People who quit smoking may reduce or halt the thinning of the brain’s cortex. A new study has found that the cortex of the brain, which plays a key role in memory, attention, thought and language, is known to thin with age and this feature is used as one of the biological markers for cognitive […]
Posts by Kelly Fram (KellyFram)
Deadly coral snake venom
Researchers now understand why coral snake venom is so deadly and this knowledge could help provide insight into the biology of human diseases and conditions. Unlike most snake venoms which kill by paralyzing their victims, the venom of the coral snake (Micrurus mipartitus) causes deadly seizures. Scientists have discovered the venom’s active ingredient is a […]
First of its kind star system spotted
While attempting to explain the odd shapes some planetary nebula researchers discovered the pair of stars that could be the first instance of two white dwarfs merging and exploding into a supernova. This finding supports the idea that double central stars may explain the odd shape of some nebulae. The researchers believe this is the […]
Aerosols and a warming Arctic
The Arctic has warmed more quickly over the last century than the rest of the planet, a warming observed to be about 1.2 degrees Celsius. According to a new study, this warming could have been even worse. Aerosols, particles or droplets created as a byproduct of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuel, […]
Austery measures in Greece linked to increase in suicide rates
The introduction of austerity measures in Greece in June 2011 was linked to an increase in suicides which continued into 2012, a new study shows. The increase was the equivalent of 11.2 additional suicides every month. No other prosperity or austerity events in Greece over the 30 year period were associated with such a strong […]
Turning off screens could help teenagers get a better nights sleep
Viewing screens on electronic devices such as computers, cell-phones, tablets, or television has a negative effect on teenagers sleep patterns, according to new research. The authors conclude that recommendations should be updated and new guideline developed for healthy electronic media use before bedtime. A study of nearly 10,000 Norwegian teenagers, aged 16 to 19, has lead researchers […]
Gene causing common scoliosis identified
Researchers have identified the first gene causing idiopathic scoliosis, the most common type of spinal deformity. They identified 11 family members of a French family that were carriers of a rare variant of the gene, called POC5, and then used zebrafish to confirm that this variant really cause spinal deformity. This study is the first […]
Formation flying ibises play it fair
Who will fly in front? When migrating, northern bald ibises fly in a ‘v’ formation and take turns with the toughest position at the front of the ‘v’, so they all have a chance to relax and enjoy riding the slipstream, a new study shows. The evidence gathered is the first to show cooperative reciprocal behaviour […]
Bridging the gap between climate change believers and skeptics
Building public support for strategies to minimize human-induced climate change must go beyond educating the public about the science if skeptics are to be convinced. A new study of Americans claims that belief or denial of the human role in climate change is often part of ones self-identity and as such is similar to other […]
Maternal hypertension and the baby
While almost 10 per cent of pregnant women have hypertension, a new study suggests that should not worry them too much when it comes to their baby’s health. An international team of physicians followed 987 pregnant women in 16 countries, 75 per cent of which suffered from hypertension. They randomly assigned them to either a […]
Oldest fossilized snakes ever found
Researchers have found the oldest known snake fossils ever discovered, pushing back the first record of snakes by 70 million years. The authors suggest that the fossils hint that the classic snake head evolved first and was then followed by the evolution of the elongated, limbless body. Studying fossilized skull bones found in England, Portugal […]
New guidelines for weight management
Weight and obesity is a public health issue in Canada as more than 67 per cent of Canadian men, and 54 per cent of women are considered overweight or obese. The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care has drafted new recommendations for clinicians and policy-makers after reviewing currently existing prevention and treatment literature. The […]
Nocturnal leg cramps more common in summer
Painful nocturnal leg cramps are about twice as common during summer than in winter, a new study has found. The authors found this by looking at the prescribing information in British Columbia between 2001 and 2007, for Quinine sulfate, commonly prescribed to treat the pain, and the volume of internet searches for “leg cramps” from […]
Warming oceans and melting ice mean fish will be able to move across the Arctic
Fish species living in the North Atlantic and Pacific may interchange as sea ice melts and the North West and North East passages open up. This future interchange could impact commercial fishing, as new high-latitude fisheries become more viable, and in local ecosystems as new species move in and old ones are forced out. Using […]
How heritable is autism?
A new study shows how complex it is to understand autism from a genetic point of view. Researchers sequenced the genomes of 85 families with two children who are both affected with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They found that the majority (around 70%) of affected siblings did not share common mutations. Greater than 100 susceptibility […]
How eating salt reprograms the brain
Researchers have described a mechanism by which high salt intake can lead to higher blood pressure. Using rats, they found that salt causes biochemical changes in neurons that release vasopressin, a hormone that increases arterial blood pressure. Salt disables the natural safety mechanism that prevents vasopressin from being released in the blood, thus allowing blood […]
