ScienceDaily: Living Well News

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• Rural microbes could boost city dwellers' health, study finds
• Cyber buddy is better than 'no buddy'
• Pollutants from coal-burning stoves strongly associated with miscarriages in Mongolia
• Sugar-sweetened beverages contribute to U.S. obesity epidemic, particularly among children
• In lab tests, the antimicrobial ingredient triclosan spurs growth of breast cancer cells
• Legalizing medical marijuana doesn't increase use among adolescents, study says
• Male-biased tweeting: Gender differences in the use of Twitter
• Physical activity keeps hippocampus healthy in people at risk for Alzheimer's disease
• High-calorie, low-nutrient foods in kids' TV programs
• ADHD drug may help preserve self-control resources
• Picture books aren't just fun: Children learn sophisticated animal facts when parent read them
• 2.5 million basketball injuries to high school athletes in 6 seasons, research finds
• Researchers compare hip width and sexual behavior
• Inverse effects of midlife occupational, leisure time physical activity on mobility limitation in old age
• Biting vs. chewing: Cutting their food helps kids behave better
• Risk of pregnancy greater with newer method of female sterilization
• Impact of Facebook unfriending analyzed by researchers
• Coming up with explanations helps children develop cause-and-effect thinking skills
• More than two-thirds of Americans support mandated coverage of birth control in health plans
• Stink, stank, stunk: When excessive sweating is a problem
• Single motherhood does not make women unhappy, study reports
• Sleep behavior disorder linked to brain disease
• Sleeping away infection: Researchers find link between sleep, immune function in fruitflies
• LEDs get seal of approval: Safe for skin, experts say

Rural microbes could boost city dwellers' health, study finds Posted: 23 Apr 2014 02:09 PM PDT The greater prevalence of asthma, allergies and other chronic inflammatory disorders among people of lower socioeconomic status might be due in part to their reduced exposure to the microbes that thrive in rural environments, according to a new scientific paper.

Cyber buddy is better than 'no buddy' Posted: 23 Apr 2014 12:10 PM PDT A researcher is looking to give exercise enthusiasts the extra nudge they need during a workout, and her latest research shows that a cyber buddy can help. The study is the first to indicate that although a human partner is still a better motivator during exercise, a software-generated partner also can be effective.

Pollutants from coal-burning stoves strongly associated with miscarriages in Mongolia Posted: 23 Apr 2014 11:28 AM PDT Burning coal for domestic heating may contribute to early fetal death according to a new study that took place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia -- the coldest capital city in the world. Researchers report "alarmingly strong statistical correlations" between seasonal ambient air pollutants and pregnancy loss.

Sugar-sweetened beverages contribute to U.S. obesity epidemic, particularly among children Posted: 23 Apr 2014 10:24 AM PDT In response to the ongoing policy discussions on the role of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) on weight and health, The Obesity Society (TOS) concludes that SSBs contribute to the United States' obesity epidemic, particularly among children. Based on an in-depth analysis of the current research, TOS's position statement provides several recommendations for improving health, including that children minimize their consumption of SSBs.

In lab tests, the antimicrobial ingredient triclosan spurs growth of breast cancer cells Posted: 23 Apr 2014 07:27 AM PDT Some manufacturers are turning away from using triclosan as an antimicrobial ingredient in soaps, toothpastes and other products over health concerns. And now scientists are reporting new evidence that appears to support these worries. Their study found that triclosan, as well as another commercial substance called octylphenol, promoted the growth of human breast cancer cells in lab dishes and breast cancer tumors in mice.

Legalizing medical marijuana doesn't increase use among adolescents, study says Posted: 23 Apr 2014 07:27 AM PDT Parents and physicians concerned about an increase in adolescents' marijuana use following the legalization of medical marijuana can breathe a sigh of relief. According to a new study that compared 20 years worth of data from states with and without medical marijuana laws, legalizing the drug did not lead to increased use among adolescents.

Male-biased tweeting: Gender differences in the use of Twitter Posted: 23 Apr 2014 07:27 AM PDT Today women take an active part in public life. Without a doubt, they also converse with other women. In fact, they even talk to each other about other things besides men. As banal as it sounds, this is far from being the norm in Hollywood movies. The same goes for Twitter, as a new study shows.

Physical activity keeps hippocampus healthy in people at risk for Alzheimer's disease Posted: 23 Apr 2014 07:27 AM PDT Moderate physical activity may preserve the hippocampus -- the brain region responsible for memory and spatial orientation that is attacked first in Alzheimer's disease, a study of older adults at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease shows. It is the first evidence that physical activity may protect against cognitive decline and the onset of dementia symptoms in those who carry the genetic marker for Alzheimer's.

High-calorie, low-nutrient foods in kids' TV programs Posted: 23 Apr 2014 07:26 AM PDT Fruits and vegetables are often displayed in the popular Swedish children's TV show Bolibompa, but there are also plenty of high-sugar foods. A new study explores how food is portrayed in children's TV programs, as well as the link between young children's TV viewing, dietary habits and weight status.

ADHD drug may help preserve self-control resources Posted: 23 Apr 2014 07:21 AM PDT Methylphenidate, also known as Ritalin, may prevent the depletion of self-control, according to research. Self-control can be difficult -- sticking with a diet or trying to focus attention on a boring textbook are hard things to do. Considerable research suggests one potential explanation for this difficulty: Exerting self-control for a long period seems to "deplete" our ability to exert self-control effectively on subsequent tasks.

Picture books aren't just fun: Children learn sophisticated animal facts when parent read them Posted: 23 Apr 2014 07:18 AM PDT Children hear as much sophisticated information about animals when parents read picture book stories about animals as when they read flashcard-type animal vocabulary books, according to a new study. "Children do learn a lot when parents read books with them and many parents read to their children several times each week," said one researcher. "So, conducting studies using picture books and storybooks has important implications for understanding how children really learn in their daily lives."

2.5 million basketball injuries to high school athletes in 6 seasons, research finds Posted: 23 Apr 2014 07:18 AM PDT The first study to compare and describe the occurrence and distribution patterns of basketball-related injuries treated in emergency departments and the high school athletic training setting among adolescents and teens has been conducted. The study found that in general, injuries that are more easily diagnosed and treated, such as sprains/strains, were more likely to be treated onsite by an athletic trainer while more serious injuries, such as fractures, that require more extensive diagnostic and treatment procedures were more commonly treated in an ED.

Researchers compare hip width and sexual behavior Posted: 23 Apr 2014 07:17 AM PDT Hip width and risk of birth-related trauma may play a role in a woman's decision to have sex. Women who were more inclined to have one-night stands had wider hips, reveals a study into how a woman's build influences her sexual behavior. Results of the study show that the number of sexual partners a woman had is largely driven by one-night stand behavior. This, in turn, correlates with a woman's hip width and not waist-to-hip ratio. Overall, women in this study with hips wider than 14.2 inches had more sexual partners and more one-night stands than women with hips under 12.2 inches wide.

Inverse effects of midlife occupational, leisure time physical activity on mobility limitation in old age Posted: 23 Apr 2014 07:17 AM PDT Strenuous occupational physical activity in midlife increases the risk of mobility limitation in old age, whereas leisure-time physical activity decreases the risk. This is found in a study that followed up 5,200 public sector employees for 28 years. It states that heavy physical labor is often repetitive, wears the body and lasts for several hours a day. On the contrast, leisure-time physical activity is designed to improve fitness and provide recreation and a typical exercise session lasts for one or two hours. Even though both are based on muscle activity and result in energy expenditure, their long-term consequences are different.

Biting vs. chewing: Cutting their food helps kids behave better Posted: 22 Apr 2014 05:23 PM PDT There's a new secret to get your child to behave at the dinner table -- cut up their food! This new study found that when 6- to 10-year-old children ate food that they had to bite with their front teeth, chicken on the bone, they were rowdier than when the food had been cut into bite-sized pieces.

Risk of pregnancy greater with newer method of female sterilization Posted: 22 Apr 2014 12:28 PM PDT The risk of pregnancy among women using a newer method of planned sterilization called hysteroscopic sterilization is more than 10 times greater over a 10-year period than using the more commonly performed laparoscopic sterilization, a study has found. Hysteroscopic sterilization is a multi-step process that requires women to have a procedure to place coils inside the opening of the Fallopian tubes, use another method of contraception for three months after the procedure, and then have a special X-ray test in which dye is pushed into the uterus to confirm whether the tubes are blocked.

Impact of Facebook unfriending analyzed by researchers Posted: 22 Apr 2014 10:09 AM PDT Two studies are shedding new light on the most common type of 'friend' to be unfriended on Facebook and their emotional responses to it. The studies show that the most likely person to be unfriended is a high school acquaintance. Both studies were based on a survey of 1,077 people conducted on Twitter.

Coming up with explanations helps children develop cause-and-effect thinking skills Posted: 22 Apr 2014 10:08 AM PDT Children learn more effectively when they are asked to explain and explore, new research shows. The study shows that young children who come up with explanations while learning are able to connect new ideas with prior cause-and-effect knowledge. By forming their own generalizations, learners can more efficiently understand novel information.

More than two-thirds of Americans support mandated coverage of birth control in health plans Posted: 22 Apr 2014 09:09 AM PDT Nearly 7 in 10 Americans support mandated coverage of birth control medications, according to a new American national survey. Women, blacks, Hispanics, parents with children under the age of 18 at home, and adults with private or public insurance were significantly more likely than other adults to support universal coverage of birth control medications, according to the findings.

Stink, stank, stunk: When excessive sweating is a problem Posted: 22 Apr 2014 08:32 AM PDT Sweating is a natural function of the body to cool it down during physical exertion or from a warm environment or to even help cope with emotional situations. However, some people have overactive glands and produce sweat excessively, a medical condition called hyperhidrosis. A dermatologist offers tips to deal with the condition.

Single motherhood does not make women unhappy, study reports Posted: 22 Apr 2014 05:47 AM PDT Raising a child outside of marriage poses many challenges – but does not have a negative impact on women's happiness, according to new research. All in all, we found no evidence to support the assumption that the lives of women who became single mothers would have turned out better if they had not given birth and had not decided to raise on their own," concludes one researcher.

Sleep behavior disorder linked to brain disease Posted: 22 Apr 2014 05:45 AM PDT A sleep disorder that causes people to act out their dreams is the best current predictor of brain diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, research suggests. In this disorder, the disturbance occurs during the rapid-eye-movement (REM) stage of sleep and causes people to act out their dreams, often resulting in injury to themselves and/or bed partner. In healthy brains, muscles are temporarily paralyzed during sleep to prevent this from happening.

Sleeping away infection: Researchers find link between sleep, immune function in fruitflies Posted: 21 Apr 2014 06:13 PM PDT When we get sick it feels natural to try to hasten our recovery by getting some extra shuteye. Researchers found that this response has a definite purpose, in fruitflies: enhancing immune system response and recovery to infection. "These studies provide new evidence of the direct and functional effects of sleep on immune response and of the underlying mechanisms at work. The take-home message from these papers is that when you get sick, you should sleep as much as you can -- we now have the data that supports this idea," researchers conclude.

LEDs get seal of approval: Safe for skin, experts say Posted: 21 Apr 2014 01:41 PM PDT There was a time when no one thought about light bulbs -- one blew, you screwed another one in. Nowadays, it's more complicated, as energy efficiency concerns have given rise to a slew of options, including incandescent, compact fluorescent lights, and light emitting diodes. LEDs are the most expensive option, but they are also the most energy efficient, are getting more cost-efficient, and they are growing in popularity. With this increasing acceptance, concerns have arisen about long- or short-term direct skin exposure.

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