ScienceDaily: Living Well News

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• 'I'm bored!' -- Research on attention sheds light on the unengaged mind
• Ready for your close-up? Distance at which facial photos are taken influences perception, study shows
• Exposure to school-age children ups severity of cold infections
• Pregnancy generates maternal immune-suppressive cells that protect the fetus
• A birth control pill for men? When?
• Reducing acrylamide levels in french fries
• Gut reaction: Morality in food choice
• Medical screening for older drivers is misguided, argues senior doctor
• Should celebrities get involved in public health campaigns?

'I'm bored!' -- Research on attention sheds light on the unengaged mind Posted: 26 Sep 2012 12:30 PM PDT Boredom is often seen as a trivial and temporary, but it can also be a chronic and pervasive stressor that has significant consequences for health and well-being. Despite this, boredom itself is still poorly understood. A new article explores the mental processes that underlie our feelings of boredom with the aim of creating a precise definition of boredom that can be applied across a variety of theoretical frameworks.

Ready for your close-up? Distance at which facial photos are taken influences perception, study shows Posted: 26 Sep 2012 12:30 PM PDT As the saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Previous studies have examined how our social judgments of pictures of people are influenced by factors such as whether the person is smiling or frowning, but until now one factor has never been investigated: the distance between the photographer and the subject. According to a new study, this turns out to make a difference.

Exposure to school-age children ups severity of cold infections Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT Exposure to school-age children raises the odds that a person with lung disease who catches a cold will actually suffer symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat and cough. While many studies have found that being around school-age children increases the risk of infection, the new findings go one step further: Of people who come down with colds, the course of the infection is much more likely to be worse in people exposed to children.

Pregnancy generates maternal immune-suppressive cells that protect the fetus Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT A new study suggests it might be possible to develop vaccines to prevent premature birth and other pregnancy complications. If so, such vaccines would be the first intended to stimulate the subset of regulatory CD4 T cells that suppress the immune response.

A birth control pill for men? When? Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT When will men have their own birth control pill? Scientists have been predicting the debut of a male pill within five years for the last 30 years. The factors accounting for that delay -- and new optimism that a male pill will emerge within a decade -- are the topic of a new article.

Reducing acrylamide levels in french fries Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT The process for preparing frozen, par-fried potato strips -- distributed to some food outlets for making french fries -- can influence the formation of acrylamide in the fries that people eat, a new study has found. The study identifies potential ways of reducing levels of acrylamide, which the National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer regard as a "probable human carcinogen."

Gut reaction: Morality in food choice Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:17 AM PDT Researchers are examining the ethical aspects of food production and consumption. They are helping consumers navigate the maze of moral choices involved in filling their plates and bellies. And they are finding that being morally mindful can lead to better nutrition, as well.

Medical screening for older drivers is misguided, argues senior doctor Posted: 25 Sep 2012 03:36 PM PDT Medical screening of older drivers is misguided and typifies a "worrying lack of due diligence" by the medical profession, warns a senior doctor.

Should celebrities get involved in public health campaigns? Posted: 25 Sep 2012 03:36 PM PDT Two experts debate whether celebrity involvement in public health campaigns can deliver long term benefits.

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