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Improving ability to predict autism risk with few drops of blood

Within days of birth, a few drops of blood are collected from every newborn in California--and across the United States -- which are then stored on filter paper and screened for dozens of genetic and congenital disorders, such as phenylketonuria, an inherited metabolic disorder that can result in intellectual disability, seizures, heart and behavioral problems.

13 Feb 2020

Children of women experiencing high physical violence at greater risk of school disruption

A new study published in Maternal and Child Health Journal, led by Anna M. Scolese, Master of Public Health student at George Mason University, found that 23.3% of women who experienced intimate partner violence reported their child's school attendance was disrupted due to IPV.

13 Feb 2020

Research sheds light on potential cause of Minamata mercury poisoning

One of the world's most horrific environmental disasters--the 1950 and 60s mercury poisoning in Minamata, Japan--may have been caused by a previously unstudied form of mercury discharged directly from a chemical factory, research by the University of Saskatchewan has found.

13 Feb 2020

Researchers develop high-resolution forecast model for the spread of malaria

Climate change aggravates global health problems, above all for people in Africa. The group "Climate change and Health in Sub-Saharan Africa" funded by the German Research Foundation studies climate-induced damage to health in Burkina Faso and Kenya.

13 Feb 2020

Living in greener neighborhoods may delay onset of menopause

Living near green spaces is associated with a wide variety of benefits, including a lower risk of obesity, improved attention capacity in children and slower physical decline in old age.

13 Feb 2020

New grant-funded project works toward improving sleep in pediatric cancer patients

Pediatric cancer patients may soon get a better night's sleep and experience improved comfort levels, thanks to a new grant-funded project led by a Rutgers University-Camden researcher.

13 Feb 2020

Understanding stress-induced bladder dysfunction in children

We know that stress can have a profound impact on health. But it's rare to discover a health issue that is caused directly by stress.

13 Feb 2020

New method to measure mutations in father's sperm may reveal ASD risk in future children

While the causes of autism spectrum disorder are not fully understood, researchers believe both genetics and environment play a role.

13 Feb 2020

Scientists report promising activity of novel targeted drug in patients with advanced kidney cancer

Scientists report promising activity of a novel drug that targets a key molecular driver of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) in patients with metastatic disease.

13 Feb 2020

Surprising discovery about childhood brain tumor may unlock new cancer treatments

A surprising discovery about a rare form of childhood brain cancer suggests a new treatment approach for that cancer and, potentially, many others.

13 Feb 2020

Nutrition researcher shows how foods affect our hormones and health

Nutrition researcher and New York Times bestselling author Neal Barnard, MD, demonstrates how foods affect our hormones--and our health--in his new book, Your Body in Balance.

13 Feb 2020

Maternal use of cosmetics containing parabens tied to child's future overweight

Parabens are used as preservatives in cosmetics. If pregnant women use cosmetics containing parabens that remain on the skin for protracted periods, this may have consequences for their child's subsequent weight development.

13 Feb 2020

Medicines for All Institute partners with South African manufacturer to increase access to lifesaving drugs

The Medicines for All Institute has entered into a partnership with a manufacturer in South Africa to commercialize advances made by the institute to improve access to lifesaving medications for HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

13 Feb 2020

Study finds no evidence of intrauterine vertical transmission of COVID-19 infection

There is currently no evidence that the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) causes severe adverse outcomes in neonates or that it can pass to the child while in the womb, according to a small observational study of women from Wuhan, China, who were in the third trimester of pregnancy and had pneumonia caused by COVID-19.

12 Feb 2020

EPA fails to follow landmark law to protect kids from toxic pesticides

The landmark Food Quality Protection Act requires the Environmental Protection Agency to protect children's health by applying an extra margin of safety to legal limits for pesticides in food.

12 Feb 2020

Common human gene variant linked to THC reward in adolescent females

A common variation in a human gene that affects the brain's reward processing circuit increases vulnerability to the rewarding effects of the main psychoactive ingredient of cannabis in adolescent females, but not males, according to preclinical research by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

12 Feb 2020

AAN issues new guideline for sleep problems in children and teens with autism

It is not uncommon for children and teens with autism spectrum disorder to struggle with sleep. Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep or refusing to go to bed are just some of the sleep problems they can experience.

12 Feb 2020

Sexual orientation affects skin cancer risk in the USA

A new study published in the journal JAMA Dermatology in February 2020 shows a higher rate of indoor tanning and a corresponding increase in skin cancer, among men with homosexual or bisexual preferences compared to heterosexual men.

12 Feb 2020

Oligosaccharide 2'FL in breast milk enhances cognitive development in babies

Maternal factors, such as breast milk, have been shown to affect a baby's development, and previous animal studies have determined that a carbohydrate, the oligosaccharide 2'FL found in maternal milk, positively influences neurodevelopment.

12 Feb 2020

Gut bacteria composition and diversity linked to human personality traits

Dr. Katerina Johnson, who conducted her Ph.D. in the University's Department of Experimental Psychology, was researching the science of that 'gut feeling' - the relationship between the bacteria living in the gut (the gut microbiome) and behavioral traits.

12 Feb 2020