Saturday, Looking Like Sunday

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/08/upshot/chores-girls-research-social-science.html  This is from The Upshot, which was based on American Time Use Survey diaries from 2003 to 2014 by 6,358 high school students ages 15-19. Maybe this is even too late (this writer's opinion). Boys ages 15-19 do about half and hour of housework and girls about 45 minutes. According to the article, girls' chores take a little less time than a decade ago, but boys' allocation hasn't changed. This also varied with parents' education but the difference was mostly seen in girls. Boys were also paid more allowance for their time, based on an APP called BusyKid, twice what girls earned. The gender gap in pay for chores and time spent was worldwide. In terms of caring for other family members, boys ans girls spend the same amount of time; researchers expect that this could result in these boys becoming more engaged fathers.




https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/07/opinion/stem-girls-math-practice.html
A commentary from the NYT about STEM and girls and the importance of math skills. Not practicing math, even if you are good at it, can turn into a lack of competence, according to several research studies. Becoming an expert at anything, according to K. Anders Ericsson, requires developing neural patterns and honing them (my addition here) through practice and repetition. The commentary critiques modern methods that attempt to "make learning more fun" by avoiding drill and practice. In the international PISA study  the US ranks near the bottom of the 35 industrialized nations in math and that's not just girls. All learning shouldn't be "fun" (a quote).  I agree but it is hard to convince the students that there is something in it for them when the screens stop flashing and the equations appear.


https://njenvironmentnews.com/2018/07/23/n-j-finds-pfnas-chemicals-of-emerging-concern-in-some-recreational-fishing-waters/ This is an article from the NJ Environment News about PFAs, including PFOA, PFOS and PFNA, compounds that were used to make non-stick cookware, in NJ recreational waters.  Exposure to PFAs can lead to adverse health effects in humans, including high cholesterol.
The report was by theAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The DEP sampled water, fish tissue and sediment.  The DEP cautioned anglers to eat very limited amounts of certain species found in waters where PFAS was detected.

Birthday Blog

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0200103 This is a PLOS ONE research article in which researchers weighted data from two independent surveys with census data to come up with the conclusion that 65% of Americans think that they are "above average" in intelligence. There have been problems with the generalizability of data collections in surveys showing the :greater than average" effect. Intelligence is normally distributed throughout the population and not skewed like other desirable traits. Researchers used a bunch of different types of surveys (telephone, online) weighted to the US census (2010). 65% agreed wih statement "I am more intelligent than the average person" as a conservative estimate. The survey concluded that college graduates slightly underestimated their relative intelligence whereas undereducated  people overestimated thier relative intelligence.








 https://www.statnews.com/2018/07/20/fda-approves-agios-first-in-class-leukemia-treatment/
This is an article from STAT news about a first-in-class leukemia drug approved by the FDA. It treats refractory AML sufferers from whhich possess a mutation in the gene IDH1. The drug received "orphan drug" status and the price for a monthly supply is about  $26,000. 30% of people in clinical trails saw their disease go into complete remission.





https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/23/well/chemicals-food-children-health.html An article from NYT reporting on an AAP issuance of new guidelines for exposure of young children to plastics in food containers, exposure of pregnant women to processed meats and consumption of fresh foods and vegetables over processed food. This revision of guidelines has been influence by other professional groups in response to scientific evidence pointing to exposure to certain chemicals in foods as a culprit in interfering with development. Nitrates and nitrites in meat products, phthalates in plastics and bisphenols in metal cans have been identified as well as PFCs used in grease-proof  paper and perchlorates, used in plastic packaging.  Wrap foods in wax paper instead of plastic wrap and avoid canned and processed food is a take-home from the article. Some of these chemicals interfere with or block hormone function.


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/23/science/genes-education.html An article in NYT about a study reported in Nature Genetics on how genes affect how people do in school. The study found that many of the genetic variants implicated in educational attainment are involved in how neurons communicate in the brain. Genetic sequencing was done on over 1 million people, mostly white and of European descent. One of the study's finding were that certain genetic variants were found among found in people who finished school compared with those who left school early and those variants were involved with helping neurons form connections in the brain. The researchers figured out how to calculated a "genetic score" for educational success.


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/23/opinion/spider-in-my-life.html This is an opinion of sorts by Margaret Renkl in the NYT about the spider in her family room. When your "world has lost its center" the spider provides a source of stability. Surprise; we are talking about politics. Ms. Renkl takes comfort in one small spider in a well-written piece reminiscent of many writers using nature metaphorically.




https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/25/style/sperm-count.html This is an article in the STYLE section of the NYT about the declining numbers of sperm in American males. A metaanalysis of 185 st. udies last summer concluded that sperm numbers have declined in a generation. Are men being feminized? Does lifestyle matter? Is there birth control in the water supply? A fertility start up company sells a sperm activity test because, in terms of fertilization, the sperm's ability to move is critical. There is also an app to watch your sperm move under a microscope live streamed on your phone. (I guess that's why it is in the style section.) Call this article "Semen Variations".







https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/19/climate/endangered-species-act-changes.html Article from the NYT about the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act. The 1973 law had seen few changes in 30 years. The deputy Secretary of the Interior claims that the changes to the law will streamline it, improving the regulatory process and providing more protection thereby. Environmental activists protest that the changes will set more species on the path to extinction. The Trump administration is also set to roll back the National Environmental Policy Act which lays out the policy that federal agencies must follow when planing infrastructure projects.





http://www.philly.com/philly/health/depression-treatment-blood-test-acetyl-l-carnatine-20180731.html Article in the inquirer about a new biomarker for depression which may be used in drug development to come up with a new mechanism. The biomarker is acetyl-L-carnitine, which is a product of cellular metabolism. Allegedly, things like childhood neglect contribute to the level of acetyl-L-carnitine and the publication indicates a correlation between the biomarker and severity of depression. I will need to be convinced of this before believing it.


https://www.sciencealert.com/having-children-makes-women-s-dna-cells-age-equivalent-11-years-telomeres  From Science Alert a report of a study in Human Reproduction about a sampling of DNA from nearly 2000 reproductive aged women which showed that that women who had given birth to at least one child had telomeres that were 4.2 percent shorter on average than those of women who had not borne children.e who had given birth had altered telomeres, a mark of cellular aging. It could mean that giving birth to one child is equivalent to 4.5 years of cellular aging.

99 degrees and counting

http://www.philly.com/philly/health/fear-of-math-is-harmful-to-your-health-this-woman-wants-to-help-20180629.html  An article from the Philadelphia Inquirer from a scholar at the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania who is writing a book about the effects of innumeracy. Quoted from the article, "According to data reported in 2013, almost a third of the U.S. adult population can do only simple operations with numbers — they can count, sort, and do simple arithmetic. If you translate that into the current U.S. adult population, there are about 73 million people who can do up to only basic problems with numbers."  That means they also understand less in terms of how to take a missed dose of medicine (it says to do so on some medications), and also tends to mean that they rely on anecdotal information, which could have no bearing on their own circumstances. People who have diabetes also have to modify their insulin dosages based on their glucose levels and innumeracy make it complex. They also must read meters and other devices. Many people don't know what relative risk is compared to absolute risk and not understand that doubling one's risk could mean 20% to 40% or mean 0.01% to 0.02%, which is negligible.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/13/science/youtube-science-women.html An article from the NYT about  comments left on youtube videos made by women. In a paper published in the JOurnal for the Public Understanding of Science women depicted drew more comments per view than men and more critical comments on their appearance. Some of the researchers' findings echoed a 2014 TED talks study in which it was reported that "when the presenter was a woman, 15.28 percent of comments were about her as opposed to the talk, when the speaker was a man, only 9.84 percent of comments were about him." This is having a discouraging effect on women who wish to make videos on a professional of semiprofessional level, according to the article and study.




http://www.philly.com/philly/health/depression-medication-genetic-test-genomind-anxiety-adhd-20171026.html This is an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer about a new genetic test for resistance to depression medications. It is called the Genomid Genecept  Assay test. It is better at predicting whether a medication will not work. It uses a proprietary algorithm to analyse 12 different genes to weight their combined effects on patient response to more than 55 different medications.  Some pharmacists will be trained to counsel patients if they see a pattern of unresponsiveness to treatments. There is a type of treatment called TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) or else electrocution therapy (ECT) is used typically used for patients unresponsive to medication.

Junesomething

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/30/well/cancer-group-calls-for-colorectal-cancer-screening-starting-at-age-45.html An article from the NYT about the new guidelines from the American Cancer Society recommending that people age 45 and above receive colorectal cancer screening. There will be six options offered for screening, including stool sample collection at home to be brought to a lab for tests, to colonoscopy, the most invasive test. This screening is necessary because it is expected that 16.450 new cases of colon cancer will be diagnosed in the age group 45-49 Americans under the age of 50 this year. There has been a 50% increase in cases of colon cancer in adults under the  age of 50 from 1994 to 2014. I have had students (college) who have had more than one colonoscopy so I am only partly surprised by this.



https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jun/06/broccoli-coffee-scientists-create-new-way-to-eat-more-greens  From The Guardian, Scientists have made powdered broccoli, which can be added to foods to increase the amount of greens in one's diet.  This was done by the Australian science agency CSIRO. But I don't think of broccoli as "ugly" produce.


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/09/opinion/protected-area-myth.html This is an opinion in the NYT about areas devoted to wildlife protection according to the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity. The author asks us to examine what he calls the "delusions" that accompany this type of project. Apparently, designating these areas is easy but protecting them hard. In Australia's Barrow Island Marine Park, a designated protected area due to the richness of wildlife there, the government allowed construction of a vast energy complex. There is something called Paddd, protected area downgrading, downsizing and degazettement (?) because this is such a common occurrence.





https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/09/climate/trump-administration-science.html An article from NYT about the fact that, even now as Trump meets with North Korea, when denuclearization is sure to come up as a topic of conversation, Trump has no science advisor. Past advisors to presidents  say that the absence of such high level expertise could put Mr. Trump at a disadvantage. (I would have said "is sure to"). This indicates the marginalization of science is shaping US policy. Neither the State Department nor the Department of Agriculture have chief scientists, for example. Even as we speak, Scott Pruitt, head of the EPA, is rolling back legislation designed to protect the environment.



https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/13/health/mediterranean-diet-heart-disease.html An article in NYT about the Mediterranean Diet Study, much-cited, reporting that the Mediterranean diet, containing more vegetables and fruits, cuts risk of heart attacks/strokes, was not randomized. The paper was reanalyzed and, according to Barnett Kramer, director of cancer prevention studies at NCI. contains the same flaws.






https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/13/climate/antarctica-ice-melting-faster.html This goes into the Antarctica is Melting column. 0.3 inch doesn't sound like a lot for the sea level to rise but this is the statistic for the years 2112-2117 as published in the journal Nature. By 2100 it is expected that there will be a rise of another 6 inches as estimated by the  Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Oh, not to mention that Greenland also lost one trillion tons of ice between 2011 and 2014.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/12/science/crispr-cancer-gene-editing.html

An article in the NYT by Carl Zimmer about obstacles that have surfaced in Crispr-Cas9 gene editing as reported in Nature Medicine.  In a study of cancer cells, Crispr was used to cut genes out of cancer cells to find the cause of their aggressive growth. Their control was human retinal cells but Crispr didn't work in these cells.  It is hoped that these obstacles can be worked out so that cell lines can be created and then implanted in the body to treat diseases.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/15/health/alcohol-nih-drinking.html This is a NYT article reporting the discontinuing of a federally-funded study of drinking.  The study dealt with whether a daily beer or cocktail can prevent stokes and cardiovascular disease. It was recently determined that major funding for the study as provided by the alcohol industry, solicited by the NIAAA, a federal agency.
 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180614213608.htm
This is an article from Science Daily reporting on a finding discussed in Science about a new type of photosynthesis that uses near-infrared light. Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) when they grow near bacterial mats.  Chlorophyll a is normally used for photosynthesis but in near-infrared light chlorophyll f takes over.  It used to be thought that light damage would be severe beyond the "red limit", that is longer than near-infrared, but this changes the textbook understanding of the energy requirements for photosynthesis. Our understanding of life pushed incrementally forward....
 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/21/health/alzheimers-virus-herpes.html An article from the NYT about  a new study in the journal Neuron suggesting that by analyzing brains some with Alzheimer’s, some with other types of neurological problems, and some without cognitive impairment, two hypes of herpes viruses, 6A and 7, were found in Alzheimers brains. People with elevated APOE4 had more 6A. This is a controversial and not a new theory and by no means has wide agreement in the Alzheimers field. But peole could be screened who have susceptibility to these viruses.  The question, "Do infections contribute to the development of Alzheimers?"



https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/25/health/fetal-bone-marrow-transplant.html An article from NYT about a patient who received 5 blood transfusions in the womb. This was for treatment of alpha thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder which causes red blood cells to be unable to carry oxygen, causing severe anemia, heart failure and brain damage. Stem cells in the bone marrow, which is being tranferred with the transfusion, could replace cells which have the genetic defect.  It is a recessive disease, but when two carriers have children, an offspring could have 2 copies and therefore have the disease. Pregnant women are usually advised to abort. The donor in the case of this transplant is the mother, since the mother and the fetus' blood streams are in contact and there is little chance of rejection.This can work even if the mother is a carrier.




https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/28/science/sea-spiders-oxygen.html This is a fascinating article about the Antarctic sea spider in the NYT. They have a small heart, but no lungs or gills. A fluid called heterolymph  carries oxygen. And pores on their legs bring sea water thtough their exoskeletons.  This work is reported in the Journal of Experimental Biology. There is also a video accompanying the article.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojmvz5kLN5M

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/07/science/mars-nasa-life.html This is an article in the NYT from an article in the journal Science about the discovery by the Mars Rover of carbon molecules which could have originated from living material.  These molecules could have also been produced by chemical reactions that were not biological. In the same issue of Science it was reported that Mars' atmosphere contains a low amount, less than 0.5 parts per billion, by volume, of methane. This methane also may be the product of geological interactions (non-biological) or could have been produced by microbes as a waste product.  Future missions could provide additional clues.




https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/07/us/politics/epa-toxic-chemicals.html A NYT article about the reevaluation of rules by the EPA that were passed  to ensure worker safety from toxic chemicals used in dry cleaning, paint strippers, cosmetics and other beauty products. The EPA is narrowing its scope in reviewing the use of these chemicals and removing from consideration the possible improper disposal of these chemicals. This has been the result of heavy lobbying by the chemical industry.





https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/05/health/immunotherapy-lymphoma.html An article from the NYT from a study reported in NEJM about patients with adult T-Cell leukemia-lymphoma who received immunotherapy with the drug Opdivo and whose disease became worse after treatment. This drug, a monoclonal antibody is from a class of therapies called "Checkpoint Inhibitors"  and is not specifically approved for this type of cancer. After the third patient's disease became worse, the trial was stopped. These checkpoint inhibitors work by activating a type of white blood cell called T-cells, which should be mobilized to attack tumors but this didn't happen. It is thought that maybe disease T-cells became activated as well.

Cinco de Mayo

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/01/health/ticks-mosquitoes-diseases.html
This is an article from the NYT reporting the CDC recommendations for protection against tick-bearing diseases now that the hot weather is upon us. There are new tickborne diseases such as the Heartland virus and the number of cases of Lyme disease is growing. The CDC study did not attribute the increase in these and other diseases like dengue and Zika (in island territories) to climate change.  To protect yourself wear long pants, long sleeves, pants tucked into socks, hat and bandana, use DEET on feet and insect repellent on exposed skin.




https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/23/climate/rice-global-warming.html
This is a NYT article reporting the results of a study published in Science Advances by plant physiologists at the USDA that concluded that 18 varieties of rice grown in experimental rice fields which were exposed to the elevated levels of CO2 that are expected  to occur later on this century contained fewer nutrients than rice that is grown today. The nutrients examined were protein, iron, zinc, Vitamin B1, B2, B5, and B9. For people in wealthier countries who consume a diverse diet this may not matter but for people who rely on rice as a primary food source, this is a significant decrease. Although this seems counterintuitive, higher levels of CO2 may cause plants to produce more carbohydrates, diluting other components.





https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/25/opinion/sunday/meat-antibiotics-organic-farming.html This is a link to a NYT article about the use of antibiotics in the meat industry, in animal farms, and ultimately in our food.  Antibiotics are added to animal feed not just to prevent microbial diseases but also to improve rates of growth. In 2017, the FDA enacted legislation to ban the use of human antibiotics for growth promotion due the the increase in the numbers of humans infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. According to the CDC, more than 400,000 people in the US become ill due to infection with food-borne antibiotic resistant bacteria every year. Recent studies of gut microbiota have determined that antibiotics were take as medication can disrupt our native microbiota and lead to the increase in chronic diseases and allergies. Antibiotic misuse in livestock and people may be destroying our ability to fight certain diseases and infections. Handwriting on the wall department.


A book the solipsistssoiree wants to heartily recommend is "She Has Her Mother's Laugh" by eminent science writer Carl Zimmer. Mr. Zimmer writes amusingly, personally and elegantly about the history, understandings and, more frequently, misunderstandings of heredity in a way that moves genetics out of the Punnet Square realm into the force it has become in modern society since the deciphering of the human genome.





https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/26/opinion/sunday/insects-bugs-naturalists-scientists.html?login=email&auth=login-email This opinion piece in the NYT is by a professor of natural science about the reduction in biomass of flying insects. A recent study of 63 locations in Germany over the past four seasons concluded that there was 76% decline in the total biomass of insects.  Why should we care? Insects are pesky critters. The author, a "lake scientist", who examines sediment cores from lake bottoms and has published about the loss of plankton communities, suggests that agricultural chemicals may be poisoning aquatic organisms such as plankton and insects that begin their lives as aquatic larva.

April Finally

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/31/opinion/sunday/nazi-history-asperger.html This is a link to the NYT article about the German researcher who the disorder Asperger Syndrome is named for. Hans Asperger has contributed to the diagnoses and ideas around people who have :limited social skills and narrow interests", similar to autism, but also was seen as a resister to the Third Reich and its ideas. The writer of the article practiced psychiatry at the University of Vienna in the Nazi era and introduced the diagnosis of "autistic psychopathology" for some of the disturbed children he treated. Some of his categorizations of their behaviors would result in their being euthanized. Children who were classified as "drains on the state", were killed in special wards and Asperger worked closely with the top figures in Vienna's euthanasia program. In 1994, Asperger disorder was added to the American manual of mental disorders to be reclassied in 2013 as autism spectrum disorder.

Here we are; it's March

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/05/science/mutant-crayfish-clones-europe.html
A NYT article by Carl Zimmer about marble crayfish, a species that didn't exist before about 1993. The marbled crayfish species is the result of a single mutation. The mutated version is larger than the garden-variety (these are not found in gardens, however) and one can produce hundreds of eggs at a time without mating, and the offspring are all female,  (maybe Crawmoms instead of dads?) Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center who sequenced the genomes of the mutant marmorkrebs, and other species, determined that one parent of the mutant had a mutation in a sex cell (egg or sperm) and the female crayfish embryo wound up with three copies of each chromosome instead of the normal two. Since these crayfish are genetically identical, they are clones of one another and could be taken down by a pathogen which "gets their number."



http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/love-sex/pheramor-dating-app-dna-matches-dates-men-women-partners-relationships-a8131316.html From the independent (UK) a report about a company called Pheramor that has a special dating app based on submission of a DNA cheek swab which matches people based on attraction and identity, It isolates the genes for pheramones, chemical signals that are believed to spark sexual attraction. Genetic data is combined with personal information in the prospective daters' profiles using a proprietary algorithm.




https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/14/health/scott-kelly-dna-nasa-twins-study/index.html This is a report from CNN about findings from the NASA Twins Study, which compared Scott Kelly with his identical twin, who had not spent time in space.7% of Scott''s DNA had changed. Some of the mutations may have been due to the stresses of space travel, including hypoxia (low oxygen) and high amounts of carbon dioxide. Scott's telomeres, caps at the end of chromosomes which are thought to be involved in aging, also increased in length.

Happy New Year- Entering Third Year of SoSo (Solipsist's Soiree)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/02/upshot/us-health-care-expensive-country-comparison.html Article from the NYT business section about the percentage of the country's economy spent on health care- 17.9% of the GNP, twice as much as other industrialized countries. A Princeton University health economy study concluded that people in the US use the same amount of health care as in other wealthy countries, but may a lot more for it. In a recent study in JAMA  researchers looked at the breakdown for 155 different health conditions and found that American personal heath spending grew by $930 billion between 1996 and 2013 (adjusted for inflation). They also found that this didn't have primarily to do with the increase in population size and the aging of the population. After accounting for these demographic factors, spending grew by about $574 billion during those years. The conclusion from this study is that more is done for patients during hospital stays and doctor visits and that patients are charged more for these services. The author conlcudes that an all-payer system (like Maryland) or a single payer system is the solution.





https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/01/business/energy-environment/climate-change-enzymes-laundry.html  In this NYT artles, "Rooting in the Rot for Clean Ideas", the author mentions a Danish biotech company is trying to discover a more environmentally friendly detergent and is testing oyster mushrooms, which contain enzymes that speed up chemical reactions or natural processes like decay.
Enzymes are also well-suited to cut energy consumption, and because they are found in cool environments like forests and oceans, they don't require the heat and pressure used by washing machines. In face, lowering the temperature on a washing machine to cold water reduces energy consumption by at least half. New enzymes are also attractive to consumers in fast-growing economies like China.




https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/29/climate/google-search-climate-change.html Another article from NYT about how Google's algorithms many times display climate change deniers' results at the top of searches. The fact that the denialists' ads pop up with such frequency and prominence, shows that the climate change deniers are able to "game the system". But Google also claims that many ads are removed and violators punished for policy violations. Google doesn't want users to be misled by their ads or information, according their published policies. But somehow by the practice of allowing bidding for terms, DefyCCC wound up owning the climate change term.


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/06/opinion/sunday/diabetes-shouldnt-bankrupt-you.html?_r=0 An article from the NYT about the costs of chronic disease. People with long term or chronic medical conditions often owe their lives to medical innovations that allow them to continue living long and productive lives but also live those lives in fear of financial ruin, bancruptcy or the inability to get good coverage. Dialysis patients are actually an exception due to a 1972 act of Congress allowing people with end-stage kidney failure who are on dialysis to get automatic Medicare coverage. This same coverage should be provided to other chronic disease sufferers, such as the coverage provided for German citizens who can pick a "sickness fund" to contribute to, with a 15% of their income contribution from the individual's income, half from their employer and half from their paychecks. This is based on the principle of "solidarity", not "individuality".


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/opinion/trump-disdain-science.html  This is from the NYT OP-ED page written by a former science advisor to President Clinton and a physics professor at UC Santa Cruz about the fact that after a year in office President Trump hasn't named a science advisor and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The job of this individual would be to pull up the necessary information for the president and cut through any conflicting advise from senior secretaries and other cabinet officials.  The writers make the point that, absent a science advisor, the president and his administration have still made decisions on health and environmental policy and national security issues involving science that amount to assaults on existing laws, including the decision to pull the nation out of the Paris climate agreement.  Scott Pruitt is the administrator of the EPA, a lawyer without any real understanding of climate science.




https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/03/science/native-americans-beringia-siberia.html This NYT article discusses the recovery of DNA from the skeleton on a 6-week old girl at Upward Sun River in Alaska. This girl lived 11,500 years ago and her DNA belongs to a population of early Native Americans called Beringians, which was revealed in a new study done by the University of Copenhagen and the University of Alaska. This infant is believed to have descended from a previously unknown population of Native Americans which diverged genetically from the ancestors of modern Native Americans about 20,000 years ago. Ancient Beringia refers to Alaska, the eastern tip of Siberia and the land bridge that joined them during the last ice age. The land bridge is suspected to have been the route that humans took from Asia to the Western Hemisphere.


https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/26/science/protein-design-david-baker.html This is an article in the NYT about the building of cellular proteins. How do proteins take their final shapes? There is an organization called the Institute for Protein Design dedicated to researching this question. Dvid Baker and colleagues in papers published in 2017 have solved the question and the answers will enable scientists to construct molecular tools such as proteins to fight flu viruses, break down dietary gluten and detect opioid drugs, according to the article.A community of scientists known as the Rosetta Commons at the University of Washington designed software for studying complex proteins. They have been improving the software for twenty years and also recruited volunteers using their home computers and Android phones. With increasing confidence in their work, scientists began designing proteins from scratch for particular jobs, such as combating the flu, which they did by engineering yeast.


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/18/health/adhd-drugs-women.html  This is an article in the NYT about the increase in the numbers of younger women being prescribed AHDH drugs, which has increased more than 5-fold since 2003. These drugs, including Adderall and Vyvanse are prescribed at rates that, according to the article, far outstrip the prevalence of the disorder. These drugs have some appeal among students as study aids and among adults as work performance enhancers. This study, done by the CDC, raises specific concerns for women with the notion that there are underlying issues causing the women to resort to these drugs, such as depression or drug abuse.