The five most-read stories on Scope this week were: Could gut bacteria play a role in mental health?: Many of us have experienced butterflies (or …
Month: August 2013
Menthol "sweetens the poison," attracts more young smokers
Many Halloweens ago, a stranger in a dark house might have reached into a black caldron and handed a child a pack of candy cigarettes. …
Collagen patch speeds healing after heart attacks in mice
You can't resurrect a dead cell any more than you can breathe life into a brick, regardless of what you may have gleaned from zombie …
Moderate physical activity not a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis, study shows
As my wise yoga teacher once said after advising a student to skip a certain pose if she felt any joint strain, "Once knees get …
A call for extended bedside-manner training
What if medical residency not only deepened a doctor's knowledge of the body, but also revitalized her people skills? In a recent opinion piece (subscription required), …
Study finds that academic papers authored by women tend to be cited less often
Today, when I saw an article in the Economist on the "lamentable lack of female professors," I thought I somehow navigated to a story from a …
Dynamic duo: Nanoparticle/prodrug combination finds and fights tumors, files reports
Routine chemotherapy is a somewhat sloppy way of combating cancer, because the drugs employed work by killing rapidly dividing cells, not just cancerous ones. Hair …
Researchers reverse pulmonary hypertension in rats by blocking inflammation-producing pathway
Dangerously high blood pressure in the lungs, a condition called pulmonary hypertension, occurs when cells that line pulmonary arteries change in an abnormal way. These …
Talk to the hand: Study defines personal space boundary
Scientists have determined the standard distance for personal space - as once popularized by Elaine's boyfriend Aaron, the close talker, on "Seinfeld" - as 8 to …
Ask Stanford Med: Director of Female Sexual Medicine Program responds to questions on sexual health
In some circles, the term "female sexual health" may elicit more blushing than productive conversation, even between a woman and her gynecologist. So for this …
Discussing the effects of long-term exercise for insomniacs
In a KQED Forum segment this morning, Stanford sleep expert Rafael Pelayo, MD, discussed results of a new study showing that it takes up to four months for the …
Study shows racial disparities in HPV vaccination
Much has been written here and elsewhere about the lower-than-ideal number of women and girls who get vaccinated for human papillomavirus (HPV). (The concern, of course, …
What puts you to sleep? Experts weigh in
A Huffington Post piece today surveys a panel of experts on best practices for getting a good night's rest. The researchers advise on what worked …
Study shows belief in willpower's potential more powerful than a boost of sugar
A psychology study (subscription required) in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences struck down sugar's power to rule over …
A look at the "Serious Scientist Myth"
In an essay today on SciLogs, author Matt Shipman continues a thread bucking what he calls the "Serious Scientist Myth" - the idea that "serious" scientists …
Could gut bacteria play a role in mental health?
If you’ve ever gotten a stomachache from stress, you might suspect that your mental state can affect your digestive system. But, Agent 99, would you …