ASHG welcomes 2016-17 fellows in genetics policy and education

(American Society of Human Genetics) ASHG is pleased to welcome the 2016-2017 ASHG-National Human Genome Research Institute Fellows in Genetics & Public Policy and Genetics & Education. Christa L. Wagner, PhD, the new Genetics & Public Policy Fellow; and Teresa Ramirez, PhD, the new Genetics & Education Fellow, will begin their 16-month positions on Sept. 1.

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Study finds heart infections increasing among younger injection drug users

(Infectious Diseases Society of America) Serious heart infections caused by injection drug use are on the rise, particularly among young whites, according to a new study published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases, now available online. Based on an analysis of health care claims data, the study found an increasing proportion of injection drug users hospitalized with infective endocarditis who were younger than 34 years old, white, and female, suggesting demographic shifts that mirror trends seen in the nationwide opioid epidemic.

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Hospitalizations for heart infection related to drug injection rising across the US

(Tufts University, Health Sciences Campus) Hospitalizations for infective endocarditis, a heart valve infection often attributed to injection drug use, increased significantly among young adults, particularly whites and females. The findings shed light on the healthcare burdens and shifting demographics associated national opioid epidemic.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bDqaY4

Food puzzles enhance feline wellbeing

(SAGE) Greater understanding of the importance of environmental enrichment in enhancing an animal's physical and social environment is bringing benefits for pet cats -- particularly those that are kept solely indoors.

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What your choice of smartphone says about you

(British Psychological Society) Choice of smartphone provides valuable information about its owner. This is one of the findings of a doctoral study conducted by Heather Shaw, from University of Lincoln's School of Psychology. She is presenting her work today, Thursday, Sept. 1, to the British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section annual conference in Cardiff.

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New survey finds 75 percent of Americans think discrimination still an issue for women

(NORC at the University of Chicago) In the wake of Hillary Clinton's historic nomination as the first woman presidential candidate of a major political party in the US, women continue to face obstacles in politics and the workplace, according to a national poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Three-quarters of Americans think there is at least some discrimination against women in this country, although just as many say it has decreased over the past generation.

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Military should address gender stereotypes when integrating combat roles, study finds

(University of Kansas) Even though the Defense Secretary Ash Carter earlier this year formally opened all combat jobs to women, based on focus groups with soldiers University of Kansas researchers say the US military needs to work on changing significant cultural aspects to fully integrate women in the armed forces.

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Motivating eco-friendly behaviors depends on cultural values

(Association for Psychological Science) The specific cultural values of a country may determine whether concern about environmental issues actually leads individuals to engage in environmentally friendly behaviors, according to the new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The findings suggest that individual concern is more strongly associated with motivation to act in countries that espouse individualistic values, while social norms may be a stronger motivator in collectivistic societies.

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Case Western Reserve researcher outlines road map for addressing ethical concerns tied to research

(Case Western Reserve University) Insoo Hyun, PhD, associate professor of bioethics at the School of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, has proposed a framework for addressing ethical questions surrounding potentially revolutionary research on part-human, part-animal embryos, which can be produced when human stem cells are transplanted into animal embryos.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bSAM44

Ramon Lopez awarded 2016 Richard Carrington Education and Public Outreach Award

(University of Texas at Arlington) Ramon Lopez, a professor of physics at The University of Texas at Arlington, has been named the winner of the 2016 Richard Carrington Education and Public Outreach Award by the Space and Aeronomy section of the American Geophysical Union. The AGU's Carrington Award is presented annually to one honoree 'in recognition of significant and outstanding impact on students' and the public's understanding of our science through their education and/or outreach activities -- exhibiting an effort that goes well beyond their particular job title.'

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Blood thirsty brains

(University of the Witwatersrand) South African and Australian researchers calculated how bloodflowing to the brain of human ancestors changed over course of time. The team was able to track the increase in human intelligenceacross evolutionary time.

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New study finds connection between chronic pain and anxiety disorders

(University of Vermont) New study results provide insight into a long-observed, but little-understood connection between chronic pain and anxiety and offer a potential target for treatment. Researchers found that increased expression of PACAP -- a peptide neurotransmitter the body releases in response to stress -- is also increased in response to neuropathic pain and contributes to these symptoms.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bSAwCu

The Great Elephant Census reports massive loss of African savannah elephants

(PeerJ) Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Inc. today announced the results of the $7 million, three-year Great Elephant Census, the first-ever pan-African survey of savanna elephants using standardized data collection and validation methods. Managed by Elephants Without Borders, the immense project's report confirms substantial declines in elephant numbers over just the last decade. The researchers report that the current rate of species decline is 8 percent per year, primarily due to poaching.

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Breast cancer mortality lower in women who breastfeed

(Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News) A new study of women 20 years after undergoing surgery for primary breast cancer shows that breastfeeding for longer than 6 months is associated with a better survival rate. Among breast cancer survivors who breastfed for >6 months, both breast cancer mortality and overall mortality risk were less after 20 years, according to the study published in Breastfeeding Medicine.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bH6bTV

Baker Institute experts: Without pushing deregulation, the Japanese economy cannot grow

(Rice University) Japan's once-booming economy has been sluggish, mainly as a result of deflation and decreased productivity, according to international economics experts at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. In a new issue brief, the experts argue that without pushing deregulation, the Japanese economy cannot grow.

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Sexual function problems occur after heart attack, disparities exist between men and women

(University of Chicago Medical Center) New research from the University of Chicago investigates what happens to men's and women's sexual function and relationships after a heart attack in an effort to help clinicians develop better care guidelines for patients.

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CU study: Feeling heavy, light, or about right? Your genes may be to blame

(University of Colorado at Boulder) Do you feel overweight, about right, or too skinny? Your answer to that question may be tied to genes you inherited from your parents, especially if you are a female, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder.

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Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel may contain hidden symbols of female anatomy

(Wiley) Publications on the works of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel indicate that numerous codes and hidden messages may have been inserted for various purposes. Now a new analysis suggests that Michelangelo may have concealed symbols associated with female anatomy when painting the chapel's ceiling.

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Stanford seed grants push the boundaries of innovative energy research

(Stanford University) The Precourt Institute and the TomKat Center have awarded 15 seed grants for clean-energy research at Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

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Major step towards Alzheimer's blood test

(Cardiff University) A research team, led by Cardiff University, has made a significant step towards the development of a simple blood test to predict the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

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Potential new treatment for cocaine addiction

(Cardiff University) A team of researchers led by Cardiff University has discovered a promising new drug treatment for cocaine addiction.

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Parents' psychiatric disease linked to kids' risk of suicide attempt, violent offending

(The JAMA Network Journals) Risk for suicide attempts and violent offending by children appears to be associated with their parents' psychiatric disorders, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.

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Sexual function problems prevalent among younger adults after heart attack; more common among women

(The JAMA Network Journals) Among men and women 18 to 55 years of age, more than half of women and just under half of men had sexual function problems in the year after a heart attack, according to a study published online by JAMA Cardiology. Despite a high prevalence of sexual function problems, few study participants reported having any conversation with a physician about resuming sex after a heart attack.

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New study highlights high rates of suicide and self-harm among transgender youth

(Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center) In a new study, 30 percent of transgender youth report a history of at least one suicide attempt, and nearly 42 percent report a history of self-injury, such as cutting. The Cincinnati Children's study also discovered a higher frequency of suicide attempts among transgender youth who are dissatisfied with their weight.

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Springer's LOD platform offers new service for authors and conference organizers

(Springer) Springer Nature is offering a new feature on its Linked Open Data (LOD) platform. It allows users to check if their conference papers published in proceedings are indexed in Scopus. Conference organizers, authors or the research community in general can access Springer's LOD platform free of charge and do a search by filling in an ISBN, DOI, conference acronym or the volume number of the book series.

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Insecure childhood can make dealing with stress harder

(Frontiers) Emotional bonds with our primary caregiver or parent in early childhood are thought to be the basis of our ability to regulate our emotions as adults.

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Scientists show that a 'Superman' disguise could actually work

(University of York) Researchers at the University of York have shown that small alterations to a person's appearance, such as wearing glasses, can significantly hinder positive facial identification.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bGCCSg

Americans lack awareness about heart valve disease, new public opinion surveys find

(Alliance for Aging Research) New public opinion surveys from the Alliance for Aging Research reveal the urgent need for more awareness about heart valve disease. The organization also announces the launch of an effort to designate Feb. 22 as National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day.

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WSU researchers see hyperbaric chamber easing drug withdrawal symptoms

(Washington State University) Washington State University researchers have found that treatments of pure oxygen in a high-pressure chamber can relieve the symptoms of opiate withdrawal.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bQOfXi

Johns Hopkins and Salk co-lead $15m initiative to unravel bipolar disorder, schizophrenia

(Johns Hopkins Medicine) The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies will co-lead a $15.4 million effort to develop new systems for quickly screening libraries of drugs for potential effectiveness against schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, the National Institute of Mental Health has announced. The consortium, which includes four academic or nonprofit institutions and two industry partners, will be led by Hongjun Song of Johns Hopkins and Rusty Gage of Salk.

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Youth crimes spike immediately after drinking age

(University of Northern British Columbia) A new study from the Northern Medical Program at the University of Northern British Columbia has shown that minimum legal drinking age legislation in Canada can have a major effect on crimes committed by young adults. Young people just older than the legal age had significant increases in commission of all crimes, including violent crimes and nuisance crimes, compared to those immediately under the restriction.

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UTA awards 2016 Interdisciplinary Research Program grants to address high-priority issues

(University of Texas at Arlington) UTA has awarded four seed grants to interdisciplinary research projects that address growing problems such as loneliness among the elderly, the need for sustainable green education spaces, the health crisis among urban American Indians or the mechanisms behind heart failure among the elderly.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bS6pej

Standing up to childhood obesity by not sitting as much in school

(University of Louisville) Changing a classroom from standard desks to standing desks, has a significant effect on the body mass index percentile of students.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bBIGuZ

Many with migraines unhappy with treatments and struggle to fight stigma

(Health Union) Migraine in America 2016, a national survey by Health Union of more than 3,900 individuals experiencing migraines, reveals that patients have numerous treatment options, but are often dissatisfied with results. A summary infographic is also available. Many reported difficulty receiving a diagnosis, particularly when young. In addition, respondents noted feeling isolated and stigmatized due to the condition.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bRUFIJ

New population data provide insight on aging, migration

(International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis) A new dataset provides a comprehensive look at population dynamics in Europe, including the influence of migration on population growth and the effect of population aging.

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Reconstructing the 6th century plague from a victim

(Molecular Biology and Evolution (Oxford University Press)) Scientists based in Germany, including Michal Feldman, Johannes Krause, Michaela Harbeck and colleagues have confirmed the bacterial culprit of the plague from sixth century skeletons found in Altenerding, an ancient southern German burial site near Munich. The Altenerding genome dates back to the very beginning of the plague. They have generated the first high-coverage genome of the bacterial agent responsible for the Justinian plague, in addition to revealing new insights in the molecular evolution of Yersinia pestis since the Byzantine era.

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Researchers identify neural factors that predict adolescent alcohol use

(University of California - San Diego) Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have identified 34 neural factors that predict adolescent alcohol consumption. The list, based upon complex algorithms analyzing data from neuropsychological testing and neuroimaging studies, was significantly more accurate -- approximately 74 percent -- than demographic information alone.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bYkBCO

Older patients feel they have little say in choosing dialysis, study says

(Tufts University) Starting dialysis treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) should be a shared decision made by an informed patient based on discussions with a physician and family members. However, many older dialysis patients say they feel voiceless in the decision-making process and are unaware of more conservative management approaches that could help them avoid initiating a treatment that reduces their quality of life, according to a study led by Tufts University researchers.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bTLeI0

Dog brains process both what we say and how we say it

(Eötvös Loránd University) The first study to investigate how dog brains process speech shows that our best friends in the animal kingdom care about both what we say and how we say it. Dogs, like people, use the left hemisphere to process words, a right hemisphere brain region to process intonation, and praising activates dog's reward center only when both words and intonation match, according to a study in Science.

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Alzheimer's Association accelerates research on potential sex differences in Alzheimer's

(Alzheimer's Association) The first-ever Alzheimer's Association Sex and Gender in Alzheimer's (SAGA) research grant awards will provide $2.2 million to nine projects to advance understanding of the disproportionate effect of Alzheimer's disease on women.

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How the 'police' of the cell world deal with 'intruders' and the 'injured'

(University of Nottingham) Dr Anna Piccinini, an expert in inflammatory signalling pathways at The University of Nottingham, has discovered that the macrophage's 'destroy and repair service' is capable of discriminating between the two distinct threats even deploying a single sensor.

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UofL research shows that children at home did not prompt parents to test for radon, secondhand smoke

(University of Louisville) Luz Huntington-Moskos, Ph.D., R.N., C.P.N., UofL School of Nursing assistant professor, recently published findings in the journal Public Health Nursing that show the presence of children in the home did not motivate parents to test and mitigate for radon and secondhand tobacco smoke, both of which cause lung cancer.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c5NLNy

Addiction cravings may get their start deep in the right side of the brain

(Indiana University) If you really want a drink right now, the source of your craving may be a pea-sized structure deep inside the right side of your brain, according to scientists at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

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IU study: 'Morning people' self-sabotage less at night, night owls' less at sunrise

(Indiana University) A study by psychological researchers at Indiana University shows that people are more likely to undermine their performance at stressful tasks when they're operating at 'peak capacity' based on their preferred time of the day. The seemingly counterintuitive results were recently reported in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

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Friends are no better than strangers in accurately identifying emotion in emails

(International Communication Association) A recent study by researchers at Chatham University in the journal Human Communication Research, found that friends are no better at interpreting correct emotional intent in emails than complete strangers.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bz7IOI

Creative mathematical tasks contribute to deeper learning in mathematics

(Umea University) Working with creative mathematical tasks is important for pupils both to reflect on mathematics as well as for their subsequent test results. Being faced with creative tasks during exercise has evident effects on all pupils, both on weak and high performers. This according to studies at Umeå University in Sweden.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2ccbI9c

Peers, public perception influence firefighters against safety equipment

(Drexel University) Interviews conducted across the country by Drexel University researchers found that firefighters are often influenced by both colleagues and the public's perception of them as risk-takers when choosing whether or not to use their safety equipment.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bz7W8E

Transplanted bone marrow-derived cells reduce recurrent miscarriage in mice

(Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair) Researchers transplanted bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) into pregnant mice at risk for miscarriage to determine whether EPCs contributed to reducing the potential for miscarriage when the placenta tends to be irregular and the blood vessel size small when compared with that of normal gestation. They found EPCs helped to 'normalize' placental vascularization by providing a healthier fetal environment, potentially preventing miscarriage in high-risk pregnancies by improving vascular patterns and increasing blood vessel size.

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Cannabinoid receptor activates spermatozoa

(Ruhr-University Bochum) Biologists from Bochum and Bonn have detected a cannabinoid receptor in spermatozoa. Endogenous cannabinoids that occur in both the male and the female genital tract activate the spermatozoa: they trigger the so-called acrosome reaction, during which the spermatozoon releases digestive enzymes and loses the cap on the anterior half of its head. Without this reaction, spermatozoa cannot penetrate the ovum. The researchers published their findings in Scientific Reports.

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Attitudes towards traffic safety worldwide

(Bentham Science Publishers) The general aim of this work was to contribute to traffic safety by understanding the differences in traffic culture in countries worldwide.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bPizX5

Single women with personal wealth more likely to become entrepreneurs than men

(University of Stirling) A new economic study by the University of Stirling and Royal Holloway, University of London has found evidence that there is a big difference in cash flow problems faced by men and women in the UK. They found single women face more severe constraints to their incomings and outgoings, but that those single women whose personal wealth increases unexpectedly through an inheritance are more likely to start a new business than their male counterparts.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bCw72S

High seas fisheries management could recoup losses due to climate change

(University of British Columbia) Closing the high seas to fishing could increase fish catches in coastal waters by 10 percent, helping people, especially the most vulnerable, cope with the expected losses of fish due to climate change, new UBC research finds.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bzpWfw

Caution urged in the use of blood pressure lowering treatment for heart disease patients

(European Society of Cardiology) Caution has been urged in the use of blood pressure lowering treatment for heart disease patients after a study in more than 22 000 patients with coronary artery disease found that too low blood pressure was associated with worse outcomes. The analysis from the CLARIFY registry is presented today at ESC Congress and published in The Lancet.

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Psychopaths feel fear but see no danger

(Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) Researchers from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Radboud University Nijmegen found proof that psychopathic individuals can feel fear, but have trouble in the automatic detection and responsivity to threat.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2cbOe4b

Global reach of Family Medicine and Community Health

(Family Medicine and Community Health) The global reach of family medicine and community health is the theme of the new issue of Family Medicine and Community Health, an international medical journal with editorial offices in China and the US.

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A rapid and effective antidote for anticoagulant bleeds

(European Society of Cardiology) A specially designed antidote to reverse acute, potentially life-threatening anticoagulant-related bleeding worked quickly, and was well-tolerated according to interim results of the ongoing ANNEXA-4 study.

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ENSURE-AF trial edoxoban: A new anticoagulant option before cardioversion

(European Society of Cardiology) Patients with atrial fibrillation who need anticoagulation before undergoing electrical correction of their abnormal heartbeat (cardioversion) may benefit from treatment with edoxoban -- a non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant, according to results of the ENSURE-AF trial.

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Amputees' brains remember missing hands even years later

(University of Oxford) Our brains have a detailed picture of our hands and fingers, and that persists even decades after an amputation, Oxford University researchers have found. The finding could have implications for the control of next generation prosthetics.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bXkE1D

REVERSE II trial decision rule helps identify women who can safely discontinue anticoagulants

(European Society of Cardiology) A clinical decision rule that can be applied to women after a first, unprovoked venous thromboembolism was able to identify those with a low-risk of recurrence who could safely discontinue anticoagulant therapy, researchers reported at ESC Congress 2016.

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YEARS algorithm in suspected pulmonary embolism: Towards a reduced rate of pulmonary imaging

(European Society of Cardiology) Patients with suspected pulmonary embolism often undergo computed tomography pulmonary angiography to confirm or exclude the diagnosis.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bOsxTV

First randomized trial compares stenting techniques for coronary bifurcation

(European Society of Cardiology) Coronary bifurcations -- a type of coronary artery narrowing -- are best treated with a technique known as culotte stenting, as opposed to T-and-protrusion stenting, when there is need for a side-branch stent according to results of the BBK II (Bifurcations Bad Krozingen) trial.

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BASKET-SAVAGE trial: Drug-eluting stents more benefit in saphenous vein grafts

(European Society of Cardiology) Drug-eluting stents had a clear advantage over bare metal stents in patients undergoing revascularization of saphenous (leg) vein grafts, results of the BASKET-SAVAGE trial show.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bOr144

Less efficacy than expected in largest drug-eluting stent trial

(European Society of Cardiology) New generation drug-eluting stents did not outshine contemporary bare metal stents as they were expected to, in a surprise finding of the largest randomized stent trial to date.

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PRAGUE-18 trial: Prasugrel and ticagrelor: Equally safe and effective in STEMI

(European Society of Cardiology) The antiplatelet drugs prasugrel and ticagrelor had similar safety and efficacy among patients with acute myocardial infarction and ST segment elevations (STEMI), according to results of PRAGUE-18, the first randomized, head-to-head comparison of the drugs.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c5i7jw

It's not just the heat: Bad policies contributing to heat-related deaths in farmworkers

(University of Colorado Denver) A new book by University of Colorado Denver anthropologist Sarah Horton argues that heat fatalities are likely to continue among American farmworkers without reform of immigration, labor, health-care and food safety policies.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2cbJQlI

Critical protein shows promise for the treatment of Alzheimer's

(Arizona State University) In new research, Salvatore Oddo and his Biodesign Institute colleagues examine p62 -- a critical protein associated with tell-tale symptoms of Alzheimer's.The study demonstrates for the first time that p62 regulates the degradation or turnover of Aβ in living systems, which may help reverse the effects of damaging plaques in the brain.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bxulpF

New species of pterosaur discovered in Patagonia

(PeerJ) Scientists today announced the discovery of a new species of pterosaur from the Patagonia region of South America. The cranial remains were in an excellent state of preservation and belonged to a new species of pterosaur from the Early Jurassic. The researchers have named this new species 'Allkauren koi' from the native Tehuelche word 'all' for 'brain' and 'karuen' for 'ancient.'

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People with alcohol dependency lack important enzyme

(Linköping University) A research group under the leadership of Linköping University Professor Markus Heilig has identified an enzyme whose production is turned off in nerve cells of the frontal lobe when alcohol dependence develops. The deficiency in this enzyme leads to continued use of alcohol despite adverse consequences.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bB7SC8

Cell phone conversations hinder child pedestrian crossing abilities -- Ben Gurion U. study

(American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev) The study was conducted at the BGU Virtual Environment Simulation Laboratory, one of the world's most sophisticated traffic research facilities, which enables researchers to measure pedestrian reactions to virtual reality scenarios. The pedestrian dome simulator consists of a 180-degree spherical screen aligned with a highly accurate three-projector system large enough to immerse a participant within its circumference.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2by8fNK

Friendships, vaccines, and impressions: Upcoming studies in SPPS

(Society for Personality and Social Psychology) While many scientists explore what people have in common, several studies publishing online to Social Psychological and Personality Science show us how differences help us understand individuals.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bxYcga

How gay men navigate the corporate world

(University of Cincinnati) Recent sociology research at the University of Cincinnati looked closely at the various strategies gay men use to manage both their gendered and sexual identities in the workplace.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c55yoH

Standing up for weight management

(University of Pittsburgh) A new study from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Education examined the potential weight management benefits of sit-stand desks. Pitt's researchers found that regular use of a height-adjustable workstation, when combined with other low-intensity activities, is an effective measure for maintaining weight for most people.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bz2Vdm

Ancient dental plaque sheds new light on the diet of Mesolithic foragers in the Balkans

(University of Cambridge) Micro-fossils trapped in dental calculus reveal that Late Mesolithic foragers were consuming domesticated plant foods c. 6600 BC, almost 400 years earlier than previously thought.

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Isotope study determines fish were more prominent in early Alaskans' diets

(University of Alaska Fairbanks) Ice age inhabitants of Interior Alaska relied more heavily on salmon and freshwater fish in their diets than previously thought, according to a newly published study. A team of researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks made the discovery after taking samples from 17 prehistoric hearths along the Tanana River, then analyzed stable isotopes and lipid residues to identify fish remains at multiple locations.

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Will insects be the food of the future? Find out at ICE 2016

(Entomological Society of America) At the 2016 International Congress of Entomology, which will be held Sept. 25-30 in Orlando, entomophagy -- the eating of insects -- will be discussed during three different symposia.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bMruqh

Use it or lose it: UMD study shows that stopping exercise decreases brain blood flow

(University of Maryland) University of Maryland School of Public Health researchers examined cerebral blood flow in master athletes (ages 50-80 years) before and after a 10-day period during which they stopped all exercise. Using MRI brain imaging techniques, they found a significant decrease in blood flow to several brain regions important for cognitive health, including the hippocampus, after they stopped their exercise routines.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bUSJzt

New research sheds light on how aged wine gets its aroma

(Wiley) Researchers have discovered an enzyme that plays a leading role in the formation of compounds that give aged wines their sought-after aroma.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c32R6C

New UMN study: America's wars take uneven toll

(University of Minnesota) In today's wars, Americans who die or are wounded in battle are disproportionately coming from poorer parts of the country, according to a new study released this week. By analyzing over 500,000 American combat casualties from World War II through Iraq and Afghanistan, University of Minnesota Law Professor Francis Shen and Boston University Political Scientist Douglas Kriner found growing socioeconomic inequality in military sacrifice.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c9mFs5

New book by Rice's DeConick explores the emergence and revolutionizing role of gnosticism

(Rice University) Gnosticism is a countercultural spirituality that forever changed the practice of Christianity. This is the premise of a new book by April DeConick, the Isla Carroll and Percy E. Turner Professor of Biblical Studies and chair of the Department of Religion at Rice University.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bDMNsw

New study: A majority of older adults in jail have distressing health symptoms

(American Geriatrics Society) According to the study, of the older inmates, 49 percent said they experience poor or fair health, 20 percent have chronic lung disease, and 54 percent have trouble performing daily activities such as bathing, eating, using the toilet, and walking around the house. The researchers said that these rates are similar to those reported by lower income older adults who are not incarcerated.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2buGNpZ

First study examines PTSD & cognitive impairment in World Trade Center responders

(Alzheimer's Association) New research published by the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring confirms the connection between posttraumatic stress disorder and cognitive impairment -- in this case, among those who helped with search, rescue and cleanup efforts following the 2001 World Trade Center attacks.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2byhU7e

Alzheimer's: Nicotinic receptors as a new therapeutic target

(Institut Pasteur) Studies have indicated that nicotine may be beneficial for memory function. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur and the CNRS set out to shed further light on the properties attributed to nicotine by determining the precise structure of the nicotinic receptors in the hippocampus region of the brain. Using mouse models for Alzheimer's disease, they identified the β2 subunit of the nicotinic receptor as a target that, if blocked, prevents the memory loss associated with Alzheimer's.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bM3Tq2

Calm or fiery? Study says candidate language should match the times

(Ohio State University) Potential voters who see the nation as being in dire economic straits view a presidential candidate as more 'presidential' when he or she uses high-intensity, emotional language, a new study suggests.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c3TnbB

Less than one-third of adults with depression receive treatment

(Columbia University Medical Center) New findings suggest that most Americans with depression receive no treatment, while raising the possibility that overtreatment of depression is also widespread.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2cmbn5r

Osteopathic manipulative treatment improves outcomes for elderly pneumonia patients

(American Osteopathic Association) An analysis of multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial found osteopathic manipulative treatment for pneumonia reduced length of hospital stay in adults 50 to 74 years old and lowered in-hospital mortality rates for patients 75 and older.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bMcy8W

Ode to recall: To remember events in order, we rely on the brain's 'symphony'

(New York University) To remember events in the order they occur, the brain's neurons function in a coordinated way that is akin to a symphony, a team of NYU scientists has found. Their findings offer new insights into how we recall information and point to factors that may disrupt certain types of memories.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2cmbbCW

Fair or unfair? Facial cues influence how social exclusion is judged

(University of Basel) People are often excluded from social groups. As researchers from the University of Basel report in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, whether uninvolved observers find this acceptable or not may depend on the facial appearances of those excluded. The exclusion of cold and incompetent looking people is more likely to be accepted.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bQKPpL

PACIFIC TRIAL: First head-to-head comparison of noninvasive coronary artery imaging

(European Society of Cardiology) For patients presenting for the first time with suspected coronary artery disease clinicians have had a number of noninvasive diagnostic tests to choose from, but little evidence for which is best.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bxRd2F

DOCTORS trial: Invasive imaging sheds more light on percutaneous coronary intervention

(European Society of Cardiology) An invasive imaging technique called optical coherence tomography can visualize the coronary arteries in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and lead to better outcomes compared to standard angiography-guided PCI, according to new findings reported here.

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The CONSERVE trial: Noninvasive imaging can guide more selective invasive coronary angiography

(European Society of Cardiology) In stable symptomatic patients with suspected coronary artery disease, a strategy of using noninvasive computed tomography to guide the selective use of invasive coronary angiography was safe, and less expensive compared with direct invasive angiography.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bxQTRr

OPTICARE trial enhanced cardiac rehab programs help heart attack patients

(European Society of Cardiology) Enhanced cardiac rehabilitation programs that include a year of group or personal lifestyle and fitness coaching did not improve cardiovascular risk scores more than a standard 3-month program in patients recovering from a heart attack.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bv8Piu

CE-MARC 2: Pointing the way to fewer invasive angiograms

(European Society of Cardiology) Initial investigation of patients with suspected coronary heart disease using functional imaging -- rather than guideline-directed care -- resulted in significantly less unnecessary angiography, according to results of the CE-MARC 2 trial.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bxTBWO

'Multiplicative' benefit of cholesterol and blood pressure-lowering on cardiovascular risk

(European Society of Cardiology) Long-term exposure to the combination of even modestly lower LDL cholesterol and systolic blood pressure has the potential to 'dramatically reduce' a person's lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease, according to new findings reported at ESC Congress 2016.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bv86xI

AMERICA: No benefit to detecting and treating extra-coronary lesions

(European Society of Cardiology) In patients with high-risk coronary artery disease, an active strategy of detecting and treating asymptomatic multisite artery disease combined with intensive medical therapy did not improve two-year outcomes compared to a more traditional approach of managing only symptomatic coronary and extra-coronary lesions, new research shows.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bxRjXR

HIJ-PROPER trial -- Intensive cholesterol-lowering treatment: No significantly better outcomes

(European Society of Cardiology) Survival and other cardiovascular outcomes were not significantly reduced with intensive treatment using a second-line cholesterol-lowering medication on top of a standard statin, compared to statin treatment alone in patients with acute coronary syndrome and dyslipidemia, investigators reported here.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bv7yYH

Integrating mental and physical health services results in better outcomes and lower costs, study finds

(Intermountain Medical Center) A new study shows that delivering integrated mental and physical healthcare in team-based primary care settings at Intermountain Healthcare results in better clinical outcomes for patients, lower rates of health-care utilization, and lower costs.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bM36qv

First European standards for management of heart attack patients launched today

(European Society of Cardiology) The first European standards for the management of heart attack patients are launched today by the European Society of Cardiology-Acute Cardiac Care Association. The quality indicators for acute myocardial infarction are published in European Heart Journal: Acute Cardiovascular Care, ACCA's official journal, and presented at ESC Congress together with the results of the inaugural implementation.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bwyLGZ

Lipoprotein apheresis: A new approach to refractory angina?

(European Society of Cardiology) Initial investigation of patients with suspected coronary heart disease using functional imaging -- rather than guideline-directed care -- resulted in significantly less unnecessary angiography, according to results of the CE-MARC 2 trial.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bQH2bL

ODYSSEY ESCAPE: Alirocumab cuts apheresis rates in familial hypercholesterolemia

(European Society of Cardiology) Patients who have heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, a condition that causes abnormally raised low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and premature cardiovascular disease, can significantly reduce or even eliminate their need for expensive and time-consuming apheresis treatments with the PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bM2HEr

Infused stem cells in heart failure: Improved health status but not cardiac function

(European Society of Cardiology) A single dose of mesenchymal stem cells delivered intravenously to patients with chronic non-ischemic cardiomyopathy was not associated with significant cardiac structural or functional improvements, but did result in several clinically relevant benefits, according to results from a phase II-a randomized trial.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bLZK77

CHART-1: Largest cardiac regenerative therapy trial brings new insights

(European Society of Cardiology) A therapy that uses bone-marrow stem cells to promote heart repair did not significantly improve the primary outcome over a sham procedure among patients with congestive heart failure. However, it revealed critical new insights, according to investigators of the CHART-1 trial.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bZSkKA

MORE-CARE: No clinical benefit for cardiac device remote monitoring

(European Society of Cardiology) Heart failure patients fitted with biventricular defibrillators fared no better with remote monitoring of their condition compared to those whose devices were monitored during in-clinic visits, according to results of the MORE-CARE study.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bM00Tl

The REM-HF trial: Remote monitoring of implantable cardiac devices: No added benefit

(European Society of Cardiology) For heart failure patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), remote monitoring of their condition does not improve outcomes compared to usual care, according to Hot Line results presented at ESC Congress 2016 and to be simultaneously published in JAMA.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bZTs0H

DANISH: No overall survival benefit with ICDs in non-ischemic heart failure

(European Society of Cardiology) Placement of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) in patients with non-ischemic systolic heart failure did not improve overall survival compared to usual clinical care -- although a secondary outcome, risk of sudden cardiac death, was halved with ICD placement, according to new research reported here.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bM0vgh

Shorter dual antiplatelet duration holds up in NIPPON

(European Society of Cardiology) A short-term course of dual antiplatelet therapy is non-inferior to a longer course in patients who have undergone placement of a particular kind of drug-eluting stent, researchers reported here.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bZUcCU

SAVE - sleep apnea treatment: No cardiovascular benefit

(European Society of Cardiology) More than 3 years of nightly treatment with a continuous positive airway pressure machine did not reduce cardiovascular risk more than usual care among patients with cardiovascular disease and obstructive sleep apnea.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bM0lpk

ANTARCTIC trial antiplatelet monitoring: No benefit in elderly patients

(European Society of Cardiology) Monitoring platelet function in order to individualize antiplatelet therapy did not improve outcomes for elderly patients after a heart attack compared to a standard, unmonitored approach, results of the ANTARCTIC trial show.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bZSykM

The brain performs feats of math to make sense of the world

(Princeton University) Princeton University researchers have found that the brain is quite good at rapidly and subconsciously calculating the likelihood of various events, and remain flexible enough to account for new information. They traced these abilities to a region of the brain located just behind our eyes known as the orbitofrontal cortex.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c1EiaC

Sudden death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy rarely associated with exercise

(European Society of Cardiology) Sudden death in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is rarely associated with exercise, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2016 today by Dr. Gherardo Finocchiaro, a cardiologist at St George's University of London, UK. Nearly 80 percent of patients in the study had no symptoms and only one in five had been diagnosed with HCM before their death.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bYS7GO

Mediterranean diet associated with lower risk of death in cardiovascular disease patients

(European Society of Cardiology) The Mediterranean diet is associated with a reduced risk of death in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, according to results from the observational Moli-sani study presented at ESC Congress 2016 today.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bIKlCU

Defibrillators could save many more lives if associated with basic life support education

(European Society of Cardiology) Automatic external defibrillators fail to save lives when the public does not have basic life support education, according to research presented today at ESC Congress 2016. The study found that public access defibrillation programs are unevenly deployed across France, with an obvious impact on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rate.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bYRSLS

Traffic accidents increased by 50 percent in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator

(European Society of Cardiology) The risk of traffic accidents is increased by 50 percent in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator compared to age and gender matched controls, according to a Danish nationwide registry study presented at ESC Congress 2016 today.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bIKw0Q

Increased risk of death for heart failure patients with each NHS hospital admission

(European Society of Cardiology) Heart failure patients have a 2 percent increased risk of dying with each admission to NHS hospitals, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2016 today. The 15-year study in more than 450,000 patients from the ACALM Study Unit, Birmingham, UK, included 13,416 patients with heart failure.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bri5nA

Up to 80 percent of heart failure patients denied therapy to reduce hospitalization and death

(European Society of Cardiology) A study in nearly 15,000 heart failure patients has found that up to 80 percent may not be receiving treatment at doses proven to reduce hospitalizations and improve survival. The research presented at ESC Congress 2016 today highlights the need for doctors to ensure patients are treated appropriately so that the high levels of serious illnesses and death associated with heart failure can be reduced.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bs1RYu

Heart failure in the elderly set to triple by 2060

(European Society of Cardiology) Heart failure in the elderly is set to triple by 2060, according to new data from the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility (AGES) -- Reykjavík study presented at ESC Congress 2016 today.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2brieYm

Alcohol-related hospitalization associated with doubled stroke risk in atrial fibrillation

(European Society of Cardiology) Alcohol-related hospitalization is associated with a doubled risk of ischemic stroke risk in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, according to a study presented at ESC Congress 2016 today by Dr. Faris Al-Khalili, cardiologist, Karolinska Institutet, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. The observational study was conducted in more than 25,000 non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients at low risk of stroke.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bruqcX

Smartphone detects atrial fibrillation with existing hardware

(European Society of Cardiology) Smartphones can be used to detect atrial fibrillation with existing hardware, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2016 today. A low-cost application has been developed that uses the phone's own accelerometer and gyroscope to check for atrial fibrillation.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bIdNWJ

Low socioeconomic status associated with higher risk of second heart attack or stroke

(European Society of Cardiology) Low socioeconomic status is associated with a higher risk of a second heart attack or stroke, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2016 today. The study in nearly 30,000 patients with a prior heart attack found that the risk of a second event was 36 percent lower for those in the highest income quintile compared to the lowest and increased by 14 percent in divorced compared to married patients.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bxvoSn

Moderate physical activity linked with 50 percent reduction in cardiovascular death in over-65s

(European Society of Cardiology) Moderate physical activity is associated with a greater than 50 percent reduction in cardiovascular death in over-65s, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2016 today. The 12-year study in nearly 2,500 adults aged 65 to 74 years found that moderate physical activity reduced the risk of an acute cardiovascular event by more than 30 percent. High levels of physical activity led to greater risk reductions.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c3IPvT

A visual nudge can disrupt recall of what things look like

(University of Wisconsin-Madison) Interfering with your vision makes it harder to describe what you know about the appearance of even common objects, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bW8HXp

Novel schistosomiasis vaccine: New phase of clinical studies

(Oswaldo Cruz Institute) The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will start the phase II clinical trials of a vaccine for schistosomiasis, called 'Sm14 Vaccine.' The initiative is one of the health research and development projects prioritized by the World Health Organization (WHO), aiming to ensure the access of populations from developing countries to public health tools based on cutting edge technologies.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bW0DG0

Researchers find a new way to identify and target malignant aging in leukemia

(University of California - San Diego) Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center have identified RNA-based biomarkers that distinguish between normal, aging hematopoietic stem cells and leukemia stem cells associated with secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML), a particularly problematic disease that typically afflicts older patients who have often already experienced a bout with cancer.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bN18Us

Researchers report new Zika complication

(Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center) Dr. John England, Professor and Chair of Neurology at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, and colleagues in Honduras and Venezuela have reported a new neurological complication of infection with the Zika virus. They described the first confirmed case of Zika-associated sensory polyneuropathy.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2cffUq2

Sensor systems identify senior citizens at risk of falling within 3 weeks

(University of Missouri-Columbia) Each year, millions of people -- especially those 65 and older -- fall. Such falls can be serious, leading to broken bones, head injuries, hospitalizations or even death. Now, researchers from the Sinclair School of Nursing and the College of Engineering at the University of Missouri found that sensors that measure in-home gait speed and stride length can predict likely falls. This technology can assist health providers to detect changes and intervene before a fall occurs.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2blVGFd

NIST study provides voice for evacuation needs of mobility impaired

(National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)) A new study conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) details the challenges faced by people with mobility impairments during emergency evacuation from multistory buildings. The findings are especially relevant because they are based upon concerns, insights and opinions provided in interviews with members of 'a population with egress needs that often go unheard when evacuation procedures are designed, implemented and practiced.'

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bosdyX

Five Irish brothers who mapped the British Empire

(Queen Mary University of London) A new book by Charles Drazin from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) takes the reader on a historical journey from a small village in rural Ireland to the farthest flung outposts of the early twentieth century British empire.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c1BTzx

Banning tobacco sales near schools could reduce socioeconomic disparities, new study shows

(Oxford University Press USA) Banning tobacco sales within 1,000 feet of schools could reduce socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in tobacco density across neighborhoods, according to a study being published today in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bUjGSg

'Coming out' in the classroom, but not by choice

(Arizona State University) In a first-of-its kind study published in the latest issue of CBE-Life Sciences Education, researchers from Arizona State University's School of Life Sciences found that active learning classrooms, which require more group work than traditional lecture courses, may create an unaccepting atmosphere for LGBTQIA students.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bUkeb3

Scripps Florida scientists shed new light on the role of calcium in learning and memory

(Scripps Research Institute) In a new study, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute offer new insights how calcium in mitochondria -- the powerhouse of all cells -- can impact the development of the brain and adult cognition. In particular, the team showed in fruit flies that blocking a channel that brings calcium to the mitochondria, called 'mitochondrial calcium uniporter,' causes memory impairment but does not alter learning capacity.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bUk7fw

NSF announces $55 million toward national research priorities

(National Science Foundation) The National Science Foundation (NSF) has made 11 awards totaling $55 million aimed at building research capacity to address fundamental questions about the brain and develop new innovations at the intersection of food, energy and water systems.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bo87ou

Experts say inexpensive drug could slow heart disease for type 1 diabetic patients

(Newcastle University) Scientists at Newcastle University believe a drug commonly prescribed for type 2 diabetes could be routinely taken by type 1 diabetic patients to slow the development or delay heart disease.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bn4Kta

Israeli lifestyle and environment may pose exceptional risks for Hodgkin's lymphoma

(The Hebrew University of Jerusalem) In Israel, the incidence of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) is among the highest in the world and has risen sharply over the past 45 years. Researchers found an association between being born in Israel and occurrence of HL, and an elevated risk of HL within one generation of moving to Israel. This could point to environmental causes such as exposures, diet, climate, social environment, and stress related to chronic regional conflict.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bkruNK

Public health researchers develop model to predict Sudden Cardiac Death

(Emory Health Sciences) Researchers from Emory's Rollins School of Public Health developed a sudden cardiac death (SCD) predictive model that can help identify and prevent the disease in individuals at high risk.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bAM50Q

RAND and Lawrence Livermore National Lab combine computing & public policy analysis

(RAND Corporation) Researchers from the RAND Corporation and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have joined forces to combine high-performance computing with innovative public policy analysis to improve planning for particularly complex issues such as water resource management.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bQPkiR

Barrow researchers find roots of modern humane treatment

(St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center) Researchers at Barrow Neurological Institute have traced the roots of humane medical practices to a pioneering French physician who treated people with deformities as humans instead of 'monsters,' as they were commonly called.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2blIncG

Investigating the relationship between low physical activity and psychotic symptoms

(Oxford University Press USA) Physical activity can help reduce cardiovascular disease and premature mortality in people with psychological problems. However, there is limited data on exercise in people with serious mental disorders, especially from low- and middle-income countries. This study explored whether complying with the World Health Organization recommendations of 150 minutes of moderate-vigorous exercise per week is related to psychotic symptoms or the diagnosis of a psychosis.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bJiV03

The refugee crisis in Europe: Challenges and possible solutions

(American Association for the Advancement of Science) In this Policy Forum, Randall Hansen and Shalini Randeria discuss the different ideological viewpoints of liberals and conservatives in Europe with respect to accepting refugees, highlighting why -- even though the continent is not bearing the 'brunt' of the refugee crisis -- it remains 'in the center of a political and social storm' related to refugees asylum.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bSualg

Dartmouth Institute-led team developing universal toolkit to predict hospital readmission risk

(The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice) A research team led by Dartmouth Institute Associate Professor Jeremiah Brown, Ph.D., M.S., has begun working on a four-year project to develop a universal toolkit that could be implementable in any EMR system and used to predict the risk of hospital readmission in real-time. The toolkit will focus on extracting complex information about patient health and health care factors, including social risk factors such as living status and social support at home.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bAdMXp

Rewiring the brain: A conversation with three pioneers of neuroplasticity

(The Kavli Foundation) Three scientists discuss their pioneering discoveries about neuroplasticity, the brain's remarkable capacity to change throughout our lifetimes. For their research, Eve Marder, Michael Merzenich and Carla Shatz were named the 2016 Kavli Prize laureates in Neuroscience.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bS1dEB

Fracking chemicals exposure may harm fertility in female mice

(The Endocrine Society) Prenatal exposure to chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, may threaten fertility in female mice, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's journal Endocrinology.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bRY9sn

Digital forms of dating violence are on the rise -- what school nurses need to know

(University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston) Many teens experience physical or sexual abuse within their romantic relationships and now dating violence can also be perpetrated digitally by harassing, stalking or controlling a romantic partner via technology and social media.School nurses are often some of the first to identify such problems and play an active role in preventing them from happening in the first place. Information on how school nurses can help these teens experiencing cyber abuse is described in a recent article in NASN School Nurse.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bCRhym

How telecommuting can cause leadership issues for your company

(Brigham Young University) Wherever your organization falls on the spectrum of telecommuting and virtual teams, new research from Georgia Southern University and BYU reveals something about leadership and telecommuting that everyone should take into consideration.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2cb4gwf

Risk of adolescents being overweight impacted by neighborhood education, income levels

(Kaiser Permanente) A new Kaiser Permanente study found an increased risk for becoming overweight or obese among normal-weight 18-year-olds who lived in neighborhoods with lower education or income levels. The study, published in Pediatric Obesity, found that over a four-year period, 25 percent of these young adults became overweight or obese.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bljqxL

New method creates endless supply of kidney precursor cells

(Salk Institute) Salk researchers have succeeded in, for the first time, creating kidney progenitor cells that survive in the lab.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bJHt7R

Salk scientists map brain's action center

(Salk Institute) New work dispels long-held notions about area involved in Parkinson's and addiction.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bJJh0q

Memory activation before exposure reduces life-long fear of spiders

(Uppsala University) Many people suffer from anxiety and fears, and a common treatment for these problems is exposure therapy. In a new study published in Current Biology, researchers at Uppsala University have shown how the effect of exposure therapy can be improved by disrupting the recreation of fear-memories in people with arachnophobia.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2blkAcH

Zika virus may persist in the vagina days after infection

(Yale University) The Zika virus reproduces in the vaginal tissue of pregnant mice several days after infection, according to a study by Yale researchers. From the genitals, the virus spreads and infects the fetal brain, impairing fetal development. The findings suggest that the Zika virus may replicate more robustly in the female reproductive tract than at other sites of infection, with potentially dire consequences for reproduction, said the researchers.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2blj5LD

The brain uses backward instant replays to remember important travel routes

(Johns Hopkins Medicine) Johns Hopkins neuroscientists believe they have figured out how some rats solve certain navigational problems. If there's a 'reward' at the end of the trip, like the chocolatey drink used in this study, specialized neurons in the hippocampus of the brain 'replay' the route taken to get it, but backward. And the greater the reward, the more often the rats' brains replay it.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bJGvIR

Opioid receptors outside the brain targeted in rats; new direction for painkillers

(Cell Press) Opioid abuse is a growing public health crisis, affecting up to 36 million people worldwide. Many of these individuals first get hooked on prescription painkillers that target mu opioid receptors in the brain. A study in rats published Aug. 25 in Cell Reports suggests that a different approach that targets delta opioid receptors on sensory neurons in peripheral tissues might avoid the side effects and high abuse potential of currently available pain relievers.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bJGSmO

A reward makes rats more likely to replay memories in reverse

(Cell Press) When a rat runs a maze and finds a reward, the first thing he does is pause to enjoy it. But inside his brain, the work isn't done. In a study published Aug. 25 in Neuron, researchers show that the rat's memories of reaching the reward play forward and backward in its hippocampus, but it's the backwards replay that increases with the size of the reward, possibly as a way to reinforce learning.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2blj3mQ

Redefining Homo -- does our family tree need more branches?

(American Geosciences Institute) The story of the genus Homo is as much rooted in historical cultural norms as it is in the modern scientific sector. EARTH Magazine delves into the challenges that have arisen as scientists still ask, "What makes a human, human?"

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bzJsfy

Virtual peer pressure works just as well as the real thing

(NYU Tandon School of Engineering) Peer pressure is a proven social motivator. Researchers probed this decidedly human attribute and found that not only is virtual pressure from a computer-simulated peer just as motivating as the real thing, but that 'fake' competition is effective as well.Researchers formulated a mathematical model of human behavior that successfully predicted group responses across conditions -- one they hope researchers will use to overcome the difficult task of encouraging participation in scientific projects.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bzKgB7

Special report documents Zika virus' impact on the fetal brain

(Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center) In a special report released Aug. 23 in the journal Radiology, a team of researchers including Deborah Levine, M.D., Director of Obstetric & Gynecologic ultrasound at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School, documented the brain abnormalities associated with congenital Zika in 45 confirmed and presumed cases from northeastern Brazil.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bCCUKx

New technique takes guesswork out of IVF embryo selection

(University of Adelaide) Researchers at the University of Adelaide have successfully trialed a new technique that could aid the process of choosing the 'best' embryo for implantation, helping to boost the chances of pregnancy success from the very first IVF cycle.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2biTLHp

What makes Southerners sound southern?

(University of Georgia) Linguistic researchers will be isolating and identifying the specific variations in speech that make Southerners sound Southern.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bRXAQm

Neuroene Therapeutics awarded $225,000 STTR research grant

(Medical University of South Carolina) Neuroene Therapeutics, a startup company born from unique research by two Medical University of South Carolina investigators, secured a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant for $225,000 in July from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2caMQQv

Latest research reveals sitting in traffic jams is officially bad for you

(University of Surrey) Pollution levels inside cars were found to be up to 40% higher while in traffic jams or at a red traffic light compared to free-flowing traffic conditions.Car windows closed with the fan/heating off in traffic is the best ventilation setting in traffic leading up to a 76% reduction in in-car pollutants. Also, safest setting is the air being circulated internally only by the fan without drawing in polluted air from outdoors.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2biNKF4

What digital divide? Seniors embrace social technology

(Michigan State University) Contrary to popular belief, older adults enjoy emailing, instant messaging, Facebook and other forms of social technology. Not only that, but such online networking appears to reduce seniors' loneliness and even improve their health.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bCvt69

How easy is it to spot a lie?

(Frontiers) 'Who broke Grandma's favorite vase?' As you listen to a chorus of 'I don't know' and 'Not me,' how will you determine the culprit? Conventional wisdom says, divide and conquer, but what does scientific research show us about questioning a group of people at one time?

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2biGePT

In the aftermath of disaster, social media helps build a sense of community

(Frontiers) Social media can disseminate critical information as well as unite disaster victims during their recovery efforts, suggests a study published in Frontiers in Communication.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bCrcj2

High-tech alternative to brain surgery proves effective for most common movement disorder

(University of Virginia Health System) An international clinical trial has found that focused ultrasound offers essential tremor patients a lasting reduction in their uncontrollable shaking. And the procedure's entirely scalpel free.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bDL0XD

Elevating brain protein allays symptoms of Alzheimer's and improves memory

(Salk Institute) Salk Institute tests drug that could boost levels of critical protective protein in brain.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c9NVYL

PRB projects world population rising 33 percent by 2050 to nearly 10 billion

(Population Reference Bureau) The world population will reach 9.9 billion in 2050, up 33 percent from an estimated 7.4 billion now, according to projections included in the latest World Population Data Sheet from the Population Reference Bureau (PRB).The world population would hit the 10 billion mark in 2053 if the assumptions underlying PRB's 2050 projections are applied to subsequent years.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bPcYMu

Research aims to use wider engagement to improve prisoner-community relations

(University of Plymouth) A research project from Plymouth University is designed to raise awareness of prisoner resettlement journeys, while developing a dialogue with the wider community in an effort to improve prisoner-community relations.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bhXUbS

Psychosis associated with low levels of physical activity

(King's College London) A large international study of more than 200,000 people in nearly 50 countries has revealed that people with psychosis engage in low levels of physical activity, and men with psychosis are over two times more likely to miss global activity targets compared to people without the illness.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bBAXhm

New map shows alarming growth of the human footprint

(James Cook University) A James Cook University scientist says a new map of the ecological footprint of humankind shows 97 percent of the most species-rich places on Earth have been seriously altered.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bASN3Y

Diet, exercise, both: All work equally to protect heart health, SLU study finds

(Saint Louis University) For those who need to lose weight, taking off a few pounds by dieting, exercising or both is powerful protection against cardiovascular disease.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bOptIi

JNeurosci: Highlights from the Aug. 24 issue

(Society for Neuroscience) Working memory -- the ability to hold pieces of information in mind and manipulate them -- is a strong predictor of children's academic success. Check out these newsworthy studies from the Aug. 24, 2016, issue of JNeurosci.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bAEFYI

Do juvenile murderers deserve life without parole?

(American Psychological Association) The US Supreme Court answered this question in two recent decisions (Miller v. Alabama, 2012; Montgomery v. Louisiana, 2016). 'Rarely,' the Court said, and only when developmental evidence shows that the juvenile is 'irreparably corrupt.' Moreover, in juvenile homicide cases, developmental evidence must now guide courts' assignment of lesser sentences than life with parole as well.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2biWZEE

THC makes rats lazy, less willing to try cognitively demanding tasks: UBC study

(University of British Columbia) New research from the University of British Columbia suggests there may be some truth to the belief that marijuana use causes laziness -- at least in rats.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c7u9xj

In unstable times, the brain reduces cell production to help cope

(Princeton University) A Princeton University-led study found that adult rats with disruptions in their social hierarchy produced far fewer new neurons, and reacted to the surrounding upheaval by favoring the company of familiar rats. The research is among the first to show that adult brain-cell growth, or neurogenesis, shapes social behavior and adaptation, and that responses to instability may be more measured than scientists have come to expect.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c7t2NW

Study strengthens evidence that cognitive activity can reduce dementia risk

(Massachusetts General Hospital) A formal bias analysis of previous studies finding that cognitive activities can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias concluded that any confounding factors in the earlier studies probably do not totally account for any associations between cognitive activity and dementia risk.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bGtjp4

Chew on this: How we believe our meat is raised can influence how it tastes

(Northeastern University) New research from Northeastern psychology professor Lisa Feldman Barrett shows that our beliefs about how farm animals are raised -- whether on 'factory farms' or in more humane conditions -- can shape our meat-eating experience, from how we think it smells and tastes to how much we'd be willing to pay for it.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bO8o10

Skemp to receive GSA's 2016 Minority Mentorship Award

(The Gerontological Society of America) The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) -- the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging -- has chosen Lisa Skemp, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, of Loyola University Chicago as the 2016 recipient of the Minority Issues in Gerontology Committee Outstanding Mentorship Award.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bwDpIQ

Lymph node stage may have clinical significance among NSCLC patients with stage IV M1a

(International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer) Analysis of a large non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient cohort with stage IV M1a disease identified lymph node staging as having clinical significance and an impact on prognosis.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bwABeE

Smith to Receive GSA's 2016 Nathan Shock New Investigator Award

(The Gerontological Society of America) The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) -- the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging -- has chosen Daniel L. Smith Jr, PhD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham as the 2016 recipient of the Nathan Shock New Investigator Award.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bO7nWn

Wolf to Receive GSA's 2016 Excellence in Rehabilitation of Aging Persons Award

(The Gerontological Society of America) The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) -- the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging -- has chosen Steven L. Wolf, PhD, PT, FAPTA, FAHA, of the Emory University School of Medicine as the 2016 recipient of the Excellence in Rehabilitation of Aging Persons Award.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bwCfNv

Queen's researchers measure emotional flexibility in mother-daughter dyads

(Queen's University) Queen's University researchers Tom Hollenstein and Jessica Lougheed have published new research on the emotional bonds between mothers and adolescent daughters.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bO3AZi

Perls to receive GSA's 2015 Joseph T. Freeman Award

(The Gerontological Society of America) The Gerontological Society of America -- the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging -- has chosen Thomas T. Perls, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P., of the Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center as the recipient of the 2016 of the Joseph T. Freeman Award.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bO6QDJ

Parents, listen up: Children keep still during prayer

(University of California - Riverside) Preschool-aged children, and their parents, are more likely to view the physical actions of prayer (i.e., closing eyes, folding hands) to help with reflection and communicating with God. This is according to a new study by Rebekah Richert, a psychology professor at the University of California, Riverside. The paper, titled "Folding Your Hands Helps God Hear You: Prayer and Anthropomorphism in Parents and Children," was published in Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bC19N8

New editorial, virtual journal issue commemorate research that shaped geriatrics

(American Geriatrics Society) A new editorial and corresponding virtual journal issue offer a look back at 20 of the most important studies impacting older adult care as published by the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society from 2000 to 2015.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bAiG3R

One of the most significant Etruscan discoveries in decades names female goddess Uni

(Southern Methodist University) Archaeologists translating a very rare inscription on an ancient Etruscan temple stone have discovered the name Uni -- an important female goddess. The discovery indicates that Uni -- a divinity of fertility and possibly a mother goddess at this particular place -- may have been the titular deity worshiped at the sanctuary of Poggio Colla, a key settlement in Italy for the ancient Etruscan civilization, said archaeologist Gregory Warden, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, main sponsor of the dig.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bAimSY

Neuroscientists receive NSF grant to study evolution of brain to support technological learning

(Georgia State University) The Center for Behavioral Neuroscience (CBN) at Georgia State University has received a three-year, $970,704 grant from the National Science Foundation to investigate how the human brain has evolved to support technological learning.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bPopEF

One of the most significant Etruscan discoveries in decades names female goddess Uni

(Southern Methodist University) Archaeologists translating a very rare inscription on an ancient Etruscan temple stone have discovered the name Uni -- an important female goddess. The discovery indicates that Uni -- a divinity of fertility and possibly a mother goddess at this particular place -- may have been the titular deity worshiped at the sanctuary of Poggio Colla, a key settlement in Italy for the ancient Etruscan civilization, said archaeologist Gregory Warden, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, main sponsor of the dig.

from EurekAlert! - Archaeology http://ift.tt/2bAimSY

How long do you want to live? Your expectations for old age matter

(Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health) In a latest study, researchers investigated how long young and middle-aged adults in the United States say they want to live in relation to a number of personal characteristics. The results showed that more than one out of six people would prefer to die younger than age 80, before reaching average life expectancy. There was no indication that the relationship between preferring a life shorter or longer than average life expectancy depended on age, gender or education.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bntrYE

Disruptions to sleep patterns lead to an increased risk of suicides

(University of Manchester) The link between sleep problems and suicidal thoughts and behaviours is made starkly clear in new research from The University of Manchester, published in the BMJ Open.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bntC6c

Diets avoiding dry-cooked foods can protect against diabetes, say mount sinai researchers

(The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine) Simple changes in how we cook could go a long way towards preventing diabetes, say researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bntsMg

For teens, feeling safe at school means increased academic success

(Concordia University) Parents across North America are prepping their teens to head back to high school, hoping they will study hard to get straight A's. But new research shows that good grades aren't just based on smarts -- high marks also depend on a student's feelings of safety.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bnt7cm

Temple researchers explore effects of tobacco smoke, opiates on HIV patient tissue damage

(Temple University Health System) Thanks to new funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University will explore the effects of the combination of tobacco smoke and opiates on the tissue damage that occurs in many patients infected with HIV.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bgGJaE

Norwegian prisons rehabilitate criminal offenders

(The University of Bergen) Norwegian prisons have great results. Inmates have 30 per cent lower risk for future crime, than those who were given suspended sentence. Those who are sentenced to prison have 40 per cent better chance to get a job afterwards compared with those who have received more lenient penalties.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c6VT4R

Majority of US doctors discussing electronic cigarettes with their patients

(Oxford University Press) A new survey of US doctors reveals they are frequently discussing electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) with patients in a clinical setting. A substantial proportion of physicians also recommend e-cigs to their patients who smoke despite some controversy around the devices.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c6W54o

New book on sugar-sweetened beverage taxation

(Springer) The Evaluation Platform on Obesity Prevention from theQuebec Heart and Lung Institute -- Laval University is pleased to announce the launch of the book 'Taxing Soda for Public Health: a Canadian Perspective' by Springer. This work provides an exhaustive analysis of the rationale, potential impacts and applicability of a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages as a public health measure aimed to contribute preventing obesity and diabetes, particularly in Canada.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bin0nI

Documenting the risk of invasive species worldwide

(University of Massachusetts at Amherst) In the first global analysis of environmental risk from invasive alien species, researchers say one sixth of the world's lands are 'highly vulnerable' to invasion, including 'substantial areas in developing countries and biodiversity hotspots.' The study by biogeographer Bethany Bradley at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Regan Early at the University of Exeter, UK, with others, appears in the current issue of Nature Communications.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c6S7bM

Study takes a step back to look at use of restraints in hospitals

(Springer) The use of belts, bedrails and other devices to prevent patients from hurting themselves has increasingly come under fire. Within a hospital setting, the use of such restraints may be reduced by ensuring that the nursing staff includes a sufficient number of registered nurses, says Vincent Staggs of Children's Mercy Hospital and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He led a study which appears in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, published by Springer.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c6QWJm

HIV-infected adults with depression have increased risk for heart attack

(The JAMA Network Journals) Among more than 26,000 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adults, those with major depressive disorder (MDD) were more likely to experience a heart attack than those without MDD, according to a study published online by JAMA Cardiology.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c6RgI8

Study shows diabetes treatment helps reduce weight in children with autism

(MediaSource) A drug that's been used for decades in the treatment of type 2 diabetes is proving effective in helping to control weight gain in children who are treated for autism spectrum disorder, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bPbFOq

Digging in data and spinning stories -- CMOs at work

(Springer) A successful chief marketing officer needs to be passionate about what he is doing and get that message out to people, states Seth Farbman, CMO of the digital music service Spotify, in an interview with Josh Steimle. The interview with Farbman is one of 29 that Steimle, author of 'Chief Marketing Officers at Work,' conducted with leading marketing executives. The result is a compilation of biographical anecdotes, career advice and professional insights into their daily business, published by Apress.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bicBIo

Could physical activity be good for alcohol and substance use disorders?

(University of Plymouth) A team of researchers from Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry has received funding of £154,000 from the NIHR Research for Patient Benefit program, to carry out a systematic review of research to see if and how physical activity and exercise could help those with alcohol and substance use disorders.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bgr6jk

Childhood head injury linked to higher risk of poor adult mental health and life chances

(University of Oxford) Childhood brain injuries, including concussions, are associated with an increased risk of subsequent mental illness, poor school attainment and premature death, according to a study published today in PLOS Medicine.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bzPgmN

Acupuncture may yield pain relief for children who have complex medical conditions

(Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare) It appears that acupuncture may be a viable option for pain management when it comes to pediatric patients who have complex medical conditions, according to new research published by Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul, Minnesota. The study found that a significant portion of children who have chronic care conditions -- many of whom are already on numerous medications -- might benefit from the use of the low-risk and non-toxic benefits of acupuncture.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bg3QPz

Bags don't fly free: Charges have boosted airlines' departure performances, study finds

(University of Kansas) A new study that includes a University of Kansas researcher has found checked baggage fees have actually improved the departure performance of US airlines in addition to boosting revenue.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2blujNh

Direct and active parent involvement key to healthy living for kids

(Public Health Ontario) Parents who directly and actively engage their children in healthy living behavior -- instead of passively 'supporting' the behavior -- are significantly more likely to see their kids meet Canadian guidelines when it comes to physical activity, healthy eating and screen time, new research from Public Health Ontario (PHO) has found.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2c4DW7d

First randomized trial shows IVF culture media affect the outcomes of embryos and babies

(European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology) Fertility experts are calling on the companies who make the solutions in which embryos are cultured during in vitro fertilization (IVF) to give a clear list of ingredients following publication in the journal Human Reproduction of a trial that shows that the composition of these laboratory cultures affects the outcomes of the resulting embryos and babies in terms of the number of viable embryos created, the rates of successful implantation in the womb, pregnancy rates and babies' birthweights.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bu5l07

Evidence of changes to children's brain rhythms following 'brain training'

(Medical Research Council) New research questions the strong claims that have been made about the benefits of 'brain training' -- enhanced mental skills, a boost to education, improved clinical outcomes and sharper everyday functioning. This new study found evidence that 'brain training' changed brain signalling but no indication of other benefits.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2by4HvF

New surgical option for breast cancer comes to the US

(University of Houston) Breast cancer patients will have a new surgical option for cancer detection thanks to a new device co-invented by University of Houston and University College of London scientists. The Sentimag surgical guidance probe is used to locate early stage impalpable tumors. Endomag, a spinoff medical devices company co-founded by the Houston and London researchers, signed a distribution deal with Devicor Medical Products, which will be the exclusive distributor of Sentimag in the US and Canada.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2beB5FI

New report: Rate of uninsured young adults drops by more than one-third in Texas

(Rice University) The percentage of young adults ages 18 to 34 in Texas without health insurance has dropped by 35 percent since the Affordable Care Act went into effect, according to a new report released today by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Episcopal Health Foundation.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bxXKdV

Surgery that restores hand and elbow function in quadriplegics is underused

(Loyola University Health System) A surgery for quadriplegics called tendon transfer can significantly improve hand and elbow function, but the procedure is greatly underused, according to an article in the journal Hand Clinics by Loyola Medicine hand surgeon Michael S. Bednar, M.D., F.A.A.O.S.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bNa9fE

Brief rapamycin therapy in middle-aged mice extends lives

(University of Washington Health Sciences/UW Medicine) In mice, the drug rapamycin is known to extend lives and delay some age-related problems. Questions remain about about how it promotes healthy aging, when, how much and how long to administer rapamycin, and how to avoid serious side effects. A new study showed brief therapy during middle age with rapamycin dramatically extended mouse lives. Findings revealed the need to further examine how gender and dose influence side effects and the drug's impact on susceptibility to and protection from different types of cancer.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bfQlUt

Lacking other meaningful data, university faculty devise their own evaluation systems

(Oregon State University) Faculty teaching in the STEM disciplines at large research universities are devising their own systems to collect instructional data from their classrooms and using that data to inform their teaching.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bcUvO3

MDI Biological Laboratory scientists awarded patent for potential new heart disease drug

(Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory) The US Patent and Trademark Office has announced that it will grant a patent to MDI Biological Laboratory scientists Voot P. Yin, Ph.D., and Kevin Strange, Ph.D., and their collaborator Michael Zasloff, M.D., Ph.D., for use of the small molecule MSI-1436 to stimulate the repair and regeneration of heart tissue damaged by injuries such as a heart attack.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bDF7IG

Resolving the 'Hispanic paradox'

(University of California - Santa Barbara) Study co-authored by a UCSB researcher reveals Latinos age slower, neutralizing higher health risks of obesity and diabetes.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bcM1Xg

New blood spot test used internationally in fight against HIV

(University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus) Researchers at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at CU Anschutz have developed a technique that estimates an HIV-negative patient's adherence to drugs prescribed to prevent HIV transmission during sex.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bt9cuj

How sleep deprivation harms memory

(eLife ) Researchers from the Universities of Groningen (Netherlands) and Pennsylvania have discovered a piece in the puzzle of how sleep deprivation negatively affects memory.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bdVYAV

Too much activity in certain areas of the brain is bad for memory and attention

(University of Nottingham) Researchers led by Dr Tobias Bast in the School of Psychology at The University of Nottingham have found that faulty inhibitory neurotransmission and abnormally increased activity in the hippocampus impairs our memory and attention.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bf6y7B

Music at work increases cooperation, teamwork

(Cornell University) Cornell University researchers found that music can have important effects on the cooperative spirits of those exposed to music.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bdVZEZ

Castle to receive GSA's 2016 Elaine M. Brody Thought Leader Award

(The Gerontological Society of America) The Gerontological Society of America -- the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging -- has chosen Nicholas G. Castle, BSc (hons), MHA, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh as the 2016 recipient of the Elaine M. Brody Thought Leader Award.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bfciOR

Social media in industrial China and social media in rural China

(University College London) How has the biggest mass migration in human history affected Chinese communication habits?Have the inhabitants of rural China been 'left behind' in the social media revolution?These are just some of the questions explored by the latest books in an eleven book series revealing the discoveries made by the UCL Department of Anthropology's global 'Why We Post' social media research project.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bK9bzy

Thomas to receive GSA's 2016 Carroll L. Estes Rising Star Award

(The Gerontological Society of America) The Gerontological Society of America -- the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging -- has chosen Kali St. Marie Thomas, PhD, MA, of Brown University and the Providence VA Medical Center as the 2016 recipient of the Carroll L. Estes Rising Star Award.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2be07on

Levy, Ferrucci, Zonderman, Slade, Troncoso, Resnick to receive GSA's 2016 Kalish Award

(The Gerontological Society of America) The Gerontological Society of America -- the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging -- has named the following individuals as 2016 recipients of the Richard Kalish Innovative Publication Award: Becca Levy, PhD, of Yale University; Luigi Ferrucci, MD, PhD, of the National Institute on Aging; Alan B. Zonderman, PhD, of the National Institute on Aging; Martin D. Slade, MPH, of Yale University; Juan Troncoso, MD, of Johns Hopkins University; and Susan Resnick, PhD, of the National Institute on Aging.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bfce1h

Schulz to receive GSA's 2016 Distinguished Mentorship in Gerontology Award

(The Gerontological Society of America) The Gerontological Society of America -- the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging -- has chosen Richard Schulz, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh as the 2016 recipient of the Distinguished Mentorship in Gerontology Award.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bdZnzO

Hayslip to receive GSA's 2016 Distinguished Career Contribution to Gerontology Award

(The Gerontological Society of America) The Gerontological Society of America -- the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging -- has chosen Bert Hayslip Jr., PhD, of the University of North Texas as the 2016 recipient of the Distinguished Career Contribution to Gerontology Award.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bfcdum

Reframing body weight as baby weight may help women handle pregnancy

(Penn State) Pregnant women often rely on two identities -- a pregnant self and a non-pregnant self -- to help them navigate the profound psychological and physiological effects that pregnancy has on their body image, according to a Penn State Abington researcher.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bS2P4J

The demise of the Maya civilization: Water shortage can destroy cultures

(Vienna University of Technology) Water reservoirs provide relief during short periods of drought. They can, however, make a society even more vulnerable to major catastrophes, if the population keeps growing without changing their habits. New models suggest that this could have caused the demise of the Maya civilisation.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2beVZBg

Multivariate analysis improves on cognitive testing in Alzheimer's disease

(Future Science Group) Multivariate analysis of cognitive tests in Alzheimer's disease identifies five distinct groups of Alzheimer's disease patients, and suggests that multivitamins might slow progression only in certain groups.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bdMplJ

Study finds vision loss due to diabetes is rising globally

(Nova Southeastern University) Diabetes has become one of the top causes of vision loss around the world, according to an article published on August 23, 2016 in Diabetes Care journal by a global consortium led by researchers at Nova Southeastern University's College of Optometry in Fort Lauderdale/Davie, Florida, and the Vision and Eye Care Unit at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2beVFTe

Medical scientists discover potent method for improving drug-free fertility treatment

(University of New South Wales) For those facing infertility, IVF has long been the established option to have a baby. Now Australian and Belgian medical scientists have discovered how to improve a woman's chances of becoming pregnant using a less invasive and cheaper alternative.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bdNolA

Research alliance to improve aquaculture and livestock breeding

(University of Edinburgh) The University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute and Hendrix Genetics, a global leader in animal breeding, have established a research agreement to improve the sustainability of animal production.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bx2Nva

The Book of Judith -- a free translation?

(University of Würzburg) Around 1,600 years ago, the Church Father Jerome took a highly creative approach to the translation of the Old Testament Book of Judith: he cut the original text down to about a half, as the theologian Lydia Lange demonstrates in her doctoral thesis.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bz9OjJ

UA biomedical engineer sheds light on the mysteries of vision.

(University of Arizona College of Engineering) University of Arizona biomedical engineer Erika Eggers examines how eyes adapt to light and retinal signaling pathways that may lead to blindness in people with diabetes, with $2.8 million from the National Science Foundation and National Eye Institute.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bx2MY8

AgriLife researcher takes close look at 'inflamm-aging'

(Texas A&M AgriLife Communications) In research recently published in the premier science journal Aging, Dr. Yuxiang Sun and colleagues investigated the role of the ghrelin receptor, growth hormone secretagogue receptor, or GHSR, in age associated adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance in mice.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bwWAiG

Biological invasions threaten developing countries

(University of Exeter) Invasions from alien species such as Japanese knotweed and grey squirrels threaten the economies and livelihoods of residents of some of the world's poorest nations, new University of Exeter research shows.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bhXPDA

'Putting prevention in their pockets'

(University at Buffalo) Researchers at the University at Buffalo developed and tested a smartphone app that allows people living with HIV to self-report on sensitive health behaviors, which may help facilitate faster interventions when necessary.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bdJfv2

New NIH-funded study to identify risks for vulnerability to drug addiction

(Binghamton University) A new study aims to better understand what makes some individuals particularly vulnerable to developing drug addiction. A team of researchers from across the country will look at how genes that influence brain function cause risk for addictions. J. David Jentsch, Empire Innovation Professor of psychology at Binghamton University, is part of the team of investigators awarded a new grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health to conduct the research.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bdiEON

Scientists develop interactive game demonstrating impact of climate change on the Antarctic

(University of Exeter) Scientists and games developers have joined forces to help communicate the impact of climate change on the Antarctic Ice Sheet.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bb17N8

Study finds changes to retirement savings system may exacerbate economic inequality

(American Sociological Association) A shift to defined-contribution retirement plans, such as 401(k) plans, has led to an income and education gap in pension savings that could exacerbate future economic inequality, according to a study.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2bcSbDS