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Science News Archive May 2020


Page 2 of 42

Assessing cancer diagnosis in children with birth defects

Researchers found that children with birth defects are more likely to develop certain types of cancer, including neuroblastoma and hepatoblastoma, and are diagnosed earlier in life. The study compared data from nearly 14,000 children with cancer to those with cancer and one or more birth defects.

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.

Taking a deep look into animals

A new method dubbed 'DEEP-Clear' allows researchers to visualize individual cells and their extensions in complex tissues like the brain. This approach enables scientists to capture 3D images of cells and tissues without sectioning, opening up new avenues for studying neural stem cell biology.

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.

Immunotherapy for bowel cancer could change clinical practice

A large international trial found that pembrolizumab more than doubled the progression-free survival time of patients with a specific subtype of advanced bowel cancer, compared to chemotherapy. The treatment also showed durable benefits, with 48.3% of patients experiencing no disease progression after two years.

Study charts developmental map of inner ear sound sensor in mice

A team of researchers generated a developmental map of the mouse inner ear's sound-sensing structure, providing insights into genetic programs that drive cell formation. The study sheds light on underlying causes of hearing loss linked to Ehlers-Danlos and Loeys-Dietz syndromes.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Limits on evolution revealed by statistical physics

Researchers used statistical physics models to study biological complexity and found that organisms are restricted to a low level of dimensionality. This means that their essential building blocks appear to be linked to each other, with variations fitting a one-dimensional curve or low-dimensional surface regardless of the environment.

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.

UTEP study examines COVID-19 stress, coping strategies, and well-being

A UTEP study found that active coping, denial, emotional support, humor, and religion are effective coping strategies for individuals with chronic conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research aimed to understand how these individuals perceive the pandemic and how their coping mechanisms relate to their well-being.

A hormone -- plant style

Scientists at Bielefeld University have created a method to produce a biologically significant precursor of jasmonic acid, a hormone that helps plants defend against predators. The new approach mimics how plants naturally produce the hormone, using enzymes as plant catalysts in a synthetic process.

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.

Neuropathogenesis, neurologic manifestations of coronaviruses

Researchers identify SARS-CoV-2's entry route into the central nervous system and report neurological complications of COVID-19 in a narrative review. Potential tissue targets are also identified for future research to understand the neuropathogenesis of coronaviruses.

Watcher' tracks coronavirus in Cincinnati and beyond

Two University of Cincinnati students developed an interactive dashboard to track COVID-19 cases and deaths. The COVID-19 Watcher displays data from every county and metropolitan area, allowing users to compare their city's progression with others.

Evolution of pandemic coronavirus outlines path from animals to humans

Researchers found that SARS-CoV-2 originated from a bat coronavirus and gained the ability to infect humans through exchanging a gene fragment with a pangolin coronavirus. The virus's genetic material was altered to bind to host cells, making it possible for it to infect human respiratory and intestinal epithelial cells.

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.

Electric pulses precisely shape 3D-printed metal parts

Researchers at Saarland University have developed a non-contact method to transform 3D-printed metal parts into precision-finished components with complex geometries and tight tolerances. The technique combines metal 3D printing and electrochemical machining to produce high-precision functional surfaces.

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.

MRI pregnancy study gives new insights into the all-important placenta

Researchers used MRI to investigate blood flow to the placenta in healthy and pre-eclampsia pregnancies, identifying differences in blood flow and a new phenomenon called the 'uteroplacental pump'. This finding could help explain why babies born to mothers with pre-eclampsia are often small and premature.

Heart surgery stalled as COVID-19 spread

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant reduction in cardiac surgeries worldwide, with an average of 50-75% decrease in procedures. Hospitals are now working to resume operations while protecting patients and staff from SARS-CoV-2. Experts have developed recommendations for safely resuming cardiac surgery activity.

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.

A new horizon for vibrational circular dichroism spectroscopy

Researchers developed solid state and time-step VCD methods to study chirality amplification in supramolecular systems. These enhancements allowed detection of chiral gels, metal complexes, and molecular pairs on solid surfaces, opening a new horizon for VCD spectroscopy.

New study finds cannibalism in predatory dinosaurs

Researchers found high frequencies of theropod bite marks on large-bodied sauropods, armored Mymoorapelta, and other dinosaurs at the Mygatt-Moore Quarry site. The data suggests an ecosystem where dinosaur remains lay out for months, providing a food source for multiple predators and scavengers.

OHIO leads new $3.7 million project to advance nuclear physics experiments

Researchers are developing the BAND framework to provide a publicly available set of computational tools for physicists, improving uncertainty quantification and predictive modeling in nuclear physics. The five-year grant will support regular software releases and workshops to train other scientists on using the tools.

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.

Scientists discover a gene to stay thin

Researchers identify ALK as a candidate gene for thinness by studying Estonian population cohort and finding it is involved in regulating energy expenditure and sympathetic tone. ALK deficient mice exhibit reduced fat mass and protected against diet-induced obesity.

Reusable face mask could be answer to PPE shortfall

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are developing a reusable face mask that can kill viruses caught on its surface using heat. The design features a thin, breathable film made from engineered carbon nanomaterials as a heatable filter retrofitted onto commercial masks.

Stanford Medicine study details molecular effects of exercise

A new Stanford Medicine study provides a comprehensive analysis of the molecular effects of exercise, shedding light on how physical fitness is determined at a molecular level. The research reveals a strong correlation between specific molecules and an individual's aerobic fitness, paving the way for the development of a blood test tha...

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.

Material and genetic resemblance in the Bronze Age Southern Levant

The study reveals strong genetic resemblance among Bronze Age Southern Levant populations, including a significant Caucasus/Zagros component and Chalcolithic Zagros ancestry. The movement of people from the northeast into the region started as early as 4,500 years ago and continued throughout the Bronze Age.

Algorithm quickly simulates a roll of loaded dice

The Fast Loaded Dice Roller (FLDR) algorithm simulates the roll of loaded dice to produce random integers with the best combination of speed, accuracy, and low memory requirements. FLDR can use up to 10,000 times less memory storage space than existing methods.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

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

Two paths better than one for treating patients with heart stents

A recent study by cardiologists at the University of Alberta found that combining a blood-thinning drug rivaroxaban with aspirin daily reduces major adverse events and mortality rates in patients with chronic coronary disease who have had an angioplasty. The treatment was found to be significantly better than aspirin alone in preventin...

Modelling predicts COVID-19 resurgence if physical distancing relaxed

Research suggests that if physical distancing measures are relaxed too much or too quickly, hospitals may be overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients and experience exponential growth in deaths. The study found that increasing contacts above 50% of pre-pandemic levels would lead to a spike in hospitalizations and deaths.

Hydropower plants to support solar and wind energy in West Africa

A new study maps the potential for 'solar-wind-water' strategies in West Africa, finding that flexibly dispatched hydropower can increase renewable power generation by over 30%. Hydropower plants can support solar and wind energy, reducing CO2 emissions and environmental impact

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.

Student-school mismatch

Researchers found that up to 28% of students in Moscow chose a university below their academic ability, limiting life opportunities. The study highlights the impact of family background and parental influence on undermatching, with parents from lower socioeconomic status often advising less prestigious universities.

New marine molecules with therapy potential against Alzheimer's disease

Researchers at the University of Barcelona discovered two marine molecules, meridianine and lignarenone B, that can alter GSK3B activity without causing neurotoxic effects. These compounds promote neuronal plasticity and may offer a promising starting point for developing new drugs against Alzheimer's disease.

A single proton can make a heck of a difference

Researchers at RIKEN found that knocking out a single proton from a fluorine nucleus transforms it into a neutron-rich isotope of oxygen. This transformation has a significant effect on the state of the nucleus, defying conventional wisdom and sparking further investigation.

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.

Human mobility and Western Asia's early state-level societies

Archaeogenomic analysis reveals two influential genetic events and evidence of long-distance individual movement in Anatolia, Northern Levant, and the Southern Caucasus. Genetic mixing and individual mobility were key factors in the development of regional genetic melting pots and early state-level societies.