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Science News for April 25, 2007


MEDICUS Project wins Internet2 Idea award

The Globus MEDICUS project is recognized for its potential to enable advanced healthcare by securely exchanging bandwidth-intensive medical resources and images. The project aims to create a technological platform for seamless communication between healthcare providers, researchers, and patients.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·DateApr 25, 2007

BDSI announces positive phase III clinical trial results

The Phase III efficacy clinical trial showed statistically significant improvement on the primary efficacy endpoint at 30 minutes compared to placebo, indicating a greater reduction in pain. Patients treated with BEMA Fentanyl also demonstrated well-tolerated treatment with no reported drug-related changes to the oral mucosa.

SourceBioDelivery Sciences·DateApr 25, 2007
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.

New hereditary breast cancer gene discovered

Scientists have found a new hereditary breast cancer gene, TWIST1, linked to Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, increasing breast cancer risk by nearly twenty times. Early mammograms are now recommended for young women with the syndrome to detect breast cancer at an early stage.

SourceSwedish Research Council·JournalGenes Chromosomes and Cancer·DateApr 25, 2007

Yerkes researchers awarded $10 million for comparative aging study

The study aims to identify ways to diagnose and treat aging-related diseases earlier, using chimpanzees and rhesus macaques compared to humans with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. The researchers hope to develop new treatments based on specific physiological changes.

SourceEmory Health Sciences·DateApr 25, 2007

Cosmologically speaking, diamonds may actually be forever

A paper by Lawrence Krauss and Robert Scherrer suggests that matter will dominate over radiation in an ever-expanding universe dominated by dark energy. This means that ordinary matter particles, such as protons and neutrons, will remain stable for trillions of years, potentially allowing life to endure forever.

SourceVanderbilt University·JournalPhysical Review D·DateApr 25, 2007

Commonly used pain medications do not prevent Alzheimer's disease

A clinical trial involving over 2,100 participants found that commonly used pain medications such as naproxen and celecoxib did not reduce the incidence of Alzheimer's disease. The study suggests that these medications should not be taken primarily to prevent Alzheimer's disease.

SourceAmerican Academy of Neurology·JournalNeurology·DateApr 25, 2007
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Short chromosomes put cancer cells in forced rest

A Johns Hopkins team has discovered that shortening chromosome ends, called telomeres, can prevent cancer cells from growing by inducing a process known as senescence. This breakthrough could lead to new ways of preventing or treating cancer.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalCancer Cell·DateApr 25, 2007

Asymmetry due to perfect balance

A team of scientists has developed a new method to analyze the development of cortical polarity in cell membranes, which is essential for various cellular processes. They combined experiments with living cells and a mathematical model, showing that polarized regions are defined with near-optimal precision.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalCell·DateApr 25, 2007

New nanocomposite processing technique creates more powerful capacitors

Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a new technique to create films of barium titanate nanoparticles in a polymer matrix, allowing for improved capacitors that store twice as much energy as existing devices. The technique uses tailored organic phosphonic acids to encapsulate and modify the surface of the nanoparticles.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateApr 25, 2007

New materials for making 'spintronic' devices

Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have devised methods to make spintronic devices based on electron spin, potentially increasing electronic device productivity. The development uses graphene-magnet multilayers and aims to create a full spectrum of spintronic devices, including re-writable microchips and transistors.

SourceDOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory·DateApr 25, 2007
Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Halos and horns: Fixing the 'taste' of diet soda

University of Illinois researchers identify mouth-feel as key factor in diet soda taste, finding ingredient that gives body without adding calories. Flavour plays a crucial role in masking the mouth-feel difference, making lemon-lime flavor more appealing.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalJournal of Food Science·DateApr 25, 2007

Hay fever can send work productivity down the drain

A study of nearly 600 people with hay fever symptoms found that workers missed an average of one hour of work per week during peak seasons. Diagnostic testing followed by proper treatment may help reduce missed work days.

SourceOhio State University·JournalPrimary Care Respiratory Journal·DateApr 25, 2007

Why nanowires make great photodetectors

Researchers at UC-San Diego have discovered that nanowire photodetectors can achieve single-photon sensitivity, making them highly sensitive to light detection. The unique geometry of nanowires traps holes, increasing the time electrons travel down the wire and triggering an increase in current.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalNano Letters·DateApr 25, 2007

An electroacoustic path to custom-made gene chips

A University of Southern California researcher has improved a technique to create custom-made gene chips, allowing researchers to detect specific message sequences in samples. The new method uses precise directional soundwaves to synthesize DNA bases on thin membranes, enabling the creation of high-quality microarrays.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·DateApr 25, 2007
Meta Quest 3 512GB

Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

'No' doesn't always mean 'no'

A study suggests that people who decline to participate in research may not necessarily object to taking part, but rather due to confusion about the research nature and process. This finding highlights the importance of clarifying potential sources of confusion in participation requests.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalBMC Health Services Research·DateApr 25, 2007

Global warming, Antarctic ice is focus of multinational workshop

A record-setting Antarctic ice core extracted during a recent drilling expedition provides unprecedented detail on the Ross Ice Shelf's history, indicating fluctuations of up to 50 times over the last 5 million years. The research project, ANDRILL, aims to understand the impact of global warming on oceans worldwide.

SourceFlorida State University·DateApr 25, 2007

The Gerontological Society of America chooses 2007 Hartford Faculty Scholars

The Gerontological Society of America has selected 10 faculty members as the newest inductees into the Hartford Faculty Scholars Program, a program aiming to improve older adults' well-being by increasing trained geriatric social workers. The scholars receive $100,000 in funding over two years for professional development.

SourceThe Gerontological Society of America·DateApr 25, 2007

New treatment for fungus which causes thrush and sepsis

A new treatment, micafungin, has been shown to be equally effective as existing treatments in treating Candida-related infections. With fewer side effects, micafungin is a promising alternative for first-line therapy of candidemia and invasive candidosis.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet·DateApr 25, 2007
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.

Carnegie Mellon unveils Internet-controlled robots anyone can build

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed the TeRK robot kit, allowing users to build sophisticated internet-connected robots using off-the-shelf parts. The kits feature a Qwerk controller and recipes that enable customization and extension, making highly capable robots accessible to a wide range of users.

SourceCarnegie Mellon University·DateApr 25, 2007

How is the digitization of information impacting across the health service?

A survey of 200 patients and healthcare professionals found that digitization can empower users and improve efficiency, but also undermines worker pride if not designed with established practices in mind. The study highlights the need for attention to areas such as technology design, user trust, and preserving workers' knowledge.

SourceEconomic & Social Research Council·DateApr 25, 2007

Water flows like molasses on the nanoscale

A Georgia Tech research team discovered that water exhibits layered properties when confined to channels less than two nanometers wide. The study found that the viscosity of water increases dramatically as it approaches one nanometer in thickness, potentially making it a more suitable lubricant for applications.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalPhysical Review B·DateApr 25, 2007
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.

Physician ties to drug industry stronger than ever

A study found that virtually all practicing physicians in the US have relationships with pharmaceutical manufacturers, often through food or prescription samples. The extent and nature of these relationships vary by practice type, specialty, and patient mix.

SourceBurness·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateApr 25, 2007

U of M study shows no link between self-weighing and depression in women

A recent study published in Preventive Medicine found that frequent self-weighing is not associated with depression in women. The research suggests that daily weight monitoring can lead to lower BMI levels and less weight gain, making it a potentially beneficial practice for adults.

SourceUniversity of Minnesota·JournalPreventive Medicine·DateApr 25, 2007

Research group gets $7 million to pursue new antibiotic agents

A research team from the University of Illinois and the University of Wisconsin aims to discover, engineer and produce promising phosphonate-based antibiotics. The project seeks alternatives to standard antibiotics due to growing concerns about antimicrobial resistance.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·DateApr 25, 2007

Chronically ill prisoners can face great healthcare problems

A study found that chronically ill prisoners face daily discomfort and fear of bullying due to inadequate healthcare policies. However, some prisoners reported improved health and access to mental health services during their incarceration.

SourceBlackwell Publishing Ltd.·JournalJournal of Advanced Nursing·DateApr 25, 2007

Morphine makes lasting -- and surprising -- change in the brain

New research reveals morphine makes lasting changes in the brain by blocking a key mechanism for memory making, suggesting addiction is a disease of learning and memory. The findings may help explain how addictive drugs affect the brain and support a new theory of addiction.

SourceBrown University·JournalNature·DateApr 25, 2007
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

MicroRNAs can be tumor suppressors

Researchers at University of Virginia Health System discovered microRNAs can suppress HMGA2 overexpression, a key feature of many tumors. This finding suggests microRNAs may have a role in preventing or curing diet-induced obesity-related diseases.

SourceUniversity of Virginia Health System·JournalGenes & Development·DateApr 25, 2007