U.Va. Demographers’ New Measure Finds Poverty Rate in Northern Virginia High

Researchers at the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service today unveiled a new poverty measure designed to more accurately reflect the economic distress among residents of the commonwealth.

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Study Reveals Important Genetic Factors That Could Influence Survival in Sepsis Patients

A study published in the June issue of Anesthesiology represents an important first step in establishing new therapeutic options targeting specific genetic areas that influence the occurrence and severity of sepsis – a life-threatening, whole-body response to infection.

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Data From Anesthesia Information Management Systems Help Reduce Costs and Improve Patient Safety

Data from new electronic anesthesia information management systems (AIMS) can be used to assess surgical procedure- and institution-specific blood requirements, according to a study from the June issue of Anesthesiology.

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Common Brain Processes of Anesthetic-Induced Unconsciousness Identified

A study from the June issue of Anesthesiology found feedback from the front region of the brain is a crucial building block for consciousness and that its disruption is associated with unconsciousness.

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UC Riverside Announces Science Research Grants Related to Immortality

Phenomena related to near-death experiences, immortality in virtual reality, and genes that prevent a species of freshwater hydra from aging are among the first research proposals funded by The Immortality Project at UC Riverside.

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Study Links Chemicals Widely Found in Plastics and Processed Food to Elevated Blood Pressure in Children and Teens

Plastic additives known as phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are odorless, colorless and just about everywhere: They turn up in flooring, plastic cups, beach balls, plastic wrap, intravenous tubing and—according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—the bodies of most Americans. Once perceived as harmless, phthalates have come under increasing scrutiny. A growing collection of evidence suggests dietary exposure to phthalates (which can leech from packaging and mix with food) may cause significant metabolic and hormonal abnormalities, especially during early development.

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Gates Fellowship Addresses Parasite Infection in the Developing World

Washington University in St. Louis announced today that it is a Grand Challenges Explorations winner, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Tae Seok Moon, PhD, assistant professor of energy, environmental & chemical engineering, will pursue an innovative global health and development research project titled “Programmed Killing of Parasite Eggs by Probiotic Organisms.”

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Team Sets Upper Limit for Atmospheric Depth on Uranus and Neptune

Since the ‘80s, when Voyager 2 discovered extremely high atmospheric winds on Uranus and Neptune, the vertical extent of those winds has been a puzzle. Now, a team led by the Weizmann Institute’s Dr. Yohai Kaspi has found a way, based on a novel method for analyzing gravitational fields, to determine an upper limit for the atmospheric layer’s thickness.

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New Center Targets Ocean Contaminants and Human Health

Capitalizing on UC San Diego’s unique ability to address environmental threats to public health, a new center based at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego will target emerging contaminants found naturally in common seafood dishes as well as man-made chemicals that accumulate in human breast milk.

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