The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, September 3, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, September 3, 2012

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Ancient enzymes function like nanopistons to unwind RNA (September 2, 2012) -- DEAD-box proteins, which are ancient enzymes found in all forms of life, function as recycling "nanopistons." They use chemical energy to clamp down and pry open RNA strands, thereby enabling the formation of new structures. ... > full story

A new light shed on genetic regulation's role in the predisposition to common diseases (September 2, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered several thousands new genetic variants impacting gene expression some of which are responsible for predisposition to common diseases, bringing closer to the biological interpretation of personal genomes. ... > full story

Small male fish use high aggression strategy (September 1, 2012) -- In the deserts of central Australia lives a tough little fish known as the desert goby, and a new study is shedding light on the aggressive mating behaviour of smaller nest-holding males. ... > full story

Chilling methods could change meat tenderness (August 31, 2012) -- Contrary to previous studies, new research shows that a method called blast chilling can affect pork tenderness. This discovery could change pork production and consumer choices at the grocery store. ... > full story

Exposure to common toxic substances could increase asthma symptoms (August 31, 2012) -- Children who are exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which were commonly used in a range of industrial products, could be at risk of an increase in asthma symptoms, according to new research. ... > full story

Earthquake hazards map study finds deadly flaws (August 31, 2012) -- Three of the largest and deadliest earthquakes in recent history occurred where earthquake hazard maps didn't predict massive quakes. Scientists have recently studied the reasons for the maps' failure to forecast these quakes. They also explored ways to improve the maps. Developing better hazard maps and alerting people to their limitations could potentially save lives and money in areas such as the New Madrid, Missouri fault zone. ... > full story

Danish scientists solve old blood mystery: New intriguing knowledge on blood hemoglobin (August 31, 2012) -- Scientists in Denmark have solved an old puzzle, which since the 1960s from many sides has been regarded as impossible to complete. The challenge was to solve the structure of the protecting protein complex that forms when hemoglobin is released from red cells and becomes toxic. This toxic release of hemoglobin occurs in many diseases affecting red cell stability, e.g. malaria. ... > full story

New 'Rust-Tracker' to monitor deadly wheat fungus in 27 nations (August 31, 2012) -- The world's top wheat experts have reported a breakthrough in their ability to track Ug99 and related strains of a deadly and rapidly mutating wheat pathogen called stem rust that threatens wheat fields from East Africa to South Asia. The creators of the "Rust-Tracker" say they now can monitor an unprecedented 42 million hectares of wheat in 27 developing countries. ... > full story

No more sneezing: Allergen-free house plants (August 31, 2012) -- New research shows how targeting two bacterial genes into an ornamental plant Pelargonium, can produce long-lived and pollen-free plants. Pelargoniums (‘Geraniums’ and ‘Storkbills’) have been cultivated in Europe since the17th century and are now one of the most popular garden and house plants around the world. ... > full story

Domestic coal use linked to substantial lifetime risk of lung cancer in Xuanwei, China (August 30, 2012) -- The use of "smoky coal" for household cooking and heating is associated with a substantial increase in the lifetime risk of developing lung cancer, finds a study from China. ... > full story

Shading Earth: Delivering solar geoengineering materials to combat global warming may be feasible and affordable (August 30, 2012) -- A cost analysis of the technologies needed to transport materials into the stratosphere to reduce the amount of sunlight hitting Earth and therefore reduce the effects of global climate change has shown that they are both feasible and affordable. The study has shown that the basic technology currently exists and could be assembled and implemented in a number of different forms for less than USD billion a year. ... > full story

Mystery of operon evolution probed (August 30, 2012) -- New research suggests a possible explanation for the organization of operons, jointly controlled clusters of genes that evolved in bacterial chromosomes. Operons, which are found in the chromosomes of bacteria but not in more advanced organisms, have puzzled biologists since their discovery in the 1960s. The new study suggests operons evolved as a means of reducing "noise" in biochemical signal processing. ... > full story

Biophysicists unravel secrets of genetic switch (August 30, 2012) -- Biophysicists have experimentally demonstrated, for the first time, how the nonspecific binding of a protein known as the lambda repressor, or C1 protein, bends DNA and helps it close a loop that switches off virulence. Findings are the first direct and quantitative determination of non-specific binding and compaction of DNA, relevant for the understanding of DNA physiology, and the dynamic characteristics of an on-off switch for the expression of genes. ... > full story

Surviving drought: Discovery may help protect crops from stressors (August 30, 2012) -- New findings of a key genetic mechanism in plant hormone signaling may help save crops from stress and help address human hunger. ... > full story

Antibody prevents hepatitis C infection in animal model (August 30, 2012) -- A monoclonal antibody tested in an animal model prevents infection by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). ... > full story

Microbes help hyenas communicate via scent (August 30, 2012) -- Bacteria in hyenas' scent glands may be the key controllers of communication. New research shows a clear relationship between the diversity of hyena clans and the distinct microbial communities that reside in their scent glands. ... > full story

'Promiscuous' enzymes still prevalent in metabolism: Challenges fundamental notion of enzyme specificity and efficiency (August 30, 2012) -- Open an undergraduate biochemistry textbook and you will learn that enzymes are highly efficient and specific in catalyzing chemical reactions in living organisms, and that they evolved to this state from their “sloppy” and “promiscuous” ancestors to allow cells to grow more efficiently. This fundamental paradigm is being challenged in a new study by bioengineers who reported in the journal Science what a few enzymologists have suspected for years: many enzymes are still pretty sloppy and promiscuous, catalyzing multiple chemical reactions in living cells, for reasons that were previously not well understood. ... > full story

Moving toward regeneration (August 30, 2012) -- Scientists have shown how pluripotent stem cells mobilize in wounded planarian worms, to better understand stem cell behavior in regeneration and disease. ... > full story

Monogamy and the immune system: Differences in sexual behavior impact bacteria hosted and genes that control immunity (August 30, 2012) -- Researchers examined the differences between two species of mice -- one monogamous and one promiscuous -- on a microscopic and molecular level. They discovered that the lifestyles of the two mice had a direct impact on the bacterial communities that reside within the female reproductive tract. These differences correlate with enhanced diversifying selection on genes related to immunity against bacterial diseases. ... > full story

Plants' fungi allies may not help store climate change's extra carbon (August 30, 2012) -- Fungi found in plants may not be the answer to mitigating climate change by storing additional carbon in soils as some previously thought, according to plant biologists. ... > full story

Human and soil bacteria swap antibiotic-resistance genes (August 30, 2012) -- Soil bacteria and bacteria that cause human diseases have recently swapped at least seven antibiotic-resistance genes, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report Aug. 31 in Science. ... > full story

'Weird chemistry' by microbe is prime source of ocean methane (August 30, 2012) -- Up to four percent of the methane on Earth comes from the ocean's oxygen-rich waters, but scientists have been unable to identify the source of this potent greenhouse gas. Now researchers report that they have found the culprit: A bit of "weird chemistry" practiced by the most abundant microbes on the planet. ... > full story

Heating by black carbon aerosol: Soot particles absorb significantly less sunlight than predicted by models (August 30, 2012) -- Black carbon, in the form of soot particles, has been ranked just behind carbon dioxide for its role in warming regional and global climates. But a new study finds airborne black carbon absorbs significantly less sunlight than scientists had predicted, leading an international team of researchers to reconsider the impact of soot on atmospheric warming. ... > full story

Evolution of mustards' spice: Plants developed chemical defense against bugs, specific to where they live (August 30, 2012) -- The tangy taste a mustard plant develops to discourage insect predators can be the difference between life and death for the plants. A new study has used this trait and its regional variations to conquer the difficult task of measuring the evolution of complex traits in a natural environment. ... > full story

Ancient Denisovan genome: Relationships between Denisovans and present-day humans revealed (August 30, 2012) -- Researchers have described the Denisovan genome, illuminating the relationships between Denisovans and present-day humans. ... > full story

Uncoiling the cucumber's enigma: Biological mechanism for coiling, and unusual type of spring discovered (August 30, 2012) -- In the creeping plant's tendrils, researchers discover a biological mechanism for coiling and stumble upon an unusual type of spring. ... > full story

Chemical exposure in the womb from household items may contribute to obesity (August 30, 2012) -- Pregnant women who are highly exposed to common environmental chemicals -- polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) -- have babies that are smaller at birth and larger at 20 months of age, according to a new study. PFCs are used in the production of fluoropolymers and are found widely in protective coatings of packaging products, clothes, furniture and non-stick cookware. They are persistent compounds found abundantly in the environment and human exposure is common. PFCs have been detected in human sera, breast milk and cord blood. ... > full story

Lyme retreatment guidance may be flawed (August 30, 2012) -- A new statistical review calls into question studies that have been taken as proof that antibiotic retreatment for chronic Lyme disease is futile. That misunderstanding has led to medical guidance that discourages retreatment and insurance coverage for it. Instead, the authors of the review suggest, the proper reading of the studies and their data is that they prove nothing. ... > full story

No-till farming helps capture snow and soil water (August 30, 2012) -- A smooth blanket of snow in the winter can help boost dryland crop productivity in the summer, and no-till management is one way to ensure that blanket coverage, according to new research. ... > full story

Viruses could be the key to healthy corals (August 30, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a treatment for the white plague disease that infects coral based on a medication developed to treat bacterial infections in humans. The therapy ceased the progression of infection in diseased corals and prevented the infection from spreading to surrounding healthy corals as well. ... > full story

Increased sediment and nutrients delivered to bay as Susquehanna reservoirs near sediment capacity (August 30, 2012) -- Reservoirs near the mouth of the Susquehanna River just above Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, U.S. are nearly at capacity in their ability to trap sediment. As a result, large storms are already delivering increasingly more suspended sediment and nutrients to the Bay, which may negatively impact restoration efforts. ... > full story

Bitter tastes quickly turn milk chocolate fans sour (August 30, 2012) -- Dark chocolate lovers can handle a wider range of bitter tastes before rejection compared to milk chocolate fans, according to food scientists. ... > full story

Millipede family added to Australian fauna (August 30, 2012) -- An entire group of millipedes previously unknown in Australia has been discovered by a specialist – on museum shelves. Hundreds of tiny specimens of the widespread tropical family Pyrgodesmidae have been found among bulk samples in two museums, showing that native pyrgodesmids are not only widespread in Australia's tropical and subtropical forests, but are also abundant and diverse. The study has been published in the open access journal ZooKeys. ... > full story

Coral scientists use new model to find where corals are most likely to survive climate change (August 30, 2012) -- Marine conservationists have identified heat-tolerant coral species living in locations with continuous background temperature variability as those having the best chance of surviving climate change, according to a new simplified method for measuring coral reef resilience. ... > full story

Malaria: Protein impedes microcirculation of malaria-infected red blood cells (August 30, 2012) -- A certain protein significantly reduces the malaria-infected cells' ability to squeeze through tiny channels compared to healthy cells. ... > full story

Early menopause: A genetic mouse model of human primary ovarian insufficiency (August 30, 2012) -- Scientists have established a genetic mouse model for primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), a human condition in which women experience irregular menstrual cycles and reduced fertility, and early exposure to estrogen deficiency. POI affects approximately one in a hundred women. In most cases of primary ovarian insufficiency, the cause is mysterious, although genetics is known to play a causative role. ... > full story

New DNA method tracks fish and whales in seawater (August 30, 2012) -- Future monitoring of marine biodiversity and resources may use DNA traces in seawater samples to keep track of fish and whales in the oceans. A half liter of seawater can contain evidence of local fish and whale faunas and combat traditional fishing methods. ... > full story

Five new species of cuckoo bees from the Cape Verde Islands (August 30, 2012) -- Researchers have documented a remarkable diversity of cuckoo bees in the Cape Verde Islands. All five discovered species are entirely new to science and highlight the unique biota of this isolated archipelago. ... > full story

Carbon release from collapsing coastal permafrost in Arctic Siberia (August 30, 2012) -- A new study shows that an ancient and large carbon pool held in a less-studied form of permafrost ("Yedoma") is thaw-released along the approximately 7000-kilometer desolate coast of northernmost Siberian Arctic. ... > full story

Keep your distance: Why cells and organelles don't get stuck (August 30, 2012) -- Biomembranes enclose biological cells like a skin. They also surround organelles that carry out important functions in metabolism and cell division. Scientists have long known in principle how biomembranes are built up, and also that water molecules play a role in maintaining the optimal distance between neighboring membranes -- otherwise they could not fulfill their vital functions. Now, with the help of computer simulations, scientists have discovered two different mechanisms that prevent neighboring membrane surfaces from sticking together. ... > full story

What babies eat after birth likely determines lifetime risk of metabolic mischief and obesity, rat studies suggest (August 30, 2012) -- Rats born to mothers fed high-fat diets but who get normal levels of fat in their diets right after birth avoid obesity and its related disorders as adults, according to new research. Meanwhile, rat babies exposed to a normal-fat diet in the womb but nursed by rat mothers on high-fat diets become obese by the time they are weaned. ... > full story

Calorie Restriction Does Not Affect Survival: Study Of Monkeys Also Suggests Some Health Benefits (August 30, 2012) -- Scientists have found that calorie restriction -- a diet composed of approximately 30 percent fewer calories but with the same nutrients of a standard diet -- does not extend years of life or reduce age-related deaths in a 23-year study of rhesus monkeys. However, calorie restriction did extend certain aspects of health. ... > full story

Conservation scientists call policy-makers to be scale-aware (August 30, 2012) -- Conservation is concerned with the preservation of biological diversity at all levels, from genes to species, communities and ecosystems. Yet conserving this biological richness is made difficult because it varies in complex ways at different scales of space and time. The problem of scale emerges as a critical new theme in conservation practice. ... > full story

NASA launches radiation belt storm probes mission (August 30, 2012) -- NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP), the first twin-spacecraft mission designed to explore our planet's radiation belts, launched into the predawn skies at 4:05 a.m. EDT Thursday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The two satellites, each weighing just less than 1,500 pounds, comprise the first dual-spacecraft mission specifically created to investigate this hazardous regions of near-Earth space, known as the radiation belts. These two belts, named for their discoverer, James Van Allen, encircle the planet and are filled with highly charged particles. The belts are affected by solar storms and coronal mass ejections and sometimes swell dramatically. When this occurs, they can pose dangers to communications, GPS satellites and human spaceflight. ... > full story

A slow-moving Isaac brings flooding to Gulf states (August 30, 2012) -- Isaac -- once a Category 1 hurricane and now a strong tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour (60 knots) -- continues to create havoc across the Gulf Coast, from eastern Texas to Florida. While "only" reaching Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale upon landfall on Aug. 28, Isaac is a slow mover, crawling along at only about six miles (10 kilometers) per hour. This slow movement is forecast to continue over the next 24 to 36 hours, bringing a prolonged threat of flooding to the northern Gulf Coast and south-central United States. ... > full story

Ecological monitoring on bird populations in Europe re-evaluated (August 30, 2012) -- A new article has examined Europe's long experience in monitoring the populations of birds. Scientists calculated that nearly 28,000 persons have been involved in bird monitoring during last few years, investing on average some 80,000 person days per year. Several recommendations for improving bird monitoring are proposed. ... > full story

Biodiversity conservation depends on scale: Lessons from the science–policy dialogue (August 30, 2012) -- A new article examines the mismatches between the scales at which ecological processes take place and the levels at which policy decisions and management interventions are made. Various societal actors involved in the process, such as policy makers, land use planners, members of NGOs, and researchers may themselves be operating at various scales, which create additional complications in knowledge transfer between conservation scientists and practitioners. ... > full story

Can blue tits can save our conker trees? (August 30, 2012) -- Blue tits, a familiar garden bird in the U.K., could be the salvation of our imperiled conker trees (horse-chestnut trees), which are under severe attack by a tiny non-native moth that has spread from continental Europe. ... > full story