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News | Archive (9 January 2008)
RNA shown to silence cancer suppressor gene
— 18:00 GMT | BiologyOne way cancer arises is when tumour suppressor genes that normally keep cell growth in check are mysteriously turned off. Now, researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that at least one tumour suppressor gene is in fact turned off by a 'noncoding' single stranded RNA nucleic acid similar to its double-stranded DNA cousin…
Molecules can block the ability of breast cancer to spread
— 18:00 GMT | HealthResearchers have identified a specific group of microRNA molecules that are responsible for controlling genes that cause breast cancer metastasis. The study, led by scientists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre (MSKCC), appears in the 10 January 2008 issue of Nature…
480 million-year-old fossil sheds light on 150-year-old mystery
— 18:00 GMT | Geology and palaeontologyDiscovery of an exceptional fossil specimen in southeastern Morocco that preserves evidence of the animal's soft tissues has solved a paleontological puzzle about the origins of an extinct group of bizarre slug-like animals with rows of mineralised armour plates on their backs, according to a paper in Nature…
Fungus as a model for sex determination
— 18:00 GMT | BiologyA fungus, Phycomyces blakesleeanus, is presented as a model for sex determination in a paper in the current issue of the journal Nature. Although best known as a light-sensing model, Phycomyces blakesleeanus is now helping researchers understand the origin of sex and mating types at a much earlier evolutionary time…
Pathogenicity of Toxoplasma gondii under control of a plant hormone
— 18:00 GMT | BiologyAs diseases caused by tropical parasites become more resistant to drugs, new treatments are urgently being sought. A paper in the recent issue (10 Jan 2008) of Nature reports the surprising discovery that the pathogenicity of a parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii is under the control of a hormone previously found only in plants…
New X-ray source in nearby galaxy Centaurus A spawns mystery
— 16:30 GMT | AstronomyAstronomers studying a nearby galaxy have spied a rare type of star system - one that contains a black hole that suddenly began glowing brightly with X-rays. Though this type of star system is supposed to be rare, it's the second such system discovered in that galaxy, called Centaurus A…
Details of Hubble servicing mission
— 16:30 GMT | AstronomyNASA scientists and a space shuttle astronaut today outlined details of a challenging mission that will repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope in 2008. The Hubble servicing mission, designated STS-125, will equip the orbiting observatory with far greater capabilities than ever had before to explore the nature and history of our universe…
Genetic variant predicts antipsychotic response for schizophrenia patients by ethnicity
— 13:58 GMT | HealthSchizophrenia is a developmental disorder with a large genetic component contributing to increased risk. Available antipsychotic medications treat some of the symptoms of schizophrenia, but are typically effective in only a subset of patients…
New technology watches older people
— 13:58 GMT | HealthWe are not getting any younger. As Europe's population grows older, the need for care is growing and we are spending more and more money to get it. A new mobile video assistance technology promises to put off the need for carers, improve the life of older people and cut the cost of assistance…
Leading astronomers and geophysicists honoured with RAS medals and prizes
— 13:58 GMT | AstronomyThe Royal Astronomical Society, the UK's voice for professional astronomers, today announced the recipients of the Society's medals and prizes for 2008. The medal and prize winners honour a range of individuals and groups who have made an outstanding contribution to astronomy and in geophysics…
Vast cloud of antimatter traced to binary stars
Hubble finds double Einstein ring