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Maternal language influences first cry of newborn babies

The very first cry of neonates is marked by their maternal language. This seems to be especially apparent in tonal languages, where pitch and pitch fluctuation determine the meaning of words.

19 Aug 2016

Mathematicians developing new statistical methods to predict bacterial epidemics

Mathematicians are now developing completely new statistical calculations on the world's fastest computers in order to be able to predict how epidemics of dangerous hospital bacteria spread.

16 Aug 2016

Replacing one sugar-sweetened beverage with water may help reduce body weight

Think one little sugary soda won't make a difference on your waistline? Think again. If people replace just one calorie-laden drink with water, they can reduce body weight and improve overall health, according to a Virginia Tech researcher.

16 Aug 2016

Former SpaceX engineers launch Synthego, CRISPRevolution to accelerate genome engineering research

Synthego, a leading provider of genome engineering solutions, officially launches today. Synthego’s flagship product line, CRISPRevolution, features synthetic guide RNA products designed to accelerate CRISPR/Cas9 and Cpf1 genome engineering research. CRISPRevolution is the first product line to offer economical access to fully synthetic RNA for high fidelity editing and increased precision in genome editing.

12 Aug 2016

Cold plasma could help bones heal faster, study shows

Cold plasma looks like the glow from the "Star Wars" blue light saber but this beam of energy, made of electrons that change polarity at micro-second or nanosecond speeds, could help bones heal faster, according to a study published August 11th in the Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine.

12 Aug 2016

Kids who eat government-funded school meals at increased risk of being overweight

Government-funded school meals are putting financially vulnerable children at risk of being overweight, a Virginia Tech researcher has found.

11 Aug 2016

Researchers examine different dietary approaches to help improve nutrition for poor in Zambia

Over the past several decades in Zambia, data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations show that there has been a decrease in the per capita consumption of milk, meat, and eggs and an increase in starchy roots, primarily cassava.

11 Aug 2016

TTUHSC El Paso receives USDA grant to offer long-distance health education to rural communities

The Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso has received a $430,780 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to provide long-distance health education to underserved communities in rural West Texas.

8 Aug 2016

Amish farm environment protects children from asthma by shaping immune system

By probing the differences between two farming communities—the Amish of Indiana and the Hutterites of South Dakota—an interdisciplinary team of researchers found that specific aspects of the Amish environment are associated with changes to immune cells that appear to protect children from developing asthma.

4 Aug 2016

NJIT receives two-year funding to develop ways to protect ecosystems and communities from flood waters

The Center for Resilient Design at New Jersey Institute of Technology, part of the university's College of Architecture and Design, has received a two-year grant from the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium to develop ways to protect ecosystems and their surrounding communities from flood waters.

3 Aug 2016

Macroecological approach could help predict emergence of new infectious diseases

Ecologists at the University of Georgia are leading a global effort to predict where new infectious diseases are likely to emerge. In a paper published in Ecology Letters, they describe how macroecology—the study of ecological patterns and processes across broad scales of time and space—can provide valuable insights about disease.

22 Jul 2016

Combinations of three antibiotics could help combat drug-resistant bacterial infections

Each year, approximately 700,000 people die from drug-resistant bacterial infections. A study by UCLA life scientists could be a major step toward combating drug-resistant infections.

22 Jul 2016

UC Riverside investigators to study impact of drought on public health

Drought and extreme temperatures continue to challenge policymakers in California and globally who grapple with managing limited water resources.

21 Jul 2016

UC San Diego receives USDA grant to increase food access to low-income families

The University of California San Diego School of Medicine Center for Community Health recently received a $3.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to increase affordable food access to low-income community members who are part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formally known as the Food Stamp Program.

14 Jul 2016

Preventing zoonotic diseases from pets to people: an interview with Dr Monique Éloit, OIE Director General

Zoonotic diseases are diseases or infections which are naturally transmissible from animals to humans, as defined in the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

13 Jul 2016

Children of uninvolved feeders could be at risk for greater dietary excess from snacks

In a new study examining how parenting contributes to snacking, researchers found that parents who have a hands-off approach to feeding children may unknowingly contribute to an increase in children's snacking.

12 Jul 2016

UVA receives grant to combat opioid epidemic in Southwest Virginia

A federal grant to the University of Virginia Health System will help battle the opioid epidemic in Southwest Virginia by expanding access to specialized care through telehealth.

11 Jul 2016

ANTRUK awards first research contract to Evotec to find ways of breaking antibiotic resistance

Thanks to the generosity of its donors, Antibiotic Research UK – the world’s first charity established to fight antibiotic resistance, provide patient support and raise awareness of the issue of antibiotic resistance – has awarded its first research contract to Evotec, a leading organisation in drug discovery and development.

11 Jul 2016

New report reveals commonly available chemicals endanger brain development in fetuses, children

In a new report, dozens of scientists, health practitioners and children's health advocates are calling for renewed attention to the growing evidence that many common and widely available chemicals endanger neurodevelopment in fetuses and children of all ages.

1 Jul 2016

Resistant starch in diet improves balance of gut bacteria, decreases cholesterol

The secret ingredient is in the flour, but its impact lies within the gut. Adding resistant starch to the diets of people with metabolic syndrome can improve bacteria in the gut, according to research from South Dakota State University.