Culture

MIAMI, FL (February 15, 2016). University of Miami (UM) Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy researchers investigated the conservation policy preferences of shark scientists, as well as their personal histories of conservation advocacy and their opinions about the environmental non-profit community. This survey of over 100 scientists and natural resource managers from all over the world is the first to assess the collective expertise of the world's largest professional shark research societies. The survey results are published today in the journal Conservation Biology.

PHILADELPHIA - Financial incentives aimed at increasing physical activity were most effective when the rewards were put at risk of being lost, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The study, which tested the effectiveness of three methods of financial incentives to increase physical activity among overweight and obese adults, shows that depending on how they are framed, incentives of equal amounts can have significantly different effects on outcomes. Results are published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Diagnosis of mood and psychotic disorders depend solely on relatively subjective assessment of symptoms and psychometric evaluations, upon which a decision is made to prescribe one or more standardised treatment regimen. Treatment response in turn is evaluated on the same principles. All this in spite of decades' worth of research efforts aimed at understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of these disorders.

An international team that includes researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has captured the most precise--and puzzling--energy measurements yet of ghostly particles called reactor antineutrinos produced at a nuclear power complex in China.

BINGHAMTON, NY - Analysis of artifacts found on the shores of Rapa Nui, Chile (Easter Island) originally thought to be used as spear points reveal that these objects were likely general purpose tools instead, providing evidence contrary to the widely held belief that the ancient civilization was destroyed by warfare.

Unpaid family and friends who assist older people with disabilities by coordinating doctor appointments and managing medications are significantly more likely to experience emotional, physical and financial difficulties than caregivers who don't provide this type of support, new research finds.

The use of proton pump inhibitors, the popular medications used to treat gastroesophageal reflux and peptic ulcers, may be associated with an increased risk of dementia in a study using data from a large German health insurer, according to an article published online by JAMA Neurology.

The use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) has increased among older patients and PPIs are among the most frequently used classes of drugs.

There appears to have been no change in the incidence of epilepsy in patients younger than 65 over the past 40 years in Finland but an increased incidence among older patients, which a new study suggests means no progress in preventing new cases of epilepsy, according to an article published online by JAMA Neurology.

AURORA, Colo. (Feb. 15, 2016) - A team of researchers from children's hospitals across the country, including a University of Colorado School of Medicine faculty member, found that hospitals serving children may face financial penalties for patient readmissions due to factors beyond the control of the hospital.

Citizen Science and Information Technology: Engaging People for a Better Planet

Washington, DC, February 14, 2016 -- African education leader Thierry Zomahoun called on global scientific community to pick up chalk and help him uncover a new Einstein in Africa. President and CEO of the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), Zomahoun delivered a speech to a packed room at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual conference in Washington, D.C.

A large majority of Americans have favorable views of science and scientists, believing that the benefits from science outweigh any negatives and agree that science and technology will create more opportunities for future generations.

This is according to a survey of more than 1,500 people conducted by the National Science Foundation and is part of a report -- Science and Engineering Indicators -- that the National Science Board provides to the president and Congress every two years.

Los Angeles -- Over the past forty years, little has been learned about how to prevent, diagnose and effectively treat one of the most complex infectious diseases in the country -- chronic Lyme disease. But now, big data tools like patient registries have the potential to change that.

Members of the International Daya Bay Collaboration, who track the production and flavor-shifting behavior of electron antineutrinos generated at a nuclear power complex in China, have obtained the most precise measurement of these subatomic particles' energy spectrum ever recorded. The data generated from the world's largest sample of reactor antineutrinos indicate two intriguing discrepancies with theoretical predictions and provide an important measurement that will shape future reactor neutrino experiments. The results have been published in the journal Physical Review Letters.

WASHINGTON (Feb. 12, 2016) - The American College of Cardiology's National Cardiovascular Data Registry was the source of data for several research studies published in the final three months of 2015, including a study examining outcomes between certified and non-certified physicians, gender gaps in the use of oral anticoagulants, and appropriate use criteria.

Are There Differences in PCI Outcomes Between Certified and Non-Certified Physicians?