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Science News Archive April 2011 - Page 2


Page 2 of 26

Jump in communication skills led to species explosion in electric fishes

Researchers found that advancements in brain anatomy and signal processing allowed mormyrids to fully exploit electric signal space, leading to rapid speciation. The study revealed two equally parsimonious ways to reconstruct the fish's evolutionary history, challenging current understanding of brain development.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalScience·DateApr 28, 2011
Creality K1 Max 3D Printer

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer rapidly prototypes brackets, adapters, and fixtures for instruments and classroom demonstrations at large build volume.

Mystery solved: How sickle hemoglobin protects against malaria

Researchers at Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia unravel the molecular mechanism of sickle cell trait's protective effect against malaria. Sickle hemoglobin induces heme oxygenase-1, which produces carbon monoxide to protect infected hosts from cerebral malaria.

SourceInstituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia·JournalCell·DateApr 28, 2011

Being tall, obese may significantly increase risk of blood clots in deep veins

Research found a significant association between tall stature, obesity, and increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in both men and women. The study analyzed data from over 26,700 adults and found that being tall and obese may increase the risk of blood clots in deep veins by up to 5.28 times for men and 2.77 times for women.

SourceAmerican Heart Association·DateApr 28, 2011

Shielding body protects brain from 'shell shocking' blast injuries

Researchers discovered that wearing body armor fully protected mice brains from axonal nerve cell damage in critical parts of the brain. Body armor shielded mice from over 80% of axonal damage observed in the brain's visual pathways.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalJournal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology·DateApr 28, 2011
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.

NASA's Swift and Hubble probe asteroid collision debris

Asteroid Scheila unexpectedly brightened with short-lived plumes after being struck by a smaller asteroid, according to data from NASA's Swift satellite and Hubble Space Telescope. The collision created a crater 1,000 feet across and ejected over 660,000 tons of dust.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·DateApr 28, 2011
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

5-minute screen identifies subtle signs of autism in 1-year olds

A new screening tool has been introduced to identify subtle signs of autism in 1-year-old children during well-baby check-ups. The 5-minute checklist is designed to be adopted by pediatricians nationwide and has shown high accuracy rates, enabling early diagnosis and treatment.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Mental Health·JournalThe Journal of Pediatrics·DateApr 28, 2011

As the worm turns, its secrets are revealed

A new method developed by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has revealed functional gene networks in a live organism. The technique allows for the prediction of gene functions and could be useful for understanding human disease.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalCell·DateApr 28, 2011

JAMA study reports on fatty liver disease in children and teens

A new study published in JAMA found that neither vitamin E nor the diabetes drug metformin successfully reduced liver enzymes in children and teens with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. However, a biopsy of the liver showed improvement in injury pattern with vitamin E therapy in patients with severe fatty liver disease. The study high...

SourceIndiana University School of Medicine·JournalJAMA·DateApr 28, 2011

Social bonding in prairie voles helps guide search for autism treatments

Researchers at Emory University are exploring the use of prairie voles to identify drugs that can enhance social learning in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The study found that giving female voles D-cycloserine promotes pair bonding, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic tool for treating autism.

SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateApr 28, 2011
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.

Monkey recall memory mirrors that of humans

A study demonstrates that monkeys can recall and reproduce simple shapes from memory, mirroring the performance of humans using a standard recall test. This finding suggests that recollection might be an adaptive ability in primates long before humans evolved.

SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalCurrent Biology·DateApr 28, 2011

Our own status affects the way our brains respond to others

A new study found that people with higher social status respond more strongly to information about others of higher status, while those with lower status respond more strongly to information about others of lower status. This effect is linked to the brain's value system and has important implications for social behavior and interactions.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateApr 28, 2011
Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

Nanotechnologists must take lessons from nature

Researchers Peter Cummings and Michael Simpson propose that mimicking natural processes can lead to more efficient and reliable devices. By exploiting contrarian behavior and 'noise,' scientists can develop technology that outperforms traditional methods, as seen in the humble bacterial cell's ability to withstand modern medicines.

SourceVanderbilt University·JournalACS Nano·DateApr 28, 2011

TRMM Satellite sees massive thunderstorms in severe weather system

The TRMM satellite detected massive thunderstorms and very heavy rainfall along a powerful cold front moving through the eastern United States on April 28, 2011. Tornadoes spawned by these storms caused significant loss of life, with at least 128 deaths in Alabama and 15 in Georgia.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·DateApr 28, 2011

Green light for flu vaccine in transplant recipients

A study found that flu vaccination in transplant patients lowers risk of organ loss and death. Vaccination is safe and effective, contradicting earlier concerns about its impact on transplanted organs.

SourceAmerican Society of Nephrology·JournalClinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology·DateApr 28, 2011

How do white blood cells detect invaders to destroy?

Cedars-Sinai researchers discovered how white blood cells identify invading fungi, using the molecular receptor Dectin-1. This finding sheds light on the immune system's ability to mount a response against pathogens.

SourceCedars-Sinai Medical Center·JournalNature·DateApr 28, 2011
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.

Animals have personalities, too

A new study found that animal personalities are reflected in their oxidative stress profiles, with timid birds experiencing higher levels of damaging oxygen toxins and weaker defenses. In contrast, curious birds had better defences against oxidative damage.

SourceUniversity of York·JournalJournal of Experimental Biology·DateApr 28, 2011

Prejudice and the President

A University of Delaware doctoral student conducted a study on how racial prejudice affects perceptions of President Barack Obama's 'Americanism' and performance. The results show that white Americans who hold prejudiced views against black people are more likely to rate Obama as performing poorly in office.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalJournal of Experimental Social Psychology·DateApr 28, 2011

Dr. Michael Collins publishes paper on ivory-billed woodpecker

The article reports on audio recordings of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker captured by Dr. Michael Collins, which match historical descriptions. The footage shows characteristics consistent with the species, including a large crest and rared-back posture.

SourceNaval Research Laboratory·JournalThe Journal of the Acoustical Society of America·DateApr 28, 2011
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.

1 drug, many targets: Is this the future?

Researchers have identified multiple molecular targets of the anti-HIV drug nelfinavir, which may explain its effectiveness as a cancer therapy. The study, published in PLOS Computational Biology, suggests that the collective effect of these weak interactions leads to the clinical efficacy of nelfinavir.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateApr 28, 2011

Eddies found to be deep, powerful modes of ocean transport

Researchers have discovered that massive ocean eddies can reach the ocean bottom at mid-ocean ridges, transporting larvae, chemicals, and heat. This phenomenon helps explain how larvae travel huge distances from one vent area to another.

SourceWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution·JournalScience·DateApr 28, 2011
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.

From the beginning, the brain knows the difference between night and day

Researchers found that infants' brains develop the ability to determine light and dark cycles independently of visual stimuli. The study suggests that this innate ability is a hard-wired feature of development, allowing animals to synchronize their circadian rhythms with daily changes in light exposure.

SourceUniversity of Chicago·JournalPLOS ONE·DateApr 28, 2011

Catching signs of autism early: The 1-year well-baby check-up approach

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, developed a novel screening approach to detect Autism Syndrome Disorder (ASD) in babies at 1-year check-ups. The 'One-Year Well-Baby Check Up Approach' has shown a positive predictive value of 75% using a simple, five-minute screening technique.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalThe Journal of Pediatrics·DateApr 28, 2011
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.

Finding molecular targets of an HIV drug used in cancer therapy

Researchers have identified potential human molecular targets of Nelfinavir, an anti-HIV drug also effective as a cancer therapy. The study suggests that the collective effect of weak interactions with multiple protein kinases leads to clinical efficacy.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateApr 28, 2011

Monkeys, too, can recollect what they've seen

Rhesus monkeys demonstrated flexible recall of simple shapes from memory, similar to humans, and showed ability to transfer memory skill to novel shapes. This finding suggests that the ability to recollect may have been present in our common ancestor 30 million years ago.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateApr 28, 2011
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.

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.

Record number of whales, krill found in Antarctic bays

Researchers tracked over 300 humpback whales and 2 million tons of krill in Wilhelmina Bay, revealing a critical late-season foraging ground for the endangered whales. Climate change is affecting the region, with rapid reduction of sea ice cover impacting krill survival.

SourceDuke University·JournalPLOS ONE·DateApr 27, 2011

2 graphene layers may be better than 1

Researchers at NIST have shown that two layers of graphene exhibit random patterns of alternating positive and negative charges due to substrate interactions. This discovery brings graphene closer to being used in practical electronic devices.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalNature Physics·DateApr 27, 2011
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

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

Out of Africa -- how the fruit fly made its way in the world

Researchers studied fruit flies adapting from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe and found that a gene called crm regulates temperature-dependent traits. The study reveals that changes in this gene may have enabled the flies to survive in colder climates.

SourceUniversity of Veterinary Medicine -- Vienna·JournalPLOS Genetics·DateApr 27, 2011

NIST prototypes framework for evaluating sustainability standards

The NIST framework analyzes sustainability standards using the Zachman framework, providing a structured approach to selecting and implementing effective standards. This helps small and medium-size enterprises identify relevant standards, measure progress, and report results, ultimately boosting their sustainability efforts.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·DateApr 27, 2011
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.

Researchers create terahertz invisibility cloak

A team of researchers at Northwestern University has created a terahertz invisibility cloak that manipulates light to render objects invisible in the terahertz range. This design could have implications for biomedical research, security and communication.

SourceNorthwestern University·DateApr 27, 2011

Scorpion venom -– bad for bugs, good for pesticides

Michigan State University researchers found that scorpion venom selectively targets insect sodium channels, making it a valuable tool for developing new insecticides. The study aims to understand how insects develop resistance and create alternatives to control resistant pests.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateApr 27, 2011
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.