Public Library of Science

Laughter perception networks in brain different for mocking, joyful or ticklish laughter

A laugh may signal mockery, humor, joy or simply be a response to tickling, but each kind of laughter conveys a wealth of auditory and social information. These different kinds of laughter also spark different connections ...

Neuroscience created May 08, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Self-affirmation improves problem-solving under stress

It's no secret that stress increases your susceptibility to health problems, and it also impacts your ability to solve problems and be creative. But methods to prevent associated risks and effects have been less clear – ...

Psychology & Psychiatry created May 01, 2013 | popularity 4 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Biogeographic barrier that protects Australia from avian flu does not stop Nipah virus

An invisible barrier separates land animals in Australia from those in south-east Asia may also restrict the spillover of animal-borne diseases like avian flu, but researchers have found that fruit bats on ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created Apr 24, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Study suggests clenching right hand may help form memories, left may help recall words

Clenching your right hand may help form a stronger memory of an event or action, and clenching your left may help you recollect the memory later, according to research published April 24 in the open access ...

Psychology & Psychiatry created Apr 24, 2013 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (8) | comments 2 | with audio podcast

Air pollution and hardening of arteries

Long term exposure to air pollution may be linked to heart attacks and strokes by speeding up atherosclerosis, or "hardening of the arteries", according to a study by U.S. researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine.

Health created Apr 23, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Common pregnancy conditions risk future diabetes

Two common conditions in pregnancy may be risk factors for future diabetes according to a Canadian study of over one million women published in this week's PLOS Medicine.

Diabetes created Apr 16, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Molecular signaling in early placenta formation gives clues to causes of pregnancy complications

Understanding the molecular control of placenta formation, the organ which enables fetal growth, is critical in diagnosing and treating related pregnancy complications. A group of scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, ...

Medical research created Apr 16, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Human brain treats prosthetic devices as part of the body

People with spinal cord injuries show strong association of wheelchairs as part of their body, not extension of immobile limbs injuries show strong association of wheelchairs as part of their body, not extension of immobile ...

Medical research created Mar 06, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Resistance to first line anti-malarial drugs is increasing on the Thai-Myanmar border

Early diagnosis and treatment with antimalarial drugs (ACTs—artemisinin based combination treatments) has been linked to a reduction in malaria in the migrant population living on the Thai-Myanmar border, despite evidence ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created Mar 05, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Over million pregnant women infected with syphilis world-wide

Syphilis still affects large numbers of pregnant women world-wide, causing serious health problems and even death to their babies, yet this infection could be prevented by early testing and treatment, according to a study ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created Feb 26, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Promising new method for next-generation live-attenuated viral vaccines against Chikungunya virus

Researchers have successfully applied a novel method of vaccine creation for Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) using a technique called large scale random codon re-encoding. Using this approach, a group from the UMR_D 190, Emerging ...

Medical research created Feb 21, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Whole genome sequencing better at tracing TB outbreaks than standard test

A new form of genetic testing of the bacteria that causes tuberculosis can provide better information on TB transmission and also trace TB outbreaks more accurately than the current standard test, according to a study from ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created Feb 19, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Age-related macular degeneration common cause of vision impairment in Kenya

Despite current beliefs, the degenerative eye condition age-related macular degeneration is a common cause of vision impairment and blindness in sub-Saharan Africa, requiring an urgent review of vision services, according ...

Ophthalmology created Feb 19, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Long, low intensity exercise may have more health benefits relative to short, intense workouts

Standing and walking for longer stretches improves insulin sensitivity and blood lipid levels more than an hour of intense exercise each day does, but only if the calories spent in both forms of exercise are similar. The ...

Overweight and Obesity created Feb 13, 2013 | popularity 3.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Virtual superheroes more helpful in real world too

Having virtual super-powers in a game may incite people to better behavior in the real world, according to research published January 30 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Robin Rosenberg and colleagues from Stanford Univer ...

Psychology & Psychiatry created Jan 30, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast