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Science News Archive March 2022


Page 29 of 44

Rate of COVID-19 vaccination among workers in California State prisons

A study of California state prison staff found that COVID-19 vaccination rates were lower among workers compared to incarcerated individuals, resulting in increased risks of further outbreaks. The plateaued vaccination rates posed significant concerns for continued transmission from prisons to surrounding communities.

Haider’s window system allows for long-term studies of brain activity

Researchers have developed a new approach to studying brain activity, allowing for longer-term studies and improved understanding of neural traffic jams. The new cranial window system uses surgical glue and a tiny glass window to capture high-quality blood flow imaging and stable electrical recordings.

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.

Children’s health fears due to rise in screen time

A new study reveals a significant increase in digital screen time among children during the pandemic, posing risks to their physical health. The excessive screen time is linked to eye strain, unstable vision, dry eyes, and increased risk of obesity.

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.

UCI scientists make leap forward for genetic sequencing

Researchers at UCI have made a breakthrough in understanding the Taq enzyme, which is crucial for DNA sequencing. They found that Taq behaves unexpectedly, rejecting correct bases more frequently than expected. This discovery has significant implications for personalized medicine and the accuracy of sequenced genomes.

The next generation of robots will be shape-shifters

Researchers at the University of Bath have developed a new coating method for soft robots that allows them to change shape and movement through human-controlled activity. This breakthrough in active matter could lead to the creation of machines governed by individual units that cooperate to determine movement and function.

Climate tipping might not always be disastrous

A mathematical analysis suggests that crossing a climate tipping point can lead to minor, stepwise changes in large, heterogeneous systems, rather than irreversible disasters. This finding challenges the widely-held assumption that tipping points always result in catastrophic consequences.

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.

Malaria parasite’s survival linked to two proteins

A team of scientists led by Karine Le Roch has identified two proteins, RAP01 and RAP21, crucial to the malaria parasite's survival. Knocking down these proteins can interrupt protein translation in the mitochondria, leading to the parasite's death.

How to make the TB vaccine more effective

Researchers at Texas Biomedical Research Institute have found that adding an antibody to the widely-used TB vaccine significantly improves its long-term effectiveness. The combination of the vaccine and an IL-10 blocker allows for better control of TB infection in mice, with improved lung health and increased memory immune cells.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

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

Mirror image biomolecule helps marine sea squirts lose their tails

Researchers from the University of Tsukuba found that D-serine controls tissue pocket formation, allowing for successful tail regression in marine sea squirts. The study's findings provide insight into epidermal homeostasis and evolutionary perspectives on D-amino acid function.

Using ions to find molecules

Physicists create cold molecular ions using a new method and detect ultracold molecules with high sensitivity. The technique uses a single trapped ion to sense tiny amounts of molecules, opening up new possibilities for precision spectroscopy and understanding ultracold collisions.

Acoustic propulsion of nanomachines depends on their orientation

Physicists simulate acoustic propulsion of freely orientable nanoparticles by traveling ultrasound waves, finding that particle orientation affects propulsion. The study reveals important properties of acoustically propelled nanoparticles suitable for biomedical applications.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Emotional labor takes its toll on customer-facing jobs

A new study calls on tour operators to mitigate the cost of their staff's emotional labor, arguing changes would be easy and quick. The tourism industry relies heavily on recruiting extroverts to work as resort reps, but even they need support to maintain a façade of happiness.

Open-access dataset of macaque brain published

Researchers from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience have published a dataset of electrophysiology data recorded from two monkeys' visual cortex during resting state. The dataset provides high-density receptive field coverage and can be used to yield new insights into background activity influencing visual information processing.

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.

Fight friendly fire with fire: an antibody for treating autoimmune disease

Treatment with an antibody to repulsive guidance molecule-a (RGMa) prevents disease-associated signaling processes and reduces symptoms of neuromyelitis optica in rats. This discovery suggests that anti-RGMa antibodies may represent an effective therapeutic strategy for NMO-associated neuropathic pain and motor deficits.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

All organisms produce methane

A study led by Frank Keppler and Ilka Bischofs reveals that all organisms release methane, with the process driven by reactive oxygen species. The researchers verified this finding in over 30 model organisms, including bacteria, archaea, yeasts, plant cells, and human cell lines.

Canadian scientist Aled Edwards on preparing for the next pandemic — Now

Aled Edwards emphasizes the importance of basic and applied research in developing effective COVID-19 vaccines. He also stresses the need for better vaccination implementation, increased global access to vaccines, and a cultural shift towards viewing access to new medicines as a right rather than an asset.

AAVMC recognizes UTCVM’s Rouse with Excellence in Research Award

AAVMC awards Dr. Barry T. Rouse with the Excellence in Research Award for his outstanding contributions to viral immunology and immunopathology research. With over $20 million in NIH funding, he has published more than 425 papers and mentored almost 80 post-doctoral fellows.

Scientists announce discovery of supermassive binary black holes

Researchers from Purdue University and other institutions have discovered a supermassive black hole binary system, consisting of two black holes that orbit each other. The system is significant due to its close separation, which may lead to a merger releasing massive energy in gravitational waves.

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.

Quantum information: Light from rare-earth molecules

Researchers have identified a novel material with long coherence lifetimes, enabling the storage and processing of quantum states. The discovery paves the way for quantum information processing and has potential applications in quantum computing, simulation, and secure communication.

Stemming the tide of invasive species in Great Lakes

A bi-national regulation targeting ships entering the Great Lakes since mid-2000s has reduced invasive species risk by 85%, with a significant impact on fisheries and biodiversity. The study suggests that saltwater flushing through ballast tanks is a crucial control strategy.

How to clean solar panels without water

Researchers at MIT have developed a new system that can automatically clean solar panels without using water, reducing dust accumulation's impact on efficiency. The system uses electrostatic repulsion to detach dust particles, improving overall power output and potentially saving $200,000 in annual revenue.

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.

Forest survival strategies for extreme cyclones

Researchers found that tree spacing can control the likelihood of tree survival and reduce forest damage risk. Trees in forests with closer spacing are more vulnerable to strong winds due to reduced energy transfer buffering between trees.

Chemists suggest using polymeric ionic liquids in supercapacitors

A team of researchers created a theoretical model demonstrating the difference in electrical differential capacitance between polymeric and ordinary ionic liquids. They predict a huge increase in capacitance for polymeric ionic liquids compared to regular ionic liquids with the same chemical composition.

Firefly luminescence reveals pesticides

Researchers developed a simple, inexpensive test to detect organophosphate pesticides directly in foods and biological samples. The method uses a new enzymatic cascade reaction called HELP to synthesize luciferin analogues, which produce luminescence in different wavelengths.

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.

Diet quality among older adults

The study found that nearly half of older adults in the US have poor diet quality, with overall diet quality worsening over the past two decades. Diet quality is a significant concern for this age group, as it can impact their health and well-being.

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.

New blood clot research indicates enhanced understanding of wound repair

Researchers at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences have discovered that platelets can form a provisional fibronectin matrix, similar to fibroblasts, which has potential implications for maintaining blood clot integrity during vascular repair. This finding challenges existing paradigms in wound healing.

Study: Microbial life helps warming ocean adapt

A new study by Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences reveals that microbial life in the ocean is adapting to warmer conditions, maintaining vital processes despite climate change. The research found that carbon export was maintained as phytoplankton populations declined due to other small organisms taking up the slack.

Voles cut grass to watch flying predators

Researchers found that voles in Inner Mongolia, China, trim tall grasses when shrikes are nearby, decreasing predation risk. The voles' behavior is an example of ecosystem engineering, where they modify their environment to improve survival.

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 cautionary tale of machine learning uncertainty

Researchers using machine learning methods risk underestimating uncertainties in their final results due to decorrelation with imperfections in simulations. This could weaken or bias classifier algorithms' ability to identify fundamental particles.

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.