Author Interviews, Gender Differences, PLoS, Social Issues / 04.11.2022
Subtle Makeup Increases Attractiveness In Male Faces
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
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Dr. Batres[/caption]
Carlota Batres, Ph.D.Assistant Professor, Department of PsychologyDirector, Preferences Lab
PreferencesLab.comFranklin and Marshall College
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Makeup is commonly attributed with increasing attractiveness in female faces, but this effect has not been investigated in male faces.
We therefore sought to examine whether the positive effect of makeup on attractiveness can be extended to male faces.
Dr. Batres[/caption]
Carlota Batres, Ph.D.Assistant Professor, Department of PsychologyDirector, Preferences Lab
PreferencesLab.comFranklin and Marshall College
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Makeup is commonly attributed with increasing attractiveness in female faces, but this effect has not been investigated in male faces.
We therefore sought to examine whether the positive effect of makeup on attractiveness can be extended to male faces.
Sean M Hughes MA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Young women are at elevated risk of getting sexually transmitted infections at the age when they typically start to have sexual intercourse. It’s not known whether this elevated risk is a consequence of behavioral factors (such as choices around use of barrier protection), physiological factors (such as a difference in the immune system) or a combination of both. In this study, we investigated a physiological factor: the immune system in the vagina.
Dr. van der Velde[/caption]
Jeroen van der Velde, PhD
Leiden University Medical Center
Dept. Clinical Epidemiology, C7-102
Leiden, The Netherlands
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: We hypothesized that, in addition to the amount of physical activity, the pattern in which physical activity is accumulated over the day is relevant for metabolic health.
Several studies previously showed beneficial effects of interrupting sedentary periods with short periods of activity (breaks in sedentary time) on glucose control. In addition, very recently it has been argued that the timing of physical activity during the day may be relevant for metabolic health. This was mainly shown in animal studies and intervention studies with supervised high intensity exercise training in men with impaired glucose control or type 2 diabetes. If timing of physical activity matters in a ‘free-living’ setting in the general population is largely unknown.
Therefore, our aim was to investigate associations of timing of physical activity and breaks in sedentary time with liver fat content and insulin resistance in a middle-aged population.
Dr. White[/caption]
Alexandra J. White, PhD, MSPH
Stadtman Investigator
Epidemiology Branch
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
National Institutes of Health
Research Triangle Park, NC
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What is the chemical primarily used in hair straighteners?
Response: Hair products such as dye and chemical straighteners contain several different chemicals that may act as carcinogens or endocrine disruptors and thus may be important for cancer risk. Straighteners in particular have been found to include chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, cyclosiloxanes and metals and may release formaldehyde when heated. Previous research has suggested that hair dye and chemical straighteners are related to other hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast and ovarian cancer, but no previous study has considered how they are related to uterine cancer risk.
Dr. Wong[/caption]
Mitchell Wong, MD PhD
Professor of Medicine
Executive Vice Chair for Research Training
Department of Medicine
Executive Co-Director, Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) Program
Director, UCLA CTSI KL2 Program
UCLA Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research Los Angeles, CA 90024
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: It is estimated that social factors like poverty, education, and housing have a large impact on health. Yet, there are few interventions that exist to directly address those issues. Schools are a promising solution since society already invests heavily in education and schools are an everyday part of most children’s lives.
Dr. Ogedegbe[/caption]
Gbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MPH
Dr. Adolph & Margaret Berger Professor of Population Health
Director, Division of Health & Behavior
Director Center for Healthful Behavior Change
Department of Population Health
NYU Langone Health
NYU School of Medicine
Member of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Syphilis has become more common over the past 20 years, after reaching a record low in 2000. The Task Force found that screening people who are at increased risk for syphilis can identify the infection early so it can be treated before problems develop. For that reason, the Task Force recommends screening people who are at increased risk for syphilis infection.
Dr. Robbins[/caption]
Rebecca Robbins, Ph.D.
Instructor in Medicine
Associate Scientist, Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders
Investigator, Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders
Departments of Medicine and Neurology
Brigham and Women's Hospital
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Teens face myriad challenges to sleep, ranging from biological factors, including a preference for later bedtimes and increased need for sleep, to social factors, including social pressures and increased academic workloads, all limiting teenagers in their ability to keep a healthy sleep schedule.
In a nationally representative sample, we explored the prevalence of another potential barrier to sleep among teens, which are a set of beliefs that are held in the population, yet are actual counter to scientific principles regarding sleep and circadian rhythms.
Dr. Malin[/caption]
Steven K. Malin, PhD, FACSM (he/him)
Associate Professor
Department of Kinesiology and Health | School of Arts and Sciences
Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition | Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Institute of Translational Medicine and Science
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Type 2 diabetes is a condition where blood glucose (sugar) is elevated in the blood. This can be problematic as it leads to blood vessel damage and the promotion of cardiovascular disease. Nearly 30 million people in the U.S. have type 2 diabetes, making it a major public health issue. The cause is not entirely clear, but many, including our team view insulin resistance as a central culprit.
Insulin resistance is when the body does not respond well to the hormone insulin. Insulin is vital because it promotes glucose uptake into tissues, like skeletal muscle. Two reasons that are often used to explain the development of insulin resistance include: poor diet (e.g. high sugar and/or high fat coupled with excess calories) and a lack of physical activity. However, more recently, a lack of sleep has been raised as another critical behavioral factor contributing to insulin resistance. Thus, targeting a healthy diet, activity and sleep pattern is thought to prevent the transition from health to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Orkaby[/caption]
Ariela Orkaby, MD, MPH
Geriatrics & Preventive Cardiology
Associate Epidemiologist
Division of Aging, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: As the population is living longer, there is increased risk of frailty and vulnerability. Frailty is defined as reduced physiological reserve and decreased ability to cope with even an acute stress. Up to half of adults over the age of 85 are living with frailty and preventative measures are greatly needed. We tested the effect of vitamin D and marine omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on the risk of developing frailty in healthy older adults in the US enrolled in the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) trial.
Dr. Orkaby[/caption]
Ariela Orkaby, MD, MPH
Geriatrics & Preventive Cardiology
Associate Epidemiologist
Division of Aging, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: As the population is living longer, there is increased risk of frailty and vulnerability. Frailty is defined as reduced physiological reserve and decreased ability to cope with even an acute stress. Up to half of adults over the age of 85 are living with frailty and preventative measures are greatly needed. We tested the effect of vitamin D and marine omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on the risk of developing frailty in healthy older adults in the US enrolled in the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) trial.
Dr. Jing Li[/caption]
Jing Li, PhD
Assistant Professor of Health Economics
The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy and Economics (CHOICE) Institute
University of Washington School of Pharmacy
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Dementia and other cognitive impairment are highly prevalent among older adults in the U.S. and globally, and have been linked to deficiencies in decision-making, especially financial decision-making. However, little is known about the extent to which older adults with cognitive impairment manage their own finances and the characteristics of the assets they manage.
