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Social/Behavioral Science
Key: Meeting Journal Funder Dissertation
Public Release: 20-Nov-2009
Science
Saving the single cysteine: New antioxidant system found
We've all read studies about the health benefits of having a life partner. The same thing is true at the molecular level, where amino acids known as cysteines are much more vulnerable to damage when single than when paired up with other cysteines.

Contact: Nancy Ross-Flanigan
rossflan@umich.edu
734-647-1853
University of Michigan

Public Release: 20-Nov-2009
62nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America
Older problem drinkers use more alcohol than do their younger counterparts
Older adults who have alcohol dependence problems drink significantly more than do younger adults who have similar problems, a new study has found. The findings suggest that older problem drinkers may have developed a tolerance for alcohol and need to drink even more than younger abusers to achieve the effects they seek.

Contact: Virginia Richardson
Richardson.2@osu.edu
614-292-1507
Ohio State University

Public Release: 20-Nov-2009
SC 09
More than powerful! German research computer QPACE is the most energy efficient in the world
At the 2009 Supercomputing Conference in Portland, Ore., the high-performance computer QPACE (QCD Parallel Computing on the Cell) was recognized today as the most energy-efficient supercomputer in the world. QPACE is at the head of the Green500 list, which provides a global ranking of energy-efficient supercomputers.

Contact: Kosta Schinarakis
k.schinarakis@fz-juelich.de
49-246-161-4771
Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres

Public Release: 20-Nov-2009
Biological Psychiatry
Possible link studied between childhood abuse and early cellular aging
Researchers from Brown University and Butler Hospital have determined that children who suffer physical or emotional abuse may be faced with accelerated cellular aging as adults. The findings are published online in the journal Biological Psychiatry. A print version of the article is also expected.
NIH/National Institute of Mental Health, NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders

Contact: Mark Hollmer
Mark_Hollmer@brown.edu
401-863-1862
Brown University

Public Release: 20-Nov-2009
Journal of Biological Chemistry
Researchers begin to decipher metabolism of sexual assault drug
It's a naturally occurring brain chemical with an unwieldy name: 4-hydroxybutyrate (4-HB). Taken by mouth, it can be abused or used as a date-rape drug.

Now, a team of Ohio and Michigan scientists have determined new routes by which 4-HB is metabolized by the body. "This is new and important information," said K. Michael Gibson, professor and chair of biological sciences at Michigan Technological University and a member of the research team.
National Institutes of Health, Cleveland Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation

Contact: Jennifer Donovan
jdonovan@mtu.edu
906-487-4521
Michigan Technological University

Public Release: 20-Nov-2009
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Funeral industry workers exposed to formaldehyde face higher risk of leukemia
Long durations of exposure to formaldehyde used for embalming in the funeral industry were associated with an increased risk of death from myeloid leukemia, according to a new study published online Nov. 20 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Contact: Steve Graff
jncimedia@oxfordjournals.org
301-841-1285
Journal of the National Cancer Institute

Public Release: 20-Nov-2009
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Parent training complements medication for treating behavioral problems in children with PDD
Treatment that includes medication plus a structured training program for parents reduces serious behavioral problems in children with autism and related conditions, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.
NIH/National Institute of Mental Health

Contact: Colleen Labbe
NIMHPress@nih.gov
301-443-4536
NIH/National Institute of Mental Health

Public Release: 20-Nov-2009
American Journal of Medicine
Projections of savings from health IT are baseless, Harvard researchers say
The increased computerization in US hospitals hasn't made them cheaper or more efficient, Harvard researchers say, although it may have modestly improved the quality of care for heart attacks. The findings contradict claims by President Obama and many lawmakers that health information technology, including electronic medical records, will save billions and help make reform affordable. The study uses data from the most extensive survey ever undertaken of hospital computerization.

Contact: Mark Almberg
mark@pnhp.org
312-782-6006
Physicians for a National Health Program

Public Release: 20-Nov-2009
Applied Health Economics & Health Policy
Dispensing prescription drugs in 3-month supplies reduces drug costs by a third
Purchasing prescription drugs in a three-month supply rather than a one-month supply has long been regarded as a way to save money. New research from the University of Chicago quantifies the savings for the first time.

Contact: Greg Borzo
greg.borzo@uchospitals.edu
773-795-0892
University of Chicago Medical Center

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Technology Analysis & Strategic Management
Spanish biotechnology should focus on food and plant sectors to be more competitive
Spain and Latin American countries have an opportunity to take the lead in two small biotechnology sectors. Researchers from the University of Valencia, working together with the IDICHUS Foundation, have studied the productive fabric of the Spanish biotechnology industry. Their conclusion is that Spain's food and plant sectors have more clout than those in English-speaking countries.

Contact: SINC
info@plataformasinc.es
34-914-251-820
FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
AIDS
Many pregnant women avoid HIV screening in Africa
"Prevention is the best cure" is a common expression, but what happens if preventative measures are not used? A large proportion of pregnant Ugandan women are going out of their way not to be HIV tested, increasing the risk of mother-to-child transmission.

Contact: Steve Pogonowski
press@f1000.com
Faculty of 1000: Biology and Medicine

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Psicología Conductual
Why can't some people give up cocaine?
Drug dependency is a recurrent but treatable kind of addiction. However, not all people who are drug dependent progress in the same way once they stop taking drugs. A new study shows that, in the case of cocaine, a high score on the so-called "scale of craving," an antisocial personality type and previous heroin abuse are the factors most commonly involved in people falling back into the habit.

Contact: SINC
info@plataformasinc.es
34-914-251-820
FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Why Israeli rodents are more cautious than Jordanian ones
A series of studies carried out at the University of Haifa have found that rodent, reptile and ant lion species behave differently on either side of the Israel-Jordan border. "The border line, which is only a demarcation on the map, cannot contain these species, but the line does restrict humans and their diverse impact on nature," says Dr. Uri Shanas.

Contact: Rachel Feldman
rfeldman@univ.haifa.ac.il
972-482-88722
University of Haifa

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Biological Psychiatry
Common plastics chemicals linked to ADHD symptoms
Phthalates are important components of many consumer products, including toys, cleaning materials, plastics, and personal care items. Studies to date on phthalates have been inconsistent, with some linking exposure to these chemicals to hormone disruptions, birth defects, asthma and reproductive problems, while others have found no significant association between exposure and adverse effects.

Contact: Jayne Dawkins
ja.dawkins@elsevier.com
215-239-3674
Elsevier

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Elsevier celebrates the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention for the Rights of the Child
Elsevier, the leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, announced today the publication of a freely available special issue of Child Abuse and Neglect The International Journal 1989-2009 on the 20th anniversary of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Contact: Lyndsay Scholefield
l.scholefield@elsevier.com
44-186-584-3825
Elsevier

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Genome Biology
Ancestry attracts, but love is blind
People preferentially marry those with similar ancestry, but their decisions are not necessarily based on hair, eye or skin color. Research, published in BioMed Central's open-access journal Genome Biology, shows that Mexicans mate according to proportions of Native-American to European ancestry, while Puerto Ricans are more likely to settle down with someone carrying a similar mix of African and European genes.

Contact: Graeme Baldwin
graeme.baldwin@biomedcentral.com
44-203-192-2165
BioMed Central

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Sexual Medicine Society of North America Annual Meeting
Pivotal study for PSD502 -- the first potential treatment for premature ejaculation
Results of the double-blind treatment phase of this study, which enrolled patients from the US, Canada and Poland, are consistent with previously reported results of the pivotal trial conducted in Europe and showed that men who were treated with PSD502 five minutes before intercourse were able to delay ejaculation up to five times longer than those who used placebo. Additionally, patients and partners in both trials reported significant improvements in sexual satisfaction, and the drug was well tolerated.

Contact: Dave Schemelia
dschemelia@healthstarpr.com
609-468-9325
HealthStar PR

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Significance
'Hobbits' are a new human species -- according to the statistical analysis of fossils
Researchers from Stony Brook University Medical Center in New York have confirmed that Homo floresiensis is a genuine ancient human species and not a descendant of healthy humans dwarfed by disease. Using statistical analysis on skeletal remains of a well-preserved female specimen, researchers determined the "hobbit" to be a distinct species and not a genetically flawed version of modern humans. Details of the study appear in the December issue of Significance, the magazine of the Royal Statistical Society, published by Wiley-Blackwell.

Contact: Dawn Peters
physicalsciencenews@wiley.com
781-388-8408
Wiley-Blackwell

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Drug Testing and Analysis
Promising pharmaceutical agents emerge as sports doping products
Researchers from the German Sport University Cologne in Germany found that nonsteroidal and tissue-selective anabolic agents such as selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are being sold on the black market for their performance enhancing qualities. The availability of authentic SARMs was recently demonstrated for the first time by the detection of the drug candidate Andarine in a product sold via the Internet. Full findings of the study appear in the latest issue of Drug Testing and Analysis published by Wiley-Blackwell.

Contact: Dawn Peters
physicalsciencenews@wiley.com
781-388-8408
Wiley-Blackwell

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research
Treating alcohol-use disorders and tuberculosis together
Treatment for alcohol use disorders and tuberculosis (TB) is rarely integrated, even though the two diseases have a high co-occurrence. American and Russian researchers have jointly designed and are monitoring an innovative program that will deliver alcohol treatment as part of routine TB care. The trial study is continuing.
NIH/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Contact: Shelly F. Greenfield, M.D., M.P.H.
sgreenfield@mclean.harvard.edu
617-855-2241
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Science
Waking up memories while you sleep
They were in a deep sleep, yet sounds, such as a teakettle whistle, somehow penetrated their slumber. The 25 sounds were reminders of earlier spatial learning, though the Northwestern University research participants were unaware of the sounds as they slept. Yet, upon waking, memory tests showed that spatial memories had changed. "We are beginning to see that deep sleep actually is a key time for memory processing," said Ken Paller, professor of psychology at Northwestern.

Contact: Pat Vaughan Tremmel
p-tremmel@northwestern.edu
847-491-4892
Northwestern University

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research
An intervention that can reduce hostile perceptions in children with prenatal alcohol exposure
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been linked to significant impairments in social skills. Researchers have found that a social- skills intervention called Children's Friendship Training can lead to a decrease in hostile attributions or perceptions of children with PAE.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Contact: Vivien Keil, Ph.D.
vkeil29@gmail.com
949-837-3358
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research
A brief intervention that works for drivers who persist in driving while intoxicated
Researchers comparing the effectiveness of two interventions on driving-while-impaired re-offenders with alcohol problems found that one -- Brief Motivational Interviewing -- was more effective. While both interventions led to significant declines in risky drinking, BMI produced significantly more pronounced and longer-lasting reductions in risking drinking compared to the control intervention.
Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation/Foundation for Alcohol Research, Canadian Psychiatric Research Foundation, McGill-Dongier Endowment for Addiction Research

Contact: Thomas G. Brown, Ph.D.
thomas.brown@mcgill.ca
514-761-6131 x3415
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research
Examining mathematical abilities in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) have a number of cognitive deficits. Mathematical ability seems particularly damaged in children with FASD. A new study supports the importance of the left parietal area for mathematical abilities in children with FASD.
Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network

Contact: Catherine Lebel, B.Sc.
catherine.lebel@ualberta.ca
780-492-8098
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research

Public Release: 19-Nov-2009
Behavior Research and Therapy
Full recovery now possible for an 'untreatable' mental illness
Patients coping with the chaos and misery of borderline personality disorder now have reason for strong confidence in making major life changes through a new treatment, schema therapy. For the first time, three major outcome studies have shown that many patients with borderline personality disorder can achieve full recovery across the complete range of symptoms. In one study schema therapy was shown to be more than twice as effective as a widely practiced traditional treatment.

Contact: George Lockwood, Ph.D.
glockwood@chartermi.net
269-345-8100
International Society of Schema Therapy