An estimated 63 million adults have low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels higher than what would be ideal as recommended by the National Institutes of Health.

Of that group, 38 million are people with health conditions that put them at increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

These findings, by Stephen D. Persell and co-researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, are reported in the February issue of the Journal of General Intern

Pitt professor’s article considers nature as a service provider

A study published Feb. 1 in the journal Bioscience finds that giving economic value to environmental systems may actually help preserve those systems in the long run. The study, led by University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) Professor Stephen Farber and titled “Linking Ecology and Economics for Ecosystem Management,” uses several case studies to illustrate how an e

Couples Sleep Study at Rush Looks at the Link Between Quality Sleep and Marital Satisfaction

The husband snores. The wife nudges him to flip over. Both wake up feeling grouchy the next morning. It’s a common occurrence that may have more of an impact on the marriage than most couples think.

The Sleep Disorders Center at Rush University Medical Center is conducting a scientific sleep study to evaluate how a husband’s sleep apnea impacts the wife’s quality of sleep a

Weight-bearing regimen and calcium citrate proven to increase bone mineral density

Osteoporosis International, the leading clinical publication on the disease, published data from the Bone Estrogen Strength Training (BEST) Study at The University of Arizona which confirmed that a specific regimen of weight-bearing and resistance exercises, combined with calcium citrate supplement over four years, provided significant improvement in bone mineral density (BMD) of postmenopausal wo

Study suggests steps a planet must go through for complex animal life to arise

Clay made animal life possible on Earth, a UC Riverside-led study finds. A sudden increase in oxygen in the Earth’s recent geological history, widely considered necessary for the expansion of animal life, occurred just as the rate of clay formation on the Earth’s surface also increased, the researchers report.

“Our study shows for the first time that the initial soils covering the te

Sit up and smell the roses better

Before giving flowers or scattering rose petals on Valentine’s Day, make sure your significant other has already gotten out of bed. In a study published recently in the journal Chemical Senses, researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) at McGill University discovered that sensitivity to rose odour is greater in subjects that are sitting than in those lying down.

This research, conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Marily

Consumers who go to multiple search engines looking for the best prices or products may be spending more time than needed, says a Penn State researcher.

In a recent study, Dr. Jim Jansen discovered no significant difference in the effectiveness of five popular search engines in helping consumers find what they were looking for.

“What we learned is that there is little benefit for consumers who occasionally shop online to visit various search engines for product compa

Findings help researchers revise models of mammalian sense of smell

In a mouse model, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers discovered that olfactory sensory neurons expressing the same receptor responded to a specific odor with an array of speeds and sensitivities, a phenomenon previously not detected in the mammalian sense of smell. The group published their findings this week in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

New research carried out by a consumer behaviour researcher at Henley Management College has investigated what drives people to search online. The findings reveal that convenience, time-efficiency and personal control are the key drivers for consumers to search online, rather than cost. It also shows that the relationship between traditional and online retailing outlets needs to be more unified.

E-shopping has changed the face of retail, and surfers are now looking for Spring sale ba

A new identity theft study conducted by leading University of Leicester criminologist, Professor Martin Gill and sponsored by Capital One found that second-hand computers – which account for one in 12 computers in use worldwide1 – can be a potential treasure trove of personal information – putting users at risk of fraud and identity theft. The study urges personal and business computer users to ensure that all data is removed from their computers prior to disposing of them.

During his

Women going through their first pregnancy find overactive bladder problems very stressful, but problems reduce considerably three months after childbirth, according to research in the latest BJU International.

Researchers from the University Medical Centre in Utrecht, Netherlands, studied 344 women, asking them to complete questionnaires when they were 12 and 36 weeks’ pregnant and three and 12 months after delivery.

They found that just over 50 per cent of first-time mot

Yes, Says Hebrew University Researcher

What makes dancers different than the rest of us? Genetic variants, says a researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

In a study published in the American journal, Public Library of Science Genetics, Psychology Prof. Richard P. Ebstein and his research associates have shown, through DNA examination, that dancers show consistent differences in two key genes from the general population. Ebstein is the head of the Hebrew Unive

Anyone who has recognized a person but then struggled with the particulars – “I know I know her, but how…?” – can also appreciate the distinction between “familiarity” and “recollection.”

Recollection, as defined by memory specialists, is the ability to call up specific details about an encounter, while familiarity is simply knowing that someone or something has been encountered before. Both are elements of recognition memory and both, new research suggests, are functions of the

The first UK course which will provide training for counsellors who want to work with adolescents will begin next week at the University of Hertfordshire.

The University is the first UK educational establishment to provide training which will equip counsellors with the skills necessary to work with adolescents. The 10-week course in Counselling Adolescents will begin on Thursday 9 February.

According to Professor Julia Buckroyd, the University of Hertfordshire Professor o

The minute the words are said, the regret sets in.

Communication scientists from Case Western Reserve University and Kent State University have studied how and why people choose certain ways to repair the damage done once hurtful words are spoken.

According to Jane R. Meyer from Kent State and Kyra Rothenberg from Case, most people offered an apology, spurred by guilt to mend any offense their remarks might cause in an intimate relationship. Following the offer of an apo

Two studies in the February 1 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute examine whether hospital volume, surgeon experience, or surgeon specialty affect the treatment received and the risk of death following treatment among women with ovarian cancer.

Past studies have suggested that patients treated at hospitals with higher case loads or by more experienced surgeons have higher survival rates after surgery for certain types of cancer, including colorectal cancer an