A detailed comparison of DNA and RNA in human cells has uncovered a surprising number of cases where the corresponding sequences are not, as has long been assumed, identical. The RNA-DNA differences generate proteins that do not precisely match the genes that encode them. The finding, published May 19, 2011, in Science Express, suggests that unknown cellular processes are acting on RNA to generate a sequence that is not an exact replica of the DNA from which it is copied. Vivian Cheung, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator who led the study, says the RNA-DNA ...

Colorectal cancer patients with defects in mismatch repair--one of the body's systems for repairing DNA damage--have lower recurrence rates and better survival rates than patients without such defects, according to a study published online May 19th in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. About 15% of colorectal cancers are associated with mismatch repair defects. Some defects are caused by the inherited gene mutations found in Lynch syndrome and others occur by chance, or "sporadically." But it has never been clear whether mismatch repair defects are linked to ...

Cruise Amour has shown its commitment to customer security by being the first UK agency to adopt site-wide security measures. Barely a week goes by without a report that another "big-name" company has had its on-line security compromised or has failed to properly protect its customer's data. Although the travel industry has by chance managed to avoid such pitfalls, Cruise Amour has taken the pro-active step of introducing additional industry leading security measures. Managing director Tim Hurrell, commented on the new security measures: "Let's be clear, ...

Cancer treatments often have the side effect of impairing the patient's immune system. This can result in life-threatening secondary infections from bacteria and fungi, especially since bacteria, like Staphylococcus aureus, are becoming multi-drug resistant (MRSA). New research published by BioMed Central's open access journal Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials investigates the potency of Indian wild plants against bacterial and fungal infections in the mouths of oral cancer patients. Researchers from Rohtak, India, tested extracts from several plants ...

Bitter cumin is used extensively in traditional medicine to treat a range of diseases from vitiligo to hyperglycemia. It is considered to be antiparasitic and antimicrobial and science has backed up claims of its use to reduce fever or as a painkiller. New research published in BioMedCentral's open access journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine shows that this humble spice also contains high levels of antioxidants. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), also known as free radicals, are produced as part of the metabolic processes necessary for life. Oxidative stress, ...

Standard Life research* has revealed the most popular retirement top-up plans for people who have saved into a pension. Alongside using other investments (43%), nearly a quarter (24%) are expecting inheritance will help fund their retirement, while others are planning equity release on their main home (10%), using rental income / sale of a property (23%) or using a partner or spouse's income (16%). The research found that 7% of over-55s don't plan to retire or have a pension plan, even though they had been saving into a pension. Using the state pension or other state ...

Wolbachia are bacteria that infect many insects, including mosquitoes. However, Wolbachia do not naturally infect Anopheles mosquitoes, which are the type that spreads malaria to humans. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that artificial infection with different Wolbachia strains can significantly reduce levels of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, in the mosquito, Anopheles gambiae. The investigators also determined that one of the Wolbachia strains rapidly killed the mosquito after it fed on blood. According to the ...

A dietary supplement containing an amino acid and antioxidant vitamins, given to pregnant women at high risk of pre-eclampsia, can reduce the occurrence of the disease, finds a study published on bmj.com today. Pre-eclampsia is a serious condition where abnormally high blood pressure and other disturbances develop during pregnancy. It affects about 5% of all first-time pregnancies and is dangerous for both mother and child. Pre-eclampsia is thought to be linked to a deficiency in L-arginine, an amino acid that helps to maintain a healthy blood flow during pregnancy. ...

PASADENA, Calif.—When the magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake and resulting tsunami struck off the northeast coast of Japan on March 11, they caused widespread destruction and death. Using observations from a dense regional geodetic network (allowing measurements of earth movement to be gathered from GPS satellite data), globally distributed broadband seismographic networks, and open-ocean tsunami data, researchers have begun to construct numerous models that describe how the earth moved that day. Now, a study led by researchers at the California Institute of Technology ...

Debenhams Beauty Hall has revealed that the 'glowing' example of the Middletons at the Royal Wedding has caused a sales spike of fake tan with British women aiming to look just as bronzed during this year's wedding season. The afternoon of the Royal Wedding Day saw fake tan flying off the shelves with sales up 219 per cent compared to the same day last year. The following day was almost as successful as shoppers, inspired by the wedding highlights on TV, boosted sales by 200 per cent. Rumours are abound as to how the Middletons achieved their sun-kissed looks, from ...

Littlewoods Europe has announced the launch of its biggest range of swimwear and shapewear ever. The new range is part of the Littlewoods Europe summer shop range, and includes a stylish collection of bikinis, tankinis, swimsuits, sports swimwear and beachwear accessories. There are over 200 lines of swimwear and shapewear, with many of them included in a 3 for the price of 2 promotion. There are a number of styles and designs to choose from, with lots of mix and match styles ranging from sizes 8 to 26 and up to a bust size of 44F. The new range also features a line ...

DALLAS – May 19, 2011 – Ray Johnston's goal in three years is for his band to sell out at the 1,600-seat House of Blues in Dallas. In eight years, he wants to pack the 6,400-seat Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie, and by 2030, to play to tens of thousands of fans at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Mr. Johnston's unmentioned goal, though, is to live another year after battling leukemia for the past seven. Despite four relapses, the former Dallas Mavericks basketball player is enjoying life as a rising musician in The Ray Johnston Band. Although he credits God for his recovery, ...

Analysis of a 440-year-old document reveals new details about native population decline in the heartland of the Inca Empire following Spanish conquest in the 16th century. According to the analysis, the native Andean population in the Yucay Valley of Peru showed a remarkable ability to bounce back in the short term from the disease, warfare, and famine that accompanied the initial Spanish invasion. However, it was the repetition of such disasters generation after generation, along with overly rigid colonial administration, that dramatically reduced the population over ...

Archaeologists have discovered a 12,000-year-old iron oxide mine in Chile that marks the oldest evidence of organized mining ever found in the Americas, according to a report in the June issue of Current Anthropology. A team of researchers led by Diego Salazar of the Universidad de Chile found the 40-meter trench near the coastal town of Taltal in northern Chile. It was dug by the Huentelauquen people—the first settlers in the region—who used iron oxide as pigment for painted stone and bone instruments, and probably also for clothing and body paint, the researchers say. ...

TradingFloor.com, the home of Saxo Bank's trading commentary, financial research and analysis, has released a video discussing the first quarter earnings wrap and specifically what happened to margin pressure. It seems margin pressure hardly emerged and that its effects (on the back of higher commodities), especially for consumer driven companies, will instead first kick in later in the year. The underlying momentum for stocks remains strong. Pro-cyclical companies, in particular, posted good results largely driven by emerging markets), and this was  confirmed in their ...

Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a cheap and reliable diagnostic test for a rare form of cancer. The test involves screening tumour samples for a particular molecular fingerprint unique to this type of cancer. Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer (HLRCC) is a disorder which causes the development of benign but often painful tumours in the skin and, in females, in the uterus. Between one in six and one in ten people affected by the disorder will go on to develop an aggressive form of kidney cancer called papillary renal cell cancer. The ...

Chronic lower back pain is a major problem for society – behind only headaches as the most common neurological ailment – and is frequently caused by degeneration of the intervertebral disc. Researchers have worked for many years to find a way of repairing the wear and tear on the lower back. Now, in results published in the journal Soft Matter, they have discovered how to permanently replace the workings of the invertebral disc. It is estimated that back pain affects 80% of people at some point in their lives. In the United States it is the most common cause of job-related ...

Europcar, the UK's leading vehicle hire company, continues to bring travellers the best rates with the launch of Privilege, its new loyalty programme. Membership is free, allowing frequent hirers to benefit from tailor made discounts, including up to 30% off all leisure rentals. Reflecting its understanding of the time pressures on travellers - especially independent business travellers - Privilege provides members with crucial time-saving benefits. It eliminates queuing and paperwork and guarantees reservations. Plus, as well as saving money on car hire, Privilege ...

Are the dark spots on a patient's skin malignant? In the future, doctors will be able to take a closer look at suspicious blemishes using a new microscope – with results in just a few fractions of a second. It examines to a resolution of five micrometers; it's also flat and lightweight, and it records images so quickly that the results are not blurred even if the doctor is holding the microscope in his or her hand. For results with comparable resolution values, a conventional microscope would either be restricted to a tiny field forced to scan the surface: conventional ...

"We believe our business practices are compliant with the law and are working to resolve this disagreement with the appropriate government agencies. Our companies give consumers the opportunity to buy a variety of products and services at significant savings. Our business is based on the loyalty and longevity of our customer relationships. For example, we are proud to report that a large percentage of our customers continued to use our products after twelve months of use - a tremendous achievement given the global competition in the Internet marketplace. This loyalty, ...

What effect does climate change have on our local forests? What types of trees will be suitable for which geographic location? And how great is the pollution level here? Forestry scientists are conducting „forest monitoring" procedures: They continuously record parameters such as soil humidity or pollutant penetration at permanently installed monitoring stations. The results of such examinations contribute to maintaining the ecological stability of the forests over the long term. The problem: Not only are the wired measuring devices complex to install and maintain, they ...

Naltrexone reduced inflammation in Crohn's patients in a research study at Penn State College of Medicine. Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract causing abdominal pain, diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding and weight loss. Treatments for Crohn's disease are designed to reduce the inflammation but may be associated with rare but serious side effects, including infections and lymphoma. Research suggests that endorphins and enkephalins, part of the opioid system, have a role in the development or continuation of inflammation. Naltrexone ...

Jaws made of bone are commonplace in the animal kingdom. However, how jaws developed in the course of evolution is still a mystery. Under the direction of paleontologist Nicolas Goudemand, a team of researchers from the University of Zurich and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility set about solving this puzzle. Living and extinct jawless animals can yield clues as to the development of the jaw. The researchers studied fossilized conodonts – extinct, eel-shaped animals whose precise relationship with the actual vertebrates is still a matter of debate. For their project, ...

Tang Marketing Group, a growing marketing and branding consulting firm with offices in the West an East Coast United States, announced today the launch of their new website www.tangmarketinggroup.com. The Orange County-based firm specializes in branding, social media marketing, stylish business concepts, publications, online marketing and public relations. As expressed by Tang Marketing Group's President, Christina Tang, "By applying the power of branding, we work to create positive images and credible brand language that both ignites brand recognition and ...

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona researchers have discovered that Viagra® drastically reduces multiple sclerosis symptoms in animal models with the disease. The research, published in Acta Neuropathologica, demonstrates that a practically complete recovery occurs in 50% of the animals after eight days of treatment. Researchers are confident that clinical trials soon will be carried out in patients given that the drug is well tolerated and has been used to treat sexual dysfunction in some multiple sclerosis patients. Multiple sclerosis is the most common chronic inflammatory ...