- THE FLASH: [Spoiler] Comments On Their (Supposed) Cameo Appearance: “Sadly, I’m Not In This” CBM (Comic Book Movie)
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Now Features a New Location From Spider-Man: Homecoming The Sportsrush
- INSIDE OUT: Pixar Is Reportedly Developing A TV Series Despite Controversies Surrounding Sequel Toonado.com
- THE FLASH Stumbles At The Box Office With Disappointing $55 Million Debut CBM (Comic Book Movie)
- AHSOKA Star Rosario Dawson Responds To Rumors About Hayden Christensen’s Darth Vader Return Sci-Fi & Fantasy Gazette
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Tag Archives: Sadly
Aces’ Becky Hammon was punished for violating WNBA’s Respect in the Workplace rules and her defense falls sadly short – Yahoo Sports
- Aces’ Becky Hammon was punished for violating WNBA’s Respect in the Workplace rules and her defense falls sadly short Yahoo Sports
- Aces’ Becky Hammon denies bullying following WNBA sanctions – ESPN ESPN
- WNBA’s issue with limited roster spots, hard salary cap will linger beyond investigation into Aces, Becky Hammon AOL
- WNBA suspends Las Vegas Aces’ Becky Hammon, rescinds 2025 first-round draft picks following investigation KTNV 13 Action News Las Vegas
- Becky Hammon denies allegations of pregnancy discrimination toward Dearica Hamby Yahoo! Sports
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Dogs get dementia too sadly, but a simple habit seems to lower the risk : ScienceAlert
Dogs get dementia too. But it’s often difficult to spot. Research published this week shows how common it is, especially in dogs over 10 years old.
Here are some behavioral changes to watch out for in your senior dog and when to consult your veterinarian.
What is doggy dementia?
Doggy dementia, or canine cognitive dysfunction, is similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans, a progressive brain disease that comes with behavioral, cognitive, and other changes.
It is generally seen in dogs over eight years old but can occur in ones as young as six.
Pet owners may dismiss many behavior changes as just a normal part of aging. So it’s likely there are more dogs with it than we realize.
Veterinarians can also find it difficult to diagnose. There is no accurate, non-invasive test for it. And, just like humans, senior dogs are likely to have a number of other health issues that can complicate diagnosis.
Does my dog have dementia?
Dogs with dementia can often get lost in their own backyard or home. They can get stuck behind furniture or in corners of the room because they forget they have a reverse gear. Or they walk towards the hinge side of a door when trying to go through.
Dogs’ interactions with people and other pets can change. They may seek less or more affection from their owners than before, or start to get grumpy with the other dog in the home where once they were happy housemates. They may even forget faces they have known all their lives.
They also tend to sleep more during the day and be up more at night. They may pace, whine, or bark, seemingly without purpose. Comfort does not often soothe them, and even if the behavior is interrupted, it usually resumes quite quickly.
Sometimes caring for a senior dog with dementia is like having a puppy again, as they can start to toilet inside even though they are house-trained.
It also becomes difficult for them to remember some of those basic behaviors they have known all their lives, and even more difficult to learn new ones.
Their overall activity levels can change too, everything from pacing all day, non-stop, to barely getting out of bed.
Lastly, you may also notice an increased level of anxiety. Your dog may not cope with being left alone anymore, follow you from room to room, or get easily spooked by things that never bothered them before.
I think my dog has dementia, now what?
There are some medications that can help reduce signs of doggy dementia to improve quality of life and make caring for them a little easier. So, if you think your dog is affected, consult your veterinarian.
Our group is planning research into some non-drug treatments. This includes looking at whether exercise and training might help these dogs. But it’s early days yet.
Unfortunately, there is no cure. Our best bet is to reduce the risk of getting the disease. This latest study suggests exercise might be key.
What did the latest study find?
US research published today gathered data from more than 15,000 dogs as part of the Dog Aging Project.
Researchers asked pet dog owners to complete two surveys. One asked about the dogs, their health status, and physical activity. The second assessed the dogs’ cognitive function.
Some 1.4 percent of the dogs were thought to have canine cognitive dysfunction.
For dogs over 10 years old, every extra year of life increased the risk of developing dementia by more than 50 percent. Less-active dogs were almost 6.5 times more likely to have dementia than dogs that were very active.
While this might suggest regular exercise could protect dogs against dementia, we can’t be sure from this type of study. Dogs with dementia, or with early signs of dementia, may be less likely to exercise.
However, we do know exercise can reduce the risk of dementia in people. So walking our dogs may help them and us reduce the risk of dementia.
‘I love my girl so much’
Caring for a dog that has dementia can be hard, but rewarding. In fact, our group is studying the impact on carers.
We believe the burden and stress can be similar to what’s been reported when people care for someone with Alzheimer’s.
We also know people love their old dogs. One research participant told us:
I love my girl so much that I am willing to do anything for her. Nothing is too much trouble.
Susan Hazel, Senior Lecturer, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide and Tracey Taylor, PhD Candidate, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
‘Covid Dick’ Is, Sadly, Real
It seems we can add sexual dysfunction to the long list of unexpected and unpleasant effects of the coronavirus. Thankfully, this doesn’t appear to be a common occurrence, and there are some potential remedies that those afflicted can try.
This week, the Slate-run sex advice podcast How to Do It discussed the harrowing tale of an anonymous letter writer who was suffering from what’s come to be known as “covid dick.” The writer, who identified as a heterosexual man in his 30s, said that he had gotten very sick and was hospitalized from covid-19 last July. After he was discharged, he began experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED). Though his symptoms did improve after seeing a doctor, the man reportedly was left with a glaring reminder of his ordeal. Describing himself as above average in penis size before covid-19, he said that his penis had now shrunk about 1.5 inches and that he had “become decidedly less than average.”
The podcast hosts, to their credit, also interviewed a pair of urologists who rightly noted that there’s a clear trail of evidence linking covid-19 to erectile or sexual dysfunction. A study this past November, for instance, found that men with covid-19 were about three times as likely to develop a new case of ED than those who didn’t catch covid-19. Some research has suggested that the risk may be nearly six times higher, yet other estimates are smaller, suggesting around a 20% increased risk. A small percentage of people with long covid, including women, have also reported sexual dysfunction as one of their symptoms. And sometimes, ED can indeed lead to shrinkage, especially if it’s caused by physical damage and scarring that causes the penis to stop becoming regularly erect.
There are a few theories as to how covid-19 can cause ED. The infection can possibly reach penile tissue and directly damage to the surrounding blood vessels. It may also be due to the indirect effects of infection on the immune system, which may trigger damaging inflammation. (An over-reacting immune system and blood vessel damage are also the prime suspects behind “covid toes.”) And the experience of hospitalization in severe cases can take a toll on the body, penis included. The risk of ED from blood vessel damage is probably greater in people who already have other relevant health conditions that can affect circulation, such as type 2 diabetes. Many cases of ED can also be chalked up to stress and anxiety, and covid survivors are unfortunately at higher risk of experiencing that as well.
That said, age is by far the largest risk factor for ED, with as much as 70% of men experiencing some level of it by their 70s. And while we don’t seem to have solid data on the actual prevalence of covid-related ED, it doesn’t appear to affect a huge proportion of men. The November study, for instance, found that slightly less than 5% of men in the sample were diagnosed with ED after covid-19.
As the Slate hosts note, there are readily available treatments for ED, such as the drug sildenafil (Viagra). And even a shrunken penis can be treated or prevented through what one urologist refers to as “penile rehab,” which can involve stretching exercises and/or penis-pumping devices. So not all hope is lost if you’re worried about the dreaded covid dick. And for the record, there’s no evidence at this time of a link between ED and getting vaccinated for covid-19.
Sadly, Nvidia’s GTX 1650 Was a Best Selling GPU on Amazon
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While getting one of Nvidia’s best graphics cards has been nearly impossible this year, the shortage forced many PC users to consider trying out a different GPU: The GeForce GTX 1650.
Despite being slightly dated, the graphics card is currently the best-selling GPU on both Amazon and Newegg. Is this because it’s just that good, or does the unexpected success stem from the ongoing GPU shortage?
Finding the GTX 1650 on a list of bestsellers is certainly a surprise. The card is 2 years old, and even back when it was first released, it wasn’t the best the market had to offer. When compared to some similarly priced cards from AMD, the GTX 1650 wasn’t as competitive as one might expect.
Whether Nvidia’s GTX 1650 is a great GPU or not is almost beside the point at a time when graphics cards are so scarce. One of the reasons why the GTX 1650 has been so successful is definitely the fact that compared to other cards, the market is relatively saturated with this Turing GPU.
Nvidia and its partners currently produce four different versions of the card, including models with GDDR5 or GDDR6 memory. The GDDR6 models are obviously superior thanks to much greater memory bandwidth, but surprisingly, this isn’t always reflected in the price. Nvidia also utilizes three different dies in the GTX 1650 models that it releases, including TU117, TU106, and TU116.
Branching out into using different dies likely allows Nvidia to produce the GTX 1650 on a much larger scale than some of its other units. As a result, more cards make it to the market, and that alone ensures they will be selling in greater quantities than the newer cards that are so difficult (and expensive) to get.
Although it was never part of Nvidia’s latest and greatest, the GTX 1650 still manages to fill a void in the GPU market left behind by the seemingly never-ending chip shortage. For everyone but the most demanding gamers, it can stand its ground in modern titles, and it is perfectly sufficient for 1080p gaming. However overpriced thanks to scalpers, the GTX 1650 continues to be an affordable way to build a gaming PC without waiting for months on end just to buy an Nvidia RTX 30-series graphics card at 300% of its MSRP.
Nvidia’s GTX 1650 started with an MSRP of $150, so it was quite affordable from the get-go. It’s not surprising that right now, its price is considerably higher. Customers need to be prepared to spend around $300-$400 in order to get a GTX 1650 for their new build. For example, there’s this Asus TUF model with 4GB of GDDR6 memory on Amazon for $399 and this MSI Ventus GTX 1650 on Newegg for $350, which is Newegg’s current #1 bestseller.
The card’s market success was first reported on by Tom’s Hardware. The publication also pointed out that there are graphics cards currently for sale that offer better value for the money, but they do require a larger initial expense. One such example is this Radeon RX 6600 graphics card on Newegg, priced at $560, which is far more powerful than the GTX 1650.
Whether it currently offers great value or not, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 definitely offers something that other Nvidia cards do not: It’s available right now, it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to buy, and it can play many games on decent enough settings. Perhaps in the dire times of the GPU shortage, that is all it takes for a 2-year-old card to conquer Amazon and Newegg.
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The Metroid Dread Credits Debate Is Sadly Common
The conversations around Metroid Dread have been mostly positive since its launch, but a recent topic that has caused a good deal of debate and criticism of developer MercurySteam has related to the game’s credits. Multiple contributors to the game have raised the fact that they’re not credited, and the developer has responded to clarify its internal policy. Its statement is below.
The policy of the studio requires that anyone must work on the project [for] at least 25% of the total development of the game to appear in the final credits… sometimes exceptions are made when making exceptional contributions.
There are issues with this policy, so let’s briefly outline a couple of perspectives. Two contributors to state their case online have put their periods at the company at 8 and 11 months, with the latter therefore presumably missing out based on the project being around four years or more in development.
The issue with a threshold such as “25% of the total development” is how vague and open to abuse that is – when does a development project start? Is it when MercurySteam first discussed Dread with Nintendo, or perhaps when they took initiative to produce a pitch deck? Or perhaps it’s dated when the nitty gritty begins of conceptualising and planning the game. The point is, all are arguably ‘start points’, and can greatly impact the definition of its development period.
The other issue is that you could work 11 months on a project when it’s at full speed, in its most productive phase, contributing a great deal of content to the broader game, and by this metric not be credited. It is also very common practice in game development to employ new hires and contractors on fixed and short term contracts. Temporary staff are a factor in all areas of working life, of course, but in the production of major games a studio size can dramatically swell for a relatively short period to push it forward, and then those contracts lapse and many workers are then looking for the next opportunity. We don’t know if that was the case here, but it is common.
As highlighted in Eurogamer’s article on this topic this has happened across various companies, so it’d be inaccurate to portray MercurySteam as a lone offender in this regard; in many ways the company is following its own form of the industry norms. It’s not just in the retail / triple-A space either; myself and Kate Gray in the NL team have worked in the Indie game development and publishing scene in the past and discussed the issue of credit earlier in the year. Even in very small teams debates around these acknowledgments happen, and those that perform multiple roles or contribute but then move on are sometimes ignored or put under the generic ‘Special Thanks’ section. Discussion around the title of a credit can be as difficult as having a name included in the first place.
Why does this matter? Well, for one thing, not being credited properly is arguably harmful to someone’s career. For anyone working in the industry each job, each contract, is contributing to a portfolio that helps to advance that career. It seems unfair that someone can say they worked on a game for nearly a year, only for potential employers to then look in the credits and not see their name. To find an equivalence in the website space, it’d be like if my articles from my first stint at Nintendo Life had their bylines removed when I moved into publishing for 3 years. That would be unfair (and didn’t happen, of course!).
The issue is how normal it has become for game publishers and developers of all sizes to disregard or downplay contributions to their games. This does happen in other creative industries (film, music, books, the same debates appear in those areas too), but is arguably worse in gaming because it is still a young and in some ways immature industry. There are unions and representative bodies trying to defend creators of all kinds in other industries, but in gaming we’re still in the stage of mainly relying on organisations that deliver advocacy and awareness, but little solid influence. There’s no real oversight or universal standards for how contributor credits work, so every company effectively wings it. The problem with that is that not all leadership in the industry is inclined to have fair policies.
What’s the solution? In the absence of industry standards, we’re stuck with relying on company owners and project leaders to ‘do the right thing’. As we’ve highlighted above, the MercurySteam policy (as one example, it’s certainly not the worst out there) is too vague and potentially unfair. A fixed window should ultimately suffice, in the same way that probation works when you start a new job. Should it be 3 months, or 6 months? Is that enough time for someone to definitely make a contribution that deserves full credit?
I think so, but also think I should discuss it with some developers and project leads and learn from their expertise. Either way, a fixed time period, and not woolly off-the-hoof policies, seems fairer on creators of all kinds. Whether working on scripts, editing, coding, producing concept art, whatever – there are too many contributors to games we love that are overlooked.
At the end of the day it’s an industry-wide concern. There are undoubtedly game developers and publishers that credit people properly, too, so the industry should learn from them. Everyone is trying to make and enjoy amazing video games, it’s a passion and way of life. When someone contributes to this wonderful medium, they deserve to be acknowledged.
The Developer Behind God of War’s Incredible Leviathan Axe Has Sadly Passed Away
George Mawle, a former gameplay engineer at Sony Santa Monica Studio who is credited with the handling behind God of War’s Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos, sadly passed away last Thursday. Tributes have been paid across social media since, with combat design lead Mihir Sheth crediting him with playing a large part in the engineering behind the feel of the two iconic weapons.
“At SMS he worked on Kratos’ weaponry, navigation, RPG systems, a myriad of combat behaviors, improvements to the scripting system to empower designers, and SO much more. He was a veteran on the team who played a huge role in closing out the game and squashing bugs.” George picked up the nickname “Furious George” thanks to his commitment to seeing an idea through to fruition, as Sheth explains how would pursue side projects in cooking, carpentry, and homemade movies.
It appears George considered God of War the peak of his working career, as Sheth explains how “he never thought he’d work on a game and feature so beloved in his career of ups and downs. He would repeat this out of the blue, two years after. “We really did alright didn’t we”.” George’s career in game development spanned more than 20 years, but left Sony Santa Monica Studio some months ago.
Alongside God of War, he also worked on Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, Prototype 2, Crash of the Titans, and Scarface: The World Is Yours, among others.
R.I.P George Mawle.