Using a new analytical technique‚ scientists have been able to study brain images from more than 6‚000 children to identify connectivity patterns that are common to people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).Most of our behaviors are controlled by coordinated communication between neurons in different areas of the brain. Neuroscientists can get a sense of how the regions of the brain orchestrate complex functions by observing neural activity in a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scan.“Resting state” means exactly what it sounds like – these scans are carried out while the subject is at rest‚ not being asked to perform a particular cognitive task or think any particular thoughts. Assuming you’re not claustrophobic‚ and don’t mind keeping perfectly still‚ it can be a fairly pleasurable experience. The data derived from rs-fMRI scans is invaluable to scientists studying a whole range of neurological disorders and conditions. By comparing scans from individuals with conditions like ADHD‚ for example‚ with those of neurotypical people‚ it’s hoped we’ll be able to identify patterns that can explain some of the features of these conditions.However‚ this type of research into ADHD has so far been hindered by small sample sizes and inconsistent methods‚ so it’s been difficult to draw any firm conclusions. A recent study led by Michael Mooney at Oregon Health &; Science University sought to change all that.Using several large-scale datasets‚ the team developed a new way of analyzing imaging data covering broader areas of the brain than ever before. They called this a polyneuro score (PNRS). “Our findings demonstrate a robust association between brain-wide connectivity patterns (PNRS) and 554 ADHD symptoms in two independent cohorts‚” they explain in their paper.The authors go on to explain how their approach could be used to glean better insights from even small datasets‚ and could also be used to identify mechanisms that may be shared across different neurological and psychiatric conditions – for example‚ could it be the case that an ADHD-typical PNRS is predictive of depression symptoms? This could help identify patients at risk of comorbidities.ADHD diagnoses are on the up and we’re learning more about the condition every day‚ but there are still some significant gaps in our knowledge about the underlying neurobiology. Collecting lots of imaging data is only one piece of the puzzle – you also need ways to use that data that answer the questions you have. The authors of this study hope their methods will make that more achievable‚ for ADHD and many other conditions.The study is published in The Journal of Neuroscience.  

The direction of time seems pretty obvious; it goes from the past towards the future‚ though the reason why that is the case is unclear. This arrow of time has been linked to entropy‚ the measurement of the disorder of a system. Over time‚ in an isolated system‚ entropy always increases. This process is irreversible. It applies to the aging everything experiences‚ or an egg rolling off the counter and breaking apart. But under a certain perspective‚ there are materials that defy this behavior. And they are very common: glasses and plastics.These materials consist of tangles of molecules‚ usually in a random distribution. Even as solids‚ the constituent molecules are moving‚ though it’s an incredibly slow process. The molecules always look for the most favorable energetic state‚ and this process changes the properties of the material over time. For the glass in a window‚ it would take billions of years.To look at this process from the point of view of the material‚ researchers use the “material time” – the internal clock ticking inside the substance in question. This depends on how quickly the molecules within the material reorganize‚ meaning you can have material that has a very long material time. Still‚ globally the arrow of time points toward the future. Everything ages.Measurements of material time are far from easy. Researchers created a setup to study the molecular movement in a sample of glass‚ and statistical methods were used to establish the fluctuations over time. On analyzing the results‚ the team discovered that these molecular fluctuations are time-reversable. This means that they would look the same looking forward or backward in time.“However‚ this does not mean that the aging of materials can be reversed‚” lead author Till Böhmer‚ from the Technical University of Darmstadt‚ said in a statement.So‚ the molecular small movements don’t affect the aging of the whole system. They shake and shimmy without affecting the material time. As far as that time arrow is concerned‚ in glasses and plastic‚ the molecular changes could be going backward or forward. The direction of the arrow of time from the molecular point of view is irrelevant. But overall‚ the glass still ages.“This leaves us with a mountain of unanswered questions‚” added co-author Prof. Thomas Blochowicz.Does the reversibility come from physical laws that are reversible? How is the material time different in different materials? Does this finding apply to all disordered materials as the team suspects? Those are the questions that future research must now determine the answers to.The study is published in Nature Physics.

It’s hard not to love octopuses – they’re bizarre-looking‚ hugely intelligent‚ and get up to plenty of shenanigans. That makes what happens to them all the more tragic; after the females of some octopus species lay their eggs‚ they stop eating‚ slowly withering away until they die. The trigger of this process‚ known as the death spiral‚ has long puzzled researchers‚ but it seems the answer has now been uncovered.Scientists back in the 1970s had linked the death spiral to the octopus optic gland‚ after surgically removing it led to octopuses continuing to live even after laying eggs. Dr Jerome Wodinsky‚ who carried out the research‚ told the Washington Post at the time that he believed that the process was controlled by a hormone secreted by the optic gland.Fast forward to 2022‚ and it turns out Wodinksy was at least partially right. Researchers with the University of Chicago set to analyzing the chemicals secreted by the maternal octopus optic gland‚ focusing in on cholesterol and sterol hormones. Previous studies by the team suggested these molecules could play a role.The researchers discovered that the optic gland in maternal octopuses experiences a significant shift in cholesterol metabolism‚ leading to equally drastic changes in steroid hormone production. This occurs via three different pathways‚ all of which involve cholesterol in some way and appear to lead to the death spiral behavior.“What's striking is that they go through this progression of changes where they seem to go crazy right before they die‚” said study author Clifton Ragsdale in a statement. “Maybe that's two processes‚ maybe it's three or four. Now‚ we have at least three apparently independent pathways to steroid hormones that could account for the multiplicity of effects that these animals show.”One of these pathways results in increased levels of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC)‚ a precursor molecule to cholesterol. In humans‚ a mutation in the enzyme that’s involved in this conversion leads to a genetic disorder that can involve repetitive self-injury. That makes this finding particularly pertinent‚ as some octopuses display self-mutilation behaviors during their death spiral.While the study provides long-awaited insight into how the death spiral is controlled‚ it remains that this tragic process doesn’t happen in every octopus species. Lead study author Z. Yan Wang is now looking to the optic gland of one such species‚ the lesser Pacific striped octopus‚ to discover why it doesn’t self-destruct after reproduction.“The optic gland exists in all other soft-bodied cephalopods‚ and they have such divergent reproductive strategies‚” said Wang. “It’s such a tiny gland and it’s underappreciated‚ and I think it’s going to be exciting to explore how it contributes to such a great diversity of life history trajectories in cephalopods.”The study is published in Current Biology.

When it comes to the information that we're faced with every day – be that scientific or otherwise – it's not always easy to know what information to trust‚ and which sources are reliable. Fortunately‚ some of the ideas and thought processes that underpin the scientific method can actually help us to navigate the news‚ while also adding to our appreciation of the world around us.To dive into how thinking scientifically can help us better navigate just about everything‚ we traveled to the University of Surrey‚ UK‚ to speak to renowned theoretical physicist and broadcaster Professor Jim Al-Khalili. As the author of The Joy Of Science‚ Al-Khalili has picked up his fair share of tips on how thinking scientifically can help us better live our lives‚ from understanding breaking stories to truly appreciating a good rainbow.      Tell us about The Joy Of ScienceJim Al-Khalili: In a non-religious/spiritual way‚ science adds to our appreciation of the world around us. There's a famous quote by physicist Richard Feynman who argues against the artist who said‚ “I see a flower‚ and I see its beauty. You scientists break it up into its molecules‚” and he says‚ “No‚ I also see the beauty of the flower‚ but a scientific understanding adds to that appreciation.”In the book‚ I talk about the rainbow and how we can all stand and enjoy the beauty of a rainbow‚ but understanding a bit of the science actually makes it even more inspiring. For example‚ no two people standing next to each other see the same rainbow because the raindrop that reflects that color light is reflecting it into your eye‚ not into someone else’s‚ so we all see it differently. There is a joy in understanding science that we can all have‚ you don't have to have many years of training. So‚ it's more than just thinking rationally and logically and sort of Mr Spock‚ cold‚ hard logic. There are ways of doing science that we learn as scientists that we sort of take for granted‚ but I think there are lots of lessons there that could be exported to everyday life.Can a scientific way of thinking help us have more productive disagreements and discussions?JA-K: I hope so. That was partly the motivation for the book. We live in a world where‚ particularly on social media‚ opinions are so polarised. So black and white‚ and people are so certain that they are on the right side of history‚ but the other side also thinks the same thing. In science‚ it isn't black and white. Scientists are people and we want our theories‚ our ideas‚ our experimental data to be correct‚ but we know that if we're wrong‚ we're wrong. We’re going to have to move with it‚ because otherwise we'd be left behind. If only [we could all adopt that] examining of what you believe‚ rather than trying to win the argument at all costs‚ I think that would make for a healthier society.So getting it wrong isn’t such a bad thing?JA-K: It's a strength. It's empowering to be able to admit that you're wrong. You don't hear a politician saying‚ “Sorry‚ I had this particular economic policy that I wanted to implement. I've talked to some people who know more about it than me‚ and I've now changed my mind.” That's seen as a weakness.In science‚ that's a strength because if no one changed their minds‚ if you had a theory that you stuck with‚ regardless‚ we'd never make any progress in science. We would still be thinking what we thought 2‚000 years ago. Being able to admit you’re wrong‚ examining what you believe‚ and reassessing it in the light of new data and new evidence‚ that is the way we progress in science.Why do you think so many of us find it hard to consider we might be wrong?JA-K: It’s uncomfortable to be faced with something that’s contrary to what you believe. Cognitive dissonance is the term‚ it’s a real sense of discomfort [to think] I believe something‚ and then someone presents me with evidence to the contrary. I don’t want to change my mind‚ it’s really hard‚ even with the best will in the world. Prof. Jim Al-Khalili’s top tips for navigating the news with science:It’s important to look under the surface. When you get a bit of information‚ it’s very useful to find out whether it’s a reliable source. Could they have an ulterior motive for pushing a particular view?If you’re having a debate with someone‚ just pause and tell yourself‚ it’s not about winning the argument. So what if you win? Surely it’s more important to get to the truth of the matter.Always be open to examining your own biases‚ and empathize with the other person’s point of view. Admitting you’re wrong doesn’t mean you’re stupid. It’s why Professors have no problem asking the dumbest questions at a science seminar‚ because they aren’t worried about their reputation. Catch the full interview on YouTube.

The bond between a dog and its human is something truly special. It’s a connection that goes beyond words‚ filled with loyalty and love. This story is a testament to that incredible bond. It’s about a German Shepherd named Freyja and her owner‚ who were separated for a heart-wrenching nine months. Imagine the longing and... The post German Shepherd ‘whimpers’ with joy when she reunites with soldier dad after 9 months apart appeared first on Animal Channel.

Welcome to the African savannah‚ a place where charm and playfulness in wildlife come alive. Our story begins with three spirited lion cubs‚ whose youthful energy and cheeky behavior set the stage for an enchanting and insightful look at animal behavior. In the video‚ we’re invited to a rare peek into the world of these... The post Naughty lion cubs melt hearts with the adorable way they ‘annoy’ their daddy appeared first on Animal Channel.

House Republicans are moving to impeachment Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and CNN’s Laura Coates is not happy about it. On her Monday show‚ Coates feigned confusion as she echoed Democratic and DHS sentiments that the whole thing is a “farce” and "you won't find" any justification for it. Coates led off the show by setting the scene‚ “All right‚ you’ve heard this before‚ members of the House are set to mark up two new articles of impeachment tomorrow‚ but this time it’s not for Donald Trump‚ it’s also not for Joe Biden. Instead they are targeting President Biden’s Homeland Security Secretary‚ the man you see right there‚ Alejandro Mayorkas.”     Safe to say‚ Coates is not a fan‚ “And the House Republicans that are accusing him‚ it's because he's not enforcing‚ they say‚ the border laws and he's losing the trust of the American people. You're probably wondering which is the high crime or misdemeanor and like a Law &; Order episode. You probably won't find it tonight. The misdemeanor‚ the high crime‚ and you're not odd for asking the question because‚ of course‚ those are the actual Constitutional standards for impeachment‚ frankly‚ it has been more nebulous over the years.” The consequences of the fact that Democrats cheapened impeachment to satisfy their base in 2019 would make for an interesting discussion‚ but no such segment was forthcoming. Still‚ Coates continued “But I wonder if you feel that would meet the criteria. Well‚ the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee says the articles don't include a shred of evidence. The DHS says it's a farce‚ and legal experts say that this really just boils down to not a legal dispute‚ but a policy dispute.” The evidence is the real-world situation currently occurring at the border. Here is a transcript for the January 28 show: CNN Laura Coates Live 1/28/2024 11:00 PM LAURA COATES: All right‚ you’ve heard this before‚ members of the House are set to mark up two new articles of impeachment tomorrow‚ but this time it’s not for Donald Trump‚ it’s also not for Joe Biden. Instead they are targeting President Biden’s Homeland Security Secretary‚ the man you see right there‚ Alejandro Mayorkas. And the House Republicans that are accusing him‚ it's because he's not enforcing‚ they say‚ the border laws and he's losing the trust of the American people. You're probably wondering which is the high crime or misdemeanor and like a Law &; Order episode. You probably won't find it tonight. The misdemeanor‚ the high crime‚ and you're not odd for asking the question because‚ of course‚ those are the actual Constitutional standards for impeachment‚ frankly‚ it has been more nebulous over the years. But I wonder if you feel that would meet the criteria. Well‚ the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee says the articles don't include a shred of evidence. The DHS says it's a farce‚ and legal experts say that this really just boils down to not a legal dispute‚ but a policy dispute.

We've described Morning Joe as a liberal echo chamber‚ where nary a dissenting voice from the leftist talking points of the day is heard. But things were different today. Yesterday‚ we noted a hawkish Joe Scarborough calling for an aggressive response against Iran for the drone attack that killed three US soldiers and killed dozens of others in Jordan. Joe was back at it today. He took on a cautious Richard Haass‚ president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Morning Joe regular‚ who warned about the consequences of creating a direct conflict with Iran. And then there was Jen Palmieri‚ Obama's former Communications Director and another Morning Joe regular. She gave away the game‚ putting things in bald political terms. Scarborough asked‚ "What's the administration's problem with going in and taking out some of their oil infrastructure?" Responded Palmieri: "Higher gas prices." Scarborough: "I don't care. Dead Americans." Palmieri: "Anytime you're doing anything that's going to mess with oil markets‚ higher gas prices are -- can be an existential threat to a presidency."  Translation: Who cares about defending US military members‚ or our national security? That's all worth sacrificing—in the name of re-electing Joe Biden!  And whatever your position is on the merits‚ Scarborough scored some solid debating points against Haass. When Haass said‚ "we gotta play chess here [with Iran]‚" Scarborough countered‚ "they've already kicked our chessboard over." And when Haass said‚ "There's nothing new about the attack that happened the other day‚" Scarborough riposted: "And that's the problem. There's nothing new with Iran attacking and killing Americans." Touché! 🤺  Here's the transcript. MSNBC Morning Joe 1/30/24  6:09 am ET WILLIE GEIST: What are the options on the table to retaliate here for the president? . . .  RICHARD HAASS: At the high end is going after Iran itself‚ as certain people are calling for it. I understand the argument‚ but that is‚ that would be a major potential escalation.  And it's not just that the United States already has its hands full in the Middle East. We also have our hands full around the world. And we've got to ask ourselves‚ if the entire strategic logic of the last decade or so has been to dial down American involvement in the Middle East‚ to free us up‚ initially‚ to deal with China and North Korea -- JOE SCARBOROUGH: But‚ but‚ but Richard‚ when they're killing Americans‚ when they continue to target Americans‚ when it's always funded by Iran. We're not‚ we're not waiting for Iran to declare war against us. They already have.  And this has been our pose since 1979. No‚ we're not going to go into Iran. We're not going to do this‚ but we'll do that . . . We all keep trying to do deals with Iran. When are we going to make Iran understand that attacking United States soldiers and killing them is just not worth it for them? HAASS: Look‚ Joe‚ there's things we could do against Iran. We could go after ships. We could go after Iranian soldiers. SCARBOROUGH: Why don't we? HAASS: Because again‚ the question is‚ we gotta play chess here. We gotta think several steps ahead. Do we think -- SCARBOROUGH: They've already kicked our chessboard over. HAASS: I don't think so. SCARBOROUGH: They're killing Americans. HAASS: There's nothing new about the attack that happened the other day. SCARBOROUGH: And that's the problem. There's nothing new with Iran attacking and killing Americans. . . .  I'm just wondering‚ what is -- what would the Biden administration's problem be with going in and taking out some of their oil infrastructure? And just sending the message‚ you know‚ keep going‚ it gets a lot worse? JENNIFER PALMIERI: Higher gas prices? SCARBOROUGH: I don't care. Dead Americans? PALMIERI: I think that -- I mean‚ I think‚ well‚ Richard has laid out some of the possible consequences. But anytime you're doing anything that's going to mess with oil markets‚ higher gas prices are -- can be an existential threat to a presidency.

American Petroleum Institute CEO Mike Sommers eviscerated the Biden administration for stealing America’s energy future‚ in more ways than one.  Sommers told CNBC anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin during the Jan. 29 edition of Squawk Box that President Joe Biden’s announcement to abruptly halt liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports was concerning. “As you know‚ investment goes where it's welcome‚ and unfortunately‚ the administration's decision‚ I think‚ is going to push investment away from the United States into other countries‚” Sommers said. “This is a decision that's bad for consumers; it's bad for American national security and it's certainly bad for American allies.” Sommers said the export of liquefied natural gas has helped lower the price of natural gas‚ further raising concerns that the Jan. 26 move to pause liquefied natural gas projects was  a “political decision to appease a part of their political party's base in an election year.” The American Petroleum Institute CEO listed several benefits ignored by the Biden administration such as American “soft power” in regions benefiting from U.S.-produced energy. He also mentioned that LNG lowers the prices Americans have to pay for energy.  When Sorkin tried to give Biden credit for American energy successes‚ Sommers quickly set him straight. Sommers made clear that American production succeeded “despite Biden administration policies‚” but warned that this could not continue forever: “We're going to go through a year‚ for example‚ this year in 2024‚ where we will have zero lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico. We're down in terms of leasing on federal lands by 96%. They've taken over 500‚000 acres offline in the state of Alaska‚ the national petroleum refuge. Most of this new development is actually on private lands‚ not on public lands‚ and unfortunately‚ we still get 25% of American production on public lands and in public waters. So this administration continues to try to tap the brakes on American energy production at a time.”  Sommers hammered this point again in case his warning went unheeded. “We're sowing the seeds for an energy crisis in the future because we're not making those investments here in the United States‚” Sommers mentioned‚ emphasizing that the United States is still benefiting from former energy projects. Conservatives are under attack! Contact ABC News at 818-460-7477‚ CBS News at 212-975-3247 and NBC News at 212-664-6192 and demand they hold Biden and his cronies accountable for attempting to restrict fossil fuel production and Americans’ choices

As fate would have it‚ it fell upon one of CBS’s most ardent anti-Israel reporters‚ correspondent Debora Patta‚ to report on the news of countries pulling funding from UNRWA due to employee involvement in Hamas’ barbaric October 7th attack against Israel. Needless to say‚ the report went exactly as you’d expect. For a brief sampling‚ we want to show you how the report ended- with Patta effectively acting as a Hamas spokesperson‚ and relaying the terror organization’s demands ahead of any ceasefire: DEBORA PATTA: Although nothing has been finalized‚ talks between Israel‚ the U.S.‚ Qatar‚ and Egypt are inching closer towards a deal that provides for an extended a cease-fire in exchange for hostages. But Hamas wants all Israeli troops out of Gaza before any hostages are released. Although the report is supposed to be on the scandal surrounding UNRWA‚ Patta frames it with apologia for the beleaguered agency. But beyond apologia and lamentation‚ not much is said about the scandal at all.  Of the 2 minutes and 15 seconds this report ran‚ only 47 seconds were about the UNRWA scandal‚ and even then only in the broadest of terms. There is no mention of the details of the allegations against the UNRWA workers that participated in Hamas’ attack. There’s the broad disclosure of the allegation of the kidnapping of Israelis by UNRWA workers‚ but no mention of some of the more specific accusations. Per The New York Times: The Israelis described 10 of the employees as members of Hamas‚ the militant group that controlled Gaza at the time of the Oct. 7 attack. Another was said to be affiliated with another militant group‚ Islamic Jihad. Yet seven of the accused were also said to be teachers at UNRWA schools‚ instructing students in subjects like math and Arabic. Two others worked at the schools in other capacities. The remaining three were described as a clerk‚ a social worker and the storeroom manager. The most detailed accusations in the dossier concerned a school counselor from Khan Younis‚ in southern Gaza‚ who is accused of working with his son to abduct a woman from Israel. A social worker from Nuseirat‚ in central Gaza‚ is accused of helping to bring the body of a dead Israeli soldier to Gaza‚ as well as distributing ammunition and coordinating vehicles on the day of the attack. That’s a heck of a lot more than just “kidnappings”‚ and none of that made it into Patta’s report. Instead‚ viewers got a pivot to talk of a ceasefire. And it is at this point that Patta closes out the report by relaying Hamas’ demands. It bears noting that Patta’s video package ran again during CBS Mornings. One wonders how she will report Israel’s scheduled release of the underlying evidence of the UNRWA employees’ atrocities.  Click “expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned report as aired on CBS Evening News on Monday‚ January 29th‚ 2024: NORAH O’DONNELL: We turn now to Israel‚ where a growing list of countries around the world have suspended funding to the U.N. refugee agency for Palestinians. CBS News has obtained an Israeli report that alleges that a group of workers at the aid agency actually took part in the Hamas terror attacks on October 7th. CBS's Deborah Patta has the details from Tel Aviv.  DEBORAH PATTA: Over 2 million people in Gaza rely on the U.N. relief agency and its 13‚000 workers for access to aid. Now amid damning allegations‚ 15 countries and the European Union have suspended their funding. In a document given to the U.N.‚ Israel accuses 12 UNRWA employees of being involved in the October 7 Hamas attack‚ including the kidnapping of Israeli citizens. But they have yet to provide evidence substantiating these claims. The U.N. has fired the workers and launched an internal investigation.  But the suspension of funding could not have come at a worse time. Gaza is on the brink of famine. We want them to release the hostages‚ Samira Hassan told us‚ and stop this war.  It is a cry shared by many of the families of those still being held hostage. Once a hostage herself‚ Clara Marmán was released in November. Her heart‚ she says‚ remains in Gaza where her brother and partner are still captive. She is terrified they could be killed at any moment. "No price is too high for their release‚" she told us.  Including stopping the war for two months? CLARA MARMAN (via an interpreter): Yes. Definitely. PATTA: Although nothing has been finalized‚ talks between Israel‚ the U.S.‚ Qatar‚ and Egypt are inching closer towards a deal that provides for an extended a cease-fire in exchange for hostages. But Hamas wants all Israeli troops out of Gaza before any hostages are released. Norah.  O’DONNELL: Deborah Patta. Thank you.