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Study: Minimum wage 'an effective tool' for increasing incomes of older workers

A new study by University of Illinois researchers finds that the minimum wage has no discernible 'disemployment' effects on older workers and may even delay retirements. The study suggests that higher minimum wages increase earnings and financial resources for older households, offsetting any potential negative unemployment effects.

Trophy hunting is unlikely to affect evolution

Recent study in Journal of Wildlife Management suggests trophy hunting doesn't drive artificial selection, altering horn and antler sizes. Researchers argue that numerous obstacles counteract hunter selection, minimizing population-level changes.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of Wildlife Management·DateOct 4, 2017

New prostate cancer screening review article advocates for active surveillance

Active surveillance can reduce overtreatment by almost 50 percent at 15 years, according to a new review article. The approach involves monitoring and testing patients with regular intervals, rather than immediate treatment. The authors found that this strategy can balance the risk of overdiagnosis and overtreatment in prostate cancer.

SourceUniversity Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center·JournalSurgical Clinics of North America·DateSep 17, 2015

Early surgery for mitral regurgitation, before clinical triggers emerge, has best outcomes

A study published in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery found that delaying surgery for severe mitral regurgitation until symptoms appear doubles the risk of postoperative mortality and heart failure. Early surgery, on the other hand, provides the best long-term outcomes, with lower mortality and congestive heart failur...

SourceAmerican Association for Thoracic Surgery·JournalJournal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery·DateAug 11, 2015

Humped-back model of plant diversity withstands controversy

A new study using data from six continents provides strong evidence supporting the humped-back model (HBM) of plant species richness. The HBM theory suggests that environmental stress can lead to low plant productivity, with highly competitive species dominating at high productivity levels. The research found a very strong correlation ...

Most of amateur athletes undergoing hypoxic training are not advised by specialists

A recent study found that only 25% of amateur athletes undergoing hypoxic training receive specialist monitoring, putting them at risk for health problems such as increased breathlessness, anaemia, and muscle loss. The lack of regulation among amateur athletes leads to ineffective training efforts and increased health risks.

SourceSpanish Foundation for Science and Technology·JournalPhysiology & Behavior·DateJun 26, 2015

How to build your gate

Researchers at EMBL used super-resolution microscopy to determine the arrangement of Y-shaped molecules in the nuclear pore complex, resolving a decade-old controversy. The study found that the Ys lie in an orderly circle around the opening, with all arms pointing towards the centre.

Playing at pirate games

A study of BitTorrent file-sharing found that digital game piracy is more prevalent than thought, with popular titles like Fallout: New Vegas and Call of Duty: Black Ops driving most sharing activity. The analysis contradicts common myths, showing that children's and family games are also pirated.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Advanced Media and Communication·DateMay 14, 2013

Triceratops controversy continues

New research suggests Triceratops and Torosaurus should be classified into two distinct groups, based on morphological and computational analysis of 35 specimens. The study found evidence that some Torosaurus skulls were immature, contradicting previous hypotheses.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateFeb 29, 2012

Controversy over Triceratops identity continues

Research led by John Scannella confirms that Triceratops is a single genus, resolving debate over the classification of Torosaurus and Nedoceratops. The study reveals that significant skeletal changes during development and natural variation within the genus cause specimens to exhibit varying features.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateDec 14, 2011

Sneaking up on the glassy transition of water

Physicists from the University of Pisa and the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche have put an end to the debate on the glass transition temperature of water. They found that the magic number is approximately 136 Kelvin (-137 Celsius) using a thorough study of water's dynamics, supporting traditional views and refuting recent claims.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalThe Journal of Chemical Physics·DateSep 26, 2011

Surveillance may be suitable treatment option for patients with low-risk prostate cancer

A new study found that active surveillance is a suitable treatment option for patients with low-risk prostate cancer, resulting in lower mortality rates compared to radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy. After a median follow-up of 8.2 years, the surveillance group had a higher percentage of deaths from competing causes.

SourceJournal of the National Cancer Institute·JournalJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute·DateJun 18, 2010

Considering usual medical care in clinical trial design

A study published in PLoS Medicine discusses the challenges of designing clinical trials when there is no consensus on usual medical care. The authors recommend specific criteria for assessing proposed study designs and highlight the importance of comparing management of conditions to standard care.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateSep 28, 2009

Study casts new light on research of controversial scientist Paul Kammerer

A new study re-examines Kammerer's experiments and finds remarkable resemblances to newly discovered aspects of epigenetics. Kammerer's data shows consistency with current epigenetic mechanisms, providing new biological arguments in favor of the authenticity of his midwife toad experiments.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of Experimental Zoology Part B Molecular and Developmental Evolution·DateSep 2, 2009