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Science News for September 1, 2023


Hot Jupiter blows its top

Researchers used 3D simulations on Stampede2 to model the flow of HAT-P-32b's atmosphere, revealing a gigantic helium gas tail. The planet is losing significant atmospheric mass, which could help explain the mystery of intermediate-mass planets.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalScience Advances·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 1, 2023

Invasive spotted lanternfly may not damage hardwood trees as previously thought

New research by Penn State suggests that hardwood trees such as maple, willow and birch are unlikely to see significant impacts from the sap-feeding spotted lanternfly. The study found that increased feeding pressure resulted in reduced growth during the first two years, but native trees recovered when feeding was less intense.

SourcePenn State·JournalEnvironmental Entomology·DateSep 1, 2023

Landscape-based methodology reveals ecological stability in the Qingzang plateau

A new landscape-oriented framework assesses ecological stability in the Qingzang Plateau, showing medium-high stability levels with minimal changes over recent years. The study highlights the impact of anthropogenic factors and climate change on ecosystem stability, recommending site-specific conservation measures.

SourceChinese Society for Environmental Sciences·JournalEnvironmental Science and Ecotechnology·DateSep 1, 2023
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.

Precarious employment conditions can increase risk of early death

A Swedish study found that precarious employment conditions increase the risk of early death, with workers who shifted to standard employment experiencing a 20% lower risk of mortality. The study used registry data from over 250,000 workers and found that job security is crucial in reducing premature deaths.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health·TypeObservational study·DateSep 1, 2023

Statins linked to lower risk of colorectal cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet found that statin treatment was associated with a lower risk of developing and dying from colorectal cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis. After a follow-up period of 5.6 years, the study showed that 70 statin users had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer compared to 90 non-statin users.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalEClinicalMedicine·TypeObservational study·DateSep 1, 2023
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.

Researchers discover quantum switch for regulating photosynthesis

The study reveals a quantum switching mechanism of LHCII, which regulates energy transfer quantum channel in response to lateral pressure and conformational change. This mechanism enables high efficiency in photosynthesis and balanced photoprotection.

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalNature Plants·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 1, 2023

Researchers find Antarctic ice shelves thinner than previously thought

A new study published in the Journal of Glaciology suggests that prior attempts to evaluate the mass of Antarctic ice shelves may have overestimated their thickness. The researchers found that on average, the Antarctic ice shelves are nearly 6% thinner than previously assumed, a difference of about 17 meters.

SourceOhio State University·JournalJournal of Glaciology·TypeObservational study·DateSep 1, 2023

Research explores why daughters in Chinese families of son preference fail to break from sustained exploitation

Research reveals Chinese families' strong son preference can lead to daughters' emotional and financial exploitation, causing severe mental health consequences. Daughters are socialized from birth to prioritize their family's needs over their own, resulting in feelings of debt and low self-esteem.

SourceLancaster University·JournalMarketing Theory·TypeContent analysis·DateSep 1, 2023

Anode models for green hydrogen production

The study focuses on minimizing costs associated with electrolyser fabrication and operation. It aims to enhance our understanding of structure-reactivity relationships for a rational electrocatalyst design. The research uses crystalline mixed thin film oxide anodes, exploring various Co:Fe ratios.

SourceFritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 1, 2023

$26M NIH grant addresses environmental influences on child health

Researchers at Michigan universities and institutions will continue studying environmental factors during pregnancy and early childhood, aiming to understand their impact on health outcomes. The study aims to identify ways to mitigate and improve child health from birth through adolescence.

SourceMichigan State University·DateSep 1, 2023
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.

Flowering for naught: 120 years with nothing to show

Researchers found that over 80% of the bamboo's flowering culms did not produce viable seeds, indicating a lack of sexual regeneration via germination. This may lead to widespread ecological changes and loss of a valuable resource.

SourceHiroshima University·JournalPLOS ONE·DateSep 1, 2023

New research explains “Atlantification” of the Arctic Ocean

A team of scientists has identified a key factor contributing to the stalled trend in Arctic Ocean sea ice loss since 2007. The researchers found that changes in atmospheric circulation patterns, known as the Arctic dipole, drive freshwater from Siberian rivers into the Canadian sector of the Arctic Ocean.

SourceUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks·JournalScience·TypeMeta-analysis·DateSep 1, 2023
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.

Roadmap drafted for research into metallic ‘sponges’ for clean hydrogen

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are being explored as a game-changer for efficient photocatalytic water splitting, which is crucial for clean hydrogen production. With their unique structural properties and high surface area, MOFs can enhance the efficiency of this process by absorbing sunlight and providing more active sites for chemi...

SourceTsinghua University Press·JournalPolyoxometalates·DateSep 1, 2023

Air pollution has decreased across the US, but new Yale research finds health burdens remain unequal among racial groups

A new study by Yale researchers found that despite reductions in fine particulate air pollution, racial and ethnic minorities still experience disproportionately high rates of cardiovascular disease-related deaths. The study found that Black people face the highest burden, with a mortality rate 4.59 times higher than white people in 2001.

SourceYale University·JournalNature Human Behaviour·DateSep 1, 2023
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Native American patients were sicker and more likely to die during the COVID-19 pandemic, UNM researchers find

Researchers found that Native American patients were sicker and more likely to die in the hospital due to COVID-19, despite having fewer pre-existing conditions. They also had higher viral loads in their blood, which may be linked to immunological responses or social determinants of health.

SourceUniversity of New Mexico Health Sciences Center·JournalPNAS Nexus·TypeObservational study·DateSep 1, 2023

Study shows making cities greener doesn’t just capture carbon – it reduces it

A new study shows that making cities greener doesn't just capture carbon, but also reduces it by an average of 17.4 percent through measures like urban parks, streetscaping, and roof gardens. The research recommends prioritizing green solutions in key cities to achieve net-zero carbon emissions within the next decade.

SourceKTH, Royal Institute of Technology·JournalNature Climate Change·DateSep 1, 2023

Immune cells shape their own path

Researchers at ISTA discovered that immune cells actively shape their environment by consuming chemokine signals, allowing them to generate their own guidance cues. This dynamic regulation enables collective migration of immune cells and has significant implications for enhancing immune response coordination.

SourceInstitute of Science and Technology Austria·JournalScience Immunology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 1, 2023
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.

Health System Program Improved Equity in Allocation of Scarce Medication

A new health system program successfully allocated a life-saving medication to disadvantaged neighborhoods, increasing equitable receipt rates. However, disparities persisted, particularly for Black patients, who received significantly lower rates of the medication compared to white patients.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalJAMA Health Forum·DateSep 1, 2023

Adding immune modulator to targeted therapy does not improve survival in difficult-to-treat thyroid cancer

A phase II clinical trial shows that adding an immunomodulatory agent to treatment with a targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor did not improve disease-free survival for patients with advanced differentiated thyroid cancer. The study found cediranib to be an active agent, but combining it with lenalidomide didn't yield better results.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Medical Center·JournalAnnals of Oncology·DateSep 1, 2023
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.

Why breast cancer survivors don't take their medication, and what can be done

Breast cancer survivors often struggle to take their life-extending medication due to side effects and high costs. A new study found that interventions such as cost-cutting policies, mobile apps, and psychological counseling can increase medication adherence by nearly 1.5 times. Addressing mental health issues, particularly depression,...

SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·TypeLiterature review·DateSep 1, 2023

The eyes are a window into the deciding mind

Researchers at Tohoku University found that perceptual decision-making interferes with unrelated eye movements but not hand movements, indicating nerve signals involved in decision-making continuously flow into the oculomotor eye-movement system.

SourceTohoku University·JournalCommunications Biology·DateSep 1, 2023

Seismologists use deep learning for improved earthquake forecasting

Researchers have created a new model using deep learning to forecast aftershocks, outperforming the current ETAS model on larger datasets. The Recurrent Earthquake foreCAST (RECAST) model demonstrates better performance and computational efficiency.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Cruz·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateSep 1, 2023
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.

Di-isononyl phthalate disrupts pregnancy in mice, study finds

Researchers found that DiNP exposure impairs blood vessel formation in maternal tissue and placenta, leading to smaller litter sizes and shorter gestation periods. The study suggests a ripple effect, impairing embryo growth.

SourceCarl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign·JournalReproductive Toxicology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 1, 2023

LDL not the be all, end all in heart disease, heart attacks and stroke

A Medical College of Wisconsin research team has identified a new role for liver protein tPA in influencing blood cholesterol levels. The study found that increased tPA production leads to decreased VLDL assembly in the liver, which may provide a novel target for heart disease treatment.

SourceMedical College of Wisconsin·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 1, 2023

Telehealth vs in-clinic medication abortion services

A recent study found that telehealth medication abortion services (tele-MAB) can facilitate access to abortion care for individuals with limited mobility, reducing travel costs and logistics. Additionally, tele-MAB may better meet the needs of those with prior abortion experience due to increased familiarity with the process.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Network Open·DateSep 1, 2023

Warming climate worsens groundwater depletion rates in India

A new study finds that warming temperatures may triple groundwater depletion rates in India under a business-as-usual scenario, with approximately 60% of the country's irrigated agriculture depending on the threatened groundwater. The study calls for policies to conserve groundwater and reduce energy subsidies.

SourceUniversity of Oklahoma·JournalScience Advances·DateSep 1, 2023
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.

Network-based approaches open a new avenue to classify and treat rare diseases

Scientists at CeMM and Max Perutz Labs have reclassified approximately 200 rare immune system disorders using a network-based approach. The study reveals strong similarities between rare diseases and autoimmune conditions, enabling the prediction of treatment efficacy and personalized approaches for diagnosis and treatment.

SourceCeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences·JournalScience Advances·DateSep 1, 2023

Could insights from ants help people build better transportation networks?

A UCLA study found that ants' nest structures are influenced by their foraging strategies and environmental conditions, rather than evolutionary history. The researchers suggest that designing roads with dedicated lanes for trucks traveling to logistics hubs could improve traffic congestion.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·DateSep 1, 2023

Software developed at UC Davis analyzes calcium ‘sparks’ that can contribute to arrhythmia

Researchers at UC Davis have developed SparkMaster2, an open-source software that analyzes normal and abnormal calcium activity in human cells. The tool can identify calcium sparks associated with irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmia, enabling better understanding of the underlying biology.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis Health·JournalCirculation Research·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 1, 2023
Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

FAIR data and inclusive science to enable clean energy

Researchers at Auburn University are developing a Findable, Interoperable, Accessible, and Reusable (FAIR) data platform to manage fusion device data according to FAIR standards. The project aims to accelerate fusion energy research by enabling strong collaborations and promoting diversity in the workforce.

SourceAuburn University Department of Physics·DateSep 1, 2023

Fossils show ravens lived alongside early humans in Beijing

Researchers have discovered fossils of ravens living alongside early humans in Beijing, dating back over 100,000 years. The findings suggest that ravens were resilient to climate change and provide valuable insights into the impact of environmental changes on bird populations.

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalJournal of Ornithology·DateSep 1, 2023