Monday, December 24, 2007
Research News: Happy Holidays
Research behind the News will be on vacation the week between Christmas and New Years. We will return posting the latest news stories and research the week of January 2, 2008. We wish all our readers a safe and joyous holiday.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Research News: Insurance key to cancer longevity
The News:
Insurance key to cancer longevity
The uninsured are nearly twice as likely to die within five years, a study finds. Health care obstacles are "condemning thousands," an expert says.
By Mike Stobbe The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 12/19/2007 11:38:45 PM MST
ATLANTA — Uninsured cancer patients are nearly twice as likely to die within five years as those with private coverage, according to the first national study of its kind and one that sheds light on troubling health care obstacles. ATLANTA — Uninsured cancer patients are nearly twice as likely to die within five years as those with private coverage, according to the first national study of its kind and one that sheds light on troubling health care obstacles.
The Research:
Read an editorial about this story in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
Insurance key to cancer longevity
The uninsured are nearly twice as likely to die within five years, a study finds. Health care obstacles are "condemning thousands," an expert says.
By Mike Stobbe The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 12/19/2007 11:38:45 PM MST
ATLANTA — Uninsured cancer patients are nearly twice as likely to die within five years as those with private coverage, according to the first national study of its kind and one that sheds light on troubling health care obstacles. ATLANTA — Uninsured cancer patients are nearly twice as likely to die within five years as those with private coverage, according to the first national study of its kind and one that sheds light on troubling health care obstacles.
The Research:
Read an editorial about this story in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Research News: Life in orphanage stunts IQ
The News:
Life in orphanage stunts IQ
By Benedict CareyThe New York Times
Article Last Updated: 12/21/2007 01:06:03 AM MST
Psychologists have long believed that growing up in an institution like an orphanage stunts children's mental development but have never had direct evidence to back it up. Now they do, from an extraordinary years-long experiment in Romania that compared the effects of foster care with those of institutional child-rearing.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Life in orphanage stunts IQ
By Benedict CareyThe New York Times
Article Last Updated: 12/21/2007 01:06:03 AM MST
Psychologists have long believed that growing up in an institution like an orphanage stunts children's mental development but have never had direct evidence to back it up. Now they do, from an extraordinary years-long experiment in Romania that compared the effects of foster care with those of institutional child-rearing.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Research News: "Generation Next" in the Slow Lane to Adulthood
The News:
"Generation Next" in the Slow Lane to Adulthood
NPR's Morning Edition
December 20, 2007 · Recent studies find interesting differences among today's young people compared with those of decades past. There's even a new term for the generation age 18 to 25: Generation Next; and a new label for this period of development: "emerging adulthood."
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in American Psychologist.
"Generation Next" in the Slow Lane to Adulthood
NPR's Morning Edition
December 20, 2007 · Recent studies find interesting differences among today's young people compared with those of decades past. There's even a new term for the generation age 18 to 25: Generation Next; and a new label for this period of development: "emerging adulthood."
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in American Psychologist.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Research News: Where there’s smoke, there’s research
The News:
Where there’s smoke, there’s research.
Sacramento State News 12/17/07
Craig Gallet’s scrutiny of anti-smoking laws isn’t a personal quest. He is interested in the factors that affect demand for consumer products. “I found that a lot of literature showed how smoking bans affected the sales of cigarettes, but no link was ever made between smoking bans and their affect on alcohol demand.” In particular, Gallet was curious about the impact on beer, wine and liquor sales in bars and restaurants once smoking was banned in public areas.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in The Social Science Journal.
Where there’s smoke, there’s research.
Sacramento State News 12/17/07
Craig Gallet’s scrutiny of anti-smoking laws isn’t a personal quest. He is interested in the factors that affect demand for consumer products. “I found that a lot of literature showed how smoking bans affected the sales of cigarettes, but no link was ever made between smoking bans and their affect on alcohol demand.” In particular, Gallet was curious about the impact on beer, wine and liquor sales in bars and restaurants once smoking was banned in public areas.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in The Social Science Journal.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Research news: Hydrogen Fuel-cell Membrane Structure Conundrum Solved
The News:
Hydrogen Fuel-cell Membrane Structure Conundrum Solved
ScienceDaily (Dec. 16, 2007) — Fuel-cell cars are reaching commercial viability in today’s increasingly eco-conscious society, but despite their promise, even scientists have struggled to explain just how the fuel-cell’s central component – the proton exchange membrane – really works.
However, a team of researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory has offered a new model that provides the best explanation to date for the membrane’s structure and how it functions. And armed with that information, scientists should be able to build similar fuel-cell membrane materials that are less expensive or have different properties, such as higher operating temperatures.
A fuel cell works by pumping hydrogen gas through the proton exchange membrane. In the process, the hydrogen gives up electrons in the form of electricity, then combines with oxygen gas to form water as the by-product. It can also work in reverse – when current is applied, water is split into its component gases, hydrogen and oxygen.
The model proposed by Ames Laboratory scientists Klaus Schmidt-Rohr and Qiang Chen, and detailed in the December issue of the journal Nature Materials, looked specifically at Nafion®, a widely used perfluorinated polymer film that stands out for its high selective permeability to water and protons. Schmidt-Rohr, who is also a professor of chemistry at Iowa State University, suggests that Nafion® has a closely packed network of nanoscale cylindrical water channels running in parallel through the material.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature Materials.
Hydrogen Fuel-cell Membrane Structure Conundrum Solved
ScienceDaily (Dec. 16, 2007) — Fuel-cell cars are reaching commercial viability in today’s increasingly eco-conscious society, but despite their promise, even scientists have struggled to explain just how the fuel-cell’s central component – the proton exchange membrane – really works.
However, a team of researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory has offered a new model that provides the best explanation to date for the membrane’s structure and how it functions. And armed with that information, scientists should be able to build similar fuel-cell membrane materials that are less expensive or have different properties, such as higher operating temperatures.
A fuel cell works by pumping hydrogen gas through the proton exchange membrane. In the process, the hydrogen gives up electrons in the form of electricity, then combines with oxygen gas to form water as the by-product. It can also work in reverse – when current is applied, water is split into its component gases, hydrogen and oxygen.
The model proposed by Ames Laboratory scientists Klaus Schmidt-Rohr and Qiang Chen, and detailed in the December issue of the journal Nature Materials, looked specifically at Nafion®, a widely used perfluorinated polymer film that stands out for its high selective permeability to water and protons. Schmidt-Rohr, who is also a professor of chemistry at Iowa State University, suggests that Nafion® has a closely packed network of nanoscale cylindrical water channels running in parallel through the material.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature Materials.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Research news: Predicting the future of reefs in peril
The News:
Predicting the Future of Reefs in Peril
Audio for this story will be available at approx. 6:00 p.m. ET
Talk of the Nation, December 14, 2007 · The world's coral reefs are in great danger, threatened by climate change and rising carbon dioxide levels. Increased CO2 could greatly shift the chemistry of ocean waters, threatening the existence of most coral species.
In an article published in the journal Science, researchers provide three different scenarios for the fate of reef-building corals worldwide as they face higher concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Reefs in trouble:
Spawning for a Better Life
Moonlight Sonata on the Reef
Whiter Shades of Pale
Life on the Mean Reefs
Predicting the Future of Reefs in Peril
Audio for this story will be available at approx. 6:00 p.m. ET
Talk of the Nation, December 14, 2007 · The world's coral reefs are in great danger, threatened by climate change and rising carbon dioxide levels. Increased CO2 could greatly shift the chemistry of ocean waters, threatening the existence of most coral species.
In an article published in the journal Science, researchers provide three different scenarios for the fate of reef-building corals worldwide as they face higher concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Reefs in trouble:
Spawning for a Better Life
Moonlight Sonata on the Reef
Whiter Shades of Pale
Life on the Mean Reefs
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Research news: Chronic Knee Pain: Is Surgery The Only Solution?
The News:
Chronic Knee Pain: Is Surgery The Only Solution?
ScienceDaily (Dec. 13, 2007) — The results of a study published in the online open access journal, BMC Medicine indicate that sufferers of chronic patellofemoral syndrome (PFPS), a chronic pain in the front part of the knee, gain no extra benefit from surgery. Furthermore, the authors suggest that giving these patients a therapeutic exercise regime rather than putting them through surgery could save money.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is often treated with arthroscopic surgery, in which equipment inserted through small incisions in the knee is used to both diagnose the cause of the problem and attempt to fix it.
Jyrki Kettunen of The ORTON Research Institute, in Helsinki, Finland, and colleagues point out that whilst chronic knee pain is a common complaint, there is a lack of evidence that arthroscopic surgery has a better outcome than other forms of treatment including therapeutic exercise.
The team conducted a randomized controlled trial to study the efficacy of arthroscopy compared with exercise in 56 patients with chronic PFPS. More.....
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal BMC Medicine.
Chronic Knee Pain: Is Surgery The Only Solution?
ScienceDaily (Dec. 13, 2007) — The results of a study published in the online open access journal, BMC Medicine indicate that sufferers of chronic patellofemoral syndrome (PFPS), a chronic pain in the front part of the knee, gain no extra benefit from surgery. Furthermore, the authors suggest that giving these patients a therapeutic exercise regime rather than putting them through surgery could save money.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is often treated with arthroscopic surgery, in which equipment inserted through small incisions in the knee is used to both diagnose the cause of the problem and attempt to fix it.
Jyrki Kettunen of The ORTON Research Institute, in Helsinki, Finland, and colleagues point out that whilst chronic knee pain is a common complaint, there is a lack of evidence that arthroscopic surgery has a better outcome than other forms of treatment including therapeutic exercise.
The team conducted a randomized controlled trial to study the efficacy of arthroscopy compared with exercise in 56 patients with chronic PFPS. More.....
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal BMC Medicine.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Research news: Eating a Lot of Meats Linked to Number of Cancers
The News:
Eating a Lot of Meats Linked to Number of Cancers
by Patricia Neighmond
Morning Edition, December 11, 2007 · A new medical study links high consumption of red and processed meats to an increased risk of different forms of cancer. Health experts already knew red meat increased the risk of colon cancer. Now researchers have found an increased risk for a number of other cancers, as well.
Researchers at the National Cancer Institute wanted to know which cancers other than colon cancer might be more common among big red meat eaters. To find out, they analyzed questionnaires from over a half-million men and women over the age of 50.
In questionnaires, people answered questions about their lifestyle, including what kind of meat they ate, and how often.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal PLoS Medicine.
Eating a Lot of Meats Linked to Number of Cancers
by Patricia Neighmond
Morning Edition, December 11, 2007 · A new medical study links high consumption of red and processed meats to an increased risk of different forms of cancer. Health experts already knew red meat increased the risk of colon cancer. Now researchers have found an increased risk for a number of other cancers, as well.
Researchers at the National Cancer Institute wanted to know which cancers other than colon cancer might be more common among big red meat eaters. To find out, they analyzed questionnaires from over a half-million men and women over the age of 50.
In questionnaires, people answered questions about their lifestyle, including what kind of meat they ate, and how often.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal PLoS Medicine.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Research news: Most Ancient Case Of Tuberculosis Found In 500,000-year-old Human; Points To Modern Health Issues
The News:
Most Ancient Case Of Tuberculosis Found In 500,000-year-old Human; Points To Modern Health Issues
ScienceDaily (Dec. 8, 2007) — Although most scientists believe tuberculosis emerged only several thousand years ago, new research from The University of Texas at Austin reveals the most ancient evidence of the disease has been found in a 500,000-year-old human fossil from Turkey.
The discovery of the new specimen of the human species, Homo erectus, suggests support for the theory that dark-skinned people who migrate northward from low, tropical latitudes produce less vitamin D, which can adversely affect the immune system as well as the skeleton.
Prior to this discovery in western Turkey, which helps scientists fill a temporal and geographical gap in human evolution, the oldest evidence of tuberculosis in humans was found in mummies from Egypt and Peru that date to several thousand years ago.
Paleontologists spent decades prospecting in Turkey for remains of Homo erectus, widely believed to be the first human species to migrate out of Africa. After moving north, the species had to adapt to increasingly seasonal climates
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
Most Ancient Case Of Tuberculosis Found In 500,000-year-old Human; Points To Modern Health Issues
ScienceDaily (Dec. 8, 2007) — Although most scientists believe tuberculosis emerged only several thousand years ago, new research from The University of Texas at Austin reveals the most ancient evidence of the disease has been found in a 500,000-year-old human fossil from Turkey.
The discovery of the new specimen of the human species, Homo erectus, suggests support for the theory that dark-skinned people who migrate northward from low, tropical latitudes produce less vitamin D, which can adversely affect the immune system as well as the skeleton.
Prior to this discovery in western Turkey, which helps scientists fill a temporal and geographical gap in human evolution, the oldest evidence of tuberculosis in humans was found in mummies from Egypt and Peru that date to several thousand years ago.
Paleontologists spent decades prospecting in Turkey for remains of Homo erectus, widely believed to be the first human species to migrate out of Africa. After moving north, the species had to adapt to increasingly seasonal climates
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Research news: Even Minimal Fitness Can Stave Off Death
The News:
Even Minimal Fitness Can Stave Off Death
by Allison Aubrey
All Things Considered, December 4, 2007 · If you favor the spectator's seat over the playing field, take note: Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds even a minimal level of fitness cuts the risk of premature death.
Treadmill and Wii Video Games
Esther McGuire, 84, a resident of Riderwood, a senior living community in Silver Spring, Md., says she's not surprised to hear that exercise and longevity are linked.
As she swings her arm and bends her knees in a game of bowling on the Nintendo Wii, she lets out a whoop in anticipation of a strike.
"It feels good," says McGuire, who's now helping organize Wii tournaments. "It keeps us moving instead of watching television."
McGuire also works out three times a week at the gym, so experts say she's almost certain to escape being categorized as one of the least fit in her age group.
"It's only really the least fit 20 percent of an age group that seem to have much higher mortality rates," says researcher Glenn Gaesser of the University of Virginia.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Even Minimal Fitness Can Stave Off Death
by Allison Aubrey
All Things Considered, December 4, 2007 · If you favor the spectator's seat over the playing field, take note: Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds even a minimal level of fitness cuts the risk of premature death.
Treadmill and Wii Video Games
Esther McGuire, 84, a resident of Riderwood, a senior living community in Silver Spring, Md., says she's not surprised to hear that exercise and longevity are linked.
As she swings her arm and bends her knees in a game of bowling on the Nintendo Wii, she lets out a whoop in anticipation of a strike.
"It feels good," says McGuire, who's now helping organize Wii tournaments. "It keeps us moving instead of watching television."
McGuire also works out three times a week at the gym, so experts say she's almost certain to escape being categorized as one of the least fit in her age group.
"It's only really the least fit 20 percent of an age group that seem to have much higher mortality rates," says researcher Glenn Gaesser of the University of Virginia.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Research news: Autism study lends credence to 'fever effect'
The News:
Autism Study Lends Credence to 'Fever Effect'
Morning Edition, December 6, 2007 · For the first three years of his life, Rene Craft's son, Jackson, communicated primarily through screaming tantrums. He never spoke. He didn't point to things. He didn't make eye contact. He had the classic signs of severe autism.
Then a couple of years ago, Jackson got sick. His mother, Rene Craft, says he was running a high fever.
"He was lying in our bed, and he was recovering," Craft says. "And he said out of the blue, 'I like the sheets, Daddy. They're really comfortable.' And then later that day he looked out the window and he said, 'Oh, it's raining, and squirrels eat nuts."
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Pediatrics.
Autism Study Lends Credence to 'Fever Effect'
Morning Edition, December 6, 2007 · For the first three years of his life, Rene Craft's son, Jackson, communicated primarily through screaming tantrums. He never spoke. He didn't point to things. He didn't make eye contact. He had the classic signs of severe autism.
Then a couple of years ago, Jackson got sick. His mother, Rene Craft, says he was running a high fever.
"He was lying in our bed, and he was recovering," Craft says. "And he said out of the blue, 'I like the sheets, Daddy. They're really comfortable.' And then later that day he looked out the window and he said, 'Oh, it's raining, and squirrels eat nuts."
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Pediatrics.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Research news: Climate change puts future of plants, critters in hot seat
The News:
Climate change puts future of plants, critters in hot seat
Temperatures are rising too quickly for some to adapt, and extinctions are likely, experts say.
By Michael Casey The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 12/06/2007 01:05:34 AM MST
BALI, Indonesia — More than 3,000 flying foxes dropped dead, falling from trees in Australia. Giant squid migrated north to commercial fishing grounds off California, gobbling anchovy and hake. Butterflies have gone extinct in the Alps.
While humans debate at U.N. climate change talks in Bali, global warming is already wreaking havoc with nature. Most plants and animals are affected, and the change is occurring too quickly for them to evolve.
"A hell of a lot of species are in big trouble," said Stephen E. Williams, the director of the Centre for Tropical Biodiversity & Climate Change at James Cook University in Australia.
"I don't think there is any doubt we will see a lot of (extinctions)," he said. "But even before a species goes extinct, there are a lot of impacts. Most of the species here in the wet tropics would be reduced to 15 percent of their current habitat."
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Climate change puts future of plants, critters in hot seat
Temperatures are rising too quickly for some to adapt, and extinctions are likely, experts say.
By Michael Casey The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 12/06/2007 01:05:34 AM MST
BALI, Indonesia — More than 3,000 flying foxes dropped dead, falling from trees in Australia. Giant squid migrated north to commercial fishing grounds off California, gobbling anchovy and hake. Butterflies have gone extinct in the Alps.
While humans debate at U.N. climate change talks in Bali, global warming is already wreaking havoc with nature. Most plants and animals are affected, and the change is occurring too quickly for them to evolve.
"A hell of a lot of species are in big trouble," said Stephen E. Williams, the director of the Centre for Tropical Biodiversity & Climate Change at James Cook University in Australia.
"I don't think there is any doubt we will see a lot of (extinctions)," he said. "But even before a species goes extinct, there are a lot of impacts. Most of the species here in the wet tropics would be reduced to 15 percent of their current habitat."
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Research news: Antibiotics discouraged for many sinus infections
The News:
Antibiotics discouraged for many sinus infections
By Jia-Rui Chong Los Angeles Times
Article Last Updated: 12/05/2007 02:00:30 AM MST
The widespread use of standard antibiotics to treat sinus infections does not help cure patients and may harm them by increasing their resistance to the drugs, according to a new study published today.
The researchers found that the percentage of patients who got well in 10 days was about the same whether they took an antibiotic or a placebo. The study focused on cases likely caused by bacteria.
"With a little bit of patience, the body will usually heal itself," said Dr. Ian Williamson, a family medicine researcher at the University of Southampton in England and lead author of the paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The results showed that patients should be more willing to forgo antibiotics, but they should still check with their doctors when a cold worsens into a sinus infection, he said.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Antibiotics discouraged for many sinus infections
By Jia-Rui Chong Los Angeles Times
Article Last Updated: 12/05/2007 02:00:30 AM MST
The widespread use of standard antibiotics to treat sinus infections does not help cure patients and may harm them by increasing their resistance to the drugs, according to a new study published today.
The researchers found that the percentage of patients who got well in 10 days was about the same whether they took an antibiotic or a placebo. The study focused on cases likely caused by bacteria.
"With a little bit of patience, the body will usually heal itself," said Dr. Ian Williamson, a family medicine researcher at the University of Southampton in England and lead author of the paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The results showed that patients should be more willing to forgo antibiotics, but they should still check with their doctors when a cold worsens into a sinus infection, he said.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Research news: Global Warming Likely To Increase Stormy Weather, Especially In Certain US locations
The News:
Global Warming Likely To Increase Stormy Weather, Especially In Certain US locations
ScienceDaily (Dec. 5, 2007) — Researchers who study severe weather and climate change joined forces to study the effects of global warming on the number of severe storms in the future and discovered a dramatic increase in potential storm conditions for some parts of the United States.
The Purdue University-led team used climate models to examine future weather conditions favorable to formation of severe thunderstorms - those that produce flooding, damaging winds, hail and sometimes spawn tornadoes.
"It seems that areas in the U.S. prone to severe thunderstorms now will likely have more of them in the future," said Robert Trapp, the Purdue associate professor of earth and atmospheric sciences who led the research team. "We can't predict individual storms, but we can project the number of days with conditions conducive to storm formation."
The study found that by the end of this century the number of days that favor severe storms could more than double in locations such as Atlanta and New York. The study also found that the increase in storm conditions occurs during the typical storm seasons for these locations and not during dry seasons when such storms could be beneficial
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Global Warming Likely To Increase Stormy Weather, Especially In Certain US locations
ScienceDaily (Dec. 5, 2007) — Researchers who study severe weather and climate change joined forces to study the effects of global warming on the number of severe storms in the future and discovered a dramatic increase in potential storm conditions for some parts of the United States.
The Purdue University-led team used climate models to examine future weather conditions favorable to formation of severe thunderstorms - those that produce flooding, damaging winds, hail and sometimes spawn tornadoes.
"It seems that areas in the U.S. prone to severe thunderstorms now will likely have more of them in the future," said Robert Trapp, the Purdue associate professor of earth and atmospheric sciences who led the research team. "We can't predict individual storms, but we can project the number of days with conditions conducive to storm formation."
The study found that by the end of this century the number of days that favor severe storms could more than double in locations such as Atlanta and New York. The study also found that the increase in storm conditions occurs during the typical storm seasons for these locations and not during dry seasons when such storms could be beneficial
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Research news: a spoonful of honey can remedy kid's cough
The News:
A spoonful of honey can remedy kids' coughs
By The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 12/04/2007 01:44:56 AM MST
CHICAGO — A teaspoon of honey before bed seems to calm children's coughs and help them sleep better, according to a new study that relied on parents' reports. The folk remedy did better than cough medicine or no treatment in a three-way comparison. Honey may work by coating and soothing an irritated throat, the study authors said.
"Many families are going to relate to these findings and say that grandma was right," said lead author Dr. Ian Paul of Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine.
The research appears in December's Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Federal health advisers recently warned that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines shouldn't be used in children younger than 6.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
A spoonful of honey can remedy kids' coughs
By The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 12/04/2007 01:44:56 AM MST
CHICAGO — A teaspoon of honey before bed seems to calm children's coughs and help them sleep better, according to a new study that relied on parents' reports. The folk remedy did better than cough medicine or no treatment in a three-way comparison. Honey may work by coating and soothing an irritated throat, the study authors said.
"Many families are going to relate to these findings and say that grandma was right," said lead author Dr. Ian Paul of Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine.
The research appears in December's Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Federal health advisers recently warned that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines shouldn't be used in children younger than 6.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Research News: Staph bug "steadily growing"
The News:
Staph bug "steadily growing"
Hospitalizations for a drug-resistant strain nearly doubled, mostly because of skin infections.
By Jia-Rui Chong Los Angeles Times
Article Last Updated: 11/30/2007 12:44:37 AM MST
Hospitalizations associated with a drug-resistant form of a Staphylococcus bacterium doubled over six years in the U.S. to nearly 280,000 cases in 2005, according to a study published Thursday that provides a wider picture of the bug's effects. The rise in illnesses from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA, stemmed mostly from increased skin and soft-tissue infections, which typically are associated with strains acquired outside hospitals, the study found.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Staph bug "steadily growing"
Hospitalizations for a drug-resistant strain nearly doubled, mostly because of skin infections.
By Jia-Rui Chong Los Angeles Times
Article Last Updated: 11/30/2007 12:44:37 AM MST
Hospitalizations associated with a drug-resistant form of a Staphylococcus bacterium doubled over six years in the U.S. to nearly 280,000 cases in 2005, according to a study published Thursday that provides a wider picture of the bug's effects. The rise in illnesses from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA, stemmed mostly from increased skin and soft-tissue infections, which typically are associated with strains acquired outside hospitals, the study found.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Research News: CT scans' risks often needless
The News:
CT scans' risks often needless, report warns.
The 3-D X-rays boost cancer risks, especially in children, argue the authors of the report.
By Marilynn Marchione The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 11/29/2007 02:23:38 AM MST
Millions of Americans, especially children, are needlessly getting dangerous radiation from "super X-rays" that raise the risk of cancer and are increasingly used to diagnose medical problems, a new report warns.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
CT scans' risks often needless, report warns.
The 3-D X-rays boost cancer risks, especially in children, argue the authors of the report.
By Marilynn Marchione The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 11/29/2007 02:23:38 AM MST
Millions of Americans, especially children, are needlessly getting dangerous radiation from "super X-rays" that raise the risk of cancer and are increasingly used to diagnose medical problems, a new report warns.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Research News: Scientists in Colorado acclaim stem-cell feat
The News:
Scientists in Colorado acclaim stem-cell feat
The achievement not only holds hope for treating diseases but disarms the moral and political issues, one biologist says.
By Karen AugeThe Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 11/22/2007 12:06:01 AM MST
The creation of human stem cells without destroying an embryo holds promise both for defusing the moral and political debate and accelerating a variety of work on diseases, Colorado researchers say. "This is good news for everybody, actually," said Christopher Hogan, a stem-cell biologist at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine.
Lab coup could take years to harness
Some scientists call the fervor premature, as many questions remain.
By Malcolm RitterThe Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 11/22/2007 12:39:22 AM MST
NEW YORK — For all the excitement, big questions remain about how to turn this week's stem-cell breakthrough into new treatments for the sick. And it's not clear when that will happen. Scientists have to learn more about the new kind of cell that the landmark research produced. They have to find a different way to make it, to avoid a risk of cancer. And even after that, there are plenty of steps needed to harness this laboratory advance for therapy.
The Research:
Read the research behind these stories in the journals Science and Nature.
Scientists in Colorado acclaim stem-cell feat
The achievement not only holds hope for treating diseases but disarms the moral and political issues, one biologist says.
By Karen AugeThe Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 11/22/2007 12:06:01 AM MST
The creation of human stem cells without destroying an embryo holds promise both for defusing the moral and political debate and accelerating a variety of work on diseases, Colorado researchers say. "This is good news for everybody, actually," said Christopher Hogan, a stem-cell biologist at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine.
Lab coup could take years to harness
Some scientists call the fervor premature, as many questions remain.
By Malcolm RitterThe Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 11/22/2007 12:39:22 AM MST
NEW YORK — For all the excitement, big questions remain about how to turn this week's stem-cell breakthrough into new treatments for the sick. And it's not clear when that will happen. Scientists have to learn more about the new kind of cell that the landmark research produced. They have to find a different way to make it, to avoid a risk of cancer. And even after that, there are plenty of steps needed to harness this laboratory advance for therapy.
The Research:
Read the research behind these stories in the journals Science and Nature.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Research News: Use of pedometer associated with increased physical activity, decreased blood pressure and weight
The News:
Use of pedometer associated with increased physical activity, decreased blood pressure and weight.
Biology News Net, November 21, 2007. A review of previous studies indicates that use of a pedometer, especially with a daily step goal, is associated with significant increases in physical activity (additional walking of about a mile a day) and decreases in body mass index and blood pressure.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Use of pedometer associated with increased physical activity, decreased blood pressure and weight.
Biology News Net, November 21, 2007. A review of previous studies indicates that use of a pedometer, especially with a daily step goal, is associated with significant increases in physical activity (additional walking of about a mile a day) and decreases in body mass index and blood pressure.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Research news: Scientists Make Advances in Extracting Hydrogen
The News:
Scientists Make Advances in Extracting Hydrogen
Talk of the Nation, November 16, 2007 · Researchers have developed a more efficient way to extract hydrogen from biological materials using a bacterial fuel cell. Bruce Logan, one of the scientists working on the project, discusses the efforts and whether the new method might change the debate over biofuels.
The Research:
Read the research behind the news in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Scientists Make Advances in Extracting Hydrogen
Talk of the Nation, November 16, 2007 · Researchers have developed a more efficient way to extract hydrogen from biological materials using a bacterial fuel cell. Bruce Logan, one of the scientists working on the project, discusses the efforts and whether the new method might change the debate over biofuels.
The Research:
Read the research behind the news in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Research news: Bugged into conformity
The News:
Bugged into conforming
Robotic cockroaches shed light on power of group behavior
By Kenneth Chang and John Schwartz The New York Times
Article Last Updated: 11/16/2007 01:20:18 AM MST
Many moms have said, with a sigh, "If your friends jumped off a cliff, would you jump too?" The answer, for cockroaches at least, may well be yes.
Researchers using robotic roaches were able to persuade real cockroaches to do things that their instincts told them were not the best idea.
This experiment in bug peer pressure combined entomology, robotics and the study of ways that complex and even intelligent patterns can arise from simple behavior. Animal-behavior research shows that swarms working together can prosper where individuals might fail, and robotics researchers have been experimenting with simple robots that, together, act a little like a swarm.
"We decided to join the two approaches," said Jose Halloy, a biology researcher at the Free University of Brussels and lead author of a paper describing the research in today's issue of the journal Science.
Halloy and his colleagues worked with roaches because their societies are simple, egalitarian and democratic, with none of the social stratification that marks some other insect societies - no queen bees, no worker ants.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Bugged into conforming
Robotic cockroaches shed light on power of group behavior
By Kenneth Chang and John Schwartz The New York Times
Article Last Updated: 11/16/2007 01:20:18 AM MST
Many moms have said, with a sigh, "If your friends jumped off a cliff, would you jump too?" The answer, for cockroaches at least, may well be yes.
Researchers using robotic roaches were able to persuade real cockroaches to do things that their instincts told them were not the best idea.
This experiment in bug peer pressure combined entomology, robotics and the study of ways that complex and even intelligent patterns can arise from simple behavior. Animal-behavior research shows that swarms working together can prosper where individuals might fail, and robotics researchers have been experimenting with simple robots that, together, act a little like a swarm.
"We decided to join the two approaches," said Jose Halloy, a biology researcher at the Free University of Brussels and lead author of a paper describing the research in today's issue of the journal Science.
Halloy and his colleagues worked with roaches because their societies are simple, egalitarian and democratic, with none of the social stratification that marks some other insect societies - no queen bees, no worker ants.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Research news: Stem-Cell Researchers Clone Monkey Embryo
The News:
Stem-Cell Researchers Clone Monkey Embryo
by Joe Palca All Things Considered, November 14, 2007 ·
Scientists have announced another first in cloning: They have cloned a primate embryo. The researchers in Oregon say they used those cloned monkey embryos to derive embryonic stem cells.
A few years ago, South Korean scientists said they had done the same thing with human cells, but that turned out to be a fraud. The journal that published this new work took the unusual step of having an independent laboratory verify the results.
Researchers hope to one day use such a process in humans to create customized stem-cell therapies for individual patients.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
Stem-Cell Researchers Clone Monkey Embryo
by Joe Palca All Things Considered, November 14, 2007 ·
Scientists have announced another first in cloning: They have cloned a primate embryo. The researchers in Oregon say they used those cloned monkey embryos to derive embryonic stem cells.
A few years ago, South Korean scientists said they had done the same thing with human cells, but that turned out to be a fraud. The journal that published this new work took the unusual step of having an independent laboratory verify the results.
Researchers hope to one day use such a process in humans to create customized stem-cell therapies for individual patients.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Research news: Men talk more than women overall, but not in all circumstances
The News:
Men Talk More Than Women Overall, But Not In All Circumstances
ScienceDaily (Nov. 13, 2007) — A Gallup poll recently confirmed that men and women both believe that it is women who are most likely to possess the gift of gab. Some even believe that women are biologically built for conversation. This widespread belief is challenged in new research.
The article* describes a recent set of meta-analyses conducted by Campbell Leaper and Melanie Ayres. These analyses collect all of the available evidence from decades of scientific study and systematically combine the findings into an overall picture of the differences between men and women regarding talkativeness.
The authors found a small but statistically reliable tendency for men to be more talkative than women overall -- especially in certain contexts, such as when they were conversing with their wives or with strangers. Women talked more to their children and to their college classmates.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Review.
Men Talk More Than Women Overall, But Not In All Circumstances
ScienceDaily (Nov. 13, 2007) — A Gallup poll recently confirmed that men and women both believe that it is women who are most likely to possess the gift of gab. Some even believe that women are biologically built for conversation. This widespread belief is challenged in new research.
The article* describes a recent set of meta-analyses conducted by Campbell Leaper and Melanie Ayres. These analyses collect all of the available evidence from decades of scientific study and systematically combine the findings into an overall picture of the differences between men and women regarding talkativeness.
The authors found a small but statistically reliable tendency for men to be more talkative than women overall -- especially in certain contexts, such as when they were conversing with their wives or with strangers. Women talked more to their children and to their college classmates.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Review.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Research news: Yellowstone Volcano Inflating With Molten Rock At Record Rate
The News:
Yellowstone Volcano Inflating With Molten Rock At Record Rate
ScienceDaily (Nov. 9, 2007) — The Yellowstone "supervolcano" rose at a record rate since mid-2004, likely because a Los Angeles-sized, pancake-shaped blob of molten rock was injected 6 miles beneath the slumbering giant, University of Utah scientists report in the journal Science.
"There is no evidence of an imminent volcanic eruption or hydrothermal explosion. That's the bottom line," says seismologist Robert B. Smith, lead author of the study and professor of geophysics at the University of Utah. "A lot of calderas [giant volcanic craters] worldwide go up and down over decades without erupting."
The upward movement of the Yellowstone caldera floor -- almost 3 inches (7 centimeters) per year for the past three years -- is more than three times greater than ever observed since such measurements began in 1923, says the study in the Nov. 9 issue of Science by Smith, geophysics postdoctoral associate Wu-Lung Chang and colleagues.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Yellowstone Volcano Inflating With Molten Rock At Record Rate
ScienceDaily (Nov. 9, 2007) — The Yellowstone "supervolcano" rose at a record rate since mid-2004, likely because a Los Angeles-sized, pancake-shaped blob of molten rock was injected 6 miles beneath the slumbering giant, University of Utah scientists report in the journal Science.
"There is no evidence of an imminent volcanic eruption or hydrothermal explosion. That's the bottom line," says seismologist Robert B. Smith, lead author of the study and professor of geophysics at the University of Utah. "A lot of calderas [giant volcanic craters] worldwide go up and down over decades without erupting."
The upward movement of the Yellowstone caldera floor -- almost 3 inches (7 centimeters) per year for the past three years -- is more than three times greater than ever observed since such measurements began in 1923, says the study in the Nov. 9 issue of Science by Smith, geophysics postdoctoral associate Wu-Lung Chang and colleagues.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Research news: Florida Red Tides Linked To Mississippi River Nutrient Outflow
The News:
Florida Red Tides Linked To Mississippi River Nutrient Outflow.
ScienceDaily (Nov. 9, 2007) — A new NOAA research model indicates nutrients flowing from the Mississippi River may stimulate harmful algal blooms to grow on the continental shelf off the west coast of Florida. The peer-reviewed hypothesis is being published in a special issue on Florida red tide in the journal "Continental Shelf Research."
According to the model, algal blooms form on the Florida coast because of weather and gulf currents. The algae grows offshore, supplied with additional nutrients that appear to have originated from the Mississippi River, in a process driven by normal seasonal wind patterns.
"We found that the concentrations of nutrients needed to start the Florida red tides is much lower than previously suspected," said NOAA oceanographer and lead author of the paper, Richard Stumpf, Ph.D. "The hypothesis means that offshore areas should be examined for both small increases in nutrients and modest concentrations of the algae at the start of the bloom season."
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Continental Shelf Research.
Florida Red Tides Linked To Mississippi River Nutrient Outflow.
ScienceDaily (Nov. 9, 2007) — A new NOAA research model indicates nutrients flowing from the Mississippi River may stimulate harmful algal blooms to grow on the continental shelf off the west coast of Florida. The peer-reviewed hypothesis is being published in a special issue on Florida red tide in the journal "Continental Shelf Research."
According to the model, algal blooms form on the Florida coast because of weather and gulf currents. The algae grows offshore, supplied with additional nutrients that appear to have originated from the Mississippi River, in a process driven by normal seasonal wind patterns.
"We found that the concentrations of nutrients needed to start the Florida red tides is much lower than previously suspected," said NOAA oceanographer and lead author of the paper, Richard Stumpf, Ph.D. "The hypothesis means that offshore areas should be examined for both small increases in nutrients and modest concentrations of the algae at the start of the bloom season."
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Continental Shelf Research.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Research news: New Insights into how Natural Antioxidants Fight Fat
The News:
New Insights Into How Natural Antioxidants Fight Fat
ScienceDaily (Nov. 8, 2007) — Scientists in Taiwan are reporting new insights into why diets rich in fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of obesity. Their study focuses on healthful natural antioxidant compounds called flavonoids and phenolic acids.
In the study, Gow-Chin Yen and Chin-Lin Hsu point out that large amounts of those compounds occur in fruits, vegetables, nuts and plant-based beverages such as coffee, tea, and wine. Scientists long have known that flavonoids and phenolic acids have beneficial health effects in reducing the risk of heart attacks, cancer, obesity, and other disorders. However, there has been uncertainty about exactly how these compounds affect adipocytes, or fat cells.
The researchers studied how 15 phenolic acids and six flavonoids affected fat cells in laboratory cultures of mouse cells. Their results showed that fat cells exposed to certain antioxidants had lower levels of an enzyme that forms triglycerides and accumulated lower levels of triglycerides -- fatty materials which at high levels increase the risk of heart disease.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
New Insights Into How Natural Antioxidants Fight Fat
ScienceDaily (Nov. 8, 2007) — Scientists in Taiwan are reporting new insights into why diets rich in fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of obesity. Their study focuses on healthful natural antioxidant compounds called flavonoids and phenolic acids.
In the study, Gow-Chin Yen and Chin-Lin Hsu point out that large amounts of those compounds occur in fruits, vegetables, nuts and plant-based beverages such as coffee, tea, and wine. Scientists long have known that flavonoids and phenolic acids have beneficial health effects in reducing the risk of heart attacks, cancer, obesity, and other disorders. However, there has been uncertainty about exactly how these compounds affect adipocytes, or fat cells.
The researchers studied how 15 phenolic acids and six flavonoids affected fat cells in laboratory cultures of mouse cells. Their results showed that fat cells exposed to certain antioxidants had lower levels of an enzyme that forms triglycerides and accumulated lower levels of triglycerides -- fatty materials which at high levels increase the risk of heart disease.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Research news: Study flips ideas on obesity's risks
The News:
Study flips ideas on obesity's risks
Some heft actually helps fend off many causes of death, but not diabetes and kidney disease, federal scientists find.
By Rob Stein The Washington Post
Article Last Updated: 11/06/2007 09:45:37 PM MST
WASHINGTON — Being overweight boosts the risk of dying from diabetes and kidney disease but not cancer or heart disease, and carrying some extra pounds appears actually to protect against a host of other causes of death, federal researchers reported Tuesday.
The counterintuitive findings, based on a detailed analysis of decades of government data about more than 39,000 Americans, suggest that being overweight does carry risks, but the dangers may be less dire than thought.
"The take-home message is that the relationship between fat and mortality is more complicated than we tend to think," said Katherine Flegal, a senior research scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, who led the study.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was greeted with sharply mixed reactions. Some praised it for providing persuasive evidence that the dangers of fat have been overblown.
The analysis is based on the best health statistics federal scientists collected between 1971 and 2004, including cause-of-death data from 2.3 million adults from 2004.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Study flips ideas on obesity's risks
Some heft actually helps fend off many causes of death, but not diabetes and kidney disease, federal scientists find.
By Rob Stein The Washington Post
Article Last Updated: 11/06/2007 09:45:37 PM MST
WASHINGTON — Being overweight boosts the risk of dying from diabetes and kidney disease but not cancer or heart disease, and carrying some extra pounds appears actually to protect against a host of other causes of death, federal researchers reported Tuesday.
The counterintuitive findings, based on a detailed analysis of decades of government data about more than 39,000 Americans, suggest that being overweight does carry risks, but the dangers may be less dire than thought.
"The take-home message is that the relationship between fat and mortality is more complicated than we tend to think," said Katherine Flegal, a senior research scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, who led the study.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was greeted with sharply mixed reactions. Some praised it for providing persuasive evidence that the dangers of fat have been overblown.
The analysis is based on the best health statistics federal scientists collected between 1971 and 2004, including cause-of-death data from 2.3 million adults from 2004.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Research news: Wildfire Drives Carbon Levels In Northern Forests
The News:
Wildfire Drives Carbon Levels In Northern Forests
ScienceDaily (Nov. 5, 2007) — Far removed from streams of gas-thirsty cars and pollution-belching factories lies another key player in global climate change. Circling the northern hemisphere, the conifer-dominated boreal forests - one of the largest ecosystems on earth - act as a vast natural regulator of atmospheric carbon levels.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
Wildfire Drives Carbon Levels In Northern Forests
ScienceDaily (Nov. 5, 2007) — Far removed from streams of gas-thirsty cars and pollution-belching factories lies another key player in global climate change. Circling the northern hemisphere, the conifer-dominated boreal forests - one of the largest ecosystems on earth - act as a vast natural regulator of atmospheric carbon levels.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Research news: Educational TV for toddlers OK
The News:
Study: Educational TV for toddlers OK
Other, violent shows, such as "Scooby-Doo" or "Power Rangers," are linked to attention problems in later years.
By Lindsey Tanner The Associated Press
Article Launched: 11/05/2007 01:00:00 AM MST
CHICAGO — "Arthur" and "Barney" are OK for toddler TV- watching. But not "Rugrats" and certainly not "Power Rangers," reports a new study of early TV-watching and future attention problems.
The research involved children younger than 3, so TV is mostly a no-no anyway, according to experts. But if TV is allowed, it should be educational, the researchers said.
Every hour per day that kids under 3 watched violent child- oriented entertainment, their risk doubled for attention problems five years later, the study found. Even nonviolent kids' shows like "Rugrats" and "The Flintstones" carried a substantial risk for attention problems, though slightly lower.
On the other hand, educational shows, including "Arthur," "Barney" and "Sesame Street," had no association with future attention problems.
Interestingly, the risks occurred only in children younger than age 3, perhaps because that is a particularly crucial period of brain development. Those results echo a different study last month that suggested TV-watching has less impact on older children's behavior than on toddlers.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television for children younger than 2 and limited TV for older children.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Pediatrics.
Study: Educational TV for toddlers OK
Other, violent shows, such as "Scooby-Doo" or "Power Rangers," are linked to attention problems in later years.
By Lindsey Tanner The Associated Press
Article Launched: 11/05/2007 01:00:00 AM MST
CHICAGO — "Arthur" and "Barney" are OK for toddler TV- watching. But not "Rugrats" and certainly not "Power Rangers," reports a new study of early TV-watching and future attention problems.
The research involved children younger than 3, so TV is mostly a no-no anyway, according to experts. But if TV is allowed, it should be educational, the researchers said.
Every hour per day that kids under 3 watched violent child- oriented entertainment, their risk doubled for attention problems five years later, the study found. Even nonviolent kids' shows like "Rugrats" and "The Flintstones" carried a substantial risk for attention problems, though slightly lower.
On the other hand, educational shows, including "Arthur," "Barney" and "Sesame Street," had no association with future attention problems.
Interestingly, the risks occurred only in children younger than age 3, perhaps because that is a particularly crucial period of brain development. Those results echo a different study last month that suggested TV-watching has less impact on older children's behavior than on toddlers.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television for children younger than 2 and limited TV for older children.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Pediatrics.
Research News: Sleep may curb obesity in kids
The News:
Sleep may curb obesity in kids
More slumber cut risk in study
By Carla K. Johnson The Associated Press
Article Launched: 11/05/2007 01:00:00 AM MST
CHICAGO — Here's another reason to get the kids to bed early: More sleep may lower their risk of becoming obese.
Researchers have found that every additional hour per night that a third-grader spends sleeping reduces the chances of being obese in sixth grade by 40 percent.
The less sleep they got, the more likely the children were to be obese in sixth grade, no matter what the weight in third grade, said the University of Michigan's Dr. Julie Lumeng, who led the research.
If there was a magic number, it was nine hours, 45 minutes of sleep. Third-graders who slept more than that lowered the risk significantly.
The study gives parents one more reason to enforce bedtimes, restrict caffeine and yank the TV from the bedroom. The study appears in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics.
Lack of sleep plays havoc with two hormones that are the "yin and yang of appetite regulation," said endocrinologist Eve Van Cauter of the University of Chicago, who was not involved in the study.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Pediatrics.
Sleep may curb obesity in kids
More slumber cut risk in study
By Carla K. Johnson The Associated Press
Article Launched: 11/05/2007 01:00:00 AM MST
CHICAGO — Here's another reason to get the kids to bed early: More sleep may lower their risk of becoming obese.
Researchers have found that every additional hour per night that a third-grader spends sleeping reduces the chances of being obese in sixth grade by 40 percent.
The less sleep they got, the more likely the children were to be obese in sixth grade, no matter what the weight in third grade, said the University of Michigan's Dr. Julie Lumeng, who led the research.
If there was a magic number, it was nine hours, 45 minutes of sleep. Third-graders who slept more than that lowered the risk significantly.
The study gives parents one more reason to enforce bedtimes, restrict caffeine and yank the TV from the bedroom. The study appears in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics.
Lack of sleep plays havoc with two hormones that are the "yin and yang of appetite regulation," said endocrinologist Eve Van Cauter of the University of Chicago, who was not involved in the study.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Pediatrics.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Research News: Blood-thinning drug shows promise, pitfalls
The News:
Blood-thinning drug shows promise, pitfalls
CNN.com updated 8:50 a.m. EST, Sun November 4, 2007
ORLANDO, Florida (AP) -- A new blood thinner proved better than Plavix, one of the world's top-selling drugs, at preventing heart problems after procedures to open clogged arteries, doctors reported Sunday. But the new drug also raised the risk of serious bleeding. People given the experimental drug, prasugrel, were nearly 20 percent less likely to suffer one of the problems in a combined measure -- heart attack, stroke or heart-related death -- than those given Plavix, a drug that millions of Americans take to prevent blood clots that cause these events.
The Research:
Read an editorial behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Blood-thinning drug shows promise, pitfalls
CNN.com updated 8:50 a.m. EST, Sun November 4, 2007
ORLANDO, Florida (AP) -- A new blood thinner proved better than Plavix, one of the world's top-selling drugs, at preventing heart problems after procedures to open clogged arteries, doctors reported Sunday. But the new drug also raised the risk of serious bleeding. People given the experimental drug, prasugrel, were nearly 20 percent less likely to suffer one of the problems in a combined measure -- heart attack, stroke or heart-related death -- than those given Plavix, a drug that millions of Americans take to prevent blood clots that cause these events.
The Research:
Read an editorial behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Research News: Brain scans find abnormalities more common
The News:
Brain scans find abnormalities more common
By Mike Stobbe The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 10/31/2007 10:49:28 PM MDT
ATLANTA — One in 60 older people may be walking around with benign brain tumors and don't know it. Even more may have bulging blood vessels in the head that could burst. These results come from a surprising new Dutch study that finds brain abnormalities are not all that uncommon. It's not clear how alarming this is. Most of the abnormalities hadn't caused any symptoms, though some were potentially life-threatening.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Brain scans find abnormalities more common
By Mike Stobbe The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 10/31/2007 10:49:28 PM MDT
ATLANTA — One in 60 older people may be walking around with benign brain tumors and don't know it. Even more may have bulging blood vessels in the head that could burst. These results come from a surprising new Dutch study that finds brain abnormalities are not all that uncommon. It's not clear how alarming this is. Most of the abnormalities hadn't caused any symptoms, though some were potentially life-threatening.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Research News: Parents More Ambivalent About Net
The News:
Parents More Ambivalent About Net
NEW YORK (AP) — Parents have become more ambivalent about the Internet, with a new study finding fewer of them considering it good for their children.
The Research:
Read the research survey behind this story from the Pew Internet & American Life Project.
Parents More Ambivalent About Net
NEW YORK (AP) — Parents have become more ambivalent about the Internet, with a new study finding fewer of them considering it good for their children.
The Research:
Read the research survey behind this story from the Pew Internet & American Life Project.
Research News: Parkinson's treatment tied to impulsiveness
The News:
Parkinson's treatment tied to impulsiveness
Associated Press Updated: 1:29 p.m. MT Oct 25, 2007
WASHINGTON - Your brain is supposed to fire a "hold your horses" signal when faced with a tough choice. But a brain implant that stops the tremors of Parkinson's disease may block that signal — a new explanation for why some Parkinson's patients become hugely impulsive.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Parkinson's treatment tied to impulsiveness
Associated Press Updated: 1:29 p.m. MT Oct 25, 2007
WASHINGTON - Your brain is supposed to fire a "hold your horses" signal when faced with a tough choice. But a brain implant that stops the tremors of Parkinson's disease may block that signal — a new explanation for why some Parkinson's patients become hugely impulsive.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Research News: Red-haired Neanderthals? Possibly, scientists say
The News:
Red-haired Neanderthals? Possibly, scientists say
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The image of Neanderthals may need a revision: scientists say at least some of these extinct hominids could have had fair skin and red hair.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Red-haired Neanderthals? Possibly, scientists say
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The image of Neanderthals may need a revision: scientists say at least some of these extinct hominids could have had fair skin and red hair.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Research News: British university forced to return 'looted' Iraq treasure
The News:
British university forced to return 'looted' Iraq treasure
By Andrew Johnson - The Independent
Published: 07 October 2007
One of Britain's leading universities is embroiled in an embarrassing row over hundreds of treasures looted from Iraq. Found scattered around ancient Mesopotamia, the Aramaic incantation or devil bowls were placed upside down in homes during the sixth to eighth centuries to trap evil spirits. The spells, and information such as the names of the home owners, are not found in any other source. One collection contains the earliest examples of the Bible in Hebrew. Another collection is at the centre of a legal row that has divided Britain's academic community.
The Research:
Read more about this story in Science.
British university forced to return 'looted' Iraq treasure
By Andrew Johnson - The Independent
Published: 07 October 2007
One of Britain's leading universities is embroiled in an embarrassing row over hundreds of treasures looted from Iraq. Found scattered around ancient Mesopotamia, the Aramaic incantation or devil bowls were placed upside down in homes during the sixth to eighth centuries to trap evil spirits. The spells, and information such as the names of the home owners, are not found in any other source. One collection contains the earliest examples of the Bible in Hebrew. Another collection is at the centre of a legal row that has divided Britain's academic community.
The Research:
Read more about this story in Science.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Research News: Lack Of Sleep Can Cause Psychiatric Disorders
The News:
Lack Of Sleep Can Cause Psychiatric Disorders
Nidhi Sharma - AHN News Writer
Washington D.C. (AHN) - Sleep deprivation can cause the brain's emotional centers to overreact to negative experiences, including depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders, a new study has found. Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard Medical School found that lack of sleep results in shutdown of the prefrontal lobe, a brain region responsible for controlling the emotions.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in Current Biology.
Lack Of Sleep Can Cause Psychiatric Disorders
Nidhi Sharma - AHN News Writer
Washington D.C. (AHN) - Sleep deprivation can cause the brain's emotional centers to overreact to negative experiences, including depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders, a new study has found. Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard Medical School found that lack of sleep results in shutdown of the prefrontal lobe, a brain region responsible for controlling the emotions.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in Current Biology.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Research News: New Test Twice as Good as Pap Smear
The News:
New Test Twice as Good as Pap Smear
HPV Test Spots 95 Percent Of Cancers, Compared To 55 Percent With Old Screening Method
(CBS/AP) A relatively new screening test was about twice as accurate as the traditional Pap smear at spotting cervical cancer, according to the first rigorous study of the test in North America. The new test could replace the 50-year-old Pap in a matter of years, experts say. And there is a bonus for women: They will not need a screening test as often.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
New Test Twice as Good as Pap Smear
HPV Test Spots 95 Percent Of Cancers, Compared To 55 Percent With Old Screening Method
(CBS/AP) A relatively new screening test was about twice as accurate as the traditional Pap smear at spotting cervical cancer, according to the first rigorous study of the test in North America. The new test could replace the 50-year-old Pap in a matter of years, experts say. And there is a bonus for women: They will not need a screening test as often.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Research news: Even light drinking bad idea, studies say
The News:
Even light drinking bad idea, studies say
Evidence is growing that shows moderate alcohol use poses a serious cancer threat.
By Judy Peres Chicago Tribune
Article Last Updated: 10/21/2007 12:19:42 AM MDT
CHICAGO — You eat veggies, you exercise, you gave up cigarettes and you have a glass of red wine every day, all because you care about your health.
But one of these things is not like the others.
While your attention has been elsewhere, scientists have amassed persuasive evidence that drinking alcohol - any form of alcohol, even in moderate amounts - can pose a serious threat to your health.
Researchers have known for nearly 20 years that drinking alcoholic beverages can cause cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and liver.
But those diseases don't get much publicity. This year, the International Agency for Research on Cancer added breast and colon cancer - two of the four major killer cancers - to the list of malignancies known to be fostered by alcohol.
The risk is "dose dependent," meaning the more you drink, the higher the risk.
According to comprehensive reviews of the scientific evidence, people who average just over one drink a day increase their chances of developing colon cancer by about 15 percent. For those who consume about four drinks daily, the risk is 40 percent higher.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the International Journal of Cancer.
Even light drinking bad idea, studies say
Evidence is growing that shows moderate alcohol use poses a serious cancer threat.
By Judy Peres Chicago Tribune
Article Last Updated: 10/21/2007 12:19:42 AM MDT
CHICAGO — You eat veggies, you exercise, you gave up cigarettes and you have a glass of red wine every day, all because you care about your health.
But one of these things is not like the others.
While your attention has been elsewhere, scientists have amassed persuasive evidence that drinking alcohol - any form of alcohol, even in moderate amounts - can pose a serious threat to your health.
Researchers have known for nearly 20 years that drinking alcoholic beverages can cause cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and liver.
But those diseases don't get much publicity. This year, the International Agency for Research on Cancer added breast and colon cancer - two of the four major killer cancers - to the list of malignancies known to be fostered by alcohol.
The risk is "dose dependent," meaning the more you drink, the higher the risk.
According to comprehensive reviews of the scientific evidence, people who average just over one drink a day increase their chances of developing colon cancer by about 15 percent. For those who consume about four drinks daily, the risk is 40 percent higher.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the International Journal of Cancer.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Research News: Mental illness reduces life expectancy, study finds
The News:
Mental illness reduces life expectancy, study finds
By Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News
Serious mental illness can lower a person's life expectancy by 25 years, according to a study that Colorado doctors say the state should consider as it drafts a health insurance plan. The study says the quarter-century loss of life expectancy is due mostly to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Mental illness reduces life expectancy, study finds
By Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News
Serious mental illness can lower a person's life expectancy by 25 years, according to a study that Colorado doctors say the state should consider as it drafts a health insurance plan. The study says the quarter-century loss of life expectancy is due mostly to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Research news: Rx-resistant superbug deadlier than AIDS
The News:
Rx-resistant superbug deadlier than AIDS
By Rob Stein The Washington Post
Article Last Updated: 10/16/2007 11:49:05 PM MDT
WASHINGTON — A dangerous germ that has been spreading around the country causes more life-threatening infections than public-health authorities had thought and is killing more people in the United States each year than the AIDS virus, federal health officials reported Tuesday.
The microbe, a strain of a once-innocuous staph bacterium that has become invulnerable to first-line antibiotics, is responsible for more than 94,000 serious infections and nearly 19,000 deaths each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculated.
Although evidence has been mounting that the infection is becoming more common, the estimate published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association marks the first national assessment of the toll from the insidious pathogen, officials said.
"This is the first study that's been able to capture the data in a comprehensive fashion," said Scott Fridkin, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC. "This is a significant public-health problem. We should be very worried."
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Rx-resistant superbug deadlier than AIDS
By Rob Stein The Washington Post
Article Last Updated: 10/16/2007 11:49:05 PM MDT
WASHINGTON — A dangerous germ that has been spreading around the country causes more life-threatening infections than public-health authorities had thought and is killing more people in the United States each year than the AIDS virus, federal health officials reported Tuesday.
The microbe, a strain of a once-innocuous staph bacterium that has become invulnerable to first-line antibiotics, is responsible for more than 94,000 serious infections and nearly 19,000 deaths each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculated.
Although evidence has been mounting that the infection is becoming more common, the estimate published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association marks the first national assessment of the toll from the insidious pathogen, officials said.
"This is the first study that's been able to capture the data in a comprehensive fashion," said Scott Fridkin, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC. "This is a significant public-health problem. We should be very worried."
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Monday, October 15, 2007
Research news: Blood test accurate on Alzheimer's
The News:
Blood test accurate on Alzheimer's
While larger studies are needed to verify results, Satoris' test was correct 91 percent of the time in predicting who'll get the disease. Sales could begin in 2008.
By Steve Johnson San Jose Mercury News
Article Last Updated: 10/15/2007 12:24:40 AM MDT
SAN JOSE, CALIF. — A San Francisco company's blood test shows promise in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease - as well as predicting who will succumb to the brain-disabling ailment - according to researchers at Stanford University and several other institutions.
For a study published Sunday in the journal Nature Medicine, the test developed by Satoris was used to examine more than 200 samples of blood taken from people diagnosed with Alzheimer's and others unaffected by the disease.
The U.S. and European scientists also checked blood drawn from people with mild cognitive impairments two to six years before the patients developed Alzheimer's.
The test - which spots Alzheimer's by detecting unusual activity in 18 proteins associated with the disease - was determined to be 90 percent correct in diagnosing the malady and 91 percent accurate in predicting who will be afflicted by it, according to the study.
"It's quite exciting," said Dr. Lennart Mucke, director of the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, who didn't participate in the study.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature Medicine.
Blood test accurate on Alzheimer's
While larger studies are needed to verify results, Satoris' test was correct 91 percent of the time in predicting who'll get the disease. Sales could begin in 2008.
By Steve Johnson San Jose Mercury News
Article Last Updated: 10/15/2007 12:24:40 AM MDT
SAN JOSE, CALIF. — A San Francisco company's blood test shows promise in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease - as well as predicting who will succumb to the brain-disabling ailment - according to researchers at Stanford University and several other institutions.
For a study published Sunday in the journal Nature Medicine, the test developed by Satoris was used to examine more than 200 samples of blood taken from people diagnosed with Alzheimer's and others unaffected by the disease.
The U.S. and European scientists also checked blood drawn from people with mild cognitive impairments two to six years before the patients developed Alzheimer's.
The test - which spots Alzheimer's by detecting unusual activity in 18 proteins associated with the disease - was determined to be 90 percent correct in diagnosing the malady and 91 percent accurate in predicting who will be afflicted by it, according to the study.
"It's quite exciting," said Dr. Lennart Mucke, director of the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, who didn't participate in the study.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature Medicine.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Research news: Patients Turn to the Internet for Health Information
The News:
Patients Turn to the Internet for Health Information
by Joseph Shapiro
Morning Edition, October 11, 2007 · The Internet is changing not just the way patients get medical information, but the way they interact with doctors, their families, and even with strangers.
A new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project gives a glimpse of some of that change. It studies people with disabilities and chronic conditions, who are some of the most avid users of Internet health sites. Fewer of them go online than the overall population, probably because many are elderly, a group that is still less likely to use the Internet. But when people with disabilities and chronic conditions do use the Internet, they are more likely than other users to look up health information and use that knowledge to question a doctor, manage pain or change the way they cope with a chronic condition.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in a report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project
Patients Turn to the Internet for Health Information
by Joseph Shapiro
Morning Edition, October 11, 2007 · The Internet is changing not just the way patients get medical information, but the way they interact with doctors, their families, and even with strangers.
A new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project gives a glimpse of some of that change. It studies people with disabilities and chronic conditions, who are some of the most avid users of Internet health sites. Fewer of them go online than the overall population, probably because many are elderly, a group that is still less likely to use the Internet. But when people with disabilities and chronic conditions do use the Internet, they are more likely than other users to look up health information and use that knowledge to question a doctor, manage pain or change the way they cope with a chronic condition.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in a report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Research news: Language Experts Study the Future of Past Tense
The News:
Language Experts Study the Future of Past Tense
All Things Considered, October 10, 2007 · Two new studies published Wednesday in the journal Nature explore how languages evolve.
Tecumseh Fitch, a professor of psychology at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, studies the evolution of language and wrote the introduction for the Nature studies.
Fitch talks with Robert Siegel.
The Research:
Read the research articles behind this story in the journal Nature.
1. Linguistics: An invisible hand
2. Quantifying the evolutionary dynamics of language
3. Frequency of word-use predicts rates of lexical evolution throughout Indo-European history
Friday, October 12, 2007
Research news: Study links chocolate yen to gut bacteria
The News:
Study links chocolate yen to gut bacteria
By Seth Borenstein The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 10/12/2007 02:20:18 AM MDT
If that chocolate craving sometimes feels as if it is coming from deep in your gut, maybe it is.
A study links the type of bacteria living in people's digestive system to a desire for chocolate. Everyone has a vast community of microbes in their guts. But people who crave chocolate daily show signs of having different colonies of bacteria than those immune to chocolate's allure.
That may be the case for other foods too. The idea could eventually lead to treating some types of obesity by changing the composition of the trillions of bacteria in the intestines and stomach, said Sunil Kochhar, co-author of the study, which appears today in the Journal of Proteome Research.
Still to be determined is whether the bacteria cause the craving or whether one's diet changed the bacteria, which then reinforced food choices.
The Research:
Read the research behind this study in the Journal of Proteome Research.
Study links chocolate yen to gut bacteria
By Seth Borenstein The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 10/12/2007 02:20:18 AM MDT
If that chocolate craving sometimes feels as if it is coming from deep in your gut, maybe it is.
A study links the type of bacteria living in people's digestive system to a desire for chocolate. Everyone has a vast community of microbes in their guts. But people who crave chocolate daily show signs of having different colonies of bacteria than those immune to chocolate's allure.
That may be the case for other foods too. The idea could eventually lead to treating some types of obesity by changing the composition of the trillions of bacteria in the intestines and stomach, said Sunil Kochhar, co-author of the study, which appears today in the Journal of Proteome Research.
Still to be determined is whether the bacteria cause the craving or whether one's diet changed the bacteria, which then reinforced food choices.
The Research:
Read the research behind this study in the Journal of Proteome Research.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Research news: "Shocking" gaps in kids' health care shown
The News:
"Shocking" gaps in kids' health care shown
Study's subjects got right care less than half the time; most were insured
By Linda A. Johnson, The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 10/10/2007 11:22:13 PM MDT
As Washington debates children's health insurance, a startling study finds that kids who regularly see doctors get the right care less than half the time - whether it's preschool shots or chlamydia tests for teen girls.
The findings, from the first comprehensive look at children's health care quality, are particularly troubling because nearly all the 1,536 children in the nationwide study had insurance.
Eight-two percent were covered by private insurance. Three- quarters were white, and all lived in or near large or midsize cities.
Two experts called the findings "shocking." Others said minority children - those with more-restrictive government insurance and the millions with no insurance at all - certainly fare even worse.
They said the results highlight the importance of the debate over the proposed expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which Congress approved and President Bush vetoed. A vote to override the veto is set for next week.
The study, by the Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute and the nonprofit Rand Corp. research group, concludes that overall, doctors gave children the appropriate outpatient medical care only 47 percent of the time
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Shocking" gaps in kids' health care shown
Study's subjects got right care less than half the time; most were insured
By Linda A. Johnson, The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 10/10/2007 11:22:13 PM MDT
As Washington debates children's health insurance, a startling study finds that kids who regularly see doctors get the right care less than half the time - whether it's preschool shots or chlamydia tests for teen girls.
The findings, from the first comprehensive look at children's health care quality, are particularly troubling because nearly all the 1,536 children in the nationwide study had insurance.
Eight-two percent were covered by private insurance. Three- quarters were white, and all lived in or near large or midsize cities.
Two experts called the findings "shocking." Others said minority children - those with more-restrictive government insurance and the millions with no insurance at all - certainly fare even worse.
They said the results highlight the importance of the debate over the proposed expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which Congress approved and President Bush vetoed. A vote to override the veto is set for next week.
The study, by the Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute and the nonprofit Rand Corp. research group, concludes that overall, doctors gave children the appropriate outpatient medical care only 47 percent of the time
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Research news: Appendix not as useless as once thought
The News:
Appendix not as useless as once thought
DURHAM, N.C., Oct. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. medical researchers theorize the so-called vestigial -- or useless -- appendix may have a purpose after all: a "safe house" for beneficial bacteria.
William Parker and Dr. R. Randal Bollinger, both of Duke University in Durham, N.C., said they believe the appendix is where the beneficial bacteria in the human gut are stored when a bout of diarrhea completely evacuates the intestines.
Parker explained that it has already been hypothesized that the rates of allergy and autoimmune disease may go up in the hygienic conditions of industrialized life because the immune system -- unchallenged day-to-day -- may overreact in the face of a threat.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of Theoretical Biology.
Appendix not as useless as once thought
DURHAM, N.C., Oct. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. medical researchers theorize the so-called vestigial -- or useless -- appendix may have a purpose after all: a "safe house" for beneficial bacteria.
William Parker and Dr. R. Randal Bollinger, both of Duke University in Durham, N.C., said they believe the appendix is where the beneficial bacteria in the human gut are stored when a bout of diarrhea completely evacuates the intestines.
Parker explained that it has already been hypothesized that the rates of allergy and autoimmune disease may go up in the hygienic conditions of industrialized life because the immune system -- unchallenged day-to-day -- may overreact in the face of a threat.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of Theoretical Biology.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Research news: Seizure drug shows promise against alcoholism
The News:
Seizure Drug Shows Promise Against Alcoholism
by Alix Spiegel
All Things Considered, October 9, 2007 · Alcohol-dependent patients who received topiramate, a seizure medication, had fewer heavy-drinking days, fewer drinks per day and more days of continuous abstinence than those who received placebo, according to a study in the Oct. 10 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Seizure Drug Shows Promise Against Alcoholism
by Alix Spiegel
All Things Considered, October 9, 2007 · Alcohol-dependent patients who received topiramate, a seizure medication, had fewer heavy-drinking days, fewer drinks per day and more days of continuous abstinence than those who received placebo, according to a study in the Oct. 10 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Heartache can make you sick
The News:
Heartache can make you sick
Researchers find that marital strife and other bad personal relationships can raise the risk for heart disease. It all boils down to stress.
By Lindsey Tanner The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 10/09/2007 12:43:02 AM MDT
CHICAGO - A lousy marriage might literally make you sick.
Marital strife and other bad personal relationships can raise your risk for heart disease, researchers reported Monday.
What it likely boils down to is stress - a well-known contributor to health problems, as well as a potential byproduct of troubled relationships, the scientists said.
In a study of 9,011 British civil servants, most of them married, those with the worst close relationships were 34 percent more likely to have heart attacks or other heart trouble during 12 years of follow-up than those with good relationships. That included partners, close relatives and friends.
The study, in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine, follows previous research that has linked health problems with being single and having few close relationships.
In the new study, researchers focused more on the quality of marriage and other important relationships.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.
Heartache can make you sick
Researchers find that marital strife and other bad personal relationships can raise the risk for heart disease. It all boils down to stress.
By Lindsey Tanner The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 10/09/2007 12:43:02 AM MDT
CHICAGO - A lousy marriage might literally make you sick.
Marital strife and other bad personal relationships can raise your risk for heart disease, researchers reported Monday.
What it likely boils down to is stress - a well-known contributor to health problems, as well as a potential byproduct of troubled relationships, the scientists said.
In a study of 9,011 British civil servants, most of them married, those with the worst close relationships were 34 percent more likely to have heart attacks or other heart trouble during 12 years of follow-up than those with good relationships. That included partners, close relatives and friends.
The study, in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine, follows previous research that has linked health problems with being single and having few close relationships.
In the new study, researchers focused more on the quality of marriage and other important relationships.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Americans, Briton Share Nobel for Gene Manipulation
The News:
Americans, Briton Share Nobel for Gene Manipulation
by Richard Knox
Morning Edition, October 8, 2007 · Two American scientists and a British researcher share this year's Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology for devising the tools to figure out what individual genes do and how to fix them.
How Gene Targeting Works Annika Rohl, Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine.
Americans, Briton Share Nobel for Gene Manipulation
by Richard Knox
Morning Edition, October 8, 2007 · Two American scientists and a British researcher share this year's Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology for devising the tools to figure out what individual genes do and how to fix them.
How Gene Targeting Works Annika Rohl, Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Research News: Studies endorse "virtual" colonoscopy
The News:
Studies endorse "virtual" colonoscopy
Cheaper check for cancer soon may be available
By Stephanie Nano The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 10/04/2007 09:49:32 AM MDT
NEW YORK — Having an X-ray to look for signs of colon cancer may soon be an option for those who dread the traditional scope exam. Two of the largest studies yet of "virtual colonoscopy" show the experimental technique works just as well at spotting potentially cancerous growths as the more invasive method. It's also quicker and cheaper.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Studies endorse "virtual" colonoscopy
Cheaper check for cancer soon may be available
By Stephanie Nano The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 10/04/2007 09:49:32 AM MDT
NEW YORK — Having an X-ray to look for signs of colon cancer may soon be an option for those who dread the traditional scope exam. Two of the largest studies yet of "virtual colonoscopy" show the experimental technique works just as well at spotting potentially cancerous growths as the more invasive method. It's also quicker and cheaper.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Research News: Genes Linked to Suicide Risk in Some Patients
The News:
Genes Linked to Suicide Risk in Some Patients
By Joanne Silberner
NPR's Morning Edition September 28, 2007
A new study finds that specific variations in two genes are linked to suicidal thinking in people taking SSRIs – the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressant medication.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Genes Linked to Suicide Risk in Some Patients
By Joanne Silberner
NPR's Morning Edition September 28, 2007
A new study finds that specific variations in two genes are linked to suicidal thinking in people taking SSRIs – the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressant medication.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Research News: Goal-driven may be less prone to dementia
The News:
Goal-driven may be less prone to dementia
The Alzheimer's study found that a purposeful personality may help protect the brain.
By Carla K. Johnson The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 10/02/2007 01:10:52 AM MDT
Chicago - A surprising study of elderly people suggests that those who see themselves as self-disciplined, organized achievers have a lower risk for developing Alzheimer's disease than people who are less conscientious. A purposeful personality may somehow protect the brain, perhaps by increasing neural connections that can act as a reserve against mental decline, said study co-author Robert Wilson of Chicago's Rush University Medical Center.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Goal-driven may be less prone to dementia
The Alzheimer's study found that a purposeful personality may help protect the brain.
By Carla K. Johnson The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 10/02/2007 01:10:52 AM MDT
Chicago - A surprising study of elderly people suggests that those who see themselves as self-disciplined, organized achievers have a lower risk for developing Alzheimer's disease than people who are less conscientious. A purposeful personality may somehow protect the brain, perhaps by increasing neural connections that can act as a reserve against mental decline, said study co-author Robert Wilson of Chicago's Rush University Medical Center.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Research News: No tie between vaccine, behavior disorders in kids
The News:
No tie between vaccine, behavior disorders in kids
A preservative once used in many shots doesn't cause neurological problems
By Alicia Chang, The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 09/26/2007 08:17:08 PM MDT
Los Angeles - A mercury-based preservative once used in many vaccines does not raise the risk of neurological problems in children, concludes a large federal study that researchers say should reassure parents about the safety of shots their kids received a decade or more ago. However, the study did not examine autism - the developmental disorder that some critics blame on vaccines. A separate study due out in a year will look at that issue.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
No tie between vaccine, behavior disorders in kids
A preservative once used in many shots doesn't cause neurological problems
By Alicia Chang, The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 09/26/2007 08:17:08 PM MDT
Los Angeles - A mercury-based preservative once used in many vaccines does not raise the risk of neurological problems in children, concludes a large federal study that researchers say should reassure parents about the safety of shots their kids received a decade or more ago. However, the study did not examine autism - the developmental disorder that some critics blame on vaccines. A separate study due out in a year will look at that issue.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Research News: Satellite Images Corroborate Eyewitness Accounts of Human Rights Abuses in Burma
The News:
Satellite Images Corroborate Eyewitness Accounts of Human Rights Abuses in Burma
A new analysis of high-resolution satellite images completed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) pinpoints evidence consistent with village destruction, forced relocations, and a growing military presence at 25 sites across eastern Burma where eyewitnesses have reported human rights violations.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the AAAS's full report.
Satellite Images Corroborate Eyewitness Accounts of Human Rights Abuses in Burma
A new analysis of high-resolution satellite images completed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) pinpoints evidence consistent with village destruction, forced relocations, and a growing military presence at 25 sites across eastern Burma where eyewitnesses have reported human rights violations.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the AAAS's full report.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Research News: Researchers Pin Down Genome of Parasitic Worms
The News:
Researchers Pin Down Genome of Parasitic Worms
by Joe Palca
Morning Edition, September 25, 2007 · Filarial nematodes are thread-like parasitic worms. They cause painful and disfiguring swelling of the legs — a condition known as elephantiasis. Now scientists have sequenced the genome of one of the worms and hope for new treatments for the disease.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Researchers Pin Down Genome of Parasitic Worms
by Joe Palca
Morning Edition, September 25, 2007 · Filarial nematodes are thread-like parasitic worms. They cause painful and disfiguring swelling of the legs — a condition known as elephantiasis. Now scientists have sequenced the genome of one of the worms and hope for new treatments for the disease.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Research News: Even fake acupuncture beats usual care for back pain
The News:
Even fake acupuncture beats usual care for back pain, study finds
By Carla K. Johnson The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 09/25/2007 12:25:20 AM MDT
Chicago - Fake acupuncture works nearly as well as the real thing for low back pain, and either kind performs much better than usual care, German researchers have found. Almost half the patients treated with acupuncture needles felt relief that lasted months. In contrast, only about a quarter of the patients receiving medications and other Western medical treatments felt better. Even fake acupuncture worked better than conventional care, leading researchers to wonder whether pain relief came from the body's reactions to any thin needle pricks or, possibly, the placebo effect.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Even fake acupuncture beats usual care for back pain, study finds
By Carla K. Johnson The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 09/25/2007 12:25:20 AM MDT
Chicago - Fake acupuncture works nearly as well as the real thing for low back pain, and either kind performs much better than usual care, German researchers have found. Almost half the patients treated with acupuncture needles felt relief that lasted months. In contrast, only about a quarter of the patients receiving medications and other Western medical treatments felt better. Even fake acupuncture worked better than conventional care, leading researchers to wonder whether pain relief came from the body's reactions to any thin needle pricks or, possibly, the placebo effect.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Research News: Secondhand Smoke Increases High School Test Failure
The News:
Secondhand Smoke Increases High School Test Failure, Study Suggests
Science Daily — Teens exposed to secondhand smoke at home are at increased risk of test failure in school, suggests a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Secondhand Smoke Increases High School Test Failure, Study Suggests
Science Daily — Teens exposed to secondhand smoke at home are at increased risk of test failure in school, suggests a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Research news: Tracing Your Ancestry--Computer Program Accurately Analyzes Anonymous DNA Samples
The News:
Tracing Your Ancestry: Computer Program Accurately Analyzes Anonymous DNA Samples
Science Daily — A group of computer scientists, mathematicians, and biologists from around the world have developed a computer algorithm that can help trace the genetic ancestry of thousands of individuals in minutes, without any prior knowledge of their background.
Unlike previous computer programs of its kind that require prior knowledge of an individual's ancestry and background, this new algorithm looks for specific DNA markers known as single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs (pronounced snips), and needs nothing more than a DNA sample in the form of a simple cheek swab. The researchers used genetic data from previous studies to perform and confirm their research, including the new HapMap database, which is working to uncover and map variations in the human genome.
"Now that we have found that the program works well, we hope to implement it on a much larger scale, using hundreds of thousands of SNPs and thousands of individuals," said Petros Drineas, the senior author of the study and assistant professor of computer science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal PLoS Genetics.
Tracing Your Ancestry: Computer Program Accurately Analyzes Anonymous DNA Samples
Science Daily — A group of computer scientists, mathematicians, and biologists from around the world have developed a computer algorithm that can help trace the genetic ancestry of thousands of individuals in minutes, without any prior knowledge of their background.
Unlike previous computer programs of its kind that require prior knowledge of an individual's ancestry and background, this new algorithm looks for specific DNA markers known as single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs (pronounced snips), and needs nothing more than a DNA sample in the form of a simple cheek swab. The researchers used genetic data from previous studies to perform and confirm their research, including the new HapMap database, which is working to uncover and map variations in the human genome.
"Now that we have found that the program works well, we hope to implement it on a much larger scale, using hundreds of thousands of SNPs and thousands of individuals," said Petros Drineas, the senior author of the study and assistant professor of computer science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal PLoS Genetics.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Research news: Google bugs
The News:
Goggle bugs
"Giant search engine helps scientists find where the tiny creatures live."
Satellite imagery is helping researchers to pinpoint the whereabouts of rare insects, according to evidence published recently in the Journal of Insect Conservation. Using freely available, high resolution satellite images from Google Earth, and Microsoft Terraserver, Smithsonian Institute entomologist Jonathan Mawdsley located nineteen potential oases for tiger beetles at the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s, Maryland.
The Research:
Read the research behind the news in the Journal of insect conservation.
Goggle bugs
"Giant search engine helps scientists find where the tiny creatures live."
Satellite imagery is helping researchers to pinpoint the whereabouts of rare insects, according to evidence published recently in the Journal of Insect Conservation. Using freely available, high resolution satellite images from Google Earth, and Microsoft Terraserver, Smithsonian Institute entomologist Jonathan Mawdsley located nineteen potential oases for tiger beetles at the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s, Maryland.
The Research:
Read the research behind the news in the Journal of insect conservation.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Research news: Binocular vision gene is discovered
The News:
Binocular vision gene is discovered
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 17 (UPI) -- A team of U.S., Australian, and German researchers have identified the gene needed for binocular vision in mice.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Mriganka Sur and colleagues from the University of Sydney and the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry in Germany studied normal mice, as well as mice in which the activity of the critical gene was suppressed.
They noted many animals, including mice and humans, are able to perceive depth because of the successful coordination of different images from each eye.
The scientists found mice with the suppressed gene were blind, although their eyes worked normally. The investigators discovered the image from one eye suppressed the image from the other eye. When the neural signals from one eye were blocked, the affected mice could once again see, though only with monocular vision.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal PLoS Biology.
Binocular vision gene is discovered
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 17 (UPI) -- A team of U.S., Australian, and German researchers have identified the gene needed for binocular vision in mice.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Mriganka Sur and colleagues from the University of Sydney and the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry in Germany studied normal mice, as well as mice in which the activity of the critical gene was suppressed.
They noted many animals, including mice and humans, are able to perceive depth because of the successful coordination of different images from each eye.
The scientists found mice with the suppressed gene were blind, although their eyes worked normally. The investigators discovered the image from one eye suppressed the image from the other eye. When the neural signals from one eye were blocked, the affected mice could once again see, though only with monocular vision.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal PLoS Biology.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Research news: Value of some prenatal genetic tests questioned in study
The News:
Value of some prenatal genetic tests questioned in study
By Judy Peres Chicago Tribune
Article Last Updated: 09/18/2007 11:28:39 PM MDT
Chicago - Illustrating the complications of prenatal genetic testing, researchers reported Tuesday that some couples chose to terminate pregnancies even though the mutation carried by their fetus probably would not have resulted in serious health problems.
The researchers, from several medical centers in Israel, analyzed information about Gaucher disease, a genetic condition the symptoms of which range from severe to nonexistent. It occurs mainly in Ashkenazi Jews, or those of Eastern or Central European descent.
Experts say the new findings, published in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, raise questions about the appropriateness of screening for treatable or non-life-threatening diseases - a practice that is likely to increase as scientists continue to discover the functions of individual genes.
Already, pregnant Ashkenazi women are usually screened for a battery of genetic diseases, including Tay Sachs, which invariably leads to extreme disability and early death. But the typical "Jewish panel" also includes some less serious conditions, such as Gaucher (pronounced go-SHAY).
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Value of some prenatal genetic tests questioned in study
By Judy Peres Chicago Tribune
Article Last Updated: 09/18/2007 11:28:39 PM MDT
Chicago - Illustrating the complications of prenatal genetic testing, researchers reported Tuesday that some couples chose to terminate pregnancies even though the mutation carried by their fetus probably would not have resulted in serious health problems.
The researchers, from several medical centers in Israel, analyzed information about Gaucher disease, a genetic condition the symptoms of which range from severe to nonexistent. It occurs mainly in Ashkenazi Jews, or those of Eastern or Central European descent.
Experts say the new findings, published in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, raise questions about the appropriateness of screening for treatable or non-life-threatening diseases - a practice that is likely to increase as scientists continue to discover the functions of individual genes.
Already, pregnant Ashkenazi women are usually screened for a battery of genetic diseases, including Tay Sachs, which invariably leads to extreme disability and early death. But the typical "Jewish panel" also includes some less serious conditions, such as Gaucher (pronounced go-SHAY).
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Research news: Specific exercises could reduce diabetes symptoms
The News:
Specific exercises could reduce diabetes symptoms
DENVER - Kaiser Permanente's chief of endocrinology is impressed by a new study that shows the benefits of both aerobic exercise and resistance training, when it comes to Type 2 diabetes.
"I think it was an excellent design for the study. And I think it answers a very relevant question," said Dr. Bill Georgitis. The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine follows 251 people. One group did aerobic exercises. Another group did resistance training. A third group did both. In the group that did both types of exercise, hemoglobin levels – which regulate blood sugar levels - decreased by an average of one percent. "It's comparable to what drugs would do. Pills. Not insulin. Pills, for diabetes," said Georgitis. Study participants all had Type 2 diabetes. Researchers followed them for 22 weeks. All of the participants exercised three times a week. The group that saw the largest decrease in hemoglobin levels did aerobic and resistance exercises for 45 minutes a piece, on each of the three days.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Specific exercises could reduce diabetes symptoms
DENVER - Kaiser Permanente's chief of endocrinology is impressed by a new study that shows the benefits of both aerobic exercise and resistance training, when it comes to Type 2 diabetes.
"I think it was an excellent design for the study. And I think it answers a very relevant question," said Dr. Bill Georgitis. The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine follows 251 people. One group did aerobic exercises. Another group did resistance training. A third group did both. In the group that did both types of exercise, hemoglobin levels – which regulate blood sugar levels - decreased by an average of one percent. "It's comparable to what drugs would do. Pills. Not insulin. Pills, for diabetes," said Georgitis. Study participants all had Type 2 diabetes. Researchers followed them for 22 weeks. All of the participants exercised three times a week. The group that saw the largest decrease in hemoglobin levels did aerobic and resistance exercises for 45 minutes a piece, on each of the three days.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Research News: Find may help fight hantavirus
The News:
Find may help fight hantavirus A UNC researcher says certain cells protect mice. But treatment may cause cancer, a doctor says.
By Allison Sherry Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Launched: 09/18/2007 01:00:00 AM MDT
A University of Northern Colorado researcher said Monday that his studies of deer mice infected by the hantavirus could lead to a treatment for humans who come down with the serious respiratory disease. A leading doctor and cancer researcher at National Jewish Medical and Research Center said, however, that the potential treatment, published in an online edition of a medical journal, could cause cancer. The idea is a "disaster," said Dr. Yosef Refaeli, a National Jewish immunologist and cancer researcher. UNC immunologist Tony Schountz has been studying hantavirus - a lung disease carried by rodents and passed along to humans through saliva, droppings or urine - since 1998, after a woman in Meeker survived the disease. Schountz looked at why deer mice, the primary carriers of the virus, never get sick or die from it.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal BMC Immunology.
Find may help fight hantavirus A UNC researcher says certain cells protect mice. But treatment may cause cancer, a doctor says.
By Allison Sherry Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Launched: 09/18/2007 01:00:00 AM MDT
A University of Northern Colorado researcher said Monday that his studies of deer mice infected by the hantavirus could lead to a treatment for humans who come down with the serious respiratory disease. A leading doctor and cancer researcher at National Jewish Medical and Research Center said, however, that the potential treatment, published in an online edition of a medical journal, could cause cancer. The idea is a "disaster," said Dr. Yosef Refaeli, a National Jewish immunologist and cancer researcher. UNC immunologist Tony Schountz has been studying hantavirus - a lung disease carried by rodents and passed along to humans through saliva, droppings or urine - since 1998, after a woman in Meeker survived the disease. Schountz looked at why deer mice, the primary carriers of the virus, never get sick or die from it.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal BMC Immunology.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Research news: Research Links Smelling Differences to Gene
The News:
Research Links Smelling Differences to Gene
by Nell Greenfieldboyce
All Things Considered, September 16, 2007 · A new study suggests that people smell scents differently because of their genes.
For example, a smell found in male body odor, called androstenone, has intrigued researchers for decades. Some people say it's like vanilla, others compare it to sweat or urine and some people can't smell it at all. Scientists have linked the difference to variations in the gene for the receptor that responds to the odor.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
Research Links Smelling Differences to Gene
by Nell Greenfieldboyce
All Things Considered, September 16, 2007 · A new study suggests that people smell scents differently because of their genes.
For example, a smell found in male body odor, called androstenone, has intrigued researchers for decades. Some people say it's like vanilla, others compare it to sweat or urine and some people can't smell it at all. Scientists have linked the difference to variations in the gene for the receptor that responds to the odor.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Research news: Mathematics might save you a trip to the ER
The News:
Mathematics Might Save You A Trip To The ER
Science Daily — Since the days of Hippocrates, people have known that certain illnesses come and go with the seasons. More recently, researchers have learned that these cyclic recurrences of disease, known as seasonality, are often related to the weather.
In order to accurately predict when outbreaks of disease will occur, and how many people will be effected, Elena Naumova, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Public Heath and Family Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, and colleagues, are studying seasonality by creating mathematical models based on environmental factors like outdoor temperature.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Epidemiology and infection.
Mathematics Might Save You A Trip To The ER
Science Daily — Since the days of Hippocrates, people have known that certain illnesses come and go with the seasons. More recently, researchers have learned that these cyclic recurrences of disease, known as seasonality, are often related to the weather.
In order to accurately predict when outbreaks of disease will occur, and how many people will be effected, Elena Naumova, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Public Heath and Family Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, and colleagues, are studying seasonality by creating mathematical models based on environmental factors like outdoor temperature.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Epidemiology and infection.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Research news: Hunger influences food choices
The News:
Hunger influences food choices
LEUVEN, Belgium, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- People are especially hungry and presented with a range of menu choices are more likely to deviate from their favorite meal, a Belgian study found.
Researchers at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium had participants who were hungry and participants who were satiated quickly decide whether they liked or disliked 28 different snacks by pressing either a red or green button.
Hungry participants were asked not to eat within four hours of the experiment. Satiated participants were presented with a large piece of cake upon arrival and told they had to finish the entire thing.
On average, the participants who were hungry liked two more snacks than the participants who had cake.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of consumer research.
Hunger influences food choices
LEUVEN, Belgium, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- People are especially hungry and presented with a range of menu choices are more likely to deviate from their favorite meal, a Belgian study found.
Researchers at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium had participants who were hungry and participants who were satiated quickly decide whether they liked or disliked 28 different snacks by pressing either a red or green button.
Hungry participants were asked not to eat within four hours of the experiment. Satiated participants were presented with a large piece of cake upon arrival and told they had to finish the entire thing.
On average, the participants who were hungry liked two more snacks than the participants who had cake.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of consumer research.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Research news: Salmon spawn baby trout in experiment
The News:
Salmon spawn baby trout in experiment
WASHINGTON (AP) — Papa salmon plus mama salmon equals ... baby trout?
Japanese researchers put a new spin on surrogate parenting as they engineered one fish species to produce another, in a quest to preserve endangered fish.
Idaho scientists begin the next big step next month, trying to produce a type of salmon highly endangered in that state — the sockeye — this time using more plentiful trout as surrogate parents.
The new method is "one of the best things that has happened in a long time in bringing something new into conservation biology," said University of Idaho zoology professor Joseph Cloud, who is leading the U.S. government-funded sockeye project.
The Tokyo University inventors dubbed their method "surrogate broodstocking." They injected newly hatched but sterile Asian masu salmon with sperm-growing cells from rainbow trout — and watched the salmon grow up to produce trout.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Salmon spawn baby trout in experiment
WASHINGTON (AP) — Papa salmon plus mama salmon equals ... baby trout?
Japanese researchers put a new spin on surrogate parenting as they engineered one fish species to produce another, in a quest to preserve endangered fish.
Idaho scientists begin the next big step next month, trying to produce a type of salmon highly endangered in that state — the sockeye — this time using more plentiful trout as surrogate parents.
The new method is "one of the best things that has happened in a long time in bringing something new into conservation biology," said University of Idaho zoology professor Joseph Cloud, who is leading the U.S. government-funded sockeye project.
The Tokyo University inventors dubbed their method "surrogate broodstocking." They injected newly hatched but sterile Asian masu salmon with sperm-growing cells from rainbow trout — and watched the salmon grow up to produce trout.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Research news: 'Red List' Sheds Light on Species Extinction Crisis
The News:
'Red List' Sheds Light on Species Extinction Crisis
by John Nielsen
Morning Edition, September 13, 2007 · Scientists have released an updated list of the world's most endangered plants and animals. It's called the Red List, and it's widely viewed as the world's most authoritative guide to the status of disappearing plants animals. Scientists from all over the world help the World Conservation Union keep the Red List up to date.
The Research:
Check out the online version of the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
'Red List' Sheds Light on Species Extinction Crisis
by John Nielsen
Morning Edition, September 13, 2007 · Scientists have released an updated list of the world's most endangered plants and animals. It's called the Red List, and it's widely viewed as the world's most authoritative guide to the status of disappearing plants animals. Scientists from all over the world help the World Conservation Union keep the Red List up to date.
The Research:
Check out the online version of the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Research News: Physicists get two atoms to communicate
The News:
Physicists get two atoms to communicate
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. physicists have, for the first time, coaxed two atoms to communicate with a type of quantum intuition that Albert Einstein once called "spooky."
The University of Michigan researchers said their accomplishment marks an advance toward super-fast quantum computing and might also be the start of a quantum internet.
The scientists used light to establish what's called "entanglement" between two atoms, which were trapped 1 meter apart in separate enclosures. They described entangling as similar to controlling the outcome of one coin flip with the outcome of a separate coin flip.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
Physicists get two atoms to communicate
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. physicists have, for the first time, coaxed two atoms to communicate with a type of quantum intuition that Albert Einstein once called "spooky."
The University of Michigan researchers said their accomplishment marks an advance toward super-fast quantum computing and might also be the start of a quantum internet.
The scientists used light to establish what's called "entanglement" between two atoms, which were trapped 1 meter apart in separate enclosures. They described entangling as similar to controlling the outcome of one coin flip with the outcome of a separate coin flip.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Research news: Reports rise of death, harm from medicine
The News:
Reports rise of death, harm from medicine
Incidents more than doubled from 1998 to '05, which may fuel calls for better federal regulation.
By Bruce Japsen Chicago Tribune
Article Last Updated: 09/10/2007 11:26:04 PM MDT
Chicago - The number of serious injuries and deaths reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from drugs more than doubled between 1998 and 2005, according to a report in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine published by the American Medical Association.
The report is expected to add momentum to reform the federal government's monitoring of prescription drugs.
The study said the dramatic rise in "adverse events" reported to the FDA point out myriad problems with the monitoring of drugs before approval and after they are on the market.
Incidents resulting in death or serious injuries such as birth defects, disability and hospitalization were examined.
The report suggested that the FDA and the health care system, including doctors, hospitals and other caregivers, are lacking in their ability to manage medications.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in Archives of Internal Medicine.
Reports rise of death, harm from medicine
Incidents more than doubled from 1998 to '05, which may fuel calls for better federal regulation.
By Bruce Japsen Chicago Tribune
Article Last Updated: 09/10/2007 11:26:04 PM MDT
Chicago - The number of serious injuries and deaths reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from drugs more than doubled between 1998 and 2005, according to a report in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine published by the American Medical Association.
The report is expected to add momentum to reform the federal government's monitoring of prescription drugs.
The study said the dramatic rise in "adverse events" reported to the FDA point out myriad problems with the monitoring of drugs before approval and after they are on the market.
Incidents resulting in death or serious injuries such as birth defects, disability and hospitalization were examined.
The report suggested that the FDA and the health care system, including doctors, hospitals and other caregivers, are lacking in their ability to manage medications.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in Archives of Internal Medicine.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Research news: Liberal, conservative brains work differently
The News:
Liberal, conservative brains work differently
By the Los Angeles Times
Article Last Updated: 09/09/2007 11:36:48 PM MDT
Exploring the neurobiology of politics, scientists have found that liberals tolerate ambiguity and conflict better than conservatives because of how their brains work.
Scientists at New York University and the University of California at Los Angeles report today in the journal Nature Neuroscience that political orientation is related to differences in how the brain processes information.
Previous psychological studies have found that conservatives tend to be more structured and persistent in their judgments, whereas liberals are more open to new experiences. The latest study found those traits are not confined to political situations but also influence daily decisions.
Participants' politics ranged from "very liberal" to "very conservative." Scientists instructed them to tap a keyboard when an M appeared on a computer monitor and to refrain from tapping when they saw a W. M appeared four times as frequently as W.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
Liberal, conservative brains work differently
By the Los Angeles Times
Article Last Updated: 09/09/2007 11:36:48 PM MDT
Exploring the neurobiology of politics, scientists have found that liberals tolerate ambiguity and conflict better than conservatives because of how their brains work.
Scientists at New York University and the University of California at Los Angeles report today in the journal Nature Neuroscience that political orientation is related to differences in how the brain processes information.
Previous psychological studies have found that conservatives tend to be more structured and persistent in their judgments, whereas liberals are more open to new experiences. The latest study found those traits are not confined to political situations but also influence daily decisions.
Participants' politics ranged from "very liberal" to "very conservative." Scientists instructed them to tap a keyboard when an M appeared on a computer monitor and to refrain from tapping when they saw a W. M appeared four times as frequently as W.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Research News: Spike in suicide rate spurs worry
The News:
Spike in suicide rate spurs worry
Real numbers remain small, but climb reverses a downward trend
By Thomas H. Maugh II and Jia-Rui Chong, Los Angeles Times
Article Last Updated: 09/06/2007 11:16:22 PM MDT
After a decade of decline, the suicide rate for girls ages 10 to 14 spiked by 76 percent in 2004, and their method of choice changed from firearms to suffocation and hanging, federal officials said Thursday. The rate among older boys and girls also increased substantially, driving the overall suicide rate among 10- to 24-year- olds to an 8 percent increase in 2004, the largest jump in 15 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The rate had declined by 28 percent between 1990 and 2003 before the jump in 2004.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Spike in suicide rate spurs worry
Real numbers remain small, but climb reverses a downward trend
By Thomas H. Maugh II and Jia-Rui Chong, Los Angeles Times
Article Last Updated: 09/06/2007 11:16:22 PM MDT
After a decade of decline, the suicide rate for girls ages 10 to 14 spiked by 76 percent in 2004, and their method of choice changed from firearms to suffocation and hanging, federal officials said Thursday. The rate among older boys and girls also increased substantially, driving the overall suicide rate among 10- to 24-year- olds to an 8 percent increase in 2004, the largest jump in 15 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The rate had declined by 28 percent between 1990 and 2003 before the jump in 2004.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Research News: Toddlers Outsmart Chimps in Some Tasks, Not All
The News:
NPR's Morning Edition, September 7, 2007 · What makes humans different from our closest primate relatives? Scientists have grappled with the question for centuries – even more so since the discovery, in the late 1980s, that humans and apes share pretty much the same genetic code. Just think about it, says anthropologist Brian Hare: The two species share practically the same DNA, and yet live such different lives.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
NPR's Morning Edition, September 7, 2007 · What makes humans different from our closest primate relatives? Scientists have grappled with the question for centuries – even more so since the discovery, in the late 1980s, that humans and apes share pretty much the same genetic code. Just think about it, says anthropologist Brian Hare: The two species share practically the same DNA, and yet live such different lives.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Research News: Dinosaur-killing asteroid traced to breakup event
The News:
Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Traced to Breakup Event
NPR All Things Considered, September 5, 2007
The reason humans rule the Earth could be due to a huge collision that took place 160 million years ago. Somewhere between Jupiter and Mars, two asteroids smashed into each other. The debris hurtled into space, and eventually a big piece hit the Earth. This was the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs and gave mammals a chance.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Traced to Breakup Event
NPR All Things Considered, September 5, 2007
The reason humans rule the Earth could be due to a huge collision that took place 160 million years ago. Somewhere between Jupiter and Mars, two asteroids smashed into each other. The debris hurtled into space, and eventually a big piece hit the Earth. This was the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs and gave mammals a chance.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Research news: Microchip patterning technology created
The News:
Microchip patterning technology created
PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. engineers have developed a low-cost technology that patterns microchips.
Princeton University engineers said the "fracture-induced structuring" results in the self-formation of periodic lines, or gratings, separated by as few as 60 nanometers. Such features, researchers said, have many uses in optical, biological and electronic devices, including the alignment of liquid crystals in displays.
The process begins by the painting of a thin polymer film onto a rigid plate, such as a silicon wafer. Then, a second plate is placed on top, creating a polymer sandwich that is heated to ensure adhesion. Finally, the two plates are pried apart.
As the film fractures, it automatically breaks into two complementary sets of nanoscale gratings, one on each plate.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in Nature Nanotechnology.
Microchip patterning technology created
PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. engineers have developed a low-cost technology that patterns microchips.
Princeton University engineers said the "fracture-induced structuring" results in the self-formation of periodic lines, or gratings, separated by as few as 60 nanometers. Such features, researchers said, have many uses in optical, biological and electronic devices, including the alignment of liquid crystals in displays.
The process begins by the painting of a thin polymer film onto a rigid plate, such as a silicon wafer. Then, a second plate is placed on top, creating a polymer sandwich that is heated to ensure adhesion. Finally, the two plates are pried apart.
As the film fractures, it automatically breaks into two complementary sets of nanoscale gratings, one on each plate.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in Nature Nanotechnology.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Research News: Some Children Being Misdiagnosed with Asthma
The News:
Study Finds Some Children Being Misdiagnosed with Asthma
Friday, August 31, 2007
Fox News
It's believed that six million American children suffer from asthma. However, new research shows that some children who have been diagnosed with the condition may actually suffer from a vocal cord affliction. Doctors at Columbus Children's Hospital believe that at least some children diagnosed with asthma may actually suffer from vocal cord dysfunction (VCD), a sudden, abnormal narrowing of the vocal cords during inhalation causing obstruction of the airflow, and characterized by a noise that can mimic the sound of wheezing.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in Pediatric Pulmonology.
Study Finds Some Children Being Misdiagnosed with Asthma
Friday, August 31, 2007
Fox News
It's believed that six million American children suffer from asthma. However, new research shows that some children who have been diagnosed with the condition may actually suffer from a vocal cord affliction. Doctors at Columbus Children's Hospital believe that at least some children diagnosed with asthma may actually suffer from vocal cord dysfunction (VCD), a sudden, abnormal narrowing of the vocal cords during inhalation causing obstruction of the airflow, and characterized by a noise that can mimic the sound of wheezing.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in Pediatric Pulmonology.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Research News: Ovary Removal May Cause Dementia Risk
The News:
Ovary Removal May Cause Dementia Risk
By MALCOLM RITTER, AP
NEW YORK - Women who have their ovaries removed before menopause run a heightened risk of developing dementia or other mental problems later in life - unless they take estrogen until age 50, a new study suggests. Experts said the research needs to be confirmed by further study, but the findings suggest another issue for premenopausal women and their doctors to discuss as they consider ovary removal.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Neurology.
Ovary Removal May Cause Dementia Risk
By MALCOLM RITTER, AP
NEW YORK - Women who have their ovaries removed before menopause run a heightened risk of developing dementia or other mental problems later in life - unless they take estrogen until age 50, a new study suggests. Experts said the research needs to be confirmed by further study, but the findings suggest another issue for premenopausal women and their doctors to discuss as they consider ovary removal.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Neurology.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Research News: U.S. Workers Gain Leisure Time
The News:
U.S. Workers Gain Leisure Time, Study Says
NPR's Morning Edition, August 29, 2007 · Despite its label of the "no vacation-nation," leisure time in the United States has actually increased in the past 40 years, according to a new study. Men work less in the market than they used to. And women have gained leisure time, thanks to declines in work they do in the home.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Quarterly Journal of Economics. Volume 122:3 (August 2007), pp.969-1006. Article title: Measuring trends in leisure: the allocation of time over 5 decades by Mark Aguiar & Erik Hurst.
U.S. Workers Gain Leisure Time, Study Says
NPR's Morning Edition, August 29, 2007 · Despite its label of the "no vacation-nation," leisure time in the United States has actually increased in the past 40 years, according to a new study. Men work less in the market than they used to. And women have gained leisure time, thanks to declines in work they do in the home.
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Quarterly Journal of Economics. Volume 122:3 (August 2007), pp.969-1006. Article title: Measuring trends in leisure: the allocation of time over 5 decades by Mark Aguiar & Erik Hurst.
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