Culture | Page 2717 | Science Codex

Canadians can't kick the salt habit, study finds

Canadians know that too much salt isn't good for their diets, but half still continue to shake it on, according to a new study by University of Alberta researchers.

In a survey of 890 people measuring knowledge and behaviours regarding sodium intake, U of A nutrition researchers Anna Farmer and Diana Mager discovered that the majority of Canadians believe they consume too much sodium and that most are aware that too much sodium can lead to health problems. But only half are actually doing something about it.

40 percent of unemployed US families can't cover essential household expenses

Waltham, MA—Today the Institute on Assets and Social Policy (IASP) at Brandeis University's Heller School released a new research and policy brief which reports that four in ten U.S. families lack sufficient assets to pay for essential expenses in the face of unemployment.

Research calls for better assessment of tests for tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria

New research by University of Miami law professor analyzes issues in immigration law

CORAL GABLES, FL (November 17, 2009) – University of Miami Law Professor Rebecca A. Sharpless has recently authored a research paper titled, "Toward a True Elements Test: Taylor and the Categorical Analysis of Crimes in Immigration Law."

UM Law professor examines the role of corporate lawyers in the court of public opinion

CORAL GABLES, FL (November 17, 2009) – In today's world, legal issues and controversies are not only tried in the court of law, but also in the "court" of public opinion. However, corporate lawyers tend to separate legal activities from public relations strategies. In addition, they have often viewed media issues as separate from those involved in providing legal advice.

Would a stronger graduated driver's licensing program save lives?

A new study shows that three-stage graduated driver's licensing (GDL) policies save lives and prevents injuries throughout the Midwest. The research published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal (Vol. 108, No. 8) also shows how states could save more teen lives and avoid thousands of teen motor vehicle injuries by modifying their GDL policies to include new, proven components.

US gets a 'D' for preterm birth rate

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., NOV. 17, 2009 – For the second consecutive year, the United States earned only a "D" on the March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card, demonstrating that more than half a million of our nation's newborns didn't get the healthy start they deserved.

In the 2009 Premature Birth Report card, seven states improved their performance by one letter grade and two fared worse. Criteria that affect preterm birth improved in many states:

Putting math problems in proper order

Mathematics is driven by the quest to solve problems and today the American Institute of Mathematics (AIM) announces a new tool to help attack those questions. Research problems can take decades or centuries to answer, with partial solutions spawning new problems along the way. Keeping track of all the problems is difficult, even for experts. Sometimes the solution needs an idea from another field, and it can take a long time for someone to notice the connection.

Coed college housing linked to frequent binge drinking

A new study in the Journal of American College Health finds that students placed by their universities in coed housing are 2.5 times more likely to binge drink each week than students placed in all-male or all-female housing.

More than 500 students from five college campuses around the country participated in the study:

Ancient high-altitude trees grow faster as temperatures rise

Increasing temperatures at high altitudes are fueling the post-1950 growth spurt seen in bristlecone pines, the world's oldest trees, according to new research.

Pines close to treeline have wider annual growth rings for the period from 1951 to 2000 than for the previous 3,700 years, reports a University of Arizona-led research team. Regional temperatures have increased, particularly at high elevations, during the same 50-year time period.

STREET computer model offers glipse into greener future

Irvine, Calif., Nov. 16, 2009 – It's the year 2060, and 75 percent of drivers in the Greater Los Angeles area have hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that emit only water vapor.

Look into Shane Stephens-Romero's crystal ball – a computer model called STREET – and find that air quality has significantly improved. Greenhouse gas emissions are more than 60 percent lower than in 2009, and levels of microscopic soot and ozone are about 15 percent and 10 percent lower, respectively.

Parental monitoring decreases marijuana use among teenagers, studies show

Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug by adolescents, with almost 42% of high school seniors admitting to having experimented with it. Continued marijuana use may result in a number of serious consequences including depression, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular disease, and certain forms of cancer. As such, it is critical to prevent marijuana use by adolescents and numerous behavioral and medical scientists have been trying to establish the best means of prevention.

New climate treaty may neglect endangered species and forests

Plans to be discussed at the forthcoming UN climate conference in Copenhagen to cut deforestation in developing countries could save some species from extinction but inadvertently increase the risk to others, scientists believe.

A team of eleven of the world's top tropical forest scientists, coordinated by the University of Leeds, warn that while cutting clearance of carbon-rich tropical forests will help reduce climate change and save species in those forests, governments could risk neglecting other forests that are home to large numbers of endangered species.

Nurses' Job description wrongly defined by physicians, study says

Montreal, November 16, 2009 – Physicians still retain the bulk of decision-making power over nurses in Quebec – a situation that's detrimental to evolving nursing roles. According to a new study by Université de Montréal researchers, published in Recherches Sociographiques, nursing functions are still very much assigned by physicians who often oversee family medicine groups (FMGs), specialized nurse practitioners (SNP) and oncology nurse navigators (ONN).

The evolving manager stereotype: gender matters when measuring a team's performance

Ithaca, NY—November 16, 2009—Although women have made strides in the business world, they still occupy less than two percent of CEO leadership positions in the Fortune 500. Not surprisingly therefore leaders still tend to be thought of as men and most industries are considered to be male-typed at management levels. However, as more women move into management positions within a handful of industries, these industries are becoming more gender-neutral and stereotypes of leaders as men may be changing.