The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Wednesday, November 30, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Wednesday, November 30, 2011

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Transplanted cells repair the brain in obese mice (November 30, 2011) -- Small numbers of properly selected neurons, transplanted into damaged brain areas in mice, are capable of restoring lost functions. Experiments on mice with a defect resulting in obesity and a series of measurements documenting efficiency of the neuron transplant method have now been carried out. ... > full story

Caribbean fisheries highly vulnerable to climate change, need to adapt (November 30, 2011) -- A new study predicts severe negative impacts, including loss and alteration of habitats, smaller and less-diverse fish stocks, and coral bleaching, and urges prompt action to help fisheries prepare. ... > full story

Walnut trees may not be able to withstand climate change (November 30, 2011) -- Warmer, drier summers and extreme weather events considered possible as the climate changes would be especially troublesome -- possibly fatal -- for walnut trees, according to researchers. ... > full story

Growing knowledge in space: Studying what effects microgravity has on plant cell walls, root growth patterns and gene regulation (November 30, 2011) -- Plants are critical in supporting life on Earth, and with help from an experiment that flew onboard space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 mission, they also could transform living in space. NASA's Kennedy Space Center partnered with the University of Florida, Miami University in Ohio and Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation to perform three different experiments in microgravity. The studies concentrated on the effects microgravity has on plant cell walls, root growth patterns and gene regulation within the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Each of the studies has future applications on Earth and in space exploration. ... > full story

First U.S. large demonstration-scale injection of CO<sub>2</sub> from a biofuel production facility begins (November 30, 2011) -- The Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium has begun injecting carbon dioxide for the first million-tonne demonstration of carbon sequestration in the United States. The CO2 will be stored permanently in the Mt. Simon Sandstone more than a mile beneath the Illinois surface at Decatur. ... > full story

New thinking required on wildlife disease, experts say (November 29, 2011) -- Scientist say much more could be done to predict the likelihood and spread of serious disease -- such as tuberculosis or foot-and-mouth disease -- in Australian wildlife and commercial stock. ... > full story

'Look at that!' Ravens gesture with their beaks to point out objects to each other (November 29, 2011) -- Pointing and holding up objects in order to attract attention has so far only been observed in humans and our closest living relatives, the great apes. Researchers now provide the first evidence that ravens (Corvus corax) also use so called deictic gestures in order to test the interest of a potential partner or to strengthen an already existing bond. ... > full story

E. coli bacteria engineered to eat switchgrass and make transportation fuels (November 29, 2011) -- Strains of E. coli bacteria were engineered to digest switchgrass biomass and synthesize its sugars into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. The switchgrass, which is among the most highly touted of the potential feedstocks for advanced biofuels, was pre-treated with ionic liquid, a key to the success of this study. ... > full story

Environment and diet leave their prints on the heart (November 29, 2011) -- A new study, which set out to investigate DNA methylation in the human heart and the "missing link" between our lifestyle and our health, has now mapped the link in detail across the entire human genome. ... > full story

Earth's past gives clues to future changes (November 29, 2011) -- Scientists are a step closer to predicting when and where earthquakes will occur after taking a fresh look at the formation of the Andes, which began 45 million years ago. ... > full story

Madagascar dinosaur bone is most massive osteoderm ever found (November 29, 2011) -- What more can we learn about long-necked dinosaurs that we don't already know? Researchers have found that Madagascar dinosaurs carried giant, hollow bones in their skin that may have helped them survive the harsh environments they inhabited. This discovery has shed new light on the anatomy and function of these bones in the biggest animals to ever walk on land. ... > full story

Coffee may protect against endometrial cancer, study suggests (November 29, 2011) -- Long-term coffee consumption may be associated with a reduced risk for endometrial cancer, according to a recent study. ... > full story

How bacteria can break down hazardous environmental pollutants (November 29, 2011) -- Researchers now understand how bacteria can break down phosphonic acids, persistent and potentially hazardous environmental pollutants found in many common medicinal products, detergents and herbicides. ... > full story

How bats 'hear' objects in their path (November 29, 2011) -- By placing real and virtual objects in the flight paths of bats, scientists have shed new light on how echolocation works. The researchers found that it is not the intensity of the echoes that tells the bats the size of an object but the 'sonar aperture', that is the spread of angles from which echoes impinge on their ears. ... > full story

Scientists determine how antibody recognizes key sugars on HIV surface (November 29, 2011) -- HIV is coated in sugars that usually hide the virus from the immune system. Newly published research reveals how one broadly neutralizing HIV antibody actually uses part of the sugary cloak to help bind to the virus. The antibody binding site, called the V1/V2 region, represents a suitable HIV vaccine target, according to the scientists who conducted the study. ... > full story

First system developed for assessing the odds of life on other worlds (November 29, 2011) -- A modeling expert has proposed a new system for classifying exoplanets using two different indices -- an Earth Similarity Index for categorizing a planet's more earth-like features and a Planetary Habitability Index for describing a variety of chemical and physical parameters that are theoretically conducive to life in more extreme, less Earth-like conditions. ... > full story

Fungi: Another tool in bacteria's belt? Fungi and bacteria help one another stay mobile, say researchers (November 29, 2011) -- Fungal spores can attach themselves to bacteria and "hitch a ride" to wherever the bacteria can travel, say researchers. This discovery will help scientists fight disease-causing bacteria or promote the spread of "good kinds" of bacteria and fungi, such as those that contribute to the health of plants. ... > full story

Scientific sleuths pinpoint the guilty coral killers (November 29, 2011) -- The elusive culprits that are killing countless coral reefs around the world can now be nabbed with technology normally used to diagnose human diseases, marine researchers say. Coral researchers and reef managers will be able to identify coral infections using a new method that allows them to classify specific diseases based on the presence of microbes. This could lead to more effective action to reduce the impact of disease on the world's imperiled coral reefs. ... > full story

Big pest, small genome: Two-spotted spider mite genome decoded (November 29, 2011) -- Biologists have decoded the genetic blueprint of the two-spotted spider mite, raising hope for new ways to attack the major pest, which resists pesticides and destroys crops and ornamental plants worldwide. ... > full story

Carbon mitigation strategy uses wood for buildings first, bioenergy second (November 29, 2011) -- A new study is first to focus on the extra carbon savings that can be squeezed from trees when wood not suitable for long-term building materials is used for bioenergy: Depending on the process used, ethanol from woody biomass emits less greenhouse gas than an equivalent amount of gasoline, between 70 percent and a little over 100 percent less. In contrast, corn ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions 22 percent on average. ... > full story

Marine biodiversity loss due to global warming and predation, study predicts (November 28, 2011) -- The biodiversity loss caused by climate change will result from a combination of rising temperatures and predation -- and may be more severe than currently predicted, according to a new study. ... > full story

Enzymatic synthesis of pyrrolysine, the mysterious 22nd amino acid (November 28, 2011) -- With few exceptions, all known proteins are built up from only twenty amino acids. 25 years ago scientists discovered a 21st amino acid, selenocysteine and ten years ago a 22nd, the pyrrolysine. However, how the cell produces the unusual building block remained a mystery. Now researchers have elucidated the structure of an important enzyme in the production of pyrrolysine. ... > full story

New compound defeats drug-resistant bacteria (November 28, 2011) -- Chemists have synthesized a new compound that makes drug-resistant bacteria susceptible again to antibiotics. The compound -- BU-005 -- blocks pumps that a bacterium employs to expel an antibacterial agent called chloramphenicol. The team used a new and highly efficient method for the synthesis of BU-005 and other C-capped dipetptides. ... > full story

Herbicide atrazine spurs reproductive problems in many creatures, report finds (November 28, 2011) -- An international team of researchers has reviewed the evidence linking exposure to atrazine -- an herbicide widely used in the US and more than 60 other nations -- to reproductive problems in animals. The team found consistent patterns of reproductive dysfunction in amphibians, fish, reptiles and mammals exposed to the chemical. ... > full story

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, study finds (November 28, 2011) -- Just one drink per day for women -- two for men -- could lead to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and subsequently cause gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea, according to the results of a new study. ... > full story

First dogs came from East Asia, genetic study confirms (November 28, 2011) -- Researchers say they have found further proof that the wolf ancestors of today's domesticated dogs can be traced to southern East Asia -- findings that run counter to theories placing the cradle of the canine line in the Middle East. ... > full story

Fifth of global energy could come from biomass without damaging food production, report suggests (November 28, 2011) -- A new report suggests that up to one fifth of global energy could be provided by biomass (plants) without damaging food production. The report reviews more than 90 global studies. ... > full story

Insect cyborgs may become first responders: Search and monitor hazardous places (November 28, 2011) -- New developments may lead to insects monitoring hazardous situations before humans are sent in. The principal idea is to harvest the insect's biological energy from either its body heat or movements. The device converts the kinetic energy from wing movements of the insect into electricity, thus prolonging the battery life. The battery can be used to power small sensors implanted on the insect (such as a small camera, a microphone or a gas sensor) in order to gather vital information from hazardous environments. ... > full story

Genome-scale network of rice genes to speed the development of biofuel crops (November 28, 2011) -- Researchers have developed the first genome-scale model for predicting the functions of genes and gene networks in a grass species. Called RiceNet, this systems-level model of rice gene interactions should help speed the development of new crops for the production of advanced biofuels, as well as help boost the production and improve the quality of one of the world's most important food staples. ... > full story

Monarch butterfly genome sequenced (November 28, 2011) -- Each fall, millions of monarch butterflies from across the Eastern United States use a time-compensated sun compass to direct their navigation south, traveling up to 2,000 miles to an overwintering site in a specific grove of fir trees in central Mexico. Scientists have long been fascinated by the biological mechanisms that allow successive generations of these delicate creatures to travel such long distances to a small region roughly 300 square miles in size. To unlock the genetic and regulatory elements important for this remarkable journey neurobiologists have now sequenced and analyzed the monarch butterfly genome. ... > full story

Decrease in observed rate of TB at a time of economic recession (November 28, 2011) -- The incidence of tuberculosis in the US is reported as being on the decrease, however untreated infected people act as a reservoir for disease. ... > full story

Mediterranean diet and exercise can reduce sleep apnea symptoms (November 28, 2011) -- Eating a Mediterranean diet combined with physical activity can help to improve some of the symptoms of sleep apnea, according to new research. ... > full story

Support for climate policy linked to people's perceptions about scientific agreement regarding global warming (November 28, 2011) -- People who believe there is a lot of disagreement among scientists about global warming tend to be less certain that global warming is happening and less supportive of climate policy, researchers report. ... > full story

Studying bat skulls, evolutionary biologists discover how species evolve (November 28, 2011) -- A new study involving bat skulls, bite force measurements and scat samples collected by an international team of evolutionary biologists is helping to solve a nagging question of evolution: Why some groups of animals develop scores of different species over time while others evolve only a few. ... > full story

Enzymes act like a switch, turning antibiotic resistance on and off in enterococci (November 28, 2011) -- Antibiotic-resistant enterococci are a serious problem for patients in the hospital, but little is known about how these bacteria are able to escape antibiotics. New discoveries about the ways in which enterococci turn their resistance to cephalosporin antibiotics on and off are described in a new study. ... > full story

Nanoparticle electrode for batteries could make grid-scale power storage feasible (November 27, 2011) -- Researchers have used nanoparticles of a copper compound to develop a high-power battery electrode that is so inexpensive to make, so efficient and so durable that it could be used to build batteries big enough for economical large-scale energy storage on the electrical grid -- something researchers have sought for years. ... > full story

Scientists unlock the mystery surrounding a tale of shaggy dogs (November 27, 2011) -- Researchers have produced the first clear evidence that textiles made by the indigenous population of the Pacific coast of North America contained dog hair. ... > full story

Small forest with big impact: Fragmented rainforests maintain their ecological functionality (November 27, 2011) -- Rainforests that are subject to use by the human population and are divided into forest fragments can maintain their ecological functionality. ... > full story

Ulcer-causing bacteria tamed by defect in cell-targeting ability (November 26, 2011) -- Without the ability to swim to their targets in the stomach, ulcer-causing bacteria do not cause the inflammation of the stomach lining that leads to ulcers and stomach cancer, according to a new study. ... > full story

DNA system developed to identify and authenticate plant species (November 26, 2011) -- Biologists have developed a method which can detect the use of illegal or counterfeit plants in medicine and could also be used to boost conservation by identifying and monitoring the exploitation of endangered plant species. ... > full story

Child abuse in birds: Study documents 'cycle of violence' in nature (November 26, 2011) -- For one species of seabird in the Galapagos, the child abuse "cycle of violence" found in humans plays out in the wild. The new study of Nazca boobies provides the first evidence from the animal world showing those who are abused when they are young often grow up to be abusers. ... > full story

Climate sensitivity to carbon dioxide more limited than extreme projections, research shows (November 25, 2011) -- The rate of global warming from doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide may be less than the most dire estimates of some previous studies -- and, in fact, may be less severe than projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report in 2007. Researchers say that global warming is real and that increases in atmospheric CO2 will have multiple serious impacts. However, the most Draconian projections of temperature increases from the doubling of CO2 are unlikely, according to new research. ... > full story

Worms reveal secrets of wound-healing response (November 25, 2011) -- The lowly and simple roundworm may be the ideal laboratory model to learn more about the complex processes involved in repairing wounds and could eventually allow scientists to improve the body's response to healing skin wounds, a serious problem in diabetics and the elderly. ... > full story

Scientists turn on fountain of youth in yeast (November 25, 2011) -- Researchers have successfully manipulated the life span of common, single-celled yeast organisms by figuring out how to remove and restore protein functions related to yeast aging. ... > full story

Ancient environment found to drive marine biodiversity (November 25, 2011) -- Much of our knowledge about past life has come from the fossil record -- but how accurately does that reflect the true history and drivers of biodiversity on Earth? ... > full story

Abnormal levels of caffeine in water indicate human contamination (November 25, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that traces of caffeine are a useful indicator of the contamination of our water by sewers. ... > full story

Celiac patients face potential hazard as information on cosmetic ingredients difficult to find (November 25, 2011) -- The lack of readily available information about cosmetic ingredients may cause patients with celiac disease who use lip, facial or body products to unknowingly expose themselves to gluten -- an ingredient they need to avoid, according to the results of a new study. ... > full story

Earth's core deprived of oxygen (November 24, 2011) -- Scientists know that the Earth's liquid outer core consists mainly of iron, but it is believed that small amounts of some other elements are also present. Oxygen is the most abundant element in the planet, so it is not unreasonable to expect oxygen might be one of the dominant "light elements" in the core. But new research proves otherwise. This has major implications for our understanding of the period when the Earth formed. ... > full story