ScienceDaily: Science & Society News

Adults wtih disabilities screened for cancer less often Posted: 26 Feb 2015 03:35 PM PST Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are much less likely to be screened for colorectal cancer, research shows. "As individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities live longer, their risk of developing chronic conditions like cancer increases. Suboptimal screening may contribute to a greater cancer burden in this population," says one researcher.

Economic models provide insights into global sustainability challenges Posted: 26 Feb 2015 12:46 PM PST Using models that blend global economics, geography, ecology and environmental sciences is essential to understanding how changes in trade and natural systems in one part of the world affect those in another, a review concludes.

Social circles: Degree to which urban movement is linked to social activity Posted: 26 Feb 2015 12:46 PM PST If you live in a city, you know that a fair amount of your movement around town is social in nature. But how much, exactly? A study uses a new method to infer that around one-fifth of urban movement is strictly social, a finding that holds up consistently in multiple cities.

Strong connection between violence, mental illness in Guatemala during civil war lessens in postwar period Posted: 26 Feb 2015 12:45 PM PST Violence during the civil war in Guatemala from 1960 to 1996 resulted in the development of significant mental health problems and conditions for the county’s people, according to a new multi-institution study. It continues to say that the mental health consequences resulting from violent events decreased in the postwar period, suggesting a nation in recovery.

Embrace unknowns, opt for flexibility in environmental policies, experts say Posted: 26 Feb 2015 12:45 PM PST We make hundreds, possibly thousands, of decisions each day without having full knowledge of what will happen next. Life is unpredictable, and we move forward the best we can despite not knowing every detail. Likewise, two professors argue that ecosystem managers must learn to make decisions based on an uncertain future.

'Ecosystem services' help assess ocean energy development Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:49 AM PST Environmental scientists suggest that the way to fill vast gaps in knowledge about the ecological and socioeconomic impacts of ocean energy development is to consider how the benefits provided by ocean ecosystems change before and after the placement of ocean energy infrastructure.

World's challenges demand science changes -- and fast, experts say Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:49 AM PST The world has little use -- and precious little time -- for detached experts. A group of scientists -- each of them experts -- makes a compelling case that the growing global challenges has rendered sharply segregated expertise obsolete. Disciplinary approaches to crises like air pollution, climate change, food insecurity, and energy and water shortages, are not only ineffective, but also making many of these crises worse.

Hospitals face growing active shooter threat in United States Posted: 26 Feb 2015 11:14 AM PST The number of active shooter incidents in US hospitals has increased over the last decade to a frequency of more than one a month. In a new article, authors suggest that hospitals examine their security plans.

Traditional forms of media coverage valued over advertising Posted: 26 Feb 2015 10:21 AM PST In an age where digital media is constantly changing, public relations practitioners and business professionals still see the benefits of traditional media coverage, according to a recent study.

Could squirmy livestock dent africa's protein deficit? Posted: 26 Feb 2015 09:23 AM PST Two graduate students are working to introduce highly productive kits for farming mealworms to regions such as sub-Saharan Africa where eating insects is already culturally palatable. They are just practicing what they are beginning to preach: insects, and mealworms in particular, are an overlooked, healthful, economically viable and sustainable source of nutrition for people.

Teacher prejudices put girls off math, science, study suggests Posted: 26 Feb 2015 08:04 AM PST Although higher education has already opened the door to equal opportunities for women and minorities in the US in the math and science professions, a new study suggests that elementary school teachers' unconscious biases significantly influence female students' academic choices later on.

Thinking of God makes people bigger risk-takers, study suggests Posted: 26 Feb 2015 08:04 AM PST Reminders of God can make people more likely to seek out and take risks, according to research. The findings suggest that people are willing to take these risks because they view God as providing security against potential negative outcomes.

Team approach boosts human and environmental wellbeing, researcher says Posted: 26 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST Even seemingly intractable problems such as the antibiotic crisis and the obesity epidemic could be resolved by treating human health and society as an integral part of an ecosystem, researchers say. "The problem now faced is that ecosystems have been plundered in such an anthropocentric fashion that their sustainability is precarious and our health with it," one author states.

Criminologist's study shows lack of mental health care for prisoners Posted: 26 Feb 2015 05:49 AM PST A substantial number of prison inmates have not received treatment for mental health conditions, a expert claims. The study recommends that prisons prioritize the use of validated screening procedures for mental health disorders plus treatment.

Children of undocumented Mexican immigrants have heightened risk of behavior problems Posted: 26 Feb 2015 05:44 AM PST Children of undocumented Mexican immigrants have a significantly higher risk of behavior problems than their co-ethnic counterparts with documented or naturalized citizen mothers, according to a new study.

Hospital design has little effect on patient satisfaction, study finds Posted: 25 Feb 2015 06:01 PM PST Contrary to previous reports, a new study found that patients' satisfaction scores only modestly improved based on the newly remodeled design of a hospital.

Should smoking be banned in UK parks? Posted: 25 Feb 2015 05:59 PM PST Should smoking be banned in UK parks? Extending anti-smoking legislation in the UK to encompass a ban in parks and squares "is an opportunity to celebrate the great beacon of healthy living, clean air, and physical activity our green spaces are designed for," researchers write. "And, crucially, it is an opportunity to support our population -- young and old -- to make healthier lifestyle choices easier."

Sharp rise in experimental animal research in US Posted: 25 Feb 2015 05:59 PM PST The use of animals in experimental research has soared at leading US laboratories in recent years, finds new research. This is despite growing public opposition to animal experimentation, mounting evidence that animal studies often do not faithfully translate to people, and the development of new research technologies that supplant animal use.

India's doctors should be helped to expose poor practice or misconduct Posted: 24 Feb 2015 04:27 PM PST Healthcare professionals should be helped to speak up if they become aware of threats to patient safety or wrongdoing. But as one investigator reports, it's not easy for doctors in India to raise such concerns in practice.

India's private healthcare sector 'treats patients as revenue generators,' report suggests Posted: 24 Feb 2015 04:26 PM PST India's private healthcare sector 'treats patients as revenue generators' argues a senior doctor in a new article. A second article argues that private healthcare providers in India 'are above the law, leaving patients without protection.'