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...There is a controversy among historians regarding the origin of syphilis. Apparently, it is plausible that it was Columbus who brought it to Europe from the Americas. What some economists have argued is that Wall Street’s present disease is not as transferable as one might think...
...often have a brain defect in a region of the brain that controls breathing, heart rate and blood pressure. The abnormality appears to weaken the responsiveness of certain functions, including arousal from sleep when the body fails to get enough oxygen. Researchers think the defect may be genetic in origin, although there are no biological tests yet to determine risk...
Schizophrenia, on the other hand, makes its appearance at about the time the prefrontal cortex is getting pruned. "Many people have speculated that schizophrenia may be due to an abnormality in the pruning process," says Teicher. "Another hypothesis is that schizophrenia has a much earlier, prenatal origin, but as the brain prunes, it gets unmasked." MRI studies have shown that while the average teenager loses about 15% of his cortical gray matter, those who develop schizophrenia lose as much...
...level. French banks have also always favored fixed-rate mortgages over more enticing but perilous variable-rate loans. The French real estate market is slowing, but the more prudent approach of French banks lessens the prospect of foreclosures, which have haunted millions in the U.S. and are one major origin of the current crisis. That's hardly a reason for smugness, either, though, since there's scant evidence that enlightened domestic practices in France or anywhere else can ward off contagion from a global meltdown...
...fifty states of wine," we have more underinformed pabulum [Sept. 8]. I am no snob, but I expect what's in the bottle to accurately reflect the wine's place of origin, traditions, agricultural history and, yes, terroir, which describes all of the preceding. Neither Joel Stein nor Fred Franzia has enough understanding of the subject to speak of it intelligently and should not be relied on to teach curious readers. David Moore, Moore Brothers Wine Co. PENNSAUKEN...