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A spoonful of sugar helps manage pain in newborns undergoing painful medical procedures

While the fictional character Mary Poppins may have been trying to charm her young wards into the unpleasant task of cleaning their room by singing 'A Spoonful of Sugar', her message apparently rings true to life.

30 Jun 2008

Study uncovers how Ritalin works in brain to boost cognition, focus attention

Stimulant medications such as Ritalin have been prescribed for decades to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and their popularity as "cognition enhancers" has recently surged among the healthy, as well.

24 Jun 2008

New laser treatment for vocal-cord cancer

An innovative laser treatment for early vocal-cord cancer, developed at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), successfully restores patients' voices without radiotherapy or traditional surgery, which can permanently damage vocal quality.

6 May 2008

Nearly one-third of U.S. parents don't know what to expect of infants

Almost one-third of U.S. parents have a surprisingly low-level knowledge of typical infant development and unrealistic expectations for their child's physical, social and emotional growth, according to new research from the University of Rochester.

5 May 2008

Bird brains suggest how vocal learning evolved

Though they perch far apart on the avian family tree, birds with the ability to learn songs use similar brain structures to sing their tunes.

13 Mar 2008

Music may help ease symptoms of depression

Music therapy might help ease the symptoms of depression, though its effectiveness as a stand-alone intervention is not certain, according to a recent review of five small studies.

28 Feb 2008

Age increases chance of success as two-timer

The coal tit appears to live a strictly monogamous life. Couples often stay together for their whole lives.

23 Oct 2007

Hormone oxytocin predicts level of bonding between mother and child

Humans are hard-wired to form enduring bonds with others. One of the primary bonds across the mammalian species is the mother-infant bond. Evolutionarily speaking, it is in a mother's best interest to foster the well-being of her child; however, some mothers just seem a bit more maternal than others do.

16 Oct 2007

Cell death in sparrow brains may provide clues in age-related human diseases

A remarkable change takes place in the brains of tiny songbirds every year, and some day the mechanism controlling that change may help researchers develop treatments for age-related degenerative diseases of the brain such as Parkinson's and dementia.

18 Sep 2007

Novel bioreactor to repair vocal chords

Damaged or diseased vocal cords can forever change and even silence the voices we love, from a family member's to a famous personality's.

31 Jul 2007

Two complementary commanders in charge of the brain

A probe of the upper echelons of the human brain's chain-of-command has found strong evidence that there are not one but two complementary commanders in charge of the brain, according to neuroscientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

20 Jun 2007

Extremely drug resistant TB a serious problem in India

Extremely drug resistant TB, or XDR-TB, is a serious problem in India, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2007 International Conference, on Monday, May 21.

22 May 2007

Robins are the vector for West Nile virus not crows

GenoMed has underscored the discovery by Connecticut scientists that robins are the vector for West Nile virus in their state, not crows.

5 Jun 2006

Music therapy helps sick babies

A project led by a researcher from the University of Western Sydney has found that music therapy can help sick babies in intensive care maintain normal behavioural development, making them less irritable, upset and less likely to cry.

14 Feb 2006

Rain forest tree gives new hope for psoriasis sufferers

A team of scientists at University of Newcastle upon Tyne have discovered that an ointment, dithranol, used to soothe psoriasis actually kills the cells that cause the problem.

29 Jun 2005

New research shows that genes exert powerful effect on sexual behavior

New research has shown that the manipulation of a single gene in female fruit flies can make their sexual behavior resemble that of males, in a study that demonstrates the power of individual genes and the profound impact of genetics on complex sexual behavior.

15 Jun 2005

Secrets of how the brain is wired for sex revealed

There are two brain structures that a mouse just can't do without when it comes to hooking up with the mate of its dreams--and trying to stay off the lunch menu of the neighborhood cat. These are the amygdala, which is involved in the initial response to cues that signal love or war, and the hypothalamus, which coordinates the innate reproductive or defensive behaviors triggered by these cues.

23 May 2005