For many individuals, pets offer unconditional love, camaraderie and a sense of security. But not all human relationships are a bonus, and a few can contribute to emphasize and fear somewhat than relief.

Psychologists studied Bond theory many years. In this context, it’s explained how people form emotional bonds, seek for closeness and manage the separation. People with a secure bond normally feel secure in relationships, while those with individuals with people Binding Can long for closeness, but often worry about rejection or loss.

Just like in human relationships, people form Attachment bonds with pets. In some secure attachments that find comfort in your pet and consider you a reliable source of camaraderie. Others experience anxious binding, feel excessive concern, need and an increased need for calming in the event that they are separated from their pet.

In our recently published research mine, mine Research team and I It found that the fear of liability is strongly related to depression symptoms for owners. This indicates that well -being just isn’t nearly having a pet, but concerning the Quality of your bond.

Strong bonds usually are not healthy ties

My team and I began to research whether the way in which people mix with their pets have a measurable influence on their mental well -being.

We asked over 1,000 pet owners within the United States about their proximity to their pets. How often do you may have activities equivalent to playing, cuddling or spending time together? And whether or not they felt secure or anxious in the connection. We also measured the symptoms of depression to look at how different features of PET bonds could influence mental well-being.

Our results showed a transparent pattern: A better fear of pet binding was the strongest predictor of depression symptoms. In other words, individuals who consistently felt depending on their pets Worry to differ from them Or whether your pet “loved” her back, more often to depression symptoms.

Surprisingly, it was not enough to feel emotionally near a pet to predict higher mental health. While some may assume that a stronger binding with a pet routinely results in greater well -being, our results indicate that the standard of the bond is greater than its intensity. People with secure pet relationships reported higher well -being, while individuals with higher fear of attachment were greater trouble.

We also found that frequent PET interactions were related to stronger and safer human-PET bonds, however the interaction frequency didn’t significantly predict the outcomes of mental health. This increases the concept Emotional security in the connectionAnd not only the frequency of interaction is what is admittedly essential for mental health.

Interestingly, individuals who had a cat and a dog reported more depression symptoms than those with only one sort of pet. While our study has not determined the cause, there’s a way that the management of several pets can add stress or increase the care load.

How pet relationships affect your mental health

Our results show that pet possession just isn’t a uniform solution to mental health. How people mix with their pets – whether or not they feel emotionally secure Or to experience fear in the connection as essential because the possession of pets even when designing well-being.

This research also about essential questions on the role of emotional support animals and throws Animal interventions. If pet possession is integrated into mental health care, it is probably not enough to only promote the companion of the pets. Instead, the standard of the human-animal binding may very well be a key factor for whether pets offer comfort or contribute to emotional stress.

This study doesn’t indicate that individuals should stop on the lookout for emotional support from pets. Instead, it’s emphasized how the way in which people mix with their pets can affect well -being in a way that they might not all the time recognize.

For those that depend on emotional support on their pets, recognizing these patterns might help promote a bond that feels somewhat calming than stressful. Pets can offer deep comfort, but The care can be related to challenges. Thinking concerning the joys and responsibilities of the pet possession might help strengthen the human-animal bond and to support the well-being of each pets and owners.

What are the symptoms of a Norovirus infection?

William Schaffner: Norovirus is an intestinal virus that could make it very, very sick. It is insufficiently referred to, as a winter breaker disease as suddenly begins, often with an explosive vomit, which then repeats itself.

Norovirus could cause abdominal pain and diarrhea in addition to fever at the identical time. It will probably feel unhappy for 2 or three days – but then everyone will get well just about.

How should Norovirus be treated?

William Schaffner: The important problem that causes Norovirus Dehydration of all of the vomiting and diarrhea. So you might have to stay hydrated. Do this with small swallowing clear liquids, because for those who take an excessive amount of, it should come up again. Sports drinks are superb.

Most individuals who get into difficulties very young or older and frail. You can have to go to the hospital to be rehydrated with an IV. If the occasional death occurs as a result of this dehydrating infection, it’s in these populations in need of protection.

Why does Norovirus are likely to rise in winter in winter?

William Schaffner: You can get it in every season, but there may be a seasonal increase in winter for reasons that scientists are usually not quite sure. But people spend plenty of time in the inside in winter, so it is less complicated for the virus to get from one place to a different. The virus can spread all the pieces that travels concerning the holidays in addition to in family meetings and parties.

How can people protect themselves from the Norovirus?

William Schaffner: The most vital thing is nice hand hygiene. Washing with soap and water works best. This handhygiene gel and towels -the hand disinfectants -that people use are usually not so effective against NorovirusSo just wash with good old soap and water. And then in fact they avoid people who find themselves sick.

Also keep in mind that the virus can Survive on environmental areasLike counter, door knob and tables. You don't want to select up these viruses in your fingers. If you get just a little virus in your fingertips after which touch your lips, you possibly can get an infection since it only needs a small dose of the virus to make you sick.

Who is especially at risk of Norovirus?

William Schaffner: The people who find themselves more at risk of catch it are those that live in semi-natural or closed population groups. For example, people in nursing homes, schools and prisons – essentially all circumstances wherein individuals are together for an extended time frame.

Another place where the virus can spread Cruise shipsThat is why Norovirus can also be named The cruise ship virus. When individuals are limited to a ship for days, these outbursts can undergo most passengers.

Interestingly, the crew is normally less affected.

But here, too, probably the most serious illness occurs in older, frail and immunocompromised people or in very young people wherein dehydration may be more serious.

Where is research on the event of a Norovirus vaccine?

William Schaffner: Norovirus has made some scientific challenges. It is definitely quite difficult to grow within the laboratory, and this has delayed the event of a vaccine. But researchers are work on it.

Are there some other infectious diseases?

William Schaffner: Together with Norovirus, the respiration viruses are still on the market: influenza, covid-19 and respiration syncytial virus or RSV. They are all occur at the identical time. It looks like we now have a really full of life winter virus time.

Amid rising tensions between the United States and China, the 2 countries signed an agreement bilateral science and technology agreement on December 13, 2024. The event was touted as a “renewal” of a 45-year-old pact to advertise cooperation, but that may very well be misleading.

The revised agreement drastically limits the scope of the agreement original agreementlimits the topics that may be examined together, excludes opportunities for collaboration and introduces a brand new dispute resolution mechanism.

This shift is consistent with growing global concerns about research safety. Governments fear that international competitors could gain military or business benefits or security secrets through cross-border scientific collaborations.

Within months, the European Union, Canada, Japan and the United States have unveiled sweeping recent measures to guard sensitive research from foreign interference. But there's a catch: Too much security could stifle the international collaboration that drives scientific progress.

As Political analyst and public affairs professorI research international cooperation in science and technology and its impact on public and foreign policy. I actually have followed the ever-increasing relationship between science and technology between the USA and China. The relationship evolved from one in all knowledge transfer to true collaboration and competition.

Now, as security regulations change this previously open relationship, a vital query arises: Can nations increase research security without undermining the very openness that makes science work?

China's rise is changing the worldwide landscape

China's rise in academic publishing marked a dramatic change in global research. In 1980, Chinese authors produced lower than 2% of the research articles included within the Web of Science, a curated database of scientific results. By my count, they claimed 25% of Web of Science articles in 2023, overtaking the United States and ending their 75-year reign at the highest that began in 1948 after they overtook the United Kingdom.

In 1980, there have been no patented inventions in China. By 2022, Chinese corporations led the best way in granting US patents to foreign corporations, receiving 40,000 patents, in comparison with fewer than 2,000 for British corporations. In the various advanced areas of science and technology China is on the world's bordersif not within the lead.

China has been the USA's most significant scientific cooperation partner since 2013. Thousands of Chinese students and scientists have conducted research along with US colleagues.

Most American politicians who pushed for the signing of the 1979 bilateral agreement thought so Science would liberalize China. Instead, China has used technology to support it autocratic controls and to construct one strong military with a watch on regional power and global influence.

Leadership in science and technology wins wars and builds successful economies. China's growing strength, supported by a state-controlled government, is shifting global power. Unlike open societies where research is public and shared, China often keeps the work of its researchers secret while allowing Western technology through Chop, forced technology transfer And Industrial espionage. These practices are the explanation why many governments now implement strict security measures.

Nations respond

The The FBI claims China has stolen sensitive technology and research data to expand its defense capabilities. The China Initiative The Trump administration tried to root out thieves and spies. The Biden administration didn’t let up the pressure. The Chips and Science Act of 2022 calls for the creation of the National Science Foundation SECURE – a middle that supports universities and small businesses to assist the research community make security-related decisions. I’m working with SECURE to evaluate the effectiveness of its mission.

Other industrialized nations are also on alert. The European Union advises Member States to strengthen security measures. Japan joined in United States in unveiling far-reaching recent measures to guard sensitive research from foreign interference and exploitation. European nations are increasingly talking about it technological sovereignty as protection against exploitation by China. The situation is analogous with Asian countries skeptical of China's intentions if collaboration is sought.

Australia has been particularly vocal in regards to the threat posed by the rise of China, but others have also issued warnings. The Netherlands has issued a suggestion for secure international cooperation. Sweden has sounded the alarm after a study showed how spies had exploited their universities.

Canada created this Public Safety Research Security Center and, just like the USA, has arrange regionally distributed advisors for this purpose offer direct support at universities and researchers. Canada now requires mandatory risk assessment for research partnerships involving sensitive technologies. There are similar approaches Australia and Great Britain

With the German regulations 2023, compliance units might be arrange and Ethics committees to supervise safety-related research. Their job is to advise researchers, resolve disputes and assess the moral and safety implications of research projects. The committees attach importance to implementing protective measures, controlling access to sensitive data and assessing possible cases of misuse.

Japan's politics 2021 requires researchers to reveal and usually update details about their affiliations, funding sources – each domestic and international – and potential conflicts of interest. A cross-ministerial R&D management system conducts seminars and briefings to coach researchers and institutions about emerging risks and best practices for maintaining research safety.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development stops running database with greater than 206 research security policy statements published since 2022.

The openness diminishes

The concentrate on safety can stifle international cooperation that drives scientific progress. Up to 25% of all scientific articles within the USA Result of international cooperation. The evidence shows that international engagement and openness to conduct more impactful research. Most elite scientists work across national borders.

More importantly, science relies on the free flow of ideas and talent across borders. After the Cold War, scientific progress accelerated as borders opened. While national research output has stagnated lately, it has been international Collaborations recorded significant growthwhich reveals the increasingly global nature of science.

The challenge for research institutions is to implement these recent requirements without making a climate of mistrust or isolation. Restriction to national borders could slow progress. There is a few risk inherent in scientific opennessbut we could also be at the tip of a worldwide, collaborative era in science.

DALLAS – Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are gaining popularity amongst adults, who’re turning to the brand new drugs as a substitute for the standard – and infrequently ineffective – advice to “eat less and exercise more.”

As the drugs generally known as GLP-1 receptor agonists have gained a fame amongst adults, they’ve change into so is becoming increasingly popular amongst children and young people.

Um every fifth child Obesity exists within the United States, based on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And prescriptions of GLP-1 have also skyrocketed amongst young people. More than 30,000 young people According to a University of Michigan study, 12- to 17-year-olds used GLP-1 in 2023.

Doctors say early intervention for obesity will help prevent later health problems, but prescribing medication to growing children also brings its own complications.

Dr. Chris Straughn, a pediatrician at Medical City Children's Hospital in Dallas, said research shows that GLP-1 may be each effective and protected for youngsters and adolescents, but that this research only shows the effect over just a few years.

“For both children and adults, we simply don’t know. These drugs are so new that we need more time,” Straughn said.

Wegovy, the burden loss equivalent drug Ozempic, is approved by the FDA to be used in children ages 12 and older. It shouldn’t be approved for youngsters under 12, although research continues to be ongoing on younger children. A recent study on Saxenda, a predecessor of Wegovy, found that the drug was effective in children ages 6 to 12.

This style of study is encouraging for using GLP-1 in children.

“Early intervention is a good thing, and that’s what pediatricians place a lot of emphasis on,” Straughn said. “So this can certainly be a tool.”

But there are still many unknowns.

Dr. Dan Cooper – a researcher and pediatrics professor on the University of California, Irvine's School of Medicine – said there are circumstances through which a GLP-1 prescription is sensible, akin to if a toddler is developing or has already developed diabetes. However, for other children the danger calculation is harder.

This is especially because there shouldn’t be much research on the long-term effects of GLP-1 when prescription begins in childhood or adolescence. Cooper said puberty is a very essential time for establishing long-term health, and never providing children's bodies and brains with the nutrients they need for correct development can have long-term effects.

“During this time, there is bone mineralization, muscle building, and likely changes in your brain and behavior related to energy balance,” Cooper said. “When you’re a young adult or older, you can’t do that again.”

It shouldn’t be clear whether GLP-1 use in childhood or adolescence could affect long-term development. And that's exactly what Cooper is all about.

“What is the long-term effect? Nobody knows. So my concern is that we should be very, very careful in using these drugs,” Cooper said.

Overall, Cooper says, parents shouldn't be afraid to ask their children's doctors about GLP-1, they usually shouldn't be afraid of their children taking the medication — when appropriate. For children and adolescents who begin taking GLP-1, Cooper said parents needs to be careful that it doesn’t trigger or worsen depressive symptoms of their child. He also said parents should proceed to encourage healthy eating habits and an energetic lifestyle.

Cooper had one other message for fogeys with obese or obese children: They and their children shouldn’t be ashamed.

“No one should be ashamed of this. People become obese because of our biology,” Cooper said. “Parents should understand that they should not blame themselves and that they should not blame their children for being overweight.”

©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Originally published: December 12, 2024 at 12:21 PM PST

What will nutrition appear to be in the longer term? The answer depends partially on what foods Westerners may be persuaded to eat.

These consumers have gotten increasingly informed about this Your eating regimen needs to alter. Current eating habits are unsustainable and global The demand for meat is growing.

In recent years there was increasing interest and investment in so-called alternative proteins – products that may replace typical meat with more sustainable alternatives. One option is cultured meat and seafood: muscle tissue grown in laboratories in bioreactors using animal stem cells. Another approach is to exchange standard meat with options like Insects or plant-based meat imitations. All of those products promise a more sustainable alternative to factory-farmed meat. The query is: will consumers accept them?

I’m a philosopher who studies food and disgustand I'm fascinated with how people react to latest foods like lab meat, bugs and other so-called alternative proteins. disgust and Food neophobia – fear of latest foods – are sometimes cited as barriers to introducing latest, more sustainable food options, but I imagine recent history presents a more complicated picture. Past changes in dietary habits suggest that there are two routes to introducing latest foods: one based on familiarity and safety, the opposite based on novelty and excitement.

Disgust and the yuck factor

Disgust is a strong feeling of disgust in response to things perceived as contaminating, polluting, or unclean. Scientists imagine it evolved to guard humans from invisible pollutants similar to pathogens and parasites. Some causes of disgust are common, similar to feces or vomit. Other, including foodare more culturally diverse.

Therefore, it just isn’t surprising that self-reported willingness to eat insects varies across all nationalities. Insects have been a very important a part of the standard eating regimen of cultures all over the world for hundreds of years, including the ancient Greeks.

Many articles about the potential of introducing insects to Western or American guests have highlighted this Challenges posed by neophobia and the “yuck factor”..” People won't accept these latest foods, the considering goes, because they're too different and even downright disgusting.

If that's true, the very best approach to freeing up plate space for brand new foods is likely to be to make them appear to be familiar menu items.

The protected path to food acceptance

During World War II, the United States government desired to direct its limited meat supply to troops on the front lines. So it needed to persuade home cooks to desert their steaks, chops and roasts in favor of what it called various kinds of meat: kidneys, liver, tongue and so forth.

To discover methods to change consumer habits, a team of psychologists and anthropologists was tasked with studying how dietary habits and preferences got here about – and the way they may be modified.

The Dietary Habits Committee really helpful Emphasizing the similarity of those offal to available, known, existing foods. Call this approach “safe way” – focuses on individual attitudes and decisions. It seeks to remove psychological and practical barriers to individual selection and to counteract beliefs or values ​​that will prevent people from adopting latest foods.

As the name suggests, the protected route tries to downplay novelty and use familiar forms and flavors. For example, it processes unknown cuts of meat into meatloaf or meatballs or grinds crickets into flour for cookies or protein bars.

The sushi route

But recent history suggests otherwise: foods like sushi, offal and even lobster became desirable not despite but due to their novelty and difference.

Sushi's Arrival within the Postwar USA coincided with the rise of consumer culture. Eating out as a leisure activity became more vital and other people became more open to latest experiences as an indication of status and class. Rather than appealing to the housewife who prepares home cooking, sushi gained popularity by appealing to the need for brand new and exciting experiences.

In 1966, The New York Times reported that New Yorkers on “raw fish dishes, sushi and sashimi, with enjoyment once reserved for cornflakes.” Of course, sushi is now widely consumed and is even available in grocery stores nationwide. More specifically, the grocery chain Kroger sells greater than 40 million pieces of sushi per yr. While the protected way is to introduce latest foods into our eating regimen, the sushi way suggests embracing their novelty and using it as a selling point.

Sushi is only one example of a food introduced this fashion. After the turn of the millennium, a brand new generation emerged The guests have rediscovered offal offered as top restaurants and chefs “Nose to tail” Eat. Instead of positioning foods like tongue and pig ears as familiar and comforting, a willingness to embrace the yuck factor became a sign Adventure, even masculinity. This formulation is the precise opposite of the protected route really helpful by the Committee on Dietary Habits.

The future of other proteins

What lessons may be learned from these examples? This needs to be the case for the change in eating regimen to last positively framed. Convincing customers that various meats were a vital wartime substitute worked temporarily, but ultimately led to the impression that these were subpar decisions. When cultured meat and insects are offered as vital sacrifices, the gains they produce may be temporary at best.

Instead, manufacturers could serve consumers' desire for healthier, more sustainable and more exciting food.

Cultured meat could also be marketed “safely” as nuggets and burgers, but in principle the chances are countless: curious consumers could guilt-free try and even discover about lab-grown whale or turtle meat what the woolly mammoth tasted like.

Ultimately, the chefs, consumers and entrepreneurs who wish to reshape our food systems must not select only one path. While we will grind insects into protein powders, we may also turn to chefs who cook traditional dishes and use insects to expand our culinary horizons.

Patrick Clarke, TravelPulse (TNS)

Travelers on the lookout for the safest cities in America should want to head to New England this holiday season.

WalletHub experts recently compared greater than 180 U.S. cities and analyzed greater than 40 key safety indicators, comparable to: B. Traffic fatalities and robberies per capita, unemployment rate, natural disaster risk level, and percentage of the population uninsured to find out which places are safest to go to in 2024.

Vermont was the large winner, with South Burlington and Burlington ending first and fourth, respectively. Meanwhile, Warwick, Rhode Island is in third place, while Portland, Maine can be in the highest 10 at number nine.

South Burlington ranks first in Financial Security, a category that scores 20 out of 100 and takes into consideration quite a lot of aspects comparable to poverty rates, unemployment, job security and access to retirement plans.

According to WalletHub, Warwick — a city south of Providence — has the fewest thefts per 1,000 residents and the second fewest assaults per capita.

Casper, Wyoming, and Boise, Idaho rank second and fifth, respectively, while the opposite top 10 safest cities include Yonkers, New York (sixth); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (seventh place); Columbia, Maryland (eighth) and Virginia Beach, Virginia (tenth).

Columbia – a suburban destination just outside of Baltimore – ranks first in home and community safety, a category that accounts for 60 out of 100 points.

Factors examined on this area include the presence of terrorist attacks; the variety of mass shootings; Murders and non-negligent homicides per capita; violent rape and hate crimes per capita, amongst other security indicators.

The 10 Safest US Cities

1. South Burlington, Vermont

2. Casper, Wyo

3. Warwick, Rhode Island

4. Burlington, Vermont

5. Boise, Idaho

6. Yonkers, New York

7. Cedar Rapids, Iowa

8. Columbia, Maryland

9. Portland, Maine

10. Virginia Beach, Virginia

Memphis, Tennessee, has the unlucky fame of being the least protected city within the country, based on WalletHub's research. It ranks a hundred and eightieth for home and community security and 181st for financial security.

Memphis has the very best variety of traffic fatalities and assaults per capita within the country and has the bottom percentage of households with emergency savings.

Other underperforming places include Detroit; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana; Baltimore; Cleveland; Oakland, California; Philadelphia and San Bernardino, California.

Detroit has the very best unemployment rate of any city studied by WalletHub and has essentially the most assaults per capita.

Houston, ranked 171st out of 182 cities, has the very best risk of natural disasters, while Washington, DC ranks in the highest five for hate crimes per capita.

The 10 Least Safe US Cities

1. Memphis, Tennessee

2.Detroit, MI

3. Fort Lauderdale, Florida

4. Baton Rouge, Louisiana

5. New Orleans, Louisiana

6. Baltimore, Maryland

7. Cleveland, Ohio

8. Oakland, California

9. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

10. San Bernardino, California

Originally published: October 17, 2024 at 1:27 p.m

Country differences

Outcome of the US election

Fear of violence and verbal abuse

WALNUT CREEK — The roughly 150,000 cyclists who climb Mount Diablo's steep, 4,200-foot peak every year face a serious danger: motorists speeding past them on the identical narrow, winding roads and blind curves.

Ten years ago, Danville resident Alan Kalin formed a task force of the Mount Diablo Cyclists Club to search out an answer that might ease tensions between people riding on each two and 4 wheels, but more importantly, it also needed to search out a safer method to ease traffic congestion and reduce the variety of dangerous collisions.

Their first plans for bike pullouts were drafted in 2014. They included a groundbreaking design that allowed cyclists slowing down uphill to maneuver into their very own paved lane so vehicles could safely pass — engineered to mimic turning lanes that helped automobile traffic for years. The roads of Mount Diablo State Park are the one place where bike pullouts have been implemented on a major scale.

“They don't exist anywhere else in the world,” Kalin said in an interview. “Drivers love them, cyclists love them – bike lanes keep everyone safe and reduce hostility between both groups. It won't prevent collisions, but we've saved the lives of people we'll never know.”

Ten years and 1.5 million cyclists later, a complete of 67 bike turnoffs – also often known as additional bike lanes – at the moment are open throughout Mount Diablo State Park.

At 10 a.m. Saturday, Kalin will join dozens of cyclists, elected officials, park staff and community members at Curry Point – a scenic gathering spot halfway up the mountain on South Gate Road – to have fun this milestone in her exemplary safety campaign.

“It took me 10 years to do it, but we did it,” Kalin said in an interview, recounting the numerous hours of research and the vast amount of surveys, public records requests and petitions that drove the project. “I never thought this would happen. I was just trying to save a few lives. The word 'wow' almost doesn't do it justice.”

With construction accomplished this month, there at the moment are a complete of 26 bike stops along South Gate Road, 16 scattered along Summit Road and an extra 25 paved spots on North Gate Road. This represents a 2,133% increase from the unique three stops used to launch a pilot program in 2015-16 that also included the installation of recent signage and pavement markings.

The latest phase of the switches cost $927,000, in response to California State Parks Officials.

Clint Elsholz, superintendent of the Diablo Range District, praised in an announcement how the infrastructure has helped improve accessibility for cyclists and motorists to enjoy a few of the East Bay's most impressive panoramic views and natural wonders.

“We are very pleased to offer these new bike parking spaces. They represent our commitment to improving safety and experience for all who enjoy the beauty of Mount Diablo State Park,” Elsholz said in an announcement. “These new parking spaces not only increase safety, but also encourage more people to explore the park by bike.”

State Senator Steve Glazer and Representative Rebecca Bauer-Kahan helped lead a serious initiative to expand the pullout network in 2021 by allocating $1.5 million in additional funding within the California budget. The money helped increase the full variety of pullouts to 45 by October 2022, a major increase from the previously existing 17 auxiliary lanes.

And by the tip of 2023, tons of of Mount Diablo Cyclists members, community organizations and residents had In total, greater than three quarters of 1,000,000 dollars were raised to support additional construction measures.

These funds included nearly $125,000 donated by the Trust of Joe Shami, a Mount Diablo: Cycling “legend” dies in 2021 after an SUV fatally struck the 86-year-old in Lafayette. Shami's contribution was matched by California State Parks.

As this passion project has gained momentum within the East Bay, Mount Diablo State Park's bike racks have also develop into a model for other safety activists to emulate – helping to enhance roads in California and elsewhere.

In April, researchers at Oregon State University published a 141-page research paper concerning the Mount Diablo Cyclists' grassroots campaign that changed into an engineering campaign. In collaboration with the Department of Transportation, OSU scientists worked with Kalin and other local cyclists to check whether bike turnouts can be a viable solution on Oregon's roads.

The report found that 77% of bicycle crashes between 2005 and 2015 occurred on three major roads within the state park. Between 2010 and 2014, considered one of Mount Diablo's famous bike routes — the 11-mile stretch of Summit Road — saw a mean of 23 crashes per yr. In addition, researchers cited Kalin's evaluation of crash data between 2015 and 2016, which found that 80% of car-bicycle crashes occurred on or near Mount Diablo's 300-plus blind curves.

According to Kalin, the variety of collisions dropped to simply three in the primary two years after the primary bike-passing lanes were installed over a decade ago. Since then, Kalin said, surveys have shown that bike-passing lanes have reduced the variety of collisions by 80% and reduced the frequency with which cars move into the alternative lane to pass cyclists.

“We just built them in the backyard, but then they were discovered,” Kalin said. “They agreed that switches prevent collisions and save lives, so now they want them in Oregon. There's actually scientific evidence to support this effort.”

The wider cycling community also supports the protection campaign.

Last yr, Kalin received the James L. Oberstar Excellence in Bicycle Advocacy Award, was named Contra Costa County Bicycle Champion of the Year, and was recognized by the California Outdoors Hall of Fame for his work reducing crashes at Mount Diablo.

While Saturday's event recognizes the successes up to now which have led up to now, Kalin said he still gets calls from cyclists and residents asking for much more pullouts to be installed at various locations, showing the will and success of this work to proceed regardless that he isn’t any longer leading it.

“It was an honor and a privilege to lead this campaign,” said Kalin. “This participation has brought a happy face to many cyclists and also to some elected politicians.”

Originally published: August 23, 2024 at 6:15 am

The success of one other major California city's sleep safety program could function a model for San Jose's approach to establishing approved campgrounds.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said he was encouraged by the impact the low-cost transitional housing alternative was having on alleviating San Diego's homelessness crisis as he toured town's largest protected sleeping facility in Balboa Park last week in quest of solutions to what was working and what wasn't.

“It's pretty incredible when you look at the scale and coordination of services,” Mahan said. “They've moved people into government safe sleeping spaces and the problems have decreased. Yes, it's a transitional place, but it's also a significant improvement in conditions.”

The homelessness crisis has forced San José to reevaluate a few of its priorities because it also struggles with a shortage of reasonably priced housing. According to recent census figures, there are roughly 6,340 homeless people in San José, of whom about 70% are unsheltered.

In this yr's budget, town continued to divert thousands and thousands of Measure E funds from reasonably priced housing to interim solutions, including removing unauthorized homeless encampments. The city also made a historic $27 million investment in revising its stormwater permits to comply with the Clean Water Act, which required the relocation of residents living along and polluting town's waterways to avoid tens of hundreds of dollars in every day fines.

San Jose has previously focused on constructing tiny houses or rapid-build communities, adding tons of of housing units over the past 4 years – a model that has proven successful find everlasting housing for the homeless.

But faced with a necessity to cut back the variety of encampments and a shortage of temporary shelters, town council experimented with protected sleeping spaces and added other alternatives. In June, it approved eight possible sites to accommodate 500 homeless people.

“The fundamental principle is to house people in safe and supportive places,” Mahan said. “I would rather spend the money on that than on remediation and cleanup.”

Like other major cities in California, San Diego is counting on protected sleeping spaces as an economical interim solution and has arrange a complete of 533 tents, 400 of that are near Balboa Park.

These sites, which cost about $56 per tent every day, provide a mixture of vital services resembling meals, showers and restrooms, individual case management, medical care and treatment services to assist homeless residents get back on their feet.

Parts of the protected sleeping spaces are also tiered or terraced to assist homeless individuals who face the identical challenges or illnesses resembling diabetes.

Mahan was also impressed that some homeless people also found work as employees on the San Diego locations.

“Our safe sleeping spaces have proven to be a successful and innovative way to get homeless people off the streets and into services,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said in an announcement. “It was an honor to show Mayor Mahan how these accessible spaces work in San Diego, and I hope they continue to serve as a model for effective solutions to help at-risk residents find stability and a path to permanent housing.”

Before the City Council passed this yr's budget, using Measure E funds for temporary housing solutions somewhat than reasonably priced housing was controversial, with opponents questioning whether it was a long-term solution.

The Bay Area Housing Finance Authority withdrew its $20 billion reasonably priced housing bond from the November ballot on the last minute, dealing an excellent greater blow to future projects since the timing didn’t give local officials enough time to propose alternatives.

But Mahan remained stubborn and said that Measure E funds would go where they made essentially the most sense.

While Mahan supported the housing bond, he said town could also address the affordability crisis by flattening the development cost curve, which has exploded in recent times as labor and material costs soared. A city report last yr found that the fee of constructing a single reasonably priced housing unit had increased 24%, to about $938,700.

Mahan said town has focused on other tools at its disposal to spur development, including reducing taxes and charges and making it easier to construct accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which currently account for a few quarter of all housing construction.

He added that town must treat the issue of homelessness “as the emergency that it is.”

“As we stabilize and support the situation of our most vulnerable citizens, it will be important to talk about rebalancing,” Mahan said, “but we must face the crisis before us today with pragmatic solutions.”

Originally published: August 19, 2024 at 2:35 p.m.

Helicopters attract a whole lot of attention with their almost magical ability to hover, fly in any direction, and operate without runways. They also help save many lives, often in dramatic ways, through their frequent use in all-weather military operations, medical transport, and search-and-rescue missions.

When something goes mistaken, dramatic images and news of helicopter accidents attract public attention. This is particularly true when high-profile Celebrities or Government officials be involved.

However, modern helicopters are secure. Each 12 months, the U.S. industrial helicopter industry completes roughly 3 million flight hours. There have been 0.77 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours on average from 2018 to 2022. In comparison, general aviation, which refers to small fixed-wing aircraft and never jetliners, averaged 0.88 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours In the identical period.

As an aeronautical engineer, specialized in rotary wing aircraft and director of a National Competence Center for Vertical LiftsI even have observed the efforts of universities, governments and industry to enhance helicopter safety. Numerous technology and training has been invested in helicopter safety.

The long road to safety

Rotary wing aircraft were developed first over a century ago. The first aircraft to be mass-produced was the autogyro, developed by Juan de la Cierva in Spain in 1923. The pinwheel-like structure of the predominant rotor prevented the danger of stall, which was the undoing of so many fixed-wing aircraft on the time. A stall occurs when the angle of an aircraft's wings is simply too great in relation to the airflow, causing the aircraft to lose lift.

Within 15 years, the primary true powered-rotor helicopters – able to hovering, flying slowly, and safely descending within the event of engine failure – were within the air in each Europe and the United States. Large-scale military and industrial production began just a number of years later during World War II.

Today's helicopter operations are based on three predominant principles: comprehensive aircraft design, testing and manufacturing, well-trained flight crews and thorough maintenance practices. Advanced technology plays a critical role in each of those pillars of helicopter safety.

Security basics

Helicopter safety begins with the elemental ability of large-diameter rotors to robotically spin within the event of an engine failure. With the engine off, the rotors spin freely, slowing the helicopter's descent and allowing a controlled landing like a parachute. Reliable powertrains – engines, transmissions and drive shafts – durable rotor blades and low-vibration airframes have also paved the way in which for safer flights.

In addition, modern helicopters are equipped with advanced autopilots and computer-controlled or -assisted flight controls, terrain avoidance radar, and rotor blade de-icing systems that enable all-weather flight. Decades of basic and applied research in university, government, and industry labs have produced many advanced technologies. Today's helicopters typically have radar- and lidar-based collision avoidance systems, comprehensive digital terrain mapping databases, and adaptive controls that help the pilot sense differences depending on flight conditions and aircraft characteristics comparable to payload.

Special pilot training is required to master rotary-wing aircraft. Pilots often train on fixed-wing aircraft before moving on to rotary-wing aircraft, very like you learn to ride a bicycle before venturing onto a unicycle. Pilots spend many additional hours and even years on flight instruction to acquire a helicopter license.

Rotorcraft inherently have more moving parts than fixed-wing aircraft, making careful design of bearings, gears, shock absorbers, lubrication systems and other mechanical components critical. Like pilots, helicopter mechanics require additional training hours and skills.

In some complex military and rescue missions, mechanics actually fly as integral members of the flight crew. These flight mechanics closely monitor critical systems using onboard temperature, vibration, noise and metal chip sensors and might even troubleshoot many mechanical, electrical and digital problems that arise.

Modern sensors and computer software make helicopter maintenance faster and more thorough. In addition, modern design and manufacturing methods for robust composite materials and special flexible polymers have significantly improved the sturdiness of dynamic components comparable to rotor blades and rotors.

Risks remain

Despite the latest design, training and technology, accidents still occur. In the overwhelming majority of cases, it’s a fancy chain of events. Pilot or mechanical faulttypically related to unusual circumstances, is a significant explanation for many accidents.

Bad Weather often contributes to. Many critical flight operations comparable to search and rescue, firefighting and military transport inevitably happen in sandy, snowy, smoky or stormy environments. These “edge conditions” increase the danger factor despite the most effective technology and training doctrines. Even the extraordinary and realistic training exercises for these missions might be inherently more dangerous than standard flights.

Advanced technologies

New technologies are further improving flight safety in these difficult conditions. These include simpler, reliable and energy-efficient rotor blade de-icing systems, improved weather forecast models and even integrated ice cloud detection systems. Researchers are developing expert systems based on artificial intelligence to assist pilots determine if and when a flight is secure.

I expect that modern technologies will result in further improvements in reliability and safety, in addition to decreasing operating costs, as 1000’s of space engineers all over the world work on life-saving, time-saving and safety-enhancing improvements to those remarkable vehicles.