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Science News Archive December 2016


Page 8 of 32

New antimatter breakthrough to help illuminate mysteries of the Big Bang

Swansea University researchers have conducted the first precision study of antihydrogen, a key step towards understanding why matter and antimatter exist. By measuring the spectrum of light emitted from excited antihydrogen atoms, they hope to shed light on the Big Bang's central question: what led to the creation of our universe.

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.

Focused interactions important for protein dynamics

Researchers have shown that weak attraction forces between proteins can greatly impact diffusion in densely concentrated protein molecules, similar to those found in living cells. This phenomenon has significant implications for understanding biological processes and their regulation.

Characterization of magnetic nanovortices simplified

Researchers at Forschungszentrum Jülich have developed a simpler method to characterize magnetic nanovortices, also known as skyrmions. This new technique uses X-rays to identify suitable materials with the topological charge necessary for these tiny structures.

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.

Stabilizing evolutionary forces keep ants strong

Researchers found evidence of stabilizing selection that maintains functional characteristics in ant populations. The study revealed significant genetic differences and limited gene flow among ant populations, suggesting that natural selection acts on important traits while less critical traits diversify over time.

Sex evolved to help future generations fight infection, scientists show

Researchers discovered that sexually produced offspring were more than twice as resistant to infectious disease as their clonal sisters. The study used the waterflea, an organism that can reproduce both ways, and found that sex has large-scale benefits that make a difference to the next generation.

Male bumblebees leave home without looking back

Male bumblebees perform characteristic learning flights to find flowers but neglect their nest's location. Unlike females, males don't return to the nest after leaving and instead travel far to avoid breeding with relatives.

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.

Black language matters: A linguistic analysis

A new study reveals that dialect unfamiliarity and prejudice against AAVE and other non-standard dialects can lead to mishearing and misjudgment in courtrooms. The authors argue that vernacular varieties should matter more, and linguists can play a bigger role in explaining them.

Bright future for energy devices

Researchers at Michigan Tech created a new way to synthesize sodium-embedded carbon nanowalls, which have two orders of magnitude higher conductivity than three-dimensional graphene. The material also retains high capacity after 5,000 charge/discharge cycles, making it ideal for supercapacitors and energy devices.

El Niño fueled Zika outbreak, new study suggests

A new epidemiological model reveals that climate change and the 'Godzilla' El Niño of 2015 fueled the Zika outbreak in South America. The researchers predict a potential seasonal transmission risk for Zika virus in southern US, China, and Europe during summer.

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.

Public wheat breeder consortium to be developed by USDA grant

A multi-state project will establish a nationally coordinated consortium to increase wheat yields through genetic advancements and breeding programs. Wheat geneticist Dr. Shuyu Liu and breeders Dr. Amir Ibrahim and Dr. Jackie Rudd will contribute to the major effort to improve wheat yields dramatically over the next decade.

The case of the missing diamonds

Physicist Tyrone Daulton reviews Younger Dryas sediments for nanodiamonds and finds none, contradicting the impact hypothesis. He attributes this to misidentification of similar carbon structures, such as graphene and graphane.

First use of graphene to detect cancer cells

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have developed a graphene system that can differentiate between cancerous and normal brain cells, detecting hyperactivity in single interfaced cells. This technique uses Raman spectroscopy to pinpoint changes in atomic vibration energy, allowing for early cancer diagnosis.

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

Ring-tailed lemurs: Going, going, gone?

A new study found that ring-tailed lemur populations have declined significantly due to habitat destruction and hunting, with only three sites containing more than 200 individuals. The species is ecologically adaptable but many other lemurs in Madagascar are also in dire straits.

Quirky summer monsoon behaviors affect rainfall in East Asia

A recent review by Renguang Wu examines the relationship between Indian and East Asian summer monsoons, highlighting a weakening of historically strong correlations. The study focuses on two pathways connecting Indian summer monsoon anomalies to East Asian rainfall fluctuations.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Gut bacteria may hold key to treating autoimmune disease

Researchers discovered that replacing missing gut bacteria or restoring a key metabolite called inosine could help treat children with IPEX syndrome, an often fatal autoimmune disease. The study found that probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri and A2A receptor agonists inhibited T cell-mediated autoimmunity, extending the animals' life span.

Rare look at youth post detention is bleak

A new study by Northwestern Medicine documents poor long-term outcomes of delinquent youth after juvenile detention, highlighting stark racial and ethnic disparities. Females functioned significantly better than males in nearly every domain, despite facing similar problems.

Findings in tuberous sclerosis complex on the role of inflammation and epilepsy

Researchers have found that inflammation plays a role in the development of epilepsy in TSC patients and that targeting this process could be a potential therapy. Studies using a mouse model of TSC found increased levels of inflammatory molecules in brain tissue before seizure onset, which were reversed by anti-inflammatory compounds.

How to make health systems learning organizations

Johns Hopkins Medicine's model focuses on a patient-oriented purpose, aligning stakeholders toward common goals. By continuously studying its own performance, the health system can expand its ability to measure quality, safety, and other important variables.

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.

New leaf study sheds light on 'shady' past

A new study led by Berkeley Lab researcher Trevor F. Keenan highlights a common practice in plant science that may have underestimated plants' growth and photosynthesis rates. The study suggests updating global plant databases and models to better account for plant responses to full-sun conditions.

Studies of one of the world's rarest birds, the Rufous-headed Robin

Researchers at Uppsala University and Chinese Academy of Sciences estimated the potential distribution of the endangered Rufous-headed Robin, suggesting it might be larger than previously believed. The study also analyzed DNA and found the bird's closest relative is the Rufous-tailed Robin.

Topical treatment activates immune system to clear precancerous skin lesions

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital discovered a combination of calcipotriol and fluorouracil can rapidly clear actinic keratosis lesions by activating the immune system, achieving an 88% reduction in facial lesions. The treatment's effectiveness was compared to standard treatments, which elicit unpleasant side effects.

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.

To bloom or not to bloom: That is the question

Researchers at the Institute for Basic Science found a new epigenetic mechanism controlling flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plants lacking this protein complex bloom earlier, indicating compromised regulation of stem cells activity.

Disgust is way of communicating moral rather than self-interested motivation

New research from the University of Kent suggests that disgust is a way of communicating moral concerns rather than self-interested motivation. The study found that people who express disgust are perceived as being motivated by impartial, moral concerns, whereas those who express anger are seen as more self-interested.

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.

Above and beyond megathrusts: Draining pore-fluids dampens tremors

Research at Tokyo Institute of Technology found that draining pore-fluids reduces tremors by lowering megathrust shear strength and facilitating shallow seismicity. The study suggests a correlation between fluid flux from the subducting slab and anti-correlated seismicity in the overlying plate.

Light therapy effectively treats early prostate cancer

A new UCL-led phase III clinical trial found that vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP) can effectively kill cancer cells while preserving healthy tissue. Around half of patients treated with VTP went into complete remission, compared to 13.5% in the control group.

Irish surgeon identifies emerging area of medical science

Professor J. Calvin Coffey reclassified the mesentery as a single, continuous structure connecting the intestine to the abdomen, leading to potential advances in surgeries and disease diagnosis. Further study of mesenteric science could result in less invasive procedures, faster recovery times, and lower costs.

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.

Detection system reads biomolecules in barcoded microgels

Researchers developed a cost-effective system to detect biomolecules in real-time using spectrally encoded microgels, enabling accurate measurements of microRNAs in blood samples. The system achieved a detection limit of 202 femtoMolars and demonstrated specificity for multiplex measurement conditions.

Noise sensitivity traced to changes in brain functions

Research at University of Helsinki finds that noise sensitive individuals' brains process sounds differently, leading to decreased responsiveness to new sounds. This adaptation may help protect against overreacting to noise, suggesting a physiological basis for noise sensitivity.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

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

UTMB develops an oral vaccine against Salmonella

Researchers at UTMB have developed an oral vaccine against salmonella that can be taken by mouth to protect against poisoning. The vaccine was shown to produce strong immunity in mice and holds promise for future use in humans.

New effort to promote careers in agriculture, natural resources

A new grant program aims to encourage students to pursue food, agriculture, natural resource, and human science careers through experiential instruction. The University of Tennessee will develop a curriculum and professional development products to teach soilless vegetable growing systems in controlled environments.

CRISPR screening identifies potential HIV treatment targets

Researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology to identify three promising new targets for HIV infection. The study screened human genes essential for HIV replication but not for cellular survival, and identified five genes with potential therapeutic applications.

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.

Huntsman Cancer Institute leads international colorectal study

The ColoCare study, led by Huntsman Cancer Institute, aims to identify elements that impact colorectal cancer patients' survival and recovery. The study analyzes health and lifestyle factors to predict patient outcomes and determine the most effective treatments.

The deepwater horizon aftermath

Researchers analyzed 125 major petroleum hydrocarbons from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to determine their long-term environmental impact. They found that smaller, simpler compounds degrade faster, while larger ones persist longer, and that physical context plays a significant role in this process.

New prehistoric bird species discovered

A new species of bird, Tingmiatornis arctica, has been discovered in the Canadian Arctic, dating back to approximately 90 million years ago. The fossil finds reveal a hyper-warm interval during the late Cretaceous period, with conditions allowing large birds to thrive.

Women fare better than men 1 year after valve replacement

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that women have a higher survival rate one year after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) than men, despite experiencing more complications. Women were more likely to undergo percutaneous TAVR and had worse health conditions at baseline.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

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