A kid's stressful life
"A new generation gap is emerging between American parents and their kids, a study shows: Adults sharply underestimate how much parents' own stress is affecting kids, or how much stress their children face," The Wall Street Journal reports. "That's according to a survey of 1,134 adults and 1,136 children ages eight to 17, released [last]week by the American Psychological Association. Nearly seven in 10 parents say their stress is having little or no impact on their children. Ask the children, however, and 91 per cent say they know their parents are stressed because they see them yelling, arguing and complaining, or because their parents never have enough time to spend with them. A large minority of kids feel sad, worried and frustrated as a result."
A stressed-out boss
"The mafia boss was having a dreadful time dealing with loss," Associated Press reports. "But he wasn't struggling with the loss of lives, or even the loss of his freedom. 'Doc, it's my hair,' the mobster from the 'Ndrangheta crime syndicate confessed to his psychiatrist in jail. 'I'm afraid of losing my hair. And look at these spots on my arm. See them?' he half-pleaded as he rolled up a sleeve and thrust out his arm. 'But your hair is fine. Absolutely fine. And there aren't any spots,' Dr. Gabriele Quattrone tried to reassure his patient - who had tied himself into a knot of anxiety …" The doctor is one of a small number of psychotherapists who have treated Italian organized-crime bosses or their family members. "Quattrone, a neuropsychiatrist, treated his jailed 'Ndrangheta patient with tranquillizers - and made some attempts at nurturing introspection. 'It's the stress of 20 years of being a fugitive, of going on trial,' he told the man, a top boss in Reggio Calabria.… 'Yeah, I'm stressed all right. I'm stressed because I'm innocent.' "
Sex hormones absorbed
"Both a growing population and the attempt to curb it (with birth control pills) are increasing the amount of the sex hormone estrogen in wastewaters - which doesn't get filtered out - creating shemale fishes and frogs, along with a host of other reproductive issues for wildlife," Grist.org reports. "Thankfully, researchers at the University of Cincinnati have hopped onto a possible solution for our oversexed waste solutions: rabbit chow. … Just regular ol' rabbit pellets, the kind made of ground-up plants and the inspiration for most natural cereals. Rabbit food appeared to transform and absorb up to 80 per cent of both naturally occurring and synthetic estrogens."
Crows see the sexes
"A series of experiments have revealed for the first time that crows have the ability to differentiate between photographs of male and female subjects," The Daily Telegraph reports. "The study involved experiments conducted on four jungle crows, the type most commonly found in Japanese cities. … After scientists showed the four crows a series of colour photographs of humans with their hair concealed, one pair was trained to pick men's faces and the other pair women's faces. … When the faces of other men and women were added and the positions of the faces shuffled, three of the four crows picked the correct faces with 100 per cent accuracy, and the fourth chose correctly seven times out of 10."
Alzheimer's at work
"The changes may be subtle, especially at first: An aging executive misses an appointment or two, or can't recall what was said in last week's meeting. A doctor who's nearing retirement suddenly blanks on a long-time patient's name," CNN.com reports. "So-called senior moments like these aren't unusual as people age, but if memory lapses on the job persist, get worse and can no longer be overlooked or downplayed by colleagues, it could be a red flag for Alzheimer's disease. … The warning signs may differ depending on the profession, but one common denominator that affects executives, doctors and construction workers alike is an overall decline in job performance. … Memory loss isn't the only warning sign … Others include difficulty with technology and new tasks, and personality changes such as becoming more withdrawn and less talkative. In some cases, people may become irritable or agitated, or may start to behave inappropriately."
Brains and the city
"Although living in the city has wonderful social, cultural and career benefits, research reveals that city life can take a toll on mental processes including attention and memory," Psychcentral.com reports. "In fact, just being on a busy street for a few minutes affects a person's ability to focus and even hinders self-control. The findings are relevant to many, as more than half of the world's population lives in an urban area, according to the United Nations. In a particular study by the University of Michigan, one group of volunteers took a walk in the park, while another group navigated the busy city streets. After taking several psychological tests, the individuals who walked the city streets scored far lower on attention and working-memory tests compared to those volunteers who strolled in the park."
Touchy-feely winners
"Want to gauge your favourite basketball team's chances of success this season? According to a new study, the answer may be in the number of fist bumps the players throw," Livescience.com reports. "The more time NBA players spend touching each other - slapping backs, bumping chests and exchanging high fives - the more successful they are, both as individuals and as a team, the research reveals. … 'It looks like at least in these really specific team settings, touch communicates co-operation and trust between people,' study co-author Michael Kraus, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, told LiveScience."
Thought du jour
"When I work I relax. Doing nothing makes me tired."
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Spanish painter and sculptor