least when it comes to Holstein dairy cows and how much milk they produce for their offspring, according to a new study. The research may have implications for humans.

Sickle cell trait in African-American dialysis patients affects dosing of anemia medications Posted: 23 Jan 2014 07:19 PM PST African-American dialysis patients with sickle cell trait received about 13% more of the medications used to treat anemia than other African-American patients to reach the same level of hemoglobin. The sickle cell trait was slightly more common in African-American patients on dialysis (10%) than in the general African-American population (6.5% to 8.7%).

Experiments show hypothesis of microtubule steering accurate Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:55 AM PST Tiny protein motors in cells can steer microtubules in the right direction through branching nerve cell structures, according to researchers who used laboratory experiments to test a model of how these cellular information highways stay organized in living cells.

To stay a step ahead of breast cancer, make a map of the future Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:55 AM PST Cancer isn't a singular disease, even when talking about one tumor. A tumor consists of a varied mix of cells whose complicated arrangement changes all the time, especially and most vexingly as doctors and patients do their best to fight it. Researchers have now developed a tool to help them predict which direction a tumor is most likely to go and how it might respond to chemotherapy.

Lingonberries halt effects of high-fat diet Posted: 23 Jan 2014 06:51 AM PST Lingonberries almost completely prevented weight gain in mice fed a high-fat diet, a study has found - whereas the 'super berry' açai led to increased weight gain. The Scandinavian berries also produced lower blood sugar levels and cholesterol.

Study identifies gene tied to motor neuron loss in ALS Posted: 23 Jan 2014 06:50 AM PST Researchers have identified a gene, called matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), that appears to play a major role in motor neuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The findings, made in mice, explain why most but not all motor neurons are affected by the disease and identify a potential therapeutic target for this still-incurable neurodegenerative disease.

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