Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

Fascinating: Topological turning points across the human lifespan #brain

"findings suggest that in Western countries .. adolescent topological development extends to around 32 years old, before brain networks begin a new trajectory of topological development"

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

a The distribution of ages (years) across each dataset (dHCP = Developing Human Connectome Project; BCP = Baby Connectome Project; CALM = Centre for Attention Learning and Memory; RED = Resilience in Education and Development; ACE = Attention and Cognition in Education; HCPd = Human Connectome Project Development; HCPya = Human Connectome Project Young Adult; camCAN = Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience; HCPa = Human Connectome Project Ageing). b A histogram and density plot of sex distribution across age for the entire sample. c Methods schematic demonstrating that fiber tracking was performed for all participants, each registered to an age-appropriate AAL90 atlas, followed by harmonization using the ComBat algorithm37 across the atlases and datasets. Next, two thresholding analyses were conducted—variable density and density-controlled. For variable density analysis, networks were thresholded to an age-specific average density (70% of raw density) to preserve variation in network density across the lifespan. For the density-controlled analysis, all networks were thresholded to exactly 10% density91 to allow for direct topological comparisons, which are not biased by differences in total connectivity.

November 26, 2025 at 4:08 PM

Reposted by Tom Cooney MD

The Trace

@thetrace.org

For most of our nation’s history, cities and towns had the authority to regulate guns. With a few exceptions, that’s less true today, thanks to “preemption” laws. Here’s what you need to know about them:

In Much of the Country, Cities Can’t Enact Their Own Gun Laws

Here’s what you need to know about NRA-backed preemption laws, which limit local regulation of firearms.

www.thetrace.org

November 26, 2025 at 1:17 AM

Reposted by Tom Cooney MD

David Bier

@davidjbier.bsky.social

ICE deported a woman who owned a home in the US for 30 years. A judge banned ICE from deporting her to Sierra Leone where she had been tortured, so it deported her to Ghana, which kidnapped her and sent her back Sierra Leone anyway. ICE is part of this illegal conspiracy.

November 25, 2025 at 4:40 PM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

Yet another suggestion for another band-aid to cover the festering wound (and other band-aids) that is the structure and financing mechanism(s) for #healthcare in the #US.

Long past time for automatic universal #health coverage untethered to job, location ...

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Opinion | An innovative approach to expanding health coverage is gaining steam

A portable benefits program is the solution that meets the moment.

www.washingtonpost.com

November 25, 2025 at 4:52 PM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

From the National Academy

"based on our body of work on this topic and the overwhelming scientific consensus, we support the statement that #vaccines do not cause #autism. Medical guidance shared with the public must be evidence-based, clear, and complete."
www.nationalacademies.org/news/stateme...

National Academies - Statement on CDC’s Updated Vaccine Guidance

National Academies respond to CDC’s updated vaccine guidance, offering scientific context and clarity on vaccine safety.

www.nationalacademies.org

November 25, 2025 at 5:15 AM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

#Trump Is Weak and Failing, and #Media Is Finally Saying So newrepublic.com/article/2035... via @newrepublic.com

Marcotte: I think history will look back, and the thing that will be most striking is that while all these elite journalists and politicians and businessmen kissed the ring and bowed down and were afraid of Trump, people in their jammies and slippers—ordinary people—when they see ICE coming into their neighborhood, they confront them in the street. And the courage of ordinary people in this moment has been quite stunning, especially when you compare it to the elite in this country.

November 24, 2025 at 3:54 PM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

Amanita mascaria

#Mushroom season in #Oregon.

Not one of our edibles (contains several biologically active agents, at least one of which, muscimol, is known to be psychoactive)

November 24, 2025 at 2:49 AM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

#Vaccines do NOT cause #autism.

Joint statement from @acpimphysicians.bsky.social @ameracadpeds.bsky.social @idsainfo.bsky.social #AMA @aafp.org and many others

shorturl.at/PjAUa

Medical researchers have spent more than 25 years thoroughly studying this. Vaccines are not linked to autism.

Statement from Leading Medical, Health and Patient Advocacy Groups
on CDC Autism Website Changes
Nov. 20, 2025—Our organizations, representing autistic individuals, their families, medical
professionals and public health workers, are alarmed that the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention is promoting the outdated, disproven idea that vaccines cause autism.
Medical researchers across the globe have spent more than 25 years thoroughly studying
this claim. All have come to the same conclusion: Vaccines are not linked to autism.
This false rumor distracts from pressing, urgent issues in children’s health. Amplifying this
claim and encouraging unnecessary investigations only worsens parents’ fears; it will not
lead to better therapies, improved support for caregiving families, or changes in health
care, education, and society in ways that would help children with autism thrive. Rather
than devoting needed resources right now to support people with autism and their families
in every community, our taxpayer-funded health agencies are using public resources to
spread harmful rumors. Autistic people are valued members of society and, like all of us,
deserve research that helps health care and other systems address genuine needs.
Today, our organizations reject this latest attempt to create fear around routine childhood
immunizations. Vaccines rank among our greatest medical success stories. Thanks to
vaccines, serious diseases that once made thousands sick every year and caused life-long
health issues have become rare. We cannot risk losing this progress. Together, we call on
the CDC to return to its long history of promoting evidence-based information in the service
of protecting the health and well-being of all Americans.

November 22, 2025 at 4:12 PM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

#Ukraine Faces ‘Difficult Choice’ www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/w...

"U.S.-Russian peace proposal would require Kyiv to surrender territory and reduce the size of its army. ..Moscow ..could receive benefits including reintegration into the global economy."

#US #capitulation #PutinOwnsTrump

Ukraine Faces ‘Difficult Choice’ Over U.S. Plan to End War, Zelensky Says

www.nytimes.com

November 21, 2025 at 4:52 PM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

"Fox spliced footage from 2020 into its coverage this year and claimed it was from 2025" #FAUXNews

#PDX #FOX #News #propaganda

reader.theoregonian.com/riots-raging...

‘Riots Raging’: Fox News’ misleading story led to Trump’s call for troops

ProPublica’s review of months of Fox News coverage found the news network repeatedly provided a misleading picture of what was happening in Portland.

reader.theoregonian.com

November 21, 2025 at 12:39 AM

Reposted by Tom Cooney MD

Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism

@mateosfo.bsky.social

appropos all the silly online debates we have about housing and car culture, here's today's headline on Realtor Dot Com:
www.realtor.com/news/trends/...

November 19, 2025 at 6:47 PM

Reposted by Tom Cooney MD

David Zipper

@davidzipper.bsky.social

Almost half the Waymos on California streets are driving around empty. They're either waiting for the next customer or en route for a pickup.

If robotaxis scale, anything close to that level of deadheading would create crushing gridlock.

www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/what-cpuc-...

November 19, 2025 at 7:14 PM

Reposted by Tom Cooney MD

bikepedantic

@bikepedantic.bsky.social

Back in 2019, @ntsbnewsroom.bsky.social did a bike safety report. They analyzed a big sample of US cyclist fatalities, and found that a plurality were hit from behind by a driver away from an intersection. You can’t VC your way out of that.

They recommended separated bike lanes to mitigate risk.

A bar chart showing crash types, and the proportion of fatalities those crash types are responsible for. Motorist Overtaking Bicyclist
614 (45%)
Parallel Paths - Other Circumstances
165 (12%) -
35 (4%)
Bicyclist Failed to Yield - Midlock 127 (9%) - 5 (1%)
Bicyclist Left Turn / Merge
Crossing Paths - Other Circumstances
125(9%) -43 (5%)
- 35 (3%)
131 (15%)
Bicyclist Failed to Yield - Signalized Intersection 170 (19%)
Bicyclist Failed to Yield - Sign-Controlled Intersection 165 (18%)
Other / Unknown - Insufficient Details
Wrong-Way / Wrong-Side
Loss of Control / Turning Error
- 78 (6%)
- 39 (4%)
100 (7%)
F- 13 (1%)
+ 46 (3%)
I- 51 (6%)
200
53 (6%)
• Midblock
• Intersection
• Others
400
600
800
Bicyclist fatalities
Source: NHTSA FARS 2014-2016
Figure 6. US bicyclist fatalities and percentages by 10 most frequent bicycle crash groups and location types from 2014 through 2016.

November 19, 2025 at 3:27 PM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

Between 2010 and 2023, yearly #deaths caused by #cars and trucks striking #pedestrians rose 70 percent

So much for #VisionZero
#transportation @oregondot.bsky.social @bikeportland.org

www.washingtonpost.com/business/int...

November 19, 2025 at 4:15 PM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

The National Gallery of Art is such a stunning place. The architect, John Russell Pope, didn't live long enough to see it built. #DC #art And it is free to visit.

Widescreen view of the atrium of The National Gallery of Art with its beautiful fountain, circle of columns, and spectacular rotunda ceiling.

November 18, 2025 at 8:57 PM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

Maternal #healthcare in #USA gets a D+

#health #MedSky

www.marchofdimes.org/about/news/u...

US Earns D+ for Fourth Year in March of Dimes 2025 Report Card

2025 March of Dimes Report Card reveals the US earns a D+ grade for the fourth consecutive year.

www.marchofdimes.org

November 18, 2025 at 6:38 PM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

"The researchers found that the cuts disproportionately affected trials focused on infectious #diseases, such as #covid-19 and #HIV, prevention and behavioral interventions. More than 100 of the canceled grants were for #cancer #research." #MedSky

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Trump slashed spending on clinical trials. The toll is starting to become clear.

Grants for 383 clinical trials were terminated and the funding disruptions affected more than 74,000 trial participants, according to new research.

www.washingtonpost.com

November 17, 2025 at 6:43 PM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

"Americans’ driving habits have worsened across multiple measures, from reckless driving to drunken driving, which road #safety advocates call a public #health failure"

#Vehicular #Violence @bikeportland.org @waroncars.bsky.social

kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

‘They Don’t Return Home’: Cities Across US Fail To Curb Traffic Deaths - KFF Health News

Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Houston reported more traffic fatalities than homicides last year. Despite local, state, and federal safety initiatives, such as Vision Zero, traffic deaths across the ...

kffhealthnews.org

November 14, 2025 at 7:40 PM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

How Faux news (aka #Fox) Trumped up the fantasy of a #WarRavagedPortland

#ICE #Trump #Immigration

www.propublica.org/article/port...

“Riots Raging”: The Misleading Story Fox News Told About Portland Before Trump Sent Troops

After reviewing coverage from the network and hours of social media videos that preceded Trump’s decision, ProPublica found that Fox’s portrayal of “Portland rioters” routinely instigating violence wa...

www.propublica.org

November 13, 2025 at 6:17 PM

Reposted by Tom Cooney MD

David Rothschild

@davmicrot.bsky.social

NYT had details of Trump's engagement with Jeffrey Epstein's child sex trafficking and *hid it for him*, at the same time it was crucifying Clinton as untrustworthy due to her document retention & security.

November 12, 2025 at 9:32 PM

Reposted by Tom Cooney MD

Cait Conley

@caitfornewyork.bsky.social

We’ve served our country in uniform. Now we are stepping up to serve again.

We are The Hell Cats — four female veterans that are going to flip the House in 2026.

Join the mission → www.hellcats.us/

November 12, 2025 at 7:12 PM

Tom Cooney MD

@pdxtom.bsky.social

DASH-Patterned Groceries and Effects on Blood Pressure: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Yet another powerful example of impact of social drivers of #health, here access to healthy foods. #SDOH #diet #nutrition #food