ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• Detailed look at HIV in action: Researchers gain a better understanding of the virus through electron microscopy
• Up close and 3-dimensional: HIV caught in the act inside the gut
• Researcher turns sights on prostate cancer, tissue engineering, blood vessel repair
• Enhancing mussel conservation, pearl production
• Trick identified that aids viral infection
• Savanna vegetation predictions best done by continent
• Drug trafficking leads to deforestation in Central America
• New genetic forms of neurodegeneration discovered
• Researchers develop new tool to identify genetic risk factors
• Cell cycle speed is key to making aging cells young again
• Precise gene editing in monkeys paves the way for valuable human disease models
• Climate study projects major changes in vegetation distribution by 2100
• World's first butterfly bacteria sequenced: Suprising events found during metamorphosis
• Parkinson's gene: Nerve growth factor halts mitochondrial degeneration
• Antibiotic 'smart bomb' can target specific strains of bacteria
• Bones of a previously unknown species prove to be one of the oldest seabirds
• Researchers find novel approach for controlling deadly C. difficile infections
• Engineered virus effective against triple negative breast cancer cells, study shows
• Mysterious ocean circles off the Baltic coast explained
• Self-aligning DNA wires for application in nanoelectronics
• Wallaby's perception of color is more similar to a dog than a quokka
• Robot with a taste for beer? Electronic tongue can identify brands of beer
• Using rare earths to interpret certain fossils
• Geranium extracts inhibit HIV-1
• Mirror-image nucleic acids as molecular scissors in biotechnology and molecular medicine
• New species of Goby fish discovered
• RNA tail linked to protein production during embryogenesis, study shows
• Disappearing snow increases risk of collapsing ice shelves in Antarctica
• Infants know plants provide food, but need to see they're safe to eat
• Connectedness, human use of buildings shape indoor bacterial communities
• Deaths attributed directly to climate change cast pall over penguins
• Zebrafish use sunscreen also for camouflage
• Scientists shine spotlight on Herdwick sheep origins
• A simple new way to induce pluripotency: Acid
• Screening for transformed human mesenchymal stromal cells with tumorigenic potential
• From rivers to landslides: Charting the slopes of sediment transport
• Puzzling question in bacterial immune system answered
• Study measures how well Asian carp prevention effort will work
• Novel genes determine division of labor in insect societies
• Said the tumor to its neighbor, 'You’ve got mail': Cell communication via exosomes
• Bladder cancer study: Potential drug targets, similarities to several cancers identified
• Anti-soiling coating keeps solar reflectors clean and efficient
• Obesity-induced fatty liver disease reversed in mice
• The better to bite fruit with: Natural selection shapes mechanical advantage in bats
• Better sweet corn research, better production
• Lung, bladder cancers have common cell-cycle biomarkers
• Hempseed oil packed with health-promoting compounds, study finds
• Rise in wildfires may significantly degrade future air quality, health
• Faster way to flag bacteria-tainted food -- and prevent illness

Detailed look at HIV in action: Researchers gain a better understanding of the virus through electron microscopy Posted: 30 Jan 2014 04:04 PM PST Researchers reporting today are the first to have utilized high-resolution electron microscopy to look at HIV infection within the actual tissue of an infected organism, providing perhaps the most detailed characterization yet of HIV infection in the gut.

Up close and 3-dimensional: HIV caught in the act inside the gut Posted: 30 Jan 2014 04:04 PM PST HIV infection has many unhealthy consequences on the body, but in particular it messes up the gut. A new study reports the first three-dimensional ultra-structural study of HIV infection in vivo. Not only does it reveal details on how the virus quickly infects immune cells in the gut, using them as virus-producing factories, but it also highlights where the virus "hides out" deep within the intestinal tissue.

Researcher turns sights on prostate cancer, tissue engineering, blood vessel repair Posted: 30 Jan 2014 01:43 PM PST When biology and materials science converge, the results can be new materials that can be used to deliver targeted drugs, repair damaged arteries or rebuild failing tissues, such as the anterior cruciate ligament, the ACL injury that can end sports careers. One bioengineer is developing polymers designed to target all three.

Enhancing mussel conservation, pearl production Posted: 30 Jan 2014 01:43 PM PST Mollusk researchers in the United States and China are collaborating to promote freshwater mussel conservation, develop more robust and productive pearl-producing Chinese mussels, and possibly introduce a U.S. mussel to China that has the potential to produce colored pearls.

Trick identified that aids viral infection Posted: 30 Jan 2014 11:12 AM PST Scientists have identified a way some viruses protect themselves from the immune system's efforts to stop infections, a finding that may make new approaches to treating viral infections possible.

Savanna vegetation predictions best done by continent Posted: 30 Jan 2014 11:12 AM PST A "one-size-fits-all" model to predict the effects of climate change on savanna vegetation isn't as effective as examining individual savannas by continent, according to new research.

Drug trafficking leads to deforestation in Central America Posted: 30 Jan 2014 11:12 AM PST Add yet another threat to the list of problems facing the rapidly disappearing rainforests of Central America: drug trafficking. In a new study, researchers who have done work in Central America point to growing evidence that drug trafficking threatens forests in remote areas of Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and nearby countries.

New genetic forms of neurodegeneration discovered Posted: 30 Jan 2014 11:12 AM PST Researchers report doubling the number of known causes for the neurodegenerative disorder known as hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). HSP is characterized by progressive stiffness and contraction of the lower limbs and is associated with epilepsy, cognitive impairment, blindness and other neurological features.

Researchers develop new tool to identify genetic risk factors Posted: 30 Jan 2014 09:16 AM PST Researchers developed a new biological pathway-based computational model, called the Pathway-based Human Phenotype Network, to identify underlying genetic connections between different diseases. The Pathway-based Human Phenotype Network mines the data present in large publicly available disease datasets to find shared SNPs, genes, or pathways and expresses them in a visual form.

Cell cycle speed is key to making aging cells young again Posted: 30 Jan 2014 09:16 AM PST Researchers identified a major obstacle to converting cells back to their youthful state -- the speed of the cell cycle, or the time required for a cell to divide. When the cell cycle accelerates to a certain speed, the barriers that keep a cell's fate on one path diminish. In such a state, cells are easily persuaded to change their identity and become pluripotent, or capable of becoming multiple cell types.

Precise gene editing in monkeys paves the way for valuable human disease models Posted: 30 Jan 2014 09:16 AM PST Monkeys are important for modeling diseases because of their close similarities to humans, but past efforts to precisely modify genes in primates have failed. Researchers have now achieved precise gene modification in monkeys for the first time using an efficient and reliable approach known as the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The study opens promising new avenues for the development of more effective treatments for a range of human diseases.

Climate study projects major changes in vegetation distribution by 2100 Posted: 30 Jan 2014 09:13 AM PST An international research team has determined the distribution of species of vegetation over nearly half the world's land area could be affected by predicted global warming.

World's first butterfly bacteria sequenced: Suprising events found during metamorphosis Posted: 30 Jan 2014 08:10 AM PST For the first time ever, scientists have sequenced the internal bacterial makeup of the three major life stages of a butterfly species, a project that showed some surprising events occur during metamorphosis.

Parkinson's gene: Nerve growth factor halts mitochondrial degeneration Posted: 30 Jan 2014 08:09 AM PST Neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease involve the death of thousands of neurons in the brain. Nerve growth factors produced by the body, such as GDNF, promote the survival of the neurons; however, clinical tests with GDNF have not yielded in any clear improvements. Scientists have now succeeded in demonstrating that GDNF and its receptor Ret also promote the survival of mitochondria, the power plants of the cell. By activating the Ret receptor, the scientists were able to prevent in flies and human cell cultures the degeneration of mitochondria, which is caused by a gene defect related to Parkinson's disease.

Antibiotic 'smart bomb' can target specific strains of bacteria Posted: 30 Jan 2014 08:09 AM PST Researchers have developed a de facto antibiotic "smart bomb" that can identify specific strains of bacteria and sever their DNA, eliminating the infection. The technique offers a potential approach to treat infections by multi-drug resistant bacteria.

Bones of a previously unknown species prove to be one of the oldest seabirds Posted: 30 Jan 2014 08:08 AM PST Fossils discovered in Canterbury, New Zealand reveal the nature of one of the world's oldest flying seabirds. Thought to have lived between 60.5 and 61.6 million years ago, the fossil is suggested to have formed shortly after the extinction of dinosaurs and many marine organisms.

Researchers find novel approach for controlling deadly C. difficile infections Posted: 30 Jan 2014 07:21 AM PST Researchers have revealed the first molecular views showing how highly specific antibodies derived from llamas may provide a new method for controlling deadly infections from the opportunistic bacterial pathogen Clostridium difficile.

Engineered virus effective against triple negative breast cancer cells, study shows Posted: 30 Jan 2014 07:20 AM PST Scientists have discovered a potential cure for one of the most aggressive and least treatable forms of breast cancer called "triple negative breast cancer."

Mysterious ocean circles off the Baltic coast explained Posted: 30 Jan 2014 07:20 AM PST Are they bomb craters from World War II? Are they landing marks for aliens? Since the first images of the mysterious ocean circles off the Baltic coast of Denmark were taken in 2008, people have tried to find an explanation. Now researchers finally present a scientific explanation.

Self-aligning DNA wires for application in nanoelectronics Posted: 30 Jan 2014 07:20 AM PST Since miniaturization in microelectronics is starting to reach physical limits, researchers seek new methods for device fabrication. One candidate is DNA origami in which strands of the biomolecule self-assemble into arbitrarily shaped nanostructures. The formation of entire circuits, however, requires the controlled positioning of these DNA structures on a surface -- which is only possible using elaborate techniques. Researchers have come up with a simpler strategy which combines DNA origami with self-organized pattern formation.

Wallaby's perception of color is more similar to a dog than a quokka Posted: 30 Jan 2014 07:20 AM PST Biologists have recently discovered that a wallaby's perception of color is more similar to a dog than a quokka, sparking questions as to why marsupial color vision has evolved so selectively. By developing a pokies-like game for the wallabies, the research was able to determine exactly what the animals saw and how their color perception differed from other species.

Robot with a taste for beer? Electronic tongue can identify brands of beer Posted: 30 Jan 2014 06:28 AM PST Researchers have managed to distinguish between different varieties of beer using an electronic tongue. The discovery is accurate in almost 82% of cases. Beer is the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic drink in the world.

Using rare earths to interpret certain fossils Posted: 30 Jan 2014 06:28 AM PST Until now, interpreting flattened fossils was a major challenge. Now, a new approach for the analysis of such fossils has been developed. This non-destructive method makes use of chemical elements known as rare earths. By locating and quantifying such elements in trace amounts, it is possible to improve interpretation of fossil morphology.

Geranium extracts inhibit HIV-1 Posted: 30 Jan 2014 06:28 AM PST Extracts of the geranium plant Pelargonium sidoides inactivate human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and prevent the virus from invading human cells. Scientists report that these extracts represent a potential new class of anti-HIV-1 agents for the treatment of AIDS.

Mirror-image nucleic acids as molecular scissors in biotechnology and molecular medicine Posted: 30 Jan 2014 06:28 AM PST Biochemist have now created mirror-image enzymes -- so-called Spiegelzymes -- out of nucleic acids. The Spiegelzymes can be used in living cells for the targeted cutting of natural nucleic acids.

New species of Goby fish discovered Posted: 30 Jan 2014 06:28 AM PST In 2013, a new species of goby was discovered in a stream on the main island of Okinawa. Stiphodon species spawn in freshwater streams and the larvae drift to the sea soon after being hatched. The larvae grow in the sea by feeding on plankton before they return to the freshwater habitat. While they are living in the sea, they can be transported by ocean currents to remote areas. How long they stay in the sea depends on the species of goby, and Stiphodon species are known to stay in the sea for a relatively long period of time.

RNA tail linked to protein production during embryogenesis, study shows Posted: 30 Jan 2014 06:14 AM PST Researchers have determined that poly(A) tails on messenger RNAs (mRNAs) shift their role in the regulation of protein production during early embryogenesis. This finding about the regulation of mRNA translation also provides insight into how microRNAs control protein production.

Disappearing snow increases risk of collapsing ice shelves in Antarctica Posted: 30 Jan 2014 01:08 AM PST A number of floating ice shelves in Antarctica are at risk of disappearing entirely in the next 200 years, as global warming reduces their snow cover. Their collapse would enhance the discharge of ice into the oceans and increase the rate at which sea-level rises. A rapid reduction of greenhouse gas emissions could save a number of these ice shelves, researchers say.

Infants know plants provide food, but need to see they're safe to eat Posted: 30 Jan 2014 01:08 AM PST Infants as young as six months old tend to expect that plants are food sources, but only after an adult shows them that the food is safe to eat, according to new research.

Connectedness, human use of buildings shape indoor bacterial communities Posted: 29 Jan 2014 03:48 PM PST Microbes drawn from the dust in a university building have provided clues that could inspire future architectural designers to encourage a healthy indoor environment.

Deaths attributed directly to climate change cast pall over penguins Posted: 29 Jan 2014 03:48 PM PST Climate change is killing penguin chicks from the world's largest colony of Magellanic penguins, not just indirectly -- by depriving them of food, as has been repeatedly documented for these and other seabirds -- but directly as a result of drenching rainstorms and, at other times, heat, according to new finding.

Zebrafish use sunscreen also for camouflage Posted: 29 Jan 2014 03:46 PM PST For diurnal animals like zebrafish embryos, which grow up in shallow pools and are practically see-through, exposure to the sun constitutes a major problem since ultraviolet (UV) radiation damages DNA. Neurobiologists set about investigating which mechanisms zebrafish embryos use to protect themselves against the aggressive UV radiation. Interestingly, scientists have found that the UV-protection mechanism also doubles as camouflage.

Scientists shine spotlight on Herdwick sheep origins Posted: 29 Jan 2014 03:46 PM PST A new study highlights surprising differences between Herdwick sheep and their closest neighboring UK upland breeds. The research is the first of its kind to compare the genetics of three commercially farmed breeds all concentrated in the same geographical region of the UK.

A simple new way to induce pluripotency: Acid Posted: 29 Jan 2014 03:44 PM PST An unusual reprogramming phenomenon by which the fate of somatic cells can be drastically altered through changes to the external environment is described in two new articles.

Screening for transformed human mesenchymal stromal cells with tumorigenic potential Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:54 PM PST Spontaneous transformation of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells has been observed during long-term expansion in cell culture, although it is rare. Engrafting these transformed cells into immunodeficient mice leads to the formation of solid tumors. Using high-throughput profiling methods, a panel of RNA molecules was identified as potential biomarkers for screening for these transformed cells in cell culture.

From rivers to landslides: Charting the slopes of sediment transport Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:54 PM PST The slope of streambeds has dramatic and unexpected effects on sediment transport. Experimental data from the flume lab show that gravity does not facilitate sediment transport in the expected manner. In very steep streambeds with a 22-degree or higher slope, sediment motion begins not with grains skipping and bouncing along the bottom of the streambed, but rather with a complete bed failure in which all the sediment is abruptly sent hurtling downstream as a debris flow.

Puzzling question in bacterial immune system answered Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:54 PM PST Researchers have answered a central question about Cas9, an enzyme that plays an essential role in the bacterial immune system and is fast becoming a valuable tool for genetic engineering: How is Cas9 able to precisely discriminate between non-self DNA that must be degraded and self DNA that may be almost identical within genomes that are millions to billions of base pairs long.

Study measures how well Asian carp prevention effort will work Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:54 PM PST Scientists have recently presented their findings of the effectiveness of different Asian carp prevention barriers.

Novel genes determine division of labor in insect societies Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:49 PM PST Novel or highly modified genes play a major role in the development of the different castes within ant colonies. Evolutionary biologists came to this conclusion in a recent gene expression study by looking at the question of how the different female castes arise. An ant colony generally consists of a queen and the workers. Moreover, workers can differ depending on the task they perform, such as brood care, foraging, or nest defense.

Said the tumor to its neighbor, 'You’ve got mail': Cell communication via exosomes Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:48 PM PST Cells have their own miniaturized postal service in the shape of vesicles, or tiny bubbles through which molecules crucial for biological processes like communication and food intake are sorted, packaged and delivered. Scientific interest in a particular group of vesicles called exosomes has accelerated over the last several years. Researchers are studying the potential clinical applications of these specialized structures.

Bladder cancer study: Potential drug targets, similarities to several cancers identified Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:48 PM PST Investigators have identified new potential therapeutic targets for a major form of bladder cancer, including important genes and pathways that are disrupted in the disease.

Anti-soiling coating keeps solar reflectors clean and efficient Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:46 PM PST Scientists are developing a low-cost, transparent, anti-soiling coating for solar reflectors to optimize energy efficiency while lowering operating and maintenance costs and avoiding negative environmental impacts.

Obesity-induced fatty liver disease reversed in mice Posted: 29 Jan 2014 12:10 PM PST Researchers have discovered that valproic acid, a widely prescribed drug for treating epilepsy, has the additional benefits of reducing fat accumulation in the liver and lowering blood sugar levels in the blood of obese mice.

The better to bite fruit with: Natural selection shapes mechanical advantage in bats Posted: 29 Jan 2014 10:48 AM PST A recently published paper lays out a team's findings relating mechanical advantage to natural selection. The researchers also unveiled an engineering model of a skull that can be computationally manipulated to morph into the shape of any New World Leaf-nosed bat species, to help uncover evidence for selection in long-extinct organisms.

Better sweet corn research, better production Posted: 29 Jan 2014 09:20 AM PST While grain yield is economically important in field corn production, there are other metrics more important in sweet corn grown for processing, says a crop sciences researcher.

Lung, bladder cancers have common cell-cycle biomarkers Posted: 29 Jan 2014 09:19 AM PST Bladder and lung cancers are marked by shared differences in the genetics that control the cell cycle, with diagnostic, prognostic and treatment implications, research indicates.

Hempseed oil packed with health-promoting compounds, study finds Posted: 29 Jan 2014 08:51 AM PST Long stigmatized because of its "high"-inducing cousins, hemp -- derived from low-hallucinogenic varieties of cannabis -- is making a comeback, not just as a source of fiber for textiles, but also as a crop packed with oils that have potential health benefits. A new study details just how many healthful compounds hempseed oil contains.

Rise in wildfires may significantly degrade future air quality, health Posted: 29 Jan 2014 08:50 AM PST As the American West, parched by prolonged drought, braces for a season of potentially record-breaking wildfires, new research suggests these events not only pose an immediate threat to people's safety and their homes, but also could take a toll on human health, agriculture and ecosystems. The study could help societies map out a plan to mitigate these effects in wildfire-prone regions.

Faster way to flag bacteria-tainted food -- and prevent illness Posted: 29 Jan 2014 08:50 AM PST The regular appearance of food poisoning in the news, including a recent event that led to the recall of more than 33,000 pounds of chicken, drives home the need for better bacterial detection long before meats and produce make it to the dinner table. On the horizon is a new approach for pathogen screening that is far faster than current commercial methods.

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