EurekAlert! - Education

Indiana U. at APHA: Studies about health education for people with ID, stability balls at work

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Indiana University) The first study examines a curriculum used to help people with intellectual disabilities make good decisions about their health and fitness. People with ID are living more and more independently yet they aren't taught about personal health. The second study examines how the use of a stability ball for an office chair affects leg muscles. It also looks at the influence of handedness.

The University of Oklahoma joins Kyoto University for international symposium in Japan

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(University of Oklahoma) The University of Oklahoma will partner with Kyoto University to present the International Symposium on Radar and Modeling Studies of the Atmosphere Nov. 10-13 in Kyoto, Japan. The symposium is being organized by OU's College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences and Atmospheric Radar Research Center in collaboration with Kyoto University’s Disaster Prevention Research Institute and Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere under a 2008 cooperative agreement between OU and Kyoto University.

UWM study explores why women leave engineering careers

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee) A study getting under way at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is the first systematic study of women's retention in engineering. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the study, POWER (Project on Women Engineers' Retention) includes an online survey open to all women who have completed at least a bachelor's degree in engineering, whether or not they have worked as engineers.

Carnegie Mellon researchers link health-care debate to risk of dying in US and Europe

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Carnegie Mellon University) A new Web site, www.DeathriskRankings.com, developed by researchers at Carnegie Mellon allows users to explore differences in the probability of dying across European countries and the US states for men and women of different ages and races.

Biologists, educators recognize excellence in evolution education

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Institute of Biological Sciences) The National Association of Biology Teachers will recognize Leonard C. Yannielli, professor of biological sciences at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury, Conn., with the 2009 Evolution Education Award during the NABT annual professional development conference to be held Nov. 11-14, 2009 in Denver, Colo.

Penn's Arthur H. Rubenstein receives Distinguished Service award from AAMC

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine) Arthur H. Rubenstein, MBBCh, Executive Vice President of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System, and Dean, School of Medicine, will receive the Abraham Flexner Award for Distinguished Service to Medical Education from the Association of American Medical Colleges. The award will be presented on Saturday, Nov. 7, during the association's annual meeting in Boston.

Physical education key to improving health in low-income adolescents

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(University of California - San Francisco) School-based physical education plays a key role in curbing obesity and improving fitness among adolescents from low-income communities, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and UC Berkeley.

Chemists describe solar energy progress and challenges, including the 'artificial leaf'

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Chemical Society) Scientists are making progress toward development of an "artificial leaf" that mimics a real leaf's chemical magic with photosynthesis -- but instead converts sunlight and water into a liquid fuel such as methanol for cars and trucks. That is among the conclusions in a newly available report from top authorities on solar energy who met at the 1st Annual Chemical Sciences and Society Symposium. The symposium was organized by the American Chemical Society and other scientific societies.

How does the mind grasp climate change?

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(The Earth Institute at Columbia University) A new 43-page guide, "The Psychology of Climate Change Communication," released today by Columbia University's Center for Research on Environmental Decisions, looks at how people process information and decide to take action, or not.

For improving early literacy, reading comics is no child's play

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Carol L. Tilley, a professor of library and information science at Illinois, says that comic books are just as sophisticated as other forms of literature, and children benefit from reading them at least as much as they do from reading other types of books.

Nanyang Technological University joins leading US innovation transfer network, the iBridge Network

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Nanyang Technological University) The iBridge (SM) Network, a program of the not-for-profit Kauffman Innovation Network, Inc., today announced that it has expanded internationally by signing the acclaimed Nanyang Technological University as its 100th member organization. The addition of Singapore's leading science and technology university clearly demonstrates the Network's commitment to providing industry leaders battling the global economic downturn with access to university-developed innovations, leading to further advances and next-generation products and services.

All dressed-up and nowhere to go

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(BioMed Central) Parents who dress their children in inappropriate clothing could be inadvertently hampering their child's physical activity in childcare settings. The study, reported in BioMed Central's open access journal, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, suggests that inadequate or inappropriate clothing could restrict children's outdoor play.

Minority students earned greater number of academic degrees in fiscal year 2006

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(National Science Foundation) A new National Science Foundation report shows an increase in the number of academic degrees awarded to minority students since 2004, the last time such data were published.

Benefit of a mentor: Disadvantaged teens twice as likely to attend college

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Brigham Young University) Adult mentors give teens a 50 percent greater likelihood of attending college.Mentorship by a teacher nearly doubles the odds of attending college for disadvantaged students.The students who need mentors the most are the least likely to have them.

Emerging infectious diseases call for 'One Health' summit Nov. 17

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(National Academy of Sciences) The growing threat of the H1N1 pandemic and West Nile virus -- as well as other emerging zoonotic, food or waterborne diseases and environmental changes -- has prompted experts to look for solutions to the increasingly integrated problems among animal, human and environmental health.

OU achieves $10 million in stimulus grants for 33 projects on the Norman campus

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(University of Oklahoma) The University of Oklahoma at Norman has received more than $10 million in research grants from three funding agencies as part of the federal stimulus program, bringing the total amount of stimulus funding received by OU researchers to $23 million. Thirty-three projects achieved stimulus funding for research ranging from archaeology to weather.

When should flu trigger a school shutdown?

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Children's Hospital Boston) As flu season approaches, parents around the country are starting to face school closures. But how bad should an influenza outbreak be for a school to shut down? A study led by Children's epidemiologists tapped a set of Japanese data to help guide decision making by schools and government agencies. The analysis was published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the November issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Frequent flower buyers seek product variety

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Horticultural Science) Florists and other retailers who sell flowers are helped by a recent study designed to evaluate the differences in floral consumption across consumer groups. "Showing care to others" was found to be a very important value that strongly influenced flower purchases. Researchers also noted that those who bought flowers frequently (heavy users) are more emotionally stimulated by flowers, leading to them to look for more novelty and variety when purchasing flowers.

Common plants can eliminate indoor air pollutants

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Horticultural Science) Air quality in homes and offices is becoming a major health concern. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in indoor air emanate from adhesives, furnishings, clothing, and solvents and have been shown to cause illnesses in people. Researchers tested ornamental indoor plants for their ability to remove harmful VOCs from indoor air. The study concluded that simply introducing common ornamental plants into indoor spaces has the potential to significantly improve the quality of indoor air.

Water-conserving irrigation strategies minimize overwatering, runoff

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Horticultural Science) Conserving water and reducing the environmental impact of runoff are two important issues confronting container nursery operations. Current regulations in five states limit water consumption and/or nutrient concentrations in runoff. Researchers investigated whether irrigation scheduling based on daily water use (DWU) -- the combined loss of water from plant transpiration and substrate evaporation -- could conserve water. According to the study, "scheduling irrigation according to plant DWU substantially reduced the amount of irrigation applied."

Breeding better broccoli

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Horticultural Science) Plant carotenoids are the most important source of vitamin A in the human diet and are considered to be valuable antioxidants capable of protecting humans from chronic diseases including macular degeneration, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Researchers investigating the carotenoid content of field-grown broccoli discovered that when it comes to breeding broccoli, lutein levels were linked to the plants' genetics; the environment in which the vegetables were grown had little effect on carotenoid production.

Hybrid bluegrasses analyzed for use in transition zone

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Horticultural Science) The transition zone can be one of the most challenging places to maintain high-quality turfgrass; changeable growing conditions in these regions often prove too hot or too cold. Finding turfgrass that thrives in these challenging environments can be perplexing for turf management professionals and homeowners alike. Bred for their ability to tolerate heat and drought, two hybrids "Dura Blue" and "Thermal Blue" were found to outperform traditional bluegrasses in transition zone areas.

Plentiful poinsettias without PGRs

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Horticultural Science) Poinsettia, a holiday favorite, is produced using plant growth regulators (PGRs) to achieve their desired height, but the high cost of PGRs, environmental use restrictions, and increasing pressure from consumers are driving researchers to explore new alternatives. Argentine researchers recently completed a study to determine if manipulation of red and far-red light ratios can be a successful alternative to the use of PGRs. Results indicate that the new approach is effective and environmentally beneficial.

Organic weed control options for highbush blueberry

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Horticultural Science) Weeds are a widespread problem for the blueberry industry, particularly in young plantings when bushes are not fully established and most susceptible to competition. Weed control is even more of a challenge for growers of organic products, including organic highbush blueberry. Researchers investigated using mulches of pine needles, manure-sawdust compost, and seafood waste compost for weed control. Results indicate pine needles were the most effective mulch in suppressing weed growth.

Tension on the grapevine

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Horticultural Science) Predictions of grape yields are extremely important to juice processors and wineries but until recently, forecasting yields has relied on expensive and labor-intensive hand-sampling methods. However, a new approach, Trellis Tension Monitor has been developed that works by detecting weight change on trellised grapevines as the vine and grapes grow. Using 10 commercial vineyards, researchers found that TTM produced more-accurate estimates of yield than previous methods.