NASA's Swift finds a gamma-ray burst with a dual personality

ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2011) — A peculiar cosmic explosion first detected by NASA's Swift observatory on Christmas Day 2010 was caused either by a novel type of supernova located billions of light-years away or an unusual collision much closer to home, within our own galaxy. Papers describing both interpretations appear in the Dec. 1 issue of the journal Nature.Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the universe's most luminous explosions, emitting more energy in a few seconds than our sun will during its...

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Watermelon reduces atherosclerosis, animal study finds

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2011) — In a recent study by University of Kentucky researchers, watermelon was shown to reduce atherosclerosis in animals.The animal model used for the study involved mice with diet-induced high cholesterol. A control group was given water to drink, while the experimental group was given watermelon juice. By week eight of the study, the animals given watermelon juice had lower body weight than the control group, due to decrease of fat mass. They experienced no decrease in...

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Lower dose of corticosteroids just as effective as higher for shoulder pain, study finds

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2011) — Although corticosteroid injections are one of the most common treatments for shoulder pain, there have been relatively few high-quality investigations of their efficacy and duration of action. In a study scheduled for publication in the December issue of the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, researchers report on the first comparative study of the two most commonly corticosteroid doses administered for shoulder pain. They found that lower doses were...

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Regular aspirin intake halves cancer risk, study finds

ScienceDaily (Oct. 28, 2011) — Scientists including those from Queen's University have discovered that taking regular aspirin halves the risk of developing hereditary cancers.Hereditary cancers are those which develop as a result of a gene fault inherited from a parent. Bowel and womb cancers are the most common forms of hereditary cancers. Fifty thousand people in the UK are diagnosed with bowel and womb cancers every year; 10 per cent of these cancers are thought to be hereditary.The decade-long...

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Use of over-the-counter thyroid support pills is risky, researcher finds

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2011) — People who use over-the-counter "thyroid support'' supplements may be putting their health at risk, according to a study being presented at the annual meeting of the American Thyroid Association. The supplements contain varying amounts of two different kinds of thyroid hormones apparently derived in large part from chopped up animal thyroid glands, says the study's senior investigator, Victor Bernet, M.D., an endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic in Florida.The hormones...

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Gender differences: Viewing TV coverage of terrorism has more negative effect on women, study finds

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2011) — Exposure to television coverage of terrorism causes women to lose psychological resources much more than men, which leads to negative feelings and moodiness. This has been shown in a new study, conducted at the University of Haifa and soon to be published in Anxiety, Stress & Coping, that examined the differences between men and women in a controlled experiment environment.An earlier study conducted by Prof. Moshe Zeidner of the Department of Counseling and Human...

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Belief in god cuts two ways, study finds

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2011) — Being reminded of the concept of God can decrease people's motivation to pursue personal goals but can help them resist temptation, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association."More than 90 percent of people in the world agree that God or a similar spiritual power exists or may exist," said the study's lead author, Kristin Laurin, PhD, of the University of Waterloo in Canada. "This is the first empirical evidence that simple reminders...

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