Infotrak

Measles outbreaks are spiking worldwide. Michael Mina, PhD, MD, Resident Physician in Clinical Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical Schooldiscussed the reasons behind the soaring rate of infections. He noted that for even those who survive an outbreak, measles can compromise a person’s immune system for up to two years afterwards. He said the MMR vaccinations are proven to be very safe and parents should not hesitate to have their children vaccinated.

Banks are paying customers to open savings and checking accounts. Arielle O'Shea, investing and retirement specialist from Nerdwallet.com said bank account sign-up bonuses may not be as widespread as credit card perks, but they can be lucrative. She outlined some of the fine print consumers need to be aware of before accepting a bonus offer.

Deanna Barch, PhD, Professor of Psychology; Professor of Radiology, chair of the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences in Arts & Sciences and the Gregory B. Couch Professor of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis was the senior author of a study that linked participation in team sports to larger hippocampal volumes in children and less depression in boys ages 9 to 11. The hippocampus is a brain region that plays an important role in memory and how we respond to stress. She said the evidence was particularly strong for children participating in sports that involved structure, such as a school team, a non-school league or regular lessons, as compared to more informal engagement in sports.

For nearly three decades, recyclable materials from the US were shipped cheaply to China for processing. However, in the past year, China has stopped accepting virtually all of it. Kate O'Neill, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at University of California Berkeley said as a result, local governments and the recycling industry are now facing an unprecedented recycling crisis, especially in plastics. She estimated that, at least for now, nearly 100% of recyclable materials are going into landfills. She discussed the steps that the waste industry is taking to try to fix the problem.

Alexander Fanaroff, M.D., Fellow, Cardiovascular Medicine, Duke University Medical Center led a study that found that less than 10 percent of the treatment recommendations used by doctors to care for heart patients are based on evidence gained from multiple large, randomized clinical trials. He explained how the other 90 percent of treatments have come to be generally accepted by doctors. He hopes to see greater research to provide scientifically-supported treatment guidelines.

Jennifer L. Eberhardt, PhD, Professor of Psychology at Stanford, recipient of a 2014 MacArthur "genius" grant, and author of Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do talked about the numerous forms of bias hardwired into every human being. She said unconscious bias can be at work without our realizing it, even when we genuinely wish to treat all people equally. She explained how bias and racial inequality seeps into classrooms, police departments and businesses. She offered advice on how to recognize our own biases.

Computer algorithms and the artificial intelligence that underlies them make a staggering number of everyday decisions for nearly every American, from what products we buy, to how we consume our news or entertainment, to whom we date, and how we find a job. Kartik Hosanagar, PhD, John C. Hower Professor of Technology and Digital Business and a Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, is author of A Human's Guide to Machine Intelligence: How Algorithms Are Shaping Our Lives and How We Can Stay in Control. discussed the potentially dangerous biases algorithms can give rise to as they increasingly run our lives, and offered suggestions for consumers to regain control.

Cooking, cleaning and other routine household activities generate significant levels of volatile and particulate chemicals inside the average home, leading to indoor air quality levels on par with a polluted major city, according to research from Marina Vance, PhD, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder She said that most homes are not properly ventilated and that gas stoves cause more indoor air pollution than electric ones.

Nancy Rhodes, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Michigan State University examined underage and binge drinking at colleges and found that peer approval is the primary reason that students do it. She said students don’t want to admit they’re influenced by friends, but the reality is they are seeking social acceptance. She offered advice to concerned parents.

Van C. Tran, PhD, Associate Professor of Sociology Columbia University, was the co-author of a study that found that although Asian Americans graduate from universities at far higher rates than white Americans, they still are no more likely to hold professional or managerial jobs. He discussed the additional barriers and discrimination that Asian Americans face when trying to climb the career ladder, a phenomenon known as the “bamboo ceiling.”

Trees play a surprisingly big role in keeping America’s cities and towns cool. Carly Ziter, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Concordia University in Montrea shared the results of her study that found that the right amount of tree cover can lower summer daytime temperatures by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit. She said the effect is quite noticeable from neighborhood to neighborhood, even down to the scale of a single city block. She stressed the importance of urban landscaping and development in making neighborhoods more livable in the future.

Ramon Hinojosa, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Central Florida warned of a coming public health crisis for veterans. He led a study that found that veterans are more likely to have heart disease at a younger age than nonveterans. He discussed the possible differences between vets who served in Iraq and Afghanistan compared to those who served in previous conflicts. He offered advice for veterans who may have cause for concern.

James P. Smith, PhD, Distinguished Chair in Labor Markets and Demographic Studies at the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit research organization led a study that found that Americans under the age of 26 are much more likely to be arrested than Americans born in previous decades. He noted that the increase occurred most rapidly among white Americans and women. He said that the study also found connections between the rising rate of arrests/convictions and lower probabilities of being married, fewer weeks worked, lower hourly wages and lower family incomes during Americans' adulthood.

Hitting the gym at night won’t keep you tossing and turning all night, contrary to popular belief. Penelope Larsen, researcher and PhD candidate, School of Exercise Science, Sport & Health, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia led a recent study that found that evening high-intensity cycling didn’t ruin sleep and may even reduce appetite. She said study participants also seemed to have more energy when exercise occurred later in the day, which could also debunk the belief that working out first thing in the morning is the optimal time.

Arielle O'Shea, investing and retirement specialist for Nerdwallet.com said the average American must live on their retirement savings for 23 years. She explained how consumers can determine how much money they may need in retirement. She outlined four strategies to find extra income and control expenses in retirement. She recommends using a fee-only financial planner.

Airlines’ pricing strategies have changed in significant ways in the past several years and ticket prices can literally change by the minute. Scott McCartney, Travel Editor and author/creator of the weekly Middle Seat column on airlines and travel for The Wall Street Journal discussed the best days to find the lowest prices, how far ahead to buy and other money-saving travel tips for airline travel.

Martin Röösli, PhD, Associate Professor, Head of Environmental Exposures and Health at Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel, Switzerland led a study that suggests that radiation from phones can harm a teenager’s memory. He found that the problem occurs when a phone is held next to a child’s head for a phone call. His team even found different effects, depending on whether the phone was used on the right or left side of the head. He said Bluetooth devices can help, and that children’s phone calls should be short and infrequent.

Phony prescription drugs are big business and can be life-threatening to consumers. David Closs, PhD, Professor of Supply Chain Management in the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State Universitydiscussed a recent change in federal regulations that requires companies to track prescription drugs from their raw materials stage to their delivery to pharmacies. He explained how copycat drugs sometimes make their way into the system and what consumers need to know.

73% of Millennials (ages 23-38) who have student loan debt have delayed at least one major life or financial milestone as a result, according to a new Bankrate.com report. Mark Hamrick, Senior Economic Analyst for Bankrate.com said the issue has influenced large percentages of Americans of all ages, affecting decisions such as buying a home or car, saving for retirement, having children and getting married.

Alan Young, home security expert, CEO of Armor Concepts, a New Jersey-based security firm talked about the basic steps that the average homeowner can take to prevent home intrusions or burglaries. He said the most common way that criminals enter a house is by simply breaking through a door, rather than picking locks or breaking windows. He also discussed the misunderstood role that alarm systems play in home security.