Junk Food Has Lasting Effects on the Immune System

Originally shared by Joe Carter

Junk Food Has Lasting Effects on the Immune System

http://www.technologynetworks.com/immunology/news/junk-food-has-lasting-effects-on-the-immune-system-296257
http://www.technologynetworks.com/immunology/news/junk-food-has-lasting-effects-on-the-immune-system-296257

How exercise reduces belly fat in humans

Originally shared by Ward Plunet

How exercise reduces belly fat in humans

_This graphical abstract shows that in abdominally obese people, exercise-mediated loss of visceral adipose tissue mass requires IL-6 receptor signaling. Credit: Wedell-Neergaard, Lehrskov, and Christensen, et al. / Cell Metabolism
Some of you may have made a New Year's resolution to hit the gym to tackle that annoying belly fat. But have you ever wondered how physical activity produces this desired effect? A signaling molecule called interleukin-6 plays a critical role in this process, researchers report December 27 in the journal Cell Metabolism. As expected, a 12-week intervention consisting of bicycle exercise decreased visceral abdominal fat in obese adults. But remarkably, this effect was abolished in participants who were also treated with tocilizumab, a drug that blocks interleukin-6 signaling and is currently approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Moreover, tocilizumab treatment increased cholesterol levels regardless of physical activity. "The take home for the general audience is 'do exercise,'" says first author Anne-Sophie Wedell-Neergaard of the University of Copenhagen. "We all know that exercise promotes better health, and now we also know that regular exercise training reduces abdominal fat mass and thereby potentially also the risk of developing cardio-metabolic diseases." Abdominal fat is associated with an increased risk of not only cardio-metabolic disease, but also cancer, dementia, and all-cause mortality. Physical activity reduces visceral fat tissue, which surrounds internal organs in the abdominal cavity, but the underlying mechanisms have not been clear. Some researchers have proposed that a "fight-or-flight" hormone called epinephrine mediates this effect. But Wedell-Neergaard and co-senior study author Helga Ellingsgaard of the University of Copenhagen suspected that interleukin-6 could also play an important role because it regulates energy metabolism, stimulates the breakdown of fats in healthy people, and is released from skeletal muscle during exercise._
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-12-belly-fat-humans.html

Raindrop; el recolector de agua de lluvia con grifo incorporado y ajustable a tuberías.

Originally shared by Ecoinventos

Raindrop; el recolector de agua de lluvia con grifo incorporado y ajustable a tuberías.
https://ecoinventos.com/raindrop/

A few small glitches marred an otherwise stellar year as SpaceX honed its reusable rocket technology.

Originally shared by WIRED

A few small glitches marred an otherwise stellar year as SpaceX honed its reusable rocket technology. https://wrd.cm/2ETp4oC
https://wrd.cm/2ETp4oC

After the mania comes the grind. https://wrd.cm/2CGywKc

Originally shared by WIRED

After the mania comes the grind. https://wrd.cm/2CGywKc
https://wrd.cm/2CGywKc

The 50 Best Public Datasets for Machine Learning – Data Driven Investor – Medium

https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/the-50-best-public-datasets-for-machine-learning-d80e9f030279

Great news, Webots - a powerful robotic simulator - has just gone full open source!

Great news, Webots - a powerful robotic simulator - has just gone full open source!

#robotics #simulation #opensource #simulators #webots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7U3sX_ubGc&feature=share

A new machine-learning technique mimics the brain’s ability to adapt to new circumstances.

Originally shared by Jodie Jackson

A new machine-learning technique mimics the brain’s ability to adapt to new circumstances.

https://rxscience.org/artificial-intelligence-is-learning-to-keep-learning/
https://rxscience.org/artificial-intelligence-is-learning-to-keep-learning/

Happy Quantum Physics Day, everybody!

Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky

Happy Quantum Physics Day, everybody! December 14th is the day in 1900 Max Planck coined the word "quanta", kicking off what we today know as quantum physics. Without quantum physics, we would be unable to build computers or just about any of our modern electronic technology.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5_V78SWGF0

Parents' Brain Activity Echoes Their Infant's When Playing Together

Originally shared by Neuroscience News

Parents' Brain Activity Echoes Their Infant's When Playing Together

When adults are engaged in joint play together with their infant, their own brains show similar bursts of high-frequency activity.

The research is in PLOS Biology. (full open access)
https://neurosciencenews.com/parent-baby-playing-brain-10343/

"Existing techniques for creating nanostructures are limited in what they can accomplish.

Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky

"Existing techniques for creating nanostructures are limited in what they can accomplish. Etching patterns onto a surface with light can produce 2D nanostructures but doesn't work for 3D structures. It is possible to make 3D nanostructures by gradually adding layers on top of each other, but this process is slow and challenging. And, while methods exist that can directly 3D print nanoscale objects, they are restricted to specialized materials like polymers and plastics, which lack the functional properties necessary for many applications. Furthermore, they can only generate self-supporting structures. (The technique can yield a solid pyramid, for example, but not a linked chain or a hollow sphere.)"

"To overcome these limitations, Edward Boyden, the Y. Eva Tan Professor in Neurotechnology and an associate professor of biological engineering and of brain and cognitive sciences at MIT, and his students decided to adapt a technique that his lab developed a few years ago for high-resolution imaging of brain tissue. This technique, known as expansion microscopy, involves embedding tissue into a hydrogel and then expanding it, allowing for high resolution imaging with a regular microscope. Hundreds of research groups in biology and medicine are now using expansion microscopy, since it enables 3D visualization of cells and tissues with ordinary hardware."

"By reversing this process, the researchers found that they could create large-scale objects embedded in expanded hydrogels and then shrink them to the nanoscale, an approach that they call 'implosion fabrication.'"
http://news.mit.edu/2018/shrink-any-object-nanoscale-1213

Amazon has a clever way to catch package-stealing thieves

Originally shared by David Fuchs
https://qz.com/1495241/amazon-has-a-clever-way-to-catch-package-stealing-thieves/

Should a self-driving car kill the baby or the grandma? Depends on where you’re from.

Originally shared by David Fuchs
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612341/a-global-ethics-study-aims-to-help-ai-solve-the-self-driving-trolley-problem/?utm_medium=tr_social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=tr_subscription.paid.acquisition&utm_content=keyweetraffic&spw=1&kwp_0=1048612#

The Next Great Leap Forward? Combining Robots With the Internet of Things

Originally shared by Singularity Hub

The Next Great Leap Forward? Combining Robots With the Internet of Things
https://suhub.co/2Lj1LFE

It seemed like 2018 was going to be the year when robots made a big leap toward the fabled Rosie from the Jetsons.

Originally shared by WIRED

It seemed like 2018 was going to be the year when robots made a big leap toward the fabled Rosie from the Jetsons. Consumers, though, had other ideas. https://wrd.cm/2S2qi4w
https://wrd.cm/2S2qi4w

Researchers Report Findings From Havana Embassy Phenomenon

Originally shared by Neuroscience News

Researchers Report Findings From Havana Embassy Phenomenon

Researchers present a report of acute symptoms and clinical findings in 25 diplomatic personnel living in the U.S. Embassy in Havana, who experienced severe neurosensory symptoms after exposure to a unique sound and pressure phenomenon.

The research is in Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology. (full open access)
https://neurosciencenews.com/havana-emabssy-report-10330/amp

Your weight history may predict your heart failure risk

Originally shared by Ward Plunet

Your weight history may predict your heart failure risk

In a medical records analysis of information gathered on more than 6,000 people, researchers conclude that simply asking older adult patients about their weight history at ages 20 and 40 could provide real value to clinicians in their efforts to predict patients' future risk of heart failure, heart attacks or strokes.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181212093327.htm

How Bullying Affects the Brain

Originally shared by Neuroscience News

How Bullying Affects the Brain

Research shows there may be physical structural differences in the brains of adolescents who are regularly victimized, and this could increase the chance that they suffer from mental illness.

The research is in Molecular Psychiatry. (full access paywall)
https://neurosciencenews.com/brain-bullying-10331/

I am excited to release our new work as well as our future research platform: The Foldable Drone: a morphing...

Originally shared by Davide Scaramuzza

I am excited to release our new work as well as our future research platform: The Foldable Drone: a morphing quadrotor that can squeeze through gaps, flatten against walls for up-close views, and even grab small objects with rotor arms! The work has just appeared in the IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters. This new drone has four independently rotating arms that fold around the main frame. To guarantee stable flight at all times, we exploit an optimal control strategy that adapts on the fly to the drone morphology. The experiments were performed using only on onboard visual-inertial sensors and compute. No external motion tracking systems and computers were used. This is great work by my students Davide Falanga Kevin Kleber and our EPFL colleagues Stefano Mintchev and Dario Floreano.

Paper: http://rpg.ifi.uzh.ch/docs/RAL18_Falanga.pdf
Full Narrated Video: https://youtu.be/jmKXCdEbF_E

#drones #computervision #robotics #uav #AI
https://youtu.be/jmKXCdEbF_E

I've noticed the same actually.

I've noticed the same actually. Ads appearing on my Facebook wall about topics I've recently talked about but without typing anything about.. And I don't even use the Facebook App on my phone, I only access it via Chrome.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/7960429/is-facebook-phone-app-listening-spying-conversations/

But we don't know if that's a bad thing yet.

Originally shared by Futurism 1.0

But we don't know if that's a bad thing yet.
https://futurism.com/new-research-screen-time-changing-childrens-brains/

Link Between Neonatal Vitamin D Deficiency and Schizophrenia Confirmed

Originally shared by Neuroscience News

Link Between Neonatal Vitamin D Deficiency and Schizophrenia Confirmed

Newborns with vitamin D deficiency have an increased risk of schizophrenia later in life.

The research is in Scientific Reports. (full open access)
https://neurosciencenews.com/vitamin-d-schizophrenia-10309/

Brain Gains for Older Adults Who Start Exercising - No Real Surprise

Originally shared by Danie van der Merwe

Brain Gains for Older Adults Who Start Exercising - No Real Surprise

Beginning an exercise program may help protect older adults' brains or even reverse early mental decline, a small study suggests.

Researchers placed 34 inactive people, aged 61 to 88, on an exercise regimen. It included moderate-intensity walking on a treadmill four times a week for 12 weeks.

On average, heart/lung health improved about 8 percent over that time, the researchers found.

Brain scans also showed an increase in the thickness of the participants' cortex, the outer layer of the brain that typically shrinks with Alzheimer's disease. Those with the greatest improvements in physical fitness had the most growth in the cortex, the University of Maryland researchers found.

The thickening of the cortex occurred in both healthy people and those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an early stage of Alzheimer's disease, the study showed.

The study was published recently in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.

See https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=192174

#alzheimers
https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=192174

A study published in Nature sheds new light on the connection between the gut and the brain, untangling the complex...

Originally shared by Corina Marinescu

A study published in Nature sheds new light on the connection between the gut and the brain, untangling the complex interplay that allows the byproducts of microorganisms living in the gut to influence the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.…
http://myfusimotors.com/2018/12/10/how-the-gut-influences-neurological-disease/

The Verge: When algorithms go wrong we need power to fight back, say researchers.

Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap

The Verge: When algorithms go wrong we need power to fight back, say researchers.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/8/18131745/ai-now-algorithmic-accountability-2018-report-facebook-microsoft-google
https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/8/18131745/ai-now-algorithmic-accountability-2018-report-facebook-microsoft-google

Global CO2 emissions are projected to go up in 2018 by more than 2%.

Originally shared by Manuela Casasoli

Global CO2 emissions are projected to go up in 2018 by more than 2%. In 2017, they increased by 1.6%, having flattened out between 2014 and 2016. The reasons? The use of oil and gas keeps growing, and some countries are still using coal to fuel much of their economic growth.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07585-6?WT.ec_id=NATURE-20181206&utm_source=nature_etoc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20181206&sap-outbound-id=FA5430C5834CDB5363C6E9CA81D1B11F9D793913

Thus, human designers have started seeing their role change: they're increasingly becoming co-designers with a thing...

Originally shared by Gideon Rosenblatt

Thus, human designers have started seeing their role change: they're increasingly becoming co-designers with a thing for a product's entire lifespan.
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2018/12/unite-day2-1/

Performance on exercise test predicts risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer

Originally shared by Ward Plunet

Performance on exercise test predicts risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer

Performance on an exercise test predicts the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other causes, reports a study presented today at EuroEcho-Imaging 2018. Good performance on the test equates to climbing three floors of stairs very fast, or four floors fast, without stopping. The findings underline the importance of fitness for longevity. The study included 12,615 participants with known or suspected coronary artery disease. Participants underwent treadmill exercise echocardiography, in which they were asked to walk or run, gradually increasing the intensity, and continue until exhaustion. Watch a video of the technique here. The test also generates images of the heart to check its function. During a median 4.7-year follow-up, there were 1,253 cardiovascular deaths, 670 cancer deaths, and 650 deaths from other causes. After adjusting for age, sex, and other factors that could potentially influence the relationship, each MET (metabolic equivalent) achieved was independently associated with 9%, 9%, and 4% lower risks of cardiovascular death, cancer death, and other causes of death during follow-up. The death rate from cardiovascular disease was nearly three times higher in participants with poor compared to good functional capacity (3.2% versus 1.2%, p<0.001). Non-cardiovascular and non-cancer deaths were also nearly three-fold higher in those with poor compared to good functional capacity (1.7% versus 0.6%, p<0.001). Cancer deaths were almost double in participants with poor compared to good functional capacity (1.5% versus 0.8%, p<0.001).
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-12-death-cardiovascular-disease-cancer.html

"Reduction of nurse burnout is the primary mission of Moxi, a nurse assistant robot with social intelligence that...

Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky

"Reduction of nurse burnout is the primary mission of Moxi, a nurse assistant robot with social intelligence that started trials at hospitals in Texas in September."

"In its first month of operations shadowing nurses and understanding their daily workflow, Moxi has learned to take away soiled linen and bring fresh sheets, plus deliver the handful of supplies every patient needs." "The robot also makes sure there's water next to the bed."

"Josh Tippy, a nurse manager in the neurology unit at Texas Health Dallas, was surprised that many things Moxi did happened without them realizing it, because the robot operated primarily at night and in off-hours when there are fewer people in the building -- but also fewer nurses."
https://venturebeat.com/2018/11/26/what-moxi-the-robot-is-learning-from-nurses-in-texas/

Therapies that Target the Aging Processes are in Human Trials Now

Originally shared by Transhumanity Now

Therapies that Target the Aging Processes are in Human Trials Now

These are three examples of a new generation of medicine that is being developed and could dramatically change the way we think about and treat age-related diseases. There are other therapies currently being developed that address the various reasons we age, and these therapies are in different preclinical and clinical stages.
https://www.leafscience.org/target-aging/?fbclid=IwAR0CRYodnT9GfAFD-7Yd3nRhxl4yOK01c5FPHeOf0rlD9tpGaBQ61-0tLGQ

Axios: Robots or humans: the choice for companies.

Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap

Axios: Robots or humans: the choice for companies.
https://www.axios.com/robots-or-humans-choice-for-companies-66bbccb3-1ab0-4ff8-956d-1a9a7f3370d4.html

'Over the coming years, the workplace in the U.S. and other advanced economies will see increased automation, and corporate leaders will face a stark choice: whether to keep humans in the mix or let them go. And if it's the former, to what degree?

What’s happening: A wave of studies and corporate PR campaigns argue that there is nothing to fear from artificial intelligence and robots — they will operate to enhance human labor, not to replace it. But Ravin Jesuthasan, author of "Reinventing Jobs," says that will only be the case if the bulk of companies decide to use AI and robots that way — a decision that hasn't been made yet. ...'
https://www.axios.com/robots-or-humans-choice-for-companies-66bbccb3-1ab0-4ff8-956d-1a9a7f3370d4.html

Antibodies have been engineered to recognize diverse strains of influenza, including both the A and B types of virus...

Originally shared by Manuela Casasoli

Antibodies have been engineered to recognize diverse strains of influenza, including both the A and B types of virus that cause human epidemics. Are we moving closer to achieving ‘universal’ protection against all flu strains?

Laursen et al. (2018) Universal protection against influenza infection by a multidomain antibody to influenza hemagglutinin: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/362/6414/598
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07654-w

Extraordinary living chandelier with algae-filled leaves purifies the air

Originally shared by Susan Jahn
https://inhabitat.com/extraordinary-living-chandelier-with-algae-filled-leaves-purifies-the-air/

https://soranews24.com/2018/11/29/cafe-opens-in-tokyo-staffed-by-robots-controlled-by-paralyzed-people/ #Avatar

Originally shared by Polynomial -C

https://soranews24.com/2018/11/29/cafe-opens-in-tokyo-staffed-by-robots-controlled-by-paralyzed-people/
#Avatar

Teslarati: Scientists develop “soft valve” to enable human flesh-like robots.

Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap

Teslarati: Scientists develop “soft valve” to enable human flesh-like robots.
https://www.teslarati.com/robot-soft-valve-human-flesh-grip/
https://www.teslarati.com/robot-soft-valve-human-flesh-grip/

How to concoct (and remember!) an insanely secure password

https://mashable.com/video/how-to-remember-passwords/#nhYixdQmqNOJ

Maybe this could be a good option if Google doesn't offer something similar?

Maybe this could be a good option if Google doesn't offer something similar?

Originally shared by Friends+Me

Hi Everyone,

We've just released Google+ Exporter, an application that helps you to export your Google+ feeds (profile, pages, collections, communities, including all comments) to Wordpress eXtended RSS file.

Another available option is to export all posts published to profile, pages, collections, and communities to JSON file, including all comments!

Transform exported JSON data can into imports for other services, or you can use JSON export as a full generic backup of your posts.

The free version of the application enables you to export up to 3000 posts. You can buy a license key to get unlimited experience.

I would love to know your opinion, suggestions or requests. Thank you!

You can find more detailed info in the blog post https://blog.friendsplus.me/export-google-plus-feeds-45926c925891

UPDATE: release 1.0.5:

Downloadable from https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jkaut9054xzwd1e/AAAkXT7j7I8qi7ryMJqBx0oxa?dl=0&lst=

What's new:
* fixed posts comments download. We recommend re-downloading all feeds to fetch missing comments.
* fixed message compilation for WP export
* WP export now with comments
* export collections and communities separately
* configurable exports, pick whether you want to export private posts and comments

#GooglePlusRefugees #GooglePlus #Google+ #DataLiberation #DataExport
https://blog.friendsplus.me/export-google-plus-feeds-45926c925891

First #Orkut, now #Google+.

First #Orkut, now #Google+.. both great #SocialNetworks from #Google.. no other platform really replaced all functionalities from Orkut and I doubt it will with Google+. No idea where I'm gonna go.. back to #Twitter (@jessy_meyer)? which until last year I thought was dead.. Maybe if Google+ just sticked around it could also resurrect one day.. We need someone from +Google to combine Orkut and the original Google+ to create a new #SocialNetwork asap..

Originally shared by Danie van der Merwe

Google+ now to shut down in April instead of August 2019 - Talk about rubbing salt in the wound!

So most Google+ users have not yet found a suitable alternative judging by constant information exchanges I'm seeing (and I gained another 15,000 followers on G+ in the last two months). This is probably just going to upset users even more now and I've also seen quite a few now rather disillusioned about testing any new Google products out where it means building up data and having to abandon it (not the same say for switching Android keyboards where there may not be so much investment). Most users already left Facebook and have been quite vocal about not moving to Facebook. Seems MeWe and Pluspora have both grown tremendously from the G+ announcement already.

In the light of additional API issues that Google has had, and it throwing the towel in on consumer G+ versus sticking it out like Facebook does, it won't bode well in future for any new social network Google wants to establish. As it is I did not move my photos from Flickr to Google Photos and decided to go for my own hosted service that I fully control.

So there you have it - we have a bit over 4 months of Google+ left... My evenings are probably going to be a lot quieter as I don't have nearly as much interaction across MeWe, my anonymous Facebook Page, Diaspora, Minds, Friendica, Huubzilla, Mastodon, and my own blog all rolled together. Yes G+ has produced the most interesting and challenging interactions every single day with numerous followers.

Well, the sunset is now in sight... much sooner than we expected... One has to wonder how long enterprise Google+ will continue?

See Google's announcement at https://www.blog.google/technology/safety-security/expediting-changes-google-plus/

#google+ #socialnetworks
https://www.blog.google/technology/safety-security/expediting-changes-google-plus/

Wow, shocked.

Wow, shocked.. #Google+ is closing down.. It's all #Google's fault, it started with so much potential.. it was a great platform, but the updates just made it worse.. Unbelievable how Google has great technology and just lets them go to waste.. pretty sad. RIP #GooglePlus, you shall meet #GoogleWave soon..
https://mashable.com/article/google-will-kill-google-plus-in-april-2019/#u6_Hq0pe3.Oc

The brain requires nutrients just like your heart, lungs or muscles do.

Originally shared by Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook

The brain requires nutrients just like your heart, lungs or muscles do. But which foods are particularly important to keep our grey matter happy and healthy?

Here are 5 choices you can make today for better brain health.

https://health-zone.org/5-foods-to-eat-for-better-brain-health/
https://health-zone.org/5-foods-to-eat-for-better-brain-health/