NASA Earth Observatory: Home DailyTechNews.com - Top Technology Stories Geologist calls for advances in restoration sedimentology Related images(click to enlarge) Indiana University Rapid advances in the new and developing field of restoration sedimentology will be needed to protect the world's river deltas from an array of threats, Indiana University Bloomington geologist Douglas A. Edmonds writes in the journal Nature Geoscience. The commentary, published this week in the November issue, addresses the fact that land is disappearing from river deltas at alarming rates. "There's a lot of talk about ecological restoration of the coast," Edmonds said. Under naturally occurring processes, coastal land is both created and destroyed at river deltas. But sea-level rise and coastal subsidence have tilted the scales toward land loss, and dams and levees built for flood control have interfered with the delivery of sediment. Edmonds says there is potential for restoring deltas by designing river diversions that direct sediment from rivers to areas where it can do the most good. Edmonds holds the Robert R.
M I L A N A.com Science/AAAS | ScienceNOW: The Latest News Headlines from the Sc Science Daily: News & Articles in Science, Health, Environment & Technology Scripps research scientists devise screening method to aid RNA drug development research Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have developed a new method of screening more than three million combinations of interactions between RNA and small molecules to identify the best targets on RNA as well as the most promising potential drug compounds. This novel technology may lead to more efficient drug development. The study was published in the October 9, 2012 issue of the journal Nature Communications. RNA has multiple biological functions, including encoding and translating proteins from genes and regulating the amount of protein expressed under various cellular conditions. Recent studies have identified RNA as a "molecular switch" that controls cellular events such as gene expression, making RNA an attractive target for small molecules that serve as chemical genetics probes, analytical tools or potential drugs. Source: Scripps Research Institute
When Bodybuilding and Steroids Go Too Far - Life in the Fast Lan If you're new here, you may want to sign up for email alerts or to subscribe to my RSS feed . Enjoy ! Synthetic anabolic steroids are potent medications designed to mimic the function of testosterone which can even perform better at promoting muscle growth than equivalent levels of testosterone. Often coined as being juiced or juiced up amongst those who use the drugs, some say “steroids are as American as Apple Pie.” While it’s not as common to suffer critical or life-threatening effects, steroids are far from safe, causing potentially harmful side-effects with some being irreversible. Both genders can experience increased acne on the face, chest and back. Depending on the drug, anabolic steroids can cause a person’s behavior can change with increased aggression and irritability. Body Builder Anabolic steroids have also been known to cause behavioral effects including euphoria, increased energy, sexual arousal, mood swings, distractibility, forgetfulness, and confusion. Tom Platz. fitFLEX
Paleontology & Archaeology | Eureka! Science News Unique chromosomes preserved in Swedish fossil Researchers from Lund University and the Swedish Museum of Natural History have made a unique discovery in a well-preserved fern that lived 180 million years ago. Both undestroyed cell nuclei... Counting calories in the fossil record Starting about 250 million years ago, at the end of the Permian period, brachiopod groups disappeared in large numbers, along with 90 percent of the planet's species. Ancient clam gardens nurture food security A three-year study of ancient clam gardens in the Pacific Northwest has led researchers, including three from Simon Fraser University, to make a discovery that could benefit coastal communities' food...
Science News and Current Events Smallest and fastest-known RNA switches provide new drug targets A University of Michigan biophysical chemist and his colleagues have discovered the smallest and fastest-known molecular switches made of RNA, the chemical cousin of DNA. The researchers say these rare, fleeting structures are prime targets for the development of new antiviral and antibiotic drugs. Once believed to merely store and relay genetic information, RNA is now known to be a cellular Swiss Army knife of sorts, performing a wide variety of tasks and morphing into myriad shapes. Over the past decade, researchers have determined that most of the DNA in our cells is used to make RNA molecules, that RNA plays a central role in regulating gene expression, and that these macromolecules act as switches that detect cellular signals and then change shape to send an appropriate response to other biomolecules in the cell. Al-Hashimi calls these short-lived structures, which were detected using a new imaging technique developed in his laboratory, micro-switches. Source: University of Michigan