University of Utah scientists taught baby sparrows to sing a complete song even though the birds were exposed only to overlapping segments of the tune rather than the full melody. The study provides clues about how musical memories are stored in the brain and how those memories help birds learn to sing.

The results also may have implications for how people learn language, says Gary J. Rose, a University of Utah professor of biology and principal author of the study published in

Results illuminate evolutionary interaction between virus and human immune system

An international research team has identified immune-system genes that appear to play a key role in the body’s defense against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The findings may lead to ways of circumventing the virus’s ability to avoid vaccines by rapid mutation. The study in the Dec. 9 issue of Nature also describes how HIV infection is driving human evolution, since individuals with protective

Although transplantation is by far the preferred treatment option for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), those with high levels of “anti-donor” antibodies have had little hope of receiving a donated organ. Among the relatively few who have undergone transplantation, rejection rates have been very high.

Because the immune systems of “highly sensitized” individuals initiate a rejection response against the tissue of the majority of the population, these patients typi

Does stress speed up the onset of skin cancer? The answer, in mice anyway, appears to be “yes.” Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center say that chronic stress may speed up the process in those at high-risk for the disease. Their new study, published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, shows that mice exposed to stressful conditions and cancer-causing UV light develop skin cancers in less than half the time it took for non-stressed mice to g

Women not very visible in ads for cardio drugs

Gender bias in pharmaceutical advertisements for cardiovascular disease may affect treatment, says a new University of Toronto study. After examining 919 cardiovascular drug ads displayed in American medical and cardiovascular journals published between January 1996 and June 1998, U of T’s Dr. Angela Cheung and her colleagues concluded that 80 per cent depicted male patients and the remaining 20 per cent featured women. They ar

Locating here no longer necessary to doing business

Fewer U.S.-based multinational companies are investing in Canada since it formed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the U.S. and Mexico in 1994, say researchers at the University of Toronto.

“U.S. multinationals no longer need to locate in Canada to access its market,” says Walid Hejazi, business professor at U of T’s Rotman School of Management and co-author of the study published in the Journ

A first-of-its-kind study of safety issues surrounding the medical use of cannabis has just been launched. Known as the COMPASS study (Cannabis for the management of pain: assessment of safety study), the research initiative will follow 1400 chronic pain patients, 350 of whom use cannabis as part of their pain management strategy, for a one-year period. Seven participating pain clinics across Canada are now enrolling patients for this study.

“Patients in COMPASS will typically hav

In a study to determine the prevalence of a range of symptoms among older persons living independently with advanced chronic diseases, researchers at Yale have found that the majority experienced multiple moderate or severe symptoms.

“The clinical care of community-dwelling older adults with advanced chronic diseases would be enhanced by identifying and alleviating the range of symptoms they experience,” said principal investigator Lisa M. Walke, M.D., assistant professor of in

New research reveals the positive role of local people and groups in promoting the integration of asylum seekers in Glasgow. As birth rates decline and the population ages in Scotland, refugees could bring significant benefits to Scottish society in the future. To promote their future participation in Scottish society, it is vital that appropriate support services are in place.

Around 10,000 asylum seekers of more than 70 different nationalities have been resettled in Glasgow s

What causes the most stress during the holiday season? Money issues were the top vote getters for holiday stress, according to a recent poll by the American Psychological Association (APA).

The Survey found that 61% of Americans listed lack of money as the top cause of holiday stress followed by the pressures of gift giving, lack of time, and credit card debt. Survey results also show that younger Americans are more worried about lack of money and gift giving compared to people ov

Trial results presented at the Annual American Society of Hematology Conference

University of Minnesota researchers will present the promising results from adult umbilical cord blood studies for patients with cancers of the blood and bone marrow. These studies’ findings provide solutions to the problems outlined in recently published studies in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). “The results of our studies are a triumph in a treatment that has been largely viewed as only

North Carolina high schools that adopt Tobacco-Free School policies are making progress in protecting students, staff and visitors from the unhealthy effects of secondhand smoke by reducing smoking even during home football games, a new University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study concludes. Schools can improve compliance with the policies further by communicating and enforcing them better, researchers say.

Doctoral student Eric Pevzner conducted the study as part of the Tack

A new study has found hepatic steatosis – fatty liver disease – in nearly one third of American adults in a large urban population sample. The prevalence of the disease varied significantly among ethnic groups. Hispanics had a higher prevalence than whites, while blacks had a lower prevalence than whites. The study is found in the December 2004 issue of Hepatology, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hepa

Using the latest catch-phrase or – even more importantly – knowing when to stop using it, can help you to be accepted as one of the in-crowd. Getting it wrong will dismiss you as a sad case.

The word ‘chav’ may well be a case in point. Currently on everyone’s lips, it could disappear completely before very long.

The pitfalls of popular language are just as true historically as they are now. For those researching for books or films with a historical flavour, it may seem obv

The University of Manchester has launched the largest engineering school in the UK.

The School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering (MACE) was officially launched at a special event headlined by keynote speaker Richard Noble, holder of the world land speed record, and attended by industry leaders from Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Pilkington.

With over 1200 students and 250 staff, MACE is not only the largest Engineering school in the UK (in terms of student numb

The prevalence of overweight increased from 1989 to 2000 in children aged two to four years from low-income families, according to an article in the December issue of The Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

According to background information in the article, children who are overweight are at risk for diabetes, gall stones, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure. As adults, they are also at an increased risk for coronary heart disease and