New research shows how gene function drives natural selection in important class of genetic elements

... driving the evolution of one kind of transposable element called the LTR retrotransposon. (LTR refers to ... pressures between host genome and transposable element will in the future be of interest to those ... of plant biology. A "retrotransposon" is an element that copies itself and then pastes copies back ...

December 2008 Geology and GSA Today media highlights

... Together with textural evidence, sulfide trace element data, and gold occurrence, the data demonstrate ... a magmatic origin for the Platreef platinum group element deposit, Bushveld Complex, South Africa Sarah ... Models for the formation of platinum group element (PGE) ore deposits commonly require that magma ...

Mapping a clan of mobile selfish genes

... "We wanted to see what dictates whether an Alu element will be mobile," Devine says. "That way we could ... into cells in culture dishes. If the Alu element could jump, carrying the drug-resistance gene ... again. Depending on the type of cell, if an Alu element is located near genes that have been shut off, ...

European researchers harness unique properties of boron to develop new drugs and diagnostics

... are on the verge of unleashing the power of the element boron in a new generation of drugs and therapies, ... neutron capture therapy (BNCT), in which the element is used to help translate beams of neutrons into ... of boron. All life is derived ultimately from the element carbon, which lies next to boron in the periodic ...

Explosive growth of life on Earth fueled by early greening of planet

... by photosynthesizing organisms," he added. "The greening was a key element in transforming the Precambrian world which featured low oxygen levels ... it as they expanded throughout the ocean of this new world." A key element to this scenario is not so much what the researchers saw in the data, but ...

A new view of oceanic phytoplankton

... Phospholipids are one of several classes of molecules that contain the element phosphorus, which has been shown to be in very short supply in many marine ... containing "substitute lipids" that use the nearly unlimited element sulfur also found in seawater instead of phosphorus. These substitute ...

New insights into a leading poultry disease and its risks to human health

... ), Mellata's team has analyzed the DNA sequence of a critical genetic element of APEC that contains several genes responsible for triggering its harmful ... APEC's harmful effects are responsible for iron acquisition. Iron is a key element necessary for bacterial health, and the pAPEC-1 portion uses redundant ...

Princeton-led team finds secret ingredient for the health of tropical rainforests

... rainforests, a vital part of the Earth's ecosystem, rely on the rare trace element molybdenum to capture the nitrogen fertilizer needed to support their ... the soil. Until now, scientists had thought that phosphorus was the key element supporting the prodigious expansion of rainforests, according to Lars ...

'Biological clock' genes control plant growth

... in this process have a common DNA sequence, which they called the "HUD" element for "hormone up at dawn." Further studies are needed to identify a protein that attaches to this HUD element and regulates its function. Identifying that regulator, the scientists ...

Slicing solar power costs

... of Utah engineers devised a new way to slice thin wafers of the chemical element germanium for use in the most efficient type of solar power cells. They ... germanium from cylindrical single-crystal ingots. But the brittle chemical element cracks easily, requiring broken pieces to be recycled, and the width of ...

New 'nano-positioners' may have atomic-scale precision

... probing changes in capacitance or voltage." In addition to finite element analysis, Clark used a simulation tool that he developed called Sugar. ... design, I then use finite element analysis for fine-tuning. Finite element analysis is slow, but it is able to model subtle physical phenomena that ...

Microbe diet key to carbon dioxide release

... it becomes available for plants to use. Carbon -- the most abundant element in plants and organic matter -- is released into the atmosphere in the ... and in farms and orchards, the scientists said. "Nitrogen is the element that most limits plant growth around the world," said co-author Rob ...

Silicon's effect on sunflowers studied

... completion of the life cycle of the plant. Although silicon, a predominant element in mineral soil, is not considered to be an essential nutrient for most ... it has been overlooked for years since it is not considered an essential element for plant growth and development. Sunflowers are capable of accumulating ...

65-million-year-old asteroid impact triggered a global hail of carbon beads

... were deposited 65 million years ago next to a thin layer of the element iridium -- an element more likely to be found in Solar System asteroids than in the Earth's ...

14-year-old CEO makes chemistry a game with 'Elementeo'

... elements, compounds and catalysts. Every card has an explanation of the element or compounds uses and chemical properties. For example, the Oxygen card ... the Copper Conductor card can shock any metals. The oxidation state of an element is used as its attack power, and its physical state determines its ...

Supplements are not nutritious

... writing in the open access journal Genome Biology. Although this trace element is essential in the diet of humans, it seems that we have lost some of the ... regarding the widely accepted use of supplements incorporating this trace element to maximize amounts of proteins that rely on it. Supplements are taken ...

Arctic climate models playing key role in polar bear decision

... mathematically representing such complex systems, all models contain some element of uncertainty, DeWeaver says. "A climate model is not a crystal ball," ... across several models. Anticipated climate change has been a key element of the polar bear equation throughout the entire listing process, he says. ...

Lensless camera uses X-rays to view nanoscale materials and biological specimens

... imaging technique that enables high resolution imaging of a specific element buried inside a sample. The key is the high intensity X-ray beams ... (CCD) camera. The X-ray energy is tuned to an atomic resonance of a target element in the sample. Using sophisticated phase-recovery algorithms, a computer ...

Department of Energy putting power in the hands of consumers through technology

... the software automatically lowered thermostats or shut off the heating element of water heaters to the pre-set response limits established by individual ... the controller automatically turns off specific functions like the heating element in the dryer. This momentary interruption can reduce electricity ...

Selfish DNA and the Genetic Control of Vector-Borne Diseases

... examples include sex ratio distorters, and gamete killers. Each selfish element uses a slightly different mechanism involving clever molecular ... the Medea element, was created by researchers. This tame selfish element may be more tractable in the development of effectively modified ...

Earth Observation essential for geohazard mitigation

... monitor volcanoes worldwide within the framework of the Agency's Data User element programme. The Globvolcano project, started in early 2007, will define, ... interferometry. This technique was the basis of another ESA Data User element project called Service for Landslide Monitoring (SLAM), which enabled ...

A unique experiment with chlorine -- and a new way of teaching

... of researching and writing dissertations about aspects of the chemical element chlorine from its first isolation in the 1770s to the late 20th century. ... theory of matter, starting with the disputes on whether chlorine was an element at all. The second half of the volume addresses controversies arising from ...

ERS-2 data vital for maritime security

... trafficking. The MARitime Security Service (MARISS) is a GMES Service element (GSE) initiative that integrates near real time satellite Earth ... in response to European policy priorities. The GMES Service element (GSE) has been preparing user organisations in Europe and worldwide for ...

October Geology and GSA Today media highlights

... are not. This new data show that special volcanic rocks, high in the element potassium (K), erupt at the onset of transtensional "normal" faulting, not ... rich in chert. This rock type, with very high silica content, is a key element in reconstructing the conditions of the early Earth and of the ...

Ultraconserved elements in the genome: Are they indispensable?

... element. If truly indispensable, mice lacking an ultraconserved element should either die or be unable to produce viable offspring. Remarkably, as ... or fertility problems. For example, noncoding ultraconserved element number 467 (uc467) has 731 base pairs of sequence that are identical among ...

Parasites ready to jump

... the team pinpointed an entirely novel feature of this system: Repression of transposon activity was also detectable when multiple copies of a mobile element were present in the cell but not yet incorporated into the genome. The phenomenon of RNA interference first came to light only a short time ago, ...

'Microfluidic palette' may paint clearer picture of biological processes

... which could cause the cells to rupture or behave abnormally. The NIST microfluidic palette manages this with a clever plumbing trick. The key element of the palette is the microchamber, a small disk-shaped area only 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inch) across etched into the center of a glass wafer. Tiny ...

High-tech vehicle design boosts emergency rescue capacity

... high tech polyvalent rescue vehicles able to take paramedics to a disaster area and immediately carry up to four patients away for treatment. The key element was the development of a completely new type of four-stretcher support that can be installed in different vehicles. The box kit uses high performance ...

Medical use for waste television screens

... to new research by scientists at the University of York. The chemical compound polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) is widely used in industry and is a key element of television sets with liquid crystal display (LCD) technology. When these sets are thrown away, the LCD panels are usually incinerated or buried in ...

Federal Bureau of Investigation Awards Lockheed Martin Biometric Card Scanning Service Contract

... said Barbara Humpton, vice president, Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Services . "Having secure, accessible records is a vital element in the Bureau's ability to take quick and decisive actions for citizen safety. This new system will significantly improve how the FBI accesses ...

UK Identity and Passport Service and IBM Sign 7-year National Biometric Identity Service (NBIS) Contract

... and the Identity and Passport Service (IPS), an executive agency of the UK Home Office, have signed a seven-year agreement for IBM to provide a core element of the Government's plans to upgrade to biometric passports and enhance the security of the UK border. IBM will also provide a replacement for the ...

Scientists track chemical changes in cells as they endure extreme conditions

... because the bacterium, which is among a class of bacteria that reduce sulfate, plays a critical role in many important geochemical processes such as element and nutrient cycling in soils. It also assists in bioremediation and may someday be used to aid energy production and carbon sequestration efforts. ...

Genetically engineered mice yield clues to 'knocking out' cancer

... Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) and the New York University School of Medicine (NYUSM). Although all cells need oxygen to survive, the element also can be stressful to cells and their componentsparticularly DNAas part of "reactive species" in the environment, such as free radicals and ...

Federal Bureau of Investigation Awards Lockheed Martin Biometric Card Scanning Service Contract

... said Barbara Humpton, vice president, Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Services . "Having secure, accessible records is a vital element in the Bureau's ability to take quick and decisive actions for citizen safety. This new system will significantly improve how the FBI accesses ...

Advance in understanding cellulose synthesis

... and delivery of the cellulose synthase complexes to their place of action. They also looked at the role in trafficking of a structural element called the actin cytoskeleton that helps move organelles and maintains the cell's shape. They found that it appears to be required for the general ...

UC Davis begins $2.8 million in studies of agricultural nitrogen's impacts

... are unaware of the scope of this challenge. And many farmers are unaware that nitrogen management can save them money." Nitrogen is a chemical element that occurs naturally in Earth's air, water and soil. It is essential to life, and cycles through all plants, animals and people. Nitrogen-based ...

SRI International announces findings from new upper atmospheric radar system for scientific research

... to funding from NSF, several companies supported the SRI-led project. These include subcontractor Sanmina-SCI, which manufactured the Antenna element Units, the basic building blocks of the radar panels. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) served as the co-investigator on the project. ...

Sulphur in just one hair could blow a terrorist's alibi

... in the United Kingdom and the University of Oviedo, Spain, have come up with a method to detect how the proportions of isotopes in a chemical element (atoms with an equal number of protons and electrons but different numbers of neutrons) vary throughout the length of a single hair. The mid-term ...

Searching for pollution in the Caribbean

... nuclear techniques we are using provide a new specific approach to the analysis," he said. "We call this dating." "We use the natural radioactive element lead-210," he clarified. "By looking at that radionuclide we can tell what is the age of a particular sediment layer. We can go back in time to tell ...

Princeton geoscientist offers new evidence that meteorite did not wipe out dinosaurs

... as the K-T boundary. At many locations, the K-T boundary is clearly visible in rock formations, which contain a thin layer of clay rich in the element iridium. Because iridium is more common in asteroids and comets than on Earth, scientists proposed in 1980 that an asteroid or comet must have struck ...