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Ive tried dozens of multivitamins over the years: everything from the cheap generic grocery store brands to expensive options designed to aid in achieving specific health goals. For the most part, I havent noticed much of a difference when taking the vitamins, though I feel sluggish when I dont take any multivitamin.

However, when I recently tried Rootine vitamins, it was a bit different. I felt a little sharper mentally and physically. And in the month I tried Rootine, my health was excellent. I didnt experience any noticeable sickness or illness. Whether or not these observations can be attributed to the vitamin, I cant say. But based on my experience, Rootine is a unique multivitamin worth checking out.

Before we explore my experiences with this multivitamin, I need to provide a few disclaimers: First, this review is based on my opinion this is not a scientific review of the vitamin. Our health editor has looked at the research, and there is a lack of evidence affirming Rootines claims that a DNA test can provide a beneficial multivitamin.

Additionally, before taking supplements, its always a good idea to check with your healthcare professional first to determine if the supplement is right for you. And lastly, be careful to keep these vitamins out of reach of children.

Rootine is different from other multivitamins because the company creates a custom multivitamin based on your lifestyle, health history, and a DNA test.

To get my custom-made vitamin pack, I first answered an 18-question lifestyle quiz. This includes questions like:

The quiz takes about 10 minutes. You then enter your contact information so Rootine can send you a DNA test kit. If you already have DNA test results from 23andMe, Ancestry, or similar services, you can simply upload your genetic data, and Rootine will analyze it. This is much faster (one or two days) than doing a DNA test from scratch. You can also upload blood panel results from a health care professional to provide even more data to help Rootine craft a custom multivitamin.

I chose to submit my DNA via Rootines kit. With the kit, you swab out your mouth first thing in the morning. You then send it back to them in the postage-paid box. Collecting the DNA samples takes about 15 minutes.

Six weeks after I mailed the DNA test back, I received my first month of vitamins.

Rootine is a subscription service. So after the initial quiz and DNA test, you receive 30 packs of vitamins each month for $60 per month. Each pack is filled with microbeads that youre supposed to take with a meal each morning.

Printed on the box containing my packs were the supplement facts and ingredients. Though the numbers will vary based on your personal profile, my packs each had at least 100% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin C, vitamin D3, vitamin E, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, folate, iron, zinc, and selenium. There were also significant amounts of fiber (5g), calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, alpha-lipoic acid, CoQ10, MSM, and phytosterol.

When you access your Rootine account, you can see why your multivitamin contains the nutrients it does. For example, my vitamin has 506 mg calcium, which is higher than most because Rootine determined my lifestyle and genes warranted an elevated dose. My profile also shows me what the vitamins are intended for. For instance, as the most abundant mineral in the body, calcium is needed for strong, healthy, bones.

Rootine was co-founded by Dr. Daniel Wallerstorfer, who is a leading genetic scientist and has more than a decade of experience building genetics and nutrient labs.

I had the opportunity to ask him about Rootine over email, and he gave me a long list of examples for why taking DNA, lifestyle, and blood nutrient levels into consideration is important when choosing a multivitamin. We dont have room to cover all of them in this review, and theres an easy-to-understand explanation here, but here are a few ways a custom-made vitamin could be advantageous for you, according to Dr. Wallerstorfer:

I liked that there were no megadoses of any of the vitamins or minerals. At the most extreme, my vitamin C dose was 182% the RDA. Though there is no specific definition of megadose, its usually used to describe taking many times the recommended amount.

You need to follow the directions for how to ingest the microbeads. I figured Id just toss them in a bottle of water and drink them. This was a mistake. I had trouble getting the beads down my gullet. They would stick to the water bottle and the crevasses between my teeth. You need to put them in a thicker substance that doesnt need chewing. A thick smoothie might work okay (add after blending) or you might sprinkle it on top of yogurt. My favorite method for swallowing the beads was to pour a little at a time directly onto my tongue this takes some practice and take a swig of water.

I found the microbeads annoying, but they may be a nice option if you have trouble swallowing large multivitamins. Also, Rootine co-founder Rachel Sanders told me the design ensures the best quality product and optimal delivery for vitamins and minerals. She added, The innovative slow-release microbeads deliver a customized dosage of vitamins into your bloodstream throughout the day, which is aligned with how the human body would absorb nutrients from food.

The DNA test was a little bit of a pain. Youre supposed to swab out your mouth first thing in the morning before you eat or drink anything. I need espresso to exist and down shots almost before I even open my eyes. It took some real trickery to derail my normal routine to do the DNA test.

Once I sent the test back, it seemed like there was a huge window six weeks before I finally got my vitamins. Fortunately, they told me this would be the case ahead of time and sent updates throughout the process. Plus, you only have to do the test once before the vitamins arrive like clockwork. You might also consider skipping the DNA test altogether since the efficacy of it is questionable.

After the long customization process and once I got the hang of the microbeads, I found Rootine to be an outstanding multivitamin that, based on my opinion, kept my health on track even when my eating was less than exemplary. But is it worth the $2 a day price tag?

Most multivitamins take a one-size-fits-all approach, which is great if youve done your research and can determine that the supplement has exactly what you need. If you are in the dark and want to get the vitamins and minerals you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle, it might be worth spending the money to get a supplement designed for you. Also, if you find that you take a cocktail of supplements in the morning, it might be worth it to consolidate into one catch-all pack.

If after reading all of the above you decide Rootine is not for you, you might consider some of the options in our guides to the best womens multivitamins and mens multivitamins.

However, if you can afford it, I strongly recommend trying Rootine. You cant beat a multivitamin that attempts to take your lifestyle and genetics into consideration to keep you healthier.

Pros: Customized multivitamins, microbeads may be easier for users to swallow than the usual large pills, vegetarian/vegan, no megadosing

Cons: Expensive, long lead-up time if doing the DNA test, swallowing the microbeads takes some practice

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I tried a customized multivitamin subscription that took into consideration my DNA and lifestyle heres how it works and how I felt after taking it -...

This is part 2 of a 4-part investigation of the science surrounding the chemical BPA and the U.S. regulatory push to discredit independent evidence of harm while favoring pro-industry science despite significant shortcomings.

PULLMAN, Wash.Tiny pink lab mice disappear then quickly reappear again from within a cage's hardwood chip bedding. The squirmy newborns are part of Patricia Hunt's latest series of experiments on the health impacts of industrial chemicals widely found in products we all use.

Here, in a dim basement at Washington State University, where metal shelves are stacked high with rows of plastic cages, Hunt has made multiple discoveries that call into question claims made by U.S. federal regulators about the safety of one of those chemicals: bisphenol A, or BPA.

Virtually all of us have tiny amounts of it in our blood and bodies at least two millionths of a gram per liter of blood, the equivalent of about 14 pinches of table salt in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The Food and Drug Administration maintains that the chemical, known to mimic and mess with natural hormones, poses no real health threat at such levels.

Hunt's results say otherwise. Since being among the first scientists to report on the harmful effects of BPA on mice in 2003, Hunt has further identified genetic abnormalities, fertility problems and other health impacts in animals at very low doses.

We encounter the chemical every day in food and beverage cans, plastic packaging and cash register receipts. And it doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon: The global BPA market is predicted to surpass $30 billion by the mid 2020s. "I'd like to vote the bisphenols off the planet. But that's not likely to happen," Hunt later tells me in an upstairs room flanked with microscopes used to view tissues from the mice. "The more immediate goal should be to change the way we do toxicity testing for these types of chemicals."

Her findingsand those of othershave implications far beyond BPA to the hundreds of other chemicals capable of wreaking similar havoc on our hormones.

Discoveries in Hunt's lab also hint at how an evaluation of a chemical can easily conclude that it is safe even if it may cause harm. Twice now, Hunt has found BPA or one of its equally troublesome replacements, such as bisphenol S, coursing through the bodies of her control mice animals not intentionally dosed with a chemical in her experiments. The source: those plastic cages housing the mice.

Natural wear and tear of Hunt's cages and, more recently, potential cross-contamination in a shared wash area from another facility's damaged plastic cages, likely led to tiny amounts of the chemicals getting into the animals. She has had similar misadventures with contamination from phytoestrogen-laden mice chow, wildfire smoke and cleaning products. Such unplanned exposures could dilute differences in health outcomes between a study's experimental and control animals, making it difficult to detect if a chemical truly poses a health risk and, ultimately, making it all the easier for hazardous things to continue finding their way into our bodies.

Both times Hunt found bisphenol contamination, she essentially lost her experiment. "It was a whole lot of dj vu all over again," said Hunt, who is in her mid-60s, her face framed by rimless glasses, cropped gray hair and small hoop earrings.

Hunt's repeated frustrations point to just one of the myriad ways a study's design, implementation, analysis, interpretation and presentation can diminish, obscure or even totally hide any true health effects of a chemical. The risk of such oversights may be especially high for BPA and other chemicals that interfere with the action of hormones in the body, a class called endocrine disruptors.

An investigation by Environmental Health News suggests that an ongoing multimillion-dollar project called Consortium Linking Academic and Regulatory Insights on BPA Toxicity, or Clarity, includes a number of these potentially harm-hiding elements. Launched in 2012 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP), Clarity combines a traditional regulatory toxicology study from the government and investigational studies from academics who wield more modern techniques. The goal is to reconcile a long-standing dispute over data and conclusions on BPA's health effects. But it's bigger than BPAthe collaboration aims to determine if the study methods used by government regulators are sufficient to determine the safety of the hundreds of chemicals suspected of being endocrine disruptors. The implications could reverberate through the entire U.S. chemical regulatory structure.

FDA officials continue to claim that concerns over low-dose effects of BPA are unfounded; academic scientists continue to publish studies that underscore risks such as altered brain development, cancer and diabetes.

Through interviews and emails obtained via Freedom of Information Act requests, EHN has uncovered various signs of deficiencies in the FDA's science on BPA and its handling of Clarity. While each sign alone could be considered a red flag, viewed as a whole, they suggest that the FDA is missing some big warning signs about BPA and, therefore, likely misleading the public about its safety.

Some of these signs can be traced back to before the study began. For example, evidence of BPA contamination emerged during a preliminary Clarity study. If the animals in the main Clarity study had been contaminated, that would dilute any true differences between exposed and unexposed groups. And during the study's design, the FDA insisted on using a specific type of rat that had been shown to be insensitive to the effects of estrogen and its mimics, including BPA. Michael Hansen, a senior scientist for Consumer Reports, compared using this rat to operating a radar gun that doesn't detect speeds under 100 mph and then concluding that no one is speeding. "It is almost as though they were trying not to find differences," Hansen told EHN.

Other potential red flags popped up during the course of the study, such as the small number of animals provided to some of the academic scientists also limiting their ability to detect differences and a public statement on BPA's safety made by the FDA before all the data was in.

"Is it total incompetence or fraud? I don't know their thinking. But neither choice is pleasant, and it represents the waste of about $15 million in public funding," Pete Myers, CEO and chief scientist of Environmental Health Sciences, told EHN. (Editor's note: Myers is also the founder of Environmental Health News, though the publication is editorially independent.)

An integrated report that pulls together government and academic findings is in preparation and expected by the end of 2019. Eight of the 14 academic investigators have so far published 14 papers based on their findings in a scattering of different peer-reviewed journals such as Endocrinology and Toxicological Sciences. Many found health effects in rats exposed to very low levels of BPA. "There isn't one big publication coming out with the academics' results," Gail Prins, a researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Clarity investigator, told EHN. "I'm afraid that significant findings across academic studies are going to be buried."

Federal regulators have also now published their part of Clarity, one big publication known as the Clarity Core Study that was widely publicized. Their results, too, reveal some effects at low doses. Yet they again concluded in their report and in the accompanying press that exposing rodents to BPA did not result in health effects at the low doses to which people are generally exposed.

"I think that a lot of this is failure by design," Laura Vandenberg, an environmental health researcher at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst's School of Public Health and who was not involved in Clarity, told EHN.

The lab of Cheryl Rosenfeld, a biologist at the University of Missouri and another Clarity investigator. (Credit: Cheryl Rosenfeld)

Ila has just returned from her first puppy training class as I arrive at Hunt's home in Moscow, Idaho. Labradoodles are known to have a lot of energy, and Ila's bouncy greeting of this newcomer corroborated that reputation. Hunt tells me she is surprised Ila has yet to hurdle the childproof gate that separates the mudroom from the dining room. "I keep thinking she could hop over it so easily, but she just never does," says Hunt.

Other dog breeds may be calmer, but Hunt and her husband had good reason to go with a labradoodle: The breed sheds less fur and other allergy-triggering substances than other breeds. "We had a lab once before and the hair was everywhere, and our allergies were terrible," she says. Sure enough, I made it out of her house without any of Ila's dark brown fur.

Like dogs, lab animals can be diverse in their behavior and biology.

To determine the impact of a chemical, scientists track various changes, called endpoints, in an animal such as organ weight, tumor development, changes in behavior or insulin levels. Different strains of different rodents are often used in different studies. Hunt and many others who investigate the impacts of hormones and hormone mimics often opt for strains of mice. For one, the animals can be more practical they eat less and take up less space than rats. Certain strains of mice are also known to be particularly sensitive to hormone changes.

"If your animal model can't respond to your experimental manipulation, then you can never determine if the manipulation does anything, ever," Scott Belcher, a biologist at North Carolina State University, and a Clarity investigator, told EHN.

Belcher, too, tends to use mice in his studies of impacts on the heart. "Rats and mice aren't the same things," he said.

The FDA's go-to animals for chemical toxicity testing are Sprague-Dawley rats bred at the FDA's National Center for Toxicological Research in Jefferson, Arkansas. These were the animals chosen for Clarity, despite objections from some academic investigators. The rats have long been used in government regulatory studies, and they have long been known to have low sensitivity to BPA.

Jerry Heindel, the health scientist administrator at NIEHS when Clarity was initiated, noted one particularly unusual characteristic of the rats. "Estrogen stimulates puberty in a female animal. You can generally make puberty come up two, three days earlier by giving an animal extra estrogen," he told EHN. "But in this animal, you can't." A couple days early is relatively significant for an animal that, on average, hits puberty at 38 days.

"So some endpoints are going to be insensitive or much less sensitive. There's no getting around that," said Heindel. (The FDA did not respond when asked about the choice of study animal.)

Of course, animal studies all have their limitations. The only way to be relatively sure of a chemical's effect in humans would be to study the effect of that chemical in humans. In a first-of-its-kind study published in 2018, researchers exposed a small group of people to a very small amount of BPA and saw a link to a precursor of type 2 diabetes. The researchers first lowered participants' BPA levels and then brought those levels back up to the normal range. (Myers was an author on the paper.) Still, to knowingly expose people to something suspected of being harmful can raise some ethical concerns. Epidemiological studies do the next best thing they take advantage of the natural experiment currently underway by estimating levels of exposure and health outcomes in people and then determining if and how the measures might be related.

In his epidemiological studies, John Meeker, an environmental health scientist at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, has uncovered evidence that BPA may alter circulating levels of hormones and birth outcomes. He laments how regulators have remained reliant on animal toxicology studies. "We need more harmonization of animal and human research in the regulatory setting," he told EHN.

Both research methods have their place. Toxicology studies allow scientists to directly compare exposed and unexposed animals, control the experimental environment and precisely measure outcomes. Meeker noted that his epidemiological findings do not always match up with toxicology studies. "When they do match up, it gives you more confidence," he said. "When they don't, it could be due to chance in human studies or due to species differences in their responses to exposure."

Thomas Zoeller, a biologist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and Clarity investigator in his lab. (Credit: Umass.edu)

Thomas Zoeller, a biologist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, suggested such species differences resulted in what he called "unprecedented" findings in his Clarity study. "This is a very odd strain of animal," he told EHN.

For a century, explained Zoeller, researchers including himself have studied the impact of thyroid hormone insufficiency on brain development in animal models. "Nobody sees a lack of effect," he said. Zoeller treated some of his Clarity rats with a medication used for hyperthyroidism, propylthiouracil, that suppresses thyroid activity. And while it did succeed in altering thyroid hormone levels, as expected, the brains of his rats appeared almost unfazed.

"The data that we have show that these animals are different," added Zoeller. "They may just be different with respect to the thyroid system. But I doubt that." He suggested that because the strain was selectively bred to be prolific breeders over many generations, other changes likely accompanied the increased fecundity.

The impact of species differences can go both ways, explained Patrick McKnight, a measurement scientist at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Using a model animal that is overly sensitive to the agent of interest can artificially inflate the size of an effect, he told EHN.

Still, Linda Birnbaum, former director of the NIEHS and the NTP, shared the academics' concerns. "When we started this study, I remember having nightmares thinking, 'What happens if we don't find anything?' Because we really didn't have much data on using this strain of rat and BPA," she told EHN. "In retrospect, if I were to do this study again, I probably would've done it in mice and I probably would've used a strain which had been reported to have clear effects."

Vandenberg added her worries. "Why are we using this strain to test all chemicals if we now have evidence that it is not the right strain?" she added. "Have we made a mistake on everything?"

Linda Birnbaum, former director of the NIEHS and the NTP, speaking at Northeastern University's Our Environment, Our Health event in 2016. (Credit: Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University)

Even when assuming a chosen animal is a reasonable model to test a chemical of interest, the next critical factor for a successful study is enlisting a large enough number of those animals to detect health effects if there are effects to be detected. The more animals, the more so-called statistical power a study has to reveal the true effects of a chemical.

Prins believes that the FDA shortchanged her on animal numbers. She had determined prior to the study that she would need at least 18 animals per treatment group to have adequate power to detect differences between the groups. Yet for one of her treatment groups she received just four animals. "When you get that number of animals, you can't get a significant effect," Prins told EHN. "I would go out on a limb and say this was done intentionally."

In a 2008 federal review of the evidence on BPA, the FDA excluded a study of hers from their risk assessment because, in part, her study didn't include enough animals. That FDA assessment, which ended up relying on just two studies both funded by industry restated the agency's stance that BPA is safe.

"The FDA wants to tell a story," said Prins. "They want to tell the story that BPA is fine. And it's not."

Another Clarity researcher, Jodi Flaws, struggled with a similar power problem in her Clarity research. She ended up with just three animals in one of her treatment groups, Flaws told EHN, because the tissue sent to her by the government was not collected on the same day of the animals' menstrual cycle a critical detail that she had requested.

Her team still managed to publish a paper with their results, which indicated that BPA exposure at some doses altered hormone production and the number of developing eggs in female rats. But she told EHN that the small number of animals underpowered them to see the stronger results in Clarity that they had seen in their prior studies.

"There was no way to make sense of anything," said Flaws, who studies genetic and environmental factors that affect the female reproductive system at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (The FDA did not respond to a question regarding the number of study animals provided some researchers.)

John Bucher, a senior scientist with NTP and NIEHS, and one of the Clarity leads, acknowledged this shortcoming of Clarity. "We recognize that some of the investigators didn't get as many samples as they would have liked. And that's regrettable," he told EHN. "This was an enormously complicated study and we tried to accommodate as many requests as possible.... We probably overpromised."

On Hunt's office wall in Pullman hangs a framed quilt made by the Sarum Quilters of Salisbury, England. The primary-color design depicts the DNA double helix, genes, eggs and sperm that have been the primary characters in her 40-plus years of research. Other genetics references fill the room there is the thick blue Dictionary of Genetics, and the half-moon table braced by arms and a back that are shaped as x and y chromosomes.

Human-made chemicals only began to take center stage in the latter half of Hunt's research career. In fact, before 1998, Hunt knew nothing about BPA. She was simply investigating at the time how hormonal changes in mice might affect the quality of a female's eggs. Then, some unexpected data began to emerge: Abnormal eggs appeared in both her experimental and control animals. "We knew we had a problem," said Hunt, wearing a dog-fur-free blue long-sleeve t-shirt and dark blue jeans, along with a multi-colored stone pendant. "It took me a month to track down what was going on."

At first, she suspected everything from construction project debris to pesticides sprayed nearby. Then she took a closer look at the plastic cages. As they were repeatedly washed and autoclaved, she could see that the cages were starting to degrade. Across the street from her lab was the university's polymer sciences building. She recalled running over to those scientists and learning from them that BPA was likely leaching out of her cages.

While some health effects of BPA were already suspected by the late 1990s, impacts on female eggs and, therefore, potentially increased risks of miscarriages and birth defects were not yet among them. Hunt spent the next three years confirming her data. Today, female reproductive problems are included with the published risks associated with BPA exposure. Hunt has continued to investigate how BPA and other endocrine disruptors might further affect genes and reproduction. And, while not a participating scientist, she is also keeping a close eye on Clarity.

In emails and PowerPoint slides obtained by EHN, FDA scientists acknowledged as far back as July 2013 that contamination occurred in a study done to determine Clarity's feasibility. During this preliminary study, which was carried out at the same facility that later housed the animals used in the large-scale Clarity study, tests had revealed that BPA levels in control rats were similar to those in the four lowest exposure groups.

That's a problem: Endocrine disruptors, like natural hormones themselves, can impact the body at extremely low levels. So, unintentionally exposing controls to a tiny dose of a chemical may result in those animals showing similar effects as experimental animals intentionally exposed. In a comparison of health effects between the control and experimental animals, any true differences between the groups would be diluted.

In January 2014, Barry Delclos, a biochemical toxicologist with the FDA, wrote in an email that, while data from the preliminary study revealed "the potential for significant effects in the low BPA dose range," the BPA contamination "confounds the interpretation of the changes observed in the lowest BPA exposure groups."

Marianna Naum, an FDA spokesperson, told EHN in an email that data suggesting contamination of the control rats might have been due to "the housing of the animals in the same room as animals treated with high BPA doses." Although Naum also noted that the agency has still not confirmed the source of contamination, and that it remains unclear to what extent any contamination might have affected the rats in Clarity. Still, the government's Core Study report asserts that contamination was not an issue.

Heather Patisaul, a professor of biology at North Carolina State University and a Clarity investigator. (Credit: NCSU)

"The fact is, they don't know where the contamination came from and they don't know if the Clarity controls were contaminated," said Zoeller. "They didn't measure it."

"If you can't ferret it out, it's like shooting yourself in the head before you even start the study," added Hunt.

Birnbaum expressed little concern about that potential contamination. "When we deal with environmental chemicals, almost everyone or every animal has some exposure," she said. "Control doesn't have to mean zero it means you know what you have and it is lower than the intentionally exposed."

Hunt still maintained that contamination with an endocrine-disrupting chemical could derail a study. "If you have contamination, you don't have a control. There's no way around it," she said. "It puts a shadow over the whole thing."

It was unlikely a pleasant experience to be a Clarity rat. Every day, while restrained, a lab technician stuck a tube down its throat and into its stomach to deliver a solution. For the experimental animals, the solution contained BPA. For the controls, it either contained a dose of ethinyl estradiol, the synthetic estrogen in oral contraceptives, or nothing. The method is called gavage.

FDA scientists argue that gavage is a better way to ensure the correct dose is getting into an animal than putting the chemical in its food. Academic scientists counter that gavage triggers chronic stress and can therefore significantly alter hormone levels another means by which any actual differences between experimental and control animals could be artificially diminished. Because the control animals were also exposed to the stress of gavage, they argue, there was no true control group of rats in Clarity.

Heather Patisaul, a professor of biology at North Carolina State University and a Clarity investigator, co-authored a 2013 study in which she found that gavage alone was enough to change the expression of hormone receptors and other genes in areas of the brain that are known to respond to stress.

"Clearly animals gavaged and not gavaged are not the same," she told EHN.

During the planning of Clarity, the FDA made it clear that use of gavage was non-negotiable, noted Heindel, the former NIEHS health scientist administrator. The academics could accept that or simply not participate.

So, many reluctantly signed on, despite believing that gavage and other design factors dictated by the FDA would make it extra difficult to show effects that many of them had identified in their previous studies. Use of gavage was among the criteria adopted by the government decades ago for studies that evaluate the safety of chemicals. In addition to standardizing the number and type of animal used, and levels of exposure to the chemical of interest, these so-called "guideline" studies also generally focus only on traditional endpoints such as overt signs of toxicity, rather than the unique effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals that academics tend to investigate.

Academics usually use other means of administering chemicals to animals. Prins delivers BPA into a mouse's mouth with a pipette tip. Andrea Gore, a neuroendocrinologist at the University of Texas at Austin, said her lab is starting to administer chemicals to animals via vegetable oil placed on a piece of cookie. "There is evidence that gavage is stressful," Gore, who was not involved in Clarity, told EHN. "When you're talking about low doses of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, that is extremely relevant."

Hunt, too, feeds her mice BPA via corn oil. "We gently pipette oil into the mouth and the animals actually like it," she said.

Researcher Pat Hunt with lab mice. (Credit: Lynne Peeples)

Whenever it is wet outside, Hunt makes sure to clean off Ila's four paws before they come inside. "We pause for paws," she said. Given the puppy's high energy, it is a given that the outside mud would end up just about everywhere inside her house. Yes, Hunt is familiar with both dirty dogs and dirty data and the struggle to keep puppies and studies under control.

Contamination is one of the ways in which a study and its results might become tainted; a lack of control is another.

Standard protocol for research on endocrine disruptors demands the inclusion of both "positive" and "negative" controls groups of animals that researchers can then use as a baseline comparison against their exposed group of animals. A negative control is your typical study control animal that doesn't receive any exposure. (Again, in the case of Clarity, academics argue that this purity was spoiled by potential contamination.) A positive control is exposed to something with a known response.

For example, academic studies of BPA have generally included a group of animals exposed to a synthetic hormone for which effects are well known: ethinyl estradiol, the estrogen mimic in oral contraceptives. This positive control helps scientists decipher whether or not a lack of an effect in BPA-exposed rats compared to negative controls was because the experiment simply did not have the sensitivity to detect estrogen-like effects or because BPA really had no such effect.

When the government initially declared their plan not to include positive controls in Clarity, according to emails reviewed by EHN, 11 of the academic researchers pleaded for them to reconsider. In one of the emails from April 2012, Frederick vom Saal, a professor of biology at the University of Missouri-Columbia and a Clarity investigator, stated that without these controls, the experiment could "waste millions of dollars and generate uninterpretable data."

Positive controls were eventually provided and used for most, but not all, of the Clarity studies. Kim Boekleheid, a toxicologist at Brown University, was the only academic scientist not to use a positive control in his study of male reproduction. His decision ignited ire among some of his Clarity co-investigators, especially upon the release of his results. While previous academic studies have found that male reproduction is very sensitive to BPA, Boekleheid's study concluded that exposure to BPA did not harm the testes or sperm in rats. Hunt and others question how he could be so sure without a positive control. Boekleheid declined to be interviewed for this story.

An additional type of control was enlisted by the government in their Core Study. When they found higher rates of mammary cancer in rats exposed to low doses of BPA compared to negative controls, the FDA authors then also looked to a control group from a somewhat similar study conducted about a decade earlier. Turned out those non-BPA-exposed animals, considered "historical" controls, developed more mammary tumors than the non-BPA-exposed rats in the Clarity study. The government used this as one of their reasons to disregard the mammary cancers as a true BPA effect.

Outside scientists questioned their motives and noted, for example, that the animals not exposed to BPA in the old study would have been housed in plastic cages made partially of BPA. So, those rats may, too, have been inadvertently exposed to small doses of BPA. Gore added that "things change over 10 years." In work in her own lab, she has found that animals vary across generations "even if they are the same strain, fed the same food and all animal husbandry is done the same."

Ana Soto, an endocrinologist at Tufts University and a Clarity investigator, with fellow Tufts researcher, Carlos Sonnenschein (Credit: Tufts University).

Ana Soto, an endocrinologist at Tufts University and a Clarity investigator suggested that historical controls are typically only used when a difference is not seen between an experiment group and control group. "They are doing the opposite. They seem to be trying to minimize the fact that they found differences between BPA-treated and the simultaneous control," she told EHN. "That is where you start wondering whether this choice is plainly inept or disingenuous."

Vandenberg too was curious about the government's use of historical controls in guideline studies, such as the Clarity Core Study. So she took a closer look at how the government dealt with other outcomes. For example, they found a significant increase in pituitary cancer in female rats exposed to ethinyl estradiol and used that as support that the positive control worked in Clarity. However, the same historical controls the government referenced for cases of mammary cancer also had a rate of pituitary tumors comparable to the ethinyl estradiol group. "If they had applied the same logic to the ethinyl estradiol pituitary data in Clarity as they did to the BPA mammary gland data, they would have had to conclude that the positive control had no effect," she said.

And that would have called into question the rest of their results.

"When the FDA didn't like the data they got, they went back into their own lab to try to dismiss it," added Vandenberg. "But then they don't do that for the data they like. This asymmetric treatment of data is one more example of how the FDA seemed to manipulate the interpretation of the Clarity data."

Zoeller agreed. "They at least appear by their inconsistency to have a preconceived conclusion that they arrive at by selective logic," he said.

In part 3 of this series, EHN further details critical questions surrounding how the FDA assesses the evidence and frames their conclusions on BPA, as illustrated in the agency's handling of Clarity.

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Exposed: On the edge of research honesty - Environmental Health News

The case surrounding death row inmate Rodney Reed has gained national attention since celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Rihanna have come to the convicts defense, requesting the governor of Texas to stay Reeds execution.

Reed was convicted of the 1996 rape and murder of 19-year-old Stacy Stites due in large part to overwhelming DNA evidence and is set to be executed by the state in less than two weeks, on November 20.

However, Reed, a black man who believes he is a victim of racial bias, claims he did not murder Stites, but was having a secret consensual sexual affair with the teen. When her fianc Jimmy Fennell, a white police officer, found out, he killed Stites, Reeds defense attorneys have theorized.

When Reed was convicted, it was determined Stites was strangled to death by her own belt while on her way to a work at a HEB grocery story in Bastrop, Texas, in April 1996. Evidence also determined that Stites, who was also vaginally raped, was anally raped while being strangled to death. DNA from semen found in the teens vagina and anus matched that of Reeds.

The effort to stay Reeds execution is primarily due to Reed advocates and his legal team claiming a proper examination of forensic evidence shows that Stites was killed hours before she and Reed could have crossed paths, the Statesman reported in July.

But with all the celebrity-backed hype and social media fog surrounding the case, what are the facts? Here are some key details that you need to know.

I didnt know her, never met her, never talked to her, had no idea who she is, Reed told Sergeant David Board of Stites, court documents show. The only thing I know was what I saw on TV.

Reeds defense team suggested during the trial that Reed first denied he knew Stites because of racial prejudice, suggesting it was good sense for a black man to deny any connection to a dead white woman.

But according to the prosecutions opening statement, Reed denied knowing Stites to police after the defendant knew he had been linked to semen.

Reed began dating Caroline Rivas, an intellectually disabled woman, court documents revealed. Rivass caseworker noticed bruises on Rivass body and, when asked about them, Rivas admitted that Reed would hurt her if she would not have sex with him.

Later, Rivass caseworker noticed that Rivas was walking oddly and sat down gingerly, the response to the Supreme Court cert. petition said. Rivas admitted that Reed had, the prior evening, hit her, called her vulgar names, and anally raped her. The samples from Rivass rape kit provided the link to Stitess murder.

According to court documents, the victim, only identified publicly as A.W., says she was blindfolded, gagged, beaten, and orally, vaginally, and anally raped while she was home alone. The foreign DNA from A.W.s rape kit was compared to Reed; Reed was not excluded and only one in 5.5 billion people would have the same foreign DNA profile from A.W.s rape kit, the court doc outlined.

As noted by Breitbart News Brandon Darby, Reed has not been exonerated from the rape of the 12-year-old and a number of other women, but such cases were likely not pursued because Reed was served with the death penalty.

When someone gets a death penalty, the other cases are often not taken to court because of resources and not wanting to put other victims through trials once ultimate punishment already given. All of those cases are still there and have been the entire time, Darby explained.

Lucy Eipper, whom Reed has two children with, claimed he physically abused her, even when she was pregnant. He also raped her all the time, including one time in front of their kids, according to Eipper.

There was alsoVivian Harbottle, whom Reed was said to have raped six months prior to the murder of Stites. When she pleaded for her life for the sake of her children, Reed laughed at her, court documents reveal. The foreign DNA from Harbottles rape kit was compared to Reed; he could not be excluded, and only one person in 5.5 billion would be expected to have the same foreign DNA profile.

Reed also allegedly attempted to rape 19-year-old Linda Schlueter after he convinced her to give him a ride home. Reed led her to a remote area and then attacked her, documents outline. After a prolonged struggle, Schlueter asked Reed what he wanted and Reed responded, I want a blow job. When Schlueter told Reed that you will have to kill me before you get anything, Reed stated I guess Ill have to kill you then. Before Schlueter could be raped, a car drove by and Reed fled.

Reed was acquitted of the rape of 19-year-old Connie York. Though he at first denied knowing York, he later claimed, Yeah, I had sex with her; she wanted it.

Indeed, [the jury] knew that Reeds genetic profile was consistent with profiles developed from Stitess panties and the vaginal, rectal, and breast swabs taken from her body, the record stated. Reeds DNA is now consistent with that found on Stitess pants and her back brace, which also include Stitess genetic profile; namely, there is a mixture of Stitess DNA and male DNA on Stitess pants and back brace from which Reed cannot be excluded.

Essentially, Reed is now found on more pieces of evidence related to Stitess murder than ever before, it stated.

Following Fennells release, Stites family, including sister Debra Oliver, defended Fennell from accusations concerning Stites.

I guess in a way, part of him died that day too, you know? His life has never been the same, Oliver told Kxan News.

After she was found, he was heartbroken and Im the one who really sat with him a lot and held his hand, she added. He is not the murderer in this case, he never was.

Stacy didnt know Rodney, not at any time were they having an affair, the sister continued.

The difference between Jimmy and Rodney, is Jimmy took responsibility for the bad decision he made and he served his time and hes paid his commitment to society, she added. Id love for people to leave him alone and let him move on with his life.

A cousin of Stites, whos been estranged from the family, views Fennell as the killer, noting that Reeds DNA could have ended up in Stites vagina and anus any other way.

Snow admitted that Fennell sought him out for protection against other racially-aligned gangs in the prison, and agreed to give up a portion of his commissary for such protection. The two were never really friends, but Fennell once approached Snow in 2010 and bragged that he had to kill his n*****-loving fianc.

The affidavit has been used by the Innocence Project to advocate for Reed.

The question then is why was Reeds semen found in Stitess physically- and sexually-abused body? Reed unconvincingly claims a clandestine, consensual relationship, but that was rejected by the jury and every court to have considered it-without dissent (two state district-court judges, nine state appellate judges, one federal magistrate judge, one federal district-court judge, and three federal appellate judges), the trial court record said.

Robert M. Phillips, Fennells lawyer, said the Innocence Project was merely recycling claims that were made at trial, The New York Times reported. It was inconceivable, he said, that the people now coming forward would have stayed silent for so long if their accounts were true.

H/t Brandon Darby

Continued here:
Celebrities Push To Save Death Row Inmate Rodney Reed. But What Does The Evidence Say? - The Daily Wire

One in every 777 pregnant women in Taiwan carries a premutation in the FMR1 gene, which is associated with a greater likelihood of having a child with fragile X syndrome,a large study reports.

This is a higher-than-anticipated prevalence, although lower than Western populations, the scientists noted.

The research, Fragile X syndrome carrier screening in pregnant women in Chinese Han population, was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Fragile X, the most frequent genetic cause of autism, is caused by the expansion of CGG repeats in the FMR1 gene, which provides instructions for making the fragile X mental retardation protein, or FMRP. Of note, C stands for cytosine and G for guanine, two of the four building blocks of DNA.

Full mutation carriers typically have more than 200 CGG repeats, while premutation carriers have between 55 and 200 of such repeats.

While premutation carriers can have normal FMR1 activity, their children are at a higher risk for acquiring the full mutation. In addition, premutation carriers can develop FMR1-related disorders in their adult life, including fragile X-associated tremor-ataxia syndrome.

The prevalence of fragile X in the Chinese population has been regarded as low, which puts into question the need to conduct screenings. Yet, recent studies in populations from Hong Kong and Korea indicate that approximately one out of 883 parents carry FMR1 gene mutations.

Researchers assessed the actual prevalence of premutation and full mutation carriers among 20,188 pregnant Taiwanese women of Han Chinese ethnicity who underwent genetic testing. Average age was 31.7 years, and age range was 20 to 54. Those who tested positive were referred for genetic counselling.

This is by far the largest study of the reproductive FXS carrier screening in Chinese women, the team wrote.

Results showed that 19,982 women (98.9%) had less than 45 CGG repeats and were considered normal. Nearly 40% of women (39.3%) carried 29 CGG repeats, followed by 25.6% with 30 repeats. Less than 10% had 28 (8.60%) and 36 repeats (6%).

A total of 26 women (0.13%, or one in 777) were carriers of FMR1 premutations. Twenty-one women underwent amniocentesis to assess genetic disorders of the fetus, while five women underwent genetic tests after delivery.

Premutations were passed from mother to fetus in 17 pregnancies, with six expanding to full mutations. All 11 fetuses carrying premutations were delivered, while four out of six pregnancies with full mutations were terminated.

One mother had an asymptomatic full mutation with 280 CGG repeats. She had a family history of intellectual disability and terminated a first pregnancy of a male fetus carrying a FMR1 gene deletion. Unlike females, males have only one X chromosome so a full mutation in the only FMR1 gene copy (allele) means that they will develop fragile X. After genetic counselling, the woman experienced a successful second pregnancy and gave birth to a girl.

A rarer genetic alteration was found in one woman, who had 29 CGG repeats in one allele and a DNA deletion with nine CGG repeats in the other FMR1 allele. She decided to terminate her pregnancy of a male fetus who would have inherited this deletion.

Researchers also conducted a cost analysis of this large genetic screening. A test to identify premutation and full mutation carriers cost around $118,885 US. The total cost of amniocentesis (about $100 US per procedure) and prenatal fragile X genetic testing to identify a fetus with a full mutation is approximately $410,091 US.

Our research results also show that FXS [fragile X] carriers are not at all rare in Chinese, but they are much more rare than in western countries, the researchers wrote.

The reported FXS carrier rate in Taiwan is important for prenatal counseling and for the implementation of universal screening as a public health policy, they added.

Patricia holds her Ph.D. in Cell Biology from University Nova de Lisboa, and has served as an author on several research projects and fellowships, as well as major grant applications for European Agencies. She also served as a PhD student research assistant in the Laboratory of Doctor David A. Fidock, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University, New York.

Total Posts: 12

Jos is a science news writer with a PhD in Neuroscience from Universidade of Porto, in Portugal. He has also studied Biochemistry at Universidade do Porto and was a postdoctoral associate at Weill Cornell Medicine, in New York, and at The University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada. His work has ranged from the association of central cardiovascular and pain control to the neurobiological basis of hypertension, and the molecular pathways driving Alzheimers disease.

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FXS Study Finds More-than-expected Carriers in Pregnant Taiwanese - Fragile X News Today

Thinking about sex and gender would help scientists improve their research, a new article published today argues.

Writing in a special 150th anniversary edition of Nature, five experts say these factors are too often ignored.

They say incorporating sex (the biological attribute distinguishing females, males or intersex/hermaphrodite individuals) and gender (psychological, social and cultural factors affecting how an individual identifies in society) could improve experiments, reduce bias and create opportunities for discovery and innovation.

The article highlights a host of examples in which including sex and gender has led to advanced understanding or insight - from male and female shellfish responding differently to climate change, to gendered social robots and to computer vision improvements prompted by evidence that facial recognition systems misclassify the sex of darker-skinned women more often than lighter-skinned men.

"It's striking to what degree sex and gender are overlooked in science," said co-author Dr Robert Ellis, of the University of Exeter. "We need to include this at every level of research and in everything we do, or provide robust scientific justification as to why sex or gender are unimportant, based on experimental evidence.

"Things are certainly improving. For example, the original crash test dummies were based on a male physique, however a study found that as a result US female drivers were 47% more likely than males to suffer severe injuries in a comparable crash. Such insight undoubtedly helps engineers design more sophisticated test platforms that will ultimately prevent major injury or save lives.

"Sex and gender are increasingly seen as important in research, but misconceptions and under-consideration still persist. We know, for example, that researchers' sex can affect how they interpret their observations, so this should be considered during the research process."

The paper focusses on four key areas - marine science, biomedicine, robotics and artificial intelligence - but the authors say the lessons apply across scientific disciplines. They highlight scientific successes achieved due to consideration of sex and/or gender.

Dr Tannenbaum from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research points to our deeper understanding of the genetic basis for sex differences in immunity.

"We now know immune cells function differently depending on whether they have XX or XY chromosomal complement or are exposed to different concentrations of sex hormones in the body. There are exciting implications for antibody treatments and new cancer immunotherapies. Who knows? One day men and women may be treated completely differently for the same health condition. Patients should ask their healthcare provider if the treatment being recommended works equally well for individuals with their same sex and gender. "

A study in mice showed, surprisingly, that pain levels the animals exhibited changed depending on whether a male researcher was in the room. Researchers concluded that the animals responded to a scent associated with men. What's more, whilst both female and male animals showed this response, female mice were more sensitive.

Marine biologist Dr Ellis said: "Within the oceans there are many examples highlighting the importance of considering sex differences within species. In marine turtles, incubation temperature determines the sex of hatchlings, so climate change could poses a major threat to this group and could lead to the total feminisation of some turtle populations.

"Marine biology also reminds us of the need to challenge the assumption that sex is binary and fixed. Clownfish, for example, are 'protandrous hermaphrodites' (they mature as male; some change to female). Living in a strict social hierarchy each family contains a single dominant female that mates with a single large male in the social group.

"All remaining individuals remain juveniles. Removal of the alpha female results in the alpha male changing sex to female, with all subordinates moving up a rung in the social hierarchy. This natural phenomenon certainly adds a fascinating plot twist to the Finding Nemo story, but it also highlights a key area of biology that requires further study in relation to things like climate change."

The paper says the goal is to "increase transparency, promote inclusion and reset the research default to carefully consider sex and gender, where appropriate". For instance, one would hardly assume that social robots are attributed a male or female gender.

However, as social psychologist and social roboticist Dr Friederike Eyssel from Bielefeld University emphasizes: "People use mental shortcuts to evaluate nonhuman entities and through the process of anthropomorphising social robots, humans even ascribe gender to robots. Empirical and experimental research has shown that this impacts the perception of such novel technologies.

"Moreover, gendering robots has strong social and ethical implications that need to be taken into account by developers of social robots and by stakeholders who aim to deploy robots in various domains of use in people's everyday lives. At the same time, clearly, further research is called for to explore the effects of gendered technologies in field settings. The existing literature marks a relevant first step to our understanding of the role of sex and gender in the design and uptake of novel technologies."

The Nature "Perspective" sets out a "roadmap" and calls on researchers, funding agencies, journals and universities to coordinate efforts to implement robust methods of sex and gender analysis. It concludes: "Eyes have been opened, and by integrating sex and gender analysis into their work, researchers can enhance excellence and social responsibility in science and engineering."

Reference: Tannenbaum, C., Ellis, R. P., Eyssel, F., Zou, J., & Schiebinger, L. (2019). Sex and gender analysis improves science and engineering. Nature, 575(7781), 137146. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1657-6

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Why Researchers Should Have Sex (and Gender) On the Brain - Technology Networks

In his response of the recent document of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Male and Female he Created Them: Towards a Path of Dialogue on the Question of Gender Theory in Education, Fr. James Martin asks the Congregation, and Catholics more generally, to Listen to the L.G.B.T. person. It is true that in the section on listening (the first of three sections in the document, the following two being reasoning and proposing), the Congregation is concerned not primarily with the experience of individuals, but with the theoretical frameworks being proposed and promulgated by which people interpret that experience.

While it is critical of these frameworks, it is in the Points of Agreement part of this section that some of the more quoted and quotable elements of the document appear. In particular, Martin and others do not fail to note the Congregations commending a laudable desire to combat all expressions of unjust discrimination and agreement on the need to educate children and young people to respect every person in their particularity and difference, so that no one should suffer bullying, violence, insults or unjust discrimination based on their specific characteristics.

While I agree with Father Martin that future work in this sensitive area unquestionably requires listening to the experiences of real concrete individuals created in the image and likeness of God, it is important to recognize that the kind of listening Father Martin is encouraging does not necessarily lead to the kinds of conclusions he seems to presume it will. Indeed, in my own work in this area, I have been privileged to learn from the stories of many people. I want to share two of those stories here (anonymously), not because they trump all other such experiences and can be used to deny the experience of others, but because they intersect with and complicate Father Martins critique of the document at two very specific points.

A young woman grows up not feeling particularly feminine and struggles with what this means for her identity. She is self-consciously not like other girls. As she grows up, she encounters the possibility that some women who are different from other women are lesbians and discerns that this describes her as well. Presently she enters into a romantic and sexual relationship with another woman. At a certain stage in her journey, medical tests indicate abnormally high levels of testosterone and correspondingly low levels of female sex hormones.

Time passes. The notion of being transgender, often colloquially described as being a man trapped in a womans body (or vice versa) becomes more culturally widespread. This new, to her at least, understanding actually seems to describe her situation in a much more satisfactory way than her earlier attempts at self-understanding through identification as a lesbian. Her hormones actually are out of balance! The inside of her body actually is masculine! The truth of her identity is now clear: she is not, in fact, a woman at all. She is really a man. Accordingly, she begins hormone therapy, not to correct the imbalance in her system, but to exaggerate it. She takes more male hormone and undergoes top surgery (the removal of her breast tissue) in her effort to live the truth of her masculine identity.

In his critique, Father Martin argues that Male and Female He Created Them relies mainly on the belief that gender is determined solely by ones visible genitalia, which contemporary science has shown is an incorrect (and sometimes even harmful) way to categorize people. Gender is also biologically determined by genetics, hormones and brain chemistry things that are not visible at birth.

That this is a remarkable claim about the document becomes apparent when read next to the following quote from paragraph 24 of the document itself: the data of biological and medical science shows that sexual dimorphism (that is, the sexual difference between men and women) can be demonstrated scientifically by such fields as genetics, endocrinology and neurology. The document is not only aware of other biological factors related to the biological determination of gender; it lists them in the same order as Father Martin. Nowhere does the document mention external genitalia.

The most generous interpretation I can find for Father Martins claim is that, in his basic approach to the question, any critique of a transgender framework for interpreting human experience is necessarily and by definition tied to a belief that gender is determined solely by ones visible genitalia. And so he can read the document as relying mainly on a belief that is nowhere indicated in the text itself and is, in fact, contradicted by it.

But the problem is worse than that. When Father Martin appeals to genetics, hormones and brain chemistry, he is grasping a sword that cuts both ways for he is still in the realm of biological determination. For its part, in its indicators for a transgender diagnosis, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5 makes no mention whatsoever of biological factors. The various criteria are all purely subjective and appeal above all to an interior felt sense.

As indeed they must, for the very definition of a transgender identification is that it is an identification that transcends ones body. It says that, no matter what you can discern about my body with your scientific implements, I know my own inner experience, and that alone is the determining factor. An appeal to genetics, hormones and brain chemistry means, very simply, that we can medically test for a transgender condition. One wonders what Father Martin would make of the results.

With this reference to genetics, hormones and brain chemistry, Father Martin is not, in fact, discussing the transgender situation at all. He is talking about a variety of intersex conditions. Such conditions are often invoked to explain or understand transgender phenomena. (At one point, the document itself even unfortunately seems to equate the terms intersex and transgender as efforts to go beyond the constitutive male-female sexual difference.) But, despite some superficial similarities (the superficiality of which is clearly recognized by actual intersex persons!), a transgender identity is in an important sense the very opposite of an intersex condition. For in the first instance the internal sense is at odds with a completely unambiguous male or female body, while in the second instance the central question is the ambiguity of the body itself.

But this relatively straightforward and commonsense medical solution was ignored because a certain (and in many circles unquestionable) interpretive framework was used to make sense of one persons experience. A person with a (relatively minor) intersex condition was (mis)diagnosed as transgender and a relatively simple medical intervention was overlooked in favour of a dramatic and invasive (not to mention expensive and largely irreversible) series of interventions that do nothing to address the root of the problem.

A woman brings her son over to his friends house for a sleepover and is met in the driveway by the friends mother who informs the woman that the friend with whom her son is planning to spend the night is now a girl, and will be going by a new name henceforward. Moreover, the woman is told, this is very exciting because the mother has always wanted a girl. In fact, over the last little while, she has greatly enjoyed purchasing a brand new all-girl wardrobe for her new daughter and redecorating the childs bedroom. Several months later the woman sees that the young man has returned to using his birth name on social media, but seems to have had some significant alterations to his secondary sex characteristics that are difficult to disguise.

Father Martin is concerned that [t]he congregation also suggests that discussions about gender identity involve an intentional choice of gender by an individual. But people who are transgender report that they do not choose their identity but discover it through their experiences as human beings in a social world. The most relevant quote from the document here (found in paragraph 11) is the concept of gender is seen as dependent upon the subjective mindset of each person, who can choose a gender not corresponding to his or her biological sex, and therefore with the way others see that person (transgenderism).

On the one hand, it is hard to see how the congregation did not see this critique coming. Any suggestion that people are arbitrarily choosing their gender was certain to be met with incredulity. The Catechism, at least, is more sensitive on the issue of choice when it comes to homosexuality (stating simply that [i]ts psychological genesis remains largely unexplained 2357). On the other hand, as both the stories we have looked at illustrate, the relationship between experience, choice, and identity is a lot more complicated than Father Martins discover it through their experiences as human beings in a social world would seem to indicate.

We do not exist in a cultural vacuum. We are only able to discover identities that our social world makes available to us. Even if, per impossibile, our experience of self was completely unconditioned by the categories of our culture, our interpretation of those experiences is not. And while we do not choose how we experience any number of phenomena, it is possible, given enough critical distance, to choose how we interpret that experience. Indeed, some critical distance from the cultures regnant categories may well have introduced enough freedom into our two stories to have saved the protagonists from significant suffering.

One common response to stories like those shared here is that they are not stories of real trans people and so cannot be used to understand the experience, let alone critique the self-understanding, of real trans people. But does this not simply beg the question?

Indeed, whether one believes as Father Martin does, that such real trans people exist, or whether one believes, as the Congregation seems to, that such identities are never, in the final analysis, a helpful way of categorizing human experience, everyone implicitly agrees that at least some people who claim to be trans at one point or another simply are not. Furthermore, given the growing prominence of the category transgender in the culture, it would seem probable that the number (and proportion, unless the Congregation is correct and the proportion was already 100%) of such people is increasing, even dramatically so.

I would like to suggest that the Congregation would have been less likely to be misunderstood on the question of choice if it had adverted to a distinction between a given experience (gender dysphoria) and a given framing of that experience (I am transgender or I am a man in a womans body). It is clear that people do not choose the experience of gender dysphoria. On the other hand, there is a way in which we do choose to interpret our experiences given the frameworks available to us, even if we are not always conscious of doing so. To say I am a man in a womans body is one way of interpreting ones experience. It sounds to many like a simple contradiction and therefore a meaningless statement. To others, however, it has become a way to make sense of their reality (or that of others) with language that is increasingly socially acceptable and accessible.

An irony emerges here. As the category transgender becomes more and more common and acceptable, even lionized, the choice to employ it as an interpretive lens for understanding ones own experience becomes less and less obvious until it is not recognized as a choice at all. That is to say, it is not that a given experience or set of experiences demands a certain interpretive framework. It is rather that a given socially constructed framework has become so second nature (I use the term advisedly) that it is no longer perceived as a social construct.

And this lack of perception is most common among the same people who most clearly see ways in which gender itself is a social construct. And so we end up speaking as if an experience of gender dysphoria is a more or less straightforward discovery of an immutable and innate transgender identity. But, as our two stories (and they could be multiplied) show, the experiences of concrete people are much more complex than that.

Lets listen to them.

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Listening Carefully: A Critique of Father James Martin's Critique of Male and Female He Created Them - Patheos

The sixth National Hereford Calf Show will take place this Sunday, November 10, which will feature over 90 entries across a number of events and competitions.

The show will kick off at 10:00am at GVM Tullamore, Tullamore, Co. Offaly. The day will start with two young handlers classes.

The winners of the junior and senior handlers competitions will each receive a new dazzling belt buckle, which have been sponsored by farm clothing supplier Farm Wardrobe.

There are five female classes and five male classes. There is also a commercial Hereford sired calf class, which the organisers say is aimed at promoting the commercial viability of the Hereford breed. This competition is offering superb prize money, according to organisers.

This years event was launched at the 2019 National Ploughing Championships in September by the Irish Hereford Breed Society (IHBS) and the North Leinster Hereford Branch, who established the first calf show in 2014.

The calf show has gone from strength to strength each year, attracting exhibitors from all over the country, as well as spectators from the UK, and as far away as Denmark, the organisers said.

As part of the preparations for the World Hereford Conference in New Zealand in March 2020, the winners of the IHBSs travel bursary for that event will be on hand on Sunday to assist breeders with washing, drying, clipping, grooming and leading calves.

The judge for this years event will be Non Thorne, from the Studdolph Poll / Glenvale Poll and Ashdale British Polled herds in Pembrokeshire, Wales, whose family have been breeding Herefords since 1946.

The organisers said: She is no stranger to the show ring, having won numerous accolades over the years, including herd of the year. In July 2019, Non had the honour of judging the Hereford classes at the Finnish National Show, and we look forward to welcoming the Thornes to Tullamore on Sunday.

Among the sponsors for this years show are: Farm Wardrobe; ABP; Animax; Dovea Genetics; Greenvale Animal Feeds; GVM Marts; Hereford Prime; Hugh Mulvihill Auctioneer; Lakeland Dairies; Progressive Genetics; and Slaney Meats.

For more information, click here.

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National Hereford Calf Show set for this Sunday - Agriland

A man who dances the tango rules the world, says Tommy Chong, the reefer king of Cheech & Chong fame. Hes not speaking about his younger yearsChong is still doing the tango now, at 81, after first showing off his abilities in season 19 of Dancing with the Stars. He attributes his long-enduring physical fitness to genetics, among other factors; while chatting with me on the phone from a casino, he sounds as sharp as ever, his voice warm and rumbly.

When hes not lighting up the slot machines or dancing the night away, Chong sticks to his bread-and-butter: stand-up and sketch comedy, and advocacy for the legalization of marijuana. Weed, he says, has played a central role in his relatively good health over the years, and helped him cope when he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2016. (He is now in remission, and feeling great.)

During our conversation, Chong expounds on the health benefits of marijuana, his all-time favorite ways to exercise, and he also unveils what is, by far, the worlds most ingenious solution for beating the munchies.

GQ: If youll allow it, I was truly taken aback to learn youre 81you look great! Do you maintain a wellness or fitness regiment?

Tommy Chong: Well, when I was a kid, I played football, which is what got me interested in exercise. Its where I learned about calisthenics, and running, and lifting weights. Its a combination of weightlifting and spiritual wellness for me.

When did you start lifting weights?

Ive been lifting weights since I was 15 years old, but trust me, I was not a natural at it. I ended up moving out to Hollywood to do a movie, and I signed up with a trainer. It was this guy named Vince Gironda, and he had a special at his gym: 25 bucks and well get you in shape for a movie. He got me in the best shape of my life for Up in Smoke. He gave me a big lecture on how to maintain a diet and such. Ive just been following that routine to this day. Oh, and I invented a knee machine for myself.

A knee machine?

Yeah, I grew up poor so everything that cost moneysports like golf, or skiing, or whateverI didnt try out until later in life. When I started skiing, I realized I couldnt ski on moguls because it takes a lot of balance and its a big stress on your knees. So I invented this knee machine, I call it the bouncer. Its a skateboard stretched between four springs on a frame, and I just bounce on it like Im going over moguls. I should really put it on the market once I get it all togetherafter all, Ive only been working on it for 30 years now! It helps me with my circulation, and thats a huge part of keeping yourself healthy. I use that, and do a lot of walking, and have my tai chi, which is tango.

Tango? Like, the dance?

Yeah, Im a tango dancer. Ive been studying tango for years now. I love it. Ive tried to tell everybody about it, but people wont listen to me. Ive walked into classes and just had a blast dancing with people. With tango, the male dancer has to know what hes doing, because hes the lead. When I was on Dancing with the Stars, the pros they partner you with will back-lead the dance. So Ive been trying to get rid of that habit and learn how to lead the dance for the last couple of years. Thats why Im still taking lessons and classes, because you never stop learning to dance. My wifewho is gorgeouslikes to dance tango as well. Its fun, and it keeps things exciting. My other bit of advice for old guys is to check out the new fashion magazines, and do what they say.

Dance is such a wonderful exercise, and I dont think people always realize that.

Its great! Its the best. I get to get all dressed up, and I get to dance with my beautiful wife. My only problem is that sometimes my wife looks so good that I just want to give her a big hug instead of dancing.

When you were touring the country, what did your diet look like? Did you try to stop in at as many different restaurants as you could?

Well back in the day, me and Cheech always used to go and eat at places in Chinatown [in Vancouver], since they tended to have the cheapest and most nutritious dishes we could find. I had to teach Cheech about all of the best Chinese food dishes so we could order what was actually good, and he taught me about all the best Mexican dishes.

Youre a big advocate for the legalization of marijuana in the United States. What, in your estimation, are some of the health benefits of weed?

For one, its a great natural relaxer and painkiller. Back in the day, when I was lifting at Golds Gym, I met this big Austrian bodybuilder named Arnold Schwarzenegger. He barely spoke any English, and he was so health-conscious about his diet and his exercise. The only thing he would do for entertainment besides exercise was smoke a joint. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also used it for years to treat his migraines. See, what pot does so well is it helps out your brain. Every aspect of your body will benefit from the relief that pot can give you. The only problem with pot is the munchies. The way you get around that though is to have something healthy in the refrigerator to eat when youre stoned.

Do you have a go-to healthy munchie?

Celery. I actually hate celery, but it gives you the crunch factor. The whole thing you want from any munchie is crunchiness. When youre stoned, youre just looking for that satisfying feeling. The whole sensation starts in your mouth, and then it satisfies your brain, and thats why people love potato chips, candy, all that stuff when theyre high. With celery, youre in good shape, because realistically, you can only eat so much celery.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Real-Life Diet is a series in which GQ talks to athletes, celebrities, and everyone in-between about their diets and exercise routines: what's worked, what hasn't, and where they're still improving. Keep in mind, what works for them might not necessarily be healthy for you.

Referee, Phenizee Ransom, October 13, 2019.

The Real-Life Diet of an Up-and-Coming NBA Referee

Phenizee Ransom compares his job to a marathon runners.

Originally Appeared on GQ

Original post:
The Real-Life Diet of Tommy Chong, Who Knows the Secret to Beating the Munchies - Yahoo Lifestyle

When Ability Stock Dogs breeder and trainer Linda Holloway brings a puppy into the world on her Ponca City, Oklahoma, farm, she is instantly assessing potential. The first seven weeks of the dogs life will be a series of significant but subtle aptitude tests to determine the job and lifestyle the puppy needs.

I want the dogs that are always capable of figuring a way over obstacles and are always looking for something, Holloway said. I try to match their mentality to the people theyre working with.

Beginning by training a few Smooth Collies in the early 1980s to herd her sheep and compete in trials, Holloway has been a stock dog breeder and trainer for over 40 years. Today, Holloway breeds herding intensive Smooth Collies and Border Collies, as well as training and judging competitive stock dogs.

In 2014 Holloway was named the American Kennel Clubs Herding Breeder of the Year, but by far most of the dogs she trains will spend their lives accompanying cowboys and livestock producers.

Most of my dogs are bought for regular old farm work, Holloway said. I do sell some dogs to trial homes and in the Smooth Collies I have some that will go to competitive agility or herding homes, as well.

Holloways skills as a trainer show early on in her attention to detail with her dogs almost from the moment they are born.

At 5 weeks the puppies will follow you so I begin walking through the pasture and through the woods over deadfall, Holloway said. On these walks, youre trying to put them in situations to figure out who cries, who wont go and who goes first.

This early observation period is important because Holloway wants to ensure she has a good idea of each individual dogs personality and has a person in mind to match before the dog reaches 7 weeks of age.

Seven weeks is the time, I think 49 days exactly, is when they psychologically unbond from puppies and will bond to a person, Holloway said, so 7 weeks is the time you want to pick the dog up.

After 7 weeks the dogs get their own personalities, and while its less likely to cause training issues in Border Collies later the way it does for other dogs, Holloway said theres something unidentifiable that gets lost in translation if the puppy and partner dont have a chance to bond early.

Other behavioral traits are more hard-wired into the dogs actual DNA. Useful traits like herding or even behavioral traits are traceable to a dogs lineage.

I dont want nuisance barking or dogs that run back and forth constantly, and all of those things have genetic foundations, Holloway said. Ive bred all of that out to focus on dogs that behave and also dont fall apart under correction.

For Holloway, a corrective and cognizant trainer or owner is almost as important to the foundation of a great stock dog as genetics.

Dogs spend 24/7 watching us, but how many hours a day do we really spend watching a dog? Holloway said. Those habits establish early and when you arent paying attention.

Choose Wisely

The first step in any relationship is choosing a partner that matches the problem. Knowing what youre looking for out of a dog-owner relationship is key to picking out the right kind of stock dog.

For Holloway, the first and most important trait to consider is genetic herding ability, especially in dog breeds like Smooth Collies, Shelties or Australian Shepherds where the number of working bloodlines have become diluted over time.

Dont believe the parents work until you see them work for yourself, Holloway said. If one of the parents doesnt work, then dont buy them because herding is such a hard trait to maintain.

Even within herding genetics, Holloway said its important to know what kind herding the parents have been doing. While she trains her dogs first on ducks, then goats, sheep and eventually cattle, the cow-bred lines in her Border Collies always lead to a different working environment than her sheep-bred Smooth Collies.

Cow lines run tighter than the sheep dog lines, Holloway said. The cow lines will stay in that pressure zone unlike sheep bred dogs, so the genetics make some difference.

Holloway said its important to let your breeder or trainer know what tasks the dog will be expected to perform while working. Dogs that do well rounding up cattle in the pasture or working alongside horses might not be suited to light working conditions.

Similarly, stock dogs that are used primarily for blocking gates or guarding the truck while feeding might not perform as well at herding.

Once you teach them to antagonize livestock, theyre going to make mistakes and they arent going to listen because you just gave them a green light, Holloway said. It takes a lot of mileage to get a dog that can both guard the cake feeder from the bed of the truck and also round up cows effectively.

Once shes aware of the owners needs, Holloway said she rarely sees a bad dog-owner pairing as long as both temperaments match up well.

People need to be honest about what they want and need in a dog and then take care of it, Holloway said.

Keep Your Cool

When training, correcting or working alongside stock dogs and livestock its easy for physical and emotional overload to play a role.

People allow themselves to get rattled and things dont go well and then they shut down, Holloway said. Sometimes you need to take a break, have a cup of coffee, let everything settle and then go back to it.

Livestock and dogs both feed off of emotions in their environment. While most livestock owners can sense this mood shift instinctively, it might not be intuitive to watch the dogs behavior shift as well.

People read livestock really well especially these guys that handle cattle for a living, but sometimes they can really underestimate what the dog is feeling, Holloway said.

When making corrections, Holloway said it is important to be firm but to also allow the dog to bounce back from the correction. Ensuring the dog knows the reason for the correction and has the opportunity to perform it correctly can help eliminate correcting the same fault over and over again.

Everybody makes mistakes, Holloway said. I make mistakes, the dog does, the cows do, and everyone just needs to settle down."

Speak Clearly

Whether utilizing classic commands like go by and away or using simplified commands like stop and lay down, everyone that will be commanding the dog needs to be in sync on the language of the commands.

The syntax has to be the same, Holloway said, so if your syntax is Buffy fetch, then everyone needs to use that syntax and you cant say fetch Buffy.

When the dog is being trained around a family or multiple handlers, it can be confusing for the dog to understand individual nuances in voice or tone, Holloway said. After the dog gets used to its work pattern and living situation, it can determine who to obey and when more effectively.

Training, like so many other stock dog behaviors, can be influenced through genetics and years of training practices.

It used to be that when you did obedience training the dog would work because you said good dog, Holloway said. They have bred that ability to be satisfied with just words is all going away, as is the ability to get corrected and recover because of positive training.

Develop a Pattern

For herding dogs, a specific and consistent job is required. Dogs that have been bred intensively will look for jobs to fulfill and they will attempt to do the same job, the same way over and over again once they have been instructed.

Holloway said it is important to develop a working pattern for stock dogs and to keep that pattern regular until the dog gets older and can determine pattern shifts easier over time.

You need to get them conditioned to the task and be able to call them off, Holloway said. Herding dogs find patterns really quickly.

Dogs with problem solving and judgment will eventually tune in to the daily or seasonal shifts in jobs, but judgment comes with age and Holloway said it could be three to five years before a stock dog is quickly adaptable.

They start and look OK but the judgment isnt there, Holloway said. I think its easy to put them over their head because they have a good day.

Manage and Evaluate Expectations

When an owner purchases a well-trained stock dog, it is easy for high expectations to come with their investment but its important to evaluate and manage those expectations for dog-owner relationship longevity.

If you put them in situations where they arent challenged, they either get bored and destroy things or they will lose their edge, Holloway said. Herding dogs are smart, theyre visual, and they arent going to stay on the porch.

Similarly, when a dog is performing well its important to make sure not to overestimate their skill or maturity and put them in situations where failure is imminent.

They can read a bad situation based on the temperature of the livestock, Holloway said. They may come in with not enough force or not enough confidence because they know their situation is tenuous.

When those situational failures happen, Holloway said it is important to let the dog know it has backup. Leaving the dog to fend for itself and possibly be injured is a recipe for disaster and doesnt build trust between dog and owner.

Its just a 45-pound dog, Holloway said. Its not a miracle worker.

Continued here:
Well-bred, well-trained stock dogs can play a vital role in livestock operations - Farm Talk

PROVO Blake Freeland has been in plenty of nerve-wracking situations throughout his athletic life, but none quite measured up to last weeks 42-14 win over Utah State.

Loud. Motivating. Humbling.

There were a lot of emotions surrounding the 6-foot-8 Herriman product as he prepared for his first career start at right tackle in the Wagon Wheel rivalry.

He was intense. He was antsy.

I was just ready to get off the ball and ready to hit somebody, he said. I was excited.

That excitement got the better of him early, with a couple of penalties. But then something happened to Freeland.

He settled down. He played his game. And he helped pave the way to 42 points, to 639 yards of offense both season-highs for the Cougars and a rout of their in-state rival.

I thought he settled in and did a really nice job, BYU offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes said. It was an improvement over his first week and again, hes not just new to our lineup. Hes new to playing offensive tackle. This is all new for him. Hes still learning at a high rate.

Last Saturday wasnt the first time Freeland has had a lot of pressure placed on him, even at just 18 years old. A two-year starting quarterback at Herriman High, Freeland played his senior season rotating between tight end, fullback, defensive tackle and defensive end. It was all to get him ready for his college career, when he settled on the offensive line, he said.

Freeland helped the Mustangs to the Class 5A state championship in 2015. But football wasnt the only time he felt pressure, either.

An all-everything thrower at Herriman High, Freeland captured the throwers trifecta at the Utah state meet last year, garnering titles in the shot put, discus and javelin. He wouldve won another title in the hammer throw, too, if the Utah High School Activities Association sponsored the event, BYU head coach Kalani Sitake argued.

Hes a fighter, and he works hard, Sitake said of his new starting right tackle. Hes not new to success and competition; hes explosive.

So how did a former starting quarterback make the transition to 6-foot-8, 285-pound offensive lineman with room to grow? Injuries played a role, as did the host of other backups fulfilling their own responsibilities on the field. But Freeland and fellow freshman Harris LaChance, who are listed as co-starters at right tackle, have slid into a high-demand role seamlessly and seemingly effortlessly to help BYU to back-to-back wins over a pair of regional rivals.

As with a lot of questions, the answer lies in several solutions: by a combination of genetics, athletic ability, preparation, and the same hard work Sitake and Grimes have noticed every week.

***

Blake Freeland isnt the only athlete in his family. Truth be told, he might not even be the most athletic.

Freelands father James played at BYU from 1994-95. A native of Arlington, Texas, Jim Freeland earned letters in football, basketball, track and field and baseball at Amador Valley High in Pleasanton, California, and was the Northern California Athlete of the Year before going on to star at linebacker at Ricks College. Recruited by UCLA, Iowa, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Boston College, Oklahoma and Texas, he settled on BYU and wrapped up a two-year career with 16 tackles, including 11 solo stops and a fumble recovery.

While there, he met and married Blakes mother Debbie. A two-sport athlete at BYU who also played volleyball, Debbie Freeland was an honorable mention All-American with the womens basketball team from 1991-95. And while Blake Freeland is the only boy in his family, one of his four sisters Sierra is on the BYU track and field team, as well.

So its impossible to ignore the role of genetics in the younger Freelands steady acclimation to Division I football. He hasnt even filled out his frame yet, either; hes added nearly 20 pounds since his senior year of high school, and coaches estimate he can put another 40-50 pounds on his 285-pound frame, as well.

He has all the tangibles to be a Division I tackle.

Hes just a tough guy. Hes a quick learner, and intelligent, BYU offensive line coach Eric Mateos said. Hes got football intelligence from playing different positions. And hes got grit. When youve got those things, you have a chance to be OK.

Hes graded out OK not what were looking for in our room but hes improving. Thats a good thing.

And yet, that only tells part of his story.

Watching his growth, even before his number was called, was the way he always worked his hind end off, BYU teammate Chandon Herring said. He just goes and goes and goes. He has a great football IQ, hes a great dude, and hes the epitome of what you want as an O-lineman at BYU.

***

BYU offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes had a story this week after wrapping up another day of practice before Saturdays home tilt against Liberty (5:30 p.m. MST, ESPNU).

It came from last week, when the second-year offensive coordinator was preparing his guys for a road game at Utah State. He knew it was going to be the first start of Freelands freshman season, and whether the youngster admitted it or not he probably felt a little nervous.

So Grimes was surprised when he walked out of his office, long after practice, after showering, and after doing his own coaching work. He heard voices coming from the offensive line team room.

It was nearly 8 o'clock at night. Who would still be in the BYU practice facility?

He turned the corner, and saw two of his pupils Freeland, and Chandon Herring, the redshirt junior right guard who had taken the freshman under his wing all year watching film and reviewing team concepts after a long day.

I think its a real credit to James (Empey), Brady (Christensen) and Chandon, for taking those young guys under the wing, Grimes said, and helping them get caught up.

Its not just the linemen, though. Herring said the Cougars, both players and coaches, have preached a culture of accountability, with guys regularly meeting outside of practice time to throw, to run extra drills, or to study film on next weeks opponent. That culture increased two weeks ago, following surprise losses to Toledo and South Florida, and has proven dividends with wins against regional rivals Boise State and Utah State.

I think thats a team thing, across the board, Herring said. Everyone on our team likes to put in as much extra work as they can fit into their schedule.

That support from coaches and teammates helped Freeland when he was thrown into the starting spotlight.

It was a learning curve, for sure, he admits. But being surrounded by all the guys coach Mateos, coach Grimes, my O-linemen theyve all helped a ton with my growth, both mentally and physically. Im always trying to get extra work in, and theyve helped a ton.

***

Freelands background in football isnt the only impressive thing about him.

The 2019 Gatorade Utah boys track and field athlete of the year, Freeland won the throwers hat trick of state titles in the shot put, discus and javelin. He also moonlighted as the starting center on the Mustangs boys basketball team, a two-time team captain that paced Herriman to the Class 6A state quarterfinals last February.

Freeland even played in the same AAU program as current BYU star Yoeli Childs though that mostly amounted to watching the Bingham High product decide to dunk on everybody, he jokes.

Basketball was never his primary sport no, BYU coach Mark Pope has not called to inquire for his services this winter. But an All-American mother and that same work ethic helped Freeland learn the footwork that would later enhance his offensive line technique.

Coach Grimes and coach Mateos will always teach me some things, and then theyll say, Just treat it like a dunk and get up, he said. If I just explode through the guy, that helps.

Freeland pulls in elements from each of his previous stops at quarterback, at tight end, in track and field, and from the basketball court to assimilate into his right tackle technique.

Remember, hes still in his first year at that position.

But all those things can combine to make him a Division I lineman. And hes only getting started. In many ways, his new climb to the position is an asset.

His technique from his first game to his second game was much, much better, Mateos said. But when you havent played the position a long time, you dont have bad habits. Thats the good thing about him he doesnt have old habits that we need to break. Hes a piece of clay, and we get to do what we want with him.

Here is the original post:
How BYU's Blake Freeland went from high school QB to starting right tackle in one semester - KSL.com

The flipside of a rogue DNA test, of course, is it can also deliver the devastating news to a father that he has no blood ties to his children. In the US and the UK, thats led to a wave of paternity fraud cases, where men have sued for damages after being hoodwinked into raising or financially supporting someone elses child. In 2017, a Liverpool woman was sent to jail for 12 months after admitting she faked a paternity test.

Auckland legal researcher Zo Lawton, who has investigated issues around deceitful and misattributed paternity, says men able to prove theyre not the biological father can apply to the IRD for a refund of child support. However no figures are kept on how often that has happened. In the UK and Australia, men have brought claims under the tort of deceit for emotional distress and the cost of raising the child. Lawton would be interested to see a test case argued here to see whether we follow the UK, where claims have been allowed, or Australia, which has been far more conservative. In New Zealand, there is no legal obligation for anyone to submit to a paternity test, and a court cannot order a child to be tested, although a finding can be made based on other evidence, as happened in the case of former Auckland mayor John Banks.

Lawton is writing a book on famous or landmark cases to do with sex, IVF and contraception. One involves a New Zealand man who claimed he was tricked into fathering a child and wanted out of child support obligations (the courts decision went against him). In another case, in Canada, a man was found guilty of sexual assault after he swapped his partners birth control for a placebo.

Sometimes the truth comes out when a relationship breaks down and the mother tells her partner hes not the biological father because she wants full custody, she says. Some men feel really angry and dont want anything to do with the mother or child. Others dont care theres no biological relationship and say, I love this child and I want to stay in their life. Its so complex.

Sometimes a non-biological father knows the truth from the outset, thinking theyre doing the right thing for the benefit of the child to minimise the hurt. But people arent good at keeping secrets. Eventually someone spills the beans.

Lawton says sometimes the secret is weighing on their mind, and they feel an obligation to let their son or daughter know. Others find out when their biological father dies. He feels guilty for not being in their life, leaves a note saying, Surprise! and a slice of his estate, which comes as a shock to the rest of the family.

Sometimes the child gets an inkling as they get older, especially a teenager who feels disconnected from their father or that theyre the oddball in the family, and starts digging around. DNA is just another way for them to find out.

Key players such as AncestryDNA and 23andMe have dedicated staff to handle more sensitive queries, yet the reality is their customers are often home alone when they click on their test results. Rebekah Drumsta thinks there should be compulsory warnings on DNA test kits about the potential harm of unexpected results, in the same way there are cancer warnings on cigarette packs.

AncestryDNAs international spokesperson Brad Argent, who gave a public talk in Auckland in June, recommends anyone considering an ancestry test should talk with their parents first, to give them an opportunity to disclose any family secrets. In his experience, most people whose results show an anomaly already had suspicions something was up. We do our best to inform people of the risks.

Also problematic is that DNA matching means even people not on the database risk automatically losing their genetic anonymity an issue raised in a recent blog by the Privacy Commissioner.

Last year, the commissioner was contacted by a man whose sister took an ancestry test, and discovered a close relative no one in the family knew about. The person turned out to have been conceived using sperm the man had donated in the 1980s, after being reassured he would be anonymous and untraceable. He complained that the DNA-testing company had not sought his consent in disclosing the existence of this person to his sister. However, in this case the Privacy Act (which regulates how agencies collect, use, disclose and store personal information) did not apply, because it was not the actions of the company but of the mans sister and his biological child that resulted in the information being revealed, because they had uploaded their DNA.

Dr Andelka Phillips, a senior law lecturer at Waikato University and a research associate at Oxford University, has privacy concerns around DNA testing, including the capacity of a legal guardian to give consent on a childs behalf, particularly because you dont know necessarily how long the data is going to be stored or who its going to be shared with.

Phillips also recommends discussing testing with your family, not just in case there are secrets, but because so much of our DNA is shared. Ancestry results, she notes, should be treated with caution. The tests are not standardised, so you can get contradictory results from different companies. Even the largest databases dont have large samples from all populations, and indigenous peoples and other minorities are often under-represented.

In most cases, she says, companies arent making a profit from the sale of the test kits themselves but by accumulating large databases that can be used in commercial partnerships. AncestryDNA recently teamed up with Spotify to create curated playlists inspired by a persons ancestral origins, while 23andMe is collaborating with Airbnb to provide genetically tailored travel experiences. The latter has partnered with at least 15 pharmaceutical companies; last year GlaxoSmithKline announced it was investing $US300 million into 23andMe to use aggregate customer data for drug research.

Read the fine print before ordering a genetic test online, advises Phillips. Her book Buying your Self on the Internet: Wrap Contracts and Personal Genomics has just been published by Edinburgh University Press. It looks at the rise of the genetic-testing industry, and the legal and ethical issues involved. Shed like to see specific regulation of the industry and far more transparency in DNA-testing contracts and privacy policies, particularly over consent for data to be used for research or shared with third parties, such as drug companies and law-enforcement agencies.

First rule of data: once you hand it over, you lose control of it, University of California law professor Elizabeth Joh warned recently on Twitter. You have no idea how the terms of service will change for your recreational DNA.

Read more: How the use of DNA in criminal investigations could violate your human rights

Read this article:
How genetic tests are tearing families apart and bringing others together - Noted

New York, Nov. 06, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Hair Restoration Services Market (2019-2025)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05826085/?utm_source=GNW Hair loss and baldness are common in males, primarily due to genetic factors and age.

The increasing rate of patients suffering from alopecia is a major factor that is boosting the demand for hair restoration service market. As stated by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, over one million hair transplant surgeries have been performed in 2014, across the globe. The study also stated that among the total surgeries performed, 89% were conducted on the scalp area and 11% were targeted in the non-scalp areas. Furthermore, 87.3% of surgical patients were males, whereas 13.4% of patients were females.

The major market players competing in the hair restoration services market are Direct Hair Implantation International, Bosley Inc., iGrow Laser, Elite Hair Restoration, NeoGraft, National Hair Centers, Lexington Intl., Bernstein Medical, LLC, and Cole Hair Transplant Group. The market players are adopting progressive strategies to leverage the opportunities of the market. Companies are focusing on innovative strategies to compete in the market space.

For example, Dr. U Devices Inc. came into a partnership with Mamba Instruments S. A. In November 2018, Dr. U Devices Inc. the developer of Dr. UGraft Revolution Hair Transplant System came into a partnership and license agreement with South Americas popular hair transplant surgeon who is also the founder of Mamba Instruments S.A. HairMax introduced ACCELER8 Hair Booster + Nutrients in December 2018. It is a bioactive treatment to protect patients from hair loss.

Restoration Robotics, Inc., announced its approval of CE Mark for selling the ARTAS iX System with implantation functionality in Europe. The CE Mark approval follows the companys receipt in January 2019 of ISO 13485:2016 ARTAS iX Certification. With this consent, ARTAS users in Europe will be able to leverage the companys new platform that includes new implantation functionality, optimizes clinical outcomes, and further enhances the workflow of hair recovery processes. Through the global marketing team and distributor associates, the company will proceed to buy in these geographies as we retain our concentrate on extending our global business existence.

In July 2018, DHI launched DPR 360 program with Medical School of the University of Athens focusing on scientific approach in the diagnosis of hair loss. Glenmark launched hair loss treatment product in Russia. Glenmark Impex LLC, a subsidiary of the business, will solely market the item designed for male and female patients in Russia under a licensing agreement with Denmarks Pharma Medico ApS.

ZAOL Doctors Order is now accessible for the first time in the U.S. as a pioneering, clinically verified skin and scalp treatment with an advanced new method of application. Famous for its development in South Korea and supported by the leading company in the German biopharmaceutical sector, Dr. Niedermaier, ZAOL Doctors Order operates on transforming skin from the inside out, handling the scalp with specific nutrients to regenerate hair follicles, optimizing good skin development.

RepliCel Life Sciences Inc., a business that manufactures aesthetics and orthopedics methods of the next generation, is pleased to announce that their First-in-Japan strategy will be resumed. Working with sector officials, CJ PARTNERS, the company has launched a program in Japan to accomplish its objective of releasing its cell therapy goods in Japan sooner than anywhere else in the globe would be possible. Due to this distinctive chance, the next-phase tests of the Company will be carried out in Japan.

Bosley, which has been a world champion in hair restoration for over 40 years, is launching the Bosley Revitalizer Laser Hair Restoration system, which encourages hair growth for everyone at home. The Bosley Revitalizer is a mobile, wearable laser treatment device that utilizes low-level laser therapy (LLLT) clinical resistance equipment to assist prevents hair loss, improve and thicken hair.

In the hair transplant services industry, manufacturers are making attempts to maintain their impactful business presence. Major key players are more focused on strategic techniques like novel product launches, regional expansion and capacity; steady growth and demand for collaboration and partnerships are expected to drive the market. For example, laser devices from HairMax Inc. have been approved by ANVISA, which has been very advantageous for the growth and expansion of the companys product portfolio.

Escalating brand approvals improves the accessibility of business products and thus enhances the market growth. In addition, some of the other factors affecting and deducing market growth are media influence, film and fashion sector development, beauty and appearance peer stress, etc. In deriving market growth, some health aspects also perform an important part. These are accidents, genetic problems, illnesses such as cancer or chemotherapy that trigger hair loss combined with the increasing amount of hair transplant clinics and services that drive the expansion of the industry.

The report highlights the adoption of Hair Restoration Services globally. Based on Service Provider, the market is segmented into Hospitals, Clinics and Surgical Centers. Based on Gender, the market is segmented into Male, and Female. Based on Service type, the market is segmented into Follicular Unit Extraction, Follicular Unit Transplantation, Laser Treatment, Follicular Unit Strip Surgery and Other services. The report also covers geographical segmentation of Hair Restoration Services market. The geographies included in the report are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East & Africa. For the better analysis, the geographies are segmented into countries.

The major market players expanding their reach in the global hair restoration services market are Allergan PLC, Direct Hair Implantation Ltd., Bosley, Inc. (Aderans Company Limited), National Hair Centers (GD&D Hair Solutions), Venus Concept Ltd. (NeoGraft Solutions), Lexington Intl. LLC, Bernstein Medical PC, Theradome, Inc., Elite Hair Restoration Ltd. and IllumiFlow.

Scope of the Study

Market Segmentation:

By Service Provider

Hospitals

Clinics

Surgical Centers

By Gender

Male

Female

By Service Type

Follicular Unit Extraction

Follicular Unit Transplantation

Laser Treatment

Follicular Unit Strip Surgery

Other services

By Geography

North America

o US

o Canada

o Mexico

o Rest of North America

Europe

o Germany

o UK

o France

o Russia

o Spain

o Italy

o Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

o China

o Japan

o India

o South Korea

o Singapore

o Malaysia

o Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America, Middle East and Africa (LAMEA)

o Brazil

o Argentina

o UAE

o Saudi Arabia

o South Africa

o Nigeria

o Rest of LAMEA

Companies Profiled:

Allergan PLC

Direct Hair Implantation Ltd.

Bosley, Inc. (Aderans Company Limited)

National Hair Centers (GD&D Hair Solutions)

Venus Concept Ltd. (NeoGraft Solutions)

Lexington Intl. LLC

Bernstein Medical PC

Theradome, Inc.

Elite Hair Restoration Ltd.

IllumiFlowRead the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05826085/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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Continued here:
The Global Hair Restoration Services Market size is expected to reach $11.9 billion by 2025, rising at a market growth of 5.4% CAGR during the...

When actress Angelina Jolie revealed that she was a carrier of a genetic mutation that increases her risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer, many women started discussing their own hereditary cancer risk. But are all breast cancers genetic?

About 5 to 10% of breast cancers are hereditary, so the majority of diagnoses occur by chance, said Cathy Sullivan, a certified genetic counselor with the Breast Care Center at Baylor College of Medicine.

Individuals who have been diagnosed with breast cancer are often referred to see a genetic counselor, especially in cases where there is a family history of cancer.

The first thing we do is review the patients history to see if the family fits any of the characteristics of a hereditary cancer syndrome, she said. If they do, we talk to them about genes, different options to help them decide if they want testing, and how the results will impact them and their family.

The most common genetic predispositions to breast cancer are mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent are also at a higher risk for having these mutations.

Individuals who have the BRCA gene mutation can go on certain treatments that will likely be more effective for them. Also, knowing they have these mutations will give us an idea of whether or not they have a higher risk for developing a second breast cancer.

Many of the genes that are associated with breast cancer are also associated with an increased risk of developing other types of cancer.

The BRCA1 gene impacts other tissues, such as the ovaries. Men with a BRCA mutation also have an increased risk of male breast cancer and prostate cancer, Sullivan said.

Cancer risk varies depending on the gene. For example, women with the BRCA1 mutation have a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer, whereas women with the BRCA2 mutation have a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

If you have a family history of breast cancer, Sullivan says genetic testing can be useful but its important to start with an affected family member first if possible.

When we see unaffected patients, they often have living family members with a history of breast cancer. It is always best to start genetic testing with someone who has had cancer, so we can determine if the cancer is associated with one of these genes.

Sullivan says unaffected individuals can be tested, but a negative result is not as impactful because it isnt known if there is a mutation in the family that wasnt inherited.

A lot of times, we see familial clusters of breast cancer that arent linked to a specific gene, she said. We have computerized programs that incorporate an individuals family history, genetic testing that has occurred among family members, and their own personal risk factors for breast cancer. These models generate a personalized risk assessment for breast cancer and compare that to the average womans lifetime risk.

This information is often used to determine if there is a need for earlier screenings and preventive care.

For unaffected individuals, sometimes this risk assessment is more significant than the actual genetic testing, because most of the time they will test negative. But we know they are likely still at a higher risk, so we incorporate it into the model to make a screening plan for them.

While it may be tempting to purchase an at-home genetic test, Sullivan says women who are interested in testing should instead talk to their doctor and a certified genetic counselor.

There are so many different tests available and you want to make sure you are getting the appropriate test. Many of the at-home genetic tests are incomplete or inaccurate.

Sullivan also emphasizes that testing positive for a gene mutation does not automatically mean cancer will develop in the future. Many women live their whole lives with these mutations and never develop cancer. Testing is a just tool of information that you can use to be more proactive as you get older.

Sullivan is an instructor in the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine. Learn more about genetic testing and counseling services at Baylor or call (713) 798-1999.

See more services at the Breast Care Center.

View breast cancer clinical trials at Baylor.

-By Nicole Blanton

See the rest here:
What is the role of genetic counseling in breast cancer care? - Baylor College of Medicine News

With their colleagues, U. of I. animal sciences professor Alfred Roca, seated, with, from left, technician Cory Green and graduate students Tolu Perrin-Stowe and Alida de Flamingh, developed an online tool that can trace the origins of poached ivory more quickly than previous methods.

Photo by Fred Zwicky

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. A new tool uses an interactive database of geographic and genetic information to help authorities quickly identify where the confiscated tusks of African elephants were originally poached.

Developed by an international team of researchers, the Loxodonta Localizer matches genetic sequences from poached ivory to those stored in the database. It relies on genetic information from a small, highly variable region of mitochondrial DNA from African elephants.

The work is reported in the Journal of Heredity.

Mitochondrial DNA is passed only from females to their offspring. This makes it very useful for tracking elephants, since the herds are matrilineal and females do not disperse, said University of Illinois animal sciences professor Alfred Roca, who led development of the new tool.

The females kick the males out of the herd at puberty and the males have to go out on their own, Roca said. Females stay with the herd and that herd tends to stay in certain localities. Roca is an affiliate of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at Illinois.

African elephant herds are matrilineal only the males disperse.

Photo by Michael Jeffords and Susan Post

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Illegal hunting is a major threat to the elephants of Africa, with more elephants killed by poachers than die from natural causes, the researchers wrote in a paper describing the online tool. Between 2006 and 2016, the number of African elephants declined by about 110,000, and the rate of poaching has been increasing since 2008. Today, about 415,000 African elephants remain.

A recent analysis revealed that elephant populations in 73 locations believed to carry half of Africas elephants are less than 25% of what they would be if poaching were not occurring.

Current approaches to identifying the source of confiscated elephant tusks include the use of several genetic markers from nuclear DNA, which is inherited from both parents. Nuclear DNA can help identify individual elephants. But determining an elephants geographic origin with nuclear DNA is a complicated task requiring more genetic data and statistical modeling, Roca said.

Authorities often burn confiscated ivory. This pile of ivory ash was left in Tarangire National Park in Tanzania as a statement against poaching.

Photo by Michael Jeffords and Susan Post

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If you look at nuclear genes, theres very little difference across central Africa; the forest elephants all look pretty much the same, he said. But if you look at the mitochondrial DNA, there are these regional groupings.

The variable region of mitochondrial DNA contains more recent mutations than other parts of the genome and so provides a record of recent genetic changes between groups. This makes it an ideal tool for distinguishing between elephant populations

Ivory contains small amounts of DNA, he said. Its dead, but the cells are embedded in the bone. Sanger sequencing, a technique to sequence the small region of mitochondrial DNA, is cheap and easy to do, Roca said.

For the most part, anyone can generate a Sanger sequence anywhere in the world, he said. You can get a result within six days with this one genetic marker.

Mitochondrial DNA, which is inherited only from the mother, is an ideal marker for determining the origin of poached ivory, researchers said.

Photo by Michael Jeffords and Susan Post

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The Loxodonta Localizer contains sequences of mitochondrial DNA from more than 1,900 African forest and savanna elephants. The sequences were compiled from previously published studies of African elephants. Kai Zhao, who was a graduate student in Rocas lab, developed the software. Cory Green, a technician, spent nearly a year verifying the data and making sure the geographic localities and sequences matched up in the database.

The researchers tested the Loxodonta Localizer with mitochondrial DNA sequences from ivory seized in Malaysia in 2012. The ivory had already been independently analyzed and assigned a geographic origin based on nuclear DNA markers. The two assessments agreed, but the new software allowed for a faster and cheaper analysis, Roca said. It also offered a more precise geographic picture of the origin of tusks because the seizures included relatively rare mitochondrial DNA sequences pointing to the same geographic regions.

Being able to determine the source of poached ivory within days of its recovery can speed the response to poaching in new or unexpected areas, Roca said. The information can tie individual smugglers to broader smuggling networks, as the tool can also quickly point investigators to the tusks that will be most helpful to sequence more fully to establish, for example, whether two tusks in different shipments are from the same elephant.

The researchers hope that scientists across the African continent will begin to sequence their elephants and add those to the database.

Right now, I believe we have about one out of every 200 elephants in Africa included in the database, Roca said. What we really need are more samples from more locations, so that the database holds as many of the rare but geographically informative sequences as possible.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service African Elephant Conservation Fund, the conservation group known as TRAFFIC, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development supported this work.

Read the original post:
Online tool speeds response to elephant poaching by tracing ivory to source - University of Illinois News Bureau

Of the 3.5 million current breast cancer survivors in the United States, one in five will be diagnosed with a painful swelling condition called lymphedema, which can occur as a consequence of lymph nodes under the arms being removed, also known as axillary lymph node dissection. UC San Diego Health now offers a novel surgical procedure to help prevent this debilitating condition.

Frederic Kolb, MD, plastic surgeon, UC San Diego Health

While the majority of patients do not experience complications from lymph node removal, it can be devastating for those who do. Immediate lymphatic reconstruction is a preventive procedure to restore lymphatic connections in the arm, said Frederic Kolb, MD, plastic surgeon at UC San Diego Health. This delicate surgery is performed at the same time the lymph nodes are removed and tested for cancer. Instead of treating patients after lymphedema presents itself, we hope to prevent the condition for patients who may be at risk.

During lymph node dissection, Kolb and his team map the drainage routes of the nodes in the upper arm. The team reconnects any disrupted channels by creating a by-pass to prevent swelling. Using a microscope, the team reroutes the tiny vessels, many less than the thickness of a dime.

This microsurgical technique re-plumbs the lymphatic system to allow for the normal flow and drainage of lymphatic fluid, said Christopher Reid, MD, plastic surgeon, UC San Diego Health. It is intended to prevent the chronic limb swelling and infection associated with breast cancer-related lymphedema. The technique may also be applicable to prevent leg lymphedema caused by lymph node dissections in the groin.

As a cancer surgeon, my primary goal is to accurately stage the cancer to identify which patients need more aggressive treatment, Sarah Blair, MD, surgical oncologist at UC San Diego Health. In some patients, significant lymph node dissection can unintentionally result in damage to healthy tissue. With this procedure, we can help prevent lymphedema and give the patient a better overall experience and outcome.

The lymphedema prevention surgery represents one of several emerging microsurgical techniques being used to care for patients with breast cancer. Certified lymphedema therapists are also available to help patients prevent or manage the condition through exercise and massage.

Christopher Reid, MD, plastic surgeon, UC San Diego Health

The Comprehensive Breast Health Center has developed protocols for pre-operative evaluation of patients and immediate postoperative evaluation of lymphedema and range of motion issues associated with breast cancer treatment, said Anne Wallace, MD, director, Comprehensive Breast Health Center. Data shows that both early assessment and treatment by occupational therapists after breast cancer treatment leads to improved physical outcomes.

For more than two decades, UC San Diego Healths nationally recognized Comprehensive Breast Health Center has offered a multidisciplinary program to treat female and male patients with any kind of breast issue including all stages of cancer. From detection to diagnosis and treatment, the program uses the patients genetic profile to customize treatment options, including surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiation and reconstruction.

The surgical team offers multiple options to help the patient safely achieve their desired outcome. This includes advanced oncoplastic options for patients desiring breast conservation to the full scope of implant-based and non-implant-based reconstruction using a patients own tissue after mastectomy. The team approach allows for shared decision making between the patient and the plastic surgeon who has specific expertise in any of these choices.

When needed, patients have access to a specialized recovery unit inside Jacobs Medical Center. Care is provided by a sub-specialty trained group of nurses who provide close and continuous monitoring of tissue reconstruction, as well as overall well-being. The team also includes anesthesiology pain management experts who have specialized training in block use and other postoperative pain management regimens to decrease pain, shorten hospital stays, and reduce the need for opioid pain medication.

UC San Diego Health is one of only 50 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the country and the only such center in San Diego County.

To learn more about this surgery and the Comprehensive Breast Health Center visit health.ucsd.edu.

UC San Diegos Studio Ten 300 offers radio and television connections for media interviews with our faculty. For more information, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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Novel Surgery May Prevent Lymphedema in Patients with Breast Cancer - UC San Diego Health

NewsEnvironmentThe animal's genetic make-up has changed significantly in recent decades

Tuesday, 5th November 2019, 7:00 pm

Scientists have found the first evidence that wild animals are rapidly evolving to give birth earlier in the year in response to climate change.

Red deer on the Scottish Isle of Rum are giving birth 12.3 days earlier in the year, on average, than they were four decades ago - and evolution is at least partly responsible, a new study finds.

Researchers have analysed 45 years of data and identified a significant change in the genetic makeup of female red deer - known as hinds - with genes for breeding earlier becoming far more common over the period.

The genes are thought to bring forward the timing of oestrus - or heat - in the female, increasing the chance that they will become pregnant and give birth earlier.

Rutting season brought forward

The change is a response to an earlier rutting season - with males competing for females a little sooner each year as warmer temperatures bring forward the grazing season.

"This is the best evidence yet for a genetic change in the timing of events in the wild. Usually people think of evolution as very slow but this seems quite fast," said Professor Josephine Pemberton, of the University of Edinburgh.

Hinds give birth to a single calf a year, conceiving in the autumn and giving birth in the summer.

'This is the best evidence yet for a genetic change in the timing of events in the wild'

Josephine Pemberton

Genes have played a significant part in bringing forward the birth dates but non-genetic effects of the warming weather on the deer's behaviour and physiology are also thought to have a role, the researchers said.

Sally Thomas, of Scottish National Heritage, which manages the Isle of Rum nature reserve where the deer live, said: "These findings are a fascinating example of the impact climate change may be having on wildlife."

Timothee Bonnet, of the Australian National University, who led the study, said: "This is one of the few cases where we have documented evolution in action, showing that it may help populations adapt to climate warming."

The study was published in the journal PLOS Biology. It also involved scientists from the universities of St Andrews and Cambridge.

The rest is here:
Red deer are evolving to give birth earlier in the year due to climate change - inews

Vanderbilt will be hosting TEDxVanderbiltUniversity on Nov. 10 at 1:00 p.m. in Sarratt Cinema.

Organized independently of the nonprofit TED, the Vanderbilt Student Leadership Development Team operates the event in the style of a TED Conference, where speakers are given just a few minutes to share ideas worth spreading. The event will feature seven speakers from the Vanderbilt community discussing topics ranging from unemployment in the autism community to music in presidential elections. The Hustler spoke to each TEDx presenter about their talk and inspiration.

Sarah Jordan Welch

Sarah Jordan Welch (Photo courtesy tedxvanderbiltuniversity.com)

A licensed social worker and Vanderbilt staff member, Sarah Jordan Welch of Project Safe will be speaking about the experiences of sexual assault survivors in her talk Welcome to the Trauma Club.

Most people, whether they know it or not, know somebody whos been impacted by sexual violence, Welch said, and I think that sometimes the narratives that get shared are of very specific perspectives or particular identities. My intention with the talk is to have anyone who is coming to it who is a survivor have at least one moment of resonance, or one moment of feeling like they can relate to something that Ive said.

As a survivor of sexual assault, one of the challenges Welch faces daily in her job is how to support the survivors she works with while also taking care of herself. In choosing to give a TED talk, Welch decided that despite the difficult content, it was worth speaking out because of the possibility of helping others.

If my talk gets to some random person in Wyoming who feels a connection, thats kind of amazing that theres somebody who Ive never met, who likely I will never meet, that feels like their story has been highlighted or that they have value and worth and are important, Welch said.

Project Safe staff and resources will be available at the TED event.

If my talk gets to some random person in Wyoming who feels a connection, thats kind of amazing that theres somebody who Ive never met, who likely I will never meet, that feels like their story has been highlighted or that they have value and worth and are important.

Sarah Jordan Welch

Claire Barnett

Claire Barnett (Photo courtesy tedxvanderbiltuniversity.com)

Vanderbilt graduate Claire Barnett (19) is the Communications Coordinator for the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, a Vanderbilt initiative. Barnett is also the former Multimedia Director of The Hustler. Barnetts TED talk, Why autistic unemployment is so high and what we can do about it is about the unemployment of autistic people and the valuable, unique skills individuals with autism can offer to an employer. Part of Barnetts work is self-advocacy as an autistic adult. In doing this, she said, Ive seen it open peoples minds a little bit to think about neurodiversity differently.

Theres a very specific set of challenges that a lot of autistic people face as they try to get into the workforce, Barnett said.

Working in an advocacy and research role at the Frist Center, Barnett examines how people with autism can reach their full potential at work and what management skills and resources are necessary for employers to help them do this. In her talk, she will also discuss ways to change the unemployment rate of people on the spectrum based on her own knowledge, research and what shes learned at the Frist Center.

Krystal Tsosie

Krystal Tsosie (Photo courtesy tedxvanderbiltuniversity.com)

A Vanderbilt Ph.D. student, educator and advocate for genetic and data sovereignty, Krystal Tsosies experiences as an Indigenous (Din/Navajo) geneticist and bioethicist inform her TED talk, Our DNA is Not Our Identity.

As a researcher and scientist, Tsosie examines womens health through genomic studies in a North Dakota tribal community, but her experiences have led her to the conclusion that biomarkers and genetics do not definitively represent identity or what ideas of identity should be based on.

Tsosies talk, which considers community, identity and their definitions, argues that experiences are what shape us and determine kinship, not labels based on biological or cultural ideas.

We are not just one identity, and that identity is not based off of a DNA test kit. We are many things, Tsosie said. We belong to multiple communities, and none of those things are biologically defined or may not be biologically defined.

Kamala Varma

School of Engineering and College of Arts and Science senior Kamala Varmas talk,

Jair PowellKamala Varma (Photo courtesy tedxvanderbiltuniversity.com)

Lessons in Creativity from a Computer Artist Named Arthur, is based on a project she did in her free time to learn more about artificial intelligence. In 952 lines of code, Varma tried to create a system that went a step beyond current AI artists.

A lot of the existing AI systems that generate art are very focused on the visual, and so if visually it looks [like] art and it looks cool, then thats considered a success, Varma said. I tried to add more meaning to the art, so have it actually make art based off of a theme, and try and get it to interpret that theme and then make art based on that theme.

Varma said she doesnt have a definition for art when it comes to her computer programs products. She explained that trying to have a computer produce art is complex and judging the quality of the result can be a challenge. Instead, Varma drew inspiration in her project from her own artistic process, as well as those of Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol.

Im trying to mimic the human artistic process, which I dont think existing AI systems do, they just focus on getting the cool result, Varma said.

Troy Jiang

Troy Jiang (Photo courtesy tedxvanderbiltuniversity.com)

Troy Jiang is a senior in the College of Arts and Science, double majoring in Mathematics and Communication of Science and Technology. Jiangs talk Lets Talk About (the Potential) of Dating Apps, will use stories and research in order to discuss both the potential and dangers surrounding dating apps, specifically Tinder and Grindr.

Dating apps provide unprecedented opportunities for us, but there are actions that we must take to leverage their full potential, Jiang said. With proper management and use, we can bring out the great potential of dating apps and bring the world together

TIME ranked Vanderbilt as the 28th most popular school for male Tinder use, with the amount of people on dating apps only increasing, Jiang said.

Dating platforms have become a critical aspect of society. For many Vanderbilt students who are interested in the technology and social changes, dating platforms an exciting opportunity for us to learn and to potentially contribute to improving these technologies, Jiang said.

Tommy Oswalt (Photo courtesy tedxvanderbiltuniversity.com)

Tommy Oswalt

Tommy Oswalt, a senior in the College of Arts and Science, will deliver Why Music Matters in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election analyzing how presidential candidates utilize music throughout their campaigns in order to display policy, relatability, experience and presidentiality. By presenting President Barack Obamas 2012 campaign playlists, Oswalt will provide the audience with things to listen for in the 2020 election.

Oswalt found inspiration through his parents: father as a local politician and mother as a musician.

I found both music and politics to be integral components to my upbringing, Oswalt said. Every day, U.S. voters are constantly inundated with countless forms of media that attempt to make sense of both the candidates and events of the campaign.

This talk aims to offer another lens through which people can analyze the 2020 election for themselvesthe lens of campaign music.

Katy Friedman (Photo courtesy tedxvanderbiltuniversity.com)

Katy Friedman

Vanderbilt graduate Katy Friedman (94) is a grief therapist with a private practice in St. Louis. Friedmans talk, Scared to Death and Showing Up Anyway: The Heroism of Being There with Grief and Grievers, will discuss her work in hospice and as a grief therapist and explain how those occupations have given her invaluable experience being with grieving people.

I notice other people seem to be afraid of this. I am too, but my work is to practice showing up when I am afraid or feel inadequate. I want to encourage other people to do the same, Friedman said.

The rest is here:
TEDxVanderbiltUniversity to feature seven members of the Vanderbilt community - The Vanderbilt Hustler

By Natalie Parletta

A new software tool will speed up the tracking of locations where African elephant tusks have been poached for ivory.

The freely available interactive tool, Loxodonta Localiser, draws from a comprehensive database of elephant DNA and geographical locations put together by researchers at the University of Illinois, US.

Senior researcher Alfred Roca has been working on elephant genetics for 22 years and saw an opportunity to develop a straightforward method to quickly deduce the source of confiscated ivory and help stop poaching.

This is an increasingly serious issue; the weight of illegally poached ivory tripled from 2007 to 2016, according to estimates by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Because of this, more African elephants die from poaching than from natural causes: forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) populations have dwindled by more than 60% and savanna elephants (L. africana) by a third.

Current methods to infer the source populations of confiscated tusks use nuclear genetic markers. This can help identify individual elephants, but establishing their geographic origin is a complex task requiring more genetic data and statistical modelling, according to Roca.

His team drew on mitochondrial DNA which can give insights to their location, because it is only passed from mums to their offspring and the females dont disperse.

The females kick the males out of the herd at puberty and the males have to go out on their own, Roca explains. Females stay with the herd and that herd tends to stay in certain localities.

Sourcing published scientific studies, Rocas student, Kai Zhao, combined all of the relevant mitochondrial sequences for African elephants, verified by his technician Cory Green.

The region of overlap across the major studies was 316 base pairs of DNA, and this information is what is stored in the database, says Roca. It currently includes sequences for more than 1900 elephants from 24 countries.

To use the database, forensic laboratories can generate sequences from ivory and enter them as a query on the home page of the software. This will generate a map and details of where the sequence has been reported previously in African elephants.

The researchers tested it with three confiscated batches of ivory, two from Malaysia and one from Hong Kong. Their results suggested the elephants were being killed in the Tridom region of west-central Africa.

This is the largest surviving population of the African forest elephant, says Roca, which is a distinct and more highly endangered species from the African savanna elephant, and it is being targeted by poachers.

Importantly, the Malaysian co-authors were able to extract DNA from the ivory, amplify and sequence it and source its location within a week of obtaining the tusk samples. The interactive tool itself only takes a few seconds to generate results.

This simpler and quicker approach will enable scientists to extract and sequence DNA locally from any confiscated tusks and add their results to the database.

Local laboratories will be able to do their own forensic analysis without relying on shipment of elephant or ivory samples outside their own countries, which Roca notes can be complicated in terms of permits and logistics.

He hopes this method will add to the multiple approaches necessary to reduce supply and demand of ivory and put an end to poaching and trafficking.

The study is published in the Journal of Heredity.

Read more here:
Tracing poached ivory to the source - Cosmos

Infertility affects about 10%of women ages 15-44 in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That's 6.1 million people. With infertiliy affecting so many, its important to understand what it is and how its treated.

Dr. Zaraq Khan is a gynecologist at the Mayo Clinic. He joined us on Take Care to discuss the basics of infertility and what that means for couples going through it.

Classically, infertility is defined as a couple attempting to achieve pregnancy and not having success for about 12 months for women who are 35 years or less, Khan said. And for women 35 and older, its after six months of trying. Waiting even six months, though, can be tortuous for many couples, so Khan recommends checking with an infertility clinic after two to three months of no success.

Khan said that, thankfully, the dogma around infertility is changing: the World Health Organization now classifies it as a disease, and it can be treated.

More and more, were talking about infertility as being a disease and a disease that impacts quality of life, he said. And in my opinion, I think a couple needs to seek fertility evaluation anytime they feel like theyre not getting to their goals.

Khan said what is often overlooked is the couple perspective of infertility.

I feel like we should be talking about couples and not women, he said. We tend to forget about the men in the equation quite a bit.

Khan said that about 20% of infertility cases he sees are a result of male infertility, but social norms still place the blame on the woman.

Infertility is a couples medical problem, though it becomes a womans social burden to bear, he said.

With both parties factored in, Khan said about 15% of couples will have some sort of trouble in achieving a pregnancy. But that number is also influenced by age.

"We need to start talking about the importance of infertility because we're not only creating awareness; we're actually helping these couples that feel like they're on an isolated island."

Age largely determines a womans ovarian reserve, meaning the number of eggs in her body at the time of birth. That is a finite number, so that does present a bit of a time clock for optimal fertility conditions, Khan said.

We have this limited amount of time that we can then utilize to our advantage, but that decline in ovarian age, unfortunately, doesnt go hand in hand with advancement of chronologic age, he said.

That doesnt mean that nothing can be done about it, Khan said.

We cannot change parameters of ovarian reserve, but we definitely want to check for them to make sure that the person has an adequate amount of egg supply, Khan said.

Age 35 is that line in the sand, Khan said, that is generally seen as the average age at which women are affected by ovarian age. This increases by 38 and excessively after the age of 40, Khan said.

Over the past few decades, the rate of infertility has remained largely unchanged, at around 10 to 15% worldwide, Khan said. And in those cases, there are some typical causes, like low ovarian reserve and issues with sperm and semen.

Ovarian reserve issues are typically genetic, as many infertility causes are, Khan said. This is why its important to look into family history and discuss it with medical professionals.

Genetic history and a family history is exceedingly important from a couple that we see at their first intake, Khan said. There are definitely certain genetic diseases that can predispose a person or an individual to infertility.

Some of the common genetic diseases that impact infertility are chromosomal abnormalities, Khan said.

Getting a holistic family history as well as an infertility history of the family is very important, and then, based on a case-by-case basis, we can make those decisions of whether that couple would warrant or benefit by seeing a geneticist, he said.

There are other tell-tale things to look for, Khan said, which is why he and others like making sure the uterus is anatomically normal and doesnt have any abnormalities and that the female has patent fallopian tubes to carry the egg.

Khan is sensitive to the fact that these conversations arent common in families, so he knows it can be a hard topic to discuss.

The area of medicine that we work in not necessarily is a common speaking point amongst friends or social circles, so I do agree that are dealing with subjects that are very, very personal, and I think thats why having a very honest conversation and a good report with your patients is going to help, Khan said.

Unfortunately, these issues are not often talked about, which Khan said is leading to ignorance, misinformation and a lack of understanding all around.

If they dont hear that other people have been through something impactful or life-altering like infertility treatment, that feeling of isolation kicks in, and I feel like that in itself is a big blow for the morale with couples that are dealing with infertility, Khan said.

The solution? We need to discuss infertility more often, Khan said.

We need to start talking more about these issues, he said. We need to start talking about pregnancy loss. We need to start talking about the importance of infertility because were not only creating awareness; were actually helping these couples that feel like theyre on an isolated island.

Though Khan encourages struggling couples visit an infertility clinic when theyre not finding success, he cautions that there might not always be a clear explanation.

We would love to say that we can answer all questions, but, unfortunately, we -- meaning medical science -- hasnt advanced enough where we are able to specifically answer each question, he said.

About 1 in 5 patients that Khan and others see in his clinic dont have any obvious reason for infertility, which he calls unexplained infertility. However, even if the reason is unclear, the infertility is still treatable, Khan assured.

And fortunately for couples going through fertility, there are advancements that will help make that treatment easier coming in just a couple decades, Khan estimated. He said hes excited mostly about advancements to methods used to select embryos for transfer.

Most of that selection is currently done by grading embryos based on visual observation, but that may soon change.

What I think were going to start seeing in the next decade or two decades is the use of artificial intelligence that will be able to tell us which embryo would be the best one to transfer, Khan said.

Khan and other researchers are studying how embryos are divided, and Khan said that soon, bioinformatic software and articial intelligence can take that data and decide algorithms and devise different ways of deciding on its own which embryos will be destined for a pregnancy.

I think thats something very, very exciting that is going to be upcoming, he said.

Khan said he also projects future research that will help decrease false positives in genetic testing of embryos.

Read more from the original source:
Infertility: What you need to know - WRVO Public Media

Have you played any pranks on certain teammates?

Here? I didnt do too many pranks here. I just do small jokes. I feel like in our D-line group, we like to make fun of each other so I guess just doing that, giving each other a hard time. But we all laugh. Its no hard feelings, everyone knows were playing around.

It sounds like you guys are a little family on the D-line.

What about your family at home? How many brothers and sisters do you have?

I only have one brother and one sister.

When did football start for you? Do they play sports, too?

I followed my brother into football. He played first. My mom only let him play football. I was the youngest so I didnt really have that freedom. She was too scared to let me play. Then when

I did play, I was too big to play in my class. So I was fifth grade playing with the eighth graders and high schoolers. But I didnt play though because everyone was older than me and I hadnt developed and matured and they had been playing for a while. I didnt really understand it like they did so I didnt play much. I did that for two years and then middle school, I stopped playing pop warner. Just went to school. I got into basketball because I was taller than everybody. Thats what I played. I didnt really get big until after high school. The closest thing I got to football was flag football in middle school. That was fun. They were letting me play tight end and running back.

Do you have any of that in your background because I feel like youre so agile.

I feel like part of it is genetics. My moms side, all of her family are into sports. They all play rugby. My dad played soccer, so he was the quick feet guy. But then at a young age, I started to play tennis. My first sport was tennis.

Ive heard that! Ive heard people say listen, if you want your kid to be a good athlete, start them in tennis.

Thats what it was. I started off in tennis and I played for eight years.

Yeah, it was a program where we grew up in our neighborhood. Our parents were working nonstop so it was an afterschool program. They did tutoring. You go over there and theyd give you tutoring, theyll feed you and then you get to play tennis. For young kids, you just go out there and they teach you the fundamentals. As you grow older, you start competing against each other and then in the summertime you start competing in tournaments. Some were better than others.

I was all right. I was good, I was good. But I never really took it serious because I knew I wasnt going to go far in tennis. I knew it was just a temporary thing because my parents had to work so I knew I had to be there. But now I look back at it and it was really helpful because it helps a lot with agility, hand-eye coordination, acceleration, being explosive. Especially playing singles. Doubles not as much but when youre playing singles, you have the whole court to run around and hit the ball, then they hit the ball back and you have to hit it back.

Do you still pick up a tennis racket every now and again?

I havent in a while but I feel like playing it for eight years, its just like riding a bike for me now.

So what else do you do for fun then away from the field? Whats your happy place?

I feel like my happy place is just being on the water or just being with friends and family. Since weve been back, I feel like its been really cool just hanging out with the D-line. When we have time off, we just all link up and have a good time.

What do you guys do when you hang out?

We do a lot of stuff. Weve picked up a lot of hobbies.

The main hobby were into right now is fishing.

Everyone in Florida fishes!

We fish. Youll see theres bumps all over my arm because we went to this place, I think its called Upper Tampa Bay Park and they have these canoes you can rent out. We just took our fishing poles on there. And you couldnt see these mosquitos, that was the thing. Beau told us that theyre called this what Beau said dont quote me, this is Beau. He said those mosquitos are called cant see em.

Thats what theyre called. Im telling you. You cant see them, so theyre called cant see ems.

How different is Florida then? Because you grew up in California.

Shoot. The humidity and the heat. Thats the biggest thing. I grew up in Northern California so it wasnt as sunny. If you go to California for weather, you go to San Diego or LA. Everyone comes to Northern California to network. Everything is in the Bay Area.

Are you all Yay Area as far as music goes?

Thats what I grew up on. E-40, Mac Dre, who else? Theres a lot of them. Theres an up and coming artists, Kamaiya, Keak Da Sneak. The Governor. You heard The Governor?

Damnnn. Theres an up and coming dude named Stunna June. Hes a Tongan guy. Hes representing for the culture. Theres a lot of them. Theres Cookie Money. BRBE. Youve probably heard of them.

Its this whole microcosm of rap. Its its own little world.

Tupac said it the best. The Bay Area got their own little style. We have our own little style of music. Its different. Thats the biggest thing. I feel like people come to the Bay Area to network. People come to the Bay Area to get put on game with their business or whatever theyre seeking. Whatever theyre looking for, its in the Bay Area. Thats where its at. People dont come to the Bay Area for weather. Its probably raining over there right now to be honest. Its very similar to Seattle, because thats where I went to college. Theres similarities but Seattle, it doesnt rain as much. It sprinkles. Its beautiful in Seattle.

You guys and Autzen (in Oregon) were the toughest places to play. And Pullman, that was a tough place to play for our guys - I went to Arizona State.

U-Dub is top of the line of the Pac-12. Were on the water. People come sail gate. How many stadiums can you say that you went to and were sailgating? They say U-Dub is the best setting in college football

Original post:
Behind the Buccaneers: Vita Vea - Buccaneers.com

Novem.. I mean Mo'Vember is here. I generally already look like a 12-year-old, I'm not very tall, and lack the natural ability to grow good looking facial hair (thanks genetics). So instead I am rocking a rediculous looking mustache, not for the stares, or because I am thinking of becoming a Freddy Mercury impersonator. I'm wearing it to bring about awareness of suicide awareness and men's mental health.

I carved what I have of facial hair into this very same mustache during the very brief Twins playoff run (remember that?) in honor of Game 2's starter, and former 5 star Uber driver Randy Dobnak. My wife absolutely hates it. She has already threatened me with shaving it off while I sleep. My brother teases me with not allowing his kids to see me while I am in this state. However I'm not doing this for them, well I am, especially my brother 3 kids under the age of 5, but it is all about the awareness.

Minnpost.comhas a great statistic about men's mental health and suicide awareness. "The suicide mortality rate for women in Minnesota is about 5.4 per 100,000 below the national rate of 6.1 per 100.000. The suicide mortality rate for men in Minnesota is on par with the national rate, at 22.4 per 100,000 residents."

I was aJunior in high school when I experienced the effects of suicide. A former wrestling teammate, who had graduated the year before, was at college when he took his own life over the holiday break. It was a moment in my life that I still remember.

The National Center for Health Statistics says nearly 1 in 10menexperience depression and anxiety: According to a poll of 21,000American menby researchers at the National Center forHealth Statistics(NCHS), nearly one in tenmenreported experiencing some form of depression or anxiety, but less than half sought treatment.

It's ok to talk to someone about your feelings. Whether that person is a professional, or you've got a good friend that you can talk to when you just need to.

This November I want you to make the decision to start to share those feelings if you are experiencing them. Have a conversation about mental health with your dad or your kids. Let them know that it is ok to share how you are feeling.

If you feel like it, I am looking to raise funds this November that goes towards mental health and suicide awareness. You can do that here.

Original post:
My Wife Hates It, The Mustache Is A Reminder For Mental Health - kdhlradio.com

Cycling is in your blood. Its passed on from father to son. And if its in you, you can fight it all you want, you cant escape it.

But if theres one thing Ive learned from my dad, its fighting. Fighting against everything and everyone. Especially against yourself.

These are the opening lines of Kenneth Merckens The Racer, a film about his own experiences of the murky world of doping in professional cycling.

Mercken was an up and coming prospect, winning a national amateur championship in his homeland of Belgium in 2000. On his way to becoming pro, helped along by performance enhancing drugs, the now 43-year-old turned his back on the sport and instead enrolled at film school, graduating in 2011.

This year hes released an autobiographical film about his career. The central conflict of The Racer isnt between the young Belgian rider and the performance enhancing drugs, at the turn of the millenium that was par for the course. Instead, Merckens sullen father, a rider who never fulfilled his own ambitions, provides his son with a route into the sport, encouragement to dope, and also the emotional baggage that culminates in the young riders eventual implosion.

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When I was 14 I wouldnt even swallow a vitamin,so I was principally against it, Kenneth says of his route into doping.It kind of started very innocently. When I was 16 years oldI started to use some caffeine and that worked really well for me, but you cant call that doping really.

But it did kind of ease the way in, and at a certain point I went to the doctor and he actually extracted some blood and enriched it. Technically, that can be called blood doping because its taking it out of the body and re-infusing it.But of course, in those days it wasseen as innocent but It was kind of shady.

Merckens story is a familiar one, of lines incrementally being crossed until a dose of EPO is no bigger of a deal than your morning coffee.

Once you get used to the needles [it becomes normal]. The first time I injected myself was like with magnesium, and of course thats a mineral so its not doping, but that kind of eases the way to other products, Mercken says. Its also culture within the sport, there are guys shooting around you, you get the feeling thatyou will never make it if you dont.

Whilst the riders in the film depicting Mercken and his former team-mates just look like any other skinny two-wheel obsessives, its important to remember these riders were barely adults, while the real-life grown-ups were the ones providing and encouraging the use of PEDs.

It just became totally normal, Mercken says. Iremember a momentinItaly and my team bossgave me a flagon of EPin a clandestine way and said tuck it away in your trainers, make sure the others dont see it.I then went upstairs and they were all shooting EPOand in the meantime all talking about the weather.

In one way it had become something banal, but in another way everybody knew this was something big.

The depiction of the real, lived experience of doping is done with such candour that its refreshing, as well as being obviously concerning. The stress of the young men trying to make it to the next level in their career while trying to make peace with the fact theyre cheating often proves combustible. There are fallings-out and emotions are nearly always running high. Merckens is a rare story about cycling where the finish line and who crosses it is of little importance.

While the Belgians decision to start doping was gradual, getting out of that world was a decisive moment.

I went to see the doctor and she told me that I had to use a growth hormone because of my delayed puberty. And I was like yeah lets do it. Everybody else was doing it. Why not me? And then she said hold on, youre gonna have to do it your whole career every day.

Then she told me I might have a higher chance of cancer if I take it that much. And really the moment I heard those words was the moment I realised that it was over, it was an epiphany. Then back in the team house I decided to do film school or to go to acting school.I really made the decision on a whim like that.

Basically, one day woke up. I realised that it was all crazy and Id gone too far.

>>>I dont know how depressed people feel, but I think I went in that direction says Marcel Kittel, who also reveals post-cycling plans

And what does he think of the doping landscape now? Having retired before his pro career had really begun, and with no skin in the game anymore, Mercken is unfailingly honest with his insight.

I think its a bit better as the time when the film is situated was a really crazy time and theres a lot more products that can be traced nowadays, Mercken says, before admitting: I think its still really bad.

Every once in a while theres a new product, which they cant trace. Theyre still using EPO, still using a lot of cortisone. Yeah, its still really bad I think, and maybe its just part of the sport, I dont know. And I dont know whats going to happen when genetic doping is going to be developed or become widespread.

Mercken does, however, see hope for the future due to the fact that young riders are now able to compete in some of the biggest races, potentially hinting at the likes of Remco Evenepoel, who won the Clsica San Sebastin this year at the age of just 19.

Im still hopeful because I think nowadays you see young kids that are 19 years old that can win big races with the pros again, that was impossible in my day.

So that means something has changed and that theres a different mentality that now its possible, because in my day youd have to get used to all those products and after 10 years, maybe you you get to a good level. So I think nowadays it is possible for somebody whos clean and got a lot of balance to get very far and that makes me hopeful.

And what about his Dad? How did he react to being portrayed as such a brutal character by his own son?

The first time he saw the film, was at the film festival in Ghent at the international premiereand his first reaction was thatI didnt portray him as brutal enough, Mercken laughs.

I think it was just a macho reaction, to hide himself behind that.But afterwards we had a few drinks andsuddenly he became silent, and then he told me I was wrong.

That was very strange for me to hear because he never said that to me. And thats the only time he ever said it to me, heprobably wont repeat it anymore. I felt confused and maybemaybe afterwards happy you know that that maybe the film has a meaning and maybe it can make people change. Even him. Make him change his mind and realise things.

The film opens with his Dad winning a local race, and a pre-teenage Mercken tugging at his jersey trying to get his attention, but he is ignored as his father revels in the glory and adulation of TV cameras and fans.

The film closes with grainy home footage of the same scene, but this time its the real Mercken and Mercken Snr. Despite the theatrics and metaphors used in the film, Mercken coughing up blood after collapsing on the side of the road during the baby Giro or a crazed Russian team-mate firing a gun in their teams guest house, this real moment does more to portray the pain of professional cycling than double-digit gradients ever could.

The Racer (Coureur) had its UK Premiere at Raindance Film Festival and will be available on digital download from November 4.

Link:
Doping is still really bad today: Former Belgian champion reveals own blood doping past in gritty autobiographical film - Cycling Weekly

Orokonui volunteer Eeva-Katri Kumpula has recently been volunteering at the Burwood Takahe Centre, and has this update on the Orokonui takahe offspring who have previously left the sanctuary and gone on to help in the recovery programme.

Spring is in the air, and with it takahe from the coldest reaches of Fiordland to not-so-freezing Waitati to tropical Hauraki Gulf are preparing to get busy. Breeding season has started. Takahe couples are looking their best in their most iridescent blues and greens, territories are determined and fiercely defended, and much secrecy surrounds their nest locations.

The resident takahe pair at Orokonui, Paku and Quammen, have already had their first nesting attempt for this season. Unfortunately, the first eggs were not fertile, but they are now sitting on a fertile foster egg from Fiordland. We hope to have good news about that in a couple of weeks. Paku obviously loves mothering chicks, and between them the pair have successfully raised four already.

Like many endangered species, takahe suffer from relative lack of genetic variation, and sometimes this causes problems with fertility. The Doc Takahe Recovery Team spends a lot of time trying to predict good breeding pairings, and the results of nesting attempts are followed closely. Unfortunately, sometimes pairs need to be split up and reorganised, if they are not successfully producing chicks. Another pairing may lead to better results. Every chick counts, as each one is needed to add to the slowly growing population. This is the year when the takahe population officially passed 400 - for the first time in a couple of hundred years, give or take.

This is why it has been so fantastic that Orokonui has been able to contribute to the recovery efforts. The ecosanctuary has been a safe place for chicks to be raised, and other birds have stayed there temporarily. "Learning to takahe" inside the safety of the predator-proof fence has helped Orokonui-raised birds to go on to teach others. Mihiwaka, the male chick from the 2017-18 season, first learned bush skills at Orokonui with Paku and Quammen, then went to Burwood to join two other juvenile males in learning to survive in Fiordland conditions from two experienced adult takahe there. The birds there know how to burrow into snow and stay all snuggly and warm underneath in winter, and how to find food and water in those conditions. So after this learning period he is now proudly representing the Orokonui takahe whanau among the wild takahe population in the rugged Murchison Mountains.

The first takahe to hatch at Orokonui, Kotahi, is still living at Burwood Takahe Centre in Fiordland. He and partner Weydon have successfully hatched three chicks already in previous breeding seasons. They now have two juvenile helpers (yearling birds), Emerald and Te Raukawa, helping them this season. Takahe collaborate in "child care" within these family units that may consist of birds that are not actual blood relations. The juvenile helpers can take their turns to sit on eggs to keep them toasty warm, freeing parents to go to get a feed, and they also help feed the new chicks. This is very beneficial for the species and chick survival, as the juveniles learn life skills and parenting for the future from the adult pair, and the new chicks have more beaks to feed them. Sometimes the helpers are actually feeding the chicks more diligently than the parents.

Luckily takahe are not too particuar about whose eggs they sit on, so there are opportunities for swapping eggs from nest to nest as needed. Paku and Quammen have already raised three foster chicks at Orokonui, where fertile eggs were brought from Fiordland nests for them to incubate and care for. The Fiordland pairs then lay another clutch, and the numbers of chicks produced can be increased.

The male Orokonui foster chick from 2016-17, Wheko, is happily living with his long-time partner Jenkins up in Burwood in Fiordland. They have already produced one chick together, this past season. And now they are preparing for the breeding season with juvenile helpers Rough and Wera. Wheko's sister Tumanako and her partner Bendigo don't currently have juveniles with them, but fingers crossed for chicks there too. In the meantime, back in their childhood home Orokonui, their foster parents, Paku and Quammen, are busy trying to produce new offspring of their own. If all goes well, perhaps one day those chicks will be juvenile helpers for one of the now adult ex-Orokonui birds!

If you would like to support the conservation work done at Orokonui, you can find the donation details on the Orokonui website orokonui.nz/Support/Donations.

To contribute to their conservation, you can sponsor a takahe on the Doc Takahe Recovery website https://www.doc.govt.nz/our-work/takahe-recovery-programme/get-involved/...

Eeva-Katri Kumpula is a keen volunteer at many of New Zealand's ecosanctuaries, and is particularly attached to takahe.

See the original post here:
Takahe on the move - Otago Daily Times

Two hundred thousand years ago, the earliest shared ancestors of every living human on Earth rested their feet at a verdant oasis in the middle of Africa's Kalahari Desert.

Here, in a patchwork of now-extinct lakes, forests and grasslands known as the Makgadikgadi paleowetland, our greatest grandmothers and -grandfathers hunted, gathered and raised families for tens of thousands of years. Eventually, as Earth's climate changed, shifts in rainfall opened up fertile new paths through the desert. For the first time, our distant relatives had the chance to explore the unknown, putting behind them what a team of researchers now calls "the ancestral homeland of all humans alive today."

That's the story, anyway, told by a new paper published today (Oct. 18) in the journal Nature.

By studying the genomes of more than 1,200 indigenous Africans living in the southern part of the continent today, the team pieced together a history of one of the oldest DNA lineages on Earth: a collection of genes called L0, which is passed down maternally through mitochondria and has survived remarkably unchanged in some populations for hundreds of thousands of years. By tracking where and when the L0 lineage first split into the slightly different sublineages still seen in some indigenous African populations today, the researchers believe they have pinpointed precisely where the first carriers of L0 lived and thrived for thousands of years.

"We've known for a long time that humans originated in Africa and roughly 200,000 years ago," study author Vanessa Hayes, a geneticist at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and University of Sydney, both in Australia, said in a news conference. "But what we hadn't known until this study was where, exactly this homeland was."

That "exactly" has some other researchers skeptical. Chris Stringer, a human origins expert at the Natural History Museum in London, told Live Science he is "cautious" about using modern genetic distributions to infer where ancient populations lived 150,000 years ago particularly in a continent as large as Africa. (Similar studies have traced the earliest human populations to various parts of eastern, western and southern Africa.)

Furthermore, he added, because the present study follows only one sequence of maternally inherited genetic code, its findings may not capture the full picture of humankind's earliest travels through Africa. Rather, the best available evidence suggests that multiple genetically-different founder populations may have lived throughout various parts of the continent, giving modern humans not one but several homelands.

"Like so many studies that concentrate on one small bit of the genome, or one region, or one stone tool industry, or one 'critical' fossil, it can't capture the full complexity of our mosaic origins," Stringer said.

Today, Makgadikgadi is one of the largest salt flats in the world. Climate models suggest that, 200,000 years ago, it was a fertile oasis.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The L0 lineage is a sequence of DNA encoded solely in mitochondria, a small structure in your cells that turns food into cellular energy.

Mitochondrial DNA accounts for just a fraction of your genome, with the bulk of your DNA locked away in cell nuclei. However, while nuclear DNA is inherited from both parents and recombines with every generation, mitochondrial DNA is inherited solely from your mother and can remain unchanged for tens of thousands of years. As such, mitochondrial DNA (also known as the "mitogenome") is a key tool for tracking genetic history.

L0 is especially important in that regard, as all living people are believed to descend on their maternal line from the woman who first carried the sequence, a hypothetical woman called "mitochondrial Eve." Today, the L0 lineage is found most commonly in the Khoisan people, two indigenous groups living in southern Africa. Numerous other groups of indigenous Africans carry mitochondrial DNA that descends from this lineage, but with subtle variations. By comparing those variations from group to group, geneticists can piece together a general timeline of when these ancient genetic lineages diverged.

In the new study, the researchers sequenced about 200 L0 mitogenomes in indigenous people living around southern Africa. When compared to a database of more than 1,000 existing L0 sequences, the dataset created one of the most comprehensive snapshots ever taken of how the ancient lineage and its closest offshoots are dispersed around southern Africa today. This distribution data allowed the team to estimate where and when mitochondrial Eve's descendants first split into separate, genetically distinct groups.

"Using that, we could pinpoint what we believe is our human homeland," Hayes said.

This homeland, the researchers suggested, is Makgadikgadi, a vast wetland some 46,000 square miles (120,000 square kilometers) in area, or roughly twice the area of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake today. The team found that mitochondrial Eve and her descendants lived in this region for about 30,000 years (from 200,000 to 170,000 years ago) before the L0 lineage split into its first subgroup.

"This tells us that these early humans must have stayed within the homeland region and not left" during that time, Hayes said.

So, why did our ancient ancestors finally leave their homeland, altering their genetic destinies in the process? According to the study authors, it may have been a matter of climate change.

Using climate models and sediment-core samples from the area, the team found that, from roughly 130,000 to 110,000 years ago, changing rainfall patterns opened up several "green corridors" of habitable land in the desert around Makgadikgadi. Corridors to the northwest and southeast of the wetland could have drawn migrants in those directions, leading them toward the areas where different indigenous groups still live today, the researchers wrote. This movement could adequately explain the distribution of L0 subgroups around southern Africa.

What it does not explain, however, is the other half of our genetic lineage (the male half). According to Stringer, there's not a lot of evidence that our earliest male ancestors walked a path like the one described here.

"Looking at the male-inherited Y chromosome, the most-divergent lineages currently known in extant humans are found in west Africa, not south Africa, suggesting our Y-chromosome ancestors may have originated from there," Stringer said.

The authors of the study do acknowledge that modern humans may have had multiple "homelands" where different genetic lineages took root; L0 is simply the best-preserved lineage, thanks to its strictly maternal provenance. So, while researchers may now be closer to pinpointing the little Eden where mitochondrial Eve started her family, it's still too early to say we've all found our homeland.

Originally published on Live Science.

(Image credit: Future plc)

Excerpt from:
Scientists Think They've Found 'Mitochondrial Eve's' First Homeland - Livescience.com

Fathers are happier, less stressed and less tired than mothers, finds a study from the American Time Use Survey. Not unrelated, surely, is the regular report that mothers do more housework and childcare than fathers, even when both parents work full time. When the primary breadwinner is the mother versus the father, she also shoulders the mental load of family management, being three times more likely to handle and schedule their activities, appointments, holidays and gatherings, organise the family finances and take care of home maintenance, according to Slate, the US website. (Men, incidentally, are twice as likely as women to think household chores are divided equally.) In spite of their outsized contributions, full-time working mothers also feel more guilt than full-time working fathers about the negative impact on their children of working. One argument that is often used to explain the anxiety that working mothers experience is that it and many other social ills is the result of men and women not living as nature intended. This school of thought suggests that men are naturally the dominant ones, whereas women are naturally homemakers.

But the patriarchy is not the natural human state. It is, though, very real, often a question of life or death. At least 126 million women and girls around the world are missing due to sex-selective abortions, infanticide or neglect, according to United Nations Population Fund figures. Women in some countries have so little power they are essentially infantilised, unable to travel, drive, even show their faces, without male permission. In Britain, with its equality legislation, two women are killed each week by a male partner, and the violence begins in girlhood: it was reported last month that one in 16 US girls was forced into their first experience of sex. The best-paid jobs are mainly held by men; the unpaid labour mainly falls to women. Globally, 82% of ministerial positions are held by men. Whole fields of expertise are predominantly male, such as physical sciences (and women garner less recognition for their contributions they have received just 2.77% of the Nobel prizes for sciences).

According to a variety of high-profile figures (mainly male, mainly psychologists), bolstered by professorships and no shortage of disciples, there are important biological reasons for why men and women have different roles and status in our society. Steven Pinker, for instance, has argued that men prefer to work with things, whereas women prefer to work with people. This, he said, explains why more women work in the (low-paid) charity and healthcare sector, rather than getting PhDs in science. According to Pinker, The occupation that fits best with the people end of the continuum is director of a community services organisation. The occupations that fit best with the things end are physicist, chemist, mathematician, computer programmer, and biologist.

Whether someone has skills for maths, leadership or any gendered attribute can not be predicted fromknowing their sex

Others deny societal sexism even exists, insisting that the gender roles we see are based on cognitive differences spoiler: men are more intelligent. The people who hold that our culture is an oppressive patriarchy, they dont want to admit that the current hierarchy might be predicated on competence, Jordan Peterson has said, for instance. His reasoning suggests that women would be happier not railing against it but instead observing their traditional gender roles. Such theories have been demolished by a range of scholars, including neuroscientist Gina Rippon and psychologist Cordelia Fine.

There are certainly biological differences between men and women, from their sexual anatomy to hormones. Yet even this isnt as clear cut as it seems. For instance, around one in 50 people may be intersex with some sort of atypical chromosomal or hormonal feature thats about the same as the proportion of redheads. Mens brains are on the whole slightly larger than womens, and scans reveal some differences in the size and connectedness of specific brain regions, such as the hippocampus, in large samples of men and women.

And yet, only a tiny percent (between 0 and 8%) of individual men and women turn out to have a typically male or female brain. Most people are somewhere in the middle, and whether someone has skills for maths, spatial awareness, leadership or any other gendered attribute can not be predicted from knowing their sex, as multiple studies have shown. Anatomically and cognitively, there are more differences within the two sexes than between them.

There is no evidence that women are any less capable of the jobs and social positions that men predominantly hold. When women are given the opportunity to hold male roles, they show themselves to be equally proficient. Researchers recently calculated that it was bias against women, not under-representation, that accounts for the gender distribution seen in the Nobel prizes, for instance. Women are not less intelligent, less logical or less able than men. The roots of patriarchy, in other words, cannot be found in our biology.

Male supremacy, for all its ubiquity, is surprisingly recent. Theres compelling evidence that patriarchal societies date back less than 10,000 years. Humans probably evolved as an egalitarian species and remained that way for hundreds of thousands of years. One clue is in the similar size of human males and females, which show the least disparity of all the apes, indicating that male dominance is not the driving force in our species. In fact, equality between the sexes in our early ancestry would have been evolutionarily beneficial. Parents who were invested in both girls and boys (and the grandchildren from both) gave our ancestors a survival advantage, because this fostered the critical wider-ranging social networks they depended on to exchange resources, genes and cultural knowledge.

Today, hunter-gatherer societies remain remarkable for their gender equality, which is not to say women and men necessarily have the same roles, but there is not the gender-based power imbalance that is almost universal in other societies. In contemporary hunter-gatherer groups, such as the Hadza people of Tanzania, men and women contribute a similar number of calories, and both care for children. They also tend to have equal influence on where their group lives and who they live with.

Matriarchal societies may also have been more common in our ancestral communities. Strong female relationships would have helped to glue a larger community together, and being able to rely on friends to babysit would have given our ancestors the time and energy to support the group through food provision and other activities. Indeed, there are several societies where matriarchy is the norm Ive visited some of them, including the cocoa farming Bribri people of Costa Rica, and the rice farming Minangkabau of Sumatra, Indonesia. These are communities in which women are the landowners and decision makers.

In other words, humans are not genetically programmed for male dominance. It is no more natural for us to live in a patriarchy than in a matriarchy or, indeed an egalitarian society. In the same way, it is just as natural for humans to eat a paleo diet as it is to eat bubblegum-flavoured candyfloss; to have sex as a man and a woman or as three men; to live in a straw hut or in a glass bubble beneath the ocean. This is because, unlike other animals, we are cultural beings for our species, culture is our nature, and key to understanding our behaviours and motivations.

Social, technological and behavioural invention are part of our nature part of what it means to be human. We are driven by culture more than instinct. And our culture influences our environment and our genes. Our extraordinarily flexible, cumulative culture allows us to make ourselves even as we attribute our successes and failings to our genes.

Thats not to say that just because a cultural trait has emerged it is necessarily good. Patriarchal norms, for instance, are damaging to our health and our societies, increasing death and suffering, and limiting humanitys creative potential. We are, though, neither slaves to our biology nor our social norms even if it can feel that way.

Human cultural conditioning begins at birth, indeed, social norms even have an impact before birth: one study found that when pregnant women were informed of the sex of the baby they were carrying, they described its movements differently. Women who learned they were carrying a girl typically described the movements as quiet, very gentle, more rolling than kicking; whereas those who knew they were carrying a boy described very vigorous movements, kicks and punches, a saga of earthquakes.

Many of the ideas we consider universally held are simply the social norms in our own culture. Libert, galit, fraternit may be values worth dying for in France, for instance, but personal freedom is not considered important or desirable for other societies, which prioritise values such as purity instead. Consider the idea of responsibility. In my culture, if you deliberately hurt a person or their property this is considered a much worse crime than if you did it by accident, but in other cultures, children and adults are punished according to the outcome of their actions intentionality is considered impossible to grasp and therefore largely irrelevant.

The biological differences between males and females, or indeed between ethnic groups, tell us nothing about how intelligent, empathetic or successful a person is. Modern humans are 99.9% genetically identical. Although we have expanded far beyond our tropical evolutionary niche over tens of thousands of years, we have not speciated we have not even diversified into different subspecies. Our ancestors have not needed to make dramatic biological adaptations to the very different environments we live in, because, instead, we culturally evolved and diversified into a complexity of differently adapted cultures, each with their own social norms.

Children who speak Hebrew, a strongly gendered language, know their gender a year earlier than speakers ofnon-gendered Finnish

It is our cultural developing bath, not our genes, that profoundly changes the way we think, behave and perceive the world. Studies comparing the neural processing of populations of westerners and East Asians, for example, show that culture shapes how people look at faces (westerners triangulate their gaze over eyes and mouth, whereas East Asians centralise their focus). Language reveals our norms and shapes the way we think. Children who speak Hebrew, a strongly gendered language, know their own gender a year earlier than speakers of non-gendered Finnish. English speakers are better than Japanese speakers at remembering who or what caused an accident, such as breaking a vase. Thats because in English we say Jimmy broke the vase, whereas in Japanese, the agent of causality is rarely used; they will say: The vase broke. The structures that exist in our language profoundly shape how we construct reality and it turns out that reality, and our human nature, differ dramatically depending on the language we speak. Our brains change and our cognition is rewired according to the cultural input we receive and respond to.

Many of our social norms evolved because they improve survival, through group cohesion, for instance. But social norms can also be harmful. There is no scientific basis for the belief that a persons skin colour or sex has any bearing on their character or intelligence. However, social norms can affect a persons behaviour and their biology. Social norms that classify particular groups to the bottom of a social hierarchy encourage society to collude with that positioning and those people do worse in outcomes from wealth to health, strengthening the norm. A major study, by researchers at Berkeley, of 30,000 American shift workers found that black, Hispanic and other minority workers particularly women are much more likely to be assigned irregular schedules, and the harmful repercussions of this were felt not just by them but also by their children, who fared worse.

The danger of ascribing genetic and biological bases for our actions is that individuals and groups are not given equal opportunities in life, and they suffer. It is, after all, very convenient to believe that the poor are feckless and undeserving, morally weak or stupid, rather than casualties of a deeply unfair systemic bias. Equally, its much more appealing to think of ones own successes as down to some sort of innate personal brilliance rather than luck and social position.

If we persist in the idea that there is a natural a best way to be a human, then we blind ourselves to the great diversity of potential ways of being, thinking and feeling, and impose social limitations on those whose life choices are no less legitimate than ours. Its worth noting, though, that many norms that were once believed to be set in biological stone or ordained by gods have been changed by societies sometimes remarkably quickly. If we invented it, we can alter it. An accepted natural state that has existed for millennia can be changed in mere months.

Transcendence: How Humans Evolved Through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time by Gaia Vince is published by Allen Lane. To order a copy go to guardianbookshop.com. Free UK p&p on all online orders over 15.

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Smashing the patriarchy: why there's nothing natural about male supremacy - The Guardian