Two new mutations that collectively occur in 71 percent of malignant melanoma tumors have been discovered in what scientists call the "dark matter" of the cancer genome, where cancer-related mutations haven't been previously found.
Reporting their findings in the Jan. 24 issue of Science Express, the researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute said the highly "recurrent" mutations ? occurring in the tumors of many people ? may be the most common mutations in melanoma cells found to date.
The researchers said these cancer-associated mutations are the first to be discovered in the vast regions of DNA in cancer cells that do not contain genetic instructions for making proteins. The mutations are located in non-protein-coding DNA that regulates the activity of genes.
This non-coding DNA, much of which was previously dismissed as "junk," accounts for 99 percent of a cell's genome. A large number of oncogenic mutations in cancer have been identified in the past several decades, but all have been found within the actual genetic blueprints for proteins.
"This new finding represents an initial foray into the 'dark matter' of the cancer genome," said Levi Garraway, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber and the Broad and the article's senior author.
"In addition, this represents the discovery of two of the most prevalent melanoma gene mutations. Considered as a whole, these two TERT promoter mutations are even more common than BRAF mutations in melanoma. Altogether, this discovery could cause us to think more creatively about the possible benefits of targeting TERT in cancer treatment or prevention."
The mutations affect a promoter region ? a stretch of DNA code that regulates the expression of a gene ? adjacent to the TERT gene. TERT contains the recipe for making telomerase reverse transcriptase, an enzyme that can make cells virtually immortal, and is often found overexpressed in cancer cells. A promoter region of DNA controls the rate of a gene's transcription ? the copying of its DNA recipe into a message used by the cell to manufacture a protein.
"We think these mutations in the promoter region are potentially one way the TERT gene can be activated," said Franklin Huang, MD, PhD, co-first author of the report along with Harvard MD-PhD student Eran Hodis, of Dana-Farber and the Broad Institute.
To investigate the mutation's effect, the researchers hooked the mutant TERT promoter to a gene that makes luciferase ? a light-emitting protein. They observed that the mutant promoter increased the production of luciferase in laboratory cell lines. In the same way, the scientists presume, the mutant promoter in human pigmented skin cells can send the TERT gene into overdrive, potentially contributing to the development of melanoma.
The mutations were discovered when the scientists sifted through data from whole-genome sequencing of malignant melanoma tumors. Unlike "whole-exome" searches that examine only the protein-coding DNA of a cell's genome, whole-genome searches scan all of the DNA, including the non-coding regions.
In analyzing whole-genome data, the investigators discovered the two somatic, or not-inherited, mutations in 17 of 19 (89 percent) of the tumors. Next, they sequenced a larger number of melanoma tumors and found that the two mutations were present in 71 percent of tumors in total.
The researchers said the same mutations are present in cell lines from some other malignancies, and that preliminary evidence showed they might be unusually common in bladder and liver cancers. They also noted that the discovery of these important mutations in DNA previously not linked to cancer-causing alterations highlights the value of whole-genome searches of tumor DNA.
###
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: http://www.dfci.harvard.edu
Thanks to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for this article.
This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.
Nikon is the leading manufacturer of cameras in the market. Even after facing tough competition in the market, Nikon has resisted every type of turmoil and provided each customer with the camera providing best and innovative techniques. Today, people are willing to get something new and fascinating. Gone are those days when people used to get satisfied with the cameras where rolls were used. This is the market with digitalization. People prefer digital cameras with all features which will otherwise not be available with the varieties of traditional variety of cameras.
Features:
You can now find good features with Nikon Coolpix S3300 that is launched in the market. This is a compact camera that can be stored in any place. The camera can be operated with 16 megapixel CCD sensor with 35 mm optical zoom lens. The optical zoom lens of this camera is also quite amazing. Even if your camera is shaken, your image quality will remain intact. The feature that is known as vibration reduction is always present in this variety of Nikon camera in the market.
Automatic setting:
There is an auto mode in Nikon Coolpix S3300 camera in the market. This mode helps in helps in changing the setting automatically after it analysis the scene. There are other shooting modes in this Nikon Coolpix camera in the market. The modes include skin softening, smile timer, blink proof and red eye fix mechanism. The camera is also equipped with 99 point auto focus system. This is also associated with subject tracking AF. It is wonderful to get an editing feature of the camera. With the help of retouch menu, you will be easily in a position to edit the images after shooting it. This is also associated with the range of filter effects. While recording, the optical zooming capacity of the camera is also carried on with amazing effect.
Characteristics:
It is quite important to have a look at the specific characteristics with the particular variety of digital camera in the market. These include 720p video recording, slim 19.5 mm body, 6x optical zoom lens, 5cm minimum focusing distance, 2.7 inch LCD screen, lens shift vibration reduction, smart portrait system etc. This handy camera named as Nikon Coolpix S3300. The extremely compact metal body of the particular camera will be well equipped when you are willing to have fun with your friends.
Conclusion:
Gripping Nikon Coolpix S3300 will be amazing as the camera is designed in a fantastic way with clearer and brighter resolution. The button can look really critical for the compact camera but altogether it is a wonderful device. You can now get a wonderful way to getting the camera at you home through online shopping.
About the Author
Devika is a budding freelance tech writer, gadget and Photography enthusiast, and social media junkie. She writes regularly about digital cameras and has been written several articles on nikon digital camera.
FILE - In this Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012 file photo provided by Hasbro, toy demonstrator Marnye Young practices with the ?Koosh Alien Archer? ball launcher at Hasbro's American International Toy Fair showroom in New York. Toy maker Hasbro says its fourth-quarter revenue failed to meet expectations because of weaker-than-expected demand over the holidays. It plans to cut about 10 percent of its workforce and consolidate facilities to cut expenses. The stock dropped more than 4 percent in premarket trading Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Hasbro, Ray Stubblebine, File)
FILE - In this Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012 file photo provided by Hasbro, toy demonstrator Marnye Young practices with the ?Koosh Alien Archer? ball launcher at Hasbro's American International Toy Fair showroom in New York. Toy maker Hasbro says its fourth-quarter revenue failed to meet expectations because of weaker-than-expected demand over the holidays. It plans to cut about 10 percent of its workforce and consolidate facilities to cut expenses. The stock dropped more than 4 percent in premarket trading Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Hasbro, Ray Stubblebine, File)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Toy maker Hasbro said Friday that its fourth-quarter revenue failed to meet expectations because of weaker-than-expected demand over the holidays. It plans to cut about 10 percent of its workforce and consolidate facilities to reduce expenses.
The stock dropped 3 percent Friday.
Pawtucket, R.I.-based Hasbro, whose brands include Monopoly and Nerf, has about 5,500 employees worldwide. A 10 percent workforce cut would put about 550 people out of work.
While Hasbro said consumer demand was softer than it expected over the holidays, the season was expected to be tough. This was in part because retailers were ordering inventory more cautiously.
In addition, stores such as Wal-Mart, Kmart and Toys R Us beefed up their layaway and reservation services to encourage shoppers to buy toys early in the season, which meant items may have been scarce later on.
The November and December holiday selling period is critical for toy makers because it can make up as much as 40 percent of their annual revenue.
Spokesman Wayne Charness said that the job cuts will all be this year and will occur globally, with no particular business groups targeted. He said that the facility consolidations could result in some closures but was not specific about which plants would be affected other than to say no closures were planned In Rhode Island or Massachusetts in 2013. Hasbro has offices in 40 countries worldwide.
CEO Brian Goldner said in a statement that Hasbro created a plan during its fourth quarter to deliver $100 million in annual cost savings by 2015.
The company expects charges of about $37 million in 2012 and an additional $20 million to $30 million in estimated charges in 2013 related to its cost-cutting efforts.
Hasbro Inc. anticipates fourth-quarter revenue of about $1.28 billion. Analysts polled by FactSet predicted revenue of $1.4 billion. Unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates lowered results by $8 million.
Goldner said that demand over much of the holiday season was weaker than expected in the U.S. and some international markets.
For 2012, Hasbro expects adjusted earnings between $2.89 and $2.91 per share on revenue of approximately $4.09 billion. Unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates lowered revenue by $99 million.
Wall Street forecast earnings of $2.84 per share on revenue of $4.2 billion.
The company will report its fourth-quarter and full-year financial results on Feb. 7.
Its stock fell $1.14, or 3 percent, to close at $37.31 Friday. Its shares have traded in a 52-week range of $32 to $39.98.
Video marketing is nothing more than using online videos to promote a business.
By posting videos on sites such as YouTube, or on your own site, you can market your products and services.
There are many different types of videos and ways to use them, and the following tips can help get you started.
Editing is essential to creating a quality video.
While filming your video, do not hesitate to cut or do multiple takes. Upload your video files to your computer and use a quality editing software to put segments together, get rid of unnecessary scenes and perhaps add some captions or some music.
Watch the statistics available for your video, whether it be your server stats or on YouTube.
This will help you compare each video you make so you can easily tell which are successful and which should have been left on the cutting room floor. This is the only way to continue building your campaigns skyward.
Make sure that you build up a relationship with your audience.
You can interact with viewers through the comments section.
Ask them for their opinions and invite them to leave any suggestions that they might have. People like to know that their opinion really does count, and that you really are listening because it makes you more real to them.
Make the title of your videos count.
Similar to your blog posting headlines, your video titles can pull in some vital traffic.
There are a couple of reasons for this. A quality video title is important for both grabbing the viewer?s attention and using proper keywords to boost search engine rankings.
What makes your video different?
How can you stand out from the crowd?
You can?t just create the same videos everyone else is making?..right?
How can you repeat the success of ?Gangnam Style??lol
Sit down and think about it and brainstorm some new and original ideas never seen before online.
Invite feedback in your video.
Include something controversial, but not too controversial.
Leave unanswered questions at the end.
Make a mistake on purpose, that viewers are sure to notice.
Just telling viewers to comment won?t work. You need to give them a reason to leave comments.
If you do, the comments will come.
You can draw attention to your video marketing campaign by associating it with a new product or a promotional offer. You could for instance share coupon codes in your videos or use your video marketing campaign to share exclusive information about your newest product.
Your customers will watch your videos if this is the only way to get access to a discount or to exclusive information.
Plan your video first.
Don?t just throw together a video. Remember that you want your video to be professional, and that you want to show your customers a polished look. To do this, you need to get a plan in place first.
Plan what you will film, as well as what you will say.
Keywords, just like in SEO, need to be used on the videos you post to YouTube as well.
Include them in the title, description and tags so that those who are looking for what you?re discussing can easily find you. Google will use this information to index your video as well.
Now that you know some more about video marketing, you should start thinking about how you can incorporate these ideas into your marketing strategy.
You may want to just create one or two videos, or you may want to leap in headfirst.
No matter what you decide, the tips you have just read will help.
==============================
Share and Comment this Post!!
==============================
Love&Harmony!
Sincerely,
- Freddy Gandarilla
?The Blogging Gangster?
Connect with me!
>>Skype: Freddygc1988
>>https://www.facebook.com/Snoopy240
P.S. Follow me for more valuable content! ? Join Me Today?if you want to earn money online & work from home!
Dartmouth research offers new control strategies for bipolar bark beetlesPublic release date: 25-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: John Cramer John.D.Cramer@dartmouth.edu 603-646-9130 Dartmouth College
Population explosions of pine beetles, which have been decimating North American forests in recent decades, may be prevented by boosting competitor and predator beetle populations, a Dartmouth study suggests.
Bark beetles are the most destructive forest pests worldwide. Management and climate change have resulted in younger, denser forests that are even more susceptible to attack. Though intensively studied for decades, until now an understanding of bark beetle population dynamicsextreme ups and downshas remained elusive.
The Dartmouth-led study, published in the January issue of the journal Population Ecology, confirmed, for the first time, that the abundance of a certain animal speciesin this case the southern pine beetlefluctuates innately between extremes, with no middle ground.
"That is different from most species, such as deer, warblers and swallowtail butterflies, whose populations tend to be regular around some average abundance based on food, weather, and other external factors," says Matt Ayres, a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Dartmouth and senior author on the paper. "They don't appear and disappear in cycles. Rather, they exist in two stable equilibrium statesone of high abundance and the other of scarcity." Once the population pendulum swings toward the high end, it won't quickly or easily swing back.
The new research by Dartmouth scientists and their forester colleagues could provide the means to limit this seemingly bipolar dynamic, keeping the bark beetles at the lower stable population level.
The studies identify the presence of bark beetle competitors and predators (specifically two other beetles) as the predominant limiting factor that can keep the bark beetles at a low, stable equilibrium. The authors suggest that the presence of these competitors and predators could be encouraged as a control strategy.
"The pine beetles produce pheromones, chemical signals, that attract enough competitors and predators to prevent outbreaks," says Sharon Martinson, a member of the research team and first author on the new paper. "Leaving more dead trees in forests can provide habitat for competitor beetles that rarely kill tree, and for predators that eat both beetle species."
The authors suggest that other pest species with catastrophic impacts may also have natural dynamics that include a tipping point between the bipolar population states. By learning what factors control those tipping points, impacts on ecosystems can be averted through monitoring and occasional intervention strategies.
###
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Dartmouth research offers new control strategies for bipolar bark beetlesPublic release date: 25-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: John Cramer John.D.Cramer@dartmouth.edu 603-646-9130 Dartmouth College
Population explosions of pine beetles, which have been decimating North American forests in recent decades, may be prevented by boosting competitor and predator beetle populations, a Dartmouth study suggests.
Bark beetles are the most destructive forest pests worldwide. Management and climate change have resulted in younger, denser forests that are even more susceptible to attack. Though intensively studied for decades, until now an understanding of bark beetle population dynamicsextreme ups and downshas remained elusive.
The Dartmouth-led study, published in the January issue of the journal Population Ecology, confirmed, for the first time, that the abundance of a certain animal speciesin this case the southern pine beetlefluctuates innately between extremes, with no middle ground.
"That is different from most species, such as deer, warblers and swallowtail butterflies, whose populations tend to be regular around some average abundance based on food, weather, and other external factors," says Matt Ayres, a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Dartmouth and senior author on the paper. "They don't appear and disappear in cycles. Rather, they exist in two stable equilibrium statesone of high abundance and the other of scarcity." Once the population pendulum swings toward the high end, it won't quickly or easily swing back.
The new research by Dartmouth scientists and their forester colleagues could provide the means to limit this seemingly bipolar dynamic, keeping the bark beetles at the lower stable population level.
The studies identify the presence of bark beetle competitors and predators (specifically two other beetles) as the predominant limiting factor that can keep the bark beetles at a low, stable equilibrium. The authors suggest that the presence of these competitors and predators could be encouraged as a control strategy.
"The pine beetles produce pheromones, chemical signals, that attract enough competitors and predators to prevent outbreaks," says Sharon Martinson, a member of the research team and first author on the new paper. "Leaving more dead trees in forests can provide habitat for competitor beetles that rarely kill tree, and for predators that eat both beetle species."
The authors suggest that other pest species with catastrophic impacts may also have natural dynamics that include a tipping point between the bipolar population states. By learning what factors control those tipping points, impacts on ecosystems can be averted through monitoring and occasional intervention strategies.
###
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Agorafy, a real estate startup that specializes in commercial listings, will launch a professional social network at the end of January, aimed at boosting the interaction between brokers, owners, building managers, financiers and designers.
Richard Du, the President and CEO of commercial brokerage Dumann Associates said he wanted to break the shackles of anonymity that most commercial brokers are burdened with. ?They?re doing multi-million dollar transactions and no one knows anything about them personally,? said Du, ?and it?s because they don?t have a digital home. Residential brokers have photos and testimonials, everyone can recognize them. I?ve been a commercial broker for 15 years and no one knows what I look like!?
In a sort of LinkedIn for the commercial real estate space, professionals can list their career highlights and specialties in the commercial real estate space. Brokers, property owners and managers will be able to link to their current exclusives, submit new exclusives and submit details on closed transactions.
Du started his brokerage in 2002, after a stint with now-defunct commercial firm Helmsley Spear. He launched Agorafy in April 2012, after expressing frustration with the inaccuracy of property listings in the commercial space, as The Real Deal previously reported.
Microsoft has released an SDK for Windows Phone 7.8 -- aka the last ever update for Windows Phone 7 handsets, which have been orphaned by the company's platform shift to Windows Phone 8 (built on a different kernel). The SDK release was announced yesterday by Microsoft on the Windows Phone developer blog. Expect the 7.8 update to roll out soon -- still due, says Microsoft, in "early 2013".
The recent snow fall has led to an influx in new members signing up to look for extra-marital relationships, with the UK?s leading married dating site IllicitEncounters.com reporting a huge spike in traffic and record new signups over the past week.
But what is the reason for the sudden increase in new members, is it the cold weather, the long dark nights or even the post holiday blues? Research conducted by IllicitEncounters.com has revealed that the most common reasons that men stray from their partners are complacency and boredom.
The research showed that men signing up were mostly looking for an escape from their every day life, with the second most common response being ?I am looking for more adventurous sex?.
Senior lecturer in psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University Dr David Holmes, who has researched relationships and infidelity. Stated:
?Women look for a better relationship but men look for better sex, a mix that often drops the man into choppy waters. Men often become bored with functional workaholic relationships that are seen as devoid of passion, stimulation and intrigue. In relationships the grass is always greener elsewhere. The excitement of a secret rendezvous and sexual adventures with someone different could act as a fulfilling stimulant. However, most affairs go undetected as they never escalate or develop into competing relationships?
The study also examined what men looked for in a new lovers? personality. The majority responded that they are after a woman who is sexually confident, surprisingly almost twice the number who were looking to meet a partner with the same interests and values as themselves.
Dr Holmes added: ?Couples tend to undervalue sex in their relationship and for some it becomes a chore?getting in the way of more important things. Too many marriages are based on convenience, or only being together for the kids. This is not just fertile ground for affairs but almost certainly will result in one if either partner is a passionate person. Couples should take the need for good passionate sex as the focal expression of a relationship more seriously.?
A spokesperson for IllicitEncounters.com Rosie Freeman-Jones commented: ?The snow has certainly has had an effect on people joining the site. Members have told me that being snowed in has left them longing for excitement and an escape from their unsatisfying relationship and this is only heightened by the January blues. When you have been married for a period of time the mystery and intrigue that played a big part in your initial attraction can fade and leave both men and women craving something more.
It is clear from looking at all our members? profiles that they are first and foremost looking for some excitement and and see an affair as an injection of fun into their mundane routines.?
Additionally when both male and female members were asked ?What type of look did they want from a new lover?? The most popular choice was someone more exciting and exotic than their current partner.
Notes to editors:
You can purchase Dr Holmes? book now:
Holmes, D. A. Abnormal Clinical & Forensic Psychology. Essex: Pearson. ISBN-9780273742302
The UK?s Leading married dating website IllicitEncounters.com
IllicitEncounters.com is the UK?s largest and longest running dating site for married people.?With over 750,000 members across the UK, you?re sure to find your perfect match.
Established in 2003, we have been providing a meeting place for like-minded married and attached people for nearly 10 years. Our members have one thing in common ? they are all looking for a little romance outside their current relationship. Whether that?s the occasional bit of flirtatious chat, a regular coffee date, or a full-blown affair, that?s up to them.
For more information, case-studies or interviews please contact: Mike Taylor ? Press officer
Convergence of Industry Trends, Market Forces Should Keep Healthcare Developers Busy In 2013 and Beyond
The hot medical office building (MOB) market is likely to remain in at least a semi-feverish state as the transition of common medical procedures to outpatient clinics accelerates with full implementation of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act, fundamentally changing the nation's health-care delivery system.
Health care was the largest job-creation sector in 2012, with most of the jobs added in ambulatory care facilities, a trend that will continue this year according to Jeffrey Cooper, executive managing director of Savills US.
Continued health-care employment growth, combined with the expected increase in demand for medical crae services from the aging population is expected to continue to drive development of medical ambulatory care facilities, including MOBs, surgery centers, urgent care clinics and diagnostic lab facilities.
"That's where all the growth is going, with the Affordable Care Act kicking in over the next 12 months, including requirements for mandatory coverage," Cooper said. "Health-care systems are really gearing up to handle those patients, and much of it will be through development of non-acute care facilities. In many ways, the ACA will be very positive for health care real estate, helping create demand for outpatient facilities."
While diminished Medicare/Medicaid reimbursements are a risk given the looming threat of federal sequestration spending cuts, most experts continue to view the market's growth prospects favorably.
"We believe strong demographics will win out, and our expectations are for continued strong prospects in the health care sector," said real estate economist Carlos Ortea, who analyzes the medical office property market for Property and Portfolio Research (PPR), a CoStar company.
Despite the number of new projects breaking ground in recent months, CoStar data suggests that MOB development slowed in fourth-quarter 2012 -- though it?s likely more of a pause, Ortea noted.
MOBs accounted for 7% of total office construction in the top 54 markets tracked by PPR, down from 11.5% in fourth-quarter 2011 and below its 10-year historical average of 11.3%. Also, fourth-quarter construction of medical office rentable building area (RBA) under way as a percentage of total medical office inventory was 0.6%, down from 1% in the last three months of 2011 and lower than the 10-year average of 2.3%.
"I would expect that this is a short-term trend," Ortea said. "The delivery of medical office space as a share of total office space has generally climbed in recent years, accounting for 17.7% of total office deliveries from 2007-12, up from its historical trend of 14.6%."
"In the near term, I don?t think oversupply is a problem. But could very well be an issue in the medium to long term since supply has historically doubled that of national office," he said.
Most of the increase is linked to long-term demographic trends, including population growth and the retirement of the baby boom generation. That said, Ortea believes more developers will likely move forward on projects to capture the potential increase in demand springing from the ACA health-care legislation.
The Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires hospitals to invest in and implement many costly new systems and procedures at a time when they also face lower Medicare and private insurance payments, all of which is forcing them to look for possible ways to cut costs.
Duke Realty (NYSE: DRE), a major developer and operator of MOBs, said in its 2013 predictions this week that implementation of the ACA should continue to drive changes already under way that will affect demand for health-care real estate demand in coming years, despite the recession's lingering aftermath, lower hospital reimbursements and other issues.
Increasingly, MOB developers are expected to design more sophisticated facilities as hospitals move higher-acuity care such as post-surgical recovery and other complex procedures off the hospital grounds, the Indianapolis-based REIT predicts.
Also according to Duke Realty, hospitals are expected to make wider use of "freestanding emergency departments" and urgent care clinics, with operators such as Baylor Health System partnering with specialized for-profit emergency department operators to build new facilities. For-profit companies are also building standalone emergency rooms as an end unto themselves at high-traffic, retail-oriented sites.
MOBs offering higher-acuity and/or non-acute care, for example North Fulton Hospital?s new North Fulton Medical Plaza in suburban Atlanta, cost less to build, operate and maintain than hospitals and inpatient facilities. These outpatient facilities will need to be designed to a higher, more sophisticated standard than typical MOBs, while hospital may also have an opportunity to repurpose vacated space as services move to medical office buildings.
To date, freestanding emergency departments have been mostly owned and operated by hospitals. But mainstream providers such as Baylor Health System have recently announced they are partnering with private interests like Emerus to build dedicated emergency centers. In addition, for-profit companies are building stand-alone FEDs as an end unto themselves, at targeted high-traffic, retail-oriented sites.
"More and more, we?re seeing for-profit [emergency department] companies competing for the typical 7/11, Walgreen?s and McDonald?s sites," noted Don Dunbar, executive vice president of Duke Realty.
Hospitals, health systems and physician groups are increasingly willing to partner with both for third-party companies specializing in a wide range of other health care facilities, including MD Anderson, which is extending its brand across the nation by partnering with local providers on cancer treatment centers; and Community Health Network, partnering with Centerre Healthcare to build rehab hospitals. The real estate implication is that new, expanded or renovated "branded" facilities might be needed to accommodate these partnerships.
Lastly, adaptive reuse of other types of buildings such as offices, retail, industrial space and even movie theaters for medical use will become a more prevalent health care and real estate strategy, according to Duke.
"While there might be a dwindling number of vacant Circuit City, Borders and Linens ?n? Things stores in the suburbs, there will continue to be other suburban opportunities as chains like Best Buy and even Macy?s downsize," Duke said. In addition, health care reform will force providers to enter into other markets, especially central cities. Kaiser Permanente, Dignity Health and Scripps Health are three examples of health systems that repurpose space for medical use.
"Many are jumping on old grocery stores," giving potential new life to former retail and office buildings, according to Duke Realty's Dunbar.
Lower drinking ages can have an impact on later drinking patternsPublic release date: 22-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Andrew D. Plunk
plunka@psychiatry.wustl.edu
314-362-2674
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Ralph Hingson
rhingson@mail.nih.gov
301-443-1274
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research
Lower minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws have been associated with short-term effects such as more traffic fatalities and teen suicides.
A new study has investigated the long-term and persistent effects of permissive MLDA laws.
Findings support an association with problematic drinking behaviors that persist into later adulthood, such as more frequent binge episodes.
Lower minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws have been associated with short-term effects such as a greater number of traffic fatalities and teen suicides. A new study has investigated the long-term and persistent linkages between permissive MLDA laws and specific drinking behaviors such as average alcohol consumption, frequency of drinking, patterns of binge drinking, and moderate drinking. Findings support an association with problematic drinking behaviors that persist into later adulthood, such as more frequent binge episodes.
Results will be published in the March 2013 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View.
"Drinking age laws have been very effective in reducing alcohol related problems," said Andrew D. Plunk, post-doctoral research fellow at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis as well as corresponding author for the study. "Many researchers have studied the laws and there is quite a bit of evidence supporting their positive impact, especially for reducing alcohol consumption and traffic fatalities for those under the age of 21."
"Alcohol is the leading substance of abuse among youth in the United States," added Ralph Hingson, director of the Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research at NIAAA. "Underage persons frequently binge drink, averaging six drinks per occasion five times per month."
Hingson said that persons under 21 who binge frequently are more likely to engage in a variety of behaviors that place themselves and others at risk: driving after drinking, riding with drinking drivers, never wearing safety belts, carrying weapons, having unplanned and unprotected sex, and illicit drug use. "Frequent bingers are also more likely to be injured in physical fights and suicide attempts," he said. "Furthermore, human brain development continues into the third decade of life, raising concern that heavy adolescent alcohol misuse may produce cognitive deficits and impairment in memory and attention. Finally, numerous studies have linked binge drinking to poorer academic performance."
Hingson explained that, in 1984, when less than half the states had a minimum legal drinking age of 21, the U.S. Congress passed legislation to withhold highway construction funds from states that did not raise the legal drinking age to 21. By 1988, it became illegal to sell alcohol to persons under age 21 in all states. "A review of 49 studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals found that, when the legal drinking age was lowered in many states during the 1970s and early 1980s, there was a 10 percent increase in average alcohol-related traffic crashes in the states that lowered the age, whereas in states that raised the drinking age, there was a 16 percent decline in alcohol-related traffic crashes," he said. "Much less is known about the effects of raising the legal drinking age on persons older than 21."
"Our research is different for a few reasons," said Plunk. "First, most studies have focused on the immediate or short-term impact of MLDA laws on drinking, whether the outcome is drinking behavior or traffic fatalities. Second, while there has been some prior research on the long-term impact of MLDA laws on binge drinking, to my knowledge we are the first to look at the impact on both binge drinking and non-heavy drinking, that is, more moderate drinking that didn't cross the binge threshold. Third, we were specifically interested in looking at how the effects of these laws might have been different based on whether or not an individual attended college, which previous research on the long-term impact of the laws didn't do."
Plunk and his colleagues gathered policy exposure data on changes in MLDA laws during the 1970s and 1980s. These data were paired with alcohol use data from the 1991-1992 National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey, and the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Those who reported drinking during the past year before they were surveyed and who were born between 1949 and 1972 (n = 24,088) were included in this data set. Average daily intake, overall drinking frequency, and frequency of both binge episodes (5+ drinks) and days without a binge episode (non-heavy drinking) for the previous year at the time of interview were tracked for each respondent.
"We examined data from people who were young adults in the 70s and 80s but who were surveyed about their alcohol use years later," said Plunk. "Lower drinking age wasn't linked with greater alcohol consumption, but did impact drinking pattern, which we measured in two ways: how often a person binged, and how often a person drank but didn't cross the binge threshold. Those with a lower drinking age were more likely to frequently binge drink, while also being less likely to do any non-heavy drinking. We also looked at specific demographic groups; men and those who did not go to college likely benefited from changes in drinking age laws more than the rest of the population."
"These findings have direct policy implications," said Hingson. "They reinforce that raising the minimum drinking age to 21 prevents alcohol-related harms to underage drinkers as well as other people under age 21. They indicate that some of the benefits of the MLDA of 21 carry over into adult life, preventing harms to adult alcohol consumers and other people." And they furthermore support prior research finding that people who grew up in states where they could drink legally before age 21 were more likely as adults to experience alcohol dependence and abuse and drug dependence and abuse, he said.
"Our findings stress the importance of assessing how the 21 MLDA affects all young adults, not just those on college campuses," said Plunk. "We also show how helpful looking at a broad range of drinking behavior can be. Many studies focus on binge drinking, but few examine more moderate drinking behavior. This seems especially important when looking at the long-term impact of policy, given that research suggests that moderate drinking actually reduces mortality risk."
"It is important for physicians to routinely ask patients under 21 about alcohol use and advise them about associated risks," said Hingson. "One of our recent surveys found that, while two-thirds of 18 to 20-year-olds saw a physician in the past year, less than 15 percent of them were both asked about their drinking and given advice about what levels of drinking pose risk to health."
"We need to be wary of unintended consequences," added Plunk. "Proposals to lower the MLDA have typically been in response to binge drinking by college students. College drinking is a serious problem one that research suggests a lower drinking age wouldn't help but college student drinking should not be our only concern. As noted earlier, we found that those who did not attend college benefited the most from increases in the drinking age. It is incumbent on any who propose lowering the MLDA to account for how all young people would be affected."
###
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research (ACER) is the official journal of the Research Society on Alcoholism and the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism. Co-authors of the ACER paper, "The Persistent Effects of Minimum Legal Drinking Age Laws on Drinking Patterns Later in Life," were: Patricia Cavazos-Rehg, Laura J. Bierut, and Richard A. Grucza of the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health. This release is supported by the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network at http://www.ATTCnetwork.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Lower drinking ages can have an impact on later drinking patternsPublic release date: 22-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Andrew D. Plunk
plunka@psychiatry.wustl.edu
314-362-2674
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Ralph Hingson
rhingson@mail.nih.gov
301-443-1274
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research
Lower minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws have been associated with short-term effects such as more traffic fatalities and teen suicides.
A new study has investigated the long-term and persistent effects of permissive MLDA laws.
Findings support an association with problematic drinking behaviors that persist into later adulthood, such as more frequent binge episodes.
Lower minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws have been associated with short-term effects such as a greater number of traffic fatalities and teen suicides. A new study has investigated the long-term and persistent linkages between permissive MLDA laws and specific drinking behaviors such as average alcohol consumption, frequency of drinking, patterns of binge drinking, and moderate drinking. Findings support an association with problematic drinking behaviors that persist into later adulthood, such as more frequent binge episodes.
Results will be published in the March 2013 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View.
"Drinking age laws have been very effective in reducing alcohol related problems," said Andrew D. Plunk, post-doctoral research fellow at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis as well as corresponding author for the study. "Many researchers have studied the laws and there is quite a bit of evidence supporting their positive impact, especially for reducing alcohol consumption and traffic fatalities for those under the age of 21."
"Alcohol is the leading substance of abuse among youth in the United States," added Ralph Hingson, director of the Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research at NIAAA. "Underage persons frequently binge drink, averaging six drinks per occasion five times per month."
Hingson said that persons under 21 who binge frequently are more likely to engage in a variety of behaviors that place themselves and others at risk: driving after drinking, riding with drinking drivers, never wearing safety belts, carrying weapons, having unplanned and unprotected sex, and illicit drug use. "Frequent bingers are also more likely to be injured in physical fights and suicide attempts," he said. "Furthermore, human brain development continues into the third decade of life, raising concern that heavy adolescent alcohol misuse may produce cognitive deficits and impairment in memory and attention. Finally, numerous studies have linked binge drinking to poorer academic performance."
Hingson explained that, in 1984, when less than half the states had a minimum legal drinking age of 21, the U.S. Congress passed legislation to withhold highway construction funds from states that did not raise the legal drinking age to 21. By 1988, it became illegal to sell alcohol to persons under age 21 in all states. "A review of 49 studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals found that, when the legal drinking age was lowered in many states during the 1970s and early 1980s, there was a 10 percent increase in average alcohol-related traffic crashes in the states that lowered the age, whereas in states that raised the drinking age, there was a 16 percent decline in alcohol-related traffic crashes," he said. "Much less is known about the effects of raising the legal drinking age on persons older than 21."
"Our research is different for a few reasons," said Plunk. "First, most studies have focused on the immediate or short-term impact of MLDA laws on drinking, whether the outcome is drinking behavior or traffic fatalities. Second, while there has been some prior research on the long-term impact of MLDA laws on binge drinking, to my knowledge we are the first to look at the impact on both binge drinking and non-heavy drinking, that is, more moderate drinking that didn't cross the binge threshold. Third, we were specifically interested in looking at how the effects of these laws might have been different based on whether or not an individual attended college, which previous research on the long-term impact of the laws didn't do."
Plunk and his colleagues gathered policy exposure data on changes in MLDA laws during the 1970s and 1980s. These data were paired with alcohol use data from the 1991-1992 National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey, and the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Those who reported drinking during the past year before they were surveyed and who were born between 1949 and 1972 (n = 24,088) were included in this data set. Average daily intake, overall drinking frequency, and frequency of both binge episodes (5+ drinks) and days without a binge episode (non-heavy drinking) for the previous year at the time of interview were tracked for each respondent.
"We examined data from people who were young adults in the 70s and 80s but who were surveyed about their alcohol use years later," said Plunk. "Lower drinking age wasn't linked with greater alcohol consumption, but did impact drinking pattern, which we measured in two ways: how often a person binged, and how often a person drank but didn't cross the binge threshold. Those with a lower drinking age were more likely to frequently binge drink, while also being less likely to do any non-heavy drinking. We also looked at specific demographic groups; men and those who did not go to college likely benefited from changes in drinking age laws more than the rest of the population."
"These findings have direct policy implications," said Hingson. "They reinforce that raising the minimum drinking age to 21 prevents alcohol-related harms to underage drinkers as well as other people under age 21. They indicate that some of the benefits of the MLDA of 21 carry over into adult life, preventing harms to adult alcohol consumers and other people." And they furthermore support prior research finding that people who grew up in states where they could drink legally before age 21 were more likely as adults to experience alcohol dependence and abuse and drug dependence and abuse, he said.
"Our findings stress the importance of assessing how the 21 MLDA affects all young adults, not just those on college campuses," said Plunk. "We also show how helpful looking at a broad range of drinking behavior can be. Many studies focus on binge drinking, but few examine more moderate drinking behavior. This seems especially important when looking at the long-term impact of policy, given that research suggests that moderate drinking actually reduces mortality risk."
"It is important for physicians to routinely ask patients under 21 about alcohol use and advise them about associated risks," said Hingson. "One of our recent surveys found that, while two-thirds of 18 to 20-year-olds saw a physician in the past year, less than 15 percent of them were both asked about their drinking and given advice about what levels of drinking pose risk to health."
"We need to be wary of unintended consequences," added Plunk. "Proposals to lower the MLDA have typically been in response to binge drinking by college students. College drinking is a serious problem one that research suggests a lower drinking age wouldn't help but college student drinking should not be our only concern. As noted earlier, we found that those who did not attend college benefited the most from increases in the drinking age. It is incumbent on any who propose lowering the MLDA to account for how all young people would be affected."
###
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research (ACER) is the official journal of the Research Society on Alcoholism and the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism. Co-authors of the ACER paper, "The Persistent Effects of Minimum Legal Drinking Age Laws on Drinking Patterns Later in Life," were: Patricia Cavazos-Rehg, Laura J. Bierut, and Richard A. Grucza of the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health. This release is supported by the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network at http://www.ATTCnetwork.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Copyright ? 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
Copyright ? 2013 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. | Yahoo! - ABC News Network |
Cookiecutter sharks aren't very neighborly. Like most sharks (or any marine animal, for that matter), cookiecutters roam the ocean looking for food. But unlike typical meat eaters, these sharks don't kill their prey ? they just take a bite and move on.
And for the first time, scientists have found evidence that these small sharks even go after one of the world's most fearsome predators, the great white shark. Great whites are about 10 times the size of a cookiecutter shark.
Divers in a shark tank off of Guadalupe Island, which is about 150 miles (240 kilometers) west of Mexico's Baja California peninsula, took a photograph of a great white sporting a fresh bite from a cookiecutter, as documented in a study published recently in the journal Pacific Science. It's the first photographic evidence of such a bite, said study author Yannis Papastamatiou, a marine biologist at the Florida Museum of Natural History.
"Animals at the top of the food chain can still get attacked by things a lot smaller than them," Papastamatiou told OurAmazingPlanet.
Cookiecutter sharks leave a very distinctive scar when they bite; their specialized jaw allows them to "scoop out a hemispherical plug of flesh from their prey," according to the study. The sharks' name comes from the uniformity of the bite, which looks "like you took a cookie cutter to some dough," Papastamatiou said. "'Ice-cream-scoop shark' would be technically more accurate, but it doesn't have quite the same ring to it."
The sharks have been known to prey on a wide variety of marine animals, including swordfish, whales, orcas and even a human swimmer ? and now, great white sharks. "This really shows there's no marine predator that can't be attacked by this little shark, which is impressive," he said. Scientists don't think bites from the cookiecutters can seriously harm these large predators.?
The cookiecutter shark (Isistius brasiliensis) can grow up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) long, while great whites can reach lengths of nearly 20 feet (6 meters), according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Cookiecutter sharks range throughout the world in tropical and subtropical waters. They often dive during the day and come near the surface at night. One specimen was caught at a depth of 9,840 feet (3,000 meters), Papastamatiou said.
But how wise is it to attack large predator 10 times your size? There's almost no evidence of how often the cookiecutter's bold strategy fails, Papastamatiou said. However, researchers found one cookiecutter shark in the stomach of a large bluefin tuna, suggesting the tactic isn't foolproof.
Reach Douglas Main at dmain@techmedianetwork.com. Follow him on Twitter @Douglas_Main. Follow OurAmazingPlanet on Twitter?@OAPlanet. We're also on?Facebook?and Google+.
Copyright 2013 OurAmazingPlanet, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The federal government grounded Boeing's newest and most technologically advanced jetliner Wednesday, declaring that U.S. airlines cannot fly the 787 again until the risk of battery fires is addressed.
The Federal Aviation Administration's emergency order affects only United Airlines, the lone U.S. carrier to operate 787s. United said it would put passengers on other aircraft and work closely with the FAA and Boeing to review its fleet of six Dreamliners.
The FAA action came on the same day that Japan's two biggest airlines ? which fly almost half of the world's 50 787s ? voluntarily grounded them pending full safety checks.
Boeing said it was working around the clock with investigators.
"We are confident the 787 is safe, and we stand behind its overall integrity," Jim McNerney, company chairman, president and CEO said late Wednesday in a statement.
The FAA decision was another setback for a plane that was supposed to establish a new standard for jet travel but has instead been beset by one mishap after another.
The latest trouble arose when pilots for Japan's All Nippon Airways smelled something burning and received a cockpit warning of battery problems on a flight from Yamaguchi Ube airport in western Japan to Tokyo. They made an emergency landing Wednesday at Takamatsu airport in western Japan, and passengers evacuated using inflatable slides.
An inspection found that a flammable liquid had leaked from the main lithium-ion battery below and slightly behind the cockpit. Investigators found burn marks around the damage. Japan's Kyodo News agency quoted a transport ministry investigator as saying that the liquid leaked through the electrical room floor to the outside of the aircraft. The transport ministry said the leak could have led to an accident.
That followed a Jan. 7 battery fire on a parked Japan Airlines plane at Boston Logan that took firefighters 40 minutes to extinguish. Both incidents involved the same type of battery, raising worries that they may be connected and that the jet's electrical problems are more dangerous than previously thought.
"Anytime you have a fire on board ? whether it's the battery that has caused it or a passenger that caused it or another electrical component ? that's a very a serious situation on an aircraft and something not to be taken lightly," said Kevin Hiatt, president of the Flight Safety Foundation.
So far, no one has suggested that the plane's fundamental design can't be fixed. But it's unclear how much will need to be changed.
The remedy could range from relatively quick-and-easy improvements to more extensive changes that could delay deliveries just as Boeing is trying to speed production up from five planes per month to 10.
The 787 is the first plane to make extensive use of lithium-ion batteries, which have been the focus of concerns in the past for their potential to catch fire. The FAA issued a special rule for their use in the 787. The plane has two batteries ? the main one near the front and a second one in the rear.
Boeing and the airlines will need to move quickly to determine whether the problem is a flaw in the batteries themselves, in the plane's wiring or in some other area that's fundamental to the plane's electrical system.
Boeing has booked orders for more than 800 of the planes from airlines around the world attracted by its increased fuel efficiency.
The jet's lightweight design makes it more of a fuel-sipper, and it's so lightweight in part because it uses electricity to do things that other airplanes do with hot air vented through internal ducts. So a 787 with electrical problems is like a minivan that won't haul kids. It goes to the heart of what the thing was built to do.
Before it carried paying passengers, the 787 was closely reviewed by inspectors from Boeing and the FAA.
Mike Sinnett, chief engineer on the 787, said last week that the plane's batteries have operated through a combined 1.3 million hours and never had an internal fault. He said they were built with multiple protections to ensure that "failures of the battery don't put the airplane at risk."
The lithium-ion design was chosen because it's the only type of battery that can take a large charge in a short amount of time.
Neither GS Yuasa Corp., the Japanese company that supplies the batteries for the 787, nor Thales, which makes the battery charging system, would comment on the recent troubles.
Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways are two of the 787's biggest customers.
ANA was especially proud of its 787 fleet. Its executives' business cards and the top of its website read "787" and "We fly 1st." ANA got the first one Boeing delivered in late 2011, more than three years late.
Other 787s have had problems with certain electrical panels and fuel leaks.
Back on Jan. 9, ANA canceled a domestic flight to Tokyo after a computer wrongly indicated there was a problem with the 787's brakes. Two days later, the carrier reported two new problems with the aircraft ? a minor fuel leak and a cracked cockpit windscreen.
Many of the 787s problems are typical of well-established planes around the world, Hiatt said, adding that he would have no qualms about flying aboard a 787.
"That airplane is the most scrutinized plane in the air," he said. "I would get on the airplane tomorrow."
Hours before the FAA announced its emergency order, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood dismissed any doubts about the FAA's diligence in certifying the plane.
"Our people are the best, but we need to work with Boeing and to make sure everything we've done has been done correctly," he told reporters Wednesday at a luncheon in Washington.
The FAA's decision canceled plans by LOT Polish Airlines to begin regular 787 service between Chicago's O'Hare Airport and Warsaw. The inaugural flight was due to land at O'Hare late Wednesday, but the airline called off the return trip.
Boeing was already under scrutiny for last week's fire, which was also tied to the battery in the back of the plane.
That fire prompted investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, and the FAA later said it would review the design and manufacture of the plane, focusing on its electrical systems.
The NTSB said Wednesday that it would send an investigator to Japan to join the latest probe, and that representatives from the FAA and Boeing were on their way, too.
United frequent flier Josh Feller said he changed his plans to fly a United 787 from Los Angeles to Houston next month because of the 787's troubles.
"I've been following the 787 news closely, and the latest incident finally spooked me into changing my flight," he said by email. "It's an unnecessary risk, and since I was going out of my way to fly the plane in the first place, decided to change flights."
Boeing shares dropped $2.60, or 3.4 percent, to close Wednesday at $74.34, and the selloff continued in after-hours trading.
___
Associated Press writers Elaine Kurtenbach and Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo, Kelvin Chan in Hong Kong, Scott Mayerowitz in New York contributed to this report.
By using our site, you consent to this privacy policy: This website allows third-party advertising companies for the purpose of reporting website traffic, statistics, advertisements, "click-throughs" and/or other activities to use Cookies and /or Web Beacons and other monitoring technologies to serve ads and to compile anonymous statistics about you when you visit this website. Cookies are small text files stored on your local internet browser cache. A Web Beacon is an often-transparent graphic image, usually no larger than 1 pixel x 1 pixel that is placed on a Web site. Both are created for the main purpose of helping your browser process the special features of websites that use Cookies or Web Beacons. The gathered information about your visits to this and other websites are used by these third party companies in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. The information do not include any personal data like your name, address, email address, or telephone number. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.
Youth mentoring linked to many positive effects, new CAMH and Big Brothers Big Sisters study showsPublic release date: 15-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Michael Torres media@camh.ca 416-595-6015 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Largest ever Canadian mentoring study will help create a best practices roadmap
Toronto, January 15, 2013 The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada (BBBSC) are releasing the first results of one of the largest mentoring studies ever conducted.
The five-year study, which tracks the experiences of almost 1,000 children and teenagers registered with Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across Canada, found that those with a mentor are significantly more confident in their academic abilities and considerably less likely to display behavioural problems.
One stand out finding is that girls in the study with a Big Sister were four times less likely to bully, fight, lie or express anger than girls without a mentor.
"This ground-breaking research confirms that mentoring changes the trajectory of young lives," says Bruce MacDonald, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada (BBBSC). "The findings will have a profoundly beneficial impact on our mentoring programs."
The study was conducted by a team of academics led by Dr. David DeWit, a senior scientist CAMH in London, Ontario, and Dr. Ellen Lipman, a psychiatrist and Professor at McMaster University in Hamilton. The research was made possible by a $1.7 million grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
The study's findings are expected to bring about significant advances in how the agencies of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada (BBBSC) deliver mentoring services. Expected outcomes are more specialized pre-match training for the child, parents and mentor; more effective match support for all three participants to better manage expectations and earlier detection of special needs among children and teenagers.
BBBSC believes that this landmark study's legacy will be longer and more successful matches and mentoring that is more closely tailored to individual needs.
"We showed that the positive findings held regardless of the children's age, personal history, family circumstances or cultural identity," explained DeWit. "Over time, Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies will be able to counsel mentors on how best to engage with their 'Little' and will make it easier to identify the children most likely to benefit from having a mentor."
Key findings:
Girls with a Big Sister are two and a half times more likely than girls without a mentor to be confident in their ability to be successful at school.
Boys with a Big Brother are three times less likely than boys without a mentor to suffer peer pressure related anxiety, such as worrying about what other children think or say about them.
Mentored boys are two times more likely to believe that school is fun and that doing well academically is important.
Mentored boys are also two times less likely than non-mentored boys to develop negative conducts like bullying, fighting, lying, cheating, losing their temper or expressing anger.
These current findings are just a small sample of what will be released in the months and years to come.
Each new release of findings will further illuminate the extent to which mentored children do better; why mentored children do better and Big Brothers Big Sisters agency practices that lead to the most successful mentoring relationships.
Over time, Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies will actually be able to counsel mentors on how best to engage with their "Little" based on their, age, personal history, family circumstances and cultural identity.
During the pre-match screening process, the study's conclusions are also expected to make it easier to identify the children most likely to benefit from having a mentor.
"When the findings of this research are fully understood, we expect that virtually every aspect of how we approach, design and maintain our mentoring relationships will be impacted," says MacDonald. "The work of the project's outstanding team, so ably led by Dr. DeWit and Dr. Lipman, will benefit children and teenagers in every region of Canada for generations."
"We recognize that the work of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada has played a crucial role in the lives of many young Canadians," says Dr. Anthony Phillips, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction. "CIHR is pleased to support research that provides communities with information about youth mental health and healthy development in society."
###
For more information or to schedule an interview contact: Michael Torres, CAMH Media Relations, 416-595-6015 or media@camh.ca
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the world's leading research centres in its field. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental health and addiction issues.
CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. For more information, please visit www.camh.ca
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's health research investment agency. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 14,100 health researchers and trainees across Canada.
For one hundred years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been making a positive difference in the lives of Canada's youth by developing and implementing a wide range of mentoring programs. BBBSC volunteer mentors teach by example the importance of giving back, of staying in school, and of respecting family, peers and community.
BBBSC provides quality mentoring services for more than 33,000 children and teenagers. The community-based youth mentoring organization currently has over 25,000 volunteer mentors working at 123 agencies that serve children in over 1,000 communities across the country. Learn more. Visit www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Youth mentoring linked to many positive effects, new CAMH and Big Brothers Big Sisters study showsPublic release date: 15-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Michael Torres media@camh.ca 416-595-6015 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Largest ever Canadian mentoring study will help create a best practices roadmap
Toronto, January 15, 2013 The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada (BBBSC) are releasing the first results of one of the largest mentoring studies ever conducted.
The five-year study, which tracks the experiences of almost 1,000 children and teenagers registered with Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across Canada, found that those with a mentor are significantly more confident in their academic abilities and considerably less likely to display behavioural problems.
One stand out finding is that girls in the study with a Big Sister were four times less likely to bully, fight, lie or express anger than girls without a mentor.
"This ground-breaking research confirms that mentoring changes the trajectory of young lives," says Bruce MacDonald, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada (BBBSC). "The findings will have a profoundly beneficial impact on our mentoring programs."
The study was conducted by a team of academics led by Dr. David DeWit, a senior scientist CAMH in London, Ontario, and Dr. Ellen Lipman, a psychiatrist and Professor at McMaster University in Hamilton. The research was made possible by a $1.7 million grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
The study's findings are expected to bring about significant advances in how the agencies of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada (BBBSC) deliver mentoring services. Expected outcomes are more specialized pre-match training for the child, parents and mentor; more effective match support for all three participants to better manage expectations and earlier detection of special needs among children and teenagers.
BBBSC believes that this landmark study's legacy will be longer and more successful matches and mentoring that is more closely tailored to individual needs.
"We showed that the positive findings held regardless of the children's age, personal history, family circumstances or cultural identity," explained DeWit. "Over time, Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies will be able to counsel mentors on how best to engage with their 'Little' and will make it easier to identify the children most likely to benefit from having a mentor."
Key findings:
Girls with a Big Sister are two and a half times more likely than girls without a mentor to be confident in their ability to be successful at school.
Boys with a Big Brother are three times less likely than boys without a mentor to suffer peer pressure related anxiety, such as worrying about what other children think or say about them.
Mentored boys are two times more likely to believe that school is fun and that doing well academically is important.
Mentored boys are also two times less likely than non-mentored boys to develop negative conducts like bullying, fighting, lying, cheating, losing their temper or expressing anger.
These current findings are just a small sample of what will be released in the months and years to come.
Each new release of findings will further illuminate the extent to which mentored children do better; why mentored children do better and Big Brothers Big Sisters agency practices that lead to the most successful mentoring relationships.
Over time, Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies will actually be able to counsel mentors on how best to engage with their "Little" based on their, age, personal history, family circumstances and cultural identity.
During the pre-match screening process, the study's conclusions are also expected to make it easier to identify the children most likely to benefit from having a mentor.
"When the findings of this research are fully understood, we expect that virtually every aspect of how we approach, design and maintain our mentoring relationships will be impacted," says MacDonald. "The work of the project's outstanding team, so ably led by Dr. DeWit and Dr. Lipman, will benefit children and teenagers in every region of Canada for generations."
"We recognize that the work of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada has played a crucial role in the lives of many young Canadians," says Dr. Anthony Phillips, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction. "CIHR is pleased to support research that provides communities with information about youth mental health and healthy development in society."
###
For more information or to schedule an interview contact: Michael Torres, CAMH Media Relations, 416-595-6015 or media@camh.ca
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the world's leading research centres in its field. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental health and addiction issues.
CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. For more information, please visit www.camh.ca
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's health research investment agency. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 14,100 health researchers and trainees across Canada.
For one hundred years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been making a positive difference in the lives of Canada's youth by developing and implementing a wide range of mentoring programs. BBBSC volunteer mentors teach by example the importance of giving back, of staying in school, and of respecting family, peers and community.
BBBSC provides quality mentoring services for more than 33,000 children and teenagers. The community-based youth mentoring organization currently has over 25,000 volunteer mentors working at 123 agencies that serve children in over 1,000 communities across the country. Learn more. Visit www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
products and services.
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 25-Jan-2013
Share ] 
Microsoft has released an SDK for Windows Phone 7.8 -- aka the last ever update for Windows Phone 7 handsets, which have been orphaned by the company's platform shift to Windows Phone 8 (built on a different kernel). The SDK release was announced yesterday by Microsoft on the Windows Phone developer blog. Expect the 7.8 update to roll out soon -- still due, says Microsoft, in "early 2013".