Author Archives: Fredricko

Wine Hacks: Not Magic But Chemistry – CBS Local

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(CBSDFW.COM) If there was a magic trick to make wine smell and taste better, Dilek Caner would know. Shes a master of wine, the only one in Texas, and a member of an exclusive institution with only about 338 members worldwide.

CBS 11 enlisted her expertise to help wine enthusiasts salvage wine that may not taste or smell its best.

Students from the Dallas Wine Center put four win hacks to the test.

Mandatory disclaimer: No one can transform Two Buck Chuck into a $4000 Chateau Margaux.

Still simple do-it-yourself hacks can help you get more grape for your buck, so to speak!

THE CHALLENGE: REMOVING SULPHUR

A common complaint is the odor of sulphur in wine. Its there for a reason: to preserve vino.

That burnt match-stick [odor] in your nose, Caner says is nothing to be afraid of, though it may be unpleasant.

It takes just a penny to fix it she said. Make that a well-disinfected copper penny issued before 1982.

After 1982 you have a lot more zinc in there, Caner told CBS 11.

Just drop a few of those pennies into your glass of wine and leave them there for a good ten minutes. The copper reacts with the sulphur, lifting the smell.

Students also put The Wand to the test. The product made right in Grapevine claims to remove sulphur, allergens and even your wine headache.

Our fine group of tasters gathered at Estilo Gaucho in Frisco.

Caner picked a Riesling, a wine high in sulphur content. Tasters were served three glasses of the same wine.

Glass number one: wine straight from the bottle. Glass two: wine treated with the pennies. The final option: Riesling treated with The Wand.

Three out of four tasters preferred wine treated with The Wand.

And remember to swirl the wine in your glass before drinking. Aeration can drastically change the taste, Caner says

THE COMPLAINT: WINE THATS TOO TANNIC

Tannin-rich wines often give you a puckering sensation when you sip.

The compounds are meant to preserve red wine for long-term aging, but also provide complexity and astringency.

Caner picked a bottle of Borolo Batasiolo to test out two other hacks that tackle this problem.

She recommends aerating the wine to improve its taste. Allowing wines to breathe can help to soften them.

That is actually saturating wine with oxygen, Caner said. Those oxygen molecules are starting to interact with tannins and making them a lot softer.

The larger the surface area exposed to air, the faster the aeration.

The first hack, involved aerating the wine by pouring it into a decanter. Caner decanted the wine twice.

She treated another batch, using the The Wine Clip 2.

The magnetic clip attaches to the neck of the bottle. It claims to age the wine and improve taste instantly.

According to Caner, the Wine Master community is divided on products like it.

Four out of five tasters preferred the glass that was decanted the old-fashioned way.

If your wine tastes too oakey or cardboard-like, Caner says it is because of an organism which can infest some corks.

The odor makes it into the wine. While it is not harmful, it can give the wine a corky taste.

Caner says the flaw occurs in one out of 15 bottles.

If you are stuck with a wine that tastes corky, saran wrap can help. Wrapping a spoon with saran wrap and dipping it into the wine can get rid of some of the corkiness, she said.

(2017 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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Wine Hacks: Not Magic But Chemistry - CBS Local

Surprise finding in ‘Wild West’ of chemistry – Science Daily

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Surprise finding in 'Wild West' of chemistry
Science Daily
Researchers at The University of Manchester have entered the "Wild West" of the periodic table to finally solve a decades-old scientific challenge -- and have revealed that an important but niche chemical bonding principle may be much more widely ...

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Cleveland Indians must develop chemistry, avoid complacency in spring training – WKYC-TV

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Matthew Florjancic, WKYC 4:29 PM. EST February 13, 2017

Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis (22) and designated hitter Carlos Santana (41) celebrate after both scoring on a wild pitch by Chicago Cubs pitcher Jon Lester in the fifth inning in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. (Photo: Tommy Gilligan, Custom)

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians pitchers and catchers reported to Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona, on Sunday for the official beginning to Spring Training for the defending American League champions.

In the abbreviated offseason following a run to the World Series for the first time in 19 years, the Indians handled plenty of business, re-signing all but one of their arbitration-eligible players and adding a middle-of-the-order power hitter in Edwin Encarnacion with the richest free-agent contract in franchise history.

With the Indians in camp for more than six weeks because of the World Baseball Classic, there will be plenty of time to work on fundamentals. However, the Indians need to work on chemistry and avoid complacency after the deep playoff run.

Ourselves, ourselves, shortstop Francisco Lindor told WKYC.com at TribeFest. If we play like were the AL champs, were not going to go anywhere. I feel like weve got to play with the same chip that we had last year, like were going to shock the world.

Were going to let the world know that were the Tribe and were coming for them. This year, were going to have to stay quiet, mind our own business and well see what happens. I think anything can happen once October comes by.

NO COMFORT FOR LINDOR

In his first full season with the Indians, Lindor made the American League All-Star team, led the franchise on its first trip to the World Series since 1997 and earned postseason recognition for his efforts.

At the plate, Lindor batted .301 with 182 hits in 604 at-bats, 99 runs scored and 78 driven in. Lindor smacked 30 doubles, three triples and 15 home runs with 19 stolen bases, a .358 on-base percentage and .435 slugging percentage.

In the postseason, Lindor hit .310 with 18 hits, three doubles, two home runs and six RBI along with five runs scored.

Comfortable? No. I dont ever want to get comfortable, said Lindor, who won an AL Gold Glove in 2016. I feel like Ive still got a lot to prove. We havent won. Yeah, maybe we went to the World Series, but we didnt win. It was cool; it was fun, but I want to win. I want to wear that World Series ring.

CHEMISTRY IS KEY

The Indians finished one win shy of their first World Series Championship since 1948 when they surrendered a three-games-to-one lead and lost Game 7 of The Fall Classic to the Chicago Cubs in extra innings at Progressive Field last November.

In an effort to get over the obstacles and complete what they started in 2016, the Indians went to one of their opponents in the AL playoffs, the Toronto Blue Jays, to bring in Encarnacion, who signed a three-year contract, one that includes a club option for the 2020 season.

Thats always the interesting part of spring training, manager Terry Francona said. Every team, every year, even the guys that are coming back, its a different team. The identity, the personality, thats what we work on in spring training, and we work hard at it because its meaningful.

ADDING POP TO LINEUP

In 12 years at the Major League level, Encarnacion has hit .266 with 1,439 hits in 5,409 at-bats in 1,513 career games. Of those 1,439 hits, 629 have gone for extra bases, including 311 doubles and 310 home runs. Also, Encarnacion has driven in 942 runs, scored another 829 and drawn 662 walks.

During his final year with the Blue Jays, Encarnacion hit .263 (158 for 601) with 34 doubles, 42 home runs and 127 runs batted in over 160 games. He set career highs with the 158 hits, 99 runs scored, 76 extra-base hits, 127 RBI and 318 total bases. The 42 round-trippers matched his single-season career best.

When you add a really good hitter, it makes everybody else better, but we didnt have Michael Brantley either, Francona said. Thats really our three and four hitters. Imagine if we have two All-Stars that we didnt have last year.

Its going to back up a couple guys. Its going to lengthen out our lineup. I know we have some work to do and we havent gotten Michael back on the field yet, but if we can get him back, its going to be exciting because we would never give a pitcher an inning off. Youre always coming, coming, coming, coming, and thats how you win.

( 2017 WKYC)

WKYC

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WKYC

Francisco Lindor: Complacency will be Cleveland Indians' biggest opponent in 2017

WKYC

Cleveland Indians trade reliever Austin Adams, sign Luis Perez

WKYC

Cleveland Indians acquire RHP Carlos Frias from Los Angeles Dodgers

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Cleveland Indians must develop chemistry, avoid complacency in spring training - WKYC-TV

Think you have chemistry? The cold science behind Valentine’s Day romance – Mirror.co.uk

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Valentine's Day is all about romance, flowers, chocolates, kisses and Cupid or a last-minute trip to the petrol station for those whove forgotten what day it is.

So surely its nothing to do with cold, logical science?

Wrong, as BBC Focus magazine shows in a special Valentine Q&A about the theory of smooching and other burning issues of the heart...

We all know the story: two pairs of eyes meet across a crowded room and the rest is history. But it turns out there may be some science behind this instant connection. In 2014, researchers asked students to look at a series of photos of attractive strangers while having their eye movements tracked.

When the students reported feeling romantic love , their eyes tended to fix on the strangers face. When it was sexual desire they felt, however, their eyes strayed over the rest of the persons body. In other words, our eye movements can signal whether its love or simply lust that were feeling.

Its not just humans that enjoy a smooch lots of animals have courtship behaviours involving the mouth. Pigeons touch beaks, cats and dogs nuzzle each other, and male fruit flies lick the females.

At the most basic level, kissing is just a way of tasting and touching a potential mate, as part of the process of assessing suitability.

In primates, though, kissing might also be a behaviour that has transferred from maternal feeding.

Kissing is virtually universal in all human cultures, so its possible it is instinctive. But we generally have sex face to face and with our mouths already close together, so its an easy behaviour to stumble upon.

A 1996 study found chocolate caused the release of endorphins in womens brains, making them feel happy. Chocolate does contain a number of compounds associated with mood-lifting chemicals.

But most are present only in small quantities, and some scientists say they are probably almost entirely digested before they reach the brain. It may be the experience of eating chocolate that releases endorphins and happy feelings more than the content of the chocolate itself.

If youre struggling for gift ideas, why not take inspiration from the male red velvet mite? These arachnids will attempt to woo a potential mate by building a love garden an intricate structure of twigs and leaves held together with adhesive sperm. A sperm castle, if you will.

If the female accepts this lovingly crafted sculpture, she will climb on top of it and impregnate herself.

Makes a change from chocolates, anyway

Men tend to seek more short-term relationships and look for physical attractiveness. Women also seek good-looking, short-term mates, but in the long term they are more interested in seeking a man who will provide for them and any children.

There are trade-offs between looks and health, and the desire to find someone similar in education, religion, intelligence, and wanting a family. Few people are aware of these underlying reasons, yet the same effects have been measured in 37 cultures across six continents.

It may flourish when the sun shines. In a 2013 French study, five 20-year-old men set out to ask for womens phone numbers, approaching those in the street who appeared to be aged 18-25. When the sun was shining, 22% of women gave out their numbers, compared with 14% on cloudy days.

Bright sunshine lowers levels of sleep hormone melatonin and increases levels of serotonin in the brain, leading to a better mood. So both the men and women probably felt more cheerful and inclined to take a chance. The temperature was about the same on the different days so it was likely the sun, not the heat, that did the trick.

Unsurprisingly, your photo is key people say they draw more information about someones personality from their photo than their words. A 2016 study found that an open posture is important, so those leaning back or spreading their arms were more likely to receive romantic interest. With the words, stick to a 70:30 ratio of who you are to what youre looking for.

Only some people think they are. In an experiment that manipulated eye colour, women thought brown-eyed and blue-eyed men were equally attractive. And brown-eyed men thought brown-eyed and blue-eyed women were equally attractive. Only blue-eyed men preferred blue-eyed women.

This may seem odd but there could be a simple evolutionary reason. Blue eye colour behaves like a recessive trait. This means that to have blue eyes you must have inherited two copies of the genes from your parents. So if a blue-eyed man has children with a blue-eyed woman and one of the children has brown eyes, he knows it cannot be his own.

Alas no, so put that love potion on hold. Although chemicals play an important part in mediating our emotional response, the interaction of various hormones with our current state of mind and memories is much too complicated to be captured in a simple formula. If you inject someone with adrenaline, they may feel the physiological sensation of anxiety, but whether this translates to the emotion of fear, anger or sexual arousal will depend on the circumstances.

Most people cant focus on anything as close as a face at kissing distance so closing your eyes saves you from looking at a distracting blur, or from the strain of trying to focus.

Kissing can also make us feel vulnerable or self-conscious and closing your eyes is a way of making yourself more relaxed. Its like turning out the light before having sex, but in miniature.

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Think you have chemistry? The cold science behind Valentine's Day romance - Mirror.co.uk

IBB: Merck Joins The Drug Pricing Coalition For Transparency – Seeking Alpha

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Introduction

Although the political uncertainty has abated, Donald Trump has been able to single handily influence the movement of specific stocks [i.e. Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), Ford (NYSE:F), Boeing (NYSE:BA) and others] and sectors (i.e. automotive, biotechnology, defense and healthcare). The overall healthcare sector has become volatile on the heels of any statement or tweet from Donald Trump. Case in point, Trump recently held a press conference and stated his stance with regard to the pharmaceutical industry and more specifically drug pricing. Trump stated that drug companies are "getting away with murder" when speaking to the drug pricing issue that has taken the spotlight. These remarks immediately resulted in a broad sell-off across the entire biotech cohort. The iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (NASDAQ:IBB) shed more than 2.5% or $7 per share as these comments were heard during the live broadcast. The healthcare sector has been faced with a political backdrop that's put the entire industry on edge. The overall healthcare umbrella has become sensitive to any tweet from President Trump as he vows to bring down drug prices. As he pursues his agenda against drug pricing, much of these threats may have already been priced-in as seen in many healthcare related stocks [i.e. McKesson (NYSE:MCK), CVS (NYSE:CVS), AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) and Allergan (NYSE:AGN)] that have seen sharp and sustained sell-offs. Lately, many large-cap pharma companies have create a drug pricing coalition of sorts to reign in transparency, separate themselves from a few bad actors and get out in front of Trump's crusade against the drug companies.

Figure 1 - IBB price activity over the previous 6 months with pronounced volatility that coincide with political rhetoric against drug pricing

Merck Joins Drug Pricing Coalition

Big pharma companies are joining forces as of late to address the price increases that the public and governmental officials have been demanding. Allergan, J&J (NYSE:JNJ), Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) and AbbVie have committed to limiting any annual drug pricing increases to less than 10%. J&J went further stating that they will be publishing an annual report regarding its portfolio and the price increases they've implemented. AbbVie released data on its increases as well stating that Humira was increased by 8.4% with an only once annual increase moving forward. Merck (NYSE:MRK) becomes the latest pharma to join this drug pricing transparency coalition. Merck raised list prices by an average of 9.6% with an average net price increase of 5.5%

M&A and Repatriation Catalysts

The M&A activity has heated up as of late with J&J and McKesson making a big splash with acquisitions of Actelion and CoverMyMeds, respectively. Johnson & Johnson made an all-cash offer of $30 billion to acquire Swiss drug maker Actelion. This acquisition was approved unanimously by the boards of both companies and valuing the transaction at $280 per share, payable in U.S. dollars. This acquisition will be financed by cash held outside the U.S. while Actelion shares spiked 20% on the news. The drug discovery operations of Actelion will be spun off as a standalone company, termed R&D NewCo. Johnson & Johnson will own a 16% stake in the newly formed company with rights to an additional 16% ownership equity via a convertible note. McKesson reached an agreement to acquire privately-held healthcare IT company CoverMyMeds for $1.1 billion in an effort to strengthen its technology offerings to pharmaceutical manufactures, clinicians and payers. In addition to the latest moves, Pfizer's acquisition of Medivation for $14 billion, Allergan's acquisition of Tobira for $1.7 billion and J&J's acquisition of Abbott's Medical Optics unit for $4.3 billion. Recently, Ariad (NASDAQ:ARIA) Pharmaceuticals was acquired by Takeda Pharmaceuticals for $5.2 billion.

As campaign promises of repatriation of overseas assets and decreases in corporate taxes come to fruition, this could serve as a catalyst for M&A. These events taken in conjunction with chronically depressed valuations of many companies may accelerate M&A within the sector. The governmental stance on M&A activity may loosen up with the new administration while its pro-business agenda. Potential repatriation of overseas assets, decreases in corporate taxes and the loosening of M&A push back may bode well for the industry in the intermediate term. As the cohort remains suppressed, many prospective buyout candidates become more financially appealing to the acquirer due to beaten down valuations in concert with the maturity of pipelines coming into play. As this acquisition activity heats up, be on the lookout for stocks that have been rumored as takeover targets to heat up and possibly take IBB along for the ride.

Summary

As Donald Trump pursues his crusade against drug pricing, much of these threats may have already been priced-in as seen in many healthcare related stocks that have seen sharp and sustained sell-offs that have now leveled off. President Trump may be up against a formidable challenge with the formation of this new coalition on drug pricing transparency within large pharma. As transparency and responsible drug price increases enter the market, reigning in these costs may be more challenging when countered with this coalition and its vow to limit drug price increases. If this debate can be stymied by the coalition and largely put behind the industry, this cohort will likely rise. Potential M&A activity and a favorable repatriation environment can further support this sector. Collectively, all these potential events bode well for the sector and as IBB attempts to break through the $300 barrier be on the lookout for these events in propelling the index higher.

Disclosure: I am/we are long IBB.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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IBB: Merck Joins The Drug Pricing Coalition For Transparency - Seeking Alpha

Large Outflow of Money Witnessed in iShares Nasdaq … – Highland Mirror

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iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index Fund (IBB) traded higher in the last at $284.75, gaining 0.19 points or 0.07%. From the data available, it can be said that the stock did not make an impact in the money flow department with the net figure coming to be $(-2.92) million. The composite uptick value of $19.32 million was eclipsed by the accrued downtick value of $22.25 million, thereby ensuring the up/down ratio of 0.87. For the week, the shares have posted returns of 0.6%.

iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology is having a Relative Strength Index of 61.82 which indicates the stock is not yet over sold or over bought based on the technical indicators.

Based on the Stock Research reports from financial advisors, there are Analysts recommending as a Strong Buy, and Analysts recommending as a Moderate Buy. Investors should also note that Stock brokerage firms are recommending to Hold the stock for short term. Stock Research experts are recommending to Sell based on the growth. There are Analysts recommending as a Strong Sell.

iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index Fund (NASDAQ:IBB) witnessed a decline in the market cap on Friday as its shares dropped 0.07% or 0.19 points. After the session commenced at $284.48, the stock reached the higher end at $285.88 while it hit a low of $283.55. With the volume soaring to 764,100 shares, the last trade was called at $284.37. The company has a 52-week high of $301.8. The company has a market cap of $8,332 million and there are 29,300,000 shares in outstanding. The 52-week low of the share price is $240.3.

The ISHARES NASDAQ BIOTECHNOLOGY INDEX FUND seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of companies primarily engaged in the biotechnology industry, as represented by the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index.

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Large Outflow of Money Witnessed in iShares Nasdaq ... - Highland Mirror

Macabre event Anatomy Lab LIVE is really happening in Cornwall on April Fool’s Day – Cornwall Live

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It may seem like an unbelievable event and be happening on April Fool's Day but Anatomy Lab LIVE is definitely real and is definitely coming to Cornwall.

We announced last month that the intriguing tour where you have a two-course dinner before watching a "body" being dissected was coming to Cornwall and now the date and venue has been announced.

The sell-out tour Anatomy Lab LIVE will perform a live dissection of VIVIT the world's only semi-synthetic human cadaver for audiences this April.

Anatomist Samuel Piri will perform the dissection procedure to showcase health and disease on real internal organs at this unforgettable event.

VIVIT is a specially constructed synthetic human cadaver that houses real organs. During the procedure Samuel will dissect VIVIT to reveal the inside of the head and jaw demonstrating the brain and spinal cord.

READ MORE: New live show which lets you eat dinner before seeing a body dissected

Following this Samuel will open the thoracic cavity to show the trachea, lungs and heart followed by the abdominal cavity revealing the stomach, liver, gall bladder, intestines, kidneys and bladder.

All of VIVIT's organs are of swine origin due to their anatomical similarities with humans.

READ MORE: Planetariums, pirates and playfests - 23 great things to do with the kids in Cornwall this half-term

Live on stage Samuel will compare the human body in its healthy form to anatomical samples damaged by excessive alcohol consumption and smoking.

Audiences will have chance to put their questions to Samuel and to leading medics accompanying him on stage. Following the procedure the samples will be prepped for handling by those in the audience who wish to further examine the specimens.

The Cornwall tour event will be held at St Mellion International Resort on Saturday, April 1. The event begins at 6pm finishing at 11.45pm. Tickets include a two-course sit down meal before the procedure begins. Tickets are priced 60 per person or a group ticket that admits 6 is 300. All ticket holders must be over 16.

For more information visit http://www.inspiretoaspireevents.co.uk

WHAT'S ON IN CORNWALL

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Macabre event Anatomy Lab LIVE is really happening in Cornwall on April Fool's Day - Cornwall Live

The Anatomy of Who We Are – Psychology Today (blog)

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The Anatomy of Who We Are
Psychology Today (blog)
Riccelli thinks this may be indicative of behaviors key to neurotic personalities: (These anatomical features) may be associated with problems in the suppression of reactionsinvoluntary suppression of negative emotion, for example. Meanwhile ...

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The Anatomy of Who We Are - Psychology Today (blog)

The Anatomy of Trump’s Strange Handshakes – Yahoo News

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A routine visit between Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau on Monday quickly went viral after the two men shared an awkward handshake.

The two leaders met for the first time at the White House to discuss trade between the respective countries, and while they were sitting side-by-side in front of the press, Trump tried to break the ice. I think they might want a handshake, he told Trudeau, while reaching out his hand. In what was surely one photographers imageof the year, Trudeau glanced at the presidents offering, seemingly with disdain, while the presidentshand hung awkwardly in the breeze.

To be fair, he two men had a cordial greeting outside the White House and, as Mashable points out, the video of that exchange is more forgiving. Still, the Internet was unrelenting.

Making matters worse, on Friday, a handshake between Trump and Japans prime minister, Shinzo Abe,went viral after Trump continued the motion for afull 19 seconds. Once Abe was able to free his hands, he seemed to cringe and roll his eyes, while turning his body away from the president.

Trump is known for his aggressive greeting style, which involves shooting his hand toward the other person and jerking it up and down with force. Its an odd move, considering hisfixation on cleanliness (during a January press conference, he confessed to being a germaphobe) and rumors of his alleged small hands.

Both these handshakes really soured from the beginning, Susan Constantine, a body language expert who trains law enforcement and the Department of Defense, tells Yahoo Beauty.

With Trudeau, Trump passively offers his hand, palm up, as if hes asking the prime minster to dance. Trump could have asserted himself by placing his hand on top, she says. Instead, he assumes a surrender position, which is incomprehensible. Trudeaus expression, she adds, is pure exasperation. His lips are tightly pressed together with the corners pointing down. He seems to be withholding disdain for the moment. Still, the prime minister is a good sport, and the twoplay along for the cameras.

In the case of Prime Minster Abe, Trump may have harbored good intentions, but the greeting wasnt culturally appropriate, says Constantine. In Asian countries, the handshake is gentler, she says. However, since the meeting took place in America, it was expected that the prime minster would adapt to a more confident handshake.

Whats more, Trump pats the hand of the Japanese diplomat a warm gesture reserved for a good friend which could be perceived as patronizing or insincere. Then Trump pulls Abes hand toward him in a long series of jerking motions, almost as if hes trying to overcompensate for a loss of power, says Constantine. The experience was likely unusual for Abe, who rolled his eyes and signaled to stand by placing his hands on the armrest of his chair.

Its important to learn cultural norms when traveling as a global leader, says Constantine. For example, Trumps infamous thumb-up gesture when he steps off airplanes could beoffensive, depending onwho is present. Its possible that the president wasnt prepared well for these meetings.

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The Anatomy of Trump's Strange Handshakes - Yahoo News

Style anatomy with Pinky Durrani – The Express Tribune

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The artist, graphic designer, and now creative head of the clothing line Pinx, talks to us about her style evolution

The artist, graphic designer, and now the creative head of the clothing line Pinx, talks to us about her style evolution. Having developed a passion for fashion from a very young age, she breaks down her signature look and her beloved fusion style statements

Understanding your body is the key to looking good and a trait found amongst all impeccably dressed fashionistas. While people shy away from talking about their bodies, these brave souls explain how they work their anatomies to their advantage

How would you describe your body type?

I would say Im curvy and sporty.

Has your body type changed over the last five years?

Absolutely, and for the better! I feel a more positive and healthier change in my body.

How has your style changed over the years?

Its more fusion now, and a lot more versatile. I tend to wear tunics, which can easily blend with both Eastern and Western ensembles. I prefer that to wearing a typical shalwar kameez.

In your opinion what is your most troublesome area?

Definitely my arms they have always been my biggest problem area.

How do you dress your body according to your body type?

I prefer wearing ensembles that flow. I love my boot-cut pants paired with a nice, short, breezy top that gives my silhouette some movement. I dont like fitted clothes.

In your opinion what is the biggest mistake a person can make while dressing here?

Following fashion trends rather than thinking about ones own body type. We seriously need fashion police here, because everyone is copying others and people arent authentic.

Which silhouettes suit your body the most?

Smart-casual wear suits me best. When it comes to Eastern outfits, I usually opt for long, embroidered formals.

What is the one piece of clothing you shy away from wearing and why?

Cap-sleeves anything! I find that particular cut very unflattering.

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Style anatomy with Pinky Durrani - The Express Tribune

Could this anti-ageing supplement help prevent diabetes? – The Sydney Morning Herald

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There's often a whiff of snake oil around anti-ageing supplements especially when they feature on the Dr Oz show.

In a 2012 segment Dr Oz declared that the supplement carnosine an amino acid found naturally in muscle can "take your body back ten years", improving wrinkles and lifting energy levels.

But while claims for carnosine's anti-aging effects sprint ahead of the science, some Australian researchers are taking the supplement seriously for other reasons as a potential ally against type 2 diabetes and a way to boost exercise performance.

"Although there's not much evidence in humans for an anti-aging effect, some studies of carnosine in humans have found that it improves insulin resistance, mood and cognition and a 2015 study of people with heart failure found it improved physical performance and quality of life," says Associate Professor Barbora de Courten of Monash University's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.

In a small study published last year she found that giving carnosine to people at risk of type 2 diabetes improved their insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion a sign that their bodies were better able to control blood glucose levels. Now she's begun a larger study to see if carnosine can help prevent or manage type 2 diabetes.

Carnosine's appeal is the evidence that it may improve some underlying factors that are common to many chronic diseases such as low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress and glycation a reaction between the body's protein and glucose that, over time, can damage the body's tissues, says de Courten, who's funded by the Heart Foundation.

"When we treat a disease with medication we usually target one specific problem or disease but what's interesting about carnosine is that it targets so many factors that seem to drive chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and dementia," she says.

"There's also evidence that carnosine improves exercise performance. As a doctor when you talk to patients about treating or preventing disease you usually talk about improving lifestyle first it may be that carnosine can also complement lifestyle changes."

But it's with short bouts of intense exercise that the evidence for carnosine is strongest, says sports scientist Dr Phil Bellinger, a senior researcher at Griffith University.

More carnosine on board helps muscles work harder for longer by staving off muscle fatigue caused by breakdown products of lactic acid but rather than taking carnosine itself, the advice is to take a supplement of beta-alanine one of two amino acids that make up carnosine in muscle.

"Beta-alanine intake is the best way to increase carnosine because L-histidine the other amino acid is already easily made by the body,"he says.

What types of exercise are likely to benefit from B-alanine?

"There's currently no proven effect in long distance sports but there's a benefit for short high intensity activities like sprint swimming, rowing, track cycling or middle distance running or activities involving repeated high-intensity effort like team sports, racquet sports and resistance training," says dietitian Tim McMaster of Sports Dietitians Australia.

Phil Bellinger's own research last year found that after four weeks of taking B-alanine daily, well-trained cyclists could train at a higher intensity, leading to better performance compared to cyclists taking a placebo.

"This may also apply to other types of high-intensity interval training and possibly CrossFit as long as the training alternates periods of working 'all out'with recovery periods or complete rest," he says.

Carnosine is also considered safe, although some people experience a tingling sensation in the skin when they take it, according to Sports Dietitians Australia.

But for gym goers and other recreational athletes hoping for a boost from B-alanine, Bellinger suggests checking other things first such as how well you train and eat.

"Before you try to get an advantage from a supplement, ask yourself if your training is as smart and hard as it could be, if you're eating a well-balanced diet and eating at the right time of the day."

Speaking of diet, carnosine is found in meat, poultry and fish but for vegetarians who work out regularly and are thinking of taking carnosine, McMaster says it's more important to make sure levels of other nutrients such as iron and B12 are okay.

But what science is learning about carnosine also underlines why maintaining muscle across the lifespan is so good for us not just to stay strong and independent but to defend against diabetes.

The carnosine in our muscles dwindles with age, kicked along by the loss of muscle fibre that comes with doing less high intensity activity or resistance training, Bellinger says.

"Yet there's evidence from animal studies that muscles high in carnosine have anti-diabetic qualities they can take up glucose more effectively and that helps to control levels of blood glucose."

Do you already have pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes (controlled with diet or Metformin) and live in Melbourne? You might be interested in taking part in Dr de Courten's study of carnosine and diabetes at Monash Medical Centre. For more information call Josephine Johnson at 03 85722629 or email med-carnosineir@monash.edu

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Could this anti-ageing supplement help prevent diabetes? - The Sydney Morning Herald

Center For Cell & Gene Therapy – Cell Therapy

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1102 Bates Street, Suite 1670

Houston, Texas 77030

The GMP Facilities at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine are among the largest and most modern in the United States. Manufacturing of therapeutic biologics has existed at Baylor for more than twenty years, and is now centralized in 19,000 square feet on the 16th floor of the Feigin Center at Texas Childrens Hospital.

This facility opened in 2010 and contains 22 ISO 7 clean room suites supported by dedicated space for cell and product cold storage, flow cytometric analysis, quality control testing, data management and storage and quality assurance activities. The staff has extensive experience in GMP manufacturing of a wide variety of products and intermediates for cellular therapies and of viral and non-viral vectors, and master and working cell banks.

Manufacturing and testing supports more than 30 investigator-sponsored INDs conducted at the Texas Medical Center and institutions around the United States. Products have also been prepared under contract for researchers in Europe, Asia and Australia. The range of products that have been manufactured is shown under the Vector and Cell Therapy Facilitypages.

The facility is also accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT)and is CLIA registered for high complexity testing.

Center for Cell & Gene Therapy - cGMP Facilities

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Center For Cell & Gene Therapy - Cell Therapy

Dr. Gene Dorio: Making Medical Decisions Without Accountability – KHTS Radio

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An orthopedist orders special testing to determine if an elder patient with right hip pain which limits walking and driving might need surgery to improve their quality of life.

Physicians are rigorously trained to make decisions in the best interest of their patients. Even after medical school and residency, doctors must follow the challenges of evidence-based medicine, standard of care, peer review, and muster the time for continuing medical education and certification.

Doctrors are not only held accountable by their peers, but also legally as they could be subject to lawsuits. Additionally, state licensing agencies overseeing medical professionals can discipline them should they not practice medicine up to the standards of quality medical decision-making.

However, what if the teens pediatrician feels hospitalization is acutely needed for mental illness, but it is denied by the insurance company? What if the Workers Comp physician orders an MRI for the powerline workers ailing right arm, but it is denied? Or, if special testing to evaluate grandmas worsening mobility and pain is turned down by the HMO? Who is held accountable?

To justify requests for specific patient care, physicians are forced to have Peer-to-Peer phone discussions with doctors employed by insurance companies, Workers Comp, and HMOs. Frequently, these conversations result in denial of further care without medical justification. A controversial question arises: Are denials by these company doctors considered a medical decision?

They are not. These decisions are considered utilization review. What does this mean? They are making decisions based on controlling costs, which is in the financial interest of the for-profit agencies they serve, but not necessarily in the best interest of the patient. Even though they are licensed doctors practicing medicine, their role in patient care is under the guise of utilization review, and therefore not under the scrutiny of state licensing agencies.

What if these physicians deny care because they are incentivized to enhance personal bonuses? More so, what if some are making decisions outside the realm of their medical expertise (e.g. a urologist on a diabetic)? Who holds these physicians accountable for moral transgressions, or lack of judgement?

In California, we have a Medical Board which oversees licensing for all state physicians. If you report a licensed physician for making substandard medical decisions, an investigation ensues. If though the doctor is employed by an insurance company, Workers Comp, or HMO and makes denial decisions on their behalf, it is considered utilization review and they are not held accountable.

I do not pretend to understand every law and rule governing the Medical Board. But these companies have created legal barriers protecting doctors who might make substandard medical decisions.

Many physicians continue to fight for patient care rights despite frustration and helplessness of ongoing phone calls and paperwork they face. Yet substandard medical care will hamper their efforts as laws are manipulated and oversight is negligible.

Making medical decisions has never been easy. Assuring accountability makes it even harder.

Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D.

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Now you can build your own bio-bot – ScienceBlog.com (blog)

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Ill bet you dont have one of these at home.

For the past several years, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have been developing a class of walking bio-bots powered by muscle cells and controlled with electrical and optical pulses. Now, Rashid Bashirs bioengineering research group is sharing the recipe for the current generation of bio-bots. Their how-to paper is the cover article in Nature Protocols.

The protocol teaches every step of building a bio-bot, from 3D printing the skeleton to tissue engineering the skeletal muscle actuator, including manufacturers and part numbers for every single thing we use in the lab, explained Ritu Raman, now a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Bioengineering and first author of the paper, A modular approach to the design, fabrication, and characterization of muscle-powered biological machines.

This protocol is essentially intended to be a one-stop reference for any scientist around the world who wants to replicate the results we showed in our PNAS 2016 and PNAS 2014 papers, and give them a framework for building their own bio-bots for a variety of applications, Raman said.

As stated in the Nature Protocols paper, Biological machines consisting of cells and biomaterials have the potential to dynamically sense, process, respond, and adapt to environmental signals in real time. This can result in exciting possibilities where these systems could one day demonstrate complex behaviors including self-assembly, self-organization, self-healing, and adaptation of composition and functionality to best suit their environment.

Bashirs group has been a pioneer in designing and building bio-bots, less than a centimeter in size, made of flexible 3D printed hydrogels and living cells. In 2012, the group demonstrated bio-bots that could walk on their own, powered by beating heart cells from rats. However, heart cells constantly contract, denying researchers control over the bots motion.

The purpose of the paper was to provide the detailed recipes and protocols so that others can easily duplicate the work and help to further permeate the idea of building with biologyso that other researchers and educators can have the tools and the knowledge to build these bio-hybrid systems and attempt to address challenges in health, medicine, and environment that we face as a society, stated Rashid Bashir, a Grainger Distinguished Chair in Engineering and head of the Department of Bioengineering.

The 3D printing revolution has given us the tools required to build with biology in this way. Raman said. We re-designed the 3D-printed injection mold to produce skeletal muscle rings that could be manually transferred to any of a wide variety of bio-bot skeletons. These rings were shown to produce passive and active tension forces similar to those generated by muscle strips.

Using optogenetics techniques, we worked with collaborators at MIT to genetically engineer a light-responsive skeletal muscle cell line that could be stimulated to contract by pulses of 470-nm blue light, Raman added. The resultant optogenetic muscle rings were coupled to multi-legged bio-bot skeletons with symmetric geometric designs. Localized stimulation of contraction, rendered possible by the greater spatiotemporal control of light stimuli over electrical stimuli, was used to drive directional locomotion and 2D rotational steering.

In addition to Bashir and Raman, Caroline Cvetkovic, a recent graduate student in bioengineering and now a post-doctoral fellow was a co-author of the paper. Work on the bio-bots was conducted at the Micro + Nanotechnology Lab at Illinois. _____________

Contact: Rashid Bashir, Department of Bioengineering,University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 217/333-1867; rbashir@illinois.edu.

Rick Kubetz, Engineering Communications Office, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 217/244-7716, rkubetz@illinois.edu.

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Now you can build your own bio-bot - ScienceBlog.com (blog)

The anatomy of a banked-in 3-pointer | LU Sports | newsadvance.com – Lynchburg News and Advance

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A.C. Reid is making a habit of banking in 3-point shots with the outcome of Libertys most recent games hanging in the balance.

He banked in a 3 from the left wing as time expired to lift the Flames to a dramatic victory over Radford one week ago at the Vines Center. The junior guard needed the backboard again, this time Thursday night against Gardner-Webb at Paul Porter Arena, to force a second overtime and cap the Flames remarkable comeback win against the Runnin Bulldogs.

What has led to Reid having the confidence to make those shots? The 6-foot-5 guard has never lacked the confidence to take shots since he arrived on campus, but he has become better at shooting off the dribble and with bigger players contesting his shot.

Those two aspects have greatly assisted Reid in getting the shots up quickly and accurately, even though hed prefer his shots to swish through the net instead of banking in off the backboard.

I think its actually kind of difficult to go from that far and try to bank a shot in, Reid said. Ive been blessed these past two games to hit both of those shots.

Reids transformation has steadily taken place this season. His first two seasons were highlighted by his ability to make multiple 3-pointers in a row, but also to be easily pushed off the 3-point line and not get a shot off if he didnt get a clean look to catch and shoot.

Former Liberty basketball player Alex McLean joined the coaching staff as a graduate assistant this season and the players have credited his work with them on improving all facets on the offensive end.

He has particularly worked with Reid and fellow junior guard Ryan Kemrite during drills about two hours before each game on dribbling and shooting, catching and shooting and finishing their shots through contact.

Once that is completed, McLean and Reid begin shooting from midcourt in a challenge to see who can make the most attempts.

Alex does a great job with us and even the coaching staff does a great job with us of just getting a lot of game shots, Reid said. Coach [Ritchie] McKay said it in film the other day, If A.C.s going to be taking those deep shots, then yall need to be practicing that with him in his individual work. I think its just getting those constant reps that will give me the confidence just to take those deep shots during the game.

Reid missed his first five 3-point attempts against Radford before connecting on the banked-in attempt. He caught the inbounds pass from Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz, dribbled to his left and shot from about 24 feet over the outstretched arms of Radford 6-foot-8 center Randy Phillips.

Reid made his first two 3-pointers against Gardner-Webb, but missed five straight long-range attempts before he connected from 30 feet with 1.5 seconds remaining in the first overtime.

Reids shot came in a disjointed sequence as the Flames quickly attempted to get an open look. Pacheco-Ortiz handed the ball off to Reid, who took one dribble in and unleashed his shot from the right wing as GWU 6-foot-6 forward DJ Laster reached out his arm to contest.

I think when youre a confident shooter, youre a confident shooter and he is that, McKay said. He walks on the floor thinking hes going to make the shot. The fact that hes hit a couple of banks probably is attributed more to his nature and his fearlessness than his confidence. He thinks hes going to have a chance to make it.

McKay said Reid has earned the trust from the coaching staff through his leadership and overall IQ. That is a stark contrast to last season when McKay said he was really frustrated with him and Im not sure he liked me so much. I wasnt having any fun coaching him.

But that has changed with Reid being one of the first players off the bench and one of the five who is on the floor in the final minutes. McKay said Reid makes the offense better when hes on the court, and that comes from Reid having the green light to shoot it from any point as the shot clock is winding down.

I dont think I ever lack confidence in my shot. I feel like every shot I take is going in, Reid said. I think that just comes from the reps that Ive taken and the reps Ive completed over the last few years. Im going to continue to take shots because my coaching staff has empowered me to do so.

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The anatomy of a banked-in 3-pointer | LU Sports | newsadvance.com - Lynchburg News and Advance

Harry Boxer’s stocks to watch: biotechnology and technology … – MarketWatch

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Biotechnology and technology stocks are dominating our charts to watch this week, because they are displaying strong technical momentum.

Esperion Therapeutics Inc. ESPR, -1.79% is absolutely rocketing. The clinical-stage biopharma, which is focused on developing drugs that treat cardiovascular disease, popped 29% on Friday in response to good clinical news from Amgen AMGN, -0.39% regarding its own cardiovascular drug. The stock followed through on Monday and then again Tuesday, up $2.48, or 14%, to $20.14 on nearly 3.4 million shares traded. The stock pulled back toward the close, testing the bottom of its rising channel and resting in a tight wedge formation. This formation looks poised to break to the upside, with the next target at the channel top near $22.

Exelixis Inc. EXEL, +4.12% also had a strong session on Tuesday, up 54 cents, or 2.7%, to $20.57, on nearly 6.7 million shares traded. The cancer-drug companys stock needs to get through the rising trendline, near $21, connecting the most recent tops from September, December and January. The challenge beyond that would be the mid-channel line at around $22.75, a break through that could accelerate the stock into the high $20s.

Finisar Corp. FNSR, +2.89% edged above resistance on Tuesday, though closed slightly below it, up 76 cents, or 2.5%, to $30.89, on 2.7 million shares. The provider of optical subsystems for data communications recently traversed from the top of its price channel at around $37 in December to the bottom just above $27 on January 23, before rallying in the last two weeks. The stock did close above its 50-day moving average at $30.77 on Tuesday, and a break above current levels could get it to $33.25 next, followed by $35.50.

KEMET Corp. KEM, +2.99% has been in a steady rising channel since its breakout in November. The stock last week bounced off the channel bottom and rallied after the electronic-capacitor maker beat Wall Streets third-quarter earnings and revenue forecasts. The stock popped on Thursday and Friday, had an inside day on Monday (remaining inside the price range from Friday), and on Tuesday it had another solid day, up 17 cents, or 2.2%, to 7.81, on 652,900 shares traded. The stock looks like its about to take out the $7.90 area, and run up toward the channel top in the $9-$9.75 area.

See Harrys video chart analysis on these and other stocks.

The writer has no investments in the stocks mentioned in this column.

Harry Boxer is the founder of TheTechTrader.com, a live trading room featuring his stock picks, technical market analysis and live chart presentations.

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Harry Boxer's stocks to watch: biotechnology and technology ... - MarketWatch

Anatomy of a play: How VCU beat GW with less than a second to play – wtvr.com

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WASHINGTON DC -- For the second straight game, the VCU Rams appeared to have lost on a last second, game-winning three pointer. And for the second straight game, they prevailed with 0.4 seconds left to play.

Against St. Bonaventure, they were the beneficiaries of an administrative technical foul that allowed JeQuan Lewis to hit a free throw that sent the game to overtime. Against George Washington, it was a designed play rarely seen and rarely executed properly.

Yuta Watanabe's shot went through with 0.4 seconds remaining, giving VCU one last possession. On their in bounds play, Lewis set a screen on GW forward Collin Goss, who was called for a foul when he knocked Lewis down. Lewis hit the subsequent free throws giving the Rams a one point lead, and the Colonials could not pull off the same magic.

The play is called a "hole-in-one" by VCU head coach Will Wade and it's run every day in practice.

Thats the whole point of having him (Lewis) there, Wade said. If they run him over you hope they call it".

"Coach Wade is a whiz" said Lewis. "Hes got plays for days.

A replay appeared to show that Lewis had one foot out of bounds when he made contact with Goss. According to Jerry Stone, who has served as a basketball official at both the collegiate and high school level for over 4 decades in Central Virginia, that doesn't matter.

"If it's a lateral screen, time and distance aren't a factor" said Stone. "You can be as close to that defender as you can be as long as you aren't touching him. JeQuan had two feet on the floor. There's no reference in the (rule) book that says they have to be in bounds. All he had to do was be in that legal position prior to that player running into him, and he was."

"The defensive player made contact and ran through the screen. Foul on the defender."

CBS 6 has reached out to the Atlantic 10 for their own clarification of the rule and the call made, and has not yet heard back from A10 officials. Wade, for one, would rather not have games end like this, even though his team has pulled out two victories in games they might normally have lost.

Weve got to quit putting ourselves in these situations, Wade said. Theres only so many rabbits feet and horseshoes and all that good stuff.

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Anatomy of a play: How VCU beat GW with less than a second to play - wtvr.com

Typical male brain anatomy associated with higher probability of autism spectrum disorder – Medical Xpress

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February 8, 2017

A study of high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suggests that characteristically male brain anatomy was associated with increased probability of ASD, according to a new article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.

ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition that is more common in males then females. Christine Ecker, Ph.D., of Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, and coauthors examined the probability of ASD as a function of sex-related variation in brain anatomy.

The study included 98 right-handed, high-functioning adults with ASD and 98 neurotypical adults (ages 18 to 42 years) for comparison. Imaging and statistical analysis were used to assess ASD probability. The study based its analysis on cortical thickness in the brain because that can vary between males and females and be altered in people with ASD, according to the article.

The authors report characteristically male anatomy of the brain was associated with a higher probability of risk for ASD than characteristically female brain anatomy. For example, biological females with more typical male brain anatomy were about three times more likely to have ASD than biological females with characteristically female brain anatomy, according to the study.

The authors note limitations of their findings, including the need for future research to examine possible causes. The study findings also must be replicated in other subgroups on the autism spectrum."Our study demonstrates that normative sex-related phenotypic diversity in brain structure affects the prevalence of ASD in addition to biological sex alone, with male neuroanatomical characteristics carrying a higher intrinsic risk for ASD than female characteristics," the article concludes.

Explore further: Autism affects different parts of the brain in women and men

More information: JAMA Psychiatry. Published online February 8, 2017. DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.3990

Autism affects different parts of the brain in females with autism than males with autism, a new study reveals. The research is published today in the journal Brain as an open-access article.

Using MRI, neuroscientists at Georgetown University Medical Center found significant differences in brain anatomy when comparing men and women with dyslexia to their non-dyslexic control groups, suggesting that the disorder ...

Many early-onset neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, are more common in males than females. The origin of this gender bias is not understood, partially due to a major gap in research on sex ...

George Washington University (GW) researcher Valerie Hu, Ph.D., has found an important sex-dependent difference in the level of RORA protein in brain tissues of males and females. Specifically, females without autism have ...

A recent review that examined all published studies on anatomical abnormalities in the brains of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder found substantial discrepancy throughout the literature regarding the reported presence ...

(Medical Xpress)The largest ever psychological study of sex differences in adults with autism has found that both males and females with autism on average show an extreme of the typical male mind, where systemising (the ...

Our tendency to match specific sounds with specific shapes, even abstract shapes, is so fundamental that it guides perception before we are consciously aware of it, according to new research in Psychological Science, a journal ...

Infants as young as 20 months of age expect adults to display surprise when discovering a false belief, according to a new study from UC Merced professor Rose Scott.

Selfies are enormously popular on social media. Google statistics have estimated that about 93 million selfies were taken per day in 2014, counting only those taken on Android devices. Selfie accessories such as selfie sticks ...

The more depressed your romantic partner may be, the more love you should give them, according to new University of Alberta research.

Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have found that a single dose of ketamine, given one week before a stressful event, can buffer against a heightened fear response.

A new study by University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers has found that in mice, adjusting levels of a compound called kynurenic acid can have significant effects on schizophrenia-like behavior. The study appeared ...

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Typical male brain anatomy associated with higher probability of autism spectrum disorder - Medical Xpress

Anatomy of a girl fight – Philippine Star

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MANILA, Philippines - Nope. Girl fights arent always about boys. True BFFs often fight about the most serious to the silliest little things. So when it comes to dealing with your bestie, dont jump to conclusions like you did with your now ex-partner. Look into the situation and see if its really worth the fuss or just something to shake off. She can get pretty annoying, but you still love her anyway. You guys practically went through many PMS meltdowns together and thats already, like, a lot.

1. When it takes her forever to reply and you end up missing the piso fare seat sale.

I guess #HoeKong will just have to wait for now.

2. When she posts a group photo thats only flattering to her.

Its seriously so annoying, but youd probably do the same thing anyway.

3. When she Netflix cheats on you.

Lifestyle Feature ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch:

Is it really that hard to talk to your bestie whos seen at least more than one episode of your fave Netflix series? Yes. Yes, it is. #SpoilerAlert

4. When she comes over uninvited just to get your ass off the bed.

Jokes on her cause youre totally fine being around her in your most natural state jammies, bed hair, and no shower at all.

5. When she photobombs that one selfie that couldve been your new profile photo.

100+ takes and she ends up ruining that one perfect shot? Yup, her BFF senses are strong. Let her make it up to you by making her your official OOTD photographer. She owes you a lot.

6. When she wants to get sushi but youre craving Chicken Joy.

So, sinong magaadjust? *ends up getting both anyway because thats how much you spoil each other*

7. When she doesnt like the guy youre dating and she makes it impossible to have a BFGFBFF (Boyfriend Girlfriend Best Friend Forever) date.

Chances are, shes probably right about not liking the guy youre dating. But is it really too much to ask of her to make an extra effort to get with the program for now?

8. When she gets you drunk and tortures you with a play-by-play the next morning.

She kept receipts and its probably already up on her IG story.

9. When she says the dress is white and gold but you swear its black and blue.

Theres never going to be a right answer to this kind of thing, which makes it 100 times more frustrating. This will haunt you guys forever, so its best to agree to disagree.

10. When your clothes match without even planning it.

#twinning? Nope. Not around your new crush.

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Anatomy of a girl fight - Philippine Star

Newly Created Helium Compound Could Completely Change … – Futurism

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Noble Gases

Noble gaseshelium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radonhave long been believed to be the least reactive elements on the periodic table. Heliums composition in particular, with its full outer electron shell, makes it theoretically unable to interact with other atoms to form a stable compound. So while other noble gases like xenon, krypton, and radon have successfully reacted to create compounds under extreme pressure, helium has thus far been incapable.

However, despite the assumed impossibility, a team of international scientists has recently created a stable helium-sodium compound.

Chemistry changes when you apply high pressure, and this can be achieved inside our Earth and on different planets like Saturn, said Ivan Popov from Utah State University in an interview with Gizmodo. But this is a book changer.

In previous attempts of pairing helium with other elements, results have always been fleeting. Heliums closed shell configuration makes it difficult, if not downright impossible, for the element bond with other atoms. But this restriction is tied to the assumption that conditions are the same or similar to those on Earths surface. In outer space, its very possible that heliums ability to react is very different given the change in environment.

[E]xtremely high pressure, like that found at Earths core or giant neighbours, completely alters heliums chemistry, adds Utah State researcher, Alex Boldyrev told Phys.org.

To test this theory, the team used a crystal structure predicting computer model in which they could observe how helium would react under extreme pressure. By exposing helium and sodium to atmospheric pressure 1.1 million times more than Earths, they were able to create the compound Na2He.

This compound, along with breaking the rules of Heliums reactivity, it also didnt bond in a typical way. The cubic arrangement of alternating sodium and helium atoms isnt held together by chemical bonds. According to Boldyrev, when we performed chemical bonding analysis of these structures, we found each empty cube actually contained an eight-center, two-electron bond This bond is whats responsible for the stability of this enchanting compound. Helium changes the interaction between sodium atoms so much that if it is removed, the entire structure becomes unstable.

Because it challenges long-standing assumptions about modern chemistry, experts are quick to note that this study has yet to be supported by or replicated in independent experiments that deliver the same, or similar, results. This means that more studies will have to be conducted to fully understand and validate the breakthrough this particular team has uncovered.

This curious discovery implies that there might not be a lot of applications on Earth. Essentially, the results were derived from following altered scientific rules and very extreme conditions, which we wouldnt naturally find on this planet. But environments similar to what was created in this experiment, like the center of gas giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn where helium abounds, provide a context for these reactions that offer insight into how chemistry works on other planets.

It also raises a lot of questions about our understanding of chemistry. Our benchmark for chemical reactions is derived from our knowledge of this world. With the impending possibility of long-term space travel on the horizon, we have to be open to the fact that chemistry as we know it is not always the way that we know it.

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Newly Created Helium Compound Could Completely Change ... - Futurism