Futurity.org » Emory University

Exercise may protect against erectile dysfunction

Kerry Ludlam-Emory — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:12:38 +0000

EMORY — Increased physical activity is associated with better sexual function in men under 40, according to a new study.

The study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, assessed the association between physical activity and erectile function in young, healthy men ages 18 to 40. Previous studies have suggested that erectile dysfunction in men under 40 is correlated with increased cardiovascular risks.

When the brain refuses to take the cash

Carol Clark-Emory — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:23:15 +0000

EMORY (US) — Brain images show personal values that people refuse to disavow—even when offered cash to do so—are processed differently than values that are willingly sold.

“Our experiment found that the realm of the sacred—whether it’s a strong religious belief, a national identity or a code of ethics—is a distinct cognitive process,” says Gregory Berns, director of the Center for Neuropolicy at Emory University and lead author of the study published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.

4-D coming to a universe near you?

First sex boosts guys’ body image

Future of hard drives: uranium?

Paralyzed man’s mind moves prosthetic arm

Sex appeal: Women kiss science goodbye

How much fish oil is too much?

Alaskan dig turns up ancient ‘buckle’

Why we quit when others succeed

Aging musicians have sharp brains

Wanted: Gender-free job ads

Syphilis origins point to Columbus

Carol Clark-Emory — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:25:55 +0000

EMORY (US) — New analysis of skeletal evidence suggests Christopher Columbus returned to Europe with unpleasant cargo: the bacteria that evolved into syphilis.

Skeletons don’t lie. But sometimes they may mislead, as in the case of bones that reputedly showed evidence of syphilis in Europe and other parts of the Old World before Christopher Columbus made his historic voyage in 1492.

Strokes diagnosed via iPhone FaceTime

Juliette Merchant-Emory — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:18:59 +0000

EMORY (US) — Using two-way video on the iPhone 4 could help doctors assess the severity of a patient’s stroke symptoms, according to a new study.

“This is the first study to demonstrate reliable stroke assessment using the iPhone 4,” says Eric R. Anderson, a neurology resident at Emory University.

Education tied to better cancer outcomes

Beverly Clark-Emory — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:16:22 +0000

EMORY (US) — The first large study in the United States to examine mortality rates of patients with mouth and throat cancers by educational levels find the greatest decreases among those with at least 12 years of education.

Amy Chen, professor of otolaryngology–head & neck cancer at Emory University, and colleagues examined death rates of patients with oral cavity (mouth) and pharyngeal (throat) cancer in 26 states between 1993-2007 and compared the level of education among those patients.

Chemists reveal the force within you

Carol Clark-Emory — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:15:40 +0000

EMORY (US) — A new method for visualizing mechanical forces on the surface of a cell offers the first detailed view of those forces, as they occur in real-time.

“Now we’re able to measure something that’s never been measured before: The force that one molecule applies to another molecule across the entire surface of a living cell, and as this cell moves and goes about its normal processes,” says Khalid Salaita, assistant professor of biomolecular chemistry at Emory University. “And we can visualize these forces in a time-lapsed movie.”

New DNA letter may have distinct function

Holly Korschun-Emory — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:46:52 +0000

EMORY (US) — Scientists have mapped the patterns formed by a sixth nucleotide—a new DNA letter discovered in 2009—in the brains of mice, observing how its pattern of distribution changes during development and aging.

The patterns, stable or dynamic depending on the gene, suggest that 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) has its own distinct functions, which still need to be fully brought to light.

Genes control muscle aging in flies

Quinn Eastmann-Emory — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:45:27 +0000

EMORY (US) — The discovery of genes in fruit flies that act in muscles to control aging could help doctors treat muscle degeneration in human aging.

Scientists have previously found mutations that extend fruit fly lifespan, but this group of genes is distinct because it acts specifically in muscles. The results were published online this week by the journal Developmental Cell.

Researchers started investigating a pair of genes called “p38 MAP kinase” in fruit flies with the expectation that they could play a role in learning and memory. Along the way, they discovered that mutations in these genes speed up the process of aging and make the flies more sensitive to oxidative stress.

Weight loss programs may save Medicare $15B

Jennifer Johnson-Emory — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:05:18 +0000

EMORY (US) — Investing in weight loss programs to prevent diabetes or heart disease could save the U.S. government as much as $15 billion in Medicare spending.

A new study published in the journal Health Affairs proposes enrolling overweight and obese adults between the ages of 60 and 64 with prediabetes before they enter the Medicare program at age 65.