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nbmsports · 2 years ago

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Despite Aspartame Warning, Beverage Companies Likely to Stick With It

About eight years ago, in response to customer concerns about possible health risks associated with the artificial sweetener aspartame, PepsiCo decided to remove the ingredient from its popular diet soda.Sales flopped. A year later, aspartame was back in Diet Pepsi.Today, the top three ingredients listed in the tiny print on the backs of cans and bottles of Diet Pepsi — and on its competitor Diet Coke — are water, caramel color and aspartame.A trip through the grocery store reveals the ingredient on the labels of not only diet sodas but also diet teas, sugar-free gums, sugar-free energy drinks and diet lemonade drink mix. By some estimates, thousands of products contain aspartame.The use of aspartame, which is often known by the brand name Equal, in food and beverage products has long been scrutinized. The latest iteration came on Thursday, when an agency of the World Health Organization declared that aspartame could possibly cause cancer and encouraged people who consume a significant number of beverages with aspartame to switch to water or other unsweetened drinks.But even with the emergence of many new artificial sweeteners, as well as those that are plant- and fruit-based, Big Food just can’t quit aspartame, and analysts don’t expect it to this time. That’s because the ingredient is one of the least expensive sugar alternatives to use, it works especially well in beverages and mixes, and people like the way it tastes.There was also pushback about the urgency of the W.H.O.’s announcement. In a quick rebuke, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it disagreed with the findings, reiterating its stance that aspartame is safe. And a second W.H.O. committee said a 150-pound person would need to drink more than a dozen cans of Diet Coke a day to exceed the safe threshold for the sweetener.“The big beverage companies have been doing contingency planning for months, experimenting with different sweeteners, with a goal of having the taste and quality of the diet beverages being as consistent as possible with existing products,” said Garrett Nelson, who covers the beverage industry at CFRA Research. But they are not likely to change the recipe unless they see a significant drop in consumer demand based on the W.H.O. report, he said.“If consumers really stop buying Diet Coke because of this report, if sales start to suffer, it might be time to go to Plan B,” Mr. Nelson said.Coca-Cola referred questions to the American Beverage Association, the lobbying arm for the industry. “Aspartame is safe,” Kevin Keane, the interim president of the organization, said in a statement.PepsiCo did not respond to questions for comment, but in an interview with Bloomberg Markets that aired on Thursday, Hugh F. Johnston, the chief financial officer of PepsiCo, said he did not expect a big consumer reaction.“I do believe that, in fact, this is not going to be a significant issue with consumers based on just the preponderance of evidence that suggests aspartame is safe,” Mr. Johnston said.The assessment of the W.H.O. agency adds to consumer confusion around aspartame, but it is also the latest in a recent spate of research focusing on the potential risks and questioning the true benefits of artificial sweeteners. Just a few weeks ago, the W.H.O. advised against using artificial sweeteners for weight control, saying a review of studies did not show long-term benefit in reducing body fat in children or adults. The review also suggested that the sweeteners were tied to an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.This year, researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill released a study that found a chemical formed after digesting another sweetener, sucralose, breaks up DNA and may contribute to health problems.For years, food and beverage companies and regulators have typically denounced research that raises questions about artificial sweeteners, broadly arguing that the studies were flawed or inconclusive or that the health risks were minuscule.“A substantial body of scientific evidence shows that low- and no-calorie sweeteners provide effective and safe options to reduce sugar and calorie consumption,” Robert Rankin, president of the Calorie Control Council, the lobbying association for manufacturers and suppliers of nearly two dozen alternative sweeteners, said in an emailed statement on Thursday.Indeed, most food and beverage companies that use aspartame are reluctant to switch partly because aspartame is less expensive than other alternatives and is 200 times as sweet as sugar, meaning a little goes a very long way.“One of the benefits of aspartame is that it’s been made for so long that manufacturers have really refined the costs and processing of it so well and they get a superior product,” said Glenn Roy, an adjunct organic chemistry professor at Vassar College who spent more than three decades working at food companies, including NutraSweet, General Foods and PepsiCo.On top of that, the F.D.A. approved aspartame in 1974, giving companies decades of data and information on what aspartame can and cannot do in products. For instance, it can enhance and extend certain fruit flavors, like cherry and orange, making it a preferred sweetener for beverages and chewing gum. But when heated, aspartame loses its sweetness, making it less desirable for baked or cooked products.Food and beverage companies are releasing new no- or low-sugar products in response to consumer demand, but many are being made with newer sweeteners, or a blend of sweeteners. Each new product undergoes a litany of sensory and flavor tests before it is released.But for products that have been around for decades, like diet sodas, loyal customers are accustomed to a specific taste, and they could be turned off by changes in ingredients, scientists warn. Source link Read the full article

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schnitzelbutterfingers · 4 years ago

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the forgotten one- chapter 2

A/N: hiya there! here is the second chapter of ‘the forgotten one’! this is also emotional, and angsty, but don’t worry. there will be some fluff in the next chapter. seb and jazmin the mother will arrive at boston. ethan’s still processing the news and he’s afraid. SO afraid. and abby... well you’ll find out!! sorry this took almost two weeks. sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? but i finally completed it!! as always, forgive me if there are any spelling mistakes or grammar errors. lmk if you want to be added or removed from the tags. enjoy!!

summary: Louise Ramsey, the mother of the famous, brilliant diagnostician Ethan Ramsey, is back into his life. However, Louise holds many secrets, dangerous secrets, that could harm him, Dr. Abigail ‘Abby’ Chacko (my MC), and the very few lives he actually cares about. It is up to Ethan, Abby, and their friends to save each other from what is about to come.

pairing(s): dr. ethan ramsey x mc (dr. abigail “abby” chacko)

warning(s): violence and blood. there might be some fluff along the way, but you get the gist. DON’T READ IF YOU”RE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH DEATH, VIOLENCE, and BLOOD.

word count: 3042

masterlist

Seb’s POV

When he saw Amma standing still, a tear tracing her cheek, it practically grieved his heart. He looked elsewhere, when his eyes landed on a picture of him and his baby sister. It was when Seb graduated from John Hopkins University at the age of 24, getting accepted to a residency program in Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was working presently. He had a bouquet in his hand, made by his sister. It was swelled with red roses, white calla lilies, and orchids. They were smiling, and Abby was lowering her lips to his cheeks, a gesture in which he adored. Merely looking at it made the running pains flow through his blood, banging at his heart.

Instantaneously, he heard a small thud. He turned around and directly perceived that it was the sound of knees, because he regarded his mother on the ground, sobbing and screaming. Amma suffered from anxiety and depression, something is being treated by Dr. Joah Jehovah, a psychologist. And it took all of his willpower to not imitate her actions.

Her sister. Stabbed. By some freak. After barely surviving the assassination attempt. He questioned God again and again as to why his baby sister should be punished like that. What did she ever do? She suffered frequently through her childhood, and she suffered just two weeks before, and now... she’s suffering again. Will she be able to endure this?

No, Seb chastises himself. Don’t think like that. She has survived worse, she’ll survive again.

After comforting Jazmin and blinking back some tears of his own, he forcibly opened his MacBook Pro and breezed through American Airlines, trying to buy the first two tickets to Boston, Massachusetts. This had been their second time flying to Boston this odd year, the first time when Abby was stuck in the contamination room.

First class seats. Like I would care at this point. They purchased economy seats out of hurry and rushed to the airport. The whole flight, Jazmin was trying to conceal her face with a crimson scarf, not presenting anyone her tears. There were two oblivious people in the front seats, laughing and smiling uncontrollably, and he desperately wanted to yell furiously at them, tell them to stop before he loses his unconscious mind. If it was possible, he would want to shout from the top of his lungs on the airplane. But that’s not fair, even to the two passengers. Because they’re really excited to see Hamilton. How did he know? They’re holding two tickets out in the open, and it wasn’t difficult for Seb to read them. Ah, the benefits of observation.

He was trying to stay strong for his mother, but a few times, he excused himself to the bathroom, where he would shed some tears, hoping, praying, for her angel sister to survive.

They landed in Boston, and when they were getting their luggage from the rack, he only saw her. And Ethan. He had no idea what Ethan was going through.

Seb and his depressed mother are now in a taxi, going to Edenbrook Hospital. The sun’s shining goldenly, a few clouds in the sky, perfect for a picnic date. Ragged tears of nervous sweat are prickling on his head even though the weather is chilly. There is snow, kids making snowmen, snow angels, snow ball fights. It reminded him of Seb’s and Abby’s childhood.

The siblings almost never had the chance to play out in the snow because Abraham and his people would whip them with a belt. Whenever their father is not there though, Amma would sneak them out and they always made the most of their time playing out in the snow. He can still remember their grins and how Abby got her first frostbite for staying outside for five hours. Eventually, Jazmin had to drag their butts back into the houses, where they shared hot cocoa. When snow was falling in her first winter in Boston, she was so excited that she called Seb to let him know. He had a small smile on his face as Abby ranted to him about what she and her roommates will do.

He can note how Amma was trying to possess a determined face. The ominous silence sounds almost deafening, Seb takes out his phone and dials Ethan’s number. Someone picks up but that someone is not Ethan. It’s Naveen.

“Naveen?! How is Abby?” Seb places the phone on speaker phone, so his mother can hear what Naveen has to say.

“Abby’s surgery was successful. The stab wound affected her liver, but Dr. Tanaka and the surgeons managed to fix it. She is now sleeping in Room 24B.” He paused for a moment. “Are you and Jazmin in Boston?”

“Yes, Naveen. We’re on a taxi heading to the hospital.”

All the while he can hear himself thanking God, the angels in heaven and all the saints for taking care of his baby angel. Jazmin is spilling joyful tears and sobbing. However, he also wants to know where he is. Where his anxious friend is. He nervously takes a deep breath and questions the senior doctor.

“...Naveen? Where is Ethan? Harper was the one on the other end the first time. At that time, I knew it was because Ethan didn’t have the strength to talk to me. Abby is alright now. Why is he not talking to me?”

There is dead silence on the other end. The only sounds he can detect are the cars on the other lane and the taxi’s radio playing I Can’t Feel My Face by The Weeknd. Wow, what a great song accompanying my mood, he thinks sarcastically. Ultimately, he hears the chief gathering a deep breath.

“Come to the hospital immediately. I will tell you what happened.”

“Okay, Naveen. Thank you.” he says as he frantic cut the call.

Seb and Jazmin share a concerned look. As they drove through Edenbrook’s main entrance, he couldn’t help but think. Whatever is happening now, it’s not good.

________________________________________________________________Ethan’s POV

Relaxation. Ease. Relief. Relief.

Relief was the word he used when his longtime mentor Naveen survived. Relief was the word he used when Abby won her hearing, an obstacle that almost stopped her from saving more patients and sufficiently advancing her career. Relief was the word he used when he saw his Rookie again after two months in the Amazon, fighting off a virus with the W.H.O. Relief was the word he used when he felt her head on his shoulder while driving her back to her shared apartment from the dinner with the governor. Relief was the word he used when he had her on the luxury yacht, distracting him from the opulence and Leland Bloom. Relief was the word he used when he passionately kissed her outside of his apartment after the softball game, the first time in a long time. Relief was the word he used when he caressed her with his lips during the Mass Kenmore heist. Relief was the word he used when he announced on national television that he wasn’t single, which somehow, didn’t make him feel anxious. Relief was the word he used when Abby overcame the toxin, which threatened to take the lives of her and Rafael, already killing Danny Cardinal and Bobby Gunderson. Relief was the word he used when they cuddled and clung fondly to each other in the ski resort, blocking the sounds of the wind rattling against the windows, a huge blizzard taking place outside. And now...

Relief was, no, is the word he is using to accurately describe how Ethan feels after his Rookie’s surgery.

He does not want to undergo that. Ever. Again.

If he ever sees Louise Ramsey in his sight, he will lose it. He will lose it. He will lose. It.

He started believing in that woman again, only to be driven back to square one. She rubbed a huge pack of salt deep into the wound in his heart. In fact, it was Abby who recommended that she should hear Louise out.

*Flashback*

Ethan can’t sleep. He tries to close his eyes, hoping that the next time he unravels them, it will be five a.m. He reveals his eyes again and groans. His clock reads 1:12 a.m.

The radiant moonlight is shining through the windows and onto his satin sheets, the sole source of light in his room.

Ever since his mother came to the ER, admitted in there for an apparent overdose, that was all he could think about. And Abby..

He shut her out. Once again. Thinking about how he slammed the on-call room door in her face made him wince with guilt. He hadn’t sighted her after that. How were they supposed to be in a relationship (are they in one?) if he keeps shutting her out again? He can’t even open up his feelings to her, the one who shared her past, her present, her deepest, darkest secrets...

Ethan instantly decides to contact her.

The phone picks up on the second ring.

“Ethan? Is everything alright?” Abby sounds awake, not tired at all. He hears papers shuffling on the other side.

“No, Rookie. I wanted to apologize for the way I acted today.”

There is a long moment of silence. “What are you talking about? What are you apologizing for?”

She sounds genuinely curious and confused, he wants to scoff at her for neglecting what happened. For not being mad at him. For not shutting him out. Just like he did many times.

“I closed the door in your face after you had attempted to console me after Louise came in the ER. It was downright impolite of me, and I am sor-” he is interrupted.

“Ethan, don’t ever be sorry for that. I understood that you needed some space. And besides, I have to admit.. if I was in your shoes, I would have done the same thing.”

She pauses for a moment, and this time he almost hears the sound of her unique heartbeat. “I will never know the pain you suffered during your childhood after knowing that your mother left you. But I do know this. I will always be there for you, Ethan Ramsey. Whether you like it or not.”

His heart swells with genuine emotions and tears starts to burn through his eyes, but he forces to flutter them away, his throat tightening.

“Abby.. I... thank you. That means a lot to me. And, for the record, I’ll always be there for you, Abigail Chacko.”

Abby laughs wholeheartedly, hearing the words she used back to her, the first pleasant sound of his whole day that makes his stomach flip.

The laughter dies down, and there is silence stretching for a long time. At the last moment, Abby promptly breaks it, a sense of relief flooding through his cells.

“...How are you, really? With everything that’s been going on with your mom, I mean.” Then, there is a painful quietness that seemed acutely uncomfortable. She breaks it again, with a gentle voice. “I’m sorry. I know how painful this situation is, and just wanted to-”

He waves off her apology with one question, a question that had been racking him for a long time. “..What would you do if you were in my shoes?”

“...What do you mean?”

“If you had a similar circumstance where someone who hurt you came back again into your life, in a long time, what would you do?”

The once visible moon is now being hidden by a cloud, showing off a little bit of brightness, as if performing an act of humility as he waits for an answer. After an eternity in what was only a few minutes, she answers.

“I would forgive them.”

Ethan isn’t genuinely shocked to hear this, but it still makes his lips slightly part. He knew Abby’s and Seb’s childhood, which, from what he undoubtedly heard, could have been more painful and terrible than his own. They got beaten up and assaulted almost every day, Seb had told him days after they became friends. So, he decides to ask this one question.

“..Why?”

“..I didn’t say I was gonna forgive them quickly, did I? It takes time for a person to truly forgive someone, and to me.. that’s okay. If they haven’t changed, I will still forgive them, but not immediately, but if they did change and they want to be a different person, then I will forgive them, no matter what they did to me.”

Ethan lets out a sigh he has been containing for a while, instantly recognizing his need for oxygen. If her father came back, as a changed man, would she forgive him? How can she do that? No, the key question is, how will she do that? Before meditating deeper into his thoughts, she disrupts him.

“Is this about your mother, Ethan?”

“..I.. I’ll admit I have been thinking about that. I also have been wondering.. I’m like my mother aren’t I?”

Bewilderment substitutes her gentle voice. “What are you talking about? You’re not like your-”

‘I push everyone away, especially you. Every time when you try to get close to me. That’s exactly what my mom did to me and my dad. She left us without a note. I left you to the Amazon with no reason as to why I did it.”

“Ethan-”

“Tell me, Abby. Tell me that you weren’t hurt by my actions and I will let this topic go.”

Another impressive silence, until he hears some cars honking on the bustling streets of Boston. And he hears her familiar voice on the other side, bringing remorse but an equivalent amount of considerable comfort in him. “..Ethan.. you may have hurt me. A lot. I’ll admit that. But you are not your mother, do you understand that?

Ethan tries to swallow a small lump in his throat. “You’ve changed. From pushing me away to letting me in. I am honored to be a part of your life in this way. And, to answer another question of yours, in my opinion, I think she really wants to change. For Mr. Ramsey and for you.”

His throat tightens again as he hears her speak once more. “It takes a lot of courage for someone to visit their family after 25 years. Maybe she does really want to change. But I’m not making any options for you. This is your choice and yours only.”

She still aids him, even though he shut her out today. She still cherishes him, even though What did I do to deserve her? he thinks.

“Ethan? Are you there?” he hears her troubled voice. He speaks to alleviate her worry.

“...Thank you. For this, I mean. For always being there for me when I need you.”

She sighs contentedly . “Ethan, I told you once before, and I’ll tell this again, until you get it in your head. I’ll. Always. Be. There. For. You. Whether you like it. Or not.”

*Back to present*

“Ethan?” He hears a familiar voice from down the hallway. Seb. Next to him is what he presumes to be Jazmin. Their eyes are pinkish, cheeks blushed and streaked with tears.

How is he going to talk to them? How is he going to talk to Seb, the one most beloved friend that he has, cares for and trusts? How is he going to talk to Jazmin? Even though they hadn’t really seen each other before, they usually communicated on the phone a lot, and she seems to be the dear mother he never had until now. And he.. he failed them.

Seb speaks up first, looking at him straight in the eye. “We know everything, Ethan. We know.”

Ethan stands there. Not moving. His face looks deathly pale as he looks at him and his mother. They.. know? But ho-

“Did Naveen have anything to do with that?” Ethan replied angrily.

The successful surgeon sighs profoundly. “Yes, he told us. But before you say anything, just hear us out, okay?”

Ethan speaks low, in a terrifying voice that makes interns want to get away from him. He cuts Seb out before he states anything. “..I’m sorry. I apologize. I really am sorry. I can’t believe that woman really put her through this, and it almost seems unbelievable. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have started to trust Louise again. And I promise you that when I get that witch in my hands, I will-”

Jazmin instantly ceases him with a raise of her hand. “Son, do you think we’re mad at you?”

The attending’s eyebrows draw together as confusion overtakes his senses. They’re not enraged at me?

She chuckles slowly, as if sensing uncertainty. “To answer to your lack of certainty, I’m not mad. I’ll never be mad at you. you are not your mother. You are not Louise Ramsey, do you understand me, young man?”

Emotions. Sentiments. They’re flying around him as she announces these words. Suddenly he recalls the similar words his Rookie said.

But you are not your mother, do you understand that?

“I..”

Seb scores him off. “Ethan, stop blaming yourself for something you didn’t do. You never made a mistake and we know you love our Angel as much as we love her.”

“I... I love her, don’t I?”

His best friend snickers. “Took you long enough.”

Next to him, Jazmin is sending the doctor a goofy smile.

Suddenly, the moment of ease was interrupted gently by Caspian, a male nurse.

“Abigail Chacko?”

Ethan almost passed out from hearing her name. To not make the moment more awkward, Seb responds for him. “We’re here for her.”

“Abby is conscious and is asking for Dr. Ramsey.”

_______________________________________________________________

Mystery Man’s POV

I walk outside of the ‘prestigious’ hospital. No one minds me. They’re absolutely that stupid, aren’t they?

Louise calls me. “I escaped. Now tell me, what should I do next for our plan to be a success?”

I respond cautiously to her with ease. “Our secret spot. I’m on my way there. Meet me at 5 A.M. Sharp.”

Louise chuckles wickedly. “Marrying you does have its perks.”

I smile wickedly. “It indeed does.” Right away, I cut the call.

________________________________________________________________

A/N 2: any idea who the mystery man is? hint: it’s not alan.

A/N 3: sorry for the cliffhanger!! i promise you that you’ll know more soon.

tags: @missmiimiie @aylamwrites @starrystarrytrouble @udishaman @caseyvalentineramsey @queencarb @choicesstan1 @newcolonies @arcticrivers @angela8756 @takemyopenheart @rookie-ramsey @ohchoices @ohvamsey @ohramsey @natureblooms24 @drariellevalentine @openheartfanfics

#pixelberry choices #choices stories you play #open heart #open heart choices #pixelberry #pixelberry open heart #ethan ramsey #playchoices #ethan x mc #ethan ramsey fanfiction #ethan ramsey x mc

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leftglitterperson · 4 years ago

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How to make your office safer for employees during Covid

As Covid completes 1.5 years around us, it has only become deadlier. According to the scientists at W.H.O, we have to learn to live with the virus for as long as it exists. The place where we spend most of our day is our workplace, which makes it very important for it to be free of viruses. Here, we are sharing a small guide on how to make your office safer for employees during Covid.

Ventilation systems: The ventilation systems on one hand provide employees with better working environments, and on the other hand, they play a significant role in spreading the virus within the office space. Poor ventilation can intensify the presence of viruses, which are airborne. To ensure safe air in the office, one should focus on ventilation, plumbing, and filtration systems that dilute, remove and filter pathogens. The faculty should also concentrate on the MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value), which should always be high.

Social distancing: Most of the companies are having their operations through work-from-home arrangement, which ensures social distancing among employees. But, not all companies can allow their employees to work remotely. Such companies should frame a policy to ensure that employees are following the social distancing norms. In addition to that, the employer should encourage virtual meetings instead of in-person meetings with clients/ customers.

Encourage Hand-wash: The employer should encourage basic hygiene and sanitization among employees. The employer can conduct a meeting about the importance of hygiene and how to wash hands properly. Other than that, it is the employer's responsibility to provide basic sanitization tools like hand sanitizer and touchless soap dispensers, and to make sure employees are washing hands frequently.

Office Cleaning: Office cleaning plays a huge role in keeping an office free from viruses. It is your commercial janitorial company’s duty to disinfect office furniture, appliances, floors, doors & windows on a regular interval. The janitor should have basic knowledge of Covid disinfectants and should know how to control virus spread with effective cleaning. The employer should opt for disinfectant cleaning services and make sure that the cleaner is thoroughly disinfecting the office once employees leave, to make it ready & safe for the next day.

Hire a professional: Office cleaning when taken seriously not only controls virus spread, but also ensures a hygienic environment for your employees. Clean surroundings are known to increase the productivity of employees as they feel safe & better working in a clean environment.

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aworldoffandoms · 5 years ago

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48 or 51 for ethan x mc

Authors Note: Hello! I swear this one is more kind fluffy than angst but it’s still angsty...I think? Hope you like it anyway!

Thank you for the prompt, nonny! I hope you enjoy 💙

Prompt is: i don't want to leave you

Prompt is in bold.

***

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC [Nicolette Valentine]

Word Count: 1, 205

Rating: G

Warnings: Angst. And fluff too. Gotta love both, aye?

Summary: Ethan gives Nicolette a parting gift before he leaves for a flight to work for the W.H.O

I’m tagging my OH tag list but please let me know if you’d like to stay on it or would like to be removed.

Open Heart Tag: @senseofduties @polishchoicesfan @princess-geek @i-bloody-love-drake-walker @binny1985 @fanficnewbie @x-kyne-x @thefluffyphotographer @lilyofchoices @thecordoniandiaries @rainbowsinthestorm @cxld-play @jens-diamondchoices @hopelessly-shipper @my-heart-beats-for-ya @landofenchantedwonder @sabrinahoffersonsworld @flyawayboo @stanathanxoox @oofchoices @thequeenofcronuts @heauxplesslydevoted @bi-cookie @kingliamsbish @trappedinfandoms @supercoolperson0808 @perriewinklenerdie @riverrune @caseyvalentineramsey

***

KISSING IN THE RAIN

The rain outside is a constant drizzle as Nicolette sits outside, the frigid wind whips her hair back as she exhales heavily, the fatigue in her brain hits her in all her other extremities as she sags against the bench and she takes a sip of her coffee to give her a boost of energy. She’s gonna need it if she’s going to have to pull another four hours on this shift.

It also didn’t help that she’s been trying to come to terms with some news her boyfriend dropped on her last night either.

She crosses her legs, huddling into herself to protect her from the chill. Chill from Boston’s winter and the chill of the words that Ethan told her last night. It isn’t ideal that he happened to spring this on her but she doesn’t know what to do.

“I need to leave for Africa tomorrow for a special W.H.O case. They need my expertise. I accepted. I’ll only be gone for a month...”

She sits for a few minutes more, adsorbing the air and letting it refresh her from all the cloudy thoughts that swim in her head.

She stands up and stretches and dumps the empty coffee cup in the trash before she heads back to Edenbrook’s entryway.

She mentally lists the patients she needs to collect labs for before movement reaches her in her peripheral and she looks up to spot a tall lean figure leaning against the wall, watching her. His blue eyes bore into her and she can’t help but shiver against the intensity of his gaze.

She knew why he was out here but it didn’t hurt her any less. Ethan was a notoriously stubborn person and nothing she says will divert him from his thought process.

She slows as she locks gazes with him. There’s a sharp inhale and the words that were about to slip from her mouth stopped. That pain from last night slices through her chest and she can’t breathe. Tears burn her eyes at the prospect of will happen in the next few minutes makes her almost collapse in a puddle of sobs.

“Nicolette…”

Ethan’s soft baritone wraps around her and she can’t help but shiver at the emotion behind her name. It was soft, regretful, vulnerable, full of love.

Nicolette gives Ethan a small smile, her heart feels heavy like a lead weight had made purchase there and would not let go. She walks over to him and without a word, encircles her arms around his waist and hugs him.

Ethan doesn’t have much time to think about it before he brings his arms around her back to return her embrace, one of his hands winding through her hair at the back of her head as he presses her cheek to his chest.

“I’m sorry, Nic. I know I sprung this on you but—”

Nicolette interrupts him by tightening her hold on him and nuzzles further into him, his warmth enveloping her and protecting her from the wind. ‘

“No, don’t apologise. I know. I understand.”

Ethan sighs, squeezing her once more before shifting her so he could look into her eyes. His fingers come up to rest on the side of her jaw, trailing down until his palm cups the side of her face gently, his thumb caressing her cheek. His heart does a little jolt in his chest as he stares into the green eyes of the woman who’s changed so much of his view on life and he can’t say that he regrets it. He’ll miss her while he’s away, no doubt about that.

“Why are you so amazing?”

“Because of my quick wit and my awesome skills as a doctor, maybe?”

The smile on Ethan’s face is tender as he leans forward and presses a kiss to Nicolette’s forehead, she leans into him, her hands resting on his chest.

“Maybe. I’d like to think it’s much more than that though.”

Nicolette leans into Ethan further, her arms wrapping themselves around his neck as she gives him a quick peck on the cheek before stepping back and letting him go.

“On any other day, I’d love to hear all the reasons why I’m amazing but you have to go otherwise you’ll miss your flight.”

The words are light and easy, but Ethan knows she’s forcing herself to appear happy about this when he knows she isn’t. He can tell. Her jaw is tight and her fingers are curled into her palm.

Ethan shakes his head and steps forward, unfurling her fingers from her hand and squeezing them between both of his. “I know I need to catch my flight. I just...I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye.”

Nicolette scoffs playfully. “You’re sweet, Ethan. But I’ll see you in a month. I’ll be fine.”

Ethan’s mouth twists up at that obvious lie but he lets it go. His stomach swirls in nerves at the thought of not seeing her and his heart feels tight. Ethan furrows his brow against the feeling because he knows why he’s feeling this way. Despite spending most of his adult life at Edenbrook, there is only one person that holds him here and he doesn’t want to let her go.

“I don’t want to leave you.”

The words are full of honesty and gentle truth and Nicolette has to remember to breathe before she speaks again, the tears threatening to spill over sting her eyes.

She clears her throat against the sadness in her heart and nods. “I know you don’t but you have to go okay? The W.H.O. is a big deal. This time you’re not running away from me to the Amazon, right?”

A pang of guilt hits him at the comment but this eases as he sees the teasing glint in her eyes. Nicolette continues, oblivious to his thoughts. “You’ll see me again. There’s technology to help us so we can talk to each other. Oh! There’s FaceTime too.”

Ethan rolls his eyes. “You know how much I hate all that stuff. I’ve just managed to tolerate texting.”

There is unrestrained disdain in the words and Nicolette lets out a watery giggle against the tears in her eyes and the lump in her throat. “You’ll get used to it,”

Ethan grumbles but pulls her into another hug, a hug that lasts for a while because neither will physically get to touch for a month and that is something neither of them will cope with.

The sound of a car pulling up breaks them of their embrace and Ethan sighs against Nicolette’s hair.

“The taxi’s here.”

Nicolette squeezes Ethan’s torse once more before letting him go, watching him walk towards the car which will then carry him away from her. However, before Nicolette can do anything else Ethan doubles back, catches her around the waist and kisses her with a passion that sets both of them on fire, Nicolette melting into his touch, their clothes soaked through from the rain but neither care.

They pull back at the same time and share a smile, Nicolette trails her fingers down Ethan’s jaw gently. “Come back to me, okay?”

Ethan gives her a loving smile, kissing her once more. “Always.”

#open heart #open heart 2 #open heart fanfiction #open heart fanfic #writing prompt #angst prompt #choices fanfiction #choices fanfic #ethan ramsey x mc #ethan x mc #choices #playchoices #choices fandom #asked and answered #long post

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icannotreadcursive · 5 years ago

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Avengers PSAs: On the COVID-19 Pandemic 2: Wash Your Hands! And Other Ways To Protect Yourself And Others

“Hey, Dr. Bruce Banner here,” Bruce said from behind a lab table, doing his best to approximate Steve or Tony's I Am Talking To The Public face. “We all know that the best thing any of us can do to protect ourselves and each other from the COVID-19 coronavirus is to stay home, but most of us can't stay home all the time. You might still be going to work, or be in a position where you genuinely have to go get things from the grocery store. So let's talk about what steps you can take to prevent viral transmission when you can't stay at home.

“Now, I'm not a medical doctor, and medical personnel have their own strict hygiene protocols that they're following. Please remember that the steps I'm about to tell you are not up to those standards. It takes a lot of training to maintain those kinds of protocols, there are not enough supplies in the world for everyone to do so, and it's not practical for you to try if you don't have that training.

“Moving on, first thing's first—wash your hands thoroughly and often. Washing with soap and water is more effective than using alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The COVID-19 virus is pretty much a tiny bubble made of lipids with DNA inside. As every dish detergent commercial ever made has taught us, soap breaks down grease and fats, which is all lipids are. So, washing with soap destroys those lipid bubbles and kills the virus.

“When you wash your hands, use warm water,” Bruce continued as the scene cut to him washing his own hands in a sink in the lab, “and scrub for at least twenty seconds using proper hand washing form, making sure to get the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. Look up the W.H.O.'s guidelines on hand washing technique and pick out your favorite timing mnemonic. A lot of people use the Happy Birthday song, but you can use and part of a song, poem, speech, or other quote that takes twenty seconds to sing of say.”

He dried his hands and gave the camera a thumbs up. It cut back to him standing at the lab table.

“Do carry hand sanitizer on you, though, so you can clean your hands when you don't have access to soap and water,” he added sensibly. “And it is reasonable to decide you'd rather avoid the close quarters and communal surfaces of public restrooms and favor hand sanitizer while you're out in public, especially if you know the places you're going don't have touchless faucets.”

Bruce took a breath before continuing. “The next thing to think about is masks. I want to preface these points by saying that it is much more important that medical grade face masks be available to medical staff than it is for you to have them, if you aren't medical personnel, or maybe food service. Hospitals are running out, which is putting the lives of doctors, nurses, and their patients in danger. Please do not go out and buy medical facemasks. If you already have single-use facemasks at home, that's fine, use them, but if you have more than one or two boxes worth, go find out what you can do in your area to donate those extra masks to local hospitals and emergency personnel, especially if they're N-95 type masks. It should be printed on the packaging or on the mask itself if it is.

“And know that if you are hoarding masks, I personally am angry with you.” His voice stayed even but his eyes flashed briefly green.

He paused a moment, letting the implications linger, then carried on. “The point of wearing a mask is at least as much to prevent you from getting anyone else sick as it is to keep you from getting sick. Viral transmission is a two-way street, and you can be contagious long before you even know you're a carrier, so it's important to take thie esteps even if you feel completely fine.

“For purposes of reducing spread in public, lower-grade or even makeshift masks, such as scarves or bandanas tied over the face, will do. If you know how to sew, you can actually make reusable cloth medical masks at home. Some hospitals are are taking donations of these home sewn masks, too, so if you're crafty, look into doing that.

“No matter what kind of mask you're wearing, you have to make sure that it fits and you're wearing it properly. It should be snug, covering your nose and mouth, and not slip out of place when you move your head. Most purpose-made masks are adjustable around the nose area; be sure to fit that to your own nose so their aren't any gaps—if you wear glasses like me, your breath should not fog them up when you exhale. With makeshift scarf or bandana masks, this may be unavoidable. If you are using a scarf or bandana, only use ones that are tightly woven fabric. Gauzy, sheer scarves won't do you much good.

“Once you have your mask on, don't take it off, don't touch it. Don't touch your face at all, mask or not, without cleaning your hands first. Don't touch your glasses, either. If they start to slip down your nose, like glasses often do, either let ithappen, see if you can get them to slide back into place by tipping your head back, or if you really have to, use the inside of your wrist to push them up.”

He demonstrated, palm facing up and fingers curled, carefully nudging his glasses into place with a bump of his wrist against the point where the arm met the lens frame.

“When you're done with your mask—for instance, when you get home from the grocery store—take it off by the straps or ties without touching the part that goes over your face and without letting the outside surface of the mask touch you. If it's a disposable mask, bag it up and throw it away, preferably outside your home. If it's a reusable cloth mask, a scarf, or bandana, wash it immediately either in a washing machine or by hand with soap.

“When it comes to gloves,” Bruce segued, “most people are better off just washing their hands like we already talked about, and the same admonishment stands as for masks: do not hoard supplies that medical staff need to take care of themselves and their patients, do not go out buying gloves in bulk, if you already have extra, find out where you can donate them to the people who really need them.

“If you're a delivery driver, or a shop clerk, or otherwise know that you're going to be handling things a lot that other people are touching, then gloves are a more necessary precaution. Your workplace probably already has protocols in place and you should follow those.

“Gloves, just like masks, will only protect you if you use them correctly. Wash you hands before you put them on. Put them on before you're going to be touching anything that might be contaminated. Don't take them off while you're still handling things that might be contaminated. Don't touch your face while wearing your gloves. Don't touch things with any part of your body that's unprotected—for instance, don't lean your whole forearm on the handle of your shopping cart—otherwise there's no point in you wearing those gloves and you're just wasting resources.

“Take your gloves off and clean your hands again before touching anything you want to keep clean, like the door handles and steering wheel of your car, and always use proper glove removal technique. If you've ever taken a high school or college chemistry or biology lab, you've been taught proper glove removal, but just in case you've forgotten or haven't taken those classes, let's review.”

It cut to a top-down view of Bruce's now-gloved hands. He narrated as he demonstrated. “Start by pinching the wrist of one glove and pulling up toward your fingers so the glove turns inside-out as it comes off. Hold that glove in your still-gloved hand. Slide a finger of your un-gloved hand under the wrist of your remaining glove, careful not to touch the outside of the glove, and pull it up and off just like the first one so it turns inside out with the other glove now inside.”

Cutting back again, Bruce leaned emphatically on the lab table. “Throw used gloves away as soon as you take them off and never re-use gloves.”

He relaxed a bit a straightened up. “These are the basic personal protective hygiene steps that most people should be aware of. If you want to take extra precautions, maybe because you have someone at home who's in a high-risk group, you can do things like wipe anything you buy down with disinfectant before bringing it into your home, leave non-perishables in a quarantine area somewhere like a garage or sunroom untouched for three days before bringing them inside, and make sure your washing machine is empty and set out towels in your bathroom before you leave the house, then as soon as you get back home put the clothes your wore out in the washer and go shower before touching anything else in your home.

“Most importantly, don't panic. This isn't the zombie apocalypse. For most people, the personal danger of this situation isn't very high. This precautions aren't so much to keep you alive as they are to stop the virus from spreading so it can't get to the people who are most at risk.

“Do you part. Wash your hands. Cover your cough. Save lives.

“From me and all the Avengers, be careful, stay safe, and thank you.”

The video went black for a moment then came back up as a shot of of Steve and Bucky sitting across from each other at the Avengers conference table, studiously tracing facemask sewing patterns onto old T-shirts and other fabric and cutting them out. Tony was watching curiously from the doorway, drinking a bottle of kombucha. “I can't believe you guys know how to sew.”

“Grew up in the Great Depression, Stark,” Bucky said without looking up. “We couldn't afford to go and buy clothes.”

“Besides,” Steve added, reaching to grab another shirt to trace patterns onto, “it's useful. I taught your dad how to sew on a button so Peggy'd stop making fun of him.”

Tony made a sour face.

“I don't even need a thimble anymore,” Bucky said brightly, wiggling the fingers of his left hand.

Whoever was holding the camera snorted with laughter.

#Avengers #PSA #Marvel #MCU #covid-19 #covid19 #covid_19 #coronavirus #hand washing #facemasks #health and safety #public health #bruce banner #dr. bruce banner #personal safety #stop the spread

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samanthaelsathings · 5 years ago

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Political Engagement

In the era we live in currently, social media is becoming an important tool for politicians to allow the public to engage and participate in their manifestos. This is because social media has a strong influence on public participation in politics. Do you ever wonder why?

Social media has provided an outlet for communication and keeping up with the world as politicians share their opinions and thoughts through social media platforms which can be read by anyone around the world (Juniors, 2019). According to Falasca (2019), most political parties uses social media to promote and advertise their manifestos to the public and to showcase how much good deed that they have contributed to the society to win over the public’s interest. This is because when a politician lets out a massage, their followers would do the work of spreading the word and liking it. In fact, when a post has a massive impact, it would create a chain reaction giving it great publicity without doing much.

However, many politicians have also caused controversies through social media platforms. Take for example, the famous controversial current US president, Donald Trump. In the many years, Trump has been famously known for posting obnoxious tweets. Recently, Trump has tweeted a controversial tweet regarding the current pandemic saying that the World Health Organization (W.H.O) blew it which he claimed to be funded largely by the United Sates, yet very “China Centric” (Lanyon, 2020).

Ever since Trump got elected, there has been a debate on whether Trump should be banned on Twitter for violating Twitter’s rules but by blocking a world leader from Twitter or removing their controversial tweets would hide some important information that is needed for people to see and debate. (Mahdawi, 2019). This has been a back and forth argument topic for a while now.

In conclusion, social media is great place for politician to spread awareness and to allow for engagement from their supporters when used in a proper manner. Meanwhile, social media has also been a place for entertainment for the public. For example, when there are a lot of funny “mak cik kiah” memes after the recent announcements regarding the current pandemic by the Malaysian Prime Minister, Tun Muhyiddin Yassin. Although it was a serious topic, he managed to keep everyone calm and entertained during this time.

References

Falasca, K c. 2019, ‘How does the political parties use social media? Who is actually working for whom?’, Mid Sweden University, <https://www.miun.se/en/Research/archive/how-do-the-parties-use-social-media-who-is-actually-working-for-whom/>.

Lanyon, C 2020, ‘Coronavirus: Donald Trump threatens to cut off WHO funding over agency’s handling of outbreak’, South China Morning Post, <https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3078865/donald-trump-says-who-too-focused-china-and-really-blew-it>.

Juniors, J 2019, ‘Opinion: The Controversies of Social Media’, JMORE Juniors, <https://www.jmoreliving.com/2019/04/25/opinion-the-controversies-of-social-media/>.

Mahdawi, A 2019, ‘Should Trump be Banned from Twitter?’, The Guardian, <https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/04/should-trump-be-banned-from-twitter>.

#MDA20009 #POLITICALENGAGEMENT

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arcticdementor · 5 years ago

Link

Facebook censored a news post from Disrn on Monday and threatened us with having our "overall distribution reduced," our "ability to monetize and advertise removed," and our "ability to register as a news Page removed."

The post flagged by Facebook linked to this Disrn story reporting the words of a World Health Organization official, who said on June 8 that asymptomatic transmission of coronavirus was "very rare." Almost all mainstream news outlets reported this story on June 8, and so did Disrn.

The next day, W.H.O. walked back the comments, and Disrn reported the retraction on that very same day.

…

It's important to note that our original article Facebook censored was merely reporting on the exact words of the health official. There is no editorializing; we reported W.H.O. official Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove's words, and included a video of herself saying the words. The video was from Bloomberg and included three minutes of Kerkhove's monologue, providing context.

We also included reporting from CNBC in our article. CNBC's article, from which we quoted, was (and still is) headlined Asymptomatic spread of coronavirus is ‘very rare,' WHO says. It has not been flagged by Facebook as of publishing time.

Neither have any other mainstream news articles we checked, which say the exact same thing Disrn's article says

#disrn #adam ford #facebook #memory hole #freeze peach is not just an ice cream flavor

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americanmysticom · 3 years ago

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“1 TRILLION U.S. DOLLARS TO DEPLOY UNLICENSED TOXIC GENETIC INJECTIONS THAT ARE BEING USED AS ‘VACCINES’”

We need to remove the influence of W.H.O. and W.E.F. from countries.

Dr. Robert Malone - Global COVID Summit, VAIDS & Global Takeover - WHO Pandemic Treaty mariazeee Published May 14, 2022

https://rumble.com/v14pm6g-dr.-robert-malone-global-covid-summit-vaids-and-global-takeover-who-pandemi.html

globalcovidsummit.org

Download Declaration IV - Restore Scientific Integrity

https://icedrive.net/s/3ZutyithwZi11kWTxNX65G4BgY1S

We declare and the data confirm that the COVID-19 experimental genetic therapy injections must end.

We declare doctors should not be blocked from providing life-saving medical treatment.

We declare the state of national emergency, which facilitates corruption and extends the pandemic, should be immediately terminated.

We declare medical privacy should never again be violated, and all travel and social restrictions must cease.

We declare masks are not and have never been effective protection against an airborne respiratory virus in the community setting.

We declare funding and research must be established for vaccination damage, death and suffering.

We declare no opportunity should be denied, including education, career, military service or medical treatment, over unwillingness to take an injection.

We declare that first amendment violations and medical censorship by government, technology and media companies should cease, and the Bill of Rights be upheld.

We declare that Pfizer, Moderna, BioNTech, Janssen, Astra Zeneca, and their enablers, withheld and willfully omitted safety and effectiveness information from patients and physicians, and should be immediately indicted for fraud.

We declare government and medical agencies must be held accountable.

#global covid summit #pandemic fraud #medical atrocity

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skinhospitalinsouthdelhi · 3 years ago

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ranger-truth · 5 years ago

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Moreover, the virus primarily spread asymptomatically before it was known to Europe, and the introduction into the US was mostly from European travel.

Then, the US government knew about the virus earlier than most of the public and at least four senators sold their stocks before making the news known and moving towards shut downs. Trump then refused to use W.H.O. designed tests (because it would go to him requesting help) after multiple failures to get our own tests rolled out.

"The first case of COVID-19 was reported in the U.S. in Washington state in late January 2020. Around that same time, officials in China quarantined Wuhan, the city where the disease was initially detected. By the end of January, the WHO deemed the new virus a global health emergency.

Nevertheless, the U.S. was still in the early stages of rolling out testing for the disease weeks after its first case was reported, resulting in something of a scandal, as cases that could be confirmed multiplied.

According to news reports, diagnostic tests developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were sent out by early February 2020 to public health labs in the U.S. Days later, however, labs were reporting back that the tests weren’t working due to a manufacturing defect. The defective tests, coupled with regulatory red tape that prevented state laboratories from using their own tests, caused further delay." -via Snopes

And that's all ignoring Trump's months of lying about treatments, ignoring and firing people on the epidemiology team, placing Pence in charge over an actual epidemiologist, and the military trying to silence the news about outbreaks on ships and bases, pushing forward with deployments and creating literal death traps for people (there were a number of cases of pneumonia "from some unknown virus" and "you don't have Covid because the flu test was negative, and it would catch both" on my base and among friends before they started testing for COVID at all, and that didn't happen until Cpt. Crozier was removed from command for his letter, sending people in arms).

predictions for the inevitable coronavirus biopic:

it’s called PANDEMIC or CORONA or something in all caps

the opening scene is set in wuhan only they make it look really worn down and gross bc Foreign Nation

it stars the united states government and a random white man who contracts the virus and then has to quarantine apart from his family

either that or it’s some military dude who comes home from being stationed in wuhan for whatever reason

there’s an ed sheeran song in it

the celebrities singing imagine by john lennon is a scene in the movie and it’s portrayed as a heartrending moment of solidarity

the US government is portrayed handling the virus WAY better than they actually are

china is portrayed as the evil communist villains who didn’t stop the virus from spreading

i don’t know how the movie ends because we’re still living it

the ending title card says “dedicated to the 3827394 or something people who lost their lives due to COVID-19”

imagine by john lennon is the end credits song

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instantsongwerewolf · 4 years ago

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Here is an email response from the Center of Disease Control in the U.S.A.

The question was " If anyone is about to get vaccinated do they need to get tested first?" The logic is if you need to wait for a flu to disappear before getting a flu shot, you should also wait till you feel better before getting that injection, right?

Let us see is FB will try to remove this response that comes from the CDC. By the way alot of stats can be found at the site and Mr Gates the richest man in the world after Elon Musk has fortified the coffers of the CD with so much bacon, there is no chance it will ever run out of bacon in this century. With so much bacon invested into the CDC one must wonder if it truly is always acting as an independent body with B.G. sitting on the board

Thank you for contacting CDC-INFO.

Here is the information you requested on COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccination should be offered to you whether or not you already had COVID-19.

Line 2 : "You should not be required to have a test for prior infection before you get the vaccine".

However, if you currently have COVID-19, you should wait to get the vaccine until:

• at least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared, and

• at least 24 hours have passed since you have had no fever without the use of fever-reducing medicine, and

• your other COVID-19 symptoms have improved.

It is rare for someone who has had COVID-19 to get infected again. It also is uncommon for people who do get COVID-19 again to get it in the months after they recovered from their first infection. Therefore, if you recently had COVID-19 you may choose to wait to get the vaccine until 90 days have passed, however you are not required to wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. With both currently authorized and available COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, you will need 2 shots to get the most protection. Johnson & Johnson's Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, which is a viral vector vaccine, only requires one dose.

If you were treated for COVID-19 symptoms with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure what treatments you received or if you have additional questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

If you had COVID-19 and were treated with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait at least 90 days after treatment before getting the vaccine. This is to avoid interference of the antibody treatment with the immune response produced by the vaccine. This is a precaution until additional information becomes available about how these treatments may interfere with the immune response produced by the vaccine.

The line 2 response is saying you should not have to get a test for possible prior Covid infection but in the next they do say basically that if you are feeling sick...wait..

Personal statement :

Without any injection the Natural Defensive System

of the human body will kick in overdrive.

check the stats online.

A large percentage, from UPWARDS of 95% percent, who have been infected by the regular strain will recover at home.

No vaccine. Regular strain.

No BS statement. DYDD.

Of the remaining % who go to the hospital most recover

and a smaller percentage don't . The actual death rate within the % varies from country to country. The type of therapy can also impact the survival rate. People who react badly to respirator therapy ..well...not good. Some meds , under development, in the 3rd trial phase are administered to patients in critical care . Results vary. If any of your loved ones end up in the hospital ask the doctor if they are administering new drug therapies besides respirators.

Upwards of 95% of infected recover.

of the remaining 5%, 10 to 20 % pass on.

No percentage of deaths is good .

None.

The vaccine does not guarantee you will not catch it.

The vaccine will not be able to tell your body how to deal with a variant since the injected technology was not pre built with attack instructions for variants that did not exist at the time of the injection technology.

If the variant is part original strain and part something else that's when it can get touchy as your defense system was provided instructions on how to deal with one but not with the other.

Variants can change in 10 to 12 hours.

Variants become variants because the strain is looking for a host.

If the host is fortified with a vaccine to fight strain #1 then the strain will attempt to alter itself so that it can survive when it attacks someone else but as a variant and not as strain #1

In the world of vaccine science some scientists ( who have worked in vaccine research for over 30 years, do not agree with mass vaccinations on the premise that the strain will morph itself very quickly within that population of millions that got their injections for strain #1 all at the same time.

The fear is that the strain will morph itself several times over and will then be able to latch onto to anyone of the many millions who got the vaccine .

The same doctors have said that " the technology behind this vaccine is avant guard" but the way the population is being mass injected has not taken in account how quickly the strain will morph and spread. " Some have even said that the vaccine should have been delivered to millions after the pandemic period as we do with other vaccines, and in the meantime rush develop medical therapies that will stop the virus in its original strain form in its tracks while in the body of an infected person whose NDS will kick in and kill the invading virus with the right combinations of medecinal therapies.

In the event that the variant strains storm through countries due to morphing, then the actual fatality rates will be .....

The medicinal therapies that have worked to some degree on the 1st strain won't work on the variants as the drug companies have to redesign the drugs to fight an invader who has changed.

Redesigning drug therapies for an invader who is always changing is a frustrating game of cat and mouse but in this case the mouse is smarter and faster.

Are the scientist who dedicated most of their lives to vaccine research over reacting to the way in which the injection are being administered?

Will the variants morph and morph and morph?

If they do then the population growth on this planet will drop and we may even see a significant drop in the world population.

The fact that Mr Gates sits on the W.H.O. is concerning. His donation amounts to the vaccine industry is STAGGERING.

He is on record stating that population growth issues can be dealt with the correct type of vaccines.

Is the present vaccine part of this objective?

I truly hope not.

The scientists who have sacrificed and are dedicated to vaccine technology are concerned.

The very vaccines that were designed to save humanity might become redundant and out of date if variants morph to the 10th degree or higher.

If you do have contacts with health officials or with senators who represent your state, you have the right to express your concern.

You have the right to ask questions that are not politically correct.

Very big money has been invested .

Very powerful people.

And the C.D.C. and the W.H.O. are no longer independent as they have been fed by B.G.

Mr Gates is spending colossal amounts to ensure that limited info is available on social media everywhere.

We all have the right to know.

Not just B.G. or Vaccine Pharma .

All of us.

Be safe.

God bless.

The world health organization and the CDC have alot of available data.

I recommend you all DYDD. Most of the info that is being broadcasted on tv is not accurate. Sharing it on FB is next to impossible but email still works. Messenger services that belong to s.m. should not be used as they are monitored , and message content can be blocked from going where you want it to go.

To fight the war of "ignorance" we need to recognize that a war has been enacted. Censorship is the first fruit of "pending socialism and freedom death". Hoping it will go away and fix itself without fighting the good fight is not the way to go.

Dan Bongino is someone who would read this on air.

If any of you have his email send it to him via email

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orbemnews · 4 years ago

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Fallout From Hedge Fund’s Defaults Spreads Through Markets: Live Updates Here’s what you need to know: A Credit Suisse branch in Basel, Switzerland. After the bank warned of significant losses on Monday, its shares fell 14 percent.Credit…Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters The fallout from a series of defaults at a New York hedge fund reverberated through markets for a second day on Monday, as global banks tried to size up their exposure to one firm’s string of bad bets. Shares in Credit Suisse, the Swiss bank, dropped 14 percent on Monday and the Japanese bank Nomura closed 16 percent lower, after the banks said they could face significant losses because of defaults by an American investment firm. U.S. stock futures fell on Monday, with the S&P 500 set to open 0.7 percent weaker. European stock indexes were mixed but an index of European banks was 1.6 percent lower. Neither Credit Suisse nor Nomura named the investment firm whose default could lead to big losses, but Bloomberg identified it as Archegos Capital Management, a New York-based family office that manages the wealth of Bill Hwang, a former hedge fund manager at Tiger Asia Management who was found guilty of wire fraud in 2012. Investment banks that provided services to Archegos, such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, dumped huge quantities of stocks including ViacomCBS and Chinese tech companies on Friday. Archegos was forced into the stock sales, worth about $20 billion, after bets the fund made moved the wrong way, Bloomberg reported. Shares in ViacomCBS, one of Archegos’s positions, dropped 23 percent on Wednesday last week. On Friday, the share price plummeted a further 27 percent as the investment banks liquidated positions. Shares in Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley were about 3 percent lower in premarket trading. Shares in Deutsche Bank fell more than 4 percent on Monday, after it was said to also have some exposure to Archegos. Credit Suisse has already been roiled this month by the collapse of Greensill Capital, a London-based financial firm it sold funds for, and to whom it extended loans of $140 million. The Swiss bank told investors it would probably report some losses on the loan. “A significant U.S.-based hedge fund defaulted on margin calls made last week by Credit Suisse and certain other banks,” the Swiss bank said on Monday. It did not yet know the exact size of the loss from exiting its positions but “it could be highly significant and material to our first quarter results,” the statement said. Elsewhere in markets Oil prices fell and then recovered early losses after the container ship blocking the Suez Canal was only partially refloated. The movement raised hopes of restoring trade flows but authorities said more work was needed before maritime traffic could restart. Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose 0.3 percent to $64.73 a barrel, after falling as much as 2.2 percent on Monday morning. Yields on 10-year Treasury notes fell 2 basis points, or 0.02 percentage point, to 1.65 percent. President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela promoted an unproven remedy for Covid-19 on Facebook, which prompted the company to freeze his page. Credit…Manaure Quintero/Reuters The Facebook page of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, was frozen for “repeated” violations of its misinformation policies, including a post about an unproven remedy for Covid-19, the company said on Sunday, the latest example of the social media giant cracking down on political figures who violate its content policies. Mr. Maduro’s Facebook page will be frozen for 30 days in a “read-only” mode, the company said, “due to repeated violations of our rules.” “We removed a video posted to President Nicolas Maduro’s Page for violating our policies against misinformation about Covid-19 that is likely to put people at risk for harm,” a Facebook spokesman said. “We follow guidance from the W.H.O. that says there is currently no medication to cure the virus.” The spokesman was referring to the World Health Organization. Facebook’s move came after Mr. Maduro posted a video on his page that promoted Carvativir, a drug derived from thyme. He said in January that the medicine was a “miracle,” but did not provide evidence of its effectiveness — and declined to release the name of the “brilliant Venezuelan mind” that created the drug. In the video, Mr. Maduro falsely claimed that Carvativir can be used preventively and therapeutically against the coronavirus. In the past, Facebook has been criticized for its inaction against political figures who test the boundaries of the company’s content policies by spreading misinformation. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and chief executive of Facebook, has said he does not want to be the “arbiter of truth” in public discourse. But in recent months, Facebook has cracked down on certain types of misinformation across the network. The company has banned posts containing false or misleading information regarding the coronavirus, and has shown willingness to take action against some political figures. And in the past, it has removed at least one post by Jair Bolsonaro, the president of Brazil, for false coronavirus remedy claims regarding the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine. In January, after insurgents stormed the United States Capitol, President Donald J. Trump’s account was banned indefinitely for inciting his supporters to violent action using the social network. In response to his account restriction, Mr. Maduro has said Facebook is practicing a form of “digital totalitarianism,” according to Reuters, which first reported Mr. Maduro’s suspension. Mr. Maduro said on Twitter on Sunday that he would continue to broadcast his regular coronavirus briefing from his other digital accounts, including Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. And to circumvent his suspension, he said he would use the Facebook account belonging to his wife, Cilia Flores, to broadcast Covid-19 information. Facebook would not comment on whether it would suspend Ms. Flores’s account. Tankers and freight ships near the entrance of the Suez Canal.Credit…Ahmed Hasan/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Oil prices fell and then rose again Monday as news reports suggested that the Suez Canal drama might be drawing to a close. Prices dipped more than 2 percent early in the day after tugboats and dredgers succeeded in partly freeing the giant containership Ever Given, which has been blocking the canal since early last week. News reports raised the prospect that the tankers waiting at the entrances to the canal might be able to transit within days and deliver their cargoes to Europe and Asia. But then prices crept back up again after the Suez Canal authorities said there was more work to be done before maritime traffic could resume. By midday in London, Brent crude, the international benchmark, was selling for $65.15 a barrel, up 0.9 percent on the day. The Suez Canal is a key chokepoint for oil shipping, but so far the impact on the oil market of this major interruption of trade flows has been relatively muted. Though prices jumped after shipping on the canal was halted, oil prices still remain below their nearly two-year highs of about $70 a barrel reached earlier this month. Analysts say that traders are focused on other factors beyond the logjam, including the reimposition of lockdowns in Europe that may hold back the recovery of oil demand from the pandemic. From a global perspective, oil supplies are considered adequate, and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and other producers, the group known as OPEC Plus, are withholding an estimated 8 million barrels a day, or about 9 percent of current consumption, from the market. Officials from OPEC Plus are expected to meet by video conference on Thursday to discuss whether to ease output cuts. Goldman Sachs’s headquarters in New York. A group of investors is suing the Wall Street bank over claims of fraud. Credit…Johannes Eisele/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Monday from Goldman Sachs and pension funds over a claim that the Wall Street giant misled investors about its work selling complex debt investments in the prelude to the 2008 financial crisis. In its latest brief, Goldman makes an interesting argument, the DealBook newsletter reports: Investors shouldn’t rely on statements such as “honesty is at the heart of our business” or “our clients’ interests always come first” that appear in Securities and Exchange Commission filings and annual reports. The case is a test of shareholders’ ability to sue over claims of investment fraud. The pension funds sought to sue as a class over Goldman’s statements, saying they belied those statements of honesty, and lower courts agreed to let them proceed. Goldman has argued that the investors are engaged in ��guerrilla warfare” and aren’t providing “serious legal arguments,” relying on support from the federal government instead. However, the Biden administration isn’t taking sides, technically. It will argue as a “friend of the court” on Monday that “meritorious private securities-fraud suits” are “an essential complement” to enforcing securities laws. “I expect the court to be troubled by the claim that companies cannot be held accountable for saying that clients come first and then acting otherwise,” Robert Jackson Jr., who served on the S.E.C. from 2018 to 2020 and is now an N.Y.U. law professor, told DealBook. The justices probably won’t agree with the claim that making a company “mean what it says” will lead to a tsunami of meritless lawsuits,” he added. Regardless, Goldman is right that the stakes are high, because the case is likely to decide whether shareholders can “hold corporate insiders accountable when they tell investors one thing and do another,” Mr. Jackson said. A rally on Friday in support of the Amazon workers outside the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union’s building in Birmingham, Ala.Credit…Charity Rachelle for The New York Times One of the most closely watched union elections in recent history is wrapping up on Monday, one that could alter the shape of the labor movement and one of America’s largest employers. Almost 6,000 workers at an Amazon warehouse near Birmingham, Ala., one of the company’s largest, are eligible to vote in this election. After years of fierce resistance from the company, they could form the first union at an Amazon operation in the United States. The outcome of the vote may not be known for days, but the union drive has already succeeded in roiling the world’s biggest e-commerce company and spotlighting complaints about its labor practices, The New York Times’s Karen Weise and Michael Corkery write. If the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union succeeds, it would be a huge victory for the labor movement, whose membership has declined for decades. A victory would also give it a foothold inside one of the country’s largest private employers. The company now has 950,000 workers in the United States, after adding more than 400,000 in the last year alone. If the union loses, particularly by a large margin, Amazon will have turned the tide on a unionization drive that seemed to have many winds at its back. A loss could force labor organizers to rethink their overall strategy and give Amazon confidence that its approach is working. Tugboats pulling at the Ever Given in the Suez Canal today.Credit…Suez Canal Authority, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images A journey from the Suez Canal in Egypt to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands — Europe’s largest port — typically takes about 11 days. Venturing south around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope adds at least 26 more days, according to Refinitiv, the financial data company. The additional fuel charges for the journey generally run more than $30,000 a day, depending on the vessel, or more than $800,000 total for the longer trip. But the other option is sitting at the entrance of the canal and waiting for the mother of all floating traffic jams to dissipate, while incurring late fees for cargo — which can reach $30,000 a day. Since Tuesday, the Ever Given, one of the world’s largest container ships, has been stuck in the Suez Canal. The disruption now roiling the global shipping industry provides a reminder of why the Suez Canal was constructed in the first place. Only the Panama Canal looms as large in the transport of goods around the planet. The shutdown of the canal is affecting as much as 15 percent of the world’s container shipping capacity, according to Moody’s Investor Service, leading to delays at ports around the globe. Hansjörg Wyss, the former chief executive of the medical device manufacturer Synthes, said he had agreed to join a bid for Tribune Publishing.Credit…Ruben Sprich/Reuters A Swiss billionaire who has donated hundreds of millions to environmental causes is a surprise new player in the bidding for Tribune Publishing, the major newspaper chain that until recently seemed destined to end up in the hands of a New York hedge fund. Hansjörg Wyss (pronounced Hans-yorg Vees), the former chief executive of the medical device manufacturer Synthes, said he had agreed to join with the Maryland hotelier Stewart W. Bainum Jr. in a bid for Tribune, an offer that could upend Alden Global Capital’s plan to take full ownership of the company, Marc Tracy of The New York Times writes. Mr. Wyss, who has given away some of his fortune to help preserve wildlife habitats in Wyoming, Montana and Maine, said he was motivated to join the Tribune bid by his belief in the need for a robust press. “I have an opportunity to do 500 times more than what I’m doing now,” he said. Alden, which already owns roughly 32 percent of Tribune Publishing shares, is known for drastically cutting costs at the newspapers it controls through its MediaNews Group subsidiary. Last month, the hedge fund reached an agreement with Tribune, whose papers include The Daily News, The Baltimore Sun and The Chicago Tribune, to buy the rest of the company’s shares. The sale of Tribune, which the newspaper company hopes to conclude by July, requires regulatory approval and yes votes from company shareholders representing two-thirds of the non-Alden stock. “We are in a hyper-growth industry,” said Dhivya Suryadevara, Stripe’s chief financial officer.Credit…Richard Drew/Associated Press Thousands of financial technology start-ups are riding an investor frenzy driven by a growing realization that the industry is ripe for a tech makeover, writes Erin Griffith of The New York Times. When the pandemic forced businesses to speed up their usage of digital tools, including e-commerce and online banking, the demand for what is known as fintech exploded. Now start-ups with names like Blend, Brex and Dave that provide decidedly unglamorous banking, lending and payment processing offerings are hot tickets. That was punctuated this month when Stripe, a payments company, raised $600 million in a financing that valued it at $95 billion, the highest ever for a private start-up in the United States. Financial technology companies are also making a splash on the stock market. On Tuesday, Robinhood, a stock trading app popular with young adults, filed for an initial public offering. And Coinbase, a cryptocurrency start-up, is scheduled to go public in the next few weeks in what could be a $100 billion listing. In total, venture capital investors poured $44.4 billion into financial technology start-ups last year, up from $1.1 billion in 2009, according to PitchBook, which tracks private financing. Many investors are now making bold predictions that these start-ups will upend big banks, established credit card providers — and in some cases, the entire financial system. Source link Orbem News #Defaults #fallout #funds #Hedge #Live #Markets #Spreads #Updates

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juniperpublishersoceanography · 4 years ago

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Determination of Heavy Metals in Water, Fish and Sediment from Ureje Water Reservoir- Juniper Publishers

Abstract

The concentrations of Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr) and Manganese (Mn) in water, sediment and selected fish samples from Ureje water reservoir, Ado Ekiti, were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). A total of three samples each of water, sediment, fishes (Hemichromis fasciatus & Hepsetus odoe) were collected and analyzed for heavy metals. Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) test at 0.05%. The results showed higher levels of Zn (13.08±0.45mg/g) and Fe (2.10±0.56mg/g) in fish in comparison with other heavy metals examined. Chromium has exceeded the toxicity threshold in the muscle of the fishes in line with WHO standards in food. Cadmium was not detected in soil, while other elements detected were in trace amount below the Environmental Protection Agency allowable limits in soil. In water, except for Fe (1.25±0.02)mg/l, other metals were below allowable limit in water with reference to the World Health Organization's recommendation. This finding indicates that the water is safe for both aquatic life and man.

Introduction

Aquatic ecosystem is the ultimate recipient of almost everything including heavy metals. This has long been recognized as a serious pollution problem [1]. There are various sources of heavy metals in this ecosystem such as anthropogenic activities like draining of sewage, dumping of domestic wastes and recreational activities. It may also occur in small amounts naturally through the leaching of rocks, airborne dust, forest fires and vegetation [2].

Fish is considered as one of the most significant indicators of metal pollution in aquatic environment [3]. Fish may absorb dissolved elements and heavy metals from surrounding water and food. When fish are exposed to heavy metals in an aquatic ecosystem, they tend to take these metals up which may accumulate in various tissues in significant amounts and are eliciting toxicological effects at critical targets [4]. Some edible species of fish have been widely investigated for those hazardous effects of heavy metals on human health [5].

Sediments are important sinks for heavy metals in aquatic ecosystem. These metals are non-biodegradable and once discharged into water bodies, they can either be adsorbed on sediment particles or accumulated in aquatic organisms. Heavy metal pollution may increase the susceptibility of aquatic animals to various diseases by interfering with the normal functioning of their immune, reproductive and developmental processes [6].

Heavy metals could be found in water at the trace levels. Nonetheless, these constituents are very toxic and tend to accumulate in a long period of time. Heavy metals such as Pb, Cd and Cr are micro-pollutants and of special interest as they have both health and environmental significance due to their persistence, high toxic and bio-accumulation characteristics in water [7]. Heavy metals in human body can affect his health, hence the need to know the concentration of heavy metals in water, sediment and selected fishes in ureje reservoir because of its daily usage by man and proximity to urban pollution (Figure 1).

Materials and Methods

Study area

Ureje reservoir is one of the major Dams in Ekiti State. It is located in Ado Ekiti, the State capital. The reservoir overflows across Ado Ekiti /Ikere road, also cut across the southwest region of the State. The reservoir is strategic to the people of Ekiti State especially the residents of Ado Ekiti. It is the major source of pipe borne water and irrigation.

Collection of fish, water and sediment samples

Two different species of fish namely: Hemichromis fasciatus & Hepsetus odoe that are commonly seen in the reservoir were collected at two different locations along the stretch of the dam. The fish samples were put into a pre-cleaned polythene bag and placed inside oven for drying in readiness for digestion process. The water sample collected at two different points were also placed in pre-cleaned container and preserved by adding 5ml of nitric acid (HNO3) to it thus, preventing microbial growth in the water sample. The sediment samples were collected from two different point and stored in a pre-cleaned polythene bag and later spread on a flat tray inside the laboratory to be air dried for three days at room temperature (25 °C) after which it was been grinded and sieved for further digestion process.

Digestion of fish samples

The fish samples were wash with distilled water and dried for 24 hours to constant weight in an oven at 105-- °C. After drying the fish sample in the oven, the bones and scales of the dried fish samples were removed and remaining only the muscle, head, tail, eyes, gills of the fish sample. The remaining parts of the fish sample were milled with a mortar and pestle. They were put in a dry labeled crucible and stored until digestion. This involves digesting 2g of the grounded samples with 5ml of HNO3 and 2ml of HCLO4 and was heated on a hot plate for 30minutes at 85 °C. After completing the digestion, the residue were allowed to cool and filtered into a 50ml volumetric flask. Distilled water was added to it to fill up to the mark. The filtrate was transferred into a pre-cleaned sample bottle and stored under cool temperature until it is taken for further Atomic Adsorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) analysis.

Digestion of water samples

100 ml of the water sample was measured with a measuring cylinder and 5ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid was added to it. The solution was then transferred into a conical flask and heated on the hot plate for two hour at 105 °C to 25 ml. It was then transferred into 100ml volumetric flask and distill water was added to fill up to the mark where it was filtered and transferred into the pre-cleaned sample bottle and taken for further Atomic Adsorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) analysis.

Digestion of sediment samples

After air drying the Sediment samples for 3days and ground into smaller particles, it was sieved and went through digestion process: 2g of the sediment sample was weighed and poured into a beaker, 5ml of hydrogen trioxonitrate (v) acid (HNO3) was added together with 2ml of perchloric acid (HClO4) and 5ml of hydrogen fluoride (HF) was added and heated for 1hour on a heater at 160 °C. After proper digestion the sample was allowed to cool down and it was filtered. The filtrate was transferred into 100ml volumetric flask and made up to mark with distilled water. The prepared sample solution was transferred into the pre-cleaned labeled sample bottles in readiness for Atomic Adsorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) analysis.

Metal determination procedure using AAS

A black model 200A flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer was used in the metal analysis of the sample (Perkin Elmer 2000). The major underlined principle of AAS is that the ground state atoms are capable of absorbing radiant energy of their own specific resonance wavelength when passed through a solution containing the atoms in question, then part of the light will be absorbed. The extent of absorption is proportional to the number of ground state atoms present in the flame.

Result and Discussion

Concentration of heavy metals in fish parts: Hemichromis fasciatus

Concentration of heavy metals in different parts of Hemichromis fasciatus adult fish from Ureje dam is shown in Table1 below. Concentrations of Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr) and Manganese (Mn) in the Muscle, head, eye, tail and gills of the fish samples were determined. Although there was no significant difference in metal concentration in each part of the fish for each metal but the results showed higher levels of Zn (13.08±0.45mg/g) and Fe (2.10±0.56) in comparison with other heavy metals examined. Cadmium and Copper were not detected in some parts of the fish, indicating their low concentrations in the fish. Several studies have indicated that metal accumulation in fish depends on numerous factors such as food habits of the fish [8], tropic status, source of a particular metal, distance of the fish from the contamination source and the presence of other ions in the environment [9]. Also, Kalay & Canli [10] reported that metal accumulation in the tissues of fish varied according to the rates of uptake, storage and elimination. The high levels of iron and zinc in this study could be attributed to their high demand as essential elements in blood hemoglobin and as a dietary essential trace metals [11]. Chromium has exceeded the toxicity threshold in the muscle of the fish in line with W.H.O standards in food.

ND: Not Detected.

Concentration of heavy metals in fish parts: Hepsetus odoe

ND: Not Detected.

The results in Table 2 below show that the metal concentrations in fish organs of Hepsetus odoe followed the same pattern with Hemichromis fasciatus except that Cd, Cu and Pb were partially detected in the fish. Also, Fe (3.09±1.09) and Cr (0.15±0.03) were at the toxicity threshold in the muscle of the fish in line with W.H.O standards in food. This may be attributed to the abundance of these metals in the ecosystem and the tropic status of the fish (EPA, 2010). A remarkable relationship between heavy metals concentrations in water and fish were observed by [12].

Concentration of heavy metals in sediment samples

ND: Not Detected.

Table 3 below shows the total extractable concentration of heavy metals from sediments in the study area. Cadmium was not detected in the two locations, while Cr, Pb and Fe were significantly (p>0.05) higher in location A than location B. The results obtained showed that the sediment samples were lower in heavy metals concentration in line with reference values for USEPA [6].

Heavy metal concentrations in water sample

Heavy Metal concentrations in water samples from Ureje dam is presented in Table 4. Lead (Pb) was not detected in both stations. Zinc was in trace levels (0.02-0.06). Except for Fe, the heavy metal load in water was far below toxicity threshold level in comparison with W.H.O allowable limits in water [7].

ND: Not Detected.

Conclusion and Recommendation

This study examined the concentrations of Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr) and Manganese (Mn) in the Muscle, head, eye, tail and gills of the fish samples from Ureje Dam and compared the results with the World Health Organization (WHO) allowable limits in food. Also, the same elements were determined in water and sediment in line with US EPA, 2010. The observed differences in metal concentrations in the two species of fish examined indicated difference in metal uptake as reported by [13]. Metal uptake and accumulation has a direct link with the feeding habit of fish and where fish resides in water [14]. The reason for higher metal uptake in Hepsetus odoe compared to Hemichromis faciatus is that Hepsetus odoe is carnivorous and benthic while Hemichromis faciatus is an herbivore and pelagic. It was generally observed that Zn and Fe were more concentrated in the head and muscle than other parts of the fish, although there was a lack of general pattern of uptake and elimination which is species dependent as reported by Tuzen [8].

The concentration of heavy metals in water and sediments in the present study showed trace amount of heavy metals, mainly from anthropogenic input from the city of Ado Ekiti. The level of metal accumulation in fish, water and sediment in the study area has not constitutes health hazards to aquatic life or man. But it is necessary to monitor the usage of the dam by appropriate agencies by adhering strictly to the rules guiding its safety. Government must ensure safe disposal of agricultural, domestic sewage and industrial effluents and recycled where possible to avoid these metals and other contaminants from going into the dam. It is hereby recommended that, location of automobile workshops, dumping of domestic sewage and other activities that are inimical to the safe use of the dam should be discouraged, while regular assessment of the dam to see to its cleanness and proper maintenance should be encouraged.

To Know More About Journal of Oceanography Please Click on: https://juniperpublishers.com/ofoaj/index.php

#Wild fisheries #Seafood technology #Red Sea #Open Access Publishers #Online Journals Publishers

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