Strategy to master a second language

In an article in Psychological Science, researchers write that people do not forget their native language simply because of less use, but that such forgetfulness reflects active inhibition of native language words that distract us while we are speaking the new language. This forgetfulness may actually be an adaptive strategy to better learn a second language. Native English speakers who had completed one year of college-level Spanish were asked to repeatedly name objects in Spanish. The more they were asked to repeat the Spanish words, the more difficulty they had generating the corresponding English labels. Also, the more fluent bilingual students performed better. The findings suggest native language inhibition plays a crucial role during the initial stages of second language learning.

Not so endearing, after all

High-level athletes who participate in endurance sports can develop a rare but life-threatening condition called ventricular arrhythmia (VA), says a report in the European Heart Journal. The finding adds weight to the hypothesis that endurance sports might contribute to changes in the heart that lead to dysfunction and heart rhythm disturbances. VA is a heart rhythm disturbance that occurs in the ventricles (lower chambers) of the heart. It can even cause sudden death in athletes. Previous studies indicate that VA in 30-50 per cent of endurance athletes, such as cyclists, runners and kayakers, do have a family history of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Curbing cancer recurrence

Radiation therapy after lumpectomy and five years of treatment with the drug tamoxifen can dramatically reduce the risk of both cancer recurrence and new tumours in older women with early breast cancer, say researchers at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. The study involved 1,837 women with early-stage breast cancer confined to the breast or lymph nodes, who underwent either mastectomy or lumpectomy, from 1990 to 1994. The findings were reported in the online edition of the journal, Cancer.

Help for the homeless

One of the few studies examining methods to help homeless youth found that a comprehensive intervention programme can indeed dramatically improve their life situation. The six-month study of homeless youth in Albuquerque, New Mexico, found that teens who completed the programme significantly reduced their substance abuse and depression and increased their social stability. The result appears in the online version of the journal, Addictive Behaviors.