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Science News Archive June 2005 - Page 14


Page 14 of 15

The consumer's cache

This study reveals that consumers store and camouflage brand products in their households, creating a new understanding of American consumerism. The findings challenge traditional assumptions about the significance of brands, highlighting the importance of household processes over individual identity.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Vaccine targets tumors where they live

Researchers developed a vaccine targeting the local tumor environment to improve systemic anti-tumor immunity in melanoma patients. The study showed that the vaccine was safe and feasible, with partial responses and stable lesions observed in some patients.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJun 2, 2005

Crazed by consumption!

Researchers Adam Duhachek analyzed two studies on consumer stress, creating a multidimensional scale to measure coping mechanisms. He found that consumers employ various strategies to cope with stress, including avoiding purchases, seeking social support, and using relaxation techniques.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Branded young

Researchers discovered that children begin incorporating brands into their self-concepts around age 10. As they move into adolescence, these connections evolve qualitatively, reflecting shared personality traits and user characteristics.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Penny pinching

Researchers found that introducing a nine-ending price causes a change in the left-most digit can affect perception of price. The study also found that nine-ending prices are more likely to be perceived as lower when close to the comparison standard price.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

JCI table of contents July 1, 2005

Researchers develop vaccine targeting the local tumor microenvironment to improve systemic anti-tumor immunity in metastatic melanoma patients. The study shows promising results with partial responses and improved survival rates in some patients.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJun 2, 2005

A radical solution for environmental pollution

Scientists at the University of Michigan have discovered a bacterium that can live on toluene as its sole source of carbon and energy. This discovery holds promise for cleaning up environmental pollutants, particularly in oxygen-scarce environments where toluene can cause problems.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateJun 2, 2005

Good, bad and indifferent

A study published in Journal of Consumer Research reveals how consumers evaluate an experience by drawing connections between positive and negative events. The research suggests that people find comfort in ambivalence when a bad experience is compared immediately to a good one, providing valuable insights for marketing professionals.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Higher medicaid payments are good, but not great

States that set higher Medicaid payment rates can enhance the program's attractiveness to potential employees, but moderate rate increases have a limited impact on access and use. Reducing fees by five to ten percent may also be an option when state budgets tighten without serious negative consequences.

SourceBlackwell Publishing Ltd.·JournalHealth Services Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Millennium simulation

The Millennium Simulation uses sophisticated modeling techniques to recreate evolutionary histories for 20 million galaxies and supermassive black holes. The simulation demonstrates that a few massive black holes can form early enough to account for rare quasars, and provides a new tool for understanding the nature of dark energy.

Charge it!

Researchers found that credit card practices define consumption lifestyles and facilitate their attainment through consumption. However, some practices impede consumers from achieving desired lifestyles.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Love thy stuff

Researchers explore how consumers construct their perceptions of self through loved possessions and activities. These objects play a crucial role in creating a coherent identity narrative, as they symbolically demarcate boundaries between the self and rejected identities.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Cueing in on quality

This study found that consumers overestimate the impact of negative external cues and underweight positive cues when they are inconsistent. The relationship between positive and negative product cues is strongest when abundant intrinsic attribute information is present, suggesting a moderating effect on consumer judgments.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Highlights of the June 2005 Journal of the American Dietetic Association

Researchers found that African-American girls consistently ate breakfast less frequently than white girls, and that those who skipped breakfast had lower body mass index and lower fiber and calcium intakes. The study suggests that skipping breakfast may predispose adolescent girls to diets that are inadequate in these essential nutrients.

SourceAmerican Dietetic Association·JournalJournal of the American Dietetic Association·DateJun 1, 2005

A few 30 second sprints as beneficial as hour long jog

A new study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that short bursts of high-intensity exercise can improve muscle health and endurance capacity similar to traditional endurance training. The study showed a significant increase in citrate synthase, an enzyme indicating tissue oxygen utilization, in trained subjects.

SourceMcMaster University·JournalJournal of Applied Physiology·DateJun 1, 2005

Dartmouth professor finds prescription drug advertising 'walks a communications tightrope'

A Dartmouth professor studied two US-air drug ads from 1999 to examine how effectively prescription drug ads convey their messages. The study found that de-integrating risk information improved recall of general information and led to a perception of greater informational content, but no increase in knowledge about the drug's risks.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalResearch in Social and Administrative Pharmacy·DateJun 1, 2005

New NIAID grants strengthen national biodefense and emerging infectious diseases research network

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has awarded new grants to strengthen the national biodefense and emerging infectious diseases research network. The grants support research on next-generation treatments, vaccines, and diagnostic tools for diseases such as anthrax, plague, smallpox, and West Nile fever.

Eleven gene 'signature' reliably predicts cancer prognosis

Researchers identified an 11-gene BMI-1-pathway signature that consistently predicts disease recurrence, metastasis, and death after therapy in cancer patients. The presence of this gene expression pathway is associated with a high probability of poor therapy outcome and metastasis.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJun 1, 2005

New study has surprise findings on childhood depression

A new study published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology found that dysfunctional family relationships and poor communication styles have a limited impact on childhood depression. Most children exposed to high risk of depression do not appear to become depressed, instead showing resilience.

SourceResearch Australia·JournalSocial Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology·DateJun 1, 2005

Day care settings are a significant source of indoor allergens

A recent study found that day care centers are a major source of indoor allergens, with detectable levels of various allergens present in every facility. The study also discovered significant differences between carpeted and non-carpeted surfaces, with lower concentrations of allergens on non-carpeted surfaces.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·DateJun 1, 2005

DOE JGI releases latest version of IMG

The new IMG 1.1 version features enhanced capabilities to improve the efficiency of genome analysis, including a function to compare gene occurrence profiles and support infrastructure for comparative organism statistics. The tool continues to be updated quarterly with new public and DOE JGI genomes.

Where life's memories are stored

Studies of brain-damaged patients reveal that remote autobiographical memories can be preserved even with limited damage to the medial temporal lobe. The researchers found that the ability to recall and experience these memories is more closely tied to neocortical areas than previously thought.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateJun 1, 2005