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Science News Archive November 2008 - Page 20


Page 20 of 20

A look at the Jewish-American vote

According to University of Miami professor Ira M. Sheskin, the strength of the Jewish-American vote is not measured by its numbers but by its geographic concentrations. The Jewish population has shifted from Northeast and Midwest to South and West, maintaining a significant influence on US politics.

SourceUniversity of Miami·DateNov 3, 2008

GSU study first to confirm long-term benefits of morphine treatment in infants

A GSU study confirms that administering morphine prior to a painful procedure in infancy blocks long-term negative consequences of pain in adult rodents. Infant rodents who did not receive preemptive pain medication were less sensitive to morphine in adulthood, highlighting the need for pain relief in newborns.

SourceGeorgia State University·JournalPediatric Research·DateNov 3, 2008

Where have all the students gone?

The number of students studying soil science as a major is declining across the United States, according to Mary Collins' article published in the Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education. The decline affects not only students but also courses offered, quality of graduate students, and potential department mergers.

SourceSoil Science Society of America·JournalJournal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education·DateNov 3, 2008
Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

Women have more diverse hand bacteria than men, says CU-Boulder study

A CU-Boulder study found that women's hands harbor a significantly greater diversity of microbes than men, with an average of 150 different species detected. The researchers also discovered that the diversity of bacteria on individual hands was not significantly affected by regular hand washing.

SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 3, 2008

Inequitable access to health care for Aboriginal people with kidney disease

A study of 107,693 Canadians found Aboriginal people with severe kidney disease were 43% less likely to visit a nephrologist and almost twice as likely to be hospitalized for preventable conditions. Understanding the barriers to healthcare is crucial to addressing these inequities.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·DateNov 3, 2008
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

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

US Hispanics prefer beer

A new study has found that US Hispanics, belonging to four national groups, prefer beer as their beverage of choice. The study, published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, revealed that beer was the preferred beverage among all Hispanic respondents, with variations in preference across ethnic subgroups.

SourceAlcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research·DateNov 3, 2008

Researchers uncover clue in spread of 'superbugs'

Scientists have obtained visual evidence of how deadly 'superbugs' acquire and disseminate antibiotic resistance. The discovery sheds light on the role of conjugative pili in spreading antibiotic resistance.

SourceOklahoma Medical Research Foundation·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 3, 2008

Poor exchange of health care information

A multicentre prospective cohort study found that only 22% of patients' previous visit information was available when they saw another doctor. This limited exchange is crucial for continuity of patient care and may be associated with poorer outcomes.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·DateNov 3, 2008

Previously unknown immune cell may help those with Crohn's and colitis

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have identified a rare immune cell, NK-22 cells, that can produce IL-22 to promote wound healing and prevent tissue damage. This discovery may lead to the development of new therapies for inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalNature·DateNov 3, 2008

Smaller mosquitoes are more likey to be infected with viruses causing human diseases

Researchers found that smaller mosquitoes have higher infection rates and potential to transmit dengue virus than larger individuals. The study suggests that control strategies may benefit from producing larger, less competent adult mosquitoes in terms of infection, potentially mitigating dengue transmission.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalAmerican Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene·DateNov 3, 2008
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

MIT pieces together the mechanism that allows 2 pacemakers to control breathing

Two pacemakers in the brain regulate breathing by working together in harmony, with the preBotC taking control in adulthood and pFRG kicking in during respiratory stress. This fail-safe network is evolutionarily conserved and appears to be related to cases of crib death and central sleep apnea.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 3, 2008

Rainforest fungus makes diesel

A unique fungus, Gliocladium roseum, has been discovered to produce diesel compounds from cellulose, offering a promising alternative to traditional biofuels. The fungus can make myco-diesel directly from cellulose, skipping a step in the production process.

SourceMicrobiology Society·JournalMicrobiology·DateNov 3, 2008

Protect your vote -- avoid election machine errors

A University of Maryland researcher warns that voter mistakes can affect election outcomes, with even simple errors leading to three percent of incorrect votes. Experts recommend taking precautions like bringing marked-up sample ballots and carefully reviewing the review screen to minimize errors.

SourceUniversity of Maryland·DateNov 3, 2008
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.

Clicking knees are antelopes' way of saying 'back off'

A study on eland antelopes found that males use knee clicking to broadcast their fighting ability and settle conflicts without incurring high costs. The researchers also discovered that the size of a bull's dewlap is related to age, while hair darkness reflects aggressiveness.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalBMC Biology·DateNov 3, 2008

Dried mushrooms slow climate warming in northern forests

A new study by UC Irvine finds that fungi in dry spruce forests produce less carbon dioxide when soil is warmed, potentially slowing climate change. This discovery could influence global climate change predictions and policy.

SourceUniversity of California - Irvine·JournalGlobal Change Biology·DateNov 3, 2008
Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

Nature study demonstrates that bacterial clotting depends on clustering

New research finds bacteria can directly cause human blood to clot by forming clusters, a process previously thought lost in vertebrate evolution. This discovery may lead to new clinical methods for treating sepsis and anthrax, improving understanding of coagulation during bacterial infections.

SourceUniversity of Chicago·JournalNature Chemical Biology·DateNov 2, 2008

Human genes sing different tunes in different tissues

Scientists have found that nearly all human genes, about 94 percent, generate more than one form of their protein products through alternative splicing. The phenomenon varies significantly between tissues, with mRNA expression dependent on the tissue where the gene is expressed.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNature·DateNov 2, 2008

MIT: Mending broken hearts with tissue engineering

MIT researchers have created a novel scaffold that can aid in the repair of damaged heart tissue and potentially treat congenital heart defects. The biodegradable scaffold has directionally dependent structural and mechanical properties, allowing it to mimic native heart muscle structure and behavior.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNature Materials·DateNov 2, 2008

Detecting tiny twists with a nanomachine

Researchers at Boston University developed a nanoscale torsion resonator to measure miniscule amounts of twisting or torque in metallic nanowires. The device has applications in spintronics, fundamental physics, chemistry, and biology.

SourceBoston University·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateNov 2, 2008
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.

Persistent bacterial infection exploits killing machinery of immune cells

A study found that disease-causing bacteria exploit the killing machinery of immune cells by increasing the production of an enzyme called arginase. This allows them to survive within macrophages, a type of white blood cell. The researchers observed improved outcomes in mice lacking this enzyme when infected with certain pathogens.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases·JournalNature Immunology·DateNov 2, 2008

A double-barreled immune cell approach for neuroblastoma

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have developed a new treatment approach for neuroblastoma using T-lymphocytes with an artificial receptor that targets cancer cells. The treatment showed promise in early clinical trials, with one patient achieving complete remission and others experiencing stable disease for over a year.

SourceBaylor College of Medicine·JournalNature Medicine·DateNov 2, 2008

Substance tackles skin cancer from 2 sides

Researchers develop a novel designer molecule that targets malignant melanoma cells using two different routes: triggering the immune system to attack and switching off a specific gene, driving cancer cells to suicide. Initial experiments in mouse models show significant inhibition of metastasis growth and tumor shrinkage.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalNature Medicine·DateNov 2, 2008
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.

Pakistan introduces vaccine to prevent top child killer

The introduction of the pentavalent vaccine in Pakistan aims to protect its children against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and four other common childhood diseases. The vaccine is expected to save thousands of lives, particularly among the nation's poorest families.

SourceJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health·DateNov 1, 2008

News from the November 2008 Journal of the American Dietetic Association

A study of 1,402 fourth-grade students found high diabetes risk factors and obesity rates among children from poor families. Whole-grain intake was linked to lower heart failure risk, while high-fat dairy and egg consumption increased the risk.

SourceAmerican Dietetic Association·JournalJournal of the American Dietetic Association·DateNov 1, 2008