Infotrak

Karen Page Winterich, PhD IS Associate Professor of Marketing, Frank and Mary Smeal Research Fellow, Penn State University. Dr. Winterich’s research team conducted six studies that found that when consumers are aware that recyclables are transformed into new items, they recycle more. She believes that improving consumer education should be a priority for any organization seeking to increase recycling.

Stefanos N. Kales, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School co-authored a recent study that suggested that the number of push-ups a middle-aged man can perform might be a strong indication of his overall heart health. He found that men who can do more than 40 pushups in one minute have a 96 percent reduced risk of heart attack, stroke and heart disease compared with men who could muster fewer than 10. He also noted that push-up capacity appears to be a better and obviously less costly measurement of heart health than the standard treadmill test routinely used by cardiologists.

Kevin Estela, author of 101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods outlined essential skills and tools that can be helpful to anyone in an emergency situation, particularly on camping trips and other outdoor activities. He also discussed the importance of being mentally prepared to act in the event of a life-threatening emergency.

Lauren Stiller Rikleen, President of the Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership, and author of The Shield of Silence: How Power Perpetuates a Culture of Harassment and Bullying in the Workplace discussed workplace misconduct, sexual harassment and other negative behaviors on the job. She believes the best way to address these problems is to eliminate the fear of retribution against those who report the misconduct. She said that change is also needed in the court system because judges and juries often discount the credibility of victims and are reluctant to hold employers accountable.

While a number of metropolitan regions across the US are struggling, many more midsize and rural counties are wrestling with long-term declineDavid Swenson, PhD, Associate scientist in the Department of Economics, Iowa State University explained why most of the country’s smaller urban and rural counties are not growing in terms of population and jobs, and will not grow in the future. He said government policies need to address the issue and assure access to necessary public services and modern technologies, to ensure that rural residents are connected to today’s society.

Robert M. Siegel, MD, Medical Director of the Center for Better Health and Nutrition of the Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati lled a small study of middle school students, examining their cardiovascular risk factors. He found that a third of the children had abnormal levels of cholesterol or blood sugar, and several were found to have undiagnosed diabetes. He said every child should be routinely tested for cardiovascular risks, but only 25-30% are.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that the frequency of several types of food poisoning infections climbed last year, but that the increases could be the result of new diagnostic tools that help identify more cases. Tony Corbo, Senior Lobbyist for the Food Campaign at Food & Water Watch, an advocacy group that supports stricter food safety regulations explained the complex system that tracks illnesses such as salmonella and campylobacter. He said illnesses connected to produce are on the rise, while meat and poultry cases are unchanged.

Many young people struggle as they make the transition from the academic environment to the professional world. Tina Seelig, PhD, author of What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 - 10th Anniversary Edition: A Crash Course on Making Your Place in the World discussed skills and thought processes that can lead to success and resilience in their adult lives. She also talked about the effectiveness of our nation’s higher education system in preparing students for life.

Veterans face a wide array of mental health and stress-related challenges when they return to civilian life. Christopher Loftis, PhD, National Director for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs/U.S. Department of Defense Mental Health Collaboration discussed the various forms of help available at Veterans Administration facilities and via community-based mental health resources where veterans live. He offered ideas to help family members and friends start the conversation about mental health.

Teens spend hours every day on internet-connected devices, often with little or no supervision. Megan Maas, PhD, Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Michigan State University, certified sexuality educator led a study that found that online sexual experiences can predict a teen’s likelihood of becoming a victim of sexual assault one year later. She outlined the specific patterns of behaviors that can put teenagers at risk. She said she believes teens need to receive much better education to learn how online activities can affect their real life.

Most Americans are aware that the Social Security program will soon run short of money. William G. Gale, PhD, Arjay and Frances Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy, Senior Fellow in the Economic Studies Program at the Brookings Institution discussed the even shakier financial situations of Medicare and Medicaid. He said the Medicare trust fund will run out of money in 2026. He stressed the importance for Congress to either reduce costs, raise taxes or make other major policy changes soon.

Tiffany Munzer, MD, Pediatric Developmental Behavioral Fellow at the University of Michigan led a study that examined parents reading to their children in different book formats: enhanced electronic (with sound effects and/or animation), electronic, and print. The study found that traditional books provide the greatest opportunities for discussion, conversation and parent/child bonding. She said the flashing lights and loud sounds in most e-readers detract from the potential benefits of a shared reading experience.

Deborah Schwengel, MD, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Children’s Center led a comprehensive nationwide study that found that the rate of lawnmower injuries remains at a consistently high level, with most of them requiring surgery and hospitalization. She explained how the most common incidents occur and how adults can take steps to protect children from injury.

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.