ScienceDaily: Science & Society News

One in two people in the UK will get cancer Posted: 03 Feb 2015 05:43 PM PST One in two people will develop cancer at some point in their lives, according to the most accurate forecast to date from the UK. Age is the biggest risk factor for most cancers, and the increase in lifetime risk is primarily because more people are surviving into old age, when cancer is more common.

Widening health inequalities among adolescents, international study reveals Posted: 03 Feb 2015 04:02 PM PST Over the past decade, rising national wealth across high-income countries has contributed to some improvements in health and well-being among adolescents. But the gap in health between rich and poor has widened, an international study of nearly half a million adolescents from 34 countries across Europe and North America has found.

University partnerships in high- and low-income countries can increase research capacity Posted: 03 Feb 2015 12:59 PM PST Developing national health research capacity in low- and middle-income countries is a key element toward strengthening their health systems.

There have been a lot of cats in The New York Times over the years Posted: 03 Feb 2015 11:23 AM PST The cute cat video seems to be everywhere online, and it's become a handy epithet for everything that journalism should not be. So what should we make of the fact that The New York Times, that paragon of journalism, has written a lot about cats over 140 years? That's the question posed by a journalism professor after compiling hundreds of cat-related tales from the Times' digital archive.

Add nature, art and religion to life's best anti-inflammatories Posted: 03 Feb 2015 10:32 AM PST Taking in such spine-tingling wonders as the Grand Canyon, Sistine Chapel ceiling or Schubert's 'Ave Maria' may give a boost to the body's defense system. Researchers have linked positive emotions -- especially the awe we feel when touched by the beauty of nature, art and spirituality -- with lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Children's hunger born from mothers' trauma Posted: 03 Feb 2015 09:34 AM PST The roots of children's hunger today may stretch back, in part, to the past childhood trauma of their caregivers. Evidence amassed over the past two decades has demonstrated that stress and deprivation during childhood have lifelong consequences on health, as well as school and job performance. A new small-scale study now suggests a strong relationship between exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and household food insecurity among mothers of young children.

White potatoes should be allowed under WIC, says report Posted: 03 Feb 2015 09:34 AM PST The US Department of Agriculture should allow white potatoes as a vegetable eligible for purchase with vouchers issued by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC), says a new report. If relevant changes occur in the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the recommendation should be re-evaluated.

Customers who binge-consume are more valuable, says study Posted: 03 Feb 2015 08:21 AM PST In contrast to traditional market segmentation, one based on 'binge consumption' brings a higher long-term return to business, a new article suggests.

Just knowing isn't enough: Issuing hospital 'report cards' had no impact on surgical outcomes Posted: 03 Feb 2015 08:19 AM PST If you’re an older person having a major operation these days, it is very likely that your hospital is receiving a “report card” on its performance. These reports are designed to prompt hospitals to improve in areas where they perform poorly. That’s the good news. The not-so-good news: Those “report cards” do not seem to be making things better for patients.

Reducing hospital readmission rates will require community-focused efforts Posted: 03 Feb 2015 07:41 AM PST Most of the variation in hospital readmission rates in the United States is related to geography and other factors over which hospitals have little or no control, researchers have concluded.

Early childhood programs found to significantly lower likelihood of special education placements in third grade Posted: 03 Feb 2015 07:29 AM PST Access to state-supported early childhood programs significantly reduces the likelihood that children will be placed in special education in the third grade, academically benefiting students and resulting in considerable cost savings to school districts, according to new research.

Smokers have strong support for many e-cigarette policies Posted: 03 Feb 2015 07:29 AM PST As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is preparing to issue a final ruling on whether it will extend its tobacco regulatory authority to electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), researchers have identified strong support for a number of e-cigarette policies among smokers. Findings included strong support for advertising restrictions and placing warning labels for potential risks on the devices.