Science Education & Policy

Early findings by Carnegie Mellon University researchers suggest that people who are suckered by a spoof email into visiting a counterfeit Web site are also people who are ready to learn their lesson about “phishing” attacks. Phishing attacks have become a common method for stealing personal identification information, such as bank account numbers and passwords. Lorrie Cranor, associate research professor of computer science, said phishing often is successful because many people ignore educational materials that otherwise might help them recognize such frauds. But in a laboratory study, the…

According to an analysis by Dr. Kathryn Wilson, associate professor of economics at Kent State University and colleagues, the United States has the highest level of income inequality among all rich nations. For example, low-income households, or those at the 10th percentile of the income distribution, spend approximately $8,900 per year per child, while high-income families, or those at the 90th percentile, spend $50,000 per child. “People like to think of America as the land of opportunities,” says Wilson. “The irony is that our country actually has less social mobility and more inequality…

"What makes the modern university different from any other corporation?" That's the question asked in the NY Times this week. In light of increasingly unaffordable tuition rates and the profitable but corrupt business of lending huge sums of money to students, do universities deserve their nonprofit status? Is the tight competition for federal grants corrupting the mission of universities? The Times isn't so sure: "Driven by big science and global competition, our top universities compete for “market share” and “brand-name positioning,” employ teams of consultants and lobbyists and furnish…

Tufts University researchers are developing techniques that could allow computers to respond to users’ thoughts of frustration — too much work — or boredom—too little work. Applying non-invasive and easily portable imaging technology in new ways, they hope to gain real-time insight into the brain’s more subtle emotional cues and help provide a more efficient way to get work done. “New evaluation techniques that monitor user experiences while working with computers are increasingly necessary,” said Robert Jacob, computer science professor and researcher. “One moment a user may be bored, and…

When the Antarctic Geological Drilling Program begins its second drilling campaign this month, scientists will be looking for a "Rosetta Stone" in their sediment cores that will tie together decades of paleoclimate research in Antarctica and the rest of the world to get a more complete picture of how the Antarctic ice sheets responded to past times of global warmth. The Rosetta Stone, of course, is the tablet found in northern Egypt in 1799 that provided the key to deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. The "Rosetta Stone" target for ANDRILL scientists in this fall's Southern McMurdo…

It used to be common to hear criticism about the FDA not approving new drugs fast enough, usually something that had been 'used in Europe' without issue. That changed in 2004 with the Clinical Trials Directive, which came into force in May of that year in order to create a harmonized framework for clinical drug research across Europe, and some academics say it will make European schools also-rans in the research community. Many sponsor organisations, commercial and non-commercial alike, have criticised the Directive for the enormous increase in administrative burdens and cost that complying…

A report(1) released today by the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN)(i) highlights the significant inconsistencies that exist in hepatitis C (HCV) diagnosis and treatment across Europe and beyond. In recognition of World Hepatitis Awareness Day, patient groups around the globe are united in their call for action. The report indicates that in some European countries it is estimated that more than 90% of people who are infected with HCV have not been diagnosed (Germany 90%; Poland 98%)(ii). Not only does this put many people at risk of long-term liver damage, it also means that they may…

Countries where the main religion is Protestant Christianity have higher employment rates than those where other religions are dominant, according to University of Bath research published in the American Journal of Economics and Sociology. These countries, which include the USA, the UK and Nordic countries such as Denmark, Sweden and Norway, have employment rates that are approximately six percentage points higher than countries where other religions are practiced by the largest proportion of the population. The study, which is based on data from 80 countries, also showed that female…

Determining the genetic profile of a particular lung tumor can help clinicians make the crucial decision about which chemotherapy treatment to try first. A new study led by researchers from the Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy (IGSP) found distinct differences in the susceptibility different tumors have to widely used chemotherapy drugs. “We were able to predict which tumors would be most likely to respond to standard first-line therapy and which would respond better to what has traditionally been a second-line therapy, based…

The latest common wisdom on carbohydrates claims that eating so-called “bad” carbohydrates will make you fat, but University of Virginia professor Glenn Gaesser says, “that’s just nonsense.” Eating sandwiches with white bread, or an occasional doughnut, isn't going to kill you, or necessarily even lead to obesity, he said. In an article in the October issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Gaesser analyzes peer-reviewed, scientific research on carbohydrate consumption, glycemic index and body weight and gives the first detailed review of the literature on the correlation…