ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• New class of antibiotics discovered by chemists
• Personalized treatment prolongs the life of lung cancer patients
• Over demanding market affects fisheries more than climate change
• Promising news for producing fuels through artificial photosynthesis
• New theory on cause of endometriosis
• That sinking feeling: NASA radar demonstrates ability to foresee sinkholes
• Emerging multi-drug resistant infections lack standard definition, treatment
• Hospital food safety measures reduce risk of contaminated hospital food
• Genome of sesame sheds new light on oil biosynthesis
• Epigenetic changes could explain type 2 diabetes
• UV light accelerates cancer cells that creep along outside of blood vessels
• Teen elephant mothers die younger but have bigger families
• Europe's largest badger study finds rare long-distance movements
• Urbanization exposes French cities to greater seismic risk
• Activity more than location affects perception of earthquakes
• Effective thermal insulation with wood foam
• Quicker and cheaper toxicity checking of mussels
• Urgent need to study impacts of biomass burning and haze on marine ecosystems in Southeast Asia
• Traffic-related air pollution associated with changes in right ventricular structure, function
• Fertilizer in small doses yields higher returns for less money
• Deer feeding puts birds at risk, research shows
• New mechanisms of oxidative stress regulation uncovered
• Higher levels of omega-3 in diet are associated with better sleep, study shows
• Genetic techniques have role in future of dental care
• Enzyme controls transport of genomic building blocks
• Low saturated fat diets don't curb heart disease risk or help you live longer

New class of antibiotics discovered by chemists Posted: 07 Mar 2014 01:59 PM PST A new class of antibiotics to fight bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other drug-resistant bacteria that threaten public health has been discovered by a team of chemists. The new class, called oxadiazoles, was discovered in silico (by computer) screening and has shown promise in the treatment of MRSA in mouse models of infection. MRSA has become a global public-health problem since the 1960s because of its resistance to antibiotics. In the United States alone, 278,000 people are hospitalized and 19,000 die each year from infections caused by MRSA. Only three drugs currently are effective treatments, and resistance to each of those drugs already exists.

Personalized treatment prolongs the life of lung cancer patients Posted: 07 Mar 2014 01:59 PM PST Mexican scientists have increased survival rates for patients diagnosed with lunch cancer in metastatic stage (when the disease has spread to different parts of the body) from a rate of nine months of survival to 30 with personalized treatments. Tumor tissue samples were used to extract DNA in order to analyze mutations in the neoplasia (abnormal mass of tissue). Based on the mutations, personalized treatments were provided to the study participants.

Over demanding market affects fisheries more than climate change Posted: 07 Mar 2014 01:59 PM PST Fisheries that rely on short life species, such as shrimp or sardine, have been more affected by climate change, because this phenomenon affects chlorophyll production, which is vital for phytoplankton, the main food for both species.

Promising news for producing fuels through artificial photosynthesis Posted: 07 Mar 2014 10:36 AM PST There's promising news from the front on efforts to produce fuels through artificial photosynthesis. A new study shows that nearly 90 percent of the electrons generated by a hybrid material designed to store solar energy in hydrogen are being stored in the target hydrogen molecules.

New theory on cause of endometriosis Posted: 07 Mar 2014 10:36 AM PST Changes to two previously unstudied genes are the centerpiece of a new theory regarding the cause and development of endometriosis, a chronic and painful disease affecting one in 10 women. The discovery suggests epigenetic modification, a process that enhances or disrupts how DNA is read, is an integral component of the disease and its progression.

That sinking feeling: NASA radar demonstrates ability to foresee sinkholes Posted: 07 Mar 2014 10:12 AM PST New analyses of NASA airborne radar data collected in 2012 reveal the radar detected indications of a huge sinkhole before it collapsed and forced evacuations near Bayou Corne, La., that year. The findings suggest such radar data, if collected routinely from airborne systems or satellites, could at least in some cases foresee sinkholes before they happen, decreasing danger to people and property.

Emerging multi-drug resistant infections lack standard definition, treatment Posted: 07 Mar 2014 08:11 AM PST Infection control practices for detecting and treating patients infected with emerging multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria vary significantly between hospitals. A study including a consortium of more than 200 hospitals found this inconsistency could be contributing to the increase in multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Hospital food safety measures reduce risk of contaminated hospital food Posted: 07 Mar 2014 08:11 AM PST A new study found more than 80 percent of raw chicken used in hospitals in food for patients and staff was contaminated with a form of antibiotic resistant bacteria called extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing E. coli. While sufficient preparation eliminated the presence of bacteria, poultry meat delivered to hospital kitchens remains a potential point of entry for these dangerous bacteria into the hospital.

Genome of sesame sheds new light on oil biosynthesis Posted: 07 Mar 2014 07:02 AM PST Researchers have successfully cracked the genome of high oil content crop sesame, providing new lights on the important stages of seed development and oil accumulation, and potential key genes for sesamin production.

Epigenetic changes could explain type 2 diabetes Posted: 07 Mar 2014 07:02 AM PST People with type 2 diabetes have epigenetic changes on their DNA that healthy individuals do not have. This has been shown in a major study by researchers who also found epigenetic changes in a large number of genes that contribute to reduced insulin production. "This shows that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is not only genetic, but also epigenetic," said the leading author.

UV light accelerates cancer cells that creep along outside of blood vessels Posted: 07 Mar 2014 07:00 AM PST Deadly skin cancer (melanoma) cells spread by creeping along the outside of blood vessels: extravascular metastatic migration (EVMM). Ultraviolet light exposure accelerates EVMM in a mouse model, new research has found. Now researchers are targeting new drugs that slow or stop EVMM, potentially reducing the death rate from melanoma.

Teen elephant mothers die younger but have bigger families Posted: 07 Mar 2014 05:40 AM PST Asian elephants that give birth as teenagers die younger than older mothers but raise bigger families during their lifetime, according to new research.

Europe's largest badger study finds rare long-distance movements Posted: 07 Mar 2014 05:40 AM PST European badgers can make journeys of more than 20km -- distances longer than previously thought –- researchers have found. The study could help design more effective interventions to reduce the spread of bovine tuberculosis between badger populations, something that is essential if transmission to cattle is to be controlled.

Urbanization exposes French cities to greater seismic risk Posted: 07 Mar 2014 05:40 AM PST French researchers have looked into data mining to develop a method for extracting information on the vulnerability of cities in regions of moderate risk, creating a proxy for assessing the probable resilience of buildings and infrastructure despite incomplete seismic inventories of buildings. The research exposes significant vulnerability in regions that have experienced an 'explosion of urbanization.'

Activity more than location affects perception of earthquakes Posted: 07 Mar 2014 05:40 AM PST A new study by Italian researchers suggests that a person's activity at the time of the quake influences their perception of shaking more than their location. Whether a person is at rest or walking plays a greater role in their perception of ground motion than whether they were asleep on the first or sixth floor of a building. People in motion had the worst perception.

Effective thermal insulation with wood foam Posted: 07 Mar 2014 05:38 AM PST Insulation materials of tomorrow must be both efficient and environmentally friendly. Scientists are developing insulation foam made from wood that could re- place petrochemical plastics in the long term.

Quicker and cheaper toxicity checking of mussels Posted: 07 Mar 2014 05:38 AM PST A new discovery can make it far easier to check whether mussels have gone bad. Poisonous mussels contain the extremely dangerous and paralyzing neurotoxin saxitoxin. This neurotoxin is the cause of paralytic shellfish poisoning. The first symptoms include numbness in the mouth and lips, spreading to the face and neck. Then, the discomforts come in abundance: headache, dizziness, slurred speech and reduced motor function. The most serious poisonings can lead to fatal paralysis.

Urgent need to study impacts of biomass burning and haze on marine ecosystems in Southeast Asia Posted: 07 Mar 2014 05:38 AM PST Crop residue and forests are burnt in many tropical countries to clear land for agriculture. In Indonesia, annual biomass burning activities cause a widespread smoke-haze phenomenon that affects human health, quality of life and incomes locally and in neighboring countries. While the impacts of these large-scale burning on terrestrial and atmospheric habitats are immediate and obvious, little is known about how adjacent coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs, seagrass and mangroves are affected.

Traffic-related air pollution associated with changes in right ventricular structure, function Posted: 07 Mar 2014 05:37 AM PST Exposure to high levels of traffic-related air pollution is associated with changes in the right ventricle of the heart that may contribute to the known connection between air pollution exposure and heart disease, according to a new study. "The morphologic changes in the right ventricle of the heart that we found with increased exposure to nitrogen dioxide add to the body of evidence supporting a connection between traffic-related air pollution and cardiovascular disease," said the lead author. "The many adverse effects of air pollution on human health support continued efforts to reduce this burden."

Fertilizer in small doses yields higher returns for less money Posted: 06 Mar 2014 04:14 PM PST Crop yields in the fragile semi-arid areas of Zimbabwe have been declining over time due to a decline in soil fertility resulting from mono-cropping, lack of fertilizer, and other factors. Researchers have evaluated the use of a precision farming technique called "microdosing," its effect on food security, and its ability to improve yield at a low cost to farmers.

Deer feeding puts birds at risk, research shows Posted: 06 Mar 2014 04:14 PM PST By comparing the fate of artificial nests close and far away from supplementary feeding sites located in the forest for ungulates, such as deer and wild boar, researchers found that those nests in the vicinity of feeding sites were depredated twice more. This "predation hotspot" effect extends far away from the feeding site itself: in a radius of 1-km the probability of nest survival is lowered. When accounting for all feeding sites in the study region, this would mean that in one fifth of the area ground-nesting birds will have little chance to see their eggs hatching. These sites attract not only deer and wild boar- the boar is also a nest predator-, but also corvids, rodents, bears and other species of nest predators, which are not the target of feeding. Therefore, this management practice comes into conflict with the conservation of ground-nesting birds, such as grouse species, which are declining worldwide.

New mechanisms of oxidative stress regulation uncovered Posted: 06 Mar 2014 04:14 PM PST A previously unrecognized feed-forward mechanism of reactive-oxygen-species regulation has been discovered. Regulation of oxidative stress is critical to cell survival. Oxidative stress occurs when a cell is not able to adequately remove reactive oxygen species (ROS), or reactive molecules that result from the metabolism of oxygen. To alleviate these toxically high levels of ROS, cells activate NF-E2-related transcription factor 2 (Nrf2), which normally resides in the cytoplasm. Under conditions of oxidative stress, however, Nrf2 relocates to the nucleus, where it induces transcription of antioxidant genes.

Higher levels of omega-3 in diet are associated with better sleep, study shows Posted: 06 Mar 2014 07:39 AM PST Higher levels of omega-3 DHA, the group of long-chain fatty acids found in algae and seafood, are associated with better sleep, shows a randomized, placebo-controlled study. The study finds that higher blood levels of the long-chain omega-3 DHA (the main omega-3 fatty acid found in the brain) are significantly associated with better sleep, including less bedtime resistance, parasomnias and total sleep disturbance. It adds that higher ratios of DHA in relation to the long-chain omega-6 fatty acid AA (arachidonic acid) are also associated with fewer sleep problems.

Genetic techniques have role in future of dental care Posted: 06 Mar 2014 06:51 AM PST A visit to the dentist could one day require a detailed look at how genes in a patient's body are being switched on or off, as well as examining their pearly whites, according to researchers. "In the case of oral health, epigenetic factors may help to orchestrate healthy and unhealthy states in our mouths. They respond to the current local environment, such as the type and level of our oral microbes, regulating which of our genes are active. This means we could use them to determine an individual's state of health, or even influence how their genes behave. We can't change the underlying genetic code, but we may be able to change when genes are switched on and off," a co-author says.

Enzyme controls transport of genomic building blocks Posted: 06 Mar 2014 06:38 AM PST Our DNA and its architecture are duplicated every time our cells divide. Histone proteins are key building blocks of this architecture and contain gene regulatory information. Researchers show how an enzyme controls reliable and high-speed delivery of histones to DNA copying hubs in our cells. This shuttling mechanism is crucial to maintain normal function of our genes and prevent diseases as cancer.

Low saturated fat diets don't curb heart disease risk or help you live longer Posted: 05 Mar 2014 04:14 PM PST Diets low in saturated fat don't curb heart disease risk or help you live longer, says a leading US cardiovascular research scientist. And current dietary advice to replace saturated fats with carbohydrates or omega 6-rich polyunsaturated fats is based on flawed and incomplete data from the 1950s, argues the author. Dietary guidelines should be urgently reviewed and the vilification of saturated fats stopped to save lives, he insists.

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