Science & Environment

[spaminator]

Ontario Science Centre abruptly closing due to roof issues
Engineering report found roof panels in 'distressed, high-risk condition'

Author of the article:Canadian Press
Published Jun 21, 2024 • Last updated 2 days ago • 3 minute read

The Ontario Science Centre was abruptly and permanently closed in its east Toronto location on Friday, after government officials announced that engineers had found structural issues with the roof of the 55-year-old facility.


When it opened in 1969, the Ontario Science Centre was the world’s first interactive science centre, but years of limited capital investments have left the building with multiple deficiencies.

The news from provincial infrastructure officials Friday came amid government plans to move the science centre from its current location to a new home at a redeveloped Ontario Place on the city’s waterfront, but that isn’t slated to be open until 2028.

An engineering report the government received this week has found that there are a number of roof panels “in a distressed, high-risk condition” that could fail under the weight of snow this winter.

The engineering firm Rinkus Consulting Group said fully negating the risk would require replacing each of that type of roof panel at a cost of between $22 million and $40 million and that would take two or more years to complete with the facility closed.



“The actions taken today will protect the health and safety of visitors and staff at the Ontario Science Centre while supporting its eventual reopening in a new, state-of-the-art facility,” Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma wrote in a statement.

“In the meantime, we are making every effort to avoid disruption to the public and help the Ontario Science Centre continue delivering on its mandate through an interim facility, as well as alternative programming options.”

The building is still safe until the end of October, the government said, with an “enhanced process for rainwater monitoring and roof facility management” in place. It is being closed to the public now so staff can spend the summer moving exhibits out of the building.


The science centre welcomed nearly 800,000 visitors in 2022-23, according to its most recent business plan.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow recalled the “wonder and joy” on the faces of her grandchildren as she has taken them through the science centre, and she said the loss is a painful one for the city.

“It’s a special place that sparks imagination and curiosity, and creates a love of science and learning that lasts a lifetime,” she wrote in a statement.

“I’m deeply disappointed that successive provincial governments have let it fall into such disrepair over the years.”

Adil Shamji, the Liberal who represents the riding where the science centre is located, was livid.

“To have this eliminated without any warning, without any opportunity for people to come for last tours, knowing that there are children who are signed up for summer camps just weeks from now, this is a devastating blow to the community right now and well into the future,” he said.


A business case released last year by the government found that the current building is facing $369 million in deferred and critical maintenance needs over the next 20 years. A building condition report found “multiple critical deficiencies” in roof, wall, mechanical, electrical and elevator systems, interior finishes, site features, and fire and life safety equipment.

A lack of government funding is a key cause of that, Ontario’s auditor general said in a report last year.


There have been 42 projects deemed “critical” since 2017 that haven’t been repaired, and of those projects, the science centre had asked for funding for seven of them at least three times in the past five years but was denied each time, the auditor wrote.


The business case said that moving the science centre instead of renovating the existing facility could save the government about $250 million over 50 years. A considerable amount of those savings come from the new planned facility coming in at about half the size of the current one, though officials say there will be more exhibit space.

Summer camps had been set to start at the science centre in a little over two weeks and the government said it has identified a nearby school that can be used as an alternative location, but all participants will get full refunds. Science centre members will also be reimbursed.

Infrastructure Ontario is issuing a request for proposals on Monday to try to find a temporary science centre location until the new one at Ontario Place opens. The science centre is also looking at providing mobile, virtual and pop-up offerings.

NDP Leader Marit Stiles said the closure is heartbreaking, particularly for families in the surrounding neighbourhoods.

“Communities outside the downtown core deserve nice things too,” she wrote in a statement.

Ontario Science Centre abruptly closing due to roof issues

The news from provincial infrastructure officials comes amid plans from the government to move the science centre to Ontario Place.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Critics express dismay over Ontario Science Centre closure ahead of rally
Author of the article:Kevin Connor
Published Jun 22, 2024 • 2 minute read

The group Save Ontario’s Science Centre will be holding a rally on Sunday after the sudden closure of the east-end attraction.


It will run from noon to 2 p.m. at Wells Hill Park at 145 Hilton Ave. in the Bathurst St. and St. Clair Ave. area.

“Everyone is welcome,” the group posted Saturday on X. “No registration!”



A news release from the Ontario NDP said that Leader Marit Stiles plans to speak at the event along with culture and heritage critic Jill Andrew and Toronto Centre MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam.

Stiles said on X Saturday that she was “furious” about the Ford government’s decision to immediately close the facility on Friday over concerns that the building is not structurally sound.



“We know what this is all about — his (Premier Doug Ford’s) vanity Ontario Place project,” Stiles said. “Join me tomorrow w/ @SaveOSC, @JILLSLASTWORD and @kristynwongtam to save the centre!”

As of 6:20 p.m. on Saturday, more than 27,000 people out of a stated goal of 29,000 had signed a petition on the Save Ontario’s Science Centre website in support of the facility, which now has permanent fencing around it to keep people out.

The science centre was suddenly closed on Friday after an engineering report found the roof panels were in “distressed, high-risk condition.” The news from provincial infrastructure officials came amid government plans to move the science centre from its current location to a new home at a redeveloped Ontario Place, but that isn’t slated to be open until 2028.


Engineering firm Rinkus Consulting Group said fully negating the risk would require replacing roof panels at a cost of between $22 million and $40 million and that would take two or more years to complete with the facility closed.

“The actions taken today will protect the health and safety of visitors and staff at the Ontario Science Centre while supporting its eventual reopening in a new, state-of-the-art facility,” Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma said Friday in a statement.

The Ontario Federation of Labour said that by allowing the building to fall into disrepair, 300 jobs are at risk.

“Despite the centre’s financial challenges, experts agree that renovating the current building is both more environmentally and socially responsible and considerably cheaper than constructing a new, smaller facility at Ontario Place,” OFL president Laura Walton said in a news release. “The premier’s claim that the relocation will increase attendance remains unsupported by any public documentation.”



Walton said the Ford government’s decision to close the 55-year-old facility is part of a troubling pattern of neglect and short-sightedness.

“Ford’s cuts to health care have left hospitals struggling and patients waiting,” said Walton. “Our children’s education should be a priority, but Ford’s actions say otherwise.”

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow also expressed her dismay about the closure, calling it a “painful loss” for the city.

“I’ve seen the wonder and joy on the faces off my grandchildren as I have taken them through the exhibits of the science centre,” she said in a statement posted on X. “It’s a special place that sparks imagination and curiosity and creates a love of science and learning that lasts a lifetime.”

— With files from Toronto Sun staff and The Canadian Press.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1804595006746841344

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1804474706508079161

Critics express dismay over Ontario Science Centre closure ahead of rally

The group Save Ontario's Science Centre will be holding a rally on Sunday after the sudden closure of the east-end attraction.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

New study points to possible cure for baldness
Roughly 85% of men are affected by hair loss by the time they reach middle age

Author of the articleostmedia News
Published Jun 23, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 2 minute read

Could a cure for baldness be on the way?
Could a cure for baldness be on the way?
Is the chrome dome on its way out? A new study suggests that just might be a possibility.


Researchers from the University of Manchester have discovered a “biological mechanism” that causes hair to thin, the New York Post reported.

The research team hopes the discovery might lead to a cure for baldness.

The British team found the link while testing to see if a drug effectively boosted hair follicles in the human scalp.

Over-activating a mechanism called integrated stress response (ISR) had a negative impact on hair growth, researchers found. That response signals that cells can pause activity when they experience stressful conditions, becoming partially dormant to mitigate the strain.

Follicle cells become stressed as they age, which slows down growth. However, an overactivated IRS can cause cell death, stopping rather than slowing hair growth.


Finding a way to stop the overactivation of the ISR might provide a path to preventing hair loss, the researchers said.

“We’re incredibly hopeful as we believe the activation of this pathway could play an important biological role in restricting hair growth in people with hair loss conditions, meaning that targeting it could lead to new treatments,” said Dr. Talveen Purba, senior author of the study.

Purba and the Manchester team are studying ISR activity in people with hair loss to better understand its influence on follicles.

“When we look at hair follicles under the microscope, it’s striking how consistent the response is between hair follicles from different people,” said Derek Pye, chief technician of the research group and co-author of the study.



This photo of Prince Harry was posted to the website of the mental health “transformation” firm BetterUp, the New York Post reports. Other recent photos shows the prince is balding and his hair is redder.
Photo of balding Prince Harry shows him sporting thick crop of hair
None
What they don't tell you about baldness and heart attacks

Developing a drug that is capable of preventing hair loss is the ultimate aim.

While no drugs known to influence ISR are currently available, Purba said there are some under investigation in other contexts.

A team of Japanese researchers in 2022 successfully grew mature hair follicles in a lab, which pointed to another potential advancement.

Roughly 85% of men are affected by hair loss by the time they reach middle age. Comparatively, by age 70, about half of all women suffer from it.

RIGHT ON CUEBALL: New study points to possible cure for baldness

Is the chrome dome on its way out? A new study suggests that just might be a possibility.

torontosun.com

 

[Taxslave2]

Critics express dismay over Ontario Science Centre closure ahead of rally
Author of the article:Kevin Connor
Published Jun 22, 2024 • 2 minute read

The group Save Ontario’s Science Centre will be holding a rally on Sunday after the sudden closure of the east-end attraction.


It will run from noon to 2 p.m. at Wells Hill Park at 145 Hilton Ave. in the Bathurst St. and St. Clair Ave. area.

“Everyone is welcome,” the group posted Saturday on X. “No registration!”



A news release from the Ontario NDP said that Leader Marit Stiles plans to speak at the event along with culture and heritage critic Jill Andrew and Toronto Centre MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam.

Stiles said on X Saturday that she was “furious” about the Ford government’s decision to immediately close the facility on Friday over concerns that the building is not structurally sound.



“We know what this is all about — his (Premier Doug Ford’s) vanity Ontario Place project,” Stiles said. “Join me tomorrow w/ @SaveOSC, @JILLSLASTWORD and @kristynwongtam to save the centre!”

As of 6:20 p.m. on Saturday, more than 27,000 people out of a stated goal of 29,000 had signed a petition on the Save Ontario’s Science Centre website in support of the facility, which now has permanent fencing around it to keep people out.

The science centre was suddenly closed on Friday after an engineering report found the roof panels were in “distressed, high-risk condition.” The news from provincial infrastructure officials came amid government plans to move the science centre from its current location to a new home at a redeveloped Ontario Place, but that isn’t slated to be open until 2028.


Engineering firm Rinkus Consulting Group said fully negating the risk would require replacing roof panels at a cost of between $22 million and $40 million and that would take two or more years to complete with the facility closed.

“The actions taken today will protect the health and safety of visitors and staff at the Ontario Science Centre while supporting its eventual reopening in a new, state-of-the-art facility,” Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma said Friday in a statement.

The Ontario Federation of Labour said that by allowing the building to fall into disrepair, 300 jobs are at risk.

“Despite the centre’s financial challenges, experts agree that renovating the current building is both more environmentally and socially responsible and considerably cheaper than constructing a new, smaller facility at Ontario Place,” OFL president Laura Walton said in a news release. “The premier’s claim that the relocation will increase attendance remains unsupported by any public documentation.”



Walton said the Ford government’s decision to close the 55-year-old facility is part of a troubling pattern of neglect and short-sightedness.

“Ford’s cuts to health care have left hospitals struggling and patients waiting,” said Walton. “Our children’s education should be a priority, but Ford’s actions say otherwise.”

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow also expressed her dismay about the closure, calling it a “painful loss” for the city.

“I’ve seen the wonder and joy on the faces off my grandchildren as I have taken them through the exhibits of the science centre,” she said in a statement posted on X. “It’s a special place that sparks imagination and curiosity and creates a love of science and learning that lasts a lifetime.”

— With files from Toronto Sun staff and The Canadian Press.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1804595006746841344

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1804474706508079161

Critics express dismay over Ontario Science Centre closure ahead of rally

The group Save Ontario's Science Centre will be holding a rally on Sunday after the sudden closure of the east-end attraction.

torontosun.com

So how many of these protestors would be suing the government when the roof dropped on their heads?

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

So how many of these protestors would be suing the government when the roof dropped on their heads?

Depends on how hard it dropped.

 

[spaminator]

Turmeric supplements may harm the liver in some people
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Meeri Kim
Published Jun 25, 2024 • 5 minute read

Turmeric is touted to have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-cancer properties that act against multiple conditions, including arthritis, respiratory infections and diabetes. Clinical trials have not produced rigorous evidence to support these broad claims, yet turmeric remains one of the top-selling herbal supplements in the United States.


With many people taking turmeric in concentrated supplement form, a troubling trend has emerged. In recent years, turmeric has been implicated in a growing number of cases of acute liver injury, some of which have led to liver transplant or even death.

“Turmeric-induced liver injury is considered rare – one in 10,000 or even 100,000 people who take it might get sick – but now, millions of people are taking turmeric,” said Jay Hoofnagle, director of the Liver Disease Research Branch in the Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). “Based on what we’re seeing in our data, it’s one of the most common causes of dietary supplement liver injury.”

Modern preparations of the turmeric plant, which has been used in traditional medicine and as a spice in food for thousands of years, combined with a genetic susceptibility in certain patients, is most likely the cause of liver injury, experts said.


Supplements contain high-dose purified extracts of curcumin, the main active ingredient of turmeric that only makes up between 1 and 7 percent of the root. Many also contain additives such as black pepper to promote absorption of curcumin, a substance that is typically poorly absorbed by the digestive tract.

For example, a study that gave human subjects 2 grams of curcumin could barely detect it in blood samples. But after adding black pepper, the fraction of curcumin that reached the bloodstream shot up by 2,000 percent.

“People today are taking 100 times more curcumin than what was used in traditional medicine,” Hoofnagle said. “I go to Costco and see these big bottles of turmeric with black pepper, a gram per serving, and I think, ‘Oh my goodness.’ ”


Hoofnagle supervises the Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN), an NIH-sponsored initiative that collects and analyzes cases of severe liver injury caused by drugs and alternative medicines. In 2022, the DILIN reported 10 cases of liver injury associated with turmeric supplements. The most common symptoms were jaundice, nausea and abdominal pain. Of the 10 cases, five patients were hospitalized, and one patient died of acute liver failure.

The researchers concluded that liver injury because of turmeric appears to be rising in the United States, and the increasing popularity of turmeric over the last five years seems to mirror the rise in reported cases collected by the DILIN.

Cases have also been reported elsewhere in the world. A 2020 study described seven cases of acute noninfectious hepatitis that occurred in Italy, all linked to turmeric supplements. In August 2023, the Australian government published a safety advisory warning consumers and health-care professionals that turmeric supplements may cause liver injury in rare cases. The advisory came after the Department of Health and Aged Care received 18 reports of turmeric-associated liver problems, including one that had a fatal outcome.


“People think that turmeric is naturally occurring and over-the-counter, so it must be harmless, which is not true,” said Ken Liu, a transplant hepatologist at the Australian National Liver Transplant Unit. “As a clinician, I’ve noticed more and more people admitted to the hospital for having liver injury from herbal and dietary supplements and needing liver transplants for this.”

Fadi Alghzawi, a resident physician at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, has also noticed an uptick in turmeric-related cases. He recently saw a 66-year-old African American woman who was admitted to the emergency department with jaundice, nausea, decreased appetite and dark urine. Testing revealed starkly elevated bilirubin levels in the blood – 29 mg/dL when 0.2 to 1.1 mg/dL is considered normal – indicating possible liver dysfunction.


After ruling out all other causes and confirming with a liver biopsy, turmeric was found to be the culprit. Six months earlier, the patient started taking half a teaspoon of ground turmeric as an herbal remedy from a store. Although she discontinued the turmeric upon admission to the hospital, it was too late.

“Usually when people stop taking turmeric or any herbal supplement that is causing damage, you should see improvement,” Alghzawi said. “However, in this case, irreversible damage happened to the liver, and within seven days of admission, she passed away.”

Drug-induced liver injury, which can be classified as either direct or idiosyncratic, is the most frequent cause of acute liver failure in most Western countries. Direct injury is predictable, dose-dependent, and caused by agents that are intrinsically toxic to the liver, such as acetaminophen. Idiosyncratic injury, on the other hand, is far trickier to diagnose and treat. It only affects susceptible individuals, and the responsible agents have little to no intrinsic toxicity.


“Idiosyncratic injury means you take a medication, and then based on your gender, age or immune status, it can suddenly cause a liver injury,” Alghzawi said. “You cannot predict it, and it’s not dose-dependent.”

For example, women are more prone to drug-induced liver injury than men because of differences in hormonal status, body composition, metabolism and other factors. African American patients may be prone to more severe liver injury and worse disease outcomes, such as liver transplant or death, after drug-related liver injury than White patients.

Genetics is also part of the story, since certain genes encode for enzymes involved in drug processing. After a drug is ingested, it gets absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and taken up by the bloodstream. The first place it goes is the liver, whose job it is to remove toxins and metabolize drugs using specific enzymes. The study by the DILIN found that 7 of the 10 patients carried a genetic variant, found in only 10 percent of the U.S. general population, that may have increased their susceptibility to turmeric-associated liver injury.


“Those liver enzymes are dictated by genetics, so how you metabolize something might be slightly different to how I metabolize something,” Liu said. “You might metabolize curcumin as a completely inert, harmless metabolite, whereas I might metabolize it as something that’s toxic and inflammatory to the liver.”

Both health-care providers and consumers should be aware of the possible risks before taking turmeric as a supplement. Alghzawi even thinks that taking turmeric as a supplement should be avoided altogether, since its purported benefits do not outweigh the risks. Other experts believe in a more measured approach.

“While it may not be necessary to avoid turmeric supplements altogether, it is important for patients to inform their doctors of their use so that monitoring can be done, if needed,” said Angeline Liu, a gastroenterologist with Kaiser Permanente in southern California. “Likewise, it is important for physicians to take a complete history when speaking with patients, which includes routinely asking patients if they are taking any medications or supplements that can be purchased over-the-counter.”

Turmeric supplements may harm the liver in some people

Turmeric is touted to have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-cancer properties that act against multiple conditions.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Ontario may need to import electricity during extreme weather: Report
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Published Jun 23, 2024 • 1 minute read

Ontario’s electricity system operator says the province should have enough electricity to meet growing demand this year and next, though it may have to import power during extreme heat at times.


The Independent Electricity System Operator says in its 18-month reliability outlook report that there will be enough supply of electricity generated in Ontario under normal weather conditions.

However, under extreme weather the province may need to rely on importing up to 2,000 megawatts of power from other jurisdictions to ensure reliability, particularly in August and summer of 2025.

Nuclear power provides more than half of Ontario’s electricity supply and during the 18-month outlook, some units are being refurbished while others are set to be retired.

The IESO expects electricity demand in the province to increase by one per cent this year, then by nearly three per cent next year.

The higher demand partly comes as economic activity is expected to pick up, but also due to large industrial projects such as electric vehicle battery plants and steelmakers’ electric arc furnaces.

Ontario may need to import electricity during extreme weather: Report

The Independent Electricity System Operator says under extreme weather Ontario may need to rely on importing up to 2,000 megawatts of power.

torontosun.com

 

[Jinentonix]

The Ontario Science Center/Ontario Place kerfuffle is pretty hilarious really. A) They're building a brand new $325 million Science Ontario at Ontario Place.

B) Despite the leftards whining about Ontario Place being turned into a "private spa", it is going have a water park that anyone can enter, as long as they pay to get in. There's no "private spa", the company that will be working the project has 'Spa' in its name but they are building a water park. This sale also takes the Ontario taxpayer off the hook for maintaining the property which was closed down in 2012, except for some music "venues" and walking areas, by the Liberals.

C) Putting the Science Center in Ontario Place would help to revitalize downtown Toronto instead of keeping it located on the edge of Toronto. It would also be MUCH cheaper to build a new one instead of trying to renovate the old one.

D) Some architectural critic wag in the Red Star lamented that buildings like the Science Center and the educational value it had, along with Ontario's progressive history, are things Conservatives like to destroy. 'Cept it was a Conservative govt who had it built in the first damn place. But hey, when you work for the Red Star (or the CBC) why let facts and piddly little details like the truth get in the way of a good ol' fashioned partisan rant.

E) Two potential headlines: "Premier Closes Ontario Science Center prematurely due to engineering report". Or, "Premier ignores warnings from engineering report. Part of Science Center roof collapses on families." I know what headline I'd rather have to live with if I was the Premier.

 

[spaminator]

Architecture firm behind Ontario Science Centre calls closure 'political move'
The firm wants the province to reverse its decision and has offered its services free of charge to help

Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Liam Casey
Published Jun 27, 2024 • Last updated 2 days ago • 4 minute read

The firm of the late architect who designed the Ontario Science Centre says the province’s decision to immediately close its doors over a problem with the roof was “absurd” and motivated by politics rather than safety concerns.


Brian Rudy, a partner with Moriyama Teshima Architects, said news of the science centre’s abrupt closure last week left them “dumbfounded.”

“It’s absurd to think that the whole building needs to be immediately shut down,” Rudy told The Canadian Press. “It’s so obviously a political move.”

Raymond Moriyama, who died last year, designed the science centre that opened in 1969 on a ravine near the west branch of the Don River in Toronto’s east end.

At a hastily called news conference last Friday, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Infrastructure Ontario announced the science centre would close by 4 p.m. due to health and safety concerns over the roof.

The closure sparked outrage from local residents, science lovers and opposition politicians. Many have called on the government to reverse course.


The province blamed failing roof panels made with a material called reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, a lightweight form of concrete that was popular in the 1960s and ’70s.

The government said it acted fast after receiving an engineer’s report earlier in the week that laid out problems with the roof. The science centre’s board decided to close the institution.

The report, written by the engineering firm Rimkus Consulting, did not recommend an immediate closure.

Some roof panels are at risk of collapse and Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma said the engineers told government officials that the roof should be replaced in its entirety. That would take two to five years and cost upwards of $40 million.

Surma said it was a health-and-safety matter and that she was not “going to risk the safety of workers and children.”


But Rudy said the roof panel problem should not have come as a surprise to the government.

“It needn’t have been because it has been known for years,” Rudy said. “This has been an issue identified decades ago.”

Several reports over the years painted a sad story of the science centre’s state of disrepair. Successive governments, from Progressive Conservatives to Liberals to New Democrats, deferred maintenance.

Rudy said his firm analyzed the engineer’s report and he thinks there are a number of ways forward, and questioned the government’s actions.

“It’s not as urgent as they would let on,” Rudy said.

“Most of the panels actually aren’t even above exhibition spaces. So the urgency to close exhibition spaces is unfounded. In fact, all of the permanent exhibit spaces are free of this type of roof panel entirely, so it’s not even a concern.”


Rudy takes no issue with the thrust of the engineer’s report.

“There’s no doubt that repairs need to be made and that’s no different than any building of this age,” he said.

“Any building or museum of this size is going to have periodic maintenance at this age, so this is something that they know and that they do in phases, even if there are panels above public spaces. They’re easy to rope off and make secure from public while the repairs are done.”

The firm wants the province to reverse its decision and has offered its services free of charge to help.

The province does not appear to be wavering. It is looking for an interim spot for the centre before a new one, half the size, opens at a redeveloped Ontario Place.

“The report proposes a single scope of work requiring both remediation and, in some areas, complete roof assembly and panel replacement,” said Ash Milton, a spokesperson for Surma.


“This work has a potential cost of at least $22-40 million and would require a closure of the facility for more than two years. It would still not be open for the summer.”

Milton said the full cost to repair everything at the science centre “would be at least $478 million.”

“Our government is delivering a new, world-class facility for the OSC at Ontario Place, including 15 per cent more exhibition space, with completion as early as 2028,” Milton said.

“In the interim, the OSC is exploring opportunities for alternative programming, such as mobile, pop-up experiences and virtual.”

While the science centre is owned by the province, the land it is on is owned by the City of Toronto and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.


Premier Doug Ford has said the future of the site will be determined by the city.

The city is set to debate a motion Thursday about the province’s responsibilities and the feasibility of operating the science centre at its current location.

The office of Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said as part of the “new deal” with the province signed last year, the two sides agreed to “discuss partnership opportunities with the city for maintaining public, community-oriented science programming at the legacy Ontario Science Centre.”

Chow is urging residents to “do the needed repairs and keep the centre open for families to enjoy.”

Architecture firm behind Ontario Science Centre calls closure 'political move'

Raymond Moriyama, who died last year, designed the science centre that opened in 1969 on a ravine near the west branch of the Don River

torontosun.com

 

[Taxslave2]

Ontario may need to import electricity during extreme weather: Report
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Published Jun 23, 2024 • 1 minute read

Ontario’s electricity system operator says the province should have enough electricity to meet growing demand this year and next, though it may have to import power during extreme heat at times.


The Independent Electricity System Operator says in its 18-month reliability outlook report that there will be enough supply of electricity generated in Ontario under normal weather conditions.

However, under extreme weather the province may need to rely on importing up to 2,000 megawatts of power from other jurisdictions to ensure reliability, particularly in August and summer of 2025.

Nuclear power provides more than half of Ontario’s electricity supply and during the 18-month outlook, some units are being refurbished while others are set to be retired.

The IESO expects electricity demand in the province to increase by one per cent this year, then by nearly three per cent next year.

The higher demand partly comes as economic activity is expected to pick up, but also due to large industrial projects such as electric vehicle battery plants and steelmakers’ electric arc furnaces.

Ontario may need to import electricity during extreme weather: Report

The Independent Electricity System Operator says under extreme weather Ontario may need to rely on importing up to 2,000 megawatts of power.

torontosun.com

All part of the plan to build more expensive poison spewing nuke plants.

 

[spaminator]

Getting rid of poison ivy: What you should and shouldn’t do
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Jessica Damiano
Published Jul 01, 2024 • 4 minute read

For all the time I spend digging, planting, pulling and weeding, one would think I’d have some poison ivy horror stories to tell, but I do not. I can’t say for sure whether I’m immune to the rash that tortures so many of my fellow gardeners or if I’ve just been lucky, but one thing is for sure: The plant does pose a serious problem for many who come into contact with it.


Botanically known as Toxicodendron radicans, poison ivy contains oily chemical compounds called urushiols in its leaves, stems and roots. According to the American Skin Association, about 85% of the U.S. population is allergic to urushiols, with roughly 10% to 15% of those considered “highly allergic.”

That makes the plant concerning — and possibly dangerous — for most Americans, with 50 million people affected each year, the group says. So, in most cases, it should be removed.

But the itchy, blistering and sometimes painful dermatitis that affects most people who brush up against poison ivy can discourage efforts to tackle it.

It’s a Catch-22: You need to remove it because you’re allergic but you’re allergic so you can’t remove it.


First, know how to identify it

Making a positive ID can be tricky.

Poison ivy takes on different appearances at different times of year. Most often, its leaves are composed of three leaflets apiece (as referenced in the childhood rhyme, “leaves of three, let it be”). The middle stem is longer than the stems of the side leaflets. Young foliage is shiny; older leaves are dull. Larger, older vines, especially those climbing up trees, are hairy. Leaf color can be green, red, pink-tinged, yellow or orange. Leaf shape can also vary, with smooth, lobed or toothed margins.

I’ll confess, it confuses me, too. I once pulled up a raspberry plant (RIP) that I misidentified as poison ivy.

Consult with a poison ivy expert, bring a (bagged) sample to your local cooperative extension office, download a plant identification app or compare photos of your vine to those in books or on an educational website.


Then, either call in a professional or, if removing it yourself, carefully implement protective measures.

How to remove it safely

Wear long sleeves, pants, gloves and goggles, and don’t touch anything, especially your face, during the process. Avoid contact with tools or clothing used during the job, and remove all clothing afterward so as not to allow it to come into contact with skin or other surfaces.

The best way to eradicate poison ivy is to pull it up by its roots. If you garden in a four-season area, the job will be easiest in early spring, after winter’s freeze-thaw cycles have softened the ground. Otherwise, waiting until after rainfall is best for the same reason.

Pulling, you’ll notice, will likely leave some of the roots behind, as they can grow up to a foot deep. The entire root system must be completely dug up to avoid a reoccurrence, but if you’re tired, that can wait until tomorrow.


As you dig, you’ll notice the plant also has runner roots that have grown horizontally under the soil surface. Depending on the size of the plant, they can extend up to 20 feet from it. Remove them, too.

How to clean up properly afterward

Proper disposal of all plant parts is critical. Place them in a tightly sealed, heavy black plastic bag and set it out with the trash. Never burn poison ivy, because the smoke would contain toxins that could be fatal if inhaled.

When you’re finished, don’t touch your door. Don’t get yourself a drink. Don’t open the washing machine. Don’t. Touch. Anything.

This is easiest if you have someone to open the door, put your clothes into the washer, etc. If not, take care to do things in the proper order to avoid cross-contamination: Strip naked, remove your gloves then wash your hands with a liquid cleanser specially formulated to remove traces of the resins. One is Tecnu, which also can be used to launder contaminated clothing.


Then, bring the bottle into the shower with you. Avoid bathing with ordinary soap because it can spread the oils to other parts of your body.

Urushiols can also be transmitted to people via gardening tools, footwear, clothing and pets for as long as a year or two after contact, so anything that touched the plant should be thoroughly cleaned, too. Then wash your hands again. You can’t be too careful.

As time goes on, some sprouts will likely reappear, so repeated pulling and digging may be required over the next several seasons.

Other options

If pulling is not possible, herbicides containing triclopyr or glyphosate can be used to kill the plant. I do not advocate the use of these chemicals except in extreme circumstances, such as to control Japanese knotweed. But if you are severely allergic, I consider poison ivy removal in that category.


Just know that these herbicides will kill every plant they come in contact with, including grass. They also have toxic properties that will remain in the soil for some time. Use them only on a windless day to avoid overspray and take care to directly target only the poison ivy. Apply to leaves as directed, following precautions on the package label.

Plants should wilt within 24 hours, turn brown within three days and die in a couple of weeks, at which point they can be removed. Take the same precautions as above because dead (and dormant) plants still contain toxins. Repeat applications may be necessary.

And don’t get cocky. Just because you’re not allergic today doesn’t mean you won’t be tomorrow. Always protect yourself.

Getting rid of poison ivy: What you should and shouldn’t do

It's a Catch-22: You need to remove it because you're allergic but you're allergic so you can't remove it.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Pets can suffer from car sickness. Here’s how to help your dog or cat.
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Marlene Cimons
Published Jul 01, 2024 • 5 minute read

Raylan, my late shepherd mix, had a problem with car rides. He’d hop into the back seat, excited for a new adventure, but could last only about 15 minutes before standing up, drooling and retching. Within seconds, he would vomit. On long trips, there could be as many as a half-dozen such episodes.


I tried everything: a medication prescribed by my veterinarian specifically for dogs with motion sickness, over-the-counter antihistamines, a human nausea drug usually given to patients undergoing chemotherapy, homeopathy and Chinese herbs. Nothing worked. I always arrived at my destination with a queasy dog and a load of soggy, smelly towels.

With summer underway, many people are planning vacations in pet-friendly places reachable by car. But for humans whose dogs (or cats) get carsick, these excursions can become an unpleasant ordeal.

“It’s really sad, even traumatic, to see your pet go through it, especially since they can’t vocalize what is happening,” said Matthew Lechner, an internal medicine specialist at Veterinary Referral Associates in Gaithersburg, Md. “It can be visceral and emotional for both humans and their pets.”


What causes motion sickness in dogs?
Motion sickness in dogs – as in humans – results from a disturbance in the body’s vestibular system, a complex set of structures and neural pathways centrally located in the inner ear that regulate balance and physical orientation. When there is a conflict between certain stimuli – what the eyes are seeing, for example, with what the body is feeling – equilibrium is disrupted and the vestibular system sends a distress signal to the brain, including to its vomiting center.

“A driver almost never gets motion sick because he is looking out the window,” said Trisha Dowling, professor of veterinary clinical pharmacology at Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. “He is focused on the outside and how the world is moving in relation to the car, and that helps. But a dog’s visual field is limited to what the dog sees sitting on the car seat. At the same time, his body is feeling motion. There’s a dissonance that trips the trigger.”


Car sickness in dogs most often occurs in puppies because their inner ear structures aren’t fully developed yet. Many young dogs outgrow it. But some, like Raylan, never do. Also, dogs regardless of age can become anxious in cars, which can prompt car sickness.

Can cats get carsick, too?
Yes. Cats also are anxious during car rides. This, in addition to vomiting, can result in urination, defecation and yowling. “Cats live 99 percent of their lives in a house, so a car ride – a visit to the vet, for example – is immensely stressful,” Lechner said. “You are dragging them out of their world.”

Cats, though, usually ride in carriers. This contains the vomit and other substances, which keeps the car seat from getting soiled. But you’ll still need to clean up your cat and carrier, which can be nasty for you and your cat. (Small dogs also can ride in crates.)


How is car sickness in pets treated?
Don’t give your pet anything without consulting your veterinarian. Even over-the-counter medications can cause side effects. These recommendations should be used only as a guide for your conversations:

Maropitant citrate, brand name Cerenia, is the gold standard for treating car sickness in dogs. It’s a prescription tablet for dogs with motion sickness, which research has shown to be safe and effective. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2007, and a generic version became available last year.

Injectable Cerenia is licensed for both dogs and cats, and is often used for chronic vomiting or nausea from surgery or chemotherapy. It also can be given in a vet’s office before a trip.


The tablets aren’t approved for cats, although veterinarians prescribe them “off label.” While Cerenia helps cats, other drugs used in dogs usually don’t, Lechner said.

Maropitant citrate works by blocking a neurotransmitter – or chemical messenger – called substance P involved in nausea and vomiting, thus reducing their likelihood.

“Nothing will be as powerful as Cerenia,” Dowling said. “It’s the best thing we have.”

Other options include drugs for humans that can be used for dogs, though you should check with your vet on dosage and other requirements:

– Dimenhydrinate, brand names Dramamine, Benadryl, Gravol, Travtabs, Driminate, Triptone; and Diphenhydramine, brand name Benadryl. This is an antihistamine used to prevent motion sickness and can help dogs, especially dogs with vestibular disease. These, however, can cause drowsiness.


– Meclizine hydrochloride. It is another antihistamine, and the active ingredient in the less drowsy version of Dramamine. Antihistamines target the balancing center in the inner ear.

– Ondansetron, brand name Zofran. This drug helps prevent nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. It also works by blocking certain substances in the body involved in vomiting.

Consult your vet about what to give your cat. For instance, the vet might prescribe an anti-anxiety medication to relieve your cat’s stress.

Most medications should be given several hours before leaving. Follow the instructions on the label, or from your vet. Some veterinarians recommend skipping food, but others suggest a small meal or snack. “Having a little bit of food in the stomach keeps things moving, so I think a small meal before leaving is better than being totally fasted,” Lechner said.


Some people give their dogs gingersnaps – since ginger is known to relieve nausea – but there are no studies showing it helps, Lechner said. He added that other ingredients in cookies and ginger products, such as sugar substitutes, could be quite risky.

There are other measures you can take to help your pet:
– Keep the car cool. Dogs often pant when they become motion sick, so air conditioning and ventilation can help. But don’t let your dog hang its head out the window. Flying debris can hurt sensitive eyes – and the dog could jump out.

– Keep a dog in a crate or buckled in the rear seat. This is the safest place for them, experts aid.

What happens when Cerenia or other drugs alone don’t work?
Talk to your veterinarian about a combination approach. When individual drugs failed to help Raylan, my vet suggested using Cerenia with the less drowsy version of Dramamine. The solution worked.


Even though Cerenia usually is effective, motion sickness in dogs is complicated with different pathways and mechanisms of action, which “explains why sometimes one drug is not enough,” said Kate Illing, a veterinarian and researcher with the Dog Aging Project. “Dogs have multiple receptors and neurotransmitters and nerves that affect nausea and vomiting. To treat, we try to target one or more of them.”

While Cerenia affects the brain’s vomiting center, antihistamines work on the inner ear’s balance function, a strategy that finally proved effective for Raylan. “When Cerenia wasn’t enough, adding on the antihistamine was the synergism he needed,” Dowling said.

The bottom line: Don’t give up. “It can be a messy and often frustrating problem,” Illing said. “But persevere. And have patience.”

Pets can suffer from car sickness. Here’s how to help your dog or cat.

Here’s how to help your dog or cat.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Guinness World Record for intelligent B.C. chicken Lacey
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Published Jul 04, 2024 • 1 minute read

A hen named Lacey
A hen named Lacey is shown in this undated handout photo. Photo by Jeanette Martin /THE CANADIAN PRESS
VICTORIA — A B.C. chicken named Lacey has earned a Guinness World Record for being able to correctly identify the most objects in one minute.


Lacey’s owner, veterinarian Emily Carrington, says the world record shows that chickens are intelligent, and Lacey now has bragging rights as one of the world’s smartest hens.

In a video of Lacey setting the record of six identifications, Carrington shows the hen a series of letters, numbers and coloured objects, before Lacey correctly pecks them out from among similar objects.

Carrington, who lives with Lacey on Gabriola Island, says Guinness officials sent a letter last month naming her the holder of the record for “most identifications by a chicken in one minute.”

She says Guinness World Records created the category because the tricks Lacey performed “showed intelligence and making choices.”

Carrington says that in addition to being able to identify letters and other objects, Lacey can jump through hoops and lay one egg a day.

Most identifications by a chicken in one minute

guinnessworldrecords.com

Guinness World Record for intelligent B.C. chicken Lacey

A B.C. chicken named Lacey has earned a Guinness World Record for being able to correctly identify the most objects in one minute

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Yukon minister says cyanide found in creek near mine spill, after firm issues denial
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Published Jul 04, 2024 • 1 minute read

MAYO, Yukon — Yukon’s mining minister says elevated levels of cyanide have been detected in a waterway after an equipment failure and slide of ore at Victoria Gold’s Eagle Mine last week.


The announcement by John Streicker comes hours after the company issued a statement saying it had detected no cyanide in surface water after the slide.

Streicker has told a briefing that elevated cyanide levels of about 40 parts per billion were collected in a creek, a level higher than the allowable five parts per billion, and which “could potentially affect fish.”

He says the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun was immediately informed that after the results came in last night.

Streicker says whether the cyanide actually affects fish will depend on other chemicals in the water.

Victoria Gold had earlier issued a statement saying surface water quality sampling at multiple points downstream of the mine located about 500 kilometres north of Whitehorse had “not detected any cyanide” since the June 24 failure.

The failure occurred at a heap-leach facility, which uses a cyanide solution to percolate through crushed ore and extract gold.

Victoria Gold also said in its statement that it had received notices of default from its lenders under a 2020 credit agreement.

It said production remained suspended and its previous 2024 production and cost forecasts had been retracted.

Yukon minister says cyanide found in creek near mine spill, after firm issues denial

Yukon says elevated levels of cyanide have been detected after an equipment failure and slide of ore at Victoria Gold's Eagle Mine

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

These oldest inhabited termite mounds have been active for 34,000 years
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Gerald Imray
Published Jul 04, 2024 • 2 minute read

an ancient termite mound in Namaqualand, South Africa
In this undated photo provided to the Associated Press by Stellenbosch University researcher, Michele Francis, right, and other researchers, pose for a selfie next to an ancient termite mound in Namaqualand, South Africa. Photo by Michele Francis /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Scientists in South Africa have been stunned to discover that termite mounds that are still inhabited in an arid region of the country are more than 30,000 years old, meaning they are the oldest known active termite hills.


Some of the mounds near the Buffels River in Namaqualand were estimated by radiocarbon dating to be 34,000 years old, according to the researchers from Stellenbosch University.

“We knew they were old, but not that old,” said Michele Francis, senior lecturer in the university’s department of soil science who led the study. Her paper was published in May.

Francis said the mounds existed while saber-toothed cats and woolly mammoths roamed other parts of the Earth and large swathes of Europe and Asia were covered in ice. They predate some of the earliest cave paintings in Europe.

Some fossilized termite mounds have been discovered dating back millions of years. The oldest inhabited mounds before this study were found in Brazil and are around 4,000 years old. They are visible from space.


Francis said the Namaqualand mounds are a termite version of an “apartment complex” and the evidence shows they have been consistently inhabited by termite colonies.

Termite mounds are a famous feature of the Namaqualand landscape, but no one suspected their age until samples of them were taken to experts in Hungary for radiocarbon dating.

“People don’t know that these are special, ancient landscapes that are preserved there,” Francis said.


Some of the biggest mounds — known locally as “heuweltjies,” which means little hills in the Afrikaans language — measure around 100 feet (30 meters) across. The termite nests are as deep as 10 feet underground.

Researchers needed to carefully excavate parts of the mounds to take samples, and the termites went into “emergency mode” and started filling in the holes, Francis said.


The team fully reconstructed the mounds to keep the termites safe from predators like aardvarks.

Francis said the project was more than just a fascinating look at ancient structures. It also offered a peek into a prehistoric climate that showed Namaqualand was a much wetter place when the mounds were formed.

The southern harvester termites are experts at capturing and storing carbon by collecting twigs and other dead wood and putting it back deep into the soil. That has benefits in offsetting climate change by reducing the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere.

It’s also good for the soil. Masses of wildflowers bloom on top of the termite mounds in a region that receives little rain.

Francis called for more research on termite mounds given the lessons they offer on climate change, sustaining ecosystems and maybe even for improving agricultural practices.

“We will do well to study what the termites have done in the mounds. They were thought to be very boring,” she said.

These oldest inhabited termite mounds have been active for 34,000 years

Scientists in South Africa discovered termite mounds that are still inhabited in an arid region of the country are 30,000 years old

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Your fridge isn’t built to last. Here’s why.
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Rachel Kurzius, Jaclyn Peiser
Published Jul 05, 2024 • Last updated 22 hours ago • 4 minute read

New refrigerators, ovens and dishwashers come with all sorts of novel features – you can see your vacation photos on a screen on your fridge door, remotely monitor food temperature or connect your dishwasher to the internet. They’re also less expensive and more efficient than in decades past.


But many of the latest models of kitchen appliances have shorter life spans than those of yesteryear. Thanks to how complex they are, they require maintenance sooner, and the cost of repair often rivals the price tag of a new appliance altogether. Plus, it turns out a lot of people simply aren’t using most of the newfangled features.

Probably nobody knows the particular limitations of new appliances better than the people tasked with repairing them.

“We used to be able to tell people a dishwasher could last 15 years. And now you’re lucky to get five to seven out of a dishwasher,” says David Costanzo, owner of Appliance King of America in Boynton Beach, Fla.

At home, Costanzo has a totally original GE fridge from 1935 that he says “works perfectly,” but these days, “you’re lucky to get 10 to 15 years out of a refrigerator. And 10 to 15 years ago, that number was closer to 20 years.”


One major culprit is the switch from mechanical to electrical systems powering the appliances.

“There are a lot more sensors in appliances,” says Darin Williams, owner of Reliable Appliance in Anchorage. “Now, you have digital integration into motors versus strictly mechanical motors. And so with a lot of things being geared more towards digital, those types of components are more apt to fail than something that is analog and mechanical.”


On a modern appliance, you’re less likely to turn a dial that triggers a motor (a mechanical system) than press a button on a screen that connects a bunch of tiny components to a motherboard (digital integration). More complexity means more can go wrong.

“The motherboard controls everything,” says Leonardo Ben Fraj, owner of Optimal Appliance Repair in Washington. And that has major implications when things go awry, because the control board often costs about half the price of the whole appliance. In other words, it could set you back nearly as much money to fix it as it would to just buy a new one.


And even if you want to repair rather than replace, you might not be able to do so easily. When it comes to electronic components, “the pace of change is so fast that a company will make something one year, and in two years down the line, they don’t make that component,” says Michael Pecht, a distinguished professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland. “They’re making the next generation and that new component may not fit the old one.”

Pecht has consulted for major U.S. and European Union brands. He says some of their CEOs and vice presidents lamented the difficulties of competing with Chinese companies, which often promise extremely inexpensive products. “There’s a lot of pressure for them to also make it cheaper,” he says. “So when you’re thinking about making it cheaper, what do you do? You cut down on materials – you don’t use the best, highest quality materials.”


You do use plastic – a lot of it. Which, of course, breaks more easily than metal. “One of the big things we see, in terms of breakdowns, are parts breaking,” says Daniel Wroclawski, a reporter with Consumer Reports who focuses on home appliances. Components such as shelving, ice makers, and water and ice dispensers are all more vulnerable than they used to be.

Plastic does have some benefits: It’s easily molded into complex parts and its light weight means it’s inexpensive to ship. And metal isn’t perfect – it can rust, for instance. But even when metal is being used nowadays, the quality is diminished compared to the heavier-duty metal found in appliances from 20 or 30 years ago. “The metal is a little bit thinner. The wires are a little bit thinner,” says David Oliva, president of RD Appliance Service in Plainview, N.Y.


Manufacturers continue to push smart appliances, meaning they’re connected to the internet. Wroclawski says that there’s no indication yet that those features have led to more breakdowns. In fact, internet connectivity can at times even help with repairs, especially remotely. “But there is that potential as you make these things more complex, you increase the chance for something to break down at some point,” he says. (Cybersecurity experts also warn that smart appliances can make your in-home online network more vulnerable, and connected appliances are constantly sending collected data about use back to manufacturers.)

And this added risk comes with little payoff because the majority of consumers aren’t using their appliances’ WiFi features, according to surveys conducted by Consumer Reports. “Most people who own them don’t use the smarts or aren’t even aware that the smarts are there,” Wroclawski says. “Frankly, the use cases aren’t that compelling.”


Manufacturers haven’t given up on trying to add more functions, though.

“It’s almost like an appliance space race,” says Williams, the refurbisher in Alaska. “The manufacturer that comes out with the coolest thing that excites the consumer market is more likely to sell that product. Whereas when the consumer actually takes hold of that product, they realize the feature is not something that they even need or use.”

Indeed, when asked what people should keep in mind when buying new appliances, Ben Fraj, the D.C. repair person, said the bells and whistles are often a distraction at best, and a potential for an early repair at worst. The best appliances, in his opinion, “don’t have time for this BS.”

Your fridge isn’t built to last. Here’s why.

One major culprit is the switch from mechanical to electrical systems powering the appliances.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

How to protect your skin from sun damage and cancer
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Andrea Atkins
Published Jul 04, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 5 minute read

Your skin does a lot for you. The body’s largest organ has three main layers – epidermis, dermis and hypodermis – and creates a barrier against potentially harmful substances while also helping to regulate your body’s temperature. It’s out there every day fighting for your health.


But strong as it is, your skin is also susceptible to damage, particularly from the sun, which the 20 percent of Americans diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime know all too well. Skin damage can take years to appear, but it can be quite deadly.

“No matter what age you are, no matter what your level of sun damage is, it’s never too late to take care of your skin. Start protecting it now,” said Catherine Pisano, Mohs micrographic surgeon and cutaneous oncologist at Harvard Medical School.

Here’s what experts had to say about protecting your skin this summer.

How common is sun damage?
“Extremely common,” said Mary L. Stevenson, an associate professor in the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “Two different ranges of light wavelengths cause different forms of skin damage.”


Ultraviolet A (UVA) leads to more premature aging of the skin, but ultraviolet B (UVB) can cause “DNA damage that turns normal cells into precancerous or cancerous cells,” Pisano said. Because “damage can take years to show up,” sunburns you got in your 20s could become skin cancer in your 50s.

The environment may be assaulting our skin, as well, said Shadi Kourosh, an associate professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School.

“We are increasingly learning about the role of other factors, such as visible light, infrared (heat) radiation and pollution as contributors to skin cancer,” Kourosh said. “… There is evidence that airborne pollutants due to smog and wildfires can actually corrode the skin barrier and cause DNA damage.”


How common is skin cancer?
There are 9,500 cases of skin cancer diagnosed daily in the United States, making it the most common cancer in the country, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

“Basal cell carcinoma is most common, followed by squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma,” Stevenson said. More than 8,000 people in the United States are expected to die of melanoma this year, according to the American Cancer Society.

Squamous and basal cell cancers occur in the outermost layer of the skin, while melanoma originates in cells known as melanocytes, which can cross into the deepest layers of the skin, making it the most deadly.

“Basal cell carcinoma’s five-year survival approaches 100 percent,” said Stacy P. Salob, clinical assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College. “However, if a basal cell carcinoma is left untreated, it can grow and ulcerate – which could be painful, get infected, and destroy nerves, fascia or cartilage. Squamous cell carcinoma is also curable if caught early. Only about 2 percent of cases metastasize, but that’s when it becomes dangerous. Then the five-year survival rate is 40 percent.


“If it’s caught early, the five-year survival rate for melanoma is more than 99 percent. But if it reaches the lymph nodes, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, only 74 percent of patients survive, and if it metastasizes to another organ, the survival rate drops to 35 percent.”

How do you prevent skin cancer?
“You can’t really eliminate the risk of skin cancer,” said Jeremy Brauer, clinical associate professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Health. “But you can reduce your risk by practicing sun protective behaviors. These include appropriate application of UVA/UVB broad spectrum sunscreen, wearing [ultraviolet protection factor] clothing, including hats and sunglasses, seeking shade and scheduling outdoor activities before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. whenever possible.”


“Employing more sun protective behaviors now is super-effective in diminishing the sun damage that you already have, as well as preventing more sun damage,” Pisano said.

In a recent study, the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit advocacy and research organization, said only 25 percent of sunscreens on the market met the group’s standards for safety and effectiveness. The organization also released a list of best sunscreens, all of which have titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, making them “mineral” sunscreens.

What about about sunscreens available in Europe and Asia but not the United States?
“We have relatively few ingredients available in the U.S. that block UVA rays. Europe and Asia have a number of excellent ingredients that are effective UVA blockers,” Salob said, though she added that many U.S. sunscreens work well.


In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration regulates sunscreens as nonprescription drugs, a lengthy process. Bemotrizinol, a broad-spectrum UV filter ingredient found in many European and Asian sunscreens, is among the sunscreen ingredients awaiting FDA approval for sale in the American market.

Are there any new treatments for people with sun-damaged skin? What are their side effects, and when are they used?
People with a history of multiple skin cancers or precancerous lesions called actinic keratoses may be prescribed topical creams (like fluorouracil, often combined with calcipotriene) that help to treat and reduce precancerous cells or photodynamic therapy (PDT), Stevenson said. PDT involves a solution that is applied to the skin and then light-activated.


“The treatments create a robust immune system response to the DNA damage and lower the risk of getting skin cancer from these damaged cells. Neither is a ‘one-and-done’ treatment.” Pisano said. “You’ll probably have to do it about once a year as a maintenance therapy. Fluorouracil is applied at home and PDT [is] an in-office treatment, so the patient may decide which is better for them.”


While these treatments are FDA-approved for precancerous spots (also called solar keratoses), Salob said they are also sometimes used to treat “superficial skin cancers. Imiquimod, another topical, is FDA-approved for basal cell carcinomas as well as solar keratoses. It stimulates the immune system to treat the area affected with skin cancer.”


A laser treatment known as fractional resurfacing (or Fraxel) can reduce precancerous changes and decrease the risk of developing certain cancers.

With these new treatments, can people feel confident that they can dodge the skin cancer bullet?
The treatments help, but they’re not enough. “You can still get skin cancer, even with these treatments. So, it’s important to get regular skin checks with a board-certified dermatologist,” Pisano said.

When should you see a doctor about something on your skin?
“Any sort of pimple, bug bite or red bump that does not go away within four to six weeks, and anything that is itchy, painful, bleeding, or increasing in size should be shown to a dermatologist,” Pisano said.

The ABCDEs of melanoma

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends the ABCDE Method to help spot possible melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. Here are things to look out for:

Asymmetry: One half of a spot on the skin doesn’t match the other half.

Border: Its border isn’t smooth, but rather jagged and irregular.

Colour: A spot’s colour is uneven, with shades of brown, black, gray, red or white.

Diameter: A spot on the skin is larger than the tip of a pencil eraser (6 mm).

Evolving: A spot is new or changing – melanomas grow and change with time.

Skin Cancer | Healthing.ca

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, primarily caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or from tanning beds and lamps. There are several types of skin cancer, but the three most common are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Basal cell...

healthing.ca

How to protect your skin from sun damage and cancer

Your skin does a lot for you.

torontosun.com

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Only go out at night.

Duh.

 

[B00Mer]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1811073422987874531

 

[spaminator]

Ontario town willing to become host to nuclear waste repository
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Published Jul 10, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read

IGNACE, Ont. — A northwestern Ontario town has formally decided it is willing to become the site of a deep geological repository for Canada’s nuclear waste.


The Nuclear Waste Management Organization plans to select a site this year where millions of bundles of used nuclear fuel will be placed in a network of underground rooms connected by cavernous tunnels.

The process for the $26-billion project had already been narrowed down to two sites, Ignace in northern Ontario and another in southern Ontario, and the organization has said both the local municipality and the First Nation in those areas will have to agree to be willing hosts.

Ignace, between Thunder Bay and Kenora, on Wednesday became the first of those communities to make its decision known as town council voted in favour of it at a special meeting.

Councillor Wayne Minnear said he was pleased that the town will move forward to possibly host the repository.


“I’m also surprised because everybody, or some people that I spoke to, were deadly against it … but the community has pulled together with the foresight to see that this is the plan of the future,” he said.



The group We the Nuclear Free North criticized the process, which involved a consultant report and council vote, rather than the referendum the other municipality in the running is set to hold in October. As well, the group noted that the proposed site is outside the community, so Ignace council shouldn’t have the final say.

“At minimum this should be a regional decision, not the decision of one small upstream council,” Wendy O’Connor, a volunteer with the group, wrote in a statement.


Mayor Kim Baigrie called it “the decision of a lifetime” with a process that began more than 14 years ago.

“We put our hand up to state we were interested in hearing and learning more about this opportunity for our community — and boy, did we learn more.”

A committee of community members tasked with taking the pulse of the town’s willingness presented the results of a community vote before council made its decision. Out of the 640 residents who voted, 495 (about 77%) voted in favour.

Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation, northwest of Ignace, is expected to make its decision in October and neither the municipality of South Bruce nor the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, near Owen Sound, has yet made a decision.


The current fleet of nuclear reactors in Canada will produce about 5.5 million used fuel bundles with about 3.2 million already in either wet or dry storage on site at nuclear plants.


But the Nuclear Waste Management Organization says the current containers of thick concrete walls lined on the outside with a steel plate are designed to last 50 years, so they are not a long-term solution.

The organization, funded by the corporations that generate nuclear power and waste, such as Ontario Power Generation and Hydro-Quebec, is instead planning to build a deep geological repository, as far underground as the CN Tower is tall.

The used nuclear fuel pellets, baked into ceramic, are contained in fuel rods made of corrosion-resistant Zircaloy. Those rods will be in containers made of carbon steel and coated with copper and those containers will be packed into bentonite clay.

Opponents in the affected communities worry about safety, while proponents see value in the jobs and economic development the project will bring.

Ontario town willing to become host to nuclear waste repository

A northwestern Ontario town formally decided it is willing to become the site of a deep geological repository for Canada's nuclear waste.

torontosun.com