PRESS RELEASE FROM NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
22 MARCH 2012
Australia is a top performer when it comes to science output per capita and per scientist — that’s the picture emerging from the Nature Publishing Index 2011 Asia-Pacific, released today. According to the Index, Australia consolidated its position as the third most productive country for high-quality primary research in the rapidly developing Asia-Pacific region.
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Canberra-based medical researchers have completed the first comprehensive survey of the tiny cellular molecules found in the heart and which are essential for its healthy function. The work could lead to the development of targeted therapeutic treatments for heart disease.
The team used the latest sequencing technology to capture and identify thousands of microRNAs found in the cells of the heart. Even though they are tiny molecules, microRNAs are abundant in cells and act like an army of ants – individually making small changes to the expression of many genes, but in combination resulting in large changes to the cell. When these molecules are deregulated, or ‘not co-ordinating their efforts’, they can cause disease.
Prof Thomas Preiss, Dr Jennifer Clancy, John Curtin School of Medical Research, ANU
PLoS ONE; http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=13491
Clearing vegetation close to houses is the best way to reduce the impacts of severe bushfires, according to a team of scientists from Australia and the USA who examined house loss as a result of Black Saturday. The research involving 12,000 measurements at 500 houses affected by the Black Saturday fires was only made possible by the sheer size of the devastation of February 7, 2009.
Dr Philip Gibbons, Prof David Lindenmayer, Australian National University
PLoS ONE; http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=13431
New and better ways of measuring high-tech energy consumption could lead to significant environmental and economic gains, an international study has found. The researchers completed the first systematic profile of microprocessors – the integrated computer chips that act as a central processing unit in electronic devices like smart phones, computers and giant data centres.
They say their findings could help lower the energy costs of electronic devices ranging from small mobile devices, supercomputers to massive server farms.
Dr Steve Blackburn, College of Engineering and Computer Science, ANU
IEEE Micro; http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=13521
Scientists have found a signal in plants which may act as a drought alarm, allowing them to adapt to drought conditions. The signal was discovered while trying to understand how different parts of the cell communicate with each other under drought conditions in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, a relative of canola.
Inside every animal and plant cell there are a series of connected pathways, like the production lines of a factory. For it to work efficiently, each department must be able to communicate product shortages, adverse conditions or breakdowns.
For some time, scientists have proposed that chemical signals must be sent by a particular “plant department”, or organelle, to the nucleus (the cell’s control centre) for plants to become aware of, and adapt to, harsh conditions.
Dr Gonzalo Estavillo, Professor Barry Pogson, ARC Centre for Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, Research School of Biology, ANU
The Plant Cell; http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=13421
http://www.plantenergy.uwa.edu.au/news/news_centre.html#drought
Canberra biologists have discovered that the male-specific Y-chromosome is shrinking – and it’s happening at different rates across species. The research team discovered that a marsupial’s Y-chromosome is genetically denser than the human Y-chromosome, meaning that animals like the tammar wallaby are bounds ahead on the ‘manliness’ scale.
However, even though the Y-chromosome is shrinking, in this case size doesn’t matter. The international study analysed DNA samples from tammar wallabies and found more genes on the male chromosome than expected.
Dr Paul Waters, Research School of Biology, ANU
http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=13381
Canberra geologists have used the latest earthquake-measuring technology to image the tectonic plate beneath southeast Australia and reveal the continent’s geological building blocks for the first time. The Australian scientists, with international colleagues, conducted the research using seismometers placed throughout eastern Australia.
The instruments – which record ground motions caused by earthquakes as far away as Indonesia, Fiji and Japan – allowed researchers to probe deep beneath the Earth’s surface and find evidence of some key geological events that shaped the land mass we know today.
“The southeast of the Australian continent preserves a rich geological history that spans almost half a billion years. This history involves significant geological events like the opening of the Tasman Sea, the break-up of Australia and Antarctica and more recent volcanic events.”
Dr Nick Rawlinson, Research School of Earth Sciences, ANU
http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=13391
A good upbringing can make you more attractive to females – if you are a mosquito fish, that is. Researchers from the ACT have shown that female mosquito fish prefer males who had a solid nutritional upbringing, even if the males are superficially identical to their poorly-fed brothers.
“Males similar in body size, but differing in developmental history, are not equally attractive to females.”
Andrew Kahn, Jules Livingston, Research School of Biology, ANU.
Biology Letters; http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=13401
Canberra-based medical researchers have discovered a potential new treatment for Type-1 diabetes – an autoimmune disease which currently affects some 130,000 Australians. They have identified a previously unknown process which causes destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. The researchers found that the insulin-producing cells need a complex sugar, heparan sulphate, for their survival.
Dr Charmaine Simeonovic and Prof Christopher Parish, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, ANU
The Journal of Clinical Investigation; http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=13221
Canberra astronomers have found that extensive regions of the sub-surface of Mars could contain water and be at comfortable temperatures for terrestrial – and potentially Martian – microbes. The researchers modelled Mars to evaluate its potential for harbouring inhabitable water. They found more than they were expecting.
“Our models tell us that if there is water present in the Martian sub-surface then it could be habitable – as an extensive region of the subsurface is at temperatures and pressures comfortable for terrestrial life.”
Eriita Jones, Dr Charley Lineweaver, Planetary Science Institute, ANU
Astrobiology Journal
http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=12911
The treatment of male infertility could soon be boosted through intervention at a sub-DNA ‘epigenetic’ level, according to researchers in Canberra.
The research team has uncovered a new mechanism of gene activation which will have important implications in understanding how cellular differentiation is achieved. The team made the breakthrough by looking at what’s happening in our bodies at the epigenetic level, which controls how our DNA is activated.
Prof David Tremethick, Dr Tanya Soboleva, Dr Maxim Nekrasov, John Curtin School of Medical Research, ANU
Nature Structural and Molecular Biology
http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=12861
The century-old mystery of a missing mineral in coral reefs has been solved by a team from Canberra. The team uncovered a hidden stash of the mineral dolomite in coral reefs around the globe.
“We have discovered that dolomite is in fact present in large quantities in modern coral reefs, but from an unexpected source.” The team’s eureka moment came when they found large quantities of dolomite packed inside a ‘reef builder’ species of red algae, Hydrolithon onkodes.
Dr Bradley Opdyke, Ms Marinda Nash, Dr Uli Troitzsch, Research School of Earth Sciences, ANU
Biogeosciences
http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=12891
Canberra medical researchers have discovered a new type of cell which boosts the human body’s ability to fight off infections and life-threatening diseases. They have found a type of cell which recognises lipid antigens, or foreign molecules, which sit on infectious bacteria which invade the body.
Once recognising the lipids, the cell, called Natural Killer T follicular helper (NKTfh), generates antibody responses in B cells – which are the body’s natural defence against invasion by viruses and bacteria.
Prof Carola Vinuesa, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, ANU
Nature Immunology; Immunity
http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=12561
New research has shown that women are more likely to make risky choices when they are surrounded by other women. The findings could help to reduce gender inequality in the workforce.
Prof Alison Booth, Research School of Economics, ANU
http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=12571
A new Canberra shows that online therapy programs can play a major and long-lasting role in treating depression. Researchers trialed the effectiveness of online programs MoodGYM and BluePages when used in conjunction with telephone counselling services provided by Lifeline. There was an immediate drop in symptoms of depression among callers to Lifeline who used the two programs.
Dr Lou Farrer, Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University
http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=12621
The revival of a 150-year-old theory on how the human ear protects itself from damage caused by loud sounds could lead to better noise protection says a Canberra researcher. He urges reconsideration of the long-discarded ‘pressure theory’ saying it explains inconsistencies that have long puzzled hearing researchers.
Dr Andrew Bell, Research School of Biology, ANU
Journal of Hearing Science
http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=12641
An Australian archaeologist has uncovered the world’s oldest evidence of deep sea fishing for big fish, showing that 42,000 years ago our regional ancestors had mastered one of our nation’s favourite pastimes. The study also found the world’s earliest recorded fish hook in her excavations at a site in East Timor.
The finds from the Jerimalai cave site demonstrate that 42,000 years ago our regional ancestors had high-level maritime skills, and by implication the technology needed to make the ocean crossings to reach Australia.
Prof Sue O’Connor, College of Asia and the Pacific, ANU
Science
http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=12531
An international study has shown how genetic variation can persist through generations, rather than being bred out in an evolution towards a ‘perfect type’. The research team observed that males which carried the genes for behavioural dominance were more successful at winning mates.
However, their gene-sharing female siblings were less successful, having smaller litter sizes. In contrast, females which didn’t carry the genes for behavioural dominance had larger litter sizes. This phenomenon is called sexual antagonism – where a particular gene is beneficial for one sex, but decreases success for the opposite sex.
Mr Jussi Lehtonen, Research School of Biology, ANU
Science
http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=12331
Despite their simple compound eyes crabs have evolved a smart way to tell the difference between friend and foe, a new study has revealed. Australian researcher found that fiddler crabs quickly learn to recognise if an approaching creature is a threat, a mate or a harmless passer-by – according to its direction of approach.
Ms Chloe Raderschall, ARC Centre of Excellence in Vision Science, ANU
The Journal of Experimental Biology
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20112411-22880.html
People who fear the unknown or view uncertainty as especially negative or threatening are more likely to report symptoms of eating disorders, according to new Australian research.
Ms Alice Heikkonen, Department of Psychology, ANU
http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=12191
