Research

Blame your asymmetrical ears for being a dud at dancing

London, Apr 11: Got two left feet? Well, then instead of wasting money on dance classes, try to spend a few minutes measuring your ears, suggest researchers.

Researchers in Edinburgh have embarked upon a mass experiment which will be see both good and bad dancers. They have been invited to show off their skills before having their ears also subjected to scrutiny.

The study’s motive is to test the theory that the more symmetrical you are, the more likely you are to be a hit on the dance floor.

Having kids can mean end of marital bliss

Having kids can mean end of marital blissWashington, Apr 9: Thought marriage, money and kids were the cornerstone of happiness? Well, in that case, here’s a news flash for you: having children can send martial bliss in a downward spiral.

According to researchers at the University of Denver (DU) and Texas A&M, children can add problems and stress to a marriage.

As per an eight-year study of 218 couples, ninety percent of the couples experienced a decrease in marital satisfaction once the first child was born.

Study: BMI and waist size influence heart failure risk

waist size influence heart failure risk According to a new study related to belly fat and heart failure, the body mass index (BMI) and the waist size of people influence their risk of being hospitalized with the heart failure condition or even death from the same.

The findings of the study indicated that each additional BMI point increased the risk of heart failure hospitalization or death by 3 percent in women and 7 percent in men; while a waist-size increase of 10 centimeters furthered the risk by 19 percent in women and 30 percent in men.

ACOG clarifications on HPV test vis-à-vis Pap Smears

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)

New TB vaccine found safe in Phase I trial

Tuberculosis VaccineWashington, April 8: A leading new tuberculosis vaccine, called MVA85A, has been found to be safe in its Phase I trial.

Lead researcher Dr. Helen McShane, reader in vaccinology and Wellcome senior fellow at the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute in England, studied the effects of the vaccine specifically in people who had latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), which can cause full-blown disease when re-activated.

For the study, the researchers recruited 12 individuals with LTBI, who did not have other complicating factors like HIV or hepatitis.

Retina works like a multi-layered jigsaw puzzle of receptive fields

Retina works like a multi-layered jigsaw puzzle of receptive fieldsWashington, April 7: Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have found that the retina works like a multi-layered jigsaw puzzle of jagged windows called receptive fields, through which about 1.25 million neurons view the world.

The researchers have revealed that these receptive fields fit together like pieces of a puzzle, preventing "blind spots" and excessive overlap that could blur our perception of the world.

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