Illustration of a quantum wave packet in close vicinity of a conical intersection between two potential energy surfaces. The wave packet represents the collective motion of multiple atoms in the photoactive yellow protein. A part of the wave packet moves through the intersection from one potential energy surface to the other, while another part remains on the top surface, leading to a superposition of quantum states. Credit: DESY, Niels Breckwoldt

A new analytical technique is able to provide hitherto unattainable insights into the extremely rapid dynamics of biomolecules. The team of developers, led by Abbas Ourmazd from the University of WisconsinMilwaukee and Robin Santra from DESY, is presenting its clever combination of quantum physics and molecular biology in the scientific journal Nature. The scientists used the technique to track the way in which the photoactive yellow protein (PYP) undergoes changes in its structure in less than a trillionth of a second after being excited by light.

In order to precisely understand biochemical processes in nature, such as photosynthesis in certain bacteria, it is important to know the detailed sequence of events, Santra explains their underlying motivation. When light strikes photoactive proteins, their spatial structure is altered, and this structural change determines what role a protein takes on in nature. Until now, however, it has been almost impossible to track the exact sequence in which structural changes occur. Only the initial and final states of a molecule before and after a reaction can be determined and interpreted in theoretical terms. But we dont know exactly how the energy and shape changes in between the two, says Santra. Its like seeing that someone has folded their hands, but you cant see them interlacing their fingers to do so.

Whereas a hand is large enough and the movement is slow enough for us to follow it with our eyes, things are not that easy when looking at molecules. The energy state of a molecule can be determined with great precision using spectroscopy; and bright X-rays for example from an X-ray laser can be used to analyze the shape of a molecule. The extremely short wavelength of X-rays means that they can resolve very small spatial structures, such as the positions of the atoms within a molecule. However, the result is not an image like a photograph, but instead a characteristic interference pattern, which can be used to deduce the spatial structure that created it.

Since the movements are extremely rapid at the molecular level, the scientists have to use extremely short X-ray pulses to prevent the image from being blurred. It was only with the advent of X-ray lasers that it became possible to produce sufficiently bright and short X-ray pulses to capture these dynamics. However, since molecular dynamics takes place in the realm of quantum physics where the laws of physics deviate from our everyday experience, the measurements can only be interpreted with the help of a quantum-physical analysis.

A peculiar feature of photoactive proteins needs to be taken into consideration: the incident light excites their electron shell to enter a higher quantum state, and this causes an initial change in the shape of the molecule. This change in shape can in turn result in the excited and ground quantum states overlapping each other. In the resulting quantum jump, the excited state reverts to the ground state, whereby the shape of the molecule initially remains unchanged. The conical intersection between the quantum states therefore opens a pathway to a new spatial structure of the protein in the quantum mechanical ground state.

The team led by Santra and Ourmazd has now succeeded for the first time in unraveling the structural dynamics of a photoactive protein at such a conical intersection. They did so by drawing on machine learning because a full description of the dynamics would in fact require every possible movement of all the particles involved to be considered. This quickly leads to unmanageable equations that cannot be solved.

The photoactive yellow protein we studied consists of some 2000 atoms, explains Santra, who is a Lead Scientist at DESY and a professor of physics at Universitt Hamburg. Since every atom is basically free to move in all three spatial dimensions, there are a total of 6000 options for movement. That leads to a quantum mechanical equation with 6000 dimensions which even the most powerful computers today are unable to solve.

However, computer analyses based on machine learning were able to identify patterns in the collective movement of the atoms in the complex molecule. Its like when a hand moves: there, too, we dont look at each atom individually, but at their collective movement, explains Santra. Unlike a hand, where the possibilities for collective movement are obvious, these options are not as easy to identify in the atoms of a molecule. However, using this technique, the computer was able to reduce the approximately 6000 dimensions to four. By demonstrating this new method, Santras team was also able to characterize a conical intersection of quantum states in a complex molecule made up of thousands of atoms for the first time.

The detailed calculation shows how this conical intersection forms in four-dimensional space and how the photoactive yellow protein drops through it back to its initial state after being excited by light. The scientists can now describe this process in steps of a few dozen femtoseconds (quadrillionths of a second) and thus advance the understanding of photoactive processes. As a result, quantum physics is providing new insights into a biological system, and biology is providing new ideas for quantum mechanical methodology, says Santra, who is also a member of the Hamburg Cluster of Excellence CUI: Advanced Imaging of Matter. The two fields are cross-fertilizing each other in the process.

Reference: Few-fs resolution of a photoactive protein traversing a conical intersection by A. Hosseinizadeh, N. Breckwoldt, R. Fung, R. Sepehr, M. Schmidt, P. Schwander, R. Santra and A. Ourmazd, 3 November 2021, Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04050-9

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Clever Combination of Quantum Physics and Molecular Biology - SciTechDaily

Nov 8th 2021

by By the Science and technology correspondents of The Economist

The astonishingly rapid development and rollout of coronavirus vaccines has been a reminder of the power of science and technology to change the world. Although vaccines based on new mRNA technology seemed to have been created almost instantly, they actually drew upon decades of research going back to the 1970s. As the saying goes in the technology industry, it takes years to create an overnight success. So what else might be about to burst into prominence? Here are 22 emerging technologies worth watching in 2022

It sounds childishly simple. If the world is getting too hot, why not offer it some shade? The dust and ash released into the upper atmosphere by volcanoes is known to have a cooling effect: Mount Pinatubos eruption in 1991 cooled the Earth by as much as 0.5C for four years. Solar geoengineering, also known as solar radiation management, would do the same thing deliberately.

This is hugely controversial. Would it work? How would rainfall and weather patterns be affected? And wouldnt it undermine efforts to curb greenhouse-gas emissions? Efforts to test the idea face fierce opposition from politicians and activists. In 2022, however, a group at Harvard University hopes to conduct a much-delayed experiment called SCoPEX. It involves launching a balloon into the stratosphere, with the aim of releasing 2kg of material (probably calcium carbonate), and then measuring how it dissipates, reacts and scatters solar energy.

Proponents argue that it is important to understand the technique, in case it is needed to buy the world more time to cut emissions. The Harvard group has established an independent advisory panel to consider the moral and political ramifications. Whether the test goes ahead or not, expect controversy.

Keeping buildings warm in winter accounts for about a quarter of global energy consumption. Most heating relies on burning coal, gas or oil. If the world is to meet its climate-change targets, that will have to change. The most promising alternative is to use heat pumpsessentially, refrigerators that run in reverse.

Instead of pumping heat out of a space to cool it down, a heat pump forces heat in from the outside, warming it up. Because they merely move existing heat around, they can be highly efficient: for every kilowatt of electricity consumed, heat pumps can deliver 3kW of heat, making them cheaper to run than electric radiators. And running a heat pump backwards cools a home rather than heating it.

Gradient, based in San Francisco, is one of several companies offering a heat pump that can provide both heating and cooling. Its low-profile, saddle-bag shaped products can be mounted in windows, like existing air conditioners, and will go on sale in 2022.

Electrifying road transport is one thing. Aircraft are another matter. Batteries can only power small aircraft for short flights. But might electricity from hydrogen fuel cells, which excrete only water, do the trick? Passenger planes due to be test-flown with hydrogen fuel cells in 2022 include a two-seater being built at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. ZeroAvia, based in California, plans to complete trials of a 20-seat aircraft, and aims to have its hydrogen-propulsion system ready for certification by the end of the year. Universal Hydrogen, also of California, hopes its 40-seat plane will take off in September 2022.

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes global warming. So why not suck it out using machines? Several startups are pursuing direct air capture (DAC), a technology that does just that. In 2022 Carbon Engineering, a Canadian firm, will start building the worlds biggest DAC facility in Texas, capable of capturing 1m tonnes of CO2 per year. ClimeWorks, a Swiss firm, opened a DAC plant in Iceland in 2021, which buries captured CO2 in mineral form at a rate of 4,000 tonnes a year. Global Thermostat, an American firm, has two pilot plants. DAC could be vital in the fight against climate change. The race is on to get costs down and scale the technology up.

A new type of agriculture is growing. Vertical farms grow plants on trays stacked in a closed, controlled environment. Efficient LED lighting has made the process cheaper, though energy costs remain a burden. Vertical farms can be located close to customers, reducing transport costs and emissions. Water use is minimised and bugs are kept out, so no pesticides are needed.

In Britain, the Jones Food Company will open the worlds largest vertical farm, covering 13,750 square metres, in 2022. AeroFarms, an American firm, will open its largest vertical farm, in Daneville, Virginia. Other firms will be expanding, too. Nordic Harvest will enlarge its facility just outside Copenhagen and construct a new one in Stockholm. Plenty, based in California, will open a new indoor farm near Los Angeles. Vertical farms mostly grow high-value leafy greens and herbs, but some are venturing into tomatoes, peppers and berries. The challenge now is to make the economics stack up, too.

Ships produce 3% of greenhouse-gas emissions. Burning maritime bunker fuel, a dirty diesel sludge, also contributes to acid rain. None of this was a problem in the age of sailwhich is why sails are making a comeback, in high-tech form, to cut costs and emissions.

In 2022 Michelin of France will equip a freighter with an inflatable sail that is expected to reduce fuel consumption by 20%. MOL, a Japanese shipping firm, plans to put a telescoping rigid sail on a ship in August 2022. Naos Design of Italy expects to equip eight ships with its pivoting and foldable hard wing sails. Other approaches include kites, suction wings that house fans, and giant, spinning cylinders called Flettner rotors. By the end of 2022 the number of big cargo ships with sails of some kind will have quadrupled to 40, according to the International Windship Association. If the European Union brings shipping into its carbon-trading scheme in 2022, as planned, that will give these unusual technologies a further push.

Most people do not do enough exercise. Many would like to, but lack motivation. Virtual reality (VR) headsets let people play games and burn calories in the process, as they punch or slice oncoming shapes, or squat and shimmy to dodge obstacles. VR workouts became more popular during the pandemic as lockdowns closed gyms and a powerful, low-cost headset, the Oculus Quest 2, was released. An improved model and new fitness features are coming in 2022. And Supernatural, a highly regarded VR workout app available only in North America, may be released in Europe. Could the killer app for virtual reality be physical fitness?

The impressive success of coronavirus vaccines based on messenger RNA (mRNA) heralds a golden era of vaccine development. Moderna is developing an HIV vaccine based on the same mRNA technology used in its highly effective coronavirus vaccine. It entered early-stage clinical trials in 2021 and preliminary results are expected in 2022. BioNTech, joint-developer of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, is working on an mRNA vaccine for malaria, with clinical trials expected to start in 2022. Non-mRNA vaccines for HIV and malaria, developed at the University of Oxford, are also showing promise.

For years, researchers have been developing techniques to create artificial organs using 3D printing of biological materials. The ultimate goal is to take a few cells from a patient and create fully functional organs for transplantation, thus doing away with long waiting-lists, testing for matches and the risk of rejection.

That goal is still some way off for fleshy organs. But bones are less tricky. Two startups, Particle3D and ADAM, hope to have 3D-printed bones available for human implantation in 2022. Both firms use calcium-based minerals to print their bones, which are made to measure based on patients CT scans. Particle3Ds trials in pigs and mice found that bone marrow and blood vessels grew into its implants within eight weeks. ADAM says its 3D-printed implants stimulate natural bone growth and gradually biodegrade, eventually being replaced by the patients bone tissue. If all goes well, researchers say 3D-printed blood vessels and heart valves are next.

Long seen as something of a fantasy, flying taxis, or electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, as the fledgling industry calls them, are getting serious. Several firms around the world will step up test flights in 2022 with the aim of getting their aircraft certified for commercial use in the following year or two. Joby Aviation, based in California, plans to build more than a dozen of its five-seater vehicles, which have a 150-mile range. Volocopter of Germany aims to provide an air-taxi service at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Other contenders include eHang, Lilium and Vertical Aerospace. Keep an eye on the skies.

After a stand-out year for space tourism in 2021, as a succession of billionaire-backed efforts shot civilians into the skies, hopes are high for 2022. Sir Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic just beat Jeff Bezoss Blue Origin to the edge of space in July, with both billionaires riding in their own spacecraft on suborbital trips. In September Elon Musks company, SpaceX, sent four passengers on a multi-day orbital cruise around the Earth.

All three firms hope to fly more tourists in 2022, which promises to be the first year in which more people go to space as paying passengers than as government employees. But Virgin Galactic is modifying its vehicle to make it stronger and safer, and it is not expected to fly again until the second half of 2022, with commercial service starting in the fourth quarter. Blue Origin plans more flights but has not said when or how many. For its part, SpaceX has done a deal to send tourists to the International Space Station. Next up? The Moon.

They are taking longer than expected to get off the ground. But new rules, which came into effect in 2021, will help drone deliveries gain altitude in 2022. Manna, an Irish startup which has been delivering books, meals and medicine in County Galway, plans to expand its service in Ireland and into Britain. Wing, a sister company of Google, has been doing test deliveries in America, Australia and Finland and will expand its mall-to-home delivery service, launched in late 2021. Dronamics, a Bulgarian startup, will start using winged drones to shuttle cargo between 39 European airports. The question is: will the pace of drone deliveries pick upor drop off?

For half a century, scientists have wondered whether changes to the shape of a supersonic aircraft could reduce the intensity of its sonic boom. Only recently have computers become powerful enough to run the simulations needed to turn those noise-reduction theories into practice.

In 2022 NASAs X-59 QueSST (short for Quiet Supersonic Technology) will make its first test flight. Crucially, that test will take place over landspecifically, Edwards Air Force Base in California. Concorde, the worlds first and only commercial supersonic airliner, was not allowed to travel faster than sound when flying over land. The X-59s sonic boom is expected to be just one-eighth as loud as Concordes. At 75 perceived decibels, it will be equivalent to a distant thunderstormmore of a sonic thump. If it works, NASA hopes that regulators could lift the ban on supersonic flights over land, ushering in a new era for commercial flight.

Architects often use 3D printing to create scale models of buildings. But the technology can be scaled up and used to build the real thing. Materials are squirted out of a nozzle as a foam that then hardens. Layer by layer, a house is printedeither on site, or as several pieces in a factory that are transported and assembled.

In 2022 Mighty Buildings, based in California, will complete a development of 15 eco-friendly 3D-printed homes at Rancho Mirage. And ICON, based in Texas, plans to start building a community of 100 3D-printed homes near Austin, which would be the largest development of its kind.

Its become a craze in Silicon Valley. Not content with maximising their productivity and performance during their waking hours, geeks are now optimising their sleep, too, using an array of technologies. These include rings and headbands that record and track sleep quality, soothing sound machines, devices to heat and cool mattresses, and smart alarm clocks to wake you at the perfect moment. Google launched a sleep-tracking nightstand tablet in 2021, and Amazon is expected to follow suit in 2022. It sounds crazy. But poor sleep is linked with maladies from heart disease to obesity. And what Silicon Valley does today, everyone else often ends up doing tomorrow.

Diets don't work. Evidence is growing that each persons metabolism is unique, and food choices should be, too. Enter personalised nutrition: apps that tell you what to eat and when, using machine-learning algorithms, tests of your blood and gut microbiome, data on lifestyle factors such as exercise, and real-time tracking of blood-sugar levels using coin-sized devices attached to the skin. After successful launches in America, personalised-nutrition firms are eyeing other markets in 2022. Some will also seek regulatory approval as treatments for conditions such as diabetes and migraine.

Remote medical consultations have become commonplace. That could transform the prospects for wearable health trackers such as the Fitbit or Apple Watch. They are currently used primarily as fitness trackers, measuring steps taken, running and swimming speeds, heart rates during workouts, and so forth. But the line between consumer and medical uses of such devices is now blurring, say analysts at Gartner, a consultancy.

Smart watches can already measure blood oxygenation, perform ECGs and detect atrial fibrillation. The next version of the Apple Watch, expected in 2022, may include new sensors capable of measuring levels of glucose and alcohol in the blood, along with blood pressure and body temperature. Rockley Photonics, the company supplying the sensor technology, calls its system a clinic on the wrist. Regulatory approval for such functions may take a while, but in the meantime doctors, not just users, will be paying more attention to data from wearables.

Coined in 1992 by Neal Stephenson in his novel Snow Crash, the word metaverse referred to a persistent virtual world, accessible via special goggles, where people could meet, flirt, play games, buy and sell things, and much more besides. In 2022 it refers to the fusion of video games, social networking and entertainment to create new, immersive experiences, like swimming inside your favourite song at an online concert. Games such as Minecraft, Roblox and Fortnite are all stepping-stones to an emerging new medium. Facebook has renamed itself Meta to capitalise on the opportunityand distract from its other woes.

An idea that existed only on blackboards in the 1990s has grown into a multi-billion dollar contest between governments, tech giants and startups: harnessing the counter-intuitive properties of quantum physics to build a new kind of computer. For some kinds of mathematics a quantum computer could outperform any non-quantum machine that could ever be built, making quick work of calculations used in cryptography, chemistry and finance.

But when will such machines arrive? One measure of a quantum computers capability is its number of qubits. A Chinese team has built a computer with 66 qubits. IBM, an American firm, hopes to hit 433 qubits in 2022 and 1,000 by 2023. But existing machines have a fatal flaw: the delicate quantum states on which they depend last for just a fraction of a second. Fixing that will take years. But if existing machines can be made useful in the meantime, quantum computing could become a commercial reality much sooner than expected.

Unlike a human influencer, a virtual influencer will never be late to a photoshoot, get drunk at a party or get old. That is because virtual influencers are computer-generated characters who plug products on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

The best known is Miquela Sousa, or Lil Miquela, a fictitious Brazilian-American 19-year-old with 3m Instagram followers. With $15bn expected to be spent on influencer marketing in 2022, virtual influencers are proliferating. Aya Stellaran interstellar traveller crafted by Cosmiq Universe, a marketing agencywill land on Earth in February. She has already released a song on YouTube.

In April 2021 the irrepressible entrepreneur Elon Musk excitedly tweeted that a macaque monkey was literally playing a video game telepathically using a brain chip. His company, Neuralink, had implanted two tiny sets of electrodes into the monkeys brain. Signals from these electrodes, transmitted wirelessly and then decoded by a nearby computer, enabled the monkey to move the on-screen paddle in a game of Pong using thought alone.

In 2022 Neuralink hopes to test its device in humans, to enable people who are paralysed to operate a computer. Another firm, Synchron, has already received approval from American regulators to begin human trials of a similar device. Its minimally invasive neural prosthetic is inserted into the brain via blood vessels in the neck. As well as helping paralysed people, Synchron is also looking at other uses, such as diagnosing and treating nervous-system conditions including epilepsy, depression and hypertension.

Winston Churchill once mused about the absurdity of growing a whole chicken to eat the breast or wing. Nearly a century later, around 70 companies are cultivating meats in bioreactors. Cells taken from animals, without harming them, are nourished in soups rich in proteins, sugars, fats, vitamins and minerals. In 2020 Eat Just, an artificial-meat startup based in San Francisco, became the first company certified to sell its products, in Singapore.

It is expected to be joined by a handful of other firms in 2022. In the coming year an Israeli startup, SuperMeat, expects to win approval for commercial sales of cultivated chicken burgers, grown for $10 a popdown from $2,500 in 2018, the company says. Finless Foods, based in California, hopes for approval to sell cultivated bluefin tuna, grown for $440 a kilogramdown from $660,000 in 2017. Bacon, turkey and other cultivated meats are in the pipeline. Eco-conscious meat-lovers will soon be able to have their steakand eat it.

By the Science and technology correspondents of The Economist

This article appeared in the What next? section of the print edition of The World Ahead 2022 under the headline What next?

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What next? 22 emerging technologies to watch in 2022 - The Economist

Seymours Lainey Jackson watches her shot during the sectional Sept. 18 at Otis Park Golf Course in Bedford. Jackson has been named The Tribunes Girls Golfer of the Year.

Greg Jones | For The Tribune

Lainey Jackson had another excellent season of playing golf for the Seymour Owls.

This fall, she filled the No. 1 position throughout the season and carried averages of 42.9 for nine holes and 89.7 for 18.

She won the Bedford North Lawrence Sectional by five strokes with an 84 to help the Owls advance to the Washington Regional, where they placed 13th.

The junior earned all-Hoosier Hills Conference honorable mention by shooting an 87 to place eighth individually at Shadowood Golf Course.

Jackson was named Seymours most valuable player for the second straight year during the awards program held last week at Shadowood.

For all of her accomplishments, she has seen named The Tribunes Girls Golfer of the Year.

I like that you kind of have to rely on yourself, know that you have to do better and that you have to come out and practice every day, she said. I like meeting new people all around and getting to connect with them throughout the whole season with people everywhere.

The Owls play their home matches at Shadowood.

I like the front nine better, she said. Her best nine-hole score there has been a 40, and her best 18-hole round was the 87 she shot in the HHC.

Every hole, I try to think about where I need to be to get the best score, Jackson said. Sometimes, it doesnt go as planned with the first shot. You have to change what youre going to do every time. Its not going to be the same every time, so thats another challenge of the game.

Seymour coach Jim Hoffman said Jackson is very deserving of the honor.

Sectional medalist was really huge. Its a nice individual accomplishment, he said. It helped our team immensely. For her to do that and win by five strokes on a tough day was outstanding. That was a great day for her. She played under control, did her thing, didnt let anything bother her. Her mental side has really grown as she has matured. I could see a big difference from her freshman year to now.

She doesnt let much bother her now. If she shoots a bad score, she gets down and she gets right back up. The next hole is really crucial if you have a bad hole. She has really eliminated the big numbers.

He said her experience on golf courses paid off this fall.

You could see the last couple years coming through for her mentally as the season progressed this year. I see really big things from her next year. Lainey hits the ball a long way. She drives the ball long enough that shes got shots that are fairly easy for her, Hoffman said. What she worked on hard was putting. That really helped her at the end of the season. When she struggled, she struggled putting. When she putted well, she shot well. She got up and down, and when her chipping got better, her putting got a lot better.

Jackson said her favorite away course is Country Oaks near Montgomery, where the regional is played. She has advanced with the team to the regional three straight years.

Its really challenging, and I just like a good challenge, she said.

She enjoys playing the No. 1 position.

I try not to think about beating the other person. I just try to play my best and get my best score, she said. In the end, I like to know if I beat them or not because its competition. When Im out there, Im not thinking how Im compared to them.

Jackson also thought her putting improved this fall, and it helped pick her up because her driving wasnt as strong as it usually is.

My driving wasnt as good as past years, so I had to pick it up with my putting, my short game, so I have a lot to work on this summer. My irons were good this year. My putting was probably one of my best things this year, Jackson said. Practice is really important, and you have to make sure youre taking care of your body, too, after matches and stuff and that youre resting because it takes on your mental and physical health.

Other members of the all-county team:

Payton Ault, Brownstown Central (senior) Was Braves medalist three times and runner-up four times, averaged 46 (9) and 96.8 (18), all-conference three times, mental attitude winner two times.

Hannah Hackman, Brownstown Central (senior) One-time all-MSC, one-time all-MSC honorable mention, two-time mental attitude award winner.

Lexie Satterthwaite, Brownstown Central (senior) Medalist four times, runner-up twice, averaged 47 (9) and 102.4 (18), three-time all-MSC.

Phoebe Skidmore, Seymour (junior) Averaged 48.9 (9) and 101 (18).

Liza Stuckwisch, Seymour (junior) Most improved, averaged 49 (9) and 99 (18).

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Seymour's Jackson headlines all-county team as The Tribune's Girls Golfer of the Year - Seymour Tribune

It wasnt the hike that we thought it would be, it was the hike we got.

I kept coming back to those words from Class of 2021 Appalachian Trail Thru-hiker Suzanne Holland during our recent interview. Holland and fellow hiker Cindy Aurin completed their successful thru-hike of the A.T. on Oct. 7, and the sentiment behind those words struck me as something special.

I have never been on a hiking trip where everything went exactly as planned, and my trips have only been over the course of several days or a week. A thru-hike along the 2,193.1 miles of the A.T. multiplies the number of possible entries on the what could go wrong list and makes adaptability a must.

Most sources rank the White Mountains, southern Maine and northern Pennsylvania as the most difficult three sections of any A.T. thru-hike, and when I asked the Dames their opinion, they concurred. According to Holland, They say that when you reach the Whites, 80% of the trail is behind you, but 80% of the work is ahead of you.

Explained Aurin, The wind is constant in the Whites. Its pretty rare when its still.

In fact, Holland reported that the force of the wind actually blew her off the trail while trekking through the Presidential range.

You have a backpack on, so you are a high-profile vehicle. You had to use your trekking poles to stay upright, Holland said.

True to the ranking, southern Maine and the infamous Mahoosuc Notch also proved tough for this hiking duo. This deep gap between mountains is labeled by many thru-hiking experts as the A.T.s longest mile. According to Holland, the section is like a puzzle that involves crawling under and over boulders.

With a positive attitude (and rest), its like a jungle gym recess, it can be fun, she explained.

After hearing Holland and Aurins description of this leg of the trail, I added PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) to the aforementioned adaptability as another key to any successful thru-hike. It took the hikers three hours to negotiate the Mahoosuc Mile, and based on their descriptions, they did it with smiles on their faces.

I last spoke with the Dames at the halfway point of their hike just before they entered Pennsylvania. While in Rocksylvania, as it has come to be known by thru-hikers, both took hard falls that required medical attention on separate occasions about a week apart. Needless to say, the hikers were glad to have the rocks of the Keystone State behind them, but they now began to feel a time crunch to finish their hike.

In order to finish with the traditional summit of Mount Katahdin, the hikers would need to arrive at Baxter State Park prior to Oct. 15, as access to the mountain is typically closed at that point due to winter weather conditions. Prior to the White Mountain range, they were averaging more than 100 miles every eight days. However, the Whites reduced their daily average from around 15 miles per day to around 6.

Facing this dilemma, the Dames made the decision to flip-up or shuttle up to Monson, Maine, hike the Hundred-Mile Wilderness and summit Mount Katahdin prior to its closure and then pick back up in Monson and hike back down to finish the remaining section of the trail. Again, their ability to adapt proved tantamount to their success.

It took the Dames almost seven months to complete their peregrination from Georgia to Maine. Thats a lot of time to unplug from the daily connectivity of the real world. In fact, both mentioned this reentry as one of the hardest things theyve had to do since coming off the trail. Holland told me they are having to control their media diet and ease back into the realities of daily life.

Were trying to figure out where our place is, Aurin explained.

Added Holland, The one thing we do know is we are looking forward to going to spring training baseball games in Florida.

The semi-retired couple splits their time between Florida and their cabin in the mountains near Blue Ridge, Georgia.

Of note, Maine won out as their favorite state. According to Aurin, The remoteness, vastness and purity of the state made it feel like a western state in the East. Its pristine, perfect, amazing.

Their favorite moment turned out to be one of their last on the trail. In the words of Holland: Our last night on the trail was our most memorable. We both said it was a spiritual moment. It was an absolutely beautiful evening in a pine forest in the Bigelows. The colors of the forest were stunning, the sun was setting, you could see the silk of spider webs blowing in the wind in the rays of the sun. We felt like we were at peace with everything, and everyone that had supported us was with us. It was the best ending we could write for the hike that we got.

Sometimes we get what we expect, and sometimes at the intersection of expectations and reality something magical happens. Heres to that magic, to the Wandering Dames and to finding your peace out there in our great outdoors.

Email outdoors columnist Brad Dye at braddye@comcast.net.

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Expectations and reality along the Appalachian Trail - Meridian Star

Are we always in the right frame of mind to drive a vehicle? When a motorist slips behind the wheel of a motor car he automatically becomes a vital part of this complex but useful machine. If the driver is both physically and mentally prepared and ready for the road, the vehicle will perform at its peak.

The key to the entire operation of defensive driving and that motor vehicle is the driver, says Dr Wendel Abel, consultant psychiatrist. According to Dr Abel, driving is essentially an activity of the mind, but additionally, our bodies are also important as they translate the impulses of our thoughts, as we meet and deal with the many challenges of the Jamaican roads.

A driver who sits tall in the saddle, alert, head up, and hands on the wheel, immediately creates an impression of being in control. Fatigue arrives very quickly when muscles are taut, therefore, every effort should be made to remain physically relaxed, while being mentally alert, Dr Abel stressed. It was Robert Benoist, a French Grand Prix driver of the 1920s and 1930s, who embraced the view that the stability of the car depends on the personal stability of the driver.

A person without excellent reflexes and a wandering mind or poor physical coordination can be a dangerous driver. A driver should be able to translate reflex action into correct physical action. For example, stepping on the brakes, turning the wheel, manoeuvring a corner and so on. Reflexes are of little value in defensive driving, unless they are supported by experience and discretion. Motorists should bear in mind that going beyond normal physical capabilities, the matter of adaptability to safe driving becomes extremely important each day we drive on the roads.

With todays fast cars, and heavy traffic congestion in regular hours, especially when rain falls, mental stability of any driver is of paramount importance. According to Dr Dianne McCallum, of The University of the West Indies, Mona, there are various drivers on our roads; some with challenges, others with a certain mindset. Therefore, our drivers need to be purposeful and intentional to defuse any road-rage situation. Our drivers must be calm, while using a kind word or a decent gesture, which could save someone from himself and from others, she adds.

Our driving ability varies from day to day, in relation to ones culture and lifestyle. For example, Mr X, who had a spat with his spouse, just zooms off to work. Driver Y, who is in mourning, is on the way to a funeral. Neither of these two persons could be described as being in a settled frame of mind. Mr X, who had a quarrel, may take out his anger and frustration by driving more aggressively. The mourner may find that his grief has distracted him completely from his safe driving. Dr Abel pointed out that this change from their normal attitude will affect their driving.

Because of the need to be alert and attentive when driving or riding you should consider:

1. Observation: Look around for other road users and pedestrians.

2. Anticipation: Look ahead and give yourself enough time to react to hazards.

3. Concentration: Be alert at all times when driving or riding.

4. Awareness: Understand the actions of other road users.

5. Distraction: Do not become distracted while driving. Your attention must be on the road.

6. Boredom: This could make you feel sleepy, keep your mind on your driving.

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Mental stability, the driver and driving | Auto - Jamaica Gleaner

BY PROF (DR.) YASIR HASSAN RATHER and ZOYA MIR

I carried my favourite bag to my class in March 2020, I played without fear with my friends long way back; hugging my friends, sharing our meals it doesnt happen anymore. I have been seeing my friends, but on the other side of screen we still attend the same class just the togetherness isnt felt. We call it a class but its not the same anymore... Our elders are calling it the new normal. But how can I like it? This new normal has detached me from my friends, from my school, from my space, from my development. Its not my fault, but I am supposed to grow in it. And yet smile! I am a child with not so normal life to adjust with! Still, I am labelled as too sensitive; Am I?

Children having a healthy family environment, children with special needs, children in juvenile homes, children in orphanages, children engaged in child labour and children who are underprivileged - all have been affected by covid-19 pandemic. We tried to find ways to handle the crisis and somewhere found ways of coping with the situation, creating social networks and lifting up spirits of each other in difficult times but children were imposed with a system of education where they missed out on their most important stage of development; growing up with other children, learning from the togetherness, taking turns, learning from fights and accepting individual differences.

As time passed, Covid-19 started transforming the lives of children. The pandemic and the associated policies like confinement and social distancing were put up as priorities and it touched every childs world.

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Lets Celebrate the Day! - Greater Kashmir

Consumers are embracing the idea of wellness like never before and with a completely different approach than in decades past. Its no longer about fad diets, only calorie-counting or workout videos a la Barrys Bootcamp. Wellness today is broad, encompassing fitness, nutrition, and physical and mental health. Its a complete body-mind approach: feel good on the inside and the outside.

The growing wellness trend

With access to an infinite number of materials and sources to consult and learn from blogs, YouTube videos, apps, medical journals consumers are taking more control of every aspect of their lives, health and well-being included.

According to McKinseys Future of Wellness survey, people worldwide are focusing on their health. Seventy-nine percent of people surveyed across six countries believe wellness is important, and 42% rate it as a top priority. Those numbers demonstrate a significant attitude shift among consumers.

But people dont think of health as a single concept. The same study revealed that people qualify aspects of health into six categories: better health (which includes medicine and supplements, devices, trackers, and telemedicine), fitness, nutrition, appearance, sleep, and mindfulness.

Its no surprise that the better health category was most important to consumers in all countries (and the area where they spent the most money). Whats particularly interesting for businesses and service providers in the wellness market is that cultural differences heavily influenced the types of products and services that ranked second for expenditures. In Germany, it was fitness; in Japan, it was appearance; in the UK and China, it was nutrition; in the US and Brazil, it was mindfulness.

Finally, the research revealed consumer trends that are driving the market. The number one trend is an affinity for clean and natural products. Over the last several years, weve seen a growing shift towards clean beauty products, clean and organic foods, and even all organic household cleaners. Now, supplements are stepping up to the proverbial plate. The evidence is clear: in 2019, the global market size for herbal medicine was projected to reach $83 billion, but interest in supplements is so high, the market is expected to hit $550 billion in 2030 at an 18.9% CAGR.

Health supplements are taking center stage

We live in a fast-paced world dominated by hectic schedules. Urbanization is increasing, as is disposable income. Even though many are aware of healthy options (they read food labels, buy organic, etc.) and make healthier choices regularly, its still a challenge to be healthy and have balanced levels of nutrients, particularly for certain individuals.

Take vegans or vegetarians, for example. People following these diets can naturally improve their health by relying on different foods, but they need to know what they lack and how to make up for those deficits. Education is the key, and providing people with the information they need to make the best choices will result in positive outcomes.

Research has shown that when diabetics replaced meat with plant proteins, they could reduce their risk of poor kidney function. Another study found that people on a vegan diet could reduce their dosage of blood sugar-lowering medications. While those are tremendous benefits for people managing chronic conditions, vegan diets commonly come with vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and zinc deficiencies.

However, we live in a time where we dont have to choose one over the other. Patients can have the best of all worlds less medication, lower health risks, and a nutrient-rich diet bolstered by supplements. This is exactly the path that so many consumers are choosing and education is lighting their way as they navigate down the road.

Even consumers who arent battling diseases are tapping health supplements to boost immune systems, foster recovery after workouts, improve mental stamina, or many other reasons.They are turning to friends, family, and online communities, seeking answers from others who have more experience. With the internet available 24/7, advice is never more than a Google search away. With a few clicks, consumers can have access to more information than they know what to do with, and thats where online communities and forums become even more valuable. Beyond sharing research and doctor-approved knowledge, communities are filled with real people who have tried and tested, often sage advice.

The evolving modern consumer

For health-conscious consumers, its not just about calorie counting or one-sided healthcare. They want food with nutritional value, organic products that fuel their body and mind, and helpful supplements to remain in peak form. Consumers consider wellness services and products worthwhile investments -investments in themselves and their futures. The growing demand for natural solutions is proof of that. Everyone is prioritizing their well-being with a focus on both their general health and specific needs.

Given the rise in health-focused apps and wearables, consumers are taking it upon themselves to learn new healthy habits, monitor their behaviors, and make changes as they reap the rewards of better decisions. Its a brave new world for the consumer and one in which they feel empowered by being active participants. That leaves the door wide open for wellness businesses that want to leap into the future alongside consumers.

Photo: Vitaliya Yankovskaya

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Consumer attitudes are changing: Whole body health is the new normal - MedCity News

To be sane and normal we all have to struggle as when the rollercoasters of life hit us, our mental strength is always giving involuntary tests. However, it is all about our attitude towards life that shapes us. There are certain habits too that determine how positive or negative we can get and they need constant check. So, to make sure you do not become a bitter person, here are 5 mental habits that you must keep tabs on. In case you are doing them, now is the time to refrain and mull over some of your actions.

Everyone, including you, makes mistakes. To be human is to err, remember? This is when your ability to forgive steps in. You have to let it go because life is too short to hold grudges. The more malice you have for someone, you dig deeper into that negative abyss of yours and bitterness starts reflecting in your actions and words. He or she wronged you, call it out. Communicate or do anything to not let it dominate your life. It happened, you accept it, acknowledge it, but do not ponder over it so much.

So you made a mistake, what is the guarantee you won't repeat it again? If that thought comes often to your head, then you are definitely becoming sour. You may have failed once, but it does not mean that you will fail again or always. Simply give it another approach. Refrain from underestimating your positive capabilities. Let it shine through. If you control then how will the good come out of the box?

Some people feel hopeless and dull when things are not going as planned. It is alright, all of us have that panic mode on in our heads but feeling hopeless is the biggest mistake you are making. If you feel hopeless you will talk and have only negative thoughts. It becomes a habit and it reflects on your face. Take therapy, get out of the house, look for loopholes as nothing is foolproof ever! No matter what the situation is. Be positive and that would be half the battle won. Count the good that you have and think about how so many do not even have that much!

Do not keep expectations from others when you are yourself, not that person. Even if you are a little like that, how can you expect the other to be similar? He or she may have other strengths, right? You need to get more realistic and keep normal standards for others, otherwise you will always feel disappointed and that shall show on your face. You exude negativity when you have negative thoughts and this way you repel the people around you. Your constant criticism does you no good!

Read also: How to deal with an unpredictable boss

Read also: Weekly career horoscope as per astrologer: 7th to 14th November, 2021

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These mental habits are turning you into a bitter person! - Times of India

Although she finished her studies and started a career 40 years ago, a former school counselor recently returned to school and is beginning a new chapter after deciding it is never too late to pursue ones dreams.

Deborah Reese Drake-Gordon, 69, graduated from Arkansas Tech University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and social studies before earning her masters in secondary guidance and counseling from Henderson State University in 1981. Gordon has worked in education for 40 years and was a counselor at Elkins Middle School in Washington County, for 12 years before deciding to switch to a career in mental health therapy.

To complete the requirements necessary to receive her therapy certification, Gordon took night classes at the UofA for three years and is currently doing her mandatory internship hours at Wellness and Courage, a professional counseling office.

Gordon said it was rejuvenating to revisit and augment information she studied when she was first a student in order to be the best at her job. Gordon, who has been working at the internship since June, will be ready to practice at the end of the semester.

Gordon has always had an interest in mental health care and helping people, she said.

I think mental health is most important and realizing that theres difficulties sometimes in all of our lives, Gordon said. It helps to have somebody to talk to that you can trust.

One of Gordons previous professors, Blair Olsen, taught counselor education in 1981 at Henderson State. Gordon has always been young at heart and Olsen thinks her love for children has guided her to develop the necessary skills for a career in mental health therapy, he said.

Deborah won (kids) over, Olsen said. Shes their advocate, as long as you listen to them and validate them, she helps them work out their plans for their future.

Gordons transition from school counselor to therapist-in-training was smooth because the two fields are very similar, Gordon said. However, a school counselor tends to work with larger groups, while a mental health therapist usually works one-on-one with clients, she said.

Gordon thinks she will serve clients better in a private practice, she said. Gordon helped resolve conflicts, guide students struggling with academics and advocate for drug education programs as a school counselor, but she looks forward to working with people in a more private, personal setting.

I was a middle school counselor and there is a huge gap between the elderly and middle school age and I just felt a fresh start needed to happen for our kids, Gordon said.

Gordons supervisor Wendy Poole, the CEO and co-owner of Wellness and Courage, is excited Gordon is on her team, she said. Gordon is the companys first intern, and Poole chose her because of her age, background and previous experience, Poole said.

Gordon sees around 15-20 patients a week, Poole said. The patients she works with include those who do not have the correct insurance, have no insurance or those who have Medicare.

Gordon wants to live life to its fullest, even at her current stage of life, she said. Gordon wants to check off her bucket list and believes lifes journey should be purposeful.

I think in our stage of being elderly, theres challenges in every stage and what we want to do is live the best we can within every stage of our life and make the best of it, Gordon said. I firmly believe the sense of belonging and being a part of others (sense of belonging) encourages us and gives us energy to continue our life.

Poole has known Gordon since 1998 where they worked at the same junior high, and Gordon told her she had a dream of becoming a therapist when she retired from working in schools, Poole said.

That was years and years ago when she said that, Poole said. I think shes a unicorn, I don't think very many people have that work ethic.

Gordon thinks the reason her new career path has been successful so far is because it has been a lifelong goal of hers, she said.

Even though I'm fat and sassy, I think my attitude has made me healthy, Gordon said. When people tell me I can't do something, look out, I'm gonna do it as long as it's good for me.

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Never too late: Local education worker changes career paths, pursues mental health therapy at 69 - The Arkansas Traveler

PTSD affects many people, including those who work in essential jobs such as police officers, health care workers and firefighers, and others who have had traumatic experiences unrelated to their work such as sexual assault survivors, Laufman said.

The VA page on mental health describes symptoms one may experience with PTSD to include replaying the event in their head, sleeplessness, anxiety and avoiding places that remind an individual of the event.

PTSD is not a crime, but it feels like prison, Laufman said. The prison Laufman is referring to is what the Eagles sing about in their song Desperado: Your prison is walking through this world alone.

The Ornery Vets Cafe is more than a place to get coffee. Laufman said he wants it to be a place for anyone, especially those dealing with mental illness, to get information for finding help. The cafe has a bulletin board with mental health and community resources, such as the Athens County Veterans newsletter and the Veterans Crisis Line.

We have, I think, made a difference in a few lives so far. And that means a lot to me, Laufman said.

The name Ornery Vets Cafe came serendipitously through a conversation Laufman had with one of his former students. Laufman was a teacher in the Alexander School System for 35 years, and when he saw one of his former students, he said, hey ornery.

Thats what I called her when she was a student because she was ornery, Laufman said. She said, No, youre the ornery one.

It came together for Laufman then that the name of the cafe would be Ornery Vets Cafe.

Ornery Vets Cafe opened on March 11, 2021, according to a report by OHIO News. Its located at 30 East State St and open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and groups can reserve space in the cafe during the evening for meetings.

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Ornery Vets Cafe brings awareness to Veterans' mental health The New Political - The New Political