Science News – Newsletter for November 30, 2010

Even birds have personalities

WASHINGTON – It is well known that animals have personalities, but it may come as a surprise to many to learn that birds also do.

For instance, individual birds vary in their levels of curiosity, with distinctions being made between ‘fast’ and ’slow’ explorers.

A considerable body of research has examined the differences … Original article on : Even birds have personalities.

Bad back? Now, you can ‘grow’ a new spine!

LONDON – Suffering from chronic back pain? Worry not, for you can now ‘grow’ a new spine, thanks to a revolutionary treatment.

Damaged discs, common among older people, occur when the discs between the vertebrae wear away, leaving them to rub against each other.

Until now few treatments have been available other than surgery – which …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Bad back? Now, you can ‘grow’ a new spine!.

Cost-effective, life-saving intervention for severe childhood malaria

LONDON – A new study has suggested that giving emergency artesunate suppositories to children with suspected severe malaria before referring them for treatment is a cost-effective intervention.

The research, led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researcher Yesim Tozan, builds on previous research that found that the administration of one dose of rectal artesunate …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Plants starting to bloom later on Tibetan Plateau due to climate change

LONDON – Plants in the Tibetan Plateau have started to bloom later in spring, making the growing season shorter, due to climate change.

This change could threaten the livelihood of the thousands of nomads who survive by raising cattle on the plateau, reports Nature.

Jianchu Xu, lead author of the study, said he expected that plants on … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Plants starting to bloom later on Tibetan Plateau due to climate change.

IQ linked to quantity, not quality, of short-term memory

WASHINGTON – Ever wondered why is one person’s IQ higher than another’s? Well, a new research has answered this question.

According to a University of Oregon study, more items stored in short-term memory is linked to greater fluid intelligence, as measured in IQ tests.

The resolution of those memories, while important in many situations, shows no relationship …. Read the original article  : IQ linked to quantity, not quality, of short-term memory.

How animals handle fear to obtain food

WASHINGTON – Like humans, animals too are capable of making instinctive safety decisions and judge when is it safe to move out of their safety zones to get food, suggests a new study.

Jeansok Kim, of the University of Washington, has demonstrated that rats weigh their odds of safely retrieving food pellets placed at varying distances … Read : How animals handle fear to obtain food.

How missing molecule distorts path of crucial sex hormones

WASHINGTON – A new research suggests that a hormone responsible for the onset of puberty can end up stuck in the wrong part of the body if the nerve pathways responsible for its transport to the brain fail to develop properly.

Scientists from University College London (UCL) traced how nerve cells responsible for regulating sexual reproduction …. Source  : How missing molecule distorts path of crucial sex hormones.

Soon, a ‘USB’ for medical diagnosis

WASHINGTON – UC Davis researchers have developed a plug-in interface for the microfluidic chips that will form the basis of the next generation of compact medical devices.hey hope that the “fit to flow” interface will become as ubiquitous as the USB interface for computer peripherals.

“We think there is a huge need for an interface … Original source on Gaea Times at : Soon, a ‘USB’ for medical diagnosis.

Amazonian biodiversity much older than previously thought

WASHINGTON – A new study has suggested that the Amazonian biodiversity originated with the formation of the Andes-and dates back further than previously realised.

An international research group, headed by a researcher from the University of Gothenburg, conducted the study.

“With the results we present in this article, we’ve rewritten the entire history of Amazonia in terms … Original source on Gaea Times at : Amazonian biodiversity much older than previously thought.

New genomic technique sheds light on obesity gene variants

WASHINGTON – A new study has identified DNA variants in two nervous system genes that are associated with an excessively high BMI.

Kelly Frazer and colleagues from UC San Diego, Scripps Translational Science Institute and Sanofi-Aventis used the resequencing of a candidate area of the genome in a large number of individuals followed by screening for … Read more »»».

Queen Arsinoe II ruled Egypt 200 yrs before Cleopatra

WASHINGTON – A Swedish thesis has suggested that Cleopatra was not ancient Egypt’s only female pharaoh – Queen Arsinoe II came first, 200 years earlier.

A unique queen’s crown with ancient symbols combined with a new method of studying status in Egyptian reliefs forms the basis for a re-interpretation of historical developments in Egypt in the … Read : Queen Arsinoe II ruled Egypt 200 yrs before Cleopatra.

‘Cuddle hormone’ brings back childhood memories of mum’s affections

WASHINGTON – The so-called ‘cuddle hormone’ oxytocin intensifies men’s memories of their mother’s affections during childhood, says a new study.

Researchers at the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai School of Medicine wanted to determine whether oxytocin, a hormone and neurotransmitter that is known to regulate attachment and social memory in animals, …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Mystery of diamond’s soft side solved

LONDON – A German research has decoded the atomic mechanism behind diamond grinding, explaining how the hardest known material in the world can be machined.

A team of researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM in Freiburg, Germany, said their findings would have broader implications for understanding friction and wear on materials.

Diamonds have …. Source  : Mystery of diamond’s soft side solved.

Cancer survivor to become father with years old sperm

LONDON – Christopher Stone, aged 33, was just 17 when he was told he had testicular cancer. His testicle was removed but samples of his sperm were stored. And now, he is looking forward to the birth of his first child – conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

Christopher, from Sheffield in Britain, was earlier [..] Read the original article: here.

India, China for verification of climate change measures

NEW DELHI – Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh Tuesday said India and China are open to international verification of domestic climate change mitigation measures, a step that could break a deadlock during talks at Cancun, Mexico.

India along with China are on board MRV (measure, report and verify) which is better known as ICS (international … Read more »»».

‘See who viewed your profile’ is latest Facebook scam

WASHINGTON – There is no way to see who has viewed your profile on Facebook. Hence, any app that offers to do so is a scam.

Developer and vendor of security software and hardware, Sophos, has a blog post about a rogue app that was spread on Facebook recently with messages like “OMG … I … Original article on : ‘See who viewed your profile’ is latest Facebook scam.

Media coverage on HIV/AIDS down by 70pc in developed world: Study

WASHINGTON – An international team of researchers has revealed that media coverage on HIV/AIDS has fallen by more than 70 percent in developed countries over the last 20 years.

While in the early 1990s, an average of 1.5 articles linked to HIV/AIDS could be found in every issue of the main broadsheet newspapers, levels of coverage …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Gene linked to common birth defect in male genitalia identified

LONDON – A research team has discovered a new gene associated with Hypospadias, the congenital malformation of the male genitalia.

The study, conducted by King’s College London, in collaboration with Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in The Netherlands, shows for the first time that a gene inherited from the mother is likely to be important … Original article on : Gene linked to common birth defect in male genitalia identified.

Playing with building blocks of creativity helps autistic kids

WASHINGTON – A new research has concluded that playing with building blocks of creativity helps children with autism.

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) noted the by building lego structures in new and unique ways, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) learned to use creativity, an important skill that they had seen as … Read more >>.

Poverty ‘ups risk of violence more sharply for girls than boys’

LONDON – A new study has suggested that living in a deprived area increases the risk of violence more sharply for girls than boys.

According to the Cardiff University study of former industrial areas, the new results suggest violence prevention strategies need to focus more on local inequalities, especially to protect vulnerable adolescent girls.

The team studied …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Poverty ‘ups risk of violence more sharply for girls than boys’.