The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Thursday, September 6, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Thursday, September 6, 2012

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Wetter Arctic could influence climate change, study finds (September 5, 2012) -- Increased precipitation and river discharge in the Arctic has the potential to speed climate change, according to the results of a new study. ... > full story

Albatross 'dynamic soaring' achieved by repeated curve-altitude oscillation (September 5, 2012) -- Albatrosses leverage the energy of the wind to fly with essentially no mechanical cost to themselves, very rarely flapping their wings, and new work offers insight into how exactly they accomplish this feat. ... > full story

Picky penguins: Does mate choice depend on genes that help resist disease? (September 5, 2012) -- Magellanic penguins have a high level of variation in genes associated with the ability to fight infectious disease, but a recent study found that the mechanism the penguins use to ensure that diversity is far from black and white. A recent study tested whether the significant diversity in the Major Histocompatibility Complex genome region observed in these birds is attributable to mate choice or genetic selection based on disease exposure. ... > full story

Space shuttle Atlantis' new home tops out (September 5, 2012) -- The new home for space shuttle Atlantis was topped out Wednesday with its highest beam in a milestone ceremony marking the continuing construction of a 90,000-square-foot exhibit hall at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. ... > full story

NASA mission to study magnetic explosions passes major review (September 5, 2012) -- On August 31, 2012, NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission proved it was ready for its next steps by passing what's called a Systems Integration Review (SIR), which deems a mission ready to integrate instruments onto the spacecraft. ... > full story

NASA to explore link between sea saltiness, climate (September 5, 2012) -- A NASA-sponsored expedition is set to sail to the North Atlantic's saltiest spot to get a detailed, 3-D picture of how salt content fluctuates in the ocean's upper layers and how these variations are related to shifts in rainfall patterns around the planet. ... > full story

Major advances in understanding the regulation and organization of the human genome (September 5, 2012) -- The National Human Genome Research Institute today announced the results of a five-year international study of the regulation and organization of the human genome. The project is named ENCODE, which stands for the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements. In conjunction with the release of those results, the Journal of Biological Chemistry has published a series of reviews that focus on several aspects of the findings. ... > full story

Dinosaur die out might have been second of two closely timed extinctions (September 5, 2012) -- New research indicates that shortly before an asteroid impact spelled doom for the dinosaurs, a separate extinction triggered by volcanic eruptions killed life on the ocean floor. ... > full story

LEDs winning light race to save energy, the environment (September 5, 2012) -- Light-emitting diode light bulbs, also known as LEDs, are more environmentally friendly than compact fluorescent and incandescent lights, new research shows. LEDs' environmental edge is expected to grow substantially as technology and manufacturing methods improve by 2017. ... > full story

Carbon sequestration on U. S. rangelands offers promise, but not profit (September 5, 2012) -- Nearly 239 million hectares of land in the United States are devoted to pastures and rangeland. Worldwide, rangelands cover about 3.6 billion hectares. Harnessing the potential for carbon sequestration from these lands could have a global impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. ... > full story

First holistic view of how human genome actually works: ENCODE study produces massive data set (September 5, 2012) -- The Human Genome Project produced an almost complete order of the 3 billion pairs of chemical letters in the DNA that embodies the human genetic code -- but little about the way this blueprint works. Now, after a multi-year concerted effort by more than 440 researchers in 32 labs around the world, a more dynamic picture gives the first holistic view of how the human genome actually does its job. ... > full story

How a high-fat diet and estrogen loss leads women to store more abdominal fat than men (September 5, 2012) -- A high-fat diet triggers chemical reactions in female mice that could explain why women are more likely than men to gain fat in the abdomen after eating excess saturated fat, new research suggests. The study also sheds light on why women gain fat following menopause. ... > full story

Study in mice discovers injection of heat-generating cells reduces belly fat (September 5, 2012) -- The injection of a tiny capsule containing heat-generating cells into the abdomens of mice led those animals to burn abdominal fat and initially lose about 20 percent of belly fat after 80 days of treatment. ... > full story

How ocean energy impacts life in the deep sea: Results will help scientists understand what to expect under future climate change (September 5, 2012) -- A new study of deep-sea species worldwide examines how gradients in food and temperature in the deep sea's dark, frigid waters affect the creatures that live there. Similar studies have been conducted in the shallow oceans, but our understanding of the impact of food and temperature on life in the deep sea -- the Earth's largest and most remote ecosystem -- is more limited. The results will help scientists understand what to expect under future climate change. ... > full story

Children exposed to two phthalates have elevated risk of asthma-related airway inflammation (September 5, 2012) -- Children exposed to diethyl phthalate and butylbenzyl phthalate -- phthalate chemicals commonly found in personal care and plastic products -- have elevated risk of asthma-related airway inflammation, according to researchers. ... > full story

Millions of DNA switches that power human genome's operating system are discovered (September 5, 2012) -- Genes make up only 2 percent of the human genome and are easy to spot, but the on/off switches controlling those genes were encrypted within the remaining 98 percent of the genome. Without these switches, called regulatory DNA, genes are inert. Scientists created detailed maps of the locations of regulatory DNA within hundreds of different kinds of living cells. They also compiled a dictionary of the instructions written within regulatory DNA. ... > full story

In massive genome analysis ENCODE data suggests 'gene' redefinition (September 5, 2012) -- As part of a huge collaborative effort called ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements), a research team at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has analyzed all the RNA messages, called transcripts, produced within human cells. They show that three-quarters of the genome is capable of being transcribed, indicating that nearly all of our genome is dynamic and active. This raises exciting new possibilities for research into complex genetic diseases. ... > full story

Loss of tropical forests reduces rain (September 5, 2012) -- Deforestation can have a significant effect on tropical rainfall, new research confirms. The findings have potentially devastating impacts for people living in and near the Amazon and Congo forests. Continued destruction of these forests would reduce rain across the Amazon basin by up to a fifth (21 percent) in the dry season by 2050. ... > full story

Mapping a genetic world beyond genes (September 5, 2012) -- Most of the DNA alterations that are tied to disease do not alter protein-coding genes, but rather the "switches" that control them. Characterizing these switches is one of many goals of the ENCODE project -- a sweeping, international effort to create a compendium of all of the working parts of the human genome that have not been well studied or well understood. The function of the vast majority of the human genome has remained largely unknown, but the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project, launched in 2003, set out to change that. ... > full story

Researchers unlock disease information hidden in genome's control circuitry (September 5, 2012) -- Researchers have determined that the majority of genetic changes associated with more than 400 common diseases and clinical traits affect the genome's regulatory circuitry. These are the regions of DNA that contain instructions dictating when and where genes are switched on or off. Most of these changes affect circuits that are active during early human development, when body tissues are most vulnerable. ... > full story

ENCODE Project publishes new genomic insights in special issue of Genome Research (September 5, 2012) -- Genome Research publishes a special issue dedicated to The ENCODE (ENCyclopedia Of DNA Elements) Project, whose goal is to characterize all functional elements in the human genome. ... > full story

Tough gel stretches to 21 times its length, recoils, and heals itself: Biocompatible material much tougher than cartilage (September 5, 2012) -- A team of experts in mechanics, materials science, and tissue engineering has created an extremely stretchy and tough gel that may pave the way to replacing damaged cartilage in human joints. Called a hydrogel, because its main ingredient is water, the new material is a hybrid of two weak gels that combine to create something much stronger. Not only can this new gel stretch to 21 times its original length, but it is also exceptionally tough, self-healing, and biocompatible -- a valuable collection of attributes that opens up new opportunities in medicine and tissue engineering. ... > full story

Understanding the human genome: ENCODE at BioMed Central (September 5, 2012) -- The completion of the human genome project in 2003 was an immeasurably important milestone, but (like an book written in code) left many biologists wondering what the sequence might actually mean. Consequently, the focus of human genomics that year began the transition from generating sequence -- to annotating the functional elements, hidden within the human genome's 3.2 billion As, Cs, Gs and Ts. With this goal in mind the ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) consortium was formed. ... > full story

List of Asian species at conservation crossroads released by Wildlife Conservation Society (September 5, 2012) -- The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) today released a list of Asian species that are at a conservation crossroads calling for governments to take immediate action with The Three Rs Approach: Recognition, Responsibility, Recovery. ... > full story

Decoding the Black Death: Anthropologist finds clues in medieval skeletons (September 5, 2012) -- Researchers have been studying medieval skeletons at the Museum of London since 2003, each year unlocking more clues to the mystery that surrounds the Black Death. ... > full story

DNA sequences need quality time, too; Guidelines for quality control published (September 5, 2012) -- DNA sequence data have become an indispensable source of information in biology, finding diverse uses such as molecular species identification and the exploration of biodiversity in complex environments like soil and seawater. Many research programs enabled by such molecular data would have seemed impossible just a few years ago, and the unparalleled resolution obtained through DNA sequences adds further to their attractiveness in biological research. ... > full story

Salamanders display survival techniques in period of extreme drought (September 5, 2012) -- The stress of drought is acutely felt by aquatic animals such as salamanders. The extreme drought in the southeastern United States in 2007–2008 provided an opportunity to study how salamanders react and survive during such dry conditions. It also gave us clues as to how salamanders and other aquatic organisms may react to global warming. ... > full story

Concern about plans to close unique Canadian environmental project (September 5, 2012) -- The Canadian government's plans to discontinue in 2013 a unique environmental research project that has yielded insights into water pollution, climate change and other topics for almost 40 years would be a "huge loss not only to science but to the scientific heritage of humanity." ... > full story

Galileo didn't invent thermometer that bears his name (September 5, 2012) -- The great Italian scientist Galileo may have been the first person to use a telescope to observe the heavens, helping spark the scientific revolution of the 16th century, but Galileo definitely did not invent the famous thermometer and captivating curiosity that bears his name, according to a new article. ... > full story

Prenatal exposure to pesticide additive linked with childhood cough (September 5, 2012) -- Children exposed in the womb to the widely used pesticide additive piperonyl butoxide have heightened risk of noninfectious cough at ages 5 and 6, according to researchers. ... > full story

Tumor suppressor genes vital to regulating blood precursor cells in fruit flies (September 5, 2012) -- Stem cell scientists have shown that two common tumor suppressor genes, TSC and PTEN, are vital to regulating the stem cell-like precursor cells that create the blood supply in Drosophila, the common fruit fly. ... > full story

Biting back against Lyme disease (September 5, 2012) -- Caused by a bite from an infected tick, Lyme disease has early symptoms that are unpleasant but respond well to antibiotics. However, if diagnosis is delayed or mistaken, the illness can take a serious turn, leading to severe joint pain, brain infection and paralysis. Now a researcher in the UK is on the trail of an accurate test that will enable quick and accurate detection of Lyme disease. ... > full story

Glacial thinning has sharply accelerated at major South American icefields (September 5, 2012) -- For the past four decades scientists have monitored the ebbs and flows of the icefields in the southernmost stretch of South America's vast Andes Mountains, detecting an overall loss of ice as the climate warms. A new study, however, finds that the rate of glacier thinning has increased by about half over the last dozen years in the Southern Patagonian Icefield, compared to the 30 years prior to 2000. ... > full story

It pays to keep salmon fit: Salmon farmers could save big by exercising their fish more -- without overexerting them (September 5, 2012) -- Salmon farmers could save huge sums by exercising their fish more. Researchers in Norway have tested various swimming exercise regimes for three years on salmon fry. The findings indicate that proper exercise can improve smolt health enough to significantly reduce losses at sea. ... > full story

Harnessing anticancer drugs for the future fight against influenza (September 5, 2012) -- Researchers in Finland have developed a new cell screening method that can be used to identify potential anti-influenza drugs. They also identified two novel anti-influenza agents. ... > full story

Archaeology team announces 'huge step forward' in King Richard III search (September 5, 2012) -- A UK team confirms it has found medieval Grey Friars Church -- the burial place of Richard III. ... > full story

Trout will become extinct in the Iberian Peninsula in less than 100 years, Spanish study predicts (September 5, 2012) -- Climate change, pollution, the extraction of water for irrigation and overfishing all threaten the survival of the common trout. This fish is very sensitive to changes in its environment and, according to a Spanish study, its habitat will have reduced by half by the year 2040 and will have completely disappeared from Iberian rivers by 2100, so its population will become extinct. ... > full story

Brainy beverage: Study reveals how green tea boosts brain cell production to aid memory (September 5, 2012) -- It has long been believed that drinking green tea is good for the memory. Now researchers have discovered how the chemical properties of China's favorite drink affect the generation of brain cells, providing benefits for memory and spatial learning. ... > full story

Northwest Barents Sea warmed substantially during the last decades (September 5, 2012) -- A recent study by researchers in Norway shows that the northwest Barents Sea warmed substantially during the last decades. The temperature of the subsurface Atlantic Water in the northern Barents Sea increased rapidly during the late 1990s. ... > full story

Ecosystems cope with stress more effectively the greater the biodiversity (September 5, 2012) -- Ecosystems with a high degree of biodiversity can cope with more stress, such as higher temperatures or increasing salt concentrations, than those with less biodiversity. They can also maintain their services for longer, as botanists and ecologists have discovered. Their study provides the first evidence of the relationship between stress intensity and ecosystem functioning. ... > full story

In elk hunting, success depends on the animal's personality (September 4, 2012) -- New research shows an elk's personality type is a big factor in whether or not it survives the hunting season. Data collected from GPS collars on more than 100 male and female elk in southwestern Alberta showed researchers the study population could be divided into two categories: bold runners and shy hiders, researchers found far more bold-runners were taken by elk hunters than shy hiders. ... > full story

Biofuel waste product recycled for electricity (September 4, 2012) -- A by-product of biofuel manufacture can power microbial fuel cells to generate electricity cheaply and efficiently, according to scientists. The work could help develop self-powered devices that would depollute waste water and be used to survey weather in extreme environments. ... > full story

NASA's SDO sees massive filament erupt on sun (September 4, 2012) -- On August 31, 2012 a long filament of solar material that had been hovering in the sun's atmosphere, the corona, erupted out into space at 4:36 p.m. EDT. The coronal mass ejection, or CME, traveled at over 900 miles per second. The CME did not travel directly toward Earth, but did connect with Earth's magnetic environment, or magnetosphere, with a glancing blow. causing aurora to appear on the night of Monday, September 3. ... > full story

'Benign' malaria key driver of human evolution in Asia-Pacific (September 4, 2012) -- The malaria species rampant in the Asia-Pacific region has been a significant driver of evolution of the human genome, a new study has shown. An international team of researchers has shown that Plasmodium vivax malaria, the most prevalent malaria species in the Asia-Pacific, is a significant cause of genetic evolution that provides protection against malaria. ... > full story

With no West Nile vaccine in sight, self-protection is key (September 4, 2012) -- As this year's threat from the West Nile virus continues, one infectious diseases expert says a vaccine is not in our near future, so people need to protect themselves. ... > full story

Antimicrobials alter intestinal bacteria composition in swine, researchers find (September 4, 2012) -- Researchers, concerned about the use of antibiotics in animal production, have found that antimicrobial growth promoters administered to swine can alter the kind of bacteria present in the animal's intestinal track, resulting in an accelerated rate of growth and development in the animals. ... > full story

Human impact felt on Black Sea long before industrial era (September 4, 2012) -- Researchers have pieced together a unique history of the Danube River delta and watershed that ultimately provides evidence for a transformative impact of humans on the Black Sea over hundreds, if not thousands of years. ... > full story

Realizing the promise of RNA nanotechnology for new drug development (September 4, 2012) -- The use of RNA in nanotechnology applications is highly promising for many applications, including the development of new therapeutic compounds. Key technical challenges remain, though, and the challenges and opportunities associated with the use of RNA molecules in nanotechnology approaches are presented in a review article. ... > full story

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