New research showed that people with the worst memory problems also had the most leakage in their brain’s blood vessels – regardless of whether amyloid or tau were present. Contact: Leigh Hopper (310) 308-0405 or lhopper@usc.edu Leaky capillaries in the brain portend early onset of Alzheimer’s disease as they signal cognitive impairment before hallmark toxic proteins amyloid […]
The Northridge earthquake struck Southern California 25 years ago, toppling buildings and conventional knowledge of seismic safety. The magnitude 6.7 temblor on Jan. 17, 1994, collapsed buildings and freeways, killing at least 57 people and causing billions of dollars in damage. USC experts examine lessons learned from one of the costliest disasters in U.S. history […]
USC researchers found people connect better with a computer-generated avatar that represents building management — and small talk helped, too Contact: Gary Polakovic (213) 740-9226 or polakovi@usc.edu When it comes to buildings and their occupants, USC researchers see a failure to communicate, yet improved dialogue between the two can help smart buildings work better for a sustainable […]
USC researchers solved two puzzles standing in the way of fighting an emerging disease in Asia, one that could soon appear in the United States. Contact: Leigh Hopper (310) 308-0405 or lhopper@usc.edu Two groundbreaking discoveries by USC researchers could lead to medications and a vaccine to treat or prevent a hemorrhagic fever transmitted by a new tick […]
New Year’s resolutions are tough to keep for a variety of reasons. Despite our good intentions, most Americans don’t stick with resolutions to lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier foods, get more sleep and of course, quit smoking. USC experts are ready with tips for the resolution-weary and the optimistic newcomers to this annual tradition. […]
USC research provides a rare glimpse of history’s wildlife by studying bones at the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum Contact: Gary Polakovic (213) 740-9226 or polakovi@usc.edu It was a prehistoric clash of the ages that didn’t end pretty when a monster in the sky clashed with a beast of the deep. The sorry outcome for one […]
No matter what holiday – Christmas, winter solstice, Hanukkah, Kwanza, New Year – is being celebrated, we all deal with the same situations: the focus on food, the focus on family, and the focus on shopping. Whether it’s Christmas cookies or latkes or Chinese food and a movie, the holidays are about food. And it’s about […]
Sleep trends for African-Americans and Hispanics are most concerning, researchers say Contact: Jenesse Miller, (213) 810-8554 or jenessem@usc.edu More Americans are getting fewer hours of sleep, according to a new study published in the journal Sleep. Researchers from Arizona State University, University of Southern California and University of South Carolina found more Americans reporting inadequate […]
A clash between modern lifestyles and circadian rhythms can lead to the development of obesity and breast cancer, USC scientist says Contact: Gary Polakovic, (213) 237-7770 or polakovi@usc.edu USC scientists report that a novel time-keeping mechanism within liver cells that helps sustain key organ tasks can contribute to diseases when its natural rhythm is disrupted. […]
Contact: Leigh Hopper, (310) 308-0405, lhopper@usc.edu Are electric scooters promoted on social media with safety in mind? A USC study of one company’s Instagram feed suggests not. Posts to the Instagram account of Bird, a leader in the e-scooter market, rarely show e-scooter users with helmets or other protective gear, potentially normalizing unsafe behavior, according to new […]
