ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• Fruit flies reveal normal function of gene mutated in spinocerebellar ataxia type 7
• To calculate long-term conservation pay off, factor in people
• Potential biomarkers for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease
• Epigenetic alterations may contribute to age-related breast cancer risk
• Scientists unveil molecular mechanism that controls plant growth, development
• Effects of catch-and-release fishing on sharks studied
• Protein serves as natural boost for immune system's fight against infection, tumors
• Cell membrane model studied as future diagnostic tool
• Zebra fish fins provide insight into bone regeneration
• Real-time video feedback could improve effect of core stabilization exercise in stroke patients
• Some lung diseases reversed in mice by coaxing production of healthy cells
• Researchers identify UHRF1 as oncogene driving liver cancer
• Two separate molecular profiles of invasive bladder cancer, genomic analysis reveals

Fruit flies reveal normal function of gene mutated in spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 Posted: 31 Jan 2014 08:07 PM PST Disruptive clumps of mutated protein are often blamed for clogging cells and interfering with brain function in patients with the neurodegenerative diseases known as spinocerebellar ataxias. But a new study in fruit flies suggests that for at least one of these diseases, the defective proteins may not need to form clumps to do harm.

To calculate long-term conservation pay off, factor in people Posted: 31 Jan 2014 10:08 AM PST Paying people to protect their natural environment is a popular conservation tool around the world -– but figure out that return on investment, for both people and nature, is a thorny problem, especially since such efforts typically stretch on for years. Reseachers have developed a new way to evaluate and model the long-term effectiveness of conservation investments.

Potential biomarkers for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease Posted: 31 Jan 2014 10:07 AM PST Researchers identify abnormal expression of genes, resulting from DNA relaxation, that can be detected in the brain and blood of Alzheimer's patients.

Epigenetic alterations may contribute to age-related breast cancer risk Posted: 30 Jan 2014 12:28 PM PST Age is a key risk factor for breast cancer. A recent study examines the connection between cancer and the aging process to see if epigenetic DNA alterations might contribute to age-related increases in breast cancer risk.

Scientists unveil molecular mechanism that controls plant growth, development Posted: 30 Jan 2014 11:13 AM PST A new study unravels the mystery behind how the plant hormones called auxins activate multiple vital plant functions through various gene transcription factors.

Effects of catch-and-release fishing on sharks studied Posted: 30 Jan 2014 11:13 AM PST A new study investigated how several species of coastal sharks respond to stress from catch-and-release fishing. The results revealed that each of the shark species responded differently. Hammerhead sharks were by far the most vulnerable to fighting on a fishing line.

Protein serves as natural boost for immune system's fight against infection, tumors Posted: 30 Jan 2014 11:12 AM PST The development of DNA-based vaccines with cytokine adjuvants has emerged as particularly promising for inducing antiviral and anti-tumor, cell-mediated immune responses. The protein IL-33 boosts the immune system of a human papilloma virus animal model of cancer.

Cell membrane model studied as future diagnostic tool Posted: 30 Jan 2014 10:31 AM PST Researchers have used a laboratory model of a simplified cell membrane to accurately detect and measure a protein associated with a serious gynecological disease, bacterial vaginosis, at extraordinarily low concentrations.

Zebra fish fins provide insight into bone regeneration Posted: 30 Jan 2014 10:31 AM PST Biologists say they have opened the window on the natural process of bone regeneration in zebra fish, and that the insights they gained could be used to advance therapies for bone fractures and disease.

Real-time video feedback could improve effect of core stabilization exercise in stroke patients Posted: 30 Jan 2014 10:30 AM PST About 80% of stroke survivors experience hemiparesis, which causes weakness or the inability to move one side of the body. Core stabilization exercise to improve postural stability and independent walking in chronic hemiparetic stroke patients could be enhanced by real-time video feedback, report researchers.

Some lung diseases reversed in mice by coaxing production of healthy cells Posted: 30 Jan 2014 09:16 AM PST Introducing proteins that direct lung stem cells to grow the specific cell types needed to repair lung injuries could lead to new ways to treat some lung diseases, according to research published.

Researchers identify UHRF1 as oncogene driving liver cancer Posted: 30 Jan 2014 09:16 AM PST Using a zebrafish model and patient data, investigators found that UHRF1 is a novel oncogene involved in the pathogenesis of liver cancer.

Two separate molecular profiles of invasive bladder cancer, genomic analysis reveals Posted: 30 Jan 2014 09:13 AM PST In the second-ever whole-genome analysis in bladder cancer, researchers found two distinct patterns of genetic alteration in tumors and identified a potential target.

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