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Science News Archive January 2014 - Page 7


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.

SourceRice University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 27, 2014

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.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie·JournalNature Materials·DateJan 27, 2014
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.

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.

SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournalChemical Communications·DateJan 27, 2014

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.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateJan 27, 2014
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

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.

SourcePensoft Publishers·JournalBiodiversity Data Journal·DateJan 27, 2014

IOF position paper reveals enormous variation in worldwide usage of FRAX

The study found that FRAX was widely used in North America and Europe, but its uptake varied greatly across countries. Countries with high FRAX use per capita included the USA, UK, Canada, and Switzerland, while many African and South East Asian countries had low or no usage.

SourceInternational Osteoporosis Foundation·JournalArchives of Osteoporosis·DateJan 27, 2014
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.

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.

SourceWiley·JournalThe Howard Journal of Criminal Justice·DateJan 27, 2014

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.

SourceTemple University Health System·DateJan 27, 2014

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.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Medical Center·JournalCancer Research·DateJan 27, 2014

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.

SourceUniversity of Southern Denmark·JournalBiochemistry·DateJan 27, 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.

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.

SourceUniversity of Toronto·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateJan 27, 2014

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.

SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalEuropean Journal of General Practice·DateJan 27, 2014

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.

SourceUniversity of Luxembourg·DateJan 27, 2014

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.

SourceCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center·JournalPEDIATRICS·DateJan 27, 2014
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

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.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJan 27, 2014

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.

SourceChildren's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateJan 27, 2014

Genomics for judges: Educating Illinois judges on how genetic info impacts court decisions

The Genomics for Judges seminar, offered by the University of Illinois, aims to educate judges on how genetic information affects court decisions. The two-day course covers DNA sequencing, gene function, and genome analysis, preparing judges to deal with legal questions involving genomics in the courts today and in the future.

SourceCarl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign·DateJan 27, 2014

Engineers teach old chemical new tricks to make cleaner fuels, fertilizers

Researchers from Stanford University and Aarhus University develop a cheap alternative to platinum-based electrolysis for producing hydrogen, a crucial component in fertilizer production. The new method achieves efficiency comparable to platinum-based systems while reducing costs.

SourceStanford University School of Engineering·JournalNature Chemistry·DateJan 26, 2014
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.

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.

SourceCardiff University·JournalCancer Research·DateJan 26, 2014

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.

SourceJLM&A, SA·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateJan 26, 2014

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.

SourceWyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateJan 26, 2014

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.

SourceSpanish National Research Council (CSIC)·JournalNature·DateJan 26, 2014

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.

SourceMassachusetts General Hospital·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateJan 26, 2014
Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

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

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.

SourceWalter and Eliza Hall Institute·JournalNature·DateJan 26, 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.

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.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalScience·DateJan 26, 2014

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.

SourceTufts University·DateJan 25, 2014

Dietary treatment shows potential in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

A new study found that an early onset of dietary treatment may slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The research, conducted on mice, suggests that even slight changes in diet composition can lead to significant changes in brain metabolism and improved memory performance.

SourceUniversity of Eastern Finland·JournalThe Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry·DateJan 24, 2014
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.

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%.

SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalMemory·DateJan 24, 2014

Landmark egg production study reveals reduction in environmental impact over past 50 years

A study published in Poultry Science reveals a significant reduction in environmental impact from US egg production, thanks to advancements in feed efficiency, hen housing and manure management. The industry has decreased greenhouse gas emissions, water usage and waste production, while increasing egg production and hen lifespan.

SourceEdelman Public Relations, New York·JournalPoultry Science·DateJan 24, 2014

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.

SourceInternational Communication Association·JournalJournal of Communication·DateJan 24, 2014

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.

SourceBroad Institute of MIT and Harvard·JournalNature·DateJan 24, 2014

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.

SourceUniversity of Georgia·JournalAppetite·DateJan 24, 2014
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.

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.

SourceIOS Press·JournalJournal of Facade Design and Engineering·DateJan 24, 2014

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.

SourceBotanical Society of America·JournalAmerican Journal of Botany·DateJan 24, 2014

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.

SourceDiabetologia·JournalDiabetologia·DateJan 24, 2014

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.

SourceInternational School of Advanced Studies (SISSA)·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateJan 24, 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.

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.

SourceCase Western Reserve University·DateJan 24, 2014

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.

SourceNaval Research Laboratory·DateJan 24, 2014
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.

Immune system drives pregnancy complications after fetal surgery in mice

Researchers found that fetal surgery activates a mother's T cells, which normally reject foreign organs. In mice, this activation leads to preterm labor and fetal death. The study provides possible clues to the high rate of preterm labor after human fetal surgery.

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalThe Journal of Immunology·DateJan 24, 2014

Do patient decision support interventions lead to savings? A systematic review

A systematic review found that patient decision support interventions have inconsistent results in reducing healthcare spending, with some studies predicting savings ranging from $8 to $3,068 per patient. The impact on treatment utilization rates was mixed and the quality of economic analyses varied.

SourceThe Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth·JournalThe BMJ·DateJan 24, 2014
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.

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.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Computational Science and Engineering·DateJan 24, 2014

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.

SourceScripps Research Institute·DateJan 24, 2014