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Science News for July 15, 2011


Steven Ruuth receives SIAM's Germund Dahlquist Prize

Steven J. Ruuth, a professor at Simon Fraser University, has made significant contributions to the understanding of numerical solutions for ordinary and partial differential equations. The Germund Dahlquist Prize recognizes his original work on implicit-explicit methods and strong stability of numerical schemes.

SourceSociety for Industrial and Applied Mathematics·DateJul 15, 2011

Nursing home residents at heightened risk of falling in the days following

A new study found that nursing home residents have a fivefold increased risk of falling within two days of a new prescription for or an increased dose of non-SSRI antidepressants. The study suggests that staff should closely monitor these residents following a prescription change to prevent potential falls.

SourceHebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research·DateJul 15, 2011

World's forests' role in carbon storage immense, profound

Scientists report that the world's forests store approximately 2.4 gigatons of carbon per year, with boreal forests accounting for nearly 22% of total stored carbon. A warming climate may reduce the capacity of forests to sequester carbon, highlighting the importance of understanding their role in the global carbon cycle.

SourceUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks·JournalScience·DateJul 15, 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.

Conducting energy on a nano scale

Prof. Eran Rabani's team at Tel Aviv University successfully dopes semiconductor nanocrystals, enabling the creation of p-n junctions in solar panels, light-emitting diodes, and other devices. The method allows for controlled electronic properties, opening up possibilities for more efficient and cost-effective applications.

SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalScience·DateJul 15, 2011

California nurse staffing

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing found that California's nurse-to-patient ratio legislation increased registered nurse staffing without decreasing RNs. The law allowed hospitals to hire licensed practical nurses to meet staffing requirements, helping to alleviate a severe nurse shortage.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Nursing·JournalHealth Affairs·DateJul 15, 2011

U.Va.'s Pfister accomplishes breakthrough toward quantum computing

Physicist Olivier Pfister and his team create 60 measurable Qmodes, a multilevel variant of entangled qubits, in a major step towards building a quantum computer. This achievement has significant implications for quantum computing, potentially revolutionizing fields such as data encryption and complex system simulations.

SourceUniversity of Virginia·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJul 15, 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.

Research links telomere length to emphysema risk

Researchers found that short telomeres increase emphysema risk after cigarette smoke exposure, suggesting a biological clock mechanism. Telomere length may be an inherited factor contributing to emphysema development.

SourceAmerican Thoracic Society·JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·DateJul 15, 2011

Rising oceans -- too late to turn the tide?

A University of Arizona-led team found that rising sea levels during the Last Interglacial Period were primarily driven by melting ice sheets, rather than thermal expansion. The study suggests that even small amounts of warming may have committed to more ice sheet melting, and sea levels will continue to rise for a long time.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateJul 15, 2011
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.

USC researchers explore the source of empathy in the brain

A USC study reveals that empathetic responses are generated by both the sensory-motor and rationalizing parts of the brain. The research found that even individuals with physical differences can understand pain in a different limb due to automatic brain processes.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalCerebral Cortex·DateJul 15, 2011
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

UWM research offers hope for treatment of cocaine addiction

Researchers at UWM have discovered that propranolol, a common beta blocker, can prevent the brain from retrieving memories associated with cocaine use in animal models. This finding could lead to the development of a first-ever pharmacological treatment for cocaine addiction.

SourceUniversity of Wisconsin - Milwaukee·JournalNeuropsychopharmacology·DateJul 15, 2011

New gene for intellectual disability discovered

A new gene, MAN1B1, has been identified as the cause of recessive intellectual disability in five families. The gene codes an enzyme involved in quality control functions in cells, leading to faulty proteins being released into the body.

SourceCentre for Addiction and Mental Health·JournalAmerican Journal of Human Genetics·DateJul 15, 2011

New health-care payment system slows spending while improving patient care

A new study found that a global payment system in Massachusetts lowered medical spending by nearly 2% while improving the quality of patient care compared to traditional fee-for-service systems. The Alternative Quality Contract (AQC) model, which includes more than a third of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' provider network, s...

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateJul 15, 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.

Making blood-sucking deadly for mosquitoes

A team of biochemists at the University of Arizona discovered that disrupting a molecular process used by mosquitoes to direct proteins to their proper destinations causes more than 90 percent of affected mosquitoes to die within 48 hours of blood feeding. This approach could be used as an additional strategy in the worldwide effort to...

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 15, 2011

Crystals detect threats to national security

Wake Forest University and Fisk University have partnered to create crystals that can accurately detect nuclear threats, radioactive material, and chemical bombs. The $900,000 grant will support research in radiation detection, leading to improved detector devices for screening cargo and passengers.

SourceWake Forest University·DateJul 15, 2011

Scientists seek to increase science literacy

Researchers Richard Boone and Pat Marsteller propose enhancing the NSF's GK-12 program, which has placed 10,000 graduate students in over 6,000 schools. The revamped program aims to strengthen science education for K-12 students and improve teaching skills for graduate students.

SourceUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks·JournalScience·DateJul 15, 2011
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

In-shell pistachios: The original 'slow food?'

Two studies published in Appetite found that consuming in-shell pistachios reduces calorie intake by 41% and provides visual cues to control portion size. Pistachio shells offer a simple technique to fool oneself full, supporting the 'Pistachio Principle'.

SourceFleishman-Hillard, Inc.·JournalAppetite·DateJul 15, 2011

Discovery opens new options for improving transfusions

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center found that donated red blood cells lose their key feature to diminish lifesaving power with storage time. This loss can lead to complications in critically ill patients, prompting a search for ways to optimize transfusion benefits and extend stored blood's shelf life.

SourceDuke University Medical Center·JournalCritical Care Medicine·DateJul 15, 2011

Adolescent binge drinking can damage spatial working memory

A new study found that female teens who binge drink have less brain activation and worse performance on attention and working memory tasks. Male binge drinkers showed some but less abnormality compared to non-drinkers. The findings suggest that adolescent girls may be more vulnerable to the negative effects of heavy alcohol use.

SourceAlcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research·DateJul 15, 2011
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.

Pity the boss man

Researchers found that alpha males in Kenya's baboon groups have higher glucocoricoid levels, indicating a potential cost to high social rank. The study has implications for human behavior and societal structures.

SourceU.S. National Science Foundation·JournalScience·DateJul 15, 2011

Loss of large predators caused widespread disruption of ecosystems

The decline of apex consumers has triggered trophic cascades, affecting ecosystem dynamics and leading to changes in vegetation, wildfire frequency, and disease outbreaks. Restoration efforts focus on reestablishing large animals, requiring large-scale approaches to conserve functional ecosystems.

SourceU.S. National Science Foundation·JournalScience·DateJul 15, 2011

Stress and alcohol 'feed' each other

A new study found that acute stress can increase alcohol consumption by altering its effects, while chronic stress may prolong recovery from a stressful event. The study's results suggest that using alcohol to cope with stress may actually make a person's response to stress worse.

SourceAlcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research·DateJul 15, 2011