ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, July 25, 2011 ~ Technology

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, July 25, 2011

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Battle of the microbes: Pseudomonas breaches cell walls of rival bacteria without hurting itself (July 24, 2011) -- Microbiologists have uncovered a sneaky trick by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa to oust its competitors. Its means of attack helps it survive in the outside environment and may even help it cause infection. P. aeruginosa injects toxins into rival bacteria through a needle-like structure. The toxins degrade their competitors' protective barriers -- their cell walls. ... > full story

Cellular stress can induce yeast to promote prion formation (July 24, 2011) -- Biochemists have identified a yeast protein called Lsb2 that can promote spontaneous prion formation. Prions can cause neurodegenerative disorders, such as mad cow/Creutzfeld-Jakob disease, in humans and animals. ... > full story

U.S. Northwest Forest Plan has unintended benefit – carbon sequestration (July 24, 2011) -- The U.S. Northwest Forest Plan enacted in 1993 was designed to conserve old-growth forests and protect species such as the northern spotted owl, but researchers conclude in a new study that it had another powerful and unintended consequence -- increased carbon sequestration on public lands. ... > full story

Fool's gold gives scientists priceless insight into Earth's evolution (July 23, 2011) -- Fool's gold is providing scientists with valuable insights into a turning point in the Earth's evolution, which took place billions of years ago. ... > full story

New target found for nitric oxide's attack on salmonella bacteria (July 23, 2011) -- A new target for nitric oxide has been revealed in studies of how it inhibits the growth of salmonella, a bacteria that is a common cause of food poisoning. Naturally produced in the nose and gut, nitric oxide interferes at various points in the Krebs cycle, the part of cellular respiration that turns fuel into energy. Knowing how nitric oxide restricts pathogen metabolism may lead to new antimicrobials or drugs that promote the body's own natural defenses. ... > full story

How to combat hospital-acquired infections and life-threatening toxins (July 22, 2011) -- A team of scientists from Singapore has discovered the secret recipe for 'antidotes' that could neutralize the deadly plant toxin Ricin, widely feared for its bioterrorism potential, as well as the Pseudomonas exotoxin responsible for the tens of thousands of hospital-acquired infections in immune-compromised patients all over the world. ... > full story

Collaboration encourages equal sharing in children but not in chimpanzees (July 22, 2011) -- Children as young as three years of age share toy rewards equally with a peer, but only when both collaborated in order to gain them, according to new research. However, in a new study, chimpanzees did not show this connection between sharing resources and collaborative efforts. ... > full story

Quick test to diagnose bacterial or viral infection (July 22, 2011) -- Treating viral infections with antibiotics is ineffective and contributes to the development of antibiotic resistance, allergic reactions, toxicity and greater health care costs, researchers say. Currently tests take 24-48 hours and aren't always accurate enough for a clear-cut diagnosis. A new accurate and time-saving method has just been developed. ... > full story

Fingerprinting fugitive dust: Tracking soil microbes back to their source (July 22, 2011) -- Each community of soil microbes has a unique fingerprint that can potentially be used to track soil back to its source, right down to whether it came from dust from a rural road or from a farm field, according to a soil scientist. ... > full story

Identical virus, host populations can prevail for centuries (July 22, 2011) -- A scientist, analyzing ancient plankton DNA signatures in sediments of the Black Sea, has found for the first time that the same genetic populations of a virus and its algal host can persist and coexist for centuries. The findings have implications for the ecological significance of viruses in shaping algae ecosystems in the ocean, and perhaps fresh water as well. ... > full story

Deepwater Horizon crude less toxic to bird eggs after weathering at sea (July 22, 2011) -- After collecting weathered crude oil from the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, researchers have reported that only 8 to 9 percent coverage on the shells of fertilized mallard duck eggs resulted in a 50 percent mortality rate. ... > full story

Computer simulations aid understanding of bacterial resistance against commonly used antibiotics (July 22, 2011) -- A recent study into the interactions between aminoglycoside antibiotics and their target site in bacteria used computer simulations to elucidate this mechanism and thereby suggest drug modifications. ... > full story

Diamonds pinpoint start of colliding continents (July 22, 2011) -- Jewelers abhor diamond impurities, but they are a bonanza for scientists. Safely encased in the super-hard diamond, impurities are unaltered, ancient minerals that can tell the story of Earth's distant past. Researchers analyzed data from the literature of over 4,000 of these mineral inclusions to find that continents started the cycle of breaking apart, drifting, and colliding about 3 billion years ago. The research pinpoints when this so-called Wilson cycle began. ... > full story

Software helps synthetic biologists customize protein production (July 22, 2011) -- A software program developed by a Penn State synthetic biologist could provide biotechnology companies with genetic plans to help them turn bacteria into molecular factories, capable of producing everything from biofuels to medicine. ... > full story

Juvenile diarrhea virus analyzed down to the atomic level (July 22, 2011) -- Scientists have used X-ray crystallography to define the structure -- down to the atomic level -- of a common virus that causes juvenile diarrhea. The new research could help direct efforts to develop medications that block the virus before it becomes infectious. ... > full story

Targeting toxin trafficking in plants and bacteria (July 22, 2011) -- Toxins produced by plants and bacteria pose a significant threat to humans, as emphasized by the recent effects of cucumber-borne Shiga toxin in Germany. Now, new research provides a clearer view of the combination of similar and divergent strategies that different toxins use to invade a human host cell. ... > full story

Butterfly study sheds light on convergent evolution: Single gene controls mimicry across different species (July 22, 2011) -- For 150 years scientists have been trying to explain convergent evolution. One of the best-known examples of this is how poisonous butterflies from different species evolve to mimic each other's color patterns -- in effect joining forces to warn predators, "Don't eat us," while spreading the cost of this lesson. New research has solved part of the mystery by identifying a single gene called optix responsible for red wing color patterns in a wide variety of passion vine butterfly species. ... > full story

New mechanism in the regulation of human genes (July 22, 2011) -- In order to create proteins, a protein-coding gene must be transcribed into RNA and in the splicing process shortened to the correct template. Scientists in Germany have now discovered how the U2AF protein enables this process. ... > full story

NASA catches three tropical cyclones at one time (July 22, 2011) -- It's not often that a satellite can capture an image of more than one tropical cyclone, but the GOES-13 satellite managed to get 3 tropical cyclones in two ocean basins in one image today. Bret and his "sister" Cindy are racing through the North Atlantic, while another area tries to develop far to their south. "Cousin" Dora is still a hurricane in the eastern Pacific. ... > full story

Parasites help reveal new ecological rules: Animal species large and small follow same rule for how common they are in ecosystems (July 21, 2011) -- Scientists say new research is expected to profoundly affect the field of ecology and can assist the management of ecosystems, including forests, lakes, and oceans. And it's all because of parasites. ... > full story

Proteins enable essential enzyme to maintain its grip on DNA (July 21, 2011) -- Scientists have identified a family of proteins that close a critical gap in an enzyme that is essential to all life, allowing the enzyme to maintain its grip on DNA and start the activation of genes. The enzyme, called RNA polymerase, is responsible for setting gene expression in motion in all cells. RNA polymerase wraps itself around the double helix of DNA, using one strand to match nucleotides and make a copy of genetic material. ... > full story

'Freaky mouse' defeats common poison: House mice found unexpected ways to evolve resistance, study shows (July 21, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered common house mice found two distinct ways to evolve resistance to warfarin-based rodent poisons. ... > full story

Nanotechnology for water filter (July 21, 2011) -- Nanotechnology has developed tremendously in the past decade and was able to create many new materials with a vast range of potential applications. Carbon nanotubes possess exceptional electronic, mechanical and chemical properties, for example they can be used to clean polluted water. ... > full story

Researchers identify seventh and eighth bases of DNA (July 21, 2011) -- For decades, scientists have known that DNA consists of four basic units -- adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine. Those four bases have been taught in science textbooks and have formed the basis of the growing knowledge regarding how genes code for life. Yet in recent history, scientists have expanded that list from four to six. Now, researchers have discovered the seventh and eighth bases of DNA. ... > full story

Paternity testing helps fill in family tree for Puget Sound's killer whales: Inbreeding could reduce whales' genetic diversity (July 21, 2011) -- Scientists using DNA testing to fill in a missing link in the lives of killer whales that seasonally visit Washington's Puget Sound, have discovered that some of the progeny they studied were the result of matings within the same social subgroups, or pods, that are part of the overall population. ... > full story

Unlisted ingredients in teas and herbal brews revealed in DNA tests by high school students (July 21, 2011) -- Take a second look at your iced or steaming tea. Guided by scientific experts, three New York City high school students using tabletop DNA technologies found several herbal brews and a few brands of tea contain ingredients unlisted on the manufacturers' package. The teen sleuths also demonstrated new-to-science genetic variation between broad-leaf teas from exported from India versus small-leaf teas exported from China. ... > full story

Controlling movements with light (July 21, 2011) -- Researchers have succeeded in controlling the activity of certain nerve cells using light, thus influencing the movements of mice. By changing special receptors in nerve cells of the cerebellum such that they can be activated and deactivated by light, the researchers have shown that the signaling pathways, which are activated by the receptors play a crucial role in controlling movement. ... > full story

Seaweed as a rich new source of heart-healthy food ingredients (July 21, 2011) -- In an article that may bring smiles to the faces of vegetarians who consume no dairy products and vegans, who consume no animal-based foods, scientists have identified seaweed as a rich new potential source of heart-healthy food ingredients. Seaweed and other "macroalgae" could rival milk products as sources of these so-called "bioactive peptides." ... > full story

Full moon indicates impending danger from lion attack, study shows (July 21, 2011) -- A new study led by Craig Packer, an international lion expert based at the University of Minnesota's College of Biological Sciences, shows that while moonlight limits lions' success at hunting their four-legged prey, the last day of a full moon signals the beginning of a foraging opportunity for bipeds. ... > full story

Mother knows best for urban fox families (July 21, 2011) -- In urban fox families, mothers determine which cubs get to stay and which must leave while fathers have little say in the matter, new research by biologists in the UK has found. ... > full story

Evolution provides clue to blood clotting (July 21, 2011) -- A simple cut to the skin unleashes a complex cascade of chemistry to stem the flow of blood. Now, scientists at have used evolutionary clues to reveal how a key clotting protein self-assembles. The finding sheds new light on common bleeding disorders. ... > full story

Prehistoric crocodile Terminonaris was Texas native, fossil suggests (July 21, 2011) -- A prehistoric crocodile thought to have originated in Europe now appears to have been a Texas native, new research shows. The switch for the genus Terminonaris is based on the identification of a well-preserved fossil snout that was discovered near the waters edge of a Dallas-area lake. The 96-million-year-old fossil is the oldest of its kind worldwide, indicating Terminonaris likely originated in Texas and dispersed northward. ... > full story

CARE positions disaster relief with promising discipline of humanitarian logistics (July 21, 2011) -- Operations research models developed by a team at the Georgia Institute of Technology helped CARE International pick three locations worldwide to supply relief quickly to victims of earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters, according to a new paper. ... > full story

Texas experts bring science and policy to hydraulic fracturing debate (July 21, 2011) -- Innovative and interdisciplinary research by faculty at the University of Texas at Austin is helping to improve the safety and efficiency of hydraulic fracturing, identify issues that need to be corrected and untangle the knowns and unknowns of a process that is expected to constitute perhaps half of the nation's total natural gas supplies in coming years. ... > full story

With secondhand gene, house mice resist poison (July 21, 2011) -- Since the 1950s, people have tried to limit the numbers of mice and rats using a poison known as warfarin. But, over the course of evolution, those pesky rodents have found a way to make a comeback, resisting that chemical via changes to a gene involved in vitamin K recycling and blood clotting. Now, researchers show that European mice have in some cases acquired that resistance gene in a rather unorthodox way: they got it secondhand from an Algerian mouse. ... > full story

Bold new approach to wind 'farm' design may provide efficiency gains (July 20, 2011) -- Conventional wisdom suggests that because we're approaching the theoretical limit on individual wind turbine efficiency, wind energy is now a mature technology. But researchers have recently revisited some of the fundamental assumptions that guided the wind industry for the past 30 years, and now believe that a new approach to wind farm design -- one that places wind turbines close together instead of far apart -- may provide significant efficiency gains. ... > full story

EHEC 2011 outbreak: Scientists publish prospective genomic characterization (July 20, 2011) -- Scientists have released a draft genome sequence of a German enterohemorrhagic E. coli 2011 outbreak strain, and now report on an in-depth genomic characterization of this outbreak. ... > full story

Technology to throw new light on ancient artifacts (July 20, 2011) -- New technology which makes it possible to study the finer details of some of the world’s greatest historical artifacts has been developed by computer scientists and archaeologists. ... > full story

Gene required to maintain male sex throughout life discovered: Loss of gene Dmrt1 leads to male cells becoming female (July 20, 2011) -- Researchers have made a key discovery showing that male sex must be maintained throughout life. Removing an important male development gene, called Dmrt1, causes male cells in mouse testis to become female cells. ... > full story

How the honey bee tolerates some synthetic pesticides (July 20, 2011) -- A new study reveals how enzymes in the honey bee gut detoxify pesticides commonly used to kill mites in the honey bee hive. This is the first study to tease out the precise molecular mechanisms that allow a pollinating insect to tolerate exposure to these potentially deadly compounds. ... > full story

First artificial neural network created out of DNA: Molecular soup exhibits brainlike behavior (July 20, 2011) -- Researchers have now taken a major step toward creating artificial intelligence -- not in a robot or a silicon chip, but in a test tube. The researchers are the first to have made an artificial neural network out of DNA, creating a circuit of interacting molecules that can recall memories based on incomplete patterns, just as a brain can. ... > full story

Newly designed molecule blocks chlamydia bacteria (July 20, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a way to block the damaging actions of Chlamydia, the bacteria responsible for the largest number of sexually transmitted infections in the United States. ... > full story

The tallest tree in all the land (July 20, 2011) -- Knowing how tall trees can grow in any given region can give ecologists a wealth of information, from the potential density of a forest and size of its tree canopy to the amount of carbon stored in woodlands and the overall health of an ecosystem. Now scientists have come up with a simple model to predict the maximum tree height in different environments across the United States. ... > full story

Ancient footprints show human-like walking began nearly 4 million years ago (July 20, 2011) -- Scientists have found that ancient footprints in Laetoli, Tanzania, show that human-like features of the feet and gait existed almost two million years earlier than previously thought. ... > full story

Environmental pollutants lurk long after they 'disappear' (July 20, 2011) -- Scientists say that current environmental tests look for specific drugs -- but these drugs break down into other chemicals through sun exposure or oxidation. In their new and equally lethal forms, they don't show up in tests, so they pose a hidden threat. ... > full story

New 'electronic tongue' system assesses the antioxidant power of juices and fruit (July 20, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain have developed a new electronic tongue system that can be applied to the analysis of the antioxidant power and other quality parameters of juices, fruit and fruit purées. ... > full story

Hummingbirds catch flying bugs with the help of fast-closing beaks (July 20, 2011) -- The shape of a hummingbird's beak allows for a "controlled elastic snap" that allows it to snatch up flying insects in a mere fraction of a second -- with greater speed and power than could be achieved by jaw muscles alone, says a new study. ... > full story

Engineering excitable cells for studies of bioelectricity and cell therapy (July 20, 2011) -- By altering the genetic makeup of normally "unexcitable" cells, bioengineers have turned them into cells capable of generating and passing electrical current. ... > full story