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A supposed link between social networking websites and depression has been debunked by a US study.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin found no significant link between the amount of time spent on social networking sites and the probability of depression.

The study by the university's School of Medicine and Public Health comes after a report last year by the American Academy of Pediatrics suggested that exposure to Facebook could lead to depression.

University of Wisconsin researchers surveyed 190 university students aged 18 to 23 about their internet use over seven days.

The students were sent 43 text messages during the period asking if they were currently online, how long they had been online and what they were doing on the internet.

Participants spent more than half their total time online on Facebook.

But when the researchers evaluated the data including the depression screening results, no significant links with social media use and depression was found.

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Social media, depression link debunked

LEEDS, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire -07/13/12)- For the best part of the last decade, social networking has transformed communication and the way that people interact with each other. But is social networking just for the younger generations, or can older adults join in on the conversation too?

People across the globe have instant access to social networking websites at the touch of a button, allowing them to be more connected than ever before.

Research(i) showed that in 2011 a growing number of over 50's were going online. Popular social networking website, Facebook, for example saw a growing number of older people signing up. Membership to the website increased by 41% between 2009 and 2011. A staggering 84% of those were older users.

It's not just Facebook which is quickly being dominated by the older generation, as a number of over 50s are heading to Twitter for social news and information too.

Further studies show that the number of over 50s heading to Twitter dramatically increased following the Ryan Giggs super-injunction scandal last year.(ii) Figures show that there was a surge in men aged between 50 and 64 who used the website after the news broke.

Over 60% of the UK Twitter audience following the story was made up of men over 50. The number of pensioner aged female Twitter users also doubled to follow the developing news.

A growing number of over 50s are keen to get involved in the latest technology and internet trends. Social networking is as familiar to them as it is to many in the younger generation. Whilst they may be becoming savvier web users, most could benefit from using the internet to become savvier with their personal finances, for example, when looking for over 50s life insurance.

Notes for editors:

(i)http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/facebook-flourishes-among-over50s-2303662.html

(ii)Research from Nielsen-UKOM, a UK online measurement company, as reported in the Telegraph

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Is Social Networking Just for the Younger Generation?

BEIJING, July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- GC-Rise Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, in which European healthcare venture capital firm INVENTAGES holds a majority stake, has launched a gynecologic social networking site, the first such in China, in a move to promote the academic exchange.

When social networking is becoming the most populous tool for daily communications nowadays, GC-rise keeps pace with the times and launches the Beauty Microblogs joining hands with medical information services provider 91Huayi.com.

The microblogs, which aims to build itself as China's biggest social networking site in gynecologic circle, will host around 100,000 doctors who could exchange academic ideas, share medial cases on the platform.

"The Beauty Microblogs will serve as a social networking platform in gynecologic world, further enabling cross-regional communications in both academics and clinical trials." said doctors.

Some seasoned experts in gynecologic circle will be interviewed by Beauty Microblogs on a regular basis and doctors can learn the latest technology and academic moves through the platform as well as making friends.

This is not GC-Rise's first initiative aiming to contribute to the women's health industry on the academic world, the company earlier this year sponsored a nation-wide anti-tumors academic exchange event initiated by Committee of Gynecological Oncology, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association.

About GC-Rise Pharmaceutical Co. LtdGC-Rise Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, established in 2008, is a wholly-owned foreign enterprise invested by INVENTAGES, a major European healthcare and biotechnology venture capital investor, focuses on women's health. Taking "Devoted to human healthcare and a better life" as our mission, the company makes full use of the business networks of our strategic partners in the United States, Europe and Japan, their rich experiences in clinical development, clinical trials and registration in China and their strong strength in distributions, hospital sales and marketing, so as to provide safe, novel and highly efficient medical products and treatment ideas for Chinese women patients.

Please log on http://www.gc-rise.com/ to know more information.

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Women Health Expert GC-Rise Launches China's First Maternity Social Networking Site

ScienceDaily (July 11, 2012) A new study conducted by associate professor Bruce McKinney at the University of North Carolina Wilmington shows Facebook users are not as narcissistic as once thought.

While previous studies such as Laura Buffardi and W. Keith Campbell's 2008 paper in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin showed a correlation between Facebook and narcissism, McKinney's new study, Narcissism or Openness?: College Students' Use of Facebook and Twitter found no relationship between Facebook usage sand narcissistic traits. Lynne Kelly and Robert L. Duran of The University of Hartford coauthored the study, which was recently published in the newest volume of Communication Research Reports.

The researchers focused on whether social networking sites like Facebook were promoting narcissism in college-aged users in a world where being constantly hunched over computers and smart phones is the norm.

McKinney, Kelly and Duran surveyed 233 college students to deduce how much time participants were spending on social media sites and whether their usage showed characteristics of narcissism or openness. Their findings showed that instead of using social media to inflate their ego, Facebook users log on to the site to share their lives with those in their friend circle similar to how they would share photos and stories with friends in person.

"We found that Facebook is ubiquitous," said McKinney. He suggested, "Perhaps it is time to redefine narcissism and narcissistic traits so it includes social media usage."

Although previous studies like the one conducted by Buffardi and Campbell showed Facebook and narcissism are linked, McKinney noted that, with the rise in popularity of social networking sites, the standard for narcissistic behavior might be evolving. He said considering the recent mainstreaming of social media usage, the 2008 report may be dated in documenting the behavior of those using social networking sites to post and share information. He noted that social media is now employed by not only individuals, but by businesses and private institutions and that this expansion paired with more pervasive use of social media may be changing the standards and purpose of the sites in the last five years.

McKinney explained, "We used to have phone booths for a reason -- for privacy. But with Facebook and social networking came sharing with larger groups of friends, which has become customary. We've become an individualistic culture," he said. "It's acceptable to say 'Look at me!' Now, it's the social norm."

McKinney's study focused on the narcissistic traits exhibited by social media users rather than The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) definition of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. He said he plans to expand his research on the topic in the future.

Despite Facebook's shaky start in the public sector, McKinney says, "it's not going anywhere. Facebook has become universal and a cultural norm in our new, individualistic society."

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Redefining what it means to be narcissistic in a social media world

LinkedIn helps companies engage with students

Bangalore, July 11:

Indian students are graduating from social networking to professional networking.

Of LinkedIns 20 million student members, over 11 per cent are in India. They are using the professional networking site to follow their dream companies or sectors.

These members, who are largely below 25 years, have graduated in the last three years, or have mentioned student in personal profiles. In turn, professional networking site LinkedIn is now helping companies engage with students or recent grads through career pages.

Companies such as L&T and HCL Technologies are using LinkedIn to reach out to students for employer branding, says Mr Irfan Abdulla, Head of Hiring Solutions at LinkedIn India.

Students also want to engage with companies in sectors they are passionate about, says Mr Abdulla. They keep getting updates about their dream companies even before they have thought of placement in these firms, he adds.

In fact, a recent study by the social media site revealed the top 10 companies that students would want to work for in the country. This is based on the students LinkedIn activities that gave information such as the job pages students look at, the number of followers for a company, and track how students are looking at companies. This activity, of course, increases during the placement season.

Students use social and professional networks to research companies, explore trends, and get inside information on careers from classmates, friends and family. There are two million company pages on LinkedIn.

To find out which companies have attracted the attention of recent grads, LinkedIn crunched data available on its site and came up with the following results:

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Students log on to professional networking sites for dream jobs