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Science News Archive April 2019


Page 21 of 44

CubeSats prove their worth for scientific missions

Science-oriented CubeSats like MinXSS can collect valuable data on solar flares and the Sun's atmosphere, consistent with large satellites. The success of these small satellites has led to new funding opportunities for CubeSat science missions.

New study explains how inflammation causes gastric cancer

Researchers from Kanazawa University discovered that genes turned on in response to inflammation are a major cause of gastric cancer. The study found that NOXO1, a component of the NOX1 complex, produces tissue-damaging molecules called reactive oxygen species, leading to mutations in stomach cells and tumor formation.

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.

Otago global health researchers to tackle tuberculosis in Indonesia

Researchers from Otago Global Health Institute aim to increase TB notifications in Indonesia by implementing an electronic referral system and educating private healthcare providers. The study, funded by $650,000, will shed light on the issue of unreported TB cases and its impact on global health.

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.

In mice, feeding time influences the liver's biological clock

Rhythmic food intake drives liver gene expression independently of the molecular clock, regulating metabolic pathways and potentially leading to health issues like aging and obesity. The study's findings have implications for understanding circadian biology and the impact of timing on health.

Healthy hearts need two proteins working together

Two proteins, glucocorticoid receptor and mineralocorticoid receptor, work together to support heart health in mice. The study's findings may lead to the development of therapeutic compounds that help people with an increased risk of a heart attack by regulating cortisol levels.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

A novel data-compression technique for faster computer programs

Researchers at MIT have developed a novel data-compression technique that leverages object-based compression to reduce memory usage and improve performance. The 'Zippads' technique compresses objects across the memory hierarchy, reducing memory consumption by half and improving computation speeds.

This oral appliance could help you (and your partner) sleep better

Researchers at Hiroshima University Hospital have developed an oral appliance to treat mild to moderate sleep apnea. The treatment, which brings the jawbone forward to enlarge air passageways, was found to halve sleep apnea episodes and widen airways in a study of 13 patients.

Bacterial mix helps predict future change

Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science & Technology found that bacterial communities can homogenize even with slow flowing water and persistent conditions. They identified a precise flow rate of 3.85 microlitres per second for homogenization to occur.

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.

At last, acknowledging royal women's political power

A recent study analyzing eight premodern states reveals that queen rulers and main wives exercised significant political power, including determining succession, governing policies, and influencing alliances. These women often wielded comparable power to their male counterparts, with agency extending beyond warfare.

Could robots make a documentary about a 5K race?

A team of researchers is developing AI-powered mobile robots to direct a documentary-style coverage of a 5K race. The robots will predict likely events, adjust plans in real-time, and gather information as they go, capturing the most pertinent moments for an engaging narrative.

Neural circuits underlying compulsive drug use

Researchers report a link between methamphetamine self-administration and imbalance of brain circuits responsible for addiction. Noninvasive brain stimulation may help control compulsive drug use in humans by targeting these circuit imbalances.

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

Irregular schedules raise risk of injury for miners working long hours

Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago found that injured miners who worked shifts longer than 9 hours tended to have irregular schedules or less than two years on the job. Long work shifts were associated with a 32% increased risk of injury resulting in death and a 73% increased risk of multiple worker injuries.

Hold the mustard: What makes spiders fussy eaters

Spiders, including wolf spiders, react to irritating chemicals like allyl isothiocyanate in a similar way to mammals and humans, who have transient receptor potential channels that activate sensations like pain and taste. This reaction causes them to avoid eating insects coated with these chemicals.

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.

Venezuela estimated to have had 1 million new malaria infections in 2018

The study highlights the devastating impact of Venezuela's socioeconomic and political crisis on public health, with a significant increase in malaria cases. The country is now facing an 'epidemic of unprecedented proportions', with diseases turning into epidemics due to the collapse of healthcare systems.

90% of teens killed by an intimate partner are girls

A new study in JAMA Pediatrics found that intimate partner homicide among teens is a serious public health issue, with 90% of victims being girls. The study analyzed data from the National Violent Death Reporting System and found that guns were the most common weapon used in these homicides.

Rice advances the art of protein blacksmithing

Researchers develop a new method to create detailed structural models of proteins using force-driven simulations, reducing computational power requirements. The technique, inspired by metallurgy, allows for faster computation and more accurate results than existing approaches.

Suicide-bombing aphids defend colonies against predators

Aphid soldiers expel lipid-rich fluids to create a soft clot around the gall wound, which is swiftly hardened and melanin-darkened through phenoloxidase. This collective action amplifies an immune response for social defense, providing molecular clues to altruistic social defense mechanisms.

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.

Dementia more preventable in Asia and Latin America

A new study found that nearly half of dementia cases in low- to middle-income countries, such as China and India, could be prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors like education, hearing loss, and obesity. Improving childhood education and health outcomes throughout life may lead to significant reductions in dementia rates.

The discrete-time physics hiding inside our continuous-time world

Researchers at the Santa Fe Institute and MIT find that continuous-time systems must have hidden states and finite hidden timesteps to exhibit two-time dynamics. This discovery has implications for understanding biomolecular processes, ecosystem evolution, and financial market behavior.

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.

Low-calorie sweetener derived from lactose gets manufacturing boost from yeast

A new strain of yeast can produce tagatose in much larger quantities than traditional enzymatic manufacturing techniques, making it a cost-effective alternative to sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. The glycemic index of tagatose is lower than that of sucrose and fructose, carrying a lower risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.

Precise decoding of breast cancer cells creates new option for treatment

Researchers used mass cytometry to analyze millions of cancer and immune cells from 140 patients, discovering unique cellular compositions in each tumor. The study found that aggressive tumors are dominated by a single type of cell, while immune therapy may work for previously unsuitable breast cancer patients.

Need for social skills helped shape modern human face

A new review suggests that social communication played a significant role in shaping the modern human face. The study, led by University of York researchers, concludes that our faces evolved not only due to factors like diet and climate but also to facilitate nonverbal communication and establish large social networks.

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.

Examination of adolescent homicides committed by intimate partners

Nearly 2,200 adolescent homicides were analyzed; 150 were committed by an intimate partner, with nearly all female victims killed by firearm. The study highlights the need for understanding early adolescent dating relationships to inform prevention and intervention efforts.

Dopamine regulates sex differences in worms

Research on Caenorhabditis elegans reveals dopamine's role in sex-specific behaviors, such as food finding and mating strategies. The study demonstrates how dopamine acts through different molecular pathways to give rise to these differences.

Household pollution and air quality in India

Reducing household fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions in India could decrease mean annual ambient PM2.5 exposure by over 17%, averting premature mortality and meeting the national air quality standard for 103 additional districts. Complete mitigation of emissions from cooking alone would be necessary to achieve this goal.

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.

Graphene gives a tremendous boost to future terahertz cameras

Researchers at ICFO have developed a graphene-enabled photodetector that operates at room temperature, is highly sensitive, and very fast. This breakthrough enhances the performance of existing terahertz detectors, paving the way for the creation of fully digital low-cost camera systems.

Cometary surprise found inside meteorite

A team of researchers discovered a primitive class of meteorite containing a slice of carbon-rich material similar to extraterrestrial dust particles thought to have originated in comets near the outer edges of the Solar System. This finding provides insights into the Solar System's architecture and formation.

Climate models and long-term temperature variability

Global climate models can adequately simulate temperature variability at timescales of years to multiple millennia. The study suggests that with correct initial and boundary conditions, particularly in the deep ocean, forecasting temperature variations becomes more feasible.

Variations in country-specific sex ratios at birth

A study analyzing vital registration, census, and survey data from 202 countries estimates sex ratio at birth for all countries between 1950 and 2017. The study reveals significant regional variations and findings a total of 23.1 million missing female births worldwide.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

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

Power to the people: How everyday acts of defiance can shape and change markets

Researchers found three techniques: ambidextrous practices, secure networks, and stealthy defiance, which helped individuals resist strict rules and structures, leading to rule relaxation and market changes. These actions were crucial for consumers and individuals with limited resources to participate in shaping the market.

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.

Sniffing pleasant odors may decrease cigarette craving

A novel approach using pleasant odors could help smokers quit by reducing craving urges. Pleasant aromas significantly decreased urge scores in participants, with those smelling pleasant odors showing a greater reduction than tobacco or blank scents.

Best in snow: New scientific device creates electricity from snowfall

Researchers at UCLA designed a device that harnesses the charge from falling snow to create electricity. The snow-based triboelectric nanogenerator can work in remote areas without batteries, providing a continuous power supply for applications such as monitoring winter sports or tracking athletes.

Tiny fragment of a comet found inside a meteorite

A tiny piece of a comet has been discovered inside a primitive meteorite, providing insights into the solar system's structure and evolution. The finding is significant as it reveals details about how our solar system took shape during its early stages.

Peeling back the darkness of M87

A team of researchers unveiled an image of the shadow cast by a black hole at the center of galaxy Messier 87, using the Event Horizon Telescope and supercomputers like Stampede1 and Stampede2. The image confirms that supermassive black holes exist and match the appearance expected from simulations.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

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

Resolving sex differences in psychiatric disorder risk

A new study found that female rats exposed to maternal immune activation during pregnancy exhibit autism- and schizophrenia-like behaviors, similar to their male siblings. The researchers argue that this limitation may contribute to conflicting results in the field of psychiatric disorders.