Other News

Neurons in the brain interact by sending each other chemical messages, so-called neurotransmitters. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the most common inhibitory neurotransmitter, which is important to restrain neural activity, preventing neurons from getting too trigger-happy and from firing too much or responding to irrelevant stimuli. Researchers led by Dr Tobias Bast … [Read more...]

Getting some sleep in between study sessions may make it easier to recall what you studied and relearn what you've forgotten, even 6 months later, according to new findings from Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. "Our results suggest that interleaving sleep between practice sessions leads to a twofold advantage, reducing the time … [Read more...]

Wallo will showcase its Stand UP Collection at the Montreal Fashion and Design Festival in the Cabinet Éphémère's collective fashion show, next Wednesday, August 17th at 7:30 pm at the Passerelle du Casino - Quartier des Spectacles. Proudly Canadian, Wallo is a new fashion label by designer and visual artist Marie-Andrée Wallot. Wallo’s Stand Up collection, predominantly … [Read more...]

Bright light combined with caffeine can improve driving performance and alertness of chronically sleep deprived young drivers, according to a Queensland University of Technology road safety study. Dr Shamsi Shekari, from QUT's Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety -- Queensland (CARRS-Q) presented her findings at the 2016 International Conference on Traffic and … [Read more...]

Rats' blood vessels took at least three times longer to recover function after only a minute of breathing secondhand marijuana smoke, compared to recovery after a minute of breathing secondhand tobacco smoke, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. When … [Read more...]

Research by scientists in the US and UK has estimated that up to 1.65 million childbearing women in Central and South America could become infected by the Zika virus by the end of the first wave of the epidemic. Researchers from the WorldPop Project and Flowminder Foundation at the University of Southampton and colleagues from the University of Notre Dame and University … [Read more...]

People who have recently begun an attempt to quit smoking tobacco are more likely to try to drink less alcohol than other smokers, according to research published in the open access journal BMC Public Health. In England, people who attempted to stop smoking within the last week reported lower levels of alcohol consumption, were less likely to binge drink, and were more … [Read more...]

Research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) conducted by VIB-KU Leuven has led to interesting and unexpected conclusions. When scientists were investigating the relevance of the higher expression of the IP3R2 protein in blood of ALS patients, the general expectation was that lowering the expression of this protein would have a protective effect on the affected motor … [Read more...]

Scientists from the Universities of Granada and Jaén have demonstrated how barefoot running, when done properly, can considerably decrease the risk of injury as it produces significant changes to foot strike patterns, regardless of the speed of the runner. Barefoot running appears to contribute to the acquisition of a more efficient biomechanical running pattern, … [Read more...]

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have confirmed that a benign bacterium called Wolbachia pipientis can completely block transmission of Zika virus in Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species responsible for passing the virus to humans. Matthew Aliota, a scientist at the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) and first author of the paper -- … [Read more...]

A powerful arm of the immune system is production of antibodies that circulate through the blood and neutralize invading pathogens. Although B cells actually manufacture antibody proteins, the process is aided by neighboring T cells, which shower B cells with cytokines to make them churn out high-quality antibody proteins--and remember how to do so. Given the essential function … [Read more...]

Gay, lesbian and bisexual Canadians experience more mood and anxiety disorders than other Canadians, and they are more likely to turn to heavy drinking. In a new study that provides the first information of its kind for Canada, researchers also found that Canadians who identified as bisexual reported the highest rates of mood and anxiety disorders and heavy drinking compared … [Read more...]

Laboratory experiments suggest that the resin of certain trees of the Middle East, known commonly as the "myrrh" of the Christmas story, may have cholesterol-lowering properties. Research published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health discusses the hypocholesterolemic effects of myrrh and other plant products. Myrrh is a rust-coloured … [Read more...]

The difference between mild sexual difficulties and clinically diagnosable sexual dysfunction is not a new source of debate among health professionals, but it has been stirred up recently by changes to official diagnostic criteria. The first study to estimate the likely impact of these morbidity criteria on the prevalence of sexual dysfunction is now available as an Open Access … [Read more...]

A new study led by psychology researchers with The University of Texas at Arlington sheds new light on why many heterosexual women develop close friendships with gay men. It's a social pattern that has been a central theme of television shows such as "Modern Family," "The Office," "Sex & the City," "Will & Grace," and other pop culture movies and television programs … [Read more...]

More sex may not always make you happier, according to new research published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. "Although more frequent sex is associated with greater happiness, this link was no longer significant at a frequency of more than once a week," lead researcher Amy Muise said. "Our findings suggest that it's important to maintain an intimate … [Read more...]

A team of Florida State University researchers found that the endurance competition called the Ultraman can lead to large reductions in body fat, but also causes temporary muscle damage and potentially insulin resistance. In the European Journal of Applied Physiology, Assistant Professor of Exercise Science and Sports Nutrition Michael Ormsbee and a team of student … [Read more...]

Although the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling to legalize same-sex marriage was a victory for the gay community, same-sex couples continue to face challenges such as discrimination, stigma and lack of role models for their long-term relationships and marriages. Furthermore, same-sex female couples suffer breakups more often and more quickly than heterosexual couples. To help … [Read more...]

Looking for more and better sex? If you're a man, you might consider doing the dishes once in a while. A new study out of the University of Alberta reveals that couples enjoyed more frequent and satisfying sex for both partners when men made a fair contribution to housework. The same study also found there's no relationship between the amount of housework male partners … [Read more...]

Weight and physical activity levels are both factors in a child's ability to acquire and use knowledge, a new study finds. "The question this paper asks that has not been asked before is whether it is just fitness that influences children's cognition," said Dr. Catherine Davis, clinical health psychologist at the Georgia Prevention Institute at the Medical College of Georgia … [Read more...]

According to new research in rat models, nicotine use over time increases the speed that codeine is converted into morphine within the brain, by increasing the amount of a specific enzyme. It appears smokers' brains are being primed for a bigger buzz from this common pain killer -- which could put them at a higher risk for addiction, and possibly even overdose. "We've known … [Read more...]

If a young woman's first sexual experience involves alcohol, she is more likely to be at risk for problems such as sexual assault, and this risk may persist in her future, new research finds. The study, authored by Jennifer A. Livingston, PhD, senior research scientist at the University at Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions (RIA), surveyed 228 women, ages 18 to 20, … [Read more...]