#respiratory disease solutions

[pathologylab]

A wide variety of molecular diagnostic kits tailored to lung disorders and respiratory tract infections are available at Genes2Me respiratory disease diagnosis. The kits have a quick sample processing time of about 60 minutes and are based on the Gold standard Taqman chemistry. These qRT-PCR kits are very compatible with Real-Time PCR equipment that is readily accessible.

[chronicbitchsyndrome]

so: masking: good, unequivocally. please mask and please educate others on why they should mask to make the world safer for immune compromised people to participate in.

however: masking is not my policy focus and it shouldn't be yours, either. masking is a very good mitigation against droplet-born illnesses and a slightly less effective (but still very good) mitigation against airborne illnesses, but its place in the pyramid of mitigation demands is pretty low, for several reasons:

it's an individual mitigation, not a systemic one. the best mitigations to make public life more accessible affect everyone without distributing the majority of the effort among individuals (who may not be able to comply, may not have access to education on how to comply, or may be actively malicious).

it's a post-hoc mitigation, or to put it another way, it's a band-aid over the underlying problem. even if it was possible to enforce, universal masking still wouldn't address the underlying problem that it is dangerous for sick people and immune compromised people to be in the same public locations to begin with. this is a solvable problem! we have created the societal conditions for this problem!

here are my policy focuses:

upgraded air filtration and ventilation systems for all public buildings. appropriate ventilation should be just as bog-standard as appropriately clean running water. an indoor venue without a ventilation system capable of performing 5 complete air changes per hour should be like encountering a public restroom without any sinks or hand sanitizer stations whatsoever.

enforced paid sick leave for all employees until 3-5 days without symptoms. the vast majority of respiratory and food-borne illnesses circulate through industry sectors where employees come into work while experiencing symptoms. a taco bell worker should never be making food while experiencing strep throat symptoms, even without a strep diagnosis.

enforced virtual schooling options for sick students. the other vast majority of respiratory and food-borne illnesses circulate through schools. the proximity of so many kids and teenagers together indoors (with little to no proper ventilation and high levels of physical activity) means that if even one person comes to school sick, hundreds will be infected in the following few days. those students will most likely infect their parents as well. allowing students to complete all readings and coursework through sites like blackboard or compass while sick will cut down massively on disease transmission.

accessible testing for everyone. not just for COVID; if there's a test for any contagious illness capable of being performed outside of lab conditions, there should be a regulated option for performing that test at home (similar to COVID rapid tests). if a test can only be performed under lab conditions, there should be a government-subsidized program to provide free of charge testing to anyone who needs it, through urgent cares and pharmacies.

the last thing to note is that these things stack; upgraded ventilation systems in all public buildings mean that students and employees get sick less often to begin with, making it less burdensome for students and employees to be absent due to sickness, and making it more likely that sick individuals will choose to stay home themselves (since it's not so costly for them).

masking is great! keep masking! please use masking as a rhetorical "this is what we can do as individuals to make public life safer while we're pushing for drastic policy changes," and don't get complacent in either direction--don't assume that masking is all you need to do or an acceptable forever-solution, and equally, don't fall prey to thinking that pushing for policy change "makes up" for not masking in public. it's not a game with scores and sides; masking is a material thing you can do to help the individual people you interact with one by one, and policy changes are what's going to make the entirety of public life safer for all immune compromised people.

[dietsandmore]

Top 7 Most Common Health Issues

Maintaining good health is a priority for everyone, yet many individuals find themselves grappling with common health issues that can impact their overall well-being. In this article, we will explore seven prevalent health concerns and delve into effective solutions to address them. Additionally, we will highlight the valuable insights of Dt. Shreya Katyal, a top dietician in Delhi, who offers online diet consultation through Diets & More, is recognized as the best online dietician in Delhi.

Obesity and Overweight

Stress and Mental Health

Cardiovascular Diseases

Diabetes

Digestive Disorders

Respiratory Problems

Bone and Joint Health

Obesity and Overweight: Obesity is a widespread health issue that can lead to various complications, including heart disease, diabetes, and joint problems. To combat obesity, it is crucial to adopt a holistic approach, combining a balanced diet, regular exercise, and lifestyle changes. Dt. Shreya Katyal emphasizes the importance of personalized diet plans tailored to individual needs, promoting weight loss in a sustainable manner. Stress and Mental Health: Modern lifestyles often contribute to heightened stress levels, negatively impacting mental health. Regular exercise, meditation, and seeking professional counseling are effective ways to manage stress. Dt. Shreya Katyal highlights the connection between nutrition and mental health, emphasizing the role of a well-balanced diet rich in essential nutrients to support mental well-being. Diabetes: Diabetes is a chronic condition affecting millions worldwide. Lifestyle modifications, including a healthy diet and regular exercise, are fundamental in managing diabetes. Dt. Shreya Katyal recommends a diet low in refined sugars and carbohydrates, emphasizing the importance of portion control and balanced meals to regulate blood sugar levels. Cardiovascular Diseases: Heart-related issues, such as hypertension and high cholesterol, are common health concerns. Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle involves regular exercise, a diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol, and stress management. Dt. Shreya Katyal advocates for a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins to support cardiovascular health. Digestive Disorders: Digestive issues like indigestion, bloating, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affect many individuals. Dietary changes, such as incorporating fiber-rich foods and staying hydrated, can help alleviate these problems. Dt. Shreya Katyal emphasizes the importance of a well-balanced diet that includes probiotics to promote a healthy gut. Respiratory Problems: Respiratory issues, such as asthma and allergies, are prevalent health concerns. Regular exercise, maintaining a clean living environment, and avoiding triggers can help manage respiratory conditions. Dt. Shreya Katyal highlights the role of antioxidants in supporting respiratory health, recommending a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Bone and Joint Health: Conditions like osteoporosis and arthritis can impact bone and joint health. Adequate calcium intake, regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight are essential for preventing and managing these issues. Dt. Shreya Katyal emphasizes the role of a nutrient-dense diet with adequate calcium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids to support bone and joint health.

Conclusion:

Addressing common health issues requires a multifaceted approach that includes lifestyle changes, regular exercise, and a balanced diet. Dt. Shreya Katyal, a leading dietician in Delhi, emphasizes the importance of personalized nutrition plans to address specific health concerns. Through online diet consultations at Diets & More, individuals can access expert guidance to achieve and maintain optimal health. By incorporating these solutions, individuals can take proactive steps towards a healthier and more fulfilling life.

[vaguegrant]

The sardonic, reductionist headline here could be "Scientists finally figured out why you get more colds in winter: bEcAuSe iT's CoLd!"—but the actual science involved here is both interesting, and potentially very relevant to everyday life and especially the immunocompromised:

It turns out the cold air itself damages the immune response occurring in the nose. [...] In fact, reducing the temperature inside the nose by as little as 9 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius) kills nearly 50% of the billions of virus and bacteria-fighting cells in the nostrils, according to the study published Tuesday in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. “Cold air is associated with increased viral infection because you’ve essentially lost half of your immunity just by that small drop in temperature,” said rhinologist Dr. Benjamin Bleier, director of otolaryngology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Want to avoid catching or spreading respiratory viruses like CoVid-19, RSV, influenza, or a common cold? Mask up, please, but also bundle up! Wrap up in a scarf, wear a balaclava, and just generally keep your face warm. There's no single magic solution, but that's not a reason to do nothing. Rather, it's a reason to take several simple precautions that help avoid the spread of disease and protect those around you. (I can't tell you how much "this isn't 100% effective so I shouldn't do it at all" frustrates me.)

Oh, and #knitblr? This is your time to shine.

[rhq2744]

Urgent!!

Vertified by @el-shab-hussin , @nabulsi ,,, Num.221 on the list :

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1yYkNp5U3ANwILl2MknJi9G7ArY4uVTEEQ1CVfzR8Ioo/htmlview

See below 👇👇

Hello, I am Raghad Qanou, a second-level medical student in Gaza, or I was. For a year, we have been suffering from genocide. I, my family, and my people have been exposed to it. Many crimes have occurred. We have seen a lot and are still seeing. I have lost my loved ones, my friends, my home, my university, and my entire future. We are trying hard to cling to life and survive! We have been clinging to life for a year, but we are tired, and we need help. We are very tired.We feel that we are alone now. We cannot find our daily food. We have lost our money, our jobs, our home, and everything. We have lost our life savings, on rubble, tents, and primitive life. Although it is primitive, it is expensive. In light of the siege and famine we are experiencing, there is no food or... Water or medicine, and if it is available, the prices are crazy. My family and I live in tents. Since last November, we have been living next to a public toilet with a destroyed sewage system. Can you live next to the sewage for one day? Me, my family and my younger brothers, we live hereAlmost a year ago, we haven't gotten used to it yet! We are not accustomed to the ugly sight of filth and excrement covering the oven on which we cook, nor are we accustomed to the insects and worms that feed on us all night, nor are we accustomed to the reproductive system diseases that we suffer from this polluted toilet, which we are forced to enter. It is also a mixed bathroom, there is no privacy. There is no respect for us as girls. We are subjected to terrible harassment and disrespect, and we suffer from many, many reproductive, digestive, and skin diseases, in addition to respiratory, due to the fire.

To cook food, that is, if there is any food. My brothers and I are very sick. We suffer from hepatitis. It is like an epidemic here. Everyone has yellow eyes, exhausted and tired. It is as if we were zombies. We are all lying on the ground, unable to do anything. It is heartbreaking the state we have reached. To him, and to see your world collapsing, and you do not know what the solution is, what is the way to end this nightmare, there is no way out, except this link,

Please, even if just a little, try to help us. It hurts me very much to see my family, especially my beloved brother, in this condition. He is thinking of committing suicide. The children here are crying and banging their heads against the wall from the force of the shocks they are exposed to, and from their regret for their childhood that was lost in the sewers and displacement. This is painful. I think I'm big, I can handle a little bit.

But please, for the sake of these children, donate what you can. If you do not have the money, post the link. Everything makes a difference in our situation, and remember, the little you have means a lot to us, and it may save the life of an entire family somewhere, so do not hesitate!

The verification :

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved on our archive

By Hayley Gleeson

There wasn't a dramatic "lightning bolt" moment when Colin Kinner realised he needed to roll up his sleeves and start tackling what he'd come to see as a pernicious problem: the largely unchecked spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Australian schools.

What spurred him to act, in the end, was the growing pile of evidence that COVID was a serious health threat, and his concern that school communities seemed to be shrugging their shoulders at it.

He was tired of hearing about schools allowing teachers to come to work while COVID positive. Of sick children being permitted to stay in class and infecting others. Of schools asking parents not to tell them if their child had COVID, but routinely sending home letters about head lice or chickenpox. Of teachers and kids catching the virus and not recovering.

"As a parent, I want my son to be safe at school, so that was a key part of my motivation to do this," says Mr Kinner, the Brisbane creator of COVID Safety for Schools, a free online course that aims to correct misinformation and teach school staff and parents how to reduce the risk of the virus spreading. "But also, having spoken to lots of other parents and teachers, it's clear that most schools are lacking an understanding of some of the absolute basics of COVID. And in the fifth year of the pandemic, I find that very troubling."

Every week in Australia too many students and teachers are catching COVID at school, Mr Kinner says, resulting in disrupted learning, teacher shortages, increased transmission in the broader community and disabling chronic illnesses like long COVID. It's hardly surprising: a packed classroom can be the perfect place for an airborne virus to thrive, with one US study finding more than 70 per cent of COVID transmission in homes began with an infected school-age child.

Schools aren't necessarily at fault: in most states they've been starved of good public health guidance, Mr Kinner says — they've been told "they can treat it like any other respiratory illness, so that's exactly what they're doing".

Step one: correct misinformation A science and technology communicator and startup mentor, Mr Kinner's solution was to assemble a team — some of Australia's leading experts in public health, medicine and engineering — who could explain in simple video tutorials the health risks of COVID, the science of how it spreads, and strategies schools can use to keep staff and students well. The ultimate goal of COVID Safety for Schools, he says, is to change minds and behaviour and, since it launched in February, 600 participants have signed up, about half parents and half teachers.

But perhaps its greatest challenge is engaging people in the first place, particularly those who believe COVID is harmless or no longer worth taking precautions against.

For the past couple of years Australians have been encouraged to keep calm and carry on as if the virus is in the rear view mirror, even as it continues sickening and killing people, albeit in smaller numbers than years gone by. News reports often downplay its severity, if they cover it at all, while political leaders, public health officials and doctors have claimed it is no cause for concern, especially in children, and that catching it is not just inevitable, but necessary.

But mounting evidence shows the opposite. Even in vaccinated people and those who suffer "mild" infections, COVID can trigger a range of health problems including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological conditions and immune dysfunction. Then there's long COVID, a debilitating multi-organ illness that has upended the lives of hundreds of millions of children and adults worldwide, many of whom do not fully recover.

"COVID is like an accelerator for all the other diseases that we hate — it's actually an aging accelerant as well," Professor Jeremy Nicholson explains in one of the course videos. "And we don't want that for our kids or anybody else."

Simple steps can stop COVID spreading Once apprised of the health risks, course participants are taught about evidence-based tools schools can use to reduce viral transmission. These are not outlandish or burdensome interventions, but common sense steps like encouraging teachers and students to stay home if they're sick; improving indoor air quality with ventilation and filtration — with air conditioning systems, air purifiers and good old-fashioned open windows; and promoting mask wearing particularly in high-risk settings like crowded indoor gatherings or bus trips.

Of course, some education departments already require schools to take similar measures. In Victoria, for instance, all public schools must "maximise" external ventilation, ensure air purifiers are used, encourage good personal hygiene and make face masks available for those who want to wear them. But that doesn't mean schools actually follow the guidelines or use the tools at their disposal (in 2021 the government delivered tens of thousands of air purifiers to schools across the state, but many are no longer used and some have since been listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace).

The federal president of the Australian Education Union, Correna Haythorpe, says any initiative that educates people about COVID and what schools can do to prevent infections is "welcome". Teachers who have to take sick leave because they've caught COVID or developed long COVID are an additional burden on schools, many of which are struggling with the "chronic" national teacher shortage, she says. Then there's the disruption to learning: "A contagious disease can very quickly … take out significant numbers of students. And fundamentally, we want kids to be engaged, we want them to be well, we want them to be learning."

Improving the situation, though, requires stronger leadership from education departments, Ms Haythorpe says. "Current government approaches to limiting COVID infection, repeat infection and long COVID demonstrates a lack of concern for the health and wellbeing of students, teachers and broader school communities," the AEU wrote in its submission to Australia's parliamentary inquiry into long COVID. Mitigation measures in many public schools are not adequate, it said, "and a lack of capital investment … since 2017 means that conditions are often cramped with inadequate air flow".

'Long COVID basically ended my career' For Amanda Sharpe, these problems are personal. Before she developed long COVID after catching the virus from her children in 2022, Ms Sharpe taught advanced maths at a high school in Bundaberg, Queensland. She used to spend full days on her feet, relishing the buzz of helping her students solve complex equations, preparing them for careers in fields like medicine and aerospace engineering.

Now, just sitting upright for a short spell or reading a simple news story can quickly worsen her symptoms and wipe her out for days. "Long COVID basically ended my career and I doubt that I'll ever be able to return," she says. "Unless there is an actual cure, I think that will be it for me."

It's bewildering that schools aren't taking stronger action to protect their staff and students from COVID, says Ms Sharpe, who tells her story in the COVID Safety for Schools course. A major issue is that many people still think of COVID as a respiratory illness, she says — they don't realise it can also attack the vascular system, damaging blood vessels and increasing the risk of clotting abnormalities, stroke and heart disease.

She also wishes more people knew that the virus can cause brain changes and cognitive impairment: one study, for instance, found people who recovered from "mild" COVID infections had lost the equivalent of three IQ points.

"With the maths I teach, you really can't afford to have your IQ drop," Ms Sharpe says. "I just don't understand why schools aren't implementing simple measures like improving indoor air quality — especially private schools, where academic results link directly with enrolments and success."

In response to previous disease outbreaks like Spanish flu and tuberculosis, schools moved lessons outdoors — sometimes in freezing winter temperatures — to stop children from getting sick, she says. "But we don't want to have classroom windows open in Queensland? It just seems insane to me."

What about WHS laws? It may also be unlawful. Australians may have been led to believe that public health orders in force until 2022 were the key reason employers, including schools, had to take steps to protect staff from COVID, says Michael Tooma, a partner at the law firm Hamilton Locke. But schools have always had to comply with workplace health and safety laws — "there has always been a duty of care", he says. "COVID presents a risk to health and safety and, like any other risk, it needs to be managed with proactive policies and procedures that try to eliminate the risk or reduce it as far as reasonably practicable."

At the very least, Mr Tooma says, schools should be excluding people with COVID from the workplace, improving ventilation in classrooms and auditoriums and maintaining sensible cleaning and hygiene regimes.

Schools that fail to meet their WHS legal obligations may be reported to and investigated by state regulators, which can issue improvement notices and in some cases bring prosecutions for serious breaches of the relevant legislation.

Still, Mr Tooma says he's not aware of any schools being prosecuted for COVID-related breaches and in general, regulators tend to focus on industries that have higher risks of serious physical harm and death, as well as "campaign" issues like mental health. "Regulator activity tends to follow public interest and so as public interest in COVID and COVID safety has waned, so has regulatory activity around it, in my experience."

Mr Kinner suspects it's probably going to take successful litigation for schools to start taking COVID more seriously. He points to a UK case in which 120 teachers with long COVID are suing the Department of Education for allegedly failing to protect them at the height of the pandemic. Those involved say they were not given good enough guidance for managing the risks the virus posed, with data showing teachers suffered high rates of infection and long COVID.

"I think it's only a matter of time before we see similar legal action in Australia," Mr Kinner says. "It could be from teachers, it could be from families who caught COVID because it came into their household via the school. I think it's inevitable."

In the meantime, he will keep trying to get COVID Safety for Schools in front of as many teachers, parents and principals as he can — even if it takes a while, even if they don't want to hear its message.

"I've been very surprised at how school leaders don't act when they're presented with this information, even people who go through the course and understand — or should understand — that this is a virus we should be taking very seriously," Mr Kinner says. "Because facts remain facts. Even if you don't like them, even if they make you feel uncomfortable, they're still facts."

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Scientists achieve more than 98% efficiency in removing nanoplastics from water

University of Missouri scientists are battling against an emerging enemy of human health: nanoplastics. Much smaller in size than the diameter of an average human hair, nanoplastics are invisible to the naked eye. Linked to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in people, nanoplastics continue to build up, largely unnoticed, in the world's bodies of water. The challenge remains to develop a cost-effective solution to get rid of nanoplastics while leaving clean water behind. That's where Mizzou comes in. Recently, researchers at the university created a new liquid-based solution that eliminates more than 98% of these microscopic plastic particles from water.

Read more.

[darkmaga-returns]

Key topics discussed in this episode:

What Is Geoengineering?

Dane walks us through the science and purpose behind programs like solar radiation management (SRM) and stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), explaining how they are presented as solutions for climate change. However, these technologies involve dispersing toxic particulates, including aluminum, barium, and graphene, into the atmosphere, with dire environmental and health consequences.

The Role of Weather Control

We unpack the reality of weather warfare. Dane explains how engineered hurricanes, droughts, and floods are being used as tools of manipulation and geopolitical control. These weather events, far from natural, are destroying agriculture and displacing populations, with ripple effects across the globe.

Ozone Layer Depletion

Perhaps the most alarming revelation is the accelerating collapse of the ozone layer due to these programs. Dane provides evidence linking the chemicals used in geoengineering to the erosion of this protective barrier, which shields us from harmful UV radiation. Without immediate action, the damage could lead to irreversible environmental collapse.

The Human and Environmental Cost

Geoengineering is contributing to a rise in neurological diseases, respiratory issues, and immune system disorders in humans, as well as mass die-offs in animal and plant species. Dane shares compelling data on the presence of heavy metals in soil, water, and air samples, highlighting the connection between these toxic substances and declining biodiversity.

[peskellence]

My Friends Call Me Richard

Poll Winner - Part I

Explicit Content (18+)

Tags: M/M, Workplace Romance, FWB, Humour, Awkward Encounters, Eventual Smut

Next Chapter

Read on AO3 here:

Summary: In a bid to improve his partnership (and secret intimate arrangement) with Detective Gavin Reed, RK900 embarks on a noble quest to spice things up. The solution? A new biocomponent.

Part I of an extremely silly three parter.

Word Count: 1.9K

Tag List: @sweeteatercat @wedonthaveawhile @ladyj-pl @tentoriumcerebelli @negative-citadel @faxaway @moriahadi424 @unicorn4genocide @cptjh-arts

Debris was strewn across the apartment in all directions, a cataclysmic nuclear fallout of take out containers. The noxious fumes and festering contents only added feasibility to the dire assessment. 

He had no idea how humans could endure such profound levels of squalor. If he were susceptible to disease, his current surroundings would be a cause for urgent concern. Despite this immunity, he still felt uncomfortable, with only one reason compelling him to tolerate any of it:

Detective Gavin Reed had been his work partner for five months, sixteen days, and 4.7 hours. Most recently, they had entered a physical relationship, although they refrained from attributing a label to it. If they were to do so, the most accurate descriptor would be an arrangement of convenience. A traditional romantic entanglement did not apply, nor did the colloquial term 'friends with benefits'.

Their affiliation failed to meet the required level of closeness—a connection the detective made clear he had no desire to foster. If his memory banks were serving correctly, he recalled the exact sentiments on the subject being: “I would rather do a swan dive into a wood chipper than make friends with a walking Alexa.”

In spite of this aversion, his attraction to the android had been unmistakable—with an interest in the contours of his posterior molding that went beyond idle curiosity. This, in turn, had presented a unique opportunity to bypass his relentless obstinance.

After extensive research into behavioural management, RK900 discovered that humans tended to be more agreeable following a sexual release. Once his patience with Reed's antics had thinned to an irreparable degree, he had taken the initiative to corner the man in the precinct lavatory and put his theory to the test. 

The results had been exemplary, with Reed left in a complicit fugue state for the remainder of their shift.

Through repetition and carefully calculated variations to their encounters, the experiment proved an overwhelming success in adjusting his partner's behaviour. While far from a model citizen, he was a shadow of the belligerent monster that had been assigned to him. 

This improvement was not to last. RK900 observed a recent relapse in their dynamic, manifested as a renewed resistance. While not overtly expressed, this resistance was evident in the man’s biological responses.

He no longer experienced the same respiratory spike when seeing the android unclothed, nor was he reaching the same rates of cardiovascular elevation. More concerning, it was also taking considerably longer for him to orgasm—despite the skill of the ‘Magic-Robo-Fingers’ he so frequently praised.

It was an unexpected and troubling change that RK900 felt compelled to investigate, lest they revert to a time where being drenched in a caffeinated beverage and gesticulated at obscenely was a customary greeting.

He hoped an appraisal of his partner's domicile might provide some much-needed insight into the reasons for his growing disinterest. When he had explained these intentions to RK800, he had been swiftly chided—informed that his plan constituted an invasion of Detective Reed’s privacy.

Really, that wasn't his intent.

He only wished to revitalise the man's enjoyment of their intimate activities so that their agreement might continue to be mutually beneficial. This, and they were nearing a breakthrough in a particularly burdensome murder inquiry, so a regression into old habits would prove inconvenient. 

As it concerned his impending investigation of the human's bedroom, the android had no way of knowing what he was about to uncover. Should it be required, he would stringently defend his innocence on the matter.

That being said, the discovery would prove an invaluable insight.

Upon entering the bedroom, his partner’s vital signs indicated he was locked away in the adjoining room, with auditory cues suggesting he had entered the shower.

Based on data obtained from post-coital habits, the standard duration of this ritual was alarmingly low—anywhere between 2 and 6 minutes, with an average of 3.8. The strange wailing noises, which the Detective had previously identified as ‘singing’—despite failing to align with any known vocal practices—typically commenced a few seconds in.

This knowledge did not prove particularly useful. In the current scenario, there was no way of knowing how long the man had been screeching into the showerhead. If RK900 were to take advantage of the shrinking window of opportunity, he needed to act fast.

Following a preliminary scan of his surroundings, an item of interest presented itself: a laptop propped conspicuously amidst rumpled linen. It was a different model from the ones allotted by the DPD and was exceptionally poorly maintained. The plastic casing had been scratched and dented in several places, with the damage concealed haphazardly beneath a series of decals.

One of the stickers, which charmingly read, ‘If you're reading this, kiss my ass or crawl out of it,’ was partially overlapping the trackpad. This would be inhibiting the device's functionality, an issue he resolved to inform his partner of once he had finished washing.

An internal scan revealed the device’s battery had depleted to less than 5%—a baffling oversight, considering its power cable was a few centimetres away. RK900 retrieved the cord, plugging it into the charging port before his attention was captured by the still-active LCD display illuminated beneath the cracked glass.

He had hoped to use the device to investigate recent online searches or check for relevant information in personal chat logs. 

Instead, he was unexpectedly accosted with a graphic still of a human male being mounted from behind by an HR400-model android. The human seemed quite pleased with the arrangement if his dilated pupils and gaping mouth were anything to go by. 

RK900 felt his systems stall—initially from the shock that came with exposure to such gratuitous filth—but ultimately, from a grim realisation that slowly sunk in. One of his more pessimistic hypotheses had been confirmed.

Despite the positive reception received for all forty-seven recorded occurrences of intimate contact, it would appear the android's ‘magic fingers’ had extended to the limits of their reach.

If Reed had been sufficiently satisfied by his performance, he surely wouldn’t have felt the need to indulge in supplementary material. At the very least, not with the frequency indicated by his browsing history.

The RK900 was a rapidly exhausting novelty, one that had lost its appeal. This demanded that he become more innovative in his approach.

Once again, he would firmly defend his innocence if accused of any inappropriate conduct, but it was only logical to investigate further. Relying solely on a single image would limit the value of his discovery. For the sake of his ongoing research, it was vital he gather as much information as possible.

He placed his hand on the laptop, skin retracted, and resumed the paused clip.

What his previous scan had neglected to inform him was that the device's volume was on—set to near maximum. As the figures on the screen began to move, they did so with loud and overly enthusiastic vocal accompaniment:

Ugh, fuck me harder, Daddy!

That's it—shit—who's a naughty boy? Such a good little slut for me.

It was after the Traci had struck their co-star firmly across the buttocks that RK900 thought it best to pause the video. His attention darted to the locked confines of the bathroom, where the warbled frequency of Detective Reed's ‘singing’ continued without interruption. 

The sound of rushing water had effectively masked the unsavoury noises. This was a tremendous relief to the android, allowing him to continue his current work unimpeded. 

He had retained enough information from the laptop to no longer be bound by its interface. After uploading the video data and mining directories from the man’s online searches, he sat on the edge of the bed to review the findings.

With hands clasped neatly in his lap, he calmly observed as his HUD was flooded with a plethora of obscene audiovisual stimuli. It filled his optics corner to corner, dulling his sensory inputs to anything else as the expansive catalogue of material began to run concurrently.

He was undoubtedly impressed by the physical prowess being showcased. He had not been aware humans were capable of contorting themselves in such a manner. They also proved more resilient than his prognostics suggested, with one performer seeming capable of withstanding terminal velocities that would likely reduce a poorly maintained android to scraps.

The whole experience was oddly mesmerising, and the longer it proceeded, the more enraptured the android found himself. He leaned forward, watching keenly, as one video in particular demanded his attention. It depicted a man in a bedazzled cowboy hat and matching chaps bent over a balcony as he was flogged repeatedly with a novelty lasso. 

This was not the intended use for the item. The decision to host these activities across a guard rail also seemed strange, not to mention hazardous. 

Despite the adverse conditions, the human seemed enthralled. His face flushed a luminous hue matching his headwear, and he responded to the pummelling with frequent encouragement, including requests he be struck harder.

A proposal that defied any semblance of logic, leaving the android bewildered. 

Despite the continual shift in settings and acts being showcased (some more bizarre than others), one feature remained consistent across the videos—visible in nearly all shots, used to significant practical and visual effect.

The more dominant party in attendance, whether android or human, always possessed a phallus.

A reasoned assumption could be drawn from this that its presence formed part of the detective’s viewing enjoyment and was a feature he might appreciate equipped to intimate partners. 

RK900 glanced down at his work slacks, specifically the concealed bump of his groinal plate, feeling disconcerted. Reed desired gratification that his default anatomy was not purposed for—an emergent obstacle in their relationship that required addressing.

After a brief computational stage, the steps required to overcome this dilemma soon became obvious. Detective Reed might have wanted this for quite some time. An implicit desire, discreetly communicated through the designation he'd assigned to the android…

With a new Primary Directive determined, RK900 stood from the bed and went to knock on the bathroom door. This action became redundant as the portal swung open, bringing him face-to-face with his partner.

Drying his hair, he discordantly hummed what resembled the closing riff of Wonderwall by Oasis. The moment of tranquillity halted upon opening his eyes.

“ What the —”

Evidently, the android's presence had come as a surprise as the man stumbled back, staggering haplessly on sodden tiles. The towel fastened around his waist had ridden down slightly, which he yanked back into place with a self-conscious grimace.

“Richard? How the fuck did you get in here?” 

“A 5-lever mortice deadlock secures your apartment. It is relatively easy to bypass.” RK900 evenly explained, unsure what had inspired the human's sudden insecurity. He had seen him naked countless times and in far more compromising positions. “Also, the deactivation code for the burglar alarm is set to your date of birth.” 

“...Okay, so, why the fuck are you here?”

“That isn't important, Detective. I have decided to acquire a penis.” 

[colonelpancakes]

Watching The Dragon Prince Season Six Part Six! Moment of Truth. Under the cut as per the usual! This episode will reveal my habit of using more pet names for characters the more distressed I become!

I’d just like to say that every time the intro plays, I experience a few seconds of intense fear as I wait to see if it’s Callum again. They've done it twice now I am fully expecting them to do it again.

Oh dang, that is a beautiful opening shot of the sunrise. Absolutely stunning.

Ohh, Callum honey. I know the feeling, it sucks.

Aww, Raylaaaa. I love her trying to cheer Callum up with the crown, it's so sweet…

Ohh... poor Callum... Yeah, that would be a blow to anyone’s self esteem. Especially when we know from The Frozen Ship that Callum's been struggling with the idea that he had already permanently ruined himself by using dark magic.

(Also again, the voice acting is amazing.)

Oh, you know, that’s a good idea! Since they don’t really need to kill Aaravos they just need to stop him from being freed and the main threats to his status as imprisoned are Claudia finding the pearl or Callum getting possessed. If it’s in the Starscraper being guarded by Celestial Elves, then that’s both problems solved! Claudia doesn’t know where it is and it’d be pretty difficult for a possessed Callum to go get it, especially not before anyone could stop him. Good thinking Rayla!

OH GOD.

...On the one hand that’s really bad and a serious problem but on the other hand that is so fucking funny. The magic prison you've been carrying wrapped in an anti-magic blanket through the freezing cold is a giant M&M. Sorry. There is no good way to deliver the news, huh.

Oh, Callum… The way his voice shakes and he sounds so out of breath like he’s having a panic attack. Poor baby.... 🥺

Oh, Honey…

And of course it makes him feel worse because to him, if it really was Aaravos influencing Callum without him knowing, then it’s confirming that, not only is there the possibility that he could one day become a threat to his friends safety, he actively is a threat to them. And if it was simply an accident, at the very least, there’s something he can do to prevent another accident. If it's an accident, then it's something that he did and something that he can make an effort to not let it happen again in the future. Whereas if it’s Aaravos, there’s nothing he can do. The thing he could have done to prevent Aaravos possessing him is not use dark magic but that ship has sailed. He’d be entirely helpless and it’d be his own fault.

Also, it goes without saying but I’m going to say it anyways: Give Callum’s VA an award, the voice-acting is so good, the franticness, the hyperventilation. It’s so good.

Ooh, I love this style of flashback. I love the way that it’s the same artstyle as the credits and how it makes perfect sense since in-universe, Viren’s writing all this down on a piece of parchment. Also, I think that this is first time we’ve heard Lissa’s name in the actual show! I love how you can already see that Claudia got her hair-texture from Lissa while Soren got his from Viren.

Soren with his little dragon plushy!!!! I'm going to start crying...

Hmm. I know it’s probably just coincidence, but the fact that Soren seemingly had a terminal respiratory disease makes me wonder if maybe he had the same condition as Callum’s father, since Callum said that Damian had “some sort of terrible breathing sickness.”

THE QUOTE FROM HARROW!!!! OUGH! ���Claudia and I are still searching for a creative solution." "Call it what it is. Dark magic." vs "I found a creative solution. I suppose I should call it what it is, dark magic." The growth.

Oh?? I’ve always been curious what it is about the staff that enhances dark magic since it doesn’t come from a specific primal source. Usually, it comes from taking the life force of living things, but how does a staff help with that? Hmm…

Okay, I’ve questioned this before but. What is up with Kpp’Ar’s arm? It’s clearly injured… Is he using his own blood for spells? It feels like such a random detail to add without explanation. I wonder if we’ll find out...

Ah, so Harrow isn’t king yet. Interesting… I guess that makes sense since Kpp’Ar doesn’t appear in any of the Magma Titan flashbacks.

I think I remember Kpp’Ar having given up dark magic from The Puzzle House (please forgive me if I'm wrong my memory is shit), but I wonder what could have happened to make him veer away from dark magic and the staff to the point where he won’t consider using them to save a child… The royal family doesn’t have Aaravos’s mirror yet so I don’t think it could be that. I am so curious about this man...

KPP’AR MAN, COME ON! I get that you’ve seen some things but you could at the bare minimum be a LITTLE more tactful than that! If there’s some reason that the staff can’t be used, you could, I don’t know, EXPLAIN IT to Viren? Instead of just leaving him sobbing in the room with no explanation as to why you are letting his son die? ...I see where Viren gets it from.

Sksfjalkjslkf  I forgot about the monochrome so when the scene switched back to the Starscraper I was like wait what the hell is happening?

Kosmo, man, I’m not sure this is helping, but also, Callum petting Sneezles for emotional support… I love themm…

Callum, honey… Ough... I am going to cry I love Callum so much. Sweetie…

Ssakljfsalkfj Rayla trying gently elbow Kosmo away from Callum.

Callum, honey, sweetie, darling, sweetheart, love… The fact that he’s just utterly given up on himself and on his ability to continue. That he thinks he’s just too far gone, that there’s nothing left so there’s no point in even trying… Ough. And the implications of refusing to get rid of Aaravos’s control considering the fact that he made Rayla promise to kill him if he ever got controlled again and she did. Oh, honey… Callum’s arc this season is repeatedly punching me directly in the stomach.

Plus the voice acting, again. The way he sounds so dead and empty and almost apathetic, like it’s already over, like there’s just no point to anything anymore. AHG.

Once a dumb sibling always a dumb sibling.

“Truth is everything. But before you give it to another, ask yourself, are you giving them clarity, light, and purpose? Or are you shifting a burden to someone who needs all their strength?” I really like Astrid and I like how they're not going the "lying is always bad, telling the truth is always good in every situation no matter the context" route and instead acknowledging that it requires more nuance! Also, I love how Astrid is animated here, her body language is very expressive and fun.

OH? Oh that explains why it was monotone I had been thinking that it was just like, a sudden style change to portray the emotions or something skjfaslkj. That make a lot more sense.

Also, I like the clarification of how the future-sight works! It seems kind of like Clearsight’s ability in Wings of Fire where she can see all of the possible futures that diverge from her decision. Kosmo can see the possibilities that arise from his decision of whether to tell the truth or not and then pick the best option once he’s seen the diverging paths. It’s probably my favorite form of “prophetic” ability and I especially appreciate it being used here since it lets Timeblind elves like Kosmo exist while still holding true to the themes in the show about the nonexistence of destiny and how the choices you make impact the future.

Okay, I still feel like being Timeblind would suck. I can only imagine Kosmo feeling super awkward repeating what he said in the vision and like. I don’t know but I feel like it’d be creepy to have the people around you constantly parrot what you’ve already heard them say like they’re reading from scripts and you know what they’re about to say and the exact tone they’ll say it in a second before the words come out of their mouths. That would entirely creep me out.

Self confidence restored!!

Continued in reblogs, curse the tumblr image limit

[pathologylab]

A wide variety of molecular diagnostic kits tailored to lung disorders and respiratory tract infections are available at Genes2Me respiratory disease diagnosis. The kits have a quick sample processing time of about 60 minutes and are based on the Gold standard Taqman chemistry. These qRT-PCR kits are very compatible with Real-Time PCR equipment that is readily accessible.

[salted-bird]

One of the things I love about Limbus' Abnormality encounters, besides how cool the designs are, is the way the game uses them to tackle the topic of performative empathy vs actual empathy.

You can't just try to fix an Abnormality's core problems and expect it to work. And it's not because the Abnormality will attack you before you get the chance to do anything, rather, following this approach is a consistent way to hit your own party with demerits due to the simple fact that YOU ARE THE ONE HURTING THE ABNO IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Trying to remove the Umbrella Fox's umbrellas is incredibly painful for it because it involves tearing off chunks of its flesh, mimicking the Weeping Toad's cry will cause it to flee because what it actually wanted was someone who would listen, removing the brambles will make the Bride and Groom sad because it means you are destroying their home, giving water to a blazing metal bull obviously isn't going to help, etc.

Your intentions can be good, but as the Umbrella Fox itself puts it, solutions without "forethought" have the potential to be incredibly harmful.

Which brings me to the similarities this has with IRL ableism, and how often body-abled people will tell you to do X thing under the claim that it will help you feel better (or even cure you) without considering the implications of their own suggestions for a single second. Some wonderful examples of this are telling someone with a respiratory disease or injury to just "take a deep breath", telling a person with chronic fatigue to "go jogging, it will give you more energy" or recommending to an autistic individual that they "learn common sense".

I'm sure you can imagine yourself (or know from first-hand experience, sadly) the rest of horrible 'magical solutions' disabled people have to hear on a regular basis, so back to the point, this type of acts share the same kind of impulsive and patronizing empathy as the "help(?) this Abnormality" choices in Limbus Company.

Not only do they not help anyone at all, in reality they are an active detriment to the physical and emotional wellbeing of the target you are supposedly trying to help with the action. In the end, the only benefit obtained is that you get to say you TRIED to help someone, hence the performative part of this behaviour, it makes you look good to others and to yourself by awarding you some imaginary reputation points that mean nothing.

Now it's very possible that you are thinking (or not) something about the lines of: "But hey, I unplugged the electric sheep being sacrificed to fuel a city, and I also sprinkled water on the tree suffering from a drought, I did have success helping a handful of the Abnos!".

This may appear to contradict my logic as described above, but I want you to consider a key difference between the Abnormalities the game does let you help and those for whom trying to do so is an insult. The former group suffers from external circumstances that can be changed through concrete actions, the latter faces permanent issues because of the very way they are.

So on the first camp;

-The Electric Sheep doesn't suffer because it's electric, it's suffers due to being exploited for energy.

-The Desert Twiggy Ghost Tree doesn't suffer because it's allergic to water, it suffers because it doesn't have access to any water.

-Similarly, the Electric Centipede only suffers because people are experimenting on it and you choose how to torture it.

You can liken them to disabled people with low-support needs, whose difficulties would in theory go away once you implement a social model of disability because the problems they face are, as the name implies, mainly social.

Now, contrast this with how for example, removing the brambles from the Rose Thorns Cross involves destroying its very body, and you should notice the theme Limbus is trying to convey through these encounters; Nobody is the same.

Sure, jumping the gun may work sometimes, if the problem is small enough to be dealt with through individual action, but more often than not the reality of what the other person is going through is so different from yours that an attempt to force your own experiences and judgement on them is only going to result in pain, and what's worse, pain for both parties if you genuinely were trying to help.

Which is not to say there's no point in desiring to offer help, my favourite part about how Limbus handles its event choices is that it teaches you a lesson about the value of simple understanding.

Tearing off its umbrellas won't help the fox, but going past its threatening appearance to show that you care by petting it will, the same goes for the gloomy frog that is so grateful to you for listening to its woes that it leaves one of its eyes behind as a gift. You don't need to change the Abnormalities' nature as Abnormalities to make them happy, being there for them and accepting them as they are is more than enough.

I could write more about the parallels between Abnormalities as a group of "non-humans" that go against the general idea of normal while existing solely to be exploited for resources and the way IRL disabled people are exploited by doctors and pharmaceutical companies for easy money while society at large doesn't care, but in the end the message is simple, imagine a world where instead of treating them like children or even complaining about them, abled people showed those with disabilities this type of empathy, the real type.

[aressida]

Wrote a long one cos the in law family wanted him to take the flu shot, I said no.

"Dear Family, Friends, and Medical Professionals,

I am writing to share some thoughts and questions about vaccines, particularly in light of recent developments.

Do we believe that vaccines are the ultimate solution in medicine?

It is commonly known that influenza vaccines are reformulated each season due to the virus’s constant mutation, making it challenging to predict and protect against new strains accurately.

Is it true that these vaccines bypass the liver’s natural filtration system, potentially causing a shock to our bodies?

How should we classify these ingredients—as toxic or benign?

Here are just some vaccine ingredients, and these are being injected into your body and into your children’s bodies if you choose to vaccinate:

– Formaldehyde/Formalin – Highly toxic systemic poison and carcinogen.

– Betapropiolactone – Toxic chemical and carcinogen. May cause death or permanent injury after very short exposure to small quantities. Corrosive chemical.

– Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide – May cause damage to the liver, cardiovascular system, and central nervous system. May cause reproductive effects and birth defects.

– Aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate, and aluminum salts – Neurotoxin. Carries risk for long-term brain inflammation/swelling, neurological disorders, autoimmune disease, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and autism. It penetrates the brain where it persists indefinitely.

– Thimerosal (mercury) – Neurotoxin. Induces cellular damage, reduces oxidation-reduction activity, cellular degeneration, and cell death. Linked to neurological disorders, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and autism.

– Polysorbate 80 & 20 – Trespasses the blood-brain barrier and carries with it aluminum, thimerosal, and viruses; allowing them to enter the brain.

– Glutaraldehyde – Toxic chemical used as a disinfectant for heat-sensitive medical equipment.

– Fetal Bovine Serum – Harvested from bovine (cow) fetuses taken from pregnant cows before slaughter.

– Human Diploid Fibroblast Cells – Aborted fetal cells. Foreign DNA has the ability to interact with our own.

– African Green Monkey Kidney Cells – Can carry the SV-40 cancer-causing virus that has already tainted about 30 million Americans.

– Acetone – Can cause kidney, liver, and nerve damage.

– E. Coli – Yes, you read that right.

– DNA from porcine (pig) Circovirus type-1

– Human embryonic lung cell cultures (from aborted fetuses)

You can view all of these ingredients on the CDC’s website. I encourage everyone to do their own research. Look up the MSDS on these chemicals. Read the thousands of peer-reviewed studies that have evaluated the biological consequences these chemicals can have on the body, especially when being injected.

Injecting foreign substances directly into the bloodstream—viruses, toxins, and proteins—has been linked to various diseases and disorders. These include conditions like atypical measles, cancer, leukemia, multiple sclerosis, and even SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

Conditions like Addison’s disease, anaphylactic shock, arthritis, asthma, asymptomatic COVID-19, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy, facial paralysis, fibromyalgia, fetal distress syndrome, foreign body embolism, genital herpes, hepatitis, hyperthyroidism, inflammatory bowel disease, jugular vein embolism, lung abscess, lupus, meningitis, MERS-CoV test positive, migraine-triggered seizures, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, multiple sclerosis, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, pneumonia, stiff leg syndrome, stiff person syndrome, stillbirth, sudden heart attack, sudden respiratory failure, type 1 diabetes, uterine rupture, viral bronchitis—and much more.

This does not mean everyone will experience these reactions, but a significant number of test subjects have experienced one or more.

It is more than enough evidence to show that vaccine mandates are completely anti-scientific.

How can you make an informed decision if you do not have all the information?

We have also seen a shift where flu vaccines are now mRNA-based. But does a "vaccine" really prevent a virus or its recurrence as we expect it to?

The annual flu shot is, at best, a partial defense, aimed at last year’s strain. Does it truly help against the ever-mutating new flu, or is it just a temporary fix?

My concern is that this mindset—that a vaccine is a quick fix for everything—is flawed. The immune system may struggle to handle these types of agents, leading to breakthrough infections and potentially higher mortality rates.

For those who are vaccinated, I respect your choice. I simply ask for the same respect in return for my decision not to vaccinate. My reasons are personal and grounded in a belief that the government should not dictate my health choices and my family's.

Have you heard about Pfizer’s side effects?

Have you read the Pfizer documentation? Ask yourself if a drug with 32 pages of side effects is right for you.

The list of potential vaccine side effects released by Pfizer is alarming, ranging from autoimmune disorders to serious conditions like multiple organ dysfunction and sudden respiratory failure. Yet, this information was kept under wraps and only recently made public. Shouldn’t we be informed of the risks?

Do we even know the medium- or long-term effects of these vaccines?

Are they still in clinical trials? Is there a control group? What about Antibody-Dependent Enhancement (ADE) – has it been adequately tested? And why are ingredients like formaldehyde and mercury, known toxins, included in these vaccines?

Do you truly think this vaccine is 100% safe?

Transparency is crucial.

How can we make informed decisions if we are not given all the information?

We must ask ourselves, do we trust the pharmaceutical companies and their relationships with organizations like the CDC and FDA?

The FDA requested 75 years to release data on the Pfizer vaccine—why? Why did it take only 108 days to approve this vaccine, yet it supposedly requires decades to fully understand its effects?

Do you believe that SARS-CoV-2 has been isolated?

How well-informed are you about the CDC, FDA, pharmaceutical companies, and their donors? Do you think their qualifications are reliable?

These are important questions that deserve honest discussions. And, I believe it is crucial to acknowledge the existence of these alternative perspectives and engage in open discussions to gain a more comprehensive understanding.

Our health and freedom are at stake, and I urge everyone to think critically and seek out all the information before making decisions.

Thank you for taking the time to consider these points."

[innominaterifter]

Question regarding the cockroaches: are they clean? I've always understood bugs to be fairly dirty, but given how you handle them it seems that isn't the case? Are these ones different because they're handled regularly?

These cockroaches are artificially bred in closed conditions and do not come into contact with anything outside their container.

Cockroaches that live in an open environment can indeed be unsafe since they come into contact with unpredictable substances. The main danger is caused by cockroaches that feed on human waste. Cockroaches, which prefer to feed on waste, are capable of carrying pathogens such as hepatitis, tuberculosis, gastrointestinal infections, pneumonia, meningitis and others. In addition to viruses and microorganisms, cockroaches can carry the eggs of helminths (worms) and amoebas on their bodies. The reason for their unsafety is that they come into contact with and eat completely different human waste and animal carrion. You cannot know what exactly this or that cockroach came into contact with.

Unlike this situation, the living conditions of my insects are completely controlled only by me.

To keep insects, I use either a substrate that I buy in the store or cardboard egg cartons (cockroaches love to hide in them). For their food, I use a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, oatmeal, and supplements from pet stores.

Cockroaches also love lichens, which can be found on tree branches (and lichens are very useful for them). But before giving them, I first freeze these branches in the freezer to destroy all possible living organisms that could be there.

Of course, I collect these twigs in the forest, and not near the city or in garden plots, because trees growing in an urban environment can be treated with chemicals against insects. And then I just risk killing my cockroaches.

I also monitor their condition and appearance so that they look healthy.

Some time ago I had a bad experience with excessively high humidity in their container and part of the colony was affected by mold, which could be visually observed on their shells. This mold is safe for humans, but insects can die from it. So I had to save the colony.

In addition to completely cleaning the container and contents, I needed to do something about the mold on the cockroaches themselves. My good friend was visiting me at the time and I asked her for help in this strange matter.

I am very glad to have such a friend to whom I can say “Code red, we urgently need to wash the cockroaches’ asses!” and hear in response “Ok, give me 5 minutes to finish my tea, and let’s go!”.

As a result, we first washed them under ordinary water in bulk, then wiped the shell of each individual cockroach with a cotton pad soaked in a disinfecting solution and the mold was defeated.

But I repeat: this mold was safe for humans. Thus, if you keep insects in closed containers and they do not come into contact with or eat anything from the outside world without undergoing treatment, then all ok.

What can create difficulties is a possible allergy to cockroach chitin. Moreover, this allergy can manifest itself only to some types of cockroaches, but not to others.

This allergy is treated with conventional remedies prescribed by a dermatologist. But of course, you should stop contact with the type of cockroaches that you have allergy (or protect the respiratory tract, mucous membranes, and not allowing contact with the skin).

In general, the rules for handling domestic insects are approximately the same as for pets. Some may be allergic to cats or dogs, others may not. It is safe from the point of view of disease to handle domestic rats or hamsters, but it is clearly not worth handling rats or hamsters that live in the wild¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

A wearable electrical nerve stimulation device can provide relief to people experiencing the persistent pain and fatigue linked to long COVID, a study co-led by UCLA and Baylor College of Medicine researchers suggests.

Long-COVID, a complex and lingering condition following COVID-19 recovery, affects approximately 1 in 13 adults in the U.S. Symptoms such as widespread pain, fatigue, and muscle weakness often continue to disrupt daily activities, including walking and basic tasks.

The study, published in the peer-reviewed Scientific Reports, focused on a wearable Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) device, which uses low-voltage electrical currents to reduce pain, fatigue, and mobility issues associated with long-COVID.

The project was co-led by Dr. Bijan Najafi, research director of the Center for Advanced Surgical & Interventional Technology at UCLA Health and co-director of NSF IUCRC Center to Stream HealthCare in Place (C2SHIP), who said the device could have wider applications.

"While this study focused on managing pain and fatigue caused by long COVID, it may also have potential applications for addressing similar symptoms in individuals with other respiratory diseases, those who have experienced extended ICU stays and developed post-hospitalization weaknesses, and conditions involving chronic fatigue and pain, such as fibromyalgia or chemotherapy-related side effects," Najafi said. "But further studies are needed to confirm these potential uses."

In the study, 25 participants with chronic musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and gait difficulties were assigned either a high-dose (active) TENS device or a low-dose (placebo) device. Both groups used the TENS device for three to five hours daily over a four-week period.

Researchers measured participants' pain levels, fatigue, and walking performance before and after the therapy period. Findings indicated that the high-dose TENS group experienced notable improvements in pain relief (26.1% more relief compared to placebo) and walking ability (8% during fast walking), suggesting that wearable TENS therapy may help reduce long-COVID's impact on daily life.

The high-dose TENS group also reported a slightly higher perceived benefit (71.2%) compared to the low-dose group (61.4%), underscoring the potential of wearable TENS technology to support long-COVID recovery.

One factor in the study's success was likely the high rate of daily device usage, Najafi said. The wearable nature of the TENS device allowed participants to use it seamlessly throughout the day, without disrupting their routines.

"This wearable TENS system offered immediate, on-demand relief from pain and fatigue, making it easy to integrate into daily activities," Najafi said.

He also cautioned that more research is needed. "This study provides some hope for finding an effective, non-invasive solution for managing lingering COVID-19 symptoms that continue to affect millions," he said. "But our sample size was limited, so further research is needed to confirm these findings."

Study co-authors are Alejandro Zulbaran-Rojas, Rasha Bara, Myeounggon Lee, Miguel Bargas-Ochoa, Tina Phan, Manuel Pacheco, Areli Flores Camargo, Syed Murtaza Kazmi, Mohammad Dehghan Rouzi, Dipaben Modi, and Fidaa Shaib of Baylor College of Medicine.

More information: Alejandro Zulbaran-Rojas et al, Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for fibromyalgia-like syndrome in patients with Long-COVID: a pilot randomized clinical trial, Scientific Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-78651-5 www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-78651-5

[pestfreezoneae]

WHY PROFESSIONAL PEST CONTROL IS IMPORTANT?

WHY PROFESSIONAL PEST CONTROL IS IMPORTANT?

Before knowing why let me give you a brief introduction of PEST AND PEST CONTROL

WHAT IS PEST?

Any organism dangerous to people or their concerns is considered a pest. The phrase is specifically used to describe animals that harm livestock, crops, forests, or people, especially in their houses. Because they have altered the environment to suit their needs, humans are intolerant of other animals sharing space with them if their actions negatively affect our goals. Elephants are therefore OK in their native habitat but undesirable when they trample crops.

WHAT IS PEST CONTROL?

The technique of managing and stopping pests, such as insects, rodents, and other animals from harming crops, structures, and other areas is known as pest control. Numerous techniques exist for controlling pests, encompassing chemical and physical approaches such using pesticides and setting up barriers and traps.

Professional pest control is Important because You and your family should feel safe and secure in your property, but that sense is destroyed when pests break in. In addition to being an annoyance, pests pose a risk to your family's health and safety. Because infestations can spread illnesses and cause damage to property, it's best to leave professional pest treatment to the professionals when it comes to your property. Professional pest control services are vital for a number of reasons, including the maintenance of a secure, comfortable, and healthy home or workplace. Here is the list of WHY PROFESSIONAL PEST CONTROL IS IMPORTANT?

Safety and Health:

For both people and pets, pests can be extremely dangerous to their health. There are several pests that can spread bacteria, viruses, and parasites to people. To give just two examples, ticks and mosquitoes can spread Lyme disease and the West Nile virus, respectively, while rodents can carry infections like the Hantavirus.

Eco-Friendly Resolutions:

A lot of pest control businesses provide low-toxicity and environmentally friendly pest control solutions. In order to safeguard the ecosystem and reduce harm to non-target species, they place a higher priority on the use of safer techniques and chemicals.

Peace of Mind: 

It gives you peace of mind to know that skilled pest control services are protecting your property. You don't have to worry about the presence of pests or the possible health hazards they may cause to carry out your everyday activities.

Allergies and Respiratory Problems:

Pest infestations can trigger allergies and respiratory problems, particularly in individuals who are sensitive to allergens like cockroach droppings, dust mites, and pet dander. Professional Pest Control Services helps reduce allergen exposure.

Safeguarding Property:

Professional pest control safeguard your property.In addition to eating through wires, insulation, wood, and fabrics, pests can seriously harm property. For example, unmanaged termites can seriously harm building integrity. Professional pest management shields against such harm.

Food Security:

Food sources in residences and commercial buildings can become contaminated by pests. Foodborne infections may result from this contamination. By preventing infestations in kitchens, pantries, and storage spaces, professional pest control 

Dubai may help protect food safety.

Keeping Out Secondary Pests:

Using do-it-yourself pest control techniques could unintentionally result in further infestations of pests. For example, getting rid of one kind of bug with insecticides could lead to another pest issue. By locating and addressing the underlying cause of infestations, professionals can lower the likelihood of developing secondary pests.

Knowledge and Experience:

Professionals in pest control have the skills, background, and education necessary to recognise various pest species, comprehend their habits, and implement efficient removal methods. They are able to customise solutions for specific pest issues.

Time and Money Saved:

Do-it-yourself pest control techniques can be labor-intensive and may not work well. Proffesional pest control experts can handle insect issues more quickly, which could ultimately save you time and money.

Observance of Regulations:

Businesses must follow rules for pest control, particularly those in the food and hospitality sectors. Professional pest management services support adherence to these rules.

Prolonged Prevention:

Professional pest control services prioritise long-term prevention in addition to quick elimination. By recognising and addressing pest-attracting environments, they lessen the chance of additional infestations.

Tailored Solutions:

Pest control professionals customise their approaches to address the particular problems with pests and the particular requirements of every property, offering efficient and customised solutions. 

To sum up, Professional pest control services are necessary to keep a space safe, healthy, and free of pests. In order to shield residential and commercial premises from the damaging consequences of pest infestations, they provide knowledge, experience, and a variety of practical solutions.

At Pestfreezone.ae. We will help you to get rid of all the pest from your indoor,outdoor and warehouses in DUBAI, SHARJAH and ABU DHABI.