ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• Eating lean beef daily can help lower blood pressure, study suggests
• Atlantic salmon show capacity to adapt to warmer waters
• Untangling spider's webs: Largest-ever study of spider genetics shows orb weaver spiders do not share common origins
• In development, it's all about the timing
• How existing cropland could feed billions more
• Chromosome-based draft of the wheat genome completed
• Protein-building enzymes have undergone metamorphosis, evolved diverse new functions
• Next step in creating HIV-1 immunotherapy using fossil virus
• Lipoic acid helps restore, synchronize 'biological clock'
• Study led by indigenous people uncovers grizzly bear 'highway' in coastal British Columbia
• Earth-like soils on Mars? Ancient fossilized soils potentially found deep inside impact crater suggest microbial life
• Scientists track gene activity when honey bees do and don't eat honey: Significant differences depending on diet
• First comprehensive library of master genetic switches in plants
• Potential new therapy with brain-on-a-chip axonal strain injury model
• Anti-tank missile detector joins fight against malaria
• Duck migration study reveals importance of conserving wetlands
• National Xenopus resource at the MBL innovates new way to study proteins
• Eradicating fatal sleeping sickness by killing off the tsetse fly
• Birdsongs automatically decoded by computer scientists
• Map reveals worldwide impacts of climate change
• The rate at which groundwater reservoirs are being depleted is increasing
• New view of Mount Rainier's volcanic plumbing: Electrical images show upward flow of fluids to magma chamber
• Effects of starvation can be passed to future generations, through small RNAs apparently without DNA involvement
• Measuring nurture: Study shows how 'good mothering' hardwires infant brain
• Alaska's resources and changing climate connect, clash
• Are ants the answer to carbon dioxide sequestration?
• Squid skin protein could improve biomedical technologies, study shows

Eating lean beef daily can help lower blood pressure, study suggests Posted: 17 Jul 2014 11:20 AM PDT Contrary to conventional wisdom, new research suggests that eating lean beef can reduce risk factors for heart disease. The DASH eating plan -- Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension -- is currently recommended by the American Heart Association to lower blood pressure and reduce risk of heart disease. People following the DASH diet are encouraged to eat fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and protein predominantly from plant sources. Lean beef can be enjoyed as the predominant protein source in a DASH-like diet, along with fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy, to effectively help lower blood pressure in healthy individuals, new research suggests.

Atlantic salmon show capacity to adapt to warmer waters Posted: 17 Jul 2014 11:20 AM PDT Populations of Atlantic salmon have a surprisingly good capacity to adjust to warmer temperatures that are being seen with climate change, a group of scientists has discovered. The finding about Atlantic species adds to recent research on heat tolerance of Pacific salmon. The study addressed questions around how climate change might affect salmon species distribution and abundance.

Untangling spider's webs: Largest-ever study of spider genetics shows orb weaver spiders do not share common origins Posted: 17 Jul 2014 11:20 AM PDT The largest-ever phylogenetic study of spiders shows that, contrary to long-held popular opinion, the two groups of spiders that weave orb-shaped webs do not share a single origin.

In development, it's all about the timing Posted: 17 Jul 2014 11:20 AM PDT Closely related organisms share most of their genes, but these similarities belie major differences in behavior, intelligence, and physical appearance. Scientists are beginning to appreciate that the timing of the events that happen during development plays a decisive role in defining an organism. Now, a team of scientists has identified LIN-42 as a key regulator of developmental timing, governing a broad range of events throughout maturation.

How existing cropland could feed billions more Posted: 17 Jul 2014 11:19 AM PDT Feeding a growing human population without increasing stresses on Earth's strained land and water resources may seem like an impossible challenge. But according to a new report focusing efforts to improve food systems on a few specific regions, crops and actions could make it possible to both meet the basic needs of 3 billion more people and decrease agriculture's environmental footprint.

Chromosome-based draft of the wheat genome completed Posted: 17 Jul 2014 11:18 AM PDT Scientists have completed a chromosome-based draft sequence of the bread wheat genome as well as the first reference sequence of chromosome 3B, the largest chromosome in wheat.

Protein-building enzymes have undergone metamorphosis, evolved diverse new functions Posted: 17 Jul 2014 11:18 AM PDT Ancient enzymes, known for their fundamental role in translating genetic information into proteins, have evolved a myriad of other functions in humans, research shows. The surprising discovery highlights an intriguing oddity of protein evolution as well as a potentially valuable new class of therapeutic proteins and therapeutic targets.

Next step in creating HIV-1 immunotherapy using fossil virus Posted: 17 Jul 2014 09:50 AM PDT An antibody that can neutralize the HIV-1 fossil virus has been discovered by researchers. This may lead to finding a viable immunotherapy option for HIV-1. The research team found that the right antibody directed against an ancestral fossil virus buried within everyone's genomes might be able to target HIV-1 and neutralize it.

Lipoic acid helps restore, synchronize 'biological clock' Posted: 17 Jul 2014 09:50 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a possible explanation for the surprisingly large range of biological effects that are linked to a micronutrient called lipoic acid: It appears to reset and synchronize circadian rhythms, or the 'biological clock' found in most life forms. The ability of lipoic acid to help restore a more normal circadian rhythm to aging animals could explain its apparent value in so many important biological functions, ranging from stress resistance to cardiac function, hormonal balance, muscle performance, glucose metabolism and the aging process.

Study led by indigenous people uncovers grizzly bear 'highway' in coastal British Columbia Posted: 17 Jul 2014 09:50 AM PDT A novel, First Nations-led research collaboration has revealed a previously undocumented grizzly bear aggregation in coastal British Columbia, one of the most southerly aggregations of salmon-feeding grizzlies in North America. Using non-invasive DNA analysis, the authors describe a grizzly bear 'highway,' identifying nearly 60 individual bears, many who travelled hundreds of miles from surrounding areas to feed on autumn-spawning salmon in the Koeye River.

Earth-like soils on Mars? Ancient fossilized soils potentially found deep inside impact crater suggest microbial life Posted: 17 Jul 2014 09:50 AM PDT Soil deep in a crater dating to some 3.7 billion years ago contains evidence that Mars was once much warmer and wetter, says a geologist based on images and data captured by the rover Curiosity.

Scientists track gene activity when honey bees do and don't eat honey: Significant differences depending on diet Posted: 17 Jul 2014 09:48 AM PDT Many beekeepers feed their honey bees sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup when times are lean inside the hive. This practice has come under scrutiny, however, in response to colony collapse disorder, the massive -- and as yet not fully explained -- annual die-off of honey bees in the U.S. and Europe. Some suspect that inadequate nutrition plays a role in honey bee declines. Scientists took a broad look at changes in gene activity in response to diet in the Western honey bee, and found significant differences occur depending on what the bees eat.

First comprehensive library of master genetic switches in plants Posted: 17 Jul 2014 09:48 AM PDT Researchers have created the first comprehensive library of genetic switches in plants, setting the stage for scientists around the globe to better understand how plants adapt to environmental changes and to design more robust plants for future food security.

Potential new therapy with brain-on-a-chip axonal strain injury model Posted: 17 Jul 2014 08:49 AM PDT The use of 'Brain-on-a-Chip' microsystem has been used to assess specific effects of traumatic axonal injury. This innovative approach was used to characterize the biochemical changes that are induced following traumatic axonal injury and highlights an apparent injury threshold that exists in axonal mitochondria.

Anti-tank missile detector joins fight against malaria Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:51 AM PDT State-of-the-art military hardware could soon fight malaria, one of the most deadly diseases on the planet. Researchers have used an anti-tank Javelin missile detector, more commonly used in warfare to detect the enemy, in a new test to rapidly identify malaria parasites in blood. The technique is based on Fourier Transform Infrared (FITR) spectroscopy, which provides information on how molecules vibrate.

Duck migration study reveals importance of conserving wetlands Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:51 AM PDT During the 2011 and 2012 migration seasons, researchers monitored mallard ducks with new remote satellite tracking technology, marking the first time ducks have been tracked closely during the entirety of their migration from Canada to the American Midwest and back. The research revealed that mallards use public and private wetland conservation areas extensively as they travel hundreds of miles across the continent.

National Xenopus resource at the MBL innovates new way to study proteins Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:49 AM PDT Researchers have used mRNA sequences, rather than DNA, to more efficiently create a reference database that can be used for proteomic analysis of Xenopus frogs. The researchers used their reference database to identify over 11,000 proteins from an unfertilized Xenopus egg and estimate the abundance of these proteins. The method outperformed comparison proteomic analyses based on a preliminary, unpublished Xenopus genome and other protein reference databases.

Eradicating fatal sleeping sickness by killing off the tsetse fly Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:49 AM PDT A professor of biology has lent his expertise in understanding insect movement to help shape a UN-sanctioned eradication effort of the tsetse fly -- a creature that passes the fatal African sleeping sickness to humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. The tsetse fly is the main vector for Human African Trypanosomiasis (aka sleeping sickness), and spreads the disease by biting humans or animals. The disease affects the central nervous system and is fatal if untreated. For some forms of the disease, victims can reach the terminal stage before symptoms even start to show.

Birdsongs automatically decoded by computer scientists Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:49 AM PDT Scientists have found a successful way of identifying bird sounds from large audio collections, which could be useful for expert and amateur bird-watchers alike.

Map reveals worldwide impacts of climate change Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:48 AM PDT A new map, which shows the impact climate change could have on the whole planet by the end of the century if carbon emissions continue to increase, has been developed by scientists. Temperatures on the warmest days of the year are rising by 6°C or more across Europe, parts of Asia and part of North America, it shows. Also an increase in risk of flooding across 70 per cent of Asia, and the number of days of drought increasing in parts of South America, Australia and Southern Africa are illuminated by the new map.

The rate at which groundwater reservoirs are being depleted is increasing Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:48 AM PDT In what parts of the world and to what degree have(groundwater reservoirs been depleted over the past 50 years? Scientists have been researching this using the global water model WaterGAP.

New view of Mount Rainier's volcanic plumbing: Electrical images show upward flow of fluids to magma chamber Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:46 AM PDT By measuring how fast Earth conducts electricity and seismic waves, scientists have made a detailed picture of Mount Rainier's deep volcanic plumbing and partly molten rock that will erupt again someday.

Effects of starvation can be passed to future generations, through small RNAs apparently without DNA involvement Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:46 AM PDT A new study, involving roundworms, shows that starvation induces specific changes in so-called small RNAs and that these changes are inherited through at least three consecutive generations, apparently without any DNA involvement.

Measuring nurture: Study shows how 'good mothering' hardwires infant brain Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:45 AM PDT By carefully watching nearly a hundred hours of video showing mother rats protecting, warming, and feeding their young pups, and then matching up what they saw to real-time electrical readings from the pups' brains, researchers have found that the mother's presence and social interactions -— her nurturing role -— directly molds the early neural activity and growth of her offsprings' brain.

Alaska's resources and changing climate connect, clash Posted: 16 Jul 2014 03:31 PM PDT Alaska's natural resources, such as fish, metal ore, and predominately oil, play a pivotal role in the state's economy. With the region's recent climate changes (Alaska is on track to warm 8°F by the last quarter of the century), this has the potential to have major effects on ecosystems, as well as on the people and industries that depend on them. How can the state balance the economic potential of its undeveloped resources with the cost of their use?

Are ants the answer to carbon dioxide sequestration? Posted: 16 Jul 2014 03:31 PM PDT A 25-year-long study provides the first quantitative measurement of in situ calcium-magnesium silicate mineral dissolution by ants, termites, tree roots, and bare ground. This study reveals that ants are one of the most powerful biological agents of mineral decay yet observed. It may be that an understanding of the geobiology of ant-mineral interactions might offer a line of research on how to "geoengineer" accelerated carbon dioxide consumption by Ca-Mg silicates.

Squid skin protein could improve biomedical technologies, study shows Posted: 16 Jul 2014 11:13 AM PDT The common pencil squid may hold the key to a new generation of medical technologies that could communicate more directly with the human body. Materials science researchers have discovered that reflectin, a protein in the tentacled creature's skin, can conduct positive electrical charges, or protons, making it a promising material for building biologically inspired devices.

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