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Science News for March 1, 2013


Volcanic aerosols, not pollutants, tamped down recent Earth warming, says CU-Boulder study

A new CU-Boulder study suggests that volcanic aerosols, rather than industrial pollution, have counteracted as much as 25% of human-caused global warming since 2000. The research, led by Ryan Neely, used sophisticated computer models to separate coal-burning emissions from Asia from volcanic contributions worldwide.

SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateMar 1, 2013

The patient satisfaction chasm

Researchers found that hospital management fails to engage frontline clinicians in improving patient satisfaction, despite most believing it's achievable. Clinicians reported receiving feedback only 34% of the time, highlighting the need for more structured plans and active role from hospital management.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalBMJ Quality & Safety·DateMar 1, 2013
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.

Turn trash into cash... and save energy

Researchers at Michigan Technological University have developed a process to recycle old milk jugs into plastic filament for 3D printing, reducing energy consumption and costs. The open-source RecycleBot process uses free software and low-cost materials to produce usable plastic filament.

SourceMichigan Technological University·JournalRapid Prototyping Journal·DateMar 1, 2013

Pregnancy permanently changes foot size

A new study by the University of Iowa confirms that pregnancy leads to permanent changes in a woman's feet, including increased length and width. The arch of the foot flattens out, potentially contributing to an increased risk of arthritis in women.

SourceUniversity of Iowa Health Care·JournalAmerican Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation·DateMar 1, 2013

How do bacteria clog medical devices? Very quickly

Researchers at Princeton University found that bacteria can clog medical devices like stents in a short period of time by forming sticky biofilms. The study used controlled environments with rough surfaces and pressure-driven fluid, demonstrating the need for real-world conditions to understand device failures.

SourcePrinceton University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 1, 2013

Short algorithm, long-range consequences

MIT researchers have developed an algorithm that solves graph Laplacians in nearly linear time, using a spanning tree to simplify the calculation. This approach has significant implications for various applications, including scheduling, image processing, and online product recommendation.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·DateMar 1, 2013
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.

Mother Teresa: Anything but a saint…

Mother Teresa's image was constructed through a media relations campaign, with facts such as her dubious care for the sick, questionable political contacts, and suspicious management of funds uncovered. Despite these issues, she built an image of holiness through mass media promotion, including a eulogistic film and numerous awards.

SourceUniversity of Montreal·JournalStudies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses·DateMar 1, 2013

Cancer doesn't change young girls' desire to have children, Moffitt Cancer Center study shows

Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center found that healthy adolescent females have predetermined expectations for becoming parents but worry about fertility and childbearing due to a life-threatening illness like cancer. The study validated a tool to assess teenage girls' hopes and feelings about reproduction.

SourceH. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute·JournalJournal of Adolescent Health·DateMar 1, 2013

A coordinated response to cardiac stress

Researchers at Yale University identified a molecular mechanism by which the growth of new blood vessels and heart muscle are coordinated. Nitric oxide triggers the destruction of RGS4, allowing for physiological changes associated with the relaxation of blood vessels, while promoting cardiac growth.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMar 1, 2013

Towards more sustainable construction

A team of graduate students from Concordia University developed a watchdog tool to evaluate the level of compliance between urban planning goals and environmental impact assessments of development projects. The study found that the proposal adopted in 2009 for the Turcot highway interchange was inadequate for long-term sustainability.

SourceConcordia University·JournalEnvironmental Impact Assessment Review·DateMar 1, 2013
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Big data: Searching in large amounts of data quickly and efficiently

A team of researchers at Saarland University developed the Hadoop Aggressive Indexing Library (HAIL), a technique that enables fast and efficient searching in large datasets. By generating indexes for multiple criteria, HAIL can query big datasets up to 100 times faster than traditional methods.

SourceSaarland University·DateMar 1, 2013

JCI early table of contents for Mar. 1, 2013

Scientists identified nitric oxide's role in degrading a protein that attenuates cardiac growth, linking vascular changes to heart size. A nanogel-based treatment targeting an immunosuppressive drug directly to tissues associated with immune cells may help treat systemic lupus erythematosus.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMar 1, 2013

Wild pollinators increase crop fruit set regardless of honey bees

A large-scale study found that wild insects consistently enhance fruit set for a broad range of crops and agricultural practices on all continents. The researchers concluded that losses of wild insects from agricultural landscapes will likely impact both natural heritage and harvests.

SourcePensoft Publishers·JournalScience·DateMar 1, 2013

Malign environmental combination favors schizophrenia

Researchers at ETH Zurich discovered a link between prenatal infections, stress during puberty, and schizophrenia-relevant brain changes. The study suggests that the combination of these two factors significantly contributes to the development of the disorder.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScience·DateMar 1, 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.

Misplaced molecules: New insights into the causes of dementia

A shortage of TDP-43 protein leads to muscle wasting, stunted nerve cells, and vascular dysfunction in ALS and FTD patients. The study found that the loss of function plays a critical role in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's.

SourceHelmholtz Association·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 1, 2013

Living through a tornado does not shake optimism

Residents of a town struck by a tornado reported being less vulnerable to injury from future tornadoes, but their numerical estimates were pessimistic. Living in neighborhoods affected by the storm initially increased optimism, which decreased over time.

SourceSociety for Personality and Social Psychology·JournalPersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin·DateMar 1, 2013

Fish migrate to safer environments

A new study from Lund University in Sweden shows that roach fish migrate to surrounding streams and wetlands to escape cormorant predators, highlighting the first evidence of migration as a strategy to avoid predation. The researchers used innovative tracking methods to determine which fish were eaten by cormorants.

SourceLund University·JournalBiology Letters·DateMar 1, 2013

A nanogel-based treatment for lupus

Researchers developed a nanogel-based delivery system targeting immunosuppressive drug mycophenolic acid at tissues associated with immune cells. The treatment showed improved survival rates and delayed kidney damage in mouse models of lupus.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMar 1, 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.

BPA raises risk for childhood asthma

Researchers found an association between early childhood BPA exposure and elevated risk for asthma in young children. Post-natal exposure was associated with increased risk of wheeze and asthma, while BPA exposure during pregnancy had an inverse association with risk of wheeze at age 5.

SourceColumbia University's Mailman School of Public Health·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·DateMar 1, 2013

New study reveals how sensitive US East Coast regions may be to ocean acidification

US East Coast regions will be disproportionately affected by ocean acidification, with the Gulf of Maine being particularly vulnerable. The study found that waters with low alkalinity to DIC ratios are more susceptible to acidification, and the Labrador Coastal Current may contribute to this effect.

SourceWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution·JournalLimnology and Oceanography·DateMar 1, 2013

A better bone marrow transplant: Preventing graft-versus-host disease

Researchers have discovered a new method to prevent graft-versus-host disease, a severe complication of bone marrow transplants. By inhibiting the Notch signaling pathway, they were able to block the disease without compromising the anti-cancer effects of transplantation.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMar 1, 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.

Parkinson's disease: Parkin protects from neuronal cell death

Researchers identified a novel signal transduction pathway that activates parkin and prevents stress-induced neuronal cell death in Parkinson's disease. The parkin gene plays a crucial role in maintaining mitochondrial integrity, which is essential for preventing cell death.

SourceLudwig-Maximilians-Universität München·JournalMolecular Cell·DateMar 1, 2013

'Where you're treated matters' in terms of cancer survival

Patients with advanced head and neck cancers have higher survival rates when treated at high-volume hospitals and dedicated cancer centers. Despite this, the proportion of patients who received multimodality therapy was similar between low- and high-volume hospitals.

SourceFred Hutchinson Cancer Center·JournalCancer·DateMar 1, 2013

Study confirms safety of colonoscopy

A new study confirms colonoscopy is safe, with only a few cases of severe complications per 10,000 procedures. Regular screening can prevent colon cancer and significantly reduce mortality rates.

SourceHelmholtz Association·JournalGastrointestinal Endoscopy·DateMar 1, 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.

Adaptable software, tools aim to help rheumatoid arthritis patients

Researchers at UT Arlington are developing individualized rehabilitation software systems that use remote monitoring of people with rheumatoid arthritis to increase compliance and proper physical therapy. The system collects physiological and cognitive data while engaging patients in interactive game-like structured activities.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Arlington·DateMar 1, 2013

Illinois town provides a historical foundation for today's bee research

A study published in Science reveals a significant decline in bee species in West Central Illinois since the late 1800s. Charles Robertson's records from the 19th century provided valuable insights into wild bee interactions, which are still relevant today.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalScience·DateMar 1, 2013

Improved synchronicity: Preventive care for the power grid

Researchers at Northwestern University have identified conditions for a self-healing power grid, which can synchronize spontaneously and recover from failures in real-time. By applying these guidelines, power companies can reduce the frequency of blackouts and improve the reliability of renewable energy sources.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature Physics·DateMar 1, 2013