【推荐1】Four Ideas for Better Sleep

Most teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. But many teens have trouble sleeping. Lack of sleep can affect everything from our emotions to how well we focus on tasks like driving.     1     And it may be linked to weight gain in some people. How can we get the sleep we need? Here are some ideas:

Be active during the day.

You've probably noticed how much running around little kids do — and how soundly they sleep.     2     Physical activity can decrease stress and help people feel more relaxed. Just don't work out too close to bedtime because exercise can wake you up before it slows you down.

Say goodnight to your telephone or TV.

    3     If you can't make your bedroom a tech-free area, at least shut everything down an hour or more before lights out. Nothing says, "Wake up, something's going on!" like the noise of a text of a phone.

Keep a sleep routine (规律).

    4     Creating a set bedtime routine can improve this relaxation effect. So relax yourself every night by reading, listening to music, spending time with a pet, writing in a journal, or doing anything else that relaxes you.

    5    

Stress can cause sleeplessness, so the more you suffer from not sleeping, the greater the risk you'll lie awake staring at the ceiling. Instead of worrying that you won't sleep, remind yourself that you can. Say, “Tonight, I will sleep well” several times during the day. It can also help to practice breathing exercises before bed.

【推荐2】For years, the U. S. has experienced a shortage of registered nurses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that while the number of nurses will increase by 19 percent by 2022, demand will grow faster than supply, and that there will be over one million unfilled nursing jobs by then.

So what's the solution? Robots.

Japan is ahead of the curve when it comes to this trend. Toyohashi University of Technology has developed Terapio, a robotic medical cart that can make hospital rounds, deliver medications and other items, and retrieve records. It follows a specific individual, such as a doctor or nurse, who can use it to record and access patient data. This type of robot will likely be one of the first to be implemented in hospitals because it has fairly minimal patient contact.

Robots capable of social engagement help with loneliness as well as cognitive functioning, but the robot itself doesn't have to engage directly—it can serve as an intermediary for human communication. Telepresence robots such as MantaroBot, Vgo, and Giraff can be controlled through a computer, smartphone, or tablet, allowing family members or doctors to remotely monitor patients or Skype them, often via a screen where the robot's ' face' would be. If you can't get to the nursing home to visit grandma, you can use a telepresence robot to hang out with her. A 2016 study found that users had a "consistently positive attitude" about the Giraff robot's ability to enhance communication and decrease feelings of loneliness.

A robot's appearance affects its ability to successfully interact with humans, which is why the RIKEN-TRI Collaboration Center for Human-Interactive Robot Research decided to develop a robotic nurse that looks like a huge teddy bear. RIBA (Robot for Interactive Body Assistance), also known as ‘Robear', can help patients into and out of wheelchairs and beds with its strong arms.

It's important to note that robotic nurses don't decide courses of treatment or make diagnoses (though robot doctors and surgeons may not be far off). Instead, they perform routine and laborious tasks, freeing nurses up to attend to patients with immediate needs. This is one industry where it seems the integration of robots will lead to collaboration, not replacement.

【推荐1】Have you ever looked at a neighbor or friend who's in roughly the same financial position as you and think, "How can they afford such a big house and expensive vacations they show off on Instagram? How can they afford that private school?" The feeling is mixed with pain and curiosity. And often with a lot of self-blame. "They must be better at managing money than me. What am I doing wrong?"

Undoubtedly most money management can be improved, but that is usually not the cause: when some people seem to be able to afford much more than their income suggests, it is often because they have invisible wealth or debt. Allen, who lives in Washington, knows it well. Over the years, Ms. Allen has watched friends who work like her and have the same number of children spend more generously in almost every way than her family. They spent a lot of money on expanding the house. They went on vacation twice as often as her family, and farther away. They drive better cars. She had a hard time feeling that she and her husband were just not as good at managing their finances. "When we don't know the whole story, we blame ourselves." she said. Then everything fell apart. It turned out that the family lived mainly on debt. They owe more on their house than it is worth and have to sell it. They are now living in a rented apartment. "I do feel relieved," Ms. Allen said. "I guess we didn't do anything wrong."

Of course, not everyone who seems to be spending beyond their means is running out of credit cards "Wealth is even more hidden than income because there are no jobs to associate with," said Professor Conley from Princeton University. "We have-a rough idea of what professors or lawyers earn, but when it comes to household wealth, we have no clue. For example, not only do people want to downplay their inherited wealth or money, but they actively try to hide it," Mr. Conley said.

No doubt some people will laugh at those who compare themselves to their neighbors and suggest that such people focus on their own lives. This makes sense. But like it or not, competitiveness and curiosity are always part of human nature.

【推荐2】As the coronavirus (冠状病毒) outbreak continues, many Americans are fearful of using public transportation. They are also looking for ways to get exercise without going to a gym. So, it may not be surprising that the pandemic (流行病) has led to a major increase in bicycle sales.

In the US, bicycles at big stores have sold out. And small bicycle stores cannot keep up with demand for "family-style" bicycles: the low-cost, easy-to-ride models. "The bicycle industry has seen its biggest sales increase since the oil crisis of the 1970s," said Jay Townley, an industry expert. He compared the sale of bicycles to the rush to buy products like toilet paper at the start of the pandemic.

The rise in bicycle sales is not happening just in the US. Italy has created bicycle paths for the growing number of people who want to avoid public transportation. In London, city officials plan to ban cars from some central roads. Bike shop owners in Manila say the demand is even stronger than what they see at big festivals.

Of course, you can only buy a bicycle if you can find one. In the US, the shortage now means it may take many months to get a bicycle. High demand is not the only reason for the shortage. Many bicycle factories were shut down to stop the spread of COVID-19. The increase in demand for bicycles began in March. In April, the sales of bicycles increased by 200 percent in the US.

Joe Minutolo is the co-owner of Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop in Maine. He said he hoped the increased sales meant a change in the way people think about transportation. "People are having a chance to rethink things," he said. "Maybe well all learn something from this, and something really good will happen."

【推荐3】Counterfeit (假的) medicines are a widespread problem in developing countries. Like other counterfeits, they look like real products. But counterfeit drugs may contain too little or none of the active ingredients of the real thing.

People do not get the medicine they need. And in some cases, counterfeits cause death. Twenty children in Bangladesh died last year after being given acetaminophen (对乙酰氨基酚). The medications contained ingredients that looked, smelled and tasted like the real thing. The medicine was produced by a local drug company that used a dangerous substitute to save money.

The problem of counterfeit medicines is especially serious in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The WHO estimates that up to thirty percent of medicines on sale in many of those countries are counterfeit. The problem is less widespread among industrialized countries. The WHO says counterfeits make up less than one percent of the illegal drug market in countries like the United States, Canada, Japan and New Zealand.

But the agency also says as much as fifty percent of the medicine sold on the Internet is counterfeit.

Much is being done to fight counterfeit drugs. Several companies are developing ways to make counterfeits easier to identify. And there are existing methods, like a machine that can quickly identify chemicals in pills to confirm if the pills are real. Other ideas include things like special tracking codes for drug packages. People could send a text message with the code and get a message back, which proves that what they bought is listed in a database. Some drug makers and other companies put three-dimensional images called holograms (全息图) on their products as a security device.

【推荐1】Distance, just like currency, becomes incomprehensible when it reaches large quantities.

So, when outdoor enthusiast and Midwest Mountaineering employee Elizabeth John says she only hiked the nearly 500 miles of the Colorado Trail over a period of six weeks, don’t let her fool you. That’s like walking from St. Paul to St. Louis—give or take a few dozen miles—plus thousands upon thousands of feet of altitude.

“I’m a gardener, I’m a busy-hands person, but busy feet are just as good,” she explains. “I don’t meditate, but maybe that’s the way I think about it—walking as a way to relax.”

John took childhood hikes in the Boundary Waters and caught her case of busy feet while hiking in Alaska as a teenager. With a background in paddling, mountaineering, and backpacking, she found long-distance hiking rewarding, though exhausting.

Since then, thru-hiking—hiking a long-distance trail(考验，试验) end-to-end in one hiking season—has gotten friendlier to beginners. John has given up 60-pound packs in favor of a lighter modern backpacking equipment. For her 50th birthday, she decided to fly to Spain and walk close to 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago. The Colorado jaunt, her first solo long-distance hike, followed a few years later in 2017.

“Going on a big walk is unreasonable and includes being uncomfortable, wet, hungry, sore, tired, lonely...it’s challenging,” she says. “It’s a leap of faith. But I found the rewards surprising and unexpected, some even waiting for me at home after the trip. There is a rhythm to walking, a physicality and simplicity...a discovery.”

Logging some 4,000 feet of elevation daily, John met many “trail angels” who provided shade, snacks, and sometimes beer at remote points in the wilderness, purely out of the goodness of their hearts. “You’re so excited, because you’re someplace so incredible, and it wasn’t easy to get there,” she says. “There was this moment when you love humanity, and you’re so proud of people for doing it.”

【推荐1】The fact that your hair turns grey because of stress is nothing more than an old wives' tale. It's true that stress isn't good for you, but it's not going to turn you into a silver fox just yet. In fact, the answer comes from the cells in your hair. These are what decide the color and, eventually, the fade to grey.

Most of us start to notice our first grey hairs by the time we hit our thirties. A general rule to go by is that by the age of 50, half of the population will have lost the color in 50 percent of their hair.

But why does it happen? Firstly, we need to understand how hair gets its color.

Your hair is made up of cells called melanocytes (黑色素细胞) which produce pigments (色素) as they grow into the hair fiber. There are two different types of melanins: eumelanins and pheomelanins. The former produces black and brown pigments, while the latter produces red and yellow pigments. The exact amount of these pigments decide whether a person has black, brown, blonde or red hair.

As we age, the ability of the melanocytes to produce more pigments weakens. That's because our hair grows in different periods.

The growing period lasts between three and five years, after which our follicles (毛囊) turn off for about three months to rest and get ready to grow more hairs. This goes round and round and, after a time, our bodies aren't as good at producing new hairs.

Scientists are continuing to try and find ways to prevent greying hair. A team of scientists in France is working to try and stop the melanocytes from being damaged at the end of each hair cycle. They are trying to use a special enzyme (酶) to protect the cells from damage. If successful, it could lead the way for new products that keep our hair full of color for years to come.

【推荐2】Fred Rogers was a curious man, six feet tall and without pretense (虚伪). He liked to pray, to play the piano, to swim, and to write, and he somehow lived in a different world than I did. We became friends for some 20 years, and I made lifelong friends with his wife, Joanne. I remember thinking that it seemed as if Fred had access to another realm (领域) like the way pigeons have some special magnetic compass that helps them find home.

Fred died in 2003, somewhat quickly, of stomach cancer. He was 74. “Just don’t make Fred into a saint (圣人),”   That has become Joanne’s refrain (叠句). 91 now, still full of energy, she lives alone in the same roomy apartment, in the university section of Pittsburgh, that she and Fred moved into after they raised their two boys. Throughout her 50-year marriage to Fred, she wasn’t the type to hang out on the set or attend production meetings. That was Fred’s thing. He had his career, and she had hers as a concert pianist. For decades she toured the country with her college classmate, Jeannine Morrison, as a piano duo; they didn’t retire the performance until 2008.

“If you make him out to be a saint, people might not know how hard he worked,” Joanne said. Disciplined, focused; a perfectionist — an artist. That was the Fred she and the cast and crew knew. “I think people think of Fred as a child-development expert,” David Newell, the actor who played Mr. “Speedy Delivery” McFeely, told me recently. “As a moral example maybe. But as an artist? I don’t think they think of that.” that was the Fred I came to know. Creating, the creative impulse (冲动), and the creative process were our common interests. He wrote or co-wrote all the scripts for the program — all 33 years of it. He wrote the melodies. He wrote the lyrics. He structured a week of programming around a single theme, many of them difficult topics, like war, divorce, or death.

I don’t know that he cared whether people saw him as an artist. He seemed more intent (急切的) that people not see him at all. The focus was always on you. Or children. Or the tiny things. It was hard to see Fred.

I like you just the way you are. One day he told me where that core message came from. His grandfather, Fred Brooks McFeely, who like the rest of the Rogers family lived in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh. “He was a character,” he said. “Oh, a lot of me came from him.”

His grandfather represented a life of risk and adventure, the very things Fred’s boyhood lacked. He was a lonely kid, an only child until he was 11, when his sister came. He was bullied. Here comes Fat Freddie! He was sickly. He had asthma. He was not allowed to play outside by himself. He spent much of his childhood in his bedroom.

He had music, and he had puppets to keep himself amused. He didn’t need much. He was expected to fill his father’s shoes, become his business partner at the brick company. “My dad was pretty much Mr. Latrobe,” he told me. “He worked hard to accomplish all that he did, and I’ve always felt that that was way beyond me. And yet I’m so grateful that he didn’t push me to do the kinds of things that he did or to become a miniature (缩小的) version of him. It certainly would have been miniature.”

Fred wanted to be like his grandfather. “He taught me all kinds of really neat stuff!” he told me. “I remember one day my grandmother and my mother were telling me to get down, or not to climb, and my grandfather said: ‘Let the kid climb on the wall! He’s got to learn to do things for himself!’ I heard that. I will never forget that. What a support that was. He had a lot of stone walls on his place.” “I think it was when I was leaving one time to go home after our time together,” Fred told me, “that my grandfather said to me: ‘You know, you made this day a really special day. Just by being yourself. There’s only one person in the world like you. And I happen to like you just the way you are.”

【推荐3】Any foreigner who has tried to learn Chinese can tell how hard it is to master the tones required to speak and understand. And anyone who has tried to learn to play the violin or other instruments can report similar challenges.

Now researchers have found that people with musical training have an easier time learning Chinese. Writing in the online edition of Nature Neuroscience，researchers from Northwestern University say that both skills draw on the same parts of the brain that help people discover changes in pitch(音调).

One of the study's authors，Nina Kraus，said the findings suggested that studying music “actually tunes our sensory system”.This means that schools that want children to do well in languages should hesitate before cutting music programs，Dr. Kraus said. She said music training might also help children with language problems.

Mandarin(普通话)speakers have been shown to have a more complex encoding(编码) of pitch patterns in their brains than English speakers do. This is because in Mandarin and other Asian languages，pitch plays a central role. A single­syllable word can have several meanings depending on how it is intoned.

For this study，the researchers looked at 20 non­Chinese speaking volunteers，half with no musical background and half who have studied an instrument for at least six years.

As they were shown a movie，the volunteers also heard an audio tape of the Mandarin word “mi” in three of its meanings:squint，bewilder and rice. The researchers recorded activities in their brain stems to see how well they were processing the sounds. Those with a music background showed much more brain activities in response to the Chinese sounds.

The lead author of the study，Patrick C.M.Wong，said it might work both ways. It appears that native speakers of tonal languages may do better at learning instruments.