ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Friday, March 12, 2010
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.
Aquatic 'dead zones' contributing to climate change (March 12, 2010) -- The increased frequency and intensity of oxygen-deprived "dead zones" along the world's coasts can negatively impact environmental conditions in far more than local waters. Scientists explain that the increased amount of nitrous oxide produced in hypoxic waters can elevate concentrations in the atmosphere, further exacerbating the impacts of global warming and contributing to ozone "holes" that increase our exposure to harmful UV radiation. ... > full story
End to lice? Effectiveness of new oral treatment demonstrated (March 12, 2010) -- French medical researchers have recently demonstrated the effectiveness of a new molecule in the fight against lice. Faced with the emergence of increasing resistance to conventional treatments by these parasites, this new medication represents a real therapeutic alternative which is effective in 95 percent of cases. ... > full story
Khirbet Qeiyafa identified as biblical 'Neta'im' (March 12, 2010) -- Has another mystery in the history of Israel been solved? Researchers have identified Khirbet Qeiyafa as "Neta'im", which is mentioned in the Bible's book of Chronicles. ... > full story
New study debunks myths about vulnerability of Amazon rain forests to drought (March 12, 2010) -- A new study has concluded that Amazon rain forests were remarkably unaffected in the face of once-in-a-century drought in 2005, neither dying nor thriving, contrary to a previously published report and claims by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. ... > full story
Malaria in pregnant women: Step towards a new vaccine (March 12, 2010) -- By managing to express the protein that enables red blood cells infected with the malaria agent Plasmodium falciparum to bind to the placenta and by deciphering its molecular mechanisms, a team of researchers has taken an important first step in the development of a vaccine against pregnancy-associated malaria. ... > full story
Production of chemicals from wood waste made more environmentally-friendly and cheaper (March 12, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that the bacterium Cupriavidus basilensis breaks down harmful by-products which are produced when sugars are released from wood. They also managed to incorporate the degradation process in bacteria which are in common industrial use. This breakthrough does away with the need to resort to costly and environmentally unfriendly methods for removing by-products, thereby boosting the appeal of waste wood as a sustainable resource for biochemicals and biofuels. ... > full story
If bonobo Kanzi can point as humans do, what other similarities can rearing reveal? (March 11, 2010) -- You may have more in common with Kanzi, Panbanisha and Nyota, three language-competent bonobos living at Great Ape Trust, than you thought. And those similarities, right at your fingertip, might one day tell scientists more about the effect of culture on neurological disorders that limit human expression. A recently published pointing study supports the assertion that the success of language studies with bonobos is tied to rearing. ... > full story
Inventing new oat and barley breads (March 11, 2010) -- Scientists are working on a delicious new all-oat or all-barley bread. ... > full story
Scientists solve puzzle of chickens that are half male and half female (March 11, 2010) -- A puzzle that has baffled scientists for centuries -- why some birds appear to be male on one side of the body and female on the other -- has been solved by researchers. The research, which involved studying rare naturally occurring chickens with white (male) plumage on one side and brown (female) plumage on the other, sheds new light on the sexual development of birds. ... > full story
Movement disorder symptoms are lessened by an antibiotic: Treating worms with ampicillin helps restore normal movement (March 11, 2010) -- Discovery of an antibiotic's capacity to improve cell function in laboratory tests is providing movement disorder researchers with leads to more desirable molecules with potentially similar traits, according to scientists. ... > full story
World crude oil production may peak a decade earlier than some predict (March 11, 2010) -- In a finding that may speed efforts to conserve oil and intensify the search for alternative fuel sources, scientists in Kuwait predict that world conventional crude oil production will peak in 2014 -- almost a decade earlier than some other predictions. ... > full story
Atmospheric nanoparticles impact health, weather professor says (March 11, 2010) -- Nanoparticles are atmospheric materials so small that they can't be seen with the naked eye, but they can very visibly affect both weather patterns and human health all over the world -- and not in a good way, according to a new study. ... > full story
Scientists make important discovery in gene regulation (March 11, 2010) -- Scientists have a greater understanding of how our genes are controlled following a major research project. The findings of the study, which looked at how proteins work as teams to control genes in the cells, could also help to unravel the mechanisms of disease such as cancer. ... > full story
Can we detect quantum behavior in viruses? (March 11, 2010) -- Scientists are using the principles of an iconic quantum mechanics thought experiment -- Schrödinger's superpositioned cat -- to test for quantum properties in objects composed of as many as one billion atoms, possibly including the flu virus. ... > full story
Students' perceptions of Earth's age influence acceptance of human evolution (March 11, 2010) -- High school and college students who understand the geological age of the Earth (4.5 billion years) are much more likely to understand and accept human evolution, according to a new study. A 2009 Gallup poll reported that 16 percent of biology teachers believe God created humans in their present form at some time during the last 10,000 years. ... > full story
Development of more muscular trout could boost commercial aquaculture (March 11, 2010) -- A 10-year effort by a scientist to develop transgenic rainbow trout with enhanced muscle growth has yielded fish with what have been described as six-pack abs and muscular shoulders that could provide a boost to the commercial aquaculture industry. ... > full story
Mystery of symmetry in vertebrates revealed (March 11, 2010) -- Some of our organs, such as the liver and the heart, are lateralized. As our bodies develop they mostly display bilateral symmetry across the vertebral column. A new molecular pathway, which plays a role in this symmetry in vertebrates, has recently been discovered. ... > full story
Plotting and treachery in ant royal families (March 11, 2010) -- Social insects -- ants in particular -- are usually thought of as selfless entities willing to sacrifice everything for their comrades. However, new research suggests that ant queens are also prepared to compromise the welfare of the entire colony in order to retain the throne. ... > full story
Potential for using algae to produce human therapeutic proteins shown (March 11, 2010) -- Pharmaceutical companies could substantially reduce the expense of costly treatments for cancer and other diseases produced from mammalian or bacterial cells by growing these human therapeutic proteins in algae -- rapidly growing aquatic plant cells that have recently gained attention for their ability to produce biofuels. ... > full story
Mouse model reveals a cause of ADHD (March 11, 2010) -- Although it's typically considered an adolescent curse, ADHD actually affects about five percent of adults as well. New research in a mouse model of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder suggests that the root of the psychiatric disorder might be the over-activity of a protein that regulates dopaminergic pathways. The work suggests a path toward new treatments for symptoms including inattentiveness, over-activity and impulsivity. ... > full story
How sea turtle hatchlings use their flippers to move quickly on sand (March 11, 2010) -- Researchers conducted the first field study showing how endangered loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings use their limbs to move quickly on a variety of terrains in order to reach the ocean. ... > full story
Emerging tick-borne disease (March 11, 2010) -- A new assay allows scientists to discover whether ticks are carrying disease-causing bacteria and which animals provided their last blood meal. Assay results suggest three emerging diseases in the St. Louis area are carried by lone star ticks feeding on record-high populations of white tailed deer. ... > full story
Smell of salt air surprisingly detected a mile high and 900 miles inland (March 11, 2010) -- In a surprise with implications for air quality, researchers have found that chemistry involving airborne chloride, thought to be restricted to sea spray, occurs at similar rates in air above Boulder, Colo., nearly 900 miles away from any ocean. ... > full story
Impacts of changing climate on ocean biology (March 11, 2010) -- A three-year field program now underway is measuring carbon distributions and primary productivity in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean to help scientists worldwide determine the impacts of a changing climate on ocean biology and biogeochemistry. ... > full story
Students take aim at bear spray canisters (March 11, 2010) -- Visitors to national parks and forests are encouraged to use bear spray when they encounter grizzlies, but disposing of the bear spray canisters is a problem that students have addressed. ... > full story
Survey shows lack of confidence in national hurricane response planning (March 11, 2010) -- According to a study recently completed by group in Louisiana charged with conducting studies on improving hurricane crisis communication in coastal communities, many families have a well-developed hurricane response plan of their own but have little faith in the preparation developed at higher government levels. ... > full story
Study provides better understanding of how mosquitoes find a host (March 10, 2010) -- The potentially deadly yellow-fever-transmitting Aedes aegypti mosquito detects the specific chemical structure of a compound called octenol as one way to find a mammalian host for a blood meal. ... > full story
Sonic hedgehog gene found in an unexpected place during limb development (March 10, 2010) -- Sonic hedgehog is at work in mice limb buds in what is known as the ectoderm, the cell layer that gives rise to skin, researchers discovered. Finding Sonic hedgehog here is akin to discovering that yeast has crept from the batter to the frosting, where it has the surprising effect of limiting how much the cake rises. In this case, instead of causing appendages to grow in mice, Sonic hedgehog prevents digits from developing. ... > full story
NoMix toilets get thumbs-up in seven European countries (March 10, 2010) -- People in seven European countries have positive attitudes toward a new eco-friendly toilet that could substantially reduce pollution problems and conserve water and nutrients, scientists in Switzerland are reporting. Their article calls on authorities to give wider support for the innovative toilet technology. ... > full story
Large mammals need protected areas, forest cover in India (March 10, 2010) -- A study of extinction patterns of 25 large mammal species in India finds that improving existing protected areas, creating new areas, and interconnecting them will be necessary for many species to survive this century. ... > full story
Physicians click their way to better prescriptions (March 10, 2010) -- Is it time for all community-based doctors to turn to e-prescribing to cut down on the number of medication errors? Electronic prescriptions can dramatically reduce prescribing errors -- up to seven-fold, according to a new study of the benefits of e-prescribing in primary care practices. ... > full story
Discovery in legumes could reduce fertilizer use, aid environment (March 10, 2010) -- Escalating use of nitrogen fertilizer is increasing algal blooms and global warming, but a recent discovery by researchers could begin to reverse that. They have revealed a key step in how symbiotic bacteria living in legumes turn nitrogen into plant food, which could be used to improve the process in some plants, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. ... > full story
Papaya extract thwarts growth of cancer cells in lab tests (March 10, 2010) -- Papaya extract seems to have a toxic effect on cancer cells in culture, suggesting a potential treatment. Scientists documented for the first time that papaya leaf extract boosts the production of key signaling molecules called Th1-type cytokines. This regulation of the immune system, in addition to papaya's direct anti-tumor effect on various cancers, suggests possible therapeutic strategies that use the immune system to fight cancers. ... > full story
Pottery leads to discovery of peace-seeking women in American Southwest (March 10, 2010) -- A researcher believes pottery found throughout the North American Southwest comes from a religion of peace-seeking women in the violent, 13th-century American Southwest. These women sought to find a way to integrate newly immigrating refugees and prevent the spread of warfare that decimated communities to the north. ... > full story
Ever-changing Earth: How the atmosphere can affect planet's shape, rotation, gravitational field (March 10, 2010) -- Researchers in Austria are investigating the effects of the Earth's atmosphere on our planet's shape, its rotation and its gravitational field. The researchers' aim is to develop a better understanding of the Earth's system and to support the development of the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS). ... > full story
Cotton is the fabric of your lights, your MP3 player, your cell phone (March 10, 2010) -- Consider this T-shirt: It can monitor your heart rate and breathing, analyze your sweat and even cool you off on a hot summer's day. Or a solar-powered dress that can charge your MP3 player? This is not science fiction -- this is cotton in 2010. ... > full story
Lizard moms choose the right genes for the right gender offspring (March 10, 2010) -- Brown anole lizards make an interesting choice when deciding which males should father their offspring. The females of this species mate with several males, then produce more sons with sperm from large fathers, and more daughters with sperm from smaller fathers. The researchers believe that the lizards do this to ensure that the genes from large fathers are passed on to sons, who stand to benefit from inheriting the genes for large size. ... > full story
Reovirus may be a novel approach to prostate cancer treatment (March 10, 2010) -- Researchers in Canada have detected a novel oncolytic viral therapy against prostate cancer with use of a virus called the reovirus, according to a new study. ... > full story
Learning from nature: Scientists break down carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide using visible light (March 10, 2010) -- A recent discovery in understanding how to chemically break down the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into a useful form opens the doors for scientists to wonder what organism is out there -- or could be created -- to accomplish the task. Scientists have figured out a way to efficiently turn carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide using visible light, like sunlight. ... > full story
Next-generation biorefinery is aim of new European project (March 10, 2010) -- Europe's four-year EuroBioRef project aims to cover the whole biomass conversion chain from raw materials to commercial products. ... > full story
Infectious virus hidden in chromosomes can be passed from parents to children (March 9, 2010) -- In some individuals the common herpes virus HHV-6 can integrate into structures at the end of chromosomes and be reactivated to an infectious form. ... > full story
Earthquake in Chile: A complicated fracture (March 9, 2010) -- The extremely strong earthquake that struck Chile Feb. 27 was a complicated rupture process, scientists say. Quakes with such magnitude virtually penetrate the entire Earth's crust. After closer analysis of the seismic waves radiated by this earthquake during the first 134 seconds after start of the rupture, the researchers came to the conclusion that only the region around the actual epicentre was active during the first minutes. ... > full story
Mathematical model may offer better understanding of embryonic development (March 9, 2010) -- A mathematical model can predict complex signaling patterns that could help scientists determine how stem cells in an embryo later become specific tissues, knowledge that could be used to understand and treat developmental disorders and some diseases. ... > full story
Snake venom charms science world: Novel protein from king cobra as drug discovery (March 9, 2010) -- The king cobra continues to weave its charm with researchers identifying a protein in its venom with the potential for new drug discovery and to advance understanding of disease mechanisms. ... > full story
How ATP, molecule bearing 'the fuel of life,' is broken down in cells (March 9, 2010) -- Researchers have figured out how ATP is broken down in cells, providing for the first time a clear picture of the key reaction that allows cells in all living things to function and flourish. Discovered some 80 years ago, adenosine triphosphate is said to be second in biological importance only to DNA. ... > full story
Natural antioxidants give top barn swallows a leg on competitors (March 9, 2010) -- A new study indicates North American barn swallows outperform their peers in reproduction -- the "currency" of evolutionary change -- by maintaining a positive balance of antioxidants commonly sold in health food stores. ... > full story
Deceptive model: Stem cells of humans and mice differ more strongly than suspected (March 9, 2010) -- Mice are in many ways similar to Homo sapiens on a fundamental level. That is why the law in this part of the world only permits scientists to conduct research on human embryonic stem cells when they have "clarified in advance" their specific questions by using animal cells as far as possible. However, such tests are often pointless -- and sometimes even misleading, as a recent study demonstrates. ... > full story
Heat therapy shown effective in treating cutaneous leishmaniasis among US soldiers in Iraq (March 9, 2010) -- A single session of heat therapy using the ThermoMed device appears to be as effective as a 10-day intravenous course of sodium stibogluconate for the treatment of Leishmania major skin lesions, according to a new study. The randomized treatment trial involved 56 military personnel who contracted L. major while serving in Iraq. ... > full story
Copyright 1995-2008 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
|
 To update/change your account click here  |
No comments:
Post a Comment