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Science News for September 13, 2016


The significance of seaweed

Researchers estimate that seaweed globally sequesters 173 trillion grams of carbon per year, with 90% of this being due to transport into deep-sea sediments. This highlights the significance of seaweed as a major carbon sink, surpassing Amazonian forests.

SourceKing Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)·JournalNature Geoscience·DateSep 13, 2016

Rap1, a potential new target to treat obesity

A study has discovered a new mechanism in the mouse brain that regulates obesity, finding that Rap1 gene inhibition can reduce body weight and improve leptin sensitivity, potentially leading to a new therapeutic target for treating human obesity.

SourceBaylor College of Medicine·JournalCell Reports·DateSep 13, 2016
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.

Belief about nicotine content in cigarette may change brain activity and craving

Research from the Center for BrainHealth found that smokers' beliefs about nicotine content impact their brain's response to smoking. The study used fMRI scans to show that participants who believed a cigarette contained nicotine experienced different neural activity compared to those who believed it didn't.

SourceCenter for BrainHealth·JournalFrontiers in Psychiatry·DateSep 13, 2016

Foam stops sloshing liquid

Researchers found that capillary forces from soap foam induce pressure gradients near the container walls, reducing sloshing motion. The dampening effect happens faster than expected exponential decay, causing the waves to stop after a finite time.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalPhysics of Fluids·DateSep 13, 2016

Therapeutic inhibition of RANK pathway reduces breast cancer recurrence

Researchers found that pharmacological and genetic RANK pathway inhibition significantly reduced recurrences and metastases in a mouse animal model of breast cancer. This suggests RANK inhibitors used in osteoporosis treatment may also be effective against breast cancer.

SourceIDIBELL-Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute·JournalCancer Research·DateSep 13, 2016
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.

Tuning materials and devices to adapt to their environment

UCSB researchers create high-performance tunable dielectrics using molecular beam epitaxy, overcoming material quality issues. The advancement enables adaptive electronic systems with potential applications in cellular communications and phased-array antennas.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateSep 13, 2016

Molecules released by Klebsiella pneumoniae bacterium pave the way for invasive infection

Researchers found that Klebsiella pneumoniae siderophores play a crucial role in facilitating invasive infection by triggering inflammation and activating HIF-1 alpha, allowing bacteria to spread from the lungs to the spleen. The study suggests that therapies targeting siderophore production could provide a two-pronged attack against K...

SourceAmerican Society for Microbiology·JournalmBio·DateSep 13, 2016
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.

Scientists make embryos from non-egg cells

Researchers have successfully created healthy baby mice by injecting sperm into embryos developed from non-egg cells, achieving a success rate of up to 24 per cent. This breakthrough challenges the long-held dogma that only egg cells can support embryonic development.

SourceUniversity of Bath·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 13, 2016
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.