The psychology of Facebook profiles

Given the online forum of Facebook to create whatever public persona you’d like, it would seem logical that people might portray an idealized version of themselves—putting up their most attractive photos, editing down their thoughts to the most clever and pithy before posting them in a status update, carefully choosing favorite books

HPV vaccine protection lasts more than 6 years

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Cervarix, produced by GlaxoSmithKline, offers protection against the two major cancer-causing strains of HPV, (HPV-16 and HPV-18) for more than 6 years, according to research published online today in the British medical journal the Lancet. The analysis, led by Dr. Cosette Wheeler from the

U.S. Life Expectancy: Impact of Smoking and Obesity

If current obesity trends continue, life expectancy gains due to decreases in smoking could potentially be canceled out in the future, according to research published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine. By analyzing data from several national health surveys including tens of thousands of respondents, researchers Susan

How loneliness can be contagious

A new study from a team of researchers specializing in psychology and social networks suggests that loneliness can spread through groups of friends and family members. In the analysis of nearly 4,500 polled about how frequently they felt lonely, researchers found that close friends and family members of people who reported persistent

Are men more likely to sleep through babies’ cries?

It’s no secret that mothers are sensitive to their babies’ cries, even while asleep. Yet a recent sleep study commissioned by Lemsip, the manufacturer of over-the-counter flu and cold remedies sold in the U.K., suggests it’s not just mothers, but all women, who are quickly roused from sleep by the sound of a crying infant. For men,

Bo-tax: a levy on nips and tucks?

The health care bill currently being debated in the Senate includes a provision that would levy a 5% tax on elective cosmetic surgeries. The proposed Bo-tax is being presented by supporters as a simple economic tool to help offset health care costs, yet detractors—including some 7,000 doctors in the American Academy of Plastic

Early intervention makes a big difference for autistic children

Employing educational and psychological intervention techniques from a very young age can make a world of difference in autistic children’s development, according to research published online today in the journal Pediatrics. At the University of Washington in Seattle, researchers conducted a five-year study of 48 autistic children

Medical students don’t always report needle injuries

In the course of their training, many medical students accidentally stick themselves with needles, yet too often fail to report the incidents, according to new research published in the December issue of the journal Academic Medicine. In a survey of 699 medical residents at 17 different hospitals and medical centers, nearly two thirds

Diabetes expected to double, costs to triple by 2034

According to estimates from researchers at the University of Chicago, the total number of Americans with diabetes will double in the next 25 years, from the current 23.7 million to some 44.1 million in 2034. During that same time frame, annual costs for treating those patients are expected to soar—nearly tripling from the current $113

Do dads belong in the delivery room?

Many new fathers are nothing short of awe-stricken by the birth of their child, and cherish their baby’s first moments shared with the mother in the delivery room. In fact, ever since Dr. Robert Bradley introduced the concept of husband-coached childbirth in the early 1960s, fathers have been routinely encouraged to be present at their

How to keep off the holiday pounds

For many Americans, overindulging at Thanksgiving is all part of the tradition. According to studies on the subject, the average American gains about a pound each holiday season. (That may not seem like much, but researchers say that those holiday pounds have a tendency to stick around: 10 years later, you’re 10 pounds heavier.) For …

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