Suicide attempts by self-poisoning have more than doubled in teens, young adults

(Nationwide Children's Hospital) A new study from Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Central Ohio Poison Center found rates of suicide attempts by self-poisoning among adolescents have more than doubled in the last decade in the US, and more than tripled for girls and young women.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vEq0HH

Quitting smoking is associated with reduced risk of bladder cancer in postmenopausal women

(American Association for Cancer Research) A large study of postmenopausal women indicated that quitting cigarette smoking was associated with significantly reduced risk of bladder cancer. The most significant reduction in risk occurred in the first 10 years after quitting, with a modest but continued decline in later years.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PHGY0L

Diabetes drug could help smokers kick the habit

(University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston) A diabetes drug is being enlisted in the war on smoking by UTHealth researchers.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XXGCGq

Research funding agencies issue global guidelines on societal and economic impact

(Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) Statement of Principles will be issued in São Paulo during annual meeting of Global Research Council attended by representatives of 50 countries.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GU4AN2

Television programming for children reveals systematic gender inequality

(Rutgers University) Programming children watch on American TV shows systematic gender inequality, according to new research.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GKXcSR

University of Houston students, alumni earn prestigious NSF graduate research fellowships

(University of Houston) Meet the amazing University of Houston students who are recipients of graduate research fellowships from the National Science Foundation. They are studying everything from virtual reality to volcanic activity on Mars.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2VD079A

Dry sand can bubble and swirl like a fluid

Put two types of sand grains together in a chamber, and they can flow like fluids under the right conditions.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2J2TkPO

Consumers prefer pork cooked to 145 degrees, study says

(University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences) Are pork chops on the menu this grilling season? According to new research from University of Illinois meat scientists, pork enthusiasts can improve taste, juiciness, and tenderness by cooking chops to the new USDA standard: 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DFruWy

Researchers define Alzheimer's-like brain disorder

(Rush University Medical Center) Researchers at Rush University Medical Center and scientists from several National Institutes of Health-funded institutions, in collaboration with international peers, described the newly-named pathway to dementia, Limbic-predominant Age-related TDP-43 Encephalopathy, or LATE, in a report published today in the journal Brain.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GUyW1T

To boldly go or anxiously hang back?

(University of California - San Francisco) UC San Francisco research has identified a particular group of nerve cells in the brain that play an important role in anxiety's influence over behavior. The researchers have found that turning off signaling from this small population of neurons in the front of the mouse brain can act as sort of a 'chill pill,' reducing the likelihood of anxious behavior driven by signals from another brain region called the hippocampus.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GT7HEX

Can stress in the womb lead to mental resilience later in life?

(Frontiers) Maternal stress during or after pregnancy has been repeatedly associated with subsequent psychiatric problems and non-coding 'epigenetic' DNA changes during childhood. Published in Frontiers in Genetics, a study now shows that in high-violence communities where children experience abuse of their mother both during AND after pregnancy, psychiatric problems appear to be less frequent - and a different, potentially protective, pattern of epigenetic changes emerges.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PEMcu4

Regenstrief, IU Health study helps chaplains provide proactive care to families in crises

(Regenstrief Institute) A new model developed and implemented by the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University Health provides chaplains with a framework to deliver better care to families and other surrogate decision makers during health emergencies.The model was designed to help chaplains provide proactive, semi-structured spiritual care to meet family members' needs while being responsive to each person's spiritual or religious preferences.The study describing the model and its implementation is published in the current issue of Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vulzil

Skepticism grows over whether the first known exomoon exists

New analyses of the data used to find the first discovered exomoon are reaching conflicting results.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2JdsjcL

A mysterious dementia that mimics Alzheimer’s gets named LATE

An underappreciated form of dementia that causes memory trouble in older people gets a name: LATE.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2Wes2dd

Pregnancy shifts the daily schedule forward

(Washington University in St. Louis) New research from Washington University in St. Louis finds that women and mice both shift their daily schedules earlier by up to a few hours during the first third of their pregnancy. A new study by researchers in Arts & Sciences and at the School of Medicine shows how impending motherhood induces changes in daily timing of a mother which, when disrupted, may put a pregnancy at risk, as reported in the Journal of Biological Rhythms.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vA053v

The psychology of smartphones, movies, music, and AI to be featured at APS Convention

(Association for Psychological Science) Leading scientists will share the latest findings on our interactions with art, health information, technology and more at the 31st Annual Convention of the Association for Psychological Science (APS), May 23-26 in Washington, D.C.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PC9wsB

Sleep and exercise affect new moms differently than new dads

(Penn State) In a study looking at the daily lives of new parents, researchers found that getting more physical activity and sleep was linked with more personal well-being. However, fathers who slept more on average than other fathers reported lower overall well-being and less closeness with their partner and child. Additionally, on days when mothers exercised more than usual, there was a higher chance of an argument.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2V7hL5M

Responding to extremist attacks: For Muslim leaders, 'It's damned if you do, damned if you don't'

(University of Michigan) Muslim leaders face a perilous task when asked to publicly respond to violent attacks carried out by Muslim extremists.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vuks29

Crisis and suicide prevention services struggle with demand after celebrity suicides

(NIH/National Institute of Mental Health) The US may lack the resources needed to meet increases in demand for suicide prevention services that occur after celebrity suicides, according to a recent study of crisis mental health services. The study highlights the need for suicide prevention hotlines to procure additional funds, allocate existing funds more efficiently, and develop contingency plans to accommodate increases in call volumes, particularly for the first two days after a celebrity suicide.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PCODO1

Unraveling cannabinoids

(Harvard Medical School) Harvard Medical School, MIT received a $9 million gift to study the neurobiology, physiologic effects of cannabinoids.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vqTZme

Lines blurring between human herpes simplex viruses

(University of Washington Health Sciences/UW Medicine) The herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) that commonly infects the mouth, is continuing to mix with the genital herpes virus (HSV-2) to create new, different recombinant versions. Genital co-infection with both viruses could create opportunities for the viruses to recombine. This ability of the viruses to recombine poses problems for vaccine development, due to the risk of a live vaccine for genital herpes mixing with HSV-1 to form an infectious recombinant.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XXyXYm

What predicts college students' drinking habits? How much they think others are drinking

(Virginia Commonwealth University) A new study by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University examined students' genetic risk of alcohol use, roommates' drinking habits and the perception of peer drinking.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XYhY8G

Gender impacts brain activity in alcoholics

(Boston University School of Medicine) Compared to alcoholic women, alcoholic men have more diminished brain activity in areas responsible for emotional processing (limbic regions including the amygdala and hippocampus), as well as memory and social processing (cortical regions including the superior frontal and supramarginal regions) among other functions.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2WhMgCS

More than 100 organizations join the National Academy of Medicine in countering the opioid epidemic

(National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine) The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) announced today that more than 100 organizations across the US -- including community organizations, hospital and medical systems, academia, nonprofits, and health professional societies -- have joined NAM in declaring their commitment to reversing national trends in opioid misuse and overdose. The announcement was made at a meeting of the NAM's Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PAyAAj

Chatterbox parents may boost tots' intelligence

(University of York) A major new study, led by researchers at the University of York, has identified a link between kids who hear high quantities of adult speech and better nonverbal abilities such as reasoning, numeracy and shape awareness.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DFvkPn

MUSC psychologists release results of survey of 'Maria generation' kids

(Medical University of South Carolina) Psychologists from the Medical University of South Carolina have just published one of the largest post-disaster screening projects in U.S. history. The report, available online through JAMA Network Open, measured the magnitude of Hurricane Maria's impact on the mental health of children in Puerto Rico.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2WaTmJi

Chloride-channel in muscle cells provides new insights for muscle diseases

(University of Copenhagen The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences) Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have mapped the structure of an important channel in human muscle cells. The new insights about the chloride-channel can contribute to greater understanding of muscle diseases such as ALS, and the findings may enhance drug development at NMD Pharma.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GTAut2

When a 'she' becomes an 'it'

(Università di Trento) What happens in the human brain when a woman is put on a par with an object? A research answering this question was conducted at the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science and the Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CiMEC) of the University of Trento and was published today in "Scientific Reports". The results could provide new instruments and insights in the study of gender and racial violence

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UTiouJ

Adam Antebi to present at the 6th Aging Research for Drug Discovery Forum in Basel

(InSilico Medicine, Inc.) Adam Antebi to present at the 6th Aging Research for Drug Discovery Forum in Basel.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Wj1IhW

Antibiotics may treat endometriosis

(Washington University School of Medicine) Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that treating mice with an antibiotic reduces the size of lesions caused by endometriosis. The researchers are planning a clinical trial to test the strategy in women who have the painful condition.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UQ2IZh

Human ancestors were 'grounded,' new analysis shows

(New York University) African apes adapted to living on the ground, a finding that indicates human evolved from an ancestor not limited to tree or other elevated habitats. The analysis adds a new chapter to evolution, shedding additional light on what preceded human bipedalism.

from EurekAlert! - Archaeology http://bit.ly/2GVPgQ5

Middle Pleistocene human skull reveals variation and continuity in early Asian humans

(Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters) A team of scientists led by LIU Wu and WU Xiujie from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported the first ever Middle Pleistocene human skull found in southeastern China, revealing the variation and continuity in early Asian humans.

from EurekAlert! - Archaeology http://bit.ly/2GREgTA

Anti-stress brain chemical is related to PTSD resilience after trauma

(Elsevier) Fewer receptors for the anti-stress brain chemical nociceptin is associated with less severe posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in college women who have experienced sexual violence, according to a study in Biological Psychiatry, published by Elsevier.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IU4pn4

The new 'runner's high'? MJ users often mix weed, workouts

(University of Colorado at Boulder) A study of cannabis users in states where it's legal found 82 % use the drug before and/or after exercise, with many reporting it increases enjoyment, enhances recovery, and heightens motivation.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Y0o08J

US cities host more regionally unique species than previously thought

(California Academy of Sciences) To better understand whether rapidly growing cities are hosting the same species, a team from the California Academy of Sciences analyzed an immense volume of data gathered by citizen scientists during the four-day global City Nature Challenge. Study findings suggest that despite similarities across cities, urban biodiversity still strongly reflects the species that are native to a region. However, observations of shared "cosmopolitan" species like pigeons, white-tailed deer, and dandelions were more numerous than locally occurring species.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GV9SIe

Put down the protein shake: Variety of protein better for health

(University of Sydney) University of Sydney researchers have examined whether there are any ongoing ramifications or potential side-effects from long-term high protein intake or from consuming certain types of amino acids.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZMRNU4

Researchers identify causes and mechanisms of polycystic ovary syndrome using family-based genetic analysis

(The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine) The findings will enable personalized medicine approaches to disease prediction and potential new therapies for PCOS.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XW51vL

A surprise: Bonobos eat and share meat at rates similar to chimpanzees

(University of Oregon) Small forest antelope in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have more to worry about than being eaten by leopards. In at least one portion of jungle, Weyn's duikers are the preferred meat consumed by bonobos, according to anthropologists.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GSUX1d

Food packaging claims mislead consumers with ideas of health

(INSEAD) Research finds four distinct ways that food brands claim to be "healthy" and how those types of claims influence consumers' expectations and choices for breakfast cereals, despite not being linked to the actual nutritional quality of the product.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Y0nWG1

Study reveals how glial cells may play key epilepsy role

(Picower Institute at MIT) In eLife, MIT neuroscientists present a new, detailed accounting of how a mutation in a fly model of epilepsy undermines the ability of glial cells to regulate the balance of ions that neurons need to avoid producing seizures.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Vzx0Ux

Only some people get one health benefit from social support

(Ohio State University) Scientists have long known that the support of friends and family plays a key role in protecting people's physical health.But a new study suggests that the benefits don't go to people who may really need it -- those with low self-esteem.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZI9qnS

Here’s what causes the aurora-like glow known as STEVE

Amateur astronomer images and satellite data are revealing what causes the strange atmospheric glow called STEVE.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2LcGG3k

Expert: Justin Trudeau's French isn't bad; Quebecers just don't think he belongs

(Binghamton University) Quebec's criticism of Justin Trudeau's French serves to position him as an 'outsider' to Quebecois identity, according to a professor at Binghamton University, State University of New York.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PEekNX

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder prevalence is very high in susceptible groups worldwide

(Society for the Study of Addiction) A major new review of the world literature has found that fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is 10 to 40 times higher in certain susceptible groups than the general population. These groups include children in care, people in correctional services or special education services, Aboriginal populations, and people using specialized clinical services.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vqRujT

NIH's All of Us Research Program to hold special symposium on May 6, 2019

(NIH/All of Us Research Program) The All of Us Research Program at the National Institutes of Health is hosting a special symposium, 'From Data to Discoveries: Creating a Research Program for All of Us.' Marking one year from the program's national launch, speakers will identify the building blocks of a meaningful research program, including an engaged and diverse participant community, and forecast the program's scientific possibilities.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XW7R41

African-American moms are helicopter parents too, but endgame is survival

(University of Central Florida) African-American moms share many traits with helicopter parents, specifically when it comes to being overprotective and hypervigilant about their children's lives. But their goal is not only to get them into college. It's survival. That's the conclusion of a study recently published in The Professional Counselor, which documents the experience of African-American mothers raising boys and young men in the United States.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2JbeFqz

Sensor-based technologies are promising to support independent living for older women

(University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus) A study conducted at the University of Colorado College of Nursing on older women's perception of technology found that more active older adult women prefer wearable sensors for themselves and smart home sensors for their older parents.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GM1xFb

Brain area tied to emotions is larger in vets, service members with mild TBI and PTSD

(Veterans Affairs Research Communications) A new study finds that veterans and active-duty service members with combat-related PTSD and mild traumatic brain injury had larger amygdalas -- the region of the brain that processes such emotions as fear, anxiety, and aggression -- than those with only brain injuries.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2V5Gbgc

Ohio State researchers among first to study Facebook data

(Ohio State University) Researchers at The Ohio State University will be among the first to have access to privacy-protected Facebook data to study social media's impact on democracy in the United States. The Ohio State-led project was among 12 inaugural recipients of the Social Media and Democracy Research grants from the Social Science Research Council and its partner, Social Science One.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IQmbYe

How holes in herd immunity led to a 25-year-high in U.S. measles cases

U.S. measles cases have surged to 704. Outbreaks reveal pockets of vulnerability where too many unvaccinated people are helping the virus spread.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2VtUN8B

House hunting is a struggle for mixed-race families

(Brigham Young University) Couples with a black partner were significantly more likely to move to a neighborhood that was racially diverse but less affluent. And because schools are generally funded through local property taxes, that means their children get fewer resources for their education.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2WiuQ9e

Parasitoid wasps may turn spiders into zombies by hacking their internal code

(Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute) A hijacked hormone may zombify spiders, altering their web-spinning behavior to favor wasp parasites.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DPqzD1

Study: Mindfulness may help decrease stress in caregivers of veterans

(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau) Caregivers of veterans who engaged in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy found it relieved stress, anxiety and worry, according to a new study led by University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor Sandraluz Lara-Cinisomo.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GPL3NI

'Pedigree is not destiny' when it comes to scholarly success

(Santa Fe Institute) A new analysis of academic productivity finds researchers' current working environments better predict their future success than the prestige of their doctoral training.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2VziPyO

Morning exercise can improve decision-making across the day in older adults

(Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute ) A study of older Australians has found a morning bout of moderate-intensity exercise improves cognitive performance like decision-making across the day compared to prolonged sitting without exercise. It also shows that a morning bout of exercise combined with brief walking breaks to frequently disrupt sitting throughout an eight-hour day can boost short-term memory compared to uninterrupted sitting, according to the study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Ldieij

FSU researcher finds hate crimes committed by groups hurt the most

(Florida State University) Brendan Lantz, an assistant professor in the FSU College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, found that co-offending, or committing a crime with others, was significantly related to increased chances of serious injury regardless of the motivation behind the crime.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2LbDmpq

Research suggests strategy for more equitable Medicare reimbursement

(Saint Louis University) Those who were enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid were sicker, had more cognitive impairments and difficulty functioning, and needed more social support than those who were not enrolled in both government programs, Saint Louis University research found. These patients also had significantly higher healthcare costs.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DDXhXU

US 1 of 8 nations where child & adolescent health improved but maternal mortality worsened

(Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation) The United States is one of only eight countries in the world where decreases in child and adolescent mortality over a 27-year period haven't also been matched by reductions in maternal mortality, according to a new scientific study. This divergent trend also was found in American Samoa, Canada, Greece, Guam, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Zimbabwe. Of these countries, the United States had the largest increase in maternal mortality rate at 67.5%.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PzJh6d

Your present self is your best future self, according to new research

(Society for Personality and Social Psychology) Predicting similarity over time is strongly related to happiness later on in life according to new study appearing Social Psychological and Personality Science.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GPIoDy

Responses to environmental tragedies often make matters worse, ethicists find

(Oregon State University) Without sound decision-making, responses to seeming environmental tragedies can often make matters worse, according to ethicists who analyzed a controversial goat removal program on an Australian island.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2WdFopZ

Release of '13 Reasons Why' associated with increase in youth suicide rates

(NIH/National Institute of Mental Health) The Netflix show '13 Reasons Why' was associated with a 28.9% increase in suicide rates among US youth ages 10-17 in the month (April 2017) following the shows release, after accounting for ongoing trends in suicide rates, according to a study published today in Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The findings highlight the necessity of using best practices when portraying suicide in popular entertainment and in the media.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DD1F9j

Suicide rates spike nationally among youth after '13 Reasons Why' release

(Nationwide Children's Hospital) A recent study revealed approximately 195 more youth suicide deaths than expected were associated with the television series '13 Reasons Why' in the nine months immediately following the series release.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2WcigIh

A science-themed escape room gives the brain a workout

Quantum physicist Paul Kwiat reveals what it takes do well in LabEscape, his science-themed escape room.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2GQRoIL

Researcher receives $3.2 million NIH grant to study chronic opioid use, mood disorders

(Saint Louis University) A Saint Louis University researcher has received a grant to study the pathways from chronic prescription opioid use to new onset mood disorder. Jeffrey Scherrer, Ph.D., a professor in Family and Community Medicine, received $3,254,485 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PDlbXX

Co-use of cannabis and tobacco linked to poorer functioning among young adults

(RAND Corporation) As marijuana is legalized in more jurisdictions, one challenge facing US public health officials is the chance that users will use cannabis and tobacco products together, as is common in many nations. A new study finds that among a group of young adults in the US, more than a third reported such co-use and those who did consumed more products and had poorer functioning, such as getting in trouble with the police.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vuFmOS

How the olfactory brain affects memory

(Ruhr-University Bochum) How sensory perception in the brain affects learning and memory processes is far from fully understood. Two neuroscientists of Ruhr-Universität Bochum have discovered a new aspect of how the processing of odours impacts memory centres. They showed that the piriform cortex -- a part of the olfactory brain -- has a direct influence on information storage in our most important memory structure, the hippocampus.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GGCgfM

São Paulo to host school on advances in science and innovation diplomacy

(Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) Renowned scientists will address topics as scientific diasporas, international networks of innovations, technology transfer agreements and the internationalization of tech firms.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PAjOtk

Study: Loan-replacement grants boost low-income students' graduation rates

(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau) Receiving Illinois Promise loan-replacement grants influenced low-income students' decision to attend the University of Illinois and boosted their graduation rates, according to a new study led by the program's founding director, Susan Gershenfeld.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2W8Wqpi

Study highlights how little we know about women terrorists

(North Carolina State University) The first large-scale research project evaluating the characteristics of women involved in jihadism-inspired terrorism finds significant differences between men and women in both their backgrounds and their roles within terrorist groups. The study highlights potential flaws in existing models of radicalization, threat assessment tools and counter-terrorism strategies - all of which rely primarily on data regarding male terrorists.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PDfx8r

UT faculty win grant to study Russian disinformation campaigns

(University of Tennessee at Knoxville) An interdisciplinary research team from communications, anthropology, and political science will study Russian disinformation campaigns in three former Soviet republics as part of a $1.6 million Minerva research grant awarded through the United States Department of Defense. UT researchers were one of only 12 academic groups nationwide selected for the prestigious Minerva Research Initiative awards this year.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DBMRbe

Lithuanian researchers are developing a system for quality post-stroke rehabilitation

(Kaunas University of Technology) Researchers of Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) and Italian high-tech company Gruppo Fos Lithuania are developing innovative technology for the personalized care of the patients who have experienced a stroke.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZG1zHq

Details of the history of inner Eurasia revealed by new study

(Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History) An international team of researchers has combined archaeological, historical and linguistic data with genetic information from over 700 newly analyzed individuals to construct a more detailed picture of the history of inner Eurasia than ever before available. In a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, they found that the indigenous populations of inner Eurasia are very diverse in their genes, culture and languages, but divide into three groups that stretch across the area in east-west geographic bands.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZH0RK2

Attitudes toward physician-assisted death among adults with elevated level of biomarker associated with Alzheimer's disease

(JAMA Network) Cognitively normal adults with elevated levels of the biomarker amyloid-β, which is associated with increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, were interviewed as part of this study that examined attitudes toward physician-assisted death.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2W8Wnd6

Use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes among women of reproductive age in US

(JAMA Network) Cigarette use was lower among pregnant women in the United States (8%) than among nonpregnant women (14.3%) but rates of e-cigarette use were almost identical (3.6% for pregnant women and 3.3% for nonpregnant women) in a study based on national health survey data. The study included data for 1,071 pregnant and 26,849 nonpregnant women (18 to 44 years old) from 2014 to 2017.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DFzQx4

Study examines reliability of early diagnoses of ASD in toddlers

(JAMA Network) Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is common in children and is, on average, generally detected and treated by about age 4. This study examined whether earlier diagnoses of ASD would remain stable and persist, potentially allowing for earlier treatment.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Wcblih

Estimates of illness, death among children, adolescents worldwide

(JAMA Network) This study analyzed data from around the world to estimate illness and death in children and adolescents (birth up to age 20) in 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2017. Mortality decreased over the 27-year period and that meant children and adolescents were more likely to reach their 20th birthdays.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DFzNRU

The last chance for Madagascar's biodiversity

(Bangor University) A group of scientists from Madagascar, UK, Australia, USA and Finland have recommended actions the government of Madagascar's recently elected president, Andry Rajoelina should take to turn around the precipitous decline of biodiversity and help put Madagascar on a trajectory towards sustainable growth. Madagascar's protected areas, some of the most important for biodiversity in the world, have suffered terribly in recent years from illegal mining, logging, and collection of threatened species for the pet trade.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2J1wd8l

Details of the history of inner Eurasia revealed by new study

(Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History) An international team of researchers has combined archaeological, historical and linguistic data with genetic information from over 700 newly analyzed individuals to construct a more detailed picture of the history of inner Eurasia than ever before available. In a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, they found that the indigenous populations of inner Eurasia are very diverse in their genes, culture and languages, but divide into three groups that stretch across the area in east-west geographic bands.

from EurekAlert! - Archaeology http://bit.ly/2ZH0RK2

Insilico to present at the FT US Pharma and Biotech Summit

(InSilico Medicine, Inc.) Insilico to present at the FT US Pharma and Biotech Summit.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DDs7Qe

Alcohol ads in sport fuel drinking culture

(Monash University) Repeated exposure to alcohol advertising in sport -- either at venues or during media coverage of matches -- can have long-term effects on drinking attitudes, according to a new international study.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vtvdSk

Fondren Foundation commits $15 million to Houston Methodist to pioneer treatments

(Houston Methodist) The Fondren Foundation committed $15 million to Houston Methodist to support the Food and Health Alliance, Immunology Center and to create the Fondren Inflammation Collaborative, a multidisciplinary program to address complex allergy, immunologic, autoimmune and GI conditions. The gift will also fund research, education and counseling and train the next generation of physician scientists. The collaborative will seek to understand how inflammation impacts immunologic and gastrointestinal conditions. Multicenter clinical trials will follow, focusing on innovative treatments.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UM7N54

New studies examine teen vaping association with sexual risk behavior and drug usage

(Pediatric Academic Societies) Electronic vapor product usage and sexual risk behavior in the US. Adolescents; electronic vapor product usage and alcohol and drug-related risk behaviors in the US. Adolescents: data from the 2017 national youth risk behavior survey.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XMUQts

Education may be key to a healthier, wealthier US

(University of Colorado Denver) A first-of-its-kind study estimate the economic value of education for better health and longevity. The University of Colorado Denver study, published in The Milbank Quarterly, finds that the reduced disability and longer lives among the more educated are worth up to twice as much as the value of education for lifetime earnings.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZMJgAD

Study links gene to sleep problems in autism

(Washington State University) Research conducted by a team of Washington State University researchers has found that sleep problems in patients with autism spectrum disorder may be linked to a mutation in the gene SHANK3 that in turn regulates the genes of the body's 24-hour day and night cycle. Their study showed that people who were missing the SHANK3 gene and mice that lacked part of the gene had difficulty falling asleep.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UN6PFB

How aphids sacrifice themselves to fix their homes with fatty goo

Young aphids swollen with fatty substances save their colony by self-sacrifice, using that goo to patch breaches in the wall of their tree home.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2vtfeno

USC Norris launches study to increase diversity among clinical trial participants

(University of Southern California - Health Sciences) USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center has launched a study to determine how financial assistance for costs associated with clinical trial participation might increase enrollment, particularly among low-income patients and racial and ethnic minorities. The study, known as Improving Patient Access to Cancer Clinical Trials (IMPACT), assesses social and cultural barriers to clinical trial participation.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GRA6ew

Study: Millennials arrested more often than predecessors -- even when fewer crimes are committed

(Johns Hopkins University) Millennials are more likely to be arrested than their predecessor counterparts regardless of self-reported criminal activity, finds a new study by a Johns Hopkins University expert. Furthermore, black men who self-reported no offenses were 419% more likely to be arrested at the beginning of the 21st century than non-offending blacks of the previous generation, and 31.5% more likely to be arrested than whites of the same generation who did not self-report any crimes.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2WaPSXf

Five things to know about loneliness in older adults

(Joule Inc.) Loneliness, an emotional state rather than a mental disorder, can substantially affect the health of older adults, as well as use of health care services. A 'Five things to know about ...' practice article in CMAJ summarizes key points to help clinicians understand the effect of loneliness on older patients.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GMFjDk

Biodegradable bags can hold a full load of shopping after 3 years in the environment

(University of Plymouth) Researchers from the University of Plymouth's International Marine Litter Research Unit examined the degradation of five plastic bag materials widely available from high street retailers in the UK.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UJroCF

Why war’s emotional wounds run deeper for some kids and not others

Researchers examine why war’s emotional wounds run deep in some youngsters, not others.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2GNd0pe

Using genomics to solve a 20-year case study

(Children's National Health System) After 20 years, a patient's family learned that their daughter had two rare disorders, Angelman syndrome and P450scc deficiency, which was detected after researchers found out she had uniparental disomy, two copies of chromosome 15 from one parent and none from another. On April 27, the researchers will receive an award at the Pediatric Endocrine Society's Annual Meeting for best novel insight published in Hormone Research in Paediatrics in 2018.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZEctxt

The dead may outnumber the living on Facebook within 50 years

(University of Oxford) New analysis by academics from the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), part of the University of Oxford, predicts the dead may outnumber the living on Facebook within 50 years, a trend that will have grave implications for how we treat our digital heritage in the future.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PwnxYS

Impact of prescription drug monitoring programs on pediatric opioid exposures

(Pediatric Academic Societies) A new study measures the impact state-run, prescription drug monitoring programs, pain clinic legislation and opioid prescribing guidelines have on opioid exposures among children.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vqn9lr

Parents of older, healthier newborns with less social support less resilient

(Children's National Health System) Parents of older, healthier newborns with less social support were less resilient during their child's neonatal intensive care unit stay, a finding that correlates with more symptoms of depression and anxiety, according to Children's research presented during the Pediatric Academic Societies 2019 Annual Meeting.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vriG1C

Seeing very far away and hitting closer to home

Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses the first-ever image of a black hole and what can be done to help young children with anxiety.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2DC1TO3

Readers ponder Opportunity’s future, animal consciousness and more

Readers had questions about NASA’s Opportunity rover, pollen shapes and more.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2W6Czqt

Large genome-wide association study is first to focus on both child and adult asthma

(University of Chicago Medical Center) Asthma, a common respiratory disease that causes wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath, is the most prevalent chronic respiratory disease worldwide. A new study, published April 30, 2019 in Lancet Respiratory Medicine, is the first large investigation to examine the differences in genetic risk factors for childhood-onset and adult-onset asthma.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IZrXpK

Study to examine impact of therapy animals on children with cancer

(Vanderbilt University Medical Center) Mary Jo Gilmer studies the impact animals can have on children with life-threatening conditions. She recently received a grant from nonprofit Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) for a pilot program investigating the health benefits of human-animal interactions (HAIs) in reducing suffering of children with cancer undergoing debilitating treatments.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PwkZd1

Gene repair improves memory and seizures in adult autism model

(Scripps Research Institute) There may be reason to treat severe neurodevelopmental disorders at any stage of life, a new study of SYNGAP1 related autism suggests.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZBRvPM

Intervention increases healthy behavior among South African adolescents

(University of Pennsylvania) Once plagued by malaria and tuberculosis, Sub-Saharan Africa now sees non-communicable diseases like diabetes and heart disease as some of the leading causes of death. To lower the risk of these, citizens must be educated on and motivated to engage in healthy behaviors. University of Pennsylvania researchers developed and tested an intervention with South African youth that increased healthy eating and physical activity among participants for at least 4.5 years.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IQ0aJp

No safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy, suggest researchers

(American Institute of Physics) An international group of researchers has taken one of the first major steps in finding the biological changes in the brain that drive fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. New work using chaos theory to analyze brain signals, discussed in the journal Chaos, shows the long-term effects. Researchers found that teenagers who were exposed to alcohol while in the womb showed altered brain connections that were consistent with impaired cognitive performance.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vmXk5E

A personality test for ads

(Society for Consumer Psychology) People leave digital footprints online, and this information could helps marketers personalize ads based on individual personality types.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UJCcRg

How we reported on the challenges of using ancestry tests to solve crimes

Here’s how we found out what happened when an arrest was made in the Golden State Killer case that was tied to genetic testing.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2PuUJQp

How we reported a controversial story about the day the dinosaurs died

Here’s how we covered the story of new fossils found in the Tanis site in North Dakota, including the story’s more controversial elements.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2vpiLTO

Introducing the Transparency Project

The Transparency Project aims to be more open and accountable to readers by explaining key coverage decisions and showing how science journalism happens.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2PzuQyP

Pictures confirm Hayabusa2 made a crater in asteroid Ryugu

Hayabusa2’s crater-blasting success, confirmed by an image beamed back from the spacecraft, paves the way to grab subsurface asteroid dust.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2GOKxhV

City trees can offset neighborhood heat islands, Concordia researcher says

(Concordia University) Concordia University associate professor of biology Carly Ziter writes that dense neighborhood tree canopy coverage can lower local temperatures significantly even compared to uncovered neighborhoods nearby.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PBf7Q0

How does chronic edema impact health-related quality of life?

(Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News) Final results of the large, international LIMPRINT study have provided new data on the prevalence of chronic swelling and the devastating impact it can have on health-related quality of life.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UWdwtK

Mount Sinai researchers find significant delays in West Nile virus reporting

(The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine) Mount Sinai researchers found significant delays in reporting human cases of West Nile virus, hampering real-time forecasting of the potentially deadly mosquito-borne disease, according to a study in the JAMA Network Open in April.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2L6aRtb

Mysterious volcanic ash layer from 29,000 years ago traced to volcano in Naples

(University of Oxford) Mysterious volcanic ash layer blanketing the Mediterranean 29,000 years ago traced to volcano in Naples, Italy.

from EurekAlert! - Archaeology http://bit.ly/2DxoX0k

Lost graves identified by new archaeology methods

(Flinders University) Dr. Moffat leads a group which recently published the results of using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and GPS surveys to non-invasively map the location of unmarked graves within the Lake Condah Mission Cemetery in Eastern Australia.

from EurekAlert! - Archaeology http://bit.ly/2UWdi5S

National Institutes of Health awards $2.7 million to Leadership Alliance

(Brown University) The National Institutes of Health has awarded a $2.7 million grant to the Leadership Alliance, a Brown University-based consortium of 35 leading research and teaching institutions that works to train, mentor and inspire students from diverse backgrounds to pursue research careers.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZCXbcn

Diversity and inclusion: Advancing wheelchair technologies at CYBATHLON

(BioMed Central) The CYBATHLON Wheelchair Series Japan 2019, a competition in which people with physical disabilities compete against each other to complete everyday tasks using the latest technical assistance systems, will take place on May 5, 2019 in Kawasaki, Japan.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UGTy12

How to combine 'leg day' with running

(James Cook University) James Cook University scientists in Australia say they have the solution for a problem gym-goers have when they combine endurance and weight training.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZzbY7K

Insilico to present at the Pioneers '19

(InSilico Medicine, Inc.) Insilico to present at the Pioneers '19.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UGKuJy

A mathematician traces his journey from poverty to prominence

In 'The Shape of Life,' Shing-Tung Yau describes his groundbreaking work in geometry, which provided insights into string theory.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2Wbz9Ty

Endangered green sea turtles may be making a comeback in the U.S. Pacific

The numbers of green sea turtles spotted around Hawaii, American Samoa and the Mariana Islands have increased in the last decade.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2W6p7De

Another victim of violence: Trust in those who mean no harm

(Yale University) Exposure to violence does not change the ability to learn who is likely to do harm, but it does damage the ability to place trust in 'good people,' psychologists at Yale and University of Oxford report April 26 in the journal Nature Communications

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UFl8Mv

Changes from head injuries associated with increases in youth offending

(Crime and Justice Research Alliance) A new longitudinal study looked at the impact on criminal persistence of head injuries, which have been linked to increased levels of offending, among adolescents and early adults. It found that changes in individuals with head injuries were associated with increases in self-reported offending, and with violent offending in particular.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UYKqKc

Creativity is not just for the young, study finds

(Ohio State University) If you believe that great scientists are most creative when they're young, you are missing part of the story. A new study of winners of the Nobel Prize in economics finds that there are two different life cycles of creativity, one that hits some people early in their career and another that more often strikes later in life.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GzoDil

Veterans suffer from 'culture shock' when returning to university

(Taylor & Francis Group) War veterans experience such extreme 'culture shock' at university, that they struggle to communicate their feelings and begin a destructive cycle of silence, according to a new study.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vocN5m

Rehabilitation psychologists: #SayTheWord disability

(Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan) A group of female rehabilitation psychologists with disabilities highlight the need for clinicians, educators and disability allies to normalize the word 'disability.'

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZrIQiG

Researchers verify new method of HIV transmission among injection drug users and effective prevention technique

(Lawson Health Research Institute) New studies from Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University have found for the first time that HIV can be transmitted through the sharing of equipment used to prepare drugs before injection and that a simple intervention - heating the equipment with a cigarette lighter for 10 seconds - can destroy the HIV virus, preventing that transmission. The findings, used to inform a public health campaign called 'Cook Your Wash,' have helped reduce rates of HIV transmission in London, Ontario.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UF0Baz

The glass half-full: How optimism can bias prognosis in serious illness

(Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont) A new study in the journal Psycho-Oncology, details how a seriously ill patient's optimism can impact a clinician's survival prognosis in palliative care conversations, impacting end-of-life decision-making and potentially, quality of life in the end-of-life setting.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UUMIKE

Americans' beliefs about wildlife management are changing

(Colorado State University) A new 50-state study on America's Wildlife Values led by researchers at Colorado State University and The Ohio State University describes individuals' values toward wildlife.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZBiUBa

Healthy aging entails reorganization of function in prefrontal brain areas

(National Research University Higher School of Economics) Researchers from HSE University and York University have become the first to analyze the results of 82 functional neuroimaging studies on working memory mechanisms in different adult age groups. The meta-analyses showed that across studies the agreement of various areas of the prefrontal cortex decreases with aging, suggesting reorganization of brain function during healthy aging. The results have been published in NeuroImage journal.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UCnhZ3

Inequality gap grew before the Great Recession and after, study finds

(Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs) The Great Recession hit Americans across the socioeconomic spectrum, but the drivers behind these socioeconomic divides were mounting before the decline even hit, according to a paper published in PLOS ONE.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vlevo7

New in the Hastings Center Report: Federal right-to-try, the gamification of science, & more

(The Hastings Center) The federal right-to-try law's effect on the FDA, the gamification of science, how the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division is changing health care, and more in the latest issue.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UJeFQI

ASHG announces 2019 winners of International DNA Day Essay Contest

(American Society of Human Genetics) As part of its celebration of National DNA Day, ASHG announced today the winners of its 2019 DNA Day Essay Contest, which encourages high schoolers and teachers worldwide to learn about human genetics and apply it to current issues. ASHG awarded first place to Sophia Chen at Lakeside School in Seattle; second to Yanna Bravewolf at The Potomac School in McLean, Va.; and third to Irene Calderon at The Summit Country Day in Cincinnati.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZBFxps

Haunted by the past

(Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience - KNAW) Good sleepers literally can settle cringe-worthy mistakes and embarrassing blunders in their head as neutralized memories, whereas people with insomnia were not able to do so. This breakthrough finding by the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, suggests that insomnia could primarily be caused by a failing neutralization of emotional distress. Which makes it understandable that insomnia is the primary risk factor for the development of disorders of mood, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UEO3Qv

Research calls for analysis of corporate ethics in the global sports industry

(University of Kent) A new book co-written by a University of Kent sports scientist recommends corporations and organisations engage more effectively with communities -- rather than taking a 'top down' approach -- to improve relationships and outcomes in the sport sector. Such outcomes include approaches to the financial resourcing of schools and community groups, shared development of sport-based educational material, and the general promotion of sport and physical activity.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZAowvy

Tech fixes can't protect us from disinformation campaigns

(Ohio State University) More than technological fixes are needed to stop countries from spreading disinformation on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, according to two experts. Policymakers and diplomats need to focus more on the psychology behind why citizens are so vulnerable to disinformation campaigns.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2W8QZXs

Conflicting laws may keep contaminated needles in circulation, add to hep-C cases

(West Virginia University) A recent study led by Steve Davis, a researcher in the WVU School of Public Health, suggests fear of arrest is a formidable barrier to getting clean needles and disposing of used ones safely. That can make needle exchange programs less effective -- and hepatitis C infections more likely.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Dyb16r

Urging party supporters to sign up for postal votes is ineffective

(University of Kent) Research carried out by the University of Kent and Kings College London (KCL) into a common postal vote recruitment tactic found it to be ineffective in persuading people to change from visiting polling stations to vote.Traditionally the tactic involves writing to party supporters to suggest that using a postal vote would be more convenient and aid their participation and to urge them to apply either online or via an enclosed application form.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2W4VG4s

Vascular surgery after firearm injury associated with increased morbidity and mortality

(Boston University School of Medicine) Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) found that among all hospitalizations that were due to firearm injury, patients who underwent surgical repair of their major blood vessels had the highest injury severity score (predictor of in-hospital death).

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XJgsag

'13 Reasons Why' and young adults' risk of suicide

(Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania) A study of 729 young adults who completed surveys before and after the release of season two found beneficial and harmful effects. Viewers who stopped watching the season midway reported greater suicide risk and less optimism about the future than those who continued to the end. Unexpectedly, students who watched the entire season reported declines in suicide ideation and self-harm relative to those who didn't watch the show at all.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GF3ILT

New genetic test detects hundreds of harmful mutations among high-risk groups

(Nemours) Researchers at Nemours Children's Health System have developed a new low-cost genetic test that accurately identified more than 200 known disease-causing gene variations in two high-risk populations, the Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonites of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The findings, published today in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, could help reduce morbidity and mortality from these rare genetic disorders, and dramatically reduce costs of care through early diagnosis of newborns.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XJgoY4

Comfort food leads to more weight gain during stress

(Garvan Institute of Medical Research) Australian researchers have discovered a new molecular pathway in the brain that triggers more weight gain in times of stress.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UGwZtw

A global survey finds that the Arctic Ocean is a hot spot for viruses

Scientists mapped virus diversity around the world’s oceans. That knowledge may be key to making better climate simulations.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2GvZTaM

A lack of circular RNAs may trigger lupus

Researchers close in on how low levels of a kind of RNA may trigger lupus — offering hope for future treatments for the autoimmune disease.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2UW07ly

Dermcidin may play role in the pathogenesis of skin disease hidradenitis suppurativa

(George Washington University) A team from the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences have identified the protein dermcidin as having a potential role in the pathogenesis of the chronic skin disease hidradenitis suppurativa.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XGnD2N

Gestures and visual animations reveal cognitive origins of linguistic meaning

(New York University) Gestures and visual animations can help reveal the cognitive origins of meaning, indicating that our minds can assign a linguistic structure to new informational content 'on the fly' -- even if it is not linguistic in nature.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GI2LTd

How cortisol affects exposure therapy for anxiety disorders

(Ruhr-University Bochum) Bochum-based psychologists have studied how the application of the stress hormone cortisol affects exposure therapy for anxiety disorders. The researchers knew from earlier studies that extinction learning, which constitutes the foundation of exposure therapy, can be reinforced by administering cortisol. However, the team has demonstrated with a group of arachnophobics that an application of cortisol after exposure is not beneficial for the patients.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UXKQ3C

Gonorrhoea cases on the rise across Europe

(European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) ) Following a decline in notification rates in 2016, the number of gonorrhoea cases has gone up by 17% across the reporting EU/EEA countries with more than 89,000 confirmed diagnoses in 2017 -- equivalent to 240 cases a day.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UUzw8D

Study reveals massive ecological and economic impacts of woody weed invasion in Ethiopia

(CABI) Dr. Urs Schaffner, who is supervising lead author Hailu Shiferaw for his Ph.D. studies, contributed to the Science of the Total Environment published research which shows that the devastating Prosopis was a major reason for losses in annual ecosystem service values in Afar region estimated at US $602 million in just 31 years.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZxgWBY

p62 and Nrf2 are essential for exercise-mediated enhancement of antioxidant protein in muscle

(Nagoya City University) Regular exercise prevents oxidative stress-induced muscle wasting, at least partially by improving the antioxidant defense system. In the present study, we found that regular endurance exercise enhances the expression of p62/SQSTM1 (p62) and its phosphorylation at Ser 351 thereby dissociating nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) from Keap1, which results in increased Nrf2 nuclear translocation and DNA binding activity. These findings suggest that Ser 351 phosphorylation of p62 plays a critical role in this regulation.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vim8Me

New tech will detect infant breathing problems

(Anglia Ruskin University) An innovative wearable sensor to monitor new-born babies in poor areas is being developed by Anglia Ruskin University, in collaboration with experts in Jordan.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XGnqg1

Being too harsh on yourself could lead to OCD and anxiety

(Hiroshima University) A new study has found that people who reported intense feelings of responsibility were susceptible to developing Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) was published in the International Journal of Cognitive Therapy.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UVOtqF

Exercise activates memory neural networks in older adults

(University of Maryland) A new University of Maryland School of Public Health study of healthy older adults shows that just one session of exercise increased activation in the brain circuits associated with memory -- including the hippocampus -- which shrinks with age and is the brain region attacked first in Alzheimer's disease.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GBCSmZ

Higher out-of-pocket costs threaten universal health coverage in 'missing middle' nations

(Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation) One in six countries is expected to have substantially high out-of-pocket spending as a proportion of total health expenditures by 2050, according to a new scientific study.As low-income countries increase their GDP, they often face the 'missing middle' problem: As they receive less development assistance, they are not able to fill the resulting gap due to slower growth in government health spending. As a result, many low- and middle-income countries rely more heavily on out-of-pocket spending.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UVIzG5

50 years ago, scientists fought over element 104’s discovery

A conflict known as the Transfermium Wars marked a contentious struggle over the search for new elements beginning in the 1960s.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2ZHXJ0C

Holy Pleistocene Batman, the answer's in the cave

(James Cook University) Examining a 3-meter stack of bat feces has shed light on the landscape of the ancient continent of Sundaland. The research could help explain the biodiversity of present-day Borneo, Sumatra, and Java. It could also add to our understanding of how people moved through the region.

from EurekAlert! - Archaeology http://bit.ly/2XFgUGn

Teens prefer harm reduction messaging on substance use

(University of British Columbia) For many parents, talking to their children about substance use is like navigating a field of landmines. It's difficult to know exactly what to say and how to say it. But a new study from the University of British Columbia is showing the way forward. Researchers found that a harm reduction message resonated the most with teens, instead of the typical "don't do drugs" talk.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Vn3HEz

College-age males at bars, parties more likely to be sexually aggressive

(Washington State University) College men who frequently attend parties or go to bars are more likely to be sexually aggressive compared to those who don't, Washington State University researchers have found.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2L1zsPy

Drug overdoses in young people on the rise

(Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs) In American adolescents and young adults, death rates from drug poisoning, particularly from opioids, have sharply increased over the last 10 years, according to new research in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Vn3Doj

One in 7 Washington State drivers with children in the car recently used marijuana

(Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs) According to a roadside survey conducted in Washington State, 14.1% of drivers with children in the car -- nearly one in seven -- tested positive for THC, the principal psychoactive compound in marijuana. The results are published in the latest issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2L2Emfd

U.S. measles cases hit a record high since the disease was eliminated in 2000

Each year from 2010 to 2017, 21 million children did not get vaccinated against measles, according to UNICEF.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2ZwW9yt

In France, people living by protected areas are more environmentally conscious

(CNRS) When compared with their fellow citizens, French people residing near a protected area (PA) exhibit more environmentally friendly behaviors. That is the conclusion of scientists from the CNRS and the University of Montpellier. The direct impact PAs have on the promotion of proenvironmental behavior among people living within their borders has thus been proven for the first time. The researchers suggest that PAs preserve the connection between humans and nature.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IFdU9B

PCORI award seeks to support students in recovery

(University of California - Riverside) The UC Riverside School of Medicine will address the marginalization of students in recovery from substance-use disorders with a $250,000 award designed to engage the Riverside campus and all others in the University of California system. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Eugene Washington Engagement Award will allow Ann Cheney, an assistant professor at the Center for Healthy Communities in the School of Medicine, to work for two years with students, academic colleagues, and recovery professionals.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2VooAPM

Fossil crab reveals a new branch in the tree of life

(Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute) Taking on characteristics from another, younger stage in its life-cycle, a newly named fossil crab species was able to adapt to new conditions.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2La6BbQ

Stroke patients receive different amounts of physical therapy

(Brown University) Medicare-covered stroke patients receive vastly different amounts of physical and occupational therapy during hospital stays despite evidence that such care is strongly associated with positive health outcomes, a new study by Brown University researchers found.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZwOv73

A marine parasite’s mitochondria lack DNA but still churn out energy

Missing mitochondrial DNA inside a parasitic marine microbe turned up inside the organism’s nucleus.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2USZo4L

No assembly required: University of Toronto Engineering researchers automate microrobotic designs

(University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering) University of Toronto Engineering researchers have developed an automated approach that significantly cuts down on, and expands, the types of microrobots they can manufacture. Their findings were published today in Science Robotics.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UU6UvX

Human settlements in Amazonia much older than previously thought

(Penn State) Humans settled in southwestern Amazonia and even experimented with agriculture much earlier than previously thought, according to an international team of researchers.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GEBnpd

Who really hit the basketball out of bounds?

(Arizona State University) When a basketball is knocked out of bounds, it matters who touched it last. Determining which player touched last is often not so simple but can have consequences, especially during playoff basketball. Researchers from the ASU Department of Psychology have found people consistently experience their own actions as happening 50 milliseconds earlier than other people's actions. This self-centered bias in touch perception provides a new quantifiable example of how experience does not always match reality.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GtDN8O

Modern analysis of ancient hearths reveals Neanderthal settlement patterns

(PLOS) Ancient fire remains provide evidence of Neanderthal group mobility and settlement patterns and indicate specific occupation episodes, according to a new study published in PLOS ONE on April 24, 2019, by Lucia Leierer and colleagues from Universidad de La Laguna, Spain.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XGr4Xu

Sub-optimal food allergy knowledge and attitudes among restaurant staff

(PLOS) A new study of restaurant staff reveals low levels of food allergy knowledge and negative attitudes about serving people with food allergies, while exploring key factors that might influence such knowledge and attitudes. Adrian Loerbroks of the University of Düsseldorf, Germany, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on April 24, 2019.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UU6Oob

Human settlements in Amazonia much older than previously thought

(Penn State) Humans settled in southwestern Amazonia and even experimented with agriculture much earlier than previously thought, according to an international team of researchers.

from EurekAlert! - Archaeology http://bit.ly/2GEBnpd

Modern analysis of ancient hearths reveals Neanderthal settlement patterns

(PLOS) Ancient fire remains provide evidence of Neanderthal group mobility and settlement patterns and indicate specific occupation episodes, according to a new study published in PLOS ONE on April 24, 2019, by Lucia Leierer and colleagues from Universidad de La Laguna, Spain.

from EurekAlert! - Archaeology http://bit.ly/2XGr4Xu

Excavations show hunter-gatherers lived in the Amazon more than 10,000 years ago

Early foragers may have laid the foundation for farming’s ascent in South America’s tropical forests.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2vmgvMS

Despite increase in insurance coverage for depression, growth in spending remains modest

(Emory Health Sciences) A new investigation finds that while insurance coverage for depression has increased, treatment rates are lower than expected, indicating that non-financial barriers to patient care still remain.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UzBTZb

Treating addiction: Cryo-EM technology enables the 'impossible'

(Oregon Health & Science University) Scientists used a compound found in a shrub native to Africa to reveal the three major shapes of the serotonin transporter, a protein in the brain linked to anxiety and depression. The discovery opens new avenues for developing medications to treat addiction.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XHk1O5

Synthetic speech generated from brain recordings

(University of California - San Francisco) A state-of-the-art brain-machine interface created by UC San Francisco neuroscientists can generate natural-sounding synthetic speech by using brain activity to control a virtual vocal tract -- an anatomically detailed computer simulation including the lips, jaw, tongue, and larynx. The study was conducted in research participants with intact speech, but the technology could one day restore the voices of people who have lost the ability to speak due to paralysis or neurological damage.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GDfnec

This is the slowest radioactive decay ever spotted

Scientists have made the first direct observations of an exotic type of radioactive decay called two-neutrino double electron capture.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2UCdUbN

A neural implant can translate brain activity into sentences

With electrodes in the brain, scientists translated neural signals into speech, which could someday help the speechless speak.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2ZvONv8

Preparing for a changing population -- what it means to age successfully

(Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health) A paper by Columbia Mailman School's John Rowe, M.D., Julius Richmond Professor of Health Policy and Aging, in the journal Health Affairs outlines the challenges we face as the US becomes an 'aging society.' This transformation has major implications for our core institutions which were not designed to support this changing population distribution.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GFQUVK

Reggaeton can also contribute to feminist claims

(Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Barcelona) A study led by Mònica Figueras, a researcher with the Department of Communication at UPF, together with Núria Araüna and Iolanda Tortajada, researchers from the Department of Communication at Rovira i Virgili University, published on March 25 in the journal Young.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DAuGCK

Corruption contagion: How legal and finance firms are at greater risk of corruption

(University of Sussex) Companies with fewer levels of management such as legal, accountancy and investment banking firms could be up to five times more susceptible to corruption than similar sized organizations with a taller structure such as those in manufacturing, a new study by the University of Sussex and Imperial College has revealed.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Dvg9bm

Brain scans on movie watchers reveal how we judge people

(Aalto University) Researchers used brain scans to reveal the biases people feel towards people who are like them, even if they can't see that they are like them.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2VZRoLK

Study finds differences in storefront tobacco advertising by product type

(Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health) In response to US restrictions on where tobacco companies are allowed to advertise their products, the industry now dedicates nearly all of its $9 billion advertising budget to activities occurring in retail settings. A new study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health fills an important gap by documenting specific characteristics of storefront tobacco advertisements in the context of today's diverse tobacco product landscape.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IRJCjf

Treatment, spending on outpatient care for depression in US

(JAMA Network) Researchers analyzed national survey data on the use of health services and spending to examine trends in the outpatient treatment of depression in the US population from 1998 to 2015, a time when many policy changes have expanded insurance coverage for mental health conditions.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GyQXkN

Study confirms value of exposure therapy for vets with PTSD, alcohol problems

(Veterans Affairs Research Communications) A Veterans Affairs study has confirmed the value of prolonged exposure therapy for veterans coping with both PTSD and alcohol problems. Some experts have worried exposure therapy could worsen drinking in this population.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UTXlNG

The mobile game that can detect Alzheimer's risk

(University of East Anglia) A specially designed mobile phone game can detect people at risk of Alzheimer's -- according to new research from the University of East Anglia. Researchers studied gaming data from an app called Sea Hero Quest, which has been downloaded and played by more than 4.3 million people worldwide.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DyxwIa

International law should be clearer in regulating the use of armed force base

(University of Helsinki) A recently completed doctoral dissertation in law indicates that armed intervention based on the consent and invitation of states is in desperate need of a new supranational party to control the deployment of this concept. Recent examples of armed intervention include the occupation of Crimea by Russia and, increasingly, the crisis in Venezuela.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2W4k7Pt

Schadenfreude: Your pain is my gain

(University of Zurich) If someone in the workplace is mistreated, their colleagues may respond with empathy -- or with schadenfreude. The latter emotion, according to a new study by the University of Zurich, occurs primarily in highly competitive working environments, when one person's misfortune facilitates another's goals. Even worse, schadenfreude can be contagious. For this reason, it is worth establishing an inclusive working climate and team-based incentives.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DtZm8w

LSHTM awarded £7 million to help improve the health of disabled people in LMICs

(London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is to lead a major new projectthat aims to reveal which interventions should be implemented to improve the well-being ofpeople with disabilities in low and middle-income countries (LMIC).

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DwUz66

Growing up in poverty increases diagnoses of psychosis-spectrum mental illnesses

(University of California - Davis) Growing up in impoverished urban neighborhoods more than doubles your chances over the average person of developing a psychosis-spectrum disorder by the time you reach middle adulthood, according to a new UC Davis and Concordia University study of nearly 4,000 families who were monitored over 30 years.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GuIQG1

See beautiful fossils from top Cambrian sites around the world

Troves of Cambrian fossils are known at more than 50 places around the world. Here are five standout spots.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2UTfdbn

Policies valuing cultural diversity improve minority students' sense of belonging

(Society for Personality and Social Psychology) Psychology researchers exploring the belonging and achievement of middle school students found valuing cultural diversity reduces achievement gaps over the course of a year, while policies that favor colorblindness and assimilation led to wider achievement gaps.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2INbQvw

Microbial contaminants found in popular e-cigarettes

(Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) Popular electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) products sold in the US were contaminated with bacterial and fungal toxins, according to new research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IQoaet

Reducing care needs of teens with substance-abuse disorders

(Kaiser Permanente) Screenings, interventions, and referrals can help adolescent teens overcome substance abuse in the short-term. Less is known about the long-term effects of those efforts. A new study from Kaiser Permanente, published in the journal Pediatrics, suggests that the benefits can last for many years and can include sustained reductions in mental health conditions.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GDma7J

CBD reduces impairment caused by cannabis

(University College London) The more cannabidiol (CBD) in a strain of cannabis, the lower the impairment to brain function, finds a new UCL-led brain imaging study.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Dw7WDF

Cannabis addiction influenced by genetic makeup

(University College London) Some people may be more genetically prone to cannabis addiction, finds a new UCL-led study.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Vn4NAg

NASA’s Mars InSight lander may have the first recording of a Marsquake

NASA’s InSight mission appears to have detected a Marsquake for the first time.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2IXnq78

Gil Hospital and Longenesis announce a research collaboration

(InSilico Medicine, Inc.) Gil Hospital and Longenesis enter research collaboration to integrate Health Data Management Solution.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UQKg7W

Low mobility predicts hospital readmission in older heart attack patients

(Yale University) Close to 20% of elderly adults who have suffered a heart attack will be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. Performance on a simple mobility test is the best predictor of whether an elderly heart attack patient will be readmitted, a Yale-led study reports.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UyL8Jp

Seven seconds of Spiderman viewing yields a 20% phobia symptom reduction

(Bar-Ilan University) As the Marvel Avenger Endgame premieres in movie theaters this week, researchers have published a new article in Frontiers in Psychology which reveals that exposure to Spiderman and Antman movie excerpts decreases symptoms of spider and ant phobias, respectively.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Dw72qK

Experiences of 'ultimate reality' or 'God' confer lasting benefits to mental health

(Johns Hopkins Medicine) In a survey of thousands of people who reported having experienced personal encounters with God, Johns Hopkins researchers report that more than two-thirds of self-identified atheists shed that label after their encounter, regardless of whether it was spontaneous or while taking a psychedelic.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZsT5Dr

Low socioeconomic position associated with worse care at the end of life

(PLOS) In high-income countries, people with low socioeconomic position are more likely to receive poor quality end of life care and die in hospital, according to a large meta-analysis by Joanna Davies of King's College London, UK, and colleagues, published this week in PLOS Medicine.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GChzCT

A global database of women scientists is diversifying the face of science

(PLOS) Underrepresentation of women scientists in the public sphere perpetuates the stereotype of the white male scientist and fails both to reflect the true diversity of people practicing science today and to encourage more diversity. In a new article publishing April 23 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology, Dr. Elizabeth McCullagh and colleagues from the grassroots organization 500 Women Scientists, describe the first year of a database they founded in January 2018 to combat this issue.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XF84sq

Insilico to present at the Health Horizons Future Healthcare Forum

(InSilico Medicine, Inc.) Insilico to present at the Health Horizons Future Healthcare Forum

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ICwEXq

When is sexting associated with psychological distress among young adults?

(Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News) While sending or receiving nude electronic images may not always be associated with poorer mental health, being coerced to do so and receiving unwanted sexts was linked to a higher likelihood of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms, according to a new study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2vkPTMu

New Cochrane Review investigates the effectiveness of nicotine replacement therapy

(Wiley) New evidence published in the Cochrane Library provides high quality evidence that people who use a combination of nicotine replacement therapies (a patch plus a short acting form, such as gum or lozenge) are more likely to successfully quit smoking than people who use a single form of the medicine.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Pr9HH8

Major scientific meeting on sound next month in Louisville

(Acoustical Society of America) The Acoustical Society of America will hold its 177th meeting May 13-17, 2019 at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. This major scientific conference brings together interdisciplinary groups of researchers from many far-flung fields, including physics, medicine, music, psychology, architecture and engineering, to discuss their latest research. It will feature nearly 1,000 presentations on sound and its applications

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2URvAoN

To test the munchies, researchers offer a choice: chips or an orange?

(University at Buffalo) Results underscore an important issue as more states legalize marijuana: the increased need for tailored nutrition education as the population of pot-smokers grows.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Uuhvc0

People with happy spouses may live longer

(Association for Psychological Science) Research suggests that having a happy spouse leads to a longer marriage, and now study results show that it's associated with a longer life, too. The study was published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2UuMJzH

Moscow State University's journal Population and Economics now published on ARPHA platform

(Pensoft Publishers) Population and Economics is the latest renowned journal to feature on the growing portfolio of open-access titles making use of the innovative scholarly platform ARPHA. Having taken advantage of ARPHA's white-label publishing solution, the journal accommodates a long list of high-tech novelties which benefit authors, readers and editors alike. Marking the new partnership is the first 2019 issue of the journal, now available on its brand new website.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2KYI49X

Strongly agree: It's time to test the Likert scale

(University at Buffalo) Researchers often tweak the number of response options in the traditional five-point Likert Scale with little empirical justification for doing so. Now a UB psychologist has tested the test. Leonard Simms says 'six appears to be the magic number' of responses.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2DulyQ5

Acupuncture equals disease prevention say new studies

(Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News) Well-recognized for its therapeutic effects, acupuncture is increasingly being appreciated for its ability to promote wellness and contribute to the prevention of a broad range of conditions.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2VZgwlv

Historic examples of civility may help today's civil discourse, according to new book

(Kansas State University) A look at the past may help ordinary people improve civility, according to Kansas State University's Timothy J. Shaffer, co-editor/author of the book, 'A Crisis of Civility?: Political Discourse and Its Discontents' from Routledge.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2VhhoVN

Some women could be more susceptible to PTSD than others, according to new study

(University of Missouri-Columbia) Childhood trauma is known to increase the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder in adulthood, especially for women, but the biological reasons for this correlation remain largely unknown. In a new study from the University of Missouri, researchers have proposed a solution to this mystery in the form of a model that could help psychiatrists better understand the far-reaching impacts of early trauma on women, while also clarifying why not all women with traumatic childhoods develop PTSD.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IP4Vlv

Army publishes new findings to support soldier training

(U.S. Army Research Laboratory) Researchers recently demonstrated that people's attitudes about avoiding negative outcomes versus achieving positive outcomes is related to how their performance changes in response to gamified feedback during simulation-based training exercises.The research took place at the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command's Army Research Laboratory, the Army's corporate research laboratory known as ARL, at its extended site ARL-West, in collaboration with the University of California, Santa Barbara and is published in the journal Frontiers in Cognitive Science.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZCSW0q

Medicaid expansion may help shrink health gaps between black and white babies

States that expanded Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act shrunk racial disparities between black and white infants, a new study shows.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2UAVwA6

Stressed, anxious? Ask the brain!

(Friedrich Miescher Institute) Our actions are driven by 'internal states' such as anxiety, stress or thirst -- which will strongly affect and motivate our behaviors. Little is known about how such states are represented by complex brain-wide circuits, including sub-cortical structures such as the amygdala. In a study recently published in Science, the group of Andreas Lüthi at the FMI used a deep brain imaging technique to monitor amygdala activity in active mice and revealed the neuronal dynamics encoding behavioral states.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ViU75U

Revealed: The secret superpower that makes C. difficile so deadly

(University of Virginia Health System) A new discovery about dangerous C. difficile diarrhea has identified a new way that the bacteria -- and possibly others like it -- cause severe disease. C. diff is the most common hospital-acquired infection and estimated to result in 453,000 cases per year, with 29,300 associated deaths.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2KY8ad8

COPD and type 2 diabetes

(Bentham Science Publishers) COPD and type 2 diabetes are two highly prevalent global health conditions associated with high mortality and morbidity. In this review article, a team of researchers from USA discuss the studies demonstrating the associations between COPD and type 2 diabetes, underlying pathophysiology and recommended therapeutic approach in the management of patients with coexisting COPD and diabetes.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2W0Wszh

Ten ASU engineering faculty receive the National Science Foundation CAREER Award

(Arizona State University) Ten faculty members in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University have received National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Awards between September 2018 and April 2019. The awards total an estimated $5 million to fund their projects over the next five years.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XGtJQX

Short period of parental sexual contact prior to pregnancy increases offspring risk of schizophrenia

(The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine) Mount Sinai study may help explain some of the excess risks for inflammatory diseases in first born children.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2W0mrqI

‘An Elegant Defense’ explores the immune system’s softer side

The lives of four people helped or harmed by their body’s natural defenses illustrate why immunology has become one of the hottest fields in science.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2XDjjBg

How an obscure sexually transmitted parasite tangoes with the immune system

Scientists are working out how Trichomonas vaginalis, one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections, causes problems in women and men.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2XyNiKL

Study finds improved WIC food packages reduced obesity risk for children

(Tulane University) A decade ago, the federal government overhauled nutrition standards for food packages in its primary food assistance program for young mothers and their children. The change reduced obesity risks for 4-year-olds, according to a new study lead by a Tulane University researcher and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2XC8NdA

New approach to repair fetal membranes may prevent birth complications

(Queen Mary University of London) Researchers from Queen Mary University of London and University College London have developed a new approach to repair defects in fetal membranes which could prevent life-long medical conditions and disabilities associated with preterm birth.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IOgVnf

Scientists propose new theory on Alzheimer's, amyloid connection

(Florida Atlantic University) 'Is amyloid precursor protein the mastermind behind Alzheimer's or is it just an accomplice?' Researchers devised a multi-functional reporter for amyloid precursor protein and tracked its localization and mobility, noticing a strange association between the protein and cholesterol that resides in the cell membrane of synapses. With cholesterol's broad involvement in almost all aspects of neurons' life, they propose a new theory on the amyloid precursor protein connection in AD, especially in the surface of those tiny synapses, which triggers neurodegeneration.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2KWk6Mw

Study: Playing video games generally not harmful to boys' social development

(Society for Research in Child Development) A new longitudinal study conducted in Norway looked at how playing video games affects the social skills of 6- to 12-year-olds. It found that playing the games affected youth differently by age and gender, but that generally speaking, gaming was not associated with social development.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2KSZxjL

UTA engineering students build treadmill that helps athletes in wheelchairs work out

(University of Texas at Arlington) A University of Texas at Arlington senior design project team built a treadmill that can be used by athletes in wheelchairs.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2ZtIU1i

Researchers find high-risk genes for schizophrenia

(Vanderbilt University Medical Center) Using a unique computational 'framework' they developed, a team of scientist cyber-sleuths in the Vanderbilt University Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics and the Vanderbilt Genetics Institute (VGI) has identified 104 high-risk genes for schizophrenia.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Xtny2u

Brains of blind people adapt to sharpen sense of hearing, study shows

(University of Washington) Research from the University of Washington uses functional MRI to identify two differences in the brains of blind individuals -- differences that might be responsible for their abilities to make better use of auditory information.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2KVvpUU

Climate change has worsened global economic inequality

(Stanford's School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences ) The gap between the economic output of the world's richest and poorest countries is 25 percent larger today than it would have been without global warming, according to new research from Stanford University.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2VgVcuH

Neurobiology and Chemistry of Pain and Addiction Symposium

(University of Arizona Health Sciences) World-renowned neurobiologists and leaders in chemistry will discuss the brain circuits underlying acute and chronic pain, reward, motivation and addiction, as well as the development of chemical probes as potential novel therapies. The symposium is co-sponsored by the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson Department of Pharmacology and Interim Dean Irving Kron, M.D.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GAqJ2G

Skipping breakfast associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death

(American College of Cardiology) New evidence underscores the importance of eating breakfast every day, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that showed skipping breakfast was significantly associated with an increased risk of death from heart disease.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IPL7yu

Preschool health program successful in instilling heart healthy habits

(American College of Cardiology) Preschoolers in an underserved community who took part in a health promotion educational program aimed at establishing health behaviors showed a 2.2-fold increase in knowledge, attitudes and habits compared to their classmates who did not take part in the program, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IOR8LI

Physical activity may offset mortality risk caused by too much sitting

(American College of Cardiology) For less active adults, the amount of time spent sitting may be associated with an increased risk of death; however, increasing physical activity to recommended levels may eliminate this association in some, according to a study published today in the annual cardiovascular health promotion issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2veJ277

Mount Sinai study: Intervention in preschool -- an opportunity to promote healthy lifestyle

(The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine) Children may have a better chance of avoiding unhealthy habits linked to obesity and cardiovascular disease later in life if they are taught properly about healthy behaviors in preschool, Mount Sinai researchers have shown in a first-of-its-kind study.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GqWFFr

How blindness shapes sound processing

(Society for Neuroscience) Adults who lost their vision at an early age have more refined auditory cortex responses to simple sounds than sighted individuals, according to new neuroimaging research published in JNeurosci. The study is among the first to investigate the effects of early blindness on this brain region, which may contribute to superior hearing in the blind.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GzTLzr

Rurality, social identity is driving polarization in Iowa

(Iowa State University) What will shape voter attitudes heading into the 2020 election? New Iowa State University research finds rurality, education and race -- not the economic downturn -- significantly predicted the change from Democrat to Republican in 2016.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IyQoef

Soft bedding poses grave danger to sleeping babies, study shows

(University of Virginia Health System) Almost 70% of babies who died from sleep-related suffocation between 2011 and 2014 did so because of soft bedding, a new study reveals. The finding underscores physicians' urgent message to new parents that babies should sleep only in cribs or bassinets free of blankets, toys and other potential hazards.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GqYfY3

Rutgers develops new tool to help psychiatrists encourage patients to quit smoking

(Rutgers University) Psychiatrists often disregard their patients' smoking even though tobacco use accounts for 50% of deaths among people with mental illness, a Rutgers-led study finds.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IOZkf5

Older adults starting dialysis die at higher rates than previously thought

(Harvard Medical School) Study found more than half of older adults with end-stage kidney disease died within a year of starting dialysis.Nearly one in four older dialysis patients (23%) succumbed to the disease within a month of starting treatment.Analysis reveals markedly higher death rates than previous reports of dialysis outcomes among older patients.Findings can help patients and clinicians make better-informed decisions to determine optimal course of treatment.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PmzzE1

Asia's diabetes epidemic preferentially kills women, the middle-aged: Study

(Vanderbilt University Medical Center) Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in Asia and has dramatically increased the risk of premature death, especially among women and middle-aged people, a multinational study led by Vanderbilt University researchers has found.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PkZdca

Parents using both e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes may be more motivated to quit

(Massachusetts General Hospital) A study by MassGeneral Hospital for Children researchers finds that parents who use both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes may be more receptive to smoking cessation interventions than parents who only smoke traditional cigarettes.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2PsrCgI

Researchers outline how humans reduce uncertainty in social situations

(Brown University) A new perspective paper from Brown University scientists establishes a framework to apply rigorous mathematical models of uncertainty originally developed for non-social situations, such as whether or not to purchase a lottery ticket, to social scenarios such as determining an interviewer's opinion of an interviewee.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IAHjSa

Transgender adults more likely to report worse health-related quality of life

(JAMA Network) Transgender adults were more likely to report worse health-related quality of life compared with cisgender adults. This study used data from a large national health survey with an optional sexual orientation and gender identity module, which 36 US states and territories used at least once from 2014 through 2017.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GBWNDw

Wakeup call: Pervasiveness of sexual harassment and its effect on female physics students

(American Physical Society) A recent study revealed that sexual harassment in physics is insidious and experienced at a significantly higher rate than is generally acknowledged. The study also found that gender harassment, one type of sexual harassment, is correlated with two harmful psychological patterns: a diminished sense of belonging and the imposter phenomenon.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GBpJeI

Brain regions linked to memory and emotion help humans navigate smell

(University of Pennsylvania) Using varying combinations of banana and pine scents, University of Pennsylvania professor Jay Gottfried discovered that three key brain regions help humans navigate from one odor to the next. The work points to the existence of a grid-like hexagonal architecture in the olfactory brain, similar to mapping configurations previously found to support spatial navigation in animals.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2IPYJKa

Neuroscientists reverse some behavioral symptoms of Williams syndrome

(Massachusetts Institute of Technology) In a study of mice, MIT neuroscientists have found that impaired myelination underlies the hypersociability seen in patients with Williams syndrome.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GBWKYm

Research by Ural Federal University's social and political scientists receives financial support

(Ural Federal University) Four projects in the field of social and political sciences performed by researchers of Ural Federal University receive financial support from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research and the Expert Institute for Social Research.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GDpKyZ

Mercury has a massive solid inner core

The distribution of Mercury’s mass and small stutters in the planet’s spin suggest it has a giant solid inner core.

from Latest Headlines | Science News http://bit.ly/2ZiStjE

Empathy often avoided because of mental effort

(American Psychological Association) Even when feeling empathy for others isn't financially costly or emotionally draining, people will still avoid it because they think empathy requires too much mental effort, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2GqxAug

Medical University of South Carolina graduate wins NIH Director's Early Independence Award

(Medical University of South Carolina) Jasper Heinsbroek, Ph.D., who recently received his doctorate from the Medical University of South Carolina, has been awarded the NIH Director's Early Independence Award. The award will enable him to bypass traditional postdoctoral training and begin an independent research career. His research involves identifying novel brain circuits underlying relapse in addiction.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Vo7MbW

Study exposes reasons behind poor mental health in bisexual people

(La Trobe University) The largest study of bisexual people in the world to date, led by La Trobe University, has examined why bisexual people experience higher rates of psychological distress than heterosexual and homosexual people.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://bit.ly/2Vgf69b

Better labor practices could improve archaeological output

(Lehigh University) In a new paper, 'Essential Excavation Experts: Alienation and Agency in the History of Archaeological Labor,' published in Archaeologies: Journal of the World Archaeological Congress, archaeologist AllisonMickel illuminates the ways that nineteenth century archaeologists working in the Middle East managed local labor in ways that reflected capitalist labor management models. Her analysis also reveals how much archaeological knowledge production has fundamentally relied upon site workers' active choices in responding to labor conditions.

from EurekAlert! - Archaeology http://bit.ly/2DlHTz9