ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• New species of flying pterosaur: Bones from nearly 50 ancient flying reptiles discovered
• Embalming study 'rewrites' key chapter in Egyptian history
• Foreshock series controls earthquake rupture
• From eons to seconds, proteins exploit the same forces
• New insights into survival, transmission strategy of malaria parasites
• Coming soon: Genetically edited 'super bananas' and other fruit?
• Tests to diagnose invasive aspergillosis with 100% accuracy
• Ebola protein blocks early step in body's counterattack on virus
• Gut flora influences HIV immune response
• MRSA colonization common in groin, rectal areas
• Bacteria growing less susceptible to common antiseptic
• Clues uncovered about how most important tuberculosis drug attacks its target
• Snow has thinned on Arctic sea ice, study finds
• How spiders fix their webs: Adhesion can vary depending on surface
• Forest fires in Spain have evolved with climate since 1968
• Population density and testes size: more than meets the eye
• Giant Amazon fish becoming extinct in many fishing communities, saved in others
• Embedded wireless motion detector device on conventional insect trap for analysis purpose
• Foam favorable for oil extraction: Experiments visualize methods for enhanced recovery from wells
• Climate relicts may help researchers understand climate change
• Many bird species exposed to 'eye disease,' new study finds
• Potential MERS transmission mechanism found between bats, humans
• Ecology could break deadlock between grouse shooting, hen harrier conservation on UK moorlands
• Gut microbiota affects intestinal integrity

New species of flying pterosaur: Bones from nearly 50 ancient flying reptiles discovered Posted: 13 Aug 2014 02:42 PM PDT Scientists discovered the bones of nearly 50 winged reptiles from a new species, Caiuajara dobruskii, that lived during the Cretaceous in southern Brazil.

Embalming study 'rewrites' key chapter in Egyptian history Posted: 13 Aug 2014 02:41 PM PDT Researchers have discovered new evidence to suggest that the origins of mummification started in ancient Egypt 1,500 years earlier than previously thought.

Foreshock series controls earthquake rupture Posted: 13 Aug 2014 10:21 AM PDT A long lasting foreshock series controlled the rupture process of this year's great earthquake near Iquique in northern Chile. The earthquake was heralded by a three quarter year long foreshock series of ever increasing magnitudes culminating in a magnitude 6.7 event two weeks before the mainshock. The mainshock, which had a magnitude of 8.1. finally broke on April 1st a central piece out of the most important seismic gap along the South American subduction zone.

From eons to seconds, proteins exploit the same forces Posted: 13 Aug 2014 10:11 AM PDT Nature's artistic and engineering skills are evident in proteins, life's robust molecular machines. Scientists have now employed their unique theories to show how the interplay between evolution and physics developed these skills. Energy landscapes for protein folding, they found, operate on evolutionary processes that take eons as well as folding that takes microseconds.

New insights into survival, transmission strategy of malaria parasites Posted: 13 Aug 2014 10:11 AM PDT Malaria parasites exploit the function of the epigenetic regulator HP1 to promote survival and transmission between human hosts, a new study shows. Using HP1 the parasite controls expression of surface antigens to escape immune responses in the infected victim. This prolongs survival of the parasite in the human blood stream and secures its transmission via mosquitoes. The study paves important avenues for new intervention strategies to prevent severe disease and malaria transmission.

Coming soon: Genetically edited 'super bananas' and other fruit? Posted: 13 Aug 2014 10:10 AM PDT Recent advances that allow the precise editing of genomes now raise the possibility that fruit and other crops might be genetically improved without the need to introduce foreign genes, according to researchers. This could mean that genetically edited versions of GMOs such as "super bananas" that produce more vitamin A and apples that don't brown when cut, among other novelties, could be making an appearance on grocery shelves.

Tests to diagnose invasive aspergillosis with 100% accuracy Posted: 13 Aug 2014 10:10 AM PDT The fungal infection invasive aspergillosis (IA) can be life threatening, especially in patients whose immune systems are weakened by chemotherapy or immunosuppressive drugs. Despite the critical need for early detection, IA remains difficult to diagnose. A study compared three diagnostic tests and found that the combination of nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) detects aspergillosis with 100% accuracy.

Ebola protein blocks early step in body's counterattack on virus Posted: 13 Aug 2014 10:00 AM PDT One of the human body's first responses to a viral infection is to make and release signaling proteins called interferons, which amplify the immune system response to viruses. Over time, many viruses have evolved to undermine interferon's immune-boosting signal, and a new study describes a mechanism unique to the Ebola virus that defeats attempts by interferon to block viral reproduction in infected cells.

Gut flora influences HIV immune response Posted: 13 Aug 2014 10:00 AM PDT Normal microorganisms in the intestines appear to play a pivotal role in how the HIV virus foils a successful attack from the body's immune system, according to new research. "Gut flora keeps us all healthy by helping the immune system develop, and by stimulating a group of immune cells that keep bacteria in check," said the study's senior author. "But this research shows that antibodies that react to bacteria also cross-react to the HIV envelope."

MRSA colonization common in groin, rectal areas Posted: 13 Aug 2014 07:39 AM PDT Colonization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus allows people in the community to unknowingly harbor and spread this life-threatening bacteria. The inside of the front of the nose is where this bacteria is most predominant, but new research shows nearly all colonized individuals have this bacteria living in other body sites, including the groin and rectal areas.

Bacteria growing less susceptible to common antiseptic Posted: 13 Aug 2014 07:39 AM PDT Bacteria that cause life-threatening bloodstream infections in critically ill patients may be growing increasingly resistant to a common hospital antiseptic, according to a recent study. Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) has been increasingly used in hospitals in light of recent evidence that daily antiseptic baths for patients in intensive care units (ICUs) may prevent infections and stop the spread of healthcare-associated infections. The impact of this expanded use on the effectiveness of the disinfectant is not yet known.

Clues uncovered about how most important tuberculosis drug attacks its target Posted: 13 Aug 2014 07:39 AM PDT A new clue to understanding how the most important medication for tuberculosis (TB) works to attack dormant TB bacteria in order to shorten treatment has been found by researchers. The antibiotic Pyrazinamide (PZA) has been used to treat TB since the 1950s, but its mechanisms are the least understood of all TB drugs. The PZA findings may help researchers identify new and more effective drugs not only for TB -- which can require six months or more of treatment -- but other persistent bacterial infections.

Snow has thinned on Arctic sea ice, study finds Posted: 13 Aug 2014 07:37 AM PDT Modern measurements and historic observations provide a decades-long record showing that the snowpack on Arctic sea ice is thinning. What thinner snow will mean for the ice is not certain. Deeper snow actually shields ice from cold air, so a thinner blanket may allow the ice to grow thicker during the winter. On the other hand, thinner snow cover may allow the ice to melt earlier in the springtime.

How spiders fix their webs: Adhesion can vary depending on surface Posted: 13 Aug 2014 07:35 AM PDT Spider silk is light and delicate, while incredibly resilient and tear-resistant. Understanding the structure and way of construction of these threads is a challenge. Now scientists have examined five different spider species regarding the adhesion and tensile strength of a particular silk they use to fix the main thread to a surface. As shown in their new study, the scientists found out that the substrate has a particularly significant impact on the silk's adhesion.

Forest fires in Spain have evolved with climate since 1968 Posted: 13 Aug 2014 07:35 AM PDT The landscape of forest fires in Spain has been defined on a scale over the course of 42 years. The research has found that the abandonment of agricultural land and higher temperatures have contributed to intensifying the fires. The study's main findings reflect the fact that, in broad terms, an increase in both the number of fires and the burned area was recorded in the 1970s. In 1990 there was a drop in the Mediterranean region that spread to the rest of the territory in the vegetative season, from May to November.

Population density and testes size: more than meets the eye Posted: 13 Aug 2014 07:34 AM PDT Changes in population density can affect the size of animals' testes and therefore impact on reproduction, researchers have found. Across the animal kingdom, there is usually a positive relationship between sperm competing to fertilize eggs and the male reproductive effort in producing large ejaculates. This usually manifests in males evolving larger testes. However, demographic and ecological processes may drastically alter the level of sperm competition and therefore the evolution of testes size, it turns out.

Giant Amazon fish becoming extinct in many fishing communities, saved in others Posted: 13 Aug 2014 07:31 AM PDT An international team of scientists compared mainstream bioeconomic theory with the lesser-known "fishing-down" theory, to discover that a large, commercially important fish from the Amazon Basin has become extinct in some local fishing communities.

Embedded wireless motion detector device on conventional insect trap for analysis purpose Posted: 12 Aug 2014 08:51 PM PDT Researchers have developed a prototype insect trap that utilizes motion sensor and wireless technology to detect insect and transmit data to the researcher at the base station located away from the study area.

Foam favorable for oil extraction: Experiments visualize methods for enhanced recovery from wells Posted: 12 Aug 2014 01:38 PM PDT Researchers demonstrate that foam may be a superior fluid to displace and extract tough-to-reach oil. In tests, foam pumped into an experimental rig that mimicked the flow paths deep underground proved better at removing oil from formations with low permeability than common techniques involving water, gas, surfactants or combinations of the three.

Climate relicts may help researchers understand climate change Posted: 12 Aug 2014 01:37 PM PDT New research describes how populations and communities known as climate relicts can help scientists understand how ecological communities are affected by climate change.

Many bird species exposed to 'eye disease,' new study finds Posted: 12 Aug 2014 01:33 PM PDT A bacterial parasite previously thought to infect only a few species of feeder birds is actually infecting a surprisingly wide range of species, though most do not show signs of illness, researchers report. "The results were shocking," says one investigator. "More than half the bird species we tested have been exposed to the bacteria responsible for House Finch eye disease."

Potential MERS transmission mechanism found between bats, humans Posted: 12 Aug 2014 09:24 AM PDT The mechanism used by the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus to transmit from bats to humans has been identified by researchers. Bats are a native reservoir for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and the finding could be critical for understanding the animal origins of the virus, as well as preventing and controlling the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and related viruses in humans.

Ecology could break deadlock between grouse shooting, hen harrier conservation on UK moorlands Posted: 12 Aug 2014 09:19 AM PDT As another grouse shooting season begins, research shows ecology could help break the decades-long deadlock between grouse shooters and conservationists seeking to protect hen harriers on UK moorlands. The standoff between grouse managers and hen harrier conservationists is one of the UK's most bitter and contentious wildlife conflicts. Grouse managers want to maximize the number of birds available for shooting. Hen harriers eat grouse and are illegally killed.

Gut microbiota affects intestinal integrity Posted: 12 Aug 2014 09:19 AM PDT Bacteria in the gut help the body to digest food, and stimulate the immune system. Researchers examined whether modulations of the gut bacterial composition affect intestinal integrity, i.e. the ability of the body to maintain a well-regulated barrier function that hinders bacteria from entering the body unintentionally.

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