Washington [US], October 12 (ANI): Published in the journal 'Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences' (PNAS), a new study found links between social disadvantages and fetal brain development.
Researchers examined 289 healthy newborns from socially diverse families in the United States using diffusion MRI scans shortly after birth. The analysis revealed that prenatal exposure to measures of social disadvantage was associated with altered microstructure of white matter in frontolimbic pathways of the brain that are important for socioemotional development. Early life adversity (social disadvantage and psychosocial stressors) is associated with altered microstructure in fronto-limbic pathways important for socioemotional development.
Understanding when these associations begin to emerge may inform the timing and design of preventative interventions. In this longitudinal study, 399 mothers were oversampled for low income and completed social background measures during pregnancy.
Measures were analyzed with structural equation analysis resulting in two latent factors: social disadvantage (education, insurance status, income-to-needs ratio [INR], neighborhood deprivation, and nutrition) and psychosocial stress (depression, stress, life events, and racial discrimination). At birth, 289 healthy term-born neonates underwent a diffusion MRI (dMRI) scan.
Mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were measured for the dorsal and inferior cingulum bundle (CB), uncinate, and fornix using probabilistic tractography in FSL. Social disadvantage and psychosocial stress were fitted to dMRI parameters using regression models adjusted for infant postmenstrual age at scan and sex. Social disadvantage, but not psychosocial stress, was independently associated with lower MD in the bilateral inferior CB and left uncinate, right fornix, and lower MD and higher FA in the right dorsal CB.
Results persisted after accounting for maternal medical morbidities and prenatal drug exposure.
In moderation analysis, psychosocial stress was associated with lower MD in the left inferior CB among the lower-to-higher socioeconomic status (SES) (INR >= 200 per cent) group, but not the extremely low SES (INR < 200 per cent) group. Increasing access to social welfare programs that reduce the burden of social disadvantage and related psychosocial stressors may be an important target to protect fetal brain development in fronto-limbic pathways. (ANI)

New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) As India rolls out 5G in a phased manner starting with key metro cities, Apple on Wednesday said that 5G on its iPhones in the country will be made available in December.

In a statement to IANS, the tech giant said it is working with its carrier partners in India to create the best 5G experience for iPhone users.

"We are working with our carrier partners in India to bring the best 5G experience to iPhone users as soon as network validation and testing for quality and performance is completed," the company told IANS.

"5G will be enabled via a software update and will start rolling out to iPhone users in December," Apple added.

Those using iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone 12 and iPhone SE (third generation) models will get an upcoming software update on 5G.

Apple does extensive testing with carrier partners to ensure a great experience for iPhone users.

iPhone offers users super-fast downloads and uploads, better streaming, and real-time connectivity with 5G to help them stay in touch, share, and enjoy content.

The support for 5G on iPhone has now extended to over 250 carrier partners in over 70 markets around the world, with expanded support for standalone networks.

Meanwhile, with 5G services having been launched in the country earlier this month, the government convened a meeting of handset manufacturers and telecom service providers to ensure a smooth transition towards the new technology.

Prioritising software upgrade would enable early adoption of 5G in India.

Airtel and Jio have rolled out their 5G services in key metros in a phased manner.

 Washington [US], October 11 (ANI): With insect numbers declining, experts at the University of Wyoming found that insects are still causing unprecedented harm to plants.
The first-of-its-kind study compares insect herbivore damage of modern-era plants with that of fossilized leaves from as far back as the late Cretaceous period, nearly 67 million years ago. The research and the findings at the University were published in the journal: 'Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences'. "Our work bridges the gap between those who use fossils to study plant-insect interactions over deep time and those who study such interactions in a modern context with fresh leaf material," says lead researcher, UW PhD graduate Lauren Azevedo-Schmidt, now a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Maine.
"The difference in insect damage between the modern era and the fossilized record is striking," -Schmidt added.
Azevedo-Schmidt conducted the research along with UW Department of Botany and Department of Geology and Geophysics Professor Ellen Currano, and Assistant Professor Emily Meineke of the University of California-Davis.
The study examined fossilized leaves with insect feeding damage from the Late Cretaceous through the Pleistocene era, a little over 2 million years ago, and compared them with leaves collected by Azevedo-Schmidt from three modern forests. The detailed research looked at different types of damage caused by insects, finding marked increases in all recent damage compared to the fossil record.
"Our results demonstrate that plants in the modern era are experiencing unprecedented levels of insect damage, despite widespread insect declines," wrote the scientists, who suggest that the disparity can be explained by human activity.
More research is necessary to determine the precise causes of increased insect damage to plants, but the scientists say a warming climate, urbanization and the introduction of invasive species likely have had a major impact.
"We hypothesize that humans have influenced (insect) damage frequencies and diversities within modern forests, with the most human impact occurring after the Industrial Revolution," the researchers wrote. "Consistent with this hypothesis, herbarium specimens from the early 2000s were 23 per cent more likely to have insect damage than specimens collected in the early 1900s, a pattern that has been linked to climate warming."
But climate change doesn't fully explain the increase in insect damage, they say.
"This research suggests that the strength of human influence on plant-insect interactions is not controlled by climate change alone but, rather, the way in which humans interact with the terrestrial landscape," the researchers concluded. (ANI)

 Washington [US], October 10 (ANI): American tech giant Apple, within the next couple of years, is preparing to adopt USB-C charging across its line of AirPods and Mac accessories.
According to The Verge, a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggest this shift of the company from its lightning cables. It comes as the European Union looks to mandate USB-C charging on new smartphones, tablets, and headphones released in the region in late 2024. While the legislation still hasn't yet been signed into law, it received approval from the European Parliament last week.
Gurman believes that in order to comply with the rules Apple might bring USB-C to the next-gen AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods by 2024.
Meanwhile Mac accessories, including the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad could make the switch to USB-C as soon as next year.
With a refresh for the new iMac and Mac Pro due next year, their release typically "coincides with accessory updates," reported The Verge.
Gurman says "it's a safe bet that those accessories will move to USB-C in their next incarnation." He similarly believes Apple will swap over its AirPods before the EU's legislation goes into effect.
Earlier this year, a report from Gurman suggested that Apple has already started testing USB-C charging on its iPhones, but they probably would not land on devices until 2023 "at the earliest."
Gurman reiterates this belief in this most recent Power On newsletter, once again adding that he thinks Apple will add a USB-C charging port to the iPhone 15, as well as to the entry-level iPad expected to release by the end of this year.
As per The Verge, even if Apple does make the transition to using USB-C, Gurman expects its presence on Apple devices to be short-lived as according to him Apple will eventually bring inductive charging to the iPhone and iPad to get around the legislation, as it doesn't apply to devices that don't support wired charging. (ANI)

 Washington [US], (ANI): A new study shows how development disrupts deer movements, resulting in the animals losing their ability to match their foraging with the wave of the most-nutritious springtime plants.

That is, in effect, the new discovery of a collaborative study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the University of Wyoming, which quantified how mule deer miss out on forage when energy development disrupts their migration corridors.

“Mule deer are known for how precisely they match their movements with spring green-up, so this result was particularly striking,” says lead author Ellen Aikens, a UW Ph.D. graduate now with the USGS South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. “The gas wells caused them to let the best food of the year slip away from them.”

The paper “Industrial energy development decouples ungulate migration from the green wave” appears today (Thursday) in the leading science journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Each spring, in the American West, mule deer migrate to follow the green-up of plants as they sprout at different elevations. Biologists term this “surfing the green wave.” Mule deer rely on this surfing behaviour to find the youngest and most nutritious plants that allow them to recover from winter and put on fat for the next lean season.

However, the new study shows how development disrupts deer movements, resulting in deer losing their ability to match their foraging with the wave of the most-nutritious springtime plants.

The 14-year study followed a herd of migratory mule deer that winters in sagebrush basins and summers in the Sierra Madre Mountains, about 15 miles southwest of Rawlins.

Over the study period, dozens of new wells were drilled for coalbed methane extraction in the middle of an existing mule deer corridor. The long-term movement data allowed for a before-after comparison of the effects of expanding development on mule deer movements.

Previous research by the team had detailed how mule deer behaviours shifted in response to the new gas wells, causing them to detour, speed through the well pads and stop-over less to forage.

For the new study, the team analyzed the deer movements — alongside daily changes in spring green-up estimated from remote satellite imagery — to measure how well the deer surfed along the corridor, upstream and downstream from the energy development, and over the 14-year period.

“The deer movements in response to the gas field were unmistakable,” Aikens says.

As development intensity increased over time, the deer began to “hold up” when they reached the natural gas wells. They paused their spring migration and let the wave of green vegetation pass them by, becoming decoupled from their best food resources at a crucial time of the year.

Overall, the wells resulted in a 38.65 percent reduction in green-wave surfing through time.

There was no evidence that mule deer acclimatized to development and associated increases in human presence, truck traffic and noise. Small- and large-scale developments altered green-wave surfing behavior to a similar degree.

The study will help wildlife managers understand how intact corridors must be to retain their ecological functionality. In this case, deer were still able to move through the gas field, but a key function of the migration corridor — to track the green wave all along the route at the ideal stage of plant growth — was lost.

The finding is important because, if migratory ungulates can’t maximize foraging, it will reduce the overall benefit of migration, which is often the most profitable strategy for ungulates as diverse as mule deer in Wyoming, caribou in the Arctic or antelope chasing rains across the African plains. The study is a cautionary tale, providing a clear mechanism of how development within corridors can reduce the benefits of migratory behavior, ultimately resulting in loss of migration and population declines on highly impacted landscapes.

The researchers hope the findings can help provide a way forward for sustaining mule deer migrations.

“The impact is quite clear, but also points to conservation solutions that will allow us to retain viable migrations for generations to come,” says co-author Matt Kauffman, of the USGS Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at UW. “Once migrations have been mapped, development can be planned in a way that minimizes the disruptions to migrating herds, whether in Wyoming, the American West or wherever landscapes are rapidly changing.”

Additional co-authors of the paper include Teal Wyckoff, of The Nature Conservancy, and Hall Sawyer, of Western EcoSystems Technology Inc.

The work is timely, as numerous state and federal initiatives have been implemented over the last five years in the U.S. to map migration corridors and reduce impacts to them. In Wyoming, state wildlife managers have long sought to map and conserve migration corridors, now guided by state policy. Globally, efforts are underway to map the world’s ungulate migrations for use in conservation and development planning.

“This new research provides the most convincing case, so far, that efforts to minimize development within migration corridors will benefit their long-term persistence amid changing landscapes,” Kauffman says. (ANI)

 Washington [US], (ANI): Instant messaging and calling service WhatsApp premium subscription service has not officially launched yet; however it is now available for beta users.

According to GSM Arena, this means that only the WhatsApp beta program members can access the Premium menu, where all the extra features reside.

The smartwatch continuously monitor unusually high or low heart rates in the background, which could be signs of a serious underlying condition.

Worldwide, heart disease and strokes are among the leading causes of death. Of course, regular exercising improves nearly every aspect of one’s health. A company that has been pointing people in the right direction by motivating us to exercise is Apple with its Watch series. It has been a great year for Apple as it has introduced three smartwatches — Apple Watch SE (2022), Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra, the last one has the potential to be a game changer for anyone into endurance sports.

The Apple Watch is taking a similar trajectory as the iPhone, which encourages people to take photographs; with the Watch, wearers are encouraged to take fitness seriously. World Heart Day comes once a year (was on September 29) but it’s necessary to take heart health seriously through the year. Here we look at some of the features on the Apple Watch that can help you.

Few things to remember

Apple Watch highlights quite a few health-related parameters but serious health concerns need to be examined by doctors. Over time, Apple Watch has alerted users around the world of potential signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib), and helped many more establish everyday habits to keep their heart healthy over the long term. The company and its CEO Tim Cook receives letters from people around the world as to how the Apple Watch has helped them. To get the maximum out of the Apple Watch, dive into the Health app on the iPhone.

विज्ञान एक ऐसी विद्या या ज्ञान है  जहा संसार में  उपस्थित हर वस्तु  या घटना के बारे में जानने का प्रयास किया जाता है और इन वस्तु और घटना के पीछे मुख्य रूप से  3 सवालों क्या ,क्यों और कैसे का जवाब ढको खोज की जाती है या खोजने का प्रयास किया जाता है। इसकी अनेक शाखाएं है और कई नई शाखाओं  का जन्म होते रहता है जिससे यह क्षेत्र और जुड़ा विस्तृत और समृद्ध होते जा रहा है। यह एक प्रकार से हम कह सकते है की विज्ञान मानव को जिज्ञासा का परिणाम है और मानव ने अपनी जिज्ञासा को शांत करने के लिए क्या क्या कार्य किए है इनके बारे में हम विज्ञान विषय के अंतर्गत अध्ययन करते है। इस विषय , क्षेत्र में हर जगह के लोगो चाहे वे भारत के हो या अफ्रीका , यूरोप , अमेरिका या अन्य जगह के हो सभी ने योगदान दिया है। पश्चिम देशों के योगदान के बारे में तो सभी जानते है। इस लेख में हम भारतीय विज्ञान के बारे में , विज्ञान में भारतीय वैज्ञानिकों की उपलब्धियों और उनके योगदान के बारे में जानने का प्रयास करेंगे।

 Geneva, September 30

Cholera cases have surged this year, especially in places of poverty and conflict, with outbreaks reported in 26 countries and fatality rates rising sharply, a World Health Organization official said on Friday.

In a typical year, fewer than 20 countries report outbreaks of the disease which is spread by the ingestion of contaminated food or water and can cause acute diarrhoea.

"After years of declining numbers, we are seeing a very worrying upsurge of cholera outbreaks around the globe over the past year," Philippe Barboza, WHO Team Lead for Cholera, told a press briefing in Geneva.

The average fatality rate so far this year has almost tripled compared with the five-year average and is currently around 3% in Africa, he added.

While most of those affected will have mild or no symptoms, cholera can kill within hours if untreated.

A cholera outbreak in Syria has already killed at least 33 people, posing a danger across the frontlines of the country's 11-year-long war and stirring fears in crowded camps for the displaced.

Barboza also expressed concern about outbreaks in the Horn of Africa and parts of Asia, including Pakistan, where some regions are flooded.

He said only a few million doses of vaccines were available for use before the end of this year, citing a shortage of manufacturers among the problems.

WHO maintains an emergency stockpile of cholera vaccines.

"So it's very clear that we do not have enough vaccine to respond to both acute outbreaks and even less to be able to implement preventive vaccination campaigns that could be a way to reduce the risk for many countries," he said.

There was no overall estimate of the number of cholera cases across the world because of differences in countries' surveillance systems, he said. Reuters

 Mansa, September 30

Expired medicines are allegedly being sold at a Mansa-based private hospital after altering dates on strips. A video clip of the incident has gone viral on social media platforms and remained a talking point among residents of the district on Friday.

An employee of the hospital can be seen “tampering” with wrappers of medicines in the clip. The Civil Surgeon has ordered a probe and sought a report from senior health department officials.

Gurlabh Singh Mahal, an activist and complainant, said: “The veracity of the video must be ascertained and if any wrongdoing is found on the part of hospital, strict action must be taken. Selling expired medicines can snuff life out of any patient. Those who want to mint money at the expense of people’s lives must not be spared.”

Dr Ranjit Singh Rai, Civil Surgeon (officiating), Mansa, said: “I have ordered a probe and a team of senior health department officials has been constituted. As per preliminary investigation, a few medicines of expired date apart from other medicines were found, which have been seized by the Health Department. Our team has also taken samples of medicines and sent these for examination. Further action will be taken after the report arrives.”