An important checklist used to screen for autism can miss subtle clues in some children, delaying their eventual diagnosis. Researchers found that the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, or M-CHAT, can fail to detect developmental delays that are tell-tale signs of autism in 18-month-olds, according to findings published in the June issue of the… read on >
Exercising may keep you young at heart. Researchers found that people who make regular exercise a lifelong habit appear to slow the aging of their heart and blood vessels. The finding stems from a comparison of exercise histories and heart health among 102 people over age 60. Those who had exercised two to three times… read on >
Do you put off until tomorrow things you should do today? Or tell yourself that you work better “under pressure”? If you’re a procrastinator, you’re probably a master at making excuses rather than making plans to get the job done. A study done at the Universities of Southern California and Michigan found that putting an… read on >
If you want to look cool, try smiling, researchers suggest. Their advice counters the popular belief that showing no expression is the way to be cool. The University of Arizona researchers asked volunteers to look at clothing ad photos in which models were either smiling or not, and to give the model a coolness rating.… read on >
Along with flashlights, sleeping bags and bug repellent, many kids will take a smartphone to camp this summer. But this could ruin their camp experience, a new study suggests. Researchers surveyed 620 camp directors, nurses and other staff members at 331 camps in the United States and Canada. Many said campers were so fixated on… read on >
Depression in the man may reduce the chances that a couple struggling with infertility will ultimately conceive, new research suggests. Depression among women was not linked to lower conception rates, the study authors said. But women being treated for infertility who also took a type of antidepressant known as non-selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (non-SSRIs) were… read on >
As if older women didn’t already worry enough about their bone health, new research suggests that anxiety may up their risk for fractures. Based on an analysis involving almost 200 postmenopausal Italian women, the finding builds upon previous research linking anxiety to a higher risk for heart disease and gastrointestinal problems. “Our findings are quite… read on >
Generic prescription drugs should be cheap, but prices for some have soared in the United States in recent years. Now a group of U.S. hospitals thinks it has a solution: a nonprofit drug maker. Earlier this year, the consortium of several large hospital systems announced it would form a nonprofit drug company called Project Rx.… read on >
Teens who watch more medical marijuana ads are more likely to smoke pot themselves, new research indicates. “Our findings suggest that increased exposure to medical marijuana advertising is associated with increased marijuana use and related negative consequences throughout adolescence,” said study lead author Elizabeth D’Amico, of the RAND Corporation. “This work highlights the importance of… read on >
Male cancer patients seem to fare significantly better following immunotherapy treatment than female patients, new research indicates. “Both sex and gender can potentially affect the strength of the body’s immune response,” explained study author Dr. Fabio Conforti, from the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, Italy. For example, Conforti noted that women generally show stronger… read on >
