ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Answers for treating obesity-related diseases may reside in fat tissue, study shows
• Pregnancy and birth environment may affect development of autism in twins, study finds
• Patients with eating disorders have an elevated rate of death
• Prenatal exposure to certain antidepressants may modestly increase risk of autism spectrum disorders, study suggests
• Genetic component of autism spectrum disorders may be moderate compared to environment, twin study suggests
• Study examines trends in withholding treatment for infants in neonatal intensive care units
• In homes with substantiated child abuse reports, study identifies groups at higher risk for reabuse
• Length of parental military deployment associated with children's mental health diagnoses, study finds
• Balance tips toward environment as heritability ebbs in autism? Non-inherited genetic factors also in the mix, study finds
• Exposure to anti-depressants in pregnancy may increase autism risk, study suggests
• Massage eases low back pain in randomized controlled trial
• Smokers using varenicline to quit the habit at greater risk of heart attack, study suggests
• Popular smoking cessation drug associated with 72 percent increased risk of serious CV events, study finds
• Varenicline for smoking cessation linked to increased risk of serious harmful cardiac events, study finds
• Smoking does not keep you slim, Swedish research shows
• Maternal nutrition: What impact does it have on gene expression?
• Antarctic krill help to fertilize Southern Ocean with iron
• Urban children are healthier commuters than rural teens
• Design and print your own 3-D chocolate objects
• Taller women more likely to have twins after double embryo transfer
• Two-thirds of women with recurrent miscarriage end up with a live born child after referral to a specialist clinic, study finds
• Women with recurrent miscarriage have a good chance of having a pregnancy and live birth, study finds
• Large new study helps disentangle the relationship between maternal characteristics, IVF treatment methods and singleton IVF children
• How many embryos to transfer? Swedish researchers develop new method to avoid twins while maintaining high live birth rates
• Radiation protection in pediatric radiology
• New research addresses the major cause of pregnancy loss in IVF
• Positive reframing, acceptance and humor are the most effective coping strategies
• The forces of attraction: How cells change direction
• ‘Cling-film’ solar cells could lead to advance in renewable energy
• Getting aid to where it is needed
• Biomarker MIA shows presence of neurofibromas
• Biofuels from the sea: Seaweed may prove a viable future biofuel, especially if harvested in summer
• Specialized seeds can really float your boat
• Genetic variant linked to development of liver cancer in hepatitis C virus carriers
• Overlooked peptide reveals clues to causes of Alzheimer's disease
• Warming ocean layers will undermine polar ice sheets, climate models show

Answers for treating obesity-related diseases may reside in fat tissue, study shows Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:47 PM PDT Researchers have shown that the quality -- not just the quantity -- of adipose, or fat, tissue is a significant contributing factor in the development of inflammation and vascular disease in obese individuals.

Pregnancy and birth environment may affect development of autism in twins, study finds Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:47 PM PDT Findings from the largest study of twins with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suggests that both genetic and shared environmental factors significantly increase risk for ASD, estimated 38 percent risk associated with genetic heritability and 58 percent from factors shared by twins during pregnancy and perhaps early infancy.

Patients with eating disorders have an elevated rate of death Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:46 PM PDT Individuals who have eating disorders have an elevated mortality rate, especially those with anorexia nervosa, according to a meta-analysis of previous studies.

Prenatal exposure to certain antidepressants may modestly increase risk of autism spectrum disorders, study suggests Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:46 PM PDT Prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, especially during the first trimester, is associated with a modest increase the risk of developing an autism spectrum disorder, according to a new study.

Genetic component of autism spectrum disorders may be moderate compared to environment, twin study suggests Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:46 PM PDT After evaluating twin pairs in which at least one child has autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), researchers suggest that the shared environment may play a more substantial role in development of the condition than shared genes do, according to a new study.

Study examines trends in withholding treatment for infants in neonatal intensive care units Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:46 PM PDT Withdrawal of life-sustaining support and withholding lifesaving measures (such as CPR) appear to be the primary modes of infant deaths in a neonatal intensive care unit, according to a new study.

In homes with substantiated child abuse reports, study identifies groups at higher risk for reabuse Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:46 PM PDT Children who remain in the home after a substantiated report of abuse may have more or less risk of further abuse depending on certain characteristics of their caregivers, according to a new study.

Length of parental military deployment associated with children's mental health diagnoses, study finds Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:46 PM PDT Children with a parent who was deployed in the US military efforts Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom for longer periods were more likely than children whose parents did not deploy to receive a diagnosis of a mental health problem, according to a new study.

Balance tips toward environment as heritability ebbs in autism? Non-inherited genetic factors also in the mix, study finds Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:46 PM PDT The largest and most rigorous twin study of its kind to date has found that shared environment influences susceptibility to autism more than previously thought. It found that experiences and exposures common to both twins accounted for 55 percent of strict autism and 58 percent of more broadly defined autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Genetic heritability accounted for 37 percent of autism and 38 percent of ASD.

Exposure to anti-depressants in pregnancy may increase autism risk, study suggests Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:46 PM PDT A new study has found that exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor anti-depressants in early pregnancy may modestly increase the risk of autism spectrum disorders. However, researchers cautioned that the number of children exposed prenatally to SSRIs was low and that further studies are needed to validate these results. The population-based, case-control study of 1,805 children is the first to systematically address the association between prenatal SSRI exposure and ASD risk.

Massage eases low back pain in randomized controlled trial Posted: 04 Jul 2011 02:46 PM PDT Massage therapy helps ease chronic back pain and improve function, according to results of a randomized controlled trial. The first study to compare structural and relaxation (Swedish) massage, the trial found that both types of massage worked well, with few side effects. Massage helped people with back pain to function even after six months. They were more able to work, take care of themselves, and be active.

Smokers using varenicline to quit the habit at greater risk of heart attack, study suggests Posted: 04 Jul 2011 09:34 AM PDT Healthy, middle-aged smokers who take the most popular smoking cessation drug on the market have a 72 percent increased risk of being hospitalized with a heart attack or other serious heart problems compared to those taking a placebo, a new study suggests.

Popular smoking cessation drug associated with 72 percent increased risk of serious CV events, study finds Posted: 04 Jul 2011 09:34 AM PDT Smoking cigarettes is a dangerous habit that many are struggling to break, but for the smokers who choose to use one of the most popular smoking cessation drugs on the market, new warnings about the risk of serious cardiovascular events are on their way.

Varenicline for smoking cessation linked to increased risk of serious harmful cardiac events, study finds Posted: 04 Jul 2011 09:34 AM PDT The use of varenicline to stop smoking is associated with a 72 percent increased risk of a serious adverse cardiovascular event, according to a new study.

Smoking does not keep you slim, Swedish research shows Posted: 04 Jul 2011 09:32 AM PDT You might think that you will gain weight if you quit smoking. But it's not that simple. Research from Sweden shows that smoking doesn't help you get thinner.

Maternal nutrition: What impact does it have on gene expression? Posted: 04 Jul 2011 09:32 AM PDT During intrauterine life and lactation, undernutrition brings about modifications involving DNA, leading to metabolic pathologies at the adult age. Researchers have demonstrated for the first time, through an animal-based study, such repercussions at the level of the leptin gene, the hormone that regulates satiety and metabolism. This work could, in the longer term, have an impact on the prevention of metabolic diseases, medically assisted procreation and care for premature infants.

Antarctic krill help to fertilize Southern Ocean with iron Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:32 AM PDT A new discovery reveals that the shrimp-like creature at the heart of the Antarctic food chain could play a key role in fertilizing the Southern Ocean with iron -- stimulating the growth of phytoplankton (microscopic plant-like organisms). This process enhances the ocean's capacity for natural storage of carbon dioxide.

Urban children are healthier commuters than rural teens Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:32 AM PDT The children most likely to walk or cycle to school live in urban areas, with a single parent, and in an economically disadvantaged home, according to a new survey.

Design and print your own 3-D chocolate objects Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:31 AM PDT Manufacturing and retail could get a much needed boost from a newly developed 3-D chocolate printer. In the long term the technology could be used by customers to design many different products themselves -- tailor-made to their needs and preferences. Using new digital technology the printer allows you to create your own designs on a computer and reproduce them physically in three dimensional form in chocolate.

Taller women more likely to have twins after double embryo transfer Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:31 AM PDT Taller women are more likely to have dizygotic (non-identical) twin pregnancies after double embryo transfer , researchers have found.

Two-thirds of women with recurrent miscarriage end up with a live born child after referral to a specialist clinic, study finds Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:30 AM PDT The first long-term follow-up study to look at the chances of having a live birth after recurrent miscarriage (RM) -- defined as at least three consecutive pregnancy losses -- found that approximately two-thirds of women with RM had at least one live birth after referral to specialist investigation, according to new research.

Women with recurrent miscarriage have a good chance of having a pregnancy and live birth, study finds Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:30 AM PDT Women who suffer from unexplained recurrent miscarriage (RM) need to know how long it might take them to achieve a live birth if they are not to lose hope and give up trying for a baby. There is currently no evidence-based treatment for RM, and therefore accurate counseling on the chances of achieving a live birth is essential, a Dutch researcher says.

Large new study helps disentangle the relationship between maternal characteristics, IVF treatment methods and singleton IVF children Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:30 AM PDT Researchers have presented further evidence of how maternal characteristics can influence the development of children born after in vitro fertilisation (IVF). A study of all 8941 IVF children born in Sweden between 2002 and 2006 where only one baby was born as a result of a single pregnancy showed that maternal age, primiparity (first birth), smoking, maternal infertility and body mass index (BMI), both over and underweight, were associated with an adverse perinatal outcome.

How many embryos to transfer? Swedish researchers develop new method to avoid twins while maintaining high live birth rates Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:30 AM PDT Swedish researchers have, for the first time, developed a reliable way of deciding whether one or two embryos should be transferred during fertility treatment; the method simultaneously maintains a high chance of women giving birth to a live baby, while reducing the risk of twins.

Radiation protection in pediatric radiology Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:27 AM PDT The risk to children's health from X-ray radiation is easy to reduce without compromising diagnostic accuracy, according to new research.

New research addresses the major cause of pregnancy loss in IVF Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:27 AM PDT A new study has addressed chromosomal imbalance in embryos, a condition that is currently the major cause of pregnancy loss in IVF.

Positive reframing, acceptance and humor are the most effective coping strategies Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:27 AM PDT New research has revealed that positive reframing, acceptance and humor are the most effective coping strategies for people dealing with failures.

The forces of attraction: How cells change direction Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:26 AM PDT Many cell types in higher organisms are capable of implementing directed motion in response to the presence of certain chemical attractants in their vicinity. Scientists have now developed a novel technique to expose an ensemble of living cells to rapidly varying concentrations of chemoattractants.

‘Cling-film’ solar cells could lead to advance in renewable energy Posted: 04 Jul 2011 05:26 AM PDT A scientific advance in renewable energy which promises a revolution in the ease and cost of using solar cells, has just been announced. A new study shows that even when using very simple and inexpensive manufacturing methods - where flexible layers of material are deposited over large areas like cling-film - efficient solar cell structures can be made.

Getting aid to where it is needed Posted: 03 Jul 2011 07:29 PM PDT In the early 2000s, the international aid community started to fund health programs through Global Health Initiatives (GHIs) which provide aid and support for tackling infectious diseases, and for implementing immunization programs against childhood diseases. However priorities set by GHIs and by governments are not always the same. New research uses "agency theory" to examine the conflicts between donor and recipient countries.

Biomarker MIA shows presence of neurofibromas Posted: 03 Jul 2011 07:29 PM PDT Neurofibromatosis (NF1) is a genetic condition which affects one in every 3,000 people. New research shows that a simple blood test for the protein melanoma-inhibitory activity (MIA) could be used to indicate the presence of neurofibromas even if they cannot be seen.

Biofuels from the sea: Seaweed may prove a viable future biofuel, especially if harvested in summer Posted: 03 Jul 2011 07:29 PM PDT The use of kelp as a biofuel could provide an important alternative to terrestrial grown biofuels; however the suitability of its chemical composition varies on a seasonal basis. Harvesting the kelp in July when carbohydrate levels are at their highest would ensure optimal sugar release for biofuel production.

Specialized seeds can really float your boat Posted: 03 Jul 2011 07:29 PM PDT A new artificial surface inspired by floating seeds could provide an alternative to the toxic paints currently used to prevent fouling on ship hulls. The artificial surface, developed by German scientists, is covered with fibers to prevent marine organisms from settling -- the same strategy used by the seeds.

Genetic variant linked to development of liver cancer in hepatitis C virus carriers Posted: 03 Jul 2011 10:38 AM PDT A genome-wide study has identified a genetic variant associated with the development of liver cancer in chronic hepatitis C virus carriers. The findings are based on a study of 3,312 Japanese individuals.

Overlooked peptide reveals clues to causes of Alzheimer's disease Posted: 03 Jul 2011 10:38 AM PDT Researchers have shed light on the function of a little-studied amyloid peptide in promoting Alzheimer's disease (AD). Their surprising findings reveal that the peptide is more abundant, more neurotoxic and exhibits a higher propensity to aggregate than amyloidogenic agents studied in earlier research, suggesting a potential role in new approaches for preventing AD-causing amyloidosis.

Warming ocean layers will undermine polar ice sheets, climate models show Posted: 03 Jul 2011 10:38 AM PDT Warming of the ocean's subsurface layers will melt underwater portions of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets faster than previously thought, according to new research. The research, based on 19 state-of-the-art climate models, proposes a new mechanism by which global warming will accelerate the melting of the great ice sheets during this century and the next. Such melting would increase the sea level more than already projected.

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