Epigenetic biomarkers may predict if a specific diet and exercise regimen will work

May 30, 2013 ? Would you be more likely to try a diet and exercise regimen if you knew in advance if it would actually help you lose weight? Thanks to a new report published in the June 2013 issue of The FASEB Journal, this could become a reality. In the report, scientists identify five epigenetic biomarkers in adolescents that were associated with a better weight loss at the beginning of a weight loss program. Not only could this could ultimately help predict an individual's response to weight loss intervention, but it may offer therapeutic targets for enhancing a weight loss program's effects.

"Successful obesity treatment during adolescence could reduce morbidity at later stages of life and lead to a better quality of life," said Amelia Mart?, Ph.D., Pharm. D., co-author of this study from the Department of Nutrition, Food Science, Physiology and Toxicology at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. "It is crucial to find new markers for obesity treatment. Here, we describe five putative epigenetic biomarkers that could help to predict the response to a weight loss intervention in obese adolescents."

To make this discovery, Mart? and colleagues first performed a global methylation assay in 24 adolescents who had the best and worst response to the EVASYON weight loss program, and then expanded the sample to include 83 more adolescents. Researchers measured an epigenetic marker, DNA methylation levels, in obese adolescents from a blood sample at baseline and again at the end of the 10-week program. Participants were then divided into two groups (high and low responders) according to the weight loss achieved. The researchers found that the baseline DNA methylation levels of five epigenetic markers were associated with better weight loss response. This EVASYON program is a lifestyle and nutritional educational weight loss program that includes a multidisciplinary team of nutritionists, physiotherapists, psychologists and pediatricians. EVASYON was conducted in five Spanish cities: Granada, Madrid, Pamplona, Santander and Zaragoza.

"If you've ever wondered why some people seem to do so well on a diet and exercise plan and other fail so miserably, then now we know that the way that genes express themselves (via epigenetics) plays an important role," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "This report moves us a step closer when we will be able to prescribe a weight loss program tailored to more than just the lifestyle and conditioning level of the patient, but also to his or her particular genetic and epigenetic profile."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. A. Moleres, J. Campion, F. I. Milagro, A. Marcos, C. Campoy, J. M. Garagorri, S. Gomez-Martinez, J. A. Martinez, M. C. Azcona-Sanjulian, A. Marti. Differential DNA methylation patterns between high and low responders to a weight loss intervention in overweight or obese adolescents: the EVASYON study. The FASEB Journal, 2013; 27 (6): 2504 DOI: 10.1096/fj.12-215566

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/A2TbImB7kl8/130530094950.htm

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Solidoodle 2 Pro

By Tony Hoffman

The Solidoodle 2 Pro 3D printer has a consumer-friendly price and does well in consistently printing out plastic objects from CAD files. Solidoodle targets this product toward an eclectic mix of users, from tech-savvy consumers all the way to professionals. Based on the amount of troubleshooting I had to do in getting it up and running, it's suitable for experienced users rather than typical consumers. Anyone setting the Solidoodle 2 Pro, if their experience is at all similar to mine, would need to be very patient and liberally avail themselves of Solidoodle's extensive help resources before being able to print with it. But once my test unit was up and running, the Solidoodle 2 Pro performed like a pro, consistently printing out objects of decent quality with few misprints.

There are several models in the Solidoodle stable. The Solidoodle 2 Pro has a few advantages over the base model in its line (Solidoodle 2, $499 direct): Its build platform is heated, and it has an upgraded spool holder and power supply, plus interior lighting. The Solidoodle 2 Expert ($699) adds a cover and a front door. A third-generation model, the Solidoodle 3 ($799), has a larger (8-by-8-by-8-inch) build platform.

The Solidoodle 2 Pro is nothing if not sturdy. Its open, nearly cubical steel frame, 11.5 by 11.75 by 11.75 inches (HWD), is built to last. The company says the frame can support the weight of a 200-pound man even while printing (no, we did not test this). Its build area is up to 6 by 6 by 6 inches, slightly larger than the 3D Systems Cube 3D Printer, with a build area of 5.5 inches in each dimension.

Continue Reading: Basics and Setup

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/vAYMTGobuPY/0,2817,2419566,00.asp

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Photos: Syria's civil war (CNN)

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Syria fighting rages amid reports of chemical attacks

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Heavy fighting raged on Monday around the strategic border town of Qusair and the capital Damascus, amid renewed reports of chemical weapons attacks by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

Opposition activists said Syrian troops backed by Lebanese Hezbollah fighters were advancing in areas around Qusair, pressing a sustained assault on a town long used by rebels as a way station for arms and other supplies from Lebanon.

For Assad, Qusair is a crucial link between Damascus and loyalist strongholds on the Mediterranean coast. Recapturing the town, in central Homs province, could also sever connections between rebel-held areas in the north and south of Syria.

Syrian government offensives in recent weeks are an apparent attempt to strengthen Assad's negotiating position before peace talks next month sponsored by the United States and Russia.

Assad's forces now hold about two-thirds of Qusair, said one activist who asked not to be named. Rebel reinforcements from elsewhere in Syria were trying to relieve the pressure, but their attacks had bogged down on the outskirts.

"So far they are just fighting and dying, their assault hasn't resulted in much yet unfortunately," the activist said.

Fierce clashes cut the highway running north from Damascus to the central city of Homs and shook the eastern outskirts of the capital, where dozens of people were suffering the effects of an apparent chemical attack, opposition sources said.

VICTIMS IN OXYGEN MASKS

Video posted online from the eastern suburb of Harasta showed lines of victims lying on the floor of a large room, covered in blankets and breathing from oxygen masks.

Both sides in the conflict, now in its third year, have accused each other of using chemical weapons. France's Le Monde newspaper published first-hand accounts on Monday of apparent chemical attacks by Assad's forces in April.

Another video from Harasta overnight showed at least two fighters being put into a van, their eyes watering and struggling to breathe while medics put tubes into their throats.

It was not possible to verify the videos independently, given the difficulties of media access in Syria.

A doctor interviewed in another video said the alleged chemical attack in Harasta was revenge for a rebel raid on nearby military checkpoints. He complained of a severe shortage in staff and medical supplies to treat such victims.

"We have dozens of wounded from another chemical gas bomb attack ... As you can see there are many people here just lying on the floor with no one to treat them," said the doctor, who did not give his name.

Many of the fighters affected by the attack, according to one opposition group, had recovered sufficiently to return to battle, suggesting its severity had been limited.

"Praise God, all our wounded men are in a stable condition," said the Harasta Media Group in a statement on Skype. "They are doing well and many have even returned to the frontline."

(Reporting by Erika Solomon; Editing by Alistair Lyon)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syria-fighting-rages-amid-reports-chemical-attacks-105151844.html

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What's the First Thing You Can Remember Doing on the Internet?

There's no denying the global connectivity literally changed the world, and most of are lucky enough to have been alive and conscious when that paradigm shift was rolling out. You might not remember your first real interaction with the digital behemoth, but you have to have a first recollection. What is it?

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/k-DnIuC6N-Y/whats-the-first-thing-you-can-remember-doing-on-the-in-509872801

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A hidden population of exotic neutron stars

Friday, May 24, 2013

Magnetars ? the dense remains of dead stars that erupt sporadically with bursts of high-energy radiation ? are some of the most extreme objects known in the Universe. A major campaign using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and several other satellites shows magnetars may be more diverse ? and common ? than previously thought.

When a massive star runs out of fuel, its core collapses to form a neutron star, an ultradense object about 10 to 15 miles wide. The gravitational energy released in this process blows the outer layers away in a supernova explosion and leaves the neutron star behind.

Most neutron stars are spinning rapidly ? a few times a second ? but a small fraction have a relatively low spin rate of once every few seconds, while generating occasional large blasts of X-rays. Because the only plausible source for the energy emitted in these outbursts is the magnetic energy stored in the star, these objects are called "magnetars."

Most magnetars have extremely high magnetic fields on their surface that are ten to a thousand times stronger than for the average neutron star. New observations show that the magnetar known as SGR 0418+5729 (SGR 0418 for short) doesn't fit that pattern. It has a surface magnetic field similar to that of mainstream neutron stars.

"We have found that SGR 0418 has a much lower surface magnetic field than any other magnetar," said Nanda Rea of the Institute of Space Science in Barcelona, Spain. "This has important consequences for how we think neutron stars evolve in time, and for our understanding of supernova explosions."

The researchers monitored SGR 0418 for over three years using Chandra, ESA's XMM-Newton as well as NASA's Swift and RXTE satellites. They were able to make an accurate estimate of the strength of the external magnetic field by measuring how its rotation speed changes during an X-ray outburst. These outbursts are likely caused by fractures in the crust of the neutron star precipitated by the buildup of stress in a relatively strong, wound-up magnetic field lurking just beneath the surface.

"This low surface magnetic field makes this object an anomaly among anomalies," said co-author GianLuca Israel of the National Institute of Astrophysics in Rome. "A magnetar is different from typical neutron stars, but SGR 0418 is different from other magnetars as well."

By modeling the evolution of the cooling of the neutron star and its crust, as well as the gradual decay of its magnetic field, the researchers estimated that SGR 0418 is about 550,000 years old. This makes SGR 0418 older than most other magnetars, and this extended lifetime has probably allowed the surface magnetic field strength to decline over time. Because the crust weakened and the interior magnetic field is relatively strong, outbursts could still occur.

The case of SGR 0418 may mean that there are many more elderly magnetars with strong magnetic fields hidden under the surface, implying that their birth rate is five to ten times higher than previously thought.

"We think that about once a year in every galaxy a quiet neutron star should turn on with magnetar-like outbursts, according to our model for SGR 0418," said Jos? Pons of the University of Alacant in Spain. "We hope to find many more of these objects."

Another implication of the model is that the surface magnetic field of SGR 0418 should have once been very strong at its birth a half million years ago. This, plus a possibly large population of similar objects, could mean that the massive progenitor stars already had strong magnetic fields, or these fields were created by rapidly rotating neutron stars in the core collapse that was part of the supernova event.

If large numbers of neutron stars are born with strong magnetic fields then a significant fraction of gamma-ray bursts might be caused by the formation of magnetars rather than black holes. Also, the contribution of magnetar births to gravitational wave signals ? ripples in space-time ? would be larger than previously thought.

The possibility of a relatively low surface magnetic field for SGR 0418 was first announced in 2010 by a team with some of the same members. However, the scientists at that time could only determine an upper limit for the magnetic field and not an actual estimate because not enough data had been collected.

SGR 0418 is located in the Milky Way galaxy at a distance of about 6,500 light years from Earth. These new results on SGR 0418 appear online and will be published in the June 10, 2013 issue of The Astrophysical Journal. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., manages the Chandra program for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls Chandra's science and flight operations from Cambridge, Mass.

###

Chandra X-ray Center: http://chandra.harvard.edu

Thanks to Chandra X-ray Center for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/128390/A_hidden_population_of_exotic_neutron_stars

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A new strategy required in the search for Alzheimer's drugs?

May 24, 2013 ? In the search for medication against Alzheimer's disease, scientists have focused on -- among other factors -- drugs that can break down Amyloid beta (A-beta). After all, it is the accumulation of A-beta that causes the known plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. The starting point for the formation of A-beta is APP. Alessia Soldano and Bassem Hassan (VIB/KU Leuven) were the first to unravel the function of APPL -- the fruit-fly version of APP -- in the brain of healthy fruit flies.

Alessia Soldano (VIB/KU Leuven): "We have discovered that APPL ensures that brain cells form a good network. We now have to ask ourselves the question whether this function of APPL is also relevant to Alzheimer's disease."

Bassem Hassan (VIB/KU Leuven): "Since we show that APP and APPL show similar activities in cultured cells, we suspect that APP in the human brain functions in the same manner as APPL in the brain of fruit flies. Hopefully we can use this to ask and eventually answer the question whether A-beta or APP itself is the better target for new drugs."

Plaques in the brain: cause or effect

The brain of a person with Alzheimer's disease is very recognizable due to the so-called plaques. A plaque is an accumulation of proteins that are primarily made up of Amyloid beta (A-beta), a small structure that splits off from the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP). We have been dreaming for a long time of a drug that can break down A-beta, but we should be asking ourselves whether this is really the best strategy. After all, it is not yet clear whether the plaques are a cause or effect of Alzheimer's disease. In order to answer this question, it is important to determine the function of APP in healthy brains.

Optimum communication between brain cells

Alessia Soldano and Bassem Hassan study APPL, the fruit-fly version of APP. APPL is found throughout the fruit-fly brain, but primarily in the so-called alpha-beta neurons that are vital to learning processes and memory. The alpha-beta neurons must form functional axons for optimum functioning. Axons are tendrils projecting from the neuron, which are essential for communication between neurons. The VIB scientists had previously shown that APPL is important for memory in flies. Now, they have discovered that -- in the developing brain of a fruit fly -- APPL ensures that the axons are long enough and grow in the correct direction. APPL is therefore essential in the formation of a good network of neurons. The question is whether or not it is a good strategy to target a protein with such an important function in the brain in order to combat Alzheimer's disease.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by VIB, via AlphaGalileo.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal References:

1. Alessia Soldano, Zeynep Okray, Pavlina Janovska, Kate?ina Tmejov?, Elodie Reynaud, Annelies Claeys, Jiekun Yan, Zeynep Kalender Atak, Bart De Strooper, Jean-Maurice Dura, V?t?zslav Bryja, Bassem A. Hassan. The Drosophila Homologue of the Amyloid Precursor Protein Is a Conserved Modulator of Wnt PCP Signaling. PLoS Biology, 2013; 11 (5): e1001562 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001562
2. Richard Robinson. An Axonal Growth Pathway Requires an Alzheimer's Protein. PLoS Biology, 2013; 11 (5): e1001559 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001559

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/LRwbD5GNo8o/130524104058.htm

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Ravensword: Shadowlands makes the leap from iOS to the Mac

RPG fans may be interested to know that the iOS open-world RPG game, Ravensword: Shadowlands, has now made the jump from iOS and is available to play on your Mac. Crescent Moon Games has made the title available to download from the Mac App Store, priced at $12.99. Mobile Nations' own gaming editor, Simon Sage, is a fan of the iOS version:

"If you've ever wanted some rough approximation of the Elder Scrolls games on your iPad, now you have it. Ravensword: Shadowlands is an open world role-playing game with classic progression, strong storyline, and tons of monsters to slay. Shadowlands is a sequel to two-year-old game, and as you can imagine the graphics are significantly improved. Camera shake, dynamic lighting, and well-executed lip syncing with the occasional voice acting the game has to offer. Delightfully absent are any signs of in-app purchases, and the soundtrack is great to boot. Fantasy fans should definitely check out Ravensword: Shadowlands."

By all accounts, the Mac version contains all the same goodness as its iOS counterpart, with some Mac specific enhancements such as realtime shadows and high resolution textures. Grab it now from the Mac App Store, and be sure to tell us what you think of it in the comments. How does it compare to the iOS version?

• $12.99 - Download Now

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/Lba3ligCFYY/story01.htm

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France: Drugmaker on trial, suspected in deaths

NANTERRE, France (AP) ? A French drug company and its founder are on trial on charges of misleading the public about a diabetes drug marketed as a weight loss method and suspected in hundreds of deaths.

But after years of delays in one of France's biggest recent health scandals, the proceedings could still be pushed back further.

Between 1976 and 2009, around 5 million people took Mediator, designed as a diabetes drug but widely promoted for weight loss. Mediator's creators, Servier Laboratories, face charges of "aggravated deception" in a trial that opened Tuesday in Nanterre, outside Paris.

Some victims and their families want a speedy trial, hoping a conviction would move forward their claims for damages.

Others, including Servier, want judges to delay proceedings while a separate manslaughter investigation is still underway in Paris.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/france-drugmaker-trial-suspected-deaths-135830398.html

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Syrian Army fires across border into Israel to retaliate for airstrikes

? A daily summary of global reports on security issues.

Israel and Syria traded fire across their border today in the third such incident in a week. Although Israel has not taken sides in Syria's civil war, it has been explicit that it is willing to take drastic measures to ensure that, amid Syria's chaos, advanced weapons do not drift unnoticed into the hands of the anti-Israel militant group and Damascus-ally Hezbollah.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was "preparing for every scenario" and that "we will act to ensure the security interest of Israel's citizens in the future as well," Reuters reports. The Israeli military confirmed today that their soldiers "returned precise fire" after Syria fired on Israeli troops in the Golan Heights, former Syrian territory that Israel annexed after the 1967 war.

The Times of Israel reports that the Syrian Army stated that its troops "destroyed" an Israeli military vehicle, along with those in it, but that the Israel Defense Forces spokesman's office reported that a vehicle was "hit by light weapons fire, causing slight damage to the vehicle." It was the first time that the Syrian Army acknowledged firing across the border into Israel since the outbreak of civil war.

RECOMMENDED: How much do you know about Israel? Take the quiz

The Times of Israel posits that the acknowledgement was "an attempt by President Bashar [al-Assad]'s regime to project toughness following three Israeli airstrikes near Damascus" in the last month to which it did not retaliate.

Until civil war erupted in Syria, the border had been relatively quiet since 1973, the last time Israel and Syria fought a war. Even now, Israel's involvement has little to do with the Syrian government itself, but with the possibility of an uptick in the number of weapons bound for Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militant group that is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a client of Iran, and one of the greatest threats to Israel.

Michael Herzog, a former Israeli defense ministry chief of staff and current fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, wrote following an Israeli airstrike near Damascus earlier this month that Israel's "actions were driven not by ambitions to shape Syria's future, but by concerns about the strategic balance between itself and the Hezbollah-Iran axis."

Israeli decision-makers are under no illusion that they can elicit a desirable outcome in Syria. Instead, Israel prefers to keep a low profile and focus on other pressing challenges, paramount among them Iran's drive towards nuclear weapons. Israeli actions in Syria are therefore focused on addressing direct threats to its security, particularly the transfer of strategic weapons to Hezbollah.

The war in Syria has escalated this problem since it presented Hezbollah with the opportunity to upgrade its already formidable arsenal of over 60,000 rockets by acquiring more sophisticated weapons from Syria's stocks. Syria's huge arsenal includes hundreds of tonnes of chemical agents, tens of thousands of rockets and missiles, radars and more. Assad, deeply indebted to Iran and Hezbollah for their support, now feels obligated to allow the transfer of such weapons.

While the world is rightly focused on Syria's chemical weapons, Israel is no less concerned about conventional ones, which in the hands of Hezbollah could be game-changers. Israel believes that while other countries might intervene to prevent proliferation of chemical weapons, in stopping the transfer of conventional weapons, it is on its own. It expects only tacit political support for its actions from the US and Europe, which so far it has received.

Herzog notes that Hezbollah is not Israel's chief foe ? that would be Hezbollah's chief sponsor, Iran. But Hezbollah, with whom Israel fought a war in 2006, runs a solid second, and Israelis "see a high chance of another round with Hezbollah in the future."

Hezbollah is deeply involved in the fight in Syria, as The Christian Science Monitor's Nicholas Blanford illustrated yesterday in a dispatch from Lebanon's border region, where residents were holding funerals for Hezbollah fighters killed in battle in Syria.

With the number of fighters killed or wounded in Syria becoming too large to keep quiet, Hezbollah has finally come out into the open about its presence in Syria. It is currently fighting alongside the Syrian Army in a high-profile offensive to retake the Syrian rebel-held town of Qusayr, a few miles north of the Lebanese border.

The battle in Qusayr is Hezbollah's first major combat action since the end of the month-long war against Israel in 2006. Although the organization is dedicated to the confrontation against Israel, its cadres are now in Syria battling fellow Arab Muslims, albeit Sunnis. Meanwhile, Israeli jets penetrate Lebanese airspace on a daily basis. Two weeks ago they bombed suspected Hezbollah arms stockpiles outside Damascus in two separate sorties. Neither Hezbollah nor regime forces retaliated.

Syria is the linchpin connecting Hezbollah by land to its patron Iran, serving as a conduit for the flow of arms and granting the Shiite group strategic depth. The collapse of the Assad regime would represent a serious blow to Iran and Hezbollah, leaving them isolated on opposite ends of the Middle East.

Hezbollah's rapidly expanding role in Syria is regarded as part of a strategic decision undertaken by the party, Damascus, and Tehran to safeguard the Assad regime at all costs. To soothe any misgivings among Hezbollah's rank and file, the party's leadership has crafted a narrative that the West and Israel are using militant Sunni jihadists to oust the Assad regime and weaken the "resistance front" of Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah for the benefit of the Jewish state.

That narrative seems to have been absorbed. "No, we are fighting Israelis in Syria," one Hezbollah fighter told Mr. Blanford. "Only they are wearing a dishdash and carrying the Quran. But it is the same Western and Israeli project that wants to weaken the resistance."

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-army-fires-across-border-israel-retaliate-airstrikes-125902433.html

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We've been Selected as one of the top 15 Accounting Blogs! | The ...

Posted on May 20, 2013 by CPAsteve

How exciting to be mentioned as one of the top 15 Accounting Blogs by Distancelearning.com. ?Appletree Business Services is all about helping you optimize your business?s performance. With a mix out-of-the-box analogies and up to date professional advice, this is a must read accounting blog for every small business owner.? As always, we are so glad to know that we?re helping!

Presented by Steven A Feinberg, CPA of Appletree Business Services LLC, a PASBA member accountant, located in Londonderry, New Hampshire, with more than twenty- five years experience on Federal and New Hampshire issues affecting small business, and specializes in tax, payroll and business planning for his clients throughout the year. Steve is a recognized member-contributor of the book, Six Steps to Small Business Success. For additional information, you are encouraged to email Steve at [email?protected] or call (603) 434-2775.

Steven A. Feinberg ? www.AppletreeBusiness.com ? Get Appletree Blog via Email ? Follow CPAsteve on Twitter

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Source: http://blog.appletreebusiness.com/2013/05/20/weve-been-selected-as-one-of-the-top-15-accounting-blogs/

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One in 10 teens using 'study drugs,' but parents aren't paying attention

May 20, 2013 ? As high schoolers prepare for final exams, teens nationwide may be tempted to use a "study drug" ?- a prescription stimulant or amphetamine -- to gain an academic edge. But a new University of Michigan poll shows only one in 100 parents of teens 13-17 years old believes that their teen has used a study drug.

Study drugs refer to stimulant medications typically prescribed for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); commonly prescribed medicines in this category include Adderall, Concerta, Ritalin, and Vyvanse.

Among parents of teens who have not been prescribed a stimulant medication for ADHD, just 1% said they believe their teen has used a study drug to help study or improve grades, according to the latest University of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health. However, recent national data from Monitoring the Future indicate that 10% of high school sophomores and 12% of high school seniors say they've used an amphetamine or stimulant medication not prescribed by their doctor.

Sometimes students without ADHD take someone else's medication, to try to stay awake and alert and try to improve their scores on exams or assignments. Taking study drugs has not been proven to improve students' grades, and it can be very dangerous to their health, says Matthew M. Davis, M.D., M.A.P.P., director of the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health.

"Taking these medications when they are not prescribed for you can lead to acute exhaustion, abnormal heart rhythms and even confusion and psychosis if the teens get addicted and go into withdrawal," says Davis.

"What we found in this poll is a clear mismatch between what parents believe and what their kids are reporting. But even though parents may not be recognizing these behaviors in their own kids, this poll also showed that one-half of the parents say they are very concerned about this abuse in their communities," Davis says.

White parents were most likely to say they are "very concerned" (54%), compared with black (38%) and Hispanic/Latino (37%) parents.

Despite this concern, only 27 percent of parents polled said they have talked to their teens about using study drugs. Black parents were more likely to have discussed this issue with their teens (41%), compared with white (27%) or Hispanic (17%) parents.

"If we are going to make a dent in this problem, and truly reduce the abuse of these drugs, we need parents, educators, health care professionals and all who interact with teens to be more proactive about discussing the issue," says Davis.

Over three-quarters of parents polled said they support school policies aimed at stopping abuse of study drugs in middle schools and high schools. Overall, 76% of parents said they believe schools should be required to discuss the dangers of ADHD medication abuse.

Another 79% support a policy to require students with a prescription for ADHD medications to keep their pills in a secure location such as the school nurse's office -- a requirement that would prohibit students from carrying medicines of this nature that could potentially be shared with, or sold to, other students.

"We know teens may be sharing drugs or spreading the word that these medications can give their grades a boost. But the bottom line is that these prescription medications are drugs, and teens who use them without a prescription are taking a serious risk with their health," Davis says.?

Full report: http://mottnpch.org/reports-surveys/one-ten-teens-using-%E2%80%9Cstudy-drugs%E2%80%9D-are-parents-paying-attention

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/BeA1mHx0gWw/130520094454.htm

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The Broncos are covering their bases in case Manning suffers another neck injury.

Quarterback Peyton Manning signed a new contract with the Denver Broncos that includes an insurance clause which gives the organization financial relief if the 37-year-old is sidelined with a major injury, according to a report from ProFootballTalk on Friday.

The clause, according to the report, would provide the Broncos with reimbursement and salary cap breathing room if Manning is unable to play. He is set to make $20 million in both 2013 and 2014, but the latter year's salary can be wiped off Denver's books should Manning re-injure the same area of his neck that has undergone multiple surgeries over the past few years. However, this would not cover them if Manning were to suffer any other serious injury.

Other than that, Manning's contract and salary were in no way affected by this latest addition. It seems as though the Broncos are just further hedging against the risk of paying and playing an older NFL quarterback who is still somewhat recovering from multiple neck surgeries.

In 2012, his first season with the Broncos after missing the 2011 campaign altogether, Manning threw for 4,659 yards, 37 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, leading Denver to the top spot in the AFC before falling in the divisional round of the playoffs to the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.

More from SB Nation:

? QB situations for all 32 teams

? Denard Robinson lines up at QB?

? Tim Tebow's (fake) CFL chronicles

? Joe Webb moves to WR

? Chris Kluwe signs with Raiders

? The rise of "Generation Jaguar"

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Source: http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2013/5/17/4340080/peyton-manning-contract-insurance-clause-denver-broncos

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Foc.us headset said to stimulate brain, hones in on gaming (forehead-on)

We've seen a number of headsets tap into the brain, some of which geotag your mood, grant you remote control over gadgets or simply let you wiggle a pair of cat ears with your mind. However, none of them function quite like the foc.us, which is meant to provide transcranial direct-current simulation (tDCS), a controversial form of neurosimulation that transmits current to a particular area of the brain. Originally used to help patients with brain injuries, tDCS has supposedly been found to increase cognitive performance in healthy adults. However, it hasn't been proven to provide medical benefits and isn't approved by the FDA.

Still, the foc.us is one of a few tDCS headsets designed for the consumer market, and can, the inventor Michael Oxley claims, improve your working or short-term memory when the electrodes are placed on your prefrontal cortex. A low-intensity current is passed through the different nodes, exciting that part of the brain. Interestingly, Oxley is positioning it as a way to boost your video gaming prowess for the "ultimate gaming experience," a concept we found a little odd.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/17/focus-headset-tdcs/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Emma Watson: Inspired by The Kardashians?!?

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Fast and painless way to better mental arithmetic? Yes, there might actually be a way

May 16, 2013 ? In the future, if you want to improve your ability to manipulate numbers in your head, you might just plug yourself in. So say researchers who report in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on May 16 on studies of a harmless form of brain stimulation applied to an area known to be important for math ability.

"With just five days of cognitive training and noninvasive, painless brain stimulation, we were able to bring about long-lasting improvements in cognitive and brain functions," says Roi Cohen Kadosh of the University of Oxford.

Incredibly, the improvements held for a period of six months after training. No one knows exactly how this relatively new method of stimulation, called transcranial random noise stimulation (TRNS), works. But the researchers say the evidence suggests that it allows the brain to work more efficiently by making neurons fire more synchronously.

Cohen Kadosh and his colleagues had shown previously that another form of brain stimulation could make people better at learning and processing new numbers. But, he says, TRNS is even less perceptible to those receiving it. TRNS also has the potential to help even more people. That's because it has been shown to improve mental arithmetic -- the ability to add, subtract, or multiply a string of numbers in your head, for example -- not just new number learning. Mental arithmetic is a more complex and challenging task, which more than 20 percent of people struggle with.

Ultimately, Cohen Kadosh says, with better integration of neuroscience and education, this line of study could really help humans reach our cognitive potential in math and beyond. It might also be of particular help to those suffering with neurodegenerative illness, stroke, or learning difficulties.

"Maths is a highly complex cognitive faculty that is based on a myriad of different abilities," Cohen Kadosh says. "If we can enhance mathematics, therefore, there is a good chance that we will be able to enhance simpler cognitive functions."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/mGNJyeqBLAs/130516123912.htm

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Let's Talk About Anything You Want for the Next Hour

Good afternoon and happy Friday, friends. We're sure you're feeling just as restless as we are, so to help make the rest of the day bearable, we'll be hanging around this thread to talk about anything you want for the next hour. Really?anything at all! Deep dark secrets, dreams, complaints, concerns, crack cocaine video funds?everything's fair game. So go nuts. This is a safe space.

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Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/FIvQoa-A-qw/lets-talk-about-anything-you-want-for-the-next-hour-508257191

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S&P cuts Berkshire Hathaway rating one notch to 'AA'

May 15 (Reuters) - Post positions for the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes, to be run at Pimlico on Saturday (Post Position, Horse, Jockey, Trainer, Odds) 1. Orb, Joel Rosario, Shug McGaughey, even 2. Goldencents, Kevin Krigger, Doug O'Neill, 8-1 3. Titletown Five, Julien Leparoux, D. Wayne Lukas, 30-1 4. Departing, Brian Hernandez, Al Stall, 6-1 5. Mylute, Rosie Napravnik, Tom Amoss, 5-1 6. Oxbow, Gary Stevens, D. Wayne Lukas, 15-1 7. Will Take Charge, Mike Smith, D. Wayne Lukas, 12-1 8. Govenor Charlie, Martin Garcia, Bob Baffert, 12-1 9. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/p-cuts-berkshire-hathaway-rating-one-notch-aa-134403222.html

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According to The Verge, Xbox Points are finally going to die.

According to The Verge, Xbox Points are finally going to die. Rumor is that Microsoft will move to a gift card system not unlike iTunes. The system's said to work across Windows Store, Windows Phone Store, and Xbox, with a launch as soon as E3. We'll see.

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Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/PdZbva1dsMU/according-to-the-verge-microsoft-points-are-finally-go-506629416

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