The human brain is wired with natural checks and balances that control negative emotions, but breakdowns in this regulatory system appear to dramatically heighten risk of impulsive violent behavior, according to findings of a University of Wisconsin-Madison study. As part of a special report on violence in the July 28 issue of the journal Science, […]
Coffee drinkers seem to be at increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, suggests research in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. The association between coffee drinking and the presence of a hallmark indicator for the development of rheumatoid arthritis-rheumatoid factor-was studied in a cross sectional survey of almost 7000 people, and in almost 19000 people, […]
As the Russian service module “Zvezda” nears its July 25 rendezvous with the International Space Station, stargazers and space enthusiasts can track the progress of construction on the ambitious space research facility. And they can do it with the naked eye. A new Web site developed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., […]
Dr. Michael Kuhar and a team of neuroscientists at the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center of Emory University have found that a naturally occurring neurotransmitter produces behaviors associated with cocaine and methamphetamine. The finding suggests a role for the brain chemical, called CART (Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript) peptide, in modulating or mediating the actions of […]
In the August issue of The American Journal of Human Genetics, Celia Greenwood and colleagues present evidence for a major genetic component to TB susceptibility. Tuberculosis (TB) is currently a major public health problem worldwide. Although there are millions of new cases of TB each year, not all individuals exposed to TB become infected, nor […]
War is never a game, but one expert has brought game theory to bear on defending against incoming ballistic missile attacks. This theory could help improve the accuracy of the Pentagon’s National Missile Defense system, the scaled-down version of the “Star Wars” effort, begun during the Reagan administration. The idea of using game theory — […]
A new study backs up what the etiquette books have been saying all along, that a firm handshake helps makes a good first impression for both males and females. The study, reported in this month’s issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, a journal published by the American Psychological Association (APA), finds that […]
Being born in the early part of a year may affect a child’s success in sport, school and self-esteem according to a University of Alberta researcher. Dr. Gus Thompson, from the departments of psychiatry and public health sciences, has been studying how the “relative age” effect contributes to achievement. He found that a disproportionate number […]
Johns Hopkins scientists have produced a compound capable of rapidly turning off appetite in mice and causing weight loss similar in many ways to that achieved by fasting. When injected, the substance, which is apparently non-toxic to the mice, wipes out the animals’ interest in food within 20 minutes. The effect of the chemical called […]
