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paranoidrobot-deactivated201110

Two churches located across the street from each other. At least the Catholics have a sense of humor.

epiphanousandy

paranoidrobot:

LMAO

pwringger

Church SIGN Battle. FIGHT!

neurosciencestuff

(Image caption: Two neurons of the basolateral amygdala. MIT neuroscientists have found that these neurons play a key role in separating information about positive and negative experiences. Credit: Anna Beyeler and Praneeth Namburi)

How the brain processes emotions

Some mental illnesses may stem, in part, from the brain’s inability to correctly assign emotional associations to events. For example, people who are depressed often do not feel happy even when experiencing something that they normally enjoy.

A new study from MIT reveals how two populations of neurons in the brain contribute to this process. The researchers found that these neurons, located in an almond-sized region known as the amygdala, form parallel channels that carry information about pleasant or unpleasant events.

Learning more about how this information is routed and misrouted could shed light on mental illnesses including depression, addiction, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, says Kay Tye, the Whitehead Career Development Assistant Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and a member of MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory.

“I think this project really cuts across specific categorizations of diseases and could be applicable to almost any mental illness,” says Tye, the senior author of the study, which appears in the March 31 online issue of Neuron.

The paper’s lead authors are postdoc Anna Beyeler and graduate student Praneeth Namburi.

Emotional circuits

In a previous study, Tye’s lab identified two populations of neurons involved in processing positive and negative emotions. One of these populations relays information to the nucleus accumbens, which plays a role in learning to seek rewarding experiences, while the other sends input to the centromedial amygdala.

In the new study, the researchers wanted to find out what those neurons actually do as an animal reacts to a frightening or pleasurable stimulus. To do that, they first tagged each population with a light-sensitive protein called channelrhodopsin. In three groups of mice, they labeled cells projecting to the nucleus accumbens, the centromedial amygdala, and a third population that connects to the ventral hippocampus. Tye’s lab has previously shown that the connection to the ventral hippocampus is involved in anxiety.

Tagging the neurons is necessary because the populations that project to different targets are otherwise indistinguishable. “As far as we can tell they’re heavily intermingled,” Tye says. “Unlike some other regions of the brain, there is no topographical separation based on where they go.”

After labeling each cell population, the researchers trained the mice to discriminate between two different sounds, one associated with a reward (sugar water) and the other associated with a bitter taste (quinine). They then recorded electrical activity from each group of neurons as the mice encountered the two stimuli. This technique allows scientists to compare the brain’s anatomy (which neurons are connected to each other) and its physiology (how those neurons respond to environmental input).

The researchers were surprised to find that neurons within each subpopulation did not all respond the same way. Some responded to one cue and some responded to the other, and some responded to both. Some neurons were excited by the cue while others were inhibited.

“The neurons within each projection are very heterogeneous. They don’t all do the same thing,” Tye says.

However, despite these differences, the researchers did find overall patterns for each population. Among the neurons that project to the nucleus accumbens, most were excited by the rewarding stimulus and did not respond to the aversive one. Among neurons that project to the central amygdala, most were excited by the aversive cue but not the rewarding cue. Among neurons that project to the ventral hippocampus, the neurons appeared to be more balanced between responding to the positive and negative cues.

“This is consistent with the previous paper, but we added the actual neural dynamics of the firing and the heterogeneity that was masked by the previous approach of optogenetic manipulation,” Tye says. “The missing piece of that story was what are these neurons actually doing, in real time, when the animal is being presented with stimuli.”

Digging deep

The findings suggest that to fully understand how the brain processes emotions, neuroscientists will have to delve deeper into more specific populations, Tye says.

“Five or 10 years ago, everything was all about specific brain regions. And then in the past four or five years there’s been more focus on specific projections. And now, this study presents a window into the next era, when even specific projections are not specific enough. There’s still heterogeneity even when you subdivide at this level,” she says. “We’ve still got a long way to go in terms of appreciating the full complexities of the brain.”

“Neuroscience is quickly moving beyond the classical idea of ‘one brain region equals one function,’” says Joshua Johansen, a team leader at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan, who was not involved in the research. “This paper represents an important step in this process by showing that within the amygdala, the way distinct populations of cells process information is a critical determinant of how emotional responses arise.”

Another question still remaining is why these different populations are intermingled in the amygdala. One hypothesis is that the cells responding to different inputs need to be able to quickly interact with each other, coordinating responses to an urgent signal, such as an alert that danger is present. “We are exploring the interactions between these different projections, and we think that could be a key to how we so quickly select an appropriate action when we’re presented with a stimulus,” Tye says.

In the long term, the researchers hope their work will lead to new therapies for mental illnesses. “The first step is to define the circuits and then try to go in animal models of these pathologies and see how these circuits are functioning differently. Then we can try to develop strategies to restore them and try to translate that to human patients,” says Beyeler, who is soon starting her own lab at the University of Lausanne to further pursue this line of research.

tripwithwhip

reality

pwringger

Whoa Bruh

himitsusentaiblog

The Evolution of Showa Era Ultra Series Uniforms

I love the Ultraman series. I also love tokusatsu costume design. The Ultraman design in all of it’s incarnations is pretty iconic and you know an Ultra Hero the minute you see one.

The uniforms I REALLY like in the series belong to the military organizations that the Ultra Heroes inevitably become a part of. From the SSSP (Special Science Search Party) of the original all the way up to the UGM (Utility Government Members) of Ultraman 80, the uniforms are never anything but fun even if they get REALLY silly at times.

So, let’s take a look at the Showa era Ultraman Series military uniforms starting with the first, the SSSP uniforms from 1966′s Ultraman (ウルトラマン)!

These are classics, the orange jumpsuit look with the business shirt, the tie and the button-down shoulder flaps. These are the basis for most of the other uniforms seen through the series and set the precedent for orange suits. They also sport my favorite logo, the SSSP comet, or tailed star:

Seriously, I have considered getting this logo as a tattoo, that’s how much I like it!

Although the SSSP Uniforms are classic and a template for the rest, my favorite uniforms in the history of the franchise deviate from them almost completely and those are from the 1967 sequel series UltraSeven (ウルトラセブン) .

The Ultra Garrison of the TDF (Terrestrial Defense Force) have great uniforms, just look at these beauties!

Classic gray with black rubber ribbing from the armpits to the waist, white piping and double belts with holsters. These are VERY nice. They even have really cool helmets. I would also like to mention that all of the women of the SSSP and TDF also get to wear pants, which is kind of rare in Tokusatsu uniforms, especially among military organizations.

The Ultra Series would not have another sequel until 1971, when The Return of Ultraman (帰ってきたウルトラマン) premiered on the Tokyo Broadcasting System. This was a return in more ways then one with a hero who looked almost exactly like the original Ultraman as well as the uniforms for the MAT (Monster Attack Team).

Back to basic orange again though this time without the ties or white fronts and accented with black lines, these are about as simple as the uniforms ever got. The helmets were a bit more elaborate though not gaudy like they would become later:

After the Return, there would be another new Ultra hero in 1972 with the arrival of Ultraman Ace (ウルトラマンA（エース)). Along with him came a new organization to fight monsters and protect the world from alien invasions, the TAC (Terrible Monster Attacking Crew).

Their uniforms, as you can see above, split the difference between the grays of the Ultra Garrison and the orange of the SSSP to create something new and yet familiar. I kind of like these, especially the ones with the added scarf, which really marks them as a product of the 70s.

However, the helmets were starting to get really silly. covered in extra protrusions, antennae and ridges as you can see here:

In 1973, there was yet another Ultra Hero to burst forth from nebula M78, Ultraman Taro ( ウルトラマンT(タロウ)) . Taro became the ally and secret member of ZAT (Zariba of All Territories) which is a really strange name. For a quick definition, A Zariba is a protective enclosure of thorn bushes or stakes surrounding a campsite or village in northeastern Africa. What this has to do with a high-tech organization devoted to fighting monsters, I have no idea aside from the protective aspect.

As for their uniforms… these are, shall we say BUSY:

Not only have we added blue to the mix now but the pattern is all over the place and strange. Plus, I feel REALLY sorry for poor Izumi Moriyama, the sole female member of the team.

Not only is she the first member of an Ultra Team to be forced into the skirt outfit but the chest looks like a target emblazoned on a shield. It’s as if the team is inviting people to shoot her. Add to that what is, up to this point, the most ridiculous helmet in the entire Ultra-Series (look at those fins) and you have a mess of a uniform on this poor woman.

Thing would get slightly better in 1974, when the premiere of Ultraman Leo (ウルトラマンレオ) would bring us the MAC (Monster Attacking Crew) and their retro-future orange uniforms.

Back to the orange and gray of the TAC years though with a different pattern and cut, these uniforms are almost back to the standard I would expect from the series. However, the women are still stuck in skirts and the helmets are ridiculous (sadly I cannot find a good picture of them).

The final live-action Ultra Series of the Showa era, Ultraman 80 (ウルトラマン80) brought us back to some level of sanity and restored pants to the women of the UGM (Utility Government Members) or at least, the ones involved in combat operations.

These were nice orange and silver uniforms, a wonderful throwback to the days of the TAC. They were utilitarian, without the heavy flourishes and extra flare of the previous three series.

For a better look, here is the uniform modeled by UGM officer Emi Jouno:

I like the rather simple, military style helmet with the radio microphone on the side. These are very nice!

Now, should you wish to watch these series, you are in luck!

Both Ultraman and UltraSeven are available on DVD in the US.

Ultraman Leo and Ultraman 80 are currently streaming on Crunchyroll

Sadly, The Return of Ultraman, Ultraman Ace and Ultraman Leo have yet to see the light of day in the US. This may be because of the legal battle over the international distribution rights of the first six series between the original creators, Tsuburaya Productions and the unscrupulous Sampote Sands and his Thai company, Tsuburaya Chaiyo productions, who claim to have the rights (it’s a long story).

However, with new Ultraman series appearing on Crunchyroll regularly, nothing is impossible!

kizunagatari

(Ultraman Taro’s the one locked behind bars not Leo! It’s just a typo, but just letting everyone know!)

pwringger

The Evolution of Showa Era Ultra (Man) Series Uniforms.

cabinsongs

pwringger

It's Lowly Worm!

baruchobramowitz-deactivated201

Behold the most disgustingly aggressive display of Americanness

this-sharknado-loves-you-deacti

I’m just picturing some dude sitting at the dinner table, his assault rifles propped up in the other chairs

“Can you pass the salad, Mom?” he asks the AK-47, but she doesn’t pass the salad

She never passes the salad

bureaubaggins

“Hey Mom, can you pass the salad?”

“You always do this to me, Mom.”

odin-n-out

A masterpiece

boredpanda

15+ Fun Doorstops That Will Make Your Life More Open

mycorrhizall

I turned my frustration with myself into art.

obviousplant

I added this fake health brochure about Donald Trump to a doctor’s waiting room

neurosciencenews

Delaying Age Related Diseases by Keeping Gut Bacteria in Balance

Why do some people remain healthy into their 80s and beyond, while others age faster and suffer serious diseases decades earlier? New research led by UCLA life scientists may produce a new way to answer that question – and an approach that could help delay declines in health.

The research is in Cell Reports. (full open access)

Research: “Distinct Shifts in Microbiota Composition during Drosophila Aging Impair Intestinal Function and Drive Mortality” by Rebecca I. Clark, Anna Salazar, Ryuichi Yamada, Sorel Fitz-Gibbon, Marco Morselli, Jeanette Alcaraz, Anil Rana, Michael Rera, Matteo Pellegrini, William W. Ja, and David W. Walker in Cell Reports doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2015.08.004

Image: When a fruit fly’s intestine begins to leak, its immune response increases substantially and chronically throughout its body. Chronic immune activation is linked with age-related diseases in people as well, Walker said. Credit: Walker et al./Cell Reports.

tastefullyoffensive

pwringger

Whoa. Be careful with that pressure cooker.

ultrafacts

Some filmmakers are now using infrasound to induce fear in audiences. These extreme bass waves or vibrations have a frequency below the range of the human ear.

While we may not be able to hear infrasound, it has been demonstrated to induce anxiety, extreme sorrow, heart palpitations and shivering.

(Fact Source)

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