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Daily Record
28-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Schoolgirl who nearly choked to death stuck on NHS waiting list as parents live in fear
Lauren Crome has been suffering from debilitating condition since she was three years old A 12-year-old girl who almost choked to death twice because of a severe tonsil condition has been told she will have to wait three years for an operation. Lauren Crome has been suffering from bouts of tonsillitis since she was three years old, having up to seven episodes a year. She has missed weeks of school at a time and has had to abandon her dream of becoming an Olympic swimmer because she is so poorly and cannot risk infection. Last year she was finally referred to the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) department at Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Children where her parents were told there was a waiting list for treatment of 18 months. But a year later that waiting list for day surgery has risen to three years. Lauren's dad Stephen and mum Kellie have now been left living in fear. Stephen, 39, a charge nurse on an alcohol and drug recovery ward, said: 'Near enough every time the schools come back from a break she comes down with it. Last April she saw an ENT specialist who said he saw what they think are polyps on her tonsils. "She literally can't speak for two weeks, she is in agony and she has choked a couple of times. I have had to save her life twice with abdominal thrusts. There is no way she could go to school when she has it. She is too unwell for school.' Lauren is about to start second year at Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh where she will shortly be choosing her subjects and, with ambitions of becoming a doctor, every minute spent away from school is a worry. Stephen said: 'She has missed so much school over the last three or four years because of it.' Two years ago the tonsillitis caused her to develop Mesenteric adenitis, a painful abdominal condition triggered by viral or bacterial infections. Stephen said: 'She was off school for months, she couldn't walk, she couldn't speak, she had to live downstairs in the house because she couldn't get up the stairs. It is just cruel to have somebody living like this, particularly a 12-year-old kid. She got put on the list last April we were told it would be 18 months. I phoned up at Christmas to get her put on the cancellation list and they said at that point it was two years. 'I phoned up last week to let them know she had choked again and at that point I was told it was three years. They said a consultant would phone me back but a week later I have heard nothing. 'I've had have to save her life twice. It was lucky I was there because if not I don't know what would have happened. Both times she had tonsillitis and she has not choked any other time so it is quite clearly because of her tonsils. 'Every time she gets it, it is getting worse and she is missing two weeks of school every couple of months. Choking is a life threatening thing and it's not something to be mucked about with when it can be easily dealt with by a simple out-patient operation; why it is three years is mental. 'I asked Lauren what she would do if she won the lottery, what would she buy first. She said she would pay to get her tonsils out. That's crazy that a 12-year-old's dreams are that.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The family are now looking into possibly taking a bank loan to pay privately for Lauren to have the operation. Stephen said: 'There is no way we can wait another 18 months to two years for an operation. That would be her Highers gone. It is hard for her to keep catching up. But if nothing happens within the next six months we will have to seriously look into that but something doesn't feel right about doing that. The NHS is supposed to be free for those who need it and if you are having to go private for something as simple as this what is the point in the NHS?' Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour's health spokeswoman, said: 'No parent should have to worry their child could choke to death just because the SNP has failed to get to grip with waiting lists. 'This situation is completely unacceptable and is causing untold misery to the family involved. 'The SNP must ensure Lauren receives the treatment she needs as soon as possible so that she can focus on her education and the family does not need to live in fear.' Dr Claire Harrow, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's Deputy Medical Director for Acute Services, apologised for the 'ongoing health challenges and the distress this is causing'. She said while they could not comment on individual cases 'we understand how difficult it is for anyone managing repeated episodes of tonsillitis'.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Could deciphering dolphin language help us communicate with ET?
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. There are creatures here on Earth that may give us clues on getting "chat-time" with extraterrestrial intelligence — dolphins, which are famously social and smart. Recently, the Coller Dolittle Challenge awarded the winner of its first $100,000 annual prize to accelerate progress toward interspecies two-way communication. A prize of equal value will be awarded every year until a team deciphers the secret to interspecies communication. This year's winning team of researchers has discovered that dolphin whistles could function like words — with mutually understood, context-specific meaning. The winning team was led by Laela Sayigh from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The researchers are studying the resident bottlenose dolphin community offshore of Sarasota, Florida. They were on the lookout for "non-signature" whistles, which comprise approximately 50% of the whistles produced by Sarasota dolphins. Non-signature whistles differ from the more widely studied "signature" whistles, which are referential, name-like vocalizations. Sayigh's team used non-invasive suction-cup hydrophones, which they placed on the dolphins during unique catch-and-release health assessments, as well as digital acoustic tags. "Bottlenose dolphins have long fascinated animal communication researchers," Sayigh said in a statement. "Our work shows that these whistles could potentially function like words, shared by multiple dolphins." Sayigh and her team can now use deep learning in an attempt to "crack the code" and analyze those whistles. But what does all this have to do with E.T.? "My interests are very firmly here on Earth, in learning about how dolphins communicate with each other," Sayigh told "I do know that there are others in the animal communication world that are interested in this, however." One of those researchers is Arik Kershenbaum, an associate professor and director of studies at Girton College, part of the University of Cambridge in England. He's the author of "The Zoologist's Guide to the Galaxy: What Animals on Earth Reveal About Aliens — and Ourselves" (Viking, 2020). Kershenbaum explained that the book is about life on Earth, because "that's all we have to look at." He also contributed a white paper for a workshop at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute in California, titled "What Animal Studies Can Tell Us about Detecting Intelligent Messages from Outside Earth." In that paper for the SETI Institute, Kershenbaum and colleagues concluded that animal communication research is the closest we are likely to get to studying extraterrestrial signals, until such signals are actually received. "Many of the challenges facing SETI research are similar to those already addressed in the investigation of animal behavior, and the evolutionary origins of human language," they wrote. "Indeed, the evolution of language on Earth may in fact have been driven and constrained by similar principles to those operating on life on other planets." The researchers have proposed the establishment of a large cross-species database of communicative signals, made available to all SETI and animal behavior researchers. In addition, they also proposed that tools, algorithms and software used to analyze these signals should be made publicly available for application to these data sets, "so that comparative studies can take full advantage of the expertise from the biological, mathematical, linguistic and astronomical communities." The topic of dolphin language interpretation, as well as the vocalizations of humpback whales and the field of non-human communications more broadly, is increasingly drawing the interest of SETI researchers and astrobiologists, explained Bill Diamond, president of the SETI Institute. Humpback whales have very complex vocalizations, Diamond told "where it seems clear that they are transmitting information and not simply making sounds associated with mating, feeding or dealing with threats. They plan ahead and communicate complex instructions to one another." Leading that look is SETI researcher Laurance Doyle, who's working on a project in partnership with the Alaska Whale Foundation to study the vocalizations of humpback whales. Related stories: — Talking to ET? Why math may be the best language — The search for alien life (reference) — Will we ever be able to communicate with aliens? For Diamond, the relevant research question is whether or not there are some fundamental mathematical rules associated with the transmission of information that would be universal — like the laws of physics and chemistry — within our known universe. "If there's an underlying rule structure to the transmission of information, and we can decipher it," Diamond said, "we would firstly be able to recognize a detected SETI signal as containing information, and therefore intelligence. And, possibly, we might even ultimately be able to translate it!" According to Diamond, "there's definitely a connection between SETI/astrobiology and the study of non-human communication and non-human intelligence."
Business Insider
10-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Cartesian Therapeutics (RNAC) Gets a Buy from Mizuho Securities
In a report released today, Uy Ear from Mizuho Securities maintained a Buy rating on Cartesian Therapeutics (RNAC – Research Report), with a price target of $40.00. The company's shares closed today at $9.90. Protect Your Portfolio Against Market Uncertainty Discover companies with rock-solid fundamentals in TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter. Receive undervalued stocks, resilient to market uncertainty, delivered straight to your inbox. Ear covers the Healthcare sector, focusing on stocks such as Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Sarepta Therapeutics, and Evolus. According to TipRanks, Ear has an average return of 0.0% and a 38.83% success rate on recommended stocks. The word on The Street in general, suggests a Strong Buy analyst consensus rating for Cartesian Therapeutics with a $36.80 average price target. RNAC market cap is currently $263.3M and has a P/E ratio of -0.20. Based on the recent corporate insider activity of 51 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is positive on the stock. This means that over the past quarter there has been an increase of insiders buying their shares of RNAC in relation to earlier this year. Last month, TIMOTHY A SPRINGER, a Director at RNAC bought 149,075.00 shares for a total of $1,521,840.87.
Business Insider
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Mizuho Securities Reaffirms Their Buy Rating on Alkermes (ALKS)
Mizuho Securities analyst Uy Ear maintained a Buy rating on Alkermes (ALKS – Research Report) today and set a price target of $40.00. The company's shares closed today at $30.58. Protect Your Portfolio Against Market Uncertainty Discover companies with rock-solid fundamentals in TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter. Receive undervalued stocks, resilient to market uncertainty, delivered straight to your inbox. According to TipRanks, Ear is an analyst with an average return of -3.5% and a 34.48% success rate. Ear covers the Healthcare sector, focusing on stocks such as Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Sarepta Therapeutics, and Evolus. In addition to Mizuho Securities, Alkermes also received a Buy from TD Cowen's Joseph Thome in a report issued today. However, on April 28, UBS maintained a Hold rating on Alkermes (NASDAQ: ALKS).
Epoch Times
24-04-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
Beyond Sleeping Pills: Er He Liao Offers a Holistic Remedy for Restful Nights
Sleepless nights can feel like a frustrating cycle that never ends. Tossing and turning while watching the hours slip away is a feeling millions experience at night. It's no surprise that the U.S. market for sleep aids has grown into a However, if you are concerned about the side effects and potential dependency associated with pharmaceutical options, there is a holistic option worth considering. Enter Ear Harmony Crevice (Er He Liao, TE22), an acupoint recognized in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a pathway to achieving inner calm and improving sleep quality. Harmonizing Energies Er He Liao, which translates to 'Ear Harmony Crevice,' is more than just a poetic name—it is classified as the exit point of the Triple Energizer meridian, one of the While modern TCM practitioners debate the importance of exit and entry points, many agree that these locations are crucial for balancing excesses of Additionally, Er He Liao has a soothing effect on the 'shen,' or spirit, making it especially beneficial for those experiencing restlessness, anxious thoughts, or sleep disturbances. Furthermore, if you experience head pain or pressure, the Er He Liao acupoint may relieve physical discomfort and mental tension. A Built-In Diagnostic Tool Another fascinating element of Er He Liao is its location just above the superficial temporal artery. If you rest your fingers gently just in front of your ear, near the hairline, you might feel its pulse beating beneath the skin. According to some TCM practitioners, the rhythm and quality of this pulse can offer clues about your sleep health. A gentle, even pulse on both sides suggests good circulation in the head region and thus good sleep quality, while an asymmetrical or pounding sensation might reflect internal disturbances affecting sleep. Modern Science: A New Lens on an Old Point Ancient theories often discuss concepts of energy and meridians, but today's researchers are investigating Er He Liao from a biomedical perspective, particularly regarding its role in pain management. One clinical Additionally, the treatment altered crucial chemical markers by reducing inflammatory and pain-related compounds, while increasing levels of 5-HT, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and pain. Patients felt physically better and reported an improved quality of life. How to Locate and Stimulate Er He Liao Finding Er He Liao is straightforward. It is located where your ear connects to your head, specifically at the root of the auricle, along the edge of your temple's hairline. You should be able to feel a pulse at this spot. When you press on the acupoint, it may feel sore or tender to the touch. How to Stimulate Er He Liao for Better Rest Finger Pressure: Apply gentle pressure for three to five seconds, release for three seconds, and repeat this rhythm for one to three minutes on each side. Circular Massage: Use your thumb or index finger to massage the area in slow, calming circles for one to three minutes. Herbal Patch: For deeper relaxation, try applying an herbal patch overnight. Advanced Methods: Techniques like acupuncture, moxibustion (a gentle heat therapy with dried mugwort), or gua sha (gentle scraping of the skin to boost circulation) should only be done by trained professionals. Precautions: Because of its proximity to the artery, Er He Liao point can be sensitive. Start gently, and increase pressure only if it's comfortable. Skip direct stimulation if you have injuries near the area, and consult a professional before trying advanced methods. If you're using herbal patches, read ingredient lists carefully to avoid aggressive chemicals, especially if your skin is prone to allergic reactions. A Natural Wind-Down Ritual Rest doesn't have to come in the form of a pill. Incorporating Er He Liao stimulation into your bedtime routine might give your body and mind the nudge they need toward peaceful slumber. It's a no-cost, low-effort, side-effect-free practice that could help anchor your evenings in calm. Try it for a few nights and see what changes. Chances are, better sleep is just a touch away. Related Stories 4/22/2025 4/8/2025 TCM expert Shihhsiang Hung reviewed this article for accuracy and clarity. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through
