Search

"I need answers": Devastated widow vows to stage hunger strike

A woman who lost her husband and son in the devastating crash at a pub in Victoria last year has vowed to stage a protest, just days after the driver of the car was dismissed of all charges. In November 2023, 66-year-old William Swale was behind the wheel of his BMW when he suffered a medical episode, crashing into the beer garden of The Royal Daylesford Hotel, killing five people. Charges against Mr Swale were <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/charges-dropped-over-crash-that-killed-five-people" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped</a> on Thursday, after a magistrate ruled the evidence against him was “so weak”. Mr Swale's lawyers successfully argued his actions were not voluntary because he was in a state of severe hypoglycaemia, as he is an insulin-dependent diabetic. After hearing that the charges were dropped, Ruchi Bhatia, whose husband Vivek, their son Vihaan, 11, were killed as a result of the crash, says the ruling is as though she has lost them all over again. Ruchi and her nine-year-old son were also injured in the crash, but survived after spending months in hospital. Speaking for the first time since the deadly incident, Bhatia expressed her pain and said it feels like her life has been torn apart again, recalling the horrifying moment she woke in hospital to learn her husband and eldest son did not make it. “Still today I don’t believe that they are not with me,” she told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/daylesford-beer-garden-crash-victim-ruchi-bhatia-plans-protest-after-driver-charges-dismissed-c-16164598" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>. “We were just having fun, we were outside, we were all together and the next moment they were gone and I’m never going to see them again.” In court on Thursday, Magistrate Guillaume Bailin found the prosecution case was flawed and decided not to commit Swale to stand criminal trial, as all charges were dropped and Mr Swale walked out of court a free man. Despite the ruling, Bhatia is demanding answers and says her fight for justice is far from over. “He stopped the car in the middle of the road — why did he start his engine again? I need answers for that,” she said. Bhatia and her family are planning to protest, which will include a hunger strike. While Bhatia said she knew the protest wouldn't bring back her family, she said they needed justice to move on from the tragedy. Image credits: 7News

Family & Pets

Why you keep eating when you’re full

Ever eaten that last slice of pizza, even though you’ve had enough? Or polished off kids’ leftovers, despite already feeling full? To understand what’s happening – and how to fix it – let’s explore your body’s “stop eating signals” (satiety signals). <h2>The science of satiety signals</h2> Your body’s satiety signals kick in when your brain senses you’ve consumed enough of the nutrients you need. Your brain takes its cue from sources such as: <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2019/11/415916/we-know-were-full-because-intestines-stretch-sensors-tell-us-so">stretch signals</a> from your gastrointestinal tract (like your stomach and intestines), which indicate the volume of foods and drinks you’ve consumed </li> <li> “satiety hormones”, such as <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2021.684656/full">cholecystokinin (CCK)</a> and <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2018.00442/full">peptide YY</a>, which are released into your bloodstream when particular nutrients from your digested food come into contact with certain parts of your gastrointestinal tract </li> <li> nutrients from your digested food, which pass into your blood stream and can exert satiety effects directly <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5120084/?report=classic">on your brain</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2021.585887/full">leptin</a>, the hormone primarily produced by adipose tissue, which stores excess nutrients from your food as fat. The more fat you have in your adipose tissue, the more leptin your adipose tissue releases into your blood stream, and the more your brain senses you’ve consumed enough of the necessary nutrients. </li> </ul> Your brain puts all those sources of information into a “satiety algorithm” and, at a certain point, sends you the signal that it’s time to stop eating. This helps explain why, if you aren’t getting enough of the nutrients you need overall, you might feel unsatisfied and keep eating even when you’re full. <h2>I’m eating nutritious foods so why can’t I stop?</h2> Your body’s satiety signals are easy to ignore – especially when you’re tempted with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938412002363?via%3Dihub">varied and tasty foods</a> and you feel <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31216640/">social expectations to eat</a>. Add an alcoholic drink or two, and it may <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6981020/">get even easier</a> to ignore satiety signals. Other factors may include your ethics about not wasting food, and habits such as routinely eating dessert after dinner – regardless of how you feel. <h2>Eating is about emotions, too</h2> If you’ve ever overeaten while feeling bored, fearful, stressed, lonely, tired or guilty, you’ve discovered that food can improve your mood (at least temporarily). Indeed, some of the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41419-018-1129-1">hormones</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7056580/">natural brain chemicals</a> involved in satiety signalling have been shown to affect mood. If you regularly keep eating when you’re full, it’s worth exploring possible underlying psychological contributors. Depression, anxiety and stress (check <a href="https://www.thecalculator.co/health/DASS-21-Depression-Anxiety-Stress-Scale-Test-938.html">this test</a> to see if you’re experiencing the symptoms) have been linked to overeating. So has post-traumatic stress disorder – and no, you don’t have to be a war veteran to have PTSD. <a href="https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/assessment/documents/PCL5_Standard_form_week.PDF">This survey</a> has a checklist of symptoms. Eating disorders such as binge eating disorder or bulimia nervosa are also linked to overeating (check this <a href="https://insideoutinstitute.org.au/assessment/?started=true">survey</a> of symptoms to see if any apply to you). Having had <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003193842030278X?via%3Dihub">adverse experiences in childhood</a> can also play a role in habitual overeating. Try this <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/03/02/387007941/take-the-ace-quiz-and-learn-what-it-does-and-doesnt-mean">quiz</a> if you suspect this may apply to you. <h2>How to stop eating when you’re full</h2> If you suspect psychological contributors to overeating, know there are scientifically proven treatments that can help. For example, depression and anxiety now have well established <a href="https://www.ranzcp.org/files/resources/college_statements/clinician/cpg/mood-disorders-cpg-2020.aspx">treatment pathways</a>. PTSD can be treated with proven <a href="https://www.phoenixaustralia.org/australian-guidelines-for-ptsd/">therapies</a>. Eating disorders can be treated effectively with <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/obr.13180">cognitive behavioural therapy for eating disorders</a>, among other treatments. Your local healthcare professional can help you find treatment options, and some are free. Other strategies you may like to consider are listed below: <ul> <li> keep a diary of your satiety signals so you learn to recognise them. Every time you eat, note whether you feel unsatisfied, satisfied or over-satisfied. Aim for “satisfied” every time. If you have an iPhone, you can use the free app I co-designed with Zubeyir Salis (a contributor to this article), based on scientific evidence (<a href="https://apps.apple.com/sa/app/wink-by-amanda-salis/id1495613647">Wink by Amanda Salis</a>) </li> <li> when you recognise yourself eating to the point of feeling “over-satisfied”, note what’s happening in your satiety diary (or app). Feeling unworthy? Jealous? Irritated? Tired? Or are you procrastinating about something? Think about what you really need; give yourself more of that instead of food </li> <li> choose a nutrient rich diet with a minimum of <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/ca5644en/ca5644en.pdf">ultra processed foods</a>, and heed cravings for particular healthy foods. This will help deliver the nutrients you need so your satiety signals are activated. Use <a href="https://healthyeatingquiz.com.au">this free, evidence-based quiz</a> to see if you’re on track for a nutrient rich diet </li> <li> be the boss of how much food is served to you, so that only the amount you feel you can eat appears on your plate </li> <li> unless you need to eat, put obstacles between yourself and food. Leftovers can be frozen or stored (<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-when-should-you-throw-away-leftovers-92256">safely</a>). Move away from the table once your satiety signals have told you it’s time to stop. </li> </ul> May you always be “satisfied”. Zubeyir Salis contributed to this article.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170649/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amanda-salis-108663">Amanda Salis</a>, NHMRC Senior Research Fellow in the School of Human Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation.</a> Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/step-away-from-the-table-why-you-keep-eating-when-youre-full-170649">original article</a>. Image: Getty

Food & Wine

Incredible teenage boy cracks coded coin in hours, but he isn’t the first

Within hours of its release to the general public, a 14-year-old boy had cracked the codes hidden on <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/coins-covered-in-coded-clues-will-test-your-spy-skills" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a coin released by an Australian intelligence agency</a> - but some had solved them days earlier, due to an unusual legal rule. A 50-cent coin celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) was released last Thursday containing four levels of codes with hidden messages. But, the puzzles were already being discussed online ten days earlier, with some codes already being solved by August 20. This was due to requirements on the Australian Government to include the characters featured on the coin in legislation, available online, before the coin was made available to purchase on September 1. As well as a celebration of the agency’s history, it’s hoped the coin will act as a kind of recruitment drive and attempt to raise the profile of the ASD among the general public, with the agency planning to recruit another 1,900 people over the next decade as part of a $9.9 billion expansion. Dr Richard Bean, a research fellow at the University of Queensland who solved the coin’s puzzles within two hours of getting his hands on it, said the move was about attracting those interested in a career with the ASD. "The kind of people who would sit down and solve this kind of code on the coin, they're the kind of people the ASD wants to attract — innovative thinkers to solve difficult problems in cryptography in both an offensive and defensive sense," Dr Bean said. "So solving other nation's codes and protecting Australian government communications security. "It's about attracting the right candidates and putting the ASD in their mind, instead of having to go out in traditional recruitment channels." But let’s go back to our teenage whiz kid. Though the Tasmanian boy’s identity hasn’t been revealed, it’s clear he has talent and instinct according to Distinguished Professor Willy Susilo, who also directs the Institute of Cybersecurity and Cryptology at the University of Wollongong. “[What] is very important is actually not about whether you can crack the code or not, [what] is important is the thinking behind it, how to solve this kind of puzzle,” he told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/how-to-solve-spy-australian-signals-directorate-50-cent-coin/101405266" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. “To me, I think to get a person who, especially in this case, is 14 years old, can crack the code within just one or two hours is actually incredible in my opinion. "That really is the kind of skill needed in the Australian Signals Directorate." Image: ASD

Money & Banking

Wake up Jeff! Extended napping in seniors may signal dementia

<div> <div class="copy"> Daytime napping in older people is common and a normal part of aging, however, in excess it may also foreshadow <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/predictive-test-for-alzheimers-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer’s disease</a> and other <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/dementias-rising-pressure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dementias</a>, according to a <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/alz.12636" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new study</a>. Researchers found that excessive daytime napping predicts an increased future risk of Alzheimer’s dementia. And, once dementia or its usual precursor – mild cognitive impairment – are diagnosed, the frequency and/or duration of napping accelerates rapidly. The results were published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. “Daytime sleep behaviors of older adults are oftentimes ignored, and a consensus for daytime napping in clinical practice and health care is still lacking,” says co-first author Dr Peng Li, based at the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachussets, US. “Our results not only suggest that excessive daytime napping may signal an elevated risk of Alzheimer’s dementia, but they also show that faster yearly increase in daytime napping may be a sign of deteriorating or unfavored clinical progression of the disease,” adds Li. The study tracked data from 1,401 seniors for up to 14 years. Those studied, approximately three-quarters of whom were female, had an average age of 81 years. They wore watch-like devices that tracked mobility continuously for up to 14 days every year. Each prolonged period without activity detected by the device between 9am and 7pm was interpreted as a nap. In addition, they underwent yearly neuropsychological tests to evaluate cognition. At the start of the study 75.7% of participants had no cognitive impairment, while 19.5% had mild impairment and 4.1% had Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers found that longer and more frequent daytime naps were a risk factor for developing dementia in cognitively normal older men and women. As the disease progressed, annual increases in the duration and frequency of napping accelerated – especially after the clinical manifestation of Alzheimer’s dementia. This occurred independent of known risk factors for dementia – including age and night-time sleep duration and fragmentation. “We found the association between excessive daytime napping and dementia remained after adjusting for night-time quantity and quality of sleep,” says co-senior author Dr Yue Leng of the University of California San Francisco. “This suggested that the role of daytime napping is important itself and is independent of night-time sleep.” This increase in napping may be explained by a <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/alzheimers-disease-destroys-neurons-that-keep-us-awake/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2019 study</a>, which compared the post-mortem brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease to those without cognitive impairment and found they had fewer wake-promoting neurons in three brain regions. The authors acknowledge the limitation that, because the study participants were older, the findings may not easily translate to younger cohort. They also suggest that future studies should test whether a direct intervention in daytime napping can lower the risk of Alzheimer’s dementia or cognitive decline. “I don’t think we have enough evidence to draw conclusions about a causal relationship, that it’s the napping itself that caused cognitive aging, but excessive daytime napping might be a signal of accelerated aging or cognitive aging process,” says Leng. “It would be very interesting for future studies to explore whether intervention of naps may help slow down age-related cognitive decline.” “Our hope is to draw more attention to daytime sleep patterns and the importance of patients noting if their sleep schedule is changing over time,” adds co-senior author Dr Kun Hu, also of Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Image credits: Getty Images  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=185634&title=Wake+up+Jeff%21+Extended+napping+in+seniors+may+signal+dementia" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/body-and-mind/alzheimers-dementia-nap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Imma Perfetto. </div> </div>

Mind

Australia’s Reserve Bank signals the end of ultra-cheap money. Here’s what it will mean

The Reserve Bank of Australia had a Cup Day surprise in store for the country, announcing it was abandoning its policy of “<a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2021/mr-21-24.html">yield curve control</a>”, meaning it was no longer going to defend any particular interest rate for borrowing over any particular duration. Until today it had a formal target for the three-year bond yield of 0.10%, enabling banks to provide three-year fixed mortgages very cheaply, and indicating the cash rate wouldn’t climb above 0.10% until the most recent three-year bond expires in <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2021/mr-21-22.html">April 2024</a>. But it has now abandoned the target, a full two years early. <h2>Why control the yield curve in the first place?</h2> When COVID hit last year, the bank announced it would buy enough government bonds to keep the yield on the three-year bond at <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-a-rate-cut-behind-the-reserve-banks-three-point-plan-134140">0.25%</a>, as good as guaranteeing money would be cheap for years to come. Later, it cut the target for three-year bond yields (and the target for its cash rate) to a near-zero <a href="https://theconversation.com/5-ways-the-reserve-bank-is-going-to-bat-for-australia-like-never-before-149311">0.10%</a>, further lowering the cost of borrowing. Responding to an improving economy, the bank decided at its July 2021 meeting not to extend the program bond target beyond <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2021/mr-21-13.html">April 2024</a>. The decision created a reasonable expectation the cash rate would remain close to zero until 2024. <h2>What did yield curve control achieve?</h2> Yield curve control achieved a lot. It took the bank just 11 days and A$27 billion dollars of bond purchases to achieve its first target, establishing ultra-low interest rates for years into the future. After that, it didn’t need to spend much. The new three-year rate became the new norm. Markets believed it would do whatever was needed to defend it. Over the next 18 months it intervened in the market only occasionally, and only in small amounts. That all changed last week. On October 15, the three-year bond rate started to climb above the bank’s target of 0.10%. It initially bought enough bonds to defend the rate and then, without warning, <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2021/mr-21-24.html">capitulated</a> last Thursday, as good as withdrawing from the market and allowing the rate to climb to a high of 0.70%. By Monday the rate had climbed to more than 1.00% — more than ten times the Reserve Bank’s target. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429689/original/file-20211102-23-1wn4prr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> <a href="https://tradingeconomics.com/gacgb3y:ind" class="source">Trading Economics</a> Today’s announcement merely <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2021/mr-21-24.html">made formal</a> what was apparent on Thursday: the bank is no longer going to spend public funds defending a line that might eventually be crossed. Bond traders thought the improving economic outlook meant the bank would have to lift its record low cash rate sooner that it had said it would. It lost the will to disagree. In a <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2021/sp-gov-2021-11-02.html">4pm</a> press conference Governor Philip Lowe said that to maintain the target would have been <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2021/mp3/sp-gov-2021-11-02.mp3">untenable</a>. Eventually the bank would have owned all the three-year bonds on offer. <h2>What will this do to the housing market?</h2> Today’s decision is a sure sign interest rates are going to start to rise. Not today, or even for the rest of this year, but sooner was previously expected. For what it is worth, Lowe said the latest data and forecasts did “not warrant an increase in interest rates in 2022”. For now, sub-2% fixed-rate mortgages are a thing of the past. The last were withdrawn this week. The decision means the booming housing market will start to crest. Low interest rates sparked the boom as renters flocked to become first-homebuyers and investors jumped in to catch rising prices. The prospect of higher mortgage payments is going to dent this enthusiasm, perhaps quickly. Prices are set to stabilise, before edging, <a href="https://www.afr.com/wealth/personal-finance/house-prices-could-fall-as-much-as-20pc-after-rate-increases-20211027-p593mw">or sliding</a> down . We don’t yet know how quickly variable interest rates will start to rise, but given the Reserve Bank has walked away from a battle to defend yield curve control, we do know it’ll be a long time before it even considers doing it again.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170928/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/isaac-gross-737430">Isaac Gross</a>, Lecturer in Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-reserve-bank-signals-the-end-of-ultra-cheap-money-heres-what-it-will-mean-170928">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Retirement Income

Just TWO PERCENT of Elon Musk’s wealth could solve world hunger

The director of the United Nations’ World Food Program has called on billionaires to “step up now, on a one-time basis” to solve world hunger, claiming it would require only a fraction of their wealth. In an interview with CNN, David Beasley specifically mentioned Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, the world’s richest men, in his appeal. “$USD 6 ($AUD 7.9 or $NZD 8.36) billion to help 42 million people that are literally going to die if we don’t reach them. It’s not complicated,” he <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/news/world/just-two-per-cent-of-elon-musks-wealth-could-solve-world-hunger-according-to-un-food-scarcity-organisation-c-4345980" target="_blank">said</a>. With Mr Musk’s net worth totalling almost $USD 289 ($AUD 384 or $NZD 402) billion according to Bloomberg, the sum Mr Beasley is asking for would equate to just two percent of his fortune. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> $36 billion in one day - <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a>'s net worth increase due to a <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesla?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Tesla</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/Hertz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Hertz</a> deal. Congratulations, Elon! 1/6 of your one day increase would save 42 million lives that are knocking on famine's door. Unprecedented crisis. Unprecedented wealth. Help!! <a href="https://t.co/n4hfpl5NRE">https://t.co/n4hfpl5NRE</a> — David Beasley (@WFPChief) <a href="https://twitter.com/WFPChief/status/1453681782742818824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote> Mr Beasley has also taken to social media to call out the billionaires. “Congratulations, Elon!” Mr Beasley wrote on Twitter after Mr Musk’s wealth increased by $29 billion in a single day. “1/6 of your one day increase would save 42 million lives that are knocking on famine’s door. Unprecedented crisis. Unprecedented wealth. Help!” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> for passing up <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffBezos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JeffBezos</a> as the world’s richest person - worth a whopping $221B! 🥇 Elon, to celebrate I’m offering you a once in a lifetime opportunity: help us save 42M people from starvation for just $6.6B!! Offer expires SOON.. and lives do too. — David Beasley (@WFPChief) <a href="https://twitter.com/WFPChief/status/1450388737444257797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2021</a></blockquote> Mr Beasley went on to say that many nations are “knocking on famine’s door”, due to a “perfect storm” of crises including climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. “For example, take the United States and the region in Central America, the Dry Corridor, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua - just down in that area alone,” Mr Beasley said. “We’re feeding a lot of people down there and the climate is just changing with hurricanes and flash flooding; it’s just devastating.” According to a World Food Program (WFP) report released earlier in the week, 22.8 million people in Afghanistan - almost half the population - are facing an acute hunger crisis. Meanwhile, the WFP estimates that 5.2 million people in Ethiopia urgently need food assistance. Mr Beasley said humanitarian organisations such as the WFP have also struggled to deliver supplies to people in the region due to ongoing conflicts between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. “I don’t know where they’re getting the food from,” he said. “We’re out of fuel. We’re out of cash, in terms of paying our people and we are running out of money and we can’t get our trucks in.” The struggle to feed millions around the world comes as both Mr Bezos and Mr Musk make continued investments in private space travel, which has been criticised by environmentally-minded individuals such as Prince William. Image: @elonmusk / Instagram

Money & Banking

How new smartphone tech will help diagnose mental health issues

Apple is reportedly working on new technology that could be used to diagnose mental health conditions such as depression and cognitive decline. In collaboration with the biotech Biogen, Apple is hoping to utilise their digital sensors to their potential, which already include heart, sleep and activity monitoring through the Apple Watch and iPhone. Researchers told the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-wants-iphones-to-help-detect-depression-cognitive-decline-sources-say-11632216601">Wall Street Journal</a> they will be able to use data from iPhone sensors to track digital signals that are linked to mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, and feed them into an algorithm. This should be able to predict depression and other conditions and form the basis of new features in a future version of Apple's operating system. The research is an amalgamation of two research projects that involve tracking Apple devices to predict mental health habits. One project, codenamed ‘Seabreeze’, explores stress and anxiety-induced tendencies in partnership with Apple. The other, codenamed ‘Pi’, has set out to further analyse mild cognitive impairment. As the projects remain in their early stages, Apple has yet to officially confirm if they will result in new iPhone features. To effectively diagnose a mental health condition, an individual requires close monitoring by experts to look for changes in behaviour from the norm. The data analysed by these projects include monitoring facial expressions, how often users speak, how often they go for a walk, how well they sleep as well as heart and breathing rates. People 'close to the study' told the WSJ they may also be looking at the speed of typing, frequency of typos, content they type and other points. All of these habits are thought to be “digital signals” that can hint at mental health issues. Image credit: Shutterstock

Technology

Those at risk during bushfires might lose signal when they need it

Yesterday, New South Wales and Queensland issued fire warnings classified as either “catastrophic”, “severe” or “extreme” - and these conditions will <a href="https://www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au/Pages/FDR.aspx">remain</a> in the coming days. Areas under threat include the greater Sydney area, northern New South Wales, the Northern Goldfields, and the Central Highlands. The declared state of emergency means human life is <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-12/nsw-bushfires-burn-amid-catastrophic-conditions-as-it-happened/11694646">at great risk</a>. Those at risk should evacuate ahead of <a href="https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/news-and-media/general-news/dangerous-fire-conditions">time</a>, as mobile phone services may not be <a href="https://www.optus.com.au/about/media-centre/media-releases/2019/11/optus-update-tuesday-12-november-bushfires-network-update-plus-disaster-assistance-support-activated-mid-north-coast1">reliable</a> when needed the most. Service outages People in dangerous bushfire situations often have the added burden of service outages. This can happen following fire damage to infrastructure (such as signal towers) that connects base stations that relay communications within the <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/understanding-telecommunications-networks/oclc/1004191902">network</a>. A break in this connection means no signal, or weak signal, for those on the ground. Generally, radio waves used for mobile communication behave differently as <a href="https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1276321">they travel</a>, based on various factors that affect signal strength. One factor is land geography, such as the height of hills. The signal may not be able to penetrate sand hills. Gum trees may also reflect, obstruct and absorb radio signals. The scenarios described above can be made worse by fire environments, based on the <a href="https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/8967/5.1.3-Communication-Systems.pdf">frequencies</a> used. Flames can produce “plasma”, which reacts with the surrounding magnetic field, and this degrades signal strength. Rural fire service operations may use frequencies in the 400-450MHz range to communicate, but these signals are weakened during fire, in which case they may use frequencies in the 100-180MHz range. At this wavelength, signal strength doesn’t degrade as badly and can sustain better <a href="https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/58684/8/02whole.pdf">communication</a>. Being <a href="https://mobilenetworkguide.com.au/pdf/Mobile-Network-Guide-Improving-Mobile-Signal.pdf">far away from a mobile phone tower</a>, often in rural areas, also results in degraded communication. Rural areas don’t receive as much coverage because installing cell towers in these areas is not particularly profitable, and towers are built based on revenue estimates. There is little incentive to build networks with additional capacity in rural areas. Get out while you can In bushfire situations, it’s crucial to leave affected areas early to avoid becoming stuck in <a href="https://www.communications.gov.au/what-we-do/phone/mobile-services-and-coverage/mobile-black-spot-program">mobile black spots</a>. These are regional and remote areas that have been identified as not having mobile phone <a href="https://www.communications.gov.au/what-we-do/phone/mobile-services-and-coverage/mobile-black-spot-program">coverage</a>. Some mobile black spots where fire danger warnings have been issued include Mount Seaview and Yarras, not far from the Oxley Highway in NSW. The status of the fires there was reported “out of control” <a href="https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me">on Tuesday morning</a>. Optus is planning to <a href="https://www.optus.com.au/shop/mobile/network/mobile-black-spot-program">roll out macrocells</a> at these locations to expand coverage between the end of this year and the middle of next year. These are base stations that cover a wide area and are typically deployed in rural regions or along highways. Until the macrocells are deployed, people living in mobile black spots, or who may be forced to pass through these areas due to fire, continue to be at risk. When passing through a fire-affected black spot, you are virtually <a href="https://www.communications.gov.au/what-we-do/phone/mobile-services-and-coverage/mobile-phone-towers">unreachable</a>. Also, although the mobile black spot program will help to increase 4G coverage in rural areas, most rural areas, including many at high risk of bushfires, rely largely on 3G. When people need extra data capacity during emergencies, the network is incapable of handling the increased traffic load, as every device is trying to connect and download data at the minimum 3G capacity of 550Kbps. Network overload The network gets congested at times of catastrophe due to the high volume of mobile phone traffic experienced, which exceeds the available network capacity. The mobile network in Billy’s Creek in NSW, and the areas connected to it, experienced an outage <a href="https://www.optus.com.au/about/media-centre/media-releases/2019/11/optus-update-tuesday-12-november-bushfires-network-update-plus-disaster-assistance-support-activated-mid-north-coast1">yesterday</a>. Telstra’s services have also been <a href="https://exchange.telstra.com.au/providing-bushfire-relief-to-our-customers-affected-in-new-south-wales/">affected</a>. As of Monday, people in Billy’s Creek, Yarras and Nimbin (among other locations) were unable to send or receive messages, make calls or access the internet, and may not have been up to date with the latest fire information, unless through radio or television. During bushfires last year, for every three calls attempted under Telstra’s network, one was eventually <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-20/mobile-phone-blackspots-put-lives-at-risk-during-fires/9566338">answered</a>. Everyone trying to call at once is referred to as a “mass call event”. This creates “congestive collapse” in parts of the internet-based network, blocking new connections from being made. During congestion, the performance of the network decreases because the internet packets that carry the calls or messages are dropped, or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1550147719829960">delayed</a>, before they reach their destination. One solution is for operators to have signal boosters installed for the affected part of the network. There’s an app for that, if you have good connection In the same way, the “Fires Near Me Australia” <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.gov.nsw.rfs.firesnearme.national&hl=en">web application</a> is likely to suffer from internet packet deliveries being delayed. The app may be overwhelmed if too many people try to access it at once, and may crash. In such scenarios, people should reboot their phones and keep trying to connect. Some people have made complaints of not being able to download the app, and others of the app crashing, because their phone’s model was not new enough to support it. If the fires spread to densely populated areas, available 4G capacities may be exhausted by the sheer volume of the traffic. And congestion is made worse by more incoming traffic from across the country, from concerned family and friends. Preventative measures may no longer be an option for many. But in the future, people in fire-prone areas may benefit from buying a personal 4G or 3G mobile signal booster ahead of time. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stanley-shanapinda-610761">Stanley Shanapinda</a>, Research Fellow, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-flames-encroach-those-at-risk-may-lose-phone-signal-when-they-need-it-most-126827">original article</a>.

Technology

E. coli in milk won’t necessarily make you sick – but it signals risks from other bacteria

Dairy company Lactalis Australia recalled <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/milk-is-being-urgently-recalled-over-e-coli-fears">eight varieties of milk</a> over concerns the products could be contaminated with the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli). This recall affects several brands of milk purchased at <a href="http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/industry/foodrecalls/recalls/Pages/Lactalis-Australia-milks-with-microbial-contamination.aspx">Coles, Woolworths, IGA and other retailers</a> in Victoria and southern New South Wales with a use-by date of July 2. Milk provides many of the nutrients needed for human growth and development, including protein, fat, carbohydrates (lactose) and calcium. But because milk is such a complete mix of nutrients, it’s also an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. This is why milk spoils quickly, particularly when it’s left out of the fridge. But the presence of E. coli in food – including the recalled milk – doesn’t necessarily mean the food is unsafe. It means the product is more likely to cause illness, and indicates further testing is needed. To minimise risk to public health, it’s advised that implicated products are not consumed. Cow’s milk Milk from a cow is <a href="https://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/elibrary/industry/challenge-trial-toolkit/raw-milk-cheeses-report.pdf">laden with bacteria</a>. The bacteria come from the skin on the teats of the cow, and sometimes directly from the milk if the cow has mastitis (a bacterial infection in the udder). The same is true of human breast milk – the milk itself contains bacteria, while bacteria can also come from the mother’s skin. But a difference in a cow is that the cow’s udder is close to its anus, so contamination of the udder with the cow’s faeces is common. Pathogenic bacteria (those that cause illness) that can occur in cow’s milk include some strains of E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), salmonella, Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). While B. cereus and S. aureus can cause unpleasant illnesses, most people recover quickly and completely. But some strains of E. coli and L. monocytogenes can cause more serious illness and even death. A raw (unpasteurised) milk product contaminated with pathogenic E. coli was found to have caused <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/nov/11/childs-death-most-likely-linked-to-consumption-of-unpasteurised-milk-says-coroner">the death of an infant</a> in Victoria in 2014. <ol> <li>monocytogenes and S. aureus can be present in the milk in the cow’s udder, or on the udder itself, while B. cereus is found in the soil on dairy farms and in milking shed environments.</li> <li>coli, however, arises from faecal contamination of the udder. While every effort is made by dairy farmers to clean cows’ udders before the milking begins, it’s not possible to do this with complete certainty. A low risk remains that faecal bacteria will enter the raw milk.</li> <li>coli won’t necessarily make you sick</li> <li>coli is commonly found in the faeces of warm-blooded animals, including mammals and birds. Most strains of E. coli are not harmful. Rather, the presence of E. coli is widely used in public health management as an indicator of faecal contamination (called an “indicator bacterium”).</li> </ol> It’s important we measure faecal contamination in food and water sources because gastrointestinal pathogens can be released from the infected host (in this case, the cow) through their faeces. So faecal contamination of food or water represents a risk that a person exposed to those sources would become ill from <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/infections-of-the-bowel">gastrointestinal pathogens</a> including pathogenic strains of E. coli, salmonella, norovirus, Clostridium perfringens, and many others. Those infected would then be likely to repeat the cycle of infection – that is, to shed the pathogens that made them sick via their faeces into their environment, and from there, to infect other people. Testing can relatively quickly detect E. coli in foods or water. The presence of E. coli is an indication there is a much greater risk of infections because of the concurrent risk of other pathogens, like those listed above, being present. So from a positive E. coli result, further testing might be conducted to see whether other pathogens are present. Generally, the presence of E. coli is enough to cause alarm and recall of contaminated foods, or to advise people not to swim in water that has been contaminated, to minimise the risk of infections. Pasteurisation and testing The government <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/primaryproduction/dairy/documents/Part%201-%20Jan%20081.pdf">has mandated</a> that milk sold in Australia should be pasteurised to eliminate any harmful bacteria and protect public health. This process also extends the shelf-life of the product by reducing other bacteria that cause milk spoilage. Pasteurisation involves heating the milk for sufficient time to eliminate the pathogenic bacteria; usually to <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/primaryproduction/dairy/documents/Part%201-%20Jan%20081.pdf">72–74°C for 15–20 seconds</a>. The time and temperature of pasteurisation are monitored in real time and, if the conditions are less than required, the “suspect” milk is diverted and not filled into retail containers. As an additional check, the pasteurised milk is subjected to further testing for the presence of E. coli after those processes. These tests, however, typically require 12–20 hours to obtain results. Because of all the other safeguards in place, the milk is assumed to be safe for sale and distributed before the test results are obtained, unless the other tests show a process failure requiring a product recall. This recall shows the system is working This recent recall of milk from Australian retail markets after the detection of E. coli is a very rare event. In this case, the causes of the possible pasteurisation failure remain unknown. The “back-up” testing for E. coli in the milk, however, did reveal a failure in the system that will now be investigated to prevent recurrence. Importantly, the detection of E. coli does not mean the milk is unsafe, but indicates that it could be. The identification of E. coli in the milk initiated a rapid product recall of specifically “at-risk” products, and removal from sale of all potentially contaminated milk, alongside alerts to consumers. These actions are part of the food safety systems in place in Australia and many other nations. This process was also implemented earlier this month when <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/recall-order-on-popular-brands-of-milk-after-cleaning-fluid-contamination-20190613-p51xki.html">another eight milk varieties</a>were recalled by the food safety regulator over concerns they may be contaminated with cleaning solution. Zoe Bartlett, an early career researcher at the University of Tasmania, contributed to this piece. Written by Tom Ross. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/e-coli-in-milk-wont-necessarily-make-you-sick-but-it-signals-risks-from-other-bacteria-119229">The Conversation</a>.

Body

The secret signals Queen Elizabeth makes with her handbag

The Queen is rarely seen without her signature black handbag, and things were no different when she met with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Buckingham Palace on Monday. The purse is the creation of London-based designer Launer and it’s reported that Her Majesty owns close to 200 of the same item. The bag isn’t just a way to dress up her brightly coloured outfits, but also a way for the 93-year-old to send secret signals to her staff members during various meetings. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Telegraph</a> reported that if the monarch places her bag on the table during dinner, it’s her way of letting staff know that she is ready to leave within the next five minutes. If her handbag is on the floor, she’s communicating that she’s in the middle of a very boring conversation, prompting her ladies-in-waiting to rescue her from the sticky situation. But it isn’t just a resource used for clever communication, as the Queen does keep a series of “good luck charms” inside the bag. Royal correspondent Phil Dampier told the publication that she carries family photographs and toy dogs and horses inside it. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://lady.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lady</a> magazine, she also keeps her reading glasses, a foundation pen and mints on hand. Other items include a small mirror, lipstick and a £5 note to give to the church collection. Guess the Queen is just like us after all!

News

Flight crew reveals meaning behind secret hand signals

British budget carrier EasyJet has revealed the meanings behind the secret hand signals crew use to communicate with each other. The bizarre gestures include flapping arms like wings, which simply means a passenger has ordered a chicken wrap. A reply in kind means the message has been received. Some other examples include putting your finger to your nose, which translates to a bacon baguette. Two hands on the head means there’s a buck’s party on board. Here are a few more: <img width="620" height="346" src="https://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/pri_39153626.jpg?w=620&h=346&crop=1" alt="Easyjet crew reveal their secret hand signals - and why they do the chicken dance" class="img-align-none size-full wp-image-6626678"/> <img width="620" height="346" src="https://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/pri_39153473.jpg?w=620&h=346&crop=1" alt="Easyjet crew reveal their secret hand signals - and why they do the chicken dance" class="img-align-none size-full wp-image-6626683"/> <img width="620" height="348" src="https://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/pri_39153696.jpg?w=620&h=348&crop=1" alt="Easyjet crew reveal their secret hand signals - and why they do the chicken dance" class="img-align-none size-full wp-image-6626675"/> <img width="620" height="346" src="https://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/pri_39153647.jpg?w=620&h=346&crop=1" alt="Easyjet crew reveal their secret hand signals - and why they do the chicken dance" class="img-align-none size-full wp-image-6626671"/> The video, released on YouTube, has a whiff of a public relations stunt, but the carrier swears the signs are practised in cabins in real life. Image credit: EasyJet

International Travel

Salt doesn’t make you thirsty

Salt actually makes you hungrier not thirstier, according to a new study. German researchers at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) studied two separate groups of 10 men during a simulation of a trip to Mars at the German Aerospace Center. Over 200 days the "cosmonauts" were given identical diets except for their salt intake. Results of the investigations published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation found that a salty diet actually caused the men on the high salt diets to drink less. The men who ate more salt, retained more water, weren't as thirsty and needed more energy, according to the findings. Scientists have known that increasing a person's salt intake stimulates the production of urine and it has been assumed that the extra fluid comes from drinking more because they were thirsty. But it now appears that salt triggers a mechanism in the kidney that causes the kidneys to hold onto water and produce urea - a process which consumes energy, causing hunger not thirst. "Nature has apparently found a way to conserve water that would otherwise be carried away into the urine by salt," said Freidrich Luft from the MDC. Studies in mice have previously hinted that the production of urea was responsible for this increased appetite, Luft added. Urea is a compound and is the end product of protein metabolism. It is formed in the liver and excreted by the kidneys in the urine. It is generally thought of as a waste product but Luft said that's wrong. "Instead it turns out to be a very important osmolyte, a compound that binds to water and helps transport it," said Prof Luft. "Its function is to keep water in when our bodies get rid of salt." Written by Sarah Wiedersehn. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

Body

Queen’s secret signals for help revealed

Everyone finds themselves stuck in awkward conversations now and then, and most of the time, all you can do is power through. That is, unless you’re the Queen. In a resurfaced interview from 2011, royal historian Hugo Vickers has shed some light on the subtle gestures Her Majesty uses to indicate to her staff she’s ready to exit a conversation. “It would be very worrying if you were talking to the Queen and saw the handbag move from one hand to the other,” Vickers told People. “You see, this is a signal the Queen uses to indicate to her staff that she is ready to wrap up her current conversation.” But if you’re thinking a member of her royal security team would come and drag you off, fortunately the reality is a bit more tactful. “It would be done very nicely,” the historian confirms. “Someone would come along and say, ‘Sir, the Archbishop of Canterbury would very much like to meet you.’” However, if you ever find yourself chatting to the Queen only to spy her spinning her ring… well, that’s another story! Related links: <a href="/news/news/2017/02/queen-is-the-picture-of-health-at-latest-official-engagement/">Queen is the picture of health at latest official engagement</a> <a href="/news/news/2017/02/queen-elizabeth-celebrates-65-years-on-throne-with-sapphire-jubilee/">Queen Elizabeth celebrates 65 years on throne with Sapphire Jubilee</a> <a href="/news/news/2017/01/what-the-royal-family-does-every-day/">What the royal family does every day</a>

News

28 million Centrelink calls got an engaged signal

In data that’s sure to add fuel to the fire of Centrelink critics amid a year that <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/2017/02/centrelink-staff-set-to-strike/">hasn’t been short of scandal</a>, new figures have revealed that 28 million calls to the beleaguered welfare agency were greeted with an ‘engaged’ signal in the last seven months. The data was revealed by Department of Human Services (DHS) representatives who fronted the Senate estimates hearing on Thursday, fielding questions about the much-maligned <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/2017/01/centrelink-debt-debacle-to-get-worse/">debt collection scheme</a> and a range of other controversies. Between July 2016 and January 31, 2017, the DHS confirmed 28 million calls from clients were greeted with an ‘engaged’ signal, of which 4.1 million were eventually abandoned. The representatives also reported the average waiting time for a client to receive an answer to their query was 14 minutes and 10 seconds. Among the revelations, DHS staff also admitted to the use of social media to track down and investigate the nature of various complaints about Centrelink. DHS secretary Kathryn Campbell told the Senate estimates hearing, “We look at it about service delivery. My expectation is, in running the department, it's expected of us to look at those complaints to see whether they're true.” Greens senator Rachel Siewert responded to the admission with a statement this morning, “It is deeply concerning that DHS staff have been trawling through social media to find people complaining about Centrelink to provide to the Minister. "The department confirmed they keep an eye on traditional media but to trawl social media is a new development that raises strong concerns. This looks to me more about trying to discourage people from speaking out.” What’s your view on Centrelink? Do you think the media has been too hard on the agency? Or has its performance simply not been up to scratch? Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/2017/01/government-expanding-debt-program-to-target-pensioners/">Pensioners next on Centrelink’s hit list</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/2017/01/centrelink-concedes-debt-review-system-too-slow/">Centrelink concedes debt review system is too slow</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/2017/01/government-knew-of-potential-centrelink-problems/">Government knew of potential Centrelink problems</a>

Money & Banking

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

"I need answers": Devastated widow vows to stage hunger strike

Why you keep eating when you’re full

Incredible teenage boy cracks coded coin in hours, but he isn’t the first

Wake up Jeff! Extended napping in seniors may signal dementia

Australia’s Reserve Bank signals the end of ultra-cheap money. Here’s what it will mean

Just TWO PERCENT of Elon Musk’s wealth could solve world hunger

How new smartphone tech will help diagnose mental health issues

Those at risk during bushfires might lose signal when they need it

E. coli in milk won’t necessarily make you sick – but it signals risks from other bacteria

The secret signals Queen Elizabeth makes with her handbag

Flight crew reveals meaning behind secret hand signals

Salt doesn’t make you thirsty

Queen’s secret signals for help revealed

28 million Centrelink calls got an engaged signal

Our Partners