http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/cums-hic072616.php
Public Release: 26-Jul-2016
Health insurance coverage is associated with lower odds of alcohol use by pregnant women
Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health
Researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health studied the relationship between health insurance coverage and tobacco and alcohol use among reproductive age women in the United States, and whether there were differences according to pregnancy status. The findings showed that pregnant women with insurance coverage had lower odds of alcohol use in the past month; however the odds of tobacco use were not affected. For non-pregnant women, insurance coverage resulted in higher odds of alcohol use but lower odds of using tobacco. The study is published online in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
"Prenatal substance use is a major public health concern, and poses significant threats to maternal and child health," said Dr. Qiana L. Brown, postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Epidemiology, and the study's first author. "The widespread availability of health insurance through the Affordable Care Act may serve as a universal prevention intervention to help reduce prenatal substance use."
•••••
"Prenatal visits may present a good opportunity for screening and brief intervention regarding tobacco and particularly alcohol use," noted co-author Deborah Hasin, PhD, professor of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health and in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center. "Particularly for alcohol, evidence indicates that screening and brief advice can be surprisingly effective for medical patients whose drinking is greater than advisable levels but who are not alcohol dependent."
"In addition, there is the need for greater health provider attention to smoking among pregnant women," said Silvia Martins, MD, PhD, associate professor of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health, and a co-author of the paper. "Our results suggest missed opportunities for tobacco prevention in prenatal visits."
Wednesday, September 07, 2016
Why baby boomers need a hepatitis C screening
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/uomh-wbb072516.php
Public Release: 26-Jul-2016
Why baby boomers need a hepatitis C screening
Electronic medical record alerts contribute to dramatic rise in HepC screening
University of Michigan Health System
Baby boomers, adults born between 1945 and 1965, are five times more likely to have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force recommend that all patients in that age group get tested.
But the simple blood test, designed to detect and prevent illness before the virus wreaks havoc, is infrequently performed on baby boomers whose routine medical appointments are often crammed with other preventive measures and tests -- as well as time spent addressing active problems that require a doctor's immediate attention.
Investigators at the University of Michigan Health System recently found an easy way to help primary care physicians ensure that an HCV screening is part of the routine: Electronic medical record alerts.
The automated alert, programmed to appear if a patient was within the at-risk age group, reminds doctors not only to issue the test but also provide educational materials about the virus.
•••••
Public Release: 26-Jul-2016
Why baby boomers need a hepatitis C screening
Electronic medical record alerts contribute to dramatic rise in HepC screening
University of Michigan Health System
Baby boomers, adults born between 1945 and 1965, are five times more likely to have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force recommend that all patients in that age group get tested.
But the simple blood test, designed to detect and prevent illness before the virus wreaks havoc, is infrequently performed on baby boomers whose routine medical appointments are often crammed with other preventive measures and tests -- as well as time spent addressing active problems that require a doctor's immediate attention.
Investigators at the University of Michigan Health System recently found an easy way to help primary care physicians ensure that an HCV screening is part of the routine: Electronic medical record alerts.
The automated alert, programmed to appear if a patient was within the at-risk age group, reminds doctors not only to issue the test but also provide educational materials about the virus.
•••••
Streetcar tracks increase risk of bike crashes: UBC and Ryerson study
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/uobc-sti072216.php
Public Release: 26-Jul-2016
Streetcar tracks increase risk of bike crashes: UBC and Ryerson study
University of British Columbia
One-third of bike crashes in Toronto's downtown involved the city's streetcar tracks, according to a new study out of UBC and Ryerson University that suggests that separated bike routes could reduce risk to cyclists.
The findings could help inform planning decisions in cities building or expanding light-rail systems similar to Toronto's streetcar network including Surrey, Hamilton, Ottawa, Seattle and Portland.
"This would be a great time to create separated bike and rail lanes," said Kay Teschke, a professor in UBC's school of population and public health. "Physically separated lanes are a wonderful way for two environmentally-friendly modes of transportation to run safely together."
•••••
Public Release: 26-Jul-2016
Streetcar tracks increase risk of bike crashes: UBC and Ryerson study
University of British Columbia
One-third of bike crashes in Toronto's downtown involved the city's streetcar tracks, according to a new study out of UBC and Ryerson University that suggests that separated bike routes could reduce risk to cyclists.
The findings could help inform planning decisions in cities building or expanding light-rail systems similar to Toronto's streetcar network including Surrey, Hamilton, Ottawa, Seattle and Portland.
"This would be a great time to create separated bike and rail lanes," said Kay Teschke, a professor in UBC's school of population and public health. "Physically separated lanes are a wonderful way for two environmentally-friendly modes of transportation to run safely together."
•••••
Low physical capacity second only to smoking as highest death risk
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/esoc-lpc071816.php
Public Release: 26-Jul-2016
Low physical capacity second only to smoking as highest death risk
45-year study shows benefits of being physically active over a lifetime
European Society of Cardiology
A 45 year study in middle-aged men has shown that the impact of low physical capacity on risk of death is second only to smoking. The research is published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.1
"The benefits of being physically active over a lifetime are clear," said lead author Dr Per Ladenvall, a researcher in the Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden. "Low physical capacity is a greater risk for death than high blood pressure or high cholesterol."
•••••
Maximal oxygen uptake, called VO2 max, was measured in a subpopulation of the 656 men using ergospirometry.
Dr Ladenvall said: "VO2 max is a measure of aerobic capacity and the higher the figure, the more physically fit a person is.
•••••
After the initial examination in 1967, the men were followed up until 2012, at the age of 100 years. Several physical examinations were performed, about one every 10 years. Data on all-cause death was obtained from the National Cause of Death Registry.
To analyse the association between predicted VO2 max and mortality the men were divided into three groups (tertiles) ranging from low to high: 2.00 l/min, 2.26 l/min, and 2.56 l/min.
The researchers found that each tertile increase in predicted VO2 max was associated with a 21% lower risk of death over 45 years of follow up, and after adjusting for other risk factors (smoking, blood pressure and serum cholesterol).
•••••
Public Release: 26-Jul-2016
Low physical capacity second only to smoking as highest death risk
45-year study shows benefits of being physically active over a lifetime
European Society of Cardiology
A 45 year study in middle-aged men has shown that the impact of low physical capacity on risk of death is second only to smoking. The research is published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.1
"The benefits of being physically active over a lifetime are clear," said lead author Dr Per Ladenvall, a researcher in the Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden. "Low physical capacity is a greater risk for death than high blood pressure or high cholesterol."
•••••
Maximal oxygen uptake, called VO2 max, was measured in a subpopulation of the 656 men using ergospirometry.
Dr Ladenvall said: "VO2 max is a measure of aerobic capacity and the higher the figure, the more physically fit a person is.
•••••
After the initial examination in 1967, the men were followed up until 2012, at the age of 100 years. Several physical examinations were performed, about one every 10 years. Data on all-cause death was obtained from the National Cause of Death Registry.
To analyse the association between predicted VO2 max and mortality the men were divided into three groups (tertiles) ranging from low to high: 2.00 l/min, 2.26 l/min, and 2.56 l/min.
The researchers found that each tertile increase in predicted VO2 max was associated with a 21% lower risk of death over 45 years of follow up, and after adjusting for other risk factors (smoking, blood pressure and serum cholesterol).
•••••
Developmental differences in late preterm babies may not emerge until after age 2
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/uomh-ddi072516.php
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Developmental differences in late preterm babies may not emerge until after age 2
Babies born between 34 and 36 weeks start on track with peers -- but they may start falling behind by preschool and kindergarten
University of Michigan Health System
Developmental differences in babies born 4 to 6 weeks early may not show up until after they turn two, a new study suggests.
Researchers from C.S. Mott Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan tracked children from infancy through kindergarten and compared developmental outcomes between late preterm infants (born between 34 and 36 weeks); those born early term (37 to 38 weeks) and term (39 to 41 weeks).
At age two, late preterm babies were developmentally on track with peers, performing equally well on tasks such as recognizing faces and objects, understanding directions and naming items. By preschool and kindergarten, however, this group showed less than optimal math and reading scores compared to children born at full term, according to the findings published in Pediatrics.
"We found small but meaningful differences in developmental outcomes between late preterm infants and full term groups, which if applied to larger populations, may have potentially significant long term public health implications," says lead author Prachi Shah, M.D., a developmental and behavioral pediatrician at U-M's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.
"We found that developmental differences began emerging between 24 months and preschool, which suggests that late preterm infants may benefit from closer developmental monitoring and interventions before starting school."
•••••
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Developmental differences in late preterm babies may not emerge until after age 2
Babies born between 34 and 36 weeks start on track with peers -- but they may start falling behind by preschool and kindergarten
University of Michigan Health System
Developmental differences in babies born 4 to 6 weeks early may not show up until after they turn two, a new study suggests.
Researchers from C.S. Mott Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan tracked children from infancy through kindergarten and compared developmental outcomes between late preterm infants (born between 34 and 36 weeks); those born early term (37 to 38 weeks) and term (39 to 41 weeks).
At age two, late preterm babies were developmentally on track with peers, performing equally well on tasks such as recognizing faces and objects, understanding directions and naming items. By preschool and kindergarten, however, this group showed less than optimal math and reading scores compared to children born at full term, according to the findings published in Pediatrics.
"We found small but meaningful differences in developmental outcomes between late preterm infants and full term groups, which if applied to larger populations, may have potentially significant long term public health implications," says lead author Prachi Shah, M.D., a developmental and behavioral pediatrician at U-M's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.
"We found that developmental differences began emerging between 24 months and preschool, which suggests that late preterm infants may benefit from closer developmental monitoring and interventions before starting school."
•••••
Vast majority of guns recovered by Pittsburgh police not in possession of legal owners
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/uops-vmo072416.php
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Vast majority of guns recovered by Pittsburgh police not in possession of legal owners
University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Nearly 80 percent of perpetrators carrying a gun recovered by Pittsburgh Police were not the lawful owners, a strong indication that theft and trafficking are significant sources of firearms involved in crimes in southwest Pennsylvania, a new University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health analysis reveals.
•••••
Dr. Fabio and his team analyzed 762 cases in which a gun was recovered by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Firearm Tracking Unit in 2008.
In 44.3 percent of the cases where the perpetrator was not the owner of the firearm, the police could not get in contact with the owner to find out how they lost possession of it. In cases where police made contact with the original owner, more than 30 percent said they were stolen, but only 57.9 percent of those had officially reported the theft prior to recovery by police.
Firearms reported stolen before recovery by police were owned by women 16.6 percent of the time. However, that number climbs to 19.3 percent for firearms reported stolen only after recovery by police.
"Owners who have illegally transferred their firearm, perhaps as a straw purchase where they buy the gun for someone who otherwise would not be able to legally obtain one, may be more likely to resist attempts by police to contact them or claim the firearm was stolen after police contact them," said Dr. Fabio. "The disparity we found in firearms reported stolen by women may be due to girlfriends and spouses making straw purchases for their male partners. But the overriding issue here is that these numbers are just estimates. Even police departments do not have the resources to accurately and consistently track firearms used in illegal activities."
•••••
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Vast majority of guns recovered by Pittsburgh police not in possession of legal owners
University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Nearly 80 percent of perpetrators carrying a gun recovered by Pittsburgh Police were not the lawful owners, a strong indication that theft and trafficking are significant sources of firearms involved in crimes in southwest Pennsylvania, a new University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health analysis reveals.
•••••
Dr. Fabio and his team analyzed 762 cases in which a gun was recovered by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Firearm Tracking Unit in 2008.
In 44.3 percent of the cases where the perpetrator was not the owner of the firearm, the police could not get in contact with the owner to find out how they lost possession of it. In cases where police made contact with the original owner, more than 30 percent said they were stolen, but only 57.9 percent of those had officially reported the theft prior to recovery by police.
Firearms reported stolen before recovery by police were owned by women 16.6 percent of the time. However, that number climbs to 19.3 percent for firearms reported stolen only after recovery by police.
"Owners who have illegally transferred their firearm, perhaps as a straw purchase where they buy the gun for someone who otherwise would not be able to legally obtain one, may be more likely to resist attempts by police to contact them or claim the firearm was stolen after police contact them," said Dr. Fabio. "The disparity we found in firearms reported stolen by women may be due to girlfriends and spouses making straw purchases for their male partners. But the overriding issue here is that these numbers are just estimates. Even police departments do not have the resources to accurately and consistently track firearms used in illegal activities."
•••••
Protein in breast milk reduces infection risk in premature infants
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/uom-pib072516.php
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Protein in breast milk reduces infection risk in premature infants
Study shows need for large-scale trial of lactoferrin's role in immune system development
University of Missouri-Columbia
Full-term babies receive natural protection from their mothers that helps them fight off dangerous infections. However, babies born prematurely lack protective intestinal bacteria and often are unable to be nursed, causing their infection-fighting capabilities to be underdeveloped. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine and the MU Sinclair School of Nursing have found that a manufactured form of lactoferrin, a naturally occurring protein in breast milk, can help protect premature infants from a type of staph infection.
"Babies born with low levels of protective intestinal bacteria are at an increased risk of devastating and sometimes deadly infections," said Michael Sherman, M.D., professor emeritus in the Department of Child Health at the MU School of Medicine and lead author of the study. "Our study found that giving very-low-birth-weight premature infants a manufactured form of lactoferrin can virtually eliminate the germ that causes a staph infection known as staphylococcus epidermidis."
•••••
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Protein in breast milk reduces infection risk in premature infants
Study shows need for large-scale trial of lactoferrin's role in immune system development
University of Missouri-Columbia
Full-term babies receive natural protection from their mothers that helps them fight off dangerous infections. However, babies born prematurely lack protective intestinal bacteria and often are unable to be nursed, causing their infection-fighting capabilities to be underdeveloped. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine and the MU Sinclair School of Nursing have found that a manufactured form of lactoferrin, a naturally occurring protein in breast milk, can help protect premature infants from a type of staph infection.
"Babies born with low levels of protective intestinal bacteria are at an increased risk of devastating and sometimes deadly infections," said Michael Sherman, M.D., professor emeritus in the Department of Child Health at the MU School of Medicine and lead author of the study. "Our study found that giving very-low-birth-weight premature infants a manufactured form of lactoferrin can virtually eliminate the germ that causes a staph infection known as staphylococcus epidermidis."
•••••
Excessive daily TV watching may increase risk of death
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/aha-edt072016.php
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Excessive daily TV watching may increase risk of death
American Heart Association Rapid Access Journal Report
American Heart Association
Watching a lot of television every day may increase your risk of dying from a blood clot in the lung, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
A lung blood clot, known medically as a pulmonary embolism, usually begins as a clot in the leg or pelvis as a result of inactivity and slowed blood flow. If the clot breaks free, it can travel to a lung and become lodged in a small blood vessel, where it is especially dangerous.
From 1988 to 1990, Japanese researchers asked 86,024 participants, age 40-79, how many hours they spent watching TV. Over the next 19 years, 59 participants died of a pulmonary embolism.
Researchers found that compared to participants who watched TV less than 2.5 hours each day, deaths from a pulmonary embolism increased by:
70 percent among those who watched TV from 2.5 to 4.9 hours
40 percent for each additional 2 hours of daily TV watching; and
2.5 times among those who watched TV 5 or more hours.
"Pulmonary embolism occurs at a lower rate in Japan than it does in Western countries, but it may be on the rise," said Hiroyasu Iso, M.D., Ph.D., professor of public health at Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine and study corresponding author. "The Japanese people are increas
•••••
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Excessive daily TV watching may increase risk of death
American Heart Association Rapid Access Journal Report
American Heart Association
Watching a lot of television every day may increase your risk of dying from a blood clot in the lung, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
A lung blood clot, known medically as a pulmonary embolism, usually begins as a clot in the leg or pelvis as a result of inactivity and slowed blood flow. If the clot breaks free, it can travel to a lung and become lodged in a small blood vessel, where it is especially dangerous.
From 1988 to 1990, Japanese researchers asked 86,024 participants, age 40-79, how many hours they spent watching TV. Over the next 19 years, 59 participants died of a pulmonary embolism.
Researchers found that compared to participants who watched TV less than 2.5 hours each day, deaths from a pulmonary embolism increased by:
70 percent among those who watched TV from 2.5 to 4.9 hours
40 percent for each additional 2 hours of daily TV watching; and
2.5 times among those who watched TV 5 or more hours.
"Pulmonary embolism occurs at a lower rate in Japan than it does in Western countries, but it may be on the rise," said Hiroyasu Iso, M.D., Ph.D., professor of public health at Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine and study corresponding author. "The Japanese people are increas
•••••
Reagan was paid $1 million for speeches in 1989
It appears the headline for the article went into hyperbole over the how much Reagan was paid for one speech, although the point about the value of a speech by an ex-president is valid. A common problem with headline writers.http://www.rawstory.com/2016/09/mark-cuban-flattens-fox-host-over-clinton-speaking-fees-reagan-was-paid-1-million-a-speech/
Mark Cuban flattens Fox host over Clinton speaking fees: Reagan was paid $1 million one speech
Tom Boggioni
06 Sep 2016
illionaire Mark Cuban completely deflated Fox’s Neil Cavuto on Tuesday afternoon after the business news host complained about the speaking fees received by former President Bill Clinton that went to the Clinton Foundation.
After Cavuto questioned Clinton receiving $250,000 for a speech, Cuban set him straight about what the market pays for ex-presidents..
“Look. You have to ask yourself what’s the market for a former president giving a speech, right?” he lectured. “So first of all, Ronald Reagan was paid more than a million dollars for speeches in 1989. He went to Japan and gave two speeches. Second of all, Bill Clinton made, I think it was $250K give or take, for a lot of speeches. I’ve made $250K for a bunch of speeches. For the most part, he gets paid a little more than I do, but the point is he was right inside the market. He wasn’t getting paid more or less than the market.”
•••••
Moderate physical activity lowers heart disease risk in young women
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/aha-mpa072016.php
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Moderate physical activity lowers heart disease risk in young women
American Heart Association Rapid Access Journal Report
American Heart Association
Spending a cumulative 2.5 hours a week doing recreational physical activity is linked with a 25 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease in women under age 50, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
The benefits of physical activity for cardiovascular health in general have been shown in numerous studies, but most focused on middle-aged and older adults. Although death rates from coronary heart disease are low among women age 25-54, there has been little improvement in these rates in the past 20 years, whereas the rate among older groups has fallen during this period.
•••••
Among women age 27-44 at the start of the study, they found:
women with the highest level of leisure time physical activity were at a 25 percent lower risk incidence of coronary heart disease;
activity did not have to be strenuous to be beneficial, moderately intense activities such as brisk walking were associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease;
the frequency of physical activity did not affect the outcome as long as the total weekly time was at least 150 minutes; and regardless of their body weight when they began, women reduced their coronary heart disease risk by engaging in physical activity.
"Most women can improve their heart health significantly by incorporating some moderate or vigorous physical activity into their regular routine," Chomistek said. "Physical activity appears to be beneficial across the lifespan, regardless of body weight. It's important to remember that any amount of activity is better than none."
•••••
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Moderate physical activity lowers heart disease risk in young women
American Heart Association Rapid Access Journal Report
American Heart Association
Spending a cumulative 2.5 hours a week doing recreational physical activity is linked with a 25 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease in women under age 50, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
The benefits of physical activity for cardiovascular health in general have been shown in numerous studies, but most focused on middle-aged and older adults. Although death rates from coronary heart disease are low among women age 25-54, there has been little improvement in these rates in the past 20 years, whereas the rate among older groups has fallen during this period.
•••••
Among women age 27-44 at the start of the study, they found:
women with the highest level of leisure time physical activity were at a 25 percent lower risk incidence of coronary heart disease;
activity did not have to be strenuous to be beneficial, moderately intense activities such as brisk walking were associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease;
the frequency of physical activity did not affect the outcome as long as the total weekly time was at least 150 minutes; and regardless of their body weight when they began, women reduced their coronary heart disease risk by engaging in physical activity.
"Most women can improve their heart health significantly by incorporating some moderate or vigorous physical activity into their regular routine," Chomistek said. "Physical activity appears to be beneficial across the lifespan, regardless of body weight. It's important to remember that any amount of activity is better than none."
•••••
Climate disasters increase risk of armed conflict in multi-ethnic countries
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/pifc-cdi072116.php
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Climate disasters increase risk of armed conflict in multi-ethnic countries
Climate disasters like heat-waves or droughts enhance the risk of armed conflicts in countries with high ethnic diversity
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)
This finding, to be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, can help in the design of security policies even more so since future global warming from human-made greenhouse-gas emissions will increase natural disasters and therefore likely also risks of conflicts and migration.
"Devastating climate-related natural disasters have a disruptive potential that seems to play out in ethnically fractionalized societies in a particularly tragic way," says lead author Carl Schleussner from the Berlin think-tank Climate Analytics and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). Almost one quarter of conflicts in ethnically divided countries coincide with climatic calamities, the scientists found; importantly, this is even without taking climate change into account. "Climate disasters are not directly triggering conflict outbreak, but may enhance the risk of a conflict breaking out which is rooted in context-specific circumstances. As intuitive as this might seem, we can now show this in a scientifically sound way," says Schleussner, who has also been a research fellow at Humboldt University, Berlin, at the Integrative Research Institute on Transformations of Human-Environment Systems (IRITHESys).
"We've been surprised to which extent results stick out compared to e.g. inequality"
•••••
"We've been surprised by the extent that results for ethnic fractionalized countries stick out compared to other country features such as conflict history, poverty, or inequality," says co-author Jonathan Donges, co-head of PIK's flagship project on co-evolutionay pathways COPAN. "We think that ethnic divides may serve as a predetermined conflict line when additional stressors like natural disasters kick in, making multi-ethnic countries particularly vulnerable to the effect of such disasters"
•••••
Several of the world's most conflict-prone regions, including North and Central Africa as well as Central Asia, are both exceptionally vulnerable to human-made climate change and characterized by deep ethnic divides. "So our study adds evidence," Schellnhuber concludes, "of a very special co-benefit of climate stabilization: peace."
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Climate disasters increase risk of armed conflict in multi-ethnic countries
Climate disasters like heat-waves or droughts enhance the risk of armed conflicts in countries with high ethnic diversity
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)
This finding, to be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, can help in the design of security policies even more so since future global warming from human-made greenhouse-gas emissions will increase natural disasters and therefore likely also risks of conflicts and migration.
"Devastating climate-related natural disasters have a disruptive potential that seems to play out in ethnically fractionalized societies in a particularly tragic way," says lead author Carl Schleussner from the Berlin think-tank Climate Analytics and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). Almost one quarter of conflicts in ethnically divided countries coincide with climatic calamities, the scientists found; importantly, this is even without taking climate change into account. "Climate disasters are not directly triggering conflict outbreak, but may enhance the risk of a conflict breaking out which is rooted in context-specific circumstances. As intuitive as this might seem, we can now show this in a scientifically sound way," says Schleussner, who has also been a research fellow at Humboldt University, Berlin, at the Integrative Research Institute on Transformations of Human-Environment Systems (IRITHESys).
"We've been surprised to which extent results stick out compared to e.g. inequality"
•••••
"We've been surprised by the extent that results for ethnic fractionalized countries stick out compared to other country features such as conflict history, poverty, or inequality," says co-author Jonathan Donges, co-head of PIK's flagship project on co-evolutionay pathways COPAN. "We think that ethnic divides may serve as a predetermined conflict line when additional stressors like natural disasters kick in, making multi-ethnic countries particularly vulnerable to the effect of such disasters"
•••••
Several of the world's most conflict-prone regions, including North and Central Africa as well as Central Asia, are both exceptionally vulnerable to human-made climate change and characterized by deep ethnic divides. "So our study adds evidence," Schellnhuber concludes, "of a very special co-benefit of climate stabilization: peace."
Human 'super predator' more terrifying than bears, wolves and dogs
Human 'super predator' more terrifying than bears, wolves and dogs
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Human 'super predator' more terrifying than bears, wolves and dogs
University of Western Ontario
Bears, wolves and other large carnivores are frightening beasts but the fear they inspire in their prey pales in comparison to that caused by the human 'super predator.'
A new study by Western University demonstrates that smaller carnivores, like European badgers, that may be prey to large carnivores, actually perceive humans as far more frightening. Globally, humans now kill smaller carnivores at much higher rates than large carnivores do, and these results indicate that smaller carnivores have learned to fear the human 'super predator' far more than they fear their traditional enemies.
•••••
Zanette, a professor in Western's Department of Biology, and her colleagues experimentally demonstrated that smaller carnivores, like badgers, foxes and raccoons, that may appear to be habituated to humans because they live among us, are actually experiencing elevated levels of fear - living in fear of the human 'super predator' in human-dominated landscapes.
•••••
The team conducted the study on Europeans badgers in Wytham Woods, just outside of Oxford (UK). To experimentally compare their relative fearfulness, the team played badgers the sounds of bears, wolves, dogs and humans in their natural habitat and filmed their responses, using hidden automated speakers and cameras. Whereas hearing bears and dogs had some effect, simply hearing the sound of people speaking, in conversation, or reading passages from books, prevented most badgers from feeding entirely, and dramatically reduced the time spent feeding by those few badgers that were brave enough to venture forth - while hearing the sound of the human 'super predator.'
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Human 'super predator' more terrifying than bears, wolves and dogs
University of Western Ontario
Bears, wolves and other large carnivores are frightening beasts but the fear they inspire in their prey pales in comparison to that caused by the human 'super predator.'
A new study by Western University demonstrates that smaller carnivores, like European badgers, that may be prey to large carnivores, actually perceive humans as far more frightening. Globally, humans now kill smaller carnivores at much higher rates than large carnivores do, and these results indicate that smaller carnivores have learned to fear the human 'super predator' far more than they fear their traditional enemies.
•••••
Zanette, a professor in Western's Department of Biology, and her colleagues experimentally demonstrated that smaller carnivores, like badgers, foxes and raccoons, that may appear to be habituated to humans because they live among us, are actually experiencing elevated levels of fear - living in fear of the human 'super predator' in human-dominated landscapes.
•••••
The team conducted the study on Europeans badgers in Wytham Woods, just outside of Oxford (UK). To experimentally compare their relative fearfulness, the team played badgers the sounds of bears, wolves, dogs and humans in their natural habitat and filmed their responses, using hidden automated speakers and cameras. Whereas hearing bears and dogs had some effect, simply hearing the sound of people speaking, in conversation, or reading passages from books, prevented most badgers from feeding entirely, and dramatically reduced the time spent feeding by those few badgers that were brave enough to venture forth - while hearing the sound of the human 'super predator.'
Flu vaccine reduces risk of hospital stay for stroke, heart failure for diabetes patients
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/cmaj-fvr072016.php
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Flu vaccine reduces risk of hospital stay for stroke, heart failure for diabetes patients
Canadian Medical Association Journal
People with type 2 diabetes who receive the influenza vaccine may be less likely to be admitted to hospital for myocardial infarction, stroke and heart failure, according to new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
"In this large population-based study, influenza vaccination in people with type 2 diabetes was associated with reductions in rates of hospital admission for acute cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and in all-cause mortality across 7 influenza seasons," writes Dr. Eszter Vamos, Department of Primary Care & Public Health, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom, with coauthors.
People with type 2 diabetes are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Many countries encourage vaccination against influenza, especially in older people and people with multiple health issues such as diabetes, although there is uncertainty about vaccine effectiveness in these groups.
•••••
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Flu vaccine reduces risk of hospital stay for stroke, heart failure for diabetes patients
Canadian Medical Association Journal
People with type 2 diabetes who receive the influenza vaccine may be less likely to be admitted to hospital for myocardial infarction, stroke and heart failure, according to new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
"In this large population-based study, influenza vaccination in people with type 2 diabetes was associated with reductions in rates of hospital admission for acute cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and in all-cause mortality across 7 influenza seasons," writes Dr. Eszter Vamos, Department of Primary Care & Public Health, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom, with coauthors.
People with type 2 diabetes are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Many countries encourage vaccination against influenza, especially in older people and people with multiple health issues such as diabetes, although there is uncertainty about vaccine effectiveness in these groups.
•••••
Republican vote fraud
This is not the first time Republicans have been caught doing this.
By Jay Bookman
September 7, 2016
Well, there it is: A probable case of attempted, systematic voting fraud, right here in metro Atlanta.
Of course, it’s not the type of voting fraud that might be thwarted through strict voter-ID laws. Even without such laws, that particular type of voting fraud remains extremely rare and isolated. Instead, this type of scam involves an effort to cheat eligible citizens of their constitutional right to vote and take part in our democracy.
According to a memo sent this week to students by Michael Sanseviro, dean of students at Kennesaw State University, “unauthorized individuals are walking around with clipboards claiming they are registering students to vote. Some of these unauthorized individuals are targeting particular student populations,” specifically black students. The goal appears to be to falsely convince these students that they have been registered to vote. Then, when they appear at their voting precincts in November, ready to cast their ballots they discover that no registration was turned in to state officials and they are ineligible to participate.
“If you or anybody you know completed a form for one of those unauthorized individuals, please complete a NEW voter registration online at kennesaw.turbovote.org or visit vote.kennesaw.edu,” Sanseviro warned in his memo. “We have had students in the past not be able to vote on election day because they completed a form with an unauthorized person and were never properly registered.”
If so, that’s a pretty insidious little scam, but let’s be honest: It differs only in scale and audacity to the years-long, highly orchestrated effort by the Republican Party to try to win elections by suppressing valid turnout of minorities and the young through strict voter-ID and other legal restrictions.
•••••
Marijuana exposure in kids rose after recreational use legalized in Colorado
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/tjnj-mei072116.php
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Marijuana exposure in kids rose after recreational use legalized in Colorado
The JAMA Network Journals
The legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado was associated with both increased hospital visits and cases at a regional poison center because of unintentional exposure to the drug by children, suggesting effective preventive measures are needed as more states consider legalizing the drug, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.
•••••
The authors report these findings:
The average rate of marijuana-related visits to the children's hospital increased from 1.2 per 100,000 population two years prior to legalization to 2.3 per 100,000 population two years after legalization.
Annual RPC pediatric marijuana cases increased more than 5-fold from nine in 2009 to 47 in 2015.
Colorado saw an average 34 percent increase in RPC cases per year compared with a 19 percent increase in the rest of the United States.
Sources of marijuana were a parent, grandparent, neighbor, friend, babysitter or other family member.
Most pediatric marijuana exposures involved infused edible products; many exposures happened because marijuana products weren't in child-resistant containers, there was poor child supervision or product storage issues.
The median length of hospital stay for marijuana-exposed children was 11 hours.
Clinical effects of marijuana exposure included drowsiness/lethargy, ataxia/dizziness, agitation, vomiting, tachycardia [abnormally fast heart rate], dystonia/muscle rigidity, respiratory depression, bradycardia [abnormally slow heart action]/hypotension and seizures.
•••••
tags: drug use, drug abuse
Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Marijuana exposure in kids rose after recreational use legalized in Colorado
The JAMA Network Journals
The legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado was associated with both increased hospital visits and cases at a regional poison center because of unintentional exposure to the drug by children, suggesting effective preventive measures are needed as more states consider legalizing the drug, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.
•••••
The authors report these findings:
The average rate of marijuana-related visits to the children's hospital increased from 1.2 per 100,000 population two years prior to legalization to 2.3 per 100,000 population two years after legalization.
Annual RPC pediatric marijuana cases increased more than 5-fold from nine in 2009 to 47 in 2015.
Colorado saw an average 34 percent increase in RPC cases per year compared with a 19 percent increase in the rest of the United States.
Sources of marijuana were a parent, grandparent, neighbor, friend, babysitter or other family member.
Most pediatric marijuana exposures involved infused edible products; many exposures happened because marijuana products weren't in child-resistant containers, there was poor child supervision or product storage issues.
The median length of hospital stay for marijuana-exposed children was 11 hours.
Clinical effects of marijuana exposure included drowsiness/lethargy, ataxia/dizziness, agitation, vomiting, tachycardia [abnormally fast heart rate], dystonia/muscle rigidity, respiratory depression, bradycardia [abnormally slow heart action]/hypotension and seizures.
•••••
tags: drug use, drug abuse
Former Texas official says he was told to drop Trump University probe
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-texas-official-says-he-was-told-to-drop-trump-university-probe/
June 5, 2016
Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton moved to muzzle a former state regulator who says he was ordered in 2010 to drop a fraud investigation into Trump University for political reasons.
Paxton's office issued a cease and desist letter to former Deputy Chief of Consumer Protection John Owens after he made public copies of a 14-page internal summary of the state's case against Donald Trump for scamming millions from students of his now-defunct real estate seminar.
Owens, now retired, said his team had built a solid case against the now-presumptive Republican presidential nominee, but was told to drop it after Trump's company agreed to cease operations in Texas.
The former state regulator told The Associated Press on Friday that decision was highly unusual and left the bilked students on their own to attempt to recover their tuition money from the celebrity businessman.
Trump University is the target of two lawsuits in San Diego and one in New York that accuse the business of fleecing students with unfulfilled promises to teach secrets of success in real estate.
A federal judge overseeing one of the class action suits unsealed documents in the case earlier this week, then ordered some of those records to be withdrawn from public view, saying they had "mistakenly" been released.
•••••
Owens said he was so surprised at the order to stand down he made a copy of the case file and took it home.
"It had to be political in my mind because Donald Trump was treated differently than any other similarly situated scam artist in the 16 years I was at the consumer protection office," said Owens, who lives in Houston.
Owens' boss at the time was then-Attorney General Greg Abbott, who is now the state's GOP governor.
The Associated Press first reported Thursday that Trump gave donations totaling $35,000 to Abbott's gubernatorial campaign three years after his office closed the Trump U case. Several Texas media outlets then reported Owens' accusation that the probe was dropped for political reasons.
•••••
Paxton faces his own legal trouble. He was indicted last year on three felony fraud charges alleging that he persuaded people to invest in a North Texas tech startup while failing to disclose that he hadn't invested himself but was being paid by the company in stock. Paxton has remained in office while appealing the charges.
Texas was not the only GOP-led state to shy away from suing Trump.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi briefly considered joining a multi-state suit against Trump U. Three days after Bondi's spokeswoman was quoted in local media reports as saying her office was investigating, Trump's family foundation made a $25,000 contribution to a political fundraising committee supporting Bondi's re-election campaign.
Bondi, a Republican, soon dropped her investigation, citing insufficient grounds to proceed.
In New York, meanwhile, Democratic Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sued Trump over what he called a "straight-up fraud." That case, along with several class-action lawsuits filed by former Trump students, is still ongoing.
June 5, 2016
Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton moved to muzzle a former state regulator who says he was ordered in 2010 to drop a fraud investigation into Trump University for political reasons.
Paxton's office issued a cease and desist letter to former Deputy Chief of Consumer Protection John Owens after he made public copies of a 14-page internal summary of the state's case against Donald Trump for scamming millions from students of his now-defunct real estate seminar.
Owens, now retired, said his team had built a solid case against the now-presumptive Republican presidential nominee, but was told to drop it after Trump's company agreed to cease operations in Texas.
The former state regulator told The Associated Press on Friday that decision was highly unusual and left the bilked students on their own to attempt to recover their tuition money from the celebrity businessman.
Trump University is the target of two lawsuits in San Diego and one in New York that accuse the business of fleecing students with unfulfilled promises to teach secrets of success in real estate.
A federal judge overseeing one of the class action suits unsealed documents in the case earlier this week, then ordered some of those records to be withdrawn from public view, saying they had "mistakenly" been released.
•••••
Owens said he was so surprised at the order to stand down he made a copy of the case file and took it home.
"It had to be political in my mind because Donald Trump was treated differently than any other similarly situated scam artist in the 16 years I was at the consumer protection office," said Owens, who lives in Houston.
Owens' boss at the time was then-Attorney General Greg Abbott, who is now the state's GOP governor.
The Associated Press first reported Thursday that Trump gave donations totaling $35,000 to Abbott's gubernatorial campaign three years after his office closed the Trump U case. Several Texas media outlets then reported Owens' accusation that the probe was dropped for political reasons.
•••••
Paxton faces his own legal trouble. He was indicted last year on three felony fraud charges alleging that he persuaded people to invest in a North Texas tech startup while failing to disclose that he hadn't invested himself but was being paid by the company in stock. Paxton has remained in office while appealing the charges.
Texas was not the only GOP-led state to shy away from suing Trump.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi briefly considered joining a multi-state suit against Trump U. Three days after Bondi's spokeswoman was quoted in local media reports as saying her office was investigating, Trump's family foundation made a $25,000 contribution to a political fundraising committee supporting Bondi's re-election campaign.
Bondi, a Republican, soon dropped her investigation, citing insufficient grounds to proceed.
In New York, meanwhile, Democratic Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sued Trump over what he called a "straight-up fraud." That case, along with several class-action lawsuits filed by former Trump students, is still ongoing.
Tuesday, September 06, 2016
Simpler, cheaper psychological treatment as effective as cognitive behavioural therapy for treating depression
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/tl-tls072116.php
Public Release: 22-Jul-2016
The Lancet: Simpler, cheaper psychological treatment as effective as cognitive behavioural therapy for treating depression
Behavioral activation treatment could offer cost savings of over 20 percent
The Lancet
A simple and inexpensive psychotherapy or talking therapy known as behavioural activation (BA) is as effective at treating depression in adults as the gold-standard cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and can be delivered by non-specialist staff with minimal training at far less cost, according to new research published in The Lancet.
•••••
"Behavioural activation is an 'outside in' treatment that focuses on helping people with depression to change the way they act. The treatment helps people make the link between their behaviour and their mood. Therapists help people to seek out and experience more positive situations in their lives. The treatment also helps people deal with difficult situations and helps them find alternatives to unhelpful habitual behaviours," explains Professor Richards. "In contrast, CBT is an 'inside out' treatment where therapists focus on the way a person thinks. Therapists help people to identify and challenge their thoughts and beliefs about themselves, the world, and their future. CBT helps people to identify and modify negative thoughts and the beliefs that give rise to them."[1]
One year after the start of treatment, behavioural activation was found to be non-inferior (not worse than) CBT, with around two-thirds of participants in both groups reporting at least a 50% reduction in depressive symptoms (tables 2 and 3). Participants in both groups also reported similar numbers of depression free days and anxiety diagnoses, and were equally likely to experience remission. Three participants receiving behavioural activation and eight receiving CBT reported depression-related, but not treatment-related, serious adverse events (self harm and overdose).
Importantly, the average intervention costs were significantly lower for behavioural activation than CBT (£974.81 vs £1235.23 per person); amounting to a 20% financial saving for health care systems (table 4). Additionally, cost-effectiveness analysis showed that behavioural activation is highly cost-effective and affordable compared with CBT, mainly due to the low cost of non-specialist mental health providers.
•••••
Public Release: 22-Jul-2016
The Lancet: Simpler, cheaper psychological treatment as effective as cognitive behavioural therapy for treating depression
Behavioral activation treatment could offer cost savings of over 20 percent
The Lancet
A simple and inexpensive psychotherapy or talking therapy known as behavioural activation (BA) is as effective at treating depression in adults as the gold-standard cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and can be delivered by non-specialist staff with minimal training at far less cost, according to new research published in The Lancet.
•••••
"Behavioural activation is an 'outside in' treatment that focuses on helping people with depression to change the way they act. The treatment helps people make the link between their behaviour and their mood. Therapists help people to seek out and experience more positive situations in their lives. The treatment also helps people deal with difficult situations and helps them find alternatives to unhelpful habitual behaviours," explains Professor Richards. "In contrast, CBT is an 'inside out' treatment where therapists focus on the way a person thinks. Therapists help people to identify and challenge their thoughts and beliefs about themselves, the world, and their future. CBT helps people to identify and modify negative thoughts and the beliefs that give rise to them."[1]
One year after the start of treatment, behavioural activation was found to be non-inferior (not worse than) CBT, with around two-thirds of participants in both groups reporting at least a 50% reduction in depressive symptoms (tables 2 and 3). Participants in both groups also reported similar numbers of depression free days and anxiety diagnoses, and were equally likely to experience remission. Three participants receiving behavioural activation and eight receiving CBT reported depression-related, but not treatment-related, serious adverse events (self harm and overdose).
Importantly, the average intervention costs were significantly lower for behavioural activation than CBT (£974.81 vs £1235.23 per person); amounting to a 20% financial saving for health care systems (table 4). Additionally, cost-effectiveness analysis showed that behavioural activation is highly cost-effective and affordable compared with CBT, mainly due to the low cost of non-specialist mental health providers.
•••••
When it comes to empathy, don't always trust your gut
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/apa-wic072116.php
Public Release: 22-Jul-2016
When it comes to empathy, don't always trust your gut
Systematic reasoning appears to beat intuition for recognizing emotions in others, study says
American Psychological Association
Is empathy the result of gut intuition or careful reasoning? Research published by the American Psychological Association suggests that, contrary to popular belief, the latter may be more the case.
"Cultivating successful personal and professional relationships requires the ability to accurately infer the feelings of others - that is, to be empathically accurate. Some are better at this than others, a difference that may be explained in part by mode of thought," said Jennifer Lerner, PhD, of Harvard University, a co-author of the study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
•••••
Individuals process information and make decisions in different ways, according to Lerner. Some choose to follow their instincts and go with what feels right to them (i.e., intuitive) while others plan carefully and analyze the information available to them before deciding (i.e., systematic).
Lerner and her co-author, Christine Ma-Kellams, PhD, of the University of La Verne, conducted four studies, involving over 900 participants, to examine the relationship between the two modes of thought and empathetic accuracy. The first determined that most people believe that intuition is a better guide than systematic thinking to accurately infer another's thoughts and feelings. The other three studies found that the opposite is true.
•••••
These findings are important because they show that commonly held assumptions about what makes someone a good emotional mind reader may be wrong, said Lerner. "The many settings in which the value of intuition is extolled -- for example a job interview -- may need to be reassessed with a more nuanced perspective."
Public Release: 22-Jul-2016
When it comes to empathy, don't always trust your gut
Systematic reasoning appears to beat intuition for recognizing emotions in others, study says
American Psychological Association
Is empathy the result of gut intuition or careful reasoning? Research published by the American Psychological Association suggests that, contrary to popular belief, the latter may be more the case.
"Cultivating successful personal and professional relationships requires the ability to accurately infer the feelings of others - that is, to be empathically accurate. Some are better at this than others, a difference that may be explained in part by mode of thought," said Jennifer Lerner, PhD, of Harvard University, a co-author of the study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
•••••
Individuals process information and make decisions in different ways, according to Lerner. Some choose to follow their instincts and go with what feels right to them (i.e., intuitive) while others plan carefully and analyze the information available to them before deciding (i.e., systematic).
Lerner and her co-author, Christine Ma-Kellams, PhD, of the University of La Verne, conducted four studies, involving over 900 participants, to examine the relationship between the two modes of thought and empathetic accuracy. The first determined that most people believe that intuition is a better guide than systematic thinking to accurately infer another's thoughts and feelings. The other three studies found that the opposite is true.
•••••
These findings are important because they show that commonly held assumptions about what makes someone a good emotional mind reader may be wrong, said Lerner. "The many settings in which the value of intuition is extolled -- for example a job interview -- may need to be reassessed with a more nuanced perspective."
Landfalling Typhoons Have Become More Intense
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/landfalling-typhoons-have-become-more-intense-20663
By Andrea Thompson
Sept. 5,2016
In the Northwest Pacific, already a hotspot for tropical cyclones, the storms that strike East and Southeast Asia have been intensifying more than those that stay out at sea over the last four decades, a new study finds.
The proportion of landfalling storms that reach Category 4 or 5 strength — the storms that wreak the most damage, as recent examples like 2013’s devastating Super Typhoon Haiyan show — has doubled and even tripled in some areas of the basin, researchers found. The increases seem to be the result of faster intensification linked to warmer ocean waters in coastal areas.
In the Northwest Pacific, already a hotspot for tropical cyclones, the storms that strike East and Southeast Asia have been intensifying more than those that stay out at sea over the last four decades, a new study finds.
The proportion of landfalling storms that reach Category 4 or 5 strength — the storms that wreak the most damage, as recent examples like 2013’s devastating Super Typhoon Haiyan show — has doubled and even tripled in some areas of the basin, researchers found. The increases seem to be the result of faster intensification linked to warmer ocean waters in coastal areas.
•••••
Digging further into the possible causes for the trends they saw, the researchers linked the faster intensification rates of landfalling typhoons to higher ocean temperatures in coastal areas. Those warmer waters were ratcheting up the potential intensity of storms, or the theoretical maximum intensity they could achieve given the particular ocean temperatures and atmospheric environment. (Other factors, such as dry air or wind shear, often keep storms from reaching that potential maximum.)
•••••
By Andrea Thompson
Sept. 5,2016
In the Northwest Pacific, already a hotspot for tropical cyclones, the storms that strike East and Southeast Asia have been intensifying more than those that stay out at sea over the last four decades, a new study finds.
The proportion of landfalling storms that reach Category 4 or 5 strength — the storms that wreak the most damage, as recent examples like 2013’s devastating Super Typhoon Haiyan show — has doubled and even tripled in some areas of the basin, researchers found. The increases seem to be the result of faster intensification linked to warmer ocean waters in coastal areas.
In the Northwest Pacific, already a hotspot for tropical cyclones, the storms that strike East and Southeast Asia have been intensifying more than those that stay out at sea over the last four decades, a new study finds.
The proportion of landfalling storms that reach Category 4 or 5 strength — the storms that wreak the most damage, as recent examples like 2013’s devastating Super Typhoon Haiyan show — has doubled and even tripled in some areas of the basin, researchers found. The increases seem to be the result of faster intensification linked to warmer ocean waters in coastal areas.
•••••
Digging further into the possible causes for the trends they saw, the researchers linked the faster intensification rates of landfalling typhoons to higher ocean temperatures in coastal areas. Those warmer waters were ratcheting up the potential intensity of storms, or the theoretical maximum intensity they could achieve given the particular ocean temperatures and atmospheric environment. (Other factors, such as dry air or wind shear, often keep storms from reaching that potential maximum.)
•••••
Monday, September 05, 2016
How humans and wild birds collaborate to get precious resources of honey and wax
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/uoc-hha071816.php
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
How humans and wild birds collaborate to get precious resources of honey and wax
University of Cambridge
By following honeyguides, a species of bird, people in Africa are able to locate bees' nests to harvest honey. Research now reveals that humans use special calls to solicit the help of honeyguides and that honeyguides actively recruit appropriate human partners. This relationship is a rare example of cooperation between humans and free-living animals.
Humans have trained a range of species to help them find food: examples are dogs, falcons and cormorants. These animals are domesticated or taught to cooperate by their owners. Human-animal collaboration in the wild is much rarer. But it has long been known that, in many parts of Africa, people and a species of wax-eating bird called the greater honeyguide work together to find wild bees' nests which provide a valuable resource to them both.
Honeyguides give a special call to attract people's attention, then fly from tree to tree to indicate the direction of a bees' nest. We humans are useful collaborators to honeyguides because of our ability to subdue stinging bees with smoke and chop open their nest, providing wax for the honeyguide and honey for ourselves.
Experiments carried out in the Mozambican bush now show that this unique human-animal relationship has an extra dimension: not only do honeyguides use calls to solicit human partners, but humans use specialised calls to recruit birds' assistance. Research in the Niassa National Reserve reveals that by using specialised calls to communicate and cooperate with each other, people and wild birds can significantly increase their chances of locating vital sources of calorie-laden food.
•••••
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
How humans and wild birds collaborate to get precious resources of honey and wax
University of Cambridge
By following honeyguides, a species of bird, people in Africa are able to locate bees' nests to harvest honey. Research now reveals that humans use special calls to solicit the help of honeyguides and that honeyguides actively recruit appropriate human partners. This relationship is a rare example of cooperation between humans and free-living animals.
Humans have trained a range of species to help them find food: examples are dogs, falcons and cormorants. These animals are domesticated or taught to cooperate by their owners. Human-animal collaboration in the wild is much rarer. But it has long been known that, in many parts of Africa, people and a species of wax-eating bird called the greater honeyguide work together to find wild bees' nests which provide a valuable resource to them both.
Honeyguides give a special call to attract people's attention, then fly from tree to tree to indicate the direction of a bees' nest. We humans are useful collaborators to honeyguides because of our ability to subdue stinging bees with smoke and chop open their nest, providing wax for the honeyguide and honey for ourselves.
Experiments carried out in the Mozambican bush now show that this unique human-animal relationship has an extra dimension: not only do honeyguides use calls to solicit human partners, but humans use specialised calls to recruit birds' assistance. Research in the Niassa National Reserve reveals that by using specialised calls to communicate and cooperate with each other, people and wild birds can significantly increase their chances of locating vital sources of calorie-laden food.
•••••
What hunter-gatherers can tell us about fundamental human social networks
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/cp-whc071316.php
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
What hunter-gatherers can tell us about fundamental human social networks
Cell Press
Long before the advent of social media, human social networks were built around sharing a much more essential commodity: food. Now, researchers reporting on the food sharing networks of two contemporary groups of hunter-gatherers in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on July 21 provide new insight into fundamental nature of human social organization.
The new work reveals surprising similarities between the Agta of the Philippines and Mbendjele of the Republic of Congo. In both places, individuals maintain a three-tiered social network that appears to buffer them against day-to-day shortfalls in foraging returns.
•••••
"No other apes share food to the extent that humans do," says Andrea Migliano (@andrea_migliano), principal investigator of the Leverhulme Trust-funded Hunter-Gatherers Resilience Project. "Hunter-gatherers' multi-level social structure exists in different groups, to help regulate these cooperative systems. Furthermore, multi-level social structures regulate social rules, friendship and kinship ties, and the spread of social norms, promoting a more efficient sharing and cooperation. Sharing is a crucial adaptation to hunter-gatherers' lifestyles, central to their resilience--and central to the evolution of mankind."
•••••
"Cooperation and especially food sharing are essential for survival in a hunting-and-gathering economy," Dyble says. "The proverb that 'it takes a village to raise a child' is certainly true for hunter-gatherers, who, without food sharing to mitigate the day-to-day shortfalls in foraging, could simply not survive."
•••••
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
What hunter-gatherers can tell us about fundamental human social networks
Cell Press
Long before the advent of social media, human social networks were built around sharing a much more essential commodity: food. Now, researchers reporting on the food sharing networks of two contemporary groups of hunter-gatherers in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on July 21 provide new insight into fundamental nature of human social organization.
The new work reveals surprising similarities between the Agta of the Philippines and Mbendjele of the Republic of Congo. In both places, individuals maintain a three-tiered social network that appears to buffer them against day-to-day shortfalls in foraging returns.
•••••
"No other apes share food to the extent that humans do," says Andrea Migliano (@andrea_migliano), principal investigator of the Leverhulme Trust-funded Hunter-Gatherers Resilience Project. "Hunter-gatherers' multi-level social structure exists in different groups, to help regulate these cooperative systems. Furthermore, multi-level social structures regulate social rules, friendship and kinship ties, and the spread of social norms, promoting a more efficient sharing and cooperation. Sharing is a crucial adaptation to hunter-gatherers' lifestyles, central to their resilience--and central to the evolution of mankind."
•••••
"Cooperation and especially food sharing are essential for survival in a hunting-and-gathering economy," Dyble says. "The proverb that 'it takes a village to raise a child' is certainly true for hunter-gatherers, who, without food sharing to mitigate the day-to-day shortfalls in foraging, could simply not survive."
•••••
Lack of sleep increases a child's risk for emotional disorders later
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/uoh-los072116.php
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Lack of sleep increases a child's risk for emotional disorders later
NIH-funded study reveals long-term emotional effects of poor sleep
University of Houston
When asked how lack of sleep affects emotions, common responses are usually grumpy, foggy and short-tempered. While many jokes are made about how sleep deprivation turns the nicest of people into a Jekyll and Hyde, not getting enough shut-eye can lead to far more serious consequences than irritability, difficulty concentrating and impatience.
Candice Alfano, a clinical psychologist and associate psychology professor at the University of Houston, says children who experience inadequate or disrupted sleep are more likely to develop depression and anxiety disorders later in life. Funded by a grant from the NIH's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the study seeks to determine the precise ways inadequate sleep in childhood produces elevated risk for emotional disorders in later years.
•••••
Their findings reveal that inadequate sleep impacts children's emotional health not only by creating more negative emotions, but also by altering positive emotional experiences. For example, after just two nights of poor sleep, children derive less pleasure from positive things, are less reactive to them and less likely to recall details about these positive experiences later. When their normal nightly sleep habits are adequate in duration, however, they're finding these emotional effects are less apparent.
"Healthy sleep is critical for children's psychological well-being," Alfano said. "Continually experiencing inadequate sleep can eventually lead to depression, anxiety and other types of emotional problems. Parents, therefore, need to think about sleep as an essential component of overall health in the same way they do nutrition, dental hygiene and physical activity. If your child has problems waking up in the morning or is sleepy during the day, then their nighttime sleep is probably inadequate. This can result for several reasons, such as a bedtime that is too late, non-restful sleep during the night or an inconsistent sleep schedule."
Alfano says studying the link between sleep disruption and maladaptive emotional processing in childhood is essential, because that's when sleep and emotion regulatory systems are developing. The increased need for sleep and greater brain plasticity during childhood suggests this to be a critical window of opportunity for early intervention. The combined societal costs of anxiety and depressive disorders are estimated to be more than $120 billion annually, underscoring the need for early identification of risk factors and effective intervention methods.
•••••
"There are multiple emotional processes that seem to be disrupted by poor sleep," Alfano said. "For example, our ability to self-monitor, pick up on others' nonverbal cues and accurately identify others' emotions diminishes when sleep is inadequate. Combine this with less impulse control, a hallmark feature of the teenage years, and sleep deprivation can create a 'perfect storm' for experiencing negative emotions and consequences."
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Lack of sleep increases a child's risk for emotional disorders later
NIH-funded study reveals long-term emotional effects of poor sleep
University of Houston
When asked how lack of sleep affects emotions, common responses are usually grumpy, foggy and short-tempered. While many jokes are made about how sleep deprivation turns the nicest of people into a Jekyll and Hyde, not getting enough shut-eye can lead to far more serious consequences than irritability, difficulty concentrating and impatience.
Candice Alfano, a clinical psychologist and associate psychology professor at the University of Houston, says children who experience inadequate or disrupted sleep are more likely to develop depression and anxiety disorders later in life. Funded by a grant from the NIH's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the study seeks to determine the precise ways inadequate sleep in childhood produces elevated risk for emotional disorders in later years.
•••••
Their findings reveal that inadequate sleep impacts children's emotional health not only by creating more negative emotions, but also by altering positive emotional experiences. For example, after just two nights of poor sleep, children derive less pleasure from positive things, are less reactive to them and less likely to recall details about these positive experiences later. When their normal nightly sleep habits are adequate in duration, however, they're finding these emotional effects are less apparent.
"Healthy sleep is critical for children's psychological well-being," Alfano said. "Continually experiencing inadequate sleep can eventually lead to depression, anxiety and other types of emotional problems. Parents, therefore, need to think about sleep as an essential component of overall health in the same way they do nutrition, dental hygiene and physical activity. If your child has problems waking up in the morning or is sleepy during the day, then their nighttime sleep is probably inadequate. This can result for several reasons, such as a bedtime that is too late, non-restful sleep during the night or an inconsistent sleep schedule."
Alfano says studying the link between sleep disruption and maladaptive emotional processing in childhood is essential, because that's when sleep and emotion regulatory systems are developing. The increased need for sleep and greater brain plasticity during childhood suggests this to be a critical window of opportunity for early intervention. The combined societal costs of anxiety and depressive disorders are estimated to be more than $120 billion annually, underscoring the need for early identification of risk factors and effective intervention methods.
•••••
"There are multiple emotional processes that seem to be disrupted by poor sleep," Alfano said. "For example, our ability to self-monitor, pick up on others' nonverbal cues and accurately identify others' emotions diminishes when sleep is inadequate. Combine this with less impulse control, a hallmark feature of the teenage years, and sleep deprivation can create a 'perfect storm' for experiencing negative emotions and consequences."
Background noise may hinder toddlers' ability to learn words
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/sfri-bnm071816.php
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Background noise may hinder toddlers' ability to learn words
Society for Research in Child Development
The environments children are in, including how much and what kinds of stimulation they are exposed to, influence what and how they learn. One important task for children is zeroing in on the information that's relevant to what they're learning and ignoring what isn't. A new study has found that the presence of background noise in the home or at school makes it more difficult for toddlers to learn new words. The study also found that providing additional language cues may help young children overcome the effects of noisy environments.
•••••
"Learning words is an important skill that provides a foundation for children's ability to achieve academically," notes Brianna McMillan, doctoral student in psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who led the study.
"Modern homes are filled with noisy distractions such as TV, radio, and people talking that could affect how children learn words at early ages. Our study suggests that adults should be aware of the amount of background speech in the environment when they're interacting with young children."
Studies on the impact of environmental noise suggest that too much noise can affect children both cognitively and psycho-physiologically, as seen in more negative school performance and increased levels of cortisol and heart rate.
•••••
Children will rarely be in a completely quiet environment when learning. Parents and teachers may find that reducing background noise or highlighting important information can help children learn even when there is background noise. These suggestions may be especially important for low-income households because research shows that such homes on average have higher noise levels due to urban settings and crowding.
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Background noise may hinder toddlers' ability to learn words
Society for Research in Child Development
The environments children are in, including how much and what kinds of stimulation they are exposed to, influence what and how they learn. One important task for children is zeroing in on the information that's relevant to what they're learning and ignoring what isn't. A new study has found that the presence of background noise in the home or at school makes it more difficult for toddlers to learn new words. The study also found that providing additional language cues may help young children overcome the effects of noisy environments.
•••••
"Learning words is an important skill that provides a foundation for children's ability to achieve academically," notes Brianna McMillan, doctoral student in psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who led the study.
"Modern homes are filled with noisy distractions such as TV, radio, and people talking that could affect how children learn words at early ages. Our study suggests that adults should be aware of the amount of background speech in the environment when they're interacting with young children."
Studies on the impact of environmental noise suggest that too much noise can affect children both cognitively and psycho-physiologically, as seen in more negative school performance and increased levels of cortisol and heart rate.
•••••
Children will rarely be in a completely quiet environment when learning. Parents and teachers may find that reducing background noise or highlighting important information can help children learn even when there is background noise. These suggestions may be especially important for low-income households because research shows that such homes on average have higher noise levels due to urban settings and crowding.
Chronic low back pain linked to higher rates of illicit drug use
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/wkh-clb072116.php
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Chronic low back pain linked to higher rates of illicit drug use
Wolters Kluwer Health
People living with chronic low back pain (cLBP) are more likely to use illicit drugs -- including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine -- compared to those without back pain, reports a study in Spine, published by Wolters Kluwer.
In addition, cLBP patients with a history of illicit drug use are more likely to have a current prescription for opioid analgesic (pain-relieving) drugs, according to the new research by Dr. Anna Shmagel of University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and colleagues. While it's not clear which direction the association runs, the patterns of illicit drug use may have implications for decisions about prescribing opioids for patients with back pain.
•••••
tags: drug use, drug abuse
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Chronic low back pain linked to higher rates of illicit drug use
Wolters Kluwer Health
People living with chronic low back pain (cLBP) are more likely to use illicit drugs -- including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine -- compared to those without back pain, reports a study in Spine, published by Wolters Kluwer.
In addition, cLBP patients with a history of illicit drug use are more likely to have a current prescription for opioid analgesic (pain-relieving) drugs, according to the new research by Dr. Anna Shmagel of University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and colleagues. While it's not clear which direction the association runs, the patterns of illicit drug use may have implications for decisions about prescribing opioids for patients with back pain.
•••••
tags: drug use, drug abuse
Smokers quitting tobacco also drink less alcohol
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/bc-sqt071916.php
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Smokers quitting tobacco also drink less alcohol
BioMed Central
People who have recently begun an attempt to quit smoking tobacco are more likely to try to drink less alcohol than other smokers, according to research published in the open access journal BMC Public Health.
In England, people who attempted to stop smoking within the last week reported lower levels of alcohol consumption, were less likely to binge drink, and were more likely to be classified as 'light drinkers' (having a low alcohol risk) compared with those who did not attempt to stop smoking.
Lead author Jamie Brown, from University College London, England, said: "These results go against the commonly held view that people who stop smoking tend to drink more to compensate. It's possible that they are heeding advice to try to avoid alcohol because of its link to relapse."
Previous research has shown that tobacco dependence and alcohol consumption are closely related.
•••••
This was an observational study which means that it cannot demonstrate cause and effect. It may be that smokers choose to restrict their alcohol consumption when attempting to quit smoking to reduce the chance of relapse. Alternatively, it could be that people who drink less are more likely to quit smoking. If this is the case, smokers with higher alcohol consumption may need further encouragement to quit smoking.
Jamie Brown adds: "We can't yet determine the direction of causality. Further research is needed to disentangle whether attempts to quit smoking precede attempts to restrict alcohol consumption or vice versa. We'd also need to rule out other factors which make both more likely. Such as the diagnosis of a health problem causing attempts to cut down on both drinking and smoking."
•••••
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Smokers quitting tobacco also drink less alcohol
BioMed Central
People who have recently begun an attempt to quit smoking tobacco are more likely to try to drink less alcohol than other smokers, according to research published in the open access journal BMC Public Health.
In England, people who attempted to stop smoking within the last week reported lower levels of alcohol consumption, were less likely to binge drink, and were more likely to be classified as 'light drinkers' (having a low alcohol risk) compared with those who did not attempt to stop smoking.
Lead author Jamie Brown, from University College London, England, said: "These results go against the commonly held view that people who stop smoking tend to drink more to compensate. It's possible that they are heeding advice to try to avoid alcohol because of its link to relapse."
Previous research has shown that tobacco dependence and alcohol consumption are closely related.
•••••
This was an observational study which means that it cannot demonstrate cause and effect. It may be that smokers choose to restrict their alcohol consumption when attempting to quit smoking to reduce the chance of relapse. Alternatively, it could be that people who drink less are more likely to quit smoking. If this is the case, smokers with higher alcohol consumption may need further encouragement to quit smoking.
Jamie Brown adds: "We can't yet determine the direction of causality. Further research is needed to disentangle whether attempts to quit smoking precede attempts to restrict alcohol consumption or vice versa. We'd also need to rule out other factors which make both more likely. Such as the diagnosis of a health problem causing attempts to cut down on both drinking and smoking."
•••••
Here's why run-down schools trigger low test scores
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/cu-hwr072116.php
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Here's why run-down schools trigger low test scores
Cornell University
Social scientists have known for several years that kids enrolled in run-down schools miss more classes and have lower test scores than students at well-maintained schools. But they haven't been able to pin down why.
A Cornell University environmental psychologist has an answer.
Lorraine Maxwell, an associate professor of design and environmental analysis in Cornell's College of Human Ecology, studied more than 230 New York City public middle schools and found a chain reaction at work: leaking toilets, smelly cafeterias, broken furniture, and run-down classrooms made students feel negatively which lead to high absenteeism and in turn, contributed to low test scores and poor academic achievement.
"School buildings that are in good condition and attractive may signal to students that someone cares and there's a positive social climate, which in turn may encourage better attendance," Maxwell said. "Students cannot learn if they do not come to school."
Maxwell found that poor building conditions, and the resulting negative perception of the school's social climate, accounted for 70 percent of the poor academic performance. She controlled for students' socioeconomic status and ethnic background, and found that while these student attributes are related to test scores, they do not tell the whole story. School building condition is also a major contributing factor, Maxwell said.
"Those other factors are contributing to poor academic performance, but building condition is significantly contributing also. It's worth it for society to make sure that school buildings are up to par," she said.
•••••
Buildings also have symbolic value, Maxwell said. For example, government buildings in Washington, D.C., and in state capitals are well maintained, with gold-leaf roofs, Greek columns and polished marble stairs meant to inspire awe, she pointed out.
"Those buildings are kept well. Why? They give us a certain impression about what goes on inside and how much society values those activities," she said "So you can understand why kids might think a school that doesn't look good inside or outside is giving them a message that perhaps what happens in their school doesn't matter."
The study has serious implications for policymakers, Maxwell said. They must understand that school conditions are especially important for kids in minority and low-income communities.
"Those students are already potentially facing more of an uphill battle, and sending more positive messages about how the larger society values them is critical," she said.
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Here's why run-down schools trigger low test scores
Cornell University
Social scientists have known for several years that kids enrolled in run-down schools miss more classes and have lower test scores than students at well-maintained schools. But they haven't been able to pin down why.
A Cornell University environmental psychologist has an answer.
Lorraine Maxwell, an associate professor of design and environmental analysis in Cornell's College of Human Ecology, studied more than 230 New York City public middle schools and found a chain reaction at work: leaking toilets, smelly cafeterias, broken furniture, and run-down classrooms made students feel negatively which lead to high absenteeism and in turn, contributed to low test scores and poor academic achievement.
"School buildings that are in good condition and attractive may signal to students that someone cares and there's a positive social climate, which in turn may encourage better attendance," Maxwell said. "Students cannot learn if they do not come to school."
Maxwell found that poor building conditions, and the resulting negative perception of the school's social climate, accounted for 70 percent of the poor academic performance. She controlled for students' socioeconomic status and ethnic background, and found that while these student attributes are related to test scores, they do not tell the whole story. School building condition is also a major contributing factor, Maxwell said.
"Those other factors are contributing to poor academic performance, but building condition is significantly contributing also. It's worth it for society to make sure that school buildings are up to par," she said.
•••••
Buildings also have symbolic value, Maxwell said. For example, government buildings in Washington, D.C., and in state capitals are well maintained, with gold-leaf roofs, Greek columns and polished marble stairs meant to inspire awe, she pointed out.
"Those buildings are kept well. Why? They give us a certain impression about what goes on inside and how much society values those activities," she said "So you can understand why kids might think a school that doesn't look good inside or outside is giving them a message that perhaps what happens in their school doesn't matter."
The study has serious implications for policymakers, Maxwell said. They must understand that school conditions are especially important for kids in minority and low-income communities.
"Those students are already potentially facing more of an uphill battle, and sending more positive messages about how the larger society values them is critical," she said.
Airbags, seat belts associated with reduced likelihood of facial fractures
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/tjnj-asb071916.php
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Airbags, seat belts associated with reduced likelihood of facial fractures
The JAMA Network Journals
Nearly 11 percent of patients examined at trauma centers following motor vehicle collisions had at least one facial fracture, and airbags and seat belts were associated with reduced likelihood of those fractures, according to an article published online by JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 2.3 million people were injured and 32,719 people were killed in motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) in 2013. MVCs are a significant source of the facial fractures treated at U.S. trauma centers.
•••••
The most common facial fracture was a nasal fracture (5.6 percent), followed by midface (3.8 percent), other (3.2 percent), orbital (2.6 percent), mandible (2.2 percent) and panfacial (0.8 percent) fractures, according to the results.
Of the patients who presented at trauma centers with a facial fracture, 5.8 percent had airbag protection only, 26.9 percent used only a seat belt and 9.3 percent used both airbags and seat belts, while 57.6 percent used no protective device.
The authors estimate the use of an airbag alone reduced the likelihood of sustaining any facial fracture by 18 percent compared with using no protective device, a seat belt cut the likelihood by 43 percent and the combination of seat belts and airbags decreased the likelihood by 53 percent.
The likelihood of a facial fracture following a MVC was increased for individuals who were younger, male and used alcohol, the study notes.
•••••
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Airbags, seat belts associated with reduced likelihood of facial fractures
The JAMA Network Journals
Nearly 11 percent of patients examined at trauma centers following motor vehicle collisions had at least one facial fracture, and airbags and seat belts were associated with reduced likelihood of those fractures, according to an article published online by JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 2.3 million people were injured and 32,719 people were killed in motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) in 2013. MVCs are a significant source of the facial fractures treated at U.S. trauma centers.
•••••
The most common facial fracture was a nasal fracture (5.6 percent), followed by midface (3.8 percent), other (3.2 percent), orbital (2.6 percent), mandible (2.2 percent) and panfacial (0.8 percent) fractures, according to the results.
Of the patients who presented at trauma centers with a facial fracture, 5.8 percent had airbag protection only, 26.9 percent used only a seat belt and 9.3 percent used both airbags and seat belts, while 57.6 percent used no protective device.
The authors estimate the use of an airbag alone reduced the likelihood of sustaining any facial fracture by 18 percent compared with using no protective device, a seat belt cut the likelihood by 43 percent and the combination of seat belts and airbags decreased the likelihood by 53 percent.
The likelihood of a facial fracture following a MVC was increased for individuals who were younger, male and used alcohol, the study notes.
•••••
Lichens' secret symbiotic threesome
Neat thing about science is that there is always more to learn. When some physicists claimed several years ago that science was at end, that we know everything there is to know, I knew that they didn't know much biology. And since then we have learned new things about physics.http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/aaft-lss071816.php
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Lichens' secret symbiotic threesome
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The classical view of lichens - formed by a symbiosis between an algae and a single fungus - is too simple, suggests a new study. The study's results reveal that a third species also contributes to this symbiotic relationship, one of the oldest- and best-known symbioses on Earth. For more than 140 years, scientists have thought that lichens arise from algae or cyanobacteria living among the filaments of a fungus. Recently, it has been suggested that another species may play a role in forming complete, functioning thalli, the leafy or shrubby features of lichens.
•••••
their data revealed 506 genetic signatures reflective of the presence of Cyphobasidium, a type of yeast belonging to the Basidiomycete phylum. Upon broader investigation, the team found other Basidiomycete lineages associated with 52 lichen genera from six continents. Analysis of Cyphobasidium by comparing it to its closest relatives suggests that it may have evolved around the time many lichens did, hinting at a long evolutionary history among it and the other species that make up lichens. When the researchers removed the Cyphobasidium from lichen samples, they discovered dead cells within the cortex of the lichen, suggesting that the yeast's presence is vital to the lichen's health. The yeast cells, it turns out, form the characteristic cortex of the lichen thallus and may be important for its shape.
New review concludes that evidence for alcohol causing cancer is strong
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/sfts-nrc071816.php
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
New review concludes that evidence for alcohol causing cancer is strong
Society for the Study of Addiction
A new review of epidemiological evidence supports a causal association between alcohol consumption and cancers at seven sites in the body: oropharynx, larynx, oesophagus, liver, colon, rectum and female breast. This is a stronger statement than the long-recognised association between alcohol and cancer. An association means there is a relationship of some kind between the two variables. A causal association means there is evidence that alcohol consumption directly causes cancer.
The causal link was supported by evidence for a dose-response relationship, at least partial reversal of risk when alcohol consumption is reduced, statistical adjustment for other factors that might explain the association, and specificity of the association with some cancers and not others.
The epidemiological evidence for these conclusions comes from comprehensive reviews undertaken in the last 10 years by the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the Global Burden of Disease Alcohol Group, and the most recent comprehensive meta-analysis undertaken by Bagnardi and colleagues*, building on meta-analyses of the effect of alcohol on single cancers.
The review cites evidence that alcohol caused approximately half a million deaths from cancer in 2012, 5.8% of cancer deaths worldwide. The highest risks are associated with the heaviest drinking, but a considerable burden is experienced by drinkers with low to moderate consumption.
The review also finds the current evidence that moderate drinking provides protection against cardiovascular disease is not strong.
tags: drug use, drug abuse
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
New review concludes that evidence for alcohol causing cancer is strong
Society for the Study of Addiction
A new review of epidemiological evidence supports a causal association between alcohol consumption and cancers at seven sites in the body: oropharynx, larynx, oesophagus, liver, colon, rectum and female breast. This is a stronger statement than the long-recognised association between alcohol and cancer. An association means there is a relationship of some kind between the two variables. A causal association means there is evidence that alcohol consumption directly causes cancer.
The causal link was supported by evidence for a dose-response relationship, at least partial reversal of risk when alcohol consumption is reduced, statistical adjustment for other factors that might explain the association, and specificity of the association with some cancers and not others.
The epidemiological evidence for these conclusions comes from comprehensive reviews undertaken in the last 10 years by the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the Global Burden of Disease Alcohol Group, and the most recent comprehensive meta-analysis undertaken by Bagnardi and colleagues*, building on meta-analyses of the effect of alcohol on single cancers.
The review cites evidence that alcohol caused approximately half a million deaths from cancer in 2012, 5.8% of cancer deaths worldwide. The highest risks are associated with the heaviest drinking, but a considerable burden is experienced by drinkers with low to moderate consumption.
The review also finds the current evidence that moderate drinking provides protection against cardiovascular disease is not strong.
tags: drug use, drug abuse
Does social status affect generosity?
One factor might be that people high in narcissism are likely to feel worthy of their prominent social position.
Public Release: 21-Jul-2016
Does social status affect generosity?
Michigan State University
High-ranking people don't always turn out to be selfish jerks. It all depends on whether they feel worthy of their prominent social position, new research indicates.
A series of six scientific studies led by Michigan State University scholar Nicholas Hays found that people with high social status who didn't believe they earned that status were much more generous than high-status people who felt they deserved the respect and admiration of others.
Prominent people who don't feel their status is fair and equitable become more generous with others to alleviate that sense of inequity, he explained.
•••••
But Hays and Blader, in all six studies, found that while high-status people who felt worthy of their rank were indeed less generous, high-status people who felt unworthy were actually more generous.
Prior research has also found that generosity often leads to high social status. The current study takes that a step further by considering what happens after people have attained high status.
"We demonstrate that generosity may not persist once people achieve that high status," Hays said. "It depends on whether they feel that status is deserved."
Sustaining relationships
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/uor-cob072016.php
Public Release: 20-Jul-2016
Come on baby, (re)light my fire
University of Rochester
Many couples find that their sexual desire has dwindled over time. It's not unusual for partners who could not keep their hands off each to gradually lose interest. But new research indicates that there are ways that couples can sustain--or relight--their passion.
"Our research shows that partners who are responsive to each other outside the bedroom are able to maintain their sexual desire," says Gurit Birnbaum, psychology professor at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya, Israel. Birnbaum and her coauthors also found that women's desire is more strongly affected by their partner's responsiveness than men's desire--although men report a boost, as well.
"Responsiveness--which is a type of intimacy--is so important in a relationship because it signals that one is really concerned with the welfare of the other, but in a way that is truly open and informed about what the other cares about and wants," says Birnbaum. Responsive partners are willing to invest resources in the relationship, and show understanding at a deep level. They make the relationship feel special--that their relationship is unique--which is, at least in Western societies, what people seek from their romantic relationships.
•••••
The results indicated that when men and women perceive their partners as responsive, they feel special and think of their partner as a valuable mate, which boosted sexual desirability.
Birnbaum notes that partner responsiveness had a significantly stronger effect on women's perceptions of themselves and others, suggesting that women experienced higher levels of desire for their responsive partner because they were more likely than men to feel special and value their partner as a result of the partner's responsiveness.
"'Being nice' and things like that are not necessarily based on who the partner is and what the partner really wants," Birnbaum says. "When a mate is truly responsive, the relationship feels special and unique and he or she is perceived as valued and desirable.
"Sexual desire thrives on increasing intimacy and being responsive is one of the best ways to instill this elusive sensation over time; better than any pyrotechnic sex," Birnbaum says.
Public Release: 20-Jul-2016
Come on baby, (re)light my fire
University of Rochester
Many couples find that their sexual desire has dwindled over time. It's not unusual for partners who could not keep their hands off each to gradually lose interest. But new research indicates that there are ways that couples can sustain--or relight--their passion.
"Our research shows that partners who are responsive to each other outside the bedroom are able to maintain their sexual desire," says Gurit Birnbaum, psychology professor at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya, Israel. Birnbaum and her coauthors also found that women's desire is more strongly affected by their partner's responsiveness than men's desire--although men report a boost, as well.
"Responsiveness--which is a type of intimacy--is so important in a relationship because it signals that one is really concerned with the welfare of the other, but in a way that is truly open and informed about what the other cares about and wants," says Birnbaum. Responsive partners are willing to invest resources in the relationship, and show understanding at a deep level. They make the relationship feel special--that their relationship is unique--which is, at least in Western societies, what people seek from their romantic relationships.
•••••
The results indicated that when men and women perceive their partners as responsive, they feel special and think of their partner as a valuable mate, which boosted sexual desirability.
Birnbaum notes that partner responsiveness had a significantly stronger effect on women's perceptions of themselves and others, suggesting that women experienced higher levels of desire for their responsive partner because they were more likely than men to feel special and value their partner as a result of the partner's responsiveness.
"'Being nice' and things like that are not necessarily based on who the partner is and what the partner really wants," Birnbaum says. "When a mate is truly responsive, the relationship feels special and unique and he or she is perceived as valued and desirable.
"Sexual desire thrives on increasing intimacy and being responsive is one of the best ways to instill this elusive sensation over time; better than any pyrotechnic sex," Birnbaum says.
Greener cities become more unjust
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/uadb-gcb072016.php
Public Release: 20-Jul-2016
Greener cities become more unjust
The Greenlulus project (Green Locally Unwanted Land Uses) has been funded with 1.5 million Euros by the European Union
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
•••••
This is noticed in an extraordinary way in the residential areas near Poblenou Park, where neighbours with at least one university degree living less than 100 metres away from a green area have increased by 689% compared to 139% on average in Sant MartÃ. In the Parc de les Cascades, Port OlÃmpic, Nova Icà ria and Carles I, the increment was also significant.
The income of families living near the parks raised significantly (20.5% in Poblenou) and, in some cases, the presence of foreigners from Northern countries jumped by 3791% in the surrounding areas of the Poblenou park, compared to 228% on average in Sant Marti, while immigrants from Southern countries decreased.
In contrast, in some distressed neighbourhoods of Nou Barris and Sant Andreu where "greening" has not taken place, the number of vulnerable households has increased. It is believed that these low-income residents come from neighbourhoods which have gentrified as a result of environmental improvements.
Although neighbourhoods benefit from new green areas, in some of them it would be necessary to boost local trade as well as improve school quality and create new engines of economic activity for the most vulnerable residents.
Public Release: 20-Jul-2016
Greener cities become more unjust
The Greenlulus project (Green Locally Unwanted Land Uses) has been funded with 1.5 million Euros by the European Union
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
•••••
This is noticed in an extraordinary way in the residential areas near Poblenou Park, where neighbours with at least one university degree living less than 100 metres away from a green area have increased by 689% compared to 139% on average in Sant MartÃ. In the Parc de les Cascades, Port OlÃmpic, Nova Icà ria and Carles I, the increment was also significant.
The income of families living near the parks raised significantly (20.5% in Poblenou) and, in some cases, the presence of foreigners from Northern countries jumped by 3791% in the surrounding areas of the Poblenou park, compared to 228% on average in Sant Marti, while immigrants from Southern countries decreased.
In contrast, in some distressed neighbourhoods of Nou Barris and Sant Andreu where "greening" has not taken place, the number of vulnerable households has increased. It is believed that these low-income residents come from neighbourhoods which have gentrified as a result of environmental improvements.
Although neighbourhoods benefit from new green areas, in some of them it would be necessary to boost local trade as well as improve school quality and create new engines of economic activity for the most vulnerable residents.
Exercise as effective as surgery for middle aged patients with knee injury
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/b-eae072016.php
Public Release: 20-Jul-2016
Exercise as effective as surgery for middle aged patients with knee damage
Study raises questions over widespread practice without supporting evidence
BMJ
Exercise therapy is as effective as surgery for middle aged patients with a common type of knee injury known as meniscal tear (damage to the rubbery discs that cushion the knee joint), finds a study in The BMJ this week.
The researchers suggest that supervised exercise therapy should be considered as a treatment option for middle aged patients with this type of knee damage.
Every year, an estimated two million people worldwide undergo knee arthroscopy (keyhole surgery to relieve pain and improve movement) at a cost of several billion US dollars. Yet current evidence suggests that arthroscopic knee surgery offers little benefit for most patients.
So researchers based in Denmark and Norway carried out a randomised controlled trial to compare exercise therapy alone with arthroscopic surgery alone in middle aged patients with degenerative meniscal tears.
•••••
No clinically relevant difference was found between the two groups for outcomes such as pain, function in sport and recreation, and knee related quality of life. At three months, muscle strength had improved in the exercise group.
No serious adverse events occurred in either group during the two-year follow-up. Thirteen (19%) of participants in the exercise group crossed over to surgery during the follow-up period, with no additional benefit.
"Supervised exercise therapy showed positive effects over surgery in improving thigh muscle strength, at least in the short term," say the authors. "Our results should encourage clinicians and middle aged patients with degenerative meniscal tear and no radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis to consider supervised structured exercise therapy as a treatment option."
How did this situation - widespread practice without supporting evidence of even moderate quality - come about, ask two experts in a linked editorial? "Essentially, good evidence has been widely ignored," say Teppo Järvinen at the University of Helsinki and Gordon Guyatt at McMaster University in Canada.
"In a world of increasing awareness of constrained resources and epidemic medical waste, what we should not do is allow the orthopaedic community, hospital administrators, healthcare providers, and funders to ignore the results of rigorous trials and continue widespread use of procedures for which there has never been compelling evidence," they conclude.
Public Release: 20-Jul-2016
Exercise as effective as surgery for middle aged patients with knee damage
Study raises questions over widespread practice without supporting evidence
BMJ
Exercise therapy is as effective as surgery for middle aged patients with a common type of knee injury known as meniscal tear (damage to the rubbery discs that cushion the knee joint), finds a study in The BMJ this week.
The researchers suggest that supervised exercise therapy should be considered as a treatment option for middle aged patients with this type of knee damage.
Every year, an estimated two million people worldwide undergo knee arthroscopy (keyhole surgery to relieve pain and improve movement) at a cost of several billion US dollars. Yet current evidence suggests that arthroscopic knee surgery offers little benefit for most patients.
So researchers based in Denmark and Norway carried out a randomised controlled trial to compare exercise therapy alone with arthroscopic surgery alone in middle aged patients with degenerative meniscal tears.
•••••
No clinically relevant difference was found between the two groups for outcomes such as pain, function in sport and recreation, and knee related quality of life. At three months, muscle strength had improved in the exercise group.
No serious adverse events occurred in either group during the two-year follow-up. Thirteen (19%) of participants in the exercise group crossed over to surgery during the follow-up period, with no additional benefit.
"Supervised exercise therapy showed positive effects over surgery in improving thigh muscle strength, at least in the short term," say the authors. "Our results should encourage clinicians and middle aged patients with degenerative meniscal tear and no radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis to consider supervised structured exercise therapy as a treatment option."
How did this situation - widespread practice without supporting evidence of even moderate quality - come about, ask two experts in a linked editorial? "Essentially, good evidence has been widely ignored," say Teppo Järvinen at the University of Helsinki and Gordon Guyatt at McMaster University in Canada.
"In a world of increasing awareness of constrained resources and epidemic medical waste, what we should not do is allow the orthopaedic community, hospital administrators, healthcare providers, and funders to ignore the results of rigorous trials and continue widespread use of procedures for which there has never been compelling evidence," they conclude.
Study raises concerns over unnecessary imaging after thyroid cancer
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/b-src072016.php
Public Release: 20-Jul-2016
Study raises concerns over unnecessary imaging after thyroid cancer
Increased imaging after initial treatment does not necessarily equal better care
BMJ
A marked rise in use of imaging tests after thyroid cancer has been associated with increased treatment for recurrence, but no clear improvement in survival from the disease, finds a study in The BMJ today.
These findings highlight the importance of curbing unnecessary imaging and tailoring imaging after treatment to patient risk, say the researchers.
Over the past two decades, the incidence of thyroid cancer has risen; most of which can be explained by diagnoses of small, low risk cancers. During this same period, the use of imaging after initial treatment has also increased - most likely due to growing concern about the risk of recurrence.
•••••
Use of neck ultrasounds, radioiodine scans, and PET scans were associated with additional treatment for recurrence, such as surgery, radioactive iodine treatment or radiation therapy. Only the use of radioiodine scans was associated with improved survival from thyroid cancer.
This is an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect and the authors point to several limitations. However, they say it is not clear if the benefits of greater imaging outweigh the financial costs, heightened patient anxiety, and risk of patient harm from the treatment for recurrence.
•••••
Public Release: 20-Jul-2016
Study raises concerns over unnecessary imaging after thyroid cancer
Increased imaging after initial treatment does not necessarily equal better care
BMJ
A marked rise in use of imaging tests after thyroid cancer has been associated with increased treatment for recurrence, but no clear improvement in survival from the disease, finds a study in The BMJ today.
These findings highlight the importance of curbing unnecessary imaging and tailoring imaging after treatment to patient risk, say the researchers.
Over the past two decades, the incidence of thyroid cancer has risen; most of which can be explained by diagnoses of small, low risk cancers. During this same period, the use of imaging after initial treatment has also increased - most likely due to growing concern about the risk of recurrence.
•••••
Use of neck ultrasounds, radioiodine scans, and PET scans were associated with additional treatment for recurrence, such as surgery, radioactive iodine treatment or radiation therapy. Only the use of radioiodine scans was associated with improved survival from thyroid cancer.
This is an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect and the authors point to several limitations. However, they say it is not clear if the benefits of greater imaging outweigh the financial costs, heightened patient anxiety, and risk of patient harm from the treatment for recurrence.
•••••
Trump pays IRS penalty following controversial donation
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-pays-irs-penalty-following-controversial-donation
By Steve Benen
Sept. 2, 2016
Of all of Donald Trump’s controversies from the early summer, the one about Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (R) was one of the toughest to explain away. As we discussed a few months ago, the Republican A.G. briefly considered joining a multi-state suit against “Trump University,” but Bondi dropped the investigation after the Trump Foundation made a $25,000 contribution towards her re-election campaign.
It didn’t help matters that Bondi “personally solicited” the money from Trump while her office was considering a case against “Trump University.”
Also unclear was why the Trump Foundation, ostensibly a charitable entity, was making a campaign contribution. The Washington Post reported late yesterday that the questions prompted IRS scrutiny and a penalty the Republican presidential candidate paid this year.
Donald Trump paid the IRS a $2,500 penalty this year, an official at Trump’s company said, after it was revealed that Trump’s charitable foundation had violated tax laws by giving a political contribution to a campaign group connected to Florida’s attorney general. […]
In [its 2013] tax filings, The Post reported, the Trump Foundation did not notify the IRS of this political donation. Instead, Trump’s foundation listed a donation – also for $25,000 – to a Kansas charity with a name similar to that of Bondi’s political group. In fact, Trump’s foundation had not given the Kansas group any money.
The prohibited gift was, in effect, replaced with an innocent-sounding but nonexistent donation.
•••••
Guy Cecil, the co-chair PrioritiesUSA, a leading Democratic super PAC, joked on Twitter yesterday, “Breaking: Presidential candidate’s foundation fined for pay-to-play scheme. Looking forward to wall-to-wall coverage.”
He has a point. There’s been intense interest from news organizations in the Clinton Foundation, and several Republicans have asked for a special prosecutor to investigate Hillary Clinton’s ties to her husband’s charity – despite the fact that there’s no evidence she did anything wrong and no one seems able to identify the specific allegations against the Democratic candidate.
It’s now taken as a given across much of the political world that the Clinton Foundation is “controversial” for reasons that are still, at best, difficult to explain.
And yet, as of now, only one 2016 presidential candidate has been fined for misusing a charitable foundation to make an improper political donation – and that candidate isn’t Hillary Clinton.
By Steve Benen
Sept. 2, 2016
Of all of Donald Trump’s controversies from the early summer, the one about Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (R) was one of the toughest to explain away. As we discussed a few months ago, the Republican A.G. briefly considered joining a multi-state suit against “Trump University,” but Bondi dropped the investigation after the Trump Foundation made a $25,000 contribution towards her re-election campaign.
It didn’t help matters that Bondi “personally solicited” the money from Trump while her office was considering a case against “Trump University.”
Also unclear was why the Trump Foundation, ostensibly a charitable entity, was making a campaign contribution. The Washington Post reported late yesterday that the questions prompted IRS scrutiny and a penalty the Republican presidential candidate paid this year.
Donald Trump paid the IRS a $2,500 penalty this year, an official at Trump’s company said, after it was revealed that Trump’s charitable foundation had violated tax laws by giving a political contribution to a campaign group connected to Florida’s attorney general. […]
In [its 2013] tax filings, The Post reported, the Trump Foundation did not notify the IRS of this political donation. Instead, Trump’s foundation listed a donation – also for $25,000 – to a Kansas charity with a name similar to that of Bondi’s political group. In fact, Trump’s foundation had not given the Kansas group any money.
The prohibited gift was, in effect, replaced with an innocent-sounding but nonexistent donation.
•••••
Guy Cecil, the co-chair PrioritiesUSA, a leading Democratic super PAC, joked on Twitter yesterday, “Breaking: Presidential candidate’s foundation fined for pay-to-play scheme. Looking forward to wall-to-wall coverage.”
He has a point. There’s been intense interest from news organizations in the Clinton Foundation, and several Republicans have asked for a special prosecutor to investigate Hillary Clinton’s ties to her husband’s charity – despite the fact that there’s no evidence she did anything wrong and no one seems able to identify the specific allegations against the Democratic candidate.
It’s now taken as a given across much of the political world that the Clinton Foundation is “controversial” for reasons that are still, at best, difficult to explain.
And yet, as of now, only one 2016 presidential candidate has been fined for misusing a charitable foundation to make an improper political donation – and that candidate isn’t Hillary Clinton.
Saturday, September 03, 2016
Medication implant may improve opioid abstinence among adults with opioid dependence
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/tjnj-mim071416.php
Public Release: 19-Jul-2016
Medication implant may improve opioid abstinence among adults with opioid dependence
The JAMA Network Journals
In a study appearing in the July 19 issue of JAMA, Richard N. Rosenthal, M.D., of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, and colleagues examined if 6-month subdermal buprenorphine implants maintained low to no illicit opioid use relative to daily sublingual (beneath the tongue) buprenorphine among currently stable opioid-dependent patients receiving buprenorphine maintenance treatment.
Opioid dependence is a growing public health concern in the United States, associated with spread of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C and fatal over dose when left untreated. The effectiveness of treatment with the medication buprenorphine is limited by suboptimal adherence.
•••••
Over 6 months, 72 of 84 (86 percent) receiving buprenorphine implants and 64 of 89 (72 percent) receiving sublingual buprenorphine maintained opioid abstinence. Non-implant-related and implant-related adverse events occurred in 48 percent and 23 percent of the buprenorphine implant group and in 53 percent and 13.5 percent of participants in the sublingual buprenorphine group, respectively.
•••••
Editor's Note: This study was funded by Braeburn Pharmaceuticals. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, etc.
•••••
tags: drug use, drug abuse
Public Release: 19-Jul-2016
Medication implant may improve opioid abstinence among adults with opioid dependence
The JAMA Network Journals
In a study appearing in the July 19 issue of JAMA, Richard N. Rosenthal, M.D., of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, and colleagues examined if 6-month subdermal buprenorphine implants maintained low to no illicit opioid use relative to daily sublingual (beneath the tongue) buprenorphine among currently stable opioid-dependent patients receiving buprenorphine maintenance treatment.
Opioid dependence is a growing public health concern in the United States, associated with spread of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C and fatal over dose when left untreated. The effectiveness of treatment with the medication buprenorphine is limited by suboptimal adherence.
•••••
Over 6 months, 72 of 84 (86 percent) receiving buprenorphine implants and 64 of 89 (72 percent) receiving sublingual buprenorphine maintained opioid abstinence. Non-implant-related and implant-related adverse events occurred in 48 percent and 23 percent of the buprenorphine implant group and in 53 percent and 13.5 percent of participants in the sublingual buprenorphine group, respectively.
•••••
Editor's Note: This study was funded by Braeburn Pharmaceuticals. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, etc.
•••••
tags: drug use, drug abuse
Eating healthy fats in place of carbs or saturated fats improves risk factors for diabetes
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/tuhs-ehf071416.php
Public Release: 19-Jul-2016
Eating healthy fats in place of carbs or saturated fats improves risk factors for diabetes
A large-scale meta-analysis finds consumption of unsaturated fats in place of either saturated fats or carbohydrates could aid in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes
Tufts University, Health Sciences Campus
Eating more unsaturated fats, especially polyunsaturated fats, in place of either dietary carbohydrate or saturated fats lowers blood sugar levels and improves insulin resistance and secretion, according to a new meta-analysis of data from 102 randomised controlled feeding trials in adults.
•••••
Public Release: 19-Jul-2016
Eating healthy fats in place of carbs or saturated fats improves risk factors for diabetes
A large-scale meta-analysis finds consumption of unsaturated fats in place of either saturated fats or carbohydrates could aid in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes
Tufts University, Health Sciences Campus
Eating more unsaturated fats, especially polyunsaturated fats, in place of either dietary carbohydrate or saturated fats lowers blood sugar levels and improves insulin resistance and secretion, according to a new meta-analysis of data from 102 randomised controlled feeding trials in adults.
•••••
Lower risk of bowel cancer death linked to high omega 3 intake after diagnosis
There are vegetarian sources of omega-3 fatty acids, such as ground flax seed.http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/b-lro071916.php
Public Release: 19-Jul-2016
Lower risk of bowel cancer death linked to high omega 3 intake after diagnosis
People with the disease may benefit from boosting dietary oily fish content, say researchers
BMJ
A high dietary intake of omega 3 fatty acids, derived from oily fish, may help to lower the risk of death from bowel cancer in patients diagnosed with the disease, suggests research published online in the journal Gut.
If the findings can be reproduced in other studies, patients with bowel cancer might benefit from boosting their oily fish intake to help prolong their survival, say the researchers.
Previous experimental research has shown that omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)--namely, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA)--can suppress tumour growth and curb blood supply to malignant cells (angiogenesis).
•••••
Participants with a higher dietary intake of omega 3 from oily fish were more likely to be physically active, take multivitamins, drink alcohol and to consume more vitamin D and fibre. They were also less likely to smoke--all factors associated with a lower risk of bowel cancer.
But those who had been diagnosed with bowel cancer and whose diets contained higher levels of marine omega 3 had a lower risk of dying from the disease. Omega 3 intake, however, was not linked to a lower risk of death, overall.
The extent of the reduced risk seemed to be linked to dose, with higher doses associated with lower risk, the findings showed. This held true even after taking account of intake prior to the diagnosis, as well as other potentially influential factors.
Compared with patients who consumed less than 0.1 g of omega 3 fatty acids daily, those who consumed at least 0.3 g daily after their diagnosis, had a 41% lower risk of dying from their disease.
This reduced risk applied to food sources and supplements, although few people used omega 3 fish oil supplements, the researchers point out.
The association between marine omega 3 intake and lowered risk of death seemed to be particularly evident among those who were tall, had a BMI below 25, or who didn't take regular aspirin.
And increasing intake of marine omega 3 by at least 0.15 g daily after diagnosis was associated with a 70% lower risk of dying from bowel cancer; while a reduction in daily intake was associated with a 10% heightened risk of death from the disease.
Similar patterns were evident for death from all causes (13% lower and 21% higher, respectively) in those who either increased or decreased their intake after diagnosis.
This is an observational study so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, but the researchers say that their findings provide the first line of population based evidence for the potentially positive impact of oily fish omega 3 fatty acids on bowel cancer survival.
•••••
Same genes could make us prone to both happiness and depression
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/uoo-sgc071816.php
Public Release: 19-Jul-2016
Same genes could make us prone to both happiness and depression
Psychology researchers say studies in cognitive bias and genetics must be brought together to better understand how best to tackle mental ill health
University of Oxford
•••••
Professor Fox said: 'If you take a gene that is linked to mental illness, and compare people who have the same genetic variant, it becomes clear that what happens to their mental health is based on their environment. We suggest that while no gene 'causes' mental ill health, some genes can make people more sensitive to the effects of their environment - for better and for worse.
'If you have those genes and are in a negative environment, you are likely to develop the negative cognitive biases that lead to mental disorders. If you have those genes but are in a supportive environment, you are likely to develop positive cognitive biases that increase your mental resilience.'
•••••
tags: orchid people, orchid children
Public Release: 19-Jul-2016
Same genes could make us prone to both happiness and depression
Psychology researchers say studies in cognitive bias and genetics must be brought together to better understand how best to tackle mental ill health
University of Oxford
•••••
Professor Fox said: 'If you take a gene that is linked to mental illness, and compare people who have the same genetic variant, it becomes clear that what happens to their mental health is based on their environment. We suggest that while no gene 'causes' mental ill health, some genes can make people more sensitive to the effects of their environment - for better and for worse.
'If you have those genes and are in a negative environment, you are likely to develop the negative cognitive biases that lead to mental disorders. If you have those genes but are in a supportive environment, you are likely to develop positive cognitive biases that increase your mental resilience.'
•••••
tags: orchid people, orchid children
We need to talk about the child rape lawsuit filed against Donald Trump.
The MSM, including NPR, also mostly ignores Trump's bad business behaviour, while inundating us with accusations about Hillary's e-mails, a much less important factor of character.http://www.msn.com/en-sg/news/world/we-need-to-talk-about-the-child-rape-lawsuit-filed-against-donald-trump/ar-AAi4gRO
Joanna Robin
May 7, 2016
You’d think an accusation of child rape levelled at one of the most powerful men in the Western world would be front page news, and yet reports of a federal lawsuit filed against Donald Trump, which claims he and another man sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl, have hardly made a sound.
While the billionaire US presidential hopeful has denied any wrongdoing — his lawyers have described the reports as “categorically untrue, completely fabricated and politically motivated” — that doesn’t mean they aren’t potentially credible and it certainly doesn’t render them not newsworthy.
An anonymous “Jane Doe” alleges that Trump raped her in 1994 while she was being held as a sex slave in an apartment belonging to Jeffrey Epstein, a well-known American financier and convicted sex offender.
•••••
The woman claims Trump "initiated sexual contact" with her on four occasions while she was 13, according to her victim statement.
She described the fourth as a "savage sexual attack" after which he threatened that she and her family would be "physically harmed if not killed."
•••••
Arguably, it is very much in the public interest for news organisations to report that the man seeking to lead the free world is accused of having sex with an underage girl multiple times and, on one occasion, allegedly doing so violently and without her consent — even if the allegations are later proven not to be true.
The Huffington Post is one of the few places a balanced analysis of the case's viability can be found.
As legal analyst for NBC News Lisa Bloom writes: "If the Bill Cosby case has taught us anything, it is to not disregard rape cases against famous men."
"In covering a story, a media outlet is not finding guilt. It is simply reporting the news that a lawsuit has been filed against Mr. Trump, and ideally putting the complaint in context."
•••••
Beware of antioxidants, warns scientific review
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/w-boa071916.php
Public Release: 19-Jul-2016
Beware of antioxidants, warns scientific review
Wiley
The lay press and thousands of nutritional products warn of oxygen radicals or oxidative stress and suggest taking so-called antioxidants to prevent or cure disease. Professor Pietro Ghezzi at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Professor Harald Schmidt at the University of Maastricht have analyzed the evidence behind this. The result is a clear warning: do not take these supplements unless a clear deficiency is diagnosed by a healthcare professional.
Humans depend on oxygen to produce energy, but oxygen also has the potential to generate so-called oxygen radicals, which may cause oxidative stress and disease. Markers of oxidative stress have been correlated with cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and other conditions. Because of these associations, antioxidant supplements are taken by millions of people; however, none of the antioxidants tested in randomized clinical trials have demonstrated any benefit. On the contrary, some of them may cause harm. This is because oxygen radicals not only trigger disease but also perform many important functions in the body, such as for immune defense and hormone synthesis. Thus anti-oxidants will interfere with both healthy and disease-triggering oxygen molecules.
•••••
Public Release: 19-Jul-2016
Beware of antioxidants, warns scientific review
Wiley
The lay press and thousands of nutritional products warn of oxygen radicals or oxidative stress and suggest taking so-called antioxidants to prevent or cure disease. Professor Pietro Ghezzi at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Professor Harald Schmidt at the University of Maastricht have analyzed the evidence behind this. The result is a clear warning: do not take these supplements unless a clear deficiency is diagnosed by a healthcare professional.
Humans depend on oxygen to produce energy, but oxygen also has the potential to generate so-called oxygen radicals, which may cause oxidative stress and disease. Markers of oxidative stress have been correlated with cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and other conditions. Because of these associations, antioxidant supplements are taken by millions of people; however, none of the antioxidants tested in randomized clinical trials have demonstrated any benefit. On the contrary, some of them may cause harm. This is because oxygen radicals not only trigger disease but also perform many important functions in the body, such as for immune defense and hormone synthesis. Thus anti-oxidants will interfere with both healthy and disease-triggering oxygen molecules.
•••••
Friday, September 02, 2016
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/w-sec071916.php
Public Release: 19-Jul-2016
Surgical expenses cause financial catastrophe for millions each year
Wiley
According to an analysis of publicly available data from 186 countries, direct medical costs of surgery put an estimated 43.9 per cent of the world's population at risk of financial catastrophe and between 30.8 and 57.0 per cent at risk of falling below national and international poverty lines.
Direct medical expenditures on surgery will push approximately 30 million individuals into financial catastrophe and 11 million below their country's poverty line every year.
•••••
Public Release: 19-Jul-2016
Surgical expenses cause financial catastrophe for millions each year
Wiley
According to an analysis of publicly available data from 186 countries, direct medical costs of surgery put an estimated 43.9 per cent of the world's population at risk of financial catastrophe and between 30.8 and 57.0 per cent at risk of falling below national and international poverty lines.
Direct medical expenditures on surgery will push approximately 30 million individuals into financial catastrophe and 11 million below their country's poverty line every year.
•••••
Religious children are meaner than their secular counterparts, study finds
Christians, Jews, & Muslims believe that only those who believe in their religion are approved by God. This does not serve to inhance empathy and caring.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/06/religious-children-less-altruistic-secular-kids-study?CMP=share_btn_fb
Harriet Sherwood
Nov. 6, 2015
Children from religious families are less kind and more punitive than those from non-religious households, according to a new study.
Academics from seven universities across the world studied Christian, Muslim and non-religious children to test the relationship between religion and morality.
They found that religious belief is a negative influence on children’s altruism.
“Overall, our findings ... contradict the commonsense and popular assumption that children from religious households are more altruistic and kind towards others,” said the authors of The Negative Association Between Religiousness and Children’s Altruism Across the World, published this week in Current Biology.
“More generally, they call into question whether religion is vital for moral development, supporting the idea that secularisation of moral discourse will not reduce human kindness – in fact, it will do just the opposite.”
•••••
Older children, usually those with a longer exposure to religion, “exhibit[ed] the greatest negative relations”.
The study also found that “religiosity affects children’s punitive tendencies”. Children from religious households “frequently appear to be more judgmental of others’ actions”, it said.
Muslim children judged “interpersonal harm as more mean” than children from Christian families, with non-religious children the least judgmental. Muslim children demanded harsher punishment than those from Christian or non-religious homes.
At the same time, the report said that religious parents were more likely than others to consider their children to be “more empathetic and more sensitive to the plight of others”.
•••••
Thursday, September 01, 2016
Loss of employer-based health insurance in early retirement affects mental, physical health
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/gsu-loe071816.php
Public Release: 18-Jul-2016
Loss of employer-based health insurance in early retirement affects mental, physical health
Georgia State University
The loss of private health insurance from an employer can lead to poorer mental and physical health as older adults transition to early retirement, according to a study by Georgia State University.
The study evaluated the impact of private insurance coverage on the symptoms of depression, activities of daily living (such as getting dressed) and instrumental activities of daily life (such as shopping for groceries and taking medications) during the transition from full-time work to early full retirement. The findings are published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Sciences.
Private health insurance is an important factor for the health of early retirees, and those who maintain steady coverage tend to fare best in retirement. Losing insurance from an employer was associated with increased symptoms of depression and limitations in daily activities.
Employment-based insurance was typically associated with better health. Even when retirees sought private non-group insurance, this insurance didn't offset the negative consequences of being without employment-based insurance.
"If people are getting insurance from places other than their employer, these kinds of insurance tend to be less good," said Ben Lennox Kail, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at Georgia State. "And if people are getting lower-quality insurances, older adults are going to be sicker upon retirement."
•••••
Public Release: 18-Jul-2016
Loss of employer-based health insurance in early retirement affects mental, physical health
Georgia State University
The loss of private health insurance from an employer can lead to poorer mental and physical health as older adults transition to early retirement, according to a study by Georgia State University.
The study evaluated the impact of private insurance coverage on the symptoms of depression, activities of daily living (such as getting dressed) and instrumental activities of daily life (such as shopping for groceries and taking medications) during the transition from full-time work to early full retirement. The findings are published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Sciences.
Private health insurance is an important factor for the health of early retirees, and those who maintain steady coverage tend to fare best in retirement. Losing insurance from an employer was associated with increased symptoms of depression and limitations in daily activities.
Employment-based insurance was typically associated with better health. Even when retirees sought private non-group insurance, this insurance didn't offset the negative consequences of being without employment-based insurance.
"If people are getting insurance from places other than their employer, these kinds of insurance tend to be less good," said Ben Lennox Kail, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at Georgia State. "And if people are getting lower-quality insurances, older adults are going to be sicker upon retirement."
•••••
Moderate exercise might be more effective at combatting pre-diabetes
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/dumc-mem071816.php
Public Release: 18-Jul-2016
Moderate exercise might be more effective at combatting pre-diabetes
Duke University Medical Center
Walking briskly on a regular basis may be more effective than vigorous jogging for improving glucose control in individuals with pre-diabetes, according to research from Duke Health.
The findings, published online July 15 in the journal Diabetologia, are the result of a randomized, six-month study of 150 participants, each of whom was designated as having pre-diabetes based on elevated fasting glucose levels.
•••••
"Another way to say it is that a high amount of moderate-intensity exercise alone provided nearly the same benefit on glucose tolerance that we see in the gold standard of fat and calorie restriction along with exercise," said Cris Slentz, Ph.D., a study co-author and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Duke.
Kraus and Slentz said the study's results could reflect the different ways in which high- and moderate-intensity exercise impact the body.
"High-intensity exercise tends to burn glucose more than fat, while moderate-intensity exercise tends to burn fat more than glucose," Kraus said. "We believe that one benefit of moderate-intensity exercise is that it burns off fat in the muscles, which relieves the block of glucose uptake by the muscles. That's important because muscle is the major place to store glucose after a meal," Kraus said.
The authors note that only a diabetes outcome study could determine whether moderate-intensity exercise is actually superior to high-intensity exercise at preventing patients with pre-diabetes from progressing to diabetes. Still, Kraus said the study's results could provide manageable alternatives for pre-diabetic patients.
•••••
Public Release: 18-Jul-2016
Moderate exercise might be more effective at combatting pre-diabetes
Duke University Medical Center
Walking briskly on a regular basis may be more effective than vigorous jogging for improving glucose control in individuals with pre-diabetes, according to research from Duke Health.
The findings, published online July 15 in the journal Diabetologia, are the result of a randomized, six-month study of 150 participants, each of whom was designated as having pre-diabetes based on elevated fasting glucose levels.
•••••
"Another way to say it is that a high amount of moderate-intensity exercise alone provided nearly the same benefit on glucose tolerance that we see in the gold standard of fat and calorie restriction along with exercise," said Cris Slentz, Ph.D., a study co-author and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Duke.
Kraus and Slentz said the study's results could reflect the different ways in which high- and moderate-intensity exercise impact the body.
"High-intensity exercise tends to burn glucose more than fat, while moderate-intensity exercise tends to burn fat more than glucose," Kraus said. "We believe that one benefit of moderate-intensity exercise is that it burns off fat in the muscles, which relieves the block of glucose uptake by the muscles. That's important because muscle is the major place to store glucose after a meal," Kraus said.
The authors note that only a diabetes outcome study could determine whether moderate-intensity exercise is actually superior to high-intensity exercise at preventing patients with pre-diabetes from progressing to diabetes. Still, Kraus said the study's results could provide manageable alternatives for pre-diabetic patients.
•••••
Children affected by parental substance use
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/bidm-cab071516.php
Public Release: 18-Jul-2016
Children affected by parental substance use
Pediatricians positioned to break multigenerational cycle of addiction
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
BOSTON - Children whose parents or caregivers misuse alcohol or use, produce or distribute drugs face an increased risk of medical and behavioral problems. According to a new clinical report by experts at Beth Israel Medical Center (BIDMC) and Boston Children's Hospital, pediatricians are in a unique position to assess risk and intervene to protect children. The report, "Families Affected by Parental Substance Use," is available online today and slated for publication in the August print edition of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Association of Pediatrics.
"Alcohol misuse and substance use are exceedingly common in this country, and parents' or caregivers' substance use may affect their ability to consistently prioritize their children's basic physical and emotional needs and provide a safe, nurturing environment," says co-author Vincent C. Smith, MD, MPH, a neonatologist at BIDMC and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School (HMS). "Because these children are at risk of suffering physical or emotional harm, pediatricians need to know how to assess a child's risk and to support the family to get the help they need."
An estimated one in five U.S. children grows up in a home in which someone misuses alcohol or has a substance use disorder, the authors write. Whether from the toxic effects of exposure to these substances or from the neglect of their basic needs by parents or caretakers struggling with substance use disorders, children in these households commonly experience developmental and educational delays and, later, are at higher risk for mental health and behavioral problems. They also are more likely than their peers to have substance use disorders themselves later in life.
•••••
Citing studies that say children whose parents use drugs and misuse alcohol are three times more likely to be physically, sexually or emotionally abused and four times more likely to be neglected than their peers, the authors urge all pediatricians to include questions about caregivers' substance use as part of the routine family assessment. Some warning signs of abuse and neglect include: frequent injuries and bruises, especially in clusters or in patterns that could indicate contact with a hand, belt or other instrument; children who are withdrawn, fearful or flinch at sudden movements; a lack dental care or immunization; or ill-fitting, filthy or inappropriate clothing.
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Public Release: 18-Jul-2016
Children affected by parental substance use
Pediatricians positioned to break multigenerational cycle of addiction
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
BOSTON - Children whose parents or caregivers misuse alcohol or use, produce or distribute drugs face an increased risk of medical and behavioral problems. According to a new clinical report by experts at Beth Israel Medical Center (BIDMC) and Boston Children's Hospital, pediatricians are in a unique position to assess risk and intervene to protect children. The report, "Families Affected by Parental Substance Use," is available online today and slated for publication in the August print edition of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Association of Pediatrics.
"Alcohol misuse and substance use are exceedingly common in this country, and parents' or caregivers' substance use may affect their ability to consistently prioritize their children's basic physical and emotional needs and provide a safe, nurturing environment," says co-author Vincent C. Smith, MD, MPH, a neonatologist at BIDMC and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School (HMS). "Because these children are at risk of suffering physical or emotional harm, pediatricians need to know how to assess a child's risk and to support the family to get the help they need."
An estimated one in five U.S. children grows up in a home in which someone misuses alcohol or has a substance use disorder, the authors write. Whether from the toxic effects of exposure to these substances or from the neglect of their basic needs by parents or caretakers struggling with substance use disorders, children in these households commonly experience developmental and educational delays and, later, are at higher risk for mental health and behavioral problems. They also are more likely than their peers to have substance use disorders themselves later in life.
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Citing studies that say children whose parents use drugs and misuse alcohol are three times more likely to be physically, sexually or emotionally abused and four times more likely to be neglected than their peers, the authors urge all pediatricians to include questions about caregivers' substance use as part of the routine family assessment. Some warning signs of abuse and neglect include: frequent injuries and bruises, especially in clusters or in patterns that could indicate contact with a hand, belt or other instrument; children who are withdrawn, fearful or flinch at sudden movements; a lack dental care or immunization; or ill-fitting, filthy or inappropriate clothing.
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Mental, physical exercises produce distinct brain benefits
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/cfb-mpe071816.php
Public Release: 18-Jul-2016
Mental, physical exercises produce distinct brain benefits
Center for BrainHealth
Cognitive brain training improves executive function whereas aerobic activity improves memory, according to new Center for BrainHealth research at The University of Texas at Dallas.
The study, published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, found that healthy adults who participated in cognitive training demonstrated positive changes in executive brain function as well as a 7.9 percent increase in global brain flow compared to study counterparts who participated in an aerobic exercise program. The aerobic exercise group showed increases in immediate and delayed memory performance that were not seen in the cognitive training group. The randomized trial is the first to compare cerebral blood flow and cerebrovascular reactivity data obtained via MRI.
"Many adults without dementia experience slow, continuous and significant age-related changes in the brain, specifically in the areas of memory and executive function, such as planning and problem-solving," said Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman, study lead author, founder and chief director of the Center for BrainHealth, and Dee Wyly Distinguished University Professor. "We can lose 1-2 percent in global brain blood flow every decade, starting in our 20s. To see almost an 8 percent increase in brain blood flow in the cognitive training group may be seen as regaining decades of brain health since blood flow is linked to neural health."
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Public Release: 18-Jul-2016
Mental, physical exercises produce distinct brain benefits
Center for BrainHealth
Cognitive brain training improves executive function whereas aerobic activity improves memory, according to new Center for BrainHealth research at The University of Texas at Dallas.
The study, published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, found that healthy adults who participated in cognitive training demonstrated positive changes in executive brain function as well as a 7.9 percent increase in global brain flow compared to study counterparts who participated in an aerobic exercise program. The aerobic exercise group showed increases in immediate and delayed memory performance that were not seen in the cognitive training group. The randomized trial is the first to compare cerebral blood flow and cerebrovascular reactivity data obtained via MRI.
"Many adults without dementia experience slow, continuous and significant age-related changes in the brain, specifically in the areas of memory and executive function, such as planning and problem-solving," said Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman, study lead author, founder and chief director of the Center for BrainHealth, and Dee Wyly Distinguished University Professor. "We can lose 1-2 percent in global brain blood flow every decade, starting in our 20s. To see almost an 8 percent increase in brain blood flow in the cognitive training group may be seen as regaining decades of brain health since blood flow is linked to neural health."
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Cannabis reduces short-term motivation to work for money
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-09/ucl-crs083116.php
Public Release: 1-Sep-2016
Cannabis reduces short-term motivation to work for money
Smoking the equivalent of a single 'spliff' of cannabis makes people less willing to work for money while 'high'
University College London
Smoking the equivalent of a single 'spliff' of cannabis makes people less willing to work for money while 'high', finds a new UCL study.
The research, published in Psychopharmacology, is the first to reliably demonstrate the short-term effects of cannabis on motivation in humans. The researchers also tested motivation in people who were addicted to cannabis but not high during the test, and found that their motivation levels were no different to volunteers in the control group.
"Although cannabis is commonly thought to reduce motivation, this is the first time it has been reliably tested and quantified using an appropriate sample size and methodology," says lead author Dr Will Lawn (UCL Clinical Psychopharmacology). "It has also been proposed that long-term cannabis users might also have problems with motivation even when they are not high. However, we compared people dependent on cannabis to similar controls, when neither group was intoxicated, and did not find a difference in motivation. This tentatively suggests that long-term cannabis use may not result in residual motivation problems when people stop using it. However, longitudinal research is needed to provide more conclusive evidence."
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tags: drug abuse, drug use
Public Release: 1-Sep-2016
Cannabis reduces short-term motivation to work for money
Smoking the equivalent of a single 'spliff' of cannabis makes people less willing to work for money while 'high'
University College London
Smoking the equivalent of a single 'spliff' of cannabis makes people less willing to work for money while 'high', finds a new UCL study.
The research, published in Psychopharmacology, is the first to reliably demonstrate the short-term effects of cannabis on motivation in humans. The researchers also tested motivation in people who were addicted to cannabis but not high during the test, and found that their motivation levels were no different to volunteers in the control group.
"Although cannabis is commonly thought to reduce motivation, this is the first time it has been reliably tested and quantified using an appropriate sample size and methodology," says lead author Dr Will Lawn (UCL Clinical Psychopharmacology). "It has also been proposed that long-term cannabis users might also have problems with motivation even when they are not high. However, we compared people dependent on cannabis to similar controls, when neither group was intoxicated, and did not find a difference in motivation. This tentatively suggests that long-term cannabis use may not result in residual motivation problems when people stop using it. However, longitudinal research is needed to provide more conclusive evidence."
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tags: drug abuse, drug use
Sex offender charged in girl's 1991 rape, murder after 5 men falsely charged
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dixmoor-5-case-convict-charged-in-cataresa-matthews-1991-rape-killing-after-dna-cleared-5/
Sept. 1, 2016
Prosecutors say a 58-year-old convict has been charged with murder and kidnapping in the 1991 killing of a 14-year-old suburban Chicago girl.
More than two years ago, five men reached a $40 million settlement with Illinois State Police after they were cleared of all charges in the death of Dixmoor teenager Cateresa Matthews. The men, known as the “Dixmoor Five,” spent a decade or more in prison before DNA evidence pointed to Willie Randolph, not them, in the girl’s killing.
Randolph is already serving a three-year sentence for drug possession in an Illinois state prison. He is a convicted sex offender, reports CBS Chicago.
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Matthews was kidnapped at a bus stop in 1991, reports CBS Chicago. Her body was found in a field three weeks later. She had been raped, shot in the mouth, and left for dead.
A year later, five teens were arrested. Although DNA testing did not link any of them to the crime, three of them confessed and two – Robert Lee Veal and Shainnie Sharp – agreed to testify against the others in exchange for reduced sentences, the station reports.
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Veal and Sharp served about 10 years, while the three others were sentenced to 80 to 85 years. Veal and Sharp recanted their testimony in 2010, after they had both served their sentences, with Veal’s attorneys saying police coerced his confession and took advantage of the fact that he was 15 and had a low IQ.
The following year, more advanced DNA testing linked Randolph to the crime, the station reports, and their three co-defendants were released.
Although DNA testing linked Randolph to the child’s death in 2011, authorities said they did not have enough evidence against him to bring charges until now, the station reports.
Sept. 1, 2016
Prosecutors say a 58-year-old convict has been charged with murder and kidnapping in the 1991 killing of a 14-year-old suburban Chicago girl.
More than two years ago, five men reached a $40 million settlement with Illinois State Police after they were cleared of all charges in the death of Dixmoor teenager Cateresa Matthews. The men, known as the “Dixmoor Five,” spent a decade or more in prison before DNA evidence pointed to Willie Randolph, not them, in the girl’s killing.
Randolph is already serving a three-year sentence for drug possession in an Illinois state prison. He is a convicted sex offender, reports CBS Chicago.
•••••
Matthews was kidnapped at a bus stop in 1991, reports CBS Chicago. Her body was found in a field three weeks later. She had been raped, shot in the mouth, and left for dead.
A year later, five teens were arrested. Although DNA testing did not link any of them to the crime, three of them confessed and two – Robert Lee Veal and Shainnie Sharp – agreed to testify against the others in exchange for reduced sentences, the station reports.
•••••
Veal and Sharp served about 10 years, while the three others were sentenced to 80 to 85 years. Veal and Sharp recanted their testimony in 2010, after they had both served their sentences, with Veal’s attorneys saying police coerced his confession and took advantage of the fact that he was 15 and had a low IQ.
The following year, more advanced DNA testing linked Randolph to the crime, the station reports, and their three co-defendants were released.
Although DNA testing linked Randolph to the child’s death in 2011, authorities said they did not have enough evidence against him to bring charges until now, the station reports.
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