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Sunday, May 20, 2012

ScienceDaily: Top Health News

ScienceDaily: Top Health News


Oxytocin improves brain function in children with autism

Posted: 19 May 2012 06:32 PM PDT

Preliminary results from an ongoing, large-scale study shows that oxytocin -- a naturally occurring substance produced in the brain and throughout the body -- increased brain function in regions that are known to process social information in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Coffee drinkers have lower risk of death, study suggests

Posted: 19 May 2012 04:14 AM PDT

Older adults who drank coffee -- caffeinated or decaffeinated -- had a lower risk of death overall than others who did not drink coffee, according a new study.

Weight in pregnancy best controlled by diet, study suggests

Posted: 18 May 2012 10:28 AM PDT

Pregnant women, including those who are obese or overweight, should be encouraged to minimize weight gain through diet, according to major new research.

Multipotent stromal stem cells from normally discarded human placental tissue demonstrate high therapeutic potential

Posted: 18 May 2012 10:22 AM PDT

Placental stem cells with important therapeutic properties can be harvested in large quantities from the fetal side of human term placentas (called the chorion). The chorion is a part of the afterbirth and is normally discarded after delivery, but it contains stem cells of fetal origin that appear to be pluripotent -- i.e., they can differentiate into different types of human cells, such as lung, liver, or brain cells. Since these functional placental stem cells can be isolated from either fresh or frozen term human placentas, this implies that if each individual's placenta is stored at birth instead of thrown away, these cells can be harvested in the future if therapeutic need arises. This potential represents a major breakthrough in the stem cell field.

With fat: What's good or bad for the heart, may be the same for the brain

Posted: 18 May 2012 05:13 AM PDT

According to new research, one "bad" fat -- saturated fat -- was found to be associated with worse overall cognitive function and memory in women over time. By contrast, a "good" fat -- mono-unsaturated fat was associated with better overall cognitive function and memory.

Revealing the stars of brain adaptability

Posted: 16 May 2012 06:25 AM PDT

Star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes are found to bridge the gap between global brain activity and localized circuits. Global network activity in the brain modulates local neural circuitry via calcium signaling in non-neuronal cells called astrocytes, according to new research.

The Cynical Girl: Day Off

The Cynical Girl: Day Off

Link to The Cynical Girl

Day Off

Posted: 19 May 2012 03:45 AM PDT

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News


Oxytocin improves brain function in children with autism

Posted: 19 May 2012 06:32 PM PDT

Preliminary results from an ongoing, large-scale study shows that oxytocin -- a naturally occurring substance produced in the brain and throughout the body -- increased brain function in regions that are known to process social information in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Pollution teams with thunderclouds to warm atmosphere

Posted: 19 May 2012 05:28 PM PDT

New simulation study shows that atmosphere warms when pollution intensifies storms. How much the warming effect of these clouds offsets the cooling that other clouds provide is not yet clear.

Coffee drinkers have lower risk of death, study suggests

Posted: 19 May 2012 04:14 AM PDT

Older adults who drank coffee -- caffeinated or decaffeinated -- had a lower risk of death overall than others who did not drink coffee, according a new study.

Weight in pregnancy best controlled by diet, study suggests

Posted: 18 May 2012 10:28 AM PDT

Pregnant women, including those who are obese or overweight, should be encouraged to minimize weight gain through diet, according to major new research.

Multipotent stromal stem cells from normally discarded human placental tissue demonstrate high therapeutic potential

Posted: 18 May 2012 10:22 AM PDT

Placental stem cells with important therapeutic properties can be harvested in large quantities from the fetal side of human term placentas (called the chorion). The chorion is a part of the afterbirth and is normally discarded after delivery, but it contains stem cells of fetal origin that appear to be pluripotent -- i.e., they can differentiate into different types of human cells, such as lung, liver, or brain cells. Since these functional placental stem cells can be isolated from either fresh or frozen term human placentas, this implies that if each individual's placenta is stored at birth instead of thrown away, these cells can be harvested in the future if therapeutic need arises. This potential represents a major breakthrough in the stem cell field.

With fat: What's good or bad for the heart, may be the same for the brain

Posted: 18 May 2012 05:13 AM PDT

According to new research, one "bad" fat -- saturated fat -- was found to be associated with worse overall cognitive function and memory in women over time. By contrast, a "good" fat -- mono-unsaturated fat was associated with better overall cognitive function and memory.

The Browser daily newsletter [19 May 2012]

The Browser daily newsletter [19 May 2012]
20 May 2012

 Best of the Moment

What Makes Countries Rich Or Poor?

Jared Diamond | NYRB | 17 May 2012

In "Why Nations Fail", Acemoglu and Robinson argue that institutions determine national prosperity. Not history and geography. Diamond reaches for a synthesis—that history and geography determine institutional formation Comments

The Power Of 'Once Upon A Time': A Story To Tame The Wild Things

Maria Konnikova | Literally Psyched | 8 May 2012

So many fairy tales start with "once upon a time". But why? The spatial and temporal distance, and the vagueness -- this is what lets us embed ourselves into scary, dangerous places and events, and enjoy the ride Comments

What Does It Mean To Say That Something Causes 16% Of Cancers?

Ed Yong | Not Exactly Rocket Science | 10 May 2012

Science and medical writers have to understand at least some basic statistics. Here is a clear explanation for one type of number that keeps popping up in the media, almost always misunderstood and misused Comments

Does Moral Theory Create Extremism?

Anonymous | Philosopher's Beard | 11 May 2012

"When we try to subsume the practical domain of morality into moral theory by clearly defining the principles that count and binding them together in certain fixed constellations, we excise a great deal of actual moral life" Comments

Hidden Epidemic: 
Tapeworms Living Inside People's Brains

Carl Zimmer | Discover | 15 May 2012

Yes, real tapeworms in real people's brains. And not as rare or distant as you may think. And yes, it's gross Comments

The Pleasures Of Being Read To

John Colapinto | New Yorker | 16 May 2012

On falling in love with audiobooks. "There are exquisite pleasures to be derived from hearing how a talented actor brings forth characters and stories—often in a way that points up one’s own inner-ear tone deafness to certain books" Comments

This Week's Top Stories


Hi David,

Hope you're having a great weekend :) As requested, these are this week's top stories from The Next Web:


The Next Web

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Top Stories from the last 24 hours


Hi David,

These are the top stories from The Next Web over the last 24 hours.

The Next Web

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