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Science News Archive August 2014


Page 21 of 31

UTMB researchers develop model to predict COPD hospital readmission

A nationwide analysis of over 8,000 patients with COPD found that modifiable factors such as prescription adherence and follow-up care can reduce early readmissions. The study suggests that strategies to reduce hospital readmissions extend beyond quality of COPD-specific care.

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.

NIH awards $20 million grant to Oak Crest Institute of Science

Researchers at Oak Crest Institute of Science are developing an intravaginal ring capable of delivering powerful antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV infection in women. The project aims to determine the best combination of antiretroviral drugs for prevention via vaginal delivery.

Our ancestor's 'leaky' membrane answers big questions in biology

Researchers at UCL used mathematical modeling to find that life's Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) had a 'leaky' membrane, enabling it to harness energy from its surroundings. This discovery answers two big questions in biology: how cells harvest energy and why bacteria and archaea have different cell membranes.

Transgender relationships undermined by stigma

A study of 191 couples found that social and economic marginalization takes a psychological toll on both individuals and their relationships. The research highlights the need for couples-based interventions to improve the health and well-being of transgender women and their male partners.

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.

Oxidative stress is significant predictor for hip fracture, research shows

A prospective study found that baseline levels of fluorescent oxidation products (FlOP_320) predicted the risk of future hip fracture in postmenopausal women. Women with higher FlOP_320 readings had a significantly increased risk of hip fractures, with those in the upper 30% having 2.67 times the risk.

Copper foam turns carbon dioxide into useful chemicals

Researchers have discovered that copper foams can convert carbon dioxide into formic acid and propylene, two valuable industrial chemicals. The discovery provides a new route for sustainable chemical production, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Beating childhood cancer does not make survivors healthier adults

Childhood cancer survivors do not adhere to the American Cancer Society's guidelines on healthy eating and physical activity, despite facing increased risk of second cancers, heart disease, and psychosocial problems. Only a small percentage of survivors meet fiber recommendations, and those who do tend to be healthier individuals.

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.

New analysis reveals tumor weaknesses

Scientists have discovered that chemical modifications of a gene can contribute to cancer. A new method developed by MIT researchers analyzes these modifications to identify the type of tumor and how it will respond to different drugs. The technique could offer a way to choose the best treatment for individual patients.

Federal Drug Discount Program faces challenges, report finds

The 340B program is facing critical issues such as eligibility definition, compliance, and transparency. RAND researchers estimate that the program accounts for $6 billion in outpatient drug spending and provides savings of $1.6 billion for eligible safety net providers.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Lead released from African cookware contaminates food

Researchers found nearly all Cameroonian aluminum pots contain high levels of lead, exceeding US guidelines for safe consumption. The study highlights a previously unrecognized source of lead exposure in Africa and Asia.

Dartmouth study demonstrates key brain region in contextual memories

A recent study by Dartmouth researchers reveals that the retrosplenial cortex plays a critical role in forming contextual memories, which enable us to recall events along with their associated physical locations. This breakthrough finding has significant implications for understanding memory-related illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease.

Infants absorb more than we might think

A new study from Concordia University reveals that infants can categorize objects as animate or inanimate even at 10 months old. The study used a visual habituation paradigm to measure how long babies look at different objects, finding that they can distinguish between natural paths of animals and moving cars.

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.

The Maldives and the whale shark: The world's biggest fish adds value to paradise

A new study reveals that a single Maldivian atoll's whale sharks account for nearly 3% of global shark ecotourism. The South Ari atoll Marine Protected Area attracts 77,000 tourists annually, generating $9.4 million in direct income. The valuation of wildlife tourism is the first to be calculated exclusively from observational studies.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

Foam favorable for oil extraction

Researchers at Rice University have found that foam is more effective than water, gas, and surfactant combinations in removing oil from low-permeability formations. Foam's unique properties allow it to penetrate and dislodge oil without losing its effectiveness, making it a promising tool for enhanced oil recovery.

Moore quantum materials: Recipe for serendipity

Rice University physicist Emilia Morosan has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to investigate unusual quantum materials. Her research aims to uncover fundamental properties of these compounds, which may lead to new discoveries in condensed matter physics.

Researchers prove stability of wonder material silicene

A team of international researchers has successfully isolated thick multilayers of silicene and demonstrated its stability in the presence of oxygen for at least 24 hours. The breakthrough allows scientists to further explore the material's properties, which have made silicene a promising candidate for the electronics industry.

GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

Genetically engineered fruit flies could save crops

Releasing genetically engineered male flies could be an effective way to control the Mediterranean fruit fly, a serious agricultural pest that causes extensive damage to crops. The method works by producing only male offspring, which then mate with local females and pass on a self-limiting trait, resulting in no viable female offspring.

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.

Emergency gallbladder surgery: Do you need it, or can you afford to wait?

A Mayo Clinic study found that 1 in 5 patients who went to the ER with gallbladder pain were sent home to schedule surgery, but returned within a month needing urgent surgery. Younger and older patients, as well as those with other health problems, are likelier to need emergency gallbladder removal.

More intensive interventions needed to combat severe obesity in teens

According to a recent editorial, nearly 6% of US children and teens are severely obese, with a significant increase in prevalence and poor long-term prognosis. Experts recommend more comprehensive strategies, including pharmacotherapy, weight loss surgery, and specialty medical weight management programs.

Bioengineers create functional 3-D brain-like tissue

Researchers have successfully created functional 3D brain-like tissue that exhibits grey-white matter compartmentalization and can survive in the lab for over two months. The tissue displays physical properties similar to rodent brain tissue, enabling scientists to study traumatic brain injury in real-time.

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.

Novel drug action against solid tumors explained

Researchers have discovered how a drug that starves cancer cells of an essential amino acid kills them. The study's findings suggest using this approach may spare patients from chemotherapy toxicity.

Follow the radio waves to exomoons, UT Arlington physicists say

Physicists from UT Arlington believe following a trail of radio wave emissions may lead them to the discovery of an exomoon. They suggest using detailed calculations about the Jupiter/Io dynamic to look for radio emissions that could indicate moons orbiting an exoplanet.

Nanocubes get in a twist

Weizmann Institute scientists have created twisted, rope-like structures from cube-shaped nanoparticles, demonstrating the power of self-assembly in nanomaterials. The findings reveal how competing forces like magnetism and van der Waals forces can align particles into complex shapes.

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.

Tackling liver injury

A novel complement inhibitor has been found to reduce liver cell death and stimulate post-surgery liver regrowth in mice. The treatment increased survival rates from 0% to 70% even after removing up to 90% of the liver. This breakthrough could represent a new treatment strategy for various liver injuries in humans.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Ecology could break deadlock between grouse shooting and hen harrier conservation

A study suggests that certain population densities allow for coexistence between grouse shooting and hen harrier conservation. Grouse managers and conservationists agree on a possible compromise using a model that shows room for 70 pairs of harriers at relatively low cost to grouse shooting. This approach could involve removing excess ...

US lung cancer rates vary by subtype, sex, race/ethnicity, and age

A new analysis reveals that US lung cancer rates are declining overall, but also uncovering previously unrecognized trends related to different subtypes and demographic groups. The study found declining rates for squamous and small cell carcinoma, as well as unspecified lung cancer, among certain populations.

Can fiction stories make us more empathetic?

Research suggests that exposure to narrative fiction can enhance our ability to understand mental states and empathize with others. Studies have shown that children who read fiction regularly develop better theory-of-mind skills, while adults who engage deeply with stories report higher levels of empathy.

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.

Bone drugs may not protect osteoporotic women from breast cancer

A new study led by researchers at UCSF analyzed the effect of two widely used osteoporosis drugs on breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women. The findings suggest that low estrogen levels, rather than the drugs themselves, may be protecting against breast cancer.

Neutrino detectors could help curb nuclear weapons activity

A team of scientists from Virginia Tech has proposed using neutrino detectors to monitor plutonium production in Iran's Arak reactor. The technology can detect antineutrinos produced by fission of uranium-235 and plutonium-239, providing high-level monitoring not currently offered by any other technique.

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.

'Seeing' through virtual touch is believing

A University of Cincinnati experiment using the Enactive Torch found that visually impaired individuals can make accurate judgments about their ability to pass through narrow passages using only touch. The device emits vibrations when detecting objects, allowing users to navigate with greater ease.