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Science News Archive July 2007 - Page 8


Page 8 of 16

Fedoroff, of Penn State, to receive National Medal of Science

Nina V. Fedoroff, a renowned researcher in life sciences and biotechnology, is among eight scientists named to receive the 2006 National Medal of Science. Her work focuses on understanding gene regulation by small RNA molecules and developing mechanisms for plants to withstand environmental stressors.

SourcePenn State·DateJul 17, 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.

Protecting HIV patients from Hepatitis B virus

A study from the University of Alberta found that administering HBV vaccine intradermally to HIV-infected individuals who failed to respond initially shows promise, with 50% producing protective levels of anti-HBs. However, this approach is not recommended due to limited success rates.

SourceUniversity of Alberta·JournalHIV Medicine·DateJul 17, 2007

New ink sampling technique taking a bite of out time

Researchers at the Midwest Forensics Resource Center are developing a library of forensic ink profiles using Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) mass spectrometry. The new technique allows for faster and more detailed analysis of inks, enabling forensic scientists to differentiate between inks like never before.

SourceDOE/Ames National Laboratory·DateJul 17, 2007

Sequencing method yields fuller picture

Researchers infer complete chromosome sequences from existing data using a statistical method that exploits genetic mutations in organisms with high variability. The study confirms the conserved function of junk DNA and its potential role in regulating gene function.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalGenome Research·DateJul 17, 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.

UCLA researchers show that culture influences brain cells

Researchers used TMS to measure mirror neuron activity in response to American and Nicaraguan gestures, finding higher activity when observing shared culture. This study suggests culture shapes brain's neural mechanisms, influencing behavior and potentially informing motor skill and language learning.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJul 17, 2007

Gruber Cosmology Prize awarded to discoverers of dark energy

The Gruber Cosmology Prize has been awarded to Saul Perlmutter, Brian Schmidt, and their teams for discovering the accelerating expansion of the universe, dominated by mysterious dark energy. The breakthrough was made possible through innovative techniques using distant Type Ia supernovae as standard candles.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·DateJul 17, 2007

Research study describes the role part of the brain plays in memory

A study by Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona found that the prelimbic prefrontal cortex plays a crucial role in social transmission of food preference. This discovery sheds new light on the functioning of declarative memory, which is affected in Alzheimer's disease.

SourceUniversitat Autonoma de Barcelona·JournalNeurobiology of Learning and Memory·DateJul 17, 2007
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Case closed -- MIT gumshoes solve 'throbbing' oil mystery

An MIT team has solved the case of the throbbbing oil drop, explaining how evaporation-induced variations in surface tension cause a periodic expansion and contraction. The mechanism, which involves three interfaces between oil, water, and air, has implications for environmental engineering and could be applied to biological systems.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalJournal of Fluid Mechanics·DateJul 17, 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.

New particle explains odd behavior in cuprate superconductors

Physicists at University of Illinois discover a new fundamental particle, boson, that arises from strong electron interactions and explains the puzzling behavior of high-temperature superconductors. The particle has a charge of 2e but is not composed of two electrons.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJul 17, 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.

Universal flu vaccine being tested on humans

Scientists are testing a universal flu vaccine that targets all 'A' strains of the virus, offering broad and lifelong protection. The vaccine has shown promising results in laboratory animals and is now being administered to a small group of healthy people in Phase I clinical trials.

SourceVIB (the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology)·DateJul 17, 2007

New study examines effectiveness of tailored health messages

A new study by Dr. John Updegraff and colleagues found that tailored health messages are more effective when matching an individual's motivational orientation, leading to favorable attitudes and behavior change. Strong messages create more positive outcomes than weak ones, particularly for approach-oriented individuals.

SourceKent State University·JournalJournal of Experimental Social Psychology·DateJul 17, 2007

Commentary highlights impact of food-cancer drug interactions

Researchers suggest taking oral targeted cancer therapies like lapatinib with food to increase absorption and reduce dosage, resulting in significant cost savings. This approach could cut the needed dose of lapatinib by at least 60% and lower its monthly cost from $2,900 to $1,740.

SourceAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·DateJul 17, 2007

Progress in infectious disease surveillance but gaps remain, says Mailman School of Public Health

A paper by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health highlights the need for enhanced global infectious disease surveillance due to resource constraints. The authors recommend increasing resources for compatible reporting systems, providing additional support, and educating policymakers on disease surveillance as a priority.

SourceColumbia University's Mailman School of Public Health·JournalHealth Affairs·DateJul 17, 2007
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.

Measles vaccinations need to be repeated to protect HIV-infected children

New research from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health finds that only half of HIV-infected children maintained protective antibody levels 27 months after receiving measles vaccine. Repeat vaccinations are crucial to prevent measles outbreaks in regions with high HIV prevalence.

SourceJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health·JournalThe Journal of Infectious Diseases·DateJul 17, 2007

Monkeys don't go for easy pickings

Primates use cognitive abilities to select food sources based on resource quality and social group needs. The study found that white-faced saki monkeys traveled four times further than predicted distances to choose fruit-rich sites, prioritizing the group's dominance and competition.

SourceSpringer·JournalAnimal Cognition·DateJul 17, 2007

Study finds hereditary link to premenstrual depression

A new study has identified a specific genetic variation linked to severe premenstrual depression in women. The study found that four genetic variants in the estrogen receptor alpha gene were more common in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder, suggesting a hereditary link to the condition.

SourceUniversity of North Carolina Health Care·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateJul 17, 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.

SMS your ECG to ER

A wearable cardiac telemedicine system allows post-cardiac patients renewed mobility by recording periodic ECGs and transmitting them via SMS. This device can give patients a greater chance of receiving life-saving treatment within the golden hour period.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Electronic Healthcare·DateJul 17, 2007

Ability to listen to 2 things at once is largely inherited, says twin study

A twin study published by the NIH/NIDCD found that a person's ability to process multiple sounds simultaneously is largely inherited. The researchers discovered that identical twins were more similar in their dichotic listening abilities, with a strong genetic component responsible for up to 73% of the variation.

SourceNIH/National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders·JournalHuman Genetics·DateJul 17, 2007
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) powers local ML workloads, large datasets, and multi-display analysis for field and lab teams.

Foxes get frisky in the far north

A recent study by the University of Alberta reveals that some Arctic foxes engage in polyandry, where females have multiple male mates, and multiple paternity, leading to increased genetic variation. This finding challenges previous notions of monogamous mating habits in canid species.

SourceUniversity of Alberta·JournalCanadian Journal of Zoology·DateJul 17, 2007

University of Pennsylvania engineers discover natural 'workbench' for nanoscale construction

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have identified a naturally occurring material that can be used as a template for building nanodevices. The discovery, published in Nature Materials, provides a simpler method for creating nanostructures by leveraging the spontaneous phase separation of a ceramic material at the nanoscale.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalNature Materials·DateJul 17, 2007

The origin of human bipedalism

Researchers found human walking is 75% less costly than chimpanzee quadrupedal and bipedal walking. This energy savings could have given early hominids an edge in foraging for food, potentially driving the evolution of bipedalism.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 16, 2007
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.

Study shows no change in sense of taste after tonsil removal

A study of 65 tonsillectomy patients found no ongoing dysfunction in their sense of taste after surgery. Despite average ratings of taste and smell decreasing post-surgery, none reported persistent problems, suggesting other factors like pain or discomfort may influence ratings.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalArchives of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery·DateJul 16, 2007

Surgical technique helps to reanimate paralyzed faces

Researchers report successful outcomes for a surgical technique called temporalis tendon transfer, which helps reanimate facial paralysis with high patient satisfaction rates. The procedure resulted in improved form and function, with movement in mouth muscles identified in all patients after treatment.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalArchives of Facial Plastic Surgery·DateJul 16, 2007

Wobbly polarity is key to preventing magnetic avalanches on disk drives

Physicists have discovered that correcting a typo in an e-mail requires dozens of bits of information, each forcing its polarity to align up or down. The researchers found that the spin precession effect, where magnetic fields exert forces on neighboring spins, can lead to avalanches if not properly damped.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Cruz·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJul 16, 2007
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.

Penn researchers identify new combination therapy that promotes cancer cell death

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine identified a combination therapy that selectively eliminates cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact. The therapy combines TRAIL and sorafenib, reducing tumor size in mice with few side effects, demonstrating its potential effectiveness on human colon cancers.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalCancer Cell·DateJul 16, 2007

ASTRO names leading head and neck surgeon honorary member

Randal S. Weber, a renowned otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon, has been chosen as an Honorary Member of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO). Dr. Weber's contributions to promoting multidisciplinary approaches in treating patients with head and neck cancers have earned him this prestigious honor.

SourceAmerican Society for Radiation Oncology·DateJul 16, 2007
Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

6 out of 10 doctors aren't frustrated that patients can't lower cholesterol

A survey of 750 doctors from 10 countries found that only 47% of their patients reached cholesterol goals, but 61% deemed this acceptable. Doctors preferred prescribing statins and lifestyle changes over other approaches. Key findings showed significant variation in treatment recommendations across countries.

SourceBlackwell Publishing Ltd.·JournalInternational Journal of Clinical Practice·DateJul 16, 2007

Nano propellers pump with proper chemistry

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago created a theoretical blueprint for assembling a nanoscale propeller with molecule-sized blades. The propeller's efficiency in pumping liquids is highly sensitive to its chemical and biological composition, finding that hydrophobic blades pump more water while hydrophilic blades become ...

SourceUniversity of Illinois Chicago·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJul 16, 2007

Older women with memory problems at increased risk for restless nights

A study published in the American Academy of Neurology found that older women experiencing memory loss are more likely to have sleep disturbances. The nearly 25% of women who experienced cognitive decline were twice as likely to experience sleep disturbances as those without memory problems.

SourceAmerican Academy of Neurology·JournalNeurology·DateJul 16, 2007

First of its kind report on how children with brain tumors perform at school

A new report found that children with brain tumors have lower grades in each subject, particularly in foreign language, with over 58% of female patients receiving below an eight. Despite this, most survivors completed the ninth grade at the usual age, suggesting a glimmer of hope for these students.

SourceAmerican Academy of Neurology·JournalNeurology·DateJul 16, 2007
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.

Poor sleep associated with cognitive decline in elderly women

Women who experienced cognitive decline were more likely to have disturbed sleep patterns, according to a study. The researchers found that it's not the total amount of sleep that matters, but rather how well it's quality, suggesting a potential link between poor sleep and cognitive decline.

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalNeurology·DateJul 16, 2007

ACMG Foundation announces 2007-2008 Luminex/ACMGF award recipient

The American College of Medical Genetics Foundation awarded Dr. Stuart Schwartz a $100,000 grant to develop a clinical practice model incorporating whole genome SNP array analysis. This project aims to promote safe and effective genetic testing and services.

SourceAmerican College of Medical Genetics and Genomics·DateJul 16, 2007
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.

New research provides hope for childhood cancer sufferers

A new study demonstrates that ABT-737 can enhance the combined toxicity of common drugs against leukemia cells, leading to improved treatment outcomes. The results provide hope for children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a common form of childhood cancer.

SourceResearch Australia·JournalBlood·DateJul 16, 2007