Quadruple-Helix DNA Exists, and It Might Be Giving Us Cancer

Discovered: Some of our DNA is four-stranded, and that's not a good thing. the brain's selfishness center; men who can't smell don't have much sex; hearing loss foreshadows mental decline.

RELATED: A Timeline of the Scientific Whiplash Over Cell Phones and Cancer

Quadruple-helix DNA discovered. Cambridge University researchers just made a discovery that upends one of our most fundamental understandings about genetics. In grade school, everyone learns about the ladder-like double-helix structure of DNA?well as it turns out, some of the DNA in our bodies is built from four strands, and it could play a role in cancer. These quadruple-helix strands have been artificially created in labs, but Cambridge chemistry professor?Shankar Balasubramanian and his colleagues have located them for the first time in human bodies, inside cancer cells. The?G-quadruplex molecule they've isolated have an abundance of guanine. These square-like strands of DNA replicate much more quickly than double-helix formations, making the quadruple-helix discovery particularly notable for cancer researchers. "This research further highlights the potential for exploiting these unusual DNA structures to beat cancer, and the next part of this is to figure out how to target them in tumor cells," says Julie Sharp from?Cancer Research UK, a group that funded the research. [BBC News]

RELATED: Planet Discovered Orbiting Four Star System; A 3D Map of Antarctica

A strategic bump on the head can cure overly selfish people. A new paper in the?Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences purports to have pinpointed a region of the human brain associated with selfishness. How did the scientists come to that conclusion? By studying people who'd received damage to the basolateral amygdala. When this area was?compromised, subjects were likely to trust complete strangers with large amounts of money. They generously entrusted strangers with twice the amount of money as the control group, who had no damage to the basolateral amygdala.?[Science News]

RELATED: Rare Blood Disorder Won't Stop Robin Roberts From Hosting GMA

Without smell, men become more celibate. Men who can't smell tend to be more chaste than men able to pick up on odors. A paper titled "Men without a sense of smell exhibit a strongly reduced number of sexual relationships, women exhibit reduced partnership security ? A reanalysis of previously published data" reports this intriguing finding:?

Olfaction seems to play a key role in mate choice and helps detecting emotions in other people. In a previous study, we showed that people who were born without a sense of smell exhibit enhanced social insecurity. Based on the comments to this article we decided to have a closer look to whether the absence of the sense of smell affects men and women differently.?Under this focus questionnaire data of 32 patients, diagnosed with isolated congenital anosmia (10 men, 22 women) and 36 age-matched healthy controls (15 men, 21 women) was reanalyzed. In result, men and women without a sense of smell reported enhanced social insecurity, but with different consequences: Men who were born without a sense of smell exhibit a strongly reduced number of sexual relationships and women are affected such that they feel less secure about their partner.

[Discover]

RELATED: What You Should Know About the Upper East Side 'Mommy Madam'

Hearing loss doesn't bode well for mental functions. In aging, the decline of auditory perception is often a canary in the?coal mine?of mental decline. Johns Hopkins researchers have found that hearing loss often foreshadows memory and other cognitive problems. In elderly patients undergoing hearing loss, the researchers noticed overall mental function declining 30 percent to 40 percent faster than in comparable peers who maintained hearing. "Our results show that hearing loss should not be considered an inconsequential part of aging, because it may come with some serious long-term consequences to healthy brain functioning," says researcher Frank?Lin, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins' School of Medicine. "Our findings emphasize just how important it is for physicians to discuss hearing with their patients and to be proactive in addressing any hearing declines over time."?[Johns Hopkins]

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/quadruple-helix-dna-exists-might-giving-us-cancer-231923785.html

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Dozens of vehicles involved in 3 Ohio pileups

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (AP) ? There have been three separate highway pileups involving dozens of vehicles in Ohio.

Authorities say as many as 50 vehicles could be involved in a pileup on Interstate 75 in southwest Ohio. Media outlets report a separate accident involving at least 10 vehicles has closed I-275 outside Cincinnati. And the southbound lanes of I-270 near Columbus were closed after a multiple-vehicle pileup.

A dispatcher at the State Highway Patrol says the I-75 crash occurred Monday in the southbound lanes under whiteout conditions, between the cities of Middletown and Monroe. The dispatcher says minor injuries have been reported.

Scattered snow showers were expected in parts of Ohio on Monday, with some pockets of heavier snowfall. National Weather Service forecasters had said that could reduce visibility and produce a quick coating of snow.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dozens-vehicles-involved-3-ohio-pileups-190626671.html

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Obama Takes Stand on Climate in Inaugural Speech

President Barack Obama discussed the need to act on climate change in his inauguration address, highlighting previously stated intentions to make the issue a priority in his second term.

In his speech, Obama tied failure to respond to climate change with a betrayal of future generations.

"Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms," he said today (Jan. 21). "The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it."

Obama went on to cast green technology in a positive light, arguing that America "must claim its promise." The message resonated with climate scientists and environmental groups.

"I was reassured to see him reaffirm that facts matter, and that the science overwhelmingly indicates that climate change is not only real, but is already posing a serious threat to society," Michael Mann, a climate scientist at Pennsylvania State University, told LiveScience. However, Mann said, the details of Obama's climate policy still need to be fleshed out. [The Reality of Climate Change: 10 Myths Busted]

Climate at the inauguration

Obama's mention of the c-word is not the first time climate has made an appearance in an inaugural speech, but presidents rarely use the occasion to discuss the environment. In 2010, Obama made a passing reference to rolling back "the specter of a warming planet." Former President Bill Clinton made one reference apiece to the need for a clean environment in his 1993 and 1997 inaugural speeches, but did not specifically mention global warming.

This year's reference was much more extended than that in Obama's first-term speech.

"We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity," Obama said. "We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations."

Will there be action?

Environmental groups praised Obama's words and used the opportunity to push for policy action.

"He did a good job laying out a narrative about climate change and why we should all care about taking meaningful action," said Travis Franck, a policy analyst for the nongovernmental organization Climate Interactive. "It will affect our children and grandchildren in many ways: their economic opportunities, their health, their safety from disasters, their recreation activities, and their sense of pride in America and its place in the world."

But the action Obama intends to take remains unknown. Climate experts say that sweeping policies are unlikely to make it through Congress in Obama's second term. The president does have some leeway to make regulatory changes via executive action.

"It would have been much more encouraging if he went on to say that he would put the power of his office into the fight to get the country onto a sustainable energy path, by working for regulations and legislation that would incentivize energy efficiency and the transition to clean energy and make the burning of fossil fuels less attractive," Elizabeth Sawin, the co-director of Climate Interactive, told LiveScience.

"Citizens who care about clean energy and a livable planet are going to need to continue to organize and pressure elected officials, including the president,?if we want to see concrete action and climate-protecting policy coming from Washington," Sawin said.

Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas?or LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook & Google+.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-takes-stand-climate-inaugural-speech-193847243.html

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Latinos take on bigger role in Obama inauguration

Presidential Inaugural Committee Co-Chair Eva Longoria gestures as she participates in the opening ceremony for the National Day of Service as part of the 57th Presidential Inaugural festivities, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Presidential Inaugural Committee Co-Chair Eva Longoria gestures as she participates in the opening ceremony for the National Day of Service as part of the 57th Presidential Inaugural festivities, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Actress Rita Moreno waves on the red carpet of the Latino Inaugural 2013 ball at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Brett Zongker)

Vice President Joe Biden, with his wife Jill Biden, center, holding the Biden Family Bible, shakes hands with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor after taking the oath of office during an official ceremony at the Naval Observatory, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Latinos are taking a more prominent role in President Barack Obama's second inauguration, from the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice swearing in the vice president to a star-studded concert celebrating Latino culture.

Eva Longoria, a co-chairwoman for Obama's campaign, hosted "Latino Inaugural 2013: In Performance at the Kennedy Center" as a salute to the president Sunday evening ahead of his public swearing-in Monday. Jose Feliciano, Chita Rivera, Rita Moreno and Latin pop star Prince Royce all performed. The lineup also included Mario Lopez and Wilmer Valderrama.

Vice President Joe Biden and his family appeared onstage, drawing big cheers, to help open the show. He said he wanted to thank Latinos for their support in last year's election.

Biden said something profound happened with the enormous Latino support for Obama, and he said the Latino community underestimates its power.

"One thing that happened in this election, you spoke. You spoke in a way that the world, and I mean the world, as well as the United States, could not fail to hear," Biden said, calling the Latino vote decisive. "This is your moment. America owes you."

Feliciano opened the show by singing the national anthem.

Marc Anthony later drew big cheers when he applauded Latinos' growing political influence.

"Our united voice got us all here tonight and got the best man for the job in the White House," Anthony said.

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, who gave the keynote speech at last year's Democratic National Convention, recalled the admiration Latinos held for another president more than 50 years ago. Portraits of President John F. Kennedy still hang in many homes, he said.

"As we said 'Viva Kennedy' 50 years ago, today we say 'Viva Obama,'" Castro said.

A children's choir from San Juan, Puerto Rico, closed out the show, singing "This Land is Your Land." They were joined by a larger Latino choir, including Hispanic members of the U.S. military, in singing "America the Beautiful."

Earlier Sunday, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, an Obama appointee who is the first Hispanic justice on the highest court, administered the oath of office to Biden. And Richard Blanco, a son of Cuban exiles, is Obama's inauguration poet.

Latinos have a distinct presence at this inauguration after raising funds and turning out the vote for Obama in the 2012 election. Hispanics voted 7 to 1 for Obama over his challenger, Republican Mitt Romney, whose Hispanic support was less than any other presidential candidate in 16 years. Analysts said Romney's hardline stance on immigration was a factor.

San Antonio philanthropist and business leader Henry Munoz III, who coordinated the Latino inauguration event with Longoria and other Obama supporters, said this is a special moment when the Latino community is positioned to take an expanded role in shaping the country's future.

"Without question, the presidential election of 2012 proves that Latinos are perhaps the most important influence from this point forward in the election of the president of the United States," Munoz said. "It's important that the leadership in Washington view us not as a narrow interest group but as a vibrant political force" that carries not just votes, but influence and financial resources.

Organizers planned a series of symposiums, dinners and events ahead of the inauguration to keep people talking about issues that matter to Latinos, from immigration reform to building a Latino history museum on the National Mall. Munoz led a presidential commission that called on Congress in 2011 to authorize such a museum within the Smithsonian Institution, but Congress has not yet passed such a bill.

Munoz said it's important to keep Latinos engaged through the inauguration and beyond.

"Our work is not done. It doesn't end," he said. "We have a tendency to look at this phenomenon as ending on Election Day, when the reality is now it's time to get to work."

Longoria said this is her first inauguration. She has taken on a new role as political advocate since her days on "Desperate Housewives," pushing for a Latino history museum in Washington and raising funds for Obama's re-election.

Even though this is Obama's second inauguration, Longoria said there is still much to celebrate, including Sotomayor's role swearing in the vice president.

"There's something special about seeing a president recommit himself to the people of this great nation," she said before the show.

Longoria said she hopes to help influence policies, including immigration reform, and hopes Obama will make that his top priority as an economic issue. She called the Latino fundraising effort for the president a historic turning point.

"I think we have a permanent seat at the table, and now we're going to be able to have influence on what affects our communities," Longoria said. "I take civic responsibility very seriously, and I want to do what I can to help my country."

___

Follow Brett Zongker at https://twitter.com/DCArtBeat

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-01-20-Inauguration-Latinos/id-85fd0afa793941bd8ddba80a1f767e03

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What the Hell Is This Unidentified Flying Object?

Gizmodo reader Gavin Heffernan just finished this really beautiful day and night time lapse of Death Valley's dunes. "Though we almost froze, we got some amazing stars, geminid meteors, star trails, planets, and even a UFO," he says: More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/hFJKDBoOG6s/what-the-hell-is-this-unidentified-flying-object

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Human-tiger conflict: Are the risks overestimated?

Jan. 21, 2013 ? A new study finds a complex web of factors increases perceived risk of tiger attack in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh.

Wildlife conservationists are well aware of the potential conflicts that exist between the endangered species they seek to protect and the human populations which inhabit areas where the animals live. Carnivores, such as tigers, pose a risk to humans and their livestock and can be killed because of this potential risk. Previous research has found that killing of animals can be motivated as much by social and psychological factors, such as perception of danger, as by any actual real risk posed by a species.

A new study published in the Springer journal Human Ecology has identified several key factors which may contribute to perceptions of risk from tigers in a conservation area in Bangladesh. The study, by Chloe Inskip and her colleagues from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology in Kent, UK, and WildTeam, Bangladesh, is the first to use participatory risk mapping (PRM) and in-depth interviews to explore the wider socio-economic context of human-tiger conflict.

The survey was carried out around the Sundarbans mangrove forests of south-western Bangladesh, home to one of the world's largest remaining tiger populations. Although there are no human inhabitants of the Sundarbans, eight sub-districts with a total population of around 1.7 million people lie directly adjacent to the forest boundary. Records indicate that approximately 30-50 people are killed annually by tigers in the area.

The researchers held 54 semi-structured interviews in six villages which border the Sundarbans forest, followed by 385 questionnaires in a further ten border villages. Of all the issues related to lives and livelihood, tigers were the most commonly reported problem. Other issues recorded were largely poverty-related including low incomes, dependence on natural resources, poor infrastructure and services and a lack of clean water together with soil erosion and weather. Inskip and her colleagues identified the fact that these issues had a direct impact on villagers' perceptions of risk from tigers. The respondents' perceived susceptibility to and their ability to mitigate human-tiger conflict was influenced largely by their poverty related-problems.

The authors suggest that any actions taken to improve these socio-economic issues will also reduce the perceived level of risk from tigers and help to reduce the rate at which tigers are killed. For conservationists, this would mean a shift from traditional models of conflict reduction to holistic models which also incorporate situation-specific actions to reduce risk perceptions. In many poor, rural communities in conservation areas such as the Sundarbans, risk perception reduction is likely to be tied strongly to poverty alleviation.

The authors believe that the abatement of killing endangered species will only be achieved if the human dimensions and social context of human-wildlife conflict situations are well understood and appropriately managed. They conclude that "participatory risk mapping (PRM) and qualitative research are valuable tools for enhancing understanding of and identifying actions to address the wildlife-related risk perceptions which can influence killing behavior." Addressing risk perceptions will require long-term commitment and funding.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Springer Science+Business Media.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Chloe Inskip, Martin Ridout, Zubair Fahad, Rowan Tully, Adam Barlow, Christina Greenwood Barlow, Md. Anwar Islam, Thomas Roberts, Douglas MacMillan. Human?Tiger Conflict in Context: Risks to Lives and Livelihoods in the Bangladesh Sundarbans. Human Ecology, 2013; DOI: 10.1007/s10745-012-9556-6

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/ekNjCiSRqug/130121103331.htm

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Len Berman: Top 5 Sports Stories

TGIF everyone here's my Top 5 for December 7, 2012 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.

1. Quick Hits

• NHL optimism? Never mind.
• Thursday night football: Make it eight straight wins for Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos as they beat Oakland 26-13.
• According to the San Diego Union-Tribune the Chargers will fire coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith after the season. Chargers ownership calls it "pure speculation."
• No Carmelo? No Amar'e? No problem. The Knicks drub Miami 112-92.

2. Political Football

Finally they're talking about important stuff on the floor of the Senate. Majority Leader Harry Reid in one fell swoop took shots at the Washington Post sports section as well as the New York Times, and then he compared the Republican Party to the New York Jets with their three quarterbacks. He said the Republicans don't have anybody to run the show, just like the Jets. Of course Jets owner Woody Johnson backed Mitt Romney. Political payback?

3. Just for Kicks

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has thought about eliminating kickoffs. He told Time that here's what he might like to do. The kicking team would get the ball on its own 30, basically a fourth down and 15. They could go for it or punt. Yes, that's safer but it would radically change the game eliminating a potentially exciting play. And it would also radically change the commercial landscape. "This fourth and 15 is brought to you by Geico... 15 minutes..." Now it's your turn to come up with some new wacky NFL rules. How about five downs? You can never have enough offense.

4. Friday eMailbag

With the Jets quarterback issues, C.A. writes, "The old adage is that 'If you have two starting quarterbacks, you have no quarterbacks.' So what does the mean for the New York Jets who claim three starting quarterbacks?"

Baltimore's Ed Reed complained that the NFL is turning into a "powder puff" league in an attempt to cut down on injuries. G.L. writes, "There's an apropos line in Don Quixote that goes something like, 'Whether the stone hits the bird or the bird hits the stone, it's going to be bad for the bird.' Doesn't Ed Reed realize that when he's knocking an offensive player into next week with a helmet-to-helmet hit, his bell is being rung, as well? The attempts at safety are designed to protect all players, not just the offensive ones."

When I raised the possibility that the Yankees might not make the playoffs this season, D.H. wrote, "You gotta wonder if this is 1965-66 right now? The old Yankee heroes of the 50's and early 60's were dropping off."

And P.K. wrote, "Now with the Steinbrenner boy geniuses cutting the payroll, the golden days are surely over. When the Yankees contacted me about re-upping my partial season tickets, I told them I had no interest in spending big money on a team that resembles the Pittsburgh Pirates."

5. Spanning the World

This week's Spanning the World highlight comes from halftime of a Gonzaga basketball game. A fan tries his hand at a half court shot for fame and fortune. Was it the worst shot ever? You be the judge.

Spanning the World airs monthly on NBC's Today Show. Next up: Friday, December 28.

Happy Birthday: NBA great Larry Bird. 56.

Bonus Birthday: Baseball great Johnny Bench. 65.

Today in Sports: The Red Sox acquire the contract of 19-year old Ted Williams 1937.

Bonus Event: A date that will live in infamy. The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. 1941.

To sign up for Len's free daily Top 5 email click here.

?

Follow Len Berman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lenbermansports

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/len-berman/top-5-sports-stories_523_b_2257786.html

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