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• Measuring waist circumference would improve detection of children, adolescents with cardiometabolic risk
• Study shows value of HRQOL assessment in small cell lung cancer
• Parenting plays key role when African-American boys move from preschool to kindergarten
• Research could bring new devices that control heat flow
• Don't judge older drivers by age
• Price highlighting helps consumers stick to longer-term product preferences
• Effective control of invasive weeds can help attempts at reforestation in Panama
• Labeling obesity as a disease may have psychological costs
• New studies needed to predict how marine organisms may adapt to the future's acidic oceans
• Flexible, transparent conductor created: Discovery brings bendable cell phone, foldable flat-screen TV closer to reality
• Computing with silicon neurons: Scientists use artificial nerve cells to classify different types of data
• Microwires as mobile phone sensors
• Impact of deep-sea fishery for Greenland halibut
• New operating principle of potassium channels discovered
• Active supermassive black holes revealed in merging galaxies
• Availability of transcatheter repair of aortic stenosis benefits patients
• Long-term survival possible for pediatric heart transplant patients
• Exhaled breath may help identify early lung cancer
• Study analyzes content of nightmares, bad dreams
• Converting adult human cells to hair follicle-generating stem cells
• Asian ozone pollution in Hawaii is tied to climate variability
• Gossip, ostracism may have hidden group benefits
• New, unusually large virus kills anthrax agent
• Natural plant compound prevents Alzheimer's disease in mice
• Plague or Black Death could re-emerge: Cause of one of the most devastating pandemics in human history revealed
• Belief in immortality hard-wired? Study examines development of children's 'prelife' reasoning
• Critical protein discovered for healthy cell growth in mammals
• Quest for better superconducting materials
• DNA-built nanostructures safely target, image cancer tumors
• Health care savings: Reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions
• Crowdsourced RNA designs outperform computer algorithms
• New method rescues DNA from contaminated Neandertal bones
• Taking vitamin D2 is a poor choice for athletes, research shows
• Exercise may be best medicine to treat post-concussion syndrome
• First ever implantation of new device for thoracic aneurysm performed in Michigan
• River of hydrogen flowing through space observed
• New hope for Gaucher patients with brain pathology
• Yoga can lower fatigue, inflammation in breast cancer survivors
• DDT pesticide exposure linked to Alzheimer's disease, study shows
• Traumatic spinal cord injuries on the rise in U.S.
• Bluebirds struggle to find happiness on island paradise
• Study casts doubt on theory that retired NFL players suffer CTE
• Promising class of antibiotics discovered for treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis
• Low vitamin D levels during pregnancy may increase risk of severe preeclampsia
• Choosing Wisely: Politics, economics of labeling low-value services
• Scientists find genetic mechanism linking aging to specific diets
• Graphene-like material made of boron a possibility, experiments suggest
• Study identifies high level of 'food insecurity' among college students
• HIV medications dialogue differs by race, ethnicity
• Successful regeneration of human skeletal muscle in mice
• New brain-scanning technique shows when and where the brain processes visual information
• Solving a 30-year-old problem in massive star formation
• Quality of white matter in the brain is crucial for adding and multiplying (but not subracting and dividing)
• Nipping diabetes in the blood
• Researchers shed new light on double-lung transplants
• Permanent changes in brain genes may not be so permanent after all
• Facelift complications eased with help of new 3-D imaging technique
• Sticks and stones: Using curriculum to stop bullying
• Study helps researchers better estimate citrus crop yields
• Put a plastic bag in your tank: Converting polyethylene waste into liquid fuel

Measuring waist circumference would improve detection of children, adolescents with cardiometabolic risk Posted: 28 Jan 2014 08:33 AM PST A study concludes that including waist circumference measurements in clinical practice, together with the traditional height and weight measurements, would make it easier to detect children and adolescents with cardiometabolic risk. This study is the first of its kind in Spain on abdominal obesity in children and adolescents, one of the most important risk factors associated to this disorder, which has increased in recent years.

Study shows value of HRQOL assessment in small cell lung cancer Posted: 28 Jan 2014 08:33 AM PST A new study found that health-related quality of life assessment in small-cell lung cancer randomized clinical trials provides relevant added information in studies where the treatment arms do not differ in terms of efficacy. It provides valuable information for those treatments where better health-related quality of life is associated with overall survival benefit. The study also found that even though the overall standard for reporting health-related quality of life was acceptable, there is still need for improvement regarding reporting in randomized clinical trials to optimize value.

Parenting plays key role when African-American boys move from preschool to kindergarten Posted: 28 Jan 2014 08:33 AM PST With implications for all children, a new study has found that parenting affects the academic and social performance of African-American boys as they move from preschool to kindergarten. In fact, parent-child interactions influence whether or not a high-achieving African American boy stays on course.

Research could bring new devices that control heat flow Posted: 28 Jan 2014 08:33 AM PST Researchers are proposing a new technology that might control the flow of heat the way electronic devices control electrical current, an advance that could have applications in a diverse range of fields from electronics to textiles.

Don't judge older drivers by age Posted: 28 Jan 2014 07:35 AM PST Encouraging older drivers to self-regulate their driving, rather than revoking their license based on age, has the potential to improve their safety and maintain their independence, a study has found.

Price highlighting helps consumers stick to longer-term product preferences Posted: 28 Jan 2014 07:35 AM PST Just when that new gym membership is looking like a mistake, recent marketing research shows that reminding consumers of the price strengthens their purchase choices and leads to long-term satisfaction. The research says that even though most people value higher functionality over the long-term, they tend to prefer no-hassle convenience in the short-run.

Effective control of invasive weeds can help attempts at reforestation in Panama Posted: 28 Jan 2014 07:35 AM PST Attempts to replant cleared areas of rainforest are hindered in central Panama due to the overgrown grass areas. Scientists from Australia and Panama, look into the reproductive biology of Saccharum spontaneum a weed that produces most of this biomass, to find methods for more successful control.

Labeling obesity as a disease may have psychological costs Posted: 28 Jan 2014 07:35 AM PST Messages that describe obesity as a disease may undermine healthy behaviors and beliefs among obese individuals, according to a new study. The findings show that obese individuals exposed to such messages placed less importance on health-focused dieting and reported less concern about weight. These beliefs, in turn, predicted unhealthier food choices.

New studies needed to predict how marine organisms may adapt to the future's acidic oceans Posted: 28 Jan 2014 06:47 AM PST The world's oceans are becoming more acidic, changing in a way that hasn't happened for millions of years. But will marine organisms from tiny coccolithophores to king crabs change along with the waters?

Flexible, transparent conductor created: Discovery brings bendable cell phone, foldable flat-screen TV closer to reality Posted: 28 Jan 2014 06:47 AM PST Researchers have developed a new stretchable and transparent electrical conductor, bringing the potential for a fully foldable cell phone or a flat-screen television that can be folded and carried under your arm closer to reality.

Computing with silicon neurons: Scientists use artificial nerve cells to classify different types of data Posted: 28 Jan 2014 06:45 AM PST Scientists in Germany are using artificial nerve cells to classify different types of data. These silicon 'neurons' could recognize handwritten numbers, or distinguish plant species based on their flowers.

Microwires as mobile phone sensors Posted: 28 Jan 2014 06:45 AM PST A new study is making progress in furthering understanding of the surface magnetic behavior of glass-coated microwires and has concluded that they are the major candidates for use as high sensitivity sensors, in mobile phones, for example.

Impact of deep-sea fishery for Greenland halibut Posted: 28 Jan 2014 06:45 AM PST Since the late 1980s, a deep-sea fishery for Greenland halibut Reinhardtius hippoglossoides has been developing gradually in West Greenland. Deep-sea fish species are generally long-lived and characterized by late age of maturity, low fecundity, and slow growth, features that probably cause low resilience following overexploitation.

New operating principle of potassium channels discovered Posted: 28 Jan 2014 06:45 AM PST Neurons transmit information with the help of special channels that allow the passage of potassium ions. Defective potassium channels play a role in epilepsy and depression. Scientists have now identified the complete 3D structure of a particular potassium channel, a HCN channel. This enabled them to draw conclusions about its mechanism of action, which they describe in a new article.

Active supermassive black holes revealed in merging galaxies Posted: 28 Jan 2014 06:43 AM PST Astronomers have conducted infrared observations of luminous, gas-rich, merging galaxies to study active, mass-accreting supermassive black holes (SMBHs). They found that at least one SMBH almost always becomes active and luminous by accreting a large amount of material.

Availability of transcatheter repair of aortic stenosis benefits patients Posted: 28 Jan 2014 06:41 AM PST The introduction of minimally invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for treatment of aortic stenos not only has increased the number of patients eligible for aortic valve replacement (AVR), but also has led to a decrease in patient mortality, suggesting that patients fare better when multiple treatment options are available.

Long-term survival possible for pediatric heart transplant patients Posted: 28 Jan 2014 06:41 AM PST Infants and children who undergo heart transplantation are experiencing good outcomes after surgery and may expect to live beyond 15 years post-surgery with reasonable cardiac function and quality of life.

Exhaled breath may help identify early lung cancer Posted: 28 Jan 2014 06:41 AM PST Specific compounds found in exhaled breath may help diagnose lung cancer in its early stages. The discovery was made when researchers examined patients with suspicious lung lesions.

Study analyzes content of nightmares, bad dreams Posted: 28 Jan 2014 06:41 AM PST According to a new study, nightmares have greater emotional impact than bad dreams do, and fear is not always a factor. In fact, it is mostly absent in bad dreams and in a third of nightmares.

Converting adult human cells to hair follicle-generating stem cells Posted: 28 Jan 2014 06:41 AM PST Researchers have come up with a method to convert adult cells into epithelial stem cells, the first time anyone has achieved this in either humans or mice. The epithelial stem cells, when implanted into immunocompromised mice, regenerated the different cell types of human skin and hair follicles, and even produced structurally recognizable hair shaft, raising the possibility that they may eventually enable hair regeneration in people.

Asian ozone pollution in Hawaii is tied to climate variability Posted: 27 Jan 2014 04:38 PM PST Asian ozone pollution levels measured in Hawaii fluctuate with decade-long climate variations, according to a new study.

Gossip, ostracism may have hidden group benefits Posted: 27 Jan 2014 04:38 PM PST Conventional wisdom holds that gossip and social exclusion are always malicious, undermining trust and morale in groups. But sharing this kind of "reputational information" could have benefits for society, according to a new study.

New, unusually large virus kills anthrax agent Posted: 27 Jan 2014 04:38 PM PST From a zebra carcass on the plains of Namibia in Southern Africa, an international team of researchers has discovered a new, unusually large virus (or bacteriophage) that infects the bacterium that causes anthrax. The novel bacteriophage could eventually open up new ways to detect, treat or decontaminate the anthrax bacillus and its relatives that cause food poisoning.

Natural plant compound prevents Alzheimer's disease in mice Posted: 27 Jan 2014 04:37 PM PST A chemical that's found in fruits and vegetables from strawberries to cucumbers appears to stop memory loss that accompanies Alzheimer's disease in mice, scientists have discovered. In experiments on mice that normally develop Alzheimer's symptoms less than a year after birth, a daily dose of the compound -- a flavonol called fisetin -- prevented the progressive memory and learning impairments. The drug, however, did not alter the formation of amyloid plaques in the brain, accumulations of proteins which are commonly blamed for Alzheimer's disease.

Plague or Black Death could re-emerge: Cause of one of the most devastating pandemics in human history revealed Posted: 27 Jan 2014 04:37 PM PST Scientists have discovered that two of the world's most devastating plagues -- the plague of Justinian and the Black Death, each responsible for killing as many as half the people in Europe -- were caused by distinct strains of the same pathogen, one that faded out on its own, the other leading to worldwide spread and re-emergence in the late 1800s. These findings suggest a new strain of plague could emerge again in humans in the future.

Belief in immortality hard-wired? Study examines development of children's 'prelife' reasoning Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:48 PM PST By examining children's ideas about "prelife," the time before conception, researchers found results which suggest that our bias toward immortality is a part of human intuition that naturally emerges early in life. And the part of us that is eternal, we believe, is not our skills or ability to reason, but rather our hopes, desires and emotions.

Critical protein discovered for healthy cell growth in mammals Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:48 PM PST A protein that is required for the growth of tiny, but critical, hair-like structures called cilia on cell surfaces has been discovered. The research has important implications for human health because lack of cilia can lead to serious diseases such as polycystic kidney disease, blindness and neurological disorders.

Quest for better superconducting materials Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:48 PM PST Nearly 30 years after the discovery of high-temperature superconductivity, many questions remain, but scientists are now providing insight that could lead to better superconductors.

DNA-built nanostructures safely target, image cancer tumors Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:48 PM PST A team of researchers has discovered a method of assembling "building blocks" of gold nanoparticles as the vehicle to deliver cancer medications or cancer-identifying markers directly into cancerous tumors.

Health care savings: Reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:48 PM PST Despite widely accepted prescription guidelines, physicians continue to prescribe antibiotics for colds even when they won't help. A new study offers an inexpensive and seemingly simple "nudge" that reduced inappropriate antibiotic prescribing by nearly 20 percent.

Crowdsourced RNA designs outperform computer algorithms Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:48 PM PST An enthusiastic group of non-experts, working through an online interface and receiving feedback from lab experiments, has produced designs for RNA molecules that are consistently more successful than those generated by the best computerized design algorithms, researchers report.

New method rescues DNA from contaminated Neandertal bones Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:47 PM PST Retrieval of ancient DNA molecules is usually performed with special precautions to prevent DNA from researchers or the environment to get mixed in with the DNA from the fossil. However, many ancient fossils have been lying in museum collection for decades, and are contaminated with present-day human DNA before they enter the DNA-laboratory. A new method provides a solution to this problem.

Taking vitamin D2 is a poor choice for athletes, research shows Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:45 PM PST Power athletes and others looking for an edge to improve their performance should avoid taking vitamin D2, a new study suggests. Researchers found that taking vitamin D2 supplements decreased levels of vitamin D3 in the body and resulted in higher muscle damage after intense weight lifting.

Exercise may be best medicine to treat post-concussion syndrome Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:45 PM PST A treatment program for patients who suffer from post-concussion syndrome is being pioneered, showing that gradual exercise, rather than rest alone, actually helps to restore the balance of the brain's auto-regulation mechanism, which controls the blood pressure and supply to the brain.

First ever implantation of new device for thoracic aneurysm performed in Michigan Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:45 PM PST A new device tested first at the University of Michigan may provide a minimally invasive option for the elderly who are facing life-threatening thoracic aneurysms.

River of hydrogen flowing through space observed Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:44 PM PST Astronomers have discovered what could be a never-before-seen river of hydrogen flowing through space. This very faint, very tenuous filament of gas is streaming into the nearby galaxy NGC 6946 and may help explain how certain spiral galaxies keep up their steady pace of star formation.

New hope for Gaucher patients with brain pathology Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:44 PM PST Gaucher disease, a genetic disorder prevalent among Ashkenazi Jews, is devastating for sufferers and their families. Now, scientists have discovered a new cellular pathway implicated in the disease. Their findings may offer a new therapeutic target for treatment of Gaucher and related disorders.

Yoga can lower fatigue, inflammation in breast cancer survivors Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:44 PM PST Practicing yoga for as little as three months can reduce fatigue and lower inflammation in breast cancer survivors, according to new research. The more the women in the study practiced yoga, the better their results.

DDT pesticide exposure linked to Alzheimer's disease, study shows Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:44 PM PST Scientists have known for more than 40 years that the synthetic pesticide DDT is harmful to bird habitats and a threat to the environment. Now researchers say exposure to DDT -- banned in the United States since 1972 but still used as a pesticide in other countries -- may also increase the risk and severity of Alzheimer's disease in some people, particularly those over the age of 60.

Traumatic spinal cord injuries on the rise in U.S. Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:19 AM PST The number of serious traumatic spinal cord injuries is on the rise in the United States, and the leading cause no longer appears to be motor vehicle crashes, but falls, new research suggests.

Bluebirds struggle to find happiness on island paradise Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:19 AM PST A recent study shows that Eastern bluebirds in Ohio differ in a variety of ways from their relatives in Bermuda.

Study casts doubt on theory that retired NFL players suffer CTE Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:19 AM PST The media have widely reported that a debilitating neurological condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a well-established disease in retired athletes who played football and other contact sports. But a study has found little evidence that CTE actually exists.

Promising class of antibiotics discovered for treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:19 AM PST Scientists have discovered a promising new class of antibiotics that could aid efforts to overcome drug-resistance in tuberculosis (TB), a global killer. The drugs increased survival of mice infected with TB and were effective against drug-resistant strains of TB.

Low vitamin D levels during pregnancy may increase risk of severe preeclampsia Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:19 AM PST Women who are deficient in vitamin D in the first 26 weeks of their pregnancy may be at risk of developing severe preeclampsia, a potentially life-threatening disorder diagnosed by an increase in blood pressure and protein in the urine, according to research.

Choosing Wisely: Politics, economics of labeling low-value services Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:18 AM PST The Choosing Wisely campaign lists of services developed by physicians' specialty societies, is a good start to spark discussion between physicians their patients about treatments and tests that may not be warranted. But researchers say the list could be improved to include more common services and higher cost services.

Scientists find genetic mechanism linking aging to specific diets Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:18 AM PST In new research published, scientists identify a collection of genes that allow an organism to adapt to different diets and show that without them, even minor tweaks to diet can cause premature aging and death.

Graphene-like material made of boron a possibility, experiments suggest Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:18 AM PST Graphene, a sheet of carbon one atom thick, may soon have a new nanomaterial partner. In the lab and on supercomputers, chemists have determined that a cluster of 36 boron atoms forms a flat disc with a hexagonal hole in the middle. The shape fits theoretical predictions for a potential new nanomaterial: "borophene."

Study identifies high level of 'food insecurity' among college students Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:18 AM PST One of the few studies of its type has found that a startling 59 percent of college students at one university were "food insecure" at some point during the previous year, with possible implications for academic success, physical and emotional health and other issues.

HIV medications dialogue differs by race, ethnicity Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:18 AM PST Researchers found specific racial and ethnic differences in discussions of HIV medicine adherence in a newly published analysis of recorded office visits between 45 doctors and nurse practitioners and more than 400 patients.

Successful regeneration of human skeletal muscle in mice Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:18 AM PST Researchers recently announced study findings showing the successful development of a humanized preclinical model for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, providing scientists with a much needed tool to accelerate novel therapeutic research and development.

New brain-scanning technique shows when and where the brain processes visual information Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:17 AM PST New brain-scanning technique from Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers allows scientists to see when and where the brain processes visual information.

Solving a 30-year-old problem in massive star formation Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:17 AM PST Astrophysicists have found evidence strongly supporting a solution to a long-standing puzzle about the birth of some of the most massive stars in the universe. Young massive stars shine brightly in the ultraviolet, heating the gas around them, and it has long been a mystery why the hot gas doesn't explode outwards. Now, observations have confirmed predications that as the gas cloud collapses, it forms dense filamentary structures that absorb the star's ultraviolet radiation.

Quality of white matter in the brain is crucial for adding and multiplying (but not subracting and dividing) Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:17 AM PST A new study has found that healthy 12-year-olds who score well in addition and multiplication have higher-quality white matter tracts. This correlation does not appear to apply to subtraction and division.

Nipping diabetes in the blood Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:17 AM PST 79 million Americans are thought to have "prediabetes," a condition that puts them at risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Now researchers have discovered that a simple blood test can reveal an individual's risk of developing type-2 diabetes before they develop prediabetes -- far earlier than previously believed. The findings could help doctors provide earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Researchers shed new light on double-lung transplants Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:17 AM PST In the largest retrospective study to date using data from the United Network for Organ Sharing database for adult double-lung transplants, researchers have shown that there is no statistically significant difference between rejection and mortality rates among double-lung transplant recipients when their transplanted organs came from donors whose blood type was identical or compatible to their own.

Permanent changes in brain genes may not be so permanent after all Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:15 AM PST In normal development, all cells turn off genes they don't need, often by attaching a chemical methyl group to the DNA, a process called methylation. Historically, scientists believed methyl groups could only stick to a particular DNA sequence: a cytosine followed by a guanine, called CpG. But in recent years, they have been found on other sequences, and so-called non-CpG methylation has been found in stem cells, and in neurons in the brain.

Facelift complications eased with help of new 3-D imaging technique Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:15 AM PST New imaging technology allows scientists to analyze what happens within the smallest blood vessels during a cosmetic facelift. This finding could be used to prevent accidents during procedures and help clinicians reverse the ill effects if an injection doesn't go as planned.

Sticks and stones: Using curriculum to stop bullying Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:15 AM PST Research finds the key to stop bullying is anti-bullying education in the school curriculum, and that teaching students empathy is as important "as teaching them science."

Study helps researchers better estimate citrus crop yields Posted: 27 Jan 2014 11:15 AM PST An algorithm could help scientists assist citrus growers predict when to plant and harvest their crop further in advance.

Put a plastic bag in your tank: Converting polyethylene waste into liquid fuel Posted: 27 Jan 2014 09:28 AM PST Researchers in India have developed a relatively low-temperature process to convert certain kinds of plastic waste into liquid fuel as a way to reuse discarded plastic bags and other products.

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