Scientists may have accidentally stumbled upon a potential new treatment for the most common form of baldness. It even works as well as commercial hair loss treatments.
It all started with research on deoxyribose sugar that naturally occurs in the body and helps form DNA.
While studying how these sugars heal the wounds of mice when applied topically, scientists at the University of Sheffield and COMSATS University in Pakistan noticed that the fur around the lesions was growing back faster than in untreated mice.
Together, the team designed a biodegradable, non-toxic gel made from deoxyribose, and applied the treatment to mouse models of male-pattern baldness.
Minoxidil was also tested on balding mouse models, and some of the animals received a dose of both sugar gel and minoxidil for good measure.
Compared to mice that received a gel without any medicine, those that received a gel with deoxyribose sugar began to sprout new hair follicles.
Both minoxidil and the sugar gel promoted 80 to 90 percent hair regrowth in mice with male pattern baldness. Combining the treatments, however, did not make much more of a difference.
Despite the claims to the contrary, protests, violence, and protest damage is still very much alive in Portland in 2024. Protesters showed up at a local AI meetup in August I attended. In all cases, people trying to get around/past roadblocks are threatened with violence and physical assault.
In February and March, protesters blocked the I-405 Fremont bridge and numerous other interstates and major city bridges. Protesters threatened violence to other drivers if they tried to drive around them.
In May, Protesters did almost $1 million in damages to local Portland State Library after a week of protester occupation and mass destruction. It resulted in a mob that attacked police when they cleared the building and arrested protesters still in the building. Many of whom were not Oregon residents.
The motorcycle race on the Isle of Man is legendary.
Peter Hickman just obliterated the lap record onboard his FHO Racing BMW M 1000 RR and average 136.358 mph. Ride along for the whole 17 minutes of utter madness. You couldn’t pay me enough to even try this at 1/2 the speed – in a car.
Little Bubbly Child has some of the more colorful characters one might meet in rural/Appalachian locations. While I love rural areas and find them full of the wonderful and often well educated people, if you’ve lived in these locations you’ve probably met one or more of these folks that everyone sighs when they interact with them.
Ever see people doing demonstrations in big box stores, fairs, or outdoor markets? They’re usually showing off the latest knifes, miracle cleaning products, heating pads, etc. These are almost always multilevel marketing schemes.
MLM’s are marketing machines that have used the entrepreneur bandwagon and selling the idea of controlling your own destiny/ownership. While some may be legitimate, a great number of them are just thinly veiled pyramid schemes. As you move up, you are called an ‘owner’ but are always working in the pyramid – just with a different title. Many of those in these organizations make little money despite working insanely long hours.
Researchers have found these businesses are increasingly operated with the same methods as cults. Yes, cults. They push endless positivity, promote a step-by-step plans for entrepreneurial ‘salvation’, invent their own terminology, and create in/out dynamics to isolate and keep people from questioning what they’re doing. All techniques cults use.
It’s worth reading about these techniques, because as researchers are finding, these cult-like control techniques are increasingly spreading to social media, business, political groups, and social justice movements. It might be time to move past the word ‘cult’ as people don’t realize that the techniques can be used to ensnare anyone for almost anything – and they pull in even the smartest people.
“The Catholic Church is an institution I am bound to hold divine – but for unbelievers a proof of its divinity might be found in the fact that no merely human institution conducted with such knavish imbecility would have lasted a fortnight” – Hilaire Belloc
Japanese Arcade Rhythm Games – Social/internet connected arcade machines
While US arcades haven’t seen a lot of growth or interesting development, Japan has kept their arcade experiences fresh and expanding in all kinds of creative ways.
Wacca is a Japanese rhythm arcade system developed by Marvelous along with hardcore techno label HARDCORE TANO*C. What makes it interesting is it’s focus on techno music and features a unique 360 multicolored touchscreen interface. The game’s circular display screen is enveloped by a circular touch panel on the outside. The player taps on the corresponding section of the touch panel as music notes approach the border of the circular screen. In addition to touch notes, the game also features hold notes, notes that slide left and right, and notes that involve flicking forwards and backwards on the touch pad.
Circular interfaces aren’t new. When I was in Japan before Covid, Sega’s game maimai was just becoming popular and really proved the interface had some serious possibilities. While first joking about the fact it looked like a front-loanding washing machine, it became a real hit.
An interesting part of Japanese arcade games is the increasing social and internet connectivity component. Unlike old stand-alone arcades, players can use players cards or a computer or smartphone to connect with maimai DX NET to access their scores and achievements, customize game settings, register with and compare friends’/rivals’ accomplishments/scores as well as compete in national rankings. Before maimai DX was released, it was possible to link a niconico account to upload a recording of the play from the camera built into the arcade machine. As time has gone on, there are now collaborations between different rhythm games and accounts.
This online and connected social aspect of the game along with the fun gameplay has really helped it become popular. As time went on, over 20 updates to the game and songs were released as well as a second generation of cabinets that were also constantly updated.
The regular updates (almost like seasons) keeps the play fresh and fun. As updates come out, players rank up and unlock new songs and new play mechanics. As players become advanced, they discover interesting hidden techniques and methods. Certain artists use particular touch motifs/techniques to add their own signature to their songs (swipes, taps, etc). It’s a real rabbit hole you can get into.
