EurekAlert! - Policy and Ethics

eStadium application brings multimedia sports features to smartphones

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Georgia Institute of Technology) The eStadium application allows fans sitting in the stands of an athletic event to access video replays, up-to-the-second statistics, player bios, play-by-play analysis and a wealth of other information designed to enhance the thrill of the game.

Carnegie Mellon researchers link health-care debate to risk of dying in US and Europe

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Carnegie Mellon University) A new Web site, www.DeathriskRankings.com, developed by researchers at Carnegie Mellon allows users to explore differences in the probability of dying across European countries and the US states for men and women of different ages and races.

A blue revolution: The key to future food security

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(International Water Management Institute) "We will need nothing less than a 'Blue Revolution' if we are to achieve food security, and avert a serious water crisis in the future," said Dr. Colin Chartres, Director General of the Sri Lanka-based International Water Management Institute. Dr. Chartres was speaking to the Economic and Finance Committee of the UN General Assembly, at a special event on "Enhancing Water Governance," convened by the UN today.

New statement outlines ATS positions on research, education, advocacy

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Thoracic Society) The ATS has issued an official statement that outlines the Society's position on research, training, education, patient care and advocacy. The statement, which appears in the Nov. 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, also makes specific recommendations on how elements of the organization can make these policies a part of new and ongoing projects.

Biologists, educators recognize excellence in evolution education

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Institute of Biological Sciences) The National Association of Biology Teachers will recognize Leonard C. Yannielli, professor of biological sciences at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury, Conn., with the 2009 Evolution Education Award during the NABT annual professional development conference to be held Nov. 11-14, 2009 in Denver, Colo.

US and European experts applaud new transatlantic task force on antibiotic resistance threat

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Infectious Diseases Society of America) U.S. and European Experts Applaud New Transatlantic Task Force on Antibiotic Resistance Threat

Newly revised guidelines for managing thyroid cancer published in Thyroid journal

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News) The American Thyroid Association has released new, revised Management Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer. The new guidelines are published in Thyroid, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert Inc. Thyroid is the official journal of the American Thyroid Association. The ATA's revised management guidelines and accompanying editorials are available free online.

Higher health insurance costs force doctors to talk about money with patients

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center) As health insurers require people to base more treatment decisions on out-of-pocket costs, physicians should learn to talk to patients about money, according to researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Tackling new Arctic challenges from space

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(European Space Agency) International scientists, researchers and decision makers met at the Space and the Arctic workshop to identify the needs and challenges of working and living in the rapidly changing Arctic and to explore how space-based services can help to meet those needs.

The first casualty of war

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(BioMed Central) Researchers reporting in BioMed Central's open access journal Conflict and Health found that the discrepancy in media reporting of casualty numbers in the Iraq conflict can potentially misinform the public and contribute to distorted perceptions and gross underestimates of the number of civilians killed in the armed conflict.

Professor: Fear, shame keep homeowners from defaulting

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(University of Arizona) University of Arizona law professor Brent White has just published a working paper making the case that homeowners who are underwater in their mortgage should just walk away from their homes. He says shame and guilt are keeping more homeowners from walking away from their mortgages, even if it might be a smart decision.

Genomic research will enable greener cleanup of military explosive test sites

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Genome BC) Lowly bacteria, it turns out, hold the power to help militaries and munitions manufacturing plants around the world clean up toxic waste on test sites.

TV bombards children with commercials for high-fat and high-sugar foods

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Elsevier Health Sciences) Childhood obesity in the United States is reaching epidemic proportions. With more than one fourth of advertising on daytime and prime time television devoted to foods and beverages and continuing questions about the role television plays in obesity, a study in the November/December issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior examines how food advertising aimed at children might be a large contributor to the problem.

Digital divide: Psychologists suggest ways to include the aging population in the tech revolution

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Association for Psychological Science) Technological advances are being made every day, making many of our lives easier and allowing information to be more accessible and available. However for some people, such as the aging population, technological progress can in fact be more limiting.

Emerging infectious diseases call for 'One Health' summit Nov. 17

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(National Academy of Sciences) The growing threat of the H1N1 pandemic and West Nile virus -- as well as other emerging zoonotic, food or waterborne diseases and environmental changes -- has prompted experts to look for solutions to the increasingly integrated problems among animal, human and environmental health.

Internet search process affects cognition, emotion

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(University of Missouri-Columbia) University of Missouri researchers found that readers were better able to understand, remember and emotionally respond to material found through "searching" compared to content found while "surfing." "If, as these data suggest, the cognitive and emotional impact of online content is greatest when acquired by searching, then Web site sponsors might consider increasing their advertising on pages that tend to be accessed via search engines," said Kevin Wise, assistant professor of strategic communication at MU.

Farmers' markets harvest new business

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Horticultural Science) Something fresh is growing in Indiana. The number of farmers' markets in the state has increased at double the rate of other US states; between 1994 and 2004 the number of farmers' markets in Indiana increased by an impressive 222 percent. Researchers at Purdue have published an insightful study that identifies the reasons behind this unprecedented growth. The most important factors to customers included: the number of products available, cooking demonstrations and the number of vendors.

New CReAM research on the factors that shape individual attitudes towards migration policy

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(University College London) A new research paper from CReAM (Center for Research and Analysis of Migration at UCL) investigates the factors which determine individual attitudes towards migration policy. The paper presents a method for quantifying the relative importance of economic and cultural channels in shaping attitudes towards immigration.

Queen's research could help protect frontline troops

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Queen's University Belfast) A team of researchers at Queen's University Belfast's Center for Secure Information Technologies is working to develop futuristic communications systems that could help protect frontline troops.

NIST test proves 'the eyes have it' for ID verification

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)) The eyes may be the mirror to the soul, but the iris reveals a person's true identity. A new report from NIST demonstrates that iris recognition algorithms can maintain their accuracy even with compact images, affirming their potential for large-scale identity management applications.

Expert predicts possible shift in senior voting bloc

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(The Gerontological Society of America) The majority of people aged 65 and over cast ballots for John McCain in 2008, but older voters will not necessarily favor Republicans in future presidential elections, according to an article in the latest issue of the Gerontologist.

New theory on fairness in economics targets CEO pay

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Purdue University) Chief executives in 35 of the top Fortune 500 companies were overpaid by about 129 times their "ideal salaries" in 2008, according to a new type of theoretical analysis proposed by a Purdue University researcher to determine fair CEO compensation.

Water and Health: Global Issues and Our Shared Responsibilities

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health) On Nov. 13, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the New York Academy of Sciences will host a symposium to address the complex issues surrounding water and health.

Protecting your virtual privacy

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Friends of Tel Aviv University) Dr. Michael Birnhack of TAU's Faculty of Law recently completed a comprehensive study that revealed dangerous loopholes in the collection of personal information by Internet sites and club cards.

Industry support of academic life science research may be dropping

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Massachusetts General Hospital) While more than half the academic life science researchers responding to a 2007 survey indicated having some relationship with industrial entities, the prevalence of such relationships -- particularly direct funding for research studies -- appears to be dropping. Results of the survey also suggest that interest in commercial applications of research appears to be growing, even among investigators without industry funding.