Author: healthadmin
A new study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders shows that for young people at risk for bipolar spectrum disorder, cannabis consumption does not strictly lead to more frequent drug use, but is more likely to interfere with daily obligations such as work and school. The study also investigates how specific positive emotional processes, such as a strong urge to achieve happiness, are associated with different patterns of cannabis consumption and difficulty quitting. Research on drug use frequently examines how drugs such as cannabis interact with negative emotional states such as anxiety and depression. The role of positive emotions…
A Sydney PhD student has created cosmic dust from scratch by recreating a small part of the universe inside a laboratory bottle. The experiment provides new clues about how some of the chemical components associated with life developed before Earth formed. Linda Rosrud, a PhD candidate in materials physics and plasma physics in the School of Physics, combined nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and acetylene to simulate the energy states found near stars and supernova remnants. She then exposed the gas to a strong electric charge. This process produced carbon-rich dust similar to the material that floats through interstellar space and is…
New research published in journal Psychology of popular media provides evidence that people who strongly identify as celebrity ultrafans tend to be female, LGBTQ+, and politically liberal. These highly engaged fans use social media platforms to build communities, share information, and promote the celebrities they love. The findings provide new insights into how young people navigate internet spaces to form identities and find social connections. The term “stan” originated as a slang combination of the words stalker and fan. It is now widely accepted as a label representing an enthusiastic and dedicated supporter of a particular celebrity, musician or public…
People consider rude behavior directed at the person who initiated the conflict to be more respectable than disrespectful behavior towards the person who started the conflict, but still prefer a polite and neutral response. This research Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. Rude behavior, including derogatory remarks, disrespectful treatment, and other disrespectful acts, is generally considered harmful because it can cause conflict, disrupt coordination, and weaken relationships within a group. Researchers have paid considerable attention to the causes of uncivil behavior and how it affects targets, witnesses, workplaces, and communities. The study also showed that incivility can be widespread. If someone…
Explore innovations in telemedicine, wearable tech, and AI diagnostics reshaping digital health for founders and professionals.
Do you sometimes notice a deep buzzing or humming sound that you can’t pinpoint the source of? If so, you may be one of the estimated 2-4% of people worldwide who experience this unusual sound. Researchers have spent decades trying to determine its origins. For some people, noise is irritating but manageable. For others, infrasound can cause physical discomfort or illness, and can also feel like vibrations traveling through the body. Hum can be difficult to detect outdoors. They are often seen inside buildings, especially at night when people are trying to sleep. If someone were to go outside and…
New research published in American Political Science Journal This suggests that support for authoritarian leaders can be socially widespread among citizens of established democracies. Researchers found evidence that by exposing individuals to peers with different political views, people tend to adjust their preferences for the rule of the strong to match the attitudes of those around them. This social contagion effect provides insight into how anti-democratic sentiment can suddenly surge in modern societies. The growing popularity of leaders who circumvent democratic institutions has led experts to examine how ordinary citizens form political preferences. In recent years, many modern democracies have…
An analysis of Health and Retirement Study data found that higher levels of optimism were associated with a slightly lower risk of developing dementia over a study period of up to 14 years. This association remained even after the study authors took into account health behaviors, adjusted for possible reverse causality (the possibility that optimism is lower in the early stages of dementia), and excluded individuals with the poorest mental health. The paper was published in. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Optimism is the general tendency to expect favorable outcomes and believe that difficulties can be managed or overcome.…
Coffee has been repeatedly linked to longevity and lower risk of some chronic diseases. Still, scientists don’t fully understand the biological processes that may explain these benefits. New findings from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) point to one possible answer. Researchers have discovered that certain compounds in coffee can activate NR4A1, a receptor that is becoming increasingly important in research into aging, stress responses, and disease. This research recently nutrientsproviding one of the first direct links between coffee compounds and NR4A1. This association may help explain some of the widespread health effects associated with drinking…
A newly identified branch of the marsupial family tree adds a surprising twist to the history of Australia’s most distinctive mammals. The discovery suggests that their evolution was more complex and more mysterious than scientists previously understood. Marsupials first arrived in Australia over 55 million years ago. Since then, they have spread into an amazingly wide range of habitats and lifestyles. Today, they include about 160 species, from highland animals (like thumb-sized possums that sleep through the winter) to desert specialists in the Red Center, such as tiny moles with pink fur and eyes that spend their entire lives underground.…