ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Monday, October 18, 2010
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.
MRI zooms in on microscopic flow (October 18, 2010) -- Through a combination of remote instrumentation, JPEG-style image compression and other key enhancements, researchers have been able to apply Magnetic Resonance Imaging to materials flowing through microfluidic "lab-on-a-chip" devices with unprecedented spatial and time resolutions. ... > full story
Model unfolds proteins gently (October 18, 2010) -- Protein molecules inside cells are constantly reorganizing themselves, driven by very tiny forces exerted by all the other molecules in their crowded environment. Most experimental techniques and theoretical/computational models are necessarily built around much greater driving forces. A new theoretical model investigates the unfolding of fibronectin under gentler conditions. ... > full story
Climate change may alter natural climate cycles of Pacific (October 18, 2010) -- While it's still hotly debated among scientists whether climate change causes a shift from the traditional form of El Nino to one known as El Nino Modoki, scientists now say that El Nino Modoki affects long-term changes in currents in the North Pacific Ocean. ... > full story
Got fish? Nutrition studies explore health benefits (October 18, 2010) -- Some of America's most popular fish -- salmon and albacore tuna, for example -- are rich in healthful natural compounds known as omega-3 fatty acids. Ongoing studies by researchers are helping uncover new details about how these fish-oil components help protect us from chronic diseases. ... > full story
New treatment may protect against pneumonia (October 17, 2010) -- Intranasal administration of the protein flagellin may activate innate immunity and protect against acute pneumonia, say researchers from France. ... > full story
How humidity makes gecko feet stickier: Softens setae to tighten gecko's grip (October 17, 2010) -- Geckos have amazingly sticky feet. Their stickability comes from billions of dry microscopic hairs that coat the soles of their feet. However, when humidity increases, gecko feet stick even tighter to smooth surfaces, so how do they do it? Biologists have found that increased humidity softens the keratin that makes up the sticky foot-hairs, allowing them to deform and stick tighter to surfaces than hairs in dry conditions. ... > full story
New method for detecting Clostridium botulinum spores (October 17, 2010) -- A new method for detecting spores of non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum has been developed. This bacterium is the major health hazard associated with refrigerated convenience foods, and these developments give the food industry and regulators more quantitative information on which to base the procedures that ensure food safety. ... > full story
Of worms and women: Common causes for reproductive decline with age (October 17, 2010) -- In worms as in women, fertility declines at a rate that far exceeds the onset of other aging signs. And now a new report suggests that worms' and humans' biological clocks may wind down over time for similar underlying reasons. ... > full story
Biodiversity goals fall short: What can be done to avert the tragedy of the commons? (October 17, 2010) -- While not an outright failure, a 2010 goal set by the Convention on Biological Diversity for staunching the loss of the world's species fell far short of expectations. In the journal Science, some of the world's foremost biodiversity experts from DIVERSITAS, offer a strategic approach to the 2020 goals currently being considered. There are lots of reasons, reasonable ones, for people making private decisions that lead to biodiversity loss, but they cost us all collectively, authors say. ... > full story
New genus of tree discovered; Related to sandalwoods (October 17, 2010) -- Researchers have described a new genus of tree of the Aptandraceae family, a group that is related to the sandalwoods (order Sanatalales). The genus, which has been given the name Hondurodendron, is endemic to Honduras and means "tree of Honduras." ... > full story
Right food effectively protects against risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline, study finds (October 17, 2010) -- For the first time, researchers in Sweden have found out what effect multiple, rather than just single, foods with anti-inflammatory effects have on healthy individuals. The results of a diet study show that bad cholesterol was reduced by 33 per cent, blood lipids by 14 per cent, blood pressure by 8 per cent and a risk marker for blood clots by 26 per cent. A marker of inflammation in the body was also greatly reduced, while memory and cognitive function were improved. ... > full story
Studies of radiative forcing components: Reducing uncertainty about climate change (October 16, 2010) -- Much is known about factors that have a warming effect on Earth's climate -- but only a limited amount is understood about factors that have a cooling effect. Researchers in Norway are working to fill the knowledge gap by studying as many radiative forcing components as possible simultaneously. ... > full story
Scientists discover new species in one of world’s deepest ocean trenches (October 16, 2010) -- Scientists investigating in one of the world's deepest ocean trenches -- previously thought to be void of fish -- have discovered an entirely new species. ... > full story
Unsung hero: Researchers produce high-res model of Ndc80 in action (October 16, 2010) -- Scientists have used cryo-electron microscopy and three-dimensional image reconstruction to create a subnanometer resolution image of Ndc80, a protein complex that helps prevent chromosomal distribution mistakes during mitosis that can lead to birth defects, cancer and other disorders. ... > full story
What did Tyrannosaurus rex eat? Each other (October 15, 2010) -- It turns out that the undisputed king of the dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus rex, didn't just eat other dinosaurs but also each other. Paleontologists from the United States and Canada have found bite marks on the giants' bones that were made by other T. rex, according to a new study. ... > full story
New look at multitalented protein sheds light on mysteries of HIV (October 15, 2010) -- New insights into the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection process, which leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), may now be possible through a research method that allows scientists to glimpse an important protein molecule's behavior with unprecedented clarity. ... > full story
Squid studies provide valuable insights into hearing mechanisms (October 15, 2010) -- The ordinary squid, Loligo pealii -- best known until now as a kind of floating buffet for just about any fish in the sea -- may be on the verge of becoming a scientific superstar, providing clues about the origin and evolution of the sense of hearing. ... > full story
Eat safer: Novel approach detects unknown food pathogens (October 15, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a novel approach to automated detection and classification of harmful bacteria in food. The investigators have designed and implemented a sophisticated statistical approach that allows computers to improve their ability to detect the presence of bacterial contamination in tested samples. ... > full story
Is anxiety contagious? Scientists study owls and voles to find out (October 15, 2010) -- Scientists are investigating the anxieties experienced by an entire social group using the natural predator-and-prey relationship between the barn owl and the vole. Research suggests that the voles' behavior explains human response to trauma or terror, such as that of New York City citizens in the days after the Sept. 11 terror attacks. ... > full story
Carbon dioxide controls Earth's temperature, new modeling study shows (October 15, 2010) -- Water vapor and clouds are the major contributors to Earth's greenhouse effect, but a new atmosphere-ocean climate modeling study shows that the planet's temperature ultimately depends on the atmospheric level of carbon dioxide. ... > full story
Using discards, scientists discover different dinosaurs' stomping grounds (October 15, 2010) -- By examining the type of rock in which dinosaur fossils were embedded, an often unappreciated part of the remains, scientists have determined that different species of North American dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous period 65 million years ago occupied different environments separated by just a few miles. ... > full story
Gene's location on chromosome plays big role in shaping how an organism's traits evolve (October 15, 2010) -- A gene's location on a chromosome plays a significant role in shaping how an organism's traits vary and evolve, according to new findings by genome biologists. Their research suggests that evolution is less a function of what a physical trait is and more a result of where the genes that affect that trait reside in the genome. ... > full story
Temperature rhythms keep body clocks in sync (October 15, 2010) -- Researchers have found that fluctuations in internal body temperature regulate the body's circadian rhythm, the 24-hour cycle that controls metabolism, sleep and other bodily functions. ... > full story
Coniferous forests: New research changes understanding of atmospheric aerosol properties and climate effects (October 15, 2010) -- Terrestrial vegetation and atmospheric photochemistry produce large amounts of fine particles in the atmosphere, thereby cooling Earth's climate. According to new research, the physical state of the fine particles produced by coniferous forests is solid, whereas previously scientists have assumed that these particles were liquid. The new findings have major implications for our understanding of particle formation processes, for the transformation of particles in the atmosphere and for their effects on climate. ... > full story
Preeclampsia advances: Researchers animal model and potential lab test for diagnosing the disease in people (October 15, 2010) -- Preeclampsia, a sudden-onset and sometimes fatal prenatal disease, may strike up to 8 percent of pregnant women worldwide. Researchers have now developed a dependable pregnancy-specific animal model for laboratory testing and may have a predictive test that would allow early intervention. The studies are reported in the American Journal of Pathology. ... > full story
Charcoal biofilter cleans up fertilizer waste gases (October 15, 2010) -- Removing the toxic and odorous emissions of ammonia from the industrial production of fertilizer is a costly and energy-intensive process. Now, researchers in Bangladesh have turned to microbes and inexpensive wood charcoal to create a biofilter that can extract the noxious gas from vented gases and so reduce pollution levels from factories in the developing world. ... > full story
Nature and humans leaving indelible mark on rivers, harming the intricate food webs they support (October 14, 2010) -- Rivers and streams supply the lifeblood of ecosystems across the globe, providing water for drinking and irrigation for humans as well as a wide array of life forms in rivers and streams from single-celled organisms all the way up to the fish humans eat. But humans and nature itself are making it tough on rivers to continue in their central role to support fish species, according to new research. ... > full story
Inner workings of potent cancer drug derived from evergreen tree (October 14, 2010) -- A potent drug derived from an evergreen tree may soon save the lives of some patients with the deadliest form of breast cancer. ... > full story
Large gaps found in public understanding of climate change (October 14, 2010) -- Sixty-three percent of Americans believe that global warming is happening, but many do not understand why, according to a new national study. ... > full story
Why arsenic can be deadly, yet also function as theapeutic against disease (October 14, 2010) -- Scientists have solved an important mystery about why an arsenic compound, arsenite, can kill us, and yet function as an effective therapeutic agent against disease and infections. Scientists discovered that arsenite, a common water contaminant worldwide, affects a protein folding machine in yeast, called TCP, also present in humans. The findings open doors to developing safer therapeutic alternatives to arsenite-based medicines, and may allow researchers to counter arsenite poisoning. ... > full story
Watermelon lowers blood pressure, study finds (October 14, 2010) -- No matter how you slice it, watermelon has a lot going for it -- sweet, low calorie, high fiber, nutrient rich -- and now, there's more. Evidence from a pilot study led by food scientists suggests that watermelon can be an effective natural weapon against prehypertension, a precursor to cardiovascular disease. ... > full story
Low-dose exposure to chemical warfare agent may result in long-term heart damage (October 14, 2010) -- New research found that the pattern of heart dysfunction with sarin exposure in mice resembles that seen in humans. Sarin is a chemical warfare agent belonging to class of compounds called organophosphates -- the basis for insecticides, herbicides and nerve agents. ... > full story
Protein sets stage for exchanges of DNA code in eggs and sperm (October 14, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a regulatory protein that influences where genetic material gets swapped between maternal and paternal chromosomes during the process of creating eggs and sperm. The findings shed light on the roots of chromosomal errors and gene diversity. ... > full story
Insecticides from genetically modified corn found in adjacent streams (October 14, 2010) -- Aquatic ecologists report that streams throughout the Midwestern Corn Belt are receiving insecticidal proteins that originate from adjacent genetically modified crops. The protein enters streams through runoff and when corn leaves, stalks, and plant parts are washed into stream channels. ... > full story
Highly pathogenic bird flu virus can survive months on steel or glass at cooler temperatures (October 14, 2010) -- On the eve of the 2010-11 influenza flu season, scientists and engineers have identified the environmental conditions and surfaces that could enable a highly pathogenic bird flu virus to survive for prolonged periods of time -- at least two weeks and up to two months. Among them: the virus appears to thrive at cooler temperatures and low humidity. The study could lead to new strategies for preventing the flu virus from spreading. ... > full story
Reservoirs: A neglected source of methane emissions (October 14, 2010) -- Substantial amounts of the greenhouse gas methane are released not only from large tropical reservoirs but also from run-of-the-river reservoirs in Switzerland, especially in the summer, when water temperatures are higher. Hydropower may therefore not be quite as climate-neutral a method of generating electricity as thought. ... > full story
Over-the-counter 'natural' weight-reducing products can cause harm and may even kill, Hong Kong study warns (October 14, 2010) -- The desire for a quick-fix for obesity fuels a lucrative market in so-called natural remedies. But a study of medical records in Hong Kong revealed 66 cases where people were suspected to have been poisoned by a "natural" slimming therapy. In eight cases the people became severely ill, and in one case the person died. ... > full story
Crucial link in immune development and regulation unearthed (October 14, 2010) -- Scientists have uncovered a quality-control mechanism that must take place for our immune system to subsequently effectively destroy harmful viruses and bacteria. ... > full story
Nectar production in Lima beans depends on light quality (October 14, 2010) -- Plants produce nectar to attract insect pollinators. Some plant species also secrete nectar to attract ants which in turn fend off herbivores. Scientists now have discovered that the production of the extrafloral nectar is light dependent. The plants were able not only to distinguish between day and night, but also to adapt their nectar secretion to current light conditions by using their special photoreceptor, the phytochrome. ... > full story
PiggyBac joins armory in fight against cancer: Powerful mutation tool identifies new cancer genes (October 14, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a genetic tool in mice to speed the discovery of novel genes involved in cancer. The system -- called PiggyBac -- involves disrupting or altering the mouse genome using "jumping genes" (known as transposons) and has been used by the team to identify a number of novel candidate cancer-causing genes. The team searched 63 mouse blood cancers; the genes they identified will open the door for studies looking at their human equivalents. ... > full story
Rare melt key to ‘Ring of Fire’ (October 13, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered the explanation for why the world's explosive volcanoes are confined to bands only a few tens of kilometers wide, such as those along the Pacific 'Ring of Fire'. Most of the molten rock that comes out of these volcanoes is rich in water, but the team has shown that the volcanoes are aligned above narrow regions in the mantle where water-free melting can take place. ... > full story
Can Hungary's red sludge be made less toxic with carbon? (October 13, 2010) -- The red, metal-laden sludge that escaped a containment pond in Hungary last week could be made less toxic with the help of carbon sequestration, says a geologist who has a patent pending on the technique. The bauxite residue now covers 40 square kilometers south of the Danube River, and has caused the deaths of eight Hungarians and injured at least 150. ... > full story
Personality and exercise levels may be linked -- not just in humans, but other animals too (October 13, 2010) -- There may be a fundamental link between aspects of an individual's personality and their capacity to exercise or generate energy, recent research suggests. Humans are not the only animals that choose to exercise, and individuals within the same species differ in their levels of activity. ... > full story
Coral records show ocean thermocline rise with global warming (October 13, 2010) -- Researchers looking at corals in the western tropical Pacific Ocean have found records linking a profound shift in the depth of the division between warm surface water and colder, deeper water traceable to recent global warming. ... > full story
Ancient animal urine provides insight into climate change (October 13, 2010) -- Scientists in the UK are using an unusual resource to investigate ancient climates -- prehistoric animal urine. ... > full story
Consuming vegetables linked to decreased breast cancer risk in African-American women (October 13, 2010) -- Investigators have reported that African American women who consume more vegetables are less likely to develop estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer than women with low vegetable intake. ... > full story
Climate change remains a real threat to corals (October 13, 2010) -- Hopes that coral reefs might be able to survive, and recover from, bleaching caused by climate change may have grown dimmer for certain coral species, according to new research. ... > full story
Study of planarian hormones may aid in understanding parasitic flatworms (October 13, 2010) -- A study of peptide hormones in the brain of a seemingly primitive flatworm reveals the surprising complexity of its nervous system and opens up a new approach for combating a major parasitic disease, researchers report. ... > full story
Copyright 1995-2010 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
|
 To update/change your profile click here  |
