Beaker Briefs

Traditional audiograms, held in a quiet room, often miss a form of hearing loss caused by inner-ear damage. That’s because the brain can compensate for this type of loss in quiet settings by “turning up its volume control.” More challenging tests, say researchers, would result in better diagnoses.

Led by: Communicative disorders and sciences researcher Richard Salvi

Male police officers working the afternoon shift—typically from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.—are twice as likely to report exhaustion, while fatigue is less an issue for female officers, found UB-led research. One reason: The latter are more likely to support one another to help cope with shift work.

Led by: Epidemiology and environmental health researcher John Violanti

A UB researcher found that stable housing helped formerly homeless people living with HIV/AIDS strengthen their immune system and fight the virus. With nearly one in 12 HIV-positive people living in the United States in need of housing assistance, rental subsidies and support services are crucial to their survival.

Led by: Social work researcher Elizabeth Bowen