Science News – Newsletter for February 19, 2011

Only 1 in 1900 met AHA’s definition of ideal heart health: Study

WASHINGTON – A new study has revealed that only one in more than 1900 people met the American Heart Association (AHA) definition of ideal cardiovascular health.

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers conducted the study.

Ideal cardiovascular health is the combination of seven factors: nonsmoking, a body mass index less than 25, goal-level physical activity and … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Only 1 in 1900 met AHA’s definition of ideal heart health: Study.

Study explores link between hypoxia and inflammation in athletes

LONDON – A new study from the University of Colorado School of Medicine has explored the link between lack of oxygen, called hypoxia, and the inflammation that can injure or kill some athletes who undergo surgery.

Lack of oxygen during a surgery can injure kidneys, lungs or heart muscles and this can lead to inflammation. However, …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Study explores link between hypoxia and inflammation in athletes.

Genes linked to hereditary breast and ovary cancer identified

WASHINGTON – A thesis from University of Malaga has identified two genes linked to hereditary breast and ovary cancer.

Biologist Elena Beristain found that few of the mutations found in BRCA1 and BRCA2 could be clearly identified as pathological. The fact is that the mutations found were numerous; their variation even depending on the population.

Beristain has …. Original source  : Genes linked to hereditary breast and ovary cancer identified.

Women are better at forgiving than men: Study

WASHINGTON – Parents forgive more than children, while women are better at forgiving than men, according to a new study.

The study into the emotional differences between the sexes and generations in terms of forgiveness was conducted by the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU).

“This study has great application for teaching values, because it shows us …. Source article  : Women are better at forgiving than men: Study.

Deep brain stimulation ‘can treat severe OCD’

WASHINGTON – Scientists have found that an electrical treatment which zaps away symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can help extreme sufferers unable to cope with everyday life.

By inserting a thin electrode deep into the brain, doctors can precisely deliver an electrical current to a cord of the brain’s wiring and soften the severity … Read more >>.

Brain function linked to birth size in new study

WASHINGTON – Scientists in UK have found the first evidence linking brain function variations between the left and right sides of the brain to size at birth and the weight of the placenta.

The finding could shed new light on the causes of mental health problems in later life.

The research, conducted at the University of Southampton … Original source on Gaea Times at : Brain function linked to birth size in new study.

Boys get greater rush, more energy from caffeine than girls

WASHINGTON – A new study has found that boys get a greater rush and more energy from caffeine than girls.

Results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-response study of the response of youth also showed that boys felt that caffeine had a positive effect on their athletic performance. Girls didn’t report on this issue.

It is the first …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Boys get greater rush, more energy from caffeine than girls.

Low levels of anti-aging hormone may be an indicator of kidney disease

WASHINGTON – UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found that low levels of the anti-aging hormone Klotho may serve as an early warning sign of the presence of kidney disease and its deadly cardiovascular complications.

Using mice, investigators found that soft-tissue calcification, a common and serious side effect of chronic kidney disease (CKD), improves when Klotho …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Low levels of anti-aging hormone may be an indicator of kidney disease.

Scheduled deliveries increase risks for mums, do not benefit newborns

WASHINGTON – A new study has suggested that inducing labor without a medical reason is linked with negative outcomes for mothers, including high rates of cesarean delivery, greater blood loss and longer stay in the hospital, and it has no benefit for the newborns too.

As the number of scheduled deliveries continues to climb, it is …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Scheduled deliveries increase risks for mums, do not benefit newborns.

Powerful solar flare disrupts ground communications on Earth

WASHINGTON – An internationally known space weather expert has said that a powerful solar flare that has triggered one of the largest space weather storms in at least four years has disrupted some ground communications on Earth.

Classified as a Class X flare, the Feb. 15 event also spewed billions of tons of charged particles toward … Read more »»».

What rat whiskers can tell us about the sense of touch

WASHINGTON – Scientists are studying how rats use their whiskers to sense the environment around them to convert the sense of touch with movement.

Rats, using their whiskers, can determine all of an object’s spatial properties, including size, shape, orientation and texture.

“The big question our laboratory is interested in is how do animals, including humans, actively … Original article on : What rat whiskers can tell us about the sense of touch.

Scientists find proteins that reverse learning problems in Down’s mice

LONDON – In a new study, scientists were able to reverse developmental problems in mice that had Down’s syndrome by injecting their mothers with two proteins while they were still in the womb.

However, the treatment would carry many risks for humans, so the team wondered whether the proteins might also help adult mice.

The mice had … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Scientists find proteins that reverse learning problems in Down’s mice.

How couples recover after argument depends on their infant relationships

WASHINGTON – A University of Minnesota research has suggested that couples’ ability to bounce back from a fight may depend on what both partners were like as infants.

The researchers have been following a cohort of people since before they were born, in the mid-1970s. When the subjects were about 20 years old, they visited the …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : How couples recover after argument depends on their infant relationships.

Being multilingual sharpens the brain

WASHINGTON – According to researchers, being able to speak more than one language sharpens the brain.

The study indicates that bilingual speakers can outperform monolinguals in prioritising tasks and working on multiple projects at one time.

“We would probably refer to most of these cognitive advantages as multi-tasking. Bilinguals seem to be better at this type of …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Being multilingual sharpens the brain.

190mn-yr-old bird-hipped dino fossils found in Antarctic mountains

WASHINGTON – Palaeontologists have discovered the fossil remains of fabrosaur, about 190 million years old in the Antarctic mountains.

William Hammer of Augustana College found the fossils belonging to ornithischian or bird-hipped dinosaur that he believes is related to the fabrosaur or heterodontosaur.

The remains came from a site on Mt. Kirkpatrick, in the Central Trans-Antarctic Mountains, …. Read the original article  : here.

Dogs’ human-like social skills make them man’s best friend

LONDON – A new study has found out that dogs possess certain human-like social skills that even chimpanzees, our closest relatives, do not, and maybe that’s why they are termed man’s best friend.

Researchers at the University of Porto, in Portugal, explained that dogs have a quality called ‘emotional contagion,’ which allows them to respond even … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Dogs’ human-like social skills make them man’s best friend.

NASA sets launch date for space shuttle Discovery mission – Feb 24

WASHINGTON – NASA has announced the launch of space shuttle Discovery yet again – the shuttle will begin an 11-day mission to the International Space Station with a launch at 4:50 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 24, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Senior NASA and contractor managers said the shuttle and station’s equipment, support … Read more »».

How lithium in ordinary tap water increases lifespan in humans

WASHINGTON – A new study has found that lithium, which is found in vegetables and drinking water, can increase life expectancy in humans.

Professor Dr. Michael Ristow’s team along with Japanese colleagues from universities in Oita and Hiroshima demonstrated the physiological function of lithium.

To test their theory, the scientists examined the impact of lithium in a … Read this article on Gaea Times at : How lithium in ordinary tap water increases lifespan in humans.

Cold, misty morning in Delhi

NEW DELHI – It was a cold and misty morning in the capital Saturday with the minimum temperature settling at a notch below the normal at 10 degrees Celsius.

The weather office has forecast partly cloudy sky later during the day with the maximum temperature expected to settle around 24 degrees Celsius.
The humidity levels …. Source  : Cold, misty morning in Delhi.

NASA to launch shuttle Discovery Feb 24

WASHINGTON – The space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to begin its final flight to the International Space Station Feb 24. It will carry a human-like robot to the permanent station, NASA said.

The Discovery’s 11-day mission will start at 2050 GMT, the US space agency said Friday.
Discovery’s launch date was announced at the conclusion …. Original source  : NASA to launch shuttle Discovery Feb 24.