Space Season: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Friday, April 22, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Friday, April 22, 2011

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Learning to tolerate our microbial self: Bacteria co-opt human immune cells for mutual benefit (April 22, 2011) -- The human gut is filled with 100 trillion symbiotic bacteria which we blissfully live with, although they have many features similar to infectious bacteria we react against. What decides whether we ignore -- or fight? In the case of a common "friendly" gut bacterium, Bacteroides fragilis, researchers have discovered the surprising answer: The decision is not made by us, but by the bacteria, which co-opt cells of the immune system for our benefit ... and theirs. ... > full story

New technique improves sensitivity of PCR pathogen detection (April 22, 2011) -- A new procedure can improve polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods of detecting plant disease organisms. ... > full story

Bacteria interrupted: Disabling coordinated behavior and virulence gene expression (April 22, 2011) -- New research reveals a strategy for disrupting the ability of bacteria to communicate and coordinate the expression of virulence factors. The study may lead to the development of new antibacterial therapeutics. ... > full story

Scotland's first marine reserve already producing benefits (April 22, 2011) -- Scotland’s first fully protected marine reserve, and only the second in the UK, is already providing commercial and conservation benefits, according to new research. ... > full story

Prenatal pesticide exposure tied to lower IQ in children, study finds (April 22, 2011) -- A new study has found that prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides -- widely used on food crops -- is related to lower intelligence scores in children. Every tenfold increase in measures of organophosphates detected during a mother's pregnancy corresponded to a 5.5 point drop in overall IQ scores in children at age 7, the researchers found. ... > full story

Salmonella utilize multiple modes of infection: New mechanism that helps with invading host cells discovered (April 22, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered a new, hitherto unknown mechanism of Salmonella invasion into gut cells: In this entry mode, the bacteria exploit the muscle power of cells to be pulled into the host cell cytoplasm. Thus, the strategies Salmonella use to infect cells are more complex than previously thought. ... > full story

Genes causing antimalarial drug resistance identified (April 21, 2011) -- Using a pair of powerful genome-search techniques, researchers have identified several genes that may be implicated in the malaria parasite's notorious ability to rapidly evade drug treatments. ... > full story

Biologist illuminates how seedlings regulate growth (April 21, 2011) -- All kinds of organisms, from plants to people, regulate growth via networks of proteins that add on and lop off phosphate molecules. Scientists can now explain key steps that allow seedlings to make it past the surface of the soil. ... > full story

Organic and conventional farming methods compete to eliminate weed seeds in soil (April 21, 2011) -- Weeds are hard to kill; they seem to come back no matter what steps people take to eradicate them. One reason is because of the persistence of weed seeds in the soil. Organic farming and conventional farming systems both have their methods of taking on weed seeds, but does one show better results than the other? ... > full story

Historic church's subterranean secrets revealed (April 21, 2011) -- Researchers have carried out a full scientific survey of an historic churchyard widely believed to be the site of the crowning of at least two Anglo-Saxon kings. The team used an earth resistance meter to survey a graveyard at the site where possibly as many as seven kings were crowned, during the 10th Century, including Athelstan, the first king of a unified England in 925, and Ethelred the Unready in 978-9. ... > full story

Earth recovered from prehistoric global warming faster than previously thought (April 21, 2011) -- Earth may be able to recover from rising carbon dioxide emissions faster than previously thought, according to evidence from a prehistoric event. When faced with high levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide and rising temperatures 56 million years ago, Earth increased its ability to pull carbon from the air. This led to a recovery that was quicker than anticipated by many models of the carbon cycle. ... > full story

Simple fungus reveals clue to immune system protection (April 21, 2011) -- A discovery about how a single-celled fungus survives in low-oxygen settings may someday help humans whose immune systems are compromised by organ transplants or AIDS. ... > full story

American pikas: Contemporary climate change alters the pace and drivers of extinction (April 21, 2011) -- Local extinction rates of American pikas have increased nearly five-fold in the last 10 years, and the rate at which the climate-sensitive species is moving up mountain slopes has increased 11-fold since the 20th century, according to a new study. ... > full story

Melting ice on Arctic islands a major player in sea level rise (April 21, 2011) -- Melting glaciers and ice caps on Canadian Arctic islands play a much greater role in sea level rise than scientists previously thought, according to a new study, ... > full story

Antimalarial trees in East Africa threatened with extinction (April 21, 2011) -- Research released in anticipation of World Malaria Day finds that plants in East Africa with promising antimalarial qualities -- ones that have treated malaria symptoms in the region's communities for hundreds of years -- are at risk of extinction. Scientists fear that these natural remedial qualities, and thus their potential to become a widespread treatment for malaria, could be lost forever. ... > full story

Fat turns into soap in sewers, contributes to overflows (April 21, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered how fat, oil and grease can create hardened deposits in sewer lines: it turns into soap! The hardened deposits, which can look like stalactites, contribute to sewer overflows. ... > full story

MicroRNA mediates gene-diet interaction related to obesity, researchers find (April 21, 2011) -- Researchers observed that a genetic variant on the perilipin 4 (PLIN4) locus was associated with an increased risk of obesity yet, carriers with higher omega-3 fatty acid intakes tended to weigh less than carriers who consumed little or no omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, the researchers identified a microRNA which may help elucidate the mechanism behind the gene-diet interaction. ... > full story

Gold prices spur six-fold spike in Amazon deforestation (April 21, 2011) -- Deforestation in parts of the Peruvian Amazon has increased six-fold in recent years as small-scale miners, driven by record gold prices, blast and clear more of the lowland rainforest, according to a study. ... > full story

Mega wind turbines of 20 MW (April 21, 2011) -- The present largest wind turbines have a capacity of 5-6 MW. Scientists have now presented the first design basis for developing mega wind turbines of 20 MW. One single wind turbine of this type in the North Sea would provide electricity for 15,000 to 20,000 dwellings. ... > full story

Low carbohydrate diet may reverse kidney failure in people with diabetes (April 21, 2011) -- Researchers have for the first time determined that the ketogenic diet, a specialized high-fat, low carbohydrate diet, may reverse impaired kidney function in people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. ... > full story

Ring around the hurricanes: Satellites can predict storm intensity (April 21, 2011) -- Coastal residents may soon have longer warning when a storm headed in their direction is becoming a hurricane, thanks to a study demonstrating how to use existing satellites to monitor tropical storm dynamics and predict sudden surges in strength. Using passive microwave satellites, the researchers found that low-shear storm systems form a symmetrical ring of thunderstorms around the center of the system about six hours before rapidly intensifying into a hurricane. ... > full story

Why are the Seychelles free of malaria? (April 21, 2011) -- Anopheles mosquitoes, which transmit the malaria parasite by their bite are present almost throughout the world. Only five areas are exceptions: Antarctic and Iceland, where there are no mosquitoes at all, New-Caledonia, the Central Pacific islands, like French Polynesia, and the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. New research suggests that the Seychelles have been spared because anopheles mosquitoes require the blood of terrestrial mammals which, apart from bats, are lacking. ... > full story

All U.S. federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico once closed to fishing due to spill now open (April 21, 2011) -- NOAA has reopened to commercial and recreational fishing 1,041 square miles of Gulf waters immediately surrounding the Deepwater Horizon wellhead, just east of Louisiana. This is the twelfth and final reopening in federal waters since July 22, and opens all of the areas in Federal waters formerly closed to fishing due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ... > full story

What's your gut type? Gut bacteria could help with diagnostics and influence treatments (April 21, 2011) -- Humans have three different gut types, scientists have found. The study also uncovers microbial genetic markers that are related to traits like age, gender and body-mass index. The findings could help diagnose and predict outcomes for diseases like colorectal cancer, and inform treatment. ... > full story

Routine rotavirus vaccination in Brazil has reduced diarrhea deaths in children (April 21, 2011) -- Rotavirus vaccination in all areas of Brazil is associated with reduced diarrhea-related deaths and hospital admissions in children aged under five years, a new study reports. ... > full story

Drug development speeds up with more advanced microarray technology (April 21, 2011) -- RNA interference technology, which is used in cell biology, has revolutionized functional research of the gene products in the last ten years. Now researchers have developed a method which allows a single microchip to be used to screen the functions of tens of thousands of genes simultaneously by means of RNA interference. Traditional methods only allow a few hundred genes to be screened with each microplate. ... > full story

Protein-patterned fibers: Researchers combine active proteins with material derived from fruit fly (April 20, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a way to pattern active proteins into bio-friendly fibers. The "eureka" moment came about because somebody forgot to clean up the lab one night. The new work simplifies the process of making materials with fully functional proteins. Such materials could find extensive use as chemical catalysts and biosensors and in tissue engineering, for starters. ... > full story

Air pollution exposure affects chances of developing premenopausal breast cancer, study finds (April 20, 2011) -- Exposure to air pollution early in life and when a woman gives birth to her first child may alter her DNA and may be associated with pre-menopausal breast cancer later in life, researchers have shown. ... > full story

How TRIM5 fights HIV: Scientists discover mechanism of protein that makes certain monkeys resistant (April 20, 2011) -- Thanks to a certain protein, rhesus monkeys are resistant to HIV. Known as TRIM5, the protein prevents the HI virus from multiplying once it has entered the cell. Researchers in Switzerland have now discovered the protein's mechanism. This also opens up new prospects for fighting HIV in humans. ... > full story

Breakthrough in malaria treatment in the run up to World Malaria Day (April 20, 2011) -- Ahead of World Malaria Day (25 April), researchers have discovered that drugs originally designed to inhibit the growth of cancer cells can also kill the parasite that causes malaria. They believe this discovery could open up a new strategy for combating this deadly disease, which infected around 225 million and killed nearly 800,000 people worldwide in 2009. ... > full story

Scientists prove new technology to control malaria-carrying mosquitoes (April 20, 2011) -- Scientists have taken an important step towards developing control measures for mosquitoes that transmit malaria. In a new study, researchers have demonstrated how some genetic changes can be introduced into large laboratory mosquito populations over the span of a few generations by just a small number of modified mosquitoes. ... > full story

Using the energy in oil shale without releasing carbon dioxide in a greenhouse world (April 20, 2011) -- New technology that combines production of electricity with capture of carbon dioxide could make billions of barrels of oil shale -- now regarded as off-limits because of the huge amounts of carbon dioxide released in its production -- available as an energy source in a greenhouse world of the future, according to a new report. ... > full story

Evolution of human 'super-brain' tied to development of bipedalism, tool-making (April 20, 2011) -- Scientists seeking to understand the origin of the human mind may want to look to honeybees -- not ancestral apes -- for at least some of the answers, according to a University of Colorado Boulder archaeologist. ... > full story

Ends of chromosomes protected by stacked, coiled DNA caps (April 20, 2011) -- Researchers are delving into the details of the complex structure at the ends of chromosomes. Recent work describes how these structures, called telomeres, can be protected by caps made up of specialized proteins and stacks of DNA called G-quadruplexes, or "G4 DNA." ... > full story

Hundreds of barrier islands newly identified in global survey (April 20, 2011) -- Earth has 657 more barrier islands than previously thought, according to a new global survey by researchers. ... > full story

Antibiotics cure anthrax in animal models (April 20, 2011) -- In the absence of early antibiotic treatment, respiratory anthrax is fatal. The 2001 bioterrorism attacks in the US killed four people, out of 22 infected (10 of them with respiratory anthrax), despite massive antibiotic administration, probably because therapy did not begin until the disease had reached the fulminant stage. But a multi-agent prophylaxis initiated within 24 hours post-infection prevented development of fatal anthrax respiratory disease, and treatment combining antibiotics with immunization with a protective antigen-based vaccine conferred long-term protective immunity against reestablishment of the disease, according to a new study. ... > full story

How peppermint helps to relieve irritable bowel syndrome (April 20, 2011) -- Researchers in Australia have shown for the first time how peppermint helps to relieve irritable bowel syndrome, which affects up to 20 percent of the population. In a new paper, they explain how peppermint activates an "anti-pain" channel in the colon, soothing inflammatory pain in the gastrointestinal tract. ... > full story

Antibiotics disrupt gut ecology, metabolism (April 20, 2011) -- Humans carry several pounds of microbes in our gastro-intestinal tracts. Recent research suggests that this microbial ecosystem plays a variety of critical roles in our health. Now, working in a mouse model, researchers from Canada describe many of the interactions between the intestinal microbiota and host, and show that antibiotics profoundly disrupt intestinal homeostasis. ... > full story

Professor notices Abe Lincoln's signature on a picture hanging in his office (April 20, 2011) -- When a professor looked a bit closer at a picture that had been hanging in his office for a few years, he noticed what looked like a signature belonging to the nation's 16th president. Curiosity got the better of him, so he contacted a Lincoln authority. The signature turned out to be authentic. ... > full story

Right-handedness prevailed 500,000 years ago (April 20, 2011) -- Markings on fossilized front teeth show that right-handedness goes back a half-million years in the human family. ... > full story

Propeller turbulence may affect marine food webs, study finds (April 20, 2011) -- A new study shows that turbulence from boat propellers can and does kill large numbers of copepods -- tiny crustaceans that are an important part of marine food webs. ... > full story

Canola oil protects against colon cancer, study suggests (April 20, 2011) -- A study of canola oil finds that it reduces the size and incidence of colon tumors in laboratory animals, a scientist says. ... > full story

Biologically inspired catalysts being developed (April 20, 2011) -- A research team is developing biologically-inspired catalysts. The work is based on organic catalytic framework made sturdy by the replacement of carbon-hydrogen bonds with a combination of aromatic and aliphatic carbon-fluorine bonds. ... > full story

Collecting the sun's energy: Novel electrode for flexible thin-film solar cells (April 20, 2011) -- Conventional silicon-based rigid solar cells generally found on the market are not suitable for manufacturing moldable thin-film solar cells, in which a transparent, flexible and electrically conductive electrode collects the light and carries away the current. A new woven polymer electrode has now produced first results which are very promising, indicating that the new material may be a substitute for indium tin oxide coatings. ... > full story

Mercury on the rise in endangered Pacific seabirds (April 20, 2011) -- Using 120 years of feathers from natural history museums in the United States, researchers have been able to track increases in the neurotoxin methylmercury in the black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes), an endangered seabird that forages extensively throughout the Pacific. ... > full story

New biosensor microchip could speed up drug development, researchers say (April 20, 2011) -- A new biosensor microchip that could hold more than 100,000 magnetically sensitive nanosensors could speed up drug development markedly, researchers say. The nanosensors analyze how proteins bond -- a critical step in drug development. The ultrasensitive sensors can simultaneously monitor thousands of times more proteins than existing technology, deliver results faster and assess the strength of the bonds. ... > full story

Life in extreme environments paves the way for international collaboration: New roadmap for research launched (April 20, 2011) -- Life thriving in deserts, the Polar Regions and the deep sea is the focus of a report released by the CAREX project, involving over 200 international scientists. The CAREX (Coordination Action for Research Activities on life in Extreme Environments) roadmap outlines priorities for future research into life in extreme environments, giving the basis for international collaboration. ... > full story

One year later, oil spill’s impact on Gulf not fully understood (April 19, 2011) -- One year after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill began on April 20, 2010, two experts comment on the known and unknown impacts to wildlife -- in the air, on the land and in the sea. ... > full story