I’d like to start some discussions about ‘Tilt’, a song Scott had described as his attempt at a ‘black country record’. I have a specific question towards the end which I’d like some opinions on, but I’d love to hear general thoughts too
This song is one of my favourite off the album: it really sounds like a diseased country ballad that has started to necrotize. I recall a producer in the ‘30 Century Man’ documentary saying that the hypnotic guitar strumming in this song is neither in major key or minor key: instead it’s a jarring, dissonant clash of both.
You can hear this technique across a lot of the last 3 albums: there was an interview with Jarvis Cocker where he recalled finding Scott at the studio trying to conjure strange tones out of two dissonant piano keys, over and over. It seems he was trying to find new sound terrain in discordant spaces, and one of my favourite things about him and Peter Walsh’s production is the zooming-in on microscopic disharmonies, spotlighting them in the pitch black. As an aside, I think this song has a lot in common with Swans’ ‘The Seer’, the same sour notes and hypnotic strumming appears in songs like ‘Mother of the World’.
I see Tilt as a sister song to Bolivia ‘95, exploring similar threads: faceless pilgrims journeying through the nameless landscape, hunger and discomfort.
Tilt appears to me like a coming-of-age and Western Frontier tale wrapped up in one. I am reminded of the anonymous protagonist ‘The Kid’ from Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, a vulnerable young boy who is swept up in violence and drudged along by a band of marauders, ‘breaking the mold’ of America and losing his soul through the process:
He was so strong, he was so bold / When they made him, they broke the mold / If he heads this way, when the moon is slow
In the 1800s, wild buffalos were heavily relied upon by Native American societies for food, clothing, and shelter. During the Western expansion, settler forces deliberately killed off tens of millions of bison animals in an effort to decimate Indian tribes:
Come over and pray / they'll turn the buffalo / They'll turn the buffalo
‘Turning’ the buffalo also evokes the ‘turning’ of the century.
The second verse evokes a typical ‘back at home during the war’ snapshot, apple pie on the window sill:
The mother waits as still as the moonlight / Standing in long grass with her cold cold nose / What she feels so deep she will never show
Now I’d like to turn to the most mysterious part of the song: the chorus - if you can call it that.
Our town, our town, do love a stampede / Stampede by my old jacket in the park / Someday I'll pick it up, look for the label and whisper: Tilt! ain't got none no no / Tilt, got none at all / Tilt, ain't got none no no / None at all /
The lyric seems to be straightforward imagery until this part. I find it difficult to understand what the whispering to the jacket’s label would mean, and most importantly: what ‘Tilt, got none at all’ is saying.
This is something I haven’t seen discussed anywhere. Unlike The Drift and Bish Bosch, which seem to be titular representations of all those records’ songs, it seems Tilt (the album) was named after this song - or possibly, this song encapsulates the verve of the whole album.
Why would this be? What does Tilt show or mean?
I can see ‘tilting’ being another instance of the ‘turning’ of the buffalo, the ‘turning’ of the century. More vaguely, it is an accurate way to describe a lot of the sounds: off-kilter, songs tilting in their own direction, straying off path. But I seem to think there’s more to it than that.
One interesting interpretation I saw from a previous commenter was about the album artwork appearing like a pinball machine - the cockerel’s eye appearing like the pinball - that you would ‘tilt’ in order to get out.
What do you think?

Ok, I posted a week ago about what system should I use to introduce RPG's to my ESL (English Second Language) class (I say ESL because it is a french school, but 85% of students are already fluent)
Goals:

• Get the kids to stretch their creative muscles which I often find lacking.
• Building social skills
• Reading and understanding rule sets (they can read but don't always understand what they are reading)
  I've brainstormed and gotten a few ideas and wanted to know what other teachers who have implemented RPG's in their classroom think.
  

1. Teach what the basics of Role play is
   
2. Use Roleplay Academy cards to do RP exercises
   
3. Use Microscope to eventually build a world
   
4. Finally, work our way into teaching and explaining and running an exemple game of Quest RPG. Easy and simple system that uses only a D20.
   
5. Get a few students to run games for the others.
   

I label this in 4 steps, but step 2 and step 3 would last several weeks of classes I assume.
Think I can pull it off by training about 4-5 students to be guides and then run games for the others?

So, I'm a pretty squeamish person. Have been since I was born. This is one of my primary weaknesses when navigating the world. I'm so disgust prone I sometimes feel sick just having a bowel movement. Not always, but sometimes. Recently I've been afflicted by a nasty cough that just won't go away. And the problem with that is sometimes I cough so much something will come back up my throat. I've thrown up twice in the past two weeks, and I absolutely DESPISE the sensation of vomiting. I'd honestly rather someone punch me right in the face than have to throw up.
I noticed after a while I've gained a bit of a phobia to it. In other words, I've grown an extreme aversion to it. Whenever I throw up, I just sort of try my best to dissociate from my body as best as I can and just let it happen. I don't have especially bad thoughts surrounding it, I just try my best to avoid being present in those moments.
Now here's where it gets interesting. Over my gradual awakening, I've noticed that with any kind of negative emotion, as long as I 'embrace' said emotion and focus on how 'interesting' the experience is rather than labelling it as 'good' or 'bad' it usually goes away pretty quickly. This has happened several times when I've gotten sad over something, and instead of wishing it to go away, I just 'examine it under a microscope' so to speak, really focusing in on it and trying to discern exactly HOW it feels. For some reason, whenever I stop resisting it and instead just closely examine it, it sort of feels like I'm on a rollercoaster and the experience of going up or down is neither good or bad, but rather, intriguing and even kind of fun.
So on to the point: is it possible to do the same for feelings of disgust or whenever I'm throwing up?

Hello everyone! Hope you're all having a wonderful day today. Not much to share from me today, other than that this is the end of the backlog I prepared for my trip. Depending how the days go, I may or may not have the time to finish the next chapter before Monday. Hopefully I can get the chapter out as scheduled. As always, thank you all for reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.
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Memory transcription subject: Governor Tarva of the Venlil Republic Date [standardized Earth time]: September 1, 2136
The Summit was only a few days away. I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything more anxiety inducing than this. Not even while running for governor did I feel this nervous. There was so much that had happened in just a month, and every day felt like a test in my resolve. I’m glad I wasn’t alone in all of this, at least. With so much to plan to do, meetings between me, my advisors, Noah, and Meier brought a surprising amount of peace of mind. Noah’s presence in particular brought me a lot of joy. His calm and gentle demeanor was comforting to be around, to a point where I had asked for him to become an ambassador on behalf of Earth. I did hear the occasional comment of concern about human representation, though Meier assured me that he would make sure humanity’s interests are given just as much voice as the Skalgan’s.
With our impromptu interspecies cabinet set, and the Summit on the horizon, we all were preparing for how we were gonna address the myriad of topics, questions, and likely accusations and threats we’d have to deal with. I was up early in the Paw to prepare for one such meeting. Given how planets like Earth rotate, it was sometimes tough coordinating when to meet, so several high ranking human officials had chosen to make the trip to Venlil Prime. Our planet would be the staging ground where we launched our campaign to win the favor of the Federation, or at least enough favor of individual species to not be overshadowed. No doubt there would be those that oppose the idea of recognizing the Skalgan as a unique species and the inclusion of the humans in the Federation. It was gonna be a challenge.
As I waited outside of the meeting room, going through my notes, I heard the gentle footsteps of someone approaching. Looking up, I was delighted to see Noah approaching. Accompanying him was Meier, the human, despite his predatory eyes and smile, didn’t elicit any fear reaction from me, or at least nothing visible. The pair walked up and I gave them both a flick of the tail in greeting. “Good to see you both. I’m glad you could come at such an early claw. It’s gonna be a busy day today.”
“Indeed. It seems like every day brings something new and exciting.” Noah said with a gentle, whistling laugh. “I’m surprised that Meier thought it’d be a good idea to have so many military officials here, considering the things he says about then.” The human lightly scoffed, muttering something about ‘snakes in the grass’ or something along those lines. He spoke up after that under the breath comment. “Well, considering what’s going on at the border, there’s a lot of concern about protecting Venlil Prime, or Skalga if that’s what it should be called now.”
“I think Venlil Prime should be stuck with till we go public with our findings.” I said. “We want to make sure everyone is on the same page, and causing confusion would just make it harder to garner support.”
“Agreed, and speaking of such matters, we should get settled in.” Meier began walking with Noah and I following along. Arriving at the conference room, I was greeted by the faces of several humans, Skalgans, and Venlil. Most faces I recognized were of my own cabinet. One or two humans I remembered were some high ranking human generals. Among the Skalgans was Admiral Kalgar. I was surprised to see him, considering the situation on the border, but I assumed the lack of Kam being present meant it was being watched over. I made my way over to the seat between Noah and Cheln. Considering his first encounter with the humans, I had to commend my diplomatic advisor for his budding bravery in the presence of so many predators. Though at this point, I didn’t believe the humans deserved such a label.
“Alright! Thank you all for joining us today. We have a lot to discuss, so let's get to business right away.” Meier walked up to the head of the table, fiddling with a holopad for a moment to bring up an image on the holoprojector in the middle of the table. Displayed was an image of several dozen Gojid vessels. “First, an update on the border. There is still a large Gojid presence sitting just outside of Venlil space that has been present since the Arxur attack. Prime Minister Piri has said that the vessels are patrolling against Arxur incursion, but their movements have stayed close to Venlil outposts, suggesting they’re either trying to spy or survey the defenses on the border.”
“They’re afraid of us.” Admiral Kalgar spoke up. “They’ve never encountered anyone willing to pull their tail out from between their legs and actually fight. No doubt they see Skalgan as a danger.”
“Your comments didn’t exactly leave them with much room for doubt.” Cheln spoke up. “There’s been rumors spreading among the wider Federation that Skalgan are predator diseased, and no doubt your aggressive introduction to one of the most important members of the Federation armada didn’t help to quell those worries. In fact, I fear that this may be the greatest obstacle for the Skalgan to overcome if they’re going to join the Federation.”
“More so than our sister species?” Noah asked, gesturing towards Meier. Cheln shrunk in his chair a bit as he remembered the predators in the room. “W-well… Yes, that… That will be the greatest issue. I’m still not sure the Federation would ever consider accepting predators among their members, no matter how much the Skalgan vouch for them.”
“Yet here we are on Venlil Prime, discussing such matters in the first place.” Meier said. “You all gave us a chance, and we’ve shown that we’re nothing like what you once thought all predators are like. There’s always the possibility we can convince the Federation the same.”
“Yet the Federation have shown to be our enemy.” Kalgar interrupted again. “I’m not sure if any of you read the archeology report that came in not long ago, but it’s got some pretty concerning results, none of which paint the Federation in a good light.”
I hadn’t had a chance to read the results myself, and judging by the looks around the table, most hadn’t. Meier picked up his holopad and changed the display to show various Venlil artifacts and documents, all of which had different aspects of them labeled. “I only had a cursory look, so I apologize as I have to read through this as we go. From what I’ve read so far, in cooperation with our archeology and historical teams, it’s been found that a majority of venlil artifacts and documents from before Federation first contact, are fake.”
It felt like a pit had opened in my stomach. It took me a moment to find my voice after this revelation. “...F-fake? But… how can they tell? Those artifacts are centuries old!” Meier adjusted the view to show a closeup of a vase, down to what looked to be a microscopic level. “According to the report, it was found that some of the artifacts have traces of machine manufacturing in the form of unnaturally uniform carving, traces of metal shavings, and paints containing chemicals that could only be artificially manufactured with advanced chemical processing. There’s still work being done to date these items, but using human artifacts as a comparison, most estimates are no more than about 500 years old. Which, coincidentally, is also around the time the Skalgan arrived on earth.”
I could tell that Meier didn’t believe it was a coincidence. Everything that we’ve learned so far, between the Skalgan, our DNA, and now our history, all pointed to something big happening all those centuries ago, during first contact. I could hear several individuals quietly talking among each other, but I could only sit in silence with my own wild thoughts. Everything was pointing towards the Federation having done something. The Federation had been the ones to help build up our society, and they certainly had the technology at the time to create fake historical artifacts that could fool us for so long. Perhaps the Skalgan fled the Federation because they knew of what was going on to both our species and our history.
“You okay?” I glanced up to see Noah looking at me with a worried expression in his eyes. I took a breath, regaining my composure and giving a gentle ear flick. “I’m okay. This is just a lot to take in.” Noah gave a gentle nod. “I understand. Don’t worry though. We’ll figure this all out, and we're here for you.” I gave a quick ‘thank you’ sign with my tail before Meier cleared his throat to get our attention. “One last matter to discuss before planning for the Summit, and that is of the three individuals in UN custody back at Earth. General Zhao, if you could update us on that situation.” The human Meier spoke to stood up. I couldn’t remember what nation this general represented, what with how many human nations there were. At least the Skalgan only had a small handful to remember.
“Thank you, Secretary-General.” Zhao said as he prepared his own holopad, pulling up the images of the captured survey crew. “We’ve been working to earn the sympathy of these individuals, and we believe they’re ready to be released to Venlil Prime. They will be brought along with the humans and Skalgan that will be participating in the civilian portion of the exchange program. They’ve become accustomed to human presence, and don’t indicate any intent to betray our trust. In fact, there’s one in particular who might be of use to our cause.” He points towards the image of the Kolshian. “Lecer has shown a particular interest in the relations between humans and Skalgan. It seemed suspicious at first, but appears to have grown into genuine intrigue. I believe that having him speak of his treatment while in custody may earn us quite a bit of favor with the Federation.”
“He’s actually willing to speak on our behalf?” Noah asked in surprise. Zhao nodded. “Indeed. We’ve taken good care of him and his crew while he was in our care. We’ve shown him the relationship humans and Skalgan hold. We’ve proven to him that humans aren’t monsters and that Skalgan aren’t crazy for trusting us. Having a first hand account would win us a lot of favor.” Although I felt a bit bad for using the Kolshian, I had to admit it would paint the humans and Skalgan in a better light, and considering the opposition we’d be facing, we needed every advantage we could get.
“Sounds like he’ll be a great asset then.” Meier said with a gentle clap of his hands. “Now, with all of that said, let us dive into the main topic. The Summit. We need to plan out how we wish to present everything in a way that will earn us the most favor. It’s gonna be an uphill battle, considering we’ll be facing both accusations of predator disease and predator involvement, but I have confidence that we can make it work.”
“And I have confidence that this is a mistake!” Admiral Kalgar shouted, making me jump in surprise. The admiral was standing in his seat, holding himself above everyone else. “Everything we’ve seen so far points to the Federation being the ones who forced the Skalgan’s off of our home world. They came in, took over our society with their bigoted beliefs, crippled our ancestors, and erased our history! We shouldn’t be trying to join them. We should be fighting them, taking back everything they took from us! The Venlil have suffered too much under their yoke, being used practically as a living shield against the Arxur, with little means of protecting themselves for hundreds of years. The Federation are monsters! I refuse to accept that joining them is in our best interests! They should all burn on the very flamethrowers they-!”
“Admiral! Please, that’s enough.” The human sitting next to the admiral, who I recognized as the one that had first arrived to Venlili Prime with the admiral, reached up and put a hand on the raving Skalgan’s shoulder. The admiral snapped his head around to stare down at the human, and I briefly worried if the admiral was about to strike his subordinate. But after several tense moments of silence, the admiral let out a sigh and slowly sat back down in his seat. After a little more awkward silence, Meier resumed the conversation. “Despite the incriminating evidence against the Federation, we need to remember that we’re attempting to foster peaceful relations. It won’t be easy, or fast, but I believe that we can promote good change in the Federation through our presence. We have centuries of experience in that regard, so perhaps a new voice would be enough to start steering these people towards a better future.”
A part of me was a bit worried by the Secretary-General’s hopes. The Federation would strongly resist any attempts at change. Several centuries of rigid beliefs might be too tough of a challenge even for the denizens of Earth to overcome. But I’ve been surprised by them so far. Before their arrival, I never would have considered coexistence with a predator a possibility. I never would have questioned the ways of the Federation. I would have just accepted the Arxur raids on my people as unavoidable. So much of what I originally believed was being undone, but I had to admit, the potential future that these ancestors and predators were showing me was much brighter than I ever thought possible.
Should it come to it, I was certain that I could muster up the bravery to fight for this better life we all wanted. Just like how my ancestors long ago once had. "In that case, lets do our best to win their hearts."
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On the 1st July 2024, a new set of standards for the quality of medical cannabis will come into force thanks to an update to European Pharmacopoeia. What does this mean for medical cannabis patients in the UK?
In October 2022, the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) published the initial draft of its new cannabis flower monograph, seeking feedback from the public. Following this public consultation period, the new cannabis flower monograph was published in Supplement 11.5 of the Ph. Eur. in January 2024, with the guidelines to be applicable in 39 countries, including the UK, from the 1st of July 2024.
So, what is the new Cannabis flos (flower) monograph and what does it mean for patients prescribed medical cannabis in the UK?

What is a monograph?

Pharmacopeial monographs are descriptions of medical preparations designed to identify the qualities of medicines and the quality standards required for each medicine. These monographs provide detailed parameters that are used to determine whether a given medicine meets key quality standards and can be legally marketed.
There are a number of pharmacopoeias in use by different countries around the world, though not every country has their own pharmacopoeia. In other cases, a country may adopt a monograph from a larger pharmacopoeia when its own pharmacopoeia does not cover the medicine in question. While the UK uses the British Pharmacopoeia, it may also adopt monographs from other sources, such as the European Pharmacopoeia.
The Ph. Eur. is now recognised in 39 countries across Europe. Reference to a single pharmacopoeia helps to ensure the continuity of standards between jurisdictions in the region.

Pharmacopoeias and medical cannabis

While medical cannabis is legal in several European countries, including the UK, this is the first medical cannabis monograph published in the Ph. Eur. The latest supplement (11.5) also includes a new monograph on cannabidiol (CBD).
Jurisdictions among the 39 countries that adopt monographs from the Ph. Eur. which have already published their monographs on cannabis flower, such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland, will replace this with the new European monograph.

The Ph. Eu. Monograph on cannabis flower

The European Pharmacopoeia’s final monograph on Cannabis flower was published in January 2024. The pre-released version of the monograph was published in October 2023 and provides us with details about this new guidance. However, GMP-Compliance notes that several additional requirements have been added to the latest version.
The new monograph outlines the official definition of cannabis flower as well as production methods, identification processes, and microscopic examination to identify the cannabinoid content of the product. The monograph also defines limits on foreign matter, moisture content, and the presence of seeds and leaves, and includes updated labelling requirements.

What does the new Cannabis flower monograph say?

The European Pharmacopoeia monograph defines cannabis flower or Cannabis flow as:
“Dried, whole or fragmented, fully developed female inflorescence of Cannabis sativa L.”
The monograph continues: “If the herbal drug is to be prescribed to patients as a medicinal product, the measured contents of total tetrahydrocannabinol and total cannabidiol, respectively, do not deviate from the values stated on the label by more than ± 10 per cent.”
The monograph also outlines the cannabinoid content of THC-dominant type, THC/CBD-intermediate type, and CBD-dominant type cannabis flower. They are as follows:
THC-dominant type:

• Total Δ9-THC: minimum 5.0% (dried drug);
• Total CBD: maximum 1.0% (dried drug)

THC/CBD-intermediate type:

• Total Δ9-THC: minimum 1.0%
• Total CBD: minimum 1.0%
• total tetrahydrocannabinol / total cannabidiol ratio: 0.2 to
• 5.0 (dried drug).

CBD-dominant type:

• Total Δ9-THC: maximum 1.0%
• Total CBD: minimum 5.0%

Further notable guidance from the monograph concern:
Foreign matter should represent at most 2% of the preparation. Furthermore, if the cannabis flower is to be prescribed to patients as a medicinal product, “it does not contain any seeds and the whole herbal drug does not contain any leaves more than 1.0 cm in length.”
Loss on drying should be no more than 12.0%, which is increased from 10% in the draft version of the monograph.
Presence of heavy metals including arsenic (maximum 0.2 parts per million (ppm)), cadmium (maximum 1.0 ppm), lead (maximum 5.0 ppm), and mercury (maximum 5.0 ppm) if the herbal drug is to be prescribed to patients as a medicinal product.

What about the Ph. Eur.’s CBD monograph?

As we mentioned earlier, Supplement 11.5 also includes a monograph for cannabidiol (CBD). With the publication of this monograph, the Ph. Eur. states that “CBD is isolated from the Cannabis sativa L. plant.” In previous drafts of the monograph, it was stated simply that CBD is isolated from “natural sources”.
These guidelines, among others laid out in Supplement 11.5 of the European Pharmacopoeia, have now been accepted by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and will be introduced from the 1st of July 2024. More information regarding Supplement 11.5 can be found here.

What does this mean for medical cannabis patients?

Over the last decade and a half, most countries across Europe have introduced laws legalising the medical use of cannabis. In this time, the number of medical cannabis patients in Europe has been consistently on the rise. Yet, quality standards and production rules have differed from country to country, making Europe something of a regulatory patchwork.
While patients shouldn’t notice any issues in the supply of medical cannabis products, it is hoped that the publication of the Ph. Eur.’s monograph on cannabis flower will provide quality standardisation and harmonisation across the 39 countries that accept it. This should help to limit the supply of substandard medical cannabis flower products in the UK.
Furthermore, official limitations on foreign matter permitted in cannabis flower mandate that products to be prescribed for medicinal purposes should contain no seeds. If implemented effectively, this should address the growing concern among patients in the UK who have received medical cannabis flower containing seeds.

Conclusions

The final publication of Supplement 11.5 of the European Pharmacopoeia provides a harmonised definition as well as standardisation in the production, content, and labelling of cannabis flower products. As the primary source of official quality standards for medicines and their ingredients in Europe, the contents of the monographs for cannabis flower and CBD will become mandatory on the same date in all participating states and should lead to better quality cannabis flower for people who take up prescriptions.
https://www.leafie.co.uk/articles/cannabis-flower-monograph-information-patients/

Hello everyone, I am a guy who like AI and is trying to figure out this whole AI thing with Art. I thought here would be the best place to share this concept I came with when thinking about bypassing the owners for doing AI stuff and hope to get some conversation about it. The link of the post is here but I'll post it here too so you can already read what's about it.

INTRODUCTION

The hurricane of the idea of taking property from an owner to achieve an artistic end is raging with the blissful Artificial Intelligence to the point of being labeled as a form of theft. The AI needs a dataset to be trained to obtain ways to replicate such information based on user input.
This is why a way is proposed to charge royalties by entering properties into the AIs dataset and thus obtain an accumulation of wealth on the part of the owners.
But what would happen when you never get such property from the owner and manage to get the same results? Welcome to what I call The Singularity of Fiction. And this has its greatest utility in art.

PRINCIPLES

Recall that:

1. A property possesses owner.
2. It is necessary to be owner to have control over such property, being: What is done, How it is done, Where it is done, When it is done, With whom it is done, With what it is done. This control is exercised thanks to the Copyrights where the owner has the monopoly of violence over who uses his property (he can sanction whoever he wants if his property is used without a previous agreement).

DEFINITION

What is this? Based on the above, it means that we can introduce datasets where no property of anyone at all is required. How? Being able to synthesize purely with mathematical abstraction the matter that will then be used as datasets for AI. And the results would be similar or even equal compared to using properties of people as datasets.
What this means is to create extremely realistic or accurate information/data to reality thanks to mathematics itself. In other words, there is absolutely no transfer of ownership of anything because this same property can be completely replicated without the owner.
In other words, the owner would be completely unable both philosophically and legally to claim authorship and then demand royalties or control over the AI dataset for the mere fact that this information was no transfer of absolutely no person as it is pure mathematical abstraction.
An example that could be applied to reality is voice cloning. We all know that to clone a voice, you need to collect recordings of an owner (person), and that recording is the property, both the recording and the whole anatomical set of the owner to give product to such a voice.
Typically, an artist needs voices to produce fiction whether in music, radio or film. This leads him to consult owners (voice actors/singers) who charge for services (generating voice, their property) and who are then recorded to be introduced to that medium. These owners require this dependence on the artist not only to subsist, but also to accumulate wealth. So the artist pays and manages to materialize his artistic ideas. This is the cycle that is still done today.
The “giant loophole” of this is the fact that a voice cannot be protected as property since this voice is not unique and therefore can be considered generic. This reduces the owner to only being able to sue if an attempt is made to usurp his identity or the recordings where he has the voice are his property.
The modus operandi of voice cloning is to collect these recordings. But what if we use something called Physical Modeling Synthesis.
We could create a synthesizer that is able to realistically replicate every human voice thanks to mathematical acoustic models that replicate the way we produce the voice (airflow from the lungs, vocal cords, skull shape, among others).
Recordings of this synthesizer are generated and then fed into the AI as a dataset, resulting in a voice clone just as if we were using the voice of a human (owner).
The result is that, since there is no such transfer of ownership in the first place and this particular property cannot be considered unique, there can be no control over the dataset and therefore the AI ends up being completely free of any control, making artists no longer have that dependence on owners and use the AI at no cost, correctly materializing their creative ideas, bringing about the singularity in fiction.
And no person can do absolutely nothing, why?
Trying to control this has some serious implications, because this is being on a microscopic plane of fiction. That is, it would be equivalent to having ownership over a molecule, and the fact of having ownership over something so common, extensive and shared without any bureaucracy in between, breaks the flow of reality itself.
For this case, trying to apply a form of voice patent, any human being who records himself or tries to profit where his voice is involved is affected, since being repeatable, this can fit with such a patent and therefore, cause him justified damage. Plagiarism becomes inevitable here. It is a plane where instead of protecting, it only destroys. We have reached the limits of ownership.
Voice actors, in order to maintain control over their property, must claim that certain frequencies, phonetics, timbre and other matters completely tied to physics are theirs, and of course, this is not only ridiculous, it is also unfeasible in every sense.
Here is the singularity of fiction, a plane where having ownership is completely useless. The monopoly of violence is lost to the owners.

POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES AND CONCLUSIONS

This causes what would be the death of the system that the owners managed to maintain their flow of money and therefore, accumulation of wealth (capitalism), forcing them to implement post-capitalist models or flatly extinguish such system where it used to work. If they refuse such thing, they will corrupt the principles, law and enhancing censorship, infringements of privacy and more to protect interests from both sides (corporations and professional individuals).
It should be clarified that under the perspective of what is known as the left (specifically socialist and communist) to reach this singularity implies both hitting the bourgeois and the proletarians, since in the phenomenon of art, the proletariat is an owner and the proletarians themselves use property to subsist. Therefore, one cannot protect the proletariat and at the same time kill capitalism, both are affected by this singularity.
Instead, for an artist where his desire is to make art for the sake of making art, this offers him a freedom that did not exist before, making him not need physical or institutional dependencies to be able to materialize his art, making industries decentralized as there is no physical exclusivity to access such demands. This is possible because the technology has become so cheap and so efficient at the same time that this can be reproduced in most devices these mathematical replicas of reality that are then powered by AI. There is no longer dependence on the property of others to make art.
This is what the Singularity of Fiction is all about.

Ever since the Israel's response, I have noticed a handful of well known Jews, voicing their concern for Palestinian civilians, only to be met with responses about their links to their Jewish culture, Judaism. This is occurring on all social medias. And no, i am not saying that the opinion of Jews speaking out agaisnt Israel, should hold more weight but what is happening does look concerning.
A common theme is occuring where these Prominent Jews are being labelled as "fake jews", have been put under the microscope to check if they really are "Jewish" or if they are a "Religious jew", or their "link to the jewish community", ww2 survivors are questioned if they really are holocaust survivors and then there's also the most disturbing accusation of all- some are labelled as "capos".
It would clearly be antisemetism, however it is done by other Jews so i dont actually know the right word for it (discrimination?)
Examples are; Claudia sheinbaum pardo (first jewish/female president of mexico)- got called a "fake jew", is questioned about her links to the jewish community or if she practices Judaism.
On this sub 3 days ago: a post about Aryeh Neier, human Rights Watch Founder — and Holocaust Survivor — Accuses Israel of Genocide; was full of comment about how him and his family actually left Germany before the real holocaust started (it's not like Germany was a great place to live as a Jew in 1939). So that must mean his comments are invalid?
I also see comments about Bernie Sanders and George Soros where they are labelled as "capos" despite losing family members to the Holocaust.
What makes someone the "right Jew" to be able to judge someone else as a "fake jew"? Is it because their only crime was to speak agaisnt israel?
Jews are very diverse people, have lived in all corners of the globe and have different opinions, how come they are not allowed to voice their concerns without such dangerous actions being used? (Allowing ≠antisemetism≠ discrimination would only encourage more antisemetism)

Hi !!
I recently received my 1/6 - NT Style Casual Wear Ver. by Good Smile Company (bought from Amazon JP, and shipped to France). Upon arrival, I discovered she was full of flaws everywhere, scratches, human hair stuck in paint, air bubbles in the paint, black paint dots everywhere.
I'm usually okay with a few flaws. But here, it was too much. I love looking closely at my figure (not sticking my nose into it, I have no need to inspect it with a microscope), but I love admiring the small details. Here, I was admiring flaws and defects. I was on the verge of tears
I contacted Amazon JP, they could only , send it back for a full refund, or keep it and we refund the shipping . Because she was sold out, otherwise, it would have been a remplacement.
I then contacted GSC, and yaay, after two days of forms, they immediatly agreed to send a remplacement for the full figure.
They asked me to destroy the old one, so no sending back.
Now come the question : They said : "Upon arrival of parcels to some countries/regions, customs duties, value added taxes, customs clearance fees, etc. may be levied which the customer is responsible. Please note that we are not able to take care of any of those fees."
I live in France, so I have 20% VAT, and I paid them with Amazon JP when I pre-ordered her. I called french customs, and they said, since I'm not sending back, I'll get charged taxes twice ?? Is it normal ? It's a remplacement, won't GSC label it as 0 value or a specific status this kind of thing ? Or take the taxes for them ? Ami-ami once sent me a remplacement piece, I had to pay taxes, and they refunded me the taxes later. Won't GSC do the same ?
Am I really gonna have to pay for taxes on a remplacement product because of their defects ??

In which this ficnapping first-timer tackles An Introduction to Terran Zoology by u/Still_Performance_39. I'm still a newbie author, so imagine my surprise when I'm handed one of the most popular stories on the sub. One that's received the rare honor of being approved by the fifteenth holy knight of space himself. No pressure I guess lol.
I knew what I wanted to write about, at least. I've been waiting for this series to cover the ocean, so this was the perfect opportunity to do it myself! I had to think hard about what to include; the ocean is a big place after all. See if you can guess the secret (really obvious) theme I went with! Fingers crossed I did this story justice! (Shoutout to Wikipedia btw)
Edit: u/Xerxes250 posted a ficnap of my series, The Nature of Quirks. Check it out!
Memory transcription subject: Rysel, Venlil Environmental Researcher
Date [standardized human time]: Idk sometime after Cilany’s broadcast
Brahk, brahk, brahk!
I tore across the campus, sprinting for the Terran Zoology lecture hall as fast as my legs could carry me.
I can’t believe I overslept! Of all days, it had to be today.
Dr. Bernard had teased today’s topic last time. “By now we’ve learned about animals from all over Earth, and through our simulation exercises you’ve seen for yourselves how intricate Terran ecosystems can be.” I couldn’t help but chuckle at that. Everybody’s simulated ecosystems had failed catastrophically on their first attempts. It’d taken a herd of paws for everyone to accept how necessary predators were to maintain balance in Earth’s ecosystems.
“With what we’ve learned so far, we are ready to finally tackle one of if not the most complex and vibrant ecosystems on Earth: the coral reef. This lesson even has some direct relevance to us here on Venlil Prime. You might have heard the recent news about those biologists exploring Venlil Prime’s oceans not far from here. Well, the region they’ve been studying shares many things in common with Terran coral reefs. Learning about reefs on Earth could be a useful reference point for uncovering the secrets of your own oceans. I hope to see you all tomorrow!”
I’d been so excited I could barely fall asleep. I’d also completely forgotten that Milam was away visiting family. Why did that matter? Well, without the raucous squawking of her alarm, I’d overslept, and now I was about to be late!
My lungs and legs burned, but I pressed forward. There, the lecture hall’s door was still open! I dashed inside and scrambled to my seat, gasping and wheezing as I tried to still my beating heart. I’d made it.
“Wow, Rysel, you’re right on time. That’s the latest you’ve been yet!”
I glanced to my right and saw Sandi chuckling heartily at my expense.
“I -hrrf- over -hrrf- slept,” I wheezed, “didn’t -huff- want to -huff- miss this -huff- though.”
“Hmph. Rysel, of all Venlil, oversleeping for one of the Doctor’s lessons. Never thought I’d see the day,” Kailo scoffed from my left, snuggled deep into his duvet. I supposed it was technically an insult, but there was no hostility in his tone. I knew what real anger and hostility sounded like from him, and he hadn’t done or said anything like that for some time. No, this was just Kailo being Kailo.
I flicked my tail at him in a friendly greeting. “Good paw to you too, Kailo.”
He huffed and turned away, but I didn’t miss his tail swishing under his seat.
Kailo’s changed so much since our first day. It’s like he’s a different person. Honestly, I sometimes feel like a different person too.
I’d come a long way from being scared of humans and enrolling in the exchange program for money. Now, these classes were the highlight of every paw, and I couldn’t imagine wanting to do anything else.
My reminiscing was cut short by a familiar series of sharp knocks on the doorframe. My tail whirled with glee at the sight of the familiar figure.
“Good morning everyone! How’re we all doing on this very fine paw?” Dr. Bernard greeted us with a beaming smile.
Most of us beeped out a cheery hello in response. I glanced around the room, warm contentment welling in my chest. We were no longer the nervous, skeptical, and borderline hostile class Dr. Bernard had to put up with on the first day. Now, even the shyest participants flicked a friendly greeting in his direction.
“Excellent! I’m always delighted to hear your enthusiasm. Now, just to remind you, today we’ll be taking our first proper look at one of the most beautiful biomes Earth’s oceans have to offer. I always enjoy chatting with you all, but we do have a lot to get through today. Would anyone object if we skipped the banter this time and dive straight into the material?”
Yes, I’m ready! Let’s go!
The rest of the class echoed my sentiment, beeping with varying levels of excitement and curiosity. Bernard smiled as he glanced over everyone, his gaze lingering on me. “I’m happy to see that everyone’s excited for today’s lesson.”
It was at this point that I noticed that in my excitement, I’d jumped out of my seat and lunged onto the table. Sandi was chuckling merrily, and I heard a cough from Kailo underneath his blanket cocoon. Did I say that out loud? I slowly slid back into my seat, my ears blooming hot orange from embarrassment. I knew at this point that Bernard wouldn’t take offense to my outburst, but that didn’t make it any less embarrassing for a grown man to be jumping up and down like a pup.
“Since everyone seems to be on board,” Bernard said, graciously distracting everyone from my faux pas, “let’s dive right into our ocean lesson, shall we?”
His pun was met with scattered beeps and groans, though most of the class let out merry bleats to express their excitement for the lesson. The classroom’s monitor flickered to life, and gasps echoed throughout the room. The image showed a rocky seabed covered with what looked like strangely shaped rocks in a wide array of bright colors. The fish swimming among the rocks, many of them as colorful as their environment, stood out against the deep blue background of the ocean water. Of all the gorgeous pictures of life on Earth I’d seen, none had ever been this vibrant, this full of color. It almost felt like I was looking at an art exhibit.
Wow… this develops naturally_? It’s so pretty! I wonder how the rocks form those bright colors._
“There’s really only one way to start a lecture about coral reefs, and that’s with the animals that give them their name. Coral!”
Bernard changed the screen to a close-up of the weird rocks.
“Now, at first glance, these may just look like a bunch of weird rocks.” Wait, they’re not? “But they are actually colonies of living creatures.”
Confused beeps and whispers broke out in the audience, as people tried to wrap their heads around how the objects on the screen could possibly be animals. My mind went back to our first day, when we classified a bunch of Earth creatures as prey or predator. There had been quite a few aquatic animals, and several of them hadn’t looked anything like animals. Maybe this was something like that?
It seemed my seat neighbors had come to similar conclusions, as both of them looked relatively unfazed by Bernard’s reveal, Sandi instead flicking her ear in thought while Kailo leaned forward with intense focus.
“Each of these colorful formations is made up of hundreds of tiny, genetically identical individuals called polyps.”
The screen changed to a close-up shot of what at first glance looked like a fleshy plant that had grown roots into the rock, but the diagram next to it had labels that read things like “tentacle,” “mouth,” and “stomach.” Animal parts, not plant parts.
“This is an individual polyp. They are very small, typically only a few millimeters in diameter and a few centimeters in height. They anchor themselves in one place by secreting an exoskeleton of calcium carbonate from their base. From their anchored spot, they catch and eat any food that drifts by with the tentacles by their mouth. The exoskeleton they make gets left behind, allowing new generations of the colony to build on top of it. Thus, over many generations, the colony can build a skeleton like the ones you saw in the previous photo, up to several meters in size.”
So that was how it worked! It made sense once he explained it. Colonial organisms were an uncommon but familiar concept in the Federation, though they mostly consisted of various small insects. The idea of invertebrates secreting an exoskeleton was also a known concept. This was the first time I’d seen both traits in a single creature, though.
“These skeletons are the structure upon which the reef ecosystem grows, providing shelter for thousands of different species. Even though they occupy less than 0.1% of the world's ocean area, they provide a home for at least 25% of all marine species, making them one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet.”
With the truly staggering variety of species on Earth, 25% was no small number. My ears tilted back in awe at the pictures of the reefs on screen. They were like… underwater cities! Living cities that built themselves and teemed with all kinds of wonderfully fascinating creatures.
Bernard glanced around the room, wearing his “I’m about to ask a question” smile. The question arrived soon after. “Would anyone like to guess what corals’ diet consists of?”
Let’s see… they grab things with their tentacles, but they don’t move, meaning that they have to subsist on whatever floats by. Hmmm, why does that sound familiar…
The images from our first day still floated around in my mind. Wait! That’s it! I raised my paw.
“Yes, Rysel?”
“Is it like the jellyfish from our first day? Snagging small creatures in their tentacles and pulling them into their mouths?”
Bernard grinned widely. “Excellent conclusion, Rysel. You are right, coral polyps do indeed have similar feeding habits to those of jellyfish. Both coral and jellyfish belong to the phylum Cnidaria, so you were correct to draw parallels between the two. Obviously, due to their size, any prey they catch must also be microscopic.”
My tail wagged proudly at his praise. The feeding behaviors of jellyfish had horrified me back then, but now I could take it in stride. The fact that I could even remotely navigate the humans’ complicated classification system gave me even more satisfaction. I glanced around the room. A few classmates seemed a bit uncomfortable at the mention of coral’s predatory nature, but most remained fascinated and engaged. It’d taken months, but we were finally beginning to appreciate predators as something more than monsters, even if they had to be predators that didn’t even look like animals.
“However, while corals do feed with their tentacles, that isn’t actually where most of their energy comes from. You see, most corals have evolved a symbiotic relationship with certain types of algae that live in their tissues, which they acquire from the surrounding environment. The algae produce energy through photosynthesis, which the coral can then use. Algae also aid the coral in calcification for the coral skeleton and waste removal. The algae, in turn, benefit by having a safe place to live, and by consuming the coral’s carbon dioxide and waste products as nutrients. Truly an excellent example of two species coming together for the mutual benefit of one another.”
I knew what symbiosis was, of course. Traditional Federation classes loved to highlight how different prey species united together to benefit one another. It was considered a major part of the innate empathy in prey species that predators lacked. Not only was Bernard showing us a symbiotic relationship involving what would traditionally be considered a predator, but said predator was allied with a plant, of all things!
Was this phenomenon unique to Earth, or was this yet another thing the Federation hid from all of us?
“The coral reef is filled with mutually beneficial relationships like this. Take, for example, one of the most iconic reef creatures, the sea anemone.”
With the push of a button, the screen changed to show a creature that loosely resembled a coral polyp, only bigger, more colorful, and with longer tentacles.
“Now, sea anemones are close relatives of coral, and they share many similarities. They feed in much the same way as coral, snaring prey with their stinging tentacles and drawing it into the mouth. Their diet mainly consists of small fish, crustaceans, and other appropriately sized organisms. Despite its predatory nature, the sea anemone is often considered the poster child of mutualism in the ocean.”
Bernard’s words prompted hushed murmuring throughout the classroom. I was a bit unsettled by the anemone’s predator status, but those feelings were overwhelmed by my sensation of curiosity. What was it about anemones that made their relationships so notable? I just had to know!
I turned my ears to the conversations around me. Some classmates were saying that any mutualistic relationships an anemone could have must be predatory in nature: a union with other predators to hunt and kill more efficiently. Others argued it could be something else, like the coral and algae from before. Someone suggested that the humans were wrong about them, but that notion was quickly shot down.
Everyone’s reactions made me realize just how desensitized we’d all become to “predatory” things. While the term was still uncomfortable, Bernard had, through his lessons, patiently instilled in us the idea that predators were more than wanton bloodlust and violence. There existed predators like that, of course, but with such a broad and diverse class of animals, one would expect some horrible ones due to sheer statistics. Likewise, there would be plenty of good ones.
Sea anemones are predators, yet they’re famous for their mutually beneficial relationships with other lifeforms. If someone said something like that to me months ago, I’d never have believed them. I was so certain that I knew the fundamental mechanisms of ecosystems like the back of my paw. I chuckled to myself. Stars, so much has changed since then.
“First of all, many sea anemones form symbiotic relationships with algae in the same way corals do, benefiting from their photosynthesis while offering shelter and protection in return. But that’s hardly the only relationship they’re known for.”
Bernard changed the screen to a video of an anemone. Bright orange fish with white stripes swam around its tentacles. My heart skipped a beat as one brushed up against the tentacles, but the fish seemed unaffected by the anemone’s venom, much to my relief.
“This right here is one of the most famous symbiotic relationships on Earth: the sea anemone and the clownfish. These small, colorful fish have adapted to the anemone’s stinging tentacles, allowing them to nestle among them. The anemone protects the clownfish from predators, functions as a safe nesting site, and provides food from the leftover scraps of the anemone’s meals. The clownfish, in turn, defend the anemone from its predators, provide nutrients through their excrement, and circulate the water around the anemone, improving its respiration.”
As Bernard talked, the fish on the screen frolicked around their tentacled friend, the adorable sight eliciting pleased mewls from several audience members.
They protect each other, they feed each other, and they play together too! Who knew that two wildly different species could have such a beautiful friendship, even when one of them doesn’t have a brain!
Vlek spoke up, his voice skeptical. “Excuse me Doctor. You said that clownfish feed off of anemones’ meals. They are predators as well, then?”
“One could make that argument,” Bernard replied, “clownfish are omnivorous, and primarily feed on ambient zooplankton, with their diets supplemented by their anemone’s scraps and algae. The microscopic organisms they eat are so abundant that they don’t really need to hunt; they can just munch on whatever happens to drift by.”
“Like their anemone friends!”
“Yes, Rova, like their anemone friends!”
The class seemed to have mixed feelings about the clownfish’s diet. Zooplankton being tiny, simple creatures made it easier, but some still squirmed at the thought. Personally, I didn’t think it took away from how fascinating this duo was. As I’d come to learn with most predators, their diets weren’t what defined them; they were just one of many facets of their nature.
Bernard changed the slide to a photo of a different fish. “While clownfish are the most famous species to form mutualistic relationships with sea anemones, they are hardly the only ones. Take this cardinalfish, for example…”
Bernard went on to highlight several more species with special relationships with sea anemones, each one fascinating in its own way. Fish that laid their eggs among their tentacles. Snails that used them as shelter from predators. Crabs that mounted them on their shells for defense. One type of crab even attached anemones to its claws, using them as living weapons!
Such a simplistic creature, yet it’s evolved a rich network of relationships with so many different species. No wonder Bernard called them iconic.
Kailo fidgeted next to me. Something was obviously bugging him, but he seemed hesitant to speak up.
“Before we move on, does anybody have questions?” Bernard asked smoothly. He probably noticed Kailo’s uncertainty too. He had a teacher’s eye for that sort of thing.
Kailo huffed with determination and raised his paw. “Yes, Kailo?”
“Um, all the animals you’ve talked about so far have been pred– carnivores and omnivores. Where are all the pre– herbivorous fish?”
Bernard grinned. “That’s an excellent question, Kailo. There are herbivorous fish that graze on the algae of the coral, such as the parrotfish and the rabbitfish. That said, true herbivores are relatively uncommon in the ocean. After all, there aren’t many plants around besides algae and seaweed, and a lot of the algae that is there is integrated into the bodies of coral polyps. Thus, thanks to natural selection, most underwater species consume flesh in some form.”
A few months ago Kailo would’ve exploded in anger and denial at that response, but now his ears just tilted in confusion. “But… how can that work?? How can an ecosystem with so many pred– meat eaters sustain any sort of population, let alone the vast numbers you told us?”
Several sets of ears flicked in agreement at Kailo’s question.
“Of course, given what we know about land ecosystems, it makes sense to assume that the base of the food chain would be mostly herbivores. Under the sea, however, plants are much less abundant, so that role is filled by other animals. Some creatures derive nutrition by filtering food from the water or sand, much like a plant would pull sustenance from the air and ground. Many species, especially smaller ones, reproduce frequently and in large quantities, allowing them to sustain significant populations even when predators regularly hunt them. Finally, and this is a good transition into our next section, not all carnivores are predators.”
Wait. Huh? How does that even work? Isn’t that an oxymoron?
“Well, technically they are predators to the microscopic organisms they feed on, but they certainly aren’t predators in the traditional sense.”
A new set of images appeared on the monitor, showing off a handful of small fish and crustaceans.
“Now, as I’m sure you all have noticed, most fish don’t have hands or paws.” My brain conjured an image of a fish with furry Venlil arms. I stifled a whistle at the silly thought.
“This means that they can’t groom themselves. Dead skin, infected tissue, and nasty parasites can just accumulate on their bodies, and there’s nothing they can do about it. What’s a poor fish to do? Well, that’s where these guys come in. These are cleaner fish and cleaner shrimp. They are carnivores whose diet consists of dead or infected skin and parasites from the bodies of bigger fish, like so.”
He switched the screen to two photos: the left showed a fish (the parrotfish he mentioned just now?) floating by some coral with two cleaner fish picking at it. One was nipping at its scales, the other nestled all up in its gills. On the right, a cleaner shrimp mounted the back of a different fish, presumably using its claws to pluck things off its skin.
“These cleaners congregate in areas called cleaning stations, and animals from all over the reef swim to them to get cleaned. The cleaners remove parasites and dead skin from all the hard-to-reach places, like their gills and even inside their mouths!”
The monitor now showed a video, the contents of which elicited several gasps from the audience. The spotty fish in the video had its mouth open, revealing rows of sharp, mean-looking teeth. Side-facing eyes notwithstanding, this was definitely a predator. And a cleaner fish was swimming into its mouth. On purpose. And the predator just let it. We watched for a tense moment, waiting for those jaws to clamp down, but the cleaner swam out of the mouth with no issue, and the predator fish just… left, revealing a surprisingly long body to the camera as it did.
“That was a moray eel, considered an apex predator of the coral reef. Despite that, it allowed that cleaner wrasse to clean its mouth safely, and the wrasse clearly wasn’t concerned about being eaten. Would anyone care to guess why?”
Silence filled the room as everyone thought, until Sandi raised her paw. “Well, the eel wanted to be cleaned, and it couldn’t be cleaned if it ate the cleaner, so it resisted the temptation.”
As usual, Bernard paused to allow us to digest the answer before replying. “You pretty much got it! Even predators like the moray need cleaning, and eating the cleaners is a good way to get refused service from the rest of their kin. One minor correction, though. The average customer is not tempted to eat the cleaners, even when it’s a predator. There are exceptions, of course, but customers generally aren’t hungry when they show up for cleaning, or else they’d be out hunting instead. Moreover, the cleaner’s size makes for a poor meal; hardly worth the cost of being refused service at the cleaning station in the future.”
A chatter of discussion erupted after Bernard finished his explanation. It made sense, but it was still so… odd, to think about. I listened to the scattered conversations around me.
“How could a predator ever not be hungry? Sure, humans aren’t like that, but they’re sapient! An animal couldn’t possibly control…”
“...such a beautiful relationship. To think these cleaners get their food by helping others…”
“...wonder if there are others like them?”
The chatter hadn’t yet died down when the break bell rang.
“Ah, looks like we’ll have to end our conversation here for now,” Bernard chuckled. “Not to worry, though! Part 2 of this presentation will be after lunch, in which I will talk about humanity’s relationship with reefs and highlight some more of the amazing features of reef creatures. See you in a claw!”
Aw come on, you can’t just tease us like that! I have so many questions!
Coral reefs were so cool! I’d always thought the ocean was a dark, scary place where incomprehensible terrors lurked in the depths. Who knew the seas could be so lively, colorful, and fascinating?
I can’t wait to learn more!

Does Your Mattress Contain Harmful Fiberglass?
Check your mattress tag and DO NOT REMOVE THE COVER. Most people are unaware that their mattress may contain fiberglass, which can leak over time and pose serious health risks to both humans and animals. These microscopic fibers, thinner than hair and only visible with a flashlight, can easily contaminate your environment without your knowledge.
Many pet owners and their furry companions have experienced allergy-like symptoms that worsen over time, unaware that the cause is fiberglass exposure. Ingesting fiberglass can be particularly dangerous for animals, leading to stomach upset and intestinal blockages. Pets, being closer to the ground, are also more likely to inhale the fibers. Even pet toys, bones, and chews can become contaminated, causing further discomfort and health issues.
Signs Your Pet May Have Been Exposed to Fiberglass:

• Excessive shedding
• Extreme itching/discomfort
• Pulling out clumps of hair
• Excessive blinking or squinting
• Excessive biting or chewing
• Twitching
• Lethargy or depression
• "Sneezing fits" and anxiety or unwillingness to enter a room or area

If your mattress is leaking fiberglass, immediate action is crucial.
Why Do Mattresses Use Fiberglass?
Fiberglass is a cost-effective flame retardant used in some mattresses, especially memory foam beds, to meet flammability standards.
Which Mattresses Contain Fiberglass?
While not all mattresses contain fiberglass, some budget beds and foam mattress toppers may use it. However, safety standards must be met before a mattress with fiberglass is considered safe.
Signs Your Mattress May Contain Fiberglass:

• Low price: If the mattress has a significantly low price, it may indicate the use of cost-cutting flame barriers like fiberglass.
• Mention in label or tag: Some mattresses explicitly mention the use of fiberglass in their label or tag.
• Alternative terms: Some brands may refer to fiberglass as "glass wool," "silica," or "glass fiber" to avoid explicitly stating its use.
• Website or care manual: The company's website or care manual may mention the materials used as a flame barrier. If you no longer have the manual, you can search online using the mattress's model name and product number.
• No mention of fiberglass: Mattress brands that do not use fiberglass may proudly state this fact, so if a company avoids mentioning their flame retardant, it's worth being cautious.
• Memory foam mattresses: While not all memory foam mattresses contain fiberglass, they are more likely to. Some beds advertised as memory foam may actually use cheaper polyfoam, which contains fiberglass.
• Instructions to not remove the cover, or advise to spot clean only. If a tag says "do not remove the cover" it is usually because this will release glass fibers that are loosely inside this (usually very thin) cover.
• No mention of other fire retardant used. If there isnt another approved "fire barrier" listed anywhere, such as rayon, this could also be a sign that fiberglass is used and not listed because all mattresses sold in the US have to have some type of fire retardant.

Important Note: Many mattresses contain hidden fiberglass, which can cause serious health problems.
What Can You Do?

• Check your mattress for fiberglass content.
• Choose non-toxic, fiberglass-free mattresses.
• Spread awareness about this issue.

For More Information:
This is my personal experience with mattress fiberglass contamination that took away my best friend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtsINZIIdvc&t=63s
If you need support or want to learn more, join our Support & Awareness group on Facebook (links are available in the video). If you have discovered your mattress has fiberglass, we are here for you. Links to our website with resources are also with video.
If your pet has been exposed to fiberglass, consult your veterinarian and keep them away from contaminated areas.
Your pet's health and well-being are important. Stay informed and take action to protect them from harmful fiberglass exposure.
Thank you for being an awesome and caring pet owner. Your love is what shapes them into the wonderful furbabies that they are.

I live in SW Missouri in a town so small that it is still labeled as a village. So I thought I had narrowed it down to the miasis of tiny gnats or mothflies. But it just keeps getting weirder. I took 6 3mg ivermectin once a week for two weeks and cannot get any more without a visit to my primary but after searching the internet I'm terrified of being labeled with delusional parasitosis. Nothing here delusional or made up though. If nobody can positively ID this for me, please tell me of a legitimate and affordable online doctor, parasitologist, or entomologist that can lead me in the right direction? For the luvvvvv, just please? It all started with a terrible stinging when standing on the carpet of my new house about 3 months after moving in (mid March to early April to be exact) I washed EVERRRRYYYYYTHING with lysol and bleach additives and then dried everything, so hot that some of it melted and nothing fits. I then found something I thought was a wet louse of some sort(dont judge me, I'm not well educated in the way of bugs) I have kids though, so this kind of made sense, even though nobody was itching,but upon inspection there were no lice. Later I had that photo identified as a miniscule fly larvae of some sort resembling a bot fly. I sprayed and fogged and slept at hotels for over a week. Then I saw what looked like teeny tiny pieces of thread or hair with a bulbous end disappearing into the threads of my clothing and into the skin of my inner upper arm. I FREAKED out. And then the abundance of f*king LINT. Not just a little,like youd get from putting a new sweater through the laundry the forst time, but a LOTTTTTT of it, and in these weird little almost uniformly oblong round pieces. Everywhere. On the edges of door frames,in underpants, on fresh linen sheets...And it stings? What????? Oh no, not morgellans! I'm in school to be a mental and behavioral health professional and that diagnosis could potentially stunt (or even ruin) my future career. Then things just kept changing. I'm pretty sure I hatched an almost microscopic winged insect out of a mystery scab on my elbow and just about convinced myself I was absolutely bat-sht gone. I have strange new freckles where the stinging originally occured, but they change shape when pinched. I pinch them because I don't have freckles. I peeled one the other day, painfully, and it looks like a teeny tiny whale in the picture? Seriously.I know that sounds stupid, but it does. Then I started getting these terribly itchy but tiny blisters around my feet and under my arms. I pulled weird things out of those blisters that look almost like mosquito pupa when I put them in a dish with some water. Then I developed some weird volcano type marks with dark centers on my thighs and upper arms(where clothing sits) and again thought it was some minute form of miasis. Then I found a strange tiny black cacoon in my hair (that always itches and pulls for no visible reason by now)then I find that all of my scabs kinda look like a one eyed fish (or cartoon bird maybe?). I'll post pictures of it all, from start to finish here and in the comments. I'm not really crazy but I'm debating pretending like I am so somebody will sedate me and place me in a medical facility where surely somebody will notice these things happening to my body? Ahhh. I don't know what to do. I know some people on this page have had some of these symptoms because I've read all of their posts. I don't have any weird hairs or fibers coming from anywhere. I hope I never do.. but this needs to be figured out and stopped. I saw a strange new 'freckle' on my 12 yo daughters leg this afternoon- who doesnt have freckles- and I'm teetering on the ledge of 'toooooo much' at this point. Not my friggn babies. Somebody HAS to have some type of answers or a map to somebody who does. Please help me. Pictures 1,2,10,11,16 and 17 are from my nose 🤮 number 13,14,and 15 are some of the tiny cacoons from my hair 😭 picture 20 is the freckle I scraped out of my leg that dried to look like a weird tiny whale that looks exactly like #18 that came out of my nose. The rest are the same weird fish or bird shape that are the stinging scabs or itching, and almost invisible tiny flecks on my skin. Puhleeeeeez help me. This is SOMEthing. It's not nothing.

The World's first tooth-regrowing drug will be given to humans in September
“Well, I must say your body of work is quite impressive Dr. Branson, and we're excited for the opportunity to coordinate and collaborate with your lab.” Dr. Meyers smiled as she held out her hand to shake that of the lead researcher she was visiting. Dr. Branson returned the handshake, although she could detect a poorly-hidden nervousness beyond what she would have anticipated for a routine, if important, meeting.
“So, let's get down to brass tacks then: You've got data on the progress of your tooth-regeneration drug then?”
“Well, it's not just a drug, but more like a tuned cocktail. But yes, I've got the data here, particularly the initial animal testing we had performed to determine the beginning human dosages.” He shrugged sheepishly. “I will admit, this is my first time developing a drug all the way to clinical trials like this. My expertise is typically in handing them off well before this point, so you'll have to forgive me if I seem a bit nervous.”
Dr. Meyers fanned herself with the paper she'd printed out to read, hopefully on the Uber drive home. The summer heat in the poorly-ventilated university offices was starting to get noticeable, and she was grateful as Branson flipped on a reticulating fan stationed near the door of the small conference room he led her into.
Smiling, Branson started up the projector and loaded his presentation, saying briefly “I'll just skip past these parts. These are more for introducing our project and team to faculty administration,” he said, mashing the advance button several times until he finally stopped as an image of a white lab mouse appeared onscreen.
“We began our initial testing after computer analysis of predicted drug interactions and enhancers to determine gene regions of interest we wanted to upregulate and enhance. We knew we needed to shift to animal models almost immediately to begin identifying which drug cocktails had the highest effectiveness.”
For the first time since learning of the project and joining the group, Meyers could feel a shadow of doubt flicker across her mind. She did her best not to treat her colleague like a graduate student she was grilling for a doctoral defense, but rather give him the honest question she had.
“Branson, there are many different animal models to choose from, but rodents have a markedly-different dental growth pattern and morphology than humans. Was that considered in choosing them?”
“We knew animal models might prove imperfect, and knew it was a risk, but the issue was that the data we were working from was incomplete in terms of what treatments would produce what effects and in what ratios. We had plenty of petri-dish examples of what kind of cocktails best encouraged growth of bone or enamel individually, but ensuring that our data was identifying a candidate that produced both and without an inordinate-impact on morphology was what caused us to need to go into animal models shooting blind.”
She now saw why some colleagues had expressed surprise that she was going to be working with Branson’s lab. Dr. Branson, for his part, appeared not not too perturbed by Dr. Meyers’s concerns.
“While we would normally have significant issues in dental comparisons using an unmodified wild-type mouse, we actually have been using a specific variant that was bred to study human dental bone disease. Specifically, it's chimeric for human dentition and approximate structure.”
“I'm sorry, what?”
“It might be easier if I show you,” he said, clicking to the next slide. There, Dr. Meyers could feel an involuntary shudder as she saw a dissected mouse skull, showing that rather than the smaller side teeth and the two large characteristic incisors in the front, instead there was a haphazard semicircle of tiny little teeth. Some were canines, other human-style incisors, and yet more looked like miniature human molars. It resembled a hodge-podge attempt to mimic a human mouth and teeth by someone who was working with magazine cutouts of each tooth and a shaking and unsteady hand.
“It’s not perfect, of course, but genetically we found it to be quite consistent with performance and expression in human mouths. So yes, while we are starting with a bit of a blind shot in the dark, it's far less than you might expect.”
Dr. Meyers was still unsettled by the appearance of a human mouth inside a tiny mouse head, and tried and failed to not imagine the tiny mouth smiling, a horrific Photoshop come to life.
“Additionally,” he said, “It still retains quite a bit of plasticity and resilience to aberrant dental configurations, thanks to the already quite durable nature of the native mouse mouth structure.”
“Meaning?” asked Dr. Meyers.
“Meaning that despite fewer successes than we had initially hoped for, the survival rate of the mice is almost 100%, barring a few edge cases. Almost all the mice you see here are ones we still have and keep under study, even if their specific cocktail treatments proved to be failures.”
She leaned back, and finally starting to barely get used to the idea of weird little human mouths in tiny mice. “Might as well show me what you 've been able to produce so far.”
“Certainly,” said Dr. Branson, smiling as he advanced to the next section. “So to begin with, we had to determine the best administration route.”
“Oh,” said Dr. Meyers. “Wouldn’t intravenous be the preferred method this early in testing?”
“Well, we weren't sure on the uptake rate, so we decided to do the initial tests with groups given it both intravenously or orally. The drug is GI-tract stable.”
“That's good,” said Dr. Meyers, “But I'm also getting a distinct feeling there's a ‘But’?”
“Unfortunately, it appears the drugs are locally reactive,” he said. “While the mice may have robust and resilient to disruptions to their mouth structure, they had significantly less robustness for their vascular and gastrointestinal structures.”
He advanced the slide again, and Dr. Meyers could feel a bit of bile rising the back of her throat upon seeing the dissections of the unfortunate deceased mice. THere were tiny circulatory systems covered with hundreds or maybe even thousands of tiny tiny teeth lining the inside of the veins and arteries. For the ones that had the oral administration, these instead showed teeth coating the throat and stomach lining, and leading into and part way down the intestinal tract.
“Suffice to say all subsequent treatments were directly topical, and I'm pleased to announce we had no further mice that passed away due to the treatments.”
Dr. Meyers nodded slowly as he advanced a slide into the next section. “The first challenge after that was figuring out the specific cocktail ratio controlling dentical scale.”
“Scale?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Wouldn't that be inherently controlled by the phenotypic expression?”
“Well, normally and unaltered, yes,” said Dr. Branson, “But in this case, the cocktail is capable of overriding that, as we found out with these subjects. The two most extreme examples are shown here.”
The slides revealed a mouse with an open mouth and Dr. Meyers stared in amazement as she could see that the image revealed the mouse had only two teeth: enormous molars, one for each jaw, that effectively spanned the entire width and breadth of the roof and base of the mouth. “There were some hindrance issues related to the tongue and its proper development here,” said Dr. Branson, “But we felt this was at least a marked step in the right direction compared to the non-topical applications.”
The other picture showed a mouse with an open mouth that at first appeared just simply have white gums.Then the picture changed again, to show a confocal microscope view zooming in to reveal thousands of teeth and teeth-like structures dotting it like sandpaper.
“A little bit of figuring for the exact ratios and the proportions, and we were capable of hitting the scalar value almost exactly,” said Dr. Branson eagerly. “However, that also led to the next issue, which was that of frequency.”
Dr. Meyers watched with rapt attention and no small amount of uncomfortable nausea as the two extreme examples were displayed onscreen. This time, it was a picture of a mouse but with healthy pink gums this time, with a single white speck of a tooth on both jaws.
The opposite picture, though, was something more akin to what she had seen on sharks: three or four rows of normally sized and healthy teeth, but growing almost like waves, and filling the mouth.
“I'm assuming you were able to refine this aspect as well?”
Branson nodded. “It's a bit of a fine art, as the scalar value especially depended on the size of the body morphology it was being applied to, but yes, we were able to refine both of these and produce this instead.”
With a flourish, the slide deck clicked forward, now showing a side-by-side comparison according to the labels on the images. One was an unaltered mouse, still with the eerily-human-like dental structure, but next to it was what appeared to be an identical mouse jaw but this time labeled as being one in which the medication was being unapplied.
“That is outstanding,” she said, squinting closely. “While I'm not familiar with the nuances of that mouse model, to my eye that looks like a perfect match.”
Branson beamed and said “That was our thought, too. With this, we finally have a dosage and proportion for the cocktail, and I believe it is ready to advance to human trials.”
Dr. Meyers nodded, but this time with slight hesitation. “You've done some outstanding work here, but again I'm reminded that this is an artificially-made mouse model, a chimera with multiple sets of conflicting genetic instructions that might impact and skew your clinical outcomes. Have you tried this formulation on a wild-type mouse, with no dental modifications?”
Branson hesitated. “Not yet, but I believe my postdoc is actually performing that test as we speak. Would you like to come observe? The regeneration process takes less than an hour in most cases.”
Dr. Meyers couldn't resist her eagerness as she agreed, and followed Branson out down the hallway and into their lab proper. The smell of the mouse kennels was noticeable, but not as strong as she'd seen at some labs, and she commented as much to Branson, complimenting the cleanliness of his animal care. He accepted it graciously, saying “Oof course. I know it's uncommon to have such aggressive and early treatments in animal models, and so we wanted to make additionally sure we gave them the best possible conditions given those restrictions.”
After dawning a lab coat and PPE, Meyers followed Branson into a sterile treatment area. The post doc was already working in the hood and had the plastic mouse kennel ready.
Sticking the mouse in what almost look like an icing bag, they carefully opened the creature’s jaws and, dabbing a sterile swab into the end of an open-top container, smeared the colorful pink liquid on the creature's gums.
The mouse wiggled, and managed to catch the swab against the edge of its nose before the postdoc had pulled it back. As Dr. Meyers watched, she could see as the pink gums of the mouse soon began to sparkle with little white specks that quickly grew into comparatively-full-size mouse teeth, including a pair of distinctive incisors in the front.
There were also an unfortunate set of lumpy molars growing on the spots that had touched the end of the nose, but Branson smiled broadly, saying “There's some concerns we have about non-target application, but with the proper precautions and a more calm and willing patient, the the cocktail should be perfectly effective.”
“I would still be concerned about what safety-proofing measures you end up using,” said Dr. Meyers with some hesitation. “After all, I think people would be unpleasantly surprised if their dog got a hold of a foil tube, chewed it up, and then suddenly came out looking like something out of a dentist's nightmare.”
Dr. Branson nodded, but even Dr. Meyers had to admit that these were impressive results, and very promising. “Your sponsors are going to be quite pleased with this progress,” she said. “Are they here now?”
“They mostly have been supplying funds for us, but they've expressed keen interest in the success of this operation. The funding has been impressive, to say the least.”
Meyers nodded, feeling slightly jealous and wondering idly who would have deep-enough pockets to effortlessly finance such a line of research.
Stepping back from the scrying pool, Glimmer and Squeak both looked at each other, eyes wide as the mouse with a mouthful of human teeth faded from the glowing basin, replaced by the swirls of magical chaos. Their wings were buzzing with excitement.
“You’re telling me it was this easy the whole time?” Glimmer squealed with delight.
“Well, not exactly,” said Squeak. “They've only had this sort of technology for the last decade or so. Still, I think this was worth diverting the payments for a few hundred million children's teeth in the short term, in exchange for such long-term gains.”
“We're about to become the most influential and powerful fairies to ever to grace the Court of Bones! After all, who would deny us when we can create more teeth than even the most famished fairy could ever dream of eating?”

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DAY: May 27 2024
5-27-2024

THE CASE FOR OMEGA-3 SUPPLEMENTATION TO LOWER AGGRESSION

People who regularly eat fish or take fish oil supplements are getting omega-3 fatty acids, which play a critical role in brain function. Research has long shown a basis in the brain for aggressive and violent behavior, and that poor nutrition is a risk factor for behavior problems. Penn neurocriminologist Adrian Raine has for years been studying whether omega-3 supplementation could therefore reduce aggressive behavior, publishing five randomized controlled trials from different countries. He found significant effects but wanted to know whether these findings extended beyond his laboratory.
5-27-2024

WHAT ARE ALTERNATIVES TO OZEMPIC AND WEGOVY AND ARE THEY SAFE?

With summer around the corner, telehealth outlets and medical spas are going into hyperdrive advertising the sale of semaglutide, the active ingredient in popular weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. Recent shortages of the brand-name drugs have opened the door to copycat versions that, while legal, also raise some concerns for consumers, says Kelly Ann Barnes, Northeastern professor of pharmacy law. The copycat drugs are made by specialized pharmacies known as compounding pharmacies, which are allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to make off-label
5-27-2024

FIVE BASIC HABITS MAY HOLD THE KEY TO GOOD MENTAL HEALTH

Professor Nick Titov’s professional goal is to make himself redundant. he wants to empower more people with mild to moderate anxiety and depression to understand what they can do each day to care for their mental health. As part of this mission, Professor Titov and his team developed The Big 5, an evidence-based program encouraging five broad types of activities that are strongly linked with good mental health when performed regularly. Everyone’s
5-27-2024

COVID-19 FORECASTING TOOL ALLOWED HOSPITAL TO MANAGE PATIENT CAPACITY, RESOURCES AMID PANDEMIC’S THIRD WAVE

During the peak of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the health-care system’s capacity was stretched and hospitals across Canada relied on each other to share resources and provide care. Experts from
5-27-2024

RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY IMMUNE DYSFUNCTION AS A POSSIBLE ASPECT OF POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME PATHOLOGY

The peripubertal DHT-induced mouse model is a non-obese but insulin-resistant model of PCOS. a) Experimental design. b) Fat mass. c) Insulin levels at baseline and 15 min following glucose administration. d) Blood glucose levels during oGTT. e) HOMA-IR, calculated from fasted glucose and insulin levels. f) Glycosylated hemoglobin levels (HbA1c). A new study shows that hyperandrogenism—a key characteristic of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)—affects immune cell populations in reproductive, metabolic and immunological tissues in a PCOS-like mouse model. These findings are of great importance as
5-27-2024

RESEARCH IDENTIFIES BRAIN NETWORK LINK TO STUTTERING

Common acquired neurogenic stuttering network. Common areas that were sensitive and specific across both neurogenic stuttering cohorts. Amy = amygdala; ASt = amygdalostriatal transition area; Cl = claustrum; Pall = Pallidum; Put = putamen. A new study published in the journal Brain has identified a specific brain network hub that plays a key role in stuttering. The research, by Te Whare W?nanga o Waitaha University of Canterbury (UC) Associate Professor Catherine Theys, examines two different types of stuttering—developmental and acquired—to show a clear neural
5-27-2024

THYROID DISEASE ISN’T THE END FOR YOUR CAREER PROSPECTS, REPORT FINDS

How employers behave toward workers experiencing thyroid dysfunction could play a critical part in addressing the UK’s labor market challenges. With long-term sickness on the rise in the UK, researchers at the University of Aberdeen Business School have marked World Thyroid Day (May 25) by releasing new findings which, for the first time, explore the relationship between employer sympathy and the labor market prospects of people with thyroid conditions. One in 20 people in the UK have a thyroid problem, with a significant majority of sufferers being women. Posing serious
5-27-2024

STUDY FINDS HIGH-INCOME EARNERS AT LOWER RISK OF DYING FROM STROKE

High-income earners have a 32% lower risk of dying after a stroke compared to low-income earners. The equivalent for high education is 26% lower risk. The differences in stroke survival linked to socioeconomics are striking, according to a study at the University of Gothenburg.
5-27-2024

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COULD ALLEVIATE LONELINESS, SAYS EXPERT

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology could offer companionship to lonely people amid an international epidemic of loneliness, says a robotics expert. Tony Prescott, a professor of cognitive robotics at the University of Sheffield, argues in his new book “The Psychology of Artificial Intelligence” that “relationships with AIs could support people” with forms of social interaction. Loneliness has been found to seriously impair human health, and Professor Prescott makes a case that advances in AI technology could offer a partial solution. He argues that people can spiral into loneliness, becoming
5-27-2024

ALZHEIMER’S REPORT HIGHLIGHTS IMMENSE CAREGIVER BURDEN—AND POTENTIAL WAYS FORWARD

Some 7 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s, and about 11 million provide unpaid care for them. Dementia caregiving can present unique challenges, including financial burdens and time constraints, as well as health complications. A report this year from the Alzheimer’s Association demonstrates the true cost of caregiving for those with the disease and calls to establish dementia care navigation throughout the U.S. to lift this burden. Not only is the estimated value of unpaid care near $14 billion in Pennsylvania alone, the report also revealed emotional and physical tolls. Nearly
5-27-2024

US FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION APPROVES ARTIFICIAL PANCREAS SYSTEM

An artificial pancreas developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge has been granted approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use by individuals with type 1 diabetes aged 2 and older, including during pregnancy. This means that even more people living with the disease will be able to use this life-changing app. For the first time, the FDA authorized the use of the artificial pancreas system in pregnancy. CamAPS FX, produced by Cambridge spinout company CamDiab, is an Android app that can
5-27-2024

RESEARCH SAYS POMEGRANATES COULD OFFER A SOLUTION TO FATTY LIVER DISEASE

Researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) are investigating the effects ellagic acid, an antioxidant found in some fruits and vegetables, could have on halting and potentially reversing the damage caused by fatty liver disease. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the physiological manifestation of obesity in the liver. The prevalence of NAFLD has increased from 25.24% in 2015 to 29.38% in 2021, and this condition now accounts for 45.8% of all cases of chronic-liver-disease-related deaths worldwide. There currently exists no treatment for the long-term management of NAFLD; however, dietary interventions
5-27-2024

MAGIC MUSHROOMS MAY ONE DAY TREAT ANOREXIA, BUT NOT JUST YET

Anorexia nervosa is a severe mental health disorder where people fear weight gain. Those with the disorder have distorted body image and hold rigid beliefs their body is too big. They typically manage this through restricted eating, leading to the serious medical consequences of malnutrition. Anorexia has one of the highest death rates of any mental illness. Yet there are currently no effective drug treatments and the outcomes of psychotherapy (talk therapy) are poor. So we’re desperately in need of new and improved treatments. Psilocybin, commonly known as magic mushrooms,
5-27-2024

STUDY FINDS FEEDING INFANTS PEANUT PRODUCTS PROTECTS AGAINST ALLERGY INTO ADOLESCENCE

Feeding children peanuts regularly from infancy to age five reduced the rate of peanut allergy in adolescence by 71%, even after many years when the children ate or avoided peanut as desired. The new findings provide conclusive evidence that introducing peanuts into babies’ diets early will achieve long-term prevention of peanut allergy. Lead investigator Professor Gideon Lack from King’s College London said, “Decades of advice to avoid peanuts has made parents fearful of introducing peanuts at an early age. The evidence is clear that early introduction of peanut in infancy
5-27-2024

EATING MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES MAY LEAD TO OPTIMAL SLEEP DURATION

Good health depends on a healthy diet and sufficient exercise and sleep. There are clear associations among these components; for example, good nutrition provides energy for exercise, and many people report that getting enough exercise is important to their ability to get enough sleep. So how might nutrition affect sleep? A new study looks at the connection between fruit and vegetable intake and sleep duration.
5-27-2024

MONITORING THE H5N1 AVIAN INFLUENZA, BIRD FLU, OUTBREAK

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to actively monitor the ongoing outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza, also known as bird flu, and says that the public health risk remains low. Dr. Matthew Binnicker, director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, says scientists and public health officials have known about avian influenza for decades. “What’s different today is that since 2020, we’re seeing the largest outbreak of avian influenza among wild birds, poultry and backyard bird flocks,” he says. “The virus has also been found in certain
5-27-2024

INTERNATIONAL STUDY REVEALS SURPRISING TWIST IN HOW DIABETES DRUGS HELP THE HEART

A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial has revealed surprising new insights into how SGLT2 inhibitor drugs, originally developed for diabetes, benefit patients with heart failure. Contrary to common assumptions, these drugs may improve cardiac outcomes and heart health without acting as diuretics. Heart failure is a condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s demands, often leading to fluid
5-27-2024

FIRST SEIZURE CLINICS REDUCE THE NEED FOR FUTURE HEALTH CARE, RESEARCHERS FIND

Clinics specializing in first seizures reduce the need for patients to present at emergency departments or be admitted to hospital later, Monash University-led research has found. Timely attendance, particularly within 14 days of the seizure, was associated with reduced subsequent all-cause emergency presentations and all-cause hospital admission. Later hospital admissions were reduced by about 25%. First author Dr. Yingtong Li, an adjunct
5-27-2024

CELL-TARGETING TECHNOLOGY CAN ISOLATE NEURONAL SUBPOPULATIONS AND LINK THEM TO BEHAVIORAL STATES

As gene sequencing technologies become more powerful, our understanding of cellular diversity has grown in parallel. This led scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to
5-27-2024

WATCH OUT FOR THESE HIGH HEAT DANGER SIGNS

Climate change is pushing daytime summer temperatures higher for longer periods of time, and that can spell real danger for folks who work outside, like gardeners and landscapers. Protecting yourself in the heat and knowing the warning signs of heat-related illness is crucial, said Chris Enroth, horticulture educator at University of Illinois Extension. He should know: It happened to him. “When I was working as a landscaper, we had to sod a large backyard during a day when the temperature was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit,” Enroth said. “We were hustling
5-27-2024

STAY SAFE FROM THE SUN AND THAT BACKYARD GRILL THIS MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day means firing up that backyard grill for the season, hopefully under warm, sunny skies. You can be sure to enjoy the day without hazards by taking a few simple precautions, said Dr. Mike Ren, an associate professor of family and community medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Watch out for rising heat and humidity If Memorial day is a scorcher, hydration is key, Ren said. “A good rule of thumb is to drink water regularly throughout the day, aiming for 12 or more cups; when in
5-27-2024

HAD A JOINT REPLACED? STUDY SUGGESTS INFECTION RISK MAY RISE AFTER CHEMOTHERAPY

If you’re one of the millions of Americans walking around with a new knee or hip, your odds for an infection in that joint rise if you ever have to undergo cancer chemotherapy, researchers report. “Given the number of people of receiving total joint replacements each year, as well as the cost both physically, emotionally and financially for those who develop an infection and may need subsequent treatment, we need to understand what factors may increase the risk for postoperative infections,” said study author Dr. Janet Conway. She’s an orthopedic
5-27-2024

ANTIHYPERTENSIVES LINKED TO ECZEMATOUS DERMATITIS IN SENIORS, STUDY FINDS

Antihypertensive drugs are associated with an increased risk for eczematous dermatitis in older adults, and the effect sizes are largest for diuretics and calcium channel blockers, whether antihypertensive drug use is associated with eczematous dermatitis in a longitudinal cohort study of individuals aged 60 years and older without eczematous dermatitis at baseline. The researchers found that the overall prevalence of eczematous dermatitis was 6.7% among 1,561,358
5-27-2024

RESEARCH INDICATES KIDNEYS FROM DECEASED DONORS WHO WERE ON DIALYSIS ARE SUBOPTIMAL

Receipt of a kidney from a deceased donor who underwent dialysis is associated with an increased incidence of delayed graft function, compared outcomes of transplant recipients who received kidneys from deceased donors who underwent dialysis prior to kidney donation versus recipients of kidneys from deceased donors who did not undergo dialysis in a retrospective cohort study using data from 58 U.S. organ procurement organizations. Among the donors with
5-27-2024

NEW THERAPY PROVEN EFFECTIVE AGAINST REJECTION IN KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is one of the most common causes of kidney transplant failure. To date, however, no treatment has proven effective in combating this complication in the long term. As part of an international and multidisciplinary clinical study led by Georg Böhmig and Katharina Mayer, Clinical Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Department of Medicine III at MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna, a new therapeutic principle in transplant medicine has been found to be both safe and highly effective. The results were recently published in the New England Journal
5-27-2024

SHARJAH UNIVERSITY PATENTS APPLICATION FOR DISTANCE COVID-19 DIAGNOSIS

Smart Identification of Health Status based on QR Code and User Health Data. Credit: author’s own creation The University of Sharjah has been granted a patent for inventing a smart gadget with the ability to filter user information that will allow doctors to diagnose COVID-19 and other ailments from a distance. The patent, granted by United States Patent and Trademark Office on 1 August 2023, comprises “a display unit, a color code detection unit, an image filter, an optical character recognition unit, a code detection unit and an elimination unit,”
5-27-2024

STUDY REVEALS WHERE DELAYS ARE WORST

When it comes to responding to a stroke, speed is a crucial factor; the longer it takes for someone experiencing a stroke to get to a hospital, the worse the outcome will be. Yet across the United States, delays to treatment can be significant. A Yale study uncovers new insights into factors associated with treatment delays and where in the United States patients are more likely to experience slower responses. The findings, which were published May 24 in the journal Stroke, highlight where interventions should

NEW STUDY SHOWS HEAT WAVES INCREASE RISK OF PRETERM, EARLY-TERM BIRTH

The increased frequency and intensity of heat waves due to climate change puts women at a higher risk of experiencing preterm and early-term labor—jeopardizing the health and well-being of their babies. An analysis of 53 million births that occurred in the 50 most populous U.S. metropolitan areas during the 25-year period 1993–2017, showed
5-27-2024

NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES, EARPLUGS AND EARMUFFS—DO THEY REALLY HELP NEURODIVERGENT PEOPLE?

Noise can make it hard to concentrate, especially for people who are extra sensitive to it. Neurodivergent people (such as those who are autistic or have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder—ADHD) can experience different sensory sensitivities. Their nervous system may process information differently when they are exposed to sensory experiences such as bright lights, loud noise, strong smells or busy environments. Decreased sound tolerance is estimated to affect up to 70% of autistic people and is described in three ways: hyperacusis (perceiving everyday sounds as loud or painful), misophonia (an aversion to
5-27-2024

MASSACHUSETTS SHELLS OUT NEARLY $400,000 FOR VACCINE RECORD CHECKS IN STATE-RUN SHELTERS

State officials have pumped nearly $400,000 into a program to review the vaccine records of families entering the emergency shelter system, including migrants from other countries who may have foreign documentation, according to the Healey administration. Officials at Boston-based John Snow, Inc., which has long worked with the state, have been contracted to review immunization documents. Since January, more than 1,200 children in state-run shelters have had their records checked, according to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, or HHS. Vaccine record checks have occurred since September 2023
5-27-2024

LAWSUIT ACCUSES FLORIDA’S PALM BEACH COUNTY HOSPITAL NETWORK OF SHARING PATIENTS’ PRIVATE DATA

The Palm Beach Health Network has become the latest health provider accused of illegally sharing identities and private health information of its patients with the social media company Meta, owner of Facebook. A lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in West Palm Beach says the health network’s websites share code with Meta that enables patients to be targeted with advertising on Facebook based on “highly sensitive personal information” they share. It names as defendants the Palm Beach Health Network Physicians Group, doing business as Palm Beach Health Network, and
5-27-2024

CAN THE PLACEMENT OF DENTAL IMPLANTS IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER PATIENTS BE DONE BEFORE RADIATION THERAPY?

Globally, head and neck cancer accounts for 5% of all cancer types, with a mortality rate of 50%. However, in the Nordic countries, head and neck cancer accounts for only 2.6% of all cancers, with a mortality rate of just 30%. But more survivors mean that many must live with extensive damage and side effects
5-27-2024

STUDY FINDS CLIMATE CHANGE INCREASES RISK OF CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS OUTBREAKS IN NEW ZEALAND

More cryptosporidiosis outbreaks could be on the cards for Aotearoa New Zealand as extreme rainfall events become more frequent, causing higher levels of the diarrhea-causing parasite to be washed into waterways, public health researchers warn. The researchers studied clusters of cryptosporidium outbreaks around the country between 1997 and 2015 and found 13 coincided with severe weather events. Their research is published in the journal Epidemiology & Infection. It is the first study to compare clusters of outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis to severe weather events in Aotearoa.
5-27-2024

RESEARCHERS EVALUATE IMPACT OF NEW FILM’S MESSAGE ON CHILDREN’S AND ADULTS’ BODY IMAGE, SELF-COMPASSION

Unrealistic expectations about what our bodies should look like—whether from the media, friends or family—make adults and children of all ages more vulnerable to body dissatisfaction, eating disorders and other mental health challenges. In a new study published in Body Image, Flinders University experts assessing the program’s usefulness in classrooms highlight the potential for the film “Embrace Kids,” directed by 2023 Australian of the Year Taryn Brumfitt, to achieve large-scale improvements in body image
5-27-2024

STUDY FINDS INCREASED SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AMONG ADOLESCENTS EXPOSED TO EARLY PHASE OF WAR IN UKRAINE

Data Collection in the War-Affected Donetsk Region and Non-War Kirovograd Region. A new study carried out by a multinational research group showed high levels of suicidal thoughts and attempts in adolescents, which were strongly associated with wartime traumatic experiences, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. Dr. Sanju Silwal from the Research Center for Child Psychiatry in the University of Turku, Finland, one of the lead authors, says that the study was conducted in two regions that
5-27-2024

STUDY FINDS SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES IN THE DELIVERY OF CANCER-RELATED CARE

It’s important to ensure that care provided at US hospitals that predominantly serve Black and Hispanic populations is as high-quality as the care provided at other US hospitals. New research reveals significant disparities in the delivery of cancer-related care at minority serving hospitals (MSHs) compared with non-MSHs, however. The findings are published in Cancer. For the study, investigators analyzed information from the National Cancer Database (which accrues approximately 70% of US cancer diagnoses) to identify patients eligible for definitive treatment for breast, prostate, non-small cell lung, and colon cancers between
5-27-2024

WHO SEEKS $7 BN WITH FUND-RAISING REVAMP

The World Health Organization launched Sunday a new financing mechanism that aims to raise $7 billion of funds that can be deployed more quickly and flexibly. The UN agency has traditionally relied on commitments from its 194 member states, but often these are apportioned to specific projects with several conditions attached, including deadlines that can prove too short. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said commitment increases would contribute $4 billion to the agency’s budget of $11.1 billion over the four years through 2028. “The Investment Round aims to mobilize the
5-27-2024

SECOND PERSON DIES OF CHOLERA ON FRENCH ISLAND OF MAYOTTE

Scanning electron microscope image of Vibrio cholerae. Credit: Wikipedia A 62-year-old woman has died of cholera in Mayotte, bringing to two the death toll from the epidemic on the French island in the Indian Ocean, health authorities said on Sunday. The woman died on Saturday at her home in Mamoudzou, the capital, the ARS health authority said in a statement. “Response teams went to the scene to disinfect the home and take care of the deceased’s family and friends”, the statement added. In May, the disease claimed its first life
5-27-2024

ALTERING CELLULAR INTERACTIONS AROUND AMYLOID PLAQUES MAY OFFER NOVEL ALZHEIMER’S TREATMENT STRATEGIES

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have made a significant breakthrough in Alzheimer’s disease research by identifying a novel way to potentially slow down or even halt disease progression. The study, which focuses on the role of reactive astrocytes and the plexin-B1 protein in Alzheimer’s pathophysiology, provides crucial insights into brain
5-27-2024

BRAIN DAMAGE STUDY REVEALS PART OF THE BRAIN NECESSARY FOR HELPING OTHERS

Our willingness to help others is governed by a specific brain region pinpointed by researchers in a study of patients with brain damage to that region. Learning about where in the brain “helping” decisions are made is important for understanding how people might be motivated to tackle large global challenges, such as climate change, infectious disease and international conflict. It is also essential for finding new approaches to treating disorders of social interactions. The study, published in Nature Human Behaviour, was carried out by researchers at the University of Birmingham
5-27-2024

IMPROVING AI LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS HELPS THEM BETTER ALIGN WITH HUMAN BRAIN ACTIVITY

NSP as a computational account of discourse comprehension. (A) Humans integrate words and sentences to achieve a full understanding of discourse. In LLMs, the NSP task proposed by BERT can serve as a computational account of human discourse comprehension. (B) Illustration of the MLM task. (C) Illustration of the NSP task and its relevance to the Mason and Just model. (D) Illustration of Mason and Just’s neurocognitive model of discourse processing. Credit: Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn7744 With generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) transforming the social interaction landscape in recent years,
5-27-2024

STUDY EXAMINES METABOLIC REPROGRAMMING OF BREAST CANCER TUMORS DURING NEOADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY

In a study published in Nature Communications, scientists have made significant strides in understanding the complex interplay between the immune system and cancer metabolism in breast cancer treatment. The research
5-27-2024

RESEARCHERS EXAMINE EVIDENCE FOR A NOVEL NEURONAL MECHANISM DRIVING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

An international team of clinicians and neuroscientists have published a new perspective on the process of neurodegeneration. Their findings review evidence for a mechanism upstream of amyloid including the key neurochemical driving this process. The paper, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, focuses on a selective group of neurons (“the isodendritic core”). These cells have a different provenance from neurons in the rest of the brain and have previously been identified as primarily
The research, by a team from Finland’s University of Helsinki, National Institute for Health and Welfare, and Turku University of Applied Sciences, is published in
5-27-2024

WHO CHIEF URGES COUNTRIES TO QUICKLY SEAL PANDEMIC DEAL

WHO countries have spent two years seeking an agreement on tackling pandemics. The World Health Organization chief on Monday urged countries to nail down a landmark global agreement on handling of future pandemics after they missed a hard deadline. Scarred by COVID-19—which killed millions, shredded economies and crippled health systems—nations have spent two years trying to forge binding commitments on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. Negotiators failed to clinch a deal ahead of this week’s World Health Assembly—the annual gathering of WHO’s 194 member states—the deadline for concluding the talks.
5-27-2024

STUDY DEMONSTRATES HOW GUT MICROBES PROCESS STEROIDS—USING FLATULENCE

It turns out flatulence can serve a purpose beyond being uncomfortable or funny: Gas released by some gut bacteria stimulates other gut bacteria to produce a hormone involved in pregnancy and in an FDA-approved treatment for postpartum depression, according to new research led by Harvard Medical School scientists. The work shows how gut bacteria can produce new hormones from steroids in bile and, in doing so, act like an endocrine organ. This research adds to the growing list of ways gut microbiota may influence human
5-27-2024

PHYSICAL FRAILTY MAY PUT PEOPLE AT GREATER RISK OF DEPRESSION, STUDY FINDS

Individuals who meet at least one of the criteria for physical frailty are at higher risk of also developing depression, a new Yale study finds. The findings—which also include insights into the specific inflammatory molecules and changes in brain structure that could underlie this association between frailty and depression—point to a need for routine assessment of physical frailty in clinical practice, researchers said. The study was published May 23 in Nature Communications. In clinical settings, physical
5-27-2024

RESEARCH TEAM RESOLVES STRUCTURE OF CRUCIAL ENZYME FOR THE FIRST TIME

For the first time, a team co-led by CHU Sainte-Justine researcher and professor in the Faculty of Medicine at Université de Montréal, Alexey Pshezhetsky has succeeded in resolving the unique structure of the HGSNAT enzyme, a deficiency of which causes Sanfilippo syndrome, a rare pediatric disease affecting the central nervous system. Through collaboration with a team from Shanghai University, the structure of this enzyme and the mechanism of its function were revealed using high-performance

Hi, just received this medical report today, could someone explain this to me please? Im due to a GI again in a few days but would appreciate some help beforehand. Thanks! ☺️