Author Archives: ev1

Khushwant: RIP

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I was saddened to read that Khushwant Singh passed away in his sleep last week. What a quiet end for so loud a man. How the gods mock the mocking.

Contradictions surrounded Khushwant at every stage of his life. He strove to give the impression that he was a drunken slob yet he was one of the most hard-working and punctual men I knew. He professed agnosticism and yet enjoyed kirtan as only few can and do. He was known nationally as a celebrated lecher but for the past thirty years at least it was a hot-water-bottle that warmed his bed. He devoted his last years in the service of a woman who decisively spurned him in the end. He made a profession of living off his friends' important names and yet worked single-handedly to diminish that very importance. Empty vessels make the most noise but Khushwant was always full of the Scotch he had cadged off others.

He was a much misunderstood man. So before the limp eulogies start pouring in (how Khushwant would have hated them!) let me set the record straight. As Khushwant once said, the obituary is the best place to tell the truth for dead men file no libel suits. (An agnostic to the end he didn't believe in the Resurrection.)

Khushwant was born in 1915 in a rich but not particularly educated home. They were Khuranas from Sargodha who made good in Delhi. His father, Sir Sobha Singh, was the contractor who built the city of New Delhi and who in consequence received a knighthood. In '47 it used to be said (somewhat inaccurately it must be admitted) that ninety-nine per cent of New Delhi was owned by the Government and one per cent by Sir Sobha Singh.

After his initial education Khushwant was sent to England to appear for the ICS. He didn't make it. Later he would tell a story of how he had made it to the Merit List but how that year there was a reserved place for a non-Jat from Phulkian state (later PEPSU) and how some- one with less marks than him filled that place. But Khushwant was always a great raconteur so it is difficult to know what to believe.

Once bitten, twice shy. Khushwant didn't try for the ICS again but instead enrolled himself at the London School of Economics from where in the course of things he acquired a BA. The examiners decided to place him in the Third Class. After his degree Khushwant read for the Bar where he was equally successful. (His brother Daljit, now a businessman, was always the better scholar of the two.)

When Khushwant came back after six years in England a family friend asked his father: 'Kaka valaiton kee kar ke aayaa hai? (What has the boy done in England?) Sir Sobha Singh replied 'Time pass kar ke aaya hai jee.' (He has been marking time.) It is unlikely the canny con- tractor was joking.

After the Partition Khushwant joined the Indian Foreign Service and this phase of his career took him to London, Ottawa and Paris. In this period he began publishing short stories on rustic themes. In '55 he shot to fame when a novel of his won a large cash award set by an American publishing house in order to attract manuscripts. It was a mediocre Partition quickie called Mano Majra (later published as Train to Pakistan).

Years passed. Khushwant kept writing books, on the Jupji, on the Sikhs, on India, stories, translations: many of them provocatively titled and indicative of his deepest desires, "I Shall Rape the Nightingale", "I Take This Woman" etc. Some of these attempts were successful.

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Khushwant: RIP

Stem Cell Therapy | Advanced Orthopedics | Regenerative …

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It's been nothing but 100% improvement.It just continues to get better.Ive been avoiding doing stairways and I have to be real careful climbing in and out of equipment. I find myself being a lot more relaxed, not having the problems, not having the pain. I don't have the swelling in my knees that I used to have and it hasnt been waking me up at night. View my video testimonial here My name is Susan and Im 62 year old I just finished having my second PRP treatment and Im very, very happy with the results I can do all kinds of things I wasn't able to do beforeI believe my knee will continue to get better as the cartilage grows. Thank you! View my video testimonial here

Many thanks to the Stem MD team for giving me the use of my hands back, pain free! Professional, courteous and compassionate, describes this team of caring people. To anyone considering this procedure, I say you will be amazed and thankful at the results.

Lenita Brewer Ansonia, Ohio

Thank you for giving my life and health back. The PRP treatment worked wonders and helped alleviate the pain. I highly recommend the anti-inflammatory diet, Dr. Purita suggested. My body noticed the difference and I lost 35 pounds. I can finally be active again!

Jennica Califf Coconut Creek, Florida

I thought there was no hope for my chronic back pain. I am so thankful I found out about Dr. Purita and stem cells. I have had back pain for over 5 years, debilitating me to do everyday things. Today my pain has gone down 50%. I tell all my friends and family and wish everyone knew about this wonderful treatment. Thank you so much Dr. Purita

It has been 3 months since my mothers procedure to her knees. Now, my mom climbs into the van without any help, before we had to pull her up and assist her. She does not take painkillers anymore, even her recurring bladder infection and Diabetes is well controlled. All my friends and colleagues are super amazed every time I show them a video of my mom dancing. Thank you so much what you have done for my mom it is truly wonderful and I am forever indebted to you.

Malou Aragon-De Veyra Philippines

I came to Dr. Purita on the advice of a friend when I expressed trepidations about cortisone shots or the possibility no matter how remote of a joint replacement. I was a wrestler in high school and college, and this had done no good for my kneed as I aged. I had no expectations, only hope that somehow my knees could be made less fragile by the stem cell therapy my friend described. I had gotten to the point where any down stairs journey or stepping down off a van or public bus was excruciating, to the point that I usually made an exclamation that wasn't fit for public utterance every time I stepped off a bus or a van. My expectations were neutral at best. I had no idea as to how this stem cell therapy would impact my general health whatsoever. I can say without hesitation that the results have been beyond what I could have hoped. My knees are now cooperative to the point that sometimes I take the stairs down just because I can. I have resumed walking the stairs up and down at work, and I can say that I really don't think about anything I want to do where my kneed are involved. I am not quite where I was when I was 20, but 35 is a real thought, my flexibility and agility are restored to a level I could not have imagined. As an additional part of the procedure Dr. Purita also injected stem cell into my left hand, which has been diagnosed with some arthritis. The results are less instantaneously spectacular, but the had continues to improve. I no longer sit in my office while my hand burns with joint pain, my movement and most of my strength are improving daily, and I have a feeling that within a month or so I will have the same level of improvement I have experiences with my knees. Many thanks to the friend who recommended the trip to Dr. Purita's office, and to Dr. Purita and his staff who have put thoughts of joint replacement and the mad merry-go-round of cortisone shots far in the past for me.

Mark Burns Hypoluxo, Florida

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Humans Wiped Out Giant New Zealand Bird

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Nine species of giant, flightless birds, known as moas, suddenly went extinct within two centuries of humans first arrival to New Zealand. Coincidence? No, a team of geneticists, biologists and archeologists recently wrote. The scientists found evidence that moas thrived before Polynesians colonized the islands in the 13th century.

The scientists analyzed genetic remains from 281 individual birds from four species of moa. The researchers looked for signs of dwindling moa populations in the 4,000 years before humans arrived. When animal populations shrink dramatically, their genetic diversity also decreases. Instead, the moa had a healthy variety of DNA, which suggested strong populations.

CSI Fossils: Ancient Killers Caught in the Act

For example, the 3.6 meter (12 ft.) tall South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus) had an estimated population of 9,200 individuals that may have been growing. Although another species, the 1.5 to 1.8 meter (4.95.9 ft.) tall eastern moa (Euryapteryx crassus), showed signs of a major historical die-off, that reduction in numbers likely occurred more than 17,900 years ago, thousands of years before humans arrived. Euryapteryx crassus had recovered and seemed to be thriving in the eastern lowland forests of New Zealand by the time humans arrived.

BLOG: Humans Acquitted of Mammoth Murder

These findings point strongly toward human contact as the only factor responsible for the extinction, wrote the scientists in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Elsewhere the situation may be more complex, but in the case of New Zealand the evidence provided by ancient DNA is now clear: The megafaunal extinctions were the result of human factors, said lead author Mike Bunce of Curtin University in Australia in a press release. We need to be more aware of the impacts we are having on the environment today and what we, as a species, are responsible for in the past.

Illustration: Polynesians Hunting Giant Moa, by Heinrich Harder. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

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Analysis: Industry-sponsored academic inventions spur increased innovation

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

19-Mar-2014

Contact: Bobbie Mixon bmixon@nsf.gov 703-292-8485 National Science Foundation

Industry-sponsored, academic research leads to innovative patents and licenses, says a new analysis led by Brian Wright, University of California, Berkeley professor of agricultural and resource economics.

The finding calls into question assumptions that corporate support skews science toward inventions that are less accessible and less useful to others than those funded by the government or non-profit organizations.

The analysis, based on a study of two decades of records from the University of California system, is in today's science journal Nature.

The National Science Foundation's Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences funded the study. "There are two potential interpretations of the report," said Joshua Rosenbloom, program director for Science of Science and Innovation Policy (SciSIP). "One is optimistic. Corporate funding leads to research that is more likely to be commercialized and this greater focus is good.

"The second reading is that corporate funding shifts the focus of research away from basic science," added Rosenbloom.

During the last few decades, the share of gross domestic product supporting research and development has been stable, but the corporate share has increased substantially. "This may reflect a shift in emphasis away from basic science discoveries that provide a basis for future commercialization," Rosenbloom said.

SciSIP supports interdisciplinary social science research that builds an evidence base for informed policy choices and contributes to a better understanding of the interactions between science, technology and innovation.

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Analysis: Industry-sponsored academic inventions spur increased innovation

Spices and herbs intervention helps adults reduce salt intake

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Teaching people how to flavor food with spices and herbs is considerably more effective at lowering salt intake than having them do it on their own, according to research presented on Wednesday at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology & Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity & Metabolism Scientific Sessions 2014.

In the first phase of the study, 55 volunteers ate a low-sodium diet for four weeks. Researchers provided all foods and calorie-containing drinks. Salt is the main source of sodium in food.

In the second phase, half of the study volunteers participated in a 20-week behavioral intervention aimed at reducing their sodium intake to 1,500 mg/day by using spices and herbs. The other half reduced sodium on their own.

More than 60 percent of the participants in the study had high blood pressure, 18 percent had diabetes and they were overweight.

The researchers found:

"People in the intervention group learned problem-solving strategies, use of herbs and spices in recipes, how culture influences spice choices, how to monitor diet, overcoming the barriers to making dietary changes, how to choose and order foods when eating out and how to make low-sodium intake permanent," said Cheryl A. M. Anderson, Ph.D., M.P.H., lead author of the study and associate professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of California San Diego.

Those assigned to the behavioral intervention group had cooking demonstrations and had a chance to share how they were changing traditional recipes to remove salt and include spices. The researchers didn't emphasize specific spices, and encouraged participants to try different things to find out what they liked most.

"Salt is abundant in the food supply and the average sodium level for Americans is very high -- much higher than what is recommended for healthy living," Anderson said. "We studied the use of a behavioral intervention where people learn how to use spices and herbs and less salt in their daily lives."

"Given the challenges of lowering salt in the American diet, we need a public health approach aimed at making it possible for consumers to

The McCormick Science Institute funded the study.

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Spices and herbs intervention helps adults reduce salt intake

Eakins sale plan due by month’s end

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A preliminary plan for the sale of artworks in the collection of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary should be announced by the end of March, seminary officials say.

The seminary is home to about 200 paintings, including six portraits of clerics by Thomas Eakins and others by Alice Neel and Philip Pearlstein. The Inquirer reported Monday that the seminary was considering sales from its collection to help defray the costs of consolidation and renovation of its Wynnewood campus on City Avenue.

"Sometime by the end of March we'll have a better idea of how we will proceed," said Bishop Timothy Senior, rector of the seminary. "We need to do more work to determine what will be sold."

The seminary has said it is formulating a plan that could include sale of its Eakins paintings, plus the Neel portrait of Archbishop Jean Jadot, commissioned by the diocese in 1976. The fate of the Pearlstein portrait of Cardinal John Krol, paid for by Krol himself, is also in play. But it is the Eakins paintings that have captured the attention of scholars and critics.

The earliest portrait, of Archbishop James Frederick Wood, who oversaw completion of the Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul and the seminary campus, and who became Philadelphia's first archbishop, dates from 1877.

Eakins, despite his agnosticism, was fascinated by Wood's intellect and achievements, asked him to pose, and gave him the finished work. Unfortunately, a botched 1930 restoration ruined much of the painting, which hangs in the seminary's Eakins Room.

By the turn of the century, Eakins and his studio mate, sculptor Samuel Murray, were biking through Fairmount Park on Sundays to the seminary, where Eakins loved chatting with seminarians, discussing complex theological and philosophical problems, and listening to the chants of vespers.

He developed several friendships at St. Charles and asked each friend to pose. When the painting was done, he would give it to the sitter.

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Eakins sale plan due by month's end

Stem cells from muscle can repair nerve damage after injury, Pitt researchers show

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

18-Mar-2014

Contact: Anita Srikameswaran 412-578-9193 University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences

PITTSBURGH, March 18, 2014 Stem cells derived from human muscle tissue were able to repair nerve damage and restore function in an animal model of sciatic nerve injury, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The findings, published online today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, suggest that cell therapy of certain nerve diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, might one day be feasible.

To date, treatments for damage to peripheral nerves, which are the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, have not been very successful, often leaving patients with impaired muscle control and sensation, pain and decreased function, said senior author Johnny Huard, Ph.D., professor of orthopaedic surgery, and Henry J. Mankin Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery Research, Pitt School of Medicine, and deputy director for cellular therapy, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

"This study indicates that placing adult, human muscle-derived stem cells at the site of peripheral nerve injury can help heal the lesion," Dr. Huard said. "The stem cells were able to make non-neuronal support cells to promote regeneration of the damaged nerve fiber."

The researchers, led by Dr. Huard and Mitra Lavasani, Ph.D., first author and assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, Pitt School of Medicine, cultured human muscle-derived stem/progenitor cells in a growth medium suitable for nerve cells. They found that, with prompting from specific nerve-growth factors, the stem cells could differentiate into neurons and glial support cells, including Schwann cells that form the myelin sheath around the axons of neurons to improve conduction of nerve impulses.

In mouse studies, the researchers injected human muscle-derived stem/progenitor cells into a quarter-inch defect they surgically created in the right sciatic nerve, which controls right leg movement. Six weeks later, the nerve had fully regenerated in stem-cell treated mice, while the untreated group had limited nerve regrowth and functionality. Twelve weeks later, treated mice were able to keep their treated and untreated legs balanced at the same level while being held vertically by their tails. When the treated mice ran through a special maze, analyses of their paw prints showed eventual restoration of gait. Treated and untreated mice experienced muscle atrophy, or loss, after nerve injury, but only the stem cell-treated animals had regained normal muscle mass by 72 weeks post-surgery.

"Even 12 weeks after the injury, the regenerated sciatic nerve looked and behaved like a normal nerve," Dr. Lavasani said. "This approach has great potential for not only acute nerve injury, but also conditions of chronic damage, such as diabetic neuropathy and multiple sclerosis."

Drs. Huard and Lavasani and the team are now trying to understand how the human muscle-derived stem/progenitor cells triggered injury repair, as well as developing delivery systems, such as gels, that could hold the cells in place at larger injury sites.

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Stem cells from muscle can repair nerve damage after injury, Pitt researchers show

4th World Congress on Cell Science & Stem Cell Research to Exploit the Latest Advancements

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Henderson, Nevada (PRWEB) March 18, 2014

According to Dr. Srinubabu Gedela, the Managing Director of OMICS Publishing Group , the main aim of the Cell Science-2014 is to broadening the scope of the research in this field.

The OMICS Group Conferences 4th world congress on Cell Science & Stem Cell Research deliberates on the broader areas of Evolution of cancer, Tumorogenesis, Recombinant DNA technology, Cancer cell development and signaling pathway, Genetic engineering and Gene therapy, Tumor suppressor genes, Tissue Engineering, Stem cell treatment, Bioinformatics and Computational biology, Bio Ethics and Patent Rights.

Reputed speakers at the Cell Science-2014, an international medical conference 2014, including Stewart Sell of University of Albany, USA, Sudhakar Akul Yakkanti, SRI International, USA, Jimmy Thomas Efrid, Brody School of Medicine, USA and Diana Anderson, University of Bradford, UK are going to share their experiences in this field.

OMICS Group International, an open access publisher that publishes 300 online, peer reviewed science journals in the fields of Clinical, Medical, Engineering and technological, Pharmaceutical and Management fields also organizes more than 100 international science conferences and events across the globe. With the help of more than 150 scientific associations with the like-minded organization, OMICS Group is contributing for the dissemination of scientific knowledge and information.

Soraya L. Valles Professor of Phisiology ar tht University of Valencia, Spain organized pre-conference workshop for the Cell Sceince-2014 on Neuro Sceince on 25th February at Salon de Grados, Faculty of Medicine Valencia, Spain.

James L. Sharely, Director at The Adult Stem Cell Technology Centre, LLC, USA presents a symposium at this OMICS Group World Congress on the topic Stem Cell DNA Segregation and Genetic Fidelity. Ornella Parolini, President, International Placenta Stem Cell Research (IPLASS) also presents another symposium on Fetal-derived Stem cells: Characteristics and Applications

The Young Researchers Forum at Cell Sceince-2014 provides the Young Researchers/Investigators an opportunity to present their latest research projects with an in-depth analysis. Student fellowships and the best poster awards for an outstanding poster presentation benefit the student community.

The OMICS Group World Congress on Cell Science & Stem Cell Research is all set to provide a comprehensive view of this discipline in a nutshell.

For more information on the subject of this release: http://www.conferenceseries.net/cell-science-stem-cell-research-congress-2014/

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4th World Congress on Cell Science & Stem Cell Research to Exploit the Latest Advancements

Will health care reform require new population health management strategies?

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

17-Mar-2014

Contact: Kathryn Ruehle kruehle@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, March 17, 2014In response to the 2010 Affordable Care Act, employers may no long offer traditional employee health care benefits as they protect themselves from rising health care costs and seek to minimize their risk. How the shifting landscape of health care coverage will impact population health management providers, employers, and employees is the focus of a commentary in Population Health Management, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Population Health Management website at http://www.liebertpub.com/pop.

Bruce Sherman, MD, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (Cleveland, OH), and Chris Behling, AXA (New York, NY), explore many potential scenarios and conclude that employees and their families may be most impacted by these changes. In the article "Beyond Incentives: The Impact of Health Care Reform on Employer Population Health Management Strategies", they propose the need for new models of population health management services delivery.

"Sherman and Behling have done a great job outlining the challenges faced by every employer in our nation under health reform," says Editor-in-Chief David B. Nash, MD, MBA, Dean and Dr. Raymond C. and Doris N. Grandon Professor, Jefferson School of Population Health, Philadelphia, PA. "The success of Obamacare rests, in no small part, on following their advice!"

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About the Journal

Population Health Management is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published bimonthly in print and online that reflects the expanding scope of health care management and quality. The Journal delivers a comprehensive, integrated approach to the field of population health and provides information designed to improve the systems and policies that affect health care quality, access, and outcomes. Comprised of peer-reviewed original research papers, clinical research, and case studies, the content encompasses a broad range of chronic diseases (such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic pain, diabetes, depression, and obesity) in addition to focusing on various aspects of prevention and wellness. Tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Population Health Management website at http://www.liebertpub.com/pop. Population Health Management is the official journal of the Population Health Alliance.

About the Publisher

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Will health care reform require new population health management strategies?

What factors contribute to sexual assault in the military and what can be done to prevent it?

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

18-Mar-2014

Contact: Kathryn Ruehle kruehle@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, March 18, 2014Recent high-profile cases have drawn attention to the problem of sexual assault in the U.S. military, the effects on survivors, and the actions and response of military leadership. Issues such as why there is more sexual assault in the military than in the general population, why it is under-reported, and what preventive approaches should the military adopt are explored in a provocative Roundtable Discussion published in the preview issue of Violence and Gender, a new peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Violence and Gender website at http://www.liebertpub.com/vio.

Roundtable participants Mary Ellen O'Toole, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Violence and Gender and Senior FBI Profiler/Criminal Investigator Analyst (ret.), Christopher Kilmartin, United States Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs), and Colonel Jeffery Peterson, Center for Naval Analyses (Alexandria, VA), discuss specific factors that likely contribute to the sexual assault problem, including the acceptance of bullying in American culture, and an overall greater risk for sexual assault among people who join the military due to more previous experience with sexual assault than the general population, both as offenders and as survivors.

"From the battlefield to Congress, sexual assault in the military is viewed as one of the most concerning criminal problems we face today," says Dr. O'Toole. "Sexual offenders in the military wear the same uniform but victimize innocent men and women who work alongside them to serve their country. As a society we should be outraged at this behavior and want answers. I think we give you some of those answers in this Roundtable Discussion."

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About the Journal

Violence and Gender is the only peer-reviewed journal focusing on the understanding, prediction, and prevention of acts of violence. Through research papers, roundtable discussions, case studies, and other original content, the Journal critically examines biological, genetic, behavioral, psychological, racial, ethnic, and cultural factors as they relate to the gender of perpetrators of violence. Led by Editor-in-Chief Mary Ellen O'Toole, PhD, Forensic Behavioral Consultant and Senior FBI Profiler/Criminal Investigative Analyst (ret.), Violence and Gender explores the difficult issues that are vital to threat assessment and prevention of the epidemic of violence. Violence and Gender is published quarterly online with Open Access options and in print, and is the official journal of The Avielle Foundation.

About the Publisher

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What factors contribute to sexual assault in the military and what can be done to prevent it?

Inaugural CRDF Global Henrietta H. Fore Women in Science Fellowship to Advance Science Collaboration

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Released: 3/18/2014 12:00 PM EDT Source Newsroom: CRDF Global Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Newswise ARLINGTON, VACRDF Global, an independent, nonprofit that promotes international scientific and technical collaboration, announced today that it will select the first ever Henrietta H. Fore Women in Science Fellow in May. The first fellow will focus on expanding opportunities for women scientists around the world to collaborate in science and engineering. She will research opportunities and impediments to international collaboration involving women scientists, advise CRDF Global on ways to strengthen existing program opportunities and make recommendations for possible new programs.

The inaugural Fellowship will be awarded to a competitively selected female scientist for an eight to twelve week duration at CRDF Global headquarters in Arlington, VA. Candidates must be women with or pursuing a Ph.D. in the natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, or biomedical and behavioral sciences. Candidates must demonstrate experience or expertise in international collaboration and be a U.S. citizen or have U.S. work authorization. The deadline for application is April 25, 2014. The fellow will be selected by May 9, 2014. Apply at http://tinyurl.com/womenfellowship.

The Fellowship is named after Henrietta H. Fore, former Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance. She was the first woman to hold these positions. She was also a recipient of CRDF Globals 2013 George Brown Award for International Scientific Cooperation. Currently she is Chairman and CEO of Holsman International, an investment and management company.

A cornerstone of our mission is promoting the collaboration of scientists with peers around the globe, said CRDF Global President and CEO, Cathy Campbell. The worldwide underrepresentation of women in science and engineering is well understood. To achieve peace and prosperity through science collaboration, it is critical to encourage more women to pursue careers in these domains. We believe that the Henrietta H. Fore Women in Science Fellowship is an important step toward fostering collaboration among female scientists around the world, said Campbell.

The world needs more scientists who seek to collaborate in programs and research, said Henrietta H. Fore. We also need more women scientists and CRDF Global is the perfect leader for these endeavors, she said.

About CRDF Global CRDF Global is an independent, nonprofit organization established in 1995 to promote international scientific and technical collaboration through grants, technical resources and training. CRDF Global has nearly 20 years of experience managing international research funding programs and supporting emerging science and technology infrastructure in more than 40 countries in Eurasia, the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.

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Inaugural CRDF Global Henrietta H. Fore Women in Science Fellowship to Advance Science Collaboration

Anxiety Reduced With Smartphone App

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March 18, 2014

Association for Psychological Science

Playing a science-based mobile gaming app for 25 minutes can reduce anxiety in stressed individuals, according to research published in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

The study suggests that gamifying a scientifically-supported intervention could offer measurable mental health and behavioral benefits for people with relatively high levels of anxiety.

Millions of people suffering from psychological distress fail to seek or receive mental health services. A key factor here is that many evidence-based treatments are burdensome time consuming, expensive, difficult to access, and perceived as stigmatizing, says lead researcher Tracy Dennis of Hunter College.

Given this concerning disparity between need and accessibility of services, it is crucial for psychological researchers to develop alternative treatment delivery systems that are more affordable, accessible, and engaging.

Thats where the mobile app comes in.

The game is based on an emerging cognitive treatment for anxiety called attention-bias modification training (ABMT). Essentially, this treatment involves training patients to ignore a threatening stimulus (such as an angry face) and to focus instead on a non-threatening stimulus (such as a neutral or happy face). This type of training has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress among people suffering from high anxiety.

In the study, about 75 participants who all scored relatively high on an anxiety survey were required to follow two characters around on the screen, tracing their paths as quickly and accurately as possible.

After playing the game for either 25 or 45 minutes, the participants were asked to give a short speech to the researchers while being recorded on video an especially stressful situation for these participants.

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Anxiety Reduced With Smartphone App

New App Can Ease Anxiety By Gaming

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By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on March 19, 2014

New research suggests playing a science-based mobile gaming app for 25 minutes can reduce anxiety in stressed individuals.

Investigators believe the study shows that gamifying is a scientifically supported intervention that could offer measurable mental health and behavioral benefits for people with relatively high levels of anxiety.

The study is published in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Millions of people suffering from psychological distress fail to seek or receive mental health services. A key factor here is that many evidence-based treatments are burdensome time consuming, expensive, difficult to access, and perceived as stigmatizing, said lead researcher Tracy Dennis, Ph.D., of Hunter College in New York.

Given this concerning disparity between need and accessibility of services, it is crucial for psychological researchers to develop alternative treatment delivery systems that are more affordable, accessible, and engaging.

Thats where the mobile app comes in.

The game is based on an emerging cognitive treatment for anxiety called attention-bias modification training (ABMT). Essentially, this treatment involves training patients to ignore a threatening stimulus (such as an angry face) and to focus instead on a non-threatening stimulus (such as a neutral or happy face).

This type of training has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress among people suffering from high anxiety.

In the study, about 75 participants who all scored relatively high on an anxiety survey were required to follow two characters around on the screen, tracing their paths as quickly and accurately as possible.

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New App Can Ease Anxiety By Gaming

Reducing anxiety with a smartphone app

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

18-Mar-2014

Contact: Anna Mikulak amikulak@psychologicalscience.org 202-293-9300 Association for Psychological Science

Playing a science-based mobile gaming app for 25 minutes can reduce anxiety in stressed individuals, according to research published in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

The study suggests that "gamifying" a scientifically-supported intervention could offer measurable mental health and behavioral benefits for people with relatively high levels of anxiety.

"Millions of people suffering from psychological distress fail to seek or receive mental health services. A key factor here is that many evidence-based treatments are burdensome time consuming, expensive, difficult to access, and perceived as stigmatizing," says lead researcher Tracy Dennis of Hunter College. "Given this concerning disparity between need and accessibility of services, it is crucial for psychological researchers to develop alternative treatment delivery systems that are more affordable, accessible, and engaging."

That's where the mobile app comes in.

The game is based on an emerging cognitive treatment for anxiety called attention-bias modification training (ABMT). Essentially, this treatment involves training patients to ignore a threatening stimulus (such as an angry face) and to focus instead on a non-threatening stimulus (such as a neutral or happy face). This type of training has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress among people suffering from high anxiety.

In the study, about 75 participants who all scored relatively high on an anxiety survey were required to follow two characters around on the screen, tracing their paths as quickly and accurately as possible.

After playing the game for either 25 or 45 minutes, the participants were asked to give a short speech to the researchers while being recorded on video an especially stressful situation for these participants.

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Reducing anxiety with a smartphone app