#rowans personal reference library

[rowanmystic]

Researchers of the Department of Ethology at Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary, discovered striking similarities and differences in how dog and human brains process visual information about others. The study was published in The Journal of Neuroscience on the 5th of October, 2020.    

Faces are central to visual communication in humans, who possess a dedicated neural network for face processing. Although dogs also pay attention to faces, excel at eye contact and at reading facial emotion, they also rely on additional bodily signals to communicate.                                             

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-dog-human-brains-differently.html

[rowanmystic]

There is no perfect diet that works for every metabolism or body type.

There is no such thing as a healthy diet that will work for everyone. People respond to food in such idiosyncratic ways that everybody needs a personalised eating plan, according to results from a study that looked at the effects of genetics, the microbiome and lifestyle factors on metabolism.

The study fed 1102 healthy people identical meals for two weeks and measured their metabolic responses. These varied wildly, with up to tenfold differences, meaning that a healthy diet for one person could be unhealthy for another. “Everyone reacts differently to identical foods,” says Tim Spector at King’s College London.

Article from the New Scientist: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2246056-there-is-no-perfect-diet-that-works-for-every-metabolism-or-body-type

Journal reference: Nature Medicine, DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-0934-0

[rowanmystic]

Why autism and invention are intimately related

The prehistoric cognitive revolution that saw an explosion of inventions was driven by a new, pattern-seeking network in the brain – and that’s highly correlated with autism today, says researcher Simon Baron-Cohen writing in the New Scientist. 

Autisic Talent: “ On average, autistic people outperform non-autistic people on tests of pattern recognition and mechanical reasoning. This link between autistic traits, autism diagnosis and systemising appears to be genetic. Parents of autistic children are over-represented in STEM, and show superior pattern-recognition skills.

“ All of these associations are compelling, but to truly pin down the link between autism and systemising we conducted another large-scale, genetic association study. Sure enough, there was an overlap between the common genetic variants associated with autism and those associated with hyper-systemising. It was 26 per cent. That means that some of the genes for autism aren’t just coding for autism, but also for talent at systemising. “

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24833113-700-simon-baron-cohen-why-autism-and-invention-are-intimately-related/

[rowanmystic]

Emotional labour is exhausting: Burn out: the emotional toll of being a politician revealed            

This article on The Conversation is looking at UK politicians but the results are true for everyone and for those of us who have to mask all day, everyday just to be accepted in society they are especially pertinent. 

The article’s closing paragraph states:

A health warning

Emotional labour is exhausting. It demands that employees suppress their own personal identity to accommodate others. It is not surprising, therefore, that false-face acting was associated with burnout among the politicians in this study.

Read in full: https://theconversation.com/burn-out-the-emotional-toll-of-being-a-politician-revealed-146323

[rowanmystic]

Pandemic warnings from the New Scientist 

Virologists have been warning about the threat of pandemics for decades. One lab in Wuhan, China, had even been tracking the very virus that spawned covid-19 for 15 years. So why was the world so unprepared? Of course, we cannot react to every potential threat, but we can learn lessons from what went wrong this time. And, now that we know the cost of a failure to act, measures required to reduce the risk of another pandemic look like a bargain.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24733001-000-the-covid-19-pandemic-was-predicted-heres-how-to-stop-the-next-one/

[rowanmystic]

Big dogs face more joint problems if neutered early

Study provides guidance on best age to neuter mixed breeds by weight

Heavier mixed-breed dogs have higher health risks if neutered or spayed early, according to a new study from researchers at the University of California, Davis. The study found mixed-breed dogs weighing more than 44 pounds (19kg) as adults are at higher risk for one or more joint disorders if neutered before 1 year of age. Dogs weighing up to 43 pounds had no increased risk for joint problems. The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

Source: Science Daily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200813162809.htm

[rowanmystic]

Monotropism: The Most Accurate Autism Theory You’ve Probably Never Heard Of from the blog autistic and unapologetic

Full post: https://autisticandunapologetic.com/2020/07/26/monotropism-the-most-accurate-autism-theory-youve-probably-never-heard-of/

In practice, this theory might not seem so revolutionary, as explanations of autism have often included mentions of ‘obsessive tendencies’ but, what makes this idea so progressive, is that it addresses the baffling contradictory nature of many other autism quirks, for example:

Q: Why do autistic people seem dismissive of the feelings of some but over empathise with others? A: We always can emphasise, it’s just that sometimes we’re a little too distracted to notice that we should.

Q: Why are autistic people quiet as a mouse one moment but loud as an elephant the next? A: It depends on whether we’re talking about something we love or something we couldn’t care less about

Q: Why do autistic people seem to have a very high pain tolerance but then suddenly can be knocked down with a feather? A: Our minds are capable of blocking out any intrusion (even danger) but, when it’s right in front of us, it’s all we can think about.

Q: Why are autistic people so incredible at knowing the ins and outs of specific subjects but then struggle in other areas, like money management? A: Once again, we’re probably just not that interested in the other topics (although given that the finance industry is full of autists, it’s best not to make this assumption in the first place).

[rowanmystic]

From the SkeptVet:  More Good News on CBD and Canine Arthritis

Conclusion:

While this is a small study, and no single trial is sufficient to make a definitive judgment, this is good quality evidence which is consistent with other existing studies, and it strengthens the case for CBD as a potential treatment in dogs with arthritis. All of the usual caveats apply- this doesn’t support any of the hundreds of other claims for CBD; many over-the-counter CBD products have uncertain ingredients and poor quality control, so even if CBD has real benefits they may not be seen with poorly regulated products; there is stronger evidence for the benefits and potential risks of NSAIDs, and these are still a first-line treatment for arthritis in appropriate cases, along with weight management and other existing strategies. On the whole, though, the evidence is getting better and better, and the value of CBD for dogs with arthritis seems likely to be quite high.

Source: https://skeptvet.com/Blog/2020/07/more-good-news-on-cbd-and-canine-arthritis/