Language News and Research

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Language skills are essential to a child’s ability to communicate and develop. These skills enable children to engage with other people and learn from their surroundings and in the classroom.

New research links autism to genetic disorder

New research from the United States suggests that autism may be caused by a genetic disorder.

10 Jan 2008

Loss of a small portion of chromosome 16 linked to autism

Loss of a small portion of chromosome 16, known as 16p11.2, is significantly associated with autism report researchers from the University of Chicago Medical Center, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in an article, published Dec. 21, 2007, online by the journal Human Molecular Genetics.

9 Jan 2008

Patient care: Intelligent Clinical Decision Support System

European and Turkish doctors and technicians are perfecting a medical support system that can track patients' real-time vital signs, link those to patient medical history, and, crucially, provide the latest clinical guidelines for patient care. Better yet, it can alert doctors when necessary.

8 Jan 2008

A look at China's most innovative health biotechnology companies

Government funds innovation but venture capital needed; Wary investors 'need to be shown the exits'; Returning 'sea turtles' bring expertise, international credibility

8 Jan 2008

LISA - life science assistant

Assistant robots really suited for everyday routines, which take over burdensome or monotonous work for humans, are still virtually unavailable commercially.

7 Jan 2008

New patent law has consequences for the pharmaceutical industry

On 13th December 2007 a revised version of the European Patent Convention (EPC) came into force. This new law, known as EPC2000, has a number of consequences for the pharmaceutical industry and the way in which patent applications are examined.

20 Dec 2007

Institutional life damages a child's intellect

A new study provides scientific proof that placing children in foster care rather than an institution can reverse the damage of severe neglect on a child's development.

20 Dec 2007

Childhood exposure to disadvantaged neighborhoods negatively affects verbal ability

Childhood exposure to severely disadvantaged communities is linked to decreased verbal ability later in childhood, a lasting negative effect that continues even after moving out of the neighborhood, according to research that will be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

20 Dec 2007

Oral diabetes medication - new guidelines

A pair of plain-language guides that outline the latest scientific evidence on the effectiveness and safety of oral medications for adults with type 2 diabetes are now available from HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

18 Dec 2007

Monkeys have the ability to perform mental addition

Researchers at Duke University have demonstrated that monkeys have the ability to perform mental addition. In fact, monkeys performed about as well as college students given the same test.

18 Dec 2007

A common language for health care IT needed

I may say soda and you may say pop, but what if the hospital lab you go to today says BMP and the one you visit next week calls the same test SMA7? Your physician knows that these are the same tests, but the computer systems they use don't automatically know.

17 Dec 2007

Experts call for a change in Australian law to aid people with schizophrenia

A group of Sydney researchers has shown that mental health law which focuses on "dangerousness" rather than the right to treatment can delay proper care for up to six months.

14 Dec 2007

Hypertension associated with risk for mild cognitive impairment

High blood pressure appears to be associated with an increased risk for mild cognitive impairment, a condition that involves difficulties with thinking and learning, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Neurology.

10 Dec 2007

FDA to review potential anti-arrhythmic claims for Ranexa

CV Therapeutics, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified the Company that it will evaluate the approval of potential anti-arrhythmic claims for Ranexa (ranolazine extended-release tablets) as part of its ongoing review of the Company's supplemental new drug application (sNDA).

10 Dec 2007

Hearing damage from noisy toys

As consumers snap up electronic toys as gifts for all ages, another, very real danger is being overlooked, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

10 Dec 2007

Premature babies on the increase

The preterm birth rate rose again in 2005 and preliminary data for 2006 show a continued increase, underscoring the urgent need for a sustained, comprehensive plan to address this growing crisis.

5 Dec 2007

Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS) reliable in measuring impact of sleep disorders on teens' academic performance

The Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS) is an independent, reliable tool in predicting the negative impact of a sleep-related breathing disorder and daytime sleepiness on a teenager's academic performance, according to a study published in the December 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.

3 Dec 2007

How much and how often should you take your medicine?

You have just been prescribed a new medication by your doctor and the container label says: "take one tablet by mouth twice daily for 7 days."

29 Nov 2007

Hypertension may heighten effects of Alzheimer's disease

Having hypertension, or high blood pressure, reduces blood flow in the brains of adults with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

29 Nov 2007

Tobacco-free states spend less on Medicaid

America's Medicaid system could spend nearly $10 billion less within five years if all Medicaid beneficiaries who smoke, quit. A new study released today by the American Legacy Foundation found that effective smoking prevention and cessation programs could cut Medicaid costs by 5.6 percent.

29 Nov 2007