84 years ago today‚ In the Mood‚ by Glen Miller reached #1 on the charts in the US. It’s one of those jazz tunes that everybody knows‚ even if they don’t know it by name. The saxophone opening is iconic‚ and the recording by Miller (though other versions had existed) was taken for the Library of […] The post Good News in History‚ February 10 appeared first on Good News Network.

Have you ever wondered how penile erection works but never dared to ask? Well‚ imagine a dry sponge in a condom. Now pour water on the sponge (that’s the blood flowing in). There you have it.This penis “sponge” is scientifically termed corpora cavernosa. Erections depend on the influx and trapping of blood. Smooth muscle cells regulate the blood flow into the sponge and its subsequent firmness. In a recent study‚ my colleague and I delved into the role of penile fibroblasts‚ the most abundant cells in the human penis‚ about which little was previously known.We discovered that penile fibroblasts help smooth muscle cells to relax. Using a technique to render cells light-sensitive enabled us to activate fibroblasts by shining blue light from outside onto the penises of mice.We found that light-induced activation of fibroblasts relaxed smooth muscle cells and increased blood flow. The effectiveness of this relaxation-support depends on the number of fibroblasts. More fibroblasts led to easier relaxation and increased blood flow.We also learned that the number of fibroblasts is not static and identified the signalling molecules regulating the number of fibroblasts in the penis. By deleting or over-expressing the relevant molecules‚ we could increase or decrease the number of fibroblasts and in response see the corresponding changes in penile blood flow.But we quickly learned that too many fibroblasts has negative consequences. Mice with very high numbers of penile fibroblasts showed erections that lasted for several hours. In men‚ this corresponds to a painful pathological condition termed priapism‚ which demands a visit to the hospital.Can penile erection be trained? In humans‚ much of the “erectile training” occurs naturally during sleep‚ with men experiencing three to five erections a night‚ known as “nocturnal penile tumescence”.To test the importance of training‚ we artificially changed the frequency of erections in mice by targeting the brain region responsible for initiating an erection. This technique allowed us to turn erections on and off by simply administrating a designer drug that specifically activated the responsible nerve cells in the mouse brain.More fibroblasts‚ more blood flowSurprisingly‚ we found that the number of penile fibroblasts changed in relation to the frequency of erections. The more frequent the erections‚ the more fibroblasts were present and the better the blood flow. This implies that it becomes easier to initiate and maintain an erection with increased erection frequency.It is known that the unconscious “training” during sleep declines with increasing age. Ageing is one of the major risk factors for erectile dysfunction in men.Studying penises of aged mice‚ we found that they possessed a lower number of fibroblasts compared with young mice. When reducing the number of recurrent erections in young animals for a longer time‚ we found a decrease in the number of fibroblasts and lower penile blood flow.One interpretation could be that reduced training negatively affects the number of fibroblasts and consequently‚ it becomes less efficient to initiate an erection.While the spontaneous occurrence of erections during sleep is certainly convenient‚ our study does not suggest any differences between involuntary and actively evoked erections regarding the number of penile fibroblasts. So‚ an age-related decline of nocturnal penile tumescence could be a potential target for future treatment of erectile dysfunction or compensated for by actively achieving an erection.Our research unveils a mechanism for controlling penile erections‚ opening the door for further exploration to understand and improve sexual health.Christian Göritz‚ Associate Professor‚ Department of Cell and Molecular Biology‚ Karolinska InstitutetThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The UK has long been considered to have some of the strongest animal welfare laws in the world. Beginning with Martin’s act on the cruel treatment of cattle‚ through to the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and then Finn’s law to protect service animals‚ UK animal welfare laws have sought to reduce harm and cruelty to animals. But what happens when companion animals suffer or live shorter lives simply because of their genetic make-up?On average‚ dogs live for 10-13 years‚ which is considered roughly equivalent to between 60-74 human years.Small‚ long-nosed dogs have the highest life expectancies in the UK‚ while male dogs from medium-sized‚ flat-faced breeds such as English bulldogs have the lowest‚ according to a new study published in Scientific Reports. The research team’s results were based on data from more that 580‚000 individual dogs from over 150 different breeds and could help identify those dogs most at risk of an early death.The study is an important one‚ not least because of its size and scope‚ but also because very little research of this type had been done previously. We have life expectancy tables and research for humans that show how long we might be expected to live according to a range of factors. But there has been very little research into dog life expectancy that considered how different factors affect lifespan.The research team created a database of 584‚734 dogs using data from 18 different UK sources. These included breed registries‚ vets‚ pet insurance companies‚ animal welfare charities and academic institutions.Dogs included were from one of 155 pure breeds or classified as a crossbreed‚ and 284‚734 of the dogs had died before being added to the database. Breed‚ sex‚ date of birth‚ and date of death (if applicable) were included for all dogs.Pure-bred dogs were assigned to size (small‚ medium or large) and head shape (short-nosed‚ medium-nosed and long-nosed) categories based on the Kennel Club’s literature. The researchers then calculated median life expectancy for all breeds individually and then for the crossbreed group. Finally‚ they calculated life expectancy for each combination of sex‚ size and head shape.Survival curves for 8 purebreds: Border Collie (dark blue‚ x = 13.1)‚ Border Terrier (light blue‚ x = 14.2)‚ Bulldog (green‚ x = 9.8)‚ French Bulldog (red‚ x = 9.8)‚ Labrador Retriever (orange‚ x = 13.1)‚ Mastiff (purple‚ x = 9.0)‚ Miniature Dachshund (pink‚ x = 12.2) and Pug (brown‚ x = 11.6). McMillan‚ K.M.‚ Bielby‚ J.‚ Williams‚ C.L. et al. / Scientific Reports‚ CC BYHow long do dogs live?This study from researchers at the Dogs Trust provides us with new information about the life expectancy of our canine companions. The researchers found that small‚ long-nosed female dogs tended to have the longest lifespans among pure breeds overall‚ with a median lifespan of 13.3 years. But breeds with flat-faces had a median lifespan of 11.2 years‚ and a 40% increased risk of shorter lives than dogs with medium-length snouts‚ such as spaniels.Amongst the 12 most popular breeds‚ which accounted for more than 50% of all recorded pure breeds in the database‚ labradors had a median life expectancy of 13.1 years‚ jack russell terriers had a median life expectancy of 13.3 years‚ and cavalier king charles spaniels had a median life expectancy of 11.8 years.Pure breeds had a higher median life expectancy than crossbreeds (12.7 years compared to 12.0 years)‚ while female dogs had a slightly higher median life expectancy than males (12.7 years compared to 12.4 years).The ethics of ageingResearch has previously suggested a growing popularity of small nose dogs such as bulldog breeds and pugs. These dogs have become fashionable and highly prized as pets‚ but are prone to various health problems‚ including brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (Boas).This potentially life-threatening condition includes symptoms such as panting‚ overheating‚ exercise intolerance‚ retching‚ gastrointestinal signs and disturbed sleep patterns. So for some of these dogs‚ their life is potentially marked by suffering. This latest study shows they are also likely to live shorter lives.This raises some questions about dog ownership and the ethics of breeding dogs likely to suffer from Boas. It might be seen as cruel to breed dogs that are either prone to or bound to suffer.Other countries‚ including the Netherlands‚ have considered whether to limit the breeding of these dogs to prevent such suffering and we might expect UK law to consider this. But while the Animal Welfare Act creates an offence of causing unnecessary suffering‚ this relates to suffering of a protected animal that is already alive.So‚ the act of breeding an animal with Boas is unlikely to be caught by these provisions and once in ownership of a dog with Boas‚ the owner has to treat that companion animal in accordance with its normal functions. Even though these conditions may be problematic if they are a natural part of the dog’s make-up‚ there is no offence of unnecessary suffering simply by having the dog.The animal welfare acts include a duty to provide for good animal welfare. This means that dog owners should understand the needs of their chosen companion animal and should be confident that they can provide for them.In addition to identifying possible directions for future research and animal welfare interventions‚ this study provides some important information that might help some potential owners decide which dog is right for them.Angus Nurse‚ Professor of Law and Environmental Justice‚ Anglia Ruskin UniversityThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

If living in the future has taught us anything‚ it’s this: that no matter how smart you think you are‚ you’re always just one well-placed social media post away from having your mind blown by some completely basic life skill or fact that has somehow passed you by.In the last year alone‚ for example‚ we’ve had controversy over where the correct place to store ketchup is; minds blown over how the “I am not a robot” test accounts for sneaky robots; diets overhauled by the discoveries of what goes into allspice‚ paprika‚ and parmesan; and‚ to the horror of elder Millennials everywhere‚ a need to explain what screensavers were for. Now it’s the turn of the frit – which‚ as we’re sure you already know‚ is the name for one of those little dots around the edge of your car’s windscreen.Made from baked-on ceramic paint that can’t be removed‚ these funky spots‚ plus the big black “frit band” that they coagulate into‚ serve three main purposes: structure‚ safety‚ and aesthetics. So‚ first of all‚ the frit band is vital for simply keeping the windscreen attached to your car. Seems like a tall order for a line of black paint‚ we know‚ but it’s actually a pretty clever and multi-use stripe: not only does the rough ceramic paint provide a better‚ more grippy surface for the urethane sealant connecting the window and the vehicle frame‚ but it also protects that glue from the ultraviolet light that would otherwise break it down.“The modern windshield is a marvel of engineering‚ and dare we say one of the most underappreciated components of a vehicle. Part of that engineering involved how the windshield is bonded to the frame‚” explains a blog post from North Carolina-based bodyshop DeDona Tint and Glass. “While the inward facing side of the frit allows adhesive to bond to the glass‚ the outward facing side of the frit acts as a shield against UV radiation in order to protect the adhesive bond‚ which would otherwise be weakened by continual exposure to direct sunlight.”But that isn’t the only neat piece of science going on. The frits are also a safety feature: the dot matrix‚ as the pattern of ever-smaller spots dissolving into the center of the panel is known‚ also helps reduce an optical distortion known as “lensing”. This effect is actually seen mostly during the creation of the windscreen‚ one engineer with Pittsburgh Glass Works told Jalopnik. To bend the glass‚ the window panels are exposed to heat of over 700°C (1‚292°F) – and a thick black band around the edge would absorb that thermal energy much faster than transparent glass.But a sharp heat gradient like that would cause uneven refractive indices across the windscreen – making straight lines look curved or bowed towards the center of the glass. Since driving is easier when you can see properly‚ the dot matrix is a neat solution to stop this effect from occurring: by allowing a smoother transition from black to transparent‚ they dissipate the heat more evenly across the screen.Finally‚ the frits are there to – well‚ just to look nice. The band covers up the glue attaching the windscreen to the frame; the dot matrix makes for a more subtle change between the frit band and the screen; and‚ in more modern cars that may have the so-called “third visor frit”‚ they can also stop the sun from peeping in between the visors and blinding you on the road.So‚ there you have it: the frits. Not just a pointless pattern with a funny name‚ but an ingenious feat of automotive engineering. An earlier version of this article was published in November 2023.

Last Sunday‚ ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos shut down an interview with Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) over the perception that the Ohio Republican was open to presidents defying Supreme Court rulings and…

Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) introduced legislation this week that would prohibit awarding federal funds to the office of “any state or local chief prosecutor if any individual in such office has been convicted…

This narrative has been floating around for years. For as long as Joe Biden has looked confused‚ misspoke‚ and showed signs of mental degeneration‚ there’s always been speculation regarding why Kamala…

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The Treasury Department confirmed on Friday that politically charged terms like “MAGA‚” “Kamala‚” “antifa‚” “Biden‚”  and “Trump” were used to…

Here's what we know.

The following article‚ The White House Is Not A Memory Care Facility‚ was first published on Conservative Firing Line. Providing copies of investigative reports is a courtesy to allow the person being investigated to prepare to respond. It is not an opportunity for the subject of a probe to write his or her own version of events‚ to censor the report’s findings‚ or otherwise interfere with the process. But the White House pressured Special … Continue reading The White House Is Not A Memory Care Facility ...