• Dogs & genes
A recent study shows that the difference in behaviors among dog breeds can partly be attributed to genetic distinctions. The link between behaviors and genetic disposition has long been suspected, but this hypothesis was finally supported by research relying on behavioral data collected by James Serpell of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. He and colleagues from around the country found 131 sites of variation in the genome dealing with a breed’s behavioral patterns. Some of the differential genetic behaviors include guarding, hunting and companionship. (EDITORS: You can use this News Brief or the original full article.)
• Price of noise
In an increasingly loud world, non-stop noise can disturb sleep, which can lead to cardiovascular problems, mood disorders and an overall reduced quality of life. Persistent noise was also found to cause an increase in the production of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. In an effort to alleviate these effects, Mathias Basner the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania recommends actively seeking out quiet spaces and using noise-cancelling headphones. (EDITORS: You can use this News Brief or the original full article.)
• Twitter & gender
A study on the impact and reach of academics on Twitter found that the social media platform reflects the familiar “old boys club” present in academic institutions. The study, conducted by a team of Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics Senior Fellows at the University of Pennsylvania, found that, despite having a similar amount of engagement, female researchers were found to have less reach and influence than their male counterparts. However, differences between assistant professors, who are at the beginning of their careers, were smaller than those between full-time professors, offering hope for the future of gender parity. (EDITORS: You can use this News Brief or the original full article.)
• Mindfulness at work
Workplace wellness strategies such as yoga and meditation are intended to manage stress and create a more productive worker, and research shows they work. Seven to eight minutes of meditation has been proven to improve relational cooperation and functioning, especially in workplaces with frequent collaboration and interaction between co-workers and supervisors. “Even with a one-time intervention, you’re getting smoother, pleasant, more helpful workers. That’s one of the key benefits,” Lindsey Cameron of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School said. (EDITORS: You can use this News Brief or the original full article.)
• Efficient hiring
Despite the economy’s stabilization since the 2008 recession, many companies are now grumbling that they can’t find qualified workers. However, a Wharton School marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania argues that the problem doesn’t lie in the economy, but rather in the companies’ hiring processes. “They’re looking at cost per hire, time to fill, and they’re not looking at whether our practices give us good candidates or not,” Peter Cappelli said. (EDITORS: You can use this News Brief or the original full article.)
• Political polarization
Despite the widespread perception that political polarization skyrocketed after the 2016 U.S. presidential election, a recent study by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication compared the levels of political polarization in 2014 to those in 2017 and found no significant difference. While the studies did show that the U.S. remains undoubtedly politically polarized, it is not any more or less so than it was before the 2016 presidential election. (EDITORS: You can use this News Brief or the entire article.)
• Gene therapy
A gene therapy being developed to stop the severe muscle deterioration associated with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a rare, genetic disease, has now been shown to be successful in both large and small animals. The study, conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, engineered a “substitute” protein for dystrophin that protected muscles without retaliation from their immune systems. The gene therapy’s success spurs hope for the future development of treatment for DMD. (EDITORS: You can use this News Brief or the entire article.)
• Restoring culture
In an effort to undo the damage ISIS wrought, archaeologists from the University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with Iraq’s State Board of Antiquities and Heritage and others, are
rebuilding three cultural heritage sites destroyed during the fighting, as well as a number of smaller Christian churches. Backed by $4 million in funding from a variety of sources, including the U.S. State Department, the work will take years, but the archaeologists hope that restoring the physical sites will help draw displaced communities back to their homes and return to these areas a sense of normalcy following years of destruction. (EDITORS: You can use this News Brief or the entire article.)
• Bile duct on a chip
With the creation of the first bile duct-on-a-chip, researchers will now be able to study illnesses related to the difficult-to-access tissue more readily. The chip, created by a team from the University of Pennsylvania, is only 4 mm long and .16 mm wide and is made using a clear, gas polymer and collagen. Researchers are specifically interested in using the bile duct on a chip to study the difference in vulnerability between adult and child bile ducts. “This access could open doors for more research into liver diseases such as primary biliary cholangitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and biliary atresia,” researcher Rebecca Wells said. (EDITORS: You can use this News Brief or the entire article.)
