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Updated: 29 min 26 sec ago
Moonstruck primates: Owl monkeys need moonlight as much as a biological clock for nocturnal activity
(University of Pennsylvania) An international collaboration led by a University of Pennsylvania anthropologist has shown that environmental factors, like temperature and light, play as much of a role in the activity of traditionally nocturnal monkeys as the circadian rhythm that regulates periods of sleep and wakefulness.
Global warming's silver lining: Northern countries will thrive, grow
(University of California - Los Angeles) As world-wide population increases by 40 percent over the next 40 years, sparsely populated Canada, Scandinavia, Russia, and the northern US will become formidable economic powers and migration magnets, writes UCLA geographer Laurence C. Smith in a new book.
Queen's study exposes cognitive effects of Parkinson's disease
(Queen's University) Researchers at Queen's University have found that people with Parkinson's disease can perform automated tasks better than people without the disease, but have significant difficulty switching from easy to hard tasks.
IAS calls for an end to harassment, intimidation and imprisonment of HIV professionals
(International AIDS Society) Following the imprisonment of Maxim Popov in April 2010, sentenced to 7 years jail primarily for the promotion of HIV prevention efforts in Uzbekistan, the International AIDS Society notes with alarm the detention of a medial practitioner working in HIV prevention in Ukraine.
Satellite data reveal why migrating birds have a small window to spread bird flu
(Wiley-Blackwell) In 2005 an outbreak of the H5N1 "bird flu" virus in South East Asia led to widespread fear with predictions that the intercontinental migration of wild birds could lead to global pandemic. Such fears were never realized, and now research published in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology reveals why the global spread of bird flu by direct migration of wildfowl is unlikely, while also providing a new framework for quantifying the risk of avian-borne diseases.
Hair provides proof of the link between chronic stress and heart attack
(University of Western Ontario) Researchers at the University of Western Ontario have provided the first direct evidence using a biological marker, to show chronic stress plays an important role in heart attacks. Drs. Gideon Koren and Stan Van Uum developed a method to measure cortisol levels in hair providing an accurate assessment of stress levels in the months prior to an acute event such as a heart attack. The research is published online in the journal Stress.
Verbal snippets offer insights on well-being amid separation, divorce
(University of Arizona) UA psychology doctoral student Ashley Mason's study of romantically separated people shows they offer clues to their emotional status in just a few seconds of conversation.
Non-invasive therapy significantly improves depression, UCLA researchers say
(University of California - Los Angeles) A unique new therapy that applies electrical stimulation to a major nerve emanating from the brain is showing promise for major depression. In a recently completed clinical trial at UCLA, trigeminal nerve stimulation achieved an average of a 70 percent reduction in symptom severity over an 8-week study.
New climate change mitigation schemes could benefit elites rather than the rural poor
(Burness Communications) With governments across Latin America preparing to implement a new financial mechanism aimed at mitigating climate change by curbing carbon emissions from the destruction of tropical forests, experts gathering here today warned against a "one-size-fits-all" approach, calling instead for flexible, balanced solutions to the thorny dilemmas surrounding this new mechanism. Among the experts' chief worries is that the wealthy and powerful could capture many of the benefits, largely at the expense of rural communities, including indigenous groups.
Study challenges value of oxygen therapy in end-of-life care
(Duke University Medical Center) Millions of patients with advanced disease in palliative care settings receive oxygen therapy to help them breathe more easily. But a new study from Duke University Medical Center says roughly half of them don't benefit from the intervention, and among those who do benefit, it doesn't make a bit of difference whether they get pure oxygen or just plain old room air -- both offer equal benefit.
Report: Discovery networks hostage-taking a rare terror event
(University of Maryland) A new report by University of Maryland terrorism researchers concludes that the deadly hostage-taking incident at the Discovery Networks in suburban Washington, D.C., meets the criteria of a terrorist act -- a rare one for media organizations and the nation's capital region. Hostage-taking, though, is a familiar pattern in D.C. terror cases, the researchers add. There has never been US environmentally inspired suicide eco-terrorism, they say, but don't draw conclusions about whether that occurred at Discovery.
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology reacts to stem-cell ruling
(American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology expressed its disapproval and disappointment this week in response to the Aug. 23 court ruling that temporarily bars federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research.
Cigarette smoke may contribute to lung inflammation through a new chemical pathway
(University of Alabama at Birmingham) Cigarette smoke shuts off a key enzyme in airways that regulates the body's response to inflammation, according to findings from the University of Alabama at Birmingham published online today at Science Express. The UAB researchers say smoke inhibits the enzyme, called Leukotriene A4 Hydrolase (LTA4H), causing it to fail in its job of shutting down white blood cells following a successful response to inflammation.
Italy honors supervolcano fossil discovery; Capellini Medal to SMUs James Quick
(Southern Methodist University) Italian geologists in September will award the Capellini Medal to Southern Methodist University scientist James E. Quick, recognizing discovery of an enormous 280 million-year-old fossil supervolcano in the Italian Alps. Its magmatic plumbing system is exposed to an unprecedented depth of 25 kilometers. The discovery has sparked worldwide scientific interest and a budding regional geotourism industry in northern Italy's Sesia Valley. Quick led scientists from the University of Trieste to make the discovery.
Networks of WoW gamers, Etsy crafters to be focus of NSF-funded study of creative collaborations
(Indiana University) Using two of the planet's largest, creative online communities -- World of Warcraft gamers and Etsy artists -- as their laboratory, two Indiana University Bloomington researchers hope to understand how the inner workings of such massive, networked collaborations could benefit scientists, corporations and the very IT designers who facilitated the success of the two online communities.
Test-tube calf embryos more likely to survive Texas summers
(Texas A&M AgriLife Communications) Texas AgriLife researchers have found that embryo transfer can double dairy cow pregnancy rates during the summer and increase the number of heifers born as compared with conventional artificial insemination commonly used on dairy farms. They believe this method could save dairies in Texas and throughout the country considerable money.
New discovery could pave the way for identification of rogue CFC release
(University of East Anglia) A new discovery by scientists at the Universities of East Anglia and Frankfurt could make it possible in future to identify the source of banned CFCs that are probably still being released into the atmosphere. They have also discovered the largest chlorine isotope enrichment ever found in nature.
MIT researcher finds that social networks influence health behaviors
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in a new study, Damon Centola, an assistant professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management found that individuals are more likely to acquire new health practices while living in networks with dense clusters of connections -- that is, when in close contact with people they already know well.
Sight-saving research halted by stem cell ruling
(Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology) The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology has released a statement that expresses opposition to the Federal District Court injunction that froze federal funding for human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research. ARVO supports technological developments and policies that encourage all facets of stem cell research, including research utilizing hESCs.
Low grades in adolescence linked to dopamine genes
(Florida State University) The academic performance of adolescents will suffer in at least one of four key subjects -- English, math, science, history -- if their DNA contains one or more of three specific dopamine gene variations, according to a study led by renowned biosocial criminologist Kevin M. Beaver of the Florida State University.
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Lack of sleep linked to mental illness in young. Prof Nick Glozier tells us why sleep is so important to adolescents. Listen Here
We are what we eat.
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we do, and you may have more food sensitivities than you think says Dr Karena Burke... Listen Here.
Maturity, Placebos and Heart Surgery
Prof Raj Sitharthan introduces us to the Psychology of Health and talks about how we often grow out of our problems.....Listen Here
Brain Scans and Job Choice. Pioneer neuroimaging researcher Prof Richard Haier has shown there are correlations between job psych tests and MRI scans, prompting questions about a future when job applicants may be brain scanned. He speaks with Bob ....Listen Here
Vitamin D, an expert's advice. With Vitamin D deficiency linked to a heap of illnesses, how can we be sure we're not among the billion people who aren't getting enough. Prof Rebecca Mason on what we need to know...Listen here.
The News You Can Use podcast. Our top recent stories in a short audio format... Listen here.
Multi-tasking works. You Think? If you're unsettled by the way some people do so many things at once - you'll love this new research....Listen Here.
What Our Feet say about Sex and Lying. Professor Geoff Beatie from Manchester University explains what non verbals are saying...Listen Here.
Living to 100. People born today could have 50 good years after they're 50 thanks to new advances in implants and transplants. In this short audio segment, Bob Hughes explains why....Listen Here.
Cooking makes us human.We are what we eat, and that might apply as much to the human species, as it does to our bodies according to a new book. Let's examine the idea...Listen Here.
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