A new study finds that players of contact sports have differences in their brain activity when compared with people who play non-contact sports. The authors ask whether micro concussions are to blame. There has been a significant drive, over recent years, to push the issue of concussion to the front of people's minds. It's now common knowledge that someone who is concussed should not return to the field of play and should take care to rest. The study that we are discussing today relates to a more common but much less understood phenomenon: subconcussive impacts, which are also known as micro concussions. The study authors define micro concussions as "impacts to the skull, including those that do not produce acute concussion but nevertheless result in clinical signs and symptoms." Across a college football season, a player might pick up well over 1,000 micro concussions. And, as research intensifies, scientists are growing increasingly concerned that they may have a significant cumulative effect. To date, however, no concrete conclusions have been made about the specific brain regions that are affected by micro concussions. The authors of the new study sum up the confusion. "Some studies find an effect on cognition, while others find no effect. The subconcussive effect of hits on balance," they write, "is also inconclusive with some reporting a positive effect and others reporting no effect." Others have looked for changes in the anatomy of the brain, with some focusing on differences in white matter and others on gray matter. The story here is similar. As the study authors explain, "Once again, however, these studies do not yield a clear consensus." Reopening micro concussions One researcher dedicated to getting to the bottom of this question is lead study author Nicholas Port, from Indiana University Bloomington. He set out to explore whether or not there were measurable differences in brain activity between people who played contact sports and those involved in non-contact sports. His findings are now published in the journal NeuroImage: Clinical. To begin, the researchers took brain scans of 21 football players and 19 cross-country runners using functional MRI technology. This type of imaging detects changes in blood flow related to activity in regions of the brain. They chose football players due to their high risk of repeated blows to the head, and runners because they are at very low risk of head injuries. None of the footballers had sustained a concussion in the previous season. The team also scanned the brains of 11 non-college-level athletes of a similar socioeconomic background to use as a control group. In particular, Port and his colleagues were interested in the visual centers of the brain. He says, "We focused on these brain regions because physicians and trainers regularly encounter large deficits in players' ability to smoothly track a moving point with their eyes after suffering an acute concussion." And, when the brain scans were analyzed, measurable differences were seen between the three groups. Those who played football showed much more activity in their visual regions than either the control group or the cross-country runners. Drawing conclusions Although differences were seen, the next challenge is how to interpret the findings. Is the increase in visual activity among footballers due to a lifetime of minor head injuries, or because they play a visually demanding sport? As Port explains, "Everyone from musicians to taxi drivers has differences in brain activity related to their specific skills." At this stage, although the results are interesting, there is no way to tell why these differences were found. In the future, Port believes that the answer may come from wearable accelerometers. Although this technology is already available, it is expensive and cumbersome. As the equipment improves, and players can play more naturally while wearing it, better data can be collected. In this way, the number of blows to the head can be monitored in real-time and compared with cognitive deficits and changes in the brain at a later date. Overall, though, the study only adds to the pile of inconclusive findings. Although differences were seen — footballers' visual centers were busier — accurate interpretation is impossible at this stage.

Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is produced by the body as a response to sun exposure; it can also be consumed in food or supplements. Having enough vitamin D is important for a number of reasons, including maintaining healthy bones and teeth; it may also protect against a range of conditions such as cancer, type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. Vitamin D has multiple roles in the body, helping to: Maintain the health of bones and teeth. Support the health of the immune system, brain, and nervous system. Regulate insulin levels and aid diabetes management. Support lung function and cardiovascular health. Influence the expression of genes involved in cancer development. What is vitamin D? Despite the name, vitamin D is considered a pro-hormone and not actually a vitamin. Vitamins are nutrients that cannot be created by the body and therefore must be taken in through our diet. However, vitamin D can be synthesized by our body when sunlight hits our skin. It is estimated that sensible sun exposure on bare skin for 5-10 minutes 2-3 times per week allows most people to produce sufficient vitamin D, but vitamin D breaks down quite quickly, meaning that stores can run low, especially in winter. Recent studies have suggested that a substantial percentage of the global population is vitamin D deficient. Health benefits of vitamin D 1) Vitamin D for healthy bones Vitamin D plays a substantial role in the regulation of calcium and maintenance of phosphorus levels in the blood, two factors that are extremely important for maintaining healthy bones. We need vitamin D to absorb calcium in the intestines and to reclaim calcium that would otherwise be excreted through the kidneys. Vitamin D deficiency in children can cause rickets, a disease characterized by a severely bow-legged appearance due to softening of the bones. In adults, vitamin D deficiency manifests as osteomalacia (softening of the bones) or osteoporosis. Osteomalacia results in poor bone density and muscular weakness. Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease among post-menopausal women and older men. 2) Reduced risk of flu Children given 1,200 International Units of vitamin D per day for 4 months during the winter reduced their risk of influenza A infection by over 40 percent. 3) Reduced risk of diabetes Several observational studies have shown an inverse relationship between blood concentrations of vitamin D in the body and risk of type 2 diabetes. In people with type 2 diabetes, insufficient vitamin D levels may negatively effect insulin secretion and glucose tolerance. In one particular study, infants who received 2,000 International Units per day of vitamin D had an 88 percent lower risk of developing type 1 diabetes by the age of 32. 4) Healthy infants Children with normal blood pressure who were given 2,000 International Units (IU) per day had significantly lower arterial wall stiffness after 16 weeks compared with children who were given only 400 IU per day. Low vitamin D status has also been associated with a higher risk and severity of atopic childhood diseases and allergic diseases, including asthma, atopic dermatitis, and eczema. Vitamin D may enhance the anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids, making it potentially useful as a supportive therapy for people with steroid-resistant asthma. 5) Healthy pregnancy Pregnant women who are deficient in vitamin D seem to be at greater risk of developing preeclampsia and needing a cesarean section. Poor vitamin D status is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus and bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women. It is also important to note that high vitamin D levels during pregnancy were associated with an increased risk of food allergy in the child during the first 2 years of life. 6) Cancer prevention Vitamin D is extremely important for regulating cell growth and for cell-to-cell communication. Some studies have suggested that calcitriol (the hormonally active form of vitamin D) can reduce cancer progression by slowing the growth and development of new blood vessels in cancerous tissue, increasing cancer cell death, and reducing cell proliferation and metastases. Vitamin D influences more than 200 human genes, which could be impaired when we do not have enough vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency has also been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, autism, Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma severity, and swine flu, however more reliable studies are needed before these associations can be proven. Many of these benefits occur through Vitamin D's positive effect on the immune system Recommended intake of vitamin D Vitamin D intake can be measured in two ways: in micrograms (mcg) and International Units (IU). One microgram of vitamin D is equal to 40 IU of vitamin D. The recommended intakes of vitamin D Infants 0-12 months - 400 IU (10 mcg). Children 1-18 years - 600 IU (15 mcg). Adults to age 70 - 600 IU (15 mcg). Adults over 70 - 800 IU (20 mcg). Pregnant or lactating women - 600 IU (15 mcg). ~~WallE I do 5000~~ Vitamin D deficiency Although the body can create vitamin D, there are many reasons deficiency can occur. For instance, darker skin color and the use of sunscreen reduce the body's ability to absorb the ultraviolet radiation B (UVB) rays from the sun needed to produce vitamin D. A sunscreen with sun protection factor (SPF) 30 can reduce the body's ability to synthesize the vitamin by 95 percent. To start vitamin D production, the skin has to be directly exposed to sunlight, not covered by clothing. People who live in northern latitudes or areas of high pollution, work at night and stay home during the day, or are homebound should aim to consume extra vitamin D from food sources whenever possible. Infants who are exclusively breast-fed need a vitamin D supplement, especially if they are dark-skinned or have minimal sun exposure. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all breastfed infants receive 400 IU per day of an oral vitamin D supplement; drops made specifically for babies are available. Although vitamin D supplements can be taken, it is best to obtain any vitamin or mineral through natural sources wherever possible. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may include: Getting sick or infected more often. Fatigue. Painful bones and back. Depressed mood. Impaired wound healing. Hair loss. Muscle pain. If Vitamin D deficiency continues for long periods of time it can result in: obesity diabetes hypertension depression fibromyalgia chronic fatigue syndrome osteoporosis neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease Vitamin D deficiency may also contribute to the development of certain cancers, especially breast, prostate, and colon cancers. We explain this in a little more detail later. Vitamin D food sources Sunlight is the most common and efficient source of vitamin D. The richest food sources of vitamin D are fish oil and fatty fish. Here is a list of foods with good levels of vitamin D: cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon: 1,360 IU herring, fresh, raw, 4 ounces: 1,056 IU swordfish, cooked, 4 ounces: 941 IU raw maitake mushrooms, 1 cup: 786 IU salmon, sockeye, cooked, 4 ounces: 596 IU sardines, canned, 4 ounces: 336 IU fortified skim milk, 1 cup: 120 IU tuna, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces: 68 IU egg, chicken, whole large: 44 IU Potential health risks of consuming vitamin D The Upper Level limit recommended for vitamin D is 4,000 IU per day. However, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has suggested that vitamin D toxicity is unlikely at daily intakes below 10,000 IU per day. Excessive consumption of vitamin D (hypervitaminosis D) can lead to over calcification of bones and hardening of blood vessels, kidney, lungs, and heart. The most common symptoms of hypervitaminosis D are headache and nausea but can also include loss of appetite, dry mouth, a metallic taste, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea. It is best to get your required Vitamin D from natural sources. When choosing supplements, choose your brand carefully as the FDA does not monitor safety or purity of supplements. If you want to buy Vitamin D supplements, then there is an excellent selection on online with thousands of customer reviews. It is the total diet or overall eating pattern that is most important in disease prevention and achieving good health. It is better to eat a diet with a variety than to concentrate on one individual nutrient as the key to good health.

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THE Real Estate Institute of WA has called for a $10,000 concession on stamp duty for seniors over 65 to encourage empty-nesters to downsize. In its pre-Budget submission, REIWA said older Australians were staying in homes too big for them because they could not afford the up-front cost of stamp duty. The State Government refused to rule the policy suggestion in or out, saying details would be revealed in next month’s Budget. The REIWA submission said older people baulked at stamp duty that averaged about $19,000 on a median-priced $512,500 house. The money to pay for stamp duty was usually borrowed, which meant repayment costs ended up being tens of thousands of dollars higher. First-homebuyers get an exemption from stamp duty up to the value of $430,000. “Not only is transfer duty a hindrance on affordability, but it also impacts the ability for households to make appropriate housing decisions in accordance with their lifestyle choices, changing needs or economic reasons like employment,” the submission said. “It is well understood that transfer duty prohibits people from making better housing choices. “To ensure that WA has the right mix of housing options and diversity needed to meet the changing needs of the community, the State Government is encouraged to look at ways in which to reduce the impact of transfer duty on the mobility of housing stock.” REIWA also wants the reintroduction of the $3000 grant for first-homeowners buying established property. It has also called for a further delay to the 4 per cent foreign owner duty surcharge, claiming WA has the lowest international investment of all the States.

SENIOR Australians are waiting too long to think about aged care, putting unnecessary strain on themselves and their finances. Despite more choice being offered around aged care, the system remains a maze for most people and is becoming more user-pays. Aged care specialists say while the average age of people entering residential care is around 83, people should start thinking about and planning for their future needs in their 50s and 60s. Delaying decisions can increase stress when a crisis occurs, and long waiting lists for new home care packages mean that over-65s need to prepare earlier. Age Care Directions executive manager Andrew Boden said many people put off thinking about it because they did not want to lose independence, did not want carers in their homes, and had heard negative stories about nursing homes. “They see it as a negative experience,” he said. “The biggest issue with aged care and accommodation is the lack of education, with misinformation prevalent, and part of the reason is that people are fearful.” Home care packages were overhauled last year to give seniors greater choice in spending their government funding of up to $49,000 annually to enable them to remain at home. Waiting lists for these packages already have stretched beyond a year, and Mr Boden said people might be able to get a lower level home care package — perhaps $16,000 a year — as an interim step, or benefit from the Commonwealth Home Support Program which delivered discounted services. Leading Age Services Australia CEO Sean Rooney said the long waiting list was unacceptable and could result in higher costs to the government if more seniors went into nursing homes. “While the current wait list raises the importance of planning, people can only enter the wait list once they have been assessed as requiring care,” he said. People should understand that timing gaps for home care and residential care might need to be managed by extra help from family, friend and community groups, Mr Rooney said. He said the myagedcare.gov.au portal was a good support for aged care planning. The website has plenty of educational information and online tools to find services. Advantage One Financial Services managing director Andrew Venning said early advice could lead to better structured assets and seniors not paying more than they should. “Talk with your family. Have them understand your feelings and needs. Get help. Do your research,” he said. Mr Venning said the idea of having to give up the family home to move into aged care was false, although “with recent government changes it is less attractive to rent the family home as the rental income is now part assessed”. QUESTIONS TO ASK EARLY • What financial resources will I have? • How much support can I expect from family? • What care options are available and can I afford them? • What government subsidies will I be eligible for?

MOSCOW, April 16 (Itar-Tass) - RIA Novosti. Moscow will not drag out the issue of adopting a bill on retaliatory measures on US sanctions, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in an interview with RIA Novosti. "I think that the timetable for considering this important bill will be built in such a way as not to drag out - the situation itself dictates the need for sufficiently energetic efforts," Ryabkov said. He noted that now the Foreign Ministry can not say exactly what measures will be taken and when. However, the diplomat stressed that there is a political need to act quickly. On Friday, the leaders of Duma factions and State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin submitted to the lower house of parliament a bill providing for retaliatory actions against the anti-Russian policy of the United States. The document presupposes, in particular, a ban on the importation of American agricultural, alcoholic and tobacco products. An extraordinary meeting of the State Duma Council to consider the bill "On measures of influence (counteraction) to unfriendly actions of the United States and (or) other foreign states" will be held on Monday. Link: https://ria.ru/sanctions/20180416/1518714645.html

The A2 Milk Company is expanding into South Korea after signing a distribution deal with pharmaceutical giant Yuhan Corporation. A2 says South Korea is an attractive market because it has high per capita dairy consumption, world-class retailers and fast-growing online sales. A2 MIlk says Yuhan Corporation has capabilities in pharmaceuticals and consumer goods. "Yuhan Corporation is a long-established, highly credentialed and principled Korean business," A2 Milk chief executive Geoffrey Babidge said in a statement on Monday. " We share similar values and ambitions, and with our complimentary capabilities believe that together we can build a meaningful business in Korea." Yuhan and A2 will launch a range of dairy nutritional products sourced from Australia and New Zealand, with sales expected to start between July and December this year. Shares in A2 Milk were 8.5 cents, or 0.7 per cent, higher at $11.68 at 1225 AEST on Monday.

AUSTRALIA’S most incredible man cave is up for sale. Laurie Anderson has had few reasons to visit the upstairs of his Melbourne home, and who could blame him? Built under his hydraulic driveway is a room with beer on tap, an underwater view of the pool, a digital golf driving range, arcade games and more. The mastermind behind the underground haven says his ideas have come from more than 35 years in the home building industry as head of Melbourne-based company Anderson Homes. “I was out one night 10 years ago and walked past a bar and driving range and thought, 'I’m going to put one of those in my house one day',” owner Laurie told news.com.au. “The bar area downstairs with the beer on tap I picked up on doing some pubs around town. But I’ve got simple tastes, so it’s Carlton Draught." And if beer isn’t your thing, you’ll be able to find something in the walk-in wine cellar, which is just next to the billiards table and curved TV. Understandably, Laurie’s mates aren’t too happy with his decision to sell the home, but he assures them the next man cave will be even better. “I’m telling them ‘wait until they see the next one. I’m going to put a 10-pin bowling alley in’,” he said. The luxury of the Melbourne home (which can be entirely controlled with a smartphone) doesn’t end in the basement, in fact, the kitchen on the ground floor won the Master Builders Association 2017 Kitchen of the Year award. “Every now and then you come across a really wonderful home. This one has just got so much technology in it and so many special features that you just don’t see every day,” real estate agent Jeremy Desmier told 7 News. The house is expected to fetch a cool $6.5 million when it goes under the hammer on May 5.

Source: University of Innsbruck Conceptual picture of the new exotic quantum states that have been generated in Innsbruck. The generation of quantum entanglement in a string of 20 single atoms is shown. Entanglement between neighboring atom pairs (blue), atom triplets (pink), atom quadruplets (red) and quintuplets (yellow) was observed, before the system became too complex to characterize with existing techniques. Some of the new quantum technologies ranging from extremely precise sensors to universal quantum computers require a large number of quantum bits in order to exploit the advantages of quantum physics. Physicists all over the world are therefore working on implementing entangled systems with more and more quantum bits. The record is currently held by Rainer Blatt's research group at the Institute of Experimental Physics at the University of Innsbruck. In 2011, the physicists entangled 14 individually addressable quantum bits for the first time and thus realized the largest completely entangled quantum register. Now, a research team led by Ben Lanyon and Rainer Blatt at the Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, together with theorists from the University of Ulm and the Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information in Vienna, has now realized controlled multi-particle entanglement in a system of 20 quantum bits. The researchers were able to detect genuine multi-particle entanglement between all neighbouring groups of three, four and five quantum bits. Genuine multi-particle entanglement Physically, entangled particles cannot be described as individual particles with defined states, but only as a complete system. It is particularly difficult to understand entanglement when numerous particles are involved. Here a distinction must be made between the entanglement of individual particles and real, genuine multi-particle entanglement. Genuine multi-particle entanglement can only be understood as a property of the overall system of all particles concerned and not be explained by a combination of the subsystems being entangled. At the Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information in Innsbruck, the team of physicists has now used laser light to entangle 20 calcium atoms in an ion trap experiment and observed the dynamic propagation of multi-particle entanglement in this system. "The particles are first entangled in pairs," describes Lanyon. "With the methods developed by our colleagues in Vienna and Ulm, we can then prove the further spread of the entanglement to all neighbouring particle triplets, most quadruplets and a few quintuplets. New detection methods These detection methods were developed by Martin Plenio's research group at the University of Ulm and Marcus Huber's team at IQOQI Vienna. "We have chosen a MacGyver approach," says first author Nicolai Friis with a smirk. "We had to find a way to detect multi-particle entanglement with a small number of feasible measurement settings." The researchers in Vienna and Ulm took a complementary approach: the group around Huber and Friis used a method that only requires a few measurements and whose results can be easily evaluated. In this way, the entanglement of three particles could be demonstrated in the experiment. The theorists from Ulm used a more complex technique based on numerical methods. "Although this technique is efficient, it also reaches its limits due to the sharp increase in computing effort due to the number of quantum bits," says Oliver Marty from Martin Plenio's research group. "That's why the usefulness of this method also came to an end with the detection of real five-particle entanglement." A big step towards application "There are quantum systems such as ultra-cold gases in which entanglement between a large number of particles has been detected," emphasizes Nicolai Friis. "However, the Innsbruck experiment is able to address and read out every single quantum bit individually." It is therefore suitable for practical applications such as quantum simulations or quantum information processing. Rainer Blatt and his team hope to further increase the number of quantum bits in the experiment. "Our medium-term goal is 50 particles," he says. "This could help us solve problems that the best supercomputers today still fail to accomplish." The methods developed for the ion trap experiment in Innsbruck will be used more widely, the physicists in Ulm and Vienna are convinced. "We want to push the boundaries of our methods even further," say Friis and Marty. "By exploiting symmetries and focusing on certain observables, we can further optimize these methods to detect even more extensive multi-particle entanglement.

Source: The University of Montana This is pollution haze over Mexico City. A University of Montana researcher and her collaborators have published a new study that reveals increased risks for Alzheimer's and suicide among children and young adults living in polluted megacities. Dr. Lilian Calderón-Garcidueñas said her group studied 203 autopsies of Mexico City residents ranging in age from 11 months to 40 years. Metropolitan Mexico City is home to 24 million people exposed daily to concentrations of fine particulate matter and ozone above U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards. The researchers tracked two abnormal proteins that indicate development of Alzheimer's, and they detected the early stages of the disease in babies less than a year old. "Alzheimer's disease hallmarks start in childhood in polluted environments, and we must implement effective preventative measures early," said Calderón-Garcidueñas, a physician and Ph.D. toxicologist in UM's Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences. "It is useless to take reactive actions decades later." The research was published in the Journal of Environmental Research. The scientists found heightened levels of the two abnormal proteins -- hyperphosphorylated tau and beta amyloid -- in the brains of young urbanites with lifetime exposures to fine-particulate-matter pollution (PM2.5). They also tracked Apolipoprotein E (APOE 4), a well-known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's, as well as lifetime cumulative exposure to unhealthy levels of PM2.5 -- particles which are at least 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair and frequently cause the haze over urban areas. Findings indicate Alzheimer's starts in early childhood, and the disease progression relates to age, APOE 4 status and particulate exposure. Researchers found hallmarks of the disease among 99.5 percent of the subjects they examined in Mexico City. In addition, APOE 4 carriers have a higher risk of rapid progression of Alzheimer's and 4.92 higher odds of committing suicide versus APOE 3 carriers, controlling for age and particulate exposure. Overall, the authors have documented an accelerated and early disease process for Alzheimer's in highly exposed Mexico City residents. They believe the detrimental effects are caused by tiny pollution particles that enter the brain through the nose, lungs and gastrointestinal tract, and these particles damage all barriers and travel everywhere in the body through the circulatory system. The authors conclude that ambient air pollution is a key modifiable risk for millions of people across the globe, including millions of Americans who are exposed to harmful particulate pollution levels. "Neuroprotection measures ought to start very early, including the prenatal period and childhood," Calderón-Garcidueñas said. "Defining pediatric environmental, nutritional, metabolic and genetic risk-factor interactions are key to preventing Alzheimer's disease."

For Tango the greyhound, the simple act of laying still every two months means saving countless lives. Nine-year-old Tango is a regular donor to Murdoch University’s blood bank along with more than 20 other dogs. Her blood is used in urgent transfusions for dogs hurt in incidents including car crashes or for treatment of conditions. Murdoch University blood bank co-ordinator Michelle Rouffignac said more donor dogs and cats were needed to keep up with demand. “Our case load is going up — last month we transfused 35 blood bags — it is usually about 20,” Ms Rouffignac said. “We are actively recruiting donors at the moment. Trying to keep up is crucial for us.” Ms Rouffignac said a calm demeanour and big build was vital for pets in the donor program. “We select specifically for calm dogs,” she said. Greyhounds, great danes, dobermans, rottweilers, kelpies and golden retrievers have been used in Murdoch’s blood bank - the largest of its kind in the State. Tango’s owner and veterinarian Nahiid Stephens said that when she discovered her dog was suitable to donate blood, it was a no-brainer to get involved. “We take it for granted as humans that we have a resource to turn to if we are sick or injured,” she said. Murdoch emergency and critical care veterinarian Melissa Claus said the blood bank worked in the same way as the Red Cross. “The blood gets processed into its components — plasma and red cells — in a centrifuge,” Dr Claus said. To get involved contact community [email protected]

The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine told about the plan for the reintegration of Donbass The Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Arsen Avakov, said that Kiev must regain control of the Donbass in stages. The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine told about the plan for the reintegration of Donbass "I have my own plan. It is called "The tactics of small steps, which everyone applauds." I do not think that all the territory of the occupied Donbass can be reintegrated immediately, "he said in an interview with" Ukrayinska Pravda ". The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs noted that peacekeepers are simply not enough for the entire territory, therefore, it is necessary to "take" certain regions first. "The plan is as follows: peacekeepers come in and stand on the border of the conditional city of Gorlovka or the rural Novoazovsky district. The border with the occupied territory immediately takes control of both the blue helmets and the Ukrainian border guards. Inside this returned to the territory of Ukraine, the Ukrainian judicial authorities come and conduct elections according to our law, "he explained. According to him, it does not matter who wins this election, the main task is to form a transitional administration. After this, Avakov believes, Ukraine should pass laws on amnesty and on collaborators, grant special economic status to the returned territories and begin rebuilding the infrastructure. Earlier, a group of people's deputies appealed in the Constitutional Court of Ukraine law on the reintegration of Donbass. Link: https://russian.rt.com/ussr/news/503...raciya-donbass

Machine learning algorithms pinpoint new materials 200 times faster than previously possible Source: Northwestern University With new, artificial intelligence approach, scientists discovered metallic glass 200 times faster than with an Edisonian approach. If you combine two or three metals together, you will get an alloy that usually looks and acts like a metal, with its atoms arranged in rigid geometric patterns. But once in a while, under just the right conditions, you get something entirely new: a futuristic alloy called metallic glass. The amorphous material's atoms are arranged every which way, much like the atoms of the glass in a window. Its glassy nature makes it stronger and lighter than today's best steel, and it stands up better to corrosion and wear. Although metallic glass shows a lot of promise as a protective coating and alternative to steel, only a few thousand of the millions of possible combinations of ingredients have been evaluated over the past 50 years, and only a handful developed to the point that they may become useful. Now a group led by scientists at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Northwestern University has reported a shortcut for discovering and improving metallic glass -- and, by extension, other elusive materials -- at a fraction of the time and cost. The research group took advantage of a system at SLAC's Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) that combines machine learning -- a form of artificial intelligence where computer algorithms glean knowledge from enormous amounts of data -- with experiments that quickly make and screen hundreds of sample materials at a time. This allowed the team to discover three new blends of ingredients that form metallic glass, and to do it 200 times faster than it could be done before. The study was published today, April 13, in Science Advances. "It typically takes a decade or two to get a material from discovery to commercial use," said Chris Wolverton, the Jerome B. Cohen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering in Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering, who is an early pioneer in using computation and AI to predict new materials. "This is a big step in trying to squeeze that time down. You could start out with nothing more than a list of properties you want in a material and, using AI, quickly narrow the huge field of potential materials to a few good candidates." The ultimate goal, said Wolverton, who led the paper's machine learning work, is to get to the point where a scientist can scan hundreds of sample materials, get almost immediate feedback from machine learning models and have another set of samples ready to test the next day -- or even within the hour. Over the past half century, scientists have investigated about 6,000 combinations of ingredients that form metallic glass. Added paper co-author Apurva Mehta, a staff scientist at SSRL: "We were able to make and screen 20,000 in a single year." Just getting started While other groups have used machine learning to come up with predictions about where different kinds of metallic glass can be found, Mehta said, "The unique thing we have done is to rapidly verify our predictions with experimental measurements and then repeatedly cycle the results back into the next round of machine learning and experiments." There's plenty of room to make the process even speedier, he added, and eventually automate it to take people out of the loop altogether so scientists can concentrate on other aspects of their work that require human intuition and creativity. "This will have an impact not just on synchrotron users, but on the whole materials science and chemistry community," Mehta said. The team said the method will be useful in all kinds of experiments, especially in searches for materials like metallic glass and catalysts whose performance is strongly influenced by the way they're manufactured, and those where scientists don't have theories to guide their search. With machine learning, no previous understanding is needed. The algorithms make connections and draw conclusions on their own, which can steer research in unexpected directions. "One of the more exciting aspects of this is that we can make predictions so quickly and turn experiments around so rapidly that we can afford to investigate materials that don't follow our normal rules of thumb about whether a material will form a glass or not," said paper co-author Jason Hattrick-Simpers, a materials research engineer at NIST. "AI is going to shift the landscape of how materials science is done, and this is the first step." Experimenting with data In the metallic glass study, the research team investigated thousands of alloys that each contain three cheap, nontoxic metals. They started with a trove of materials data dating back more than 50 years, including the results of 6,000 experiments that searched for metallic glass. The team combed through the data with advanced machine learning algorithms developed by Wolverton and Logan Ward, a graduate student in Wolverton's laboratory who served as co-first author of the paper. Based on what the algorithms learned in this first round, the scientists crafted two sets of sample alloys using two different methods, allowing them to test how manufacturing methods affect whether an alloy morphs into a glass. An SSRL x-ray beam scanned both sets of alloys, then researchers fed the results into a database to generate new machine learning results, which were used to prepare new samples that underwent another round of scanning and machine learning. By the experiment's third and final round, Mehta said, the group's success rate for finding metallic glass had increased from one out of 300 or 400 samples tested to one out of two or three samples tested. The metallic glass samples they identified represented three different combinations of ingredients, two of which had never been used to make metallic glass before. The study was funded by the US Department of Energy (award number FWP-100250), the Center for Hierarchical Materials Design and the National Institute of Standards and Technology

Source: Arizona State University CT-rendered chimpanzee cranium (left) with enlarged image of a virtually extracted molar (middle). The outer layer, called enamel, is rendered transparent revealing the 3-D landscape of a molar's underlying dentine core. The location of embryonic signaling cells that will determine future cusp position is indicated by yellow spheres (middle). The distribution of these signaling centers across the dentine landscape is measured as a series of intercusp distances (red arrows in right, top), which determines the number of cusps that will ultimately develop across a molar crown, as well as the amount of terrain mapped out by each cusp (dashed lines in right, bottom). Across the world of mammals, teeth come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Their particular size and shape are the process of millions of years of evolutionary fine-tuning to produce teeth that can effectively break down the foods in an animal's diet. As a result, mammals that are closely related and have a similar menu tend to have teeth that look fairly similar. New research suggests, however, that these similarities may only be "skin deep." The teeth at the back of our mouths -- the molars -- have a series of bumps, ridges, and grooves across the chewing surface. This complex dental landscape is the product of the spatial arrangement of cusps, which are conical surface projections that crush food before swallowing. How many cusps there are, how they are positioned, and what size and shape they take together determine our molar's overall form or configuration. Over the course of hominin (modern humans and their fossil ancestors) evolution, molars have changed markedly in their configuration, with some groups developing larger cusps and others evolving molars with a battery of smaller extra cusps. Charting these changes has yielded powerful insights into our understanding of modern human population history. It has even allowed us to identify new fossil hominin species, sometimes from just fragmentary tooth remains, and to reconstruct which species is more closely related to whom. Exactly how some populations of modern humans, and some fossil hominin species, evolved complex molars with many cusps of varying sizes, while others evolved more simplified molar configurations, however, is unknown. In a study published this week in Science Advances, an international team of researchers from Arizona State University's Institute of Human Origins and School of Human Evolution and Social Change, New York University, University of Kent, and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology found that a simple, straightforward developmental rule -- the "patterning cascade" -- is powerful enough to explain the massive variability in molar crown configuration over the past 15 million years of ape and human evolution. "Instead of invoking large, complicated scenarios to explain the majors shifts in molar evolution during the course of hominin origins, we found that simple adjustments and alterations to this one developmental rule can account for most of those changes," says Alejandra Ortiz, a postdoctoral researcher at Arizona State University's Institute of Human Origins and lead author of the study. In the past decade, researchers' understanding of molar cusp development has increased one hundred-fold. They now know that the formation of these cusps is governed by a molecular process that starts at an early embryonic stage. Based on experimental work on mice, the patterning cascade model predicts that molar configuration is primarily determined by the spatial and temporal distribution of a set of signaling cells. Clumps of signaling cells (and their resultant cusps) that develop earlier strongly influence the expression of cusps that develop later. This cascading effect can result in either favoring an increase in the size and number of additional cusps or constraining their development to produce smaller, fewer cusps. Whether this sort of simple developmental ratchet phenomenon could explain the vast array of molar configurations present across ape and human ancestry was unknown. Using state-of-the-art micro-computed tomography and digital imaging technology applied to hundreds of fossil and recent molars, Ortiz and colleagues created virtual maps of the dental landscape of developing teeth to chart the precise location of embryonic signaling cells from which molar cusps develop. To the research team's great surprise, the predictions of the model held up, not just for modern humans, but for over 17 ape and hominin species spread out across millions of years of higher primate evolution and diversification. "Not only does the model work for explaining differences in basic molar design, but it is also powerful enough to accurately predict the range of variants in size, shape, and additional cusp presence, from the most subtle to the most extreme, for most apes, fossil hominins, and modern humans," says Ortiz. These results fit with a growing body of work within evolutionary developmental biology that very simple, straightforward developmental rules are responsible for the generation of the myriad complexity of dental features found within mammalian teeth. "The most exciting result was how well our results fit with an emerging view that evolution of complex anatomy proceeds by small, subtle tweaks to the underlying developmental toolkit rather than by major leaps," says Gary Schwartz, a paleoanthropologist at ASU's Institute of Human Origins and a study coauthor. This new study is in line with the view that simple, subtle alterations in the ways genes code for complex features can result in the vast array of different dental configurations that we see across hominins and our ape cousins. It is part of a shift in our understanding of how natural selection can readily and rapidly generate novel anatomy suited to a particular function. "That all of this precise, detailed information is contained deep within teeth," continued Schwartz, "even teeth from our long-extinct fossil relatives, is simply remarkable." "Our research, demonstrating that a single developmental rule can explain the countless variation we observe across mammals, also means we must be careful about inferring relationships of extinct species based on shared form," said Shara Bailey, a coauthor and paleoanthropologist at New York University. "It is becoming clearer that similarities in tooth form may not necessarily indicate recent shared ancestry," added Bailey.

Source: DOE/Sandia National Laboratories Imaginative method saves money and the environment Enzymatic liquid membrane design and mechanism of carbon dioxide capture and separation. The Sandia/University of New Mexico membrane is fabricated by formation of 8-nanometer diameter mesopores. Using atomic layer deposition and oxygen plasma processing, the silica mesopores are engineered to be hydrophobic except for an 18-nm-deep region at the pore surface which is hydrophilic. Through capillary condensation, carbonic anhydrase enzymes and water spontaneously fill the hydrophilic mesopores to form an array of stabilized enzymes with an effective concentration greater than 10 times of that achievable in solution. These catalyze the capture and dissolution of carbon dioxide at the upstream surface and the regeneration of carbon dioxide at the downstream surface. The high enzyme concentration and short diffusion path maximizes capture efficiency and flux. A biologically inspired membrane intended to cleanse carbon dioxide almost completely from the smoke of coal-fired power plants has been developed by scientists at Sandia National Laboratories and the University of New Mexico. The patented work, reported recently in Nature Communications , has interested power and energy companies that would like to significantly and inexpensively reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, one of the most widespread greenhouse gases, and explore other possible uses of the invention. The memzyme meets the Department of Energy's standards by capturing 90 percent of power plant carbon dioxide production at a relatively low cost of $40 per ton. Researchers term the membrane a "memzyme" because it acts like a filter but is near-saturated with an enzyme, carbonic anhydrase, developed by living cells over millions of years to help rid themselves of carbon dioxide efficiently and rapidly. "To date, stripping carbon dioxide from smoke has been prohibitively expensive using the thick, solid, polymer membranes currently available," says Jeff Brinker, a Sandia fellow, University of New Mexico regents' professor and the paper's lead author. "Our inexpensive method follows nature's lead in our use of a water-based membrane only 18 nanometers thick that incorporates natural enzymes to capture 90 percent of carbon dioxide released. (A nanometer is about 1/700 of the diameter of a human hair.) This is almost 70 percent better than current commercial methods, and it's done at a fraction of the cost." Coal power plants are one of the United States' largest energy producers, but they have been criticized by some for sending more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than any other form of electrical power generation. Still, coal burning in China, India and other countries means that U.S. abstinence alone is not likely to solve the world's climate problems. But, says Brinker, "maybe technology will." The device's formation begins with a drying process called evaporation-induced self-assembly, first developed at Sandia by Brinker 20 years ago and a field of study in its own right. The procedure creates a close-packed array of silica nanopores designed to accommodate the carbonic anhydrase enzyme and keep it stable. This is done in several steps. First, the array, which may be 100 nanometers long, is treated with a technique called atomic layer deposition to make the nanopore surface water-averse or hydrophobic. This is followed by an oxygen plasma treatment that overlays the water-averse surface to make the nanopores water-loving or hydrophilic, but only to a depth of 18 nanometers. A solution of the enzyme and water spontaneously fill up and are stabilized within the water-loving portion of the nanopores. This creates membranes of water 18 nanometers thick, with a carbonic anhydrase concentration 10 times greater than aqueous solutions made to date. The solution, at home in its water-loving sleeve, is stable. But because of the enzyme's ability to rapidly and selectively dissolve carbon dioxide, the catalytic membrane has the capability to capture the overwhelming majority of carbon dioxide molecules that brush up against it from a rising cloud of coal smoke. The hooked molecules then pass rapidly through the membranes, driven solely by a naturally occurring pressure gradient caused by the large number of carbon dioxide molecules on one side of the membrane and their comparative absence on the other. The chemical process turns the gas briefly into carbonic acid and then bicarbonate before exiting immediately downstream as carbon dioxide gas. The gas can be harvested with 99 percent purity -- so pure that it could be used by oil companies for resource extraction. Other molecules pass by the membrane's surface undisturbed. The enzyme is reusable, and because the water serves as a medium rather than an actor, does not need replacement. The nanopores dry out over long periods of time due to evaporation. This will be checked by water vapor rising from lower water baths already installed in power plants to reduce sulfur emissions. And, enzymes damaged from use over time can easily be replaced. Says Brinker, "The very high concentration of carbonic anhydrase, along with the thinness of the water channel, result in very high carbon dioxide flux through the membrane. The greater the carbonic anhydrase concentration, the greater the flux. The thinner the membrane, the greater the flux." The membrane's arrangement in a generating station's flue would be like that of a catalytic converter in a car, suggests Brinker. The membranes would sit on the inner surface of a tube arranged like a honeycomb. The flue gas would flow through the membrane-embedded tube, with a carbon dioxide-free gas stream on the outside of the tubes. Varying the tube length and diameter would optimize the carbon dioxide extraction process. "Energy companies and oil and gas utilities have expressed interest in optimizing the gas filters for specific conditions," says Susan Rempe, Sandia researcher and co-author, who suggested and developed the idea of inserting carbonic anhydrase into the water solution to improve the speed by which carbon dioxide could be taken up and released from the membrane. "The enzyme can catalyze the dissolution of a million carbon dioxide molecules per second, vastly improving the speed of the process. With optimization by industry, the memzyme could make electricity production cheap and green," she says. The separation process could increase the amount of fuel obtained by enhanced oil recovery using carbon dioxide injected into existing reservoirs. A slightly different enzyme, used in the same process, can convert methane -- an even more potent greenhouse gas -- to the more soluble methanol for removal, she says. Prior cleansing by industrial scrubbers means that the rising smoke will be clean enough not to significantly impair membrane efficiency, says University of New Mexico professor and paper co-author Ying-Bing Jiang, who originated and developed the idea of using watery membranes based on the human body's processes to separate out carbon dioxide. The membranes have operated efficiently in laboratory settings for months. The procedure also could sequester carbon dioxide on a spacecraft, the authors mention, because the membranes operate at ambient temperatures and are driven solely by chemical gradients

Source: University of Washington This artist's concept illustrates Kepler-16b, the first planet known to orbit two stars -- what's called a circumbinary planet. The planet, which can be seen in the foreground, was discovered by NASA's Kepler mission. New research from the University of Washington indicates that certain shot-period binary star systems eject circumbinary planets as a consequence of the host stars' evolution. Planets orbiting "short-period" binary stars, or stars locked in close orbital embrace, can be ejected off into space as a consequence of their host stars' evolution, according to new research from the University of Washington. The findings help explain why astronomers have detected few circumbinary planets -- which orbit stars that in turn orbit each other -- despite observing thousands of short-term binary stars, or ones with orbital periods of 10 days or less. It also means that such binary star systems are a poor place to aim coming ground- and space-based telescopes to look for habitable planets and life beyond Earth. There are several different types of binary stars, such as visual and spectroscopic binaries, named for the ways astronomers are able to observe them. In a paper accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal, lead author David Fleming, a UW astronomy doctoral student, studies eclipsing binaries, or those where the orbital plane is so near the line of sight, both stars are seen to cross in front of each other. Fleming will present the paper at the Division on Dynamical Astronomy conference April 15-19. When eclipsing binaries orbit each other closely, within about 10 days or less, Fleming and co-authors wondered, do tides -- the gravitational forces each exerts on the other -- have "dynamical consequences" to the star system? "That's actually what we found" using computer simulations, Fleming said. "Tidal forces transport angular momentum from the stellar rotations to the orbits. They slow down the stellar rotations, expanding the orbital period." This transfer of angular momentum causes the orbits not only to enlarge but also to circularize, morphing from being eccentric, or football-shaped, to perfect circles. And over very long time scales, the spins of the two stars also become synchronized, as the moon is with the Earth, with each forever showing the same face to the other. The expanding stellar orbit "engulfs planets that were originally safe, and then they are no longer safe -- and they get thrown out of the system," said Rory Barnes, UW assistant professor of astronomy and a co-author on the paper. And the ejection of one planet in this way can perturb the orbits of other orbiting worlds in a sort of cascading effect, ultimately sending them out of the system as well. Making things even more difficult for circumbinary planets is what astronomers call a "region of instability" created by the competing gravitational pulls of the two stars. "There's a region that you just can't cross -- if you go in there, you get ejected from the system," Fleming said. "We've confirmed this in simulations, and many others have studied the region as well." This is called the "dynamical stability limit." It moves outward as the stellar orbit increases, enveloping planets and making their orbits unstable, and ultimately tossing them from the system. Another intriguing characteristic of such binary systems, detected by others over the years, Fleming said, is that planets tend to orbit just outside this stability limit, to "pile up" there. How planets get to the region is not fully known; they may form there, or they may migrate inward from further out in the system. Applying their model to known short-period binary star systems, Fleming and co-authors found that this stellar-tidal evolution of binary stars removes at least one planet in 87 percent of multiplanet circumbinary systems, and often more. And even this is likely a conservative estimate; Barnes said the number may be as high as 99 percent. The researchers have dubbed the process the Stellar Tidal Evolution Ejection of Planets, or STEEP. Future detections -- "or non-detections" -- of circumbinary around short-period binary stars, the authors write, will "will provide the best indirect observational test of the STEEP process. The shortest-period binary star system around which a circumbinary planet has been discovered was Kepler 47, with a period of about 7.45 days. The co-authors suggest that future studies looking to find and study possibly habitable planets around short-term binary stars should focus on those with longer orbital periods than about 7.5 days.

Mucus - part of the 0.5% of saliva that is not water - contains salivary mucins, compounds that actively protect teeth from damage by the cavity-causing bacterium Streptococcus mutans, according to a new study. Previously it was thought that salivary mucins - large glycoproteins - did little more than keep mucus in saliva slippery and elastic, contributing to its gel-like properties. But now it seems they play an active role in defending against pathogens and keeping the human microbiome healthy. First author Erica Shapiro Frenkel, of Harvard University, and principal investigator Katharina Ribbeck, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both in Cambridge, MA, report their findings in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Frenkel says their findings suggest boosting the body's natural defences might be a better way to prevent tooth decay than relying on external agents like sealants and fluoride treatments. The researchers found that salivary mucins do not alter levels of S. mutans nor kill the bacteria over 24 hours. Instead, they keep the bacteria suspended in a liquid medium, and this in turn reduces their ability to form biofilms on teeth. "This is particularly significant for S. mutans," Frenkel explains, "because it only causes cavities when it is attached, or in a biofilm on the tooth's surface." A biofilm is a densely packed community of microbes that grow on surfaces and surround themselves with sticky polymers that they secrete. Frenkel also points out that the oral microbiome - the collection of friendly bacteria in the mouth - is better preserved when naturally present species are not killed. "The ideal situation," she adds, "is to simply attenuate bacterial virulence." Salivary mucins prevent tooth decay bacteria from forming a biofilm S. mutans causes tooth decay by first attaching itself to teeth by forming a biofilm from sticky polymers that it produces. As the bacterium grows under the protection of the biofilm, organic acid byproducts of its metabolism attack the tooth enamel, causing cavities. For their study, the researchers focused on how the salivary mucin MUC5B affects the ability of S.mutans to attach to teeth and form a biofilm. These are the two key steps necessary for cavities to form, Frenkel explains. The investigation grew out of previous work looking at gastric mucins in pigs that protected against lung pathogens. The researchers wondered if salivary mucins might also play a protective role. Frenkel says common diseases like cystic fibrosis, ulcerative colitis and asthma have been linked to problems with mucin production. "There is increasing evidence that mucins aren't just part of the mucus for structure or physical protection, but that they play an active role in protecting the host from pathogens and maintaining a healthy microbial environment," she adds. Prof. Ribbeck says this kind of research is important because it changes scientists' views on host-microbe interactions: "It is generating a paradigm shift from the textbook view of mucus as a simple catchall filter for particles, towards the understanding that mucus is a sophisticated bioactive material with powerful abilities to manipulate microbial behavior." Meanwhile, Medical News Today recently learned that Roman Britons had less gum disease than modern Britons. The surprising discovery provides further evidence that modern habits like smoking can be damaging to oral health.

Having sex can flavor our nights, and days, with sweet pleasure and excitement, relieving stress and worry. And, of course, sex has been key to ensuring that the human race lives on. In this article, we ask, "How does sex impact what happens in the brain?" Sexual intercourse is known to impact the way in which the rest of our body functions. Recent studies have shown that it can have an effect on how much we eat, and how well the heart functions. As we have reported on Medical News Today, sex has been cited as an effective method of burning calories, with scientists noting that appetite is reduced in the aftermath. Also, a study published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior in 2016 found that women who have satisfying sex later in life might be better protected against the risk of high blood pressure. Many of the effects of sex on the body are actually tied to the way in which this pastime influences brain activity and the release of hormones in the central nervous system. Here, we explain what happens in the brain when we are sexually stimulated, and we look at how this activity can lead to changes in mood, metabolism, and the perception of pain. Brain activity and sexual stimulation For both men and women, sexual stimulation and satisfaction have been demonstrated to increase the activity of brain networks related to pain and emotional states, as well as to the reward system. This led some researchers to liken sex to other stimulants from which we expect an instant "high," such as drugs and alcohol. The brain and penile stimulation A 2005 study by researchers at the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands used positron emission tomography scans to monitor the cerebral blood flow of male participants while their genitals were being stimulated by their female partners. The scans demonstrated that stimulating the erect penis increased blood flow in the posterior insula and the secondary somatosensory cortex in the right hemisphere of the brain, while decreasing it in the right amygdala. The insula is a part of the brain that has been tied to processing emotions, as well as to sensations of pain and warmth. Similarly, the secondary somatosensory cortex is thought to play an important role in encoding sensations of pain. As for the amygdala, it is known to be involved in the regulation of emotions, and dysregulations of its activity have been tied to the development of anxiety disorders. An older study from the same university — which focused on brain regions that were activated at the time of ejaculation — found that there was an increase in blood flow to the cerebellum, which also plays a key role in the processing of emotions. The researchers liken the activation of the cerebellum during ejaculation to the pleasure rush caused by other activities that stimulate the brain's reward system. "Our results correspond with reports of cerebellar activation during heroin rush, sexual arousal, listening to pleasurable music, and monetary reward." The brain and the female orgasm In a study of the female orgasm that was conducted last year, scientists from Rutgers University in Newark, NJ, monitored the brain activity of 10 female participants as they achieved the peak of their pleasure — either by self-stimulation or by being stimulating by their partners. The regions that were "significantly activated" during orgasm, the team found, included part of the prefrontal cortex, the orbitofrontal cortex, the insula, the cingulate gyrus, and the cerebellum. These brain regions are variously involved in the processing of emotions and sensations of pain, as well as in the regulation of some metabolic processes and decision-making. Another study previously covered on MNT suggested that the rhythmic and pleasurable stimulation associated with orgasm puts the brain in a trance-like state. Study author Adam Safron compares the effect of female orgasms on the brain with that induced by dancing or listening to music. "Music and dance may be the only things that come close to sexual interaction in their power to entrain neural rhythms and produce sensory absorption and trance," he writes. "That is," he adds, "the reasons we enjoy sexual experiences may overlap heavily with the reasons we enjoy musical experience, both in terms of proximate (i.e. neural entrainment and induction of trance-like states) and ultimate (i.e. mate choice and bonding) levels of causation." Sex and hormonal activity So what does this all mean? In essence, it means that sex can impact our mood — normally for the better, but sometimes for the worse. Having sex has repeatedly been associated with improved moods and psychological, as well as physiological, relaxation. The reason behind why we may feel that stress impacts us less after a session between the sheets is due to a brain region called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus dictates the release of a hormone called oxytocin. Higher levels of oxytocin can make us feel more relaxed, as studies have noted that it can offset the effects of cortisol, the hormone linked with an increased state of stress. Not only does oxytocin make us calmer, but it also dampens our sense of pain. A study from 2013 found that this hormone could relieve headaches in individuals living with them as a chronic condition. Another study from 2013 suggested that a different set of hormones that are released during sexual intercourse — called endorphins — can also relieve the pain associated with cluster headaches. [Can sex also make us feel down? The answer to that, unfortunately, is "yes." While sex is generally hailed as a great natural remedy for the blues, a small segment of the population actually report an instant down rather than an instant high after engaging in this activity. This condition is known as "postcoital dysphoria," and its causes remain largely unknown. One study conducted in 2010 interviewed 222 female university students to better understand its effects. Of these participants, 32.9 percent said that they had experienced negative moods after sex. The team noted that a lifelong prevalence of this condition could be down to past traumatic events. In most cases, however, its causes remained unclear and a biological predisposition could not be eliminated. "This draws attention to the unique nature of [postcoital dysphoria], where the melancholy is limited only to the period following sexual intercourse and the individual cannot explain why the dysphoria occurs," the authors write. Sex may lead to better sleep Studies have shown that sexual intercourse can also improve sleep. After an orgasm, the body also releases higher levels of a hormone called prolactin, which is known to play a key role in sleep. Researchers from Central Queensland University in Australia also hypothesized that the release of oxytocin during sex may act as a sedative, leading to a better night's sleep. In the case of men, ejaculation has been found to reduce activity in the prefrontal cortex, which is a brain region known to benefit particularly from a good night's sleep. In sleep, the prefrontal cortex exhibits the slowest brainwave activity compared with other brain regions, which supports the proper execution of cognitive functions during the daytime. Researchers say that sex may lead to better cognitive functioning in older age, protecting people from memory loss and other cognitive impairments. Studies have shown that "older men who are sexually active [...] have increased levels of general cognitive function." For women, being sexually active later in life appears to sustain memory recall, specifically. These effects may be due to the action of hormones such as testosterone and oxytocin, which are influenced by intercourse. So, next time you're about to slip between the sheets with that special someone, just know that this moment of passion will spark a whole neural firework show, releasing a special hormonal cocktail that will, at its best, charge a whole set of biological batteries.

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The Federal Service sent the telecommunications operators an order to limit access to the service in accordance with the decision of the Tagansky court adopted on April 13 Roskomnadzor announced the launch of a procedure for blocking access to the Telegram service in Russia. The domain names and IP addresses of Telegram servers belonging to the service will now be entered into the register of blocked sites, and telecommunications operators are notified of the need to take measures to restrict access to them. In accordance with the current rules, providers will have to restrict access to Telegram resources within 24 hours from the date of entering their data into the register of blocked sites, which is updated twice a day. On April 13 Tagansky court on the suit of Roskomnadzor decided to immediately block Telegram in connection with the refusal of the service management to provide special services, as required by the Russian law, the keys to decipher the correspondence of its users. "We understand that the information that is distributed through Telegram can violate the law, be used by terrorist and extremist organizations, pose a threat to the security of the Russian Federation, the life and health of citizens, to the users of this network," the acting president said. Head of the Legal Department of Roskomnadzor Maria Smelyanskaya. After the court ruled that Telegram was blocked, Alexander Zharov, the head of Roskomnadzor, said that unlocking would be possible only after the management of the service fulfilled the requirements of the law. The FSB in mid-July 2017 required Telegram to provide her with keys for decoding messages. The company did not provide this information, and the founder of the service, Pavel Durov, stated that she would not comply with laws that are "incompatible with the protection of privacy and the privacy policy" of the messenger. On March 20, 2018, the Supreme Court refused to satisfy Telegram's claim that the FSB's claim was unlawful. On the same day, Durov declared that he would not yield to threats. Link: https://www.rbc.ru/technology_and_me...794731ea5fa036

If you’re looking to get pretty much all the benefits of a smartwatch without a watch, and to track your activity and sport performance with tools that are more than up to the task, Garmin’s Vivosport is a strong option, with a price tag that comes in well under that of most dedicated smartwatches. It works well with both Android and iOS devices, has a built-in heart rate tracker and GPS, and provides access to all kinds of preset activity types for a range of workout options. The Vivosport is the first Garmin wearable I’ve used for any significant length of time, and it proved a capable companion both in a smartwatch capacity, and as an activity tracker. The lightweight band is mostly polymer and silicone, with a specially strengthened glass protecting the transflective touchscreen display. It’s waterproof for wear while swimming, too, and it can last up to a week while operating in smartwatch mode, or eight hours of dedicated GPUS use – figures which were backed up by my tests, and generally resulted in around four or five days of use between charges along with daily run tracking. Vivosport’s small screen is only 72 x 144 pixels in terms of resolution, but it’s perfectly readable in both bright sunlight and in the dark thanks to backlighting. It’s also touch sensitive, and the UI is designed with maximizing information and readability while minimizing input required in mind. I found it occasionally frustrating to get it to move forward or back, with the input resulting in the wrong action, but mostly interacting with the device on my wrist was easy enough overall. What I really enjoyed about the Vivosport was that it offered just the right amount of smart features, with a low-profile and comfortable design ideal for all-day use. The Vivosport is the perfect wearable companion for some who isn’t a watch wearer generally, in fact, or for anyone who wants to wear one while also still wearing a traditional wristwatch on their other arm (I fall into this latter category). The flexible silicone used in the integrated band is also a strength of this device vs. other similar products. It’s stretchy enough that you can get a good, secure fit using the smartly designed clasp (which also has a great catcher for keeping the excess band in control). You can easily find a fit that seems tight enough that you’ll get good readings from the optical heart rate monitor on the Vivosport’s underside, while also not being so tight or inflexible that it feels uncomfortable to wear. Vivosport also doesn’t really need you to be near your phone to work – it won’t get smart notifications if you aren’t around your device, but it can track runs and other activities independently, and store up to 7 total timed activities or 14 days worth of activity tracking data between syncing. It connects to your device using Bluetooth Smart, and it’s dead simple to set up and activate, too. Additional features include the ability to provide basic weather info, as well as find my phone features and remote controls for Garmin VIRB action cams just add to the overall value, but you don’t need to really use any of those things to make the most of the Vivosport, which at heart is a great, learning activity monitor that can track sleep, automatically increment your step goal based on your fitness level, and even automatically pause workouts while in progress. I especially enjoyed the Move IQ feature that autodetects activity even if you forget to start one manually, which In summary, Garmin’s Vivosport is something that offers all the smartwatch features most users need, along with key health and fitness elements that could inspire better habits and improve existing routines for those with active lifestyles. If I could change anything, I’d replace the proprietary charing cable (since it means you’ll have to buy a new one if you lose it), but the Vivosport’s $199.99 asking price is a good bargain for everything you get, from the color touchscreen display to the week-long battery life and connected smartphone features. Readmore