http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/aafc-hnc111615.php
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
Higher nicotine, carcinogen levels among smokeless tobacco users compared with cig users
American Association for Cancer Research
Bottom Line: U.S. adults who used only smokeless tobacco products had higher levels of biomarkers of exposure to nicotine and a cancer-causing toxicant -- the tobacco-specific nitrosamine NNK -- compared with those who used only cigarettes.
Journal in Which the Study was Published: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research
Author: Brian Rostron, PhD, an epidemiologist in the Center for Tobacco Products at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
•••••
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
One very brainy bird
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/uoi-ovb111615.php
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
One very brainy bird
Study finds pigeons uncommonly good at distinguishing cancerous from normal breast tissue
University of Iowa
If pigeons went to medical school and specialized in pathology or radiology, they'd be pretty good at distinguishing digitized microscope slides and mammograms of normal from cancerous breast tissue, according to a new study from the University of Iowa and the University of California, Davis.
With some training and selective food reinforcement, pigeons performed as well as humans in categorizing digitized slides and mammograms of benign and malignant human breast tissue, the researchers found. The pigeons were able to generalize what they had learned, so that when the researchers showed them a completely new set of normal and cancerous digitized slides, they correctly identified them. Their accuracy, like that of humans, was modestly affected by the presence or absence of color in the images, as well as by degrees of image compression. The pigeons also learned to correctly identify cancer-relevant micro calcifications on mammograms, but they had a tougher time classifying suspicious masses on mammograms -- a task considered difficult even for skilled human observers, the authors noted in the paper, published online on Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE.
•••••
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
One very brainy bird
Study finds pigeons uncommonly good at distinguishing cancerous from normal breast tissue
University of Iowa
If pigeons went to medical school and specialized in pathology or radiology, they'd be pretty good at distinguishing digitized microscope slides and mammograms of normal from cancerous breast tissue, according to a new study from the University of Iowa and the University of California, Davis.
With some training and selective food reinforcement, pigeons performed as well as humans in categorizing digitized slides and mammograms of benign and malignant human breast tissue, the researchers found. The pigeons were able to generalize what they had learned, so that when the researchers showed them a completely new set of normal and cancerous digitized slides, they correctly identified them. Their accuracy, like that of humans, was modestly affected by the presence or absence of color in the images, as well as by degrees of image compression. The pigeons also learned to correctly identify cancer-relevant micro calcifications on mammograms, but they had a tougher time classifying suspicious masses on mammograms -- a task considered difficult even for skilled human observers, the authors noted in the paper, published online on Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE.
•••••
Prevalence of lifetime drug use disorders nearly 10 percent in US
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/tjnj-pol111615.php
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
Prevalence of lifetime drug use disorders nearly 10 percent in US
The JAMA Network Journals
A large national survey of U.S. adults in 2012-2013 suggests that nearly 10 percent of Americans, or more than 23.3 million people, have lifetime drug use disorder diagnoses arising from drug use in the past year or prior to that and many of these individuals were untreated, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
Drug use disorders (DUDs) are associated with impairment in major life roles, increased risk for suicidality, neuropsychological deficits, diminished quality of life and infectious diseases, such as human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis.
•••••
The survey included in-person interviews with 36,309 adults. DUD was based on amphetamine, cannabis, club drug, cocaine, hallucinogen, heroin, nonheroin opioid, sedative/tranquilizer or solvent/inhalant use disorders.
Authors report 3.9 percent of Americans, or more than 9.1 million adults, had 12-month DUD diagnoses because of past-year drug use and 9.9 percent had lifetime diagnoses. DUD was generally greater among men, white and Native American individuals, young and previously or never married adults, those adults with lower education and income, and those individuals who live in the West, according to the study.
DUD also was associated with alcohol and nicotine use disorders; and a variety of mental health conditions were associated with 12-month DUD diagnoses, including major depressive disorder, bipolar, posttraumatic stress disorder and personality disorders. Lifetime DUD diagnoses also were associated with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and social phobia, the results indicate.
Disability from DUD increased with greater severity and adults with 12-month DUD diagnoses had lower mental health, social functioning and role emotional functioning, according to the report.
While DUD is a common and disabling disorder, it is also largely untreated. Among adults with 12-month DUD, 13.5 percent received treatment as did 24.6 percent of those with lifetime DUD. The average age for first treatment of DUD was 27.7 years, nearly four years later than the average onset, the study shows.
Limitations of the study include a possible underrepresentation of DUD prevalence because the survey excluded most institutionalized individuals, including those in jails and prisons, and active-duty military personnel.
•••••
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
Prevalence of lifetime drug use disorders nearly 10 percent in US
The JAMA Network Journals
A large national survey of U.S. adults in 2012-2013 suggests that nearly 10 percent of Americans, or more than 23.3 million people, have lifetime drug use disorder diagnoses arising from drug use in the past year or prior to that and many of these individuals were untreated, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
Drug use disorders (DUDs) are associated with impairment in major life roles, increased risk for suicidality, neuropsychological deficits, diminished quality of life and infectious diseases, such as human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis.
•••••
The survey included in-person interviews with 36,309 adults. DUD was based on amphetamine, cannabis, club drug, cocaine, hallucinogen, heroin, nonheroin opioid, sedative/tranquilizer or solvent/inhalant use disorders.
Authors report 3.9 percent of Americans, or more than 9.1 million adults, had 12-month DUD diagnoses because of past-year drug use and 9.9 percent had lifetime diagnoses. DUD was generally greater among men, white and Native American individuals, young and previously or never married adults, those adults with lower education and income, and those individuals who live in the West, according to the study.
DUD also was associated with alcohol and nicotine use disorders; and a variety of mental health conditions were associated with 12-month DUD diagnoses, including major depressive disorder, bipolar, posttraumatic stress disorder and personality disorders. Lifetime DUD diagnoses also were associated with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and social phobia, the results indicate.
Disability from DUD increased with greater severity and adults with 12-month DUD diagnoses had lower mental health, social functioning and role emotional functioning, according to the report.
While DUD is a common and disabling disorder, it is also largely untreated. Among adults with 12-month DUD, 13.5 percent received treatment as did 24.6 percent of those with lifetime DUD. The average age for first treatment of DUD was 27.7 years, nearly four years later than the average onset, the study shows.
Limitations of the study include a possible underrepresentation of DUD prevalence because the survey excluded most institutionalized individuals, including those in jails and prisons, and active-duty military personnel.
•••••
More than 100 former attorneys general ask US Supreme Court to review Siegelman sentence
The Associated Press
on October 22, 2015
More than 100 former state attorneys general are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the sentence of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, who remains behind bars for his conviction in a government corruption case.
The brief, filed Wednesday and signed by 116 former attorneys general, supported Siegelman's latest appeal. Siegelman argues a judge wrongly gave him a longer sentence for pervasive corruption even though a jury acquitted him of those charges. While the Supreme Court has upheld the use of acquitted conduct in sentencing under certain conditions, the attorneys general said the practice violates both the U.S. Constitution and the public's sense of justice.
"People should not go to prison for conduct a jury finds them innocent of and finds that they did not commit," the governor's son, Joseph Siegelman, said Thursday.
Former New York Attorney General Robert Abrams said it is an issue of "basic fairness."
"We think the Siegelman case cries out for justice from many vantage points," Abrams said.
•••••
Siegelman, who was governor from 1999 to 2003, also served as Alabama's attorney general. This is not the first time he has gotten assistance from his former colleagues. Former attorneys general asked the Supreme Court to hear his appeal in 2009, saying the case raised free speech issues.
•••••
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2015/10/22/former-attorney-generals-back-siegelman-supreme-court/74400058/
Brian Lyman, Montgomery Advertiser 4:05 p.m. CDT October 22, 2015
The brief argued that former U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller, who oversaw Siegelman’s case, improperly factored charges that a jury did not convict Siegelman on in handing down the sentence. The brief argues the jury had to determine that, and that without it, the jury became “a mere pass-through to punishment by the state.”
“It is one thing for a sentencing judge to make determinations about facts that a jury did not consider at all, such as the defendant’s lack of remorse, but it is another thing entirely to allow judges to find that conduct occurred by a preponderance of the evidence when the jury expressly acquitted the defendant of criminal charges based on that very conduct,” the brief states.
The brief is signed by 116 former attorneys general, both Democrats and Republicans. Former New York Attorney General Robert Abrams told The Associated Press the Siegelman matter was an issue of "basic fairness."
•••••
The jury acquitted the former governor of charges related to an allegation of a “pay for play” scheme. Fuller, at the prosecutors' request, considered the charge in determining Siegelman’s initial 78-month sentence in 2007. The attorneys general say that was improper and violated the Sixth Amendment’s guarantees of a jury trial.
“Because the judge-found facts used to increase Governor Siegelman’s Guidelines range resulted in a punishment that was not authorized by the jury’s verdict, those facts are elements of the offense that must be found by a jury and proved beyond a reasonable doubt,” the brief said.
•••••
52 attorneys general, including some who signed the brief Thursday, asked Congress to investigate the Siegelman case in 2008, saying it raised concerns about possible political prosecution.
Fuller resigned earlier this year, a year after Atlanta police charged him with misdemeanor battery in an incident involving his wife. Fuller agreed to a pretrial diversion program that led to the expungement of his record.
A report delivered to Congress in September concluded that Fuller physically abused his wife at least eight times and lied to a committee investigating the incident.
•••••
http://www.thomhartmann.com/users/widereader/blog/2015/10/don-siegelman-political-prisoner
Don Siegelman - Political Prisoner
Oct. 16, 2015
An innocent man, imprisioned former AL Governor, Don Siegelman, was just put in solitary confinement for callin the Thom Hartmann show!!!
The back story. As you may know, a bipartisan group of 113 former Attorneys General, and top Constitutional Law professors determined the Siegelman was convicted of something that has never been a crime.
He was convicted of bribery, involving a contribution to a referendum advocacy campaign to establish free college education for Alabama’s underprivileged children. The courts concluded that Mr. Siegelman did not pocket a penny and the agreement between he and his contributor was an implied “explicit” quid pro quo, an oxymoron and a first in U.S. jurisprudence.
Siegelman was indicted by the U S Attorney’s Office in Alabama’s Middle District where the U.S. Attorney was the wife of his opponent’s campaign manager, Leura Canary. Ms. Canary recued herself, but email evidence shows she continued to be involved in the prosecution.
Siegelman, who committed no crime, languishes in a Louisiana federal prison. He has lost his law license, his assets, his reputation, and freedom. Serving more time in prison serves no public interest.
More details can be found at www.free-don.org.
Please call Obama's Pardons Attorney Deborah Leff and request clemency for Don. Her number is 202-616-6070.
Light therapy effective for depression
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/uobc-lte111615.php
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
Light therapy effective for depression: UBC study
University of British Columbia
New research finds that light therapy can treat non-seasonal depression and improve the overall wellbeing of people suffering from the disease.
"These results are very exciting because light therapy is inexpensive, easy to access and use, and comes with few side effects," said Dr. Raymond Lam, a UBC professor and psychiatrist at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, a partnership between UBC and Vancouver Coastal Health. "Patients can easily use light therapy along with other treatments such as antidepressants and psychotherapy."
The research, published today in JAMA Psychiatry, is the first placebo-controlled trial that shows that light therapy is an effective treatment for depression that is not brought on by seasonal affective disorder.
•••••
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
Light therapy effective for depression: UBC study
University of British Columbia
New research finds that light therapy can treat non-seasonal depression and improve the overall wellbeing of people suffering from the disease.
"These results are very exciting because light therapy is inexpensive, easy to access and use, and comes with few side effects," said Dr. Raymond Lam, a UBC professor and psychiatrist at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, a partnership between UBC and Vancouver Coastal Health. "Patients can easily use light therapy along with other treatments such as antidepressants and psychotherapy."
The research, published today in JAMA Psychiatry, is the first placebo-controlled trial that shows that light therapy is an effective treatment for depression that is not brought on by seasonal affective disorder.
•••••
UK health professionals unite for stronger measures to tackle climate change
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/b-uhp111815.php
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
UK health professionals unite for stronger measures to tackle climate change
New alliance aims to place health firmly at the center of climate change negotiations
BMJ
As world leaders prepare to meet in Paris for the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, UK health professionals have formed an alliance of doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals to advocate for stronger measures to tackle climate change.
The Health Professional Alliance to Combat Climate Change (HPACCC) founder members include British Medical Association; Climate and Health Council; Faculty of Public Health; eight Royal Colleges (including Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of General Practitioners and Royal College of Nursing); and medical journals The BMJ and The Lancet.
The alliance has identified four areas for immediate action: improving air quality; increasing active transport; ensuring healthier and more sustainable nutrition; and working to reduce the environmental footprint of healthcare in the UK.
•••••
Since the UN formed the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988, charged with documenting the effects of climate change and formulating realistic strategies for action, "neither humanity nor the planet have fared well," argue Robin Stott co-chair of the Climate and Health Council, and colleagues.
They warn that more frequent and more severe natural disasters, instability in food and water supply, the spread of infectious disease, and forced migration "are already affecting human health and provide a glimpse of the near future."
They argue that "the evidence of adverse effects is incontrovertible, as is the need for urgent action" and say "political action has failed to respond to the challenge that the science presents."
Yet there are reasonable grounds for optimism. For example, substantial commitments to reduce carbon emissions from the US and China, Europe, and a host of high income countries form the basis of negotiations, while ten global cities representing 58 million people have drawn up ambitious plans to tackle climate change.
Religious leaders, notably the Pope and the Dalai Lama, have called for urgent action, and the divestment movement has pledges from 400 organisations to move $2.6tr from fossil fuels to low carbon investment.
But they believe that the UK "is bucking these positive trends" and they call on the government to phase out unabated use of coal by 2023 to "improve air quality, protect the health of our population, and reclaim the UK's leadership position in tackling climate change."
Meanwhile, and independently of governments, they point out that health professionals around the world are recognising that tackling climate change is practically and ethically essential to promoting public health.
"The trust vested in health professionals gives us the opportunity and the responsibility to act," they write. "We hope that this new alliance and other allied groups will help to place health firmly at the centre of the climate change negotiations, helping to impel nations to act decisively so that humanity can flourish in a fairer and healthier world."
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
UK health professionals unite for stronger measures to tackle climate change
New alliance aims to place health firmly at the center of climate change negotiations
BMJ
As world leaders prepare to meet in Paris for the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, UK health professionals have formed an alliance of doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals to advocate for stronger measures to tackle climate change.
The Health Professional Alliance to Combat Climate Change (HPACCC) founder members include British Medical Association; Climate and Health Council; Faculty of Public Health; eight Royal Colleges (including Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of General Practitioners and Royal College of Nursing); and medical journals The BMJ and The Lancet.
The alliance has identified four areas for immediate action: improving air quality; increasing active transport; ensuring healthier and more sustainable nutrition; and working to reduce the environmental footprint of healthcare in the UK.
•••••
Since the UN formed the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988, charged with documenting the effects of climate change and formulating realistic strategies for action, "neither humanity nor the planet have fared well," argue Robin Stott co-chair of the Climate and Health Council, and colleagues.
They warn that more frequent and more severe natural disasters, instability in food and water supply, the spread of infectious disease, and forced migration "are already affecting human health and provide a glimpse of the near future."
They argue that "the evidence of adverse effects is incontrovertible, as is the need for urgent action" and say "political action has failed to respond to the challenge that the science presents."
Yet there are reasonable grounds for optimism. For example, substantial commitments to reduce carbon emissions from the US and China, Europe, and a host of high income countries form the basis of negotiations, while ten global cities representing 58 million people have drawn up ambitious plans to tackle climate change.
Religious leaders, notably the Pope and the Dalai Lama, have called for urgent action, and the divestment movement has pledges from 400 organisations to move $2.6tr from fossil fuels to low carbon investment.
But they believe that the UK "is bucking these positive trends" and they call on the government to phase out unabated use of coal by 2023 to "improve air quality, protect the health of our population, and reclaim the UK's leadership position in tackling climate change."
Meanwhile, and independently of governments, they point out that health professionals around the world are recognising that tackling climate change is practically and ethically essential to promoting public health.
"The trust vested in health professionals gives us the opportunity and the responsibility to act," they write. "We hope that this new alliance and other allied groups will help to place health firmly at the centre of the climate change negotiations, helping to impel nations to act decisively so that humanity can flourish in a fairer and healthier world."
College studies may reduce risk of dementia for older adults, research finds
I suspect being a Tax-Aide volunteer has the same effect.http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/apa-csm111815.php
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
College studies may reduce risk of dementia for older adults, research finds
Going back to school could boost cognitive capacity
American Psychological Association
Older adults who take college courses may increase their cognitive capacity and possibly reduce their risk for developing Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
An Australian study called the Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project recruited 359 participants ages 50 to 79 who took a series of cognitive tests before completing at least a year of full-time or part-time study at the University of Tasmania. Participants were reassessed annually for three years following their studies. More than 90 percent of the participants displayed a significant increase in cognitive capacity, compared with 56 percent in a control group of 100 participants who didn't take any college courses.
"The study findings are exciting because they demonstrate that it's never too late to take action to maximize the cognitive capacity of your brain," said lead researcher Megan Lenehan, PhD. "We plan to follow these participants as they age to see if college studies could help delay the onset or reduce the debilitating effects of dementia."
Previous studies have examined how exercise, brain games and an active social life may boost cognitive capacity and possibly stem cognitive decline associated with aging. This study is the first to examine similar positive effects from college courses taken by older adults, said Lenehan, of the University of Tasmania.
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Researchers find link between air pollution and heart disease
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/jhub-rfl111815.php
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
Researchers find link between air pollution and heart disease
Higher levels of coarse particles in the air associated with increase in same-day cardiovascular hospitalizations in major urban areas
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have found a link between higher levels of a specific kind of air pollution in major urban areas and an increase in cardiovascular-related hospitalizations such as for heart attacks in people 65 and older.
The findings, published in the November issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, are the strongest evidence to date that coarse particulate matter - airborne pollutants that range in size from 2.5 to 10 microns in diameter and can be released into the air from farming, construction projects or even wind in the desert - impacts public health. It has long been understood that particles smaller in size, which typically come from automobile exhaust or power plants, can damage the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. This is believed to be the first study that clearly implicates larger particles, which are smaller in diameter than a human hair.
•••••
The researchers also studied respiratory diseases but did not find a correlation between high levels of coarse particles and hospitalizations for those illnesses.
•••••
The researchers found that on days when coarse particle levels were higher, cardiovascular hospitalizations were also higher that same day. They did not find a correlation in the following days.
As part of the Clean Air Act, the EPA more closely regulates finer particles, which are more likely to come from manmade sources. States work to reduce those levels through various mechanisms, including stronger car emissions standards or adding scrubbers to coal-fired power plants. In some areas, coarse particles may be more difficult to reduce, as they can come from natural sources.
The coarse particles enter the respiratory tract and can trigger systemic health problems, though the mechanism is not fully understood.
•••••
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
Researchers find link between air pollution and heart disease
Higher levels of coarse particles in the air associated with increase in same-day cardiovascular hospitalizations in major urban areas
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have found a link between higher levels of a specific kind of air pollution in major urban areas and an increase in cardiovascular-related hospitalizations such as for heart attacks in people 65 and older.
The findings, published in the November issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, are the strongest evidence to date that coarse particulate matter - airborne pollutants that range in size from 2.5 to 10 microns in diameter and can be released into the air from farming, construction projects or even wind in the desert - impacts public health. It has long been understood that particles smaller in size, which typically come from automobile exhaust or power plants, can damage the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. This is believed to be the first study that clearly implicates larger particles, which are smaller in diameter than a human hair.
•••••
The researchers also studied respiratory diseases but did not find a correlation between high levels of coarse particles and hospitalizations for those illnesses.
•••••
The researchers found that on days when coarse particle levels were higher, cardiovascular hospitalizations were also higher that same day. They did not find a correlation in the following days.
As part of the Clean Air Act, the EPA more closely regulates finer particles, which are more likely to come from manmade sources. States work to reduce those levels through various mechanisms, including stronger car emissions standards or adding scrubbers to coal-fired power plants. In some areas, coarse particles may be more difficult to reduce, as they can come from natural sources.
The coarse particles enter the respiratory tract and can trigger systemic health problems, though the mechanism is not fully understood.
•••••
Warming ocean worsened Australia's fatal 2010/2011 floods
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/whoi-wow111815.php
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
Warming ocean worsened Australia's fatal 2010/2011 floods
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
As world leaders gather in Paris at the end of the month for the COP 21 climate summit, new research from scientists reveals the destructive impact the warming global ocean can have on society.
A study by a team of U.S. and Australian researchers shows that long-term warming of the Indian and Pacific oceans played an important role in increasing the risk of the kind of devastating floods that struck Australia in 2010/2011. The study was published in Geophysical Research Letters.
The floods in Australia's northeast state of Queensland claimed 35 lives, caused $2.38 billion damage, flooded 28,000 homes and left 100,000 people without power. So much rain fell on Australia that it led to a rare filling of Lake Eyre, a large lake system in the interior of the country, and caused a drop in global sea level.
"The sea surface temperatures around Australia during 2010/2011 were on average 0.5°C (0.9F) warmer than they were 60 years ago," said lead author Caroline Ummenhofer, a physical oceanographer with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). "While many past studies have found a global warming link to heat extremes, this study is one of the first to show how ocean warming can impact a heavy rainfall event."
In the summer of 2010/2011, Australia was surrounded by extremely warm sea surface temperatures, particularly in the eastern Indian Ocean, western Pacific warm pool region - to the north and east of Papua New Guinea - and the Coral Sea.
It led to a summer where rainfall in Australia's northeast was 84 percent above average and soil moisture measurements were the highest recorded since 1950. This was in spite of it being an average cyclone season.
•••••
"The additional warming of the oceans has profound impacts on the atmosphere. It increases the amount of moisture in the atmosphere and can intensify rain-producing circulation conditions," said co-author Prof Matthew England from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science.
•••••
In addition to the warming oceans bringing more rainfall, previous research has also shown that as a result of global warming, strong La Niña and El Niño events are likely to become more frequent.
•••••
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
Warming ocean worsened Australia's fatal 2010/2011 floods
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
As world leaders gather in Paris at the end of the month for the COP 21 climate summit, new research from scientists reveals the destructive impact the warming global ocean can have on society.
A study by a team of U.S. and Australian researchers shows that long-term warming of the Indian and Pacific oceans played an important role in increasing the risk of the kind of devastating floods that struck Australia in 2010/2011. The study was published in Geophysical Research Letters.
The floods in Australia's northeast state of Queensland claimed 35 lives, caused $2.38 billion damage, flooded 28,000 homes and left 100,000 people without power. So much rain fell on Australia that it led to a rare filling of Lake Eyre, a large lake system in the interior of the country, and caused a drop in global sea level.
"The sea surface temperatures around Australia during 2010/2011 were on average 0.5°C (0.9F) warmer than they were 60 years ago," said lead author Caroline Ummenhofer, a physical oceanographer with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). "While many past studies have found a global warming link to heat extremes, this study is one of the first to show how ocean warming can impact a heavy rainfall event."
In the summer of 2010/2011, Australia was surrounded by extremely warm sea surface temperatures, particularly in the eastern Indian Ocean, western Pacific warm pool region - to the north and east of Papua New Guinea - and the Coral Sea.
It led to a summer where rainfall in Australia's northeast was 84 percent above average and soil moisture measurements were the highest recorded since 1950. This was in spite of it being an average cyclone season.
•••••
"The additional warming of the oceans has profound impacts on the atmosphere. It increases the amount of moisture in the atmosphere and can intensify rain-producing circulation conditions," said co-author Prof Matthew England from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science.
•••••
In addition to the warming oceans bringing more rainfall, previous research has also shown that as a result of global warming, strong La Niña and El Niño events are likely to become more frequent.
•••••
Intervention improves teacher practices, student engagement in early elementary classrooms
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/nyu-iit111815.php
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
Intervention improves teacher practices, student engagement in early elementary classrooms
New York University
A classroom program that helps teachers adapt their interactions with students based on individuals' temperaments may lead to more student engagement in kindergarten, more teacher emotional support to kindergarten and first grade students, and better classroom organization and less off-task behavior in first-grade classes, according to research by NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
The study, published in the December issue of the Elementary School Journal, builds upon recent findings that the same program generally improves the behavior and academic skills of young children, helps shy students be more engaged in their classwork, and reduces disruptive behavior among children with high maintenance temperaments.
Research has shown that effective teachers and behaviorally engaged students are vital for fostering learning in early elementary school classrooms. This early academic achievement and behavior sets the stage for students' later academic success.
•••••
To support the development of young students - particularly in low-income schools, which are at risk for having less effective teachers and less engaged students - researchers are looking to classroom interventions focused on social-emotional learning. INSIGHTS into Children's Temperament is a social-emotional intervention designed by NYU Steinhardt professor Sandee McClowry to help teachers and parents match environmental demands with an individual child's personality. The program provides a framework for appreciating and supporting differences in the personalities of children, rather than trying to change them, and aims to increase responsive teaching strategies and enhance children's abilities to regulate their classroom behaviors.
In the current study, the researchers evaluated whether INSIGHTS supports teacher practices and student behaviors in kindergarten and first-grade classrooms.
•••••
In INSIGHTS classrooms, the researchers saw an increase from fall to spring in teacher practices of emotional support to students - essentially, teachers were more sensitive to student needs, created better classroom climates, and showed respect for student interests. This effect was magnified in first grade. Similarly, first-grade INSIGHTS classrooms had higher teacher practices of classroom organization and lower classroom off-task behaviors over the school year compared to control classrooms.
Kindergarten INSIGHTS classrooms saw improved student engagement from fall to spring compared to kindergarten control classrooms, but generally, kindergarten teaching practices changed less than those in first-grade classrooms.
•••••
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
Intervention improves teacher practices, student engagement in early elementary classrooms
New York University
A classroom program that helps teachers adapt their interactions with students based on individuals' temperaments may lead to more student engagement in kindergarten, more teacher emotional support to kindergarten and first grade students, and better classroom organization and less off-task behavior in first-grade classes, according to research by NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
The study, published in the December issue of the Elementary School Journal, builds upon recent findings that the same program generally improves the behavior and academic skills of young children, helps shy students be more engaged in their classwork, and reduces disruptive behavior among children with high maintenance temperaments.
Research has shown that effective teachers and behaviorally engaged students are vital for fostering learning in early elementary school classrooms. This early academic achievement and behavior sets the stage for students' later academic success.
•••••
To support the development of young students - particularly in low-income schools, which are at risk for having less effective teachers and less engaged students - researchers are looking to classroom interventions focused on social-emotional learning. INSIGHTS into Children's Temperament is a social-emotional intervention designed by NYU Steinhardt professor Sandee McClowry to help teachers and parents match environmental demands with an individual child's personality. The program provides a framework for appreciating and supporting differences in the personalities of children, rather than trying to change them, and aims to increase responsive teaching strategies and enhance children's abilities to regulate their classroom behaviors.
In the current study, the researchers evaluated whether INSIGHTS supports teacher practices and student behaviors in kindergarten and first-grade classrooms.
•••••
In INSIGHTS classrooms, the researchers saw an increase from fall to spring in teacher practices of emotional support to students - essentially, teachers were more sensitive to student needs, created better classroom climates, and showed respect for student interests. This effect was magnified in first grade. Similarly, first-grade INSIGHTS classrooms had higher teacher practices of classroom organization and lower classroom off-task behaviors over the school year compared to control classrooms.
Kindergarten INSIGHTS classrooms saw improved student engagement from fall to spring compared to kindergarten control classrooms, but generally, kindergarten teaching practices changed less than those in first-grade classrooms.
•••••
New urban heat island study shows surprising variation in air temperatures across Twin Cities
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/uom-nuh111815.php
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
New urban heat island study shows surprising variation in air temperatures across Twin Cities
Results provide valuable insights into efforts to reduce heat-related harm in metro areas globally
University of Minnesota
Some parts of the Twin Cities can spike temperatures up to 9°F higher than surrounding communities thanks to the "urban heat island" effect, according to a new study from the University of Minnesota.
•••••
Recording surface air temperatures every 15 minutes from August 2011 through August 2014 across nearly 2,000 square miles and using U.S. Geological Survey data to fine-tune differences at the neighborhood level, the study uncovered several surprises. Among them:
Temperatures in the urban core of Minneapolis, St. Paul and Bloomington average 2 °F higher in summer than in surrounding areas
The differential spiked as much as 9 °F higher during a heat wave in July 2012
Urban heat island effect is stronger at night in summer and during the day in winter
In urban areas during the winter when snow cover is less pervasive, temperatures are higher than rural areas in the daytime by an average of 2 °F.
•••••
The more detailed understanding of urban heat islands provided by the study can help health professionals and others target efforts to protect people and infrastructure from heat-related problems, according to project co-leads Tracy Twine and Peter Snyder, associate professors in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences.
"This level of detail in real time can provide specific information to agencies tasked with protecting our citizenry during extreme heat events," Snyder said. "It can also be used to identify persistently warm areas of the metro where green infrastructure projects could be implemented to offset some of the warming."
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
New urban heat island study shows surprising variation in air temperatures across Twin Cities
Results provide valuable insights into efforts to reduce heat-related harm in metro areas globally
University of Minnesota
Some parts of the Twin Cities can spike temperatures up to 9°F higher than surrounding communities thanks to the "urban heat island" effect, according to a new study from the University of Minnesota.
•••••
Recording surface air temperatures every 15 minutes from August 2011 through August 2014 across nearly 2,000 square miles and using U.S. Geological Survey data to fine-tune differences at the neighborhood level, the study uncovered several surprises. Among them:
Temperatures in the urban core of Minneapolis, St. Paul and Bloomington average 2 °F higher in summer than in surrounding areas
The differential spiked as much as 9 °F higher during a heat wave in July 2012
Urban heat island effect is stronger at night in summer and during the day in winter
In urban areas during the winter when snow cover is less pervasive, temperatures are higher than rural areas in the daytime by an average of 2 °F.
•••••
The more detailed understanding of urban heat islands provided by the study can help health professionals and others target efforts to protect people and infrastructure from heat-related problems, according to project co-leads Tracy Twine and Peter Snyder, associate professors in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences.
"This level of detail in real time can provide specific information to agencies tasked with protecting our citizenry during extreme heat events," Snyder said. "It can also be used to identify persistently warm areas of the metro where green infrastructure projects could be implemented to offset some of the warming."
Without prescription coverage, some cancer patients do without even low-cost drugs
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/uoca-wpc111815.php
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
Without prescription coverage, some cancer patients do without even low-cost drugs
University of Colorado Cancer Center study shows that for breast cancer survivors without prescription coverage, even relatively low-cost medicines can be 'catastrophic'
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment shows that breast cancer patients whose health insurance plans included prescription drug benefits were 10 percent more likely to start important hormonal therapy than patients who did not have prescription drug coverage. Women with household income below $40,000 were less than half as likely as women with annual household income greater than $70,000 to continue hormonal therapy. Hormonal therapy for patients with estrogen- or progesterone-positive breast cancers can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence by as much as 50 percent.
•••••
"We have good evidence that when people feel that a drug is too expensive, they stop taking it," Bradley says. "This study suggests that reluctance to insure prescription drugs may result in increased recurrence and poor survival among women with breast cancer, one of the largest groups of cancer survivors."
Public Release: 18-Nov-2015
Without prescription coverage, some cancer patients do without even low-cost drugs
University of Colorado Cancer Center study shows that for breast cancer survivors without prescription coverage, even relatively low-cost medicines can be 'catastrophic'
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment shows that breast cancer patients whose health insurance plans included prescription drug benefits were 10 percent more likely to start important hormonal therapy than patients who did not have prescription drug coverage. Women with household income below $40,000 were less than half as likely as women with annual household income greater than $70,000 to continue hormonal therapy. Hormonal therapy for patients with estrogen- or progesterone-positive breast cancers can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence by as much as 50 percent.
•••••
"We have good evidence that when people feel that a drug is too expensive, they stop taking it," Bradley says. "This study suggests that reluctance to insure prescription drugs may result in increased recurrence and poor survival among women with breast cancer, one of the largest groups of cancer survivors."
Report raises concern over health risks of Tasers
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/b-rrc111315.php
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
Report raises concern over health risks of Tasers
BMJ
Tasers are increasingly being used by UK police yet recent studies suggest the health risks are greater than previously thought, reports The BMJ this week.
Of particular concern, is the frequent police use of Tasers against mentally ill patients, often within hospitals and care homes. This has prompted the UK home secretary, Theresa May, to order a review of police use of force against mentally distressed people.
Tasers are used by over 16,000 police forces in 107 countries, explains journalist Owen Dyer in a special report published today. The device uses compressed nitrogen to fire two barbed electrical probes that deliver a pulsed 50,000 volt shock, causing intense skeletal muscle contractions and pain.
The most commonly used Taser (the X26) also has a "drive-stun" mode, in which two electrodes at the front of the weapon are held against the body, causing pain but not muscle contractions. A pull of the trigger delivers five seconds of current, more if the trigger is held down.
•••••
Known health risks include eye injuries, seizures, collapsed lung (pneumothorax), skin burns, and muscle, joint, and tendon injuries. The most dangerous risk is head injury from uncontrolled falls, which has led to deaths.
But there is still much debate about whether Tasers affect the heart, in particular the potential to induce lasting heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias).
Most of the existing research is sponsored by the manufacturer so its neutrality has been questioned. But the UK ministry of defence's scientific advisory committee on the medical implications of less lethal weapons, warns that "it would be prudent to assume that a similar effect could be exerted by the Taser X26."
More recently, a study of eight cases concluded that Tasers had caused irregular heart rhythm (ventricular fibrillation). And a US National Institute of Justice review concluded that direct inducement of cardiac arrhythmias in "a confluence of unlikely circumstances" was a "plausible but unproven" outcome.
Contrary to statements on its website, Taser has already been found negligent by a court in one death for failing to warn officers of the dangers of discharging into the chest and giving lengthy shocks.
In the US, Darryl Turner, 17, who refused to leave a North Carolina supermarket after being made redundant, died of ventricular fibrillation shortly after he was "tasered" for 37 seconds.
In Britain a court has just attributed the first death to use of a Taser. Jordon Begley, a 23 year old factory worker, died from cardiac arrest two hours after Greater Manchester police used a Taser on him in 2013.
An inquest concluded in July that the nine second shock he received in conjunction with two "distraction strikes" - punches to the head from officers while handcuffing him - "more than materially contributed" to the stress that led to his cardiac arrest.
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
Report raises concern over health risks of Tasers
BMJ
Tasers are increasingly being used by UK police yet recent studies suggest the health risks are greater than previously thought, reports The BMJ this week.
Of particular concern, is the frequent police use of Tasers against mentally ill patients, often within hospitals and care homes. This has prompted the UK home secretary, Theresa May, to order a review of police use of force against mentally distressed people.
Tasers are used by over 16,000 police forces in 107 countries, explains journalist Owen Dyer in a special report published today. The device uses compressed nitrogen to fire two barbed electrical probes that deliver a pulsed 50,000 volt shock, causing intense skeletal muscle contractions and pain.
The most commonly used Taser (the X26) also has a "drive-stun" mode, in which two electrodes at the front of the weapon are held against the body, causing pain but not muscle contractions. A pull of the trigger delivers five seconds of current, more if the trigger is held down.
•••••
Known health risks include eye injuries, seizures, collapsed lung (pneumothorax), skin burns, and muscle, joint, and tendon injuries. The most dangerous risk is head injury from uncontrolled falls, which has led to deaths.
But there is still much debate about whether Tasers affect the heart, in particular the potential to induce lasting heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias).
Most of the existing research is sponsored by the manufacturer so its neutrality has been questioned. But the UK ministry of defence's scientific advisory committee on the medical implications of less lethal weapons, warns that "it would be prudent to assume that a similar effect could be exerted by the Taser X26."
More recently, a study of eight cases concluded that Tasers had caused irregular heart rhythm (ventricular fibrillation). And a US National Institute of Justice review concluded that direct inducement of cardiac arrhythmias in "a confluence of unlikely circumstances" was a "plausible but unproven" outcome.
Contrary to statements on its website, Taser has already been found negligent by a court in one death for failing to warn officers of the dangers of discharging into the chest and giving lengthy shocks.
In the US, Darryl Turner, 17, who refused to leave a North Carolina supermarket after being made redundant, died of ventricular fibrillation shortly after he was "tasered" for 37 seconds.
In Britain a court has just attributed the first death to use of a Taser. Jordon Begley, a 23 year old factory worker, died from cardiac arrest two hours after Greater Manchester police used a Taser on him in 2013.
An inquest concluded in July that the nine second shock he received in conjunction with two "distraction strikes" - punches to the head from officers while handcuffing him - "more than materially contributed" to the stress that led to his cardiac arrest.
Mother's age at birth may influence symptoms of depression in daughters
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/apa-maa111615.php
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
Mother's age at birth may influence symptoms of depression in daughters
Father's age not a factor; effect not seen in sons, study says
American Psychological Association
The daughters, but not the sons, of women who give birth at age 30 or older are more likely to experience symptoms of depression as young adults, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
•••••
While the exact cause of this relationship is not clear, Tearne said she suspects it is not necessarily biological. "One hypothesis is difficulties may occur in the mother-daughter relationship because of a large age difference between the two," said Tearne. "It may be that a 30 or more year age difference between mother and daughter leads to a significant difference in the value systems that may cause tensions in the relationship, leading to stress, worry and sadness in the child, particularly during the transition to young adulthood."
Another possible explanation may be that the women who gave birth over age 30 would be in their 50s at the time their children were assessed and therefore more likely to be experiencing health problems associated with aging. This could also lead to higher levels of symptoms in the children, Tearne said. Other studies have suggested that daughters are more affected by their mother's health problems than sons, which could explain why the effect only appears in daughters, she said.
"It is important to remember, too, that the study examined symptoms of distress, rather than clinical diagnosis," said Monique Robinson, PhD, of the University of Western Australia, another author of the study. "It could be that the offspring of older mothers are at risk for a few more symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, but that does not necessarily mean they will experience a diagnosable mental disorder."
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
Mother's age at birth may influence symptoms of depression in daughters
Father's age not a factor; effect not seen in sons, study says
American Psychological Association
The daughters, but not the sons, of women who give birth at age 30 or older are more likely to experience symptoms of depression as young adults, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
•••••
While the exact cause of this relationship is not clear, Tearne said she suspects it is not necessarily biological. "One hypothesis is difficulties may occur in the mother-daughter relationship because of a large age difference between the two," said Tearne. "It may be that a 30 or more year age difference between mother and daughter leads to a significant difference in the value systems that may cause tensions in the relationship, leading to stress, worry and sadness in the child, particularly during the transition to young adulthood."
Another possible explanation may be that the women who gave birth over age 30 would be in their 50s at the time their children were assessed and therefore more likely to be experiencing health problems associated with aging. This could also lead to higher levels of symptoms in the children, Tearne said. Other studies have suggested that daughters are more affected by their mother's health problems than sons, which could explain why the effect only appears in daughters, she said.
"It is important to remember, too, that the study examined symptoms of distress, rather than clinical diagnosis," said Monique Robinson, PhD, of the University of Western Australia, another author of the study. "It could be that the offspring of older mothers are at risk for a few more symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, but that does not necessarily mean they will experience a diagnosable mental disorder."
Parents aiming too high can harm child's academic performance
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/apa-pat111715.php
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
Parents aiming too high can harm child's academic performance
Aspiration can help academic achievement only if it is realistic, study says
American Psychological Association
When parents have high hopes for their children's academic achievement, the children tend to do better in school, unless those hopes are unrealistic, in which case the children may not perform well in school, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
"Our research revealed both positive and negative aspects of parents' aspiration for their children's academic performance. Although parental aspiration can help improve children's academic performance, excessive parental aspiration can be poisonous," said lead author Kou Murayama, PhD, of the University of Reading. The study was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
•••••
They found that high parental aspiration led to increased academic achievement, but only when it did not overly exceed realistic expectation. When aspiration exceeded expectation, the children's achievement decreased proportionately.
•••••
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
Parents aiming too high can harm child's academic performance
Aspiration can help academic achievement only if it is realistic, study says
American Psychological Association
When parents have high hopes for their children's academic achievement, the children tend to do better in school, unless those hopes are unrealistic, in which case the children may not perform well in school, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
"Our research revealed both positive and negative aspects of parents' aspiration for their children's academic performance. Although parental aspiration can help improve children's academic performance, excessive parental aspiration can be poisonous," said lead author Kou Murayama, PhD, of the University of Reading. The study was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
•••••
They found that high parental aspiration led to increased academic achievement, but only when it did not overly exceed realistic expectation. When aspiration exceeded expectation, the children's achievement decreased proportionately.
•••••
Vitamin D deficiency may limit immune recovery in HIV-positive adults
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/uog-vdd111715.php
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
Vitamin D deficiency may limit immune recovery in HIV-positive adults
University of Georgia
A University of Georgia researcher has found that low levels of vitamin D may limit the effectiveness of HIV treatment in adults.
Those with human immunodeficiency virus--commonly known as HIV--often struggle with declining health because their immune systems can't effectively respond to common pathogens. Their immune statuses, usually measured by CD4+T cells, normally improve when given HIV treatment.
•••••
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
Vitamin D deficiency may limit immune recovery in HIV-positive adults
University of Georgia
A University of Georgia researcher has found that low levels of vitamin D may limit the effectiveness of HIV treatment in adults.
Those with human immunodeficiency virus--commonly known as HIV--often struggle with declining health because their immune systems can't effectively respond to common pathogens. Their immune statuses, usually measured by CD4+T cells, normally improve when given HIV treatment.
•••••
To reduce risk of infant death, shed excess pounds before becoming pregnant
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/uops-trr111715.php
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
To reduce risk of infant death, shed excess pounds before becoming pregnant
University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Achieving a healthy weight before becoming pregnant and gaining an appropriate amount of weight during pregnancy significantly reduce the risk of the baby dying in his or her first year of life, according to new research from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.
•••••
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
To reduce risk of infant death, shed excess pounds before becoming pregnant
University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Achieving a healthy weight before becoming pregnant and gaining an appropriate amount of weight during pregnancy significantly reduce the risk of the baby dying in his or her first year of life, according to new research from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.
•••••
Blood test results vary from drop to drop in fingerprick tests
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/ru-btr111715.php
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
Blood test results vary from drop to drop in fingerprick tests
Rice study: 6 to 9 drops of blood may be needed for consistent measurements
Rice University
When it comes to needles and drawing blood, most patients agree that bigger is not better. But in the first study of its kind, Rice University bioengineers have found results from a single drop of blood are highly variable, and as many as six to nine drops must be combined to achieve consistent results.
•••••
Bond and Richards-Kortum found that hemoglobin content, platelet count and WBC count each varied significantly from drop to drop.
"Some of the differences were surprising," Bond said. "For example, in some donors, the hemoglobin concentration changed by more than two grams per deciliter in the span of two successive drops of blood."
Bond and Richards-Kortum found that averaging the results of the droplet tests could produce results that were on par with venous blood tests, but tests on six to nine drops blood were needed to achieve consistent results.
•••••
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
Blood test results vary from drop to drop in fingerprick tests
Rice study: 6 to 9 drops of blood may be needed for consistent measurements
Rice University
When it comes to needles and drawing blood, most patients agree that bigger is not better. But in the first study of its kind, Rice University bioengineers have found results from a single drop of blood are highly variable, and as many as six to nine drops must be combined to achieve consistent results.
•••••
Bond and Richards-Kortum found that hemoglobin content, platelet count and WBC count each varied significantly from drop to drop.
"Some of the differences were surprising," Bond said. "For example, in some donors, the hemoglobin concentration changed by more than two grams per deciliter in the span of two successive drops of blood."
Bond and Richards-Kortum found that averaging the results of the droplet tests could produce results that were on par with venous blood tests, but tests on six to nine drops blood were needed to achieve consistent results.
•••••
Ranibizumab found effective against diabetic retinopathy
v
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
Ranibizumab found effective against diabetic retinopathy
Study results show it's a good alternative to laser therapy, and with fewer side effects
Johns Hopkins Medicine
In a randomized clinical trial of more than 300 participants, researchers from Johns Hopkins and elsewhere have found that ranibizumab -- a drug most commonly used to treat retinal swelling in people with diabetes -- is an effective alternative to laser therapy for treating the most severe, potentially blinding form of diabetic retinal disease. Results of the government-sponsored study also show that the drug therapy carries fewer side effects than the currently used laser treatment.
•••••
Public Release: 17-Nov-2015
Ranibizumab found effective against diabetic retinopathy
Study results show it's a good alternative to laser therapy, and with fewer side effects
Johns Hopkins Medicine
In a randomized clinical trial of more than 300 participants, researchers from Johns Hopkins and elsewhere have found that ranibizumab -- a drug most commonly used to treat retinal swelling in people with diabetes -- is an effective alternative to laser therapy for treating the most severe, potentially blinding form of diabetic retinal disease. Results of the government-sponsored study also show that the drug therapy carries fewer side effects than the currently used laser treatment.
•••••
Top scientists accuse House panel of harassing climate researchers
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/nov/25/leading-scientists-accuse-house-panel-of-harassing-climate-researchers?CMP=share_btn_fb
Oliver Milman in New York
Nov. 25, 2015
Leading scientists have accused a Republican-led committee of subjecting climate researchers to politically motivated “harassment” amid an increasingly fractious investigation into the activity of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa).
Eight key scientific bodies have written to Republican congressman Lamar Smith, chairman of the House committee on science, to warn that the committee’s inquiry into Noaa could have a “chilling effect on the willingness of government scientists to conduct research that intersects with policy-relevant scientific questions”.
The letter added: “Scientists should not be subjected to fraud investigations or harassment simply for providing scientific results that some may see as politically controversial.
“Science cannot thrive when policymakers – regardless of party affiliation – use policy disagreements as a pretext to attack scientific conclusions without public evidence.”
•••••
Smith’s ire has focused upon research led by Thomas Karl and colleagues at Noaa, published in the journal Science in June. The research found there has been no “pause” in global warming over the past 15 years, despite previous claims that there has been a slowdown or flatlining in rising global temperatures.
This finding has been backed by several other climate papers this year that dispute the idea of a warming hiatus. On Wednesday, the World Meteorological Organisation announced that 2011 to 2015 had been the warmest five-year period on record, with this year set to be the hottest year ever registered. This warmth had been driven by climate change, caused by the release of greenhouse gases from human activity.
•••••
The American Association for the Advancement of Science, which publishes Science, said the Karl paper went through two peer review processes and was not rushed to publication.
“There’s no way this was hurried and this wasn’t something that researchers had control over in terms of the publication timing,” said Rush Holt, chief executive of the AAAS and one of the signatories to the letter to Smith.
“This is political tampering with the scientific process. Subpoenas or threats of subpoenas and demands for internal communications clearly go beyond raising questions about the research. It has a chilling effect because researchers can’t focus on the science or critique each other. If you meddle with science politically, you can really cause damage to public welfare.
“Politicians may not like the outcome, it may not fit with their political picture but to tamper with the process politically only serves to weaken the ability of scientific work. Climate science has become politicised which is unfortunate because this subject, more than any other, needs good scientific investigation.”
Oliver Milman in New York
Nov. 25, 2015
Leading scientists have accused a Republican-led committee of subjecting climate researchers to politically motivated “harassment” amid an increasingly fractious investigation into the activity of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa).
Eight key scientific bodies have written to Republican congressman Lamar Smith, chairman of the House committee on science, to warn that the committee’s inquiry into Noaa could have a “chilling effect on the willingness of government scientists to conduct research that intersects with policy-relevant scientific questions”.
The letter added: “Scientists should not be subjected to fraud investigations or harassment simply for providing scientific results that some may see as politically controversial.
“Science cannot thrive when policymakers – regardless of party affiliation – use policy disagreements as a pretext to attack scientific conclusions without public evidence.”
•••••
Smith’s ire has focused upon research led by Thomas Karl and colleagues at Noaa, published in the journal Science in June. The research found there has been no “pause” in global warming over the past 15 years, despite previous claims that there has been a slowdown or flatlining in rising global temperatures.
This finding has been backed by several other climate papers this year that dispute the idea of a warming hiatus. On Wednesday, the World Meteorological Organisation announced that 2011 to 2015 had been the warmest five-year period on record, with this year set to be the hottest year ever registered. This warmth had been driven by climate change, caused by the release of greenhouse gases from human activity.
•••••
The American Association for the Advancement of Science, which publishes Science, said the Karl paper went through two peer review processes and was not rushed to publication.
“There’s no way this was hurried and this wasn’t something that researchers had control over in terms of the publication timing,” said Rush Holt, chief executive of the AAAS and one of the signatories to the letter to Smith.
“This is political tampering with the scientific process. Subpoenas or threats of subpoenas and demands for internal communications clearly go beyond raising questions about the research. It has a chilling effect because researchers can’t focus on the science or critique each other. If you meddle with science politically, you can really cause damage to public welfare.
“Politicians may not like the outcome, it may not fit with their political picture but to tamper with the process politically only serves to weaken the ability of scientific work. Climate science has become politicised which is unfortunate because this subject, more than any other, needs good scientific investigation.”
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