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Sunday, February 16, 2014

ScienceDaily: Living Well News

ScienceDaily: Living Well News


LGB individuals living in anti-gay communities die early, study shows

Posted: 15 Feb 2014 09:25 AM PST

In the first study to look at the consequences of anti-gay prejudice for mortality, researchers found that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals who lived in communities with high levels of anti-gay prejudice have a shorter life expectancy of 12 years on average compared with their peers in the least prejudiced communities.

Growing number of chemicals linked with brain disorders in children

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 05:39 PM PST

Toxic chemicals may be triggering the recent increases in neurodevelopmental disabilities among children -- such as autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and dyslexia.

Scientists chip away at mystery of what lives in our mouths

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 05:38 PM PST

Scientists have pieced together sections of DNA from 12 individual cells to sequence the genome of a bacterium known to live in healthy human mouths. With this new data, the researchers were able to reinforce a theory that genes in a closely related bacterium could be culprits in its ability to cause severe gum disease.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia can reduce health care utilization, costs

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 12:20 PM PST

A new study is the first to show decreases in health care utilization and costs following brief treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.

Another reason to not mix work, family: Money makes parenting less meaningful, study suggests

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 10:09 AM PST

Money and parenting don't mix. That's according to new research that suggests that merely thinking about money diminishes the meaning people derive from parenting. The study is one among a growing number that identifies when, why, and how parenthood is associated with happiness or misery.

What do women want? It depends on time of month

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 10:09 AM PST

A meta-analysis of research on changes in mate preferences across the menstrual cycle suggests that ovulating women have evolved to prefer mates who display sexy traits, such as a masculine body type, dominant behavior, certain body odors and masculine facial features, rather than traits that are generally desirable in a long-term mate.

Geographical passwords easier to remember

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 10:09 AM PST

It's much easier to remember a place you have visited than a long, complicated password, which is why s computer scientist is developing a system he calls geographical passwords.

New depression treatments reported

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 10:07 AM PST

New insights into the physiological causes of depression are leading to treatments beyond common antidepressants such as Prozac and Zoloft, according to an evidence-based report.

Even fact will not change first impressions

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 08:12 AM PST

Knowledge is power, yet new research suggests that a person's appearance alone can trump knowledge. First impressions are so powerful that they can override what we are told about people. A new study found that even when told whether a person was gay or straight, participants generally identified the person's sexual orientation based on how they looked -- even if it contradicted the facts presented to them.

Blacks, Hispanics, older people not benefitting equally from better colon cancer treatment

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 08:11 AM PST

While new and better treatments have improved the odds of survival for patients diagnosed late stage colorectal cancer, that progress has been largely confined to non-Hispanic whites and Asians and those under age 65.

Tinnitus study signals new advance in understanding link between exposure to loud sounds and hearing loss

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 06:21 AM PST

Research reveals why hearing loss is correlated with auditory signals failing to get transmitted along the auditory nerve.

New research reinforces danger of drinking alcohol while pregnant

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 04:54 AM PST

Women who drink alcohol at moderate or heavy levels in the early stages of their pregnancy might damage the growth and function of their placenta – the organ responsible for supplying everything that a developing infant needs until birth - research shows. Placentas studied in a laboratory environment showed that drinking alcohol at moderate (2/3 standard drinks) to high (4-6 standard drinks) rates reduced the cell growth in a woman's placenta.

Fathers drinking: Also responsible for fetal disorders?

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 04:54 AM PST

Maternal exposure to alcohol in-utero is a known risk and cause of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). FAS children suffer significant problems such as retarded intellect, stunted growth and nervous system abnormalities, social problems and isolation. Until now, fathers have not had a causal link to such disabilities. Ground breaking new research has been revealed which shows dads may have more accountability.

Breast cancer drug found in bodybuilding supplement

Posted: 13 Feb 2014 03:48 PM PST

Researchers have found the breast cancer drug tamoxifen in samples of a widely available bodybuilding dietary supplement.

Can-do plan gets women trimmer, healthier, cuts hot flashes

Posted: 13 Feb 2014 08:28 AM PST

A woman can beat middle-aged spread, her disease risks, and her hot flashes with the help of her healthcare provider. And even a short term program can spell success for women and fit into a busy provider's practice, shows a demonstration obesity-fighting and health risk reduction program detailed in an article just published.

High school students who experience 'job-shadow' opportunities in STEM environments more likely to consider a STEM career path

Posted: 13 Feb 2014 05:34 AM PST

Students exposed directly to work environments in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields are more likely to decide to follow paths that will lead to such careers, according to the findings of new research.

Doctors missing chance to diagnose COPD in up to 85 percent of cases, study finds

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 06:23 PM PST

A retrospective, 20-year study shows that in up to 85 percent of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the underlying disease was being overlooked.

Tobacco industry claims 'plain' packs won't work based on weak evidence

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 06:23 PM PST

Tobacco companies lack strong, relevant evidence to support their claims that standardized (plain) packaging of tobacco products in the UK won't work, finds research.

New target for psoriasis treatment discovered

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 11:46 AM PST

Researchers have identified a new gene (PIM1), which could be an effective target for innovative treatments and therapies for the human autoimmune disease, psoriasis.

Hollywood failing to keep up with rapidly increasing diversity, study warns

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:29 AM PST

At the most influential levels of the entertainment industry, minorities and women are represented at between one half and one twelfth the rate that would be expected given their proportion in the general population, according to a new study. The underrepresentation is especially noteworthy because the study found that diversity actually increases viewers and profits for studios and networks.

Male Pinterest users more interested in art than cars

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 08:28 AM PST

Male users of Pinterest pin more content about photography, art, design, and home decor than sports, technology and cars, says a new study by researchers.

Examination of clinical, policy implications of intimate partner violence

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 08:27 AM PST

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health concern for all, however women who experience IPV are more likely to sustain injury and report adverse health consequences. An expanding body of research suggests that experience of IPV is common in women veterans, particularly those who access Veterans Health Administration services.

ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

ScienceDaily: Top Environment News


NASA data find some hope for water in Aral Sea basin

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 11:35 AM PST

A new study using data from NASA satellite missions finds that, although the long-term water picture for the Aral Sea watershed in Central Asia remains bleak, short-term prospects are better than previously thought. Once the fourth largest inland sea in the world, the Aral Sea has lost 90 percent of its water volume over the last 50 years. Its watershed -- the enormous closed basin around the sea -- encompasses Uzbekistan and parts of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Superbright, fast X-rays image single layer of proteins

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 10:09 AM PST

In biology, a protein's shape is key to understanding how it causes disease or toxicity. Researchers who use X-rays to takes snapshots of proteins need a billion copies of the same protein stacked and packed into a neat crystal. Now, scientists using exceptionally bright and fast X-rays can take a picture that rivals conventional methods with a sheet of proteins just one protein molecule thick.

Geographic variation of human gut microbes tied to obesity

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 10:09 AM PST

Researchers know that obese people have a different balance of microbes in their guts: more Firmicutes, fewer Bacteroidetes. Now researchers have found that people living in northern latitudes have a greater proportion of the Firmicutes associated with obesity than do people living farther south, and a smaller proportion of Bacteroidetes. The implications are unclear, though microbes may evolve with people to better extract energy from food in colder climates.

Gene for dissected leaves: Lost gene leads to simple leaves

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 08:11 AM PST

Spinach looks nothing like parsley, and basil bears no resemblance to thyme. Each plant has a typical leaf shape that can differ even within the same family. The information about what shape leaves will be is stored in the DNA. According to researchers in Germany, the hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) has a particular gene to thank for its dissected leaves. This homeobox gene inhibits cell proliferation and growth between leaflets, allowing them to separate from each other. The thale cress Arabidopsis thaliana does not have this gene. Therefore, its leaves are not dissected, but simple and entire.

Screening wastewater biosolids for environmental contaminants: Antimicrobial products cause for concern

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 07:15 AM PST

Researchers describe a cost-effective method for screening chemicals found in wastewater biosolids used in fertilizer for potential environmental impact. They have used the test to show that triclosan, an antimicrobial agent currently under fire from environmentalists, has troubling concentrations in the environment, and they raise suspicions about three other commonly used antimicrobial products.

'Neighbor plants' determine insects' feeding choices

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 07:15 AM PST

Insects are choosier than you might think: whether or not they end up feeding on a particular plant depends on much more than just the species to which that plant belongs. The quality of the individual plant is an important factor as well. As is the variety of other plants growing around it. But what, ultimately, makes an insect choose one plant over another?

Grape seed promise in fight against bowel cancer

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 06:20 AM PST

Research has shown for the first time that grape seed can aid the effectiveness of chemotherapy in killing colon cancer cells as well as reducing the chemotherapy's side effects.

Arctic biodiversity under serious threat from climate change

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 04:55 AM PST

Climate change caused by human activities is by far the worst threat to biodiversity in the Arctic. Some of these changes are already visible. Unique and irreplaceable Arctic wildlife and landscapes are crucially at risk due to global warming caused by human activities according to a new report prepared by 253 scientists from 15 countries.

How gut bacteria communicates within our bodies, builds special relationship

Posted: 13 Feb 2014 09:23 AM PST

Communication is vital to any successful relationship. Researchers have discovered how the beneficial bacteria in our guts communicate with our own cells. This is a key step in understanding how our bodies maintain a close relationship with the population of gut bacteria that plays crucial roles in maintaining our health, fighting infection and digesting our food.

Protein switch dictates cellular fate: Stem cell or neuron

Posted: 13 Feb 2014 09:16 AM PST

Researchers have discovered that a well-known protein has a new function: It acts in a biological circuit to determine whether an immature neural cell remains in a stem-like state or proceeds to become a functional neuron.

Worm infections in developing countries: Veterinary drugs improve health of school children

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 03:36 PM PST

A new study reveals that the health of millions of children with worm infections could be improved thanks to a veterinary drug. The study represents a vital contribution in the fight against worm infections -- still largely neglected -- in developing countries.

Advanced techniques yield new insights into ribosome self-assembly

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:27 AM PST

Ribosomes, the cellular machines that build proteins, are themselves made up of dozens of proteins and a few looping strands of RNA. A new study offers new clues about how the ribosome, the master assembler of proteins, also assembles itself.

ScienceDaily: Top Science News

ScienceDaily: Top Science News


Growing number of chemicals linked with brain disorders in children

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 05:39 PM PST

Toxic chemicals may be triggering the recent increases in neurodevelopmental disabilities among children -- such as autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and dyslexia.

Another reason to not mix work, family: Money makes parenting less meaningful, study suggests

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 10:09 AM PST

Money and parenting don't mix. That's according to new research that suggests that merely thinking about money diminishes the meaning people derive from parenting. The study is one among a growing number that identifies when, why, and how parenthood is associated with happiness or misery.

Geographic variation of human gut microbes tied to obesity

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 10:09 AM PST

Researchers know that obese people have a different balance of microbes in their guts: more Firmicutes, fewer Bacteroidetes. Now researchers have found that people living in northern latitudes have a greater proportion of the Firmicutes associated with obesity than do people living farther south, and a smaller proportion of Bacteroidetes. The implications are unclear, though microbes may evolve with people to better extract energy from food in colder climates.

Brain's 'sweet spot' for love found in neurological patient

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 06:20 AM PST

A region deep inside the brain controls how quickly people make decisions about love, according to new research. The finding, made in an examination of a 48-year-old man who suffered a stroke, provides the first causal clinical evidence that an area of the brain called the anterior insula "plays an instrumental role in love," said neuroscientist Stephanie Cacioppo, lead author of the study.

Fathers drinking: Also responsible for fetal disorders?

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 04:54 AM PST

Maternal exposure to alcohol in-utero is a known risk and cause of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). FAS children suffer significant problems such as retarded intellect, stunted growth and nervous system abnormalities, social problems and isolation. Until now, fathers have not had a causal link to such disabilities. Ground breaking new research has been revealed which shows dads may have more accountability.

Elevated brain aluminium, early onset Alzheimer's disease in an individual occupationally exposed to aluminium

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 06:33 AM PST

Research has shown for the first time that an individual who was exposed to aluminium at work and died of Alzheimer's disease had high levels of aluminium in the brain. While aluminium is a known neurotoxin and occupational exposure to aluminium has been implicated in neurological disease, including Alzheimer's disease, this finding is believed to be the first record of a direct link between Alzheimer's disease and elevated brain aluminium following occupational exposure to the metal. 

Long distance signals protect brain from viral infections entering through nose

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 01:18 PM PST

The brain contains a defense system that prevents at least two unrelated viruses -- and possibly many more -- from invading the brain at large.

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News


LGB individuals living in anti-gay communities die early, study shows

Posted: 15 Feb 2014 09:25 AM PST

In the first study to look at the consequences of anti-gay prejudice for mortality, researchers found that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals who lived in communities with high levels of anti-gay prejudice have a shorter life expectancy of 12 years on average compared with their peers in the least prejudiced communities.

Responding to potential asteroid redirect mission targets

Posted: 15 Feb 2014 07:57 AM PST

One year ago, on Feb. 15, 2013, the world witnessed the dangers presented by near-Earth Objects (NEOs) when a relatively small asteroid entered Earth's atmosphere, exploding over Chelyabinsk, Russia, and releasing more energy than a large atomic bomb. Tracking near-Earth asteroids has been a significant endeavor for NASA and the broader astronomical community, which has discovered 10,713 known near-Earth objects to date. NASA is now pursuing new partnerships and collaborations in an Asteroid Grand Challenge to accelerate NASA's existing planetary defense work, which will help find all asteroid threats to human population and know what to do about them. In parallel, NASA is developing an Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) -- a first-ever mission to identify, capture and redirect an asteroid to a safe orbit of Earth's moon for future exploration by astronauts in the 2020s.

Growing number of chemicals linked with brain disorders in children

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 05:39 PM PST

Toxic chemicals may be triggering the recent increases in neurodevelopmental disabilities among children -- such as autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and dyslexia.

Scientists chip away at mystery of what lives in our mouths

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 05:38 PM PST

Scientists have pieced together sections of DNA from 12 individual cells to sequence the genome of a bacterium known to live in healthy human mouths. With this new data, the researchers were able to reinforce a theory that genes in a closely related bacterium could be culprits in its ability to cause severe gum disease.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia can reduce health care utilization, costs

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 12:20 PM PST

A new study is the first to show decreases in health care utilization and costs following brief treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.

Sleep apnea may contribute to fatigue in multiple sclerosis: Study

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 12:20 PM PST

A new study provides evidence that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and it suggests that OSA may be a contributor to the fatigue that is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of MS.

Another reason to not mix work, family: Money makes parenting less meaningful, study suggests

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 10:09 AM PST

Money and parenting don't mix. That's according to new research that suggests that merely thinking about money diminishes the meaning people derive from parenting. The study is one among a growing number that identifies when, why, and how parenthood is associated with happiness or misery.

What do women want? It depends on time of month

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 10:09 AM PST

A meta-analysis of research on changes in mate preferences across the menstrual cycle suggests that ovulating women have evolved to prefer mates who display sexy traits, such as a masculine body type, dominant behavior, certain body odors and masculine facial features, rather than traits that are generally desirable in a long-term mate.

New depression treatments reported

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 10:07 AM PST

New insights into the physiological causes of depression are leading to treatments beyond common antidepressants such as Prozac and Zoloft, according to an evidence-based report.

Rice seed treatments effective, worth investment: Study

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 10:07 AM PST

When every extra expense makes a difference in profitability, farmers often wonder which management decisions are worth the extra cost. Researchers studied rice seed treatments for effectiveness in managing crop pests.

Crab nebula of life: Extensive crab sequence dataset constructed

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 08:11 AM PST

Researchers have constructed the most complete and extensive crab sequence dataset to date. Their recalibrated crab gene tree using DNA and mitochondrial sequences from 140 species and 58 crab families provides some important new insights into the timing and diversity of crab evolution.

Blacks, Hispanics, older people not benefitting equally from better colon cancer treatment

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 08:11 AM PST

While new and better treatments have improved the odds of survival for patients diagnosed late stage colorectal cancer, that progress has been largely confined to non-Hispanic whites and Asians and those under age 65.

South African healthcare workers face greater risk for TB, HIV

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 08:11 AM PST

A large-scale survey of South African healthcare workers has revealed major gaps in workplace protection against tuberculosis, HIV and hepatitis.

Tinnitus study signals new advance in understanding link between exposure to loud sounds and hearing loss

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 06:21 AM PST

Research reveals why hearing loss is correlated with auditory signals failing to get transmitted along the auditory nerve.

Environmental impact of Ontario corn production assessed

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 04:55 AM PST

Researchers examined the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with corn production in Ontario.

New research reinforces danger of drinking alcohol while pregnant

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 04:54 AM PST

Women who drink alcohol at moderate or heavy levels in the early stages of their pregnancy might damage the growth and function of their placenta – the organ responsible for supplying everything that a developing infant needs until birth - research shows. Placentas studied in a laboratory environment showed that drinking alcohol at moderate (2/3 standard drinks) to high (4-6 standard drinks) rates reduced the cell growth in a woman's placenta.

Fathers drinking: Also responsible for fetal disorders?

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 04:54 AM PST

Maternal exposure to alcohol in-utero is a known risk and cause of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). FAS children suffer significant problems such as retarded intellect, stunted growth and nervous system abnormalities, social problems and isolation. Until now, fathers have not had a causal link to such disabilities. Ground breaking new research has been revealed which shows dads may have more accountability.

Brains have switch board to guide behavior in response to external stimuli

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 04:54 AM PST

How do our brains combine information from the external world (sensory stimulation) with information on our internal state such as hunger, fear or stress? Scientists demonstrate that the habenula, a specific part in our brain consisting of neural circuits, acts as a gate for sensory information, thus regulating behavior in response to external stimuli.

Breast cancer drug found in bodybuilding supplement

Posted: 13 Feb 2014 03:48 PM PST

Researchers have found the breast cancer drug tamoxifen in samples of a widely available bodybuilding dietary supplement.