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Science News Archive January 2014


Page 7 of 28

Researchers tune in to protein pairs

Rice University scientists create method to quantify how mutations affect protein pairs' ability to transmit signals. The new metric helps understand crosstalk and specificity in two-component systems, essential for bioengineering applications.

Magnetic switch gets closer to application

Researchers have successfully switched on and off robust ferromagnetism close to room temperature using moderate electric fields. The new magnetic switch has the potential to revolutionize spintronics and data storage technologies with its ability to control magnetization at low power.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

Swiss cheese crystal, or high-tech sponge?

Researchers at University at Buffalo have designed a new material called UBMOF-1, which can change the shape of its pores in response to ultraviolet light. This property makes it useful for applications like drug delivery and secure storage, where control over chemical compounds is crucial.

Gossip and ostracism may have hidden group benefits

A new study finds that gossiping about group members' behavior can help maintain social order and deter selfishness. In the experiment, participants who knew others' behavior were more likely to cooperate, as they could exclude those deemed untrustworthy. The researchers suggest that this mechanism is fundamental to human nature.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

A new generation database to help ecological research on marine organisms

The Polytraits database provides a rich collection of morphological, reproductive, and behavioral characteristics of polychaetes, facilitating ecological research and conservation studies. The database's data are also integrated into the Scratchpads virtual research environment and accessible through Encyclopedia of Life's TraitBank.

Shadowy world of Britain's discount hitmen revealed in new study

A new study reveals the shadowy world of Britain's discount hitmen, with victims often murdered while walking their dogs or shopping in suburban neighborhoods. The study identifies four main types of contract killers, including novice, dilettante, journeyman, and master hitmen.

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.

Robotic operation for heart valve reconstruction holds promise

A team of surgeons, led by Dr. T. Sloane Guy, has successfully performed a robotic operation to reconstruct the tricuspid valve in patients with infective endocarditis. The procedure uses a bioscaffold material that allows new tissue to grow, offering a potential cure for this potentially fatal bacterial disease.

Fragmented sleep accelerates cancer growth

A new study published in Cancer Research found that fragmented sleep accelerates cancer growth by altering the immune system's response to tumors. Well-rested mice had primarily M1-type tumor-associated macrophages, while sleep-fragmented mice had primarily M2-type macrophages that promoted tumor growth.

Punctured cell membranes lead to high blood pressure

A mutated protein can lead to holes in a cell's membrane, disrupting salt balance and causing high blood pressure. Researchers have discovered the mechanism behind this phenomenon, which may lead to new and better medication for high blood pressure.

DNA-built nanostructures safely target, image cancer tumors

Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a method to assemble gold nanoparticles using DNA as a vehicle to deliver cancer medications or markers directly into cancerous tumors. The particles can be precisely engineered to target specific tumor types and stages.

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.

Nipping diabetes in the bud

Researchers at Tel Aviv University discover a simple blood test can predict diabetes risk up to five years before symptoms appear. The test uses A1c levels to identify high-risk patients, who may benefit from earlier diagnosis and treatment.

SnT researcher Lionel Briand is engineer of the year 2013

Briand's work on model-based software verification and testing has been recognized for its outstanding contribution to reliability engineering. The award honors his efforts to deliver predictable dependable software-intensive systems within cost and time constraints.

Quality improvement initiative improves asthma outcomes in teens

A quality improvement initiative in a primary care setting improved asthma control and outcomes for high-risk teenagers through standardized care, self-monitoring, and care coordination. The study showed significant improvements in patients' chronic asthma not well-controlled, with increased adherence to treatment.

JCI early table of contents for Jan. 27, 2014

Researchers found that SGLT2 inhibitors improved muscle insulin sensitivity and lowered fasting plasma glucose levels in type 2 diabetes patients. However, the use of these inhibitors also resulted in an increase in endogenous glucose production and decreased insulin secretion.

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.

Ottawa researchers discover new combination therapy to kill cancer

Researchers have discovered a new combination therapy that leverages existing experimental therapies to speed the fight against cancer. The approach, which combines SMAC Mimetics with live virus therapies, shows a synergistic tumour-killing effect, overcoming limitations of individual agents.

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.

Drug to reverse breast cancer spread in development

Researchers at Cardiff University have identified a compound that potently inhibits Bcl3 and completely halts the spread of metastatic tumors in mice. The development aims to create a therapeutic agent capable of blocking metastatic disease in breast cancer and various tumor types.

How does the brain create sequences?

Researchers have found that neurons in the basal ganglia can signal the concatenation of individual elements into a behavioural sequence. The study's findings suggest that the brain uses a mechanism called chunking to organize memories and actions.

Getting a charge from changes in humidity

Researchers at Harvard's Wyss Institute have developed a new humidity-driven generator using bacterial spores, which can generate 1000 times more force than human muscle. The prototype captures just a small percentage of the energy released by evaporation, but could provide a new source of renewable energy if scaled up.

Blue eyes and dark skin, that's how the European hunter-gatherer looked

Researchers have recovered the genome of a 7,000-year-old individual from La Braña-Arintero site in Spain, revealing surprising genetic traits. The ancient European hunter-gatherer had African versions of genes that determine light skin and blue eyes, suggesting he had dark skin and a unique phenotype.

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.

Shortening guide RNA markedly improves specificity of CRISPR-Cas nucleases

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have found that shortening the guide RNA component of CRISPR-Cas nucleases can substantially reduce off-target DNA mutations. Truncated gRNAs, or tru-gRNAs, are just as efficient as full-length gRNAs in reaching their intended target but with greatly reduced off-target effects.

Long-lived breast stem cells could retain cancer legacy

Researchers discovered that breast stem cells and their 'daughters' have a much longer lifespan than previously thought, actively maintaining breast tissue throughout life. This finding has implications for identifying the cells of origin of breast cancers and developing new treatment strategies.

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.

Picture of how our climate is affected by greenhouse gases is a 'cloudy' one

The study reveals that greenhouse gas effects on climate are uncertain due to complex interactions between aerosols, cloud cover, and sunlight. Researchers highlight the need for improved observational tools and models to reduce uncertainty in climate forcing and predict future impacts of aerosols on weather and climate.

Video games: New way to prepare students for community service

The Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University is developing Civic Seed, an interactive video game designed to better prepare college students to engage with the community. The game includes multiple levels that explore community collaboration, professional standards, sustainability, and leadership development.

Psychologists document the age our earliest memories fade

Researchers found that children's earliest memories tend to fade at age 7, a phenomenon known as childhood amnesia. The study, published in the journal Memory, tracked children's recall of past events from ages 3-9 and found that five-year-olds remembered about 63% of events, while nine-year-olds recalled only about 35%.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

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

40 percent of parents learn how to use technology from their children

A recent study found that between 30-40% of parents learn to use technology from their children. Children from lower socioeconomic families have a significant influence on their parents' digital media use. This bottom-up influence process is more common among mothers and lower-income families.

Study expands the cancer genomics universe

A landmark study across many cancer types reveals that the universe of cancer mutations is much bigger than previously thought. The team's work expands the list of known genes tied to these cancers by 25 percent.

Impulsive personality linked to food addiction

A study by the University of Georgia found that people with impulsive personalities are more likely to experience food addiction, a compulsive pattern of eating similar to drug addiction. This is associated with obesity, highlighting the need for new treatments to address compulsive eating habits.

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.

IOS Press launches Open Access Journal of Facade Design and Engineering

The Journal of Facade Design and Engineering is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal focused on the building envelope, aiming to improve building technologies and process management. Funded by NWO, it invites papers on facade design, engineering, and industrial innovations to disseminate science into practice.

From one cell to many: How did multicellularity evolve?

Multicellularity has evolved in at least 25 plant and animal lineages, with different developmental pathways and mechanisms. The critical point is that natural selection acts on functional traits, allowing for multiple evolutions of multicellular organisms via various cellular biology aspects.

Study backs giving flu vaccine to working-age adults with diabetes

A new study published in Diabetologia confirms that working-age adults with diabetes are at a higher risk of influenza compared to non-diabetic individuals. The research suggests that vaccinating this group could be cost-effective and mitigate healthcare costs associated with flu-related hospitalizations.

The origin of the evil conformation

Researchers at SISSA investigated the structural elements of prion proteins, finding that misfolding originates in the N-terminal region. This knowledge is crucial for developing drugs and therapeutic strategies against diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

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.

CWRU researchers find epileptic activity spreads in new way

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have found that individual cells in the hippocampus use small electrical fields to stimulate and synchronize neighboring cells, spreading activity layer by layer. This discovery suggests a possible novel target for seizure-blocking medicines.

Dr. Jeremy Robinson of NRL wins Presidential Early Career Award

Dr. Jeremy Robinson, a researcher at the Naval Research Laboratory, has won the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers for his groundbreaking work on graphene. He is building on his brother's research to develop new sensors and applications for nanoelectronic communication.

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.

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.

A good tern deserves another

A new wireless surveillance system, TernCam, reduces battery life without compromising image quality. The system enables real-time visual data collection and has successfully transmitted signals in severe weather conditions.

Scripps Research Institute chemist Chi-Huey Wong wins prestigious Wolf Prize

Chi-Huey Wong, a professor of chemistry at The Scripps Research Institute, has been awarded the 2014 Wolf Prize in Chemistry for his groundbreaking work on synthesizing complex carbohydrates and glycoproteins. His research methods have led to breakthroughs in understanding cancer progression and developing vaccines and therapeutics.