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Science News Archive July 2016


Page 22 of 36

NASA looks into Tropical Cyclone Celia's winds and rainfall rates

NASA's RapidScat instrument measured surface wind speeds exceeding 30 meters per second, while the GPM core satellite detected rainfall rates of up to 33 mm/h near Hurricane Celia's eye wall. The storm weakened to a tropical storm on July 13, with forecasted weakening continuing over the next 48 hours.

What free will looks like in the brain

Johns Hopkins researchers track brain activity as participants make choices entirely on their own, pinpointing the parietal lobe's role in attention switching and frontal cortex involvement in deliberation. The findings shed light on the neural mechanisms underlying human volition and decision-making.

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.

SNMMI honors outstanding contributors at annual meeting

SNMMI recognized Peter Herscovitch and Satoshi Minoshima for their contributions to the field of nuclear medicine through various awards. Dominique Delbeke received the Presidential Distinguished Educator Award for her work as editor of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Brain cell death in Alzheimer's linked to structural flaw

A new study has revealed multiple leads for pursuing potential treatments for Alzheimer's disease by targeting a structural flaw in brain cells. The researchers found that the tau protein aggregates in the brains of patients disrupt the lamin nucleoskeleton, leading to DNA relaxation and gene activation.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

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

Ravens learn best from their affiliates

Researchers found that networks based on affiliative behaviors, like preening and sharing food, play a major role in transmitting information among ravens. These social connections, especially between siblings, emphasize the importance of family ties in learning.

The Lancet: Obesity linked to premature death, with greatest effect in men

A study of 3.9 million adults found that obesity is associated with an increased risk of premature death, with the greatest effect in men. The risks of coronary heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, and cancer are all increased, resulting in a three-fold greater excess risk of premature death among men compared to women.

Analysis of ant colonies could improve network algorithms

Researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory propose a theoretical framework for estimating population density in networks, which converges quickly and is more accurate than random sampling. This approach has practical applications in analyzing social networks, robot swarms, and ad hoc networks.

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

NIH expands investment in HIV cure research

The National Institutes of Health has awarded $30 million in annual funding to six international collaborations working on an HIV cure. The program aims to address the virus's ability to establish a reservoir in immune cells, making it challenging to develop a cure.

Life at the extremes

Researchers studied Euplotes focardii's genes and proteins for survival in cold, oxygen-rich waters. The organism produces protective proteins against oxidative stress and adapts quickly through flexible RNA decoding.

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.

Playing action video games boosts visual motor skill underlying driving

Researchers found that playing action video games for as little as 5 hours can improve essential visuomotor-control skills used for driving. Experienced players showed greater precision in steering a virtual vehicle down the lane, while those with no gaming experience improved their skills after training.

Alzheimer's gene may show effects on brain starting in childhood

A study found that children with the epsilon-4 gene variant had differences in brain development compared to those with epsilon-2 and epsilon-3 variants, including smaller hippocampus size and lower test scores on memory and thinking skills. The findings suggest early indications of risk for dementia and potential prevention strategies.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Stellar outburst brings water snowline into view

Astronomers have observed a water 'snowline' in a protoplanetary disk using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope. The snowline marks the transition point where temperatures and pressures are low enough for water ice to form, and its distance from the star was found to be approximately 40 astronomical units.

In the firefly's flash, seeking new insights on evolution

Researchers analyzed firefly flash signals to understand how new mating signals arise through evolution. They found variations in luciferase and opsin genes didn't correlate with signal color changes, suggesting natural selection may be acting on unknown DNA sequences.

ALMA makes first sighting of water snow line around young star

A team led by Lucas Cieza has made the first resolved observations of a water snow line in a protoplanetary disc using ALMA's long baselines. The discovery pushes the water snow line out to a distance of around 40 au, significantly impacting our understanding of planetary formation models.

Local drug activation at solid tumor sites

A new approach shields a toxic chemotherapeutic until it reaches the tumor site, leading to greater efficacy and fewer side effects. The treatment was successful in mice with sarcoma tumors and had fewer side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy.

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.

Tiny works of art with great potential

Scientists at TUM develop a methodology to produce 2D quasicrystals from metal-organic networks, opening the door to new materials. They discovered a new set of building blocks for assembling various quasicrystalline structures.

The rise of OLED displays could lead to shatterproof phones

The rise of OLED displays could lead to shatterproof phones. Researchers are working to overcome challenges such as image retention and high costs, but if successful, the technology could vastly improve image quality and open up new possibilities for electronics design.

Why we like the music we do

A new study published in Nature found that musical preferences depend on exposure to Western musical culture, not innate brain wiring. In a remote Amazonian tribe with limited exposure to Western music, dissonant chords were rated as likeable as consonant chords.

Hungry parents may feed their kids more, UF study finds

A study of 29 mother-child pairs found that mothers who were overweight or obese served larger portions to their children when they perceived their own hunger as higher. The researchers suggest that parents can intervene by providing objective guidelines and allowing children to have control over their portion sizes.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

New method can identify chemical warfare agents more easily

A new method for extracting, enriching and identifying chemical warfare agents from oils and organic liquids has been developed, using nanoparticles to capture the chemicals. The method can identify agents at low concentrations, overcomes challenges of detecting water-repellent agents, and has potential to save lives.

Could more fuel-efficient engines lead to more global warming?

A study by Naomi Zimmerman and colleagues found that newer fuel-efficient engines may actually increase global warming due to higher black carbon emissions. Installing particulate filters in these engines could help balance this impact, but factors like engine design and location play a role.

A comparison between quetiapine and aripiprazole for treatment of schizophrenia

The study found that both aripiprazole and quetiapine were effective in improving symptoms of schizophrenia, particularly positive symptoms. However, aripiprazole demonstrated slightly better efficacy in general psychopathology and insight. No significant increase in extrapyramidal adverse effects was observed in either group.

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.

Think a gasoline-direct injection engine is the green choice? Maybe not

A new study from University of Toronto researchers reveals that gasoline-direct injection (GDI) engines, touted for their fuel efficiency, may actually emit more climate-warming black carbon and toxic pollutants than conventional engines. The study found that GDI engines ranked in the 73rd percentile for black carbon emissions, while v...

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.

How plants can grow on salt-affected soils

Researchers study how plants distinguish between essential nitrate and harmful chloride ions, finding a functional complex of two anion channels SLAH1 and SLAH3. This discovery could lead to optimizing crop salt tolerance in the future.

Hidden moss chloroplast 'wall' discovered

Researchers visualize peptidoglycan 'wall' in moss chloroplasts for the first time, overturning traditional understanding of chloroplast structure. The discovery has significant implications for our knowledge of plant cell biology and the origins of photosynthesis.

Doubling up to fight pain

Researchers at Queen's University have found that combining pregabalin with duloxetine improves fibromyalgia symptoms, offering a new treatment option for patients. The study suggests that this combination can safely improve pain relief, physical function, and overall quality of life.

A new spin on reality

Physicists at OIST predict existence of new spin liquid with fluctuating magnetism, sharing similarities with gauge symmetries. Experimental confirmation through neutron scattering experiments is predicted, potentially revealing 'pinch lines' in specific materials.

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.

Breakthrough in scaling up life-changing stem cell production

Researchers at the University of Nottingham have developed a novel method for culturing human stem cells using a protein derived from human blood, which could lead to faster and more cost-effective large-scale production. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the field of regenerative medicine and disease research.

NYU researchers report cybersecurity risks in 3-D printing

The study highlights the potential for attacks on 3D-printed products, including those with internal defects that can cause devastating impact. The researchers recommend new cybersecurity methods and tools to protect critical parts from such compromise.

Making a multi-use, stiff carbon foam using bread

Researchers develop a simple, affordable method to produce strong, tunable carbon foam by using super-toasted bread, a potential game-changer for various industries. The foam's inner pore structure can be adjusted by changing the yeast and water content.

Penn preclinical study outlines cardiovascular side effects of breast cancer drug

Researchers at Penn Medicine discovered that breast cancer drug trastuzumab affects the development of blood vessels in the heart, leading to potential cardiovascular side effects. The study highlights a new role for ErbB2 protein in blood vessel formation and provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying these side effects.

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.

New technique targets gene that causes neurodegenerative disease

Scientists have developed a new technique to selectively block the disease-causing protein in mice with spinocerbellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6). The method uses a modified virus to deliver micro RNA that prevents SCA6 from developing, offering a potential treatment for other diseases caused by mutations in bicistronic genes.

Your best diet might depend on your genetics

A new mouse study shows that diet response is highly individualized and dependent on genetic composition. The researchers found that different mice strains responded differently to various diets, including Western, Mediterranean, and ketogenic diets.

A 'key' to metastasis formation

Researchers at Hokkaido University found that biglycan molecule attracts tumor cells to blood vessel walls, facilitating metastasis formation. High biglycan expression linked to poor prognosis in breast, lung, and colorectal cancer patients.

Remote-controlled implantable device delivers HIV prevention drug

Researchers have developed an implantable device that can deliver HIV prevention drugs sustainably for up to 60 days. The transcutaneously refillable device utilizes nanochannel delivery systems to control the release of pre-exposure prophylaxis drugs, addressing a significant challenge in current treatments.

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.

Shedding new light on protein aggregates and the diseases they cause

Researchers have developed a system to quickly screen millions of yeast cells for protein aggregates, offering new ways to explore their causes and potential therapies. The technology was used to study prions, Huntington's disease, and prion-switching, providing insights into the toxic effects of misfolded proteins.

Adipose analysis on microfluidic chips

Researchers developed a microfluidic chip to study adipose-derived adult stem cells' development into mature fat cells. The platform successfully converted cells into mature fat cells while decoding signalling pathways.

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.