Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for April 22, 2003


NHLBI study finds all-in-one approach to lifestyle changes effectively lowers blood pressure

The PREMIER study found that an all-in-one approach to lifestyle changes, including diet and physical activity, significantly lowered blood pressure in participants. The study showed that those who made the greatest lifestyle changes had the best results, with significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Torture in Mexican criminal justice system still common, say doctors who examine victims

A study by Physicians for Human Rights and the University of Michigan Health System found that two-thirds of federal forensic doctors reported detainee torture, with nearly half documenting evidence. The incidence of torture may be declining, but monitoring and evidence-gathering are crucial to overcoming the country's history of abuse.

Megaportions: What's a body to do?

Experts recommend developing strategies to persuade consumers to eat in moderation, including marketing and labeling changes. Modified foods with reduced fat and added water-rich vegetables can also help reduce calorie intake while maintaining palatability.

SourcePenn State·JournalNutrition Today·DateApr 22, 2003

Unusually long and aligned 'buckytubes' grown at Duke

The researchers successfully grew extremely long and straight single-walled carbon nanotubes by heating samples quickly, achieving lengths of over 2 millimeters. This breakthrough could enable the creation of billionths-of-a-meter scale electronic circuitry and opens up new possibilities for nanoelectrical components.

SourceDuke University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateApr 22, 2003

Professors study how we remember TV news

Researchers have identified a phenomenon where TV viewers misremember facts from news stories, often due to stereotypical thinking. To combat this, they suggest using semantic elaboration to promote critical thinking. By displaying the wrong-doer's face before or alongside the news anchor, false memories can be corrected.

SourceKansas State University·JournalJournal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media·DateApr 22, 2003