ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, August 29, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, August 29, 2011

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Arabidopsis: Thanks to its flexible genome, the plant can adapt to various environmental conditions (August 28, 2011) -- The plant Arabidopsis thaliana is found throughout the entire northern hemisphere. But how does this small, inconspicuous plant deal with all these different extremes of environmental conditions? In order to discover the whole-genome sequence variation, the 1001 Genomes Project was launched in 2008. Researchers have now found that the Arabidopsis plant can adapt to various environmental conditions because of a very flexible genome. ... > full story

In cell culture, like real estate, the neighborhood matters (August 28, 2011) -- Ever since scientists first began growing human cells in lab dishes in 1952, they have focused on improving the chemical soup that feeds the cells and helps regulate their growth. But surfaces also matter, research shows. ... > full story

NASA satellite shows a mean Irene's fury (August 28, 2011) -- After pounding North Carolina and Virginia on Aug. 27, Hurricane Irene made a second landfall near Little Egg Inlet, N.J., early Sunday morning, Aug. 28, still as a category one hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kilometers per hour). It then weakened slightly before making a third landfall over Coney Island, N.Y. as a 65-mph (100-kilometer-per-hour) tropical storm. Irene's heavy rains, winds and storm surge are causing widespread problems throughout the U.S. mid-Atlantic and Northeast. ... > full story

Research from Everest: Can leucine help burn fat and spare muscle tissue during exercise? (August 28, 2011) -- Research on Mt. Everest climbers is adding to the evidence that an amino acid called leucine -- found in foods, dietary supplements, energy bars and other products -- may help people burn fat during periods of food restriction, such as climbing at high altitude, while keeping their muscle tissue. ... > full story

Eradicating dangerous bacteria may cause permanent harm (August 28, 2011) -- In the zeal to eliminate dangerous bacteria, it is possible that we are also permanently killing off beneficial bacteria as well, an expert warns. ... > full story

Cholera pandemic's source discovered (August 28, 2011) -- Researchers have used next generation sequencing to trace the source and explain the spread of the latest cholera pandemic. Their work reveals that the current pandemic can be traced back to an ancestor organism that appeared 40 years ago in the Bay of Bengal. From this ancestor, cholera has spread repeatedly to different parts of the world in multiple waves. The team also show antibiotic resistance was first acquired around 1982. ... > full story

Genome of mesopolyploid crop Brassica rapa sheds new light on the study of genome evolution (August 28, 2011) -- An international team of researchers comprising the Brassica rapa Genome Sequencing Project Consortium has completed the genome sequence and analysis of the mesopolyploid crop B. rapa, a Chinese cabbage. ... > full story

Possible biological control discovered for pathogen devastating amphibians (August 27, 2011) -- Zoologists have discovered that a freshwater species of zooplankton will eat a fungal pathogen which is devastating amphibian populations around the world. It could provide a desperately needed tool for biological control of this deadly fungus. ... > full story

Novel control of Dengue fever (August 27, 2011) -- The spread of Dengue fever in northern Australia may be controlled by a bacterium that infects mosquitoes that harbor the virus, researchers report. ... > full story

Molecular chaperones traffic signaling proteins between cells in plant stem-cell maintenance pathway (August 27, 2011) -- Plant biologists have discovered that proteins called chaperonins are an indispensable factor in making possible cell-to-cell trafficking of signals that maintain stem cells and enable plants to grow. ... > full story

Wide gap in immune responses of people exposed to the flu (August 27, 2011) -- Why do some folks who take every precaution still get the flu, while others never even get the sniffles? It comes down to a person's immune system response to the flu virus, according to new research. In one of the first known studies of its kind, researchers used genomics to begin to unravel what in our complex genomic data accounts for why some get sick while others don't. ... > full story

Florida's reefs cannot endure a 'cold snap' (August 27, 2011) -- Florida's corals dropped in numbers due to unseasonably cold weather conditions in 2010. The chilly January temperatures caused the most catastrophic loss of corals within the Florida Reef Tract, which spans 160 miles (260 kilometers) from Miami to the Dry Tortugas and is the only living barrier reef in the continental U.S. ... > full story

Summer drought limits the positive effects of CO<sub>2</sub> and heat on plant growth in future climate (August 27, 2011) -- Summer drought limits the positive effects of carbon dioxide and heat on plant growth in future climate. Although the rain this summer has been pouring down over Denmark, most scientists agree that global temperature increases will intensify periods with summer drought already in 2075. ... > full story

Could new drug cure nearly any viral infection? Technology shows promise against common cold, influenza and other ailments, researchers say (August 26, 2011) -- Most bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics such as penicillin, discovered decades ago. However, such drugs are useless against viral infections, including influenza, the common cold, and deadly hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola. Now, in a development that could transform how viral infections are treated, a team of researchers has designed a drug that can identify cells that have been infected by any type of virus, then kill those cells to terminate the infection. ... > full story

Cars could run on recycled newspaper, scientists say (August 26, 2011) -- Here's one way that old-fashioned newsprint beats the Internet. Scientists have discovered a novel bacterial strain, dubbed "TU-103," that can use paper to produce butanol, a biofuel that can serve as a substitute for gasoline. They are currently experimenting with old editions of the Times Picayune, New Orleans' venerable daily newspaper, with great success. ... > full story

Adapting to climate change with floating houses? (August 26, 2011) -- Climate change is redefining the rules by which we live and at a pace we never expected. Because of rising sea level, several areas of the globe are in danger of vanishing from the map, disappearing under water. Society must adapt and maybe, one day, live in floating houses in floating cities. ... > full story

Biological communities studied at historical WWII shipwrecks along North Carolina (August 26, 2011) -- In the waters off the North Carolina coast, historically-significant World War II submarines and shipwrecks rest on the seafloor, a testament to a relatively unknown chapter in US history. According to a new report, the shipwrecks are not only important for their cultural value, but also as habitat for a wide diversity of fishes, invertebrates and algal species. Additionally, due to their unique location within an important area for biological productivity, the shipwrecks are potential sites for examining community change. ... > full story

Heat in chili peppers can ease sinus problems, research shows (August 26, 2011) -- Hot chili peppers are known to make people "tear up," but a new study found that a nasal spray containing an ingredient derived from hot chili peppers may help people "clear up" certain types of sinus inflammation. ... > full story

Earth-bound asteroids come from stony asteroids, new studies confirm (August 26, 2011) -- Researchers got their first up-close look at dust from the surface of a small, stony asteroid after the Hayabusa spacecraft scooped some up and brought it back to Earth. Analysis of these dust particles confirms a long-standing suspicion: that the most common meteorites found here on Earth, known as ordinary chondrites, are born from these stony, or S-type, asteroids. ... > full story

Claims of drought-driven declines in plant productivity, global food security refuted: Modeling errors produced exaggerated claims (August 26, 2011) -- A new, comprehensive study refutes earlier claims that drought has induced a decline in global plant productivity during the past decade and posed a threat to global food security. ... > full story

No bones about it: Eating dried plums helps prevent fractures and osteoporosis, study suggests (August 26, 2011) -- When it comes to improving bone health in postmenopausal women -- and people of all ages, actually -- researchers has found a simple, proactive solution to help prevent fractures and osteoporosis: eating dried plums. ... > full story

Simple way to grow muscle tissue with real muscle structure (August 26, 2011) -- Researchers have found a simple way to grow muscle tissue with a real muscle structure in the laboratory. They found that the muscle cells automatically align themselves if they are subjected to tension in one direction -- this is essential for the ability of the muscle cells to exert a force. ... > full story

Could the Spanish flu devastate us again? (August 26, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a new computational method that can predict viral mutation strategies, tracking virus strains and giving researchers the tools they need to better combat these mutations with more precisely formulated vaccines. ... > full story

New model predicts environmental effect of pharmaceutical products (August 26, 2011) -- Most synthetic chemical products used in consumer goods end up unchanged in the environment. Given the risks this could pose for the environment and human health, researchers in Spain have developed a new tool to effectively predict what will happen to current and future pharmaceutical products. ... > full story

'Hidden' differences of chromosome organization become visible (August 25, 2011) -- Why do different species have dissimilar sets of chromosomes? Why do the differentiated species often conserve apparently identical chromosome complements? Furthermore, why, while chromosome rearrangements can considerably change the course of species evolution, do certain variation among individuals and populations of some species persists indefinitely? Such questions motivate researchers to compare chromosomes in closely related species. To understand the nature of chromosome changes in the voles Microtus savii, researchers launched a molecular cytogenetic study. ... > full story

Slim down by targeting the hormone uroguanylin (August 25, 2011) -- The number of people who are obese and suffer one or more of its associated health problems is escalating dramatically. Researchers are seeking to identify new targets for therapeutics that could limit appetite and thereby obesity. Researchers have now uncovered one new potential target (uroguanylin) by studying the molecular control of appetite in mice. ... > full story

Single vaccines to protect against both rabies and Ebola (August 25, 2011) -- Researchers have developed single vaccines to protest against both rabies and the Ebola virus. ... > full story

Darwin's butterflies? Spectacular species radiation in the Caribbean studied with 'DNA barcoding' (August 25, 2011) -- In one of the first taxonomic revisions of Neotropical butterflies that utilizes "DNA barcoding," biologists have uncovered a spectacular degree of evolutionary divergence within the satyrine butterfly genus Calisto. ... > full story

Malaria mosquito is disappearing, but it is not necessarily just good news (August 25, 2011) -- The incidence of malaria in many African countries south of the Sahara is falling rapidly, shows new research. Scientists have discovered that the mosquito carrying the malaria parasite has practically disappeared from villages without organized mosquito control, and they do not know why. Since the researchers can discount mosquito nets, the question is whether the mosquitoes have succumbed to disease, or communities have been using pesticides, or whether the fall is due to the chaotic new precipitation patterns. ... > full story

Irrigation's impacts on global carbon uptake (August 25, 2011) -- Globally, irrigation increases agricultural productivity by an amount roughly equivalent to the entire agricultural output of the US, according to a new study. ... > full story

Interbreeding between modern humans and evolutionary cousins gave healthy immune system boost to human genome, study finds (August 25, 2011) -- For a few years now, scientists have known that humans and their evolutionary cousins had some casual flings, but now it appears that these liaisons led to a more meaningful relationship. Interbreeding between modern humans and close relatives -- including Neanderthals and the recently discovered Denisovans -- has endowed some human gene pools with beneficial versions of immune system genes, researchers report in a new study. ... > full story

Discovery explains why influenza B virus exclusively infects humans: Opens door for new drugs (August 25, 2011) -- Researchers have reported a discovery that could help scientists develop drugs to fight seasonal influenza epidemics caused by the common influenza B strain. Their discovery also helps explain how influenza B is limited to humans, and why it cannot be as virulent as A strains that incorporate new genes from influenza viruses that infect other species. ... > full story

Protein-making machinery in bacteria successfully re-engineered (August 25, 2011) -- Researchers have successfully re-engineered the protein-making machinery in bacteria, a technical tour de force that promises to revolutionize the study and treatment of a variety of diseases. ... > full story

NASA satellites Hurricane Irene almost one-third the size of U.S. east coast (August 25, 2011) -- Hurricane Irene is a major hurricane, and NASA satellite data shows its diameter is now about one-third the length of the U.S. Atlantic coastline. Meanwhile, far in the eastern Atlantic Ocean a tenth tropical depression formed. One satellite image captured both storms and shows the tremendous difference in their size. ... > full story

New sensors streamline detection of estrogenic compounds (August 25, 2011) -- Researchers have engineered new sensors that fluoresce in the presence of compounds that interact with estrogen receptors in human cells. The sensors detect natural or human-made substances that alter estrogenic signaling in the body. ... > full story

Why spiders don't drop off of their threads: Source of spider silk's extreme strength unveiled (August 25, 2011) -- It has five times the tensile strength of steel and is stronger than even the best currently available synthetic fibers: Spider thread. Scientists have now succeeded in unveiling a further secret of silk proteins and the mechanism that imparts spider silk with its strength. ... > full story

Scientists reengineer antibiotic to overcome dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria (August 25, 2011) -- A team of scientists has successfully reengineered an important antibiotic to kill the deadliest antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The compound could one day be used clinically to treat patients with life-threatening and highly resistant bacterial infections. ... > full story

Fast asleep to wide awake: Hibernating bears, predation and pregnancy (August 25, 2011) -- Black bears hibernate, sleeping their way through winter, and who can blame them? New research shows that, despite low heart rates and respiration, hibernating black bears are always alert to danger and ready to act. Additionally, the heart rates of pregnant bears, which give birth during winter months, increase as the pregnancy progresses but return to hibernation levels after the cubs are born. ... > full story

Storing vertebrates in the cloud: Cloud-based data make searching the world’s museum collections easier (August 25, 2011) -- Researchers are taking information about the vertebrate collections in museums around the world and store it in "the cloud" for easy use by researchers and citizen scientists alike. VertNet combines four earlier databases -- for mammals, birds, herps and fish -- and makes them more easily searchable and viewable via powerful applications being developed to manipulate and display cloud-based data. Already, online databases are spurring broad studies of biodiversity change. ... > full story

Cod’s surprising immune system (August 25, 2011) -- Norwegian research has revealed that the immune system of cod is very different from other fish and from mammals -- a discovery that may shed light on the human immune system as well. ... > full story

Caffeine lowers risk of skin cancer: Coffee-based sunscreen might work best (August 25, 2011) -- Researchers strengthen their theory that caffeine guards against skin cancer. Based on research on mice, scientists believe that caffeine applied directly to the skin may ultimately be effective as a topical sunscreeen. ... > full story

NASA satellites detect pothole on road to higher seas (August 25, 2011) -- Like mercury in a thermometer, ocean waters expand as they warm. This, along with melting glaciers and ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, drives sea levels higher over the long term. For the past 18 years, the U.S./French Jason-1, Jason-2 and Topex/Poseidon spacecraft have been monitoring the gradual rise of the world's ocean in response to global warming. While the rise of the global ocean has been remarkably steady for most of this time, every once in a while, sea level rise hits a speed bump. This past year, it's been more like a pothole: between last summer and this one, global sea level actually fell by about a quarter of an inch, or half a centimeter. ... > full story

Gene study sheds new light on origins of British men (August 25, 2011) -- New genetic evidence reveals that most British men are not descended from immigrant farmers who migrated east 5,000-10,000 years ago -- contrary to previous research. Instead, scientists say that most European men can trace their lineage to people -- most likely hunter-gatherers -- who had settled in Europe long before that time. ... > full story

DNA cages 'can survive inside living cells' (August 25, 2011) -- Scientists have shown for the first time that molecular cages made from DNA can enter and survive inside living cells. ... > full story

Pacific walruses studied as sea ice melts (August 25, 2011) -- U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center researchers, in cooperation with the Native Village of Point Lay, will attempt to attach 35 satellite radio-tags to walruses on the northwestern Alaska coast in August as part of their ongoing study of how the Pacific walrus are responding to reduced sea ice conditions in late summer and fall. ... > full story

New Jersey researchers have an eye on the science of Hurricane Irene (August 25, 2011) -- While residents along the New Jersey and New York coasts rush to the store for batteries and bottled water, scientists at Stevens Institute of Technology are heading to the laboratory to help predict the impact of Hurricane Irene. ... > full story

E. coli in the countryside: whose problem is it anyway? (August 25, 2011) -- Reducing the risks of catching E. coli O157 in the countryside is everyone's problem. That means we should all take responsibility -- individual residents and visitors, as well as farmers and government -- according to experts. ... > full story

Researchers produce viable bacterium in which one of four DNA bases is replaced by synthetic analog (August 25, 2011) -- An international team of researchers has achieved a world-first by producing a viable bacterium in which one of the four DNA bases has been replaced by a synthetic analog compound. The advantage of the new bacterium is that it would eventually be dependent on this compound, which does not exist in nature, and would therefore be unable to compete or exchange genetic material with natural organisms. ... > full story