‘My pet’s safety over mine’
Veterinarians and women's shelters can make it easier for abused women to decide to leave their homes, particularly when the abuser is using a beloved pet as part of a campaign to control his partner, reports a new University of Illinois study. The recent study found that 34 percent of women had delayed leaving out of concern for their pets because their abuser had threatened and harmed the animals in the past. “For abused women, a pet can be a treasured source of unconditional love and comfort — maybe even protection — in a time of transition. Many are strongly bonded to their animals,” said the researcher. However, she stressed that not all abused women are strongly bonded to their pets, and not all abusers target pets to control their partner.
Do E-cigarettes promote smoking among kidsIJ
Adults nationwide are concerned about the use of e-cigarettes by children and teens, with 44 per cent indicating worries that the devices will encourage kids to use tobacco products, according to a new poll from the University of Michigan. According to the latest University of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health, nearly half of parents are concerned their child will try e-cigarettes, which are battery-operated devices that look like cigarettes but don't burn tobacco. E-cigarettes have replaceable cartridges of liquid containing nicotine, which is inhaled as a vapor along with flavors like chocolate, fruit, candy or even tobacco. “This poll shows high levels of concern about e-cigarettes and the possibility that kids who try them could start smoking tobacco,” says Matthew M Davis, MD, MAPP, director of the CS Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health. Advocates of e-cigarettes say they are a healthier alternative to tobacco smoking and may help smokers to quit.
Second child looks smaller to moms
Many parents say when their second child is born that their first child suddenly appears to have grown overnight. Now, researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology have an explanation: until the birth of the new child, those parents were subject to a “baby illusion”, routinely misperceiving their youngest child as smaller (and younger) than he or she really was. “Contrary to what many may think, this isn't happening just because the older child just looks so big compared to a baby,” says Jordy Kaufman of Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. “It actually happens because all along the parents were under an illusion that their first child was smaller than he or she really was. When the new baby is born parents see their older child as he or she really is.”
Chewing gum causes headache
Teenagers are notorious for chewing a lot of gum. Now, Dr Nathan Watemberg of Tel Aviv University has found that gum-chewing teenagers, and younger children as well, are giving themselves headaches too. His findings could help treat countless cases of migraine and tension headaches in adolescents without the need for additional testing or medication. “Out of our 30 patients, 26 reported significant improvement, and 19 had complete headache resolution,” he said. “Twenty of the improved patients later agreed to go back to chewing gum, and all of them reported an immediate relapse of symptoms.”
Marijuana users lose memory
Teens who were heavy marijuana users — smoking it daily for about three years — had abnormal changes in their brain structures related to working memory and performed poorly on memory tasks, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study. A poor working memory predicts poor academic performance and everyday functioning. The brain abnormalities and memory problems were observed during the individuals' early twenties, two years after they stopped smoking marijuana, which could indicate the long-term effects of chronic use. Memory-related structures in their brains appeared to shrink and collapse inward, reflecting a decrease in neurons.