News

Blood drives do better with incentives, says UTM professor

It’s called the gift of life.

But more people will roll up their sleeves to donate blood if a gift card comes with it.

That’s according to a new study from the University of Toronto. It shows a 15 to 20 percent rise in blood drive donations when incentives such as T-shirts, jackets, coupons or gift cards are thrown into the mix.

U of T Mississauga to host Health in the City

Tour Mississauga’s new medical academy and chat with your future physicians; visit a mini-crime scene and analyze blood stains; help plant 100 trees and re-naturalize campus; discover the impact of stress on your mental and physical health; learn about the art of healthy living; talk to researchers and see their laboratories where they combat disease and improve quality of life.

Switching on the mommy gene

Although a doting mom cuddling and caressing her infant may not seem to have much in common with a rat mother, she does. Not only are there striking similarities between the brain and hormonal systems of rats and humans that drive maternal behaviour, a U of T Mississauga professor suggests that early negative life experiences such as isolation, stress, trauma or inattentive parenting can affect what type of mother she will become.

Forensics professor analyzes DNA to work a crime scene

With the exception of identical twins, everybody has a one-of-a-kind genetic code. Repetitive sections of our DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) make us unique, and just like a regular fingerprint, our DNA fingerprint can identify us wherever we go.

You say 'Bonjour', and I say 'Salut'

Is it ça va or quoi de neuf?

For a native French speaker, the choice is easy; an unconscious lightening-quick assessment of the social situation, its level of formality, and the image the speaker wishes to portray.

Yet for a student learning the language, even a simple greeting can be fraught with the potential of social censure.

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