ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Friday, February 5, 2010
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Seabed biodiversity of the Straits of Magellan and Drake Passage (February 5, 2010) -- A study of animals visible to the naked eye and living in and on the seabed -- the "macrobenthos" -- of the Straits of Magellan and Drake Passage will help scientists understand the biodiversity, biogeography and ecology of the Magellanic region. ... > full story
Europe seeks alternatives to natural latex from Asia (February 5, 2010) -- Some natural latexes are the main ingredient in the extraction of natural rubber, an indispensable raw material for all kinds of industries and essential for the manufacture of surgical gloves, condoms or tyres. All the latex used in Europe is imported, extracted fundamentally from the the Hevea brasiliensis tree. The largest producers in the world are Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, three Asian countries that have practically the worldwide monopoly of this resource. In order to find alternatives to this commercial dependence and promote the cultivation of latex-producing plant species in the European Union, a research project is being undertaken in which 12 technological centres, universities and companies related to this matter are taking part. ... > full story
Ancient human teeth show that stress early in development can shorten life span (February 5, 2010) -- Ancient human teeth are telling secrets that may relate to modern-day health: Some stressful events that occurred early in development are linked to shorter lifespans. "Prehistoric remains are providing strong, physical evidence that people who acquired tooth enamel defects while in the womb or early childhood tended to die earlier, even if they survived to adulthood," says anthropologist George Armelagos, who recently published the first summary of prehistoric evidence for the Barker hypothesis. ... > full story
Scientists ID a protein that splices and dices genes (February 5, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that the protein MRG15, which previously had been known to affect cell growth and aging, also directs the gene-splicing machinery. As people or animals age, this machinery can go awry, producing nonsense proteins. The finding thus has potential implications for therapies to treat both cancer and aging. ... > full story
Fewer honey bee colonies and beekeepers throughout Europe (February 5, 2010) -- The number of bee colonies in Central Europe has decreased over recent decades. In fact, the number of beekeepers has been declining in the whole of Europe since 1985. ... > full story
Potential evolutionary role for same-sex attraction (February 4, 2010) -- Male homosexuality doesn't make complete sense from an evolutionary point of view. One possible explanation is what evolutionary psychologists call the "kin selection hypothesis." What that means is that homosexuality may convey an indirect benefit by enhancing the survival prospects of close relatives. ... > full story
Enlisting a drug discovery technique in the battle against global warming (February 4, 2010) -- Scientists in Texas are reporting that a technique used in the search for new drugs could also be used in the quest to discover new, environmentally friendly materials for fighting global warming. Such materials could be used to capture the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from industrial smokestacks and other fixed sources before it enters the biosphere. ... > full story
Water movements can shape fish evolution (February 4, 2010) -- Researchers have found that the hydrodynamic environment of fish can shape their physical form and swimming style. ... > full story
Imaging method for eye disease used to eye art forgeries (February 4, 2010) -- Scientists in Poland are describing how a medical imaging technique has taken on a second life in revealing forgery of an artist's signature and changes in inscriptions on paintings that are hundreds of years old. ... > full story
Spherical cows help to dump metabolism law (February 4, 2010) -- Apparently, the mysterious "3/4 law of metabolism" -- proposed by Max Kleiber in 1932, printed in biology textbooks for decades, and described as "extended to all life forms" from bacteria to whales -- is just plain wrong. "Actually, it's two-thirds," says University of Vermont mathematician Peter Dodds. A new paper of his helps overturn almost 80 years of near-mystical belief in a 3/4 exponent used to describe the relationship between the size of animals and their resting metabolism. ... > full story
Link between human birth defect syndrome, cancer metastasis explored (February 4, 2010) -- Some cells are natural rule-breakers. Neural crest cells for example, not only migrate throughout the body during development (most cells are more selective in their wandering), they are also more developmentally flexible than their predecessors (a no-no for nearly all cell types). Now researchers have shown that a protein that controls DNA accessibility is responsible for the cells' unruly ways. ... > full story
Learning from climate's sedimental journey (February 4, 2010) -- By analyzing sediments up to 4,000 years old, an environmental scientist is hoping to provide a tool to help predict future climate change. Ancient records of what was happening with climate conditions can be used with regional climate models to tell a story of what happened in the past and to correlate it to the present and the future. Current models typically use data only for the last 100 years or less and may miss wet and dry periods from past millennia. ... > full story
Scientists find ideal target for malaria therapy (February 4, 2010) -- Scientists have identified a protein made by the malaria parasite that is essential to its ability to take over human red blood cells. ... > full story
Immune protein fends off exotic virus (February 4, 2010) -- A study shows that antiviral proteins called type I interferons (IFNs) are needed to fend off infection with an exotic mosquito-borne virus called Chikungunya virus. This pathogen, which causes high fevers and severe joint pain, triggered a recent epidemic in Southeast Asia, infecting more than 30 percent of the population in some areas. ... > full story
Shark virgin birth study shows offspring can survive long term (February 4, 2010) -- Shark pups born to virgin mothers can survive over the long-term, according to new research. The study shows for the first time that some virgin births can result in viable offspring. ... > full story
Quantum mechanics at work in photosynthesis: Algae familiar with these processes for nearly two billion years (February 4, 2010) -- Chemists have made a major contribution to the emerging field of quantum biology, observing quantum mechanics at work in photosynthesis in marine algae. ... > full story
New class of AIDS drug? Two compounds lay foundation, help combat drug-resistant virus strains (February 4, 2010) -- A team of scientists has identified two compounds that act on novel binding sites for an enzyme used by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. The discovery lays the foundation for the development of a new class of anti-HIV drugs to enhance existing therapies, treat drug-resistant strains of the disease, and slow the evolution of drug resistance in the virus. ... > full story
Chemists discover how antiviral drugs bind to and block flu virus (February 4, 2010) -- Researchers have determined where an antiviral drug binds to and blocks a channel necessary for the flu virus to spread. The team also discovered that the drug spins in the channel, meaning there could be room for developing drugs that do a better job blocking the channel and stopping the flu. ... > full story
Bad news for mosquitoes: Scent receptor research may lead to better traps, repellents (February 4, 2010) -- Researchers have found more than two dozen scent receptors in malaria-transmitting mosquitoes that detect compounds in human sweat, a finding that may help scientists to develop new ways to combat a disease that kills 1 million people annually. ... > full story
Malaria's key survival protein identified, offering drug hope (February 4, 2010) -- Researchers in Australia have identified a key protein used by the malaria parasite to transform human red blood cells, ensuring the parasite's survival. Their discovery means researchers have a clear target against which to develop a new class of anti-malarial drugs that destroy the parasite. ... > full story
Is iron from soil a factor in algal blooms? (February 4, 2010) -- Scientists are studying the part that iron from Australia's iron-rich soil plays in the algal blooms that plague parts of the eastern coast line during summer. ... > full story
Haiti earthquake a reminder that disasters are preventable, expert says (February 4, 2010) -- Amid all the commentary focused on the historic tragedy in Haiti, a tough but important fact -- disasters are preventable -- has gone virtually unmentioned, according to a nationally recognized expert on disasters. ... > full story
Black carbon a significant factor in melting of Himalayan glaciers (February 4, 2010) -- The fact that glaciers in the Himalayan mountains are thinning is not disputed. However, few researchers have attempted to rigorously examine and quantify the causes. Scientists have now isolated the impacts of the most commonly blamed culprit -- greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide -- from other particles in the air that may be causing the melting. Their research finds that airborne black carbon aerosols, or soot, from India is a major contributor to the decline in snow and ice cover on the glaciers. ... > full story
Sources of infection: Mycobacterium avium infections in pigs, humans and birds in Norway (February 4, 2010) -- New research from Norway has shown that Mycobacterium avium does not infect pigs via birds, as previously believed. M. avium can be divided into several subspecies, and the research shows that birds are infected by one particular subspecies, whereas pigs and humans are infected by another. Closely related bacteria were isolated in pigs and humans, which would indicate that pigs and humans are vulnerable to infection from the same sources in their surroundings. ... > full story
Ecology: Introducing new genes for restoration purposes may affect local populations (February 4, 2010) -- Revegetation seems like a beneficial strategy for conserving and restoring damaged ecosystems, and using a variety of species can help increase biodiversity in these systems. But what risks are involved with introducing seeds from other locations to plants located near the damaged site? When new, foreign genes are introduced to a damaged site, neighboring populations may experience initial negative effects; however, over time, the negative effects may diminish and the maladapted foreign genes will decrease. ... > full story
'Good' bacteria keep immune system primed to fight future infections (February 3, 2010) -- Scientists have long pondered the seeming contradiction that taking broad-spectrum antibiotics over a long period of time can lead to severe secondary bacterial infections. Now researchers may have figured out why. They show that "good" bacteria in the gut keep the immune system primed to more effectively fight infection from invading pathogenic bacteria. Altering the intricate dynamic between resident and foreign bacteria -- via antibiotics, for example -- compromises an animal's immune response. ... > full story
Cell growth regulates genetic circuits (February 3, 2010) -- Genetic circuits control the activity of genes and thereby the function of cells and organisms. Scientists have shown how various genetic circuits in bacterial cells are influenced by growth conditions. According to their findings, even genes that are not regulated can display different activities -- depending on whether they are translated into proteins in slow- or fast-growing cells. The results provide researchers with new insights into gene regulation and will help them in the design of synthetic genetic circuits in the future. ... > full story
Ancient crocodile relative likely food source for Titanoboa, largest snake ever known (February 3, 2010) -- A 60-million-year-old relative of crocodiles was likely a food source for Titanoboa, the largest snake the world has ever known. Paleontologists found fossils of the new species of ancient crocodile in the Cerrejon Formation in northern Colombia. The site, one of the world's largest open-pit coal mines, also yielded skeletons of the giant, boa constrictor-like Titanoboa, which measured up to 45 feet long. ... > full story
3-D scaffold provides clean, biodegradable structure for stem cell growth (February 3, 2010) -- A natural material derived from crustacean shell and algae supports the growth of human embryonic stem cells. ... > full story
New research rejects 80-year theory of 'primordial soup' as the origin of life (February 3, 2010) -- For 80 years it has been accepted that early life began in a "primordial soup" of organic molecules before evolving out of the oceans millions of years later. Today the "soup" theory has been overturned in a pioneering article which claims it was the Earth's chemical energy, from hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor, which kick-started early life. ... > full story
Mechanical forces could affect gene expression (February 3, 2010) -- Researchers have shown that tension on DNA molecules can affect gene expression -- the process at the heart of biological function that tells a cell what to do. ... > full story
Tobacco plant-made therapeutic thwarts West Nile virus (February 3, 2010) -- A new therapeutic made from tobacco plants has been shown to arrest West Nile virus infection, according to a new study. ... > full story
Fossils show earliest animal trails (February 3, 2010) -- Trails found in rocks dating back 565 million years are thought to be the earliest evidence of animal locomotion ever found. The newly-discovered fossils, from rocks in Newfoundland in Canada, were analysed by an international team. They identified over 70 fossilised trails indicating that some ancient creatures moved, in a similar way to modern sea anemones, across the seafloors of the Ediacaran Period. ... > full story
Eco-friendly way of decomposing BPA-containing plastic (February 3, 2010) -- Just as cooking helps people digest food, pretreating polycarbonate plastic -- source of a huge environmental headache because of its bisphenol A content -- may be the key to disposing of the waste in an eco-friendly way, scientists have found. ... > full story
Storm runoff and sewage treatment outflow contaminated with household pesticides (February 3, 2010) -- Pyrethroid pesticides were supposed to be a benign replacement for organophosphates used around the home, but a new study shows that these insecticides are showing up at toxic levels in storm runoff and even in the effluent from sewage treatment plants. While the levels are not high enough to harm fish, they may be enough to kill the mayfly, caddisfly and stonefly larvae upon which the fish feed. ... > full story
Genetic test for 'speed gene' in thoroughbred horses (February 3, 2010) -- Groundbreaking research led by a leading horse genomics scientist in Ireland has resulted in the identification of the 'speed gene' in thoroughbred horses. ... > full story
Heart patients using herbal remedies may be at heightened risk of dangerous drug interactions (February 3, 2010) -- More and more Americans are turning to herbal remedies to help manage chronic conditions or promote general health and wellness. But many of today's popular herbal supplements, including St. John's wort, gingko biloba, garlic and even grapefruit juice can pose serious risks to people who are taking medications for heart disease, according to a review article. ... > full story
How certain hormones control aspects of root branching in plants (February 3, 2010) -- Scientists describe that the plant hormone auxin together with an increased cell cycle activity leads to a boost in root branching in the common thale cress Arabidopsis thaliana. In addition, they showed that two proteins that are crucial for embryo development also play a critical role in root branching. These results could be used to raise plants that are fast-growing even in dry and nutrient-poor soils. ... > full story
Why is it so difficult to eradicate salmonella? (February 3, 2010) -- Feed contaminated by salmonella bacteria is a familiar and costly problem for the animal feed industry all over the world. Some types of salmonella have succeeded in establishing themselves in feed and fish meal factories and have persisted there for several years because it has proved impossible to eradicate them. ... > full story
Helpful yeast battles food-contaminating aflatoxin (February 3, 2010) -- Pistachios, almonds and other popular tree nuts might someday be routinely sprayed with a yeast called Pichia anomala to help protect against aflatoxin contamination, according to a plant physiologist. ... > full story
Marine lab hunts subtle clues to environmental threats to blue crabs (February 3, 2010) -- Researchers are at work trying to identify the clues that will finger specific, yet elusive, environmental threats to the Atlantic blue crab. ... > full story
Measuring rainfall with mobile phone antennas (February 3, 2010) -- As rain interferes with radio signals, researchers have been able to measure rainfall using data supplied by the mobile telecommunications company Orange. The new method offers greater spatial resolution than traditional point measurements provided by rain gauges. In the future, this could be combined with intelligent control systems for sewer networks so as to reduce water pollution in urban areas. ... > full story
Forests are growing faster, ecologists discover; Climate change appears to be driving accelerated growth (February 2, 2010) -- Speed is not a word typically associated with trees; they can take centuries to grow. However, a new study finds evidence that forests in the Eastern United States are growing faster than they have in the past 225 years. The study offers a rare look at how an ecosystem is responding to climate change. ... > full story
HIV researchers solve key puzzle after 20 years of trying (February 2, 2010) -- Researchers have made a breakthrough in HIV research that had eluded scientists for over 20 years, potentially leading to better treatments for HIV. The researchers have grown a crystal that reveals the structure of an enzyme called integrase, which is found in retroviruses like HIV. When HIV infects someone, it uses integrase to paste a copy of its genetic information into their DNA. ... > full story
Almond tree's secret weapon (February 2, 2010) -- Has the almond tree developed a unique way of drawing potential pollinators? A group of researchers in Israel speculate that the toxin called amygdalin that is found in almond tree nectar is in fact an evolutionary development intended to give that tree an advantage over others in its surroundings. ... > full story
Airborne Radar Captures Image of Post-Quake Haiti (February 2, 2010) -- JPL's Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) captured a composite image of the city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and the surrounding region on Jan. 27, 2010. This image will be combined with other images of the same area to be acquired later this month and in the future in order to measure the motion of Earth's surface during the time between images using interferometry. ... > full story
Last ancestor humans shared with worms had sophisticated brain, microRNAs show (February 2, 2010) -- The last ancestor we shared with worms, which roamed the seas around 600 million years ago, may already have had a sophisticated brain. Fossils cannot give us this information, but scientists have obtained it by studying small molecules called microRNAs. ... > full story
How virulent food-borne bacteria listeria monocytogenes induces infected immune cells to sabotage their own defensive response (February 2, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered how the virulent food-borne bacteria Listeria monocytogenes induces infected immune cells to sabotage their own defensive response. The studies offer insight into host-pathogen interactions and suggest potential therapeutic targets for food poisoning, tuberculosis and autoimmune diseases. ... > full story
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