London, Mar 2: Depression and mania drive people to set higher goals, according to a new study.

The study, conducted by researchers from the University of California, has found that people who suffer from depression are more likely to focus on success, money and fame than others.

"Manic episodes are characterised by elevated mood as well as increased talkativeness, racing thoughts, decreased need for sleep and extreme distractibility,” the Telegraph quoted Dr Johnson, from the University of California, as saying.

Washington, Mar 2: Childhood sleep problems that persist through adolescence may adversely affect cognitive abilities, according to a new study.

The study led by Dr. Naomi Friedman, senior research associate at the Institute for Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado at Boulder, showed that children whose sleep problems persisted across development had poorer executive functioning at age 17, compared with those whose problems decreased to a greater extent.

London, March 2 : Scientists have reached a step closer to developing potential treatments for devastating diseases including spinal cord injury, macular degeneration, diabetes and Parkinson''s disease, thanks to a new method of creating stem cells discovered by researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital in Canada.

The researchers say that their study accelerates stem cell technology, and provides a road map for new clinical approaches to regenerative medicine.

Werne, Germany - A study in the United States has found that an often undetected gene defect can double the risk of contracting lung cancer.

A deficiency of a protein called alpha 1-antitrypsin can make the body more receptive to carcinogenic substances, says Professor Helmut Teschler of Germany's Society for Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine (DGP) in reference to the study's findings.

People with the gene defect are more susceptible to the harmful substances contained in tobacco products and are advised to quit smoking immediately.

Cologne, Germany  - Repetitive strain is a creeping threat for any 21st century computer user. Steady mouse clicking may seem innocent, but many computer users find that pain starts in their arm and eventually spreads to their wrist and shoulder.

In the days of the good old typewriter, people suffered from so-called writer's cramp. Although the phrase has since been shelved, the problem still applies to anyone who spends hours at a desk.