Minerva
BMJ 2012; 344 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e4319 (Published 27 June 2012) Cite this as: BMJ 2012;344:e4319The pleasurability of scratching an itch depends on the site, according to a psychophysical and topographical assessment in the British Journal of Dermatology (2012;166:981-5, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2012.10826.x). Experimental itch induced by cowhage (Mucuna pruriens) was more intensely perceived at the ankle, while scratching attenuated an itch most effectively on the back. Itch intensity and scratching pleasurability were significantly higher at the ankle and back than on the forearm. For the forearm and ankle, the greater the itch while scratching, the higher the pleasurability.
In a social media experiment tracking over one million Facebook users and following them influence others to use an electronic application (or “app”) on smart phones, women were found to influence men more than other women, users older than 30 years were more influential than younger users, and married users were the least susceptible to persuasion. Highly influential people tended not to be susceptible, and highly susceptible people were …
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