#Cord Newman

[marvelstars]

VADER´S DREAM

Kirk Reinert's painting titled: Vader's Dream- A Visitation from Padme

"I will safe keep your good heart, Dear One, until you are ready for its return."

Kirk Reinert was personally chosen by George Lucas to participate in the 'Star Wars Art: Visions' project. The basic idea that George had was to create an interpretative art project that would bring together a variety of artists from different disciplines, all of whom would do their own vision of Star Wars. The artists would be free to create whatever they wanted as long as it was in the spirit of the movies.

Star Wars Art: Visions was published by Abrams & released Nov. 2010. There is also talk of a possible exhibition tour of this collection. Lucasfilm is donating their book royalties to Paul Newman's 'Hole in the Wall Gang' Camp Charity.

Kirk's comments: I wanted the general nature of this dream scene to feel very organic and human, as opposed to Vader's real-life loss of humanity, both physically and spiritually. Vader is dreaming of himself as Anakin, a fallen knight, in the arms of Padme, who has visited this dream with a purpose and a message. There is an island of peace here, but also the feeling of unease and impending doom on the horizon. The dark side, sensing the presence and threat of the light, sends its minions to pull Anakin/Vader back into chaos and madness.

I've placed a few subconscious layers in the painting for Anakin/Vader: the mechanical and bio-mechanical umbilical cords attached from under the water; Anakin is wearing what is partially Darth Vader armor & partially Jedi Knight robes; his hands are crossed representing a prisoner, Padme is wearing the headpiece that she wore in the beginning of their relationship but she also has the plants and flowers in her hair from her funeral. Anakin never saw her funeral so he has no reference to dream these specific flowers, therefore, Padme's presence in this dream is real and not conjured from Anakin/Vader's subconscious.

...and from the art nerd in me: Padme's pose was inspired from both a 12th century woodcut of 'A Troubadour's Representation of Love' and George Frederick Watts' painting, 'Hope'. Both also share an appropriate sentiment in my painting.

[dullahandyke]

Non-ace attorney mutuals, you need to understand how foul Robin's binder is. Look at this thing.

[ID: a cropped picture of Robin Newman from Ace Attorney, focused on their chest binder. It is a brown binder which is very thin, and has many arm straps, which are attached by coiled metal cords. The binder is worn over all of their clothes. End ID]

This thing is horrific. Why is it so thin. Why the arm straps. Why is it outside their clothes. Why does the leather audibly strain and creak in-game whenever they move. Capcom answer my questions

[probably-a-plant-thing]

They're a ten, but... (Tag game)

tagged by @bluecoolr-main, @the-pinstriped-hood, and @devil-doll13 and probably more people

I did only like... 10 of my lil guys so lemme know if I should do more, ig?

Skulk - They're a ten, but he disappears for days without warning

Marshall: He's a ten, but he's never going to settle down

Matthew: He's a ten, but he's very caught up on the past

Nex: He's a ten, but he's scared of commitment

Catboy: They're a ten, but they post about 85% of their life

Rylan: He's a ten, but he'll run over your pet

Newman: He's a ten, but he won't sleep until he's plagued by visions instead of cords

Sebastian: She's a ten, but she'll wipe out a city with plague for funsies

OMA: It's a ten, but it doesn't understand personal space

John: He's a ten, but he's a cop

tagging @madbadash because she's a bestie and anyone else can do it if they want lol. @ everyone on this bitch.

[certaincircuitsmagazine]

L-R: Rachel Blythe Udell, Jenna McGraw, Suki Valentine, Ash Garner - THECOLORG, Phillip Chang & Paul Vo, Jamie Campbell, Joanna Fulginiti,  May Maani

Cherry Street Pier Resident Bonnie MacAllister (Studio 16) juried an open call to find fellow Philly artists working in non-traditional fibers.  Phantastic Phibers creates an atmosphere of industrial, fiber optic, hyperbolic, puppetry, soft sculpture, no waste weaving,  and non traditional textiles.  The exhibition  transports the pier into a nautilus full of suspended materials including recycled electronics and bicycle parts, a nine foot tunnel, a series of birds, a cursed sweater, a quilt poem, enormous weavings, a tower of electrical cord baskets, giant fish, deconstructed silks, and sea monsters.  Two and three dimensional work will fill the gallery space and second floor.

The exhibition showcases collaborative pieces from Phillip Chang and Paul Vo, May Maani and Chris Lau, Rachel Udell and Jeremy Newman, Bonnie MacAllister and Ndokaa Bundu, and MacAllister and Jamie Campbell as well as work from Joanna Fulginiti,

Suki Valentine, Aja Beech, Bennett Cafarelli, Kristina Behler, Ericha Fletcher, Caroline Maw-Deis, Jenna McGraw, Yvette Malloy-Jiggetts, Ash Garner-THECOLORG,  Jennifer Ahearn,  and Jenny Lee Maas.  

The Philadelphia Drunken Knitwits (begun in Oxford) are providing textures around the perimeter of the pier, their second large scale knitbombing installation after they covered government buildings in the UK.

The exhibition reception features video, performance,  &  fiber by the 2024 cohort  @ cherrystreetpier

[pashterlengkap]

Man dies in Ron DeSantis’ office under mysterious circumstances

Recently released police records have revealed that Peter Antonacci, a man Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) hired in 2022 to lead his so-called “elections fraud unit,” died in a hallway of DeSantis’ office in the state capitol after “abruptly” leaving a contentious meeting on September 23, 2022. His death wasn’t widely reported when it occurred, and surveillance camera footage revealed that he received no medical attention for 24 minutes after his initial collapse. It’s unclear if DeSantis attended the meeting that Antonacci had attended just before his death. No autopsy was ever performed on Antonacci, something a state medical examiner called “unusual.” Related: Ron DeSantis humiliated as 6 Florida legislators switch their endorsements to Trump The Republican primaries are not far away, and Trump’s victory seem’s all but certain. Antonacci, the state’s first director of the Office of Election Crimes and Security, attended a meeting on September 23, 2022 with 11 other individuals, including Secretary of State James “Cord” Byrd. After abruptly leaving the meeting, Antonacci collapsed, hit his head on a door, and lay dead or dying for 24 minutes in the view of a surveillance camera before anyone noticed, The Florida Bulldog reported. Get the Daily Brief The news you care about, reported on by the people who care about you: Subscribe to our Newsletter The 74-year-old man was transported to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital where a doctor concluded that he had died of a heart attack. Records from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) said that surveillance camera footage showed Antonacci exiting the conference room around 1:46 p.m., staggering forward, and then collapsing to the floor face-down. While collapsing, he hit his forehead on a door, leaving him with a small, bleeding cut. He remained motionless on the floor after falling. Around 2:10 p.m., FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass and FDLE general counsel Ryan Newman stepped outside the conference room meeting and talked for barely a minute before noticing Antonacci’s body. Glass rolled Antonacci onto his side at first and then rolled him onto his back to begin administering CPR. Glass said Antonacci’s face “was purple and blue” and said he could feel no pulse. When the people inside the conference room were told to call 911 for help, the meeting’s attendees began hiding under the room’s table, worried that an active shooter might’ve entered DeSantis’ office. However, they stopped hiding when they realized what had actually occurred. One minute later, Capitol Police officers arrived with an automated external defibrillator (AED) machine. The machine reportedly “could not produce a shock” to jumpstart Antonacci’s heart. He continued to receive CPR and breathing assistance with an artificial manual breathing unit (also called an “Ambu bag”) until he was transported to the hospital. By 2:47 p.m., a hospital doctor pronounced Antonacci dead. An unnamed state medical examiner expressed surprise to the Bulldog that an autopsy wasn’t conducted on the deceased man. “I’m wondering why he didn’t go through the medical examiner’s office seeing that he died in the governor’s office,” the examiner told the aforementioned publication. “Wouldn’t they want to do that, just to [cover their a**es]? I mean, gosh, [Gov. Lawton] Chiles died at the executive mansion [on Dec. 12, 1998] and he went through the medical examiner’s office.” News of Antonacci’s year-old death has coincided with other recent unflattering headlines for Florida’s rabidly anti-LGBTQ+ governor. Politico recently reported that his anti-vaxxer Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has been criticized for doing very little at the University of Florida while being paid a $262,000 faculty salary there. Also, Chris Jankowski, the now-former CEO of DeSantis’ Never Back Down political action committee (PAC), recently left the PAC over “significant disagreements” in the direction of DeSantis’ presidential campaign.… http://dlvr.it/SzP5Cp

[acnlexplorer-emily]

What is Plex Pass, anyway?

Hang around in cord-cutting circles long enough, and you’ll likely come across the Plex Pass subscription service.

Plex Pass can be a valuable asset if you run your own media server, but it can also be a source of confusion as Plex expands its own catalog of free streaming content. The software developer and service provider offers two distinct products—free streaming and personal media management—under a single banner. Let’s sort through the differences and clarify what a Plex Pass actually gets you.

This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best DVRs.

What is Plex?

First, a quick explainer on Plex itself.

These days, Plex is positioning itself as a source of free, ad-supported streaming content. Visit the Plex website or download Plex’s apps, and you can watch free movies, TV shows, and channels without even needing to log in.

Long before it branched into free streaming, Plex started out as a way to access your own media files across all your devices. If you have a big collection of MP3 music files or MP4 videos, for instance, Plex lets you store them on one device and stream them from anywhere you have internet access.

This element of the service is known as Plex Media Server. To use it, you must install Plex’s server software on the always-on desktop computer or compatible NAS (Network Attached Storage) box where all your files are stored. You can then download Plex’s companion apps on phones, tablets, computers, streaming boxes, smart TVs, and game consoles to access those files, either across your local Wi-Fi network or over the internet.

Plex has its own free content catalog, but you can also stream video and music files from your own personal media server.

Jared Newman / Foundry

Where does this media server content come from? That’s up to you, but it could include MP3 or FLAC file downloads; ripped CDs and DVDs; recordings from PlayOn, or (not that we condone this) straight-up video piracy via torrent sites. The moral and legal gray areas around some of this content helps explain why Plex has started emphasizing its own catalog of free, licensed programming, which doesn’t require Plex Media Server at all.

Even so, Plex continues to offer its server software to those who want to manage their own content catalogs. While Plex’s server software and most of its companion apps are free, certain media server features require a paid subscription. That’s where Plex Pass comes in.

What do you get with Plex Pass?

Being able to record broadcast TV shows using an over-the-air antenna is one of the big benefits of a Plex Pass subscription.

Jared Newman / Foundry

Plex Pass costs $5 per month, $40 per year, or $120 for a lifetime subscription, but the important thing to know is that it doesn’t provide any content. It is merely a set of extra features for media server users who plan to bring their own content to Plex.

For that use case, Plex Pass offers a handful of major benefits:

Mobile apps: Without a Plex Pass, accessing the content on your media server using an iPhone, iPad, or Android device requires a $5 in-app purchase. That purchase price is waived for Plex Pass holders. (There’s no charge to access your server on Plex’s other apps or from its website.)

OTA DVR: With a compatible TV tuner hooked up to your server, you can use an antenna to record over-the-air television broadcasts (don’t miss TechHive’s top picks in TV antennas). Plex can even detect commercial breaks and skip through them automatically. (You can stream live over-the-air broadcasts through the Plex app without a subscription, but you can’t record them.)

Plexamp: Alongside its regular apps, Plex offers a dedicated app for music playback called Plexamp, available for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux. You can use it with your personal music library or with a Tidal subscription. It’s excellent, but it requires a Plex Pass subscription.

Plexamp is a delightful app for accessing your personal music collection.

Jared Newman / Foundry

Video enhancements: For movies and shows on your media server, Plex Pass provides extra scenes, trailers, intro- and credit-skipping, and HDR-to-SDR tone mapping. (Keep in mind that you can always provide your own extra scenes and trailers if you have the requisite files.)

Music enhancements: For music files on your media server, Plex Pass can provide lyrics, intelligent cross-fades, volume leveling, and various “Sonic Analysis” features, such as the ability to create playlists based on mood.

Hardware-accelerated streaming and transcoding: If your media server device is powerful enough, Plex can tap its hardware to help with transcoding. This can make streaming run more smoothly, especially when lots of devices are playing video at the same time.

Plex Pass can fill in bonus content for movies and shows, even if you don’t have the files yourself.

Jared Newman / Foundry

Access controls: If you’re letting other people access your Plex server, a subscription lets you control which content they can see. You can invite users who have their own Plex accounts, sparing you from needing to create managed accounts for them. You can also use the Plex Dash app to easily monitor server activity from afar.

Assorted extras: Plex sometimes offers new features to Plex Pass users before rolling them out to everyone else. One example is the Discover Together feature that lets you share what you’re watching with others.

Is Plex Pass worth paying for?

If you’re just using Plex for its free catalog of ad-supported movies, shows, and channels, you don’t need Plex Pass. A subscription won’t get you any extra benefits or content beyond what’s available for free.

If you’re looking to set up a media server or an over-the-air DVR, on the other hand, Plex Pass might be worthwhile, but it’s not your only option. Here are a handful of other solutions to consider:

Channels DVR offers a more focused over-the-air DVR experience and can record from some additional sources beyond a TV antenna, though it’s pricier at $8 per month or $80 per year (there is no lifetime license on offer).

Jellyfin is a free, open-source media server solution. It’s far less polished than Plex—especially on the DVR front—but you can’t beat the price.

Emby is an alternative to Plex with similar media server features, though it requires its own subscription for the kinds of benefits you’d get with a Plex Pass.

You don’t necessarily need to run your own media server to record from a TV antenna. Check out our roundup of other over-the-air DVRs that are simpler to set up, including Tablo, AirTV, and TiVo.

You can always use Prism instead of Plexamp for a dedicated music experience on iOS, and Tautulli instead of Plex Dash to monitor server activity.

Compared to all these options, the big advantage with Plex Pass is that it pulls a wide variety of media server content into a single, polished app. It then combines that content with its own free streaming catalog, along with a nifty universal guide that helps you navigate other streaming sources. If your media consumption involves a big personal content collection, Plex is a compelling first stop.

One last word of advice: Plex occasionally offers discounts on lifetime Plex Passes; most notably around Black Friday, and sometimes during other popular sales events. If you’re not quite ready to jump into the media server fray, you can always wait for a sale before you commit.

Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter to get more streaming TV advice every Friday.

Cord Cutting, Streaming Devices, Streaming Media

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[newswireml]

Paul Newman's Buick muscle car-powered Volvo wagon up for auction#Paul #Newmans #Buick #muscle #carpowered #Volvo #wagon #auction

Attention, movie fans; you can now own Newman’s own Volvo. A 1988 Volvo 740 once-owned by legendary actor Paul Newman has been listed for sale on the Bring A Trailer auction website. However, the dark gray wagon is far from your average grocery-getter. Newman was an avid racing driver and his penchant for performance extended to his street cars. AMELIA EARHART’S ONCE-LOST 1937 CORD ADDED TO…

[brokehorrorfan]

Although Sharknado helped put the company on the map, The Asylum had been producing cheesy shark movies for several years prior. Who could forget 2-Headed Shark Attack, which premiered on Syfy in 2012?

It spawned in unlikely franchise, followed by 3-Headed Shark Attack in 2015 and 5-Headed Shark in 2017. The fourth installment, 6-Headed Shark Attack, will be released on August 28.

Mark Atkins (Battle of Los Angeles, Awaken) directs the film, which stars Brandon Auret (Elysium) and stunt performer Cord Newman. The sales art is above and the synopsis is below.

What is supposed to be a marriage boot camp on a remote island turns into the ultimate test for survival when a 6-headed shark starts attacking the beach. Trapped with minimal weapons they try to fight off the shark, but quickly discover that no one is safe in the water or on land.

[rhetthammersmithhorror]

MONSTERS | Rouse Him Not | S1E11 | 1988

[thecraggus]

6-Headed Shark Attack (2018) #SharkWeak3🦈 Review

Six times the head, one sixth of the fun. 6-Headed Shark Attack (2018) #SharkWeak3 #Review

Skulking in the shadows of the mode headline-grabbing “Sharknado” series, another franchise has been chomping its way through people’s precious time and now finds itself on its fourth instalment and sixth head. “6-Headed Shark Attack” continues the series’ strong theme of having absolutely no connection to the previous movies save for one-upping the headcount and this time our toothy terror is…

[supernerdgirl24]

So I made this. And I won't be apologizing for it.

[diceriadelluntore]

Storia Di Musica #184 - Eric Clapton - Just One Night, 1980

Due serate consecutive, il 3 e il 4 dicembre del 1979. Nello stupendo scenario del Nippon Budokan, il meraviglioso complesso costruito per le Olimpiadi del 1964 e diventato il regno delle arti marziali, anche nell’edizione di Tokyo 2020. Ma anche uno dei teatri più magici per i concerti, con decine di dischi registrati nella sala più grande del complesso, un gioiello di acustica da 14 mila posti. In quelle serate del dicembre 1979, uno dei miti del rock è in tour dopo l’uscita del suo ultimo disco, Backless, con una nuova formazione ad accompagnarlo. Quel mito è Eric Clapton. Quello è un periodo di ennesima rinascita per Slowhand (nomignolo che non ha nulla a che fare con la sua velocità di esecuzione delle note, che chiunque lo abbia mai sentito in uno dei suoi capolavori potrebbe capire al volo, ma per la maniacale cura con cui accordava le corde delle sue chitarre): dopo l’ennesimo periodo di dipendenza da alcool e droga, finalmente è disintossicato, sta bene fisicamente e ha un estro creativo niente male. Per il tour di Backless mette su una nuova formazione di accompagnamento che comprende Henry Spinetti alla batteria, Dave Markee al basso e due pezzi da novanta del rock blues: Chris Stainton alle tastiere, già con Joe Cocker nel mitico Mad Dogs & Englishmen (1970) e alla chitarra ritmica Albert Lee, uno dei più sublimi e talentuosi chitarristi del country blues a livello mondiale. La scaletta che sceglie Clapton per l’esigentissimo pubblico nipponico è molto particolare: pesca pezzi minori del suo repertorio, che raramente poi entreranno nei suoi live, e una selezione accurata e particolare dalla sua infinita cantina del blues, genere che il grande Eric conosce come pochi altri. Il disco è composto da 2 Lp per un totale di 14 canzoni. Clapton suona in maniera perfetta e rilassata, accompagnata dai suoi fidati compagni, trovando in Lee la perfetta spalla per meravigliosi duelli di assoli dove i due si scambiano i ruoli tra ritmica e solista per la gioia dei fan. Si inizia con Tulsa Time, scritta per Clapton da Danny Flowers, che passa il testimone a Early In The Morning, uno dei più famosi traditional blues, reinterpretato in maniera meravigliosa da Slowhand e compari. Il lato A del primo Lp si chiude con due autografi tra i più famosi di Clapton: Lay Down Sally, scritta con Marcy Levy e George Terry, che facevano parte della precedente band di Clapton, e la toccante Wonderful Tonight, qui in una delle sue versioni più scintillanti e riuscite. Il lato B si apre con una canzone minore di Dylan, If I Don't Be There by Morning, un altro classico del blues, Worried Life Blues di Big Maceo Merriweather, qui in una sontuosa versione da 8 minuti, e due pezzi molto cari a Clapton, uno è All Our Past Times scritto con Rick Danko della The Band e poi After Midnight di J.J. Cale, già nel primo disco solista, Clapton (del 1970) e divenuta un classico dei suoi concerti. Il secondo Disco riprende la stessa organizzazione dei pezzi con prevalenza di cover: di Clapton c’è solo Blues Power, scritta con Leon Russell (sempre dal debutto solita del 1970) e poi meravigliose scelte, come Double Trouble di Otis Rush, Setting Me Up di Mark Knopfler cantata da Albert Lee, una fantastica Rambling On My Mind/Have You Ever Loved A Woman del suo maestro spirituale Robert Johnson e di Billy Myles per poi finire con due gioielli: una stupenda Cocaine, sempre di J.J Cale, uno dei pezzi clou del suo repertorio e una finale e coinvolgente Further On Up The Road, uno dei pezzi che segneranno la transizione tra il blues classico e il rock blues che tanto farà innamorare Clapton. Il disco sarà un successo di vendite e di critica e ancora oggi è considerato tra i migliori live del grande chitarrista britannico. E non posso non dedicare qualche parola sulla copertina: all’interno del disco c’era un poster disegno di un famoso artista giapponese, Ken Konno, mentre in copertina una bellissima fotografia ritrae Clapton con una Stratocaster nera, che non è una chitarra qualsiasi, ma la mitica Blackie: è la chitarra con cui ha scritto alcuni tra i suoi più grandi brani, tra cui la mitica Layla. Fu il frutto di vari pezzi presi da altre chitarre, comprate in stock a Nashville da Clapton durante un tour ad inizio del 1970. Alcune di quelle chitarre le regalò ai suoi amici George Harrison e Pete Townsend, e con i pezzi di due Strat del 1956 e del  1957 che scelse ne assemblò un modello unico, con l’aiuto del famoso liutaio Ted Newman Jones. Blackie verrà poi battuta all’asta nel 2004, per una delle Fondazioni supportate da Clapton per il recupero dei giovani da droghe e alcool, per la cifra record di 1 milione di dollari, divenendo all’epoca la chitarra più costosa del mondo. Ennesimo simbolo di uno degli artisti più iconici di tutti i tempi.

[artist-jasper-johns]

Near the Lagoon, Jasper Johns, 2002, Art Institute of Chicago: Contemporary Art

Jasper Johns has often affixed objects to the surfaces of his paintings in an ongoing search for non-illusionistic ways of mediating between the flat plane of the picture and a fully dimensional world. For his Catenary series (1997–2003), of which Near the Lagoon is the largest and last work, Johns formed catenaries—a term used to describe the curve assumed by a cord suspended freely from two points—by tacking ordinary household string to the canvas or its supports. In Near the Lagoon, the string activates and engages the abstract, collaged field of multitonal gray behind it, casting an actual shadow on the canvas, in addition to the painted ones that Johns rendered by hand; the string even creates a rut where the artist embedded it into and later pulled it out of the encaustic. Through prior gift of Muriel Kallis Newman in memory of Albert Hardy Newman Size: 300 × 198.1–214.6 (variable) × 10 cm (118 × 78–84 1/2 [variable] × 4 in.) Medium: Encaustic on canvas and wooden boards with objects

https://www.artic.edu/artworks/184095/

[thoughtportal]

U-Build is a modular construction system even completely inexperienced builders can assemble with simple hand tools. The flat-pack kit is made from CNC-cut plywood; components are slotted together like puzzle pieces using only a mallet and a drill.

By following a simple set of instructions, one or two people can build a home, a backyard studio or ADU, or even furniture. To create a frame, pieces must be assembled to create hollow boxes that stack (and bolt together) to create walls and a roof. Natural-sheep-wool insulation is pre-cut to fit the boxes. On top of a weather-proof membrane, cladding completes the buildings; this can also be pre-fabbed in wood or cork panels.

The idea to create a pre-fab building kit using boxes as the modules began with clients who wanted to self-build a modular house using shipping containers. “But we said to them, 'although it sounds cool you can't really self-build using shipping containers because you'd need a crane license, you'd need a welding license, so while it seems modular, it's really just the illusion of modular.' We said, ‘what you really want is if we could get the modules small enough that you could be building them yourself’. So with some of our contacts in the CNC world, we basically tried to find a way of making repeatable, strong structural boxes which could be like that human modular element."

The kits are designed for easy assembly and disassembly so the pieces can be reused for a new home, cabin, or piece of furniture. U-Build offers plans for tiny houses or cabins (10- 30m2/ 107- 323 sq ft) for £1000 (~$1380) per square meter. There’s a full-size house (40-150 m2) at £900 per m2 and plenty of options for garden sheds under £12,000 ($16,600). The “Barn Owl” looks like it could serve as an ADU - the photo shows a bed, kitchenette, shower, and toilet setup; it requires building 57 boxes.

Nick Newman spent the last week on-site in Sussex where a team built two cabins in seven days atop simple ground screws (instead of a concrete foundation). He walks us through what it takes to build your own home with a screwdriver and mallet (and some shims and silicone to put in the window glass; frames are included in the kit). We also visit a young couple in Somerset who built a cord-clad tiny house on wheels using a U-Build kit. It took them three months with zero building experience.

https://u-build.org/​

[dofuuu]

More info on stem cells !

Here is an additional post regarding stem cells that go a little more in-depth to help you understand regenerative medicine a bit more!

The first thing that people think of when someone mentions stem cells are stem cells that originate from human embryos (referred to hESC) which indeed have been used in research as they are able to differentiate (develop) into any cell in the body (they are pluripotent). 

A study in 2018 explored the possibility of hESC-based treatment for patients with diabetes mellitus– more specifically, to differentiate those hESC to pancreatic cells that will form functional beta cells capable of releasing insulin in response to elevated blood glucose. The results of this study have been favourable and show great promise for potential treatment of diabetes patients.

However, there has been restricted use of hESC across many countries due to the involvement of human embryos, which has raised moral concerns.

As mentioned in the previous post, there are various different types of stem cells that can be used in stem cell research, so hESC use is not the only option available; another such type of stem cell is the induced pluripotent stem cell (referred to as iPSC).

Like hESC, iPSC are pluripotent and able to differentiate to various cells in the body. But unlike hESC, iPSC are not naturally found in the body as-is, rather, they’re a result of the reprogramming of somatic (already-differentiated, from the body) cells to increase expression of specific stem cell-related genes.  Everyone’s own cells are different, so different people may respond differently when given the same drugs, which is why the use of iPSC for testing proves to be an invaluable tool for diagnostics and drug testing. Additionally, because iPSC can come from the patient’s own body, there is no risk for immune rejection following a transplantation with these reprogrammed cells.

To give an example as to how iPSC have been involved in research, a group of researchers used iPSC by differentiating them to become microglial cells (which are found in your brain and spinal cord) to help examine how these cells are like in various neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Even so, potential stem cell therapies using hESC and iPSC are not completely without challenges. Cell reprogramming for iPSC generation is not very efficient, as the process of dedifferentiating cells proves difficult, alongside the elevated expression of genes that may lead to excessive cell division. Furthermore, due to their pluripotent nature, these stem cells also may run the risk of tumour formation after being transplanted into a patient; despite this, there have been ongoing research studies to improve overcome these issues. 

For instance, with respect to reprogramming for iPSC, one research group focused on finding small molecular compounds to replace the initial method of using proteins (which are called transcription factors) to induce iPSC generation, with the goal of both shortening the amount of time needed to convert the cells to stem cells as well as reducing the likelihood of tumour formation.

In summation, our understanding of diseases and how they may be treated continue to improve as great advances have been made in stem cell research and consequently, regenerative medicine. 

Thank you so much for reading!

References:

Volarevic, V., Markovic, B.S., Gazdic, M., Volarevic, A., Jovicic, N., Arsenijevic, N., Armstrong, L., Djonov, V., Lak, M., & Stojkovic, M. (2018). Ethical and Safety Issues of Stem Cell-Based Therapy. International Journal of Medical Sciences, 15(1). 36-45. doi: 10.7150/ijms.21666

Robert, T., De Mesmaker, I., Stangé, G.M. Suenens, K.G., Ling, Z., Kroon, E.J., & Pipeleers, D.G. (2018). Functional Beta Cell Mass from Device-Encapsulated hESC-Derived Pancreatic Endoderm Achieving Metabolic Control. Stem Cell Reports, 10(3). 739-750. doi:10.1016/j.stemcr.2018.01.040

Porter, L. (2020). ESCs and the Future [PPT slides]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.uwindsor.ca/bbcswebdav/pid-1209433-dt-content-rid-13841676_1/xid-13841676_1

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[sirwillem]

Blog Response to Course Readings #1

       In a response to this week’s shared reading assignments, I am going to focus primarily on the National Writing Project’s, “Introduction: Why Digital Writing Matters.” This will be the primary focus because I feel it asks the most thought-provoking questions that need to be raised in an ever-changing world of literacy. The National Writing Project interviewed a select few digital writers and multimedia artists to find out how they would define digital writing. JodiAnn Stevenson simplified her definition to, “any writing that requires a computer to access it.” Whereas Tim Wright gave a much more in-depth definition:

A collaborative/participatory writing, hypertext writing, improvisatory ‘real time’ writing, new media writing (i.e. multimedia authorship), code poetry and programmatic writing, online role playing, journal writing/ blogging, international community building, E-learning, game playing.

As a result of these personal designations and through much consideration, I am sure, the National Writing Project concluded the definition of digital writing, “as compositions created with, and oftentimes for reading or viewing on, a computer or other device that is connected to the Internet.” So, what are the main takeaways from the NWP’s sculpted conception of digital writing? One of the most important elements to make note of is the fact that the term, “writing,” is not embedded in the organization’s description. The term they used was, “compositions.” A composition could be a work of literature that, according to the NWP, is meant to be read on a device connected to the digital web of the world. The importance of why this all matters stems from an understanding of the immediate paradigm shift the world is experiencing in terms of literature. People often fear change, especially when it forces them out of their comfort zone.

       Rapid change is happening whether people like it or not; though, this rapid change does not have to be seen as a negative impact on society. In a 2017 Forbes article, “Top Six Digital Transformation Trends in Media and Entertainment,” Daniel Newman discusses six transformation trends that are happening right in front of us, created by consumers themselves. With the emergence of streaming applications such as Netflix and Hulu, cord-cutting has forced premium satellite television companies to adapt. HBO Max is a fantastic example of this as they now have their own platform offering all content from WarnerMedia. Because streaming platforms have overpowered cable television, market advertising has undergone a dramatic transformation as well.

       Newman also mentions in his article that content is becoming more curated, artificial intelligence is progressively getting better, and viewers have multi-channel experiences. These streaming platforms incentivize their viewers to watch certain shows and movies based on their viewing history and cross examine their interests with other consumers who have viewed similar shows; this offers advertisers a chance to focus their efforts on other mediums in order to reach a larger network of consumers. Newman discusses how studies have shown that viewers are on their phones or other devices while watching shows, whether it is tweeting about a current show or browsing other social media platforms; these multi-channel experiences allow for a larger database of information to be accessed by artificial intelligence. AI is now able to formulate the data given by consumers to hone in on what appeals to market audiences.

       This seems to be a lot of information going in different directions, but digital writing is the underlying foundation of this paradigm shift the world is experiencing. Circling back to the NWP’s introduction to “Why Digital Writing Matters,” society must not only continue to ask the questions of how digital writing will shape out future, but start taking action in order to adapt to the rapid changing digital world we live in. Implementing such concepts in the education system and our daily lives is imperative to staying afloat in the world flooded with digital narratives.