Senin, 13 September 2010

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, September 13, 2010

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Long-standing mystery of protein 'quality control' mechanism solved (September 13, 2010) -- Scientists have solved a long-standing mystery of how cells conduct "quality control" to eliminate the toxic effects of a certain kind of error in protein production. The findings may lead to a better understanding of a host of neurodegenerative diseases. ... > full story

Dry lake bed salts promote cloud formation (September 13, 2010) -- One of the major uncertainties in climate modeling is the effect of aerosol particles on cloud formation. Sea salt in the air has been known to be important in cloud formation over oceans. A new study now provides the first direct measurements of clouds showing that wind-blown dust from dry lake beds (playas) can also act as cloud condensation nuclei, encouraging the formation of clouds over continents and thereby affecting climate. ... > full story

Understanding volcanism and tectonic activity in Yellowstone and the Pacific Northwest (September 13, 2010) -- During the past 65 million years, the Pacific Northwest has experienced significant tectonic and volcanic activity, including volcanism in the Yellowstone region. The origins of volcanism in the area have been debated. ... > full story

Fruit fly gene study leads to new method for understanding brain function (September 12, 2010) -- A team of researchers studying neurobiology in fruit flies has developed a new method for understanding brain function with potential applications in studies of human neurological diseases. ... > full story

Interrupting death messages to treat bone disease (September 12, 2010) -- A surface molecule on bacteria that instructs bone cells to die could be the target for new treatments for bone disease, says a scientist. Blocking the death signal from bacteria could be a way of treating painful bone infections that are resistant to antibiotics, such as those caused by meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. ... > full story

Discovery offers hope of saving sub-Saharan crops from devastating parasites (September 12, 2010) -- Each year, thousands of acres of crops are planted throughout Africa, Asia and Australia only to be laid to waste by a parasitic plant called Striga, also known as witchweed. It is one of the largest challenges to food security in Africa, and a team of scientists has discovered chemicals and genes that may break Striga's stranglehold. ... > full story

Public looks at synthetic biology -- cautiously (September 12, 2010) -- A new poll finds that two-thirds of Americans think that synthetic biology should move forward, but with more research to study its possible effects on humans and the environment, while one-third support a ban until we better understand its implications and risks. More than half of Americans believe the federal government should be involved in regulating synthetic biology. ... > full story

Carbon mapping breakthrough (September 12, 2010) -- By integrating satellite mapping, airborne-laser technology, and ground-based plot surveys, scientists have revealed the first high-resolution maps of carbon locked up in tropical forest vegetation and emitted by land-use practices. ... > full story

Land-use expert brings satellite data down to Earth (September 12, 2010) -- By integrating remote satellite imagery with revelations from door-to-door interviews, geographers are exploring the complex conditions that give rise to a broad range of land-use challenges -- from the reforestation of Vietnam to the spread of Lyme disease in Belgium. ... > full story

New model provides more effective basis for biodiversity conservation (September 12, 2010) -- A new mathematical model has been developed that provides a more effective basis for biodiversity conservation than existing frameworks. ... > full story

Flying fish glide as well as birds, researchers find (September 11, 2010) -- How well do flying fish fly? This is the question that puzzled researchers in South Korea. Measuring aerodynamic forces on dried darkedged-wing flying fish in a wind tunnel, they discovered that flying fish glide better than insects and as well as birds. The fish also derive an aerodynamic advantage from gliding close to the water's surface to cover distances as great as 400 meters. ... > full story

E. coli engineered to produce biodiesel (September 11, 2010) -- New research is shedding light on how to alter the genetic makeup of E. coli to produce biodiesel fuel derived from fatty acids. ... > full story

Energy drinks may give young sports teams an edge, study says (September 11, 2010) -- Consuming energy drinks during team sports could help young people perform better, a new study suggests. ... > full story

Moonstruck primates: Owl monkeys need moonlight as much as a biological clock for nocturnal activity (September 11, 2010) -- Anthropologists have shown that environmental factors, like temperature and light, play as much of a role in the activity of traditionally nocturnal monkeys as the circadian rhythm that regulates periods of sleep and wakefulness. ... > full story

Research shows continued decline of Oregon's largest glacier (September 11, 2010) -- Researchers have returned to Collier Glacier for the first time in almost 20 years and found that the glacier has decreased more than 20 percent from its size in the late 1980s. The findings are consistent with glacial retreat all over the world and provide some of the critical data needed to help quantify the effects of global change on glacier retreat and associated sea level rise. ... > full story

Hip dysplasia susceptibility in dogs may be underreported (September 11, 2010) -- A study comparing a new method for evaluating a dog's susceptibility to hip dysplasia to the traditional American method has shown that 80 percent of dogs judged to be normal by the traditional method are actually at risk for developing osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia, according to the new method. ... > full story

Graphene may hold key to speeding up DNA sequencing (September 10, 2010) -- Researchers have demonstrated that graphene can act as an artificial membrane separating two liquid reservoirs. By drilling a tiny pore just a few-nanometers in diameter, called a nanopore, in the graphene membrane, they were able to measure exchange of ions through the pore and demonstrated that a long DNA molecule can be pulled through the graphene nanopore just as a thread is pulled through the eye of a needle. ... > full story

In attracting mates, male bowerbirds appear to rely on special optical effect (September 10, 2010) -- Bowerbird males are well known for making elaborate constructions, lavished with decorative objects, to impress and attract their mates. Now, researchers have identified a completely new dimension to these showy structures in great bowerbirds. The birds create a staged scene, only visible from the point of view of their female audience, by placing pebbles, bones, and shells around their courts in a very special way that can make objects (or a bowerbird male) appear larger or smaller than they really are. ... > full story

Researchers analyze impact of chemical BPA in dental sealants used in children (September 10, 2010) -- Researchers have found that bisphenol A (BPA) released from some plastic resins used in pediatric dentistry is detectable in the saliva after placement in children's mouths. ... > full story

New report seeks to improve climate forecasts (September 10, 2010) -- From farmers to government officials in charge of efficiently managing Earth's precious water and energy resources, people all over the world rely on accurate short-term climate forecasts on timescales ranging from a few weeks to a few years to make more informed decisions. But today's climate forecast systems have limited ability to operate on such timescales. That's because it's difficult to realistically represent the complex interactions between Earth's ocean, atmosphere and land surface in the climate models from which forecasts are developed. A new report by the National Academy of Sciences looks at the current state of these climate predictions and recommends strategies and best practices for improving them. ... > full story

Frog skin may provide antimicrobial peptides effective against multidrug-resistant infections (September 10, 2010) -- Antimicrobial peptides from the skin of frogs may protect against life-threatening, multidrug-resistant infections such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, say researchers from Italy. ... > full story

Researchers expand yeast's sugary diet to include plant fiber (September 10, 2010) -- Yeast cells do not normally eat complex sugars or carbohydrates, only simple sugars like glucose and sucrose. Researchers have now added genes to yeast that allow it to eat more complex sugars, in particular the two-, three- and four-glucose molecules called cellodextrins. These yeast could find use in the biofuels industry, which hopes to use cellulosic plant fibers to make alcohol. ... > full story

Keeping stem cells from changing fates (September 10, 2010) -- Researchers have determined why certain stem cells are able to stay stem cells. A recent study reveals that an enzyme that changes the way DNA is packaged in cells allows specific genes to be turned on and off, thereby preventing a stem cell from becoming another cell type. ... > full story

Gene discovery holds key to growing crops in cold climates (September 10, 2010) -- Fresh insight into how plants slow their growth in cold weather could help scientists develop crops suited to cooler environments. ... > full story

Limiting harmful acrylamide: Lactic acid bacteria to lower risk of cancer (September 10, 2010) -- A small research-based Norwegian company has developed a method to reduce the formation of the carcinogenic compound acrylamide during industrial production of potatoes and coffee. International food giants are paying attention. ... > full story

Oldest Roman baths in Asia Minor discovered in Sagalassos (September 10, 2010) -- An archaeological team has discovered the oldest Roman baths in Asia Minor known to date in Sagalassos, Turkey. Sagalassos was inhabited as a city until the 7th century AD, when it was destroyed by earthquakes. ... > full story

Main climate threat from carbon dioxide sources yet to be built (September 10, 2010) -- New energy-efficient or carbon-free technologies can help cut carbon dioxide emissions, but what about the power plants, cars, trucks, and other fossil-fuel-burning devices already in operation? Unless forced into early retirement, they will emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere for decades to come. Scientists have calculated the amount of carbon dioxide expected to be released from existing energy infrastructure worldwide, and then used a global climate model to project its effect on the Earth's atmosphere and climate. ... > full story

The making of a queen: Road to royalty begins early in paper wasps (September 10, 2010) -- Social status in paper wasps is established earlier in life than scientists thought, says a new study. While many social insects have distinct castes that differ in appearance and are fixed from birth, paper wasp society is more fluid -- all castes look alike, and any female can climb the social ladder and become a queen. Now, molecular analysis reveals that paper wasp social hierarchy is less flexible than it appears. ... > full story

Chopping and changing in the microbial world: How mycoplasmas – the simplest bacterial pathogens – stay alive (September 10, 2010) -- Pathogenic bacteria have evolved a variety of mechanisms to avoid being killed by the immune systems of the humans and animals they invade. Among the most sophisticated is that practiced by mycoplasmas, which regularly change their surface proteins to confuse the immune system. Recent work has revealed surprising new details of the way they do so and at the same time raised important evolutionary questions. ... > full story

In order to save biodiversity, society's behavior must change, leading conservationists warn (September 9, 2010) -- Conservation scientists and practitioners have come together to advocate a fundamental shift in the way we view biodiversity. They argue that unless people recognize the link between their consumption choices and biodiversity loss, the diversity of life on Earth will continue to decline. ... > full story

How mycobacteria avoid destruction inside human cells (September 9, 2010) -- Researchers have identified ten factors that help Mycobacterium tuberculosis avoid destruction inside host cell phagosomes. Two of the genes identified by high-throughput visual screening of 11,000 mutant mycobacteria are involved in the synthesis of acyltrehalose-containing glycolipids. These glycolipids prevent maturation of the host cell phagosome and may be a target for novel antimycobacterial drugs. ... > full story

Phoenix Mars Lander finds surprises about red planet's watery past (September 9, 2010) -- Liquid water has interacted with the Martian surface throughout Mars' history, measurements by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander suggest. The findings also suggest that liquid water has primarily existed at temperatures near freezing, implying hydrothermal systems similar to Yellowstone's hot springs on Earth have been rare on Mars throughout its history. ... > full story

Chemical engineer's work could lead to improved DNA analysis (September 9, 2010) -- DNA analysis is poised to experience a significant advancement thanks to the work of a chemical engineer who has discovered a way to achieve more effective separation of DNA fragments. ... > full story

Energy technologies not enough to sufficiently reduce carbon emissions, expert concludes (September 9, 2010) -- Current energy technologies are not enough to reduce carbon emissions to a level needed to lower the risks associated with climate change, a physicist concludes in a new evaluation. ... > full story

When species are about to become extinct: New research may help predict tipping point (September 9, 2010) -- What if there were a way to predict when a species was about to become extinct -- in time to do something about it? Findings from a new study may eventually lead to such an outcome -- and that is only the start. Their study also has implications for understanding drastic, even catastrophic, changes in many other kinds of complex systems, from the human brain to entire ecosystems. ... > full story

NASA satellites reveal surprising connection between beetle attacks, wildfire (September 9, 2010) -- If your summer travels have taken you across the Rocky Mountains, you've probably seen large swaths of reddish trees dotting otherwise green forests. While it may look like autumn has come early to the mountains, evergreen trees don't change color with the seasons. The red trees are dying, the result of attacks by mountain pine beetles. ... > full story

Corn bred to contain beta-carotene is a good source of vitamin A, study finds (September 9, 2010) -- A new study has found that corn bred to contain increased levels of beta-carotene is a good source of vitamin A. The discovery gives added support to the promise of biofortified corn being developed through conventional plant breeding as an effective tool to combat vitamin A deficiency in developing countries. ... > full story

Tectonic zip: Predictable events of the February 2010 earthquake in Chile (September 9, 2010) -- The complex fracture pattern created by the earthquake in Concepción (Chile) on February 27, 2010 was to a certain extent predictable. GPS observations from the years before the earthquake showed the pattern of stresses that had accumulated through the plate movements during the past 175 years in this area. ... > full story

Self-administered vaccine patch may protect against potentially pandemic flu viruses (September 9, 2010) -- A self-administered patch containing tiny microneedles may effectively deliver influenza virus-like particles through the skin and protect against potentially pandemic flu viruses such as H5N1. ... > full story

Why the biological clock? Aging reduces centromere cohesion, disrupts reproduction, biologists discover (September 9, 2010) -- Biologists studying human reproduction have identified what is likely the major contributing factor to the maternal age-associated increase in aneuploidy, the term for an abnormal number of chromosomes during reproductive cell division. ... > full story

These dendritic cells are fishy, but that's a good thing (September 9, 2010) -- Scientists have identified dendritic antigen-presenting cells in zebrafish, opening the possibility that the tiny fish could become a new model for studying the complexities of the human immune system. ... > full story

Portable laser backpack revolutionizes 3-D mapping (September 9, 2010) -- A portable, laser backpack for 3-D mapping is being hailed as a breakthrough technology capable of producing fast, automatic and realistic 3-D mapping of difficult interior environments. ... > full story

It takes less than you think to create a starling spectacular (September 9, 2010) -- Hundreds of starlings flocking at dusk have become a familiar sight in towns and cities across the UK. But new research suggests that the birds react to minimal information from those nearest them to create these spectacular twilight roosting displays. ... > full story

Deepwater Horizon oil remains below surface, will come ashore in pulses, expert says (September 9, 2010) -- A coastal studies expert disagrees with published estimates that more than 75 percent of the oil from the Deepwater Horizon incident has disappeared. ... > full story

Most penguin populations continue to decline, biologists warn (September 9, 2010) -- Penguin biologists from around the world warn that ten of the planet's eighteen penguin species have experienced further serious population declines. The effects of climate change, overfishing, chronic oil pollution and predation by introduced mammals are among the major factors cited repeatedly by penguin scientists as contributing to these population drops. ... > full story

Is organic farming good for wildlife? It depends on the alternative (September 9, 2010) -- Even though organic methods may increase farm biodiversity, a combination of conventional farming and protected areas could sometimes be a better way to maintain food production and protect wildlife. ... > full story

Microbial breakthrough impacts health, agriculture, biofuels (September 9, 2010) -- For the first time ever, researchers have discovered how microbes break down hemicellulose plant matter into simple sugars using a cow rumen bacterium as a model. ... > full story

Cloud computing method greatly increases gene analysis (September 9, 2010) -- Researchers have developed new software that greatly improves the speed at which scientists can analyze RNA sequencing data. The software, known as Myrna, uses "cloud computing," an Internet-based method of sharing computer resources. Faster, cost-effective analysis of gene expression could be a valuable tool in understanding the genetic causes of disease. ... > full story


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