Archives

Repetition usually makes people enjoy things less. Such satiation causes our favorites to lose their sheen, makes it hard to follow a diet, and pushes us to escalate our spending on novelty. Life has even been called a "hedonic treadmill" where we must find better and better experiences just to stay happy. However, new research finds that paying attention to details can help us avoid becoming bored with the same old thing.

One of the most common human parasites, Toxoplasma gondii, uses a hormone lifted from the plant world to decide when to increase its numbers and when to remain dormant, researchers have found. Scientists report that they successfully blocked production of the molecule, known as abscisic acid, with a plant herbicide. Low herbicide doses prevented fatal T. gondii infection in mice.

The first clinical studies of an experimental drug have revealed that obese people who take it for 12 weeks lose weight, even at very low doses. Short-term studies also suggest that the drug, called taranabant -- the second drug designed to fight obesity by blocking cannabinoid receptors in the brain -- seems to cause people to consume fewer calories and burn more energy.

Adolescent girls who frequently eat meals with their families appear less likely to use diet pills, laxatives or other extreme measures to control their weight five years later, according to a new report.

The damaging effects of the mutated protein involved in Huntington's disease take place earlier in cell life than previously believed.

Exposure to air pollution significantly reduces fetus size during pregnancy, according to a new study. While some people may think there is no air pollution because the air looks clean, most air pollutants are not visible to the naked eye. Birth weight is a major predictor of later health.

Donated, freeze-dried tendon grafts loaded with gene therapy may soon offer effective repair of injured tendons, a goal that has eluded surgeons to date. According to a new study, this graft technique may provide the first effective framework around which flexor tendon tissue can reorganize as it heals. This offers the potential to restore range of motion and accelerate healing after hard-to-treat injuries.

Sixty percent of private practice dynamically oriented psychotherapy clients felt that their therapy either lasted too long or ended too soon, according to recent research.

Methadone is a possible cause of sudden cardiac death even when it isn't overdosed but is taken at therapeutic levels primarily for relief of chronic pain or drug addiction withdrawal, a new study suggests.

If you’re worried about high cholesterol levels and keeping heart-healthy as you get older, don’t push aside bacon and eggs just yet. A new study says they might actually provide a benefit.Researchers have discovered that lower cholesterol levels can actually reduce muscle gain with exercising.