Psychological problems during childhood create long-term economic losses

May 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 14 (ANI): Childhood psychological disorders could diminish people”s ability to work and earn as adults, according to a study.

People who suffer from childhood conditions such as depression and substance abuse are less likely to be married, attain less education and see their income reduced by about 20 percent over their lifetimes, according to findings published online by the journal Social Science & Medicine.

“This study shows childhood psychological disorders can cause significant long-lasting harm and can have far-reaching impact on individuals over their lifetimes,” said James P. Smith, the study”s lead author and corporate chair of economics at RAND, a nonprofit research organization. “Our findings illustrate what the enormous potential might be of identifying and treating these problems early in life.”

Researchers examined information from a large study that has followed American families for more than 40 years and found evidence that the impact of childhood psychological problems have lasting impact across many measures of economic success.

Researchers also found that people who reported childhood psychological problems were 11 percentage points less likely to marry than their siblings who did not suffer such problems.

Even when people in the group do marry, the income earned by their spouse is lower than seen among other couples.

People who reported psychological problems during childhood on average reported about half a year less of schooling than those who did not report problems. The schooling differences were greater among those who reported drug or alcohol problems.

“Not all of the people who have psychological problems during childhood will carry these problems into adulthood,” said Smith. “But they are 10 to 20 times more likely than others to have these shortfalls during adulthood. There clearly are large economic costs during adulthood caused by childhood psychological conditions.”

The results in the study are drawn from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the largest ongoing study of American families. (ANI)

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Cancer-stricken Patrick Swayze dies at 57

September 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Sept 15 (ANI): Veteran actor Patrick Swayze died of pancreatic cancer on Monday, aged 57.

The ‘Dirty Dancing’ star lost his battle to cancer after struggling for at least 20 months.

“Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months,” People magazine quoted Swayze’s representatives as saying in a statement.

Whoopi Goldberg, who starred with Swayze in one of his biggest movies ‘Ghost’, remembers Swayze as “funny man”.

“Patrick was a really good man, a funny man and one to whom I owe much that I can’t ever repay,” said Goldberg,

“I believe in Ghost’s message, so he’ll always be near,” she added.

“Patrick lived a hundred lifetimes in one,” said Rob Lowe, who appeared with Swayze in ‘The Outsiders and Youngblood’.

“I will remember him for that, and I will remember him for how much he loved his wife Lisa. He was such an intense actor, so full of passion and vigor. He definitely made the most out of it. It’s a sad day,” he added.

Swayze was diagnosed with advanced stage of pancreatic cancer in January last year.

However, he kept shooting for A and E series ‘The Beast’ while undergoing chemotherapy and never lost hope. (ANI)

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Scientists claim discovery of largest carnivorous dino tooth in Spain till date

June 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, June 23 (ANI): A team of paleontologists has claimed to have discovered the largest carnivorous dinosaur tooth in Spain till date.

The features and size of the 9.83cm tooth provide key information needed to identify its former owner.

The researchers are in no doubt that it was a large, predatory, carnivorous dinosaur (theropod) belonging to the Allosauroidea clade (one of the branches of the phylogenetic tree), a group that contains large carnivorous dinosaurs measuring between six and 15 meters.

“Given the great variations between the teeth of different kinds of allosauroids, it would be prudent for us to assign this fossil to an indeterminate Allosauroidea,” said Luis Alcala, one of the researchers involved in the study.

The tooth, found by local residents in Riodeva, Teruel, in the Villar del Arzobispo Formation, has been compared with other samples from the Allosauroidea group from the Iberian Peninsula – in particular with a large tooth from Portugal (measuring 12.7cm) and another belonging to an Allosauroidea indet in Spain, until now described as the largest in Spain at 8.27cm.

According to the paleontologists, “the presence of a large Allosauroidea is a great addition to the faunal record of the dinosaurs described in the Villar del Arzobispo Formation in Riodeva.”

Plant-eating dinosaur groups (phytophages) discovered in the deposit to date have been identified as sauropods, stegosaurids and basal ornithopods (from tooth remains and a complete rear leg).

“Now the carnivorous dinosaurs are also represented, at least by two medium-sized theropods and a large predator belonging to the Allosauroidea clade,” said Alcala.

Carnivorous dinosaurs grew new teeth over their lifetimes, which increase the likelihood of finding them.

In this case, the condition of the crown of the tooth found (without any reabsorption surfaces) indicates that it was not a discarded tooth.

The palaeontologists hope to discover the remains of this large predator, which could have attacked Turiasaurus riodevensis, the ‘European giant’. (ANI)

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Young Aussies self-impose sex peer pressure

May 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Sydney, May 21 (ANI): Young Australians, who wrongly assume that their peers are having more sex than them, are imposing pressure on themselves, according to a study.

Around 70 per cent of the young participants in the Melbourne-based study reported believing that they had had fewer sexual partners than their “average” peers.

“We can make an observation that young people seem to think other people are having more sex than they are,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Associate Professor Margaret Hellard, of the Burnet Institute’s Centre for Population Health, as saying.

“It’s worth investigating further … whether or not this feeling changes how they think they ought to be behaving,” she said.

The survey was conducted on almost 450 people between the ages of 16 to 29.

Hellard says that the study suggested that Aussies have a mean number of 5.5 sexual partners each over of their lifetimes, higher than what was found in similar other studies.

The researcher said that the participants believed that their peers had had a mean of 6.6 sexual partners each.

“What it all comes down to is we don’t have clear conversations with young people (about sex),” Hellard said.

“That’s why many young people spend their time thinking something else is happening out there than what is actually happening,” she added.

Hellard further said that it was important that young Australians be told it was okay to hold off starting to have sex, or to go without for a time, and that it was “not always the case” their peers had multiple sexual partners.

The study’s findings have been reported in the journal Sexual Health. (ANI)

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The CENTSABLES: Financial Literacy Project Launches On Multi-Media Platform

April 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

HUNTINGTON, N.Y., April 14 /PRNewswire/ — A unique new project geared to
teaching kids about financial literacy as well as life’s values launched on a
multi-media platform last month in San Diego at the CUNA Marketing Conference
for Credit Unions. Maine State Credit Union was the first financial
institution in the country to license this program.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090414/NY98858 )

Normand Dubreuil, president of Maine State Credit Union stated, “It was an
easy decision for us. The CENTSABLES program reinforces our commitment to
support and enhance our members’ financial lives. The appeal of these
characters to kids, the creativity of the concept, the quality and variety of
promotional materials, make this the most effective kids’ financial literacy
program I have come across. When you add in exclusivity and an affordable
license fee, I signed up for it on the spot.”

Over a dozen independent and community banks and credit unions have since
signed on from all across the United States.

Mark DiPippa, President of Norm Hill Entertainment, is the creator of the
project, which will be marketed in association with DNA Creative, a marketing
and design firm.

States DiPippa, “In times like these, we really need heroes. The CENTSABLES
are six bank employees by day and superheroes by choice, helping kids
understand the concept of money and its importance throughout their lifetimes,
while teaching positive values.”

The CENTSABLES combine entertainment with education. Components of the project
include an interactive website, comic book series, banking programs for kids,
NIE (Newspaper In Education) inserts, school study guides including teacher
lesson plans, an animated television series, and extensive merchandising
including collectible action figures, games, trading cards, clothing and other
licensed products.

“The action-adventure stories in the comics and soon to be produced animated
series, keep kids entertained while the lessons and colorful activity sheets
teach valuable lessons about money and finances. Parents need to learn these
lessons as well and are encouraged to interact with their children,” added
DiPippa, who is a father of three children.

With today’s kids spending more than $30 billion on purchases each year,
promoting financial literacy is a priority for parents. However, research
indicates parents don’t teach their children the basic concepts of earning,
spending and saving money. The CENTSABLES program is designed to fill that
need, giving kids the knowledge and skills they need to make smart financial
choices and sound life decisions throughout their lives.

Added DiPippa, “While many websites exist to help kids learn about financial
literacy, only The CENTSABLES provides a multi-media platform including an
animated television series, interactive website, educational programs in
schools, and a real banking program to educate kids about money and encourage
them to save.

The CENTSABLES website, www.centsables.com, enables kids to explore the
concepts of money, how value is determined, basic economics and investing,
without being too technical to understand. Using activity pages and
downloadable forms, children can master banking skills such as check-writing
and budgeting, preparing deposit slips and earning money. The site features
action-comics based on the animated television series, an informative parent
link, plus exercises and games that reinforce learning and keep kids coming
back. All content will meet national learning standards and will be available
in English and Spanish.

Currently in production is a series of 13 CENTSABLES comic books, in which the
super-pals fight financially twisted foes and kids learn skills that will
serve them for life. 32 activity pages have also been produced and running in
local newspapers in the NIE (Newspapers In Education) section in print and
online. Most recently, the Detroit Free Press licensed all 32 features and
within the first month over 200 teachers representing 15,000 students signed
up to receive them.

The Banking for Kids program is a turn-key opportunity for financial
institutions to encourage savings and good financial management for
youngsters, while building long-term relationships and cross-sell
opportunities for sponsoring financial institutions. The welcome kit includes
a special savings account, free gift, collectible action figure and
personalized letter from The CENTSABLES. The proprietary program also includes
personal appearances by CENTSABLES characters, all branch signage and rack
brochures, plus a targeted advertising campaign for existing and potential
members.

The classroom component leverages website material into downloadable lesson
plans that are in alignment with national educational standards for
mathematics. The program includes a teacher resource kit, posters for the
classrooms, comic books, calculators and other student handouts.

The animated series, targeted to kids 6-11, features six super-hero friends
who through their everyday adventures and examples teach sound fiscal
responsibility and positive behavior. When the kids of Centsinnati are
threatened by villains like Creditor and Liquidator, The CENTSABLES leap into
action, fighting evil-doers with abilities that include super speed and powers
over water and wind. Storylines highlight The CENTSABLES’ diversity and model
prosocial behaviors. Narration for the series is being provided by ADAM WEST
of Batman fame. The series will meet FCC educational and informational (e/i)
guidelines, is currently in production.

Tony Intelisano, President of Mark Anthony Entertainment, will distribute the
television series and assist in other marketing aspects.

Added Intelisano, “Initial discussions are already underway with broadcast
outlets to air the animated series, as well as with major sponsors to
participate in the project on many levels, and the response has been
overwhelmingly positive. For both broadcasters and sponsors, The CENTSABLES
represents a one-of-a-kind programming and marketing vehicle that will attract
kids, and their parents, provide opportunities for partnerships on both a
local and national basis, tremendous goodwill, and real revenue.”

SOURCE Norm Hill Entertainment

Mark DiPippa, +1-631-547-6210, mark@centsables.com, or Tony Intelisano, +1-518
668-2154, tony@centsables.com, both of The CENTSABLES

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Termites indulge in both sexual and asexual reproduction

March 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Mar 27 (ANI): When it comes to sex, certain female termite “primary queens” can reproduce both sexually and asexually during their lifetimes, according to a new study.

The collaborative study by scientists at North Carolina State University and three Japanese universities revealed that the asexually produced babies mostly grow to be queen successors – so-called “secondary queens” – that remain in the termite colony and mate with the king.

Such asexual reproduction produces large broods of babies without the dangers of inbreeding, as secondary queens have no genes in common with the king.

And research has shown that babies produced the old-fashioned way-between either the primary or secondary queens and the king-are mostly workers and soldiers of both genders.

Dr. Ed Vargo, associate professor of entomology at NC State and a co-author of the paper, has said that the species of subterranean termite the team studied, Reticulitermes speratus, is an important economic pest in Japan and is in the same genus as termites found in North Carolina.

Termite colonies are generally founded, and then sustained by a primary king and primary queen.

During the study, the scientists collected termites from a number of different colonies in Japan. In many colonies, the primary queen was not present, but had been seemingly succeeded by numerous secondary queens. Most primary kings, meanwhile, were present in the colonies.

According to Vargo, this suggests that the primary kings live longer than the primary queens, so there is a strong need for these termites to have genetically diverse queen successors to grow the colonies efficiently.

Genetic analysis of termite populations in several colonies showed that secondary queens shared genes with primary queens but not with primary kings, suggesting asexual reproduction.

At the same time, male and female termite workers and soldiers had genetic traces of both the primary king and primary queen, suggesting sexual reproduction.

“The conditional use of sex is unusual in insects and was previously unknown in termites. This novel use of both sexual and asexual reproduction is a way for primary queens to maximize reproductive output allowing the colony to grow bigger and faster while maintaining genetic diversity and avoiding the disadvantages of inbreeding,” said Vargo.

He also said that learning more about the genetics behind reproduction could lead to ways of preventing the production of certain castes of termites or ways of knocking out certain gene functions in those castes.

The study has been published in the journal Science. (ANI)

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Titanic hero’s sacrifice surfaces 97 years after tragedy

March 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Mar 26 (ANI): A heart-rending story of an unsung hero of the Titanic tragedy has emerged – 97 years after his death.

New archives reveal how Arthur West, 36, perished on the Titanic after leaving a lifeboat to get his wife and children some hot milk.

Arthur, a shopworker by profession, was taking wife Ada and daughters Constance, five, and ten-month-old Barbara to start a new chapter of life in America when the liner sank in 1912.

He managed to get Ada and the kids into a lifeboat – but then dashed back to the family’s second-class cabin to grab a flask of hot milk for the youngsters, reports The Sun.

When he returned the boat was being lowered into the sea so he shimmied down a rope and handed them the thermos flask before climbing back on board the liner.

Ada West had to watch as her brave husband gave her this thermos flask of milk before returning to the sinking ship. While doing so he passed up the chance to join them.

Arthur, of Truro, Cornwall, became one of the 1,517 victims of the disaster – and his body was never found.

Ada, 33 at the time, described her husband’s bravery in letters she wrote to relatives.

Following the tragedy, Ada and her girls returned to Britain.

Ada died aged 74 in 1953 and Constance died a decade later at 56.

The family archive, including Ada’s letters and the thermos flask, was passed to Barbara, who was the last-but-one British survivor of the Titanic until she died aged 96 in 2007.

The letters are now being sold by the relatives of the West family at an auction. The letters are expected to fetch up to 60,000 pounds.

In her letters, Ada said: “My dear people, here’s the end of my first awful week without my dear old boy. The experiences I have been through with all the other poor creatures have been enough for two lifetimes. We were amongst the first to leave the ship. Arthur placed lifebelts upon the children then carried them on to the boat deck.

“After seeing us safely into the lifeboat Arthur returned to the cabin for a thermos of hot milk and finding the lifeboat let down he reached it by means of a rope, gave the flask to me, and, with a farewell, returned to the deck of the ship.”

The archive also includes a letter written by Arthur four days before the Titanic hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. (ANI)

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Large-display laptops offer energy-saving alternatives

March 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Large-display laptops offer energy-saving alternatives Berlin  – Laptops have made leaps and bounds in speed and memory capacity in recent years, threatening the desktop PC’s dominance. As an additional blow to the PC’s supremacy, they might also prove to be more energy efficient.

Laptops use about 70 per cent less energy than PCs, said Dena, the German Energy Agency, mainly because notebook manufacturers have had to emphasize energy efficiency in the name of boosting battery lifetimes.

During the course of just one year, a laptop user can expect to save an average of 35 euros (45 dollars) over an ordinary PC user. This calculation is based on projections whereby, over the course of 335 days, a computer is actively used for four hours and in standby mode for the remaining 20.

The average desktop PC and monitor uses about 150 watts while in use, reports dena, which would amount to about 45 euros a year in energy costs. Laptops make do with 30 watts, meaning their owners only pay about 10 euros a year in energy costs.

To ensure that their computer is just as convenient and effective as a desktop, laptop purchasers should opt for models with the largest monitor possible, according to TUEV Rheinland LGA, a consumer products-testing organization in Nuremberg.

Assuming a laptop is not meant exclusively for on-the-go use, it should come with at least a 17-inch monitor, reports the group. That allows the user to open more windows simultaneously and keep better track of their work.

A 12- to 14-inch display is adequate for travel laptops. Make sure that components, like DVD burners, come pre-packed, to reduce the number of components that have to be linked to the laptop by cable.

However, for people who are truly on the go, it sometimes makes sense to forgo included extras and use an USB connection when necessary. After all, mobile devices should not be too big and heavy. (dpa)

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