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Science News Archive May 2017 - Page 37


Page 37 of 42

UK health spending needs to grow faster than GDP

New research suggests UK health spending must increase at a rate faster than GDP to meet growing demand for healthcare services. The J-value model, developed by Professor Philip Thomas, indicates that developed countries like France and Germany are already prioritizing health care as a fraction of their income.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalNanotechnology Perceptions·DateMay 3, 2017

How calorie restriction may prolong life

A new review suggests calorie restriction prolongs life by increasing ketone bodies, which decrease malignancies and insulin resistance in mice. Calorie restriction also reduces muscular weakness and blood glucose levels, supporting the theory's potential longevity benefits.

SourceWiley·JournalIUBMB Life·DateMay 3, 2017

New tool reflects black men's experiences of police-based discrimination

A new study develops a tool to catalog police and law enforcement interactions with black men, finding that discrimination is associated with depression symptoms. The Police and Law Enforcement Scale can help document bias and provide greater insight into how institutionalized racism shapes the health of people in black communities.

SourceGeorge Washington University·JournalCultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology·DateMay 3, 2017

Rub each other up the right way

Research by Sayuri Naruse and Dr Mark Moss from Northumbria University found that couples' physical and mental wellbeing improved after a three-week massage course. The study involved 38 participants who reported significant benefits to their wellbeing, stress coping, and relationship satisfaction.

Daily stress can trigger uptick in illegal drug use for those on parole, probation

A recent study found that even small daily stressors increase illegal drug use among those on parole or probation who have a history of substance use. The researchers also discovered that treatment helps limit substance use over time, and that prevention programs may be more effective with consideration of treatment history.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalPsychology of Addictive Behaviors·DateMay 3, 2017

Cost of Zika outbreak in the United States could be high

A computational analysis led by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers estimates that even a mild Zika outbreak in the US could result in $183 million in medical costs and productivity losses. A more severe outbreak could cost over $1 billion, with increased risks of birth defects and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

SourceJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health·JournalPLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·DateMay 3, 2017

What roundworms can teach us about human growth

Researchers found that activating or deactivating a hormone in roundworms stimulates or stunts growth, mirroring human TRH regulation. This discovery offers new possibilities for research into human growth mechanisms.

SourceKU Leuven·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 3, 2017

Death rate higher in women than men after discharge from emergency departments for heart arrhythmias

A study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology found that women with atrial fibrillation/flutter experienced higher death rates than men 30 and 90 days after discharge from emergency departments. The study analyzed data from 21,062 patients and identified differences in outcomes between male and female patients.

SourceElsevier Health Sciences·JournalCanadian Journal of Cardiology·DateMay 3, 2017

Biophysics: Conflict or coexistence

A team of biophysicists used experiment and mathematical theory to study the changing composition of a mixed bacterial population. They found that in some cases, a strain with a toxin can outcompete another strain, but this depends on various factors such as the environment and initial inoculum size. The results suggest a complex inter...

Research shows prejudice, not principle, often underpins 'free-speech defense' of racist language

Researchers at the University of Kansas conducted a study suggesting that explicit racial prejudice is a reliable predictor of the free speech defense of racist expression. The study found that people with high levels of prejudice were sensitive to their own freedom of expression and used the 'free speech' argument to justify their pre...

SourceUniversity of Kansas·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·DateMay 3, 2017

Large trial of acupuncture for allergic asthma finds benefits in quality of life

A large randomized controlled trial found that acupuncture significantly improved the quality of life and physical and mental health of patients with allergic asthma. The study involved 1445 participants who received on average 15 acupuncture sessions over three months, with benefits maintained for up to six months.

SourceMary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News·JournalThe Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine·DateMay 3, 2017