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Science News Archive 2017 - Page 226


Page 226 of 461

Iron secrets behind superconductors unlocked

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Cornell University have discovered why certain iron-based materials exhibit fine superconducting properties. The findings suggest that individual modes of operation facilitate superconductivity in these materials.

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science·JournalScience·DateJul 7, 2017

Extreme low-oxygen eddies in the Atlantic produce greenhouse gases

International research team discovers extremely low-oxygen regions in Atlantic Ocean, producing high levels of nitrous oxide. The phenomenon was previously unknown and had escaped research due to the small size and mobility of these eddies.

SourceHelmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR)·JournalScientific Reports·DateJul 7, 2017
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Nanoparticles coated with antibiotic eliminate drug-resistant bacteria

Researchers developed silver-silica nanoparticles with an ampicillin coating that target antibiotic-resistant bacteria while being inert to human cells. The nanoantibiotic showed efficacy against both resistant and non-resistant strains of E. coli, offering a promising strategy for combating drug-resistant infections.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalScientific Reports·DateJul 7, 2017

Seeing street change

A study using computer vision algorithms examines millions of Google Street View images to measure urban change, finding that high density and education are key drivers of improvement. The research also supports three classical theories of urban change, highlighting the importance of human capital and education in shaping cities.

SourceHarvard University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 6, 2017

When butterfly male sex-bias flaps its wings

Researchers found dosage compensation to be widespread in butterflies and moths, with consistent expression of Z-linked genes between sexes. However, gonads showed imbalance due to masculinization of the Z chromosome and loss of female-biased genes.

SourceSMBE Journals (Molecular Biology and Evolution and Genome Biology and Evolution)·JournalMolecular Biology and Evolution·DateJul 6, 2017
GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

Three Gorges Dam alters downstream schistosomiasis rates

The Three Gorges Dam has altered downstream schistosomiasis rates by changing snail distribution, with human infection rates decreasing from 3.38% to 0.44%. Low water levels due to the dam have made Dongting Lake an unsuitable environment for snails.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·DateJul 6, 2017

New ways to create and deliver medications for immune-medicated neuropathies

Researchers at LSTM have created synthetic alternatives to IVIg therapy for conditions like CIDP and Guillain-Barré syndrome. The new treatments, enriched with sialic acids, can be produced at a fraction of the cost and may offer relief to millions of people globally.

SourceLiverpool School of Tropical Medicine·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateJul 6, 2017

Antibodies halt placental transmission of CMV-like virus in monkeys

A recent study by Duke University researchers demonstrates a vaccine approach that appears to protect fetuses from congenital CMV infection. The findings, published in JCI Insight, suggest potent antibodies can prevent viral transmission and severe disease in developing fetuses.

SourceDuke University Medical Center·JournalJCI Insight·DateJul 6, 2017

Surveying sea floor animals for offshore renewable energy

Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a method to analyze sediment and animal life on the ocean floor, reducing the need for time-intensive identification work. The study found relationships between sediment characteristics and marine animal life consistent across eight sites off the Pacific Northwest coast.

SourceOregon State University·JournalContinental Shelf Research·DateJul 6, 2017

Biopsy tests may lead to inappropriate discards of donated kidneys

A recent study found that biopsy tests had no impact on kidney function after transplantation from living donors, but did influence outcomes with deceased donor kidneys. Despite this, nearly 20% of organs are still being discarded in the US due to suboptimal biopsy results.

SourceAmerican Society of Nephrology·JournalJournal of the American Society of Nephrology·DateJul 6, 2017
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.

Are we still jealous? Infidelity in the age of social media

Men feel more distressed by sexual infidelity, while women are upset by emotional messages, with women generally more upset than men regardless of message content. The study supports evolutionarily derived theories that suggest differences in what triggers jealousy among men and women.

SourceSpringer·JournalEvolutionary Psychological Science·DateJul 6, 2017

Kent State researchers study link between Pokémon GO and a healthier lifestyle

A study by Kent State researchers found that playing Pokémon GO increased daily walking behavior by 102 percent among college students. The game also reduced sedentary behavior by 25 percent during the first week after downloading. These positive effects persisted weeks later, even with a decrease in game play frequency.

SourceKent State University·JournalGames for Health Journal·DateJul 6, 2017

Conversation cards© a useful tool in pediatric weight management

A new study found that Conversation Cards can help families prioritize key challenges regarding pediatric weight management and create treatment plans with health care providers. The most popular card choices reflected families' readiness to make healthy changes, preference for involving children and adolescents in clinical discussions.

SourceElsevier·JournalJournal of Nutrition Education and Behavior·DateJul 6, 2017

Scientists awarded £1M to develop the catalysts of the future

Researchers at the University of Bath have been awarded £1M to develop new catalysts using iron, which could reduce environmental impact and improve efficiency. The project aims to create sustainable methods for producing molecules crucial for manufacturing pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals.

SourceUniversity of Bath·DateJul 6, 2017
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.

NASA sees Central Atlantic Ocean's forming Tropical Depression 4

Tropical Depression 4 formed over the central Atlantic Ocean on July 6, with heavy showers and rain rates exceeding 44mm/hour. The depression is moving west-northwest at 16mph and is expected to remain a depression for several days before potentially reaching tropical storm status.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·DateJul 6, 2017
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.

Scientists lay the groundwork for a reliable marijuana breathalyzer

Researchers at NIST have measured the vapor pressure of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a fundamental property for developing accurate marijuana breathalyzers. The study uses PLOT-cryo technology to capture and analyze THC molecules, providing crucial groundwork for manufacturers.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalForensic Chemistry·DateJul 6, 2017

QUT develops golden bananas high in pro-vitamin A

Researchers at QUT have developed a new, genetically modified banana rich in pro-vitamin A, a crucial nutrient for fighting vitamin A deficiency. The project aims to improve the nutritional content of bananas in Uganda, where they are a staple food and lack essential micronutrients.

SourceQueensland University of Technology·JournalPlant Biotechnology Journal·DateJul 6, 2017

Novel PET tracer detects small blood clots

Researchers have developed a novel PET tracer that can detect small blood clots in veins and arteries, providing valuable information for diagnosis and treatment. The tracer binds to GPIIb/IIIa receptors, targeting the critical molecular components involved in platelet clumping.

SourceSociety of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging·JournalJournal of Nuclear Medicine·DateJul 6, 2017

Psychological effect against pushing and shoving

The study reveals that participants in a corridor setup exhibited lower crowd density than in a semicircle setup. Psychological aspects, including social norms and fairness, are believed to play a role in shaping the behavior of crowds. The findings suggest that purely physical models are insufficient for understanding crowd dynamics.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJul 6, 2017
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.

Falling sea level caused volcanos to overflow

An international team of scientists discovered a possible cause for irregularities in climate evolution: enhanced volcanic activity induced by falling sea levels. This study found that reduced pressure on the seafloor led to increased lava and carbon dioxide emissions, stabilizing atmospheric CO2 concentrations during glacial periods.

SourceHelmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR)·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 6, 2017

First discovery of an exoplanet with SPHERE/VLT

Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet, HIP65426b, using the SPHERE/VLT instrument for the first time. The planet is located at three times the Earth-Neptune distance from its star and has a mass 6 to 12 times higher than Jupiter.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics·DateJul 6, 2017

How cats and cows protect farm children from asthma

A recent study by the University of Zurich found that exposure to sialic acid from farm animals can prevent asthma in children. This protective effect is due to an anti-inflammatory response triggered by regulatory T-cells, which dampen incorrect immune responses.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·DateJul 6, 2017
Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

Vitamin D may improve sunburn, according to new clinical trial

A new clinical trial found that high doses of vitamin D can reduce skin redness, swelling, and inflammation after a sunburn. Vitamin D at doses of 50,000-200,000 IU was shown to have long-lasting benefits in reducing skin inflammation and promoting skin barrier repair.

SourceCase Western Reserve University·JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology·DateJul 6, 2017
Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

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

Feel the heat, one touch a time

Scientists have developed a technique to map thermal conductivity at the nanoscale, enabling more efficient thermoelectric materials. This breakthrough uses scanning thermal microscopy to analyze three-phase thermoelectric materials and determine their local thermal conductivity.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·DateJul 6, 2017

A steady pulse

A multiyear global assessment by researchers from NCEAS found that the world's oceans have a health record with stable overall health but declining trends in various indicators such as water quality and food provision. Countries taking concrete actions to protect their oceans, like Indonesia and Mexico, are seeing notable improvements.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJul 6, 2017

Study offers clue to memory formation in the brain

A new study published in Neuron provides direct experimental evidence for the 'Memory-Synapse Specificity' Hypothesis, linking a specific type of synapse to a particular behavior and memory. The research reveals that synaptic long-term potentiation (LTP) at a specific type of synapse encodes socially acquired olfactory memory.

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalNeuron·DateJul 6, 2017
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.

Undersea life holds promise for killing tuberculosis

A team of researchers has identified 26 compounds from sponges and other marine organisms that are active against replicating tuberculosis bacteria, with 19 killing dormant bacteria. This is a novelty as existing drugs are better at killing replicating bacteria.

SourceUniversity of Central Florida·JournalAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy·DateJul 6, 2017

Scientists find new method to fight malaria

Researchers at The Francis Crick Institute and The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine identified a key protein involved in malaria parasite escape. Disrupting this protein reduces the efficiency of parasite escape, slowing down infection rate.

SourceThe Francis Crick Institute·JournalPLOS Pathogens·DateJul 6, 2017

Scientists get first direct look at how electrons 'dance' with vibrating atoms

Researchers develop precise new way to study materials, revealing strong electron-phonon coupling that could lead to unprecedented superconductivity. The approach allows scientists to validate theories and computations describing complex materials' behavior, providing deep insights into their behavior.

SourceDOE/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory·JournalScience·DateJul 6, 2017
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.

Digitally remastered wire art to be showcased at SIGGRAPH 2017

A new image-based method reconstructs wiry objects in 3-D with higher resolution and accuracy, benefiting fields like animation, medicine, and topology extraction. The technique uses short connections to assemble wire configurations, exploiting unique characteristics of wiry objects.

SourceAssociation for Computing Machinery·DateJul 6, 2017

In preschools in India, math games boost math understanding

Researchers at AAAS found that Indian preschoolers who played math games for four months showed significant improvements in math assessments, with gains lasting up to a year. The study suggests that preschool-level training with numerate adults can help prepare children for primary school math curricula.

SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience·DateJul 6, 2017

ASHG honors Edward McCabe with 2017 Advocacy Award

Edward R.B. McCabe, MD, PhD, received the ASHG 2017 Advocacy Award for his extensive efforts to integrate genetics into health systems and promote funding for biomedical research. He has worked on various initiatives, including Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act and Zika virus public education.

SourceAmerican Society of Human Genetics·DateJul 6, 2017

Learning with music can change brain structure, study shows

A new study found that learning with music significantly develops white matter pathways in the brain, improving motor skill execution. Researchers used musical cues to help volunteers learn a physical task, showing increased structural connectivity between auditory and motor regions.

SourceUniversity of Edinburgh·JournalBrain and Cognition·DateJul 6, 2017
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.

How plants grow like human brains

Salk scientists discovered that mathematical rules governing plant growth are similar to brain cell connections. The team used 3D laser scanning to analyze plant architecture and found a Gaussian branch density function, suggesting universal rules of logic governing branching growth across biological systems.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalCurrent Biology·DateJul 6, 2017

Systematic research investigates effects of money on thinking, behavior

Researchers explored the impact of money primes on self-sufficient thinking and behavior across three experiments involving diverse participant groups. The results show weak and inconsistent effects of money primes on various measures of self-sufficiency.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateJul 6, 2017

How humans transformed wild wheat into its modern counterpart

Researchers used 3-D genetic sequencing data to study the evolution of wheat from wild tetraploid wheat (Triticum turgidum) to domesticated wheat. They found two gene clusters that lost their function, leading to changes in spike morphology and grain development.

SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience·DateJul 6, 2017

Your hands may reveal the struggle to maintain self-control

Researchers studied decision-making in real-time using mouse trajectories, finding that individuals with low self-control veer closer to unhealthy foods. The study suggests a more dynamical process where both healthy and unhealthy choices compete from the beginning, contradicting dual systems theory.

SourceOhio State University·JournalPsychological Science·DateJul 6, 2017
Creality K1 Max 3D Printer

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer rapidly prototypes brackets, adapters, and fixtures for instruments and classroom demonstrations at large build volume.

How strike-slip faults form, the origin of earthquakes

UMass Amherst researchers investigate strike-slip faults, revealing the 'Lazy Earth' hypothesis, where faults evolve to optimize energy transformation. The study identifies four stages in fault evolution: pre-faulting, localization, linkage, and slip, with irregularities persisting along mature faults.

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst·JournalJournal of Structural Geology·DateJul 6, 2017

Study: Preschoolers learn from math games -- to a point

A study found that preschool children who played math games improved in conceptual math skills, but these gains did not transfer to primary school. The intervention had no effect on formal math skills, despite improving non-symbolic abilities.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalScience·DateJul 6, 2017

Study offers new approach to evaluating agricultural development programs

Research from WorldFish and MIT reveals that involving local farmers in tackling a problem provides long-lasting benefits, rather than just introducing new technologies. The study focuses on two examples: reducing fish spoilage in Zambia and developing virus-resistant abaca varieties in the Philippines.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalAgricultural Systems·DateJul 6, 2017

For rodents, seeing is believing

Researchers found that rats use local visual cues more than idiothetic cues when navigating through identical environments in darkness. Place cell activity indicated that animals were unaware of separate environments, suggesting reliance on visual cues over directional sense.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalFrontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience·DateJul 6, 2017
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.

Snakebites cost Sri Lanka more than $10 million

A new study found that snakebites in rural Sri Lanka result in significant economic losses for individuals and the healthcare system. The annual costs are estimated at over $10 million, with victims experiencing median out-of-pocket costs of $11.82 and a loss of income of up to $33.21.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·DateJul 6, 2017

A new molecular scissors act like a GPS to improve genome editing

Researchers have discovered how Cpf1, a new molecular scissor, can act like a GPS to identify its destination in the genome, enabling precise genome modification and repair. The high precision of Cpf1 will improve the use of this technology in repairing genetic damage and other medical applications.

SourceSpanish Foundation for Science and Technology·JournalNature·DateJul 6, 2017