Researchers previously showed that overweight and obese individuals with knee osteoarthritis can reduce pain by 50% and significantly improve function and mobility with a 10% or more weight loss over an 18-month period. The investigators’ latest findings, which are published in Arthritis Care & Research, reveal that a 20% or more weight loss has the
Researchers at Western University have shown that our brains are pre-wired to perceive wrinkles around the eyes as conveying more intense and more sincere emotions. This eye-wrinkle feature, called the Duchenne marker, occurs across multiple facial expressions, including smiles, expressions associated with pain, and —as found by these researchers—expressions of sadness. Using a method called
Anyone needing a little excitement in their lives could do worse than suck a lemon, surprising new research at the University of Sussex suggests. Scientists at the Sussex Computer Human Interaction (SCHI) Lab say they have found for the first time empirical evidence that sour tastes lead to more risk-taking behaviour in a paper published
Fewer gay and bisexual men are using condoms while taking PrEP, the antiretroviral pill that prevents HIV, according to research published today in the The Lancet medical journal. The study shows the rate of gay and bisexual men in Sydney and Melbourne taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and reporting condomless anal intercourse with casual partners, has
The concept of survival of the fittest most often applies to the competition that occurs within and between animal species, but evolutionary pressures can be found elsewhere—even in a cancerous tumor. Cancer researchers have come to understand tumors not as lumps of identical cells, but rather as diverse, dynamic populations unto themselves. And, like individuals
Music can have a visceral effect on us. Indeed, most people reading this will remember a time when music altered their mood — be that positively or negatively. In the world of retail, manipulating mood can be the difference between a sale and someone walking out of the shop empty-handed. Given humanity’s readiness to be
The name of an illness can affect the level of care a person receives. Cancer sufferers experiencing fear and uncertainty may have access to cancer care centres. Donations and bequests enable these centres to offer everything from accessible parking, to wig and beauty services, to comprehensive clinical care. A person with arthritis, on the other
A new study shows that the ability to distinguish truth from lies is diminished in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) – putting them at greater risk of being manipulated. Researchers, led by Professor David Williams of the University of Kent, found that lie detection ability is ‘significantly diminished’ in those with a full ASD
In this article, we look at the causes of burning sensations, when to see a doctor, and what treatments are available. Causes of burning sensations The location of the sensation can give a good indication of its cause. For example, a burning feeling in the muscles may be the result of an injury, while a
In general, it is recommended that sexual intercourse is avoided for the first 4-6 weeks following a vaginal or cesarean (C-section) delivery; however, it is important to speak with your health care provider before resuming sex. Most often, especially in cases of a C-section, perineal tear or episiotomy, it is recommended to wait until after
The public alcohol and drug system is chronically underfunded. About 200,000 people receive treatment for alcohol or other drug problems each year in Australia, but the demand is estimated at closer to 500,000. The result is long waiting lists for some publicly funded treatment, or people choosing private services to fill the gap. But there
About a decade ago, evolutionary psychologists suggested that humans have evolved a first line of defense against disease: a behavioural immune system (BIS). This system is thought to be unconsciously activated, to varying degrees, when an individual perceives, rightly or wrongly, that there is a threat of disease. Although we cannot see microorganisms with our
Often, people think performing in front of others will make them mess up, but a new study led by a Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist found the opposite: being watched makes people do better. When people know they are being observed, parts of the brain associated with social awareness and reward invigorate a part of the
One class of drug used to treat type 2 diabetes may not reduce the risk of death when compared with placebo, suggests new findings. The research, led by scientists from Imperial College London and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, studied three types of diabetes treatment: sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, glucagon-like
In humans and other mammals, the female reproductive cells – the eggs or oocytes – need nourishment in order to grow and remain fertile. It is known that the egg gets its food from little arm-like feeding tubes (called filopodia) that jut out from tiny cells surrounding the egg and must poke through a thick
In autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, some of the immune system’s T cells mistakenly attack the body’s own cells, while protective T regulatory cells try to defend against that attack. Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center have shown in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes that animals with fewer of a poorly studied
Differences between signed and spoken languages are significant, yet the underlying neural processes we use to create complex expressions are quite similar for both, a team of researchers has found. “This research shows for the first time that despite obvious physical differences in how signed and spoken languages are produced and comprehended, the neural timing
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