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Science News for August 9, 2013


NASA paints a panorama of Pacific tropical cyclones

NASA's GOES-West satellite image captures three active tropical cyclones in the Central and Eastern Pacific Oceans. System 92E has a more developed circulation and is expected to become a tropical cyclone with a high chance, while System 93E has a low chance of development.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·DateAug 9, 2013
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

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.

Piano fingers

Researchers found that piano players' hand muscle contractions differ depending on the sequence of notes played, indicating coarticulation. This phenomenon is similar to coarticulation in speech and American Sign Language, suggesting a complex neural connection between finger movements and keystrokes.

SourceAmerican Physiological Society·JournalJournal of Neurophysiology·DateAug 9, 2013

Alcoholism could be linked to a hyper-active brain dopamine system

Researchers found that individuals at high risk for alcoholism experience a greater dopamine response when drinking, which may contribute to increased desire for rewards and counteract the sedative effects of alcohol. This study provides insight into the causes of addiction and could mark an important step toward developing treatment o...

SourceMcGill University·DateAug 9, 2013

Chemists develop 'fresh, new' approach to making alloy nanomaterials

Researchers at Syracuse University have developed a novel method for synthesizing alloy nanomaterials with stainless steel-like interfaces. This breakthrough may enable the creation of diverse forms of alloy nanomaterials for various applications, including gas storage and heterogeneous catalysis.

SourceSyracuse University·JournalSmall·DateAug 9, 2013

Fresh analysis of dinosaur skulls by Penn researchers finds 3 species are 1

Researchers analyze dinosaur skulls using 3D geometric morphometrics and conclude that three previously identified species are actually one. The study reveals that differences among specimens arose from the burial and compression process, highlighting the importance of considering these factors in taxonomic classifications.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalPLOS ONE·DateAug 9, 2013
GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

Combined therapy could repair and prevent damage in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Researchers have successfully combined two promising gene therapies to repair muscle damage caused by Duchenne muscular dystrophy and prevent future injury. The treatment, which uses a combination of micro-dystrophin and follistatin, showed significant increases in muscle strength and reduced muscle damage in aged mice.

SourceNationwide Children's Hospital·JournalHuman Molecular Genetics·DateAug 9, 2013

Bubbles are the new lenses for nanoscale light beams

Researchers use nanoplasmonics to modulate light on the nanometer scale, but controlling the beam's direction is challenging. A bubble lens overcomes this issue by reconfiguring its location, size, and shape to focus or deflect the light beam.

SourcePenn State·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 9, 2013

Racial differences in types of alcohol drinks consumed by adolescent girls

A study of racial differences in types of alcohol beverages consumed during adolescence found that black and white girls report significantly different risk profiles. Black girls tend to consume liquor, while white girls generally drink beer and wine. The study identified common predictors of heavier drinking profiles for both groups, ...

SourceAlcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research·DateAug 9, 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.

Cells eat themselves into shape

Scientists at EMBL discovered that endocytosis drives changes in cell shape by remodelling the cell membrane. Cells adapt their feeding strategy to suck in long tubes of membrane, processing them into smaller vesicles.

SourceEuropean Molecular Biology Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 9, 2013

Brain dopamine may serve as a risk marker for alcohol use disorders

Research suggests that brain dopamine responses to alcohol ingestion may serve as a neurobiological marker of vulnerability to AUDs. Individuals at high risk showed increased brain dopamine, while those at low risk showed decreased dopamine levels. This finding could help identify individuals at higher risk for developing AUDs.

SourceAlcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research·DateAug 9, 2013

New treatment for brittle bone disease found

Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed a new treatment for children with brittle bone disease, finding that oral risedronate significantly reduces the risk of fractures. The study showed rapid action, with curves for fracture risk diverging after just 6 weeks of treatment.

SourceUniversity of Sheffield·JournalThe Lancet·DateAug 9, 2013

California seafloor mapping reveals hidden treasures

The USGS has released new seafloor maps, data layers, and videos for the entire California coast, providing a comprehensive base-map series. This collaboration between state and federal agencies, academia, and private industry aims to inform coastal managers and researchers about seafloor habitats, geology, and ecosystems.

SourceU.S. Geological Survey·DateAug 9, 2013
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.

Successful field tests completed by TUM

A new software solution developed by TUM's Prof. Gritzmann and his team consolidates agricultural land more efficiently than ever before, saving farmers up to 30% on running costs. The algorithm uses sophisticated mathematical ideas to optimize field allocation and reduce travel costs.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalSIAM Journal on Discrete Mathematics·DateAug 9, 2013

Deep Earth heat surprise

Researchers have successfully simulated pressure conditions in the deep lower mantle, measuring thermal conductivity and finding heat transfer to be lower than expected. The study estimates a total heat flow of 10.4 terawatts across the Earth, about 60% of human civilization's power usage.

SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·JournalScientific Reports·DateAug 9, 2013

Cigarette taxation helps to reduce drinking among groups considered vulnerable

A study found that increases in cigarette taxes are associated with modest to moderate reductions in alcohol consumption among vulnerable groups. The results suggest that policies targeting one health behavior can have broader benefits for public health by affecting additional behaviors that tend to co-occur with the targeted behavior.

SourceAlcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research·DateAug 9, 2013

The skinny on cocaine

Research from the University of Cambridge reveals that chronic cocaine use causes profound metabolic changes, reducing the body's ability to store fat. This leads to significant weight gain during recovery, which can contribute to relapse and has profound implications for health and well-being.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalAppetite·DateAug 9, 2013
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.

New insights into the polymer mystique for conducting charges

A team of researchers at Bangor University has made significant discoveries on the behavior of polyethylene in conducting electrical charges. The study reveals that the nano-scale structure of polyethylene, with crystalline regions separated by amorphous zones, plays a crucial role in charge conduction.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalJournal of Applied Physics·DateAug 9, 2013

New hope for improved TB treatments

Researchers at University of Southampton have discovered new markers of tuberculosis that may help in developing new diagnostic tests and treatments. Lung damage releases specific proteins, which can be used to screen individuals and halt transmission between population groups.

SourceUniversity of Southampton·JournalThe Journal of Infectious Diseases·DateAug 9, 2013

Women seek alcohol treatment between an average of 4 to 5 years earlier than men

Research reveals women progress to treatment with similar negative consequences as men but reach threshold earlier, sparking need for tailored interventions and greater awareness of women's issues. The study analyzed data from over 530 individuals seeking treatment, finding a significant gender gap in the time it takes to seek help.

SourceAlcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research·DateAug 9, 2013
Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

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

NASA 'fire towers' in space watch for wildfires on the rise

Scientists from NASA and other agencies use satellite observation and computer modeling to predict wildfire activity in the American West. The data helps guide firefighting resources and prevention efforts, with over 2.5 million acres burned this year.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·DateAug 9, 2013

The code of objects

A study by Davide Zoccolan and colleagues found that the anterior inferotemporal cortex (IT) categorizes objects based on visual similarity, except for four-legged animals which are represented by semantic meaning. The IT retains a 'raw' lower-level coding of object properties like color and size.

SourceInternational School of Advanced Studies (SISSA)·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateAug 9, 2013

Moffitt researchers identify gene variations that may help predict cancer treatment response

Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center identified four genetic variants associated with increased risk of death in non-small cell lung cancer patients. These variants also indicate a greater risk of death if treatment plans include surgery without chemotherapy compared to those with chemotherapy following surgery.

SourceH. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute·JournalCarcinogenesis·DateAug 9, 2013
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.

Tahiti: A very hot biodiversity hot spot in the Pacific

Researchers have identified over 100 species of small predatory beetles in Tahiti, with 28 newly described in the open-access journal ZooKeys. These beetles have evolved to lose their flight wings and are highly specialized to specific habitats.

SourcePensoft Publishers·JournalZooKeys·DateAug 9, 2013