(HealthDay News) — Genetics do not play a major role in determining whether people are right- or left-handed, a new study says.

About 10 percent of people worldwide are left-handed, but the reasons why people favor one hand over the other remain unclear.

In an effort to learn more, researchers conducted genetic analyses of nearly 4,000 twins in the United Kingdom, but were unable to find a strong genetic factor in determining handedness.

The study was published recently in the journal Heredity.

Even though they didn’t find a strong genetic influence on handedness, the researchers noted that it is widely believed that handedness is not just the result of choice or learning. Therefore, it’s likely that genetic factors play at least a minor role in determining handedness.

Another recent study, published in the journal PLoS Genetics, has found that genetics do play a part in handedness, along with environment.

“It is likely that there are many relatively weak genetic factors in handedness, rather than any strong factors, and much bigger studies than our own will be needed to identify such genes unambiguously,” John Armour of the University of Nottingham, co-author of the latest study, said in a university news release.

“As a consequence, even if these genes are identified in the future, it is very unlikely that handedness could be usefully predicted by analysis of human DNA,” he added.

More information

The Nemours Foundation has more about being left-handed.

Indiana Court of Appeals to Hear Oral Arguments at Shepard Academy
Monday, October 7
1:30 p.m.

Randall T. Shepard Academy for Law & Social Justice, Harrison High School, 211 Fielding Rd.

Presenting oral arguments before the Indiana Court of Appeals is usually something seasoned lawyers do, but students enrolled in the EVSC’s Randall T. Shepard Academy for Law and Social Justice will have the opportunity Monday to present oral arguments before the judges as they visit the school. Students will have the opportunity to eat lunch with the judges around 12:30 and then oral arguments will begin around 1:30 p.m.

Media interested in covering the event, must receive permission prior to the event from the Indiana Court of Appeals. Please fax your request to Court Administrator Steve Lancaster, 317-233-4627. In addition, there are some regulations that must be followed:

• All cameras must be tripod-mounted and the operators must remain in place throughout the hearing.
• Camera movement is limited to the judges and the arguing attorneys. No audience shots allowed.
• No flash, strobes or other distracting lights or sounds.
• Cameras and tape recorders cannot be used during the Q/A period that follows oral argument.
• Print journalists don’t have to ask the court’s permission to cover the argument, but the Q/A session is off limits.

Screening, Panel Discussion to Explore Veteran Reintegration Issues

In 2009, Evansville military veteran Erik Goodge lost an eye to an explosive device while serving with the U.S. Marines in Afghanistan and underwent extensive surgeries and therapies to recover. The award-winning documentary “Not Yet Begun to Fight” follows Goodge and four other veterans as they learn to fly fish and cope with the physical and emotional wounds of war. The University of Evansville Office of Veterans Affairs, UE VETS student veterans organization, and Showplace Cinemas will host a free, public showing of the documentary, followed by a panel discussion that will explore the struggles veterans often experience as they readjust to civilian life after combat.

The screening will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, October 20 at Showplace Cinemas East, 1801 Morgan Avenue. Admission is free, but donations for Warriors and Quiet Waters (the organization featured in the film) and UE VETS are encouraged.

“We hope that veterans of all eras and community members of all ages will attend this event, and our hope is that people see the need for, and impact of, Warriors and Quiet Waters and similarly focused opportunities for returning veterans,” said Brandyn Mohr, UE VETS vice president and a U.S. Navy veteran. “We are very excited to be bringing ‘Not Yet Begun to Fight’ to our area for the first time.”

“Not Yet Begun to Fight” follows five traumatically injured veterans, including Evansville’s Erik Goodge, as they travel to Montana to learn the art of fly fishing from Warriors and Quiet Waters, an organization founded by Vietnam War veteran and retired Marine Colonel Eric Hastings. The organization gives veterans a respite from the rigors of combat and rehabilitation and helps them learn a new skill in quiet, peaceful surroundings.

A panel discussion on veterans’ issues, focusing on reintegration after war, will follow the screening. The panel will include Goodge, “Not Yet Begun to Fight” executive producer Steve Platcow, and a veteran counselor from the Evansville Vet Center.

For more information, please contact the UE Office of Veterans Affairs at 812-488-2141.

The University of Southern Indiana is rolling out the red carpet for prospective students and parents this fall on three Southern Hospitality Days. The Saturday visits are scheduled for October 19, November 9, and November 23.

Research shows that a personal visit is the most trusted source of information for prospective students choosing where to attend college. “The campus visit is everything when it comes to college selection,” said Mark Rusk, associate director of admission. “Every college campus has its own distinct personality. It may be something as seemingly insignificant as the school colors,” Rusk said. Students are looking for “a personal fit feeling that they can only get by visiting a campus.”

The friendliness of USI’s people, the new facilities and technologies on campus, housing options, and campus safety have historically attracted students and their parents to choosing USI, Rusk said. The location of campus just outside city limits also provides ample opportunities for outdoor activities.

Attendees of Southern Hospitality Days will take a walking tour of campus, meet with admission counselors and faculty, and visit with current students. Residence hall tours also are offered.

The October 19 visit will be hosted in coordination with the Recreation, Fitness, and Wellness Center’s annual Rec Madness event. Visitors on this date will be provided lunch and have the opportunity to view student volleyball and basketball tournaments and other activities.

More than 1,000 visitors have already registered for fall Southern Hospitality Days. Persons can register online for any of the three visits. There is no cost to register or to attend. More information is available online at www.usi.edu/visit.

The University of Southern Indiana is a comprehensive public university located in Evansville, Indiana.  USI, an institution celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015, has more than 34,000 alumni who hold undergraduate and graduate degrees. Current student enrollment is nearly 10,000, and programs are offered in business, liberal arts, nursing and health professions, and science, engineering, and education.

What:  National Walk to School Day – Stockwell Elementary participation

When: Wednesday, Oct. 9, 7 a.m.

Where:  Meeting at former Integra Bank on Green River Road (now an auto sales business) next to McDonalds and walking to Stockwell School.

Stockwell Elementary School, along with several other EVSC schools are participating in the National Walk to School Day.  Students, teachers, and parents are gathering at the car lot, which has graciously agreed to move their cars, so that parking is available for those walking.  Then families and teachers will follow a route through the neighborhoods to Stockwell Elementary at 2501 N. Stockwell Road.