Learning
Deep Sleep May Mitigate Alzheimer’s Memory Loss, Berkeley University Research Shows
"Deep sleep, also known as non-REM slow-wave sleep, can act as a “cognitive reserve factor” that may increase resilience against a protein in the brain called beta-amyloid that is linked to memory loss caused by dementia. Disrupted sleep has previously been associated with faster accumulation of beta-amyloid protein in the brain. However, the new research from a team at UC Berkeley reveals that superior amounts of deep, slow-wave sleep can act as a protective factor against memory decline in those with existing high amounts of Alzheimer’s disease pathology — a potentially significant advance that experts say could help alleviate some of dementia’s most devastating outcomes." more »
Government Accountability Office Findings - Antibiotic Resistance: Federal Agencies Have Taken Steps to Combat the Threat, But Additional Actions Needed
Government Accountability Office: "Antibiotic-resistant infections can be difficult or impossible to treat. This testimony covers our work on federal efforts to address the following challenges: Surveillance: CDC doesn't have enough data on antibiotic-resistant infections in health care settings: Diagnostics: More studies are needed to help develop and promote the use of tests to diagnose resistance: New treatments: The pipeline of new antibiotics is inadequate and not fully federally incentivized; Antibiotic use: Federal antibiotic-use requirements only apply to hospitals and nursing homes; We also describe actions federal agencies have taken to address our prior recommendations." more »
Research Raises New Questions About Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women; May 5, is Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day in the US
"News coverage of missing and murdered Indigenous women has been long criticized as spotty and superficial. The news media 'largely ignore the victimizations of Native American females,' writes ... an assistant professor of criminal justice at Sacramento State University, in her 2020 paper, 'The Representation of Women and Girls of Color in United States Crime News.' A growing body of research demonstrates that missing white women typically draw significantly more media attention than missing minority women. The late PBS news anchor Gwen Ifill first used the term 'Missing White Woman Syndrome' to describe this disparity in 2004." more »
Selective Exposure and Partisan Echo Chambers in Television News Consumption: Innovative Use of Data Yields Unprecedented Insights
“Concerns about partisan media’s potential to polarize the public cannot be easily dismissed,” researchers and authors Broockman and Kalla conclude in this new study. The research underscores “the need for policymakers and civil society leaders to continue to consider how the influence of partisan media on public opinion might be countered as part of a broader suite of potential interventions to strengthen American democracy.” more »