ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Monday, October 3, 2011
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Alcohol impairs the body's ability to fight off viral infection, study finds (October 2, 2011) -- Alcohol can worsen the effects of disease. New research shows that alcohol modulates the anti-viral and inflammatory functions of monocytes. Prolonged alcohol consumption has a double negative effect of reducing the anti-viral effect of Type 1 interferon (IFN) whilst increasing inflammation via the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF±. Consequently this may impair host response to single-stranded virus infection like hepatitis C. ... > full story
Toxic red tides: Scientist tracks neurotoxin-producing algae (October 2, 2011) -- With toxic algal blooms -- which can increase the amount of harmful toxins in the shellfish that California residents consume -- ramping up in frequency and severity locally, scientists have developed a new algae monitoring method in hopes of one day being able to predict when and where toxic "red tides" will occur. ... > full story
What's in a kids meal? Not happy news (October 2, 2011) -- High-calorie, high-sodium choices were on the menu when parents purchased lunch for their children at a San Diego fast-food restaurant. Why? Because both children and adults liked the food and the convenience. However, the study of data showed that convenience resulted in lunchtime meals that accounted for between 36 and 51 percent of a child's daily caloric needs. ... > full story
Measuring global photosynthesis rate: Earth's plant life 'recycles' carbon dioxide faster than previously estimated (October 2, 2011) -- A research team followed the path of oxygen atoms on carbon dioxide molecules during photosynthesis to create a new way of measuring the efficiency of the world's plant life. The authors of the study said the new estimate of the rate of global photosynthesis enabled by their method will in turn help guide other estimates of plant activity such as the capacity of forests and crops to grow. ... > full story
Vicious queen ants use mob tactics to reach the top (October 1, 2011) -- Leptothorax acervorum ants' reproductive strategy depends on habitat. Colonies are functionally monogynous (only one queen reproduces) on sun-exposed slopes in Alaska, Hokkaido and the mountains of central Spain. New research demonstrates that queen ants fight by antennal boxing to become the reproductive queen, and that worker ants reinforce queen behavior by feeding dominant females and expelling, or killing, their weaker sisters. ... > full story
Mechanism uncovered for the establishment of vertebrate left–right asymmetry (October 1, 2011) -- A research team has demonstrated a mechanism by which left-right asymmetry in the body is established and maintained. The study offers a new model of how families of genes interact to promote and direct body asymmetry. ... > full story
Koalas' bellows boast about size (October 1, 2011) -- Koalas are usually slothful until the mating season when they begin bellowing. Intrigued by the marsupial's strange sound, biologists decided to find out what messages the koalas' bellows may send and discovered that they are boasting about their size. The largest koalas produce deeper resonances than smaller males, and even the smallest males produce resonances that make them sound larger than a bison, which are 100 times their size. ... > full story
Humans and sharks share immune system feature (September 30, 2011) -- A central element of the immune system has remained constant through more than 400 million years of evolution, according to new research. T-cell receptors from mice continue to function even when pieces of shark, frog and trout receptors are substituted in. The function of the chimeric receptors depends on a few crucial amino acids, found also in humans, that help the T-cell receptor bind to MHC molecules presenting antigens. ... > full story
Female promiscuity can rescue populations from harmful effects of inbreeding, beetle study finds (September 30, 2011) -- Females in inbred populations become more promiscuous in order to screen out sperm from genetically incompatible males, according to new study by the University of East Anglia (UEA). ... > full story
Autistic mice act a lot like human patients: Geneticists develop promising mouse model for testing new autism therapies (September 30, 2011) -- Scientists have created a mouse model for autism that opens a window into the biological mechanisms that underlie the disease and offers a promising way to test new treatment approaches. The research found that autistic mice display remarkably similar symptoms and behavior as children and adults on the autism spectrum. ... > full story
Small fish recover faster than large fish (September 30, 2011) -- In football, linebackers are usually the largest players and have the endurance required to get through a game plus overtime. But when it comes to fish, larger doesn't always mean stronger. A new study showed smaller fish recover from exertion faster than larger fish. ... > full story
Changes in attention and visual perception are correlated with aging: Older people find it harder to see the wood for the trees (September 30, 2011) -- When looking at a picture of many trees, young people will tend to say: "This is a forest." However, the older we get, the more likely we are to notice a single tree before seeing the forest. Researchers have found that these age-related changes are correlated with a specific aspect of visual perception, known as Gestalt perception. ... > full story
Complicated gene networks involved in fly aggression (September 30, 2011) -- Put up your dukes. A study of aggression in fruit flies aims to provide a framework for how complex gene interactions affect behavior. And these clues in flies could translate to a better understanding of human genes and behavior. ... > full story
Unprecedented insight into fighting viral infections (September 30, 2011) -- Researchers have determined the structure of a protein that is the first line of defense in fighting viral infections including influenza, hepatitis C, West Nile, rabies and measles. ... > full story
New flavors emerge from Peruvian cacao collection trip (September 30, 2011) -- New cacao types with unique flavors that are distinctly Peruvian have been identified. These new flavors could one day be marketed like wine, by geographical provenance. ... > full story
'Superfast' muscles responsible for bat echolocation (September 30, 2011) -- As nocturnal animals, bats rely echolocation to navigate and hunt prey. By bouncing sound waves off objects, including the bugs that are their main diet, bats can produce an accurate representation of their environment in total darkness. Now, researchers at the University of Southern Denmark and the University of Pennsylvania have shown that this amazing ability is enabled by a physical trait never before seen in mammals: so-called "superfast" muscles. ... > full story
Researchers produce cheap sugars for sustainable biofuel production (September 30, 2011) -- Researchers have developed technologies to efficiently produce, recover and separate sugars from the fast pyrolysis of biomass. That's a big deal because those sugars can be further processed into biofuels. ... > full story
Sharks are in trouble, new analysis confirms (September 30, 2011) -- Sharks are in big trouble on the Great Barrier Reef and worldwide, according to an Australian-based team who have developed a world-first way to measure rates of decline in shark populations. ... > full story
All-access genome: New study explores packaging of DNA (September 29, 2011) -- A team of biophysicists has been preoccupied with tiny, spool-like entities known as nucleosomes. Their latest insights help explain how these structures wrap and unwrap, permitting regulatory proteins to access, bind with and act on regions of DNA. ... > full story
3-D microscope opens eyes to prehistoric oceans and present-day resources (September 29, 2011) -- A research team has turned their newly developed 3-D microscope technology on ancient sea creatures and hopes to expand its use. ... > full story
Tree frogs chill out to collect precious water (September 29, 2011) -- Australian green tree frogs survive the dry season with the help of the same phenomenon that fogs up eyeglasses in the winter, new research shows. ... > full story
Labor-saving way to monitor vast rangelands (September 29, 2011) -- U.S. agricultural scientists have found that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a tool used by the military, may be suitable for keeping an eye on changing land-use patterns across vast tracts of western rangeland. ... > full story
Red wine ingredient resveratrol stops breast cancer growth, study suggests (September 29, 2011) -- New research shows that resveratrol, the "healthy" ingredient in red wine, stops breast cancer cells from growing by blocking the growth effects of estrogen. This discovery suggests for the first time that resveratrol is able to counteract malignant progression since it inhibits the proliferation of hormone resistant breast cancer cells. This has important implications for treatment of women with breast cancer whose tumors develop resistance to hormonal therapy. ... > full story
Risk factors for cat cancer could have human implications (September 29, 2011) -- A recent, large-scale study on cat intestinal cancer has provided new insight into a common pet disease and its causes; the findings could ultimately benefit humans. ... > full story
In unique fire tests, outdoor decks will be under firebrand attack (September 29, 2011) -- NIST will unleash its Dragon, an invention that bellows showers of glowing embers, at a unique wind tunnel test facility in Japan, where researchers will evaluate the vulnerability of outdoor deck assemblies and materials to ignition during wildfires, a growing peril that accounts for half of the nation's 10 most costly fires. ... > full story
Self-cleaning cotton breaks down pesticides, bacteria (September 29, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a self-cleaning cotton fabric that can kill bacteria and break down toxic chemicals such as pesticide residues when exposed to light. ... > full story
Fish uses tool to dig up and crush clams (September 29, 2011) -- The first video of tool use by a fish has now been published. In the video, an orange-dotted tuskfish digs a clam out of the sand, carries it over to a rock, and repeatedly throws the clam against the rock to crush it. ... > full story
Breath-takingly simple test for human exposure to potentially toxic substances (September 29, 2011) -- The search for a rapid, non-invasive way to determine whether people have been exposed to potentially toxic substances in their workplaces, homes and elsewhere in the environment has led scientists to a technology that literally takes a person's breath away. Their report identifies exhaled breath as an ideal indicator of such exposure. ... > full story
Assessing California earthquake forecasts (September 29, 2011) -- Earthquake prediction remains an imperfect science, but the best forecasts are about 10 times more accurate than a random prediction, according to a new study. ... > full story
Control gene for developmental timing discovered (September 29, 2011) -- Researchers have identified a key regulator that controls the speed of development in the fruit fly. When the researchers blocked the function of this regulator, animals sped up their rate of development and reached maturity much faster than normal. ... > full story
Study uncovers a predictable sequence toward coral reef collapse (September 29, 2011) -- Coral reefs that have lots of corals and appear healthy may, in fact, be heading toward collapse, according to a new study. ... > full story
Hide-and-seek: Altered HIV can't evade immune system (September 28, 2011) -- Researchers have modified HIV in a way that makes it no longer able to suppress the immune system. Their work could remove a major hurdle in HIV vaccine development and lead to new treatments. ... > full story
Female mate searching evolves when mating gifts are important, katydid study finds (September 28, 2011) -- In the animal world, males typically search for their female partners. The mystery is that in some species, you get a reversal -- the females search for males. A new study of katydids supports a theory that females will search if males offer a lot more than just sperm. ... > full story
Millisecond memory: 'Teleportation' of rats sheds light on how the memory is organized (September 28, 2011) -- An experiment in which rats are "teleported" shows how memory is organized into discrete 125 millisecond-long packets, enabling a smooth transition between one memory and the next. ... > full story
Copper film could lower touch screen, LED and solar cell costs (September 28, 2011) -- Copper nanowires may be coming to a little screen near you. These new nanostructures have the potential to drive down the costs of displaying information on cell phones, e-readers and iPads, and they could also help engineers build foldable electronics and improved solar cells, according to new research. ... > full story
Managing future forests for water (September 28, 2011) -- Scientists recently used long-term data to examine the feasibility of managing forests for water supply under the changing weather conditions forecast for the future. ... > full story
Tendons absorb shocks muscles won't handle (September 28, 2011) -- Researchers have learned how muscles and tendons in the legs deal with sudden impacts. Experiments showed that tendons absorb the initial burst of energy from impact before the leg muscles react. The tendons act as shock absorbers, protecting the leg muscle from damage at the moment of impact. ... > full story
Additives meant to protect vitamin C actually cause more harm, study suggests (September 28, 2011) -- Anti-caking agents in powdered products may hasten degradation of vitamin C instead of doing what they are supposed to do: protect the nutrient from moisture. ... > full story
Loss of 'lake lawnmowers' leads to algae blooms (September 28, 2011) -- Unprecedented algae growth in some lakes could be linked to the decline of water calcium levels and the subsequent loss of an important algae-grazing organism that helps keep blooms at bay. ... > full story
Engineers simulate large earthquake on curved bridge (September 28, 2011) -- Six full-size pickup trucks took a wild ride on a 16-foot-high steel bridge when it shook violently in a series of never-before-conducted experiments to investigate the seismic behavior of a curved bridge with vehicles in place. The 145-foot-long, 162-ton steel and concrete bridge was built atop four large, 14-foot by 14-foot, hydraulic shake tables. ... > full story
Jumping gene enabled key step in corn domestication (September 28, 2011) -- In seeking to better understand how teosinte gave rise to corn, a scientific team has pinpointed one of the key genetic changes that paved the way for corn's domestication. ... > full story
New advanced biofuel identified as an alternative to diesel fuel (September 28, 2011) -- Researchers have identified a terpene called bisabolane as a potential biofuel for replacing diesel fuel. The researchers have also engineered two strains of microbes -- a bacteria and a yeast -- that can be used in the biosynthetic production of this clean, green, renewable and domestic alternative to diesel fuel. ... > full story
Successful rainwater harvesting systems should combine new technology with old social habits (September 28, 2011) -- A combination of modern engineering and ancient social principles makes large-scale rainwater harvesting feasible in a time of drought, and could reduce deadly flash flooding common to parts of Texas, a new article argues. ... > full story
Pigeon 'milk' contains antioxidants and immune-enhancing proteins (September 28, 2011) -- Production of crop milk, a secretion from the crops of parent birds, is rare among birds and, apart from pigeons, is only found in flamingos and male emperor penguins. Essential for the growth and development of the young pigeon squab, pigeon 'milk' is produced by both parents from fluid-filled cells lining the crop that are rich in fat and protein. Researchers have now used new technology to study the genes and proteins involved in pigeon 'milk' production and shows that pigeon 'milk' contains antioxidants and immune-enhancing proteins. ... > full story
Insight into the architecture of life: Researchers discover supporting pillars of the structure of cellular power plants (September 28, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered a new mechanism that is of central significance for the architecture and functioning of mitochondria, known as the power plants of the cell. With the help of chemical reactions that take place on their inner membranes, these organelles convert food into energy for the metabolism and growth of the cell. The inner mitochondrial membrane features a characteristic architecture that is essential for its role as an energy transducer. Errors in the structure of the mitochondria can lead to serious illnesses in humans, particularly illnesses affecting the muscles and nerves. ... > full story
Research and innovation: New modelling results link natural resources and armed conflicts (September 28, 2011) -- The EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) has developed a statistical modelling tool which allows the risk of conflict occurrence in developing countries to be analyzed. Combining online news reports with geographical satellite data, the tool establishes a link between natural resources and the risk of conflict. A key advance is the very detailed scale of the data (most being gathered to the square kilometer) and the fact that the modelling is based on the seriousness of the conflicts. When tested, the model successfully identified the correlation between resource-rich areas of land and occurrence of conflict. This approach has potential use in the European Commission's development aid planning and crisis prevention. ... > full story
Earthquake risk: Two faults exposed in eastern Sierra Nevada (September 28, 2011) -- Excavated trenches reveal two faults that bound the eastern flank of the Sierra Nevada in Antelope Valley, California and the Carson Range in Reno, Nevada; a new model changes predictions of amplified ground motion in Seattle basin. ... > full story
Cattle: Heifers don't have to be pigs at the feed bunk (September 28, 2011) -- Heifers can safely eat 20 percent less between weaning and breeding, according to a two-year study. ... > full story
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