Obs of a Prnnl Lrnr Obsrvr who happens to be a dctr There is no cure for curiosity-D Parker
Monday, 30 November 2015
Sunday, 29 November 2015
When mastodons and other large herbivores roamed the Earth, they spread pumpkin seeds across the Americas in their feces. The bitter wild fruits thrived in the trampled soil. Then, around 10,000 years ago, the big mammals went extinct. Pumpkins might have died out, too, if humans hadn't domesticated them, eventually breeding the sweet varieties we eat today.
When mastodons and other large herbivores roamed the Earth, they spread pumpkin seeds across the Americas in their feces. The bitter wild fruits thrived in the trampled soil. Then, around 10,000 years ago, the big mammals went extinct. Pumpkins might have died out, too, if humans hadn't domesticated them, eventually breeding the sweet varieties we eat today.
Saturday, 28 November 2015
those born in the three months from December to February had a 7 per cent lower risk of developing dementia than those born in June to August, with the risk for other months falling in between.
those born in the three months from December to February had a 7 per cent lower risk of developing dementia than those born in June to August, with the risk for other months falling in between.
"Your peace is more important than driving yourself crazy trying to understand why something happened the way it did. Let it go." -- Mandy Hale
"Your peace is more important than driving yourself crazy trying to understand why something happened the way it did. Let it go."
-- Mandy Hale
-- Mandy Hale
farm children who are regularly brought into animal sheds before they are weaned can cope more effectively with viral infections than other kids
farm children who are regularly brought into animal sheds before they are weaned can cope more effectively with viral infections than other kids
Children who regularly play in close contact with farm animals inhale minute particles of hay and grass. These carry with them a complex mixture of micro-organisms - bacterial and fungal cells and spores - and pollen grains into the airways. When these come into contact with the respiratory epithelium lining the airways, "the micro-organisms evidently modulate the course of the inflammatory response in the body," says Loss
Children who regularly play in close contact with farm animals inhale minute particles of hay and grass. These carry with them a complex mixture of micro-organisms - bacterial and fungal cells and spores - and pollen grains into the airways. When these come into contact with the respiratory epithelium lining the airways, "the micro-organisms evidently modulate the course of the inflammatory response in the body," says Loss
Friday, 27 November 2015
VAGUS NERVE, CARETAKER
vagus nerve, the 10th cranial nerve is the largest branched nerve in the body. It originates high up in your body, near the base of your skull and travels throughout your face, throat, inner ear, heart, diaphragm and gastrointestinal tract to name a few.
freeze response system is governed by one portion the Vagus nerve called the dorsal branch.
ventral branch, the social engagement branch, is non-functioning when born, just like learning anything from parents, how to talk English or cook for example, we form the functioning of this nerve by witnessing (and sensing) how THEY do it.
if mom’s capacity to self-regulate herself and calm herself down, to communicate and love is open and widely online, then we learn that. If it isn’t, sadly, we learn something else.
“It runs in the family” is quite appropriate for this process as our primary caregiver’s ventral vagal nerve is literally our blueprint. We copy and then form our nervous system by mimicking theirs.
EVO MEANING OF LV
complex bonding, which includes friendship,romantic love, parent-child attachment, and loyalty to a group.
To keep a vulnerable child alive for many years, we evolved strong bonds betweenparents and children, between mates, within extended family groups, and within bands as a whole - all in order to sustain "the village it takes to raise a child."
DOPAMNINE X OXYTOCIN= LV
caudate is a reward center of the brain, and the tegmentum is a region of the brain stem that sends dopamine to it; dopamine tracks how rewarding something is.
being rejected in love activates a part of the brain called the insula, which is the same region that lights up when we are in physical pain.
when people are in lust, rather than in love, different systems of the brain get activated, notably the hypothalamus and the amygdala.
Oxytocin encourages sociability
To keep a vulnerable child alive for many years, we evolved strong bonds betweenparents and children, between mates, within extended family groups, and within bands as a whole - all in order to sustain "the village it takes to raise a child."
DOPAMNINE X OXYTOCIN= LV
caudate is a reward center of the brain, and the tegmentum is a region of the brain stem that sends dopamine to it; dopamine tracks how rewarding something is.
being rejected in love activates a part of the brain called the insula, which is the same region that lights up when we are in physical pain.
when people are in lust, rather than in love, different systems of the brain get activated, notably the hypothalamus and the amygdala.
Oxytocin encourages sociability
"antiphonal laughter-that is, laughter that occurs during or immediately after a social partner's laugh-is a behavioural manifestation of a conditioned positive emotional response to another individual's laugh acoustics.
"antiphonal laughter-that is, laughter that occurs during or immediately after a social partner's laugh-is a behavioural manifestation of a conditioned positive emotional response to another individual's laugh acoustics.
SOCIAL BRAIN HYPOTHESIS X LAUGHTER
brain evolved to better cope with the social demands of living in larger groups.
language evolved as a way of establishing and strengthening bonds with larger numbers of individuals in a shorter a period of tim
Laughter is simply an extension of this process,
Blushing occurs when cerebral blood flow is channelled through the facial artery
Laughter is a similar kind of release, say Marijuán and Navarro. The intellectual momentum that builds up during conversation needs to be relieved, either through verbalisation or some other mechanism.
channelling of excess cortical excitations to parts of the brain responsible for vocalisation. But without anything specific to say, the result is the kind of panting and cackling that we call laughter.
Laughter has to do with surprise. Steve Martin the comedian said that. I believe the early hunter-gatherers ran into one another and surprised one another. Laughter became the way to relieve the tension and let each know it was okay
gang members. The first one to laugh is considered incompetent and is marked as an easy kill.
language evolved as a way of establishing and strengthening bonds with larger numbers of individuals in a shorter a period of tim
Laughter is simply an extension of this process,
Blushing occurs when cerebral blood flow is channelled through the facial artery
Laughter is a similar kind of release, say Marijuán and Navarro. The intellectual momentum that builds up during conversation needs to be relieved, either through verbalisation or some other mechanism.
channelling of excess cortical excitations to parts of the brain responsible for vocalisation. But without anything specific to say, the result is the kind of panting and cackling that we call laughter.
Laughter has to do with surprise. Steve Martin the comedian said that. I believe the early hunter-gatherers ran into one another and surprised one another. Laughter became the way to relieve the tension and let each know it was okay
gang members. The first one to laugh is considered incompetent and is marked as an easy kill.
Laughter is a reaction to something unexpected (but not threatening) and in this sense it's a "relief" only insofar as it's an instantaneous reaction.
It's why we can laugh at something immediate (like someone suddenly falling over) as well as set-up and why knowing the punchline typically makes it less funny.
As to the evolution it's really a toss-up, for one it provides a boost of dopamine which could provide health benefits for the person laughing and others as well.
The irony of Marijuán and Navarro's hypothesis is that genuine laughter is negatively correlated with social situations. Studies of autistic children show that the overwhelming majority of laughs are genuine "voiced" laughs (half of the autistic children could only do genuine laughs) while non-autistic children are more likely to fake laughter.
Other than a healthy release to non-threating unexpected events, there's not much else that can explain laughter.
laughter is an expression of relief
Monks who have taken vows of silence will express their approval or laughter by holding one hand in a semi-closed position and clapping against it with the other - it sounds curiously like laughter.
Every comedian knows that you have to set up some degree of either conflict or miss-direction first - this indicates that laughter is a sort of relief even when the 'conflict' was unanticipated.
Laughter upon tickle can be seen as a relief of the conflict of "is this going to hurt?"
EVO MEANING OF EMBARASSMENT
Robb Willer: "Embarrassment is one emotional signature of a person to whom you can entrust valuable resources. It's part of the social glue that fosters trust and cooperation in everyday life."
Thursday, 26 November 2015
Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance." -- Eckhart Tolle
Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance."
-- Eckhart Tolle
-- Eckhart Tolle
In this together: compassion, to suffer with, a mutuality, an equality a world away from humiliation. Noelle Oxenhandler
In this together: compassion, to suffer with, a mutuality, an equality a world away from humiliation. Noelle Oxenhandler
BRAIN X GRATITUDE
grateful brains showed enhanced activity in two primary regions: the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). These areas have been previously associated with emotional processing, interpersonal bonding and rewarding social interactions, moral judgment, and the ability to understand the mental states of others.
gratitude isn’t merely about reward—and doesn’t just show up in the brain’s reward center. It involves morality, connecting with others, and taking their perspective.
gratitude isn’t merely about reward—and doesn’t just show up in the brain’s reward center. It involves morality, connecting with others, and taking their perspective.
APATHY-PMC TOO ACTIVE
Scans showed that the pre-motor cortex in the brains of apathetic people was consistently more active than in motivated people.
Wednesday, 25 November 2015
happier people have a larger ‘precuneus’: an area towards the back of the brain, hidden between the two cerebral hemispheres.
happier people have a larger ‘precuneus’: an area towards the back of the brain, hidden between the two cerebral hemispheres.
Tuesday, 24 November 2015
SSRIs, Benzodiazepines, and Early Postnatal Development Deborah Cowley, MD Reviewing Salisbury AL et al., Am J Psychiatry 2015 Oct 30; Neonatal effects of maternal drug therapy persisted longer than 1 week and were not prevented by stopping medication during late pregnancy.
Neonatal effects of maternal drug therapy persisted longer than 1 week and were not prevented by stopping medication during late pregnancy.
EVOLN WHY LONELINESS NOT LIKED- INCR THREAT
Fish on the edge of the group are more likely to be attacked by predators, not because they are the slowest or weakest, but because of the ease of isolating and preying upon those on the
social perimeter.
social perimeter.
TYSON-Whatever rules of etiquette Snakes have while dining, one of them is surely not “Never Eat Anything Bigger Than Your Head."
Whatever rules of etiquette Snakes have while dining, one of them is surely not “Never Eat Anything Bigger Than Your Head."
Children with serious congenital heart disease (CHD) requiring treatment during infancy may have cognitive and attentional deficits that are apparent during adolescence and young adulthood
Children with serious congenital heart disease (CHD) requiring treatment during infancy may have cognitive and attentional deficits that are apparent during adolescence and young adulthood
PALL CARE
“There is a common humanity – people want to live as long as they have good quality of life. When it is their time, they want to be consulted so they die in a way that they are respected, and they don’t want their families burdened,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. V.J. Periyakoil,
AURELIUS-Just that you do the right thing. The rest doesn’t matter. Cold or warm. Tired or well-rested. Despised or honored. Dying … or busy with other assignments. Because dying, too, is one of our assignments in life. There as well: “to do what needs doing.”
Just that you do the right thing. The rest doesn’t matter.
Cold or warm.
Tired or well-rested.
Despised or honored.
Dying … or busy with other assignments.
Tired or well-rested.
Despised or honored.
Dying … or busy with other assignments.
Because dying, too, is one of our assignments in life. There as well: “to do what needs doing.”
Tchaikovsky writes: QuoteI am sitting at the open window (at four a.m.) and breathing the lovely air of a spring morning… Life is still good, [and] it is worth living on a May morning… I assert that life is beautiful in spite of everything! This “everything” includes the following items: 1. Illness; I am getting much too stout, and my nerves are all to pieces. 2. The Conservatoire oppresses me to extinction; I am more and more convinced that I am absolutely unfitted to teach the theory of music. 3. My pecuniary situation is very bad. 4. I am very doubtful if Undine will be performed. I have heard that they are likely to throw me over. In a word, there are many thorns, but the roses are there too.
Tchaikovsky writes:
I am sitting at the open window (at four a.m.) and breathing the lovely air of a spring morning… Life is still good, [and] it is worth living on a May morning… I assert that life is beautiful in spite of everything! This “everything” includes the following items: 1. Illness; I am getting much too stout, and my nerves are all to pieces. 2. The Conservatoire oppresses me to extinction; I am more and more convinced that I am absolutely unfitted to teach the theory of music. 3. My pecuniary situation is very bad. 4. I am very doubtful if Undine will be performed. I have heard that they are likely to throw me over.In a word, there are many thorns, but the roses are there too.
Next year, the world’s advanced economies will reach a critical milestone. For the first time since 1950, their combined working-age population will decline, according to United Nations projections, and by 2050 it will shrink 5%. The ranks of workers will also fall in key emerging markets, such as China and Russia. At the same time the share of these countries’ population over 65 will skyrocket.
Next year, the world’s advanced economies will reach a critical milestone. For the first time since 1950, their combined working-age population will decline, according to United Nations projections, and by 2050 it will shrink 5%. The ranks of workers will also fall in key emerging markets, such as China and Russia. At the same time the share of these countries’ population over 65 will skyrocket.
Monday, 23 November 2015
iq
Rank | Country | Average IQ |
1 | Hong Kong (*Not a country but listed for examination) | 107 |
2 | South Korea | 106 |
3 | Japan | 105 |
4 | Taiwan | 104 |
5 | Singapore | 103 |
6 | Austria | 102 |
6 | Germany | 102 |
6 | Italy | 102 |
6 | Netherlands | 102 |
10 | Sweden | 101 |
10 | Switzerland | 101 |
12 | Belgium | 100 |
12 | China | 100 |
12 | New Zealand | 100 |
12 | United Kingdom | 100 |
16 | Hungary | 99 |
16 | Poland | 99 |
16 | Spain | 99 |
19 | Australia | 98 |
19 | Denmark | 98 |
19 | France | 98 |
19 | Mongolia | 98 |
19 | Norway | 98 |
19 | United States | 98 |
25 | Canada | 97 |
25 | Czech Republic | 97 |
25 | Finland | 97 |
DTH-recommend that you enjoy life without worrying about the “after” bit, and keep in mind that one day altogether too soon, bad luck or genetics will hand you the answer. In the meantime, be nice to sheep.
recommend that you enjoy life without worrying about the “after” bit, and keep in mind that one day altogether too soon, bad luck or genetics will hand you the answer. In the meantime, be nice to sheep.
NDE-“How would we know that the near-death experience isn’t a hallmark of dying, not death – a stopover, not a final destination?”
“How would we know that the near-death experience isn’t a hallmark of dying, not death – a stopover, not a final destination?”
SOCRATIC -DTH- arguing that much of what men do can be understood as a desperate attempt to immortalise themselves; women, he thought, could take the more direct route of having children.
arguing that much of what men do can be understood as a desperate attempt to immortalise themselves; women, he thought, could take the more direct route of having children.
Saturday, 21 November 2015
HINDUISM
The Swastika is a very sacred symbol in Hinduism representing auspiciousness. As for the David Star or Hexagram, it represents the emergence of the male and female, with the upward triangle representing Shiva (the masculine side of God) and the downward triangle representing Shakti (its feminine side).
Failure leads to innovation “If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step.” Thomas Edison
“If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step.” Thomas Edison
“social jetlag” (SJL), a term that describes the chronic jetlag-like phenomenon caused by modern work schedules. It reflects misalignment between a person’s endogenous circadian clock and actual sleep times.
“social jetlag” (SJL), a term that describes the chronic jetlag-like phenomenon caused by modern work schedules. It reflects misalignment between a person’s endogenous circadian clock and actual sleep times.
CA CACHEXIA
"Cyproheptadine is an antihistamine that helps a little bit but not very much. Megestrol acetate works to increase appetite, and there is a dose response as you go from 160 mg up to 800 mg per day,"
The ultimate fate of all religions is to die, but until they are secularised, rationalised, they are the most inhuman, monstrous, anti-social edifices that man has ever created.
The ultimate fate of all religions is to die, but until they are secularised, rationalised, they are the most inhuman, monstrous, anti-social edifices that man has ever created.
Cancer is uncommon in elephants, despite their high body mass (high number of cells) and high life expectancy (high number of cell divisions)
Cancer is uncommon in elephants, despite their high body mass (high number of cells) and high life expectancy (high number of cell divisions)
While humans have only one copy (two alleles) of tumour suppressor gene TP53, African elephants have at least 20 copies (40 alleles). In the event of DNA damage, the rate of p53-mediated apoptosis is higher in elephants than in humans.
While humans have only one copy (two alleles) of tumour suppressor gene TP53, African elephants have at least 20 copies (40 alleles). In the event of DNA damage, the rate of p53-mediated apoptosis is higher in elephants than in humans.
Friday, 20 November 2015
The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one." -- Elbert Hubbard
The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one."
-- Elbert Hubbard
-- Elbert Hubbard
To be rooted in life --- to learn, to desire, to feel, to think, to act. This is what I want. And nothing less. This is what I must try for. ~ Katherine Mansfield
To be rooted in life --- to learn, to desire, to feel, to think, to act. This is what I want. And nothing less. This is what I must try for. ~ Katherine Mansfield
Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked.”S JOBS
Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked.”
“I believe in the possible. I believe, small though we are, insignificant though we may be, we can reach a full understanding of the universe. You were right when you said you felt small, looking up at all that up there. We are very, very small, but we are profoundly capable of very, very big things.” – Stephen Hawking
“I believe in the possible. I believe, small though we are, insignificant though we may be, we can reach a full understanding of the universe. You were right when you said you felt small, looking up at all that up there. We are very, very small, but we are profoundly capable of very, very big things.” – Stephen Hawking
For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals. Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination. We learned to talk and we learned to listen. Speech has allowed the communication of ideas, enabling human beings to work together to build the impossible. Mankind’s greatest achievements have come about by talking, and its greatest failures by not talking. It doesn’t have to be like this. Our greatest hopes could become reality in the future. With the technology at our disposal, the possibilities are unbounded. All we need to do is make sure we keep talking.” – Stephen Hawking
For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals. Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination. We learned to talk and we learned to listen. Speech has allowed the communication of ideas, enabling human beings to work together to build the impossible. Mankind’s greatest achievements have come about by talking, and its greatest failures by not talking. It doesn’t have to be like this. Our greatest hopes could become reality in the future. With the technology at our disposal, the possibilities are unbounded. All we need to do is make sure we keep talking.” – Stephen Hawking
My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn’t prevent you doing well, and don’t regret the things it interferes with. Don’t be disabled in spirit as well as physically.” – Stephen Hawking
My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn’t prevent you doing well, and don’t regret the things it interferes with. Don’t be disabled in spirit as well as physically.” – Stephen Hawking
It is no good getting furious if you get stuck. What I do is keep thinking about the problem but work on something else. Sometimes it is years before I see the way forward. In the case of information loss and black holes, it was 29 years.” – Stephen Hawking
It is no good getting furious if you get stuck. What I do is keep thinking about the problem but work on something else. Sometimes it is years before I see the way forward. In the case of information loss and black holes, it was 29 years.” – Stephen Hawking
Our population and our use of the finite resources of planet Earth are growing exponentially, along with our technical ability to change the environment for good or ill.” – Stephen Hawking
Our population and our use of the finite resources of planet Earth are growing exponentially, along with our technical ability to change the environment for good or ill.” – Stephen Hawking
“We are in danger of destroying ourselves by our greed and stupidity. We cannot remain looking inwards at ourselves on a small and increasingly polluted and overcrowded planet.” – Stephen Hawking
“We are in danger of destroying ourselves by our greed and stupidity. We cannot remain looking inwards at ourselves on a small and increasingly polluted and overcrowded planet.” – Stephen Hawking
However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. Where there’s life, there’s hope.” – Stephen Hawking
However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. Where there’s life, there’s hope.” – Stephen Hawking
Cognitive bias is the biggest self-imposed obstacle to progress, not only for oneself but in the end, for all mankind.” ~Unknown
Cognitive bias is the biggest self-imposed obstacle to progress, not only for oneself but in the end, for all mankind.” ~Unknown
BEYOND ME BBTBR-There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.” ~Epictetus
There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.” ~Epictetus
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