Added April 13, 2006:

GreyOrange Inc. has introduced SoftFence, a virtual shielding technology from its retail software as a service (SaaS) platform, gStore.

The Co-op Media Network (CMN) is to install 300 new front-of-store digital media screens to turbo-charge its retail media offering, taking the total number of screens to over 9,000 across its store estate.

By Franklin Carpenter, freelance writer.

The importance of customer data in retail continues to grow, pushing businesses to seek efficient management strategies. Cloud computing has proven to be a powerful resource for tackling customer data challenges, enabling retailers to streamline their processes.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has reached an exciting milestone in its Centennial Campaign, raising $203 million toward its overall campaign goal of $250 million by 2027. This represents the largest amount ever raised in a UA Little Rock campaign, exceeding the previous campaign by $100 million.

Coordinated power shutoffs could help control the wildfires spreading across New York and New Jersey, according to a Virginia Tech expert. These shutoffs could mitigate the risk posed by unseasonably dry conditions and challenging terrain, both of which have made containment efforts especially difficult, said Professor Ali Mehrizi-Sani, a Virginia Tech electrical engineering researcher.

Newly published research by Grainger Engineers in Mechanical Science and Engineering describes an unprecedented computational model that captures the intricate muscular architecture of an octopus arm.

[International] :
Microsoft-backed OpenAI's popular chatbot ChatGPT was restored after a brief connection failure that affected thousands of users worldwide on Friday. In a statement on its website, OpenAI said that issues with ChapGPT have now been resolved. It said most users regained access by 4:34 p.m. Pacific ...

[more...]

You don't have to be a prime minister, civil war general, Nobel Peace Prize laureate or founding father to learn the strengths of famous leaders and better your own life. You can learn a lot from the greatest leaders in history — including what to do and what not to do — and prepare for your time to lead others.

[Culture] :
A documentary about a 1970s campaign in the United States to release a Korean immigrant, who was wrongfully convicted of murder, from prison was honored at this year's Emmy Awards. According to the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences(NATAS), the documentary, titled "Free Cholsoo ...

[more...]

[Economy] :
Foreign investors were net sellers in the South Korean stock market for the third month in October. According to data from the Bank of Korea(BOK) on Friday, foreigners sold a net four-point-17 billion U.S. dollars worth of stocks last month. But the latest figure is lower than September’s total of ...

[more...]

BGS updates national CO2 storage database  Agg-Net

How can CO2 be stored? | CCS  British Geological Survey

Moving stones: faults, slopes and sediments  British Geological Survey

Funding awarded for study on hydrogen storage potential in the East Midlands  British Geological Survey

Five multicomponent solid forms of an antifungal drug flucytosine are reported with a hygroscopic stability study. A detailed CSD search on the cocrystal/salts of flucytosine is evaluated and correlated the structures based on bond angles and bond distances.

Plasmodium vivax is a major cause of malaria, which poses an increased health burden on approximately one third of the world's population due to climate change. Primaquine, the preferred treatment for P. vivax malaria, is contraindicated in individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, a common genetic cause of hemolytic anemia, that affects ∼2.5% of the world's population and ∼8% of the population in areas of the world where P. vivax malaria is endemic. The Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID) conducted a structure–function analysis of P. vivax N-myristoyltransferase (PvNMT) as part of efforts to develop alternative malaria drugs. PvNMT catalyzes the attachment of myristate to the N-terminal glycine of many proteins, and this critical post-translational modification is required for the survival of P. vivax. The first step is the formation of a PvNMT–myristoyl–CoA binary complex that can bind to peptides. Understanding how inhibitors prevent protein binding will facilitate the development of PvNMT as a viable drug target. NMTs are secreted in all life stages of malarial parasites, making them attractive targets, unlike current antimalarials that are only effective during the plasmodial erythrocytic stages. The 2.3 Å resolution crystal structure of the ternary complex of PvNMT with myristoyl-CoA and a novel inhibitor is reported. One asymmetric unit contains two monomers. The structure reveals notable differences between the PvNMT and human enzymes and similarities to other plasmodial NMTs that can be exploited to develop new antimalarials.

The correct determination of X-ray transmission at X-ray nanoprobes equipped with small beamstops for small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering collection is an unsolved problem with huge implications for data correction pipelines. We present a cost-effective solution to detect the transmission via the X-ray fluorescence of the beamstop with an avalanche photodiode.

Quantitative X-ray diffraction approaches require careful correction for sample transmission. Though this is a routine task at state-of-the-art small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) or diffraction beamlines at synchrotron facilities, the transmission signal cannot be recorded concurrently with SAXS/WAXS when using the small, sub-millimetre beamstops at many X-ray nanoprobes during SAXS/WAXS experiments due to the divergence-limited size of the beamstop and the generally tight geometry. This is detrimental to the data quality and often the only solution is to re-scan the sample with a PIN photodiode as a detector to obtain transmission values. In this manuscript, we present a simple yet effective solution to this problem in the form of a small beamstop with an inlaid metal target for optimal fluorescence yield. This fluorescence can be detected with a high-sensitivity avalanche photodiode and provides a linear counter to determine the sample transmission.

The African Light Source (AfLS) project is now almost eight years old. This article assesses the history, current context and future of the project. There is by now considerable momentum in building the user community, including deep training, facilitating access to current facilities, growing the scientific output, scientific networks and growing the local laboratory-scale research infrastructure. The Conceptual Design Report for the AfLS is in its final editing stages. This document specifies the socio-economic and scientific rationales and the technical aspects amongst others. The AfLS is supported by many national and Pan-African scientific professional bodies and voluntary associates across many scientific disciplines, and there are stakeholders throughout the continent and beyond. The current roadmap phases have expanded to include national and Pan-African level conversations with policy makers through new Strategic Task Force groups. The document summarizes this progress and discusses the future of the project.

Fourth-generation synchrotron storage rings represent a significant milestone in synchrotron technology, offering outstandingly bright and tightly focused X-ray beams for a wide range of scientific applications. However, due to their inherently tight magnetic lattices, these storage rings have posed critical challenges for accessing lower-energy radiation, such as infrared (IR) and THz. Here the first-ever IR beamline to be installed and to operate at a fourth-generation synchrotron storage ring is introduced. This work encompasses several notable advancements, including a thorough examination of the new IR source at Sirius, a detailed description of the radiation extraction scheme, and the successful validation of our optical concept through both measurements and simulations. This optimal optical setup has enabled us to achieve an exceptionally wide frequency range for our nanospectroscopy experiments. Through the utilization of synchrotron IR nanospectroscopy on biological and hard matter samples, the practicality and effectiveness of this beamline has been successfully demonstrated. The advantages of fourth-generation synchrotron IR sources, which can now operate with unparalleled stability as a result of the stringent requirements for producing low-emittance X-rays, are emphasized.

Synchrotron light sources require X-ray optics with extremely demanding accuracy for the surface profile, with less than 100 nrad slope errors and sub-nanometre height errors. Such errors are challenging to achieve for aspheres using traditional polishing methods. However, post-polishing error correction can be performed using techniques such as ion beam figuring (IBF) to improve optics to the desired quality. This work presents a brief overview of the history of IBF, introduces some of the challenges for obtaining such demanding figure errors, and highlights the work done at several in-house IBF facilities at synchrotron light sources worldwide to obtain state-of-the-art optical quality.

A multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) is a powerful global optimization tool, but its results are considerably affected by the crossover parameter ηc. Finding an appropriate ηc demands too much computing time because MOGA needs be run several times in order to find a good ηc. In this paper, a self-adaptive crossover parameter is introduced in a strategy to adopt a new ηc for every generation while running MOGA. This new scheme has also been adopted for a multi-generation Gaussian process optimization (MGGPO) when producing trial solutions. Compared with the existing MGGPO and MOGA, the MGGPO and MOGA with the new strategy show better performance in nonlinear optimization for the design of low-emittance storage rings.

The advent of diffraction-limited storage rings (DLSRs) has boosted the brilliance or coherent flux by one to two orders of magnitude with respect to the previous generation. One consequence of this brilliance enhancement is an increase in the flux density or number of photons per unit of area and time, which opens new possibilities for the spatiotemporal resolution of X-ray imaging techniques. This paper studies the time-resolved microscopy capabilities of such facilities by benchmarking the ForMAX beamline at the MAX IV storage ring. It is demonstrated that this enhanced flux density using a single harmonic of the source allows micrometre-resolution time-resolved imaging at 2000 tomograms per second and 1.1 MHz 2D acquisition rates using the full dynamic range of the detector system.

Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction imaging (BCDI) has emerged as a powerful technique for strain imaging and morphology reconstruction of nanometre-scale crystals. However, BCDI often suffers from angular distortions that appear during data acquisition, caused by radiation pressure, heating or imperfect scanning stages. This limits the applicability of BCDI, in particular for small crystals and high-flux X-ray beams. Here, we present a pre-processing algorithm that recovers the 3D datasets from the BCDI dataset measured under the impact of large angular distortions. We systematically investigate the performance of this method for different levels of distortion and find that the algorithm recovers the correct angles for distortions up to 16.4× (1640%) the angular step size dθ = 0.004°. We also show that the angles in a continuous scan can be recovered with high accuracy. As expected, the correction provides marked improvements in the subsequent phase retrieval.

An innovative dual-thickness semi-transparent beamstop designed to enhance the performance of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments is introduced. This design integrates two absorbers of differing thicknesses side by side into a single attenuator, known as a beamstop. Instead of completely stopping the direct beam, it attenuates it, allowing the SAXS detector to measure the transmitted beam through the sample. This approach achieves true synchronization in measuring both scattered and transmitted signals and effectively eliminates higher-order harmonic contributions when determining the transmission light intensity through the sample. This facilitates and optimizes signal detection and background subtraction. This contribution details the theoretical basis and practical implementation of this solution at the SAXS station on the 1W2A beamline at the Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility. It also anticipates its application at other SAXS stations, including that at the forthcoming High Energy Photon Source, providing an effective solution for high-precision SAXS experiments.

Historically, knowledge of the mol­ecular packing within the crystal structures of organic semi­con­duc­tors has been instrumental in understanding their solid-state electronic properties. Nowadays, crystal structures are thus becoming increasingly important for enabling engineering properties, understanding poly­mor­phism in bulk and in thin films, exploring dynamics and elucidating phase-transition mech­a­nisms. This review article introduces the most salient and recent results of the field.

Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) enables molecular-resolution 3D imaging of complex biological specimens such as viral particles, cellular sections and, in some cases, whole cells. This enables the structural characterization of molecules in their near-native environments, without the need for purification or separation, thereby preserving biological information such as conformational states and spatial relationships between different molecular species. Subtomogram averaging is an image-processing workflow that allows users to leverage cryo-ET data to identify and localize target molecules, determine high-resolution structures of repeating molecular species and classify different conformational states. Here, STOPGAP, an open-source package for subtomogram averaging that is designed to provide users with fine control over each of these steps, is described. In providing detailed descriptions of the image-processing algorithms that STOPGAP uses, this manuscript is also intended to serve as a technical resource to users as well as for further community-driven software development.

Serial crystallography, born from groundbreaking experiments at the Linac Coherent Light Source in 2009, has evolved into a pivotal technique in structural biology. Initially pioneered at X-ray free-electron laser facilities, it has now expanded to synchrotron-radiation facilities globally, with dedicated experimental stations enhancing its accessibility. This review gives an overview of current developments in serial crystallography, emphasizing recent results in time-resolved crystallography, and discussing challenges and shortcomings.

During the automatic processing of crystallographic diffraction experiments, beamstop shadows are often unaccounted for or only partially masked. As a result of this, outlier reflection intensities are integrated, which is a known issue. Traditional statistical diagnostics have only limited effectiveness in identifying these outliers, here termed Not-Excluded-unMasked-Outliers (NEMOs). The diagnostic tool AUSPEX allows visual inspection of NEMOs, where they form a typical pattern: clusters at the low-resolution end of the AUSPEX plots of intensities or amplitudes versus resolution. To automate NEMO detection, a new algorithm was developed by combining data statistics with a density-based clustering method. This approach demonstrates a promising performance in detecting NEMOs in merged data sets without disrupting existing data-reduction pipelines. Re-refinement results indicate that excluding the identified NEMOs can effectively enhance the quality of subsequent structure-determination steps. This method offers a prospective automated means to assess the efficacy of a beamstop mask, as well as highlighting the potential of modern pattern-recognition techniques for automating outlier exclusion during data processing, facilitating future adaptation to evolving experimental strategies.

Van Vleck modes describe all possible displacements of octahedrally coordinated ligands about a core atom. They are a useful analytical tool for analysing the distortion of octahedra, particularly for first-order Jahn–Teller distortions, but determination of the Van Vleck modes of an octahedron is complicated by the presence of angular distortion of the octahedron. This problem is most commonly resolved by calculating the bond distortion modes (Q2, Q3) along the bond axes of the octahedron, disregarding the angular distortion and losing information on the octahedral shear modes (Q4, Q5 and Q6) in the process. In this paper, the validity of assuming bond lengths to be orthogonal in order to calculate the Van Vleck modes is discussed, and a method is described for calculating Van Vleck modes without disregarding the angular distortion. A Python package for doing this, VanVleckCalculator, is introduced and some examples of its use are given. Finally, it is shown that octahedral shear and angular distortion are often, but not always, correlated, and a parameter η is proposed as the shear fraction. It is demonstrated that η can be used to predict whether the values will be correlated when varying a tuning parameter such as temperature or pressure.

The first Federation of European Biochemical Societies Advanced Course on macromolecular crystallization was launched in the Czech Republic in October 2004. Over the past two decades, the course has developed into a distinguished event, attracting students, early career postdoctoral researchers and lecturers. The course topics include protein purification, characterization and crystallization, covering the latest advances in the field of structural biology. The many hands-on practical exercises enable a close interaction between students and teachers and offer the opportunity for students to crystallize their own proteins. The course has a broad and lasting impact on the scientific community as participants return to their home laboratories and act as nuclei by communicating and implementing their newly acquired knowledge and skills.

SUBGROUPS is a free online program at the Bilbao Crystallographic Server (https://www.cryst.ehu.es/). It permits the exploration of all possible symmetries resulting from the distortion of a higher-symmetry parent structure, provided that the relation between the lattices of the distorted and parent structures is known. The program calculates all the subgroups of the parent space group which comply with this relation. The required minimal input is the space-group information of the parent structure and the relation of the unit cell of the distorted or pseudo-symmetric structure with that of the parent structure. Alternatively, the wavevector(s) observed in the diffraction data characterizing the distortion can be introduced. Additional conditions can be added, including filters related to space-group representations. The program provides very detailed information on all the subgroups, including group–subgroup hierarchy graphs. If a Crystallographic Information Framework (CIF) file of the parent high-symmetry structure is uploaded, the program generates CIF files of the parent structure described under each of the chosen lower symmetries. These CIF files may then be used as starting points for the refinement of the distorted structure under these possible symmetries. They can also be used for density functional theory calculations or for any other type of analysis. The power and efficiency of the program are illustrated with a few examples.

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Still from "Godzilla vs. Kong"; Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Liam Neeson stars as Matthew Scudder in "A Walk Among the Tombstones." ; Credit: Universal Pictures

Screenwriter and director Scott Frank has been trying to make “A Walk Among the Tombstones” for more than a decade, but it wasn't until Liam Neeson signed on that his efforts finally came into view.

Based on the Lawrence Block novel, “Tombstones” stars Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder, an ex-cop working as an unlicensed private investigator. He agrees to help a well-to-do drug trafficker hunt down the kidnappers who have brutally murdered his wife.

Frank wrote the screenplay and, after the departures of other attached directors, Frank decided to step behind the cameras himself. 

When he came by The Frame studio, Frank spoke with host John Horn about Neeson's great strengths as an action hero and how he convinced Neeson to sign on to the project.

Interview Highlights:

John Horn: Liam Neeson has evolved in a fascinating way as an action hero. When did you start having conversations with him about this movie, and what was it about him as an actor that made it feel like the right fit?

"Well, what's interesting is that Larry Block, the novelist, had always said, going way back to 2003 or something, that the perfect actor for this, after [he saw] 'Michael Collins'...would be Liam Neeson. Chris Andrews, who is Liam's agent, always loved the script and was always trying to find a way to put it together, and he's the one who gave it to Liam back when D.J. [Caruso] was going to direct. So the first time I met Liam to talk about the movie, I was talking to him as the writer, not as the director of the movie. And then when D.J. fell out to go do a different movie at Sony...we had a conversation about directing the movie.

JH: Was this before or after the first "Taken" had come out?

This was well after the first 'Taken,' this was right before the second 'Taken.'

JH: So Liam is...succeeding as a version of that character, and I wonder if that success cuts both ways, that maybe there's a reluctance on his part to not do something that's quite as similar? Or is that part of your conversation that you have with him? 

It absolutely cuts both ways, and that was a huge part of the conversation because there's a kidnapping in this story, and there he is on the telephone for a few minutes at the end of the movie talking to kidnappers, and there are similarities [to 'Taken']. And he knew that was the way to sell the movie, and so he was very reluctant. And I talked to him and I had him watch 'Klute,' and I said, "That's the movie we're gonna make. We're not going to make 'Taken,' we're going to make a movie that's like 'Klute,' or a little bit like 'Dirty Harry,' or one of those old-school '70s films. It's going to feel more like that than an action movie."

JH: Liam Neeson's not physically imposing, but there's something about him that really kind of makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. What is it about him as an actor in this kind of part?

Well, there's a couple things. One: you believe him. No matter what he's talking about, it seems authentic and true...he has this thing about him that, whatever he's doing, you believe him. Two: he's one of those actors like Gene Hackman where he can convey exposition and make it feel like character. He can talk pages of exposition and make it all feel like it's character and drama — it's a great thing. The other thing about him is that he has this real gravitas, and it almost borders on sadness sometimes; it's interesting when you watch him and you feel like there's all this other life going on behind him.

JH: That he has nothing to lose, in other words.

Nothing to lose, and he says that at one point in the film, but I think it's those things that are all at work at the same time.

Kevin Smith with a room full of his own strain of pot, created for his new film, "Tusk." ; Credit: James Kim/KPCC

When Kevin Smith records his podcast, Smodcast, he says, "I'm usually blazed." Which, if you've heard the episode where Smith comes up with the entire story for his new film, "Tusk," it should come as no surprise.

The film is about a man who takes another man hostage and turns him into a walrus. While the movie itself doesn't mention or include any weed, Smith thought medical marijuana would be a nice complement to the viewing experience. 

A24, the film distribution company, came to Smith with a marketing idea: create strains of weed for the film. Smith thought it was genius. Buds and Roses — a cannabis dispensary in Studio City — was approached by Smith and his team to make medical marijuana specifically for the film. The dispensary came up with two strains called "Mr. Tusk" and "White Walrus." 

We met up with the director at Buds and Roses to see why the green substance was a perfect pairing for the film: 

Interview Highlights:

Smith knows that some people enjoy going to the movies stoned: 

"This movie, out of all movies, seems like a real head trip of a flick. So if they have their medical marijuana card, by all means, enjoy the movie. Don't feel the need to go back if you don't remember anything. It's not a gimmick to make them go twice or anything. But in a world where people are gonna smoke medicinal marijuana, having a 'Tusk' sticker on there just makes me smile. Kind of makes sense for this movie." 

How Fleetwood Mac and weed helped his writing:

"I put on Fleetwood Mac's 'Tusk' over and over on repeat and would just sit there and blaze while I wrote. And you know, I blaze in the way that I used to smoke cigarettes. So, I'll light it and put it in an ashtray, let it burn and stuff. So it fills the room like incense if you will. But, yeah, for a movie like 'Tusk,' I guess you gotta be pretty stoned to make the guy-who-makes-a-guy-into-a-walrus movie. And I'm kinda glad I did. It's weird. People are calling it the best movie I've ever made and I was like, 'Well, this is the only one I made stoned.' So I'm like, 'Guess what I'm doing, kids!'"

Smith used to be against drugs: 

"I smoked weed in my life, but I would never consider myself a stoner. In fact, I still had the '80s [attitude] lingering, 'Just say no,' and,  you know, 'Oh my lord! It's a drug!' It wasn't until I became older — age 38 — when I started smoking weed on a regular basis. I was like, 'This is not a drug. This is ridiculous! It grows in the Earth.' So once I got past the bias that was pounded into us in the '80s, suddenly I was like, 'Heavens. I like who I am here.' It doesn't make you a better person, kids. It doesn't make you more creative. What it does is it kind of knocks fear on its ass. You face your fears a little better." 

Disclaimer: Smith wants you to know that he does not endorse marijuana for anyone under 21:

"Kids, teenagers... I'm talking to you. The teenage brain is stunted by marijuana smoking so you guys have to wait 'til you're older. I didn't start smoking 'til I was 38 years old. I'm not saying wait 'til then. That was a stupid mistake on my behalf. But wait until you're legit. Wait until you're 21 before you start smoking." 

Source: Streetwise Reports 10/23/2024

Lithium Ionic Corp. (LTH:TSX.V; LTHCF:OTCQX; H3N:FSE) has announced the initiation of Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management (EPCM) services for its flagship Bandeira Lithium Project in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Globally recognized engineering firm Hatch Ltd. will lead engineering and design services. Reta Engenharia, a leading Brazilian construction management firm, will manage construction. This significant milestone signals the project's progression into the construction and development phase as Lithium Ionic moves closer to production.

Key Highlights from the company press release:

• Hatch Ltd. has been awarded engineering and design services. Hatch is an internationally recognized engineering firm with extensive global experience in several commodities and a local presence in Brazil, including offices in Belo Horizonte, the capital city of Minas Gerais state. Hatch's involvement will bring world-class expertise and innovative solutions to the Bandeira Project, ensuring a streamlined and efficient development process.
• Reta Engenharia, a leading Brazilian construction management company, has been selected to provide construction management services for the Bandeira Project. With extensive experience in greenfield mining projects, Reta has supported both junior and large-cap producers, making them ideally suited to drive efficient and effective project outcomes. Their proven track record in managing greenfield projects, combined with their deep regional knowledge, will be instrumental in advancing the Bandeira Project towards production.
• Growing the Owner's Team: To support this transition to project development and ensure a smooth transition into production, Lithium Ionic is expanding the technical capabilities of its owner's team by bringing in experienced professionals to guide the Bandeira Project through the construction and operational readiness phases.

In the company's news release, Blake Hylands, CEO of Lithium Ionic, noted the importance of this transition, "Our momentum towards production is stronger than ever as we kick off the engineering and construction management phase with our esteemed partners, Hatch and Reta."

The Bandeira Project is advancing through the permitting process at both state and federal levels, with key approvals expected soon. Initial production is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026, following the approval of the Licença Ambiental Concomitante (LAC) and subsequent Mining Concession and Operating License.

Lithium Sector Gains Momentum Amid Growing Demand

Visual Capitalist reported on September 29 that despite the price drop, lithium-ion battery demand is projected to increase ninefold by 2040. This move is driven by the continued growth of the EV market and broader electrification trends.

Greg Jones of BMO Capital Markets described new drill results from the Bandeira project as continuing to "highlight the exploration potential at the property" and suggested that these results could present opportunities for optimization.

This long-term growth trajectory supports the ongoing development of lithium projects like Lithium Ionic's Bandeira Project in Brazil, which aims to meet this increasing global demand.

As Forbes reported on October 8, lithium prices had fallen by nearly 90% since their peak in 2022.

This is attributed to an oversupply of the commodity and slower-than-expected electric vehicle (EV) sales. Despite these challenges, industry experts indicated that the sector was showing early signs of recovery.

Also, on October 8, Barry Dawes of Martin Place Securities highlighted that "the lithium market is showing strong signs of upturn" and suggested that lithium shortages are likely after 2027, reinforcing the long-term potential of the sector. His comments reflected a growing optimism for the post-2027 period. It is then that demand for lithium is expected to outstrip supply.

Lithium Ionic's Catalysts

Lithium Ionic's Bandeira Project is positioned as a critical development in Brazil's Lithium Valley. According to the company's investor presentation, this project is expected to deliver significant output. A Feasibility Study projects a 14-year mine life, producing 178,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate annually. The post-tax net present value (NPV) is projected at US$1.3 billion with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 40%.

The company's strategic partnerships with Hatch and Reta, combined with the strong regional infrastructure in Minas Gerais, which includes renewable hydroelectric power and proximity to export markets, are expected to accelerate the development of the project. These factors are key drivers of Lithium Ionic's goal to become one of Brazil's major lithium producers, contributing to the growing global demand for lithium in the electric vehicle market.

Analysts on Lithium Ionic

Analysts have shown optimism about Lithium Ionic Corp., particularly regarding the potential of its Bandeira Lithium Project. Katie Lachapelle from Canaccord Genuity, in her September 10, 2024, research note, highlighted the company's progress in securing approvals for the Final Exploration Reports for the Bandeira and Outro Lado lithium properties.

Lachapelle emphasized that the next major catalyst would be the approval of the Licença Ambiental Concomitante (LAC), which is needed to begin construction at the Bandeira project. She maintained a Speculative Buy rating with a target price of CA$2.50, representing a potential upside of 303% from the price at the time of the report. Lachapelle also noted the company's CA$35 million cash balance following recent financing transactions but indicated that additional funds would be required to cover the estimated US$266 million in initial capital costs.

On October 8, 2024, Greg Jones of BMO Capital Markets provided further positive insights into Lithium Ionic's development. He described new drill results from the Bandeira project as continuing to "highlight the exploration potential at the property" and suggested that these results could present opportunities for optimization. Jones maintained an Outperform rating on the stock, with a target price of CA$1.25, reflecting a 40% potential return. He also emphasized that the company traded below the peer median, with its lithium carbonate equivalent valued at US$40 per ton, compared to US$60 for peers, marking it as undervalued. He further pointed out that Lithium Ionic was one of BMO's preferred lithium developers. [OWNERSHIP_CHART-11098]

Ownership and Share Structure

According to the company, management and insiders own 20% of the Lithium Ionic.

One of the insiders, President & Director Helio Diniz, owns 5.52%, Director Michael Lawrence Guy owns 5.10%, Director David Patrick Gower owns 2.56%, and Andre Rezende Gumaraes owns 2.52%, according to Reuters.

30% is held by institutional investors. Reuters reports Waratah Captial Advisors owns 7.01%, JGP Gestao de Recursos Ltda owns 2.69%, RBC Global Asset Management Inc owns 1.94%, Sprott Asset Management LP owns 1.55%, BMO Asset Management owns 1.30%, and IXIOS Asset Management SA owns 1.20%. The rest is retail.

Lithium Ionic has 158.58 million shares outstanding and 131.15 million free-float traded shares.

The company's market cap is CA$135 million, and it trades in a 52-week range of CA$0.41 - 2.24 per share.

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Important Disclosures:

1. Lithium Ionic Corp. is a billboard sponsor of Streetwise Reports and pays SWR a monthly sponsorship fee between US$4,000 and US$5,000.
2. James Guttman wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee.
3. This article does not constitute investment advice and is not a solicitation for any investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her personal financial adviser and perform their own comprehensive investment research. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company.

For additional disclosures, please click here.

( Companies Mentioned: LTH:TSX.V; LTHCF:OTCQX; H3N:FSE, )

Drew Arriola Sands, left, sings in the South Gate band Trap Girl at La Conxa, 2017.; Credit: Amina Cruz

Growing up, Drew Arriola-Sands' music was "too weird for the weird kids." Her first band couldn't even get a backyard gig, but since Sands transitioned in 2013, her current band, Trap Girl, have been at the center of an exploding queer hardcore scene in Los Angeles. 

NOTE: Trans Pride L.A. is taking place this weekend, Saturday June 17, at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. To hear a preview of the event with organizer Gina Bigham, listen to the extra audio on this post.

Sands is 28 now, but she's always been drawn to glamorous women with big hair. Her mirror is adorned with pictures of Ronnie Spector, Dolly Parton, and Jayne Mansfield. Wig idols, she calls them. Sands has a large collection of wigs, and even makes her own, but it all started 20 years ago.

"When I was a little kid, my mom always had short black hair," Sands remembers. "And then one day, getting ready for school, she walked out of the bathroom with a long, thick, black braid with a ribbon on it, and it freaked me out, because I never saw her with long hair. So I was like, 'That’s weird! What is it?'" She was eight years old. For weeks to come, Sands would lock herself in the bathroom and stare at the extension braid in it's clear, Avon box until her mother threw it away without warning. The seed had been planted, though.

Her love of singing came at an early age too. As a child, Sands would stand up on a chair while watching baseball with her father to sing the national anthem. Her mother would scold her for being loud and tell her that she could sing at a baseball game when she was older. At 11, her father put her in little league.

We look at a picture of young Drew in a baseball jersey. Sands was a chubby little kid, biting down a smile, and burying her hand in her mitt. "I was a 'catcher' even then," laughs Sands.

"I was told I was gay before I even knew I was gay, because people saw I was feminine, did things a little different, spoke a little different, a little more sensitive," says Sands. Bullying was a consistent part of her childhood, with no one incident standing out because there was always "80 more horrible ones," she says. But she found ways to cope through her hobbies.

Her father said if she wasn't going to play a sport, she had to play an instrument. The first instrument she started with in earnest was the guitar, before picking up bass and more. "Nirvana was still the biggest band in the world. Everyone at my junior high who played guitar learned how to play 'Rape Me' or 'Smells like Teen Spirit' as their first song" says Sands. The first song sands learned on guitar was Nirvana's "About a Girl," and the first album she bought was Hole's "Live Through This."

"One of my first jobs, actually, was making burnt cd’s for a guy who sold them at the alley, and he made me copy Trina cd’s, ten at a time. She had songs on there like 'Nasty Bitch,' things like that, and I just loved it! But it was like a guilty pleasure, 'cause I was still a rock kid."  - Drew Arriola-Sands

By her early twenties, she started her first real band, The Glitter Path; Sands describes it as something like Daniel Johnston, the schizophrenic outsider musician, mixed with Patsy Cline - extremely emotional, "lying across the road, ready to die type of music." It didn't fit in in the "very straight, very cis, surf rock-indie" backyard scene, says Sands. She can't remember the band playing more than two or three shows, anywhere, but she says she doesn't hold any grudges.

The Glitter Path's "Wear a Wig"

We look at another photo of Sands from her Glitter Path days. She points out the increasing number of women’s accessories she was wearing at the time. She was starting to feel a change coming.

"I was in a relationship in 2013 with an artist, but I was male presenting, and I had these feelings of identity and gender, and I expressed them to him, and he accepted them," Sands says,  "but didn’t know how to deal with me and I didn’t know how to deal with myself." Sands boyfriend broke up with her, and she reevaluated her emotional state. "My mental health was not going to get better if I did not come out [as a trans person]," she decided.

She had a much easier time dating after transitioning, and one chance hook-up set Sands down a new musical road.

"So this guy I was hooking up with at the time would play the Damned in the room while we were hooking up. I had a guitar in the room, and he didn’t know I played music and said, 'Do you play guitar?' I said, 'Yeah.' He said, 'Well, you should start a band, like the Damned, and play guitar. It’d be good, looking the way you do, and wear ball gowns.'” - Drew Arriola-Sands

Sands started Trap Girl, not as guitarist, but as lead singer, in 2014.

The early shows were backyard gigs in South Central. Songs like “Dead Men Don’t Rape” went over well, but Sands wasn’t out as a trans performer yet. Maybe people could read between the lines though, with a name like Trap Girl. Sands offers a few definitions for Trap Girls/Trap Queens (though she has never settled on just one).

• A woman who helps out a "trap lord," or drug dealer
• A very convincing transvestite
• A girl trapped in a man's body

Throughout 2015, Trap Girl built their following Downtown and on the Eastside, with Sands finally out as a trans artist.

Trap Girl live at Xicana PUNK Night

"I started this band alone," explains Sands. "I didn’t know any queer people, I didn’t know any trans people, I didn’t know who was gonna help this band. Who was gonna give us a shot? So, I was ready to defend this band, even though there was no one defend it from."

Rather, Trap Girl were embraced and found sisterhood in bands like Sister Mantos and Yaawn. In 2016, Sands took it a step further and organized the first annual Transgress Fest (at the Santa Ana LGBT Center), for trans performers. "We had people as young as twelve to people as old as sixty in the audience," she says. "We had a huge turnout. I never expected that."

Transgress Fest is coming back in November. In the meantime, Trap Girl are getting ready to release their second EP, "The Black Market." The title track grapples with the question of whether or not a trans person needs surgery.

"Being a woman doesn’t mean you have to look like a woman. I didn’t know any trans people at all before I transitioned, so automatically, my idea was to think that I needed to present as feminine to be accepted as a trans person, but little did I know, that that’s the last thing you need to be a trans person. Not all people can pass, and that’s ok." - Drew Arriola-Sands

Sands says the takeaway from "The Black Market" is not to risk your life with black market cosmetic procedures. "These girls are killing themselves to achieve their looks," says Sands. "They’re getting it offline [sic], off Craigslist. You know, they go to someone’s basement and get their ass injected with cement, and then they go home and get a blood clot in their lungs, and they die." "The Black Market" EP is due for release this summer.

Trap Girl is singer Drew Arriola-Sands, bassist Ibette Ortiz, drummer Jorge Reveles, and guitarist Estevan Moreno.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Source: Peter Bell 11/04/2024

Liberty Gold Corp. (LGD:TSX; LGDTF:OTCQX) released the results of the first study, a prefeasibility study (PFS), of its flagship Black Pine project in Idaho, reported Canaccord Genuity analyst Peter Bell in an Oct. 10 research note.

"The completion of the prefeasibility study is a key step in advancing the project through permitting, bringing a Black Pine mine much closer to reality," Bell wrote. "This is positive."

885% Gain Possible

Canaccord Genuity has a CA$3.25 per share price target on the Canadian Idaho-based exploration and development company, trading at the time of the report at about CA$0.33 per share, noted Bell. These figures imply a potential return on investment of 885%.

Liberty is rated Speculative Buy.

Specifics of the PFS

Bell presented the details of the Black Pine operation as outlined in the PFS, based on reserves of 3,110,000 ounces (3.11 Moz) of 0.32 grams per ton (0.32 g/t) gold.

Average production is 183,000 ounces per year (183 Koz/year) gold for the first five years, peaking at about 231 Koz. The average annual production, based on a 50,000 ton per day throughput, over a 17-year life of mine (LOM) is 135 Koz.

The PFS has the head grade during years one through five at 0.45 g/t gold. Over the LOM, the head grade is 0.32 g/t gold and gold recoveries, 70.4%.

As for costs, operating costs are low at US$9.10 per ton processed. The all-in-sustaining cost (AISC) is US$1,205 per ounce (US$1,205/oz) of gold for years one through five and US$1,380/oz of gold for the LOM.

"We believe the study highlights a simple, lower-risk and long-lived operation with an attractive cost profile," Bell wrote. "We model Liberty achieving initial production at Black Pine in 2029, based on company disclosure around the permitting process."

Attractive Economics

Bell reported the economics outlined in the PFS for the base case using a US$2,000/oz gold price. The after-tax net present value discounted at 5% (NPV5%) is US$552 million, the internal rate of return (IRR) is 32%, and the payback period is 3.3 years. The strip ratio is low at 1.3.

"Of note is the study's leverage to higher gold prices with an NPV5% of US$1,296M (62% IRR at US$2,600/oz)," Bell wrote. At the same gold price, Canaccord Genuity's estimated NPV5% is higher, at US$1,569.

Bell noted that Liberty could enhance the value of Black Pine in any of four ways, by optimizing the resource and mine planning; delineating additional ounces or feed sources; using electric, maybe even autonomous, mining equipment; and defining options for using renewable energy like solar to potentially lower operating costs more.

How Results Stack Up

The analysts pointed out the similarities and differences between Liberty Gold's PFS and Canaccord Genuity's estimates on Black Pine. Between the two, the capex, AISC, mined throughput, and NPV are consistent, "which we view as positive," Bell wrote.

Among the parameters that differ are unit costs per ton processed, strip ratio, head grade, recovery, and total recovered ounces, all lower in the PFS. Mine life, though, is longer.

"The longer mine life and lower total ounce total equate to a lower number of ounces of annual production," Bell explained.

Process and general and administrative costs are lower in the PFS, which decreases the cutoff and the overall grade when compared to Canaccord Genuity's version. Bell indicated that the lower operating cost per ton, however, is positive.

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Disclosures for Canaccord Genuity, Liberty Gold Corp., October 10, 2024

Analyst Certification Each authoring analyst of Canaccord Genuity whose name appears on the front page of this research hereby certifies that (i) the recommendations and opinions expressed in this research accurately reflect the authoring analyst’s personal, independent and objective views about any and all of the designated investments or relevant issuers discussed herein that are within such authoring analyst’s coverage universe and (ii) no part of the authoring analyst’s compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed by the authoring analyst in the research, and (iii) to the best of the authoring analyst’s knowledge, she/he is not in receipt of material non-public information about the issuer. Analysts employed outside the US are not registered as research analysts with FINRA. These analysts may not be associated persons of Canaccord Genuity LLC and therefore may not be subject to the FINRA Rule 2241 and NYSE Rule 472 restrictions on communications with a subject company, public appearances, and trading securities held by a research analyst account.

Sector Coverage Individuals identified as “Sector Coverage” cover a subject company’s industry in the identified jurisdiction, but are not authoring analysts of the report. Investment Recommendation Date and time of first dissemination: October 10, 2024, 09:56 ET Date and time of production: October 10, 2024, 09:56 ET Target Price / Valuation Methodology: Liberty Gold Corp. - LGD Our target price is based on a 0.85x multiple applied to our forward curve derived operating NAV less net debt and other corporate adjustments. Risks to achieving Target Price / Valuation: Liberty Gold Corp. - LGD In addition to the usual risks to target prices associated with commodity pricing, exchange rates, and mineral exploration/ development, we highlight the following: Commodity price risk: As a precious metals development company, LGD’s future revenue is dependent on the price of gold. Water rights: The Goldstrike Project does not currently have sufficient water rights to operate the proposed mine and heap leach. They announced June 1 that they have retained consultants to attempt to obtain water. Geo-political risk: Liberty is currently focussed on the western United States but retains exposure to Turkey through the TV-Tower project. Accordingly, Liberty’s operations could be adversely impacted by political or economic instability or changes in government policy that impact the ownership of assets, mining activities, exchange rates, taxation, or royalties in Turkey. We note that Liberty’s Turkish asset, TV-Tower, accounts for less than 3% of NAV in our valuation. Mining risk: LGD faces the typical risks inherent to mining companies relating to operating and capital costs, availability of capital, permitting requirements and timelines, technical and operating parameters, reserve and resource models, social license and community relations, taxation and royalty regimes, and regulatory and political risks. Black Pine does not currently have a published economic study so the estimates in our model are based on our own interpretation of how the operation may be designed. As such, our valuation of the Black Pine project may be impacted by differences in strip ratio, CapEx, mining throughput, recovery assumptions, and gold grade. Development risk: LGD is planning to develop the Black Pine and Goldstrike projects in Idaho and Utah respectively. The company faces risks associated with developing the project including capital and operating cost risk, financing, project permitting and timelines, and technical risks to achieve the planned operating rates. Permitting risk: Permitting is still underway at the Black Pine project. As such, the company may not be able to proceed with the project as it is currently envisaged if the required permits are not received in a timely manner. Financing risk: As a pre-cash-flow development company, LGD is reliant on the capital markets to remain a going concern. At present, the company has an estimated cash position of ~US$13.1M (Q2/24), which positions the company well in the near term to continue to advance its portfolio of exploration/development projects, in our view. We note that there is no guarantee that LGD will be able to access capital markets in the future as the result of potential changes in market sentiment/pricing and/or concerns involving project feasibility. As such, there is no guarantee that LGD will be able to secure the required funds to advance the Black Pine project, including but not limited to debt/equity financing and/or a strategic investment.

Required Company-Specific Disclosures (as of date of this publication) Canaccord Genuity or one or more of its affiliated companies intend to seek or expect to receive compensation for Investment Banking services from Liberty Gold Corp. in the next three months.

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Copyright © Canaccord Genuity (Australia) Limited. 2024 – Participant of ASX Group, Cboe Australia and of the NSX. Authorized and regulated by ASIC. All rights reserved. All material presented in this document, unless specifically indicated otherwise, is under copyright to Canaccord Genuity Corp., Canaccord Genuity Limited, Canaccord Genuity LLC or Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. None of the material, nor its content, nor any copy of it, may be altered in any way, or transmitted to or distributed to any other party, without the prior express written permission of the entities listed above. None of the material, nor its content, nor any copy of it, may be altered in any way, reproduced, or distributed to any other party including by way of any form of social media, without the prior express written permission of the entities listed above.

( Companies Mentioned: LGD:TSX; LGDTF:OTCQX, )

Source: Streetwise Reports 11/07/2024

Dakota Gold Corp. (DC:NYSE American) announced drill results from the first 17 holes of its ongoing infill drilling program to expand the maiden resource at its Richmond Hill Gold Project in the historic Homestake District of South Dakota.

An updated S-K 1300 resource estimate is planned for Q1 2025 and a S-K 1300 Initial Assessment with cashflow analysis is planned for Q2 2025, the company said in a release. The expanded resource is expected to include an additional 88 new drill holes totaling 17,000 meters.

"The highlight of this morning's release was (hole) RH24C-099, which was drilled in the Twin Tunnels Zone and returned 1.15 g/t Au (grams per tonne gold) over 51.7 meters from 132.9 meters," wrote Canaccord Genuity Capital Markets Analyst Peter Bell in an updated research note on Monday. "The results this morning were consistent with the current resource at Richmond Hill, with many cases reporting higher-than-average grades."

Bell said the firm was encouraged by the results, "which we believe provide support for expansion in future resource estimates. With infill and step out drilling at Richmond Hill being just one of three ongoing drill programs currently underway at Dakota, underscoring the company's emphasis on exploration and expansion."

Drilling Is 'Adding Ounces'

The maiden S-K 1300 resource, announced in April, outlined an Indicated Resource of 51.83 million tonnes (Mt) at 0.80 g/t Au for 1.33 million ounces (Moz) and Inferred Resource of 58.06 Mt at 0.61 g/t Au for 1.13 Moz., the company said.

The initial infill drill results release released Monday encountered further gold mineralization from the central portion of the Richmond Hill resource area consistent with results reported in the maiden resource, Dakota said. The drilling was conducted in areas where the original resource block model contained gaps to support the company's belief that the initial resource could be significantly expanded with additional infill drilling.

Highlights of the results include:

• Hole RH24C-077: 0.76 g/t Au over 24.4 meters
• Hole RH24C-083: 0.70 g/t Au over 13.8 meters
• Hole RH24C-085: 1.10 g/t Au over 17.9 meters
• Hole RH24C-088A: 0.96 g/t Au over 41.5 meters
• Hole RH24C-099: 1.15 g/t Au over 51.7 meters

Dakota said the resource remained open in all directions and could be improved with more drilling, metallurgical work, and incorporation of silver into the resource.

"We are very pleased to see that initial results from our infill drill program are adding ounces to our current S-K 1300 resource," said Dakota Vice President of Exploration James Berry. "The results to date show grades and widths consistent with drill holes in the original block model and support an expansion of gold mineralization, including shallow oxide mineralization. We look forward to continuing our infill program on the other zones identified in our Initial assessment for follow-up drilling."

'Vastly Unexplored' District

The historic Homestake Mine produced 41 Moz Au and 9 Moz silver (Ag) over 126 years. The company has 48,000 acres of holdings surrounding the original mine, which was first discovered in 1876 and consolidated by George Hearst.

Areas surrounding "super-giant deposits" like Homestake are believed to contain significant additional gold resources, wrote John Newell wrote.

Areas surrounding "super-giant deposits" like Homestake are believed to contain significant additional gold resources, wrote John Newell of John Newell & Associates this week for a Streetwise Reports piece on the legacy of the famous mine.

"Super-giant deposits are characterized by clusters of geologically similar deposits within several hundred square kilometers, defining profoundly mineralized regions," Newell wrote. "It is believed that at least twice that amount of gold exists in the neighborhood of these super giants. If that is true, then there are at least 100 Moz of gold left to be found in this vastly underexplored precious metal district of South Dakota."

This proximity to a super-giant "suggests a high potential for similar deposits," Newell wrote. "Being in the shadow of many old mines increases the probability of finding significant mineral resources."

The Catalyst: Gold Continues Bull Market

After hitting a record high of US$2,790.15 per ounce on Thursday, spot gold was up 0.1% to US$2,737.35 on Monday afternoon, according to Reuters.

Investors were keeping a close on Tuesday's presidential election in the U.S. and the Federal Reserve's meeting later this week, Anjana Anil reported.

"A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last month found worries that the U.S. could see a repeat of the unrest that followed Trump's 2020 election defeat, when his false claim that his loss was the result of fraud prompted hundreds to storm the U.S. Capitol," Anil wrote.

Gold's rise has "resulted in big returns for the investors who bought in earlier this year," Angelica Leicht reported for CBS News last month. "For example, the investors who purchased gold in March when it hit US$2,160 per ounce have seen their gold values increase by nearly 27% in the time since. That's a huge uptick in value in a matter of months, especially on an asset that's known more for long-term growth."

Recently polled London Bullion Market Association members indicated they believe the gold price could reach US$2,940/oz during 2025, reported Stockhead on Oct. 28.

"Combined with expectations of lower global interest rates, this further enhances gold's attractiveness as an investment," the article noted.[OWNERSHIP_CHART-7442]

As for gold equities, the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (SPCDNX) confirmed a multidecade bull run for junior, intermediate, and senior mining stocks when it closed above 1,000 recently, Stewart Thomson with 321Gold wrote. The index is a key indicator of the health of the general gold, silver, and mining stocks market.

Ownership and Share Structure

According to the company, approximately 25% of its shares are with management and insiders.

Out of management, Co-chairman, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Quartermain holds the most shares at 8.4%, while COO Jerry Aberle holds 4.8%, the company said.

About 26% of the shares are with institutional investors, according to Yahoo Finance and Edgar filings. Top institutional holders include Fourth Sail Capital with 5.3%, Van Eck Associates with 4.1%, Blackrock Institutional Trust Co. with 3.7%, The Vanguard Group Inc. with about 3.2%, Fidelity Management and Research Co. LLC with 2.7%, and CI Global Asset Management with 2.6%.

About 16.5% is with strategic investors, including Orion Mine Finance, which owns about 9.9%, and Barrick Gold Corp., which owns about 2.5%. The rest is retail.

Dakota Gold has a market cap of US$212.61 million, with 93.66 million shares outstanding. It trades in a 52-week range of US$3.25 and US$1.84.

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; Credit: /Joy Ho for NPR

Perhaps the only respite pandemic closures brought to my family — which includes two kids under age 6 — was freedom from the constant misery of dripping noses, sneezes and coughs. And statistics suggest we weren't the only ones who had fewer colds last year: With daycares and in-person schools closed and widespread use of masks and hand sanitizer in most communities, cases of many seasonal respiratory infections went down, and flu cases dropped off a cliff.

That reprieve might be ending. Social mixing has been starting up again in much of the U.S. and so have cases of garden-variety sniffles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just warned physicians that RSV, a unpleasant respiratory virus, is surging right now in southern states. And it's not just happening in the U.S. — researchers in the U.K. and Hong Kong found that rhinovirus outbreaks spiked there, too, when COVID-19 lockdowns ended.

My family is at the vanguard of this trend. Right after Washington D.C. lifted its mask mandate a few weeks ago, both my kids got runny noses and coughs, and as soon as they tested negative for COVID-19, my pandemic fears were replaced by a familiar dread. I had visions of sleepless, cough-filled nights, dirty tissues everywhere, and — in short order — my own miserable cold.

"If someone in your house is sick, you're not only breathing in their sick air, you're touching those contaminated surfaces. You're having closer contact, you're having longer exposures," says Seema Lakdawala, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, who studies how influenza viruses transmit between people. It can start to feel inevitable that the whole family will get sick.

Take heart, my fellow parents-of-adorable-little-germ-machines! Lakdawala says many strategies we all picked up to fight COVID-19 can also stop the spread of many routine respiratory viruses. In fact, they may be even more effective against run-of-the-mill germs, since, unlike the viruses behind most colds, SARS-CoV2 was new to the human immune system.

Those strategies start with everyone keeping their children home from school, camp and playdates when they're sick and keeping up with any and all vaccinations against childhood illnesses. Beyond that, specialists in infectious disease transmission I consulted offer five more tips for keeping my family and yours healthier this summer.

Tip #1: Hang on to those masks

In pre-pandemic times, it might have seemed like a weird move to put on a mask during storytime with your drippy-nosed kid, but Dr. Tina Tan says that's her top tip. She's a professor of pediatrics at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University and a pediatric infectious disease physician at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago.

When it comes to influenza, a rhinovirus, or any of the other respiratory bugs constantly circulating, "once these viruses touch your mucous membranes, whether it's your eyes, your nose or your mouth, you do have a chance of contracting it," says Tan. Masks help stop infectious particles and virus-filled droplets from getting into your body.

"You don't need a N95," Tan says. A light-weight surgical mask or homemade cloth mask can work as long as it has two or more layers. The mask-wearing also doesn't have to be constant. "If you're going to be face to face with them — they're sitting in your lap, you're reading to them, you're feeding them, etc. — then I would say wear a mask," Tan advises.

Even better, if it's not too uncomfortable for your sick child, have them wear a mask, Lakdawala says. "If your kids are old enough to wear a mask, that would probably be the best strategy, because then you're reducing the amount of virus-laden aerosols in the environment."

How long should you stay masked-up?

For most respiratory viruses, "the infectious period is probably similar to that of COVID," says Dr. Jennifer Shu, a pediatrician in Atlanta and medical editor of the American Academy of Pediatrics' site HealthyChildren.org. It might technically start a few days before symptoms begin and last for up to two weeks, but your sniffly kids are likely most contagious during those first runny-nosed days Shu says. "You could have kids over [age] 2 wear a mask for the first three or four days of symptoms," she suggests.

And if you can't bring yourself to wear a mask or put one on your child inside your own home to fight a cold, don't worry. Lakdawala has a few more ideas.

Tip #2: Air it out, space it out

When Lakdawala's 5- and 8-year-old kids get sick, "I open the windows, I turn on the fans, I get a lot more air circulation going on in the house," she says — that is, weather and allergies permitting, of course.

"A lot of these viruses tend to circulate more during the colder weather, so where you live is going to determine how much you can open your windows," Tan points out. But certainly, she says, "the better the ventilation, the less likely the viruses are going to get transmitted from one person to another."

What about buying HEPA filter air purifiers, or changing the filter in your heating and air conditioning system? "I would not suggest going out to purchase extra HEPA filters just for this purpose," says Dr. Ibukun Kalu, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Duke University. For hospitals that are treating very contagious and serious pathogens like tuberculosis or SARS-CoV2, those upgrades may be important, she says. "But for all of the other routine viruses, it's routine ventilation."

Kalu says you might also want to think strategically about creating some social distance — when it's possible — like strategically having the parent who tends not to get as sick provide the one-on-one care for the sick kid.

Obviously, you can't isolate a sick child in a room by themselves until they recover, but Lakdawala says not getting too close or for too long can help. When her kids are sick, "I do try to just not snuggle them — keep them a little bit at a distance."

Tip #3: Don't try to be a HAZMAT team

There's good news on the house-cleaning front. "Most of these viruses don't live on surfaces for very long periods of time," says Tan.

The research on exactly how long cold-causing rhinoviruses can survive on surfaces — and how likely they are to remain infectious — isn't definitive. As Dr. Donald Goldmann of Boston Children's Hospital poetically put it in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal a couple decades ago, "Despite many years of study, from the plains of Salisbury, to the hills of Virginia, to the collegiate environment of Madison, WI, the precise routes rhinovirus takes to inflict the misery of the common cold on a susceptible population remain controversial." That's still true today, doctors say.

There's some evidence that contaminated surfaces are not very important in the spread of colds. In one little study from the 1980s, a dozen healthy men played poker with cards and chips that "were literally gummy" from the secretions of eight other men who had been infected with a rhinovirus as part of the study. Even after 12 hours of poker, none of the healthy volunteers caught colds.

Shu's take home advice? Be methodical in your cleaning of often-touched surfaces (kitchen table, countertops and the like) with soap and water when everybody's healthy, and maybe add bleach wipes or other disinfectant when someone in your household has a cold. But don't panic.

Tan agrees. "Wipe down frequently-touched surfaces multiple times a day," she says. "But you don't have to go crazy and, like, scour everything down with bleach."

You also don't need to do a lot of extra laundry in hopes of eliminating germs on clothes, towels, dishtowels and the like — that can be exhausting and futile. Instead, just try to encourage kids who are sick to use their own towel — and do what you can to give towels a chance to dry out between uses. "Having some common sense and doing laundry every few days — washing your towels every few days and washing your sheets every couple of weeks — is probably good enough," Shu says. "You don't need to go overboard for run-of-the-mill viruses."

Don't fret that there are germs everywhere and you can't touch anything, says Lakdawala. "If I touch something, that -- in itself — is not infecting me," she notes. Instead, it's getting a certain amount of virus on our hands and then touching our own nose, eyes or mouth that can infect us. "If I just go wash my hands, that risk is gone," Lakdawala says.

You can also skip wearing gloves around the house. "People think that they are safe when they're wearing the gloves — and then they touch their face with their gloves [on]" and infect themselves, she says.

Instead, just make it a habit to wash your hands frequently.

Tip #4: Seriously, just wash your hands

"The same handwashing guidelines for COVID also apply for common respiratory illnesses," Shu says. That is: regular soap with warm water, lathered for about 20 seconds.

"The reason why 20 seconds is recommended is because some studies show that washing your hands shorter than that doesn't really get rid of germs." She warns that there hasn't been a whole lot of research on this, and 20 seconds is not a magic number. "But it is thought that anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds is probably good enough to get rid of most of the germs," she says. (Note: No need to drive your family crazy singing the birthday song twice — y'all have options.)

"Wash your hands before you eat, after you eat, after you go to the bathroom ... if you're changing your child's diaper, et cetera.," says Tan. "And if you're going to use hand sanitizer, it has to be at least 60% alcohol."

"Your hands are probably the most important source of transmission outside of someone really coughing or sneezing in your face," Kalu adds.

Tip #5: Don't give up, but do keep perspective

So, what if your beloved child does cough or sneeze in your face? Should you then forget all this stuff and just give in to the inevitable?

Don't give up, says Lakdawala. "Just because you got one large exposure in your mouth and in close range, it doesn't mean that that was sufficient to initiate an infection," she says. Whether you get sick from that germy onslaught is going to depend on a lot of things — the particular virus, whether the sneeze landed in your mouth or nose, whether you've been exposed to some version of that virus before and more.

One tiny positive side effect of the coronavirus pandemic for Lakdawala has been a broader public understanding of "dose-response" in viral transmission. "Just because somebody breathed on you once doesn't necessarily mean that that's what's going to get you infected," she says.

Consider practicing the swiss cheese model of transmission control, Shu says. "Every layer of protection helps — if you find that wearing a face shield is too much, but you do everything else, you're still going to limit your exposure," she says. Just do what works for you and your family.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Reconstructions from the Daynès Studio in Paris depict a male Neanderthal (right) face to face with a human, Homo sapiens.; Credit: /Science Source

It's something that many of us reckon with: the sense that we're not quite as sharp as we once were.

I recently turned 42. Having lost my grandfather to Alzheimer's, and with my mom suffering from a similar neurodegenerative disease, I'm very aware of what pathologies might lurk beneath my cranium.

In the absence of a cure for Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, the most important interventions for upholding brain function are preventive — those that help maintain our most marvelous, mysterious organ.

Based on the science, I take fish oil and broil salmon. I exercise. I try to challenge my cortex to the unfamiliar.

As I wrote my recent book, A History of the Human Brain, which recounts the evolutionary tale of how our brain got here, I began to realize that so many of the same influences that shaped our brain evolution in the first place reflect the very measures we use to preserve our cognitive function today.

Being social, and highly communicative. Exploring creative pursuits. Eating a varied, omnivorous diet low in processed foods. Being physically active.

These traits and behaviors help retrace our past, and, I believe, were instrumental in why we remain on the planet today.

And they all were, at least in part, enabled by our brain.

Social smart alecks finish first

The human saga is riddled with extinctions.

By "human," I don't just mean Homo sapiens, the species we belong to, but any member of the genus Homo. We've gotten used to being the only human species on Earth, but in our not so distant past — probably a few hundred thousand years ago – there were at least nine of us running around.

There was Homo habilis, or the "handy man." And Homo erectus, the first "pitcher." The Denisovans roamed Asia, while the more well-known Neanderthals spread throughout Europe.

But with the exception of Homo sapiens, they're all gone. And there's a good chance it was our fault.

Humans were never the fastest lot on the African plains, and far from the strongest. Cheetahs, leopards and lions held those distinctions. In our lineage, natural selection instead favored wits and wiliness.

Plenty of us became cat food, but those with a slight cognitive edge — especially Homo sapiens — lived on. In our ilk, smarts overcame strength and speed in enabling survival.

Ecology, climate, location and just sheer luck would've played important roles in who persisted or perished as well, as they do for most living beings. But the evolutionary pressure for more complex mental abilities would lead to a massive expansion in our brain's size and neurocircuitry that is surely the paramount reason we dominate the planet like no other species ever has.

Much of this "success," if you can call it that, was due to our social lives.

Primates are communal creatures. Our close monkey and ape cousins are incredibly interactive, grooming each other for hours a day to maintain bonds and relationships. Throw in a few hoots and hollers and you have a pretty complex community of communicating simians.

An active social life is now a known preserver of brain function.

Research shows that social isolation worsens cognitive decline (not to mention mental health, as many of us experienced this past year). Larger social networks and regular social activities are associated with mental preservation and slowed dementia progression.

Entwined in this new social life was an evolutionary pressure that favored innovation. Our eventual ability to generate completely novel thoughts and ideas, and to share those ideas, came to define our genus.

As we hunted and foraged together, and honed stones into hand axes, there was a collective creativity at work that gave us better weapons and tools that enabled more effective food sourcing, and, later, butchering and fire. Effectively sharing these innovations with our peers allowed information to spread faster than ever before - a seed for the larger communities and civilizations to come.

Challenging ourselves to new pursuits and mastering new skills can not only impress peers and ingratiate us to our group, but literally help preserve our brain. New hobbies. New conversations. Learning the banjo. Even playing certain video games and simply driving a new route home from work each day, as neuroscientist David Eagleman does, can keep our function high.

Whether it's honing ancient stone or taking up Sudoku, any pursuit novel and mentally challenging may help keep the neural circuits firing.

We really are what we eat

All the while, as we hunted and crafted in new and communal ways, we had to eat. And we did so with an uniquely adventurous palette.

Homo sapiens is among the most omnivorous species on the planet. Within reason we eat just about anything. Whether it's leaves, meat, fungus, or fruit, we don't discriminate. At some point, one of us even thought it might be a good idea to try the glistening, grey blobs that are oysters - and shellfish are, it turns out, among the healthiest foods for our brain.

The varied human diet is an integral part of our story. As was the near constant physicality required to source it.

On multiple occasions over the past 1 to 2 million years climate changes dried out the African landscape, forcing our ancestors out of the lush forest onto the dangerous, wide-open grasslands. As evolution pressured us to create and commune to help us survive, a diverse diet also supported our eventual global takeover.

Our arboreal past left us forever craving the dangling fruits of the forest, a supreme source of high-calorie sugars that ensured survival. Back then we didn't live long enough to suffer from Type 2 diabetes: if you encountered sweets, you ate them. And today we're stuck with a taste for cookies and candy that, given our longer lifespans, can take its toll on the body and brain.

But humans were just as amenable to dining on the bulbs, rhizomes and tubers of the savanna, especially once fire came along. We eventually became adept scavengers of meat and marrow, the spoils left behind by the big cats, who preferred more nutritive organ meat.

As our whittling improved we developed spears, and learned to trap and hunt the beasts of the plains ourselves. There is also evidence that we learned to access shellfish beds along the African coast and incorporate brain-healthy seafood into our diet.

Studying the health effects of the modern diet is tricky. Dietary studies are notoriously dubious, and often involve countless lifestyle variables that are hard to untangle.

Take blueberries. Multiple studies have linked their consumption with improved brain health. But, presumably, the berry-prone among us are also more likely to eat healthy all around, exercise, and make it to level 5 on their meditation app.

Which is why so many researchers, nutritionists, and nutritional psychiatrists now focus on dietary patterns, like those akin to Mediterranean culinary customs, rather than specific ingredients. Adhering to a Mediterranean diet is linked with preserved cognition; and multiple randomized-controlled trials suggest doing so can lower depression risk.

A similar diversity in our ancestral diet helped early humans endure an ever-shifting climate and times of scarcity. We evolved to subsist and thrive on a wide range of foods, in part because our clever brains allowed us access to them. In turn, a similarly-varied diet (minus submitting to our innate sugar craving of course) is among the best strategies to maintain brain health.

All of our hunting, and foraging, and running away from predators would have required intense physical exertion. This was certainly not unique to humans, but we can't ignore the fact that regular exercise is another effective means of preserving brain health.

Being active improves performance on mental tasks, and may help us better form memories. Long before the Peletons sold out, our brains relied on both mental and physical activity.

But overwhelmingly the evidence points to embracing a collection of lifestyle factors to keep our brain healthy, none of which existed in a Darwinian vacuum.

Finding food was as social an endeavor as it was mental and physical. Our creative brains harnessed information; gossiping, innovating, and cooking our spoils around the campfire.

Researchers are beginning to piece together the complex pathology behind the inevitable decline of the human brain, and despite a parade of failed clinical trials in dementia, there should be promising treatments ahead.

Until then, in thinking about preserving the conscious experience of our world and relationships — and living our longest, happiest lives — look to our past.

Bret Stetka is a writer based in New York and an editorial director at Medscape. His work has appeared in Wired, Scientific American, and on The Atlantic.com. His new book, A History of the Human Brain, is out from Timber/Workman Press. He's also on Twitter: @BretStetka.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Patrick Doherty volunteered for a new medical intervention of gene-editor infusions for the treatment of genetically-based diseases.; Credit: /Patrick Doherty

Patrick Doherty had always been very active. He trekked the Himalayas and hiked trails in Spain.

But about a year and a half ago, he noticed pins and needles in his fingers and toes. His feet got cold. And then he started getting out of breath any time he walked his dog up the hills of County Donegal in Ireland where he lives.

"I noticed on some of the larger hill climbs I was getting a bit breathless," says Doherty, 65. "So I realized something was wrong."

Doherty found out he had a rare, but devastating inherited disease — known as transthyretin amyloidosis — that had killed his father. A misshapen protein was building up in his body, destroying important tissues, such as nerves in his hands and feet and his heart.

Doherty had watched others get crippled and die difficult deaths from amyloidosis.

"It's terrible prognosis," Doherty says. "This is a condition that deteriorates very rapidly. It's just dreadful."

So Doherty was thrilled when he found out that doctors were testing a new way to try to treat amyloidosis. The approach used a revolutionary gene-editing technique called CRISPR, which allows scientists to make very precise changes in DNA.

"I thought: Fantastic. I jumped at the opportunity," Doherty says.

On Saturday, researchers reported the first data indicating that the experimental treatment worked, causing levels of the destructive protein to plummet in Doherty's body and the bodies of five other patients treated with the approach.

"I feel fantastic," Doherty says. "It's just phenomenal."

The advance is being hailed not just for amyloidosis patients but also as a proof-of-concept that CRISPR could be used to treat many other, much more common diseases. It's a new way of using the innovative technology.

"This is a major milestone for patients," says Jennifer Doudna of the University of California, Berkeley, who shared a Nobel Prize for her work helping develop CRISPR.

"While these are early data, they show us that we can overcome one of the biggest challenges with applying CRISPR clinically so far, which is being able to deliver it systemically and get it to the right place," Doudna says.

CRISPR has already been shown to help patients suffering from the devastating blood disorders sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia. And doctors are trying to use it to treat cancer and to restore vision to people blinded by a rare genetic disorder.

But those experiments involve taking cells out of the body, editing them in the lab, and infusing them back in or injecting CRISPR directly into cells that need fixing.

The study Doherty volunteered for is the first in which doctors are simply infusing the gene-editor directly into patients and letting it find its own way to the right gene in the right cells. In this case, it's cells in the liver making the destructive protein.

"This is the first example in which CRISPR-Cas9 is injected directly into the bloodstream — in other words systemic administration — where we use it as a way to reach a tissue that's far away from the site of injection and very specifically use it to edit disease-causing genes," says John Leonard, the CEO of Intellia Therapeutics, which is sponsoring the study.

Doctors infused billions of microscopic structures known as nanoparticles carrying genetic instructions for the CRISPR gene-editor into four patients in London and two in New Zealand. The nanoparticles were absorbed by their livers, where they unleashed armies of CRISPR gene-editors. The CRISPR editor honed in on the target gene in the liver and sliced it, disabling production of the destructive protein.

Within weeks, the levels of protein causing the disease plummeted. Researchers reported at the Peripheral Nerve Society Annual Meeting and in a paper published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

"It really is exciting," says Dr. Julian Gillmore, who is leading the study at the University College London, Royal Free Hospital.

"This has the potential to completely revolutionize the outcome for these patients who have lived with this disease in their family for many generations. It's decimated some families that I've been looking after. So this is amazing," Gillmore says.

The patients will have to be followed longer, and more patients will have to be treated, to make sure the treatment's safe, and determine how much it's helping, Gillmore stresses. But the approach could help those struck by amyloidosis that isn't inherited, which is a far more common version of the disease, he says.

Moreover, the promising results potentially open the door for using the same approach to treatment of many other, more common diseases for which taking cells out of the body or directly injecting CRISPR isn't realistic, including heart disease, muscular dystrophy and brain diseases such as Alzheimer's.

"This is really opening a new era as we think about gene-editing where we can begin to think about accessing all kinds of different tissue in the body via systemic administration," Leonard says.

Other scientists who are not involved in the research agree.

"This is a wonderful day for the future of gene-editing as a medicine,"
agree Fyodor Urnov, a professor of genetics at the University of California, Berkeley. "We as a species are watching this remarkable new show called: our gene-edited future."

Doherty says he started feeling better within weeks of the treatment and has continued to improve in the weeks since then.

"I definitely feel better," he told NPR. "I'm speaking to you from upstairs in our house. I climbed stairs to get up here. I would have been feeling breathless. I'm thrilled."

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Sherman Institute, built in the Mission Revival architectural style, enrolled its first students on Sept. 9, 1902.; Credit: SHERMAN INDIAN MUSEUM

Earlier this month, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced an effort to search federal boarding schools for burial sites of Native American kids. 

The effort is similar to the one in Canada, which found the remains of up to 751 people, likely mostly children, at an unmarked grave in a defunct school in the province of Saskatchewan.  

We dive into the history of American Indian Boarding Schools, as well as their evolution and what the schools that still exist, including Sherman Institute High School in California, look like today.

Guests:

Brenda Child, professor of American Studies and American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota; she is the author of many books, including “Boarding School Seasons: American Indian Families, 1900-1940” (University of Nebraska Press, 2000)

Amanda Wixon, curator at the Sherman Indian Museum, which is on the campus of Sherman Indian High School; assistant curator at Autry museum of the American West; PhD candidate in history at UC Riverside where her research is in Native American history, especially federal boarding schools and the carceral aspects of the Sherman Institute

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Copy of the book “Beyond Baseball’s Color Barrier: The Story of African Americans in Major League Baseball, Past, Present, and Future” (Rowman & Littlefield, May 2021)

Most of us are familiar with the story of Jackie Robinson, the first Black player to play baseball in the Major Leagues, and while Jackie’s story is arguably the biggest chapter in the story of how baseball was integrated, there’s plenty more to the story that happened both before and after Jackie broke into the Majors. Author, sports historian and Santa Barbara City College Director of Athletics Rocco Constantino dives into this rich history in his new book “Beyond Baseball’s Color Barrier: The Story of African Americans in Major League Baseball, Past, Present, and Future” where he explores the contributions of major figures like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Satchel Paige as well as the lesser known ones of players like Vida Blue, Mudcat Grant and Dwight Gooden.

Today on AirTalk, Constantino joins Larry Mantle to explore the history of Black players in baseball, their fight for recognition and integration into the Major Leagues and the issues of race that persisted well beyond Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier.

Guest:

Rocco Constantino, author of “Beyond Baseball’s Color Barrier: The Story of African Americans in Major League Baseball, Past, Present, and Future” (Rowman & Littlefield, May 2021); he is a sports historian and the director of athletics at Santa Barbara City College

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.