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Science News Archive 2017 - Page 415


Page 415 of 461

A new sensitive and stable self-powered photodetector

A novel, sensitive and stable photodetector has been created based on a semiconducting junction called GdNiO3/Nb-doped SrTiO3. The device eliminates the need for an external power source, allowing for efficient separation of photo-generated carriers.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateFeb 9, 2017

Climate change and fishing create 'trap' for penguins

Research reveals African penguins forage in wrong places due to climate change and fishing, leading to low survival rates. Models suggest breeding numbers could be 50% lower if birds can escape the ecological trap.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalCurrent Biology·DateFeb 9, 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.

Sticky gels turn insect-sized drones into artificial pollinators

Scientists have developed artificial pollinators using tiny drones coated with a sticky gel, which can pick up pollen from one flower and deposit it onto another. The innovation uses horse hairs to mimic the fuzzy exterior of a bee, allowing the drones to effectively collect and transfer pollen.

SourceCell Press·JournalChem·DateFeb 9, 2017

Brain damage is not always damaging

A woman in Argentina endured multiple strokes, resulting in extensive brain damage, yet remained functional. Despite lesions in both hemispheres, her cognitive abilities and emotional recognition remained near-normal.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Aging Neuroscience·DateFeb 9, 2017

NASA spacecraft prepares to fly to new heights

The MMS spacecraft flies in a highly elliptical orbit around Earth, mapped in three dimensions using a tetrahedral formation. The mission uses GPS signals to calculate location and design maneuvers for precise control.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·DateFeb 9, 2017

New mechanobiology technique to stop cancer cell migration

Researchers at OIST have developed a novel technique that targets lipid rafts on cancer cell membranes to block migration. The molecule works by physically pinning the cancer cell, causing it to rupture and leading to cell death.

SourceOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University·JournalChem·DateFeb 9, 2017
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.

ANU scientists make new high-tech liquid materials

Researchers at ANU have developed dynamic liquid materials that can be remotely controlled by changing wave patterns, enabling new techniques to manipulate micro-organisms. This breakthrough could lead to innovations in invisibility cloaking, superlenses and high-efficiency antennae.

SourceAustralian National University·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 9, 2017

Researchers cast into doubt a tenet of the dominant evolutionary biology model

A team of researchers from Universitêl Laval cast doubt on the idea that genetic redundancy makes organisms more resilient to genetic perturbations. They found that paralogous genes in bread yeast were more often necessary for cellular function than previously thought, highlighting a potential vulnerability to mutations.

SourceUniversité Laval·JournalScience·DateFeb 9, 2017

Computer trained to predict which AML patients will go into remission, which will relapse

Researchers developed a computer machine-learning model that accurately predicts which AML patients will go into remission following treatment. The model was trained using bone marrow data and medical histories of AML patients, achieving 100% accurate predictions for remission and 90% accurate predictions for relapse.

SourceIndiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis School of Science·JournalIEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering·DateFeb 9, 2017

Dwarf star 200 light years away contains life's building blocks

A UCLA-led team of scientists has discovered a white dwarf star with an atmosphere rich in carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen, the components of water. The study suggests that the planetary system associated with the white dwarf contains materials necessary for life.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateFeb 9, 2017
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 data reveal aging experiences of LGBT Americans

A new supplemental issue of The Gerontologist presents the findings of the largest national survey on LGBT older adults' health and well-being. Findings show that LGBT older adults face higher rates of disability, cardiovascular disease, depression, and social isolation.

SourceThe Gerontological Society of America·JournalThe Gerontologist·DateFeb 9, 2017

New research to help preserve the benefits people receive from nature

A new research framework developed by the University of Queensland aims to identify and track ecosystem services at risk due to growing human demand. The framework allows for analysis of supply and demand, natural system condition, and future demand changes, providing a basis for global assessments.

SourceUniversity of Queensland·DateFeb 9, 2017

Endangered African penguins are falling into an 'ecological trap'

African penguins are getting stuck in the wrong part of the sea due to fishing and climate change, leading to reduced food supply and higher mortality rates. Researchers suggest that translocating chicks to safe areas or implementing spatial fishing closures could help protect the endangered species.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateFeb 9, 2017
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.

Bacteria sleep, then rapidly evolve, to survive antibiotic treatments

Researchers found that bacteria can quickly adapt to antibiotic treatments by evolving dormancy mechanisms. Once tolerant, they rapidly acquire resistance mutations, making it difficult for antibiotics to kill them. This discovery has important implications for the development of new antibiotics.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalScience·DateFeb 9, 2017

Less driving linked to a decrease in roadway fatalities

A decline in automobile travel from 2003-2014 showed a significant reduction in car crash deaths, particularly among young men. Physical activity levels remained unchanged during this period.

SourceElsevier Health Sciences·JournalAmerican Journal of Preventive Medicine·DateFeb 9, 2017

New method of genetic engineering indispensable tool in biotechnological applications

Researchers have developed a new method of genetic engineering that creates artificial restriction enzymes with enhanced sequence specificity and defined sticky ends. This technology has the potential to revolutionize genomic research and gene editing by improving precision and reducing obstacles posed by existing restriction enzymes.

SourceCarl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign·JournalACS Synthetic Biology·DateFeb 9, 2017

Emphysema treatment could be optimized using network modelling

A computational model of emphysema has been developed to compare novel and traditional treatments, showing that mechanical forces play a critical role in disease progression. The study suggests that newer lung volume reduction techniques can achieve comparable outcomes as current surgical approaches.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateFeb 9, 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.

Neural network learns to select potential anticancer drugs

Scientists developed a generative neural network to create new pharmaceutical medicines with specific properties. The network, trained on millions of molecular structures, identified 69 potential anticancer compounds and hundreds more using a powerful extension of the method.

SourceMoscow Institute of Physics and Technology·JournalOncoTargets and Therapy·DateFeb 9, 2017

New simple method quickly reveals kidney damage

The new method can pinpoint kidney damage in under three-quarters of an hour, using blood/urine with the help of fumarase. Researchers expect the method to be transferable to patients soon, and are currently testing it on patient blood samples.

SourceAarhus University·JournalScientific Reports·DateFeb 9, 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.

Rice takes deeper look at unconventional oil and gas

Researchers develop new method to analyze shale samples using NMR and molecular dynamics simulations, helping determine hydrocarbon presence and extraction difficulty. The approach improves identification of gas, oil, and water in organic shales.

SourceRice University·JournalJournal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging·DateFeb 9, 2017

MBL study illuminates the origin of vertebrate gills

A new MBL study has shed light on the origin of vertebrate gills, indicating they evolved around 600 million years ago. The research corrects a long-held misunderstanding that gills developed separately and independently in two vertebrate lineages.

SourceMarine Biological Laboratory·JournalCurrent Biology·DateFeb 9, 2017

Malaria mosquitos sensitive to horseradish

Researchers at Lund University discovered that malaria mosquitos are sensitive to horseradish, similar to the effects of heat on vertebrates. This finding suggests a shared molecular mechanism underlying temperature sensing in insects and animals.

SourceLund University·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateFeb 9, 2017

UCI, NASA reveal new details of Greenland ice loss

Two research papers use OMG observations to document how meltwater and ocean currents interact along Greenland's west coast, improving seafloor maps used to predict future melting and sea level rise. The study also reveals the role of meltwater in cooling warmer subsurface water and tracking its impact on glacier melt rates.

SourceUniversity of California - Irvine·JournalOceanography·DateFeb 9, 2017
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

An 'ignition key' revs up DNA shuffling to make antibodies

A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine has identified a crucial enzyme, RAG-2, that enables precise DNA rearrangement during white blood cell development. This process is essential for producing novel antibodies that recognize and combat viruses and bacteria.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 9, 2017

The Internet and your brain are more alike than you think

Researchers discovered that an algorithm called additive increase, multiplicative decrease (AIMD) is used both in engineered systems like the Internet and biological networks like the human brain. This finding sheds light on how the brain manages information and potentially helps understand learning disabilities.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalNeural Computation·DateFeb 9, 2017

Infection defense: Call for support by the killer cells

A recent study published in Immunity reveals how killer cells coordinate with dendritic cells to create an army of immune cells. The research, conducted by the University of Bonn, found that killer cells form a team and trigger chemical signals to recruit other cell types, leading to a coordinated and strong immune response.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalImmunity·DateFeb 9, 2017

Researchers develop device that emulates human kidney function

A novel microfluidic device models human kidney function, exhibiting more natural cell behaviors than traditional culturing methods. The device's glomerular filtration system is crucial for healthy cell function and accurately predicting renal drug toxicity in humans.

SourceBinghamton University·JournalRSC Advances·DateFeb 9, 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.

Wave of the future: Terahertz chips a new way of seeing through matter

Researchers at Princeton University have developed a new terahertz chip technology that can generate and capture intricate details of terahertz waves. The system uses tiny devices inside the microchip to read patterns created by the waves, enabling potential applications in medical imaging, communications, and drug development.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalIEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits·DateFeb 9, 2017

Research uncovers bacteria linking Crohn's disease to arthritis

New research uncovers a connection between Crohn's disease and spondyloarthritis, finding that IgA-coated E. coli bacteria trigger inflammation in Th17 cells. This discovery may lead to the development of diagnostic tools and therapies targeting both conditions.

SourceWeill Cornell Medicine·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateFeb 9, 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.

In-cell molecular sieve from protein crystal

Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology create porous protein crystals with increased porosity, allowing for the accumulation and storage of exogenous molecules in living cells. The engineered crystals showed high stability and ability to retain fluorescent dyes in live cells.

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalACS Nano·DateFeb 9, 2017

Hair analysis may help diagnose Cushing syndrome, NIH researchers report

Researchers found that high cortisol levels in hair samples tracked closely with standard diagnostic techniques for Cushing Syndrome. The study's findings suggest that hair analysis may prove useful as a less-invasive screening test or confirmatory tool for the condition.

SourceNIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development·DateFeb 9, 2017

Researchers identify new cause of brain defects in tuberous sclerosis patients

Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital have identified a new cause of brain defects in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) patients. The study reveals that a protein called connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) impedes oligodendrocyte development and myelination in the brains of TSC patients.

SourceRockefeller University Press·JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine·DateFeb 9, 2017

Chemicals hitch a ride onto new protein for better compounds

Chemists have developed a new technique called redox activated chemical tagging (ReACT) that selectively links chemicals to proteins. This method could transform the way drugs are developed, proteins are probed, and molecules are tracked and imaged.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalScience·DateFeb 9, 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.

Sorting machine for atoms

Physicists at University of Bonn create method to quickly and precisely sort large numbers of atoms, pushing development of future quantum computers forward. The technique allows atoms to interact with each other in targeted manner to exploit quantum-mechanical effects for calculations.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateFeb 9, 2017

Language barriers may interfere with access to kidney transplantation

Patients with primary non-English language fluency face disparities in completing kidney transplant evaluations, ultimately affecting their access to a transplant. Researchers found that linguistically isolated households were linked to lower likelihoods of transitioning to active waitlist status and incomplete evaluations.

SourceAmerican Society of Nephrology·JournalClinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology·DateFeb 9, 2017

Dial-an-interpreter can help docs get patients' consent

A study by University of California San Francisco researchers found that installing a bedside interpreter-phone system improved understanding of healthcare procedures among patients with limited English. The system reduced errors and disparities in care, especially for Chinese- and Spanish-speaking patients.

SourceSpringer·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateFeb 9, 2017

Big data for the universe

The Reference Catalog of Galaxy SEDs (RCSED) contains value-added information about 800,000 galaxies, derived from the elaborated data analysis. The catalog presents properties such as stellar composition, brightness at various wavelengths, and galaxy spectra obtained by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.

SourceLomonosov Moscow State University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series·DateFeb 9, 2017

Large scale antibiotic resistant genes found in estuarine wetland due to human activity

A large-scale study detected high levels of antibiotic resistance genes in estuaries along China's coastline, with some samples containing up to 100 million genes per gram of sediment. The study suggests that human activity, particularly inadequate wastewater treatment, is the primary cause of this environmental pollution.

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalNature Microbiology·DateFeb 9, 2017
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.

Direct radiolabeling of nanomaterials

Researchers have developed a direct radiolabeling method for nanomaterials using nanographene, eliminating the need for chelators. This approach significantly improves bioimaging accuracy and reduces biases. The method was tested in mice models and showed promising results.

SourceWiley·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateFeb 9, 2017

Antibiotic use for travelers' diarrhea favors particularly resistant super bacteria

A recent study found that antibiotic use among travelers increases the risk of contracting antibiotic-resistant ESBL intestinal bacteria. In fact, up to 80% of those taking antibiotics brought the most resistant strains back home with them. The use of antibiotics while traveling selects for the broadest spectrum of resistance.

SourceUniversity of Helsinki·JournalTravel Medicine and Infectious Disease·DateFeb 9, 2017

Ancient horse fossils hint factors driving evolution different than thought

A new study analyzing ancient horse fossils reveals that patterns of migration and environmental changes are key drivers of evolutionary development. Contrary to the rapid phenotypic evolution theory, researchers found no significant difference in body size evolution between lineages with high and low speciation rates, suggesting that ...

SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience·DateFeb 9, 2017

The Deccan Traps: Double, double magma trouble

Researchers used time-reversed convection modeling to reconstruct ancient mantle structure, finding a second upwelling contributing to the Deccan Traps eruption. A currently active hotspot, Réunion, was also active 65 million years ago.

SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience·DateFeb 9, 2017
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.

NASA spots Tropical Cyclone Carlos south of La Reunion Island

Tropical Cyclone Carlos was detected by NASA's Terra satellite as it moved south of La Reunion Island. The storm showed a tight circle of thunderstorms around its center and maximum sustained winds of 63.2 mph (102 kph). Further intensification is expected over the next 24 hours before weakening due to vertical wind shear

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·DateFeb 9, 2017

Scientists estimate solar nebula's lifetime

The team estimated the solar nebula's lifetime using ancient meteorites that formed 4.653 billion years ago, suggesting it disappeared within the first 4 million years of the solar system's formation. The findings indicate that gas giants Jupiter and Saturn must have formed early in the solar system's history.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalScience·DateFeb 9, 2017

Meta-lenses bring benchtop performance to small, hand-held spectrometer

Researchers developed hand-held spectrometers using meta-lenses, enabling real-time monitoring of pollutants and toxic chemicals. The devices can be customized and mass-produced, offering significant potential for applications in healthcare diagnostics and environmental monitoring.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalAPL Photonics·DateFeb 9, 2017
Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount provides precise tracking capacity for deep-sky imaging rigs during long astrophotography sessions.

New drug screening system could help speed development of a cure for HPV

Scientists have developed a new system to aid identification of potential drug targets and treatments for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The system uses genetic engineering techniques to quickly test the effects of chemicals on viral growth, identifying compounds that can block HPV replication.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Pathogens·DateFeb 9, 2017