【推荐2】Now, the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has approved two drugs that may slow the cognitive decline destroying the lives of millions of Alzheimer’s patients.

But both approvals are highly controversial. They were only based on the drugs’ ability to remove plaques (斑块), which were thought to be the underlying cause of the disease. Also, the drugs are expensive, can cause adverse side effects, and may have modest benefits. Some experts argue that the treatment benefits don’t clearly outweigh the risks.

For years, getting rid of plaques has been the primary focus of researches and drug development. But the approvals have aroused a debate over whether this is the best way to attack the disease. Many scientists note that the result so far is just two drugs with limited efficiency, and they have called for far more funding to look for other theories.

The drug the FDA approved last week, known as Lecanemab, is the first to show evidence of slowing cognitive decline in clinical trials. The other drug, known as Aducanumab, was shown to remove plaques, but was not proven to arrest the loss of cognitive ability. But Lecanemab’s promise has been clouded by the death of three patients in an extension of the study.

Matthew Schrag, a neurologist, thinks that the benefits are modest at best. The researchers used an 18-point clinical dementia rating scale to assess a patient’s memory and problem solving skills among other aspects of cognitive and functional performance; the higher the score, the worse the dementia. Those on Lecanemab scored 1.21 whereas those taking the placebo(安慰剂) averaged 1.66, which shows that those taking the drug experienced 27 percent less cognitive decline.

“The question is whether the average patient in a clinic would notice that benefit,” Schrag says. “I don’t think they would.” More importantly, it’s the drug’s safety that concerns him. “I think we’re just beginning to see the tip of the iceberg with the risks.” Schrag and others are not convinced they are central to delaying or arresting disease progression.

【推荐3】Most of us trust our doctors even when they hand us a prescription for a drug we can’t pronounce. But natural, holistic (整体的) products are fully in vogue nowadays, and the Internet has created a way for non-experts to become as or more informed as their general practitioner when it comes to obscure treatment methods. “People are now more willing to take their health and wellness into their own hands,” says Danielle Hardee, a wellness advocate for Do TERRA International.

Oddly enough, until fairly recently, Hardee was not one of those people. Her first experience with essential oils came in treating her pet bulldog. After seeking suggestions for the sickly pet on Facebook, a fellow fosterer told Hardee about certain oils she could try applying to the animal’s skin. Pairing her curiosity with healthy skepticism, Hardee dove deep into researching the safety of the oils. “I was very happy with everything I found,” she says. “I started not just using them on the foster dog, but also our son, who needed the benefits of the respiratory support.” While the dog’s recovery was soon apparent, the benefits for her son were almost immediate.

The oils in question are considered “essential” not due to any proven vitality, but because they contain the essence of the plants from which they are extracted. Peppermint, lavender and citruses are among the most common on the market today, but numerous essential oils have been in use for several centuries.

After seeing how beneficial the concentrated liquids were to both the two-legged and four-legged members of her family, Hardee soon found herself teaching essential oil classes. “It became something I felt so strongly about, I had to share it,” she says. The classes quickly grew in size and geographical span and Hardee soon became an advocate for doTERRA International, a natural nutrition and wellness company.

As growing popularity pushes essential oils into the broader market, Hardee recommends curious customers proceed with caution concerning quality and purity. Hardee believes the effects of quality oils will be the evidence that helps them prevail. “I’m not a holistic health guru (专家),” she emphasizes. “I’m just seeing it with my own eyes.”

【推荐3】Snowfall is a rare treat in Mianyang, and therefore, many people have little direct experience with it. However, there are many strange facts about snow,     1    .

    2     Because snow is made up of 90 to 95% trapped air, it has a way of protecting people—and animals—from freezing temperatures. That’s why animals bury themselves deep in the snow to spend the winter.     3    , which depends on when it falls and what state it happens to be in. Freshly-fallen snow absorbs sound waves, which makes an environment seem hushed and quiet. On the other hand, if snow melts and refreezes, the ice that is formed can reflect sound waves, making one’s voice travel further and sound much clearer.

It is commonly known that the Inuit people of Northern Canada have 50 words for describing snow in its various states. However, what is not so commonly known is that the Scottish language has over 400 snow-related terms. Among the more interesting words are skelf, which means large snowflakes.

    4    . It’s almost transparent. Due to the fact that snowflakes have many sides, any light hitting them scatters in many directions. This diffuses (漫反射) the entire color spectrum (光谱), making snow appear to be white. Dust, pollution, and even algae can affect snow color,     5    .