Health News

Gossip and ostracism may have hidden group benefits

Date: Jan-30-2014
Conventional wisdom holds that gossip and social exclusion are always malicious, undermining trust and morale in groups. But sharing this kind of "reputational information" could have benefits for society, according to a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.Robb Willer, an associate professor of sociology at Stanford University, explored the nature of gossip and ostracism in collaboration with co-authors Matthew Feinberg, a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford, and Michael Schultz from the University of California-Berkeley.

A person's age is not an accurate predictor of their driving ability

Date: Jan-30-2014
Encouraging older drivers to self-regulate their driving rather than revoking their licence based on age, has the potential to improve their safety and maintain their independence, a QUT study has found.Ides Wong, from QUT's Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety - Queensland (CARRS-Q), said a person's age was not an accurate predictor of their driving ability."People do not wake up on their 75th birthday a worse driver than they were the day before, which is what current age-based testing assumes," Dr Wong said.

A person's age is not an accurate predictor of their driving ability

Date: Jan-30-2014
Encouraging older drivers to self-regulate their driving rather than revoking their licence based on age, has the potential to improve their safety and maintain their independence, a QUT study has found.Ides Wong, from QUT's Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety - Queensland (CARRS-Q), said a person's age was not an accurate predictor of their driving ability."People do not wake up on their 75th birthday a worse driver than they were the day before, which is what current age-based testing assumes," Dr Wong said.

Astrocyte finding points to possible new Parkinson's therapy

Date: Jan-30-2014
A new study shows that, when properly manipulated, a population of support cells found in the brain called astrocytes could provide a new and promising approach to treat Parkinson's disease. These findings, which were made using an animal model of the disease, demonstrate that a single therapy could simultaneously repair the multiple types of neurological damage caused by Parkinson's, providing an overall benefit that has not been achieved in other approaches.

Astrocyte finding points to possible new Parkinson's therapy

Date: Jan-30-2014
A new study shows that, when properly manipulated, a population of support cells found in the brain called astrocytes could provide a new and promising approach to treat Parkinson's disease. These findings, which were made using an animal model of the disease, demonstrate that a single therapy could simultaneously repair the multiple types of neurological damage caused by Parkinson's, providing an overall benefit that has not been achieved in other approaches.

Recommendations on breast abnormalities 'may need to be revised'

Date: Jan-30-2014
A new study, published in the American Association for Cancer Research's journal Cancer Prevention Research, challenges the current recommendations for management of a type of breast tissue abnormality. Atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH) has not previously been thought to progress directly to breast cancer in the same breast, although it can indicate an equal risk of breast cancer across both breasts. Instead, it was thought that only another abnormality - atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) - could lead directly to cancer in the same breast.

Recommendations on breast abnormalities 'may need to be revised'

Date: Jan-30-2014
A new study, published in the American Association for Cancer Research's journal Cancer Prevention Research, challenges the current recommendations for management of a type of breast tissue abnormality. Atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH) has not previously been thought to progress directly to breast cancer in the same breast, although it can indicate an equal risk of breast cancer across both breasts. Instead, it was thought that only another abnormality - atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) - could lead directly to cancer in the same breast.

Popularity of indoor tanning among younger people 'alarming'

Date: Jan-30-2014
New research analyzing the prevalence of indoor tanning has revealed the activity is very common in Western countries, particularly among young people. Because the use of tanning beds has been associated with a higher risk of skin cancers, researchers say its popularity is a public health risk.Indoor tanning exposes the user to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Research has shown that exposure to these UV rays can increase the risk of skin cancers, such as melanoma and squamous cell, and cancers of the eye (ocular melanoma).

Popularity of indoor tanning among younger people 'alarming'

Date: Jan-30-2014
New research analyzing the prevalence of indoor tanning has revealed the activity is very common in Western countries, particularly among young people. Because the use of tanning beds has been associated with a higher risk of skin cancers, researchers say its popularity is a public health risk.Indoor tanning exposes the user to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Research has shown that exposure to these UV rays can increase the risk of skin cancers, such as melanoma and squamous cell, and cancers of the eye (ocular melanoma).

Doubt cast on theory that retired NFL players suffer CTE

Date: Jan-30-2014
The media have widely reported that a debilitating neurological condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a well-established disease in retired athletes who played football and other contact sports. But a study by a Loyola University Medical Center neuropsychologist has found little evidence that CTE actually exists.