Contributed by Jennifer MacArthur

Promise for Reversing Nerve Damage Caused by Multiple Sclerosis
In multiple sclerosis (MS), the immune system attacks myelin, the insulating layers that protect nerve fibers in the brain. Now researchers may have identified a way to regenerate myelin, and reverse the nerve damage and disability caused by MS. The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, demonstrated how in mice, activating the retinoid acid receptor RXR-γ can be used to trigger the brain's own stem cells to regenerate new myelin.

New myelin

Flavor Exposure in the Womb Impacts Infant's Sense of Smell
Researchers studying mice found that the pups' sense of smell is changed by what their mothers eat, teaching them to like the flavors in her diet.  The study, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, also demonstrated how a pregnant mother's diet induced structural changes in the olfactory glomeruli of the fetus' brain, which process smells.  Researchers fed one group of pregnant and nursing mice a bland diet and another a flavored diet.  At weaning age, the pups from mothers on the flavored diet had significantly larger olfactory glomeruli than those on the bland diet.

Puppy preference

Peer Pressure Can Keep You Healthy
Hanging out with healthy friends could be the best way to keep fit.  Researchers surveyed 3610 Australian women, aged 18-46 years, to assess the extent to which healthy behavior among a person's contacts could influence their own lifestyle. The study, published in BioMed Central's International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, found that physical activity and healthy eating behavior were both strongly affected by social norms.  Those women who moved in healthier circles were in turn more likely to eat well and get more exercise, independent of social support.

The best of friends 

Contributed by Christine G. DiRienzo

Who needs work life balance?
The idea that work and life must always be balanced in complete harmony rarely exists in reality. Sometimes work and life have no balance, and sometimes they do, but that is ok.  This article contains some advice from Marcia Reynolds PsyD, a career coach, who teaches leadership classes.

What balance?

Busting the Myth About Women and Finances
A plethora of books and websites are aimed at helping women curb spending and be savvier with money, but studies show young women are generally better with finances than men. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that women and men ages 25 to 34 have similar spending levels, but women spend more on apparel and services, while men splurge on transportation. The amount of financial advice geared toward and consumed by women may reflect a lack of confidence, but women are becoming more optimistic about the economy and their prospects, experts say.

Are women really bad with money?

Assistant Professor - Tenure Track

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Department of Computer Science

Associate Director for Science Policy and Legislation
Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health, National Eye Institute

Tenure Track

University of California
Department of Pharmacology