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America’s preoccupation with the “word gap”— the idea that parents in impoverished homes speak less to their children, which, in turn, predicts outcomes like school achievement and income later in life—has skyrocketed in recent years, leading to a rise in educational initiatives aiming to narrow the achievement gap by teaching young children more words. In a forthcoming article titled “Listen Up! Speech Is for Thinking During Infancy,” to be published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences,

Higher alcohol taxes strongly protect against binge drinking, according to a new study by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researchers. The study, published in the journal Addiction, found that a one-percent increase in alcohol beverage prices from taxes was associated with a 1.4 percent decrease in the proportion of adults who binge drink. Most previous studies have examined the effect of taxes on average consumption, while the effect of taxes on high-level drinking

It’s been well established among doctors and researchers alike, that babies with lower birth weight have a greater risk of having high blood pressure later in life. However, a Michigan State University study is the first to suggest that the exercise habits of expecting moms can actually reverse this long-standing belief and possibly lower a child’s chances of high blood pressure, even though they may weigh less at birth. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is

Our parents teach us what is to eat. But this process begins well before the fight to get toddlers to eat their veggies. Not only do our parents give us the genes that define our taste receptors, research suggests that what women eat while pregnant and breastfeeding might also affect their child’s taste preferences later life. Back in the 1980s and 90s, researchers showed that the amniotic fluid (that surrounds the fetus while it grows)

i i Postdoctoral researcher Jennifer Foulke-Abel holds the gut-on-a-chip inside the lab at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Richard Harris/NPR hide caption itoggle caption Richard Harris/NPR Postdoctoral researcher Jennifer Foulke-Abel holds the gut-on-a-chip inside the lab at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Richard Harris/NPR Great balls of cells! Scientists are developing mock human organs that can fit in the palm of your hand. These organs-on-a-chip are designed to test drugs and help understand the basics

Crunches, balance boards, yoga for your core—you could devote your life to exercises that supposedly target your abs, yet still watch your waistline spread. So what’s the smartest approach for targeting this trouble spot? A new study suggests daily weight training. Harvard University researchers found that men who did 20 minutes of weight training a day packed on the least amount of belly fat, compared to men who did cardio workouts or steered clear of

In a perfect world, your boyfriend/husband/fiancé/hookup would have the Goldilocks of penises: not too big and not too small—juuuust right for you. But this is not a perfect world, and the truth is that size can sometimes be an issue. His penis and your vagina might not always match up perfectly. We checked in with gynecologist Lauren Streicher, M.D., author of Sex Rx: Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever, to find out if a

Science and mom agree—breakfast is no joke. After the night’s fast, your morning meal wakes up your metabolism and delivers the energy you need to head out into the world at your best. Eating a healthy breakfast belongs on the top of your New Years Resolution list. Bonus points: it’s highly delicious, and totally doable. Don’t Skip Not only does breakfast impart the energy you need to start your day, but it is also linked

For decades, physicians and public health officials worldwide have been thwarted by the malaria parasite’s ability to evolve resistance to the succession of drugs developed to treat it. But now University of Massachusetts Amherst microbiologist Stephen Rich and his research team report an effective and sustainable malaria intervention that shows great promise in laboratory models. Details appear this week in an early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The new

The common cold virus can reproduce itself more efficiently in the cooler temperatures found inside the nose than at core body temperature, according to a new Yale-led study. This finding may confirm the popular yet contested notion that people are more likely to catch a cold in cool-weather conditions. Researchers have long known that the most frequent cause of the common cold, the rhinovirus, replicates more readily in the slightly cooler environment of the nasal

(HealthDay)—Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use is associated with increased risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB), according to a meta-analysis published in the January issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Hai-Yin Jiang, from Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled observational studies to examine whether SSRI use impacts the risk of UGIB. Data were included for 22 studies (six cohort and 16 case-control) involving more than 1,073,000

(HealthDay)—The correlation between depression in fathers in the postnatal period and subsequent child behavior is mainly mediated by the family environment, according to a study published online Jan. 5 in Pediatrics. Leticia Gutierrez-Galve, Ph.D., from Imperial College London, and colleagues examined mediating and moderating factors that influence the correlation between parental depression in the postnatal period and subsequent child behavioral and emotional problems. Data were obtained from 13,822 participants in a population-based cohort, recruited during

(HealthDay)—Excision of the deep fascia does not improve the outcome of patients with cutaneous melanomas thicker than 2 millimeters, according to a study published in the December issue of the British Journal of Dermatology. Robert E. Hunger, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Bern in Switzerland, and colleagues retrospectively reviewed cases (1996 to 2012) of 213 patients (mean age, 62.6 years) with melanomas thicker than 2 millimeters who underwent excision with a 1-centimeter margin. Outcome

The 2014-15 flu season continues to be especially bad in the United States, with 43 states now reporting either high or widespread flu activity, according to the latest flu surveillance report released today. This year’s predominant flu strain, called H3N2, is partially to blame for the bad flu season, accounting for 95 percent of all cases reported, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This strain is associated with more severe illness and

(Reuters) – A Maryland school bus crashed into a car on Monday morning, sending 18 people to the hospital in a four-vehicle accident, school officials said. Sixteen high school students were traveling on a bus when it rear-ended a car about one mile away from Henry E. Lackey High School in Marbury, about 30 miles south of Washington, Charles County Public Schools spokeswoman Katie O’Malley-Simpson said. The collision caused two other car crashes, she said,

I never met my maternal grandfather?–?he passed away before I was born. He was a wise, kind man. A devout Christian who also encapsulated, beautifully, the concept of mindfulness?–?of living in the present?–?with the saying “Today is the best day.” My mother has often said this to her children. For her, as well as my sister and me, it has become a sort of mantra, something to aspire to, to live by. “Today is the

Cold Spring Harbor, NY – Most people have seen fMRI scans of the human brain. These use a technology called functional magnetic resonance imaging to identify portions of the brain that are active while a subject is being scanned. Fuzzy, ill-defined areas that “light up” on the scans indicate where neurons are active, based on magnetic changes in the blood that correlate with activated cells’ need for glucose, their energy supply. Such scans, while roughly

Women who have adequate levels of B vitamins in their bodies are more likely to get and stay pregnant even when they also have high levels of a common pesticide known to have detrimental reproductive effects, according to new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research. The findings, published in the December issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggest that B vitamins may have a protective effect that counteracts the levels of

IMAGE: This is the cover of Current Biology‘s Biology of Fun Special Issue. view more Credit: Current Biology 2015 Current Biology celebrates its 25th birthday with a special issue on January 5, 2015 on the biology of fun (and the fun of biology). In a collection of essays and review articles, the journal presents what we know about playfulness in dogs, dolphins, frogs, and octopuses. It provides insights on whether birds can have fun and how

IMAGE: On the research plant, modules were fitted onto a laboratory wall. view more Credit: UPV/EHU This news release is available in Spanish. Zaloa Azkorra, an agricultural engineer of the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country, is conducting research at the University School of Mining and Public Works Engineering into the benefits provided by green walls. The researcher has concluded that walls comprising plants offer great potential for absorbing noise and could be used as acoustic insulation.

(PHILADELPHIA) — Women who have breast cancer on their left side present a particular challenge to radiation oncologists. Studies have shown that the risk of heart disease is higher in this group of women after radiation treatment because it can be difficult to ensure that a sufficient dose of radiation is delivered to the left breast while adequately shielding the heart from exposure. New research shows a woman who holds her breath during radiation pulses

IMAGE: A new system developed at Oregon State University to improve cancer surgery uses a nanoparticle called a dendrimer to carry a drug into cancer cells, that can set the stage… view more Credit: (Graphic courtesy of Oregon State University) CORVALLIS, Ore. – Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a new way to selectively insert compounds into cancer cells – a system that will help surgeons identify malignant tissues and then, in combination with phototherapy,

Last Updated Jan 5, 2015 12:32 PM EST This year’s already worrisome flu season has taken a turn for the worse in recent days. The latest update issued Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows influenza is now widespread in 43 states — up from 36 states the previous week. Six children died of the flu last week, raising the total number of childhood fatalities for this year’s flu season to 21.

Publishing about the science behind global issues that affect us all in a format that can be read by all Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, today announced the launch of a new virtual journal: Atlas. Published as a virtual journal, Atlas selects already published research on topics that hold high societal relevance or address global issues, and summarizes and presents the science in a lay-friendly, story format

    Ten year study reveals reduction in alcohol consumption post 45        Wealthy, single and educated men drink more in later life         Health, relationship status, wealth and education major factors on alcohol consumption A decade long research project into the drinking habits of over 45s has found that rich, educated, single males are at greatest risk of failing to cut their drinking habits in later life. The ten

Outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as Ebola in West Africa, offer insight for how healthcare professionals can respond more effectively to current and future challenges, according to editors of the American Journal of Critical Care (AJCC). Editors-in-Chief Cindy Munro, RN, PhD, ANP, and Richard H. Savel, M.D., address “Viral Outbreaks in an Age of Global Citizenship” in their editorial for the January AJCC issue, reviewing recent outbreaks and reflecting on the frontline role of critical

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If you have taken a walk and would like to return home you need to have an idea of where you are in relation to your destination. To do this, you need to know which way you are facing and also in which direction home lies. This all seems fairly instinctive to humans and other animals, so how do we manage it? Our understanding of this surprisingly difficult question has just taken a step forward

A blood-typing test based on bioactive paper has enormous implications for use in the developing world and poor and remote regions. Inspired by the magical Harry Potter diary that absorbs ink and prints its own letters, Monash University researchers Professor Wei Shen and Professor Gil Garnier have invented a paper-based test that spells out a person’s blood type … in blood. The test uses bioactive paper, which can be stored in a variety of conditions,

Stroke has dropped from the nation’s fourth-leading cause of death to No. 5, according to new federal statistics. It is the second time since 2011 that stroke has dropped a spot in the mortality rankings. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Tuesday, stroke swapped positions with unintentional injuries, which killed 1,579 more people than stroke in 2013. “The fact that the death rate is declining from this terrible and devastating

December 31, 2014 marks the 500th anniversary of the birth of one of the most important figures in the history of medicine. He authored one of the most elegant and influential books in scientific history. His investigations revolutionized our understanding of the interior of the human body and the methods physicians use to study and teach about it, reverberating throughout medicine down to the present day. His name was Andreas Vesalius. He was born into

(Medical )—A pair of researchers, Alan Yu of the University of Chicago who is a linguist and Daniel Chen who studies legal theory at ETH Zurich in Switzerland has found, via a study they conducted, that lawyers with higher, less masculine voices, tend to have a better chance of winning a case presented to the U.S. Supreme Court than do those with deeper voices. The two will be presenting their findings to attendees at this

International Journal of Mental Health Systems 2015, 9:3 doi:10.1186/1752-4458-9-3 Published: 5 January 2015

Molecular Cancer 2015, 14:1 doi:10.1186/1476-4598-14-1 Published: 5 January 2015

Research Rossana Domenis, Lara Lazzaro, Sarah Calabrese, Damiano Mangoni, Annarita Gallelli, Evgenia Bourkoula, Ivana Manini, Natascha Bergamin, Barbara Toffoletto, Carlo A Beltrami, Antonio P Beltrami, Daniela Cesselli and Pier Camillo Parodi Stem Cell Research Therapy 2015, 6:2 doi:10.1186/scrt536 Published: 5 January 2015 Abstract (provisional) Introduction Autologous fat grafting is commonly used to correct soft-tissue contour deformities. However, results are impaired by a variable and unpredictable resorption rate. Autologous adipose-derived stromal cells in combination with lipoinjection (cell-assisted

Nobody ever said feet were supposed to smell like Chanel No. 5. And even the most well groomed tootsies are going to be a little reekish after they’ve been stuffed in a pair of leather boots all day. But if you catch a whiff of something foul each time you unlace your kicks, then we need to warn you: What you’re smelling is the presence of an overgrowth of bacteria or fungus on your feet. Time to figure out what’s

This article was written by Philip Picardi and repurposed with permission from Refinery29. Perhaps the cruelest reality of holiday dressing is that you’re constantly finding yourself in a skirt—in the dead of winter. This is less than desirable for many reasons, especially when pesky red bumps and dry skin come into play. But you don’t want to hide behind tights for every party, either.  Nobody understands this conundrum better than makeup artists and self-tanners. We called

Jopari Solutions, Inc.

Sirnaomics, Inc. (www.sirnaomics.com) and its affiliate Suzhou Sirnaomics Pharmaceutics, Co. Ltd., (www.suzhou.sirnaomics.com), together with its partner Guangzhou Xiangxue Pharmaceutical, Co. Ltd., (SZSE: 300147), have formally submitted an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application to the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) for STP705, an anti-fibrosis RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic for prevention and treatment of human skin hypertrophic scars. STP705 consists of two small interfering RNA (siRNA) sequences (targeting two genes critically involved in fibrogenesis) packaged in

People who suffer breathing and heart rate abnormalities, called obstructive sleep apnea, are likely to develop diabetes, and the risk increases if they have a hereditary proclivity. Sleep apnea is a disorder in which the airways become blocked and cause interruptions consecutive to inhaling for several seconds, usually the tongue prevents the passage of air and is needed to snore to wake up and breathe again; however, this does not mean that all the people

Anyone who has worn a cast knows that rebuilding muscle strength once the cast is removed can be difficult. Now researchers at the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI) at Ohio University have found that the mind is critical in maintaining muscle strength following a prolonged period of immobilization and that mental imagery may be key in reducing the associated muscle loss. Strength is controlled by a number of factors—the most studied by far is

(Medical )—A University of Manchester scientist has discovered that very small changes in the level of acidity in blood may have a detrimental impact on the health of patients with kidney disease. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is common in the UK. It is estimated that about one in five men and one in four women between the ages of 65 and 74 has some degree of CKD. The leading single cause of CKD is diabetes

Think of someone you admire — a talented artist or scientist, entrepreneur or adventurer. Do you know what their great regret in life is? What advice would they share about parenting, or aging, or finding fulfillment? What book has had the greatest impact on their life? Chances are you don’t know. Which is why we’ve created Sophia, a project to collect life lessons from fascinating people. Here’s how it works. We’re conducting hundreds of long-form

TxCell SA (FR0010127662 – TXCL), a biotechnology company developing innovative, cost-effective, personalized T cell immunotherapies using antigen specific regulatory T-cells (Ag-Tregs) for severe chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, announces today a further enhancement to the development of its lead product Ovasave(R) for the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The collaboration, option, development and license agreement between TxCell and Ferring International Center SA (Ferring) has been assigned to Trizell

The menstrual cycle appears to have an effect on nicotine cravings, according to a new study by Adrianna Mendrek of the University of Montreal and its affiliated Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal. “Our data reveal that incontrollable urges to smoke are stronger at the beginning of the follicular phase that begins after menstruation. Hormonal decreases of oestrogen and progesterone possibly deepen the withdrawal syndrome and increase activity of neural circuits associated with craving,”

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The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug that may be help some of the millions of Americans resolving to lose weight this year. The daily injectable drug, liraglutide, is part of a new class of diabetes medicines that prompt the pancreas to make extra insulin after meals. Novo Nordisk first got approval to sell liraglutide five years ago as a diabetes therapy, brand name Victoza. The new, higher-dose prescription product, Saxenda, is specifically

Sometimes, it can feel like the only thing Pinterest is good for is helping you waste a colossal amount of time. But if you know what to pin, the social network can also help you drop a size. Here, 10 infographics that definitely deserve a spot on your “Skinny Jeans, Here I Come!” board. If you want extra info on any of them, just click the chart to go to a story with more details.

Guys mastered the art of the hand job back before they ever had their first girlfriend. So as it turns out, they critique women’s attempts pretty, well, hard. We asked nine guys what they really think of hand jobs—and what they had to say was surprising, funny, and an oddly helpful lesson in anatomy. For the sake of your worn-out wrist (and love of all things hilarious!), you have to read their responses. “A hand

It’s basically written in the mother-daughter code that you won’t always love your mom’s look. Maybe it’s her obsession with kitten sweatshirts, her dated ‘do, or her “pilgrim Addams family outfits,” like Kim Kardashian recently labeled Kris Jenner’s style. Or maybe it’s just her propensity for preppy sweater sets, pearls, and khakis. Whatever it is, you’re occasionally going to decide that her style needs a serious upgrade. Unfortunately, actually making over your mom is a

Children who have access to tablets or smartphones in their bedrooms get less sleep than children who do not have the devices with them at night, a US study said Monday. The findings in the January 5 edition of the journal Pediatrics show that having a so-called “small screen” within reach was slightly worse than a television set when it came to sleep deprivation in a group of 2,000 middle school kids. Overall, those with

China has abolished price controls on tobacco leaf, the last agricultural product to have limits, the country’s top economic planner said as authorities seek to give the market a greater economic role. But tobacco leaf prices are only a small factor in the cost of cigarettes—a state monopoly in China—so the move is unlikely to have a significant effect on smokers. China is the world’s biggest cigarette market and government efforts to curb smoking have

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Advocates of workplace wellness initiatives are hoping 2015 will be the year that standup desks, historically favored by great minds from Leonardo da Vinci to Virginia Woolf, will reconfigure the modern cubicle. Some 50 to 70 percent of people spend six or more hours each day sitting, according to a 2012 study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Fitness experts say office workers are particularly susceptible to what has

NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A city in central India has elected the country’s first transgender mayor, nine months after a court ruled that transgender be recognized as a legal third gender, local media reported. Madhu Kinnar, 35, won the mayoral election in Raigarh in the mineral-rich state of Chhattisgarh on Sunday, beating her opponent from the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by more than 4,500 votes, the Press Trust of India reported in

Archives of Public Health 2015, 73:1 doi:10.1186/2049-3258-73-1 Published: 5 January 2015

/ no comments President Obama in September set a formidable goal for American industry and agriculture — reduce greenhouse gases by a quarter in 10 years. But several states are ahead of the game.

i i U.S. soldiers at Long Binh base in South Vietnam line up to give urine samples at a heroin detection center before departing for the United States. About 20 percent of soldiers said they were addicts, but most didn’t continue drug use back home. AP hide caption itoggle caption AP U.S. soldiers at Long Binh base in South Vietnam line up to give urine samples at a heroin detection center before departing for the

The Food and Drug Administration approved 41 first-of-a-kind drugs in 2014, including a record number of medicines for rare diseases, pushing the agency’s annual tally of drug approvals to its highest level in 18 years. FDA drug approvals are considered a barometer of industry innovation and the federal government’s efficiency in reviewing new therapies. Last year’s total was the most since the all-time high of 53 drugs approved in 1996. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The 2014 approval

Prospects of developing computing and communication technologies based on quantum properties of light and matter may have taken a major step forward thanks to research by City College of New York physicists led by Dr. Vinod Menon. In a pioneering study, Professor Menon and his team were able to discover half-light, half-matter particles in atomically thin semiconductors (thickness ~ a millionth of a single sheet of paper) consisting of two-dimensional (2D) layer of molybdenum and

TOKYO (Reuters) – Fukushima rice passed Japan’s radiation checks for the first time since the 2011 nuclear disaster that prompted international alarm over the region’s produce, a prefectural official said. Fukushima official Tsuneaki Oonami said about 360,000 tonnes of rice, nearly all of last year’s harvest, had been checked and none had tested above the 100 becquerels per kilogram limit set by the government. “The fact that the amount of rice that does not pass

OMAHA, Neb. –  An American health care worker who experienced high-risk exposure to the Ebola virus while working in Sierra Leone arrived at a Nebraska hospital Sunday for observation. The patient landed in Omaha on Sunday afternoon. Paramedics wearing full-body protective gear drove the patient to the Nebraska Medical Center, which has a specialized biocontainment unit. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Dr. Phil Smith, who leads the unit, said the patient is neither ill nor contagious. He said

The menstrual cycle appears to have an effect on nicotine cravings, according to a new study by Adrianna Mendrek of the University of Montreal and its affiliated Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal. “Our data reveal that incontrollable urges to smoke are stronger at the beginning of the follicular phase that begins after menstruation. Hormonal decreases of oestrogen and progesterone possibly deepen the withdrawal syndrome and increase activity of neural circuits associated with craving,”

By Kevin Murphy (Reuters) – An American health care worker possibly exposed to the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone arrived at a hospital in Omaha on Sunday for evaluation and any necessary treatment, an official said. The patient was taken by ambulance from the Omaha airport to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where three other patients were treated last year, said Taylor Wilson, hospital spokesman. Wilson would not disclose the age or gender of

Ann Arbor, MI, January 5, 2015 — Night shift work has been consistently associated with higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer. In 2007 the World Health Organization classified night shift work as a probable carcinogen due to circadian disruption. In a study in the current issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers found that women working rotating night shifts for five or more years appeared to have a modest increase in

IMAGE: A ‘mouse barn’ such as the one shown here at the University of Utah is the heart of a new, sensitive toxicity test that allows house-type mice to compete in… view more Credit: Douglas Cornwall, University of Utah SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 5, 2015 – When University of Utah biologists fed mice sugar in doses proportional to what many people eat, the fructose-glucose mixture found in high-fructose corn syrup was more toxic than sucrose or

Research Marja Bosaeus, Aysha Hussain, Therese Karlsson, Louise Andersson, Lena Hulthén, Cecilia Svelander, Ann-Sofie Sandberg, Ingrid Larsson, Lars Ellegård and Agneta Holmäng Nutrition Journal 2015, 14:1 doi:10.1186/1475-2891-14-1 Published: 2 January 2015 Abstract (provisional) Background Fish and meat intake may affect gestational weight gain, body composition and serum fatty acids. We aimed to determine whether a longitudinal dietary intervention during pregnancy could increase fish intake, affect serum phospholipid fatty acids, gestational weight gain and body composition changes

Joe Cocker, the Sheffield singer who died on December 22, will always be remembered as one of the most searing, unforgettable voices of the past forty years. Ten of his best songs can be found here. “Mad dog” Cocker embodied the quintessential hard-living rock star lifestyle: he drank and smoked hard and “dived in head first” with drugs for decades. Public grief about sudden or early celebrity deaths can see public hunger for information about

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Early use of available heart failure drugs slows the progressive decline in heart function before symptoms are apparent in boys and young men with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), according to a new study published online by The Lancet Neurology. Dr. Subha Raman, a cardiologist and professor at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, led a team of DMD experts at multiple sites in a clinical trial that tested the combination of

December 29, 2014 – Recovery of blinking function is a critical but easily overlooked outcome after facial transplantation, according to a report in the January issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). In their study, ASPS member surgeon Eduardo DeJesus Rodriguez, MD, DDS, and colleagues highlight the need for careful surgical planning and technique to achieve optimal voluntary and reflex blinking–essential to protect long-term