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Science News for March 10, 2011


Pitchers bean more batters in the heat of the summer

A new study published in Psychological Science suggests that heat increases feelings of revenge in pitchers, making them more aggressive towards batters who have been hit by a pitch. The researchers found that high temperatures increase the likelihood of retaliation, but not overall aggression in general.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateMar 10, 2011

USDA and Russian scientists develop high-tech crop map

The AgroAtlas project aims to promote world food security in Newly Independent States-countries by providing a geographic distribution of crops, diseases, pests, and wild relatives. The interactive website shows the distributions of 100 crops, 640 crop diseases, and 560 wild crop relatives growing in Russia and neighboring countries.

SourceUnited States Department of Agriculture - Research, Education and Economics·DateMar 10, 2011
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Trapping prostate cancer cells to keep them from spreading provides hope

Trapping prostate cancer stem cells with self-assembling nanomaterials inhibits colony formation and cell division in vitro. The approach may offer a new treatment strategy for metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer by targeting cancer stem cells, which are thought to be the origin of tumor metastasis.

SourceCell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair·JournalCell Transplantation·DateMar 10, 2011

New technology would dramatically extend battery life for mobile devices

University of Illinois engineers develop ultra-low-power digital memory that uses 100 times less energy than similar available memory, potentially extending battery life for mobile devices. The new technology could enable future portable devices to run longer on lighter batteries.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalScience·DateMar 10, 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.

A glove on your hand can change your mind

Researchers found that using a ski glove to hinder motor fluency can reverse right-handers' judgments of good and bad, making them associate left with the 'right side' of space. This study suggests that people's conceptions of good and bad depend on their bodily experiences.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalPsychological Science·DateMar 10, 2011

New model shows importance of feet, toes in body balance

A new computational model of the human foot reveals the importance of toe strength in determining body balance. The model's findings support previous studies on real people and could lead to improved robotic body parts and prosthetics.

SourceOhio State University·JournalJournal of Biomechanics·DateMar 10, 2011

Study shows new treatment strategy effective for certain lung cancers

A new treatment strategy using chemotherapy drugs Erlotinib and Gefitinib has been found to be effective in treating a subset of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. The drugs, which target the EGFR mutation, produced a response rate of over 70% and had fewer side effects compared to traditional treatments.

SourceLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateMar 10, 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.

Acquisition of robotic technology leads to increased rates of prostate cancer surgery

A new study published in Medical Care found that hospitals with robotic technology are more likely to perform radical prostatectomy surgeries. This is the first study to investigate the impact of surgical robot acquisition on surgery rates, and it concludes that technological adoption leads to increased surgical volume.

SourceNYU Langone Health / NYU Grossman School of Medicine·JournalMedical Care·DateMar 10, 2011

Scientists identify molecule that can increase blood flow in vascular disease

Researchers have discovered a molecule, Wnt1, that improves the function of endothelial progenitor cells, increasing blood flow to organs with previously blocked circulation. The finding could enhance clinical trials testing these powerful cells in patients hospitalized with cardiac arrest.

SourceUniversity of North Carolina Health Care·JournalThe FASEB Journal·DateMar 10, 2011

Can bees color maps better than ants?

Researchers develop an algorithm based on honey bee behavior to solve the four-color theorem, which proves that maps can be colored with only four colors. This method uses less computational power than existing algorithms and applies to engineering and mathematical problems beyond map coloring.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Bio-Inspired Computation·DateMar 10, 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.

Syracuse University research team shapes cell behavior research

A Syracuse University research team has created a temperature-sensitive shape memory polymer substrate that can change shape under cell-compatible conditions. The breakthrough, led by James Henderson and Kevin Davis, offers potential solutions for current limitations of static substrate research in bioengineering.

SourceSyracuse University·JournalBiomaterials·DateMar 10, 2011

New study reveals aerosol plumes downwind of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Researchers from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School discovered two distinct plumes of oily aerosols traveling from sea surface to atmosphere after the BP Deep Water Horizon oil spill. The study provides new understanding of air pollutants' effects on environment, human health, and global climate change.

SourceUniversity of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science·JournalScience·DateMar 10, 2011

Alcohol has stronger impact on gastric bypass patients, study finds

A study found that gastric bypass patients take longer to process alcohol and have higher breath alcohol content after surgery. Researchers recommend limiting alcohol consumption to one standard drink every two hours for RYGB patients.

SourceWeber Shandwick Worldwide·JournalJournal of the American College of Surgeons·DateMar 10, 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.

Depression may increase the risk of kidney failure

A study found that depression is associated with a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease and rapid decline in kidney function. Depression was also linked to increased hospitalizations due to acute kidney injury, even after adjusting for other medical factors.

SourceAmerican Society of Nephrology·JournalClinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology·DateMar 10, 2011

The physics of bank shots

A study by NC State University researchers found that bank shots are more effective than direct shots, especially from 12 feet away or in the 'wing' areas between the three-point line and free-throw lane. The optimal aim points create a 'V' shape near the top center of the backboard.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalJournal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports·DateMar 10, 2011

Lover's lane for birds found in Arctic

The study found that the Teshekpuk Lake region contains some of the highest nesting bird densities and nest productivity across Alaska's Arctic. Additionally, nests at the site showed higher nest survivorship rates compared to another site in the Prudhoe Bay region with oil extraction activities.

SourceWildlife Conservation Society·JournalARCTIC·DateMar 10, 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.

UTHealth study: Stem cells may provide treatment for brain injuries

A Phase I clinical trial at UTHealth demonstrates that bone marrow stem cells are safely used in treating severe traumatic brain injury in children. After six months of follow-up, all children showed significant improvement, with seven out of ten experiencing a good outcome.

SourceUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston·JournalNeurosurgery·DateMar 10, 2011

Coffee drinking linked to reduced stroke risk in women

A large-scale study of 34,670 women found that moderate coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of stroke. The study suggests that coffee may have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, including reducing inflammation and improving insulin sensitivity.

SourceAmerican Heart Association·DateMar 10, 2011

Playability or what a video game must feature to be successful

Researchers have identified key characteristics that make a video game entertaining and credible. The study, conducted by José Luís González Sánchez and Francisco Luís Gutiérrez Vela, found that playability is an abstract concept describing a player's experience when playing with a specific game.

SourceUniversity of Granada·JournalAdvances in Engineering Software·DateMar 10, 2011

Study shows exercise can curb pot use, cravings

A Vanderbilt study found that exercise significantly reduced cannabis cravings and use in heavy users. Participants who engaged in 10-30 minute treadmill sessions for two weeks saw a 50% decrease in cravings and average daily use dropped from 5.9 joints to 2.8 joints.

SourceVanderbilt University Medical Center·JournalPLOS ONE·DateMar 10, 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.

Earth's biodiversity: What do we know and where are we headed?

Biodiversity research highlights the importance of conserving rare and endangered plant species, as well as understanding patterns of species diversity in aquatic and terrestrial systems. New analyses suggest that modern ecosystems are a product of past events, with implications for present environmental conditions and future directions.

SourceBotanical Society of America·JournalAmerican Journal of Botany·DateMar 10, 2011

Age affects us all

A new study of primate aging patterns reveals that humans are not unique in their aging process. By analyzing data from seven species of wild primates, researchers found that human mortality rates increase with age at a similar rate to other primates. The study also confirms the long-held pattern that males die sooner than females as t...

SourceUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte·JournalScience·DateMar 10, 2011

Shallow-water shrimp tolerates deep-sea conditions

A team of scientists discovered that shallow-water shrimp can tolerate extreme pressure and temperature conditions similar to those found in the deep sea. The study used the variable shrimp as a model species, finding it could withstand pressures beyond what would be expected in shallow water.

SourceNational Oceanography Centre, UK·JournalJournal of Experimental Biology·DateMar 10, 2011
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.

A small quantum leap

The new switching device enables high-speed routing of quantum bits along a shared network, maintaining entanglement information. This practical step toward creating a quantum Internet could achieve secure encrypted information and ultra-fast quantum computing.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMar 10, 2011

MARC Travel Awards announced for EB 2011

The FASEB MARC Program has awarded 132 travel grants totaling $216,650 to support underrepresented minority students and scientists at the Experimental Biology 2011 meeting. This year's award recipients include students from various universities across the US, promoting diversity in biomedical research.

SourceFederation of American Societies for Experimental Biology·DateMar 10, 2011
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.

Science paper reveals real-time working of the spliceosome

A new imaging approach allows scientists to watch spliceosome assembly in motion, revealing a surprise: the process is reversible and has 'dead ends'. This breakthrough helps understand alternative splicing, crucial for gene expression and protein diversity.

SourceUMass Chan Medical School·JournalScience·DateMar 10, 2011

Wayne State study links testosterone with men's ability to 'woo' potential mates

A study by Richard Slatcher found that testosterone levels are associated with men's dominance behaviors and success when competing for an attractive woman. Men with high testosterone levels and a strong desire for social dominance were more likely to suppress their competitors' ability to attract the woman.

SourceWayne State University - Office of the Vice President for Research·JournalSocial Psychological and Personality Science·DateMar 10, 2011
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.

New robot system to test 10,000 chemicals for toxicity

A new high-speed robot screening system has been unveiled to test 10,000 chemicals for potential toxicity, marking a significant advancement in the Tox21 collaboration. The system will provide information useful for evaluating the safety of industrial and consumer products, food additives, and drugs.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences·DateMar 10, 2011

Optical illusions show vision in a new light

Researchers used two well-known optical illusions to study how the brain assesses relative size, revealing that environmental clues affect perception after three-dimensional image processing. The Ponzo illusion was found to hold true regardless of eye use or presentation order.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalBMC Neuroscience·DateMar 10, 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.

Scientists discover cause of rare skin cancer that heals itself

Researchers have discovered the genetic fault behind a rare skin cancer that spontaneously heals after growing rapidly. The faulty TGFBR1 gene leads to unusual behavior in these self-healing squamous epithelioma tumors, which may help predict clinical effects of targeted therapies.

SourceAgency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore·JournalNature Genetics·DateMar 10, 2011

Nanotech-enabled consumer products continue to rise

The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies has updated its inventory of nanotechnology-enabled consumer products to over 1,300 global products. Health and fitness items dominate the list, while silver nanoparticles are used in a significant portion of products.

SourceWoodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars/Science and Technology Innovation Program·DateMar 10, 2011

'Apple shaped' obesity is as bad for heart as other obesity (The Lancet)

An international study of 220,000 people found that obese individuals with central obesity have a similar risk of heart attacks and strokes as those with general obesity, challenging earlier research. The study highlights the importance of measuring blood cholesterol and blood pressure levels in primary prevention.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet·DateMar 10, 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.

New gene sites affecting nonalcoholic fatty liver disease discovered

Researchers discovered new genetic variants affecting nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which may help doctors diagnose and treat the condition more effectively. The study found that approximately one quarter of NAFLD variation is influenced by genetics, with potential applications for clinical algorithms and novel therapeutics.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalPLOS Genetics·DateMar 10, 2011

Gas versus groceries

University of Alberta researchers argue that grocery retailers need to change their tactics in the face of rising gas prices to attract shoppers. To survive, they must provide one-stop shopping and promotions that offer value to customers, such as discounted fuel prices or savings incentives from in-store purchases.

SourceUniversity of Alberta·JournalJournal of Marketing·DateMar 10, 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.

Ultra high speed film

Researchers from Kiel University have developed a new technique to record films of extremely fast processes, capturing phase transitions and catalytic reactions in solids. The technique uses ultra short flashes of light to make snapshots of electronic states, enabling new insights into relevant properties of solids.

SourceKiel University·JournalNature·DateMar 10, 2011

Protein engineered by NYU Langone researchers has potential for new anti-inflamatory treatment

Researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center created a novel protein molecule derived from progranulin, which may offer alternative treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. The protein has been shown to have a high affinity and specificity for binding to tumor necrosis factor receptors.

SourceNYU Langone Health / NYU Grossman School of Medicine·JournalScience·DateMar 10, 2011

Study finds primates age gracefully

A new multi-species comparison of primate aging patterns reveals that chimps, gorillas, and other primates grow old gracefully like humans. The study confirms a mortality gap between males and females, with males dying sooner than females in most species.

SourceU.S. National Science Foundation·JournalScience·DateMar 10, 2011
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.

UCSF report describes new model for neurodegeneration

A UCSF team has developed a new model for how inherited genes contribute to frontotemporal lobar degeneration, a neurodegenerative disease. The study suggests that progranulin regulates the speed of dying cells being cleared from the brain.

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 10, 2011

Early male friendship as a precursor to substance abuse in girls

A new study suggests that early male friendships are a precursor to substance abuse problems in girls, who tend to initiate mixed-gender friendships earlier and at a faster pace than boys. This transition is associated with increased risk of maladjustment and substance use during late adolescence.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of Research on Adolescence·DateMar 10, 2011

Thrill-seeking females work hard for their next fix

A recent study published in Biology of Sex Differences found that female rats are more likely to develop cocaine addiction due to their heightened motivation and impulsivity. Researchers also discovered that the likelihood of drug abuse increases with an individual's sex, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalBiology of Sex Differences·DateMar 10, 2011