Emotion and scent `create lasting memories`

Emotion and scent create lasting memories even in a sleeping brain, a new study has suggested. A team at the Duke University has found that the part of the brain that processes scents is indeed a key component of forming long-term memories, especially involving other individuals, a science journal reported. "We can all relate to the experience of walking into a room and smelling something that sparks a vivid, emotional memory about a family member from years or even decades ago. This research sought to understand that phenomenon on a cellular level," lead author Stephen Shea said. In their study, the researchers examined how strong memories are formed by creating new memories in the minds of mice while under sedation and monitoring their response to a memory-inducing stimulus afterwards, when they were awake. They created memories by stimulating the release of noradrenaline, a chemical present in the body during strong emotional events ranging from excitement to fear. The team then administered anaesthesia to a mouse and stimulated the release of noradrenaline with an electrode while wafting the scent of either food or the urine of another mouse under the nose. "In essence, we recreated the chemical reaction that would occur when the mouse experiences a social event, such as giving birth," Shea said.

A spy software to identify online paedophiles

A computer programme that can identify paedophiles, who pretend to be children on the Internet, is being developed by scientists at Lancaster University. By analysing language and syntax used online, the new technology can reveal if an adult is masquerading as a child as part of the victim "grooming" process. The scheme, known as Project Isis, will also be able to keep track of secret code words used by paedophiles as file names for child pornography. "The main technique is something called authorship attribution. Research has been done which indicates that there are differences in how people of a particular age group write," the Telegraph quoted Professor Awais Rashid, of Lancaster University, as saying. "You can distinguish when someone is 25 when they are claiming to be 14, for example. "The project uses a lot of artificial intelligence and a lot of algorithms. We are using language analysis tools to identify someone who is masquerading as a child, and therefore identify people who may be a risk to children. "We are looking at being able to monitor traffic in file-sharing networks to try to identify core distributors, who are of interest to law enforcement agencies because they have access to children and are preparing photographs of these children in abusive situations. "Paedophiles use very specific ways of marking these files and searching for them. "To the untrained eye they can look like innocent searches but with our analysis you can isolate them and study how they change," Rashid added. A first prototype system has already being devised and is being tested on non-sensitive data. The next step of the three-year project will be to use the software on real-life paedophile material provided by police and other agencies. If it proves effective, Project Isis could raise Internet privacy concerns. For it to work in practice, it would require a wide range of Internet sites such as chat rooms and peer-to-peer networks to be monitored for tell-tale paedophile language. "We are setting up a stakeholder ethics group of internet service providers, users and other groups who may have concerns about the ethics of monitoring," Rashid said.

Coffee can shrink the size of boobs

Here’s some bad news for ladies who can't get through the day without their coffee fix: the caffeine-fuelled drink can shrink the size of women’s boobs, a shocking new research has revealed. The beverage, which is best known for keeping people alert and sobering up drunks, has caused a stir by suggesting women who drink more than three cups a day could see their bra size drop. Tests by cancer researchers found half of all women have a gene linking breast size to coffee intake. Nearly 300 women were quizzed but Helena Jernstroem, of Lund University, said women should not worry too much. “Coffee-drinking women do not have to worry their breasts will shrink to nothing overnight. They will get smaller, but the breasts aren’t just going to disappear,” the Daily Star quoted her, as saying. “Anyone who thinks they can tell which women are coffee drinkers just from their bra measurements will be disappointed. “There are two measurements for a bra – the cup size and the girth, so you wouldn’t be able to tell,” she added. While caffeine may shrink women’s breasts, the reaction is the reverse for coffee-slurping blokes – it can make their “boobs” swell. On the plus side, the study showed regular hits of caffeine reduce the risk of women developing breast cancer.

Fatty acids in brain `can treat Alzheimer`s`

Here's some good news for those suffering from dementia -- a study has found that controlling the level of a fatty acid in the brain could help treat the Alzheimer's disease. Researchers have carried out the study and found that reducing excess levels of a fatty acid called arachidonic acid can mitigate memory problems and behavioural changes in those suffering from Alzheimer's disease. In fact, the researchers from the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease and the University of California have based their findings on an experiment on laboratory rodents, a science journal reported. They looked at fatty acids in the brains of normal mice and compared them with those in mice who are genetically engineered to have an Alzheimer's-like condition. They identified raised levels of arachidonic acid in the brains of the Alzheimer's mice. Its release is controlled by the PLA2 enzyme. They again used genetic engineering to lower PLA2 levels in the animals, and found even partial reduction halted memory deterioration. "The most striking change we discovered in the Alzheimer's mice was an increase in arachidonic acid and related metabolites (products) in the hippocampus, a memory centre that is affected early and severely by Alzheimer's disease," co-researcher Dr Rene Sanchez-Mejia was quoted by the as saying. Added lead researcher Dr Lennart Mucke: "In general, fatty acid levels can be regulated by diet or drugs. Our results have important therapeutic implications because they suggest that inhibition of PLA2 activity might help prevent neurological impairments in Alzheimer's disease. But a lot more work needs to be done before this novel therapeutic strategy can be tested on humans."

Tea, coffee key to a long life

Want to live a long and healthy life? Make sure you eat chocolate, and drink tea and coffee in moderation daily, says a leading nutritional scientist. Yes, according to Prof Gary Williamson of University of Leeds, chocolate, tea and coffee are among some key foods and beverages needed to live a long and healthy life, British newspaper 'The Daily Telegraph' reported. In fact, Prof Williamson has prepared a list of 20 "lifespan essential" foodstuffs -- all are rich in naturally occurring chemicals, known as polyphenols, which have been linked to a variety of health benefits, including protection against heart disease. And, these foods and drinks could also help to slow down the ageing process by helping to protect cells from the natural damage that occurs over time, he has suggested. Prof Williamson said: "Epidemiology studies support the protective effects of polyphenol-rich foods. Lack of these components in the diet because of low intake of fruit and vegetables, increases the risk of chronic disease. "This means that they are essential to fulfil the maximum individual lifespan, and so I propose that they are 'lifespan essential'. "Although they might not be essential for growth and development or the maintenance of major body functions, there is increasing knowledge concerning their potential for health maintenance or disease risk reduction throughout adulthood and during ageing." Even a recent study carried out by scientists in the US, Britain and Australia concluded that polyphenols can help protect against heart disease. Bureau Report Yes, according to Prof Gary Williamson of University of Leeds, chocolate, tea and coffee are among some key foods and beverages needed to live a long and healthy life, British newspaper 'The Daily Telegraph' reported. In fact, Prof Williamson has prepared a list of 20 "lifespan essential" foodstuffs -- all are rich in naturally occurring chemicals, known as polyphenols, which have been linked to a variety of health benefits, including protection against heart disease. And, these foods and drinks could also help to slow down the ageing process by helping to protect cells from the natural damage that occurs over time, he has suggested. Prof Williamson said: "Epidemiology studies support the protective effects of polyphenol-rich foods. Lack of these components in the diet because of low intake of fruit and vegetables, increases the risk of chronic disease. "This means that they are essential to fulfil the maximum individual lifespan, and so I propose that they are 'lifespan essential'. "Although they might not be essential for growth and development or the maintenance of major body functions, there is increasing knowledge concerning their potential for health maintenance or disease risk reduction throughout adulthood and during ageing."