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Science News Archive June 2017


Page 29 of 40

Fatherhood factors influence how dads spend time with children

A father's education level and income affect their spending time with children in different ways. Fathers who believe in traditional gender norms participate in less caregiving activities. Researchers found that both structural circumstances and fathers' personal beliefs matter in determining their involvement with children.

How the brain recognizes what the eye sees

Researchers analyzed how neurons in V2 respond to natural scenes, discovering three principles: combining edges, cross-orientation suppression, and repeating patterns. This work provides insight into the brain's ability to recognize faces, cars, and other objects.

Sanitation access linked to children's growth and health

A new study found that sanitation access is crucial for children's growth and health, with households having access to toilets or latrines seeing improved stunting, anemia, and diarrhea rates. Increasing community-level sanitation access can also have a significant impact on child health.

Control of material crystallization by agitation

A team at Osaka University found that agitating amorphous materials at a certain frequency accelerates crystallization, indicating a new method for controlling the formation of crystalline materials. The study used colloidal systems to model atomic materials and identified a specific vibrational mode facilitating crystallization.

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.

World's first success in asymmetric borylation of ketones

Researchers at Hokkaido University have successfully developed a method for the catalytic asymmetric borylation of ketones, a breakthrough expected to facilitate the development of new medicines and functional chemicals. The team has identified a suitable catalyst element called chiral NHC complex for efficient reaction with diboron.

UQ and partners taking computing out of this world

Researchers are developing new approach to computer technology, using mechanical vibrations for computations in aerospace applications. This method makes the computers more robust to radiation exposure and has potential for future commercial impacts.

Research targets PFOA threat to drinking water

Researchers have developed a novel material that rapidly removes perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) from water, achieving concentrations below 10 parts per trillion. The material, made from a networked polymer, has shown greater affinity for PFOA than activated carbon and can be regenerated multiple times.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Lost your appetite? Try inviting yourself to dinner

Researchers at Nagoya University found that people eat more and rate food as tasting better when eating with a mirror, not just another person. The study suggests a possible approach to improving the appeal of food for older people who frequently eat alone.

Pigments by design

Scientists have developed a method to tune the optical and electrical properties of synthetic polymer analogs similar to melanin, a natural pigment affecting skin color. The study reveals that adjusting peptide sequences can produce noticeably different colors, ranging from beige to brown-black.

The art market bubble has burst

The art market price index, compiled by Prof. Roman Kräussl, shows a significant decline in post-war and contemporary art prices, with a 21% drop in 2016. This confirms a burst of the market bubble, which had been growing since 2009.

Behavioral 'nudges' offer a cost-effective policy tool

A new study found that behavioral 'nudges' are highly cost-effective in boosting retirement savings, college enrollment and vaccination rates, often yielding more returns than traditional interventions. Nudges encourage certain behaviors without restricting options or exacting financial penalties.

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.

Neutrons zero in on the elusive magnetic Majorana fermion

A research team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has confirmed magnetic signatures related to Majorana fermions in alpha-ruthenium trichloride, a material that could enable quantum computations. The study uses neutron scattering to reveal the material's unique magnetic behavior.

Snake venom might provide a safer antiplatelet drug

Researchers have designed a safer antiplatelet drug based on a snake venom protein that interacts with platelets to form blood clots. The new study found that the molecule prevented platelet clotting and slowed down blood clot formation in mice, without increasing bleeding risk.

Lost ecosystem found buried in mud of southern California coastal waters

Paleontologists have found a lost ecosystem of scallops and brachiopods off southern California's coast that thrived for at least 4,000 years before dying off due to siltation from unmanaged land use. The researchers used molecular dating and geologic methods to analyze dead shells and conclude that the collapse of the brachiopod-scall...

California Academy of Sciences advancing hope for reefs in the Philippines

Researchers from the California Academy of Sciences' Hope for Reefs initiative recently returned from the Philippines, where they discovered several new species of fish, nudibranchs, and sand dollars. The team also documented evidence of human impacts on deep-sea reefs, highlighting the need for stronger protections.

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.

Distinct wiring mode found in chandelier cells

Chandelier cells, a type of inhibitory interneuron, develop their connections differently than other neurons. Researchers found that only synapses on axon initial segments contain molecules, while the rest appear empty throughout development.

Organic compound found in early stages of star formation

Researchers detect methyl isocyanate in solar-type protostar, a precursor to complex compounds like peptides and amino acids. The finding suggests that planets could begin with the chemical ingredients needed for life, supporting the theory of prebiotic chemistry in space.

Fat tissue may impede radiotherapy for breast cancer patients

Researchers found that irradiation of breast fat triggers an inflammatory response, protecting remaining cancer cells and allowing tumors to grow. Agents that block inflammation could improve radiotherapy effectiveness, potentially revolutionizing breast cancer treatment.

New international guidelines issued on dementia with Lewy bodies

Dementia with Lewy bodies affects 1.4 million Americans, often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. The new guidelines provide detailed guidance for diagnosing and treating the condition, which includes symptoms like visual hallucinations and sleep difficulties.

How plants prevent oxidative stress

Researchers discovered the P700 oxidation system in plants to suppress reactive oxygen species production, allowing safe photosynthesis. The system starts functioning when excess light energy is present, serving as a warning marker for oxidative stress.

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.

Research for an oil (palm) change

A new technique developed by James Cook University scientists helps oil palm growers predict crop yield, nitrous oxide emissions and nitrogen leaching. The research provides valuable information for on-farm decision making, enabling growers to make decisions that balance productivity and environmental sustainability.

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.

New leukemia treatment outperforms standard chemotherapies

Researchers at Australian National University have developed a new treatment for acute myeloid leukemia that reduces cancer cells and cancer stem cells. This innovative approach uses a compound called CX-5461 to target protein-making processes within cancer cells, leading to promising preclinical results.

Investigational vaccine protected monkeys from HIV-like virus

A Duke-led research team developed an investigational vaccine that added three more targets to the original RV144 human vaccine candidate. The resulting pentavalent vaccine protected over half of the vaccinated animals from simian-human immunodeficiency virus infection, demonstrating improved protection compared to the original regimen.

Autonomous machines edge towards greater independence

Researchers have developed a method for autonomous learning in self-taught systems, allowing them to evolve and adapt over time. This approach, which incorporates delayed dynamics and feedback loops, has been successfully applied to neural networks and phase oscillators, yielding robust performance with minimal external control.

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.

Not so elementary

A team of international physicists, including UC Santa Barbara postdoctoral scholar Manuel Franco Sevilla, reviewed results from three experiments that suggest lepton universality may need to be revised. The findings, published in Nature, indicate a higher-than-expected tau decay rate in all three experiments.

Heroin's use rising, costing society more than $51 billion

A new study estimates that heroin users have a significant impact on society due to premature death, lost productivity, and chronic infectious diseases. Heroin use was estimated to cost US society over $51 billion in 2015, with the cost per user exceeding $50,799 per year.

Does your name match your face?

A study published in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review found that people's names are associated with specific face shapes, influencing voting decisions. Candidates with congruent names received an average of 10 more percentage points in their elections than those with incongruent names.

Waters and Andrew Alliance sign co-marketing agreement

The Waters Corporation and Andrew Alliance have signed a co-marketing agreement to promote their collaboration on protein therapeutics glycosylation profiling. The partnership enables laboratories to automate large numbers of routine, high-quality released N-glycan analyses with improved accuracy and precision.

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.

A fish of all flavors

A study by Osaka University reveals that a single heterodimer of two T1r members can detect a wide range of sweet and savory flavors in humans. The researchers found that the structure of the heterodimer is similar regardless of the amino acid bound, but with varying affinity for each ligand.

Comets may have delivered significant portions of Earth's xenon

A new study suggests that comets may have delivered up to 22% of the element xenon found in Earth's atmosphere. The finding is based on analysis of spectrometry data from the Rosetta spacecraft, which detected isotopic signatures of cometary xenon that closely match those on Earth.

Study examines adolescents' responses to racism in school

Adolescents' responses to verbal racism in school were influenced by age, ethnicity, and cross-group friendships. Younger and majority-ethnic adolescents showed more prosocial bystander responses, while older and minority-ethnic adolescents indicated aggressive or passive responses.

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.

The mysterious bend in the Hawaiian-Emperor chain

A new study reveals that the 60-degree bend in the Hawaiian-Emperor chain is primarily caused by a directional change in the Pacific plate motion. The research also suggests that some southward plume motion is required, but this cannot be explained by current mantle convection models.

Balance, gait negatively impacted after chemotherapy treatment

A new study found that chemotherapy can significantly impair walking gait and balance in breast cancer patients, leading to a higher risk of falls. Researchers advocate for integrating objective measures of physical function into oncology follow-up care to reduce fall risk and improve treatment compliance.

Your smile gives you away

USC researchers found that smiling during victory can hurt future cooperation chances, but smiling during a loss can increase success odds. The study used emotion-tracking software to analyze participants' facial reactions during the Golden Balls game show.

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.

Researchers use a synthetic 'tongue' to sort out whiskies

A synthetic sensor array, resembling an artificial tongue, can detect closely related whisky samples as distinct. The device identifies key qualities such as malt status, age, and country of origin, making it a valuable tool for spotting counterfeits.

Sensitivity to inequity is in wolves' and dogs' blood

A new study confirms that wolves and dogs refuse to cooperate when they don't receive a reward, showing an innate sensitivity to inequity. The behavior is similar in both species, indicating it's not solely due to domestication.

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.

From the somatic cell to the germ cell

Researchers identified multiple genes that enable somatic cells to switch to germline fate in plants. The discovery provides molecular evidence for the evolution of reproductive systems in ancient plants, showing how plants limit switching to create a single germ cell.

Researchers uncover new instruction manual to repair broken DNA

Drexel University researchers uncover a crucial role of the Rad52 protein in RNA-dependent DNA repair. The study reveals an unexpected function of Rad52, promoting 'inverse strand exchange' between double-stranded DNA and RNA molecules. This mechanism may help identify new therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.

Kidney graft success -- does age and sex matter?

A new study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found that young women have poorer transplant outcomes compared to young men, while women over 45 have similar or better outcomes. The research suggests personalized immunosuppression strategies based on age and sex could improve graft success.

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.

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.