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Science News for July 11, 2005


Parkinson's disease drugs may cause pathological gambling

Researchers report a link between dopamine agonist therapy and pathological gambling in Parkinson's disease patients. Treatment discontinuation resolves symptoms, suggesting dopamine D3 receptors may be responsible for the behavior.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalArchives of Neurology·DateJul 11, 2005

NYU physicists find way to create three-dimensional quasicrystals

Researchers have successfully created three-dimensional quasicrystals, opening up new possibilities for industrial and commercial applications. The unique optical properties of these quasicrystals have the potential to manipulate light in a way similar to semiconductors, enabling innovative functions.

SourceNew York University·JournalOptics Express·DateJul 11, 2005
GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

Flies on speed offer insight into the roles of dopamine in sleep and arousal

Researchers found that genetically engineered flies with turned-off dopamine cells or those receiving dopamine inhibitors display converse behavioral effects to normal flies on methamphetamine. The study suggests dopamine plays a crucial role in modulating neuronal activity and assigning saliency to sensory stimuli.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateJul 11, 2005

Most perinatal strokes lead to neurologic disorders

Researchers found that cerebral palsy was more likely to occur in infants who had no symptoms early in life and sustained injury to deep structures of the brain. The study included over 199,000 children born between 1997 and 2002 and reported a higher rate of significant long-term neurologic impairment.

SourceWiley·JournalAnnals of Neurology·DateJul 11, 2005

Defective clotting factor clears arteries

A study by Bernhard Nieswandt and colleagues reveals that mice lacking factor XII cleared blocked arteries after injury, unlike humans who develop coronary artery disease with elevated factor XII levels. The findings suggest drugs inhibiting this protein may be useful for treating certain heart diseases without increasing bleeding risk.

SourceJournal of Experimental Medicine·JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine·DateJul 11, 2005

Colorful bacteria more dangerous

Gold-colored bacteria, protected by pigmented carotenoids, evade immune attack and become vulnerable when synthesizers are inhibited. This finding suggests potential new treatments for antibiotic-resistant S. aureus infections.

SourceJournal of Experimental Medicine·JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine·DateJul 11, 2005
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

Illinois chemists spray their way to better catalysts

Illinois chemists have discovered a way to produce a highly porous network of molybdenum disulfide that preferentially exposes catalytic edges, improving sulfur removal efficiency. The new method uses ultrasonic spray pyrolysis and can be scaled up for industrial applications.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateJul 11, 2005

Insight into cell metabolism will help interpret PETs, MRIs

Researchers discovered that bound NADH molecules rotate more slowly, affecting fluorescence levels in diagnostic tests. This finding resolves long-standing inconsistencies and enables better interpretation of quantitative data from diagnostic techniques.

SourceCornell University·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateJul 11, 2005

Chemical production and earnings up, employment down

The American Chemical Society reports that chemical production and earnings have increased, while employment numbers have declined. This trend is based on the ACS's annual Facts & Figures tables, which provide detailed statistics on the US chemical industry.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalChemical & Engineering News·DateJul 11, 2005

Secret sex life of killer fungus?

Researchers found nearly equal proportions of two different sexes in a worldwide collection of 290 specimens, indicating recent evolutionary history of sexual activity. This discovery could lead to new strains with increased ability to cause disease and infect humans.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateJul 11, 2005
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.

Statins not associated with reduced dementia risk

A large cohort study of over 2,798 participants aged 65 or older found no significant reduction in dementia risk among those who used statins. The authors suggest that statin exposure may need to occur earlier in adulthood or for longer periods to prevent dementia.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalArchives of Neurology·DateJul 11, 2005

Calculating consonants

A recent study published in Psychological Science reveals that consonants play a crucial role in distinguishing between words, while vowels carry grammatical information. The researchers found that listeners are sensitive to this difference and can compute statistical relations among vowel sounds but not consonant sounds.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateJul 11, 2005

Substituting blood transfusions

Scientists are using genomics to create a new type of hemoglobin that can be used in blood transfusions. This innovation has the potential to reduce contamination risks and make blood transfusions safer for people in emerging countries.

SourceSociety for Experimental Biology·DateJul 11, 2005

Potent spice works to block growth of melanoma in lab test

Researchers at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center discovered that curcumin stops laboratory strains of melanoma from proliferating by shutting down nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB). The spice also induces apoptosis, or programmed death, in cancer cells.

SourceUniversity of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center·JournalCancer·DateJul 11, 2005
AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

Majority of ALS patients are not depressed

The majority of ALS patients were never depressed during the study period, with only eight percent experiencing depression. Despite approaching death, people's attitudes towards life did not become more negative.

SourceAmerican Academy of Neurology·JournalNeurology·DateJul 11, 2005

Children who stop breathing during sleep show brain damage

A new study reveals severe tissue injury in the brains of children with CCHS, disrupting cardiovascular function and breathing control. Researchers hope to develop new strategies to help the brain compensate for the injury, including injecting nerve growth factors.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalJournal of Comparative Neurology·DateJul 11, 2005

Meaningless sex? Male mounting reduces sexual promiscuity of females

Researchers found that male mounting, even without semen transfer, reduces a hen's tendency to mate with other males and decreases the number of sperm obtained from a new rooster. This behavior helps defend paternity, suggesting copulations without semen transfer have evolutionary significance.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateJul 11, 2005
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Golden armor

Researchers found that a yellow-orange pigment produced by Staphylococcus aureus helps the bacteria resist neutrophil killing and produce disease. The discovery provides an novel target for treatment of serious Staph infections, including those caused by antibiotic-resistant MRSA.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine·DateJul 11, 2005

Researchers find molecule that inhibits regrowth of spinal nerve cells

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified ephrin-B3 as a molecule that inhibits the regrowth of spinal nerve cells. The study found that ephrin-B3, which normally helps control nerve fiber growth during embryonic development, is also present in high levels in adult myelin and blocks neuron regeneration.

SourceUT Southwestern Medical Center·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 11, 2005
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Major heart failure quality of care variations found in US hospitals

The study found significant variations in the quality of heart failure treatment across US hospitals, with only 24% of patients receiving complete discharge instructions. Hospitals with better performance measures had fourfold lower mortality rates and 70% more patients given discharge information.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalArchives of Internal Medicine·DateJul 11, 2005

Quality measures need to be field-tested, researchers find

A panel of experts judged the relevance of 15 quality indicators, which combined evidence and expert opinion to assess care aspects. The final list included recommendations such as timely initiation of antibiotic therapy and switching to focused antibiotics.

SourceInfectious Diseases Society of America·JournalClinical Infectious Diseases·DateJul 11, 2005

2005 Alzheimer award to Hideo Hara, M.D. and Takeshi Tabira, M.D., Ph.D.

Researchers Hideo Hara and Takeshi Tabira develop an effective oral vaccine treatment for Alzheimer's disease using AAV vector carrying Aß cDNA, which reduces side effects associated with traditional immunotherapy. The treatment has shown promising results in mice, indicating a potential therapeutic approach for the disease.

SourceCase Western Reserve University·DateJul 11, 2005
GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

Discovery could lead to new types of Alzheimer's drugs

Researchers discovered a new way to understand brain cell degeneration in patients with Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases. The study found that small, misshapen proteins embedded in cell membranes can disrupt electrical activity, leading to cellular destruction.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 11, 2005

Why good cells go bad in progression of MS

Scientists found that interleukin-12 allows some immune cells to bypass normal regulation and cause damage to the myelin coating in nerve cells, contributing to MS symptoms. The discovery may lead to new treatments for MS by inhibiting IL12 and restoring the function of T-regulatory cells.

SourceUniversity of Rochester Medical Center·JournalThe Journal of Immunology·DateJul 11, 2005

Nearly two million eye injuries in the US each year

The study estimates that nearly two million individuals experienced an eye injury in the US in 2001. Most eye injuries were treated in emergency departments, with male patients having a significantly higher rate of injury compared to females.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalArchives of Ophthalmology·DateJul 11, 2005

The presence of oxygen on carbon nanotubes enhances interaction with ammonia

Researchers at Temple University have discovered that oxygen groups on single-walled carbon nanotubes enhance their interaction with ammonia, which could lead to the development of small sensors for Homeland Security. The study found that heating and cooling the nanotubes affected their ability to bind with ammonia molecules.

SourceTemple University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateJul 11, 2005
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

Size of brain structure could signal vulnerability to anxiety disorders

Researchers found that participants with a thicker ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) were less anxious when viewing images associated with discomfort, suggesting a protective factor against anxiety disorders. The study's results may inform the development of exposure-based therapies for anxiety disorders.

SourceMassachusetts General Hospital·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 11, 2005

Native lore tells the tale: There's been a whole lotta shakin' goin' on

Researchers uncover stories from native peoples describing seismic activity, shaking, and flooding, linking them to major earthquakes and tsunamis in the Cascadia subduction zone. Ancient artifacts and geological evidence support these findings, shedding light on the region's seismic history.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalSeismological Research Letters·DateJul 11, 2005

Improved process of drying lumber may save millions

A new artificial intelligence-based drying process for wood products could significantly reduce energy costs and improve product quality. The proposed method analyzes the kiln environment to predict optimal conditions and minimize deviations, potentially saving the $250 billion US wood industry millions of dollars.

SourcePenn State·JournalWood and Fiber Science·DateJul 11, 2005
Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

Costs of coronary artery bypass graft surgery

A study comparing CABG treatment costs in the US and Canada found that in-hospital costs were substantially higher in the US, with a 82.5% increase compared to Canada. Despite shorter length of stay in the US, the cost difference was primarily due to higher resource prices and labor costs.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalArchives of Internal Medicine·DateJul 11, 2005
Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.