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Science News for January 9, 2001


Prevention of eye attacks

Eye attacks, also known as Ischematic Optic Neuropathy (ION), are a sudden lack of blood flow to the eye resulting in painless but catastrophic consequences. A new multi-center clinical trial aims to determine whether neuro-protection can minimize collateral damage and prevent second eye involvement.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·DateJan 9, 2001

Discussing advance care directives may improve patient satisfaction

A new study suggests that discussing advance care directives with patients can enhance the patient-doctor relationship and improve visit satisfaction. More than half of patients who had such a discussion rated their primary care visits as excellent, compared to 34% of those who had not discussed advance care directives.

SourceCenter for Advancing Health·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateJan 9, 2001
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

New clue to diagnosis and treatment of malignant melanoma

Researchers found that malignant melanomas often lose the protein Apaf-1, leading to resistance to chemotherapy drug adriamycin. Restoring Apaf-1 in melanoma cells rescues their ability to kill themselves in response to adriamycin.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalNature·DateJan 9, 2001

New species of early bird discovered in Mongolia by team of research scientists

A team of researchers has discovered a new species of early bird, Apsaravis ukhaana, in Mongolia, which sheds light on the evolution of modern birds. The fossil, dated to 80 million years ago, reveals that early modern birds were not restricted to near-shore environments and were instead small terrestrial flyers.

SourceAmerican Museum of Natural History·JournalNature·DateJan 9, 2001

Sprinters' secret weapon

A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation reveals that a protein called parvalbumin can improve heart function in laboratory rats by restoring normal relaxation rates. The researchers hope to one day use this protein as therapy for progressive heart failure, a growing medical problem affecting millions of Americans.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJan 9, 2001

APL explores new wind tunnel model fabrication method

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory has developed a low-cost method to fabricate scale models for aerodynamic wind tunnel tests. The alternative approach uses non-metallic materials like engineering polymers and thermoset resins, enabling program managers to obtain high-quality data at a fraction of the cost of trad...

SourceJohns Hopkins University·DateJan 9, 2001
Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

Medical hospitalization may be especially distressing for those with psychiatric disorders

A one-year study of male veterans found that health-related quality of life declined and psychological distress increased over time for participants with or without psychiatric disorders. Those with psychiatric disorders were the most impaired, experiencing substantial impairments in functioning that persisted over a year.

SourceCenter for Advancing Health·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateJan 9, 2001

Immunoprivilege has its disadvantages

Research findings indicate that viral infections can cause chronic vascular disease by establishing a protected niche within the elastic media of large arteries. This 'immunoprivilege' allows viruses to evade the immune system, leading to destructive arteritis and inflammation.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJan 9, 2001
Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount provides precise tracking capacity for deep-sky imaging rigs during long astrophotography sessions.

Syndecan-4 regulates wound repair in vivo

Syndecan-4 is essential for wound repair, as its knockout leads to marked defects in angiogenesis and tissue healing. In contrast, fibroblasts from syndecan-4-deficient mice display normal focal adhesion assembly and response to FGF-2.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJan 9, 2001

NEAR Shoemaker primed for final weeks in orbit

The NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft will embark on a series of low-altitude passes over asteroid 433 Eros from Jan. 24 to Jan. 28, gathering detailed images of the surface. The controlled descent, set for Feb. 12, aims to capture high-resolution close-ups of Eros' cratered landscape.

SourceJohns Hopkins University·DateJan 9, 2001
CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Chronic fatigue associated with additional health problems

A study of identical twins found a significant association between chronic fatigue syndrome and an increased incidence of fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome. The researchers suggest that physicians should assess CFS patients for other clinical conditions, as these illnesses can compound the condition's high costs.

SourceCenter for Advancing Health·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateJan 9, 2001

Star nurseries: Not much to drink and very hard to breathe

Researchers using NASA's Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS) have discovered that water vapor is 10,000 times less abundant than previously thought in interstellar clouds. The satellite's findings also indicate that molecular oxygen is at least 100 times less abundant than predicted, contradicting prevailing wisdom.

SourceCornell University·DateJan 9, 2001

Liquid water at Earth's surface 4.3 billion years ago, scientists discover

Researchers from UCLA and Curtin University of Technology found ancient zircons in a rock that suggest liquid water existed on Earth's surface around 4.3 billion years ago. This discovery supports the idea that the conditions for life were met early on, possibly allowing for the emergence of life as early as 4.3 billion years ago.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalNature·DateJan 9, 2001
Creality K1 Max 3D Printer

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer rapidly prototypes brackets, adapters, and fixtures for instruments and classroom demonstrations at large build volume.

Chandra links pulsar to historic supernova

Scientists confirm pulsar formed in 386 AD supernova, a historic event witnessed by Chinese astronomers. The discovery, using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, provides strong evidence for the pulsar's age and sheds new light on the behavior of young neutron stars.

SourceNASA/Marshall Space Flight Center News Center·DateJan 9, 2001

Scientists find that grasslands can act as 'carbon sinks'

Grasslands have been found to sequester carbon under elevated CO2 conditions, with soil microbes playing a critical role in the process. This finding has important implications for understanding how ecosystems can mitigate climate change.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalNature·DateJan 9, 2001
DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

Chandra associates pulsar and historic supernova

Researchers using Chandra X-ray Observatory associate a pulsar with a historic supernova, dated back to 386 AD, providing strong evidence for the young age of the pulsar. The discovery challenges conventional wisdom on pulsars and their formation.

SourceMcGill University·DateJan 9, 2001

Newborn lung treatment poses risk of intestinal perforation

A new study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found that early postnatal doses of dexamethasone may increase the risk of intestinal perforation in extremely low birth weight infants. The treatment was not shown to prevent chronic lung disease or improve survival rates.

SourceNIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateJan 9, 2001