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Samoa Island harbors a global health mystery that could predict obesity crisis

The South Pacific archipelago of Samoa and American Samoa harbors a global health mystery that may seem both remote and extreme but could foretell trends in obesity and related conditions across much of the developing world.

18 Feb 2014

Study identify key barriers associated with lack of cancer screenings in Appalachian women

A new study by University of Kentucky researchers shows that women who never or rarely screen for breast cancer are also unlikely to receive screening for cervical cancer. The study also identified four key barriers independently associated with the lack of these cancer screenings in Appalachian women.

23 Jan 2014

UCSB anthropologists find successful hunting boosts testosterone, cortisol levels in Tsimane men

While small-scale horticulture is a relatively recent addition to the human repertoire of food provisioning, hunting has deep evolutionary roots. In practically every society, hunting ability correlates with reproductive success - the better the hunter, the more children he is likely to father.

13 Dec 2013

University of Chicago professor helps assess results of India's health reform program

A University of Chicago professor in law and medicine is helping the nation of India assess the results of a massive health reform program targeting its poorest populations, as the government considers whether to extend the five-year-old effort.

29 Oct 2013

Research indicates that early hominids developed dexterous fingers before developing bipedal locomotion

Resolving a long-standing mystery in human evolution, new research from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute indicates that early hominids developed finger dexterity and tool use ability before the development of bipedal locomotion.

9 Oct 2013

Researchers find parasitic worms limit effects of autoimmune and other diseases

If the idea of hookworms makes you shudder, consider this: Those pesky intestinal parasites may actually help your body ward off other infections, and perhaps even prevent autoimmune and other diseases.

31 Aug 2013

Spikes in Tsimane testosterone responsible for performing physically demanding task

The everyday physical activities of an isolated group of forager-farmers in central Bolivia are providing valuable information about how industrialization and its associated modern amenities may impact health and wellness.

14 Aug 2013

Second Edition of Human Evolutionary Genetics now available

Garland Science is proud to announce the publication of the long-awaited Second Edition of Human Evolutionary Genetics by Jobling, Hollux, Hurles, Kivisild, and Tyler-Smith.

27 Jun 2013

Culture plays role in deciding what makes a mate attractive, says researcher

People in most cultures view women with small feet as attractive. Like smooth skin or an hourglass figure, petite feet signal a potential mate's youth and fertility.

31 May 2013

Violence and Gender: New refereed journal delves into gender basis of violence

Delving into controversial and unsettling subjects such as the gender basis of violence, the new refereed journal Violence and Gender, launching in fall 2013, will explore the difficult issues that are vital to threat assessment and prevention of the epidemic of violence.

26 Apr 2013

New combination therapies with anti-sickling capabilities needed for sickle cell disease

Pain is an undeniable focal point for patients with sickle cell disease but it's not the best focus for drug development, says one of the dying breed of physicians specializing in the condition.

18 Apr 2013

New report reveals abuse of students working in anthropology field

College athletes are not the only ones who sometimes suffer at the hands of higher ups. A new report brings to light a more hidden and pernicious problem - the psychological, physical and sexual abuse of students in the field of biological anthropology working in field studies far from home.

15 Apr 2013

Maxillary sinuses allow nose to change shape, say researchers

Pity the poor maxillary sinuses. Those bulbous pouches on either side of the human nose are known more for trapping mucus and causing sinus infections than anything else. They were thought to be an evolutionary relic of our distant past, with little known present value.

14 Mar 2013

Roles of diet, energy expenditures in rising obesity rates to be presented at AAAS meeting

William Leonard has conducted extensive research on the diets and ways of prehistoric populations. A paper on his research will be presented Friday, Feb. 15, at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

18 Feb 2013

Vaccine confidence: an interview with Dr Heidi Larson

Here at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine we are running a project called the Vaccine Confidence Project and we have a global surveillance monitoring information around the world on media, social media, all sorts of information, reports from governments, UN, other sources, looking for any what we call “signals” of public distrust or concerns that come up.

30 Jan 2013

Study looks at feasibility of text message use to deliver health educational information to teens

Teenagers spend a lot of time texting, receiving an average of 3,417 texts a month, or 114 per day, according to the Nielsen consumer research group.

21 Jan 2013

Moms more likely to use TV to entertain and soothe fussy infants

Moms, especially those who are obese, are more likely to use TV to entertain and soothe infants who are more fussy and active, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The finding adds to the growing body of knowledge that may help explain the escalating rate of obesity and inactivity in U.S. children, and has led to behavioral and educational strategies that may help mothers combat these effects.

9 Jan 2013

Group health approved for PCORI research awards to study care for back pain

Group Health has been approved for two research awards from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to study ways to improve care for back pain and to connect patients with community resources. The projects are part of a portfolio of patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research that addresses PCORI's National Priorities for Research and Research Agenda.

28 Dec 2012

Medical and anthropological expertise can promote multicultural women's healthcare

Collaboration between medical and anthropological expertise can solve complex clinical problems in today's multicultural women's healthcare, shows Pauline Binder, a medical anthropologist, who will present her thesis on 1 December at the Faculty of Medicine, Uppsala University, Sweden.

29 Nov 2012

WSU researcher receives NSF fund to study on antibiotic resistance

In March, the director-general of the World Health Organization warned of "an end to modern medicine as we know it."

3 Nov 2012