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Human Behavior

The power of social media // The – Observer Online

It should not be news to anyone that social media has a lot of influence in todays world. Every aspect of life now exists online and in real life. Year after year, communication and organization between people becomes easier, faster and more powerful. But just how impactful is social medias connection of people? Today I will highlight three developments across social, economic and political issues that have offered dramatic examples of the power of social media.

Social media and music charts

The social media app TikTok has become extremely popular in recent years. This app prioritizes the use of songs as part of the users content creating process. This has catapulted songs that become viral video trends into Billboard, Spotify and Apple Music charting hits. Major examples of TikToks music influence include unsigned artist Arizona Zervas rising to number one on the Spotify U.S. Top 50 after millions of TikTok videos using the song ROXANNE. TikTok also helped boost Lil Nas Xs breakout Old Town Road to eventually become 14-times platinum, the most platinum on a single in RIAA history.

TikTok helped me change my life. TikTok brought my song to several different audiences at once, the artist said.

While these last two examples are two of the biggest in recent years, even in 2021 TikTok trending sounds have made transitions in large numbers to music streaming services, with songs such as drivers license by Olivia Rodrigo, Streets by Doja Cat, Whoopty by CJ, Mood by 24kGoldn and WITHOUT YOU by The Kid Laroi currently occupying the top 10 spots on the Spotify U.S. charts. And its not just newer artists established artists have been able to reach record heights, such as Fleetwood Macs Rumours achieving top 10 status more than four decades after its initial release. This was largely due to the song Dreams becoming part of one of the most viral videos, where one user named DoggFace is seen coasting on a skateboard drinking juice with the song playing. The way TikTok utilizes music as a primary component paired with the fact that many of the videos are well less than a minute long is important. It creates enough exposure for its users to want to listen to a song but also makes music streaming apps the only way to check out the full song.

Social media has a lot of power in the organized listening behavior of engaged users, with music artists, labels and agencies taking notice and noticeably investing in creating, releasing and marketing music that can spread like wildfire on a platform like TikTok. Social platforms are a primary way people make transfers of information in this day and age, and it should come as little surprise the viral nature of social media posts is lending itself more and more to other related industries. It will be interesting to continue to monitor how general social media behavior and trends impact movies, video games and other forms of entertainment going forward, as people spend more time interacting on social platforms where they share information and participate in organized trends.

Social media and finance

In recent weeks, platforms such as Reddit and Twitter have altered and disrupted stock and cryptocurrency prices. One forum, or subreddit, called r/wallstreetbets organized everyday retail traders in a way where their collective action has pushed up prices on stocks such as GameStop and AMC Entertainment. This group has also been pinned as having been a part of the reinvigoration of individual day trading, reshaping the options market and increasing trading volume. Without going super in-depth, what this trend points to is the larger impact of how social media can empower individuals to make a significant impact, especially when actions become coordinated or inspired on a platform. Everyday investors using services such as Robinhood are competing with hedge funds and Wall Street investors in shifting market momentum thanks to this online assembly of peoples behaviors.

Another example has been a united effort to take the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, which began as a joke, to the moon. People on Twitter pushed Dogecoin to new heights, including people with major platforms spreading the effort to invest in the currency including Elon Musk, Snoop Dogg and others. Dogecoin, as of Sunday, is up almost 700% this month alone, and with no real reason except coordinated and popular buying trends that exist solely due to social platforms and their users.

Social media and the Capitol invasion

The power of social media in organizing human behavior is not all light-hearted music trends or interesting financial developments. The consequences of social media are real, and platforms can be used to cause real harm to people. An example of the abuse of social platforms for organizing peoples actions occurred this January, with right-wing extremism spilling from online sources into the streets of Washington D.C. People from across the country infiltrated the U.S. Capitol, causing destruction and disrupting an important session of Congress. Social media platforms have become a place where some people are spreading disinformation and hate, as well as a tool for far-right organizing. Online communication enables people to do a lot more like an organized body, but this can be dangerous if used for violence. And while I would not be supportive of limiting the organizational abilities of people, monitoring public conversation and developments seems important to keep this from happening again, or at least to be prepared when it does.

The main takeaway here is that social media hasnt been just a place to share meaningless information for a while now. Human interaction, organization and behavior taking place on these platforms have real-world importance and implications. It is time government officials and big tech companies truly understand this.

Justice Mory is majoring in business analytics and is part of the John W. Gallivan Program in Journalism, Ethics and Democracy. He is from Southern California and now lives in Duncan Hall. His main goal is to keep learning and to continue to become more informed. He can be reached at [emailprotected] or @JmoryND on Twitter to continue the conversation.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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The power of social media // The - Observer Online

Human Behavior

Don’t take Biden for granted. History will note his impressive launch and we should, too. – USA TODAY

Dick Meyer, Opinion contributor Published 4:00 a.m. ET Feb. 9, 2021 | Updated 10:37 a.m. ET Feb. 9, 2021

President Joe Biden signed four new executive orders, building on steps taken as part of his campaign promise to create a more equitable society. USA TODAY

We are long out of the habit of giving presidents trust or high marks, but Biden deserves both for restoring 'regular order' amid three huge crises.

If the episode of collective insanity between Election Day and Inauguration Day was one of the sorriest and scariest short stories in American history, the opening scenes of Chapter One in President Joe Biden Story are remarkably impressive and reassuring.It seems like many Democrats and anti-Trumpers are still slogging through a kind of postpartum depression, understandably. Its hard to let your guard down and muster civic optimism after four years of Donald Trump. But try.

Joe Biden and his team have delivered on a pitch-perfect, well-orchestrated and stunningly substantive opening act. We are long out of the habit of giving presidents trust or high marks, but the guy deserves some big cheers right now.

Biden is not, in fact, getting the dazzling high honeymoon approval numbers that Barack Obama racked up in the early weeks of 2009. Thats not surprising. Obama took office facing one colossal crisis, the financial meltdown. And as the first Black president, he hadhistory-making admiration.

Poor Joe Biden walked into three crises, all bigger: a pandemic, an economic and unemployment calamity, and an attempted coup. That his approval rating is in the mid-50s, and that the federal government, even Congress, is resuming something like regular order will be, I am confident, clearly recognized in history too. Sorry to be corny, but this underrated politician deserves more thanks and high-fives right now.

For all the skilled statecraft that has gone into Bidens rollout, it seems to me that its success comes mostly from continuing the two basic pillars of his campaign.

From the beginning, Biden stuck to one fundamental message, repeated infinitely, that he would restore the soul of America. What that soul is, is in the eye of the beholder. And that is okay, it is even a virtue. In his memoir, Obama reflects on how, as a presidential candidate, he knew he had become a vessel for peoples own dreams of hope and change, kind of Rorschach candidate.

President Joe Biden walks to the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 8, 2021, in Washington.(Photo: Evan Vucci, AP)

Biden the candidate had been around for too long to be that kind of blank slate. But his focus on the concept of the soul of America brilliantly served that function. What does the restoration of our civic soul look like? Good manners? Normal human behavior? Not lying? Liberal policies? Respect for government? Compassion for people with hard lots? Sanity?

Candidate Biden could carry these varied projections, hopes and expectations credibly because they largely matched his own virtues. Now hes doing it on the big stage, with aplomb.

Another core tactic used by Candidate Biden and then President-elect Biden was to ignore Trump and his antics as much as possible. This often seemed counterintuitive during the campaign and it rankled many of his supporters and the pundits.But perhaps it cut off a bit of Trump's oxygen and inflated Bidens own stature. The strategy certainly comports with the classic advice loosely attributed to Napoleon, Never interfere with the enemy when he is in the process of destroying himself.

Shelve blue slips on judges: Biden can advance racial justice, but only if Democratic senators ditch an old tradition

Since the Jan.6insurrection, Biden has pretty much ignored the debates over whether Trump should be impeached and convicted. He hasnt had much to say about Marjorie Taylor Greens worries that Jewish lasersfrom space are starting wildfires.

On top of this, there are interesting signs that Democrats are also acting with unusual restraint and savvy not necessarily Democratic elected and party officials, but more the activists, grassroots workers, voter protection groups and labor organizers whose contribution to Bidens victory has not been fully measured or appreciated yet.

For example, Molly Ball of Time has recently reported on how a coalition of Democratic activists and organizers wisely and quickly got their people (who mostly did not start the year as Biden backers), who were mobilized for massive demonstrations the day after the election and then again on Jan.6, to stand down when it became clear that clashes with right-wing extremists would be dangerously counter-productive. The strategy worked well and there were no scenes of rabble and violence involving left-wing and Democratic activists.

And now at this early stage, it does seem, so far, that the usually cacophonous constellation of Democratic allied interest groups is patiently giving the Biden administration a ceasefire, so they maneuver under some cover.

Progress at stake: Courts are key to all Biden and Democrats want to do. Don't lose focus on them amid crises.

So, it seems plausible the very experienced Biden team has found a formula for at least the initial crisis period of his tenure: Serve the soul through the restoration of traditions, courtesies, dignity, alliances, straight-shooting, factual integrity executed by the president and competent, expert, diverse appointees; ignore and transcend Trump and the loudest Trumpers; relentlessly focus on delivering goods and services to those who need them most; and leverage the power of a grassroots and activist network that seems to have gained new levels of reach, competence, unity and discipline in the racial protests and campaign of 2020.

Indeed, this could also be the long-range recipe for isolating and neutering Trumpism. But even if the extraordinary opening of the Biden presidency is just a brief, shining moment, its the kind of moment the country hasnt had for years. So, thanks Mr. President, from a grateful nation.

Dick Meyer, a veteran ofCBS News, NPR, BBC News and Scripps,is the author of Why We Hate Us: American Discontent in the New Millennium. Follow him on Twitter:@DickMeyer_DC

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Don't take Biden for granted. History will note his impressive launch and we should, too. - USA TODAY

Human Behavior

Pet cats support social skill development and anxiety mitigation among children with autism – PsyPost

A study published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing suggests that cats make valuable companions for children with autism spectrum disorder. The study found that children with autism showed greater empathy, less separation anxiety, and fewer problem behaviors after a cat was introduced into their family.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present with communication difficulties, behavioral challenges, and often suffer from heightened anxiety. While many treatments exist that address these symptoms, research suggests that youth with ASD regularly experience isolation and their families face heightened stress.

One practice that has proven itself effective in improving the lives of children with ASD and their families is the introduction of a companion animal. While most studies have focused on dogs as companion pets, Gretchen K. Carlisle of the University of Missouri Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction and her team say that cats may offer their own unique benefits. Since cats are generally calmer animals than dogs and since they require less looking after, these animals may be less taxing for children with ASD and their families.

Faced with a lack of research in this area, Carlisle and her colleagues conducted an experimental study to see whether children with ASD would effectively bond with pet cats adopted into their families. The researchers also examined whether the children would show improvements in social skills and anxiety after the cat adoption.

A small sample of 15 children with ASD and their families were randomly assigned to either adopt a shelter cat (treatment group) or to be waitlisted to adopt a cat 18 weeks later (control group). Both groups were studied and, following the 18 weeks, families in the control group then adopted a cat and became a second treatment group. Due to study dropout, 10 families in total adopted cats. The children were between the ages of 6-14 and the cats were screened for a docile temperament.

Throughout the study, each childs primary caregiver completed assessments of the childs social skills and anxiety at weeks 6, 12, and 18. The treatment group completed additional assessments of attachment to the pet for both the parent and child 2-3 days into the pet adoption and at weeks 6, 12, and 18.

Of the 10 families who adopted cats, two families gave up the cats one did so because the child was reportedly not bonding with the cat, and the other did so because the parent did not like the cats behavior.

However, among the rest of the sample, both the children and their primary caregivers reported strong bonding with the cats 2-3 days into the adoption. This attachment to the pets remained high throughout the study.

Moreover, the childrens social skills improved. By week 12 after adopting the cat, the children showed increased empathy. By week 6, they showed reduced bullying behavior, reduced hyperactivity and inattention, and lower separation anxiety.

If parents of children with ASD are considering acquiring a pet, it would be best to consider the needs/desires of their child and their family rather than just defaulting to a dog because they have heard a lot about dogs for children with ASD on social media, Carlisle tells PsyPost.

Externalizing behaviors like aggression and outbursts of anger are more frequent among children with ASD and can add stress to the family unit. The cats appeared to help the children regulate these problem behaviors, as evidence by the childrens reduced bullying behavior. The researchers point out that the cats also appeared to have a calming effect on the children, reducing their levels of hyperactivity. Moreover, although children with ASD often feel overwhelmed by changes in their environment, the findings showed that introducing a cat in the home actually reduced the childrens anxiety and had an overall positive effect on the family unit.

Overall, Carlisle and her team say that their study offers evidence that cats can be positive companion animals for children with ASD, although future studies should attempt to replicate their findings among a larger sample. The authors emphasize that families of children with ASD should be assisted in choosing a cat with a calm demeanor and should be properly informed concerning the caretaking involved with cat ownership and the potential adjustment period for both the pet and family.

This study had a small sample, so a larger study would be helpful to confirm our findings. In addition to this, it will be helpful to explore other pets such as guinea pigs or rabbits, Carlisle adds.

The study, Exploratory study of cat adoption in families of children with autism: Impact on childrens social skills and anxiety, was authored by Gretchen K. Carlisle, Rebecca A. Johnson, Ze Wang, Jessica Bibbo, Nancy Cheak-Zamora, and Leslie A. Lyons.

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Pet cats support social skill development and anxiety mitigation among children with autism - PsyPost

Cell Biology

Anticancer drug may reduce mortality and speed up recovery for severe COVID-19 patients – News-Medical.Net

Treating severe COVID-19 patients with the anticancer drug bevacizumab may reduce mortality and speed up recovery, according to a small clinical study in Italy and China that was led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden between February and April 2020. On average, blood oxygen levels, body temperature and inflammatory markers significantly improved in patients treated with a single dose of bevacizumab in addition to standard care. The research is published in Nature Communications.

To reduce COVID-19 mortality, we aim to develop an effective therapeutic paradigm for treating patients with severe COVID-19. Our findings suggest that bevacizumab plus standard care is highly beneficial for patients with severe COVID-19 and should be considered as a potential first-line therapeutic regimen for this group."

Yihai Cao, Corresponding Author, Professor of Vascular Biology, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet

Bevacizumab is a medication that has been used to treat various types of cancer since 2004. It works by slowing the formation of new blood vessels by inhibiting a growth factor known as VEGF. Many patients with severe COVID-19 have elevated levels of VEGF as well as symptoms associated with this marker, including excess fluid and disorganized blood vessels in the lungs. Against this background, the researchers designed a clinical trial to investigate the effect of combining bevacizumab with standard care for treating patients with severe COVID-19.

Twenty-six patients were recruited from two hospitals in China and Italy between mid-February and early April in 2020. The patients had confirmed COVID-19 and symptoms such as difficulty breathing, low blood oxygen levels and pneumonia. They were retrospectively matched with 26 patients of similar characteristics who received standard care at the same hospitals in roughly the same time period and thus served as the control group.

The recruits received standard care plus a single low dose of about 7.5 mg/kg bevacizumab, which markedly improved blood oxygen levels within 24 hours compared to the control group. By the end of the 28-day follow-up period, 92 percent of the bevacizumab-treated patients no longer needed the same level of oxygen support as before the trial began, compared with an improvement rate of 62 percent for the controls.

None of the bevacizumab-treated patients died and 17 (65 percent) improved so much that they were able to leave the hospital within the follow-up period. In the control group, three died and only 46 percent were discharged within 28 days. Bevacizumab also shortened the duration of oxygen-support to a median of nine days compared with 20 for the standard care group.

Other interesting findings include reduction in fever, an increase in white blood cells and a sharp decrease of c-reactive protein (CRP) levels, an inflammatory marker. No severe safety concerns were detected.

"Many patients with severe COVID-19 require significant oxygen support during long hospital stays, which pose global challenges to medical supplies," Yihai Cao says. "Our study shows that bevacizumab could help reduce the need for oxygen support and reduce days in hospital, thus improving the outcome for the individual patient while easing pressure on medical resources."

The limitations of the study include the non-randomized nature of the trial, the short-term follow-up and the small size of the cohort.

The next step will be to design randomized and placebo-controlled trials by recruiting a large number of patients, allowing further assessment of the potential benefits of bevacizumab both in and of itself and in combination with other therapies such as antivirals and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Source:

Journal reference:

Pang, J., et al. (2021) Efficacy and tolerability of bevacizumab in patients with severe Covid-19. Nature Communications. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21085-8.

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Cell Biology

USC scientist Ya-Wen Chen receives American Lung Association grant to advance stem cell-based lung therapies – India Education Diary

USC Stem Cell scientist Ya-Wen Chen hopes to pioneer a new approach to regenerating damaged lung tissue, with support from a Catalyst Grant from the American Lung Association (ALA). The award provides $50,000 year for up to two years.

For many patients with chronic lung diseases, the only available treatment is transplantationa difficult, dangerous surgery that involves challenges ranging from the severe shortage of donor organs to immune rejection, said Chen, who is an assistant professor of medicine, and stem cell biology and regenerative medicine at USC. Even patients who are lucky enough to receive donor organs only have a 10 to 20 percent survival rate at 10 years. If we can encourage these patients own cells to repair damage and heal their lungs, we could dramatically improve this prognosis.

With this goal in mind, Chen is using human stem cells to generate rudimentary lung-like structures known as lung bud organoids. Within these organoids, Chens group will probe how a specific population of cells repairs the tiny gas-exchange interfaces called alveoli in damaged lungs.

Specifically, Chen is interested in a population of cells known as distal small airway epithelial progenitors or SAEPs, which could have the potential to improve lung function in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A group of lung diseases that includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, COPD affects at least 16 million Americans and is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. An additional 200,000 Americans are living with IPF, a progressive, incurable and often deadly disease that, for unknown reasons, causes scar tissue to form in the lungs, impeding breathing.

Our ultimate goal is to leverage patients existing stem and progenitor cells to promote healing through a non-surgical, regenerative approach, said Chen, a member of the USC Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research, as well as USCs stem cell research center.

Chen is one of 98 scientists to receive research support from the ALA, which has committed $11.55 million total to support scientific investigations aimed at reducing the burden of lung disease.

Despite the fact that the pandemic poses significant economic challenges, said ALA President and CEO Harold Wimmer, the American Lung Association is prioritizing research and significantly increasing award funding to help improve the lung health of all Americans.

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Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy: 5 Most Shameless Things Owen Ever Did (& 5 He Should Be Proud Of) – Screen Rant

Owen Hunt has been around for years on Grey's Anatomy, and he has several shameless actions under his belt - and others he should be proud of too!

Owen Hunt might not be a raging fan-favorite in the long-running hit medical drama Greys Anatomy but he has been one of the main characters since the shows 5th season.

RELATED:Grey's Anatomy: 10 Things We're Looking Forward To In Season 17

He started out as the quick-witted, striking trauma surgeon who had served in the military, althoughhis arc over the years has mostly been romantic, as he gotinvolved with several doctors like Cristina, Amelia, and Teddy. Like everyone else on the show, Owen has done a few things he should be proud of, and others, not so much.

Owen and Cristina were together for a long time, the second lead couple of the series after Derek and Meredith. However, although they did truly love one another, their romance went through several ups and downs and finallyhit a rocky patch that eventually led to their divorce.

Cristina went ahead with the abortion against Owen's wishes, and although she had every right to do so, it did hurt Owen deeply. The damage to their relationship became almost irreparable, and Owen went and cheated on Cristina with a random woman at a bar. While this was uncharacteristic of him, it was pretty low to somehow take revenge on Cristina by being unfaithful to her.

Owen is, of course, a world-class trauma surgeon and had served as a military doctor for several years before joining Seattle Grace.

Owen helped a lot of his comrades while serving in Iraq, and was shown to have been there for his dying friend, an incident that contributed to his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As a veteran doctor, Owen most definitely has a past to be proud of.

Owen let the doctors headed to Boise get into a chopper from a dubious charter company.

RELATED:13 Most Shocking TV Deaths of All Time

Although this was purely a mistake, Owens negligence was most certainly somewhat responsible for the doctors including Meredith, Cristina, Derek, going through that horrifying tragedy. Neither Lexie nor Mark survived the crash, Arizona lost a leg and the tragedy left an indelible mark on the others forever.

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Grey's Anatomy: 5 Most Shameless Things Owen Ever Did (& 5 He Should Be Proud Of) - Screen Rant

Anatomy

Anatomy of . . . snowboarder Katie Ormerod | Sport | The Sunday Times – The Times

The British snowboard slopestyle World Cup champion missed the 2018 Winter Olympics through injury but will be a medal hope at Beijing Games a year from now.

Balancing actOrmerod has been training on balance boards since she started snowboarding aged five. As a result, she has great influence over her own centre of gravity. Balance is one of the key ways to mitigate against injury but also one of the keys to success on the board

Brought to heelOrmerod broke her heel in two places in February 2018, only three days before she was set to compete in the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. The injury was so bad it took over an hour for her boot to be removed. Seven operations later, including

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Anatomy of . . . snowboarder Katie Ormerod | Sport | The Sunday Times - The Times

Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy: 10 Ways Bailey And Warren Are Relationship Goals On The Show – Screen Rant

Everyone believes that Meredith and Derek are Grey's Anatomy's best couple when, in reality, it is Ben and Bailey. They define relationship goals!

Grey's Anatomy features many outstanding friendships and relationships. But so many of the relationships on the show are fought with strife, or fizzle out after explosive beginnings. However, there is one relationship that has managed to stand the testament of time: Miranda Bailey and Ben Warren.

RELATED: Grey's Anatomy: 10 Major Relationships, Ranked From Weakest To Strongest

These two headstrong characters form an unbeatable team that defines the term "relationship goals" in the Grey's Anatomy universe. With many cute moments between them, and other moments that show the depth and strength of their relationship, here are some ways in which they personify the phrase "relationship goals."

Ben Warren was probably the first person to take on Miranda in such a fashion. He stops her from just making assumptions on his behalf and very straightforwardly tells her to ask questions, which will be answered by him. They make their boundaries clear, and their plans and intentions clear as well.

When Bailey is afraid that this might lead to them just ending up as friends, Ben makes it clear that they won't. The clarity of their conversation and the communication between them lay a strong foundation for their relationship. Their first kiss is therefore reflective of all this, while also being filled with intense chemistry.

It is very clear that Tuck is of utmost priority to Miranda. So the fact that Ben was able to connect to him, and actually bond so well with him was something that meant a lot to Bailey. The three of them formed a very cute family unit and they were family goals as well. Ben fits into the dynamic between Bailey and her son quite well and this is a very important factor that makes their relationship so strong.

It is such an adorable moment when both these parents freak out when Tuck says that he has a "thing" with someone and puts his arm around a girl. They both discuss their plan of action and make the decision together that Ben would give the 'talk' to Tuck.

RELATED: 10 Most Questionable Parenting Choices In Grey's Anatomy

This incident beautifully portrays their ability to be an incredible team and the strength of their relationship. And it's also a funny moment to see them both freak out in this manner.

When Bailey was struggling with her mental health, she asks to take a break from their relationship, wondering if it was Ben's job that was the thing giving her anxiety. But even when they were on a break, Bailey was constantly missing him and wanting him.

And even Ben couldn't stay away and boarded up the windows to their house when he knew about the snowstorm coming. Even when they are not technically together, they cannot but help but be concerned about each other.

The incredibly talented Miranda Bailey ends up being the first-ever female chief of the hospital. She is hardworking, persistent, and reaches heights that no one else had reached before.

Even though they had their fair share of highs and lows, Bailey excelled at her job and Ben was incredibly supportive of his high-achieving wife. They were quite the power couple with Ben being as ambitious as Bailey, albeit in different ways and in different trajectories of their career path as well.

The only issue Ben had with the situation was the fact that Bailey hadn't discussed the matter with him beforehand. Ben very quickly came to terms with it but they decide to never make big decisions without asking each other.

RELATED: Grey's Anatomy: 10 Couples That Shouldn't Have Worked, But Did

Both of these are very reflective of the strength of the relationship. And the very small fight they have with Ben sleeping on the couch, and the manner in which they make up so quickly and so well shows what a strong but also goodcouple they were.

Nothing goes to plan on their wedding day, with Bailey deciding to perform emergency surgery on Adele and leaving Ben waiting. But, unlike her earlier experiences with her ex-husband, Ben is completely understanding of the situation and is in no way even mildly annoyed by the delay.

The immense amount of respect they have for each other is quite evident here with Bailey's belief in doing her work, and Ben's belief in her priorities as well. And even though their wedding ends up happening quite late, it is still an incredibly enjoyable occasion and the love they share was celebrated.

The way in which the proposal played out was incredibly typical of this couple. Ben had taken so much time to pull off a very cute surprise proposal, but because of Bailey rushing out to surgery before finishing breakfast, it had fallen quite flat.

When Bailey finds out that she had sort of spoiled Ben's proposal, she pulls off her own version of a proposal which is quite extreme as well. They both ended up proposing to each other and it was a very funny thing to have happened to this resolute couple.

After their engagement, Ben has moved to California making their relationship a long-distance one. So whenever Ben is in town, they are constantly spending every waking moment together in the hospital - to the point that they become the talk of the hospital.

RELATED: 10 Funniest Grey's Anatomy Relationship Memes That Will Make Fans Laugh And Sob

Especially amongst the new set of interns who have seen this version of Bailey in their first year, they start referring to her as Booty Call Bailey. Despite the unruly nickname they gave her, it was incredibly sweet to learn how happy and so in love they are with each other.

Bailey and Warren's relationship is not very simple or dreamlike. It takes genuine work and commitment to keep it going. There have been many highs and lows in their relationship, with Ben changing his field, moving away, becoming a firefighter, Miranda's difficulty with mental health, and so on.

But despite it all, they chose to be with each other every single time and that is what makes their relationship quite amazing. They have both survived it all and they still love each otherbutthat's what makes them relationship goals on the show.

NEXT: Grey's Anatomy: Why Miranda Bailey Is Actually The Show's Main Character

Next Gilmore Girls: 10 Times Luke Said Everything Fans Were Thinking

Vandana is a twenty-something student from Kerala studying in Chennai, India pursuing her Masters in English Studies. She prefers writing because she's no good at the talking business. You can read some of her other rants at : http://wheneverhoweverwhatever.blogspot.com

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Grey's Anatomy: 10 Ways Bailey And Warren Are Relationship Goals On The Show - Screen Rant

Immunology

Military Metaphors in Health Care Are Harmful — Especially During the… – Truthout

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to sweep through the U.S., many have noticed the coupling of military and health. Theres been an ongoing conversation amongst oncologists for years about the use of war metaphors in cancer research and treatment. In fact, many public health concerns are framed in these terms war on drugs or war on poverty, for example. Its argued the use of these metaphors help make it easier for our society to better understand health. But herein lies a follow-up question: why?

These metaphors are not as unconscious as wed think. Anthropologists have studied the ways immunological functioning is encased in war imagery. Emily Martin powerfully illustrates how our categorical and systemic understanding of immunology represents a police state. Invasions of foreign bodies and immunological cells coming to the defense mimic the kind of warfare we might see on TV. Here, scientific empiricism becomes a mere farce, and it is apparent many concepts are actually influenced by the larger socio-political sphere. Thus, the endless metaphorical wars begin to make more sense.

In a post-colonial world, militaries help secure borders and the interests of the global ruling class. Although always present, after September 11, there was a noted increase in the militarization of U.S. society as we moved to normalize the further militarization of police forces, the creation of new war technology and surveillance structures, justified under the guise of national security. The ongoing normalization of these frameworks has seeped into many facets of society, including health care. This past year, the co-option of military jargon to name health care workers as frontline soldiers thrusted them on a pedestal of heroism and honor. Moreover, National Guard soldiers were also deployed to assist with COVID-19 testing in predominantly working-class communities across several states when infection rates reached new heights in 2020.

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While this conflation appears benign, its contradictions are relentless. For one, it functions to obfuscate a dire reality, presenting a facade of order and control. Where language tells us health care workers were frontline soldiers, reality tells us individuals were scapegoated and thrust into battles with little help or support from the ones handing out proverbial medals. Where language tells us vaccine rollouts combatively coined Operation Warp Speed will bring an end to our viral misery, reality also illustrates a patchy distribution scheme and a lack of political will displayed by our state to enact the structural change we actually need to remedy the larger socio-political issues that led to the spread of COVID-19.

The marriage of health and military is also an ironic endeavor. While the National Guard was deployed to help with COVID-19 testing across the nation, it was simultaneously deployed on behalf of the state to support local police forces in quelling Black Lives Matter protests. National Guard members stood protecting government property, intimidating members of the public with large guns in their hands, while local police tear-gassed the protesting crowds. Its important to note many experts, including the American Thoracic Society, denounced the use of tear gas, specifically because of the increased ability for COVID-19 transmission with its use.

Furthermore, consider the countless images and videos circulated this past year of law enforcement gathering and handling crowds sans face masks, functioning in direct contradiction to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and local state mandates. In addition, the rampant spread of COVID-19 in jails and prisons across the country was also linked to local authorities intransigence on offering prisoners proper protections and the inherent racism of our carceral system. Even budding concerns around safety protocols for those detained at Guantnamo Bay were inadvertently silenced by the state.

We must also consider the militarys hand in the surveillance of communities of color. From policies like Countering Violent Extremism programs, the Patriot Act and the monitoring of undocumented people by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the consequences of these programs remain dire for communities of color across the country. We cannot ignore the harm potentially authorized by placing the responsibility of health care in the same institutions that rely on these dehumanizing structures.

Why are we so apt to allow the same institutions that harm and police our communities the room to conduct work that might serve to heal them? While the situation maintains complexity, there is no denying our compliance with this framework stems from societys inability to imagine a world without violence, even in terms of health and healing. From the staunch hierarchies fostered by these frameworks that warrant health care workers and generationally marginalized members of our society disposable for the supposed greater good, to the larger contradictions present on a global scale, its evident the normalization of this framework confirms our desensitization to the cost of human life.

If we are to begin reimagining a new world, it must include the undoing of these frameworks. At a time where we need deep healing, it becomes evident the marriage of military and health serves more to protect the interests of the state and less of our communities. We must begin critically engaging with how we teach about health and illness and who we are deeming as the authority on these initiatives. The collision of warfare and health blurs the lines between humanity and violence; it dehumanizes and distorts. An institution designed to police and destroy will never be our salve. We must reimagine new systems of health and healing for ourselves and our future generations ones that steer the structural change we need and dont require endless human sacrifice nor offer our oppressors the title of humanitarian.

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Military Metaphors in Health Care Are Harmful -- Especially During the... - Truthout

Physiology

Pueblo Community College names its 2020 employees of the year – Pueblo Chieftain

Joe McQueen|The Pueblo Chieftain

Pueblo Community College has named four of itsstaff the school's 2020 employees of the year.

The faculty were given the award during PCC's virtual spring semester kickoff event. According to a news release, they were selected based on their professional excellence.

"I'm very appreciative and honored. My colleagues are the ones who nominated me for the award. It's really just an amazing group of people I work with," PCC academic excellence administrator Bonnie Housh, one of the award recipients, said. "Everybody helps everyone, it's been a good run."

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Housh has worked at PCC for30 years, 22 of them as a part-time instructor in the science department. She said she enjoyed teaching during her time as a part-time instructor since her schedule worked out with raising a family.

"When you see the lightbulb go on for students when you're explaining anatomy and physiology and when they understand what you're talking about, that's just a great feeling," she said.

Health information technology program coordinator and faculty memberMarianne Horvath also was named an employee of the year. She has been with PCC for four years and received the award for her dedication to student success.

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"It's a really amazing honor and certainly something I did not expect. Getting this award is kind of unbelievable," Horvath said.

She said she enjoys everything about the school andhow everyone rallies around the students to provide them the best education.

"Providing top-notch current content that they need to know to be successful in the workforce. PCC has assembled an arsenal of tools to help students with just about any need that comes up," she said.

The other award recipients included administrative assistant for Pueblo Corporate College Debbie Clement and mathematics instructor Nancy Hunt.

Chieftain Education Reporter Joe McQueen can be reached at jmcqueen@gannett.com or on Twitter @jmcqueennews

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Pueblo Community College names its 2020 employees of the year - Pueblo Chieftain