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Science News for April 6, 2014


Blood test could provide rapid, accurate method of detecting solid cancers

Researchers at Stanford Medicine have developed a highly sensitive and specific blood test that can accurately identify stage-1 lung cancer patients and detect rare cancer mutations. The CAPP-Seq technique analyzes tumor DNA in the blood to provide non-invasive monitoring of cancer progression and treatment responses.

SourceStanford Medicine·JournalNature Medicine·DateApr 6, 2014

Amino acid fingerprints revealed in new study

Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a technique to identify amino acids, including subtly modified variants, by analyzing electrical activity signals. This breakthrough advances the prospect of clinical protein sequencing and discovery of new biomarkers for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's.

SourceArizona State University·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateApr 6, 2014
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.

Columbia scientists identify key cells in touch sensation

Researchers use optogenetics to study skin cells called Merkel cells, which play a crucial role in sensing fine details and textures. The discovery may lead to the development of new prosthetics and treatments for skin diseases.

SourceColumbia University Irving Medical Center·JournalNature·DateApr 6, 2014
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.

Sweden has 2-3 times as many adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes as previously thought; Findings have potential implications for other high-income countries

Research published in Diabetologia suggests Sweden may have 2-3 times more adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes than estimated. The study used a new method to estimate incidence rates among young people, finding a significant disparity between previous estimates.

SourceDiabetologia·JournalDiabetologia·DateApr 6, 2014

Friedreich's ataxia -- an effective gene therapy in an animal model

A gene therapy approach using adeno-associated virus (AAV) successfully treated heart disease in mice with Friedreich's ataxia, restoring full functionality to the hearts. The treatment, which introduced a normal copy of the FXN gene, prevented the development of heart disease and even fully cured advanced-stage cases.

SourceINSERM (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale)·JournalNature Medicine·DateApr 6, 2014

Researchers find arid areas absorb unexpected amounts of atmospheric carbon

Researchers found that arid ecosystems, which cover nearly half the earth's land surface, can take up a significant amount of carbon as CO2 levels rise. The study suggests that these ecosystems could account for 15-28% of current carbon absorption, potentially offsetting 4-8% of current emissions by 2050.

SourceWashington State University·JournalNature Climate Change·DateApr 6, 2014
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.

Increased risk of developing lung cancer after radiotherapy for breast cancer

Researchers found that women who underwent radiotherapy for breast cancer have a small but significantly increased risk of developing a primary lung tumour. The risk increases with the amount of radiation absorbed by the tissue, with an estimated relative risk of 8.5% per delivered Gy to the lung.

SourceEuropean Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO)·DateApr 6, 2014

Field study shows why food quality will suffer with rising CO2

A field study has demonstrated that elevated carbon dioxide inhibits the conversion of nitrate into protein in a field-grown crop, compromising the nutritional quality of food crops. This finding indicates that the nutritional quality of food will suffer as climate change intensifies.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis·JournalNature Climate Change·DateApr 6, 2014
Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.

Smoking visibility mapped for the first time

Researchers from the University of Otago used mapping methods to track smoking visibility in public areas of downtown Wellington. They found that up to 116 smokers could be seen outside bars and cafés, highlighting the need for smokefree policies to reduce the normalisation of smoking.

SourceUniversity of Otago·JournalBMC Public Health·DateApr 6, 2014