The Daily Populous

Thursday March 5th, 2020 evening edition

image for Virginia bans conversion therapy for LGBTQ children

Virginia is outlawing the discredited practice of conversion therapy for LGBTQ children.

Conversion therapy is a practice used to try to change sexual orientation or gender identity.

Gov. Ralph Northam said Tuesday he had signed into law that bans licensed therapists and counselors from subjecting minors to the practice.

The legislation passed the Virginia General Assembly earlier this year.

"Conversion therapy sends the harmful message that there is something wrong with who you are," Northam said, according to CBS affiliate WTVR.

The American Psychological Association has said conversion therapy is not based in science and is harmful to mental health.

The Virginia law will go into effect July 1. »

Afghan conflict: Top court backs war crimes probe

Authored by bbc.com

An investigation of alleged war crimes by the US and others in the Afghan conflict can go ahead, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has ruled.

The actions of the Taliban, the Afghan government and US troops since May 2003 are expected to be examined.

President Donald Trump has also pardoned troops prosecuted in the US for alleged war crimes in Afghanistan. »

Nonpharmaceutical Interventions Implemented by US Cities During the 1918-1919 Influenza Pandemic

Authored by jamanetwork.com

The Weekly Health Index is the most complete extant compilation of weekly pneumonia and influenza mortality data in US urban areas during the 1918-1919 pandemic.

In 1920, these 43 cities had a combined population of approximately 23 million (22% of the total US population).

In the ANOVA model, each possible combination of nonpharmaceutical interventions was treated as an independent variable to test for layering effects. »

A single psilocybin dose is associated with long-term increased mindfulness, preceded by a proportional change in neocortical 5-HT2A receptor binding

Authored by sciencedirect.com

A single dose of the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonist psilocybin can have long-lasting beneficial effects on mood, personality, and potentially on mindfulness, but underlying mechanisms are unknown.

Here, we for the first time conduct a study that assesses psilocybin effects on cerebral 5-HT2AR binding with [11C]Cimbi-36 positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and on personality and mindfulness.

Ten healthy and psychedelic-naïve volunteers underwent PET neuroimaging of 5-HT2AR at baseline (BL) and one week (1W) after a single oral dose of psilocybin (0.2–0.3 mg/kg). »

Ronan and Dylan Farrow attack publisher Hachette over Woody Allen memoir

Authored by bbc.com

Woody Allen's son Ronan Farrow has attacked his own publisher over its plans to release his father's memoir.

Allen has always denied molesting Dylan Farrow, saying she was coached to make the claim by his estranged former partner, the actress Mia Farrow.

Ronan Farrow was one of the first journalists to write about the sexual assault allegations made against Harvey Weinstein. »