ScienceDaily: Living Well News

Introverts prefer mountains Posted: 27 Feb 2015 03:13 PM PST In a series of three studies, researchers tested whether there is a link between personality and an aspect of physical ecology: flat terrain versus mountainous terrain. The study found that only one of the Big Five personality traits predicted terrain preference -- extraversion.

Aggressive boys tend to develop into physically stronger teens Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:27 AM PST Boys who show aggressive tendencies develop greater physical strength as teenagers than boys who are not aggressive, according to new research. Research has suggested a link between male upper-body strength and aggressive tendencies, but the mechanisms that account for the link are not well understood.

Feast-and-famine diet could help extend life, study suggests Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:25 AM PST Think of it as interval training for the dinner table. Fasting has been shown in mice to extend lifespan and to improve age-related diseases. But fasting every day, which could entail skipping meals or simply reducing overall caloric intake, can be hard to maintain. In a new study, researchers looked at intermittent fasting. They measured participants' changes in weight, blood pressure, heart rate, glucose levels, cholesterol, markers of inflammation and genes involved in protective cell responses over 10 weeks. They found that intermittent fasting caused a slight increase to SIRT 3, a well-known gene that promotes longevity and is involved in protective cell responses.

New ultrasensitive test for peanut allergies Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:47 AM PST Chemists have developed a new test for peanut allergies that can not only tell whether someone is allergic, it can also determine how intense their allergic reaction will be.

Teenagers aren't swayed by celebrity culture as a route to success Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:45 AM PST Young people believe that to get on in life they should work hard, a new study concludes. The study also notes that many teenagers admire celebrities who they think have earned their prosperity and behave respectably.

Antibiotic resistant salad: Resistant Listeria monocytogenes not as widespread as thought Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:45 AM PST Antibiotic-resistant strains of the food-poisoning microbe Listeria monocytogenes in unprocessed salad products is not quite as widespread as scientists originally suspected. A new study reveals that strains of the microbe falling into six distinct groups can all be found on such products, but 82 percent of those strains succumb to at least one of sixteen common antibiotics used in veterinary and human listeriosis treatment.

Common hip issue in teens misdiagnosed as pulled muscle Posted: 24 Feb 2015 03:25 PM PST An athlete felt pain in his groin after a collision at the plate with an opposing player. He thought he had pulled a muscle, but it turns out he was suffering from a common condition seen in teens and young adults known as hip impingement.