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Remembering faces and names can be improved during sleep

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For those who rarely forget a face, but struggle with names, the remedy for boosting learning may as near as your pillow.

New research by Northwestern University is the first to document the effect reactivating memory during sleep has on face-name learning.

The researchers found that people’s name recall improved significantly when memories of newly learned face-name associations were reactivated while they were napping. Key to this improvement was uninterrupted deep sleep. [Read more…] about Remembering faces and names can be improved during sleep

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    Positive outlook predicts less memory declineWe may wish some memories could last a lifetime, but many physical and emotional factors can negatively impact our ability to retain information throughout life. A new study published in the journal Psychological Science found that people who feel enthusiastic and cheerful – what psychologists call "positive affect" – are less…
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  • Experiences of loneliness may differ by age
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    Experiences of loneliness may differ by ageLoneliness in adult life is experienced differently depending on age, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health.   The research concludes that there can be no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to reducing loneliness, as factors associated with it, such as contact with friends and family, perceived…
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  • Why some friends make you feel more supported than others
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    Why some friends make you feel more supported than othersIt's good to have friends and family to back you up when you need it – but it's even better if your supporters are close with each other too, a new set of studies suggests. Researchers found that people perceived they had more support from a group of friends or…
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  • Empathy may be in the eye of the beholder
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    Empathy may be in the eye of the beholderEmpathy is talked about a lot these days. Against the backdrop of a global pandemic and a divisive political climate in the United States, calls for empathy have become louder and more urgent. We encourage empathy for those inflicted with Covid-19 and those struggling with unemployment. We reminisce about the…
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Reducing sugar in packaged foods can prevent disease in millions

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Cutting 20 percent of sugar from packaged foods and 40 percent from beverages could prevent 2.48 million cardiovascular disease events (such as strokes, heart attacks, cardiac arrests), 490,000 cardiovascular deaths, and 750,000 diabetes cases in the US over the lifetime of the adult population, according to micro-simulation study published in Circulation.

A team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOH) created a model to simulate and quantify the health, economic, and equity impacts of a pragmatic sugar-reduction policy proposed by the US National Salt and Sugar Reduction Initiative (NSSRI).

A partnership of more than 100 local, state and national health organizations convened by the NYC DOH, the NSSRI released draft sugar-reduction targets for packaged foods and beverages in 15 categories in 2018. [Read more…] about Reducing sugar in packaged foods can prevent disease in millions

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  • Eating more plant foods may lower heart disease risk in young adults, older women
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    Eating more plant foods may lower heart disease risk in young adults, older womenEating more nutritious, plant-based foods is heart-healthy at any age, according to two research studies published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access journal of the American Heart Association. In two separate studies analyzing different measures of healthy plant food consumption, researchers found that both…
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  • New research on good cholesterol possibly finds better marker for cardiovascular disease
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    New research on good cholesterol possibly finds better marker for cardiovascular diseaseGood cholesterol, which is transported in HDLs (high-density lipoproteins), plays a key part in the prevention of atherosclerosis and thus the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, according to a new paper co-authored by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and published in the journal Circulation, the anti-inflammatory properties of HDLs could…
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Dog coat patterns have ancient origin

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Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, but variations in color patterns provide some of their most distinctive characteristics. A newly released study sheds light on a subset of these patterns, unexpectedly leading to new questions about long-held tenets of dog evolution.

The study, co-authored by Professor Danika Bannasch, the Maxine Adler Endowed Chair in Genetics at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, was published Aug. 12 in Nature Evolution and Ecology. It reveals structural variants that control expression of the agouti signaling protein, or ASIP, gene at two separate locations to produce five distinctive dog color patterns. These different patterns are widespread, occurring in hundreds of dog breeds and hundreds of millions of dogs around the world.

The question of when these changes arose surprised the group of international researchers. [Read more…] about Dog coat patterns have ancient origin

Teens with secure family relationships ‘pay it forward’ with empathy for friends

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Teens’ ability to empathize – to understand others’ perspectives and emotions, and to care for their wellbeing – is an important contributor to their relationships, including with friends. Prior research shows that teens who have more secure family relationships report higher levels of empathy for others.

But little research examines whether teens with more secure family relationships actually show greater empathy when observed in real-life interactions with peers, or whether their empathic capacities show different patterns of growth over time.

A new study tested whether teens’ secure, supportive family relationships at age 14 related to their ability to provide their friends with empathic support across adolescence and into early adulthood. [Read more…] about Teens with secure family relationships ‘pay it forward’ with empathy for friends

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    Correcting misperceptions about, and increasing empathy for, migrantsMany mainstream depictions of immigration at the southern border of the United States paint a dark picture, eliciting imagery of violent gang members and child trafficking. But how many undocumented immigrants are really involved in this kind of activity? Many people may be surprised to learn the answer is far…
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New technique reduces nicotine levels, harmful compounds simultaneously in tobacco

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North Carolina State University researchers have developed a new technique that can alter plant metabolism. Tested in tobacco plants, the technique showed that it could reduce harmful chemical compounds, including some that are carcinogenic. The findings could be used to improve the health benefits of crops.

“A number of techniques can be used to successfully reduce specific chemical compounds, or alkaloids, in plants such as tobacco, but research has shown that some of these techniques can increase other harmful chemical compounds while reducing the target compound,” said De-Yu Xie, professor of plant and microbial biology at NC State and the corresponding author of a paper describing the research.

“Our technology reduced a number of harmful compounds – including the addictive nicotine, the carcinogenic N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), and other tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) – simultaneously without detrimental effects to the plant.” [Read more…] about New technique reduces nicotine levels, harmful compounds simultaneously in tobacco

Major revamp of SNAP could eliminate food insecurity in the US

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Food insecurity is a major problem in the U.S., and it worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides some relief, but millions of Americans still lack adequate access to healthy food. A new study from the University of Illinois proposes a potential solution. 

“Restructuring SNAP as a Universal Basic Income (UBI) program or modified UBI is a straightforward way to eliminate food insecurity in United States. It’s expensive but it is not difficult,” says Craig Gundersen, distinguished professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at U of I. Gundersen authored the study, published in Food Policy.

While the existing SNAP program effectively reduces food insecurity, it has some limitations. For some SNAP recipients, the amount of aid they receive is insufficient. Some people who are food insecure and eligible for SNAP do not participate. And finally, more than half of those who are food insecure are not eligible for SNAP, Gundersen explains. [Read more…] about Major revamp of SNAP could eliminate food insecurity in the US

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How long can a person live? The 21st century may see a record-breaker

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The number of people who live past the age of 100 has been on the rise for decades, up to nearly half a million people worldwide.

There are, however, far fewer “supercentenarians,” people who live to age 110 or even longer. The oldest living person, Jeanne Calment of France, was 122 when she died in 1997; currently, the world’s oldest person is 118-year-old Kane Tanaka of Japan.

Such extreme longevity, according to new research by the University of Washington, likely will continue to rise slowly by the end of this century, and estimates show that a lifespan of 125 years, or even 130 years, is possible. [Read more…] about How long can a person live? The 21st century may see a record-breaker

Study finds boys’ dislike for reading fiction is actually fiction!

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Gender stereotypes around reading may be holding boys back in the classroom, according to a new study published in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Inclusive Education.

In what is described as an ‘unexpected’ and ‘significant’ finding, fiction is the most favoured reading genre for schoolboys compared with non-fiction, comics and magazines.

Well over half (57%) of the boys said they liked fiction or story books ‘a lot’ according to research based on more than 300 pupils aged from seven to eight in Australia. [Read more…] about Study finds boys’ dislike for reading fiction is actually fiction!

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Still waiting at an intersection? Banning certain left turns helps traffic flow

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When traffic is clogged at a downtown intersection, there may be a way to reduce some of the congestion: Eliminate a few left turns.

According to Vikash Gayah, associate professor of civil engineering at Penn State, well-placed left-turn restrictions in certain busy intersections could loosen many of the bottlenecks that hamper traffic efficiency. He recently created a new method that could help cities identify where to restrict these turns to improve overall traffic flow.

“We have all experienced that feeling of getting stuck waiting to make a left turn,” Gayah said. “And if you allow these turns to have their own green arrow, you have to stop all other vehicles, making the intersection less productive. Left turns are also where you find the most severe crashes, especially with pedestrians. Our idea is to get rid of these turns when we can to create safer and more efficient intersections.” [Read more…] about Still waiting at an intersection? Banning certain left turns helps traffic flow

At what temperature does the weather becomes a problem

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“We have studied which temperatures are preferable and which are harmful in humans, cattle, pigs, poultry, and agricultural crops and found that they are surprisingly similar,” says Senthold Asseng, Professor of Digital Agriculture at TUM. According to the study, preferable temperatures range from 17 to 24 degrees Celsius.

When does it become too hot for humans?

At high humidity, mild heat strain for humans begins at about 23 degrees Celsius and at low humidity at 27 degrees Celsius.

“If people are exposed to temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius at extremely high humidity or above 45 degrees Celsius at extremely low humidity for a lengthy period of time, it can be fatal,” says Prof. Asseng. [Read more…] about At what temperature does the weather becomes a problem