Article ID: 714785

In honor of philanthropist Phyllis Mailman, The Mailman Foundation, the Joshua Mailman Foundation, and The Tow Foundation, have together endowed the Phyllis Mailman Professorship to support groundbreaking emerging infectious disease research at the Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. The endowed professorship will be based in the Mailman School’s world-class Center for Infection and Immunity (CII), led by director Dr. W. Ian Lipkin, a globally-recognized microbe hunter who has identified more than 1,500 novel viruses. The newly created faculty position will support a distinguished researcher in the field of emerging infectious diseases.

Article ID: 714703

In a study using brain tissue from deceased human donors, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they found new evidence that schizophrenia can be marked by the buildup of abnormal proteins similar to those found in the brains of people with such neurodegenerative disorders as Alzheimer’s or Huntington’s diseases.

Article ID: 714718

High schoolers who take music courses score significantly better on exams in certain other subjects, including math and science, than their non-musical peers, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association.

Article ID: 714501

Nearly half of Americans older than 65 years of age self-report as current drinkers. Most do not develop alcohol use disorders; however, it remains unclear if growing older entails greater vulnerability to alcohol’s effects. Research on the impact of “social” drinking – comparable to a glass or two of wine with dinner – among older adults has found a notable impact on daily activities such as the ability to operate a car. These results and others will be shared at the 42nd annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) in Minneapolis June 22-26.

Article ID: 714500

There is a lack of agreement about the relationship between marijuana and alcohol use. Does marijuana use increase or decrease alcohol consumption? Research based on interviews with users of both marijuana and alcohol reveals that recreational users tend to drink more alcohol, and medicinal users drink less alcohol, on marijuana-use days. These results and others will be shared at the 42nd annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) in Minneapolis June 22-26.

Article ID: 714576

The summer heat can take a toll on seniors. In particular, seniors should take special care during the summer months to stay hydrated and avoid heat-related illnesses like heat stroke. Even when it’s hot outside, seniors still need to exercise. They should consider changing their exercise routine to avoid the heat and stay active. Summer health considerations for seniors include managing medications that can cause dehydration, and getting outside for at least 30 minutes per day to get enough Vitamin D. Older skin can be thinner and burn more easily. Always wear sunscreen and protective clothing.

Article ID: 714778

Surgery prompted by automobile accidents, combat wounds, cancer treatment and other conditions can lead to bone infections that are difficult to treat and can delay healing until they are resolved. Now, researchers have a developed a double-duty hydrogel that both attacks the bacteria and encourages bone regrowth with a single application containing two active components.

Article ID: 714779

A new study has found that variability in night-to-night sleep time and reduced sleep quality adversely affect the ability of older adults to recall information about past events. The study also found unexpected racial differences in the type of sleep patterns tied to lower memory performance across both younger and older African American research participants.