Notes from Science Daily

Less salt, less strokes, says new research (August 11, 2011) -- A reduction of 3 grams of salt intake per day would prevent up to 8,000 stroke deaths and up to 12,000 coronary heart disease deaths per year in the UK, says new research. A similar reduction in the USA would result in up to 120,000 fewer cases of coronary heart disease, up to 66,000 strokes and up to 99,000 heart attacks annually

How estrogen could help protect women from cardiovascular disease (August 11, 2011) -- The sex hormone estrogen could help protect women from cardiovascular disease by keeping the body's immune system in check, new research has revealed. The study has shown that the female sex hormone works on white blood cells to stop them from sticking to the insides of blood vessels, a process which can lead to dangerous blockages.

Eating protein throughout the day preserves muscle and physical function in dieting postmenopausal women, study suggests (August 11, 2011) -- Dieting postmenopausal women who want to avoid losing muscle as they lose fat should pay attention to a new study. Adding protein throughout the day not only holds hunger pangs at bay so that dieters lose more weight, it keeps body composition -- the amount of fat relative to muscle -- in better proportion.

Narcissism may benefit the young, researchers report; but older adults? Not so much (August 11, 2011) -- A new study suggests that some forms of narcissism are -- at least in the short term -- beneficial, helping children navigate the difficult transition to adulthood.

Paper money worldwide contains bisphenol A (August 11, 2011) -- The cash register receipts that people place near paper money in billfolds and pockets has led to a worldwide contamination of paper money with bisphenol A (BPA) -- a potentially toxic substance. The amounts of BPA on currencies are higher than in dust, but human intake from currency is at least 10 times less than that from house dust, according to a new study.

Can blaming others make people sick? (August 11, 2011) -- Constant bitterness can make a person ill, according to researchers who have examined the relationship between failure, bitterness and quality of life.

Deep oceans can mask global warming for decade-long periods (September 19, 2011) -- The planet's deep oceans at times may absorb enough heat to flatten the rate of global warming for periods of as long as a decade even in the midst of longer-term warming, according to a new analysis.

Put down that game controller: Researcher suggests video games may not boost cognition (September 19, 2011) -- Wouldn't it be nice if all those hours kids spent glued to their PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 or Nintendo DS video games actually resulted in something tangible? Better grades, perhaps? Improved concentration? Superior driving skills? Over the past decade, many studies and news media reports have suggested that action video games such as Medal of Honor or Unreal Tournament improve a variety of perceptual and cognitive abilities. But in a new paper, psychologists critically reevaluate those claims.

How excess alcohol depresses immune function (August 15, 2011) -- Alcoholism suppresses the immune system, resulting in a high risk of serious, and even life-threatening infections. A new study shows that this effect stems largely from alcohol's toxicity to immune system cells called dendritic cells. These cells play a critical role in immune function, responding to danger signals by searching for unfamiliar antigens within the body that would be coming from invading microbes, and presenting such antigens to T cells, thus activating them to seek and destroy cells containing these antigens.

Psychologists interrupt the miserable cycle of social insecurity (August 15, 2011) -- Tom likes Susan but he fears she does not like him. Expecting to be rejected, he's cold toward Susan. And guess what? She snubs him back. His prophesy is self-fulfilled, his social insecurity reinforced. The miserable cycle continues.

Conflict levels don't change much over course of marriage (August 15, 2011) -- Think about how much you fight and argue with your spouse today. A new study suggests that your current level of conflict probably won't change much for the remainder of your marriage. That may be good news for the 16 percent of couples who report little conflict or even the 60 percent who have only moderate levels of conflict. But it's not such happy news for the 22 percent of couples who say they fight and argue with each other a lot.

Schoolchildren can also learn complex subject matters on their own, researchers find (August 14, 2011) -- Self-directed learning has long been heralded as the key to successful education. Yet until now, there has been little research into this theory. Educational researchers in Germany have now shown that schoolchildren can independently develop strategies for solving complex mathematical tasks, with weaker students proving just as capable as their stronger classmates.

Biodiversity key to Earth's life-support functions in a changing world (August 14, 2011) -- The biological diversity of organisms on Earth is not just something we enjoy when taking a walk through a blossoming meadow in spring; it is also the basis for countless products and services provided by nature, including food, building materials, and medicines as well as the self-purifying qualities of water and protection against erosion. New findings indicate that much more biodiversity is necessary to keep ecosystems functioning in a world that is changing ever faster. The protection of diversity is thus a crucial factor in maintaining Earth's life-support functions.

Scientists highlight link between stress and appetite (August 13, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered a mechanism by which stress increases food drive in rats. This new discovery could provide important insight into why stress is thought to be one of the underlying contributors to obesity.

Social acceptance and rejection: The sweet and the bitter (August 13, 2011) -- For proof that rejection, exclusion, and acceptance are central to our lives, look no farther than the living room, says a psychologist. "If you turn on the television set, and watch any reality TV program, most of them are about rejection and acceptance," he says.

Research reveals genetic link to human intelligence (August 12, 2011) -- New research provides the first direct biological evidence for a genetic contribution to people's intelligence. Previous studies on twins and adopted people suggested that there is a substantial genetic contribution to thinking skills, but this new study is the first to find a genetic contribution by testing people's DNA for genetic variations.

Polar climate change may lead to ecological change (August 12, 2011) -- Ice and frozen ground at the North and South Poles are affected by climate change induced warming, but the consequences of thawing at each pole differ due to the geography and geology, according to a hydrologist.