Atypical characteristics of children’s linguistic development are early signs of the risk of developing reading and writing disabilities, or dyslexia. New research points to preventive exercises as an effective means to tackle the challenges children face when learning to read. The results achieved at the Centre of Excellence in Learning and Motivation Research were presented at the Academy of Finland’s science breakfast on August21st.

Headed by Professor Heikki Lyytinen at the University of Jyväskylä, the research delved into how to predict and prevent difficulties in learning to read and write. The study involved a 107 children with a dyslexic parent and a control group of children without a hereditary predisposition to dyslexia. The researchers followed the development of the predisposed children, from birth through school age.

Unusually high levels of physical exertion do cause oxidative stress, but this does not result in any long-term damage to DNA, say the results of a new research project.

As part of the project, 42 male athletes took part both in a triathlon and an extensive biomedical study, which examined numerous physiological values parameters during the period from two days before to 19 days after the triathlon.

The range of personal views on the benefits - or otherwise - of physical activity covers everything from "sport is good for you" to "sport is a killer" - not very scientific.

There is no doubt that regular sporting activity has physiological benefits but there is no evidence that there are benefits of extreme endurance sports.

Researchers from the University of Hawaii, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, National Marine Fisheries Service and Projecto Meros do Brazil discovered a new species of fish; a grouper that reaches more than six feet in length and can weigh nearly 1,000 pounds. This newly discovered species can be found roaming the tropical reefs of the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

Was the massive fish hiding among the corals and sea grass to evade marine biologists? No, it was just a case of mistaken identity, as explained in a recent genetic study in the journal Endangered Species Research.

It turns out that goliath in the Atlantic which inhabit the tropical waters of the Americas and western Africa are not the same groupers that swim in Pacific waters, even though they look identical.

For an athlete, it seems to good to be true. A "sports supplement" that increases alertness, concentration, reaction time and focus while decreasing muscle fatigue or at least the perception of fatigue. It can even shorten recovery time after a game. HGH? EPO? Steroids? Nope, just a grande cup of Juan Valdez's Best, Liquid Lightning, Morning Mud, Wakey Juice, Mojo, Java, aka coffee.

Actually, the key ingredient is caffeine which has been studied repeatedly for its ergogenic (performance-enhancing) benefits in sports, both mentally and physically. Time after time, caffeine proves itself as a relatively safe, legal and inexpensive boost to an athlete.  Or does it?

SAN FRANCISCO, August 20 /PRNewswire/ --

Intel Developer Forum, CMD Booth # 832 -- California Micro Devices (Nasdaq: CAMD) announced that it is developing display controllers based upon the Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI(TM)) alliance standard for high speed serial display interfaces. These display controllers will be used in next generation Intel-based Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and are being showcased in the MID Ecosystem Community at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, California, from August 19 through 21, 2008.

WELLESLEY HILLS, Massachusetts, August 20 /PRNewswire/ --

Joseph F. Finn, Jr., C.P.A. ("Finn"), Assignee of the assets of Spherics, Inc. ("Spherics") for the benefit of creditors, announced today that all pharmaceutical intellectual property will be sold at a sealed bid auction on October 10, 2008.

LONDON, August 20 /PRNewswire/ -- People affected by the debilitating neurological condition multiple sclerosis (MS) now have world-class information at their fingertips thanks to a UK first by the MS Society.

The charity, which is the largest of its kind supporting people affected by MS, has this week created an online library of the thousands of books, journals, papers and magazines that it has in its collection, searchable from anywhere with an internet connection.

The database opens up the library to the world and now anyone interested in any aspect of MS can see what's available, download documents and texts and request loans.

BRATSK, Russia, August 20 /PRNewswire/ --

Mechel OAO (NYSE: MTL), one of the leading Russian mining and metals companies, announces that reconstruction of the last of four systems for gas cleaning at its Bratsk Ferroalloy Plant subsidiary is near completion.

FRANKFURT, Germany and CHICAGO, August 20 /PRNewswire/ --

RTS Realtime Systems Group (RTS), a leading trading solutions provider, today announced that Raiffeisen Centrobank AG, a leading issuing bank in Austria, has recently expanded its services by offering Direct Market Access (DMA) to the Vienna Stock Exchange, enabling other RTS customers to access this Xetra electronic trading platform based exchange.

RTS' RTD Connect solution is easy to deploy between RTS customers, simply requiring a "plug 'n play interface" between two RTD servers. Until now, Raiffeisen Centrobank has been using the high-performance trading platform RTD Realtime Trading Desktop for its proprietary trading.