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Science News for December 26, 2019


Transcendental Meditation prevents abnormal enlargement of the heart, reduces chronic heart failure

A randomized controlled study found that Transcendental Meditation prevents abnormal enlargement of the heart and reduces chronic heart failure in African Americans. The study tested 85 hypertensive participants who practiced TM or received health education controls, with significant reductions in cardiovascular mortality and morbidity.

SourceMaharishi International University·JournalEthnicity & Disease·DateDec 26, 2019

Proton therapy lowers risk of side effects in cancer compared to traditional radiation

Researchers found proton therapy significantly lowers the risk of severe side effects such as hospitalization, while maintaining similar cure rates and effectiveness compared to traditional photon radiation. The study suggests proton therapy offers a way to reduce serious side effects without sacrificing treatment efficacy.

Paving the way for spintronic RAMs: A deeper look into a powerful spin phenomenon

Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology developed a novel strategy to exploit spin-related phenomena in topological materials, achieving a giant unidirectional spin Hall magnetoresistance ratio of over 1%. This breakthrough could lead to the development of spintronics and outperform current storage devices with improved power cons...

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalJournal of Applied Physics·DateDec 26, 2019

High BMI may improve cancer survival

Researchers found that patients with high body mass index (BMI) responded better to atezolizumab, a common immunotherapy treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This unexpected result may lead to further investigation into the potential link between BMI and inflammation in cancer treatment outcomes.

SourceFlinders University·JournalJAMA Oncology·DateDec 26, 2019

Seeing the new Star Wars? Be careful what you wish for

A new study found that people who went into the movie with low expectations actually had lower overall enjoyment, contrary to those who expected less but were pleasantly surprised. Researchers surveyed 441 participants before and after seeing The Last Jedi and found that negative bias can drag down even positive reactions.

SourceOhio State University·JournalJournal of Media Psychology Theories Methods and Applications·DateDec 26, 2019