#antimicrobial agent

[chemtexspecialityltd]

How is ALSTASAN SILVOX able to reduce germs concentration and ensure infection control in Hospital? | Chemtex

Alstasan Silvox, or Silver Hydrogen Peroxide based sanitizer is a well effective multipurpose disinfectant. The eco-friendly and bio-degradable nature of this silver peroxide makes it effective for both commercial and domestic usage.

ALSTASAN SILVOX is helping hospitals and healthcare units achieve higher standards of infection control, ultimately contributing to safer environments for patients and healthcare workers alike.

[danhengposting]

a couple of besties can be the current and previous incarnation of the same soul

[oaresearchpaper]

Evaluating Citrullus colocynth Extracts as Natural Preservatives for Chevon Meatballs

Abstract

Chevon is one of the most favorable meats between Arabian populations. Its consider one of the primary source of protein, fat, and water, which providing all essential amino acids, micronutrients, vitamins B6, B12, vitamin D, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which makes it best media for growth of microorganism and highly perishable food item. That increasing the demand to find safe materials extending the shelf life of meat. The aim of the study is to examine Citrullus colocynthis extract as natural preservatives. Fifty chevon samples were investigated microbiologically. Then determined the antibacterial effect of Citrullus colocynthis (aquas & ethanolic) extracts by different concentrations; (1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 12.5 & 15) % against six foodborne microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella enteritidis and Vibrio parahaemolyticus). Finally, addition of the different concretions of each extract to the chevon was performed. On the other side obtained results observed that all extracts have antibacterial effect by varies degree against all tested microorganisms and the extracts successes to extend the shelf life of chevon to about 17 days. According to obtained results indicated that herbal extracts consider a promising choice for the creation as a novel technique to overcome some food pathogens. So, it can be utilized as an alternative to traditional food preservative products.

Introduction

Chevon is referred to the goat meat which considers as one of the most favorite edible red meat kind especially for Arabian societies consumers’. Chevon meat differ in nutritional values than beef meat as it has lower saturated fat, cholesterol and calories contents, in addition to its higher potassium and lower sodium contents all that make this meat kind of choice to people suffering from heart disease and other cardiovascular disorders (Singh et al., 2014).

On the other hand, chevon deterioration may result by the effect of; the meat enzymatic autolysis, lipid oxidation and/or microbial spoilage. Chevon as all meat kinds is one of the excellent media for microbial growth including foodborne microorganisms due to its nutritional value richness (Heifa’a et al., 2018).

Foodborne pathogens such as; (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes & Vibrio parahaemolyticus) in food poses food poisoning problem to the consumers’ health (Umesha and Manukumar, 2018). The zoonotic danger may cause by the foodborne microorganisms itself or caused by their toxins which leading to different severity of the illness signs or even death (Heredia and García, 2018; Allhyani et al., 2021).

Good preservation considered one of the best methods to avoid and/or retarding the meat spoilage (Sánchez-Ortega et al., 2014). although, there are many chemical preservatives used in food industries but almost of these chemicals have very dangerous side effect on the consumers’ health specially to young, old and immunosuppressed consumers, the hazards increase with prolong consumption of the preserved food products which may causing bad effect on liver, kidney in addition to, their teratogenic and carcinogenic. Therefore, almost recent food hygienists and researchers looking for new natural safe preservatives which can prolong the shelf life of the food item and avoid toxicological effect of the traditional preservatives using different plant parts extracts including; leaves, fruits, stems, roots, seeds and bark (Shah et al., 2014; Abo hashem et al., 2022).

Citrullus colocynthis is one of cucurbitaceae family which are widely spread characterized by its rough angular stems, lobed leaves, solitary monoecious flowers, its fruit is green turn to yellow when ripe with size similar to small orange size with numerous ovoid, compressed, light yellowish to dark brown smooth seeds and characterized by its; antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, gut disorders including gastroenteritis, colic, indigestion, and dysentery with multiple other therapeutic potency without adverse effects on human health but until now there is a wide shortage on them as food natural perservatives (Al-Snafi, 2016; Rani et al., 2017; da Silva and Hussain, 2017). In addition to the nearly absent studies on their effect in chevon preservation. This study aimed to investigate antibacterial effect of Citrullus colocynthis different extracts against some food posining pathogens which isolated from chevon samples, Performed sensetivity test by different concentration of each extract and evalute the effect of addition of the plant extracts by different concentrations on minced chevon shelf life.

Source : Evaluating the effect of Citrullus colocynth extracts as natural preservatives for some Chevon meatballs

[jcmarchi]

Startup aims to flush away the problem of icky toilet seats

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/startup-aims-to-flush-away-the-problem-of-icky-toilet-seats/

Startup aims to flush away the problem of icky toilet seats

We’ve all had the unpleasant experience of walking into a bathroom to discover a messy toilet seat. Now, an MIT alumni-founded startup is working to flush away that problem forever.

Cleana, co-founded by CTO Richard Li SM ’24, has developed an antibacterial, self-lifting toilet seat that promises a cleaner, more hygienic bathroom experience for all. Developing a new toilet seat is not quite as sexy as creating a fusion reactor, but Li believes in the importance of the company’s mission.

“A lot of people find it odd at first — a lot of our investors certainly did,” Li says. “This is meaningful to me and how I spent my time the past four years at MIT, and we now have the best solution available for solving this big problem.”

About 1,000 of Cleana’s seats have already been installed in schools, airports, gyms, and stadiums. Customers include Gillette Stadium, the YMCA, and even MIT, which has purchased several of the self-raising sensations for use on campus.

“Everyone who’s had to use a dirty toilet before knows how big a problem they are,” Li says. “Everyone is aware of it, but nobody has been able to address it in a simple, elegant way.”

Li’s foray into the toilet revolution began at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when he was a master’s student in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and germs were top-of-mind for everyone.

In 2020, Li connected with Cleana co-founders Kevin Tang, Max Pounanov, and Andy Chang, who were students at Boston University, and the quest to give the toilet seat autonomy began. Li began by prototyping devices in MIT’s Sidney-Pacific dormitory and MIT D-Lab, working with hand tools, heavy machinery, and 3D printers to test different designs.

There were a number of moments that tested the founders’ commitment to the toilet revolution. Li spent many nights — when public toilets weren’t in use — touring bathrooms around Boston and disassembling hundreds of seats to test the fit of Cleana’s product on different toilet bowls. In a testament to the importance of market research, the founders stood outside the bathroom of a local bowling alley with an installed unit, and attempted to interview users about their experience.

Early feedback, while perhaps awkward, was also encouraging: Cleana’s toilet seats were consistently reported as far cleaner and drier than their standard counterparts. In fact, a months-long study across several sites found that it prevented nearly 95 percent of common toilet seat messes in bathrooms where it was deployed.

“It wasn’t a pleasant experience, but it did get us the data we needed,” Li laughs.

Cleana’s smart seat looks a lot like a regular toilet seat with a special handle — but don’t let the standard design fool you; creating Cleana’s seat was a more complex challenge than it may first appear. The company couldn’t just use a set of springs to lift the seat up immediately (which could cause wiping interference, among other issues we won’t detail here). Cleana ultimately went through three major design pivots before settling on today’s product.

Cleana’s current seat is battery-free and in fact uses no electronics. It lifts mechanically after a predetermined amount of time, thus removing it from areas prone to common messes. Importantly, the seat detects when an individual is using the seat and utilizes a clever system to adjust when it should lift itself.

Cleana’s seat especially shines in public men’s and all-gender restrooms, where negligent behavior results in a considerable amount of splatter. The seat also incorporates antimicrobial agents to prevent the spread of germs, and its special handle spares users from having to touch the rest of the seat.

Customers have reported fewer toilet seat messes and less maintenance with Cleana’s seats.

“It saves the cleaning staff a lot of time,” Li says. “Sometimes, businesses had to send cleaning staff into their bathrooms multiple times a day to check on the toilet seat to make sure it’s clean. Now they’re finding that every time they go in, it’s already clean.”

The team is also creating a premium version of the seat geared toward the home, that automatically lowers the toilet seat and lid instead of lifting it. The product uses the same technology as its commercial seat, simply flipped around. The invention aims to end the age-old debate over lowering the toilet seat, while also protecting young children, pets, or dropped items from the risks of an open bowl.

“It’s funny developing a second product which is essentially the opposite of our first, but we’ve been absolutely blown away by the interest in it, especially amongst homeowners and developers,” said Li. “Several large plumbing companies with interest in the product have also conducted independent surveys, finding that more than half of consumers may adopt them in the coming years.”

Ultimately, Li wants to get to a point when he can go into any random gas station or restaurant, and, when nature calls, find his company’s smart seat waiting for him. That dream got real on a recent trip to the Roche Brothers in Watertown, Massachusetts, when Li was delighted to discover his sparkling seat in the restroom by chance.

But Li knows Cleana’s team still has a long way to go before the toilet revolution is complete. That’s why this past spring, when Li finally stood to collect his diploma at MIT’s Commencement, he wore not a sash around his neck, but a toilet seat.

Others kept their distance, but Li knew it was clean.

[truth4ourfreedom]

THE BENEFITS OF IVERMECTIN. IF YOU HAVE CANCER, FREQUENT COLD OR INFECTIONS, MUSCLE SHRINKAGE, CARDIAC ISSUES, CROHNS, HERPES, ETC.

The study was published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science.  LET'S TALK ABOUT IVERMECTIN 1 – Ivermectin prevents the damage caused to RNA Vaccines.  2 – Ivermectin blocks the entry of Spike Protein into cells.  So, if the person was vaccinated with COVID, they have hope, they have a way to treat themselves through Ivermectin.  3 – Ivermectin is a treatment after Covid and after vaccination, it is an effective medicine in all phases of Covid 19, even before entering the cell, Ivermectin already destroys the virus in the blood.  It only has beneficial effects and no harmful effects in the treatment of the coronavirus.  4 – Ivermectin has a very powerful anti-inflammatory action against Coronavirus.  5 – Ivermectin has a powerful action for traumatic and orthopedic injuries, it strengthens muscles and has no side effects like corticosteroids.  6 – Ivermectin treats autoimmune ailments such as: rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, fibromyalgia, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, allergic rhinitis.  7 – Ivermectin reduces the frequency of flu and colds.  8 – Ivermectin improves the immunity of cancer patients.  9 – Ivermectin treats Herpes Simplex and Herpes Zoster.  10 – Ivermectin reduces the frequency of sinusitis and diverticulitis.  11 – Ivermectin protects the heart in cardiac overload, in an embolism for example, it prevents cardiac hypoxia because it stimulates the production of basic energy so that the tissue is not destroyed and thus improves cardiac function.  12 – Ivermectin is antiparasitic.  13 – Ivermectin is anti-neoplastic (anti-cancer), it suppresses the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells, only killing cancer cells and preserving healthy cells, improving the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatment, as it kills cancer cells resistant to chemotherapy, defeating the resistance to multiple chemotherapeutics that tumors develop, and combined with chemotherapy and/or anti-cancer agents, it provides an increase in the effectiveness of these treatments.  14 – Ivermectin is antimicrobial (bacteria and viruses), and increases immunity.  15 – Ivermectin reaches the Central Nervous System and regenerates the nerves.  16 – Ivermectin regulates glucose and insulin metabolism.  17 – Ivermectin regulates cholesterol metabolism.  18 – Ivermectin reduces liver fat in steatose.  19 – Ivermectin protects the liver exposed to insecticides.  20 – Ivermectin attacks the virus wherever it is, regardless of mutations.  21 – Ivermectin serves for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus, surprisingly.  Unproven efficacy is not of Ivermectin, but of vaccines.  22 – Ivermectin, used as a prophylactic agent, was associated with a significant reduction in infection, hospitalization and mortality rates due to COVID-19.  23 - Ivermectin does not attack the liver, since it is not metabolized in it, and if in the intestine, on the contrary, it protects the liver. 

BIG PHARMA DOES NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS.THEY WANT TO SELL YOU THE EXPENSIVE MEDS THEY MAKE BILLIONS ON.

Please read, save and re-blog before Tumblr takes this down.

[jppres]

In vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity of an active plant-based quadrocomplex for skin hygiene

Image: Flickr Article published in J. Pharm. Pharmacogn. Res., vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 905-921, September-October 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.56499/jppres22.1452_10.5.905 Viktor A. Filatov1,2*, Olesya Yu. Kulyak1, Elena I. Kalenikova1 1Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacognosy and Organization of Pharmaceutical Business, Faculty of Basic Medicine, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State…

[nenelonomh]

deodorant

how often do you use this product you know so little about? let me educate you.

deodorant is a personal hygiene product designed to reduce or mask body odour caused by sweating and bacterial overgrowth. it makes the skin more acidic and less attractive to bacteria that cause odour. deodorants often contain antimicrobial agents to kill odour-causing bacteria and fragrances to mask any residual odour.

there are also antiperspirants, which are a subclass of deodorants. antiperspirants prevent sweating by blocking sweat glands, reducing the amount of perspiration that reaches the skin.

picking the right deodorant for your skin type

sensitive skin: look for deodorants labelled as hypoallergenic or formulated for sensitive skin. these usually contain fewer irritants and are free from alcohol and fragrances.

dry skin: opt for deodorants with moisturizing ingredients like aloe vera or glycerin to prevent further dryness.

'regular' skin: you have more flexibility and can choose from a wide range of deodorants, including those with added fragrances.

consider natural options

if you prefer to avoid synthetic chemicals, look for natural deodorants that use ingredients like baking soda, coconut oil, and essential oils.

allergies

before committing to any new products, do a patch test on a small area of your skin to check for any allergic reactions.

reviews

reading reviews can give you insights into how well a product works for others with similar skin types. some brands also offer sample sizes, so you can try them out before buying a full-sized product.

end notes

reply with which deodorant you prefer and why. these kinds of topics are often avoided, but it is important to have a general understanding.

i hope you found this interesting! ❤️ nene

[thatonebirdwrites]

Embers

AO3 Link (Continuation from Dress)

Kara sights her adversary on the wall just above one of the displays for artifacts from Indigenous tribes of North America. Despite the red cloak and ridiculously large hat, Kara knows it's Lena hanging there. Lena has carefully cut a hole in the glass enclosure, somehow turned off the alarm, and has the artifact in her gloved hand.

"Halt," Kara calls. She whips out her stun gun. "Don't make me shoot."

Lena raises a beautifully sculpted eyebrow. "Ah, I wondered when my favorite agent would arrive. Quite a dashing appearance I would say."

Kara tries not to preen at the compliment. She wears a suit and tie, mostly to blend in with the gala on the other side of the museum. Her team had been on high alert due to yet another invitation by LKW. Her boss, Alex, had been certain it was the jewels LKW sought, but Kara knows better.

Lena's past thefts had been highly specific cultural items from various Indigenous tribes throughout the world. Despite several of Kara's best contacts scouring the black market discreetly and preparing to buy any of the stolen artifacts, nothing Lena steals ever shows up in the auctions. Nor in private sales, at least the ones Kara's friends Nia and J'onn can access.

So where does Lena take them? It's haunted Kara for quite awhile.

"Why that artifact?" Kara asks. "It's just an old firestarter. Best you can get with that is embers."

Lena tucks the artifact into a pocket in the interior of her cloak. "Come now, agent, surely you have more imagination than that?" She swings to the next display. This one holds a set of fabrics, many intricately woven with dyed strands. She carefully cuts another circle and the embers of her torch sends sparks across the top of the glass.

"Are you seriously just going to continue?" Kara can't believe it. "I'm literally pointing a gun at you."

"You won't shoot it." Lena smiles and removes the circle with a flick of her finger. It flips over onto the other half of the glass top. "You never do. So instead of that tiresome posturing, play a game with me." She grins and reaches in to nab the next artifact. "Guess why I take these."

Kara frowns. "Toying with me now?"

"Oh I know you love it," Lena teases. She winks. "And I bet our last kiss has haunted your dreams."

Kara's face reddens. She will never admit it, but that kiss does indeed haunt her dreams and waking moments. In fact, she's half-thinking of it right now. Both of them dangling by rope as they make out-- "Dammit, stop that." Her face turns a darker shade of red when she realizes she said it out loud.

Lena laughs, and it's a gorgeous ripple of gold that sparks embers deep in Kara's gut. God, she wants to hear that laugh again and again.

"So the truth has been revealed." She tugs her bag to her side and carefully tucks the fabrics into it. "Now, our game? Or are you too flustered to think?" Another wink has Kara wishing she'd stuck to the other side of the gala.

Her gun lowers, while she struggles to regain an upper hand. "You poisoned me with that kiss." As much as it stings that the kiss had been merely to distract, Kara finds herself far more forgiving of Lena than she ought to be.

"Hardly," Lena scoffs. "My lipstick contained a trace amount of a phenylpropanoid derived from nutmeg, which can be hallucinogenic at certain doses, but it also has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. It's used in medicinal tonics in Southern Asia." She swings to the last display case in this exhibit. "I believe it important to the health of my favorite agent to occasionally loosen you up."

That's followed up with a wink.

Which only makes Kara want to kiss her even more.

"Well, I certainly did let loose," Kara says, her cheeks likely burning so red that she might as well be on fire. How does Lena stoke her so creepily well? Kara fights a spell of arousal after every conversation they share. It's maddening.

"Fine, I'll play your game. But after, I'm bringing you in. You're in a very disadvantageous position, Ms. Walsh, hanging from the ceiling."

"Am I? Oh, whatever shall I do?" Lena feigns a dramatic faint with one hand to her forehead. "My big bad agent will surely have to rescue me from this dreadful predicament."

Kara's face burns. "Big bad agent? Come now, I'm not that big."

"Tell that to your deltoids and biceps," Lena shoots back.

Which is a valid point. Kara does work out enough to have decently defined muscles, but she's not that beefy, is she? She flexes one arm, and to her amusement, Lena stares at her, her cutting momentarily distracted. The flame sizzles in the air above the glass.

"Oh, a muscle lover?" Kara teased. She flexes her other arm, and Lena bites her lip and quickly looks down at her torch.

The sparks glint blue as she completes her circular cut. "You have two guesses. I will reply with the truth for one guess and a lie for the other."

"One truth and one lie?" Kara puts her hands on her hips. "You don't make it easy, do you?"

Lena chuckles and slides the cut glass to one side. "And miss out on your famous detective skills? I think not. Dazzle me, agent."

She reaches inside to take out a clay vessel that has the shape of a frog with a tall snout sticking out of its back. To Kara's surprise, Lena takes her time gently wrapping the vessel in a massive amount of cloth from her bag.

"The items you steal never show up on the black market, so either someone commissions you to steal them or you have private dealers to avoid detection." It's been Kara's best guess for awhile now.

Lena raises an eyebrow. "Interesting guess. What evidence do you have that I'm selling them at all?"

Kara frowns. "It's the typical reason for theft. Usually those who frequent museums and university antique libraries like you sell on the black market or were commissioned by a wealthy collector."

"Wealthy." Lena laughs, but it's different than the whimsical laugh earlier. This one is darker, more dangerous, and her green eyes glint with an intensity that leaves Kara feeling incredibly parched. "Indeed, I expected a bit more imagination, Kara."

It's the first time Lena used Kara's first name only, and her intense gaze has Kara squirming.

She feels suddenly inadequate, simply because it never occurred to her that Lena might not be selling the artifacts at all. "The other possibility is you seek to gather an illegal collection for your own amusement."

Lena sighs, and that alone fills Kara with shame, as if she'd failed a test she hadn't known she was taking. "Kara, look at what I'm holding." She holds up the heavily wrapped vessel. "This is an extremely rare frog vessel from the Anasazi tribe in Southern United States. Descendants of the Anasazi live in reservations, forced off their lands, and often considered an extinct tribe."

"Okay, so you know your history, but why steal it?" Kara asks.

"Let me ask you this," Lena says, her voice suddenly serious. "If your agency raided an illegal black market auction that had thousands of stolen artifacts, what would be the fate of those artifacts?"

Kara frowns. "Hey, I thought I was the one to ask questions here."

"Answer the question, agent." The sharpness in Lena's voice takes Kara by surprise. This doesn't feel much like a game anymore.

"We put them in evidence bags and that goes to the department that handles artifact storage and analysis..." she trails off, her mind spinning at the implications.

"And once that department analyzes them, where do they go?"

"Often to museums..." A sick feeling curls through Kara's stomach.

"And where are we currently?"

"A museum in San Francisco..." Kara meets Lena's gaze, and for the first time, doubt curdles through her. "You're not taking these to sell them, are you? You're taking them to return them."

Lena smiles and tucks the frog vessel into her pack. "Perhaps you have a brain after all."

"But why do this? If you're caught, no one is going to care that you are returning cultural artifacts to their respective tribes." Kara frowns and crosses her arms. "The risk feels too high for the relative value--"

Lena loosens the carabiner on her rope and drops to the ground in front of Kara. The movement startles her, and Kara breaks off midsentence.

Tenderly, Lena reaches out to touch Kara's face, her glove warm. "And if I ever let love go, / because the hatred and the whisperings / of a phantom dictate I obey," Lena whispers, her eyes searching Kara's as if Kara herself held the artifacts she sought. She leans closer, her breath warm against Kara's skin.

Her words ignite a fire so deep, that Kara feels like she's burning from the inside out. Her right hand disobeys her and lightly touches Lena's waist.

"... then let love freeze me out," Lena continues, "I must, I must become a menace to my enemies."

The last line hits Kara like punch to her gut. "That's by June Jordan," she says, stunned. "My Aunt Astra loved that poem."

"Astra El, a brilliant strategist and freedom fighter in the Kaznia war against Russia." Lena's heterochromatic eyes pierced Kara's like daggers. "A war they lost brutally, their country pillaged and left in severe poverty. A great many refugees lay scattered throughout Western Nations."

"How do you know all that?" Kara says, her eyes wide. She's never talked about her past before with anyone. Not even Alex, Nia, or J'onn. Her and Kal-el survived only because Aunt Astra smuggled them out when Kara was ten years old and Kal only three.

"I seek what is lost and restore it." An answer that tells Kara next to nothing. Lena smiles, sadly, her thumb rubbing against Kara's cheek. "We must become a menace to our enemies, Kara."

Kara takes in a sharp breath. Her hand moves to her belt. "I should handcuff you right now and drag you in."

Lena steps back and holds out her wrists. "Then do it."

Kara's hands shake as she pulls out the bulky handcuffs. They dangle from her right hand, but she can't bring herself to do it. Lena's words, the poetry, and most of all knowledge of Kara's beloved Aunt? Too many questions dance in her head.

Lena drops her hands to her side with a smile. "I thought so." She leans in close and kisses Kara's cheek. "Now as much as I enjoyed our chat, I really must be going."

Kara knows this is her last chance. Sure, maybe she can't bring herself to handcuff Lena Kieran Walsh, but she can flip an alarm by hitting the signal on her walkie-talkie. The rest of the agents will flood the room and secure their adversary finally. Kara will be heralded a hero instead of yelled at for failing yet again.

But their conversation unnerves her so much that Kara does nothing.

Instead, she watches as Lena climbs up the wall, walking as if it's a floor, her hands on the rope. At the ceiling, she proceeds to push a tile to one side. Darkness looms in the resulting hole.

Lena glances down at her with a sad smile, and her right eye glints a bit more blue than the other. "There's a cozy, Vietnamese restaurant in San Diego that has an excellent view of the Pacific Ocean. I hear the potstickers are to die for."

"Oh?" Kara wonders why Lena is telling her this.

"Think about it, Kara," Lena says softly, and her gaze holds Kara's with an intimacy that takes her breath away. Framed by the ceiling lights around her escape hatch, Lena looks almost like an ethereal angel. "Don't hush," she recites a poem that tickles Kara's memory, but not enough to identify it, "don't throw away, / the most persistent truth, / as our hard-headed brethren / sometimes do."

Kara raises her hand in response, but words fail to form on her lips. With one last lingering glance, Lena slips into the ceiling and the tile is replaced as if she'd never been there.

A silence descends on the room, and a heaviness wraps around Kara's heart.

She looks up at the cameras in the room, and wonders what they captured. Turning, she walks back the way she came, but instead of joining the gala again, she turns toward the security office.

Inside, she finds two men, one of them half-asleep, and the other typing into a computer. They look up at her entrance.

"Agent Kara Zorel of Interpol," she says and flashes her badge. "May I review your footage for the last fifteen minutes?"

"Don't see why not." The man at the computer gestures to the wall of screens. He taps out a command, and Kara watches each of them carefully.

But none show her and Lena talking. The room Lena had burglarized looks as if no one had stepped in it for ages.

Which means Lena either works with someone, who aids in altering security footage, or she set this up days in advance to disguise her tracks. It makes sense considering how useless past security footage always proved to be. The drones they set to fly the perimeter sometimes catches glimpses of her get-away vehicle, but each one turns into a dead-end, the name on the rental a nonexistent person.

"Thank you. My superior may be by again to review further footage." Kara nods to the men and exits back toward the gala. She sights several agents spread out discreetly throughout the large ballroom, and her boss, Alex, lingers near the stage, where the artifact sits. The one her team had been certain was LKW's target.

She wonders what Aunt Astra would think of her working for Interpol. Kara thought she did this in her Aunt's honor, but Lena's words darken her thoughts and litter them with a gnawing doubt.

Alex corners her only five minutes later at the drink table. "And where have you been for the last twenty minutes?"

Kara sighs. "Bathroom and a check with the security feeds." This is technically the truth since she did go to the bathroom after the visit with security, but it leaves her with a mounting guilt and confusion.

Why is she protecting Lena Kieran Walsh? Sure, she enjoys their conversations, the flirting, and definitely that kiss, but she's a thief, and a dangerous one at that. What does she owe Lena? And yet, she'd somehow known of her Aunt, and spoken of her with reverence. Why?

"And you've seen nothing?" Alex searches Kara's face as if trying to read her mind. "No parting diatribes with our darling thief?" A hint of sarcasm filters into Alex's tone.

"No, nothing." Kara picks up a glass of water and drinks it, her eyes on the stage, where a band plays and the newest piece for the museum sits on display. Some sort of silver calf with carved symbols that mean nothing to Kara.

But they likely meant something to the culture from which that calf came.

"I think this might have been a diversion," she says. "Send us here while she goes elsewhere."

"I hope not, but I'll put in feelers for any suspicious activity within the region." Alex places a hand on Kara's shoulder. "I know this case has been hard for you. Just remember, as charming as Ms. Walsh is, she's also a dangerous fugitive. We must bring her to justice."

Kara nods and manages a smile. She drinks her water instead of replying. Is what she's doing justice?

Or is Lena Kieran Walsh's thefts a truer justice?

An unanswerable question.

Disturbed, she finds a quiet corner to watch the gala attendees. But her attention lays scattered like the petals on the red carpet stage.

Lena's last worlds pulse in her head, and she can't help herself. Kara performs a search on her phone for a specific restaurant in San Diego that serves potstickers.

When the theft is discovered two hours later, she aids the others in the investigation, but Lena Kieran Walsh, as usual, left no fingerprints, and no clues other than the three precisely cut holes in the glass enclosures.

[republicsecurity]

Standard Chastity/Underwear/Diaper Component of the Armor Suit

The Standard Chastity/Underwear/Diaper Component is an integral part of the advanced full-body armor suit worn by Cadets, Conscripts, Reservists and Intendurds in the Security Forces, Lifeguards, Paramedic Corps and Nursing Corps and training academies. This component is designed to ensure hygiene, control, and comfort for the wearer, whether used in conjunction with the full armor suit or as a standalone piece of equipment.

Design and Features

Material: Constructed from high-density, hypoallergenic synthetic fabrics, the component provides durability, flexibility, and breathability. The inner lining is coated with an antimicrobial layer to prevent infections and maintain cleanliness over extended periods.

Two-Chamber Design: The component features a specialized two-chamber design. One chamber securely encases the penis, while the other accommodates the scrotum, ensuring both are protected and kept in an optimal environment. This design helps in preventing chafing and maintaining hygiene, even during extended periods of use.

Chastity Mechanism: The chastity feature includes a secure, ergonomic cage designed to prevent unauthorized sexual activity. Made from lightweight, medical-grade polymers, it ensures comfort while maintaining strict control. The cage can be adjusted to fit various sizes and shapes, ensuring a snug but non-restrictive fit.

Waste Management: Integrated into the design is an advanced waste management system. This includes absorbent layers capable of handling urine and fecal matter, which are quickly wicked away to prevent discomfort and skin irritation. The component can be easily cleaned and sanitized, whether worn as part of the armor or independently.

Compatibility: The component seamlessly integrates with the full-body armor suit. Connection points allow for the automated removal and disposal of waste, managed by the suit’s internal systems. When worn independently, it functions efficiently, ensuring the wearer remains hygienic and comfortable.

Security and Monitoring: Equipped with biometric sensors, the component monitors the wearer’s physiological state, transmitting data to the suit’s central processing unit or an external monitoring system. This includes tracking hydration levels, waste excretion, arousal and other vital signs to ensure optimal health and performance.

Comfort and Fit: Designed for extended wear, the component features adjustable straps and a contoured design to prevent chafing and discomfort. The fit can be customized to each wearer, ensuring it remains secure without impeding movement or flexibility.

Usage and Maintenance

Usage: The Standard Chastity/Underwear/Diaper Component is designed for continuous use up to 7 days, with a standard operational period of 5 days. This duration ensures that cadets remain in peak condition during extended training exercises or deployments, without the need for frequent removal or maintenance.

Maintenance: Regular cleaning and sanitization are required to maintain its functionality and hygiene standards. The component can be detached from the suit and cleaned using standard military-grade cleaning agents. Replacement parts and servicing are available through authorized personnel and facilities.

The Standard Chastity/Underwear/Diaper Component exemplifies the blend of technological innovation and practical application, ensuring cadets maintain hygiene and comfort during their rigorous training and operational duties.

[ratasum]

Medicine and Healing Magic

So something that lives rent free in my head all the time?

Healing magic and practical medicine.

So since hospitals, medical wards, medics, etc all exist in universe, I generally theorize that magical healing is (obviously) not as immediate or complete as healing magic in game.

Gonna use this write up I did for Kippa from the Priory TED Talk to explain my thoughts on it:

Of course, it is a well known fact for adventurers that magic is a useful tool when it comes to injuries taken on the road. But what few people are aware of is that while magic is extremely useful for everyone in our world, it’s equally important to know how to manage illnesses and injuries both without and in conjunction with magic. Many injuries cannot be immediately treated with magic safely, and others may not need the use of magic at all. Take, for example, a significant open wound. While one might be tempted to use magic to seal it immediately, it is important to make certain that the wound is thoroughly washed and all infection within the wound is managed. The best practice here would be to use an antimicrobial agent - for example garlic, honey, or peppermint - once the wound is washed, and then stitch and bandage the wound. Apply small amounts of healing, checking constantly for signs of infection, until the wound is fully healed. It is true this can take a few days! But it lowers the risk of accidentally sealing an infection in the body and running the risk of a blood infection or a potentially dangerous amputation. Broken bones are another item that must be dealt with using a gentler touch. Rapid healing may fix the break, but it can also heal the bone at the wrong angle, requiring worse treatment and a length recovery. Setting and splinting the bone, then applying small amounts of healing magic over time, is the best practice here! Obviously necessity can demand precedence. In an emergency, magic must be applied to reduce blood loss and get someone back on their feet quickly. But be aware that various after-effects can occur: dizziness, dehydration, disorientation, and migraines are common side effects from sudden, high level healing in emergency situations, and we recommend things like willow bark, cold compresses, and - surprisingly - coffee to help with the headaches. Rest once in a safe area can address the dizziness and disorientation, and drinking plenty of water is the obvious answer to the dehydration. Our world is full of fantastic natural remedies. We recommend it often for those living in cities and small towns, handed to us by those who’ve practiced these natural methods of treatment for many years before us. Feverfew for high fevers, echinacea and eucalyptus for respiratory issues, and more. Here at the Priory, we do put a high focus into ensuring all our healers learn as much as possible about the natural world. In a pinch, a tincture or a poultice can be as or more useful as any healing magic could hope to be.

Basically, magic is a stopgap. It CAN be used to fully heal an injury, but a number of different things can be taken into account, such as infection, risk of making dangerous decisions that will result in future painful treatment, etc. So both are extremely useful and necessary in a world like this.

[ukrfeminism]

Some period pants sold by high street retailers contain high levels of silver that could have health and environmental implications for consumers, an investigation has found.

Silver is used as an antimicrobial agent and is typically added to period pants to combat user concerns about smell and hygiene.

However, scientists have increasingly warned about the potential health effects. The US Food and Drug Administration found that nanosilver can kill lactobacillus, the healthy bacteria in the vagina that help fight off infection. This can put period pant users more at risk of harmful bacteria, potentially leading to an increased risk of bacterial infections and pregnancy complications.

Natalie Hitchins, the head of home products and services at Which?, said: “Consumers should be cautious buying period pants which contain silver as experts have concerns about the health implications.

“Which? believes brands should also clearly state which products contain silver so shoppers can make informed decisions about what they are buying and the possible risks.”

The consumer rights group worked with an Italian consumer organisation, Altroconsumo, to independently test popular brands and check if they contained any chemicals of concern. They were worried to find that some products contained significant levels of silver, and this was not always made clear on the packaging.

Intima by Bodyform and pants by Marks & Spencer in particular contained notably more silver than other brands, at 126.7mg/kg and 57.8mg/kg respectively. Other brands contained 8.3mg/kg, 7.4mg/kg, and 0.9mg/kg.

Essity, the owner of Bodyform and Modibodi, said silver copper zeolite was used to “prevent odour when wearing the pants for up to 12 hours”. It added that all of its “washable underwear is certified according to Oeko-Tex Standard 100, which means that every single component has been tested for harmful substances” and “that the underwear has been designated as harmless for human health”. An M&S Spokesperson said: “We do not use either nano silver or silver zeolite and, like many brands, use a small amount of silver chloride in the middle part of the gusset – away from the skin – which is perfectly safe, approved by the UK and EU, and designed to combat odour.”

Which? said it believed the use of silver was unnecessary and that previous testing by Altroconsumo had shown that textile items treated in this way did not have the promised antimicrobial properties.

The European Chemicals Agency says silver treatments, such as nanosilver and silver zeolite, are toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects.

The tests Which? carried out can detect any silver above 0.1mg/kg, and it found none in Primark, Repeat, Wuka, Lovable and Sloggi pants. Sloggi’s website says it does use a silver-based antimicrobial, and Primark says it uses Micro-Fresh, which contains silver chloride.

A Primark spokesperson said: “The nature of period pants means there is a potential for odour to develop during wear (in the same way that bacteria can cause socks and shoes to develop odours during wear) and our antimicrobial finish minimises such odours.”

Sloggi did not reply to Which? at the time of publication.

There are no legal limits in the UK about how much silver can be added to period pants. Manufacturers do not have to declare the presence of silver on their packaging or website.

[girlw-amermaidtattoo]

Burn Cream

You might consider skipping this item if you don't normally engage with fire or electricity play, but I'd advise against it. Though burn cream is especially important if you engage with electricity or fire, it can come in handy after other types of play as well – dripping candle wax, temperature play, even a bath that's accidentally too hot.

Be intentional about the type of burn cream you choose. Some can include antibiotic properties, silver sulfadiazine, and other antimicrobial agents. Silver sulfadiazine is used to prevent and treat infections in burns specifically. You may also want to have dressings specifically for burns that help keep the area cool and moist, which aids in healing.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Enhancing the antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles against pathogens by using tea extracts

Researchers at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPC PAS) have demonstrated that green tea–silver nanoparticles as a powerful tool against pathogens such as bacteria and yeast. Their work is published in Nanoscale Advances. Their goal was to develop an efficient method to combat bacteria that are otherwise unaffected by antimicrobial agents, such as antibiotics. The overuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of resistance to these compounds, becoming one of the biggest health threats worldwide.

Read more.

[realperson022]

Shadow's favorite flowers are Lantanas...

according to the internet, I possibly can see why:

they require the full sun

Prefers well-draining soil that is neutral, slightly acidic, or slightly alkaline (really got to take care of them)

leaves display antimicrobial, fungicidal, and insecticidal properties (so they're great for medicine use, especially in cancer, skin itches, leprosy, chicken pox, measles, asthma, and ulcers)

they're invasive (smother and destroy native vegetation and are impenetrable to animals, people, and vehicles)

they've been the focus of control programs for a century because of their invasive nature, and as of recently, biocontrol agents have allowed for few successes in controlling them