Tragic Incident in California: Death from Death Cap Mushrooms
A California man tragically died last weekend after consuming death cap mushrooms, marking the state’s third fatality linked to these toxic fungi since November. This alarming trend highlights the dangers posed by foraged mushrooms.
Between November 18th and January 4th, California reported an ASTONISHING 35 cases of mushroom poisoning. In a typical year, you would find fewer than five such cases, indicating a significant spike in poisonings.
According to Sheri Cardo, a communications specialist with the state health department, “The numbers we’re dealing with this year are relatively insane.” This spike has prompted serious concerns about mushroom foraging in California.
Following these incidents, a warning was issued by the health department on December 5, advising residents against consuming foraged mushrooms. The advisory specifically noted poisonings concentrated in areas like Monterey and the San Francisco Bay.
The latest fatalities occurred in Sonoma County. The county health department confirmed this as the first death attributed to wild mushrooms this season.
Sonoma County Interim Health Officer, Dr. Michael Stacy, urged residents to only purchase mushrooms from trusted grocery stores, stressing that death cap mushrooms bear a close resemblance to various edible species.
Stacy noted, “Early rains and a mild fall have led to an outbreak of poisonous death cap mushrooms in Northern California,” as he elaborated in a press release issued last Thursday.
The California Poison Control System highlighted that some individuals affected by death cap poisoning spoke Spanish and may have applied foraging practices from their home countries. Heather Hallen-Adams, director of toxicology for the Mycological Society of North America, explained that death cap mushrooms closely resemble other Amanita species that are safe and commonly collected in Mexico.
Death cap mushrooms contain a dangerous toxin known as amatoxin. If ingested, this toxin can severely damage vital organs, including the kidneys and liver. Symptoms of poisoning often take up to 24 hours to manifest, appearing as mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. More severe consequences, such as liver failure, can occur within two to three days.
Hallen-Adams also stated that approximately 90% of fatal mushroom poisonings are linked to amatoxin poisoning, with even a small amount—equivalent to that of a standard sugar cube—being lethal.
Reports indicate that three individuals in California now require liver transplants due to severe wild mushroom poisoning.
The death cap mushroom, scientifically known as Amanita phalloides, is an invasive species that originated in Europe, making its way to California via imported seedlings in the 1930s. It typically thrives near oak trees and occasionally near pines, growing several inches tall, featuring white gills, a pale yellow or green cap, and a distinctive ring around its stem.
Typically, the U.S. Poison Center receives about 52 calls annually regarding amatoxin poisoning, although not all cases are reported to the center.
Mike McCurdy, president of the San Francisco Mycological Society, indicated that the risk for this season may be declining. As an avid mushroom collector, he shared that while he observed many death cap mushrooms during his outings earlier this winter, he has seen significantly fewer lately.
“I think we’re nearing the end,” McCurdy noted after spotting just one death cap mushroom on a recent trip near Lafayette, California.
Bellow’s alpine tree frogs enhance their jumping ability when infected with a common fungus
Robert Valentich/naturepl.com
The chytrid fungus is a lethal pathogen affecting amphibians amid an ongoing global crisis, capable of wiping out entire populations. Yet, for one endangered frog species in Australia, the infection has led to an unusual positive effect: significantly larger hops.
Verreaux’s alpine tree frog (Litoria Verouki Alpina) is impacted by the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Those infected can leap nearly a quarter further than their uninfected counterparts.
“These findings remind us of the incredible resilience of these amphibians and their responses to threats from this daunting pathogen. Remarkably, their bodies can display unexpected adaptations,” says Teagan McMahon from the University of Connecticut in New London, who was not involved in the research.
Alexander Wendt and colleagues at the University of Melbourne, Australia, investigated the impact of Bd infection on the health of alpine tree frogs, using their locomotion as an indicator of physiological health.
In their laboratory study, the researchers separated 60 frogs into groups based on infection status. Wendt and his team assessed how the frogs responded to extreme temperature conditions and measured their jumping distances when gently stimulated.
Remarkably, six weeks after infection, the frogs that had contracted Bd exhibited an increase in jumping distance of nearly 24% compared to uninfected ones. Typically, in other amphibian species, energy reserves are drained as the immune system combats the fungus. The physiological responses to Bd can vary significantly among amphibian species, offering temporary advantages in cases of sublethal infections.
“However, as soon as clinical symptoms emerge, it becomes exceedingly challenging for most species,” Wendt notes.
The immune response of alpine tree frogs does not appear robust enough to hinder their reaction to Bd, suggesting that such enhancements may aid them in locating mates quickly before their condition worsens. Other frog species are also known to amplify their mating calls when infected with Bd.
This short-term bolstering of jumping ability can be advantageous when faced with Bd. “From an evolutionary standpoint, it makes sense,” McMahon adds. “Enhanced mobility may contribute to increased transmission rates and prolong the host’s lifespan.”
The influence of Bd on amphibians is increasingly recognized as being shaped by complex interactions between host biology, the fungus, and the surrounding environment. “All we can do is gather as much information as possible to assist these species in surviving and mitigating the spread of Bd before it reaches a critical point,” Wendt emphasizes.
A collision with an asteroid in an incorrect spot can increase the likelihood of it hitting Earth unintentionally.
Bladaki/Shutterstock
If an asteroid were on a collision course with Earth, is it possible to alter its trajectory without worsening the predicament? Indeed, thanks to a new system designed to identify the optimal strike point on incoming asteroids.
Diverting an Earth-bound asteroid is a high-stakes operation, and we have little practical experience with it. In 2023, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) demonstrated for the first time that it’s possible to divert asteroids by impacting them with spacecraft.
However, engaging in such missions carries risks. Altering an asteroid’s orbit can push it through a narrow window, known as a gravity keyhole, where the gravitational pull from a larger body like Earth may alter its trajectory enough to eventually cause a collision with our planet.
Now, Rahir Macadia from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his team have devised a system to determine the best impact sites for satellites to reduce this risk. By analyzing data from the DART mission along with the asteroid’s shape, mass, and rotation speed, they were able to project how different impact points would alter the asteroid’s trajectory. This leads to the creation of a probability map for the asteroid’s surface, identifying various locations with differing chances of pushing the asteroid through a gravity keyhole, allowing scientists to select those with lower probabilities for a strike.
“It’s feasible to map these keyholes to asteroids, and the only cost involved is computational power before the mission is launched. So, on September 9th, during the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) in Helsinki, Finland, we should be able to pinpoint the optimum targeting point on the asteroid’s surface for a kinetic impact.
Macadia and his team have tested this approach on the asteroid Bennu, discovering over 2,000 potential keyhole locations and identifying safe spots for a spacecraft to impact.
While gathering specific data on a single asteroid is optimal with bespoke probes designed for the task, it might not always be practical if the asteroid is located close to Earth at the time of its detection. However, Macadia asserts that a rough analysis should still be achievable using data from terrestrial telescopes.
Artistic renderings of NASA’s double asteroid redirection test mission
NASA/JOHNS HOPKINS APL/JOSHUA DIAZ
A practical trial for collecting this data will occur when asteroid Apophis passes close to Earth in 2029. Astronomers have determined there is no risk posed by this 450-meter-long asteroid, but close encounters are considered rare, occurring only once every 7,500 years.
“We’ve observed many asteroids, but never one subjected to the kind of stress and natural vibrations due to Earth’s gravity.” Richard Binzel remarked at the EPSC on September 8th, representing the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Nobody knows how NASA’s Osiris Apex spacecraft, which initially visited asteroid Bennu, will fare when redirected to study Apophis in proximity to Earth’s passing European Space Agency’s Ramses spacecraft.
Apart from orbiting asteroids at safe distances to gather crucial details about their composition and shape, astronomers aim to monitor the small kilogram-scale spacecraft on the surface, including long-anticipated seismic activity when it’s near a massive body like Earth, to investigate internal conditions.
According to Binzel, understanding these characteristics is vital for asteroids that may pose future threats to Earth. “If you’re addressing an actual asteroid hazard posed by Apophis or other similar objects, you’ll need to be well-informed about characteristics such as angular momentum and tumbling behavior of the asteroid.”
Paolo Martino, the project manager for the mission, indicated that the trajectory of Apophis is excellently mapped, eliminating the danger of deviation since the Ramses spacecraft is equipped with sensors that enable it to autonomously avoid collisions, and its low mass means any impact would minimally affect Apophis.
Nearly two months following the devastating July 4 flood in Texas, which claimed over 130 lives, D-Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett continues to seek clarity on fundamental issues related to the federal response.
What emergency personnel were deployed by the National Weather Service on the night of the flood? How effectively did the agency prepare for the storm? And how did vacancies in critical local National Weather Service positions, like warning adjustment meteorologists, impact the situation?
In four letters sent to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, along with a fifth from the Commerce Department, Rep. Doggett requested records that could shed light on the events of July 4th.
“I have yet to receive any written response,” Doggett expressed, accusing the agency of evasion.
This push for transparency highlights the lack of public accountability regarding that day’s events. Shortly after the flood, an internal meteorologist indicated that the National Weather Service provided a timely warning, citing the constraints of their forecasting technology during flash flooding.
However, it remains unclear how effectively the agency communicated with emergency managers and other ground stakeholders when risks became evident. A former NWS meteorologist commented on the difficulties faced when their forecasts are compromised by staff shortages or overwhelming workloads.
Lloyd Doggett at the U.S. Capitol in 2024. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images File
“If there’s nothing to conceal, and if Trump’s budget cuts haven’t impacted weather services, then they need to create logs,” Doggett remarked regarding the records he seeks. “Drawing public attention to this issue may be the only way to prompt a response from the administration.”
Neither NOAA nor the Commerce Department has responded to requests for comment.
Doggett wrote his initial letter to NOAA on May 20, prior to the flood, raising concerns about staffing levels in the Austin/San Antonio weather office. This office is responsible for forecasts and communications in areas that faced significant impacts from the July storm.
“The 22% vacancy rate in the local NWS jeopardizes the timeliness of forecasts and alerts that communities depend on,” Doggett stated, inquiring about how the agency would address staff shortages and fulfill their operational roles.
Following the flood disaster, Doggett subsequently contacted NOAA on July 8 with 15 more questions about their responses. He reported having a video conference with agency director Ken Graham on July 11.
In a letter sent after their July 11 meeting and a follow-up on July 24, Doggett requested call logs, chat logs, radar archives, and shift logs from the agency.
“He mentioned that providing these was straightforward,” Doggett noted, recalling Graham’s remarks during the Zoom call. “I’ve been following up since then, but there’s been no satisfactory explanation.”
The agency is permitted to respond at its discretion to queries from Congress members overseeing it. Interpretation of the Department of Justice Law. Nonetheless, agencies often voluntarily address congressional inquiries.
Doggett has persistently contacted NOAA via phone and text, and in a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Luttonick on August 27, he accused the Secretary of suppressing responses that he believes NOAA was ready to provide.
“I recommend that responses to my inquiries be prepared, but these have been withheld by your office,” Doggett wrote. “There’s no documentation demonstrating NWS’s preparation, communication, or response—perhaps indicating that some aspects of this tragedy are being concealed.”
Doggett mentioned that four children from Austin lost their lives in the floods and has called for an investigation similar to those conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board after significant disasters.
“If 27 children perish in a plane crash, the NTSB conducts a thorough investigation of all involved parties at state, federal, and local levels,” Doggett remarked.
NBC News has submitted multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to NOAA seeking records from NWS. Some of these requests might yield records that address Doggett’s inquiries, but thus far, there has been no response.
According to the Commerce Department’s Public Records website, one of the requested chat logs and communications between forecasters is currently “assigned for processing.” The agency indicated that information regarding staff cuts and recruitment will be managed in batches alongside other similar requests related to the Texas flood.
“We aim to provide a provisional release by early September, with additional releases occurring periodically through the end of the year,” wrote Julia Swanson, FOIA Coordinator, in an August 18 status update. “To effectively allocate limited staff resources, all other FOIA requests are temporarily set aside to prioritize addressing flood-related inquiries in Texas.”
Yes, hurricanes are getting worse. While there isn’t a significant increase in the frequency of hurricanes compared to 40 years ago, there is evidence that they are becoming more intense and destructive due to climate change. In 2022, it was predicted that the Atlantic hurricane season would be exceptionally severe with storms having more energy than before because of warmer sea levels.
According to the 2021 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, North Atlantic storms are more likely to intensify into “major hurricanes,” making them harder to predict and prepare for. This intensification trend is attributed to the warmer climate.
On a scale of 1 to 5 based on maximum sustained wind speed, hurricanes are classified. Category 5 storms with wind speeds exceeding 262 km/h are the most powerful and can cause catastrophic damage. However, storms of lower categories can also be devastating, as seen with Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Climate change, by raising sea levels and affecting atmospheric conditions, is making hurricanes more destructive. The increase in extreme precipitation, slower storm movement across the Earth’s surface, and longer-lasting torrential rains are some of the impacts observed.
The forecast for the current Atlantic hurricane season suggests an above-average number of hurricanes due to the record heat in the region. The evidence points to hurricanes becoming more powerful, unpredictable, and persistent in a warmer world.
This article is a response to the question “Are hurricanes getting worse?” (asked by Johnny Adams of Peterborough).
If you have any questions, please send them to the email address below.For further information:or send us a messageFacebook,XorInstagramPage (be sure to include your name and location).
'I I remember visiting Ghostface Killah. [of the Wu-Tang Clan] “He was mad at us!” recalls Darryl Anselmo, a former EA employee and art director on 2004's groundbreaking hip-hop fusion fighting game Def Jam: Fight for NY. “Ghost Face was holding four pounds of solid gold. eagle bracelet And he claimed that his character's signature move would be for the bird to come to life and peck the other rappers out of their eyes. But the limitations of the PlayStation 2's technology and its violence restrictions meant that it couldn't happen. It wasn't possible.”
“When Ghost Face first asked about the eagle, Lauren… [Wirtzer Seawood, another one of the game’s producers] He told me to just nod and smile, and when I met him again at the studio for the sequel, I apologized. [for misleading him] He quickly moved on to recording extended insults for his character for the new game, one of which I remember: “Go home and cry to your mother. And tell her you're hungry!”
Whether or not Ghostface Killah transforms into a giant killer eagle, the resulting game, Def Jam: Fight for NY, celebrates its 20th anniversary this month and remains one of the fighting game genre's most vibrant spins. It's the rare '00s game that's still dominating social media conversation despite never being remade or re-released. The 67 characters include rap legends like Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Ice-T, Scarface, Ludacris, Flavor Flav, Slick Rick, Warren G, and Mobb Deep, and it's an improvement over the slower-paced gameplay of its predecessor, Def Jam: Vendetta, in every respect.
Vendetta was essentially publisher EA's best take on an engine made for a defunct WCW wrestling game that was mired in development hell and causing executives to lose their heads. At one stage, in their desperation, they even suggested that it could be salvaged and remade into an intergalactic wrestling game full of alien characters. But because Holmes and Anselmo had helmed the 2001 success NBA Street (which added a faster, cartoony, hip-hop aesthetic to basketball multiplayer and far outsold that year's bigger-budget (and much more boring) NBA Live 2002), they were deemed the perfect duo to turn what began as a vague boardroom idea (what if rappers wrestled each other?) into a fleshed-out, retail game.
“It was a controversial concept”…Def Jam battles in NYC. Photo: EA
This meant traveling back and forth to Japan to work with development company AKI Corporation, while also touring the US to meet with rappers signed or affiliated with legendary label Def Jam, and ultimately winning their trust. They shaped the character's mannerisms, from moves to taunts. “It's been a dream life, to be honest,” Holmes adds. “I grew up obsessed with hip-hop. As a teenager, I worked in a music store and sold a bass guitar to Flavor Flav when Public Enemy played in Vancouver. Flavor actually remembered me! It was an amazing time. Who would have thought I'd end up recording with my idols and going to Snoop Dogg's family home?”
But he acknowledges that the core concept behind Def Jam: Vendetta and its sequel, Def Jam: Fight for NY, wasn't easily embraced: “Execs had a hard time understanding the concept of a fighting game about rappers. It was a controversial concept,” says the producer, who went on to work on Halo 4 at Microsoft and 343 Industries.
“Once I explained to them that to be the best lyricist in hip-hop, it's all about arguing, dissing, and competing for the throne, they finally got it,” Anselmo reveals. “Hip-hop is full of vibrant, competitive personalities, so the character roster could have a Street Fighter II or Tekken 3 vibe.”
Def Jam: Fight for NY's concept of rappers punching each other was a huge success, and critics loved it, too, with a score of 83 on Metacritic. “We rushed to make Vendetta, but it still sold well,” says Holmes. “That success gave us the opportunity to expand on the gameplay with Fight for NY and take our time to get it right.” AKI Corporation took the ever-changing, momentum-based combat from the legendary WWF: No Mercy game, released on Nintendo 64 in 2000, and sped everything up with hyper-active Blazin' Moves (my personal favorite is Busta's backbreaker, which is more destructive than Batman's spine-crushing Bane).
The art design is somewhere between The Wire and a comic book, with an ambitious range of dynamic fighting styles (kickboxing, street fighting, martial arts, wrestling, submission). There's a storyline, with Snoop Dogg playing the cunning vampire villain The Crow, who'll hit you with a cane and cleverly taunt you with, “Do you have dental insurance?” You can wear Roc-A-Wear or Ecko tracksuits, getting increasingly better dressed as you rise through the ranks of your boss D-Mob's underground fighting syndicate, slowly earning you respect. It's as if Fight Club had been directed by glossy rap music vid…
Rappers Joe Budden vs. Sticky Fingaz compete in Def Jam's New York Battle. Photo: EA
The key mission was to choose either 128-bit's Lil' Kim or Carmen Electra as his new girlfriend, and the next day Method Man would call and ask if they'd slept together. The latter was one part of the game that Anselmo now regrets: “Lil' Kim could beat any of the male MCs, but… [reduced to that]”In 2004,” he admits, “all of the rap music videos were about objectifying women, which in retrospect is a real shame. The reality is that there was a push to make the game more sex appealing and more culturally relevant.”
As I recalled after recently replaying my dusty GameCube copy, Fight for NY is still exhilaratingly challenging. The boss fight featuring Fat Joe's crack Zangief-esque character had me hurling my WaveBird controller against the wall as a teenager. You can't beat your opponent unless you take the time to figure out how to counter their attacks, and while this process can be brutal at times, it makes it all that much more satisfying when you finally triumph.
“This game is designed in such a way that you have to sweat and really learn something new to win!” Anselmo says with a smile. “AKI's Hiro Abe (programmer) and Hiroya Tamura (artist) were geniuses. To get good at Def Jam: Fight for NY, you had to master the gameplay and get used to losing. In modern games, fighting games are just too easy. I think that's why so many people still play our game over and over.”
“Fighting games are too easy in today's gaming world”…Def Jam Fight for NY. Photo: EA
And there are still a lot of people playing Fight for NY. Not a week goes by without someone playing. Nostalgic post A gameplay video that went viral on TikTok has gone viral to the point where people can't believe it even exists. Even rappers (Including Ice TThe actor who played the character in the game(?) is still responding to tweets from fans begging for an updated version.
A$AP Rocky has labelled modern rap the “new wrestling” due to the commercialisation of petty infighting and mainstream MCs treating rap personas like WWE bad-mouthing tough guys. Holmes agrees with my theory that Def Jam: Fight for NY, with its constant depictions of MCs embroiled in diss tracks and gang politics, now feels like a documentary, especially considering how much more public conflict there has become in rap. “Rap is becoming more and more dramatic,” he agrees. “You see a lot of social media videos of rappers fighting each other, and it's interesting that the violence of the game doesn't seem so ridiculous today.”
Some will argue that a game that trivializes the conflict in hip-hop is wrong and deserves more criticism, especially with so many rappers losing their lives to violence every year. Anselmo counters: “I get that, and I don't think we could make the game right now because of drill, the environment is too tough. But Def Jam: Fight for NY was just meant to be a fantasy, escapist experience. It was like a gangsta rap version of The Warriors. It was just a little fun. We trusted that the audience would know that in real life, throwing someone through a window is not cool. We were really trying to res…tement is too tough. But Def Jam: Fight for NY was just meant to be a fantasy, escapist experience. It was like a gangsta rap version of The Warriors. It was just a little fun. We trusted that the audience would know that in real life, throwing someone through a window is not cool. We were really trying to respect the culture of hip-hop.”
The original Xbox, PlayStation 2, and GameCube discs of Def Jam: Fight for NY are highly sought-after and command high prices on the second-hand market. But there hasn't been a Def Jam game released since 2007's disappointing Def Jam: Icon, and there hasn't been a remaster of Fight for NY. Why?
The sequel may be one of the most expensive games ever made…Def Jam Fight for NY. Photo: EA
Lauren Wurtzer Seawood, former vice president of marketing for the Def Jam label, played a pivotal role in the development of the first two games, serving as the liaison introducing the timid development team to the feisty MCs, and working hard to sort out complex licensing agreements ranging from image rights to music to in-game brand partnerships.
She says this complicated business mechanic is a big reason why it's highly unlikely the franchise will ever be revived. Def Jam: Fight for NY cost about $15 million to make, but with both hip-hop and video games now multi-billion dollar businesses worldwide, licensing fees would be astronomical. “If this game was re-released today, many
This summer, there has been an alarming increase in heatstroke-related deaths worldwide. According to a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, extreme heat occurrences are becoming more frequent and lasting longer, affecting a larger number of people. Why is this happening, and how can you identify if your loved ones are at risk?
What occurs inside our bodies when our temperature rises?
Heat stress is caused by an accumulation of heat due to physical exertion or environmental stressors like solar radiation, air temperature, humidity, and wind speed. A person’s acclimatization, work type, physical activity level, and clothing also influence heat factors.
Humans are warm-blooded creatures, meaning the body’s internal temperature must remain around 37°C. If the internal temperature reaches 42°C, vital organs can cease functioning, leading to severe illness and death. 27 pathways Extreme heat can be lethal due to reduced blood flow and damage to essential organs.
Individuals most vulnerable to heat-related illnesses include those with poor thermoregulation capabilities, such as infants, elderly individuals, those with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, and outdoor workers.
What is heat stroke?
Heat stroke manifests when individuals experience heat stress and start feeling unwell. Various types of heat stroke exist. Heat stroke often accompanies dehydration, including conditions like heat syncope, thermal tetany, heat cramps, and heat exhaustion.
Another prevalent form of heat stroke is heat stroke, where the body struggles to regulate temperature, with categories like exertional heat stroke and classic heat stroke.
read more:
What steps should be taken if someone is suspected of having heat stroke?
If an individual faints, experiences concentration issues, or has breathing difficulties, immediate medical assistance is crucial. If they are conscious but feel unwell or overheated, rapid cooling and hydration are essential.
Caution must be exercised with very cold water to avoid cold shock, which can impact breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. Ice water offers no advantage.
Replenishing lost fluids and minerals due to sweating from overheating is essential, so providing sports drinks can aid in hydration.
How can heat stroke be prevented?
Preventing heat stroke is feasible with measures such as issuing heatwave warnings, creating prevention plans, and staying hydrated during extreme heat periods. Hot drinks are as effective as cold ones, and temperature plays a minimal role in core body temperature.
Additional cooling methods include taking cool showers and focusing on cooling hands, feet, and face. Ventilating indoor spaces and avoiding direct sunlight can help maintain a cooler environment, while fans promote air circulation.
Vulnerable groups, like the elderly, should take extra precautions against heatstroke and follow advice from family and friends to stay hydrated and cool.
Babies are particularly susceptible to extreme heat, with techniques like covering strollers with damp cloths and using clip-on fans being more effective than thin blankets in protecting them from the sun.
Will the situation worsen?
While climate change intensifies extreme heat events, strides have been made in preventing heatstroke. Government strategies to prevent heatstroke are being implemented, with urban planning initiatives like creating green urban spaces to combat urban heat islands.
Initiatives like cooling centers, forecast-based financing, and early warning systems contribute to preventing heat-related illnesses. Achieving net-zero emissions is crucial to halting extreme heat escalation and averting catastrophic heatwaves.
Arizona public health officials are cautioning about the hantavirus, a disease that spreads from rodents to humans and has led to an increase in a deadly pulmonary syndrome. The Arizona Department of Health Services has reported seven confirmed cases and three deaths in the past six months. For more information, check out the recent health alerts.
Most hantavirus cases are seen in the Western and Southwestern U.S., with most states reporting one to four cases per year. Two cases have been reported in California this year. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment or vaccine for hantavirus.
In Arizona from 2016 to 2022, there have been 11 reported cases of hantavirus, with four cases in 2016, two in 2017, four in 2020, and one in 2022.
Dr. Aaron Glatt, chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, warns that hantaviruses can cause severe and potentially fatal respiratory infections, especially transmitted by rodents like deer mice.
San Diego County and the California Department of Public Health have also noted increased hantavirus activity this year.
Changes in rodent populations affected by season and weather conditions could be contributing to the increase in hantavirus cases in Arizona. People are more likely to come into contact with rodents during the summer when they are more active.
Climate change and extreme weather events may also play a role in the spread of hantavirus.
Dr. Camilo Mora, a professor at the University of Hawaii, warns that climate change could impact the spread of disease-carrier species, leading to potential outbreaks.
Experts emphasize the need for careful handling of rodent excrement and avoidance of contact with rodents to prevent hantavirus infections.
Hantavirus Symptoms
Hantavirus particles are released into the air when disturbed, leading to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).
HPS symptoms may appear 1 to 8 weeks after contact with an infected rodent and can progress to serious lung infections if left untreated.
fever
malaise
muscle pain
nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain
Approximately 38% of people with pulmonary symptoms from hantavirus may die from the disease.
How to Prevent Hantavirus
Cleaning up rodent excrement and avoiding contact with rodents are key prevention measures according to experts.
Spring cleaning activities like opening and cleaning closed spaces could increase the risk of rodent infestation and hantavirus exposure.
Proper precautions should be taken when entering closed and unoccupied spaces that may have rodents present.
The upwelling of cold water from the deep ocean to the surface can be deadly to marine animals, and such events are becoming more frequent due to climate change.
In March 2021, hundreds of dead seafood, squid, octopus, manta rays, and bull sharks washed up on South African beaches.
The animals were fleeing high water temperatures from a marine heatwave hitting South Africa's coastal waters.
However, during their escape, they were caught in a sudden burst of cold water from the region's Agulhas Current, causing ocean temperatures to plummet.
“These upwelling events occurring on the banks of the Agulhas River could cause temperatures to suddenly drop by about 10 degrees Celsius.” [18°F] “within 24 hours” Zoe Jacobs At the UK National Marine Centre. “This is a very intense, short-term event.”
Nicholas Lubitz Professors at Australia's James Cook University used 41 years of sea surface temperature data and 33 years of sea surface temperature data to assess cold water upwelling in two regions affected by the Agulhas Current and the Australian Current, which meanders along Australia's east coast. I studied wind records.
They conclude that stronger ocean currents and changes in wind patterns associated with climate change are increasing both the frequency and strength of cold water upwelling in both regions.
Most marine organisms that live near these currents are adapted to sudden fluctuations in water temperature and can therefore cope with these changes.
However, the study warns that migratory species such as bull sharks, which pass through these waters and are unprepared for sudden changes in temperature, are at risk.
Bull sharks struggle to survive when water temperatures drop below 19°C (66°F) for extended periods. Lubitz and colleagues used data from 41 tagged bull sharks in southern Africa and Australia to study their migration patterns.
As soon as summer ends and water temperatures begin to drop, sharks migrate to warmer tropical waters. During migration, they appear to take steps to avoid cold water upwelling by moving to warmer surface waters as they swim through upwelling zones, or by seeking refuge in estuaries and bays during migration. .
But as upwelling events increase in frequency and intensity, researchers warn that it will become increasingly difficult for bull sharks and other migratory species to avoid them.
But Jacobs, who was not involved in the study, said the effects may be limited to the two areas studied. “These two particular regions of hers are very special cases because the upwelling that occurs there is a very short and intense phenomenon,” she says. Other global upwelling systems are more permanent or seasonal, and marine species are better adapted to withstand or avoid changes in water temperature, she says.
Even if it's sweet, it's over
Most people die when they get old.
Roughly speaking, that short sentence can summarize the Dutch/Danish/British study called “.Coffee and tea sugar use and long-term mortality risk in older Danish adult men: 32 years of follow-up in a prospective cohort study”.
The study states: “A total of 2,923 men (mean age at participation: 63±5 years) were included, of whom 1,007 (34.5%) had added sugars. Over 32 years of follow-up, 2581 participants ( 88.3%) died, 1677 (87.5%) in the non-sugar group and 904 (89.9%) in the sugar group.
The nifty and parsimonious summary of the feedback is reminiscent of Yoshiro Nakamatsu's speech at the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. (Nakamatsu, also known as Dr. Nakamatsu, won the Ig Nobel Prize in Nutrition in 2005 for photographing and retrospectively analyzing every meal he consumed over a 34-year period; (This will continue into 2024.) Mr. Nakamatsu said: Speeches should be short. ”
shocking news
Practicing mindfulness allows you to focus on one thing at a time. A 10-year-old study called “The Role of Mindfulness-Based Psychological Support in the Process of ECT'' has been attracting attention and feedback has continued.
ECT is an acronym for electroconvulsive therapy. This study was one of the most successful attempts, and perhaps the only one, to intentionally combine mindfulness with this therapy.
The researchers reported that after receiving the electric shock, the patients “remained cognitively functional enough to participate in simple mindfulness-based psychotherapy, with no evidence of difficulty recalling new information.” are doing.
They (researchers), then at the Mid-Central District Health Board in Palmerston North, New Zealand, came to a multisyllabic conclusion.
They write: “This study confirms the benefits of Ultrabrief Pulsed ECT in reducing adverse cognitive effects…but also proves that psychological interventions and physical treatments are not mutually exclusive.”
take care of the dishes
Just one year later, American researchers published a study called “.Washing dishes to wash dishes: Brief instruction in informal mindfulness practices.”. They had a goal in mind. “We found that compared to a control condition, participants who received mindful dishwashing instruction reported higher levels of mindfulness, perceived attention, and positive We hypothesized that it would show emotion,” they wrote.
They tested their hypothesis on 51 college students and reported that the test was successful. Their study ended with the big-picture recognition that “the implications of these findings are wide-ranging.”
Be mindful of mindfulness
You can also become aware of mindfulness. Three researchers (two at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland and one at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia) took a close look at the large body of research published on mindfulness and found out what they thought they saw. Published research. Their research isExploring the past, present, and future of the field of mindfulness: A multi-technique bibliographic review” and are more or less dissatisfied that many people are not paying attention to these studies.
The researchers explain why so few people are paying attention to mindfulness research: “Low citation rates may simply indicate that the document pertains to a narrow field of research. Therefore, it should not be misinterpreted as evidence of poor quality.”
resistance to antibiotics
David Gordon added his non-normative perspective to the collection of professional opinions on feedback on whether “medicine equals entertaining the patient while nature influences healing” .
“Every intervention comes with potential side effects, so it makes sense to avoid unnecessary interventions. As a retired family physician, I try to control the fear caused by symptoms and treat self-limiting and primarily viral infections.” By explaining the natural history of acute respiratory tract infections, we have significantly reduced antibiotic prescriptions, especially for mothers with young children.
“These principles can sensibly be applied to other medical scenarios. Unfortunately, this is not good for business, nor for doctors, nor for the pharmaceutical companies who unavoidably act as proxies.” The number of “re-examinations” to deal with undiagnosed anxiety is decreasing. More importantly, in the long run, patients are denied the belief that all illnesses require a prescription. ”
loss of power
Superpowers are not all permanent, even the little things readers add to their feedback summaries. Grainne Collins reveals: “I had a superpower: I could look at any list or table of numbers and immediately see that there was a mistake.” It might take him 10 minutes to figure out what was wrong. But I was always right. Unfortunately, since my dyslexia has been cured (I can now tell the difference between “shape'' and “kara'' without studying), my superpower has also been cured! ”
Mark Abrahams hosted the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony and co-founded the magazine Annals of Improbable Research. Previously, he was working on unusual uses of computers.his website is impossible.com.
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The Arisaema plant is a death trap for pollinating mushroom gnats.
ArchivePL/Alamy
Pulpit flowers, famous for trapping and killing pollinators, may also act as nurseries for insect eggs, revealing a more subtle and mutually beneficial relationship that challenges existing assumptions. Become.
These jug-shaped plants are Alisa EmmaThey mimic the look and smell of musty mushrooms to attract fungus gnats, which are major pollinators. But when insects dip into the flower's spathe in search of this pungent food, they are unable to crawl out because the interior of the flower's elongated hood is too waxy. The gnat struggles violently inside its mottled red-green cup, scattering pollen all around it to thoroughly pollinate the plant, but eventually dies of exhaustion.
But when Kenji Suetsugu A team from Japan's Kobe University hatched 62 flowers of the Asian pulpit jack-in-the-pulpit species Alisa Emmathunbergi, they realized something was wrong. The gnat was helplessly captured and laid eggs in the crown of the flower. When the flowers begin to wither, these larvae feed on the shriveled and rotting flesh and emerge as adults a few weeks later.
The fact that traps can serve the dual function of pollination sites and nurseries for the next generation of pollinators is “really surprising,” Suetsugu says.
Furthermore, some adults are able to escape from flower traps before it is too late. So the ducks aren't “technically lethal,” Suetsugu said. This suggests that plants strike a balance between ensuring pollination and not completely depleting the number of pollinating gnats.
These findings suggest that the relationship between jack-in-the-pulpit and its pollinators is much more complex than previously thought and cannot be neatly categorized as purely mutualistic or antagonistic.”, says Suetsugu.
This relationship may represent a step in the evolution of plants, from purely deceptive pollinators to mutually beneficial relationships with pollinators. Importantly, the findings may also suggest that there is more to the relationships between other plants and pollinators around the world than meets the eye.
Indeed, these findings challenge some preconceived ecological concepts. Jeff Ollerton at the University of Northampton, UK. In this particular case, the situation is mixed, as only some insects seem to be benefiting.He has more types of Alisa Emma (This genus includes more than 190 species) To learn more, you need to study this species in detail.
“The deeper we look into plant-pollinator interactions, the more we learn about the ability of plants to manipulate pollinator behavior and how pollinators can evolve strategies to acquire resources. There are more surprises to come,” Ollerton said.
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