ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Tuesday, July 26, 2011 ~ Technology

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Tuesday, July 26, 2011

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IV fluids may reduce severity of kidney failure in kids with E. coli infection (July 26, 2011) -- Infection with E. coli bacteria can wreak havoc in children, leading to bloody diarrhea, fever and kidney failure. But giving children intravenous fluids early in the course of an E. coli O157:H7 infection appears to lower the odds of developing severe kidney failure, according to new research. ... > full story

Pacific Northwest trees struggle for water while standing in it (July 26, 2011) -- Contrary to expectations, researchers have discovered that the conifers of the Pacific Northwest, some of the tallest trees in the world, face their greatest water stress during the region's eternally wet winters, not the dog days of August when weeks can pass without rain. ... > full story

Winning the battle against the Asian tiger mosquito (July 26, 2011) -- The combination of three complementary measures to eradicate tiger mosquitoes -- avoid having stagnant water, using insecticides to eliminate larvae and adults, and removing rubbish -- reduces more than half the number of tiger mosquitoes, according to research coordinated by researchers in Spain. ... > full story

Saving fuel while plowing (July 26, 2011) -- Less friction, less power, less fuel -- plowshares coated with diamond-like carbon slide through the soil like a hot knife through butter. As a result, the tractors pulling them need less power and fuel. In some tests the power required has been reduced by more than 30 percent. ... > full story

Mitochondria share an ancestor with SAR11, a globally significant marine microbe (July 26, 2011) -- A recent study provides strong evidence that mitochondria share a common evolutionary ancestor with a lineage of marine bacteria known as SAR11, arguably the most abundant group of microorganisms on Earth. ... > full story

Global bioterrorism threat analyzed for world animal health office (July 26, 2011) -- Around the globe, many nations are realizing that the potential for bioterrorism isn't just about the US, officials say. And because an intentional introduction of bacteria, a virus or a toxin could happen anywhere, scientists are working hard at prevention. ... > full story

Eat, prey, rain: New model of dynamics of clouds and rain is based on a predator-prey population model (July 25, 2011) -- A new model for the dynamics of clouds and rain, based on a predator-prey population model, may help us understand how clouds fit into the big climate picture. This model may help climate scientists understand, among other things, how human-produced aerosols affect rainfall patterns. ... > full story

Catching the West Nile virus in action (July 25, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a new method that can track both clinical cases of West Nile Virus and populations of infected mosquitoes, identifying "danger zones" and providing timely warnings of impending outbreaks. ... > full story

Hot species for cool structures: Complex proteins in 3-D thanks to simple heat-loving fungus (July 25, 2011) -- A fungus that lives at extremely high temperatures could help understand structures within our own cells. Scientists in Europe were the first to sequence and analyze the genome of a heat-loving fungus, and used that information to determine the long sought 3-D structure of the inner ring of the nuclear pore. ... > full story

Climate change to increase Yellowstone wildfires dramatically (July 25, 2011) -- An increase in wildfires due to climate change could rapidly and profoundly alter the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, according to a new study. The study suggests that rising temperatures caused by climate change could increase the frequency of large wildfires in Yellowstone to an unprecedented level, causing a major shift in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, with fewer dense forests and more open woodland, grass and shrub vegetation. ... > full story

Dolphins' 'remarkable' recovery from injury offers important insights for human healing (July 25, 2011) -- A dolphin's ability to heal quickly from a shark bite with apparent indifference to pain, resistance to infection, hemorrhage protection, and near-restoration of normal body contour might provide insights for the care of human injuries, according to experts. Researchers interviewed dolphin handlers/marine biologists, and reviewed the limited literature about dolphin healing to offer some new observations. ... > full story

Scavenger cells accomplices to viruses (July 25, 2011) -- Mucosal epithelia are well-protected against pathogenic germs. However, individual viruses, such as the HI virus, still manage to enter the body via the mucous membrane somehow. Cell biologists have now identified a new infection mechanism, demonstrating that the viruses use the body’s own scavenger cells for the infection. The new findings are important for cancer-gene therapy and the development of anti-viral medication. ... > full story

Epigenetic 'memory' key to nature versus nurture (July 25, 2011) -- Researchers have made a discovery that explains how an organism can create a biological memory of some variable condition, such as quality of nutrition or temperature. The discovery explains the mechanism of this memory -- a sort of biological switch -- and how it can also be inherited by offspring. ... > full story

The origin of malaria: The hunt continues (July 25, 2011) -- The agent of malaria has been found in the greater spot-nosed monkey, also known as putty-nosed monkey (Cercopithecus nictitans), a small African primate derived from a line different to that of humans, gorillas and chimpanzees. This discovery challenges current thinking on the origin of the parasite and introduces a key element in the fight against malaria: knowing how it has adapted to the human species will make it possible to target its weaknesses. ... > full story

New photonic crystals have both electronic and optical properties (July 25, 2011) -- In an advance that could open new avenues for solar cells, lasers, metamaterials and more, researchers have demonstrated the first optoelectronically active 3-D photonic crystal. ... > full story

Chromosome number changes in yeast (July 25, 2011) -- Researchers in Ireland have uncovered the evolutionary mechanisms that have caused increases or decreases in the numbers of chromosomes in a group of yeast species during the last 100-150 million years. The study offers an unprecedented view of chromosome complement (chromosome number) changes in a large group of related species. ... > full story

Climate-change-induced wildfires may alter Yellowstone forests (July 25, 2011) -- Climate change in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem will increase the frequency of wildfires and alter the composition of the forests by 2050, according to a team of ecologists who modeled the effects of higher temperatures on fire occurrence. ... > full story

Warming climate likely to dramatically increase Yellowstone fires by mid-century (July 25, 2011) -- Climate is changing fire patterns in the west in a way that could markedly change the face of Yellowstone National Park, according to new research. ... > full story

Underwater video camera opens window into the behavior of jellyfish (July 25, 2011) -- Researchers are testing a new underwater video camera system that will allow scientists to study the propulsion and behavior of jellies in their natural habitat. ... > full story

Animal species large and small follow same rule for how common they are in ecosystems (July 25, 2011) -- Animal species all follow the same rule for how common they are in an ecosystem, scientists have discovered. And the rule is simple. Everything from birds to fishes, crabs to snails to worms, and the parasitic animals that live inside or on them, follows it. ... > full story

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