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Science News Archive January 2018


Page 31 of 37

Waterborne cues and predator detection

Scientists discovered that specific metabolites in blue crab urine suppress mud crab foraging by 60% and 67%, respectively. This finding has significant implications for understanding chemically mediated interactions in marine ecosystems.

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.

Recreational marijuana legalization: Do more youth use or do youth use more?

A recent Oregon Research Institute study found that recreational marijuana legalization had no significant effect on the number of youth who used marijuana, but increased the frequency of use among those already using it. The study suggests that community sales policies may not reduce teenage marijuana use and highlights the need for p...

One-step production of aromatic polyesters by E. coli strains

Researchers developed a novel strategy to produce aromatic polyesters from Escherichia coli strains using microbial fermentation and synthetic biology. The engineered E. coli strain can produce various high-valued aromatic polyesters from renewable biomass, offering a sustainable alternative for the bio-plastic industry.

Continental freshwater salinization

A century-long study reveals freshwater salinization affects 37% of US drainage areas, with 90% increase in stream pH, primarily due to human salt inputs and accelerated weathering

New long-acting, less-toxic HIV drug suppresses virus in humanized mice

Researchers developed a long-acting compound that targets HIV's replication, suppressing the virus and protecting immune cells. The compound works synergistically with current treatments, enhancing their potency and potentially improving treatment for 37 million people worldwide affected by HIV.

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.

How prevalent is severe obesity among young children enrolled in WIC?

A recent study found modest declines in severe obesity prevalence among young children enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), suggesting progress in addressing this public health concern. The study analyzed data from 22.6 million children aged 2-4 and reported an increase in obesit...

Self-defense for plants

Researchers found that SOBER1, a plant protein, removes acetyl groups added by bacterial proteins, preventing the plant's immune response. This discovery could lead to strategies to boost plants' natural immunity or contain infections threatening agricultural crops.

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.

A biological solution to carbon capture and recycling?

Scientists at the University of Dundee developed a process that enables E. coli bacterium to act as an efficient carbon capture device, converting CO2 into formic acid with high efficiency and speed. This breakthrough could lead to a new way to store or recycle carbon dioxide, a key solution to global warming.

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.

Proper exercise can reverse damage from heart aging

A new study found that exercising four to five times a week can improve maximum oxygen intake during exercise by 18% and elasticity of the left ventricular muscle of the heart by over 25%. The research suggests that beginning exercise in late middle age can help reverse damage to sedentary hearts.

Powerful Tropical Cyclone Irving examined with GPM

Tropical Cyclone Irving was hurricane-force in the Southern Indian Ocean, with heavy rainfall rates of over 93 mm/h reported by GPM's DPR Ku Band. The storm's 3-D precipitation structure was examined, revealing powerful storms at altitudes of up to 17 km.

How bacteria turbocharged their motors

Researchers at Imperial College London have discovered how bacteria evolved molecular motors to optimize their swimming. By building a 'family tree' of bacterial motors using 3D imaging and DNA analysis, the team found that sophisticated species had more stators than primitive species, with some having as many as 17 stators.

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.

Climate warming and host-parasite dynamics

Researchers developed an epidemiological model to study the effect of climate warming on host-parasite dynamics in Eurypanopeus depressus and its parasitic barnacle Loxothylacus panopaei. Infection prevalence declined at a 1°C temperature increase, with localized extinction occurring at 2°C warming in the southeastern United States.

Growing opioid epidemic forcing more children into foster care

A study by University of South Florida researchers found a significant link between opioid prescriptions and child removal from homes due to parental neglect. The analysis revealed a 129% increase in such removals since 2012, with an estimated annual state fiscal cost of $40 million.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

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

Twitter, Trump and sexual assault: A call to men for action

A Twitter campaign against Donald Trump's comments on sexual assault found a large number of tweets calling for boys and men to shut down degrading conversations. The study urges men to resist engaging in or shutting down conversations that are degrading to women, finding it makes an impact on preventing sexual assault and harassment.

Boston University School of Medicine students selected for STARS Program

The STARS (Students and Trainees Advocating for Resource Stewardship) program at Boston University School of Medicine aims to help medical students develop skills to identify the appropriate amount of patient care. Through the program, students will review ABIM Foundation's Choosing Wisely value-based care campaign and use tools like t...

Amphetamine abuse disrupts development of mouse prefrontal cortex

A study published in eNeuro found that amphetamine exposure during adolescence impairs the development of the mouse prefrontal cortex. This region is critical for decision-making and other complex functions. The researchers observed reduced synapses and axon growth, suggesting a lasting impact on brain structure.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

DNA evidence is putting rhino poachers behind bars, study shows

A new DNA-based system is successfully linking seized rhino horns to specific crime scenes where rhinoceros carcasses were left behind. The Rhino DNA Index System (RhODIS) has been used in over 5,800 forensic cases and has led to convictions in more than 120 cases.

Tropical Cyclone Ava moving away from Madagascar

Tropical Cyclone Ava is located in the Southern Indian Ocean, southeast of Europa Island. The storm is expected to maintain strength for the next day before weakening due to increasing vertical wind shear and cooler sea surface temperatures.

Many Midwestern retailers sell mislabeled invasive vines

Many Midwestern retailers are selling oriental bittersweet, an invasive species, as native American bittersweet. Researchers found that 54% of plants labeled 'American bittersweet' were actually oriental bittersweet, which can outcompete and harm the native plant.

Trawl of Red Sea surface waters finds little plastic

A team of researchers from KAUST found that the Red Sea has a relatively low amount of plastic debris in its surface waters. The majority of collected rubbish was rigid fragments of broken objects, with only small amounts of plastic film and fishing lines.

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.

New catalyst for making fuels from shale gas

Researchers at UCL and Tufts University developed a platinum-copper alloy catalyst that breaks carbon-hydrogen bonds in methane with reduced energy consumption. The new catalyst is resistant to coking, rendering it more effective than traditional materials.

Researchers call for true picture of domestic violent crime

Researchers at Lancaster University warn that a new counting method for domestic violent crime may mask the true extent of the problem. The method limits coercive and controlling behavior to one crime per victim, despite statistics showing one in 20 victims experience more than 10 domestic violence crimes a year.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

Scientists discover molecule that could revert cellular aging

Researchers at Instituto de Medicina Molecular found a specific non-coding RNA molecule, Zeb2-NAT, which can be reduced to regenerate old cells. By manipulating this molecule, it's possible to induce cellular regeneration and potentially treat diseases associated with cellular aging.

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.

Severe obesity linked to newly identified gene mutations

Researchers have discovered a link between ADCY3 gene mutations and severe obesity, which can lead to appetite control abnormalities, diabetes, and anosmia. This finding offers new hope for the development of targeted treatments for obesity.

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.

Monthly brain cycles predict seizures in patients with epilepsy

Researchers at UCSF have discovered monthly cycles of brain activity linked to seizures in patients with epilepsy. By analyzing data from implanted brain stimulation devices, the team identified patterns of electrical discharges known as 'brain irritability' that are associated with higher seizure risk.

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.

New research reveals how gardeners can dig for health, not injury

A study from Coventry University and the Royal Horticultural Society found that bad digging techniques can double the load on joints, increasing risk of osteoarthritis. Good gardening practice involves regular, repetitive motion to minimize back bends and large knee bends.

Vision, sensory and motor testing could predict best batters in baseball

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center found players with higher scores on vision and motor tasks completed on large touch-screen machines had better on-base percentages, more walks, and fewer strikeouts. High scores in perception-span task were associated with an increased ability to get on base.

Improved blood stabilization should expand use of circulating tumor cell profiling

A new blood stabilization method developed at Massachusetts General Hospital significantly prolongs the lifespan of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in whole blood samples. This approach allows for the preservation of high-quality RNA suitable for demanding molecular assays, opening up potential for personalized drug testing and expandin...

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.

Common birth control shot linked to risk of HIV infection

A comprehensive review of available evidence suggests that replacing the DMPA contraceptive shot with alternative methods could help protect women from becoming infected with HIV. The study found that some other forms of contraception do not show the same deleterious effect on immune function as DMPA.

How amyloid plaques spread in the brain

Researchers analyze brain slices from patients with Alzheimer's and cerebral amyloid angiopathy, finding distinct amyloid-beta prion strains associated with different disease types. Mutant amyloid-beta adopts self-propagating prion structure, imparting pathological conformation to normal amyloid-beta.

Activity monitors only effective when users set goals

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University found that activity monitors have no impact on physical activity when used without a goal. However, tracking steps and moderate intensity activity with clear objectives can lead to significant increases in physical activity and improved heart health.