Παρασκευή 21 Φεβρουαρίου 2014

ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Food packaging chemicals may be harmful to human health over long term

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 05:52 PM PST

The synthetic chemicals used in the packaging, storage, and processing of foodstuffs might be harmful to human health over the long term, warn environmental scientists. This is because most of these substances are not inert and can leach into the foods we eat, they say. Despite the fact that some of these chemicals are regulated, people who eat packaged or processed foods are likely to be chronically exposed to low levels of these substances throughout their lives. And far too little is known about their long term impact.

Claims that aging wind farms are a bad investment blown away by new research

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 05:51 PM PST

There has been some debate about whether wind turbines have a more limited shelf-life than other energy technologies. A previous study used a statistical model to estimate that electricity output from wind turbines declines by a third after only ten years of operation. Some opponents of wind power have argued that aging turbine technology could need replacing en masse after as little as ten years, which would make it an unattractive option in economic terms. In a new study, researchers carried out an analysis using local wind speed data from NASA, and showed that the turbines will last their full life of about 25 years before they need to be upgraded.

Despite unprecedented investment in malaria control, most Africans at high risk of contracting deadly malaria

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 05:51 PM PST

Despite unprecedented investment in malaria control in Africa over the past decade, about 57% of the population still live in areas where risk of infection remains moderate to high, according to new research. However, new findings also show that substantial reductions in malaria transmission have been achieved across most of the malaria-endemic countries of Africa between 2000 and 2010, with more than a quarter of the population (around 218 million people) now living in areas with a much lower risk of infection.

Ants build raft to escape flood, protect queen

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 02:48 PM PST

When facing a flood, ants build rafts and use both the buoyancy of the brood and the recovery ability of workers to minimize injury or death.

Molecular aberration signals cancer: Role of small non-coding RNAs in protein production, cancer cells

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 01:04 PM PST

Scientists have made a discovery that strongly links a little understood molecule, which is similar to DNA, to cancer and cancer survival. While RNA is known to be key to our cells' successful creation of proteins, the role of small non-coding RNAs, a newly discovered cousin of the former, has eluded scientific understanding for the most part. Until now, it was only surmised that most of these molecules had nothing to do with protein production. However, scientists have discovered that many non-coding RNAs are perturbed in cancerous human cells, including breast and lung, in a specific way.

Seal evolution: Sexual dimorphism in pinnipeds arose around 27 million years ago as climate changed

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 01:04 PM PST

Modern pinnipeds (the group that includes seals, sea lions and walruses) show a range of sexual dimorphism (large differences in size between males and females) and mating systems that span the extremes of modern mammals. A new study using the fossil record establishes that sexual dimorphism in pinnipeds, marked by harem-like behavior, arose around 27 million years ago in association with changing climatic conditions. Taken in the modern context of climate change, this research has major implications for the future of the species.

Statistics research could build consensus around climate predictions

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 01:04 PM PST

Vast amounts of data related to climate change are being compiled by researchers worldwide with varying climate projections. This requires combining information across data sets to arrive at a consensus regarding future climate estimates. Scientists propose a statistical hierarchical Bayesian model that consolidates climate change information from observation-based data sets and climate models.

Cell therapy shows remarkable ability to eradicate cancer in clinical study

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 11:25 AM PST

The largest clinical study ever conducted to date of patients with advanced leukemia found that 88 percent achieved complete remissions after being treated with genetically modified versions of their own immune cells. "These extraordinary results demonstrate that cell therapy is a powerful treatment for patients who have exhausted all conventional therapies," said a senior author. "Our initial findings have held up in a larger cohort of patients, and we are already looking at new clinical studies to advance this novel therapeutic approach in fighting cancer."

Managed honeybees linked to new diseases in wild bees, UK study shows

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 10:33 AM PST

Diseases that are common in managed honeybee colonies are now widespread in the UK's wild bumblebees, according to new research. The study suggests that some diseases are being driven into wild bumblebee populations from managed honeybees.

The ups and downs of early atmospheric oxygen

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 10:33 AM PST

The period of extended low oxygen spanning from roughly two to less than one billion years ago was a time of remarkable chemical stability in the Earth's ocean and atmosphere. Biogeochemists report that oxygen was much lower than previously thought during this important middle chapter in Earth history, which likely explains the low abundances and diversity of eukaryotic organisms and the absence of animals.

Infants with leukemia inherit susceptibility from parents, study indicates

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 09:47 AM PST

Babies who develop leukemia during the first year of life appear to inherit an unfortunate combination of genetic variations that may make the infants highly susceptible to the disease, according to a new study. Doctors have long puzzled over why it is that babies just a few months old sometimes develop cancer. As infants, they have not lived long enough to accumulate a critical number of cancer-causing mutations. The babies appear to have inherited rare genetic variants from both parents that by themselves would not cause problems, but in combination put the infants at high risk of leukemia. These variants most often occurred in genes known to be linked to leukemia in children.

Switch That Says It's Time to Sleep Identified

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 09:47 AM PST

The switch in the brain that sends us off to sleep has been identified in a study in fruit flies. The switch works by regulating the activity of a handful of sleep-promoting nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain. The neurons fire when we're tired and need sleep, and dampen down when we're fully rested. Although the research was carried out in fruit flies, or Drosophila, the scientists say the sleep mechanism is likely to be relevant to humans.

Newly developed chemical restores light perception to blind mice

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 09:47 AM PST

Progressive degeneration of photoreceptors -- the rods and cones of the eyes -- causes blinding diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration. While there are currently no available treatments to reverse this degeneration, a newly developed compound allows other cells in the eye to act like photoreceptors. The compound may be a potential drug candidate for treating patients suffering from degenerative retinal disorders.

NASA satellites see Arctic surface darkening faster

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 08:51 AM PST

The retreat of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is diminishing Earth's albedo, or reflectivity, by an amount considerably larger than previously estimated, according to a new study that uses data from instruments that fly aboard several NASA satellites.

Fresh air: Special air filter blocks small particles called UFPs from getting inside cars

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 08:34 AM PST

While taking in the scenery during long road trips, passengers also may be taking in potentially harmful ultrafine particles that come into the car through outdoor air vents. Closing the vents reduces ultrafine particles, but causes exhaled carbon dioxide to build up. Now, scientists report that installing a newly developed high-efficiency cabin air filter could reduce ultrafine particle exposure by 93 percent and keep carbon dioxide levels low.

Endangered black-footed ferret and its plague-impacted prey need new conservation approaches

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 07:22 AM PST

The black-footed ferret is one of the most endangered mammals in North America, but new research suggests that these charismatic critters can persist if conservationists think big enough.

Climate change linked to increase in Australia's suicide rates, study shows

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 06:55 AM PST

A researcher is predicting suicide rates will rise as a result of climate change after finding a link between high and varied temperatures and people taking their own life. "Based on Australia's climate the high risk seasons for Brisbane and Sydney are spring and early summer, so it is therefore necessary to strengthen current monitoring systems on attempted suicide especially in areas with high unemployment rates. As global climate change and financial recession continue, it is vital to develop local interventions to reduce suicidal risk," states the lead author of the newly published article.

Stratification determines fate of fish stocks in Baltic Sea

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 06:55 AM PST

In the Baltic Sea, two cod stocks evolve independently. The young fish of two economically important flatfish species, flounder and plaice, live within limited space, possibly due to the different salinity within this inland sea. Scientists explain how these hydrographic conditions affect the distribution of fish eggs and growth of economically important fish stocks. The findings are relevant for fisheries management since they show that the individual stocks of a species do not necessarily benefit from each other, and -- for example -- that one stock cannot recover from overfishing with the help of the other. Regulations must therefore take into account local specifics, and the monitoring of fish stocks in their various stages of life.

The nose knows in asthma: Nasal tissue samples may advance personalized medicine for asthma

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 06:55 AM PST

It has become increasingly clear in recent years that asthma comes in several variations, with different causes, different pathologies and different responses to therapy. These subtypes of asthma can be identified by knowing which genes are expressed at higher and lower levels in patients' airways. That information can, in turn, help guide personalized treatment to more effectively manage asthma and inspire research to better understand, manage and possibly prevent asthma. Nasal tissue samples may make genetic profiles of asthmatic patients more a more common and valuable tool to personalize therapy and guide research.

Could metabolism play a role in epilepsy?

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 06:53 AM PST

Researchers are exploring a possible link between metabolic defects and seizures. They determined that diet could influence susceptibility to seizures, and they have identified a common diabetes drug that could be useful in treating disorders such as epilepsy. This connection was made in the lab by measuring fruit fly movement with inexpensive web-cams. While there is no known trigger behind seizures in people with epilepsy, the researchers are using their drug-screening technique to investigate potential metabolic causes—using genetically modified, seizure-prone flies.

How stick insects honed friction to grip without sticking

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 04:54 AM PST

When they're not hanging upside down, stick insects don't need to stick. In fact, when moving upright, sticking would be a hindrance: so much extra effort required to 'unstick' again with every step.

'Gravity'-style space debris threat from giant satellite explored

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 04:54 AM PST

Physics students have pointed out that the huge observational satellite Envisat -- which lost contact with Earth in 2012 -- could potentially pose a threat similar to the events which plague Sandra Bullock in the Oscar-nominated sci-fi thriller Gravity.

Gecko-inspired adhesion: Self-cleaning and reliable

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 04:52 AM PST

Geckos outclass adhesive tapes in one respect: Even after repeated contact with dirt and dust do their feet perfectly adhere to smooth surfaces. Researchers have now developed the first adhesive tape that does not only adhere to a surface as reliably as the toes of a gecko, but also possesses similar self-cleaning properties. Using such a tape, food packagings or bandages might be opened and closed several times.

UK failing to harness its bioenergy potential

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 04:52 AM PST

The UK could generate almost half its energy needs from biomass sources, including household waste, agricultural residues and home-grown biofuels by 2050, new research suggests. Scientists found that the UK could produce up to 44% of its energy by these means without the need to import. A new study highlights the country's potential abundance of biomass resources that are currently underutilized and totally overlooked by the bioenergy sector.

Deep freeze in the Great Lakes: Lakes nearly frozen completely for first time in 20 years

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 04:51 AM PST

Lake Superior is more than 90 percent iced over, and experts say it may be covered completely before winter's end. Someone has proposed a hike across Lake Michigan, and Lake Huron and Lake Erie are 95 percent frozen. But even without 100 percent ice cover, the icy lakes are having a major effect on the environment around them, from contributing to weather patterns and temperatures, to changing the fish stock within them.

Frequent flyers, bottle gourds crossed the ocean many times

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 12:38 PM PST

Bottle gourds traveled the Atlantic Ocean from Africa and were likely domesticated many times in various parts of the New World, according to a team of scientists who studied bottle gourd genetics to show they have an African, not Asian ancestry. Domesticated bottle gourds are ubiquitous around the world in tropical and temperate areas because, while they are edible when young, the mature fruit make ideal lightweight, waterproof, liquid-carrying vessels. They were popular in areas either before development of ceramics or where ceramics never developed. According to the researchers, it is feasible that gourds did float across the Atlantic Ocean frequently. "It wasn't one gourd that came over and gave rise to all New World gourds," state the authors.

Specific genetic cue for sudden cardiac death syndrome found

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 11:33 AM PST

Researchers have found a specific genetic flaw that is connected to sudden death due to heart arrhythmia -- a leading cause of mortality for adults around the world. While a number of genes have been linked with arrhythmias, new researcher has uncovered that the functional impairment of a gene called KCNE2 underlies a multisystem syndrome that affects both heart rhythm and blood flow and can activate chemical triggers that can cause sudden cardiac death.

Calico cats inspire X chromosome research

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 11:22 AM PST

Calico cats, renowned and beloved for their funky orange and black patchwork or "tortoiseshell" fur, can thank X chromosome inactivation or "silencing" for their unique look. Researchers are striving to unlock the mystery of how one X chromosome can be rendered nearly completely inactive.

Garlic counteracts virulent bacteria

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 09:45 AM PST

Aggressive multi-resistant infections constitute an increasing health problem all over the world. Bacteria are developing resistance at an alarming pace, so new pharmaceuticals that can combat this threat are in great demand. Garlic contains a substance that is particularly effective in encounters with even the hardiest bacterial strains. A young researcher will soon be defending his Ph.D. thesis on the positive properties of the malodorous plant.

Organic agriculture can pollute groundwater, research shows

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 08:43 AM PST

Public demand has led to the rapid development of organic farming in recent years to provide healthy food products that are free of chemical additives and to reduce industrial and groundwater pollution worldwide. However, according to a new paper, intensive organic matter using composted manure prior to planting resulted in significantly higher groundwater pollution rates compared with liquid fertilization techniques. The study compared the water quality across the entire unsaturated zone under organic and conventional greenhouses in Israel.

Better way to purify peptide-based drugs by adding atoms to the mix

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 08:42 AM PST

During the production of peptide drugs, amino acids attach to each other in chains, but some of the chains are never completed. To separate these truncated peptides from the good ones, a team of researchers adds a polymerizable group of atoms to the mix. These atoms bind to either the perfect peptides or the unfinished ones, but not to both. The polymerized peptides become insoluble and precipitate out of the solution.

Malaria vaccine development paves way for protective therapy

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 07:13 AM PST

Scientists have made a significant contribution towards the development of a vaccine to prevent malaria. Until now, developing malaria vaccines has been challenging. A vaccine must incorporate key proteins from the malaria parasites, which will trigger production of antibodies by the immune system. These proteins have a complex, intricate structure that is hard to reproduce. Scientists have now found a novel way to produce proteins that could lead to malaria vaccines being easy and cheap to manufacture. They have grown them inside a tiny single-celled aquatic creature, whose biological make-up is similar to that of the malaria parasite. The organism, and the protein, can multiply quickly in the lab.

Controlling stone fruit disease: New approaches found

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 07:12 AM PST

Researchers have identified a new way of controlling a fungal disease that can have a devastating impact on the UK's valuable cherry and plum crops. Brown rot disease -- caused by the agent Monilinia laxa -- attacks stone fruit as well as causing blossom wilt and twig canker. Traditionally, this has been controlled through the use of fungicide treatments, but in some cases these are now becoming ineffective. Now researchers from the two organizations have identified a new strategy for controlling the disease, using biological control agents derived from isolates from UK cherries and plums.

Malnutrition decreases effectiveness of HIV treatment in pregnant African women

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 07:07 AM PST

In Uganda the prescription of three antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, which aim to suppress the virus to prevent disease progression, have resulted in huge reductions in HIV mortality rates. However, disease is not the only scourge in Uganda, and a new study explores the impact food insecurity may have on treating pregnant women. Blood and hair samples from 221 women were analyzed, revealing that 80% of patients were malnourished and 26% lost weight during their pregnancy. Average (median) Body Mass Index was found to be only 20.2 kg/m2. The team found that, compared to well-nourished patients, drug exposure was reduced in these patients.

Ancient fishing techniques teach modern fisheries industry some history

Posted: 17 Feb 2014 01:11 PM PST

Archaeological data indicate modern herring management needs to take a longer look into the past to manage fisheries for the future says a new study. This study's authors combed through reams of archaeological reports that analyze almost half a million fish bones at 171 archaeological sites from Alaska, British Columbia and Washington State. Up to 10,000 years old, the bones belonged to primarily Pacific herring, not the iconic salmon or any other fish, during a time when Indigenous fisheries reigned. The researchers drew from their ancient data-catch concrete evidence that long-ago herring populations were consistently abundant and widespread for thousands of years. This contrasts dramatically with today's dwindling and erratic herring numbers.
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