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Science News Archive January 2018


Page 9 of 37

Substantial inequalities in cesarean births persist in many countries

A recent study reveals substantial inequalities in cesarean births persisting across countries, with higher rates among the richest fifths indicating overuse. The researchers emphasize the need for targeted policies to ensure equitable access to caesarean sections and improve maternal and newborn health.

Tracking down T cell targets to tamp down HIV infection

Researchers found that elevated frequencies of a specific protein-expressing T cell correlate with increased HIV infection risk and more severe disease in women. Existing treatments for inflammatory bowel disease may be repurposed as valuable interventions for HIV.

Federal grant expands testing for new nonmedication ADHD treatment

Researchers at Florida State University are developing a new nonmedication treatment for ADHD using video games. The Central Executive Training program aims to boost brain executive functions and reduce hyperactivity symptoms in children. A five-year NIH grant will test the effectiveness of this innovative approach.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Zebrafish study provides new insights into autism spectrum disorder research

Researchers at Oregon State University discovered that exposure to valproic acid, a migraine treatment, causes characteristics similar to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in zebrafish. The study validated zebrafish as a model for studying ASD and its causes, providing a faster and more efficient alternative to traditional rodent models.

How wind turbines annoy residents and how to reduce it

A recent study by MLU psychologists found that nearly a third of residents near wind farms experience little to no annoyance from the noise, while one in ten suffer from stress symptoms. The researchers recommend proactive addressing residents' concerns during planning phases and providing early information campaigns.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

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

New research can put an end to allergic reactions

Researchers at Aarhus University have found a new mechanism by which an antibody can prevent allergic reactions, including those caused by birch pollen and insect venom. The antibody interferes with the binding of IgE molecules to immune cells, thereby eliminating allergic symptoms.

Medicaid expansion linked with better, more timely surgical care

A new study found that Medicaid expansion in the US led to improved access to surgery and higher quality surgical care, with significant improvements seen within less than two years. The study analyzed data from nearly 300,000 patients and compared 27 states with expanded Medicaid coverage to 15 without expansion.

Less than one in 100 stroke survivors meet heart health goals

Researchers found that fewer than one in five stroke survivors met at least four ideal health metrics, including healthy eating and exercise. The proportion who failed to meet even one criterion has increased over time, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to improve cardiovascular health.

A simple new approach to plastic solar cells

Researchers at Osaka University redesigned a polymer to improve its hole conductivity, enhancing solar power conversion performance. This design enables mass production through simple printing methods, potentially lowering costs and increasing adoption of plastic solar cells.

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.

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.

Adipose tissue depots compromise heart health

Researchers have found that changes in adipose tissue lipid metabolism contribute to the development of heart failure. The study suggests that targeting fat tissue may provide a new approach to treating heart disease.

A new genome for regeneration research

The study provides a complete genome assembly of the planarian flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea, revealing novel giant repeat elements, new genes, and the absence of certain essential genes. The discovery has potential implications for understanding regeneration research and stem cell biology.

Feelings determine from which side we embrace each other

Researchers studied over 2,500 hugs to understand how emotional context affects hug behavior. They found that emotional states influence the lateralization of hugs, with left-sided hugs more common in positive situations and right-sided hugs in negative contexts. Handedness and footedness also play a role in predicting hug direction.

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.

New discovery could improve organic solar cell performance

Scientists at Berkeley Lab have unraveled the mystery of a multiplier mechanism in an organic crystal, which holds promise for dramatically boosting the efficiency of organic solar cells. The discovery explains how this reaction can occur in just tens of femtoseconds, avoiding loss of energy as heat.

Vitamin D supplements could ease painful IBS symptoms

A new study from the University of Sheffield suggests that vitamin D supplements could help alleviate painful IBS symptoms. The research found a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in IBS patients, regardless of ethnicity, and showed that vitamin D supplements had the most benefit on quality of life.

Scientific breakthrough could lead to better antipsychotic drugs

Scientists at UNC School of Medicine and UCSF have solved the first high-resolution crystal structure of the dopamine 2 receptor bound to risperidone, a commonly prescribed antipsychotic medication. This discovery may lead to more selective medications with fewer side effects for patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autis...

New sensor for measuring electric field strength

A new silicon-based sensor developed by TU Wien measures electric field strength without distortion, with potential applications in weather forecasting, industrial process control, and high-voltage power line safety. The sensor achieves impressive levels of precision, reliably measuring weak fields of less than 200 volts per meter.

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.

Pearly material for bendable heating elements (video)

Researchers develop hybrid material combining nacre mimetic with silver nanowires, exhibiting excellent heating properties and high flexibility. The composite material shows promise for wearable devices, such as bendable heaters.

Could underwater sound waves be the key to early tsunami warnings?

Scientists at Cardiff University have developed a new method to calculate tsunami size and destructive force by measuring acoustic gravity waves. The technology uses fast-moving underwater sound waves generated after tsunami trigger events, such as earthquakes, making them an ideal source of information for early warning systems.

Brain-scan guided emergency stroke treatment can save more lives

A new study by the Endovascular Therapy Following Imaging Evaluation for the Ischemic Stroke (DEFUSE 3) trial demonstrated that brain-scan guided emergency stroke treatment can be effective up to 16 hours after symptom onset. The treatment led to improved outcomes, including increased functional independence and survival rates.

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Targeting bladder cancer's Achilles heel: stem cells

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have discovered that two proteins, COX2 and YAP1, work together to maintain bladder cancer stem cells, which cause chemotherapy resistance. Targeting these proteins may lead to improved treatment outcomes for patients with bladder cancer.

Prediction of titanic nitride proved unsinkable

Researchers have successfully synthesized cubic, semiconducting titanium nitride (Ti3N4) with excellent mechanical and wear resistance properties. The material has a larger band gap than expected and is expected to exhibit improved optoelectronic properties, making it suitable for electronic devices.

Blast, bubble and brain injury

University of Texas researchers use supercomputer simulations to study how blast waves affect the brain's perineuronal nets, potentially leading to life-threatening injuries. They also explore materials for space shuttles, aiming to improve their durability and performance.

Leprosy's drug resistance and origin revealed by genome analysis

A recent study has shed new light on the biology of M. leprae, revealing genes associated with antibiotic resistance and potentially leading to new treatments. The research also suggests that leprosy originated in the Far East, challenging long-held assumptions about its origins.

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.

How expectations impact actual exam scores

Researchers found that students who expect higher scores tend to achieve them, contradicting the idea that overconfidence hinders academic success. Girls are also more accurate in their predictions than boys, becoming faster to adapt as they progress through exams.

Will supplements help your workout or diet routine?

The Office of Dietary Supplements at NIH has released two new resources to help people understand the effectiveness and safety of dietary supplements promoted for fitness and weight loss. The fact sheets cover over 20 ingredients found in these products, including antioxidants, creatine, and protein.

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.

For global invasion, Argentine ants use chemical weapons

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside found that Argentine ants produce compounds dolichodial and iridomyrmecin to attack harvester ants, causing irritation and disorientation. The study's findings could lead to new pest control strategies using synthetic versions of these chemicals.

Ultralow power consumption for data recording

Researchers at Tohoku University have developed a new phase change material, Cr2Ge2Te6, that achieves a significant reduction in power consumption for data recording in phase change memory (PCRAM). The material exhibits an inverse resistance change and combines low operation energy, high data retention, and fast operation speed.

NASA GOLD Mission to image Earth's interface to space

The NASA GOLD Mission observes the dynamic intermingling of space and Earth's uppermost atmosphere, seeking to understand what drives change in this critical region. The mission provides fast observations to monitor hour-by-hour changes in space weather and improves forecasting models for satellites, astronauts, and life on Earth.

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.

Advances in lasers get to the long and short of it

A new technique allows researchers to switch emission between long- and short-wavelength edges of photonic bandgap by applying a voltage of 20 V. This is achieved through modifying the dipole moment of cholesteric liquid crystals.

Quantum cocktail provides insights on memory control

Researchers created a quantum many-body system using trapped atoms in an artificial crystal, enabling them to study the physics of magnetic materials. By controlled shaking of the crystal, they switched between two forms of magnetic order, a crucial process for data storage.

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.

Rare type of stroke increasing among pregnant women

Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage is a rare type of stroke occurring in 6% of pregnant women, with better outcomes compared to non-pregnant women. Pregnant women with sSAH have lower mortality rates and are more likely to be discharged home.

Finding the root cause of bronchiolitis symptoms

Researchers found that RSV and rhinovirus trigger different molecular pathways in the NFkB pathway, a protein cascade involved in inflammation. This discovery suggests that steroids may be effective for rhinovirus but not for RSV, paving the way for targeted treatment approaches.

Making milestones against non-small cell lung cancer

Researchers have made significant progress in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with the development of molecularly targeted therapies and immunotherapies. These treatments aim to attack tumor cells with mutated genes, but resistance is a common challenge.

More stroke patients may receive crucial treatments under new guideline

The new guideline increases the window of time for selected patients to receive mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel strokes, up to 16 hours after a stroke. It also broadens eligibility for administering a clot-busting IV drug called alteplase, potentially increasing the number of people receiving intravenous clot-busting treatment.

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.

Racism linked to uptake of smoking in young people

A new study published in PLOS ONE found that adolescents who experienced racism between 11-23 years old are more likely to take up smoking. The study analyzed questionnaire and interview data from over 6500 pupils, revealing a strong link between racial trauma and the development of smoking habits.

Discovery may advance neural stem cell treatments for brain disorders

Researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have made a groundbreaking discovery that may advance neural stem cell treatments for brain disorders. The study reveals how an mRNA modification impacts the life of neural stem cells, and how it regulates histone modifications to maintain their self-renewal.

Novel material cuts cost of substance purification for industry

A Brazilian startup has developed a porous silica magnetic microparticle that can selectively adsorb different molecules, allowing for efficient purification of substances in various industries. This technology reduces production costs by skipping filtration or centrifugation stages, resulting in lower costs and shorter production times.

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.

Stanford-led clinical trial shows broader benefits of acute-stroke therapy

A clinical trial led by Stanford University researchers found that brain-imaging software identified patients who could benefit from clot-removal procedure up to 10 hours after stroke onset. The study showed improved outcomes for nearly half of patients treated between six and 16 hours after symptoms began.