https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/smu-psa100416.php
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
Psychotherapy sessions are best in the morning when levels of helpful hormone are high
New study found patients with anxiety, phobias and fears showed greater improvement from therapy that was scheduled in the morning, when levels of cortisol -- a naturally occurring hormone -- tested higher
Southern Methodist University
Patients make more progress toward overcoming anxiety, fears and phobias when their therapy sessions are scheduled in the morning, new research suggests.
The study found that morning sessions helped psychotherapy patients overcome their panic and anxiety and phobic avoidance better, in part, because levels of cortisol -- a naturally occurring hormone -- are at their highest then, said clinical psychologist Alicia E. Meuret, Southern Methodist University, Dallas.
"The hormone cortisol is thought to facilitate fear extinction in certain therapeutic situations," said Meuret, lead author on the research. "Drugs to enhance fear extinction are being investigated, but they can be difficult to administer and have yielded mixed results. The findings of our study promote taking advantage of two simple and naturally occurring agents - our own cortisol and time of day."
•••••
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Friday, November 25, 2016
Toxicant levels are on average 95 percent less in e-cig emissions compared to smoke
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/raba-tla100416.php
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
Toxicant levels are on average 95 percent less in e-cig emissions compared to smoke
The most comprehensive comparison between e-cig vapor and smoke shows substantial reductions in toxicants
R&D at British American Tobacco
In the most comprehensive chemical comparison to date between smoke and e-cigarette emissions, toxicant levels in e-cigarette vapour was found to be on average 95% less than in conventional cigarette smoke.
A comparison between the vapour from Vype ePen - a commercially available e-cigarette - and 3R4F - a reference cigarette - revealed substantial reductions in the e-Pen emissions for all toxicant groups measured. Most cigarette smoke toxicants could not be detected in the e-cigarette vapour.
•••••
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
Toxicant levels are on average 95 percent less in e-cig emissions compared to smoke
The most comprehensive comparison between e-cig vapor and smoke shows substantial reductions in toxicants
R&D at British American Tobacco
In the most comprehensive chemical comparison to date between smoke and e-cigarette emissions, toxicant levels in e-cigarette vapour was found to be on average 95% less than in conventional cigarette smoke.
A comparison between the vapour from Vype ePen - a commercially available e-cigarette - and 3R4F - a reference cigarette - revealed substantial reductions in the e-Pen emissions for all toxicant groups measured. Most cigarette smoke toxicants could not be detected in the e-cigarette vapour.
•••••
All work and no play with children make moms less happy parents
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/uom-awa100416.php
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
All work and no play with children make moms less happy parents
University of Minnesota
A team of researchers from Cornell University, the University of Minnesota, and Minnesota Population Center have used time diary data to find that mothers are less happy than fathers with their parenting duties. Mothers report more stress and greater fatigue than fathers. This experience gap is attributed to the differing tasks of each parent. The paper was recently published in the American Sociological Review.
"The good news from our study is that parents generally enjoy being with their kids," said University of Minnesota researcher Ann Meier, "but the bad news is that mothers enjoy it less than fathers because they do more of the 'work' and less of the 'fun' parenting tasks."
•••••
The researchers found that not only do parenting activities between mothers and fathers differ, the environment surrounding the activity differs as well. Meier explained, "when mothers are with their kids, they are more often by themselves. When fathers are with their kids, they are more likely to have other adults around, offering some back-up. This helps us understand why fathers are less stressed when with kids."
Sleep also had an effect on parents' differing levels of happiness, said Meier. "Mothers are more likely than fathers to be called on by kids 'around the clock.' Fathers' sleep and down-time are less likely than mothers' to be interrupted by kids. This is part of the reason fathers are less tired than mothers when parenting."
•••••
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
All work and no play with children make moms less happy parents
University of Minnesota
A team of researchers from Cornell University, the University of Minnesota, and Minnesota Population Center have used time diary data to find that mothers are less happy than fathers with their parenting duties. Mothers report more stress and greater fatigue than fathers. This experience gap is attributed to the differing tasks of each parent. The paper was recently published in the American Sociological Review.
"The good news from our study is that parents generally enjoy being with their kids," said University of Minnesota researcher Ann Meier, "but the bad news is that mothers enjoy it less than fathers because they do more of the 'work' and less of the 'fun' parenting tasks."
•••••
The researchers found that not only do parenting activities between mothers and fathers differ, the environment surrounding the activity differs as well. Meier explained, "when mothers are with their kids, they are more often by themselves. When fathers are with their kids, they are more likely to have other adults around, offering some back-up. This helps us understand why fathers are less stressed when with kids."
Sleep also had an effect on parents' differing levels of happiness, said Meier. "Mothers are more likely than fathers to be called on by kids 'around the clock.' Fathers' sleep and down-time are less likely than mothers' to be interrupted by kids. This is part of the reason fathers are less tired than mothers when parenting."
•••••
Repeated exposure to community violence associated with violent behavior
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/trg-ret100416.php
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
Repeated exposure to community violence associated with violent behavior
New research examines link between community violence, depression, and violent behavior in teenage minority boys
The Reis Group
As exposure to community violence increases for adolescent men of color, symptoms of depression subside and violent behaviors increase, according to new research published in the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, a journal of the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. The results add evidence to a model demonstrating the desensitization to violence that can occur with greater exposure.
"Community violence disproportionately impacts minority teen boys; but until now, we weren't sure of the long-term effects of repeated exposure to violence on the mental health of these children," said Noni Gaylord-Harden, PhD, a lead author of the study and associate professor at Loyola University Chicago. "This study is unique because it is the first to test this theory of desensitization in a sample consisting entirely of males of color over a long period of time. As a result, we have gained valuable insight into the mental health implications of repeated exposure to violence for this vulnerable population, as well as the critical time points and factors for detection and prevention."
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For women, caffeine could be ally in warding off dementia
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/tgso-fwc100416.php
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
For women, caffeine could be ally in warding off dementia
The Gerontological Society of America
Higher caffeine intake in women is associated with reduced odds of developing dementia or cognitive impairment, according to the results of a new study published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences.
Among a group of older women, self-reported caffeine consumption of more than 261 mg per day was associated with a 36 percent reduction in the risk of incident dementia over 10 years of follow-up. This level is equivalent to two to three 8-oz cups of coffee per day, five to six 8-oz cups of black tea, or seven to eight 12-ounce cans of cola.
"The mounting evidence of caffeine consumption as a potentially protective factor against cognitive impairment is exciting given that caffeine is also an easily modifiable dietary factor with very few contraindications," said Ira Driscoll, PhD, the study's lead author and a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
•••••
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
For women, caffeine could be ally in warding off dementia
The Gerontological Society of America
Higher caffeine intake in women is associated with reduced odds of developing dementia or cognitive impairment, according to the results of a new study published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences.
Among a group of older women, self-reported caffeine consumption of more than 261 mg per day was associated with a 36 percent reduction in the risk of incident dementia over 10 years of follow-up. This level is equivalent to two to three 8-oz cups of coffee per day, five to six 8-oz cups of black tea, or seven to eight 12-ounce cans of cola.
"The mounting evidence of caffeine consumption as a potentially protective factor against cognitive impairment is exciting given that caffeine is also an easily modifiable dietary factor with very few contraindications," said Ira Driscoll, PhD, the study's lead author and a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
•••••
For some in middle class, Trump plan would mean tax increase
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/middle-class-trump-plan-mean-tax-increase-153628510--finance.html
[Associated Press]
CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER
Associated PressNovember 25, 2016
President-elect Donald Trump's proposals would modestly cut income taxes for most middle-class Americans. But for nearly 8 million families — including a majority of single-parent households — the opposite would occur: They'd pay more.
Most married couples with three or more children would also pay higher taxes, an analysis by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center found. And while middle-class families as a whole would receive tax cuts of about 2 percent, they'd be dwarfed by the windfalls averaging 13.5 percent for America's richest 1 percent, 14.2% in the top 0.1 percent.
Trump's campaign rhetoric had promoted the benefits of his proposals for middle-income Americans.
"The largest tax reductions are for the middle class," said Trump's "Contract With the American Voter," released last month.
The tax hikes that would hit single parents and large families would result from Trump's plan to eliminate the personal exemption and the head-of-household filing status. These features of the tax code have enabled many Americans to reduce their taxable income.
His other proposed tax changes would benefit middle- and lower-income Americans. But they wouldn't be enough to offset those modifications.
"If you're a low- or moderate-income single parent, you're going to get hurt," said Bob Williams, a fellow at the Tax Policy Center.
Unlike Trump's polarizing proposals on immigration and trade, his tax plan is in line with traditional Republican policy. His steep tax cuts in many ways resemble those carried out by Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, and the Republican-run Congress is expected to welcome them.
During the campaign, Trump said his tax cuts — for individuals and companies — would energize the economy by boosting business investment in factories and equipment, while leaving consumers with more cash to spend. His proposals, he contended, would help create 25 million jobs over the next decade.
But Lily Batchelder, a visiting fellow at the Tax Policy Center and former deputy director of President Barack Obama's National Economic Council, estimates that roughly 7.9 million families with children would pay higher taxes under his proposals. About 5.8 million are led by single parents. An additional 2.1 million are married couples.
Other analysts, including economists at the conservative Tax Foundation and right-of-center American Enterprise Institute, have agreed with Batchelder's conclusions.
•••••
[Associated Press]
CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER
Associated PressNovember 25, 2016
President-elect Donald Trump's proposals would modestly cut income taxes for most middle-class Americans. But for nearly 8 million families — including a majority of single-parent households — the opposite would occur: They'd pay more.
Most married couples with three or more children would also pay higher taxes, an analysis by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center found. And while middle-class families as a whole would receive tax cuts of about 2 percent, they'd be dwarfed by the windfalls averaging 13.5 percent for America's richest 1 percent, 14.2% in the top 0.1 percent.
Trump's campaign rhetoric had promoted the benefits of his proposals for middle-income Americans.
"The largest tax reductions are for the middle class," said Trump's "Contract With the American Voter," released last month.
The tax hikes that would hit single parents and large families would result from Trump's plan to eliminate the personal exemption and the head-of-household filing status. These features of the tax code have enabled many Americans to reduce their taxable income.
His other proposed tax changes would benefit middle- and lower-income Americans. But they wouldn't be enough to offset those modifications.
"If you're a low- or moderate-income single parent, you're going to get hurt," said Bob Williams, a fellow at the Tax Policy Center.
Unlike Trump's polarizing proposals on immigration and trade, his tax plan is in line with traditional Republican policy. His steep tax cuts in many ways resemble those carried out by Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, and the Republican-run Congress is expected to welcome them.
During the campaign, Trump said his tax cuts — for individuals and companies — would energize the economy by boosting business investment in factories and equipment, while leaving consumers with more cash to spend. His proposals, he contended, would help create 25 million jobs over the next decade.
But Lily Batchelder, a visiting fellow at the Tax Policy Center and former deputy director of President Barack Obama's National Economic Council, estimates that roughly 7.9 million families with children would pay higher taxes under his proposals. About 5.8 million are led by single parents. An additional 2.1 million are married couples.
Other analysts, including economists at the conservative Tax Foundation and right-of-center American Enterprise Institute, have agreed with Batchelder's conclusions.
•••••
A talk with a nurse can persuade hospital patients to quit smoking
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/osu-atw100416.php
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
A talk with a nurse can persuade hospital patients to quit smoking
Quit rates more than double after short consultation, access to quit aids
Ohio State University
A short talk with a knowledgeable nurse could be the difference between a smoker stopping for cigarettes or stopping for nicotine gum on her way home from the hospital.
New research shows that self-reported quit rates among hospital patients more than doubled when nurses and other staff were trained to coach patients on how to stop smoking and to make sure they got the help they needed to make it happen, whether that meant counseling, patches, gum or prescription medication.
•••••
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
A talk with a nurse can persuade hospital patients to quit smoking
Quit rates more than double after short consultation, access to quit aids
Ohio State University
A short talk with a knowledgeable nurse could be the difference between a smoker stopping for cigarettes or stopping for nicotine gum on her way home from the hospital.
New research shows that self-reported quit rates among hospital patients more than doubled when nurses and other staff were trained to coach patients on how to stop smoking and to make sure they got the help they needed to make it happen, whether that meant counseling, patches, gum or prescription medication.
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Increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria hinders treatment of kidney infections
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/uoc--iia100416.php
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
Increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria hinders treatment of kidney infections
Researchers recommended development of new medications and new guidelines for treatment
University of California - Los Angeles
The increase in illnesses and deaths linked to medication-resistant bacteria has been well-documented by researchers and received extensive public attention in recent years. Now, UCLA-led research shows how these bacteria are making it more difficult to treat a common but severe kidney infection.
Pyelonephritis -- infection of the kidney usually caused by E. coli bacteria and which can start as a urinary tract infection -- causes fever, back pain and vomiting. About half of people infected require hospitalization. If not treated with effective antibiotics, it can cause sepsis and death.
In a UCLA-led study based on data from 10 large hospital emergency departments around the country, almost 12 percent of people diagnosed with pyelonephritis had infections resistant to the standard class of antibiotic used in treatment -- fluoroquinolone. (Cipro and its generic version ciprofloxacin are commonly used medications in this class.) That's up from 4 percent in a similar study conducted a decade ago. In some cities, and among some people with certain risk factors -- such as international travel or recent hospitalization or treatment with an antibiotic -- fluoroquinolone resistance rates exceeded 20 percent.
The new study -- published in the September issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases -- also documents the emergence of infections caused by a specific strain of E. coli that is resistant to additional types of antibiotics, severely limiting treatment options. That strain, dubbed ESBL for the antibiotic-destroying enzymes it produces (extended-spectrum beta-lactamases), was not detected in the previous study. The enzymes were first detected in 1979 and are most often found in developing nations.
Currently, there are only a few intravenous antibiotic options to treat ESBL-related infections, and no oral antibiotics that are consistently effective.
•••••
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
Increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria hinders treatment of kidney infections
Researchers recommended development of new medications and new guidelines for treatment
University of California - Los Angeles
The increase in illnesses and deaths linked to medication-resistant bacteria has been well-documented by researchers and received extensive public attention in recent years. Now, UCLA-led research shows how these bacteria are making it more difficult to treat a common but severe kidney infection.
Pyelonephritis -- infection of the kidney usually caused by E. coli bacteria and which can start as a urinary tract infection -- causes fever, back pain and vomiting. About half of people infected require hospitalization. If not treated with effective antibiotics, it can cause sepsis and death.
In a UCLA-led study based on data from 10 large hospital emergency departments around the country, almost 12 percent of people diagnosed with pyelonephritis had infections resistant to the standard class of antibiotic used in treatment -- fluoroquinolone. (Cipro and its generic version ciprofloxacin are commonly used medications in this class.) That's up from 4 percent in a similar study conducted a decade ago. In some cities, and among some people with certain risk factors -- such as international travel or recent hospitalization or treatment with an antibiotic -- fluoroquinolone resistance rates exceeded 20 percent.
The new study -- published in the September issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases -- also documents the emergence of infections caused by a specific strain of E. coli that is resistant to additional types of antibiotics, severely limiting treatment options. That strain, dubbed ESBL for the antibiotic-destroying enzymes it produces (extended-spectrum beta-lactamases), was not detected in the previous study. The enzymes were first detected in 1979 and are most often found in developing nations.
Currently, there are only a few intravenous antibiotic options to treat ESBL-related infections, and no oral antibiotics that are consistently effective.
•••••
Prosperity of children, families, nations threatened by disparities in early childhood development
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/uomm-poc100516.php
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
Prosperity of children, families, nations threatened by disparities in early childhood development
International study led by University of Maryland School of Medicine researcher underscores the need for global action to address disparities
University of Maryland Medical Center
A staggeringly high proportion -- 43 percent or 250 million -- of children under age five and living in low- and middle-income countries may not reach their developmental potential due to poverty and chronic under nutrition, according to the latest series on early child development, Advancing Early Childhood Development, published today in The Lancet.
"New evidence presented in this Series underscores how influential the early years of life, especially for children under three, are on subsequent health and development," says the lead author of the first paper in the Series and steering committee member Maureen Black, PhD, the John A. Scholl, MD and Mary Louise Scholl, MD Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM). "Not just for individual children, but for their children and subsequent generations."
•••••
poverty and adverse childhood experiences have long-term physiological and epigenetic effects on brain development and cognition, thereby negatively impacting adult health and well-being.
•••••
poverty and adverse childhood experiences have long-term physiological and epigenetic effects on brain development and cognition, thereby negatively impacting adult health and well-being.
•••••
Additional key findings include:
The accumulation of adversities, beginning prior to conception and continuing throughout prenatal and early life, can disrupt brain development, attachment, and early learning. Development delays are evident in the first year, worsening during early childhood and continue throughout life.
Coordination, monitoring, and evaluation are needed across sectors to ensure that high quality early childhood development services are available throughout early childhood and primary school.
Action at global, national, and local levels is needed to increase political commitment to and investment in early childhood development.
•••••
Public Release: 4-Oct-2016
Prosperity of children, families, nations threatened by disparities in early childhood development
International study led by University of Maryland School of Medicine researcher underscores the need for global action to address disparities
University of Maryland Medical Center
A staggeringly high proportion -- 43 percent or 250 million -- of children under age five and living in low- and middle-income countries may not reach their developmental potential due to poverty and chronic under nutrition, according to the latest series on early child development, Advancing Early Childhood Development, published today in The Lancet.
"New evidence presented in this Series underscores how influential the early years of life, especially for children under three, are on subsequent health and development," says the lead author of the first paper in the Series and steering committee member Maureen Black, PhD, the John A. Scholl, MD and Mary Louise Scholl, MD Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM). "Not just for individual children, but for their children and subsequent generations."
•••••
poverty and adverse childhood experiences have long-term physiological and epigenetic effects on brain development and cognition, thereby negatively impacting adult health and well-being.
•••••
poverty and adverse childhood experiences have long-term physiological and epigenetic effects on brain development and cognition, thereby negatively impacting adult health and well-being.
•••••
Additional key findings include:
The accumulation of adversities, beginning prior to conception and continuing throughout prenatal and early life, can disrupt brain development, attachment, and early learning. Development delays are evident in the first year, worsening during early childhood and continue throughout life.
Coordination, monitoring, and evaluation are needed across sectors to ensure that high quality early childhood development services are available throughout early childhood and primary school.
Action at global, national, and local levels is needed to increase political commitment to and investment in early childhood development.
•••••
Bringing silicon to life
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/ciot-bst111716.php
Public Release: 24-Nov-2016
Bringing silicon to life
Scientists persuade nature to make silicon-carbon bonds
California Institute of Technology
A new study is the first to show that living organisms can be persuaded to make silicon-carbon bonds--something only chemists had done before. Scientists at Caltech "bred" a bacterial protein to make the man-made bonds--a finding that has applications in several industries.
Molecules with silicon-carbon, or organosilicon, compounds are found in pharmaceuticals as well as in many other products, including agricultural chemicals, paints, semiconductors, and computer and TV screens. Currently, these products are made synthetically, since the silicon-carbon bonds are not found in nature.
The new study demonstrates that biology can instead be used to manufacture these bonds in ways that are more environmentally friendly and potentially much less expensive.
•••••
The study is also the first to show that nature can adapt to incorporate silicon into carbon-based molecules, the building blocks of life. Scientists have long wondered if life on Earth could have evolved to be based on silicon instead of carbon. Science-fiction authors likewise have imagined alien worlds with silicon-based life, like the lumpy Horta creatures portrayed in an episode of the 1960s TV series Star Trek. Carbon and silicon are chemically very similar. They both can form bonds to four atoms simultaneously, making them well suited to form the long chains of molecules found in life, such as proteins and DNA.
•••••
The researchers used a method called directed evolution, pioneered by Arnold in the early 1990s, in which new and better enzymes are created in labs by artificial selection, similar to the way that breeders modify corn, cows, or cats. Enzymes are a class of proteins that catalyze, or facilitate, chemical reactions. The directed evolution process begins with an enzyme that scientists want to enhance. The DNA coding for the enzyme is mutated in more-or-less random ways, and the resulting enzymes are tested for a desired trait. The top-performing enzyme is then mutated again, and the process is repeated until an enzyme that performs much better than the original is created.
Directed evolution has been used for years to make enzymes for household products, like detergents; and for "green" sustainable routes to making pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, and fuels.
•••••
As to the question of whether life can evolve to use silicon on its own, Arnold says that is up to nature. "This study shows how quickly nature can adapt to new challenges," she says. "The DNA-encoded catalytic machinery of the cell can rapidly learn to promote new chemical reactions when we provide new reagents and the appropriate incentive in the form of artificial selection. Nature could have done this herself if she cared to."
Public Release: 24-Nov-2016
Bringing silicon to life
Scientists persuade nature to make silicon-carbon bonds
California Institute of Technology
A new study is the first to show that living organisms can be persuaded to make silicon-carbon bonds--something only chemists had done before. Scientists at Caltech "bred" a bacterial protein to make the man-made bonds--a finding that has applications in several industries.
Molecules with silicon-carbon, or organosilicon, compounds are found in pharmaceuticals as well as in many other products, including agricultural chemicals, paints, semiconductors, and computer and TV screens. Currently, these products are made synthetically, since the silicon-carbon bonds are not found in nature.
The new study demonstrates that biology can instead be used to manufacture these bonds in ways that are more environmentally friendly and potentially much less expensive.
•••••
The study is also the first to show that nature can adapt to incorporate silicon into carbon-based molecules, the building blocks of life. Scientists have long wondered if life on Earth could have evolved to be based on silicon instead of carbon. Science-fiction authors likewise have imagined alien worlds with silicon-based life, like the lumpy Horta creatures portrayed in an episode of the 1960s TV series Star Trek. Carbon and silicon are chemically very similar. They both can form bonds to four atoms simultaneously, making them well suited to form the long chains of molecules found in life, such as proteins and DNA.
•••••
The researchers used a method called directed evolution, pioneered by Arnold in the early 1990s, in which new and better enzymes are created in labs by artificial selection, similar to the way that breeders modify corn, cows, or cats. Enzymes are a class of proteins that catalyze, or facilitate, chemical reactions. The directed evolution process begins with an enzyme that scientists want to enhance. The DNA coding for the enzyme is mutated in more-or-less random ways, and the resulting enzymes are tested for a desired trait. The top-performing enzyme is then mutated again, and the process is repeated until an enzyme that performs much better than the original is created.
Directed evolution has been used for years to make enzymes for household products, like detergents; and for "green" sustainable routes to making pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, and fuels.
•••••
As to the question of whether life can evolve to use silicon on its own, Arnold says that is up to nature. "This study shows how quickly nature can adapt to new challenges," she says. "The DNA-encoded catalytic machinery of the cell can rapidly learn to promote new chemical reactions when we provide new reagents and the appropriate incentive in the form of artificial selection. Nature could have done this herself if she cared to."
I looked up relative abundance of elements. Silicon is very abundant on earth, carbon rare, so I thought it might indicate that carbon was more suitable for life. Looking deeper, there is actually 7 times more carbon in the universe than silicon, but most of the carbon has been lost from earth in the form of volatile hydrocarbons, evaoprating into space. So carbon might have been more abundant at the time life was forming on earth.
Practice testing protects memory against stress
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/tuhs-ptp111716.php
Public Release: 24-Nov-2016
Practice testing protects memory against stress
Learning by taking practice tests, a strategy known as retrieval practice, can protect memory against the negative effects of stress
Tufts University, Health Sciences Campus
Learning by taking practice tests, a strategy known as retrieval practice, can protect memory against the negative effects of stress, report scientists from Tufts University in a new study published in Science on Nov. 25.
In experiments involving 120 student participants, individuals who learned a series of words and images by retrieval practice showed no impairment in memory after experiencing acute stress. Participants who used study practice, the conventional method of re-reading material to memorize it, remembered fewer items overall, particularly after stress.
•••••
"Our results suggest that it is not necessarily a matter of how much or how long someone studies, but how they study," said Amy Smith, graduate student in psychology at Tufts and corresponding author on the study.
•••••
Public Release: 24-Nov-2016
Practice testing protects memory against stress
Learning by taking practice tests, a strategy known as retrieval practice, can protect memory against the negative effects of stress
Tufts University, Health Sciences Campus
Learning by taking practice tests, a strategy known as retrieval practice, can protect memory against the negative effects of stress, report scientists from Tufts University in a new study published in Science on Nov. 25.
In experiments involving 120 student participants, individuals who learned a series of words and images by retrieval practice showed no impairment in memory after experiencing acute stress. Participants who used study practice, the conventional method of re-reading material to memorize it, remembered fewer items overall, particularly after stress.
•••••
"Our results suggest that it is not necessarily a matter of how much or how long someone studies, but how they study," said Amy Smith, graduate student in psychology at Tufts and corresponding author on the study.
•••••
Russian propaganda effort helped spread ‘fake news’ during election, experts say
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/2016/11/24/793903b6-8a40-4ca9-b712-716af66098fe_story.html
By Craig Timberg November 24, 2016
The flood of “fake news” this election season got support from a sophisticated Russian propaganda campaign that created and spread misleading articles online with the goal of punishing Democrat Hillary Clinton, helping Republican Donald Trump and undermining faith in American democracy, say independent researchers who tracked the operation.
Russia’s increasingly sophisticated propaganda machinery — including thousands of botnets, teams of paid human “trolls,” and networks of websites and social-media accounts — echoed and amplified right-wing sites across the Internet as they portrayed Clinton as a criminal hiding potentially fatal health problems and preparing to hand control of the nation to a shadowy cabal of global financiers. The effort also sought to heighten the appearance of international tensions and promote fear of looming hostilities with nuclear-armed Russia.
Two teams of independent researchers found that the Russians exploited American-made technology platforms to attack U.S. democracy at a particularly vulnerable moment, as an insurgent candidate harnessed a wide range of grievances to claim the White House. The sophistication of the Russian tactics may complicate efforts by Facebook and Google to crack down on “fake news,” as they have vowed to do after widespread complaints about the problem.
There is no way to know whether the Russian campaign proved decisive in electing Trump, but researchers portray it as part of a broadly effective strategy of sowing distrust in U.S. democracy and its leaders. The tactics included penetrating the computers of election officials in several states and releasing troves of hacked emails that embarrassed Clinton in the final months of her campaign.
•••••
By Craig Timberg November 24, 2016
The flood of “fake news” this election season got support from a sophisticated Russian propaganda campaign that created and spread misleading articles online with the goal of punishing Democrat Hillary Clinton, helping Republican Donald Trump and undermining faith in American democracy, say independent researchers who tracked the operation.
Russia’s increasingly sophisticated propaganda machinery — including thousands of botnets, teams of paid human “trolls,” and networks of websites and social-media accounts — echoed and amplified right-wing sites across the Internet as they portrayed Clinton as a criminal hiding potentially fatal health problems and preparing to hand control of the nation to a shadowy cabal of global financiers. The effort also sought to heighten the appearance of international tensions and promote fear of looming hostilities with nuclear-armed Russia.
Two teams of independent researchers found that the Russians exploited American-made technology platforms to attack U.S. democracy at a particularly vulnerable moment, as an insurgent candidate harnessed a wide range of grievances to claim the White House. The sophistication of the Russian tactics may complicate efforts by Facebook and Google to crack down on “fake news,” as they have vowed to do after widespread complaints about the problem.
There is no way to know whether the Russian campaign proved decisive in electing Trump, but researchers portray it as part of a broadly effective strategy of sowing distrust in U.S. democracy and its leaders. The tactics included penetrating the computers of election officials in several states and releasing troves of hacked emails that embarrassed Clinton in the final months of her campaign.
•••••
7 cultural concepts we don't have in the U.S.
http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/7-cultural-concepts-we-dont-have-in-the-us
Starre Vartan
December 30, 2014
From the end of October through the New Year and onto Valentine's Day, it's easy to forget that the holidays we celebrate are simply cultural constructs that we can choose to engage in — or not. The concepts and ideas we celebrate — like our spiritual beliefs and daily habits — are a choice, though sometimes it feels like we "have" to celebrate them, even if we don't feel like it.
Culture is ours to do with as we choose, and that means that we can add, subtract, or edit celebrations or holidays as we see fit — because you and me and everyone reading this makes up our culture, and it is defined by us, for us, after all.
If you want to add a new and different perspective to your life, there are plenty of other ways to recognize joy and beauty outside American traditions. From Scandinavia to Japan, India and Germany, the concepts below may strike a nerve with you and inspire your own personal or familial celebration or — as is the case with a couple of these for me — sound like an acknowledgement of something you have long felt, but didn't have a word for.
Friluftsliv translates directly from Norwegian as "free air life," which doesn't quite do it justice. Coined relatively recently, in 1859, it is the concept that being outside is good for human beings' mind and spirit. "It is a term in Norway that is used often to describe a way of life that is spent exploring and appreciating nature," Anna Stoltenberg, culture coordinator for Sons of Norway, a U.S.-based Norwegian heritage group, told MNN.
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Shinrin-yoku is a Japanese term that means "forest bathing" and unlike the Norwegian translation above, this one seems a perfect language fit (though a pretty similar idea). The idea being that spending time in the forest and natural areas is good preventative medicine, since it lowers stress, which causes or exacerbates some of our most intractable health issues. As MNN's Catie Leary details, this isn't just a nice idea — there's science behind it:
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Hygge is the idea that helps Denmark regularly rate as one of the happiest countries in the world — Danes have regularly been some of the most joyful in the world for over 40 years that the U.S. has been studying them — despite long, dark winters. Loosely translated at "togetherness," and "coziness," though it's not a physical state, it's a mental one.
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Wabi-sabi is the Japanese idea of embracing the imperfect, of celebrating the worn, the cracked, the patinaed, both as a decorative concept and a spiritual one — it's an acceptance of the toll that life takes on us all.
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Kaizen is another Japanese concept, one that means "continuous improvement," and could be taken to mean the opposite of wabi-sabi (though as you'll see, it depends on the interpretation). It's a very new idea, only coined in 1986, and generally used in business circumstances.
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Gemütlichkeit is a German word that means almost the same thing as hygge, and also has its peak usage during the winter.
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Jugaad is a Hindi word that means "an innovative fix" or a "repair derived from ingenuity," — think a jury-rigged sled for snowy fun, or a bicycle chain repaired with some duct tape. It's a frequently used word in India where frugal fixes are revered. But the idea has further merit beyond figuring out solutions to get by with less. It also encapsulates the spirit of doing something innovative.
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Starre Vartan
December 30, 2014
From the end of October through the New Year and onto Valentine's Day, it's easy to forget that the holidays we celebrate are simply cultural constructs that we can choose to engage in — or not. The concepts and ideas we celebrate — like our spiritual beliefs and daily habits — are a choice, though sometimes it feels like we "have" to celebrate them, even if we don't feel like it.
Culture is ours to do with as we choose, and that means that we can add, subtract, or edit celebrations or holidays as we see fit — because you and me and everyone reading this makes up our culture, and it is defined by us, for us, after all.
If you want to add a new and different perspective to your life, there are plenty of other ways to recognize joy and beauty outside American traditions. From Scandinavia to Japan, India and Germany, the concepts below may strike a nerve with you and inspire your own personal or familial celebration or — as is the case with a couple of these for me — sound like an acknowledgement of something you have long felt, but didn't have a word for.
Friluftsliv translates directly from Norwegian as "free air life," which doesn't quite do it justice. Coined relatively recently, in 1859, it is the concept that being outside is good for human beings' mind and spirit. "It is a term in Norway that is used often to describe a way of life that is spent exploring and appreciating nature," Anna Stoltenberg, culture coordinator for Sons of Norway, a U.S.-based Norwegian heritage group, told MNN.
•••••
Shinrin-yoku is a Japanese term that means "forest bathing" and unlike the Norwegian translation above, this one seems a perfect language fit (though a pretty similar idea). The idea being that spending time in the forest and natural areas is good preventative medicine, since it lowers stress, which causes or exacerbates some of our most intractable health issues. As MNN's Catie Leary details, this isn't just a nice idea — there's science behind it:
•••••
Hygge is the idea that helps Denmark regularly rate as one of the happiest countries in the world — Danes have regularly been some of the most joyful in the world for over 40 years that the U.S. has been studying them — despite long, dark winters. Loosely translated at "togetherness," and "coziness," though it's not a physical state, it's a mental one.
•••••
Wabi-sabi is the Japanese idea of embracing the imperfect, of celebrating the worn, the cracked, the patinaed, both as a decorative concept and a spiritual one — it's an acceptance of the toll that life takes on us all.
•••••
Kaizen is another Japanese concept, one that means "continuous improvement," and could be taken to mean the opposite of wabi-sabi (though as you'll see, it depends on the interpretation). It's a very new idea, only coined in 1986, and generally used in business circumstances.
•••••
Gemütlichkeit is a German word that means almost the same thing as hygge, and also has its peak usage during the winter.
•••••
Jugaad is a Hindi word that means "an innovative fix" or a "repair derived from ingenuity," — think a jury-rigged sled for snowy fun, or a bicycle chain repaired with some duct tape. It's a frequently used word in India where frugal fixes are revered. But the idea has further merit beyond figuring out solutions to get by with less. It also encapsulates the spirit of doing something innovative.
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Thursday, November 24, 2016
Study shows low-dose chemotherapy regimens could prevent tumor recurrence in some cancers
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/rup-ssl111616.php
Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Study shows low-dose chemotherapy regimens could prevent tumor recurrence in some cancers
Rockefeller University Press
Conventional, high-dose chemotherapy treatments can cause the fibroblast cells surrounding tumors to secrete proteins that promote the tumors' recurrence in more aggressive forms, researchers at Taipei Medical University and the National Institute of Cancer Research in Taiwan and University of California, San Francisco, have discovered. Frequent, low-dose chemotherapy regimens avoid this effect and may therefore be more effective at treating certain types of breast and pancreatic cancer, according to the murine study "Metronomic chemotherapy prevents therapy-induced stromal activation and induction of tumor-initiating cells," which will be published online November 23 in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Chemotherapy drugs are usually administered to cancer patients every few weeks at a high "maximum tolerated" dose. Though this approach kills the majority of tumor cells, it often spares a small number of tumor-initiating cells (TICs) that subsequently give rise to new tumors. Moreover, these recurring tumors are often more aggressive and able to metastasize to other tissues, in part because high doses of chemotherapy drugs also affect cells in the stromal tissue that surrounds tumors, including immune cells and blood vessel endothelial cells.
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Recent studies have suggested that treating patients with low doses of chemotherapy drugs at more frequent, even daily, intervals may be more effective than traditional chemotherapeutic approaches. Tsai and colleagues found that such "low-dose metronomic" regimens did not induce the production of ELR+ chemokines by cancer-associated fibroblasts. This, in turn, reduced the fibroblasts' ability to promote TIC formation, blood vessel growth, and macrophage recruitment.
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Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Study shows low-dose chemotherapy regimens could prevent tumor recurrence in some cancers
Rockefeller University Press
Conventional, high-dose chemotherapy treatments can cause the fibroblast cells surrounding tumors to secrete proteins that promote the tumors' recurrence in more aggressive forms, researchers at Taipei Medical University and the National Institute of Cancer Research in Taiwan and University of California, San Francisco, have discovered. Frequent, low-dose chemotherapy regimens avoid this effect and may therefore be more effective at treating certain types of breast and pancreatic cancer, according to the murine study "Metronomic chemotherapy prevents therapy-induced stromal activation and induction of tumor-initiating cells," which will be published online November 23 in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Chemotherapy drugs are usually administered to cancer patients every few weeks at a high "maximum tolerated" dose. Though this approach kills the majority of tumor cells, it often spares a small number of tumor-initiating cells (TICs) that subsequently give rise to new tumors. Moreover, these recurring tumors are often more aggressive and able to metastasize to other tissues, in part because high doses of chemotherapy drugs also affect cells in the stromal tissue that surrounds tumors, including immune cells and blood vessel endothelial cells.
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Recent studies have suggested that treating patients with low doses of chemotherapy drugs at more frequent, even daily, intervals may be more effective than traditional chemotherapeutic approaches. Tsai and colleagues found that such "low-dose metronomic" regimens did not induce the production of ELR+ chemokines by cancer-associated fibroblasts. This, in turn, reduced the fibroblasts' ability to promote TIC formation, blood vessel growth, and macrophage recruitment.
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Your dog remembers what you did
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/cp-ydr111616.php
Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Your dog remembers what you did
Cell Press
People have a remarkable ability to remember and recall events from the past, even when those events didn't hold any particular importance at the time they occurred. Now, researchers reporting in the journal Current Biology on November 23 have evidence that dogs have that kind of "episodic memory" too.
The study found that dogs can recall a person's complex actions even when they don't expect to have their memory tested.
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Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Your dog remembers what you did
Cell Press
People have a remarkable ability to remember and recall events from the past, even when those events didn't hold any particular importance at the time they occurred. Now, researchers reporting in the journal Current Biology on November 23 have evidence that dogs have that kind of "episodic memory" too.
The study found that dogs can recall a person's complex actions even when they don't expect to have their memory tested.
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Diet quality low but steadily improving among US kids
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/bu-dql111816.php
Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Diet quality low but steadily improving among US kids
Brown University
On the whole, the diet of U.S. children improved markedly between 1999 and 2012 but it remains poor, said the authors of a new study that examined diet quality data from more than 38,000 kids. Moreover, disparities remain among key subgroups.
The bottom-line measure in the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition is the standard, 100-point Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) score. Over the study period the average HEI-2010 rose to 50.9 from 42.5 as children ate more healthy foods, such as whole fruit, and became increasingly likely to avoid "empty calories," such as sugary drinks. The latter improvement explained about a third of the total improvement.
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Every demographic subgroup of children shared in the gains, but the pace varied and disparities remain.
The score among non-Hispanic black children improved to 48.4 in 2012 from 39.6 in 1999, but over the same period the score for non-Hispanic whites rose to 50.2 from 42.1. While the gap narrowed somewhat, a clear disparity persists.
Gu and Tucker also looked at economic correlates of nutrition. They found that as household wealth increased, so did the degree of gains. HEI-2010 scores rose 23.8 percent among the wealthiest third of the sample, 19.2 percent among the middle third, and 18.2 percent among the least wealthy third.
The authors also analyzed diet quality among children in federal nutrition assistance programs. Over the course of the study period, the HEI-2010 scores of children in families receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits began to lag those of children not receiving such benefits, while children benefitting from the Women Infants and Children (WIC) program pulled further ahead of children not receiving that assistance.
That difference might in part relate to how the two programs are structured, Gu said. In SNAP, because consumers can buy almost any food they might buy less healthy ones if they are less expensive. WIC, on the other hand, limits food choices to ones that adhere to dietary guidelines.
An overall policy success?
The broad-based quality gains evident in the average American child's diet so far this century may stem from sound policymaking, Gu said. Over the same period researchers, policymakers and non-governmental organizations have worked well together, for example, to improve nutritional guidelines. Ballot initiatives may have helped further, Gu said, by passing soda taxes in several cities that could further discourage empty calorie consumption.
"We should continue improving our policies and programs along with doing more research because that has really made Americans healthier," Gu said.
Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Diet quality low but steadily improving among US kids
Brown University
On the whole, the diet of U.S. children improved markedly between 1999 and 2012 but it remains poor, said the authors of a new study that examined diet quality data from more than 38,000 kids. Moreover, disparities remain among key subgroups.
The bottom-line measure in the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition is the standard, 100-point Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) score. Over the study period the average HEI-2010 rose to 50.9 from 42.5 as children ate more healthy foods, such as whole fruit, and became increasingly likely to avoid "empty calories," such as sugary drinks. The latter improvement explained about a third of the total improvement.
•••••
Every demographic subgroup of children shared in the gains, but the pace varied and disparities remain.
The score among non-Hispanic black children improved to 48.4 in 2012 from 39.6 in 1999, but over the same period the score for non-Hispanic whites rose to 50.2 from 42.1. While the gap narrowed somewhat, a clear disparity persists.
Gu and Tucker also looked at economic correlates of nutrition. They found that as household wealth increased, so did the degree of gains. HEI-2010 scores rose 23.8 percent among the wealthiest third of the sample, 19.2 percent among the middle third, and 18.2 percent among the least wealthy third.
The authors also analyzed diet quality among children in federal nutrition assistance programs. Over the course of the study period, the HEI-2010 scores of children in families receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits began to lag those of children not receiving such benefits, while children benefitting from the Women Infants and Children (WIC) program pulled further ahead of children not receiving that assistance.
That difference might in part relate to how the two programs are structured, Gu said. In SNAP, because consumers can buy almost any food they might buy less healthy ones if they are less expensive. WIC, on the other hand, limits food choices to ones that adhere to dietary guidelines.
An overall policy success?
The broad-based quality gains evident in the average American child's diet so far this century may stem from sound policymaking, Gu said. Over the same period researchers, policymakers and non-governmental organizations have worked well together, for example, to improve nutritional guidelines. Ballot initiatives may have helped further, Gu said, by passing soda taxes in several cities that could further discourage empty calorie consumption.
"We should continue improving our policies and programs along with doing more research because that has really made Americans healthier," Gu said.
Active-duty military find PTSD relief through individual cognitive therapy
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/dumc-amf112116.php
Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Active-duty military find PTSD relief through individual cognitive therapy
One-on-one therapy eliminated PTSD diagnoses for almost half of trial participants
Duke University Medical Center
Although both group and individual therapy can ease post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in active-duty military service members, individual therapy relieved PTSD symptoms better and quicker, according to a study led by a Duke University School of Medicine researcher.
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"For some of the participants, you can see a change just by looking at them -- as though they have been unburdened," said Patricia Resick, Ph.D., the study's lead author, who developed CPT in the 1980s for victims of rape and other interpersonal trauma and is now a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Duke University School of Medicine.
"Some people think you have to go to therapy for years to address PTSD, but in this large-scale clinical trial with CPT, we saw a large percentage of patients show significant improvements and even recover from PTSD in a matter of weeks," Resick said.
CPT examines how an individual thinks about a traumatic event and how that affects their emotions, Resick said.
"We look at what people have been saying to themselves about the trauma, which in people with PTSD can be distorted," Resick said. "Many of them think there's something they could have done differently to prevent the trauma. We teach them how to examine their thoughts and feel their natural emotions instead of feelings, such as guilt or blame that may result from distorted thinking. We go back and look at the evidence. Once they think in a more balanced, factual way, their emotions and symptoms of PTSD subside."
•••••
Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Active-duty military find PTSD relief through individual cognitive therapy
One-on-one therapy eliminated PTSD diagnoses for almost half of trial participants
Duke University Medical Center
Although both group and individual therapy can ease post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in active-duty military service members, individual therapy relieved PTSD symptoms better and quicker, according to a study led by a Duke University School of Medicine researcher.
•••••
"For some of the participants, you can see a change just by looking at them -- as though they have been unburdened," said Patricia Resick, Ph.D., the study's lead author, who developed CPT in the 1980s for victims of rape and other interpersonal trauma and is now a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Duke University School of Medicine.
"Some people think you have to go to therapy for years to address PTSD, but in this large-scale clinical trial with CPT, we saw a large percentage of patients show significant improvements and even recover from PTSD in a matter of weeks," Resick said.
CPT examines how an individual thinks about a traumatic event and how that affects their emotions, Resick said.
"We look at what people have been saying to themselves about the trauma, which in people with PTSD can be distorted," Resick said. "Many of them think there's something they could have done differently to prevent the trauma. We teach them how to examine their thoughts and feel their natural emotions instead of feelings, such as guilt or blame that may result from distorted thinking. We go back and look at the evidence. Once they think in a more balanced, factual way, their emotions and symptoms of PTSD subside."
•••••
Hurricane risk to northeast USA coast increasing, research warns
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/du-hrt112216.php
Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Hurricane risk to northeast USA coast increasing, research warns
Durham University
The Northeastern coast of the USA could be struck by more frequent and more powerful hurricanes in the future due to shifting weather patterns, according to new research.
Hurricanes have gradually moved northwards from the western Caribbean towards northern North America over the past few hundred years, the study led by Durham University, UK, found.
The researchers suggest that this change in hurricane track was caused by the expansion of atmospheric circulation belts driven by increasing carbon dioxide emissions.
New York and other major cities along the Northeast coast of the USA could come under increased threat from these severe storms and need to be better prepared for their potential impact, the researchers said.
•••••
They found that the average number of hurricanes at the Belize site decreased over time. When the hurricane history of Belize was compared with documentary hurricane records from places such as Bermuda and Florida, this information showed that Atlantic (Cape Verde) hurricanes were moving to the north rather than decreasing in total numbers.
Although natural warming over the centuries has had some impact on shifting hurricane tracks, the researchers found a marked decrease in hurricane activity in the western Caribbean coinciding with the late 19th Century industrial boom associated with increasing carbon dioxide and sulphate aerosol emissions to the atmosphere.
The researchers said that initial regional cooling of the Northern Hemisphere due to increased industrial aerosol emissions should have pushed the hurricane tracks southward since Industrialisation.
But they added that rising amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide had overridden this effect by expanding the Hadley cell -- a pattern of circulating air in the Earth's tropical belt -- pushing hurricane tracks further north, away from the western Caribbean towards the Northeastern USA.
This suggests that from the late 19th Century, manmade emissions have become the main driver behind shifting hurricane tracks by altering the position of global weather systems, the researchers said.
If future trends in carbon dioxide and industrial aerosol emissions continue as expected, hurricanes could shift even further northward, exacerbating the risk to the Northeast coast of the USA, they added.
•••••
tags: extreme weather
Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Hurricane risk to northeast USA coast increasing, research warns
Durham University
The Northeastern coast of the USA could be struck by more frequent and more powerful hurricanes in the future due to shifting weather patterns, according to new research.
Hurricanes have gradually moved northwards from the western Caribbean towards northern North America over the past few hundred years, the study led by Durham University, UK, found.
The researchers suggest that this change in hurricane track was caused by the expansion of atmospheric circulation belts driven by increasing carbon dioxide emissions.
New York and other major cities along the Northeast coast of the USA could come under increased threat from these severe storms and need to be better prepared for their potential impact, the researchers said.
•••••
They found that the average number of hurricanes at the Belize site decreased over time. When the hurricane history of Belize was compared with documentary hurricane records from places such as Bermuda and Florida, this information showed that Atlantic (Cape Verde) hurricanes were moving to the north rather than decreasing in total numbers.
Although natural warming over the centuries has had some impact on shifting hurricane tracks, the researchers found a marked decrease in hurricane activity in the western Caribbean coinciding with the late 19th Century industrial boom associated with increasing carbon dioxide and sulphate aerosol emissions to the atmosphere.
The researchers said that initial regional cooling of the Northern Hemisphere due to increased industrial aerosol emissions should have pushed the hurricane tracks southward since Industrialisation.
But they added that rising amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide had overridden this effect by expanding the Hadley cell -- a pattern of circulating air in the Earth's tropical belt -- pushing hurricane tracks further north, away from the western Caribbean towards the Northeastern USA.
This suggests that from the late 19th Century, manmade emissions have become the main driver behind shifting hurricane tracks by altering the position of global weather systems, the researchers said.
If future trends in carbon dioxide and industrial aerosol emissions continue as expected, hurricanes could shift even further northward, exacerbating the risk to the Northeast coast of the USA, they added.
•••••
tags: extreme weather
Current evidence does not support vitamin D supplements to prevent disease in general
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/b-ced112216.php
Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Current evidence does not support vitamin D supplements to prevent disease
BMJ
Current evidence does not support the use of vitamin D supplements to prevent disease, conclude researchers in The BMJ today.
Associate Professor Mark Bolland and colleagues at the University of Auckland, New Zealand and the University of Aberdeen, Scotland say those at high risk of vitamin D deficiency should be advised about sunlight exposure and diet and offered low dose supplements, but the rest of us should focus on eating a healthy balanced diet with food containing vitamin D and getting regular short bursts of sunshine.
•••••
During spring and summer, most people get enough vitamin D from sunlight on their skin and their diet. But in autumn and winter, when exposure to sunshine is minimal, the only source is from a limited range of foods such as oily fish, egg yolk, red meat, liver, fortified breakfast cereals and fat spreads.
As such, Public Health England advises that everyone should consider a 10 microgram daily vitamin D supplement of during these months.
Based on a comprehensive search of published evidence, Associate Professor Bolland and colleagues make the case that existing clinical trials show that vitamin D supplementation does not improve musculoskeletal outcomes, such as falls or fractures.
•••••
Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Current evidence does not support vitamin D supplements to prevent disease
BMJ
Current evidence does not support the use of vitamin D supplements to prevent disease, conclude researchers in The BMJ today.
Associate Professor Mark Bolland and colleagues at the University of Auckland, New Zealand and the University of Aberdeen, Scotland say those at high risk of vitamin D deficiency should be advised about sunlight exposure and diet and offered low dose supplements, but the rest of us should focus on eating a healthy balanced diet with food containing vitamin D and getting regular short bursts of sunshine.
•••••
During spring and summer, most people get enough vitamin D from sunlight on their skin and their diet. But in autumn and winter, when exposure to sunshine is minimal, the only source is from a limited range of foods such as oily fish, egg yolk, red meat, liver, fortified breakfast cereals and fat spreads.
As such, Public Health England advises that everyone should consider a 10 microgram daily vitamin D supplement of during these months.
Based on a comprehensive search of published evidence, Associate Professor Bolland and colleagues make the case that existing clinical trials show that vitamin D supplementation does not improve musculoskeletal outcomes, such as falls or fractures.
•••••
Consuming high amounts of saturated fats linked to increased heart disease risk
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/htcs-cha112216.php
Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Consuming high amounts of saturated fats linked to increased heart disease risk
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Consuming high amounts of four major saturated fatty acids--found in red meat, dairy fat, butter, lard, and palm oil--may increase risk of coronary heart disease, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Their findings also suggest that replacing these fats with healthier fats, whole grains, and plant proteins may reduce coronary heart disease risk.
"Our findings strongly corroborate what the current USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend," said senior author Qi Sun, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition. "This includes reducing saturated fat intake to no more than 10% of total calories, and eating an overall healthful diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, vegetable cooking oils rich in polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, nuts, legumes, fish, and low-fat dairy."
•••••
Public Release: 23-Nov-2016
Consuming high amounts of saturated fats linked to increased heart disease risk
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Consuming high amounts of four major saturated fatty acids--found in red meat, dairy fat, butter, lard, and palm oil--may increase risk of coronary heart disease, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Their findings also suggest that replacing these fats with healthier fats, whole grains, and plant proteins may reduce coronary heart disease risk.
"Our findings strongly corroborate what the current USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend," said senior author Qi Sun, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition. "This includes reducing saturated fat intake to no more than 10% of total calories, and eating an overall healthful diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, vegetable cooking oils rich in polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, nuts, legumes, fish, and low-fat dairy."
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