Culture | Page 2692 | Science Codex

No laws needed: Family meals, adequate sleep, limited TV lower childhood obesity

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A new national study suggests that preschool-aged children are likely to have a lower risk for obesity if they regularly engage in one or more of three specific household routines: eating dinner as a family, getting adequate sleep and limiting their weekday television viewing time.

In a large sample of the U.S. population, the study showed that 4-year-olds living in homes with all three routines had an almost 40 percent lower prevalence of obesity than did children living in homes that practiced none of these routines.

Soft drink consumption may increase risk of pancreatic cancer

PHILADELPHIA — Consuming two or more soft drinks per week increased the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by nearly twofold compared to individuals who did not consume soft drinks, according to a report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Although relatively rare, pancreatic cancer remains one of the most deadly, and only 5 percent of people who are diagnosed are alive five years later.

Nearly half of Americans believe H1N1 outbreak is over, poll finds

Boston, MA – The latest poll from researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) shows that almost half of Americans believe the H1N1 flu outbreak is over (44%), and levels of concern about getting sick with the virus continue to decline. Few (18%) think it is "very likely" there will be another widespread outbreak of the H1N1 virus in the U.S.

Democratic, Republican presidents have had similar economic records, says political scientist

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- In his recent book "Unequal Democracy," noted Princeton political scientist Larry Bartels reaches the controversial conclusion that Democratic presidents have generally done a better job in handling the economy.

According to Bartels, economic growth has been greater, unemployment has been lower and income-inequality has been slightly reduced under Democratic presidents. As he sees it, Democrats have had a better record across the board.

More study needed to halt Illinois job slump, economist says

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois is mired in a deep employment recession that could linger for years unless the state unravels the roots of its nearly decade-long job slump, a new study by a University of Illinois economist warns.

Though lawmakers tout sweeping job-creation initiatives such as a statewide road and building program, Geoffrey J.D. Hewings predicts little relief until Illinois gets to the bottom of a steep employment downturn that has seen the loss of more than 447,000 jobs since 2000.

Democratic, republican presidents have had similar economic records, says political scientist

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- In his recent book "Unequal Democracy," noted Princeton political scientist Larry Bartels reaches the controversial conclusion that Democratic presidents have generally done a better job in handling the economy.

According to Bartels, economic growth has been greater, unemployment has been lower and income-inequality has been slightly reduced under Democratic presidents. As he sees it, Democrats have had a better record across the board.

U of I faculty assist in evaluating US food security programs

URBANA - On Tuesday, representatives of the Eastern Illinois Foodbank shared results of a national study sponsored by Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. The study is completed every four years by nearly 200 food banks and analyzes the effectiveness of emergency food distribution throughout the United States. Craig Gundersen, an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois, is a member of the Technical Advisory Group for this report.

Hurry, while you still have a super-majority: Congress should act quickly to end gay military ban, APA says

WASHINGTON – The American Psychological Association urged both the Pentagon and Congress today to move swiftly to end the restrictions on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, noting that there are decades of scientific research demonstrating no threat to military readiness or morale.

Study reveals potential evolutionary role for same-sex attraction

Male homosexuality doesn't make complete sense from an evolutionary point of view. It appears that the trait is heritable, but because homosexual men are much less likely to produce offspring than heterosexual men, shouldn't the genes for this trait have been extinguished long ago? What value could this sexual orientation have, that it has persisted for eons even without any discernible reproductive advantage?

More than 30 percent of seniors are not immunized against pneumonia in 36 states

Washington, D.C. February 4, 2010 - A new report, Adult Immunization: Shots to Save Lives, released today by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) found that more than 30 percent of adults ages 65 and older had not been immunized against pneumonia in 36 states as of 2008. The U.S.

Economist's study finds that immigration doesn't threaten US-born students' chances at college

High school students born in the United States need not view their immigrant classmates as a threat to getting a good standardized test score and, ultimately, into a good college, according to a Kansas State University economist.

Researchers recover and restore 1 of the 2 oldest copies of the Quran

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Fundación Tres Culturas del Mediterráneo in September 30th, 2009, José Antonio Griñán, president of the Junta de Andalucía, presented a facsimile edition of a 13th century Andalusian Qur'an at the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco.

Americans support cap and trade global warming scheme, says survey

FAIRFAX, Va., Feb. 4, 2010 — Despite a sharp drop in public concern over global warming, a new study released today by researchers at Yale and George Mason universities says Americans, regardless of political affiliation, support the passage of federal climate and energy policies.

In other words, tell that do-nothing Congress they don't need a filibuster-proof super-majority in order to accomplish anything.

3 years out, safety checklist continues to keep hospital infections in check

The state of Michigan, which used a five-step checklist developed at Johns Hopkins to virtually eliminate bloodstream infections in its hospitals' intensive care units , has been able to keep the number of these common, costly and potentially lethal infections near zero — even three years after first adopting the standardized procedures. A report on the work is being published in the February 20 issue of BMJ (British Medical Journal).

New on-off 'switch' triggers and reverses paralysis in animals with a beam of light

In an advance with overtones of Star Trek phasers and other sci-fi ray guns, scientists in Canada are reporting development of an internal on-off "switch" that paralyzes animals when exposed to a beam of ultraviolet light. The animals stay paralyzed even when the light is turned off. When exposed to ordinary light, the animals become unparalyzed and wake up. Their study appears in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS). It reports the first demonstration of such a light-activated switch in animals.