Culture | Page 2796 | Science Codex

Study shows judges' backgrounds matter in high court selection

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Some federal judges are tossing out civil cases based on their own opinions, a disturbing trend that makes background checks even more important in the search for a new associate justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, a University of Illinois legal expert says.

A study by law professor Suja A. Thomas found that judges improperly dismiss cases based on their own view of evidence because legal standards – which require them to gauge whether evidence is sufficient to sway a reasonable jury – are "fatally flawed."

Shire presents new scientific data on ADHD treatments at National Psychiatric Scientific Meeting

PHILADELPHIA – May 13, 2009 – Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it will present key scientific data on its Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) treatments lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (CII) and investigational non-scheduled guanfacine extended release, at a national scientific meeting of psychiatrists to be held May 16 -21 in San Francisco, CA.

Study finds higher prevalence of early menarche among survivors of childhood sexual abuse

(Boston) - African-American women who were younger at menarche, or the onset of their menstrual periods, were more likely to report a history of childhood sexual abuse, according to a new study led by a researcher at Boston University's Slone Epidemiology Center. The results suggest that a history of sexual abuse may increase the risk of early menarche (i.e., onset of menstrual periods before age 12 years).

Study: Smoking bans do not cause job losses in bars and restaurants

COLUMBUS, Ohio – New research suggests that exempting bars from community smoking bans makes no economic difference in terms of preserving bar employment, and that even the most comprehensive clean indoor air policies do not lead to a reduction in hospitality jobs.

Researchers hope the findings, based on a study in Minnesota, will factor into future debates within municipalities and states considering the economic and health issues surrounding smoking-ban proposals.

Study: Potential criminals deterred by longer sentences

Deterrence is often a stated goal of criminal sentencing guidelines, but there is debate about whether the threat of punishment actually discourages people from committing crimes. A new study published in the Journal of Political Economy sheds some empirical light on the question of deterrence. Using a recently passed Italian law as a natural experiment, the study found that former prisoners are less likely to return to jail if they expect longer sentences for future crimes.

Partial bans on smoking don't save jobs in restaurants and bars

Washington, DC, May 18, 2009— Some cities and states around the country have completely banned smoking in public places. Others have instituted partial bans to avoid negative economic consequences, such as loss of employment in restaurants and bars due to reduced patronage by smokers. But a new study from Minnesota finds that there is no significant difference between partial bans, complete bans and even no bans, in terms of their impact on number of employees in restaurants and bars.

Autism in the UK costs more than $41 billion every year, shows new research

Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore and Washinton DC (18 May 2009) – Research published this week in the Journal Autism, published by SAGE, estimate the annual costs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to be more than £27 billion a year. The costs of supporting children with ASDs were estimated to be £2.7 billion per year, £25 billion each year for adults. The findings will be presented at the Autism & Employment Workshop taking place today at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Long-term study shows low oxygen levels in prostate tumors can predict recurrence

ORLANDO (May 15, 2009)—Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers have discovered that low-oxygen regions in prostate tumors can be used to predict a rise in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, a marker of tumor recurrence in prostate cancer. The long-term study results will be presented at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Orlando, FL.

Discovery of nonblinking semiconductor nanocrystals advances their applications

Substantial advances for applications of nanocrystals in the fields requiring a continuous output of photons and high quantum efficiency may soon be realized due to discovery of non-blinking semiconductor nanocrystals. This discovery recently announced by scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), University of Rochester, Cornell University and Eastman Kodak Company is an important step to the use of the nanocrystals in various practical devices ranging from low-threshold lasers to the solar cells and biological imaging and tracking.

1 in 5 girls in upper secondary school suffers from school burnout

The transition from basic education to upper secondary school is a challenge for many young people. According to a study of school burnout at different stages of school and higher education, upper secondary school is a particularly challenging stage for many young people. Success-oriented female upper secondary school pupils are at the greatest risk: up to 20 cent of them suffer from school burnout. Burnout is a phenomenon to be taken seriously, as it can lead to depression.

Canada not so great for medical professionals: Why Canadian nurses go - and stay - in the US

(Toronto: May 14, 2009) A study looking at Canadian-educated registered nurses working in the USA found that opportunities for ongoing education, including formal support for graduate education and ease of licensure, in addition to full-time employment, were key factors that contribute to the migration of Canadian nurses to the USA, particularly baccalaureate-educated nurses.

Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing's Dr. Linda McGillis Hall, Associate Dean, Research, is the lead author of the study, published online today in the International Nursing Review.

How "Bohemian Rhapsody" led to a better music search engine algorithm

At a recent IEEE technology conference, UC San Diego electrical engineers presented a solution to their problem with the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" — and it's not that they don't it like it.

The electrical engineers' issue with Queen's rock anthem is that it is too heterogeneous. With its mellow piano, falsetto vocals, rock opera sections and crazy guitar solos, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is so internally varied that machine learning algorithms at the heart of their experimental music search engine have trouble labeling the song.

Ginger quells cancer patients' nausea from chemotherapy

People with cancer can reduce post-chemotherapy nausea by 40 percent by using ginger supplements, along with standard anti-vomiting drugs, before undergoing treatment, according to scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

M. D. Anderson study first to evaluate prevalence, impact of off label chemotherapy in breast cancer

ORLANDO - At some point during their care, more than one-third of metastatic breast cancer patients receive chemotherapy off label, the legal use of FDA-approved drugs in a different indication than for which they were approved, according to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Educational initiatives improve quality of care delivery

ORLANDO (May 14, 2009)—A study of targeted educational initiatives between the clinical staff at Fox Chase Cancer Center and the hospitals within their Partners program suggest that educational interventions by academic cancer centers can improve quality of care for cancer patients at community hospitals.