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Holiday shopping online: Don't overwhelm consumers with too many images

If presented with looking at an image or reading a paragraph describing the same product, consumers often prefer the visual option. However, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, visual presentation can lead to information overload and result in less systematic consideration especially when making a purchasing decision.

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria turns immune system against itself

Around 20 percent of all humans are persistently colonized with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, a leading cause of skin infections and one of the major sources of hospital-acquired infections, including the antibiotic-resistant strain MRSA.

University of Chicago scientists have recently discovered one of the keys to the immense success of S. aureus—the ability to hijack a primary human immune defense mechanism and use it to destroy white blood cells. The study was published Nov 15 in Science.

See a Honda, buy a Mountain Dew? What happens when consumers fast-forward through commercials?

Consumers are bombarded with advertising throughout the course of any given day, often to the point where they rarely devote any conscious attention to processing the brand information. According to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, this is not necessarily bad news for companies.

DIY for the holidays: Why do consumers enjoy gifts that require work?

From gourmet cooking to assembling a flower bouquet, consumers thrive in a creative environment. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research suggests a greater sense of appreciation and overall value is given to products that are customized during the design process.

According to the study, the process of participating in making a product should not only engage consumers, it should challenge them, which in turn will make their experience that much more rewarding.

Slackers unite: How fundraisers convert social supporters into socially active citizens

Although somewhat counterintuitive, it turns out that those who support a cause anonymously tend to be more meaningfully supportive of the cause than those who offer more noticeable initial support, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

The semantics behind the sale price: When does the 'original' price matter?

Consumers love a sale. In fact, when asked what makes a sale appealing, most simply say, "The price was good." But this answer fails to acknowledge that subjective factors also contribute to the perceived value of a deal. According to new research published in the Journal of Consumer Research, it's possible to increase the perception of a good deal.

Younger Hispanic women face higher risk of death from heart attack

Younger Hispanic women face a higher risk of death in hospitals after a heart attack, are more likely to suffer from co-existing conditions such as diabetes, and are less likely to undergo percutaneous coronary interventions or coronary artery bypass surgery as compared with white women and men, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.

Bedtime aspirin may reduce risk of morning heart attack

Taking aspirin at bedtime instead of in the morning might reduce acute heart events, according a new study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.

Low-dose daily aspirin is recommended for people at high risk of heart disease and for reducing the risk of recurrent heart events. Aspirin thins the blood and makes it less likely to clot. The tendency for platelet activity to be higher peaks in the morning.

New study finds no benefit to selecting dose of blood thinner based on patients' genetic makeup

DALLAS – A new study led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has determined that a gene-based method for selecting patients' doses of the popular heart medication warfarin is no better than standardized dosing methods. The study was presented today at the 2013 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Stanford study could lead to paradigm shift in organic solar cell research

Organic solar cells have long been touted as lightweight, low-cost alternatives to rigid solar panels made of silicon. Dramatic improvements in the efficiency of organic photovoltaics have been made in recent years, yet the fundamental question of how these devices convert sunlight into electricity is still hotly debated.

Blacks have less access to cancer specialists, treatment

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine say metastatic colorectal cancer patients of African-American descent are less likely to be seen by cancer specialists or receive cancer treatments. This difference in treatment explains a large part of the 15 percent higher mortality experienced by African-American patients than non-Hispanic white patients.

Smoking increases risk of death for nasopharyngeal carcinoma survivors

PHILADELPHIA — Survivors of nasopharyngeal carcinoma who are former or current smokers are more likely to have their disease progress, relapse, or spread, and are more likely to die of their disease, compared with survivors of nasopharyngeal carcinoma who have never smoked, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Oral drug may improve survival in men with metastatic prostate cancer

DURHAM, N.C. – An investigational prostate cancer treatment slows the disease's progression and may increase survival, especially among men whose cancer has spread to the bones, according an analysis led by the Duke Cancer Institute.

The study, published on Nov. 19, 2013, in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, adds long-term survival and safety data for the drug tasquinimod, a new candidate for treating advanced and recurrent prostate cancer.

HIV virus spread and evolution studied through computer modeling

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., November 19, 2013—Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory are investigating the complex relationships between the spread of the HIV virus in a population (epidemiology) and the actual, rapid evolution of the virus (phylogenetics) within each patient's body.

Many pediatricians uncomfortable providing care to kids with genetic conditions

Ann Arbor, Mich. — Many primary care pediatricians say they feel uncomfortable providing health care to patients with genetic disorders. Also, many do not consistently discuss all risks and benefits of genetic tests with patients, according to research published today in the American Journal of Medical Genetics.