Space Season: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Wednesday, April 13, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Wednesday, April 13, 2011

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Antibiotic resistance spreads rapidly between bacteria (April 13, 2011) -- The part of bacterial DNA that often carries antibiotic resistance is a master at moving between different types of bacteria and adapting to widely differing bacterial species, say researchers in Sweden. ... > full story

Tiny antibody fragments raised in camels find drug targets in human breast cancer cells (April 13, 2011) -- A new discovery promises to help physicians identify patients most likely to benefit from breast cancer drug therapies. If the compound, called "Nanobody," proves effective in clinical trials, it would represent a significant advance for breast cancer drug therapy. ... > full story

Scotland's carbon emissions could be halved in two decades, study suggests (April 13, 2011) -- Cutting Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions by a half within 20 years is achievable, a study suggests. ... > full story

Scientists make bamboo tools to test theory explaining East Asia's Stone Age tool scarcity (April 13, 2011) -- The long-held theory that prehistoric people in East Asia crafted their tools from bamboo is much more complicated than originally conceived, according to a new study. Research until now didn't address whether complex bamboo tools can be made with simple stone tools. Now an experimental archaeological study, in which a modern-day flint knapper replicated the crafting of bamboo knives, confirms it is possible. ... > full story

Bioengineering uses vetiver grass to save coral reefs near Guam (April 13, 2011) -- One of the major health hazards facing Guam's reefs is soil erosion resulting in sedimentation and suffocation of the complex organisms that make up a reef system. A soil science professor has put his years of research on vetiver grass to practical use in shielding the reefs in Pago Bay from the harmful effects of construction-induced run-off. ... > full story

Greenhouse gases from forest soils (April 12, 2011) -- Reactive nitrogen compounds from agriculture, transport, and industry lead to increased emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide from forests in Europe. Nitrous oxide emission from forest soils is at least twice as high as estimated so far by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This is one of the key messages of the first study on nitrogen in Europe. ... > full story

Bacteria in wasp antennae produce antibiotic cocktails (April 12, 2011) -- Bacteria that grow in the antennae of wasps help ward off fungal threats by secreting a 'cocktail' of antibiotics, according to researchers. ... > full story

Can alcohol help the brain remember? Repeated ethanol exposure enhances synaptic plasticity in key brain area, study finds (April 12, 2011) -- Drinking alcohol primes certain areas of our brain to learn and remember better, says a new study. The common view that drinking is bad for learning and memory isn't wrong, says a neurobiologist, but it highlights only one side of what ethanol consumption does to the brain. ... > full story

Circadian rhythms spark plants' ability to survive freezing weather (April 12, 2011) -- Just as monarch butterflies depend on circadian cues to begin their annual migration, so do plants to survive freezing temperatures. All living things -- humans, animals, plants, microbes -- are influenced by circadian rhythms, which are physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. Researchers have now discovered that the circadian clock provides key input required for plants to attain maximum freezing tolerance. ... > full story

Forensics: Developing a tool for identification -- even using very degraded DNA samples (April 12, 2011) -- Frequently the only biological material available to identify persons is DNA in a very degraded state. In these cases, the kits usually employed to carry out DNA identifications do not produce accurate results, given that all the DNA is not available. Biochemists have now developed a tool for identifying persons from these small fragments of DNA. ... > full story

Tuberculosis strain spread by the fur trade reveals stealthy approach of epidemics (April 12, 2011) -- French Canadian voyageurs spread tuberculosis throughout the indigenous peoples of western Canada for over 150 years, yet, strangely enough, it wasn't until the fur traders ceased their forays that epidemics of tuberculosis broke out. Now researchers have puzzled out why. It took a shift in the environment of the infected peoples -- in this case, confinement to reservations -- to create conditions conducive to outbreaks. ... > full story

Insights gained from growing cold-causing virus on sinus tissue (April 12, 2011) -- Using sinus tissue removed during surgery, researchers have managed to grow a recently discovered species of human rhinovirus, the most frequent cause of the common cold, in culture. ... > full story

Some features of human face perception are not uniquely human, pigeon study shows (April 12, 2011) -- A new study finds that pigeons recognize a human face's identity and emotional expression in much the same way as people do ... > full story

Environmental E. coli: New way to classify E. coli bacteria and test for fecal contamination (April 12, 2011) -- The meaning of the standard fecal coliform test used to monitor water quality has been called into question by a new study that identified sources of Escherichia coli bacteria that might not indicate an environmental hazard. ... > full story

Social wasps show how bigger brains provide complex cognition (April 12, 2011) -- Across many groups of animals, species with bigger brains often have better cognitive abilities. But it's been unclear whether overall brain size or the size of specific brain areas is the key. New findings by neurobiologists suggest that both patterns are important: bigger-bodied social wasps had larger brains and devoted up to three times more of their brain tissue to regions that coordinate social interactions, learning, memory and other complex behaviors. ... > full story

Tissue engineers use new system to measure biomaterials, structures (April 12, 2011) -- As cells assemble into a donut shape and ascend a hydrogel cone, they do work and thereby reveal the total power involved in forming a three-dimensional structure. That measure not only could help tissue engineers understand their living building materials better, but could also add insight to the understanding of natural tissue formation. ... > full story

St. John's wort compound: Potential benefit of synthetic hypericin for recurrent brain tumors (April 12, 2011) -- Researchers have found that a synthetic version of hypericin, a compound naturally found in St. John's wort, may be a promising treatment for patients with recurrent malignant brain tumors. ... > full story

New citrus variety is very sweet, juicy and low-seeded (April 12, 2011) -- Juicy. Extremely Sweet. Visually attractive. Easy to peel. Low seeded. These are the fine qualities that mark "KinnowLS," the latest citrus variety released by researchers at the University of California, Riverside. Large-sized for a mandarin, the fruit has an orange rind color. The rind is thin and extremely smooth. The 10-11 segments in each fruit are fleshy and deep orange in color. "KinnowLS" matures during February through April and does well in hot climates. ... > full story

Delhi air quality regulations improve respiratory health (April 12, 2011) -- Scientists have used remote sensing imagery to look directly at the effects of air quality on health. Researchers found that radical regulations to improve air quality in Delhi at the turn of the millennium had a positive impact on the health of the population, especially among low-income men. ... > full story

Louisiana, Florida residents differ on views of long-term effects of oil spill (April 12, 2011) -- One year after the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion on the Gulf Coast, new research shows that despite the roughly equivalent economic compensation, Louisiana and Florida residents differ in perceptions about the current and long-term effects of the largest marine oil spill in US history. ... > full story

Penguins that shun ice still lose big from a warming climate (April 11, 2011) -- Fluctuations in penguin populations in the Antarctic are linked more strongly to the availability of their primary food source than to changes in their habitats, according to a new study. This research indicates that species often considered likely "winners" of changing conditions, such as large-scale ice melting, may actually end up as the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. ... > full story

Blueberries may inhibit development of fat cells (April 11, 2011) -- The benefits of blueberry consumption have been demonstrated in several nutrition studies, more specifically the cardio-protective benefits derived from their high polyphenol content. Blueberries have shown potential to have a positive effect on everything from aging to metabolic syndrome. Researchers recently examined whether blueberries could play a role in reducing one of the world's greatest health challenges: obesity. ... > full story

Diesel-engine exhaust filter reduces harmful particles by 98 percent (April 11, 2011) -- A commercially available particle trap can filter microscopic pollutants in diesel-engine exhaust and prevent about 98 percent of them from reaching the air, according to new research. ... > full story

Squid and octopuses experience massive acoustic trauma from noise pollution in the oceans (April 11, 2011) -- Noise pollution has been shown to cause physical and behavioral changes in marine life, especially in dolphins and whales, which rely on sound for daily activities. Now a new study found that squid, octopus and cuttlefish exhibited massive acoustic trauma in the form of severe lesions in their auditory structures following exposure to low frequency sound. ... > full story

Fracking controversy: Using water, sand and chemicals to extract natural gas from shale (April 11, 2011) -- The turmoil in oil-producing nations is triggering turmoil at home, as rising oil prices force Americans to pay more at the pump. Meanwhile, there's a growing industry that's promising jobs and access to cheaper energy resources on American soil, but it's not without its controversy. ... > full story

Positioning enzymes with ease (April 11, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a superior method for immobilizing enzymes on surfaces, deftly controlling their orientation, improving their efficiency and rendering them more stable. ... > full story

Electric Yellowstone: Conductivity image hints supervolcano plume is bigger than thought (April 11, 2011) -- Geophysicists have made the first large-scale picture of the electrical conductivity of the gigantic underground plume of hot and partly molten rock that feeds the Yellowstone supervolcano. The image suggests the plume is even bigger than it appears in earlier images made with earthquake waves. ... > full story

Letting there be more mosquitoes may lead to fewer malaria deaths, say researchers (April 11, 2011) -- It may seem counter-intuitive at first but letting mosquitoes grow up and breed may be part of the solution to tackling the devastating impact of malaria. Researchers have used mathematical modeling to examine why conventional insecticides used against the insects that transmit the disease responsible for millions of deaths a year, can quickly become ineffective in areas of intensive use. Their answers may lead to unprecedented advances in malaria control. ... > full story

New technique tracks viral infections, aids development of antiviral drugs (April 11, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a method to rapidly measure thousands of cells and quickly determine the presence of viruses. ... > full story

EPA's draft health assessment for formaldehyde needs improvement, experts say (April 11, 2011) -- A US Environmental Protection Agency draft assessment of the potential health effects associated with formaldehyde exposure needs substantial revision, experts say. ... > full story

Health halo effect: Don't judge a food by its organic label (April 11, 2011) -- Some organic foods shown to be surrounded by a "health halo" that is not based on science. Psychologists have long recognized that how we perceive a particular trait of a person can be influenced by how we perceive other traits of the same individual. An example of this would be judging an attractive person as intelligent, just because he or she is good-looking. A growing literature suggests that the halo effect may also apply to foods, and ultimately influence what and how much we eat. ... > full story

What sea squirts can teach us about the heart (April 11, 2011) -- Scientists are working to develop better diagnostics and therapies to manage heart defects in newborns. An obscure filter-feeding sea animal holds the promise of helping them unravel the complex mechanisms underlying heart formation and develop new diagnostics for congenital heart defects. ... > full story

Odd corn plant provides insight into how corn makes hormones (April 11, 2011) -- It's a corn plant only a geneticist could love. Its ears -- if it makes them at all -- resemble small, chubby, lime-green caterpillars, not exactly something you want to dig your teeth into. To top it off, the corn plant stands only about three feet tall, at full maturity, and has few leaves. By using a positional cloning technique and molecular markers, scientists were able to pinpoint the absent gene in this plant, which they named vanishing tassel2 or vt2. The gene encodes an enzyme, called tryptophan aminotransferase, important for making auxin, an important growth hormone in plants. ... > full story

Ozone reduces fungal spoilage of fruits and vegetables (April 11, 2011) -- Storing fruits and vegetables in ozone-enriched environments reduces spoilage. Scientists explain how ozone treatment could be a safe, effective replacement for pesticides as it leaves no residue on foods. ... > full story

Big picture of how interferon-induced genes launch antiviral defenses revealed (April 11, 2011) -- For the first time, scientists have carried out a comprehensive, systematic evaluation of the antiviral activity of interferon-induced factors. The findings are a first step toward unraveling how these naturally occurring molecules work to inhibit viruses. ... > full story

West Antarctic warming triggered by warmer sea surface in tropical Pacific (April 11, 2011) -- New research shows that rising sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean drive atmospheric circulation that has caused some of the largest shifts in Antarctic climate in recent decades. ... > full story

Accelerated lab evolution of biomolecules could yield new generation of medicines (April 11, 2011) -- Scientists have harnessed the prowess of fast-replicating bacterial viruses, also known as phages, to accelerate the evolution of biomolecules in the laboratory. The work could ultimately allow the tailoring of custom pharmaceuticals and research tools from lab-grown proteins, nucleic acids, and other such compounds. ... > full story

Ancient corals provide insight on the future of Caribbean reefs (April 11, 2011) -- Climate change is already widely recognized to be negatively affecting coral reef ecosystems around the world, yet the long-term effects are difficult to predict. Scientists are now using the geologic record of Caribbean corals to understand how reef ecosystems might respond to climate change expected for this century. ... > full story

New genetic study helps solve Darwin's mystery about ancient evolution of flowering plants (April 11, 2011) -- The evolution and diversification of the more than 300,000 living species of flowering plants may have been "jump started" much earlier than previously calculated, according to a new study. The study provides a wealth of new genetic data and is expected to change the way biologists view the family trees of plants in general and flowering plants in particular. ... > full story

Virtual reality lab focuses on conservation (April 11, 2011) -- Timber! Cutting down a tree in a virtual forest can bring new ideas of conservation crashing down on you If a tree falls in a virtual reality forest, will anyone hear an environmental message? They will, as long as they were the ones who cut down the make-believe redwood. Cutting down a virtual redwood with a virtual chainsaw may lead you to save trees by recycling more paper. That finding is an example of how real-world behavior can be changed by immersing people in virtual reality environments. ... > full story

Are invasive plants a threat to native biodiversity? It depends on the spatial scale (April 11, 2011) -- The phrase "invasive plant species" typically evokes negative images such as broad swaths of kudzu smothered trees along the highway or purple loosestrife taking over wetlands and clogging waterways -- and as such, invasive plants are largely viewed as major threats to native biodiversity. However, research has shown both that invasive species may be one of the most important threats to biodiversity and that plant invasions are rarely the cause for native species extinctions. How can these conflicting pieces of evidence be reconciled? ... > full story

Alarmingly high cardiovascular risk factors found in Mediterranean people (April 11, 2011) -- A study of 2,270 adults has challenged the long-held belief that people in the Mediterranean all enjoy more healthy diets and lifestyles, after discovering alarmingly high cardiovascular risk factors similar to those found in the UK and USA. The research also found strong links between low levels of education and increased risk. Just under 30% of the adults had three or more cardiovascular risk factors that could be modified by changes to their lifestyle or diet. ... > full story

How children cope with the aftermath of a hurricane (April 11, 2011) -- Living through a natural disaster is a traumatic experience for everyone, but especially for children. A new study indicates that some children who directly experience a devastating hurricane still show signs of post-traumatic stress almost two years after the event. The findings suggest that new models for intervention to help children after a natural disaster are needed. ... > full story

Excessive nitrogen harms the economy and environment: First Europe-wide assessment published (April 11, 2011) -- A major new study finds that nitrogen pollution is costing each person in Europe around 150-740 Euros a year. The first European Nitrogen Assessment (ENA), carried out by 200 experts from 21 countries and 89 organizations, has been launched at a conference in Edinburgh, Scotland. The study estimates that the annual cost of damage caused by nitrogen across Europe is 70-320 billion Euros, more than double the extra income gained from using nitrogen fertilizers in European agriculture. ... > full story

Scientists to sequence DNA of cystic fibrosis superbug (April 10, 2011) -- Scientists in the UK are using the latest DNA sequencing technology to understand the diversity of a bacterium that causes severe lung infection in cystic fibrosis patients. ... > full story

Avalanche risk: Monitoring system warns of slippery slopes (April 10, 2011) -- As a consequence of climatic changes, the number of avalanche threats has been increasing in the Alps and other alpine regions, with fatal consequences for people and infrastructures. Continuous monitoring of every endangered area has been lacking until now due to high costs. Geological researchers have now developed an inexpensive system, which with the help of several technologies can continuously monitor slopes, assess changes, and provide early warnings to communities potentially affected by landslides. ... > full story

Ancient fossils hold clues for predicting future climate change (April 10, 2011) -- The study of fossilized mollusks dating back more than 3.5 million years has enabled geoscientists to construct an ancient climate record that holds clues regarding the long-term effects of Earth's current levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, a key contributor to global climate change. ... > full story

Bacterial genome may hold answers to mercury mystery (April 10, 2011) -- A newly sequenced bacterial genome could contain clues as to how microorganisms produce a highly toxic form of mercury. Methylmercury, a potent human neurotoxin, appears in the environment when certain naturally occurring bacteria transform inorganic mercury into its more toxic cousin. Few bacterial species are capable of this conversion, and exactly how the transformation takes place has been a matter of debate for decades. ... > full story