Science News – Newsletter for November 10, 2010

Mountains may offer species ‘refuge habitats’ during climate change

WASHINGTON – Swiss researchers have claimed that mountain ranges may represent a ’safer’ place to live during changing climate conditions.

Daniel Scherrer and Christian Korner from the University of Basel, Switzerland used a high-resolution infrared camera and hundreds … Original source on Gaea Times at : Mountains may offer species ‘refuge habitats’ during climate change.

Bilingualism can delay onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms: Study

WASHINGTON – Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute has found that speaking two languages can help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms by as much as five years.

“We are not claiming that bilingualism in any way prevents Alzheimer’s or other dementias, but it … Read : Bilingualism can delay onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms: Study.

‘Talking numbers’ can improve a child’s math skills

WASHINGTON – Research has revealed that young children’s math skills improve when parents talk frequently about numbers.

University of Chicago said that, for instance, children whose parents talked more about numbers were much more likely to understand the cardinal number principle-which … Original article on : ‘Talking numbers’ can improve a child’s math skills.

New DNA model identifies first European farmers

WASHINGTON – A new study has found that has resolved the age-old issue of the origins of the people who introduced farming to Europe some 8000 years ago.

A team of international researchers led by ancient DNA experts from the University of Adelaide has resolved the longstanding issue of the origins of the people who introduced … Original source on Gaea Times at : New DNA model identifies first European farmers.

Now, Twitter chatbot that counters anti-global warming tweets

WASHINGTON – An Australian software developer has taken on to micro-blogging site Twitter to stop people from spreading incorrect information about global warming.

Nigel Leck has created the Twitter account @AI_AGW, also known as Turing Test, that automatically reply to tweets that contain set phrases associated with global warming skepticism, reports the Discovery News.

Leck said his … Read more : Now, Twitter chatbot that counters anti-global warming tweets.

Undetected high blood pressure ‘ups deaths from heart attacks’

WASHINGTON – A study has established an association between detection of hypertension and death rates from coronary heart disease.

The University of Leicester study has also revealed that the country you live in could affect your risk of dying from a heart attack.

The Leicester team, analysed whether variations in deaths between different parts of the country … Original source on Gaea Times at : Undetected high blood pressure ‘ups deaths from heart attacks’.

New method of sniffing out ‘dirty bombs’ revealed

WASHINGTON – University of Maryland researchers have put forward a new scheme for detecting a concealed source of radioactive material without searching containers one by one.

Detection of radioactive material concealed in shipping containers is important in the early prevention of “dirty” bomb construction.

The concept is based on the gamma-ray emission from the radioactive material that …. Original source  : New method of sniffing out ‘dirty bombs’ revealed.

Young, unsupervised kids ‘at highest risk for dog bites’

WASHINGTON – Scientist has revealed that young, unsupervised children are most at risk for dog bites, usually from family pets and that if they bite once, they will bite again with the second attack often more brutal than the first.

The study conducted by Vikram Durairaj of the University of Colorado School of Medicine revealed that …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Does ‘presenteeism’ cost more to employers than absenteeism?

WASHINGTON – Presenteeism, a word that applies to people who are less productive at work because of health issues, costs employers as much as three times the dollar amount as absenteeism in terms of lost productivity, some scholars have estimated.

But researchers at University of Michigan believe those numbers may be inaccurate. A new opinion paper … Original article on : Does ‘presenteeism’ cost more to employers than absenteeism?.

Anxiety, stress major factors of depression in women undergoing IVF

WASHINGTON – A new research from Tel Aviv University has shown that stress, pre-existing depression, and anxiety are more likely than hormone therapy to impact a woman’s depression levels when undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).

According to Dr. Miki Bloch of Tel Aviv University’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Anxiety, stress major factors of depression in women undergoing IVF.

Growth defects in patients with cystic fibrosis ‘may start before birth’

WASHINGTON – A new study by University of Iowa researchers, using a pig model of cystic fibrosis (CF), has suggested that low levels of a growth promoting hormone at or before birth may contribute to growth defects in patients with cystic fibrosis.

The study could help predict the severity of the disease in patients and may …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Smallest building blocks of the Sun’s magnetic field revealed

WASHINGTON – Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany have now for the first time uncovered and characterized the smallest building blocks of the Sun’s magnetic field.

In these tiny regions of only a few hundred kilometers in diameter the strength of the magnetic field exceeds the Earth’s magnetic field …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Smallest building blocks of the Sun’s magnetic field revealed.

‘Jazzy, colourful’ males are the most attractive mates: Study

WASHINGTON – A study has revealed that the flashier a male, the more attractive a mate he is.

“Females typically use carotenoid colours to assess the quality of a potential mate, with more colourful males generally being regarded as the most attractive,” said Dr Tom Pike of the University of Exeter.

Pike conducted the study using a …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : ‘Jazzy, colourful’ males are the most attractive mates: Study.

Clot-busting drug ‘works best for strokes caused by blood clots’

WASHINGTON – A study has claimed that the clot-busting drug rt-PA remains the most beneficial proven emergency treatment for strokes caused by blood clots.

“The benefits of treatment outweigh the risks in patients treated with intravenous rt-PA within 4.5 hours of symptom onset,” said Dr. Jose Biller at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

Most strokes …. Source  : Clot-busting drug ‘works best for strokes caused by blood clots’.

Obese teens ‘at higher risk of becoming obese adults’

WASHINGTON – A study suggests that being obese in adolescence increases the risk of being severely obese in adulthood, especially in women.

“In 2000, an estimated 2.2 percent of adults, or 4.8 million individuals, were severely obese, with a disproportionately higher prevalence in women and racial/ethnic minorities,” wrote the authors of University of North Carolina at …. Source  : Obese teens ‘at higher risk of becoming obese adults’.

Mom’s smoking during pregnancy ups SIDS risk

WASHINGTON – A new research has suggested that maternal smoking during pregnancy is a major risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), with nicotine likely as the active agent.

Researchers Hemant Sawnani, Erik Olsen, and Narong Simakajornboon, from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Ohio, summarized the evidence from both human and animal studies, showing nicotine … Original source on Gaea Times at : Mom’s smoking during pregnancy ups SIDS risk.

Exercise may cut endometrial cancer risk: Study

WASHINGTON – A new study has claimed that women who exercised for at least 150 minutes a week are less likely to develop endometrial cancer, regardless of whether they are overweight or not.

Hannah Arem, a doctoral student at Yale School of Public Health, and colleagues examined the data collected from a case-control study led by … Read more : Exercise may cut endometrial cancer risk: Study.

Alpha males take greater risks in relationships: Study

WASHINGTON – Alpha males take greater risks in relationships, reveals a new study from Concordia University.

The study found the length between the second and fourth finger is an indicator of high levels of prenatal testosterone, risk-taking and potential financial success in men.

“Our findings show an association between high testosterone and risk-taking among males in three …. Original article  : Alpha males take greater risks in relationships: Study.

Soon, houses built out of manmade ‘green’ coral!

WASHINGTON – Scientists from several European universities are collaborating to develop a coral that could become an effective, carbon-negative way to “grow” walls.

Researchers from the University of Greenwich, the University of Southern Denmark, the University of Glasgow and the University College London are working with protocells, which are engineered bubbles of fatty oil suspended in … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Soon, houses built out of manmade ‘green’ coral!.

Antimicrobial products ‘toxic for environment, dangerous to human health’

WASHINGTON – Antimicrobial products like soaps and handwash may promise to kill germs, but a new study has revealed that they may be causing more harm than good – both for humans and the environment.

A study has indicated that a pair of antimicrobial compounds known as triclosan and triclocarban, which are found in an array …. Read the original article  : Antimicrobial products ‘toxic for environment, dangerous to human health’.