The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Tuesday, January 10, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Tuesday, January 10, 2012

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Who's the boss? Research shows cells influence their own destiny (January 9, 2012) -- In a major shake-up of scientists' understanding of what determines the fate of cells, researchers have shown that cells have some control over their own destiny. ... > full story

New quantitative method enables researchers to assess environmental risks posed by non-native species (January 9, 2012) -- The Harlequin ladybeetle, Japanese knotweed and the American lobster -- while this trio of creatures may have friendly sounding names, they are all introduced species in Norway, and may be anything but friendly to the Norwegian environment. But determining exactly how damaging introduced species may be in their new environment has always been something of a challenge for biologists and land managers -- until now. ... > full story

Belize protected area boosting predatory fish populations (January 9, 2012) -- A 14-year study in an atoll reef lagoon in Glover's Reef, Belize has found that fishing closures there produce encouraging increases in populations of predatory fish species. However, such closures have resulted in only minimal increases in herbivorous fish, which feed on the algae that smother corals and inhibit reef recovery. ... > full story

Nanoparticles hold promise as potential vehicle for drug delivery in brain (January 9, 2012) -- In the images of fruit flies, clusters of neurons are all lit up, forming a brightly glowing network of highways within the brain. It's exactly what researchers were hoping to see: It meant that ORMOSIL, a novel class of nanoparticles, had successfully penetrated the insects' brains. And even after long-term exposure, the cells and the flies themselves remained unharmed. ... > full story

Maintaining balance: Blood progenitor cells receive signals from niche cells and the daughter blood cells they create (January 9, 2012) -- Maintaining balance is crucial. In Drosophila, the common fruit fly, the creation and maintenance of the blood supply requires such balance. Stem cell scientists have now uncovered that two-way signaling from two different sets of cells is necessary for that balance, both to ensure enough blood cells are made to respond to injury and infection and that the blood progenitor cell population remains available for future needs. ... > full story

New culprit in Earth's massive extinction: Mercury (January 9, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered a new culprit likely involved in Earth's greatest extinction event: an influx of mercury into the ecosystem. ... > full story

Fit females make more daughters, mighty males get grandsons (January 9, 2012) -- Females influence the gender of their offspring so they inherit either their mother's or grandfather's qualities. "High-quality" females -- those which produce more offspring -- are more likely to have daughters. Weaker females, whose own fathers were stronger and more successful, produce more sons. ... > full story

Newly formed plants could lead to improved crop fertility (January 9, 2012) -- A new study shows genomes of a recently formed plant species to be highly unstable, a phenomenon that may have far-reaching evolutionary consequences. ... > full story

Hatcheries change salmon genetics after a single generation (January 9, 2012) -- The impact of hatcheries on salmon is so profound that in just one generation traits are selected that allow fish to survive and prosper in the hatchery environment, at the cost of their ability to thrive and reproduce in a wild environment. Researchers were surprised by the speed of evolution and natural selection. ... > full story

Pneumonia outbreak in endangered markhor goats (January 9, 2012) -- If they didn't have enough to worry about from dodging poachers, snow leopards, and landslides in Central Asia's rugged mountains, a population of endangered markhor -- a majestic wild goat species -- has contracted pneumonia. ... > full story

Whiff of 'love hormone' helps monkeys show a little kindness (January 8, 2012) -- Oxytocin, the "love hormone" that builds mother-baby bonds and may help us feel more connected toward one another, can also make surly monkeys treat each other a little more kindly. ... > full story

Hybrid silkworms spin stronger spider silk (January 7, 2012) -- Silk produced by transgenically engineered silkworms in the lab exhibit the highly sought-after strength and elasticity of spider silk. This stronger silk could possibly be used to make sutures, artificial limbs and parachutes. ... > full story

Multi-year prediction of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation at 26.5 °N possible (January 7, 2012) -- Climate scientists have now shown for the first time that the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation at 26.5 °N can be skillfully predicted for up to four years. ... > full story

Salt water alone unlikely to halt Burmese python invasion (January 6, 2012) -- Invasive Burmese python hatchlings from the Florida Everglades can withstand exposure to salt water long enough to potentially expand their range through ocean and estuarine environments. ... > full story

DNA mismatch repair happens only during a brief window of opportunity (January 6, 2012) -- In eukaryotes-the group of organisms that include humans –- a key to survival is the ability of certain proteins to quickly and accurately repair genetic errors that occur when DNA is replicated to make new cells. Researchers have solved part of the mystery of how these proteins do their job, a process called DNA mismatch repair. ... > full story

Molecular 'maturation clock' modulates branching architecture in tomato plants (January 6, 2012) -- The secret to pushing tomato plants to produce more fruit might not lie in an extra dose of Miracle-Gro. Instead, new research suggests that an increase in fruit yield might be achieved by manipulating a molecular timer or so-called "maturation clock" that determines the number of branches that make flowers, called inflorescences. ... > full story

Sea snails help scientists explore a possible way to enhance memory (January 6, 2012) -- Efforts to help people with learning impairments are being aided by a species of sea snail. The mollusk, which is used by researchers to study the brain, has much in common with other species including humans. Neuroscientists have used this animal model to test an innovative learning strategy designed to help improve the brain's memory and the results were encouraging. ... > full story

Flatworm flouts fundamental rule of biology: Worm regenerates without centrosome, a structure long thought necessary for cell division (January 6, 2012) -- A tiny, freshwater flatworm found in ponds and rivers around the world that has long intrigued scientists for its remarkable ability to regenerate has now added a new wrinkle to biology. ... > full story

Scientists 'hijack' bacterial immune system (January 6, 2012) -- The knowledge that bacteria possess adaptable immune systems that protect them from individual viruses and other foreign invaders is relatively new to science, and researchers across the globe are working to learn how these systems function and to apply that knowledge in industry and medicine. Now, a team of researchers has discovered how to harness this bacterial immune system to selectively target and silence genes. ... > full story

World’s first primate chimeric offspring produced: Research demonstrates not all embryonic stem cells are equal (January 6, 2012) -- Scientists have shed new light on how early embryonic stem cells develop and take part in formation of the primate species. The research has also resulted in the first successful birth of chimeric monkeys -- monkeys developed from stem cells taken from two separate embryos. ... > full story

Progress made toward a genital herpes vaccine (January 6, 2012) -- New research points investigators toward finding a genital herpes vaccine that works on both viruses that cause disease. ... > full story

Scientists find structure of gene-editing protein (January 6, 2012) -- In the two and a half years since scientists discovered how a class of proteins find and bind specific sequences in plant genomes, researchers worldwide have moved fast to use this discovery. Now, the next step has been taken by determining the 3-D structure of a TAL effector bound to DNA. ... > full story

How male spiders use eavesdropping to one-up their rivals (January 5, 2012) -- Researchers have made a new discovery into the complex world of spiders that reflects what some might perceive as similar behavior in human society. As male wolf spiders go searching for a mate, it appears they eavesdrop, match and even try to outdo the mating dances of their successful rivals, a behavior seen mainly in vertebrate animals. ... > full story

Flipped from head to toe: 100 years of continental drift theory (January 5, 2012) -- Exactly 100 years ago Alfred Wegener presented his theory of continental drift to the public for the first time. Modern plate tectonics confirmed his ideas by flipping them upside down. ... > full story

Bat brains parse sounds for multitasking (January 5, 2012) -- Imagine listening to music while carrying on a conversation with friends. This type of multi-tasking is fairly easy to do, right? That's because our brains efficiently and effectively separate the auditory signals -- music to the right side; Conversation to the left. But what researchers have not been able to do in humans or animals is to see a parsing of duties at the single neuron level -- until now. ... > full story

Disease-causing strains of Fusarium prevalent in sink drains (January 5, 2012) -- A study examining the prevalence of the fungus Fusarium in bathroom sink drains suggests that plumbing systems may be a common source of human infections. ... > full story

Dried licorice root fights the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease, study finds (January 5, 2012) -- Scientists are reporting identification of two substances in licorice -- used extensively in Chinese traditional medicine -- that kill the major bacteria responsible for tooth decay and gum disease, the leading causes of tooth loss in children and adults. In a new study, they say that these substances could have a role in treating and preventing tooth decay and gum disease. ... > full story

Climate change models may underestimate extinctions: Animals and plants could be on a collision course created by climate change (January 5, 2012) -- Predictions of the loss of animal and plant diversity around the world are common under models of future climate change. But a new study shows that because these climate models don't account for species competition and movement, they could grossly underestimate future extinctions. ... > full story

New materials remove carbon dioxide from smokestacks, tailpipes and even the air (January 5, 2012) -- Scientists are reporting discovery of an improved way to remove carbon dioxide -- the major greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming -- from smokestacks and other sources, including the atmosphere. The process achieves some of the highest carbon dioxide removal capacity ever reported for real-world conditions where the air contains moisture. ... > full story

Ecologists call for screening imported plants to prevent a new wave of invasive species (January 5, 2012) -- A recent analysis suggests that climate change predicted for the United States will boost demand for imported drought- and heat-tolerant landscaping plants from Africa and the Middle East. This greatly increases the risk that a new wave of invasives will overrun native ecosystems in the way kudzu, Oriental bittersweet and purple loosestrife have in the past, members of the international team say. ... > full story

How can Lyme disease be prevented and controlled? (January 5, 2012) -- A new article assesses the potential reasons for the continued lack of success in prevention and control of Lyme disease and identifies areas where additional knowledge could be used to improve Lyme disease prevention and control strategies. ... > full story

New bandage spurs, guides blood vessel growth (January 5, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a bandage that stimulates and directs blood vessel growth on the surface of a wound. The bandage, called a "microvascular stamp," contains living cells that deliver growth factors to damaged tissues in a defined pattern. After a week, the pattern of the stamp "is written in blood vessels," the researchers report. ... > full story

Smart way of saving lives in natural disasters (January 5, 2012) -- Smartphones could help save hundreds of thousands of lives in the aftermath of a disaster or humanitarian crisis, new research has found. ... > full story

Fish mimics octopus that mimics fish (January 5, 2012) -- Nature's game of intimidation and imitation comes full circle in the waters of Indonesia, where scientists have recorded for the first time an association between the black-marble jawfish and the mimic octopus. ... > full story

How dengue infection hits harder the second time around (January 4, 2012) -- One of the most vexing challenges in the battle against dengue virus, a potentially fatal mosquito-borne virus, is that getting infected once can put people at greater risk for a more severe infection down the road. A new study details how the interaction between a person's immune response and a subsequent dengue infection could mean the difference between getting a mild fever and going into fatal circulatory failure. ... > full story

New technology removes air pollutants, may reduce energy use in animal agricultural facilities (January 4, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a new technology that can reduce air pollutant emissions from some chicken and swine barns, and also reduce their energy use by recovering and possibly generating heat. ... > full story

Magnetically levitated flies offer clues to future of life in space (January 4, 2012) -- Using powerful magnets to levitate fruit flies can provide vital clues to how biological organisms are affected by weightless conditions in space, researchers say. ... > full story

What if if Virginia lifts ban on uranium mining? Report identifies health and environmental issues (January 4, 2012) -- A number of health and environmental issues and related risks need to be addressed when considering whether to lift the almost 30-year moratorium on uranium mining in Virginia, a new report says. ... > full story

Leaping lizards and dinosaurs inspire robot design (January 4, 2012) -- A new study of how lizards use their tails when leaping through the trees shows that they swing the tail upward to avoid pitching forward after a stumble. Theropod dinosaurs -- the ancestors of birds -- may have done the same. A robot model confirms the value of an actively controlled tail, demonstrating that adding a tail can stabilize robots on uneven terrain and after unexpected falls -- critical to successful search and rescue operations. ... > full story

Experimental vaccine partially protects monkeys from HIV-like infection (January 4, 2012) -- New vaccine research in monkeys suggests that scientists are homing in on the critical ingredients of a protective HIV vaccine and identifies new HIV vaccine candidates to test in human clinical trials. ... > full story

Russian runoff freshening Canadian Arctic, NASA finds (January 4, 2012) -- A new study allays concerns that melting Arctic sea ice could be increasing the amount of freshwater in the Arctic enough to have an impact on the global "ocean conveyor belt" that redistributes heat around our planet. Researchers detected a previously unknown redistribution of freshwater during the past decade from the Eurasian half of the Arctic Ocean to the Canadian half. Yet despite the redistribution, they found no change in the net amount of freshwater in the Arctic that might signal a change in the conveyor belt. ... > full story

Hydrogen sulfide reduces glucose-induced injury in kidney cells (January 4, 2012) -- Hydrogen sulfide, a noxious gas that smells like rotten eggs, may have beneficial effects in the kidney. Researchers found that this gas diminishes high glucose-induced production of scarring proteins in kidney cells. Considerable work remains to be done before studies can move to animal models. ... > full story

Nanotechnology: Nanomechanical measurements of unprecedented resolution made on protein molecules (January 4, 2012) -- Physicists have made nanomechanical measurements of unprecedented resolution on protein molecules. The new measurements are approximately 100 times higher in resolution than previous mechanical measurements, a nanotechnology feat which reveals an isolated protein molecule, surprisingly, is neither a solid nor a liquid. ... > full story

New clues to human deafness found in mice (January 4, 2012) -- Researchers have identified a gene that is required for proper development of the mouse inner ear. In humans, this gene, known as FGF20, is located in a portion of the genome that has been associated with inherited deafness in otherwise healthy families. ... > full story

Hepatitis C virus hijacks liver microRNA (January 4, 2012) -- Scientists have now shown for the first time how a small RNA molecule that regulates gene expression in human liver cells has been hijacked by the hepatitis C virus to ensure its own survival -- helping medical scientists understand why a new antiviral drug appears to be effective against the virus. ... > full story

Millipede border control better than ours (January 4, 2012) -- An Australian zoologist has documented a remarkably sharp boundary between two species of millipede in northwest Tasmania. The boundary is more than 200 km long and apparently less than 100 m wide. ... > full story

Shot of young stem cells makes rapidly aging mice live much longer and healthier, researchers report (January 4, 2012) -- Mice bred to age too quickly seemed to have sipped from the fountain of youth after scientists injected them with stem cell-like progenitor cells derived from the muscle of young, healthy animals. Instead of becoming infirm and dying early as untreated mice did, animals that got the stem/progenitor cells improved their health and lived two to three times longer than expected. ... > full story

A radar for ADAR: Altered gene tracks RNA editing in neurons (January 4, 2012) -- RNA editing is a key step in gene expression. Scientists now report that they have engineered a gene capable of visually displaying the activity of the key enzyme ADAR in living fruit flies. ... > full story