ScienceDaily: Living Well News

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• IT building blocks for the ordinary person
• Trial results 'do not support the use of general health checks,' warn experts
• Activity tames holiday stress and triggers a chemical response to help you relax
• Filtering spam: New method to rid inboxes of unsolicited email
• Teens involved in arts activities report more depressive symptoms than teens not involved in the arts
• Underage drinking still serious problem in all states according to new U.S. national report
• Adolescents with low status among peers are more likely to become adult smokers
• 'Obese but happy gene' challenges the common perception of link between depression and obesity

IT building blocks for the ordinary person Posted: 21 Nov 2012 04:57 AM PST Would you like to create your own tourist guide? Or put together telecom services that give you better control of the everyday functions on your phone? We seem to be drowning in 'intelligent things' and IT services. In our smart home, we can use various applications to control the front door, TV, washing machine, vacuum, heating and blinds. Other apps enable us to find out what time the bus is leaving, or book a table at a restaurant. On the medical side, there are sensors that can monitor your heart rate, intelligent pill boxes that remember when you should take your medicine, and applications to notify relatives if an elderly person doesn't get out of bed at their normal time. But what if you go on holiday, and want to be able to water the plants in your garden, or turn the heating on or off in a certain room when the weather changes?

Trial results 'do not support the use of general health checks,' warn experts Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:35 PM PST Researchers have found that routine general health checks, which have become common practice in some countries, do not reduce the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease or cancer. They do, however, increase the number of new diagnoses.

Activity tames holiday stress and triggers a chemical response to help you relax Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:23 PM PST As holiday crunch time fills your schedule, don't give up your exercise. The burst of energy can help burn off adrenaline and calm you down. Physical activity stimulates the neurotransmitter dopamine, which has been linked to post-exercise mood improvement.

Filtering spam: New method to rid inboxes of unsolicited email Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:20 AM PST Spammers have recently turned high-tech, using layers of images to fool automatic filters. Thanks to some sophisticated new cyber-sleuthing, researchers are working toward a cure.

Teens involved in arts activities report more depressive symptoms than teens not involved in the arts Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:18 AM PST Teens who participate in after-school arts activities such as music, drama and painting are more likely to report feeling depressed or sad than students who are not involved in these programs, according to new research.

Underage drinking still serious problem in all states according to new U.S. national report Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:18 AM PST More than a quarter of the American population aged 12-20, who are too young to drink, are doing so anyway according to a new report.

Adolescents with low status among peers are more likely to become adult smokers Posted: 20 Nov 2012 05:50 AM PST A new study reveals that having low peer status in adolescence is a strong risk factor for regular and heavy smoking in adulthood.

'Obese but happy gene' challenges the common perception of link between depression and obesity Posted: 20 Nov 2012 05:47 AM PST Scientists have uncovered evidence that the gene FTO – the major genetic contributor to obesity – is associated with an eight per cent reduction in the risk of depression.

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