Interesting Links for 29-04-2018

[andrewducker]

We Might Finally Know Why Women Get More Migraines Than Men

(tags: migraine estrogen women )

George R.R. Martin announces new book, makes everyone very angry

(tags: GeorgeRRMartin gameofthrones )

Warning signs for TSB's IT meltdown were clear a year ago

(tags: banking epicfail )

Abba announce first new music since 1982, make everyone happy

(tags: music )

On the UK, Europe, the Commonwealth, and historical trade

(tags: Europe uk trade )

Sainsbury's and Asda in merger talks

(tags: uk shopping )

How mirror neurons affect the experience of sports fandom

(tags: sports brain neuroscience )

Mary Beard largely cut from US version of Civilisations

(tags: tv women usa )

No job for a man? Meet the male midwives

(tags: men birth childbirth )

Brexit: Britain set to offer EU immigration deal 'very similar' to free movement

Oh the fury we're going to see!
(tags: uk Europe immigration )

Minimum pricing could see own-brand spirits rise by £3 a bottle

(tags: Scotland alcohol money )

Crackdown plan on Scottish limited partnerships

(tags: Scotland business crime )

Comments

[hilarita]

In the Mary Beard story, I note that PBS refer to her as "Ms. Beard". Given that this was in response to a story about erasing her contribution, erasing her qualifications is super uncool.

[momentsmusicaux]

Someone needs to tell him you don't release The Silmarillion until you've finished writing The Lord of The Rings.

[nancylebov]

I'd like to see mirror neuron research about reactions to the team you're rooting for compared to the other team, and for contests where you don't have a strong favorite.

[gingicat]

I was thinking that :)

[ljgeoff]

The migraine stuff is really interesting. There's an older paper (2016) whose abstract explains the physiology a bit: "Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs) are a family of membrane transporter proteins actively involved in regulating intracellular and organellar pH by extruding H+ in exchange for Na+ influx. Altering NHE function significantly influences neuronal excitability and plays a role in epilepsy. This review gives an overview of pH regulatory mechanisms in the brain with a special focus on the NHE family and the relationship between epilepsy and dysfunction of NHE isoforms. We first discuss how cells translocate acids and bases across the membrane and establish pH homeostasis as a result of the concerted effort of enzymes and ion transporters. We focus on the specific roles of the NHE family by detailing how the loss of NHE1 in two NHE mutant mice results in enhanced neuronal excitability in these animals."

That "enhanced neuronal excitability" in migraines is the cortical spreading depression, a wave of electrical impulse that travels across the brain. Very cool stuff.