Number of Pregnancies Can Affect Mother’s Heart Condition

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. link [lingk]  (v.) – to connect with someone or something

Example: Stress is linked to moodiness and irritability.

2. carry out  [KAR-ee-out] (phrasal v.) – to perform a particular research or study

Example: They carried out the research by asking 10 teenagers to accomplish a survey.

3. substantial [suh b-STAN-shuh l] (adj.) – enough or considerable in amount or size

Example: The researchers had a substantial amount of time to conduct the study.

4. cardiovascular [kahr-dee-oh-VAS-kyuh-ler] (adj.) – relating to the heart and blood vessels

Example: Cardiovascular diseases are common in older people.

5. prevent [pri-VENT]  (v.) – to stop from doing something

Example: My poor health prevents me from doing extreme sports.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

The number of times a mother gives birth can be linked to heart disease, research says. A recent study from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center suggests that women with four or more children have higher chances of developing heart disease. The researchers, led by Monika Sanghavi, speculated that the number of pregnancies can be associated with early signs of heart illness. Sanghavi and her team carried out the study by selecting 1,644 women with an average age of 45. Nearly 60 percent of the participants were African-Americans. To obtain substantial information, all participants indicated the number of live births they had in the past. They also underwent relevant imaging tests – tomography imaging and magnetic resonance imaging – to gather evidence of subclinical atherosclerosis [ath-uh-roh-skluh-ROH-sis, ath-] in their hearts and artery walls. Results of the study showed that women who gave birth to four or more children have higher risks of cardiovascular disease compared to women with two to three live births. However, the researchers were surprised to know that the women with zero to one live birth also showed signs of subclinical atherosclerosis. The team assumed that some of these participants have an underlying medical condition that prevented them from having successful live births. This particular medical condition can also cause heart disease. Sanghavi said that this study is intended to look into possible factors contributing to heart disease and not as a basis for the number of children a woman can have.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         Is heart disease a common ailment among women in your county? Why is that so?

         What do you think would be the effect of this study on women?

Discussion B

         In your opinion, how many children should a family have?

         What factors do you think should individuals consider in deciding the number of children one can have?

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Story idea: Nightmares may signal a child is being bullied

One of the sadder things I've read of late is this:  children who are bullied often suffer in silence. The trauma can lead to anxiety, depression, psychotic episodes and even suicide.

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"Nightmares are relatively common in childhood, while night terrors occur in up to 10 percent of children," said lead author Suzet Tanya Lereya, PhD, research fellow at University of Warwick. "If either occurs frequently or over a prolonged time period, they may indicate that a child/adolescent has or is being bullied by peers. These arousals in sleep may indicate significant distress for the child."

Researchers analyzed data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, which examined the determinants of development, health and disease during childhood and beyond. Children were enrolled at birth, and 6,438 were interviewed at ages 8 and 10 years about bullying and at age 12 about parasomnias, including nightmares, night terrors and sleep walking.

Survey results showed that at age 12 years, 

• 1,555 (24.2 percent) of children had nightmares, 
• 598 (9.3 percent) had night terrors, 
• 814 (12.6 percent) reported sleep walking and 
• 2,315 (36 percent) had at least one type of parasomnia (nightmares, night terrors and sleep walking).

After adjusting for confounders (e.g., any psychiatric diagnosis, family adversity, IQ, internalizing and externalizing problems, sexual or physical abuse, domestic violence, and nightmares before 8 years), children who were victimized at 8 or 10 years were significantly more likely to have nightmares, night terrors or sleep walking at age 12. 

Moreover, those who were both a victim and a bully were much more likely to have any parasomnia, but bullies were not at increased risk of a sleep disturbance.

"Our findings indicate that being bullied is a significant stress/trauma that leads to increased risk of sleep arousal problems, such as nightmares or night terrors," said Dr. Wolke, professor of developmental psychology and individual differences at University of Warwick. "It is an easily identifiable indicator that something scary is being processed during the night. Parents should be aware that this may be related to experiences of being bullied by peers, and it provides them with an opportunity to talk with their child about it.

You may want to read:  Effects of being bullied lasts a lifetime

Nightmares create feelings of sadness ~ not fear


*  *  *  *  *

Story Source:  Materials provided by American Academy of Pediatrics. American Academy of Pediatrics. "Nightmares may signal a child is being bullied." ScienceDaily

Computer Better than Humans at Recognizing Fake Emotions

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. genuine [JEN-yoo-in] (adj.) – real; not pretending

Example: I felt her genuine pain as she cried for a lost loved one.

2. immerse [ih-MURS] (v.) – to put something into a liquid

Example: I felt better after I immersed myself in the hot spring for half an hour.

3. lukewarm [LOOK-WAWRM] (adj.) – not very warm

Example: The hot coffee had gone lukewarm after being left on the table for 20 minutes.

4. frigid [FRIJ-id] (adj.) – extremely cold

Example: Sometimes, it can be frigid in deep winter.

5. spot [spot] (v.) – to recognize, distinguish, or detect

Example: The child cannot spot the difference between a square and a rectangle.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

Scientists have developed a computer system that can recognize genuine expressions of pain better than humans. A study published in Current Biology highlights a computer program that can spot distinctive aspects of facial expressions that people often miss. The scientists asked 25 volunteers to record two videos. In the first video, the volunteers immersed an arm in lukewarm water and pretended to be in pain. In the second, the participants immersed an arm in frigid ice water. This time, they experienced real pain, but they were not instructed on what to do with their facial expressions. The researchers then asked another set of 170 volunteers to identify who among the first set of participants were in real pain and who were not. Based on results, the second set of participants was only 50 percent accurate in their judgment. Because of this result, the researchers trained the 170 volunteers how to tell when someone was faking pain. Even after the training, results showed that they can only manage 55 percent accuracy. On the other hand, the newly-developed computer system registered an 85 percent accuracy rate. This device has been programmed to recognize combinations of facial movements. It can tell if an expression is real or fake. It uses a camera that can take videos and capture photos. The study says that the computer can spot distinctive aspects of facial movements, particularly mouth movements, better than humans do. According to one of the researchers, the computer can assess what 20 facial muscles are doing in every frame of the video. The researchers believe that this system can help recognize the emotional state of patients who cannot communicate very well. It can also be used in law enforcement and in screening job applicants.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         Do you agree that computers can be better than humans at identifying real emotions from fake ones? Please explain.

         In what other ways do you think this invention can be beneficial?

Discussion B

         Aside from facial expressions, how else can you tell if someone is showing genuine emotion?

         When do you think it is necessary to fake emotions? Explain.

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Color-blind Musician Hears Colors

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. implant [im-PLANT, -PLAHNT] (v.) – to insert something

Example: The surgeon implanted the artificial heart in the patient.

2. complex [kuh m-PLEKS] (adj.) – referring to something that has many different parts

Example: After long hours of computation, the student finally answered the complex math problem.

3. protrude [proh-TROOD] (v.) – to extend or stick out

Example: A pen protrudes from the man’s pocket.

4. conduction [kuh n-DUHK-shuh n] (n.) – the state in which energy or sound waves travel through an object

Example: The metallic rod immersed in boiling water immediately became hot because of conduction.

5. correspond [kawr-uh-SPOND, kor-] (v.) – to become closely similar or to match with something

Example: Each symbol in the periodic table corresponds to an element.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

A British-Spanish color-blind artist had a device implanted into his skull so he can hear and identify colors. Neil Harbisson [neel HAR-bees n], a 31-year old London-based musician and contemporary artist, was born with achromatopsia [ey-kroh-muh-TOP-see-uh], an eye condition that limits the eyes’ color vision only to shades of black and white. With the help of cybernetics expert Adam Montandon, Harbisson conceptualized the “eyeborg,” an electronic device that can translate colors into sounds. After using the device for the past 10 years, Harbisson decided to implant the device into his skull to pick up more complex colors. Eyeborg includes a camera at one end and an audio device on the other. The camera, which protrudes in front of Harbisson’s forehead, detects the color’s frequency. Then, a computer chip connected to the audio device at the back of his skull converts this frequency into sound waves. The sound arrives at his auditory system through bone conduction. He can easily distinguish one color from another because each frequency has its own unique sound equivalent. According to Harbisson, using the device was difficult in the beginning. He had to memorize the names of each color and the sound it corresponds to. But through time, the whole process became automatic to him that he no longer had to think about the sound equivalents anymore. Since this device has a Wi-Fi connector, Harbisson can also listen to colors sent from mobile phones. Mariana Viada, the project spokesperson, also says that skull to skull communication among eyeborg users is also possible. However, this possibility still has to be tested as Harbisson is the only one who has the implant at the moment.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         What do you think about this invention? Please explain your answer.

         Would you enjoy a world without colors? Why or why not?

Discussion B

         What can be the negative effects of implanting devices into a human’s body?

         Would you ever consider implanting a device into your body? Why or why not?

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Four myths about your privacy

Many privacy discussions follow a similar pattern, and involve the same kinds of arguments. It's commonplace to hear that privacy is dead, that people -- especially kids -- don't care about privacy, that people with nothing to hide have nothing to fear, and that privacy is bad for business. "These claims are common, but they're myths," said Neil M. Richards, JD, privacy law expert and professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis.

"These privacy myths are not only false, they get in the way of the kind of important conversations we need to have about personal information in a digital age. If we continue to believe privacy myths, if we think about privacy as outdated or impossible, our digital revolution may have no rules at all, a result that will disempower all but the most powerful among us.

"Our understandings of privacy must evolve; we can no longer think about privacy as merely how much of our lives are completely secret, or about privacy as hiding bad truths from society. How we shape the technologies and data flows will have far-reaching effects for the social structures of the digital societies of the future."

In an article, "Four Privacy Myths," available online via the Social Science Research Network, Richards explained why four of the most common privacy myths persist -- and how we can avoid them. His arguments in brief:

• "First, privacy cannot be dead because it deals with the rules governing personal information; in an age of personal information, rules about how that information can flow will be more important than ever.
• Second, people (and young people) do care deeply about privacy, but they face limited choices and limited information about how to participate in the processing of their data.
• Third, privacy isn't just for people with dark secrets; it's for all of us. Not just because we all have things we'd prefer weren't publicly broadcast, but more fundamentally because information is power and personal information is personal power.
• Finally, privacy is not always bad for business. One of the best hopes for meaningful privacy protection in the future is for businesses to compete on privacy, and there is some evidence that this is starting to happen."

Richards noted that clearing away the myths is an essential first step to talking about privacy in a helpful and constructive way.

"It's only when we clear away the myths that we can have the essential conversations we need to have about how personal information is shaping our society, now and in the future. We may ultimately decide that we want less privacy, less control of our personal information. But the privacy myths are stopping that conversation, those decisions, from happening. Clearing away the privacy myths is an important first step to let us decide as a society what kind of digital future we want to live in."

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Story Source: Materials provided by Washington University in St. Louis. Richards, Neil M. Four Privacy Myths. SSRN, April 22, 2014

Starbucks Introduces a Non-Coffee Evening Menu

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. put into action [poo t IN-too AK-shuh n] (idiom) – to perform or carry out something that has been planned

Example: She puts her business plans into action.

2. trial run [TRAHY-uh l ruhn] (n.) – a test done to see whether or not a product serves its purpose properly

Example: They did trial runs before selling the product to the public.

3. rollout [ROHL-out] (n.) – the time when a new product or service is first introduced or offered for sale

Example: The rollout of the company’s new product is scheduled next week.

4. strategy [STRAT-i-jee] (n.) – a thorough plan used to achieve a goal

Example: We have set strategies to increase the company’s profitability.

5. market value [MAHR-kit VAL-yoo] (n.) – the price or value at which a product or property can be sold

Example: The company’s market value decreased because of the tight competition among other companies.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

Starbucks will put into action its plan of making the evening menu available to its other stores in the US. Around 40 stores currently offer the evening menu. The menu includes drinks such as beer, wine, tea, and other small meals ranging from afternoon snacks to desserts. The company first tested the evening menu in one of its stores in Seattle [see-AT-l] in 2010. After about two years, Starbucks conducted more trial runs in 25 stores in the US. According to Starbucks’ Chief Operating Officer Troy Alstead [AL-sted], more stores will offer the evening menu in order to increase sales. However, he mentioned that it will take a number of years before it can completely implement the rollout. Recently, Starbucks has also added more tea choices in its menu. Stores in the US and Canada started selling Oprah Winfrey-branded teas on April 29. These teas include the black and rooibos teas, which Oprah Winfrey personally selected. Sales from these teas will be donated to some charities promoting youth education. The company has also set other strategies to increase its market value from 57.4 billion dollars to 100 billion dollars. One of which is the mobile payment program. With this program, customers can order and pay beforehand using their smartphones. Another strategy is the loyalty program. This program offers freebies—from free beverages to additional refills—to customers who have earned a certain number of loyalty points.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         What do you think about Starbucks’ evening menu? Please explain your answer.

         Do you think people in your country would be enticed with this new offer? Why or why not?

Discussion B

         What do you think will happen if food businesses do not innovate?

         How else can food businesses expand?

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