ASK

988 offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. That could be (988 Key Messages, n.d.):

1. Thoughts of suicide
2. Mental health or substance use crises
3. Emotional distress

988 serves as a universal entry point so that no matter where you live in the United States, you can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help (988 Key Messages, n.d.).

In 2021(988 Key Messages, n.d.):

1. The U.S. had one death by suicide about every 11 minutes
2. For people aged 10–14 and 25–34 years, suicide was the second-leading cause of death
3. 
   Suicide rates increased significantly among non-Hispanic Black & American Indian and Alaska Native people
4. Nearly 900,000 youth aged 12-17 and 1.7 million adults attempted suicide
5. About 107,000 people died from drug overdoses

 

References

 988 Key Messages. (n.d.). Www.samhsa.gov. https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988/key-messages

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 CellML

Scientists Create New Programming Language for Living Cells

Scientists at MIT have created a new programming language for living cells. This language, called CellML, allows scientists to directly give cells new instructions and tasks. CellML is a text-based language, similar to the languages that computer scientists use to develop software. Cells can "learn" to perform new tasks by being given CellML instructions. For example, scientists could use CellML to teach human cells to transport and release cancer drugs upon encountering a tumor in the body. They could also teach plant cells to discharge natural insecticides to fight insects. The development of CellML has the potential to revolutionize the way we treat diseases. In the future, scientists may be able to create special informational programs for living cells that could replace many medications or be significantly more effective than most of them.

Here are some of the potential benefits of CellML (Shiraev, 2016) :

1. It could lead to new treatments for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's.
2. It could help to improve crop yields and make food production more sustainable.
3. It could be used to create new types of materials with enhanced properties.
4. The development of CellML is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to have a major impact on our lives. It is an exciting new field of research that is full of potential.

Here are some additional thoughts on the potential of CellML:

1. CellML could be used to create new types of vaccines that are more effective and less likely to cause side effects.
2. It could be used to develop new ways to deliver drugs to the body, such as through nanoparticles or gene therapy.
3. It could be used to create new types of sensors that can detect diseases at an early stage.
4. The possibilities are endless. CellML is a powerful new tool that has the potential to change the world.

References

Shiraev, E. (2016). Personality Theories: A Global View. SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9781506300795

 

The Psychological Significance of the Zinc and Gunpowder Experiment

A piece of zinc foil is burned in the presence of air. The iron filings and gunpowder are then mixed together and dropped through a flame. The result is that the iron filings burn while the gunpowder does not (Faraday, 1860).

When we look at this experiment through a psychological lens we can see many metaphors:

• A metaphor for the different ways that people respond to stress.
• A metaphor for the different ways that people approach change
• A metaphor for the different ways that people deal with conflict. 

  

  
  

As a response to stress

The zinc foil can be seen as a metaphor for people who are highly sensitive and who tend to experience stress more intensely. The iron filings can be seen as a metaphor for people who are more hardy and who are able to cope with stress more effectively.

As an approach to change

The iron filings can be seen as a metaphor for people who are flexible and who are able to roll with the punches. The zinc foil can be seen as a metaphor for people who are rigid and who tend to resist change.

As different ways that people deal with conflict.

The zinc foil can be seen as a metaphor for people who are quick to anger and who tend to respond to conflict with aggression. The iron filings can be seen as a metaphor for people who are more patient and who are able to resolve conflict more peacefully.

Other thoughts

• Ultimately, the psychological significance of the zinc and gunpowder experiment is up to the individual to decide. However, it is a powerful experiment that can provide insights into the different ways that people respond to stress, change, and conflict.

• The zinc foil could also be seen as representing people who are impulsive and who tend to act without thinking. The iron filings could be seen as representing people who are more thoughtful and who are able to weigh the pros and cons of their actions before taking them.
• . The zinc foil could be seen as representing people who live life on the edge and who are always looking for the next thrill. The iron filings could be seen as representing people who live a more stable and predictable life.
• No matter how you interpret it, the zinc and gunpowder experiment is a powerful reminder that there are different ways to approach life. It is important to be aware of our own tendencies and to choose the approach that is right for us.

References

Faraday, M. (1860). On the Forces of Matter. Hayes Barton Press. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/L-999-71124