Tag: USA
Shedding light on the role of sleep in memory consolidation
The average human spends about a third of their life sleeping and it is accepted that sleep is crucial for both physical and mental health. Still, scientists remain in the dark about many of the details and mechanisms of this strange state. Harry Pantazopoulos, Assistant Professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in the U.S., has conducted novel research […]
Consciously calculating unconscious bias: The role of dichotomous valuation
Like with any choice, when faced with data selection, people are influenced by their own biases. A new research paper by econometric expert Dr Xingwei Hu of the International Monetary Fund evaluates how people subconsciously view different variables and the way this influences their decision-making. By assessing decisions through dichotomous valuation, Dr Hu is able to show the extent to […]
Patient safety and opioid medications
Hospitalised patients often require appropriate pain relief as part of their treatment. Opioids are effective medications for pain management, but can cause excessive sedation and respiratory depression resulting in patient harm. Dr Carla Jungquist of the University at Buffalo, School of Nursing, and a panel of fellow experts reviewed evidence from the past decade to provide an important update on […]
Understanding farmers’ behaviour to better control avian influenza
Dr Alexis Delabouglise, based at the International Center of Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD), France, and Dr Maciej Boni, at the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics of the Pennsylvania State University, USA, want to understand how small-scale poultry farmers make management decisions involving their birds’ health. In case of an outbreak of avian influenza, for example, understanding the farmer’s views […]
How natural disturbances sustain diversity
While natural disturbances like fires and floods can pose a risk to human life, in some places these events can help to support a diverse ecosystem. Forest fires, for example, allow species like oak to thrive and support a rich insect population, which in turn feeds many different birds. Dr Mike Eichholz of Southern Illinois University Carbondale studies the influence […]
Globalization and the erosion of geo-ethnic checkpoints
Understanding the ecology of complex adaptive systems, such as organisms, societies, and languages, poses many challenges. Dr Chris Girard, Associate Professor of Sociology with the Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies at Florida International University, has developed an evolutionary model, known as coevolving informatics, that offers a transdisciplinary approach to understanding complex adaptive systems. Coevolving informatics employs complexity and evolutionary […]
Novel imaging technique could lead to early diagnosis of lung cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer is one of the most widespread forms of the disease. As with many other cancers, the best chance of survival comes with early diagnosis; unfortunately, at present this often doesn’t happen. In research that has the potential to improve the prognosis of lung cancer patients, Dr Claudio Scafoglio and colleagues at the University of California, Los […]
How sleep may be key to antisocial behaviour in young people
Sleep is vital to our health and yet remains understudied in young people and especially in its links to behaviours. Professor Alexander Vazsonyi at the University of Kentucky is focused on highlighting the role of sleep in problem behaviours in adolescents. His work on sleep unearths some important influences on deviant behaviour but also points to ways that young people […]
Co-learning, translanguaging and English language acquisition
The US has the largest number of English-speakers in the world, but it is also multilingual: according to 2018 census data, 23% of children aged 5 to 17 speak another language at home. English language acquisition for those who speak English as a second language is therefore an important issue for educators. Mary Amanda Stewart and Holly Hansen-Thomas of Texas […]
Treating low testosterone in males: A nasal gel shows promising results
Ranjith Ramasamy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Urology, University of Miami. His clinical work focuses on treating male infertility and sexual dysfunction, and he is involved in several research projects. One such project investigated a novel treatment for low testosterone, a nasal gel known as Natesto. An initial clinical trial showed that Natesto is a promising treatment […]