http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress provides the latest news from San Francisco State University The rugged, low-cost wheelchairs designed by SF State's Whirlwind Wheelchair program have helped thousands of people in developing countries. Now they're available in the U.S., where they are opening up new territory for American wheelchair-riders, from hiking trails and beaches to snow-covered ground. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-off-road-wheelchairs.html Health Fri, 14 Dec 2012 08:39:46 EST news274696748 (Medical Xpress)—Walking with a slouched or despondent body posture can lead to feelings of depression or decreased energy, but those feelings can be reversed by walking in a more upright position, according to new research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-good-posture-ease-depression.html Psychology & Psychiatry Fri, 05 Oct 2012 09:16:17 EST news268647360 Black gay couples tend to practice safe sex but don't talk about it, while white gay couples discuss safety but are less likely to use condoms, according to new findings presented at the 19th International AIDS Conference. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-gay-couples-condom-decision-making-varies.html HIV & AIDS Sun, 22 Jul 2012 15:31:39 EST news262189738 New to meditation and already thinking about quitting? You may have simply chosen the wrong method. A new study published online July 7 in EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing highlights the importance of ensuring that new meditators select methods with which they are most comfortable, rather than those that are most popular. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-meditation-technique-key-user-satisfaction.html Psychology & Psychiatry Fri, 06 Jul 2012 12:00:01 EST news260787205 Gay parents face many of the same challenges as straight parents when it comes to sex and intimacy after having children, according to a new study of gay fathers published in the journal Couple and Family Psychology. The findings suggest that gay male couples who are raising children may experience lifestyle changes that could reduce their HIV risk. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-parenthood-affects-gay-couples-health.html Psychology & Psychiatry Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:36:53 EST news260030205 Spending money on activities and events, such as concert tickets or exotic vacations, won't make you happier if you're doing it to impress others, according to findings published in the Journal of Happiness Studies. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-life-happiness-boost.html Psychology & Psychiatry Mon, 18 Jun 2012 16:27:18 EST news259255613 Do you look fondly at the past, enjoy yourself in the present, and strive for future goals? If you hold these time perspectives simultaneously—and don't go overboard on any one of them—you're likely to be a happy person. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-people-perspective-content.html Psychology & Psychiatry Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:36:59 EST news254669800 (Medical Xpress) -- When a teenager has an argument with their father, who do they seek out to talk through the situation? Do they turn to mom or dad? Associate Professor of Psychology Jeff Cookston explored this question in his latest study. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-family-quarrels-teens.html Psychology & Psychiatry Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:10:37 EST news254470228 Psychologists have found that buying life experiences makes people happier than buying possessions, but who spends more of their spare cash on experiences? New findings published this week in the Journal of Positive Psychology reveal extraverts and people who are open to new experiences tend to spend more of their disposable income on experiences, such as concert tickets or a weekend away, rather than hitting the mall for material items. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-happy-shopper-website.html Psychology & Psychiatry Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:56:58 EST news246812203 Refugees who have fled Burma to live in Oakland, Calif., are at risk of becoming a permanent, poverty-stricken underclass warns a new report released today by researchers at San Francisco State University and the Burma Refugee Family Network (BRFN). The report found that almost 60 percent of Oakland's refugees from Burma are living in extreme poverty. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-refugees-burma-life-extreme-poverty.html Health Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:26:33 EST news241694786 States that have shifted funds away from tobacco control programs may be missing out on significant savings, according to a new study co-authored by San Francisco State University economist Sudip Chattopadhyay. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-states-substantial-tobacco.html Health Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:20:43 EST news241680000 (Medical Xpress) -- Mouse sperm propel themselves with a whip-like molecular tail that lashes back and forth. Sperm in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans crawl along using a flat, fibrous foot called a pseudopod. They couldn’t be more different, and yet they depend on the same enzymes to help them develop and move about, according to a new study by SF State researchers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-live-action-worm-sperm-clues-male.html Genetics Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:44:21 EST news240241454 Compared to most other cells in an organism, sperm undergo a radical transformation to become compact and mobile delivery systems for paternal DNA. Even though sperm looks and moves quite differently across species, SF State researcher Diana Chu and colleagues now say that there are at least a few key enzymes that are critical for sperm development and mobility in species as different as mice and nematode worms. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-live-action-worm-sperm-track-critical.html Genetics Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:23:47 EST news239358216 Everyday tasks such as going to work or connecting with friends require us to have a certain level of motivation to carry out those actions, but people suffering from schizophrenia often lack this drive. Associate Professor of Psychology David Gard is leading an innovative study that could yield new treatment options for people with this mental health condition. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-07-schizophrenia-treatment.html Psychology & Psychiatry Fri, 29 Jul 2011 11:10:01 EST news231155681 (Medical Xpress) -- People who look at the past through rose-tinted glasses are happier than those who focus on regrets about the past, according to new research conducted by Assistant Professor of Psychology Ryan Howell. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-happiness-good.html Psychology & Psychiatry Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:19:33 EST news227971137