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Science News for April 19, 2013


A surprising new function for small RNAs in evolution

A new study reveals that microRNAs regulate the size of bald patches on fruit fly legs, driving natural variation in morphology. The findings suggest a novel mechanism for evolutionary adaptation involving small RNA molecules.

SourceUniversity of Veterinary Medicine -- Vienna·JournalCurrent Biology·DateApr 19, 2013

Swedish study suggests reduced risk of dementia

A Swedish study published in Neurology suggests a decline in the risk of developing dementia over the past 20 years. The study, which analyzed data from the SNAC-K study on aging and health, found that improvements in cardiovascular disease prevention may have contributed to this decrease.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalNeurology·DateApr 19, 2013

Freedom of assembly

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have observed nanoparticle chains forming in situ for the first time, using a transmission electron microscope. The study demonstrates the potential of nanoparticles in energy-relevant technologies and could lead to new materials with unique properties.

SourceDOE/Argonne National Laboratory·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateApr 19, 2013
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.

Muscle repair after injury helped by fat-forming cells

UCSF scientists discovered that muscle repair requires the action of two types of cells: eosinophils and fibro/adipogenic cells. Eosinophils help clear cellular debris and collaborate with FAP cells to trigger muscle regrowth.

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalCell·DateApr 19, 2013

A global murmur, then unusual silence

A global murmur, then unusual silence: A recent study found that following a major Indian Ocean earthquake, global seismic rates increased for days but subsequently dropped to zero for over 95 days. Researchers attribute this quiet period to the event causing short-term dynamic stressing of a global faulting system.

SourceSeismological Society of America·DateApr 19, 2013

Stress is good thing for parents, babies in squirrel world

Research suggests that high stress hormone levels in mothers can actually help their offspring grow faster and stronger. In a six-year study on North American red squirrels, stressed-out mothers raised pups that were significantly larger than those of control females.

SourceUniversity of Guelph·JournalScience·DateApr 19, 2013
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.

Early cognitive behavioral therapy reduces risk of psychosis

Researchers from the University of Manchester found that early access to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) significantly reduced the risk of developing a full-blown psychotic illness. CBT was shown to reduce the risk by more than half at six, 12, and 18-24 months after treatment started.

SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalPsychological Medicine·DateApr 19, 2013

2 venous punctures not always needed for intravascular ultrasound-guided

A new study of 99 patients found that a single venous puncture technique is comparable to the traditional dual puncture approach in terms of technical success and clinical outcomes. The single puncture technique was also shown to reduce complications, such as deep vein thrombosis, compared to the double puncture method.

SourceAmerican Roentgen Ray Society·DateApr 19, 2013

Knee bracing can 'significantly' reduce pain of kneecap osteoarthritis

Researchers at the University of Manchester found that wearing a knee brace improves symptoms, function, and muscle strength in patients with patellofemoral osteoarthritis. The study's findings have enormous potential for treating this common joint condition effectively and reducing reliance on painkillers.

SourceUniversity of Manchester·DateApr 19, 2013
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

NASA's Hubble sees a Horsehead of a different color

The iconic Horsehead Nebula is seen in a new infrared image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, showcasing its ethereal and transparent appearance at this wavelength. The nebula, located about 1,500 light-years away, is part of the Orion Molecular Cloud and is being formed by massive stars.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·DateApr 19, 2013

Nitrogen has key role in estimating CO2 emissions from land use change

A global-scale modeling study finds that carbon emissions from human activities on land were 40% higher in the 1990s due to nitrogen's limiting effect on plant growth. This underestimation has significant implications for international policy, requiring deeper emission cuts to meet mitigation targets.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalGlobal Change Biology·DateApr 19, 2013
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.

Tomosynthesis increases breast cancer detection rate

A new study suggests that tomosynthesis increases breast cancer detection rates by 11%, particularly benefiting women with dense breasts. The technology's improved performance in dense breast tissue was attributed to its ability to detect invasive and intraductal cancers more accurately.

SourceAmerican Roentgen Ray Society·DateApr 19, 2013

UTSW researchers identify new potential target for cancer therapy

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found that alternative splicing may be a new approach for inhibiting telomerase, an enzyme driving uncontrolled division of cancer cells. By shifting the splicing, they demonstrated a potential method for turning off telomerase activity, which could lead to new cancer therapies.

SourceUT Southwestern Medical Center·JournalCell Reports·DateApr 19, 2013

Same protein that fires up cancer-promoting Erk also blocks its activation

Researchers have discovered that protein Shc acts as a tumor suppressor by binding to and blocking the activation of cancer-promoting protein Erk. This finding has significant implications for treating various types of cancer, including ovarian and prostate cancer.

SourceUniversity of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center·JournalNature Structural & Molecular Biology·DateApr 19, 2013
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.

Quest for edible malarial vaccine leads to other potential medical uses for algae

Researchers engineered algae to produce a fusion protein that blocks malaria transmission, suggesting its potential use in treating other mucosal lining infections. The study's findings encourage the development of algae-based vaccines as a cheaper alternative for distributing life-saving medicines to developing countries.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalApplied and Environmental Microbiology·DateApr 19, 2013

Feinstein Institute Researcher provides insight into osteoarthritis

Researchers used atomic force microscopy to measure the mechanical properties of single cells in articular cartilage. They found that vimentin protein plays a key role in maintaining cell integrity, and that adult tissue has higher mechanical properties than young or old tissue.

SourceNorthwell Health·JournalPLOS ONE·DateApr 19, 2013

From blank round to a potently active substance?

Researchers at Bonn University Hospital have deciphered the mechanism of CMA, a long-forgotten antiviral candidate. The study reveals that the compound stimulates the immune system in mice but not humans due to differences in receptor structure. This discovery inspires the search for an effective antiviral drug.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalThe EMBO Journal·DateApr 19, 2013

2 views are better than 1 in 3-D breast screening

A study from Yale University found that two views are better than one in 3D breast screening to ensure optimal cancer detection. The CC view achieves better compression and shows lesions clearer due to its ability to compress the breast tissue.

SourceAmerican Roentgen Ray Society·DateApr 19, 2013
Meta Quest 3 512GB

Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

Calculating tsunami risk for the US East Coast

A recent study suggests that a tsunami could affect the US East Coast due to the similarity in tectonic settings between offshore earthquakes and major Canadian earthquakes. The potential threat area stretches from New England to New Jersey, with several earthquake swarms detected off the Atlantic continental shelf.

SourceSeismological Society of America·DateApr 19, 2013

Alternative medicine use by MS patients now mapped

A new study has mapped the use of alternative treatments among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, revealing that more than half combine conventional and alternative medicine. The research highlights the importance of understanding how MS patients use both conventional and alternative treatments to manage their condition.

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen·JournalScandinavian Journal of Public Health·DateApr 19, 2013

'Black carbon' flowing from soil to oceans

Research finds that a significant proportion of black carbon in soil dissolves into rivers and flows to the ocean, undermining efforts to use soil as a carbon sink. The study estimated that 27 million tons of black carbon flow from rivers to oceans annually.

SourceAcademy of Finland·JournalScience·DateApr 19, 2013
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.

Measuring the hazards of global aftershock

Researchers are working to extend earthquake risk estimates globally, studying hundreds of M≥7 mainshock events in 21 regions. Initial results show that remote triggering has occurred at least once in half of the regions studied during the past 30 years.

SourceSeismological Society of America·DateApr 19, 2013

Revolutionary new device joins world of smart electronics

Researchers at the University of Exeter developed a new photoelectric device that converts light into electrical signals using graphene and graphExeter. The ultra-lightweight, flexible device has potential applications in photovoltaic textiles, intelligent windows, and smart materials.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalACS Nano·DateApr 19, 2013

Grains of sand from ancient supernova found in meteorites

Researchers found two tiny silica grains in primitive meteorites, with unusual isotopic signatures suggesting they originated from a single core-collapse supernova. This discovery provides clues to the complex nuclear and convective processes operating within stars, shedding new light on stellar evolution and the solar system's formation.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateApr 19, 2013
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.

Random walks on DNA

Researchers have discovered a new mechanism of DNA helicase that utilizes thermal motion to move long distances along DNA, providing an energy-efficient way to unwind double-stranded DNA

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalScience·DateApr 19, 2013

Teen moms at greater risk for later obesity, U-M study finds

A new study by University of Michigan Health System researchers found that women who give birth as teens are significantly more likely to be overweight or obese later in life. The study, based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, identified teen pregnancy as a predictor of obesity.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalAmerican Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology·DateApr 19, 2013

Mine disaster: Hundreds of aftershocks

Researchers found at least 759 seismic events before the mine collapse and 569 aftershocks, with some evidence of up to 1,022 seismic events and 1,167 aftershocks, indicating a larger collapse area extending to the west end of the mine

SourceUniversity of Utah·DateApr 19, 2013

Breast pain issue for 1 in 3 female marathon runners

A study of over 1300 female marathon runners found that breast pain is more common among larger breasted women, but also affects childless women. Exercise intensity and duration can exacerbate symptoms, leading some to reduce exercise intensity or miss training sessions.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalBritish Journal of Sports Medicine·DateApr 19, 2013
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.

Something's fishy in the tree of life

A new 'tree of life' for fishes has been recharted with the help of genetic and physical information, revealing significant changes to existing ideas on fish relationships. The research improves scientists' ability to predict how closely related species might react to environmental factors like climate change.

SourceUniversity of Oklahoma·DateApr 19, 2013

Massive amounts of charcoal enter the worlds' oceans

Researchers found that 10% of dissolved organic carbon in rivers comes from charcoal, highlighting the need for greater consideration of carbon sequestration techniques. The study's findings have implications for mitigating climate change by improving our understanding of the environmental fate of charcoal.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalScience·DateApr 19, 2013

Ocean acidification as a hearing aid for fish?

A new study suggests that ocean acidification could lead to increased hearing sensitivity in fish, with potential benefits for navigation and communication. Researchers found that fish raised in low-pH seawater had larger otoliths, which are used for hearing and balance, resulting in up to a 58-percent increase in otolith mass.

SourceUniversity of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 19, 2013
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.

UCLA study finds scientific basis for cognitive complaints of breast cancer patients

A new UCLA study finds a significant correlation between poorer performance on neuropsychological tests and memory complaints in post-treatment, early-stage breast cancer patients. The research suggests that 'chemo brain' may involve neurophysiological changes associated with chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute·DateApr 19, 2013