【推荐1】Rx4 Rhythm is one of the programs offered at the Johns Hopkins Centre for Music and Medicine in Baltimore. The program is the brainchild of Dr Alexander Pantelyat, a violin player. He is also a neurologist (神经科医生) who specializes in movement disorders like Parkinson’s. Applying music therapy (疗法) to movement disorders is relatively new; previously, it was mainly used in cancer treatment. He explains, “Just listening to music activates many regions of the brain at the same time.” Now, a growing body of scientific evidence shows that music can be medicine, too.

One study from the Centre for Music and Medicine followed a choir composed of Parkinson’s patients to learn how singing might impact the speaking voice of those patients. After 12 weeks, the singers’ speaking volumes which often fade as Parkinson’s progresses grew demonstrably stronger. The Rx4 Rhythm drumming circle, meanwhile, came out of a 2015 study that showed that Parkinson’s patients had improved their ability to walk after six weeks of drumming practice.

In a review of 400 research papers looking into the neurochemistry of music, Daniel Levitin, a neuroscientist at McGill University, found that playing and listening to music had clear mental and physical health benefits, including improving our immune systems and reducing stress levels. It can also reduce the pain patients are suffering.

Studies show that music can trigger memories and touch parts of the brain that other mediums cannot. Sometimes music can work like miracle. One day, the nursing team at Toronto’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre asked Sarah, a music therapist, if she could reach out to a patient who was unwilling to engage with staff or be part of any activities. As she started to play one piece of his favorite music on her keyboard, a change came over him. He unfolded his arms, turned towards Black and started to cry. He said through tears. “It was as if the music went places that nothing else could recalls.” He shared afterwards that the music showed up at a moment when it felt like a hug.

【推荐3】A relationship between the amount of adult speech children are exposed to and the concentration of myelin, a substance in the brain, has been found, researchers say.

“I think the take-home message is, absolutely talking to your kids. It’s literally shaping the structure of the brain,” says the lead author, Prof. John P. Spencer of the University of East Anglia.

The team find, for the 30-month-olds, larger amounts of adult speech are associated with higher quantities of myelin in language-related pathways in the brain; however, for the 6-month-olds, it goes the opposite way.

While the latter (后者) is unexpected, Spencer points out one possible factor: the brain’s stage of development.

“When babies are six months old, they experience massive growth of new nerve cells,” he says. “So the input comes in and may help extend the period of brain growth.” “While at 30 months, the brain starts to cut back some of the cell growth, and form specific connections. That’s where myelin comes in. So now the input starts to help structure the myelin,” he adds.

The researchers conclude adult speech is significant for both age groups and that the more adult speech children go through, the more sensitive they will be to language. The next step for them is to figure out whether the 6-month-old babies showing that negative connection will surely turn into 30-month-old kids who show positive relationship.

Dr. Saloni Krishnan, Reader in cognitive neuroscience (认知神经科学) at Royal Holloway, University of London, who is not involved in the work, however, notes individual differences in language ability are linked to genetics. “Children who are exposed to more language at home and have higher myelination will also have inherited genes (经遗传获得的基因) from parents who are more excellent in languages,” she said. “No final conclusion could be made before this potential genetic effect are tested. And yet there being currently no standard around the amount of input children should receive, caregivers should not necessarily feel pressure to talk more to their children.”

【推荐1】Last week, a team of Harvard researchers announced they were on the brink of creating a hybrid woolly mammoth-elephant embryo, the next step on the long road to resurrecting (使复活) the pre-hsitoric creatures. As we move steadily closer to being able to bring extinct species or something, closely resembling them-to life through genetic engineering, some scientists say the technology could prove a valuable, much-needed conservation tool.

But a new economic analysis suggests that bringing back extinct species may detract from, rather than add to, conservation efforts. “Given this atmosphere of a biodiversity crisis and limited resources, we really need to do the best job we possibly can, ” says Joseph Bennett, a biologist at Carleton University in Ottawa and lead author of the study. “If de-extinction represents a gain in biodiversity, that's great. If it represents a Pvrrhic victory in that we could have better spend those resources to save species on their way to extinction, that's essentially a one step forward, two steps back scenario."

The study, published Monday in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, used data from New South Wales, Australia, and New Zealand to consider the cost of sustaining de-extincted populations under two scenarios. In the first scenario, a private agency funds the resurrection of an extinct species, then hands the responsibility of caring for the revived population over to the government. In the second, a private agency pays for the entire project, covering the costs of both resurrection and maintenance.

The results, researchers found, showed no good sign for endangered, living species. Under the first scenario, the cost of maintaining the de-extincted species was taken directly from the governments' already limited conservation budget, resulting in an overall loss for biodiversity: Roughly two species would go extinct for every one resurrected, the team concluded. The second scenario produced a small increase in biodiversity, particularly for species that would require the same conservation tools and techniques already being used to protect endangered animals.

But the greatest hypothetical gains for biodiversity, the study said, came when the money required for de-extinction was instead put toward existing conservation programs for living species. In this scenario, roughly two to eight times more species were saved.

Bennett and his team aren't the first to question whether de-extinction would help or hurt conservation efforts. Other scientists have argued that harnessing the technology to bring back extinct species, or something closely resembling them, could take away momentum from the push to protect endangered animals and give property developers an excuse to build over their natural habitats.

【推荐2】AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas man went next door with a rifle and began shooting his neighbors, killing an 8-year-old and four others inside the house, after the family asked him to stop firing in his yard because they were trying to sleep, authorities said Saturday.

Sheriff Greg Capers said authorities were still searching for the 39-year-old suspect following the night shooting in the town of Cleveland, about 45 miles north of Houston. He said the suspect used an AR-style rifle in the shooting.

Capers said there were 10 people in the house and that no one else was injured. He said two of the victims, believed to be from Honduras, were found laying over two children inside.

“The Honduran ladies that were laying over these children were doing it in such an effort as to protect the child,” Capers said.

The conflict followed family members walking up to the fence and asking the suspect to stop shooting rounds, Capers said. The suspect responded by telling them that it was his property, according to Capers, and that one person in the house got a video of the suspect walking up to the front door with the rifle.

Three of the victims were women and one was a man. Their names were not released. Capers said the victims were between the ages of 8 and about 40 years old.

Authorities have previously been to the suspect’s home, according to Capers. “Police officers have come over and spoke with him about the shooting his gun in the yard,” he said.

Capers said some of those in the house had just moved from Houston earlier in the week, but he did not know whether they were planning to stay there.

The US is setting a record pace for mass killings in 2023. The violence is sparked by a range of motives: murder-suicides and domestic violence; gang revenge ; school shootings and so on. All have taken the lives of four or more people at once since Jan 1.

【推荐3】Parenting styles have evolved over the years in response to the rapid social changes. Whether it is tapping technology or applying the best parenting practices, parents nowadays generally invest more time in finding out how best to raise their child.

Modern parents have access to the internet and social media for ideal parenting advice and tips. There are also numerous parenting groups for different age groups on social media that parents can join. A parent can post questions from how to manage the constant cries of an infant to how to talk to a moody teenager, and chances are, the parent will be flooded instantly with advice and relevant articles. The availability of resources has helped modern parents to be more involved and supportive of their children’s development, academically, emotionally and socially. Modern parents are also keener to find out about effective parenting methods to raise disciplined and confident children.

Meanwhile, one of modern parenting styles, helicopter parenting, arises. When parents become over-involved, over-concerned and over-controlling, they start helping children with what they are capable of on their own, for example, selecting activities and friends for them. Such a parenting style can restrict the children’s ability to handle responsibilities independently. Children might be ill-equipped with life skills such as operating a stove or monitoring their schoolwork. Overprotecting children from failures may also be prevented from developing resilience (韧性) and acquiring skills like problem-solving.

On the other hand, parents in the past tended to supervise (监管) less. Children were given more control over how they managed their schoolwork and the friends they chose to play with. They were often expected to shoulder the responsibilities of caring for younger siblings and managing household chores. Living in the preinternet era, parents were less informed about different parenting approaches and personalities.

There is no one right way to raise a child and there is no need to doubt about the best parenting style. Each child is unique and should be raised differently by parents who are present, but not hovering (盘旋);who are supportive but not controlling; and who protect but not spoil.

【推荐2】Strings of letters have recently been flooding the Chinese Internet. Netizens have embraced the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) personality test, using its distinctive combinations of letters to define and classify themselves and others, sparking the formation of active online communities. Initially designed as a self-assessment tool to outline personality types and preferences, the MBTI has found enormous popularity in China.

The MBTI categorizes individuals using four pairs of characteristics: introversion (I) (内向) or extroversion (E) (外向), sensing (S) or intuition (N), thinking (T) or feeling (F), and judging (J) or perceiving (P). This leads to distinct four-letter combinations, like “ISTJ” or “INFP.” The values “E” and “I” have especially attracted public interest. Those who exhibit extroversion (E) characteristics are now humorously described as outgoing, talkative, wild, and socially skilled. They are often playfully called “social gangsters” due to their strong social skills. In contrast, those with introversion (I) are shown as quiet, reserved, reflective, and socially anxious.

Among the playful teasing, these eight seemingly simple letters have promoted deeper self-awareness and even developed a sense of friendship on social media platforms. Individuals discover their strengths and humorously acknowledge their odd behavior. This newfound self-awareness not only aids in understanding their fundamental values but also offers a way to deal with the common unease that bothers today’s youth. Many find comfort in thinking, “My ongoing anxiety, over-sensitivity, and self-doubt come from being an INFP. Such characteristics are typical for this personality type; thus, I’m perfectly normal.”

Netizens often humorously note: “In everyday life, during social events, I switch between introversion and extroversion. At work, I initially act extroverted but gradually become more introverted. When I see someone I like, I’m extroverted in my head but in reality, I’m all introverted. Haidilao Hotpot restaurants, known for their fancy birthday celebrations, sometimes make customers feel awkward. Their typical birthday song goes, “Say goodbye to all worries, and embrace all joys.” It’s a show meant for the extra-social. So, if an extrovert is invited to such a celebration, they might humorously exclaim, “I can’t take it! I’ve become introverted in the face of even more extroverted individuals.”