A Lower IQ? Whatttttt?!

http://www.livescience.com/culture/090924-childhood-spanking.html

Abstract Week 5 The Science of Spanking Your Children


Summary:

In a recent study involving hundreds of U.S. children, it showed that the more a child was spanked the lower his or her IQ compared with others. In that study two groups of children were tested, 806 aging 2-4 and 704 aging 5-9. Both groups ended up getting smarter after four years, nut the 2-4 year olds who were spanked scored lower on an IQ test than those who didn’t get spanked by 5 points. In the age range 5-9 the children who got spanked also scored lower than those who didn’t by 2.8 points. This study also took into account the parental education, income, and cognitive stimulation by the parents so the tests ended up being statistically significant. Some doctors say that being spanked causes a traumatic experience resulting in having the child stress which can affect the brain adversely. And that the stressed cause could potentially lower the IQ of the child. It is supposedly making the children stray away from independent thinking and causing them to do just what they are told and not think for themselves.



Application:

I have never really thought that spanking could have a bad affect on a child’s IQ; it never really crossed my mind that that was one of the downsides of spanking children. Sure, I thought of the emotional abuse it could contribute to but nothing long term like this. And even though that spanking has been shown to have negative consequences that parents will still fall back on it because it is a quick fist. I believe that the negative consequences will outweigh the positives, so I don’t think people should spank their children for everything. I do understand however, that that is a way to show children that what they are doing is wrong and cannot be done that way. But from personal experience I understand that there are other ways to punish a child that is equally effective. Such as putting them in a time-out. That is what my parents did most of the time and it worked better than spanking, from what me and my sister knew, we knew that spanking would last for three seconds and then we could go back to what we were doing. But with the time outs we were bored for five minutes, which seemed like a lifetime to us, and we didn’t want that to happen again. So I see where these people are coming from. Having your child be less intelligent because of the way you punish them just seems unreasonable to me when you can have your child be just as intelligent as they can with a punishment just as useful as spanking.

R. Gent

Makeup, Not as Pretty as You Think

http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/the-science-of-mineral-makeup-402761.html

Abstract Week 4


Summary:

Have you ever thought that the make-up you are rubbing on your face will actually make you look worse in the long run? Well, if you are using chemically-based make-up, it most likely is. Studies have shown that using chemically-based make-up my make your skin pre-maturely age and it is important to use anti-aging make-up that helps the healthiness of your skin. Chemically based make-up creates an environment where bacteria can infect the skin; also the oils can substantially irritate and damage your skin. So, the best way to avoid this is to resort so something natural and pure, as in mineral make-up. Since mineral make-up is made with all natural minerals they can be potentially used for every kind of makeup you might have sitting on top of your vanity. It comes in a variety of colors, just like the minerals in the world do. It also can be applied to all types of skin and will not block or clog pores. Also, mineral make up is actually good for your skin; it serves as an acne treatment, an anti-aging solution, and usually has an SPF of 15 or 20.





Application:

I personally wear make-up every day, so this is a great thing to have in the back of my head. I figured that having chemically based make-up on all the time could potentially be damaging, but this really sewed up some loose ends for me. I am really careful to use good make-up so I don’t pre-mature my aging, but now that I see mineral make-up can help with even more than that I’m sure that I will go out and try it! Also, since the mineral make-up does come in a bunch of different colors and shades it will be perfect for when I want to spice up my eyes with some cute eye shadow. I found that this article was really helpful and I will use it the best that I can. I just hope that my skin isn’t already damaged due to me using the make-up I have been using. And hey, it’s a good excuse to get new make-up. ;)


R. Gent

Watch Out! Water!

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/63358/title/DNA-damaging_disinfection_by-products_found_in_pool_water


ABSTRACT WEEK 3
SUMMARY:

Recent studies have shown that swimming in your pool might not be as safe as what you think. Scientists have found that some of the chemicals in chlorine and other disinfectant chemicals that you put in your pool could contribute to damage in DNA cells. Since disinfecting agents are designed to kill germs, it also seems to produce mutangenic chemicals. Scientists have found that low concentrations of DNA-damaging chemicals have been isolated from drinking water in the past, but never has it been found in pool water. Until now. They tested swimmers to see if the chemicals effected them and found that the rates of DNA mutations were low, and could potentially be fixed. And although swimming is a healthy, fun activitiy…there are some negative attributes that aren’t recognized, like this. Scientists have found that even though the chemicals could for low counts of mutagens, that this problem is not life threatening. But it’s still good to take precaution and after swimming in a chlorine, and chemical filled pool to shower thouroughly to remove all of those chemicals.

APPLICATION:

I think from this study I am most definatly going to take a longer shower than usual after I get done swimming. I just find this kind of thing a little scary, and even though it is found in low counts I still do not want my DNA to be messed with. I think that scientists will soon find ways to disinfect a pool without having these kinds of side-effects. And seeing that there have been the same kind of chemicals found in drinking water is even scarier. But I guess that it is kind of like a win-lose situation. If we don’t have these chemicals it would be a lot worse towards our body, with all of the sweat, urine, and skin particles floating around in the pool it is a risk that we are going to have to be willing to take, because the side-effects from swimming in contaminated surely would be worse. I hope that scientists will soon find a chemical that will be less damaging to our DNA, but still gets rid of the germs found in pools.


R. Gent