Body

Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have invented a new way to read and interpret the human genome. The computational method, called TargetFinder, can predict where non-coding DNA--the DNA that does not code for proteins--interacts with genes. This technology helps researchers connect mutations in the so-called genomic "dark matter" with the genes they affect, potentially revealing new therapeutic targets for genetic disorders.

Hamilton, ON (April 4, 2016) -- Researchers at McMaster University have discovered a critical step in the immune system's recognition of DNA viruses. It's a key finding, they say, that could lead to vaccinations for herpes, the common cold or even cancer.

An international team of scientists including the Lomonosov Moscow State University researcher showed under which conditions a body produces more superoxide -- a dangerous form of oxygen, able to destruct DNA. The article was published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine.

London, April 4, 2016 - Papers published in the latest issue of the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics (IJGO) identify factors associated with violence against women. The papers specifically focus on intimate partner violence (IPV) in regional, national, and international settings, and provide valuable information for the healthcare community and policymakers worldwide. The research contributes to efforts to establish ways in which individuals at risk of IPV can be identified and to the development of successful interventions.

Pennington, NJ - (April 4, 2016) - ECS published its first Editors' Choice article on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 in the Journal of The Electrochemical Society. The article, entitled "Communication--Comparison of Nanoscale Focused Ion Beam and Electrochemical Lithiation in β-Sn Microspheres," details transformative findings in the dosage and spatial distribution of lithiation.

The importance of measuring species diversity as an indicator of ecosystem health has been long recognized and it seems that satellite remote sensing (SRS) has proven to be one of the most cost-effective approaches to identify biodiversity hotspots and predict changes in species composition.

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Some of the simplest, safest lessons to help adolescents combat obesity may be raising their awareness of what they are eating and whether they are even hungry, researchers say.

A pilot study of 40 adolescents in Richmond County, Georgia, showed that mindfulness-based eating awareness training encouraged adolescents to eat healthier and exercise more and marginalized their tendency to gain weight.

The population of the world's largest primate, Grauer's gorilla, found only in the conflict-plagued Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), declined calamitously in 20 years according to a report co-authored by a Smithsonian scientist and published by the Wildlife Conservation Society, Flora and Fauna International and the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature. From a 1998 estimate of 17,000 individuals, the population has dropped by 77 percent. Fewer than 3,800 individuals remain.

Boston, MA-- For people with prediabetes who are overweight or obese, adding 3.0 mg of liraglutide for three years to a diet and exercise plan may lead to major health improvements, new industry-sponsored research suggests. The results will be presented Monday, April 4, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.

Little did scientists Kai Heller and Björn Rulik expect to discover a new species in Germany's Alexander Koenig Museum's garden upon placing a malaise trap for testing purposes. Not only did an unknown and strikingly coloured gnat get caught, but it turned out to be a species, which showed to have much more in common with its relatives from New Zealand. Their study is published in the open access Biodiversity Data Journal (BDJ).

Cystinuria occurs in one out of every 7,000 in the world, one out of every 10,000 -20,000 in Japan, but its curative treatment has not been established. AGT1/SLC7A13, a protein, is an unknown factor that binds with the protein rBAT/SLC3A2, of which mutations may cause cystinuria leading to serious kidney failure.

CHICAGO (April 3, 2016) -- Only a small fraction of people with very high cholesterol can attribute their condition to a genetic mutation related to familial hypercholesterolemia, but individuals with these mutations face a high risk of developing early-onset coronary artery disease, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.

CHICAGO (April 3, 2016) -- Despite lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL), known as "bad" cholesterol, while markedly increasing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, a large clinical trial to investigate the cholesterol drug evacetrapib was discontinued early after a preliminary analysis showed it did not reduce rates of major adverse cardiovascular events, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.

"A bend and a twist, then stretch and turn, now relax". What sounds like a series of exercise instructions, are also words that describe the various shapes a piece of DNA can assume. The classic double helix structure that one associates with DNA is but an extremely limited view of its physical 'shape'. The molecule that holds the codes of life is capable of further winding itself into myriad complex shapes called 'supercoils' that are capable of affecting gene expression patterns.

Philadelphia, PA, April 1, 2016 - Artisanal cheesemaking is an important industry in Mexico, but many varieties of artisanal Mexican cheeses are in danger of disappearing because they have not been adequately documented. A team of dairy science experts is working to prevent that loss by collecting the information needed to standardize, protect, and preserve traditional artisanal production processes and to seek protected designation of origin (PDO) status for those that qualify.