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Science News Archive November 2015


Page 5 of 35

The Lancet: No benefit found for use of probiotic Bifidobacterium breve

A study of 1315 infants found no significant benefits from using probiotic Bifidobacterium breve to prevent late-onset sepsis, death, or necrotizing enterocolitis. The results contradict previous meta-analyses suggesting reduced mortality and complications associated with probiotic administration.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Promising drug combination for advanced prostate cancer

A new drug combination is being tested for its effectiveness in treating metastatic prostate cancer. Researchers are optimistic about the results, citing improved quality of life and delayed disease progression in patients participating in a Phase 3 clinical trial.

Can physical exercise enhance long-term memory?

A new study published in Brain Plasticity reports that running mice developed twice the normal number of new neurons and showed improved ability to distinguish between similar objects. This improvement in pattern separation is crucial for everyday memory tasks like remembering chess piece shapes or patterns on a board.

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.

Structural brain connectivity as a genetic marker for schizophrenia

A study of 70 individual twins and 130 healthy control twins found that reduced white matter integrity shares common genes with schizophrenia risk. The findings suggest a genetic overlap between structural brain connections and schizophrenia, highlighting potential new avenues for diagnosis and treatment.

A changing season means a changing diet for bison

A study led by University of Colorado Boulder researchers found that bison are not entirely reliant on grass for nutritional needs and can selectively expand their diet to include woody shrubs and flowering plants during spring and fall. This adaptability may have implications for management and conservation of bison in the American West.

New strategy discovered for treating arthritis

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have found that arthritic cartilage can be treated by a patient's own microvesicles, which can travel into cartilage cells and deliver therapeutic agents. The study suggests that these microvesicles could be a novel form of therapy for patients with cartilage damage due to various diseases.

Nanoparticles simplify DNA identification and quantification

Researchers developed a novel isothermal amplification method using gold nanoparticles and magnetic microbeads to detect DNA sequences characteristic of Leishmania infantum kinetoplast. The approach exhibits good reproducibility and sensitivity, outperforming other point-of-care tests.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

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

Insect DNA extracted, sequenced from black widow spider web

Scientists successfully extracted and sequenced mitochondrial DNA from black widow spider webs, identifying the spider architect and its prey. The detectability of DNA remained consistent for at least 88 days after living organisms were removed.

Patient deaths do not increase during doctor strikes

Research shows that patients are not harmed during doctor strikes in developed countries when emergency care is available. Studies have found no significant increase in mortality rates during strikes, despite some concerns from healthcare professionals.

Stanford faculty awarded $2.1 million for promising energy research

The Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford University has awarded $2.1 million in seed grants to support promising clean energy research. The projects focus on developing new technologies for solar energy, nuclear waste management, and biofuels, with the goal of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

NASA plans twin sounding rocket launches over Norway this winter

NASA will launch two sounding rockets, CAPER and RENU 2, over Norway this winter to study the cusp aurora and particles moving near the North Pole. The rockets will investigate electromagnetic waves accelerating electrons into Earth's atmosphere and the relationship between electron inflow and electric currents.

Liquid acoustics half way to the Earth's core

Researchers extend catalogue of material properties with first liquid measurements under extreme conditions. The study suggests that only about 1.2% of the core is carbon, with other light elements present.

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.

Lactate for brain energy

Researchers from the University of Zurich have confirmed the existence of a concentration gradient of lactate between astrocytes and neurons in the intact mouse brain. The study provides new evidence for an exchange of lactate between different brain cells, supporting a 20-year-old hypothesis on brain energy metabolism.

People who rely on their intuition are, at times, less likely to cheat

A study by University of Missouri graduate student Sarah Ward found that people who trust their gut feelings are less likely to cheat after considering past immoral behavior. Participants in the experiment were asked to imagine acting immorally and then complete an unsolvable IQ test, with results showing that up to 23% cheated. The re...

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

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

New 'self-healing' gel makes electronics more flexible

Researchers at UT Austin developed a self-healing gel that repairs and connects electronic circuits without external stimuli. The gel has high conductivity, strong mechanical and electrical self-healing properties, and can be used as a soft joint to join circuit parts.

UTA engineer to build device to capture lost heat energy

A University of Texas at Arlington engineer is co-leading a team to develop tools that can convert temperature changes into electrical energy. The goal is to create energy-harvesting microdevices for sensing systems and other applications, which could have a widespread impact on meeting the global energy challenge.

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.

MIT mathematicians identify limits to heat flow at the nanoscale

MIT mathematicians have developed a formula to calculate the maximum amount of heat exchanged between two objects separated by distances shorter than the width of a single hair. The formula uses material properties and separation distance as parameters, allowing for optimization of devices such as thermophotovoltaics.

Algae could be a new green power source

Concordia University researchers have created a technology to harness the electrical energy from plants using blue-green algae. The invention utilizes electron transfer chains in photosynthesis and respiration to produce electricity. This scalable technology could lead to cheaper ways of generating carbon-free energy.

Three new technologies to make energy cleaner, more efficient

Researchers at PNNL are developing a computational tool to improve power grid planning and make hydrogen with a hybrid device. A new technology uses seaweed to create biofuel for cars and generators. These innovations aim to reduce energy costs, increase sustainability.

Cataract surgery lessens patients' dizziness

After routine cataract surgery, older people experience significantly less dizziness due to improved vision. However, wearing multifocal glasses after surgery may negate this benefit, particularly for those with frailty or frequent spectacle changes.

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.

Decarbonizing tourism: Would you pay US$11 for a carbon-free holiday?

A new study suggests that paying US$11 per trip could eliminate CO2 emissions from tourism, contributing up to five percent of total human-made emissions worldwide. The University of Waterloo-led research proposes a combination of energy-saving and renewable energy initiatives to meet the UN's carbon emission targets.

Fat cells originating from bone marrow found in humans

Researchers have found that bone marrow stem cells can produce fat cells that contribute to chronic illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The discovery highlights the possibility of genetically modifying fat-storing cells to prevent or reverse fat-related diseases.

Coming out of their evolutionary shells

A comprehensive genomic study of turtle shells has identified unique adaptations in genes that control hard cutaneous layers, dating back to the evolution of claws and feathers. The study also reveals a shared genetic organization between turtles and humans, highlighting the common ancestry of these defense mechanisms.

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.

Cheesy products

Researchers from the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna tested over 100 raw milk cheeses purchased online and found that pathogenic bacteria like Listeria monocytogenes were present in two samples. Furthermore, more than half of the products lacked proper cooling, leading to increased bacterial growth during transport.

Researchers discover how immune cells resist radiation treatment

Immune cells called Langerhans cells can uniquely repair DNA damage caused by radiotherapy, making them resistant to treatment. Researchers found that mimicking immunotherapy drugs can block this ability, preventing immune response and improving radiation therapy effectiveness.

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.

A sticky breakthrough

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have designed a synthetic material that combines the key functionalities of interfacial mussel foot proteins, creating a single, low-molecular-weight, one-component adhesive. This breakthrough technology demonstrates record-high wet adhesion up to 10 times more effective than previous materials, with app...

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.

New open-access data on paleofloods

Researchers have developed a new approach to recover flood frequency and magnitude data from temperate lakes, providing new sources of paleohydrological information. The study uses sediment dynamics to establish relationships between river discharge and deposit preservation, helping model and mitigate future flood risk.

Rice wins $2.4 million to study many-antenna wireless

The research aims to investigate the feasibility of using many-antenna base stations to serve multiple users simultaneously, addressing scalability and interference issues. By leveraging ArgosNet, a custom-built experimental test bed, the team will advance MIMO technology to meet the 1,000x data challenge in 5G networks.

Identifying new sources of turbulence in spherical tokamaks

Researchers at DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have modeled new sources of turbulence in spherical tokamaks, a potential game-changer for fusion energy. The findings suggest that keeping non-uniform plasma flows within an optimized level and reducing trapped electron collisions could improve plasma confinement.

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.

Inkjet hologram printing now possible

Researchers at ITMO University have developed a method for producing vivid holographic images using an ordinary inkjet printer. The new technique uses colorless ink made of nanocrystalline titania, which can be deposited on special microembossed paper to create unique patterned images.

NASA sees Tropical Cyclone Annabelle dying bursts

Tropical Cyclone Annabelle was characterized by strong winds and high sea surface temperatures, but adverse conditions led to its demise. The storm's maximum sustained winds decreased to 35 knots on Nov. 24, indicating a lack of lift in the system.

NASA's Operation IceBridge completes twin polar campaigns

Operation IceBridge collected critical data on Arctic sea ice and Antarctic glaciers, revealing significant glacier losses in the Antarctic Peninsula. The mission also provided essential measurements for calibrating satellite data and validating numerical models of ice sheet gains and losses.

NASA's GPM finds extreme rainfall in Typhoon In-fa

The Global Precipitation Measurement mission found extreme rainfall rates of over 266 mm/h in Typhoon In-fa, driven by powerful convective thunderstorms. The satellite's Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar instrument provided detailed insights into the storm's structure and intensity.

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.

Safety last?

A study by Cornell researchers found that consumers tend to ignore food safety risks if they conflict with their preferred products, rather than changing their behavior. The study showed that risk information alone is not enough to get consumers to alter their behavior.

Plant defense as a biotech tool

Scientists at Austrian Research Centre of Industrial Biotechnology discover a new enzyme in white rabbit's foot fern with high activity, enabling efficient recycling of cyanide wastes. The breakthrough opens doors for industrial applications in crop protection and repellent production.

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.

Exploring the physics of a chocolate fountain

The study, published in European Journal of Physics, uses classic work on 'water bells' to explain why the falling curtain of chocolate pulls inwards. Surface tension is the primary force responsible for this phenomenon.

Sniff and track or run and scan?

Research by Urvashi Bhattacharyya and Upinder Bhalla found that rats used a 'run-and-scan' approach to locate targets, scanning across options before selecting the correct one. This strategy outperformed 'tracking' in familiar environments with known paths to food.

Tracking down the 'missing' carbon from the Martian atmosphere

Researchers propose a photochemical process that could have evolved the Martian atmosphere without creating excess carbon. The mechanism, which involves ultraviolet photodissociation, enriched carbon-13 in the atmosphere, resolving the long-standing issue of 'missing' carbon.