Kids who have autism will tell white lies to protect other people’s feelings, but they are not very good at covering up their lies, says a Queen’s University study. The study, conducted by psychology professor Beth Kelley and developmental psychology PhD student Annie Li, is one of the first scientific studies of lying and autism. “The results are surprising because there is a notion that children with autism have difficulty appreciating the thoughts and feelings of other people, so we didn’t expect them to lie to avoid saying things that may hurt others,” says Dr....

New information says moderate drinking doesn’t hurt babies — but don’t expect moms to heed it By Mary Elizabeth Williams This just in: A drink now and then during pregnancy will not automatically turn your child into a developmentally delayed sociopath. But hold the champagne — and don’t expect your neighborhood mothers-to-be to start hitting happy hour after their prenatal yoga classes. A study released Tuesday in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health that tracked 11,500 British children found that the offspring of women who drank “lightly”...

Skin cells can be easily converted, report says By Valerie Richardson A major breakthrough in stem cell development could help resolve the ongoing debate over the use of embryonic stem cells in medical research. A team of scientists led by Derrick J. Rossi of the Immune Disease Institute at Children’s Hospital Boston published a paper Thursday showing that they can quickly and efficiently transform skin cells into cells with all the properties of embryonic stem cells. Douglas Melton, co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, called the report, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell,...

By Jenny Hope Children with ADHD have a genetic condition, research has shown. For the first time, a direct link has been found between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and differences in brain development as displayed in autism and other disorders, according to the findings. Scientists at Cardiff University who carried out a study of almost 1,400 children say the results should help parents beat the stigma of ADHD, which has often been dismissed as mere bad behaviour. Poor parenting or diets containing too much sugar have long been thought to set off the symptoms, but the latest study...

By Sophie Borland Women who think they aren’t getting enough beauty sleep shouldn’t worry – resting for between five and six and a half hours a night are more likely to live longer, research claims. Those who get slightly less than the healthy recommended amount of seven hours tend to outlive those who sleep much more. The researchers hope their findings will help dismiss the commonly-held belief that people aren’t getting enough sleep. While adults are advised to have at between seven and nine hours a night to stay healthy, many end up getting much less. This latest study involving...

The first direct evidence of a genetic link to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has been found,” reported BBC News. The research behind this news compared the DNA of 366 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 1,047 control subjects not known to have the condition. It found that 14% of children with ADHD had large, rare variations in their DNA that were present in only 7% controls. Although this has been called “the first direct evidence” that ADHD is a genetic disorder, results from other genetic research and studies in twins have already highlighted...

A blood test that could predict those at risk of getting diabetes 10 years earlier than current diagnosis has been developed by scientists. The test can identify around half of people who will develop type 2 diabetes said researchers speaking at the British Science Festival in Birmingham. It works by detecting levels of a genetic molecule in their blood, it was claimed. The same molecule, called a microRNA (MiR), could help pinpoint sufferers at high risk of heart and artery disease. Amongst the two million people in Britain who already have diabetes, the test can also distinguish between those...

By THOMAS GRYTA Vivus Inc., one of three companies seeking regulatory approval for an obesity drug, disclosed Tuesday two-year data that showed strong and sustained weight loss for the majority of patients using its Qnexa product and no new side-effects. In July, a Food and Drug Administration panel of outside experts recommended against the drug’s approval on concerns about the long-term safety of a product that could be used by millions of patients indefinitely. At the time, Vivus only had one-year data to present to the panel. The Mountain View, Calif., drug maker has said it will work...

The most detailed microscopic crystallography image ever created By Rebecca Boyle After more than a decade of work, scientists have completed a 3-D atomic-scale map of a virus that causes the common cold. It’s the largest virus ever mapped. The map could help scientists re-engineer the virus for gene therapy, as well as to create possible treatments for cancer and other ailments. Robotic systems, an advanced x-ray, and years of patience made it possible. The human adenovirus family, which is responsible for a host of ailments ranging from colds to gastrointestinal disorders, is quite good...

A new study has revealed that high levels of the stress hormone cortisol strongly predict cardiovascular death among both persons with and without pre-existing cardiovascular disease. In stressful situations, the body responds by producing the hormone cortisol. The effects of cortisol are intended to help the body recover from stress and regain a status of homeostasis, however chronically elevated cortisol levels have been associated with cardiovascular risk factors, such as the metabolic syndrome and accelerated atherosclerosis. “Previous studies have suggested that cortisol might increase...