Science News – Newsletter for February 12, 2011

Kolkata police use Facebook to reach out to citizens

KOLKATA – Kolkata residents will no more have to spend time dialling the traffic police number to lodge complaints or present grievances. They can now log on to the social networking site Facebook and interact with the authorities.

“In order to communicate with the people, the Kolkata Traffic Police have created a Facebook … Read more »».

Dairy products aren’t necessarily bad for your health

WASHINGTON – A new study has challenged the long-held beliefs about the impact of saturated fatty acids (SFA) on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).xperts concluded that “single risk factors have limitations when considered on their own because the effects of diet on CVD risk are mediated by many pathways, …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Severely obese women need to watch weight during pregnancy

WASHINGTON – Severely obese women who gain less than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy are likely to stay healthy, suggests a new study.

In contrast, obese and non-obese women who gained less weight in the second and third trimester had undesirable outcomes, …. Source article  : Severely obese women need to watch weight during pregnancy.

ADHD kids ‘2 to 3 times more prone to substance abuse problems’

WASHINGTON – According to a study by UCLA psychologists and colleagues at the University of South Carolina, children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two to three times more likely than children without the disorder to develop serious substance abuse problems in adolescence and adulthood.

“This …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : ADHD kids ‘2 to 3 times more prone to substance abuse problems’.

Folic acid supplements contribute to breast cancer risk: Study

WASHINGTON – A new study has found that the offspring of rats that took folic acid supplements before conception, during pregnancy and while breast-feeding have breast cancer rates twice as high as other rats.

They also had more tumours and developed them … Read more >>.

Outrage talk ‘bad on political left, but worse on right’

WASHINGTON – A new study has found that outrage talk, although quite bad on the political left, is worse on the right side.

Tufts Assistant Professor of Sociology Sarah Sobieraj and Professor of Political Science Jeffrey Berry systematically …. Source article  : Outrage talk ‘bad on political left, but worse on right’.

Avalanche warning issued in upper Himachal

SHIMLA – The Himachal Pradesh government Saturday issued an advisory to the people living in Lahaul and Spiti district not to venture out in the next two days due to chances of avalanches.

The meteorological office in Shimla has forecast chances of more rain and snowfall over the weekend.
There are chances of more …. Source  : Avalanche warning issued in upper Himachal.

Stroke, cardio diseases take ‘enormous toll’ on Hollywood stars

WASHINGTON – A new study from University of California, Los Angeles, has revealed that stroke and cardiovascular diseases take an enormous toll on Hollywood actors.

“Since this is the … Read : Stroke, cardio diseases take ‘enormous toll’ on Hollywood stars.

Acute anemia ups risk of silent strokes in kids

WASHINGTON – A new study has suggested that severely anemic kids, especially those with sickle cell disease, are at a higher risk of having silent strokes.

One-quarter to one-third of children with sickle cell disease have evidence of silent strokes in their brains, said lead author … Read more »».

Gold nanoparticles may help detect tumor cells in blood

WASHINGTON – Researchers at Emory and Georgia Tech have found that tiny gold particles can help doctors detect tumor cells circulating in the blood of patients with head and neck cancer.

The gold particles, which are embedded with dyes allowing their detection by laser spectroscopy, could enhance this technique’s specificity by reducing the number of false … Read more : Gold nanoparticles may help detect tumor cells in blood.

Men like wet kisses while women want to keep them long!

WASHINGTON – Men like to push to make kisses sloppier, while women want to keep them long, suggest a new study.

Also, a kiss shared between a man and a woman seems more like a clash of spirits than a meeting of souls.

“Women tend to use kissing to create a bond with their partners, and to …. Source  : Men like wet kisses while women want to keep them long!.

Naturally occurring brain mechanism ups Parkinson’s understanding

WASHINGTON – A University of South Florida study has suggested that targeting the neuroinflammatory causes Parkinson’s disease with a brain chemical signal may lead to better understanding of the disease and pave way for better therapies.

Brain inflammation has been clearly shown in PD, and the brain’s microglia-small cells that regulate the chemical environment of neural … Original source on Gaea Times at : Naturally occurring brain mechanism ups Parkinson’s understanding.

A romantic partner who recovers well from conflict is good for you!

WASHINGTON – If your partner recovers well after a spat, you reap the benefits, suggests a study.

The University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development’s Institute of Child Development research looked at how people recover or come down after a … Read this article on Gaea Times at : A romantic partner who recovers well from conflict is good for you!.

Now, watch 3-D films on your cell phone!

WASHINGTON – Watching 3-D films on your cell phone would now be possible thanks to researchers who have combined the new mobile radio standard LTE-Advanced with a video coding technique.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz-Institut, HHI in Berlin, Germany, have … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Now, watch 3-D films on your cell phone!.

Sheep are smart enough to make ‘executive decisions’

LONDON – Unlike previously thought, sheep are actually so smart that they make ‘executive decisions’, have long memories and can remember friends for two years.

University of Cambridge researchers have said that sheep can remember faces, be they other sheep or human, and can …. Original article  : Sheep are smart enough to make ‘executive decisions’.

Why sex in space could be a bad idea

WASHINGTON – Having sex and getting pregnant in the space is just not a good idea, thanks to serious radiation hazards, scientists have said.

According to three scientists, astronauts sent to colonize Mars would be well advised to avoid getting pregnant en route to the …. Original article  : Why sex in space could be a bad idea.

NASA spacecraft, comet set for Valentine’s Day rendezvous

WASHINGTON – In yet another incident of cosmic togetherness, NASA’s Stardust spacecraft would be redirected to pass within 200 kilometers of comet Tempel 1 on the Valentine’s Day.

In the heat of the moment, astronomers hope, Tempel 1 will be cajoled into yielding a few … Read more >>.

Cool morning in Delhi

NEW DELHI – Shallow fog gave way to a cool morning in the national capital Saturday with the minimum temperature settling two notches above average at 11.6 degrees Celsius.

“The morning witnessed shallow fog and the day ahead would see a partly cloudy sky. The maximum temperature would hover around 27 degrees Celsius,” an …. Original article  : Cool morning in Delhi.

Now, high-tech prosthetic arms that can be controlled with thoughts!

LONDON – Northwestern University scientists have developed high-tech prosthetic arms that can be controlled using thoughts instead of a motor.

After an amputation, the nerves in a stump remain healthy, at least for a while, and scientists are making use of this fact to create highly dexterous, thought-controlled …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Now, blood tests can detect Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms occur

WASHINGTON – Scientists have discovered a new technology to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease from blood samples long before symptoms appear.

The new method uses synthetic molecules to seek out and identify disease-specific antibodies and could be a big help in diagnosing Parkinson’s disease and immune …. Original article  : Now, blood tests can detect Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms occur.