ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• Extinct giant sea scorpion gets an eye exam, with surprising results
• Orbital Sciences’ second mission to deliver delights to space station
• Drinking alcohol provides no heart health benefit, new study shows
• Leading scientists express rising concern about 'microplastics' in the ocean
• Evidence of super-fast deep earthquake: Rare high-speed rupture off Russia and similar phenomena on shallow fault zones
• Inherited 'memory' of poor nutrition during pregnancy passed through sperm of male offspring
• On the link between periodontitis and atherosclerosis
• Neutron crystallography resolves long-standing molecular mystery
• Bacterial colonization prior to catching flu may protect against severe illness
• Hunger for vegetable oil means trouble for Africa's great apes
• Mediterranean fish stocks show steady decline
• What you eat may affect your body's internal biological clock
• Chimp intelligence 'runs in families,' environment less important
• New compound treats both blindness, diabetes in animal studies
• Straits of Mackinac 'worst possible place' for a Great Lakes oil spill, researcher concludes
• Link between antibiotics, bacterial biofilms and chronic infections found
• Invasion of yellow crazy ant in a Seychelles UNESCO palm forest: Threats and solutions
• How antioxidants can accelerate cancers, and why they don't protect against them
• Drought, poor wheat harvest in Kansas has effects on national economy, says climatologist
• Food imagery ideal for teaching doctors -- but they must have strong stomachs
• Natural birth may strengthen immune system, mouse study shows
• Great tasting low-fat cheeses, cakes could soon be on the menu
• Taking account of environment of bees to better evaluate insecticide-related risks
• New persimmon milkshake with high antioxidant potential created by scientists
• Polar zone ozone and UV exposure, under closer scrutiny than ever
• Low back pain? Don't blame the weather
• Climate change may bring more kidney stones
• Touted benefits of new EPA emissions limits may be misleading
• Pluripotency factor NANOG active in adult organisms
• Bacteria found in bladders of healthy women differ from those in women with incontinence

Extinct giant sea scorpion gets an eye exam, with surprising results Posted: 10 Jul 2014 03:36 PM PDT Poor peepers are a problem, even if you are a big, bad sea scorpion. One minute, you're an imperious predator, scouring the shallow waters for any prey in sight. The next, thanks to a post-extinction eye exam, you're reduced to trolling for weaker, soft-bodied animals you stumble upon at night.

Orbital Sciences’ second mission to deliver delights to space station Posted: 10 Jul 2014 01:35 PM PDT Satellites, Girl Scouts and good ole Charlie Brown highlight Orbital Sciences Corporation's second commercial resupply voyage to the International Space Station. The mission, Orbital-2, will both deliver new scientific investigations to the space station, as well as help build upon and expand prior studies. The launch of Orbital's Antares rocket is planned for July 12 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport's Pad 0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in eastern Virginia. Antares is schedule to deliver the Cygnus spacecraft to the space station on July 15.

Drinking alcohol provides no heart health benefit, new study shows Posted: 10 Jul 2014 12:19 PM PDT Reducing the amount of alcoholic beverages consumed, even for light-to-moderate drinkers, may improve cardiovascular health, including a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, lower body mass index and blood pressure, according to a new multi-center study. The latest findings call into question previous studies which suggest that consuming light-to-moderate amounts of alcohol may have a protective effect on cardiovascular health.

Leading scientists express rising concern about 'microplastics' in the ocean Posted: 10 Jul 2014 11:16 AM PDT Microplastics -- microscopic particles of plastic debris -- are of increasing concern because of their widespread presence in the oceans and the potential physical and toxicological risks they pose to organisms.

Evidence of super-fast deep earthquake: Rare high-speed rupture off Russia and similar phenomena on shallow fault zones Posted: 10 Jul 2014 11:16 AM PDT Scientists have discovered the first evidence that deep earthquakes, those breaking at more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) below Earth's surface, can rupture much faster than ordinary earthquakes. The finding gives seismologists new clues about the forces behind deep earthquakes as well as fast-breaking earthquakes that strike near the surface.

Inherited 'memory' of poor nutrition during pregnancy passed through sperm of male offspring Posted: 10 Jul 2014 11:15 AM PDT When a pregnant mother is undernourished, her child is at a greater risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes, in part due to so-called 'epigenetic' effects. A new study in mice demonstrates that this 'memory' of nutrition during pregnancy can be passed through sperm of male offspring to the next generation, increasing risk of disease for her grandchildren as well -- but raises questions over how long such effects will continue to have an impact.

On the link between periodontitis and atherosclerosis Posted: 10 Jul 2014 11:15 AM PDT Chronic oral infection with the periodontal disease pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis, not only causes local inflammation of the gums leading to tooth loss but also is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis. A new study reveals how the pathogen evades the immune system to induce inflammation beyond the oral cavity.

Neutron crystallography resolves long-standing molecular mystery Posted: 10 Jul 2014 11:14 AM PDT Scientists have solved a long-standing mystery in biology, by identifying the molecular structure of a vital biological chemical. The debate -- which has raged within the scientific community for years -- boils down to something as simple as a hydrogen atom: is it there, or is it not?

Bacterial colonization prior to catching flu may protect against severe illness Posted: 10 Jul 2014 10:10 AM PDT Severe illness and even death are likely to result if you develop another respiratory infection after catching the flu. Now, however, a team of researchers has determined that if you reverse the order of infection, pneumococcus bacteria may actually protect against a bad case of the flu. The bacterial protein pneumolysin, a bacterial virulence factor, might protect certain immune system cells (macrophages) in the alveoli of the lungs, preventing inflammation and, thus, pneumonia.

Hunger for vegetable oil means trouble for Africa's great apes Posted: 10 Jul 2014 10:08 AM PDT The vegetable oil found in your popcorn or soap might not be ape friendly, and the situation appears likely to get even worse, according to an analysis. The growing demand for vegetable oil has already led to the conversion of Southeast Asian forest into oil palm plantations, bringing trouble for orangutans in particular. If guidelines are not put in place very soon, researchers say the spread of those large-scale industrial plantations from Asia into Africa will be bad news for great apes there as well.

Mediterranean fish stocks show steady decline Posted: 10 Jul 2014 10:08 AM PDT While careful management has helped stabilize or even improve the state of fisheries resources in some parts of Europe, the situation in the Mediterranean has deteriorated over the past 20 years. In a new report evaluating nine fish species, scientists call for stringent monitoring of Mediterranean fishing activities, better enforcement of fisheries regulations, and advanced management plans in Mediterranean waters.

What you eat may affect your body's internal biological clock Posted: 10 Jul 2014 10:08 AM PDT Food not only nourishes the body but also affects its internal biological clock, which regulates the daily rhythm of many aspects of human behavior and biology. Researchers provide new insights into how adjusting the clock through dietary manipulation may help patients with various conditions and show that insulin may be involved in resetting the clock.

Chimp intelligence 'runs in families,' environment less important Posted: 10 Jul 2014 10:05 AM PDT A chimpanzee's intelligence is largely determined by its genes, while environmental factors may be less important than scientists previously thought, according to a Georgia State University research study.

New compound treats both blindness, diabetes in animal studies Posted: 10 Jul 2014 10:05 AM PDT A chemical compound designed to precisely target part of a crucial cellular quality-control network provided significant protection, in rats and mice, against degenerative forms of blindness and diabetes has been developed by researchers.

Straits of Mackinac 'worst possible place' for a Great Lakes oil spill, researcher concludes Posted: 10 Jul 2014 08:15 AM PDT Because the strong currents in the Straits of Mackinac reverse direction every few days, a rupture of the oil pipeline beneath the channel would quickly contaminate shorelines miles away in both lakes Michigan and Huron, according to a new study. An oil spill in the Straits of Mackinac would devastate the local tourism industry as well as the area's fish and wildlife, researchers say. The best way to remedy the threat, according to the organization, is to replace the pipeline under the straits.

Link between antibiotics, bacterial biofilms and chronic infections found Posted: 10 Jul 2014 07:15 AM PDT The link between antibiotics and bacterial biofilm formation leading to chronic lung, sinus and ear infections has been found, researchers report. The study results illustrate how bacterial biofilms can actually thrive, rather than decrease, when given low doses of antibiotics. Results of this study may lead to new approach for chronic ear infections in children.

Invasion of yellow crazy ant in a Seychelles UNESCO palm forest: Threats and solutions Posted: 10 Jul 2014 07:15 AM PDT The yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes is ranked amongst the top 100 worst global invasive species and is responsible for catastrophic ecological impacts on islands. A new study examines and assesses the effects and dangers of the introduction of the yellow crazy ant to the unique and often endemic ecosystems of the mature palm forest of the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the Seychelles.

How antioxidants can accelerate cancers, and why they don't protect against them Posted: 10 Jul 2014 06:44 AM PDT Two cancer researchers have proposed why antioxidant supplements might not be working to reduce cancer development, and why they may actually do more harm than good. Their insights are based on recent advances in the understanding of the system in our cells that establishes a natural balance between oxidizing and anti-oxidizing compounds. These compounds are involved in so-called redox (reduction and oxidation) reactions essential to cellular chemistry.

Drought, poor wheat harvest in Kansas has effects on national economy, says climatologist Posted: 10 Jul 2014 06:43 AM PDT The anticipated record low wheat harvest in Kansas will affect food availability and the national economy, says a climatologist. That isn't just disappointing for Kansas farmers, but could affect other food availability and the overall economy. Drought conditions lead to poor pasture conditions and hay production, which then impacts the number of cattle ranchers can graze, she says.

Food imagery ideal for teaching doctors -- but they must have strong stomachs Posted: 10 Jul 2014 05:14 AM PDT From 'beer belly' to 'port wine stain,' food imagery has a long history of being used in medicine to identify the diagnostic features of a wide range of conditions and ailments, says a pathologist. In a gastronomic tour of some of the many food descriptors used in medicine, the author highlights imagery such as 'anchovy sauce' to describe the pus from a liver abscess, through 'sago spleen' to indicate protein (amyloid) deposits, to 'oat cell carcinoma,' which describes the appearance of a highly aggressive form of lung cancer.

Natural birth may strengthen immune system, mouse study shows Posted: 10 Jul 2014 05:14 AM PDT New knowledge about the immune system has been uncovered by a mouse study, which indicates that natural birth improves the immune system of the pups. Newborns delivered by natural birth are exposed to more bacteria from the mother. The newborn baby's immune system in this way learns to distinguish between its own harmless molecules and foreign molecules. In the experiment, pups delivered by Caesarean section showed a lower number of cells of a type that plays an important role in preventing reactive immune cells from responding to molecules from the body itself, from the diet and from harmless intestinal bacteria.

Great tasting low-fat cheeses, cakes could soon be on the menu Posted: 10 Jul 2014 05:13 AM PDT Low-fat cheeses and cakes that are just as tempting as full-fat equivalents could be heading for supermarket shelves, thanks to fresh insights into how proteins can replace fats without affecting foodstuffs' taste and texture.

Taking account of environment of bees to better evaluate insecticide-related risks Posted: 10 Jul 2014 05:13 AM PDT The level of sensitivity of bees to the adverse effects of pesticides varies as a function of environmental conditions, research shows. Scientists observed that a neonicotinoid insecticide disturbed their ability to find their bearings, particularly in a complex landscape and under unfavorable weather conditions.

New persimmon milkshake with high antioxidant potential created by scientists Posted: 10 Jul 2014 05:13 AM PDT A new persimmon milkshake with high antioxidant potential has been created by researchers. Persimmons are an important source of antioxidant compounds due to their content of carotenoids and tannins. According to the tests developed in laboratories, one of these shakes could contain the same quantity of carotenoids as a whole persimmon.

Polar zone ozone and UV exposure, under closer scrutiny than ever Posted: 10 Jul 2014 05:12 AM PDT The most-detailed atmospheric observation system available to date finds applications in forecasting ozone and UV emissions in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Low back pain? Don't blame the weather Posted: 10 Jul 2014 05:12 AM PDT Sudden, acute episodes of low back pain are not linked to weather conditions such as temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind direction and precipitation, researchers have determined. These findings indicate that the risk of low back pain slightly increases with higher wind speed or wind gusts, but was not clinically significant.

Climate change may bring more kidney stones Posted: 10 Jul 2014 05:10 AM PDT As daily temperatures increase, so does the number of patients seeking treatment for kidney stones. In a study that may both reflect and foretell a warming planet's impact on human health, a research team found a link between hot days and kidney stones in 60,000 patients in several U.S. cities with varying climates.

Touted benefits of new EPA emissions limits may be misleading Posted: 09 Jul 2014 03:22 PM PDT Federal officials have diverged from past practices in estimating the effect of proposed new carbon dioxide emissions limitations, resulting in distorted estimates of benefits, two researchers say. A recent proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency would cut emissions from power plants in the United States by 15 percent and overall U.S. emissions by 5 percent. The EPA estimates it will cost $7.3 billion to comply, but provide worldwide climate benefits of $30 billion by 2030.

Pluripotency factor NANOG active in adult organisms Posted: 09 Jul 2014 01:44 PM PDT NANOG, an essential gene for embryonic stem cells, also regulates cell division in stratified epithelia in adult organisms, researchers have found. According to the conclusions of the study this factor could also play a role in the formation of tumors derived from stratified epithelia of the esophagus and skin.

Bacteria found in bladders of healthy women differ from those in women with incontinence Posted: 09 Jul 2014 01:20 PM PDT Bacteria found in the bladders of healthy women differ from bacteria in women with a common form of incontinence, according to researchers. Approximately 15 percent of women suffer from UUI and yet an estimated 40 -- 50 percent do not respond to conventional treatments. One possible explanation for the lack of response to medication may be the bacteria present in these women. "These findings may have strong implications for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of women with this form of incontinence," said a co-investigator.

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