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Science News for November 24, 2010


Dartmouth study uses the patient's tumor to form vaccine

A new dendritic cell vaccine has been developed at Dartmouth Health, which uses the patient's own tumor cells to stimulate an anti-tumor response. The study found that over 60% of patients who received the vaccine developed immune responses against their tumors, with a significant survival rate five years after treatment.

SourceDartmouth Health·JournalClinical Cancer Research·DateNov 24, 2010
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Climate change clues in the rough seas of the Southern Ocean

A research expedition is studying the movement of water in the Southern Ocean to understand the rate of horizontal and vertical mixing between different water layers. The study aims to quantify the rate of climate change by measuring the effects of ocean mixing on heat exchange, nutrient cycling, and atmospheric CO2 concentrations.

SourceNational Oceanography Centre, UK·DateNov 24, 2010

Chronic high cholesterol diet produces brain damage

Research found that a high-fat cholesterol diet in rats caused memory impairment, inflammation, and brain damage similar to Alzheimer's disease. The study suggests a possible link between chronic high cholesterol levels and the pathology of this disease.

SourceElsevier·JournalMolecular and Cellular Neuroscience·DateNov 24, 2010
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.

New study reveals how cannabis suppresses immune functions

A new study reveals that cannabis triggers unique immune cells called myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), which promote cancer growth. MDSCs actively suppress the immune system, making users more susceptible to infections and certain types of cancers.

SourceWiley·JournalEuropean Journal of Immunology·DateNov 24, 2010

Epilepsy drugs may not affect IQ of breastfed babies, study says

A recent study published in Neurology found no significant difference in IQ scores between breastfed and non-breasted babies of mothers taking epilepsy drugs. The study, which followed 194 pregnant women taking one epilepsy drug, suggests that breastfeeding may not have a negative impact on cognitive skills.

SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalNeurology·DateNov 24, 2010

Jet-lagged and forgetful? It's no coincidence

Research by University of California, Berkeley psychologists found that chronic jet lag causes persistent changes in the brain's hippocampus, leading to memory and learning problems. The study, which used female Syrian hamsters as subjects, showed that even after recovery from jet lag, the brain continued to experience deficits.

SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·JournalPLOS ONE·DateNov 24, 2010
Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

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

Workplace asthma costs UK at least $158 million a year

Research published in Thorax estimates that UK workplace asthma costs the country at least £100 million a year, with potentially as high as £135 million. The study reveals that the condition is underdiagnosed and that the employer should bear more responsibility for reducing exposure to agents causing workplace asthma.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalThorax·DateNov 24, 2010

Massive galaxies formed when universe was young

Researchers found five to ten times more massive galaxies existed 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang, with high infrared luminosities indicating intense growth and activity, challenging current understanding of galaxy formation.

SourceTufts University·DateNov 24, 2010

Fatal blood clot genetic risk breakthrough announcement

Researchers from Leicester and Cambridge discovered genetic markers that identify people at risk of developing potentially fatal blood clots. This breakthrough advances ways of detecting and treating coronary heart disease, a leading cause of premature death.

SourceUniversity of Leicester·JournalBlood·DateNov 24, 2010
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.

Quartz crystal microbalances enable new microscale analytic technique

A new chemical analysis technique developed by NIST uses quartz crystal microbalances to test the purity of small material samples. This technique measures reaction energy needed to decompose or oxidize a sample with heat, offering a more sensitive approach than conventional methods, enabling analysis of nanoparticles and thin films.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalAnalytical Chemistry·DateNov 24, 2010

New imaging technique accurately finds cancer cells, fast

Researchers at the University of Illinois developed a new microscopy technique that can identify cancer cells with over 99% confidence in under five minutes. The technique uses nonlinear interferometric vibrational imaging to analyze molecular composition and produce color-coded images, providing clear tumor boundaries.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalCancer Research·DateNov 24, 2010
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.

Study finds that the same face may look male or female

Researchers at MIT and Harvard discovered that the brain assigns gender to faces based on location, challenging a long-held neuroscience principle. The study found that when people view computer-generated faces without other distinguishing features, patterns of biases emerge based on where the face appears on the screen.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalCurrent Biology·DateNov 24, 2010

How pathogens hijack host plants

Researchers discovered a novel family of pores that transport sugar out of plant cells, enabling pathogenic bacteria and fungi to hijack the nutrient supply. This breakthrough allows for the development of new crop protection techniques and potential applications in diabetes research.

SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·JournalNature·DateNov 24, 2010

Being a 'good sport' can be critical to maintaining lifelong physical activity

A recent study investigates the role of group dynamics in promoting lifelong physical activity among teenagers. Researchers found a strong relationship between team focus and perceptions of cohesion, suggesting that teams with a balance of competitiveness and camaraderie are more likely to keep young athletes engaged. This research aim...

SourceCanadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences·DateNov 24, 2010
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.

Female fish -- and humans? -- lose interest when their male loses a slugfest

In experiments with African cichlid fish, scientists found that females show increased anxiety and decreased attraction when their preferred male loses a fight. Conversely, when the male prevails, the female's brain shows increased activity associated with reproduction and pleasure. These findings suggest that humans may experience sim...

SourceStanford University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 24, 2010

Can cacti 'escape' underground in high temperatures?

A study published in American Journal of Botany found that cacti like Ariocarpus fissuratus use root contraction to move deeper into the soil and escape high temperatures. While this method helped protect plants growing in rocky soils, it was not enough to prevent death in sandy soils

SourceBotanical Society of America·JournalAmerican Journal of Botany·DateNov 24, 2010

When Belgium sneezes, the world catches a cold

Researchers used data from Bureau Van Dijk and the SIR model to identify countries with greatest potential to cause a global crash. The top twelve countries include Belgium and Luxembourg alongside more obviously impactful economies.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalNew Journal of Physics·DateNov 24, 2010
Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

Overseas lab seeks US weed control 'recruits'

A US-based lab is searching for natural enemies of the invasive silverleaf nightshade weed, which can outcompete native plants and poison livestock. The lab aims to use biologically based approach to control the weed's spread in Europe and the US.

SourceUnited States Department of Agriculture - Research, Education and Economics·DateNov 24, 2010

Bonn physicists create a 'super-photon'

Physicists from the University of Bonn have developed a new source of light, a Bose-Einstein condensate consisting of photons. By cooling and concentrating Rubidium atoms, they created a 'super-photon' with characteristics resembling lasers.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalNature·DateNov 24, 2010

Breastfeeding while taking seizure drugs may not harm child's IQ

A study found that breastfeeding does not harm a child's IQ when taking seizure medication, according to the American Academy of Neurology. The research followed 194 pregnant women and their 199 babies, with no significant difference in IQ scores between breastfed and non-breastfed children.

SourceAmerican Academy of Neurology·JournalNeurology·DateNov 24, 2010

Deciphering how CD4 T cells die during HIV infection

Researchers at Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology discover how HIV promotes the death of CD4 T cells by infecting them with a failed form of viral replication. This process leads to the depletion of these critical immune cells, ultimately causing AIDS.

SourceGladstone Institutes·JournalCell·DateNov 24, 2010
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.

Diabetes drug could work against Alzheimer's

Researchers found that metformin counteracts alterations of cell structure protein Tau in mice nerve cells, a main cause of Alzheimer's disease. The study suggests metformin may be an effective therapy for Alzheimer's diseases if confirmed in humans.

SourceHelmholtz Association·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 24, 2010

Finger-trap tension stabilizes cells' chromosome-separating machinery

Researchers found that a simple mechanism of finger-trap tension helps stabilize chromosomes during cell division, ensuring accurate gene distribution. This discovery could lead to new ways to correct defects before they occur or target cells with incorrect chromosome numbers to prevent further division.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalNature·DateNov 24, 2010

Danish researchers finally solve the obesity riddle

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that a diet high in protein and low-Glycemic Index (GI) foods can help prevent weight regain. The study, which involved 772 European families, showed that those who followed a high-protein, low-GI diet had less weight regain than those on other diets.

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateNov 24, 2010
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.

Mildew-resistant and infertile

Researchers have discovered two proteins, Feronia and Nortia, crucial for both fertilization and resistance to powdery mildew infections in plants. These proteins, essential for seed formation, also facilitate fungal invasion, making it challenging to breed resistant yet fertile plants.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalScience·DateNov 24, 2010