The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Wednesday, July 6, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Wednesday, July 6, 2011

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Functioning small intestine created in laboratory experiments (July 6, 2011) -- Researchers have successfully created a tissue-engineered small intestine in mice that replicates the intestinal structures of natural intestine -- a necessary first step toward someday applying this regenerative medicine technique to humans. ... > full story

Fisher decline documented in California (July 6, 2011) -- Researchers have reported a 73-percent decline in the density of fishers -- a house-cat sized member of the weasel family and candidate for endangered species listing -- on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation in northwestern California between 1998 and 2005. ... > full story

How hot did Earth get in the past? Team of scientists uncovers new information (July 6, 2011) -- The question seems simple enough: What happens to Earth's temperature when atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increase? The answer is elusive. However, clues are hidden in the fossil record. A new study provides a much clearer picture of Earth's temperature approximately 50 million years ago when CO2 concentrations were higher than today. The results may shed light on what to expect in the future if CO2 levels keep rising. ... > full story

Dietary leucine may fight pre-diabetes, metabolic syndrome: Study shows improvements in animals with amino acid in diet (July 6, 2011) -- A new study suggests that adding the amino acid leucine to their diets may help those with pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome. ... > full story

Environs prompt advantageous gene mutations as plants grow; changes passed to progeny (July 5, 2011) -- Researchers have found that the environment not only weeds out harmful and useless genetic mutations in plants through natural selection, but actually influences helpful mutations, and that these beneficial changes are passed on to the next generation. ... > full story

Genome analysis will reveal how bacteria in our guts make themselves at home (July 5, 2011) -- Researchers have published the genome sequence of a gut bacterium to help understand how these organisms evolved their symbiotic relationships with their hosts. ... > full story

Fifty-year search for calcium channel ends: Cell's power generator depends on long-sought protein (July 5, 2011) -- After decades of failed efforts, researchers have discovered, through a combination of digital database mining and laboratory assays, the linchpin protein that drives mitochondria's calcium machinery. ... > full story

One skull + two brains = four objects in mind (July 5, 2011) -- A new study by neuroscientists could be put to immediate use in designing more effective cognitive therapy, smarter brain games, better "heads up displays," and much more. ... > full story

Kinetochores prefer the 'silent' DNA sections of the chromosome (July 5, 2011) -- The protein complex responsible for the distribution of chromosomes during cell division is assembled in the transition regions between heterochromatin and euchromatin. The centromere is a specialized region of the chromosome, on which a protein complex known as the kinetochore is assembled. During cell division, the kinetochore provides a point of attachment for molecules of the cytoskeleton, thereby mediating the segregation of chromosomes to the two opposing cell poles. Scientists have investigated the factors that play an essential role in the development of the kinetochore. According to new findings, both the organization of the chromosomes and epigenetic marks determine the location where a kinetochore and, eventually, a centromere can form. ... > full story

Hot springs microbe yields record-breaking, heat-tolerant enzyme (July 5, 2011) -- Scientists looking for unusual cellulose-digesting enzymes, called cellulases, have found one that works at a higher temperature, 109 Celsius, than any others found to date. The cellulase comes from an Archaea found in a Nevada hot spring. Enzymes like this may prove useful in reaction chambers where plant fiber (lignocellulose) is digested to release cellulose. The cellulase could then convert this cellulose to sugar to be fermented into biofuel. ... > full story

Australian volcano eruptions overdue, new study confirms (July 5, 2011) -- Latest research into the age of volcanos in parts of Australia has confirmed that certain regions are overdue for an eruption, potentially affecting thousands of local residents. ... > full story

Nature uses screws and nuts: Previously unknown musculoskeletal system discovered in weevils (July 5, 2011) -- A musculoskeletal system so far unknown in the animal world was recently discovered in weevils. The hip of Trigonopterus oblongus does not consist of the usual hinges, but of joints based on a screw-and-nut system. This first biological screw thread is about half a millimeter in size and was studied in detail using synchrotron radiation. ... > full story

Antarctic krill help to fertilize Southern Ocean with iron (July 5, 2011) -- A new discovery reveals that the shrimp-like creature at the heart of the Antarctic food chain could play a key role in fertilizing the Southern Ocean with iron -- stimulating the growth of phytoplankton (microscopic plant-like organisms). This process enhances the ocean's capacity for natural storage of carbon dioxide. ... > full story

Pigeons never forget a face (July 5, 2011) -- New research has shown that feral, untrained pigeons can recognize individual people and are not fooled by a change of clothes. Researchers have shown that pigeons in Paris city center, that have never been caught or handled, can recognize individuals, probably by using facial characteristics. ... > full story

New technique advances bioprinting of cells (July 5, 2011) -- By extending pioneering acoustical work that applied sound waves to generate droplets from fluids, researchers have made encouraging preliminary findings at an early and crucial point in a stem cell's career known as embroid body formation. ... > full story

Gastric bacterium Helicobacter pylori protects against asthma (July 5, 2011) -- Infection with the gastric bacterium Helicobacter pylori provides reliable protection against allergy-induced asthma, immunologists have demonstrated in an animal model. Their results confirm the hypothesis recently put forward that the dramatic increase in allergic diseases in industrial societies is linked to the rapid disappearance of specific micro-organisms that populate the human body. ... > full story

Study sheds light on tunicate evolution (July 5, 2011) -- Researchers have filled an important gap in the study of tunicate evolution by genetically sequencing 40 new specimens of thaliaceans, gelatinous, free-swimming types of tunicates. ... > full story

Specialized seeds can really float your boat (July 5, 2011) -- A new artificial surface inspired by floating seeds could provide an alternative to the toxic paints currently used to prevent fouling on ship hulls. The artificial surface, developed by German scientists, is covered with fibers to prevent marine organisms from settling -- the same strategy used by the seeds. ... > full story

Final space shuttle to carry five University of Colorado at Boulder-built payloads (July 5, 2011) -- The University of Colorado Boulder is involved with five different space science payloads ranging from antibody tests that may lead to new bone-loss treatments to an experiment to improve vaccine effectiveness for combating salmonella when Atlantis thunders skyward July 8 on the last of NASA's 135 space shuttle missions. ... > full story

Smithsonian's National Zoo welcomes whooping crane (July 5, 2011) -- After an 88-year-long hiatus North America's tallest bird, the statuesque whooping crane (Grus americana), is once again on exhibit at the Bird House at the Smithsonian's National Zoological Whooping cranes are one of only two crane species native to the United States. There are only eight other zoos in the U.S. which exhibit these birds. ... > full story

Cool-season grasses more profitable than warm-season grasses; Swine effluent provides fertilizer boost equal to urea (July 5, 2011) -- Access to swine effluent or waste water can help a producer grow more grass. But a Texas researcher says the grass is "greener" economically if it is a cool-season rather than a warm-season variety. While the warm-season grasses appear to have a greater growth boost with swine effluent application, the cool-season grasses have marketing advantages that make it a more viable economic option. ... > full story

Processes for obtaining ecological compound that can optimize biodiesel enhanced (July 5, 2011) -- Acetals can play a primordial role in the development of biofuels. In fact, it would appear they can function as additives for biodiesel, to enhance its cetane index and so ignite more easily. They also enhance its oxidation stability and diminish nitrogen oxides emissions. ... > full story

Biofuels from the sea: Seaweed may prove a viable future biofuel, especially if harvested in summer (July 4, 2011) -- The use of kelp as a biofuel could provide an important alternative to terrestrial grown biofuels; however the suitability of its chemical composition varies on a seasonal basis. Harvesting the kelp in July when carbohydrate levels are at their highest would ensure optimal sugar release for biofuel production. ... > full story

Design and print your own 3-D chocolate objects (July 4, 2011) -- Manufacturing and retail could get a much needed boost from a newly developed 3-D chocolate printer. In the long term the technology could be used by customers to design many different products themselves -- tailor-made to their needs and preferences. Using new digital technology the printer allows you to create your own designs on a computer and reproduce them physically in three dimensional form in chocolate. ... > full story

Tree frogs' self-cleaning feet could solve a sticky problem (July 4, 2011) -- Tree frogs have specially adapted self-cleaning feet which could have implications for new designs of medical bandages, tires, and even long lasting adhesives. Researchers have now discovered how tree frogs prevent their feet from picking up dirt while maintaining stickiness. ... > full story

'Megapixel' DNA replication technology promises faster, more precise diagnostics (July 4, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a DNA measurement platform that sets dramatic new performance standards in the sensitivity and accuracy of sample screening. ... > full story

Researchers map the physics of Tibetan singing bowls (July 4, 2011) -- Researchers have been investigating the connection between fifth century Himalayan instruments used in religious ceremonies and modern physics. ... > full story

Pre-pregnancy diet affects the health of future offspring, mouse study suggests (July 4, 2011) -- Poor maternal diet before conception can result in offspring with reduced birth weights and increased risk of developing type II diabetes and obesity. In a new study, mice that were fed a low protein diet before conception (but had a normal diet during pregnancy) gave birth to offspring that had lower birth weights and increased insulin sensitivity. ... > full story

Protein structure of key molecule in DNA transcription system deciphered (July 4, 2011) -- Scientists have deciphered the structure of an essential part of Mediator, a complex molecular machine that plays a vital role in regulating the transcription of DNA. ... > full story

Warming ocean layers will undermine polar ice sheets, climate models show (July 4, 2011) -- Warming of the ocean's subsurface layers will melt underwater portions of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets faster than previously thought, according to new research. The research, based on 19 state-of-the-art climate models, proposes a new mechanism by which global warming will accelerate the melting of the great ice sheets during this century and the next. Such melting would increase the sea level more than already projected. ... > full story

First cookiecutter shark attack on a live human (July 4, 2011) -- A new study provides details on the first cookiecutter shark attack on a live human, a concern as warm summer waters attract more people to the ocean. ... > full story

Zinc and the zebrafish: Fluorescent fish could hold key to understanding diabetes and other diseases (July 4, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered a new way of detecting zinc in zebra fish, that could pave the way for furthering our understanding of diseases like Type 2 diabetes, prostate cancer and Alzheimer's. ... > full story

Sport performance follows a physiological law; Study suggests peak at 20-30 years of age, then irreversible decline (July 4, 2011) -- Researchers in France have published research describing the evolution of performances in elite athletes and chess grandmasters. Their findings suggest that changes in individual performance are linked to physiological laws structuring the living world. ... > full story

The smell of danger: Rats instinctively avoid compound in carnivore urine (July 3, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a single compound found in high concentrations in the urine of carnivores that triggers an instinctual avoidance response in mice and rats. This is the first time that scientists have identified a chemical tag that would let rodents sense carnivores in general from a safe distance. ... > full story

Red wine: Exercise in a bottle? (July 3, 2011) -- As strange as it sounds, a new research study suggests that the "healthy" ingredient in red wine, resveratrol, prevents the negative effects that spaceflight and sedentary lifestyles have on people. The report describes experiments in rats that simulated the weightlessness of spaceflight, during which the group fed resveratrol did not develop insulin resistance or a loss of bone mineral density, as did those who were not fed resveratrol. ... > full story

Droplets for detecting tumoral DNA (July 3, 2011) -- New research suggests it may be possible, in the near future, to detect cancer by a simple blood or urine test. Biologists from France have developed a technique capable of detecting minute traces of tumoral DNA present in the biological fluids of patients suffering from cancer. ... > full story

Tongue makes the difference in how fish and mammals chew (July 3, 2011) -- New research shows that fish and mammals chew differently. Fish use tongue muscles to thrust food backward, while mammals use tongue muscles to position food for grinding. The evolutionary divergence is believed to have occurred with amphibians, though further research is needed to identify which species and when. ... > full story

Changes in specific dietary factors may have big impact on long-term weight gain (July 3, 2011) -- Researchers have found that modest changes in specific foods and beverages, physical activity, TV-watching, and sleep duration were strongly linked with long-term weight gain. ... > full story

Toward a more efficient use of solar energy (July 3, 2011) -- The exploitation and utilization of new energy sources are considered to be among today's major challenges. Solar energy plays a central role, and its direct conversion into chemical energy, for example hydrogen generation by water splitting, is one of its interesting variants. Titanium oxide-based photocatalysis is the presently most efficient, yet little understood conversion process. ... > full story

Nuclear waste requires cradle-to-grave strategy, study finds (July 3, 2011) -- After Fukushima, it is now imperative to redefine what makes a successful nuclear power program -- from cradle to grave. If nuclear waste management is not thought out from the beginning, the public in many countries will reject nuclear power as an energy choice, according to new research. ... > full story

Web weaving skills provide clues to aging, spider study reveals (July 2, 2011) -- Young house spiders weave webs with perfect angles and regular patterns, but as they reach old age their webs deteriorate, showing gaping holes and erratic weaving. By using spiders as a simple model, new research may provide insight into how age affects behavior in other organisms, including humans. ... > full story

Hawaii is not an evolutionary dead end for marine life, snail study finds (July 2, 2011) -- The question of why there are so many species in the sea and how new species form remains a central question in marine biology. Below the waterline, about 30% of Hawaii's marine species are endemic – being found only in Hawaii and nowhere else on Earth – one of the highest rates of endemism found worldwide. But where did this diversity of species come from? In a new study of limpets, cone-shaped marine snails, researchers have demonstrated that Hawaii is not an evolutionary dead end for marine species. ... > full story

New theory on origin of birds: Enlarged skeletal muscles (July 2, 2011) -- A new theory of the origin of birds, traditionally believed to be driven by the evolution of flight, is now being credited to the emergence of enlarged skeletal muscles in birds. Their upright two-leggedness, he says, led to the opportunity for other adaptive changes like flying or swimming. ... > full story

Flapping micro air vehicles inspired by swifts (July 2, 2011) -- A new design of micro air vehicle (MAV) will be able to flap, glide and hover. Researchers have been inspired by birds to design a MAV that combines flapping wings, which will allow it to fly at slow speeds and hover, with the ability to glide, ensuring good quality images from any on-board camera. ... > full story

'Goat plague' threat to global food security and economy must be tackled, experts warn (July 2, 2011) -- "Goat plague," or peste des petits ruminants, is threatening global food security and poverty alleviation in the developing world, say leading veterinarians and animal health experts. ... > full story

Foods with baked milk may help build tolerance in children with dairy allergies, study suggests (July 1, 2011) -- Introducing increasing amounts of foods that contain baked milk into the diets of children who have milk allergies helped a majority of them outgrow their allergies, according to a new study. ... > full story

Auto-pilots need a birds-eye view: Pigeons can inform navigation technology design (July 1, 2011) -- New research on how birds can fly so quickly and accurately through dense forests may lead to new developments in robotics and auto-pilots. Scientists trained pigeons to fly through an artificial forest with a tiny camera attached to their heads, literally giving a birds-eye view. ... > full story

NASA's Aura Satellite measures pollution from New Mexico, Arizona fires (July 1, 2011) -- NASA's Aura Satellite has provided a view of nitrogen dioxide levels coming from the fires in New Mexico and Arizona. Detecting nitrogen dioxide is important because it reacts with sunlight to create low-level ozone or smog and poor air quality. ... > full story