ScienceDaily: Living Well News

Sunlight continues to damage skin in the dark Posted: 19 Feb 2015 11:46 AM PST Much of the damage that ultraviolet radiation does to skin occurs hours after sun exposure, a team of researchers has concluded. While noting that news of the carcinogenic effect of melanin is disconcerting, the researchers also pointed to a ray of hope: The slowness of chemiexcitation may allow time for new preventive tools, such as an "evening-after" sunscreen designed to block the energy transfer.

Risk of unexpected sarcoma being discovered after hysterectomy appears fairly low Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST Uterine sarcoma -- a potentially aggressive type of cancer that forms in tissues in the uterus -- was found in 0.22 % of women following a hysterectomy for benign conditions, a new large-scale study shows. Authors say findings may have implications for the risks associated with morcellation.

Flame retardants found to cause metabolic, liver problems, animal study shows Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:13 AM PST Chemicals used as synthetic flame retardants that are found in common household items such as couches, carpet padding, and electronics have been found to cause metabolic and liver problems that can lead to insulin resistance, which is a major cause of obesity, according to new research.

Digital games and classroom learning: Study finds helpful features, gaps Posted: 19 Feb 2015 06:04 AM PST A new report on how teachers use video games in classrooms identifies features they find most useful to track student learning, as well as gaps where better tools could help link games more closely to the curriculum.

Airport screening misses half of disease cases but could be improved Posted: 19 Feb 2015 06:03 AM PST Researchers have found that in order to be effective, the screening of passengers for disease at airports must be tailored to the outbreak in question.

Sickness and health between men and women Posted: 19 Feb 2015 06:03 AM PST Gender and personality matter in how people cope with physical and mental illness, according to a new paper. Men are less affected by a single-symptom illness than women, but are more affected when more than one symptom is present. The number of symptoms doesn't change how women are affected, according to the authors.

More women now using compounded hormones without understanding the risks Posted: 19 Feb 2015 06:03 AM PST From 28 percent to 68 percent of women using hormones at menopause take compounded, so-called 'bioidentical' hormones, but women don't understand the risks of these unapproved, untested treatments, shows an analysis of two large surveys.

Delaying children's school entry linked to poor academic performance Posted: 19 Feb 2015 05:58 AM PST Delaying school entry for children could cause poorer academic performance, according to new research. Many parents are keen to hold their children back a year if they were born prematurely or in the summer months. They argue their child will not be mature enough to start school and previous research has suggested children who are born more than three weeks before their due date would benefit from starting school a year later than those who were born at full-term.

Exposure to low levels of common chemical (phthalates) shown to possibly affect reproductive health of male newborns Posted: 19 Feb 2015 05:49 AM PST Male infants whose mothers were exposed during pregnancy to chemicals called phthalates may have a greater risk of future infertility.

New clues to causes of birth defects in children from older mothers Posted: 19 Feb 2015 05:49 AM PST A possible clue has been found to why older mothers face a higher risk for having babies born with conditions such as Down syndrome that are characterized by abnormal chromosome numbers.

Needle-free vaccination: How scientists ask skin cells for help Posted: 18 Feb 2015 04:19 PM PST New research introduces a new approach to stimulate the skin immune response by applying needle-free vaccination.

Popular soda ingredient, caramel color, poses cancer risk to consumers Posted: 18 Feb 2015 04:16 PM PST Public health researchers have analyzed soda consumption data in order to characterize people's exposure to a potentially carcinogenic byproduct of some types of caramel color. Caramel color is a common ingredient in colas and other dark soft drinks. The results show that between 44 and 58 percent of people over the age of six typically have at least one can of soda per day, possibly more, potentially exposing them to 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), a possible human carcinogen formed during the manufacture of some kinds of caramel color.

Reduction in menopause-related symptoms associated with non-invasive neurotechnology Posted: 11 Feb 2015 10:18 AM PST Nearly nine out of 10 premenopausal and postmenopausal women in the United States experience hot flashes, night sweats or other disturbances in mood and sleep. Unfortunately, there aren't many safe and effective therapies available to manage these symptoms. In a pilot study, hot flash severity scores, as well as symptoms of insomnia and depression, were significantly reduced after participants received a non-invasive neurotechnology known as high-resolution, relational, resonance-based electro encephalic mirroring, or HIRREM.

Wikipedia use: nothing to be ashamed about, experts say Posted: 11 Feb 2015 09:37 AM PST Academics and students alike should be making better use of Wikipedia, a major study of digital technology use in Higher Education has recommended.

Iodine daily serving now recommended in multivitamin/mineral supplements for pregnant and lactating women Posted: 10 Feb 2015 06:07 PM PST The American Thyroid Association (ATA) has championed the effort to include a daily serving of iodine in multivitamin/mineral supplements intended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and it applauds the new guidelines released by the U.S. Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) advising manufacturers to include 150 micrograms of iodine to these daily supplements.