Of Human Interest: News-lite

DISSECTING LOVE IN THE LAB

It's a bit like dissecting love under a laboratory microscope but Ohio State University Medical Center researchers are looking at how marriage affects the health of those involved.

"There's growing evidence that the quality of marriage is related to health," says Dr. Janice Kiecolt-Glaser. "The question is, how? If you have a good marriage, do you sleep better? Eat better? Probably so. But what we're finding is that the quality of interaction shows in the way the body responds through stress hormones and immune function."

The studies show marital fighting can weaken immunity, with consequences that include reducing the effectiveness of vaccinations and slowing the rate of wound healing.

Marital harmony, however, translates into lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the blood, which means compounds are delivered to a wound to begin the healing process.

DIVORCE LAWYER DEFENDS LOVE

Raleigh, N.C., divorce lawyer Lee Rosen is a Valentine's Day legal cupid.

This Feb. 14, Rosen says he will be in the Wake County Register of Deeds Office helping happy couples become newlyweds. Between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. he will distribute free marriage licenses to all who arrive. At 4 p.m. he will award a romantic weekend to one of the lucky couples.

"This is not some gimmick to drum up business for our firm," Rosen says. "Quite the opposite. It is our way of saying that despite soaring divorce rates, couples in love can feel confident that marriage will work for them."

This is the second year Lee Rosen has played cupid. Last year, his firm footed the bill for 43 marriage licenses on Valentine's Day, totaling $2,150.

HARRY CASTS SPELL ON AMERICAN STUDENTS

Wizard wannabe Harry Potter has cast a spell on American students, the daily Telegraph in London reports.

The use of Latin in Harry Potter author JK Rowling's books has prompted a surge of interest in the classics -- after years of decline.

The number of students taking Latin for college credits has soared by 80 percent since the first book was published in the United States six years ago, the Telegraph reports.

This year, about 123,000 high school students will take the National Latin Exam -- which counts toward university entry -- compared with 53,000 in 1985.

Teachers report the 11 to 14 crowd, who previously had little interest in Latin, now choose it over French or Spanish as their foreign language.

NOT SO DUMB IN HOLLYWOOD

A survey of some 9,000 Americans by the high-IQ group American Mensa finds teenage-doc Doogie Howser tops the list of the favorite Hollywood geniuses.

While Doogie got 3,334 votes, following close behind was the professor on "Gilligan's Island."

America's No. 1 TV drama also is America's smartest. Almost 3,000 people voted "CSI" as the TV show with the smartest cast of characters. Lagging by only 200 votes was the cast of "Frasier."

Fifty-eight percent of voters said Lisa Simpson is the cartoon character most likely to be a member of Mensa -- Simpsons fans already knew that because Lisa was made a member of Mensa in a 1999 episode.