John Cacioppo and me standing in front of our two textbooks: Discovering Psychology - the Science of Mind and the 'briefer' edition.
Here is what i am reading today:
” An estimated 38 million American adults are binge drinkers — defined as men who down five or more drinks at a sitting and women who consume four or more drinks at one time, federal researchers reported Tuesday.”
“New research at Oregon State University provides evidence for the first time that disruption of circadian rhythms – the biological “clocks” found in many animals – can clearly cause accelerated neurodegeneration, loss of motor function and premature death.”
“For Wall Street Occupiers or other decriers of the “social injustice” of college tuition, here’s a curveball bound to scramble your worldview: a totally free college education regardless of your academic performance or background. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) will announce on Monday that they intend to launch an online learning initiative called M.I.T.x,which will offer the online teaching of M.I.T. courses free of charge to anyone in the world.”
“UConn officials said nearly a dozen scientific journals are being warned of the potential problems after publishing his studies in recent years. The researcher, Dr. Dipak Das, did some studies of resveratrol, an ingredient in red wine that has shown potential for promoting health.
But Dr. Nir Barzilai, whose research team conducts resveratrol research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, told The Associated Press that Das is not a major figure in the field. The new allegations will not make a material difference to resveratrol research, which is being conducted extensively around the world with encouraging results from many labs, Barzilai said.”
“Research from Queen Mary, University of London suggests that omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil, have the potential to protect nerves from injury and help them to regenerate. When nerves are damaged because of an accident or injury, patients experience pain, weakness and muscle paralysis which can leave them disabled, and recovery rates are poor”
“Murder dropped enough in 2010 that it was overtaken at No. 15 by a respiratory illness called pneumonitis that is seen mainly in people 75 and older.
This is the first time since 1965 that homicide failed to make the list, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
4 Comments
phtran · January 12, 2012 at 2:09 pm
I found the article entitled “Red wine researcher accused of falsifying data” — in which a researcher manipulated and fabricated statistical data — to be very interesting, especially since my parents probably drink more red wine than they would if it weren’t for the advertised health benefits. Although there was other proven research on the benefits of resveratrol in red wine, it makes one wonder if Das (the researcher) was in some way benefitting (monetarily?) from manipulating consumers into purchasing red wine. (Or maybe he just wanted the whole world drunk!)
However, I also found it very responsible of the Interim Vice President of Health Affairs, Philip Austin, to make it a point to correct the falsified data and to re-inform consumers/readers who may have bought red wine due to the exaggerated studies.
phtran · January 12, 2012 at 2:18 pm
On another note, I can definitely relate to the article entitled “Omega-3 Fatty Acids Could Prevent and Treat Nerve Damage, Research Suggests.” I myself take fish oil (omega-3 fatty acid) pills on a regular basis; however, I had previously only thought that omega-3’s were beneficial in preventing heart disease and high blood pressure (two common problems in my family).
The research suggesting the fatty acid’s role in the recovery of peripheral nerve cells (which permits communication between the brain and the spinal cord) gives me even more incentive to take fish oil pills!
astiers · January 15, 2012 at 5:04 pm
I think M.I.T.’s new free online credential program is an interesting idea but i question whether society will value this “credential” less or just as much as a degree from M.I.T. I question whether employers will accept these “credentials” and if it will help lower the unemployment rate for people who are unable to attend college or if it will only be able to be used as a way of earning continuing education credits for professionals.
astiers · January 15, 2012 at 5:20 pm
As an advisor to many freshmen college students i was shocked to learn after watching the “binge drinking in America” videos, that a large number of binge drinkers are over the age of 65. It is a common stereotype that binge drinking is a college trend but this new fact could explain the rising cost of healthcare for the baby boomer generation. As a daughter of an alcoholic I experienced first hand the consequences of alcoholism and binge drinking, but I realize that it is becoming a socially accepted thing to get drunk every time one goes out to a party. The videos illustrated that it is not longer just accepted for college students, but also for an older generation and if children watch their parents get “wasted” then it is teaching them that it’s ok and only continuing the cycle of damage.
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