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Science News Archive June 2018


Page 28 of 40

Making the oxygen we breathe, a photosynthesis mechanism exposed

Researchers at Georgia Tech have elucidated the role of a small metal catalyst and an amino acid in the release of oxygen from water in photosystem II, a complex protein structure found in plants and algae. The discovery sheds light on the intricate chemistry of photosynthesis and has potential applications in improving crop productivi...

Turbocharge for lithium batteries

Scientists have developed a new anode material for lithium-ion batteries that can store more energy and charge faster. The hybrid material combines tin oxide nanoparticles with antimony on a graphene base, improving stability and conductivity.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Key cancer-fighting gene's secret weapons revealed

Researchers have discovered how p53 stops the development of lymphoma and potentially other cancers by targeting specific DNA repair genes. This new information could help doctors identify patients at risk and develop safer treatments.

New 28-GHz transceiver paves the way for future 5G devices

Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology designed a tiny, fast, reliable, and accurate 28-GHz transceiver for stable high-speed 5G communications. The new transceiver employs a local oscillator (LO) phase shifting approach, achieving an improvement in beam steering resolution of an order of magnitude compared to previous designs.

'Tricking' bacteria into hydroxylating benzene

Researchers have successfully used E.coli bacteria to oxidize C-H bonds in benzene to generate phenol by activating a genetically inserted cytochrome P450BM3 enzyme with a decoy molecule. This novel approach enables whole-cell biotransformation without harsh conditions or genetic modification.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

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Are you really you when you're hungry?

A study published by the American Psychological Association suggests that hunger can lead to emotional states like anger, but only when certain context and self-awareness factors are present. Participants who were more aware of their hunger feelings were less likely to become hangry.

DIY brings high throughput to continuous cell culturing

eVOLVER, an open-source system developed by Rice University, enables high-throughput continuous cell culturing using automated growth experiments. The system can support 96-chamber experiments and allows for real-time data tracking and monitoring of culture conditions, making it suitable for applications in synthetic biology and antibi...

Fighting tobacco use among adults with mental illness

A University of Houston researcher is targeting adults with anxiety and depression who struggle to quit smoking by providing individualized, online feedback. The goal is to increase motivation, confidence, and intention to quit while reducing perceived barriers to quitting. The study aims to improve distress tolerance skills to help pa...

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.

Manipulated enzymes

Researchers at TU Graz have achieved a breakthrough in biocatalysis by manipulating an enzyme to create ring-shaped molecules. This innovation enables the production of novel pharmaceuticals and plant protection products with high enantiomeric purity, opening doors for sustainable 'green' chemistry.

The language of facial expressions

A study by University of Miami Professor Daniel Messinger and colleagues found that eye wrinkles around the eyes, known as the Duchenne marker, convey more intense and sincere emotions across multiple facial expressions. Participants rated Duchenne smiles and sad expressions as more sincere and intense than non-Duchenne expressions.

'Therepi' device attaches to heart

A new study from MIT and Harvard University introduces the 'Therepi' device, which attaches directly to damaged heart tissue to deliver multiple therapies. The device addresses issues with current drug delivery methods, providing a non-invasive solution for treating heart disease.

Tracing the impacts of food and nutrition policies

Researchers found that children in WIC households ate more fruits and vegetables, while a CDC study assessed local government incentives for healthy food options. Model estimates also show banning trans fats could reduce health disparities and save billions in healthcare costs.

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.

Taking a closer look at 'electrifying' chemistry

Researchers have developed a new method to study electrocatalysts, enabling the precise mechanism of electrocatalytic reactions to be understood. This breakthrough can lead to more efficient and sustainable chemical processes using renewable energy.

Implantable device delivers drugs straight to the heart

Researchers developed a refillable, implantable device called Therepi that can deliver drugs and therapies directly to diseased tissue. The device increases heart function for more than four weeks when stem cells are repeatedly delivered.

Negative emotions are murkier, less distinct in adolescence

A study published in Psychological Science found that adolescents experience less distinct and more 'murky' negative emotions compared to children and adults. Researchers discovered a U-shaped pattern of emotion differentiation across different age groups, with the lowest clarity during adolescence.

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.

A new system optimizes electric transmission from offshore wind farms

A new system developed by UC3M researchers allows for efficient energy transmission from offshore wind farms to the mainland electrical grid. The system uses a distributed control system and diode rectifier stations to synchronize wind turbine voltage and frequency, reducing costs by up to 30%.

Diamond dust shimmering around distant stars

Astronomers identify hydrogenated nanodiamonds as likely source of anomalous microwave emission (AME), a type of faint microwave light emanating from regions across the Milky Way. The discovery provides new insights into the formation of nanodiamonds in protoplanetary disks and has implications for cosmology research.

Choice matters: The environmental costs of producing meat, seafood

A new analysis finds that small, wild-caught fish and farmed mollusks have the lowest environmental impact, while industrial beef production and farmed catfish are the most taxing. The study used life-cycle assessments to compare environmental costs across various types of animal protein production.

A new therapy proves effective against brain metastasis

A study led by CNIO researchers shows that silibinin reduces brain metastasis lesions in mice and patients, targeting the tumor microenvironment. The treatment has shown encouraging results, with 75% of patients reacting positively and a 15.5-month average survival rate

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 physically active are adolescents, young adults?

Adolescents girls reported less physical activity than their male counterparts, with activity dropping off sharply during the transition to young adulthood. The study highlights disparities in physical activity among certain groups, emphasizing the importance of promoting physical activity among adolescents and young adults.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

New wind turbines are even efficient in low winds

VTT's research reveals that new-generation wind turbines are reasonably efficient in low winds, allowing for more flexible turbine locations. The new technology increases the potential offered by wind power, covering up to 86 TWh of Finland's electricity consumption, fivefold more than previous technology.

New aircraft-scheduling models may ease air travel frustrations

Researchers developed models to create schedules with built-in flexibility, reducing delay cascades and costs for airlines. By analyzing historical data from US airlines, the team found that tweaking aircraft routing can make a significant impact on delay costs.

New target for treating heart failure identified by Penn Medicine researchers

Researchers from Penn Medicine identified a new target for treating heart failure by reversing the stiffness of diseased heart muscle cell struts, which can improve the beating strength of cells isolated from transplant patients. The team aims to develop therapies that seek out damaged cellular struts to reverse their harmful influence.

Fathers' early parenting quality affected by mothers

A new study found that fathers' early parenting quality is influenced by their partner's gatekeeping behaviors, with more criticism leading to worse parenting at 9 months old. Mothers' attitudes and behaviors can shape how fathers interact with their children.

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.

Long periods of viral suppression shown to prevent cancer in aging HIV population

Researchers found that long-term viral suppression significantly reduces cancer risk in aging HIV-positive individuals, with lower rates seen in patients with sustained suppression compared to those with early or no suppression. The study highlights the importance of viral suppression in preventing cancer and may inform strategies for ...

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.

A system purely for developing high-performance, big data codes

PlinyCompute is a system designed for developing high-performance big data codes, offering faster implementation of complex object manipulation and library-style computations compared to Spark. The platform was developed by Rice University's DARPA-funded Pliny Project team, which aims to create sophisticated programming tools using mac...

'Surgery in a pill' a potential treatment for diabetes

Researchers have developed a pill that can temporarily coat the intestine to prevent nutrient contact and lower blood sugar spikes in preclinical study. The engineered compound, LuCI, was found to alter nutrient contact and lower blood glucose response after a meal, with benefits lasting only a few hours.

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.

Wastewater treatment plants are key route into UK rivers for microplastics

Research found that water samples downstream of six UK wastewater treatment plants contained significantly higher concentrations of microplastics. The study suggests that these plants are a key route into UK rivers for microplastic pollution, posing a threat to river ecosystems and marine environments.

RNA changes aided sunflower's rapid evolutionary transformation, domestication

A new study reveals that RNA changes played a crucial role in the domestication of sunflowers, allowing for rapid evolutionary transformation over 5,000 years. The researchers identified key genes and regulatory mechanisms involved in alternative splicing, which created useful efficiencies but also introduced variation.

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.

Discovery in the sky with nanodiamonds

A team of researchers at Cardiff University has discovered that tiny crystals of carbon, nanodiamonds, are likely the source of a mysterious microwave glow emanating from star systems in the Milky Way. The discovery was made by studying infrared light from protoplanetary disks surrounding newly formed stars.

Federal food aid to Puerto Rico high in salt, sugar

An analysis of federal food aid delivered after Hurricane Maria found that nearly 10% of items exceeded daily limits for sodium, added sugars, or saturated fats. The study highlights the need for better programs to protect the health of communities affected by disasters.

Two bilateral French-Austrian research projects start at IST Austria

Two joint projects between IST Austria and French research institutes will study how polarity, shape and mechanics of cells control cell division. Johann Danzl and Olivier Thoumine investigate the role of synaptic adhesion molecules in synapse function using optically controlled molecules and high-resolution optical imaging.

Doing right by the whales

A new study urges a more proactive conservation management strategy for North Atlantic right whales due to declining calf births and shifting distribution. Researchers recommend expanding protective policies to cover their new habitat range and implementing advanced monitoring programs.

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.

Nano-decorations in nature's subsurface water filter

Researchers have found that certain colloids can stick to sediment grains due to decorative nanoscience, allowing for predictable attachment and removal of contaminants. This discovery could help improve prediction of contaminant transport distances and protect water resources.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

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

Rutgers physicists create new class of 2D artificial materials

A Rutgers-led international team of scientists has verified a 53-year-old theory on ferroelectric metals, creating a new class of two-dimensional artificial materials that exhibit ferroelectric-like properties at room temperature. These findings have the potential to spawn a new generation of multi-functional devices and applications.

A better device for measuring electromagnetic radiation

Researchers have developed a new ultrafast and highly sensitive bolometer that can work at room temperature, paving the way for new astronomical observatories, heat sensors, and quantum sensing devices. The device uses graphene to amplify absorption of electromagnetic radiation, enabling precise measurements in picoseconds.

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.