ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Friday, May 13, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Friday, May 13, 2011

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How a flatworm regenerates missing tissues: Pluripotent adult stem cells power planarian regeneration (May 13, 2011) -- Researchers have determined that the planarian flatworm regenerates missing tissues by using pluripotent adult stem cells. Until now, scientists could not determine whether the dividing cells in planarians, called neoblasts, are a mixture of specialized stem cells that each regenerates specific tissues, or if individual neoblasts are pluripotent and able to regenerate all tissues. ... > full story

Irritable bowel syndrome: Common gastrointestinal disorder linked to bacterial overgrowth, food poisoning (May 13, 2011) -- Researchers have reported two advances in the understanding of irritable bowel syndrome, the most common gastrointestinal disorder in the United States, affecting an estimated 30 million people. One study provides further evidence that IBS is linked to an overgrowth of bacteria in the gut. In a separate study, a mathematical model reveals the disease's link to food poisoning and shows that military personnel are at a much higher risk for the disorder than the rest of the population. ... > full story

Ancient gene gives planarians a heads-up in regeneration (May 13, 2011) -- A little-studied gene known as notum plays a key role in the planarian's regeneration decision-making process, according to scientists. At head-facing (anterior) wounds, the gene notum acts as a dimmer switch to dampen the Wnt pathway -- an ancient signaling circuit that operates in all animals -- and promote head regeneration. ... > full story

Why some genes are silenced: Researchers find clue as to how notes are played on the 'genetic piano' (May 13, 2011) -- Scientists report an epigenetic rationale as to how some genes are silenced and others aren't. By reversing this effect, it may be possible to devise therapies for cancer and other diseases. ... > full story

New method for engineering human tissue regeneration (May 13, 2011) -- If clinical trials prove successful, a discovery could represent a leap toward human tissue regeneration and engineering. In a new study, scientists provide evidence to support a paradigm shift from the idea that cells added to a graft before implantation are the building blocks of tissue, to a new belief that engineered tissue constructs can induce or augment the body's own reparative mechanisms, including complex tissue regeneration. ... > full story

Water for Mongolia: How vital resource can be efficiently managed and used (May 13, 2011) -- Clean water is a rare commodity in many countries of the world and governments often face problems ensuring its reliable supply. In Mongolia, an interdisciplinary research team is demonstrating how this vital resource can be efficiently managed and used. Specially developed software help to detect weak points in the supply system. ... > full story

Reforesting rural lands in China pays big dividends, researchers say (May 13, 2011) -- An innovative program to encourage sustainable farming in rural China has helped restore eroded forestland while producing economic gains for many farmers, according to a new study. ... > full story

Smarter treatment for killer infections (May 12, 2011) -- Sepsis is a major killer in hospital intensive care units. Researchers have found that manipulating a genetic factor that can launch or throttle the body's defenses can improve survival rates during bacterial infection. ... > full story

'Fasting pathway' points the way to new class of diabetes drugs (May 12, 2011) -- Scientists have uncovered a novel mechanism that turns up glucose production in the liver when blood sugar levels drop, pointing towards a new class of drugs for the treatment of metabolic disease. ... > full story

Action needed to manage climate change risks: U.S. response should be durable, but flexible, experts urge (May 12, 2011) -- Warning that the risk of dangerous climate change impacts is growing with every ton of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere. ... > full story

Improving photosynthesis? Solar cells beat plants at harvesting sun's energy, for now (May 12, 2011) -- In a head-to-head battle of harvesting the sun's energy, solar cells beat plants. But scientists think they can even up the playing field. Plants are less efficient at capturing the energy in sunlight than solar cells mostly because they have too much evolutionary baggage. ... > full story

Cats pass disease to wildlife, even in remote areas (May 12, 2011) -- Researchers tracking the spread of Toxoplasma gondii -- a parasite that reproduces only in cats but sickens and kills many other animals -- have found infected wildlife throughout a 1,500-acre (600-hectare) natural area in central Illinois. ... > full story

Salinity in Outer Banks wells traced to fossil seawater (May 12, 2011) -- Rising salinity in the primary source for desalinated tap water in North Carolina's Outer Banks has been traced to fossil seawater, not -- as some have feared -- to recent seawater intrusion. ... > full story

Sharing musical instruments means sharing germs (May 12, 2011) -- Disease-causing bacteria can survive for days on wind instruments and may thus contribute to sickness in people who play wind instruments, especially students who share instruments, report researchers. ... > full story

Mother and kid goat vocals strike a chord (May 12, 2011) -- Mother and kid goats recognize each other's calls soon after the mothers give birth, new research reveals. ... > full story

Whales have accents and regional dialects: Biologists interpret the language of sperm whales (May 12, 2011) -- When they dive together, sperm whales make patterns of clicks to each other known as "codas." Recent findings suggest that not only do different codas mean different things, but that whales can also tell which member of their community is speaking based on the sound properties of the codas. Just as we can tell our friends apart by the sounds of their voices and the way they pronounce their words, different sperm whales make the same pattern of clicks, but with different accents. ... > full story

Change is the order of the day in the Arctic (May 12, 2011) -- Climate change in the Arctic is occurring at a faster and more drastic rate than previously assumed, according to experts. The latest scientific data show that developments in the Arctic's climate are closely related to developments in the rest of the world. ... > full story

Marine lab research tracks pollutants in dolphins and beluga whales (May 12, 2011) -- Bottlenose dolphins and beluga whales, two marine species at or near the top of their respective food webs, accumulate more chemical pollutants in their bodies when they live and feed in waters near urbanized areas, according to scientists. ... > full story

Silver cycle: New evidence for natural synthesis of silver nanoparticles (May 12, 2011) -- Because they have a variety of useful properties, especially as antibacterial and antifungal agents, silver nanoparticles increasingly are being used in a wide variety of industrial and consumer products. This in turn has raised concerns about what happens to them once released into the environment. Now a new research paper adds an additional wrinkle: Nature may be making silver nanoparticles on its own. ... > full story

Stay-at-home parents make for a cooperative family of lizards (May 12, 2011) -- The great desert burrowing skink, a lizard living on the sandy plains of Central Australia, has been discovered to live in family groups within elaborately constructed tunnel complexes. ... > full story

Can clouds help mitigate global warming? Missing links found in biology of cloud formation over oceans (May 12, 2011) -- A new study brings the possibility of using the sulfur cycle to mitigate global warming closer with the identification of the steps in the biochemical pathway that controls how bacteria release the sulfur compound methanethiol, or MeSH, into the microbial food web in the oceans and the genes responsible for that process. ... > full story

Sugar boosters could lead to cheap, effective treatments for chronic bacterial infections (May 12, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that a simple compound -- sugar -- dramatically boosts the effectiveness of first-line antibiotics. ... > full story

Deepwater Horizon spill threatens more species than legally protected, study finds (May 12, 2011) -- Marine species facing threats from the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico far exceed those under legal protection in the United States, a new paper finds. Researchers found 39 additional marine species beyond the 14 protected by federal law that are at an elevated risk of extinction. ... > full story

High numbers of barred owls likely in Pacific Northwest forests (May 12, 2011) -- Barred owls may be more abundant in coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest than previously recognized, according to new research. ... > full story

Animal-like urea cycle in ocean's tiny diatoms enables marine phytoplankton to use carbon and nitrogen from their environment (May 12, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered that marine diatoms, tiny phytoplankton abundant in the sea, have an animal-like urea cycle, and that this cycle enables the diatoms to efficiently use carbon and nitrogen from their environment. The research team believes that the cycle could be a reason for the domination of diatoms in marine environments, especially after upwelling events -- the upward movement of nutrient rich waters from the deep ocean to the surface. ... > full story

2,300-year climate record suggests severe tropical droughts as northern temperatures rise (May 12, 2011) -- A 2,300-year climate record that researchers recovered from an Andes Mountains lake reveals that as temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere rise, the planet's densely populated tropical regions will most likely experience severe water shortages as the crucial summer monsoons become drier. The research team found that equatorial regions of South America already are receiving less rainfall than at any point in the past millennium. ... > full story

Antarctic icebergs help ocean take up carbon dioxide (May 12, 2011) -- The first comprehensive study of the biological effects of Antarctic icebergs shows that they fertilize the Southern Ocean, enhancing the growth of algae that take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and then, through marine food chains, transfer carbon into the deep sea. ... > full story

Monkey studies reveal promising vaccine approach for HIV (May 12, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a vaccine candidate in rhesus macaque monkeys that may eventually lead to a vaccine against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). ... > full story

University pond reveals hidden history of fungi (May 12, 2011) -- A study of DNA in a campus pond at the University of Exeter has led to the discovery of a whole new type of fungi. Named Cryptomycota by the researchers, the discovery redefines understanding of fungi and gives an insight into a hitherto undiscovered diversity. ... > full story

It's not easy flying green: Large variability in greenhouse gas emissions from alternative fuels (May 11, 2011) -- In an effort to combat soaring fuel prices and cut greenhouse gas emissions, the aviation industry is racing toward the use of biofuels. However, researchers the industry should make sure it has examined biofuels' complete carbon footprint before making an all-out push. They say that when a biofuel's origins are factored in, conventional fossil fuels may sometimes be the "greener" choice. ... > full story

Mississippi flooding captured by NASA satellites (May 11, 2011) -- The Mississippi River reached nearly 48 feet in Memphis, Tenn., on May 10, according to the U.S. National Weather Service. It was the highest water level for Memphis since 1937. ... > full story

First signs of progress in saving Indian vultures from killer drug (May 11, 2011) -- The ban on a veterinary drug which caused an unprecedented decline in Asian vulture populations has shown the first signs of progress, according to scientists. However, the recovery of the wild vulture populations requires efforts to see the drug completely removed from the birds' food supply. ... > full story

Beware of predatory male American black bears: Attack rates are rising with human population growth (May 11, 2011) -- A new study of fatal black bear attacks in North America shows that predatory male bears are responsible for most historical attacks. ... > full story

Wine yeasts reveal prehistoric microbial world (May 11, 2011) -- When having a glass of wine or beer, have you ever wondered why and how yeast "learned" to produce these superb food products? Yeasts are unicellular fungi and so far over 1,500 different species have been described. Among them are important industrial organisms, pathogens and model organisms which help us to understand how eukaryotic cells work. ... > full story

Beneficial bacteria help repair intestinal injury by inducing reactive oxygen species (May 11, 2011) -- Probiotic bacteria promote healing of the intestinal lining in mice by inducing the production of reactive oxygen species, researchers have shown. ... > full story

Following your steak's history from pasture to plate (May 11, 2011) -- The package on a supermarket steak may say "grass-fed" or "grass-finished," but how can a consumer know whether the cow spent its days grazing peacefully on meadow grass or actually gorged on feedlot corn? Scientists are now reporting the development of a method that can reconstruct the dietary history of cattle and authenticate the origins of beef. ... > full story

Coffee reduces breast cancer risk, study suggests (May 11, 2011) -- Coffee drinkers enjoy not only the taste of their coffee but also a reduced risk of cancer with their cuppa. New research shows that drinking coffee specifically reduces the risk of antiestrogen-resistant estrogen-receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer. ... > full story

'Liquid smoke' from rice shows potential health benefits (May 11, 2011) -- Liquid smoke flavoring made from hickory and other wood -- a mainstay flavoring and anti-bacterial agent for the prepared food industry and home kitchens -- may get a competitor that seems to be packed with antioxidant, antiallergenic and anti-inflammatory substances, according to a new study. It is the first analysis of liquid smoke produced from rice hulls, the hard, inedible coverings of rice grains. ... > full story

Neanderthals died out earlier than previously thought, new evidence suggests (May 11, 2011) -- Direct dating of a fossil of a Neanderthal infant suggests that Neanderthals probably died out earlier than previously thought. ... > full story

Adrenaline given before snakebite anti-venom treatment reduces allergic reactions, study finds (May 11, 2011) -- Giving low-dose adrenaline to patients who have been bitten by a poisonous snake before treatment with the appropriate anti-venom is safe and reduces the risk of acute severe reactions to the treatment, but giving promethazine has no such effect and giving hydrocortisone may actually be harmful, new research finds. ... > full story

The skinny on how shed skin reduces indoor air pollution (May 11, 2011) -- The flakes of skin that people shed at the rate of 500 million cells every day are not just a nuisance -- the source of dandruff, for instance, and a major contributor to house dust. A new study concludes that oil in those skin cells makes a small contribution to reducing indoor air pollution. ... > full story

Genomes of fungi that threaten wheat, poplars sequenced (May 11, 2011) -- Scientists have sequenced the genomes of two fungal pathogens -- one that threatens global wheat supplies and another that limits production of a tree crop valued as a future source for biofuel. ... > full story

Harnessing the energy of the Sun: New technique improves artificial photosynthesis (May 11, 2011) -- Transforming solar energy into a usable form is a real challenge. One technique is to use semiconductors to store the energy as hydrogen. Unfortunately, the most efficient semiconductors are not the most stable. Scientists have just discovered that it is possible to protect the semiconductor with a uniform layer just a few nanometers thick. ... > full story

California's Chumash Indians: Roughly hewn beads are child's play, archaeologist finds (May 11, 2011) -- In a new study, an archaeologist says that she's identified beads made from seashells by apprentices in the Chumash Indian bead trade before the arrival of Europeans. ... > full story

New evidence details spread of amphibian-killing disease from Mexico through Central America (May 11, 2011) -- There's a crisis among the world's amphibians -- about 40 percent of amphibian species have dwindled in numbers in just three decades. Now, museum jars stuffed full of amphibians may help scientists decide whether this wave of extinctions was caused by a fungal infection. ... > full story

New antibody for cell labeling: Stem cells can be distinguished on the basis of sugar residues (May 11, 2011) -- Researchers in Germany have produced an antibody that allows them to distinguish the numerous types of stem cells in the nervous system better than before. The antibody 5750 recognizes a specific sugar residue on the cell surface, which is called LewisX. The research group has now been able to use LewisX for the first time to separate different types of stem cells. ... > full story

Saving Kenya's Lake Naivasha: Efforts to improve sustainability (May 11, 2011) -- An innovative program to save Kenya's Lake Naivasha is under way, with the goal of more sustainable use of the lake's water and restoration of its ecology. ... > full story

Smallest turtle in North America becomes more scarce (May 10, 2011) -- Veterinarians, conservation biologists and wildlife managers have joined forces to answer a perplexing wildlife question: Why are bog turtles getting sick? ... > full story