research

Female shop mannequins are 'medically unhealthy'

Researchers looked at the displays in female fashion shops in two UK cities.

They concluded that if people were the same size as the mannequins they would be "considered medically unhealthy".

"There is clear evidence showing that the ultra-thin ideal is contributing to the development of mental health problems and eating disorders," writes Dr Eric Robinson, the study's author.

Singers wanted for choir to beat Parkinson's

The Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre is going to put this question to the test as part of its Sing to Beat Parkinson's program.

The Australian-first study encourages program participants diagnosed with Parkinson's to sing on a weekly basis as part of a group.

Irene Bartlett from Griffith University said they would study each of the participants' lives closely to see what benefits came from singing.

"We're wanting to get empirical evidence that singing is helpful and useful for quality of life," Dr Bartlett said.

Self-repairing heart tissue breakthrough brings hope for cardiac patients

Doctors James Hudson and Enzo Porello from the University of Queensland worked with German researchers to create the samples in a laboratory, and will use them to study cardiac biology and diseases.

"The patented technology enables us to now perform experiments on human heart tissue," Dr Hudson said.

Up until now researchers have had no "living" tissue to study, but now scientists have a viable, functioning heart muscle to work on.

Dr Hudson said it would help them model the cardiovascular disease, screen new drugs and investigate heart repair.

Too much exercise could do more harm than good, Queensland researchers find

New research by a team at University of Queensland (UQ), led by muscle physiologist Dr Bradely Launikonis, found it was part of a protective mechanism stopping people from damaging themselves in the days following exercise.

In the world-first study, Dr Launikonis's team have mapped muscle fibres from thigh biopsies at three points in the exercise cycle.

"This is the first time this type of imaging has been done in human muscles, everything before that been done in mice and rats," Dr Launikonis said.

Business College boasts new Infrastructure

The K2 million government funded infrastructure is one of the many developments undertaken by the school to cope with increasing enrollments.

The hall was formally opened by Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Francis Marus and witnessed by the school board & management, teachers and students.

School Principal, John August, said several other projects were financed by the college itself through fundraising as a communal effort to develop the institution. 

“I believe in doing first before asking.”

These are the peak times for divorce

But passive-aggressive Facebook drama isn't exactly quantifiable data, so a new study from the University of Washington has provided some actual numbers to support the trend.

Marus assures resumption of 2016 academic programs for universities

After receiving the ministerial portfolio today from outgoing Minister Malakai Tabar, Marus said he expects immediate commencement of classes at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), University of Goroka (UOG) and PNG University of Technology (Unitech).

Marus expects the commencement of inclusive reconciliation strategy for all staff, students and management before classes begin and for Churches to be involved in the reconciliation process.

He said all legal cases between parties must be assessed in favour of agreement on a way forward.

La Trobe University researchers help revive PNG cocoa industry

La Trobe University researchers will lead the five-year effort to save the struggling industry thanks to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade funding.

La Trobe research fellow Philip Keane said cocoa production in PNG had dropped by 80 per cent due to the arrival of the cocoa pod borer, an Indonesian pest.

“It’s a little tiny moth that lays its eggs on the surface of the pods, then the larvae hatch out and burrow into the pods and damage the beans inside the pods,” Dr Keane said.

Academic says NZ needs robust advice on Pacific

RNZI reports the New Zealand Institute for Pacific Research was launched this week, and is a collaboration between the University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology and the University of Otago.

It's funded with US$5 million over five years by the New Zealand government.

UH researchers push for Zika studies

In Hawaii researchers are renewing efforts to fund Zika studies, something they previously had trouble getting approvals for.