Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive May 2018 - Page 4


Page 4 of 44

New study shows evidence that health information exchanges improve care, reduce costs

A recent systematic review found that health information exchanges can significantly reduce healthcare costs and usage. Community-based exchanges showed more promising results than proprietary ones. The study's lead investigator attributed the difference to more mature systems being examined in the current review.

SourceIndiana University·JournalJournal of the American Medical Informatics Association·DateMay 30, 2018
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.

Surgical technique improves sensation, control of prosthetic limb

Researchers developed a new neural interface paradigm that preserves dynamic muscle relationships in amputated limbs, allowing for proprioceptive feedback and movement commands. The technique improved sensation and control of prosthetic limbs, enabling people with artificial limbs to move more efficiently and naturally.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateMay 30, 2018

Building nanomaterials for next-generation computing

Researchers created a unified Time-Temperature-Architecture Diagram to guide the fabrication of heterostructures with favorable electronic properties. The blueprint enables the generation of numerous nanostructures with physical properties of interest, paving the way for advancements in computing power and transistors.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalJournal of Applied Physics·DateMay 30, 2018
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.

Cometh the cyborg: improved integration of living muscles into robots

Researchers at The University of Tokyo's Institute of Industrial Science have developed a method to integrate living muscle into robots, overcoming previous issues with force and function. The resulting biohybrid robots achieved remarkable movement and continued muscle function for over a week.

SourceInstitute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo·JournalScience Robotics·DateMay 30, 2018

Heat is driving off clouds that dampen California wildfires

A new study found that urbanization and climate change are driving off low-lying morning clouds in southern California, leading to increased wildfire risk. The decrease in cloud cover correlates with lower vegetation moisture and higher fire danger.

SourceColumbia Climate School·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateMay 30, 2018

New tool improves fishing efficiency and sustainability

A new tool called EcoCast uses satellite data, maps, and observations to help fishers locate the most productive fishing spots while avoiding protected species. The study shows that this approach can be up to 10 times more efficient in protecting species than previous management styles.

SourceStanford University·JournalScience Advances·DateMay 30, 2018

Sugarcane pest produces foam to protect itself from heat

Researchers discovered that the root spittlebug produces a thermal insulator-foam to maintain an optimal body temperature during development. The foam, composed of palmitic acid, stearic acid, proteins, and carbohydrates, protects nymphs from temperature fluctuations in the external environment.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalScientific Reports·DateMay 30, 2018

Some blood stem cells are better than others

Researchers discovered that blood stem cells with a genetic mutation can be compensated by normal stem cells producing specific types of immune cells. Key findings suggest these highly productive stem cells proliferate dramatically and maintain a balanced immune system when transplanted into mice.

SourceUniversity of Southern California - Health Sciences·JournalEMBO Reports·DateMay 30, 2018
Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

Societies may help promote female representation within academic science

A study found that smaller societies with female leadership have higher female representation, but still lag behind male representation, indicating a need for constitutional commitments to equality. Academic societies can promote gender equity through supporting female leadership and making an outward commitment of equality.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateMay 30, 2018

Law firms do not encourage men to take parental leaves

A Finnish-Canadian study found that law firms' professional ethos discourages men from taking parental leave, perpetuating gender inequality. The study suggests organisational solutions and male law firm partners' encouragement are needed to promote a more family-friendly culture.

SourceUniversity of Eastern Finland·JournalInternational Journal of the Legal Profession·DateMay 30, 2018

Iron-sulfur cluster research offers new avenues of investigating disease

Researchers have discovered that disruptions in iron-sulfur cluster formation can lead to the buildup of fat droplets in cells, a hallmark of conditions like nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The study provides clues about the biochemical causes of these diseases and may help researchers find new targets for treatment.

SourceAmerican Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateMay 30, 2018
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.

Two-pronged antibodies draw immune killers directly to cancer cells

Scientists have engineered new anti-cancer antibodies that attract killer T cells directly to cancer cells covered with the ROR1 protein. These bi-specific antibodies can target several types of cancer and work for about five days, outlasting current approaches.

SourceScripps Research Institute·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 30, 2018

Radish cover crop traps nitrogen; mystery follows

Researchers found radish cover crops significantly reduced soil nitrate content, but decomposed nitrogen was not returned to the soil. The study suggests radish can trap nitrogen without providing a fertilizer benefit to subsequent crops.

SourceAmerican Society of Agronomy·JournalAgronomy Journal·DateMay 30, 2018

New guidance on treating diabetes in elderly and frail adults

The new guidance, developed by experts at the University of Exeter Medical School, aims to improve quality of life for older adults with type 2 diabetes. For the first time, it provides guidance on stopping treatment in particularly frail adults, a move welcomed by Diabetes UK.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalDiabetic Medicine·DateMay 30, 2018

Ants provide clues to why biodiversity is higher in the tropics

A team of scientists analyzed ant species distributions to understand why biodiversity is higher in the tropics. Their research suggests that time is key to species diversity, with tropical habitats having had more time to accumulate species.

SourceOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University·JournalNature Communications·DateMay 30, 2018
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.

New journal series provides insights on European medication-related guidelines

A new journal series published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology aims to provide insights into European medication-related guidelines. The series, developed in collaboration with the EMA, offers annotated versions of relevant guidelines and regulatory documents, facilitating discussion among professionals and patients. Ex...

SourceWiley·JournalBritish Journal of Clinical Pharmacology·DateMay 30, 2018

Research finds pain expectation is pain reality for children

New research from UC Riverside psychologist Kalina Michalska finds that children's experience of pain is significantly influenced by their expectations. The study, involving healthy and anxious children, reveals that simply telling them they will experience pain can actually increase the severity of their pain. In contrast, distracting...

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalPsychosomatic Medicine·DateMay 30, 2018

Welfare backlash tied to white fear of declining status

New research finds a causal relationship between whites' attitudes towards welfare and their perceived threatened racial status. Whites who fear losing their socioeconomic standing oppose government anti-poverty programs they perceive as benefiting minorities, while not affecting views on programs benefiting themselves.

SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·JournalSocial Forces·DateMay 30, 2018
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 devise new way to discern what microbes eat

Researchers developed a new method to identify microbe food sources using carbon stable isotope ratios, providing insights into microbial communities and their impact on animal and plant health. The technique uses mass spectrometry and software to link microbes with substrates, enabling the study of complex microbial relationships.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 30, 2018

Sniffing out real truffles

Researchers developed a technique to distinguish between natural and synthetic truffle compounds using carbon isotope ratios. The method can reliably detect foods containing synthetic truffle aroma or a mixture of synthetic and natural aromas, helping to fight food fraud.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalAnalytical Chemistry·DateMay 30, 2018

ESA tipsheet for June 2018

Researchers developed a new method to detect insect invaders using eDNA, while coral reef studies highlighted the importance of cultural values in conservation. Additionally, designers created fish-friendly architectural engineering designs for marine infrastructure, and a study examined the effects of oil sands on wildlife populations

SourceEcological Society of America·JournalFrontiers in Ecology and the Environment·DateMay 30, 2018
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.

NIH scientists show how tularemia bacteria trick cells to cause disease

Scientists at the NIH have unraveled the process by which the tularemia bacteria cause disease, finding that it tricks host cell mitochondria in two phases of infection. This understanding could lead to the development of effective treatment strategies for the life-threatening disease.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases·JournalInfection and Immunity·DateMay 30, 2018

Supercomputers give scientists key insight into the lifetime of neutrons

Scientists have calculated the axial coupling of neutrons with unprecedented precision using supercomputers, paving the way for more accurate nuclear physics predictions. This breakthrough has significant implications for fields like nuclear energy and nuclear weapon detection research.

SourceUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill·JournalNature·DateMay 30, 2018
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 compound effective against drug-resistant pathogens, could lead to new antibiotics

Researchers at North Carolina State University have synthesized a new compound inspired by a natural product that is effective against drug-resistant bacteria like MRSA. The molecule, JJM-35, has been shown to be up to 50 times more effective than the original natural product against several bacterial strains.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateMay 30, 2018

Along Alaska's Pacific coast, early humans could have migrated to the Americas

New research suggests that a narrow corridor along Alaska's Pacific coast could have enabled early human migration to the Americas as far back as 17,000 years ago. The authors used dating and reanalysis of animal bones to reconstruct deglaciation and find that the area was habitable during this time period.

SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience Advances·DateMay 30, 2018

From Haifa to Tokyo: Medical detectives team up on selenoprotein1/EPT1

Researchers from Israel and Japan collaborated to diagnose a child with an ultra-rare genetic disease caused by a mutation in the EPT1 gene, which is essential for making myelin in the normal brain. The team found that the disease affects PE production, leading to reduced plasmalogen synthesis, but not enough to prevent myelin damage.

SourceAmerican Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology·JournalJournal of Lipid Research·DateMay 30, 2018
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.

Pigs digest fiber efficiently even at high inclusion rates, study finds

Researchers found that pigs can ferment fiber in their hindgut without a decrease in efficiency up to 30% inclusion rate. The energy utilization from high-fiber diets is mainly affected by faster passage through the digestive tract, rather than fermentation capacity.

SourceUniversity of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences·JournalJournal of Animal Science·DateMay 30, 2018
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.

Better biomimetic bone focus of NIH grant

A $1.7 million NIH grant will aid in understanding citrate signaling for bone development and designing novel biomaterials. Researchers aim to mimic native tissue composition and induce bone growth through citrate-presenting biomaterials.

SourcePenn State·DateMay 30, 2018

'Hidden' driver discovered that helps prime the anti-tumor immune response

Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have identified a hidden driver, kinases Mst1 and Mst2, that regulates the function of different dendritic cell subsets and primes anti-tumor T cells. This discovery provides clues for new treatment strategies by modulating dendritic cell activity to shape the immune response.

SourceSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital·JournalNature·DateMay 30, 2018

Surgical technique improves sensation, control of prosthetic limb

Researchers have developed a novel approach to limb amputation that preserves dynamic muscle relationships, enabling patients to feel the movement of their prosthetic limbs. This new paradigm, called the agonist-antagonist myoneural interface (AMI), has been successfully implemented in a human patient with below-knee amputation.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateMay 30, 2018

High protein diet slightly increases heart failure risk in middle-aged men

Researchers found that higher protein intake from most sources was associated with a slightly higher risk of heart failure, with the greatest increase seen for animal-based proteins. The study suggests that moderating protein intake may be beneficial in preventing heart failure, but further research is needed.

SourceUniversity of Eastern Finland·DateMay 30, 2018
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Workplace dress codes present barriers to people living with disabilities

Research from the University of Missouri finds that workplace dress codes present a significant barrier to people living with disabilities, leading to increased stigma and decreased confidence. The study highlights the need for inclusive and adaptive clothing options to promote workplace inclusivity.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalSocieties·DateMay 30, 2018

One-step, 3D printing for multimaterial projects developed by WSU researchers

Researchers at Washington State University have developed a one-step 3D printing process for multimaterial projects, allowing for faster production and reduced manufacturing steps. The technology enables the creation of complex products with multiple parts in one operation, reducing the need for adhesives and joint connections.

SourceWashington State University·JournalAdditive Manufacturing·DateMay 30, 2018

Alternative inflation rate may offer more accurate economic guidance

Researchers found that official inflation indexes, such as CPI and PCE, may overestimate or underestimate the true inflation rate due to errors in housing rent assessments. The alternative method suggests an error range of 1.7-4.2% during the Great Recession and 0.3-0.9% during the current expansionary period.

SourcePenn State·JournalJournal of Macroeconomics·DateMay 30, 2018

Even a shark's electrical 'sixth sense' may be tuned to attack

Researchers discovered that sharks' electrosensing organs react in an all-or-none manner to tiny electrical fields, unlike skates which respond with graded currents. The study suggests that genes controlling ion channels may be responsible for this difference.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke·JournalNature·DateMay 30, 2018

New review highlights benefits of plant-based diets for heart health

A new review published in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases found that plant-based diets can prevent and reverse atherosclerosis, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease by 40%. Plant-based diets are rich in fiber and phytonutrients, which reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, while animal products are high in saturated fat a...

SourcePhysicians Committee for Responsible Medicine·JournalProgress in Cardiovascular Diseases·DateMay 30, 2018
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.

Oil and gas wastewater as dust suppressant less than ideal

A multidisciplinary team of researchers found that oil and gas wastewater can be effective at suppressing dust, but it also carries high salt, organic, and radioactivity concentrations. The team recommends using alternative materials or treatment to remove contaminants before using the wastewater.

SourcePenn State·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology·DateMay 30, 2018

NASA finds Subtropical Depression Alberto's center over Indiana

Subtropical Depression Alberto's center has been located near latitude 38.7 degrees north and longitude 87.4 degrees west, approximately 80 miles southwest of Indianapolis, Indiana. The depression is moving toward the north-northeast at 17 mph, with maximum sustained winds near 30 mph and higher gusts.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·DateMay 30, 2018

Supercomputers provide new window into the life and death of a neutron

A team of researchers used powerful supercomputers to calculate the nucleon axial coupling, which is central to understanding a neutron's lifetime. Their method offers a clear path to resolving the experimental discrepancy and provides new insights into fundamental forces of nature.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalNature·DateMay 30, 2018
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.

How to build a brain: discovery answers evolutionary mystery

Researchers at King's College London have discovered a fundamental process by which brains are built, involving the balance of excitatory and inhibitory neurons. This finding may lead to new treatments for neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and epilepsy.

SourceKing's College London·JournalNature·DateMay 30, 2018