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Global strategy for investigating Earth’s geodynamics emerges from international collaboration

Fifty-one researchers, prominent Earth scientists representing 15 countries,* gathered recently in Switzerland to forge a global strategy for advancing understanding of continental rifting and break-up through the use of a new array of multiple drilling platforms provided by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program. The group’s emerging plan is discussed in an article in the Nov. 14 edition of Eos, a publication of the American Geophysical Union.

Young children don’t believe everything they hear

Children’s ability to distinguish between reality and fantasy depends on their use of contextual cues. The findings of three studies in 400 children between 3 and 6 years of age examined children’s ability to determine whether information they received was factual or not based in truth. By the age of 4, children were able to determine whether something was real or imaginary based on information that related that thing to a familiar entity.

Helping children resolve past conflicts may be beneficial

A study of conflict resolution in siblings suggests it is beneficial for children to resolve past disagreements even after the conflict is over. This research was conducted with sixty four pairs of siblings ages 4 to 12. The study concludes that encouraging after-the-fact resolution of differences, parents can help their children develop conflict resolution skills. The study also addressed the factors most likely to affect how conflict is resolved between siblings of different ages.

Sibling relationships reflect family dynamics

New research on sibling relationships indicates that efforts to improve relationships among siblings need to take into account how all members of the family relate to each other. This study of 200 white, working- and middle-class families found that changes in parent-child relationships are associated with changes in sibling relationships. Among other findings, the study found that sibling discord peaks when the first-born child is about 13 and the second-born is about 10 years old.

Styles of conflict between parents have different implications for children and families

New research has added to our understanding of how conflict with parents affects children. The current research followed 212 families with six-year-old children across three years. The findings indicate that mothers’ and fathers’ parenting styles are affected differently by different types of conflict. Mothers were observed to be less supportive and involved with children when they experienced hostility with their partner, while fathers’ engagement with children was affected by withdrawal between partners.

Bird Flu :: Inexpensive test detects H5N1 infections quickly and accurately

Scientists from the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed an inexpensive “gene chip” test based on a single influenza virus gene that could allow scientists to quickly identify flu viruses, including avian influenza H5N1.

Teen girls make better health choices with intervention program

For two consecutive years, researchers examined measures of cardiovascular fitness and self-esteem in sophomore girls attending Trenton Central High School and found students are making better health choices with an intervention program. Low Density Lipoprotein levels — the unhealthy cholesterol — also decreased significantly. WHF Teen Esteem is a gender-specific approach to teen girls’ health and wellness and is meant to be a replacement for traditional gymnastics and health classes.

SimCity for real

Social policy makers and town planners will soon be able to play “SimCity” for real using grid computing and e-Science techniques to test the consequences of their policies on a real, but anonymous, model of the UK population.

Ankylosing Spondylitis :: Enbrel provides sustained clinical improvements for ankylosing spondylitis for up to 3 years

Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) announced patients with ankylosing spondylitis who received treatment with Enbrel (R) (etanercept) experienced sustained improvement in signs and symptoms, spinal mobility and physical function over 148 to 160 weeks of therapy, according to data from an ongoing open-label, multinational, phase 4 extension study presented at the American College of Rheumatology scientific meeting. These results are consistent with an ENBREL phase 3 clinical trial at 24 weeks.

Rheumatoid Arthritis :: Enbrel first biologic with up to 9 years rheumatoid arthritis safety

Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) announced Enbrel (R) (etanercept) is the first biologic with published data to show sustained improvements in multiple efficacy measures in rheumatoid arthritis patients completing up to nine years of therapy. Current data suggest Enbrel is both effective and safe in long-term RA use, and the new data, presented at the American College of Rheumatology scientific meeting, provide a degree of reassurance that unexpected safety concerns do not appear to develop after nine years of use.